rj.acrownofswords-第100部分
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hey began； faced kings and queens and generals and made them see reason。 Even so。。。 She found herself promising that she would not utter one word of plaint no matter how often that man made her play the maidservant if only Seonid would pop around the next corner； or Masuri； or Faeldrin； or anyone at all。 Light！ If only she could blink her eyes and find that everything since leaving Salidar had been a bad dream。
Surprisingly； Cadsuane led them straight to the small room that Bera and Kiruna shared； deep in the bowels of the palace。 Where the servants lived。 A tight window； set high in the wall yet level with the paving stones of a courtyard outside； let in a little stream of light； but the room seemed murky。 Cloaks and saddlebags and a few dresses hung from pegs in the cracked； yellowing plaster walls。 Gouges marred the bare wooden floor； though some effort had been made to smooth them。 A tiny battered round table stood in one corner； and an equally beaten washstand in another； with a chipped basin and pitcher。 Merana eyed the small bed。 It did not look that much narrower than the one she was forced to share with Seonid and Masuri； two doors farther down。 That room was larger by perhaps a pace each way； but not meant for three。 Coiren and the others still held in the Aiel tents probably were much more fortable as prisoners。
Neither Bera nor Kiruna was present； but Daigian was； a plump； pale woman who wore a thin silver chain in her long black hair； with a round moonstone dangling in the middle of her forehead。 Her dark Cairhienin dress bore four thin stripes of color across the bodice； and she had added slashes in the skirts； white for her Ajah。 A younger daughter of one of the lesser Houses； she had always minded Merana of a pouter pigeon。 When Cadsuane entered； Daigian rose on her toes expectantly。
There was only one chair in the room； little more than a stool with an excuse of a back。 Cadsuane took that and sighed。 〃Tea； please。 Two sips of what that boy poured； and I could have used my tongue to sole a shoe。〃
The glow of saidar immediately surrounded Daigian； though faintly； and a dented tin teapot rose from the table； flows of Fire heating the water as she opened a small brass…bound tea chest。
With no other choice for place to sit； Merana settled onto the bed； adjusting her skirts and shifting on the lumpy mattress while she tried to order her thoughts。 This might well be as important a negotiation as she had ever undertaken。 After a moment； Annoura joined her； perching on the lip of the mattress。
〃I take it by your presence； Merana；〃 Cadsuane said abruptly； 〃that tales of the boy submitting to Elaida are false。 Don't look so surprised； child。 Did you think I didn't know your。。。 associations？〃 She gave that word such a twist； it sounded as filthy as any soldier's expletive。 〃And you； Annoura？〃
〃I am here only to advise Berelain； though the truth of it is； she ignored my advice by ing in the first place。〃 The Taraboner woman held her head up； voice confident。 She was rubbing her thumbs for all she was worth； though。 She could not do well at the negotiating table if she was that transparent。 〃For the rest；〃 she said carefully； 〃I have reached no decision as yet。〃
〃A wise decision； that；〃 Cadsuane murmured； with a pointed look at Merana。 〃It seems that in the last few years far too many sisters have forgotten they possess brains； or discretion。 There was a time when Aes Sedai reached their decisions after calm deliberation； with the good of the Tower always in the front of their thoughts。 Just remember what the Sanche girl got from meddling with al'Thor； Annoura。 Walk too near a forge…fire； and you can be burned badly。〃
Merana lifted her chin； working her neck to ease its tightness。 Realizing what she was doing； she made herself stop。 The woman did not stand that far above her。 Not really。 Just higher than any other sister。 〃If I may ask。。。 〃 Too diffident； but worse to stop and start over。 〃。。。 what are your intentions； Cadsuane？〃 She struggled to maintain dignity。 〃Obviously； you have been。。。 holding yourself aside。。。 until now。 Why have you decided to。。。 approach。。。 al'Thor at this particular time？ You were。。。 rather undiplomatic。。。 with him。〃
〃You might as well have slapped his face；〃 Annoura put in； and Merana colored。 Of the two of them； Annoura should have been having the harder time with Cadsuane by far； but she was not the one stumbling over her words。
Cadsuane shook her head in pitying style。 〃If you want to see what a man is made of； push him from a direction he doesn't expect。 There's good metal in that boy； I think； but he's going to be difficult。〃 Steepling her fingers； she peered across them at the wall； musing to herself。 〃He has a rage in him fit to burn the world； and he holds it by a hair。 Push him too far off balance。。。 Phaw！ Al'Thor's not so hard yet as Logain Ablar or Mazrim Taim； but a hundred times as difficult； I fear。〃 Hearing those three names together clove Merana's tongue to the roof of her mouth。
〃You have seen Logain and Taim both？〃 a staring Annoura said。 〃Taim； he is following al'Thor； so I hear。〃 Merana managed to swallow a relieved sigh。 Tales of Dumai's Wells had not had time to spread yet。 They would； though。
〃I do have ears to catch rumors； too； Annoura；〃 Cadsuane said acerbically。 〃Though I could wish I didn't； for what I hear of that pair。 All my work thrown away to be done over。 Others' as well； but I did my share。 And then there are these blackcoats； these Asha'man。〃 Taking a cup from Daigian； she smiled warmly and murmured thanks。 The round…cheeked White seemed ready to curtsy； though all she did was retreat to a corner and fold her hands。 She had been longer a novice； and Accepted； than anyone in living memory； barely allowed to remain in the Tower； gaining the ring by a fingernail and the shawl by an eyelash。 Daigian was always self…effacing around other sisters。
Breathing the steam from her teacup； Cadsuane went on； suddenly chatting pleasantly。 〃It was Logain； practically on my doorstep； that lured me away from my roses。 Phaw！ A scuffle at a sheep fair could have lured me from those Light…cursed plants。 What's the point if you use the Power； but do it without； and you grow ten thousand thorns for every … Phaw！ I actually considered taking the oath as a Hunter； if the Council of Nine would allow it。 Well。 It was a nice few months； chasing down Logain； but once he was taken； escorting him to Tar Valon appealed as much as the roses。 I wandered a bit； to see what I could find； perhaps a new Warder； though it's a bit late for that in any fairness to the man； I suppose。 Then I heard of Taim； and I was off to Saldaea as fast I could ride。 There's nothing for a bit of excitement like a man who can channel。〃 Abruptly her voice hardened； and her gaze。 〃Were either of you involved in that。。。 vileness。。。 right after the Aiel War？〃
Despite herself； Merana gave a confused start。 The other woman's eyes spoke of the block and the headsman's axe。 〃What vileness？ I don't know what you are talking about。〃
That accusing glare hit Annoura so hard； she almost fell off the bed。 〃The Aiel War？〃 she gasped； steadying herself。 〃The years after； I spent trying to make the so…called Grand Coalition more than a name。〃
Merana looked at Annoura with interest。 A good many of the Gray Ajah had scurried from capital to capital after； the war； in a futile effort to hold together the alliance that had formed against the Aiel； but she had never known Annoura was one of them。 She could not be that bad a negotiator if she was。 〃So did I；〃 she said。 Dignity。 Since setting out after al'Thor from Caemlyn； she had not retained much of that。 The few scraps remaining were too precious to lose。 She made her voice calm； and firm。 〃What vileness do you mean； Cadsuane？〃
The gray…haired woman simply waved the question away； as though she had never spoken the word。
For a moment； Merana wondered whether Cadsuane's wits might be wandering。 She had never heard of it happening to a sister； but most Aes Sedai did go into retreat at the close of their lives； far from the stratagems and turbulence that none but si
