rj.acrownofswords-第79部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


two　feet　of　golden　scales。　〃I've　never　known　whether　Cairhienin　or　Tairens　overdo　worse；　but　either　can　make　an　Ebou　Dari　blush；　or　even　a　Tinker。　Is　that　a　tea　tray？　I　would　like　some；　if　it's　fresh；　and　hot。〃
　　　Channeling；　Rand　scooped　up　the　tray；　half　expecting　to　see　the　metal　corrode　from　the　taint；　and　wafted　it　to　the　three　women。　Merana　had　brought　extra　cups；　and　four　still　stood　unused　on　the　tray。　He　filled　three；　replaced　the　teapot　and　waited。　It　floated　in　midair；　supported　by　saidin。
　　　Three　very　different　women　in　appearance；　and　three　distinctly　different　reactions。　Annoura　looked　at　the　tray　much　as　one　might　a　coiled　viper；　gave　a　tiny　shake　of　her　head；　and　took　a　small　step　back。　Merana　drew　a　deep　breath　and　slowly　picked　up　a　cup　with　a　hand　that　trembled　slightly。　Knowing　a　man　could　channel　and　being　forced　to　see　it　were　not　at　all　the　same。　Cadsuane；　though；　took　her　cup　and　sniffed　the　vapors　with　a　pleased　smile。　Nothing　could　tell　her　which　of　the　three　men　had　poured　the　tea；　yet　she　looked　across　her　cup　straight　at　Rand；　lounging　with　one　leg　over　the　arm　over　his　chair。　〃That's　a　good　boy；〃　she　said。　The　Maidens　passed　shocked　looks　above　their　veils。
　　　Rand　quivered。　No。　She　would　not　provoke　him。　For　whatever　reason；　that　was　what　she　wanted；　and　she　would　not！　〃I　will　ask　one　more　time；〃　he　said。　Strange；　that　his　voice　could　be　that　cold；　inside；　he　was　hotter　than　the　hottest　fires　of　saidin。　〃What　do　you　want？　Answer；　or　leave。　By　the　door　or　a　window；　your　choice。〃
　　　Again　Merana　began　to　speak；　and　again　Cadsuane　silenced　her；　this　time　by　a　sharp　gesture　without　looking　away　from　him。　〃To　see　you；〃　she　said　calmly。　〃I　am　Green　Ajah；　not　Red；　but　I　have　worn　the　shawl　longer　than　any　other　sister　living；　and　I　have　faced　more　men　who　could　channel　than　any　four　Reds；　maybe　than　any　ten。　Not　that　I　hunted　them；　you　understand；　but　I　seem　to　have　a　nose。〃　Calmly；　a　woman　saying　she　had　been　to　market　once　or　twice　in　her　life。　〃Some　fought　to　the　bitter　end；　kicking　and　screaming　even　after　they　were　shielded　and　bound。　Some　wept　and　begged；　offering　gold；　anything；　their　very　souls；　not　to　be　taken　to　Tar　Valon。　Still　others　wept　from　relief；　meek　as　lambs；　thankful　finally　to　be　done　with　it。　Light's　truth；　they　all　weep；　at　the　end。　There　is　nothing　left　for　them　but　tears　at　the　end。〃
　　　The　heat　inside　him　erupted　in　rage。　Tray　and　massive　teapot　hurtled　across　the　room；　smashing　a　mirror　with　a　thunderous　crash　and　bouncing　back　in　a　shower　of　glass；　half…flattened　pot　spraying　tea；　tray　spinning　across　the　floor　bent　double。　Everyone　jumped　except　Cadsuane。　Rand　leaped　from　the　dais；　clutching　the　Dragon　Scepter　so　hard　his　knuckles　hurt。　〃Is　that　supposed　to　frighten　me？〃　he　growled。　〃Do　you　expect　me　to　beg；　or　to　be　thankful？　To　weep？　Aes　Sedai；　I　could　close　my　hand　and　crush　you。〃　The　hand　he　held　up　shook　with　fury。　〃Merana　knows　why　I　should。　The　Light　only　knows　why　I　don't。〃
　　　The　woman　looked　at　the　battered　tea　things　as　if　she　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。　〃Now　you　know；〃　she　said　at　last；　calm　as　ever；　〃that　I　know　your　future；　and　your　present。　The　Light's　mercy　fades　to　nothing　for　a　man　who　can　channel。　Some　see　that　and　believe　the　Light　denies　those　men。　I　do　not。　Have　you　begun　to　hear　voices；　yet？〃
　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　asked　slowly。　He　could　feel　Lews　Therin　listening。
　　　The　tingle　returned　to　his　skin；　and　he　very　nearly　channeled；　but　all　that　happened　was　that　the　teapot　rose　and　floated　to　Cadsuane；　turning　slowly　in　the　air　for　her　to　examine。　〃Some　men　who　can　channel　begin　to　hear　voices。〃　She　spoke　almost　absently；　frowning　at　the　flattened　sphere　of　silver　and　gold。　〃It　is　a　part　of　the　madness。　Voices　conversing　with　them；　telling　them　what　to　do。〃　The　teapot　drifted　gently　to　the　floor　by　her　feet。　〃Have　you　heard　any？〃
　　　Startlingly；　Dashiva　gave　a　raucous　laugh；　shoulders　shaking。　Narishma　wet　his　lips；　he　might　not　have　been　afraid　of　the　woman　before；　but　now　he　watched　her　closely　as　a　scorpion。
　　　〃I　will　ask　the　questions；〃　Rand　said　firmly。　〃You　seem　to　forget。　I　am　the　Dragon　Reborn。〃　You　are　real；　aren't　you？　he　wondered。　There　was　no　answer。　Lews　Therin？　Sometimes　the　man　did　not　answer；　but　Aes　Sedai　always　drew　him。　Lews　Therin？　He　was　not　mad；　the　voice　was　real；　not　imagination。　Not　madness。　A　sudden　desire　to　laugh　did　not　help。
　　　Cadsuane　sighed。　〃You　are　a　young　man　who　has　little　idea　where　he　is　going　or　why；　or　what　lies　ahead。　You　seem　overwrought。　Perhaps　we　can　speak　when　you　are　more　settled。　Have　you　any　objection　to　my　taking　Merana　and　Annoura　away　for　a　little　while？　I've　seen　neither　in　quite　some　time。〃
　　　Rand　gaped　at　her。　She　swooped　in；　insulted　him；　threatened　him；　casually　announced　she　knew　about　the　voice　in　his　head；　and　with　that　she　wanted　to　leave　and　talk　with　Merana　and　Annoura？　Is　she　mad？　Still　no　answer　from　Lews　Therin。　The　man　was　real。　He　was！
　　　〃Go　away；〃　he　said。　〃Go　away；　and。。。　〃　He　was　not　mad。　〃All　of　you；　get　out！　Get　out！〃
　　　Dashiva　blinked　at　him；　tilting　his　head；　then　shrugged　and　started　for　the　door。　Cadsuane　smiled　in　such　a　way　that　he　half…expected　her　to　tell　him　again　he　was　a　good　boy；　then　gathered　up　Merana　and　Annoura　and　herded　them　toward　the　Maidens；　who　were　lowering　their　veils　and　frowning　worriedly。　Narishma　looked　at　him　too；　hesitating　until　Rand　gestured　sharply。　Finally　they　were　all　gone；　and　he　was　alone。　Alone。
　　　Convulsively　he　hurled　the　Dragon　Scepter。　The　spear…point　stuck　quivering　in　the　back　of　one　the　chairs；　the　tassels　swaying。
　　　〃I　am　not　mad；〃　he　said　to　the　empty　room。　Lews　Therin　had　told　him　things；　he　would　never　have　escaped　Galina's　chest　without　the　dead　man's　voice。　But　he　had　used　the　Power　before　he　ever　heard　the　voice；　he　had　figured　out　how　to　call　lightning　and　hurl　fire　and　form　a　construct　that　had　killed　hundreds　of　Trollocs。　But　then；　maybe　that　had　been　Lews　Therin；　like　those　memories　of　climbing　trees　in　a　plum　orchard；　and　entering　the　Hall　of　the　Servants；　and　a　dozen　more　that　crept　up　on　him　unawares。　And　maybe　those　memories　were　all　fancies；　mad　dreams　of　a　mad　mind；　just　like　the　voice。
　　　He　realized　he　was　pacing；　and　could　not　stop。　He　felt　as　if　he　had　to　move　or　his　muscles　would　tear　him　apart　in　spasms。　〃I　am　not　mad；〃　he　panted。　Not　yet。　〃I　am　not　…　〃　The　sound　of　the　door　opening　made　him　whirl；　hoping　for　Min。
　　　It　was　Riallin　again；　supporting　a　short　stocky　woman　in　a　dark　blue　dress；　with　hair　more　gray　than　not　and　a　blunt　face。　A　haggard；　red…eyed　face。
　　　He　wanted　to　tell　them　to　go　away；　to　leave　him　alone。　Alone。　Was　he　alone？　Was　Lews　Therin　a　dream？　If　only　they　would　leave　him。。。　Idrien　Tarsin　was　the　head　of　the　school　he　had　founded　here　in　Cairhien；　a　woman　so　practical　he　was　not　sure　she　believed　in　the　One　Power　since　she　could　neither　see　nor　touch　it。　What　could　reduce　her　to　this　state？
　　　He　made　himself　turn　toward　her。　Mad　or　not；　alone　or　not；　there　was　no　one　else　to　do　what　had　to　be　done。　Not　even　this　small　duty。　Heavier　than　a　mountain。　〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked；　making　his　voice　as　gentle　as　he　could。
　　　Suddenly　weeping；　Idrien　stumbled　to　him　and　collapsed　against　his　chest。　When　she　was　coherent　enough　to　tell　her　story；　he　felt　like　weeping　too。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　19　
（Flame　of　Tar　Valon）　
Diamonds　and　Stars　
　　　
　　　Merana　followed　closely　as　she　dared　on　Cadsuane's　heels；　a　hundred　questions　bubbling　on　her　tongue；　but　Cadsuane　was　not　a　woman　whose　sleeve　you　plucked。　She　decided　who　she　noticed；　and　when。　Annoura　held　her　silence；　too；　the　pair　of　them　drawn　along　in　the　other's　wake　down　the　palace　corridors；　down　flights　of　stairs；　polished　marble　at　first；　then　plain　dark　stone。　Merana　exchanged　glances　with　her　sister　Gray；　and　felt　a　moment's　pang。　She　did　not　know　the　woman；　really；　but　Annoura　wore　the　steely　look　of　a　girl　on　her　way　to　the　Mistress　of　Novices；　determined　to　be　brave。　They　were　not　novices。　They　were　not　children。　She　opened　her　mouth　…　and　closed　it；　intimidated　by　the　gray　bun　bobbing　ahead　of　her　with　its　dangling　moons　and　stars　and　birds　and　fish。　Cadsuane　was。。。　Cadsuane。
　　　Merana　had　met　her　once　before；　or　at　least　listened　to　her　and　been　spoken　to；　when　she　was　a　novice。　Sisters　had　e　from　every　Ajah　to　see　the　woman；　filled　with　an　awe　they　could　not　hide。　Once　Cadsuane　Melaidhrin　had　been　the　standard　by　which　every　new　entry　into　the　novice　books　was　judged。　Until　Elayne　Trakand；　none　had　e　to　the　White　Tower　in　her　lifetime　who　could　match　that　standard；　much　less　surpass　it。　In　more　ways　than　one；　her　like　had　not　walked　among　Aes　Sedai　for　a　thousand　years。　A　refusal　to　accept　selection　as　a　Sitter　was　unheard　of；　yet　it　was　said　she　had　refused；　and　at　least　twice。　It　was　said　she　had　spurned　being　raised　head　of　the　Green　Ajah；　too。　It　was　said　she　once　vanished　from　the　Tower　for　ten　years　because　the　Hall　intended　to　raise　her　Amyrlin。　Not　that　she　had　ever　spent　a　day　more　in　Tar　Valon　than　absolutely　necessary。　Word　of　Cadsuane　came　to　the　Tower；　stories　to　make　sisters　gape；　adventures　to　make　those　who　dreamed　of　the　shawl　shiver。　She　would　end　a　legend　among　Aes　Sedai。　If　she　was　not　already。
　　　The　shawl　had　graced　Merana's　shoulders　for　over　twenty…five　years　when　Cadsuane　announced　her　retirement　from　the　world；　her　hair　already　solid　gray；　and　everyone　assumed　her　long　dead　when　the　Aiel　War　erupted　another　twenty…five　years　on；　but　before　the　fighting　was　three　months　old；　she　reappeared；　acpanied　by　two　Warders；　men　long　in　the　tooth　yet　still　hard　as　iron。　It　was　said　Cadsuane　had　had　more　Warders　over　the　years　than　most　sisters　had　shoes。　After　the　Aiel　retreated　from　Tar　Valon；　she　retired　once　more；　but　some　said；　more　than　half…seriously；　that　Cadsuane　would　never　die　so　long　as　even　a　spark　of　adventure　remained　in　the　world。
　　　And　that　is　the　sort　of　nonsense　that　novices　babble；　Merana　reminded　herself　firmly。　Even　we　die　eventually。　Yet　Cadsuane　was　still　Cadsuane。　And　if　she　was　not　one　of　those　sisters　who　had　appeared　in　the　city　after　al'Thor　was　taken；　the　sun　would　not　set　tonight。　Meran