rj.acrownofswords-第36部分

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　　　Rand　carefully　set　his　full　goblet　on　the　floor　beside　his　chair。　He　had　only　let　Lir　and　Arymilla　and　the　rest　remain　in　order　to　try　pushing　Dyelin　and　those　who　supported　her　into　cooperation　with　him。　They　would　never　have　left　Andor　to　the　likes　of　Lord　Lir。　With　time　and　Elayne's　return；　it　might　yet　work。　But　everything　was　whirling　faster　and　faster；　whirling　away　from　his　fingers。　There　were　a　few　things　he　could　control；　though。
　　　〃Fedwin；　there；　is　an　Asha'man；〃　he　said。　〃He　can　bring　messages　to　me　in　Cairhien；　if　there's　need。〃　That　with　a　glare　for　Melaine；　who　returned　the　blandest　sort　of　look。　Deira　studied　Fedwin　as　she　might　a　dead　rat　some　overeager　dog　had　dropped　on　her　rug。　Davram　and　Bael　were　more　considering；　Fedwin　tried　to　stand　straighter　under　their　gaze。　〃Don't　let　anyone　know　who　he　is；〃　Rand　went　on。　〃No　one。　That's　why　he　isn't　wearing　black。　I　am　taking　two　more　to　Lord　Semaradrid　and　High　Lord　Weiramon　tonight。　They'll　have　need　when　they　face　Sammael　in　the　Doirlon　Hills。　I　will　be　busy　chewing　on　Cairhien　for　a　while　yet；　it　seems。〃　And　maybe　Andor；　too。
　　　〃Does　this　mean　you　will　send　the　spears　forward　at　last？〃　Bael　said。　〃You　give　the　orders　tonight？〃
　　　Rand　nodded；　and　Bashere　gave　a　great　hoot　of　laughter。　〃Now；　that　calls　for　a　good　wine。　Or　it　would　if　it　wasn't　hot　enough　to　make　a　man's　blood　thick　as　porridge。〃　Laughter　slid　into　a　grimace。　〃Burn　me；　but　I　wish　I　could　be　there。　Still；　I　suppose　holding　Caemlyn　for　the　Dragon　Reborn　is　no　small　thing。〃
　　　〃You　always　want　to　be　where　the　swords　are　bared；　my　husband。〃　Deira　sounded　quite　fond。
　　　〃The　fifth；〃　Bael　said。　〃You　will　allow　the　fifth　in　Illian；　when　Sammael　has　fallen？〃　Aiel　custom　allowed　taking　the　fifth　part　of　all　that　was　in　a　place　taken　by　force　of　arms。　Rand　had　forbidden　it　here　in　Caemlyn；　he　would　not　give　Elayne　a　city　looted　even　that　much。
　　　〃They　will　have　the　fifth；〃　Rand　said；　but　it　was　not　of　Sammael　or　Illian　that　he　thought。　Bring　Elayne　quickly；　Mat。　It　ran　wild　in　his　head；　across　Lews　Therin's　cackling。　Bring　her　quickly；　before　Andor　and　Cairhien　both　erupt　in　my　face。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　8　
（Snakey　Square）　
The　Figurehead　
　　　
　　　〃We　must　stop　here　tomorrow。〃　Egwene　shifted　carefully　on　her　folding　chair；　it　had　a　tendency　to　fold　on　its　own；　sometimes。　〃Lord　Bryne　says　the　army　is　running　short　of　food。　Our　camp　is　certainly　short　of　everything。〃
　　　Two　stubby　tallow　candles　burned　on　the　wooden　table　in　front　of　her。　That　folded；　too；　for　easy　packing；　but　it　was　sturdier　than　the　chair。　The　candles　in　the　tent　that　served　as　her　study　were　supplemented　by　an　oil　lantern　hanging　from　the　centerpole　up　near　the　peak。　The　dim　yellow　light　flickered；　making　faint　shadows　dance　on　patched　canvas　walls　that　were　a　far　cry　from　the　grandeur　of　the　Amyrlin's　study　in　the　White　Tower；　but　that　did　not　upset　her。　Truth　be　known；　she　herself　was　some　considerable　distance　short　of　the　grandeur　normally　associated　with　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　She　knew　very　well　that　the　seven…striped　stole　on　her　shoulders　was　the　only　reason　any　stranger　would　believe　her　Amyrlin。　If　they　did　not　think　it　an　extremely　foolish　joke。　Odd　things　had　happened　in　the　White　Tower's　history　…　Siuan　had　told　her　secret　details　of　some　of　them　…　yet　surely　nothing　so　odd　as　her。
　　　〃Four　or　five　days　would　be　better；〃　Sheriam　mused；　studying　the　sheaf　of　papers　in　her　lap。　Slightly　plump；　with　high　cheekbones　and　tilted　green　eyes；　in　her　dark　green　riding　dress　she　managed　to　look　elegant　and　manding　despite　her　perch　on　one　of　the　two　precarious　stools　in　front　of　the　table。　Exchange　her　narrow　blue　stole　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Chronicles　for　the　Amyrlin's；　and　anyone　would　think　she　wore　it　by　right。　Sometimes　she　certainly　seemed　to　believe　the　striped　stole　rested　on　her　own　shoulders。　〃Or　perhaps　longer。　It　would　not　hurt　to　build　our　stores　up　once　more。〃
　　　Siuan；　atop　the　other　rickety；　stool；　shook　her　head　slightly；　but　Egwene　did　not　need　the　hint。　〃One　day。〃　She　might　be　just　eighteen　and　well　short　of　a　true　Amyrlin's　grandeur；　but　she　was　no　fool。　Too　many　of　the　sisters　seized　on　any　excuse　for　a　halt　…　too　many　of　the　Sitters；　as　well　…　and　if　they　stopped　too　long；　it　might　be　impossible　to　start　them　moving　again。　Sheriam　opened　her　mouth。
　　　〃One；　daughter；〃　Egwene　said　firmly。　Whatever　Sheriam　thought；　the　fact　was　that　Sheriam　Bayanar　was　the　Keeper　and　Egwene　al'Vere　the　Amyrlin。　If　only　Sheriam　could　be　brought　to　realize　that。　And　the　Hall　of　the　Tower；　they　were　worse。　She　wanted　to　snarl　or　snap　or　maybe　throw　something；　but　after　close　to　a　month　and　half；　she　already　had　a　lifetime's　practice　in　keeping　her　face　and　voice　smooth　at　far　greater　provocation　than　this。　〃Any　longer；　and　we'll　begin　to　strip　the　countryside　bare。　I　won't　leave　people　to　starve。　On　the　practical　side；　if　we　take　too　much　from　them；　even　paid　for；　they'll　give　us　a　hundred　problems　in　return。〃
　　　〃Raids　on　the　herds　and　flocks　and　thieves　at　the　storewagons；〃　Siuan　murmured。　Studying　her　divided　gray　skirts；　not　looking　at　anyone；　she　seemed　to　be　thinking　aloud。　〃Men　shooting　at　our　guards　at　night；　maybe　setting　fire　to　whatever　they　can　reach。　A　bad　business。　Hungry　people　bee　desperate　in　a　hurry。〃　Those　were　the　same　reasons　Lord　Bryne　had　given　Egwene；　in　very　nearly　the　same　words。
　　　The　fiery…haired　woman　shot　Siuan　a　hard　look。　Many　sisters　had　a　difficult　time　with　Siuan。　Her　face　was　probably　the　best　known　in　the　camp；　young　enough　to　have　looked　proper　above　an　Accepted's　dress；　or　a　novice's　for　that　matter。　That　was　a　side　effect　of　being　stilled；　though　not　many　had　known　it；　Siuan　could　hardly　walk　a　step　without　sisters　staring　at　her；　the　once　Amyrlin　Seat；　deposed　and　cut　off　from　saidar；　then　Healed　and　restored　to　at　least　some　ability；　when　everyone　knew　that　was　impossible。　Many　weled　her　back　warmly　as　a　sister　once　more；　for　herself　and　for　the　miracle　that　held　out　hope　against　what　every　Aes　Sedai　feared　beyond　death；　but　just　as　many　or　more　offered　lukewarm　toleration　or　condescension　or　both；　blaming　her　for　their　present　situation。
　　　Sheriam　was　one　of　those　who　thought　Siuan　should　instruct　the　new　young　Amyrlin　in　protocol　and　the　like；　which　everyone　believed　she　hated；　and　keep　her　mouth　closed　unless　she　was　called　upon。　She　was　less　than　she　had　been；　no　longer　Amyrlin　and　no　longer　anywhere　near　so　strong　in　the　Power。　It　was　not　cruelty　as　Aes　Sedai　saw　it。　The　past　was　past；　what　was　now；　was；　and　must　be　accepted。　Anything　else　only　brought　greater　pain。　By　and　large；　Aes　Sedai　admitted　change　slowly；　but　once　they　did；　for　most　it　was　as　if　things　had　always　been　that　way。
　　　〃One　day；　Mother；　as　you　say；〃　Sheriam　sighed　at　last；　bowing　her　head　slightly。　Less　in　submission；　Egwene　was　sure；　than　to　hide　a　grimace　over　her　stubbornness。　She　would　accept　the　grimace　if　the　acquiescence　came　with　it。　For　the　time　being；　she　had　to。
　　　Siuan　bowed　her　head；　too。　To　hide　a　smile。　Any　sister　might　be　appointed　to　any　post；　but　the　social　pecking　order　was　quite　rigid；　and　Siuan　stood　a　long　way　further　down　than　she　had。　That　was　one　reason。
　　　The　papers　on　Sheriam's　lap　were　duplicated　on　Siuan's；　and　on　the　table　in　front　of　Egwene。　Reports　on　everything　from　the　number　of　candles　and　sacks　of　beans　remaining　in　the　camp　to　the　state　of　the　horses；　and　the　same　for　Lord　Bryne's　army。　The　army's　camp　encircled　the　Aes　Sedai's；　with　a　ring　perhaps　twenty　steps　wide　between；　but　in　many　ways　they　might　as　well　have　been　a　mile　apart。　Surprisingly；　Lord　Bryne　insisted　on　that　as　much　as　the　sisters。　The　Aes　Sedai　did　not　want　soldiers　wandering　among　their　tents；　a　lot　of　unwashed；　illiterate　ruffians　with　light　fingers　often　as　not；　and　it　seemed　the　soldiers　did　not　want　Aes　Sedai　wandering　among　them　either　…　though；　perhaps　wisely；　they　held　their　reasons　close。　They　marched　toward　Tar　Valon　to　pull　down　a　usurper　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat　and　raise　Egwene　in　her　place；　yet　few　men　were　truly　fortable　around　Aes　Sedai。　Few　enough　women；　either。
　　　As　Keeper；　Sheriam　would　have　been　all　too　happy　to　take　these　minor　matters　out　of　Egwene's　hands。　She　had　said　as　much；　explaining　how　minor　they　were；　how　the　Amyrlin　Seat　should　not　be　burdened　with　day…to…day　trifles。　Siuan；　on　the　other　hand；　said　a　good　Amyrlin　paid　attention　to　just　those；　not　trying　to　duplicate　the　work　of　dozens　of　sisters　and　clerks；　yet　checking　on　something　different　every　day。　That　way　she　had　a　good　idea　of　what　was　happening　and　what　needed　doing　before　someone　came　running　to　her　with　a　crisis　already　breaking　into　shards。　A　feel　for　how　the　wind　was　blowing；　Siuan　called　it。　Making　sure　these　reports　reached　her　had　required　weeks；　and　Egwene　was　sure　that　once　she　let　them　pass　to　Sheriam's　control；　she　would　never　again　learn　anything　until　it　was　long　dealt　with。　If　then。
　　　A　silence　stretched　as　they　began　reading　the　next　paper　in　each　stack。
　　　They　were　not　alone。　Chesa；　seated　on　cushions　to　one　side　of　the　tent；　spoke。　〃Too　little　light　is　bad　for　the　eyes；〃　she　murmured　almost　to　herself；　holding　up　one　of　Egwene's　silk　stockings　that　she　was　darning。　〃You'll　never　catch　me　ruining　my　eyes　over　words　in　this　little　light。〃　Just　short　of　stout；　with　a　twinkle　in　her　eyes　and　a　merry　smile；　Egwene's　maid　was　always　trying　to　slip　advice　to　the　Amyrlin　as　though　talking　about　herself。　She　could　have　been　in　Egwene's　service　twenty　years　instead　of　less　than　two　months；　and　three　times　as　old　as　Egwene　instead　of　barely　twice。　Tonight；　Egwene　suspected　that　she　talked　to　fill　silences。　There　was　a　tension　in　the　camp　since　Logain　had　escaped。　A　man　who　could　channel；　shielded　and　under　close　guard；　yet　he　had　slipped　away　like　fog。　Everyone　walked　on　edge　wondering　how；　wondering　where　he　was；　what　he　intended　to　do　now。　Egwene　wished　harder　than　most　that　she　could　be　sure　she　knew　where　Logain　Ablar　was。
　　　Giving　her　papers　a　firm　snap　of　her　wrists；　Sheriam　frowned　at　Chesa；　she　did　not　understand　why　Egwene　let　her　maid　be　present　at　these　meetings；　much　less　let　her　chatter　away　freely。　It　probably　never　occurred