rj.thepathofdaggers-第44部分

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t　did　not　set　the　necessary　seeds；　he　did　not　know　how　to　plow　a　furrow。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　he　realized　that　what　seemed　every　last　one　of　the　Winged　Guards　was　watching　him　with　their　officers。　No　doubt　wondering　what　he　was　saying；　after　all　but　running　through　that　way。　Even　the　lean　balding　old　soldier　Gallenne　called　his　dogrobber　had　e　out　to　stare；　and　Berelain's　maids；　a　pair　of　plump　plain…faced　women　garbed　to　match　their　mistress's　tent。　Perrin　had　hardly　seen　a　thing；　but　he　knew　he　had　to　give　some　sort　of　praise。
　　　　　　　Raising　his　voice　enough　to　carry；　he　said；　〃The　Winged　Guards　will　do　Mayene　proud　if　we　ever　face　another　Dumai's　Wells。〃　Those　were　the　first　words　that　came　to　mind；　but　he　winced　at　saying　them。
　　　　　　　To　his　shock；　shouting　rose　straight　away　among　the　soldiers；　cheering；　〃Perrin　Goldeneyes！〃　and　〃Mayene　for　Goldeneyes！〃　and　〃Goldeneyes　and　Manetheren！〃　Men　danced　and　capered；　and　some　snatched　lances　from　the　stacks　to　shake　them　so　the　red　streamers　waved　in　the　breeze。　Grizzled　bannermen　watched　them　with　arms　folded；　nodding　approval。　Nurelle　beamed；　and　not　only　him。　Officers　with　gray　in　their　hair　and　scars　on　their　faces　grinned　like　boys　praised　at　their　lessons。　Light；　he　was　the　only　sane　man　left！　He　prayed　never　to　see　another　battle！
　　　　　　　Wondering　whether　this　was　going　to　cause　trouble　with　Berelain；　he　made　his　goodbyes　with　Nurelle　and　the　others　and　tramped　up　the　slope　through　dead　or　dying　brush；　none　of　it　waist…high。　Brown　weeds　crackled　beneath　his　boots。　Shouting　still　filled　the　Mayener　camp。　Even　after　she　learned　the　truth；　the　First　might　not　be　pleased　to　have　her　soldiers　cheering　him　this　way。　Of　course；　that　could　have　good　points。　Maybe　she　would　be　angry　enough　to　stop　pestering　him。
　　　　　　　Short　of　the　crest；　he　paused；　listening　to　the　cheers　finally　fade　away。　No　one　was　going　to　cheer　him　here。　All　of　the　side　flaps　were　down　on　the　Wise　Ones'　low　gray…brown　tents；　closing　them　in。　Only　a　few　of　the　Maidens　were　in　sight；　now。　Squatting　easily　on　their　heels　beneath　a　leatherleaf　that　still　showed　some　green；　they　eyed　him　curiously。　Their　hands　moved　quickly　in　that　way　they　had　of　talking　among　themselves　with　signs。　After　a　moment　Sulin　rose；　shifting　her　heavy　belt　knife；　and　strode　in　his　direction；　a　tall；　wiry　woman　with　a　pink　scar　across　her　sun…dark　cheek。　She　glanced　back　down　the　way　he　had　e　and　seemed　relieved　that　he　was　alone；　though　it　was　often　hard　to　tell　with　Aiel。
　　　　　　　〃This　is　good；　Perrin　Aybara；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃The　Wise　Ones　have　not　been　pleased　that　you　make　them　e　to　you。　Only　a　fool　displeases　Wise　Ones；　and　I　have　not　taken　you　for　a　fool。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　scrubbed　at　his　beard。　He　had　been　keeping　clear　of　the　Wise　Ones　…　and　the　Aes　Sedai　…　as　much　as　possible；　but　he　had　had　no　intention　of　forcing　them　to　e　to　him。　He　just　found　their　pany　unfortable。　To　put　it　mildly。　〃Well；　I　need　to　see　Edarra　now；〃　he　told　her。　〃About　the　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　I　was　mistaken　after　all；〃　Sulin　said　dryly。　〃But　I　will　tell　her。〃　Turning；　she　paused。　〃Tell　me　something。　Teryl　Wynter　and　Furen　Alharra　are　close　to　Seonid　Traighan　…　like　first…brothers　with　a　first…sister；　she　does　not　like　men　as　men　…　yet　they　offered　to　take　her　punishment　for　her。　How　could　they　shame　her　so？〃
　　　　　　　He　opened　his　mouth；　but　nothing　came　out。　A　pair　of　gai'shain　appeared　from　the　reverse　slope；　each　leading　two　of　the　Aiel's　pack　mules；　the　white…robed　men　passed　within　a　few　paces；　heading　down　toward　the　stream。　He　could　not　be　sure；　but　he　thought　both　were　Shaido。　The　pair　kept　their　eyes　meekly　down；　barely　looking　up　enough　to　see　where　they　were　going。　They　had　had　every　opportunity　to　run　away；　doing　chores　like　that　without　anyone　to　watch。　A　peculiar　people。
　　　　　　　〃I　see　you　are　shocked；　too；〃　Sulin　said。　〃I　had　hoped　you　could　explain。　I　will　tell　Edarra。〃　As　she　started　for　the　tents；　she　added　over　her　shoulder；　〃You　wetlanders　are　very　strange；　Perrin　Aybara。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　frowned　after　her；　and　when　she　vanished　into　one　of　the　tents；　he　turned　to　frown　at　the　two　gai'shain　leading　the　horses　to　water。　Wetlanders　were　strange？　Light！　So　Nurelle　had　been　right　in　what　he　heard。　It　was　beyond　time　to　stick　his　nose　into　what　was　going　on　between　the　Wise　Ones　and　the　Aes　Sedai。　He　should　have　before　this。　He　wished　he　did　not　think　it　would　be　the　same　as　sticking　his　nose　into　a　hornets'　nest。
　　　　　　　It　seemed　to　take　a　long　time　for　Sulin　to　reappear；　and　she　did　little　to　help　his　mood　when　she　did。　Holding　the　tentflap　for　him；　she　flicked　his　belt　knife　contemptuously　with　a　finger　as　he　ducked　through。　〃You　should　be　better　armed　for　this　dance；　Perrin　Aybara；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　　Inside；　he　was　surprised　to　find　all　six　Wise　Ones　sitting　cross…legged　on　colorful　tasseled　cushions；　their　shawls　tied　around　their　waists　and　their　skirts　making　carefully　arranged　fans　across　the　layered　rugs。　He　had　hoped　for　just　Edarra。　None　looked　to　be　more　than　four　or　five　years　older　than　he；　some　no　older　at　all；　yet　somehow　they　always　made　him　feel　as　if　he　were　facing　the　oldest　members　of　the　Women's　Circle；　the　ones　who　had　spent　years　learning　to　sniff　out　whatever　you　wanted　to　hide。　Separating　one　woman's　scent　from　another's　was　all　but　impossible；　but　he　hardly　needed　to。　Six　sets　of　eyes　latched　on　to　him；　from　Janina's　pale　sky　blue　to　Marline's　purple　twilight；　not　to　mention　Nevarin's　sharp　green。　Every　eye　could　have　been　a　skewer。
　　　　　　　Edarra　brusquely　motioned　him　to　take　a　cushion　himself；　which　he　did　with　gratitude；　though　it　put　him　facing　them　all　in　a　semicircle。　Maybe　Wise　Ones　had　designed　these　tents；　to　make　men　bend　their　necks　if　they　wanted　to　stand　upright。　Strangely；　it　was　cooler　in　the　dim　interior；　but　he　still　felt　like　sweating。　Maybe　he　could　not　pick　one　from　another；　yet　these　women　smelled　like　wolves　studying　a　tethered　goat。　A　square…faced　gai'shain　who　was　half　again　as　big　as　he　was　knelt　to　offer　a　golden　cup　of　dark　wine…punch　on　an　elaborate　silver　tray。　The　Wise　Ones　already　held　mismatched　silver　cups　and　goblets。　Unsure　what　it　meant　that　he　was　being　offered　gold　…　maybe　nothing；　yet　who　could　say；　with　Aiel？　…　Perrin　took　it　cautiously。　It　gave　off　the　scent　of　plums。　The　fellow　bowed　meekly　enough　when　Edarra　clapped　her　hands；　and　bent　himself　out　of　the　tent　backward；　but　the　half…healed　slash　down　his　hard　face　had　to　date　from　Dumai's　Wells。
　　　　　　　〃Now　that　you　are　here；〃　Edarra　said　as　soon　as　the　tentflap　dropped　behind　the　gai'shain；　〃we　will　explain　again　why　you　must　kill　the　man　called　Masema　Dagar。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　should　not　have　to　explain　again；〃　Delora　put　in。　Her　hair　and　eyes　were　nearly　the　same　shade　as　Maighdin's；　but　no　one　would　call　her　pinched　face　pretty。　Her　manner　was　pure　ice。　〃This　Masema　Dagar　is　a　danger　to　the　Car'a'carn。　He　must　die。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　dreamwalkers　have　told　us；　Perrin　Aybara。〃　Carelle　certainly　was　pretty；　and　though　her　fiery　hair　and　piercing　eyes　made　her　look　as　though　she　had　a　temper；　she　was　always　mild。　For　a　Wise　One。　And　certainly　not　soft。　〃They　have　read　the　dream。　The　man　must　die。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　took　a　swallow　of　plum　punch　to　gain　a　moment。　Somehow；　the　punch　was　cool。　It　was　always　the　same　with　them。　Rand　had　not　mentioned　any　warning　from　the　dreamwalkers。　The　first　time；　Perrin　had　mentioned　that。　Only　the　once；　they　had　thought　he　was　casting　doubt　on　their　word；　and　even　Carelle　had　gone　hot…eyed。　Not　that　Perrin　thought　they　would　lie。　Not　exactly。　He　had　not　caught　them　in　one；　anyway。　But　what　they　wanted　for　the　future　and　what　Rand　wanted　…　what　he　himself　wanted；　for　that　matter　…　might　be　very　different　things。　Maybe　it　was　Rand　who　was　keeping　secrets。　〃If　you　could　just　give　me　some　idea　what　this　danger　is；〃　he　said；　finally。　〃The　Light　knows；　Masema's　a　madman；　but　he　supports　Rand。　A　fine　thing；　if　I　go　around　killing　people　on　our　side。　That　will　certainly　convince　people　to　join　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　Sarcasm　was　lost　on　them。　They　looked　at　him；　unblinking。　〃The　man　must　die；〃　Edarra　said　at　last。　〃It　is　enough　that　three　dreamwalkers　have　said　so；　and　six　Wise　Ones　tell　you。〃　The　same　as　always。　Maybe　they　did　not　know　any　more　than　that。　And　maybe　he　should　get　on　with　why　he　had　e。
　　　　　　　〃I　want　to　talk　about　Seonid　and　Masuri；〃　he　said；　and　six　faces　turned　to　frost。　Light；　these　women　could　stare　down　a　stone！　Setting　the　winecup　beside　him；　he　leaned　toward　them　stubbornly。　〃I'm　supposed　to　show　people　Aes　Sedai　sworn　to　Rand。〃　He　was　supposed　to　show　Masema；　actually；　but　this　did　seem　a　good　time　to　mention　that。　〃They　aren't　going　to　be　very　cooperative　if　you　lot　beat　them！　Light！　They're　Aes　Sedai！　Instead　of　making　them　haul　water；　why　don't　you　learn　from　them？　They　must　know　all　sorts　of　things　you　don't。〃　Too　late；　he　bit　his　tongue。　The　Aiel　women　did　not　take　offense；　though；　not　that　it　showed；　anyway。
　　　　　　　〃They　know　some　things　we　do　not；〃　Delora　told　him　firmly；　〃and　we　know　some　they　do　not。〃　As　firmly　as　a　spearpoint　in　the　ribs。
　　　　　　　〃We　learn　what　there　is　to　learn；　Perrin　Aybara；〃　Marline　said　calmly；　bing　nearly　black　hair　with　her　fingers。　She　was　one　of　the　few　Aiel　he　had　seen　with　such　dark　hair；　and　she　often　toyed　with　it。　〃And　we　teach　what　there　is　to　teach。〃
　　　　　　　〃In　any　event；〃　Janira　said；　〃it　is　none　of　your　affair。　Men　do　not　interfere　between　Wise　Ones　and　apprentices。〃　She　shook　her　head　over　his　foolishness。
　　　　　　　〃You　may　stop　listening　outside　and　e　in；　Seonid　Traighan；〃　Edarra　said　suddenly。　Perrin　blinked　in　surprise；　but　none　of　the　women　batted　an　eye。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　then　the　tentflap　twitched　aside；　and　Seonid　ducked　inside；　kneeling　quickly　on　the　rugs。　That　vaunted　Aes　Sedai　serenity　was　shattered　in　her。　Her　mouth　was　a　thin　line；　her　eyes　tight；　her　face　red。　She　smelled　of　anger；　frustration；　and　a　dozen　more　emotions　all　whirling　about　so　quickly　that　Perrin　could　barely　separate　any　out。　〃May　I　speak　to　him？〃　she　asked　in　a　stiff　voice。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　take　care　what　you　say；〃　Edarra　told　her。　Sipping　her　wine；　the　Wise　One　watched　over　the　rim　of　her　cup。　A　teacher　watching　a　pupil？　A　hawk　watching　a　mouse？　Perrin　co