rj.thepathofdaggers-第79部分

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　　　　　　　Chesa　took　her　cloak；　and　exclaimed　when　she　felt　her　hands。　〃Why；　you're　ice　to　the　bone；　Mother。〃　Chattering　away；　she　bustled　around　folding　Egwene's　cloak　and　Siuan's；　smoothing　the　neatly　turned…down　blankets　on　Egwene's　cot；　touching　a　tray　set　on　one　of　the　chests　that　had　been　pulled　down　from　the　stack。　〃I'd　jump　right　into　bed；　with　hot　bricks　all　around；　if　I　was　that　chilled。　As　soon　as　I'd　eaten；　anyway。　Warm　outside　does　only　so　much　good　without　warm　inside。　I'll　fetch　a　few　extra　bricks　to　tuck　under　your　feet　while　you　sup。　And　for　Siuan　Sedai；　of　course。　Oh；　if　I　was　as　hungry　as　you　must　be；　I　know　I'd　be　tempted　to　gulp　my　food；　but　that　always　gives　me　pains　in　the　stomach。〃　Pausing　by　the　tray；　she　eyed　Egwene；　and　nodded　with　satisfaction　when　she　said　that　she　would　not　eat　too　fast。
　　　　　　　Making　a　sober　answer　was　not　easy。　Chesa　was　always　refreshing；　but　after　today；　Egwene　almost　laughed　with　pleasure。　There　were　no　plications　to　Chesa。　Two　white　bowls　of　lentil　stew　stood　on　the　tray；　along　with　a　tall　pitcher　of　spiced　wine；　two　silver　cups；　and　two　large　rolls。　Somehow；　the　woman　had　known　Siuan　would　be　eating　with　her。　Steam　rose　from　the　bowls　and　pitcher。　How　often　had　Chesa　had　to　change　that　tray　to　make　sure　warm　food　greeted　Egwene　straight　away？　Simple　and　unplicated。　And　as　caring　as　a　mother。　Or　a　friend。
　　　　　　　〃I　must　forgo　bed　for　now；　Chesa。　I've　work　yet　tonight。　Would　you　leave　us？〃
　　　　　　　Siuan　shook　her　head　as　the　tentflap　fell　behind　the　plump　woman。　〃Are　you　sure　she　hasn't　been　in　your　service　since　you　were　a　babe？〃　she　muttered。
　　　　　　　Taking　one　of　the　bowls；　a　roll；　and　a　spoon；　Egwene　settled　into　her　chair　with　a　sigh。　She　also　embraced　the　Source　and　warded　the　tent　against　listeners。　Unfortunately；　saidar　made　her　all　that　much　more　aware　of　half…frozen　hands　and　feet。　The　bits　in　between　were　not　much　warmer。　The　bowl　seemed　almost　too　warm　to　handle；　and　the　roll；　as　well。　Oh；　how　she　would　have　loved　to　have　those　hot　bricks。
　　　　　　　〃Is　there　anything　more　we　can　do？〃　she　asked；　and　promptly　gulped　down　a　spoonful　of　stew。　She　was　ravenous；　and　no　wonder；　with　nothing　since　breakfast　and　that　early。　Lentils　and　woody　carrots　tasted　like　her　mother's　finest　cooking。　〃I　can't　think　of　anything；　but　can　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　can　be　done；　has　been。　There　isn't　anything　else；　short　of　the　Creator　putting　a　hand　in。〃　Siuan　took　the　other　bowl　and　dropped　onto　the　low　stool；　but　then　she　sat　staring　into　her　stew　and　stirring　it　with　her　spoon。　〃You　wouldn't　really　tell　him；　would　you？〃　she　said　finally。　〃I　couldn't　bear　if　he　knew。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　on　earth　not？〃
　　　　　　　〃He'd　take　advantage；〃　Siuan　said　darkly。　〃Oh；　not　that。　I　don't　think　that。〃　She　was　quite　prudish　in　some　areas。　〃But　the　man　would　make　my　life　the　Pit　of　Doom！〃　And　washing　his　smallclothes　and　polishing　his　boots　and　his　saddle　every　day　was　not？
　　　　　　　Egwene　sighed。　How　could　such　a　sensible；　intelligent；　capable　woman　turn　into　a　scatterbrain　over　this　one　subject？　Like　a　hissing　viper；　an　image　rose　in　her　head。　Herself；　sitting　on　Gawyn's　knee　playing　kissing　games。　In　a　tavern！　She　shoved　it　away；　hard。　〃Siuan；　I　need　your　experience。　I　need　your　brain。　I　can't　afford　to　have　you　half…witted　because　of　Lord　Bryne。　If　you　can't　pull　yourself　together；　I'll　pay　him　what　you　owe；　and　forbid　you　to　see　him。　I　will。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　said　I'd　work　off　the　debt；〃　Siuan　said　stubbornly。　〃I　have　as　much　honor　as　Lord　Gareth　bloody　Bryne！　As　much　and　more！　He　keeps　his　word；　and　I　keep　mine！　Besides；　Min　told　me　I　have　to　stay　close　to　him　or　we'll　both　die。　Or　something　like　that。〃　A　pinkness　in　her　cheeks　gave　her　away；　though。　Her　honor　and　Min's　viewing　notwithstanding；　she　was　simply　willing　to　put　up　with　anything　to　be　near　the　man！
　　　　　　　〃Very　well。　You're　besotted；　and　if　I　tell　you　to　stay　away　from　him；　you'll　either　disobey　or　mope　and　wrap　the　rest　of　your　brains　in　a　cloud。　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　him？〃
　　　　　　　Scowling　indignantly；　Siuan　went　on　for　some　little　time；　growling　what　she　would　like　to　do　about　Gareth　bloody　Bryne。　He　would　have　enjoyed　none　of　it。　Some；　he　might　not　have　survived。
　　　　　　　〃Siuan；〃　Egwene　said　warningly。　〃You　deny　one　more　time　what's　plain　as　your　nose；　and　I'll　tell　him　and　give　him　the　money。〃
　　　　　　　Siuan　pouted　sullenly。　She　pouted！　Sullenly！　Siuan！　〃I　don't　have　time　to　be　in　love。　I　barely　have　time　to　think；　between　working　for　you　and　him。　And　even　if　everything　goes　right　tonight；　I'll　have　twice　as　much　to　do。　Besides。。。　〃　Her　face　fell；　and　she　shifted　on　the　stool。　〃What　if　he　doesn't。。。　return　my　feelings？〃　she　muttered。　〃He's　never　even　tried　to　kiss　me。　All　he　cares　about　is　whether　his　shirts　are　clean。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　scraped　her　spoon　through　her　bowl；　and　was　surprised　when　it　came　up　empty。　Nothing　remained　of　the　roll　but　a　few　crumbs　on　her　dress。　Light；　her　middle　still　felt　hollow。　She　eyed　Siuan's　bowl　hopefully；　the　woman　seemed　to　have　little　interest　in　anything　but　drawing　circles　in　the　lentils。
　　　　　　　A　sudden　thought　occurred　to　her。　Why　had　Lord　Bryne　insisted　that　Siuan　work　off　her　debt　even　after　learning　who　she　was？　Just　because　she　had　said　she　would？　It　was　a　preposterous　arrangement。　Except　that　it　did　keep　her　close　to　him　when　nothing　else　would　have。　For　that　matter；　she　herself　had　often　wondered　why　Bryne　had　agreed　to　build　the　army。　He　had　to　have　known　there　was　a　very　good　chance　he　was　laying　his　head　on　the　chopping　block。　And　why　he　had　offered　that　army　to　her；　a　girl　Amyrlin　with　no　real　authority　and　not　a　friend　among　the　sisters　except　Siuan；　as　far　as　he　knew？　Could　the　answer　to　all　of　those　questions　be　as　simple　as。。。　he　loved　Siuan？　No；　most　men　were　frivolous　and　flighty；　but　that　was　truly　preposterous！　Still；　she　offered　the　suggestion；　if　only　to　amuse　Siuan。　It　might　cheer　her　a　little。
　　　　　　　Siuan　snorted　in　disbelief。　It　sounded　odd；　ing　from　that　pretty　face；　but　no　one　could　put　quite　so　much　expression　into　a　snort　as　she　did。　〃He's　not　a　total　idiot；〃　she　said　dryly。　〃In　fact；　he　has　a　good　head　on　his　shoulders。　He　thinks　like　a　woman；　most　of　the　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　still　haven't　heard　you　say　you'll　straighten　up；　Siuan；〃　Egwene　persisted。　〃You　have　to；　one　way　or　another。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　of　course　I　will。　I　don't　know　what's　been　the　matter　with　me。　It　isn't　as　if　I　never　kissed　a　man　before。〃　Her　eyes　narrowed　suddenly；　as　if　she　expected　Egwene　to　challenge　her　on　that。　〃I　haven't　spent　my　whole　life　in　the　Tower。　This　is　ridiculous！　Chattering　about　men；　tonight　of　all　nights！〃　Peering　into　her　bowl；　she　seemed　to　realize　for　the　first　time　that　it　held　food。　She　filled　her　spoon；　gesturing　with　it　at　Egwene。　〃You　have　to　be　careful　of　your　timing；　more　now　than　ever。　If　Romanda　or　Lelaine　grabs　the　tiller；　you'll　never　get　your　hands　on　it。〃
　　　　　　　Ridiculous　or　not；　something　certainly　had　restored　Siuan's　appetite。　She　went　through　her　stew　faster　than　Egwene　had　hers；　and　not　a　crumb　of　the　roll　escaped　her。　Egwene　found　that　she　had　drawn　her　fingers　through　her　own　empty　bowl。　There　was　nothing　for　it　then　but　to　lick　off　the　last　few　lentils；　of　course。
　　　　　　　Discussing　what　was　to　happen　tonight　served　no　real　point。　They　had　honed　and　refined　what　Egwene　was　to　say；　and　when；　so　many　times　that　she　was　surprised　she　had　not　dreamed　of　it。　She　certainly　could　have　done　her　part　in　her　sleep。　Siuan　insisted　anyway；　skirting　very　near　the　point　where　Egwene　would　have　to　call　her　down；　going　over　it　again　and　again；　bringing　up　possibilities　they　had　discussed　before　a　hundred　times。　Strangely；　Siuan　had　found　herself　a　very　good　mood。　She　even　essayed　a　little　humor；　unusual　for　her　of　late；　though　some　was　on　the　gallows　side。
　　　　　　　〃You　know　Romanda　wanted　to　be　Amyrlin　herself　once；〃　she　said　at　one　point。　〃I've　heard　it　was　Tamra　getting　the　stole　and　staff　that　made　her　stalk　off　into　retirement　like　a　gull　with　her　tail　feathers　clipped。　I'll　lay　a　silver　mark　I　don't　have　to　a　fish　scale　that　her　eyes　bulge　twice　as　much　as　Lelaine's。〃
　　　　　　　And　later。　〃I　wish　I　could　be　there　to　hear　them　howl。　Somebody's　going　to　before　much　longer；　and　I'd　rather　it　was　them　than　us。　I　never　had　the　voice　for　singing。〃　She　actually　sang　a　little　snatch　about　staring　across　the　river　at　a　boy　and　having　no　boat。　She　was　right；　her　voice　was　pleasant　in　its　fashion；　but　she　could　not　carry　a　tune　in　a　bucket。
　　　　　　　And　later　still。　〃A　good　thing　I　have　such　a　sweet　face　now。　If　this　goes　badly；　they'll　dress　the　pair　of　us　for　dolls　and　sit　us　on　a　shelf　to　admire。　Of　course；　we　might　have　'accidents'　instead。　Dolls　do　get　broken。　Gareth　Bryne　will　have　to　find　someone　else　to　bully。〃　She　really　laughed　at　that。
　　　　　　　Egwene　felt　considerable　relief　when　the　tentflap　bulged　inward　briefly；　announcing　someone　who　knew　enough　not　to　enter　where　there　was　a　ward。　She　really　did　not　want　to　hear　where　Siuan's　humor　went　from　there！
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　she　released　the　ward；　Sheriam　stepped　inside；　acpanied　by　a　rush　of　air　that　seemed　ten　times　as　cold　as　earlier。　〃It's　time；　Mother。　Everything　is　ready。〃　Her　tilted　eyes　were　wide；　and　she　licked　her　lips　with　the　tip　of　her　tongue。
　　　　　　　Siuan　bounded　to　her　feet　and　seized　her　cloak　from　Egwene's　cot；　but　she　paused　in　the　act　of　draping　it　on　her　shoulders。　〃I　have　sailed　the　Fingers　of　the　Dragon　in　the　dark；　you　know；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃And　netted　a　lionfish　once；　with　my　father。　It　can　be　done。〃
　　　　　　　Sheriam　frowned　as　Siuan　darted　out；　letting　in　more　cold。　〃Sometimes；　I　think；〃　she　began；　but　whatever　she　sometimes　thought；　she　did　not　share。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this；　Mother？〃　she　asked　instead。　〃All　of　it；　today　at　the　lake；　calling　the　Hall　tonight。　Why　did　you　have　us　spend　all　day　yesterday　talking　about　Logain　to　everybody　we　met？　I'd　think　you　might　share　it　with　me。　I　am　your　Keeper。　I　did　swear　fealty。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　tell　you　what　you　need　to　know；〃　Egwene　said；　swinging　her　cloak　around　her　shoulders。　There　was　no　need　to　say　that　she　trusted　a　forced　oath　only　so　far；　even　a　sister's。　And　Sheriam　might　find　a　reason　to　let　a　word　slip　into　the　wrong　ear　despite　that　oath。　After　all；　Aes　Sedai　were　note