rj.theshadowrising-第166部分

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　　　　　　　In　the　guardroom　at　the　end　of　the　dark　hall；　the　lone　guard　lay　stretched　out；　facedown　on　the　dusty　floor。　The　helmet　that　would　have　saved　him　a　sore　head　sat　on　the　rough　plank　table　beside　the　single　lantern　that　provided　the　room's　light。　He　seemed　to　be　breathing　all　right。　Min　did　not　spare　him　more　than　a　glance；　though　she　hoped　he　was　not　badly　hurt；　he　had　not　tried　to　press　the　advantage　of　her　offer。
　　　　　　　She　hurried　Siuan　and　Leane　through　the　far　door；　all　thick　planks　and　wide　iron　straps；　up　the　narrow；　stone　stairs。　They　had　to　keep　moving。　Passing　for　petitioners　would　not　save　them　from　questioning　if　they　were　seen　ing　from　the　cells。
　　　　　　　They　saw　no　more　guards；　nor　anyone　else；　as　they　climbed　out　of　the　bowels　of　the　Tower；　but　Min　still　found　herself　holding　her　breath　until　they　reached　the　small　door　that　let　into　the　Tower　proper。　Cracking　it　just　enough　to　poke　her　head　through；　she　peeked　both　ways　down　the　corridor。
　　　　　　　Gilded　lamp　stands　stood　against　frieze…banded　walls　of　white　marble。　To　the　right　two　women　moved　swiftly　out　of　sight　without　looking　back。　The　sureness　of　their　steps　marked　them　Aes　Sedai　even　if　she　could　not　see　their　faces；　in　the　Tower；　even　a　queen　walked　hesitantly。　In　the　other　direction　half　a　dozen　men　stalked　away；　just　as　clearly　Warders；　with　their　wolfish　grace　and　cloaks　that　faded　into　the　surroundings。
　　　　　　　She　waited　until　the　Warders　were　gone；　too；　before　slipping　through　the　doorway。　〃It's　clear。　e　on。　Keep　your　hoods　up　and　your　heads　down。　Act　a　little　frightened。〃　For　her　part；　it　was　no　pretense。　From　the　silent　way　the　two　women　followed　her；　she　did　not　think　they　needed　to　pretend　either。
　　　　　　　The　halls　of　the　Tower　were　seldom　full；　yet　now　they　seemed　empty。　Occasionally　someone　appeared　for　a　moment　ahead　of　them；　or　down　a　side　corridor；　but　whether　Aes　Sedai　or　Warder　or　servant；　all　were　hurrying；　too　intent　on　their　own　affairs　to　notice　anyone　else。　The　Tower　was　silent；　too。
　　　　　　　Then　they　passed　a　crossing　hallway　where　dark　blotches　of　dried　blood　flecked　the　pale　green　floor　tiles。　Two　larger　patches　stretched　off　in　long　smears；　as　if　bodies　had　been　dragged　away。
　　　　　　　Siuan　stopped；　staring。　〃What　has　happened？〃　she　demanded。　〃Tell　me；　Min！〃　Leane　gripped　the　hilt　of　her　belt　knife　and　peered　around　as　if　expecting　an　attack。
　　　　　　　〃Fighting；〃　Min　said　reluctantly。　She　had　hoped　the　two　women　would　be　out　of　the　Tower　grounds；　even　out　of　the　city；　before　learning　of　this。　She　herded　them　around　the　dark　stains；　prodded　them　on　when　they　tried　to　look　back。　〃It　began　yesterday；　right　after　you　were　taken；　and　did　not　stop　until　maybe　two　hours　ago。　Not　pletely。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　mean　the　Gaidin？〃　Leane　exclaimed。　〃Warders；　fighting　each　other？〃
　　　　　　　〃Warders；　the　guardsmen；　everyone。　It　started　when　some　men　who　came　claiming　to　be　masons　…　two　or　three　hundred　of　them　…　tried　to　seize　the　Tower　itself　right　after　your　arrest　was　announced。〃
　　　　　　　Siuan　scowled。　〃Danelle！　I　should　have　realized　there　was　more　to　it　than　not　paying　attention。〃　Her　face　twisted　more；　until　Min　thought　she　might　begin　crying。　〃Artur　Hawkwing　could　not　do　it；　but　we　did　it　ourselves。〃　Edge　of　tears　or　not；　her　voice　was　fierce。　〃The　Light　help　us；　we　have　broken　the　Tower。〃　Her　long　sigh　seemed　to　empty　her　of　breath；　and　anger；　too。　〃I　suppose；〃　she　said　sadly　after　a　moment；　〃I　should　be　glad　that　some　of　the　Tower　supported　me；　but　I　almost　wish　they　had　not。〃　Min　tried　to　keep　her　face　expressionless；　but　those　sharp　blue　eyes　seemed　to　interpret　every　flicker　of　an　eyelash。　〃Or　did　they　support　me；　Min？〃
　　　　　　　〃Some　did。〃　She　had　no　intention　of　telling　her　how　few；　not　yet。　But　she　had　to　prevent　Siuan　thinking　she　still　had　partisans　inside　the　Tower。　〃Elaida　didn't　wait　to　find　out　if　the　Blue　Ajah　would　stand　for　you　or　not。　There　isn't　a　Blue　sister　still　in　the　Tower；　not　alive；　I　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sheriam？〃　Leane　asked　anxiously。　〃Anaiya？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know。　There　are　not　many　Greens　left；　either。　Not　in　the　Tower。　The　other　Ajahs　split；　one　way　and　another。　Most　of　the　Reds　are　still　here。　As　far　as　I　know；　everybody　who　opposed　Elaida　has　either　fled　or　else　they　are　dead。　Siuan。。。〃　It　seemed　odd；　calling　her　that　…　Leane　muttered　angrily　under　her　breath　…　but　calling　her　Mother　would　only　be　a　mockery；　now。　〃Siuan；　the　charges　posted　against　you　claim　you　and　Leane　arranged　Mazrim　Taim's　escape。　Logain　got　away　during　the　fighting；　and　they've　blamed　that　on　you；　too。　They　don't　quite　name　you　Darkfriends　…　I　suppose　that　would　be　too　close　to　Black　Ajah　…　but　they　do　not　miss　by　much。　I　think　everyone　is　meant　to　understand；　though。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　won't　even　admit　the　truth；〃　Siuan　said　softly；　〃that　they　mean　to　do　exactly　what　they　pulled　me　down　for。〃
　　　　　　　〃Darkfriends？〃　Leane　murmured　in　bewilderment。　〃They　named　us。。。？〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　would　they　not？〃　Siuan　breathed。　〃What　would　they　not　dare；　when　they　dared　so　much？〃
　　　　　　　They　hunched　their　shoulders　in　their　cloaks　and　let　Min　lead　them　as　she　would。　She　just　wished　their　faces　did　not　look　so　hopeless。
　　　　　　　As　they　drew　nearer　an　outside　door；　she　began　to　breathe　more　easily。　She　had　horses　hidden　in　a　wooded　part　of　the　grounds；　not　far　from　one　of　the　western　gates。　There　was　still　the　question　of　how　easy　it　would　be　to　actually　ride　out；　but　once　they　reached　the　horses　she　would　feel　the　next　thing　to　free。　Surely　the　gate　guards　would　not　stop　three　women　leaving。　She　kept　telling　herself　that。
　　　　　　　The　door　she　sought　appeared　ahead　…　a　small；　plain…paneled　door；　letting　onto　a　path　not　much　used；　just　opposite　where　this　hall　met　the　broad　corridor　that　ran　all　the　way　around　the　Tower　…　and　Elaida's　face　caught　her　eye；　sweeping　down　the　outer　corridor　toward　her。
　　　　　　　Min's　knees　thudded　onto　the　floor　tiles；　and　she　huddled；　head　down　and　face　hidden　by　her　hood；　heart　trying　to　pound　through　her　ribs。　A　petitioner；　that's　all　I　am。　Just　a　simple　woman；　with　nothing　to　do　with　what's　happened。　Oh；　Light；　please！　She　raised　her　head　just　enough　to　peek　under　the　edge　of　her　hood；　half…expecting　to　see　a　gloating　Elaida　staring　down　at　her。
　　　　　　　Elaida　swept　by　without　a　glance　in　Min's　direction；　the　broad；　striped　stole　of　the　Amyrlin　Seat　around　her　shoulders。　Alviarin　followed；　wearing　the　stole　of　the　Keeper　of　the　Chronicles；　white　for　her　Ajah。　A　dozen　or　more　Aes　Sedai　passed　at　Alviarin's　heels；　mostly　Reds；　though　Min　saw　two　yellow…fringed　shawls；　a　green　one　and　a　brown。　Six　Warders　flanked　the　procession；　hands　on　hilts　and　eyes　wary。　Those　eyes　swept　across　the　three　kneeling　women　and　dismissed　them。
　　　　　　　They　were　all　three　kneeling；　Min　realized；　and　realized；　too；　that　she　had　almost　expected　Siuan　and　Leane　to　launch　themselves　at　Elaida's　throat。　Both　women　had　lifted　their　heads　just　enough　to　watch　the　procession　make　its　way　on　down　the　corridor。
　　　　　　　〃Very　few　women　have　been　stilled；〃　Siuan　said；　as　if　to　herself；　〃and　none　have　survived　long；　but　it　is　said　that　one　way　to　survive　is　to　find　something　you　want　as　much　as　you　wanted　to　channel。〃　That　lost　look　was　gone　from　her　eyes。　〃At　first　I　thought　I　wanted　to　gut　Elaida　and　hang　her　in　the　sun　to　dry。　Now　I　know　I　want　nothing　…　nothing！　…　so　much　as　the　day　I　can　tell　that　leech　of　a　woman　that　she'll　live　a　long　life　showing　others　what　happens　to　anyone　who　claims　I　am　a　Darkfriend！〃
　　　　　　　〃And　Alviarin；〃　Leane　said　in　a　tight　voice。　〃And　Alviarin！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　afraid　they'd　sense　me；〃　Siuan　went　on；　〃but　there　is　nothing　for　them　to　sense；　now。　An　advantage　to　having　been。。。　stilled；　it　seems。〃　Leane　jerked　her　head　angrily；　and　Siuan　said；　〃We　must　use　whatever　advantages　we　can　find。　And　be　glad　for　them。〃　The　last　sounded　as　if　she　were　trying　to　convince　herself。
　　　　　　　The　final　Warder　disappeared　around　the　distant　curve；　and　Min　swallowed　the　lump　in　her　throat。　〃We　can　talk　of　advantages　later；〃　she　croaked；　and　stopped　to　swallow　again。　〃Let　us　just　go　to　the　horses。　That　has　to　have　been　the　worst。〃
　　　　　　　Indeed；　as　they　hurried　out　of　the　Tower　into　the　noonday　sun；　it　seemed　the　worst　must　have　passed。　A　column　of　smoke　rising　toward　a　cloudless　sky　in　the　east　of　the　Tower　grounds　was　the　only　sign　of　old　trouble。　Groups　of　men　moved　in　the　distance；　but　none　gave　a　second　glance　to　the　three　women　as　they　scurried　past　the　library；　which　was　built　like　towering　waves　frozen　in　stone。　A　footpath　led　deeper　into　the　grounds　and　westward；　into　a　wood　of　oaks　and　evergreens　that　could　have　stood　far　from　any　city。　Min's　steps　lightened　when　she　found　the　three　saddled　horses　still　tied　where　she　and　Laras　had　left　them；　in　a　small　clearing　surrounded　by　leatherleaf　and　paperbark。
　　　　　　　Siuan　went　immediately　to　a　stout；　shaggy　mare　two　hands　shorter　than　the　others。　〃A　suitable　mount　for　my　present　circumstances。　And　she　looks　more　placid　than　the　other　two；　I　was　never　a　good　rider。〃　She　stroked　the　mare's　nose；　and　the　mare　nuzzled　into　her　palm。　〃What　is　her　name；　Min？　Do　you　know？〃
　　　　　　　〃Bela。　She　belongs　to　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Her　horse。〃　Gawyn　stepped　from　behind　a　wide…trunked　paperbark；　one　hand　on　the　long　hilt　of　his　sword。　The　blood　streaking　his　face　made　exactly　the　pattern　Min　had　seen　in　her　viewing；　her　first　day　back　in　Tar　Valon。　〃I　knew　you　must　be　up　to　something；　Min；　when　I　saw　her　horse。〃　His　red…gold　hair　was　matted　with　blood；　his　blue　eyes　half…dazed；　but　he　walked　toward　them　smoothly；　a　tall　man　with　a　catlike　grace。　A　cat　stalking　mice。
　　　　　　　〃Gawyn；〃　Min　began；　〃we　…〃
　　　　　　　His　sword　was　out　of　its　scabbard；　flicking　back　Siuan's　hood；　sharp　edge　laid　against　the　side　of　her　throat；　all　faster　than　Min　could　follow。　Siuan's　breath　caught　audibly；　and　she　was　still；　looking　up　at　him；　outwardly　as　serene　as　though　she　yet　wore　the　stole。
　　　　　　　〃Don't；　Gawyn！〃　Min　gasped。　〃You　must　not！〃　She　took　a　step　toward　him；　but　he　flung　up　his　free　hand　without　looking　at　her；　and　she　stopped。　He　was　as　tight　as　coiled　steel；　ready　to　burst　out　in　any　direction。　She　noticed　Leane　had　shifted　her　cloak　to　hide　one　hand　and　prayed　the　woman　was　not　fool　enough　to　draw　her　belt　knife。
　　　　　　　Gawyn　stud