rj.thepathofdaggers-第129部分

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　of　a　sparrow　about　to　hop　on　a　branch。　A　most　unlikely…appearing　negotiator；　though　her　reputation　had　been　earned。　She　smiled　at　the　others；　not　very　pleasantly；　and　that　seemed　sparrowlike；　too。　Perhaps　it　was　how　she　held　her　head。　〃Idle　speculation；　it　wastes　precious　time。　The　world　hangs　by　a　thread；　and　myself；　I　do　not　wish　to　fritter　away　valuable　hours　prattling　about　supposed　logic　or　chattering　over　what　every　fool　and　novice　knows。　Does　anyone　have　anything　useful　to　say？〃　For　a　sparrow；　she　could　put　acid　on　her　words。　Velina's　face　went　red；　and　Shevan's　darkened。
　　　　　　　Rubinde　twisted　her　lips　at　the　Gray。　Perhaps　they　were　meant　to　make　a　smile；　but　they　merely　seemed　to　writhe。　With　raven…black　hair　and　eyes　like　sapphires；　the　Mayener　usually　looked　as　if　she　intended　to　walk　through　a　stone　wall；　and　planting　her　fists　on　her　hips　now；　she　seemed　ready　to　walk　through　two。　〃We've　dealt　with　what　we　can　for　the　time　being；　Andaya。　Most　of　it；　anyway。　The　rebels　are　caught　by　the　snows　in　Murandy；　and　we'll　make　winter　hot　enough　for　them　that　in　the　spring　they'll　e　crawling　back　to　apologize　and　beg　penance。　Tear　will　be　taken　care　of　as　soon　as　we　find　where　the　High　Lord　Darlin　has　vanished　to；　and　Cairhien　once　we　root　Caraline　Damodred　and　Toram　Riatin　out　of　their　hiding　places。　Al'Thor　has　the　crown　of　Illian　for　the　moment；　but　that's　in　work。　So；　unless　you　have　a　scheme　for　snaffling　the　man　into　the　Tower　or　making　these　so…called　'Asha'man'　vanish；　I　have　the　business　of　my　Ajah　to　be　about。〃
　　　　　　　Andaya　drew　herself　up；　her　feathers　well　and　truly　ruffled。　For　that　matter；　Duhara's　eyes　narrowed；　mention　of　men　who　could　channel　always　lit　fires　in　her　head。　Shevan　clicked　her　tongue　as　if　at　children　squabbling　…　though　she　looked　pleased　to　see　it　…　and　Velina　frowned；　for　some　reason　sure　Shevan　had　aimed　at　her。　This　was　amusing；　but　getting　out　of　hand。
　　　　　　　〃The　business　of　the　Ajahs　is　important；　daughters。〃　Elaida　did　not　raise　her　voice；　but　every　head　swiveled　toward　her。　She　replaced　the　ivory　carving　with　the　rest　of　her　collection　in　the　large　box　covered　with　roses　and　golden　scrolls；　carefully　adjusted　the　positions　of　her　writing　case　and　correspondence　box　so　the　three　lacquered　boxes　lined　up　just　so　on　the　table；　and　once　their　silence　was　perfect　she　went　on。　〃The　business　of　the　Tower　is　more　important；　though。　I　trust　you　will　effect　my　decrees　promptly。　I　see　too　much　sloth　in　the　Tower。　I　fear　Silviana　may　find　herself　very　busy　if　matters　do　not　e　right　soon。〃　She　did　not　voice　any　further　threat。　She　merely　smiled。
　　　　　　　〃As　you　mand；　Mother；〃　murmured　six　voices　not　so　steady　as　their　owners　might　have　wished。　Even　Duhara's　face　was　pasty　pale　as　they　made　their　curtsies。　Two　Sitters　had　been　stripped　of　their　chairs；　and　half　a　dozen　had　served　days　of　Labor　for　penance　…　which　was　humiliating　enough　in　their　position　to　be　Mortification　of　the　Spirit　besides；　Shevan　and　Sedore　certainly　wore　tight　mouths　as　they　remembered　all　too　well　scrubbing　floors　and　working　in　the　laundries　…　but　none　had　been　sent　to　Silviana　for　Mortification　of　the　Flesh。　No　one　wanted　to　be。　The　Mistress　of　Novices　had　two　or　three　visits　each　week　from　sisters　who　been　given　penance　by　their　Ajahs　or　set　one　for　themselves　…　a　dose　of　the　strap；　however　painful；　was　done　with　much　more　quickly　than　raking　garden　paths　for　a　month　…　but　Silviana　possessed　considerably　less　mercy　with　sisters　than　with　the　novices　and　Accepted　in　her　charge。　More　than　one　sister　must　have　spent　the　next　few　days　wondering　whether　a　month　pulling　a　rake　might　not　have　been　preferable　after　all。
　　　　　　　They　scurried　toward　the　doors；　eager　to　be　away。　Sitters　or　no；　not　one　would　have　set　foot　this　high　in　the　Tower　without　Elaida's　direct　summons。　Fingering　her　striped　stole；　Elaida　let　her　smile　bee　one　of　pleasure。　Yes；　she　was　the　mistress　in　the　White　Tower。　As　was　only　proper　for　the　Amyrlin　Seat。
　　　　　　　Before　that　fast…stepping　knot　of　Sitters　reach　the　doorway；　the　left…hand　door　opened；　and　Alviarin　stepped　in；　the　narrow　white　stole　of　the　Keeper　almost　vanishing　against　a　silk　dress　that　made　Velina's　seem　dingy。
　　　　　　　Elaida　felt　her　smile　go　crooked　and　begin　sliding　from　her　face。　Alviarin　had　a　single　sheet　of　parchment　in　one　slim　hand。　Odd；　what　one　noticed　at　a　time　like　this。　The　woman　had　been　gone　almost　two　weeks；　vanished　from　the　Tower　without　word　or　note；　without　anyone　so　much　as　seeing　her　go；　and　Elaida　had　begun　to　think　fond　thoughts　of　Alviarin　lying　in　a　snowbank；　or　swept　away　in　a　river；　sliding　beneath　the　ice。
　　　　　　　The　six　Sitters　skidded　to　a　halt　uncertainly　when　Alviarin　did　not　move　out　of　their　way。　Even　a　Keeper　with　Alviarin's　influence　did　not　impede　Sitters。　Though　Velina；　normally　the　most　self…possessed　woman　in　the　Tower；　flinched　for　some　reason。　Alviarin　glanced　once　at　Elaida；　coolly；　studied　the　Sitters　for　a　moment；　and　understood　everything。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　you　should　leave　that　with　me；〃　she　said　to　Sedore　in　tones　only　a　fraction　warmer　than　the　snow　outside。　〃The　Mother　likes　to　consider　her　decrees　carefully；　as　you　know。　This　would　not　be　the　first　time　she　changed　her　mind　after　signing。〃　She　held　out　a　slim　hand。
　　　　　　　Sedore；　whose　arrogance　was　notable　even　among　Yellows；　barely　hesitated　before　giving　her　the　leather　folder。
　　　　　　　Elaida　ground　her　teeth　in　fury。　Sedore　had　hated　her　five　days　up　to　her　elbows　in　hot　water　and　scrub　boards。　Elaida　would　find　something　less　fortable　for　her　next　time。　Maybe　Silviana　after　all。　Maybe　cleaning　the　cesspits！
　　　　　　　Alviarin　stepped　aside　without　a　word；　and　the　Sitters　went；　adjusting　shawls；　muttering　to　themselves；　reassuming　the　dignity　of　the　Hall。　Briskly；　Alviarin　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　walked　toward　Elaida　thumbing　through　the　papers　in　the　folder。　The　decrees　she　had　signed　hoping　Alviarin　was　dead。　Of　course；　she　had　not　rested　on　hope。　She　had　not　spoken　to　Seaine；　in　case　someone　might　see　and　tell　Alviarin　when　she　returned；　but　Seaine　was　certainly　working　away　as　instructed；　following　the　path　of　treason　that　surely　would　lead　to　Alviarin　Freidhen。　But　Elaida　had　hoped。　Oh；　how　she　had　hoped。
　　　　　　　Alviarin　murmured　to　herself　as　she　rifled　the　folder。　〃This　can　go　through；　I　suppose。　But　not　this。　Or　this。　And　certainly　not　this！〃　She　crumpled　a　decree；　signed　and　sealed　by　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　and　tossed　it　to　the　floor　contemptuously。　Stopping　beside　Elaida's　gilded　chair；　with　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon　in　moonstones　atop　its　high　back；　she　slapped　the　folder　and　her　own　parchment　down　on　the　table。　And　then　slapped　Elaida's　face　so　hard　she　saw　black　flecks。
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　we　had　settled　this；　Elaida。〃　The　monstrous　woman's　voice　made　the　snowstorm　outside　seem　warm。　〃I　know　how　to　save　the　Tower　from　your　blunders；　and　I　won't　have　you　making　new　ones　behind　my　back。　If　you　persist；　be　assured　that　I　will　see　you　deposed；　stilled；　and　howling　under　the　birch　before　every　initiate　and　even　the　servants！〃
　　　　　　　With　an　effort；　Elaida　kept　her　hand　away　from　her　cheek。　She　did　not　need　a　mirror　to　tell　her　it　was　red。　She　had　to　be　careful。　Seaine　had　found　nothing　yet；　or　she　would　have　e。　Alviarin　could　open　her　mouth　before　the　Hall　and　reveal　the　whole　disastrous　kidnapping　of　the　al'Thor　boy。　She　might　see　her　deposed；　and　stilled　and　birched　with　that　alone；　but　Alviarin　had　another　string　to　her　bow。　Toveine　Gazal　was　leading　fifty　sisters　and　two　hundred　of　the　Tower　Guard　against　a　Black　Tower　Elaida　had　been　sure；　when　she　gave　the　orders；　held　perhaps　two　or　three　men　who　could　channel。　Yet　even　with　the　hundreds　…　hundreds！　with　Alviarin　staring　coldly　down　at　her；　that　thought　still　curdled　Elaida's　stomach！　…　even　with　hundreds　of　these　Asha'man；　she　had　hope　for　Toveine。　The　Black　Tower　would　be　rent　in　fire　and　blood；　she　had　Foretold；　and　sisters　would　walk　its　grounds。　Surely　that　meant　that　somehow；　Toveine　would　triumph。　More；　the　rest　of　the　Foretelling　had　told　her　that　the　Tower　would　regain　all　its　old　glories　under　her；　that　al'Thor　himself　would　quail　at　her　anger。　Alviarin　had　heard　the　words　ing　out　of　Elaida's　mouth　when　the　Fo