rj.acrownofswords-第87部分

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uietly　beside　her　high…backed　chair；　cross…legged　on　the　pale　green　floor　tiles　as　usual；　an　ornately　gilded　leather…bound　copy　of　The　Travels　of　Jain　Farstrider　open　on　her　knees。　No　anxiety　there；　not　to　see；　but　then　the　woman　would　not　turn　a　hair　if　someone　stuffed　a　viper　down　her　dress。　Since　returning　to　the　palace　she　had　donned　the　intricate　silver　necklace　she　wore　nearly　day　and　night。　Except　on　the　boat　trip；　she　had　said　she　did　not　want　to　risk　it；　then。　Idly；　Nynaeve　wondered　why　she　no　longer　wore　her　ivory　bracelet。　There　had　been　an　overheard　conversation；　something　about　not　wearing　it　until　Elayne　had　its　like；　which　made　little　sense。　And　mattered　as　little　as　the　bracelet；　of　course。　The　letter　called　from　her　lap。
　　　The　sitting…room　stand…lamps　made　reading　easy；　though　Mat's　unformed；　boyish　hand　did　present　difficulties。　It　was　the　contents　that　clenched　Nynaeve's　middle　into　knots。
　　　
　　　There's　nothing　here　but　heat　and　flies；　and　we　can　find　plenty　of　those　in　Caemlyn。
　　　
　　　〃Are　you　sure　you　didn't　tell　him　anything？〃　she　demanded。
　　　Across　the　room；　Juilin　paused　with　his　hand　over　the　stones　board；　giving　her　a　look　of　outraged　innocence。　〃How　often　must　I　say　so？〃　Outraged　innocence　was　one　of　the　things　men　did　best；　especially　when　they　were　guilty　as　foxes　in　the　henyard。　Interesting　that　the　carving　around　the　board's　rim　was　of　foxes。
　　　Thom；　seated　across　the　lapis…inlaid　table　from　the　thief…catcher；　looked　as　little　the　gleeman　in　his　finely　cut　coat　of　bronze　wool；　as　he　did　the　man　who　had　once　been　Queen　Morgase's　lover。　Gnarled　and　white…haired；　with　long　mustaches　and　thick　eyebrows；　he　was　frustrated　patience　from　his　sharp　blue　eyes　to　his　boot　soles。　〃I　can't　see　how　we　could　have；　Nynaeve；〃　he　said　dryly；　〃given　that　you　told　us　next　to　nothing　until　tonight。　You　should　have　sent　Juilin　and　me。〃
　　　Nynaeve　sniffed　loudly。　As　if　those　two　had　not　been　running　around　like　chickens　with　their　heads　off　ever　since　they　arrived；　prying　into　her　and　Elayne's　affairs　on　Mat's　say…so。　Those　three　could　not　be　together　two　minutes　without　gossiping；　either。　Men　never　could。　They。。。　The　truth　of　it　was；　she　admitted　reluctantly；　using　the　men　had　never　occurred　to　them。　〃You'd　have　gone　off　carousing　and　drinking　with　him；〃　she　muttered。　〃Don't　tell　me　you　would　not。〃　That　must　be　where　Mat　was；　leaving　Birgitte　to　cool　her　feet　at　the　inn。　That　man　would　find　some　way　to　set　the　whole　scheme　awry。
　　　〃And　what　if　they　had？〃　Leaning　beside　one　of　the　tall　arched　windows；　peering　out　at　the　night　through　the　white…painted　iron　balcony；　Elayne　giggled。　She　was　tapping　her　foot；　though　how　she　could　make　out　one　tune　from　all　those　floating　in　the　darkness　was　a　wonder。　〃It　is　a　night　for。。。　carousing。〃
　　　Nynaeve　frowned　at　her　back。　Elayne　had　been　increasingly　peculiar　all　night。　If　she　had　not　known　better；　she　would　have　suspected　the　other　woman　had　been　sneaking　out　to　snatch　sips　of　wine。　Gulps　of　it；　actually。　Even　if　Elayne　had　not　been　under　her　eye；　though；　that　was　impossible。　Each　of　them　had　had　a　rather　unfortunate　experience　with　too　much　wine；　and　neither　had　again　let　herself　have　more　than　a　single　cup　at　a　time。
　　　〃It　is　Jaichim　Carridin　who　interests　me；〃　Aviendha　said；　closing　the　book　and　setting　it　beside　her。　She　refused　to　consider　how　odd　she　looked；　sitting　on　the　floor　in　a　blue　silk　dress。　〃Among　us；　Shadowrunners　are　killed　as　soon　as　found；　and　not　clan；　sept；　society　or　first…sister　will　raise　a　hand　in　protest。　If　Jaichim　Carridin　is　a　Shadowrunner；　why　does　Tylin　Mitsobar　not　kill　him？　Why　do　we　not？〃
　　　〃Matters　are　a　little　more　plex　here；〃　Nynaeve　told　her；　though　she　had　wondered　the　same。　Not　why　Carridin　was　not　killed；　of　course；　but　why　he　was　still　allowed　to　e　and　go　as　he　wished。　She　had　seen　him　in　the　palace　that　very　day；　after　she　had　been　handed　Mat's　letter；　after　she　had　told　Tylin　what　it　contained。　He　had　spoken　with　Tylin　above　an　hour　and　departed　with　as　much　honor　as　when　he　arrived。　She　had　meant　to　discuss　it　with　Elayne；　but　the　question　of　what　Mat　knew；　and　how；　kept　intruding。　That　man　would　make　trouble。　He　would；　somehow。　This　business　was　going　to　go　wrong　no　matter　what　anyone　said。　Bad　weather　was　ing。
　　　Thom　cleared　his　throat。　〃Tylin　is　a　weak　queen；　and　Carridin　the　ambassador　of　a　power。〃　Placing　a　stone；　he　kept　his　eyes　on　the　board。　He　sounded　as　though　he　was　thinking　aloud。　〃By　definition；　a　Whitecloak　Inquisitor　cannot　be　a　Darkfriend；　at　least；　that's　how　it　is　defined　in　the　Fortress　of　the　Light。　If　she　arrests　him；　or　even　charges　him；　she'll　find　a　Whitecloak　legion　in　Ebou　Dar　before　she　can　blink。　They　might　leave　her　the　throne；　but　she'd　be　a　puppet　from　then　on；　strings　pulled　from　the　Dome　of　Truth。　Aren't　you　ready　to　concede　yet；　Juilin？〃　The　thief…catcher　glared　at　him；　then　bent　to　a　furious　study　of　the　board。
　　　〃I　did　not　think　her　a　coward；〃　Aviendha　said　disgustedly；　and　Thom　gave　her　an　amused　smile。
　　　〃You　have　never　faced　something　you　could　not　fight；　child；〃　he　said　gently；　〃something　so　strong　your　only　choice　is　to　flee　or　be　consumed　alive。　Try　to　hold　judgment　on　Tylin　till　you　have。〃　For　some　reason；　Aviendha's　face　reddened。　Normally；　she　hid　her　emotions　so　well　her　face　was　like　stone。
　　　〃I　know；〃　Elayne　said　suddenly。　〃We'll　find　proof　even　Pedron　Niall　must　accept。〃　She　skipped　back　into　the　room。　No；　she　danced。　〃We　will　disguise　ourselves　and　follow　him。〃
　　　Suddenly；　it　was　no　longer　Elayne　standing　there　in　a　green　Ebou　Dari　gown；　but　a　Domani　woman　in　thin　clinging　blue。　Nynaeve　leaped　up　before　she　could　stop；　and　her　mouth　tightened　with　exasperation　at　herself。　Just　because　she　could　not　see　the　weaves　at　the　moment　was　no　reason　to　be　startled　by　Illusion。　She　darted　a　glance　at　Thom　and　Juilin。　Even　Thom's　mouth　hung　open。　Unconsciously　she　took　a　firm　grip　on　her　braid。　Elayne　was　going　to　reveal　everything！　What　was　the　matter　with　her？
　　　Illusion　worked　best　the　closer　you　stayed　to　what　was　there　before；　in　shape　and　size　at　least；　so　bits　of　the　Ebou　Dari　dress　flashed　through　the　Domani　garment　as　Elayne　whirled　to　examine　herself　in　one　of　the　room's　two　large　mirrors。　She　laughed　and　clapped　her　hands。　〃Oh；　he　will　never　recognize　me。　Or　you；　near…sister。〃　Abruptly　a　Taraboner　woman　sat　beside　Nynaeve's　chair；　with　brown　eyes　and　yellow　braids　strung　with　red　beads　just　the　shade　of　her　snug…fitting　dress　of　folded　silk。　She　watched　Elayne　quizzically。　Nynaeve's　hand　tightened　on　her　braid。　〃And　we　can't　forget　you；〃　Elayne　babbled　on。　〃I　know　just　the　thing。〃
　　　This　time；　Nynaeve　saw　the　glow　around　Elayne。　She　was　furious。　Seeing　the　flows　being　woven　about　herself　did　not　tell　her　what　image　Elayne　gave　her；　of　course。　It　took　looking　into　one　of　the　mirrors　to　do　that。　A　Sea　Folk　woman　stared　back　at　her；　aghast；　with　a　dozen　begemmed　rings　in　her　ears　and　twice　as　many　golden　medallions　dangling　from　the　chain　running　to　her　nose　ring。　Aside　from　the　jewelry；　she　wore　wide　trousers　of　brocaded　green　silk　and　not　a　stitch　else；　the　way　women　of　the　Atha'an　Miere　did　out　of　sight　of　land。　It　was　just　Illusion。　She　was　still　decently　clothed　under　the　weaving。　But。。。　Beside　her　reflection　she　saw　those　of　Thom　and　Juilin；　both　fighting　grins。
　　　A　strangled　squawk　erupted　from　her　throat。　〃Close　your　eyes！〃　she　shouted　at　the　men　and　began　leaping　about；　waving　her　arms；　anything　to　make　her　dress　show　through。　〃Close　them；　burn　you！〃　Oh。　They　had。　Bristling　with　indignation；　she　stopped　capering。　They　were　not　fighting　those　grins　anymore；　though。　For　that　matter；　Aviendha　was　laughing　quite　openly；　rocking　to　and　fro。
　　　Nynaeve　gave　her　skirts　a　jerk　…　in　the　mirror；　the　Sea　Folk　woman　seemed　to　pluck　at　her　trousers　…　and　fixed　Elayne　with　a　glare。　〃Stop　this；　Elayne！〃　The　Domani　woman　stared　back；　mouth　open　and　eyes　wide　with　incredulity。　Only　then　did　Nynaeve　realize　how　angry　she　was；　the　True　Source　beckoned　from　just　beyond　the　edge　of　sight。　Embracing　saidar　she　slammed　a　shield　between　Elayne　and　the　Source。　Or　rather；　she　tried　to。　Shielding　someone　who　already　held　the　Power　was　not　easy　even　when　you　were　the　stronger。　Once；　as　a　girl；　she　had　swung　Master　Luhhan's　hammer　against　his　anvil　as　hard　as　she　could；　and　the　shiver　of　it　ran　all　the　way　to　her　toes。　This　was　about　twice　that。　〃Love　of　the　Light；　Elayne；　are　you　drunk？〃
　　　The　glow　around　the　Domani　woman　faded　away；　and　so　did　the　Domani　woman。　Nynaeve　knew　the　weave　was　gone　from　around　herself；　but　she　still　glanced　at　the　mirror　and　drew　a　relieved　breath　to　see　Nynaeve　al'Meara　there　in　yellow…slashed　blue。
　　　〃No；〃　Elayne　said　slowly。　Color　burned　in　her　face；　but　it　was　not　embarrassment；　or　not　entirely。　Her　chin　rose；　and　her　voice　frosted。　〃I　am　not。〃
　　　The　door　to　the　corridor　banged　open；　and　Birgitte　staggered　in　with　a　broad　smile。　Well；　perhaps　she　did　not　quite　stagger；　but　she　was　decidedly　unsteady。　〃I　did　not　expect　you　all　to　remain　awake　for　me；〃　she　said　brightly。　〃Well；　you'll　be　interested　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say。　But　first。。。　〃　With　the　too　steady　steps　of　someone　carrying　considerable　drink　inside；　she　vanished　into　her　room。
　　　Thom　stared　at　her　door　with　a　bemused　grin；　Juilin　with　an　incredulous　one。　They　knew　who　she　was；　the　truth　of　it。　Elayne　just　glared　down　her　nose。　From　Birgitte's　bedchamber　came　a　splashing；　as　if　a　pitcher　had　been　upended　on　the　floor。　Nynaeve　exchanged　puzzled　looks　with　Aviendha。
　　　Birgitte　reappeared　with　her　face　and　hair　dripping　and　her　coat　soaked　from　shoulders　to　elbows。　〃Now　my　wits　are　clearer；〃　she　said；　settling　into　one　of　the　ball…footed　chairs　with　a　sigh。　〃That　young　man　has　a　hollow　leg　and　a　hole　in　the　bottom　of　his　foot。　He　even　out…drank　Beslan；　and　I　was　beginning　to　think　wine　was　water　to　that　lad。〃
　　　〃Beslan？〃　Nynaeve　said；　her　voice　rising。　〃Tylin's　son？　What　was　he　doing　there？〃
　　　〃Why　did　you　allow　it；　Birgitte？〃　Elayne　exclaimed。　〃Mat　Cauthon　will　corrupt　the　boy；　and　his　mother　will　blame　us。〃
　　　〃The　boy　is　the　same　age　as　you；〃　Thom　told　her　in　stuffy　tones。
　　　A　baffled　lo