rj.eyeoftheworld-第70部分

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　　　　　　　〃I　will　not。〃　Her　jaw　firmed　in　a　way　that　made　him　sigh。　〃Would　you　give　up　that　axe　of　yours；　Perrin　Aybara？　Would　you　walk　around　with　one　hand　tied　behind　your　back？　I　won't　do　it！〃
　　　　　　　〃I'll　make　the　firebow；〃　he　said　wearily。　〃At　least；　don't　try　it　again　tonight？　Please？〃
　　　　　　　She　acquiesced　grudgingly；　and　even　after　the　rabbit　was　roasting　on　a　spit　over　the　flames；　he　had　the　feeling　she　felt　she　could　have　done　it　better。　She　would　not　give　up　trying；　either；　every　night；　though　the　best　she　ever　did　was　a　trickle　of　smoke　that　vanished　almost　immediately。　Her　eyes　dared　him　to　say　a　word；　and　he　wisely　kept　his　mouth　shut。
　　　　　　　After　that　one　hot　meal；　they　subsisted　on　coarse　wild　tubers　and　a　few　young　shoots。　With　still　no　sign　of　spring；　none　of　it　was　plentiful；　and　none　of　it　tasty；　either。　Neither　plained；　but　not　a　meal　passed　without　one　or　the　other　sighing　regretfully；　and　they　both　knew　it　was　for　the　tang　of　a　bit　of　cheese；　or　even　the　smell　of　bread。　A　find　of　mushrooms　…　Queen's　Crowns；　the　best　…　one　afternoon　in　a　shady　part　of　the　forest　was　enough　to　seem　a　great　treat。　They　gobbled　them　down；　laughing　and　telling　stories　from　back　in　Emond's　Field；　stories　that　began；　〃Do　you　remember　when　…〃　but　the　mushrooms　did　not　last　long；　and　neither　did　the　laughter。　There　was　little　mirth　in　hunger。
　　　　　　　Whichever　was　walking　carried　a　sling；　ready　to　let　fly　at　the　sight　of　a　rabbit　or　squirrel；　but　the　only　time　either　hurled　a　stone　was　in　frustration。　The　snares　they　set　so　carefully　each　evening　yielded　nothing　at　dawn；　and　they　did　not　dare　stay　a　day　in　one　place　to　leave　the　snares　out。　Neither　of　them　knew　how　far　it　was　to　Caemlyn；　and　neither　would　feel　safe　until　they　got　there；　if　then。　Perrin　began　to　wonder　if　his　stomach　could　shrink　enough　to　make　a　hole　all　the　way　through　his　middle。
　　　　　　　They　made　good　time；　as　he　saw　it；　but　as　they　got　farther　and　farther　from　the　Arinelle　without　seeing　a　village；　or　even　a　farmhouse　where　they　could　ask　directions；　his　doubts　about　his　own　plan　grew。　Egwene　continued　to　appear　outwardly　as　confident　as　when　they　set　out；　but　he　was　sure　that　sooner　or　later　she　would　say　it　would　have　been　better　to　risk　the　Trollocs　than　to　wander　around　lost　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。　She　never　did；　but　he　kept　expecting　it。
　　　　　　　Two　days　from　the　river　the　land　changed　to　thickly　forested　hills；　as　gripped　by　the　tail　end　of　winter　as　everywhere　else；　and　a　day　after　that　the　hills　flattened　out　again；　the　dense　forest　broken　by　glades；　often　a　mile　or　more　across。　Snow　still　lay　in　hidden　hollows；　and　the　air　was　brisk　of　a　morning；　and　the　wind　cold　always。　Nowhere　did　they　see　a　road；　or　a　plowed　field；　or　chimney　smoke　in　the　distance；　or　any　other　sign　of　human　habitation　…　at　least；　none　where　men　still　dwelt。
　　　　　　　Once　the　remains　of　tall　stone　ramparts　encircled　a　hilltop。　Parts　of　roofless　stone　houses　stood　inside　the　fallen　circle。　The　forest　had　long　swallowed　it；　trees　grew　right　through　everything；　and　spiderwebs　of　old　creeper　enveloped　the　big　stone　blocks。　Another　time　they　came　on　a　stone　tower；　broken…topped　and　brown　with　old　moss；　leaning　on　the　huge　oak　whose　thick　roots　were　slowly　toppling　it。　But　they　found　no　place　where　men　had　breathed　in　living　remembrance。　Memories　of　Shadar　Logoth　kept　them　away　from　the　ruins　and　hurried　their　footsteps　until　they　were　once　more　deep　in　places　that　seemed　never　to　have　known　a　human　footstep。
　　　　　　　Dreams　plagued　Perrin's　sleep；　fearful　dreams。　Ba'alzamon　was　in　them；　chasing　him　through　mazes；　hunting　him；　but　Perrin　never　met　him　face…to…face；　so　far　as　he　remembered。　And　their　journey　had　been　enough　to　bring　a　few　bad　dreams。　Egwene　plained　of　nightmares　about　Shadar　Logoth；　especially　the　two　nights　after　they　found　the　ruined　fort　and　the　abandoned　tower。　Perrin　kept　his　own　counsel　even　when　he　woke　sweating　and　shaking　in　the　dark。　She　was　looking　to　him　to　lead　them　safely　to　Caemlyn；　not　share　worries　about　which　they　could　do　nothing。
　　　　　　　He　was　walking　at　Bela's　head；　wondering　if　they　would　find　anything　to　eat　this　evening；　when　he　first　caught　the　smell。　The　mare　flared　her　nostrils　and　swung　her　head　in　the　next　moment。　He　seized　her　bridle　before　she　could　whicker。
　　　　　　　〃That's　smoke；〃　Egwene　said　excitedly。　She　leaned　forward　in　the　saddle；　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃A　cookfire。　Somebody　is　roasting　dinner。　Rabbit。〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Perrin　said　cautiously；　and　her　eager　smile　faded。　He　exchanged　his　sling　for　the　wicked　half…moon　of　the　axe。　His　hands　opened　and　closed　uncertainly　on　the　thick　haft。　It　was　a　weapon；　but　neither　his　hidden　practice　behind　the　forge　nor　Lan's　teachings　had　really　prepared　him　to　use　it　as　one。　Even　the　battle　before　Shadar　Logoth　was　too　vague　in　his　mind　to　give　him　any　confidence。　He　could　never　quite　manage　that　void　that　Rand　and　the　Warder　talked　about；　either。
　　　　　　　Sunlight　slanted　through　the　trees　behind　them；　and　the　forest　was　a　still　mass　of　dappled　shadows。　The　faint　smell　of　woodsmoke　drifted　around　them；　tinged　with　the　aroma　of　cooking　meat。　It　could　be　rabbit；　he　thought；　and　his　stomach　grumbled。　And　it　could　be　something　else；　he　reminded　himself。　He　looked　at　Egwene；　she　was　watching　him。　There　were　responsibilities　to　being　leader。
　　　　　　　〃Wait　here；〃　he　said　softly。　She　frowned；　but　he　cut　her　off　as　she　opened　her　mouth。　〃And　be　quiet！　We　don't　know　who　it　is；　yet。〃　She　nodded。　Reluctantly；　but　she　did　it。　Perrin　wondered　why　that　did　not　work　when　he　was　trying　to　make　her　take　his　turn　riding。　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　he　started　for　the　source　of　the　smoke。
　　　　　　　He　had　not　spent　as　much　time　in　the　forests　around　Emond's　Field　as　Rand　or　Mat；　but　still　he　had　done　his　share　of　hunting　rabbits。　He　crept　from　tree　to　tree　without　so　much　as　snapping　a　twig。　It　was　not　long　before　he　was　peering　around　the　bole　of　a　tall　oak　with　spreading；　serpentine　limbs　that　bent　to　touch　the　ground　then　rose　again。　Beyond　lay　a　campfire；　and　a　lean；　sun…browned　man　was　leaning　against　one　of　the　limbs　not　far　from　the　flames。
　　　　　　　At　least　he　was　not　a　Trolloc；　but　he　was　the　strangest　fellow　Perrin　had　ever　seen。　For　one　thing；　his　clothes　all　seemed　to　be　made　from　animal　skins；　with　the　fur　still　on；　even　his　boots　and　the　odd；　flat…topped　round　cap　on　his　head。　His　cloak　was　a　crazy　quilt　of　rabbit　and　squirrel；　his　trousers　appeared　to　be　made　from　the　long…haired　hide　of　a　brown　and　white　goat。　Gathered　at　the　back　of　his　neck　with　a　cord；　his　graying　brown　hair　hung　to　his　waist。　A　thick　beard　fanned　across　half　his　chest。　A　long　knife　hung　at　his　belt；　almost　a　sword；　and　a　bow　and　quiver　stood　propped　against　a　limb　close　to　hand。
　　　　　　　The　man　leaned　back　with　his　eyes　closed；　apparently　asleep；　but　Perrin　did　not　stir　from　his　concealment。　Six　sticks　slanted　over　the　fellow's　fire；　and　on　each　stick　a　rabbit　was　skewered；　roasted　brown　and　now　and　then　dripping　juice　that　hissed　in　the　flames。　The　smell　of　them；　so　close；　made　his　mouth　water。
　　　　　　　〃You　done　drooling？〃　The　man　opened　one　eye　and　cocked　it　at　Perrin's　hiding　place。　〃You　and　your　friend　might　as　well　sit　and　have　a　bite。　I　haven't　seen　you　eat　much　the　last　couple　of　days。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　hesitated；　then　stood　slowly；　still　gripping　his　axe　tightly。　〃You've　been　watching　me　for　two　days？〃
　　　　　　　The　man　chuckled　deep　in　his　throat。　〃Yes；　I　been　watching　you。　And　that　pretty　girl。　Pushes　you　around　like　a　bantam　rooster；　doesn't　she？　Heard　you；　mostly。　The　horse　is　the　only　one　of　you　doesn't　trample　around　loud　enough　to　be　heard　five　miles　off。　You　going　to　ask　her　in；　or　are　you　intending　to　eat　all　the　rabbit　yourself？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　bristled；　he　knew　he　did　not　make　much　noise。　You　could　not　get　close　enough　to　a　rabbit　in　the　Waterwood　to　fetch　it　with　a　sling　if　you　made　noise。　But　the　smell　of　rabbit　made　him　remember　that　Egwene　was　hungry；　too；　not　to　mention　waiting　to　discover　if　it　was　a　Trolloc　fire　they　had　smelled。
　　　　　　　He　slipped　the　haft　of　his　axe　through　the　belt　loop　and　raised　his　voice。　〃Egwene！　It's　all　right！　It　is　rabbit！〃　Offering　his　hand；　he　added　in　a　more　normal　tone；　〃My　name　is　Perrin。　Perrin　Aybara。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　considered　his　hand　before　taking　it　awkwardly；　as　if　unused　to　shaking　hands。　〃I'm　called　Elyas；〃　he　said；　looking　up。　〃Elyas　Machera。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　gasped；　and　nearly　dropped　Elyas's　hand。　The　man's　eyes　were　yellow；　like　bright；　polished　gold。　Some　memory　tickled　at　the　back　of　Perrin's　mind；　then　fled。　All　he　could　think　of　right　then　was　that　all　of　the　Trollocs'　eyes　he　had　seen　had　been　almost　black。
　　　　　　　Egwene　appeared；　cautiously　leading　Bela。　She　tied　the　mare's　reins　to　one　of　the　smaller　branches　of　the　oak；　and　made　polite　sounds　when　Perrin　introduced　her　to　Elyas；　but　her　eyes　kept　drifting　to　the　rabbits。　She　did　not　seem　to　notice　the　man's　eyes。　When　Elyas　motioned　them　to　the　food；　she　fell　to　with　a　will。　Perrin　hesitated　only　a　minute　longer　before　joining　her。
　　　　　　　Elyas　waited　silently　while　they　ate。　Perrin　was　so　hungry　he　tore　off　pieces　of　meat　so　hot　he　had　to　juggle　them　from　hand　to　hand　before　he　could　hold　them　in　his　mouth。　Even　Egwene　showed　little　of　her　usual　neatness；　greasy　juice　ran　down　her　chin。　Day　faded　into　twilight　before　they　began　to　slow　down；　moonless　darkness　closing　in　around　the　fire；　and　then　Elyas　spoke。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　doing　out　here？　There　isn't　a　house　inside　fifty　miles　in　any　direction。〃
　　　　　　　〃We're　going　to　Caemlyn；〃　Egwene　said。　〃Perhaps　you　could　…〃　Her　eyebrows　lifted　coolly　as　Elyas　threw　back　his　head　and　roared　with　laughter。　Perrin　stared　at　him；　a　rabbit　leg　half　raised　to　his　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃Caemlyn？〃　Elyas　wheezed　when　he　could　talk　again。　〃The　path　you're　following；　the　line　you've　taken　the　last　two　days；　you'll　pass　a　hundred　miles　or　more　north　of　Caemlyn。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　were　going　to　ask　directions；〃　Egwene　said　defensively。　〃We　just　haven't　found　any　villages　or　farms；　yet。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　none　you　will；〃　Elyas　said；　chuckling。　〃The　way　you're　going；　you　can　travel　all　the　way　to　the　Spine　of　the　World　without　seeing　another　human。　Of　course；　if　you　managed　to　climb　the　Spine　…　it　can　be　done；