rj.thepathofdaggers-第47部分

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e　might　hurt　somebody　if　he　was　not　careful；　and　he　always　tried　to　keep　a　tight　rein　on　his　temper。　Words　could　hurt　as　hard　as　fists；　the　wrong　words；　words　you　never　meant；　let　loose　in　a　temper。　It　had　to　be　impossible。　It　just　stood　to　reason。　No　woman　would　stand　for　that；　from　her　husband　or　any　man。
　　　　　　　A　bluefinch's　call　brought　Perrin's　head　up；　ears　pricking。　It　was　just　at　the　edge　of　hearing　even　for　him；　but　a　moment　later　the　trill　was　repeated　closer；　then　again；　nearer　still。　Elyas　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　him；　he　would　know　the　call　of　a　Borderland　bird。　Perrin　had　learned　it　from　some　Shienarans；　Masema　among　them；　and　taught　the　Two　Rivers　men。
　　　　　　　〃We　have　visitors　ing；〃　he　told　Elyas。
　　　　　　　They　came　quickly；　four　riders　at　a　fast　canter；　arriving　before　he　and　Elyas　reached　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　Berelain　led　the　way；　splashing　across　the　stream　with　Annoura　and　Gallenne　close　behind　and　a　woman　in　a　pale；　hooded　dust…cloak　at　her　side。　They　swept　right　by　the　Mayener　camp　without　a　glance；　not　drawing　rein　until　they　were　in　front　of　the　red…and…white　striped　tent。　Some　of　the　Cairhienin　servants　rushed　to　take　bridles　and　hold　stirrups；　and　Berelain　and　her　panions　were　inside　before　the　dust　of　their　arrival　settled。
　　　　　　　All　in　all；　the　arrival　created　quite　a　stir。　A　buzz　rose　among　the　Two　Rivers　men　that　Perrin　could　only　call　anticipatory。　The　inevitable　gathering　of　Faile's　young　fools　scratched　their　heads　and　stared　at　the　tent；　chattering　excitedly　among　themselves。　Grady　and　Neald　watched　the　tent　through　the　trees；　too；　now　and　then　leaning　together　to　talk　though　nobody　was　close　enough　to　hear　anything　they　said。
　　　　　　　〃Looks　like　your　visitors　are　more　than　casual；〃　Elyas　said　quietly。　〃Watch　Gallenne；　he　could　be　trouble。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　know　him；　Elyas？　I'd　like　you　to　stay；　but　if　you　think　he　might　tell　one　of　the　sisters　who　you　are。。。　〃　Perrin　shrugged　in　resignation。　〃I　might　be　able　to　stop　Seonid　and　Masuri〃　…　he　thought　he　could　…　〃but　I　think　Annoura　will　do　whatever　she　wants。〃　And　what　did　she　really　think　about　Masema？
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　Bertain　Gallenne　doesn't　know　the　likes　of　Elyas　Machera；〃　Elyas　replied　with　a　wry　grin。　〃　'More　fools　know　Jak　Fool　than　Jak　Fool　knows。'　I　know　him；　though。　He　won't　go　against　you　or　behind　your　back；　but　Berelain　has　the　brains　between　them。　She's　kept　Tear　out　of　Mayene　by　playing　the　Tairens　against　the　Illianers　since　she　was　sixteen。　Berelain　knows　how　to　maneuver；　all　Gallenne　knows　is　attack。　He's　good　at　it；　but　he　never　sees　anything　else；　and　sometimes　he　doesn't　stop　to　think。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'd　figured　that　out　about　both　of　them；〃　Perrin　muttered。　At　least　Berelain　had　brought　a　messenger　from　Alliandre。　She　would　not　have　e　rushing　in　that　way　with　a　new　maid。　The　only　question　was　why　Alliandre's　reply　needed　a　messenger。　〃I　had　best　find　out　whether　the　news　is　good；　Elyas。　Later；　we'll　talk　about　what　lies　south。　And　you　can　meet　Faile；〃　he　added　before　turning　away。
　　　　　　　〃The　Pit　of　Doom　lies　south；〃　the　other　man　called　after　him；　〃or　as　close　to　it　as　I　expected　to　see　below　the　Blight。〃　Perrin　imagined　he　heard　that　faint　thunder　in　the　west　again。　Now；　that　would　be　a　pleasant　change。
　　　　　　　In　the　tent；　Breane　was　carrying　a　silver　tray　about　with　a　bowl　of　rose…scented　water　and　cloths　for　washing　faces　and　hands；　curtsying　stiffly　as　she　presented　it。　With　even　stiffer　curtsies；　Maighdin　was　offering　a　tray　holding　cups　of　wine…punch　…　made　with　the　last　of　the　dried　blueberries；　by　the　smell　…　while　Lini　folded　the　newer's　dust…cloak。　There　seemed　something　odd　in　the　way　Faile　and　Berelain　stood　to　either　side　of　the　new　woman；　and　Annoura　hovered　behind　them；　all　focused　on　her。　Somewhere　in　her　middle　years；　with　a　cap　of　green　net　gathering　dark　hair　that　fell　almost　to　her　waist；　she　might　have　been　pretty　if　her　nose　had　not　been　so　long。　And　if　she　had　not　carried　it　so　high。　Shorter　than　Faile　or　Berelain　either　one；　she　still　managed　to　look　down　that　nose　at　Perrin；　coolly　examining　him　from　hair　to　boots。　She　did　not　blink　at　sight　of　his　eyes；　although　nearly　everyone　did。
　　　　　　　〃Majesty；〃　Berelain　pronounced　in　a　formal　voice　as　soon　as　Perrin　entered；　〃may　I　present　Lord　Perrin　Aybara　of　the　Two　Rivers；　in　Andor；　the　personal　friend　and　emissary　of　the　Dragon　Reborn。〃　The　long…nosed　woman　nodded　carefully；　coolly；　and　Berelain　went　on　with　scarcely　a　pause。　〃Lord　Aybara；　give　greetings　and　wele　to　Alliandre　Maritha　Kigarin；　Queen　of　Ghealdan；　Blessed　of　the　Light；　Defender　of　Garen's　Wall；　who　is　pleased　to　receive　you　in　person。〃　Gallenne；　standing　near　the　tent　wall；　adjusted　his　eyepatch　and　raised　his　winecup　to　Perrin　with　a　smile　of　triumph。
　　　　　　　For　some　reason　Faile　shot　Berelain　a　hard　look。　Perrin's　mouth　nearly　dropped　open。　Alliandre　herself？　He　wondered　whether　he　should　kneel；　then　settled　for　a　bow　after　too　long　a　pause。　Light！　He　had　no　notion　how　to　deal　with　a　queen。　Especially　one　who　turned　up　out　of　the　blue　with　no　escort；　without　a　jewel　in　sight。　Her　dark　green　riding　dress　was　plain　wool；　lacking　a　single　stitch　of　embroidery。
　　　　　　　〃After　the　recent　news；〃　Alliandre　said；　〃I　thought　I　should　e　to　you；　Lord　Aybara。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　her　face　smooth；　her　eyes　aloof。　And　observant；　or　he　was　a　Taren　Ferry　man。　Best　to　step　warily　till　he　knew　how　the　path　lay。　〃You　may　not　have　heard；〃　she　continued；　〃but　four　days　ago　Illian　fell　to　the　Dragon　Reborn；　blessed　be　his　name　in　the　Light。　He　has　taken　the　Laurel　Crown；　though　I　understand　it　is　now　called　the　Crown　of　Swords。〃
　　　　　　　Faile；　taking　a　cup　from　Maighdin's　tray；　whispered　under　her　breath；　〃And　seven　days　gone；　the　Seanchan　took　Ebou　Dar。〃　Even　Maighdin　did　not　notice。
　　　　　　　If　Perrin　had　not　already　taken　hold　of　himself；　he　truly　would　have　gaped。　Why　did　Faile　tell　him　this　way　instead　of　waiting　for　it　to　e　from　the　woman　who　must　have　told　her？　In　a　voice　that　everyone　could　hear；　he　repeated　her　words。　A　hard　voice；　but　that　was　the　only　way　to　keep　it　from　shaking。　Ebou　Dar；　too？　Light！　And　seven　days　ago？　The　day　Grady　and　the　others　had　seen　the　One　Power　in　the　sky。　Coincidence；　maybe。　But　would　he　rather　it　had　been　the　Forsaken？
　　　　　　　Annoura　frowned　over　her　cup；　pursing　her　lips；　before　he　finished　speaking；　and　Berelain　gave　him　a　startled　look　that　vanished　quickly。　They　knew　he　had　not　known　about　Ebou　Dar　when　they　rode　into　Bethal。
　　　　　　　Alliandre　merely　nodded；　every　bit　as　self…possessed　as　the　Gray。　〃You　seem　remarkably　well　informed；〃　she　said；　ing　closer　to　him。　〃I　doubt　the　first　rumors　are　reaching　Jehannah　with　the　river　trade；　yet。　I　myself　learned　of　it　only　a　few　days　ago。　Several　of　the　merchants　keep　me　abreast　of　events。　I　believe；〃　she　added　dryly；　〃that　they　hope　I　can　intercede　for　them　with　the　Prophet　of　the　Lord　Dragon；　if　such　bees　necessary。〃
　　　　　　　At　last　he　could　pick　out　her　scent；　and　his　opinion　of　her　changed；　though　not　for　the　worse。　Outwardly；　the　Queen　was　all　cool　reserve；　but　uncertainty　shot　through　with　fear　filled　the　smell　of　her。　He　did　not　believe　he　could　have　held　his　face　so　calm　had　he　felt　that。
　　　　　　　〃Always　best　to　know　as　much　as　you　can；〃　he　told　her；　half　distracted。　Burn　me；　he　thought；　I　have　to　let　Rand　know　about　this！
　　　　　　　〃In　Saldaea　we　find　merchants　useful　for　information；　too；〃　Faile　said。　Implying　that　was　how　Perrin　knew　about　Ebou　Dar。　〃They　seem　to　learn　what　happened　a　thousand　miles　off　weeks　before　the　rumors　begin。〃
　　　　　　　She　did　not　look　at　Perrin；　but　he　knew　she　spoke　to　him　as　much　as　Alliandre。　Rand　knew；　she　was　saying。　And　anyway；　there　was　no　way　to　get　word　to　him　in　secret。　Could　Faile　really　want　him　to。。。？　No；　it　was　unthinkable。　Blinking；　he　realized　he　had　missed　something　Alliandre　had　said。　〃Your　pardon；　Alliandre；〃　he　said　politely。　〃I　was　thinking　about　Rand　…　the　Dragon　Reborn。〃　Of　course　it　was　unthinkable！
　　　　　　　Everyone　stared　at　him；　even　Lini　and　Maighdin　and　Breane。　Annoura's　eyes　had　gone　wide；　and　Gallenne's　mouth　hung　open。　Then　it　hit　him。　He　had　just　called　the　Queen　by　name。　He　took　a　cup　from　Maighdin's　tray；　and　she　rose　from　her　curtsy　so　quickly　that　she　nearly　knocked　it　from　his　hand。　Waving　her　away　absently；　he　wiped　his　damp　hand　on　his　coat。　He　had　to　concentrate　here；　not　let　his　mind　wander　in　nine　directions。　No　matter　what　Elyas　thought　he　knew；　Faile　would　never。。。　No！　Concentrate！
　　　　　　　Alliandre　recovered　her　equilibrium　quickly。　In　truth；　she　had　appeared　the　least　surprised　of　anyone；　and　her　scent　never　wavered。　〃I　was　saying　that　ing　to　you　in　secret　seemed　the　wisest　course；　Lord　Aybara；〃　she　said　in　that　cool　voice。　〃Lord　Telabin　believes　I　am　keeping　private　in　his　gardens；　which　I　left　by　a　seldom…used　gate。　Passing　out　of　the　city；　I　was　Annoura　Sedai's　maid。〃　Brushing　fingertips　across　one　skirt　of　her　riding　dress；　she　gave　a　small　laugh。　Even　that　about　her　was　cool；　so　at　odds　with　what　his　nose　told　him。　〃A　number　of　my　own　soldiers　saw　me；　but　with　the　hood　of　my　cloak　pulled　up；　none　knew　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Times　being　what　they　are；　that　probably　was　wisest；〃　Perrin　said　carefully。　〃But　you　will　have　to　e　into　the　open　sooner　or　later。　One　way　or　another。〃　Polite　and　to　the　point；　that　was　the　thing。　A　queen　would　not　want　to　waste　time　with　a　man　who　blathered。　And　he　did　not　want　to　disappoint　Faile　by　acting　the　hayfoot　again。　〃Why　e　at　all？　All　you　had　to　do　was　send　a　letter；　or　just　tell　Berelain　your　answer。　Will　you　declare　for　Rand　or　not？　Either　way；　have　no　fear　about　getting　back　to　Bethal　safely。〃　A　good　point；　that。　Whatever　else　frightened　her；　being　here　alone　must。
　　　　　　　Faile　was　watching　him；　pretending　not　to；　sipping　her　punch　and　directing　her　smiles　at　Alliandre；　but　he　caught　the　quick　nickers　of　her　eyes　in　his　direction。　Berelain　made　no　pretense；　watching　quite　openly；　eyes　slightly　narrowed　and　never　leaving　his　face。　Annoura　was　just　as　intent；　just　as　thoughtful。　Did　they　all　believe　he　was　going　to　trip　over　his　own　tongue　again？
　　　　　　　Instead　of　answering　the　important　question；　Alliandre　said；　〃The　First　told　me　a　great　deal　about　you；　Lord　Aybara；　and　about　the　Lord　Dragon　Reborn；　blessed　be　his　name　in　the　Light。〃　T