rj.thepathofdaggers-第43部分

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　can　say　reliably　that　he　was　recently　at　Abila；　a　largish　town　some　forty　leagues　south　of　here。〃　Balwer　smiled　thinly；　a　brief　self…satisfied　smile。
　　　　　　　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃　Perrin　said　slowly。
　　　　　　　〃As　I　said；　my　Lord；　I　keep　my　ears　open。　The　Prophet　reportedly　closed　a　number　of　inns　and　taverns；　and　tore　down　those　he　considered　too　disreputable。　Several　were　mentioned；　and　by　chance；　I　happen　to　know　there　are　inns　of　those　names　in　Abila。　I　think　there　is　little　chance　another　town　would　have　inns　with　the　same　names。〃　He　flashed　another　narrow　smile。　He　certainly　smelled　pleased　with　himself。
　　　　　　　Perrin　scratched　his　beard　thoughtfully。　The　man　just　happened　to　remember　where　some　inns　that　Masema　supposedly　had　torn　down　were　located。　And　if　Masema　turned　out　not　to　be　there　after　all；　well；　these　days　rumors　sprouted　like　mushrooms　after　rain。　Balwer　sounded　a　man　trying　to　build　up　his　own　importance。　〃Thank　you；　Master　Balwer。　I'll　keep　that　to　mind。　If　you　hear　any　more；　be　sure　to　tell　me。〃　As　he　turned　to　go；　the　man　caught　his　sleeve。
　　　　　　　Balwer's　skinny　fingers　leaped　away　immediately；　as　though　burned；　and　he　made　one　of　those　birdlike　bows；　dry…washing　his　hands。　〃Forgive　me；　my　Lord。　I　hesitate　to　press；　but　do　not　take　the　Whitecloaks　too　lightly。　Avoiding　them　is　wise；　but　it　may　not　be　possible。　They　are　much　closer　than　the　Seanchan。　Eamon　Valda；　the　new　Lord　Captain　mander；　led　most　of　their　numbers　toward　northern　Amadicia　before　Amador　fell。　He　was　hunting　the　Prophet；　also；　my　Lord。　Valda　is　a　dangerous　man；　and　Rhadam　Asunawa；　the　Grand　Inquisitor；　makes　Valda　seem　pleasant。　And　I　fear　neither　has　any　love　for　your　own　Lord。　Forgive　me。〃　He　bowed　again；　hesitated；　then　went　on　smoothly。　〃If　I　may　say　so；　my　Lord's　display　of　Manetheren's　banner　is　inspired。　My　Lord　will　be　more　than　a　match　for　Valda　and　Asunawa；　if　he　takes　care。〃
　　　　　　　Watching　him　bow　himself　away；　Perrin　thought　he　knew　part　of　Balwer's　story　now。　Clearly；　he　also　had　run　afoul　of　the　Whitecloaks。　That　could　take　no　more　than　being　on　the　same　street　with　them；　a　frown　at　the　wrong　time；　but　it　seemed　Balwer　had　a　grudge。　A　sharp　mind；　too；　seeing　right　away　about　the　Red　Eagle。　And　a　sharp　tongue　with　Master　Gill。
　　　　　　　Gill　was　on　his　knees　beside　Maighdin；　talking　rapidly　despite　Lini's　effort　to　hush　him。　Maighdin　had　turned　to　stare　after　Balwer　as　the　fellow　hurried　through　the　trees　toward　the　carts；　but　now　and　then　her　gaze　swung　to　Perrin。　The　rest　of　them　clustered　close　to　her；　peering　now　at　Balwer；　now　at　Perrin。　If　he　had　ever　seen　a　group　of　people　worried　about　what　somebody　else　had　said；　it　was　they。　But　what　were　they　worried　he　might　have　heard？　Backbiting；　probably。　Tales　of　resentments　and　misdeeds；　real　or　imagined。　People　cooped　up　together　tended　to　start　pecking　at　one　another。　If　that　was　it；　maybe　he　could　put　a　stop　before　somebody　drew　blood。　Tallanvor　was　fondling　his　sword　hilt　again！　What　did　Faile　intend　to　do　with　the　fellow？
　　　　　　　〃Aram；　I　want　you　to　go　talk　to　Tallanvor　and　that　lot。　Tell　them　what　Balwer　said　to　me。　Just　slide　it　into　the　talk；　but　tell　everything。〃　That　should　soothe　fears　of　tale…bearing。　Faile　said　servants　needed　to　be　made　to　feel　at　home。　〃Make　friends　with　them　if　you　can；　Aram。　But　if　you　decide　to　moon　over　one　of　the　women；　be　sure　it's　Lini。　The　other　two　are　taken。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　had　a　smooth　tongue　for　any　pretty　woman；　but　he　managed　to　look　surprised　and　offended；　both。　〃As　you　wish；　Lord　Perrin；〃　he　muttered　sulkily。　〃I'll　catch　you　up　quickly。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　be　over　with　the　Aiel。〃
　　　　　　　Aram　blinked。　〃Ah。　Yes。　Well；　it　might　take　a　while；　at　that；　if　I'm　to　make　friends　with　them。　They　don't　look　like　they　much　want　friends；　to　me。〃　This　from　a　fellow　who　stared　suspiciously　at　anyone　except　Faile　who　came　near　Perrin　and　never　smiled　for　anyone　not　wearing　a　skirt。
　　　　　　　Nevertheless；　he　went　over　and　squatted　on　his　heels　where　he　could　speak　to　Gill　and　the　others。　Even　from　a　distance　their　standoffishness　was　plain。　They　continued　with　their　work；　only　now　and　then　saying　a　word　to　Aram；　and　they　looked　at　each　other　as　often　as　at　him。　Skittish　as　green　quail　in　summer；　when　the　foxes　were　teaching　the　cubs　to　hunt。　But　at　least　they　were　talking。
　　　　　　　Perrin　wondered　what　mischief　Aram　had　gotten　up　to　with　the　Aiel　…　there　did　not　seem　to　have　been　any　time　for　it！　…　but　he　did　not　wonder　long。　Any　serious　trouble　with　Aiel　usually　meant　someone　dead；　and　not　the　Aiel。　In　truth；　he　was　not　so　eager　to　meet　the　Wise　Ones　himself。　He　walked　around　the　curve　of　the　hill；　but　instead　of　climbing　the　slope；　his　feet　carried　him　all　the　way　to　the　Mayeners。　He　had　stayed　away　from　their　camp　as　much　as　possible；　too；　and　not　simply　because　of　Berelain。　There　were　disadvantages　to　having　too　keen　a　nose。
　　　　　　　Fortunately；　a　freshening　breeze　was　carrying　most　of　the　stink　away；　though　it　did　little　for　the　heat。　Sweat　rolled　down　the　faces　of　the　mounted　sentries　in　their　red　armor。　At　the　sight　of　him；　they　sat　up　even　more　rigidly　in　their　saddles；　which　was　saying　something。　Where　the　Two　Rivers　men　rode　like　fellows　heading　out　to　the　fields；　the　Mayeners　usually　were　statues　on　horseback。　They　could　fight；　though。　The　Light　send　there　was　no　need。
　　　　　　　Havien　Nurelle　came　running；　buttoning　up　his　coat；　before　Perrin　was　well　past　the　sentries。　The　dozen　or　so　other　officers　followed　at　Nurelle's　heels；　all　coated　and　some　fastening　the　straps　of　their　red　breastplates。　Two　or　three　carried　helmets　with　thin　red　plumes　tucked　under　their　arms。　Most　were　years　older　than　Nurelle；　some　twice　his　age；　graying　men　with　hard；　scarred　faces；　but　Nurelle's　reward　for　helping　to　rescue　Rand　had　been　to　be　named　Gallenne's　second；　his　First　Lieutenant；　they　called　it。
　　　　　　　〃The　First　hasn't　returned；　yet；　Lord　Perrin；〃　Nurelle　said；　making　a　bow　mirrored　by　the　others。　A　tall　slender　man；　he　did　not　look　as　young　as　he　had　before　Dumai's　Wells。　There　was　an　edge　to　his　eyes；　which　had　seen　more　blood　than　most　veterans　of　twenty　battles。　But　if　his　face　was　harder；　there　was　still　an　eagerness　to　please　in　his　scent。　To　Havien　Nurelle；　Perrin　Aybara　was　a　man　who　could　fly　or　walk　on　water　as　he　chose。　〃The　morning　patrols　saw　nothing；　those　that　are　back。　I　would　have　reported；　otherwise。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course；〃　Perrin　told　him。　〃I。。。　just　wanted　to　look　about　a　bit。〃
　　　　　　　He　simply　meant　to　walk　around　until　he　could　work　up　his　nerve　to　face　the　Wise　Ones；　but　the　young　Mayener　followed　him　with　the　rest　of　the　officers；　anxiously　watching　for　Lord　Perrin　to　find　some　flaw　in　the　Winged　Guards；　wincing　whenever　they　came　on　bare…chested　men　tossing　dice　on　a　blanket　or　some　fellow　snoring　away　with　the　sun　on　the　climb。　He　need　not　have　bothered；　to　Perrin；　the　camp　looked　laid　out　with　a　plumb　line　and　level。　Each　man　had　his　blankets；　and　his　saddle　for　a　pillow；　not　more　than　two　paces　from　where　his　horse　was　tied　to　one　of　the　long　ropes　drooping　between　chest…high　poles　set　upright　in　the　ground。　A　cook　fire　stood　every　twenty　paces；　with　lances　stacked　in　steel…tipped　cones　between。　The　whole　made　a　sort　of　box　around　five　peaked　tents；　one　striped　gold…and…blue　and　larger　than　the　other　four　bined。　All　very　different　from　the　Two　Rivers　men's　every…which…way　arrangement。
　　　　　　　Perrin　walked　along　briskly；　trying　not　to　look　too　much　a　fool。　He　was　not　sure　how　much　success　he　was　having。　He　itched　to　stop　and　look　over　a　horse　or　two　…　just　to　be　able　to　pick　up　a　hoof　without　somebody　practically　fainting　…　but　mindful　of　what　Aram　had　said；　he　kept　his　hands　to　himself。　Everyone　seemed　as　startled　as　Nurelle　at　his　pace。　Tough…eyed　bannermen　chivvied　men　to　their　feet　only　to　have　Perrin　stride　by　with　a　nod　before　they　were　all　upright。　A　puzzled　murmur　trailed　in　the　air　behind　him；　and　his　ears　caught　a　few　ments　about　officers；　lords　in　particular；　that　he　was　just　as　glad　Nurelle　and　the　others　missed。　Finally；　he　found　himself　on　the　verge　of　the　camp；　staring　up　the　brushy　slope　toward　the　Wise　Ones'　tents。　Only　a　few　of　the　Maidens　were　visible　among　the　scattered　trees　up　there；　and　some　of　the　gai'shain。
　　　　　　　〃Lord　Perrin；〃　Nurelle　said　hesitantly。　〃The　Aes　Sedai。。。　〃　He　stepped　closer　and　lowered　his　voice　to　a　hoarse　whisper。　〃I　know　they　swore　to　the　Lord　Dragon；　and。。。　I've　seen　things；　Lord　Perrin。　They　do　camp　chores！　Aes　Sedai！　This　morning；　Masuri　and　Seonid　came　down　to　fetch　water！　And　yesterday；　after　you　returned。。。　Yesterday；　I　thought　I　heard　someone　up　there。。。　crying　out。　It　couldn't　have　been　one　of　the　sisters；　of　course；〃　he　added　hurriedly；　and　laughed　to　show　how　ridiculous　the　idea　was；　a　very　shaky　laugh。　〃You。。。　You　will　see　that　everything　is。。。　all　right。。。　with　them？〃　He　had　ridden　into　forty　thousand　Shaido　leading　two　hundred　lancers；　but　talking　about　this　had　him　hunching　his　shoulders　and　shifting　his　feet。　Of　course；　he　had　ridden　into　forty　thousand　Shaido　because　an　Aes　Sedai　wanted　him　to。
　　　　　　　〃I'll　do　what　I　can；〃　Perrin　muttered。　Maybe　matters　were　worse　than　he　had　thought。　Now　he　had　to　stop　them　getting　worse　still。　If　he　could。　He　would　rather　have　faced　the　Shaido　again。
　　　　　　　Nurelle　nodded　as　though　Perrin　had　promised　all　he　asked　and　more。　〃That　is　well；　then；〃　he　said；　sounding　relieved。　Casting　sideways　glances　at　Perrin；　he　worked　himself　up　to　say　something　else；　but　apparently　this　was　not　so　touchy　as　the　Aes　Sedai。　〃I　heard　that　you　let　the　Red　Eagle　stay。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　very　nearly　jumped。　Even　for　just　around　the　hill；　news　had　traveled　fast。　〃It　seemed　the　thing　to　do；〃　he　said　slowly。　Berelain　would　have　to　know　the　truth；　yet　if　too　many　knew；　that　truth　would　spread　from　the　next　village　they　passed；　the　next　farm。　〃This　used　to　be　part　of　Manetheren；〃　he　added；　as　if　Nurelle　did　not　know　that　perfectly　well。　Truth！　He　had　gotten　so　he　could　bend　truth　like　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　to　men　on　his　side。　〃Not　the　first　time　that　flag's　been　raised　around　here；　I'll　warrant；　but　none　of　those　fellows　had　the　Dragon　Reborn　behind　him。〃　And　if　that　did　not　set　the　necessary　seeds；　he　did　not　know　how　to　plow　a　furrow。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　he　realize