rj.thepathofdaggers-第94部分

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　　　　　　　Egwene　drew　breath。　A　rosebud；　opening　to　the　sun。　They　had　not　acknowledged　her　as　the　Amyrlin　Seat　…　Arathelle　had　e　as　close　to　ignoring　her　as　was　possible　without　pushing　her　aside！　…　yet　they　had　given　her　everything　else　she　could　have　wished　for。　Calm。　Now　was　when　Lelaine　and　Romanda　would　be　expecting　her　to　name　one　of　them　to　handle　the　negotiations。　She　hoped　their　stomachs　were　tied　in　knots　with　wondering　which　of　them　it　would　be。　There　would　be　no　negotiations。　There　could　be　none。
　　　　　　　〃Elaida；〃　she　said　levelly；　eyeing　Arathelle　and　the　seated　nobles　in　turn；　〃is　a　usurper　who　has　violated　what　lies　at　the　very　heart　of　the　White　Tower。　I　am　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃　She　was　surprised　at　how　stately　she　managed　to　sound；　how　cool。　But　not　as　surprised　as　she　once　would　have　been。　The　Light　help　her；　she　was　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　〃We　go　to　Tar　Valon　to　remove　Elaida　and　try　her；　but　that　is　the　White　Tower's　business；　and　none　of　yours　except　to　know　the　truth。　This　so…called　Black　Tower　also　is　our　business；　men　who　can　channel　have　always　been　the　White　Tower's　affair。　We　will　deal　with　them　as　we　choose；　when　the　time　is　ripe；　but　I　assure　you；　that　time　is　not　now。　More　important　matters　must　take　precedence。〃
　　　　　　　She　heard　movement　among　the　Sitters　behind　her。　An　actual　shifting　on　benches　and　the　crisp　swishing　of　divided　skirts　being　adjusted。　At　least　some　must　be　severely　agitated。　Well；　several　had　suggested　that　the　Black　Tower　might　be　dealt　with　in　passing。　Not　one　believed　there　could　be　more　than　a　dozen　or　so　men　there　at　most；　no　matter　what　they　heard；　after　all；　it　simply　was　not　possible　that　hundreds　of　men　would　want　to　channel。　Then　again；　it　might　have　been　the　realization　that　Egwene　was　not　going　to　name　either　Romanda　or　Lelaine。
　　　　　　　Arathelle　frowned；　perhaps　catching　a　hint　of　something　in　the　air。　Pelivar　moved；　on　the　point　of　rising　again；　and　Donel　drew　himself　up　querulously。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　press　on。　There　never　had　been。
　　　　　　　〃I　understand　your　concerns；〃　she　continued　in　the　same　formal　tone；　〃and　I　will　address　them。〃　What　was　that　strange　call　to　arms　the　Band　used？　Yes。　It　was　time　to　toss　the　dice。　〃I　give　you　this　assurance　as　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　For　one　month　we　will　stay　here；　resting；　and　then　we　will　leave　Murandy；　but　we　will　not　cross　the　border　into　Andor。　Murandy　will　be　troubled　by　us　no　more　after　that；　and　Andor　will　not　be　troubled　at　all。　I'm　certain；〃　she　added；　〃the　Murandian　lords　and　ladies　here　will　be　happy　to　supply　our　wants　in　exchange　for　good　silver。　We　will　pay　fair　prices。〃　There　was　no　point　mollifying　the　Andorans　if　it　meant　Murandians　raiding　the　horses　and　supply　trains。
　　　　　　　The　Murandians；　looking　around　uneasily；　appeared　decidedly　torn　in　any　case。　There　was　coin　to　be　made；　and　a　great　deal　of　it　supplying　an　army　so　large；　but　on　the　other　hand；　who　could　haggle　successfully　with　whatever　an　army　so　large　offered？　Donel　actually　seemed　ready　to　sick　up；　while　Cian　seemed　to　be　doing　sums　in　her　head。　Mutters　rose　among　the　onlookers。　More　than　mutters；　nearly　loud　enough　for　Egwene。
　　　　　　　She　wanted　to　look　over　her　shoulder。　The　silence　from　the　Sitters　was　deafening。　Siuan　was　staring　straight　ahead　and　gripping　her　skirts　as　if　to　keep　herself　looking　forward　by　main　force。　At　least　she　had　known　what　was　ing。　Sheriam；　who　had　not；　eyed　the　Andorans　and　Murandians　regally；　calmly；　as　though　she　had　expected　every　word。
　　　　　　　Egwene　needed　to　make　them　forget　the　girl　they　saw　before　them；　and　hear　a　woman　with　the　reins　of　power　firmly　in　hand。　If　they　were　not　in　her　hands　now；　they　would　be！　She　firmed　her　voice。　〃Mark　me　well。　I　have　made　my　decision；　it　is　for　you　to　accept　it。　Or　face　what　surely　will　e　from　your　failure。〃　As　she　fell　silent；　the　wind　gusted　to　a　brief　howl；　rattling　the　canopy；　tugging　at　garments。　Egwene　straightened　her　hair　calmly。　Some　of　the　watching　nobles　shivered　and　twitched　their　cloaks　around　them；　and　she　hoped　their　shivers　came　from　more　than　the　weather。
　　　　　　　Arathelle　exchanged　looks　with　Pelivar　and　Aemlyn；　and　all　three　studied　the　Sitters　before　slowly　nodding。　They　believed　she　was　merely　mouthing　words　the　Sitters　had　put　on　her　tongue！　Even　so；　Egwene　very　nearly　sighed　with　relief。
　　　　　　　〃It　will　be　as　you　say；〃　the　hard…eyed　noblewoman　said。　Again；　to　the　Sitters。　〃We　do　not　doubt　the　word　of　Aes　Sedai；　of　course；　but　you　will　understand　if　we　also　remain。　Sometimes；　what　you　hear　isn't　what　you　think　you　heard。　Not　that　that's　the　case　here；　I'm　sure。　But　we　will　stay　while　you　do。〃　Donel　truly　looked　ready　to　empty　himself。　Very　likely　his　lands　lay　nearby。　Andoran　armies　in　Murandy　had　seldom　been　known　to　pay　for　anything。
　　　　　　　Egwene　stood；　and　she　could　hear　the　rustle　of　the　Sitters　rising　behind　her。　〃It　is　agreed；　then。　We　must　all　depart　soon；　if　we　are　to　return　to　our　own　beds　before　dark；　but　we　should　spare　a　few　moments。　Getting　to　know　one　another　a　little　better　now　might　avoid　misunderstandings　later。〃　And　talk　might　give　her　a　chance　to　reach　Talmanes。　〃Oh。　One　other　thing　you　should　all　be　aware　of。　The　novice　book　is　now　open　to　any　woman；　whatever　her　age；　if　she　tests　true。〃　Arathelle　blinked。　Siuan　did　not；　yet　Egwene　thought　she　heard　a　faint　grunt。　This　was　not　part　of　what　they　had　discussed；　but　there　would　never　be　a　better　time。　〃e。　I'm　sure　you　would　all　like　to　speak　with　the　Sitters。　Let　formality　go。〃
　　　　　　　Without　waiting　for　Sheriam　to　offer　a　hand；　she　stepped　down。　She　almost　felt　like　laughing。　Last　night　she　had　been　afraid　she　might　never　reach　her　goal；　but　she　was　halfway　there；　almost　halfway；　and　it　had　not　been　nearly　as　difficult　as　she　had　feared。　Of　course；　the　other　half　remained。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　18　
（Dice）　
A　Peculiar　Calling　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　after　Egwene　descended；　no　one　else　moved。　And　then　the　Andorans　and　Murandians　headed　for　the　Sitters；　almost　as　one。　Apparently；　a　girl　Amyrlin　…　a　girl　puppet　and　figurehead！　…　held　no　interest；　not　with　ageless　faces　in　front　of　them　that　at　least　said　they　actually　were　speaking　to　Aes　Sedai。　Two　or　three　lords　and　ladies　clustered　around　each　Sitter；　some　thrusting　their　chins　demandingly；　others　diffidently　bending　their　necks；　yet　every　one　insistent　on　being　heard。　The　sharp　breeze　whisked　away　the　mist　of　their　breath　and　fluttered　cloaks　forgotten　in　the　importance　of　asking　their　questions。　Sheriam　was　buttonholed　too；　by　red…faced　Lord　Donel；　who　blustered　and　jerked　bows　by　turns。
　　　　　　　Egwene　pulled　Sheriam　away　from　the　narrow…eyed　man。　〃Find　out　discreetly　all　you　can　about　these　sisters　and　Tower　Guards　in　Andor；〃　she　whispered　hastily。　As　soon　as　she　released　the　woman；　Donel　reclaimed　her。　Sheriam　actually　looked　put…upon；　but　her　frown　disappeared　quickly。　Donel　blinked　uneasily　as　she　began　questioning　him。
　　　　　　　Romanda　and　Lelaine　gazed　at　Egwene　through　the　crowd　with　faces　carved　from　ice；　but　each　had　acquired　a　pair　of　nobles　who　wanted。。。　Something。　Reassurance　that　there　was　no　hidden　trick　in　Egwene's　words；　perhaps。　How　they　would　hate　doing　that；　but　dodge　and　duck　as　they　would　…　and　they　would！　…　there　was　no　way　to　really　avoid　that　reassurance　without　repudiating　her　on　the　spot。　Even　those　two　would　not　go　that　far。　Not　here；　not　publicly。
　　　　　　　Siuan　slipped　close　to　Egwene；　features　set　in　meekness。　Except　that　her　eyes　darted；　maybe　looking　for　Romanda　or　Lelaine　ing　to　seize　them　where　they　stood；　and　forget　law；　custom；　propriety　and　who　was　watching。　〃Shein　Chunla；〃　she　all　but　hissed　in　a　whisper。
　　　　　　　Egwene　nodded；　but　her　eyes　searched　for　Talmanes。　Most　of　the　men　and　some　of　the　women　were　tall　enough　to　hide　him。　With　everyone　shifting　about。。。　She　went　up　on　her　toes。　Where　had　he　gone　to？
　　　　　　　Segan　planted　herself　in　front　of　her；　fists　on　her　hips；　eyeing　Siuan　doubtfully。　Egwene　let　her　heels　down　hurriedly。　The　Amyrlin　could　not　bob　about　like　a　girl　at　a　dance　looking　for　a　boy。　A　rosebud　unfolding。　Calm。　Serenity。　Drat　all　men！
　　　　　　　A　slender　woman　with　long　dark　hair；　Segan　seemed　to　have　been　born　petulant；　her　full　mouth　fixed　in　a　pout。　Her　dress　was　good　bl