rj.theshadowrising-第84部分

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weeds；　and　not　many　of　those。　None；　now。
　　　　　　　After　they　had　walked　a　mile；　the　street　suddenly　ended　at　a　great　plaza；　perhaps　as　far　across　as　they　had　walked　and　surrounded　by　those　palaces　of　marble　and　crystal。　Startlingly；　a　tree　stood　in　the　huge　square；　a　good　hundred　feet　tall　and　spreading　its　thick；　leafy　limbs　over　a　hide　of　dusty　white　paving　stones；　near　what　appeared　to　be　concentric　rings　of　clear；　glittering　glass　columns；　thin　as　needles　pared　to　their　height；　nearly　as　much　as　the　tree's。　He　would　have　wondered　how　a　tree　could　grow　here；　without　sunlight；　if　he　had　not　been　too　busy　staring　at　the　astounding　jumble　filling　the　rest　of　the　square。
　　　　　　　A　clear　lane　led　from　each　street　Mat　could　see；　straight　to　the　columned　rings；　but　in　the　spaces　between；　statues　stood　haphazardly；　life…sized　down　to　half　that；　in　stone　or　crystal　or　metal；　set　right　down　on　the　pavement。　All　among　them　were。。。　He　did　not　know　what　to　call　them；　at　first。　A　flat　silvery　ring；　ten　feet　across　and　thin　as　a　blade。　A　tapering　crystal　plinth　a　pace　tall　that　might　have　held　one　of　the　smaller　statues。　A　shiny　black　metal　spire；　narrow　as　a　spear　and　no　longer；　yet　standing　on　end　as　if　rooted。　Hundreds　of　things；　maybe　thousands；　in　every　shape　imaginable；　every　material　imaginable；　dotting　the　huge　plaza　with　no　more　than　a　dozen　feet　between　any　two。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　black　metal　spear；　so　unnaturally　erect；　that　suddenly　told　him　what　they　must　be。　Ter'angreal。　Some　sort　of　things　to　do　with　the　Power；　anyway。　Some　of　them　had　to　be。　That　twisted　stone　doorway　in　the　Stone's　Great　Holding　had　resisted　falling　over；　too。
　　　　　　　He　was　ready　to　turn　around　and　go　back　right　then；　but　Rand　continued　on；　barely　looking　at　what　lined　his　way。　Once　Rand　paused；　staring　down　at　two　figurines　that　hardly　seemed　to　deserve　a　place　with　the　other　things。　Two　statuettes　maybe　a　foot　tall；　a　man　and　a　woman；　each　holding　a　crystal　sphere　aloft　in　one　hand。　He　half　bent　as　if　to　touch　them；　but　straightened　so　quickly　it　could　almost　have　been　Mat's　imagination。
　　　　　　　After　a　minute；　Mat　followed；　hurrying　to　catch　up。　The　closer　they　came　to　the　scintillating　rings　of　columns；　the　more　he　tensed。　Those　things　all　around　them　had　to　do　with　the　Power；　and　so　did　the　columns。　He　just　knew　it。　Those　impossibly　tall　thin　shafts　sparkled　in　the　bluish　light；　dazzling　the　eye。　All　they　said　was　I　had　to　e　here。　Well；　I'm　here。　They　didn't　say　anything　about　the　bloody　Power。
　　　　　　　Rand　stopped　so　suddenly　that　Mat　went　three　strides　nearer　the　columned　rings　before　realizing　it。　Rand　was　staring　at　the　tree；　Mat　saw。　The　tree。　Mat　found　himself　moving　toward　it　as　if　drawn。　No　tree　had　those　trefoil　leaves。　No　tree　but　one；　a　tree　of　legend。
　　　　　　　〃Avendesora；〃　Rand　said　softly。　〃The　Tree　of　Life。　It's　here。〃
　　　　　　　Under　the　spreading　branches；　Mat　leaped　to　catch　one　of　those　leaves；　his　outstretched　fingers　fell　a　good　pace　short　of　the　lowest。　He　satisfied　himself　with　walking　deeper　beneath　that　leafy　roof　and　leaning　back　against　the　thick　bole。　After　a　moment　he　slid　down　to　sit　against　it。　The　old　stories　were　true。　He　felt。。。。　Contentment。　Peace。　Well　being。　Even　his　feet　did　not　bother　him　much。
　　　　　　　Rand　sat　down　cross…legged　nearby。　〃I　can　believe　the　stories。　Ghoetam；　sitting　beneath　Avendesora　for　forty　years　to　gain　wisdom。　Right　now；　I　can　believe。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　let　his　head　fall　back　against　the　trunk。　〃I　don't　know　that　I'd　trust　birds　to　bring　me　food；　though。　You'd　have　to　get　up　sometime。〃　But　an　hour　or　so　would　not　be　bad。　Even　all　day。　〃It　doesn't　make　sense　anyway。　What　kind　of　food　could　birds　bring　in　here？　What　birds？〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe　Rhuidean　wasn't　always　like　this；　Mat。　Maybe。。。　I　don't　know。　Maybe　Avendesora　was　somewhere　else；　then。〃
　　　　　　　〃Somewhere　else；〃　Mat　murmured。　〃I　would　not　mind　being　somewhere　else。〃　It　feels。。。　good。。。　though。
　　　　　　　〃Somewhere　else？〃　Rand　twisted　around　to　look　at　the　tall　thin　columns；　shining　so　close。　〃Duty　is　heavier　than　a　mountain；〃　he　sighed。
　　　　　　　That　was　part　of　a　saying　he　had　picked　up　in　the　Borderlands。　〃Death　is　lighter　than　a　feather；　duty　heavier　than　a　mountain。〃　It　sounded　like　pure　foolishness　to　Mat；　but　Rand　was　getting　up。　Mat　copied　him　reluctantly。　〃What　do　you　think　we'll　find　in　there？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　I　have　to　go　on　alone　from　here；〃　Rand　said　slowly。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Mat　demanded。　〃I've　e　this　far；　haven't　I？　I　am　not　going　to　turn　tail　now。〃　Wouldn't　I　just　like　to；　though！
　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　that；　Mat。　If　you　go　in　there；　you　e　out　a　clan　chief；　or　you　die。　Or　e　out　mad。　I　don't　believe　there's　any　other　choice。　Unless　maybe　the　Wise　Ones　go　in　there。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　hesitated。　To　die　and　live　again。　That　was　what　they　had　said。　He　had　no　intention　of　trying　to　be　an　Aiel　clan　chief；　though；　the　Aiel　would　probably　stick　spears　through　him。　〃We'll　leave　it　to　luck；〃　he　said；　pulling　the　Tar　Valon　mark　from　his　pocket。　〃Getting　to　be　my　lucky　coin。　Flame；　I　go　in　with　you；　head；　I　stay　out。〃　He　flipped　the　gold　coin　quickly；　before　Rand　could　object。
　　　　　　　Somehow　he　missed　grabbing　it；　the　mark　careened　off　his　fingertips；　clinked　to　the　pavement；　bounced　twice。。。　And　landed　on　edge。
　　　　　　　He　glared　at　Rand　accusingly。　〃Do　you　do　this　sort　of　thing　on　purpose？　Can't　you　control　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　The　coin　fell　over；　showing　an　ageless　woman's　face　surrounded　by　stars。　〃It　looks　like　you　stay　out　here；　Mat。〃
　　　　　　　〃Did　you　just。。。　？〃　He　wished　Rand　would　not　channel　around　him。　〃Oh；　burn　me；　if　you　want　me　to　stay　out　here；　I'll　stay。〃　Snatching　the　coin　up；　he　stuffed　it　back　into　his　pocket。　〃Listen；　you　go　in；　do　whatever　it　is　you　have　to；　and　get　back　out。　I　want　to　leave　this　place；　and　I　am　not　going　to　stand　here　forever　twiddling　my　thumbs　waiting　for　you。　And　you　needn't　think　I'll　e　in　after　you；　either；　so　you　had　best　be　careful。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　wouldn't　think　that　of　you；　Mat；〃　Rand　said。
　　　　　　　Mat　stared　at　him　suspiciously。　What　was　he　grinning　at？　〃So　long　as　you　understand　I　won't。　Aaah；　go　on　and　be　a　bloody　Aiel　chief。　You　have　the　face　for　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　e　in　there；　Mat。　Whatever　happens；　don't。〃　He　waited　until　Mat　nodded　before　turning　away。
　　　　　　　Mat　stood；　watching　him　walk　in　among　the　glittering　columns。　In　the　shifting　dazzle　he　seemed　to　vanish　almost　immediately。　A　trick　of　the　eye；　Mat　told　himself。　That　was　all　it　was。　A　bloody　trick　of　the　eye。
　　　　　　　He　started　around　the　array；　keeping　well　back；　peering　in　an　effort　to　spot　Rand　again。　〃You　look　out　what　you're　bloody　doing；〃　he　shouted。　〃You　leave　me　alone　in　the　Waste　with　Moiraine　and　the　bloody　Aiel；　and　I'll　strangle　you；　Dragon　Reborn　or　no！〃　After　a　minute；　he　added；　〃I'm　not　ing　in　there　after　you　if　you　get　yourself　in　trouble！　You　hear　me？〃　There　was　no　answer。　If　he's　not　out　of　there　in　an　hour。。。。　〃He's　mad　just　going　in　there；〃　he　muttered。　〃Well；　I'll　not　be　the　one　to　pull　his　bacon　off　the　coals。　He's　the　one　who　can　channel。　If　he's　put　his　head　in　a　hornets'　nest；　he　can　bloody　channel　his　way　out　of　it。〃　I'll　give　him　an　hour。　And　then　he　would　leave；　whether　Rand　was　back　or　not。　Just　turn　around　and　leave。　Just　go。　That　was　what　he　would　do。　He　would。
　　　　　　　The　way　those　thin　shafts　of　glass　caught　the　bluish　light；　refracting　and　reflecting；　merely　looking　too　hard　was　enough　to　give　him　a　headache。　He　turned　away；　wandering　back　the　way　he　had　e；　uneasily　eyeing　the　ter'angreal　…　or　whatever　they　were　…　filling　the　plaza。　What　was　he　doing　there？　Why？
　　　　　　　Suddenly　he　stopped　dead；　staring　at　one　of　those　strange　objects。　A　large　doorframe　of　polished　redstone；　twisted　in　some　way　he　could　not　quite　catch　so　his　eye　seemed　to　slip　trying　to　follow　it　around。　Slowly　he　made　his　way　to　it；　between　glittering　faceted　spires　as　tall　as　his　head　and　low　golden　frames　filled　with　what　appeared　to　be　sheets　of　glass；　barely　noticing　them；　never　taking　his　eyes　off　the　doorway。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　same。　The　same　polished　redstone；　the　same　size；　the　same　eye　wrenching　corners。　Along　each　upright　ran　three　lines　of　triangles；　points　down。　Had　the　one　in　Tear　had　those？　He　could　not　remember；　he　had　not　been　trying　to　remember　all　the　details　last　time。　It　was　the　same；　it　had　to　be。　Maybe　he　could　not　step　through　the　other　again；　but　this　one。。。　？　Another　chance　to　get　at　those　snake　people；　make　them　answer　a　few　more　questions。
　　　　　　　Squinting　against　the　glitters；　he　peered　back　toward　the　columns。　An　hour；　he　had　given　Rand。　In　an　hour；　he　could　be　through　this　thing　and　back　with　time　to　spare。　Maybe　it　would　not　even　work　for　him；　since　he　had　used　its　twin。　They　are　the　same。　Then　again；　maybe　it　would。　It　just　meant　rubbing　up　against　the　Power　one　more　time。
　　　　　　　〃Light；〃　he　muttered。　〃Ter'angreal。　Portal　Stones。　Rhuidean。　What　difference　can　one　more　time　make？〃
　　　　　　　He　stepped　through。　Through　a　wall　of　blinding　white　light；　through　a　roar　so　vast　it　annihilated　sound。
　　　　　　　Blinking；　he　looked　around　and　bit　back　the　vilest　oath　he　knew。　Wherever　this　was；　it　was　not　where　he　had　gone　before。
　　　　　　　The　twisted　doorway　stood　in　the　middle　of　a　huge　chamber　that　appeared　to　be　star…shaped；　as　near　as　he　could　make　out　through　a　forest　of　thick　columns；　each　deeply　fluted　with　eight　ridges；　the　sharp　edges　yellow　and　glowing　softly　for　light。　Glossy　black　except　for　the　glowing　bits；　they　rose　from　a　dull　white　floor　into　murky　gloom　far　overhead　where　even　the　yellow　stripes　faded　away。　The　columns　and　floor　almost　looked　to　be　glass；　but　when　he　bent　to　rub　a　hand　across　the　floor；　it　felt　like　stone。　Dusty　stone。　He　wiped　his　hand　on　his　coat。　The　air　had　a　musty　smell；　and　his　own　footprints　were　the　only　marks　in　the　dust。　No　one　had　been　here　in　a　very　long　time。
　　　　　　　Disappointed；　he　turned　back　to　the　ter'angreal。
　　　　　　　〃A　very　long　time。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　spun　back；　snatching　at　his　coatsleeve　for　a　knife　that　was　lying　back　on　the　mountainside。　The　man　standing　among　the　columns　looked　nothing　at　all　like　the　snaky　folk。　He　made　Mat　regret　giving　up　those　last　blades　to　the　Wise　Ones。The　fellow　was　tall；　taller　than　an　Aiel；　and　sinewy；　but　with　shoulders　too　wide　for　his　narrow　waist；　an