rj.eyeoftheworld-第150部分

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l　and　good；　but　I　beg　you　to　make　every　effort　to　see　that　you　can　win。　Leave　these　young　men　here；　Aes　Sedai。　I　swear　to　you　that　I　can　find　three　experienced　men　with　no　thought　of　glory　in　their　heads　to　replace　them；　good　swordsmen　who　are　almost　as　handy　in　the　Blight　as　Lan。　Let　me　ride　to　the　Gap　knowing　that　I　have　done　what　I　can　to　help　you　be　victorious。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　must　take　them　and　no　others；　Lord　Agelmar；〃　Moiraine　said　gently。　〃They　are　the　ones　who　will　fight　the　battle　at　the　Eye　of　the　World。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar's　jaw　dropped；　and　he　stared　at　Rand　and　Mat　and　Perrin。　Suddenly　the　Lord　of　Fal　Dara　took　a　step　back；　his　hand　groping　unconsciously　for　the　sword　he　never　wore　inside　the　fortress。　〃They　aren't　。。。　You　are　not　Red　Ajah；　Moiraine　Sedai；　but　surely　not　even　you　would　。。。〃　Sudden　sweat　glistened　on　his　shaven　head。
　　　　　　　〃They　are　ta'veren；〃　Moiraine　said　soothingly。　〃The　Pattern　weaves　itself　around　them。　Already　the　Dark　One　has　tried　to　kill　each　of　them　more　than　once。　Three　ta'veren　in　one　place　are　enough　to　change　the　life　around　them　as　surely　as　a　whirlpool　changes　the　path　of　a　straw。　When　the　place　is　the　Eye　of　the　World；　the　Pattern　might　weave　even　the　Father　of　Lies　into　itself；　and　make　him　harmless　again。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar　stopped　trying　to　find　his　sword；　but　he　still　looked　at　Rand　and　the　others　doubtfully。　〃Moiraine　Sedai；　if　you　say　they　are；　then　they　are；　but　I　cannot　see　it。　Farmboys。　Are　you　certain；　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　old　blood；〃　Moiraine　said；　〃split　out　like　a　river　breaking　into　a　thousand　times　a　thousand　streams；　but　sometimes　streams　join　together　to　make　a　river　again。　The　old　blood　of　Manetheren　is　strong　and　pure　in　almost　all　these　young　men。　Can　you　doubt　the　strength　of　Manetheren's　blood；　Lord　Agelmar？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　sideways　at　the　Aes　Sedai。　Almost　all。　He　risked　a　look　at　Nynaeve；　she　had　turned　back　to　watch　as　well　as　listen；　though　she　still　avoided　looking　at　Lan。　He　caught　the　Wisdom's　eye。　She　shook　her　head；　she　had　not　told　the　Aes　Sedai　that　he　was　not　Two　Rivers　born。　What　does　Moiraine　know？
　　　　　　　〃Manetheren；〃　Agelmar　said　slowly；　nodding。　〃I　would　not　doubt　that　blood。〃　Then；　more　quickly；　〃The　Wheel　brings　strange　times。　Farmboys　carry　the　honor　of　Manetheren　into　the　Blight；　yet　if　any　blood　can　strike　a　fell　blow　at　the　Dark　One；　it　would　be　the　blood　of　Manetheren。　It　shall　be　done　as　you　wish；　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　let　us　go　to　our　rooms；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃We　must　leave　with　the　sun；　for　time　grows　short。　The　young　men　must　sleep　close　to　me。　Time　is　too　short　before　the　battle　to　allow　the　Dark　One　another　strike　at　them。　Too　short。　〃
　　　　　　　Rand　felt　her　eyes　on　him；　studying　him　and　his　friends；　weighing　their　strength；　and　he　shivered。　Too　short。

Chapter　48
The　Blight
　
　　　　　　　The　wind　whipped　Lan's　cloak；　sometimes　making　him　hard　to　see　even　in　the　sunlight；　and　Ingtar　and　the　hundred　lances　Lord　Agelmar　had　sent　to　escort　them　to　the　Border；　in　case　they　met　a　Trolloc　raid；　made　a　brave　display　in　double　column　with　their　armor　and　their　red　pennants　and　their　steel…clad　horses　led　by　Ingtar's　Gray　Owl　banner。　They　were　easily　as　grand　as　a　hundred　of　the　Queen's　Guards；　but　it　was　the　towers　just　in　sight　ahead　of　them　that　Rand　studied。　He　had　had　all　morning　to　watch　the　Shienaran　lances。
　　　　　　　Each　tower　stood　tall　and　solid　atop　a　hill；　half　a　mile　from　its　neighbor。　East　and　west　others　rose；　and　more　beyond　those。　A　broad；　walled　ramp　spiralled　around　each　stone　shaft；　winding　all　the　way　around　by　the　time　it　reached　the　heavy　gates　halfway　to　the　crenellated　top。　A　sortie　from　the　garrison　would　be　protected　by　the　wall　until　it　reached　the　ground；　but　enemies　striving　to　reach　the　gate　would　climb　under　a　hail　of　arrows　and　stones　and　hot　oil　from　the　big　kettles　poised　on　the　outward　flaring　ramparts　above。　A　large　steel　mirror；　carefully　turned　down；　away　from　the　sun；　now；　glittered　atop　each　tower　below　the　high　iron　cup　where　signal　fires　could　be　lit　when　the　sun　did　not　shine。　The　signal　would　be　flashed；　to　towers　further　from　the　Border；　and　by　those　to　still　others；　and　so　relayed　to　the　heartland　fortresses；　from　where　the　lances　would　ride　to　turn　back　the　raid。　Were　times　normal；　they　would。
　　　　　　　From　the　two　nearest　tower　tops　men　watched　them　approach。　Just　a　few　men　on　each；　peering　curiously　through　the　crenels。　In　the　best　of　times　the　towers　were　only　manned　enough　for　self…defense；　depending　more　on　stone　walls　than　strong　arms　to　survive；　but　every　man　who　could　be　spared；　and　more；　was　riding　to　Tarwin's　Gap。　The　fall　of　the　towers　would　not　matter　if　the　lances　failed　to　hold　the　Gap。
　　　　　　　Rand　shivered　as　they　rode　between　the　towers。　It　was　almost　as　if　he　had　ridden　through　a　wall　of　colder　air。　This　was　the　Border。　The　land　beyond　looked　no　different　from　Shienar；　but　out　there；　somewhere　beyond　the　leafless　trees；　was　the　Blight。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　lifted　a　steel　fist　to　halt　the　lances　short　of　a　plain　stone　post　in　sight　of　the　towers。　A　borderpost；　marking　the　boundary　between　Shienar　and　what　once　was　Malkier。　〃Your　pardon；　Moiraine　Aes　Sedai。　Pardon；　Dai　Shan。　Pardon；　Builder。　Lord　Agelmar　manded　me　to　go　no　further。〃　He　sounded　unhappy　about　it；　disgruntled　at　life　in　general。
　　　　　　　〃That　is　as　we　planned；　Lord　Agelmar　and　I；〃　Moiraine　said。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　grunted　sourly。　〃Pardon；　Aes　Sedai；〃　he　apologized；　not　sounding　as　if　he　meant　it。　〃To　escort　you　here　means　we　may　not　reach　the　Gap　before　the　fighting　is　done。　I　am　robbed　of　the　chance　to　stand　with　the　rest；　and　at　the　same　time　I　am　manded　not　to　ride　one　step　beyond　the　borderpost；　as　if　I　had　never　before　been　in　the　Blight。　And　My　Lord　Agelmar　will　not　tell　me　why。〃　Behind　the　bars　of　his　face…guard；　his　eyes　turned　the　last　word　into　a　question　to　the　Aes　Sedai。　He　scorned　to　look　at　Rand　and　the　others；　he　had　learned　they　would　acpany　Lan　into　the　Blight。
　　　　　　　〃He　can　have　my　place；〃　Mat　muttered　to　Rand。　Lan　gave　them　both　a　sharp　look。　Mat　dropped　his　eyes；　his　face　turning　red。
　　　　　　　〃Each　of　us　has　his　part　in　the　Pattern；　Ingtar；〃　Moiraine　said　firmly。　〃From　here　we　must　thread　ours　alone。　〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar's　bow　was　stiffer　than　his　armor　made　it。　〃As　you　wish　it；　Aes　Sedai。　I　must　leave　you；　now；　and　ride　hard　in　order　to　reach　Tarwin's　Gap。　At　least　I　will　be　。。。　allowed　。。。　to　face　Trollocs　there。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　truly　that　eager？〃　Nynaeve　asked。　〃To　fight　Trollocs？〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　gave　her　a　puzzled　look；　then　glanced　at　Lan　as　if　the　Warder　might　explain。　〃That　is　what　I　do；　Lady；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃That　is　why　I　am。〃　He　raised　a　gauntleted　hand　to　Lan；　open　palm　toward　the　warder。　〃Suravye　ninto　manshima　taishite；　Dai　Shan。　Peace　favor　your　sword。〃　Pulling　his　horse　around；　Ingtar　rode　east　with　his　bannerman　and　his　hundred　lances。　They　went　at　a　walk；　but　a　steady　pace；　as　fast　as　armored　horses　could　manage　with　a　far　distance　yet　to　go。
　　　　　　　〃What　a　strange　thing　to　say；〃　Egwene　said。　〃Why　do　they　use　it　like　that？　Peace。〃
　　　　　　　〃When　you　have　never　known　a　thing　except　to　dream；〃　Lan　replied；　heeling　Mandarb　forward；　〃it　bees　more　than　a　talisman。〃
　　　　　　　As　Rand　followed　the　Warder　past　the　stone　borderpost；　he　turned　in　his　saddle　to　look　back；　watching　Ingtar　and　the　lances　disappear　behind　barren　trees；　and　the　borderpost　vanish；　and　last　of　all　the　towers　on　their　hilltops；　looking　over　the　trees。　All　too　soon　they　were　alone；　riding　north　under　the　leafless　canopy　of　the　forest。　Rand　sank　into　watchful　silence；　and　for　once　even　Mat　had　nothing　to　say。
　　　　　　　That　morning　the　gates　of　Fal　Dara　had　opened　with　the　dawn。　Lord　Agelmar；　armored　and　helmeted　now　like　his　soldiers；　rode　with　the　Black　Hawk　banner　and　the　Three　Foxes　from　the　East　Gate　toward　the　sun；　still　only　a　red　sliver　above　the　trees。　Like　a　steel　snake　undulating　to　mounted　kettle…drums；　the　column　wound　its　way　out　of　the　town　four　abreast；　Agelmar　at　its　head　hidden　in　the　forest　before　its　tail　left　Fal　Dara　keep。　There　were　no　cheers　in　the　streets　to　speed　them　on　their　way；　only　their　own　drums　and　their　pennants'　cracking　in　the　wind；　but　their　eyes　looked　toward　the　rising　sun　with　purpose。　Eastward　they　would　join　other　steel　serpents；　from　Fal　Moran；　behind　King　Easar　himself　with　his　sons　at　his　side；　and　from　Ankor　Dail；　that　held　the　Eastern　Marches　and　guarded　the　Spine　of　the　World；　from　Mos　Shirare　and　Fal　Sion　and　Camron　Caan；　and　all　the　other　fortresses　in　Shienar；　great　and　small。　Joined　into　a　greater　serpent；　they　would　turn　north　to　Tarwin's　Gap。
　　　　　　　Another　exodus　had　begun　at　the　same　time；　using　the　King's　Gate　that　led　out　on　the　way　to　Fal　Moran。　Carts　and　wagons；　people　mounted　and　people　afoot；　driving　their　livestock；　carrying　children　on　their　backs；　faces　as　long　as　the　morning　shadows。　Reluctance　to　leave　their　homes；　perhaps　forever；　slowed　their　feet；　yet　fear　of　what　was　ing　spurred　them；　so　that　they　went　in　bursts；　feet　dragging；　then　breaking　into　a　run　for　a　dozen　paces　only　to　fall　back；　once　more；　to　shuffling　through　the　dust。　A　few　paused　outside　the　town　to　watch　the　soldiers'　armored　line　winding　into　the　forest。　Hope　blossomed　in　some　eyes；　and　prayers　were　muttered；　prayers　for　the　soldiers；　prayers　for　themselves；　before　they　turned　south　again；　trudging。
　　　　　　　The　smallest　column　went　out　of　the　Malkier　Gate。　Left　behind　were　a　few　who　would　remain；　soldiers　and　a　sprinkling　of　older　men；　their　wives　dead　and　their　grown　children　making　the　slow　way　south。　A　last　handful　so　that　whatever　happened　in　Tarwin's　Gap；　Fal　Dara　would　not　fall　undefended。　Ingtar's　Gray　Owl　led　the　way；　but　it　was　Moiraine　who　took　them　north。　The　most　important　column　of　all；　and　the　most　desperate。
　　　　　　　For　at　least　an　hour　after　they　passed　the　borderpost　there　was　no　change　in　land　or　forest。　The　Warder　kept　them　at　a　hard　pace；　as　fast　a　walk　as　the　horses　could　maintain；　but　Rand　kept　wondering　when　they　would　reach　the　Blight。　The　hills　became　a　little　higher；　but　the　trees；　and　the　creepers；　and　the　underbrush　were　no　different　than　what　he　had　seen　in　Shienar；　gray　and　all　but　leafless。　He　began　to　feel　warmer；　warm　enough　to　sling　his　cloak　across　the　pommel　of　his