rj.acrownofswords-第139部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


gainst　the　door。　The　unlocked　door。　Light；　what　was　he　going　to　do？　Move　back　to　the　inn？　Burn　why　the　dice　had　stopped　before。　Only；　he　would　not　put　it　past　Tylin　to　bribe　Mistress　Anan　and　Enid；　or　the　innkeeper　wherever　he　went。　He　would　not　put　it　past　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　to　claim　he　had　broken　some　agreement　and　put　an　end　to　their　promises。　Burn　all　women！
　　　A　large　parcel　elaborately　wrapped　in　green　paper　sat　on　one　of　the　tables。　It　contained　an　eagle　mask　in　black　and　gold　and　a　coat　covered　with　feathers　to　match。　There　was　also　a　red　silk　purse　holding　twenty　gold　crowns　and　a　note　that　smelled　of　flowers。
　　　
　　　I　would　have　bought　you　an　earring；　piglet；　but　I　noticed　your　ear　is　not　pierced。　Have　it　done；　and　buy　yourself　something　nice。
　　　
　　　He　nearly　wept　again。　He　gave　women　presents。　The　world　was　standing　on　its　head！　Piglet？　Oh；　Light！　After　a　minute；　he　did　take　the　mask；　she　owed　him　that　much；　for　his　coat　alone。
　　　When　he　finally　reached　the　small；　shaded　courtyard　where　they　had　been　meeting　each　morning　beside　a　tiny　round　pool　of　lily　pads　and　brightly　spotted　white　fish；　he　found　Nalesean　and　Birgitte　ready　for　the　Festival　of　Birds；　too。　The　Tairen　had　contented　himself　with　a　plain　green　mask；　but　Birgitte's　was　a　spray　of　yellow…and…red　with　a　crest　of　plumes；　her　golden　hair　hung　loose；　with　feathers　tied　all　down　its　length；　and　she　wore　a　dress　with　a　wide　yellow　belt；　diaphanous　beneath　more　red　and　yellow　feathers。　It　did　not　reveal　nearly　as　much　as　Riselle's；　yet　it　seemed　about　to　every　time　she　moved。　He　had　never　thought　of　her　wearing　a　dress　like　other　women。
　　　〃Sometimes　it's　fun　to　be　looked　at；〃　she　said；　poking　him　in　the　ribs；　when　he　mented。　Her　grin　would　have　done　for　Nalesean　saying　how　much　fun　it　was　to　pinch　serving　girls。　〃There's　a　lot　more　to　it　than　feather　dancers　wore；　but　not　enough　to　it　to　slow　me　down；　and　anyway；　I　cannot　see　we'll　have　to　move　quickly　on　this　side　of　the　river。〃　The　dice　rattled　in　his　head。　〃What　kept　you？〃　she　went　on。　〃You　didn't　make　us　wait　so　you　could　tickle　a　pretty　girl；　I　hope。〃　He　hoped　he　was　not　blushing。
　　　〃I　…　〃　He　was　not　certain　what　excuse　he　would　have　made；　but　just　then　half　a　dozen　men　wearing　feathered　coats　strolled　into　the　courtyard；　all　with　those　narrow　swords　on　their　hips；　all　but　one　wearing　an　elaborate　mask　with　colorful　crest　and　beak　that　represented　no　bird　ever　seen　by　human　eyes。　The　exception　was　Beslan；　twirling　his　mask　by　its　ribbon。　〃Oh；　blood　and　bloody　ashes；　what's　he　doing　here？〃
　　　〃Beslan？〃　Nalesean　folded　his　hands　on　the　pommel　of　his　sword　and　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃Why；　burn　my　soul；　he　says　he　intends　to　spend　the　festival　in　your　pany。　Some　promise　you　two　made；　he　says。　I　told　him　it　would　be　deadly　boring；　but　he　wouldn't　believe　me。〃
　　　〃I　cannot　think　it　is　ever　boring　around　Mat；〃　Tylin's　son　said；　his　bow　took　them　all　in；　but　his　dark　eyes　especially　lingered　on　Birgitte。　〃I've　never　had　so　much　fun　as　I　did　drinking　with　him　and　the　Lady　Elayne's　Warder　on　Swovan　Night；　though　truth；　I　remember　little。〃　He　did　not　seem　to　recognize　that　Warder。　Strangely；　considering　the　taste　she　had　shown　in　men　…　Beslan　was　fine…looking；　maybe　a　little　too　fine；　not　at　all　her　sort　…　strangely；　she　smiled　slightly；　and　preened　under　his　scrutiny。
　　　Right　then；　Mat　did　not　care　how　out　of　character　she　behaved。　Obviously　Beslan　suspected　nothing；　or　that　sword　of　his　likely　would　already　be　out；　but　the　last　thing　under　the　Light　Mat　wanted　was　a　day　in　pany　with　the　man。　It　would　be　excruciating。　He　had　some　sense　of　decency；　even　if　Beslan's　mother　did　not。
　　　The　only　problem　was　Beslan；　who　took　that　bloody　promise　to　attend　all　the　festivals　and　feastdays　together　very　seriously。　The　more　Mat　agreed　with　Nalesean　that　the　day　they　had　planned　would　be　dull　beyond　belief；　the　more　determined　Beslan　grew。　After　a　bit；　his　face　began　to　darken；　and　Mat　began　to　think　that　sword　might　be　unsheathed　yet。　Well；　a　promise　was　a　promise。　When　he　and　Nalesean　and　Birgitte　left　the　palace；　half　a　dozen　feathered　fools　strutted　along。　Mat　was　sure　it　would　not　have　happened　had　Birgitte　been　wearing　her　proper　clothes。　The　whole　lot　of　them　kept　eyeing　her　and　smiling。
　　　〃What　was　all　that　twisting　around　while　he　was　spilling　his　eyes　all　over　you？〃　he　muttered　as　they　crossed　the　Mol　Hara。　He　tugged　the　ribbon　holding　the　eagle　mask　tighter。
　　　〃I　did　not　twist；　I　moved。〃　Her　primness　was　so　blatantly　false；　he　would　have　laughed　some　other　time。　〃Slightly。〃　Abruptly　her　grin　was　back；　and　she　lowered　her　voice　for　his　ear　alone。　〃I　told　you　sometimes　it's　fun　to　be　looked　at；　just　because　they're　all　too　pretty　doesn't　mean　I　cannot　enjoy　them　looking。　Oh；　you'll　want　to　look　at　her；〃　she　added；　pointing　to　a　slender　woman　who　went　running　by　in　a　blue　owl　mask　and　rather　fewer　feathers　than　Riselle　had　worn。
　　　That　was　one　of　the　things　about　Birgitte；　she　would　nudge　him　in　the　ribs　and　point　out　a　pretty　girl　for　his　eye　as　readily　as　any　man　he　had　ever　known；　and　expect　him　to　point　out　in　turn　what　she　liked　to　see；　which　was　generally　the　ugliest　man　in　sight。　Whether　or　not　she　chose　to　go　half…naked　today　…　a　quarter；　anyway　…　she　was。。。　well；　a　friend。　A　strange　world；　it　was　turning　out　to　be。　One　woman　he　was　beginning　to　think　of　as　a　drinking　panion；　and　another　after　him　as　intently　as　he　had　ever　pursued　any　pretty　woman；　in　those　old　memories　or　his　own。　More　intently；　he　had　never　chased　any　woman　who　let　him　know　she　did　not　want　to　be　chased。　A　very　strange　world。
　　　The　sun　stood　little　more　than　halfway　to　its　peak；　but　already　celebrants　filled　the　streets　and　squares　and　bridges。　Tumblers　and　jugglers　and　musicians　with　feathers　sewn　about　their　clothes　performed　at　every　street　corner；　the　music　often　drowned　in　laughter　and　shouting。　For　the　poorer　folk　a　few　feathers　laced　into　their　hair　sufficed；　pigeon　feathers　gathered　from　the　pavement　for　the　street　children　dodging　about　and　the　beggars；　but　masks　and　costumes　grew　more　elaborate　as　purses　grew　heavier。　More　elaborate；　and　frequently　more　scandalous。　Men　and　women　alike　were　often　decked　in　feathers　that　revealed　more　skin　than　Riselle　or　that　woman　back　in　the　Mol　Hara。　No　merce　moved　in　the　streets　or　canals　today；　though　a　number　of　shops　seemed　to　be　open　…　along　with　every　tavern　and　inn；　of　course　…　but　here　and　there　a　wagon　made　its　way　through　the　throng　or　a　barge　was　poled　along　supporting　a　platform　where　young　men　and　women　posed　in　bright　bird　masks　that　covered　their　entire…heads；　with　spreading　crests　sometimes　rising　a　full　pace；　moving　long　colorful　wings　in　such　a　way　that　the　rest　of　their　costumes　were　exposed　only　in　flashes。　Which　was　just　as　well；　considering。
　　　According　to　Beslan；　these　settings；　as　they　were　called；　were　usually　presented　in　guild　halls　and　private　palaces　and　houses。　The　entire　festival　normally　took　place　indoors　for　the　most　part。　It　did　not　snow　properly　in　Ebou　Dar　even　when　the　weather　was　as　it　should　be　…　Beslan　said　he　would　like　to　see　this　snow；　one　day　…　but　apparently　ordinary　winter　was　cold　enough　to　keep　people　from　running　around　outdoors　all　but　unclothed。　With　the　heat；　everything　was　spilling　into　the　streets。　Wait　until　night　fell；　Beslan　said；　then　Mat　would　really　see　something。　As　sunlight　faded；　so　did　inhibitions。
　　　Staring　at　a　tall　slender　woman　gliding　along　through　the　crowd　in　mask　and　feathered　cloak　and　beyond　that；　six　or　seven　feathers；　Mat　wondered　what　inhibitions　some　of　these　folk　had　left　to　shed。　He　almost　shouted　at　her　to　cover　herself　with　that　cloak。　She　was　pretty；　but　out　in　the　street；　before　the　Light　and　everybody？
　　　Those　wagons　carrying　the　settings　attracted　followers；　of　course；　thick　knots　of　men　and　women　who　shouted　and　laughed　as　they　tossed　coins；　and　sometimes　folded　notes；　onto　the　wagons　and　squeezed　everyone　else　in　the　street　aside。　He　became　used　to　fleeing　ahead　until　they　could　duck　down　a　crossing　street；　or　waiting　until　the　setting　went　by　to　cross　an　intersection　or　bridge。　While　waiting；　Birgitte　and　Nalesean　tossed