rj.acrownofswords-第4部分

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　mask　over　blind　ignorance。　〃You　seem　to　be　conversant　with　all　the　aspects　of　Tower　law。　What　penalty　do　rebels　face？〃
　　　〃For　the　leaders；〃　Alviarin　said　slowly；　〃stilling。〃　She　frowned　slightly；　skirts　swaying　just　barely　as　her　feet　shifted。　Good。　Even　Accepted　knew　this；　and　she　could　not　understand　why　Elaida　asked。　Very　good。　〃For　many　of　the　rest；　too。〃
　　　〃Perhaps。〃　The　leaders　might　themselves　escape　that；　most　of　them；　if　they　submitted　properly。　The　minimum　penalty　in　law　was　to　be　birched　in　the　Grand　Hall　before　the　assembled　sisters；　followed　by　at　least　a　year　and　a　day　in　public　penance。　Yet　nothing　said　the　penance　must　be　served　all　at　once；　a　month　here；　a　month　there；　and　they　would　still　be　atoning　their　crimes　ten　years　from　now；　constant　reminders　of　what　came　of　resisting　her。　Some　would　be　stilled；　of　course　…　Sheriam；　a　few　of　the　more　prominent　so…called　Sitters　…　but　only　sufficient　to　make　the　rest　fear　putting　a　foot　wrong　again；　not　enough　to　weaken　the　Tower。　The　White　Tower　had　to　be　whole；　and　it　had　to　be　strong。　Strong；　and　firmly　in　her　grasp。
　　　〃Only　one　crime　among　those　they　have　mitted　demands　stilling。〃　Alviarin　opened　her　mouth。　There　had　been　ancient　rebellions；　buried　so　deep　that　few　among　the　sisters　knew；　the　Chronicles　stood　mute；　the　lists　of　stilled　and　executed　confined　to　records　open　only　to　Amyrlin；　Keeper　and　Sitters；　aside　from　the　few　librarians　who　kept　them。　Elaida　allowed　Alviarin　no　opportunity　to　speak。　〃Any　woman　who　falsely　claims　the　title　of　Amyrlin　Seat　must　be　stilled。　If　they　believed　they　had　any　chance　of　success；　Sheriam　would　be　their　Amyrlin；　or　Lelaine；　or　Carlinya；　or　one　of　the　others。〃　Tarna　reported　that　Romanda　Cassin　had　e　out　of　her　retirement；　Romanda　surely　would　have　seized　the　stole　with　both　hands　if　she　saw　the　tenth　part　of　a　chance。　〃Instead；　they　have　plucked　out　an　Accepted。〃
　　　Elaida　shook　her　head　in　wry　amusement。　She　could　quote　every　word　of　the　law　setting　out　how　a　woman　was　chosen　Amyrlin　…　she　had　made　good　use　of　it　herself；　after　all　…　and　never　once　did　it　require　that　the　woman　be　a　full　sister。　Obviously　she　must　be；　so　those　who　framed　the　law　never　stated　it；　and　the　rebels　had　squirmed　through　that　crack。　〃They　know　their　cause　is　hopeless；　Alviarin。　They　plan　to　strut　and　bluster；　try　to　dig　out　some　protection　against　penalty　for　themselves；　then　yield　the　girl　as　a　sacrifice。〃　Which　was　a　pity。　The　al'Vere　girl　was　another　possible　handle　on　al'Thor；　and　when　she　reached　her　full　strength　in　the　One　Power；　she　would　have　been　one　of　the　strongest　in　a　thousand　years　or　more。　A　true　pity。
　　　〃Gareth　Bryne　and　an　army　hardly　sound　like　strutting　to　me。　It　will　take　their　army　five　or　six　months　to　reach　Tar　Valon。　In　that　time；　High　Captain　Chubain　could　increase　the　Guard　…　〃
　　　〃Their　army；〃　Elaida　sneered。　Alviarin　was　such　a　fool；　for　all　her　cool　exterior；　she　was　a　rabbit。　Next　she　would　be　spouting　the　Sanche　woman's　nonsense　about　the　Forsaken　being　loose。　Of　course；　she　did　not　know　the　secret；　but　just　the　same。。。　〃Farmers　carrying　pikes；　butchers　with　bows　and　tailors　on　horseback！　And　every　step　of　the　way；　thinking　of　the　Shining　Walls；　that　held　Artur　Hawkwing　at　bay。〃　No；　not　a　rabbit。　A　weasel。　Yet　soon　or　late；　she　would　be　weasel…fur　trim　on　Elaida's　cloak。　The　Light　send　it　soon。　〃Every　step　of　the　way；　they　will　lose　a　man；　if　not　ten。　I　would　not　be　surprised　if　our　rebels　appear　with　nothing　more　than　their　Warders。〃　Too　many　people　knew　of　the　division　in　the　Tower。　Once　the　rebellion　was　broken；　of　course；　it　could　be　made　to　seem　all　a　ploy；　a　part　of　gaining　control　of　young　al'Thor　perhaps。　An　effort　of　years；　that；　and　generations　before　memories　faded。　Every　last　rebel　would　pay　for　that　on　her　knees。
　　　Elaida　clenched　her　fist　as　though　she　held　all　the　rebels　by　the　throat。　Or　Alviarin。　〃I　mean　to　break　them；　daughter。　They　will　split　open　like　a　rotten　melon。〃　Her　secret　assured　that；　however　many　farmers　and　tailors　Lord　Bryne　hung　on　to；　but　let　the　other　woman　think　as　she　would。　Suddenly　the　Foretelling　took　hold　of　her；　a　certainty　about　things　she　could　not　see　stronger　than　if　they　had　been　laid　out　before　her。　She　would　have　been　willing　to　step　blindly　over　a　cliff　on　that　certainty。　〃The　White　Tower　will　be　whole　again；　except　for　remnants　cast　out　and　scorned；　whole　and　stronger　than　ever。　Rand　al'Thor　will　face　the　Amyrlin　Seat　and　know　her　anger。　The　Black　Tower　will　be　rent　in　blood　and　fire；　and　sisters　will　walk　its　grounds。　This　I　Foretell。〃
　　　As　usual；　the　Foretelling　left　her　trembling；　gasping　for　breath。　She　forced　herself　to　stand　still　and　straight；　to　breathe　slowly；　she　never　let　anyone　see　weakness。　But　Alviarin。。。　Her　eyes　were　wide　as　they　could　open；　lips　parted　as　if　she　had　forgotten　the　words　she　meant　to　speak。　A　paper　slid　from　the　sheaf　in　her　hands　and　almost　fell　before　she　could　catch　it。　That　recalled　her　to　herself。　In　a　flash　she　regained　her　serene　mask；　a　perfect　picture　of　Aes　Sedai　calm；　but　she　definitely　had　been　jolted　to　her　heels。　Oh；　very　good。　Let　her　chew　on　the　certain　surety　of　Elaida's　victory。　Chew　and　break　her　teeth。
　　　Elaida　drew　a　deep　breath　and　seated　herself　behind　her　writing　table　again；　putting　the　broken　ivory　fish　to　one　side　where　she　did　not　have　to　look　at　it。　It　was　time　to　exploit　her　victory。　〃There　is　work　to　be　done　today；　daughter。　The　first　message　is　to　go　to　the　Lady　Caraline　Damodred。。。　〃
　　　Elaida　spun　out　her　plans；　enlarging　on　what　Alviarin　knew；　revealing　some　that　she　did　not；　because　at　the　last　an　Amyrlin　did　have　to　work　through　her　Keeper；　however　much　she　hated　the　woman。　There　was　a　pleasure　in　watching　Alviarin's　eyes；　watching　her　wonder　what　else　she　still　did　not　know。　But　while　Elaida　ordered；　divided　and　assigned　the　world　between　the　Aryth　Ocean　and　the　Spine　of　the　World；　in　her　mind　frolicked　the　image　of　young　al'Thor　on　his　way　to　her　like　a　caged　bear；　to　be　taught　to　dance　for　his　dinner。
　　　The　Chronicles　could　hardly　record　the　years　of　the　Last　Battle　without　mentioning　the　Dragon　Reborn；　but　she　knew　that　one　name　would　be　written　larger　than　all　others。　Elaida　do　Avriny　a'Roihan；　youngest　daughter　of　a　minor　House　in　the　north　of　Murandy；　would　go　down　in　history　as　the　greatest　and　most　powerful　Amyrlin　Seat　of　all　time。　The　most　powerful　woman　in　the　history　of　the　world。　The　woman　who　saved　humankind。
　　　
　　　The　Aiel　standing　in　a　deep　fold　in　the　low；　brown…grass　hills　seemed　carved　figures；　ignoring　sheets　of　dust　sweeping　ahead　of　a　gusting　wind。　That　snow　should　have　been　deep　on　the　ground　this　time　of　year　did　not　bother　them；　none　had　ever　seen　snow；　and　this　oven　heat；　with　the　sun　still　well　short　of　its　peak；　was　less　than　where　they　came　from。　Their　attention　remained　fixed　on　the　southern　rise；　waiting　for　the　signal　that　would　announce　the　arrival　of　the　destiny　of　the　Shaido　Aiel。
　　　Outwardly；　Sevanna　looked　like　the　others；　though　a　ring　of　Maidens　marked　her　out；　resting　easily　on　their　heels；　dark　veils　already　hiding　their　faces　to　the　eyes。　She　also　waited；　and　more　impatiently　than　she　let　on；　but　not　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else。　That　was　one　reason　why　she　manded　and　the　rest　followed。　The　second　was　that　she　saw　what　could　be　if　you　refused　to　let　outworn　custom　and　stale　tradition　tie　your　hands。
　　　A　slight　flicker　of　her　green　eyes　to　the　left　showed　twelve　men　and　one　woman；　each　with　round　bull…hide　buckler　and　three　or　four　short　spears；　garbed　in　gray…and…brown　cadin'sor　that　blended　as　well　with　the　terrain　here　as　in　the　Three…fold　Land。　Efalin；　short　graying　hair　hidden　by　the　shoufa　wrapped　around　her　head；　sometimes　glanced　Sevanna's　way；　if　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear　could　be　said　to　be　uneasy；　Efalin　was。　Some　Shaido　Maidens　had　gone　south；　joining　the　fools　capering　around　Rand　al'Thor；　and　Sevanna　did　not　doubt　others　talked　of　it。　Efalin　must　be　wondering　whether　providing　Sevanna　with　an　escort　of　Maidens；　as　if　she　had　been　Far　Dareis　Mai　once　herself；　was　enough　to　balance　that。　At　least　Efalin　had　no　doubts　where　true　power　lay。
　　　Like　Efalin；　the　men　led　Shaido　warrior　societies；　and　they　eyed　one　another　between　watching　the　rise。　Especially　blocky　Maeric；　who　was　Seia　Doon；　and　scar…faced　Bendhuin；　of　Far　Aldazar　Din。　After　today；　no　longer　would　anything　hold　back　the　Shaido　from　sending　a　man　to　Rhuidean；　to　be　marked　as　the　clan　chief　if　he　survived。　Until　that　happened；　Sevanna　spoke　as　the　clan　chief　since　she　was　the　widow　of　the　last　chief。　Of　the　last　two　chiefs。　And　let　those　who　muttered　that　she　carried　bad　luck　choke　on　it。
　　　Gold　and　ivory　bracelets　clattered　softly　as　she　straightened　the　dark　shawl　over　her　arms　and　adjusted　her　necklaces。　Most　of　those　were　gold　and　ivory　too；　but　one　was　a　mass　of　pearls　and　rubies　that　had　belonged　to　a　wetlander　noblewoman　…　the　woman　now　wore　white　and　hauled　and　fetched　alongside　the　other　gai'shain　back　in　the　mountains　called　Kinslayer's　Dagger　…　with　a　ruby　the　size　of　a　small　hen's　egg　nestled　between　her　breasts。　The　wetlands　held　rich　prizes。　A　large　emerald　on　her　finger　caught　sunlight　in　green　fire；　finger　rings　were　one　wetlander　custom　worth　adopting；　no　matter　the　stares　often　aimed　at　hers。　She　would　have　more；　if　they　matched　this　one　for　magnificence。
　　　Most　of　the　men　thought　Maeric　or　Bendhuin　would　be　first　to　receive　the　Wise　Ones'　permission　to　try　Rhuidean。　Only　Efalin　in　that　group　suspected　that　none　would；　and　she　only　suspected；　she　also　was　astute　enough　to　voice　her　suspicions　circumspectly　to　Sevanna　and　not　at　all　to　anyone　else。　Their　minds　could　not　enpass　the　possibility　of　shedding　the　old；　and　in　truth；　if　Sevanna　was　impatient　to　don　the　new；　she　was　also　aware　that　she　must　bring　them　to　it　slowly。　Much　had　changed　already　in　the　old　ways　since　the　Shaido　crossed　the　Dragonwall　into　the　wetlands　…　still　wet；　pared　to　the　Three…fold　Land　…　yet　more　would　change。　Once　Rand　al'Thor　was　in　her　hands；　once　she　had　wed　the　Car'a'carn；　the　chief　of　chiefs　of　all　the　Aiel　…　this　nonsense　of　the　Dragon　Reborn　was　wetlander　foolishness　…　there　would　be　a　new　way　of　naming　clan　chie