rj.eyeoftheworld-第84部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　The　strange　bearded　man　in　his　strange　skin　clothes　was　so　different　from　the　gentle　Tuatha'an　that　he　stood　out　wherever　he　went　among　the　wagons。　Even　from　across　the　camp　there　was　no　mistaking　Elyas　for　one　of　the　People；　and　not　just　because　of　clothes。　Elyas　moved　with　the　lazy　grace　of　a　wolf；　only　emphasized　by　his　skins　and　his　fur　hat；　radiating　danger　as　naturally　as　a　fire　radiated　heat；　and　the　contrast　with　the　Traveling　People　was　sharp。　Young　and　old；　the　People　were　joyful　on　their　feet。　There　was　no　danger　in　their　grace；　only　delight。　Their　children　darted　about　filled　with　the　pure　zest　of　moving；　of　course；　but　among　the　Tuatha'an；　graybeards　and　grandmothers；　too；　still　stepped　lightly；　their　walk　a　stately　dance　no　less　exuberant　for　its　dignity。　All　the　People　seemed　on　the　point　of　dancing；　even　when　standing　still；　even　during　the　rare　times　when　there　was　no　music　in　the　camp。　Fiddles　and　flutes；　dulcimers　and　zithers　and　drums　spun　harmony　and　counterpoint　around　the　wagons　at　almost　any　hour；　in　camp　or　on　the　move。　Joyous　songs；　merry　songs；　laughing　songs；　sad　songs；　if　someone　was　awake　in　the　camp　there　was　usually　music。
　　　　　　　Elyas　met　friendly　nods　and　smiles　at　every　wagon　he　passed；　and　a　cheerful　word　at　any　fire　where　he　paused。　This　must　be　the　face　the　People　always　showed　to　outsiders　…　open；　smiling　faces。　But　Perrin　had　learned　that　hidden　beneath　the　surface　was　the　wariness　of　a　half…tame　deer。　Something　deep　lay　behind　the　smiles　directed　at　the　Emond's　Fielders；　something　that　wondered　if　they　were　safe；　something　that　faded　only　slightly　over　the　days。　With　Elyas　the　wariness　was　strong；　like　deep　summer　heat　shimmering　in　the　air；　and　it　did　not　fade。　When　he　was　not　looking　they　watched　him　openly　as　if　unsure　what　he　was　going　to　do。　When　he　walked　across　the　camp；　feet　ready　for　dancing　seemed　ready　for　flight；　as　well。
　　　　　　　Elyas　was　certainly　no　more　fortable　with　their　Way　of　the　Leaf　than　they　were　with　him。　His　mouth　wore　a　permanent　twist　when　he　was　around　the　Tuatha'an。　It　was　not　quite　condescension　and　certainly　not　contempt；　but　looked　as　though　he　would　rather　be　elsewhere　than　where　he　was；　almost　anywhere　else。　Yet　whenever　Perrin　brought　up　leaving；　Elyas　made　soothing　noises　about　resting；　just　for　a　few　days。
　　　　　　　〃You　had　hard　days　before　you　met　me；〃　Elyas　said；　the　third　or　fourth　time　he　asked；　〃and　you'll　have　harder　still　ahead；　with　Trollocs　and　Halfmen　after　you；　and　Aes　Sedai　for　friends。〃　He　grinned　around　a　mouthful　of　Ila's　dried…apple　pie。　Perrin　still　found　his　yelloweyed　gaze　disconcerting；　even　when　he　was　smiling。　Perhaps　even　more　when　he　was　smiling；　smiles　seldom　touched　those　hunter's　eyes。　Elyas　lounged　beside　Raen's　fire；　as　usual　refusing　to　sit　on　the　logs　drawn　up　for　the　purpose。　〃Don't　be　in　such　a　bloody　hurry　to　put　yourself　in　Aes　Sedai　hands。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　if　the　Fades　find　us？　What's　to　keep　them　from　it　if　we　just　sit　here；　waiting？　Three　wolves　can't　hold　them　off；　and　the　Traveling　People　won't　be　any　help。　They　won't　even　defend　themselves。　The　Trollocs　will　butcher　them；　and　it　will　be　our　fault。　Anyway；　we　have　to　leave　them　sooner　or　later。　It　might　as　well　be　sooner。〃
　　　　　　　〃Something　tells　me　to　wait。　Just　a　few　days。〃
　　　　　　　〃Something！〃
　　　　　　　〃Relax；　lad。　Take　life　as　it　es。　Run　when　you　have　to；　fight　when　you　must；　rest　when　you　can。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　something？〃
　　　　　　　〃Have　some　of　this　pie。　Ila　doesn't　like　me；　but　she　surely　feeds　me　well　when　I　visit。　Always　good　food　in　the　People's　camps。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　'something'？〃　Perrin　demanded。　〃If　you　know　something　you　aren't　telling　the　rest　of　us　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　frowned　at　the　piece　of　pie　in　his　hand；　then　set　it　down　and　dusted　his　hands　together。　〃Something；〃　he　said　finally；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders　as　if　he　did　not　understand　it　pletely　himself。　〃Something　tells　me　it's　important　to　wait。　A　few　more　days。　I　don't　get　feelings　like　this　often；　but　when　I　do；　I've　learned　to　trust　them。　They've　saved　my　life　in　the　past。　This　time　it's　different；　somehow；　but　it's　important。　That's　clear。　You　want　to　run　on；　then　run　on。　Not　me。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　all　he　would　say；　no　matter　how　many　times　Perrin　asked。　He　lay　about；　talking　with　Raen；　eating；　napping　with　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and　refused　to　discuss　leaving。　Something　told　him　to　wait。　Something　told　him　it　was　important。　He　would　know　when　it　was　time　to　go。　Have　some　pie；　lad。　Don't　lather　yourself。　Try　some　of　this　stew。　Relax。
　　　　　　　Perrin　could　not　make　himself　relax。　At　night　he　wandered　among　the　rainbow　wagons　worrying；　as　much　because　no　one　else　seemed　to　see　anything　to　worry　about　as　for　any　other　reason。　The　Tuatha'an　sang　and　danced；　cooked　and　ate　around　their　campfires　…　fruits　and　nuts；　berries　and　vegetables；　they　ate　no　meat　…　and　went　about　a　myriad　domestic　chores　as　if　they　had　not　a　care　in　the　world。　The　children　ran　and　played　everywhere；　hide…and…seek　among　the　wagons；　climbing　in　the　trees　around　the　camp；　laughing　and　rolling　on　the　ground　with　the　dogs。　Not　a　care　in　the　world；　for　anyone。
　　　　　　　Watching　them；　he　itched　to　get　away。　Go；　before　we　bring　the　hunters　down　on　them。　They　took　us　in；　and　we　repay　their　kindness　by　endangering　them。　At　least　they　have　reason　to　be　lighthearted。　Nothing　is　hunting　them。　But　the　rest　of　us　。。。
　　　　　　　It　was　hard　to　get　a　word　with　Egwene。　Either　she　was　talking　with　Ila；　their　heads　together　in　a　way　that　said　no　men　were　wele；　or　she　was　dancing　with　Aram；　swinging　round　and　round　to　the　flutes　and　fiddles　and　drums；　to　tunes　the　Tuatha'an　had　gathered　from　all　over　the　world；　or　to　the　sharp；　trilling　songs　of　the　Traveling　People　themselves；　sharp　whether　they　were　quick　or　slow。　They　knew　many　songs；　some　he　recognized　from　home；　though　often　under　different　names　than　they　were　called　in　the　Two　Rivers。　〃Three　Girls　in　the　Meadow；〃　for　instance；　the　Tinkers　named　〃Pretty　Maids　Dancing；〃　and　they　said　〃The　Wind　From　the　North〃　was　called　〃Hard　Rain　Falling〃　in　some　lands　and　〃Berin's　Retreat〃　in　others。　When　he　asked；　not　thinking；　for　〃The　Tinker　Has　My　Pots；〃　they　fell　all　over　themselves　laughing。　They　knew　it；　but　as　〃Toss　the　Feathers。　〃
　　　　　　　He　could　understand　wanting　to　dance　to　the　People's　songs。　Back　in　Emond's　Field　no　one　considered　him　more　than　an　adequate　dancer；　but　these　songs　tugged　at　his　feet；　and　he　thought　he　had　never　danced　so　long；　or　so　hard；　or　so　well　in　his　life。　Hypnotic；　they　made　his　blood　pound　in　rhythm　to　the　drums。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　second　evening　when　for　the　first　time　Perrin　saw　women　dance　to　some　of　the　slow　songs。　The　fires　burned　low；　and　the　night　hung　close　around　the　wagons；　and　fingers　tapped　a　slow　rhythm　on　the　drums。　First　one　drum；　then　another；　until　every　drum　in　the　camp　kept　the　same　low；　insistent　beat。　There　was　silence　except　for　the　drums。　A　girl　in　a　red　dress　swayed　into　the　light；　loosening　her　shawl。　Strings　of　beads　hung　in　her　hair；　and　she　had　kicked　off　her　shoes。　A　flute　began　the　melody；　wailing　softly；　and　the　girl　danced。　Outstretched　arms　spread　her　shawl　behind　her；　her　hips　undulated　as　her　bare　feet　shuffled　to　the　beat　of　the　drums。　The　girl's　dark　eyes　fastened　on　Perrin；　and　her　smile　was　as　slow　as　her　dance。　She　turned　in　small　circles；　smiling　over　her　shoulder　at　him。
　　　　　　　He　swallowed　hard。　The　heat　in　his　face　was　not　from　the　fire。　A　second　girl　joined　the　first；　the　fringe　on　their　shawls　shaking　in　time　to　the　drums　and　the　slow　rotation　of　their　hips。　They　smiled　at　him；　and　he　cleared　his　throat　hoarsely。　He　was　afraid　to　look　around；　his　face　was　as　red　as　a　beet；　and　anyone　who　was　not　watching　the　dancers　was　probably　laughing　at　him。　He　was　sure　of　it。
　　　　　　　As　casually　as　he　could　manage；　he　slid　off　the　log　as　if　he　were　just　getting　fortable；　but　he　carefully　ended　up　looking　away　from　the　fire；　away　from　the　dancers。　There　was　nothing　like　that　in　Emond's　Field。　Dancing　with　the　girls　on　the　Green　on　a　feastday　did　not　even　e　close。　For　once　he　wished　that　the　wind　would　pick　up；　to　cool　him　off。
　　　　　　　The　girls　danced　into　his　field　of　view　again；　only　now　they　were　three。　One　gave　him　a　sly　wink。　His　eyes　darted　frantically。　Light；　he　thought。　What　do　I　do　now？　What　would　Rand　do？　He　knows　about　girls。
　　　　　　　The　dancing　girls　laughed　softly；　beads　clicked　as　they　tossed　their　long　hair　on　their　shoulders；　and　he　thought　his　face　would　burn　up。　Then　a　slightly　older　woman　joined　the　girls；　to　show　them　how　it　was　done。　With　a　groan；　he　gave　up　altogether　and　shut　his　eyes。　Even　behind　his　eyelids　their　laughter　taunted　and　tickled。　Even　behind　his　eyelids　he　could　still　see　them。　Sweat　beaded　on　his　forehead；　and　he　wished　for　the　wind。
　　　　　　　According　to　Raen　the　girls　did　not　dance　that　dance　often；　and　the　women　rarely　did；　and　according　to　Elyas　it　was　thanks　to　Perrin's　blushes　that　they　did　so　every　night　thereafter。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to　thank　you；〃　Elyas　told　him；　his　tone　sober　and　solemn。　〃It's　different　with　you　young　fellows；　but　at　my　age　it　takes　more　than　a　fire　to　warm　my　bones。〃　Perrin　scowled。　There　was　something　about　Elyas's　back　as　he　walked　away　that　said　even　if　nothing　showed；　he　was　laughing　inside。
　　　　　　　Perrin　soon　learned　better　than　to　look　away　from　the　dancing　women　and　girls；　though　the　winks　and　smiles　still　made　him　wish　he　could。　One　would　have　been　all　right；　maybe　…　but　five　or　six；　with　everyone　watching　。。。　He　never　did　entirely　conquer　his　blushes。
　　　　　　　Then　Egwene　began　learning　the　dance。　Two　of　the　girls　who　had　danced　that　first　night　taught　her；　clapping　the　rhythm　while　she　repeated　the　shuffling　steps　with　a　borrowed　shawl　swaying　behind　her。　Perrin　started　to　say　something；　then　decided　it　was　wiser　not　to　crack　his　teeth。　When　the　girls　added　the　hip　movements　Egwene　started　laughing；　and　the　three　girls　fell　giggling　into　one　another's　arms。　But　Egwene　persevered；　with　her　eyes　glistening　and　bright　spots　of　color　in　her　cheeks。
　　　　　　　Aram　watched　her　dancing　with　a　hot；　hungry　gaze。　The　handsome　young　Tuatha'an　had　given　her　a　string　of　blue　beads　that　she　wore　all　the　time。　Worried　frowns　now　replaced　the　smiles　Ila　had　worn　when