rj.acrownofswords-第84部分

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nt　inside　curtsied；　apparently　saying　something；　and　immediately　turned　to　lead　her　deeper。　She　was　known。　He　would　have　wagered　everything　on　it
　　　For　a　while　after　the　doors　closed；　he　stood　there　studying　the　palace。　Not　the　richest　in　the　city　by　far；　but　only　a　noble　would　dare　build　its　like。　〃But　who　in　the　Pit　of　Doom　lives　there？〃　he　muttered　finally；　plucking　off　his　hat　to　fan　himself。　Not　her；　not　when　she　had　to　walk。　A　few　questions　in　the　taverns　along　the　street　would　tell　him。　And　word　of　his　queries　would　seep　to　the　palace；　sure　as　dirt　soiled　your　hands。
　　　Someone　said；　〃Carridin。〃　It　was　a　scrawny；　white…haired　fellow　lounging　nearby　in　the　shade。　Mat　looked　at　him　questioningly；　and　he　grinned；　showing　gaps　in　his　teeth。　His　stooped　shoulders　and　sad　weathered　face　did　not　fit　his　fine　gray　coat。　Despite　a　bit　of　lace　at　his　neck；　he　was　the　very　picture　of　hard　times。　〃You　asked　who　lived　there。　The　Chelsaine　Palace　is　let　to　Jaichim　Carridin。〃
　　　Mat's　hat　paused。　〃You　mean　the　Whitecloak　ambassador？〃
　　　〃Aye。　And　Inquisitor　of　the　Hand　of　the　Light。〃　The　old　man　tapped　a　gnarled　finger　against　the　side　of　his　beak　of　a　nose。　Both　looked　to　have　been　broken　several　times。　〃Not　a　man　to　bother　unless　you　must；　and　then　I'd　think　three　times。〃
　　　Unconsciously　Mat　hummed　a　bit　of　〃Storm　from　the　Mountains。〃　Not　a　man　to　bother　indeed。　Questioners　were　the　nastiest　of　the　Whitecloaks。　A　Whitecloak　Inquisitor　who　had　a　Darkfriend　e　to　call。
　　　〃Thank　you　…　〃　Mat　gave　a　start。　The　fellow　was　gone；　swallowed　up　in　the　crowd。　Strange；　but　he　had　looked　familiar。　Maybe　another　long…dead　acquaintance　drifting　out　of　those　old　memories。　Maybe。。。　It　hit　him　like　an　Illuminator's　nightflower　exploding　inside　his　head。　A　white…haired　man　with　a　hooked　nose。　That　old　man　had　been　at　the　Silver　Circuit；　standing　not　far　from　the　woman　who　had　just　gone　into　Carridin's　rented　palace。　Turning　his　hat　in　his　hands；　he　frowned　uneasily　at　the　palace。　The　Mire　never　held　a　bog　like　this　one。　He　could　feel　the　dice　tumbling　in　his　head　suddenly；　and　that　was　always　a　bad　sign。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　15　
（Snakey　Square）　
Insects　
　　　
　　　Carridin　did　not　look　up　immediately　from　the　letter　he　was　writing　when　the　Lady　Shiaine；　as　she　called　herself；　was　shown　in。　Three　ants　struggled　futilely　in　the　wet　ink；　trapped。　Everything　else　might　be　dying；　but　ants　and　cockroaches　and　every　sort　of　vermin　seemed　to　thrive。　Carefully　he　pressed　the　blotter　down。　He　was　not　about　to　begin　again　for　a　few　ants。　A　failure　to　send　this　report；　or　a　report　of　failure；　might　doom　him　as　surely　as　those　mired　insects；　yet　it　was　fear　of　a　different　failure　that　tightened　his　guts。
　　　He　had　no　worry　of　Shiaine　reading　what　he　wrote。　It　was　in　a　cipher　known　to　only　two　men　beside　himself。　So　many　bands　of　〃Dragonsworn〃　at　work；　each　stiffened　by　a　core　of　his　most　trusted　men；　so　many　more　who　might　be　bandits　or　even　truly　sworn　to　that　filth；　al'Thor。　Pedron　Niall　might　not　like　that　last；　but　his　mand　had　been　to　plunge　Altara　and　Murandy　into　blood　and　chaos　from　which　only　Niall　and　the　Children　of　the　Light　could　rescue　them；　a　madness　clearly　to　be　laid　at　the　feet　of　this　so…called　Dragon　Reborn；　and　that　he　had　done。　Fear　held　both　countries　by　the　throat。　Tales　that　the　witches　marched　across　the　same　country　were　an　added　reward。　Tar　Valon　witches　and　Dragonsworn；　Aes　Sedai　carrying　off　young　women　and　setting　up　false　Dragons；　villages　in　flames　and　men　nailed　to　the　doors　of　their　barns　…　it　was　all　one　in　half　the　street　rumors；　now。　Niall　would　be　pleased。　And　send　more　orders。　How　he　expected　Carridin　to　snatch　Elayne　Trakand　out　of　the　Tarasin　Palace　was　beyond　reason。
　　　Another　ant　skittered　across　the　ivory…inlaid　table　onto　the　page；　and　his　thumb　stabbed　down；　destroying　it。　And　smearing　a　word　to　illegibility。　The　entire　report　would　need　to　be　redone。　He　wanted　a　drink　very　badly。　There　was　brandy　in　a　crystal　flask　on　the　table　by　the　door；　but　he　did　not　want　the　woman　to　see　him　drinking。　Suppressing　a　sigh；　he　shoved　the　letter　aside　and　pulled　a　kerchief　from　his　sleeve　to　wipe　his　hand。　〃So；　Shiaine；　do　you　finally　have　progress　to　report？　Or　have　you　just　e　for　more　money？〃
　　　She　smiled　at　him　lazily　from　a　tall　carved　armchair。　〃There　are　expenses　associated　with　a　search；〃　she　said　in　almost　the　accents　of　an　Andoran　noble。　〃Especially　when　we　want　no　questions　asked。〃
　　　Most　people　would　have　been　unsettled　by　the　sight　of　Jaichim　Carridin；　even　cleaning　a　pen　nib；　with　his　steely　face　and　deep…set　eyes；　the　white　tabard　over　his　coat　bearing　the　golden　sunburst　of　the　Children　of　the　Light　impressed　upon　the　crimson　shepherd's　crook　of　the　Hand。　Not　Mili　Skane。　That　was　her　real　name；　though　she　did　not　know　he　knew。　A　saddler's　daughter　from　a　village　near　Whitebridge；　she　had　gone　to　the　White　Tower　at　fifteen；　another　thing　she　thought　secret。　It　was　hardly　the　best　start；　being　a　Friend　of　the　Dark　because　the　witches　told　her　she　could　not　learn　to　channel；　but　before　that　year　was　out　she　had　not　only　found　a　circle　in　Caemlyn　but　made　her　first　kill。　In　the　seven　years　since；　she　had　added　nineteen　more。　She　was　one　of　the　best　assassins　available；　and　a　hunter　who　could　find　anyone　or　anything。　That　much　he　had　been　told　when　she　was　sent　to　him。　A　circle　reported　to　her　now。　Several　of　them　actually　were　nobles　and　almost　all　were　older；　but　neither　thing　mattered　among　those　who　served　the　Great　Lord。　Another　circle　working　for　Carridin　was　led　by　a　gnarled　beggar　with　one　eye；　no　teeth　and　a　habit　of　bathing　only　once　in　the　year。　Had　circumstances　been　different；　Carridin　himself　would　have　knelt　to　Old　Cully；　the　only　name　the　stinking　villain　admitted　to。　Mili　Skane　surely　groveled　for　Old　Cully；　and　so　did　every　last　panion　of　her　circle；　noble　or　not。　It　irritated　Carridin　that　〃Lady　Shiaine〃　would　be　on　her　knees　in　a　flash　if　the　straggly…haired　old　beggar　entered　the　room；　but　for　him　sat　with　her　legs　crossed；　smiling　and　twitching　her　slippered　foot　as　if　impatient　to　be　done。　She　had　been　ordered　to　obey　him　absolutely；　by　one　even　Old　Cully　would　grovel　for；　and　besides；　he　had　a　desperate　need　of　success。　Niall's　schemes　could　go　to　dust；　but　not　this。
　　　〃Many　things　can　be　excused；〃　he　said；　laying　the　pen　on　its　ivory　stand　and　shoving　back　his　chair；　〃for　those　who　acplish　the　tasks　they　are　given。〃　He　was　a　tall　man；　and　he　loomed　threateningly。　He　was　well　aware　that　the　gilt…framed　mirrors　on　the　wall　showed　a　figure　of　strength；　a　dangerous　man。　〃Even　dresses　and　baubles　and　gambling；　paid　for　with　coin　that　was　to　go　for　information。〃　That　twitching　foot　froze　for　instant；　then　began　again；　but　her　smile　was　forced；　her　face　pale。　Her　circle　obeyed　her　instantly；　but　they　would　string　her　up　by　the　heels　and　skin　her　alive　if　he　spoke　the　word。　〃You　have　not　acplished　very　much；　have　you？　In　fact；　you　do　not　seem　to　have　acplished　anything。〃
　　　〃There　are　difficulties；　as　you　well　know；〃　she　said　breathily。　She　managed　to　meet　his　eyes　squarely；　though。
　　　〃Excuses。　Tell　me　of　difficulties　surmounted；　not　those　you　stumble　over　and　fall。　You　can　fall　a　long　way　if　you　fail　in　this。〃　Turning　his　back；　he　strode　to　the　nearest　window。　He　could　fall　a　long　way；　too；　and　he　did　not　want　to　risk　her　seeing　anything　in　his　eyes。　Sunlight　slanted　through　the　ornate　stone　screen。　The　high…ceilinged　room；　with　its　green…and…white…tiled　floor　and　bright　blue　walls；　stayed　paratively　cool　behind　the　thick　walls　of　the　palace；　but　the　heat　outside　seeped　in　near　the　windows。　He　could　almost　feel　the　brandy　across　the　room。　He　could　not　wait　for　her　to　be　gone。
　　　〃My　Lord　Carridin；　how　can　I　have　anyone　ask　too　openly　about　objects　of　the　Power？　That　will　cause　questions；　and　there　are　Aes　Sedai　in　the　city；　you　will　recall。〃
　　　Peering　down　at　the　street　through　the　scroll…carvings；　he　wrinkled　his　nose　at　the　smell。　Every　sort　was　jammed　together　down　there。　An　Arafellin　with　his　hair　in　two　long　braids　and　a　curved　sword　on　his　back　tossed　a　coin　to　a　one…armed　beggar；　who　scowled　at　the　gift　before　tucking　it　under