rj.acrownofswords-第173部分

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　and　Elayne　made　the　other　women　drab　by　parison　in　their　woolens。
　　　In　any　case；　whether　or　not　she　had　been　calf…eyes　a　moment　before；　she　was　all　herself　now；　shifting　her　braid　around。　〃Join　the　other　men　now；　Lan；〃　she　said　peremptorily；　〃and　we　can　go。　The　last　four　coaches　are　for　the　men。〃
　　　〃As　you　say；〃　Lan　replied；　bowing　with　a　hand　on　his　sword　hilt。
　　　She　watched　him　stride　toward　Mat　with　an　expression　of　wonder；　probably　unable　to　believe　he　was　obeying　so　meekly；　then　gave　herself　a　shake　and　recovered　her　bristly　self　again。　Gathering　up　Elayne　and　the　other　women；　she　herded　them　toward　the　first　two　coaches　like　a　woman　shooing　geese。　By　the　way　she　shouted　for　someone　to　open　the　stableyard　gates；　no　one　would　have　known　she　had　been　the　one　delaying　their　departure。　She　shouted　at　the　drivers；　too；　setting　them　to　snatching　up　their　reins　and　flourishing　their　long　whips；　it　was　a　marvel　they　waited　for　anyone　to　climb　aboard。
　　　Scrambling　awkwardly　after　Lan　and　Nalesean　and　Beslan　into　the　third　coach；　Mat　propped　his　spear　across　the　door　and　sat　down　hard　with　the　basket　on　his　lap　as　the　coach　lurched　forward。　〃Where　did　you　e　from；　Lan？〃　he　burst　out　as　soon　as　introductions　were　out　of　the　way。　〃You're　the　last　man　I　expected　to　see。　Where　have　you　been？　Light；　I　thought　you　were　dead。　I　know　Rand's　afraid　you　are。　And　letting　Nynaeve　order　you　around。　Why　in　the　Light　would　you　do　that？〃
　　　The　stone…faced　Warder　seemed　to　consider　which　question　to　answer。　〃Nynaeve　and　I　were　married　last　night　by　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships；〃　he　said　finally。　〃The　Atha'an　Miere　have　several。。。　unusual。。。　marriage　customs。　There　were　surprises　for　both　of　us。〃　A　small　smile　touched　his　mouth；　if　nothing　else。　He　shrugged　slightly；　seemingly　that　was　all　the　answer　he　intended　to　give。
　　　〃The　blessing　of　the　Light　be　upon　you　and　your　bride；〃　Beslan　murmured　politely　with　as　much　of　a　bow　as　the　confines　of　the　coach　would　allow；　and　Nalesean　mumbled　something；　though　it　was　plain　from　his　expression　that　he　thought　Lan　must　be　mad。　Nalesean　had　had　a　good　bit　of　Nynaeve's　pany。
　　　Mat　just　sat　there　swaying　with　the　coach's　motion　and　staring。　Nynaeve　married？　Lan　married　to　Nynaeve？　The　man　was　mad。　No　wonder　his　eyes　looked　so　bleak。　Mat　would　as　soon　have　stuffed　a　rabid　fox　down　his　own　shirt。　Only　a　fool　married；　and　only　a　madman　would　marry　Nynaeve。
　　　If　Lan　noticed　that　not　everyone　was　overjoyed；　he　gave　no　sign。　Except　for　his　eyes；　he　looked　no　different　than　Mat　remembered。　Maybe　a　little　harder；　if　that　was　possible。　〃There　is　something　more　important；〃　Lan　said。　〃Nynaeve　doesn't　want　you　to　know；　Mat；　but　you　need　to　hear　it。　Your　two　men　are　dead；　killed　by　Moghedien。　I　am　sorry；　but　if　it　is　any　consolation；　they　truly　were　dead　before　they　knew。　Nynaeve　thinks　Moghedien　must　be　gone；　or　she'd　have　tried　again；　but　I　am　not　so　certain。　It　seems　she　has　a　personal　enmity　toward　Nynaeve；　although　Nynaeve　managed　to　avoid　telling　me　why。〃　Again　the　smile；　Lan　seemed　unaware　of　it。　〃Not　all　of　it；　at　least；　and　it　does　not　matter。　Best　you　know　what　might　be　facing　us　beyond　the　river；　though。〃
　　　〃Moghedien；〃　Beslan　breathed；　eyes　shining。　The　man　was　probably　seeing　fun。
　　　〃Moghedien；〃　Nalesean　breathed；　but　in　his　case；　it　was　more　of　a　groan；　and　he　gave　his　pointed　beard　a　fitful　jerk。
　　　〃Those　bloody　flaming　women；〃　Mat　muttered。
　　　〃I　hope　you　don't　include　my　wife；〃　Lan　said　coldly；　one　hand　gripping　the　hilt　of　his　sword；　and　Mat　quickly　raised　his　own　hands。
　　　〃Of　course　not。　Just　Elayne　and。。。　and　the　Kin。〃
　　　After　a　moment；　Lan　nodded；　and　Mat　breathed　a　small　sigh　of　relief。　It　would　be　just　like　Nynaeve　to　get　him　killed　by　her　husband　…　her　husband！　…　when　sure　as　bread　was　brown；　she　would　have　hidden　the　fact　that　one　of　the　Forsaken　might　be　in　the　city。　Even　Moghedien　did　not　really　frighten　him；　not　so　long　as　he　had　the　foxhead　around　his　neck；　but　the　medallion　could　not　protect　Nalesean　or　any　of　the　rest。　No　doubt　Nynaeve　thought　she　and　Elayne　would　do　that。　They　let　him　bring　along　the　Redarms；　all　the　while　laughing　up　their　sleeves　at　him　while　they　…
　　　〃Aren't　you　going　to　read　my　mother's　note；　Mat？〃　Until　Beslan　mentioned　it；　he　had　not　realized　there　was　a　sheet　of　paper；　folded　small；　tucked　in　between　the　basket　and　the　striped　cloth。　Just　enough　showed　to　reveal　the　green　seal　impressed　with　the　Anchor　and　Sword。
　　　He　broke　the　wax　with　his　thumb　and　unfolded　the　page；　holding　it　so　Beslan　could　not　see　what　was　written。　As　well　he　did；　or　then　again；　considering　how　the　other　man　saw　things；　maybe　it　did　not　matter。　Either　way；　Mat　was　just　as　glad　no　eyes　but　his　saw　those　words。　His　heart　sank　deeper　by　the　line。
　　　
　　　Mat；　my　sweet；
　　　I　am　having　your　things　moved　to　my　apartments。　So　much　more　convenient。　By　the　time　you　return；　Riselle　will　be　in　your　old　rooms　to　look　after　young　Olver。　He　seems　to　enjoy　her　pany。
　　　I　have　seamstresses　ing　to　measure　you。　I　will　enjoy　watching　that。　You　must　wear　shorter　coats。　And　new　breeches；　of　course。　You　have　a　delightful　bottom。　Duckling；　who　is　this　Daughter　of　the　Nine　Moons　I　made　you　think　of？　I　have　thought　of　several　delicious　ways　to　make　you　tell　me。
　　　Tylin
　　　
　　　The　others　were　all　looking　at　him　expectantly。　Well；　Lan　was　simply　looking；　but　his　gaze　was　more　unnerving　than　the　rest；　that　stare　seemed　almost。。。　dead。
　　　〃The　Queen　thinks　I　need　new　clothes；〃　Mat　said；　stuffing　the　note　into　his　coat　pocket。　〃I　think　I'll　take　a　nap。〃
　　　He　pulled　the　brim　of　his　hat　down　over　his　eyes；　but　he　did　not　close　them；　staring　out　the　window；　where　the　tied…back　curtain　let　in　occasional　eddies　of　dust。　It　also　let　in　the　wind；　though；　which　was　considerably　better　than　the　heat　of　a　closed　coach。
　　　Moghedien　and　Tylin。　Of　the　two；　he　would　rather　confront　Moghedien。　He　touched　the　foxhead　hanging　in　the　open　neck　of　his　shirt。　At　least　he　had　some　protection　against　Moghedien。　Against　Tylin；　he　had　no　more　than　he　did　against　the　Daughter　of　the　bloody　Nine　Moons；　whoever　she　was。　Unless　he　could　find　some　way　to　make　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　leave　Ebou　Dar　before　tonight；　everybody　was　going　to　know。　Sullenly；　he　tugged　his　hat　lower。　These　flaming　women　really　were　making　him　act　like　a　girl。　In　another　minute；　he　was　afraid；　he　might　just　start　crying。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　38　
（Female　Silhouettes）　
Six　Stories　
　　　
　　　Mat　would　have　gotten　out　and　pulled　the　coach　himself；　if　he　could。　He　thought　they　might　have　moved　faster。　The　streets　were　already　full　with　the　sun　not　all　the　way　up；　wagons　and　carts　wending　their　way　nosily　through　the　crowds　and　windblown　dust　to　shouts　and　curses　both　from　drivers　and　those　forced　to　get　out　of　the　way。　So　many　barges　slid　along　the　canals　on　the　bargemen's　poles　that　a　man　almost　could　have　walked　the　canals　like　streets；　stepping　from　one　barge　to　the　next。　A　noisy　hum　hung　over　the　gleaming　white　city。　Ebou　Dar　seemed　to　be　trying　to　make　up　for　time　lost　yesterday；　not　to　mention　at　High　Chasaline　and　the　Feast　of　Lights；　and　well　it　might；　considering　that　tomorrow　night　was　the　Feast　of　Embers；　with　Maddin's　Day；　celebrating　the　founder　of　Altara；　two　days　after　that；　and　the　Feast　of　the　Half　Moon　the　following　night。　Southerners　had　a　reputation　for　industry；　but　he　thought　it　was　because　they　had　to　work　so　hard　to　make　up　for　all　the　festivals　and　feastdays。　The　wonder　was　that　they　had　the　strength　for　it。
　　　Eventually　the　coaches　did　reach　the　river；　drawing　up　at　one　of　the　long　stone　landings　that　jutted　out　into　the　water；　all　lined　with　steps　for　boarding　the　boats　tied　alongside。　Sticking　a　wedge　of　dark　yellow　cheese　and　a　butt　end　of　bread　into　his　pocket；　he　stuffed　the　basket　well　under　the　seat。　He　was　hungry；　but　someone　in　the　kitchens　had　been　in　too　much　of　a　hurry；　most　of　the　basket　was　filled　by　a　clay　pot　full　of　oysters；　but　the　kitchens　had　forgotten　to　cook　them。
　　　Scrambling　down　behind　Lan；　he　left　Nalesean　and　Beslan　to　help　Vanin　and　the　others　down　from　the　last　coaches。　Nearly　a　dozen　men；　and　not　even　the