rj.acrownofswords-第122部分

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w　to　make　the　seal　stronger；　I　would；〃　she　said；　dry　as　yesterday's　dust。
　　　〃I　will　hold　your　words　in　my　heart；　Mother。〃
　　　〃I　want　you　…　I　mand　you　…　to　undertake　an　inquiry。　And　you　must　indeed　hold　it　in　your　heart。　The　wrong　ear　hearing　of　it　might　mean　death；　and　disaster　for　the　whole　Tower。〃
　　　Seaine's　eyebrows　twitched。　Death　and　disaster　for　the　whole　Tower？　〃In　my　heart；〃　she　said　again。　〃Will　you　sit　yourself；　Mother？〃　That　was　proper；　in　her　own　apartments。　〃May　I　pour　you　some　mint　tea？　Or　plum　punch？〃
　　　Waving　away　the　offer　of　refreshment；　Elaida　took　the　most　fortable　chair；　carved　by　Seaine's　father　as　a　gift　when　she　received　the　shawl；　though　of　course　the　cushions　had　been　replaced　many　times　since。　The　Amyrlin　made　the　country　chair　seem　a　throne；　all　stiff　back　and　iron　countenance。　Most　ungraciously；　she　did　not　give　permission　for　Seaine　to　sit；　too；　so　Seaine　folded　her　hands　and　remained　standing。
　　　〃I　have　thought　long　and　hard　on　treason；　Seaine；　since　my　predecessor　and　her　Keeper　were　allowed　to　escape。　Helped　to　escape。　Treason　must　have　been　at　the　core　of　that；　and　I　fear　only　a　sister；　or　sisters；　could　have　effected　it。〃
　　　〃That　would　certainly　be　a　possibility；　Mother。〃
　　　Elaida　frowned　at　the　interruption。　〃We　can　never　be　sure　who　has　the　shadow　of　treason　in　her　heart；　Seaine。　Why；　I　suspect　that　someone　arranged　for　an　order　of　mine　to　be　countermanded。　And　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　someone　has　municated　privately　with　Rand　al'Thor；　to　what　end；　I　cannot　say；　but　that　surely　is　treason　against　me；　and　against　the　Tower。〃
　　　Seaine　waited　for　more；　but　the　Amyrlin　only　looked　back　at　her；　slowly　smoothing　her　red…slashed　skirts。　〃Exactly　what　inquiry　do　you　wish　me　to　make；　Mother？〃　she　asked　cautiously。
　　　Elaida　bounded　to　her　feet。　〃I　charge　you　to　follow　the　stench　of　treason；　no　matter　where　it　leads　or　how　high；　even　to　the　Keeper　herself。　Yes；　even　to　her。　What　you　find；　whoever　it　leads　to；　you　will　bring　before　the　Amyrlin　Seat　alone；　Seaine。　No　one　else　must　know。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　　〃I　understand　your　mands；　Mother。〃
　　　Which；　she　thought；　once　Elaida　had　departed　even　more　swiftly　than　she　had　e；　was　about　all　she　did　understand。　In　order　to　think　she　took　the　chair　the　Amyrlin　had　vacated；　fists　pressed　beneath　her　chin　in　just　the　way　her　father　had　always　sat　thinking。　Everything　fell　to　logic；　eventually。
　　　She　would　not　have　stood　against　Siuan　Sanche　…　she　had　proposed　the　girl　as　Amyrlin　in　the　first　place！　…　but　once　it　was　done　and　all　the　forms　were　followed；　however　sparely；　aiding　her　escape　certainly　had　been　treason；　and　deliberately　countermanding　an　Amyrlin's　order　just　as　much。　Possibly　municating　with　al'Thor　was；　too；　that　depended　on　what　was　municated；　with　what　intent。　Finding　who　had　changed　the　Amyrlin's　mand　would　be　difficult　without　knowing　what　mand。　At　this　late　date　learning　who　might　have　helped　Siuan　escape　stood　about　as　much　chance　of　success　as　learning　who　might　be　writing　to　al'Thor。　So　many　pigeons　flew　into　and　out　of　the　Tower　cotes　every　day　that　at　times　the　sky　seemed　to　be　raining　feathers。　If　Elaida　knew　more　than　she　had　said；　she　had　certainly　gone　around　the　barn。　This　all　made　very　little　sense。　Treason　ought　to　make　Elaida　boil　with　rage；　but　she　had　not　been　angry。　She　had　been　nervous。　And　anxious　to　be　gone。　And　secretive；　as　if　she　did　not　want　to　tell　everything　she　knew　or　suspected。　Almost　as　though　she　was　afraid　to。　What　kind　of　treason　would　make　Elaida　nervous　or　afraid？　Death　and　disaster　for　the　whole　Tower。
　　　Like　the　pieces　of　a　blacksmith's　puzzle；　all　fell　into　place；　and　Seaine's　eyebrows　tried　to　climb　onto　her　scalp。　It　fit；　it　all　fit。　She　felt　the　blood　draining　from　her　face；　her　hands　and　feet　were　suddenly　icy。　Sealed　to　the　Flame。　She　had　said　she　would　keep　this　in　her　heart；　but　everything　had　changed　since　she　spoke　those　words。　She　only　let　herself　be　afraid　when　it　was　logical　to　be；　and　right　then；　she　was　terrified。　She　could　not　face　this　alone。　But　who？　Under　the　circumstances；　who？　This　answer　came　much　more　easily。　Gathering　herself　took　a　little　time；　but　she　hurried　from　her　rooms　and　out　of　the　White　quarters　walking　a　good　deal　faster　than　she　usually　did。
　　　Servants　scurried　through　the　corridors　as　always；　though　she　walked　so　quickly　that　she　was　past　most　before　they　could　begin　bow　or　curtsy；　but　there　seemed　fewer　sisters　about　than　the　early　hour　could　account　for。　Many　fewer。　Yet　if　most　were　staying　close　to　their　quarters　for　some　reason；　the　few　she　saw　made　up　for　it　in　one　way。　Sisters　swarmed　along　the　tapestry…hung　hallways；　faces　all　serenity；　and　their　eyes　seemed　to　have　steam　behind　them。　Here　and　there　two　or　three　women　spoke　together；　with　sharp　eyes　darting　to　see　who　might　be　listening。　Always　two　or　three　of　the　same　Ajah。　Even　yesterday；　she　was　sure　she　had　still　seen　women　sharing　friendship　between　Ajahs。　Whites　were　supposed　to　put　emotion　away　entirely；　but　she　had　never　seen　the　reason　for　blinding　herself；　as　some　did。　Suspicion　made　the　air　in　the　Tower　like　hot　jelly。　Not　a　new　thing；　unfortunately　…　the　Amyrlin　had　begun　it　with　her　harsh　measures；　and　the　rumors　about　Logain　had　only　exacerbated　the　situation　…　but　this　morning　seemed　worse　than　ever。
　　　Talene　Minly　came　around　a　corner　ahead　of　her；　her　shawl　not　just　across　her　shoulders；　but　spread　down　her　arms　as　though　to　display　the　green　fringe。　For　that　matter；　she　realized　that　every　Green　she　had　seen　this　morning　wore　her　shawl。　Talene；　golden…baked　and　statuesque　and　lovely；　had　stood　to　depose　Siuan；　but　she　had　e　to　the　Tower　while　Seaine　was　Accepted；　and　that　decision　had　not　dented　their　long　friendship。　Talene　had　had　reasons　Seaine　accepted　if　not　agreed　with。　Today；　her　friend　stopped；　watching　her　warily。　So　many　sisters　seemed　to　watch　one　another　that　way　of　late。　Another　time；　she　would　have　stopped；　but　not　with　what　made　her　head　want　to　burst　open　like　a　spoiled　melon。　Talene　was　a　friend；　and　she　thought　she　could　be　sure　of　her；　but　thinking　was　not　enough　for　this。　Later；　if　possible；　she　would　approach　Talene。　Hoping　it　would　be　possible；　she　hurried　past　with　only　a　nod。
　　　In　the　Red　quarters；　the　mood　was　even　worse；　the　air　thicker。　As　with　the　other　Ajahs；　there　were　many　more　rooms　than　there　were　sisters　to　fill　them　now　…　that　had　been　so　long　before　the　first　rebel　fled　…　but　the　Red　was　the　largest　of　the　Ajahs；　and　sisters　filled　the　levels　still　in　use。　Reds　frequently　wore　their　shawls　when　there　was　no　need；　but　now　every　last　woman　sported　her　red　fringe　like　a　banner。　Conversations　stopped　as　Seaine　approached；　and　cold　eyes　followed　her　in　a　bubble　of　icy　silence。　She　felt　an　invader　deep　in　enemy　country　as　she　crossed　those　peculiar　floor　tiles；　white　with　the　teardrop　Flame　of　Tar　Valon　in　red。　But　then；　any　part　of　the　Tower　might　be　enemy　country。　Looking　another　way；　those　scarlet　flames　might　be　taken　for　red　Dragon's　Fangs。　She　had　never　believed　those　irrational　tales　about　the　Reds　and　false　Dragons；　but。。。　Why　would　none　of　them　deny　it？
　　　She　had　to　ask　directions。　〃I　will　not　disturb　her　if　she　is　busy；〃　she　said。　〃We　were　close　friends　once；　and　I　would　like　us　to　be　again。　Now　more　than　ever；　the　Ajahs　cannot　afford　to　drift　apart。〃　All　true；　though　the　Ajahs　seemed　to　splitting　apart　rather　than　drifting；　but　the　Domani　woman　listened　with　a　face　that　could　have　been　cast　in　copper。　There　were　not　many　Domani　Reds；　and　those　few　usually　meaner　than　snakes　caught　in　a　fence。
　　　〃I　will　show　you；　Sitter；〃　the　woman　said　at　last；　and　not　very　respectfully。　She　led　the　way；　then　watched　while　Seaine　knocked　on　the　door；　as　though　she　could　not　be　trusted　here　alone。　The　door　panels　were　carved　with　the　Flame；　too；　lacquered　the　color　of　fresh　blood。
　　　〃e！〃　a　brisk　voice　called　from　within。　Seaine　opened　the　door　hoping　she　was　right。
　　　〃Seaine！〃　Pevara　exclaimed　cheerfully。　〃What　brings　you　here　this　morning？　e！　Shut　the　door　and　sit！〃　It　was　as　if　all　the　years　since　they　were　novice　and　Accepted　together　had　melted　away。　Quite　plump　and　not　tall　…　in　truth；　for　a　Kandori；　she　was　short　…　Pevara　was　also　quite　pretty；　with　a　merry　twinkle　in　her　dark　eyes　and　a　ready　smile。　It　was　sad　that　she　had　chosen　Red；　no　matter　how　good　her　reasons；　because　she　still　liked　men。　The　Red　did　attract　women　who　were　naturally　suspicious　of　men；　of　course；　but　others　chose　it　because　the　task　of　finding　men　who　could　channel　was　important。　Whether　they　liked　men；　or　disliked　them；　or　did　not　care　one　way　or　the　other　in　the　beginning；　however；　not　many　women　could　belong　to　the　Red　for　long　without　taking　a　jaundiced　view　of　all　men。　Seaine　had　reason　to　believe　Pevara　had　served　a　penance　shortly　after　attaining　the　shawl　for　saying　that　she　wished　she　had　a　Warder；　since　reaching　the　safer　heights　of　the　Hall；　she　had　openly　said　Warders　would　make　the　Red　Ajah's　work　easier。　Not　that　that　had　any　part　in　Seaine　trusting　her。　Of　all　the　sisters　in　the　Tower；　though；　Pevara　was　the　one　she　was　sure　she　could　trust　with　this。
　　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　happy　I　am　to　see　you；〃　Pevara　said　once　they　were　ensconced　in　armchairs　carved　in　the　spirals　popular　in　Kandor　a　hundred　years　ago；　with　delicate；　butterfly…painted　cups　of　blueberry　tea　in　hand。　〃I've　often　thought　how　I　should　go　to　you；　but　I　admit　to　fearing　what　you　would　say　after　I　gave　you　the　cut　direct　so　many　years　ago。　Sworn　on　the　blade；　Seaine；　I'd　not　have　done　it；　except　Tesien　Jorhald　practically　had　me　by　the　scruff　of　my　neck；　and　I　was　too　new　to　the　shawl　to　have　much　backbone　yet。　Can　you　forgive　me？〃
　　　〃Of　course；　I　can；〃　Seaine　replied。　〃I　understood。〃　The　Red　firmly　discouraged　friendships　outside　the　Ajah。　Quite　firmly；　and　quite　efficiently。　〃We　cannot　go　against　our　Ajahs　when　we　are　young　and　later；　it　seems　impossible　to　retrace　our　steps。　A　thousand　times　I've　remembered　us　whispering　together　after　Last　…　oh；　and　the　pranks！　do　you　recall　when　we　dusted　Serancha's　shift　with　powdered　itchoak？　…　but　I'm　shamed　to　say　it　took　being　terrified　out　of　my　wits　to　stir　my　feet。　I　do　w