rj.thepathofdaggers-第64部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ere　they　did。　His　finger　slid　along　the　south　coast　of　Altara；　along　the　Venir　range；　until　the　mountains　dwindled　to　hills　short　of　Ebou　Dar。　Five　hundred　here；　a　thousand　there。　A　tantalizing　string　of　beads　dropped　along　the　mountains。　A　sharp　rap　might　roll　them　back　to　Ebou　Dar；　might　even　pen　them　there　while　they　tried　to　figure　out　what　he　was　up　to。　Or。。。
　　　　　　　〃There　was　something　else；〃　Morr　said　abruptly；　rushing　again。　〃There　was　talk　about　some　sort　of　Aes　Sedai　weapon。　I　found　where　it　was　used；　a　few　miles　from　the　city。　The　ground　was　all　burned　over；　seared　clean　in　the　middle；　a　good　three　hundred　paces　wide　or　more；　and　ruined　orchards　further。　The　sand　was　melted　to　sheets　of　glass。　Saidin　was　worst；　there。〃
　　　　　　　Torval　waved　a　hand　at　him　dismissively。　〃There　could　have　been　Aes　Sedai　near　when　the　city　fell；　yes？　Or　maybe　the　Seanchan　themselves　did　it。　One　sister　with　an　angreal　could　…　〃
　　　　　　　Rand　cut　in。　〃What　do　you　mean；　saidin　was　worst　there？〃　Dashiva　moved；　eyeing　Morr　oddly；　reaching　as　though　to　seize　the　young　man。　Rand　fended　him　off　roughly。　〃What　do　you　mean；　Morr？〃
　　　　　　　Morr　stared；　mouth　shut　tight；　running　his　thumb　up　and　down　the　length　of　his　sword　hilt。　The　heat　inside　of　him　seemed　ready　to　burst　out。　There　really　was　sweat　beading　on　his　face　now。　〃Saidin　was。。。　strange；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　His　words　came　in　rapid　bursts。　〃Worst　there　…　I　could。。。　feel　it。。。　in　the　air　all　around　me　…　but　strange　everywhere　around　Ebou　Dar。　And　even　a　hundred　miles　away。　I　had　to　fight　it；　not　like　always；　different。　Like　it　was　alive。　Sometimes。。。　Sometimes；　it　didn't　do　what　I　wanted。　Sometimes；　it。。。　did　something　else。　It　did。　I'm　not　mad！　It　did！〃　The　wind　gusted；　howling　for　a　moment；　shivering　and　snapping　the　tent　walls；　and　Morr　fell　silent。　Narishma's　bells　chimed　at　a　jerk　of　his　head；　then　were　still。
　　　　　　　〃That　isn't　possible；〃　Dashiva　muttered　into　the　silence；　but　nearly　under　his　breath。　〃It　is　not　possible。〃
　　　　　　　〃Who　knows　what's　possible？〃　Rand　said。　〃I　don't！　Do　you？〃　Dashiva's　head　came　up　in　surprise；　but　Rand　turned　to　Morr；　moderating　his　tone。　〃Don't　worry；　man。〃　Not　a　mild　tone　…　he　could　not　manage　that　…　yet　heartening；　he　hoped。　His　making；　his　responsibility。　〃You'll　be　with　me　to　the　Last　Battle。　I　promise　it。〃
　　　　　　　The　young　man　nodded；　and　scrubbed　at　his　face　with　his　hand　as　though　surprised　to　find　it　damp；　but　he　glanced　at　Torval；　who　had　gone　as　still　as　stone。　Did　Morr　know　about　the　wine？　It　was　a　mercy；　given　the　alternatives。　A　small　and　bitter　mercy。
　　　　　　　Rand　picked　up　Taim's　missive；　folded　the　page；　and　thrust　it　into　his　coat　pocket。　One　in　fifty　mad　already；　and　more　to　e。　Was　Morr　next？　Dashiva　was　surely　close。　Hopwil's　stares　took　on　a　new　meaning；　and　even　Narishma's　habitual　quiet。　Madness　did　not　always　mean　screaming　about　spiders。　He　had　asked　once；　warily；　where　he　knew　the　answers　would　be　true；　how　to　cleanse　the　taint　from　saidin。　And　got　a　riddle　for　answer。　Herid　Fel　had　claimed　the　riddle　stated　〃sound　principles；　in　both　high　philosophy　and　natural　philosophy；〃　but　he　had　not　seen　any　way　to　apply　it　to　the　problem　at　hand。　Had　Fel　been　killed　because　he　might　have　puzzled　out　the　riddle？　Rand　had　a　hint　at　the　answer；　or　thought　he　might；　a　guess　that　could　be　disastrously　wrong。　Hints　and　riddles　were　not　answers；　yet　he　had　to　do　something。　If　the　taint　was　not　cleansed　somehow；　Tarmon　Gai'don　might　find　a　world　already　ruined　by　madmen。　What　had　to　be　done；　had　to　be　done。
　　　　　　　〃That　would　be　wondrous；〃　Torval　said　in　a　near　whisper；　〃but　how　could　anyone　short　of　the　Creator　or。。。？〃　He　trailed　off　uneasily。
　　　　　　　Rand　had　not　realized　he　had　spoken　any　of　his　thoughts　aloud。　Narishma's　eyes；　and　Morr's；　and　Hopwil's；　belonged　in　one　face；　shining　with　sudden　hope。　Dashiva　looked　poleaxed。　Rand　hoped　he　had　not　said　too　much。　Some　secrets　had　to　be　kept。　Including　what　he　would　do　next。
　　　　　　　In　short　order；　Hopwil　was　running　for　his　horse　to　ride　to　the　ridge　with　orders　for　the　nobles；　Morr　and　Dashiva　to　find　Flinn　and　the　other　Asha'man；　and　Torval　was　striding　off　to　Travel　back　to　the　Black　Tower　with　mands　for　Taim。　Narishma　was　last；　and　thinking　of　Aes　Sedai　and　Seanchan　and　weapons；　Rand　sent　him　away　as　well；　with　careful　instructions　that　made　the　young　man's　mouth　tighten。
　　　　　　　〃Speak　to　no　one；〃　Rand　finished　softly；　gripping　Narishma's　arm　hard。　〃And　don't　fail　me。　Not　by　a　hair。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　won't　fail；〃　Narishma　said；　unblinking。　With　a　quick　salute；　he　was　gone；　too。
　　　　　　　Dangerous；　a　voice　whispered　in　Rand's　head。　Oh；　yes；　very　dangerous；　maybe　too　dangerous。　But　it　might　work；　it　might。　In　any　event；　you　must　kill　Torval　now。　You　must。
　　　　　　　Weiramon　entered　the　council　tent；　shouldering　aside　Gregorin　and　Tolmeran；　trying　to　shoulder　aside　Rosana　and　Semaradrid；　the　lot　of　them　eager　to　tell　Rand　that　the　men　in　the　trees　had　decided　wisely　after　all。　They　found　him　laughing　till　tears　rolled　down　his　face。　Lews　Therin　had　e　back。　Or　else　he　really　was　mad　already。　Either　way；　it　was　reason　to　laugh。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　15　
（Bull）　
Stronger　than　Written　Law　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　In　the　dim；　cold　dark　of　deep　night；　Egwene　woke　groggily　from　restless　sleep　and　troubling　dreams；　the　more　troubling　because　she　could　not　remember　them。　Her　dreams　were　always　open　to　her；　as　clear　as　printed　words　on　a　page；　yet　these　had　been　murky　and　fearful。　She　had　had　too　many　of　those；　lately。　They　left　her　wanting　to　run；　to　escape；　never　able　to　recall　what　from；　but　always　queasy　and　uncertain；　even　trembling。　At　least　her　head　was　not　hurting。　At　least　she　could　recall　the　dreams　she　knew　must　be　significant；　though　not　how　to　interpret　them。　Rand；　wearing　different　masks；　until　suddenly　one　of　those　false　faces　was　no　longer　a　mask；　but　him。　Perrin　and　a　Tinker；　frenziedly　hacking　their　way　through　brambles　with　axe　and　sword；　unaware　of　the　cliff　that　lay　just　ahead。　And　the　brambles　screamed　with　human　voices　they　did　not　hear。　Mat；　weighing　two　Aes　Sedai　on　a　huge　set　of　balance　scales；　and　on　his　decision　depended。。。　She　could　not　say　what；　something　vast；　the　world；　perhaps。　There　had　been　other　dreams；　most　tinged　with　suffering。　Recently；　all　of　her　dreams　about　Mat　were　pale　and　full　of　pain；　like　shadows　cast　by　nightmares；　almost　as　though　Mat　himself　were　not　quite　real。　That　made　her　afraid　for　him；　left　behind　in　Ebou　Dar；　and　gave　her　agonies　of　grief　for　sending　him　there；　not　to　mention　poor　old　Thom　Merrilin。　But　the　unremembered　dreams　were　worse；　she　was　sure。
　　　　　　　The　sound　of　low　voices　arguing　had　wakened　her；　and　the　full　moon　was　still　up　outside；　casting　enough　light　for　her　to　make　out　two　women　confronting　one　another　at　the　tent's　entrance。
　　　　　　　〃The　poor　woman's　head　pains　her　all　day；　and　she　gets　little　rest　at　night；〃　Halima　whispered　fiercely；　fists　on　her　hips。　〃Let　this　wait　till　morning。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　propose　to　argue　with　you。〃　Siuan's　voice　was　winter　itself；　and　she　tossed　back　her　cloak　with　a　mittened　hand　as　though　preparing　to　fight。　She　was　dressed　for　the　weather；　in　stout　wool　no　doubt　worn　over　as　many　shifts　as　she　could　fit　underneath。　〃You　stand　aside；　and　right　quick；　or　I'll　have　your　guts　for　bait！　And　put　on　some　decent　clothes！〃
　　　　　　　With　a　soft　laugh；　Halima　drew　up　and　if　anything　planted　herself　more　squarely　in　Siuan's　way。　Her　white　nightgown　clung；　but　was　decent　enough　for　its　purpose。　Though　it　did　seem　a　wonder　she　evaded　freezing　in　that　thin　silk。　The　coals　in　the　tripod　braziers　had　died　down　long　since；　and　neither　much…mended　tent　canvas　nor　layered　carpets　on　the　ground　held　in　warmth　any　longer。　Both　women's　breath　was　pale　mist。
　　　　　　　Throwing　off　the　blankets；　Egwene　sat　up　wearily　on　her　narrow　cot。　Halima　was　a　country　woman　with　a　skim　of　sophistication；　and　often　she　did　not　seem　to　realize　the　deference　due　to　Aes　Sedai；　or　indeed　seem　to　think　she　need　defer　to　anyone。　She　spoke　to　Sitters　as　she　might　to　the　goodwives　in　her　own　village；　with　a　laugh　and　a　level　eye　and　a　straightforward　earthiness　that　sometimes　shocked。　Siuan　spent　her　days　giving　way　to　women　who　had　jumped　at　her　word　a　year　earlier；　smiling　and　curtsying　for　nearly　every　sister　in　the　camp。　Many　still　laid　much　of　the　Tower's　troubles　at　her　feet　and　thought　she　had　hardly　suffered　enough　to　atone。　Sufficient　to　keep　anyone's　pride　at　a　stiff　prickle。　Together；　the　pair　were　a　lantern　tossed　into　the　back　of　an　Illuminator's　wagon；　but　Egwene　hoped　to　avoid　an　explosion。　Besides；　Siuan　would　not　have　e　in　the　middle　of　the　night　unless　it　was　necessary。
　　　　　　　〃Go　back　to　bed；　Halima；〃　Smothering　a　yawn；　Egwene　bent　to　fumble　her　shoes　and　stockings　from　beneath　the　cot。　She　did　not　channel　a　lamp　alight。　Better　if　no　one　noticed　that　the　Amyrlin　was　awake。　〃Go　on；　you　need　your　rest。〃
　　　　　　　Halima　protested；　perhaps　more　strongly　than　she　should　have　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　but　soon　enough　she　was　back　on　the　tiny　cot　that　had　been　squeezed　into　the　tent　for　her。　Very　little　room　remained　to　move　in；　with　a　washstand；　a　stand…mirror　and　a　real　armchair；　plus　four　large　chests　stacked　atop　one　another。　Those　held　the　constant　flow　of　clothes　from　Sitters　who　had　not　yet　realized　that　however　young　Egwene　might　be；　she　was　not　young　enough　to　be　dazzled　or　diverted　by　silks　and　laces。　Halima　lay　curled　up；　watching　in　the　darkness；　while　Egwene　hastily　dragged　an　ivory　b　through　her　hair；　donned　stout　mittens；　and　pulled　a　fox…lined　cloak　over　her　nightgown。　A　thick　woolen　nightgown；　and　she　would　not　have　minded　thicker　in　this　weather。　Halima's　eyes　seemed　to　pick　up　the　faint　moonlight　and　shine　darkly；　unblinking。
　　　　　　　Egwene　did　not　think　the　woman　jealous　of　her　place　near　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　casual　as　it　was；　and　the　Light　knew　she　did　not　carry　gossip；　but　Halima　had　an　innocent　curiosity　about　everything；　whether　or　not　it　was　any　of　her　business。　Reason　enough　to　hear　Siuan　out　elsewhere。　Everyone　knew　now　that　Siuan　had　thrown　in　her　lot　with　Egwene；　after　a　fashion；　as　they　thought；　sullenly　and　grudgingly。　A　figure　of　some　amusement　and　occasional　pity；　Siuan　Sanche；　reduced　to　attaching　herself　to　the　woman　who　hel