rj.theshadowrising-第26部分

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　　　　　　　Seemingly　ignoring　the　Aes　Sedai；　Egwene　peered　into　Elayne's　eyes。　Elayne　wanted　to　look　away；　and　could　not。　Suddenly　Egwene　leaned　closer；　whispering　behind　a　cupped　hand。　〃I　love　him。　Like　a　brother。　And　you　like　a　sister。　I　wish　you　well　of　him。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne's　eyes　widened；　a　smile　spreading　slowly　across　her　face。　She　answered　Egwene's　hug　with　a　fierce　hug　of　her　own。　〃Thank　you；〃　she　murmured　softly。　〃I　love　you　too；　sister。　Oh；　thank　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃She　got　it　wrong；〃　Egwene　said　half　to　herself；　a　delighted　grin　blooming　on　her　face。　〃Have　you　ever　been　in　love；　Moiraine？〃
　　　　　　　What　a　startling　question。　Elayne　could　not　imagine　the　Aes　Sedai　in　love。　Moiraine　was　Blue　Ajah；　and　it　was　said　Blue　sisters　gave　all　their　passions　to　causes。
　　　　　　　The　slender　woman　was　not　at　all　taken　aback。　For　a　long　moment　she　looked　levelly　at　the　pair　of　them；　each　with　an　arm　around　the　other。　Finally　she　said；　〃I　could　wager　I　know　the　face　of　the　man　I　will　marry　better　than　either　of　you　knows　that　of　your　future　husband。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　gaped　in　surprise。
　　　　　　　〃Who？〃　Elayne　gasped。
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai　appeared　regretful　of　having　spoken。　〃Perhaps　I　only　meant　we　share　an　ignorance。　Do　not　read　too　much　into　a　few　words。〃　She　looked　at　Nynaeve　consideringly。　〃Should　I　ever　choose　a　man　…　should；　I　say　…　it　will　not　be　Lan。　That　much　I　will　say。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　a　sop　to　Nynaeve；　but　Nynaeve　did　not　seem　to　like　hearing　it。　Nynaeve　had　what　Lini　would　have　called　〃a　hard　patch　to　hoe；〃　loving　not　just　a　Warder　but　a　man　who　tried　to　deny　returning　her　love。　Fool　man　that　he　was；　he　talked　of　the　war　against　the　Shadow　he　could　not　stop　fighting　and　could　never　win；　of　refusing　to　dress　Nynaeve　in　widow's　clothes　for　her　wedding　feast。　Silly　things　of　that　sort。　Elayne　did　not　see　how　Nynaeve　put　up　with　it。　She　was　not　a　very　patient　woman。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　are　finished　chatting　about　men；〃　Nynaeve　said　acidly；　as　though　to　prove　just　that；　〃perhaps　we　can　go　back　to　what　is　important？〃　Gripping　her　braid　hard；　she　picked　up　speed　and　force　as　she　went　along；　like　a　waterwheel　with　the　gears　disengaged。　〃How　are　we　to　decide　whether　Joiya　is　lying；　or　Amico；　if　you　send　them　away？　Or　whether　they　both　are？　Or　neither？　I　don't　relish　dithering　here；　Moiraine；　no　matter　what　you　think；　but　I　have　walked　into　too　many　traps　to　want　to　walk　into　another。　And　I　don't　want　to　run　after　Jak…o'…the…Wisps；　either。　I。。。　we。。。　are　the　ones　the　Amyrlin　sent　after　Liandrin　and　her　cronies。　Since　you　don't　seem　to　think　they　are　important　enough　to　spare　more　than　a　moment　to　help　us；　the　least　you　can　do　is　not　crack　our　ankles　with　a　broom！〃
　　　　　　　She　seemed　about　to　rip　that　braid　free　and　try　to　strangle　the　Aes　Sedai　with　it；　and　Moiraine　wore　a　dangerously　cool　crystalline　calm　that　suggested　she　might　be　ready　to　teach　again　the　lesson　on　holding　her　tongue　that　she　had　taught　Joiya。　It　was；　Elayne　decided；　time　for　her　to　stop　moping。　She　did　not　know　how　she　had　fallen　into　the　role　of　peacemaker　among　these　women　…　sometimes　she　wanted　to　take　them　all　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and　shake　them　…　but　her　mother　always　said　no　good　decision　was　ever　made　in　anger。　〃You　might　add　to　your　list　of　what　you　want　to　know；〃　she　said；　〃why　were　we　summoned　to　Rand？　That　is　where　Careen　took　us。　He　is　all　right；　now；　of　course。　Moiraine　Healed　him。〃　She　could　not　repress　a　shudder；　thinking　of　her　brief　glimpse　inside　his　chamber；　but　the　diversion　worked　a　charm。
　　　　　　　〃Healed！〃　Nynaeve　gasped。　〃What　happened　to　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　almost　died；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　said；　as　calmly　as　if　she　were　saying　he　had　a　pot　of　tea。
　　　　　　　Elayne　felt　Egwene　tremble　as　they　listened　to　Moiraine's　dispassionate　report；　but　perhaps　some　of　the　trembling　was　her　own。　Bubbles　of　evil　drifting　through　the　Pattern；　Reflections　leaping　out　of　mirrors。　Rand　a　mass　of　blood　and　wounds。　Almost　as　an　afterthought；　Moiraine　added　that　she　was　sure　Perrin　and　Mat　had　experienced　something　of　the　same；　but　escaped　unharmed。　The　woman　must　have　ice　instead　of　blood。　No；　she　was　heated　enough　about　Rand's　stubbornness。　And　she　wasn't　cold　when　she　spoke　of　marrying；　however　much　she　pretended　to　be。　But　now　she　could　have　been　discussing　whether　a　bolt　of　silk　was　the　right　color　for　a　dress。
　　　　　　　〃And　these。。。　these　things　will　keep　on？〃　Egwene　said　when　Moiraine　finished。　〃Is　there　nothing　you　can　do　to　stop　it？　Or　that　Rand　can　do？〃
　　　　　　　The　small　blue　stone　dangling　from　Moiraine's　hair　swung　as　she　shook　her　head。　〃Not　until　he　learns　to　control　his　abilities。　Perhaps　not　then。　I　do　not　know　if　even　he　will　be　strong　enough　to　push　the　miasma　away　from　himself。　At　the　least；　though；　he　will　be　better　able　to　defend　himself。〃
　　　　　　　〃Can't　you　do　something　to　help　him？〃　Nynaeve　demanded。　〃You　are　the　one　of　us　who　is　supposed　to　know　everything；　or　pretends　to。　Can't　you　teach　him？　Some　part　of　it；　anyway？　And　don't　quote　proverbs　about　birds　teaching　fish　to　fly。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　would　know　better；〃　Moiraine　replied；　〃if　you　had　taken　the　advantage　of　your　studies　that　you　should　have。　You　should　know　better。　You　want　to　know　how　to　use　the　Power；　Nynaeve；　but　you　do　not　care　to　learn　about　the　Power。　Saidin　is　not　saidar。　The　flows　are　different；　the　ways　of　weaving　are　different。　The　bird　has　a　better　chance。〃
　　　　　　　This　time　Egwene　took　a　turn　at　diffusing　tension。　〃What　is　Rand　being　stubborn　about；　now？〃　Nynaeve　opened　her　mouth；　and　she　added；　〃He　can　be　stubborn　as　a　stone；　sometimes。〃　Nynaeve　shut　her　mouth　with　a　snap；　they　all　knew　how　true　that　was。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　eyed　them；　considering。　At　times；　Elayne　was　not　sure　how　much　the　Aes　Sedai　trusted　them。　Or　anyone。　〃He　must　move；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　said　at　last。　〃Instead　he　sits　here；　and　the　Tairens　already　begin　to　lose　their　fear　of　him。　He　sits　here；　and　the　longer　he　sits；　doing　nothing；　the　more　the　Forsaken　will　see　his　inaction　as　a　sign　of　weakness。　The　Pattern　moves　and　flows；　only　the　dead　are　still。　He　must　act；　or　he　will　die。　From　a　crossbow　bolt　in　his　back；　or　poison　in　his　food；　or　the　Forsaken　banding　together　to　rip　his　soul　from　his　body。　He　must　act　or　die。〃　Elayne　winced　at　each　danger　on　her　list；　that　they　were　real　only　made　it　worse。
　　　　　　　〃And　you　know　what　he　must　do；　don't　you？〃　Nynaeve　said　tightly。　〃You　have　this　action　planned。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　nodded。　〃Would　you　rather　he　go　haring　off　alone　once　more？　I　dare　not　risk　it。　This　time　he　might　be　dead；　or　worse；　before　I　find　him。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　true　enough。　Rand　hardly　knew　what　he　was　doing。　And　Elayne　was　sure　Moiraine　had　no　wish　to　lose　the　little　guidance　she　still　gave　him。　The　little　he　allowed　her　to　give。
　　　　　　　〃Will　you　share　your　plan　for　him　with　us？〃　Egwene　demanded。　She　was　certainly　not　helping　soothe　the　air　now。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　do；〃　Elayne　said；　surprising　herself　with　a　cool　echo　of　Egwene's　tone。　Confrontation　was　not　her　way　when　it　could　be　avoided；　her　mother　always　said　it　was　better　to　guide　people　than　try　to　hammer　them　into　line。
　　　　　　　If　their　manner　irritated　Moiraine；　she　gave　no　sign　of　it。　〃As　long　as　you　understand　that　you　must　keep　it　to　yourselves。　A　plan　revealed　is　a　plan　doomed　to　fail。　Yes；　I　see　you　do　understand。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　certainly　did；　the　plan　was　dangerous；　and　Moiraine　was　not　sure　it　would　work。
　　　　　　　〃Sammael　is　in　Illian；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　went　on。　〃The　Tairens　are　always　as　ripe　for　war　with　Illian　as　the　other　way　around。　They　have　been　killing　each　other　off　and　on　for　a　thousand　years；　and　they　speak　of　their　chance　for　it　as　other　men　speak　of　the　next　feastday。　I　doubt　even　knowing　of　Sammael's　presence　would　change　that；　not　with　the　Dragon　Reborn　to　lead　them。　Tear　will　follow　Rand　eagerly　enough　in　that　enterprise；　and　if　he　brings　Sammael　down；　he　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Light！〃　Nynaeve　exclaimed。　〃You　not　only　want　him　to　start　a　war；　you　want　him　to　seek　out　one　of　the　Forsaken！　No　wonder　he　is　being　stubborn。　He　is　not　a　fool；　for　a　man。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　must　face　the　Dark　One　in　the　end；〃　Moiraine　said　calmly。　〃Do　you　truly　think　he　can　avoid　the　Forsaken　now？　As　for　war；　there　are　wars　enough　without　him；　and　every　one　worse　than　useless。〃
　　　　　　　〃Any　war　is　useless；〃　Elayne　began；　then　faltered　as　prehension　suddenly　filled　her。　Sadness　and　regret　had　to　show　on　her　face；　too；　but　certainly　prehension。　Her　mother　had　lectured　her　often　on　how　a　nation　was　led　as　well　as　how　it　was　governed；　two　very　different　things；　but　both　necessary。　And　sometimes　things　had　to　be　done　for　both　that　were　worse　than　unpleasant；　although　the　price　of　not　doing　them　was　worse　still。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　gave　her　sympathetic　look。　〃It　is　not　always　pleasant；　is　it？　Your　mother　began　when　you　were　just　old　enough　to　understand；　I　suppose；　teaching　you　what　you　will　need　to　rule　after　her。〃　Moiraine　had　grown　up　in　the　Royal　Palace　in　Cairhien；　not　destined　to　reign；　but　related　to　the　ruling　family　and　no　doubt　overhearing　the　same　lectures。　〃Yet　sometimes　it　seems　ignorance　would　be　better；　to　be　a　farm　woman　knowing　nothing　beyond　the　boundaries　of　her　fields。〃
　　　　　　　〃More　riddles？〃　Nynaeve　said　contemptuously。　〃War　used　to　be　something　I　heard　about　from　peddlers；　something　far　away　that　I　didn't　really　understand。　I　know　what　it　is；　now。　Men　killing　men。　Men　behaving　like　animals；　reduced　to　animals。　Villages　burned；　farms　and　fields　burned。　Hunger；　disease　and　death；　for　the　innocent　as　the　guilty。　What　makes　this　war　of　yours　better；　Moiraine？　What　makes　it　cleaner？〃
　　　　　　　〃Elayne？〃　Moiraine　said　quietly。
　　　　　　　She　shook　her　head　…　she　did　not　want　to　be　the　one　to　explain　this　…　but　she　was　not　sure　even　her　mother　sitting　on　the　Lion　Throne　could　have　kept　silent　under　Moiraine's　pelling；　dark…eyed　stare。　〃War　will　e　whether　Rand　begins　it　or　not；〃　she　said　reluctantly。　Egwene　stepped　back　a　pace；　staring　at　her　in　disbelief　no　sharper　than　that　on　Nynaeve's　face；　the　incredulity　faded　from　both　women　as　she　continued。　〃The　Forsaken　will　not　stand　idly　and　wait。　Sammael　cannot　be　the　only　one　to　have　seized　a　nation's　reins；　just　the　lone　one　we　know。　They　will　e　after　Rand　eventually；　in　their　own　persons　perhaps；　but　certainly　with　whatever　armies　they　mand。　And