rj.thepathofdaggers-第9部分

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ckily；　Teslyn　Baradon　took　the　encounter　little　better。
　　　　　　　The　sharp…faced　woman　recoiled　in　surprise；　gaping　before　she　could　stop　herself；　then　shifting　her　narrow　shoulders　irritably。　Gaunt　cheeks　and　a　narrow　nose　hid　the　ageless　quality　of　the　Red　sister's　features；　and　her　red　dress；　brocaded　in　a　blue　that　was　nearly　black；　only　made　her　appear　bonier；　yet　she　quickly　gathered　a　clan　roofmistress's　self…possession；　dark　brown　eyes　as　cool　as　deep　shadows。　They　slid　past　Aviendha　dismissively；　ignoring　Lan　like　a　tool　she　had　no　use　for；　burned　a　brief　moment　at　Birgitte。　Most　Aes　Sedai　disapproved　of　Birgitte　being　a　Warder；　though　none　could　give　a　reason　beyond　sour　mutters　about　tradition。　Elayne　and　Nynaeve；　however；　the　woman　fixed　by　turns。　Aviendha　could　have　tracked　yesterday's　wind　before　reading　anything　on　Teslyn　Baradon's　face　now。
　　　　　　　〃I　did　already　tell　Merilille；〃　she　said　in　a　thick　Illianer　accent；　〃but　I　may　as　well　put　your　minds　at　rest；　also。　Whatever。。。　mischief。。。　you　do　be　about；　Joline　and　I　will　no　interfere。　I　did　see　to　that。　Elaida　may　never　learn　of　it；　if　you　do　have　some　care。　Stop　gaping　at　me　like　carp；　children；〃　she　added　with　a　grimace　of　distaste。　〃I　be　neither　blind　nor　deaf。　I　do　know　of　Sea　Folk　Windfinders　in　the　palace；　and　secret　meetings　with　Queen　Tylin。　And　other　things。〃　That　thin　mouth　tightened；　and　though　her　tone　remained　serene；　her　dark　gaze　flared　with　anger。　〃You　will　pay　dearly　yet　for　those　other　things；　you　and　those　who　do　allow　you　to　play　at　being　Aes　Sedai；　but　I　will　look　aside　for　now。　Atonement　can　wait。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　took　a　tight　grip　on　her　braid；　back　straight；　head　high；　and　her　own　eyes　blazed。　Under　different　circumstances　Aviendha　might　have　found　some　sympathy　for　the　target　of　the　tongue…lashing　plainly　about　to　erupt。　Nynaeve's　tongue　carried　more　spines　than　a　hair…needle　segade；　and　sharper　ones。　Coldly；　Aviendha　considered　this　woman　who　thought　she　could　look　fight　through　her。　A　Wise　One　did　not　stoop　to　thrashing　someone　with　her　fists；　but　she　was　still　only　an　apprentice；　perhaps　it　would　not　cost　her　ji　if　she　just　bruised　this　Teslyn　Baradon　a　little。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　give　the　Red　sister　a　chance　to　defend　herself　at　the　same　instant　Nynaeve　opened　hers；　yet　Elayne　spoke　first。
　　　　　　　〃What　we　are　about；　Teslyn；〃　she　said　in　a　chill　voice；　〃is　none　of　your　business。〃　She；　too；　stood　straight；　her　eyes　blue　ice；　a　chance　ray　of　light　from　a　high　window　caught　her　golden…red　curls；　seeming　to　set　them　afire。　Right　then；　Elayne　could　have　made　a　roofmistress　seem　a　goatherd　with　too　much　oosquai　in　her　belly。　It　was　a　skill　she　honed　well。　She　delivered　each　word　with　cold　crystal　dignity。　〃You　have　no　right　to　interfere　in　anything　we　do；　in　anything　that　any　sister　does。　No　right　whatsoever。　So　pull　your　nose　out　of　our　coats；　you　summer　ham；　and　be　glad　we　do　not　choose　to　take　issue　with　you　supporting　a　usurper　on　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃
　　　　　　　Perplexed；　Aviendha　glanced　sideways　at　her　near…sister。　Pull　her　nose　out　of　their　coats？　She　and　Elayne；　at　least；　were　not　wearing　coats。　A　summer　ham？　What　did　that　mean？　Wetlanders　often　said　peculiar　things；　but　the　other　women　all　looked　as　puzzled　as　she。　Only　Lan；　staring　at　Elayne　askance；　appeared　to　understand；　and　he　seemed。。。　startled。　And　perhaps　amused。　It　was　difficult　to　tell；　Aan'allein　controlled　his　features　well。
　　　　　　　Teslyn　Baradon　sniffed；　pinching　her　face　even　tighter。　Aviendha　was　trying　hard　to　call　these　people　by　only　part　of　their　names　the　way　they　themselves　did　…　when　she　used　a　whole　name；　they　thought　she　was　upset！　…　but　she　could　not　begin　to　imagine　being　so　intimate　with　Teslyn　Baradon。　〃I　will　leave　you　foolish　children　to　your　business；〃　the　woman　growled。　〃Be　sure　you　do　no　get　your　noses　caught　in　a　worse　crack　than　they　already　do　be。〃
　　　　　　　As　she　turned　to　go；　gathering　her　skirts　grandly；　Nynaeve　caught　her　arm。　Wetlanders　usually　let　emotion　gild　their　faces；　and　Nynaeve's　was　the　image　of　conflict；　anger　struggling　to　break　through　fixed　determination。　〃Wait；　Teslyn；〃　she　said　reluctantly。　〃You　and　Joline　may　be　in　danger。　I　told　Tylin；　but　I　think　she　may　be　afraid　to　tell　anyone　else。　Unwilling；　anyway。　It's　nothing　anybody　really　wants　to　talk　about。〃　She　drew　a　long；　deep　breath；　and　if　she　was　thinking　of　her　own　fears　in　the　matter；　she　had　cause。　There　was　no　shame　in　feeling　fear；　only　in　giving　way　to　it；　or　letting　it　show。　Aviendha　felt　a　flutter　in　her　own　belly　as　Nynaeve　went　on。　〃Moghedien　has　been　here　in　Ebou　Dar。　She　might　still　be。　And　maybe　another　of　the　Forsaken；　too。　With　a　gholam；　a　kind　of　Shadowspawn　the　Power　won't　touch。　It　looks　like　a　man；　but　it　was　made；　and　made　to　kill　Aes　Sedai。　Steel　doesn't　seem　to　hurt　it　either；　and　it　can　squeeze　through　a　mousehole。　The　Black　Ajah　is　here；　as　well。　And　there's　a　storm　ing；　a　bad　storm。　Only　it　isn't　a　storm；　not　weather。　I　can　feel　it；　that's　a　skill　I　have；　a　Talent；　maybe。　There's　danger　headed　for　Ebou　Dar；　and　trouble　worse　than　any　wind　or　rain　or　lightning。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Forsaken；　a　storm　that　is　no　a　storm；　and　some　Shadowspawn　I　did　never　hear　of　before；〃　Teslyn　Baradon　said　wryly。　〃Not　to　mention　the　Black　Ajah。　Light！　The　Black　Ajah！　And　the　Dark　One　himself；　perhaps？〃　Her　twisted　smile　was　razor　thin。　She　plucked　Nynaeve's　hand　from　her　sleeve　contemptuously。　〃When　you　do　be　back　in　the　White　Tower　where　you　belong；　in　white　as　you　all　truly　belong；　you　will　learn　no　to　waste　your　hours　with　wild　fancies。　Or　to　carry　your　tales　to　sisters。〃　Running　her　eyes　over　them；　and　once　more　skipping　past　Aviendha；　she　gave　a　loud　sniff　and　marched　off　down　the　hallway　so　quickly　that　servants　had　to　leap　from　her　path。
　　　　　　　〃That　woman　has　the　nerve　to。。。！〃　Nynaeve　spluttered；　glaring　after　the　retreating　woman　and　strangling　her　braid　with　both　hands。　〃After　I　made　myself。。。！〃　She　almost　choked　on　her　spleen。　〃Well；　I　tried。〃　And　now　regretted　the　attempt；　by　the　sound。
　　　　　　　〃You　did；〃　Elayne　agreed　with　a　sharp　nod；　〃and　more　than　she　deserves。　Denying　that　we're　Aes　Sedai！　I　won't　put　up　with　that　anymore！　I　won't！〃　Her　voice　had　only　seemed　cold　before；　now　it　was　cold；　and　grim。
　　　　　　　〃Can　one　like　that　be　trusted？〃　Aviendha　muttered。　〃Maybe　we　should　be　sure　she　cannot　interfere。〃　She　examined　her　fist；　Teslyn　Baradon　would　see　that。　The　woman　deserved　to　be　caught　by　the　Shadowsouled；　by　Moghedien　or　another。　Fools　deserved　whatever　their　foolishness　brought。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　appeared　to　consider　the　suggestion；　but　what　she　said　was　〃If　I　didn't　know　better；　I'd　think　she　was　ready　to　turn　on　Elaida。〃　She　clicked　her　tongue　in　exasperation。
　　　　　　　〃You　can　dizzy　yourself　trying　to　read　the　currents　in　Aes　Sedai　politics。〃　Elayne　did　not　say　Nynaeve　should　know　that　by　now；　but　her　tone　did。　〃Even　a　Red　might　be　turning　against　Elaida；　for　some　reason　we　can't　begin　to　imagine。　Or　she　could　be　trying　to　make　us　lower　our　guard；　so　she　can　somehow　trick　us　into　putting　ourselves　into　Elaida's　hands。　Or　…　〃
　　　　　　　Lan　coughed。　〃If　any　of　the　Forsaken　are　ing；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　like　polished　stone；　〃they　could　be　here　any　moment。　Or　that　gholam　could。　In　either　case；　it　would　be　best　to　be　elsewhere。〃
　　　　　　　〃With　Aes　Sedai；　always　a　little　patience；〃　Birgitte　murmured　as　though　quoting。　〃But　the　Windfinders　don't　seem　to　have　any；〃　she　continued；　〃so　you　might　do　well　to　forget　Teslyn　and　remember　Renaile。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　turned　stares　on　the　Warders　cold　enough　to　give　ten　Stone　Dogs　pause。　Neither　liked　running　from　the　Shadowsouled　and　this　gholam；　for　all　they　were　the　ones　who　had　decided　there　was　no　choice。　Certainly　neither　liked　being　reminded　that　they　needed　to　run　to　meet　the　Windfinders　almost　as　much　as　to　escape　the　Forsaken。　Aviendha　would　have　studied　those　looks　…　Wise　Ones　did　with　a　glance　or　a　few　words　what　she　had　always　needed　the　threat　of　spear　or　fist　for；　only　they　usually　did　it　faster　and　with　more　success　…　she　would　have　studied　Elayne　and　Nynaeve；　except　that　their　glares　had　no　visible　effect　on　the　pair　at　all。　Birgitte　grinned　and　cut　her　eyes　toward　Lan；　who　shrugged　back　at　her　with　obvious　forbearance。
　　　　　　　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　gave　over。　Unhurriedly；　and　unnecessarily；　straightening　their　skirts；　they　each　took　one　of　Aviendha's　arms　before　setting　off　again　without　so　much　as　a　glance　to　see　that　the　Warders　followed。　Not　that　Elayne　needed　to；　with　the　Warder　bond。　Or　Nynaeve；　if　not　for　the　same　reason；　Aan'allein's　bond　might　belong　to　another；　but　his　heart　hung　alongside　his　ring　on　that　chain　around　her　neck。　They　made　a　great　show　of　strolling　casually；　unwilling　to　let　Birgitte　and　Lan　think　they　had　been　brought　to　hurry；　yet　the　truth　was；　they　did　walk　faster　than　before。
　　　　　　　As　if　to　make　up　for　that；　they　chatted　with　deliberate　idleness；　choosing　the　most　frivolous　subjects。　Elayne　regretted　not　having　a　chance　to　truly　see　the　Festival　of　Birds；　two　days　before；　and　never　gave　a　blush　for　the　scant　garments　many　people　had　worn。　Nynaeve　did　not　blush　either；　but　she　quickly　began　talking　about　the　Feast　of　Embers；　to　be　held　that　night。　Some　of　the　servants　claimed　there　would　be　fireworks；　supposedly　made　by　a　refugee　Illuminator。　Several　traveling　shows　had　e　to　the　city　with　their　strange　animals　and　acrobats；　which　interested　both　Elayne　and　Nynaeve；　since　they　had　spent　some　time　with　such　a　show。　They　talked　of　seamstresses；　and　the　varieties　of　lace　available　in　Ebou　Dar；　and　the　different　qualities　of　silk　and　linen　that　could　be　bought；　and　Aviendha　found　herself　responding　with　pleasure　to　ments　on　how　well　her　gray　silk　riding　dress　looked　on　her；　and　the　other　garments　given　to　her　by　Tylin　Quintara；　fine　woolens　and　silks；　and　the　stockings　and　shifts　to　go　with　them；　and　jewelry。　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　also　had　received　extravagant　gifts。　All　together　their　presents　filled　a　number　of　chests　and　bundles　that　had　been　carried　down　to　the　stables　by　servants；　along　with　their　saddlebags。
　　　　　　　〃Why　are　you　scowling；　Aviendha？〃　Elayne　asked；　giving　her　a　pat　on　the　arm　and　a　smile。　〃Don't　worry。　You　know　the　weave；　you　will　do　just　fine。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　leaned　her　h