rj.theshadowrising-第57部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　At　first　she　kicked　his　shins　and　hammered　him　with　her　fists　and　made　sounds　of　frantic；　furious　protest；　but　her　kicks　slowed　and　stopped；　and　then　she　was　holding　on　to　his　shoulders　and　not　protesting　at　all。
　　　　　　　Egwene　dropped　her　eyes　with　embarrassment；　but　Elayne　watched　interestedly。　Was　that　how　she　had　looked　when　Rand。。。。　No！　I　will　not　think　about　him。　She　wondered　if　there　was　time　to　write　him　another　letter；　taking　back　everything　she　had　said　in　the　first；　letting　him　know　she　was　not　to　be　trifled　with。　But　did　she　want　to？
　　　　　　　After　a　while　Lan　set　Nynaeve　back　on　her　feet。　She　swayed　a　bit　as　she　straightened　her　dress　and　patted　her　hair　furiously。　〃You　have　no　right。。。〃　she　began　in　a　breathless　voice；　then　stopped　to　swallow。　〃I　will　not　be　manhandled　in　that　fashion　for　the　whole　world　to　see。　I　will　not！〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　the　whole　world；〃　he　replied。　〃But　if　they　can　see；　they　can　hear　as　well。　You　have　made　a　place　in　my　heart　where　I　thought　there　was　no　room　for　anything　else。　You　have　made　flowers　grow　where　I　cultivated　dust　and　stones。　Remember　this；　on　this　journey　you　insist　on　making。　If　you　die；　I　will　not　survive　you　long。〃　He　gave　Nynaeve　one　of　his　rare　smiles。　If　it　did　not　exactly　soften　his　face；　at　least　it　made　it　less　hard。　〃And　remember　also；　I　am　not　always　so　easily　manded；　even　with　letters　from　the　Amyrlin。〃　He　made　an　elegant　bow；　for　a　moment　Elayne　thought　he　actually　meant　to　kneel　and　kiss　Nynaeve's　Great　Serpent　ring。　〃As　you　mand；〃　he　murmured；　〃so　do　I　obey。〃　It　was　difficult　to　tell　whether　he　meant　to　be　mocking　or　not。
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　the　door　closed　behind　him；　Nynaeve　sank　onto　the　edge　of　her　bed　as　if　letting　her　knees　give　way　at　last。　She　stared　at　the　door　with　a　pensive　frown。
　　　　　　　〃　'Poke　the　meekest　dog　too　often；'　〃　Elayne　quoted；　〃　'and　he　will　bite。'　Not　that　Lan　is　very　meek。〃　She　got　a　sharp　look　and　a　sniff　from　Nynaeve。
　　　　　　　〃He　is　insufferable；〃　Egwene　said。　〃Sometimes　he　is。　Nynaeve；　why　did　you　do　that？　He　was　ready　to　go　with　you。　I　know　you　want　nothing　more　than　to　break　him　free　of　Moiraine。　Do　not　try　to　deny　it。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　did　not　try。　Instead　she　fussed　with　her　dress；　and　smoothed　the　coverlet　on　the　bed。　〃Not　like　that；〃　she　said　finally。　〃I　mean　him　to　be　mine。　All　of　him。　I　will　not　have　him　remembering　a　broken　oath　to　Moiraine。　I　will　not　have　that　between　us。　For　him；　as　well　as　myself。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　will　it　be　any　different　if　you　bring　him　to　ask　Moiraine　to　release　him　from　his　bond？〃　Egwene　asked。　〃Lan　is　the　kind　of　man　who　would　see　it　as　much　the　same　thing。　All　that　leaves　is　to　somehow　make　her　let　him　go　of　her　own　accord。　How　can　you　manage　that？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　know。〃　Nynaeve　firmed　her　voice。　〃Yet　what　must　be　done；　can　be　done。　There　is　always　a　way。　That　is　for　another　time。　Work　to　be　done；　and　we　sit　here　fretting　over　men。　Are　you　sure　you　have　everything　you　need　for　the　Waste；　Egwene？〃
　　　　　　　〃Aviendha　is　readying　everything；〃　Egwene　said。　〃She　still　seems　unhappy；　but　she　says　we　can　reach　Rhuidean　in　little　more　than　a　month；　if　we　are　lucky。　You　will　be　in　Tanchico　by　then。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　sooner；〃　Elayne　told　her；　〃if　what　they　say　about　Sea　Folk　rakers　is　true。　You　will　be　careful；　Egwene？　Even　with　Aviendha　for　a　guide；　the　Waste　cannot　be　safe。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will。　You　be　careful。　Both　of　you。　Tanchico　is　not　much　safer　than　the　Waste　now。〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly　they　were　all　hugging　one　another；　repeating　cautions　to　take　care；　making　sure　they　all　remembered　the　schedule　for　meeting　in　Tel'aran'rhiod's　Stone。
　　　　　　　Elayne　wiped　tears　from　her　cheeks。　〃As　well　Lan　left。〃　She　laughed　tremulously。　〃He　would　think　we　were　all　being　foolish。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　he　would　not；〃　Nynaeve　said；　pulling　up　her　skirts　to　settle　a　purse　of　gold　into　its　pocket。　〃He　may　be　a　man；　but　he　is　not　a　plete　dolt。〃
　　　　　　　There　had　to　be　time　between　here　and　the　carriage　to　locate　paper　and　pen；　Elayne　decided。　She　would　find　time。　Nynaeve　had　the　right　of　it。　Men　needed　a　firm　hand。　Rand　would　find　he　could　not　get　away　from　her　so　easily。　And　he　would　not　find　it　easy　to　worm　his　way　back　into　her　good　graces。


Chapter　17
（Harp）
Deceptions

　　　　　　　Favoring　his　stiff　right　leg；　Thom　bowed　with　a　flourish　of　his　gleeman's　cloak　that　set　the　colorful　patches　fluttering。　His　eyes　felt　grainy；　but　he　made　himself　speak　lightly。　〃A　good　morning　to　you。〃　Straightening；　he　knuckled　his　long　white　mustaches　grandly。
　　　　　　　The　black…and…gold…clad　servants　looked　surprised。　The　two　muscular　lads　straightened　from　the　gold…studded　red　lacquer　chest；　with　a　shattered　lid；　that　they　had　been　about　to　lift；　and　the　three　women　stilled　their　mops　in　front　of　them。　The　hallway　was　empty　along　here　except　for　them；　and　any　excuse　to　break　their　labor　was　good；　especially　at　this　hour。　They　looked　as　tired　as　Thom　felt；　with　slumping　shoulders　and　dark　circles　under　their　eyes。
　　　　　　　〃A　good　morning　to　you；　gleeman；〃　the　oldest　of　the　women　said。　A　bit　plump　and　plain…faced；　perhaps；　she　had　a　nice　smile；　weary　as　she　was。　〃Can　we　help　you？〃
　　　　　　　Thom　produced　four　colored　balls　from　a　capacious　coatsleeve　and　began　to　juggle。　〃I　am　just　going　about　trying　to　raise　spirits。　A　gleeman　must　do　what　he　can。〃　He　would　have　used　more　than　four；　but　he　was　fatigued　enough　to　make　even　that　many　an　exercise　in　concentration。　How　long　since　he　had　nearly　dropped　a　fifth　ball？　Two　hours？　He　stifled　a　yawn；　turned　it　into　a　reassuring　smile。　〃A　terrible　night；　and　spirits　need　lifting。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Lord　Dragon　saved　us；〃　one　of　the　younger　women　said。　She　was　pretty　and　slim；　but　with　a　predatory　gleam　in　her　dark；　shadowed　eyes　that　warned　him　to　temper　his　smile。　Of　course；　she　might　be　useful　if　she　was　both　greedy　and　honest；　meaning　that　she　would　stay　bought　once　he　paid　her。　It　was　always　good　to　find　another　set　of　hands　to　place　a　note；　a　tongue　that　would　tell　him　what　was　heard　and　say　what　he　wanted　where　he　wanted。　Old　fool！　You　have　enough　hands　and　ears；　so　stop　thinking　of　a　fine　bosom　and　remember　the　look　in　her　eye！　The　interesting　thing　was　that　she　sounded　as　if　she　meant　what　she　said；　and　one　of　the　young　fellows　nodded　agreement　to　her　words。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　Thom　said。　〃I　wonder　which　High　Lord　had　charge　of　the　docks　yesterday？'〃　He　nearly　fumbled　the　balls　in　irritation　at　himself。　Bringing　it　right　out　like　that。　He　was　too　tired；　he　should　be　in　his　bed。　He　should　have　been　there　hours　ago。
　　　　　　　〃The　docks　are　the　Defenders'　responsibility；〃　the　oldest　woman　told　him。　〃You'd　not　know　that；　of　course。　The　High　Lords　would　not　concern　themselves。〃
　　　　　　　Thom　knew　it　very　well。　〃Is　that　so？　Well；　I　am　not　Tairen；　of　course。〃　He　changed　the　balls　from　a　simple　circle　to　a　double　loop；　it　looked　more　difficult　than　it　was；　and　the　girl　with　the　predatory　look　clapped　her　hands。　Now　that　he　was　into　it；　he　might　as　well　go　on。　After　this；　though；　he　would　call　it　a　night。　A　night？　The　sun　was　rising　already。　〃Still；　it　is　a　shame　no　one　asked　why　those　barges　were　at　the　docks。　With　their　hatches　down；　hiding　all　those　Trollocs。　Not　that　I　am　saying　anyone　knew　the　Trollocs　were　there。〃　The　double　loop　wobbled；　and　he　quickly　went　back　to　a　circle。　Light；　he　was　exhausted。　〃You'd　think　one　of　the　High　Lords　would　have　asked；　though。〃
　　　　　　　The　two　young　men　frowned　thoughtfully　at　one　another；　and　Thom　smiled　to　himself。　Another　seed　planted；　just　that　easily；　if　clumsily　as　well。　Another　rumor　started；　whatever　they　knew　for　a　fact　about　who　had　charge　of　the　docks。　And　rumors　spread　…　a　rumor　like　this　would　not　stop　short　of　the　city　…　so　it　was　another　small　wedge　of　suspicion　driven　between　moners　and　nobles。　Who　would　the　moners　turn　to；　except　the　man　they　knew　the　nobles　hated？　The　man　who　had　saved　the　Stone　from　Shadowspawn。　Rand　al'Thor。　The　Lord　Dragon。
　　　　　　　It　was　time　to　leave　what　he　had　sown。　If　the　roots　had　taken　hold　here；　nothing　he　said　now　could　pull　them　loose；　and　he　had　scattered　other　seeds　this　night。　But　it　would　not　do　for　anyone　to　discover　he　was　the　one　doing　the　planting。　〃They　fought　bravely　last　night；　the　High　Lords　did。　Why；　I　saw。。。〃　He　trailed　off　as　the　women　leaped　to　their　mopping　and　the　men　grabbed　up　the　chest　and　hurried　away。
　　　　　　　〃I　can　find　work　for　gleemen；　too；〃　the　majhere's　voice　said　behind　him。　〃Idle　hands　are　idle　hands。〃
　　　　　　　He　turned　gracefully；　considering　his　leg；　and　swept　her　a　deep　bow。　The　top　of　her　head　was　below　his　shoulder；　but　she　probably　weighed　half　again　what　he　did。　She　had　a　face　like　an　anvil　…　not　improved　by　the　bandage　around　her　temples　…　an　extra　chin；　and　deep…set　eyes　like　chips　of　black　flint。　〃A　good　morning　to　you；　gracious　lady。　A　small　token　of　this　fresh；　new　day。〃
　　　　　　　He　gestured　with　a　flurry　of　hands　and　tucked　a　golden　yellow　sunburst　blossom；　only　a　little　bedraggled　for　its　time　up　his　sleeve；　into　the　gray　hair　above　her　bandage。　She　snatched　the　flower　right　out　again；　of　course；　and　eyed　it　suspiciously；　but　that　was　just　as　he　wanted。　He　put　three　limping　strides　into　her　moment　of　hesitation；　and　when　she　shouted　something　after　him；　he　neither　listened　nor　slowed。
　　　　　　　Horrible　woman；　he　thought。　If　we　had　turned　her　loose　on　the　Trollocs；　she'd　have　had　them　all　sweeping　and　mopping。
　　　　　　　He　yawned　behind　a　hand；　jaws　creaking。　He　was　too　old　for　this。　He　was　tired；　and　his　knee　was　a　knot　of　pain。　Nights　with　no　sleep；　battles；　plotting。　Too　old。　He　should　be　living　quietly　on　a　farm　somewhere。　With　chickens。　Farms　always　had　chickens。　And　sheep。　They　must　not　be　difficult　to　look　after；　shepherds　seemed　to　loll　about　and　play　the　pipes　all　the　time。　He　would　play　the　harp；　of　course；　not　pipes。　Or　his　flute；　weather　was　not　good　for　the　harp。　And　there　would　be　a　town　nearby；　with　an　inn　where　he　could　amaze　the　patrons　in　the　mon　room。　He　flourished　his　cloak　as　he　passed　two　servants。　The　only　point　in　wearing　it　in　this　heat　was　to　let　people　know　he　was　a　gleeman。　They　perked　up　at　the　sight　of　him；　of　course；　hoping　he　might　pause　to　entertain　for　a　moment。　Most　gratifying。　Yes；　a　farm　had　its　virtues。　A　quiet　place。　No　people　to　bother　him。　As　long　as　there　was　a　town　close　by。