rj.acrownofswords-第51部分

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　not　softened　her。　Takima；　with　her　long　black　hair　and　aged　ivory　plexion；　had　been　almost　nine　years　a　Brown　Sitter；　as　forceful　in　the　Hall　as　in　the　classroom；　yet　she　stood　a　meek　pace　back；　hands　folded　at　her　waist。　Romanda　led　her　faction　as　firmly　as　Sorilea。　She　was　one　to　whom　strength　was　indeed　all…important；　and　in　truth；　Lelaine　seemed　not　far　behind。
　　　〃She　plans　to　lay　a　proposal　before　the　Hall；〃　Lelaine　put　in　sourly；　refusing　to　look　at　Romanda　at　all；　now。　Agreeing　with　the　other　woman　certainly　pleased　her　as　little　as　speaking　second。　Aware　that　she　had　gained　an　edge；　Romanda　smiled；　a　faint　curving　of　her　lips。
　　　〃About　what？〃　Egwene　asked；　playing　for　time。　She　was　certain　she　knew。　It　was　very　hard　not　to　sigh。　It　was　very　hard　not　to　rub　her　temples。
　　　〃Why　the　Black　Ajah；　of　course；　Mother；〃　Varilin　replied；　lifting　her　head　as　if　surprised　at　the　question。　Well　she　might　be；　Delana　was　rabid　on　the　subject。　〃She　wants　the　Hall　to　condemn　Elaida　openly　as　Black。〃　She　stopped　abruptly　when　Lelaine　raised　a　hand。　Lelaine　allowed　her　followers　more　leeway　than　Romanda；　or　maybe　she　just　did　not　have　as　tight　a　grip。
　　　〃You　must　speak　with　her；　Mother。〃　Lelaine　had　a　warm　smile　when　she　chose　to　use　it。　Siuan　said　they　had　been　friends　once　…　Lelaine　had　accepted　her　back　with　some　version　of　wele　…　yet　Egwene　thought　that　smile　a　practiced　tool。
　　　〃And　say　what？〃　Her　hands　ached　to　soothe　her　head。　These　two　each　made　sure　the　Hall　passed　only　what　she　wanted；　certainly　little　that　Egwene　suggested；　with　the　result　that　nothing　much　at　all　was　passed；　and　they　wanted　her　to　intercede　with　a　Sitter？　Delana　did　support　her　proposals；　true　…　when　they　suited　her。　Delana　was　a　weather…vane；　turning　with　the　last　breath　of　air　to　pass；　and　if　she　turned　in　Egwene's　direction　a　great　deal　of　late；　it　did　not　mean　very　much。　The　Black　Ajah　seemed　her　only　fixed　point。　What　was　keeping　Siuan？
　　　〃Tell　her　she　must　stop；　Mother。〃　Lelaine's　smile　and　tone　made　her　seem　to　be　counseling　a　daughter。　〃This　foolishness　…　worse　than　foolishness　…　has　everyone　at　daggers'　points。　Some　of　the　sisters　are　even　beginning　to　believe；　Mother。　It　will　not　be　long　before　the　notion　spreads　to　the　servants；　and　the　soldiers。〃　The　look　she　directed　toward　Bryne　was　full　of　doubt。　Bryne　appeared　to　be　attempting　to　chat　with　Myrelle；　who　was　staring　at　the　warded　group　and　running　her　reins　uneasily　through　her　gloved　hands。
　　　〃Believing　what　is　plain　is　hardly　foolish；〃　Romanda　barked。　〃Mother。。。〃　In　her　mouth；　that　sounded　entirely　too　much　like　〃girl。〃　〃。　。　。　the　reason　Delana　must　be　stopped　is　she　does　no　good　and　considerable　harm。　Perhaps　Elaida　is　Black　…　though　I　have　strong　doubts；　whatever　secondhand　gossip　that　trollop　Halima　brought；　Elaida　is　wrongheaded　to　a　fault；　but　I　cannot　believe　her　evil　…　yet　even　if　she　is；　trumpeting　it　will　make　outsiders　suspicious　of　every　Aes　Sedai　and　drive　the　Black　into　deeper　hiding。　There　are　methods　to　dig　them　out；　if　we　don't　frighten　them　into　flight。〃
　　　Lelaine's　sniff　bordered　on　a　snort。　〃Even　were　this　nonsense　true；　no　self…respecting　sister　would　submit　to　your　methods；　Romanda。　What　you've　suggested　is　close　to　being　put　to　the　question。〃　Egwene　blinked　in　confusion；　neither　Siuan　nor　Leane　had　brought　her　a　whisper　of　this。　Luckily；　the　Sitters　were　not　paying　her　enough　mind　to　notice。　As　usual。
　　　Planting　her　fists　on　her　hips；　Romanda　squared　around　on　Lelaine。　〃Desperate　days　demand　desperate　actions。　Some　might　ask　why　anyone　would　put　her　dignity　ahead　of　exposing　the　Dark　One's　servants。〃
　　　〃That　sounds　dangerously　near　an　accusation；〃　Lelaine　said；　eyes　narrowing。
　　　Romanda　was　the　one　smiling　now；　a　cold　flinty　smile。　〃I　will　be　the　first　to　submit　to　my　methods；　Lelaine；　if　you　are　the　second。〃
　　　Lelaine　actually　growled；　taking　half　a　step　toward　the　other　woman；　and　Romanda　leaned　toward　her；　chin　thrust　out。　They　looked　ready　to　begin　pulling　hair　and　rolling　in　the　dirt；　and　Aes　Sedai　dignity　be　hanged。　Varilin　and　Takima　glared　at　one　another　like　two　maidservants　supporting　their　mistresses；　a　long…legged　wading　bird　in　a　scowling　match　with　a　wren。　The　whole　lot　of　them　seemed　to　have　forgotten　Egwene　entirely。
　　　Siuan　came　running　up　in　a　broad　straw　hat；　leading　a　fat　dun　mare　with　white…stockinged　hind　legs；　and　skidded　to　a　halt　when　she　saw　the　warded　gathering。　One　of　the　grooms　was　with　her；　a　lanky　fellow　in　a　long；　frayed　vest　and　a　patched　shirt；　holding　the　reins　of　a　tall　roan。　The　wards　were　invisible　to　him；　but　saidar　did　not　hide　the　faces。　His　eyes　went　very　wide；　and　he　began　licking　his　lips。　For　that　matter；　passersby　walked　wide　around　the　tent　and　pretended　to　see　nothing；　Aes　Sedai；　Warders　and　servants　alike。　Bryne　alone　frowned　and　studied　them　as　though　wondering　what　was　hidden　from　his　ears。　Myrelle　was　retying　her　saddlebags；　plainly　on　the　point　of　leaving。
　　　〃When　you　have　decided　what　I　should　say；〃　Egwene　announced；　〃then　I　can　decide　what　to　do。〃　They　really　had　forgotten　her。　All　four　stared　at　her　in　amazement　as　she　walked　between　Romanda　and　Lelaine　and　out　through　the　doubled　wards。　There　was　nothing　to　feel　as　she　brushed　by　the　weave；　of　course；　they　had　never　been　made　to　stop　anything　as　solid　as　a　human　body。
　　　When　she　scrambled　onto　the　roan；　Myrelle　drew　a　deep　breath　and　emulated　her　in　resignation。　The　wards　had　vanished；　though　the　glow　still　enveloped　the　two　Sitters；　each　more　the　image　of　frustration　than　the　other　as　they　stood　watching。　Hurriedly　Egwene　donned　the　thin　linen　dust…cloak　that　had　been　draped　in　front　of　her　gelding's　saddle；　and　the　riding　gloves　that　were　tucked　into　a　small　pocket　in　the　cloak。　A　wide…brimmed　hat　hung　from　the　saddle's　high　pommel；　deep　blue　to　match　her　dress；　with　a　spray　of　white　plumes　pinned　slanting　across　the　front　that　shouted　of　Chesa's　hand。　Heat　she　could　ignore；　but　the　glare　of　the　sun　was　another　matter。　Removing　plumes　and　pin；　she　tucked　them　into　the　saddlebags；　put　the　hat　on　her　head　and　tied　the　ribbons　beneath　her　chin。
　　　〃Shall　we　go；　Mother？〃　Bryne　asked。　He　was　already　mounted；　the　helmet　that　had　been　hanging　from　his　saddle　now　obscuring　his　face　behind　steel　bars。　It　looked　quite　natural　on　him；　as　though　he　had　been　born　for　armor。
　　　She　nodded。　There　was　no　attempt　to　stop　them。　Lelaine　would　not　stoop　to　shouting　halt　in　public；　of　course；　but　Romanda。。。　Egwene　felt　a　sense　of　relief　as　they　rode　away；　yet　her　head　seemed　to　be　splitting。　What　was　she　to　do　about　Delana？　What　could　she　do？
　　　The　main　road　in　this　area；　a　wide　stretch　of　dirt　packed　so　hard　nothing　could　raise　dust　from　it；　ran　through　the　army's　camp　and　along　the　gap　between　that　and　the　Aes　Sedai's。　Bryne　angled　across　it；　through　the　rest　of　the　army　on　the　other　side。
　　　Although　the　army　camp　held　thirty　times　or　more　as　many　people　as　the　Aes　Sedai　camp；　there　seemed　to　be　few　more　tents　than　for　the　sisters　and　those　who　served　them；　all　scattered　out　across　the　flats　and　up　the　hillsides。　Most　of　the　soldiers　slept　in　the　open。　But　then；　it　was　hard　to　remember　the　last　time　rain　had　fallen；　and　there　certainly　was　not　a　cloud　to　be　seen。　Strangely；　there　were　more　women　than　in　the　sisters'　camp；　though　they　seemed　fewer　at　first　glance；　among　so　many　men。　Cooks　tended　kettles　and　laundresses　attacked　great　heaps　of　clothing；　while　some　worked　with　the　horses　or　wagons。　A　fair　number　appeared　to　be　wives；　at　least；　they　sat　about　knitting　or　darning　dresses　or　shirts　or　stirring　small　cookpots。　Armorers　had　set　up　almost　anywhere　she　looked；　hammers　making　steel　ring　on　their　anvils；　and　fletchers　adding　arrows　to　bundles　by　their　feet；　and　farriers　checking　horses。　Wagons　of　every　sort　and　size　stood　everywhere；　hundreds；　perhaps　thousands；　the　army　seemed　to　scoop　up　every　one　it　found　along　its　path。　Most　of　the　foragers　were　already　out；　but　a　few　high…wheeled　carts　and　lumbering　wagons　still　trundled　away　in　search　of　farms　and　villages。　Here　and　there　soldiers　raised　a　cheer　as　they　rode　by。　〃Lord　Bryne！〃　and　〃The　Bull！　The　Bull！〃　That　was　his　sigil。　Nothing　about　Aes　Sedai　or　the　Amyrlin　Seat。
　　　Egwene　twisted　around　in　her　saddle　to　make　sure　Myrelle　was　still　close　behind。　She　was；　letting　her　horse　follow　on　its　own；　a　far…off；　slightly　sickly　expression　on　her　face。　Siuan　had　taken　a　position　at　the　rear；　shepherd　to　their　lone　sheep。　Then　again；　she　might　just　have　been　afraid　to　urge　her　mount　ahead。　The　dun　was　positively　a　butterball；　but　Siuan　would　probably　treat　a　pony　like　a　warhorse。
　　　Egwene　felt　a　stab　of　irritation　at　her　own　animal。　His　name　was　Daishar；　Glory；　in　the　Old　Tongue。　She　would　much　rather　be　riding　Bela；　a　shaggy　little　mare　not　much　slimmer　than　Siuan's　dun　that　she　had　ridden　out　of　the　Two　Rivers。　Sometimes　she　thought　she　must　look　a　doll；　perched　atop　a　gelding　that　could　be　taken　for　a　warhorse；　but　the　Amyrlin　had　to　have　a　proper　mount。　No　shaggy　cart　horses。　Even　if　this　rule　was　of　her　own　making；　she　felt　as　confined　as　a　novice。
　　　Turning　in　the　saddle；　she　said；　〃Do　you　expect　any　opposition　ahead；　Lord　Bryne？〃
　　　He　glanced　at　her　sideways。　She　had　asked　the　same　once　before　leaving　Salidar　and　twice　while　crossing　Altara。　Not　enough　to　rouse　suspicions；　she　thought。
　　　〃Murandy　is　like　Altara；　Mother。　Neighbor　too　busy　scheming　against　neighbor；　or　outright　fighting　him；　to　band　together　for　anything　short　of　a　war；　and　not　to　any　great　degree　then。〃　His　tone　was　very　dry。　He　had　been　Captain…General　of　the　Queen's　Guards　in　Andor；　with　years　of　border　skirmishes　against　the　Murandians　behind　him。　〃Andor　will　be　another　matter；　I　fear。　I　am　not　looking　forward　to　that。〃　He　turned　another　way；　climbing　a　gentle　slope　to　avoid　three　wagons　rumbling　over　rocks　in　the　same　direction。
　　　Egwene　tried　not　to　grimace。　Andor。　Before；　he　had　just　said　no。　These　were　the　tail　end　of　the　Cumbar　Hills；　somewhat　south　of　Lugard；　the　capital　of　Murandy。　Even　if　they　were　lucky；　the　border　of　Andor　lay　at　least　ten　days　ahead。
　　　〃And　when　we　reach　Tar　Valon；　Lord　Bryne。　How　do　you　plan　to　take　the　city？〃
　　　〃