rj.thepathofdaggers-第143部分

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　to　the　Tower　for　proper　punishment。　She　won't　think　of　running　again　after　that！〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　nodded　slowly；　trying　to　think　of　what　to　say。　Whether　or　not　Garenia　…　Zarya　…　thought　of　running　again；　she　would　not　be　allowed　the　opportunity。　She　was　very　strong　in　the　Power；　the　Tower　would　not　let　her　go　if　it　took　the　rest　of　her　life　to　earn　the　shawl。　But　Elayne　was　recalling　something　she　had　heard　this　woman　say　the　first　time　she　met　her。　The　meaning　had　not　registered　then；　but　now　it　did。　How　would　Zarya　face　novice　white　again　after　living　as　her　own　woman　for　seventy　years？　Worse；　those　whispers　among　the　Kinswomen　had　begun　to　sound　like　rumbles。
　　　　　　　She　did　not　have　long　to　think。　Suddenly　Kirstian　fell　to　her　knees；　clutching　at　Adeleas'　skirts　with　one　hand。　〃I　submit　myself；〃　she　said　calmly；　her　tone　a　wonder　ing　from　that　bloodless　face。　〃I　was　enrolled　in　the　novice　book　almost　three　hundred　years　ago；　and　ran　away　less　than　a　year　later。　I　submit　myself；　and。。。　and　beg　mercy。〃
　　　　　　　It　was　white…haired　Adeleas'　turn　to　go　wide…eyed。　Kirstian　was　claiming　to　have　run　away　from　the　White　Tower　when　she　herself　was　an　infant；　if　not　before　she　was　born！　Most　of　the　sisters　still　did　not　really　believe　the　ages　claimed　by　the　Kin。　Indeed；　Kirstian　appeared　just　into　her　middle　years。
　　　　　　　Even　so；　Adeleas　recovered　herself　quickly。　However　old　the　other　woman　was；　Adeleas　had　been　Aes　Sedai　about　as　long　as　anyone　living。　She　carried　an　aura　of　age；　and　authority。　〃If　that　is　so；　child；〃　her　voice　did　falter　just　a　bit　at　that；　〃I　fear　we　must　put　you　in　white；　too。　You　will　still　be　punished；　but　surrendering　as　you　have　will　gain　you　some　mitigation。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　why　I　did　it。〃　Kirstian's　steady　tone　was　spoiled　somewhat　by　a　hard　swallow。　She　was　almost　as　strong　as　Zarya　…　none　of　the　Knitting　Circle　were　weak　…　and　she　would　be　held　very　closely。　〃I　knew　you　would　find　me　out　sooner　or　later。〃
　　　　　　　Adeleas　nodded　as　though　that　were　clearly　obvious；　though　how　the　woman　would　have　been　found　out；　Elayne　could　not　guess。　She　very　much　doubted　that　Kirstian　Chalwin　was　the　name　the　woman　had　been　born　with。　Most　of　the　Kin　believed　in　Aes　Sedai　omniscience；　though。　They　had；　at　least。
　　　　　　　〃Rubbish！〃　Sarainya　Vostovan's　husky　voice　cut　through　the　murmured　babble　of　the　Kin。　Neither　strong　enough　to　bee　Aes　Sedai　nor　nearly　old　enough　to　stand　very　high　among　the　Kin；　she　still　stepped　from　the　pack　defiantly。　〃Why　should　we　give　them　up　to　the　White　Tower？　We　have　helped　women　run　away；　and　rightly　so！　It　is　not　part　of　the　rules　to　give　them　back！〃
　　　　　　　〃Control　yourself！〃　Reanne　said　sharply。　〃Alise；　take　Sarainya　in　hand；　please。　It　seems　she　forgets　too　many　of　the　rules　she　claims　to　know。〃
　　　　　　　Alise　looked　at　Reanne；　her　face　still　unreadable。　Alise；　who　enforced　the　Kin's　rules　with　a　firm　hand。　〃It　is　not　part　of　our　rules　to　hand　runaways　back；　Reanne；〃　she　said。
　　　　　　　Reanne　jerked　as　though　struck。　〃And　how　do　you　suggest　keeping　them？〃　she　demanded　finally。　〃We　have　always　held　runaways　apart　until　we　were　sure　they　were　no　longer　hunted；　and　if　they　were　found　before；　we　let　the　sisters　take　them。　That　is　the　rule；　Alise。　What　other　rule　do　you　propose　violating？　Do　you　suggest　that　we　actually　set　ourselves　against　Aes　Sedai？〃　Ridicule　of　such　a　notion　larded　her　voice；　yet　Alise　stood　looking　at　her；　silent。
　　　　　　　〃Yes！〃　a　voice　shouted　from　the　crowd　of　Kinswomen。　〃We　are　many；　and　they　are　few！〃　Adeleas　stared　at　the　crowd　in　disbelief。　Elayne　embraced　saidar；　though　she　knew　the　voice　was　right　…　the　Kin　were　too　many。　She　felt　Aviendha　embracing　the　Power；　and　Birgitte　setting　herself。
　　　　　　　Giving　herself　a　shake　as　if　ing　to；　Alise　did　something　far　more　practical；　certainly　far　more　effective。　〃Sarainya；〃　she　said　loudly；　〃you　will　report　to　me　when　we　stop　tonight；　with　a　switch　you　cut　yourself　before　we　leave　this　morning。　You；　too；　Asra；　I　recognize　your　voice！〃　And　then；　just　as　loudly；　she　said　to　Reanne；　〃I　will　report　myself　for　your　judgment　when　we　stop　tonight。　I　don't　see　anyone　getting　ready！〃
　　　　　　　The　Kinswomen　broke　up　quickly　then；　heading　off　to　gather　their　things；　yet　Elayne　saw　some　of　them　talking　quietly　as　they　went。　When　they　rode　over　the　bridge　across　the　frozen　stream　that　wound　down　beside　the　village；　with　Nynaeve　incredulous　over　what　she　had　missed　and　glaring　about　for　someone　to　call　down；　Sarainya　and　Asra　carried　switches　…　as　did　Alise　…　and　Zarya　and　Kirstian　wore　hastily　found　white　dresses　beneath　their　dark　cloaks。　The　Windfinders　pointed　at　them　and　laughed　uproariously。　But　many　of　the　Kinswomen　still　talked　in　clusters；　falling　silent　whenever　a　sister　or　one　of　the　Knitting　Circle　looked　at　them。　And　there　was　a　darkness　to　their　eyes　when　they　looked　at　Aes　Sedai。
　　　　　　　Eight　more　days　of　floundering　through　the　snow　when　it　was　not　falling；　and　grinding　her　teeth　in　an　inn　when　it　was。　Eight　more　days　of　brooding　by　the　Kin；　of　staring　bleakly　at　the　sisters；　days　of　strutting　by　the　Windfinders　around　Kin　and　Aes　Sedai　alike。　On　the　morning　of　the　ninth　day；　Elayne　began　to　wish　everyone　had　simply　gone　for　everyone　else's　throat。
　　　　　　　She　was　just　wondering　whether　they　could　cover　the　last　ten　miles　to　Caemlyn　without　a　murder；　when　Kirstian　rapped　at　her　door　and　darted　in　without　waiting　for　an　answer。　The　woman's　plain　woolen　dress　was　not　the　shade　of　white　proper　for　a　novice；　and　she　had　regained　much　of　her　dignity　somehow；　as　if　knowing　her　future　had　smoothed　her　present；　but　now　she　made　a　hasty　curtsy；　almost　tripping　over　her　cloak；　and　her　nearly　black　eyes　were　anxious。　〃Nynaeve　Sedai；　Elayne　Sedai；　Lord　Lan　says　you　are　to　e　at　once；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃He　told　me　to　speak　to　no　one；　and　you　aren't　to；　either。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　exchanged　looks　with　Aviendha　and　Birgitte。　Nynaeve　growled　something　under　her　breath　about　the　man　not　knowing　private　from　public；　but　it　was　clear　before　she　blushed　that　she　did　not　believe　it。　Elayne　felt　Birgitte　focus；　the　drawn　arrow　hunting　a　target。
　　　　　　　Kirstian　did　not　know　what　Lan　wanted；　only　where　she　was　to　lead　them。　The　small　hut　outside　of　Cullen's　Crossing　where　Adeleas　had　taken　Ispan　the　night　before。　Lan　stood　outside；　his　eyes　as　cold　as　the　air；　and　would　not　let　Kirstian　enter。　When　Elayne　went　inside；　she　saw　why。
　　　　　　　Adeleas　lay　on　her　side　beside　an　overturned　stool；　a　cup　on　the　rough　wooden　floor　not　far　from　one　outstretched　hand。　Her　eyes　stared；　and　a　pool　of　congealed　blood　spread　out　from　the　deep　slash　across　her　throat。　Ispan　lay　on　a　small　cot；　staring　at　the　ceiling。　Lips　drawn　back　in　a　rictus　bared　her　teeth；　and　her　bulging　eyes　seemed　full　of　horror。　As　well　they　might　have；　since　a　wrist…thick　wooden　stake　stood　out　from　between　her　breasts。　The　hammer　that　had　plainly　been　used　to　drive　it　in　lay　beside　the　cot；　on　the　edge　of　a　dark　stain　that　ran　back　under　the　cot。
　　　　　　　Elayne　forced　herself　to　stop　thinking　about　emptying　her　stomach　on　the　spot。　〃Light；〃　she　breathed。　〃Light！　Who　could　do　this？　How　could　anyone　do　this？〃　Aviendha　shook　her　head　wonderingly；　and　Lan　did　not　even　bother　with　that。　He　just　watched　nine　directions　at　once；　as　though　he　expected　whoever；　or　whatever；　had　mitted　this　murder　to　e　through　one　of　the　two　tiny　windows　if　not　through　the　walls。　Birgitte　drew　her　belt　knife；　and　by　her　face；　she　dearly　wished　she　had　her　bow。　That　drawn　arrow　was　stronger　than　ever　in　Elayne's　head。
　　　　　　　At　first；　Nynaeve　simply　stood　in　one　spot；　studying　the　hut's　interior。　There　was　little　to　see；　aside　from　the　obvious。　A　second　three…legged　stool；　a　rough　table　holding　a　flickering　lamp；　a　green　teapot　and　a　second　cup；　a　rude　stone　fireplace　with　cold　ash　on　the　hearthstone。　That　was　all。　The　hut　was　so　small　it　only　took　Nynaeve　a　step　to　reach　the　table。　Dipping　her　finger　into　the　teapot；　she　touched　it　to　the　tip　of　her　tongue；　then　spat　vigorously　and　emptied　the　whole　teapot　into　the　table　in　a　wash　of　tea　and　tea　leaves。　Elayne　blinked　wonderingly。
　　　　　　　〃What　happened？〃　Vandene　asked　coolly　from　the　door。　Lan　moved　to　bar　her　way；　but　she　stopped　him　with　a　small