rj.thepathofdaggers-第53部分

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he　day's　heat　was　beginning　to　take　hold　already。　He　did　not　see　Perrin　until　Perrin　was　nearly　on　him；　and　then　he　gave　a　jump；　stuffing　the　kerchief　into　a　coat　pocket　and　making　a　bow。　He　looked　curried　and　brushed　fit　for　a　feastday。
　　　　　　　〃Ah。　My　Lord　Perrin。　Your　Lady　told　me　to　take　a　cart　into　Bethal。　She　says　I'm　to　find　you　some　Two　Rivers　tabac；　if　I　can；　but　I　don't　know　that's　possible。　Two　Rivers　leaf　has　always　been　dear；　and　trade　isn't　what　it　was。〃
　　　　　　　〃She's　sending　you　for　tabac？〃　Perrin　said；　frowning。　He　supposed　secrecy　had　gone　down　the　well；　but　still。　〃I　bought　three　casks；　two　villages　back。　Enough　for　everybody。〃
　　　　　　　Gill　shook　his　head　firmly。　〃Not　Two　Rivers　leaf；　and　your　Lady　says　you　like　that　above　any　other。　The　Ghealdanin　leaf　will　do　for　your　men。　I'm　to　be　your　shambayan；　she　called　it；　and　keep　you　and　her　supplied　with　what　you　need。　Not　much　different　from　what　I　did　running　the　Blessing；　really。〃　The　similarity　seemed　to　amuse　him；　his　belly　shook　with　quiet　chuckles。　〃I　have　quite　a　list；　though　I　can't　say　how　much　of　it　I'll　find。　Good　wine；　herbs；　fruit；　candles　and　lamp　oil；　oilcloth　and　wax；　paper　and　ink；　needles；　pins；　oh；　all　sorts　of　things。　Tallanvor　and　Lamgwin　and　I　are　going；　with　some　of　your　Lady's　other　retainers。〃
　　　　　　　His　Lady's　other　retainers。　Tallanvor　and　Lamgwin　were　bringing　out　yet　another　chest　for　the　women　to　sort　through。　They　had　to　pass　by　the　squatting　clump　of　young　fools；　who　never　offered　to　lend　a　hand。　In　fact；　the　layabouts　ignored　them　pletely。
　　　　　　　〃You　keep　an　eye　on　that　lot；〃　Perrin　cautioned。　〃If　one　of　them　starts　any　trouble　…　if　he　even　looks　as　if　he　will　…　you　have　Lamgwin　crack　his　head。〃　And　if　it　was　one　of　the　women？　They　were　just　as　likely；　maybe　more　so。　Perrin　grunted。　Faile's　〃retainers〃　were　going　to　tie　his　belly　into　permanent　knots　yet。　Too　bad　she　could　not　be　satisfied　with　the　likes　of　Master　Gill　and　Maighdin。　〃You　didn't　mention　Balwer。　Has　he　decided　to　go　on　alone？〃　Just　then；　a　shift　in　the　breeze　brought　him　Balwer's　scent；　an　alert　smell　very　much　at　odds　with　the　fellow's　almost　desiccated　exterior。
　　　　　　　Even　for　so　reedy　a　man；　Balwer　made　surprisingly　little　noise　on　the　dried　leaves　underfoot。　In　a　sparrow…brown　coat；　he　offered　a　quick　bow；　and　his　tilted　head　added　to　the　image　of　a　bird。　〃I　am　staying；　my　Lord；〃　he　said　cautiously。　Or　maybe　that　was　just　his　manner。　〃As　your　gracious　Lady's　secretary。　And　yours；　if　it　pleases　you。〃　He　stepped　closer；　very　nearly　a　hop。　〃I　am　well　versed；　my　Lord。　I　possess　a　good　memory　and　write　a　good　hand；　and　my　Lord　can　be　assured　that　whatever　he　confides　in　me　will　never　pass　my　lips　to　another。　The　ability　to　keep　secrets　is　a　primary　skill　of　a　secretary。　Don't　you　have　pressing　duties　for　our　new　mistress；　Master　Gill？〃
　　　　　　　Gill　frowned　at　Balwer；　opened　his　mouth；　then　closed　it　with　a　snap。　Spinning　on　his　heel；　he　trotted　away　toward　the　tent。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Balwer　watched　him　go；　head　to　one　side；　lips　pursed　thoughtfully。　〃I　can　offer　other　services；　as　well；　my　Lord；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Knowledge。　I　overheard　some　of　my　Lord's　men　speaking；　and　I　understand　that　my　Lord　may　have　had　some。。。　difficulties。。。　with　the　Children　of　the　Light。　A　secretary　learns　many　things。　I　know　a　surprising　amount　about　the　Children。〃
　　　　　　　〃With　any　luck　I　can　avoid　Whitecloaks；〃　Perrin　told　him。　〃Better　if　you　knew　where　the　Prophet　is。　Or　the　Seanchan。〃　He　did　not　expect　any　of　that；　of　course；　but　Balwer　surprised　him。
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot　be　certain；　of　course；　but　I　think　the　Seanchan　have　not　spread　far　beyond　Amador　as　yet。　Fact　is　difficult　to　sift　from　rumor；　my　Lord；　but　I　keep　my　ears　open。　Of　course；　they　do　seem　to　move　with　unexpected　suddenness。　A　dangerous　people；　with　large　numbers　of　Taraboner　soldiers。　I　believe　from　Master　Gill　that　my　Lord　knows　of　them；　but　I　observed　them　closely　in　Amador；　and　what　I　saw　is　at　my　Lord's　disposal。　As　to　the　Prophet；　there　are　as　many　rumors　concerning　him　as　the　Seanchan；　but　I　believe　I　can　say　reliably　that　he　was　recently　at　Abila；　a　largish　town　some　forty　leagues　south　of　here。〃　Balwer　smiled　thinly；　a　brief　self…satisfied　smile。
　　　　　　　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃　Perrin　said　slowly。
　　　　　　　〃As　I　said；　my　Lord；　I　keep　my　ears　open。　The　Prophet　reportedly　closed　a　number　of　inns　and　taverns；　and　tore　down　those　he　considered　too　disreputable。　Several　were　mentioned；　and　by　chance；　I　happen　to　know　there　are　inns　of　those　names　in　Abila。　I　think　there　is　little　chance　another　town　would　have　inns　with　the　same　names。〃　He　flashed　another　narrow　smile。　He　certainly　smelled　pleased　with　himself。
　　　　　　　Perrin　scratched　his　beard　thoughtfully。　The　man　just　happened　to　remember　where　some　inns　that　Masema　supposedly　had　torn　down　were　located。　And　if　Masema　turned　out　not　to　be　there　after　all；　well；　these　days　rumors　sprouted　like　mushrooms　after　rain。　Balwer　sounded　a　man　trying　to　build　up　his　own　importance。　〃Thank　you；　Master　Balwer。　I'll　keep　that　to　mind。　If　you　hear　any　more；　be　sure　to　tell　me。〃　As　he　turned　to　go；　the　man　caught　his　sleeve。
　　　　　　　Balwer's　skinny　fingers　leaped　away　immediately；　as　though　burned；　and　he　made　one　of　those　birdlike　bows；　dry…washing　his　hands。　〃Forgive　me；　my　Lord。　I　hesitate　to　press；　but　do　not　take　the　Whitecloaks　too　lightly。　Avoiding　them　is　wise；　but　it　may　not　be　possible。　They　are　much　closer　than　the　Seanchan。　Eamon　Valda；　the　new　Lord　Captain　mander；　led　most　of　their　numbers　toward　northern　Amadicia　before　Amador　fell。　He　was　hunting　the　Prophet；　also；　my　Lord。　Valda　is　a　dangerous　man；　and　Rhadam　Asunawa；　the　Grand　Inquisitor；　makes　Valda　seem　pleasant。　And　I　fear　neither　has　any　love　for　your　own　Lord。　Forgive　me。〃　He　bowed　again；　hesitated；　then　went　on　smoothly。　〃If　I　may　say　so；　my　Lord's　display　of　Manetheren's　banner　is　inspired。　My　Lord　will　be　more　than　a　match　for　Valda　and　Asunawa；　if　he　takes　care。〃
　　　　　　　Watching　him　bow　himself　away；　Perrin　thought　he　knew　part　of　Balwer's　story　now。　Clearly；　he　also　had　run　afoul　of　the　Whitecloaks。　That　could　take　no　more　than　being　on　the　same　street　with　them；　a　frown　at　the　wrong　time；　but　it　seemed　Balwer　had　a　grudge。　A　sharp　mind；　too；　seeing　right　away　about　the　Red　Eagle。　And　a　sharp　tongue　with　Master　Gill。
　　　　　　　Gill　was　on　his　knees　beside　Maighdin；　talking　rapidly　despite　Lini's　effort　to　hush　him。　Maighdin　had　turned　to　stare　after　Balwer　as　the　fellow　hurried　through　the　trees　toward　the　carts；　but　now　and　then　her　gaze　swung　to　Perrin。　The　rest　of　them　clustered　close　to　her；　peering　now　at　Balwer；　now　at　Perrin。　If　he　had　ever　seen　a　group　of　people　worried　about　what　somebody　else　had　said；　it　was　they。　But　what　were　they　worried　he　might　have　heard？　Backbiting；　probably。　Tales　of　resentments　and　misdeeds；　real　or　imagined。　People　cooped　up　together　tended　to　start　pecking　at　one　another。　If　that　was　it；　maybe　he　could　put　a　stop　before　somebody　drew　blood。　Tallanvor　was　fondling　his　sword　hilt　again！　What　did　Faile　intend　to　do　with　the　fellow？
　　　　　　　〃Aram；　I　want　you　to　go　talk　to　Tallanvor　and　that　lot。　Tell　them　what　Balwer　said　to　me。　Just　slide　it　into　the　talk；　but　tell　everything。〃　That　should　soothe　fears　of　tale…bearing。　Faile　said　servants　needed　to　be　made　to　feel　at　home。　〃Make　friends　with　them　if　you　can；　Aram。　But　if　you　decide　to　moon　over　one　of　the　women；　be　sure　it's　Lini。　The　other　two　are　taken。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　had　a　smooth　tongue　for　any　pretty　woman；　but　he　managed　to　look　surprised　and　offended；　both。　〃As　you　wish；　Lord　Perrin；〃　he　muttered　sulkily。　〃I'll　catch　you　up　quickly。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　be　over　with　the　Aiel。〃
　　　　　　　Aram　blinked。　〃Ah。　Yes。　Well；　it　might　take　a　while；　at　that；　if　I'm　to　make　friends　with　them。　They　don't　look　like　they　much　want　friends；　to　me。〃　This　from　a　fellow　who　stared　suspiciously　at　anyone　except　Faile　who　came　near　Perrin　and　never　smiled　for　anyone　not　wearing　a　skirt。
　　　　　　　Nevertheless；　he　went　over　and　squatted　on　his　heels　where　he　could　speak　to　Gill　and　the　others。　Even　from　a　distance　their　standoffishness　was　plain。　They　continued　with　their　work；　only　now　and　then　saying　a　word　to　Aram；　and　they　looked　at