rj.acrownofswords-第177部分
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red； floating in front of her； and without waiting to see whether or not Nynaeve was ing； she gathered her skirts and darted up the stairs。 Vanin dashed after her with a startling turn of speed for his bulk； followed by Reanne and most of the Wise Women。 Round…faced Sumeko and Ieine； tall and dark and pretty despite the lines at the corners of her eyes； hesitated； then remained with Nynaeve。
Mat would have gone； too； if Nynaeve and Lan had not been in his way。 〃Would you let me by； Nynaeve？〃 he asked。 He deserved to be there； at least； when this fabulous bloody Bowl was uncovered。 〃Nynaeve？〃 She was so focused on Lan she seemed to have forgotten anyone else。 Mat exchanged glances with Beslan； who grinned and squatted easily with Corevin and the remaining Redarms。 Nalesean leaned against the wall and yawned ostentatiously。 Which was a mistake with all that dust about； the yawn turned into a coughing fit that darkened his face and doubled him over。
Even that did not distract Nynaeve。 Carefully； she took her hand away from her braid。 〃I am not angry； Lan；〃 she said。
〃Yes； you are；〃 he replied calmly。 〃But he had to be told。〃
〃Nynaeve？〃 Mat said。 〃Lan？〃 Neither one so much as flickered an eye his way。
〃I would have told him when I was ready； Lan Mandragoran！〃 Her mouth clamped shut； but her lips writhed as though she were talking to herself。 〃I will not be angry with you；〃 she went on in a much milder tone； and that sounded addressed to herself as well。 Very deliberately she tossed her braid back over her shoulder； jerked that blue…plumed hat straight； and clasped her hands at her waist。
〃If you say so；〃 Lan said mildly。
Nynaeve quivered。 〃Don't you take that tone with me！〃 she shouted。 〃I tell you； I'm not angry！ Do you hear me？〃
〃Blood and ashes； Nynaeve；〃 Mat growled。 〃He doesn't think you're angry。 I don't think you're angry。〃 A good thing women had taught him to lie with a straight face。 〃Now could we go upstairs and fetch this bloody Bowl of the Winds？〃
〃A marvelous idea；〃 said a woman's voice from the door to the street。 〃Shall we go up together and surprise Elayne？〃 Mat had never seen the two women who walked into the hall before； but their faces were Aes Sedai faces。 The speaker's was long and cold as her voice； her panion's framed by scores of thin dark braids worked with colored beads。 Nearly two dozen men crowded in behind them； bulky fellows with heavy shoulders； clubs and knives in hand。 Mat shifted his grip on the ashandarei； he knew trouble when he saw it； and the foxhead on his chest was cool； almost cold against his skin。 Somebody was holding the One Power。
The two Wise Women nearly fell over dropping curtsies as soon as they saw those ageless features； but Nynaeve certainly knew trouble； too。 Her mouth worked soundlessly as the pair came down the hallway； her face all consternation and self…recrimination。 Behind him； Mat heard a sword leaving its scabbard； but he was not about to look back to see whose。 Lan just stood there； which meant of course that he looked like a leopard ready to pounce。
〃They're Black Ajah；〃 Nynaeve said at last。 Her voice started faint and gained strength； as she went on。 〃Falion Bhoda and Ispan Shefar。 They mitted murder in the Tower； and worse since。 They're Darkfriends； and。。。 〃 Her voice faltered for an instant； 〃。。。 they have me shielded。〃
The newers continued to advance serenely。 〃Have you ever heard such nonsense； Ispan？〃 the long…faced Aes Sedai asked her panion； who stopped grimacing at the dust long enough to smirk at Nynaeve。 〃Ispan and I e from the White Tower； while Nynaeve and her friends are rebels against the Amyrlin Seat。 They'll be punished severely for that； and so will anyone who helps them。〃 With a shock； Mat realized the woman did not know； she thought that he and Lan and the others were just hired strongarms。 Falion directed a smile at Nynaeve； it made a blizzard warm by parison。 〃There's someone who will be overjoyed to see you when we take you back； Nynaeve。 She thinks you are dead。 Better the rest of you go now。 You don't want to meddle in Aes Sedai affairs。 My men will see you to the river。〃 Without taking her eyes from Nynaeve； Falion motioned for the men behind her to e forward。
Lan moved。 He did not draw his sword； and against Aes Sedai he should have had no chance if he had； no chance in any case； but one moment he was standing still and the next he had thrown himself at the pair。 Just before he struck； he grunted as though hit hard； but he crashed into them； carrying both Black sisters to the dusty floor。 That opened the sluicegates wide。
Lan pushed himself to hands and knees； shaking his head groggily； and one of the bulky fellows raised an iron…strapped club to smash his skull。 Mat stabbed the fellow in the belly with his spear as Beslan and Nalesean and the five Redarms rushed to meet the Darkfriends' shouting charge。 Lan staggered to his feet； sword sweeping out to open a Darkfriend from crotch to neck。 There was not much room to work sword or ashandarei in the corridor； but the tight quarters were what allowed them to face odds of two to one or worse without being overe in the first moment。 Grunting men struggled with them face…to…face； elbowing each other for room to stab or swing a club at them。
Small spaces remained clear around the Black sisters； and around Nynaeve； they saw to that themselves。 A wiry Andoran Redarm almost bumped into Falion； but at the last instant he jerked into the air and flew across the hallway； knocking down two of the heavy…shouldered Darkfriends in his flight before smacking into the wall and sliding down； the back of his head leaving a bloody smear on the cracked； dusty plaster。 A bald headed Darkfriend squeezed through the line of defenders and rushed at Nynaeve with out…stretched knife； he yelled as his feet were suddenly jerked back from him； a yell that cut off when his face hit the floor so hard that his head bounced。
Obviously Nynaeve was no longer shielded； and if the chilly silver foxhead sliding around Mat's chest as he fought was not enough indication that she and the Black sisters were in some sort of struggle； the way they glared at her and she at them； ignoring the battle around them； shouted the fact。 The two Wise Women looked on in horror； they had their curved knives in their fists； but they huddled against the wall； staring from Nynaeve to the other two with eyes wide and mouths hanging open。
〃Fight；〃 Nynaeve snapped at them。 She turned her head just a fraction； so she could see them as well as Falion and Ispan。 〃I cannot do it alone； they're linked。 If you don't fight them； they will kill you。 You know about them； now！〃 The Wise Women gaped at her as though she had suggested spitting in the Queen's face。 In the midst of shouts and grants； Ispan laughed melodiously。 In the midst of shouts and grants； a shrill scream echoed down the stairs。
Nynaeve's head swung that way。 Suddenly she staggered； and her head swung back like a wounded badger's； with a scowl that should have made Falion and Ispan leave right then if they had any sense。 Nynaeve spared an agonized glance for Mat； though。 〃There was channeling upstairs；〃 she said through her teeth。 〃There's trouble。〃
Mat hesitated。 More likely； Elayne had seen a rat。 More likely。。。 He managed to knock aside a dagger thrust at his ribs； but there was no room to stab back with the ashandarei or use the haft like a quarterstaff。 Beslan stabbed past him and took his attacker through the heart。
〃Please； Mat；〃 Nynaeve said tightly。 She never begged。 She would cut her own throat first。 〃Please。〃
With a curse； Mat pulled himself out of the fight and dashed up the steep； narrow stairs； taking all six flights in the dark stairwell at a dead ran。 There was not a single window to give light。 If it was just a rat； he was going to shake Elayne till her teeth。。。 He burst out onto the top floor； not much brighter than the stairwell with only one window at the street end； burst into a scene from nightmare。
Women lay sprawled everywhere。 Elayne was one； half on her back against the wall； eyes closed。 Vanin crouched on his knees； blood st
