rj.eyeoftheworld-第124部分

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is　gaze　swept；　there　the　people　fell　silent；　staring　back　in　awe。　When　Logain's　eyes　left　them；　they　screamed　with　redoubled　fury　as　if　to　make　up　for　their　silence；　but　it　made　no　difference　in　the　way　the　man　stood；　or　in　the　silence　that　passed　along　with　him。　As　the　wagon　rolled　through　the　Palace　gates；　he　turned　to　look　back　at　the　assembled　masses。　They　howled　at　him；　beyond　words；　a　wave　of　sheer　animal　hate　and　fear；　and　Logain　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed　as　the　Palace　swallowed　him。
　　　　　　　Other　contingents　followed　behind　the　wagons；　with　banners　representing　more　who　had　fought　and　defeated　the　false　Dragon。　The　Golden　Bees　of　Illian；　the　three　White　Crescents　of　Tear；　the　Rising　Sun　of　Cairhien；　others；　many　others；　of　nations　and　of　cities；　and　of　great　men　with　their　own　trumpets；　their　own　drums　to　thunder　their　grandeur。　It　was　anticlimactic　after　Logain。
　　　　　　　Rand　leaned　out　a　bit　further　to　try　to　catch　one　last　sight　of　the　caged　man。　He　was　defeated；　wasn't　he？　Light；　he　wouldn't　be　in　a　bloody　cage　if　he　wasn't　defeated。
　　　　　　　Overbalanced；　he　slipped　and　grabbed　at　the　top　of　the　wall；　pulled　himself　back　to　a　somewhat　safer　seat。　With　Logain　gone；　he　became　aware　of　the　burning　in　his　hands；　where　the　stone　had　scraped　his　palms　and　fingers。　Yet　he　could　not　shake　free　of　the　images。　The　cage　and　the　Aes　Sedai。　Logain；　undefeated。　No　matter　the　cage；　that　had　not　been　a　defeated　man。　He　shivered　and　rubbed　his　stinging　hands　on　his　thighs。
　　　　　　　〃Why　were　the　Aes　Sedai　watching　him？〃　he　wondered　aloud。
　　　　　　　〃They're　keeping　him　from　touching　the　True　Source；　silly。〃
　　　　　　　He　jerked　to　look　up；　toward　the　girl's　voice；　and　suddenly　his　precarious　seat　was　gone。　He　had　only　time　to　realize　that　he　was　toppling　backward；　falling；　when　something　struck　his　head　and　a　laughing　Logain　chased　him　into　spinning　darkness。

Chapter　40
The　Web　Tightens
　
　　　　　　　It　seemed　to　Rand　that　he　was　sitting　at　table　with　Logain　and　Moiraine。　The　Aes　Sedai　and　the　false　Dragon　sat　watching　him　silently；　as　if　neither　knew　the　other　was　there。　Abruptly　he　realized　the　walls　of　the　room　were　being　indistinct；　fading　off　into　gray。　A　sense　of　urgency　built　in　him。　Everything　was　going；　blurring　away。　When　he　looked　back　to　the　table；　Moiraine　and　Logain　had　vanished；　and　Ba'alzamon　sat　there　instead。　Rand's　whole　body　vibrated　with　urgency；　it　hummed　inside　his　head；　louder　and　louder。　The　hum　became　the　pounding　of　blood　in　his　ears。
　　　　　　　With　a　jerk　he　sat　up；　and　immediately　groaned　and　clutched　his　head；　swaying。　His　whole　skull　hurt；　his　left　hand　found　sticky　dampness　in　his　hair。　He　was　sitting　on　the　ground；　on　green　grass。　That　troubled　him；　vaguely；　but　his　head　spun　and　everything　he　looked　at　lurched；　and　all　he　could　think　of　was　lying　down　until　it　stopped。
　　　　　　　The　wall！　The　girl's　voice！
　　　　　　　Steadying　himself　with　one　hand　flat　on　the　grass；　he　looked　around　slowly。　He　had　to　do　it　slowly；　when　he　tried　to　turn　his　head　quickly　everything　started　whirling　again。　He　was　in　a　garden；　or　a　park；　a　slate…paved　walk　meandered　by　through　flowering　bushes　not　six　feet　away；　with　a　white　stone　bench　beside　it　and　a　leafy　arbor　over　the　bench　for　shade。　He　had　fallen　inside　the　wall。　And　the　girl？
　　　　　　　He　found　the　tree；　close　behind　his　back；　and　found　her；　too　…　climbing　down　out　of　it。　She　reached　the　ground　and　turned　to　face　him；　and　he　blinked　and　groaned　again。　A　deep　blue　velvet　cloak　lined　with　pale　fur　rested　on　her　shoulders；　its　hood　hanging　down　behind　to　her　waist　with　a　cluster　of　silver　bells　at　the　peak。　They　jingled　when　she　moved。　A　silver　filigree　circlet　held　her　long；　red…gold　curls；　and　delicate　silver　rings　hung　at　her　ears；　while　a　necklace　of　heavy　silver　links　and　dark　green　stones　he　thought　were　emeralds　lay　around　her　throat。　Her　pale　blue　dress　was　smudged　with　bark　stains　from　her　tree　climbing；　but　it　was　still　silk；　and　embroidered　with　painstakingly　intricate　designs；　the　skirt　slashed　with　inserts　the　color　of　rich　cream。　A　wide　belt　of　woven　silver　encircled　her　waist；　and　velvet　slippers　peeked　from　under　the　hem　of　her　dress。
　　　　　　　He　had　only　ever　seen　two　women　dressed　in　this　fashion；　Moiraine　and　the　Darkfriend　who　had　tried　to　kill　Mat　and　him。　He　could　not　begin　to　imagine　who　would　choose　to　climb　trees　in　clothes　like　that；　but　he　was　sure　she　had　to　be　someone　important。　The　way　she　was　looking　at　him　redoubled　the　impression。　She　did　not　seem　in　the　least　troubled　at　having　a　stranger　tumble　into　her　garden。　There　was　a　self…possession　about　her　that　made　him　think　of　Nynaeve；　or　Moiraine。
　　　　　　　He　was　so　enmeshed　in　worrying　whether　or　not　he　had　gotten　himself　into　trouble；　whether　or　not　she　was　someone　who　could　and　would　call　the　Queen's　Guards　even　on　a　day　when　they　had　other　things　to　occupy　them；　that　it　took　him　a　few　moments　to　see　past　the　elaborate　clothes　and　lofty　attitude　to　the　girl　herself。　She　was　perhaps　two　or　three　years　younger　than　he；　tall　for　a　girl；　and　beautiful；　her　face　a　perfect　oval　framed　by　that　mass　of　sunburst　curls；　her　lips　full　and　red；　her　eyes　bluer　than　he　could　believe。　She　was　pletely　different　from　Egwene　in　height　and　face　and　body；　but　every　bit　as　beautiful。　He　felt　a　twinge　of　guilt；　but　told　himself　that　denying　what　his　eyes　saw　would　not　bring　Egwene　safely　to　Caemlyn　one　whit　faster。
　　　　　　　A　scrabbling　sound　came　from　up　in　the　tree　and　bits　of　bark　fell；　followed　by　a　boy　dropping　lightly　to　the　ground　behind　her。　He　was　a　head　taller　than　she　and　a　little　older；　but　his　face　and　hair　marked　him　as　her　close　kin。　His　coat　and　cloak　were　red　and　white　and　gold；　embroidered　and　brocaded；　and　for　a　male　even　more　ornate　than　hers。　That　increased　Rand's　anxiety。　Only　on　a　feastday　would　any　ordinary　man　dress　in　anything　like　that；　and　never　with　that　much　grandeur。　This　was　no　public　park。　Perhaps　the　Guards　were　too　busy　to　bother　with　trespassers。
　　　　　　　The　boy　studied　Rand　over　the　girl's　shoulder；　fingering　the　dagger　at　his　waist。　It　seemed　more　a　nervous　habit　than　any　thought　that　he　might　use　it。　Not　pletely；　though。　The　boy　had　the　same　self…possession　as　the　girl；　and　they　both　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　puzzle　to　be　solved。
　　　　　　　〃We　will　never　hear　the　end　of　this；　Elayne；　if　mother　finds　out；〃　the　boy　said　suddenly。　〃She　told　us　to　stay　in　our　rooms；　but　you　just　had　to　get　a　look　at　Logain；　didn't　you？　Now　look　what　it　has　got　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃Be　quiet；　Gawyn。〃　She　was　clearly　the　younger　of　the　two；　but　she　spoke　as　though　she　took　it　for　granted　that　he　would　obey。　The　boy's　face　struggled　as　if　he　had　more　to　say；　but　to　Rand's　surprise　he　held　his　peace。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　she　said　suddenly。
　　　　　　　It　took　Rand　a　minute　to　realize　she　was　speaking　to　him。　When　he　did；　he　tried　to　struggle　to　his　feet。　〃I'm　fine。　I　just　…〃　He　tottered；　and　his　legs　gave　way。　He　sat　back　down　hard。　His　head　swam。　〃I'll　just　climb　back　over　the　wall；〃　he　muttered。　He　attempted　to　stand　again；　but　she　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　pressing　him　down。　He　was　so　dizzy　the　slight　pressure　was　enough　to　hold　him　in　place。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　hurt。〃　Gracefully　she　knelt　beside　him。　Her　fingers　gently　parted　the　blood…matted　hair　on　the　left　side　of　his　head。　〃You　must　have　struck　a　branch　ing　down。　You　will　be　lucky　if　you　didn't　break　anything　more　than　your　scalp。　I　don't　think　I　ever　saw　anyone　as　skillful　at　climbing　as　you；　but　you　don't　do　so　well　falling。〃
　　　　　　　〃You'll　get　blood　on　your　hands；〃　he　said　drawing　back。
　　　　　　　Firmly　she　pulled　his　head　back　to　where　she　could　get　at　it。　〃Hold　still。〃　She　did　not　speak　sharply；　but　again　there　was　that　note　in　her　voice　as　if　she　expected　to　be　obeyed。　〃It　does　not　look　too　bad；　thank　the　Light。〃　From　pockets　on　the　inside　of　her　cloak　she　began　taking　out　an　array　of　tiny　vials　and　twisted　packets　of　paper；　finishing　with　a　handful　of　wadded　bandage。
　　　　　　　He　stared　at　the　collection　in　amazement。　It　was　the　sort　of　thing　he　would　have　expected　a　Wisdom　to　carry；　not　someone　dressed　as　she　was。　She　had　gotten　blood　on　her　fingers；　he　saw；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　bother　her。
　　　　　　　〃Give　me　your　water　flask；　Gawyn；〃　she　said。　〃I　need　to　wash　this。〃
　　　　　　　The　boy　she　called　Gawyn　unfastened　a　leather　bottle　from　his　belt　and　handed　it　to　her；　then　squatted　easily　at　Rand's　feet　with　his　arms　folded　on　his　knees。　Elayne　went　about　what　she　was　doing　in　a　very　workmanlike　manner。　He　did　not　flinch　at　the　sting　of　the　cold　water　when　she　washed　the　cut　on　his　scalp；　but　she　held　the　top　of　his　head　as　if　she　expected　him　to　try　to　pull　away　again　and　would　have　none　of　it。　The　ointment　she　smoothed　on　after；　from　one　of　her　small　vials；　soothed　almost　as　much　as　one　of　Nynaeve's　preparations　would　have。
　　　　　　　Gawyn　smiled　as　she　worked；　a　calming　smile；　as　if　he；　too；　expected　Rand　to　jerk　away　and　maybe　even　run。　〃She's　always　finding　stray　cats　and　birds　with　broken　wings。　You　are　the　first　human　being　she　has　had　to　work　on。〃　He　hesitated；　then　added；　〃Do　not　be　offended。　I　am　not　calling　you　a　stray。〃　It　was　not　an　apology；　just　a　statement　of　fact。
　　　　　　　〃No　offense　taken；〃　Rand　said　stiffly。　But　the　pair　were　acting　as　if　he　were　a　skittish　horse。
　　　　　　　〃She　does　know　what　she　is　doing；〃　Gawyn　said。　〃She　has　had　the　best　teachers。　So　do　not　fear；　you　are　in　good　hands。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　pressed　some　of　the　bandaging　against　his　temple　and　pulled　a　silk　scarf　from　her　belt；　blue　and　cream　and　gold。　For　any　girl　in　Emond's　Field　it　would　have　been　a　treasured　feast…day　cloth。　Elayne　deftly　began　winding　it　around　his　head　to　hold　the　wad　of　bandage　in　place。
　　　　　　　〃You　can't　use　that；〃　he　protested。
　　　　　　　She　went　on　winding。　〃I　told　you　to　hold　still；〃　she　said　calmly。
　　　　　　　Rand　looked　at　Gawyn。　〃Does　she　always　expect　everybody　to　do　what　she　tells　them？〃
　　　　　　　A　flash　of　surprise　crossed　the　young　man's　face；　and　his　mouth　tightened　with　amusement。　〃Most　of　the　time　she　does。　And　most　of　the　time　they　do。〃
　　　　　　　〃Hold　this；〃　Elayne　said。　〃Put　your　hand　there　while　I　tie…〃　She　exclaimed　at　the　sight　of　his　hands。　〃You　did　not　do　this　falling。　Climbing　where　you　shouldn't　have　been　climbing　is　more　like　it。〃　Quickly　finishing　he