rj.eyeoftheworld-第71部分

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climb　the　Spine　…　it　can　be　done；　some　places　…　you　could　find　people　in　the　Aiel　Waste；　but　you　wouldn't　like　it　there。　You'd　broil　by　day；　and　freeze　by　night；　and　die　of　thirst　anytime。　It　takes　an　Aielman　to　find　water　in　the　Waste；　and　they　don't　like　strangers　much。　No；　not　much；　I'd　say。〃　He　set　off　into　another；　more　furious；　burst　of　laughter；　this　time　actually　rolling　on　the　ground。　〃Not　much　at　all；〃　he　managed。
　　　　　　　Perrin　shifted　uneasily。　Are　we　eating　with　a　madman？
　　　　　　　Egwene　frowned；　but　she　waited　until　Elyas's　mirth　faded　a　little；　then　said；　〃Perhaps　you　could　show　us　the　way。　You　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　more　about　where　places　are　than　we　do。〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　stopped　laughing。　Raising　his　head；　he　replaced　his　round　fur　cap；　which　had　fallen　off　while　he　was　rolling　about；　and　stared　at　her　from　under　lowered　brows。　〃I　don't　much　like　people；〃　he　said　in　a　flat　voice。　〃Cities　are　full　of　people。　I　don't　go　near　villages；　or　even　farms；　very　often。　Villagers；　farmers；　they　don't　like　my　friends。　I　wouldn't　even　have　helped　you　if　you　hadn't　been　stumbling　around　as　helpless　and　innocent　as　newborn　cubs。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　at　least　you　can　tell　us　which　way　to　go；〃　she　insisted。　〃If　you　direct　us　to　the　nearest　village；　even　if　it's　fifty　miles　away；　surely　they'll　give　us　directions　to　Caemlyn。〃
　　　　　　　〃Be　still；〃　Elyas　said。　〃My　friends　are　ing。〃
　　　　　　　Bela　suddenly　whinnied　in　fear；　and　began　jerking　to　pull　her　reins　free。　Perrin　half　rose　as　shapes　appeared　all　around　them　in　the　darkening　forest。　Bela　reared　and　twisted；　screaming。
　　　　　　　〃Quiet　the　mare；〃　Elyas　said。　〃They　won't　hurt　her。　Or　you；　if　you're　still。〃
　　　　　　　Four　wolves　stepped　into　the　firelight；　shaggy；　waist…high　forms　with　jaws　that　could　break　a　man's　leg。　As　if　the　people　were　not　there　they　walked　up　to　the　fire　and　lay　down　between　the　humans。　In　the　darkness　among　the　trees　firelight　reflected　off　the　eyes　of　more　wolves；　on　all　sides。
　　　　　　　Yellow　eyes；　Perrin　thought。　Like　Elyas's　eyes。　That　was　what　he　had　been　trying　to　remember。　Carefully　watching　the　wolves　among　them；　he　reached　for　his　axe。
　　　　　　　〃I　would　not　do　that；〃　Elyas　said。　〃If　they　think　you　mean　harm；　they'll　stop　being　friendly。〃
　　　　　　　They　were　staring　at　him；　those　four　wolves；　Perrin　saw。　He　had　the　feeling　that　all　the　wolves；　those　in　the　trees；　as　well；　were　staring　at　him。　It　made　his　skin　itch。　Cautiously　he　moved　his　hands　away　from　the　axe。　He　imagined　he　could　feel　the　tension　ease　among　the　wolves。　Slowly　he　sat　back　down；　his　hands　shook　until　he　gripped　his　knees　to　stop　them。　Egwene　was　so　stiff　she　almost　quivered。　One　wolf；　close　to　black　with　a　lighter　gray　patch　on　his　face；　lay　nearly　touching　her。
　　　　　　　Bela　had　ceased　her　screaming　and　rearing。　Instead　she　stood　trembling　and　shifting　in　an　attempt　to　keep　all　of　the　wolves　in　view；　kicking　occasionally　to　show　the　wolves　that　she　could；　intending　to　sell　her　life　dearly。　The　wolves　seemed　to　ignore　her　and　everyone　else。　Tongues　lolling　out　of　their　mouths；　they　waited　at　their　ease。
　　　　　　　〃There；〃　Elyas　said。　〃That's　better。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　they　tame？〃　Egwene　asked　faintly；　and　hopefully；　too。　〃They're　。。。　pets？〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　snorted。　〃Wolves　don't　tame；　girl；　not　even　as　well　as　men。　They're　my　friends。　We　keep　each　other　pany；　hunt　together；　converse；　after　a　fashion。　Just　like　any　friends。　Isn't　that　right；　Dapple？〃　A　wolf　with　fur　that　faded　through　a　dozen　shades　of　gray；　dark　and　light；　turned　her　head　to　look　at　him。
　　　　　　　〃You　talk　to　them？〃　Perrin　marveled。
　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　exactly　talking；〃　Elyas　replied　slowly。　〃The　words　don't　matter；　and　they　aren't　exactly　right；　either。　Her　name　isn't　Dapple。　It's　something　that　means　the　way　shadows　play　on　a　forest　pool　at　a　midwinter　dawn；　with　the　breeze　rippling　the　surface；　and　the　tang　of　ice　when　the　water　touches　the　tongue；　and　a　hint　of　snow　before　nightfall　in　the　air。　But　that　isn't　quite　it；　either。　You　can't　say　it　in　words。　It's　more　of　a　feeling。　That's　the　way　wolves　talk。　The　others　are　Burn；　Hopper；　and　Wind。〃　Burn　had　an　old　scar　on　his　shoulder　that　might　explain　his　name；　but　there　was　nothing　about　the　other　two　wolves　to　give　any　indication　of　what　their　names　might　mean。
　　　　　　　For　all　the　man's　gruffness；　Perrin　thought　Elyas　was　pleased　to　have　the　chance　to　talk　to　another　human。　He　seemed　eager　enough　to　do　it；　at　least。　Perrin　eyed　the　wolves'　teeth　glistening　in　the　firelight　and　thought　it　might　be　a　good　idea　to　keep　him　talking。　〃How　。。。　how　did　you　learn　to　talk　to　wolves；　Elyas？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　found　out；〃　Elyas　replied；　〃I　didn't。　Not　at　first。　That's　always　the　way　of　it；　I　understand。　The　wolves　find　you；　not　you　them。　Some　people　thought　me　touched　by　the　Dark　One；　because　wolves　started　appearing　wherever　I　went。　I　suppose　I　thought　so；　too；　sometimes。　Most　decent　folk　began　to　avoid　me；　and　the　ones　who　sought　me　out　weren't　the　kind　I　wanted　to　know；　one　way　or　another。　Then　I　noticed　there　were　times　when　the　wolves　seemed　to　know　what　I　was　thinking；　to　respond　to　what　was　in　my　head。　That　was　the　real　beginning。　They　were　curious　about　me。　Wolves　can　sense　people；　usually；　but　not　like　this。　They　were　glad　to　find　me。　They　say　it's　been　a　long　time　since　they　hunted　with　men；　and　when　they　say　a　long　time；　the　feeling　I　get　is　like　a　cold　wind　howling　all　the　way　down　from　the　First　Day。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　never　heard　of　men　hunting　with　wolves；〃　Egwene　said。　Her　voice　was　not　entirely　steady；　but　the　fact　that　the　wolves　were　just　lying　there　seemed　to　give　her　heart。
　　　　　　　If　Elyas　heard　her；　he　gave　no　sign。　〃Wolves　remember　things　differently　from　the　way　people　do；〃　he　said。　His　strange　eyes　took　on　a　faraway　look；　as　if　he　were　drifting　off　on　the　flow　of　memory　himself。　〃Every　wolf　remembers　the　history　of　all　wolves；　or　at　least　the　shape　of　it。　Like　I　said；　it　can't　be　put　into　words　very　well。　They　remember　running　down　prey　side…by…side　with　men；　but　it　was　so　long　ago　that　it's　more　like　the　shadow　of　a　shadow　than　a　memory。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　very　interesting；〃　Egwene　said；　and　Elyas　looked　at　her　sharply。　〃No；　I　mean　it。　It　is。〃　She　wet　her　lips。　〃Could　。。。　ah　。。。　could　you　teach　us　to　talk　to　them？〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　snorted　again。　〃It　can't　be　taught。　Some　can　do　it；　some　can't。　They　say　he　can。〃　He　pointed　at　Perrin。
　　　　　　　Perrin　looked　at　Elyas's　finger　as　if　it　were　a　knife。　He　really　is　a　madman。　The　wolves　were　staring　at　him　again。　He　shifted　unfortably。〃You　say　you're　going　to　Caemlyn；〃　Elyas　said；　〃but　that　still　doesn't　explain　what　you're　doing　out　here；　days　from　anywhere。〃　He　tossed　back　his　fur…patch　cloak　and　lay　down　on　his　side；　propped　on　one　elbow　and　waiting　expectantly。
　　　　　　　Perrin　glanced　at　Egwene。　Early　on　they　had　concocted　a　story　for　when　they　found　people；　to　explain　where　they　were　going　without　bringing　them　any　trouble。　Without　letting　anyone　know　where　they　were　really　from；　or　where　they　were　really　going；　eventually。　Who　knew　what　careless　word　might　reach　a　Fade's　ear？　They　had　worked　on　it　every　day；　patching　it　together；　honing　out　flaws。　And　they　had　decided　Egwene　was　the　one　to　tell　it。　She　was　better　with　words　than　he　was；　and　she　claimed　she　could　always　tell　when　he　was　lying　by　his　face。
　　　　　　　Egwene　began　at　once；　smoothly。　They　were　from　the　north；　from　Saldaea；　from　farms　outside　a　tiny　village。　Neither　of　them　had　been　more　than　twenty　miles　from　home　in　their　whole　lives　before　this。　But　they　had　heard　gleemen's　stories；　and　merchants'　tales；　and　they　wanted　to　see　some　of　the　world。　Caemlyn；　and　Illian。　The　Sea　of　Storms；　and　maybe　even　the　fabled　islands　of　the　Sea　Folk。
　　　　　　　Perrin　listened　with　satisfaction。　Not　even　Thom　Merrilin　could　have　made　a　better　tale　from　the　little　they　knew　of　the　world　outside　the　Two　Rivers；　or　one　better　suited　to　their　needs。
　　　　　　　〃From　Saldaea；　eh？〃　Elyas　said　when　she　was　done。
　　　　　　　Perrin　nodded。　〃That's　right。　We　thought　about　seeing　Maradon　first。　I'd　surely　like　to　see　the　King。　But　the　capital　city　would　be　the　first　place　our　fathers　would　look。　〃
　　　　　　　That　was　his　part　of　it；　to　make　it　plain　they　had　never　been　to　Maradon。　That　way　no　one　would　expect　them　to　know　anything　about　the　city；　just　in　case　they　ran　into　someone　who　really　had　been　there。　It　was　all　a　long　way　from　Emond's　Field　and　the　events　of　Winternight。　Nobody　hearing　the　tale　would　have　any　reason　to　think　of　Tar　Valon；　or　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　〃Quite　a　story。〃　Elyas　nodded。　〃Yes；　quite　a　story。　There's　a　few　things　wrong　with　it；　but　the　main　thing　is　Dapple　says　it's　all　a　lump　of　lies。　Every　last　word。〃
　　　　　　　〃Lies！〃　Egwene　exclaimed。　〃Why　would　we　lie？〃
　　　　　　　The　four　wolves　had　not　moved；　but　they　no　longer　seemed　to　be　just　lying　there　around　the　fire；　they　crouched；　instead；　and　their　yellow　eyes　watched　the　Emond's　Fielders　without　blinking。
　　　　　　　Perrin　did　not　say　anything；　but　his　hand　strayed　to　the　axe　at　his　waist。　The　four　wolves　rose　to　their　feet　in　one　quick　movement；　and　his　hand　froze。　They　made　no　sound；　but　the　thick　hackles　on　their　necks　stood　erect。　One　of　the　wolves　back　under　the　trees　raised　a　growling　howl　into　the　night。　Others　answered；　five；　ten；　twenty；　till　the　darkness　rippled　with　them。　Abruptly　they；　too；　were　still。　Cold　sweat　trickled　down　Perrin's　face。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　think　。。。〃　Egwene　stopped　to　swallow。　Despite　the　chill　in　the　air　there　was　sweat　on　her　face；　too。　〃If　you　think　we　are　lying；　then　you'll　probably　prefer　that　we　make　our　own　camp　for　the　night；　away　from　yours。　〃
　　　　　　　〃Ordinarily　I　would；　girl。　But　right　now　I　want　to　know　about　the　Trollocs。　And　the　Halfmen。〃　Perrin　struggled　to　keep　his　face　impassive；　and　hoped　he　was　doing　better　at　it　than　Egwene。　Elyas　went　on　in　a　conversational　tone。　〃Dapple　says　she　smelled　Halfmen　and　Trollocs　in　your　minds　while　you　were　telling　that　fool　story。　They　all　did。　You're　mixed　up　with　Trollocs；　somehow；　and　the　Eyeless。　Wolves　hate　Trollocs　and　Halfmen　worse　than　wildfire；　worse　than　anything；　and　so　do　I。
　　　　　　　〃Burn　wants　to　be　done　with　you。　It　was　Trollocs　gave　him　that　mark　when　he　was　a　yearling。　He　says　game　is　scarce；　and　you're　fatter　than　any　deer　he's　seen　in　months；　and　we　should　be　done　w