rj.acrownofswords-第53部分

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tle　more　than　half　that　when　Mat　brought　it　to　Salidar　hunting　her　and　Elayne。
　　　Bryne　merely　shrugged。　〃I　gather　recruits　as　I　go；　and　so　does　he。　Not　as　many；　but　some　men　have　notions　about　serving　Aes　Sedai。〃　More　people　than　not　would　have　been　distinctly　uneasy；　saying　that　to　three　sisters；　he　said　it　with　a　wry　smile。　〃Besides；　it　seems　the　Band　has　a　certain　reputation　from　the　fighting　in　Cairhien。　The　tale　is；　Shen　an　Calhar　never　loses；　whatever　the　odds。〃　That　was　what　drove　men　to　join；　here　as　back　in　Altara；　the　thought　that　two　armies　must　mean　a　battle。　Trying　to　stand　aside　might　end　as　hard　as　choosing　the　wrong　side；　at　best　there　would　be　no　pickings　for　neutrals。　〃I've　had　a　few　deserters　to　my　ranks　from　Talmanes'　newlings。　Some　seem　to　think　the　Band's　luck　is　tied　up　in　Mat　Cauthon　and　can't　be　there　without　him。〃
　　　Something　close　to　a　sneer　twisted　Myrelle's　lips。　〃These　fool　Murandians'　fears　are　certainly　useful；　but　I　did　not　think　you　were　a　fool；　too。　Talmanes　follows　us　because　he　fears　we　might　turn　against　his　precious　Lord　Dragon；　but　if　he　truly　intended　to　attack；　don't　you　think　he　would　have　by　now？　These　Dragonsworn　can　be　dealt　with　once　more　important　matters　are　done。　municating　with　him；　however。。。！〃　Giving　herself　a　shake；　she　managed　to　regain　her　serenity。　On　the　surface；　at　least。　Her　tone　could　still　have　scorched　wood。　〃You　mark　me；　Lord　Bryne。。。　〃
　　　Egwene　let　Myrelle's　words　pass　her　by。　Bryne　had　looked　at　her　when　he　mentioned　Mat。　The　sisters　thought　they　knew　the　situation　with　the　Band；　and　Mat；　and　did　not　think　on　it　much；　but　Bryne　apparently　did。　Tilting　her　head　so　the　brim　of　her　hat　obscured　her　face；　she　studied　him　from　the　corner　of　her　eye。　He　was　oath…bound　to　build　the　army　and　lead　it　until　Elaida　was　brought　down；　but　why　had　he　sworn？　Surely　he　could　have　found　some　lesser　oath；　and　it　surely　would　have　been　accepted　by　sisters　who　only　thought　to　use　all　those　soldiers　as　a　Foolday　mask　to　frighten　Elaida。　Having　him　on　their　side　was　forting；　even　the　other　Aes　Sedai　seemed　to　feel　that。　Like　her　father；　he　was　the　sort　of　man　who　made　you　believe　there　was　no　cause　for　panic　whatever　the　situation。　Having　him　oppose　her；　she　realized　suddenly；　might　be　as　bad　as　having　the　Hall　against　her；　and　never　mind　the　army。　The　one　approving　ment　Siuan　had　ever　had　of　him　was　that　he　was　formidable；　even　if　she　did　try　to　change　her　remark　immediately　to　mean　something　else。　Any　man　Siuan　Sanche　thought　formidable　was　one　to　be　mindful　of。
　　　They　splashed　across　a　tiny　stream；　a　rivulet　that　barely　wet　the　horses'　hooves。　A　bedraggled　crow；　feeding　on　a　fish　that　had　stranded　itself　in　water　too　shallow　to　swim；　fluttered　its　tattered　wings　on　the　edge　of　flight；　then　settled　back　to　its　meal。
　　　Siuan　also　was　studying　Bryne　…　the　mare　made　much　easier　going　when　she　forgot　to　saw　at　the　reins　or　dig　her　heels　in　at　just　the　wrong　moment。　Egwene　had　asked　her　about　Lord　Bryne's　motives；　but　Siuan's　own　tangled　connection　to　the　man　left　her　little　except　acid　when　it　came　to　him。　She　either　hated　Gareth　Bryne　to　his　bootsoles　or　loved　him；　and　imagining　Siuan　in　love　was　like　imagining　that　crow　swimming。
　　　The　ridgeline　where　the　Band's　soldiers　had　been　showed　only　cockeyed　lines　of　dead　conifers　now。　She　had　not　noticed　them　going。　Mat　had　a　reputation　as　a　soldier？　Crows　swimming　did　not　e　close。　She　had　believed　he　manded　only　because　of　Rand；　and　that　had　been　hard　enough　to　swallow。　Believing　because　you　think　you　know　is　dangerous；　she　reminded　herself；　eyeing　Bryne。
　　　〃。。。　should　be　flogged！〃　Myrelle's　voice　still　burned。　〃I　warn　you；　if　I　hear　that　you've　met　with　this　Dragonsworn　again。。。！〃
　　　Rain　washing　over　that　boulder　as　far　as　Bryne　was　concerned；　or　so　it　seemed。　He　rode　easily；　occasionally　murmuring　〃Yes；　Myrelle　Sedai〃　or　〃No；　Myrelle　Sedai〃　without　any　hint　of　distress　and　without　lessening　the　watch　he　kept　on　the　countryside。　No　doubt　he　had　seen　the　soldiers　leave。　However　he　mustered　the　patience　…　Egwene　was　sure　fear　was　no　part　of　it　…　she　was　in　no　mood　to　listen　to　that。
　　　〃Be　quiet；　Myrelle！　No　one　is　going　to　do　anything　to　Lord　Bryne。〃　Rubbing　her　temple；　she　thought　of　asking　one　of　the　sisters　back　in　the　camp　for　Healing。　Neither　Siuan　nor　Myrelle　had　much　ability　there。　Not　that　Healing　would　do　any　good　if　it　was　just　lack　of　sleep　and　worry。　Not　that　she　wanted　whispers　spreading　that　the　strain　was　growing　too　great　for　her。　Besides；　there　were　other　ways　to　deal　with　headaches　than　Healing；　although　not　here。
　　　Myrelle's　mouth　tightened　only　for　an　instant。　With　a　toss　of　her　head；　she　turned　her　face　away；　color　in　her　cheeks；　and　Bryne　suddenly　appeared　absorbed　in　examining　a　red…winged　hawk　wheeling　off　to　their　left。　Even　a　brave　man　could　know　when　to　be　discreet。　Folding　its　wings；　the　hawk　plummeted　toward　unseen　prey　behind　a　stand　of　bedraggled　leatherleafs。　Egwene　felt　that　way；　swooping　on　targets　she　could　not　see；　hoping　she　had　chosen　the　right　one；　hoping　there　was　a　target　there。
　　　She　drew　breath；　wishing　it　were　steadier。　〃Just　the　same；　Lord　Bryne；　I　think　it's　best　you　don't　meet　Talmanes　again。　Surely　you　know　as　much　of　his　intentions　as　you　need　by　this　time。〃　Light　send　Talmanes　had　not　said　too　much　already。　A　pity　she　could　not　send　Siuan　or　Leane　to　caution　him；　if　he　would　take　it；　but　given　feelings　among　the　sisters；　she　might　as　well　risk　going　to　see　Rand。
　　　Bryne　bowed　in　his　saddle。　〃As　you　mand；　Mother。〃　There　was　no　mockery　in　his　tone；　there　never　was。　He　had　obviously　learned　to　school　his　voice　around　Aes　Sedai。　Siuan　hung　back；　frowning　at　him。　Perhaps　she　could　dig　out　where　his　loyalties　lay。　For　all　her　animosity；　she　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　in　his　pany；　much　more　than　she　absolutely　had　to。
　　　With　an　effort；　Egwene　kept　her　hands　on　Daishar's　reins；　away　from　her　head。　〃How　much　further；　Lord　Bryne？〃　Keeping　impatience　from　her　voice　was　more　difficult。
　　　〃Just　a　little　way；　Mother。〃　For　some　reason；　he　halfway　turned　his　head　to　look　at　Myrelle。　〃Not　far；　now。〃
　　　Increasingly；　farms　dotted　the　region；　as　many　clinging　to　hillsides　as　on　the　flats；　though　the　Emond's　Fielder　in　Egwene　said　that　made　no　sense；　low　gray　stone　houses　and　barns；　and　unfenced　pastures　with　a　few　slat…ribbed　cows　and　sad…looking　black…tailed　sheep。　Not　all　had　been　burned　by　far；　only　one　here　and　one　there。　Supposedly　the　burnings　were　to　let　the　others　know　what　would　happen　if　they　did　not　declare　for　the　Dragon　Reborn。
　　　At　one　farm；　she　saw　some　of　Lord　Bryne's　foragers　with　a　wagon。　That　they　were　his　was　plain　as　much　by　the　way　he　eyed　them　and　nodded　as　by　the　lack　of　a　white　pennant。　The　Band　always　flaunted　itself；　aside　from　the　banners；　some　had　of　late　taken　to　wearing　a　red　scarf　tied　around　the　arm。　Half　a　dozen　cattle　and　maybe　two　dozen　sheep　lowed　and　baaed　under　the　guard　of　men　on　horseback；　and　other　men　toted　sacks　from　barn　to　wagon　past　a　slump…shouldered　farmer　and　his　family；　a　sullen　lot　in　dark　rough　woolens。　One　of　the　little　girls；　wearing　a　deep　bonnet　like　the　others；　had　her　face　pressed　to　her　mother's　skirts；　apparently　crying。　Some　of　the　boys　had　their　fists　clenched；　as　if　they　wanted　to　fight。　The　farmer　would　be　paid；　but　if　he　could　not　really　spare　what　was　taken；　if　he　had　had　a　mind　to　resist　close　on　twenty　men　in　breastplates　and　helmets；　those　burned　farms　would　have　given　him　pause。　Quite　often　Bryne's　soldiers　found　charred　corpses　in　the　ruins；　men　and　women　and　children　who　had　died　trying　to　get　out。　Sometimes　the　doors　and　windows　had　been　sealed　up　from　outside。
　　　Egwene　wondered　whether　there　was　any　way　to　convince　the　farmers　and　villagers　that　there　was　a　difference　between　the　brigands　and　the　army。　She　wanted　to；　very　much；　but　she　did　not　see　how；　short　of　letting　her　own　soldiers　go　hungry　until　they　deserted。　If　the　sisters　could　see　no　difference　between　the　brigands　and　the　Band；　there　seemed　no　hope　for　the　country　folk。　As　the　farm　dwindled　behind　them；　she　resisted　the　urge　to　twist　around　in　her　saddle　and　look　back。　Looking　would　change　nothing。
　　　Lord　Bryne　was　as　good　as　his　word。　Perhaps　three　or　four　miles　from　the　camp　…　three　or　four　in　a　straight　line；　twice　that　over　the　country　they　had　crossed　…　they　rounded　the　shoulder　of　a　hill　spotted　with　brush　and　trees；　and　he　drew　rein。　The　sun　stood　almost　halfway　to　its　crest；　now。　Another　road　ran　below；　narrower　and　much　more　winding　than　the　one　through　the　camp。　〃They　had　the　idea　traveling　by　night　would　take　them　safe　past　the　bandits；〃　he　said。　〃Not　a　bad　notion；　as　it　turns　out；　or　else　they've　just　had　the　Dark　One's　own　luck。　They've　e　from　Caemlyn。〃
　　　A　merchant　train　of　some　fifty　large　wagons　behind　teams　of　ten　or　so　lay　stretched　out　along　the　road；　halted　under　the　eyes　of　more　of　Bryne's　soldiers。　A　few　of　the　soldiers　were　afoot；　supervising　the　transfer　of　barrels　and　bags　from　the　merchants'　wagons　to　half　a　dozen　of　their　own。　One　woman　in　a　plain　dark　dress　waved　her　arms　and　pointed　vigorously　to　this　item　or　that；　either　protesting　or　bargaining；　but　her　fellows　stood　in　a　glum　silent　knot。　A　short　way　farther　up　the　road；　grim　fruit　decorated　the　spreading　limbs　of　an　oak；　men　hanging　by　the　neck　from　every　bare　branch。　Bare　except　for　crows；　almost　enough　to　make　the　tree　seem　leafed　in　black。　They　had　larger　than　fish　to　feed　on；　these　birds。　Even　at　a　distance　it　was　not　a　sight　to　ease　Egwene's　head；　or　her　stomach。
　　　〃This　what　you　wanted　me　to　see？　The　merchants；　or　the　bandits？〃　She　could　hot　see　a　dress　on　any　of　those　dangling　corpses；　and　when　the　bandits　hanged　people；　they　included　women　and　children。　Anyone　could　have　put　the　corpses　there；　Bryne's　soldiers；　the　Band　…　that　the　Band　hanged　any　of　the　so…called　Dragonsworn　they　caught　made　little　difference　to　the　sisters　…　or　even　some　local　lord　or　lady。　Had　the　Murandian　nobles　worked　together；　all　the　brigands　might　have　hung　from　trees　by　now；　but　that　was　like　asking　cats　to　dance。　Wait。　He　had　said　Caemlyn。　〃Is　it　something　to　do　with　Rand？　Or　the　Asha'man？〃
　　　This　time　he　looked　from　her　t