rj.thepathofdaggers-第20部分

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o　point　letting　them　run　off　into　the　countryside。　They　would　all　want　to　hear　the　news　she　and　Nynaeve　brought。
　　　　　　　Alise　gave　no　sign　of　running；　or　even　fidgeting。　Her　face　paled　slightly；　but　she　stared　up　at　Reanne　with　a　steady　gaze。　A　firm　gaze。　〃Why？〃　she　breathed。　〃Why；　Reanne？　I　could　not　have　imagined　you　doing　this！　Did　they　give　you　bribes？　Offer　immunity？　Will　they　let　you　walk　free　while　we　pay　the　price？　They　probably　won't　allow　it；　but　I　vow　I'll　ask　them　to　let　me　call　you　down。　Yes；　you！　The　rules　apply　even　to　you；　Eldest！　If　I　can　find　a　way　to　manage　it；　I　vow　you　won't　walk　away　from　this　smiling！〃　A　very　firm　gaze。　Steely；　in　fact。
　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　what　you　think；〃　Reanne　said　hurriedly；　dismounting　and　dropping　her　reins。　She　caught　both　of　Alise's　hands　in　hers　despite　the　other　woman's　efforts　to　free　them。　〃Oh；　I　did　not　want　it　to　be　like　this。　They　know；　Alise。　About　the　Kin。　The　Tower　has　always　known。　Everything。　Almost　everything。　But　that　isn't　what　is　important。〃　Alise's　eyebrows　tried　to　climb　onto　her　scalp　at　that；　but　Reanne　rushed　on；　beaming　eagerly　from　under　her　large　straw　hat。　〃We　can　go　back；　Alise。　We　can　try　again。　They　said　we　can。〃　The　farm　buildings　seemed　to　be　emptying　as　well；　women　rushing　out　to　learn　what　the　motion　was；　then　joining　the　flight　without　a　pause　for　more　than　hiking　skirts。　Shouts　from　the　olive　groves　said　the　Warders　were　at　work；　but　not　how　much　they　were　achieving。　Perhaps　not　a　great　deal。　Elayne　sensed　growing　frustration　from　Birgitte；　and　irritation。　Reanne　eyed　the　turmoil　and　sighed。　〃We　must　gather　them　in；　Alise。　We　can　go　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　all　very　well　for　you　and　some　of　the　others；〃　Alise　said　doubtfully。　〃If　it's　true。　What　about　the　rest　of　us？　The　Tower　would　not　have　let　me　stay　as　long　as　I　did　had　I　been　quicker　to　learn。〃　She　darted　a　frown　at　the　now　well…hooded　sisters；　and　the　stare　she　returned　to　Reanne　held　no　little　anger。　〃What　would　we　go　back　for？　To　be　told　again　we　aren't　strong　enough　and　be　sent　on　our　way？　Or　will　they　just　keep　us　as　novices　the　rest　of　our　lives？　Some　might　accept　that；　but　I　won't。　What　for；　Reanne？　What　for？〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　climbed　down；　tugging　her　mare　forward　at　the　end　of　her　reins；　and　Elayne　imitated　her；　though　leading　Lioness　more　easily。　〃To　be　part　of　the　Tower；　if　that's　what　you　wish；〃　Nynaeve　said　impatiently　before　even　reaching　the　two　Kinswomen。　〃Maybe　to　be　Aes　Sedai。　Myself；　I　don't　know　why　you　have　to　be　a　certain　strength；　if　you　can　pass　the　fool　tests。　Or　don't　go　back；　run　away；　for　all　I　care。　Once　I'm　done　here；　anyway。〃　Planting　her　feet；　she　pulled　off　her　hat　and　planted　her　fists　on　her　hips。　〃This　is　wasting　time；　Reanne；　and　we　have　work　to　do。　Are　you　sure　there's　anybody　here　we　can　use？　Speak　up。　If　you're　not　sure；　then　we　might　as　well　get　on　with　it。　The　hurry　might　be　out　of　the　way；　but　now　we　have　the　thing；　I'd　as　soon　it　was　over　and　done　with。〃
　　　　　　　When　she　and　Elayne　were　introduced　as　Aes　Sedai；　the　Aes　Sedai　who　had　given　the　promises；　Alise　made　a　choked　sound　and　began　smoothing　her　woolen　skirts　as　though　her　hands　wanted　to　latch　on　to　Reanne's　throat。　Her　mouth　opened　angrily　…　then　snapped　shut　without　a　sound　when　Merilille　joined　them。　That　stern　gaze　did　not　fade　pletely；　but　it　became　mixed　with　a　touch　of　wonder。　And　more　than　a　touch　of　wariness。
　　　　　　　〃Nynaeve　Sedai；〃　Merilille　said　calmly；　〃the　Atha'an　Miere　are。。。　impatient。。。　to　be　off　their　horses。　I　think　some　may　ask　for　Healing。〃　A　brief　smile　flickered　across　her　lips。
　　　　　　　That　settled　that　question；　though　Nynaeve　grumbled　extravagantly　about　what　she　was　going　to　do　to　the　next　person　who　doubted　her。　Elayne　might　have　said　a　few　choice　words　herself；　but　the　truth　was；　Nynaeve　looked　more　than　a　little　silly　carrying　on　that　way　with　Merilille　and　Reanne　both　waiting　attentively　for　her　to　finish　and　Alise　staring　at　all　three。　That　settled　it；　or　perhaps　it　was　the　Windfinders；　afoot　and　pulling　their　horses　behind　them。　Every　shred　of　grace　had　vanished　during　the　rde；　worn　away　by　hard　saddles　…　their　legs　seemed　as　stiff　as　their　faces　…　yet　no　one　could　mistake　them　for　anything　but　who　they　were。
　　　　　　　〃If　there　are　twenty　Sea　Folk　this　far　from　the　sea；〃　Alise　muttered；　〃I'll　believe　anything。〃　Nynaeve　snorted　but　said　nothing；　for　which　Elayne　was　grateful。　The　woman　seemed　to　be　having　a　hard　enough　time　accepting　even　with　Merilille　naming　them　Aes　Sedai。　Neither　tirade　nor　tantrum　would　help。
　　　　　　　〃Then　Heal　them；〃　Nynaeve　told　Merilille。　Their　eyes　went　to　the　hobbling　women　together；　and　Nynaeve　added；　〃If　they　ask。　Politely。〃　Merilille　smiled　again；　but　Nynaeve　had　already　abandoned　the　Sea　Folk　and　gone　back　to　frowning　at　the　now　all　but　empty　farm。　A　few　goats　still　trotted　around　a　farmyard　littered　with　dropped　wash　and　rakes　and　brooms；　spilled　buckets　and　baskets；　not　to　mention　the　crumpled　forms　of　Kinswomen　who　had　fainted；　and　a　handful　of　chickens　had　gone　back　to　scratching　and　pecking；　but　the　only　conscious　women　still　in　sight　among　the　farm　buildings　were　plainly　not　of　the　Kin。　Some　wore　embroidered　linen　or　silk　and　some　rough　country　woolens；　yet　the　fact　that　they　had　not　run　spoke　that　much　of　them。　Reanne　said　that　at　any　given　time　as　many　as　half　those　at　the　farm　might　fall　into　that　group。　Most　appeared　stunned。
　　　　　　　Despite　her　grumbling；　Nynaeve　wasted　no　time　taking　charge　of　Alise。　Or　perhaps　Alise　took　charge　of　Nynaeve。　It　was　difficult　to　tell；　since　the　Kinswoman　showed　little　of　the　deference　toward　Aes　Sedai　that　the　Knitting　Circle　did。　Perhaps　she　was　still　just　too　numbed　by　the　sudden　turn　of　events。　In　any　case；　they　moved　off　together；　Nynaeve　leading　her　mare　and　gesturing　with　the　hat　in　her　other　hand；　instructing　Alise　on　how　to　bring　in　the　scattered　women　and　what　to　do　with　them　once　they　were　collected。　Reanne　had　been　sure　that　at　least　one　woman　strong　enough　to　join　the　circle　was　there；　Garenia　Rosoinde；　and　possibly　two　more。　In　truth；　Elayne　was　hoping　they　had　all　gone。　Alise　alternated　between　nodding　and　giving　Nynaeve　very　level　looks　that　Nynaeve　seemed　not　to　notice。
　　　　　　　Now；　in　the　wait　while　the　gathering　was　done；　seemed　a　good　time　to　do　a　bit　more　searching　through　the　panniers；　but　when　Elayne　turned　toward　the　packhorses；　which　were　just　beginning　to　be　lead　toward　the　farm　buildings；　she　noticed　the　Knitting　Circle；　Reanne　and　the　whole　lot　of　them；　making　their　own　way　into　the　farm　on　foot；　some　hurrying　toward　women　lying　on　the　ground；　others　toward　those　standing　about　gaping。　The　whole　lot　of　them；　and　no　sign　of　Ispan。　It　took　only　a　glance　to　find　her；　though。　Between　Adeleas　and　Vandene；　each　holding　an　arm　as　they　half…dragged　her　along；　their　dust…cloaks　streaming　behind。
　　　　　　　The　white…haired　sisters　were　linked；　the　glow　of　saidar　somehow　enpassing　them　both　without　including　Ispan。　There　was　no　way　to　tell　which　led　the　small　circle　and　held　the　shield　on　the　Darkfriend；　but　not　even　one　of　the　Forsaken　could　have　broken　it。　They　stopped　to　speak　to　a　stout　woman　in　plain　brown　wool；　who　gaped　at　the　leather　sack　covering　Ispan's　head　but　still　curtsied　and　pointed　toward　one　of　the　white…plastered　buildings。
　　　　　　　Elayne　exchanged　angry　glances　with　Aviendha。　Well；　hers　was　angry；　anyway。　Sometimes　Aviendha　gave　away　no　more　than　a　stone。　Handing　their　horses　over　to　two　of　the　palace　stablemen；　they　hurried　after　the　three。　Some　of　the　women　who　were　not　of　the　Kin　tried　to　question　them　about　what　was　happening；　a　few　in　rather　overbearing　fashion；　but　Elayne　gave　them　short　shrift；　leaving　behind　a　wake　of　indignant　sniffs　and　snorts。　Oh；　what　she　would　not　give　to　have　the　ageless　face　already！　That　tweaked　a　thread　in　the　back　of　her　thoughts；　but　it　vanished　as　soon　as　she　tried　to　examine　it。
　　　　　　　When　she　pushed　open　the　plain　wooden　door　where　the　trio　had　vanished；　Adeleas　and　Vandene　had　Ispan　seated　in　a　ladder…back　chair　with　her　head　bare；　the　sack　lying　atop　a　narrow　trestle　table　with　their　linen　cloaks。　The　room　possessed　only　one　window；　set　in　the　ceiling；　but　with　the　sun　still　high　it　let　in　a　good　light。　Shelves　lined　the　walls；　stacked　with　large　copper　pots　and　big　white　bowls。　By　the　smell　of　bread　baking；　the　only　other　door　led　into　a　kitchen。
　　　　　　　Vandene　looked　around　sharply　at　the　sound　of　the　door；　but　seeing　them；　she　smoothed　her　face　to　a　total　lack　of　expression。　〃Sumeko　said　the　herbs　Nynaeve　gave　her　were　wearing　off；〃　she　said；　〃and　it　seemed　best　to　question　her　a　little　before　fuzzing　her　brain　again。　We　do　seem　to　have　time；　now。　It　would　be　good　to　know　what　the。。。　the　Black　Ajah；〃　her　mouth　twisted　in　distaste；　〃was　up　to　in　Ebou　Dar。　And　what　they　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　they　are　aware　of　this　farm；　since　we　were　not；〃　Adeleas　said；　tapping　a　finger　thoughtfully　on　her　lips　as　she　studied　the　woman　in　the　chair；　〃but　it　is　better　to　be　sure　than　to　weep　later；　as　our　father　used　to　say。〃　She　might　have　been　examining　an　animal　she　had　never　seen　before；　a　creature　she　could　not　fathom　existing。
　　　　　　　Ispan's　lip　curled。　Sweat　rolled　down　her　bruised　face；　and　her　dark；　beaded　braids　were　disheveled　and　her　clothing　all　disarrayed；　but　despite　bleary　eyes；　she　was　not　nearly　so　woozy　as　she　had　been。　〃The　Black　Ajah；　it　is　a　fable；　and　a　filthy　one；〃　she　sneered；　a　trifle　hoarsely。　It　must　have　been　very　hot　inside　that　leather　sack；　and　she　had　had　no　water　since　leaving　the　Tarasin　Palace。　〃Me；　I　am　surprised　that　you　will　give　it　voice。　And　to　cast　the　charge　on　me！　What　I　have　done；　I　have　done　on　the　orders　of　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃
　　　　　　　〃Elaida？〃　Elayne　spat　incredulously。　〃You　have　the　nerve　to　claim　that　Elaida　ordered　you　to　murder　sisters　and　steal　from　the　Tower？　Elaida　ordered　what　you　did　in　Tear　and　Tanchico？　Or　do　you　mean　Siuan？　Your　lies　are　pathetic！　You've　forsaken　the　Three　Oaths；　somehow；　and　that　names　you　Black　Ajah。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　have　to　answer　the　questions　from　you；〃　Ispan　said　sullenly；　hunching　her　shoulders。　〃You　are　rebels　against　the　lawful　Amyrlin　Seat。　You　will　be　punished；　perhaps　stilled。　Especially　if　you　harm　me。　I　serve　the　true　Amyrlin　Seat；　and　you　will　be　punish