rj.acrownofswords-第56部分

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　　　〃We　aren't　all　Ebou　Dari；　Myrelle；〃　Siuan　said　dryly；　〃and　a　Warder　isn't　a　husband。　For　most　of　us。〃　Myrelle's　head　came　up　defiantly。　Some　sisters　did　marry　a　Warder；　a　handful；　not　many　married　at　all。　No　one　inquired　too　closely；　but　rumor　said　she　had　married　all　three　of　hers；　which　surely　violated　custom　and　law　even　in　Ebou　Dar。　〃Not　that　bad；　you　say；　Myrelle？　Not　that　bad？〃　Siuan's　scowl　matched　her　tone；　she　sounded　as　if　she　had　a　vile　taste　in　her　mouth。
　　　〃There　is　no　law　against　it；〃　Nisao　protested。　To　Egwene；　not　Siuan。　〃No　law　against　passing　a　bond。〃　Siuan　received　a　frown　that　should　have　made　her　step　back　and　shut　her　mouth。　She　was　having　none　of　it；　though。
　　　〃That's　not　the　point；　is　it？〃　she　demanded。　〃Even　if　it　hasn't　been　done　in　…　what？　four　hundred　years　or　more？　…　even　if　customs　have　changed；　you　might　have　escaped　with　a　few　stares　and　a　little　censure　if　all　you　and　Moiraine　had　done　was　pass　his　bond　between　you。　But　he　wasn't　asked；　was　he？　He　was　given　no　choice。　You　might　as　well　have　bonded　him　against　his　will。　In　fact；　you　bloody　well　did！〃
　　　At　last　the　puzzle　came　clear　for　Egwene。　She　knew　she　should　feel　the　same　disgust　as　Siuan。　Aes　Sedai　put　bonding　a　man　against　his　will　on　a　level　with　rape。　He　had　as　much　chance　to　resist　as　a　farmgirl　would　if　a　man　the　size　of　Lan　cornered　her　in　a　barn。　If　three　men　the　size　of　Lan　did。　Sisters　had　not　always　been　so　particular　though　…　a　thousand　years　earlier；　it　would　hardly　have　been　remarked　…　and　even　today　an　argument　could　sometimes　be　made　as　to　whether　a　man　had　actually　known　what　he　was　agreeing　to。　Hypocrisy　was　a　fine　art　among　Aes　Sedai　sometimes；　like　scheming　or　keeping　secrets。　The　thing　was；　she　knew　he　had　resisted　admitting　his　love　for　Nynaeve。　Some　nonsense　about　how　he　was　bound　to　be　killed　sooner　or　later　and　did　not　want　to　leave　her　a　widow；　men　always　did　spout　drivel　when　they　thought　they　were　being　logical　and　practical。　Would　Nynaeve　have　let　him　walk　away　unbonded；　had　she　had　the　chance；　whatever　he　said？　Would　she　herself　let　Gawyn？　He　had　said　he　would　accept；　yet　if　he　changed　his　mind。。。？
　　　Nisao's　mouth　worked；　but　she　could　not　find　the　words　she　wanted。　She　glared　at　Siuan　as　though　it　were　all　her　fault；　yet　that　was　nothing　alongside　the　scowl　she　directed　at　Myrelle。　〃I　should　never　have　listened　to　you；〃　she　growled。　〃I　must　have　been　mad！〃
　　　Somehow；　Myrelle　still　managed　to　maintain　a　smooth　face；　but　she　wavered　a　little；　as　though　her　knees　had　gone　weak。　〃I　did　not　do　it　for　myself；　Mother。　You　must　believe　that。　It　was　to　save　him。　As　soon　as　he　is　safe；　I　will　pass　him　on　to　Nynaeve；　the　way　Moiraine　wanted；　just　as　soon　as　she's　…　〃
　　　Egwene　flung　up　a　hand；　and　Myrelle　stopped　as　if　she　had　clapped　it　over　her　mouth。　〃You　mean　to　pass　his　bond　to　Nynaeve？〃
　　　Myrelle　nodded　uncertainly；　Nisao　much　more　vigorously。　Scowling；　Siuan　muttered　something　about　doubling　a　wrong　making　it　three　times　as　bad。　Lan　still　had　not　slowed。　Two　grasshoppers　whirred　up　from　the　leaves　behind　him；　and　he　spun；　sword　flicking　them　out　of　the　air　without　a　pause。
　　　〃Are　your　efforts　succeeding？　Is　he　any　better？　How　long　have　you　had　him；　exactly？〃
　　　〃Only　two　weeks；〃　Myrelle　replied。　〃Today　is　the　twentieth。　Mother；　it　could　require　months；　and　there　is　no　guarantee。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　time　to　try　something　different；〃　Egwene　said；　more　to　herself　than　anyone　else。　More　to　convince　herself　than　for　any　other　reason。　In　his　circumstances；　Lan　was　hardly　an　easy　present　to　hand　anyone；　but　bond　or　no　bond；　he　belonged　to　Nynaeve　more　than　he　ever　would　to　Myrelle。
　　　When　she　crossed　the　hollow　to　him；　though；　doubts　sprang　up　strong。　He　whirled　to　face　her　in　his　dance；　sword　streaking　toward　her。　Someone　gasped　as　the　blade　halted　abruptly　only　inches　from　her　head。　She　was　relieved　that　it　had　not　been　her。
　　　Brilliant　blue　eyes　regarded　her　intently　from　beneath　lowered　brows；　in　a　face　all　planes　and　angles　that　might　have　been　carved　from　stone。　Lan　lowered　his　sword　slowly。　Sweat　coated　him；　yet　he　was　not　even　breathing　hard。　〃So　you　are　the　Amyrlin　now。　Myrelle　told　me　they　had　raised　one；　but　not　who。　It　seems　you　and　I　have　a　good　deal　in　mon。〃　His　smile　was　as　cold　as　his　voice；　as　cold　as　his　eyes。
　　　Egwene　stopped　herself　from　adjusting　her　stole；　reminding　herself　that　she　was　Amyrlin　and　Aes　Sedai。　She　wanted　to　embrace　saidar。　Until　this　moment；　she　had　not　realized　exactly　how　dangerous　he　was。　〃Nynaeve　is　Aes　Sedai　now；　too；　Lan。　She's　in　need　of　a　good　Warder。〃　One　of　the　other　women　made　a　noise；　but　Egwene　held　her　gaze　on　him。
　　　〃I　hope　she　finds　a　hero　out　of　legend。〃　He　barked　a　laugh。　〃She'll　need　the　hero　just　to　face　her　temper。〃
　　　The　laugh　convinced　her；　icy　hard　as　it　was。　〃Nynaeve　is　in　Ebou　Dar；　Lan。　You　know　what　a　dangerous　city　that　is。　She　is　searching　for　something　we　need　desperately。　If　the　Black　Ajah　learns　of　it；　they'll　kill　her　to　get　it。　If　the　Forsaken　find　out。。。　〃　She　had　thought　his　face　bleak　before；　but　the　pain　that　tightened　his　eyes　at　Nynaeve's　danger　confirmed　her　plan。　Nynaeve；　not　Myrelle；　had　the　right。　〃I　am　sending　you　to　her；　to　act　as　her　Warder。〃
　　　〃Mother；〃　Myrelle　said　urgently　behind　her。
　　　Egwene　flung　out　a　hand　to　silence　her。　〃Nynaeve's　safety　will　be　in　your　hands；　Lan。〃
　　　He　did　not　hesitate。　Or　even　glance　at　Myrelle。　〃It　will　take　at　least　a　month　to　reach　Ebou　Dar。　Areina；　saddle　Mandarb！〃　On　the　point　of　turning　away；　he　paused；　lifting　his　free　hand　as　if　to　touch　her　stole。　〃I　apologize　for　ever　helping　you　leave　the　Two　Rivers。　You；　or　Nynaeve。〃　Striding　away；　he　vanished　into　the　tent　he　had　e　out　of　earlier；　but　before　he　had　gone　two　steps；　Myrelle　and　Nisao　and　Siuan　were　all　clustered　around　her。
　　　〃Mother；　you　don't　understand　what　you　are　proposing；〃　Myrelle　said　breathlessly。　〃You　might　as　well　give　a　child　a　lighted　lantern　to　play　with　in　a　haybarn。　I　began　readying　Nynaeve　as　soon　as　I　felt　his　bond　pass　to　me。　I　thought　I　had　time。　But　she　was　raised　to　the　shawl　in　a　blink。　She　isn't　ready　to　handle　him；　Mother。　Not　him；　not　the　way　he　is。〃
　　　With　an　effort　Egwene　made　herself　be　patient。　They　still　did　not　understand。　〃Myrelle；　even　if　Nynaeve　could　not　channel　a　lick。。。〃　She　could　not；　actually；　unless　she　was　angry。　〃。。。　that　would　make　no　difference；　and　you　know　it。　Not　in　whether　she　can　handle　him。　There's　one　thing　you　haven't　been　able　to　do。　Give　him　a　task　so　important　that　he　has　to　stay　alive　to　carry　it　out。〃　That　was　the　final　element。　Supposedly　it　worked　better　than　the　rest。　〃To　him；　Nynaeve's　safety　is　that　important。　He　loves　her；　Myrelle；　and　she　loves　him。〃
　　　〃That　explains。。。　〃　Myrelle　began　softly；　but　Nisao　burst　out　incredulously　atop　her。
　　　〃Oh；　surely　not。　Not　him。　She　might　love　him；　I　suppose；　or　think　she　does；　but　women　have　been　chasing　Lan　since　he　was　a　beardless　boy。　And　catching　him；　for　a　day　or　a　month。　He　was　quite　a　beautiful　boy；　however　hard　that　might　be　to　believe　now。　Still；　he　does　appear　to　have　his　attractions。〃　She　glanced　sideways　at　Myrelle；　who　frowned　slightly；　tiny　spots　of　color　blooming　in　her　cheeks。　She　did　not　react　any　further；　but　that　was　more　than　enough。　〃No；　Mother。　Any　woman　who　thinks　she　has　leashed　Lan　Mandragoran　will　find　she　has　collared　only　air。〃
　　　Egwene　sighed　in　spite　of　herself。　Some　sisters　believed　there　was　one　more　part　of　saving　a　Warder　whose　bond　was　broken　by　death；　putting　him　into　the　arms　…　into　the　bed　…　of　a　woman。　No　man　could　focus　on　death　then；　the　belief　ran。　Myrelle；　it　seemed；　had　taken　care　of　that　herself；　too。　At　least　she　had　not　actually　married　him；　not　if　she　meant　to　pass　him　on。　It　would　be　just　as　well　if　Nynaeve　never　found　out。
　　　〃Be　that　as　it　may；〃　she　told　Nisao　absently。　Areina　was　fastening　the　girths　on　Mandarb's　saddle　with　a　brisk　petence；　the　tall　black　stallion　standing　with　head　high　but　allowing　it。　Plainly　this　was　not　the　first　time　she　had　been　around　the　animal。　Nicola　stood　close　by　the　thick　bole　of　the　farther　oak；　arms　crossed　beneath　her　breasts；　staring　at　Egwene　and　the　others。　She　looked　ready　to　run。　〃I　don't　know　what　Areina　has　squeezed　out　of　you；〃　Egwene　said　quietly；　〃but　the　extra　lessons　for　Nicola　stop　now。〃
　　　Myrelle　and　Nisao　jumped；　mirror　images　of　surprise。　Siuan's　eyes　grew　to　the　size　of　teacups；　but　luckily　she　recovered　before　anyone　noticed。　〃You　really　do　know　everything；〃　Myrelle　whispered。　〃All　Areina　wants　is　to　be　around　Lan。　I　think　she　believes　he'll　teach　her　things　she　can　use　as　a　Hunter。　Or　maybe　that　he'll　go　off　on　the　Hunt　with　her。〃
　　　〃Nicola　wants　to　be　another　Caraighan；〃　Nisao　muttered　caustically。　〃Or　another　Moiraine。　I　think　she　had　some　notion　she　could　make　Myrelle　give　Lan's　bond　to　her。　Well！　At　least　we　can　deal　with　that　pair　as　they　deserve；　now　that　he's　out　in　the　open。　Whatever　happens　to　me；　it　will　be　a　joy　to　know　they'll　be　squealing　from　here　to　year's　end。〃
　　　Siuan　finally　realized　what　had　been　going　on；　and　outrage　warred　on　her　face　with　the　wondering　looks　she　directed　at　Egwene。　That　someone　else　had　puzzled　matters　out　first　probably　upset　her　as　much　as　Nicola　and　Areina　blackmailing　Aes　Sedai。　Or　perhaps　not。　Nicola　and　Areina　were　not　Aes　Sedai　themselves；　after　all。　That　drastically　changed　Siuan's　view　of　what　was　allowed。　But　then；　it　did　the　same　for　any　sister。
　　　With　so　many　eyes　turned　her　way；　and　not　a　friendly　gaze　in　the　lot；　Nicola　backed；　up　against　the　oak　tree　and　seemed　to　be　trying　to　back　further。　Stains　on　that　white　dress　would　put　her　in　hot　water　when　she　returned　to　the　camp。　Areina　was　still　absorbed　in　Lan's　horse；　unaware　of　what　was　crashing　down　on　her　head。
　　　〃That　would　be　justice；〃　Egwene　agreed；　〃but　not　unless　you　two　face　full　justice　yourselves。〃
　　　Nobody　was　looking　at　Nicola　anymore。　Myrelle's　eyes　filled　her　face；　and　Nisao's　opened　wider　yet。　Neither　seemed　to　dare　crack　her　teeth。　Siuan　wore　grim　satisfaction　like　another　skin；　by　her　lights；　they　deserved　no　mercy　at　all。　Not　that　Egwene　intended　to　give　much。
　　　〃We　will　speak　further　whe