rj.theshadowrising-第5部分

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　weeks　ago；　to　cause　trouble　elsewhere。　The　Shining　Walls　held　off　the　Aiel。　And　Artur　Hawkwing；　too。　Valda　will　never　break　into　Tar　Valon　unless　the　city　is　already　falling　apart　from　the　inside。〃　Her　voice　did　not　change　as　she　went　on。　〃You　very　much　want　me　to　believe　the　trouble　will　e　from　the　Whitecloaks。　Why？〃　There　was　no　gentleness　in　her　eyes。
〃Because　I　want　to　believe　it；〃　Min　muttered。　She　licked　her　lips　and　spoke　the　words　she　did　not　want　to　say。　〃The　silver　collar　I　saw　on　that　one　Aes　Sedai。　Mother；　it　looked。。。。　It　looked　like　one　of　the　collars　the。。。　the　Seanchan　use　to。。。　to　control　women　who　can　channel。〃　Her　voice　dwindled　as　Siuan's　mouth　twisted　with　distaste。
〃Filthy　things；〃　the　Amyrlin　growled。　〃As　well　most　people　don't　believe　a　quarter　of　what　they　hear　about　the　Seanchan。　But　there's　more　chance　of　it　being　the　Whitecloaks。　If　the　Seanchan　land　again；　anywhere；　I　will　know　it　in　days　by　pigeon；　and　it　is　a　long　way　from　the　sea　to　Tar　Valon。　If　they　do　reappear；　I　will　have　plenty　of　warning。　No；　I　fear　what　you　see　is　something　far　worse　than　the　Seanchan。　I　fear　it　can　only　be　the　Black　Ajah；　Only　a　handful　of　us　know　about　them；　and　I　don't　relish　what　will　happen　when　the　knowledge　bees　mon；　but　they　are　the　greatest　immediate　threat　to　the　Tower。〃
Min　realized　she　was　clutching　her　skirt　so　hard　that　her　hands　hurt；　her　mouth　was　dry　as　dust。　The　White　Tower　had　always　coldly　denied　the　existence　of　a　hidden　Ajah；　dedicated　to　the　Dark　One。　The　surest　way　to　anger　an　Aes　Sedai　was　merely　to　mention　such　a　thing。　For　the　Amyrlin　Seat　herself　to　give　the　Black　Ajah　reality　so　casually　made　Min's　spine　turn　to　ice。
As　if　she　had　said　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary；　the　Amyrlin　went　on。　〃But　you　didn't　e　all　this　way　just　to　do　your　viewings。　What　word　from　Moiraine？　I　know　everything　from　Arad　Doman　to　Tarabon　is　in　chaos；　to　say　the　least。〃　That　was　saying　the　least；　indeed；　men　supporting　the　Dragon　Reborn　were　fighting　those　opposing　him；　and　had　turned　both　countries　to　civil　war　while　they　still　fought　each　other　for　control　of　Almoth　Plain。　Siuan's　tone　dismissed　all　that　as　a　detail。　〃But　I've　heard　nothing　of　Rand　al'Thor　for　months。　He　is　the　focus　of　everything。　Where　is　he？　What　does　Moiraine　have　him　doing？　Sit；　girl。　Sit。〃　She　gestured　to　the　chair　in　front　of　the　table。
Min　approached　the　chair　on　wobbly　legs　and　half　fell　into　it。　The　Black　Ajah！　Oh；　Light！　Aes　Sedai　were　supposed　to　stand　for　the　Light。　Even　if　she　did　not　really　trust　them；　there　was　always　that。　Aes　Sedai；　and　all　the　power　of　the　Aes　Sedai；　stood　for　the　Light　and　against　the　Shadow。　Only　now　it　was　not　true　any　longer。　She　hardly　heard　herself　say；　〃He's　on　his　way　to　Tear。〃
〃Tear！　It's　Callandor；　then。　Moiraine　means　him　to　take　the　Sword　That　Cannot　Be　Touched　out　of　the　Stone　of　Tear。　I　swear　I'll　hang　her　in　the　sun　to　dry！　I　will　make　her　wish　she　were　a　novice　again！　He　cannot　be　ready　for　that　yet！〃
〃It　was　not。。。。〃　Min　stopped　to　clear　her　throat。　〃It　was　not　Moiraine's　doing。　Rand　left　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　by　himself。　The　others　followed；　and　Moiraine　sent　me　to　tell　you。　They　could　be　in　Tear　by　now。　For　all　I　know；　he　could　have　Callandor　by　now。〃
〃Burn　him！〃　Siuan　barked。　〃By　now；　he　could　be　dead！　I　wish　he　had　never　heard　a　word　of　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon。　If　I　could　keep　him　from　hearing　another；　I　would。〃
〃But　doesn't　he　have　to　fulfill　the　Prophecies？　I　don't　understand〃
The　Amyrlin　leaned　back　against　her　table　wearily。　〃As　though　anyone　even　understands　most　of　them！　The　Prophecies　aren't　what　makes　him　the　Dragon　Reborn；　all　that　takes　is　for　him　to　admit　it；　and　he　must　have　if　he　is　going　for　Callandor。　The　Prophecies　are　meant　to　announce　to　the　world　who　he　is；　to　prepare　him　for　what　is　ing；　to　prepare　the　world　for　it。　If　Moiraine　can　keep　some　control　over　him；　she　will　guide　him　to　the　Prophecies　we　can　be　sure　of　…　when　he　is　ready　to　face　them！　…　And　for　the　rest；　we　trust　that　what　he　does　is　enough。　We　hope。　For　all　I　know；　he　has　already　fulfilled　Prophecies　none　of　us　understands。　The　Light　send　it's　enough。〃
〃So　you　do　mean　to　control　him。　He　said　you'd　try　to　use　him；　but　this　is　the　first　I've　heard　you　admit　it。〃　Min　felt　cold　inside。　Angry；　she　added；　〃You　haven't　done　such　a　good　job　of　it　so　far；　you　and　Moiraine。〃
Siuan's　tiredness　seemed　to　slide　from　her　shoulders。　She　straightened　and　stood　looking　down　at　Min。　〃You　had　best　hope　we　can。　Did　you　think　we　could　just　let　him　run　about　loose？　Headstrong　and　stubborn；　untrained；　unprepared；　maybe　going　mad　already。　Do　you　think　we　could　trust　to　the　Pattern；　to　his　destiny；　to　keep　him　alive；　like　some　story？　This　isn't　a　story；　he　isn't　some　invincible　hero；　and　if　his　thread　is　snipped　out　of　the　Pattern；　the　Wheel　of　Time　won't　notice　his　going；　and　the　Creator　will　produce　no　miracles　to　save　us：　If　Moiraine　cannot　reef　his　sails；　he　very　well　may　get　himself　killed；　and　where　are　we　then？　Where　is　the　world？　The　Dark　One's　prison　is　failing。　He　will　touch　the　world　again；　it　is　only　a　matter　of　time。　If　Rand　al'Thor　is　not　there　to　face　him　in　the　Last　Battle；　if　the　headstrong　young　fool　gets　himself　killed　first；　the　world　is　doomed。　The　War　of　the　Power　all　over　again；　with　no　Lews　Therin　and　his　Hundred　panions；　Then　fire　and　shadow；　forever。〃　She　stopped　suddenly；　peering　at　Min's　face。　〃So　that's　the　way　the　wind　sets；　is　it？　You　and　Rand。　I　did　not　expect　this。〃
Min　shook　her　head　vigorously；　felt　her　cheeks　coloring。　〃Of　course　not！　I　was。。。　It's　the　Last　Battle。　And　the　Dark　One。。。　Light；　just　thinking　about　the　Dark　One　loose　ought　to　be　enough　to　freeze　a　Warder's　marrow。　And　the　Black　Ajah　…〃
〃Don't　try　to　dissemble；〃　the　Amyrlin　said　sharply。　〃Do　you　think　this　is　the　first　time　I　ever　saw　a　woman　afraid　for　her　man's　life？　You　might　as　well　admit　it。〃
Min　squirmed　on　her　chair。　Siuan's　eyes　dug　at　her；　knowing　and　impatient。　〃All　right；〃　she　muttered　finally；　〃I'll　tell　you　all　of　it；　and　much　good　it　does　either　of　us。　The　first　time　I　ever　saw　Rand；　I　saw　three　women's　faces；　and　one　of　them　was　mine。　I've　never　seen　anything　about　myself　before　or　since；　but　I　knew　what　it　meant。　I　was　going　to　fall　in　love　with　him。　All　three　of　us　were。〃
〃Three。　The　other　two。　Who　are　they？〃
Min　gave　her　a　bitter　smile。　〃The　faces　were　blurred；　I　don't　know　who　they　are。〃
〃Nothing　to　say　that　he　would　love　you　in　return？〃
〃Nothing！　He　has　never　looked　at　me　twice。　I　think　he　sees　me　as。。。　as　a　sister。　So　don't　think　you　can　use　me　as　leash　on　him；　because　it　will　not　work！〃
〃Yet　you　do　love　him。〃
〃I　don't　have　any　choice。〃　Min　tried　to　make　her　voice　less　sullen。　〃I　tried　treating　it　as　a　joke；　but　I　can't　laugh　anymore。　You　may　not　believe　me；　but　when　I　know　what　it　means；　it　happens。〃
The　Amyrlin　tapped　a　finger　against　her　lips　and　looked　at　Min　consideringly。
That　look　worried　Min。　She　had　not　meant　to　make　such　a　show　of　herself；　nor　to　tell　as　much　as　she　had。　She　had　not　told　everything；　but　she　knew　she　should　have　learned　by　now　not　to　give　an　Aes　Sedai　a　lever；　even　if　she　did　not　see　how　it　could　be　used。　Aes　Sedai　were　skilled　at　finding　ways。　〃Mother；　I've　delivered　Moiraine's　message；　and　I've　told　everything　I　know　of　what　my　viewings　meant。　There's　no　reason　now　I　can't　put　on　my　own　clothes　and　go。〃
〃Go　where？〃
〃Tear。〃　After　talking　with　Gawyn；　trying　to　make　sure　he　did　not　do　something　foolish。　She　wished　she　dared　ask　where　Egwene　and　the　other　two　were；　but　if　the　Amyrlin　would　not　tell　Elayne's　brother；　there　was　small　chance　she　would　tell　Min。　And　Siuan　Sanche　still　had　that　weighing　look　in　her　eyes。　〃Or　wherever　Rand　is。　I　may　be　a　fool；　but　I'm　not　the　first　woman　to　be　a　fool　over　a　man。〃
〃The　first　to　be　a　fool　over　the　Dragon　Reborn。　It　will　be　dangerous；　being　close　to　Rand　al'Thor　once　the　world　finds　out　who　he　is；　what　he　is。　And　if　he　now　wields　Callandor；　the　world　will　learn　soon　enough。　Half　will　want　to　kill　him　anyway；　as　if　by　killing　him　they　can　stop　the　Last　Battle；　stop　the　Dark　One　from　breaking　free。　A　good　many　will　die；　close　to　him。　It　might　be　better　for　you　to　stay　here。〃
The　Amyrlin　sounded　sympathetic；　but　Min　did　not　believe　it。　She　did　not　believe　Siuan　Sanche　was　capable　of　sympathy。　〃I'll　take　the　risk；　maybe　I　can　help　him。　With　what　I　see。　It　isn't　even　as　if　the　Tower　would　be　that　much　safer；　not　so　long　as　there　is　one　Red　sister　here。　They'll　see　a　man　who　can　channel　and　forget　the　Last　Battle；　and　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon。〃
〃So　will　many　others；〃　Siuan　broke　in　calmly。　〃Old　ways　of　thinking　are　hard　to　shed；　for　Aes　Sedai　as　for　anyone　else。〃
Min　gave　her　a　puzzled　look。　She　seemed　to　be　taking　Min's　side　of　the　thing　now。　〃It　is　no　secret　I　am　friends　with　Egwene　and　Nynaeve；　and　no　secret　they're　from　the　same　village　as　Rand。　For　the　Red　Ajah；　that　will　be　connection　enough。　When　the　Tower　finds　out　what　he　is；　I　would　probably　be　arrested　before　the　day　is　out。　So　will　Egwene　and　Nynaeve；　if　you　don't　have　them　hidden　away　somewhere。〃
〃Then　you　mustn't　be　recognized。　You　catch　no　fish　if　they　see　the　net。　I　suggest　you　forget　your　coat　and　breeches　for　a。　time。〃　The　Amyrlin　smiled　like　a　cat　smiling　at　a　mouse。
〃What　fish　do　you　expect　to　catch　with　me？〃　Min　asked　in　a　faint　voice。　She　thought　she　knew；　and　hoped　desperately　she　was　wrong。
Her　hope　did　not　stop　the　Amyrlin　from　saying；　〃The　Black　Ajah。　Thirteen　of　them　fled；　but　I　fear　some　remain。　I　cannot　be　sure　who　I　can　trust；　for　a　while　I　was　afraid　to　trust　anyone。　You　are　no　Darkfriend；　I　know；　and　your　particular　talent　may　just　be　some　help。　At　the　very　least；　you'll　be　another　trustworthy　pair　of　eyes。〃
〃You've　been　planning　this　since　I　walked　in；　haven't　you？　That's　why　you　want　to　keep　Gawyn　and　Sahra　quiet。〃　Anger　built　up　inside　Min　like　steam　in　a　kettle。　The　woman　said　frog　and　expected　people　to　jump。　That　they　usually　did　just　made　it　worse。　She　was　no　frog；　no　dancing　puppet。　〃Is　this　what　you　did　to　Egwene　and　Elayne　and　Nynaeve？　Send　them　off　after　the　Black　Ajah？　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　you！〃
〃You　tend　your　own　nets；　child；　and　let　those　girls　tend　theirs。　As　far　as　you　are　concerned；　they　are　workin