rj.acrownofswords-第151部分

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o　wait　while　I　find　it。〃
　　　Sevanna　touched　the　rod　again；　then　impatiently　ordered　one　of　the　gai'shain　to　bring　tea。　She　could　wait。　Caddar　was　a　fool。　Sooner　or　later　he　would　give　her　everything　she　wanted　of　him。　And　now　the　rod　could　break　Maisia　free　of　him。　Surely　then　the　woman　would　not　protect　him。　For　his　insults；　he　would　wear　black。　Sevanna　took　a　small　green　porcelain　cup　from　the　tray　the　gai'shain　held　and　gave　it　to　the　Aes　Sedai　with　her　own　hands。　〃It　is　flavored　with　mint；　Maisia。　You　will　find　it　refreshing。〃
　　　The　woman　smiled；　but　those　black　eyes。。。　Well；　what　could　be　done　to　one　Aes　Sedai　could　be　done　to　two。　Or　more。
　　　〃What　of　the　traveling　boxes？〃　Sevanna　demanded　curtly。
　　　Caddar　waved　the　gai'shain　away　and　patted　the　sack　beside　him。　〃I　brought　as　many　nar'baha　…　that　is　what　they　were　called　…　as　many　as　I　could　find。　Enough　to　transport　all　of　you　by　nightfall；　if　you　hurry。　And　I　would；　if　I　were　you。　Al'Thor　means　to　finish　you；　it　seems。　Two　clans　are　ing　up　from　the　south；　and　two　more　are　moving　to　e　down　from　the　north。　With　their　Wise　Ones；　all　ready　to　channel。　Their　orders　are　to　stay　until　every　last　one　of　you　is　dead　or　a　prisoner。〃
　　　Therava　sniffed。　〃A　reason　to　move；　certainly；　wetlander；　but　not　to　run。　Even　four　clans　cannot　sweep　Kinslayer's　Dagger　in　a　day。〃
　　　〃Didn't　I　say？〃　Caddar's　smile　was　not　at　all　pleasant。　〃It　seems　al'Thor　has　bound　some　Aes　Sedai　to　him；　too；　and　they　have　taught　the　Wise　Ones　how　to　Travel　without　a　nar'baha；　over　short　distances；　at　least。　Twenty　or　thirty　miles。　A　recent　rediscovery；　it　seems。　They　could　be　here　…　well；　today。　All　four　clans。〃
　　　Maybe　he　lied；　yet　the　risk。。。　Sevanna　could　imagine　all　too　well　being　in　Sorilea's　grip。　Not　allowing　herself　to　shiver；　she　sent　Rhiale　to　inform　the　other　Wise　Ones。　Her　voice　betrayed　nothing。
　　　Reaching　into　his　bag；　Caddar　drew　out　a　gray　stone　cube；　smaller　than　the　callbox　she　had　used　to　summon　him；　and　much　plainer；　with　no　marking　but　a　bright　red　disc　set　in　one　face。　〃This　is　a　nar'baha；〃　he　said。　〃It　uses　saidin；　so　none　of　you　will　see　anything；　and　it　has　limits。　If　a　woman　touches　it；　it　won't　work　for　days　afterward；　so　I　will　have　to　hand　them　out　myself；　and　it　has　other　limits。　Once　opened；　the　gateway　will　remain　for　a。　fixed　time；　sufficient　for　a　few　thousand　to　go　through　if　they　don't　waste　time；　and　the　nar'baha　needs　three　days　to　recover　afterward。　I　have　enough　extra　to　carry　us　where　we　need　to　go　today；　but。。。　〃
　　　Therava　leaned　forward　so　intently　she　looked　about　to　fall　over；　but　Sevanna　hardly　listened。　She　did　not　doubt　Caddar；　exactly；　he　would　not　dare　betray　them；　not　while　he　hungered　for　the　gold　the　Shaido　would　give　him。　There　were　small　things；　though。　Maisia　seemed　to　study　him　over　her　tea。　Why？　And　if　there　was　such　need　for　speed；　why　was　there　no　urgency　in　his　voice？　He　would　not　betray；　but　she　would　take　precautions　anyway。
　　　
　　　Maeric　frowned　at　the　stone　cube　the　wetlander　had　given　him；　then　at　the。。。　hole。。。　that　had　appeared　when　he　pressed　the　red　spot。　A　hole；　five　paces　wide　and　three　high；　in　midair。　Beyond　lay　rolling　hills；　not　low；　covered　with　brown　grass。　He　did　not　like　things　to　do　with　the　One　Power；　especially　with　the　male　part　of　it。　Sevanna　stepped　through　another；　smaller；　hole　with　the　wetlander　and　a　dark　woman；　following　the　Wise　Ones　Sevanna　and　Rhiale　had　chosen　out。　Only　a　handful　of　Wise　Ones　remained　with　the　Moshaine　Shaido。　Through　that　second　hole；　he　could　see　Sevanna　talking　with　Bendhuin。　The　Green　Salts　sept　would　find　themselves　with　few　Wise　Ones；　too；　Maeric　was　sure　of　it。
　　　Dyrele　touched　his　arm。　〃Husband；〃　she　murmured；　〃Sevanna　said　it　would　only　remain　open　a　short　while。〃
　　　Maeric　nodded。　Dyrele　always　saw　straight　to　the　point。　Veiling　himself；　he　ran　forward　and　leaped　through　the　hole　he　had　made。　Whatever　Sevanna　and　the　wetlander　said；　he　would　send　none　of　his　Moshaine　through　before　he　knew　it　was　safe。
　　　He　landed　heavily　on　a　slope　covered　with　dead　grass　and　nearly　pitched　head…over…heels　down　the　hill　before　he　caught　himself。　For　a　moment　he　stared　back　up　at　the　hole。　On　this　side；　it　hung　more　than　a　foot　above　the　ground。
　　　〃Wife！〃　he　shouted。　〃There　is　a　drop！〃
　　　Black　Eyes　leaped　through；　veiled　and　spears　ready；　and　Maidens；　also。　As　well　try　to　drink　sand　as　try　to　keep　Maidens　from　being　among　the　first。　The　rest　of　the　Moshaine　followed　at　a　run；　algai'd'siswai　and　wives　and　children；　jumping　down　on　the　fly；　craftsfolk　and　traders　and　gai'shain；　most　pulling　heavily　loaded　packhorses　and　mules；　near　to　six　thousand　altogether。　His　sept；　his　people。　They　still　would　be　once　he　went　to　Rhuidean；　Sevanna　could　not　keep　him　from　being　clan　chief　for　much　longer。
　　　Scouts　began　spreading　out　immediately；　while　the　sept　still　rushed　out　of　the　hole。　Lowering　his　veil；　Maeric　shouted　orders　that　sent　a　screen　of　algai'd'siswai　toward　the　crests　of　the　surrounding　hills　while　everyone　else　remained　concealed　below。　There　was　no　telling　who　or　what　lay　beyond　those　hills。　Rich　lands；　the　wetlander　claimed；　but　this　part　did　not　look　rich　to　him。
　　　The　rush　of　his　sept　became　a　flood　of　algai'd'siswai　he　did　not　really　trust；　men　who　had　fled　their　own　clans　because　they　did　not　believe　Rand　al'Thor　was　truly　the　Car'a'carn。　Maeric　was　not　sure　what　he　himself　believed；　but　a　man　did　not　abandon　sept　and　clan。　These　men　called　themselves　Mera'din；　the　Brotherless；　a　fitting　name；　and　he　had　two　hundr…
　　　The　hole　suddenly　snapped　into　a　vertical　slash　of　silver　that　sliced　through　ten　of　the　Brotherless。　Pieces　of　them　fell　onto　the　slope；　arms；　legs。　The　front　half　of　a　man　slid　almost　to　Maeric's　feet。
　　　Staring　at　the　place　where　the　hole　had　been；　he　stabbed　at　the　red　spot　with　his　thumb。　Useless；　he　knew；　but。。。　Darin；　his　eldest　son；　was　one　of　the　Stone　Dogs　waiting　as　a　rear　guard。　They　would　have　been　the　last　through。　Suraile；　his　eldest　daughter；　had　remained　with　the　Stone　Dog　for　whom　she　was　thinking　of　giving　up　the　spear。
　　　His　eyes　met　Dyrele's；　as　green　and　beautiful　as　the　day　she　had　laid　the　wreath　at　his　feet。　And　threatened　to　cut　his　throat　if　he　did　not　pick　it　up。　〃We　can　wait。〃　he　said　softly。　The　wetlander　had　said　three　days；　but　maybe　he　was　wrong。　His　thumb　stabbed　the　red　spot　again。　Dyrele　nodded　calmly；　he　hoped　there　would　be　no　need　to　cry　in　one　another's　arms　once　they　could　be　alone。
　　　A　Maiden　came　skittering　down　the　slope　from　above；　hurriedly　lowering　her　veil；　and　actually　breathing　hard。　〃Maeric；〃　Naeise　said；　not　even　waiting　for　him　to　see　her；　〃there　are　spears　to　the　east；　only　a　few　miles　and　running　straight　at　us。　I　think　they　are　Reyn。　At　least　seven　or　eight　thousand　of　them。〃
　　　He　could　see　other　algai'd'siswai　running　toward　him。　A　young　Brother　to　the　Eagle；　Cairdin；　slid　to　a　stop；　speaking　as　soon　as　Maeric　saw　him。　〃I　see　you；　Maeric。　There　are　spears　no　more　than　five　miles　to　the　north；　and　wetlanders　on　horses。　Perhaps　ten　thousand　of　each。　I　do　not　think　any　of　us　broke　the　crest；　but　some　of　the　spears　have　turned　toward　us。〃
　　　Maeric　knew　before　the　grizzled　Water　Seeker　named　Laerad　opened　his　mouth。　〃Spears　ing　over　a　hill　three　or　four　miles　to　the　south。　Eight　thousand　or　more。　Some　of　them　saw　one　of　the　boys。〃　Laerad　never　wasted　words；　and　he　would　never　say　which　boy；　who　in　truth　could　be　anyone　without　gray　hair；　to　Laerad。
　　　There　was　no　time　for　wasting　words；　Maeric　knew。　〃Hamal！〃　he　shouted。　No　time　for　proper　courtesy　to　a　blacksmith；　either。
　　　The　big　man　knew　something　was　wrong；　he　scrambled　up　the　slope；　likely　moving　faster　than　he　had　since　first　picking　up　a　hammer。
　　　Maeric　handed　him　the　stone　cube。　〃You　must　press　the　red　spot　and　keep　pressing　it；　no　matter　what　happens；　no　matter　how　long　it　takes　for　that　hole　to　open。　That　is　the　only　way　out　for　any　of　you。〃　Hamal　nodded；　but　Maeric　did　not　even　wait　for　him　to　say　that　he　would。　Hamal　would　understand。　Maeric　touched　Dyrele's　cheek；　careless　of　how　many　eyes　were　on　them。　〃Shade　of　my　heart；　you　must　prepare　to　put　on　white。〃　Her　hand　strayed　toward　the　hilt　of　her　belt　knife　…　she　had　been　a　Maiden　when　she　made　his　wreath　…　but　he　shook　his　head…firmly。　〃You　must　live；　wife；　roofmistress；　to　hold　together　what　remains。〃　Nodding；　she　pressed　fingers　to　his　cheek。　He　was　astonished；　she　had　always　been　very　reserved　in　public。
　　　Raising　his　veil；　Maeric　shoved　one　spear　high　above　his　head。　〃Moshaine！〃　he　roared。　〃We　dance！〃
　　　Up　the　slope　they　followed　him；　men　and　Maidens；　nearly　a　thousand　strong　counting　the　Brotherless。　Perhaps　they　could　be　counted　among　the　sept。　Up　the　slope　and　west；　that　way　lay　the　nearest　and　the　fewest。　Perhaps　they　might　buy　enough　time；　though　he　did　not　really　believe　that。　He　wondered　whether　Sevanna　had　known　of　this。　Ah；　the　world　had　grown　very　strange　since　Rand　al'Thor　came。　Some　things　could　not　change；　though。　Laughing；　he　began　to　sing。

〃Wash　the　spears；　while　the　sun　climbs　high。
Wash　the　spears；　while　the　sun　falls　low。
Wash　the　spears；　who　fears　to　die？
Wash　the　spears；　no　one　I　know！〃
　　　
　　　Singing；　the　Moshaine　Shaido　ran　to　dance　their　deaths。
　　　
　　　Frowning；　Graendal　watched　the　gateway　close　behind　the　last　of　the　Jumai　Shaido。　The　Jumai　and　a　great　many　Wise　Ones。　Unlike　with　the　others；　Sammael　had　not　simply　knotted　this　web　so　it　would　fall　apart　eventually。　At　least；　she　assumed　he　held　it　to　the　last；　the　closing；　right　on　the　heels　of　the　last　brown…and…gray…clad　men；　was　too　fortuitous　otherwise。　Laughing；　Sammael　tossed　away　the　bag；　still　holding　a　few　of　those　useless　bits　of　stone。　Her　own　empty　sack　was　long　since　discarded。　The　sun　sat　low　behind　the　mountains　to　the　west；　half　of　a　glowing　red　ball。
　　　〃One　of　these　days；〃　she　said　dryly；　〃you　will　be　too　smart　for　your　own　good。　A　fool　box；　Sammael？　Suppose　one　of　them　had　understood？〃
　　　〃None　did；〃　he　said　simply；　but　he　kept　rubbing　his　hands　together　and　staring　at　where　the　gateway　had　been。　Or　maybe　at　something　beyond。　He　still　held　the　Mask　of　Mirrors；　giving　him　th