rj.thegreathunt-第115部分

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　　　　　　　〃The　Black　Ajah。〃　Egwene　shivered。　〃There　was　no　mistaking　what　she　said　about　that；　the　Light　help　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　mistaking；〃　Nynaeve　said。　〃And　she's　forestalled　us　asking　anyone　for　advice；　because　after　that；　who　can　we　trust？　The　Light　help　us　indeed。〃
　　　　　　　Min　and　Elayne　came　bustling　in；　slamming　the　door　behind　them。　〃Are　you　really　going？〃　Min　asked；　and　Elayne　gestured　toward　the　tiny　hole　in　the　wall　above　Egwene's　bed；　saying；　〃We　listened　from　my　room。　We　heard　everything。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　exchanged　glances　with　Nynaeve；　wondering　how　much　they　had　overheard；　and　saw　the　same　concern　on　Nynaeve's　face。　If　they　manage　to　cipher　out　about　Rand　。。。
　　　　　　　〃You　have　to　keep　this　to　yourselves；〃　Nynaeve　cautioned　them。　〃I　suppose　Liandrin　has　arranged　permission　from　Sheriam　for　us　to　go；　but　even　if　she　hasn't；　even　if　they　start　searching　the　Tower　from　top　to　bottom　for　us　tomorrow；　you　mustn't　say　a　word。〃
　　　　　　　〃Keep　it　to　myself？〃　Min　said。　〃No　fear　on　that。　I'm　going　with　you。　All　I　do　all　day　is　try　to　explain　to　one　Brown　sister　or　another　something　I　don't　understand　myself。　I　can't　even　go　for　a　walk　without　the　Amyrlin　herself　popping　out　and　asking　me　to　read　whoever　we　see。　When　that　woman　asks　you　to　do　something；　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　way　out　of　it。　I　must　have　read　half　the　White　Tower　for　her；　but　she　always　wants　another　demonstration。　All　I　needed　was　an　excuse　to　leave；　and　this　is　it。〃　Her　face　wore　a　look　of　determination　that　allowed　no　argument。
　　　　　　　Egwene　wondered　why　Min　was　so　determined　to　go　with　them　rather　than　simply　leaving　on　her　own；　but　before　she　had　time　to　do　more　than　wonder；　Elayne　said；　〃I　am　going；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃Elayne；〃　Nynaeve　said　gently；　〃Egwene　and　I　are　the　boys'　kith　from　Emond's　Field。　You　are　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor。　If　you　disappear　from　the　White　Tower；　why；　it　…　it　could　start　a　war。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mother　wouldn't　start　a　war　with　Tar　Valon　if　they　dried　and　salted　me；　which　they　may　be　trying　to　do。　If　you　three　can　go　off　and　have　an　adventure；　you　needn't　think　I　am　going　to　stay　here　and　wash　dishes；　and　scrub　floors；　and　have　some　Accepted　berating　me　because　I　didn't　make　the　fire　the　exact　shade　of　blue　she　wanted。　Gawyn　will　die　from　envy　when　he　finds　out。〃　Elayne　grinned　and　reached　over　to　tug　playfully　at　Egwene's　hair。　〃Besides；　if　you　leave　Rand　lying　about　loose；　I　might　have　a　chance　to　pick　him　up。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　think　either　of　us　is　going　to　have　him；〃　Egwene　said　sadly。
　　　　　　　〃Then　we'll　find　whoever　he　does　choose　and　make　her　life　miserable。　But　he　couldn't　be　fool　enough　to　choose　someone　else　when　he　could　have　one　of　us。　Oh；　please　smile；　Egwene。　I　know　he's　yours。　I　just　feel〃　…　she　hesitated；　searching　for　the　word　…　〃free。　I've　never　had　an　adventure。　I'll　bet　we　won't　either　of　us　cry　ourselves　to　sleep　on　an　adventure。　And　if　we　do；　we　will　make　sure　the　gleemen　leave　that　part　out。〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　foolishness；〃　Nynaeve　said。　〃We　are　going　to　Toman　Head。　You've　heard　the　news；　and　the　rumors。　It　will　be　dangerous。　You　must　stay　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　heard　what　Liandrin　Sedai　said　about　the　…　the　Black　Ajah；　too。〃　Elayne's　voice　dropped　almost　to　a　whisper　at　that　name。　〃How　safe　will　I　be　here；　if　they　are　here？　If　Mother　even　suspected　the　Black　Ajah　really　existed；　she　would　pitch　me　into　the　middle　of　a　battle　to　get　me　away　from　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃But；　Elayne…
　　　　　　　〃There　is　only　one　way　for　you　to　stop　me　ing。　That　is　to　tell　the　Mistress　of　Novices。　We　will　make　a　pretty　picture；　all　three　of　us　lined　up　in　her　study。　All　four　of　us。　I　don't　think　Min　would　escape　from　something　like　this。　So　since　you　are　not　going　to　tell　Sheriam　Sedai；　I　am　ing；　too。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　threw　up　her　hands。　〃Perhaps　you　can　say　something　to　convince　her；〃　she　told　Min。
　　　　　　　Min　had　been　leaning　against　the　door；　squinting　at　Elayne；　and　now　she　shook　her　head。　〃I　think　she　has　to　e　as　much　as　the　rest　of　you。　The　rest　of　us。　I　can　see　the　danger　around　all　of　you　more　clearly；　now。　Not　clearly　enough　to　make　it　out；　but　I　think　it　has　something　to　do　with　you　deciding　to　go。　That's　why　it　is　clearer；　because　it　is　more　certain。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　no　reason　for　her　to　e；〃　Nynaeve　said；　but　Min　shook　her　head　again。
　　　　　　　〃She　is　linked　to　…　to　those　boys　as　much　as　you；　or　Egwene；　or　me。　She's　part　of　it；　Nynaeve；　whatever　it　is。　Part　of　the　Pattern；　I　suppose　an　Aes　Sedai　would　say。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　seemed　taken　aback；　and　interested；　too。　〃I　am？　What　part；　Min？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can't　see　it　clearly。〃　Min　looked　at　the　floor。　〃Sometimes　I　wish　I　couldn't　read　people　at　all。　Most　people　aren't　satisfied　with　what　I　see　anyway。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　we　are　all　going；〃　Nynaeve　said；　〃then　we　had　best　be　about　making　plans。〃　However　much　she　might　argue　beforehand；　once　a　course　of　action　had　been　decided；　Nynaeve　always　went　right　to　the　practicalities：　what　they　had　to　take　with　them；　and　how　cold　it　would　be　by　the　time　they　reached　Toman　Head；　and　how　they　could　get　their　horses　from　the　stables　without　being　stopped。
　　　　　　　Listening　to　her；　Egwene　could　not　help　wondering　what　the　danger　was　that　Min　saw　for　them；　and　what　danger　threatened　Rand。　She　knew　of　only　one　danger　that　could　threaten　him；　and　it　made　her　cold　to　think　of　it。　Hold　on；　Rand。　Hold　on；　you　wool…headed　idiot。　I'll　help　you　somehow。
　　　　　　　　
Chapter　39
（Leaf）
Flight　From　the　White　Tower

　　　　　　　Egwene　and　Elayne　inclined　their　heads　briefly　to　each　group　of　women　they　passed　as　they　made　their　way　through　the　Tower。　It　was　a　good　thing；　there　were　so　many　women　from　outside　in　the　Tower　today；　Egwene　thought；　too　many　for　each　to　have　an　Aes　Sedai　or　an　Accepted　for　escort。　Alone　or　in　small　groups；　garbed　richly　or　poorly；　in　dress　from　half　a　dozen　different　lands；　some　still　dusty　from　their　journey　to　Tar　Valon；　they　kept　to　themselves　and　waited　their　turn　to　ask　their　questions　of　the　Aes　Sedai；　or　present　their　petitions。　Some　women　…　ladies　or　merchants　or　merchants'　wives　…　had　female　servants　with　them。　Even　a　few　men　had　e　with　petitions；　standing　by　themselves；　looking　unsure　about　being　in　the　White　Tower；　and　eyeing　everyone　else　uneasily。
　　　　　　　In　the　lead；　Nynaeve　kept　her　eyes　purposefully　ahead；　her　cloak　swirling　behind　her；　walking　as　if　she　knew　where　they　were　going　…　which　she　did；　as　long　as　no　one　stopped　them　…　and　had　a　perfect　right　to　go　there　…　which　was　a　different　matter　altogether；　of　course。　Dressed　now　in　the　clothes　they　had　brought　to　Tar　Valon；　they　certainly　did　not　look　like　residents　of　the　Tower。　Each　had　chosen　her　best　dress　that　had　a　skirt　divided　for　riding；　and　cloaks　of　fine　wool　rich　with　embroidery。　As　long　as　they　kept　away　from　all　who　might　recognize　them　…　they　had　already　dodged　several　who　knew　their　faces　…　Egwene　thought　they　might　make　it。
　　　　　　　〃This　would　do　better　for　a　turn　in　some　lord's　park　than　a　ride　to　Toman　Head；〃　Nynaeve　had　said　dryly　as　Egwene　helped　her　with　the　buttons　of　a　gray　silk　with　thread…of…gold　work　and　pearled　flowers　across　the　bosom　and　down　the　sleeves；　〃but　it　may　allow　us　to　leave　unnoticed。〃
　　　　　　　Now　Egwene　shifted　her　cloak　and　smoothed　her　own　gold…embroidered；　green　silk　dress　and　glanced　at　Elayne；　in　blue　slashed　with　cream；　hoping　Nynaeve　had　been　right。　So　far；　everyone　had　taken　them　for　petitioners；　nobles；　or　at　least　women　of　wealth；　but　it　seemed　that　they　should　stand　out。　She　was　surprised　to　realize　why；　she　felt　unfortable　in　the　fine　dress　after　wearing　a　novice's　plain　white　for　the　past　few　months。
　　　　　　　A　little　cluster　of　village　women　in　stout；　dark　woolens　dropped　curtsies　as　they　passed。　Egwene　glanced　back　at　Min　as　soon　as　they　were　beyond。　Min　had　kept　her　breeches　and　baggy　man's　shirt　under　a　boy's　brown　cloak　and　coat；　with　an　old；　wide…brimmed　hat　pulled　down　over　her　short　hair。　〃One　of　us　has　to　be　the　servant；〃　she　had　said；　laughing。　〃Women　dressed　the　way　you　are　always　have　at　least　one。　You'll　wish　you　had　my　breeches　if　we　have　to　run。〃　She　was　burdened　with　four　sets　of　saddlebags　bulging　with　warm　clothes；　for　it　would　surely　be　winter　before　they　returned。　There　were　also　packets　of　food　pilfered　from　the　kitchens；　enough　to　last　until　they　could　buy　more。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure　I　can't　carry　some　of　those；　Min？〃　Egwene　asked　softly。
　　　　　　　〃They're　just　awkward；〃　Min　said　with　a　grin；　〃not　heavy。〃　She　seemed　to　think　it　was　all　a　game；　or　else　was　pretending　to　think　so。　〃And　people　would　be　sure　to　wonder　why　a　fine　lady　such　as　yourself　was　carrying　her　own　saddlebags。　You　can　carry　yours　…　and　mine；　too；　if　you　want　…　once　we　…　〃　Her　grin　vanished；　and　she　whispered　fiercely；　〃Aes　Sedai！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　whipped　her　eyes　forward。　An　Aes　Sedai　with　long；　smooth　black　hair　and　aged…ivory　skin　was　ing　toward　them　down　the　corridor；　listening　to　a　woman　wearing　rough　farm　clothes　and　a　patched　cloak。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　not　seen　them　yet；　but　Egwene　recognized　her；　Takima；　of　the　Brown　Ajah；　who　taught　the　history　of　the　White　Tower　and　Aes　Sedai；　and　who　could　recognize　one　of　her　pupils　at　a　hundred　paces。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　turned　down　a　side　hall　without　breaking　stride；　but　there　one　of　the　Accepted；　a　lanky　woman　with　a　permanent　frown；　hurried　past　them　hauling　a　red…faced　novice　by　the　ear。
　　　　　　　Egwene　had　to　swallow　before　she　could　speak。　〃That　was　Irella；　and　Else。　Did　they　notice　us？〃　She　could　not　make　herself　look　back　to　see。
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Min　said　after　a　moment。　〃All　they　saw　was　our　clothes。〃　Egwene　let　out　a　long；　relieved　breath；　and　heard　one　from　Nynaeve；　too。
　　　　　　　〃My　heart　may　burst　before　we　reach　the　stables；〃　Elayne　murmured。　〃Is　this　what　an　adventure　is　like　all　the　time；　Egwene？　Your　heart　in　your　mouth；　and　your　stomach　in　your　feet？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　it　is；〃　Egwene　said　slowly。　She　found　it　hard　to　think　that　there　had　been　a　time　when　she　had　been　eager　to　have　an　adventure；　to　do　something　dangerous　and　exciting　like　the　people　in　stories。　Now　she　thought　the　exciting　part　was　what　you　remembered　when　you　looked　back；　and　the　stories　left　out　a　good　deal　of　unpleasantness。　She　told　Elayne　as　much。
　　　　　　　〃Still；〃　the　Daughter…Heir　said　firmly；　〃I　have　never　had　any　real　excitement　before；