rj.acrownofswords-第115部分

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d　for　her　before　folding　themselves　back　into　their　seats。　She　hoped　Nynaeve　was　getting　on　a　tenth　so　well。　When　she　found　out　about　this；　Nynaeve　was　going　to　faint　from　shock。　〃I　have　something　of　my　own　to　tell　you　about　the　Kin。〃
　　　Fairly　soon　it　was　Merilille　who　looked　ready　to　faint　from　shock；　and　even　Adeleas　and　Vandene　were　not　far　from　it。　But　they　went　right　on　saying；　〃Yes；　Elayne；〃　and　〃If　you　say　so；　Elayne。〃　Perhaps　it　would　all　go　smoothly　from　now　on。
　　　
　　　The　sedan　chair　was　rocking　through　the　crowds　of　revelers　along　the　quay　when　Moghedien　spotted　the　woman。　She　was　being　handed　down　from　a　coach　at　one　of　the　boat　landings　by　a　footman　in　green　and　white。　A　wide　feathered　mask　covered　her　face　more　pletely　than　Moghedien's　did；　but　she　would　have　known　that　determined　stride；　known　that　woman；　from　any　angle　in　any　light。　The　carved　screens　that　served　as　windows　in　the　closed　chair　were　certainly　no　hindrance。　Two　fellows　with　swords　on　their　hips　scrambled　from　the　coach　roof　to　follow　the　masked　woman。
　　　Moghedien　thumped　a　fist　against　the　side　of　the　chair；　shouting；　〃Stop！〃　The　bearers　halted　so　quickly　she　was　almost　flung　forward。
　　　The　crowd　jostled　past；　some　shouting　curses　at　her　bearers　for　blocking　the　way；　some　shouting　more　good　naturedly。　Down　here　by　the　river；　the　throng　ran　thin　enough　for　her　to　watch　through　the　gaps。　The　boat　that　pulled　away　from　the　landing　seemed　quite　distinctive；　the　roof　of　the　low　cabin　in　the　rear　was　painted　red；　she　did　not　see　that　affectation　on　any　of　the　others　waiting　at　the　long　stone　dock。
　　　She　wet　her　lips；　shivering。　Moridin's　instructions　had　been　explicit；　the　price　of　disobedience　made　excruciatingly　clear。　But　a　slight　delay　would　not　hurt。　Not　if　he　never　learned　of　it；　anyway。
　　　Flinging　open　the　door；　she　climbed　out　into　the　street　and　looked　about　hastily。　There；　that　inn；　right　overlooking　the　docks。　And　the　river。　Lifting　her　skirts；　she　hurried　away　without　the　slightest　fear　anyone　might　take　her　chair；　until　she　untied　the　webs　of　pulsion　on　them；　the　bearers　would　tell　anyone　who　asked　that　they　were　engaged；　and　stand　there　until　they　died　of　hunger。　A　path　opened　ahead　of　her；　men　and　women　in　feathered　masks　leaping　aside　before　she　reached　them；　leaping　with　squeals　and　cries　as　they　clutched　where　they　thought　they　had　been　stabbed。　As　they　had；　there　was　no　time　to　spin　subtle　webs　on　so　many　minds；　but　a　flurry　of　needles　woven　of　Air　did　as　well　here。
　　　The　stout　innkeeper　at　The　Oarsman's　Pride　nearly　leaped；　too；　at　the　sight　of　Moghedien　striding　into　her　mon　room　in　gloriously　scarlet　silk　worked　with　thread…of…gold　and　black　silk　that　glistened　as　richly　as　the　gold。　Her　mask　was　a　great　spray　of　pitch　black　feathers　with　a　sharp　black　beak；　a　raven。　That　was　Moridin's　joke；　his　mand；　as　was　the　dress；　in　fact。　His　colors　were　black　and　red；　he　said；　and　she　would　wear　them　while　she　served　him。　She　was　in　livery；　however　elegant；　and　she　could　have　killed　everyone　who　saw　her。
　　　Instead；　she　spun　a　hasty　web　on　the　round…cheeked　innkeeper　that　jerked　her　up　straight　and　made　her　eyes　pop。　No　time　for　subtlety。　At　Moghedien's　mand　to　show　her　the　roof；　the　woman　ran　up　the　railless　stairs　at　the　side　of　the　room。　It　was　unlikely　any　of　the　feather…draped　drinkers　saw　anything　unusual　in　the　innkeeper's　behavior；　Moghedien　thought　with　a　small　laugh。　The　Oarsman's　Pride　probably　had　never　seen　a　patron　of　her　quality　before。
　　　On　the　flat　roof；　she　quickly　weighed　the　dangers　of　letting　the　innkeeper　live　versus　those　of　killing　her。　Corpses　had　a　way　of　pointing　a　finger；　eventually。　If　you　wished　to　remain　quietly　hidden　in　the　shadows；　you　did　not　kill　unless　you　absolutely　had　to。　Hastily；　she　adjusted　the　web　of　pulsion；　told　the　woman　to　go　down　to　her　room；　to　go　to　sleep　and　forget　ever　having　seen　her。　With　the　haste；　it　was　possible　the　innkeeper　might　lose　the　whole　day；　or　wake　somewhat　slower　of　wits　than　she　had　been　…　so　much　in　Moghedien's　life　would　have　been　so　much　easier　had　she　possessed　a　better　Talent　for　pulsion　…　but　in　any　case；　the　woman　scurried　away；　eager　to　obey；　and　left　her　alone。
　　　As　the　door　thumped　down　flat　into　the　duty　white…tiled　roof；　Moghedien　gasped　at　the　sudden　feel　of　fingers　stroking　her　mind；　palping　her　soul。　Moridin　did　that　sometimes；　a　reminder；　he　said；　as　if　she　needed　any　more。　She　almost　looked　around　for　him；　her　skin　pebbled　as　though　at　a　sudden　icy　breeze。　The　touch　vanished；　and　she　shivered　again。　ing　or　going；　it　did　remind　her。　Moridin　himself　could　appear　anywhere　at　any　time。　Haste。
　　　Speeding　to　the　low　wall　that　surrounded　the　roof；　she　searched　the　river　spread　out　below。　Scores　of　boats　of　every　size　swept　along　on　their　oars　between　larger　vessels；　anchored　or　under　sail。　Most　of　the　cabins　of　the　sort　she　sought　were　plain　wood；　but　there　she　saw　a　yellow　roof；　and　there　a　blue；　and　there；　in　mid…river　and　heading　southward　fast。。。　Red。　It　had　to　be　the　right　one；　she　could　not　take　any　more　time　here。
　　　She　raised　her　hands；　but　as　balefire　launched　itself；　something　flashed　around　her　and　she　jerked。　Moridin　had　e；　he　was　there；　and　he　would。。。　She　stared　at　the　pigeons　fluttering　away。　Pigeons！　She　nearly　spewed　the　contents　of　her　stomach　across　the　roof。　A　glance　at　the　river　made　her　snarl。
　　　Because　she　had　jerked；　the　balefire　she　meant　to　slice　through　cabin　and　passenger　instead　had　sliced　diagonally　through　the　middle　of　the　boat；　about　where　the　oarsmen　had　stood；　and　the　bodyguards。　Because　the　rowers　had　been　burned　out　of　the　Pattern　before　the　balefire　struck；　the　two　halves　of　the　craft　were　now　a　good　hundred　paces　back　up　the　river。　Then　again；　perhaps　it　was　not　a　plete　disaster。　Because　that　slice　from　the　boat's　center　had　gone　at　the　same　time　the　boatmen　really　died；　the　river　had　had　minutes　to　rush　in。　The　two　parts　of　the　boat　sank　out　of　sight　in　a　great　froth　of　bubbles　even　as　her　eyes　shifted　to　them；　carrying　their　passenger　to　the　depths。
　　　Suddenly；　what　she　had　done　struck　her。　She　had　always　moved　in　the　dim　places；　always　kept　herself　hidden；　always。。。　Any　woman　in　the　city　who　could　channel　would　know　someone　had　drawn　a　great　deal　of　saidar；　if　not　for　what；　and　any　eye　watching　had　seen　that　bar　of　liquid　white　fire　sear　across　the　afternoon。　Fear　gave　her　wings。　Not　fear。　Terror。
　　　Gathering　her　skirts；　she　ran　back　down　the　stairs；　ran　through　the　mon　room　Bumping　into　tables　and　careering　off　people　trying　to　get　out　her　way；　ran　into　the　street　too　frightened　to　think；　battering　a　path　through　the　crowd　with　her　hands。
　　　〃Run！〃　she　shrieked；　hurling　herself　into　the　sedan　chair。　Her　skirts　caught　in　the　door；　she　ripped　them　free。　〃Run！〃
　　　The　bearers　flung　themselves　into　motion；　tossing　her　about；　but　she　did　not　care。　She　braced　herself　with　fingers　laced　through　the　carved　window　screens；　and　shook　uncontrollably。　He　had　not　forbidden　this。　He　might　forgive；　or　even　ignore　her　independent　action　here；　if　she　carried　out　his　instructions　swiftly；　efficiently。　That　was　her　only　hope。　She　was　going　to　make　Falion　and　Ispan　crawl！
　　　
　　　
Chapter　31　
（Serpent　and　Wheel）　
Mashiara　
　　　
　　　As　the　boat　swept　away　from　the　landing；　Nynaeve　tossed　her　mask　down　beside　her　on　the　cushioned　bench　and　slumped　back　with　arms　folded　and　braid　gripped　firmly；　scowling　at　nothing。　Scowling　at　everything。　Listening　to　the　Wind　still　told　her　a　fierce　storm　was　on　the　way；　the　kind　that　tore　off　roofs　and　flattened　barns；　and　she　almost　wished　the　river　would　begin　to　kick　up　in　waves　right　that　minute。
　　　〃If　it　isn't　the　weather；　Nynaeve；〃　she　mimicked；　〃then　you　should　be　the　one　to　go。　The　Mistress　of　the　Ships　might　be　insulted　if　we　didn't　send　the　strongest　of　us。　They　know　Aes　Sedai　put　great　store　in　that。　Bah！〃　That　had　been　Elayne。　Except　for　the　〃bah。〃　Elayne　just　thought　putting　up　with　any　amount　of　nonsense　from　Merilille　would　be　preferable　to　facing　Nesta　again。　Once　you　began　badly　with　someone；　it　was　hard　to　recover　…　Mat　Cauthon　was　proof　enough　of　that！　…　and　if　they　had　gotten　off　any　worse　with　Nesta　din　Reas　Two　Moons；　she　would　be　sending　the　lot　of　them　to　fetch　and　carry。
　　　〃Horrible　woman！〃　she　grumbled；　shifting　around　on　the　seat　cushions。　Aviendha　had　been　no　better　when　Nynaeve　suggested　she　go　to　the　Sea　Folk；　those　people　had　been　fascinated　by　her。　She　pitched　her　voice　high　and　finicky；　not　at　all　like　Aviendha's；　but　the　mood　fit。　〃We　will　learn　of　this　trouble　when　we　learn；　Nynaeve　al'Meara。　Perhaps　I　will　learn　something　watching　Jaichim　Carridin　today。〃　If　not　for　the　fact　that　nothing　whatsoever　frightened　the　Aiel　woman；　she　would　have　thought　Aviendha　fearful　from　her　eagerness　to　spy　on　Carridin。　A　day　standing　in　a　hot　street　jostled　by　crowds　was　not　amusing；　and　today　would　be　worse；　with　the　festival。　Nynaeve　would　have　thought　the　woman　would　enjoy　a　nice　refreshing　boat　ride。
　　　The　boat　lurched。　A　nice　refreshing　boat　ride；　she　told　herself。　Nice　cool　breezes　on　the　bay。　Moist　breezes；　not　dry。　The　boat　rolled。　〃Oh；　blood　and　ashes！〃　she　moaned。　Appalled；　she　clapped　a　hand　over　her　mouth　and　drummed　her　heels　against　the　front　of　the　bench　in　righteous　outrage。　If　she　had　to　endure　those　Sea　Folk　for　long；　she　would　have　as　much　filth　ing　off　of　her　tongue　as　Mat　did。　She　did　not　want　to　think　about　him。　One　more　day　folding　her　hands　for　that。。。　that　man。。。　and　she　would　yank　every　hair　out　of　her　head！　Not　that　he　had　demanded　anything　unreasonable　so　far；　but　she　kept　waiting　for　him　to；　and　his　manner。。。！
　　　〃No！〃　she　said　firmly。　〃I　want　to　settle　my　stomach；　not　rile　it。〃　The　boat　had　begun　a　slow　rocking。　She　tried　to　concentrate　on　her　clothes。　She　was　not　fixated　on　clothes　the　way　Elayne　sometimes　seemed　to　be；　but　thinking　about　silks　and　laces　was　soothing。
　　　Everything　had　been　chosen　to　impress　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships；　to　try　regaining　a　little　lost　ground；　for　all　the　good　it　might　do。　Green　silk　slashed　with　yellow　in　the　skirts；　embroidered　in　gold　down　the　sleeves　and　across　the　bodice；　with　golden　lace　along　the　hem；　and　at　her　w