rj.eyeoftheworld-第95部分

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　time；　and　with　most　of　our　remounts　gone；　we　will　be　hard　pressed　enough　without　carrying　prisoners　along。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　what　would　you　suggest？〃　Bornhald　asked　calmly。
　　　　　　　〃The　penalty　for　Darkfriends　is　death。〃　The　flat　voice　made　it　all　the　more　jarring。　He　might　have　been　suggesting　stepping　on　a　bug。　〃There　is　no　truce　with　the　Shadow。　There　is　no　mercy　for　Darkfriends。〃
　　　　　　　〃Zeal　is　to　be　applauded；　Child　Byar；　but；　as　I　must　often　tell　my　son；　Dain；　overzealousness　can　be　a　grievous　fault。　Remember　that　the　Tenets　also　say；　'No　man　is　so　lost　that　he　cannot　be　brought　to　the　Light。'　These　two　are　young。　They　cannot　yet　be　deep　in　the　Shadow。　They　can　yet　be　led　to　the　Light；　if　they　will　only　allow　the　Shadow　to　be　lifted　from　their　eyes。　We　must　give　them　that　chance。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Perrin　almost　felt　affection　for　the　grandfatherly　man　who　stood　between　them　and　Byar。　Then　Bornhald　turned　his　grandfather's　smile　on　Egwene。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　refuse　to　e　to　the　Light　by　the　time　we　reach　Amador；　I　will　be　forced　to　turn　you　over　to　the　Questioners；　and　beside　them　Byar's　zeal　is　but　a　candle　beside　the　sun。〃　The　gray…haired　man　sounded　like　a　man　who　regretted　what　he　must　do；　but　who　had　no　intention　of　ever　doing　anything　but　his　duty　as　he　saw　it。　〃Repent；　renounce　the　Dark　One；　e　to　the　Light；　confess　your　sins　and　tell　what　you　know　of　this　vileness　with　wolves；　and　you　will　be　spared　that。　You　will　walk　free；　in　the　Light。〃　His　gaze　centered　on　Perrin；　and　he　sighed　sadly。　Ice　filled　Perrin's　spine。　〃But　you；　just　Perrin　from　the　Two　Rivers。　You　killed　two　of　the　Children。〃　He　touched　the　axe　that　Byar　still　held。　〃For　you；　I　fear；　a　gibbet　waits　in　Amador。〃

Chapter　31
Play　for　Your　Supper
　
　　　　　　　Rand　narrowed　his　eyes；　watching　the　dust…tail　that　rose　ahead；　three　or　four　bends　of　the　road　away。　Mat　was　already　headed　toward　the　wild　hedgerow　alongside　the　roadway。　Its　evergreen　leaves　and　densely　intermeshed　branches　would　hide　them　as　well　as　a　stone　wall；　if　they　could　find　a　way　through　to　the　other　side。　The　other　side　of　the　road　was　marked　by　the　sparse　brown　skeletons　of　head…high　bushes；　and　beyond　was　an　open　field　for　half　a　mile　to　the　woods。　It　might　have　been　part　of　a　farm　not　too　long　abandoned；　but　it　offered　no　quick　hiding　place。　He　tried　to　judge　the　speed　of　the　dust…tail；　and　the　wind。
　　　　　　　A　sudden　gust　swirled　road　dust　up　around　him；　obscuring　everything。　He　blinked　and　adjusted　the　plain；　dark　scarf　across　his　nose　and　mouth。　None　too　clean　now；　it　made　his　face　itch；　but　it　kept　him　from　inhaling　dust　with　every　breath。　A　farmer　had　given　it　to　him；　a　long…faced　man　with　grooves　in　his　cheeks　from　worry。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　running　from；〃　he　had　said　with　an　anxious　frown；　〃and　I　don't　want　to。　You　understand？　My　family。〃　Abruptly　the　farmer　had　dug　two　long　scarves　out　of　his　coat　pocket　and　pushed　the　tangle　of　wool　at　them。　〃It's　not　much；　but　here。　Belong　to　my　boys。　They　have　others。　You　don't　know　me；　understand？　It's　hard　times。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　treasured　the　scarf。　The　list　of　kindnesses　he　had　made　in　his　mind　in　the　days　since　Whitebridge　was　a　short　one；　and　he　did　not　believe　it　would　get　much　longer。
　　　　　　　Mat；　all　but　his　eyes　hidden　by　the　scarf　wrapped　around　his　head；　hunted　swiftly　along　the　tall　hedgerow；　pulling　at　the　leafy　branches。　Rand　touched　the　heron…marked　hilt　at　his　belt；　but　let　his　hand　fall　away。　Once　already；　cutting　a　hole　through　a　hedge　had　almost　given　them　away。　The　dust…tail　was　moving　toward　them；　and　staying　together　too　long。　Not　the　wind。　At　least　it　was　not　raining。　Rain　settled　the　dust。　No　matter　how　hard　it　fell；　it　never　turned　the　hard…packed　road　to　mud；　but　when　it　rained　there　was　no　dust。　Dust　was　the　only　warning　they　had　before　whoever　it　was　came　close　enough　to　hear。　Sometimes　that　was　too　late。
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　Mat　called　softly。　He　seemed　to　step　right　through　the　hedge。
　　　　　　　Rand　hurried　to　the　spot。　Someone　had　cut　a　hole　there；　once。　It　was　partly　grown　over；　and　from　three　feet　away　it　looked　as　solid　as　the　rest；　but　close　up　there　was　only　a　thin　screen　of　branches。　As　he　pushed　through；　he　heard　horses　ing。　Not　the　wind。
　　　　　　　He　crouched　behind　the　barely　covered　opening；　clutching　the　hilt　of　his　sword　as　the　horsemen　rode　by。　Five　。。。　six　。。。　seven　of　them。　Plainly　dressed　men；　but　swords　and　spears　said　they　were　not　villagers。　Some　wore　leather　tunics　with　metal　studs；　and　two　had　round　steel　caps。　Merchants'　guards；　perhaps；　between　hirings。　Perhaps。
　　　　　　　One　of　them　casually　swung　his　eyes　toward　the　hedge　as　he　went　by　the　opening；　and　Rand　bared　an　inch　of　his　sword。　Mat　snarled　silently　like　a　cornered　badger；　squinting　above　his　scarf。　His　hand　was　under　his　coat；　he　always　clutched　the　dagger　from　Shadar　Logoth　when　there　was　danger。　Rand　was　no　longer　sure　if　it　was　to　protect　himself　or　to　protect　the　ruby…hilted　dagger。　Of　late　Mat　seemed　to　forget　he　had　a　bow；　sometimes。
　　　　　　　The　riders　passed　at　a　slow　trot；　going　somewhere　with　a　purpose　but　not　too　great　a　haste。　Dust　sifted　through　the　hedge。
　　　　　　　Rand　waited　until　the　clop　of　the　hooves　faded　before　he　stuck　his　head　cautiously　back　through　the　hole。　The　dust…tail　was　well　down　the　road；　going　the　way　they　had　e。　Eastward　the　sky　was　clear。　He　climbed　out　onto　the　roadway；　watching　the　column　of　dust　move　west。
　　　　　　　〃Not　after　us；〃　he　said；　halfway　between　a　statement　and　a　question。
　　　　　　　Mat　scrambled　out　after　him；　looking　warily　in　both　directions。　〃Maybe；〃　he　said。　〃Maybe。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　had　no　idea　which　way　he　meant　it；　but　he　nodded。　Maybe。　It　had　not　begun　like　this；　their　journey　down　the　Caemlyn　Road。
　　　　　　　For　a　long　time　after　leaving　Whitebridge；　Rand　would　suddenly　find　himself　staring　back　down　the　road　behind　them。　Sometimes　he　would　see　someone　who　made　his　breath　catch；　a　tall；　skinny　man　hurrying　up　the　road；　or　a　lanky；　white…haired　fellow　up　beside　the　driver　on　a　wagon；　but　it　was　always　a　pack…peddler；　or　farmers　making　their　way　to　market；　never　Thom　Merrilin。　Hope　faded　as　the　days　passed。
　　　　　　　There　was　considerable　traffic　on　the　road；　wagons　and　carts；　people　on　horses　and　people　afoot。　They　came　singly　and　in　groups；　a　train　of　merchants'　wagons　or　a　dozen　horsemen　together。　They　did　not　jam　the　road；　and　often　there　was　nothing　in　sight　except　the　all　but　leafless　trees　lining　the　hard…packed　roadbed；　but　there　were　certainly　more　people　traveling　than　Rand　had　ever　seen　in　the　Two　Rivers。
　　　　　　　Most　traveled　in　the　same　direction　that　they　did；　eastward　toward　Caemlyn。　Sometimes　they　got　a　ride　in　a　farmer's　wagon　for　a　little　distance；　a　mile；　or　five；　but　more　often　they　walked。　Men　on　horseback　they　avoided；　when　they　spotted　even　one　rider　in　the　distance　they　scrambled　off　the　road　and　hid　until　he　was　past。　None　ever　wore　a　black　cloak；　and　Rand　did　not　really　think　a　Fade　would　let　them　see　him　ing；　but　there　was　no　point　in　taking　chances。　In　the　beginning　it　was　just　the　Halfmen　they　feared。
　　　　　　　The　first　village　after　Whitebridge　looked　so　much　like　Emond's　Field　that　Rand's　steps　dragged　when　he　saw　it。　Thatched　roofs　with　high　peaks；　and　goodwives　in　their　aprons　gossiping　over　the　fences　between　their　houses；　and　children　playing　on　a　village　green。　The　women's　hair　hung　unbraided　around　their　shoulders；　and　other　small　things　were　different；　too；　but　the　whole　together　was　like　home。　Cows　cropped　on　the　green；　and　geese　waddled　self…importantly　across　the　road。　The　children　tumbled；　laughing；　in　the　dust　where　the　grass　was　gone　altogether。　They　did　not　even　look　around　when　Rand　and　Mat　went　by。　That　was　another　thing　that　was　different。　Strangers　were　no　oddity　there；　two　more　did　not　draw　so　much　as　a　second　glance。　Village　dogs　only　raised　their　heads　to　sniff　as　he　and　Mat　passed；　none　stirred　themselves。
　　　　　　　It　was　ing　on　evening　as　they　went　through　the　village；　and　he　felt　a　pang　of　homesickness　as　lights　appeared　in　the　windows。　No　matter　what　it　looks　like；　a　small　voice　whispered　in　his　mind；　it　isn't　really　home。　Even　if　you　go　into　one　of　those　houses　Tam　won't　be　there。　If　he　was；　could　you　look　him　in　the　face？　You　know；　now；　don't　you？　Except　for　little　things　like　where　you　e　from　and　who　you　are。　No　fever…dreams。　He　hunched　his　shoulders　against　taunting　laughter　inside　his　head。　You　might　as　well　stop；　the　voice　snickered。　One　place　it　as　good　as　another　when　you　aren't　from　anywhere；　and　the　Dark　One　has　you　marked。
　　　　　　　Mat　tugged　at　his　sleeve；　but　he　pulled　loose　and　stared　at　the　houses。　He　did　not　want　to　stop；　but　he　did　want　to　look　and　remember。　So　much　like　home；　but　you'll　never　see　that　again；　will　you？
　　　　　　　Mat　yanked　at　him　again。　His　face　was　taut；　the　skin　around　his　mouth　and　eyes　white。　〃e　on；〃　Mat　muttered。　〃e　on。〃　He　looked　at　the　village　as　if　he　suspected　something　of　hiding　there。　〃e　on。　We　can't　stop　yet。　〃
　　　　　　　Rand　turned　in　a　plete　circle；　taking　in　the　whole　village；　and　sighed。　They　were　not　very　far　from　Whitebridge。　If　the　Myrddraal　could　get　past　Whitebridge's　wall　without　being　seen；　it　would　have　no　trouble　at　all　searching　this　small　village。　He　let　himself　be　drawn　on　into　the　countryside　beyond；　until　the　thatch…roofed　houses　were　left　behind。
　　　　　　　Night　fell　before　they　found　a　spot　by　moonlight；　under　some　bushes　still　bearing　their　dead　leaves。　They　filled　their　bellies　with　cold　water　from　a　shallow　rivulet　not　far　away　and　curled　up　on　the　ground；　wrapped　in　their　cloaks；　without　a　fire。　A　fire　could　be　seen；　better　to　be　cold。
　　　　　　　Uneasy　with　his　memories；　Rand　woke　often；　and　every　time　he　could　hear　Mat　muttering　and　tossing　in　his　sleep。　He　did　not　dream；　that　he　could　remember；　but　he　did　not　sleep　well。　You'll　never　see　home　again。
　　　　　　　That　was　not　the　only　night　they　spent　with　just　their　cloaks　to　protect　them　from　the　wind；　and　sometimes　the　rain；　cold　and　soaking。　It　was　not　the　only　meal　they　made　from　nothing　but　cold　water。　Between　them　they　had　enough　coins　for　a　few　meals　at　an　inn；　but　a　bed　for　the　night　would　take　too　much。　Things　cost　more　outside　the　Two　Rivers；　more　this　side　of　the　Arinelle　than　in　Baerlon。　What　money　they　had　left　had　to　be　saved　fo