rj.acrownofswords-第111部分

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away　for　the　dancing。　This　early；　no　one　else　was　about；　except　for　a　skinny　girl　in　a　white　apron；　sweeping　halfheartedly　with　a　brush…broom。　She　might　have　been　pretty　if　her　mouth　had　not　seemed　set　in　a　constant　pout。　There　was　surprisingly　little　mess；　considering　that　inns　were　supposed　to　be　riotous；　even　licentious；　during　festivals。　A　part　of　her　wished　she　could　have　seen　it；　though。
　　　〃Could　you　direct　me　to　Master　Cauthon's　rooms？〃　she　asked　the　skinny　girl　with　a　smile；　proffering　two　silver　pennies。　Nynaeve　sniffed。　She　was　tight　as　the　skin　on　a　fresh　apple；　she　had　given　the　beggar　one　copper！
　　　The　girl　eyed　them　sullenly　…　and　surprisingly；　the　coins　as　well　…　and　mumbled　something　sour　that　sounded　like；　〃A　gilded　woman　last　night　and　ladies　this　morning。〃　She　gave　directions　grudgingly。　For　a　moment　Elayne　thought　she　intended　to　scorn　the　pennies；　but　on　the　point　of　turning　away；　the　girl　snatched　the　silver　from　her　hand　without　so　much　as　a　word　of　thanks；　pausing　only　to　tuck　them　into　the　neck　of　her　dress；　of　all　places；　before　she　set　to　swinging　her　broom　as　if　to　beat　the　floor　to　death。　Perhaps　she　had　a　pocket　sewn　in　there。
　　　〃You　see；〃　Nynaeve　grumbled　under　her　breath。　〃You　mark　me；　he　tried　to　push　his　attentions　on　that　young　woman。　That's　the　sort　of　man　you　want　me　to　apologize　to。〃
　　　Elayne　said　nothing；　only　led　the　way　up　the　railless　steps　at　the　back　of　the　room。　If　Nynaeve　did　not　stop　plaining。。。　The　first　hallway　on　the　right；　the　girl　had　said；　and　the　last　door　on　the　left；　but　in　front　of　it；　she　hesitated；　biting　her　lower　lip。
　　　Nynaeve　brightened。　〃You　see　it's　a　bad　idea　now；　don't　you？　We　aren't　Aiel；　Elayne。　I　like　the　girl　well　enough；　for　all　she's　forever　fondling　that　knife　of　hers；　but　just　think　of　the　absolute　drivel　she　talked。　It's　impossible。　You　must　know　it　is。〃
　　　〃We　did　not　agree　to　anything　impossible；　Nynaeve。〃　Keeping　her　voice　firm　took　an　effort。　Some　of　what　Aviendha　had　suggested；　apparently　in　all　seriousness。。。　She　actually　had　suggested　letting　the　man　switch　them！　〃What　we　did　agree　to　is　quite　possible。〃　Barely。　She　rapped　loudly　on　the　paneled　door　with　her　knuckles。　There　was　a　fish　carved　on　the　door；　a　round　thing　with　stripes　and　a　snout。　All　of　the　doors　had　different　carvings；　most　of　fish。　There　was　no　answer。
　　　Nynaeve　puffed　out　a　breath　she　must　have　been　holding。　〃Perhaps　he　has　gone　out。　We'll　just　have　to　e　back　another　time。〃
　　　〃At　this　hour？〃　She　rapped　once　more。　〃You　say　he　always　lies　abed　when　he　can。〃　Still　no　sound　from　inside。
　　　〃Elayne；　if　Birgitte　is　any　indication；　Mat　got　himself　juicy　as　a　fiddler　last　night。　He　won't　thank　us　for　waking　him。　Why　don't　we　just　go　away　and　…　〃
　　　Elayne　lifted　the　latch　and　went　in。　Nynaeve　followed　with　a　sigh　that　could　have　been　heard　back　in　the　Palace。
　　　Mat　Cauthon　was　sprawled　on　his　bed　atop　the　knitted　red　coverlet；　a　folded　cloth　lying　over　his　eyes　and　dripping　onto　the　pillow。　The　room　was　not　very　tidy　despite　the　absence　of　dust。　A　boot　stood　on　the　washstand　…　the　washstand！　…　next　to　a　white　basin　full　of　unused　water；　the　stand…mirror　sat　askew；　as　if　he　had　stumbled　into　it　and　simply　left　it　tilted　back　sharply；　and　his　wrinkled　coat　lay　tossed　across　a　ladder…back　chair。　He　wore　everything　else；　including　that　black　scarf　he　seemed　never　to　take　off；　and　the　other　boot。　The　silver　foxhead　dangled　from　his　unlaced　shirt。
　　　The　medallion　made　her　fingers　itch。　If　he　really　was　lying　there　sodden　with　drink；　she　might　be　able　to　remove　it　unfelt。　One　way　or　another；　she　intended　to　find　out　how　the　thing　absorbed　the　Power。　Finding　out　how　almost　anything　worked　was　a　fascination　to　her；　but　that　foxhead　was　all　the　puzzles　in　the　world　rolled　into　one。
　　　Nynaeve　caught　her　sleeve　and　jerked　her　head　toward　the　door；　silently　mouthing　〃asleep〃　and　something　else　she　could　not　make　out。　Probably　another　plea　to　go。
　　　〃Leave　me　alone；　Nerim；〃　he　mumbled　suddenly。　〃I　told　you　before；　I　don't　want　anything　but　a　new　skull。　And　close　the　door　softly；　or　I'll　pin　your　ears　to　it。〃
　　　Nynaeve　jumped；　and　tried　to　pull　her　toward　the　door；　but　she　stood　her　ground。　〃It　is　not　Nerim；　Master　Cauthon。〃
　　　Raising　his　head　from　the　pillow；　he　used　both　hands　to　lift　the　cloth　a　trifle　and　squinted　at　them　with　reddened　eyes。
　　　Grinning；　Nynaeve　made　no　effort　at　all　to　hide　her　pleasure　at　his　wretched　state。　What　Elayne　could　not　understand　at　first　was　why　she　wanted　to　grin；　too。　Her　one　experience　with　drinking　too　much　had　left　her　with　nothing　but　pity　and　sympathy　for　anyone　so　snared。　In　the　back　of　her　mind　she　felt　Birgitte's　head　throbbing　still；　and　it　came　to　her。　Certainly　she　could　not　like　Birgitte　drowning　herself　in　drink；　whatever　the　reason；　but　neither　could　she　like　the　thought　that　anyone　could　do　anything　at　all　better　than　her　first　Warder。　A　ridiculous　thought。　Embarrassing。　But　satisfying；　too。
　　　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded　hoarsely；　then　winced　and　lowered　his　voice。　〃It's　the　middle　of　the　night。〃
　　　〃It's　morning；〃　Nynaeve　said　sharply。　〃Don't　you　remember　talking　with　Birgitte？〃
　　　〃Could　you　not　be　so　loud？〃　he　whispered；　closing　his　eyes。　The　next　instant；　they　popped　open　again。　〃Birgitte？〃　Sitting　up　abruptly；　he　swung　his　legs　over　the　side　of　the　bed。　For　a　time　he　just　sat　there；　peering　at　the　floorboards；　elbows　on　his　knees　and　the　medallion　swinging　from　its　thong　around　his　neck。　At　last　he　turned　his　head　to　look　at　them　balefully。　Or　perhaps　his　eyes　just　made　it　seem　so。　〃What　did　she　tell　you？〃
　　　〃She　informed　us　of　your　demands；　Master　Cauthon；〃　Elayne　said　formally。　This　must　be　how　it　felt　to　stand　before　the　headsman's　block；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　keep　her　head　high　and　face　whatever　came　proudly。　〃I　wish　to　thank　you　from　my　heart　for　rescuing　me　from　the　Stone　of　Tear。〃　There；　she　had　begun；　and　it　had　not　hurt。　Not　very　much。
　　　Nynaeve　stood　there；　glowering；　her　lips　growing　tighter　and　tighter。　The　woman　was　not　going　to　leave　her　to　do　this　alone。　Elayne　embraced　the　Source　almost　before　she　thought；　and　channeled　a　thin　flow　of　Air　that　flicked　Nynaeve's　earlobe　like　a　snapping　finger。　The　woman　clapped　a　hand　to　her　ear　and　glowered；　but　Elayne　simply　turned　coolly　back　to　Master　Cauthon　and　waited。
　　　〃I　thank　you；　too；〃　Nynaeve　mumbled　sullenly　at　last。　〃From　the　heart。〃
　　　Elayne　rolled　her　eyes　in　spite　of　herself。　Well；　he　had　asked　them　to　speak　more　softly。　And　he　did　seem　to　hear。　Strangely；　he　shrugged　with　embarrassment。
　　　〃Oh；　that。　It　was　nothing。　Likely　thing；　you'd　have　gotten　yourself　free　in　another　tick　without　me。〃　His　head　sank　to　his　hands；　and　he　pressed　the　damp　cloth　to　his　eyes　once　more。　〃On　your　way　out；　would　you　ask　Caira　to　bring　me　some　wine…punch？　A　slender　girl；　pretty；　with　a　warm　eye。〃
　　　Elayne　quivered。　Nothing？　The　man　demanded　an　apology；　she　humbled　herself　to　give　it；　and　now　it　was　nothing？　He　was　not　deserving　of　sympathy　or　pity！　She　still　held　saidar；　and　she　considered　thumping　him　with　a　much　thicker　flow　than　she　had　used　on　Nynaeve。　Not　that　that　would　do　any　good　so　long　as　he　wore　the　foxhead。　Then　again；　it　hung　loose；　not　touching　him。　Did　it　offer　the　same　protection　when　it　was　not。。。？
　　　Nynaeve　ended　her　speculation　by　lunging　for　him；　fingers　clawed。　Elayne　managed　to　put　herself　between　them　and　seize　the　other　woman　by　the　shoulders。　For　a　stretched　moment　they　stood　nose…to…nose　except　for　the　difference　in　their　heights；　with　a　grimace；　Nynaeve　finally　relaxed；　and　Elayne　felt　it　was　safe　to　release　her。
　　　The　man　still　had　his　head　bowed；　all　unaware。　Whether　the　medallion　protected　him　or　not；　she　could　snatch　his　bowstave　from　the　corner　and　beat　him　till　he　howled。　She　felt　heat　rise　in　her　face：　She　had　stopped　Nynaeve　from　ruining　everything；　only　to　think　of　ruining　it　herself。　Worse；　by　the　smirky；　self…satisfied　little　smile　the　other　woman　gave　her；　she　knew　very　well　what　had　been　in　her　head。
　　　〃There　is　more；　Master　Cauthon；〃　she　announced；　squaring　her　shoulders。　The　smile　vanished　from　Nynaeve's　face。　〃