rj.thepathofdaggers-第34部分

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　anything？〃　or　a　not…so…light　〃What　do　you　think　you've　done？〃　or　a　flat　〃I　do　not　want　to　talk　about　it。〃　He　was　doing　something　wrong；　but　he　could　not　puzzle　out　what！　He　had　to；　though。　Nothing　was　more　important　than　Faile。　Nothing！
　　　　　　　〃Lord　Perrin？〃
　　　　　　　Aram's　excited　voice　cut　into　his　brown　study。　〃Don't　call　me　that；〃　he　muttered；　following　the　direction　of　the　man's　pointing　finger；　to　yet　another　abandoned　farm　some　distance　ahead；　where　fire　had　taken　the　roof　from　house　and　barn。　Only　rough　stone　walls　stood。　An　abandoned　farm；　but　not　deserted。　Angry　shouts　rose　up　there。
　　　　　　　A　dozen　or　more　rough…clad　fellows　carrying　spears　and　pitchforks　were　trying　to　force　their　way　over　the　chest…high　stone　wall　of　a　goatpen；　while　a　handful　of　men　within　tried　to　keep　them　out。　Several　horses　ran　loose　inside；　frightened　at　the　noise　and　dodging　about；　and　there　were　three　women　mounted。　They　were　not　simply　waiting　to　see　how　it　would　all　turn　out；　though；　one　of　the　women　appeared　to　be　hurling　rocks；　and　even　as　he　looked；　another　dashed　close　to　the　wall　to　lash　out　with　a　long　cudgel　while　the　third　reared　her　horse；　and　a　tall　fellow　toppled　back　off　the　wall　to　get　clear　of　flashing　hooves。　But　there　were　too　many　attackers；　too　much　wall　to　defend。
　　　　　　　〃I　advise　you　to　ride　wide；〃　Seonid　said。　Edarra　and　Nevarin　turned　grim　stares　on　her；　but　she　plowed　on；　hurry　overwhelming　her　matter…of…fact　tone。　〃Those　are　surely　the　Prophet's　men；　and　killing　his　people　is　a　bad　way　to　begin。　Tens　of　thousands；　hundreds　of　thousands；　may　die　if　you　fail　with　him。　Is　it　worth　risking　that　to　save　a　handful？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　did　not　intend　to　kill　anyone　if　he　could　help　it；　but　he　did　not　intend　to　look　the　other　way　either。　He　wasted　no　time　in　explanations；　though。　〃Can　you　frighten　them？〃　he　asked　Edarra。　〃Just　frighten？〃　He　remembered　all　too　well　what　the　Wise　Ones　had　done　at　Dumai's　Wells。　And　the　Asha'man。　Maybe　as　well　Grady　and　Neald　were　not　there。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Edarra　replied；　studying　the　crowd　around　the　pen。　She　half…shook　her　head；　shrugged　a　fraction。　〃Perhaps。〃　That　would　have　to　be　good　enough。
　　　　　　　〃Aram；　Furen；　Teryl；〃　he　snapped；　〃with　me！〃　He　dug　in　his　heels；　and　as　Stepper　leaped　forward；　he　was　relieved　to　see　the　Warders　following　closely。　Four　men　charging　made　a　better　show　than　two。　He　kept　his　hands　on　the　reins；　away　from　his　axe。
　　　　　　　He　was　not　so　pleased　when　Faile　galloped　Swallow　up　alongside　him。　He　opened　his　mouth；　and　she　arched　an　eyebrow　at　him。　Her　black　hair　was　beautiful；　streaming　in　the　wind　of　their　rush。　She　was　beautiful。　An　arched　eyebrow；　no　more。　He　changed　what　he　had　been　about　to　say。　〃Guard　my　back；〃　he　told　her。　Smiling；　she　produced　a　dagger　from　somewhere。　With　all　the　blades　she　carried　hidden　away；　sometimes　he　wondered　how　he　missed　being　stabbed　just　trying　to　hug　her。
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　she　looked　ahead　again；　he　gestured　frantically　to　Aram；　trying　to　keep　the　motion　where　she　could　not　see。　Aram　nodded；　but　he　was　leaning　forward；　sword　bared；　ready　to　skewer　the　first　of　the　Prophet's　folk　he　reached。　Perrin　hoped　the　man　understood　he　was　to　guard　Faile's　back；　and　the　rest　of　her；　if　they　actually　came　to　grips　with　those　fellows。
　　　　　　　None　of　the　ruffians　had　noticed　them　yet。　Perrin　shouted；　but　they　seemed　not　to　hear　over　their　own　yelling。　A　man　in　a　coat　too　big　for　him　managed　to　scramble　atop　the　wall；　and　two　others　appeared　about　to　get　over。　If　the　Wise　Ones　were　going　to　do　anything；　it　was　past　…
　　　　　　　A　thunderclap　nearly　over　their　heads　almost　deafened　Perrin；　a　mountainous　crack　that　made　Stepper　stumble　before　regaining　his　pace。　The　attackers　certainly　noticed　that；　staggering　and　looking　around　wildly；　some　clapping　hands　over　their　ears。　The　man　on　the　wall　overbalanced　and　fell　off　outside。　He　leaped　up　immediately；　though；　angrily　gesturing　to　the　enclosure；　and　some　of　his　panions　leaped　back　at　it。　Others　saw　Perrin　then　and　pointed；　their　mouths　working；　but　still　no　one　ran。　A　few　hefted　weapons。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　a　horizontal　wheel　of　fire　appeared　above　the　goatpen；　as　wide　as　a　man　was　tall；　flinging　off　sputtering　tufts　of　flame　as　it　spun　with　a　moan　that　rose　and　fell；　mournful　groan　to　keening　wail　and　back。
　　　　　　　The　rough…clad　men　broke　in　every　direction　like　scattering　quail。　For　a　moment　longer　the　man　in　a　too…big　coat　waved　his　arms　and　shouted　at　them；　then　with　one　last　glance　at　the　fiery　wheel；　he　too　darted　away。
　　　　　　　Perrin　almost　laughed。　He　would　not　have　to　kill　anyone。　And　he　would　not　have　to　worry　about　Faile　getting　a　pitchfork　through　her　ribs。
　　　　　　　Apparently　the　people　in　the　pen　were　as　frightened　as　those　outside；　one　of　them　at　least。　The　woman　who　had　reared　her　horse　at　the　attackers　slipped　open　the　gate　and　kicked　her　mount　to　an　awkward　gallop。　Up　the　road；　away　from　Perrin　and　the　others。
　　　　　　　〃Wait！〃　Perrin　shouted。　〃We　won't　harm　you！〃　Whether　she　heard　or　not；　she　kept　whipping　her　reins。　A　bundle　tied　behind　her　saddle　bounced　wildly。　Those　men　might　be　running　as　hard　as　they　could　now；　but　if　she　went　off　by　herself；　even　two　or　three　could　do　her　injury。　Lying　flat　on　Stepper's　neck；　Perrin　dug　in　his　heels；　and　the　dun　shot　forward　like　an　arrow。
　　　　　　　He　was　a　big　man；　yet　Stepper　had　earned　his　name　for　more　than　prancing　feet。　Besides；　by　its　lumbering　run；　the　woman's　mount　was　hardly　fit　for　a　saddle。　With　every　stride　Stepper　closed　the　gap；　nearer；　nearer；　until　Perrin　was　able　to　reach　out　and　seize　the　other　horse's　bridle。　Up　close；　her　hammer…nosed　bay　was　little　better　than　crowbait；　lathered　and　worn　out　more　than　the　short　run　could　account　for。　Slowly　he　drew　both　horses　to　a　halt。
　　　　　　　〃Forgive　me　if　I　frightened　you；　Mistress；〃　he　said。　〃Truly；　I　mean　you　no　harm。〃
　　　　　　　For　the　second　time　that　day　an　apology　did　not　get　the　response　he　expected。　Angry　blue　eyes　glared　at　him　from　a　face　surrounded　by　long　red…gold　curls；　a　face　as　regal　as　any　queen's　for　all　that　it　was　plastered　with　sweat　and　dust。　Her　dress　was　plain　wool；　travel…stained　and　as　dusty　as　her　cheeks；　but　her　face　was　furious　as　well　as　queenly。　〃I　do　not　need；〃　she　began　in　chill　tones；　trying　to　jerk　her　horse　free；　then　cut　off　as　another　of　the　women；　white…haired　and　bony；　galloped　up　on　a　slab…sided　brown　mare　in　worse　condition　than　the　bay。　They　had　been　riding　hard　for　some　time；　these　folk。　The　older　woman　was　just　as　worn　and　dust…covered　as　the　younger。
　　　　　　　She　alternated　between　beaming　at　Perrin　and　scowling　at　the　woman　whose　bridle　he　still　held。　〃Thank　you；　my　Lord。〃　Her　voice；　thin　but　strong；　gave　a　hitch　as　she　noticed　his　eyes；　but　golden…yellow　eyes　on　a　man　slowed　her　only　an　instant。　Not　a　woman　fazed　by　much。　She　still　carried　the　stout　stick　she　had　been　using　for　a　weapon。　〃A　most　timely　rescue。　Maighdin；　whatever　were　you　thinking？　You　could　have　gotten　yourself　killed！　And　the　rest　of　us；　too！　She's　a　headstrong　girl；　my　Lord；　always　leaping　before　she　looks。　Remember；　child；　a　fool　abandons　friends；　and　gives　up　silver　for　shiny　brass。　We　do　thank　you；　my　Lord；　and　Maighdin　will；　too；　when　she　es　to　her　senses。〃
　　　　　　　Maighdin；　a　good　ten　years　older　than　Perrin；　could　only　be　called　a　girl　in　parison　to　the　older　woman；　but　despite　weary　grimaces　that　matched　her　scent；　frustration　tinged　with　anger；　she　accepted　the　tirade；　only　pulling　once　more　in　a　halfhearted　attempt　to　free　her　horse；　then　giving　up。　Letting　her　hands　rest　on　her　cantle；　she　frowned　at　Perrin　accusingly；　then　blinked。　The　yellow　eyes　again。　Yet　despite　that　strangeness；　she　still　did　not　smell　afraid。　The　old　woman　did；　but　Perrin　did　not　think　it　was　of　him。
　　　　　　　Another　of　Maighdin's　panions；　an　unshaven　man　mounted　on　yet　another　bedraggled　horse；　this　a　knob…kneed　gray；　approached　while　the　old　woman　was　talking；　but　kept　back。　He　was　tall；　as　tall　as　Perrin　if　not　nearly　so　wide；　in　a　travel…worn　dark　coat　with　a　sword　belted　over。　Like　the　women；　he　had　a　bundle　tied　on　behind　his　saddle。　That　tiny　breeze　swirled　to　bring　Perrin　his　scent。　He　was　not　afraid；　he　was　wary。　And　if　the　way　he　looked　at　Maighdin　was　any　guide；　it　was　she　he　was　wary　of。　Maybe　this　was　not　so　simple　as　rescuing　travelers　from　a　gang　of　ruffians　after　all。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　you　should　all　e　to　my　camp；〃　Perrin　said；　finally　releasing　the　bridle。　〃You'll　be　safe　from。。。　brigands。。。　there。〃　He　half　expected　Maighdin　to　make　a　break　for　the　nearest　tree　line；　but　she　turned　her　horse　with　his；　back　toward　the　goatpen。　She　smelled。。。　resigned。
　　　　　　　Even　so；　she　said；　〃I　thank　you　for　the　offer；　but　I。。。　we。。。　must　continue　our　journey。　We　will　go　on；　Lini；〃　she　added　firmly；　and　the　older　woman　frowned　at　her　so　sternly　that　he　wondered　whether　they　were　mother　and　daughter　despite　her　use　of　the　woman's　name。　They　certainly　looked　nothing　alike。　Lini　was　narrow…faced　and　parchment…skinned；　all　sinew；　while　Maighdin　might　be　beautiful　under　that　dust。　If　a　man　liked　fair　hair。
　　　　　　　Perrin　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　the　man　trailing　after。　A　hard…looking　fellow；　in　need　of　a　razor。　Perhaps　he　liked　fair　hair。　Perhaps　he　liked　it　too　much。　Men　had　made　trouble　for　themselves　as　well　as　others　for　that　reason　before　this。
　　　　　　　Ahead；　Faile　was　sitting　Swallow　and　peering　over　the　wall　of　the　pen　at　the　people　inside。　Perhaps　one　of　them　had　been　hurt。　Seonid　and　the　Wise　Ones　were　nowhere　in　sight。　Aram　had　understood；　apparently；　he　was　close　to　Faile；　though　looking　impatiently　toward　Perrin。　The　danger　was　clearly　past；　though。
　　　　　　　Before　Perrin　was　halfway　to　the　goatpen；　Teryl　appeared　with　a　narrow…eyed；　stubble…cheeked　man　stumbling　along　beside　his　roan；　the　collar　of　his　coat　gripped　in　the　Warder's　fist。　〃I　thought　we　should　catch　one　of　them；〃　Teryl　said　with　a　hard　grin。　〃Always　best　to　hear　both　sides；　whatever　you　thought　you　saw；　my　old　da　always　said。〃　Perrin　was　surprised；　he　had　thought　Teryl　could　not　think　beyond　the　end　of　his　sword。
　　　　　　　Even　hiked　up　as　it　was；　the　stubble…cheeked　fellow's　frayed　coat　was　plainly　too　big　for　him。　Perrin　doubted　anyone　else　had　been　able　to　see　well　enough　at　the　distance；　but　he　recognized　that　thrusting　n