rj.acrownofswords-第52部分

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　ahead。
　　　〃And　when　we　reach　Tar　Valon；　Lord　Bryne。　How　do　you　plan　to　take　the　city？〃
　　　〃No　one　has　asked　me　that　yet；　Mother。〃　She　had　only　thought　his　voice　was　dry　before；　now　it　was　dry。　〃By　the　time　we　reach　Tar　Valon；　the　Light　willing；　I'll　have　two　or　three　times　as　many　men　as　I　do　now。〃　Egwene　winced　at　the　idea　of　paying　so　many　soldiers；　he　did　not　seem　to　notice。　〃With　that；　I　will　lay　siege。　The　hardest　part　will　be　finding　ships；　and　sinking　them　to　block　Northharbor　and　Southharbor。　The　harbors　are　as　much　the　key　as　holding　the　bridge　towns；　Mother。　Tar　Valon　is　larger　than　Cairhien　and　Caemlyn　together。　Once　food　stops　going　in。。。　〃　He　shrugged。　〃Most　of　soldiering　is　waiting；　when　it　isn't　marching。〃
　　　〃And　if　you　don't　have　that　many　soldiers？〃　She　had　never　thought　of　all　those　people　going　hungry；　women　and　children。　She　had　never　really　thought　of　anyone　being　involved　except　the　Aes　Sedai；　and　the　soldiers。　How　could　she　have　been　so　foolish？　She　had　seen　the　results　of　war　in　Cairhien。　Bryne　seemed　to　take　it　so　lightly。　But　then；　he　was　a　soldier；　privation　and　death　must　be　everyday　to　soldiers。　〃What　if　you　only　have。。。　say。。。　what　you　do　now？〃
　　　〃Siege？〃　Apparently　some　of　what　they　had　been　saying　had　finally　broken　into　whatever　Myrelle　was　thinking。　She　booted　the　sorrel　forward；　making　a　number　of　men　jump　aside；　some　falling　on　their　faces。　A　few　opened　their　mouths　angrily；　then　saw　her　ageless　features　and　shut　their　jaws　again；　glowering。　They　might　as　well　not　have　existed　for　all　of　her。　〃Artur　Hawkwing　besieged　Tar　Valon　for　twenty　years　and　failed。〃　Abruptly　she　realized　ears　were　about　and　lowered　her　voice；　but　it　was　still　acid。　〃Do　you　expect　us　to　wait　twenty　years？〃
　　　That　acid　washed　over　Gareth　Bryne　without　leaving　a　stain。　〃Would　you　prefer　a　direct　assault　right　off；　Myrelle　Sedai？〃　He　could　have　been　asking　whether　she　wanted　her　tea　sweet　or　bitter。　〃Several　of　Hawkwing's　generals　tried；　and　their　men　were　slaughtered。　No　army　has　ever　managed　to　breach　Tar　Valon's　walls。〃
　　　That　was　not　strictly　true；　Egwene　knew。　In　the　Trolloc　Wars；　an　army　of　Dreadlord…led　Trollocs　had　actually　plundered　and　burned　a　part　of　the　White　Tower　itself。　At　the　end　of　the　War　of　the　Second　Dragon；　an　army　trying　to　rescue　Guaire　Amalasan　before　he　was　gentled　had　reached　the　Tower；　too。　Myrelle　could　not　know；　though；　much　less　Bryne。　Access　to　those　secret　histories；　hidden　deep　in　the　Tower　library；　was　set　out　in　a　law　that　was　itself　secret；　and　revealing　the　existence　of　either　records　or　law　was　treason。　Siuan　said　if　you　read　between　the　lines；　you　found　hints　of　things　that　had　not　been　recorded　even　there。　Aes　Sedai　were　very　good　at　hiding　truth　when　they　thought　it　necessary；　even　from　themselves。
　　　〃With　a　hundred　thousand　or　what　I　have　now；〃　Bryne　continued；　〃I　will　be　the　first。　If　I　can　block　the　harbors。　Hawkwing's　generals　never　managed　that。　The　Aes　Sedai　always　raised　those　iron　chains　in　time　to　stop　the　ships　getting　into　the　harbor　mouth　and　sank　them　before　they　could　be　placed　to　hinder　trade。　Food　and　supplies　got　in。　It　will　e　to　your　assault　eventually；　but　not　until　the　city's　weakened；　if　I　have　my　way。〃　His　voice　was　still。。。　ordinary。　A　man　discussing　an　outing。　His　head　turned　toward　Myrelle；　and　though　his　tone　did　not　change；　the　intensity　in　his　eyes　was　evident　even　behind　his　faceguard。　〃And　you　all　agreed　I　would；　when　it　came　to　the　army。　I　won't　throw　men　away。〃
　　　Myrelle　opened　her　mouth；　then　closed　it　slowly。　Plainly　she　wanted　to　say　something　but　did　not　know　what。　They　had　given　their　word；　she　and　Sheriam　and　those　who　had　been　running　things　when　he　appeared　in　Salidar；　however　much　giving　it　galled。　However　much　the　Sitters　tried　to　get　round　it。　They　had　given　no　word。　Bryne　acted　as　though　they　had；　though；　and　so　far　he　had　managed　to　get　away　with　it。　So　far。
　　　Egwene　felt　ill。　She　had　seen　war。　Images　flashed　in　her　head；　men　fighting；　killing　their　way　through　the　streets　of　Tar　Valon；　dying。　Her　eyes　fell　on　a　square…jawed　fellow　chewing　his　tongue　while　he　sharpened　a　pikehead。　Would　he　die　in　those　streets？　The　grizzled；　balding　man　running　his　fingers　so　carefully　down　each　arrow　before　sliding　the　shaft　into　his　quiver？　And　there。　That　lad　swaggering　in　his　high　riding　boots。　He　looked　too　young　to　shave。　Light；　so　many　were　boys。　How　many　would　die？　For　her。　For　justice；　for　the　right；　for　the　world；　but　at　the　heart；　for　her。　Siuan　raised　her　hand；　but　did　not　plete　the　gesture。　Had　she　been　close　enough；　she　could　not　pat　the　Amyrlin　Seat　on　the　shoulder　where　everyone　could　see。
　　　Egwene　straightened　her　back。　〃Lord　Bryne；〃　she　said　in　a　tight　voice；　〃what　is　it　you　want　me　to　see？〃　She　thought　he　half…glanced　at　Myrelle　before　answering。
　　　〃Better　you　see　it　for　yourself；　Mother。〃
　　　Egwene　thought　her　head　might　break　open。　If　Siuan's　clues　led　to　anything　at　all；　she　might　just　skin　Myrelle。　If　they　did　not；　she　might　skin　Siuan。　And　she　might　throw　Gareth　Bryne　in　for　good　measure。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　12　
（Snakey　Square）　
A　Morning　of　Victory　
　　　
　　　The　crooked　hills　and　ridges　surrounding　the　camp　showed　every　sign　of　the　drought　and　unseasonable　heat。　The　unholy　heat　in　truth；　even　the　dullest　scullion　scrubbing　pots　saw　the　Dark　One's　touch　on　the　world。　The　true　forest　lay　behind　them　to　the　west；　but　twisted　oaks　grew　out　of　the　rocky　slopes；　sourgums　arid　pines　of　unfamiliar　shape；　and　trees　Egwene　had　no　names　for；　brown　and　yellow　and　bare…branched。　Not　winter…bare　or　brown。　Starved　for　moisture　and　coolness。　Dying；　if　the　weather　did　not　change　soon。　Beyond　the　last　of　the　soldiers　a　river　ran　off　south　and　west；　the　Reisendrelle；　twenty　paces　wide　and　flanked　on　either　side　by　hard…baked　mud　studded　with　stones。　Swirling　around　rocks　that　might　have　made　crossing　hazardous　in　other　days；　the　water　rose　short　of　the　horses'　knees　as　they　forded。　Egwene　felt　her　own　problems　dwindle　in　size。　Despite　her　head；　she　offered　a　small　prayer　for　Nynaeve　and　Elayne。　Their　search　was　as　important　as　anything　she　did。　More。　The　world　would　live　if　she　failed；　but　they　had　to　succeed。
　　　They　traveled　southward　at　an　easy　canter；　slowing　when　the　hillside　slant　of　the　land　grew　too　great　or　the　horses　had　to　climb　any　distance　through　trees　and　sparse　scrub；　but　keeping　to　the　lowland　as　much　as　possible　and　covering　ground　quickly。　Bryne's　big…nosed　gelding；　surefooted　and　strong；　hardly　seemed　to　mind　which　way　the　ground　tilted　or　whether　smooth　or　rough；　yet　Daishar　kept　pace　easily。　Sometimes　Siuan's　plump　animal　labored；　though　she　might　just　have　been　picking　up　her　rider's　anxiety。　No　amount　of　practice　could　make　Siuan　anything　but　a　terrible　rider；　nearly　throwing　her　arms　around　the　mare's　neck　climbing　upslope；　almost　falling　from　the　saddle　going　down；　awkward　as　a　duck　afoot　on　the　flats　and　not　far　from　wide…eyed　as　the　horse。　Myrelle　actually　regained　some　of　her　humor　watching　Siuan。　Her　own　white…footed　sorrel　picked　her　way　in　delicate　swoops　like　a　swallow；　and　Myrelle　rode　with　an　assurance　and　flare　that　made　Bryne　appear　stolid　and　workmanlike。
　　　Before　they　had　gone　very　far；　riders　appeared　atop　a　high　ridge　to　the　west；　perhaps　a　hundred　men　in　column；　the　rising　sun　glinting　off　breastplates　and　helmets　and　lance　points。　At　their　head　streamed　a　long　white　pennant　Egwene　could　not　make　out；　but　she　knew　it　bore　the　Red　Hand。　She　had　not　expected　to　see　them　so　close　to　the　Aes　Sedai　camp。
　　　〃Dragonsworn　animals；〃　Myrelle　muttered；　watching　the　horsemen　parallel　their　route。　Her　gloved　hands　tightened　on　her　reins　…　with　fury；　not　fear。
　　　〃The　Band　of　the　Red　Hand　puts　out　patrols；〃　Bryne　said　placidly。　With　a　glance　at　Egwene；　he　added；　〃Lord　Talmanes　seems　concerned　about　you；　Mother；　last　I　spoke　to　him。〃　He　put　no　more　emphasis　on　that　than　the　other。
　　　〃You've　spoken　with　him？〃　Every　vestige　of　Myrelle's　serenity　vanished。　The　anger　she　had　to　hold　in　with　Egwene；　she　could　safely　unleash　on　him。　She　all　but　shook　with　it。　〃That　is　very　close　to　treason；　Lord　Bryne。　It　might　well　be　treason！〃　Siuan　had　been　dividing　her　attention　between　her　horse　and　the　men　on　the　ridge；　and　she　did　not　look　at　Myrelle；　but　she　stiffened。　No　one　had　tied　the　Band　and　treason　together　before。
　　　They　rounded　a　bend　in　the　hill　valley。　A　farm　clung　to　a　hillside；　or　what　had　been　a　farm　once。　One　wall　of　the　small　stone　house　had　collapsed；　and　a　few　charred　timbers　stuck　up　beside　the　soot…coated　chimney　like　grimy　fingers。　The　roofless　barn　was　a　blackened　hollow　box　of　stone；　and　scattered　ash　marked　where　sheds　might　once　have　stood。　All　across　Altara　they　had　seen　as　bad　and　worse；　entire　villages　sometimes；　the　dead　lying　in　the　streets；　food　for　ravens　and　foxes　and　feral　dogs　that　fled　when　people　came　close。　Stories　of　anarchy　and　murder　in　Tarabon　and　Arad　Doman　suddenly　had　flesh　and　bones。　Many　men　seized　any　excuse　to　turn　bandit　or　settle　old　grudges　…　Egwene　hoped　fervently　it　was　so　…　but　the　name　on　every　survivor's　lips　was　Dragonsworn；　and　the　sisters　blamed　Rand　as　surely　as　if　he　had　carried　the　torches　himself。　They　would　use　him　still　if　they　could；　though；　control　him　if　they　found　a　way。　She　was　not　the　only　Aes　Sedai　to　believe　in　doing　what　she　must　even　when　she　had　to　hold　her　nose。
　　　Myrelle's　anger　affected　Bryne　as　little　as　rain　affected　a　boulder。　Egwene　had　a　sudden　image　of　storms　whirling　about　his　head　and　floodwaters　swirling　around　his　knees　while　he　just　kept　striding　ahead。　〃Myrelle　Sedai；〃　he　said　with　the　calm　she　should　have　shown；　〃when　ten　thousand　men　or　more　are　shadowing　my　backtrail；　I　want　to　know　what　their　intentions　are。　Especially　this　particular　ten　thousand　or　more。〃
　　　This　was　a　dangerous　topic。　However　happy　Egwene　was　that　they　were　past　questions　of　Talmanes'　concern　over　her；　she　should　have　been　grinding　her　teeth　that　he　had　mentioned　her　at　all；　but　she　was　so　startled　she　sat　bolt　upright　in　her　saddle。　〃Ten　thousand？　Are　you　sure？〃　The　Band　had　had　little　more　than　half　that　when　Mat　brought　it　to　Salidar　hunting　her　and　Elayne。
　　　Bryne　merely　s