rj.acrownofswords-第98部分

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ip；　hesitating。　〃I　only　know　one　way　to　be　sure。〃
　　　Nynaeve　nodded　slowly；　though　she　would　rather　have　eaten　a　handful　of　dirt。　Today　had　seemed　so　bright　for　a　time；　but　then　it　had　spiraled　into　darkness；　from　Reanne　to。。。　Oh；　Light；　how　long　before　she　had　her　gray　hair？
　　　〃Don't　cry；　Nynaeve。　Mat　can't　possibly　be　that　bad。　He'll　find　it　for　us　in　a　few　days；　I　know。〃
　　　Nynaeve　only　cried　harder。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　25　
（Snakey　Square）　
Mindtrap　
　　　
　　　Moghedien　did　not　want　to　dream　the　dream　again；　but　wanting　to　wake；　wanting　to　scream；　did　no　good。　Sleep　held　her　faster　than　any　manacles。　The　beginning　went　by　quickly；　a　sketchy　blur。　No　mercy；　she　would　have　to　relive　the　rest　that　much　sooner。
　　　She　barely　recognized　the　woman　who　entered　the　tent　where　she　was　held　prisoner。　Halima；　secretary　to　one　of　these　fools　who　called　themselves　Aes　Sedai。　Fools；　yet　they　held　her　tightly　enough　by　the　band　of　silver　metal　around　her　neck；　held　her　and　made　her　obey。　Fast　movement；　though　she　prayed　for　slowness。　The　woman　channeled　to　make　a　light；　and　Moghedien　saw　only　the　light。　It　had　to　be　saidin　…　among　the　living；　only　the　Chosen　knew　how　to　tap　the　True　Power　…　the　Power　that　came　from　the　Dark　One　…　and　few　were　fool　enough　to　except　in　direst　need　…　but　that　was　impossible！　Blurring　quickness。　The　woman　named　herself　Aran'gar　and　called　Moghedien　by　name；　she　gave　summons　to　the　Pit　of　Doom　and　removed　the　a'dam　necklace；　flinching　at　pain　no　woman　should　have　felt。　Again　…　how　many　times　had　she　done　this？　…　again　Moghedien　wove　a　small　gateway　in　the　tent。　She　Skimmed　to　give　herself　time　to　think　in　the　endless　dark；　but　no　sooner　did　she　step　onto　her　platform；　like　a　small　enclosed　marble　balcony　plete　with　a　fortable　chair；　than　she　arrived　on　the　black　slopes　of　Shayol　Ghul；　forever　shrouded　in　twilight；　where　vents　and　tunnels　emitted　steam　and　smoke　and　harsh　vapors；　and　a　Myrddraal　came　to　her　in　its　dead　black　garb；　like　a　slug…white；　eyeless　man；　but　taller；　more　massive　than　any　other　Halfman。　It　regarded　her　arrogantly；　and　gave　its　odd　name　unbidden；　and　manded　her　to　e；　these　were　not　things　Myrddraal　did　with　the　Chosen。　Now　she　screamed　in　the　depths　of　her　mind　for　the　dream　to　move　faster；　to　blur　beyond　seeing；　beyond　knowing；　but　now；　as　she　followed　Shaidar　Haran's　back　into　the　entrance　to　the　Pit　of　Doom；　now　all　flowed　at　its　normal　pace　and　seemed　more　real　than　Tel'aran'rhiod　or　the　waking　world。
　　　Tears　leaked　from　Moghedien's　eyes；　down　cheeks　that　already　glistened。　She　twitched　on　her　hard　pallet；　arms　and　legs　jerking　as　she　fought　desperately；　futilely；　to　wake。　She　was　no　longer　aware　that　she　dreamed　…　all　seemed　real　…　but　deep　memories　remained；　and　in　those　depths；　instinct　shrieked　and　clawed　for　escape。
　　　She　was　well　familiar　with　the　sloping　tunnel　ceilinged　in　stone　daggers　like　fangs；　the　walls　glowing　with　pale　light。　Many　times　she　had　made　this　downward　journey　since　the　day　so　long　ago　when　she　first　came　to　make　obeisance　to　the　Great　Lard　and　pledge　her　soul；　but　never　as　now；　never　with　her　failure　known　in　all　its　magnitude。　Always　before　she　had　managed　to　hide　failures　even　from　the　Great　Lord。　Many　times。　Things　could　be　done　here　that　could　be　done　nowhere　else。　Things　could　happen　here　that　could　happen　nowhere　else。
　　　She　gave　a　start　as　one　of　the　stone　fangs　brushed　her　hair；　then　gathered　herself　as　best　she　could。　Those　spikes　and　blades　still　cleared　the　strange；　too…tall　Myrddraal　easily；　but　though　it　overtopped　her　by　head　and　shoulders　and　more；　she　was　forced　to　move　her　head　around　their　points　now。　Reality　was　clay　to　the　Great　Lord　here；　and　he　often　made　his　displeasure　known　so。　A　stone　tooth　struck　her　shoulder；　and　she　ducked　to　go　under　another。　There　was　no　longer　enough　height　in　the　tunnel　for　her　to　straighten　as　she　walked。　She　bent　lower；　scurrying　crouched　in　the　Myrddraal's　wake；　trying　to　get　closer。　Its　stride　never　changed；　but　no　matter　how　quickly　she　scuttled；　the　interval　between　them　did　not　lessen。　The　ceiling　descending；　the　Great　Lord's　fangs　to　rend　traitors　and　fools；　and　Moghedien　dropped　to　hands　and　knees；　crawling；　then　flattened　to　elbows　and　knees。　Light　flared　and　flickered　in　the　tunnel；　cast　from　the　entrance　to　the　Pit　itself；　just　ahead；　and　Moghedien　slithered　on　her　belly；　pulled　herself　along　with　her　hands；　pushed　with　her　feet。　Stone　points　dug　at　her　flesh；　caught　at　her　dress。　Panting；　she　wriggled　the　last　distance　to　the　sound　of　ripping　wool。
　　　Staring　back　over　her　shoulder；　she　shivered　convulsively。　Where　the　tunnel　mouth　should　have　been　stood　a　smooth　stone　wall。　Perhaps　the　Great　Lord　had　timed　it　all　exactly；　and　perhaps；　had　she　been　slower。。。
　　　The　ledge　on　which　she　lay　projected　above　a　black…mottled　red　lake　of　molten　rock　where　flames　the　size　of　men　danced　and　died　and　reappeared。　Overhead；　the　cavern　rose　roofless　through　the　mountain　to　a　sky　where　wild　clouds　raced；　striated　red　and　yellow　and　black；　as　if　on　the　winds　of　time　themselves。　It　was　not　the　dark…clouded　sky　seen　outside　on　Shayol　Ghul。　None　of　that　earned　a　second　glance；　and　not　just　because　she　had　seen　it　many　times。　The　Bore　into　the　Great　Lord's　place　of　imprisonment　was　no　closer　here　than　anywhere　else　in　the　world；　but　here　she　could　feel　it；　here　she　could　bathe　in　the　radiant　glory　of　the　Great　Lord。　The　True　Power　washed　around　her；　so　strong　here　that　attempting　to　channel　it　would　fry　her　to　a　cinder。　Not　that　she　had　any　desire　to　pay　the　price　elsewhere　either。
　　　She　started　to　push　up　to　her　knees；　and　something　struck　her　between　the　shoulder　blades；　driving　her　down　hard　onto　the　stone　ledge；　crushing　the　air　from　her　lungs。　Stunned；　she　struggled　for　breath；　then　stared　back　up　over　her　shoulder。　The　Myrddraal　stood　with　one　massive　boot　planted　firmly　on　her　back。　Almost；　she　embraced　saidar；　though　channeling　here　without　express　permission　was　a　good　way　to　die。　The　arrogance　on　the　slopes　above　was　one　thing；　but　this！
　　　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　she　demanded。　〃I　am　Moghedien！〃　That　eyeless　gaze　watched　her　as　it　might　an　insect；　she　had　often　seen　Myrddraal　look　at　ordinary　humans　that　way。
　　　MOGHEDIEN。　That　voice　inside　her　head　flushed　away　all　thought　of　the　Myrddraal；　it　nearly　flushed　away　all　thought。　Beside　this；　any　human　lover's　deepest　embrace　was　a　drop　of　water　beside　the　ocean。　HOW　DEEP　IS　YOUR　FAILURE；　MOGHEDIEN？　THE　CHOSEN　ARE　ALWAYS　THE　STRONGEST；　BUT　YOU　LET　YOURSELF　BE　CAPTURED。　YOU　TAUGHT　THOSE　WHO　WOULD　OPPOSE　ME；　MOGHEDIEN。
　　　Eyelids　fluttering；　she　fought　for　coherence。　〃Great　Lord；　I　taught　them　only　small　things；　and　I　fought　them　as　I　could。　I　taught　them　a　supposed　way　to　detect　a　man　channeling。〃　She　managed　to　laugh。　〃Practicing　it　gives　them　such　headaches　they　cannot　channel　for　hours。〃　Silence。　Perhaps　as　well。　They　had　given　up　trying　to　learn　that　long　before　her　rescue；　but　the　Great　Lord　did　not　need　to　know　that。　〃Great　Lord；　you　know　how　I　have　served　you。　I　serve　in　the　shadows；　and　your　enemies　never　feel　my　bite　until　my　venom　is　working。〃　She　did　not　quite　dare　say　she　had　deliberately　let　herself　be　captured；　to　work　from　within；　but　she　could　suggest。　〃Great　Lord；　you　know　how　many　of　your　enemies　I　brought　down　in　the　War　of　Power。　From　the　shadows；　unseen；　or　if　seen；　ignored　because　I　could　not　possibly　be　a　threat。〃　Silence。　And　then。。。
　　　MY　CHOSEN　ARE　ALWAYS　THE　STRONGEST。　MY　HAND　MOVES。
　　　That　voice　reverberating　in　her　skull　turned　her　bones　to　boiling　honey　and　her　brain　to　fire。　The　Myrddraal　had　her　chin　in　its　hand；　forcing　her　head　up　before　her　vision　cleared　enough　to　see　the　knife　in　its　other　hand。　All　her　dreams　were　to　end　here　in　a　slit　throat；　her　body　going　to　feed　the　Trollocs。　Perhaps　Shaidar　Haran　would　save　a　choice　cut　for　itself。　Perhaps。。。
　　　No。　She　knew　she　was　going　to　die；　but　this　Myrddraal　would　not　eat　one　shred　of　her！　She　reached　to　embrace　saidar；　and　her　eyes　bulged。　There　was　nothing　there。　Nothing！　It　was　as　if　she　had　been　severed！　She　knew　she　had　not　…　it　was　said　that　tearing　was　the　deepest　pain　anyone　could　know；　beyond　any　power　to　deaden　…　but　…　！
　　　In　those　stunned　moments；　the　Myrddraal　forced　her　mouth　open；　scraped　the　blade　along　her　tongue；　then　nicked　her　ear。　And　as　it　straightened　with　her　blood　and　saliva；　she　knew；　even　before　it　produced　what　appeared　to　be　a　tiny；　fragile　cage　of　gold　wire　and　crystal。　Some　things　could　only　be　done　here；　some　only　to　those　who　could　channel；　and　she　had　brought　a　number　of　men　and　women　for　this　very　purpose。
　　　〃No；〃　she　breathed。　Her　eyes　could　not　leave　the　cour'souvra。　〃No；　not　me！　NOT　ME！〃
　　　Ignoring　her；　Shaidar　Haran　scraped　the　fluids　from　the　knife　onto　the　cour'souvra。　The　crystal　turned　a　milky　pink；　the　first　setting。　With　a　flick　of　its　wrist；　it　tossed　the　mindtrap　out　over　the　lake　of　molten　stone　for　the　second。　The　gold…and…crystal　cage　arched　through　the　air　and　suddenly　stopped；　floating　at　the　very　spot　where　it　seemed　the　Bore　was；　the　place　where　the　Pattern　lay　thinnest　of　all。
　　　Moghedien　forgot　the　Myrddraal。　She　flung　out　her　hands　toward　the　Bore。　〃Mercy；　Great　Lord！〃　She　had　never　noticed　that　the　Great　Lord　of　the　Dark　possessed　any　mercy；　but　had　she　been　bound　in　a　cell　with　rabid　wolves　or　with　a　darath　in　moult；　she　would　have　begged　the　same。　In　the　right　circumstances；　you　begged　even　for　the　impossible。　The　cour'souvra　hung　in　midair；　turning　slowly；　glittering　in　the　light　of　leaping　fires　below。　〃I　have　served　you　with　all　my　heart；　Great　Lord。　I　beg　mercy。　I　beg！　MERCYYYYYYY！〃
　　　YOU　MAY　SERVE　ME　STILL
　　　The　voice　flung　her　into　ecstasy　beyond　knowing；　but　at　the　same　instant　the　sparkling　mindtrap　suddenly　glowed　like　the　sun；　and　in　the　midst　of　rapture；　she　knew　pain　as　if　she　had　been　immersed　in　the　fiery　lake。　They　blended；　and　she　howled；　thrashing　like　a　mad　thing；　thrashing　in　endless　pain；　endless；　until　after　Ages；　after　nothing　remained　but　agony　and　the　memory　of　agony；　the　tiny　mercy　of　darkness　overwhelmed　her。
　　　Moghedien　stirred　on　the　pallet。　Not　again。　Please。
　　　She　barely　recognized　the