rj.theshadowrising-第74部分

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s；　I　can　do　anything。　Anything。　I　know　I　can　do　anything。　But　now；　it's　a　weight　off　my　shoulders。　You　don't　understand；　do　you？〃　She　did　not；　though　it　nettled　her　that　he　saw　it。　She　kept　silent；　and　he　went　on。　〃Perhaps　it　will　help　if　you　know　it　es　from　the　Prophecies。

〃Into　the　heart　he　thrusts　his　sword；
into　the　heart；　to　hold　their　hearts。
Who　draws　it　out　shall　follow　after；
What　hand　can　grasp　that　fearful　blade？

　　　　　　　〃You　see？　Straight　from　the　Prophecies。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　forget　one　thing；〃　she　told　him　tightly。　〃You　drew　Callandor　in　fulfillment　of　prophecy。　The　safeguards　that　held　it　awaiting　you　for　three　thousand　years　and　more　are　gone。　It　is　the　Sword　That　Cannot　Be　Touched　no　longer。　I　could　channel　it　free　myself。　Worse；　any　of　the　Forsaken　could。　What　if　Lanfear　returns？　She　could　use　Callandor　no　more　than　I；　but　she　could　take　it。〃　He　did　not　react　to　the　name。　Because　he　did　not　fear　her　…　in　which　case　he　was　a　fool　…　or　for　another　reason？　〃If　Sammael　or　Rahvin　or　any　male　Forsaken　puts　his　hand　on　Callandor；　he　can　wield　it　as　well　as　you。　Think　of　facing　the　power　you　give　up　so　casually。　Think　of　that　power　in　the　hands　of　the　Shadow。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　almost　hope　they'll　try。〃　A　threatening　light　shone　in　his　eyes；　they　seemed　gray　storm　clouds。　'〃There　is　a　surprise　awaiting　anyone　who　tries　to　channel　Callandor　out　of　the　Stone；　Moiraine。　Do　not　think　of　taking　it　to　the　Tower　for　safekeeping；　I　could　not　make　the　trap　pick　and　choose。　The　Power　is　all　it　needs　to　spring　and　reset；　ready　to　trap　again。　I　am　not　giving　Callandor　up　forever。　Just　until　I。。。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Callandor　will　stay　there　until　I　e　back　for　it。　By　being　there；　reminding　them　of　who　I　am　and　what　I　am；　it　makes　sure　I　can　e　back　without　an　army。　A　haven　of　sorts；　with　the　likes　of　Alteima　and　Sunamon　to　wele　me　home。　If　Alteima　survives　the　justice　her　husband　and　Estanda　will　mete　out；　and　Sunamon　survives　mine。　Light；　what　a　wretched　tangle。〃
　　　　　　　He　could　not　make　it　selective；　or　would　not？　She　was　determined　not　to　underrate　what　he　might　be　capable　of。　Callandor　belonged　in　the　Tower；　if　he　would　not　wield　it　as　he　should；　in　the　Tower　till　he　would　wield　it。　〃Just　until〃　what？　He　had　been　intending　to　say　something　other　than　〃until　I　e　back。〃　But　what？
　　　　　　　〃And　where　are　you　going？　Or　do　you　mean　to　keep　it　a　mystery？〃　She　was　quietly　vowing　not　to　let　him　escape　again；　to　turn　him　somehow　if　he　meant　to　go　running　off　to　the　Two　Rivers；　when　he　surprised　her。
　　　　　　　〃Not　a　mystery；　Moiraine。　Not　from　you　and　Egwene；　anyway。〃　He　looked　at　Egwene　and　said　one　word。　〃Rhuidean。〃
　　　　　　　Wide…eyed；　the　girl　appeared　as　astounded　as　if　she　had　never　heard　the　name　before。　For　that　matter；　Moiraine　felt　scarcely　less。　There　was　a　murmur　among　the　Aiel；　but　when　she　glanced　back　they　were　striding　along　with　no　expression　whatsoever。　She　wished　she　could　make　them　leave；　but　they　would　not　go　at　her　mand；　and　she　would　not　ask　Rand　to　send　them　away。　It　would　not　help　her　with　him　to　ask　favors；　especially　when　he　might　well　refuse。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　not　an　Aiel　clan　chief；　Rand；〃　she　said　firmly；　〃and　have　no　need　to　be　one。　Your　struggle　is　on　this　side　of　the　Dragon　wall。　Unless。。。　Does　this　e　from　your　answers　in　the　ter'angreal？　Cairhien；　and　Callandor；　and　Rhuidean？　I　told　you　those　answers　can　be　cryptic。　You　could　be　misunderstanding　them；　and　that　could　prove　fatal。　To　more　than　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　must　trust　me；　Moiraine。　As　I　have　so　often　had　to　trust　you。〃　His　face　might　as　well　have　belonged　to　an　Aiel　for　all　she　could　read　in　it。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　trust　you　for　now。　Just　do　not　wait　to　seek　my　guidance　until　it　is　too　late。〃　I　will　not　let　you　go　to　the　Shadow。　I　have　worked　too　long　to　allow　that。　Whatever　it　takes。


Chapter　22
（Portal　Stone）
Out　of　the　Stone

　　　　　　　It　was　a　strange　procession　Rand　led　out　of　the　Stone　and　eastward；　with　white　clouds　shading　the　midday　sun　and　a　breath　of　air　stirring　across　the　city。　By　his　order　there　had　been　no　announcement；　no　proclamation；　but　slowly　word　spread　of　something：　citizens　stopped　whatever　they　were　doing　and　ran　for　vantage　points。　The　Aiel　were　marching　through　the　city；　marching　out　of　the　city。　People　who　had　not　seen　them　e　in　the　night；　who　had　only　half　believed　they　were　in　the　Stone　at　all；　increasingly　lined　the　streets　along　the　route；　filled　the　windows；　even　climbed　onto　slate　rooftops；　straddling　roof　peaks　and　upturned　corners。　Murmurs　ran　as　they　counted　the　Aiel。　These　few　hundred　could　never　have　taken　the　Stone。　The　Dragon　banner　still　flew　above　the　fortress。　There　must　yet　be　thousands　of　Aiel　in　there。　And　the　Lord　Dragon。
　　　　　　　Rand　rode　easily　in　his　shirtsleeves；　sure　none　of　the　onlookers　could　take　him　for　anyone　out　of　the　ordinary。　An　outlander；　rich　enough　to　ride　…　and　on　a　superb　dappled　stallion；　best　of　the　Tairen　bloodstock　…　a　rich　man　traveling　in　the　oddest　of　odd　pany；　but　surely　just　another　man　for　that。　Not　even　the　leader　of　this　strange　pany；　that　title　was　surely　assigned　to　Lan　or　Moiraine　despite　the　fact　that　they　rode　some　little　distance　behind　him；　directly　ahead　of　the　Aiel。　The　soft　awed　susurration　that　acpanied　his　passing　certainly　rose　for　the　Aiel；　not　him。　These　Tairen　folk　might　even　take　him　for　a　groom；　riding　his　master's　horse。　Well；　no；　not　that；　not　out　in　front　as　he　was。　It　was　a　fine　day；　anyway。　Not　sweltering；　merely　warm。　No　one　expected　him　to　mete　out　justice；　or　rule　a　nation。　He　could　simply　enjoy　riding　in　anonymity；　enjoy　the　rare　breeze。　For　a　time　he　could　forget　the　feel　of　his　heron　branded　palms　on　the　reins。　For　a　little　longer　anyway；　he　thought。　A　little　longer。
　　　　　　　〃Rand；〃　Egwene　said；　〃do　you　really　think　it　was　right　to　let　the　Aiel　take　all　those　things？〃　He　looked　around　as　she　heeled　her　gray　mare；　Mist；　up　beside　him。　From　somewhere　she　had　gotten　a　dark　green　dress　with　narrow　divided　skirts；　and　a　green　velvet　band　held　her　hair　at　the　nape　of　her　neck。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　and　Lan　still　hung　back　half　a　dozen　strides；　she　on　her　white　mare　in　a　full　skirted　blue　silk　riding　dress　slashed　with　green；　her　dark　hair　caught　in　a　golden　net；　he　astride　his　great　black　warhorse；　in　a　color　shifting　Warder's　cloak　that　probably　brought　as　many　oohs　and　aahs　as　the　Aiel。　When　the　breeze　stirred　the　cloak；　shades　of　green　and　brown　and　gray　rippled　across　it；　when　it　hung　still　it　somehow　seemed　to　fade　into　whatever　was　beyond　it；　so　the　eye　appeared　to　be　seeing　through　parts　of　Lan　and　his　mount。　It　was　not　fortable　to　look　at。
　　　　　　　Mat　was　there；　too；　slumped　in　his　saddle　and　looking　resigned；　trying　to　keep　apart　from　the　Warder　and　Aes　Sedai。　He　had　chosen　a　nondescript　brown　gelding；　an　animal　he　called　Pips；　it　took　a　good　eye　to　notice　the　deep　chest　and　strong　withers　that　promised　blunt…nosed　Pips　could　likely　match　Rand's　stallion　or　Lan's　for　speed　and　endurance。　Mat's　decision　to　e　had　been　a　surprise；　Rand　still　did　not　know　why。　Friendship；　maybe；　and　then　again；　maybe　not。　Mat　could　be　odd　in　what　he　did　and　why。
　　　　　　　〃Didn't　your　friend　Aviendha　explain　to　you　about　'the　fifth'？〃　he　asked。
　　　　　　　〃She　mentioned　something；　but。。。　Rand；　you　don't　think　she。。。　took。。。　things；　too？〃
　　　　　　　Behind　Moiraine　and　Lan；　behind　Mat；　behind　Rhuarc　at　their　head；　the　Aiel　walked　in　long　lines　to　either　side　of　loaded　pack　mules；　rank　on　rank　four　abreast。　When　Aiel　took　one　of　the　holds　of　an　enemy　clan　in　the　Waste；　by　custom　…　or　maybe　law；　Rand　did　not　understand　it　exactly　…　they　carried　away　one　fifth　of　all　it　contained；　excepting　only　food。　They　had　seen　no　reason　not　to　treat　the　Stone　the　same。　Not　that　the　mules　held　more　than　the　barest　fraction　of　a　fraction　of　a　fifth　of　the　Stone's　treasures。　Rhuarc　said　greed　had　killed　more　men　than　steel。　The　wickerwork　pack　hampers；　topped　with　rolled　carpets　and　wall　hangings；　were　lightly　laden。　Ahead　lay　an　eventual　hard　crossing　of　the　Spine　of　the　World；　and　then　a　far　harder　trek　across　the　Waste。
　　　　　　　When　do　I　tell　them？　he　wondered。　Soon；　now；　it　has　to　be　soon。　Moiraine　would　doubtless　think　it　daring；　a　bold　stroke；　she　might　even　approve。　Maybe；　She　thought　she　knew　his　whole　plan；　now；　and　made　no　bones　of　disapproving　that；　no　doubt　she　wanted　it　over　and　done　as　soon　as　possible。　But　the　Aiel。。。　What　if　they　refuse？　Well；　if　they　refuse；　they　refuse。　I　have　to　do　it。　As　for　the　fifth。。。　He　did　not　think　it　would　have　been　possible　to　stop　the　Aiel　from　taking　it　even　had　he　wanted　to；　and　he　had　not；　they　had　earned　their　rewards；　and　he　had　no　care　to　help　Tairen　lords　keep　what　they　had　wrung　from　their　people　over　generations。
　　　　　　　〃I　saw　her　showing　Rhuarc　a　silver　bowl；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃From　the　way　her　sack　clinked　when　she　stuffed　the　bowl　in；　there　was　more　silver　in　there。　Or　maybe　gold。　Do　you　disapprove？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　She　drew　the　word　out　slowly；　with　a　touch　of　doubt；　but　then　her　voice　firmed。　〃I　just　hadn't　thought　of　her。。。　The　Tairens　would　not　have　stopped　at　a　fifth　if　the　positions　had　been　reversed。　They'd　have　carted　away　whatever　wasn't　part　of　the　stonework；　and　stolen　all　the　carts　to　haul　it。　Just　because　a　people's　ways　are　different　doesn't　mean　they　are　wrong；　Rand。　You　should　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　He　laughed　softly。　This　was　almost　like　old　times；　he　ready　to　explain　why　and　how　she　was　wrong；　and　she　snatching　his　position　and　tossing　his　own　unvoiced　explanation　at　him。　His　stallion　danced　a　few　steps；　catching　his　mood。　He　patted　the　dapple's　arched　neck。　A　good　day。
　　　　　　　〃That's　a　fine　horse；〃　she　said。　〃What　have　you　named　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃Jeade'en；〃　he　said　cautiously；　losing　some　of　his　good　spirits。　He　was　a　little　ashamed　of　the　name；　of　his　reasons　for　choosing　it。　One　of　his　favorite　books　had　always　been　The　Travels　of　Jain　Farstrider；　and　that　great　traveler　had　named　his　horse　Jeade'en　…　True　Finder；　in　the　Old　Tongue　…　because　the　animal　had　always　been　able　to　find　the　way　home。　It　would　have　been　nice　to　think　Jeade'en　might　carry　him　home　one　day。　Nice；　but　not　likely；　and　he　did　not　want　anyone　suspecting　the　cause　for　the　name。　Boyish　fancies　had　no　place　in　his　life　now。　There　was　not　much　room　for　anything　but　what　he　h