rj.thepathofdaggers-第77部分

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；　he　must　have　seemed　as　casual　as　before　…　but　his　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper。　〃I　have　had　approaches　from　King　Roedran　about　the　Band。　It　seems　he　has　hopes　of　being　Murandy's　first　real　king。　He　wants　to　hire　us。　I　would　not　have　considered　it；　normally；　but　there　is　never　enough　coin；　and　with　this。。。　this　feel　of　Mat　needing　us。。。　It　might　be　better　if　we　remain　in　Murandy。　Clear　as　good　glass；　you　are　where　you　want　to　be　and　have　everything　in　hand。〃
　　　　　　　He　fell　silent　as　a　young　serving　woman　curtsied　to　offer　mulled　wine。　She　wore　finely　embroidered　green　wool　and　a　cloak　plush　with　spotted　rabbit。　Other　servants　from　the　camp　were　helping　out　now；　as　well；　no　doubt　for　something　to　do　besides　stand　and　shiver。　The　young　woman's　round　face　was　decidedly　pinched　from　the　cold。
　　　　　　　Talmanes　waved　her　off　and　pulled　his　cloak　back　around　him；　but　Egwene　took　a　silver　cup　to　gain　a　moment　for　thought。　Truly　there　was　little　need　for　the　Band　any　longer。　Despite　all　the　muttering；　the　sisters　took　their　presence　as　a　matter　of　course　now；　Dragonsworn　or　not；　they　no　longer　feared　an　attack；　and　there　had　been　no　real　need　to　use　the　Band's　presence　to　prod　them　into　moving　since　leaving　Salidar。　The　only　true　purpose　Shen　an　Calhar　served　now　was　to　draw　recruits　into　Bryne's　army；　men　who　thought　two　armies　meant　a　battle　and　wanted　to　be　on　the　side　with　the　greatest　numbers。　She　had　no　need　of　them；　but　Talmanes　had　acted　as　a　friend。　And　she　was　Amyrlin。　Sometimes　friendship　and　responsibility　pushed　in　the　same　direction。
　　　　　　　As　the　serving　woman　moved　off；　Egwene　laid　a　hand　on　Talmanes'　arm。　〃You　must　not　do　that。　Even　the　Band　can't　conquer　all　of　Murandy　by　itself；　and　every　hand　will　be　against　you。　You　know　very　well　the　one　thing　that　makes　Murandians　stand　together　is　foreigners　on　their　soil。　Follow　us　to　Tar　Valon；　Talmanes。　Mat　will　e　there；　I　have　no　doubt　of　that。〃　Mat　would　not　really　believe　she　was　the　Amyrlin　until　he　saw　her　wearing　the　stole　in　the　White　Tower。
　　　　　　　〃Roedran　is　no　fool；〃　he　said　placidly。　〃All　he　wants　us　to　do　is　sit　and　wait；　a　foreign　army　…　without　Aes　Sedai　…　and　nobody　knowing　what　it　is　up　to。　He　should　not　have　much　trouble　uniting　the　nobles　against　us。　Then；　so　he　says；　we　quietly　slip　across　the　border。　He　thinks　he　can　hold　on　to　them　afterward。〃
　　　　　　　She　could　not　stop　a　touch　of　heat　entering　her　voice。　〃And　what　is　to　stop　him　betraying　you？　If　the　threat　goes　away　without　a　fight；　his　dream　of　a　united　Murandy　might；　too。〃　The　fool　man　seemed　amused！
　　　　　　　〃I　am　not　a　fool　either。　Roedran　cannot　be　ready　before　spring。　This　lot　would　never　have　stirred　from　their　manors　if　the　Andorans　had　not　e　south；　and　they　were　on　the　march　before　the　snows　began。　Before　then；　Mat　will　find　us。　If　he　is　ing　north；　he　must　hear　of　us。　Roedran　will　have　to　be　satisfied　with　whatever　he　has　managed　by　then。　So　if　Mat　does　intend　to　go　to　Tar　Valon；　I　may　see　you　there　yet。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　made　a　vexed　sound。　It　was　a　remarkable　plan；　the　sort　of　thing　Siuan　might　devise；　and　hardly　a　scheme　she　thought　Roedran　Almaric　do　Arreloa　a'Naloy　could　carry　off。　The　fellow　was　said　to　be　so　dissolute　he　made　Mat　look　wholesome。　But　then；　it　was　hardly　a　scheme　she　would　have　believed　Roedran　could　think　up。　The　only　certainty　was　that　Talmanes　had　made　up　his　mind。
　　　　　　　〃I　want　your　word；　Talmanes；　that　you　won't　let　Roedran　pull　you　into　a　war。〃　Responsibility。　The　narrow　stole　around　her　neck　seemed　to　weigh　ten　times　more　than　her　cloak。　〃If　he　moves　sooner　than　you　think；　you　will　leave　whether　or　not　Mat　has　joined　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　wish　I　could　promise；　but　it　is　not　possible；〃　he　protested。　〃I　expect　the　first　raid　against　my　foragers　three　days　at　most　after　I　start　moving　away　from　Lord　Bryne's　army。　Every　lordling　and　farmer　will　think　he　can　pick　up　a　few　horses　in　the　night；　give　me　a　pinprick；　and　run　off　to　hide。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　talking　about　defending　yourself；　and　you　know　it；〃　she　said　firmly。　〃Your　word；　Talmanes。　Or　I　will　not　allow　your　agreement　with　Roedran。〃　The　only　way　to　stop　it　was　to　betray　it；　but　she　would　not　leave　a　war　in　her　wake；　a　war　she　had　started　by　bringing　Talmanes　here。
　　　　　　　Staring　at　her　as　if　for　the　first　time；　he　finally　bent　his　head。　Strangely；　that　seemed　more　formal　than　his　bow　had。　〃It　will　be　as　you　say；　Mother。　Tell　me；　are　you　sure　you　are　not　ta'veren；　too？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　the　Amyrlin　Seat；〃　she　replied。　〃That　is　quite　enough　for　anyone。〃　She　touched　his　arm　again。　〃The　Light　shine　on　you；　Talmanes。〃　His　smile　nearly　touched　his　eyes　this　time。
　　　　　　　Inevitably；　despite　their　whispers；　their　talk　had　been　noticed。　Maybe　because　of　their　whispers。　The　girl　who　claimed　to　be　Amyrlin；　a　rebel　against　the　White　Tower；　in　conversation　with　the　leader　of　ten　thousand　Dragonsworn。　Had　she　made　Talmanes'　scheme　with　Roedran　harder；　or　easier？　Was　war　in　Murandy　less　likely；　or　more？　Siuan　and　her　bloody　Law　of　Unintended　Consequences！　Fifty　gazes　followed　her；　then　darted　away；　as　she　moved　through　the　crowd　warming　her　fingers　on　her　cup。　Well；　most　darted　away。　The　Sitters'　faces　were　all　ageless　Aes　Sedai　serenity；　but　Lelaine　might　have　been　a　brown…eyed　crow　watching　a　fish　struggle　in　the　shallows；　while　Romanda's　slightly　darker　eyes　could　have　drilled　holes　through　iron。
　　　　　　　Trying　to　keep　a　watch　on　the　sun　outside；　she　made　a　slow　circuit　through　the　pavilion。　The　nobles　were　still　importuning　Sitters；　but　they　moved　from　one　to　another　as　if　seeking　better　answers；　and　she　began　to　notice　small　things。　Donel　paused　on　his　way　from　Janya　to　Moria；　bowing　low　to　Aemlyn；　who　acknowledged　him　with　a　gracious　nod。　Cian；　turning　away　from　Takima；　curtsied　deeply　to　Pelivar　and　received　a　slight　bow　in　return。　There　were　others；　always　a　Murandian　deferring　to　an　Andoran　who　responded　just　as　formally。　The　Andorans　tried　to　ignore　Bryne　except　for　the　odd　scowl；　but　any　number　of　Murandians　sought　him　out；　one　by　one　and　well　away　from　everyone　else；　and　from　the　directions　their　eyes　went；　it　was　plain　they　were　discussing　Pelivar；　or　Arathelle；　or　Aemlyn。　Perhaps　Talmanes　had　been　right。
　　　　　　　She　received　bows　and　curtsies；　too；　though　none　so　deep　as　those　given　Arathelle　and　Pelivar　and　Aemlyn；　much　less　the　Sitters。　Half　a　dozen　women　told　her　how　thankful　they　were　that　matters　had　been　resolved　peacefully；　though　in　truth；　almost　as　many　made　nonmittal　noises　or　shrugged　uneasily　when　she　expressed　the　same　sentiment；　as　though　they　were　uncertain　it　all　would　end　peacefully。　Her　assurances　that　it　would　were　met　with　a　fervent　〃The　Light　send　it　so！〃　or　a　resigned　〃If　the　Light　wills。〃　Four　called　her　Mother；　one　without　hesitating　first。　Three　others　said　that　she　was　quite　lovely；　that　she　had　beautiful　eyes；　and　that　she　had　a　graceful　carriage；　in　that　order；　suitable　pliments　perhaps　for　Egwene's　age　but　not　her　station。
　　　　　　　At　least　she　found　one　unalloyed　pleasure。　Segan　was　not　alone　in　being　intrigued　by　her　announcement　concerning　the　novice　book。　Plainly　that　was　why　most　of　the　women　spoke　to　her　in　the　first　place。　After　all；　the　other　sisters　might　be　in　rebellion　against　the　Tower；　but　she　claimed　to　be　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　Their　interest　had　to　be　strong　to　overe　that；　though　no　one　wanted　to　let　it　show。　Arathelle　made　the　inquiry　with　a　frown　that　put　more　creases　in　her　cheeks。　Aemlyn　shook　her　graying　head　at　the　answer。　Blocky　Cian　asked；　followed　by　a　sharp…faced　Andoran　lady　named　Negara；　then　a　pretty；　big…eyed　Murandian　called　Jennet；　and　others。　None　wanted　to　know　for　herself　…　several　made　that　clear　quickly；　especially　the　younger　women　…　but　before　long；　every　single　noblewoman　there　had　asked；　and　several　servants　as　well；　under　cover　of　offering　more　spiced　wine。　One；　a　wiry　woman　named　Nildra；　had　e　from　the　Aes　Sedai　camp。
　　　　　　　Egwene　felt　quite　pleased　with　the　seed　she　had　planted　there。　She　was　not　so　pleased　with　the　men。　A　few　spoke　to　her；　but　only　when　they　came　face…to…face　and　seemed　to　have　no　other　choice。　A　murmured　word　about　the　weather；　either　praising　the　end　of　the　drought　or　deploring　the　sudden　snows；　a　muttered　hope　that　the　bandit　problem　would　end　soon；　perhaps　with　a　significant　look　toward　Talmanes；　and　they　slipped　away　like　greased　pigs。　A　bear　of　an　Andoran　by　the　name　of　Macharan　tripped　over　his　own　boots　to　avoid　her。　In　a　way；　it　was　hardly　surprising。　The　women　had　the　justification；　if　only　to　themselves；　of　the　novice　book；　but　the　men　had　only　the　thought　that　being　seen　conversing　with　her　might　tar　them　with　the　same　brush。
　　　　　　　It　was　really　quite　discouraging。　She　did　not　care　what　the　men　thought　about　novices；　but　she　very　much　wanted　to　know　if　they　were　as　fearful　as　the　women　that　this　would　e　to　blows　in　the　end。　Fears　like　that　could　fulfill　themselves　very　easily。　At　last；　she　decided　there　was　only　one　way　to　find　out。
　　　　　　　Pelivar　turned　from　taking　a　fresh　cup　of　wine　from　a　tray　and　started　back；　with　a　muffled　oath；　to　keep　from　bumping　into　her；　had　she　stood　any　closer；　she　would　have　had　to　stand　on　his　boots。　Hot　wine　splashed　over　his　gloved　hand　and　ran　down　under　his　coatsleeve；　producing　a　curse　not　so　muted。　Tall　enough　to　loom　over　her；　he　made　a　good　job　of　it。　His　scowl　belonged　on　a　man　wanting　to　send　an　annoying　young　woman　briskly　out　of　his　way。　Or　on　a　man　who　had　nearly　stepped　on　a　red　adder。　She　held　herself　erect　and　focused　on　an　image　of　him　as　a　small　boy　up　to　no　good；　that　always　helped；　most　men　seemed　to　feel　it。　He　muttered　something　…　it　might　have　been　a　polite　greeting；　or　another　oath　…　and　dipped　his　head　slightly；　then　tried　to　step　around　her。　She　side…stepped　to　stay　in　front　of　him。　He　moved　back；　and　she　followed。　He　began　to　look　hunted。　She　decided　to　try　putting　him　at　ease　before　pressing　the　important　question。　She　wanted　answers；　not　more　mumbling。
　　　　　　　〃You　must　be　pleased　to　hear　that　the　Daughter…Heir　is　on　her　way　to　Caemlyn；　Lord　Pelivar。〃　She　had　heard　several　of　the　Sitters　mention　that。
　　　　　　　His　face　went　blank。　〃Elayne　Trakand　has　a　right　to　put　in　her　claim　to　the　Lion　Throne；〃　he　replied　in　a　flat　voice。
　　　　　　　Egwene's　eyes　widened；　and　he　stepped　back