rj.thepathofdaggers-第107部分

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rt　of　being　put　to　the　question。　Maybe　not　short　of　it　at　all。　But　certainly　a　Darkfriend　deserved　that　and　more。　If　they　ever　found　one。
　　　　　　　Pevara　glared　down　at　the　gasping　woman　without　the　slightest　touch　of　pity　on　her　face。　〃When　she　stands　trial　for　rebellion；　I　intend　to　sit　on　her　court。〃
　　　　　　　〃When　she　is　tried；　Pevara；〃　Seaine　said　thoughtfully。　〃A　pity　to　lose　the　assistance　of　one　we　know　isn't　a　Darkfriend。　And　since　she　is　a　rebel；　we　need　not　be　overly　concerned　about　using　her。〃　There　had　been　a　number　of　discussions；　none　to　a　conclusion；　about　the　second　reason　for　leaving　the　new　oath　in　place。　A　sister　sworn　to　obey　could　be　pelled　…　Seaine　shifted　uneasily；　that　sounded　entirely　too　close　to　the　forbidden　vileness　of　pulsion　…　she　could　be　induced　to　help　in　the　hunt；　so　long　as　you　did　not　mind　forcing　her　to　accept　the　danger；　whether　she　wished　to　or　not。　〃I　cannot　think　they　would　send　only　one；〃　she　went　on。　〃Zerah；　how　many　of　you　came　to　spread　this　tale？〃
　　　　　　　〃Ten；〃　the　woman　mumbled　against　the　tabletop；　then　jerked　erect；　glaring　in　defiance。　〃I　will　not　betray　my　sisters！　I　won't　…！〃　Abruptly　she　cut　off；　lips　twisting　bitterly　as　she　realized　she　had　done　just　that。
　　　　　　　〃Names！〃　Pevara　barked。　〃Give　me　their　names；　or　I　will　have　your　hide　here　and　now！〃
　　　　　　　Names　spilled　from　Zerah's　unwilling　lips。　At　the　mand；　certainly；　more　than　the　threat。　Looking　at　Pevara's　grim　face；　though；　Seaine　was　sure　she　needed　little　provocation　to　stripe　Zerah　like　a　novice　caught　stealing。　Strangely；　she　herself　did　not　feel　the　same　animosity。　Revulsion；　yes；　but　clearly　not　as　strong。　The　woman　was　a　rebel　who　had　helped　break　the　White　Tower　when　a　sister　must　accept　anything　to　keep　the　Tower　whole；　and　yet。。。　Very　strange。
　　　　　　　〃You　agree；　Pevara？〃　she　said　when　the　list　concluded。　The　stubborn　woman　gave　her　only　a　fierce　nod　for　agreement。　〃Very　well。　Zerah；　you　will　bring　Bernaile　to　my　rooms　this　afternoon。〃　There　were　two　from　each　Ajah　excepting　the　Blue　and　the　Red；　it　seemed；　but　best　to　begin　with　the　other　White。　〃You　will　say　only　that　I　wish　to　speak　to　her　on　a　private　matter。　You　will　give　her　no　warning　by　word；　deed；　or　omission。　Then　you　will　stand　quietly　and　let　Pevara　and　me　do　what　is　necessary。　You　are　being　recruited　into　a　worthier　cause　than　your　misguided　rebellion；　Zerah。〃　Of　course　it　was　misguided。　No　matter　how　mad　with　power　Elaida　had　bee。　〃You　are　going　to　help　us　hunt　down　the　Black　Ajah。〃
　　　　　　　Zerah's　head　jerked　unwilling　nods　at　each　injunction；　her　face　pained；　but　at　mention　of　a　hunt　for　the　Black　Ajah；　she　gasped。　Light；　her　wits　must　have　been　totally　unhinged　by　her　experiences　not　to　see　that！
　　　　　　　〃And　you　will　stop　spreading　these。。。　stories；〃　Pevara　put　in　sternly。　〃From　this　moment；　you'll　not　mention　the　Red　Ajah　and　false　Dragons　together。　Am　I　understood？〃
　　　　　　　Zerah's　face　donned　a　mask　of　sullen　stubbornness。　Zerah's　mouth　said；　〃I　understand；　Sitter。〃　She　looked　ready　to　begin　weeping　again　from　sheer　frustration。
　　　　　　　〃Then　get　out　of　my　sight；〃　Pevara　told　her；　releasing　the　shield　and　saidar　together。　〃And　pose　yourself！　Wash　your　face　and　straighten　your　hair！〃　That　last　was　directed　at　the　back　of　the　woman　already　darting　from　the　table。　Zerah　had　to　pull　her　hands　away　from　her　hair　to　open　the　door。　As　the　door　squeaked　shut　behind　her；　Pevara　snorted。　〃I　wouldn't　put　it　past　her　to　have　gone　to　this　Bernaile　like　a　sloven；　hoping　to　warn　her　that　way。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　valid　point；〃　Seaine　admitted。　〃But　who　will　we　warn　if　we　scowl　right　and　left　at　these　women？　At　the　very　least；　we　will　attract　notice。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　way　matters　are；　Seaine；　we　wouldn't　attract　notice　kicking　them　across　the　Tower　grounds。〃　Pevara　sounded　as　if　that　were　an　attractive　notion。　〃They　are　rebels；　and　I　intend　to　hold　them　so　hard　they　squeak　if　one　of　them　so　much　as　has　a　wrong　thought！〃
　　　　　　　They　went　round　and　round　about　that。　Seaine　insisted　that　care　in　the　orders　they　gave；　leaving　no　loopholes；　would　be　sufficient。　Pevara　pointed　out　that　they　were　letting　ten　rebels　…　ten！　…　walk　the　Tower's　halls　unpunished。　Seaine　said　they　would　face　punishment　eventually；　and　Pevara　growled　that　eventually　was　not　soon　enough。　Seaine　had　always　admired　the　other　woman's　strength　of　will；　but　really；　sometimes　it　was　pure　stubbornness。
　　　　　　　A　faint　creak　from　a　hinge　was　all　the　warning　Seaine　had　to　snatch　the　Oath　Rod　into　her　lap；　hiding　it　in　folds　of　her　skirt　as　the　door　opened　wide。　She　and　Pevara　embraced　the　Source　almost　as　one。
　　　　　　　Saerin　walked　into　the　room　calmly；　holding　a　lantern；　and　stood　aside　for　Talene；　who　was　followed　by　tiny　Yukiri；　with　a　second　light；　and　boyishly　slim　Doesine；　tall　for　a　Cairhienin；　who　closed　the　door　quite　firmly　and　settled　her　back　against　it　as　if　to　keep　anyone　from　leaving。　Four　Sitters；　representing　all　the　remaining　Ajahs　in　the　Tower。　They　seemed　to　ignore　the　fact　that　Seaine　and　Pevara　held　saidar。　Suddenly；　to　Seaine；　the　room　felt　rather　crowded。　Imagination；　and　irrational；　but。。。
　　　　　　　〃Strange　to　see　the　pair　of　you　together；〃　Saerin　said。　Her　face　might　be　serene；　but　she　slid　fingers　along　the　hilt　of　that　curved　knife　behind　her　belt。　She　had　held　her　chair　forty　years；　longer　than　anyone　else　in　the　Hall；　and　everyone　had　learned　to　be　careful　of　her　temper。
　　　　　　　〃We　might　say　the　same　of　you；〃　Pevara　replied　dryly。　Saerin's　temper　never　upset　her。　〃Or　did　you　e　down　here　to　help　Doesine　try　to　get　some　of　her　own　back？〃　A　sudden　flush　made　the　Yellow's　face　look　even　more　that　of　a　pretty　boy　despite　her　elegant　bearing；　and　told　Seaine　which　Sitter　had　strayed　too　near　the　Red　quarters　with　unfortunate　results。　〃I　wouldn't　have　thought　that　would　bring　you　together；　though。　Greens　at　Yellows'　throats；　Browns　at　Grays'。　Or　did　you　just　bring　them　down　for　a　quiet　duel；　Saerin？〃
　　　　　　　Frantically；　Seaine　cast　around　for　what　reason　would　have　these　four　this　deep　into　the　bedrock　of　Tar　Valon。　What　could　tie　them　together？　Their　Ajahs　…　all　of　the　Ajahs　…　truly　were　at　one　another's　throats。　All　four　had　been　handed　penances　by　Elaida。　No　Sitter　could　enjoy　Labor；　especially　when　everyone　knew　exactly　why　she　was　scrubbing　floors　or　pots；　yet　that　was　hardly　a　bond。　What　else？　None　were　nobly　born。　Saerin　and　Yukiri　were　the　daughters　of　innkeepers；　Talene　of　farmers；　while　Doesine's　father　had　been　a　cutler。　Saerin　had　been　trained　first　by　the　Daughters　of　Silence；　the　only　one　of　that　lot　to　reach　the　shawl。　Absolutely　useless　drivel。　Suddenly；　something　did　strike　her；　and　dried　her　throat。　Saerin　with　her　temper　often　barely　in　rein。　Doesine；　who　had　actually　run　away　three　times　as　a　novice；　though　she　had　only　once　made　it　as　far　as　the　bridges。　Talene；　who　might　have　earned　more　punishments　than　any　other　novice　in　the　history　of　the　Tower。　Yukiri；　always　the　last　Gray　to　join　her　sisters'　consensus　when　she　wanted　to　go　another　way；　the　last　to　join　the　Hall's；　for　that　matter。　All　four　were　considered　rebels；　in　a　way；　and　Elaida　had　humiliated　every　one。　Could　they　be　thinking　they　had　made　a　mistake；　standing　to　depose　Siuan　and　raise　Elaida？　Could　they　have　found　about　Zerah　and　the　others？　And　if　so；　what　did　they　intend　to　do？
　　　　　　　Mentally；　Seaine　prepared　herself　to　weave　saidar；　though　without　much　hope　that　she　could　escape。　Pevara　matched　Saerin　and　Yukiri　in　strength；　but　she　herself　was　weaker　than　any　here　save　Doesine。　She　prepared　herself；　and　Talene　stepped　forward　and　burst　all　of　her　logical　deductions　to　flinders。
　　　　　　　〃Yukiri　noticed　you　two　sneaking　about　together；　and　we　want　to　know　why。〃　Her　surprisingly　deep　voice　held　heat　despite　the　ice　that　seemed　to　coat　her　face。　〃Did　the　heads　of　your　Ajahs　set　you　a　secret　task？　In　public；　the　Ajahs'　heads　snarl　at　one　another　worse　than　anyone　else；　but　they've　been　sneaking　off　into　corners　to　talk；　it　seems。　Whatever　they're　scheming；　the　Hall　has　a　right　to　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　do　give　over；　Talene。〃　Yukiri's　voice　was　always　an　even　bigger　surprise　than　Talene's。　The　woman　looked　a　miniature　queen；　in　dark　silver　silk　with　ivory　lace；　but　she　sounded　a　fortable　country　woman。　She　claimed　the　contrast　helped　in　negotiations。　She　smiled　at　Seaine　and　Pevara；　a　monarch　perhaps　unsure　how　gracious　she　should　be。　〃I　saw　the　pair　of　you　sniffing　about　like　ferrets　at　the　hencoop；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　held　my　tongue　…　you　might　be　pillow　friends；　for　all　I　know；　and　whose　business　is　that　but　yours？　…　I　held　my　tongue　till　Talene　here　started　yelping　about　who's　been　huddling　in　corners。　I've　seen　a　bit　of　huddling　in　corners　myself；　and　I　suspect　some　of　those　women　might　head　their　Ajahs　as　well；　so。。。　Sometimes　six　and　six　make　a　dozen；　and　sometimes　they　make　a　mess。　Tell　us　if　you　can；　now。　The　Hall　does　have　a　right。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　not　leaving　until　you　do　tell；〃　Talene　put　in　even　more　heatedly　than　before。
　　　　　　　Pevara　snorted　and　folded　her　arms。　〃If　the　head　of　my　Ajah　spoke　two　words　to　me；　I'd　see　no　reason　to　tell　you　what　they　were。　As　it　happens；　what　Seaine　and　I　were　discussing　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　Red　or　the　White。　Snoop　elsewhere。〃　But　she　did　not　release　saidar。　Neither　did　Seaine。
　　　　　　　〃Bloody　useless　and　I　bloody　knew　it；〃　Doesine　muttered　from　her　place　by　the　door。　〃Why　I　ever　flaming　let　you　talk　me　into　this。。。　Just　as　bloody　well　nobody　else　knows；　or　we'd　have　sheepswallop　all　over　faces　for　the　whole　bloody　Tower　to　see。〃　At　times　she　had　a　tongue　like　a　boy；　too；　a　boy　who　needed　his　mouth　washed　out。
　　　　　　　Seaine　would　have　stood　to　leave　if　she　had　not　feared　her　knees　would　betray　her。　Pevara　did　stand；　and　raised　an　impatient　eyebrow　at　the　women　between　her　and　the　door。
　　　　　　　Saerin　fingered　her　knife　hilt　and　eyed　them　quizzically；　not　shifting　a　step。　〃A　puzzle；〃　she　murmured。　Suddenly　she　glided　forward；　her　free　hand　dipping　into　Seaine's　lap　so　quickly　that　Seaine　gasped。　She　tried　to　keep　the　Oath　Road　hidden；　but　the　only　result　was　that　she　ended　with　Saerin　holding　the　Rod　waist　high　with　one　hand　while　she　held　the　other　end　and　a　fistful　of　her　skirts。　〃I　enjoy　puzzles；〃　Saerin　said。
　　　　　　　Seaine　let　go　and　adjusted　her　dress；　the