rj.acrownofswords-第71部分

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s；　where　you　never　knew　what　to　expect　until　it　was　too　late。　There　were　deep　currents　here。　Deep　currents　around　Aes　Sedai　could　snatch　a　man　to　his　death　without　them　so　much　as　noticing。　Maybe　it　was　time　to　start　prying　at　fingers。
　　　Laren's　sudden　reappearance　saved　him　the　effort。　Struggling　to　control　her　breath　as　if　she　had　been　running；　the　plump　woman　spread　her　skirts　in　a　curtsy　markedly　deeper　than　she　had　given　him。　〃Forgiveness　for　disturbing　you；　Aes　Sedai；　but　the　Queen　summons　Lord　Cauthon。　Forgiveness；　please。　It's　more　than　my　ears　are　worth　if　I　don't　bring　him　straight　away。〃
　　　The　Aes　Sedai　looked　at　her；　all　of　them；　till　she　began　to　fidget；　then　the　two　groups　stared　at　one　another　as　if　trying　to　see　who　could　out…Aes　Sedai　who。　And　then　they　looked　at　him。　He　wondered　whether　anybody　was　going　to　move。
　　　〃I　can't　keep　the　Queen　waiting；　now　can　I？〃　he　said　cheerily。　From　the　sniffs；　you　would　have　thought　he　had　pinched　somebody's　bottom。　Even　Laren's　brows　drew　down　in　disapproval。
　　　〃Release　him；　Adeleas；〃　Merilille　said　finally。
　　　He　frowned　as　the　white…haired　woman　plied。　Those　two　ought　to　wear　little　signs　with　their　names；　or　different…color　hair　ribbons　or　something。　She　gave　him　another　of　those　amused；　knowing　smiles。　He　hated　that。　It　was　a　woman's　trick；　not　just　Aes　Sedai；　and　they　usually　did　not　know　anything　at　all　like　what　they　wanted　you　to　believe。　〃Teslyn？〃　he　said。　The　grim　Red　still　had　hold　of　his　coat　with　both　hands。　She　peered　up　at　him；　ignoring　everyone　else。　〃The　Queen？〃
　　　Merilille　opened　her　mouth　and　hesitated；　obviously　changing　what　she　had　been　going　to　say。　〃How　long　do　you　intend　to　stand　here　holding　him；　Teslyn？　Perhaps　you　will　explain　to　Tylin　why　her　summons　is　disregarded。〃
　　　〃Consider　well　who　you　do　tie　yourself　to；　Master　Cauthon；〃　Teslyn　said；　still　looking　only　at　him。　〃Wrong　choices　can　lead　to　an　unpleasant　future；　even　for　a　ta'veren。　Consider　well。〃　Then　she　let　go。
　　　As　he　followed　Laren；　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　show　his　eagerness　to　be　away；　but　he　did　wish　the　woman　would　walk　a　little　faster。　She　glided　along　ahead　of　him；　regal　as　any　queen。　Regal　as　any　Aes　Sedai。　When　they　reached　the　first　turning；　he　looked　over　his　shoulder。　The　five　Aes　Sedai　were　still　standing　there；　staring　after　him。　As　if　his　look　had　been　a　signal；　they　exchanged　silent　glances　and　went；　each　in　a　different　direction。　Adeleas　came　toward　him；　but　a　dozen　steps　before　reaching　him　she　smiled　at　him　again　and　disappeared　through　a　doorway。　Deep　currents。　He　preferred　swimming　where　his　feet　could　touch　the　bottom　of　the　pond。
　　　Laren　was　waiting　around　the　corner；　hands　on　broad　hips　and　her　face　much　too　smooth。　Beneath　her　skirts；　he　suspected；　her　foot　was　tapping　impatiently。　He　gave　her　his　most　winning　smile。　Giggling　girls　or　gray…haired　grandmothers；　women　softened　for　that　one；　it　had　won　him　kisses　and　eased　him　out　of　predicaments　more　often　than　he　could　count。　It　was　almost　as　good　as　flowers。　〃That　was　neatly　done；　and　I　thank　you。　I'm　sure　the　Queen　doesn't　really　want　to　see　me。〃　If　she　did；　he　did　not　want　to　see　her。　Everything　he　thought　about　nobles　was　tripled　for　royalty。　Nothing　he　had　found　in　those　old　memories　changed　that；　and　some　of　those　fellows　had　spent　considerable　time　around　kings　and　queens　and　the　like。　〃Now；　if　you　will　just　show　me　where　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　stay。。。　〃
　　　Strangely；　the　smile　did　not　seem　to　have　any　effect。　〃I　would　not　lie；　Lord　Cauthon。　It　would　be　more　than　my　ears　are　worth。　The　Queen　is　waiting；　my　Lord。　You　are　a　very　brave　man；〃　she　added；　turning；　then　said　something　more　under　her　breath。　〃Or　a　very　great　fool。〃　He　doubted　he　had　been　supposed　to　hear　that
　　　A　choice　between　going　to　see　the　Queen　and　wandering　miles　of　corridor　until　he　stumbled　on　somebody　who　would　tell　him　what　he　wanted　to　know？　He　went　to　see　the　Queen。
　　　Tylin　Quintara；　by　the　Grace　of　the　Light；　Queen　of　Altara；　Mistress　of　the　Four　Winds；　Guardian　of　the　Sea　of　Storms；　High　Seat　of　House　Mitsobar；　awaited　him　in　a　room　with　yellow　walls　and　a　pale　blue　ceiling；　standing　before　a　huge　white　fireplace　with　a　stone　lintel　carved　into　a　stormy　sea。　She　was　well　worth　seeing；　he　decided。　Tylin　was　not　young　…　the　shiny　black　hair　cascading　over　her　shoulders　had　gray　at　the　temples；　and　faint　lines　webbed　the　corners　of　her　eyes　…　nor　was　she　exactly　pretty；　though　the　two　thin　scars　on　her　cheeks　had　nearly　vanished　with　age。　Handsome　came　closer。　But　she　was。。。　imposing。　Large　dark　eyes　regarded　him　majestically；　an　eagle's　eyes。　She　had　little　real　power　…　a　man　could　ride　beyond　her　writ　in　two　or　three　days　and　still　have　a　lot　of　Altara　ahead　…　but　he　thought　she　might　make　even　an　Aes　Sedai　step　back。　Like　Isebele　of　Dal　Calain；　who　had　made　the　Amyrlin　Anghara　e　to　her。　That　was　one　of　the　old　memories；　Dal　Calain　had　vanished　in　the　Trolloc　Wars。
　　　〃Majesty；〃　he　said；　sweeping　his　hat　wide　in　a　bow　and　flourishing　an　imaginary　cloak；　〃by　your　summons　do　I　e。〃　Imposing　or　not；　it　was　hard　to　keep　his　eyes　away　from　the　not　small　lace…trimmed　oval　where　her　white…sheathed　marriage…knife　hung。　A　very　nicely　rounded　sight　indeed；　yet　the　more　bosom　a　woman　displayed；　the　less　she　wanted　you　to　look。　Openly；　at　least。　White…sheathed；　but　he　already　knew　she　was　a　widow。　Not　that　it　mattered。　He　would　as　soon　tangle　himself　with　that　fox…faced　Darkfriend　as　with　a　queen。　Not　looking　at　all　was　difficult；　but　he　managed。　Most　likely　she　would　call　guards　rather　than　draw　the　gem…encrusted　dagger　thrust　behind　a　woven…gold　belt　to　match　the　collar　her　marriage　knife　hung　from。　Maybe　that　was　why　the　dice　were　still　rolling　in　his　head。　The　possibility　of　an　encounter　with　the　headsman　would　set　them　spinning　if　anything　did。
　　　Layered　silk　petticoats　rippled　white　and　yellow　as　she　crossed　the　room　and　walked　slowly　all　the　way　around　him。　〃You　speak　the　Old　Tongue；〃　she　said　once　she　stood　in　front　of　him　again。　Her　voice　was　low…pitched　and　musical。　Without　waiting　for　a　reply；　she　glided　to　a　chair　and　sat；　adjusting　her　green　skirts。　An　unconscious　gesture；　her　gaze　remained　fixed　on　him。　He　thought　she　could　probably　tell　when　his　smallclothes　had　been　washed　last。　〃You　wish　to　leave　a　message。　I　have　what　is　necessary。〃　A　lace　fall　at　her　wrist　swayed　as　she　gestured　to　a　small　writing　table　standing　beneath　a　gilt…framed　mirror。　All　the　furnishings　were　gilded　and　carved　like　bamboo。
　　　Tall　triple…arched　windows　opening　onto　a　wrought…iron　balcony　admitted　a　sea　breeze　that　was　surprisingly　pleasant；　if　not　exactly　cool；　yet　Mat　felt　hotter　than　in　the　street；　and　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　stare。　Deyeniye；　dyu　ninte　concion　ca'lyet　ye。　That　was　what　he　had　said。　The　bloody　Old　Tongue　popping　out　of　his　mouth　again　without　him　knowing　it。　He　had　thought　he　had　that　little　bother　under　control。　No　telling　when　those　bloody　dice　would　stop　or　for　what。　Best　to　keep　his　eyes　to　himself　and　his　mouth　shut　as　much　as　possible。　〃I　thank　you；　Majesty。〃　He　made　very　sure　of　those　words。
　　　Thick　sheets　of　pale　paper　already　waited　on　the　slanted　table；　at　a　fortable　height　for　writing。　He　propped　his　hat　against　the　table　leg。　He　could　see　her　in　the　mirror。　Watching。　Why　had　he　let　his　tongue　run　loose？　Dipping　a　golden　pen　…　what　else　would　a　queen　have？　…　he　posed　what　he　wanted　to　write　in　his　head　before　bending　over　the　paper　with　an　arm　curled　around　it。　His　hand　was　awkward　and　square。　He　had　no　love　of　writing。
　　　
　　　I　followed　a　Darkfriend　to　the　palace　Jaichim　Carridin　is　renting。　She　tried　to　kill　me　once；　and　maybe　Rand　as　well。　She　was　greeted　like　an　old　friend　of　the　house。
　　　
　　　For　a　moment　he　studied　that；　biting　the　end　of　the　pen　before　realizing　he　was　scoring　the　soft　gold。　Maybe　Tylin　would　not　notice。　They　needed　to　know　about　Carridin。　What　else？　He　added　a　few　more　reasonably　worded　lines。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　to　put　their　backs　up。
　　　
　　　Be　sensible。　If　you　have　to　go　traipsing　around；　let　me　send　a　few　men　along　to　keep　you　from　having　your　heads　split　open。　Anyway；　isn't　it　about　time　I　took　you　back　to　Egwene？　There's　nothing　here　but　heat　and　flies；　and　we　can　find　plenty　of　those　in　Caemlyn。
　　　
　　　There。　They　could　not　ask　for　pleasanter　than　that。
　　　Blotting　the　page　carefully；　he　folded　it　four　times。　Sand　in　a　small　golden　bowl　covered　a　coal。　He　puffed　on　it　till　it　glowed；　then　used　it　to　light　a　candle　and　picked　up　the　stick　of　red　wax。　As　the　sealing　wax　dripped　onto　the　edges　of　the　paper；　it　suddenly　struck　him　that　he　had　a　signet　ring　in　his　pocket。　Just　something　the　ringmaker　had　carved　to　show　his　skill；　but　better　than　a　plain　lump。　The　ring　was　slightly　longer　than　the　pool　of　solidifying　wax；　yet　most　of　the　sigil　took。
　　　For　the　first　time　he　got　a　good　look　at　what　he　had　bought。　Inside　a　border　of　large　crescents；　a　running　fox　seemed　to　have　startled　two　birds　into　flight。　That　made　him　grin。　Too　bad　it　was　not　a　hand；　for　the　Band；　but　appropriate　enough。　He　certainly　needed　to　be　crafty　as　a　fox　to　keep　up　with　Nynaeve　and　Elayne；　and　if　they　were　not　exactly　flighty；　well。。。　Besides；　the　medallion　had　made　him　fond　of　foxes。　He　scrawled　Nynaeve's　name　on　the　outside；　and　then　Elayne's；　as　an　afterthought。　One　or　the　other；　they　should　see　it　soon。
　　　Turning　with　the　sealed　letter　held　in　front　of　him；　he　gave　a　start　as　his　knuckles　brushed　against　Tylin's　bosom。　He　stumbled　back　against　the　writing　table；　staring　and　trying　not　to　turn　red。　Staring　at　her　face；　just　her　face。　He　had　not　heard　her　approach。　Best　to　simply　ignore　the　brushing；　not　embarrass　her　any　further。　She　probably　thought　he　was　a　clumsy　lout　as　it　was。　〃There　is　something　in　this　you　should　know；　Majesty。〃　Insufficient　room　remained　between　them　to　lift　the　letter。　〃Jaichim　Carridin　is　entertaining　Darkfriends；　and　I　don't　mean　arresting　them。〃
　　　〃You　are　certain？　Of　course　you　are。　No　one　would　make　that　charge　without　being　certain。〃　A　furrow　creased　her　forehead；　but　she　gave　her　head　a　shake　and　the　frown　disappeared。　〃Let　us　speak　of　more　pleasant　things。〃
　　　He