rj.acrownofswords-第140部分

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k　metal　ravens　inlaid　in　the　haft　of　the　ashandarei；　so　he　would　not　have　to　meet　her　eyes。　〃What　I　mean　to　say　is；　you　don't　understand；〃　he　muttered。　〃You　have　it　all　backwards。〃　He　risked　a　glance　at　her　under　the　edge　of　his　hatbrim。
　　　A　faint　blush　crept　into　her　cheeks；　but　her　face　became　solemn　as　a　marble　bust。　〃It。。。　appears　that　I　may　have　misunderstood；〃　she　said　soberly。　〃That　is。。。　very　bad　of　Tylin。〃　He　thought　her　lips　twitched。　〃Have　you　considered　practicing　different　smiles　in　a　mirror；　Mat？〃
　　　Startled；　he　blinked。　〃What？〃
　　　〃I　have　heard　reliably　that　that　is　what　young　women　do　who　attract　the　eyes　of　kings。〃　Something　cracked　the　sobriety　of　her　voice；　and　this　time　her　lips　definitely　twitched。　〃You　might　try　batting　your　eyelashes；　too。〃　Catching　her　lower　lip　with　her　teeth；　she　turned　away；　shoulders　shaking；　dust…cloak　streaming　behind　as　she　hurried　toward　the　landing。　Before　she　darted　beyond　hearing；　he　heard　her　chortle　something　about　〃a　taste　of　his　own　medicine。〃　Reanne　and　the　Wise　Women　scurried　in　her　wake；　a　flock　of　hens　following　a　chick　instead　of　the　other　way　around。　The　few　bare…chested　boatmen　up　out　of　their　boats　stopped　coiling　lines　or　whatever　they　were　doing　and　bowed　their　heads　respectfully　as　the　procession　went　by。
　　　Snatching　off　his　hat；　Mat　considered　throwing　it　down　and　jumping　on　it。　Women！　He　should　have　known　better　than　to　expect　sympathy。　He　would　like　to　throttle　the　bloody　Daughter…Heir。　And　Nynaeve；　too；　on　general　principle。　Except；　of　course；　that　he　could　not。　He　had　made　promises。　And　those　dice　were　still　using　his　skull　for　a　dice　cup。　And　one　of　the　Forsaken　might　be　around　somewhere。　Settling　the　hat　squarely　back　on　his　head；　he　marched　down　the　landing；　brushed　past　the　Wise　Women　and　caught　up　to　Elayne。　She　was　still　trying　to　fight　down　giggles；　but　every　time　she　cut　her　eyes　his　way；　the　color　in　her　cheeks　renewed　itself　and　so　did　the　giggles。
　　　He　stared　straight　ahead。　Bloody　women！　Bloody　promises。　Removing　his　hat　long　enough　to　pull　the　leather　cord　from　around　his　neck；　he　reluctantly　shoved　it　in　her　direction。　The　silver　foxhead　dangled　beneath　his　fist。　〃You　and　Nynaeve　will　have　to　decide　which　of　you　wears　this。　But　I　want　it　back　when　we　leave　Ebou　Dar。　You　understand？　The　moment　we　leave　…　〃
　　　Suddenly　he　realized　he　was　walking　alone。　Turning；　he　found　Elayne　standing　stock　still　two　paces　back；　staring　at　him　with　Reanne　and　the　rest　clustered　behind　her。
　　　〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　he　demanded。　〃Oh。　Yes；　I　know　all　about　Moghedien。〃　A　skinny　fellow　with　red　stones　on　his　brass…hoop　earrings；　bending　over　a　mooring　line；　jerked　around　so　fast　at　that　name　that　he　pitched　over　the　side　with　a　loud　yell　and　a　louder　splash。　Mat　did　not　care　who　heard。　〃Trying　to　keep　her　secret　…　and　two　of　my　men　dead！　…　after　you　promised。　Well；　we'll　talk　about　that　later。　I　made　a　promise；　too；　I　promised　to　keep　the　pair　of　you　alive。　If　Moghedien　shows　up；　she'll　go　after　you　two。　Now；　here。〃　He　pushed　the　medallion　at　her　again。
　　　She　shook　her　head　slowly　in　puzzlement；　then　turned　to　murmur　to　Reanne。　Only　after　the　older　women　were　on　their　way　toward　where　Nynaeve　stood　beckoning　them　at　the　head　of　a　flight　of　boat　stairs　did　Elayne　take　the　foxhead；　turning　it　over　in　her　fingers。
　　　〃Do　you　have　any　notion　what　I　would　have　done　to　have　this　for　study？〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Any　notion　at　all？〃　She　was　tall　for　a　woman；　but　she　still　had　to　look　up　at　him。　She　might　never　have　seen　him　before。　〃You　are　a　troublesome　man；　Mat　Cauthon。　Lini　would　say　I　was　repeating　myself；　but　you。。。！〃　Expelling　her　breath；　Elayne　reached　up　to　pull　his　hat　off　and　slip　the　cord　over　his　head。　She　actually　tucked　the　foxhead　into　his　shirt　and　patted　it　before　handing　him　his　hat。　〃I　won't　wear　that　while　Nynaeve　doesn't　have　one；　or　Aviendha；　and　I　think　they　feel　the　same。　You　wear　it。　After　all；　you　can　hardly　keep　your　promise　if　Moghedien　kills　you。　Not　that　I　think　she's　still　here。　I　think　she　believes　she　killed　Nynaeve；　and　I　would　not　be　surprised　if　that　was　all　she　came　for。　You　must　be　careful；　though。　Nynaeve　says　there's　a　storm　ing；　and　she　doesn't　mean　this　wind。　I。。。　〃　That　faint　blush　returned　to　her　cheeks。　〃I　am　sorry　I　laughed　at　you。〃　She　cleared　her　throat；　looking　away。　〃Sometimes　I　forget　my　duty　to　my　subjects。　You　are　a　worthy　subject；　Matrim　Cauthon。　I　will　see　that　Nynaeve　understands　the　right　of。。。　of　you　and　Tylin。　Perhaps　we　can　help。〃
　　　〃No；〃　he　spluttered。　〃I　mean；　yes。　I　mean。。。　That　is。。。　Oh；　kiss　a　flaming　goat　if　I　know　what　I　mean。　I　almost　wish　you　didn't　know　the　truth。〃　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　sitting　down　to　discuss　him　with　Tylin　over　tea。　Could　he　ever　live　that　down？　Could　he　ever　again　look　any　of　them　in　the　eye　afterward？　But　if　they　did　not。。。　He　was　between　the　wolf　and　the　bear　with　nowhere　to　run。　〃Oh；　sheep　swallop！　Sheep　swallop　and　bloody　buttered　onions！〃　He　nearly　wished　she　would　call　him　down　for　his　language　the　way　Nynaeve　would；　just　to　change　the　subject。
　　　Her　lips　moved　silently；　and　for　an　instant　he　had　the　strange　impression　that　she　was　repeating　what　he　had　just　said。　Of　course　not。　He　was　seeing　things；　that　was　all。　Aloud；　she　said；　〃I　understand。〃　Sounding　just　as　if　she　did。　〃e　along；　now；　Mat。　We　can't　waste　time　standing　in　one　spot。〃
　　　Gaping；　he　watched　her　lift　skirts　and　cloak　to　make　her　way　along　the　landing。　She　understood？　She　understood；　and　not　one　acid　little　ment；　not　one　cutting　remark？　And　he　was　her　subject。　Her　worthy　subject。　Fingering　the　medallion；　he　followed。　He　had　been　sure　the　fight　would　be　to　ever　get　it　back。　If　he　lived　as　long　as　two　Aes　Sedai；　he　still　would　never　understand　women；　and　noblewomen　were　purely　the　worst。
　　　When　he　reached　the　steps　Elayne　had　gone　down；　the　boat's　two　brass…earringed　oarsmen　were　already　using　their　long　sweeps　to　push　the　vessel　away。　Elayne　was　herding　Reanne　and　the　last　of　the　Wise　Women　into　the　cabin；　and　Lan　stood　up　in　the　bows　with　Nynaeve。　A　shout　from　Beslan　called　him　on　to　the　next　boat；　which　held　all　of　the　men　except　the　Warder。
　　　〃Nynaeve　said　there　wasn't　room　for　any　of　us；〃　Nalesean　said　as　the　boat　rocked　its　way　out　into　the　Eldar。　〃She　said　we'd　crowd　them。〃　Beslan　laughed；　looking　around　their　own　boat。　Vanin　sat　beside　the　cabin　door　with　his　eyes　closed；　trying　to　pretend　he　was　somewhere　else。　Harnan　and　Tad　Kandel；　an　Andoran　despite　being　as　dark　as　either　of　the　boatmen；　had　climbed　atop　the　cabin；　the　rest　of　the　Redarms　hunkered　about　the　deck；　trying　to　keep　out　of　the　way　of　the　rowers。　Nobody　went　into　the　cabin；　all　apparently　waiting　to　see　whether　Mat　and　Nalesean　and　Beslan　wanted　it。
　　　Mat　put　himself　beside　the　tall　bowpost；　peering　after　the　other　boat；　crawling　on　its　sweeps　just　ahead。　The　wind　whipped　the　dark　choppy　waters；　and　his　scarf　as　well；　and　he　had　to　hold　on　to　his　hat。　What　was　Nynaeve　up　to？　The　other　nine　women　on　the　second　boat　were　all　in　the　cabin；　leaving　the　deck　to　her　and　Lan。　They　stood　up　in　the　bows；　Lan　with　his　arms　folded；　Nynaeve　gesturing　as　though　explaining。　Except　that　Nynaeve　seldom　explained　anything。　Better　say　never　than　seldom。
　　　Whatever　she　was　doing；　it　did　not　last　long。　There　were　whitecaps　out　in　the　bay；　where　Sea　Folk　rakers　and　skimmers　and　soarers　heaved　at　their　anchors。　The　river　was　not　so　bad；　but　the　boat　still　wallowed　more　than　Mat　remembered　from　any　previous　trip。　Before　long；　Nynaeve　was　draped　over　the　railing；　losing　her　breakfast　while　Lan　held　her。　That　reminded　Mat　of　his　own　belly；　tucking　his　hat　under　his　arm　so　it　could　not　blow　away；　he　pulled　out　the　wedge　of　cheese。
　　　〃Beslan；　is　this　storm　likely　to　break　before　we　can　e　back　from　the　Rahad？〃　He　took　a　bite　of　the　sharp…tasting　cheese；　they　had　fifty　different　sorts　in　Ebou　Dar；　all　good。　Nynaeve　was　still　hanging　over　the　side。　How　much　had　the　woman　eaten　this　morning？　〃I　don't　know　where　we'll　shelter　if　we're　caught。〃　He　could　not　think　of　a　single　inn　he　had　seen　in　the　Rahad　that　he　would　take　the　women　into。
　　　〃No　storm；〃　Beslan　said；　seating　himself　on　the　railing。　〃These　are　the　winter　trade　winds。　The　trades　e　twice　a　year；　in　late　winter　and　late　summer；　but　they　have　to　blow　much　harder　before　it　es　to　storm。〃　He　directed　a　sour　look　out　toward　the　bay。　〃Every　year　those　winds　bring　…　brought　…　ships　from　Tarabon；　and　Arad　Doman。　I　wonder　whether　they　ever　will　again。〃
　　　〃The　Wheel　weaves；〃　Mat　began；　and　choked　on　a　crumb　of　cheese。　Blood　and　ashes；　he　was　starting　to　sound　like　some　gray…hair　resting　his　aching　joints　in　front　of　the　fireplace。　Worrying　about　taking　the　women　into　a　rough　inn。　A　year　ago；　half　a　year；　he　would　have　taken　them；　and　laughed　when　their　eyes　popped；　laughed　at　every　prim　sniff。　〃Well；　maybe　we'll　find　you　some　fun　in　the　Rahad；　anyway。　At　the　least；　somebody　will　try　to　cut　a　purse；　or　pull　Elayne's　necklace　off。〃　Maybe　that　was　what　he　needed　to　clean　the　taste　of　sobriety　from　his　tongue。　Sobriety。　Light；　what　a　word　to　apply　to　Mat　Cauthon！　Tylin　must　be　scaring　him　more　than　he　thought；　if　he　was　shriveling　up　this　way。　Maybe　he　needed　some　of　Beslan's　sort　of　fun。　That　was　crazy　…　he　had　never　seen　the　fight　he　would　not　rather　walk　around　…　but　maybe。。。
　　　Beslan　shook　his　head。　〃If　anyone　can　find　it；　you　can；　but。。。　We'll　be　with　seven　Wise　Women；　Mat。　Seven。　With　just　one　at　your　side；　you　could　slap　a　man；　even　in　the　Rahad；　and　he　would　swallow　his　tongue　and　walk　away。　And　the　women。　What's　the　fun　of　kissing　a　woman　without　the　risk　she'll　decide　to　stick　a　knife　in　you？〃
　　　〃Burn　my　soul；〃　Nalesean　muttered　into　his　beard。　〃It　sounds　as　though　I've　dragged　myself　from　bed　for　a　dull　morning。〃
　　　Beslan　nodded　in　miseration。　〃If　we're　lucky；　though。。。　The　Civil　Guard　does　send　patrols　to　the　Rahad　occasionally；　and　if　they're　after　smugglers；　they　always　dress　like　anyone　else。　They　seem　to　think　nobody　will　notice　a　dozen　or　so　men　together　carrying　swords；　whatever　they　wear；　and　they're　always　surprised　when　the　smugglers　ambush　them；　which　is　what　nearly　always　happens。　If　Mat's　ta'veren　luck　works　for　us；　we