rj.acrownofswords-第57部分

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no　mercy　at　all。　Not　that　Egwene　intended　to　give　much。
　　　〃We　will　speak　further　when　I　e　back；〃　she　told　them　as　Lan　reappeared；　his　sword　buckled　on　over　a　green　coat　undone　to　reveal　an　unlaced　shirt；　bulging　saddlebags　draped　over　his　shoulder。　The　color…shifting　Warder　cloak　hanging　down　his　back　wrenched　the　eye　as　it　swirled　behind　him。
　　　Leaving　the　stunned　sisters　to　stew　in　their　own　juices；　Egwene　went　to　meet　him。　Siuan　would　keep　them　on　a　fine　simmer；　should　they　show　any　sign　of　falling　off。　〃I　can　have　you　in　Ebou　Dar　sooner　than　a　month；〃　she　said。　He　only　nodded　impatiently　and　called　for　Areina　to　bring　Mandarb。　His　intensity　was　unnerving；　an　avalanche　poised　to　fall；　held　back　by　a　thread。
　　　Weaving　a　gateway　where　he　had　been　practicing　the　sword；　a　good　eight　feet　by　eight；　she　stepped　through　onto　what　seemed　to　be　a　ferry；　floating　in　darkness　that　stretched　forever。　Skimming　required　a　platform；　and　though　it　could　be　anything　you　chose　to　imagine；　every　sister　seemed　to　have　one　she　preferred。　For　her　that　was　this　wooden　barge；　with　stout　railings。　If　she　fell　off；　she　could　make　another　barge　beneath　her；　although　where　she　came　out　then　would　be　something　of　a　question；　but　for　anyone　who　could　not　channel；　that　fall　would　be　as　endless　as　the　black　that　ran　off　in　every　direction。　Only　at　the　near　end　of　the　barge　was　there　any　light；　the　gateway　giving　a　constricted　view　of　the　hollow。　That　light　did　not　penetrate　the　darkness　at　all；　yet　there　was　light　of　a　sort。　At　least；　she　could　see　quite　clearly；　as　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　Not　for　the　first　time　she　wondered　whether　this　actually　was　some　part　of　the　World　of　Dreams。
　　　Lan　followed　without　needing　to　be　told；　leading　his　horse。　He　examined　the　gateway　as　he　came　through；　studied　the　darkness　as　his　boots　and　the　stallion's　hooves　thudded　across　the　deck　planks　to　her。　The　only　question　he　asked　was　〃How　quickly　will　this　take　me　to　Ebou　Dar？〃
　　　〃It　won't；〃　she　said；　channeling　to　swing　the　gate　shut；　then　closing　the　gateway。　〃Not　right　to　the　city。〃　Nothing　moved　that　anyone　could　have　seen；　there　was　no　wind　or　breeze；　nothing　to　feel。　They　were　in　motion；　though。　And　fast；　faster　than　she　could　imagine　anything　moving。　It　must　be　six　hundred　miles　or　more　they　had　to　go。　〃I　can　put　you　out　five；　maybe　six　days　north　of　Ebou　Dar。〃　She　had　seen　the　gateway　woven　when　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　Traveled　south；　and　she　remembered　enough　for　Skimming　to　the　same　place。
　　　He　nodded；　peering　ahead　as　though　he　could　see　their　destination。　He　reminded　her　of　an　arrow　in　a　drawn　bow。
　　　〃Lan；　Nynaeve　is　staying　at　the　Tarasin　Palace；　a　guest　of　Queen　Tylin。　She　might　deny　she's　in　any　danger。〃　Which　she　certainly　would；　indignantly　if　Egwene　knew　Nynaeve；　and　rightfully　so。　〃Try　not　to　make　a　point　of　it　…　you　know　how　stubborn　she　is　…　but　you　mustn't　pay　that　any　mind。　If　necessary；　just　protect　her　without　letting　her　know。〃　He　said　nothing；　did　not　glance　at　her。　She　would　have　had　a　hundred　questions　in　his　place。　〃Lan；　when　you　find　her；　you　must　tell　her　that　Myrelle　will　give　your　bond　to　her　as　soon　as　you　three　can　be　together。〃　She　had　thought　of　passing　that　information　along　herself；　but　it　seemed　better　not　to　let　Nynaeve　know　he　was　ing。　She　was　as　besotted　with　him　as。。。　as。。。　As　I　am　with　Gawyn；　she　thought　ruefully。　If　Nynaeve　knew　he　was　on　his　way；　there　would　be　little　room　in　her　head　for　anything　else。　With　the　best　will　in　the　world；　she　would　let　the　search　fall　on　Elayne。　Not　that　she　would　curl　up　and　daydream；　but　any　searching　she　did　would　be　with　dazzled　eyes。　〃Are　you　listening　to　me；　Lan？〃
　　　〃Tarasin　Palace；〃　he　said　in　flat　voice；　without　shifting　his　gaze。　〃Guest　of　Queen　Tylin。　Might　deny　she's　in　danger。　Stubborn；　as　if　I　didn't　know　already。〃　He　looked　at　her　then；　and　she　almost　wished　he　had　not。　She　was　full　of　saidar；　full　of　the　warmth　and　the　joy　and　the　power；　the　sheer　life；　but　something　stark　and　primal　raged　in　those　cold　blue　eyes；　a　denial　of　life。　His　eyes　were　terrifying；　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。　〃I　will　tell　her　everything　she　needs　to　know。　You　see；　I　listen。〃
　　　She　made　herself　meet　his　stare　without　flinching；　but　he　only　turned　away　again。　There　was　a　mark　on　his　neck；　a　bruise。　It　might　…　just　might　…　be　a　bite。　Perhaps　she　should　caution　him；　tell　him　he　did　not　have　to　be　too。。。　detailed。。。　in　any　explanations　about　himself　and　Myrelle。　The　thought　made　her　blush。　She　tried　not　to　see　the　bruise；　but　now　she　had　noticed　it；　she　could　not　seem　to　see　anything　else。　Anyway；　he　would　not　be　that　foolish。　You　could　not　expect　a　man　to　be　sensible；　but　even　men　were　not　that　scatterbrained。
　　　In　silence　they　floated；　moving　without　moving。　She　had　no　fears　of　the　Forsaken　suddenly　appearing　here；　or　anyone　else。　Skimming　had　its　oddities；　some　of　which　made　for　safety；　and　privacy。　If　two　sisters　wove　gateways　on　the　same　spot　only　moments　apart；　aiming　to　Skim　to　the　same　place；　they　would　not　see　one　another；　not　unless　it　was　exactly　the　same　spot；　with　the　weaves　exactly　identical；　and　neither　precision　was　as　easy　to　achieve　as　it　might　seem。
　　　After　a　time　…　it　was　hard　to　tell　how　long　exactly；　but　she　thought　well　under　half　an　hour　…　the　barge　stopped　suddenly。　Nothing　altered　in　the　feel；　nor　in　the　weaves　she　held。　She　simply　knew　that　one　moment　they　were　speeding　through　the　blackness；　and　the　next　standing　still。　Opening　a　gateway　just　at　the　barge's　bow　…　she　was　not　sure　where　one　opened　at　the　stern　would　lead；　and　not　anxious　to　find　out；　frankly；　Moghedien　had　found　the　very　idea　frightening　…　she　motioned　Lan　to　go　ahead。　The　barge　only　existed　so　long　as　she　was　present；　another　thing　like　Tel'aran'rhiod。
　　　He　swung　back　the　ferry　gate；　leading　Mandarb　out；　and　when　she　followed；　he　was　already　in。　the　saddle。　She　left　the　gateway　open　for　her　return。　Low　rolling　hills　ran　off　in　every　direction；　covered　in　withered　grass。　There　was　not　a　tree　to　be　seen；　nothing　more　than　patches　of　shriveled　scrub　brush。　The　stallion's　hooves　kicked　up　little　spurts　of　dust。　The　morning　sun　in　that　cloudless　sky　baked　even　hotter　here　than　in　Murandy。　Long…winged　vultures　circled　over　something　to　the　south；　and　in　another　place　to　the　west。
　　　〃Lan；〃　she　began；　meaning　to　make　sure　he　understood　what　he　was　to　tell　Nynaeve；　but　he　forestalled　her。
　　　〃Five　or　six　days；　you　said；〃　he　said；　peering　south。　〃I　can　make　it　faster。　She　will　be　safe；　I　promise。〃　Mandarb　danced；　impatient　as　his　rider；　but　Lan　held　him　easily。　〃You've　e　a　very　long　way　since　Emond's　Field。〃　Looking　down　at　her；　he　smiled。　Any　warmth　in　it　was　swallowed　by　his　eyes。　〃You　have　a　hold　on　Myrelle　and　Nisao；　now。　Don't　let　them　argue　with　you　again。　By　your　mand；　Mother。　The　watch　is　not　done。〃　With　a　small　bow；　he　dug　in　his　heels；　walking　Mandarb　just　far　enough　to　put　her　clear　of　the　dust　before　setting　the　horse　to　a　gallop。
　　　Watching　him　speed　southward；　she　closed　her　mouth。　Well。　He　had　noticed　in　the　middle　of　all　that　sword　practice；　noticed　and　done　the　sums　correctly。　Apparently　including　sums　he　could　not　have　suspected　before　seeing　her　with　the　stole。　Nynaeve　had　better　take　care；　she　always　did　think　men　were　dimmer　than　they　actually　were。
　　　〃At　least　they　can't　get　into　any　real　trouble；〃　she　told　herself　aloud。　Lan　topped　a　hill　and　vanished　over　the　other　side。　Had　there　been　any　real　danger　in　Ebou　Dar；　Elayne　or　Nynaeve　would　have　said　something。　They　did　not　meet　often　…　she　just　had　too　much　to　do　…　but　they　had　worked　out　a　way　to　leave　messages　in　the　Salidar　of　Tel'aran'rhiod　whenever　there　was　need　for　one。
　　　A　wind　that　might　have　e　from　an　open　oven　gusted　up　sheets　of　dust。　Coughing；　she　covered　her　mouth　and　nose　with　a　corner　of　the　Amyrlin's　striped　stole　and　hurriedly　retreated　through　the　gateway　to　her　ferry。　The　journey　back　was　silent　and　boring；　leaving　her　to　worry　whether　she　had　done　the　right　thing　sending　Lan；　whether　it　was　right　to　keep　Nynaeve　in　the　dark。　It's　done；　she　kept　telling　herself；　but　that　did　not　help。
　　　When　she　stepped　once　more　into　the　hilltop　hollow　beneath　the　oak　trees；　Myrelle's　third　Warder；　Avar　Hachami；　had　joined　the　others；　a　hawk…nosed　man　with　thick；　gray…streaked　mustaches　like　down…curving　horns。　All　four　Gaidin　were　hard　at　work；　the　tents　down　and　nearly　folded。　Nicola　and　Areina　trotted　back　and　forth　loading　all　the　camp　paraphernalia　into　the　cart；　everything　from　blankets　to　cookpots　and　black　iron　wash…kettle。　They　really　did　trot；　not　pausing；　but　at　least　half　their　attention　was　on　Siuan　and　the　other　two　sisters；　over　near　the　treeline。　For　that　matter；　the　Warders　gave　the　three　Aes　Sedai　much　more　than　half　their　consideration。　Their　ears　might　as　well　have　been　up　in　points。　Who　was　simmering　who　seemed　to　be　a　question。
　　　〃。。。　not　speak　to　me　in　that　manner；　Siuan；〃　Myrelle　was　saying。　Not　only　loud　enough　to　be　heard　across　the　clearing；　but　cold　enough　to　take　the　edge　off　the　weather。　Arms　folded　tightly　beneath　her　breasts；　she　was　drawn　up　to　every　inch　of　height；　imperious　to　the　point　of　bursting。　〃Do　you　hear　me？　You　will　not！〃
　　　〃Are　you　lost　to　all　propriety；　Siuan？〃　Nisao's　hands　were　knotted　in　her　skirts　in　a　vain　attempt　to　keep　herself　from　quivering；　and　the　heat　in　her　voice　easily　matched　the　ice　in　Myrelle's。　〃If　you've　forgotten　simple　manners　pletely；　you　can　be　taught　again！〃
　　　Facing　them　with　her　hands　on　her　hips；　Siuan　moved　her　head　jerkily；　struggling　both　to　keep　a　glare　on　her　face　and　to　keep　it　fixed　on　the　other　two。　〃I。。。　I　am　only。。。　〃　When　she　saw　Egwene　approaching；　her　relief　bloomed　like　a　flower　in　spring。　〃Mother。。。　〃　That　was　almost　a　gasp。　〃。。。　I　was　explaining　possible　penalties。〃　She　drew　a　long　breath；　and　went　on　more　definitely。　〃The　Hall　will　have　to　invent　them　as　they　go；　of　course；　but　I　think　they　might　well　start　with　making　these　two　pass　their　Warders　to　others；　since　they　seem　so　fond　of　it。〃
　　　Myrelle　squeezed　her　eyes　shut；　and　Nisao　turned　to　look　at　the　Warders。　Her　expression　never　changed；　calm　if　a　touch　flushed；　but　Sarin　stumbled　to　his　feet　and　took　three　quick　steps　towar