rj.acrownofswords-第43部分

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　　　〃Siuan　Sanche　is　Aes　Sedai；〃　Egwene　said　coldly；　〃and　so　are　Nynaeve　al'Meara　and　Elayne　Trakand。　You　will　show　them　proper　respect。　To　you；　they　are　Siuan　Sedai；　Nynaeve　Sedai　and　Elayne　Sedai。〃　The　pair　blinked　in　surprise。　Inside；　her　stomach　quivered。　With　outrage。　After　everything　she　had　been　through　tonight；　she　was　confronted　with　blackmail　from　these。。。？　She　could　not　think　of　a　word　bad　enough。　Elayne　could　have；　Elayne　listened　to　stablemen　and　wagon　drivers　and　every　sort；　memorizing　the　words　she　should　have　refused　to　hear。　Unfolding　the　striped　stole；　Egwene　draped　it　carefully　across　her　shoulders。
　　　〃I　don't　think　you　understand；　Mother；〃　Nicola　said　hastily。　Not　fearfully；　however；　just　attempting　to　force　her　point。　〃I　merely　worried　that　if　anyone　found　out　that　you　had　…　〃　Egwene　gave　her　no　chance　to　go　further。
　　　〃Oh；　I　understand；　child。〃　The　fool　woman　was　a　child；　however　old　she　was。　Any　number　of　the　older　novices　gave　trouble；　usually　in　the　form　of　insolence　toward　Accepted　set　to　teach　them；　but　even　the　silliest　had　sense　enough　to　avoid　impertinence　to　the　sisters。　It　fanned　her　anger　to　white　heat；　that　the　woman　had　the　gall　to　try　this　on　with　her。　They　were　both　taller　than　she；　if　not　by　much；　but　she　planted　her　fists　on　her　hips　and　drew　herself　up；　and　they　shrank　away　as　though　she　loomed。　〃Do　you　have　any　notion　how　serious　it　is　to　bring　charges　against　a　sister；　especially　for　a　novice？　Charges　based　on　a　conversation　you　claim　to　have　heard　between　men　now　a　thousand　miles　away！　Tiana　would　skin　you　alive　and　put　you　to　scrubbing　pots　the　rest　of　your　natural　life。〃　Nicola　kept　trying　to　push　a　word　in　…　apologies；　they　sounded　like　this　time；　and　more　protests　that　Egwene　did　not　understand；　frantic　attempts　to　change　everything　…　but　Egwene　ignored　her　and　rounded　on　Areina。　The　Hunter　took　another　step　back；　wetting　her　lips　and　looking　remarkably　uncertain。　〃You　needn't　think　you　would　walk　away　clear；　either。　Even　a　Hunter　could　be　hauled　to　Tiana　for　a　thing　like　this。　If　you're　lucky　enough　not　to　be　flogged　at　a　wagon　tongue；　the　way　they　do　soldiers　caught　stealing。　Either　way；　you'll　be　tossed　out　by　the　road　with　your　welts　for　pany。〃
　　　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　Egwene　folded　her　hands　at　her　waist。　Clutched　together；　they　would　not　tremble。　All　but　cowering；　the　pair　looked　suitably　chastened。　She　hoped　those　downcast　eyes　and　slumped　shoulders　and　shifting　feet　were　not　feigned。　By　rights；　she　should　send　them　to　Tiana　right　now。　She　had　no　idea　what　the　penalty　might　be　for　trying　to　blackmail　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　but　it　seemed　likely　that　being　turned　out　of　the　camp　would　be　the　least　of　it。　In　Nicola's　case；　the　turning　out　would　have　to　wait　until　her　teachers　were　satisfied　she　knew　enough　of　channeling　not　to　hurt　herself　or　others　by　accident。　Nicola　Treehill　would　never　be　Aes　Sedai；　though；　once　that　charge　was　laid　against　her；　all　that　potential　would　go　for　nothing。
　　　Except。。。　Any　woman　caught　pretending　to　be　Aes　Sedai　was　set　down　so　hard　she　would　still　be　whimpering　years　later；　and　an　Accepted　caught　might　very　well　consider　the　other　woman　fortunate；　but　surely　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　were　safe　now　they　really　were　sisters。　Herself；　as　well。　Only；　it　might　take　no　more　than　a　whisper　of　this　to　erase　any　chance　of　making　the　Hall　acknowledge　her　truly　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　As　well　jaunt　off　to　Rand；　and　then　tell　the　Hall　to　their　faces。　She　dared　not　allow　these　two　to　see　her　doubt；　or　even　suspect。
　　　〃I　will　forget　this；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃But　if　I　hear　so　much　as　a　whisper　of　it　again；　from　anyone。。。　〃　She　drew　a　ragged　breath　…　if　she　heard　shouts　of　it；　there　might　be　little　she　could　do　…　but　by　the　way　they　jumped；　they　read　a　threat　that　pricked　deep。　〃Get　to　your　beds　before　I　change　my　mind。〃
　　　In　an　instant　they　became　a　flurry　of　curtsies；　of　〃Yes；　Mother〃　and　〃No；　Mother〃　and　〃As　you　mand；　Mother。〃　They　scurried　away　looking　back　over　their　shoulders　at　her；　every　step　faster　than　the　last；　until　they　were　running。　She　had　to　walk　on　sedately；　but　she　wanted　to　run　too。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　10　
（Dream　Ring）　
Unseen　Eyes　
　　　
　　　Selame　was　waiting　when　Egwene　got　back　to　her　tent；　a　rail…thin　woman　with　dark　Tairen　coloring　and　a　nearly　impervious　self…assurance。　Chesa　was　right；　she　did　carry　her　long　nose　raised；　as　though　recoiling　from　a　bad　smell。　Yet　if　her　manner　with　the　other　maids　was　arrogant；　she　was　in　reality　quite　different　around　her　patroness。　As　Egwene　entered；　Selame　folded　herself　into　a　curtsy　so　deep　her　head　nearly　brushed　the　carpet；　skirts　spread　as　wide　as　they　would　go　in　the　cramped　quarters。　Before　Egwene　had　taken　her　second　step　inside；　the　woman　leaped　up；　fussing　over　her　buttons。　And　fussing　over　her；　too。　Selame　had　very　little　sense。
　　　〃Oh；　Mother；　you　went　out　with　your　head　uncovered　again。〃　As　if　she　had　ever　worn　any　of　those　beaded　caps　the　woman　favored；　or　the　embroidered　velvet　things　Meri　favored；　or　Chesa's　plumed　hats。　〃Why；　you're　shivering。　You　should　never　go　walking　out…of…doors　without　a　shawl　and　parasol；　Mother。〃　How　was　a　parasol　supposed　to　stop　shivering？　With　sweat　trickling　down　her　own　cheeks　however　fast　she　dabbed　with　her　handkerchief；　Selame　never　thought　to　ask　why　she　shivered；　which　was　perhaps　just　as　well。　〃And　you　went　alone；　in　the　night。　It　just　isn't　proper；　Mother。　Besides；　there　are　all　those　soldiers；　rough　men；　with　no　decent　respect　for　any　woman；　even　Aes　Sedai。　Mother；　you　simply　mustn't。。。　〃
　　　Egwene　let　the　foolish　words　wash　over　her　in　the　same　way　she　let　the　woman　undress　her；　paying　less　than　half　a　mind。　Ordering　her　to　be　quiet　would　only　produce　so　many　hurt　looks　and　abused　sighs　that　it　made　little　difference。　Except　for　the　brainless　chatter；　Selame　performed　her　duties　diligently；　if　with　so　many　flourishes　they　became　a　dance　of　grand　gestures　and　obsequious　curtsies。　It　seemed　impossible　that　anyone　could　be　as　silly　as　Selame；　always　concerned　with　appearances；　always　worrying　over　what　people　would　think。　To　her；　people　were　Aes　Sedai　and　the　nobility；　and　their　upper　servants。　By　her　book；　no　one　else　mattered；　perhaps　no　one　else　thought；　by　her　book。　It　probably　was　impossible。　Egwene　was　not　about　to　forget　who　had　found　Selame　in　the　first　place；　any　more　than　she　did　who　had　found　Meri。　True；　Chesa　was　a　gift　from　Sheriam；　but　Chesa　had　shown　her　loyalties　to　Egwene　more　than　once。
　　　Egwene　wanted　to　tell　herself　the　tremors　that　the　other　woman　took　for　shivers　were　quivers　of　rage；　yet　she　knew　a　worm　of　fear　writhed　in　her　belly。　She　had　e　too　far；　had　too　much　to　do　yet；　to　allow　Nicola　and　Areina　to　put　a　spoke　through　her　wheels。
　　　As　her　head　popped　through　the　top　of　a　clean　shift；　she　caught　a　bit　of　the　skinny　woman's　prattle　and　stared。　〃Did　you　say　ewe's　milk？〃
　　　〃Oh；　yes；　Mother。　Your　skin　is　so　soft；　and　nothing　will　keep　it　that　way　like　bathing　in　ewe's　milk。〃
　　　Maybe　she　really　was　an　idiot。　Hustling　a　protesting　Selame　out；　Egwene　brushed　her　own　hair；　turned　down　her　own　cot；　placed　the　now　useless　a'dam　bracelet　in　the　small　carved　ivory　box　where　she　kept　her　few　pieces　of　jewelry；　then　extinguished　the　lamps。　All　by　myself；　she　thought　sarcastically　in　the　darkness。　Selame　and　Meri　will　have　conniptions。
　　　Before　retiring；　however；　she　padded　to　the　entrance　and　opened　a　small　gap　in　the　doorflaps。　Outside　was　moonlit　stillness　and　silence；　broken　by　a　night　heron's　cry　that　suddenly　cut　off　in　a　shriek。　There　were　hunters　abroad　in　the　darkness。　After　a　moment　something　moved　in　the　shadows　beside　a　tent　across　the　way。　It　looked　like　a　woman。
　　　Perhaps　idiocy　did　not　disqualify　Selame　any　more　than　dour…faced　gloom　eliminated　Meri。　It　could　be　either　one。　Or　someone　else　entirely。　Even　Nicola　or　Areina；　however　unlikely。　She　let　the　tentflap　fall　shut　with　a　smile。　Whoever　the　watcher　was　would　not　see　where　she　went　tonight。
　　　The　way　the　Wise　Ones　had　taught　her　to　put　herself　to　sleep　was　simple。　Eyes　closed；　feeling　each　part　of　the　body　relax　in　turn；　breathing　in　time　with　her　heartbeat；　mind　unfocused　and　drifting；　all　but　one　tiny　corner；　drifting。　Sleep　swept　over　her　in　moments；　but　it　was　the　sleep　of　a　dreamwalker。
　　　Formless；　she　floated　deep　within　an　ocean　of　stars；　infinite　points　of　light　glimmering　in　an　infinite　sea　of　darkness；　fireflies　beyond　counting　flickering　in　an　endless　night。　Those　were　dreams；　the　dreams　of　everyone　sleeping　anywhere　in　the　world；　maybe　of　everyone　in　all　possible　worlds；　and　this　was　the　gap　between　reality　and　Tel'aran'rhiod；　the　space　separating　the　waking　world　from　the　World　of　Dreams。　Wherever　she　looked　ten　thousand　fireflies　vanished　as　people　woke；　and　ten　thousand　new　were　born　to　replace　them。　A　vast　ever…changing　array　of　sparkling　beauty。
　　　She　did　not　waste　time　in　admiration；　though。　This　place　held　dangers；　some　deadly。　She　was　sure　she　knew　how　to　avoid　those；　but　one　peril　in　this　place　aimed　straight　at　her　if　she　lingered　too　long；　and　being　caught　in　it　would　be　embarrassing　to　say　the　least。　Keeping　a　wary　eye　out　…　well；　it　would　have　been　a　wary　eye　had　she　had　eyes　here　…　she　moved。　She　had　no　sense　of　motion。　It　seemed　she　stood　still　and　that　glittering　ocean　swirled　around　her　until　one　light　settled　before　her。　Every　twinkling　star　looked　exactly　like　every　other；　yet　she　knew　this　was　Nynaeve's　dream。　How　she　knew　was　another　matter；　not　even　the　Wise　Ones　understood　that　recognition。
　　　She　had　considered　trying　to　find　Nicola's　dreams；　and　Areina's。　Once　she　unearthed　them；　she　knew　exactly　how　to　sink　the　fear　of　the　Light　into　their　bones；　and　she　did　not　give　a　fig　that　every　bit　of　it　was　proscribed。　Practicality　sent　her　here　instead；　not　fear　of　the　forbidden。　She　had　done　what　was　not　done　before；　and　she　was　certain　she　would　again　should　it　bee　necessary。　Do　what　you　must；　then　pay　the　price　for　it；　was　what　she　had　been　taught；　by　the　same　women　who　had　marked　off　those　forbidden　areas。　It　was　refusal　to　admit　the　debt；　refusal　to　pay；　that　often　turned　necessity　to　evil。　But　even　if　that　pair　were　asleep；　locating　someone's　dreams　the　first　ti