rj.acrownofswords-第54部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　running。　She　had　to　walk　on　sedately；　but　she　wanted　to　run　too。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　10　
（Dream　Ring）　
Unseen　Eyes　
　　　
　　　Selame　was　waiting　when　Egwene　got　back　to　her　tent；　a　rail…thin　woman　with　dark　Tairen　coloring　and　a　nearly　impervious　self…assurance。　Chesa　was　right；　she　did　carry　her　long　nose　raised；　as　though　recoiling　from　a　bad　smell。　Yet　if　her　manner　with　the　other　maids　was　arrogant；　she　was　in　reality　quite　different　around　her　patroness。　As　Egwene　entered；　Selame　folded　herself　into　a　curtsy　so　deep　her　head　nearly　brushed　the　carpet；　skirts　spread　as　wide　as　they　would　go　in　the　cramped　quarters。　Before　Egwene　had　taken　her　second　step　inside；　the　woman　leaped　up；　fussing　over　her　buttons。　And　fussing　over　her；　too。　Selame　had　very　little　sense。
　　　〃Oh；　Mother；　you　went　out　with　your　head　uncovered　again。〃　As　if　she　had　ever　worn　any　of　those　beaded　caps　the　woman　favored；　or　the　embroidered　velvet　things　Meri　favored；　or　Chesa's　plumed　hats。　〃Why；　you're　shivering。　You　should　never　go　walking　out…of…doors　without　a　shawl　and　parasol；　Mother。〃　How　was　a　parasol　supposed　to　stop　shivering？　With　sweat　trickling　down　her　own　cheeks　however　fast　she　dabbed　with　her　handkerchief；　Selame　never　thought　to　ask　why　she　shivered；　which　was　perhaps　just　as　well。　〃And　you　went　alone；　in　the　night。　It　just　isn't　proper；　Mother。　Besides；　there　are　all　those　soldiers；　rough　men；　with　no　decent　respect　for　any　woman；　even　Aes　Sedai。　Mother；　you　simply　mustn't。。。　〃
　　　Egwene　let　the　foolish　words　wash　over　her　in　the　same　way　she　let　the　woman　undress　her；　paying　less　than　half　a　mind。　Ordering　her　to　be　quiet　would　only　produce　so　many　hurt　looks　and　abused　sighs　that　it　made　little　difference。　Except　for　the　brainless　chatter；　Selame　performed　her　duties　diligently；　if　with　so　many　flourishes　they　became　a　dance　of　grand　gestures　and　obsequious　curtsies。　It　seemed　impossible　that　anyone　could　be　as　silly　as　Selame；　always　concerned　with　appearances；　always　worrying　over　what　people　would　think。　To　her；　people　were　Aes　Sedai　and　the　nobility；　and　their　upper　servants。　By　her　book；　no　one　else　mattered；　perhaps　no　one　else　thought；　by　her　book。　It　probably　was　impossible。　Egwene　was　not　about　to　forget　who　had　found　Selame　in　the　first　place；　any　more　than　she　did　who　had　found　Meri。　True；　Chesa　was　a　gift　from　Sheriam；　but　Chesa　had　shown　her　loyalties　to　Egwene　more　than　once。
　　　Egwene　wanted　to　tell　herself　the　tremors　that　the　other　woman　took　for　shivers　were　quivers　of　rage；　yet　she　knew　a　worm　of　fear　writhed　in　her　belly。　She　had　e　too　far；　had　too　much　to　do　yet；　to　allow　Nicola　and　Areina　to　put　a　spoke　through　her　wheels。
　　　As　her　head　popped　through　the　top　of　a　clean　shift；　she　caught　a　bit　of　the　skinny　woman's　prattle　and　stared。　〃Did　you　say　ewe's　milk？〃
　　　〃Oh；　yes；　Mother。　Your　skin　is　so　soft；　and　nothing　will　keep　it　that　way　like　bathing　in　ewe's　milk。〃
　　　Maybe　she　really　was　an　idiot。　Hustling　a　protesting　Selame　out；　Egwene　brushed　her　own　hair；　turned　down　her　own　cot；　placed　the　now　useless　a'dam　bracelet　in　the　small　carved　ivory　box　where　she　kept　her　few　pieces　of　jewelry；　then　extinguished　the　lamps。　All　by　myself；　she　thought　sarcastically　in　the　darkness。　Selame　and　Meri　will　have　conniptions。
　　　Before　retiring；　however；　she　padded　to　the　entrance　and　opened　a　small　gap　in　the　doorflaps。　Outside　was　moonlit　stillness　and　silence；　broken　by　a　night　heron's　cry　that　suddenly　cut　off　in　a　shriek。　There　were　hunters　abroad　in　the　darkness。　After　a　moment　something　moved　in　the　shadows　beside　a　tent　across　the　way。　It　looked　like　a　woman。
　　　Perhaps　idiocy　did　not　disqualify　Selame　any　more　than　dour…faced　gloom　eliminated　Meri。　It　could　be　either　one。　Or　someone　else　entirely。　Even　Nicola　or　Areina；　however　unlikely。　She　let　the　tentflap　fall　shut　with　a　smile。　Whoever　the　watcher　was　would　not　see　where　she　went　tonight。
　　　The　way　the　Wise　Ones　had　taught　her　to　put　herself　to　sleep　was　simple。　Eyes　closed；　feeling　each　part　of　the　body　relax　in　turn；　breathing　in　time　with　her　heartbeat；　mind　unfocused　and　drifting；　all　but　one　tiny　corner；　drifting。　Sleep　swept　over　her　in　moments；　but　it　was　the　sleep　of　a　dreamwalker。
　　　Formless；　she　floated　deep　within　an　ocean　of　stars；　infinite　points　of　light　glimmering　in　an　infinite　sea　of　darkness；　fireflies　beyond　counting　flickering　in　an　endless　night。　Those　were　dreams；　the　dreams　of　everyone　sleeping　anywhere　in　the　world；　maybe　of　everyone　in　all　possible　worlds；　and　this　was　the　gap　between　reality　and　Tel'aran'rhiod；　the　space　separating　the　waking　world　from　the　World　of　Dreams。　Wherever　she　looked　ten　thousand　fireflies　vanished　as　people　woke；　and　ten　thousand　new　were　born　to　replace　them。　A　vast　ever…changing　array　of　sparkling　beauty。
　　　She　did　not　waste　time　in　admiration；　though。　This　place　held　dangers；　some　deadly。　She　was　sure　she　knew　how　to　avoid　those；　but　one　peril　in　this　place　aimed　straight　at　her　if　she　lingered　too　long；　and　being　caught　in　it　would　be　embarrassing　to　say　the　least。　Keeping　a　wary　eye　out　…　well；　it　would　have　been　a　wary　eye　had　she　had　eyes　here　…　she　moved。　She　had　no　sense　of　motion。　It　seemed　she　stood　still　and　that　glittering　ocean　swirled　around　her　until　one　light　settled　before　her。　Every　twinkling　star　looked　exactly　like　every　other；　yet　she　knew　this　was　Nynaeve's　dream。　How　she　knew　was　another　matter；　not　even　the　Wise　Ones　understood　that　recognition。
　　　She　had　considered　trying　to　find　Nicola's　dreams；　and　Areina's。　Once　she　unearthed　them；　she　knew　exactly　how　to　sink　the　fear　of　the　Light　into　their　bones；　and　she　did　not　give　a　fig　that　every　bit　of　it　was　proscribed。　Practicality　sent　her　here　instead；　not　fear　of　the　forbidden。　She　had　done　what　was　not　done　before；　and　she　was　certain　she　would　again　should　it　bee　necessary。　Do　what　you　must；　then　pay　the　price　for　it；　was　what　she　had　been　taught；　by　the　same　women　who　had　marked　off　those　forbidden　areas。　It　was　refusal　to　admit　the　debt；　refusal　to　pay；　that　often　turned　necessity　to　evil。　But　even　if　that　pair　were　asleep；　locating　someone's　dreams　the　first　time　was　arduous　at　best；　without　guarantees。　Days　of　efforts　…　nights　of　it；　rather　…　were　more　likely　to　deliver　nothing。　This　was　at　least　sure。
　　　Slowly　she　moved　closer　through　everlasting　darkness；　though　once　again　it　seemed　that　she　stayed　still　and　the　pinpoint　of　light　grew；　to　a　glowing　pearl；　an　iridescent　apple；　a　full　moon；　until　it　filled　her　vision　entirely　with　brightness；　all　the　world。　She　did　not　touch　it；　though；　not　yet。　A　space　finer　than　a　hair　remained　between。　Ever　so　gently；　she　reached　across　that　gap。　With　what；　lacking　a　body；　was　as　much　a　mystery　as　how　she　knew　one　dream　from　another。　Her　will；　the　Wise　Ones　said；　but　she　still　did　not　understand　how　that　could　be。　As　though　laying　a　finger　to　a　soap　bubble；　she　kept　her　touch　very　delicate　indeed。　The　shining　wall　shimmered　like　spun　glass；　pulsed　like　a　heart；　delicate　and　alive。　A　little　firmer　touch；　and　she　would　be　able　to　〃see〃　inside；　〃see〃　what　Nynaeve　was　dreaming。　A　bit　firmer　still；　and　she　could　actually　step　inside　and　be　a　part　of　the　dream。　That　carried　hazards；　especially　with　anyone　of　a　strong　mind；　but　either　looking　in　or　stepping　in　could　be　mortifying。　For　example；　if　the　dreamer　happened　to　be　dreaming　of　a　man　she　was　particularly　interested　in。　Apologies　alone　took　half　the　night　when　you　did　that。　Or；　with　a　hooking　sort　of　motion；　like　rolling　a　fragile　bead　across　a　tabletop；　she　could　snatch　Nynaeve　out；　into　a　dream　of　her　own　making；　a　part　of　Tel'aran'rhiod　itself；　where　she　was　in　plete　control。　She　was　sure　that　would　work。　Of　course；　that　was　one　of　the　forbidden　things；　and　she　did　not　think　Nynaeve　would　appreciate　it。
　　　NYNAEVE；　THIS　IS　EGWENE。　UNDER　NO　CIRCUMSTANCES　ARE　YOU　TO　RETURN　UNTIL　YOU　FIND　THE　BOWL；　NOT　UNTIL　I　CAN　SETTLE　A　PROBLEM　WITH　AREINA　AND　NICOLA。　THEY　KNOW　YOU　WERE　PRETENDING。　I　WILL　EXPLAIN　MORE　WHEN　I　SEE　YOU　NEXT　IN　THE　LITTLE　TOWER。　BE　CAREFUL。　MOGHEDIEN　HAS　ESCAPED。
　　　The　dream　winked　out；　the　soap　bubble　pricked。　Despite　the　message；　she　would　have　giggle