rj.thepathofdaggers-第88部分

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iculous　care　as　Lelaine　searched　for　a　way　to　turn　matters　about。　〃We　will　see　how　the　Hall　stands；　Lelaine；〃　she　said　finally。　〃Until　the　question　is　called；　I　think　it　best　if　Merilille　does　not　meet　with　any　of　the　Sitters　involved　in　her　selection。　Even　a　suggestion　of　collusion　would　be　looked　at　askance。　I'm　sure　you　will　agree　I　should　be　the　one　to　speak　with　her。〃
　　　　　　　Lelaine's　face　paled　differently。　She　was　not　afraid；　not　visibly；　yet　Egwene　could　almost　see　her　counting　who　might　stand　for　her；　or　against。　Collusion　was　almost　as　serious　as　a　charge　of　treason；　and　required　only　the　lesser　consensus。　Likely；　she　could　avoid　that；　but　the　arguments　would　be　deep　and　acrimonious；　Romanda's　faction　might　even　increase。　That　would　cause　untold　problems　whether　or　not　Egwene's　own　plans　bore　fruit。　And　there　was　nothing　she　could　do　to　stop　it；　short　of　revealing　what　really　had　happened　in　Ebou　Dar。　As　well　ask　them　to　let　her　accept　the　same　offer　Faolain　and　Theodrin　had。
　　　　　　　Egwene　drew　breath。　At　least　she　might　be　able　to　prevent　the　use　of　Salidar　as　a　meeting　place　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　That　was　where　she　met　Elayne　and　Nynaeve；　now。　When　she　did；　anyway；　she　had　not　in　days。　With　Sitters　popping　in　and　out　of　the　World　of　Dreams；　finding　anywhere　you　could　be　sure　they　would　not　appear　was　difficult。　〃The　next　time　I　encounter　Elayne　or　Nynaeve；　I　will　pass　on　your　instructions　regarding　Merilille。　I　can　let　you　know　when　she's　ready　to　meet　you。〃　Which　would　be　never；　once　she　was　done　with　those　instructions。
　　　　　　　The　Sitters'　heads　whipped　around；　and　two　sets　of　eyes　stared　at　her。　They　had　forgotten　she　was　there！　Struggling　to　keep　her　face　smooth；　she　realized　her　foot　was　tapping　irritably；　and　stopped　it。　She　had　to　go　along　with　what　they　thought　of　her　a　while　longer；　yet。　A　little　while　longer。　At　least　she　no　longer　felt　nauseated。　Just　angry。
　　　　　　　Into　that　moment　of　silence；　Chesa　came　bustling　with　Egwene's　midday　meal　on　a　cloth…covered　tray。　Dark…haired；　plump　and　pretty　in　her　middle　years；　Chesa　managed　to　convey　a　proper　respect　without　cringing。　Her　curtsy　was　as　simple　as　her　dark　gray　dress；　with　just　a　touch　of　plain　lace　at　the　throat。　〃Forgive　me　for　intruding；　Mother；　Aes　Sedai。　I　am　sorry　this　is　late；　Mother；　but　Meri　seems　to　have　wandered　off。〃　She　clicked　her　tongue　in　exasperation　as　she　set　the　tray　in　front　of　Egwene。　Wandering　seemed　very　unlike　the　misnamed　Meri。　That　dour　woman　was　as　disapproving　of　faults　in　herself　as　she　was　of　those　in　others。
　　　　　　　Romanda　frowned；　but　she　said　nothing。　After　all；　she　could　hardly　show　too　much　interest　in　one　of　Egwene's　maids。　Especially　when　the　woman　was　her　spy。　Just　as　Selame　was　Lelaine's。　Egwene　avoided　looking　at　Theodrin　or　Faolain；　both　still　standing　dutifully　in　their　corners　like　Accepted；　rather　than　Aes　Sedai　themselves。
　　　　　　　Chesa　half…opened　her　mouth；　but　closed　it　again；　perhaps　intimidated　by　the　Sitters。　Egwene　was　relieved　when　she　dipped　another　curtsy　and　left　with　a　murmured　〃By　your　leave；　Mother。〃　Chesa's　advice　was　always　indirect　enough　for　any　sister　when　anyone　else　was　present；　but　right　then；　the　last　thing　Egwene　wanted　was　even　a　circumspect　reminder　to　eat　while　her　food　was　hot。
　　　　　　　Lelaine　took　up　as　if　there　had　been　no　interruption。　〃The　important　thing；〃　she　said　firmly；　〃is　to　learn　what　the　Atha'an　Miere　want。　Or　what　the　boy　does。　Maybe　he　wants　to　be　their　king；　too。〃　Holding　out　her　arms；　she　allowed　Faolain　to　restore　her　cloak；　which　the　dark　young　woman　did　with　care。　〃You　will　remember　to　let　me　know　if　you　have　any　thoughts　on　it；　Mother？〃　That　was　just　barely　a　request。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　think　hard；〃　Egwene　told　her。　Which　was　not　to　say　she　would　share　her　thoughts。　She　wished　she　had　a　glimmer　of　the　answer。　That　the　Atha'an　Miere　believed　Rand　was　their　prophesied　Coramoor；　she　knew；　though　the　Hall　did　not；　but　what　he　wanted　from　them；　or　them　from　him；　she　could　not　begin　to　imagine。　According　to　Elayne；　the　Sea　Folk　with　them　had　no　clue。　Or　said　not。　Egwene　almost　wished　one　of　the　handful　of　sisters　who　had　e　from　the　Atha'an　Miere　was　in　the　camp。　Almost。　One　way　or　another；　those　Windfinders　were　going　to　cause　trouble。
　　　　　　　At　a　wave　of　Romanda's　hand；　Theodrin　leaped　forward　with　the　Sitter's　cloak　as　though　goosed。　By　Romanda's　expression；　Lelaine's　recovery　did　not　best　please　her。　〃You　will　remember　to　tell　Merilille　I　wish　to　speak　with　her；　Mother；〃　she　said；　and　that　was　not　a　request　at　all。
　　　　　　　For　a　brief　moment　the　two　Sitters　stood　staring　at　one　another；　Egwene　forgotten　again　in　their　mutual　animosity。　They　departed　without　a　word　to　her；　very　nearly　jostling　for　precedence　before　Romanda　slipped　out　first；　drawing　Theodrin　in　her　wake。　Baring　her　teeth；　Lelaine　practically　pushed　Faolain　from　the　tent　ahead　of　her。
　　　　　　　Siuan　heaved　a　hearty　sigh；　and　made　no　attempt　to　hide　her　relief。
　　　　　　　〃By　your　leave；　Mother；〃　Egwene　muttered　mockingly。　〃If　you　please；　Mother。　You　may　go；　daughters。〃　Letting　out　a　long　breath；　she　settled　back　in　her　chair。　Which　promptly　pitched　her　onto　the　carpets　in　a　heap。　She　picked　herself　up　slowly　and　jerked　her　skirts　straight；　put　her　stole　to　rights。　At　least　it　had　not　happened　in　front　of　those　two。　〃Go　get　something　to　eat；　Siuan。　And　bring　it　back。　We've　a　long　day；　yet。〃
　　　　　　　〃Some　falls　hurt　less　than　others；〃　Siuan　said　as　if　to　herself　before　ducking　outside。　It　was　a　good　thing　she　went　so　quickly；　or　Egwene　might　have　given　her　an　earful。
　　　　　　　She　returned　soon；　though；　and　they　ate　hard　rolls　and　lentil　stew　laced　with　tough　carrot　and　scraps　of　meat　Egwene　did　not　look　at　closely。　There　were　only　a　few　interruptions；　intrusions　where　they　fell　silent　and　pretended　to　study　reports。　Chesa　came　to　take　away　the　tray；　and　later　to　replace　the　candles；　a　task　she　grumbled　over；　which　was　not　like　her。
　　　　　　　〃Who'd　expect　Selame　to　go　missing；　too？〃　she　muttered；　half　to　herself。　〃Off　canoodling　with　the　soldiers；　I　expect。　That　Halima's　a　bad　influence。〃
　　　　　　　A　skinny　young　fellow　with　a　dripping　nose　renewed　the　already　dead　coals　in　the　braziers　…　the　Amyrlin　got　more　warmth　than　most；　but　that　was　not　a　great　deal　…　and　he　stumbled　over　his　own　boots　and　gaped　at　Egwene　in　a　manner　quite　gratifying　after　the　two　Sitters。　Sheriam　appeared　to　ask　whether　Egwene　had　any　further　instructions；　of　all　things；　and　then　seemed　to　want　to　stay。　Perhaps　the　few　secrets　she　knew　made　her　nervous；　her　eyes　certainly　darted　uneasily。
　　　　　　　That　was　the　lot；　and　Egwene　was　not　sure　whether　it　was　because　no　one　bothered　the　Amyrlin　without　cause；　or　because　everyone　knew　the　real　decisions　were　made　in　the　Hall。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　about　this　report　of　soldiers　moving　south　out　of　Kandor；〃　Siuan　said　as　soon　as　the　tentflap　fell　behind　Sheriam。　〃There's　just　the　one；　and　Borderlanders　seldom　go　far　from　the　Blight；　but　every　fool　knows　that；　so　it's　hardly　the　kind　of　tale　anyone　would　make　up。〃　She　was　not　reading　from　a　page；　now。
　　　　　　　Siuan　had　managed　to　keep　very　tenuous　control　of　the　Amyrlin's　network　of　eyes…and…ears　so　far；　and　reports；　rumors；　and　gossip　flowed　to　her　in　steady　streams；　to　be　studied　before　she　and　Egwene　decided　what　to　pass　on　to　the　Hall。　Leane　had　her　own　network；　to　add　to　the　flow。　Most　of　it　was　passed　on　…　some　things　the　Hall　had　to　know；　and　there　was　no　guarantee　that　the　Ajahs　would　pass　on　what　their　own　agents　learned　…　but　it　all　had　to　be　sieved　for　what　might　be　dangerous；　or　serve　to　divert　attention　from　the　real　goal。
　　　　　　　Few　of　those　streams　carried　anything　good；　of　late。　Cairhien　had　produced　any　number　of　rumors　of　Aes　Sedai　allied　with　Rand；　or；　worse；　serving　him；　yet　at　least　those　could　be　dismissed　out　of　hand。　The　Wise　Ones　would　not　say　much　at　all　about　Rand　or　anyone　connected　to　him；　but　according　to　them；　Merana　was　awaiting　his　return；　and　certainly　sisters　in　the　Sun　Palace；　where　the　Dragon　Reborn　kept　his　first　throne；　were　more　than　seed　enough　to　grow　those　tales。　Others　were　not　easily　ignored；　even　when　it　was　hard　to　know　what　to　make　of　them。　A　printer　in　Illian　asserted　that　he　had　proof　Rand　had　killed　Mat