rj.acrownofswords-第94部分

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　　　Of　course；　Reanne　could　channel　…　she　had　expected　that；　hoped　for　it；　anyway　…　but　she　had　not　expected　the　strength。　Reanne　was　not　as　strong　as　Elayne；　or　even　Nicola　…　burn　that　wretched　girl！　…　but　she　easily　equaled　Sheriam；　say；　or　Kwamesa　or　Kiruna。　Not　many　women　possessed　so　much　strength；　and　for　all　she　herself　bettered　it　by　a　fair　margin；　she　was　surprised　to　find　it　here。　The　woman　must　be　one　of　the　wilders；　the　Tower　would　have　found　a　way　to　keep　its　hands　on　a　woman　like　this　if　they　had　to　hold　her　in　a　novice　dress　her　whole　life。
　　　Nynaeve　rose　as　they　came　through　the　doorway；　smoothing　her　skirts。　Not　from　nervousness；　certainly；　certainly　not。　Oh；　but　if　only　this　came　out　right。。。
　　　Reanne's　sharp　blue　eyes　studied　the　two　of　them　with　the　air　of　someone　who　had　just　found　a　pair　of　pigs　in　her　kitchen；　fresh　from　the　sty　and　dripping　mud。　She　dabbed　at　her　face　with　a　tiny　handkerchief；　though　the　interior　of　the　house　was　cooler　than　outside。　〃I　suppose　we'll　have　to　do　something　with　them；〃　she　murmured；　〃if　they　are　what　they　claim。〃　Her　voice　was　quite　high　even　now；　musical　and　almost　youthful。　As　she　finished　speaking　she　gave　a　small　start　for　some　reason　and　eyed　the　innkeeper　sideways；　which　set　off　another　round　of　Mistress　Anan's　reluctant　apologies　and　Mistress　Corly's　flustered　attempts　to　deflect　them。　In　Ebou　Dar；　when　folk　were　truly　being　polite；　apologies　back　and　forth　could　flow　for　an　hour。
　　　Elayne　had　risen　too；　wearing　a　slightly　fixed　smile。　She　raised　an　eyebrow　at　Nynaeve；　cupped　her　elbow　in　one　hand　and　laid　a　finger　against　her　cheek。
　　　Nynaeve　cleared　her　throat。　〃Mistress　Corly；　my　name　is　Nynaeve　al'Meara；　and　this　is　Elayne　Trakand。　We　are　looking　for　…　〃
　　　〃Setalle　has　told　me　all　about　you；〃　the　blue…eyed　woman　cut　in　ominously。　However　many　gray　hairs　on　her　head；　Nynaeve　suspected　she　was　also　hard　as　a　stone　fence。　〃Abide　with　patience；　girl；　and　I'll　deal　with　you　directly。〃　She　turned　back　to　Setalle；　blotting　her　cheeks　with　the　handkerchief。　Barely　suppressed　diffidence　once　more　tinged　her　voice。　〃Setalle；　if　you　will　please　excuse　me；　I　must　question　these　girls；　and　…　〃
　　　〃Look　who　is　returned　after　all　these　years；〃　a　short；　stout　woman　in　her　middle　years　blurted　as　she　barged　into　the　room；　nodding　at　her　panion。　Despite　her　red…belted　Ebou　Dari　dress　and　a　tanned　face　that　glistened　damply；　her　accents　were　pure　Cairhienin。　Her　equally　sweaty　panion；　in　the　dark；　plainly　cut　woolens　of　a　merchant；　was　a　head　taller；　no　older　than　Nynaeve；　with　dark　tilted　eyes；　a　strongly　hooked　nose；　and　a　wide　mouth。　〃It's　Garenia！　She　…　〃　The　flow　of　words　terminated　abruptly　in　confusion　as　the　stout　woman　realized　others　were　present。
　　　Reanne　clasped　her　hands　as　if　in　prayer；　or　perhaps　because　she　wanted　to　hit　someone。　〃Berowin；〃　she　said　with　an　edge；　〃one　day　you　will　run　right　off　a　cliff　before　you　see　it　under　your　feet。〃
　　　〃I　am　sorry；　Eld…〃　Blushing；　the　Cairhienin　lowered　her　eyes。　The　Saldaean　became　intent　on　fiddling　with　a　circle　of　red　stones　pinned　at　her　breast。
　　　For　Nynaeve's　part；　she　gave　Elayne　a　triumphant　look。　Both　newers　could　channel；　and　saidar　was　still　being　wielded　somewhere　in　the　house。　Two　more；　and　while　Berowin　was　not　very　strong；　Garenia　stood　even　above　Reanne；　she　could　match　Lelaine　or　Romanda。　Not　that　that　mattered；　of　course；　yet　this　made　at　least　five。　Elayne's　chin　set　stubbornly；　but　then　she　sighed　and　gave　a　small　nod。　Sometimes　it　took　the　most　incredible　effort　to　convince　her　of　anything。
　　　〃Your　name　is　Garenia？〃　Mistress　Anan　said　slowly；　frowning　at　the　woman　in　question。　〃You　look　very　much　like　someone　I　met　once。　Zarya　Alkaese。〃
　　　Dark　tilted　eyes　blinked　in　surprise。　Plucking　a　lace…trimmed　handkerchief　from　her　sleeve；　the　Saldaean　merchant　touched　her　cheeks。　〃That　is　my　grandmother's　sister's　name；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。　〃I'm　told　I　favor　her　strongly。　Was　she　well　when　you　saw　her？　She　forgot　her　family　pletely　after　she　went　off　to　bee　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　〃Your　grandmother's　sister。〃　The　innkeeper　laughed　softly。　〃Of　course。　She　was　well　when　I　saw　her；　but　that　was　a　long　time　ago。　I　was　younger　than　you　are　now〃
　　　Reanne　had　been　hovering　at　her　side；　all　but　grabbing　her　elbow；　and　now　she　leaped　in。　〃Setalle；　I　truly　am　sorry；　but　I　really　must　ask　you　to　excuse　us。　You　will　forgive　me　not　showing　you　to　the　door？〃
　　　Mistress　Anan　made　her　own　apologies；　as　if　she　was　at　fault　because　the　other　woman　could　not　escort　her　down；　and　departed　with　a　last；　very　dubious　look　at　Nynaeve　and　Elayne。
　　　〃Setalle！〃　Garenia　exclaimed　as　soon　as　the　innkeeper　was　gone。　〃That　was　Setalle　Anan？　How　did　she　…？　Light　of　Heaven！　Even　after　seventy　years；　the　Tower　would　…　〃
　　　〃Garenia；〃　Mistress　Corly　said　in　an　extremely　sharp　tone。　Her　stare　was　sharper　still；　and　the　Saldaean's　face　reddened。　〃Since　you　two　are　here；　we　can　make　up　the　three　for　questioning。　You　girls　stay　where　you　are　and　keep　silent。〃　That　last　was　for　Nynaeve　and　Elayne。　The　other　women　withdrew　to　a　corner　in　a　huddle　and　began　conversing　in　soft　murmurs。
　　　Elayne　moved　nearer　Nynaeve。　〃I　did　not　like　being　treated　as　a　novice　when　I　was　a　novice。　How　long　do　you　intend　to　continue　this　farce？〃
　　　Nynaeve　hissed　at　her　for　quiet　〃I'm　trying　to　listen；　Elayne；〃　she　whispered。
　　　Using　the　Power　was　out　of　the　question；　of　course。　The　three　would　have　known　on　the　instant。　Fortunately；　they　wove　no　barriers；　perhaps　not　knowing　how；　and　sometimes　their　voices　rose　just　enough。
　　　〃。。。　said　they　may　be　wilders；〃　Reanne　said；　and　shock　and　revulsion　bloomed　on　the　other　women's　faces。
　　　〃Then　we　show　them　the　door；〃　Berowin　said。　〃The　back　door。　Wilders！〃
　　　〃I　still　want　to　know　who　this　Setalle　Anan　is；〃　Garenia　put　in。
　　　〃If　you　can't　keep　your　mind　on　the　straight；〃　Reanne　told　her；　〃perhaps　you　should　spend　this　turn　on　the　farm。　Alise　knows　how　to　concentrate　a　mind　wonderfully。　Now。。。　〃　The　words　dropped　back　to　a　buzz。
　　　Another　maid　appeared；　a　slender　woman；　pretty　except　for　a　sullen　expression；　with　a　rough　gray　woolen　dress　and　a　long　white　apron。　Setting　a　green…lacquered　tray　on　one　of　the　small　tables；　she　surreptitiously　wiped　her　cheeks　with　a　corner　of　her　apron　and　began　fussing　with　blue…glazed　cups　and　a　matching　teapot。　Nynaeve's　eyebrows　rose。　This　woman　could　channel；　too；　if　not　to　any　high　degree。　What　was　she　doing　as　a　servant？
　　　Garenia　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　and　gave　a　start。　〃What　did　Derys　do　to　earn　penance？　I　thought　fish　would　sing　the　day　she　cracked　a　rule；　much　less　broke　one。〃
　　　Berowin　sniffed　loudly；　but　her　reply　was　barely　audible。　〃She　wanted　to　marry。　She　will　advance　a　turn　and　go　with　Keraille　the　day　after　the　Feast　of　the　Half　Moon。　That　will　settle　for　Master　Denal。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　you　both　wish　to　hoe　the　fields　for　Alise？〃　Reanne　spoke　dryly；　and　the　voices　fell　again。
　　　Nynaeve　felt　a　rush　of　exultation。　She　did　not　care　much　for　rules；　at　least　for　other　people's　rules　…　other　people　rarely　saw　the　situation　as　clearly　as　she；　and　thus　made　stupid　rules；　why　should　that　woman；　Derys；　not　marry　if　she　wished；　for　example？　…　but　rules　and　penances　spoke　of　a　society。　She　was　right。　And　another　thing。　She　nudged　Elayne　until　the　other　woman　bent　her　head。
　　　〃Berowin's　wearing　a　red　belt；〃　she　whispered。　That　indicated　a　Wise　Woman；　one　of　Ebou　Dar's　fabled　healers；　their　care　known　far　and　wide　as　the　next　best　to　being　Healed　by　an　Aes　Sedai；　curing　just　about　anything。　Supposedly　it　was　all　done　with　herbs　and　knowledge；　but。。。　〃How　many　Wise　Women　have　we　seen；　Elayne？　How　many　could　channel？　How　many　were　Ebou　Dari；　or　even　Altaran？〃
　　　〃Seven；　counting　Berowin〃　was　the　slow　answer；　〃and　only　one　I　was　sure　was　from　here。〃　Hah！　The　others　plainly　had　not　been。　Elayne　took　a　deep　breath；　though　she　went　on　softly。　〃None　had　anywhere　near　these　women's　strength；　though。〃　At　least　she　had　not　suggested　they　were　mistaken　somehow；　all　of　those　Wise　Women　had　been　able。　〃Nynaeve；　are　you　really　suggesting　that　the　Wise　Women。。。all　the　Wise　Women。。。　are。。。？　That　would　be　beyond　incredible。〃
　　　〃Elayne；　this　city　has　a　guild　for　the　men　who　sweep　the　squares　every　night！　I　think　we've　just　found　the　Ancient　Muckety…muck　Sisterhood　of　Wise　Women。〃
　　　The　stubborn　woman　shook　her　head。　〃The　Tower　would　have　had　a　hundred　sisters　here　years　ago；　Nynaeve。　Two　hundred。　Anything　of　the　sort　would　have　been　squashed　flat　in　short　order。〃
　　　〃Maybe　the　Tower　doesn't　know；〃　Nynaeve　said。　〃Maybe　the　guild　keeps　low　enough　that　the　Tower　never　thought　they　were　worth　troubling。　There's　no　law　against　channeling　if　you　aren't　Aes　Sedai；　only　against　claiming　to　be　Aes　Sedai；　or　misusing　the　Power。　Or　bringing　discredit。〃　That　meant　doing　anything　that　might　possibly　cast　a　bad　light　on　real　Aes　Sedai；　should　anyone　happen　to　think　you　were　one；　which　was　going　pretty　far；　to　her　way　of　thinking。　The　real　trouble；　though；　was　that　she　did　not　believe　it。　The　Tower　seemed　to　know　everything；　and　they　probably　would　break　up　a　quilting　circle　if　the　women　in　it　could　channel。　Yet　there　had　to　be　some　explanation　for。。。
　　　Only　half…aware；　she　felt　the　True　Source　being　embraced；　but　suddenly　she　became　very　aware。　Her　mouth　fell　open　as　a　flow　of　Air　snared　her　braid　right　at　the　base　of　her　skull　and　ran　her　across　the　room　on　her　toes。　Elayne　ran　right　beside　her；　red…faced　with　fury。　The　worst　of　it　was；　they　were　both　shielded。
　　　The　short　run　ended　when　they　were　allowed　to　settle　their　heels　in　front　of　Mistress　Corly　and　the　other　two；　all　three　seated　against　the　wall　in　red　chairs；　all　surrounded　by　the　glow　of　saidar。
　　　〃You　were　told　to　be　quiet；〃　Reanne　said　firmly。　〃If　we　decide　to　help　you；　you　will　have　to　learn　that　we　expect　strict　obedience　no　less　than　the　White　Tower　itself。〃　She　imbued　those　last　words　with　a　tone　of　reverence。　〃I　will　tell　you　that　you　would　have　been　treated　more　gently　if　you　had　not　e　to　us　in　this　irregular　fashion。〃　The　flow　gripping　Nynaeve's　braid　vanished。　Elayne　tossed　her　head　angrily　as　she　was　release