rj.thepathofdaggers-第41部分

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　　　　　　　〃Maighdin　Dorlain　can　watch！〃　she　broke　in；　at　least　partly　to　stop　that　awful　litany。　〃She　can　listen！　She　can。。。！〃　Irritably；　she　trailed　off。　What　could　she　do？　Suddenly　she　realized　she　was　sitting　there　in　a　thin　shift　and　hurriedly　folded　her　blankets　around　her。　The　night　actually　seemed　a　little　cool。　Or　maybe　the　goose　bumps　on　her　skin　were　from　Tallanvor's　unseen　eyes　on　her。　The　thought　roused　a　flush　in　her　cheeks　she　hoped　he　could　not　see。　Luckily；　it　put　a　heat　in　her　voice；　too。　She　was　not　a　girl；　to　go　blushing　because　a　man　looked　at　her！　〃I　will　do　what　I　can；　whatever　that　is。　The　chance　will　e　to　learn　something　or　do　something　that　will　help　Elayne；　and　I　will　take　it！〃
　　　　　　　〃A　dangerous　decision；〃　he　told　her　calmly。　She　wished　she　could　make　out　his　face　in　the　darkness。　Only　to　read　his　expression；　of　course。　〃You　heard　him　threaten　to　hang　anyone　who　looked　at　him　the　wrong　way。　I　can　believe　it；　in　a　man　with　those　eyes。　Like　a　beast。　I　was　surprised　he　let　that　fellow　go；　I　thought　he'd　rip　his　throat　out！　If　he　discovers　who　you　are；　who　you　used　to　be。。。　Balwer　might　betray　you。　He　never　really　explained　why　he　helped　us　escape　Amador。　Maybe　he　thought　Queen　Morgase　would　give　him　a　new　position。　Now　he　knows　there's　no　chance　of　that；　and　he　might　want　to　curry　favor　with　his　new　master　and　mistress。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　afraid　of　Lord　Perrin　Goldeneyes？〃　she　demanded　contemptuously。　Light；　the　man　frightened　her！　Those　eyes　belonged　on　a　wolf。　〃Balwer　knows　enough　to　hold　his　tongue。　Anything　he　says　will　reflect　on　him；　he　came　with　me；　after　all。　If　you're　afraid；　then　ride　on！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　always　fling　that　in　my　face；〃　he　sighed；　settling　back　on　his　heels。　She　could　not　see　his　eyes；　but　she　could　feel　them。　〃Ride　on　if　you　wish；　you　say。　Once；　there　was　a　soldier　loved　a　queen　from　afar；　knowing　it　was　hopeless；　knowing　he　could　never　dare　speak。　Now　the　queen　is　gone；　and　only　a　woman　remains；　and　I　hope。　I　burn　with　hope！　If　you　want　me　to　leave；　Maighdin；　say　it。　One　word。　'Go！'　A　simple　word。〃
　　　　　　　She　opened　her　mouth。　A　simple　word；　she　thought。　Light；　it's　only　one　word！　Why　can't　I　say　it！　Light；　please！　For　the　second　time　that　night；　the　Light　failed　to　hear。　She　sat　there　huddled　in　her　blankets　like　a　fool；　her　mouth　open；　her　face　growing　hotter　and　hotter。
　　　　　　　If　he　had　chuckled　again；　she　would　have　put　her　belt　knife　in　him。　If　he　had　laughed；　or　given　any　sign　of　triumph。。。　Instead；　he　leaned　forward　and　gently　kissed　her　eyes。　She　made　a　sound　deep　in　her　throat；　she　could　not　seem　to　move。　Wide…eyed；　she　watched　him　stand。　He　loomed　in　the　moonlight。　She　was　a　queen　…　she　had　been　a　queen　…　used　to　mand；　used　to　hard　decisions　in　hard　times；　but　right　then　the　pounding　of　her　heart　drummed　thought　from　her　head。
　　　　　　　〃Had　you　said　'go；'〃　he　told　her；　〃I'd　have　buried　hope；　but　I　could　never　leave　you。〃
　　　　　　　Not　until　he　was　back　in　his　own　blankets　could　she　make　herself　lie　down　and　draw　hers　around　her。　She　breathed　as　if　she　had　been　running。　The　night　was　cool；　she　was　shivering；　not　trembling。　Tallanvor　was　too　young。　Too　young！　Worse；　he　was　right。　Burn　him　for　that！　A　lady's　maid　could　do　nothing　to　affect　events；　and　if　the　Dragon　Reborn's　wolf…eyed　killer　learned　that　he　had　Morgase　of　Andor　in　his　hands；　she　could　be　used　against　Elayne　instead　of　helping　her。　He　had　no　right　to　be　right　when　she　wanted　him　to　be　wrong！　The　illogic　of　that　thought　infuriated　her。　There　was　a　chance　she　might　do　some　good！　There　had　to　be！
　　　　　　　In　the　back　of　her　head；　a　small　voice　laughed。　You　can't　forget　that　you're　Morgase　Trakand；　it　told　her　scornfully；　and　even　after　she's　abdicated　her　throne；　Queen　Morgase　can't　stop　trying　her　hand　in　the　affairs　of　the　mighty；　no　matter　how　much　ruin　she's　made　of　it　so　far。　And　she　can't　tell　a　man　to　go　away；　either；　because　she　can't　stop　thinking　how　strong　his　hands　are；　and　how　his　lips　curve　when　he　smiles；　and　…
　　　　　　　Furious；　she　pulled　the　blanket　over　her　head；　trying　to　shut　out　the　voice。　She　was　not　staying　because　she　could　not　walk　away　from　power。　As　for　Tallanvor。。。　She　would　set　him　firmly　in　his　place。　This　time　she　would！　But。。。　What　was　his　place；　with　a　woman　who　was　no　longer　a　queen？　She　tried　to　put　him　out　of　her　mind　and　tried　to　ignore　that　mocking　voice　that　would　not　be　quiet；　yet　when　sleep　finally　came；　she　could　still　feel　the　pressure　of　his　lips　on　her　eyelids。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　9　
（Serpent　and　Wheel）　
Tangles　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Perrin　woke　before　first　light　as　usual；　and　as　usual；　Faile　was　already　up　and　about。　She　could　make　a　mouse　seem　noisy　when　she　wanted　to；　and　he　suspected　that　if　he　woke　an　hour　after　lying　down；　she　would　still　manage　to　be　up　first。　The　doorflaps　were　tied　back；　the　side　panels　raised　a　little　at　the　bottom；　and　a　stir　of　air　rose　through　the　venthole　in　the　peak；　enough　to　create　an　illusion　of　coolness。　Perrin　actually　shivered　while　searching　for　his　shirt　and　breeches。　Well；　it　was　supposed　to　be　winter；　even　if　the　weather　did　not　know　it。
　　　　　　　He　dressed　in　the　dark　and　scrubbed　his　teeth　with　salt；　needing　no　lamps；　and　when　he　left　the　tent；　stamping　his　feet　into　his　boots；　Faile　had　her　new　servants　gathered　around　her　in　the　deep　grayness　of　early　morning；　some　holding　lighted　lanterns。　A　lord's　daughter　needed　servants；　he　should　have　arranged　for　it　before　this。　There　were　Two　Rivers　folk　in　Caemlyn　that　Faile　had　trained　herself；　but　with　the　need　for　secrecy　there　had　been　no　way　to　fetch　them　along。　Master　Gill　would　want　to　go　home　as　soon　as　possible；　and　Lamgwin　and　Breane　with　him；　but　maybe　Maighdin　and　Lini　would　stay。
　　　　　　　Aram　straightened　from　where　he　had　been　sitting　cross…legged　beside　the　tent；　and　waited　silently　on　Perrin。　If　Perrin　had　not　stopped　him；　Aram　would　have　slept　across　the　entrance。　This　morning　his　coat　was　striped　red…and…white；　though　the　white　was　a　trifle　dingy；　and　even　here　that　wolfhead…pommeled　sword　hilt　rose　over　his　shoulder。　Perrin　had　left　his　axe　in　the　tent；　and　grateful　to　be　rid　of　it。　Tallanvor　still　wore　his　sword　belted　over　his　coat；　but　not　Master　Gill　or　the　other　two。
　　　　　　　Faile　must　have　been　watching；　because　no　sooner　did　Perrin　e　out　than　she　gestured　toward　the　tent；　clearly　issuing　orders。　Maighdin　and　Breane　came　bustling　past　him　and　Aram　with　lanterns；　their　jaws　set；　smelling　of　determination　for　some　reason。　Neither　curtsied；　a　pleasant　surprise。　Lini　did；　a　quick　bend　of　the　knee　before　she　darted　after　the　other　two　muttering　about　〃knowing　their　place。〃　Perrin　suspected　Lini　was　one　of　those　women　who　saw　her　〃place〃　as　being　in　charge。　e　to　think　of　it；　most　women　did。　That　was　the　way　of　the　world；　it　seemed；　not　just　the　Two　Rivers。
　　　　　　　Tallanvor　and　Lamgwin　followed　close　behind　the　women；　and　Lamgwin　was　as　serious　about　bowing　as　Tallanvor；　who　was　almost　grim。　Perrin　sighed　and　bowed　back；　and　they　both　gave　a　start；　gaping　at　him。　A　curt　shout　from　Lini　jerked　them　into　the　tent。
　　　　　　　With　only　a　quickly　flashed　smile　for　him；　Faile　strode　off　toward　the　carts；　talking　alternately　to　Basel　Gill　on　one　side　of　her　and　Sebban　Balwer　on　the　other。　The　men　each　held　a　lantern　out　to　light　her　way。　Of　course；　a　double　handful　of　those　idiots　kept　pace　where　they　could　hear　if　she　raised　her　voice；　strutting　and　stroking　sword　hilts　and　staring　about　in　the　dimness　as　though　they　expected　an　attack　or　hoped　for　one。　Perrin　tugged　at　his　short　beard。　She　always　found　plenty　of　work　to　fill　her　hours；　and　nobody　took　it　out　of　her　hands。　Nobody　would　dare。
　　　　　　　Not　so　much　as　the　first　fingers　of　dawn　showed　on　the　horizon　yet；　but　the　Cairhienin　were　beginning　to　stir　around　the　carts；　and　moving　more　quickly　the　closer　Faile　came。　By　the　time　she　reached　them；　they　appeared　to　be　trotting；　their　lanterns　bobbing　and　swinging　in　the　dimness。　The　Two　Rivers　men；　used　to　farmers'　days；　were　already　making　breakfast；　some　laughing　and　roughhousing　around　their　cook　fires；　some　grumping；　but　most　getting　the　work　done。　A　few　tried　to　stay　in　their　blankets　and　were　unceremoniously　tumbled　out。　Grady　and　Neald　were　up；　too；　as　always　off　by　themselves；　shadows　in　black　coats　among　the　trees。　Perrin　could　not　recall　seeing　them　without　those　coats；　always　buttoned　to　the　neck；　always　clean　and　unwrinkled　e　sunrise；　whatever　they　had　looked　like　the　night　before。　Stepping　through　the　forms　in　unison；　the　pair　were　practicing　the　sword　as　they　did　every　morning。　That　was　better　than　their　evening　practice；　when　they　would　sit　cross…legged；　hands　on　knees；　staring　at　some　distant　nothing。　They　never　did　anything　then　that　anyone　could　see；　yet　not　a　man　in　the　camp　but　knew　what　they　were　about　and　kept　as　far　off　as　possible。　Not　even　the　Maidens　would　step　into　their　line　of　sight　then。
　　　　　　　Something　was　missing；　Perrin　realized　with　a　start。　Faile　always　had　one　of　the　men　meet　him　first　thing　with　a　bowl　of　the　thick　porridge　they　breakfasted　on；　but　it　seemed　she　had　been　too　busy　this　morning。　Brightening；　he　hurried　toward　the　cook　fires；　hoping　at　least　to　be　able　to　dip　up　his　own　porridge　for　once。　A　small　hope。
　　　　　　　Flann　Barstere；　a　lanky　fellow　with　a　dent　in　his　chin；　met　him　halfway　and　shoved　a　carved　bowl　into　his　hands。　Flann　was　from　up　toward　Watch　Hill；　and　Perrin　did　not　know　him　well；　but　they　had　been　hunting　together　a　time　or　two；　and　once　Perrin　had　helped　him　dig　one　of　his　father's　cows　out　of　a　bog…hole　in　the　Waterwood。　〃The　Lady　Faile　told　me　to　bring　this　to　you；　Perrin；〃　Flann　said　anxiously。　〃You　won't　tell　her　I　forgot；　will　you？　You　won't　tell？　I　found　some　honey；　and　I　put　in　a　good　dollop。〃　Perrin　tried　not　to　sigh。　At　least　Flann　had　remembered　his　name。
　　　　　　　Well；　maybe　he　could　not　get　away　with　doing　the　simplest　chores　for　himself；　but　he　was　still　responsible　for　the　men　eating　beneath　the　trees。　Without　him；　they　would　be　with　their　families；　getting　ready　for　the　day's　chores　around　the　farm；　milking　cows　and　cutting　firewood　instead　of　wondering　whether　they　might　have　to　kill　or　be　killed　before　sunset。　Gulping　down　the　honeyed　porridge　quickly；　he　told　Aram　to　take　his　ease　over　breakfast；　but