rj.thepathofdaggers-第27部分

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really。　Watch；　and　you'll　see。　When　it's　time　to　bring　you　into　the　circle；　just　put　yourself　on　the　brink。　That　way；　when　I　embrace　through　you；　I'll　embrace　through　the　angreal　as　well。〃
　　　　　　　Concentration　or　no　concentration；　sweat　began　to　bead　on　Elayne's　forehead。　But　then；　the　heat　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　The　True　Source　beckoned；　it　throbbed；　and　she　throbbed　with　it。　It　demanded。　The　longer　she　hung　just　a　hairsbreadth　from　touching　the　Power；　the　worse　the　desire；　the　need；　would　grow。　Hanging；　she　began　to　tremble　slightly。　Vandene　had　told　her　that　the　longer　you　channeled；　the　worse　that　anticipation　grew。
　　　　　　　〃Watch　with　Aviendha；〃　Nynaeve　told　Talaan。　〃She　knows　how　to　…　〃　She　caught　sight　of　Elayne's　face　and　finished　hurriedly。　〃Watch！〃
　　　　　　　It　was　not　exactly　the　same　as　using　an　angreal；　though　very　close。　It　was　not　meant　to　be　done　hurriedly；　either；　Nynaeve　did　not　have　a　soft　touch；　at　best。　Elayne　felt　as　though　she　were　being　shaken；　nothing　happened　physically；　but　inside　her　head　she　seemed　to　be　bouncing　around；　tumbling　wildly　downhill。　Worse；　she　was　jostled　toward　embracing　saidar　with　excruciating　slowness。　It　took　less　than　a　heartbeat；　and　seemed　to　take　hours；　days。　She　wanted　to　howl；　but　she　could　not　breathe。　Abruptly；　like　a　dam　bursting；　the　One　Power　flowed　through　her；　a　rush　of　life　and　joy；　of　bliss；　and　breath　left　her　in　a　long　gasp　of　pleasure　and　relief　so　overwhelming　that　her　legs　wobbled。　It　was　all　she　could　do　to　keep　from　panting。　Tottering；　pulling　herself　up；　she　gave　Nynaeve　a　stern　look；　and　Nynaeve　shrugged　apologetically。　Twice　in　one　day！　The　sun　had　to　be　turning　green。
　　　　　　　〃I　now　control　the　flow　of　saidar　from　her　as　well　as　my　own；〃　Nynaeve　went　on；　not　quite　meeting　Elayne's　eyes；　〃and　will　until　I　let　her　go。　Now；　don't　fear　that　whoever　leads　the　circle；〃　she　shot　a　frown　at　Caire　and　sniffed；　〃can　make　you　draw　too　much。　This　really　is　a　great　deal　like　an　angreal。　The　angreal　buffers　you　against　the　extra　Power；　and　in　somewhat　the　same　way；　in　a　circle　you　can't　be　made　to　draw　too　much。　In　fact；　in　a　circle　you　can't　draw　quite　as　much　as　you　can　otherwi…〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　dangerous！〃　Renaile　broke　in；　shouldering　roughly　between　Caire　and　Tebreille。　Her　scowl　took　in　Nynaeve；　Elayne；　and　the　sisters　standing　off　from　the　circle　as　well。　〃You　say　that　one　woman　can　simply　seize　another；　hold　her　captive；　use　her？　How　long　have　you　Aes　Sedai　known　this？　I　warn　you；　if　you　try　to　use　it　on　one　of　us　…　〃　It　was　her　turn　to　be　cut　off。
　　　　　　　〃It　doesn't　work　that　way；　Renaile。〃　Sareitha　touched　Garenia；　and　she　and　Kirstian　leaped　apart　to　make　room。　The　young　Brown　eyed　Nynaeve　uncertainly；　then　folded　her　hands　and　took　on　a　lecturing　tone；　as　if　addressing　a　class。　With　it　came　posure；　perhaps　she　did　see　Renaile　as　a　pupil　right　then。　〃The　Tower　studied　this　for　many　years；　long　before　the　Trolloc　Wars。　I　have　read　every　page　that　survives　in　the　Tower　Library　of　those　studies。　It　was　proven　conclusively　that　one　woman　cannot　form　a　link　with　another　against　her　will。　It　simply　cannot　be　done；　nothing　happens。　A　willing　surrender　is　necessary；　just　as　in　embracing　to　saidar　itself。〃　She　sounded　absolutely　definite；　but　Renaile　still　frowned；　too　many　people　knew　how　Aes　Sedai　could　sidestep　the　Oath　against　lying。
　　　　　　　〃And　why　did　they　study　it？〃　Renaile　demanded。　〃Why　was　the　White　Tower　so　interested　in　such　a　thing？　Perhaps　you　Aes　Sedai　still　study？〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　ridiculous。〃　Exasperation　dripped　from　Sareitha's　voice。　〃If　you　must　know；　it　was　the　problem　of　men　who　can　channel　that　drew　them　to　it。　The　Breaking　of　the　World　was　a　living　memory　to　some；　then。　I　don't　suppose　even　very　many　sisters　remember　…　it　hasn't　been　part　of　the　required　instruction　since　before　the　Trolloc　Wars　…　but　men　can　be　brought　into　a　circle；　too；　and　as　the　circle　doesn't　break　even　if　you　go　to　sleep。。。　Well；　you　can　see　the　advantages。　That　was　an　utter　failure；　unfortunately。　More　to　the　point　here；　I　say　again　that　it　is　impossible　to　force　a　woman　into　a　circle。　If　you　doubt；　try　it　yourself。　You　will　see。〃
　　　　　　　Renaile　nodded；　accepting　at　last；　there　was　very　little　else　to　do　when　an　Aes　Sedai　made　a　simple　statement　of　fact。　Yet　Elayne　wondered。　What　was　in　the　pages　that　had　not　survived？　She　had　noticed　a　slight　change　in　Sareitha's　inflection　at　one　point。　She　had　questions。　For　later；　when　there　were　fewer　ears　around。
　　　　　　　When　Renaile　and　Sareitha　withdrew；　Nynaeve　twitched　her　divided　skirts　straight；　plainly　irritated　at　the　interruption；　and　opened　her　mouth　again。
　　　　　　　〃Continue　your　demonstration；　Nynaeve；〃　Caire　manded　harshly。　Her　dark　face　might　have　been　smooth　as　a　frozen　pond；　but　she　was　not　very　pleased；　either。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　mouth　worked　before　she　could　make　any　sound　e　out；　and　when　it　did；　she　went　on　in　a　rush；　as　though　afraid　someone　else　might　break　in。
　　　　　　　The　next　part　of　the　lesson　was　passing　control　of　the　circle。　That　had　to　be　done　voluntarily；　too；　and　even　as　she　reached　out　toward　Nynaeve；　Elayne　held　her　breath　until　she　felt　the　subtle　shift　that　meant　she　now　controlled　the　Power　flowing　into　her。　And　that　flowing　through　Nynaeve；　of　course。　She　had　not　been　sure　it　would　work。　Nynaeve　could　form　a　circle　easily；　if　not　with　any　finesse；　but　passing　guidance　also　involved　a　form　of　surrender；　Nynaeve　had　considerable　difficulties　relinquishing　control　or　being　brought　into　a　circle；　just　as　she　had　once　had　difficulty　surrendering　to　saidar。　Which　was　why　Elayne　kept　the　guidance　for　now。　It　would　have　to　be　passed　to　Caire；　and　Nynaeve　might　not　be　able　to　manage　letting　go　twice。　Those　apologies　must　have　been　much　easier　for　her。
　　　　　　　Elayne　linked　next　with　Aviendha；　so　Talaan　could　actually　see　how　it　was　done　with　an　angreal；　as　much　as　there　was　to　see；　and　it　went　perfectly；　Aviendha　was　a　very　quick　study；　blending　in　easily。　Talaan　was　quick　as　well；　it　turned　out；　adding　her　still　greater　angreal…aided　flow　without　a　hitch。　One　by　one；　Elayne　brought　them　in；　and　she　herself　almost　shivered　at　the　river　of　the　Power　that　streamed　into　her。　No　one　yet　was　drawing　nearly　as　much　as　she　could；　but　it　added　up；　especially　with　angreal　involved。　Elayne's　awareness　climbed　higher　with　each　addition　of　saidar。　She　could　smell　the　heavy　scents　in　the　lacework　gold　boxes　that　the　Windfinders　wore　around　their　necks；　and　separate　one　from　another。　She　could　make　out　each　fold　and　crease　in　everyone's　clothes　as　sharply　as　if　she　had　her　nose　pressed　to　the　cloth；　more　sharply。　She　was　aware　of　the　faintest　movement　of　the　air　against　her　hair　and　skin；　caresses　she　never　would　have　noticed　without　the　Power。
　　　　　　　That　was　not　the　whole　of　her　awareness；　of　course。　The　link　had　a　certain　kinship　to　the　Warder　bond；　just　as　intense　and　somehow　even　more　intimate。　She　knew　that　a　tiny　blister　from　climbing　the　hill　made　a　spot　of　pain　on　Nynaeve's　right　heel；　Nynaeve　always　talked　about　good　stout　shoes；　but　she　had　a　weakness　for　slippers　with　a　great　deal　of　embroidery。　Nynaeve　wore　a　fixed　frown；　directed　at　Caire；　her　arms　were　crossed；　her　fingers　wearing　the　angreal　played　on　the　braid　pulled　over　her　right　shoulder；　every　line　of　her　of　a　piece；　yet　inside　she　was　a　maelstrom　of　emotions。　Fear；　worry；　anticipation；　irritation；　wariness　and　impatience　bounced　over　each　other；　and　washing　through　it　all；　sometimes　submerging　the　rest；　ripples　of　warmth　and　waves　of　heat　that　threatened　to　burst　into　flame。　Those　last　Nynaeve　suppressed　quickly；　especially　the　heat；　but　they　always　returned。　Elayne　almost　thought　she　could　recognize　them；　but　it　was　like　something　glimpsed　from　the　corner　of　your　eye　that　was　gone　when　you　turned　your　head。
　　　　　　　Surprisingly；　Aviendha　felt　fear；　too；　but　small　and　tightly　contained；　and　all　but　swallowed　by　determination。　Garenia　and　Kirstian；　shaking　visibly；　were　nearly　pure　terror；　so　strong　it　was　amazing　that　they　could　even　have　begun　to　embrace　the　Source。　What　filled　Reanne　to　overflowing　was　eagerness；　and　no　matter　her　skirt　smoothing。　As　for　the　Atha'an　Miere。。。　Even　Tebreille　exuded　a　wary　alertness；　and　it　did　not　take　the　quick　darting　of　Metarra's　eyes；　and　Rainyn's；　to　know　the　focus　was　Caire；　watching　them　all；　impatient　and　manding。
　　　　　　　Her；　Elayne　left　to　last；　and　it　was　no　real　surprise　that　she　had　to　make　four　tries　…　four！　…　to　bring　the　woman　into　the　circle。　Caire　was　no　better　at　yielding　than　Nynaeve。　Elayne　desperately　hoped　the　woman　had　been　chosen　for　ability；　not　rank。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　now　pass　the　circle　to　you；〃　she　told　the　Windfinder　when　it　finally　was　done。　〃If　you　recall　what　I　did　with　Ny…　〃　Words　froze　momentarily　in　her　throat　as　guidance　of　the　circle　was　torn　from　her　surrender；　a　sensation　like　having　a　sudden　burst　of　wind　rip　all　of　her　clothes　off　or　yank　the　bones　out　of　her。　She　exhaled　fiercely；　and　if　it　sounded　close　to　spitting；　well；　so　be　it。
　　　　　　　〃Good；〃　Caire　said；　rubbing　her　hands　together。　〃Good。〃　Her　attention　focused　on　the　Bowl；　her　head　twisting　this　way　and　that　as　she　studied　it。　Well；　perhaps　not　all　her　attention。　Reanne　started　to　sit　down；　and　without　looking　up；　Cair