rj.thepathofdaggers-第24部分

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　　　　　　　Caire　glared　around　the　circle　of　women　surrounding　the　Bowl；　not　yet　truly　a　circle；　as　though　trying　to　fix　each　face　in　her　mind。　Or　maybe　to　fix　her　scowl　in　theirs。　Remembering　herself；　Elayne　hurriedly　passed　the　last　angreal；　the　small　amber　turtle；　to　Talaan　and　started　to　explain　how　it　was　used。　The　explanation　was　simple；　yet　anyone　who　tried　without　knowing　how　could　fumble　for　hours。　She　was　not　given　the　chance　for　five　words。
　　　　　　　〃Silence！〃　Caire　roared。　Tattooed　fists　on　her　hips　and　bare　feet　apart；　she　belonged　on　the　deck　of　a　ship　going　into　battle。　〃There　will　be　no　talking　on　station　without　my　permission。　Talaan；　report　yourself　immediately　on　returning　to　your　ship。〃　Nothing　in　Caire's　tone　suggested　that　she　was　speaking　to　her　own　daughter。　Talaan　bowed　deeply；　touching　her　heart；　and　murmured　something　inaudible。　Caire　snorted　contemptuously　…　and　gave　Elayne　a　glare　that　suggested　a　wish　that　she　could　order　her　to　report　herself　to　someone　as　well　…　before　going　on　in　a　voice　that　might　have　been　heard　at　the　base　of　the　hill。　〃Today；　we　shall　do　what　has　not　been　done　since　the　Breaking　of　the　World；　when　our　ancestors　fought　wind　and　wave　gone　mad。　By　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds　and　the　mercy　of　the　Light；　they　survived。　Today；　we　will　use　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　lost　to　us　for　more　than　two　thousand　years；　and　now　returned。　I　have　studied　the　ancient　lore；　studied　the　records　of　the　days　when　our　foremothers　first　learned　the　sea　and　the　Weaving　of　the　Winds；　and　the　salt　entered　our　blood。　What　is　known　of　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　I　know；　more　than　anyone　else。〃　Her　eyes　cut　toward　her　sister；　a　satisfied　glance　that　Tebreille　did　not　acknowledge。　Which　seemed　to　satisfy　Caire　even　more。　〃What　the　Aes　Sedai　cannot　do；　I　will　do　today；　if　it　pleases　the　Light。　I　expect　every　woman　to　stand　her　station　to　the　last。　I　will　not　accept　failure。〃
　　　　　　　The　rest　of　the　Atha'an　Miere　seemed　to　accept　that　speech　as　expected　and　proper；　but　the　Kinswomen　gaped　at　Caire　in　astonishment。　In　Elayne's　opinion；　grandiose　did　not　begin　to　describe　it；　plainly　Caire　fully　expected　that　the　Light　would　be　pleased；　and　she　would　be　most　displeased　if　it　was　not！　Nynaeve　rolled　her　eyes　to　the　heavens　and　opened　her　mouth。　Caire　forestalled　her。
　　　　　　　〃Nynaeve；〃　the　Windfinder　announced　loudly；　〃you　will　now　demonstrate　your　skill　at　linking。　Be　about　it；　woman；　and　quickly！〃
　　　　　　　In　response；　Nynaeve　shut　her　eyes　tight。　Her　lips。。。　writhed。　She　looked　about　to　burst　a　blood　vessel。　〃I　assume　that　means　I　have　permission　to　speak！〃　she　murmured。　Fortunately　too　low　to　be　heard　by　Caire；　on　the　far　side　of　the　circle。　Opening　her　eyes；　she　put　on　a　smile　that　was　quite　horrible　when　added　to　the　rest　of　her　expression。　She　was　a　sour　stomach　and　several　other　plaints　rolled　into　one。
　　　　　　　〃The　first　thing　is　to　embrace　the　True　Source；　Caire。〃　The　light　of　saidar　suddenly　shone　bright　around　Nynaeve；　she　was　using　the　angreal　on　her　hand　already；　by　what　Elayne　could　feel。　〃I　assume　you　know　how　to　do　that；　of　course。〃　Ignoring　the　abrupt　tightening　of　Caire's　mouth；　Nynaeve　went　on。　〃Elayne　will　now　assist　me　in　the　demonstration。　If　we　have　your　permission？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　prepare　myself　to　embrace　the　Source；〃　Elayne　put　in　quickly；　before　Caire　could　erupt；　〃but　I　don't　actually　embrace　it。〃　She　opened　herself；　and　the　Windfinders　leaned　forward；　peering　at　her；　though　there　really　was　nothing　to　see　yet。　Even　Kirstian　and　Garenia　forgot　their　fear　enough　to　show　interest。　〃While　I'm　at　this　point；　the　rest　is　up　to　Nynaeve。〃
　　　　　　　〃Now　I　will　reach　out　to　her。。。　〃　Nynaeve　paused；　looking　at　Talaan。　Elayne　had　not　had　a　chance　to　tell　her　anything；　really。　It's　much　the　same　as　with　an　angreal。〃　Nynaeve　said；　addressing　the　slender　apprentice。　Caire　growled；　and　Talaan　tried　to　watch　Nynaeve　with　her　head　down。　〃You　open　yourself　to　the　Source　through　an　angreal；　just　as　I　will　through　Elayne。　As　though　you　mean　to　embrace　the　angreal　and　the　Source　at　the　same　time。　It　isn't　very　difficult；　really。　Watch；　and　you'll　see。　When　it's　time　to　bring　you　into　the　circle；　just　put　yourself　on　the　brink。　That　way；　when　I　embrace　through　you；　I'll　embrace　through　the　angreal　as　well。〃
　　　　　　　Concentration　or　no　concentration；　sweat　began　to　bead　on　Elayne's　forehead。　But　then；　the　heat　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　The　True　Source　beckoned；　it　throbbed；　and　she　throbbed　with　it。　It　demanded。　The　longer　she　hung　just　a　hairsbreadth　from　touching　the　Power；　the　worse　the　desire；　the　need；　would　grow。　Hanging；　she　began　to　tremble　slightly。　Vandene　had　told　her　that　the　longer　you　channeled；　the　worse　that　anticipation　grew。
　　　　　　　〃Watch　with　Aviendha；〃　Nynaeve　told　Talaan。　〃She　knows　how　to　…　〃　She　caught　sight　of　Elayne's　face　and　finished　hurriedly。　〃Watch！〃
　　　　　　　It　was　not　exactly　the　same　as　using　an　angreal；　though　very　close。　It　was　not　meant　to　be　done　hurriedly；　either；　Nynaeve　did　not　have　a　soft　touch；　at　best。　Elayne　felt　as　though　she　were　being　shaken；　nothing　happened　physically；　but　inside　her　head　she　seemed　to　be　bouncing　around；　tumbling　wildly　downhill。　Worse；　she　was　jostled　toward　embracing　saidar　with　excruciating　slowness。　It　took　less　than　a　heartbeat；　and　seemed　to　take　hours；　days。　She　wanted　to　howl；　but　she　could　not　breathe。　Abruptly；　like　a　dam　bursting；　the　One　Power　flowed　through　her；　a　rush　of　life　and　joy；　of　bliss；　and　breath　left　her　in　a　long　gasp　of　pleasure　and　relief　so　overwhelming　that　her　legs　wobbled。　It　was　all　she　could　do　to　keep　from　panting。　Tottering；　pulling　herself　up；　she　gave　Nynaeve　a　stern　look；　and　Nynaeve　shrugged　apologetically。　Twice　in　one　day！　The　sun　had　to　be　turning　green。
　　　　　　　〃I　now　control　the　flow　of　saidar　from　her　as　well　as　my　own；〃　Nynaeve　went　on；　not　quite　meeting　Elayne's　eyes；　〃and　will　until　I　let　her　go。　Now；　don't　fear　that　whoever　leads　the　circle；〃　she　shot　a　frown　at　Caire　and　sniffed；　〃can　make　you　draw　too　much。　This　really　is　a　great　deal　like　an　angreal。　The　angreal　buffers　you　against　the　extra　Power；　and　in　somewhat　the　same　way；　in　a　circle　you　can't　be　made　to　draw　too　much。　In　fact；　in　a　circle　you　can't　draw　quite　as　much　as　you　can　otherwi…〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　dangerous！〃　Renaile　broke　in；　shouldering　roughly　between　Caire　and　Tebreille。　Her　scowl　took　in　Nynaeve；　Elayne；　and　the　sisters　standing　off　from　the　circle　as　well。　〃You　say　that　one　woman　can　simply　seize　another；　hold　her　captive；　use　her？　How　long　have　you　Aes　Sedai　known　this？　I　warn　you；　if　you　try　to　use　it　on　one　of　us　…　〃　It　was　her　turn　to　be　cut　off。
　　　　　　　〃It　doesn't　work　that　way；　Renaile。〃　Sareitha　touched　Garenia；　and　she　and　Kirstian　leaped　apart　to　make　room。　The　young　Brown　eyed　Nynaeve　uncertainly；　then　folded　her　hands　and　took　on　a　lecturing　tone；　as　if　addressing　a　class。　With　it　came　posure；　perhaps　she　did　see　Renaile　as　a　pupil　right　then。　〃The　Tower　studied　this　for　many　years；　long　before　the　Trolloc　Wars。　I　have　read　every　page　that　survives　in　the　Tower　Library　of　those　studies。　It　was　proven　conclusively　that　one　woman　cannot　form　a　link　with　another　against　her　will。　It　simply　cannot　be　done；　nothing　happens。　A　willing　surrender　is　necessary；　just　as　in　embracing　to　saidar　itself。〃　She　sounded　absolutely　definite；　but　Renaile　still　frowned；　too　many　people　knew　how　Aes　Sedai　could　sidestep　the　Oath　against　lying。
　　　　　　　〃And　why　did　they　study　it？〃　Renaile　demanded。　〃Why　was　the　White　Tower　so　interested　in　such　a　thing？　Perhaps　you　Aes　Sedai　still　study？〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　ridiculous。〃　Exasperation　dripped　from　Sareitha's　voice。　〃If　you　must　know；　it　was　the　problem　of　men　who　can　channel　that　drew　them　to　it。　The　Breaking　of　the　World　was　a　living　memory　to　some；　then。　I　don't　suppose　even　very　many　sisters　remember　…　it　hasn't　been　part　of　the　required　instruction　since　before　the　Trolloc　Wars　…　but　men　can　be　brought　into　a　circle；　too；　and　as　the　circle　doesn't　break　even　if　you　go　to　sleep。。。　Well；　you　can　see　the　advantages。　That　was　an　utter　failure；　unfortunately。　More　to　the　point　here；　I　say　again　that　it　is　impossible　to　force　a　woman　into　a　circle。　If　you　doubt；　try　it　yourself。　You　will　see。〃
　　　　　　　Renaile　nodded；　accepting　at　last；　there　was　very　little　else　to　do　when　an　Aes　Sedai　made　a　simple　statement　of　fact。　Yet　Elayne　wondered。　What　was　in　the　pages　that　had　not　survived？　She　had　noticed　a　slight　change　in　Sareitha's　inflection　at　one　point。　She　had　questions。　For　later；　when　there　were　fewer　ears　around。
　　　　　　　When　Renaile　and　Sareitha　withdrew；　Nynaeve　twitched　her　divided　skirts　straight；　plainly　irritated　at　the　interruption；　and　opened　her　mouth　again。
　　　　　　　〃Continue　your　demonstration；　Nynaeve；〃　Caire　manded　harshly。　Her　dark　face　might　have　been　smooth　as　a　frozen　pond；　but　she　was　not　very　pleased；　either。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　mouth　worked　before　she　could　make　any　sound　e　out；　and　when　it　did；　she　went　on　in　a　rush；　as　though　afraid　someone　else　might　break　in。
　　　　　　　The　next　part　of　the　lesson　was　passing　control　of　the　circle。　That　had　to　be　done　voluntarily；　too；　and　even　as　she　reached　out　toward　Nynaeve；　Elayne　held　her　breath　until　she　felt　the　subtle　shift　that　meant　she　now　controlled　the　Power　flowing　into　her。　And　that　flowing　through　Nynaeve；　of　course。　She　had　not　been　sure　it　would　work。　Nynaeve　could　form　a　circle　easily；　if　not　with　any　finesse；　but　passing　guidance　also　involved　a　form　of　surrender；　Nynaeve　had　considerable　difficulties　relinquishing　control　or　being　brought　into　a　circle；　just　as　she　had　once　had　difficulty　surrendering　to　saidar。　Which　was　why　Elayne　kept　the　guidance　for　now。　It　would　have　to　be　passed　to　Caire；　and　Nynaeve　might　not　be　able　to　manage　letting　go　twice。　Those　apologies　must　have　been　much　easier　for　her。
　　　　　　　Elayne　linked　next　with　Aviendha；　so　Talaan　could　actually　see　how　it　was　done　with　an　angreal；　as　much　as　there　was　to　see；　and　it　went　perfectly；　Aviendha　was　a　very　quick　study；　blending　in　easily。　Talaan　was　quick　as　well；　it　turned　out；　adding　her　still　greater　angreal…aided　flow　without　a　hitch。　One　by　one；　Elayne　brought　them　in；　and　she　herself　almost　shivered　at　the　river　of　the　Power　that　streamed　into　her。　No　one　yet　was　drawing　n