rj.theshadowrising-第123部分

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　　　　　　　Hesitating；　Egwene　sheathed　the　knife。　〃You　have　no　right　to　…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　every　right！　You　gave　me　your　word。　I　did　not　know　Aes　Sedai　could　lie。　If　I　am　to　teach　you；　I　must　know　you　will　do　as　I　say。　I　will　not　watch　a　pupil　of　mine　cut　her　own　throat！〃　Amys　sighed；　the　glow　around　her　vanished；　and　so　did　the　barrier　between　Egwene　and　saidar。　〃I　cannot　shield　you　any　longer。　You　are　far　stronger　than　I。　In　the　One　Power；　you　are。　You　very　nearly　battered　down　my　shield。　But　if　you　cannot　keep　your　word；　I　do　not　know　that　I　want　to　instruct　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　keep　my　word；　Amys。　I　promise　I　will。　But　I　have　to　meet　with　my　friends；　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　I　promised　them；　too。　Amys；　they　might　need　my　help；　my　advice。〃　Amys's　face　was　not　easy　to　make　out　in　the　darkness；　but　Egwene　did　not　see　any　softening。　〃Please；　Amys。　You've　taught　me　so　much　already。　I　think　I　could　find　them　wherever　they　are；　now。　Please；　don't　stop　when　there　is　so　much　yet　for　me　to　learn。　Whatever　you　want　me　to　do；　I　will。〃
　　　　　　　〃Braid　your　hair；〃　Amys　said　in　a　flat　tone。
　　　　　　　〃My　hair？〃　Egwene　said　uncertainly。　It　would　certainly　be　no　inconvenience；　but　why？　She　wore　it　loose　now；　falling　below　her　shoulders；　yet　it　was　not　that　long　ago　that　she　had　almost　burst　with　pride　on　the　day　the　Women's　Circle　back　home　had　said　she　was　old　enough　to　put　her　hair　in　a　braid　like　the　one　Nynaeve　still　wore。　In　the　Two　Rivers；　a　braid　said　you　were　old　enough　to　be　considered　a　woman。
　　　　　　　〃One　over　each　ear。〃　Amys's　voice　was　still　like　a　flat　rock。　〃If　you　have　no　ribbon　to　twine　in　the　braids；　I　will　give　you　some。　That　is　how　little　girls　wear　their　hair　among　us。　Girls　too　young　to　be　held　to　their　word。　When　you　prove　to　me　that　you　can　keep　yours；　you　can　stop　wearing　it　so。　But　if　you　lie　to　me　again；　I　will　make　you　cut　your　skirts　off　short；　like　little　girls'　dresses；　and　find　you　a　doll　to　carry。　When　you　decide　to　behave　as　a　woman；　you　will　be　treated　as　a　woman。　Agree　to　it；　or　I　will　teach　you　no　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　agree　if　you　will　acpany　me　when　I　must　meet　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Agree；　Aes　Sedai！　I　do　not　bargain　with　children；　or　those　who　cannot　keep　their　word。　You　will　do　as　I　say；　accept　what　I　choose　to　give；　and　no　more。　Or　else　go　off　and　get　yourself　killed　on　your　own。　I　…　will　…　not　…　aid　it！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　was　glad　of　the　dark；　it　hid　her　scowl。　She　had　given　her　word；　but　this　was　all　so　unfair。　No　one　was　trying　to　hedge　Rand　around　with　silly　rules。　Well；　perhaps　he　was　different。　She　was　not　sure　she　wanted　to　trade　Amys's　edicts　for　Couladin's　desiring　to　put　a　spear　through　her；　in　any；　case。　Mat　would　certainly　not　put　up　with　other　people's　rules。　Yet　ta'veren　or　not；　Mat　had　nothing　to　learn；　all　he　had　to　do　was　be。　Very　likely　he　would　refuse　to　learn　anything　given　the　chance；　unless　it　had　to　do　with　gambling　or　raising　food。　She　wanted　to　learn。　Sometimes　it　seemed　an　unending　thirst；　however　much　she　absorbed；　she　could　not　quench　it。　That　still　did　not　make　it　fair。　Only　the　way　things　are；　she　thought　ruefully。
　　　　　　　〃I　agree；〃　she　said。　〃I　will　do　as　you　say；　accept　what　you　give；　and　no　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃Good。〃　After　a　long　pause；　as　if　waiting　to　see　whether　Egwene　wanted　to　say　more　…　she　wisely　held　her　tongue　…　Amys　added；　〃I　mean　to　be　hard　on　you；　Egwene；　but　not　without　purpose。　That　you　think　I　have　taught　you　much　already　only　shows　how　little　you　knew　to　begin。　You　have　a　strong　talent　for　the　dream；　very　likely　you　will　outstrip　any　of　us　by　far；　one　day。　But　if　you　do　not　learn　what　I　can　teach　you　…　what　we　four　can　all　teach　you　…　you　will　never　develop　that　talent　fully。　It　is　most　likely　you　will　not　live　long　enough　to　do　so。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　try；　Amys。〃　She　thought　she　managed　a　good　approximation　of　meekness。　Why　did　the　woman　not　say　what　she　wanted　to　hear？　If　Egwene　could　not　go　to　Tel'aran'rhiod　alone；　then　Amys　had　to　e；　too；　when　she　next　met　Elayne。　Or　it　might　be　Nynaeve；　next　time。
　　　　　　　〃Good。　Do　you　have　anything　else　to　say？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　Amys。〃
　　　　　　　The　pause　was　longer　this　time；　Egwene　waited　as　patiently　as　she　could；　hands　folded　on　her　knees。
　　　　　　　〃So　you　can　hold　your　demands　inside　when　you　wish；〃　Amys　said　at　last；　〃even　if　it　does　make　you　twitch　like　a　goat　with　the　itch。　Do　I　mistake　the　cause？　I　can　give　you　an　ointment。　No？　Very　well。　I　will　acpany　you　when　you　must　meet　your　friends。〃
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　Egwene　said　primly。　A　goat　with　an　itch　indeed！
　　　　　　　〃In　case　you　did　not　listen　when　I　first　told　you；　learning　will　be　neither　easy　nor　short。　You　think　you　have　worked　these　last　days。　Prepare　to　give　real　time　and　effort　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃Amys；　I　will　learn　as　much　as　you　can　teach　me；　and　I　will　work　as　hard　as　you　want；　but　between　Rand　and　the　Darkfriends。。。　Time　to　learn　may　turn　out　to　be　a　luxury；　and　my　purse　empty。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know；〃　Amys　said　wearily。　〃He　troubles　us　already。　e。　You　have　wasted　enough　time　with　your　childishness。　There　is　women's　business　to　be　discussed。　e。　The　others　are　waiting。〃
　　　　　　　For　the　first　time　Egwene　realized　Moiraine's　blankets　were　empty。　She　reached　for　her　dress；　but　Amys　said；　〃That　will　not　be　needed。　We　only　go　a　short　way。　Throw　a　blanket　around　your　shoulders　and　e。　I　have　done　a　great　deal　of　work　for　Rand　al'Thor　already；　and　I　must　do　more　when　we　are　finished。〃
　　　　　　　Shrugging　a　blanket　around　her　doubtfully；　Egwene　followed　the　older　woman　into　the　night。　It　was　cold。　Skin　turning　to　tight　goose　bumps；　she　hopped　from　bare　foot　to　bare　foot　over　stony　ground　that　seemed　little　short　of　ice。　After　the　heat　of　day；　the　night　seemed　as　frigid　as　the　heart　of　a　Two　Rivers　winter。　Her　breath　turned　to　thin　mist　in　front　of　her　mouth；　absorbed　immediately　by　the　air。　Cold　or　not；　the　air　was　still　dry。
　　　　　　　At　the　rear　of　the　Wise　Ones'　camp　stood　a　small　tent　she　had　not　seen　before；　low　like　the　others；　but　staked　tightly　down　all　around。　To　her　surprise；　Amys　began；　stripping　off　her　clothes；　and　motioned　her　to　do　the　same。　Clenching　her　teeth　to　keep　them　from　chattering；　she　followed　Amys's　example　slowly。　When　the　Aiel　woman　had　shed　down　to　her　skin；　she　stood　there　just　as　if　the　night　were　not　freezing；　taking　deep　breaths　and　flailing　herself　with　her　arms　before　finally　ducking　inside。　Egwene　darted　after　her　with　alacrity。
　　　　　　　Damp　heat　hit　her　like　a　stick　between　the　eyes。　Sweat　popped　out　of　every　pore。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　was　already　there；　and　the　other　Wise　Ones；　and　Aviendha；　all　bare…skinned　and　sweating；　sitting　around　a　large　iron　kettle　full　to　the　brim　with　sooty　stones。　Kettle　and　stones　alike　radiated　heat。　The　Aes；　Sedai　looked　mostly　recovered　from　her　ordeal；　though　there　was　a　tightness　around　her　eyes　that　had　not　been　there　before。
　　　　　　　As　Egwene　was　gingerly　finding　a　place　to　sit　…　no　layered　rugs　here；　only　rocky　ground　…　Aviendha　scooped　a　handful　of　water　from　a　smaller　kettle　at　her　side　and　tossed　it　into　the　larger　one。　The　water　hissed　to　steam；　leaving　not　even　a　damp　spot　on　the　stones。　Aviendha　had　a　sour　look　on　her　face。　Egwene　knew　how　she　felt。　Novices　in　the　Tower　were　also　given　chores；　she　was　not　sure　if　she　had　hated　scrubbing　floors　more　than　pots　or　the　other　way　around。　This　task　did　not　look　nearly　so　onerous。
　　　　　　　〃We　must　discuss　what　to　do　about　Rand　al'Thor；〃　Bair　said　when　Amys　was　seated；　too。
　　　　　　　〃Do　about　him？〃　Egwene　said；　alarmed。　〃He　has　the　signs。　He　is　the　one　you　have　been　looking　for。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　is　the　one；〃　Melaine　said　grimly；　brushing　long　strands　of　red…gold　hair　from　her　damp　face；　〃We　must　try　to　see　that　as　many　of　our　people　as　possible　survive　his　ing。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　as　importantly；〃　Seana　said；　〃we　must　assure　that　he　survives　to　fulfill　the　rest　of　the　prophecy。〃　Melaine　glared　at　her；　and　Seana　added　in　a　patient　tone；　〃Else　none　of　us　will　survive。〃
　　　　　　　〃Rhuarc　said　he　would　set　some　of　the　Jindo　for　bodyguards；〃　Egwene　said　slowly。　〃Has　he　changed　his　mind？〃
　　　　　　　Amys　shook　her　head。　〃He　has　not。　Rand　al'Thor　sleeps　in　the　Jindo　tents；　with　a　hundred　men　awake　to　see　he　wakes　as　well。　But　men　often　see　things　differently　than　we。　Rhuarc　will　follow　him；　perhaps　oppose　him　in　decisions　he　thinks　are　wrong；　but　he　will　not　try　to　guide　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　think　he　needs　guiding？〃　Moiraine　arched　an　eyebrow　at　that；　but　Egwene　ignored　it。　〃He　has　done　what　he　had　to　without　guidance　so　far。〃
　　　　　　　〃Rand　al'Thor　does　not　know　our　ways；〃　Amys　replied。　〃There　are　a　hundred　mistakes　he　could　make　to　turn　a　chief　or　clan　against　him；　to　make　them　see　a　wetlander　instead　of　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。　My　husband　is　a　good　man　and　a　fine　chief；　but　he　is　no　peacetalker；　trained　to　guide　angry　men　to　ground　their　spears。　We　must　have　someone　close　to　Rand　al'Thor　who　can　whisper　in　his　ear　when　he　seems　ready　to　step　wrongly。〃　She　motioned　Aviendha　to　throw　more　water　on　the　hot　rocks；　the　younger　woman　plied　with　a　sullen　grace。
　　　　　　　〃And　we　must　watch　him；〃　Melaine　put　in　sharply。　〃We　must　have　some　idea　of　what　he　means　to　do　before　he　does　it。　The　fulfillment　of　the　Prophecy　of　Rhuidean　has　begun　…　it　cannot　be　halted　short　of　its　end；　one　way　or　another　…　but　I　mean　to　see　that　as　many　of　our　people　survive　as　is　possible。　How　that　can　be　managed　depends　on　what　Rand　al'Thor　intends。〃
　　　　　　　Bair　leaned　toward　Egwene。　She　seemed　to　be　all　bone　and　sinew。　〃You　have　known　him　from　childhood。　Will　he　confide　in　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　Egwene　told　her。　〃He　does　not　trust　as　he　used　to。〃　She　avoided　looking　at　Moiraine。
　　　　　　　〃Would　she　tell　us　if　he　did　confide？〃　Melaine　demanded。　〃I　raise　no　anger　here；　but　Egwene　and　Moiraine　are　Aes　Sedai。　What　they　seek　may　not　be　what　we　seek。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　served　Aes　Sedai　once；〃　Bair　said　simply。　〃We　failed　them　then。　Perhaps　we　are　meant　to　serve　again。〃　Melaine　flushed　with　obvious　embarrassment。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　gave　no　sign　that　she　saw；　or　that　she　had　heard　the　woman's　earlier　words；　for　that　matter。　Except　for　that　tightness　around　her　eyes　she　looked　as　calm　as　ice。　〃I　will　help　as　I　can；〃　she　said　coolly；　〃but　I　have　little　influence　with　Rand。　For　the　present；　he　weaves　the　Pattern　to　his　own　design。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　we　must　watch　him　cl