rj.acrownofswords-第60部分

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d。　Aviendha　locked　her　hands　on　her　knees　and　tried　desperately　to　think　of　anything　else。　If　the　others　saw　her　fear；　the　shame　would　follow　her　to　the　end　of　her　days。　The　worst　of　it　was；　she　had　suggested　this；　after　hearing　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　talk　of　the　Sea　Folk。　How　could　she　have　known　what　it　would　be　like？
　　　The　blue　silk　of　her　dress　felt　incredibly　smooth；　and　she　latched　on　to　that。　She　was　barely　used　to　skirts　at　all　…　she　still　yearned　for　the　cadin'sor　the　Wise　Ones　had　made　her　burn　when　she　began　training　with　them　…　and　here　she　wore　a　silk　dress　…　of　which　she　now　owned　four！　…　and　silk　stockings　instead　of　stout　wool；　and　a　silk　shift　that　made　her　aware　of　her　skin　in　a　way　she　never　had　been　before。　She　could　not　deny　the　beauty　of　the　dress；　no　matter　how　odd　it　was　to　find　herself　wearing　such　things；　but　silk　was　precious；　and　rare。　A　woman　might　have　a　scarf　of　silk；　to　be　worn　on　feastdays　and　envied　by　others。　Few　women　had　two。　It　was　different　among　these　wetlanders；　though。　Not　everyone　wore　silk；　yet　sometimes　it　seemed　to　her　every　second　person　did。　Great　bolts　and　even　bales　of　it　came　by　ship　from　the　lands　beyond　the　Three…fold　Land。　By　ship。　On　the　ocean。　Water　stretching　to　the　horizon；　with　many　places　where；　if　she　understood　correctly；　you　could　not　see　land　at　all。　She　came　close　to　shivering　at　the　impossible　thought。
　　　None　of　the　others　looked　as　if　they　wished　to　talk。　Elayne　absently　twisted　the　Great　Serpent　ring　on　her　right　hand　and　peered　at　something　not　to　be　seen　inside　the　four　walls。　These　worries　often　overtook　her。　Two　duties　confronted　her；　and　if　one　lay　nearer　her　heart；　she　had　chosen　the　one　she　considered　more　important；　more　honorable。　It　was　her　right　and　duty　to　bee　the　chief；　the　queen；　of　Andor；　but　she　had　chosen　to　continue　hunting。　In　a　way；　however　important　their　search；　that　was　like　putting　something　before　clan　or　society；　yet　Aviendha　felt　pride。　Elayne's　view　of　honor　was　as　peculiar　at　times　as　the　notion　of　a　woman　being　a　chief；　or　her　being　chief　just　because　her　mother　had　been；　but　she　followed　it　admirably。　Birgitte；　in　the　wide　red　trousers　and　short　yellow　coat　Aviendha　envied；　sat　toying　with　her　waist…long　braid；　lost　in　thought　as　well。　Or　maybe　sharing　part　of　Elayne's　worries。　She　was　Elayne's　first　Warder；　which　upset　the　Aes　Sedai　back　in　the　Tarasin　Palace　no　end；　though　it　did　not　seem　to　bother　their　Warders。　Wetlander　customs　were　so　curious　they　hardly　bore　thinking　about。
　　　If　Elayne　and　Birgitte　seemed　to　deflect　any　thought　of　talk；　Nynaeve　al'Meara；　directly　opposite　Aviendha　by　the　door；　rebuffed　it　firmly。　Nynaeve；　not　Nynaeve　al'Meara。　Wetlanders　liked　to　be　called　by　only　half　their　names；　and　Aviendha　was　trying　to　remember；　however　much　it　felt　like　using　a　honey…name。　Rand　al'Thor　was　the　only　lover　she　had　ever　had；　and　she　did　not　think　even　of　him　so　intimately；　but　she　had　to　learn　their　ways　if　she　was　to　wed　one　of　them。
　　　Nynaeve's　deep　brown　eyes　stared　through　her。　Her　knuckles　were　white　on　a　thick　braid　as　dark　as　Birgitte's　was　golden；　and　her　face　had　gone　beyond　pale　to　a　faint　green。　From　time　to　time　she　emitted　a　tiny　muted　groan。　She　did　not　usually　sweat；　she　and　Elayne　had　taught　Aviendha　the　trick。　Nynaeve　was　a　puzzle。　Brave　to　the　point　of　madness　sometimes；　she　moaned　over　her　supposed　cowardice；　and　here　she　displayed　her　shame　for　all　to　see　without　a　care。　How　could　the　motion　disturb　her　so；　when　all　that　water　did　not？
　　　Water　again。　Aviendha　shut　her　eyes　to　avoid　seeing　Nynaeve's　face；　but　that　only　made　the　sounds　of　the　birds　and　the　lapping　water　fill　her　head。
　　　〃I　have　been　thinking；〃　Elayne　said　suddenly；　then　paused。　〃Are　you　all　right；　Aviendha？　You。。。　〃　Aviendha's　cheeks　reddened；　but　at　least　Elayne　did　not　say　aloud　that　she　had　jumped　like　a　rabbit　at　the　sound　of　her　voice。　Elayne　seemed　to　realize　how　close　she　had　e　to　revealing　Aviendha's　dishonor；　color　flushed　her　own　cheeks　as　she　continued。　〃I　was　thinking　about　Nicola；　and　Areina。　About　what　Egwene　told　us　last　night。　You　don't　suppose　they　can　cause　her　any　trouble；　do　you？　What　is　she　to　do？〃
　　　〃Rid　herself　of　them；〃　Aviendha　said；　drawing　a　thumb　across　her　neck。　The　relief　of　speaking；　of　hearing　voices；　was　so　great　that　she　almost　gasped。　Elayne　appeared　shocked。　She　was　remarkably　softhearted　at　times。
　　　〃It　might　be　for　the　best；〃　Birgitte　said。　She　had　revealed　no　more　name　than　that。　Aviendha　thought　her　a　woman　with　secrets。　〃Areina　could　have　made　something　of　herself　with　time；　but　…　Don't　look　at　me　that　way；　Elayne；　and　stop　going　all　prim　and　indignant　in　your　head。〃　Birgitte　often　slipped　back　and　forth　between　the　Warder　who　obeyed　and　the　older　first…sister　who　instructed　whether　or　not　you　wished　to　learn。　Right　then；　waving　an　admonishing　finger；　she　was　the　first…sister。　〃You　two　wouldn't　have　been　warned　to　stay　away　if　it　was　a　difficulty　the　Amyrlin　could　solve　by　having　them　set　to　work　with　the　laundresses　or　the　like。〃
　　　Elayne　gave　a　sharp　sniff　in　the　face　of　what　she　could　not　deny；　and　adjusted　her　green　silk　skirts　where　they　were　drawn　up　in　front　to　expose　layers　of　blue　and　white　petticoats。　She　was　wearing　the　local　fashion；　plete　with　creamy　lace　at　her　wrists　and　around　her　neck；　a　gift　from　Tylin　Quintara；　as　was　the　close…fitting　necklace　of　woven　gold。　Aviendha　did　not　approve。　The　upper　half　of　the　dress；　the　bodice；　fitted　as　snugly　as　that　necklace；　and　a　missing　narrow　oval　of　cloth　revealed　the　inner　slopes　of　her　breasts。　Walking　about　where　all　could　see　was　not　the　same　as　the　sweat　tents；　people　in　the　streets　of　the　city　were　not　gai'shain。　Her　own　dress　had　a　high　neck　that　brushed　her　chin　with　lace　and　no　parts　of　it　missing。
　　　〃Beside；〃　Birgitte　went　on；　〃I　would　think　Marigan　would　worry　you　more。　She　frightens　me　spitless。〃
　　　That　name　got　through　to　Nynaeve；　as　well　it　might。　Her　groaning　ceased；　and　she　sat　up　straight。　〃If　she　es　after　us；　we　will　just　settle　for　her　again。　We'll。。。　we'll。。。　〃　Drawing　breath；　she　stared　at　them　pointedly；　as　if　they　were　arguing　with　her。　What　she　said；　in　a　faint　voice；　was　〃Do　you　think　she　will？〃
　　　〃Fretting　will　do　no　good；〃　Elayne　told　her；　much　more　calmly　than　Aviendha　could　have　managed　if　she　thought　one　of　the　Shadowsouled　had　marked　her　out。　〃We　will　just　have　to　do　as　Egwene　said　and　be　careful。〃　Nynaeve　muttered　something　inaudible；　which　was　probably　just　as　well。
　　　Silence　descended　again；　Elayne　settling　to　a　browner　study　than　before；　Birgitte　propping　her　chin　on　one　hand　as　she　frowned　at　nothing。　Nynaeve　kept　right　on　grumbling　under　her　breath；　but　she　had　both　hands　pressed　to　her　middle　now；　and　from　time　to　time　she　paused　to　swallow。　The　splashing　of　water　seemed　louder　than　ever；　and　the　cries　of　the　birds。
　　　〃I　have　been　thinking　too；　near…sister。〃　She　and　Elayne　had　not　reached　the　point　of　adopting　each　other　as　first…sisters　yet；　but　she　was　sure　they　would；　now。　Already　they　brushed　each　other's　hair；　and　every　night　in　the　dark　shared　another　secret　never　told　to　anyone　else。　This　Min　woman；　though。。。　That　was　for　later；　when　they　were　alone。
　　　〃About　what？〃　Elayne　asked　absently。
　　　〃Our　search。　We　prepare　for　success；　but　we　are　as　far　away　as　when　we　began。　Does　it　make　sense　not　to　use　every　weapon　at　hand？　Mat　Cauthon　is　ta'veren；　yet　we　work　to　avoid　him。　Why　not　take　him　with　us？　With　him；　we　might　find　the　bowl　at　last。〃
　　　〃Mat？〃　Nynaeve　exclaimed　incredulously。　〃As　well　stuff　your　shift　full　of　nettles！　I　would　not　endure　the　man　if　he　had　the　bowl　in　his　coat　pocket。〃
　　　〃Oh；　do　be　quiet；　Nynaeve；〃　Elayne　murmured；　without　any　heat。　She　shook　her　head　wonderingly；　taking　no　notice　of　the　other's　sudden　glower。　〃Prickly〃　only　began　to　describe　Nynaeve；　but　they　were　all　used　to　her　ways。　〃Why　didn't　I　think　of　that？　It　is　so　obvious！〃
　　　〃Maybe；〃　Birgitte　murmured　dryly；　〃you　had　Mat　the　scoundrel　set　so　hard　in　your　mind；　you　couldn't　see　he　had　any　use。〃　Elayne　gave　her　a　cool　stare；　chin　raised；　then　abruptly　grimaced；　and　nodded　reluctantly。　She　did　not　accept　criticism　easily。
　　　〃No；〃　Nynaeve　said　in　a　voice　that　somehow　managed　to　be　sharp　and　weak　at　the　same　time。　The　sickly　cast　of　her　face　had　deepened；　but　it　no　longer　seemed　caused　by　the　boat's　heaving。　〃You　cannot　possibly　mean　it！　Elayne；　you　know　what　a　torment　he　can　be；　how　stubborn　he　is。　He'll　insist　on　bringing　those　soldiers　of　his　like　a　feastday　parade。　Try　finding　anything　in　the　Rahad　with　soldiers　at　your　shoulder。　Just　try！　Inside　two　steps；　he'll　try　to　take　charge；　flaunting　that　ter'angreal　at　us。　He's　a　thousand　times　worse　than　Vandene　or　Adeleas；　or　even　Merilille。　The　way　he　behaves；　you　would　think　we'd　walk　into　a　bear's　den　just　to　see　the　bear！〃
　　　Birgitte　made　a　noise　in　her　throat　that　might　have　been　amusement；　and　received　a　darted　glare。　She　returned　such　a　look　of　bland　innocence　that　Nynaeve　began　to　sound　as　if　she　were　choking。
　　　Elayne　was　more　soothing；　she　probably　would　try　to　make　peace　in　a　water…feud。　〃He　is　ta'veren；　Nynaeve。　He　alters　the　Pattern；　alters　chance；　just　being　there。　I'm　ready　to　admit　we　need　luck；　and　a　ta'veren　is　more　than　luck。　Besides；　we　can　snare　two　birds　at　once。　We　should　not　have　been　letting　him　run　loose　all　this　time；　no　matter　how　busy　we　were。　That's　done　no　one　any　good；　him　least　of　all。　He　needs　to　be　made　fit　for　decent　pany。　We　will　put　him　on　a　short　rein　from　the　start；〃
　　　Nynaeve　smoothed　her　skirts　with　considerable　vigor。　She　claimed　to　have　no　more　interest　in　dresses　than　Aviendha　…　in　what　they　looked　like；　anyway；　she　was　always　muttering　about　good　plain　wool　being　fine　enough　for　anybody　…　yet　her　own　blue　dress　was　slashed　with　yellow　on　the　skirts　and　sleeves；　and　she　herself　had　chosen　its　design。　Every　stitch　she　owned　was　silk　or　embroidered　or　both；　all　cut　with　what　Aviendha　had　learned　to　recognize　as　fine　care。
　　　For　once　Nynaeve　appeared　to　understand　she　would　not　get　her　way。　Sometimes　she　threw　amazing　tantrums　until　she　did；　not　that　she　would　admit　that　was　what　they　were。　The　glower　faded　to　a　grumpy　sulk。　〃Who　wil