rj.acrownofswords-第74部分

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　without　a　flinch。　She　was　pretty　despite　a　touch　of　gray　in　her　hair；　and　her　marriage　knife　nestled　in　roundness　that　normally　would　have　drawn　his　eyes　like　moths　to　a　candle；　yet　looking　at　her　that　way　would　have　been　like　looking　at。。。　Not　his　mother。　At　an　Aes　Sedai；　maybe　…　though　he　had　done　that；　of　course；　just　to　look　…　or　at　Queen　Tylin；　the　Light　help　him　there。　Putting　a　finger　on　why　was　not　easy。　She　simply　had　a　way　about　her。　It　was　just　difficult　to　think　of　doing　anything　that　would　offend　Setalle　Anan。
　　　〃One　of　them　jumped　me　in　the　hall。〃　Mat　kicked　the　chest　lightly；　it　made　a　hollow　sound　despite　the　dead　man　slumped　inside　with　his　arms　and　legs　dangling　out。　〃This　is　empty　except　for　him。　I　think　they　meant　to　fill　it　with　whatever　they　could　steal。〃　The　gold；　perhaps？　Not　likely　they　could　have　heard　of　that；　won　only　hours　ago；　but　he　would　ask　Mistress　Anan　about　a　safer　place　to　keep　it。
　　　She　nodded　calmly；　hazel　eyes　serene。　Men　knifed　in　her　inn　did　not　ruffle　her　feathers。　〃They　insisted　on　carrying　it　up　themselves。　Their　stock；　so　they　claimed。　They　took　the　room　just　before　you　came　in。　For　a　few　hours；　they　said；　to　sleep　before　traveling　on　toward　Nor　Chasen。〃　That　was　a　small　village　on　the　coast　to　the　east；　but　it　was　unlikely　they　would　have　told　the　truth。　Her　tone　implied　as　much。　She　frowned　at　the　dead　men　as　though　wishing　she　could　shake　them　alive　to　answer　questions。　〃They　were　picky　about　the　room；　though。　The　pale…haired　man　was　in　charge。　He　turned　down　the　first　three　he　was　offered；　then　accepted　this；　that　was　meant　for　a　single　servant。　I　thought　he　was　being　stingy　with　a　coin。〃
　　　〃Even　a　thief　can　be　tightfisted；〃　Mat　said　absently。　This　could　have　qualified　to　start　those　dice　rolling　in　his　head　…　a　head　that　would　have　been　cracked　open　for　sure　without　the　luck　of　that　fellow　stepping　on　the　one　board　in　the　whole　inn　that　would　squeak　…　but　the　bloody　things　were　still　tumbling。　He　did　not　like　it。
　　　〃You　think　it　was　chance　then；　my　Lord？〃
　　　〃What　else？〃
　　　She　had　no　answer；　but　she　frowned　at　the　corpses　again。　Maybe　she　was　not　so　sanguine　as　he　had　thought。　She　was　not　native　to　Ebou　Dar；　after　all。
　　　〃Too　many　roughs　in　the　city　of　late。〃　Jasfer　had　a　deep　voice；　and　speaking　normally　he　seemed　to　be　barking　mands　on　a　fishing　boat。　〃Maybe　you　ought　to　think　on　hiring　guards。〃　All　Mistress　Anan　did　was　lift　an　eyebrow　at　her　husband；　but　his　hands　rose　defensively。　〃Peace　be　on　you；　wife。　I　spoke　without　thinking。〃　Ebou　Dari　women　were　known　to　express　displeasure　with　a　husband　in　a　sharp　fashion。　It　was　not　beyond　possibility　that　a　few　of　his　scars　came　from　her。　The　marriage　knife　had　several　uses。
　　　Thanking　the　Light　he　was　not　married　to　an　Ebou　Dari；　Mat　replaced　his　own　knife　in　its　sheath　alongside　the　others。　Thank　the　Light　he　was　not　married　at　all。　His　fingers　brushed　paper。
　　　Mistress　Anan　was　not　letting　her　husband　off　easily。　〃You　frequently　do；　husband；〃　she　said；　fingering　the　hilt　between　her　breasts。　〃Many　women　would　not　let　it　pass。　Elynde　always　tells　me　I　am　not　firm　enough　when　you　speak　out　of　line。　I　need　to　provide　a　good　example　for　my　daughters。〃　Acerbity　melted　into　a　smile；　if　a　small　one。　〃Consider　yourself　chastised。　I　will　refrain　from　telling　you　who　should　haul　which　net　on　which　boat。〃
　　　〃You　are　too　kind　to　me；　wife；〃　he　replied　dryly。　There　was　no　guild　for　innkeepers　in　Ebou　Dar；　but　every　inn　in　the　city　was　in　the　hands　of　a　woman；　to　Ebou　Dari；　bad　luck　of　the　worst　sort　would　dog　any　inn　owned　by　a　man　or　any　vessel　owned　by　a　woman。　There　were　no　women　in　the　fishermen's　guild。
　　　Mat　pulled　out　the　paper。　It　was　snowy　white；　expensive　and　stiff；　and　folded　small。　The　few　lines　on　it　were　printed　in　square　letters　like　those　Olver　might　use。　Or　an　adult　who　did　not　want　the　hand　recognized。
　　　
　　　ELAYNE　AND　NYNAEVE　ARE　PUSHING　TOO　FAR。　REMIND　THEM　THEY　ARE　STILL　IN　DANGER　FROM　THE　TOWER。　WARN　THEM　TO　BE　CAREFUL；　OR　THEY　WILL　BE　KNEELING　TO　ASK　ELAIDA'S　PARDON　YET。
　　　
　　　That　was　all；　no　signature。　Still　in　danger？　That　suggested　it　was　nothing　new；　and　somehow　it　did　not　fit　with　them　being　snared　up　by　the　rebels。　No；　that　was　the　wrong　question。　Who　had　slipped　him　this　note？　Obviously　somebody　who　thought　they　could　not　simply　hand　it　to　him。　Who　had　had　the　opportunity　since　he　put　the　coat　on　this　morning？　It　had　not　been　there　then；　for　sure。　Somebody　who　had　gotten　close。　Somebody。。。　Unbidden；　he　found　himself　humming　a　snatch　of　〃She　Dazzles　My　Eyes　and　Clouds　My　Mind。〃　Around　here　the　tune　had　different　words；　they　called　it　〃Upside　Down　and　'Round　and　'Round。〃　Only　Teslyn　or　Joline　fit；　and　that　was　impossible。
　　　〃Bad　news；　my　Lord？〃　Mistress　Anan　asked。
　　　Mat　stuffed　the　note　into　his　pocket。　〃Does　any　man　ever　get　to　understand　women？　I　don't　mean　just　Aes　Sedai。　Any　women。〃
　　　Jasfer　roared；　and　when　his　wife　directed　a　meaning　gaze　his　way；　he　only　laughed　harder。　The　look　she　gave　Mat　would　have　shamed　an　Aes　Sedai　for　its　perfect　serenity。　〃Men　have　it　quite　easy；　my　Lord；　if　they　only　looked　or　listened。　Women　have　the　difficult　task。　We　must　try　to　understand　men。〃　Jasfer　took　hold　of　the　doorframe；　tears　rolling　down　his　dark　face。　She　eyed　him　sideways；　tilting　her　head；　then　turned；　all　cool　calmness　…　and　punched　him　under　the　ribs　with　her　fist　so　hard　that　his　knees　buckled。　His　laughter　took　on　a　wheeze　without　stopping。　〃There　is　a　saying　in　Ebou　Dar；　my　Lord；〃　she　said　to　Mat　over　her　shoulder。　〃　'A　man　is　a　maze　of　brambles　in　darkness；　and　even　he　does　not　know　the　way。'　〃
　　　Mat　snorted。　Fat　lot　of　help　she　was。　Well；　Teslyn　or　Joline　or　somebody　else　…　it　must　have　been　somebody　else；　if　he　could　only　think　who　…　the　White　Tower　was　a　long　way　away。　Jaichim　Carridin　was　right　here。　He　frowned　at　the　two　corpses。　And　so　were　a　hundred　other　scoundrels。　Somehow　he　would　see　those　two　women　safely　out　of　Ebou　Dar。　The　trouble　was；　he　did　not　have　a　clue　how。　He　wished　those　bloody　dice　would　stop；　and　be　done　with　it。
　　　
　　　The　apartments　Joline　shared　with　Teslyn　were　quite　spacious；　including　a　bedchamber　for　each　of　them；　plus　one　apiece　for　their　maids　and　another　that　would　have　done　quite　well　for　Blaeric　and　Fen；　if　Teslyn　could　have　stood　to　have　her　Warders　with　them。　The　woman　saw　every　man　as　a　potentially　rabid　wolf；　and　there　was　no　gainsaying　her　when　she　truly　wanted　something。　As　inexorable　as　Elaida；　she　ground　down　whatever　lay　in　her　path。　They　stood　as　equals　in　every　real　way；　certainly；　but　not　many　managed　to　prevail　over　Teslyn　without　a　clear　advantage。　She　was　at　the　writing　table　in　the　sitting　room　when　Joline　entered；　her　pen　making　an　awful　scritch…scritch。　She　was　always　parsimonious　with　the　ink。
　　　Without　a　word；　Joline　swept　by　her　and　out　onto　the　balcony；　a　long　cage　of　white…painted　iron。　The　scrollwork　was　so　tight　that　the　men　working　in　the　garden　three　stories　below　would　have　a　difficult　time　seeing　that　there　was　anyone　within。　Flowers　in　this　region　ordinarily　thrived　in　heat；　wild　colors　to　outshine　the　interior　of　the　palace；　but　nothing　bloomed　down　there。　Gardeners　moved　along　the　gravel　walks　with　buckets　of　water；　yet　nearly　every　leaf　was　yellow　or　brown。　She　would　not　have　admitted　it　under　torture；　but　the　heat　made　her　afraid。　The　Dark　One　was　touching　the　world；　and　their　only　hope　a　boy　who　was　running　wild。
　　　〃Bread　and　water？〃　Teslyn　said　suddenly。　〃Send　the　Cauthon　boy　off　to　the　Tower？　If　there　do　be　changes　in　what　we　did　plan；　you　will　please　inform　me　before　telling　others。〃
　　　Joline　felt　a　touch　of　heat　in　her　cheeks。　〃Merilille　needed　to　be　set　down。　She　lectured　when　I　was　a　novice。〃　So　had　Teslyn；　a　severe　teacher　who　held　her　classes　with　an　iron　grip。　Just　the　way　she　spoke　was　a　reminder；　a　marked　warning　not　to　go　against　her；　equal　or　not。　Merilille；　though；　stood　lower。　〃She　used　to　make　us　stand　in　front　of　the　class；　and　she　would　dig　and　dig　for　the　answer　she　wanted；　until　we　stood　there　in　front　of　every　one；　weeping　with　frustration。　She　pretended　to　sympathize；　or　perhaps　she　really　did；　but　the　more　she　patted　us　and　told　us　not　to　cry；　the　worse　it　was。〃　She　cut　off　abruptly。　She　had　not　intended　to　say　all　that。　It　was　Teslyn's　fault；　always　looking　at　her　as　if　she　were　about　to　be　upbraided　for　a　spot　on　her　dress。　But　she　should　understand；　Merilille　had　taught　her；　too。
　　　〃You　have　remembered　that　all　this　time？〃　Stark　incredulity　painted　Teslyn's　voice。　〃The　sisters　who　did　teach　us　did　only　do　their　duty。　Sometimes　I　do　think　what　Elaida　did　say　of　you　do　be　right。〃　The　annoying　scritch…scritch　resumed。
　　　〃It。。。　simply　came　to　mind　when　Merilille　began　as　if　she　were　truly　an　ambassador。〃　Instead　of　a　rebel。　Joline　frowned　at　the　garden。　She　despised　every　one　of　those　women　who　had　broken　the　White　Tower；　and　flaunted　the　break　before　all　the　world。　Them　and　anyone　who　aided　them。　But　Elaida　had　blundered　too；　horribly。　The　sisters　who　were　rebels　now　could　have　been　reconciled；　with　a　little　effort。　〃What　did　she　say　of　me？　Teslyn？〃　The　sound　of　the　pen　continued；　like　fingernails　scraping　across　a　slate。　Joline　went　back　inside。　〃What　did　Elaida　say？〃
　　　Teslyn　laid　another　sheet　atop　her　letter；　either　to　blot　or　to　shield　it　from　Joline's　eyes；　but　she　did　not　answer　immediately。　She　scowled　at　Joline　…　or　perhaps　just　looked；　it　was　difficult　to　say　with　her　at　times　…　and　at　last　sighed。　〃Very　well。　If　you　must　know。　She　did　say　you　still　do　be　a　child。〃
　　　〃A　child？〃　Joline's　shock　had　no　effect　on　the　other　woman。
　　　〃Some；〃　Teslyn　said　calmly；　〃do　change　little　from　the　day　they　do　put　on　novice　white。　Some　do　change　no　at　all。　Elaida　does　believe　you　have　no　grown　up　yet　and　never　will。〃
　　　Joline　tossed　her　head　angrily；　unwilling　to　let　herself　speak。　To　have　that　said　by　someone　whose　mother　had　been　a　child　when　she　herself　gained　the　shawl！　Elaida　had　been　petted　too　much　as　a　novice；　made　over　too　much　for　her　strength　and　the　remarkable　speed　of　her　learning。　Joline　suspected　that　was　why　she　was　in　such　a　fury　about　Elayne　and　Egwene　and　the　wilder　Nynae