rj.theshadowrising-第44部分

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er　side　were　the　bones　of　some　slender；　four　footed　beast　with　a　neck　so　long　the　skull　was　half　as　high　as　the　ceiling。　There　were　more；　spaced　down　the　chamber's　walls；　just　as　fantastic。　All　of　them　felt　old　enough　to　make　the　Stone　of　Tear　seem　new　built。　Ducking　under　the　rope　barrier；　she　walked　down　the　chamber　slowly；　staring。
　　　　　　　A　weathered　stone　figurine　of　a　woman；　seemingly　unclothed　but　wrapped　in　hair　that　fell　to　her　ankles；　was　outwardly　no　different　from　the　others　sharing　its　case；　each　not　much　bigger　than　her　hand。　But　it　gave　an　impression　of　soft　warmth　that　she　recognized。　It　was　an　angreal；　she　was　sure；　she　wondered　why　the　Tower　had　not　managed　to　get　it　away　from　the　Panarch。　A　finely　jointed　collar　and　two　bracelets　of　dull　black　metal；　on　a　stand　by　themselves；　made　her　shiver；　she　felt　darkness　and　pain　associated　with　them　…　old；　old　pain；　and　sharp。　A　silvery　thing　in　another　cabinet；　like　a　three　pointed　star　inside　a　circle；　was　made　of　no　substance　she　knew；　it　was　softer　than　metal；　scratched　and　gouged；　yet　even　older　than　any　of　the　ancient　bones。　From　ten　paces　she　could　sense　pride　and　vanity。
　　　　　　　One　thing　actually　seemed　familiar；　though　she　could　not　say　why。　Tucked　into　a　corner　of　one　of　the　cabinets；　as　if　whoever　put　it　there　had　been　uncertain　that　it　was　worthy　of　display；　lay　the　upper　half　of　a　broken　figure　carved　from　some　shiny　white　stone；　a　woman　holding　a　crystal　sphere　in　one　upraised　hand；　her　face　calm　and　dignified　and　full　of　wise　authority。　Whole；　she　would　have　been　perhaps　a　foot　tall。　But　why　did　she　appear　so　familiar？　She　almost　seemed　to　call　to　Egwene　to　pick　her　up。
　　　　　　　Not　until　Egwene's　fingers　closed　on　the　broken　statuette　did　she　realize　she　had　climbed　over　the　rope。　Foolish；　when　I　don't　know　what　it　is；　she　thought；　but　it　was　already　too　late。
　　　　　　　As　her　hand　grasped　it；　the　Power　surged　within　her；　into　the　half　figure　then　back　into　her；　into　the　figure　and　back；　in　and　back。　The　crystal　sphere　flickered　in　fitful；　lurid　flashes；　and　needles　stabbed　her　brain　with　each　flash。　With　a　sob　of　agony；　she　loosed　her　hold　and　clasped　both　hands　to　her　head。
　　　　　　　The　crystal　sphere　shattered　as　the　figure　hit　the　floor　and　broke　into　pieces；　and　the　needles　vanished；　leaving　only　dull　memories　of　the　pain　and　a　queasiness　that　wobbled　her　knees。　She　squeezed　her　eyes　shut　so　she　could　not　see　the　room　heaving。　The　figure　had　to　be　a　ter'angreal；　but　why　had　it　hurt　her　like　that　when　she　only　touched　it？　Perhaps　because　it　was　broken；　perhaps；　broken；　it　could　not　do　what　it　was　meant　for。　She　did　not　even　want　to　think　of　what　it　might　have　been　made　for；　testing　ter'angreal　was　dangerous。　At　least　it　must　be　broken　beyond　danger　now。　Here；　at　least。　Why　did　it　seem　to　call　me？
　　　　　　　Nausea　faded；　and　she　opened　her　eyes。　The　figure　was　back　on　the　shelf；　as　whole　as　it　had　been　when　she　first　saw　it。　Strange　things　happened　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；　but　that　was　stranger　than　she　wanted　to　see。　And　this　was　not　what　she　had　e　for。　First　she　had　to　find　her　way　out　of　the　Panarch's　Palace。　Climbing　back　over　the　rope；　she　hurried　out　of　the　chamber；　trying　not　to　run。
　　　　　　　The　palace　was　empty　of　life；　of　course。　Human　life；　at　least。　Colorful　fish　swam　in　large　fountains　that　splashed　merrily　in　the　courtyards　surrounded　by　delicately　columned　walks　and　balconies　screened　by　stonework　like　intricately　carved　lace。　Lily　pads　floated　on　the　waters；　and　white　flowers　as　big　as　dinner　plates。　In　the　World　of　Dreams；　a　place　was　as　it　was　in　the　so…called　real　world。　Except　for　people。　Elaborate　golden　lamps　stood　in　the　hallways；　wicks　uncharted；　but　she　could　smell　the　perfumed　oil　in　them。　Her　feet　raised　no　hint　of　dust　from　the　bright　carpets　that　surely　could　never　have　been　beaten；　not　
here。
　　　　　　　Once　she　did　see　another　person　walking　ahead　of　her；　a　man　in　gilded；　ornately　worked　plate　and　mail　armor；　a　pointed　golden　helmet　crested　with　white　egret　plumes　under　his　arm。　〃Aeldra？〃　he　called；　smiling。　〃Aeldra；　e　look　at　me。　I　am　named　the　Lord　Captain　of　the　Panarch's　Legion。　Aeldra？〃　He　walked　on　another　pace；　still　calling；　and　suddenly　was　not　there。　Not　a　Dreamer。　Not　even　someone　using　a　ter'angreal　like　her　stone　ring　or　Amico's　iron　disc。　Only　a　man　whose　dream　had　touched　a　place　he　was　not　aware　of；　with　dangers　he　did　not　know。　People　who　died　unexpectedly　in　their　sleep　had　often　dreamed　their　way　into　Tel'aran'rhiod　and　in　truth　had　died　there。　He　was　well　out　of　it；　back　into　an　ordinary　dream。
　　　　　　　The　candle　was　burning　down　beside　that　bed　back　in　Tear。　Her　time　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　was　burning　away。
　　　　　　　Hastening　her　steps；　she　came　to　tall；　carved　doors　leading　outside；　to　wide　white　stairs　and　a　huge　empty　square。　Tanchico　spread　out　in　every　direction　across　steep　hills；　white　buildings　upon　white　buildings　shining　in　the　sun；　hundreds　of　thin　towers　and　almost　as　many　pointed　domes；　some　gilded。　The　Panarch's　Circle；　a　tall　round　wall　of　white　stone；　stood　in　plain　sight　not　half　a　mile　away　and　a　little　lower　than　the　palace。　The　Panarch's　Palace　rose　atop　one　of　the　loftiest　hills。　At　the　top　of　the　deep　stairs；　she　was　high　enough　to　see　water　glinting　to　the　west；　inlets　separating　her　from　more　hilly　fingers　where　the　rest　of　the　city　lay。　Tanchico　was　larger　than　Tear；　perhaps　larger　than　Caemlyn。
　　　　　　　So　much　to　search；　and　she　did　not　even　know　for　what。　For　something　that　signified　the　presence　of　the　Black　Ajah；　or　something　that　indicated　some　sort　of　danger　to　Rand；　if　either　existed　here。　Had　she　been　a　real　Dreamer；　trained　in　the　use　of　her　talent；　she　would　surely　have　known　what　to　look　for；　how　to　interpret　what　she　saw。　But　no　one　remained　who　could　teach　her。　Aiel　Wise　Ones　supposedly　knew　how　to　decipher　dreams。　Aviendha　had　been　so　reluctant　to　talk　about　the　Wise　Ones　that　Egwene　had　not　asked　any　of　the　other　Aiel。　Perhaps　a　Wise　One　could　teach　her。　If　she　could　find　one。
　　　　　　　She　took　a　step　toward　the　square；　and　suddenly　she　was　somewhere　else。
　　　　　　　Great　stone　spires　rose　around　her　in　a　heat　that　sucked　the　moisture　out　of　her　breath。　The　sun　seemed　to　bake　right　through　her　dress；　and　the　breeze　blowing　in　her　face　seemed　to　e　from　a　stove。　Stunted　trees　dotted　a　landscape　almost　bare　of　other　growth；　except　for　a　few　patches　of　tough　grass　and　some　prickly　plants　she　did　not　recognize。　She　recognized　the　lion；　however；　even　if　she　had　never　seen　one　in　the　flesh。　It　lay　in　a　crevice　in　the　rocks　not　twenty　paces　away；　black　tufted　tail　switching　idly；　looking　not　at　her　but　at　something　another　hundred　strides　on。　The　large　boar　covered　in　coarse　hair　was　rooting　and　snuffling　at　the　base　of　a　thorny　bush；　never　noticing　the　Aiel　woman　creeping　up　on　it　with　a　spear　ready　to　thrust。　Garbed　like　the　Aiel　in　the　Stone；　she　had　her　shoufa　around　her　head　but　her　face　uncovered。The　Waste；　Egwene　thought　incredulously。　I've　jumped　into　the　Aiel　Waste！　When　will　I　learn　to　watch　what　I　think　here？
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　woman　froze。　Her　eyes　were　on　Egwene　now；　not　the　boar。　If　it　was　a　boar；　it　did　not　seem　to　be　shaped　exactly　right。
　　　　　　　Egwene　was　sure　the　woman　was　not　a　Wise　One。　Not　dressed　like　a　Maiden；　from　what　Egwene　had　been　told；　a　Maiden　of　the　Spear　who　wanted　to　bee　a　Wise　One　had　to　〃give　up　the　spear。〃　This　had　to　be　just　an　Aiel　woman　who　had　dreamed　herself　into　Tel'aran'rhiod；　like　that　fellow　in　the　palace。　He　would　have　seen　her；　too；　if　he　had　ever　turned　around。　Egwene　closed　her　eyes　and　concentrated　on　her　one　clear　image　of　Tanchico；　that　huge　skeleton　in　the　great　hall。
　　　　　　　When　she　opened　them　again；　she　was　staring　at　the　massive　bones。　They　had　been　wired　together；　she　noticed　this　time。　Quite　cleverly；　so　that　the　wires　hardly　showed　at　all。　The　half　figurine　with　its　crystal　sphere　was　still　on　its　shelf。　She　did　not　go　near　it；　any　more　than　the　black　collar　and　bracelets　that　felt　of　so　much　pain　and　suffering。　The　angreal；　the　stone　woman；　was　a　temptation。　What　are　you　going　to　do　with　it？　Light；　you're　here　to　look；　to　search！　Nothing　more　than　that。　Get　on　with　it；　woman！
　　　　　　　This　time　she　quickly　found　her　way　back　to　the　square。　Time　passed　differently　here；　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　could　be　waking　her　up　any　moment；　and　she　still　had　not　even　begun。　There　might　be　no　more　minutes　to　waste。　She　had　to　be　careful　of　what　she　thought　from　here　on。　No　more　thinking　about　the　Wise　Ones。　Even　the　admonition　made　everything　lurch　around　her。　Keep　your　mind　on　what　you　are　doing；　she　told　herself　firmly。
　　　　　　　She　set　out　through　the　empty　city；　walking　fast；　sometimes　trotting。　Winding；　stone　paved　streets　slanted　up　and　down；　curving　every　which　way；　all　empty；　except　for　green　backed　pigeons　and　pale　gray　gulls　that　rose　in　thunderclaps　of　wings　when　she　came　close。　Why　birds　and　not　people？　Flies　buzzed　by；　and　she　could　see　roaches　and　beetles　scurrying　along　in　the　shadows。　A　pack　of　lean　dogs；　all　different　colors；　loped　across　the　street　far　ahead　of　her。　Why　dogs？
　　　　　　　She　pulled　herself　back　to　why　she　was　there。　What　would　be　a　sign　of　the　Black　Ajah？　Or　of　this　danger　to　Rand；　if　it　existed？　Most　of　the　white　buildings　were　plastered；　the　plaster　chipped　and　cracked；　often　showing　weathered　wood　or　pale　brown　brick　beneath。　Only　the　towers　and　the　larger　structures　…　palaces；　she　supposed　…　were　stone；　if　still　white。　Even　the　stone　had　tiny　fissures；　though；　most　of　it；　cracks　too　minute　for　the　eye　to　catch；　but　she　could　feel　them　with　the　Power　in　her；　spiderwebbing　domes　and　towers。　Perhaps　that　meant　something。　Perhaps　it　meant　Tanchico　was　a　city　not　looked　after　by　its　inhabitants。　As　likely　that　as　anything　else。
　　　　　　　She　jumped　as　a　shrieking　man　suddenly　plummeted　out　of　the　sky　in　front　of　her。　She　only　had　time　to　register　baggy　white　trousers　and　thick　mustaches　covered　by　a　transparent　veil　before　he　vanished；　only　a　pace　above　the　pavement。　Had　he　struck；　here　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；　he　would　have　been　found　dead　in　his　bed。
　　　　　　　He　probably　has　as　much　to　do　with　anything　as　the　roaches；　she　told　herself。
　　　　　　　Perhaps　something　inside　the　buildings。　It　was　a　small　chance；　a　wild　hope；　but　she　was　desperate　enou