rj.thegreathunt-第88部分

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　　　　　　　With　a　grimace；　she　got　to　her　feet。　There　were　more　important　matters。　Far　more　important。　Her　eyes　ran　over　the　open　books　and　papers　crowding　the　room。　So　many　hints；　but　no　answers。
　　　　　　　Vandene　came　in　with　a　teapot　and　cups　on　a　tray。　She　was　slender　and　graceful；　with　a　straight　back；　and　the　hair　gathered　neatly　at　the　nape　of　her　neck　was　almost　white。　The　agelessness　of　her　smooth　face　was　that　of　long；　long　years。　〃I　would　have　had　Jaem　bring　this；　and　not　disturb　you　myself；　but　he's　out　in　the　barn　practicing　with　his　sword。〃　She　made　a　clucking　sound　as　she　pushed　a　battered　manuscript　aside　to　set　the　tray　on　the　table。　〃Lan　being　here　has　him　remembering　he's　more　than　a　gardener　and　handyman。　Gaidin　are　so　stiff…necked。　I　thought　Lan　would　still　be　here；　that's　why　I　brought　an　extra　cup。　Have　you　found　what　you　were　seeking？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　not　even　sure　what　it　is　I　am　seeking。〃　Moiraine　frowned；　studying　the　other　woman。　Vandene　was　of　the　Green　Ajah；　not　Brown　like　her　sister；　yet　the　two　of　them　had　studied　so　long　together　that　she　knew　as　much　of　history　as　Adeleas。
　　　　　　　〃Whatever　it　is；　you　don't　even　seem　to　know　where　to　look。〃　Vandene　shifted　some　of　the　books　and　manuscripts　on　the　table；　shaking　her　head。　〃So　many　subjects。　The　Trolloc　Wars。　The　Watchers　Over　the　Waves。　The　legend　of　the　Return。　Two　treatises　on　the　Horn　of　Valere。　Three　on　dark　prophecy；　and　…　Light；　here's　Santhra's　book　on　the　Forsaken。　Nasty；　that。　As　nasty　as　this　on　Shadar　Logoth。　And　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon；　in　three　translations　and　the　original。　Moiraine；　whatever　are　you　after？　The　Prophecies；　I　can　understand　…　we　hear　some　news　here；　remote　as　we　are。　We　hear　some　of　what's　happening　in　Illian。　There's　even　a　rumor　in　the　village　that　someone　has　already　found　the　Horn。〃　She　gestured　with　a　manuscript　on　the　Horn；　and　coughed　in　the　dust　that　rose　from　it。　〃I　discount　that；　of　course。　There　would　be　rumors。　But　what　…？　No。　You　said　you　wanted　privacy；　and　I'll　give　it　to　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Stop　a　moment；〃　Moiraine　said；　halting　the　other　Aes　Sedai　short　of　the　door。　〃Perhaps　you　can　answer　some　questions　for　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　try。〃　Vandene　smiled　suddenly。　〃Adeleas　claims　I　should　have　chosen　Brown。　Ask。〃　She　poured　two　cups　of　tea　and　handed　one　to　Moiraine；　then　took　a　chair　by　the　fire。
　　　　　　　Steam　curled　over　the　cups　while　Moiraine　chose　her　questions　carefully。　To　find　the　answers；　and　not　reveal　too　much。　〃The　Horn　of　Valere　is　not　mentioned　in　the　Prophecies；　but　is　it　linked　to　the　Dragon　anywhere？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　Except　for　the　fact　that　the　Horn　must　be　found　before　Tarmon　Gai'don　and　that　the　Dragon　Reborn　is　supposed　to　fight　the　Last　Battle；　there　is　no　link　between　them　at　all。〃　The　white…haired　woman　sipped　her　tea　and　waited。
　　　　　　　〃Does　anything　link　the　Dragon　with　Toman　Head？〃
　　　　　　　Vandene　hesitated。　〃Yes；　and　no。　This　is　a　bone　between　Adeleas　and　me。〃　Her　voice　took　on　a　lecturing　tone；　and　for　a　time　she　did　sound　like　a　Brown。　〃There　is　a　verse　in　the　original　that　translates　literally　as　'Five　ride　forth；　and　four　return。　Above　the　watchers　shall　he　proclaim　himself；　bannered　cross　the　sky　in　fire　。。。'　Well；　it　goes　on。　The　point　is；　the　word　ma'vron。　I　say　it　should　be　translated　not　simply　as　'watchers；'　which　is　a'vron。　Ma'vron　has　more　importance　to　it。　I　say　it　means　the　Watchers　Over　the　Waves；　though　they　call　themselves　Do　Miere　A'vron；　of　course；　not　Ma'vron。　Adeleas　tells　me　I　am　quibbling。　But　I　believe　it　means　the　Dragon　Reborn　will　appear　somewhere　above　Toman　Head；　in　Arad　Doman；　or　Saldaea。　Adeleas　may　think　I'm　foolish；　but　I　listen　to　every　scrap　I　hear　ing　from　Saldaea　these　days。　Mazrim　Taim　can　channel；　so　I　hear；　and　our　sisters　haven't　managed　to　corner　him　yet。　If　the　Dragon　is　Reborn；　and　the　Horn　of　Valere　found；　then　the　Last　Battle　is　ing　soon。　We　may　never　finish　our　history。〃　She　gave　a　shiver；　then　abruptly　laughed。　〃Odd　thing　to　worry　about。　I　suppose　I　am　being　more　a　Brown。　Horrible　thing　to　contemplate。　Ask　your　next　question。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　think　you　need　worry　about　Taim；〃　Moiraine　said　absently。　It　was　a　link　with　Toman　Head；　however　small　and　tenuous。　〃He　will　be　dealt　with　as　Logain　was。　What　of　Shadar　Logoth？〃
　　　　　　　〃Shadar　Logoth！〃　Vandene　snorted。　〃In　brief；　the　city　was　destroyed　by　its　own　hate；　every　living　thing　except　Mordeth；　the　councilor　who　began　it　all；　using　the　tactics　of　the　Darkfriends　against　the　Darkfriends；　and　he　now　lies　trapped　there　waiting　for　a　soul　to　steal。　It　is　not　safe　to　enter；　and　nothing　in　the　city　is　safe　to　touch。　But　every　novice　close　to　being　Accepted　knows　as　much　as　that。　In　full；　you　will　have　to　stay　here　a　month　and　listen　to　Adeleas　lecture　…　she　has　the　true　knowledge　of　it　…　but　even　I　can　tell　you　there's　nothing　of　the　Dragon　in　it。　That　place　was　dead　a　hundred　years　before　Yurian　Stonebow　rose　from　the　ashes　of　the　Trolloc　Wars；　and　he　lies　closest　to　it　in　history　of　all　the　false　Dragons。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　raised　a　hand。　〃I　did　not　speak　clearly；　and　I　do　not　speak　of　the　Dragon；　now；　Reborn　or　false。　Can　you　think　of　any　reason　why　a　Fade　would　take　something　that　had　e　from　Shadar　Logoth？〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　if　it　knew　the　thing　for　what　it　was。　The　hate　that　killed　Shadar　Logoth　was　hate　they　thought　to　use　against　the　Dark　One；　it　would　destroy　Shadowspawn　as　surely　as　it　would　those　who　walk　in　the　Light。　They　rightly　fear　Shadar　Logoth　as　much　as　we。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　what　can　you　tell　me　of　the　Forsaken？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　do　leap　from　subject　to　subject。　I　can　tell　you　little　more　than　you　learned　as　a　novice。　No　one　knows　much　more　of　the　Nameless　than　that。　Do　you　expect　me　to　ramble　on　with　what　we　both　learned　as　girls？〃
　　　　　　　For　an　instant；　Moiraine　was　silent。　She　did　not　want　to　say　too　much；　but　Vandene　and　Adeleas　had　more　knowledge　their　fingertips　than　existed　anywhere　else　but　the　White　Tower；　amore　plications　awaited　her　there　than　she　cared　to　deal　with　now。　She　let　the　name　slip　between　her　lips　as　if　it　were　escaping。　〃Lanfear。〃
　　　　　　　〃For　once；〃　the　other　woman　sighed；　〃I　know　not　a　whit　more　than　I　did　as　a　novice。　The　Daughter　of　the　Night　remains　as　much　a　mystery　as　if　she　truly　had　cloaked　herself　in　darkness。〃　She　paused；　peering　into　her　cup；　and　when　she　looked　up；　her　eyes　were　sharp　on　Moiraine's　face。　〃Lanfear　was　linked　to　the　Dragon；　to　Lews　Therin　Telamon。　Moiraine；　do　you　have　some　clue　as　to　where　the　Dragon　will　be　Reborn？　Or　was　Reborn？　Has　he　e　already？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　I　did；〃　Moiraine　replied　levelly；　〃would　I　be　here；　instead　of　in　the　White　Tower？　The　Amyrlin　knows　as　much　as　I；　that　I　swear。　Have　you　received　a　summons　from　her？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　and　I　suppose　we　would。　When　the　time　es　that　we　must　face　the　Dragon　Reborn；　the　Amyrlin　will　need　every　sister；　every　Accepted；　every　novice　who　can　light　a　candle　unguided。〃　Vandene's　voice　lowered；　musing。　〃With　such　power　as　he　will　wield；　we　must　overwhelm　him　before　he　has　a　chance　to　use　it　against　us；　before　he　can　go　mad　and　destroy　the　world。　Yet　first　we　must　let　him　face　the　Dark　One。〃　She　laughed　mirthlessly　at　the　look　on　Moiraine's　face。　〃I　am　not　a　Red。　I've　studied　the　Prophecies　enough　to　know　we　dare　not　gentle　him　first。　If　we　can　gentle　him。　I　know　as　well　as　you；　as　well　as　any　sister　who　cares　to　find　out；　that　the　seals　holding　the　Dark　One　in　Shayol　Ghul　are　weakening。　The　Illianers　call　the　Great　Hunt　of　the　Horn。　False　Dragons　abound。　And　two　of　them；　Logain　and　now　this　fellow　in　Saldaea；　able　to　channel。　When　was　the　last　time　the　Reds　found　two　men　channeling　in　less　than　a　year？　When　did　they　last　find　one　in　five　years？　Not　in　my　lifetime；　and　I　am　a　good　deal　older　than　you。　The　signs　are　everywhere。　Tarmon　Gai'don　is　ing。　The　Dark　One　will　break　free。　And　the　Dragon　will　be　Reborn。〃　Her　cup　rattled　as　she　set　it　down。　〃I　suppose　that　is　why　I　feared　you　might　have　seen　some　sign　of　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　will　e；〃　Moiraine　said　smoothly；　〃and　we　will　do　what　must　be　done。〃〃If　I　thought　it　would　do　any　good；　I'd　pull　Adeleas's　nose　out　of　her　book　and　set　off　for　the　White　Tower。　But　I　find　I　am　glad　to　be　here　where　I　am　instead。　Perhaps　we　will　have　time　to　finish　our　history。〃