rj.acrownofswords-第3部分

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　　　The　ring　has　been　placed　in　the　bull's　nose。
　　　
　　　Alviarin　looked　as　posed　as　a　marble　statue；　but　Elaida　no　longer　cared。　The　shepherd　was　on　his　way　to　her。　The　rebels　would　be　crushed　and　the　Hall　cowed；　Alviarin　forced　to　her　knees　and　every　fractious　ruler　brought　to　heel；　from　Tenobia　of　Saldaea；　who　had　gone　into　hiding　to　avoid　her　emissary；　to　Mattin　Stepaneos　of　Illian；　who　was　trying　to　play　all　sides　at　once　again；　trying　to　agree　with　her　and　the　Whitecloaks；　and　with　al'Thor　for　all　she　knew。　Elayne　would　be　placed　on　the　throne　in　Caemlyn；　without　her　brother　to　get　in　the　way　and　with　a　full　knowledge　of　who　had　set　her　there。　A　little　time　back　in　the　Tower　would　make　the　girl　damp　clay　in　Elaida's　hands。
　　　〃I　want　those　men　rooted　out；　Alviarin。〃　There　was　no　need　to　say　who　she　meant；　half　the　Tower　could　talk　of　nothing　but　those　men　in　their　Black　Tower；　and　the　other　half　whispered　about　them　in　corners。
　　　〃There　are　disturbing　reports；　Mother。〃　Alviarin　looked　through　her　papers　once　more；　but　Elaida　thought　it　was　only　for　something　to　do。　She　did　not　pluck　out　any　more　pages；　and　if　nothing　else　disturbed　the　woman　for　long；　this　unholy　midden　outside　Caemlyn　must。
　　　〃More　rumors？　Do　you　believe　the　tales　of　thousands　flocking　to　Caemlyn　in　answer　to　that　obscene　amnesty？〃　Not　the　least　of　what　al'Thor　had　done；　but　hardly　cause　for　worry。　Just　a　pile　of　filth　that　must　be　safely　cleared　before　Elayne　was　crowned　in　Caemlyn。
　　　〃Of　course　not；　Mother；　but　…　〃
　　　〃Toveine　is　to　lead；　this　task　belongs　properly　to　the　Red。〃　Toveine　Gazal　had　been　fifteen　years　away　from　the　Tower；　until　Elaida　summoned　her　back。　The　other　two　Red　Sitters　who　had　resigned　and　gone　into　a　〃voluntary〃　retreat　at　the　same　time　were　nervous…eyed　women　now；　but　unlike　Lirene　and　Tsutama；　Toveine　had　only　hardened　in　her　solitary　exile。　〃She　is　to　have　fifty　sisters。〃　There　could　not　be　more　than　two　or　three　men　at　this　Black　Tower　actually　able　to　channel；　Elaida　was　certain。　Fifty　sisters　could　overwhelm　them　easily。　Yet　there　might　be　others　to　deal　with。　Hangers…on；　camp　followers；　fools　full　of　futile　hopes　and　insane　ambitions。　〃And　she　is　to　take　a　hundred　…　no；　two　hundred　…　of　the　Guard。〃
　　　〃Are　you　certain　that　is　wise？　The　rumors　of　thousands　are　certainly　madness；　but　a　Green　agent　in　Caemlyn　claims　there　are　over　four　hundred　in　this　Black　Tower；　A　clever　fellow。　It　seems　he　counted　the　supply　carts　that　go　out　from　the　city。　And　you　are　aware　of　the　rumors　Mazrim　Taim　is　with　them。〃
　　　Elaida　fought　to　keep　her　features　smooth；　and　barely　succeeded。　She　had　forbidden　mention　of　Taim's　name；　and　it　was　bitter　that　she　did　not　dare　…　did　not　dare！　…　impose　the　penalty　on　Alviarin。　The　woman　looked　her　straight　in　the　eyes；　the　absence　of　so　much　as　a　perfunctory　〃Mother〃　this　time　was　marked。　And　the　temerity　of　asking　whether　her　actions　were　wise！　She　was　the　Amyrlin　Seat！　Not　first　among　equals；　the　Amyrlin　Seat！
　　　Opening　the　largest　of　the　lacquered　boxes　revealed　carved　ivory　miniatures　laid　out　on　gray　velvet。　Often　just　handling　her　collection　soothed　her；　but　more；　like　the　knitting　she　enjoyed；　it　let　whoever　was　attending　her　know　their　place；　if　she　seemed　to　give　more　attention　to　the　miniatures　than　to　what　they　had　to　say。　Fingering　first　an　exquisite　cat；　sleek　and　flowing；　then　an　elaborately　robed　woman　with　a　peculiar　little　animal；　some　fantasy　of　the　carver；　almost　like　a　man　covered　in　hair；　crouched　on　her　shoulder；　at　length　Elaida　chose　out　a　curving　fish；　so　delicately　carved　that　it　seemed　nearly　real　despite　the　aged　yellow　of　the　ivory。
　　　〃Four　hundred　rabble；　Alviarin。〃　She　felt　calmer　already；　for　Alviarin's　mouth　had　thinned。　Just　a　fraction；　but　she　savored　any　crack　in　the　woman's　fa？ade。　〃If　there　are　that　many。　Only　a　fool　could　believe　that　more　than　one　or　two　can　channel。　At　most！　In　ten　years；　we　have　found　only　six　men　with　the　ability。　Just　twenty…four　in　the　last　twenty　years。　And　you　know　how　the　land　has　been　scoured。　As　for　Taim。。。　〃　The　name　burned　her　mouth；　the　only　false　Dragon　ever　to　escape　being　gentled　once　in　the　hands　of　Aes　Sedai。　Not　a　thing　she　wanted　in　the　Chronicles　under　her　reign；　certainly　not　until　she　decided　how　it　should　be　recorded。　At　present　the　Chronicles　told　nothing　after　his　capture。
　　　She　stroked　her　thumb　along　the　fish's　scales。　〃He　is　dead；　Alviarin；　else　we　would　have　heard　from　him　long　since。　And　not　serving　al'Thor。　Can　you　think　he　went　from　claiming　to　be　the　Dragon　Reborn　to　serving　the　Dragon　Reborn？　Can　you　think　he　could　be　in　Caemlyn　without　Davram　Bashere　at　least　trying　to　kill　him？〃　Her　thumb　moved　faster　on　the　ivory　fish　as　she　reminded　herself　that　the　Marshal…General　of　Saldaea　was　in　Caemlyn　taking　orders　from　al'Thor。　What　was　Tenobia　playing　at？　Elaida　held　it　all　inside；　though；　presenting　a　face　as　calm　as　one　of　her　carvings。
　　　〃Twenty…four　is　a　dangerous　number　to　speak　aloud；〃　Alviarin　said　with　an　ominous　quiet；　〃as　dangerous　as　two　thousand。　The　Chronicles　record　only　sixteen。　The　last　thing　needed　now　is　for　those　years　to　rear　up　again。　Or　for　sisters　who　know　only　what　they　were　told　to　learn　the　truth。　Even　those　you　brought　back　hold　their　silence。〃
　　　Elaida　put　on　a　bemused　look。　So　far　as　she　knew；　Alviarin　had　learned　the　truth　of　those　years　only　on　being　raised　Keeper；　but　her　own　knowledge　was　more　personal。　Not　that　Alviarin　could　be　aware　of　that。　Not　for　certain；　anyway。　〃Daughter；　whatever　es　out；　I　have　no　fear。　Who　is　going　to　impose　a　penance　on　me；　and　on　what　charge？〃　That　skirted　truth　nicely；　but　apparently　it　impressed　the　other　woman　not　at　all。
　　　〃The　Chronicles　record　a　number　of　Amyrlins　who　took　on　public　penance　for　some　usually　obscure　reason；　but　it　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　is　how　an　Amyrlin　might　have　it　written　if　she　found　herself　with　no　choice　except　…　〃
　　　Elaida's　hand　slapped　down　on　the　table。　〃Enough；　daughter！　I　am　Tower　law！　What　has　been　hidden　will　remain　hidden；　for　the　same　reason　it　has　for　twenty　years　…　the　good　of　the　White　Tower。〃　Only　then　did　she　feel　the　bruise　beginning　on　her　palm；　she　lifted　her　hand　to　reveal　the　fish；　broken　in　two。　How　old　had　it　been？　Five　hundred　years？　A　thousand？　It　was　all　she　could　do　not　to　quiver　with　rage。　Her　voice　certainly　thickened　with　it。　〃Toveine　is　to　lead　fifty　sisters　and　two　hundred　of　the　Tower　Guards　to　Caemlyn；　to　this　Black　Tower；　where　they　will　gentle　any　man　they　find　able　to　channel　and　hang　him；　along　with　as　many　others　as　they　can　take　alive。〃　Alviarin　did　not　even　blink　at　the　violation　of　Tower　law。　Elaida　had　spoken　the　truth　as　she　meant　it　to　be；　with　this；　with　everything；　she　was　Tower　law。　〃For　that　matter；　hang　up　the　dead　as　well。　Let　them　be　a　warning　to　any　man　who　thinks　of　touching　the　True　Source。　Have　Toveine　attend　me。　I　will　want　to　hear　her　plan。〃
　　　〃It　will　be　as　you　mand；　Mother。〃　The　woman's　reply　was　as　cool　and　smooth　as　her　face。　〃Though　if　I　may　suggest；　you　might　wish　to　reconsider　sending　so　many　sisters　away　from　the　Tower。　Apparently　the　rebels　found　your　offer　wanting。　They　are　no　longer　in　Salidar。　They　are　on　the　march。　The　reports　e　from　Altara；　but　they　must　be　into　Murandy　by　now。　And　they　have　chosen　themselves　an　Amyrlin。〃　She　scanned　the　top　sheet　of　her　sheaf　of　papers　as　if　searching　for　the　name。　〃Egwene　al'Vere；　it　seems。〃
　　　That　Alviarin　had　left　this；　the　most　important　piece　of　news；　until　now；　should　have　made　Elaida　explode　in　fury。　Instead；　she　threw　back　her　head　and　laughed。　Only　a　firm　hold　on　dignity　kept　her　from　drumming　her　heels　on　the　floor。　The　surprise　on　Alviarin's　face　made　her　laugh　harder；　till　she　had　to　wipe　her　eyes　with　her　fingers。
　　　〃You　do　not　see　it；〃　she　said　when　she　could　speak　between　ripples　of　mirth。　〃As　well　you　are　Keeper；　Alviarin；　not　a　Sitter。　In　the　Hall；　blind　as　you　are；　within　a　month　the　others　would　be　holding　you　in　a　cabinet　and　taking　you　out　when　they　needed　your　vote。〃
　　　〃I　see　enough；　Mother。〃　Alviarin's　voice　held　no　heat；　if　anything；　it　should　have　coated　the　walls　with　frost。　〃I　see　three　hundred　rebel　Aes　Sedai；　perhaps　more；　marching　on　Tar　Valon　with　an　army　led　by　Gareth　Bryne；　acknowledged　a　great　captain。　Discounting　the　more　ridiculous　reports；　that　army　may　number　over　twenty　thousand；　and　with　Bryne　to　lead　they　will　gain　more　at　every　village　and　town　they　pass。　I　do　not　say　they　have　hope　of　taking　the　city；　of　course；　but　it　is　hardly　a　matter　for　laughter。　High　Captain　Chubain　should　be　ordered　to　increase　recruiting　for　the　Tower　Guard。〃
　　　Elaida's　gaze　fell　sourly　on　the　broken　fish；　and　she　stood　and　stalked　to　the　nearest　window；　her　back　to　Alviarin。　The　palace　under　construction　took　away　the　bitter　taste；　that　and　the　slip　of　paper　she　still　clutched。
　　　She　smiled　down　on　her　palace…to…be。　〃Three　hundred　rebels；　yes；　but　you　should　read　Tarna's　account　again。　At　least　a　hundred　are　on　the　point　of　breaking　already。〃　She　trusted　Tarna　to　some　extent；　a　Red　with　no　room　in　her　head　for　nonsense；　and　she　said　the　rebels　were　ready　to　jump　at　shadows。　Quietly　desperate　sheep　looking　for　a　shepherd；　she　said。　A　wilder；　of　course；　yet　still　sensible。　Tarna　should　be　back　soon；　and　able　to　give　a　fuller　report。　Not　that　it　was　needed。　Elaida's　plans　were　already　working　among　the　rebels。　But　that　was　her　secret。
　　　〃Tarna　has　always　been　sure　she　could　make　people　do　what　it　was　clear　they　would　not。〃　Had　there　been　an　emphasis　in　that；　a　significance　of　tone？　Elaida　decided　to　ignore　it。　She　had　to　ignore　too　much　from　Alviarin；　but　the　day　would　e。　Soon。
　　　〃As　for　their　army；　daughter；　she　says　two　or　three　thousand　men　at　most。　If　they　had　more；　they　would　have　made　sure　she　saw　them；　to　overawe　us。〃　In　Elaida's　opinion；　eyes…and…ears　always　exaggerated；　to　make　their　information　seem　more　valuable。　Only　sisters　could　be　truly　trusted。　Red　sisters；　anyway。　Some　of　them。　〃But　I　would　not　care　if　they　did　have　twenty　thousand；　or　fifty；　or　a　hundred。　Can　you　even　begin　to　guess　why？〃　When　she　turned；　Alviarin's　face　was　all　smooth　posure；　a　mask　over　blind　ignorance。　〃You　seem