rj.thepathofdaggers-第104部分

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g　away　as　instructed；　following　the　path　of　treason　that　surely　would　lead　to　Alviarin　Freidhen。　But　Elaida　had　hoped。　Oh；　how　she　had　hoped。
　　　　　　　Alviarin　murmured　to　herself　as　she　rifled　the　folder。　〃This　can　go　through；　I　suppose。　But　not　this。　Or　this。　And　certainly　not　this！〃　She　crumpled　a　decree；　signed　and　sealed　by　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　and　tossed　it　to　the　floor　contemptuously。　Stopping　beside　Elaida's　gilded　chair；　with　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon　in　moonstones　atop　its　high　back；　she　slapped　the　folder　and　her　own　parchment　down　on　the　table。　And　then　slapped　Elaida's　face　so　hard　she　saw　black　flecks。
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　we　had　settled　this；　Elaida。〃　The　monstrous　woman's　voice　made　the　snowstorm　outside　seem　warm。　〃I　know　how　to　save　the　Tower　from　your　blunders；　and　I　won't　have　you　making　new　ones　behind　my　back。　If　you　persist；　be　assured　that　I　will　see　you　deposed；　stilled；　and　howling　under　the　birch　before　every　initiate　and　even　the　servants！〃
　　　　　　　With　an　effort；　Elaida　kept　her　hand　away　from　her　cheek。　She　did　not　need　a　mirror　to　tell　her　it　was　red。　She　had　to　be　careful。　Seaine　had　found　nothing　yet；　or　she　would　have　e。　Alviarin　could　open　her　mouth　before　the　Hall　and　reveal　the　whole　disastrous　kidnapping　of　the　al'Thor　boy。　She　might　see　her　deposed；　and　stilled　and　birched　with　that　alone；　but　Alviarin　had　another　string　to　her　bow。　Toveine　Gazal　was　leading　fifty　sisters　and　two　hundred　of　the　Tower　Guard　against　a　Black　Tower　Elaida　had　been　sure；　when　she　gave　the　orders；　held　perhaps　two　or　three　men　who　could　channel。　Yet　even　with　the　hundreds　…　hundreds！　with　Alviarin　staring　coldly　down　at　her；　that　thought　still　curdled　Elaida's　stomach！　…　even　with　hundreds　of　these　Asha'man；　she　had　hope　for　Toveine。　The　Black　Tower　would　be　rent　in　fire　and　blood；　she　had　Foretold；　and　sisters　would　walk　its　grounds。　Surely　that　meant　that　somehow；　Toveine　would　triumph。　More；　the　rest　of　the　Foretelling　had　told　her　that　the　Tower　would　regain　all　its　old　glories　under　her；　that　al'Thor　himself　would　quail　at　her　anger。　Alviarin　had　heard　the　words　ing　out　of　Elaida's　mouth　when　the　Foretelling　took　her。　And　she　had　not　remembered　later；　when　she　began　her　blackmail；　had　not　understood　her　own　doom。　Elaida　waited　in　patience。　She　would　repay　the　woman　threefold！　But　she　could　be　patient。　For　now。
　　　　　　　Making　no　attempt　to　hide　her　sneer；　Alviarin　pushed　the　folder　aside　and　moved　the　single　parchment　in　front　of　Elaida。　She　flipped　open　the　green…and…gold　writing　case；　dipped　Elaida's　pen　in　the　inkwell　and　thrust　it　at　her。　〃Sign。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida　took　the　pen　wondering　what　madness　she　would　be　putting　her　name　to　this　time。　Yet　another　increase　in　the　Tower　Guard；　when　the　rebels　would　be　done　before　there　was　any　use　for　soldiers？　Another　attempt　to　make　the　Ajahs　reveal　publicly　which　sisters　headed　them？　That　had　certainly　fallen　on　its　nose！　Reading　quickly；　she　felt　a　knot　of　ice　grow　in　her　belly　and　keep　growing。　Giving　each　Ajah　final　authority　over　any　sister　in　its　quarter　no　matter　her　own　Ajah　had　been　the　worst　insanity　so　far　…　how　could　picking　apart　the　very　fabric　of　the　Tower　save　it？　…　but　this　…！
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　world　now　knows　that　Rand　al'Thor　is　the　Dragon　Reborn。　The　world　knows　that　he　is　a　man　who　can　touch　the　One　Power。　Such　men　have　lain　within　the　authority　of　the　White　Tower　since　time　immemorial。　The　Dragon　Reborn　is　granted　the　protection　of　the　Tower；　but　whosoever　attempts　to　approach　him　save　through　the　White　Tower　lies　attainted　of　treason　against　the　Light；　and　anathema　is　pronounced　against　them　now　and　forever。　The　world　may　rest　easily　knowing　that　the　White　Tower　will　safely　guide　the　Dragon　Reborn　to　the　Last　Battle　and　the　inevitable　triumph。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Automatically；　numbly；　she　added　〃of　the　Light〃　after　〃triumph；〃　but　then　her　hand　froze。　Publicly　acknowledging　al'Thor　as　the　Dragon　Reborn　could　be　borne；　since　he　was；　and　this　might　lead　many　to　accept　the　rumors　that　he　had　knelt　to　her　already；　which　would　prove　useful；　but　for　the　rest；　she　could　not　believe　so　much　damage　could　be　contained　in　so　few　words。
　　　　　　　〃The　Light　have　mercy；〃　she　breathed　fervently。　〃If　this　is　proclaimed；　it　will　be　impossible　to　convince　al'Thor　that　his　abduction　was　unsanctioned。〃　It　would　be　hard　enough　without；　but　she　had　seen　people　convinced　before　that　what　had　happened；　had　not；　and　them　in　the　middle　of　it　happening。　〃And　he　will　be　ten　times　on　his　guard　against　another　attempt。　Alviarin；　at　best；　this　will　frighten　away　a　few　of　his　followers。　At　best！〃　Many　likely　had　waded　so　deep　with　him　they　did　not　dare　try　to　wade　back。　Certainly　not　if　they　thought　anathema　already　hung　over　their　heads！　〃I　might　as　well　set　fire　to　the　Tower　with　my　own　hand　as　sign　this！〃
　　　　　　　Alviarin　sighed　impatiently。　〃You　haven't　forgotten　your　catechism；　have　you？　Say　it　for　me；　as　I　taught　you。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida's　lips　pressed　of　their　own　accord。　One　pleasure　in　the　woman's　absence　…　not　the　greatest；　but　a　very　real　pleasure　…　had　been　not　being　forced　to　repeat　that　vile　litany　every　day。　〃I　will　do　as　I　am　told；〃　she　said　at　last；　in　a　flat　voice。　She　was　the　Amyrlin　Seat！　〃I　will　speak　the　words　you　tell　me　to　speak；　and　no　more。〃　Her　Foretelling　ordained　her　triumph；　but；　oh；　Light；　let　it　e　soon！　〃I　will　sign　what　you　tell　me　to　sign；　and　nothing　else。　I　am。。。　〃　She　choked　over　the　last。　〃I　am　obedient　to　your　will。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　sound　as　if　you　need　to　be　reminded　of　the　truth　of　that；〃　Alviarin　said　with　another　sigh。　〃I　suppose　I've　left　you　alone　too　long。〃　She　tapped　the　parchment　with　a　peremptory　finger。　〃Sign。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida　signed；　dragging　the　pen　across　the　parchment。　There　was　nothing　else　she　could　do。
　　　　　　　Alviarin　barely　waited　for　the　pen's　nib　to　lift　before　snatching　up　the　decree。　〃I　will　seal　this　myself；〃　she　said；　heading　for　the　door。　〃I　shouldn't　have　left　the　Amyrlin's　seal　where　you　could　find　it。　I　want　to　talk　to　you　later。　I　have　left　you　to　yourself　too　long。　Be　here　when　I　return。〃
　　　　　　　〃Later？〃　Elaida　said。　〃When？　Alviarin？　Alviarin？〃
　　　　　　　The　door　closed　behind　the　woman；　leaving　Elaida　to　fume。　Be　there　when　Alviarin　returned！　Confined　to　her　quarters　like　a　novice　in　the　punishment　cells！
　　　　　　　For　a　time　she　fingered　her　correspondence　box；　with　its　golden　hawks　fighting　among　white　clouds　in　a　blue　sky；　yet　she　could　not　make　herself　open　it。　With　Alviarin　gone；　that　box　had　begun　once　more　to　hold　letters　and　reports　of　importance；　not　just　the　table　scraps　Alviarin　let　fall　to　her；　yet　with　the　woman's　return；　it　might　as　well　have　been　empty。　Rising；　she　began　rearranging　the　roses　in　their　white　vases；　each　atop　a　white　marble　plinth　in　a　corner　of　the　room。　Blue　roses；　the　most　rare。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　she　realized　that　she　was　staring　at　a　broken　rose　stem　in　her　hands；　snapped　in　two。　Half　a　dozen　more　littered　the　floor　tiles。　She　made　a　vexed　sound　in　her　throat。　She　had　been　thinking　of　her　hands　around　Alviarin's　throat。　It　was　not　the　first　time　she　had　considered　killing　the　woman。　But　Alviarin　would　have　taken　precautions。　Sealed　documents；　to　be　opened　should　anything　untoward　happen；　had　no　doubt　been　left　with　the　last　sisters　Elaida　would　suspect。　That　had　been　her　one　real　worry　during　Alviarin's　absence；　that　someone　else　might　think　the　woman　dead；　and　e　forward　with　the　evidence　that　would　drag　the　stole　from　her　shoulders。　Sooner　or　later；　though；　one　way　or　another；　Alviarin　was　finished；　as　surely　as　those　roses　were　…
　　　　　　　〃You　didn't　answer　my　knock；　Mother；　so　I　came　on　in；〃　a　woman　said　gruffly　behind　her。
　　　　　　　Elaida　turned；　ready　to　flay　with　her　tongue；　but　at　the　sight　of　the　stocky；　square…faced　woman　in　a　red…fringed　shawl　standing　just　inside　the　room；　the　blood　drained　from　her　own　cheeks。
　　　　　　　〃The　Keeper　said　you　wanted　to　speak　me；〃　Silviana　said　irritably。　〃About　a　private　penance。〃　Even　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　she　made　no　effort　to　hide　her　disgust。　Silviana　believed　private　penance　a　ridiculous　affectation。　Penance　was　public；　only　punishment　took　place　in　private。　〃She　also　asked　me　to　remind　you　of　something；　but　she　rushed　off　before　saying　what。〃　She　finished　with　a　snort。　Silviana　saw　anything　that　took　time　away　from　her　novices　and　Accepted　as　needless　interruption。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　I　remember；〃　Elaida　told　her　dully。
　　　　　　　When　Silviana　finally　left　…　after　only　half　an　hour　by　the　chimes　of　Cemaile's　clock；　yet　an　endless　eternity　…　all　that　kept　Elaida　from　calling　the　Hall　to　sit　immediately　so　she　could　demand　Alviarin　be　stripped　of　the　Keeper's　stole　were　the　certainty　of　her　Foretelling　and　the　certainty　that　Seaine　would　trace　that　trail　of　treason　back　to　Alviarin。　That；　and　the　sure　fact　that　whether　or　not　Alviarin　fell　in　the　confrontation；　she　herself　definitely　would。　So；　Elaida　do　Avriny　a'Roihan；　Watcher　of　the　Seals；　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon；　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　surely　the　most　powerful　ruler　in　the　world；　lay　facedown　on　her　bed　and　blubbered　into　her　pillows；　too　tender　to　don　the　shift　that　lay　discarded　on　the　floor；　certain　that　when　Alviarin　returned；　the　woman　would　insist　on　her　sitting　through　the　entire　interview。　She　blubbered；　and　through　her　tears　she　prayed　for　Alviarin's　downfall　to　e　soon。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　tell　you　to　have　Elaida。。。　beaten；〃　that　voice　of　crystal　chimes　said。　〃Do　you　rise　above　yourself？〃
　　　　　　　Alviarin　flung　herself　from　her　knees　onto　her　belly　before　the　woman　who　seemed　made　of　dark　shadows　and　silvery　light。　Seizing　the　hem　of　Mesaana's　dress；　she　rained　kisses　on　it。　The　weave　of　Illusion　…　it　must　be　that；　though　she　could　not　see　a　single　thread　of　saidar　any　more　than　she　could　sense　the　ability　to　channel　in　the　woman　who　stood　over　her　…　did　not　hold　pletely；　with　her　frantically　shifting　the　skirt's　edge。　Flickers　of　bronze　silk　with　a　thin　border　of　intricately　embroidered　black　scrollwork　showed　through。
　　　　　　　〃I　live　to　serve　and　obey　you；　Great　Mistress；〃　Alviarin　panted　between　kisses。　〃I　know　that　I　am　among　the　lowest　of　the　low；　a　worm　in　your　presence；　and　I　pray　only　for　your　smile。〃　She　had　been　punished　once　for　〃rising　above　herself〃　…　not　for　disobedience；　thanks　be　to　the　Gr