rj.theshadowrising-第222部分

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　　　　　　　Even　as　Rand　snatched　the　leather…padded　mallet　hanging　beside　the　square　bronze　gong；　pandemonium　erupted　from　the　canyon　mouth；　human　shouts　and　Trolloc　howls；　the　clash　of　steel；　screams。　He　sounded　the　gong　hard；　a　sonorous　toll　that　echoed　down　the　canyon；　almost　immediately　another　gong　sounded；　then　more；　and　from　dozens　of　mouths　the　cry；　〃Up　spears！〃
　　　　　　　Confused　yells　rose　around　the　peddlers'　wagons　below。　Rectangles　of　light　appeared；　doors　flung　open　on　the　two　boxlike　wagons；　gleaming　white　in　the　moonlight。　Someone　was　shouting　angrily　down　there　…　a　woman；　he　could　not　tell　who。
　　　　　　　Wings　beat　in　the　air　above　him。　Snarling；　Rand　raised　the　fiery　sword；　the　One　Power　burned　in　him；　and　fire　roared　from　the　blade。　The　stooping　Draghkar　exploded　in　a　rain　of　burning　chunks　that　fell　into　the　darkness　below。
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　Rhuarc　said。　The　clan　chief's　eyes　were　hard　above　his　black　veil；　fully　dressed；　he　carried　buckler　and　spears。　Mat　stood　behind　him；　coatless　and　bareheaded；　shirt　half　tucked　in；　blinking　uncertainly　and　gripping　his　black…hafted　spear　with　both　hands。
　　　　　　　Rand　took　the　shoufa　from　Rhuarc；　then　let　it　drop。　A　bat…winged　shape　wheeled　across　the　moon；　then　swooped　low　on　the　far　side　of　the　canyon；　vanishing　in　the　shadows。　〃They　hunt　for　me。　Let　them　see　my　face。〃　The　Power　surged　in　him；　the　sword　in　his　hand　flared　till　it　seemed　a　small　sun　illumined　him。　〃They　can't　find　me　if　they　do　not　know　where　I　am。〃　Laughing；　because　they　could　not　see　the　joke；　he　ran　down　toward　the　sound　of　battle。　

　　　　　　　Pulling　his　spear　free　of　a　boar…snouted　Trolloc's　chest；　Mat　crouched；　eyes　searching　the　moonlit　darkness　near　the　canyon　mouth　for　another。　Burn　Rand！　None　of　the　shapes　he　saw　moving　were　big　enough　to　be　a　Trolloc。　Always　dumping　me　into　these　bloody　things！　Low　moans　came　from　the　wounded。　A　shadowy　form　he　thought　was　Moiraine　knelt　beside　a　downed　Aiel。　Those　balls　of　fire　she　tossed　about　were　impressive；　almost　as　much　as　that　sword　of　Rand's；　spurting　bars　of　flame。　The　thing　still　shone　so　a　circle　of　light　surrounded　the　man。　I　should　have　stayed　in　my　blankets　is　what　I　should　have　done。　It's　bloody　cold；　and　this　is　nothing　to　do　with　me！　More　Aiel　were　beginning　to　appear；　women　in　skirts　e　to　help　with　the　injured。　Some　of　those　women　carried　spears；　they　might　not　do　the　fighting　normally；　but　once　the　battle　had　reached　into　the　hold　they　had　not　stood　by　and　watched。
　　　　　　　A　Maiden　stopped　beside　him；　unveiling。　He　could　not　make　out　her　face；　all　moonshadows。　〃You　dance　your　spear　well；　gambler。　Strange　days　when　Trollocs　e　to　Cold　Rocks。〃　She　glanced　at　the　shadowy　shape　he　thought　was　Moiraine。　〃They　might　have　forced　a　way　in　without　the　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　weren't　enough　for　that；〃　he　said　without　thinking。　〃They　were　meant　to　pull　attention　here。〃　So　those　Draghkar　would　have　a　free　hand　to　reach　Rand？
　　　　　　　〃I　think　you　are　right；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃Are　you　a　battle　leader　among　the　wetlanders？〃
　　　　　　　He　wished　he　had　kept　his　mouth　shut。　〃I　read　a　book　once；〃　he　muttered；　turning　away。　Bloody　pieces　of　other　men's　bloody　memories。　Maybe　the　peddlers　would　be　ready　to　leave　after　this。
　　　　　　　When　he　stopped　by　the　wagons；　though；　neither　Keille　nor　Kadere　was　anywhere　to　be　seen。　The　drivers　were　all　clumped　together；　hastily　passing　around　jars　of　something　that　smelled　like　the　good　brandy　they　had　been　selling；　muttering　and　as　agitated　as　if　the　Trollocs　had　actually　e　within　smelling　distance　of　them。　Isendre　stood　at　the　top　of　the　steps　to　Kadere's　wagon；　frowning　at　nothing。　Even　with　her　brows　furrowed　she　was　beautiful　behind　that　misty　scarf。　He　was　glad　that　at　least　his　memories　of　women　were　his　own。
　　　　　　　〃The　Trollocs　are　done；〃　he　told　her；　leaning　on　his　spear　so　she　would　be　sure　to　notice　it。　No　point　risking　having　my　skull　split　without　getting　a　little　good　out　of　it。　No　effort　at　all　was　needed　to　sound　tired。　〃A　hard　fight；　but　you're　safe；　now。〃
　　　　　　　She　stared　down　at　him；　face　expressionless；　eyes　glittering　in　the　moonlight　like　dark；　polished　stone。　Without　a　word　she　turned　and　went　inside；　slamming　the　door。　Hard。
　　　　　　　Mat　expelled　a　long；　disgusted　breath　and　stalked　away　from　the　wagons。　What　did　it　take　to　impress　the　woman？　Bed　was　what　he　wanted。　Back　in　his　blankets；　and　let　Rand　deal　with　Trollocs　and　bloody　Draghkar。　The　man　seemed　to　enjoy　it。　Laughing　like　that。
　　　　　　　Rand　was　ing　up　the　canyon　now；　the　glow　of　that　sword　like　lamplight　around　him　in　the　night。　Aviendha　appeared；　running　to　meet　him　with　her　skirts　pulled　up　above　her　knees；　then　stopped。　Letting　her　skirts　fall；　she　smoothed　them　and　fell　in　beside　Rand；　lifting　her　shawl　around　her　head。　He　seemed　not　to　see　her；　and　her　face　was　blank　as　stone。　They　deserved　each　other。
　　　　　　　〃Rand；〃　a　hurrying　shadow　called　with　Moiraine's　voice；　nearly　as　melodious　as　Keille's；　but　a　cool　music。　Rand　turned；　waiting；　and　she　slowed　before　she　could　be　seen　clearly；　entering　the　light　regally　enough　for　any　palace。　〃Matters　grow　more　dangerous；　Rand。　The　attack　at　Imre　Stand　could　have　been　aimed　at　the　Aiel　…　not　likely；　yet　it　could　have　been　…　but　tonight　the　Draghkar　were　surely　aimed　at　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。〃　Just　like　that。　As　calm　as　she　and　even　colder。
　　　　　　　Moiraine's　lips　pressed；　and　her　hands　were　too　still　on　her　skirts；　she　was　not　best　pleased。　〃Prophecy　is　most　dangerous　when　you　try　to　make　it　happen。　Did　you　not　learn　that　in　Tear？　The　Pattern　weaves　itself　around　you；　but　when　you　try　to　weave　it；　even　you　cannot　hold　it。　Force　the　Pattern　too　tight；　and　pressure　builds。　It　can　explode　wildly　in　every　direction。　Who　can　say　how　long　before　it　settles　to　focus　on　you　again；　or　what　will　happen　before　it　does？〃
　　　　　　　〃As　clear　as　most　of　your　explanations；〃　Rand　said　dryly。　〃What　do　you　want；　Moiraine？　It　is　late；　and　I　am　tired。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　want　you　to　confide　in　me。　Do　you　think　you　have　already　learned　all　there　is　to　know；　little　more　than　a　year　out　of　your　village？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　I　haven't　learned　everything　yet。〃　Now　he　sounded　amused；　sometimes　Mat　was　not　sure　he　was　still　as　sane　as　he　looked。　〃You　want　me　to　confide　in　you；　Moiraine？　All　right。　Your　Three　Oaths　won't　let　you　lie。　Say　plainly　that　whatever　I　tell　you；　you　won't　try　to　stop　me；　won't　hinder　me　in　any　way。　Say　you　won't　try　to　use　me　for　the　Tower's　ends。　Say　it　plain　and　straight　so　I　know　it's　true。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　do　nothing　to　hinder　you　fulfilling　your　destiny。　I　have　devoted　my　life　to　that。　But　I　will　not　promise　to　watch　while　you　lay　your　head　on　a　chopping　block。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　good　enough；　Moiraine。　Not　good　enough。　But　if　I　could　confide　in　you；　I'd　still　not　do　it　here。　The　night　has　ears。〃　There　were　people　moving　all　around　in　the　darkness；　but　none　close　enough　to　hear。　〃Even　dreams　have　ears。〃　Aviendha　tugged　her　shawl　forward　to　shadow　her　face；　even　an　Aiel　could　feel　the　cold；　apparently。
　　　　　　　Rhuarc　stepped　into　the　light；　black　veil　hanging　loose。　〃The　Trollocs　were　only　a　diversion　for　the　Draghkar；　Rand　al'Thor。　Too　few　to　be　else。　Draghkar　meant　for　you；　I　think。　Leafblighter　does　not　want　you　to　live。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　danger　grows；〃　Moiraine　said　quietly。
　　　　　　　The　clan　chief　glanced　at　her　before　going　on。　〃Moiraine　Sedai　is　right。　Since　the　Draghkar　failed；　I　fear　we　can　expect　the　Soulless　next；　what　you　call　Gray　Men。　I　want　to　put　spears　around　you　at　all　times。　For　some　reason；　the　Maidens　have　volunteered　for　this　task。〃
　　　　　　　The　cold　was　getting　to　Aviendha。　Shoulders　hunched；　she　had　her　hands　shoved　into　her　armpits　as　far　they　would　go。
　　　　　　　〃If　they　wish　it；〃　Rand　said。　He　sounded　a　touch　unfortable　under　all　that　ice。　Mat　did　not　blame　him；　he　would　not　have　put　himself　in　the　Maidens'　hands　again　for　all　the　silk　on　Sea　Folk　ships。
　　　　　　　〃They　will　watch　better　than　anyone　else；〃　Rhuarc　said；　〃having　asked　for　the　task。　I　do　not　mean　to　leave　it　to　them　alone；　however。　I　will　have　everyone　on　guard。　I　believe　it　will　be　the　Soulless　next　time；　but　that　does　not　mean　it　cannot　be　something　else。　Ten　thousand　Trollocs　instead　of　a　few　hundred。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　about　the　Shaido？〃　Mat　wished