rj.theshadowrising-第109部分

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　　　　　　　He　could　feel　one　of　those　he　hated　out　there　somewhere；　south；　toward　Emond's　Field。　Which　one？　It　did　not　matter。　Rand　al'Thor　was　the　only　really　important　one。　He　would　have　known　if　it　was　al'Thor。　Rumor　had　not　drawn　him　yet；　but　it　would。　Ordeith　shivered　with　desire。　It　had　to　be　so。　More　tales　must　be　gotten　past　Bornhald's　guards　at　Taren　Ferry；　more　reports　of　the　scouring　of　the　Two　Rivers；　to　drift　to　Rand　al'Thor's　ears　and　sear　his　brain。　First　al'Thor；　then　the　Tower；　for　what　they　had　taken　from　him。　He　would　have　all　that　was　his　by　right。
　　　　　　　Everything　had　been　ticking　along　like　a　fine　clock；　even　with　Bornhald　impeding；　until　this　new　one　appeared　with　his　Gray　Men。　Ordeith　scrubbed　bony　fingers　through　greasy　hair。　Why　could　not　his　dreams　at　least　be　his　own？　He　was　a　puppet　no　longer；　danced　about　by　Myrddraal　and　Forsaken；　by　the　Dark　One　himself。　He　pulled　the　strings　now。　They　could　not　stop　him；　could　not　kill　him。
　　　　　　　〃Nothing　can　kill　me；〃　he　muttered；　scowling。　〃Not　me。　I　have　survived　since　the　Trolloc　Wars。〃　Well；　a　part　of　him　had。　He　laughed　shrilly；　hearing　madness　in　the　cackle；　knowing　it；　not　caring。
　　　　　　　A　young　Whitecloak　officer　frowned　at　him。　This　time　there　was　nothing　of　a　smile　in　Ordeith's　bared　teeth；　and　the　fuzzy…cheeked　lad　recoiled。　Ordeith　hurried　on　in　a　slinking　shuffle。
　　　　　　　Flies　buzzed　about　his　own　tents；　and　sullen；　suspicious　eyes　flinched　away　from　his。　The　white　cloaks　were　soiled　here。　But　the　swords　were　sharp；　and　obedience　instant　and　unquestioning。　Bornhald　thought　these　men　were　still　his。　Pedron　Niall　believed　it；　too；　believed　Ordeith　his　tame　creature。　Fools。
　　　　　　　Twitching　aside　his　tent　flap；　Ordeith　went　in　to　examine　his　prisoner；　stretched　out　between　two　pegs　thick　enough　to　hold　a　wagon　team。　Good　steel　chain　quivered　as　he　checked　it；　but　he　had　calculated　how　much　was　needed；　then　doubled　it。　As　well　he　had。　One　loop　less；　and　those　stout　steel　links　would　have　broken。
　　　　　　　With　a　sigh；　he　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　his　bed。　The　lamps　were　already　lit；　more　than　a　dozen；　leaving　no　shadow　anywhere。　The　tent　was　as　bright　inside　as　noonday。　〃Have　you　thought　over　my　proposal？　Accept；　and　you　walk　free。　Refuse。。。　I　know　how　to　hurt　your　sort。　I　can　make　you　scream　through　endless　dying。　Forever　dying；　forever　screaming。〃
　　　　　　　The　chains　hummed　at　a　jerk；　the　stakes　driven　deep　into　the　ground　creaked。　〃Very　well。〃　The　Myrddraal's　voice　was　dried　snakeskin　crumbling。　〃I　accept。　Release　me。〃
　　　　　　　Ordeith　smiled。　It　thought　him　a　fool。　It　would　learn。　They　all　would。　〃First；　the　matter　of。。。　shall　we　say；　agreements　and　accord？〃　As　he　talked；　the　Myrddraal　began　to　sweat。


Chapter　32
（Dragon's　Fang）
Questions　to　Be　Asked

　　　　　　　〃We　should　leave　for　Watch　Hill　soon；〃　Verin　announced　the　next　morning；　with　sunrise　just　pearling　the　sky　outside；　〃so　don't　dawdle。〃　Perrin　looked　up　from　his　cold　porridge　to　meet　a　steady　gaze；　the　Aes　Sedai　expected　no　arguments。　After　a　moment；　she　added　thoughtfully；　〃Do　not　think　this　means　I　will　aid　you　in　any　foolishness。　You　are　a　tricksome　young　man。　Try　none　of　it　with　me。〃
　　　　　　　Tam　and　Abell　paused　with　spoons　halfway　to　their　mouths；　exchanging　surprised　looks；　clearly　they　had　gone　their　own　way　and　the　Aes　Sedai　theirs　before　this。　After　a　moment　they　resumed　eating；　although　with　pensive　frowns。　They　left　any　objections　unvoiced。　Tomas；　his　Warder's　cloak　already　packed　away　in　his　saddlebags；　gave　them　…　and　Perrin　…　a　hard…faced　stare　anyway；　as　if　he　anticipated　arguments　and　meant　to　stamp　them　out。　Warders　did　whatever　was　necessary　for　an　Aes　Sedai　to　do　what　she　wanted。
　　　　　　　She　intended　to　meddle；　of　course　…　Aes　Sedai　always　did　…　but　having　her　where　he　could　see　her　was　surely　better　than　leaving　her　behind　his　back。　Avoiding　Aes　Sedai　entanglements　pletely　was　all　but　impossible　when　they　meant　to　dabble　their　fingers　in；　the　only　course　was　to　try　to　use　them　while　they　used　you；　to　watch　and　hope　you　could　jump　clear　if　they　decided　to　stuff　you　headfirst；　like　a　ferret；　down　a　rabbithole。　Sometimes　the　rabbithole　turned　out　to　her　a　badger's　sett；　which　was　hard　on　the　ferret。
　　　　　　　〃You　would　be　wele；　too；〃　he　told　Alanna；　but　she　gave　him　a　frosty　stare　that　stopped　him　in　his　tracks。　She　had　disdained　the　porridge；　and　stood　at　one　of　the　vine…shrouded　windows；　peering　through　the　leafy　screen。
　　　　　　　He　could　not　say　whether　she　was　pleased　with　his　plans　for　a　scout。　Reading　her　seemed　near　to　impossible。　Aes　Sedai　were　supposed　to　be　cool　serenity　itself；　and　she　was　that；　but　Alanna　tossed　off　flashes　of　fiery　temper　or　unpredictable　humor　when　least　expected；　like　heat　lightning；　crackling　then　gone。　Sometimes　she　looked　at　him　so　that　if　she　had　not　been　Aes　Sedai　he　would　have　thought　she　was　admiring　him。　Other　times　he　might　as　well　have　been　some　plicated　mechanism　she　meant　to　disassemble　in　order　to　puzzle　out　bow　it　worked。　Even　Verin　had　the　better　of　that；　most　of　the　time　she　was　just　plain　unreadable。　Unnerving；　on　occasion；　but　at　least　he　did　not　have　to　wonder　if　she　was　going　to　know　how　to　fit　his　pieces　back　together。
　　　　　　　He　wished　he　could　make　Faile　stay　there　…　that　was　not　the　same　as　leaving　her　behind；　just　keeping　her　safe　from　Whitecloaks　…　but　she　had　that　stubborn　set　to　her　jaw　and　a　dangerous　light　in　her　tilted　eyes。　〃I　look　forward　to　seeing　some　of　your　country。　My　father　raises　sheep。　〃　Her　tone　was　definite；　she　was　not　going　to　stay　unless　he　tied　her　up。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　he　came　close　to　considering　it。　But　the　danger　from　Whitecloaks　should　not　be　that　great；　he　only　intended　to　look；　today。　〃I　thought　he　was　a　merchant；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　〃He　raises　sheep；　too。〃　Spots　of　crimson　bloomed　in　her　cheeks：　maybe　her　father　was　a　poor　man　and　not　a　merchant　at　all。　He　did　not　know　why　she　would　pretend；　but　if　that　was　what　she　wanted；　he　would　not　try　to　stop　her。　Embarrassed　or　not；　however；　she　looked　no　less　stubborn。
　　　　　　　He　remembered　Master　Cauthon's　method。　〃I　don't　know　how　much　you'll　see。　Some　farms　may　be　shearing；　I　suppose。　Probably　no　different　from　what　your　father　does。　I'll　be　glad　of　your　pany　in　any　case。〃　The　startlement　on　her　face　when　she　realized　he　was　not　going　to　argue　was　almost　worth　the　worry　of　her　ing　along。　Maybe　Abell　had　something。
　　　　　　　Loial　was　another　matter　altogether。
　　　　　　　〃But　I　want　to　go；〃　the　Ogier　protested　when　told　he　could　not。　〃I　want　to　help；　Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　will　stand　out；　Master　Loial；〃　Abell　said；　and　Tam　added；　〃We　need　to　avoid　attracting　any　more　attention　than　we　must。〃　Loial's　ears　drooped　dejectedly。
　　　　　　　Perrin　drew　him　aside；　as　far　from　the　others　as　the　room　would　allow。　Loial's　shaggy　hair　brushed　the　roof　beams　until　Perrin　motioned　him　to　lean　down。　Perrin　smiled；　just　jollying　him　along。　He　hoped　everyone　else　believed　that。
　　　　　　　〃I　want　you　to　keep　an　eye　on　Alanna；〃　he　said　in　a　near　whisper。　Loial　gave　a　start；　and　he　caught　the　Ogier's　sleeve；　still　smiling　like　a　fool。　〃Grin；　Loial。　We　are　not　talking　about　anything　important；　right？〃　The　Ogier　managed　an　uncertain　smile。　It　would　have　to　do。　Aes　Sedai　do　what　they　do　for　their　own　reasons；　Loial。〃　And　that　might　be　what　you　least　expected；　or　not　at　all　what　you　believed　it　was。　〃Who　knows　what　she　might　take　into　her　head？　I've　had　surprises　enough　since　ing　home；　and　I　don't　want　one　of　hers　added　to　it。　I　don't　expect　you　to　stop　her；　only　notice　anything　out　of　the　ordinary。
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you　for　that；〃　Loial　muttered　wryly；　ears　jerking。　〃Do　you　not　think　it　best　to　just　let　Aes　Sedai　do　what　they　want？〃　That　was　easy　for　him　to　say；　Aes　Sedai　could　not　channel　inside　an　Ogier　stedding。　Perrin　just　looked　at　him；　and　after　a　moment；　the　Ogier　sighed。　〃I　suppose　not。　Oh；　very　well。　I　can　never　say　being　around　you　is　not。。。　interesting。〃　Straightening；　he　rubbed　a　thick　finger　under　his　nose　and　told　the　others；　〃I　suppose　I　would　draw　eyes　at　that。　Well；　it　will　give　me　a　chance　to　work　on　my　notes。　I　have　done　nothing　on　my　book　in　days。〃
　　　　　　　Verin　and　Alanna　shared　an　unreadable　look；　then　turned　twin　unblinking　gazes　on　Perrin。　There　was　simply　no　telling　what　either　thought。
　　　　　　　The　pack　animals　had　to　be　left　behind；　of　course。　Packhorses　would　surely　occasion　ment；　speaking　of　long　travel；　no　one　in　the　Two　Rivers　traveled　very　far　from　home　in　the　best　of　times。　Alanna　wore　a　slight；　satisfied　smile　while　watching　them　saddle　their　mounts；　no　doubt　believing　the　animals　and　wicker　hampers　tied　him　to　the　old　sickhouse；　to　her　and　Verin。　She　was　in　for　a　surprise；　if　it　came　to　that。　He　had　lived　out　of　a　saddlebag　often　enough　since　leaving　home。　For　that　matter；　he　had　lived　out　of　his　belt　pouch　and　coat　pockets。
　　　　　　　He　straightened　from　tightening　Stepper's　saddle　girth　and　gave　a　start。　Verin　was　watching　him　with　a　knowing　expression；　not　vague　at　all；　as　if　she　knew　what　he　was　thinking　and　was　amused。　It　was　bad　enough　when　Faile　did　that　sort　of　thing；　from　an　Aes　Sedai；　it　was　a　hundred　times　worse。　The　hammer　lashed　with　his　blanket　roll　and　saddlebags　seemed　to　puzzle　her；　though。　He　was　glad　there　was　something　she　did　not　seem　to　understand。　On　the　other　hand；　he　could　have　done　without　her　being　so　intrigued。　What　could　be　fascinating　to　an　Aes　Sedai　about　a　hammer？
　　　　　　　With　only　the　riding　animals　to　prepare；　it　took　no　time　at　all　to　be　ready　to　go。　Verin　had　a　nondescript　brown　gelding；　as　plain　to　the　untrained　eye　as　her　garb；　but　its　deep　chest　and　strong　rump　suggested　as　much　endurance　as　her　Warder's　ferocious…eyed　gray；　tall　and　sleek。　Stepper　snorted　at　the　other　stallion　until　Perrin　patted　the　dun's　neck。　The　gray　was　more　disciplined　…　and　just　as　ready　to　fight；　if　Tomas　let　it。　The　Warder　controlled　his　animal　with　his　knees　as　much　as　his　reins；　the　two　seeming　almost　one。
　　　　　　　Master　Cauthon　watched　Tomas's　horse　with　interest　…　wartrained　mounts　were　not　much　seen　in　these　pails　…　but　Verin's　earned　an　approving　nod　at　first　glance。　He　was　as　good　a　judge　of　horseflesh　as　there　was　in　the　Two　Rivers。　No　doubt　he　had　chosen　his　and　Master　al'Thor's　rough…coated　animals；　not　so　tall　as　the　other　horses