rj.thepathofdaggers-第37部分

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our　hands　and　faces；〃　she　told　Maighdin　and　Lini。　Gathering　up　Breane　with　a　gesture；　she　began　herding　them　toward　the　tent。　At　a　nod　from　Perrin；　Aram　motioned　the　men　to　follow　him。
　　　　　　　〃As　soon　as　you　finish　your　wash；　Master　Gill；　I'd　like　to　talk　with　you；〃　Perrin　said。
　　　　　　　He　might　as　well　have　made　that　spinning　wheel　of　fire。　Maighdin　whipped　around　to　gape　at　him；　and　the　other　two　women　froze　in　their　tracks。　Tallanvor　was　suddenly　gripping　his　sword　hilt　again；　and　Balwer　rose　on　his　toes；　peering　over　his　bundle；　head　tilting　this　way　then　that。　Not　a　wolf；　perhaps；　some　sort　of　bird；　watching　for　cats。　The　stout　man；　Basel　Gill；　dropped　his　belongings　and　leaped　a　foot　in　the　air。
　　　　　　　〃Why；　Perrin；〃　he　stammered；　snatching　off　the　straw　hat。　Sweat　made　tracks　in　the　dust　on　his　cheeks。　He　bent　to　pick　up　his　bundle；　changed　his　mind　and　straightened　again　hastily。　〃I　mean；　Lord　Perrin。　I。。。　ah。。。　I　thought　it　was　you；　but。。。　but　with　them　calling　you　lord；　I　wasn't　sure　you'd　want　to　know　an　old　innkeeper。〃　Scrubbing　a　handkerchief　across　his　nearly　bald　head；　he　laughed　nervously。　〃Of　course；　I'll　talk　to　you。　Washing　can　wait　a　little　longer。〃
　　　　　　　〃Hello；　Perrin；〃　the　hulking　man　said。　With　his　heavy…lidded　eyes；　Lamgwin　Dorn　appeared　lazy　despite　his　muscles　and　the　scars　on　his　face　and　hands。　〃We　heard　about　young　Rand　being　the　Dragon　Reborn；　Master　Gill　and　me。　Should　have　figured　you'd　have　e　up　in　the　world；　too。　Perrin　Aybara's　a　good　man；　Mistress　Maighdin。　I　think　you　could　trust　him　with　anything　you've　a　mind　to。〃　He　was　not　lazy；　and　he　was　not　stupid；　either。
　　　　　　　Aram　jerked　his　head　impatiently；　and　Lamgwin　and　the　other　two　followed；　but　Tallanvor　and　Balwer　dragged　their　feet；　casting　wondering　glances　back　at　Perrin　and　Master　Gill。　Concerned　glances。　And　at　the　women。　Faile　had　them　moving　again；　as　well；　though　with　plenty　of　darted　looks　at　Perrin　and　Master　Gill；　at　the　men　trailing　Aram。　Suddenly　they　were　not　so　pleased　at　being　separated。
　　　　　　　Master　Gill　mopped　his　forehead　and　smiled　uneasily。　Light；　why　did　he　smell　afraid？　Perrin　wondered。　Of　him？　Of　a　man　tied　to　the　Dragon　Reborn；　calling　himself　lord　and　leading　an　army；　however　small；　threatening　the　Prophet。　Might　as　well　throw　gagging　Aes　Sedai　into　it；　too；　he　would　take　the　blame　for　that；　one　way　or　another。　No；　Perrin　thought　wryly；　nothing　in　that　to　frighten　anybody。　The　whole　lot　of　them　were　probably　afraid　he　might　murder　them　all。
　　　　　　　Trying　to　put　Master　Gill　at　ease；　he　led　the　man　to　a　large　oak　a　hundred　paces　from　the　red…and…white　tent。　Most　of　the　great　tree's　leaves　were　gone　and　half　those　left　were　brown；　but　massive　limbs　spreading　low　provided　a　little　shade；　and　some　of　the　gnarled　roots　stood　high　enough　to　serve　as　benches。　Perrin　had　used　one　for　just　that；　twiddling　his　thumbs　while　camp　was　being　set。　Whenever　he　tried　to　do　anything　useful；　there　were　always　ten　hands　snatching　it　away　from　him。
　　　　　　　Basel　Gill　was　not　eased；　however　much　Perrin　asked　after　the　Queen's　Blessing；　his　inn　in　Caemlyn；　or　recalled　his　own　visit　there。　But　then；　perhaps　Gill　was　remembering　that　that　visit　was　not　the　thing　to　calm　a　man；　with　Aes　Sedai　and　talk　of　the　Dark　One　and　a　flight　in　the　night。　He　paced　anxiously　and　hugged　his　bundle　to　his　chest；　shifted　it　from　one　arm　to　the　other　and　answered　in　a　bare　handful　of　words；　licking　his　lips　between。
　　　　　　　〃Master　Gill；〃　Perrin　told　him　finally；　〃stop　calling　me　Lord　Perrin。　I'm　not。　It's　plicated；　but　I'm　not　a　lord。　You　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course；〃　the　round　man　replied；　at　last　seating　himself　on　one　of　the　oak　roots。　He　appeared　reluctant　to　set　his　bundled　things　down；　drawing　his　hands　from　them　slowly。　〃As　you　say；　Lord　Perrin。　Ah；　Rand。。。　the　Lord　Dragon。。。　he　really　means　the　Lady　Elayne　to　have　the　throne？　Not　that　I　doubt　your　word；　of　course；〃　he　added　hurriedly。　Pulling　off　his　hat；　he　began　mopping　his　forehead　again。　Even　for　such　a　round　man；　he　seemed　to　be　sweating　twice　as　much　as　the　heat　called　for。　〃I'm　sure　the　Lord　Dragon　will　do　just　as　you　say。〃　His　laugh　was　shaky。　〃You　wanted　to　talk　to　me。　And　not　about　my　old　inn；　I'm　sure。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　exhaled　wearily。　He　had　thought　nothing　could　be　worse　than　old　friends　and　neighbors　bowing　and　scraping；　but　at　least　they　forgot　sometimes　and　spoke　their　minds。　And　none　of　them　was　afraid　of　him。　〃You're　a　long　way　from　home；〃　he　said　in　a　gentle　voice。　No　need　to　go　too　fast；　not　with　a　man　ready　to　jump　out　of　his　skin。　〃I　wondered　what　brought　you　here。　Not　troubles　of　any　kind；　I　hope。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　tell　him　right；　Basel　Gill；〃　Lini　said　sharply；　marching　up　to　the　oak。　〃No　embroidery；　mind。〃　She　had　not　been　gone　very　long；　yet　somehow　she　had　found　time　to　wash　her　face　and　hands　and　work　her　hair　into　a　neat　white　bun　on　the　back　of　her　head。　And　to　beat　most　of　the　dust　from　her　plain　woolen　dress。　Bobbing　a　perfunctory　curtsy　in　Perrin's　direction；　she　turned　to　shake　a　gnarled　finger　at　Gill。　〃　'Three　things　annoy　to　distraction：　a　tooth　that　aches；　a　shoe　that　pinches；　and　a　man　that　chatters。'　So　you　hold　to　the　point　and　don't　go　telling　the　young　lord　more　than　he　wants　to　hear。〃　For　a　moment　she　held　the　gaping　innkeeper　with　an　admonitory　stare；　then　abruptly　gave　Perrin　another　quick　curtsy。　〃He　does　love　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　…　most　men　do　…　but　he'll　tell　it　to　you　properly；　now；　my　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　Master　Gill　glowered　at　her；　and　muttered　under　his　breath　when　she　waved　sharply　for　him　to　speak。　〃Bony　old。。。　〃　was　what　Perrin　heard。　〃What　happened　…　the　simple　and　straight　of　it　…　〃　The　round　man　glared　at　Lini　again；　but　she　did　not　appear　to　notice；　〃was　that　I　had　some　business　down　to　Lugard。　A　chance　to　import　wine。　But　you're　not　interested　in　that。　I　took　Lamgwin　along；　of　course；　and　Breane；　because　she　won't　let　him　out　of　her　sight　an　hour　she　doesn't　have　to。　Along　the　way；　we　met　Mistress　Dorlain；　Mistress　Maighdin　as　we　call　her；　and　Lini；　and　Tallanvor。　And　Balwer；　of　course。　On　the　road。　Near　to　Lugard。〃
　　　　　　　〃Maighdin　and　I　were　in　service　in　Murandy；〃　Lini　put　in　impatiently。　〃Until　the　troubles。　Tallanvor　was　an　armsman　to　the　House；　and　Balwer　the　secretary。　Bandits　burned　the　manor；　and　our　lady　couldn't　afford　to　keep　us；　so　we　decided　to　travel　together　for　protection。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　telling　it；　Lini；〃　Master　Gill　grumbled；　scratching　behind　his　ear。　〃The　wine　merchant　had　left　Lugard　for　the　country；　for　some　reason；　and。。。　〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃It's　all　too　much　to　go　into；　Perrin。　Lord　Perrin；　I　mean。　Forgive　me。　You　know　there's　trouble　everywhere　nowadays；　one　kind　or　another。　Seems　like　every　time　we　ran　from　one　kind；　we　found　another；　and　always　getting　further　from　Caemlyn。　Till　here　we　are；　tired　and　grateful　for　a　rest。　And　that's　the　short　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　nodded　slowly。　That　could　be　simple　truth；　though　he　had　learned　that　people　had　a　hundred　reasons　for　lying；　or　just　shading　the　truth。　Grimacing；　he　raked　fingers　through　his　hair。　Light！　He　was　being　suspicious　as　a　Cairhienin；　and　the　deeper　Rand　tangled　him；　the　worse　it　got。　Why　on　earth　would　Basel　Gill；　of　all　people；　lie　to　him？　A　lady's　maid；　accustomed　to　privilege　and　fallen　on　hard　times；　that　explained　Maighdin。　Some　things　were　simple。
　　　　　　　Lini's　hands　were　folded　at　her　waist；　but　she　watched　with　a　keen　eye；　no　little　like　a　falcon　herself；　and　Master　Gill　began　fidgeting　as　soon　as　he　stopped　talking。　He　seemed　to　take　Perrin's　grimace　as　a　demand　for　more。　He　laughed；　more　on　edge　than　amused。　〃I　haven't　seen　so　much　of　the　world　since　the　Aiel　War；　and　I　was　considerably　skinnier；　then。　Why；　we've　been　as　far　as　Amador。　Of　course；　we　left　after　those　Seanchan　took　the　city；　but　truth；　they　aren't　any　worse　than　the　Whitecloaks；　that　I　could　…　〃　He　cut　off　as　Perrin　leaned　forward　abruptly　and　seized　his　lapel。
　　　　　　　〃Seanchan；　Master　Gill？　Are　you　sure　of　that？　Or　is　it　one　of　those　rumors；　like　the　Aiel；　or　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　saw　them；〃　Gill　replied；　exchanging　uncertain　looks　with　Lini。　〃And　that's　what　they　call　themselves。　I'm　surprised　you　don't　know。　Word's　been　running　ahead　of　us　all　the　way　from　Amador。　These　Seanchan　want　people　to　know　what　they're　about。　Strange　people；　with　strange　creatures。〃　His　voice　picked　up　intensity。　〃Like　Shadowspawn。　Big　leathery　things　that　fly；　and　carry　men；　and　these　things　like　lizards；　only　they're　big　as　horses；　and　they　have　three　eyes。　I　saw　them！　I　did！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　believe　you；〃　Perrin　said；　releasing　the　man's　coat。　〃I've　seen　them；　too。〃　At　Falme；　where　a　thousand　Whitecloaks　died　in　minutes　and　it　had　taken　dead　heroes　of　legend；　called　by　the　Horn　of　Valere；　to　throw　the　Seanchan　back。　Rand　had　said　they　would　return；　but　how　could　they　have　so　soon？　Light！　If　they　held　Amador；　they　had　to　have　Tarabon　as　well；　or　most　of　it。　Only　a　fool　killed　a　deer　when　he　knew　there　was　a　wounded　bear　behind　his　back。　How　much　had　they　taken？　〃I　can't　send　you　to　Caemlyn　right　away；　Master　Gill；　but　if　you　stay　with　me　a　while　longer；　I'll　see　you　there　safely。〃　If　staying　with　him　any　length　of　time　was　safe。　The　Prophet；　Whitecloaks；　and　now　maybe　Seanchan　added　in。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　you're　a　good　man；〃　Lini　said　suddenly。　〃I'm　afraid　we　didn't　tell　you　the　whole　truth；　and　maybe　we　should。〃
　　　　　　　〃Lini；　what　are　you　saying？〃　Master　Gill　exclaimed；　bounding　to　his　feet。　〃I　think　the　heat's　getting　to　her；〃　he　told　Perrin。　〃And　all　the　travel。　She　has　strange　fancies；　sometimes。　You　know　how　old　folks　can　get。　Hush；　now；　Lini！〃
　　　　　　　Lini　slapped　away　the　hand　he　was　trying　to　put　over　her　mouth。　〃You　mind　yourself；　Basel　Gill！　I'll　'old'　you！　Maighdin　was　running　from　Tallanvor；　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　and　he　was　chasing　her。　We　all　were；　four　days　now；　and　near　killing　us　and　the　horses　both。　Well；　it's　no　wonder　she　doesn't　know　her　own　mind　half　the　time；　you　men　snarl　up　a　woman's　wits　so　she　can　hardly　think；　then　you　pretend　you've　done　nothing　at　all。　The　lot　of　you　ought　to　have　your　ears　boxed　on　general　principle。　The　girl's　afraid　of　her　own　heart！　Those　two　should　be　married；　and　the　quicker　the　better。〃
　　　　　　　Master　Gill　gaped　at　her；　and　Perrin　was　not　sure　his