rj.acrownofswords-第168部分

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hat　the　edges　of　the　gash　looked　swollen　and　angry；　as　if　the　wound　had　gone　untended　for　days。　It　was　no　longer　bleeding；　but　it　should　have　been　gone。　That　was　what　Healing　did：　wounds　knitted　themselves　up　right　before　your　eyes。
　　　〃This；〃　Samitsu　said　in　a　lecturing　tone；　lightly　touching　the　scar；　〃seems　like　a　cyst；　but　full　of　evil　instead　of　pus。　And　this。。。　〃　She　drew　the　finger　down　the　gash。　〃。。。　seems　full　of　a　different　evil。〃　Suddenly　she　frowned　at　the　Green　standing　over　her；　and　her　voice　became　sullen　and　defensive。　〃If　I　had　the　words；　Cadsuane；　I　would　use　them。　I　have　never　seen　the　like。　Never。　But　I　will　tell　you　this。　I　think　if　I　had　been　one　moment　slower；　perhaps　if　you　had　not　tried　first；　he　would　be　dead　now。　As　it　is。。。　〃　With　a　sigh；　the　Yellow　sister　seemed　to　deflate；　her　face　sagging。　〃As　it　is；　I　believe　he　will　die。〃
　　　Min　shook　her　head；　trying　to　say　no；　but　she　could　not　seem　to　make　her　tongue　move。　She　heard　Caraline　murmuring　a　prayer。　The　woman　stood　gripping　one　of　Darlin's　coatsleeves　with　both　hands。　Darlin　himself　frowned　down　at　Rand　as　though　trying　to　make　sense　of　what　he　saw。
　　　Cadsuane　bent　to　pat　Samitsu's　shoulder。　〃You　are　the　best　living；　perhaps　the　best　ever；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃No　one　has　the　Healing　to　pare　with　you。〃　With　a　nod；　Samitsu　stood；　and　before　she　was　on　her　feet；　she　was　all　Aes　Sedai　serenity　once　more。　Cadsuane；　scowling　down　at　Rand　with　her　hands　on　her　hips；　was　not。　〃Phaw！　I　will　not　allow　you　to　die　on　me；　boy；〃　she　growled；　sounding　as　though　it　were　his　fault。　This　time；　instead　of　touching　the　top　of　Min's　head；　she　rapped　it　with　a　knuckle。　〃Get　to　your　feet；　girl。　You're　no　milksop　…　any　fool　can　see　that　…　so　stop　pretending。　Darlin；　you　will　carry　him。　Bandages　must　wait。　This　fog　is　not　leaving　us；　so　we　had　better　leave　it。〃
　　　Darlin　hesitated。　Maybe　it　was　Cadsuane's　peremptory　frown；　and　maybe　the　hand　Caraline　half…raised　to　his　face；　but　abruptly　he　sheathed　his　sword；　muttering　under　his　breath；　and　hoisted　Rand　across　his　shoulders　with　arms　and　legs　dangling。
　　　Min　took　up　the　heron…mark　blade　and　carefully　slid　it　into　the　scabbard　hanging　from　Rand's　waist。　〃He　will　need　it；〃　she　told　Darlin；　and　after　a　moment；　he　nodded。　A　lucky　thing　for　him　he　did；　she　had　bundled　all　her　confidence　into　the　Green　sister；　and　she　was　not　about　to　let　anyone　think　differently。
　　　〃Now　be　careful；　Darlin；〃　Caraline　said　in　that　throaty　voice　once　Cadsuane　made　their　marching　order　clear。　〃Be　sure　to　stay　behind　me；　and　I　will　protect　you。〃
　　　Darlin　laughed　till　he　wheezed；　and　was　still　chuckling　when　they　began　climbing　through　the　cold　fog　and　the　distant　shrieks　once　more；　with　him　carrying　Rand　in　the　center　and　the　women　in　a　circle　around　him。
　　　Min　knew　she　was　only　another　pair　of　eyes；　just　like　Caraline　on　the　other　side　of　Cadsuane；　and　she　knew　the　knife　she　carried　unsheathed　was　no　use　against　the　mist…shapes；　but　Padan　Fain　might　still　be　alive　out　there。　She　would　not　miss　again。　Caraline　carried　her　dagger　too；　and　by　the　looks　she　cast　over　her　shoulder　at　Darlin　staggering　uphill　under　Rand's　weight；　maybe　she　also　intended　to　protect　the　Dragon　Reborn。　And　then　again；　maybe　it　was　not　him。　A　woman　could　forgive　any　amount　of　nose　for　that　laugh。
　　　Shapes　still　formed　in　the　mist　and　died　by　fire；　and　once　a　huge　something　tore　a　shrieking　horse　in　two　off　to　their　right　before　any　Aes　Sedai　could　slay　it。　Min　was　quite　noisily　sick　after　that；　and　not　a　bit　ashamed；　people　were　dying；　but　at　least　the　people　had　e　here　by　their　own　choice。　The　meanest　soldier　could　have　run　away　yesterday　had　he　chosen；　but　not　that　horse。　Shapes　formed　and　died；　and　people　died；　screaming　always　in　the　distance；　it　seemed；　though　they　still　stumbled　past　torn　carrion　that　had　been　human　an　hour　gone。　Min　began　to　wonder　whether　they　would　ever　see　daylight　again。
　　　With　shocking　suddenness　and　no　warning；　she　stumbled　into　it；　one　moment　surrounded　by　gray；　the　next　with　the　sun　burning　golden　high　overhead　in　a　blue　sky；　all　so　bright　she　had　to　shade　her　eyes。　And　there；　perhaps　five　miles　across　all　but　treeless　hills；　Cairhien　rose　solid　and　square　on　its　own　prominences。　Somehow；　it　did　not　look　quite　real　anymore。
　　　Staring　back　at　the　edge　of　the　fog；　she　shivered。　It　was　an　edge；　a　billowing　wall；　stretching　though　the　trees　on　this　hilltop；　and　far　too　straight；　with　no　eddies　or　thinning。　Just　clear　air　here；　and　there；　thick　gray。　A　little　more　of　a　tree　right　in　front　of　her　became　visible；　and　she　realized　the　mist　was　creeping　back；　perhaps　being　burned　off　by　the　sun。　But　far　too　slowly　to　make　the　retreat　natural。　The　others　stared　at　it　just　as　hard　as　she；　even　the　Aes　Sedai。
　　　Twenty　paces　off　to　their　left；　a　man　suddenly　scrambled　into　the　clear　air　on　all　fours。　The　front　of　his　head　was　shaved；　and　by　the　battered　black　breastplate　he　wore；　he　was　a　mon　soldier。　Staring　about　wildly；　he　did　not　appear　to　see　them；　and　went　scrambling　on　down　the　hillside；　still　on　hands　and　knees。　Farther　to　the　right；　two　men　and　a　woman　appeared；　all　running。　She　had　stripes　of　color　across　the　front　of　her　dress；　but　how　many　was　hard　to　say　since　she　had　gathered　her　skirts　as　high　as　she　could　to　run　faster；　and　she　matched　the　men　stride　for　stride。　None　of　them　looked　to　either　side；　only　launched　themselves　down　the　hill；　falling；　tumbling　and　ing　back　to　their　feet　running　again。
　　　Caraline　studied　the　slim　blade　of　her　dagger　for　a　moment；　then　thrust　it　hard　into　it　sheath。　〃So　vanishes　my　army；〃　she　sighed。
　　　Darlin；　with　Rand　still　unconscious　across　his　shoulders；　looked　at　her。　〃There　is　an　army　in　Tear；　if　you　call。〃
　　　She　glanced　at　Rand；　hanging　like　a　sack。　〃Perhaps；〃　she　said。　Darlin　turned　his　head　toward　Rand's　face　with　a　troubled　frown。
　　　Cadsuane　was　all　practicality。　〃The　road　lies　that　way；〃　she　said　pointing　west。　〃It　will　be　faster　than　walking　cross…country。　An　easy　stroll。〃
　　　Easy　was　not　what　Min　would　have　called　it。　The　air　seemed　twice　as　hot　after　the　fog's　cold；　sweat　rolled　out　of　her；　and　seemed　to　drain　her　strength。　Her　legs　wobbled。　She　tripped　over　exposed　roots　and　fell　flat　on　her　face。　She　tripped　over　rocks　and　fell。　She　tripped　over　her　own　heeled　boots　and　fell。　Once　her　feet　just　went　out　from　under；　and　she　slid　a　good　forty　paces　down　the　hillside　on　the　seat　of　her　breeches；　arms　flailing　until　she　managed　to　snag　a　sapling。　Caraline　went　sprawling　as　many　times；　and　maybe　more；　dresses　were　not　made　for　this　sort　of　travel；　and　before　long　…　after　a　tumble　head　over　heels　ended　with　her　skirts　around　her　ears　…　she　was　asking　Min　the　name　of　the　seamstress　who　made　her　coat　and　breeches。　Darlin　did　not　fall。　Oh；　he　stumbled　and　tripped　and　skidded　every　bit　as　much　as　they；　but　whenever　he　started　to　fall；　something　seemed　to　catch　him；　to　steady　him　on　his　feet。　In　the　beginning　he　glared　at　the　Aes　Sedai；　all　proud　Tairen　High　Lord　who　would　carry　Rand　out　without　any　help。　Cadsuane　and　the　others　affected　not　to　see。　They　never　fell；　they　simply　walked　along；　chatting　quietly　among　themselves；　and　caught　Darlin　before　he　could。　By　the　time　they　reached　the　road；　he　looked　both　grateful　and　hunted。
　　　Standing　in　the　middle　of　the　broad　road　of　hard…packed　earth；　in　sight　of　the　river；　Cadsuane　flung　up　a　hand　to　stop　the　first　conveyance　that　appeared；　a　rickety　wagon　drawn　by　two　moth…eaten　mules　and　driven　by　a　skinny　farmer　in　a　patched　coat　who　hauled　on　his　reins　with　alacrity。　What　did　the　toothless　fellow　think　he　had　run　into？　Three　ageless　Aes　Sedai；　plete　with　shawls；　who　might　have　stepped　down　from　a　coach　a　moment　before。　A　sweat…soaked　Cairhienin　woman；　of　high　rank　by　the　stripes　on　her　dress；　or　maybe　a　beggar　who　had　clothed　herself　from　a　noblewoman's　rag　closet；　by　the　state　of　that　dress。　An　obvious　Tairen　nobleman；　with　sweat　dripping　from　his　nose　and　pointed　beard　and　carrying　another　man　across　his　shoulders　like　a　sack　of　grain。　And　herself。　Both　knees　out　of　her　breeches；　and　another　tear　in　the　seat　that　her　coat　covered；　thank　the　Light；　though　one　sleeve　hung　by　a　few　th