rj.acrownofswords-第141部分

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　smugglers　ambush　them；　which　is　what　nearly　always　happens。　If　Mat's　ta'veren　luck　works　for　us；　we　might　be　taken　for　the　Civil　Guard；　and　some　smugglers　might　attack　us　before　they　see　the　red　belts。〃　Nalesean　brightened　and　began　rubbing　his　hands　together。
　　　Mat　glared　at　them。　Maybe　Beslan's　sort　of　fun　was　not　what　he　needed。　For　one　thing；　he　had　more　than　enough　of　women　with　knives。　Nynaeve　still　hung　over　the　side　of　the　boat　ahead；　that　would　teach　her　to　gorge　herself。　Wolfing　down　the　last　of　the　cheese；　he　began　on　the　bread　and　tried　to　ignore　the　dice　in　his　head。　An　easy　trip　with　no　trouble　did　not　sound　bad　at　all。　A　quick　trip；　with　a　quick　departure　from　Ebou　Dar。
　　　The　Rahad　was　everything　he　remembered；　and　everything　Beslan　feared。　The　wind　made　climbing　the　cracked　gray　stone　steps　at　the　boat　landing　into　a　perilous　feat；　and　after　that；　it　grew　worse。　Canals　ran　everywhere；　just　as　across　the　river；　but　here　the　bridges　were　plain；　the　grimy　stone　parapets　broken　and　crumbling；　half　the　canals　were　so　silted　that　boys　waded　waist…deep　in　them；　and　hardly　a　barge　was　to　be　seen。　Tall　buildings　stood　crowded　together；　blocky　structures　with　scabrous　once…white　plaster　gone　in　huge　patches　to　reveal　rotting　red　brick；　bordering　narrow　streets　with　broken　paving　stones。　In　those　streets　where　even　the　fragments　had　not　been　ripped　up。　Morning　did　not　really　reach　into　the　shadows　of　the　buildings。　Dingy　laundry　hung　drying　from　every　third　window；　except　where　a　structure　stood　empty。　Some　did；　and　those　windows　gaped　liked　eye　sockets　in　a　skull。　A　sour…sweet　smell　of　decay　permeated　the　air；　last　month's　chamber　pots　and　ancient　refuse　moldering　wherever　it　had　been　flung；　and　for　every　fly　on　the　other　side　of　the　Eldar；　a　hundred　buzzed　here　in　clouds　of　green　and　blue。　He　spotted　the　peeling　blue　door　of　The　Golden　Crown　of　Heaven　and　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　taking　the　women　in　there　if　the　storm　broke；　despite　what　Beslan　said。　Then　he　shuddered　again　for　having　shuddered。　Something　was　happening　to　him；　and　he　did　not　like　it。
　　　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　insisted　on　taking　the　lead；　with　Reanne　between　them　and　the　Wise　Women　close　behind。　Lan　stayed　at　Nynaeve's　shoulder　like　a　wolfhound；　hand　on　sword　hilt；　eyes　constantly　searching；　radiating　menace。　In　truth；　he　was　probably　enough　protection　for　two　dozen　pretty　sixteen…year…old　girls　carrying　sacks　of　gold；　even　here；　but　Mat　insisted　that　Vanin　and　the　rest　keep　their　eyes　open。　In　fact；　the　former　horsethief　and　poacher　kept　so　close　to　Elayne　that　anyone　could　have　been　forgiven　for　thinking　he　was　her　Warder；　if　a　rather　fat　and　rumpled　one。　Beslan　rolled　his　eyes　expressively　at　Mat's　instructions；　and　Nalesean　irritably　stroked　his　beard　and　muttered　that　he　could　still　be　in　bed。
　　　Men　strutted　arrogantly　along　the　streets　with　often　ragged　vests　and　no　shirts；　wearing　great　brass　hoops　in　their　ears　and　brass　finger　rings　set　with　colored　glass；　one　knife　or　sometimes　two　stuck　behind　their　belts。　Hands　hovering　near　those　knives；　they　stared　as　though　daring　someone　to　give　the　wrong　twist　to　a　look。　Others　skulked　from　corner　to　corner；　doorway　to　doorway　with　hooded　eyes；　imitating　the　slat…ribbed　dogs　that　sometimes　snarled　from　a　dark　alleyway　barely　wide　enough　for　a　man　to　squeeze　into。　Those　men　hunched　over　their　knives；　and　there　was　no　way　to　tell　which　would　run　and　which　stab。　By　and　large；　the　women　made　any　of　the　men　appear　humble；　parading　in　worn　dresses　and　twice　as　much　brass　jewelry　as　the　men。　They　carried　knives　too；　of　course；　and　their　bold　dark　eyes　sent　ten　sorts　of　challenge　in　every　glance。　In　short；　the　Rahad　was　the　sort　of　place　where　anyone　wearing　silk　could　hardly　hope　to　walk　ten　steps　without　being　cracked　over　the　head。　After　which　they　had　best　hope　to　wake　stripped　to　the　skin　and　tossed　onto　a　pile　of　rubbish　in　an　alley；　since　the　alternative　was　not　to　wake　at　all。　But。。。
　　　Children　darted　from　every　second　door　with　chipped　pottery　cups　of　water；　sent　by　their　mothers　in　case　the　Wise　Women　wished　a　drink。　Men　with　scarred　faces　and　murder　etched　into　their　eyes　stared　openmouthed　at　seven　Wise　Women　together；　then　bobbed　jerky　bows　and　inquired　politely　if　they　could　be　of　assistance；　was　there　anything　that　required　carrying？　Women；　sometimes　with　as　many　scars　and　always　eyes　to　make　Tylin　flinch；　curtsied　awkwardly　and　breathlessly　asked　whether　they　might　supply　directions；　had　anyone　made　a　bother　of　themselves　to　bring　so　many　Wise　Women？　If　so；　the　strong　implication　was；　Tamarla　and　the　rest　had　no　need　of　troubling　themselves　if　they　would　just　supply　the　name。
　　　Oh；　they　glared　at　the　soldiers　as　hotly　as　ever；　though　even　the　hardest　flinched　away　from　Lan　after　a　single　look。　And；　oddly　enough；　from　Vanin。　A　few　of　the　men　growled　at　Beslan　and　Nalesean　whenever　they　gazed　too　long　at　a　woman's　deep　neckline。　Some　growled　at　Mat；　though　he　could　not　understand　why；　unlike　those　two；　he　was　never　in　danger　of　his　eyeballs　falling　down　the　front　of　a　woman's　dress。　He　knew　how　to　look　discreetly。　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　were　ignored；　for　all　their　finery；　and　so　was　Reanne　in　her　red　wool　dress；　they　did　not　have　the　red　belt。　But　they　did　have　the　protection　of　those　belts。　Mat　realized　that　Beslan　had　been　right。　He　could　empty　his　purse　on　the　ground；　and　no　one　would　pick　up　a　copper；　at　least　so　long　as　the　Wise　Women　remained。　He　could　pinch　the　bottom　of　every　woman　in　sight；　and　even　if　she　had　apoplexy；　she　would　walk　away。
　　　〃What　a　pleasant　walk；〃　Nalesean　said　dryly；　〃with　such　interesting　sights　and　smells。　Did　I　tell　you　I　didn't　get　much　sleep　last　night；　Mat？〃
　　　〃Do　you　want　to　die　in　bed？〃　Mat　grumbled。　They　might　as　well　all　have　stayed　in　bed；　they　were　bloody　useless　here；　that　was　for　sure。　The　Tairen　snorted　indignantly。　Beslan　laughed；　but　he　probably　thought　Mat　meant　something　else。
　　　Across　the　Rahad　they　marched；　until　Reanne　finally　stopped　in　front　of　a　building　exactly　like　every　other；　all　flaking　plaster　and　crumbling　brick；　the　same　Mat　had　followed　another　woman　to　yesterday。　No　laundry　hung　from　these　windows；　only　rats　lived　in　there。　〃In　here；〃　she　said。
　　　Elayne's　eyes　climbed　slowly　to　the　flat　roof。　〃Six；〃　she　murmured　in　tones　of　great　satisfaction。
　　　〃Six；〃　Nynaeve　sighed；　and　Elayne　patted　her　arm　as　though　sympathizing　with　her。
　　　〃I　wasn't　really　sure；〃　she　said。　So　Nynaeve　smiled　and　patted　her。　Mat　did　not　understand　a　word　of　it。　So　the　building　had　six　floors。　Women　behaved　very　strangely　sometimes。　Well；　most　of　the　time。
　　　Inside；　a　long　hallway　carpeted　with　dust　ran　dimly　to　the　back；　the　far　end　lost　in　shadows。　Few　of　the　doorways　held　doors；　and　those　were　rough　planks。　One　opening；　almost　a　third　of　the　way　down　the　hall；　led　to　a　narrow　flight　of　steep　stone…faced　steps　climbing　upward。　That　was　the　way　he　had　gone　the　day　before；　following　footprints　in　the　dust；　but　he　thought　some　of　those　other　openings　must　be　crossing　corridors。　He　had　not　taken　time　to　look　around　then；　but　the　building　was　too　deep　and　too　wide　for　this　floor　to　be　served　by　only　the　one　they　saw。　It　was　too　big　for　only　one　way　in。
　　　〃Really；　Mat；〃　Nynaeve　said　when　he　told　off　Harnan　and　half　the　Redarms　to　find　any　back　way　in　and　guard　it。　Lan　kept　so　close　to　her　side；　he　might　have　been　glued　there。　〃Don't　you　see　by　now　there's　no　need？〃
　　　Her　tone　was　so　mild　that　Elayne　must　have　passed　on　the　truth　about　Tylin；　but　if　anything；　that　only　soured　his　mood　further。　He　did　not　want　anyone　to　know。　Bloody　useless！　But　those　dice　were　still　rattling　around　in　his　head。　〃Maybe　Moghedien　likes　back　doors；〃　he　said　dryly。　Something　cluttered　in　the　dark　end　of　the　hall；　and　one　of　the　men　with　Harnan　cursed　loudly　about　rats。
　　　〃You　told　him；〃　Nynaeve　breathed　furiously　at　Lan；　one　hand　snapping　shut　on　her　braid。
　　　Elayne　made　an　exasperated　sound。　〃This　is　no　time　to　stop　for　an　argument；　Nynaeve。　The　Bowl　is　upstairs！　The　Bowl　of　the　Winds！〃　A　small　ball　of　light　suddenly　appeared；　floating　in　front　of　her；　and　without　waiting　to　see　whether　or　not　Nynaeve　was　ing；　she　gathered　her　skirts　and　darted　up　the　stairs。　Vanin　dashed　after　her　with　a　startling　turn　of　speed　for　his　bulk；　followed　by　Reanne　and　most　of　the　Wise　Women。　Round…faced　Sumeko　and　Ieine；　tall　and　dark　and　pretty　despite　the　lines　at　the　corners　of　her　eyes；　hesitated；　then　remained　with　Nynaeve。
　　　Mat　would　have　gone；　too；　if　Nynaeve　and　Lan　had　not　been　in　his　way。　〃Would　you　let　me　by；　Nynaeve？〃　he　asked。　He　deserved　to　be　there；　at　least；　when　this　fabulous　bloody　Bowl　was　uncovered。　〃Nynaeve？〃　She　was　so　focused　on　Lan　she　seemed　to　have　forgotten　anyone　else。　Mat　exchanged　glances　with　Beslan；　who　grinned　and　squatted　easily　with　Corevin　and　the　remaining　Redarms。　Nalesean　leaned　against　the　wall　and　yawned　ostentatiously。　Which　was　a　mistake　with　all　that　dust　about；　the　yawn　turned　into　a　coughing　fit　that　darkened　his　face　and　doubled　him　over。
　　　Even　that　did　not　distract　Nynaeve。　Carefully；　she　took　her　hand　away　from　her　braid。　〃I　am　not　angry；　Lan；〃　she　said。
　　　〃Yes；　you　are；〃　he　replied　calmly。　〃But　he　had　to　be　told。〃
　　　〃Nynaeve？〃　Mat　said。　〃Lan？〃　Neither　one　so　much　as　flickered　an　eye　his　way。
　　　〃I　would　have　told　him　when　I　was　ready；　Lan　Mandragoran！〃　Her　mouth　clamped　shut；　but　her　lips　writhed　as　though　she　were　talking　to　herself。　〃I　will　not　be　angry　with　you；〃　she　went　on　in　a　much　milder　tone；　and　that　sounded　addressed　to　herself　as　well。　Very　deliberately　she　tossed　her　braid　back　over　her　shoulder；　jerked　that　blue…plumed　hat　straight；　and　clasped　her　hands　at　her　waist。
　　　〃If　you　say　so；〃　Lan　said　mildly。
　　　Nynaeve　quivered。　〃Don't　you　take　that　tone　with　me！〃　she　shouted。　〃I　tell　you；　I'm　not　angry！　Do　you　hear　me？〃
　　　〃Blood　and　ashes；　Nynaeve；〃　Mat　growled。　〃He　doesn't　think　you're　angry。　I　don't　think　you're　angry。〃　A　good　thing　women　had　taught　him　to　lie　with　a　straight　face。　〃Now　could　we　go　upstairs　and　fetch　this　bloody　Bowl　of　the　Winds？〃
　　　〃A　marvelous　idea；〃　said　a　woman's　voice　from　the　door　to　the　street。　〃Shall　we　go　up　together