rj.thepathofdaggers-第71部分

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。　Egwene　almost　wished　one　of　the　handful　of　sisters　who　had　e　from　the　Atha'an　Miere　was　in　the　camp。　Almost。　One　way　or　another；　those　Windfinders　were　going　to　cause　trouble。
　　　　　　　At　a　wave　of　Romanda's　hand；　Theodrin　leaped　forward　with　the　Sitter's　cloak　as　though　goosed。　By　Romanda's　expression；　Lelaine's　recovery　did　not　best　please　her。　〃You　will　remember　to　tell　Merilille　I　wish　to　speak　with　her；　Mother；〃　she　said；　and　that　was　not　a　request　at　all。
　　　　　　　For　a　brief　moment　the　two　Sitters　stood　staring　at　one　another；　Egwene　forgotten　again　in　their　mutual　animosity。　They　departed　without　a　word　to　her；　very　nearly　jostling　for　precedence　before　Romanda　slipped　out　first；　drawing　Theodrin　in　her　wake。　Baring　her　teeth；　Lelaine　practically　pushed　Faolain　from　the　tent　ahead　of　her。
　　　　　　　Siuan　heaved　a　hearty　sigh；　and　made　no　attempt　to　hide　her　relief。
　　　　　　　〃By　your　leave；　Mother；〃　Egwene　muttered　mockingly。　〃If　you　please；　Mother。　You　may　go；　daughters。〃　Letting　out　a　long　breath；　she　settled　back　in　her　chair。　Which　promptly　pitched　her　onto　the　carpets　in　a　heap。　She　picked　herself　up　slowly　and　jerked　her　skirts　straight；　put　her　stole　to　rights。　At　least　it　had　not　happened　in　front　of　those　two。　〃Go　get　something　to　eat；　Siuan。　And　bring　it　back。　We've　a　long　day；　yet。〃
　　　　　　　〃Some　falls　hurt　less　than　others；〃　Siuan　said　as　if　to　herself　before　ducking　outside。　It　was　a　good　thing　she　went　so　quickly；　or　Egwene　might　have　given　her　an　earful。
　　　　　　　She　returned　soon；　though；　and　they　ate　hard　rolls　and　lentil　stew　laced　with　tough　carrot　and　scraps　of　meat　Egwene　did　not　look　at　closely。　There　were　only　a　few　interruptions；　intrusions　where　they　fell　silent　and　pretended　to　study　reports。　Chesa　came　to　take　away　the　tray；　and　later　to　replace　the　candles；　a　task　she　grumbled　over；　which　was　not　like　her。
　　　　　　　〃Who'd　expect　Selame　to　go　missing；　too？〃　she　muttered；　half　to　herself。　〃Off　canoodling　with　the　soldiers；　I　expect。　That　Halima's　a　bad　influence。〃
　　　　　　　A　skinny　young　fellow　with　a　dripping　nose　renewed　the　already　dead　coals　in　the　braziers　…　the　Amyrlin　got　more　warmth　than　most；　but　that　was　not　a　great　deal　…　and　he　stumbled　over　his　own　boots　and　gaped　at　Egwene　in　a　manner　quite　gratifying　after　the　two　Sitters。　Sheriam　appeared　to　ask　whether　Egwene　had　any　further　instructions；　of　all　things；　and　then　seemed　to　want　to　stay。　Perhaps　the　few　secrets　she　knew　made　her　nervous；　her　eyes　certainly　darted　uneasily。
　　　　　　　That　was　the　lot；　and　Egwene　was　not　sure　whether　it　was　because　no　one　bothered　the　Amyrlin　without　cause；　or　because　everyone　knew　the　real　decisions　were　made　in　the　Hall。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　about　this　report　of　soldiers　moving　south　out　of　Kandor；〃　Siuan　said　as　soon　as　the　tentflap　fell　behind　Sheriam。　〃There's　just　the　one；　and　Borderlanders　seldom　go　far　from　the　Blight；　but　every　fool　knows　that；　so　it's　hardly　the　kind　of　tale　anyone　would　make　up。〃　She　was　not　reading　from　a　page；　now。
　　　　　　　Siuan　had　managed　to　keep　very　tenuous　control　of　the　Amyrlin's　network　of　eyes…and…ears　so　far；　and　reports；　rumors；　and　gossip　flowed　to　her　in　steady　streams；　to　be　studied　before　she　and　Egwene　decided　what　to　pass　on　to　the　Hall。　Leane　had　her　own　network；　to　add　to　the　flow。　Most　of　it　was　passed　on　…　some　things　the　Hall　had　to　know；　and　there　was　no　guarantee　that　the　Ajahs　would　pass　on　what　their　own　agents　learned　…　but　it　all　had　to　be　sieved　for　what　might　be　dangerous；　or　serve　to　divert　attention　from　the　real　goal。
　　　　　　　Few　of　those　streams　carried　anything　good；　of　late。　Cairhien　had　produced　any　number　of　rumors　of　Aes　Sedai　allied　with　Rand；　or；　worse；　serving　him；　yet　at　least　those　could　be　dismissed　out　of　hand。　The　Wise　Ones　would　not　say　much　at　all　about　Rand　or　anyone　connected　to　him；　but　according　to　them；　Merana　was　awaiting　his　return；　and　certainly　sisters　in　the　Sun　Palace；　where　the　Dragon　Reborn　kept　his　first　throne；　were　more　than　seed　enough　to　grow　those　tales。　Others　were　not　easily　ignored；　even　when　it　was　hard　to　know　what　to　make　of　them。　A　printer　in　Illian　asserted　that　he　had　proof　Rand　had　killed　Mattin　Stepaneos　with　his　own　hands　and　destroyed　the　body　with　the　One　Power；　while　a　laborer　on　the　docks　there　claimed　she　had　seen　the　former　King　carried；　bound　and　gagged　and　rolled　in　a　rug；　aboard　a　ship　that　had　sailed　in　the　night　with　the　blessings　of　the　captain　of　the　Port　Watch。　The　first　was　far　more　likely；　but　Egwene　hoped　none　of　the　Ajahs'　agents　had　picked　up　the　same　tale。　There　were　already　too　many　black　marks　against　Rand's　name　in　the　sisters'　books。
　　　　　　　It　went　on　like　that。　The　Seanchan　seemed　to　be　taking　a　firm　hold　in　Ebou　Dar；　against　very　little　resistance。　That　might　have　been　expected　in　a　land　where　the　Queen's　true　rule　ended　a　few　days'　ride　from　her　capital；　yet　it　was　hardly　heartening。　The　Shaido　seemed　to　be　everywhere；　though　word　of　them　always　came　from　someone　who　had　heard　from　someone　who　had　heard。　Most　sisters　seemed　to　believe　the　scattered　Shaido　were　Rand's　work　despite　the　Wise　Ones'　denials；　carried　by　Sheriam。　No　one　wanted　to　probe　the　Wise　Ones'　supposed　lies　too　closely；　of　course。　There　were　a　hundred　excuses；　but　no　one　was　willing　to　meet　them　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　except　the　sisters　sworn　to　Egwene；　and　they　had　to　be　ordered。　Anaiya　dryly　called　the　encounters　〃quite　pact　lessons　in　humility；〃　and　she　did　not　seem　at　all　amused。
　　　　　　　〃There　can't　be　that　many　Shaido；〃　Egwene　muttered。　No　herbs　had　been　added　to　the　second　batch　of　charcoal；　which　was　dying　down　in　faint　embers；　and　her　eyes　ached　from　the　smoke　that　hung　thin　in　the　air。　Channeling　to　get　rid　of　it　would　disperse　the　last　warmth；　too。　〃Some　of　this　must　be　bandits'　work。〃　After　all；　who　could　tell　a　village　emptied　by　people　fleeing　brigands　from　one　emptied　by　Shaido？　Especially　at　third　hand；　or　fifth。　〃There　are　certainly　enough　bandits　around　to　account　for　some　of　it。〃　Most　calling　themselves　Dragonsworn；　which　was　no　help　at　all。　She　worked　her　shoulders　to　loosen　a　few　of　the　knots　in　her　muscles。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　she　realized　that　Siuan　was　staring　at　nothing　so　intently　that　she　appeared　ready　to　slip　off　of　her　stool。　〃Siuan；　are　you　falling　asleep？　We　may　have　worked　most　of　the　day；　but　it's　still　light　out。〃　There　was　light　at　the　smoke　hole；　though　it　did　appear　to　be　fading。
　　　　　　　Siuan　blinked。　〃I'm　sorry。　I've　been　thinking　about　something　lately；　and　trying　to　decide　whether　to　share　it　with　you。　About　the　Hall。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Hall！　Siuan；　if　you　know　something　about　the　Hall　…！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　anything；〃　Siuan　cut　in。　〃It's　what　I　suspect。〃　She　clicked　her　tongue　in　annoyance。　〃Not　even　suspect；　really。　At　least；　I　don't　know　what　to　suspect。　But　I　see　a　pattern。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　you　had　best　tell　me　about　it；〃　Egwene　said。　Siuan　had　shown　herself　very　skilled　at　detecting　patterns　where　others　saw　only　a　jumble。
　　　　　　　Shifting　on　her　stool；　Siuan　leaned　forward　intently。　〃It's　this。　Aside　from　Romanda　and　Moria；　the　Sitters　chosen　in　Salidar　are。。。　they're　too　young。〃　Much　had　changed　in　Siuan；　but　speaking　of　other　sisters'　ages　clearly　made　her　unfortable。　〃Escaralde　is　the　oldest；　and　I'm　sure　she　isn't　much　past　seventy。　I　can't　be　certain　without　going　into　the　novice　books　in　Tar　Valon；　or　her　telling　us；　but　I'm　as　sure　as　I　can　be。　It　isn't　often　the　Hall　has　held　more　than　one　Sitter　under　a　hundred；　and　here　we　have　nine！〃
　　　　　　　〃But　Romanda　and　Moria　are　new；〃　Egwene　said　gently；　resting　her　elbows　on　the　table。　It　had　been　a　long　day。　〃And　neither　is　young。　Maybe　we　should　be　grateful　the　others　are；　or　they　might　not　have　been　willing　to　raise　me。〃　She　could　have　pointed　out　that　Siuan　herself　had　been　chosen　Amyrlin　at　less　than　half　Escaralde's　age；　but　the　reminder　would　have　been　cruel。
　　　　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Siuan　said　stubbornly。　〃Romanda　was　certain　for　the　Hall　as　soon　as　she　showed　up。　I　doubt　there's　a　Yellow　would　dare　speak　against　her　for　a　chair。　And　Moria。。。　She　doesn't　cling　to　Lelaine；　but　Lelaine　and　Lyrelle　probably　thought　she　would。　I　don't　know。　Mark　me；　though。　When　a　woman　is　raised　too　young；　there's　a　reason。〃　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Including　when　I　was。〃　The　pain　of　loss　flashed　across　her　face；　the　loss　of　the　Amyrlin　Seat　certainly；　maybe　of　all　the　losses　she　had　suffered。　It　was　gone　almost　as　soon　as　it　came。　Egwene　did　not　think　she　had　ever　known　a　woman　as　strong　as　Siuan　Sanche。　〃This　time；　there　were　more　than　enough　sisters　of　proper　age　to　choose　from；　and　I　can't　see　five　Ajahs　deadlocking　on　all　of　them。　There　is　a　pattern；　and　I　mean　to　pick　it　out。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　did　not　agree。　Change　hung　in　the　air　whether　Siuan　wanted　to　see　it　or　not。　Elaida　had　broken　custom；　e　very　close　to　breaking　law；　in　usurping　Siuan's　place。　Sisters　had　fled　the　Tower　and　let　the　world　know　of　it；　and　that　last　certainly　had　never　happened　before。　Change。　Older　sisters　were　more　likely　to　be　tied　to　the　old　ways；　but　even　some　of　them　had　to　see　that　everything　was　shifting。　Surely　that　was　why　younger　women；　more　open　to　the　new；　had　been　chosen。　Should　she　order　Siuan　to　stop　wasting　her　time　with　this？　Siuan　had　enough　else　to　do。　Or　would　it　be　a　kindness　to　let　her　continue？　She　wanted　so　deeply　to　prove　that　the　change　she　saw　was　not　really　occurring　at　all。
　　　　　　　Before　Egwene　could　make　a　decision；　Romanda　ducked　into　the　tent　and　stood　holding　the　tentflap　open。　Long　shadows　stretched　across　the　snow　outside。　Evening　was　ing　fast。　Romanda's　face　was　as　dark　as　those　shadows。　She　fixed　Siuan　with　a　stern　gaze　and　snapped　one　word。　〃Out！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　gave　an　infinitesimal　nod；　but　Siuan　was　already　on　her　feet。　She　missed　a　step；　then　all　but　ran　from　the　tent。　A　sister　who　stood　where　Siuan　did　was　expected　to　obey　any　sister　of　Romanda's　strength　in　the　Power；　not　just　a　Sitter。
　　　　　　　Throwing　down　the　tentflap；　Romanda　embraced　the　Source。　The　glow　of　saidar　surrounded　her；　and　she　wove　a　ward　against　eavesdropping　around　the　inside　of　the　tent　without　so　much　as　a　pretense　of　asking　Egwene's　permission。　〃You　are　a　fool！〃　she　grated。　〃How　long　did　you　think　you　could　keep　this　a　secret？　Soldiers　talk；　child。　Men　always　tal