rj.theshadowrising-第159部分

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toughs　would　not　tangle　with　near　their　own　number；　nor　face　swords　with　their　fists。　Whoever　they　were　after　would　have　no　more　than　two　or　three　men　for　pany　if　that；　and　none　armed。　That　seemed　to　include　all　the　other　women　in　her　view；　whether　in　rags　of　drab　country　dresses　or　the　more　clinging　styles　Taraboner　women　favored。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　two　of　those　women；　talking　together　as　they　rounded　a　far　bend；　seized　Egeanin's　eye。　With　their　hair　in　slender　braids　and　transparent　veils　across　their　faces；　they　appeared　to　be　Taraboners；　but　they　were　out　of　place　here。　Those　thin；　scandalously　draped　dresses；　one　green；　the　other　blue；　were　silk；　not　linen　or　finespun　wool。　Women　clothed　like　that　rode　in　sedan　chairs；　they　did　not　walk；　especially　not　here。　And　they　did　not　carry　barrel　staves　on　their　shoulders　like　clubs。
　　　　　　　Dismissing　the　one　with　red…gold　hair；　she　studied　the　other。　Her　dark　braids　were　unusually　long；　nearly　to　her　waist。　At　this　distance；　the　woman　looked　very　much　like　a　sul'dam　named　Surine。　Not　Surine；　though。　This　woman　would　have　e　no　higher　than　Surine's　chin。
　　　　　　　Muttering　under　her　breath；　Egeanin　jumped　down　and　began　pushing　through　the　jostling　mass　between　her　and　Gelb。　With　luck　she　could　reach　him　in　time　to　call　him　off。　The　fool。　The　greedy；　weasel…brained　fool！
　
　　　　　　　〃We　should　have　hired　chairs；　Nynaeve；〃　Elayne　said　again；　wondering　for　the　hundredth　time　how　Taraboner　women　talked　without　catching　the　veils　in　their　mouths。　Spitting　it　out；　she　added；　〃We　are　going　to　have　to　use　these　things。〃
　　　　　　　A　weedy…faced　fellow　stopped　drifting　toward　them　through　the　crowd　when　Nynaeve　hefted　her　barrel　stave　threateningly。　〃That　is　what　they　are　for。〃　Her　glare　might　have　encouraged　the　man's　loss　of　interest。　She　fumbled　at　the　dark　braids　hanging　over　her　shoulders　and　made　a　disgusted　sound；　Elayne　did　not　know　when　she　would　bee　used　to　not　having　that　one　thick　braid　to　tug。　〃And　feet　are　for　walking。　How　could　we　look　or　ask　questions　being　carried　around　like　pigs　to　sale？　I　would　feel　a　plete　fool　in　one　of　those　idiot　chairs。　In　any　case；　I'd　rather　trust　to　my　own　wits　than　men　I　do　not　know。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　was　sure　Bayle　Domon　could　have　provided　trustworthy　men。　The　Sea　Folk　certainly　would　have；　she　wished　Wavedancer　had　not　sailed；　but　the　Sailmistress　and　her　sister　had　been　eager　to　spread　word　of　the　Coramoor　to　Dantora　and　Cantorin。　Twenty　bodyguards　would　have　suited　her　very　well。
　　　　　　　She　sensed　as　much　as　felt　something　brushing　the　purse　at　her　belt；　clutching　at　the　purse　with　one　hand；　she　spun　around；　raising　her　own　stave。　The　throng　flowing　by　spread　a　little　around　her；　people　barely　glancing　her　way　as　they　elbowed　one　another；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　the　would…be　cutpurse。　At　least　she　could　still　feel　the　coins　inside：　She　had　taken　to　wearing　her　Great　Serpent　ring　and　the　twisted　stone　ter'angreal　on　a　cord　around　her　neck　in　imitation　of　Nynaeve　after　the　first　time　she　had　nearly　lost　a　purse。　In　their　five　days　in　Tanchico　she　had　lost　three。　Twenty　guards　would　be　just　about　right。　And　a　carriage。　With　curtains　at　the　windows。
　　　　　　　Resuming　the　slow　climb　up　the　street　beside　Nynaeve；　she　said；　〃Then　we　should　not　be　wearing　these　dresses。　I　can　remember　a　time　when　you　stuffed　me　into　a　farmgirl's　dress。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　make　a　good　disguise；〃　Nynaeve　replied　curtly。　〃We　blend　in。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　gave　a　small　sniff。　As　if　plainer　dresses　would　not　have　blended　even　better。　Nynaeve　would　not　admit　she　had　e　to　enjoy　wearing　silks　and　pretty　dresses。　Elayne　simply　wished　she　had　not　taken　it　so　far。　True；　everyone　took　them　for　Taraboners　…　until　they　spoke；　at　least　…　but　even　with　a　lace…trimmed　neck　right　up　under　her　chin；　this　close…draped　green　silk　at　least　felt　more　revealing　than　anything　she　had　ever　worn　before。　Certainly　anything　she　had　ever　worn　in　public。　Nynaeve；　on　the　other　hand；　strode　along　the　cramped　street　as　if　no　one　was　looking　at　them　at　all。　Well；　maybe　no　one　was　…　not　because　of　how　their　dresses　fit；　anyway　…　but　it　surely　seemed　they　were。
　　　　　　　Their　shifts　would　have　been　almost　as　decent。　Cheeks　heating；　she　tried　to　stop　thinking　of　how　the　silk　molded　itself　to　her。　Stop　that！　It　is　perfectly　decent。　It　is！
　　　　　　　〃Didn't　this　Amys　tell　you　anything　that　might　help　us？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　told　you　what　she　said。〃　Elayne　sighed。　Nynaeve　had　kept　her　up　until　the　small　hours　talking　about　the　Aiel　Wise　One　who　had　been　with　Egwene　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　last　night；　and　then　started　in　again　before　they　sat　down　to　breakfast。　Egwene；　with　her　hair　in　two　braids　for　some　reason　and　shooting　sullen　frowns　at　the　Wise　One；　had　said　almost　nothing　beyond　that　Rand　was　well　and　Aviendha　was　looking　after　him。　White…haired　Amys　had　done　all　the　talking；　a　stern　lecture　on　the　dangers　of　the　World　of　Dreams　that　had　nearly　made　Elayne　feel　as　if　she　were　ten　again；　and　Lini；　her　old　nurse；　had　caught　her　sneaking　out　of　bed　to　steal　candies；　followed　by　cautions　about　concentration　and　controlling　what　she　thought　if　she　must　enter　Tel'aran'rhiod。　How　could　you　control　what　you　thought？　〃I　truly　did　think　Perrin　was　with　Rand　and　Mat。〃　That　had　been　the　biggest　surprise；　after　Amys's　appearance。　Egwene　apparently　had　thought　he　was　with　Nynaeve　and　her。
　　　　　　　〃He　and　that　girl　have　probably　gone　somewhere　he　can　be　a　blacksmith　in　peace；〃　Nynaeve　said；　but　Elayne　shook　her　head。
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　think　so。〃　She　had　strong　suspicions　about　Faile；　and　if　they　were　even　half　right；　Faile　would　not　settle　for　being　a　blacksmith's　wife。　She　spat　out　the　veil　once　more。　Idiotic　thing。
　　　　　　　〃Well；　wherever　he　is；〃　Nynaeve　said；　fumbling　with　her　braids　again；　〃I　hope　he　is　safe　and　well；　but　he　is　not　here；　and　he　cannot　help　us。　Did　you　even　ask　Amys　if　she　knew　any　way　to　use　Tel'aran'rhiod　to…？〃
　　　　　　　A　bulky；　balding　man　in　a　worn　brown　coat　shoved　through　the　crowd　and　tried　to　throw　thick　arms　around　her。　She　whipped　the　barrel　stave　from　her　shoulder　and　gave　him　a　crack　across　his　broad　face　that　sent　him　staggering　back；　clutching　a　nose　that　had　surely　been　broken　for　at　least　the　second　time。
　　　　　　　Elayne　was　still　gathering　breath　for　a　startled　scream　when　a　second　man；　just　as　big　and　with　a　thick　mustache；　pushed　her　aside　to　reach　for　Nynaeve。　She　forgot　about　being　afraid。　Her　jaw　tightened　furiously；　and　just　as　his　hands　touched　the　other　woman；　she　brought　her　own　stave　down　on　。top　of　his　head　with　every　bit　of　strength　she　could　muster。　The　fellow's　legs　folded；　and　he　toppled　on　his　face　in　a　most　satisfactory　fashion。
　　　　　　　The　crowd　scattered　back；　no　one　wanting　to　be　caught　up　in　someone　else's　trouble。　Certainly　no　one　offered　to　help。　And　they　needed　it；　Elayne　realized。　The　man　Nynaeve　had　hit　was　still　on　his　feet；　mouth　twisted　in　a　snarl；　licking　away　the　blood　that　ran　down　from　his　nose；　flexing　thick　hands　as　if　he　wanted　to　squeeze　a　throat。　Worse；　he　was　not　alone。　Seven　more　men　were　fanning　out　with　him　to　cut　off　any　escape；　all　but　one　as　large　as　he；　with　scarred　faces　and　hands　that　looked　as　if　they　had　been　hammered　on　stone　for　years。　A　scrawny；　narrow…cheeked　fellow；　grinning　like　a　nervous　fox；　kept　panting；　〃Don't　let　her　get　away。　She's　gold；　I　tell　you。　Gold！〃
　　　　　　　They　knew　who　she　was。　This　was　no　try　for　a　purse；　they　meant　to　dispose　of　Nynaeve　and　abduct　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor。　She　felt　Nynaeve　embracing　saidar　…　if　this　had　not　made　her　angry　enough　to　channel；　nothing　ever　would　…　and　opened　herself　to　the　True　Source　as　well。　The　One　Power　rushed　into　her；　a　sweet　flood　filling　her　from　toes　to　hair。　A　few　woven　flows　of　Air　from　either　of　them　could　deal　with　these　ruffians。
　　　　　　　But　she　did　not　channel；　and　neither　did　Nynaeve。　Together　they　could　drub　these　fellows　as　their　mothers　should　have。　Yet　they　did　not　dare；　unless　there　was　no　other　choice。
　　　　　　　If　one　of　the　Black　Ajah　was　close　enough　to　see；　they　had　already　betrayed　themselves　with　the　glow　of　saidar。　Channeling　enough　for　those　few　flows　of　Air　could　betray　them　to　a　Black　sister　on　another　street　a　hundred　paces　or　more　away；　depending　on　her　strength　and　sensitivity。　That　was　most　of　what　they　themselves　had　been　doing　the　last　five　days；　walking　through　the　city　trying　to　sense　a　woman　channeling；　hoping　the　feeling　would　draw　them　to　Liandrin　and　the　others。
　　　　　　　The　crowd　itself　had　to　be　considered；　too。　A　few　people　still　went　by　to　either　side；　brushing　tight　against　the　walls。　The　rest　milled　about；　beginning　to　find　other　ways　to　go。　Only　a　handful　acknowledged　the　two　women　in　danger　with　as　much　as　shamefully　averted　eyes。　But　if　they　saw　big　men　flung　about　by　nothing　visible。。。？
　　　　　　　Aes　Sedai　and　the　One　Power　itself　were　not　in　particularly　good　odor　in　Tanchico　at　the　moment；　not　with　old　rumors　from　Falme　still　floating　about　and　newer　tales　claiming　that　the　White　Tower　supported　the　Dragonsworn　in　the　countryside。　Those　people　might　run　if　they　saw　the　Power　wielded。　Or　they　might　turn　into　a　mob。　Even　if　she　and　Nynaeve　managed　to　avoid　being　torn　limb　from　limb　where　they　stood　…　which　she　was　not　certain　they　could　…　there　was　no　way　to　cover　it　up　after。　The　Black　Ajah　would　hear　of　Aes　Sedai　in　Tanchico　before　the　sun　set。
　　　　　　　Setting　herself　back…to…back　with　Nynaeve；　Elayne　gripped　her　stave　tightly。　She　felt　like　laughing　hysterically。　If　Nynaeve　even　mentioned　going　out　alone　again　…　walking　…　she　would　see　who　liked　having　her　head　dunked　in　a　bucket　of　water。　At　least　none　of　these　louts　looked　eager　to　be　the　first　to　have　his　head　cracked　like　the　fellow　lying　still　on　the　paving　stones。
　　　　　　　〃Go　on；〃　the　narrow…faced　man　urged；　waving　his　hands　forward。　〃Go　on！　It's　only　two　women！〃　He　made　no　move　to　rush　in　himself；　though。　〃Go　on；　I　say。　We　just　need　the　one。　She's　gold；　I　tell　you。〃
　　　　　　　Suddenly　there　was　a　loud　thunk；　and　one　of　the　ruffians　staggered　to　his　knees；　clutching　groggily　at　a　split　scalp；　and　a　dark…haired；　stern…faced　woman　in　a　blue　riding　dress　flung　herself　past　him；　twisted　sharply　to　backhand　another　fellow　in　the　mouth　with　her　fist；　knocked　his　legs　out　from　under　him　with　a　staff；　then　kicked　him　in　the　he