rj.eyeoftheworld-第60部分

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every　building。　Rand　could　not　see　anything　move；　hard　as　he　tried；　but　he　could　feel　the　eyes；　eager；　hungry。　He　did　not　know　which　would　be　worse。　Thousands　of　eyes；　or　just　a　few；　following　them。
　　　　　　　In　the　stretches　where　the　sun　still　reached　them；　they　slowed；　just　a　little；　squinting　nervously　into　the　darkness　that　always　seemed　to　lay　ahead。　None　of　them　was　eager　to　enter　the　shadows；　no　one　was　really　sure　something　might　not　be　waiting。　The　watchers'　anticipation　was　a　palpable　thing　whenever　shadows　stretched　across　the　street；　barring　their　way。　They　ran　through　those　dark　places　shouting。　Rand　thought　he　could　hear　dry；　rustling　laughter。。。
　　　　　　　At　last；　with　twilight　falling；　they　came　in　sight　of　the　white　stone　building　they　had　left　what　seemed　like　days　ago。　Suddenly　the　watching　eyes　departed。　Between　one　step　and　the　next；　they　vanished　in　a　blink。　Without　a　word　Rand　broke　into　a　trot；　followed　by　his　friends；　then　a　full　run　that　only　ended　when　they　hared　through　the　doorway　and　collapsed；　panting。
　　　　　　　A　small　fire　burned　in　the　middle　of　the　tile　floor；　the　smoke　vanishing　through　a　hole　in　the　ceiling　in　a　way　that　reminded　Rand　unpleasantly　of　Mordeth。　Everyone　except　Lan　was　there；　gathered　around　the　flames；　and　their　reactions　varied　considerably。　Egwene；　warming　her　hands　at　the　fire；　gave　a　start　as　the　three　burst　into　the　room；　clutching　her　hands　to　her　throat；　when　she　saw　who　it　was；　a　relieved　sigh　spoiled　her　attempt　at　a　withering　look。　Thom　merely　muttered　something　around　his　pipestem；　but　Rand　caught　the　word　〃fools〃　before　the　gleeman　went　back　to　poking　the　flames　with　a　stick。
　　　　　　　〃You　wool…headed　witlings！〃　the　Wisdom　snapped。　She　bristled　from　head　to　foot；　her　eyes　glittered；　and　bright　spots　of　red　burned　on　her　cheeks。　〃Why　under　the　Light　did　you　run　off　like　that？　Are　you　all　right？　Have　you　no　sense　at　all？　Lan　is　out　looking　for　you　now；　and　you'll　be　luckier　than　you　deserve　if　he　does　not　pound　some　sense　into　the　lot　of　you　when　he　gets　back。〃
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai's　face　betrayed　no　agitation　at　all；　but　her　hands　had　loosed　a　white…knuckled　grip　on　her　dress　at　the　sight　of　them。　Whatever　Nynaeve　had　given　her　must　have　helped；　for　she　was　on　her　feet。　〃You　should　not　have　done　what　you　did；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　as　clear　and　serene　as　a　Waterwood　pond。　〃We　will　speak　of　it　later。　Something　happened　out　there；　or　you　would　not　be　falling　all　over　one　another　like　this。　Tell　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　said　it　was　safe；〃　Mat　plained；　scrambling　to　his　feet。　〃You　said　Aridhol　was　an　ally　of　Manetheren；　and　Trollocs　wouldn't　e　into　the　city；　and　…〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　stepped　forward　so　suddenly　that　Mat　cut　off　with　his　mouth　open；　and　Rand　and　Perrin　paused　in　getting　up；　halfway　crouched　or　on　their　knees。　〃Trollocs？　Did　you　see　Trollocs　inside　the　walls？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　swallowed。　〃Not　Trollocs；〃　he　said；　and　all　three　began　talking　excitedly；　all　at　the　same　time。
　　　　　　　Everyone　began　in　a　different　place。　Mat　started　with　finding　the　treasure；　sounding　almost　as　if　he　had　done　it　alone；　while　Perrin　began　explaining　why　they　had　gone　off　in　the　first　place　without　telling　anyone。　Rand　jumped　right　to　what　he　thought　was　important；　meeting　the　stranger　among　the　columns。　But　they　were　all　so　excited　that　nobody　told　anything　in　the　order　it　happened；　whenever　one　of　them　thought　of　something；　he　blurted　it　out　with　no　regard　for　what　came　before　or　after；　or　for　who　was　saying　what。　The　watchers。　They　all　babbled　about　the　watchers。
　　　　　　　It　made　the　whole　tale　close　to　incoherent；　but　their　fear　came　through。　Egwene　began　casting　uneasy　glances　at　the　empty　windows　fronting　the　street。　Out　there　the　last　remnants　of　twilight　were　fading；　the　fire　seemed　very　small　and　dim。　Thom　took　his　pipe　from　between　his　teeth　and　listened　with　his　head　cocked；　frowning。　Moiraine's　eyes　showed　concern；　but　not　an　undue　amount。　Until。。。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　the　Aes　Sedai　hissed；　and　grabbed　Rand's　elbow　in　a　tight　grip。　〃Mordeth！　Are　you　sure　of　that　name？　Be　very　sure；　all　of　you。　Mordeth？〃
　　　　　　　They　murmured　a　chorused　〃Yes；〃　taken　aback　by　the　Aes　Sedai's　intensity。
　　　　　　　〃Did　he　touch　you？〃　she　asked　them　all。　〃Did　he　give　you　anything；　or　did　you　do　anything　for　him？　I　must　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Rand　said。　〃None　of　us。　None　of　those　things。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　nodded　agreement；　and　added；　〃All　he　did　was　try　to　kill　us。　Isn't　that　enough？　He　swelled　up　until　he　filled　half　the　room；　shouted　that　we　were　all　dead　men；　then　vanished。〃　He　moved　his　hand　to　demonstrate。　〃Like　smoke。〃　Egwene　gave　a　squeak。
　　　　　　　Mat　twisted　away　petulantly。　〃Safe；　you　said。　All　that　talk　about　Trollocs　not　ing　here。　What　were　we　supposed　to　think？〃
　　　　　　　〃Apparently　you　did　not　think　at　all；〃　she　said；　coolly　posed　once　more。　〃Anyone　who　thinks　would　be　wary　of　a　place　that　Trollocs　are　afraid　to　enter。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat's　doing；〃　Nynaeve　said；　certainty　in　her　voice。　〃He's　always　talking　some　mischief　or　other；　and　the　others　lose　the　little　wits　they　were　born　with　when　they're　around　him。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　nodded　briefly；　but　her　eyes　remained　on　Rand　and　his　two　friends。　〃Late　in　the　Trolloc　Wars；　an　army　camped　within　these　ruins　…　Trollocs；　Darkfriends；　Myrddraal；　Dreadlords；　thousands　in　all。　When　they　did　not　e　out；　scouts　were　sent　inside　the　walls。　The　scouts　found　weapons；　bits　of　armor；　and　blood　splattered　everywhere。　And　messages　scratched　on　walls　in　the　Trolloc　tongue；　calling　on　the　Dark　One　to　aid　them　in　their　last　hour。　Men　who　came　later　found　no　trace　of　the　blood　or　the　messages。　They　had　been　scoured　away。　Halfmen　and　Trollocs　remember　still。　That　is　what　keeps　them　outside　this　place。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　this　is　where　you　picked　for　us　to　hide？〃　Rand　said　in　disbelief。　〃We'd　be　safer　out　there　trying　to　outrun　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　had　not　gone　running　off；〃　Moiraine　said　patiently；　〃you　would　know　that　I　set　wards　around　this　building。　A　Myrddraal　would　not　even　know　these　wards　were　there；　for　it　is　a　different　kind　of　evil　they　are　meant　to　stop；　but　what　resides　in　Shadar　Logoth　will　not　cross　them；　or　even　e　too　near。　In　the　morning　it　will　be　safe　for　us　to　go；　these　things　cannot　stand　the　light　of　the　sun。　They　will　be　hiding　deep　in　the　earth。〃
　　　　　　　〃Shadar　Logoth？〃　Egwene　said　uncertainly。　〃I　thought　you　said　this　city　was　called　Aridhol。〃
　　　　　　　〃Once　it　was　called　Aridhol；〃　Moiraine　replied；　〃and　was　one　of　the　Ten　Nations；　the　lands　that　made　the　Second　Covenant；　the　lands　that　stood　against　the　Dark　One　from　the　first　days　after　the　Breaking　of　the　World。　In　the　days　when　Thorin　al　Toren　al　Ban　was　King　of　Manetheren；　the　King　of　Aridhol　was　Balwen　Mayel；　Balwen　Ironhand。　In　a　twilight　of　despair　during　the　Trolloc　Wars；　when　it　seemed　the　Father　of　Lies　must　surely　conquer；　the　man　called　Mordeth　came　to　Balwen's　court。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　same　man？〃　Rand　exclaimed；　and　Mat　said；　〃It　couldn't　be！〃　A　glance　from　Moiraine　silenced　them。　Stillness　filled　the　room　except　for　the　Aes　Sedai's　voice。
　　　　　　　〃Before　Mordeth　had　been　long　in　the　city　he　had　Balwen's　ear；　and　soon　he　was　second　only　to　the　King。　Mordeth　whispered　poison　in　Balwen's　ear；　and　Aridhol　began　to　change。　Aridhol　drew　in　on　itself；　hardened。　It　was　said　that　some　would　rather　see　Trollocs　e　than　the　men　of　Aridhol。　The　victory　of　the　Light　is　all。　That　was　the　battlecry　Mordeth　gave　them；　and　the　men　of　Aridhol　shouted　it　while　their　deeds　abandoned　the　Light。
　　　　　　　〃The　story　is　too　long　to　tell　in　full；　and　too　grim；　and　only　fragments　are　known；　even　in　Tar　Valon。　How　Thorin's　son；　Caar；　came　to　win　Aridhol　back　to　the　Second　Covenant；　and　Balwen　sat　his　throne；　a　withered　shell　with　the　light　of　madness　in　his　eyes；　laughing　while　Mordeth　smiled　at　his　side　and　ordered　the　deaths　of　Caar　and　the　embassy　as　Friends　of　the　Dark。　How　Prince　Caar　came　to　be　called　Caar　One…Hand。　How　he　escaped　the　dungeons　of　Aridhol　and　fled　alone　to　the　Borderlands　with　Mordeth's　unnatural　assassins　at　his　heels。　How　there　he　met　Rhea；　who　did　not　know　who　he　was；　and　married　her；　and　set　the　skein　in　the　Pattern　that　led　to　his　death　at　her　hands；　and　hers　by　her　own　hand　before　his　tomb；　and　the　fall　of　Aleth…loriel。　How　the　armies　of　Manetheren　came　to　avenge　Caar　and　found　the　gates　of　Aridhol　torn　down；　no　living　thing　inside　the　walls；　but　something　worse　than　death。　No　enemy　had　e　to　Aridhol　but　Aridhol。　Suspicion　and　hate　had　given　birth　to　something　that　fed　on　that　which　created　it；　something　locked　in　the　bedrock　on　which　the　city　stood。　Mashadar　waits　still；　hungering。　Men　spoke　of　Aridhol　no　more。　They　named　it　Shadar　Logoth；　the　Place　Where　the　Shadow　Waits；　or　more　simply；　Shadow's　Waiting。
　　　　　　　〃Mordeth　alone　was　not　consumed　by　Mashadar；　but　he　was　snared　by　it；　and　he；　too；　has　waited　within　these　walls　through　the　long　centuries。　Others　have　seen　him。　Some　he　has　influenced　through　gifts　that　twist　the　mind　and　taint　the　spirit；　the　taint　waxing　and　waning　until　it　rules　。。。　or　kills。　If　ever　he　convinces　someone　to　acpany　him　to　the　walls；　to　the　boundary　of　Mashadar's　power；　he　will　be　able　to　consume　the　soul　of　that　person。　Mordeth　will　leave；　wearing　the　body　of　the　one　he　worse　than　killed；　to　wreak　his　evil　on　the　world　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　treasure；〃　Perrin　mumbled　when　she　stopped。　〃He　wanted　us　to　help　carry　the　treasure　to　his　horses。〃　His　face　was　haggard。　〃I'll　bet　they　were　supposed　to　be　outside　the　city　somewhere。〃　Rand　shivered。
　　　　　　　〃But　we　are　safe；　now；　aren't　we？〃　Mat　asked。　〃He　didn't　give　us　anything；　and　he　didn't　touch　us；　we're　safe；　aren't　we；　with　the　wards　you　set？〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　safe；〃　Moiraine　agreed。　〃He　cannot　cross　the　ward　line；　nor　can　any　other　denizen　of　this　place。　And　they　must　hide　from　the　sunlight；　so　we　can　leave　safely　once　it　is　day。　Now；　try　to　sleep。　The　wards　will　protect　us　until　Lan　returns。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　has　been　gone　a　long　time。〃　Nynaeve　looked　worriedly　at　the　night　outside。　Full　dark　had　fallen；　as　black　as　pitch。
　　　　　　　〃Lan　will　be　well；〃　Moiraine　said　soothingly；　and　spread　her　blankets　beside　the　fire　while　she　spoke。　〃He；　was　pledged　to　fight　the　Dark　One　before　he　left　the　cradle；　a　sword　placed　in　his　infant　hands。　Besides；　I　would　kno