rj.thepathofdaggers-第75部分

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age　against　the　Hall；　but　alongside　everything　else；　it　was　a　straw　beside　a　hayloft。
　　　　　　　Pelivar　exchanged　looks　with　the　woman　seated　beside　him；　and　she　stood。　Creases　in　her　face　could　not　disguise　the　fact　that　Arathelle　had　been　a　beautiful；　fine…boned　woman　when　young；　now；　gray　threaded　thickly　through　her　hair；　and　her　gaze　struck　as　hard　as　any　Warder's。　Her　red…gloved　hands　gripped　the　edges　of　her　cloak　at　her　sides；　but　plainly　not　in　worry。　Mouth　pressed　to　a　thin　line；　she　scanned　the　line　of　Sitters；　and　only　then　spoke。　Past　Egwene；　to　the　sisters　behind　her。　Gritting　her　teeth；　Egwene　put　on　an　attentive　expression。
　　　　　　　〃We　are　here　precisely　because　we　do　not　want　to　bee　entangled　in　the　White　Tower's　affairs。〃　Arathelle's　voice　held　tones　of　authority；　unsurprising　in　the　High　Seat　of　a　powerful　House。　There　was　no　hint　of　the　diffidence　that　might　have　been　expected；　even　from　a　powerful　High　Seat；　facing　so　many　sisters；　not　to　mention　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　〃If　all　we've　heard　is　true；　then　at　best；　allowing　you　to　pass　through　Andor　unhindered　may　seem　like　giving　aid；　or　even　alliance；　in　the　eyes　of　the　White　Tower。　Failure　to　oppose　you　might　mean　learning　what　the　grape　learns　in　the　winepress。〃　Several　of　the　Murandians　turned　their　scowls　on　her。　No　one　in　Murandy　had　tried　to　hinder　the　sisters'　passage。　Very　likely；　no　one　had　considered　the　possibilities　beyond　the　day　they　passed　onto　another's　lands。
　　　　　　　Arathelle　continued　as　if　she　had　not　noticed；　but　Egwene　doubted　that。　〃At　worst。。。　We　have　heard。。。　reports。。。　of　Aes　Sedai　making　their　way　into　Andor　in　secret；　and　Tower　Guards。　Rumors　might　be　a　better　word；　but　they　e　from　many　places。　None　of　us　would　like　to　see　a　battle　between　Aes　Sedai　in　Andor。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Light　preserve　and　protect　us！〃　Donel　burst　out；　red…faced。　Paitr　nodded　encouragement；　sliding　to　the　edge　of　his　seat；　and　Cian　looked　ready　to　jump　in　herself。　〃No　one　wants　to　see　it　here；　either！〃　Donel　spat。　〃Not　between　Aes　Sedai！　For　sure；　we've　heard　what　happened　out　east！　And　those　sisters　…！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　breathed　a　little　more　easily　when　Arathelle　stepped　on　him　firmly。　〃If　you　please；　Lord　Donel。　You　will　have　your　turn　to　speak。〃　She　turned　back　to　Egwene　…　to　the　Sitters　once　more；　really　…　without　waiting　on　his　reply；　leaving　him　spluttering　and　the　other　three　Murandians　glowering。　She　herself　looked　quite　undisturbed；　simply　a　woman　laying　out　the　facts。　Laying　them　out；　and　meaning　that　they　should　be　seen　as　she　saw　them。
　　　　　　　〃As　I　was　saying。　That　is　the　worst　we　fear；　if　the　tales　are　true。　And　also　if　they　are　not。　Aes　Sedai　may　be　gathering　secretly　in　Andor；　with　Tower　Guards。　Aes　Sedai　with　an　army　are　ready　to　enter　Andor。　Often　enough　the　White　Tower　has　seemed　to　aim　at　one　target；　only　for　the　rest　of　us　to　learn　later　it　was　aiming　at　another　all　along。　I　can　hardly　imagine　even　the　White　Tower　going　this　far；　but　if　ever　there　was　a　target　you　might　twist　yourselves　into　a　knot　for；　it's　the　Black　Tower。〃　Arathelle　shivered　slightly；　and　Egwene　did　not　think　it　was　the　cold。　〃A　battle　between　Aes　Sedai　might　ruin　the　land　for　miles　around。　That　battle　might　ruin　half　of　Andor。〃
　　　　　　　Pelivar　sprang　to　his　feet。　〃The　plain　of　it　is；　you　must　go　another　way。〃　His　voice　was　surprisingly　high；　but　no　less　firm　than　Arathelle's。　〃If　I　must　die　to　defend　my　lands　and　my　people；　then　better　here　than　where　my　lands　and　people　die；　too。〃
　　　　　　　He　subsided　at　Arathelle's　soothing　gesture；　sinking　back　into　his　chair。　Hard…eyed；　he　did　not　look　mollified。　Aemlyn；　a　plump　woman　wrapped　in　dark　wool；　nodded　agreement　with　him；　as　did　her　square…faced　husband。
　　　　　　　Donel　stared　at　Pelivar　as　though　he　had　never　had　this　thought　either；　and　he　was　not　the　only　one。　Some　of　the　standing　Murandians　began　to　argue　out　loud　until　others　quieted　them。　Sometimes　with　a　shaken　fist。　Whatever　had　possessed　these　people　to　join　forces　with　the　Andorans？
　　　　　　　Egwene　drew　breath。　A　rosebud；　opening　to　the　sun。　They　had　not　acknowledged　her　as　the　Amyrlin　Seat　…　Arathelle　had　e　as　close　to　ignoring　her　as　was　possible　without　pushing　her　aside！　…　yet　they　had　given　her　everything　else　she　could　have　wished　for。　Calm。　Now　was　when　Lelaine　and　Romanda　would　be　expecting　her　to　name　one　of　them　to　handle　the　negotiations。　She　hoped　their　stomachs　were　tied　in　knots　with　wondering　which　of　them　it　would　be。　There　would　be　no　negotiations。　There　could　be　none。
　　　　　　　〃Elaida；〃　she　said　levelly；　eyeing　Arathelle　and　the　seated　nobles　in　turn；　〃is　a　usurper　who　has　violated　what　lies　at　the　very　heart　of　the　White　Tower。　I　am　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃　She　was　surprised　at　how　stately　she　managed　to　sound；　how　cool。　But　not　as　surprised　as　she　once　would　have　been。　The　Light　help　her；　she　was　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　〃We　go　to　Tar　Valon　to　remove　Elaida　and　try　her；　but　that　is　the　White　Tower's　business；　and　none　of　yours　except　to　know　the　truth。　This　so…called　Black　Tower　also　is　our　business；　men　who　can　channel　have　always　been　the　White　Tower's　affair。　We　will　deal　with　them　as　we　choose；　when　the　time　is　ripe；　but　I　assure　you；　that　time　is　not　now。　More　important　matters　must　take　precedence。〃
　　　　　　　She　heard　movement　among　the　Sitters　behind　her。　An　actual　shifting　on　benches　and　the　crisp　swishing　of　divided　skirts　being　adjusted。　At　least　some　must　be　severely　agitated。　Well；　several　had　suggested　that　the　Black　Tower　might　be　dealt　with　in　passing。　Not　one　believed　there　could　be　more　than　a　dozen　or　so　men　there　at　most；　no　matter　what　they　heard；　after　all；　it　simply　was　not　possible　that　hundreds　of　men　would　want　to　channel。　Then　again；　it　might　have　been　the　realization　that　Egwene　was　not　going　to　name　either　Romanda　or　Lelaine。
　　　　　　　Arathelle　frowned；　perhaps　catching　a　hint　of　something　in　the　air。　Pelivar　moved；　on　the　point　of　rising　again；　and　Donel　drew　himself　up　querulously。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　press　on。　There　never　had　been。
　　　　　　　〃I　understand　your　concerns；〃　she　continued　in　the　same　formal　tone；　〃and　I　will　address　them。〃　What　was　that　strange　call　to　arms　the　Band　used？　Yes。　It　was　time　to　toss　the　dice。　〃I　give　you　this　assurance　as　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　For　one　month　we　will　stay　here；　resting；　and　then　we　will　leave　Murandy；　but　we　will　not　cross　the　border　into　Andor。　Murandy　will　be　troubled　by　us　no　more　after　that；　and　Andor　will　not　be　troubled　at　all。　I'm　certain；〃　she　added；　〃the　Murandian　lords　and　ladies　here　will　be　happy　to　supply　our　wants　in　exchange　for　good　silver。　We　will　pay　fair　prices。〃　There　was　no　point　mollifying　the　Andorans　if　it　meant　Murandians　raiding　the　horses　and　supply　trains。
　　　　　　　The　Murandians；　looking　around　uneasily；　appeared　decidedly　torn　in　any　case。　There　was　coin　to　be　made；　and　a　great　deal　of　it　supplying　an　army　so　large；　but　on　the　other　hand；　who　could　haggle　successfully　with　whatever　an　army　so　large　offered？　Donel　actually　seemed　ready　to　sick　up；　while　Cian　seemed　to　be　doing　sums　in　her　head。　Mutters　rose　among　the　onlookers。　More　than　mutters；　nearly　loud　enough　for　Egwene。
　　　　　　　She　wanted　to　look　over　her　shoulder。　The　silence　from　the　Sitters　was　deafening。　Siuan　was　staring　straight　ahead　and　gripping　her　skirts　as　if　to　keep　herself　looking　forward　by　main　force。　At　least　she　had　known　what　was　ing。　Sheriam；　who　had　not；　eyed　the　Andorans　and　Murandians　regally；　calmly；　as　though　she　had　expected　every　word。
　　　　　　　Egwene　needed　to　make　them　forget　the　girl　they　saw　before　them；　and　hear　a　woman　with　the　reins　of　power　firmly　in　hand。　If　they　were　not　in　her　hands　now；　they　would　be！　She　firmed　her　voice。　〃Mark　me　well。　I　have　made　my　decision；　it　is　for　you　to　accept　it。　Or　face　what　surely　will　e　from　your　failure。〃　As　she　fell　silent；　the　wind　gusted　to　a　brief　howl；　rattling　the　canopy；　tugging　at　garments。　Egwene　straightened　her　hair　calmly。　Some　of　the　watching　nobles　shivered　and　twitched　their　cloaks　around　them；　and　she　hoped　their　shivers　came　from　more　than　the　weather。
　　　　　　　Arathelle　exchanged　looks　with　Pelivar　and　Aemlyn；　and　all　three　studied　the　Sitters　before　slowly　nodding。　They　believed　she　was　merely　mouthing　words　the　Sitters　had　put　on　her　tongue！　Even　so；　Egwene　very　nearly　sighed　with　relief。
　　　　　　　〃It　will　be　as　you　say；〃　the　hard…eyed　noblewoman　said。　Again；　to　the　Sitters。　〃We　do　not　doubt　the　word　of　Aes　Sedai；　of　course；　but　you　will　understand　if　we　also　remain。　Sometimes；　what　you　hear　isn't　what　you　think　you　heard。　Not　that　that's　the　case　here；　I'm　sure。　But　we　will　stay　while　you　do。〃　Donel　truly　looked　ready　to　empty　himself。　Very　likely　his　lands　lay　nearby。　Andoran　armies　in　Murandy　had　seldom　been　known　to　pay　for　anything。
　　　　　　　Egwene　stood；　and　she　could　hear　the　rustle　of　the　Sitters　rising　behind　her。　〃It　is　agreed；　then。　We　must　all　depart　soon；　if　we　are　to　return　to　our　own　beds　before　dark；　but　we　should　spare　a　few　moments。　Getting　to　know　one　another　a　little　better　now　might　avoid　misunderstandings　later。〃　And　talk　might　give　her　a　chance　to　reach　Talmanes。　〃Oh。　One　other　thing　you　should　all　be　aware　of。　The　novice　book　is　now　open　to　any　woman；　whatever　her　age；　if　she　tests　true。〃　Arathelle　blinked。　Siuan　did　not；　yet　Egwene　thought　she　heard　a　faint　grunt。　This　was　not　part　of　what　they　had　discussed；　but　there　would　never　be　a　better　time。　〃e。　I'm　sure　you　would　all　like　to　speak　with　the　Sitters。　Let　formality　go。〃
　　　　　　　Without　waiting　for　Sheriam　to　offer　a　hand；　she　stepped　down。　She　almost　felt　like　laughing。　Last　night　she　had　been　afraid　she　might　never　reach　her　goal；　but　she　was　halfway　there；　almost　halfway；　and　it　had　not　been　nearly　as　difficult　as　she　had　feared。　Of　course；　the　other　half　remained。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　18　
（Dice）　
A　Peculiar　Calling　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　after　Egwene　descended；　no　one　else　moved。　And　then　the　Andorans　and　Murandians　headed　for　the　Sitters；　almost　as　one。　Apparently；　a　girl　Amyrlin　…　a　girl　puppet　and　figurehead！　…　held　no　interest；　not　with　ageless　faces　in　front　of　them　that　at　least　said　they　actually　were　speaking　to　Aes　Sedai。　Two　or　three　lords　and　ladies　clustered　around　each　Sitter；　some　thrusting　their　chins　demandingly；　others　diffide