rj.thepathofdaggers-第5部分

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no　way　to　make　sure　Katerine　met　with　a　fatal　accident。　〃I　will　do　my　best　to　remember　in　the　future。〃　Not　so　much　as　the　flicker　of　an　eyelash　told　whether　Aeron　accepted　that。　〃May　I　assume　her　shield；　Wise　One？〃
　　　　　　　Aeron　nodded　without　looking　at　Tialin；　and　Verin　quickly　embraced　the　Source；　taking　up　the　shield　Tialin　released。　It　never　ceased　to　amaze　her　that　women　who　could　not　channel　gave　orders　so　freely　to　women　who　could。　Tialin　was　not　much　weaker　in　the　Power　than　Verin；　yet　she　watched　Aeron　nearly　as　warily　as　the　Maidens　did；　and　when　the　Maidens　hurried　out　of　the　tent　at　a　gesture　of　Aeron's　hand；　leaving　Beldeine　wavering　where　she　stood；　Tialin　was　only　a　step　behind。
　　　　　　　Aeron　did　not　go；　however；　not　immediately。　〃You　will　not　speak　of　Katerine　Alruddin　to　the　Car'a'carn；〃　she　said。　〃He　has　enough　to　occupy　his　thoughts　without　giving　him　trifles　to　worry　over。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　say　nothing　to　him　about　her；〃　Verin　agreed　quickly。　Trifles？　A　Red　with　Katerine's　strength　was　no　trifle。　Perhaps　a　note。　It　needed　thought。
　　　　　　　〃Be　certain　to　hold　your　tongue；　Verin　Mathwin；　or　you　will　use　it　to　howl。〃
　　　　　　　There　seemed　nothing　to　say　to　that；　so　Verin　concentrated　on　meekness　and　docility；　making　yet　another　curtsy。　Her　knees　wanted　to　groan。
　　　　　　　Once　Aeron　departed；　Verin　allowed　herself　a　sigh　of　relief。　She　had　been　afraid　Aeron　intended　to　remain。　Gaining　permission　to　be　alone　with　the　prisoners　had　required　nearly　as　much　effort　as　getting　Sorilea　and　Amys　to　decide　they　needed　to　be　questioned；　and　by　someone　intimate　with　the　White　Tower。　If　they　ever　learned　they　had　been　guided　to　that　decision。。。　It　was　a　worry　for　another　day。　She　seemed　to　be　piling　up　a　great　many　of　those。
　　　　　　　〃There's　enough　water　to　wash　your　face　and　hands；　at　least；〃　she　told　Beldeine　mildly。　〃And　if　you　wish；　I　will　Heal　you。〃　Every　sister　she　had　interviewed　had　carried　at　least　a　few　welts。　The　Aiel　did　not　beat　the　prisoners　except　for　spilling　water　or　balking　at　a　task　…　the　haughtiest　words　of　defiance　earned　only　scornful　laughter；　if　that　…　but　the　black…robed　women　were　herded　like　animals；　a　tap　of　the　switch　for　go　or　turn　or　stop；　and　a　harder　tap　if　they　did　not　obey　quickly　enough。　Healing　made　other　things　easier；　too。
　　　　　　　Filthy；　sweaty；　wavering　like　a　reed　in　the　wind；　Beldeine　curled　her　lip。　〃I　would　rather　bleed　to　death　than　be　Healed　by　you！〃　she　spat。　〃Maybe　I　should　have　expected　to　see　you　groveling　to　these　wilders；　these　savages；　but　I　never　thought　you　would　stoop　to　revealing　Tower　secrets！　That　ranks　with　treason；　Verin！　With　rebellion！〃　She　grunted　contemptuously。　〃I　suppose　if　you　didn't　shy　at　that；　you'll　stop　at　nothing！　What　else　have　you　and　the　others　taught　them　besides　linking？〃
　　　　　　　Verin　clicked　her　tongue　irritably；　not　bothering　to　set　the　young　woman　straight。　Her　neck　ached　from　looking　up　at　Aiel　…　for　that　matter；　even　Beldeine　stood　a　hand　or　more　taller　than　she　…　her　knees　ached　from　curtsying；　and　entirely　too　many　women　who　should　know　better　had　flung　blind　contempt　and　foolish　pride　at　her　today。　Who　should　know　better　than　an　Aes　Sedai　that　a　sister　had　to　wear　many　faces　in　the　world？　You　could　not　always　overawe　people；　or　bludgeon　them；　either。　Besides；　far　better　to　behave　as　a　novice　than　be　punished　like　one；　especially　when　it　earned　you　only　pain　and　humiliation。　Even　Kiruna　had　to　see　the　sense　of　that　eventually。
　　　　　　　〃Sit　down　before　you　fall　down；〃　she　said；　suiting　her　own　words。　〃Let　me　guess　what　you've　been　doing　today。　By　all　that　dirt；　I'd　say　digging　a　hole。　With　your　bare　hands；　or　did　they　let　you　use　a　spoon？　When　they　decide　it's　finished；　they　will　just　make　you　fill　it　again；　you　know。　Now；　let　me　see。　Every　part　I　can　see　of　you　is　grubby；　but　that　robe　is　clean；　so　I　expect　they　had　you　digging　in　your　skin。　Are　you　sure　you　don't　want　Healing？　Sunburn　can　be　painful。〃　She　filled　another　cup　with　water　and　wafted　it　across　the　tent　on　a　flow　of　Air　to　hover　in　front　of　Beldeine。　〃Your　throat　must　be　parched。〃
　　　　　　　The　young　Green　stared　unsteadily　at　the　cup　for　a　moment；　then　suddenly　her　legs　gave　way　and　she　collapsed　onto　a　cushion　with　a　bitter　laugh。　〃They。。。　water　me　frequently。〃　She　laughed　again；　though　Verin　could　not　see　the　joke。　〃As　much　as　I　want；　so　long　as　I　swallow　it　all。〃　Studying　Verin　angrily；　she　paused；　then　went　on　in　a　tight　voice。　〃That　dress　looks　very　nice　on　you。　They　burned　mine；　I　saw　them。　They　stole　everything　except　this。〃　She　touched　the　golden　Great　Serpent　around　her　left　forefinger；　a　bright　golden　gleam　among　the　dirt。　〃I　suppose　they　couldn't　find　quite　enough　nerve　for　that。　I　know　what　they're　trying　to　do；　Verin；　and　it　won't　work。　Not　with　me；　not　with　any　of　us！〃
　　　　　　　She　was　still　on　her　guard。　Verin　set　the　cup　down　on　the　flowered　carpet　beside　Beldeine；　then　took　up　her　own　and　sipped　before　speaking。　〃Oh？　What　are　they　trying　to　do？〃
　　　　　　　This　time；　the　other　woman's　laugh　was　brittle　as　well　as　harsh。　〃Break　us；　and　you　know　it！　Make　us　swear　oaths　to　al'Thor；　the　way　you　did。　Oh；　Verin；　how　could　you？　Swearing　fealty！　And　worse；　to　a　man；　to　him！　Even　if　you　could　bring　yourself　to　rebel　against　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　against　the　White　Tower。。。　〃　She　made　the　two　sound　much　the　same。　〃。。。　how　could　you　do　that！〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Verin　wondered　whether　things　would　be　better　if　the　women　now　held　in　the　Aiel　camp　had　been　caught　up　as　she　had　been；　a　woodchip　in　the　millrace　of　Rand　al'Thor's　ta'veren　swirl；　words　pouring　from　her　mouth　before　they　had　time　to　form　in　her　brain。　Not　words　she　could　never　have　said　on　her　own　…　that　was　not　how　ta'veren　affected　you　…　but　words　she　might　possibly　have　said　one　time　in　a　thousand　under　those　circumstances；　one　time　in　ten　thousand。　No；　the　arguments　had　been　long　and　hot　over　whether　oaths　given　in　that　way　had　to　be　kept；　and　the　arguments　over　how　to　keep　them　still　continued。　Much　better　as　it　was。　Absently　she　fingered　a　hard　shape　inside　her　belt　pouch；　a　small　brooch；　a　translucent　stone　carved　into　what　appeared　to　be　a　lily　with　too　many　petals。　She　never　wore　it；　but　it　had　not　been　out　of　her　reach　in　nearly　fifty　years。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　da'tsang；　Beldeine。　You　must　have　heard　that。〃　She　did　not　need　Beldeine's　curt　nod；　telling　the　despised　one　was　part　of　Aiel　law；　like　pronouncing　sentence。　That　much　she　knew；　if　very　little　more。　〃Your　clothes；　and　anything　else　that　would　burn；　were　put　to　the　fire　because　no　Aiel　would　own　anything　that　once　belonged　to　a　da'tsang。　The　rest　was　hacked　to　pieces　or　hammered　into　scrap；　even　the　jewelry　you　had　with　you；　and　buried　under　a　pit　dug　for　a　jakes。〃
　　　　　　　〃My。。。？　My　horse？〃　Beldeine　asked　anxiously。
　　　　　　　〃They　didn't　kill　the　horses；　but　I　don't　know　where　yours　is。〃　Being　ridden　by　someone　in　the　city；　probably；　or　perhaps　given　to　an　Asha'man。　Telling　her　that　might　do　more　harm　than　good。　Verin　seemed　to　recall　that　Beldeine　was　one　of　those　young　women　who　had　very　deep　feelings　for　horses。　〃They　let　you　keep　the　ring　to　remind　you　of　who　you　were；　and　increase　your　shame。　I　don't　know　whether　they　would　let　you　swear　to　Master　al'Thor　if　you　begged。　It　would　take　something　incredible　on　your　part；　I　think。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　won't！　Never！〃　The　words　rang　hollow；　though；　and　Beldeine's　shoulders　slumped。　She　was　shaken；　but　not　sufficiently。
　　　　　　　Verin　put　on　a　warm　smile。　A　fellow　had　once　told　her　that　her　smile　made　him　think　of　his　dear　mother。　She　hoped　he　had　not　been　lying　about　that；　at　least。　He　had　tried　to　slide　a　dagger　between　her　ribs　a　little　later；　and　her　smile　had　been　the　last　thing　he　ever　saw。　〃I　can't　think　of　the　reason　you　would。　No；　I　fear　what　you　have　to　look　forward　to　is　useless　labor。　That's　shaming；　to　them。　Bone　shaming。　Of　course；　if　they　realize　you　don't　see　it　that　way。。。　Oh；　my。　I'll　wager　you　didn't　like　digging　without　any　clothes　on；　even　with　Maidens　for　guards；　but　think　of；　say；　standing　in　a　tent　full　of　men　that　way？〃　Beldeine　flinched。　Verin　prattled　on；　she　had　developed　prattling　to　something　of　a　Talent。　〃They'd　only　make　you　stand　there；　of　course。　Da'tsang　aren't　allowed　to　do　anything　useful　unless　there's　great　need；　and　an　Aielman　would　as　soon　put　his　arm　around　a　rotting　carcass　as。。。　Well；　that's　not　a　pleasant　thought；　is　it？　In　any　case；　that's　what　you　have　to　look　forward　to。　I　know　you'll　resist　as　long　as　you　can；　though　I'm　not　sure　what　there　is　to　resist。　They　won't　try　to　get　information　out　of　you；　or　anything　that　people　usually　do　with　prisoners。　But　they　won't　let　you　go；　not　ever；　until　they're　sure　the　shame　is　so　deep　in　you　there's　nothing　else　left。　Not　if　it　takes　the　rest　of　your　life。〃
　　　　　　　Beldeine's　lips　moved　soundlessly；　but　she　might　as　well　have　spoken　the　words。　The　rest　of　my　life。　Shifting　unfortably　on　her　cushion；　she　grimaced。　Sunburn　or　welts　or　simply　the　ache　of　unaccustomed　work。　〃We　will　be　rescued；〃　she　said　finally。　〃The　Amyrlin　won't　leave　us。。。　We'll　be　rescued；　or　we'll　…　We　will　be　rescued！〃　Snatching　up　the　silver　cup　from　beside　her；　she　tilted　her　head　back　to　gulp　until　it　was　empty；　then　thrust　it　out　for　more。　Verin　floated　the　pewter　pitcher　over　and　set　it　down　so　the　young　woman　could　pour　for　herself。
　　　　　　　〃Or　you'll　escape？〃　Verin　said；　and　Beldeine's　dirty　hands　jerked；　splashing　water　down　the　sides　of　the　cup。　〃Really；　now。　You　have　as　much　chance　of　that　as　you　do　of　rescue。　You're　surrounded　by　an　army　of　Aiel。　And　apparently　al'Thor　can　call　up　a　few　hundred　of　those　Asha'man　whenever　he　wants；　to　hunt　you　down。〃　The　other　woman　shivered　at　that；　and　Verin　nearly　did。　That　little　mess　should　have　been　stopped　as　soon　as　it　started。　〃No；　I　fear　you　must　make　your　own　way；　somehow。　Deal　with　things　as　they　are。　You　are　quite　alone　in　this。　I　know　they　don't　let　you　speak　to　the　others。　Quite　alone；〃　she　sighed。　Wide　eyes　stared　at　her　as　they　might　have　at　a　red　adder。　〃There's　no　need　to　make　it　worse　than　it　must　be。　Let　me　Heal　you。〃
　　　　　　　She　barely　waited　for　the　other　woman's　pitiful　nod　before　moving　to　kneel　beside　her　and　place　hands　on　Beldeine's　head。　The　young　woman　was　almost　as　ready　as　she　could　be。　Opening　hersel