rj.acrownofswords-第133部分

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　　　Now　Neald　popped　out　of　the　gateway；　stroking　his　ridiculous　mustache　and　preening　for　anyone　who　might　be　watching　as　the　opening　vanished。　No　one　was；　and　he　climbed　onto　his　horse　with　a　disgruntled　expression。
　　　Mounting　Stepper；　Perrin　rode　to　a　slight　rise。　Not　everyone　could　see　him　because　of　the　trees；　but　it　was　enough　they　could　hear。　A　stir　ran　through　the　assemblage　as　he　reined　in；　people　shifting　for　a　better　look。
　　　〃As　far　as　anyone's　eyes…and…ears　back　in　Cairhien　know；〃　he　said　loudly；　〃I've　been　banished；　the　First　of　Mayene　is　on　her　way　back　home；　and　the　rest　of　you　have　just　disappeared　like　fog　in　the　sun。〃
　　　To　his　surprise；　they　laughed。　A　cry　of　〃Perrin　Goldeneyes〃　went　up；　and　not　just　from　the　Two　Rivers　folk。　He　waited　for　it　to　quiet；　that　took　a　while。　Faile　neither　laughed　nor　shouted；　nor　did　Berelain。　Each　woman　shook　her　head；　neither　believed　he　should　tell　as　much　as　he　intended　to。　Then　they　saw　each　other；　and　those　shaking　heads　froze　as　if　trapped　in　amber。　They　did　not　like　agreeing。　It　was　no　surprise　when　their　eyes　swung　to　him　with　identical　expressions。　There　was　an　old　saying　in　the　Two　Rivers；　though　how　you　said　it　and　what　you　meant　depended　on　circumstance　and　who　you　were。　〃It's　always　a　man's　fault。〃　One　thing；　he　had　learned；　women　were　better　at　than　anything　else：　teaching　a　man　to　sigh。
　　　〃Some　of　you　may　be　wondering　where　we　are；　and　why；〃　he　went　on　when　silence　fell　at　last。　A　smaller　ripple　of　laughter。　〃This　is　Ghealdan。〃　Murmurs　of　awe；　and　maybe　disbelief；　at　having　crossed　fifteen　hundred　miles　or　more　in　a　step。　〃The　first　thing　we　have　to　do　is　convince　Queen　Alliandre　we　aren't　here　to　invade。〃　Berelain　was　supposed　to　talk　to　Alliandre；　and　Faile　was　going　to　give　him　fits　for　it。　〃Then　we're　going　to　find　a　fellow　who　calls　himself　the　Prophet　of　the　Lord　Dragon。〃　That　would　not　be　much　pleasure；　either；　Masema　had　been　no　joy　before　he　tipped　over　the　edge。　〃This　Prophet　has　been　causing　some　problems；　but　we're　going　to　let　him　know　Rand　al'Thor　doesn't　want　anybody　frightened　into　following　him；　and　we'll　take　him　and　any　of　his　people　who　want　to　e　back　to　the　Lord　Dragon。〃　And　we'll　frighten　the　breeches　off　Masema　to　do　it　if　need　be；　he　though　wryly。
　　　They　cheered。　They　whooped　and　shouted　that　they　would　march　this　Prophet　back　to　Cairhien　for　the　Lord　Dragon　till　Perrin　hoped　this　spot　was　even　farther　from　any　village　than　it　was　supposed　to　be。　Even　the　cart　drivers　and　horse　handlers　joined　in。　More　than　that；　he　prayed　that　everything　went　smoothly；　and　quickly。　The　sooner　he　could　put　as　much　distance　as　possible　between　Berelain　and　himself　and　Faile；　the　better。　No　surprises；　that　was　what　he　wanted　once　they　rode　south。　It　was　about　time　his　being　ta'veren　showed　itself　good　for　something。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　28　
（Dice）　
Bread　and　Cheese　
　　　
　　　Mat　knew　he　was　in　trouble　from　the　day　he　moved　into　the　Tarasin　Palace。　He　could　have　refused。　Just　because　the　flaming　dice　started　or　stopped　did　not　mean　he　had　to　do　anything；　usually　when　they　stopped　spinning；　it　was　too　late　not　to　do　something。　The　problem　was；　he　wanted　to　know　why。　Before　very　many　days；　he　wished　he　had　taken　his　curiosity　by　the　throat　and　throttled　it。
　　　After　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　left　his　room；　once　he　could　manage　to　reach　his　feet　without　his　head　falling　off；　he　spread　the　word　among　his　men。　Nobody　seemed　to　see　the　disadvantages。　He　just　wanted　to　prepare　them；　but　nobody　listened。
　　　〃Very　good；　my　Lord；〃　Nerim　murmured；　tugging　Mat's　boot　onto　his　foot。　〃My　Lord　will　finally　have　decent　rooms。　Oh；　very　good。〃　For　a　moment；　he　seemed　to　lose　his　mournful　expression。　For　just　a　moment。　〃I　will　brush　the　red　silk　coat　for　my　Lord；　my　Lord　has　stained　the　blue　rather　badly　with　wine。〃　Mat　waited　impatiently；　put　on　the　coat；　and　headed　down　the　hall。
　　　〃Aes　Sedai？〃　Nalesean　muttered　as　his　head　popped　out　at　the　top　of　a　clean　shut。　His　round…bellied　manservant；　Lopin；　was　hovering　behind　him。　〃Burn　my　soul；　I　don't　much　like　Aes　Sedai；　but。。。　The　Tarasin　Palace；　Mat。〃
　　　Mat　winced；　bad　enough　the　man　could　drink　a　barrel　of　brandy　with　no　effect　the　next　morning；　but　did　he　have　to　grin　so？　〃Ah；　Mat；　now　we　can　forget　dice；　and　play　cards　with　our　own　kind。〃　He　meant　nobles；　the　only　ones　who　could　afford　to　play　except　for　well…to…do　merchants　who　would　not　remain　well…to…do　long　if　they　began　betting　for　the　stakes　nobles　did。　Nalesean　rubbed　his　hands　briskly　while　Lopin　tried　to　settle　his　laces；　even　his　beard　seemed　eager。　〃Silk　sheets；〃　he　murmured。　Whoever　heard　of　silk　sheets？　Those　old　memories　nudged；　but　Mat　refused　to　listen。
　　　〃Full　of　nobles；〃　Vanin　growled　downstairs；　pursing　his　lips　to　spit。　His　glance　searching　for　Mistress　Anan　was　automatic　now；　he　decided　instead　to　swallow　from　the　mug　of　rough　wine　that　was　his　breakfast。　〃Be　good　to　see　the　Lady　Elayne　again；　though；〃　he　mused。　His　free　hand　rose　as　if　to　knuckle　his　forehead；　he　did　not　seem　aware　of　the　gesture。　Mat　groaned。　That　woman　had　ruined　a　good　man。　〃You　want　me　to　look　in　on　Carridin　again？〃　Vanin　went　on　as　if　the　rest　was　unimportant。　〃His　street's　so　full　of　beggars；　it's　hard　to　see　anything；　but　he　has　an　awful　lot　of　folk　e　to　call。〃　Mat　told　him　that　would　be　fine。　No　wonder　Vanin　did　not　care　whether　the　palace　was　full　of　。nobles　and　Aes　Sedai；　he　would　spend　the　day　sweating　in　the　sun　and　jostled　by　the　crowds。　Much　more　fortable。
　　　There　was　no　point　trying　to　warn　Harnan　and　the　rest　of　the　Redarms；　all　shoveling　down　white　porridge　and　tiny　black　sausages　while　they　nudged　one　another　in　the　ribs　and　laughed　about　the　serving　women　in　the　palace；　who；　they　had　heard；　were　all　chosen　for　their　beauty　and　remarkably　free　with　their　favors。　A　true　fact；　they　kept　assuring　themselves。
　　　Things　did　not　get　any　better　when　he　went　into　the　kitchens　searching　for　Mistress　Anan　to　settle　the　bill。　Caira　was　there；　but　with　all　her　bad　temper　of　the　night　before　doubled；　she　stuck　out　her　lower　lip；　glowering　at　him；　and　stalked　out　the　door　to　the　stableyard　rubbing　the　back　of　her　skirt。　Maybe　she　had　gotten　herself　into　some　misery　or　other；　but　how　she　could　blame　Mat　Cauthon　was　beyond　him。
　　　Mistress　Anan　was　out；　it　seemed　…　she　was　always　organizing　soup　kitchens　for　refugees　or　leaping　into　some　other　good　work　…　but　Enid　was　waving　a　long　wooden　spoon　at　her　scurrying　helpers　and　ready　to　take　his　coin　in　her　stout　hand。　〃You　squeeze　too　many　melons；　my　young　Lord；　and　you　shouldn't　be　surprised　when　a　rotten　one　breaks　in　your　hand；〃　she　said　darkly　for　some　reason。　〃Or　two；〃　she　added　after　a　moment；　nodding。　She　leaned　close；　tilting　up　her　sweating　round　face　with　an　intent　stare。　〃You'll　only　make　trouble　for　yourself　if　you　say　a　word。　You　won't。〃　That　did　not　sound　like　a　question。
　　　〃Not　a　word；〃　Mat　said。　What　in　the　Light　was　she　talking　about？　It　seemed　the　right　response；　though；　because　she　nodded　and　waddled　away　waving　that　spoon　twice　as　vigorously　as　before。　For　a　moment；　he　had　thought　she　meant　to　thump　him　with　it。　The　pure　truth　was；　women　all　had　a　violent　streak；　not　just　some　of　them。
　　　One　thing　and　another；　it　was　a　relief　when　Nerim　and　Lopin　got　into　a　shouting　match　over　whose　master's　baggage　would　be　carried　over　first。　Smoothing　their　feathers　required　a　good　half　an　hour　from　him　and　Nalesean　both。　A　manservant　with　his　dander　ruffled　could　make　your　life　miserable。　Then　he　had　to　settle　which　of　the　Redarms　were　to　have　the　honor　of　lugging　the　chest　of　gold　across　and　which　were　to　take　the　horses。　Anyway；　it　was　that　much　longer　outside　the　bloody　Tarasin　Palace。
　　　Once　he　was　ensconced　in　his　new　rooms；　though；　he　almost　forgot　troubles　at　first。　He　had　a　large　sitting　room　and　a　small；　what　they　called　a　sulking　room　hereabouts；　and　an　immense　bedchamber　with　the　biggest　bed　he　had　ever　seen；　the　massive　bedposts　carved　with　entwined　flowers　of　all　things；　and　painted　red。　Most　of　the　furniture　was　bright　red　or　bright　blue；　where　it　was　not　layered　with　gilt。　A　small　door　near　the　bed　led　to　a　cramped　room　for　Nerim；　which　the　fell