rj.acrownofswords-第15部分

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till　his　hair　fell　out；　but　what　had　to　be　done；　had　to　be　done。　Think　of　the　good　on　High　Chasaline。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　2　
（Ravens）　
The　Butcher's　Yard　
　　　
　　　At　first　Perrin　did　not　look　downslope　toward　where　he　would　ride；　where　he　should　have　gone　with　Rand　this　morning。　Instead　he　sat　his　saddle　at　the　edge　of　the　wagons　and　sent　his　eyes　anywhere　else；　though　the　view　everywhere　made　him　want　to　sick　up。　It　was　like　being　hit　in　the　belly　with　a　hammer。
　　　Hammerstroke。　Nineteen　fresh　graves　atop　a　squat　hill　to　the　east；　nineteen　Two　Rivers　men　who　would　never　see　home　again。　A　blacksmith　seldom　had　to　see　people　die　because　of　his　decisions。　At　least　the　Two　Rivers　men　had　obeyed　his　orders。　There　would　have　been　more　graves；　otherwise。　Hammerstroke。　Rectangles　of　newly　turned　earth　blanketed　the　next　slope　over　from　that；　as　well；　near　to　a　hundred　Mayeners；　and　more　Cairhienin；　who　had　e　to　Dumai's　Wells　to　die。　Never　mind　causes　or　reasons；　they　had　followed　Perrin　Aybara。　Hammerstroke。　The　ridge…face　to　the　west　seemed　solid　graves；　maybe　a　thousand　or　more。　A　thousand　Aiel；　buried　standing　upright；　to　face　each　sunrise。　A　thousand。　Some　were　Maidens。　The　men　tied　his　stomach　into　knots；　the　women　made　him　want　to　sit　down　and　cry。　He　tried　telling　himself　that　they　all　had　chosen　to　be　here；　that　they　had　had　to　be　here。　Both　things　were　true；　but　he　had　given　the　orders；　and　that　made　the　responsibility　for　those　graves　his。　Not　Rand's；　not　the　Aes　Sedai's；　his。
　　　The　living　Aiel　had　only　stopped　singing　over　their　dead　a　short　while　ago；　haunting　songs；　sung　in　parts；　that　lingered　in　the　mind。

Life　is　a　dream　…　that　knows　no　shade。
Life　is　a　dream　…　of　pain　and　woe。
A　dream　from　which　…　we　pray　to　wake。
A　dream　from　which　…　we　wake　and　go。

Who　would　sleep　…　when　the　new　dawn　waits？
Who　would　sleep　…　when　the　sweet　winds　blow？
A　dream　must　end　…　when　the　new　day　es。
This　dream　from　which　…　we　wake　and　go。
　　　
　　　They　appeared　to　find　fort　in　those　songs。　He　wished　he　could；　too；　but　as　far　as　he　could　see；　the　Aiel　truly　did　not　seem　to　care　whether　they　lived　or　died；　and　that　was　mad。　Any　sane　man　wanted　to　live。　Any　sane　man　would　run　as　far　as　he　could　from　a　battle；　run　as　hard　as　he　could。
　　　Stepper　tossed　his　head；　nostrils　flaring　at　the　smells　from　below；　and　Perrin　patted　the　dun's　neck。　Aram　was　grinning　as　he　looked　at　what　Perrin　tried　to　block　out。　Loial's　face　had　so　little　expression　it　might　have　been　carved　from　wood。　His　lips　moved　slightly；　and　Perrin　thought　he　heard；　〃Light；　let　me　never　see　the　like　again。〃　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　he　made　his　eyes　follow　theirs；　to　Dumai's　Wells。
　　　In　some　ways　it　was　not　as　bad　as　the　graves　…　he　had　known　some　of　those　people　since　he　was　a　child　…　but　it　all　crashed　down　on　him　at　once　anyway；　like　the　scent　in　his　nose　made　solid　and　smashing　him　between　the　eyes。　The　memories　he　wanted　to　forget　came　rushing　back。　Dumai's　Wells　had　been　a　killing　ground；　a　dying　ground；　but　now　it　was　worse。　Less　than　a　mile　away；　the　charred　remains　of　wagons　stood　around　a　small　copse　of　trees　nearly　hiding　the　low　stone　copings　of　the　wells。　And　surrounding　that。。。
　　　A　seething　sea　of　black；　vultures　and　ravens　and　crows　in　tens　of　thousands；　swirling　up　in　waves　and　settling　again；　concealing　the　broken　earth。　For　which　Perrin　was　more　than　grateful。　The　Asha'man's　methods　had　been　brutal；　destroying　flesh　and　ground　with　equal　impartiality。　Too　many　Shaido　had　died　to　bury　in　less　than　days；　even　had　anyone　cared　to　bury　them；　so　the　vultures　gorged；　and　the　ravens；　and　the　crows。　The　dead　wolves　were　down　there；　too；　he　had　wanted　to　bury　them；　but　that　was　not　the　wolves'　way。　Three　Aes　Sedai　corpses　had　been　found；　their　channeling　unable　to　save　them　from　spears　and　arrows　in　the　madness　of　battle；　and　half　a　dozen　dead　Warders；　too。　They　were　buried　in　the　clearing　near　the　wells。
　　　The　birds　were　not　alone　with　the　dead。　Far　from　it。　Black…feathered　waves　rose　around　Lord　Dobraine　Taborwin　and　over　two　hundred　of　his　mounted　Cairhienin　armsmen；　and　Lord　Lieutenant　Havien　Nurelle　with　all　that　remained　of　his　Mayeners　aside　from　the　guards　on　the　Warders。　Con　with　two　white　diamonds　on　blue　picked　out　the　Cairhienin　officers；　all　but　Dobraine　himself；　and　the　Mayeners'　red　armor　and　red…streamered　lances　made　a　brave　show　amid　the　carnage；　but　Dobraine　was　not　the　only　one　who　held　a　cloth　to　his　nose。　Here　and　there　a　man　leaned　from　the　saddle　trying　to　empty　a　stomach　already　emptied　earlier。　Mazrim　Taim；　almost　as　tall　as　Rand；　was　afoot　in　his　black　coat　with　the　blue…and…gold　Dragons　climbing　the　sleeves；　and　maybe　a　hundred　more　of　the　Asha'man。　Some　of　them　heaved　up　their　bellies；　too。　There　were　Maidens　by　the　score；　more　siswai'aman　than　Cairhienin　and　Mayeners　and　Asha'man　bined；　and　several　dozen　Wise　Ones　to　boot。　All　supposedly　in　case　the　Shaido　returned；　or　perhaps　in　case　some　of　the　dead　were　only　shamming；　though　Perrin　thought　anyone　who　pretended　at　being　a　corpse　here　would　soon　go　insane。　All　centered　around　Rand。
　　　Perrin　should　have　been　down　there　with　the　Two　Rivers　men。　Rand　had　asked　for　them；　spoken　about　trusting　men　from　home；　but　Perrin　had　made　no　promises。　He'll　have　to　settle　for　me；　and　late；　he　thought。　In　a　little　bit；　when　he　managed　to　steel　himself　to　the　butcher's　yard　below。　Only；　butcher　knives　did　not　mow　down　people；　and　they　were　tidier　than　axes；　tidier　than　vultures。
　　　The　black…coated　Asha'man　faded　into　the　sea　of　birds；　death　swallowed　by　death；　and　ravens　and　crows　surging　up　hid　the　others；　but　Rand　stood　out　in　the　tattered　white　shirt　he　had　been　wearing　when　rescue　came。　Though　perhaps　he　hardly　needed　deliverance　by　that　time。　The　sight　of　Min；　close　beside　Rand　in　pale　red　coat　and　snug　breeches；　made　Perrin　grimace。　That　was　no　place　for　her；　or　anyone；　but　she　stayed　closer　to　Rand　since　the　rescue　than　even　Taim　did。　Somehow　Rand　had　managed　to　free　both　himself　and　her　well　before　Perrin　broke　through；　or　even　the　Asha'man；　and　Perrin　suspected　she　saw　Rand's　presence　as　the　only　real　safety。
　　　Sometimes　as　he　strode　across　that　charnel　ground；　Rand　patted　Min's　arm　or　bent　his　head　as　if　speaking　to　her；　but　not　with　his　main　attention。　Dark　clouds　of　birds　billowed　around　them；　the　smaller　darting　away　to　feed　elsewhere；　the　vultures　giving　ground　reluctantly；　some　refusing　to　take　wing；　extending　featherless　necks　and　squawking　defiantly　as　they　waddled　back。　Now　and　then　Rand　stopped；　bending　over　a　corpse。　Sometimes　fire　darted　from　his　hands　to　strike　down　vultures　that　did　not　give　way。　Every　time；　Nandera；　who　led　the　Maidens；　or　Sulin；　her　second；　argued　with　him。　Sometimes　Wise　Ones　did；　too；　from　the　way　they　tugged　at　the　body's　coat　as　if　demonstrating　something。　And　Rand　would　nod　and　move　on。　Not　without　backward　glances；　though。　And　only　until　another　body　caught　his　attention。
　　　〃What　is　he　doing？〃　demanded　a　haughty　voice　at　Perrin's　knee。　By　scent　he　knew　her　before　he　looked　down。　Statuesque　and　elegant　in　a　green　silk　riding　dress　and　thin　linen　dust…cloak；　Kiruna　Nachiman　was　sister　to　King　Paitar　of　Arafel　and　a　powerful　noble　in　her　own　right；　and　being　Aes　Sedai　had　done　nothing　to　dampen　her　manner。　Trapped　in　what　he　was　watching；　he　had　not　heard　her　approach。　〃Why　is　he　down　in　that？　He　should　not　be。〃
　　　Not　all　the　Aes　Sedai　in　the　camp　were　prisoners；　though　those　who　were　not　had　been　keeping　out　of　sight　since　yesterday；　talking　among　themselves；　Perrin　suspected；　and　trying　to　figure　out　what　had　happened　at　the　last。　Maybe　trying　to　figure　some　way　around　it。　Now　they　were　out　in　force。　Bera　Harkin；　another　Green；　stood　at　Kiruna's　shoulder；　a　farmwife　by　looks　despite　her　ageless　face　and　fine　woolen　dress；　but　every　scrap　as　proud　as　Kiruna　in　her　own　way。　This　farmwife　would　tell　a　king　to　scrape　his　boots　before　ing　into　her　house；　and　be　sharp　about　it。　She　and　Kiruna　together　led　the　sisters　who　had　e　to　Dumai's　Wells　with　Perrin；　or　perhaps　passed　leadership　back　and　forth　between　them。　It　was　not　exactly　clear；　which　was　hardly　unusual　with　Aes　Sedai。
　　　The　other　seven　stood　in　a　covey　not　far　away。　Or　maybe　in　a　pride；　lionesses；　not　quail；　by　their　air　of　being　in　charge。　Their　Warders　were　arrayed　behind　them；　and　if　the　sisters　were　all　outward　serenity　the　Warders　made　no　bones　of　their　feelings。　They　were　disparate　men；　some　in　those　color…shifting　cloaks　that　seemed　to　make　parts　of　them　disappear；　but　whether　short　or　tall；　thick　or　thin；　just　standing　there　they　looked　like　violence　on　a　frayed　leash。
　　　Perrin　knew　two　of　those　women　well；　Verin　Mathwin　and　Alanna　Mosvani。　Short　and　stout　and　almost　motherly　at　times　in　a　distracted　way；　when　she　was　not　studying　you　like　a　bird　studying　a　worm；　Verin　was　Brown　Ajah。　Alanna；　slim　and　darkly　pretty　though　a　little　haggard　around　the　eyes　of　late　for　some　reason；　was　Green。　Altogether；　five　of　the　nine　were　Green。　Once；　some　time　ago；　Verin　had　told　him　not　to　trust　Alanna　too　far；　and　he　more　than　took　her　at　her　word。　Nor　did　he　trust　any　of　the　others；　including　Verin。　Neither　did　Rand；　for　all　they　had　fought　on　his　side　yesterday；　and　despite　what　had　happened　at　the　end。　Which　Perrin　still　was　not　sure　he　believed；　even　though　he　had　seen　it。
　　　A　good　dozen　Asha'man　lounged　by　a　wagon　about　twenty　paces　from　the　sisters。　A　cocky　fellow　named　Charl　Gedwyn　had　charge　of　them　this　morning；　a　hard…faced　man　who　swaggered　standing　still。　All　wore　a　pin　in　the　shape　of　a　silver　sword　on　their　tall　coat　collars；　and　four　or　five　besides　Gedwyn　had　a　Dragon　in　gold…and…red　enamel　fastened　on　the　other　side。　Perrin　supposed　that　had　to　do　with　rank　in　some　way。　He　had　seen　both　on　some　of　the　other　Asha'man。　Not　precisely　guards；　they　managed　to　be　wherever　Kiruna　and　the　others　were。　Just　taking　their　ease。　And　keeping　a　sharp　eye　open。　Not　that　the　Aes　Sedai　took　any　notice；　not　that　you　could　see。　Even　so；　the　sisters　smelled　wary；　and　puzzled；　and　infuriated。　Part　of　that　had　to　be　because　of　the　Asha'man。
　　　〃Well？〃　Kiruna's　dark　eyes　flashed　impatience。　He　doubted　that　many　people　kept　her　waiting。