rj.acrownofswords-第39部分

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　delicate　mouth　twisted　bitterly。　〃She　was　gone　almost　as　soon　as　you　were。　Don't　you　realize　she　handed　herself　to　you？　She　certainly　does。　Her；　and　Anaiya　and　Morvrin　and　the　lot　of　them。　You　can　be　sure　they'll　spend　tonight　trying　to　bail　water　and　patch　holes。　They　could　manage　it。　I　don't　see　how；　but　they　might。〃
　　　Almost　as　the　last　word　left　her　mouth；　Leane　entered。　A　tall；　willowy　woman；　her　coppery　face　was　as　youthful　as　Siuan's；　and　for　the　same　reason；　she　also　was　more　than　old　enough　to　be　Egwene's　mother；　in　truth。　Leane　took　one　look　at　Siuan　and　threw　up　her　hands　as　much　as　the　roof　of　the　tent　would　allow。　〃Mother；　this　is　a　foolish　risk。〃　Her　dark　eyes　went　from　dreamy　to　flashing；　but　her　voice　had　a　languorous　quality　even　when　she　was　irritated。　Once；　it　had　been　brisk。　〃If　anyone　sees　Siuan　and　me　together　this　way　…　〃
　　　〃I　don't　care　if　the　whole　camp　learns　your　squabbling　is　a　fraud；〃　Egwene　broke　in　sharply；　weaving　a　small　barrier　against　eavesdropping　around　the　three　of　them。　It　could　be　worked　through　with　time；　but　not　without　detection；　so　long　as　she　held　the　weave　instead　of　tying　it　off。
　　　She　did　care；　and　perhaps　she　should　not　have　called　them　both；　but　her　first　half…coherent　thought　had　been　to　summon　the　two　sisters　she　could　count　on。　No　one　in　the　camp　so　much　as　suspected。　Everyone　knew　the　former　Amyrlin　and　her　former　Keeper　detested　one　another　every　bit　as　much　as　Siuan　detested　being　tutor　to　her　successor。　Should　any　sister　uncover　the　truth；　they　might　well　find　themselves　doing　penance　for　a　long　time　to　e；　and　not　an　easy　one　…　Aes　Sedai　appreciated　being　made　fools　of　even　less　than　other　people；　kings　had　been　made　to　pay　for　that　…　but　in　the　meanwhile　their　supposed　animosity　resulted　in　a　certain　leverage　with　the　other　sisters；　including　Sitters。　If　they　both　said　the　same　thing；　it　must　be　so。　Another　incidental　effect　of　being　stilled　was　very　useful；　one　no　one　else　knew　about。　The　Three　Oaths　no　longer　held　them；　they　could　lie　like　wool　merchants；　now。
　　　Schemes　and　deceptions　on　every　side。　The　camp　was　like　some　fetid　swamp　where　strange　growths　sprouted　unseen　in　mists。　Maybe　anywhere　Aes　Sedai　gathered　was　like　that。　After　three　thousand　years　of　plotting；　however　necessary；　it　was　hardly　surprising　that　scheming　had　bee　second　nature　to　most　sisters　and　only　a　breath　away　for　the　rest。　The　truly　horrible　thing　was　that　she　found　herself　beginning　to　enjoy　all　the　machinations。　Not　for　their　own　sake；　but　as　puzzles；　though　no　twisted　bits　of　iron　could　intrigue　her　a　quarter　so　much。　What　that　said　about　her；　she　did　not　want　to　know。　Well；　she　was　Aes　Sedai；　whatever　anyone　thought；　and　she　had　to　take　the　bad　of　it　with　the　good。
　　　〃Moghedien　has　escaped；〃　she　went　on　without　pause。　〃A　man　removed　the　a'dam　from　her。　A　man　who　can　channel。　I　think　one　of　them　took　the　necklace　away；　it　wasn't　in　her　tent；　that　I　saw。　There　might　be　some　way　to　find　it　using　the　bracelet；　but　if　there　is；　I　don't　know　it。〃
　　　That　took　the　starch　right　out　of　them。　Leane's　legs　gave　way；　and　she　dropped　like　a　sack　onto　the　stool　Chesa　sometimes　used。　Siuan　sat　down　on　the　cot　slowly；　back　very　straight；　hands　very　still　on　her　knees。　Incongruously；　Egwene　noticed　that　her　dress　had　tiny　blue　flowers　embroidered　in　a　wide　Tairen　maze　around　the　bottom；　a　band　that　made　the　divided　skirts　seem　one　when　she　was　still。　Another　band　curved　beingly　across　the　bodice。　Concern　for　her　clothes；　that　they　be　pretty　instead　of　just　suitable；　was　certainly　a　small　change；　looking　at　it　one　way　…　she　never　took　it　to　extremes　…　yet　in　another；　it　was　as　drastic　as　her　face。　And　a　puzzle。　Siuan　resented　the　changes；　and　resisted　them。　Except　for　this　one。
　　　Leane；　on　the　other　hand；　in　true　Aes　Sedai　fashion　embraced　what　had　changed。　A　young　woman　again　…　Egwene　had　overheard　a　Yellow　exclaiming　in　wonder　that　both　were　prime　childbearing　age；　by　everything　she　could　find　…　she　might　never　have　been　Keeper；　never　have　had　any　other　face。　The　very　image　of　practicality　and　efficiency　became　the　ideal　of　an　indolent　and　alluring　Domani　woman。　Even　her　riding　dress　was　cut　in　the　style　of　her　native　land；　and　no　matter　that　its　silk；　so　thin　it　barely　seemed　opaque；　was　as　impractical　as　the　pale　green　color　for　traveling　dusty　roads。　Told　that　having　been　stilled　had　broken　all　ties　and　associations；　Leane　had　chosen　the　Green　Ajah　over　a　return　to　the　Blue。　Changing　Ajahs　was　not　done；　but　then；　no　one　had　been　stilled　and　then　Healed　before；　either。　Siuan　had　gone　right　back　into　the　Blue；　grumbling　over　the　idiotic　need　to　〃entreat　and　appeal　for　acceptance〃　as　the　formal　phrase　went。
　　　〃Oh；　Light！〃　Leane　breathed　as　she　thumped　onto　the　stool　with　considerably　less　than　her　usual　grace。　〃We　should　have　turned　her　over　for　trial　the　first　day。　Nothing　we've　learned　from　her　is　worth　letting　her　loose　on　the　world　again。　Nothing！〃　It　was　a　measure　of　her　shock；　she　did　not　normally　go　about　stating　the　obvious。　Her　brain　had　not　grown　indolent；　whatever　her　outward　demeanor。　Languid　and　seductive　Domani　women　might　be　on　the　outside；　but　they　were　still　known　as　the　sharpest　traders　anywhere。
　　　〃Blood　and　bloody　…！　We　should　have　had　her　watched；〃　Siuan　growled　through　her　teeth。
　　　Egwene's　eyebrows　rose。　Siuan　must　be　as　shaken　as　Leane。　〃By　who；　Siuan？　Faolain？　Theodrin？　They　don't　even　know　you　two　are　of　my　party。〃　A　party？　Five　women。　And　Faolain　and　Theodrin　were　hardly　eager　adherents；　especially　Faolain。　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　could　be　counted　too；　of　course；　and　Birgitte　certainly；　even　if　she　was　not　Aes　Sedai；　but　they　were　a　long　way　off。　Stealth　and　cunning　were　still　her　major　strengths。　Plus　the　fact　that　no　one　expected　them　of　her。　〃How　should　I　have　explained　to　anyone　why　they　were　supposed　to　watch　my　serving　woman？　For　that　matter；　what　good　would　it　have　done？　It　had　to　be　one　of　the　Forsaken。　Do　you　really　think　Faolain　and　Theodrin　together　could　have　stopped　him？　I'm　not　sure　I　could　have；　even　linked　with　Romanda　and　Lelaine。〃　They　were　the　next　two　strongest　women　in　the　camp；　as　strong　in　the　Power　as　Siuan　used　to　be。
　　　Siuan　visibly　forced　a　scowl　from　her　face；　but　even　so；　she　snorted。　She　often　said　that　if　she　could　no　longer　be　Amyrlin；　then　she　would　teach　Egwene　how　to　be　the　best　Amyrlin　ever；　yet　the　transition　from　lion　on　a　hill　to　mouse　underfoot　was　difficult。　Egwene　allowed　her　no　little　latitude　because　of　that。
　　　〃I　want　the　two　of　you　to　ask　about　among　those　near　the　tent　Moghedien　was　sleeping　in。　Someone　must　have　seen　the　man。　He　had　to　e　afoot。　Anybody　opening　a　gateway　inside　a　space　that　little　risked　cutting　her　in　two；　however　small　he　wove　it。〃
　　　Siuan　snorted；　louder　than　the　first　time。　〃Why　bother？〃　she　growled。　〃Do　you　mean　to　go　chasing　after　like　some　fool　hero　in　a　gleeman's　fool　story　and　bring　her　back？　Maybe　tie　up　all　the　Forsaken　at　one　go？　Win　the　Last　Battle　while　you're　at　it？　Even　if　we　get　a　description　head　to　toe；　nobody　knows　one　Forsaken　from　another。　Nobody　here；　anyway。　It's　the　most　bloody　useless　barrel　of　fish　guts　I　ever　…！〃
　　　〃Siuan！〃　Egwene　said　sharply；　sitting　up　straighten　Latitude　was　one　thing；　but　there　were　limits。　She　did　not　put　up　with　this　even　from　Romanda。
　　　Color　bloomed　slowly　in　Siuan's　cheeks。　Struggling　to　master　herself；　she　kneaded　her　skirts　and　avoided　Egwene's　eyes。　〃Forgive　me；　Mother；〃　she　said　finally。　She　almost　sounded　as　if　she　meant　it。
　　　〃It　has　been　a　difficult　day　for　her；　Mother；〃　Leane　put　in　with　an　impish　smile。　She　was　very　good　at　those；　though　she　generally　used　them　to　set　some　man's　heart　racing。　Not　promiscuously；　of　course；　she　possessed　discrimination　and　discretion　in　ample　supply。　〃But　then；　most　are。　If　she　could　only　learn　not　to　throw　things　at　Gareth　Bryne　every　time　she　gets　angry　…　〃
　　　〃Enough！〃　Egwene　snapped。　Leane　was　only　trying　to　take　a　little　of　the　pressure　from　Siuan；　but　she　was　in　no　mood　for　it。　〃I　want　to　know　anything　I　can　learn　about　whoever　freed　Moghedien；　even　if　it's　just　whether　he　was　short　or　tall。　Any　scrap　that　makes　him　less　a　shadow　creeping　in　the　dark。　If　that's　not　more　than　I　have　a　right　to　ask。〃　Leane　sat　quite　still；　staring　at　the　flowers　in　the　carpet　in　front　of　her　toes。
　　　The　redness　spread　to　cover　nearly　Siuan's　whole　face；　with　her　fair　skin；　it　made　her　look　like　a　sunset。　〃I。。。　humbly　beg　your　pardon；　Mother。〃　This　time；　she　did　sound　penitent。　Her　difficulty　meeting　Egwene's　gaze　was　obvious。　〃Sometimes　it's　hard　to。。。　No；　no　excuses。　I　humbly　beg　pardon。〃
　　　Egwene　fingered　her　stole；　letting　the　moment　set　itself　as　she　looked　at　Siuan　without　blinking。　That　was　something　Siuan　herself　had　taught　her；　but　after　a　bit　she　shifted　uneasily　on　the　cot。　When　you　knew　you　were　in　the　wrong；　silence　pricked；　and　the　pricks　drove　home　that　you　were　wrong。　Silence　was　a　very　useful　tool　in　a　number　of　situations。　〃Since　I　can't　recall　what　I　should　forgive；〃　she　said　at　last；　quietly；　〃there　seems　to　be　no　need。　But；　Siuan。。。　Don't　let　it　happen　again。〃
　　　〃Thank　you；　Mother。〃　A　hint　of　wry　laughter　curled　the　corners　of　Siuan's　mouth。　〃If　I　may　say　so；　I　seem　to　have　taught　you　very　well。　But　if　I　may　suggest。。。？〃　She　waited　for　Egwene's　impatient　nod。　〃One　of　us　should　carry　your　order　to　Faolain　or　Theodrin　to　ask　the　questions；　very　sulky　at　being　made　a　messenger。　They'll　occasion　a　deal　less　ment　than　Leane　or　I。　Everyone　knows　you　are　their　patron。〃
　　　Egwene　agreed　immediately。　She　still　was　not　thinking　clearly；　or　she　would　have　seen　that　for　herself。　The　headachy　feeling　was　back　again。　Chesa　claimed　it　came　from　too　little　sleep；　but　sleeping　was　difficult　when　your　head　felt　taut　as　a　drumhead。　It　would　take　a　larger　head　than　hers　not　to　feel　tight；　stuffed　with　as　many　worries　as　she　had。　Well；　at　least　now　she　could　pass　on　the　secrets　that　had　kept　Moghedien　hidden；　how　to　weave　disguises　with　the　Power　and　how　to　mask　your　ability　from　other　women　who　could　channel。　Revealing　those　had　been　too　risky　when　they　might　have　led　to　unmasking　Moghedien。
　　　A　bit　more　acclaim；　she　thought　wryly。　There　had　been　g