rj.eyeoftheworld-第139部分

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　had　foretold；　the　cellar　had　not　been　used　in　a　long　time。　The　floor　was　bare　except　for　a　few　broken　barrels　filled　with　odds　and　ends；　and　a　thick　layer　of　dust。　Motes；　stirred　up　by　so　many　feet；　sparkled　in　the　lantern　light。
　　　　　　　Lan　was　last　in；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　Mandarb　down　the　ramp　he　climbed　back　to　pull　the　doors　shut。
　　　　　　　〃Blood　and　ashes；〃　Mat　growled；　〃why　would　they　build　one　of　these　gates　in　a　place　like　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　was　not　always　like　this；〃　Loial　said。　His　rumbling　voice　echoed　in　the　cavernous　space。　〃Not　always。　No！〃　The　Ogier　was　angry；　Rand　realized　with　a　shock。　〃Once　trees　stood　here。　Every　kind　of　tree　that　would　grow　in　this　place；　every　kind　of　tree　that　Ogier　could　coax　to　grow　here。　The　Great　Trees；　a　hundred　spans　high。　Shade　of　branch；　and　cool　breezes　to　catch　the　smell　of　leaf　and　flower　and　hold　the　memory　of　the　peace　of　the　stedding。　All　that；　murdered　for　this！〃　His　fist　thumped　a　column。
　　　　　　　The　column　seemed　to　shake　under　that　blow。　Rand　was　certain　he　heard　bricks　crack。　Waterfalls　of　dry　mortar　slid　down　the　column。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　already　woven　cannot　be　undone；〃　Moiraine　said　gently。　〃It　will　not　make　the　trees　grow　again　for　you　to　bring　the　building　down　on　our　heads。〃　Loial's　drooping　eyebrows　made　him　look　more　abashed　than　a　human　face　could　have　managed。　〃With　your　help；　Loial；　perhaps　we　can　keep　the　groves　that　still　stand　from　falling　under　the　Shadow。　You　have　brought　us　to　what　we　seek。〃
　　　　　　　As　she　moved　to　one　of　the　walls；　Rand　realized　that　that　wall　was　different　from　the　others。　They　were　ordinary　brick；　this　was　intricately　worked　stone；　fanciful　swirls　of　leaves　and　vines；　pale　even　under　its　coat　of　dust。　The　brick　and　mortar　were　old；　but　something　about　the　stone　said　it　had　stood　there　long；　long　before　the　brick　was　fired。　Later　builders；　themselves　centuries　gone；　had　incorporated　what　already　stood；　and　still　later　men　had　made　it　part　of　a　cellar。
　　　　　　　One　part　of　the　carved　stone　wall；　right　in　the　center；　was　more　elaborate　than　the　rest。　As　well　done　as　the　rest　was；　it　appeared　a　crude　copy　in　parison。　Worked　in　hard　stone；　those　leaves　seemed　soft；　caught　in　one　frozen　moment　as　a　gentle　summer　breeze　stirred　them。　For　all　of　that；　they　had　the　feel　of　age；　as　much　greater　than　the　rest　of　the　stone　as　the　rest　was　older　than　the　brick。　That　old　and　more。　Loial　looked　at　them　as　if　he　would　rather　be　anywhere　else　but　there；　even　out　in　the　streets　with　another　mob。
　　　　　　　〃Avendesora；〃　Moiraine　murmured；　resting　her　hand　on　a　trefoil　leaf　in　the　stonework。　Rand　scanned　the　carving；　that　was　the　only　leaf　of　its　kind　he　could　find。　〃The　leaf　of　the　Tree　of　Life　is　the　key；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　said；　and　the　leaf　came　away　in　her　hand。
　　　　　　　Rand　blinked；　from　behind　him　he　heard　gasps。　That　leaf　had　seemed　no　less　a　part　of　the　wall　than　any　other。　Just　as　simply；　the　Aes　Sedai　set　it　against　the　pattern　a　handspan　lower。　The　three…pointed　leaf　fit　there　as　if　the　space　had　been　intended　for　it；　and　once　more　it　was　a　part　of　the　whole。　As　soon　as　it　was　in　place　the　entire　nature　of　the　central　stonework　changed。
　　　　　　　He　was　sure　now　that　he　could　see　the　leaves　ruffled　by　some　unfelt　breeze；　he　almost　thought　they　were　verdant　under　the　dust；　a　tapestry　of　thick　spring　greenery　there　in　the　lantern…lit　cellar。　Almost　imperceptibly　at　first；　a　split　opened　up　in　the　middle　of　the　ancient　carving；　widening　as　the　two　halves　slowly　swung　into　the　cellar　until　they　stood　straight　out。　The　backs　of　the　gates　were　worked　as　the　fronts；　the　same　profusion　of　vines　and　leaves；　almost　alive。　Behind；　where　should　have　been　dirt　or　the　cellar　of　the　next　building；　a　dull；　reflective　shimmering　faintly　caught　their　images。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　heard；〃　Loial　said；　half　mourning；　half　fearful；　〃that　once　the　Waygates　shone　like　mirrors。　Once；　who　entered　the　Ways　walked　through　the　sun　and　the　sky。　Once。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　have　no　time　for　waiting；〃　Moiraine　said。
　　　　　　　Lan　went　past　her；　leading　Mandarb；　poled　lantern　in　hand。　His　shadowy　reflection　approached　him；　leading　a　shadowy　horse。　Man　and　reflection　seemed　to　step　into　each　other　at　the　shimmering　surface；　and　both　were　gone。　For　a　moment　the　black　stallion　balked；　an　apparently　continuous　rein　connecting　him　to　the　dim　shape　of　his　own　image。　The　rein　tightened；　and　the　warhorse；　too；　vanished。
　　　　　　　For　a　minute　everyone　in　the　cellar　stood　staring　at　the　Waygate。
　　　　　　　〃Hurry；〃　Moiraine　urged。　〃I　must　be　the　last　through。　We　cannot　leave　this　open　for　anyone　to　find　by　chance。　Hurry。〃
　　　　　　　With　a　heavy　sigh　Loial　strode　into　the　shimmer。　Tossing　its　head；　his　big　horse　tried　to　hold　back　from　the　surface　and　was　hauled　through。　They　were　gone　as　pletely　as　the　Warder　and　Mandarb。
　　　　　　　Hesitantly；　Rand　poked　his　lantern　at　the　Waygate。　The　lantern　sank　into　its　reflection；　the　two　merging　until　both　were　gone。　He　made　himself　keep　on　walking　forward；　watching　the　pole　disappear　into　itself　inch　by　inch；　and　then　he　was　stepping　into　himself；　entering　the　gate。　His　mouth　fell　open。　Something　icy　slid　along　his　skin；　as　if　he　were　passing　through　a　wall　of　cold　water。　Time　stretched　out；　the　cold　enveloped　one　hair　at　a　time；　shivered　over　his　clothes　thread　by　thread。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　chill　burst　like　a　bubble；　and　he　paused　to　catch　his　breath。　He　was　inside　the　Ways。　Just　ahead　Lan　and　Loial　waited　patiently　by　their　horses。　All　around　them　was　blackness　that　seemed　to　stretch　on　forever。　Their　lanterns　made　a　small　pool　of　light　around　them；　too　small；　as　if　something　pressed　back　the　light；　or　ate　it。
　　　　　　　Of　a　sudden　anxious；　he　jerked　at　his　reins。　Red　and　the　packhorse　came　leaping　through；　nearly　knocking　him　down。　Stumbling；　he　caught　himself　and　hurried　to　the　Warder　and　the　Ogier；　pulling　the　nervous　horses　behind　him。　The　animals　whickered　softly。　Even　Mandarb　appeared　to　take　some　fort　from　the　presence　of　other　horses。
　　　　　　　〃Go　easy　when　you　pass　through　a　Waygate；　Rand；〃　Loial　cautioned。　〃Things　are。。。　different　inside　the　Ways　than　out。　Look。〃
　　　　　　　He　looked　back　the　way　the　Ogier　pointed；　thinking　to　see　the　same　dull　shimmer。　Instead　he　could　see　into　the　cellar；　as　if　through　a　large　piece　of　smoked　glass　set　in　the　blackness。　Disturbingly　the　darkness　around　the　window　into　the　cellar　gave　a　sense　of　depth；　as　though　the　opening　stood　alone　with　nothing　around　or　behind　it　but　the　dark。　He　said　as　much　with　a　shaky　laugh；　but　Loial　took　him　seriously。
　　　　　　　〃You　could　walk　all　the　way　around　it；　and　you　would　not　see　a　thing　from　the　other　side。　I　would　not　advise　it；　though。　The　books　aren't　very　clear　about　what　lies　behind　the　Waygates。　I　think　you　could　bee　lost　there；　and　never　find　your　way　out。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shook　his　head　and　tried　to　concentrate　on　the　Waygate　itself　rather　than　what　lay　behind　it；　but　that　was　just　as　disturbing　in　its　own　fashion。　If　there　had　been　anything　to　look　at　in　the　darkness　besides　the　Waygate；　he　would　have　looked　at　it。　In　the　cellar；　through　the　smoky　dimness；　Moiraine　and　the　others　were　plain　enough；　but　they　moved　as　if　in　a　dream。　Every　blink　of　an　eye　seemed　a　deliberate；　exaggerated　gesture。　Mat　was　making　his　way　to　the　Waygate　as　though　walking　through　clear　jelly；　his　legs　seeming　to　swim　forward。
　　　　　　　〃The　Wheel　turns　faster　in　the　Ways；〃　Loial　explained。　He　looked　at　the　darkness　surrounding　them；　and　his　head　sunk　in　between　his　shoulders。　〃None　alive　know　more　than　fragments。　I　fear　what　I　don't　know　about　the　Ways；　Rand。　〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Dark　One；〃　Lan　said；　〃cannot　be　defeated　without　chancing　risks。　But　we　are　alive　at　this　moment；　and　before　us　is　the　hope　of　remaining　alive。　Do　not　surrender　before　you　are　beaten；　Ogier。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　would　not　speak　so　confidently　if　you　had　ever　been　in　the　Ways。〃　The　normal　distant　thunder　of　Loial's　voice　was　muted。　He　stared　at　the　blackness　as　if　he　saw　things　there。　〃I　never　have　before；　either；　but　I've　seen　Ogier　who　have　been　through　a　Waygate　and　e　out　again。　You　would　not　speak　so　if　you　had。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　stepped　through　the　gate　and　regained　normal　speed。　For　an　instant　he　stared　at　the　seemingly　endless　darkness；　then　came　running　to　join　them；　his　lantern　bobbing　on　its　pole；　his　horse　leaping　behind　him；　almost　sending　him　sprawling。　One　by　one　the　others　passed　through；　Perrin　and　Egwene　and　Nynaeve；　each　pausing　in　shocked　silence　before　hurrying　to　join　the　rest。　Each　lantern　enlarged　the　pool　of　light；　but　not　as　much　as　it　should　have。　It　was　as　if　the　dark　became　denser　the　more　light　there　was；　thickening　as　it　fought　against　being　diminished。
　　　　　　　That　was　not　a　line　of　reasoning　Rand　wanted　to　follow。　It　was　bad　enough　just　being　there　without　giving　the　darkness　a　will　of　its　own。　Everyone　seemed　to　feel　the　oppressiveness；　though。　There　were　no　wry　ments　from　Mat　here；　and　Egwene　looked　as　if　she　wished　she　could　rethink　her　decision　to　e。　They　all　silently　watched　the　Waygate；　that　last　window　into　the　world　they　knew。
　　　　　　　Finally　only　Moiraine　was　left　in　the　cellar；　dimly　lit　by　the　lantern　she　had　taken。　The　Aes　Sedai　still　moved　in　that　dreamlike　way。　Her　hand　crept　as　it　found　the　leaf　of　Avendesora。　It　was　located　lower　in　the　stonework　on　this　side；　Rand　saw；　just　where　she　had　placed　it　on　the　other。　Plucking　it　free；　she　put　it　back　in　the　original　position。　He　wondered　suddenly　if　the　leaf　on　the　other　side　had　moved　back；　too。
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai　came　through；　leading　Aldieb；　as　the　stone　gates　slowly；　slowly　began　closing　behind　her。　She　came　to　join　them；　the　light　of　her　lantern　leaving　the　gates　before　they　were　shut。　Blackness　swallowed　the　narrowing　view　of　the　cellar。　In　the　constrained　light　of　their　lanterns；　blackness　surrounded　them　totally。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　it　seemed　as　if　the　lanterns　were　the　only　light　left　in　the　world。　Rand　realized　that　he　was　jammed　shoulder…to…shoulder　in　between　Perrin　and　Egwene。　Egwene　gave　him　a　wide…eyed　look　and　pressed　closer；　and　Perrin　made　no　move　to　give　him　room。　There　was　something　forting　about　touching　another　human　being　when　the　whole　world　had　just　been　swallowed　up　by　dark。　Even　the　horses　seemed　to　feel　the　Ways　pushing　them　into　a　tighter　and　tighter　knot。