rj.acrownofswords-第83部分

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Chapter　20　
（Snakey　Square）　
Patterns　Within　Patterns　
　　　
　　　Contemptuously　Sevanna　studied　her　dusty　panions；　seated　in　a　circle　with　her　in　the　small　clearing。　The　nearly　leafless　branches　overhead　provided　a　bit　of　cool　shade；　and　the　place　where　Rand　al'Thor　had　hurled　death　lay　more　than　a　hundred　miles　to　the　west；　yet　the　other　women's　eyes　shifted　with　an　air　of　looking　over　shoulders。　Without　sweat　tents；　none　had　been　able　to　clean　herself　properly；　no　more　than　a　hasty　washing　of　face　and　hands　at　day's　end。　Eight　small　silver　cups；　all　different；　sat　by　her　side　on　the　dead　leaves；　and　a　silver　pitcher；　filled　with　water；　that　had　been　dented　in　the　retreat。
　　　〃Either　the　Car'a'carn　is　not　following；〃　she　said　abruptly；　〃or　he　has　been　unable　to　find　us。　Either　contents　me。〃
　　　Some　of　them　actually　jumped。　Tion's　round　face　paled；　and　Modarra　patted　her　shoulder。　Modarra　would　have　been　pretty　if　she　was　not　so　tall；　if　she　did　not　always　try　to　mother　everyone　within　reach。　Alarys　became　much　too　intent　on　straightening　skirts　already　neatly　spread　around　her；　attempting　to　ignore　what　she　did　not　want　to　see。　Meira's　thin　mouth　drew　down；　but　who　could　say　whether　for　the　others'　open　fear　of　the　Car'a'carn　or　her　own？　They　had　reason　to　be　afraid。
　　　Two　full　days　since　the　battle；　and　fewer　than　twenty　thousand　spears　had　grouped　around　Sevanna。　Therava　and　most　of　the　Wise　Ones　who　had　been　to　the　west　were　still　absent；　including　all　the　rest　who　were　tied　to　her。　Some　of　the　missing　surely　were　making　their　way　back　to　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　but　how　many　would　never　again　see　the　sun　rise？　No　one　remembered　such　a　slaughter；　so　many　dead　in　so　short　a　time。　Even　the　algai'd'siswai　were　not　truly　ready　to　dance　the　spears　again　so　soon。　Reason　to　be　afraid；　yet　none　for　showing　it；　displaying　heart　and　soul　on　your　face　like　a　wetlander；　open　and　naked　for　all　to　see。
　　　Rhiale　at　least　seemed　to　realize　that　much。　〃If　we　are　to　do　this　thing；　let　us　do　it；〃　she　muttered；　stiff　with　embarrassment。　She　was　one　who　had　jumped。
　　　Sevanna　took　the　small　gray　cube　from　her　pouch　and　placed　it　atop　the　brown　leaves　in　the　middle　of　the　circle。　Someryn　put　her　hands　on　her　knees；　leaning　over　to　examine　it　until　she　appeared　in　danger　of　falling　out　of　her　blouse。　Her　nose　nearly　touched　the　cube。　Intricate　patterns　covered　every　side；　and　close　up　you　could　see　smaller　patterns　within　the　larger；　and　still　smaller　inside　those；　and　a　hint　of　what　seemed　smaller　yet。　How　they　could　have　been　made；　the　tiniest　so　fine；　so　precise；　Sevanna　had　no　idea。　Once　she　had　thought　the　cube　stone；　but　she　was　no　longer　certain。　Yesterday　she　had　dropped　it　accidentally　on　some　rocks　without　marring　one　line　of　the　carving。　If　it　was　carving。　The　thing　must　be　a　ter'angreal；　that　they　knew。
　　　〃The　smallest　flow　possible　of　Fire　must　be　touched　lightly　there；　on　what　looks　like　a　twisted　crescent　moon；〃　she　told　them；　〃and　another　there　on　the　top；　on　that　mark　like　a　lightning　bolt。〃　Someryn　straightened　very　quickly。
　　　〃What　will　happen　then？〃　Alarys　asked；　bing　her　hair　with　her　fingers。　It　seemed　an　absentminded　gesture；　but　she　always　found　ways　to　remind　everyone　that　her　hair　was　black　instead　of　mon　yellow　or　red。
　　　Sevanna　smiled。　She　enjoyed　knowing　what　they　did　not。　〃I　will　use　it　to　summon　the　wetlander　who　gave　it　to　me。〃
　　　〃That　much　you　told　us　already；〃　Rhiale　said　in　a　sour　voice；　and　Tion　bluntly　asked；　〃How　will　it　summon　him？〃　She　might　fear　Rand　al'Thor；　but　not　a　great　deal　else。　Certainly　not　Sevanna。　Belinde　lightly　stroked　the　cube　with　one　bony　finger；　her　sun…bleached　eyebrows　drawn　down。
　　　Maintaining　a　smooth　face；　Sevanna　irritably　prevented　her　hands　from　fingering　a　necklace　or　adjusting　her　shawl。　〃I　have　told　you　all　you　need　know。〃　Considerably　more　than　they　needed；　in　her　opinion；　but　it　had　been　necessary。　Otherwise　they　would　all　be　back　with　the　spears　and　the　other　Wise　Ones；　eating　hard　bread　and　dried　meat。　Or　rather　they　would　all　be　on　the　move　eastward；　watching　for　any　sign　of　other　survivors。　Watching　for　any　sign　of　pursuit。　With　a　late　start；　they　might　still　cover　fifty　miles　before　halting。　〃Words　will　not　skin　the　boar；　much　less　kill　it。　If　you　have　decided　to　creep　back　to　the　mountains　and　spend　your　lives　running　and　hiding；　then　go。　If　not；　then　do　what　you　must；　and　I　will　do　my　part。〃
　　　Rhiale's　blue　eyes　stared　flat　defiance；　and　Tion's　gray。　Even　Modarra　looked　doubtful；　and　she　and　Someryn　lay　the　most　solidly　in　her　grasp。
　　　Sevanna　waited；　outwardly　calm；　unwilling　to　tell　them　again　or　ask。　Inside；　her　stomach　churned　with　anger。　She　would　not　be　beaten　because　these　women　had　pale　hearts。
　　　〃If　we　must；〃　Rhiale　sighed　at　last。　Excepting　the　absent　Therava；　she　resisted　most　often；　but　Sevanna　had　hopes　of　her。　The　spine　that　refused　to　bend　at　all　was　often　the　most　malleable　once　it　gave　way。　That　was　as　true　for　women　as　men。　Rhiale　and　the　others　turned　their　eyes　to　the　cube；　some　frowning。
　　　Sevanna　saw　nothing；　of　course。　In　fact；　she　realized　that　if　they　did　nothing；　they　could　claim　the　cube　failed　to　work；　and　she　would　never　know。
　　　Abruptly；　though；　Someryn　gasped；　and　Meira　almost　whispered；　〃It　draws　more。　Look。〃　She　pointed。　〃Fire　there　and　there；　and　Earth；　and　Air　and　Spirit；　filling　the　runnels。〃
　　　〃Not　all　of　them；〃　Belinde　said。　〃They　could　be　filled　many　ways；　I　think。　And　there　are　places　where　the　flows。。。　twist。。。　around　something　that　is　not　there。〃　Her　forehead　furrowed。　〃It　must　be　drawing　the　male　part；　as　well。〃
　　　Several　drew　back　a　little；　shifting　shawls；　brushing　skirts　as　though　to　rub　away　dirt。　Sevanna　would　have　given　anything　to　see。　Almost　anything。　How　could　they　be　such　cowards？　How　could　they　let　it　show？
　　　Finally　Modarra　said；　〃I　wonder　what　would　happen　if　we　touched　it　with　Fire　elsewhere。〃
　　　〃Power　the　callbox　too　much　or　in　the　wrong　way；　and　it　may　melt；〃　a　man's　voice　said　out　of　the　air。　〃It　could　even　ex…〃
　　　The　voice　cut　off　as　the　other　women　surged　to　their　feet；　peering　in　among　the　trees。　Alarys　and　Modarra　went　so　far　as　to　draw　their　belt　knives；　though　they　had　no　need　of　steel　when　they　had　the　One　Power。　Nothing　moved　among　the　sun…streaked　shadows；　not　so　much　as　a　bird。
　　　Sevanna　did　not　stir。　She　had　believed　perhaps　a　third　of　what　of　the　wetlander　had　told　her；　not　including　this；　in　truth；　but　she　recognized　Caddar's　voice。　Wetlanders　always　had　more　names；　but　that　was　all　he　had　given。　A　man　of　many　secrets；　she　suspected。　〃Take　your　places　again；〃　she　ordered。　〃And　put　the　flows　back　where　they　were。　How　can　I　summon　him　if　you　fear　words？〃
　　　Rhiale　swung　around；　mouth　gaping　and　eyes　incredulous。　Undoubtedly　wondering　how　she　knew　they　had　stopped　channeling；　the　woman　was　not　thinking　clearly。　Slowly；　uneasily；　they　settled　in　the　circle　again。　Rhiale　donned　a　flatter　face　than　anyone　else。
　　　〃So　you　are　back；〃　Caddar's　voice　said　from　the　air。　〃Do　you　have　al'Thor？〃
　　　Something　in　his　tone　warned　her。　He　could　not　know。　But　he　did。　She　abandoned　all　she　had　prepared　to　say。　〃No；　Caddar。　But　we　still　must　talk。　I　will　meet　you　in　ten　days　where　we　first　met。〃　She　could　reach　that　valley　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger　sooner；　but　she　needed　time　to　prepare。　How　did　he　know？
　　　〃Well　that　you　told　the　truth；　girl；〃　Caddar　murmured　dryly。　〃You　will　learn　I　do　not　like　being　lied　to。　Maintain　the　wayline　for　location；　and　I　will　e　to　you。〃
　　　Sevanna　stared　at　the　cube　in　shock。　Girl？　〃What　did　you　say？〃　she　demanded。　Girl！　She　could　not　believe　her　ears。　Rhiale　very　pointedly　did　not　look　at　her；　and　Meira's　mouth　twisted　in　a　smile；　awkward　because　so　seldom　used。
　　　Caddar's　sigh　filled　the　clearing。　〃Tell　your　Wise　One　to　continue　doing　exactly　what　she　is　doing　…　nothing　else　…　and　I　will　e　to　you。〃　The　forced　patience　in　his　tone　scraped　like　a　grist…stone。　When　she　had　what　she　wanted　from　the　wetlander；　she　would　dress　him　in　gai'shain　white。　No；　in　black！
　　　〃What　do　you　mean；　you　will　e；　Caddar？〃　Silence　answered。　〃Caddar；　where　are　you？〃　Silence。　〃Caddar？〃
　　　The　others　exchanged　uneasy　glances。
　　　〃Is　he　mad？〃　Tion　said。　Alarys　muttered　that　he　must　be；　and　Belinde　angrily　demanded　to　know　how　long　they　were　to　continue　this　nonsense。
　　　〃Until　I　say　to　stop；〃　Sevanna　said　softly；　staring　at　the　cube。　A　prickle　of　hope　wormed　through　her　chest。　If　he　could　do　this；　then　surely　he　could　deliver　what　he　had　promised。　And　maybe。。。　She　would　not　hope　too　much。　She　looked　up　through　the　branches　that　nearly　met　above　the　clearing。　The　sun　still　had　a　way　to　climb　to　its　peak。　〃If　he　has　not　e　by　midday；　we　will　go。〃　It　was　too　much　to　expect　they　would　not　grumble。
　　　〃So　we　sit　here　like　stones？〃　Alarys　tossed　her　head　in　a　practiced　way；　sweeping　all　of　her　hair　over　one　shoulder。　〃For　a　wetlander？〃
　　　〃Whatever　he　promised　you；　Sevanna；〃　Rhiale　said　with　a　scowl；　〃it　cannot　be　worth　this。〃
　　　〃He　is　mad；〃　Tion　growled。
　　　Modarra　nodded　toward　the　cube。　〃What　if　he　can　still　hear？〃
　　　Tion　sniffed　dismissively；　and　Someryn　said；　〃How　should　we　care　if　a　man　hears　what　we　say？　But　I　do　not　relish　waiting　for　him。〃
　　　〃What　if　he　is　like　those　wetlanders　in　black　coats？〃　Belinde　pressed　her　lips　till　they　nearly　matched　Meira's。
　　　〃Do　not　be　ridiculous；〃　Alarys　sneered。　〃Wetlanders　kill　such　men　on　sight。　Whatever　the　algai'd'siswai　claim；　that　must　have　been　the　work　of　the　Aes　Sedai。　And　Rand　al'Thor。〃　That　name　produced　a　pained　silence；　but　it　did　not　last。
　　　〃Caddar　must　have　a　cube　like　this　one；〃　Belinde　said。　〃He　must　have　a　woman　with　the　gift　to　make　it　work。〃
　　　〃An　Aes　Sedai？〃　Rhiale　made　a　noise　of　disgust　in　her　throat。　〃If　there　are　ten　Aes　Sedai　with　him；　let　them　e。　We　will　deal　with　them　as　they　deserve。〃
　　　Meira　laughed；　a　dry　sound　as　narrow　as　her　face。　〃I　think　you　almost　begin　to　believe　they　did　kill　Desaine。〃
　　　〃Watch　your　tongue！〃　Rhiale　snarled。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Someryn　murmured　anxiously。　〃Careless　words　might　be　heard　by　the　wrong　ears。〃
　　　Tion's　laugh　was　short　and