rj.theshadowrising-第82部分

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ng　that　I　would　…　must　…　meet　you　here　today；　you　Very　nearly　manded　me　to　be　here。　Yet　earlier　you　said　if　I　came。　How　much　of　what　you　wrote　did　you　know　to　be　true？〃
　　　　　　　Amys　sighed　and　set　aside　her　cup　of　wine；　but　it　was　Bair　who　spoke。　〃Much　is　uncertain；　even　to　a　dream　walker。　Amys　and　Melaine　are　the　best　of　us；　and　even　they　do　not　see　all　that　is；　or　all　that　can　be。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　present　is　much　clearer　than　the　future　even　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；〃　the　sun…haired　Wise　One　said。　〃What　is　happening　or　beginning　is　more　easily　seen　than　what　will　happen；　or　may。　We　did　not　see　Egwene　or　Mat　Cauthon　at　all。　It　was　no　more　than　an　even　chance　that　the　young　man　who　calls　himself　Rand　al'Thor　would　e。　If　he　did　not；　it　was　certain　that　he　would　die；　and　the　Aiel　too。　Yet　he　has　e；　and　if　he　survives　Rhuidean；　some　of　the　Aiel　at　least　will　survive。　This　we　know。　If　you　had　not　e；　he　would　have　died。　If　Aan'allein　had　not　e；　you　would　have　died。　If　you　do　not　go　through　the　rings　…〃　She　cut　off　as　if　she　had　bitten　her　tongue。
　　　　　　　Egwene　leaned　forward　intently。　Moiraine　had　to　enter　Rhuidean？　But　the　Aes　Sedai　appeared　to　give　no　notice；　and　Seana　spoke　up　quickly　to　cover　Melaine's　slip。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　no　one　set　path　to　the　future。　The　Pattern　makes　the　finest　lace　look　coarse…woven　sacking；　or　tangled　string。　In　Tel'aran'rhiod　it　is　possible　to　see　some　ways　the　future　may　be　woven。　No　more　than　that。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　took　a　sip　of　wine。　〃The　Old　Tongue　is　often　difficult　to　translate。〃　Egwene　stared　at　her。　The　Old　Tongue？　What　about　the　rings；　the　ter'angreal？　But　Moiraine　went　blithely　on。　〃Tel'aran'rhiod　means　the　World　of　Dreams；　or　perhaps　the　Unseen　World。　Neither　is　really　exact；　it　is　more　plex　than　that。　Aan'allein。　One　Man；　but　also　The　Man　Who　Is　an　Entire　People；　and　two　or　three　other　ways　to　translate　it　as　well。　And　the　words　we　have　taken　for　mon　use；　and　never　think　of　their　meanings　in　the　Old　Tongue。　Warders　are　called　'Gaidin；'　which　was　'brothers　to　battle。'　Aes　Sedai　meant　'servant　of　all。'　And　'Aiel'。　'Dedicated；'　in　the　Old　Tongue。　Stronger　than　that；　it　implies　an　oath　written　into　your　bones。　I　have　often　wondered　what　the　Aiel　are　dedicated　to。〃　The　Wise　Ones'　faces　had　gone　to　iron；　but　Moiraine　continued。　〃And　'Jenn　Aiel'。　'The　true　dedicated；'　but　again　stronger。　Perhaps　'the　only　true　dedicated。'　The　only　true　Aiel？〃　She　looked　at　them　questioningly；　just　as　if　they　did　not　suddenly　have　eyes　of　stone。　None　of　them　spoke。
　　　　　　　What　was　Moiraine　doing？　Egwene　did　not　intend　to　allow　the　Aes　Sedai　to　ruin　her　chances　of　learning　whatever　the　Wise　Ones　could　teach　her。　〃Amys；　could　we　talk　of　Dreaming　now？〃
　　　　　　　〃Tonight　will　be　time　enough；〃　Amys　said。
　　　　　　　〃But　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Tonight；　Egwene。　You　may　be　Aes　Sedai；　but　you　must　bee　a　pupil　again。　You　cannot　even　go　to　sleep　when　you　wish　yet；　or　sleep　lightly　enough　to　tell　what　you　see　before　you　wake。　When　the　sun　begins　to　set；　I　will　begin　to　teach　you。〃
　　　　　　　Ducking　her　head；　Egwene　peered　under　the　edge　of　the　tent　roof。　From　that　deep　shade；　the　light　outside　glared　piercingly　through　heat　shimmers　in　the　air；　the　sun　stood　no　more　than　halfway　to　the　mountaintops。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　Moiraine　rose　to　her　knees；　reaching　behind　her；　she　began　undoing　her　dress。　〃I　presume　that　I　must　go　as　Aviendha　did；〃　she　said；　not　as　a　question。
　　　　　　　Bair　gave　Melaine　a　hard　stare　that　the　younger　woman　met　only　for　a　moment　before　dropping　her　eyes。　Seana　said　in　a　resigned　voice；　〃You　should　not　have　been　told。　It　is　done；　now。　Change。　One　not　of　the　blood　has　gone　to　Rhuidean；　and　now　another。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　paused。　〃Does　that　make　a　difference；　that　I　have　been　told？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　a　great　difference；〃　Bair　said　reluctantly；　〃perhaps　none。　We　often　guide；　but　we　do　not　tell。　When　we　saw　you　go　to　the　rings；　each　time　it　was　you　who　brought　up　going；　who　demanded　the　right　though　you　have　none　of　the　blood。　Now　one　of　us　has　mentioned　it　first。　Already　there　are　changes　from　anything　we　saw。　Who　can　say　what　they　are？〃
　　　　　　　〃And　what　did　you　see　if　I　do　not　go？〃
　　　　　　　Bair's　wrinkled　face　was　expressionless；　but　sympathy　touched　her　pale　blue　eyes。　〃We　have　told　too　much　already；　Moiraine。　What　a　dream　walker　sees　is　what　is　likely　to　happen；　not　what　surely　will。　Those　who　move　with　too　much　knowledge　of　the　future　inevitably　find　disaster；　whether　from　placency　at　what　they　think　must　e　or　in　their　efforts　to　change　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　the　mercy　of　the　rings　that　the　memories　fade；〃　Amys　said。　〃A　woman　knows　some　things　…　a　few　…　that　will　happen；　others　she　will　not　recognize　until　the　decision　is　upon　her；　if　then。　Life　is　uncertainty　and　struggle；　choice　and　change；　one　who　knew　how　her　life　was　woven　into　the　Pattern　as　well　as　she　knew　how　a　thread　was　laid　into　a　carpet　would　have　the　life　of　an　animal。　If　she　did　not　go　mad。　Humankind　is　made　for　uncertainty；　struggle；　choice　and　change。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　listened　with　no　outward　show　of　impatience；　though　Egwene　suspected　it　was　there；　the　Aes　Sedai　was　used　to　lecturing；　not　being　lectured。　She　was　silent　while　Egwene　helped　her　out　of　her　dress；　not　speaking　until　she　crouched　naked　at　the　edge　of　the　carpets；　peering　down　the　mountainside　toward　the　fog…shrouded　city　in　the　valley。　Then　she　said；　〃Do　not　let　Lan　follow　me。　He　will　try；　if　he　sees　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　will　be　as　it　will　be；〃　Bair　replied。　Her　thin　voice　sounded　cold　and　final。
　　　　　　　After　a　moment；　Moiraine　gave　a　grudging　nod　and　slipped　out　of　the　tent　into　the　blazing　sunlight。　She　began　to　run　immediately；　barefoot　down　the　scorching　slope。　。　Egwene　grimaced。　Rand　and　Mat；　Aviendha；　now　Moiraine；　all　going　into　Rhuidean。　〃Will　she。。。　survive？　If　you　dreamed　of　this；　you　must　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　are　some　places　one　cannot　enter　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；〃　Seana　said。　〃Rhuidean。　Ogier　stedding。　A　few　others。　What　happens　there　is　shielded　from　a　dreamwalker's　eyes。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　not　an　answer　…　they　could　have　seen　whether　she　came　out　of　Rhuidean　…　but　it　was　obviously　all　she　was　going　to　get。　〃Very　well。　Should　I　go；　too？〃　She　did　not　relish　the　thought　of　experiencing　the　rings；　it　would　be　like　being　raised　to　Accepted　again。　But　if　everyone　else　was　going。。。
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　be　foolish；〃　Amys　said　vigorously。
　　　　　　　〃We　saw　nothing　of　this　for　you；〃　Bair　added　in　a　milder　tone。　〃We　did　not　see　you　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　I　would　not　say　yes　if　you　asked；〃　Amys　went　on。　〃Four　are　required　for　permission；　and　I　would　say　no。　You　are　here　to　learn　to　dreamwalk。〃
　　　　　　　〃In　that　case；〃　Egwene　said；　settling　back　on　her　cushion；　〃teach　me。　There　must　be　something　you　can　begin　with　before　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　Melaine　frowned　at　her；　but　Bair　chuckled　dryly。　〃She　is　as　eager　and　impatient　as　you　were　once　you　decided　to　learn；　Amys。〃
　　　　　　　Amys　nodded。　〃I　hope　she　can　keep　her　eagerness　and　lose　the　impatience；　for　her　sake。　Hear　me；　Egwene。　Though　it　will　be　hard；　you　must　forget　that　you　are　Aes　Sedai　if　you　are　to　learn。　You　must　listen；　remember；　and　do　as　you　are　told。　Above　all；　you　must　not　enter　Tel'aran'rhiod　again　until　one　of　us　says　you　may。　Can　you　accept　this？〃
　　　　　　　It　would　not　be　hard　to　forget　she　was　Aes　Sedai　when　she　was　not。　For　the　rest；　it　sounded　ominously　like　being　a　novice　again。　〃I　can　accept　it。〃　She　hoped　she　did　not　sound　doubtful。
　　　　　　　〃Good；〃　Bair　said。　〃I　will　now　tell　you　about　dreamwalking　and　Tel'aran'rhiod；　in　a　very　general　way。　When　I　am　done；　you　will　repeat　back　to　me　what　I　have　said。　If　you　fail　to　touch　all　points；　you　will　scrub　the　pots　in　place　of　the　gai'shain　tonight。　If　your　memory　is　so　poor　that　you　cannot　repeat　what　I　say　after　a　second　hearing。。。。　Well；　we　will　discuss　that　when　it　happens。　Attend。
　　　　　　　〃Almost　anyone　can　touch　Tel'aran'rhiod；　but　few　can　truly　enter　it。　Of　all　the　Wise　Ones；　we　four　alone　can　dreamwalk；　and　your　Tower　has　not　produced　a　dreamwalker　in　nearly　five　hundred　years。　It　is　not　a　thing　of　the　One　Power；　though　Aes　Sedai　believe　it　is。　I　cannot　channel；　nor　can　Seana；　yet　we　dreamwalk　as　well　as　Amys　or　Melaine。　Many　people　brush　the　World　of　Dreams　in　their　sleep。　Because　they　only　brush　against　it；　they　wake　with　aches　or　pains　where　they　should　have　broken　bones　or　mortal　hurts。　A　dreamwalker　enters　the　dream　fully；　therefore　her　injuries　are　real　on　waking。　For　one　who　is　fully　in　the　dream；　dreamwalker　or　not；　death　there　is　death　here。　To　enter　the　dream　too　pletely；　though；　is　to　lose　touch　with　the　flesh；　there　is　no　way　back；　and　the　flesh　dies。　It　is　said　that　once　there　were　those　who　could　enter　the　dream　in　the　flesh；　and　no　longer　be　in　this　world　at　all。　This　was　an　evil　thing；　for　they　did　evil；　it　must　never　be　attempted；　even　if　you　believe　it　possible　for　you；　for　each　time　you　will　lose　some　part　of　what　makes　you　human。　You　must　learn　to　enter　Tel'aran'rhiod　when　you　wish；　to　the　degree　you　wish。　You　must　learn　to　find　what　you　need　to　find　and　read　what　you　see；　to　enter　the　dreams　of　another　close　by　in　order　to　aid　healing；　to　recognize　those　who　are　in　the　dream　fully　enough　to　harm　you；　to。。。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　listened　intently。　It　fascinated　her；　hinting　at　things　she　had　never　suspected　were　possible；　but　beyond　that　she　had　no　intention　of　ending　up　scrubbing　pots。　It　did　not　seem　fair；　somehow。　Whatever　Rand　and　Mat　and　the　others　faced　in　Rhuidean；　they　were　not　going　to　be　sent　off　to　scrub　pots。　And　I　agreed　to　it！　It　just　was　not　fair。　But　then；　she　doubted　they　could　get　any　more　out　of　Rhuidean　than　she　would　from　these　women。


Chapter　24
（Dice）
Rhuidean

　　　　　　　The　smooth　pebble　in　Mat's　mouth　was　not　making　moisture　anymore；　and　had　not　been　for　some　time。　Spitting　it　out；　he　squatted　beside　Rand　and　stared　at　the　billowing　gray　wall　maybe　thirty　paces　in　front　of　them。　Fog。　He　hoped　at　least　it　was　cooler　in　there　than　out　here。　And　some　water　would　be　appreciated。　His　lips　were　cracking。　He　pulled　the　scarf　from　around　his　head　and　wiped　his　face；　but　there　was　not　much　sweat　to　dampen　the　cloth。　Not　much　sweat　remained　in　him　to　e　out。　A　place　to　sit　down。　His　feet　felt　like　cooked　sausages　inside　his　boots；　he　felt　pretty　well　cooked　all　over；　for　that　matter。　The　fog