rj.acrownofswords-第40部分

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ight　have　led　to　unmasking　Moghedien。
　　　A　bit　more　acclaim；　she　thought　wryly。　There　had　been　great　petting　and　exclaiming　when　she　announced　the　once…lost　secret　of　Traveling；　which　at　least　had　been　her　own；　and　more　praise　since　for　every　one　of　the　secrets　she　had　wrenched　out　of　Moghedien；　like　pulling　a　back　tooth　each　time。　None　of　the　acclaim　made　an　ounce　of　difference　in　her　position；　though。　You　could　pat　a　talented　child　on　the　head　without　forgetting　she　was　a　child。
　　　Leane　departed　with　a　curtsy　and　a　dry　ment　that　she　was　not　sorry　somebody　else　would　have　less　than　a　full　night's　rest　for　once。　Siuan　waited；　no　one　could　be　allowed　to　see　her　and　Leane　leaving　together。　For　a　time　Egwene　merely　studied　the　other　woman。　Neither　spoke；　Siuan　seemed　lost　in　thought。　Finally　she　gave　a　start　and　stood；　straightening　her　dress；　plainly　preparing　to　go。
　　　〃Siuan；〃　Egwene　began　slowly；　and　found　herself　uncertain　how　to　continue。
　　　Siuan　thought　she　understood。　〃You　were　not　only　right；　Mother；〃　she　said；　looking　Egwene　straight　in　the　eye；　〃you　were　lenient。　Too　lenient；　though　I　say　it　who　shouldn't。　You　are　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　and　no　one　may　be　insolent　or　impertinent　to　you。　If　you'd　given　me　a　penance　that　made　even　Romanda　feel　sorry　for　me；　it　would　have　been　no　more　than　I　deserved。〃
　　　〃I　will　remember　that　next　time；〃　Egwene　said；　and　Siuan　bowed　her　head　as　if　in　acceptance。　Maybe　it　was。　Unless　the　changes　in　her　ran　deeper　than　seemed　possible；　there　almost　certainly　would　be　a　next　time；　and　more　after　that。　〃But　what　I　want　to　ask　about　is　Lord　Bryne。〃　All　expression　vanished　from　Siuan's　face。　〃Are　you　sure　you　wouldn't　like　me　to。。。　intervene？〃
　　　〃Why　would　I　want　that；　Mother？〃　Siuan's　voice　was　blander　than　cold　water　soup。　〃The　only　duties　I　have　are　teaching　you　the　etiquette　of　your　office　and　handing　Sheriam　reports　from　my　eyes…and…ears。〃　She　still　retained　some　of　her　former　network；　though　it　was　doubtful　any　knew　who　their　reports　went　to　now。　〃Gareth　Bryne　hardly　requires　enough　of　my　time　to　interfere　with　that。〃　She　almost　always　referred　to　him　that　way；　and　even　when　she　used　his　title；　she　put　a　bite　into　it。
　　　〃Siuan；　a　burned　barn　and　a　few　cows　couldn't　cost　that　much。〃　Not　pared　with　paying　and　feeding　all　those　soldiers；　certainly。　But　she　had　offered　before；　and　the　stiff　reply　was　the　same。
　　　〃I　thank　you；　Mother；　but　no。　I　won't　have　him　saying　I　break　my　word；　and　I　swore　to　work　the　debt　off。〃　Abruptly；　Siuan's　stiffness　dissolved　in　laughter；　rare　when　she　spoke　about　Lord　Bryne。　Scowls　were　much　more　mon。　〃If　you　need　to　worry　about　somebody；　worry　about　him；　not　me。　I　need　no　help　handling　Gareth　Bryne。〃
　　　And　that　was　the　strange　part。　Weak　she　might　be　in　the　One　Power；　now；　but　not　so　weak　that　Siuan　had　to　keep　on　as　his　servant；　spending　hours　up　to　her　elbows　in　hot　soapy　water　with　his　shirts　and　smallclothes。　Perhaps　she　did　so　in　order　to　have　someone　at　hand　on　whom　she　could　loose　the　temper　she　was　otherwise　forced　to　keep　in　a　sack。　Whatever　the　reason；　it　occasioned　no　little　talk；　and　confirmed　her　oddness　in　many　eyes；　she　was　Aes　Sedai；　after　all；　if　rather　far　down。　His　methods　of　dealing　with　her　temper　…　once　she　threw　plates　and　boots；　anyway　…　outraged　her　and　provoked　threats　of　dire　consequences；　yet　though　she　could　have　wrapped　him　up　unable　to　stir　a　finger；　Siuan　never　touched　saidar　around　him；　not　to　do　his　chores　and　not　even　when　it　meant　being　turned　over　his　knee。　That　fact　she　had　kept　hidden　from　most　so　far；　but　some　things　slipped　out　when　she　was　in　a　rage；　or　when　Leane　was　in　a　humor。　There　seemed　to　be　no　explanation。　Siuan　was　not　weak…spirited　or　a　fool；　she　was　neither　meek　nor　afraid；　she　was　not。。。
　　　〃You　might　as　well　be　on　your　way；　Siuan。〃　Clearly；　some　secrets　were　not　going　to　be　revealed　tonight。　〃It's　late；　and　I　know　you　want　your　bed。〃
　　　〃Yes；　Mother。　And；　thank　you；〃　she　added；　though　Egwene　could　not　have　said　for　what。
　　　After　Siuan　left；　Egwene　rubbed　her　temples　once　more。　She　wanted　to　pace。　The　tent　would　not　do；　it　might　be　the　largest　in　the　camp　occupied　by　just　one　person；　but　that　meant　less　than　two　spans　by　two；　and　it　was　crowded　with　cot　and　chair　and　stool；　washstand　and　stand…mirror　and　no　fewer　than　three　chests　full　of　clothes。　Chesa　had　seen　to　those　last；　and　Sheriam；　and　Romanda　and　Lelaine　and　a　dozen　more　Sitters。　They　kept　seeing　to　them；　a　few　more　gifts　of　silk　shifts　or　stockings；　one　more　dress　grand　enough　to　receive　a　king；　and　there　would　be　need　for　a　fourth　chest。　Maybe　Sheriam　and　the　Sitters　hoped　all　the　fine　dresses　would　blind　her　to　anything　else；　but　Chesa　just　thought　the　Amyrlin　Seat　had　to　be　clothed　suitably　for　her　station。　Servants；　it　seemed；　believed　in　following　the　correct　rituals　as　much　as　the　Hall　ever　did。　Shortly　Selame　would　be　there；　it　was　her　turn　to　undress　Egwene　for　bed；　another　ritual。　Only；　between　her　head　and　her　restless　feet；　she　was　not　ready　for　bed　yet。
　　　Leaving　the　lamps　burning；　she　hurried　out　before　Selame　could　arrive。　Walking　would　clear　her　head；　and　maybe　tire　her　enough　that　she　could　sleep　soundly。　Putting　herself　to　sleep　would　be　no　problem　…　the　Wise　One　dreamwalkers　had　taught　her　that　skill　early　on　…　yet　finding　any　rest　in　it　was　another　matter。　Especially　when　her　mind　boiled　with　a　list　of　worries　that　began　with　Romanda　and　Lelaine　and　Sheriam；　then　ran　through　Rand；　Elaida；　Moghedien；　the　weather　and　on　out　of　sight。
　　　She　avoided　the　area　near　Moghedien's　tent。　If　she　asked　questions　herself；　too　much　importance　would　be　given　to　a　servant　running　away。　Discretion　had　bee　part　of　her。　The　game　she　played　allowed　few　slips；　and　being　careless　where　you　knew　it　did　not　matter　could　lead　to　being　careless　where　it　did。　Worse；　you　could　discover　you　had　been　wrong　about　where　it　mattered。　The　weak　must　be　bold　cautiously。　That　was　Siuan　again；　she　truly　did　her　best　to　teach；　and　she　knew　this　particular　game　very　well。
　　　There　were　no　more　people　out　and　about　in　the　moon…shadowed　camp　than　had　been　there　before；　handfuls　slouched　wearily　around　low　fires；　exhausted　by　their　evening's　labors　after　a　hard　day's　journey。　Those　who　saw　her　rose　tiredly　to　make　their　courtesies　as　she　passed；　murmuring　〃The　Light　shine　on　you；　Mother〃　or　something　like；　occasionally　asking　her　blessing；　which　she　gave　with　a　simple　〃The　Light　bless　you；　my　child。〃　Men　and　women　old　enough　to　be　her　grandparents　sat　back　down　beaming　from　that；　yet　she　wondered　what　they　actually　believed　about　her；　what　they　knew。　All　the　Aes　Sedai　presented　an　unbroken　front　to　the　outside　world；　including　their　own　servants。　But　Siuan　said　that　if　you　believed　a　servant　knew　twice　what　he　should；　you　only　knew　half　the　truth。　Still；　those　bows　and　curtsies　and　murmurs　followed　her　from　one　clump　of　people　to　the　next；　forting　her　with　the　possibility　that　there　were　some　at　least　who　did　not　see　her　as　a　child　the　Hall　brought　out　when　they　needed　her。
　　　As　she　passed　an　open　area　surrounded　by　ropes　tied　to　posts　driven　into　the　ground；　a　gateway's　silver　slash　of　light　flashed　vivid　in　the　darkness　as　it　rotated　open。　It　was　not　really　light；　though；　it　cast　no　shadows。　She　paused　to　watch　beside　a　corner　post。　No　one　at　the　nearby　fires　even　looked　up；　they　were　used　to　this　by　now。　A　dozen　or　more　sisters；　twice　as　many　servants　and　a　number　of　Warders　bustled　out；　returning　with　messages　and　wicker　cages　of　pigeons　from　the　dovecotes　in　Salidar；　a　good　five　hundred　miles　west　and　south　as　the　goose　flew。
　　　They　began　scattering　before　the　gateway　closed；　carrying　their　burdens　to　Sitters；　to　their　Ajahs；　a　few　back　to　their　own　tents。　Most　nights；　Siuan　would　have　been　with　them；　she　seldom　trusted　anyone　else　to　fetch　messages　destined　for　her　even　if　most　were　in　codes　or　ciphers。　Sometimes　the　world　seemed　to　hold　more　networks　of　eyes…and…ears　than　it　did　Aes　Sedai；　though　most　were　severely　truncated　by　circumstance。　The　majority　of　agents　for　the　various　Ajahs　seemed　to　be　lying　low　until　the　〃difficulties〃　in　the　White　Tower　subsided；　and　a　good　many　of　the　individual　sisters'　eyes…and…ears　had　no　idea　where　the　woman　they　served　was　at　present。
　　　Several　of　the　Warders　saw　Egwene　and　made　careful　bows；　with　a　respect　proper　to　the　stole；　sisters　might　eye　her　askance；　but　the　Hall　had　raised　her　Amyrlin　and　the　Gaidin　needed　no　more。　A　number　of　the　servants　offered　bows　or　curtsies　too。　Not　one　of　the　Aes　Sedai　hurrying　away　from　the　gateway　so　much　as　glanced　in　her　direction。　Perhaps　they　did　not　notice　her。　Perhaps。
　　　In　a　way；　that　anybody　could　still　hear　from　any　of　their　eyes…and…ears　at　all　was　one　of　Moghedien's　〃gifts。〃　The　sisters　with　the　strength　to　make　gateways　had　all　been　in　Salidar　long　enough　to　know　it　well。　Those　who　could　weave　a　gateway　of　useful　size　were　able　to　Travel　almost　anywhere　from　there；　and　land　right　on　the　spot。　Trying　to　Travel　to　Salidar；　however；　would　have　meant　spending　half　of　each　night　learning　the　new　roped…off　patch　of　ground；　more　for　some；　every　time　they　made　camp。　What　Egwene　had　pried　from　Moghedien　was　a　way　to　journey　from　a　place　you　did　not　know　well　to　one　you　did。　Slower　than　Traveling；　Skimming　was　not　one　of　the　lost　Talents　…　no　one　had　ever　heard　of　it　…　so　even　the　name　was　credited　to　Egwene。　Anyone　who　could　Travel　could　Skim；　so　every　night　sisters　Skimmed　to　Salidar；　checking　the　dovecotes　for　birds　that　had　returned　to　where　they　had　been　hatched；　then　Traveled　back。
　　　The　sight　should　have　pleased　her　…　the　rebel　Aes　Sedai　had　gained　Talents　the　White　Tower　thought　lost　forever；　as　well　as　learned　new　ones；　and　those　abilities　would　help　cost　Elaida　the　Amyrlin　Seat　before　all　was　done　…　yet　instead　of　pleasure；　Egwene　felt　sourness。　Being　snubbed　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　or　not　much；　anyway。　As　she　walked　on；　the　fires　grew　farther　between；　then　faded　behind；　all　around　her　lay　the　dark　shapes　of　wagons；　most　with　canvas　tops　stretched　over　iron　hoops；　and　tents　glowing　palely　in　the　moonlight。　Beyond；　the　army's　campfires　climbed　the　surrounding　hills　all　around；　the　stars　brought　to　ground。　The