rj.thepathofdaggers-第19部分

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　　　　　　　Glaring　about　her；　Nynaeve　looked　ready　to　tongue…lash　everybody　into　doing　what　they　had　already　done；　but　only　until　Lan　handed　her　the　reins　of　her　plump　brown　mare。　She　had　adamantly　refused　the　gift　of　a　better　horse　from　Tylin。　Her　hand　trembled　a　little　when　it　touched　Lan's；　and　her　face　changed　color　as　she　swallowed　the　anger　she　had　been　about　to　unleash。　When　he　offered　a　hand　for　her　foot；　she　stared　at　him　for　a　moment　as　if　wondering　what　he　was　about；　then　colored　again　when　he　boosted　her　to　her　saddle。　Elayne　could　only　shake　her　head。　She　hoped　she　did　not　turn　into　an　idiot　when　she　married。　If　she　married。
　　　　　　　Birgitte　brought　her　silvery…gray　mare　and　the　yellow　dun　Aviendha　rode；　but　she　seemed　to　understand　that　Elayne　wanted　a　private　word　with　Aviendha。　She　nodded　almost　as　if　Elayne　had　spoken；　swung　up　onto　her　mouse…colored　gelding；　and　rode　to　where　the　other　Warders　were　waiting。　They　greeted　her　with　nods　and　began　discussing　something　in　low　voices。　By　the　glances　directed　at　the　sisters；　the　〃something〃　had　to　do　with　taking　care　of　Aes　Sedai　whether　Aes　Sedai　wanted　care　taken　or　not。　Including　herself；　Elayne　noted　grimly。　There　was　no　time　now　for　that；　though。　Aviendha　stood　fiddling　with　her　horse's　reins；　staring　at　the　animal　like　a　novice　staring　at　a　kitchen　full　of　greasy　pots。　Very　likely；　Aviendha　saw　small　difference　between　having　to　scrub　pots　and　having　to　ride。
　　　　　　　Snugging　her　green　riding　gloves；　Elayne　casually　shifted　Lioness　to　block　them　from　the　others'　view；　then　touched　Aviendha's　arm。　〃Talking　to　Adeleas　or　Vandene　might　help；〃　she　said　gently。　She　had　to　be　very　careful　here；　as　careful　as　with　any　ter'angreal。　〃They're　old　enough　to　know　more　than　you　might　suspect。　There　has　to　be　a　reason　you've　been。。。　having　trouble。。。　with　Traveling。〃　That　was　a　mild　way　of　putting　it。　Aviendha　almost　had　failed　to　make　the　weave　work　at　all；　in　the　beginning。　Careful。　Aviendha　was　far　more　important　than　any　ter'angreal　ever　could　be。　〃They　might　be　able　to　help。〃
　　　　　　　〃How　can　they？〃　Aviendha　stared　stiffly　at　the　saddle　on　her　gelding。　〃They　cannot　Travel。　How　could　any　of　them　know　how　to　help？〃　Abruptly　her　shoulders　slumped；　and　she　turned　her　head　to　Elayne。　Shockingly；　unshed　tears　glistened　in　her　green　eyes。　〃That　isn't　the　truth；　Elayne。　Not　the　whole　truth。　They　cannot　help；　but。。。　You　are　my　near…sister；　you　have　the　right　to　know。　They　think　I　panicked　at　a　servant。　If　I　ask　for　help；　it　must　all　e　out。　That　I　Traveled　once　to　run　from　a　man；　a　man　I　hoped　in　my　soul　would　catch　me。　To　run　like　a　rabbit。　To　run；　wanting　to　be　caught。　How　could　I　let　them　know　such　shame？　Even　if　they　really　could　help；　how　could　I？〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　wished　she　did　not　know。　About　the　catching　part；　at　least。　About　the　fact　that　Rand　had　caught　her。　Snatching　the　flecks　of　jealousy　that　suddenly　were　floating　through　her；　she　pushed　them　into　a　sack　and　stuffed　it　into　the　back　of　her　head。　Then　she　jumped　up　and　down　on　it　for　good　measure。　When　a　woman　plays　the　fool；　look　for　the　man。　That　was　one　of　Lini's　favorites。　Another　was；　Kittens　tangle　your　yarn；　men　tangle　your　wits；　and　it's　simple　as　breathing　for　both。　She　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃No　one　will　know　from　me；　Aviendha。　I'll　help　you　as　much　as　I　can。　If　I　can　figure　out　how。〃　Not　that　there　was　much　she　could　think　to　do。　Aviendha　was　remarkably　quick　at　seeing　how　weaves　were　formed；　much　quicker　than　she　herself。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　merely　nodded　and　scrambled　clumsily　into　her　saddle；　showing　a　bit　more　grace　than　the　Sea　Folk。　〃There　was　a　man　watching；　Elayne；　and　he　was　no　servant。〃　Looking　Elayne　right　in　the　eye；　she　added；　〃He　frightened　me。〃　An　admission　she　likely　would　have　made　to　no　one　else　in　the　world。
　　　　　　　〃We're　safe　from　him　now；　whoever　he　was；〃　Elayne　said；　turning　Lioness　to　follow　Nynaeve　and　Lan　from　the　clearing。　In　truth；　it　very　likely　had　been　a　servant；　but　she　would　never　tell　that　to　anyone；　Aviendha　least　of　all。　〃We're　safe；　and　in　a　few　more　hours；　we　will　reach　the　Kin's　farm；　we'll　use　the　Bowl；　and　the　world　will　be　right　again。〃　Well；　somewhat。　The　sun　seemed　lower　than　it　had　in　the　stableyard；　but　she　knew　that　was　only　imagination。　For　once；　they　had　gained　a　clear　jump　on　the　Shadow。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　From　behind　a　screen　of　white　wrought　iron；　Moridin　watched　the　last　of　the　horses　vanish　through　the　gateway；　and　then　the　tall　young　woman　and　the　four　Warders。　It　was　possible　they　were　carrying　away　some　item　he　could　use　…　an　angreal　attuned　to　men；　perhaps　…　but　the　chances　were　small。　For　the　rest；　the　ter'angreal；　the　greatest　likelihood　was　that　they　would　kill　themselves　trying　to　puzzle　out　how　to　use　them。　Sammael　was　a　fool　to　have　risked　so　much　to　seize　a　collection　of　no　one　knew　what。　But　then；　Sammael　had　never　been　half　as　clever　as　he　thought。　He　himself　would　not　disrupt　his　own　plans　merely　on　the　off　chance；　to　see　what　scraps　of　civilization　he　could　find。　Only　idle　curiosity　had　brought　him　here。　He　liked　to　know　what　others　thought　important。　But　it　was　dross。
　　　　　　　He　was　about　to　turn　away　when　the　outlines　of　the　gateway　suddenly　began　to　flex　and　tremble。　Transfixed；　he　watched　until　the　opening　simply　…　melted。　He　had　never　been　a　man　to　give　way　to　obscenities；　but　several　rose　in　his　mind。　What　had　the　woman　done？　These　barbarous　rustics　offered　too　many　surprises。　A　way　to　Heal　being　severed；　however　imperfectly。　That　was　impossible！　Except　that　they　had　done　it。　Involuntary　rings。　Those　Warders　and　the　bond　they　shared　with　their　Aes　Sedai。　He　had　known　of　that　for　a　long；　long　time；　but　whenever　he　thought　he　had　the　measure　of　them；　these　primitives　revealed　some　new　skill；　did　something　that　no　one　in　his　own　Age　had　dreamed　of。　Something　the　pinnacle　of　civilization　had　not　known！　What　had　the　girl　done？
　　　　　　　〃Great　Master？〃
　　　　　　　Moridin　barely　turned　his　head　from　the　window。　〃Yes；　Madic？〃　Her　soul　be　damned；　what　had　the　girl　done？
　　　　　　　The　balding　man　in　green…and…white　who　had　slipped　into　the　small　room　bowed　deeply　before　falling　to　his　knees。　One　of　the　upper　servants　in　the　palace；　Madic；　with　his　long　face；　possessed　a　pompous　dignity　that　he　tried　to　maintain　even　now。　Moridin　had　seen　men　who　stood　far　higher　do　far　worse。　〃Great　Master；　I　have　learned　what　the　Aes　Sedai　brought　to　the　palace　this　morning。　It　is　said　they　found　a　great　treasure　hidden　in　ancient　days；　gold　and　jewels　and　heartstone；　artifacts　from　Shiota　and　Eharon　and　even　the　Age　of　Legends。　There　are　said　to　be　things　among　them　that　use　the　One　Power。　It　is　said　that　one　can　control　the　weather。　No　one　knows　where　they　are　going；　Great　Master。　The　palace　is　aquiver　with　talk；　but　ten　tongues　name　ten　different　destinations。〃
　　　　　　　Moridin　went　back　to　studying　the　stableyard　below　as　soon　as　Madic　spoke。　Ridiculous　tales　of　gold　and　cuendillar　held　no　interest。　Nothing　would　make　a　gateway　behave　that　way。　Unless。。。　Could　she　actually　have　unraveled　the　web？　Death　held　no　fear　for　him。　Coldly　he　considered　the　possibility　that　he　had　been　within　sight　of　an　unraveling　web。　One　that　had　been　unmade　successfully。　Another　impossibility　casually　offered　up　by　these。。。
　　　　　　　Something　Madic　had　said　caught　his　ear。　〃The　weather；　Madic？〃　The　shadows　of　the　palace　spires　had　barely　lengthened　from　their　bases；　but　there　was　not　a　cloud　to　shield　the　baking　city。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Great　Master。　It　is　called　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds。〃
　　　　　　　The　name　meant　nothing　to　him。　But。。。　a　ter'angreal　to　control　the　weather。。。　In　his　own　Age；　weather　had　been　carefully　regulated　with　the　use　of　ter'angreal。　One　of　the　surprises　of　this　Age　…　one　of　the　smaller；　it　had　seemed　…　was　that　there　were　those　who　could　manipulate　weather　to　a　degree　that　should　have　required　one　of　those　ter'angreal。　One　such　device　should　not　be　enough　to　affect　even　a　large　part　of　a　single　continent。　But　what　could　these　women　do　with　it？　What？　If　they　used　a　ring？
　　　　　　　He　seized　the　True　Power　without　thought；　the　saa　billowing　black　across　his　sight。　His　fingers　tightened　in　the　wrought…iron　grille　across　the　window；　the　metal　groaned；　twisting；　not　from　his　grip　but　from　the　ten