rj.thepathofdaggers-第21部分

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d；　perhaps　stilled。　Especially　if　you　harm　me。　I　serve　the　true　Amyrlin　Seat；　and　you　will　be　punished　severely　if　you　harm　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　will　answer　any　questions　my　near…sister　asks。〃　Aviendha　tested　her　belt　knife　on　a　thumbnail；　but　her　eyes　were　on　Ispan's。　〃Wetlanders　fear　pain。　They　do　not　know　how　to　embrace　it；　accept　it。　You　will　answer　as　you　are　asked。〃　She　did　not　glare　or　snarl；　she　just　spoke；　but　Ispan　shrank　back　in　the　chair。
　　　　　　　〃I　fear　that　is　proscribed；　even　were　she　not　an　initiate　of　the　Tower；〃　Adeleas　said。　〃We　are　forbidden　to　shed　blood　in　questioning；　or　to　allow　others　to　do　so　in　our　name。〃　She　sounded　reluctant；　though　whether　over　the　prohibition　or　over　admitting　that　Ispan　was　an　initiate；　Elayne　could　not　say。　She　herself　had　not　really　considered　that　Ispan　might　still　be　considered　one。　There　was　a　saying　that　no　woman　was　finished　with　the　Tower　until　it　was　finished　with　her；　but　truthfully；　once　the　White　Tower　touched　you；　it　never　was　finished。
　　　　　　　Her　brow　furrowed　as　she　studied　the　Black　sister；　so　bedraggled　and　still　so　sure　of　herself。　Ispan　sat　up　a　little　straighter；　and　darted　glances　full　of　amused　contempt　at　Aviendha　…　and　Elayne。　She　had　not　been　so　poised　earlier；　when　she　thought　it　was　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　alone　who　had　her；　regained　posure　had　e　with　remembering　that　there　were　older　sisters　present。　Sisters　who　would　hold　White　Tower　law　as　part　of　themselves。　That　law　forbade　not　only　shedding　blood；　but　breaking　bones　and　a　number　of　other　things　that　any　Whitecloak　Questioner　would　be　more　than　ready　to　do。　Before　any　session　began；　Healing　had　to　be　given；　and　if　the　questioning　started　after　sunrise；　it　had　to　end　before　sundown；　if　after　sunset；　then　before　sunrise。　The　law　was　even　more　restrictive　when　it　came　to　initiates　of　the　Tower；　the　sisters　and　Accepted　and　novices；　banning　the　use　of　saidar　in　questioning；　punishment；　or　penance。　Oh；　a　sister　might　flick　a　novice's　ear　with　the　Power　if　she　was　exasperated；　or　even　give　her　a　swat　on　the　bottom；　but　not　very　much　more。　Ispan　smiled　at　her。　Smiled！　Elayne　took　a　deep　breath。
　　　　　　　〃Adeleas；　Vandene；　I　want　you　to　leave　Aviendha　and　me　alone　with　Ispan。〃　Her　stomach　tried　to　tie　itself　into　a　knot。　There　had　to　be　a　way　to　press　the　woman　sufficiently　to　learn　what　was　needed　without　breaking　Tower　law。　But　how？　People　who　were　to　be　questioned　by　the　Tower　usually　began　talking　before　a　finger　was　laid　on　them　…　everyone　knew　that　no　one　held　out　against　the　Tower；　no　one！　…　but　they　were　very　seldom　initiates。　She　could　hear　another　voice；　not　Lini's　this　time；　but　her　mother's。　What　you　order　done；　you　must　be　willing　to　do　with　your　own　hand。　As　a　queen；　what　you　order　done；　you　have　done。　If　she　did　break　the　law。。。　Her　mother's　voice　again。　Even　a　queen　cannot　be　above　the　law；　or　there　is　no　law。　And　Lini's。　You　can　do　whatever　you　wish；　child。　So　long　as　you're　willing　to　pay　the　price。　She　dragged　her　hat　off　without　untying　the　ribbons。　Keeping　her　voice　steady　took　an　effort。　〃When　we　are　…　when　we　are　done　talking　with　her；　you　can　take　her　back　to　the　Knitting　Circle。〃　Afterward；　she　would　submit　herself　to　Merilille。　Any　five　sisters　could　sit　in　judgment　to　set　a　penance；　if　they　were　asked。
　　　　　　　Ispan's　head　swung；　swollen　eyes　going　from　Elayne　to　Aviendha　and　back；　slowly　widening　until　the　whites　showed　all　the　around。　She　was　not　so　sure　of　herself　now。
　　　　　　　Silent　glances　passed　between　Vandene　and　Adeleas；　in　the　manner　of　people　who　had　spent　so　much　time　together　they　hardly　needed　to　speak　aloud　any　longer；　then　Vandene　took　Elayne　and　Aviendha　each　by　an　arm。　〃If　I　may　speak　with　you　outside　a　moment；〃　she　murmured。　It　sounded　a　suggestion；　but　she　was　already　urging　them　to　the　door。
　　　　　　　Outside　in　the　farmyard；　perhaps　two　dozen　or　so　Kinswomen　were　huddled　together　like　sheep。　Not　all　wore　Ebou　Dari　clothes；　but　two　had　the　red　belts　of　Wise　Women；　and　Elayne　recognized　Berowin；　a　stout　little　woman　who　normally　showed　a　pride　far　greater　than　her　strength　in　the　Power。　Not　now。　Like　the　rest；　her　face　was　frightened；　her　eyes　darting；　despite　the　entire　Knitting　Circle　surrounding　them　and　talking　urgently。　Down　the　way；　Nynaeve　and　Alise　were　trying　to　herd　perhaps　twice　as　many　women　inside　one　of　the　larger　buildings。　〃Trying〃　did　seem　to　be　the　word。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　don't　care　what　estates　you　hold；〃　Nynaeve　was　shouting　at　a　proud…necked　woman　in　pale　green　silk。　〃You　get　in　there　and　stay　in　there；　out　of　the　way；　or　I'll　kick　you　inside！〃
　　　　　　　Alise　simply　seized　the　green…clad　woman　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and　ran　her　through　the　doorway　despite　voluble　and　heated　protests。　There　was　a　loud　squawk　like　a　huge　goose　being　stepped　on；　then　Alise　reappeared；　dusting　her　hands。　The　others　seemed　to　give　no　trouble　after　that。
　　　　　　　Vandene　released　them；　studying　their　eyes。　The　glow　still　enveloped　her；　yet　Adeleas　must　have　been　focusing　their　bined　flows。　Vandene　could　have　maintained　the　shield；　once　woven；　without　being　able　to　see　it；　but　had　she　been　the　one；　it　was　much　likelier　that　Adeleas　would　have　brought　them　out。　Vandene　could　have　gone　several　hundred　paces　before　the　link　began　to　attenuate　…　it　would　not　break　if　she　and　Adeleas　went　to　opposite　corners　of　the　earth；　though　it　would　have　been　useless　long　before　that　…　but　she　remained　close　to　the　door。　She　seemed　to　sort　words　in　her　head。
　　　　　　　〃I've　always　thought　it　best　if　women　with　experience　handle　this　sort　of　thing；〃　she　said　finally。　〃The　young　can　easily　be　caught　up　in　hot　blood。　Then　they　do　too　much。　Or　sometimes；　they　realize　they　can't　bring　themselves　to　do　enough。　Because　they　haven't　really　seen　enough；　yet。　Or　worst　of　all；　they　find　a。。。　taste　for　it。　Not　that　I　believe　either　of　you　has　that　flaw。〃　She　gave　Aviendha　a　weighing　glance　without　pausing；　Aviendha　hastily　sheathed　her　belt　knife。　〃Adeleas　and　I　have　seen　enough　to　know　why　we　must　do　what　must　be　done；　and　we　left　hot　blood　behind　long　ago。　Perhaps　you　will　leave　this　to　us。　Much　better　that　way；　all　around。〃　Vandene　seemed　to　take　the　remendation　as　accepted。　She　nodded　and　turned　back　toward　the　door。
　　　　　　　No　sooner　had　she　disappeared　behind　it；　than　Elayne　felt　the　use　of　the　Power　within；　a　weave　that　must　have　blanketed　the　room　inside。　A　ward　against　eavesdropping；　certainly。　They　would　not　want　stray　ears　to　catch　whatever　Ispan　said。　Then　another　use　hit　her；　and　suddenly　the　silence　from　within　was　more　ominous　than　any　shrieks　that　ward　would　contain。
　　　　　　　She　crushed　her　hat　back　onto　her　head。　The　heat　she　could　not　feel；　but　the　sun's　glare　suddenly　made　her　queasy。　〃Maybe　you'll　help　me　look　over　what　the　packhorses　are　carrying；〃　she　said　breathily。　She　had　not　ordered　it　done　…　whatever　it　was　…　but　that　did　not　seem　to　change　anything。　Aviendha　nodded　with　surprising　quickness；　she　seemed　to　want　to　be　away　from　that　silence；　too。
　　　　　　　The　Windfinders　were　waiting　not　far　from　where　the　servants　had　the　pack　animals；　waiting　impatiently　and　staring　about　imperiously；　arms　folded　beneath　their　breasts；　copying　Renaile。　Alise　marched　up　to　them；　marking　Renaile　out　as　the　leader　after　one　sweeping　glance。　Elayne　and　Aviendha　she　ignored。
　　　　　　　〃e　with　me；〃　she　said　in　brisk　tones　that　brooked　no　argument。　〃The　Aes　Sedai　say　you　will　want　to　be　out　of　the　sun　until　matters　are　more　settled。〃　The　words　〃Aes　Sedai〃　held　as　much　bitterness　as　they　did　the　awe　Elayne　was　used　to　from　Kinswomen。　Maybe　more。　Renaile　stiffened；　her　dark　face　growing　darker；　but　Alise　plowed　on。　〃You　wilders　can　sit　out　here　and　sweat　if　that's　what　you　want；　for　all　of　me。　If　you　can　sit。〃　It　was　obvious　none　of　the　Atha'an　Miere　had　received　Healing　for　their　saddle　soreness；　they　stood　like　women　who　wanted　to　forget　they　existed　below　the　waist。　〃What　you　will　not　do　is　keep　me　waiting。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　Renaile　demanded　in　a　tight　fury；　but　Alise　was　already　walking　away　and　not　looking　back。　Struggling　with　herself　visibly；　Renaile　dashed　sweat　from　her　forehead　with　the　back　of　her　hand；　then　angrily　ordered　the　other　Windfinders　to　leave　the　〃shore…cursed〃　horses　and　follow　her。　They　made　a　spraddle…legged　line　wobbling　along　after　Alise；　everyone　but　the　two　apprentices　muttering　to　herself　…　Alise　included。
　　　　　　　Instinctively；　Elayne　began　to　plan　how　to　smooth　matters　over；　how　to　get　the　Atha'an　Miere's　pains　Healed　without　them　having　to　ask。　Or　a　sister　having　to　offer　too　strenuously；　Nynaeve　had　to　be　appeased；　too；　and　the　other　sisters。　To　her　surprise；　she　suddenly　realized　that　for　once　in　her　life　she　had　no　real　desire　to　smooth　anything。　Watching　the　Windfinders　limp　toward　one　of　the　farm　buildings；　she　decided　that　matters　were　fine　just　as　they　were。　Aviendha　wore　a　large；　open　grin　as　she　watched　the　Atha'an　Miere。　Elayne　snatched　the　much　smaller　smile　from　her　own　face　and　turned　to　the　packhorses。　They　did　deserve　it；　though。　Not　grinning　was　very　hard。
　　　　　　　With　Aviendha's　help；　the　searching　went　more　quickly　than　before；　though　Aviendha　did　not　recognize　what　they　were　after　as　quickly　as　she　did。　Not　a　great　surprise。　A　few　of　the　sisters　Elayne　had　trained　showed　a　greater　skill　in　this　than　she　did　herself；　but　most　came　nowhere　near。　Still；　two　sets　of　hands　found　more　than　one；　and　there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　found。　Liveried　stablemen　and　women　carried　away　the　rubbish；　while　a　collection　of　ter'angreal　grew　on　the　broad　stone　lid　of　a　square　cistern。
　　　　　　　Four　more　horses　were　unloaded　quickly；　and　they　accumulated　a　selection　that　would　have　caused　a　celebration；　brought　into　the　Tower。　Even　with　no　one　studying　ter'angreal。　They　took　every　form　imaginable。　Cups　and　bowls　and　vases；　no　two　the　same　size　or　design　or　in　the　same　material。　A　flat；　worm…eaten　box；　half…falling　apart　and　whatever　had　lined　it　long　since　gone　to　dust；　held　pieces　of　jewelry　…　a　necklace　and　bracelets　set　with　colored　stones；　a　slim　gem…studded　belt；　several　finger　rings　…　and　there　were　spaces　for　more。　Every　single　one　was　a　ter'angreal；　and　they　all　matched；　meant　to　be　worn　together；　though　Elayne　could　not　imagine　why　any　woman　would　want　to　carry　so　many　a