rj.thepathofdaggers-第27部分

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today。〃　Aviendha　gave　her　a　slight　frown；　and　Elayne　sighed；　Birgitte　had　to　learn　to　guard　her　tongue　if　she　really　intended　to　hide　who　she　was。
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　we　run；〃　Nynaeve　panted；　laboring　down　the　final　stretch　of　path。　〃Fight　or　run！　Fool　question！　Do　you　think　we're　utter　…？　Light！　What　are　they　doing？〃　Her　voice　started　climbing　and　kept　right　on。　〃Alise！　Alise；　where　are　you？　Alise！　Alise！〃
　　　　　　　With　a　start；　Elayne　realized　the　farm　was　boiling　as　badly　as　it　had　when　Careane's　face　was　recognized。　Maybe　worse。　A　hundred　and　forty…seven　Kinswomen　inhabited　the　place　at　present；　Alise　had　reported；　including　fifty…four　red…belted　Wise　Women　sent　out　days　ago　and　a　number　of　others　who　had　been　passing　through　the　city；　now　it　looked　as　though　every　last　one　was　running　somewhere；　and　a　good　many　of　the　other　women；　too。　Most　of　the　Tarasin　Palace　servants　in　their　green…and…white　livery　dashed　this　way　and　that　carrying　burdens。　Ducks　and　chickens　darted　through　the　tumult；　flapping　and　squawking；　adding　to　the　apparent　confusion。　Elayne　even　saw　a　Warder；　Vandene's　grizzled　Jaem；　trot　by　with　his　wiry　arms　wrapped　around　a　big　jute　sack！
　　　　　　　Alise　appeared　as　though　from　the　air；　poised　and　collected　despite　the　perspiration　on　her　face。　Every　strand　of　her　hair　was　in　place；　and　her　dress　looked　as　if　she　were　merely　out　for　a　stroll。　〃There's　no　need　to　screech；〃　she　said　calmly；　planting　hands　on　hips。　〃Birgitte　told　me　what　those　big　birds　are；　and　I　thought　we　might　be　leaving　sooner　rather　than　later；　especially　with　all　of　you　galloping　down　the　hill　like　the　Dark　One　himself　was　after　you。　I　told　everybody　to　collect　one　clean　dress　apiece；　three　changes　of　shift　and　stockings；　soap；　mending　baskets；　and　all　the　coin　they　have。　That；　and　no　more。　The　last　ten　to　finish　will　do　the　washing…up　till　we　get　where　we're　going；　that　will　speed　their　feet。　I　told　those　servants　to　gather　all　the　food　they　could；　too；　just　in　case。　And　your　Warders。　Sensible　fellows；　most　of　them。　Surprisingly　sensible；　for　men。　Does　being　a　Warder　do　something　to　them？〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　stood　there　with　her　jaw　hanging；　ready　to　issue　orders　and　none　left　to　give。　Emotions　played　across　her　face　too　fast　to　catch。　〃Very　good；〃　she　mumbled　finally。　And　sourly。　Suddenly　she　brightened。　〃The　women　who　aren't　Kin。　Yes！　They　have　to　be　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃Calm　yourself；〃　Alise　broke　in；　making　a　soothing　gesture。　〃They　are　already　gone；　for　the　most　part。　Mainly　those　with　husbands　or　families　they're　worried　about。　I　couldn't　have　held　those　back　had　I　wanted。　But　a　good　thirty　think　those　birds　really　are　Shadowspawn；　and　want　to　stay　as　close　to　Aes　Sedai　as　they　can　get。〃　A　sharp　sniff　said　what　she　thought　of　that。　〃Now；　you　just　gather　yourself。　Drink　some　cool　water；　not　too　fast。　Put　a　little　on　your　face。　I　have　to　keep　an　eye　on　things。〃　Casting　her　eye　over　the　bustle；　everybody　running　in　bounds；　Alise　shook　her　head。　〃Some　would　slack　off　if　Trollocs　were　ing　over　the　hill；　and　most　of　the　noblewomen　never　really　do　get　used　to　our　rules。　For　sure；　I'll　need　to　remind　two　or　three　before　we　go。〃　With　that；　she　waded　serenely　back　into　the　turmoil　of　the　farmyard　and　left　Nynaeve　gaping。
　　　　　　　〃Well；〃　Elayne　said；　brushing　her　skirt；　〃you　did　say　she　was　a　very　capable　woman。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　never　said　that；〃　Nynaeve　snapped。　〃I　never　said　'very。'　Hmmph！　Where　did　my　hat　get　to？　Thinks　she　knows　everything。　I'll　wager　she　doesn't　know　that！〃　She　flounced　off　in　a　different　direction　than　Alise。
　　　　　　　Elayne　stared　after　her。　Her　hat？　She　would　have　liked　to　know　where　her　own　hat　had　gone　to　…　it　was　a　beautiful　thing　…　but　really！　Maybe　being　in　a　circle　working　that　much　of　the　Power；　using　an　angreal　doing　it；　had　unsettled　Nynaeve's　wits　temporarily。　She　still　felt　a　trifle　odd；　herself；　as　though　she　could　pluck　little　bits　of　saidar　out　of　the　air　around　her。　In　any　case；　she　had　other　matters　to　worry　about　right　then。　Like　being　ready　to　get　away　before　the　Seanchan　descended。　From　what　she　had　seen　in　Falme；　they　really　might　bring　a　hundred　damane；　or　more；　and　based　on　the　little　Egwene　would　let　herself　say　of　her　captivity；　most　of　those　women　really　would　be　eager　to　help　collar　others。　She　said　that　what　had　turned　her　stomach　most　had　been　the　sight　of　damane　from　Seanchan　laughing　with　their　sul'dam；　fawning　and　playing　with　them；　well…trained　hounds　with　their　affectionate　handlers。　Egwene　said　some　of　the　women　collared　in　Falme　had　been　that　way；　too。　It　made　Elayne's　blood　run　cold。　She　would　die　before　letting　them　put　that　leash　on　her！　And　she　would　as　soon　let　the　Forsaken　have　what　she　had　found　as　the　Seanchan。　She　went　running　to　the　cistern；　Aviendha　at　her　side　breathing　almost　as　hard　as　she　was　herself。
　　　　　　　It　seemed　Alise　really　had　thought　of　everything；　though。　The　ter'angreal　were　already　stowed　away　on　the　packhorses。　The　unsearched　panniers　remained　full　of　jumbled　odds　and　ends　and　the　Light　knew　what；　but　those　she　and　Aviendha　had　emptied　now　bulged　with　coarse　sacks　of　flour　and　salt；　beans　and　lentils。　A　handful　of　stablefolk　minded　the　packanimals　instead　of　running　about　with　their　arms　full。　Doing　Alise's　bidding；　no　doubt。　Even　Birgitte　went　trotting　off　at　the　woman's　call　with　no　more　than　a　rueful　grin！
　　　　　　　Elayne　lifted　canvas　covers　to　examine　the　ter'angreal　as　well　as　she　could　without　unloading　them　again。　Everything　appeared　to　be　there；　a　bit　tumbled　together　in　two　panniers；　not　enough　to　fill　them；　but　nothing　broken。　Not　that　anything　short　of　the　One　Power　itself　could　break　most　ter'angreal；　yet　even　so。。。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　took　a　seat　cross…legged　on　the　ground；　blotting　sweat　from　her　face　with　a　large；　plain　linen　handkerchief　that　seemed　very　much　at　odds　with　her　pretty　silk　riding　dress。　Even　she　was　beginning　to　show　weariness。　〃What　are　you　muttering　about；　Elayne？　You　sound　like　Nynaeve。　This　Alise　has　only　saved　us　the　trouble　of　packing　those　things　ourselves。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　colored　faintly。　She　had　not　meant　to　speak　aloud。　〃I　just　don't　want　anyone　handling　them　who　doesn't　know　what　they　are　doing；　Aviendha。〃　Some　ter'angreal　could　trigger　even　for　people　unable　to　channel；　if　they　did　the　wrong　thing；　but　the　truth　was；　she　did　not　want　anyone　handling　them。　They　were　hers！　The　Hall　was　not　going　to　hand　these　over　to　some　other　sister　just　because　she　was　older　and　more　experienced；　or　hide　them　away　because　studying　ter'angreal　was　too　dangerous。　With　this　many　examples　to　study；　maybe　she　could　finally　figure　out　how　to　make　ter'angreal　that　worked　every　time；　there　had　been　far　too　many　failures　and　half…successes。　〃They　need　someone　who　knows　what　she's　doing；〃　she　said；　lashing　the　stiff　canvas　back　in　place。
　　　　　　　Order　began　to　appear　out　of　pandemonium　more　rapidly　than　Elayne　expected；　though　not　as　fast　as　she　could　have　wished。　Of　course；　she　admitted　reluctantly；　nothing　slower　than　instantaneous　could　have　matched　her　wishes。　Unable　to　keep　her　eyes　off　the　sky；　she　sent　Careane　running　back　to　the　top　of　the　hill　to　watch　toward　Ebou　Dar。　The　stocky　Green　grumbled　a　bit　under　her　breath　before　curtsying；　and　even　frowned　at　the　Kinswomen　dashing　about　as　if　on　the　point　of　suggesting　one　of　them　instead；　but　Elayne　wanted　someone　who　would　not　faint　at　the　sight　of　〃Shadowspawn〃　approaching；　and　Careane　stood　lowest　among　the　sisters。　Adeleas　and　Vandene　brought　out　Ispan　between　them；　firmly　shielded　and　the　leather　sack　back　over　her　head。　She　walked　quite　easily；　and　nothing　visible　said　that　anything　at　all　had　been　done　to　her；　except。。。　Ispan　kept　her　hands　folded　at　her　waist；　never　so　much　as　trying　to　raise　the　sack　for　a　peek；　and　when　she　was　boosted　into　a　saddle；　she　held　out　her　wrists　to　be　corded　to　the　pommel　without　being　told。　If　she　was　that　amenable；　perhaps　they　had　learned　something　from　her。　Elayne　just　did　not　want　to　contemplate　how　the　learning　might　have　been　achieved。
　　　　　　　There　were。。。　bumps；　of　course；　of　sorts；　even　with　what　might　be　rushing　toward　them。　What　surely　was　rushing　toward　them。　Nynaeve　getting　her　blue…plumed　hat　back　was　not　really　a　bump；　though　it　almost　turned　into　one；　Alise　had　found　it；　and　handed　it　back　telling　Nynaeve　she　needed　to　shield　her　face　from　the　sun　if　she　wanted　to　keep　that　smooth　pretty　skin。　An　open…mouthed　Nynaeve　watched　the　graying　woman　hurry　off　to　deal　with　one　of　the　numerous　small　problems；　then　ostentatiously　shoved　the　hat　under　a　strap　of　her　saddlebags。
　　　　　　　From　the　beginning　Nynaeve　set　about　flattening　the　real　bumps；　but　Alise　was　nearly　always　there　first；　and　where　Alise　met　a　bump；　the　bump　flattened　itself。　Several　noblewomen　demanded　help　packing　their　belongings；　only　to　be　informed　in　no　uncertain　terms　that　she　had　meant　what　she　said　and　if　they　did　not　hop　to　it；　they　could　live　in　what　they　stood　in。　They　hopped。　Some；　and　not　only　nobles；　changed　their　minds　about　going　when　they　learned　the　destination　was　Andor；　and　were　literally　chased　away。　Afoot；　and　told　to　keep　running　as　long　as　they　could。　Every　horse　was　needed；　but　they　had　to　be　well　away　before　the　Seanchan　appeared；　at　the　very　least　they　could　be　expected　to　put　anyone　near　the　farm　to　the　question。　As　should　have　been　expected；　Nynaeve　got　into　a　shouting　match　with　Renaile　over　the　Bowl；　and　the　turtle　Talaan　had　used；　which　Renaile　apparently　had　tucked　behind　her　sash。　Hardly　had　they　reached　the　stage　of　waving　arms；　however；　than　Alise　was　right　there；　and　in　short　order　the　Bowl　was　back　in　Sareitha's　care　and　the　turtle　in　Merilille's。　Following　which；　Elayne　was　treated　to　the　sight　of　Alise　shaking　her　finger　under　the　astonished　nose　of　the　Windfinder　to　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships　to　the　Atha'an　Miere；　delivering　a　tongue…lashing　on　the　subject　of　theft　that　left　Renaile　spluttering　indignantly。　Nynaeve　did　a　little　spluttering；　too；　stalking　away　empty…handed；　yet　Elayne　thought　she　had　never　seen　anyone　look　so　forlorn。
　　　　　　　All　in　all；　it　did　not　take　very　long；　though。　The　remaining　women　who　had　been　at　the　farm　gathered　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　the　Knitting　Circle　…　and　of　Alise；　who　carefully　noted　the　last　ten　to　arrive；　all　but　two　in　fine　emb