rj.acrownofswords-第31部分

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　The　rest　of　the　column　remained　hidden　behind　the　rise；　and　the　banners　were　down　there；　too；　but　men　sitting　their　horses　on　a　ridge　with　Maidens　for　pany　would　indeed　attract　curiosity。　〃I　will　do　this　my　way。〃　His　voice　rose　in　anger；　and　he　smelled　of　cold　fury。　〃Nobody　dies　unless　it　can't　be　avoided；　Dashiva。　I've　had　a　bellyful　of　death。　Do　you　understand　me？　Nobody！〃
　　　〃As　my　Lord　Dragon　mands。〃　The　fellow　inclined　his　head；　but　he　sounded　sour；　and　he　smelled。。。
　　　Perrin　rubbed　his　nose。　The　smell。。。　skittered；　dodging　wildly　through　fear　and　hate　and　anger　and　a　dozen　more　emotions　almost　too　quickly　to　make　out。　He　no　longer　doubted　the　man　was　mad；　however　good　a　face　the　fellow　put　on。　Perrin　no　longer　really　cared；　either。　This　close。。。
　　　Digging　his　heels　into　Stepper's　flanks；　he　started　for　the　city　and　Faile；　not　waiting　for　the　rest；　barely　noticing　Aram　close　behind。　He　did　not　have　to　see　Aram　to　know　he　would　be　there。　All　he　could　think　of　was　Faile。　If　he　got　Swallow　safely　into　the　city。。。　He　made　himself　keep　Stepper　at　no　more　than　a　quick　walk。　A　galloping　rider　drew　eyes；　and　questions；　and　delays。
　　　At　that　pace；　the　others　caught　up　with　Aram　and　him　fast　enough；　those　who　were　ing。　Min　had　gotten　her　way；　it　seemed；　and　so　had　Loial。　The　Maidens　fanned　out　ahead；　some　giving　Perrin　sympathetic　looks　as　they　trotted　by。　Chiad　studied　the　ground　until　she　was　beyond　him。
　　　〃I　still　don't　like　this　plan；〃　Havien　muttered　on　one　side　of　Rand。　〃Forgive　me；　my　Lord　Dragon；　but　I　do　not。〃
　　　Dobraine；　on　Rand's　other　side；　grunted。　〃We　have　been　over　that；　Mayener。　If　we　did　as　you　want；　they　would　close　the　gates　on　us　before　we　covered　a　mile。〃　Havien　growled　something　under　his　breath　and　danced　his　horse　a　few　paces。　He　had　wanted　every　man　to　follow　Rand　into　the　city。
　　　Perrin　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　past　the　Asha'man。　Damer　Flinn；　recognizable　by　his　coat；　and　a　few　of　the　Two　Rivers　men　were　visible　on　the　ridge；　standing　and　holding　their　horses。　Perrin　sighed。　He　would　not　have　minded　haying　the　Two　Rivers　men　along。　But　Rand　was　probably　right；　and　Dobraine　had　backed　him　up。
　　　A　few　men　could　enter　where　a　small　army　could　not。　If　the　gates　were　shut；　the　Aiel　would　have　to　besiege　the　city；　if　they　still　would；　and　then　the　killing　began　anew。　Rand　had　stuffed　the　Dragon　Scepter　into　one　of　the　geldings'　saddlebags　so　just　the　carved　butt　stuck　out；　and　that　plain　coat　looked　like　nothing　the　Dragon　Reborn　would　wear。　For　the　Asha'man；　nobody　in　the　city　had　any　idea　what　a　black　coat　meant。　A　few　men　were　easier　to　kill　than　a　small　army；　too；　even　if　most　of　them　could　channel。　Perrin　had　seen　an　Asha'man　take　a　Shaido　spear　through　his　belly；　and　the　man　had　died　no　harder　than　any　other。
　　　Dashiva　grumbled　under　his　breath；　Perrin　caught　〃hero〃　and　〃fool〃　in　equally　disparaging　tones。　Without　Faile；　he　might　have　agreed。　Once　Rand　peered　toward　the　Aiel　encampment　sprawled　over　the　hills　two　or　three　miles　east　of　the　city；　and　Perrin　held　his　breath；　but　whatever　thoughts　Rand　had；　he　kept　on　the　road。　Nothing　mattered　more　than　Faile。　Nothing；　whether　or　not　Rand　saw　it　so。
　　　A　good　half…mile　short　of　the　gates；　they　rode　into　another　camp；　one　that　made　Perrin　frown。　It　was　big　enough　for　a　city　itself；　a　thick　band　of　ramshackle　brush　huts　and　rickety　tents　made　from　scraps；　on　burned…over　ground；　clinging　to　the　high　gray　walls　as　far　as　he　could　see。　This　had　been　called　Foregate　once；　warren　of　twisting　streets　and　alleys；　before　the　Shaido　burned　it。　Some　of　the　people　stared　in　silence　as　the　strange　party　passed；　at　an　Ogier；　and　Aiel　Maidens；　but　most　scuttled　about　their　business　with　wary；　sullen　faces　and　a　care　to　notice　nothing　that　was　not　right　in　front　of　them。　The　bright　colors　and　often　tattered　cast…off　finery　worn　by　Foregaters　mingled　with　the　somber　garb　more　usual　for　Cairhienin；　the　plain　dark　clothes　of　villagers　and　farmers。　The　Foregaters　had　been　in　the　city　when　Perrin　left；　along　with　thousands　of　refugees　from　deeper　inside　the　country。　Many　of　those　faces　bore　bruises　and　worse；　cuts　and　slashes；　often　unbandaged。　Colavaere　must　have　put　them　out。　They　would　not　have　left　the　shelter　of　the　walls　on　their　own；　Foregaters　and　refugees　alike　feared　the　return　of　the　Shaido　the　way　a　man　who　had　been　seared　to　the　bone　feared　hot　iron。
　　　The　road　ran　straight　through　the　camp　to　the　Jangai　Gates；　three　tall　square　arches　flanked　by　towers。　Helmeted　men　lounged　up　on　the　battlements；　peering　down　through　the　gaps　in　the　stone　teeth。　Some　stared　off　toward　the　men　on　the　hilltop；　and　here　and　there　an　officer　with　a　con　held　a　looking　glass　to　his　eye。　Rand's　small　party　drew　inquiring　glances。　Men　ahorseback　and　Aiel　Maidens；　not　mon　panions。　Crossbows　showed　atop　the　serrated　wall；　but　no　one　raised　a　weapon。　The　iron…bound　gates　stood　open。　Perrin　held　his　breath。　He　wanted　very　much　to　gallop　for　the　Sun　Palace　and　Faile。
　　　Just　inside　the　gates　sat　a　squat　stone　guardhouse；　where　strangers　to　the　city　were　supposed　to　register　before　entering。　A　square…faced　Cairhienin　officer　watched　them　pass　with　a　disgruntled　frown；　eyeing　the　Maidens　uneasily。　He　just　stood　there；　watching。
　　　〃As　I　told　you；〃　Dobraine　said　once　they　were　by　the　guardhouse。　〃Colavaere　gave　free　access　to　the　city　for　Coronation　Festival。　Not　even　someone　under　order　of　arrest　can　be　denied　or　detained。　It　is　tradition。〃　He　sounded　relieved；　though。　Min　sighed　audibly；　and　Loial　let　out　a　breath　that　could　have　been　heard　two　streets　over。　Perrin's　chest　was　still　too　tight　for　sighing。　Swallow　was　inside　Cairhien。　Now；　if　he　could　only　get　her　to　the　Royal　Palace。
　　　Up　close；　Cairhien　carried　out　what　it　had　promised　from　afar。　The　highest　of　the　hills　lay　inside　the　walls；　but　terraced　and　faced　with　stone　till　they　no　longer　seemed　hills　at　all。　Broad；　crowded　streets　met　at　right　angles。　In　this　city；　even　the　alleys　made　a　grid。　The　streets　rose　and　fell　reluctantly　with　the　hills；　often　simply　cutting　through。　From　shops　to　palaces；　the　buildings　were　all　stark　squares　and　severe　rectangles；　even　the　great　buttressed　towers；　each　wrapped　in　scaffolding　on　a　hilltop；　the　once…fabled　topless　towers　of　Cairhien；　still　being　rebuilt　after　burning　in　the　Aiel　War。　The　city　seemed　harder　than　stone；　a　bruising　place；　and　shadows　stretching　across　everything　heightened　the　effect。　Loial's　tufted　ears　twitched　almost　without　stopping；　a　worried　frown　creased　his　forehead；　and　his　dangling　eyebrows　brushed　his　cheek。
　　　There　were　few　signs　of　Coronation　Festival；　or　High　Chasaline。　Perrin　had　no　notion　what　the　Festival　might　entail；　but　in　the　Two　Rivers；　the　Day　of　Reflection　was　a　time　of　merriment　and　forgetting　the　bleakness　of　winter。　Here；　a　near　hush　hung　in　the　air；　despite　the　number　of　people。　Anywhere　else；　Perrin　might　have　thought　it　the　unnatural　heat　dragging　people's　spirits　down；　but　except　for　Foregaters；　Cairhienin　were　a　sober；　austere　lot。　On　the　surface；　at　least；　what　lay　underneath；　he　would　as　soon　not　think　about。　The　hawkers　and　cart…peddlers　he　remembered　were　gone　from　the　streets；　the　musicians　and　tumblers　and　puppet　shows。　Those　people　would　be　in　the　ragtag　camp　outside　the　walls。　A　few　closed；　dark…painted　sedan　chairs　threaded　through　the　quiet　throngs；　some　with　House　banners　a　little　larger　than　con　standing　stiffly　above。　They　moved　as　slowly　as　the　ox…carts　with　goad…wielding　drivers　walking　alongside；　axles　squealing　in　the　stillness。　Outlanders　stood　out；　no　matter　how　little　color　they　wore；　because　few　except　outlanders　rode。　The　almost　inevitably　shorter　natives　looked　like　pale…faced　crows　in　their　dark　garb。　Aiel　stood　out　too；　of　course。　Whether　one　alone　or　ten　together；　they　walked　in　clearings　through　the　crowds；　eyes　darted　away　and　space　just　opened　up　around　them　wherever　they　went。
　　　Aiel　faces　turned　toward　the　party　as　it　made　its　slow　way　through　the　crowds。　Even　if　not　all　recognized　Rand　in　his　green　coat；　they　knew　who　a　tall　wetlander　escorted　by　Maidens　must　be。　Those　faces　sent　a　chill　down　Perrin's　spine：　considering。　They　made　him　thankful　Rand　h