rj.acrownofswords-第61部分

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e　did；　not　that　she　would　admit　that　was　what　they　were。　The　glower　faded　to　a　grumpy　sulk。　〃Who　will　ask　him？　Whoever　does；　he　will　make　her　beg。　You　know　he　will。　I'd　sooner　marry　him！〃
　　　Elayne　hesitated；　then　said　firmly；　〃Birgitte　will。　And　she　won't　beg；　she　will　tell　him。　Most　men　will　do　as　you　say　if　you　use　a　firm；　confident　voice。〃　Nynaeve　looked　doubtful；　and　Birgitte　jerked　erect　on　her　bench；　startled　for　the　first　time　Aviendha　had　ever　seen。　With　anyone　else；　Aviendha　might　have　said　she　looked　a　little　afraid；　too。　Birgitte　would　have　done　very　well　as　Far　Dareis　Mai；　for　a　wetlander。　She　had　remarkable　skill　with　a　bow。
　　　〃You　are　the　clear　choice；　Birgitte；〃　Elayne　went　on　quickly。　〃Nynaeve　and　I　are　Aes　Sedai；　and　Aviendha　might　as　well　be。　We　cannot　possibly　do　it。　Not　and　maintain　proper　dignity。　Not　with　him。　You　know　what　he　is　like。〃　What　had　happened　to　all　that　talk　of　a　firm；　confident　voice？　Not　that　Aviendha　had　ever　noticed　that　working　for　anyone　except　Sorilea。　It　surely　had　not　so　far　on　Mat　Cauthon　that　she　had　seen。　〃Birgitte；　he　can't　have　recognized　you。　If　he　had；　he　would　have　said　something　by　now。〃
　　　Whatever　that　meant；　Birgitte　leaned　back　against　the　wall　and　laced　her　fingers　over　her　stomach。　〃I　should　have　known　you'd　get　back　at　me　ever　since　I　said　it　was　a　good　thing　your　bottom　wasn't　any　…　〃　She　stopped；　and　a　faint　satisfied　smile　appeared　on　her　lips。　Nothing　changed　in　Elayne's　expression；　but　plainly　Birgitte　thought　she　had　gained　a　measure　of　revenge。　It　must　have　been　something　felt　through　the　Warder　bond。　How　Elayne's　bottom　entered　into　anything；　though；　Aviendha　could　not　puzzle　out。　Wetlanders　were　so。。。　odd。。。　at　times。　Birgitte　continued；　still　wearing　that　smile。　〃What　I　don't　understand　is　why　he　starts　chafing　as　soon　as　he　sees　you　two。　It　can't　be　that　you　snagged　him　off　here。　Egwene　was　as　deep　in　that　as　you；　but　I　saw　him　treat　her　with　more　respect　than　most　of　the　sisters　do。　Besides；　the　times　I've　glimpsed　him　ing　out　of　The　Wandering　Woman；　he　looked　to　be　enjoying　himself。〃　Her　smile　became　a　grin　that　made　Elayne　sniff　disapprovingly。
　　　〃That　is　one　thing　we　need　to　change。　A　decent　woman　cannot　be　in　the　room　with　him。　Oh；　do　wipe　that　smirk　off　your　face；　Birgitte。　I　vow；　you　are　as　bad　as　he；　sometimes。〃
　　　〃The　man　was　born　just　to　be　a　trial；〃　Nynaeve　muttered　sourly。
　　　Suddenly　Aviendha　was　forcibly　reminded　that　she　was　on　a　boat　as　everything　lurched；　swaying　and　swinging　around　to　a　halt。　Rising　and　straightening　dresses；　they　gathered　the　light　cloaks　they　had　brought。　She　did　not　don　hers；　the　sunlight　here　was　not　so　bright　that　she　needed　the　hood　to　keep　it　from　her　eyes。　Birgitte　only　draped　hers　over　one　shoulder　and　pushed　open　the　door；　following　up　the　three　steps　after　Nynaeve　had　rushed　past　her　with　a　hand　clapped　over　her　mouth。
　　　Elayne　paused　to　tie　her　cloak　ribbons　and　arrange　the　hood　around　her　face；　red…gold　curls　peeking　out　all　around。　〃You　did　not　say　much；　near…sister。〃
　　　〃I　said　what　I　had　to　say。　The　decision　was　yours。〃
　　　〃The　key　thought　was　yours；　though。　Sometimes　I　think　the　rest　of　us　are　turning　into　half…wits。　Well。〃　Half　turning　to　the　steps；　not　quite　looking　at　her；　Elayne　paused。　〃Distances　bother　me；　sometimes；　over　water。　I　think　I　will　look　only　at　the　ship；　myself。　Nothing　else。〃　Aviendha　nodded　…　her　near…sister　had　a　fine　delicacy　…　and　they　went　up。
　　　On　the　deck；　Nynaeve　was　just　shaking　off　Birgitte's　offer　of　help　and　pushing　herself　up　from　the　railing。　The　two　oarsmen　looked　on　in　amusement　as　she　wiped　her　mouth　with　the　back　of　her　hand。　Shiftless　fellows　with　a　brass　hoop　in　each　ear；　they　must　have　had　frequent　use　for　the　curved　daggers　shoved　behind　their　sashes。　Most　of　their　attention　went　to　working　their　pairs　of　long　sweeps；　though；　walking　back　and　forth　on　the　deck　to　hold　the　heaving　boat　in　place　near　a　ship　that　almost　took　Aviendha's　breath　with　its　size；　looming　above　their　suddenly　very　tiny　vessel；　its　three　great　masts　reaching　taller　than　most　trees　she　had　seen　even　here　in　the　wetlands。　They　had　chosen　it　because　it　was　the　largest　of　the　hundreds　of　Sea　Folk　ships　anchored　in　the　bay。　On　a　ship　that　big；　surely　it　must　be　possible　to　forget　all　the　surrounding　water。　Except。。。
　　　Elayne　had　not　really　acknowledged　her　shame；　and　if　she　had；　a　near…sister　could　know　your　deepest　humiliation　without　it　mattering；　but。。。　Amys　said　she　had　too　much　pride。　She　made　herself　turn　and　look　away　from　the　boat。
　　　She　had　never　seen　so　much　water　in　her　life；　not　if　every　drop　seen　before　had　been　gathered　in　one　place；　all　of　it　rolling　gray…green　and　here　and　there　frothing　white。　Her　eyes　darted；　trying　to　avoid　taking　it　in。　Even　the　sky　seemed　larger　here；　immense；　with　a　liquid　gold　sun　crawling　up　from　the　east。　A　gusting　wind　blew；　somewhat　cooler　than　on　the　land　and　never　failing　entirely。　Clouds　of　birds　flurried　in　the　air；　gray　and　white　and　sometimes　splotched　with　black；　giving　those　shrill　cries。　One；　all　black　except　for　its　head；　skimmed　along　the　surface　with　its　long　lower　beak　slicing　through　the　water；　and　a　slanted　line　of　ungainly　brown　birds　…　pelicans；　Elayne　had　named　them　…　suddenly　folded　their　wings　one　by　one　and　plummeted　with　great　splashes；　bobbing　back　to　the　top；　where　they　floated；　tilting　up　beaks　of　incredible　size。　There　were　ships　everywhere；　many　almost　as　large　as　the　one　behind　her；　not　all　belonging　to　the　Atha'an　Miere；　and　smaller　vessels　with　one　or　two　masts　moving　under　triangular　sails。　Smaller　ships　still；　mastless　like　the　boat　she　was　on；　with　a　high　sharp　peak　at　the　front　and　a　low　flat　house　at　the　back；　spidered　across　the　water　on　oars；　one　pair　or　two；　or　sometimes　three。　One　long；　narrow　boat　that　must　have　had　twenty　to　a　side　looked　like　a　hundred…legs　skittering　along。　And　there　was　land。　Maybe　seven　or　eight　miles　distant；　sunlight　gleamed　off　the　white…plastered　buildings　of　the　city。　Seven　or　eight　miles　of　water。
　　　Swallowing；　she　turned　back　more　swiftly　than　she　had　turned　away。　She　thought　her　cheeks　must　be　greener　than　Nynaeve's　had　been。　Elayne　was　watching　her；　trying　to　keep　a　smooth　face；　but　wetlanders　showed　their　emotions　so　plainly　her　concern　was　visible。　〃I　am　a　fool；　Elayne。〃　Even　with　her；　using　no　more　of　her　name　made　Aviendha　feel　uneasy；　when　they　were　first…sisters；　when　they　were　sister…wives；　it　would　be　easier。　〃A　wise　woman　listens　to　wise　advice。〃
　　　〃You　are　braver　than　I　will　ever　be；〃　Elayne　replied；　quite　seriously。　She　was　another　who　kept　denying　that　she　had　any　courage。　Maybe　that　was　also　a　wetlander　custom？　No；　Aviendha　had　heard　wetlanders　speak　of　then　own　bravery；　these　Ebou　Dari；　for　one；　seemed　unable　to　utter　three　words　without　boasting。　Elayne　drew　a　deep　breath；　steeling　herself。　〃Tonight　we　will　talk　about　Rand。〃
　　　Aviendha　nodded；　but　she　did　not　see　how　that　followed　from　talk　of　courage。　How　could　sister…wives　manage　a　husband　if　they　did　not　talk　of　him　in　detail？　That　was　what　the　older　women　told　her；　anyway；　and　the　Wise　Ones。　They　were　not　always　so　forthing；　of　course。　When　she　plained　to　Amys　and　Bair　that　she　must　be　ill　because　she　felt　as　though　Rand　al'Thor　was　carrying　some　part　of　her　around　with　him；　they　had　fallen　down　laughing。　You　will　learn；　they　cackled　at　her；　and　You　would　have　learned　sooner　had　you　grown　up　in　skirts。　As　if　she　had　ever　wanted　any　life　but　that　of　a　Maiden；　running　with　her　spear…sisters。　Maybe　Elayne　felt　something　of　the　same　emptiness。　Speaking　of　him　did　seem　to　make　the　hollowness　grow　even　while　filling　it。
　　　For　some　time　she　had　been　aware　of　voices　rising；　and　now　she　heard　the　words。
　　　〃。。。　you　earringed　buffoon！〃　Nynaeve　was　shaking　her　fist　at　a　very　dark　man　peering　down　at　her　from　over　the　tall　side　of　the　ship。　He　looked　calm；　but　then；　he　could　not　see　the　glow　of　saidar　surrounding　her。　〃We　are　not　after　the　gift　of　passage；　so　it　doesn't　matter　whether　you　refuse　it　to　Aes　Sedai！　You　let　down　a　ladder　this　instant！〃　The　men　at　the　oars　were　missing　their　grins。　Apparently　they　had　failed　to　see　the　serpent　rings　back　at　the　stone　landing；　and　they　did　not　look　pleased　to　learn　they　had　Aes　Sedai　aboard。
　　　〃Oh；　dear；〃　Elayne　sighed。　〃I　must　retrieve　this；　Aviendha；　or　we've　wasted　the　morning　just　so　she　could　lose　her　breakfast　porridge。〃　Gliding　across　the　deck　…　Aviendha　was　proud　of　knowing　the　proper　names　for　things　on　boats　…　Elayne　addressed　the　man　up　on　the　ship。　〃I　am　Elayne　Trakand；　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　and　Aes　Sedai　of　the　Green　Ajah。　My　panion　is　quite　truthful。　We　do　not　seek　the　gift　of　passage。　But　we　must　speak　with　your　Windfinder　on　a　matter　of　urgency。　Tell　her　we　know　of　the　Weaving　of　Winds。　Tell　her　we　know　of　Windfinders。〃
　　　The　man　above　frowned　down　at　her；　then　abruptly　vanished　without　a　word。
　　　〃The　woman　will　probably　think　you　mean　to　blab　her　secrets；〃　Nynaeve　muttered；　jerking　her　cloak　into　place。　She　tied　the　ribbons　fiercely。　〃You　know　how　afraid　they　are　that　Aes　Sedai　will　haul　them　all　off　to　the　Tower；　if　it's　known　most　can　channel。　Only　a　ninny　thinks　she　can　threaten　people；　Elayne；　and　still　get　anywhere。〃
　　　Aviendha　burst　out　laughing。　By　the　startled　look　Nynaeve　gave　her；　she　did　not　see　the　joke　she　had　made　on　herself。　Elayne's　lips　quivered；　though；　however　she　tried　to　hold　them。　You　could　never　be　sure　about　wetlander　humor；　they　found　strange　things　funny　and　missed　the　best。
　　　Whether　or　not　the　Windfinder　felt　threatened；　by　the　time　Elayne　had　paid　the　boatmen　and　cautioned　them　to　wait　for　their　return　…　with　Nynaeve　grumbling　over　the　amount　and　telling　them　she　would　box　their　ears　if　they　left；　and　how　she　was　to　manage　that　nearly　set　Aviendha　laughing　again　…　by　the　time　all　that　was　done；　it　seemed　a　decision　had　been　reached　to　allow　them　on。　No　ladder　was　lowered；　but　instead　a　flat　piece　of　wood；　the　two　ropes　it　hung　from　being　one　and　running　up　to　a　thick　pole　swung　out　over　the　side　from　one　of　the　masts。　Nynaeve　took　her　place　sitting　on　the　board　with　dire　warnings　for　the　boatmen　if　they　even　thought　of　trying　to　look　up　her　skirts；　an