rj.eyeoftheworld-第122部分

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d　cloth　wrapped　around　it；　was　covered　more。
　　　　　　　At　the　foot　of　the　stairs　he　met　Master　Gill　just　starting　up。　〃There's　someone　been　asking　after　you　in　the　city；〃　the　innkeeper　said　around　his　pipe。　Rand　felt　a　surge　of　hope。　〃Asking　after　you　and　those　friends　of　yours；　by　name。　You　younglings；　anyway。　Seems　to　want　you　three　lads　most。　〃
　　　　　　　Anxiety　replaced　hope。　〃Who？〃　Rand　asked。　He　still　could　not　help　glancing　up　and　down　the　hall。　Except　for　they　two；　it　was　empty；　from　the　exit　into　the　alley　to　the　mon　room　door。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　know　his　name。　Just　heard　about　him。　I　hear　most　things　in　Caemlyn；　eventually。　Beggar。〃　The　innkeeper　grunted。　〃Half　mad；　I　hear。　Even　so；　he　could　take　the　Queen's　Bounty　at　the　Palace；　even　with　things　as　hard　as　they　are。　On　High　Days；　the　Queen　gives　it　out　with　her　own　hands；　and　there's　never　anyone　turned　away　for　any　reason。　No　one　needs　to　beg　in　Caemlyn。　Even　a　man　under　warrant　can't　be　arrested　while　he's　taking　the　Queen's　Bounty。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　Darkfriend？〃　Rand　said　reluctantly。　If　the　Darkfriends　know　our　names。。。
　　　　　　　〃You've　got　Darkfriends　on　the　brain；　young　fellow。　They're　around；　certainly；　but　just　because　the　Whitecloaks　have　everybody　stirred　up　is　no　reason　for　you　to　think　the　city's　full　of　them。　Do　you　know　what　rumor　those　idiots　have　started　now？　'Strange　shapes。'　Can　you　believe　it？　Strange　shapes　creeping　around　outside　the　city　in　the　night。〃　The　innkeeper　chuckled　till　his　belly　shook。
　　　　　　　Rand　did　not　feel　like　laughing。　Hyam　Kinch　had　talked　about　strange　shapes；　and　there　had　surely　enough　been　a　Fade　back　there。　〃What　kind　of　shapes？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　kind？　I　don't　know　what　kind。　Strange　shapes。　Trollocs；　probably。　The　Shadowman。　Lews　Therin　Kinslayer　himself；　e　back　fifty　feet　high。　What　kind　of　shapes　do　you　think　people　will　imagine　now　the　idea's　in　their　heads？　It's　none　of　our　worry。〃　Master　Gill　eyed　him　for　a　moment。　〃Going　out；　are　you？　Well；　I　can't　say　I　care　for　it；　myself；　even　today；　but　there's　hardly　anybody　left　here　but　me。　Not　your　friend？〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat's　not　feeling　very　well。　Maybe　later。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　be　that　as　it　may。　You　watch　yourself；　now。　Even　today　good　Queen's　men　will　be　outnumbered　out　there；　Light　burn　the　day　I　ever　thought　to　see　it　so。　Best　you　leave　by　the　alleyway。　There's　two　of　those　blood…be…damned　traitors　sitting　across　the　street　watching　my　front　door。　They　know　where　I　stand；　by　the　Light！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stuck　his　head　out　and　looked　both　ways　before　slipping　into　the　alley。　A　bulky　man　Master　Gill　had　hired　stood　at　the　head　of　the　alley；　leaning　on　a　spear　and　watching　the　people　run　past　with　an　apparent　lack　of　interest。　It　was　only　apparent；　Rand　knew。　The　fellow　…　his　name　was　Lamgwin　…　saw　everything　through　those　heavy…lidded　eyes；　and　for　all　his　bullish　bulk　he　could　move　like　a　cat。　He　also　thought　Queen　Morgase　was　the　Light　made　flesh；　or　near　enough。　There　were　a　dozen　like　him　scattered　around　The　Queen's　Blessing。
　　　　　　　Lamgwin's　ear　twitched　when　Rand　reached　the　mouth　of　the　alley；　but　he　never　took　his　disinterest　off　the　street。　Rand　knew　the　man　had　heard　him　ing。
　　　　　　　〃Watch　your　back　today；　man。〃　Lamgwin's　voice　sounded　like　gravel　in　a　pan。　〃When　the　trouble　starts；　you'll　be　a　handy　one　to　have　here；　not　somewhere　with　a　knife　in　your　back。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　the　blocky　man；　but　his　surprise　was　muted。　He　always　tried　to　keep　the　sword　out　of　sight；　but　this　was　not　the　first　time　one　of　Master　Gill's　men　had　assumed　he　would　know　his　way　in　a　fight。　Lamgwin　did　not　look　back　at　him。　The　man's　job　was　guarding　the　inn；　and　he　did　it。
　　　　　　　Pushing　his　sword　back　a　little　further　under　his　cloak；　Rand　joined　the　flow　of　people。　He　saw　the　two　men　the　innkeeper　had　mentioned；　standing　on　upturned　barrels　across　the　street　from　the　inn　so　they　could　see　over　the　crowd。　He　did　not　think　they　noticed　him　ing　out　of　the　alley。　They　made　no　secret　of　their　allegiance。　Not　only　were　their　swords　wrapped　in　white　tied　with　red；　they　wore　white　armbands　and　white　cockades　on　their　hats。
　　　　　　　He　had　not　been　in　Caemlyn　long　before　learning　that　red　wrappings　on　a　sword；　or　a　red　armband　or　cockade；　meant　support　for　Queen　Morgase。　White　said　the　Queen　and　her　involvement　with　Aes　Sedai　and　Tar　Valon　were　to　blame　for　everything　that　had　gone　wrong。　For　the　weather；　and　the　failed　crops。　Maybe　even　for　the　false　Dragon。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　want　to　get　involved　in　Caemlyn　politics。　Only；　it　was　too　late；　now。　It　was　not　just　that　he　had　already　chosen　…　by　accident；　but　there　it　was。　Matters　in　the　city　had　gone　beyond　letting　anyone　stay　neutral。　Even　outlanders　wore　cockades　and　armbands；　or　wrapped　their　swords；　and　more　wore　the　white　than　the　red。　Maybe　some　of　them　did　not　think　that　way；　but　they　were　far　from　home　and　that　was　the　way　sentiment　was　running　in　Caemlyn。　Men　who　supported　the　Queen　went　about　in　groups　for　their　own　protection；　when　they　went　out　at　all。
　　　　　　　Today；　though；　it　was　different。　On　the　surface；　at　least。　Today；　Caemlyn　celebrated　a　victory　of　the　Light　over　the　Shadow。　Today　the　false　Dragon　was　being　brought　into　the　city；　to　be　displayed　before　the　Queen　before　he　was　taken　north　to　Tar　Valon。
　　　　　　　No　one　talked　about　that　part　of　it。　No　one　but　the　Aes　Sedai　could　deal　with　a　man　who　could　actually　wield　the　One　Power；　of　course；　but　no　one　wanted　to　talk　about　it。　The　Light　had　defeated　the　Shadow；　and　soldiers　from　Andor　had　been　in　the　forefront　of　the　battle。　For　today；　that　was　all　that　was　important。　For　today；　everything　else　could　be　forgotten。
　　　　　　　Or　could　it；　Rand　wondered。　The　crowd　ran；　singing　and　waving　banners；　laughing；　but　men　displaying　the　red　kept　together　in　knots　of　ten　or　twenty；　and　there　were　no　women　or　children　with　them。　He　thought　there　were　at　least　ten　men　showing　white　for　every　one　proclaiming　allegiance　to　the　Queen。　Not　for　the　first　time；　he　wished　white　cloth　had　been　the　cheaper。　But　would　Master　Gill　have　helped　if　you'd　been　showing　the　white？
　　　　　　　The　crowd　was　so　thick　that　jostling　was　inevitable。　Even　Whitecloaks　did　not　enjoy　their　little　open　spaces　in　the　throng　today。　As　Rand　let　the　crowd　carry　him　toward　the　Inner　City；　he　realized　that　not　all　animosities　were　being　reined　in。　He　saw　one　of　the　Children　of　the　Light；　one　of　three；　bumped　so　hard　he　almost　fell。　The　Whitecloak　barely　caught　himself　and　started　an　angry　oath　at　the　man　who　had　bumped　him　when　another　man　staggered　him　with　a　deliberate；　aimed　shoulder。　Before　matters　could　go　any　further　the　Whitecloak's　panions　pulled　him　over　to　the　side　of　the　street　to　where　they　could　shelter　in　a　doorway。　The　three　seemed　caught　between　their　normal　glaring　stare　and　disbelief。　The　crowd　streamed　on　by　as　if　none　had　noticed；　and　perhaps　none　had。
　　　　　　　No　one　would　have　dared　do　such　a　thing　two　days　earlier。　More；　Rand　realized；　the　men　who　had　done　the　bumping　wore　white　cockades　on　their　hats。　It　was　widely　believed　the　Whitecloaks　supported　those　who　opposed　the　Queen　and　her　Aes　Sedai　advisor；　but　that　made　no　difference。　Men　were　doing　things　of　which　they　had　never　before　thought。　Jostling　a　Whitecloak；　today。　Tomorrow；　perhaps　pulling　down　a　Queen？　Suddenly　he　wished　there　were　a　few　more　men　close　to　him　showing　red；　jostled　by　white　cockades　and　armbands；　he　abruptly　felt　very　alone。
　　　　　　　The　Whitecloaks　noticed　him　looking　at　them　and　stared　back　as　if　meeting　a　challenge。　He　let　a　singing　swirl　in　the　crowd　sweep　him　out　of　their　sight；　and　joined　in　their　song。
　　　　　　　
〃Forward　the　Lion；
forward　the　Lion；
the　White　Lion　takes　the　field。
Roar　defiance　at　the　Shadow。
Forward　the　Lion；
forward；　Andor　triumphant。〃

　　　　　　　The　route　that　would　bring　the　false　Dragon　into　Caemlyn　was　well　known。　Those　streets　themselves　were　kept　clear　by　solid　lines　of　the　Queen's　Guards　and　red…cloaked　pikemen；　but　people　packed　the　edges　of　them　shoulder　to　shoulder；　even　the　windows　and　the　rooftops。　Rand　worked　his　way　into　the　Inner　City；　trying　to　get　closer　to　the　Palace。　He　had　some　thought　of　actually　seeing　Logain　displayed　before　the　Queen。　To　see　the　false　Dragon　and　a　Queen；　both。。。　That　was　something　he　had　never　dreamed　of　back　home。
　　　　　　　The　Inner　City　was　built　on　hills；　and　much　of　what　the　Ogier　had　made　still　remained。　Where　streets　in　the　New　City　mostly　ran　every　which　way　in　a　crazy…quilt；　here　they　followed　the　curves　of　the　hills　as　if　they　were　a　natural　part　of　the　earth。　Sweeping　rises　and　dips　presented　new　and　surprising　vistas　at　every　turn。　Parks　seen　from　different　angles；　even　from　above；　where　their　walks　and　monuments　made　patterns　pleasing　to　the　eye　though　barely　touched　with　green。　Towers　suddenly　revealed；　tile…covered　walls　glittering　in　the　sunlight　with　a　hundred　changing　colors。　Sudden　rises　where　the　gaze　was　thrown　out　across　the　entire　city　to　the　rolling　plains　and　forests　beyond。　All　in　all；　it　would　have　been　something　to　see　if　not　for　the　crowd　that　hurried　him　along　before　he　had　a　chance　to　really　take　it　in。　And　all　those　curving　streets　made　it　impossible　to　see　very　far　ahead。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　he　was　swept　around　a　bend；　and　there　was　the　Palace。　The　streets；　even　following　the　natural　contours　of　the　land；　had　been　laid　out　to　spiral　in　on　this　…　this　gleeman's　tale　of　pale　spires　and　golden　domes　and　intricate　stonework　traceries；　with　the　banner　of　Andor　waving　from　every　prominence；　a　centerpiece　for　which　all　the　other　vistas　had　been　designed。　It　seemed　more　sculpted　by　an　artist　than　simply　built　like　ordinary　buildings。
　　　　　　　That　glimpse　showed　him　he　would　get　no　nearer。　No　one　was　being　allowed　close　to　the　Palace。　Queen's　Guards　made　scarlet　ranks　ten　deep　flanking　the　Palace　gates。　Along　the　tops　of　the　white　walls；　on　high　balconies　and　towers；　more　Guards　stood　rigidly　straight；　bows　precisely　slanted　across　breastplated　chests。　They；　too；　looked　like　something　out　of　a　gleeman's　tale；　a　guard　of　honor；　but　Rand　did　not　believe　that　was　why　they　were　there。　The　clamoring　crowd　lining　the　streets　was　almost　solid　with　white…wrapped　swords；　white　armbands；　and　white　cockades。　Only　here　and　there　was　the　white　wall　broken　by　a　knot　of　red。　The　red…unifo