rj.theshadowrising-第171部分

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ur　of　them　clustered　around　Aviendha；　all　apparently　talking　at　once；　with　considerable　arm…waving。　Moiraine　and　Egwene；　leading　their　horses；　tried　to　get　in　a　word；　even　without　hearing；　Rand　knew　that　Amys　told　them　in　no　uncertain　terms；　shaking　a　furiously　admonishing　finger；　to　stay　out　of　it。
　　　　　　　Staring　at　the　blackened　gouge　stretching　arrow…straight　for　half　a　mile；　Rand　sat　back　down　in　his　saddle。　Teaching　Aviendha　to　channel。　Of　course。　That　was　what　they　were　doing。　He　scrubbed　sweat　from　his　forehead　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　the　sun　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　When　that　fireball　leaped　out　into　existence；　he　had　instinctively　reached　for　the　True　Source。　It　had　been　like　trying　to　dip　water　with　a　torn　sieve。　All　his　clawing　at　saidin　might　as　well　have　been　clawing　at　air。　One　day　that　could　happen　when　he　needed　the　Power　desperately。　He　had　to　learn；　too；　and　he　had　no　teacher。　He　had　to　learn　not　just　because　the　Power　would　kill　him　before　he　had　to　worry　about　going　mad　if　he　did　not；　he　had　to　learn　because　he　had　to　use　it。　Learn　to　use　it；　use　it　to　learn。　He　began　laughing　so　hard　that　some　of　the　Jindo　looked　at　him　uneasily。
　　　　　　　He　would　have　enjoyed　Mat's　pany　any　time　during　those　eleven　days　and　nights；　but　Mat　never　came　near　for　more　than　a　minute　or　two；　the　broad　brim　of　his　flat…crowned　hat　pulled　down　to　shade　his　eyes；　the　black…hafted　spear　lying　across　the　pommel　of　Pips's　saddle；　with　its　odd　raven…marked；　Power…wrought　point；　like　a　short；　curving　sword　blade。
　　　　　　　〃If　your　face　darkens　from　the　sun　any　more；　you　will　turn　into　an　Aielman；〃　he　might　say；　laughing　or；　〃Do　you　mean　to　spend　the　rest　of　your　life　here？　There's　a　whole　world　the　other　side　of　the　Dragonwall。　Wine？　Women？　You　remember　these　things？〃
　　　　　　　But　Mat　looked　plainly　uneasy；　and　he　was　even　more　reluctant　than　the　Wise　Ones　to　speak　of　Rhuidean；　or　what　had　happened　to　them　there。　His　hand　tightened　on　that　black　haft　at　the　very　mention　of　the　fog…domed　city；　and　he　claimed　not　to　remember　anything　of　his　journey　through　the　ter'angreal　…　then　proceeded　to　contradict　himself　by　saying；　〃You　stay　out　of　that　thing；　Rand。　It　isn't　like　the　one　in　the　Stone　at　all。　They　cheat。　Burn　me；　I　wish　I'd　never　seen　it！〃
　　　　　　　The　one　time　Rand　mentioned　the　Old　Tongue；　he　snapped；　〃Burn　you；　I　don't　know　anything　about　the　bloody　Old　Tongue！〃　and　galloped　straight　back　to　the　peddlers'　wagons。
　　　　　　　That　was　where　Mat　spent　most　of　his　time；　dicing　with　the　drivers　…　until　they　realized　he　won　a　very　great　deal　more　often　than　he　lost；　no　matter　whose　dice　he　used　…　engaging　Kadere　or　Natael　in　long　talks　at　every　opportunity；　pursuing　Isendre。　It　was　clear　what　was　on　his　mind　from　the　first　time　he　grinned　at　her　and　straightened　his　hat；　the　morning　after　the　Trolloc　attack。　He　spoke　to　her　nearly　every　evening　for　as　long　as　he　could；　and　pricked　himself　so　badly　plucking　white　blossoms　from　a　spiky…thorned　bush　that　he　could　barely　handle　his　reins　for　two　days；　though　he　refused　to　allow　Moiraine　to　Heal　him。　Isendre　did　not　precisely　encourage　him；　but　her　slow；　sultry　smile　was　hardly　calculated　to　drive　him　away；　either。　Kadere　saw　…　and　said　not　a　word；　though　sometimes　his　eyes　followed　Mat　like　a　vulture's。　Others　did　ment。
　　　　　　　Late　one　afternoon　as　the　mules　were　being　unhitched　and　the　tents　going　up；　and　Rand　was　unsaddling　Jeade'en；　Mat　was　standing　with　Isendre　in　the　meager　shade　of　one　of　the　canvas…topped　wagons。　Standing　very　close。　Shaking　his　head；　Rand　watched　as　he　wiped　the　dapple　down。　The　sun　burned　low　on　the　horizon；　and　tall　spires　stretched　long　shadows　across　the　camp。
　　　　　　　Isendre　fiddled　with　her　diaphanous　scarf　as　if　idly　thinking　of　removing　it；　smiling；　full　lips　half　pouting；　ready　for　a　kiss。　Encouraged；　Mat　grinned　confidently　and　moved　closer　still。　She　dropped　her　hand；　and　slowly　shook　her　head；　but　that　inviting　smile　never　faded。　Neither　of　them　heard　Keille　approach；　so　light　on　her　feet　despite　her　size。
　　　　　　　〃Is　that　what　you　want；　good　sir？　Her？〃　The　pair　jumped　apart　at　the　sound　of　her　mellifluous　voice；　and　she　laughed　just　as　musically；　just　as　oddly　out　of　that　face。　〃A　bargain　for　you；　Matrim　Cauthon。　A　Tar　Valon　mark；　and　she　is　yours。　A　chit　like　that　cannot　be　worth　more　than　two；　so　it　is　a　clear　bargain。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　grimaced；　looking　as　though　he　wished　he　were　anywhere　else　but　there。
　　　　　　　Isendre；　however；　turned　slowly　to　face　Keille；　a　mountain　cat　facing　a　bear。　〃You　go　too　far；　old　woman；〃　she　said　softly；　eyes　hard　above　the　veiling　scarf。　〃I　will　put　up　with　your　tongue　no　longer。　Have　a　care。　Or　perhaps　you　would　like　to　remain　here　in　the　Waste。〃
　　　　　　　Keille　smiled　broadly；　yet　mirth　never　touched　the　obsidian　eyes　glittering　behind　her　fat　cheeks。　〃Would　you？〃
　　　　　　　Nodding　decisively；　Isendre　said；　〃A　Tar　Valon　mark。〃　Her　voice　was　iron。　〃I　will　see　you　have　a　Tar　Valon　mark　when　we　leave　you。　I　only　wish　I　could　see　you　trying　to　drink　it。〃　Turning　her　back；　she　strode　to　the　lead　wagon；　not　swaying　seductively　at　all；　and　vanished　inside。
　　　　　　　Keille　watched；　round　face　unreadable；　until　the　white　door　closed；　then　suddenly　rounded　on　Mat；　who　was　on　the　point　of　slipping　away。　〃Few　men　have　ever　refused　an　offer　from　me　once；　much　less　twice。　You　should　have　a　care　I　do　not　take　it　in　mind　to　do　something　about　it。〃　Laughing；　she　reached　up　and　pinched　his　cheek　with　thick　fingers；　hard　enough　to　make　him　wince；　then　turned　in　Rand's　direction。　〃Tell　him；　my　Lord　Dragon。　I　have　a　feeling　you　know　something　of　the　dangers　of　scorning　a　woman。　That　Aiel　girl　who　follows　you　about；　glaring。　I　hear　you　belong　to　another。　Perhaps　she　feels　scorned。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　it；　Mistress；〃　he　said　dryly。　〃Aviendha　would　plant　a　knife　in　my　ribs　if　she　believed　I　had　thought　of　her　that　way。〃
　　　　　　　The　immense　woman　laughed　uproariously。　Mat　flinched　as　she　reached　for　him　again；　but　all　she　did　was　pat　the　cheek　she　had　pinched　before。　〃You　see；　good　sir？　Scorn　a　woman's　offer；　and　perhaps　she　thinks　nothing　of　it；　but　perhaps〃　…　she　made　a　skewering　motion　…〃the　knife。　A　lesson　any　man　can　learn。　Eh；　my　Lord　Dragon？〃　Wheezing　with　laughter；　she　hurried　off　to　check　on　the　men　tending　the　mules。
　　　　　　　Rubbing　his　cheek；　Mat　muttered；　〃They're　all　crazy；〃　before　he；　too；　left。　He　did　not　abandon　his　pursuit　of　Isendre；　though。
　　　　　　　So　it　went；　for　eleven　days　and　into　the　twelfth；　across　a　barren；　hard…baked　land。　Twice　they　saw　other　stands；　small；　rough　stone　buildings　much　like　Imre　Stand；　sited　for　easy　defense　against　the　sheer　side　of　spire　or　butte。　One　had　three　hundred　sheep　or　more；　and　men　who　were　as　startled　to　learn　of　Rand　as　they　were　of　Trollocs　in　the　Three…fold　Land。　The　other　was　empty；　not　raided；　only　not　in　use。　Several　times　Rand　spotted　goats；　or　sheep；　or　pale；　long…horned　cattle　in　the　distance。　Aviendha　said　the　herds　belonged　to　nearby　sept　holds；　but　he　saw　no　people；　surely　no　structure　that　deserved　the　name　hold。
　　　　　　　The　twelfth　day；　with　the　thick　columns　of　Jindo　and　Shaido　flanking　the　Wise　Ones'　party；　and　the　peddlers'　wagons　lurching　along　with　Keille　and　Natael　arguing；　and　Isendre　eyeing　Rand　from　Kadere's　lap。
　　　　　　　〃。。。and　that　is　how　it　is；〃　Aviendha　said；　nodding　to　herself。　〃Surely　you　must　understand　about　a　roofmistress；　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　really；〃　Rand　admitted。　He　realized　that　for　some　time　he　had　just　been　listening　to　the　sound　of　her　voice；　not　to　the　words。　〃I'm　sure　it　works　just　fine；　though。〃
　　　　　　　She　growled　at　him。　〃When　you　marry；〃　she　said　in　a　tight　voice；　〃with　the　Dragons　on　your　arms　proving　your　blood；　will　you　follow　that　blood；　or　will　you　demand　to　own　everything　but　the　dress　your　wife　stands　in；　like　some　wetland　savage？〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　not　at　all　the　way　it　is；〃　he　protested；　〃and　any　woman　where　I　e　from　would　brain　a　man　who　thought　it　was。　Anyway；　don't　you　think　that　ought　to　be　settled　between　me　and　whoever　I　do　decide　to　marry？〃　If　anything；　she　scowled　harder　than　before。
　　　　　　　To　his　relief；　Rhuarc　came　trotting　back　from　the　head　of　the　Jindo。　〃We　are　there；〃　the　Aielman　announced　with　a　smile。　〃Cold　Rocks　Hold。〃

Chapter　49
（Spears　and　Shield）
Cold　Rocks　Hold

　　　　　　　Frowning；　Rand　looked　around。　A　mile　ahead　stood　a　tight　cluster　of　tall；　sheer…sided　buttes；　or　perhaps　one　huge　butte　broken　by　fissures。　To　his　left　the　land　ran　off　in　patches　of　tough　grass　and　leafless　spiny　plants；　scattered　thorny　bushes　and　low　trees；　across　arid　hills　and　jagged　gullies；　past　huge；　rough　stone　columns　to　jagged　mountains　in　the　distance。　To　the　right　the　land　was　the　same；　except　the　cracked　yellowish　clay　lay　flatter；　the　mountains　closer。　It　could　have　been　any　piece　of　the　Waste　he　had　seen　since　leaving　Chaendaer。
　　　　　　　〃Where？〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　Rhuarc　glanced　at　Aviendha；　who　was　looking　at　Rand　as　though　he　had　lost　his　wits。　〃e。　Let　your　own　eyes　show　you　Cold　Rocks。〃　Dropping　his　shoufa　to　his　shoulders；　the　clan　chief　turned　and　loped　bareheaded　toward　the　fissured　rock　wall　ahead。
　　　　　　　The　Shaido　had　already　halted；　milling　about　and　beginning　to　set　up　their　tents。　Heirn　and　the　Jindo　fell　in　behind　Rhuarc　at　a　trot　with　their　pack　mules；　uncovering　their　heads　and　shouting　wordlessly；　and　the　Maidens　escorting　the　peddlers　cried　for　the　drivers　to　hasten　their　teams　and　follow　the　Jindo。　One　of　the　Wise　Ones　lifted　her　skirts　to　her　knees　and　ran　to　join　Rhuarc　…　Rand　thought　it　was　Amys；　from　the　pale　hair；　surely　Bair　could　not　move　that　nimbly　…　but　the　rest　of　the　Wise　Ones'　party　maintained　its　original　pace。　For　a　moment　Moiraine　looked　as　if　she　would　break　away；　toward　Rand；　then　hesitated；　arguing　with　one　of　the　other　Wise　Ones；　hair　still　hidden　by　her　shawl。　Finally　the　Aes　Sedai　reined　her　white　mare　back　beside　Egwene's　gray　and　Lan's　black　stallion；　just　ahead　of　the　white…robed　gai'shain　who　were　tugging　the　pack　animals　along。　They　were　heading　the　same　way　as　Rhuarc　and　the　others；　though。
　　　　　　　Rand　leaned　down　to　offer　a　hand　to　Aviendha。　When　she　shook　her　head；　he　said；　〃If　they　are　going　to　be　making　all　that　noise；　I　won't　be　able　to　hear　you　down　there。　What　if　I　make　a　wool…headed　mistake　because　I