rj.thepathofdaggers-第65部分

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　some　amusement　and　occasional　pity；　Siuan　Sanche；　reduced　to　attaching　herself　to　the　woman　who　held　the　title　once　hers；　and　that　woman　no　more　than　a　puppet　once　the　Hall　finished　fighting　over　who　would　pull　her　cords。　Siuan　was　human　enough　to　harbor　sparks　of　resentment；　but　so　far　they　had　managed　to　keep　secret　that　her　advice　was　far　from　grudging。　So　she　endured　pity　and　snickers　as　best　she　could；　and　everyone　believed　her　as　changed　by　her　experiences　as　her　face。　That　belief　had　to　be　maintained；　or　Romanda　and　Lelaine　and　very　likely　the　rest　of　the　Hall；　too；　would　find　ways　to　separate　her　…　and　her　advice　…　from　Egwene。
　　　　　　　The　cold　outside　slapped　Egwene　in　the　face　and　flooded　under　her　cloak；　her　nightgown　might　as　well　have　been　Halima's　for　all　the　protection　it　offered。　Despite　stout　leather　and　good　wool；　her　feet　felt　as　if　they　were　bare。　Tendrils　of　frosty　air　curled　around　her　ears；　mocking　the　thick　fur　lining　her　hood。　Yearning　for　her　bed　as　she　was；　ignoring　the　iciness　took　all　the　concentration　she　could　muster。　Clouds　scudded　across　the　sky；　and　moon…shadows　floated　over　the　gleaming　white　that　covered　the　ground；　a　smooth　sheet　broken　by　the　dark　mounds　of　tents　and　the　taller　shapes　of　canvas…topped　wagons　that　now　had　long　wooden　runners　in　place　of　wheels。　Many　of　the　wagons　were　no　longer　parked　apart　from　the　tents；　but　left　where　they　had　been　unloaded；　no　one　had　the　heart　to　make　the　wagon　drivers　put　out　even　that　much　extra　effort　at　the　end　of　the　day。　Nothing　moved　except　those　pale　sliding　shadows。　The　wide　runnels　that　had　been　trampled　through　the　camp　for　paths　lay　empty。　The　silence　was　crisp　and　so　deep　that　she　almost　regretted　breaking　it。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　softly；　casting　a　wary　glance　at　the　small　tent　nearby　shared　by　her　maids；　Chesa；　Meri；　and　Selame。　That　was　as　still　and　dark　as　the　others。　Exhaustion　made　as　thick　a　blanket　over　the　camp　as　the　snow。　〃Not　another　revelation　like　the　Kin；　I　hope。〃　She　clicked　her　tongue　in　vexation。　She　was　spent；　too；　by　long　freezing　days　in　the　saddle　and　not　enough　real　sleep；　or　she　would　not　have　said　that。　〃I'm　sorry；　Siuan。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　need　to　apologize；　Mother。〃　Siuan　kept　her　voice　down　as　well；　and　glanced　about　to　see　whether　anyone　might　be　watching　from　the　shadows　besides。　Neither　wanted　to　find　herself　discussing　the　Kin　with　the　Hall。　〃I　know　I　should　have　told　you　beforehand；　but　it　seemed　a　small　thing。　I　never　expected　those　girls　to　even　speak　to　one　of　them。　There's　so　much　to　tell　you。　I　have　to　try　to　pick　and　choose　what's　important。〃
　　　　　　　With　an　effort；　Egwene　managed　not　to　sigh。　That　was　almost　word　for　word　the　apology　Siuan　had　offered　before。　Several　times。　What　she　meant　was　that　she　was　trying　to　force…feed　Egwene　over　twenty　years　of　experience　as　Aes　Sedai；　more　than　ten　of　that　as　Amyrlin；　and　do　it　in　months。　At　times　Egwene　felt　like　a　goose　being　fattened　for　market。　〃Well；　what's　important　tonight？〃
　　　　　　　〃Gareth　Bryne's　waiting　in　your　study。〃　Siuan　did　not　raise　her　voice；　but　it　took　on　an　edge；　as　always　when　she　spoke　of　Lord　Bryne。　She　tossed　her　head　angrily　inside　the　deep　hood　of　her　cloak；　and　made　a　sound　like　a　cat　spitting。　〃The　man　came　in　dripping　snow；　scooped　me　out　of　my　bedding；　and　barely　gave　me　time　to　dress　before　hauling　me　up　behind　his　saddle。　He　told　me　nothing；　just　tossed　me　down　at　the　edge　of　camp　and　sent　me　to　fetch　you　like　I　was　a　serving　girl！〃
　　　　　　　Firmly；　Egwene　stifled　a　rising　hope。　There　had　been　too　many　disappointments；　and　whatever　had　brought　Bryne　in　the　middle　of　the　night　was　much　more　likely　to　be　a　potential　disaster　than　what　she　wished　for。　How　far　yet　to　the　border　with　Andor？　〃Let's　see　what　he　wants。〃
　　　　　　　Starting　off　toward　the　tent　everyone　named　the　Amyrlin's　Study；　she　held　her　cloak　close。　She　did　not　shiver；　but　refusing　to　let　heat　or　cold　touch　you　did　not　make　them　go　away。　You　could　ignore　them　right　up　to　the　moment　sunstroke　cooked　your　brain　or　frostbite　rotted　your　hands　and　feet。　She　considered　what　Siuan　had　said。
　　　　　　　〃You　weren't　sleeping　in　your　own　tent　here？〃　she　said　carefully。　The　other　woman's　relation　to　Lord　Bryne　was　that　of　a　servant；　in　a　very　peculiar　way；　but　Egwene　hoped　Siuan　was　not　letting　her　stubborn　pride　lead　her　into　letting　him　take　advantage。　She　could　not　imagine　it；　of　him　or　her；　yet　not　so　long　ago　she　could　not　have　imagined　Siuan　accepting　any　part　of　the　situation。　She　still　could　not　understand　why。
　　　　　　　Snorting　loudly；　Siuan　kicked　her　skirts；　and　nearly　fell　as　her　shoes　skidded。　Snow　beaten　down　by　countless　feet　had　quickly　bee　a　rough　sheet　of　ice。　Egwene　was　picking　her　own　way　cautiously。　Every　day　brought　broken　bones　that　travel…weary　sisters　had　to　Heal。　Half　abandoning　her　cloak；　she　offered　an　arm　as　much　for　the　support　she　might　receive　as　give。　Siuan　took　it；　muttering。
　　　　　　　〃By　the　time　I　finished　cleaning　the　man's　spare　boots　and　second　saddle；　it　was　too　late　to　tramp　back　through　this。　Not　that　he　offered　more　than　blankets　in　a　corner；　not　Gareth　Bryne！　Made　me　dig　them　out　of　the　chest　myself；　while　he　went　off　the　Light　knows　where！　Men　are　a　trial；　and　that　one　the　worst！〃　Without　a　pause　for　breath；　she　changed　the　subject。　〃You　shouldn't　let　that　Halima　sleep　in　your　tent。　She's　another　pair　of　ears　you　have　to　be　careful　of；　and　snoopy　with　it。　Besides；　you're　lucky　you　don't　walk　in　to　find　her　entertaining　some　soldier。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　very　glad　that　Delana　can　spare　Halima　nights；〃　Egwene　said　firmly。　〃I　need　her。　Unless　you　think　Nisao's　Healing　might　do　better　with　my　headaches　a　second　time　around。〃　Halima's　fingers　seemed　to　draw　the　pain　out　through　her　scalp；　without　that；　she　would　not　be　able　to　sleep　at　all。　Nisao's　effort　had　had　no　effect　whatsoever；　and　she　was　the　only　Yellow　Egwene　dared　approach　with　the　problem。　As　for　the　rest。。。　She　made　her　voice　sterner　still。　〃I　am　surprised　you're　still　listening　to　that　gossip；　daughter。　The　fact　that　men　like　looking　at　a　woman　doesn't　mean　she　invites　it；　as　you　should　know　well。　I've　seen　more　than　a　few　looking　at　you　and　grinning。〃　Taking　that　tone　came　easier　than　it　once　had。
　　　　　　　Siuan　gave　her　a　startled　sidelong　glance　and；　after　a　moment；　grumbled　an　apology。　It　might　have　been　sincere。　Egwene　accepted　it；　either　way。　Lord　Bryne　was　very　bad　for　Siuan's　temper；　and　tossing　Halima　into　the　bargain；　Egwene　thought　it　a　good　job　she　was　not　pushed　into　taking　a　stricter　stance。　Siuan　herself　had　said　that　she　should　not　put　up　with　nonsense；　and　she　surely　could　not　afford　to　put　up　with　it　from　Siuan；　of　all　people。
　　　　　　　Trudging　arm…in…arm；　they　went　on　in　silence；　the　cold　fogging　their　breath　and　seeping　through　their　flesh。　The　snow　was　a　curse　and　a　lesson。　She　could　still　hear　Siuan　going　on　about　what　she　called　the　Law　of　Unintended　Consequences；　stronger　than　any　written　law。　Whether　or　not　what　you　do　has　the　effect　you　want；　it　will　have　three　at　least　you　never　expected；　and　one　of　those　usually　unpleasant。
　　　　　　　The　first；　feeble　rains　had　brought　astonishment；　for　all　Egwene　had　already　informed　the　Hall　that　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds　had　been　found　and　used。　That　was　almost　as　much　as　she　could　risk　letting　them　know　of　what　Elayne　had　told　her　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；　too　much　of　what　had　happened　in　Ebou　Dar　was　just　the　thing　to　cut　her　feet　out　from　under　her　here；　and　her　position　was　precarious　enough　as　it　was。　An　explosion　of　joy　erupted　at　those　first　sprinkles。　They　had　halted　the　march　at　midday；　and　there　had　been　bonfires　and　feasting　in　the　drizzle；　prayers　of　thanksgiving　among　the　sisters　and　dancing　among　the　servants　and　the　soldiers。　For　that　matter；　some　of　the　Aes　Sedai　had　danced；　too。
　　　　　　　A　few　days　later；　the　soft　rains　became　downpours；　and　then　howling　tempests。　The　temperature　slid　downward；　plummeted；　and　tempests　became　blizzards。　Now；　the　distance　once　covered　in　a　day；　with　Egwene　gritting　her　teeth　over　how　slowly　they　moved；　took　five　when　the　sky　held　only　clouds；　and　when　the　snows　fell；　they　did　not　move　at　all。　Easy　enough　to　think　of　three　unintended　consequences；　or　more；　and　the　snow　might　well　be　the　least　unpleasant。
　　　　　　　As　they　approached　the　small；　patched　tent　called　the　Amyrlin's　Study；　a　shadow　moved　beside　one　of　the　tall　wagons；　and　Egwene's　breath　caught。　The　shadow　became　a　figure　who　slipped　back　her　hood　enough　to　reveal　Leane's　face；　then　pulled　back　into　darkness。
　　　　　　　〃She'll　keep　a　watch　and　let　us　know　if　anybody　es；〃　Siuan　said　softly。
　　　　　　　〃That's　good；〃　Egwene　muttered。　The　woman　could　have　told　her　in　advance。　She　had　half　been　afraid　it　was　Romanda　or　Lelaine！
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin's　Study　was　dark；　but　Lord　Bryne　stood　waiting　patiently　inside；　wrapped　in　his　cloak；　a　shadow　among　shadows。　Embracing　the　Source；　Egwene　channeled；　not　to　light　the　lantern　hanging　from　the　centerpole　or　one　of　the　candles；　but　to　make　a　small　sphere　of　pale　light　that　she　suspended　in　the　air　over　the　folding　table　she　used　as　a　writing　desk。　Very　small；　and　very　pale；　unlikely　to　be　noticed　from　outside；　and　quick　as　thought　to　extinguish。　She　could　not　afford　discovery。
　　　　　　　There　had　been　Amyrlins　who　reigned　in　strength；　Amyrlins　who　managed　an　even　balance　with　the　Hall；　and　Amyrlins　who　had　had　as　little　power　as　she；　or　less　upon　rare　occasions；　well…hidden　in　the　secret　histories　of　the　White　Tower。　Several　had　frittered　away　power　and　influence；　falling　from　strength　to　weakness；　but　in　over　three　thousand　years；　precious　few　had　managed　to　move　in　the　other　direction。　Egwene　very　much　wished　she　knew　how　Myriam　Copan　and　the　rest　of　that　bare　handful　had　managed。　If　anyone　had　ever　thought　to　write　that　down；　the　pages　were　long　lost。
　　　　　　　Bowing　respectfully；　Bryne　showed　no　surprise　at　her　caution。　He　knew　what　she　put　at　hazard；　meeting　him　secretly。　To　a　very　large　degree；　she　trusted　this　sturdy；　heavily　graying　man　with　the　bluff；　weathered　face；　and　not　only　because　she　had　to。　His　cloak　was　thick　red　wool；　lined　with　marten　and　bordered　with　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon；　a　gift　from　the　Hall；　yet　he　had　made　plain　a　dozen　times　in　the　past　weeks　that　whatever　the　Hall　thought　…　and　he