rj.thepathofdaggers-第122部分

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gether　behind　him；　then　quickly　returned　to　watching　Rand。　Very　likely　he　watched　Ailil；　and　maybe　Anaiyella　as　well；　but　he　watched　Rand　without　doubt。　Rand　was　unsure　whether　they　still　feared　to　take　the　blame　if　he　was　killed　or　simply　wanted　to　see　it　happen。　The　one　thing　he　was　certain　of　was　that　if　they　did　want　him　dead；　he　would　give　them　no　opportunity。
　　　　　　　Who　knows　a　woman's　heart？　Lews　Therin　chuckled　wryly。　He　sounded　in　one　of　his　saner　moods。　Most　women　will　shrug　off　what　a　man　would　kill　you　for；　and　kill　you　for　what　a　man　would　shrug　off。　Rand　ignored　him。　The　last　gateway　in　Rand's　sight　winked　out。　The　Asha'man　mounting　their　horses　were　too　far　for　him　to　say　for　sure　whether　any　still　held　on　to　saidin；　but　it　did　not　matter　so　long　as　he　did。　Clumsy　Dashiva　tried　to　mount　quickly　and　nearly　fell　off　twice　before　successfully　reaching　his　saddle。　Most　of　the　black…coated　men　in　view　began　riding　north　or　south。
　　　　　　　The　rest　of　the　nobles　gathered　quickly　with　Bashere　on　the　slope　just　below　Rand；　the　highest　ranking　and　those　with　the　most　power　in　front　after　a　little　jostling　here　and　there；　where　precedence　remained　uncertain。　Tihera　and　Marcolin　kept　their　horses　on　the　fringes；　on　opposite　sides　of　the　mass　of　nobles；　faces　carefully　blank；　they　might　be　asked　for　advice；　but　both　knew　the　final　decisions　rested　with　others。　Weiramon　opened　his　mouth　with　a　grand　gesture；　doubtless　to　begin　another　splendid　peroration　on　the　glories　of　following　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Sunamon　and　Torean；　accustomed　to　his　speeches　and　powerful　enough　to　take　no　care　around　him；　reined　their　horses　together　and　began　talking　quietly。　Sunamon's　face　wore　an　unaccustomed　hardness；　and　Torean　seemed　ready　to　squabble　over　a　boundary　line　despite　the　red　satin　stripes　on　his　coatsleeves。　Square…jawed　Bertome　and　some　of　the　other　Cairhienin　were　not　quiet　at　all；　laughing　at　each　other's　jokes。　Everyone　had　had　a　bellyful　of　Weiramon's　grand　declamations。　Though　Semaradrid's　scowl　deepened　every　time　he　looked　at　Ailil　and　Anaiyella　…　he　did　not　like　them　remaining　close　to　Rand；　especially　his　countrywoman　…　so　perhaps　his　sourness　had　more　root　than　Weiramon's　windiness。
　　　　　　　〃About　ten　miles　from　us；〃　Rand　said　loudly；　〃a　good　fifty　thousand　men　are　preparing　to　march。〃　They　were　aware　of　that；　but　it　pulled　every　eye　to　him　and　silenced　every　tongue。　Weiramon's　mouth　snapped　shut　sourly；　the　fellow　did　love　to　hear　himself　talk。　Gueyam　and　Maraconn；　tugging　at　sharp　oiled　beards；　smiled　in　anticipation；　the　fools。　Semaradrid　looked　like　a　man　who　had　eaten　an　entire　bowl　of　bad　plums；　Gregorin　and　the　three　lords　of　the　Nine　with　him　merely　wore　grim　determination　on　their　faces。　Not　fools。　〃The　scouts　saw　no　signs　of　sul'dam　or　damane；〃　Rand　went　on；　〃but　even　without　them；　even　with　Asha'man；　that's　enough　to　kill　a　lot　of　us　if　anybody　forgets　the　plan。　No　one　will　forget；　though；　I'm　sure。〃　No　charges　without　orders；　this　time。　He　had　made　that　clear　as　glass；　and　hard　as　stone。　No　haring　off　because　you　thought　maybe　you　just　might　have　seen　something；　either。
　　　　　　　Weiramon　smiled；　managing　to　put　as　much　oil　into　it　as　Sunamon　ever　could。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　simple　plan；　in　its　way。　They　would　advance　west　in　five　columns；　each　with　Asha'man；　and　attempt　to　fall　on　the　Seanchan　from　every　side　at　once。　Or　as　close　to　all　sides　as　could　be　managed。　Simple　plans　were　best；　Bashere　insisted。　If　you　won't　be　satisfied　with　a　whole　litter　of　fat　piglets；　he　had　muttered；　if　you　have　to　rush　into　the　woods　to　find　the　old　sow；　then　don't　get　too　fancy；　or　she'll　gut　you。
　　　　　　　No　plan　of　battle　survives　first　contact；　Lews　Therin　said　in　Rand's　head。　For　a　moment；　he　still　seemed　lucid。　For　a　moment。　Something　is　wrong；　he　growled　suddenly。　His　voice　began　to　gain　intensity；　and　drift　into　wild　disbelieving　laughter。　It　can't　be　wrong；　but　it　is。　Something　strange；　something　wrong；　skittering；　jumping；　twitching。　His　cackles　turned　to　weeping。　It　can't　be！　I　must　be　mad！　And　he　vanished　before　Rand　could　mute　him。　Burn　him；　there　was　nothing　wrong　with　the　plan；　or　Bashere　would　have　been　on　it　like　a　duck　on　a　beetle。
　　　　　　　Lews　Therin　was　mad；　no　doubt　of　it。　But　so　long　as　Rand　al'Thor　remained　sane。。。　A　bitter　joke　on　the　world；　if　the　Dragon　Reborn　went　mad　before　the　Last　Battle　even　began。　〃Take　your　places；〃　he　manded　with　a　wave　of　the　Dragon　Scepter。　He　had　to　fight　down　the　urge　to　laugh　at　that　joke。
　　　　　　　The　large　clump　of　nobles　broke　apart　at　his　order；　milling　and　muttering　as　they　sorted　themselves　out。　Few　liked　the　way　Rand　had　divided　them　up。　Whatever　breaking　down　of　barriers　had　occurred　in　the　shock　of　the　first　fight　in　the　mountains；　they　had　sprung　up　again　almost　immediately。
　　　　　　　Weiramon　frowned　over　his　undelivered　speech；　but　after　an　elaborate　bow　that　thrust　his　beard　at　Rand　like　a　spear　he　rode　north　over　the　hills　followed　by　Kiril　Drapeneos；　Bertome；　Doressin；　and　several　minor　Cairhienin　lords；　every　last　one　of　them　stony…faced　at　a　Tairen　being　placed　over　them。　Gedwyn　rode　by　Weiramon's　side　almost　as　if　he　were　the　one　leading；　and　got　dark　scowls　for　it　that　he　affected　not　to　notice。　The　other　groupings　were　as　mixed。　Gregorin　also　headed　north；　with　a　sullen　Sunamon　trying　to　pretend　he　was　heading　in　the　same　direction　by　happenstance；　and　Dalthanes　leading　lesser　Cairhienin　behind。　Jeordwyn　Semaris；　another　of　the　Nine；　followed　Bashere　south　with　Amondrid　and　Gueyam。　Those　three　had　accepted　the　Saldaean　almost　eagerly　for　the　simple　reason　that　he　was　not　Tairen；　or　Cairhienin；　or　Illianer；　depending　on　the　man。　Rochaid　seemed　to　be　trying　the　same　with　Bashere　that　Gedwyn　was　with　Weiramon；　but　Bashere　appeared　to　ignore　it。　A　little　way　from　Bashere's　party；　Torean　and　Maraconn　rode　with　their　heads　together；　likely　venting　spleen　at　having　Semaradrid　placed　over　them。　For　that　matter；　Ershin　Netari　kept　glancing　toward　Jeordwyn；　and　standing　in　his　stirrups　to　look　back　toward　Gregorin　and　Kiril；　though　it　was　improbable　he　could　see　them　any　longer　past　the　hills。　Semaradrid；　his　back　iron…rod　straight；　looked　as　unflappable　as　Bashere。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　same　principle　Rand　had　used　all　along。　He　trusted　Bashere；　and　he　thought　he　might　be　able　to　trust　Gregorin；　and　none　of　the　others　could　dare　think　of　turning　against　him　with　so　many　outlanders　around　him；　so　many　old　enemies　and　so　few　friends。　Rand　laughed　softly；　watching　them　all　ride　off　from　his　hillside。　They　would　fight　for　him；　and　fight　well；　because　they　had　no　other　choice。　Any　more　than　he　had。
　　　　　　　Madness；　Lews　Therin　hissed。　Rand　shoved　the　voice　away　angrily。
　　　　　　　He　was　hardly　alone；　of　course。　Tihera　and　Marcolin　had　most　of　the　Defenders　and　panions　mounted　in　ranks　among　the　olive　trees　on　hills　flanking　the　one　where　he　sat　his　horse。　The　rest　were　out　as　a　screen　against　surprise。　A　pany　of　blue…coated　Legionmen　waited　patiently　in　the　hollow　below　under　Masond's　eye；　and　at　their　rear；　as　many　men　in　what　they　had　worn　surrendering　on　the　heath　back　in　Illian。　They　were　trying　to　emulate　the　Legionmen's　calm　…　the　other　Legionmen；　now　…　trying　without　a　great　deal　of　success。
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　at　Ailil　and　Anaiyella。　The　Tairen　woman　gave　him　a　simpering　smile；　but　it　faltered　weakly。　The　Cairhienin　woman's　face　was　frost。　He　could　not　forget　them；　or　Denharad　and　their　armsmen。　His　column；　in　the　center；　would　be　the　largest；　and　the　strongest　by　a　fair　margin。　A　very　fair　margin。
　　　　　　　Flinn　and　the　men　Rand　had　chosen　out　after　Dumai's　Wells　rode　up　the　hill　toward　him。　The　balding　old　man　always　led；　though　all　save　Adley　and　Narishma　now　wore　the　Dragon　as　well　as　the　Sword；　and　Dashiva　had　worn　it　first。　In　part　it　was　because　the　younger　men　deferred　to　Flinn；　with　his　long　experience　as　a　bannerman　in　the　Andoran　Queen's　Guards。　In　part　it　was　because　Dashiva　did　not　seem　to　care。　He　only　appeared　amused　by　the　others。　When　he　could　spare　time　from　talking　to　himself；　that　was。　Most　often；　he　hardly　seemed　aware　of　anything　past　his　own　nose。
　　　　　　　For　that　reason；　it　was　something　of　a　shock　when　Dashiva　awkwardly　booted　his　slab…sided　mount　ahead　of　t