rj.acrownofswords-第75部分

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g。　Joline　suspected　that　was　why　she　was　in　such　a　fury　about　Elayne　and　Egwene　and　the　wilder　Nynaeve；　because　they　were　stronger　than　she；　because　they　had　spent　far　less　time　as　novices；　no　matter　that　they　had　been　pushed　ahead　too　fast。　Why；　Nynaeve　had　never　been　a　novice　at　all；　and　that　was　pletely　unheard　of。
　　　〃Since　you　did　bring　it　up；〃　Teslyn　went　on；　〃perhaps　we　should　try　to　take　advantage　of　the　situation。〃
　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Embracing　the　True　Source；　Joline　channeled　Air　to　lift　the　silver　pitcher　on　the　turquoise…inlaid　side　table　and　fill　a　silver　goblet　with　punch。　As　always；　the　joy　of　embracing　saidar　thrilled　her；　soothing　even　as　it　exhilarated。
　　　〃It　do　be　obvious；　I　should　think。　Elaida's　orders　do　still　stand。　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　are　to　be　returned　to　the　Tower　as　soon　as　found。　I　did　agree　to　wait；　but　perhaps　we　should　wait　no　longer。　A　pity　the　al'Vere　girl　does　no　be　with　them。　But　two　will　put　us　back　in　Elaida's　good　graces；　and　if　we　can　add　the　Cauthon　boy。。。　I　do　think　those　three　will　make　her　wele　us　as　if　we　did　e　with　al'Thor　himself。　And　this　Aviendha　will　make　a　fine　novice；　wilder　or　no。〃
　　　The　goblet　floated　into　Joline's　hand　on　Air；　and　she　reluctantly　released　the　Power。　She　had　never　lost　the　ardor　she　felt　the　first　time　she　touched　the　Source。　Dewmelon　punch　was　a　poor　substitute　for　saidar。　The　worst　part　of　her　penance　before　leaving　the　Tower　had　been　losing　the　right　to　touch　saidar。　Almost　the　worst　part。　She　had　set　it　all　herself；　but　Elaida　had　made　it　clear　that　if　she　did　not　make　it　harsh；　Elaida　would。　She　had　no　doubt　the　result　would　have　been　much　worse；　then。　〃Her　good　graces？　Teslyn；　she　humiliated　us　for　no　more　reason　than　to　show　the　others　that　she　could。　She　sent　us　to　this　fly…ridden　hole　as　far　from　everything　important　as　she　could；　short　of　the　other　side　of　the　Aryth　Ocean；　ambassadors　to　a　queen　with　less　power　than　a　dozen　of　her　own　nobles；　any　one　of　whom　could　snatch　the　throne　from　her　tomorrow　if　they　could　be　bothered　to。　And　you　want　to　wheedle　your　way　back　into　Elaida's　favor？〃
　　　〃She　do　be　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃　Teslyn　touched　the　letter　with　the　page　lying　atop　it；　moving　the　sheets　a　bit　this　way　then　a　bit　that；　as　if　framing　her　thoughts。　〃Remaining　silent　for　a　time　did　let　her　know　we　are　no　lapdogs；　but　remaining　silent　too　long　could　be　seen　as　treason。〃
　　　Joline　sniffed。　〃Ridiculous！　When　they're　returned　they'll　only　be　punished　for　running　away；　and　now　for　pretending　to　be　full　sisters。〃　Her　mouth　tightened。　They　were　both　guilty　there；　and　those　who　allowed　them　to；　as　well；　but　it　made　a　sharp　difference　when　one　of　them　claimed　her　own　Ajah。　By　the　time　the　Green　Ajah　finished　with　Elayne　for　that；　it　would　be　a　very　chastened　young　woman　indeed　who　took　the　throne　of　Andor。　Though　it　might　be　best　if　Elayne　secured　the　Lion　Throne　first。　Her　training　had　to　be　pleted；　either　way。　Joline　did　not　intend　to　see　Elayne　lost　to　the　Tower；　whatever　she　had　done。
　　　〃Do　no　forget　joining　with　the　rebels。〃
　　　〃Light；　Teslyn；　they　were　probably　scooped　up　just　like　the　girls　the　rebels　took　out　of　the　Tower。　Does　it　really　matter　a　whit　whether　they　begin　mucking　out　stalls　tomorrow　or　next　year？〃　That　was　surely　as　much　as　the　novices　and　Accepted　with　the　rebels　would　have　to　face。　〃Even　the　Ajahs　can　wait　to　have　them　in　hand；　really。　It　is　not　as　if　they　aren't　safe。　They　are　Accepted；　after　all；　and　they　certainly　seem　content　to　stay　where　we　can　reach　them　whenever　we　choose。　I　say；　let　us　sit　where　Elaida　put　us；　and　continue　to　fold　our　hands　and　hold　our　tongues。　Until　she　asks　nicely　to　find　out　what　we　are　doing。〃　She　did　not　say　that　she　was　prepared　to　wait　until　Elaida　found　herself　deposed　as　Siuan　had　been。　The　Hall　surely　would　not　put　up　with　the　bullying　and　bungling　forever；　but　Teslyn　was　Red；　after　all；　and　would　not　appreciate　hearing　that。
　　　〃I　suppose　there　do　be　no　urgency；〃　Teslyn　said　slowly；　the　unspoken　〃but〃　all　but　shouting　itself。
　　　Drawing　a　ball…footed　chair　to　the　table　with　another　flow　of　Air；　Joline　settled　herself　to　convincing　her　panion　that　silence　remained　the　best　policy。　Still　a　child；　was　she？　If　she　had　her　way；　Elaida　would　not　get　so　much　as　a　word　out　of　Ebou　Dar　until　she　begged　for　it。
　　　
　　　The　woman　on　the　table　arched　up　as　far　as　her　bonds　would　allow；　eyes　bulging；　throat　corded　with　a　piercing　scream　that　went　on　and　on。　Abruptly　the　scream　was　a　loud　choking　rasp　instead；　and　she　convulsed；　shaking　from　wrists　to　ankles；　then　collapsed　in　silence。　Wide…open　eyes　stared　sightlessly　at　the　cobwebbed　basement　ceiling。
　　　Giving　vent　to　curses　was　irrational；　but　Falion　could　have　turned　the　air　as　blue　as　any　stableman。　Not　for　the　first　time　she　wished　she　had　Temaile　here　instead　of　Ispan。　Questions　were　answered　eagerly　for　Temaile；　and　nobody　died　until　she　was　ready。　Of　course；　Temaile　enjoyed　the　work　entirely　too　much；　but　that　was　beside　the　point。
　　　Channeling　once　more；　Falion　gathered　the　woman's　clothes　from　the　filthy　floor　and　dropped　them　atop　the　body。　The　red　leather　belt　fell　off；　and　she　snatched　it　up　by　hand　and　slapped　it　back　onto　the　pile。　Perhaps　she　should　have　used　other　methods；　but　straps　and　pincers　and　hot　irons　were　so。。。　messy。　〃Leave　the　body　in　an　alley　somewhere。　Slit　the　throat　so　it　looks　as　if　she　was　robbed。　You　can　keep　the　coins　in　her　purse。〃
　　　The　two　men　squatting　on　their　heels　against　the　stone　wall　exchanged　looks。　Arnin　and　Nad　might　have　been　brothers　by　their　appearance；　all　black　hair　and　beady　eyes　and　scars；　with　more　muscles　than　any　three　men　could　need；　but　they　did　have　sufficient　brains　to　carry　out　simple　orders。　Usually。　〃Forgiveness；　Mistress；〃　Arnin　said　hesitantly；　〃but　no　one　will　believe　…　〃
　　　〃Do　as　you　are　told！〃　she　snapped；　channeling　to　haul　him　to　his　feet　and　slam　him　back　against　the　stones。　His　head　bounced；　yet　that　surely　could　do　him　no　damage。
　　　Nad　rushed　to　the　table；　babbling；　〃Yes；　Mistress。　As　you　mand；　Mistress。〃　When　she　released　Arnin；　he　did　not　babble；　but　he　staggered　over　without　any　more　objections　to　help　gather　up　the　body　like　so　much　rubbish　and　carry　it　out。　Well；　it　was　so　much　rubbish；　now。　She　regretted　the　outburst。　Letting　temper　take　control　was　irrational。　It　did　seem　to　be　effective　at　times；　though。　After　all　these　years；　that　still　surprised　her。
　　　〃Moghedien；　she　will　not　like　this；〃　Ispan　said　as　soon　as　the　men　had　gone。　The　blue　and　green　beads　that　were　worked　into　her　many　slim　black　braids　clacked　as　she　shook　her　head。　She　had　remained　in　the　shadows　the　whole　time；　in　a　corner；　with　a　small　ward　woven　so　she　could　not　hear。
　　　Falion　managed　not　to　glare。　Ispan　was　the　last　panion　she　would　have　chosen　for　herself。　She　was　Blue；　or　had　been。　Perhaps　she　still　was。　Falion　did　not　really　think　herself　any　less　White　Ajah　because　she　had　joined　the　Black。　Blues　were　too　fervent；　tying　emotion　around　what　should　be　viewed　with　utter　dispassion。　Rianna；　another　White；　would　have　been　her　choice。　Though　the　woman　did　have　odd；　unsound　notions　on　several　points　of　logic。　〃Moghedien　has　forgotten　us；　Ispan。　Or　have　you　received　some　private　word　from　her？　In　any　case；　I　am　convinced　this　cache　does　not　exist。〃
　　　〃Moghedien；　she　says　that　it　does。〃　Ispan　began　firmly；　but　her　voice　quickly　grew　warm。　〃A　store　of　angreal；　and　sa'angreal；　and　ter'angreal。　We　will　have　some　part　of　them。　angreal　of　our　very　own；　Falion。　Perhaps　even　sa'angreal。　She　has　promised。〃
　　　〃Moghedien　was　wrong。〃　Falion　watched　shock　widen　the　other　woman's　eyes。　The　Chosen　were　only　people。
　　　Learning　that　lesson　had　stunned　Falion　too；　but　some　refused　to　learn。　The　Chosen　were　vastly　stronger；　infinitely　more　knowledgeable；　and　quite　possibly　they　had　already　received　the　reward　of　immortality；　but　by　all　evidence　they　schemed　and　fought　each　other　as　hard　as　two　Murandians　with　one　blanket。
　　　Ispan's　shock　quickly　gave　way　to　anger。　〃There　are　others　looking。　Would　they　all　look　for　nothing？　There　are　Friends　of　the　Dark　looking；　they　must　have　been　sent　by　others　of　the　Chosen。　If　the　Chosen　look；　can　you　still　say　there　is　nothing？〃　She　would　not　see。　If　a　thing　could　not　be　found；　the　most　obvious　reason　was　that　it　was　not　there。
　　　Falion　waited。　Ispan　was　not　stupid；　only　awestruck；　and　Falion　did　believe　in　making　people　teach　themselves　what　they　should　already　be　aware　of。　Lazy　minds　needed　to　be　exercised。
　　　Ispan　paced；　swishing　her　skirts　and　frowning　at　the　dust　and　old　cobwebs。　〃This　place　smells。　And　it　is　filthy！〃　She　shuddered　as　a　large　black　cockroach　went　skittering　up　the　wall。　The　glow　surrounded　her　for　a　moment；　a　flow　squashed　the　beetle　with　a　popping　sound。　Making　a　face；　Ispan　wiped　her　hands　on　her　skirts　as　if　she　had　used　them　instead　of　the　Power。　She　had　a　delicate　stomach；　though　fortunately　not　when　she　could　remove　herself　from　the　actual　deed。　〃I　will　not　report　the　failure　to　one　of　the　Chosen；　Falion。　She　would　make　us　envy　Liandrin；　yes？〃
　　　Falion　did　not　quite　shiver。　She　did；　however；　cross　the　basement　and　pour　herself　a　cup　of　plum　punch。　The　plums　had　been　old；　and　the　punch　was　too　sweet；　but　her　hands　remained　steady。　Fear　of　Moghedien　was　perfectly　sensible；　but　yielding　to　fear　was　not。　Perhaps　the　woman　was　dead。　Surely　she　would　have　summoned　them　by　now　else；　or　snatched　them　sleeping　into　Tel'aran'rhiod　again　to　tell　her　why　they　had　not　yet　carried　out　her　mands。　Until　she　saw　a　body；　though；　the　only　logical　choice　was　to　continue　as　if　Moghedien　would　appear　any　moment。　〃There　is　a　way。〃
　　　〃How？　Put　every　Wise　Woman　in　Ebou　Dar　to　the　question？　How　many　are　there？　A　hundred？　Two　hundred　perhaps？　The　sisters　in　the　Tarasin　Palace；　they　would　notice　this；　I　think。〃
　　　〃Forget　your　dreams　of　owning　a　sa'angreal；　Ispan。　There　is　no　long…hidden　storehouse；　no　secret　basement　beneath　a　palace。〃　Falion　spoke　in　cool；　measured　tones；　perhaps　more　measured　the　more　agitated　Ispan　became。　She　had　always　enjoyed　mesmerizing　a　class　of　novices　with　the　sound　of　her　voice。　〃Almost　all　of　the　Wise　Women　are　wilders；　highly　unlikely　to　know