rj.thepathofdaggers-第114部分

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me。　Your　unease。〃
　　　　　　　Wondering　whether　he　was　supposed　to　laugh；　Rand　stared　at　her。　〃Do　they　teach　you　how　to　do　that？〃　he　demanded。　〃Make　a　promise　sound　a　threat；　I　mean。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　I　see。　You　want　rules。　Most　boys　do；　whatever　they　say。　Very　well。　Let　me　see。　I　cannot　abide　incivility。　So　you　will　be　properly　civil　to　me；　to　my　friends；　and　my　guests。　That　includes　not　channeling　at　them；　in　case　you　haven't　guessed；　and　holding　your　temper；　which　I　understand　is　memorable。　It　also　takes　in　your。。。　panions　in　those　black　coats。　A　pity　if　I　had　to　spank　you　for　something　one　of　them　did。　Does　that　suffice？　I　can　make　more；　if　you　need　them。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　set　his　cup　down　beside　the　chair。　The　tea　had　gone　cold　as　well　as　bitter。　Snow　was　beginning　to　pile　up　in　drifts　beneath　the　windows。　〃I'm　the　one　who's　supposed　to　go　mad；　Aes　Sedai；　but　you　already　are。〃　Rising；　he　strode　for　the　door。
　　　　　　　〃I　do　hope　you　haven't　tried　to　use　Callandor；〃　she　said　placently　behind　him。　〃I　have　heard　it's　vanished　from　the　Stone。　You　managed　to　escape　once；　but　you　might　not　twice。〃
　　　　　　　He　stopped　short；　looking　over　his　shoulder。　The　woman　was　pushing　that　bloody　needle　through　the　cloth　stretched　on　her　hoop！　The　wind　gusted；　swirling　snow　around　her；　and　she　did　not　even　lift　her　head。　〃What　do　you　mean；　escape？〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃　She　did　not　look　up。　〃Oh。　Very　few　even　in　the　Tower　knew　what　Callandor　is　before　you　drew　it；　but　there　are　surprising　things　hidden　in　musty　corners　of　the　Tower　Library。　I　went　rummaging　some　years　ago；　when　I　first　had　the　suspicion　you　might　be　suckling　at　your　mother's　breast。　Just　before　I　decided　to　go　back　into　retirement。　Babes　are　messy　things；　and　I　could　not　see　how　to　find　you　before　you　stopped　dripping　at　one　end　or　the　other。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　demanded　roughly。
　　　　　　　Cadsuane　looked　up　then；　and　with　her　hair　flung　about　and　snow　settling　on　her　dress；　she　looked　a　queen。　〃I　told　you　I　cannot　abide　incivility。　If　you　ask　for　my　help　again；　I　expect　you　to　ask　politely。　And　I　will　expect　an　apology　for　your　behavior　today！〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean　about　Callandor？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　flawed；〃　she　replied　curtly；　〃lacking　the　buffer　that　makes　other　sa'angreal　safe　to　use。　And　it　apparently　magnifies　the　taint；　inducing　wildness　of　the　mind。　So　long　as　a　man　is　using　it；　anyway。　The　only　safe　way　for　you　to　use　The　Sword　That　Is　Not　a　Sword；　the　only　way　to　use　it　without　the　risk　of　killing　yourself；　or　trying　to　do　the　Light　alone　knows　what　insanity；　is　linked　with　two　women；　and　one　of　them　guiding　the　flows。〃
　　　　　　　Trying　not　to　hunch　his　shoulders；　he　strode　away　from　her。　So　it　had　been　not　just　the　wildness　of　saidin　around　Ebou　Dar　that　had　killed　Adley。　He　had　murdered　the　man　the　moment　he　sent　Narishma　for　the　thing。
　　　　　　　Cadsuane's　voice　pursued　him。　〃Remember；　boy。　You　must　ask　very　nicely；　and　apologize。　I　might　even　agree；　if　your　apology　sounds　truly　sincere。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　barely　heard　her。　He　had　hoped　to　use　Callandor　again；　hoped　it　would　be　strong　enough。　Now　only　one　chance　remained；　and　it　terrified　him。　He　seemed　to　hear　another　woman's　voice；　a　dead　woman's　voice。　You　could　challenge　the　Creator。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　28　
（Snakey　Square）　
Crimsonthorn　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　It　hardly　seemed　the　setting　for　the　explosion　Elayne　feared。　Harlon　Bridge　was　a　village　of　moderate　size；　with　three　inns　and　enough　houses　that　no　one　had　to　sleep　in　a　hayloft。　When　Elayne　and　Birgitte　went　downstairs　to　the　mon　room　that　morning；　Mistress　Dill；　the　round　innkeeper；　smiled　warmly　and　offered　as　much　of　a　curtsy　as　her　size　allowed。　It　was　not　just　that　Elayne　was　Aes　Sedai。　Mistress　Dill　was　so　pleased　that　her　inn　was　full；　what　with　the　roads　snowpacked；　that　she　bobbed　at　nearly　everyone。　At　their　entrance；　Aviendha　hastily　gulped　the　last　of　her　breakfast　bread　and　cheese；　brushed　a　few　crumbs　from　her　green　dress；　and　snatched　up　her　dark　cloak　to　join　them。
　　　　　　　Outside；　the　sun　was　just　peeking　over　the　horizon；　a　low　dome　of　pale　yellow。　Only　a　few　clouds　marred　a　beautiful　blue　sky；　and　they　were　white　and　fluffy；　not　the　sort　to　carry　snow。　It　seemed　a　wonderful　day　for　traveling。
　　　　　　　Except　that　Adeleas　was　trampling　a　path　up　the　snowy　street；　and　the　white…haired　sister　was　dragging　one　of　the　Kin；　Garenia　Rosoinde；　by　her　arm。　Garenia　was　a　slim…hipped　Saldaean　who　had　spent　the　last　twenty　years　as　a　merchant　although　she　looked　only　a　few　years　older　than　Nynaeve　did。　Normally；　her　strongly　hooked　nose　gave　her　a　forceful　appearance；　a　woman　who　would　make　hard　trading　and　not　back　away。　Now　her　dark　tilted　eyes　were　large　in　her　face　and　her　wide　mouth　hung　open；　emitting　a　wordless　wail。　A　growing　knot　of　Kinswomen　followed　behind；　skirts　held　high　out　of　the　snow；　whispering　among　themselves；　with　more　running　from　every　direction　to　join。　Reanne　and　the　rest　of　the　Knitting　Circle　were　in　the　front；　all　grim…faced　except　for　Kirstian；　who　seemed　even　paler　than　usual。　Alise　was　there；　too；　wearing　an　utterly　blank　expression。
　　　　　　　Adeleas　stopped　in　front　of　Elayne　and　shoved　Garenia　so　hard　the　woman　fell　to　hands　and　knees　in　the　snow。　Where　she　stayed；　still　wailing。　The　Kinswomen　gathered　behind　her；　more　of　their　number　flocking　in。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　bringing　this　to　you　because　Nynaeve　is　busy；〃　the　Brown　sister　told　Elayne。　She　meant　that　Nynaeve　was　enjoying　a　little　time　alone　with　Lan　somewhere；　but　for　once；　not　so　much　as　a　hint　of　a　smile　crossed　her　lips。　〃Be　quiet；　child！〃　she　snapped　at　Garenia。　Who　promptly　went　silent。　Adeleas　gave　a　satisfied　nod。　〃This　is　not　Garenia　Rosoinde；〃　she　said。　〃I　finally　recognized　her。　Zarya　Alkaese；　a　novice　who　ran　away　just　before　Vandene　and　I　decided　to　retire　and　write　our　history　of　the　world。　She　admitted　it；　when　I　confronted　her。　I'm　surprised　Careane　didn't　recognize　her　before　this；　they　were　novices　together　for　two　years。　The　law　is　clear；　Elayne。　A　runaway　must　be　put　back　in　white　as　soon　as　possible　and　kept　under　strict　discipline　until　she　can　be　returned　to　the　Tower　for　proper　punishment。　She　won't　think　of　running　again　after　that！〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　nodded　slowly；　trying　to　think　of　what　to　say。　Whether　or　not　Garenia　…　Zarya　…　thought　of　running　again；　she　would　not　be　allowed　the　opportunity。　She　was　very　strong　in　the　Power；　the　Tower　would　not　let　her　go　if　it　took　the　rest　of　her　life　to　earn　the　shawl。　But　Elayne　was　recalling　something　she　had　heard　this　woman　say　the　first　time　she　met　her。　The　meaning　had　not　registered　then；　but　now　it　did。　How　would　Zarya　face　novice　white　again　after　living　as　her　own　woman　for　seventy　years？　Worse；　those　whispers　among　the　Kinswomen　had　begun　to　sound　like　rumbles。
　　　　　　　She　did　not　have　long　to　think。　Suddenly　Kirstian　fell　to　her　knees；　clutching　at　Adeleas'　skirts　with　one　hand。　〃I　submit　myself；〃　she　said　calmly；　her　tone　a　wonder　ing　from　that　bloodless　face。　〃I　was　enrolled　in　the　novice　book　almost　three　hundred　years　ago；　and　ran　away　less　than　a　year　later。　I　submit　myself；　and。。。　and　beg　mercy。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　white…haired　Adeleas'　turn　to　go　wide…eyed。　Kirstian　was　claiming　to　have　run　away　from　the　White　Tower　when　she　herself　was　an　infant；　if　not　before　she　was　born！　Most　of　the　sisters　still　did　not　really　believe　the　ages　claimed　by　the　Kin。　Indeed；　Kirstian　appeared　just　into　her　middle　years。
　　　　　　　Even　so；　Adeleas　recovered　herself　quickly。　However　old　the　other　woman　was；　Adeleas　had　been　Aes　Sedai　about　as　long　as　anyone　living。　She　carried　an　aura　of　age；　and　authority。　〃If　that　is　so；　child；〃　her　voice　did　falter　just　a　bit　at　that；　〃I　fear　we　must　put　you　in　white；　too。　You　will　still　be　punished；　but　surrendering　as　you　have　will　gain　you　some　mitigation。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　why　I　did　it。〃　Kirstian's　steady　tone　was　spoiled　somewhat　by　a　hard　swallow。　She　was　almost　as　strong　as　Zarya　…　none　of　the　Knitting　Circle　were　weak　…　and　she　would　be　held　very　closely。　〃I　knew　you　would　find　me　out　sooner　or　later。〃
　　　　　　　Adeleas　nodded　as　though　that　were　clearly　obvious；　though　how　the　woman　would　have　been　found　out；　Elayne　could　not　guess。　She　very　much　doubted　that　Kirstian　Chalwin　was　the　name　the　woman　had　been　born　with。　Most　of　the　Kin　believed　in　Aes　Sedai　omniscience；　though。　They　had；　at　least。
　　　　　　　〃Rubbish！〃　Sarainya　Vostovan's　husky　voice　cut　through　the　murmured　babble　of　the　Kin。　Neither　strong　enough　to　bee　Aes　Sedai　nor　nearly　old　enough　to　stand　very　high　among　the　Kin；　she　still　stepped　from　the　pack　defiantly。　〃Why　should　we　give　them　up　to　the　White　Tower？　We　have　helped　women　run　away；　and　rightly　so！　It　is　not　part　of　the　rules　to　give　them　back！〃
　　　　　　　〃Control　yourself！〃　Reanne　said　sharply。　〃Alise；　take　Sarainya　in　hand；　please。　It　seems　she　forgets　too　many　of　the　rules　she　claims　to　know。〃
　　　　　　　Alise　looked　at　Reanne；　her　face　still　unreadable。　Alise；　who　enforced　the　Kin's　rules　with　a　firm　hand。　〃It　is　not　part　of　our　rules　to　hand　runaways　back；　Reanne；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　　Reanne　jerked　as　though　struck。　〃And　how　do　you　suggest　keeping　them？〃　she　demanded　finally。　〃We　have　always　held　runaways　apart　until　we　were　sure　they　were　no　longer　hunted；　and　if　they　were　found　before；　we　let　the　sisters　take　them。　That　is　the　rule；　Alise。　What　other　rule　do　you　propose　violating？　Do　you　suggest　that　we　actually　set　ourselves　against　Aes　Sedai？〃　Ridicule　of　such　a　notion　larded　her　voice；　yet　Alise　stood　looking　at　her；　silent。
　　　　　　　〃Yes！〃　a　voice　shouted　from　the　crowd　of　Kinswomen。　〃We　are　many；　and　they　are　few！〃　Adeleas　stared　at　the　crowd　in　disbelief。　Elayne　embraced　saidar；　though　she　knew　the　voice　was　right　…　the　Kin　were　too　many。　She　felt　Aviendha　embracing　the　Power；　and　Birgitte　setting　herself。
　　　　　　　Giving　herself　a　shake　as　if　ing　to；　Alise　did　something　far　more　practical；　certainly　far　more　effective。　〃Sarainya；〃　she　said　loudly；　〃you　will　report　to　me　when　we　stop　tonight；　with　a　switch　you　cut　yourself　before　we　leave　this　morning。　You；　too；　Asra；　I　recognize　your　voice！〃　And　then；　just　as　loudly；　she　said　to　Reanne；　〃I　will　report　myself　for　your　judgment　when　we　stop　tonight。　I　don't　see　anyone　getting　ready！〃
　　　　　　　The　Kinswomen　broke　up　quic