rj.acrownofswords-第12部分

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oler　for　a　moment。　And　the　wind　from　the　south　had　cleared　the　scent　of　death　from　his　nostrils；　a　scent　that　reminded　him　where　he　was　supposed　to　be；　the　last　place　he　wanted　to　be。　Much　better　here；　inside　the　wagon　circle；　his　back　to　the　north；　where　he　could　forget　after　a　fashion。　The　surviving　wagons　had　been　hauled　up　to　the　hilltop　yesterday；　in　the　afternoon；　once　men　could　find　strength　to　do　more　than　thank　the　Light　they　still　breathed。　Now　the　sun　climbed　again；　and　the　heat　with　it。
　　　Irritably；　he　scratched　at　his　short　curly　beard；　the　more　he　sweated；　the　more　it　itched。　Sweat　rolled　down　the　face　of　every　man　he　could　see　except　the　Aiel；　and　water　lay　nearly　a　mile　away　to　the　north　now。　But　so　did　the　horrors；　and　the　smells。　Most　considered　it　a　fair　trade。　He　should　have　been　doing　his　duty；　yet　the　touch　of　guilt　did　not　move　him。　Today　was　High　Chasaline；　and　back　home　in　the　Two　Rivers　there　would　be　feasting　all　day　and　dancing　all　night；　the　Day　of　Reflection；　when　you　were　supposed　to　remember　all　the　good　things　in　your　life　and　anyone　who　voiced　a　plaint　could　find　a　bucket　of　water　upended　over　his　head　to　wash　away　bad　luck。　Not　something　anybody　wanted　when　the　weather　was　cold；　as　it　should　be；　a　bucket　of　water　would　be　a　pleasure　now。　For　a　man　lucky　to　be　alive；　he　found　it　remarkably　hard　to　pull　up　any　good　thoughts。　He　had　learned　things　about　himself　yesterday。　Or　maybe　it　had　been　this　morning；　after　it　was　all　done。
　　　He　could　sense　a　few　of　the　wolves　still；　a　handful　of　those　that　survived　and　were　now　on　their　way　elsewhere；　far　from　here；　far　from　men。　The　wolves　were　still　the　talk　of　the　camp；　uneasy　speculation　over　where　they　had　appeared　from　and　why。　A　few　believed　Rand　had　called　them。　Most　thought　the　Aes　Sedai　had。　The　Aes　Sedai　did　not　say　what　they　thought。　No　blame　came　from　the　wolves　…　what　had　happened；　had　happened　…　but　he　could　not　match　their　fatalism。　They　had　e　because　he　called　them。　Shoulders　wide　enough　to　make　him　seem　shorter　than　he　was　slumped　under　the　weight　of　responsibility。　Now　and　then　he　heard　other　wolves；　that　had　not　e；　speak　with　scorn　to　those　that　had：　This　was　what　came　of　mixing　with　the　two…legs。　Nothing　else　could　be　expected。
　　　It　was　a　strain　to　keep　his　thoughts　to　himself。　He　wanted　to　be　home；　in　the　Two　Rivers。　Small　chance　of　that；　perhaps　ever　again。　He　wanted　to　howl　that　the　scornful　ones　were　right。　He　wanted　to　be　with　his　wife　anywhere　at　all；　and　everything　the　way　it　was　before。　The　chances　of　which　seemed　little　better；　maybe　worse。　Far　more　than　the　yearning　for　home；　more　even　than　the　wolves；　worry　about　Faile　ate　inside　him　like　a　ferret　trying　to　burrow　out　of　his　middle。　She　had　actually　seemed　glad　to　see　him　leave　Cairhien。　What　was　he　to　do　about　her？　He　could　not　think　of　words　to　describe　how　much　he　loved　his　wife；　and　needed　her；　but　she　was　jealous　where　she　had　no　cause；　hurt　where　he　had　done　nothing；　angry　where　he　could　not　see　why。　He　must　do　something；　but　what？　The　answer　eluded　him。　Careful　thought　was　all　he　had；　while　Faile　was　flashing　quicksilver。
　　　〃The　Aiel　should　put　some　clothes　on　them；〃　Aram　muttered　primly；　scowling　at　the　ground。　He　squatted　nearby；　patiently　holding　the　reins　of　a　rangy　gray　gelding；　he　seldom　went　far　from　Perrin。　The　sword　strapped　to　his　back　jarred　with　his　green…striped　Tinker　coat；　hanging　undone　for　the　heat。　A　rolled　kerchief　tied　around　his　forehead　kept　sweat　from　his　eyes。　Once　Perrin　had　thought　him　almost　too　good…looking　for　a　man。　A　bleak　darkness　had　settled　in　him；　though；　and　now　he　wore　a　scowl　as　often　as　not。　〃It　isn't　decent；　Lord　Perrin。〃
　　　Perrin　put　aside　thoughts　of　Faile　reluctantly。　With　time；　he　could　puzzle　it　out。　He　had　to。　Somehow。　〃It　is　their　way；　Aram。〃
　　　Aram　grimaced　as　if　he　might　spit。　〃Well；　it　isn't　a　decent　way。　It　keeps　them　under　control；　I　suppose　…　nobody　would　run　far　to　make　trouble　like　that　…　but　it　isn't　decent。〃
　　　There　were　Aiel　all　over　the　place；　of　course。　Tall；　aloof　men　in　grays　and　browns　and　greens；　their　only　bit　of　color　the　scarlet　strip　of　cloth　tied　around　their　temples；　with　the　black…and…white　disc　on　their　foreheads。　Siswai'aman；　they　called　themselves。　Sometimes　that　word　tickled　the　edge　of　his　memory；　like　a　word　he　should　know。　Ask　one　of　the　Aielmen；　and　he　looked　as　if　you　had　babbled　nonsense。　But　then；　they　ignored　the　strips　of　cloth；　too。　No　Maiden　of　the　Spear　wore　the　scarlet　headband。　Whether　white…haired　or　looking　barely　old　enough　to　leave　her　mother；　every　Maiden　stalked　about　giving　the　siswai'aman　challenging　stares　that　seemed　somehow　self…satisfied；　while　the　men　looked　back　flat…eyed；　with　a　smell　almost　of　hunger；　a　matter　of　jealousy　by　the　scent　of　all　of　them；　though　over　what　Perrin　could　not　begin　to　imagine。　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　not　new；　and　it　did　not　seem　likely　to　e　to　blows。　A　few　of　the　Wise　Ones　were　inside　the　wagons　as　well；　in　bulky　skirts　and　white　blouses；　wearing　their　dark　shawls　in　defiance　of　the　heat；　glittering　bracelets　and　necklaces　of　gold　and　ivory　making　up　for　the　plainness　of　the　rest　of　their　clothes。　Some　appeared　amused　by　the　Maidens　and　the　siswai'aman；　and　others　exasperated。　All　of　them　…　Wise　Ones；　Maidens　and　siswai'aman　…　ignored　the　Shaido　the　way　Perrin　would　have　a　stool　or　a　rug。
　　　The　Aiel　had　taken　two　hundred　or　so　Shaido　prisoners　yesterday；　men　and　Maidens　…　not　many；　considering　the　numbers　involved　…　and　they　moved　about　freely。　In　a　manner　of　speaking。　Perrin　would　have　been　a　lot　more　fortable　had　they　been　guarded。　And　clothed。　Instead；　they　fetched　water　and　ran　errands；　naked　as　the　day　they　were　born。　With　other　Aiel；　they　were　meek　as　mice。　Anyone　else　received　a　proudly　defiant　stare　for　noticing　them。　Perrin　was　not　the　only　one　who　tried　not　to　notice　them；　and　Aram　not　the　only　one　to　mutter。　A　good　many　of　the　Two　Rivers　men　in　camp　did　one　or　both。　A　good　many　of　the　Cairhienin　nearly　had　apoplexy　whenever　they　saw　one　of　the　Shaido。　The　Mayeners　just　shook　their　heads　as　though　it　were　all　a　joke。　And　ogled　the　women。　They　had　as　little　shame　as　the　Aiel；　the　Mayeners。
　　　〃Gaul　explained　it　to　me；　Aram。　You　know　what　a　gai'shain　is；　don't　you？　About　ji'e'toh　and　serving　a　year　and　a　day　and　all　that？〃　The　other　man　nodded；　which　was　a　good　thing。　Perrin　did　not　know　much　himself。　Gaul's　explanations　of　Aiel　ways　often　left　him　more　confused。　Gaul　always　thought　it　all　self…evident。　〃Well；　gai'shain　aren't　allowed　to　wear　anything　one　of　the　algai'd'siswai　might　wear　…　that　means　'spear　fighters；'　〃　he　added　at　Aram's　questioning　frown。　Suddenly　he　realized　he　was　looking　straight　at　one　of　the　Shaido　as　she　trotted　in　his　general　direction；　a　tall　young　woman；　golden…haired　and　pretty　despite　a　long　thin　scar　down　her　cheek　and　other　scars　elsewhere。　Very　pretty　and　very　naked。　Clearing　his　throat　roughly；　he　pulled　his　eyes　away。　He　could　feel　his　face　heating。　〃Anyway；　that　is　why　they　are。。。　the　way　they　are。　Gai'shain　wear　white　robes；　and　they　don't　have　any　here。　It's　just　their　way。〃　Burn　Gaul　and　burn　his　explanations；　he　thought。　They　could　cover　them　with　something！
　　　〃Perrin　Goldeneyes；〃　said　a　woman's　voice；　〃Carahuin　sends　to　know　whether　you　wish　water。〃　Aram's　face　went　purple；　and　he　jerked　himself　around　in　his　squat；　presenting　his　back　to　her。
　　　〃No；　thank　you。〃　Perrin　did　not　need　to　look　up　to　know　it　was　the　golden…haired　Shaido　woman。　He　kept　peering　off　at　nothing　in　another　direction。　Aiel　had　a　peculiar　sense　of　humor；　and　Maidens　of　the　Spear　…　Carahuin　was　a　Maiden　…　had　the　most　peculiar。　They　had　quickly　seen　how　the　wetlanders　reacted　to　the　Shaido　…　they　would　have　needed　to　be　blind　not　to　…　and　suddenly　gai'shain　were　being　sent　to　wetlanders　left　and　right；　and　Aiel　all　but　rolling　on　the　ground　at　the　blushes　and　stammers　and　even　the　shouting。　He　was　sure　that　Carahuin　and　her　friends　were　watching　now。　This　was　at　least　the　tenth　time　one　of　the　gai'shain　women　had　been　sent　to　ask　him　whether　he　wanted　water　or　had　a　spare　whetstone　or　some　such　bloody　fool　thing。
　　　Abruptly　a　thought　struck　him。　The　Mayeners　were　seldom　bothered　this　way。　A　handful　of　Cairhienin　plainly　enjoyed　looking；　if　not　so　openly　as　the　Mayeners；　and　some　of　the　older　Two　Rivers　men；　who　should　have　known　better。　The　point　was；　none　of　them　had　had　a　second　spurious　message　that　he　knew　of。　Those　who　reacted　the　most　on　the　other　hand。。。　Cairhienin；　who　had　shouted　the　loudest　about　indecency；　and　two　or　three　of　the　younger　Two　Rivers　men；　who　stammered　and　blushed　so　hard　they　looked　ready　to　melt；　had　been　pestered　until　they　fled　the　wagons　entirely。。。
　　　With　an　effort　Perrin　looked　up　at　the　gai'shain's　face。　At　her　eyes。　Focus　on　her　eyes；　he　thought　frantically。　They　were　green；　and　large；　and　not　at　all　meek。　Her　scent　was　pure　fury。　〃Thank　Carahuin　for　me；　and　tell　her　you　could　oil　my　spare　saddle；　if　she　doesn't　mind。　And　I　don't　have　a　clean　shirt。　If　she　wouldn't　mind　you　doing　some　laundry？〃
　　　〃She　will　not　mind；〃　the　woman　said　in　a　tight　voice；　then　turned　and　trotted　off。
　　　Perrin　whipped　his　eyes　away；　though　the　image　did　stay　in　his　head。　Light；　Aram　was　right！　But　with　luck；　he　might　just　have　stopped　any　more　visitations。　He　would　have　to　point　this　out　to　Aram；　and　the　Two　Rivers　men。　Maybe　the　Cairhienin　would　listen　too。
　　　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　about　them；　Lord　Perrin？〃　Still　looking　away；　Aram　no　longer　spoke　of　gai'shain。
　　　〃That　is　Rand's　to　decide；〃　Perrin　said　slowly；　satisfaction　fading。　It　might　be　odd　to　think　of　people　wandering　about　naked　as　a　small　problem；　but　this　was　definitely　a　bigger。　And　one　he　had　been　avoiding　as　hard　as　he　had　what　lay　to　the　north。
　　　On　the　far　side　of　the　wagon　circle；　nearly　two　dozen　women　sat　on　the　ground。　All　well…dressed　for　travel；　many　wore　silk；　most　with　light　linen　dustcloaks；　but　not　a　bead　of　sweat　showed　on　any　face。　Three　appeared　young　enough　that　he　might　have　asked　them　for　a　dance　before　he　married　Faile。
　　　If　they　weren't　Aes　Sedai；　anyway；　he　thought　wryly。　Once　he　had　danced　with　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　nearly　swallowed　his　tongue　when　he