rj.acrownofswords-第183部分

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　　　The　old　gleeman　knuckled　his　mustaches　and　coughed　in　a　failed　effort　to　stifle　a　sudden　wide　grin。　Juilin　snatched　off　that　ridiculous　Taraboner　hat　and　became　engrossed　in　studying　the　inside　of　it。
　　　〃Blood　and　flaming　…！〃　Mat　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃I　hope　you　two　spared　a　moment　for　your　own　belongings；〃　he　said　levelly；　〃because　as　soon　as　I　grab　Olver；　we're　on　our　way；　even　if　we　happen　to　leave　a　moldy　harp　or　a　rusty　sword…breaker　behind。〃　Juilin　tugged　at　the　corner　of　his　eye　with　one　finger；　whatever　that　was　supposed　to　mean；　but　Thom　actually　frowned。　Insults　to　Thom's　flute　or　his　harp　were　insults　to　himself。
　　　〃My　Lord；〃　Lopin　said　mournfully。　He　was　a　dark；　balding　man；　rounder　than　Sumeko；　and　his　black　Tairen　moner's　coat；　tight　to　the　waist　then　flaring；　like　Juilin's；　fit　very　tightly　indeed。　Normally　almost　as　solemn　as　Nerim；　now　he　had　reddened　eyes；　as　though　he　had　been　weeping。　〃My　Lord；　is　there　any　chance　I　might　remain　to　see　Lord　Nalesean　buried？　He　was　a　good　master。〃
　　　Mat　hated　saying　no。　〃Anybody　left　behind　might　be　left　for　a　long　time；　Lopin；〃　he　said　gently。　〃Listen；　I'll　need　someone　to　help　look　after　Olver。　Nerim　has　his　hands　full　with　me。　For　that　matter；　Nerim　will　go　back　to　Talmanes；　you　know。　If　you'd　like；　I　will　take　you　on　myself。〃　He　had　grown　used　to　having　a　manservant；　and　these　were　hard　times　for　a　man　hunting　work。
　　　〃I　would　like　that　very　much；　my　Lord；〃　the　fellow　said　lugubriously。　〃Young　Olver　reminds　me　much　of　my　youngest　sister's　son。〃
　　　Only；　when　they　entered　Mat's　former　rooms；　the　Lady　Riselle　was　there；　much　more　decently　clothed　than　when　he　had　last　seen　her；　and　quite　alone。
　　　〃Why　should　I　have　kept　him　tied　to　me？〃　she　said；　that　truly　marvelous　bosom　heaving　with　emotion　as　she　planted　her　fists　on　her　hips。　The　Queen's　duckling；　it　seemed；　was　not　supposed　to　take　a　snappish　tone　with　the　Queen's　attendants。　〃Clip　a　boy's　wings　too　far；　and　he　will　never　grow　to　a　proper　man。　He　read　his　pages　aloud　sitting　on　my　knee　…　he　might　have　read　all　day；　had　I　allowed　it　…　and　did　his　numbers；　so　I　let　him　go。　Why　are　you　in　such　a　bother？　He　promised　to　return　by　sunset；　and　he　seems　to　set　a　great　store　by　his　promises。〃
　　　Propping　the　ashandarei　in　its　old　corner；　Mat　told　the　other　men　to　drop　their　burdens　and　go　find　Vanin　and　the　remaining　Redarms。　Then　he　left　Riselle's　spectacular　bosom　and　ran　all　the　way　to　the　rooms　Nynaeve　and　the　other　women　shared。　They　were　all　there；　in　the　sitting　room；　and　so　was　Lan；　with　his　Warder's　cloak　already　draped　down　his　back　and　saddlebags　on　his　shoulders。　His　saddlebags　and　Nynaeve's；　it　seemed。　A　good　many　bundles　of　dresses　and　not…so…small　chests　stood　about　the　floor。　Mat　wondered　if　they　would　make　Lan　carry　those；　too。
　　　〃Of　course　you　have　to　go　find　him；　Mat　Cauthon；〃　Nynaeve　said。　〃Do　you　think　we　would　just　abandon　the　child？〃　To　hear　her；　you　would　have　thought　that　was　exactly　what　he　had　intended。
　　　Suddenly　he　was　deluged　with　offers　of　help；　not　just　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　proposing　to　put　off　going　to　the　farm；　but　Lan　and　Birgitte　and　Aviendha　offering　to　join　the　search。　Lan　was　stone　cold　about　it；　grim　as　ever；　but　Birgitte　and　Aviendha。。。
　　　〃My　heart　would　break　if　anything　happened　to　that　boy；〃　Birgitte　said；　and　Aviendha　added；　just　as　warmly；　〃I　have　always　said　you　do　not　care　for　him　properly。〃
　　　Mat　ground　his　teeth。　In　the　streets　of　the　city；　Olver　might　well　elude　eight　men　until　he　appeared　back　at　the　palace　at　sunset。　He　did　keep　his　promises；　but　small　chance　he　would　give　up　one　moment　of　freedom　he　did　not　have　to。　More　eyes　would　mean　a　quicker　search；　especially　if　all　of　the　Wise　Women　were　brought　into　it。　For　the　space　of　three　heartbeats　he　hesitated。　He　had　his　own　promises　to　keep；　though　he　was　wise　enough　not　to　put　it　that　way。
　　　〃The　Bowl　is　too　important；〃　he　told　them。　〃That　gholam　is　still　out　there；　and　maybe　Moghedien；　and　the　Black　Ajah　for　sure。〃　The　dice　thundered　in　his　head。　Aviendha　would　not　appreciate　being　lumped　in　with　Nynaeve　and　Elayne；　but　he　did　not　care　right　then。　He　addressed　Lan　and　Birgitte。　〃Keep　them　safe　until　I　can　reach　you。　Keep　all　of　them　safe。〃
　　　Startlingly；　Aviendha　said；　〃We　will。　I　promise。〃　She　fingered　the　hilt　of　her　knife。　Apparently　she　did　not　understand　she　was　one　of　those　to　be　kept　safe。
　　　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　did。　Nynaeve's　sudden　glare　tried　to　bore　a　hole　through　his　skull；　he　expected　her　to　yank　on　her　braid；　but　strangely；　her　hand　only　fluttered　toward　it　before　being　put　firmly　to　her　side。　Elayne　contented　herself　with　raising　her　chin；　those　big　blue　eyes　frosty。　No　dimple　here。
　　　Lan　and　Birgitte　understood；　too。
　　　〃Nynaeve　is　my　life；〃　Lan　said　simply；　putting　a　hand　on　her　shoulder。　The　odd　thing　was；　she　suddenly　looked　very　sad；　and　then　just　as　suddenly；　her　jaw　set　as　though　she　was　preparing　to　walk　through　a　stone　wall　and　make　a　large　hole。
　　　Birgitte　gave　Elayne　a　fond　look；　but　it　was　to　Mat　she　spoke。　〃I　will；〃　she　said。　〃Honor's　truth。〃
　　　Mat　tugged　at　his　coat　unfortably。　He　still　was　not　sure　how　much　he　had　told　her　while　drunk。　Light；　but　the　woman　could　soak　it　up　like　dry　sand。　Even　so；　he　gave　the　proper　response　for　a　Barashandan　lord；　accepting　her　pledge。　〃The　honor　of　blood；　the　truth　of　blood。〃　Birgitte　nodded；　and　from　the　startled　looks　he　received　from　Nynaeve　and　Elayne；　she　still　kept　his　secrets　close。　Light；　if　any　Aes　Sedai　ever　found　out　about　those　memories；　they　might　as　well　know　he　had　blown　the　Horn　as　well；　foxhead　or　no　foxhead；　they　would　stretch　him　out　till　they　dug　out　every　last　why　and　how。
　　　As　he　was　turning　to　go；　Nynaeve　caught　his　sleeve。　〃Remember　the　storm；　Mat。　It's　going　to　break　soon；　I　know　it。　You　take　care　of　yourself；　Mat　Cauthon。　Do　you　hear　me？　Tylin　has　directions　for　the　farm；　when　you　get　back　with　Olver。〃
　　　Nodding；　he　made　his　escape；　the　dice　in　his　head　like　echoes　of　his　running　boots。　Was　it　during　the　search　that　he　was　supposed　to　take　care　of　himself；　or　while　getting　the　directions　from　Tylin？　Nynaeve　and　her　Listening　to　the　Wind。　Did　she　think　a　little　rain　was　going　to　melt　him？　e　to　think；　once　they　used　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　it　would　rain　again。　It　seemed　years　since　rain　last　fell。　Something　tugged　at　his　thoughts；　something　about　the　weather；　and　Elayne；　which　made　no　sense；　but　he　shrugged　it　off。　One　thing　at　a　time；　and　the　one　thing　right　now　was　Olver。
　　　The　men　were　all　waiting　in　the　Redarms'　long　room　near　the　stables；　everyone　on　their　feet　except　Vanin；　who　lay　sprawled　on　one　of　the　beds　with　his　fingers　laced　over　his　belly。　Vanin　said　a　man　had　to　take　rest　when　he　could。　He　swung　his　boots　over　and　sat　up　when　Mat　entered；　though。　He　cared　about　Olver　as　much　as　any　of　the　others；　Mat　was　just　afraid　the　man　was　going　to　start　teaching　him　how　to　steal　horses　and　poach　pheasants。　Seven　sets　of　eyes　focused　on　Mat　intently。
　　　〃Riselle　said　Olver's　wearing　his　red　coat；〃　he　told　them。　〃He　gives　them　away；　sometimes；　but　any　urchin　you　see　in　a　good　red　coat　probably　knows　where　Olver　last　was。　Everybody　goes　in　a　different　direction。　Make　loops　out　from　the　Mol　Hara；　and　try　to　be　back　after　about　an　hour。　Wait　till　everybody　is　back　before　you　go　out　again。　That　way；　if　somebody　finds　him；　the　rest　of　us　won't　still　be　looking　tomorrow。　Does　everybody　understand？〃　They　nodded。
　　　Sometimes　it　amazed　him。　Lanky　Thom　with　his　white　hair　and　mustaches；　who　had　been　a　Queen's　lover　once；　and　more　willingly　than　himself；　not　to　mention　more　than　a　lover；　if　you　believed　half　he　said。　Square…jawed　Harnan　with　that　tattoo　on　his　cheek　and　more　elsewhere；　who　had　been　a　soldier　all　his　life。　Juilin　with　his　bamboo　staff　and　his　sword…breaker　on　his　hip；　who　thought　himself　as　good　as　any　lord　even　if　the　idea　of　carrying　a　sword　himself　still　made　him　uneasy；　and　fat　Vanin；　who　made　Juilin　look　a　bootlicker　by　parison。　Skinny　Fergin；　and　Gorderan；　nearly　as　wide　in　the　shoulders　as　Perrin；　and　Metwyn；　whose　pale　Cairhienin　face　still　looked　like　a　boy's　despite　being　years　older　than　Mat。　Some　of　them　followed　M