rj.thepathofdaggers-第123部分

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　　　　　　　For　that　reason；　it　was　something　of　a　shock　when　Dashiva　awkwardly　booted　his　slab…sided　mount　ahead　of　the　rest。　That　plain　face；　so　often　vague　or　bemused　with　the　fellow's　own　thoughts；　was　fixed　in　a　worried　frown。　It　was　more　than　something　of　a　shock　when　he　seized　saidin　as　soon　as　he　reached　Rand　and　wove　a　barrier　around　them　against　eavesdropping。　Lews　Therin　did　not　waste　breath　…　if　a　disembodied　voice　had　breath　…　on　mutters　about　killing；　he　lurched　for　the　Source　snarling　wordlessly；　tried　to　claw　the　Power　away　from　Rand。　And　just　as　abruptly　fell　silent　and　vanished。
　　　　　　　〃There's　something　askew　with　saidin　here；　something　amiss；〃　Dashiva　said；　sounding　not　at　all　vague。　In　fact；　he　sounded。。。　precise。　And　testy。　A　teacher　lecturing　a　particularly　dense　pupil。　He　even　stabbed　a　finger　at　Rand。　〃I　don't　know　what　it　is。　Nothing　can　twist　saidin；　and　if　it　could　be　twisted；　we'd　have　felt　it　back　in　the　mountains。　Well；　there　was　something　there；　yesterday；　but　so　small。。。　I　feel　it　clearly　here；　though。　Saidin　is。。。　eager。　I　know；　I　know。　Saidin　is　not　alive。　But　it。。。　pulses；　here。　It　is　difficult　to　control。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　forced　his　hand　to　loosen　its　grip　on　the　Dragon　Scepter。　He　had　always　been　sure　Dashiva　was　nearly　as　mad　as　Lews　Therin　himself。　Usually　the　man　maintained　a　better　hold　on　himself；　though；　however　precariously。　〃I've　been　channeling　longer　than　you；　Dashiva。　You're　just　feeling　the　taint　more。〃　He　could　not　soften　his　tone。　Light；　he　could　not　go　mad　yet；　and　neither　could　they！　〃Get　to　your　place。　We'll　be　moving　soon。〃　The　scouts　had　to　return　soon。　Even　in　this　flatter　country；　even　limited　to　no　further　than　they　could　see；　ten　miles　would　not　take　long　to　cover；　Traveling。
　　　　　　　Dashiva　made　no　move　to　obey。　Instead；　he　opened　his　mouth　angrily；　then　snapped　it　shut。　Shaking　visibly；　he　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃I　am　well　aware　how　long　you　have　channeled；〃　he　said　in　an　icy；　almost　contemptuous　voice；　〃but　surely　even　you　can　feel　it。　Feel；　man！　I　don't　like　'strange'　applied　to　saidin；　and　I　don't　want　to　die　or。。。　or　be　burned　out　because　you're　blind！　Look　at　my　ward！　Look　at　it！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stared。　Dashiva　pushing　himself　forward　was　peculiar　enough；　but　Dashiva　in　a　temper？　And　then　he　did　look　at　the　ward。　Really　look。　The　flows　should　have　been　as　steady　as　the　threads　in　tight…woven　canvas。　They　vibrated。　The　ward　stood　solid　as　it　should　be；　but　the　individual　threads　of　the　Power　shimmered　with　faint　movement。　Morr　had　said　saidin　was　strange　near　Ebou　Dar；　and　for　a　hundred　miles　around。　They　were　closer　than　a　hundred　miles；　now。
　　　　　　　Rand　made　himself　feel　saidin。　He　was　always　aware　of　the　Power　…　anything　else　meant　death　or　worse　…　yet　he　had　bee　used　to　the　struggle。　He　fought　for　life；　but　the　fight　had　bee　as　natural　as　life。　The　struggle　was　life。　He　made　himself　feel　that　battle；　his　life。　Cold　to　make　stone　shatter　into　dust。　Fire　to　make　stone　flash　to　vapor。　Filth　to　make　a　rotten　cesspit　smell　a　garden　in　full　flower。　And。。。　a　pulsing；　like　something　quivering　in　his　fist。　This　was　not　the　sort　of　throbbing　he　had　felt　in　Shadar　Logoth；　when　the　taint　on　saidin　had　resonated　with　the　evil　of　that　place；　and　saidin　had　pulsed　with　it。　The　vileness　was　strong；　but　steady　here。　It　was　saidin　itself　that　seemed　full　of　currents　and　surges。　Eager；　Dashiva　called　it；　and　Rand　could　see　why。
　　　　　　　Down　the　slope；　behind　Flinn；　Morr　scrubbed　a　hand　through　his　hair　and　looked　around　uneasily。　Flinn　alternated　shifting　on　his　saddle　and　easing　his　sword　in　its　scabbard。　Narishma；　watching　the　sky　for　flying　creatures；　blinked　too　often。　A　muscle　twitched　in　Adley's　cheek。　Every　one　of　them　displayed　some　sign　of　nervousness；　and　little　wonder。　Relief　welled　up　in　Rand。　Not　madness　after　all。
　　　　　　　Dashiva　smiled；　a　twisted　self…satisfied　smile。　〃I　cannot　believe　you　didn't　notice　before。〃　There　was　very　close　to　a　sneer　in　his　voice。　〃You've　been　holding　saidin　practically　day　and　night　since　we　began　this　mad　expedition。　This　is　a　simple　ward；　but　it　did　not　want　to　form；　then　it　snapped　together　like　pulling　out　of　my　hands。〃
　　　　　　　The　silver…blue　slash　of　a　gateway　rotated　open　atop　one　of　the　bare　hills；　half　a　mile　to　the　west；　and　a　Soldier　pulled　his　horse　through　and　mounted　hurriedly；　returning　from　the　scout。　Even　at　a　distance；　Rand　could　make　out　the　faint　shimmer　of　the　weaves　surrounding　the　gateway　before　they　vanished。　The　rider　had　not　reached　the　bottom　of　the　hill　before　another　gateway　opened　on　the　crest；　and　then　a　third；　a　fourth；　more；　one　after　another；　almost　as　fast　as　the　preceding　man　could　get　out　of　the　way。
　　　　　　　〃But　it　did　form；〃　Rand　said。　So　had　the　scouts'　gateways。　〃If　saidin　is　hard　to　control；　it's　always　hard；　and　it　still　does　what　you　want。〃　But　why　more　difficult　here？　A　question　for　another　time。　Light；　he　wished　Herid　Fel　were　still　alive；　the　old　philosopher　might　have　had　an　answer。　〃Get　back　with　the　others；　Dashiva；〃　he　ordered；　but　the　man　stared　at　him　in　astonishment；　and　he　had　to　repeat　himself　before　the　fellow　let　the　ward　vanish；　jerked　his　horse　around　without　a　salute　and　thumped　the　animal　back　down　the　slope　with　his　heels。
　　　　　　　〃Some　trouble；　my　Lord　Dragon？〃　Anaiyella　simpered。　Ailil　merely　looked　at　Rand　with　flat　eyes。
　　　　　　　Seeing　the　first　scout　on　the　way　toward　Rand；　the　others　fanned　off　to　north　and　south；　where　they　would　join　one　of　the　other　columns。　Finding　them　the　old…fashioned　way　would　be　faster　than　casting　about　with　gateways。　Drawing　rein　in　front　of　Rand；　Nalaam　slapped　fist　to　chest　…　did　he　look　a　bit　wild…eyed？　No　matter。　Saidin　still　did　what　the　man　wielding　it　made　it　do。　Nalaam　saluted　and　gave　his　report。　The　Seanchan　were　not　encamped　ten　miles　away；　they　were　no　more　than　five　or　six　distant；　marching　east。　And　they　had　sul'dam　and　damane　by　the　score。
　　　　　　　Rand　issued　his　orders　as　Nalaam　galloped　away；　and　his　column　began　moving　west。　The　Defenders　and　the　panions　rode　on　either　flank。　The　Legionmen　marched　at　the　rear；　just　behind　Denharad。　A　reminder　to　the　noblewomen；　and　their　armsmen；　if　they　needed　one。　Anaiyella　certainly　looked　over　her　shoulder　often　enough；　and　Ailil's　refusal　to　was　pointed。　Rand　formed　the　main　thrust　of　the　column；　Rand　and　Flinn　and　the　others；　just　as　it　would　be　with　the　other　columns。　Asha'man　to　strike；　and　men　with　steel　to　guard　their　backs　while　they　killed。　The　sun　still　had　a　long　way　to　climb　before　midday。　Nothing　had　changed　to　alter　the　plan。
　　　　　　　Madness　waits　for　some；　Lews　Therin　whispered。　It　creeps　up　on　others。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Miraj　rode　near　the　head　of　his　army　marching　east　along　a　muddy　road　that　wound　through　hilly　olive　groves　and　patchy　forest。　Not　at　the　head。　A　full　regiment；　most　Seanchan；　rode　between　him　and　the　forward　scouts。　He　had　known　generals　who　wanted　to　be　at　the　very　front。　Most　were　dead。　Most　had　lost　the　battles　they　died　in。　Mud　kept　down　dust；　yet　word　of　an　army　on　the　move　ran　like　wildfire　on　the　Sa'las　Plains；　whatever　the　land。　Here　and　there　among　the　olive　trees　he　spotted　an　overturned　wheelbarrow　or　an　abandoned　pruning　hook；　but　the　workers　had　vanished　long　since。　Luckily；　they　would　avoid　his　opponents　as　much　as　they　did　him。　With　luck；　lacking　raken；　his　opponents　would　not　know　he　was　on　them　until　it　was　too　late。　Kennar　Miraj　did　not　like　trusting　to　luck。
　　　　　　　Aside　from　under…officers　ready　to　produce　maps　or　copy　orders　and　messengers　ready　to　carry　them；　he　rode　acpanied　only　by　Abaldar　Yulan；　small　enough　to　make　his　quite　ordinary　brown　gelding　seem　immense；　a　fiery　man　with　the　nails　of　his　little　fingers　painted　green　who　wore　a　black　wig　to　conceal　his　baldness；　and　Lisaine　Jarath；　a　gray…haired　woman　from　Seandar　itself；　whose　pale　plump　face　and　blue　eyes　were　a　study　in　serenity。　Yulan　was　not　calm；　Miraj's　coal…dark　Captain　of　the　Air　often　wore　a　scowl　for　the　rules　that　seldom　let　him　touch　the　reins　of　a　raken　anymore；　but　today　his　frown　went　bone　deep。　The　sky　was　clear；　perfect　weather　for　raken；　but　by　Suroth's　mand；　none　of　his　fliers　would　be　in　the　saddle　today；　not　here。　There　were　too　few　raken　with　the　Hailene　to　risk　them