rj.acrownofswords-第53部分

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；　and　turned　his　horse　along　one　of　the　forks。。。　And　she　was　in　another　dream。　And　another。　Another。　And　again。
　　　Not　all　had　any　bearing　on　the　future。　Dreams　of　kissing　Gawyn；　of　running　in　a　cool　spring　meadow　with　her　sisters　the　way　they　had　as　children；　slid　by　along　with　nightmares　where　Aes　Sedai　with　switches　chased　her　through　endless　corridors；　where　misshapen　things　lurched　through　shadows　all　around；　where　a　grinning　Nicola　denounced　her　to　the　Hall　and　Thom　Merrilin　came　forward　to　give　evidence。　Those　she　discarded；　the　others　she　tucked　away；　to　be　prodded　and　poked　later　in　the　hope　she　might　understand　what　they　meant。
　　　She　stood　before　an　immense　wall；　clawing　at　it；　trying　to　tear　it　down　with　her　bare　hands。　It　was　not　made　of　brick　or　stone；　but　countless　thousands　of　discs；　each　half　white　and　half　black；　the　ancient　symbol　of　the　Aes　Sedai；　like　the　seven　seals　that　had　once　held　the　Dark　One's　prison　shut。　Some　of　those　seals　were　broken　now；　though　not　even　the　One　Power　could　break　cuendillar；　and　the　rest　had　weakened　somehow；　but　the　wall　stood　strong　however　she　beat　at　it。　She　could　not　tear　it　down。　Maybe　it　was　the　symbol　that　was　important。　Maybe　it　was　the　Aes　Sedai　she　was　trying　to　tear　down；　the　White　Tower。　Maybe。。。
　　　Mat　sat　on　a　night…shrouded　hilltop；　watching　a　grand　Illuminator's　display　of　fireworks；　and　suddenly　his　hand　shot　up；　seized　one　of　those　bursting　lights　in　the　sky。　Arrows　of　fire　flashed　from　his　clenched　fist；　and　a　sense　of　dread　filled　her。　Men　would　die　because　of　this。　The　world　would　change。　But　the　world　was　changing；　it　always　changed。
　　　Straps　at　waist　and　shoulder　held　her　tightly　to　the　block；　and　the　headsman's　axe　descended；　but　she　knew　that　somewhere　someone　was　running；　and　if　they　ran　fast　enough；　the　axe　would　stop。　If　not。。。　In　that　corner　of　her　mind；　she　felt　a　chill。
　　　Logain；　laughing；　stepped　across　something　on　the　ground　and　mounted　a　black　stone；　when　she　looked　down；　she　thought　it　was　Rand's　body　he　had　stepped　over；　laid　out　on　a　funeral　bier　with　his　hands　crossed　at　his　breast；　but　when　she　touched　his　face；　it　broke　apart　like　a　paper　puppet。
　　　A　golden　hawk　stretched　out　its　wing　and　touched　her；　and　she　and　the　hawk　were　tied　together　somehow；　all　she　knew　was　that　the　hawk　was　female。　A　man　lay　dying　in　a　narrow　bed；　and　it　was　important　he　not　die；　yet　outside　a　funeral　pyre　was　being　built；　and　voices　raised　songs　of　joy　and　sadness。　A　dark　young　man　held　an　object　in　his　hand　that　shone　so　brightly　she　could　not　see　what　it　was。
　　　On　and　on　they　came；　and　she　sorted　feverishly；　desperately　tried　to　understand。　There　was　no　rest　in　it；　but　it　must　be　done。　She　would　do　what　must　be　done。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　11　
（Female　Silhouettes）　
An　Oath　
　　　
　　　〃You　asked　to　be　wakened　before　the　sun；　Mother。〃
　　　Egwene's　eyes　popped　open　…　she　had　set　herself　a　time　to　wake　only　moments　from　now　…　and　despite　herself　she　started　back　against　her　pillow　from　the　face　above　her。　Stern　through　a　sheen　of　perspiration；　it　was　not　a　pleasant　sight　first　thing　in　the　morning。　Meri's　manner　was　perfectly　respectful；　but　a　pinched　nose；　a　permanently　downturned　mouth　and　dark　eyes　sharp　with　censure　said　she　had　never　seen　anyone　half　as　good　as　they　should　be　or　pretended　to　be；　and　her　flat　tone　turned　every　meaning　head　to　heels。
　　　〃I　hope　you　slept　well；　Mother；〃　she　said；　while　her　expression　managed　a　fair　accusation　of　sloth。　Her　black　hair；　in　tight　coils　over　her　ears；　seemed　to　pull　her　face　painfully。　The　unrelieved　drab　dark　gray　she　always　wore；　however　it　made　her　sweat；　only　added　to　the　gloom。
　　　It　was　a　pity　she　had　not　managed　a　little　real　rest。　Yawning；　Egwene　rose　from　her　narrow　cot　and　scrubbed　her　teeth　with　salt；　washed　her　face　and　hands　while　Meri　laid　out　her　clothes　for　the　day；　donned　stockings　and　a　clean　shift；　then　suffered　herself　to　be　dressed。　〃Suffered〃　was　the　word。
　　　〃I　fear　some　of　these　knots　will　pull；　Mother；〃　the　cheerless　woman　murmured；　drawing　the　brush　through　Egwene's　hair；　and　Egwene　very　nearly　told　her　she　had　not　deliberately　tangled　it　in　her　sleep。
　　　〃I　understand　we　will　rest　here　today；　Mother。〃　Bone　idleness；　seethed　Meri's　reflection　in　the　stand…mirror。
　　　〃This　shade　of　blue　will　set　off　your　coloring　nicely；　Mother；〃　Meri　said　as　she　did　up　Egwene's　buttons；　her　face　an　accusation　of　vanity。
　　　Filled　with　relief　that　she　would　have　Chesa　tonight；　Egwene　donned　the　stole　and　fled　almost　before　the　woman　finished。
　　　Not　even　a　rim　of　the　sun　showed　above　the　hills　to　the　east。　The　land　humped　up　all　around　in　long　ridges　and　irregular　mounds；　sometimes　hundreds　of　feet　high；　that　often　looked　as　though　monstrous　fingers　had　squeezed　them。　Shadows　like　twilight　bathed　the　camp　lying　in　one　of　the　broad　valleys　between；　but　it　was　well　awake　in　the　heat　that　never　really　lifted。　Smells　of　breakfast　cooking　filled　the　air；　and　people　bustled　about；　though　there　was　none　of　the　rush　that　would　have　meant　a　day's　marching　ahead。　White…clad　novices　darted　about　at　a　near　run；　a　wise　novice　always　carried　out　her　chores　as　quickly　as　she　could。　Warders　never　seemed　hurried；　of　course；　but　even　servants　carrying　the　morning　meal　to　Aes　Sedai　appeared　to　stroll　this　morning。　Well；　almost。　In　parison　to　the　novices。　The　whole　camp　was　taking　advantage　of　the　halt。　A　clatter　and　curses　as　a　jack…lever　slipped　announced　wagonwrights　making　repairs；　and　a　distant　tapping　of　hammers　told　of　farriers　reshoeing　horses。　A　dozen　candlemakers　had　their　molds　lined　up　already；　and　the　kettles　heating　to　melt　the　carefully　hoarded　drippings　and　tag…ends　of　every　candle　that　had　been　burned。　More　big　black　kettles　stood　on　fires　to　boil　water　for　baths　and　laundry；　and　men　and　women　were　heaping　clothes　up　nearby。　Egwene　gave　little　notice　to　any　of　the　activity。
　　　The　thing　of　it　was；　she　was　certain　Meri　did　not　do　it　apurpose；　she　could　not　help　her　face。　Even　so；　she　was　as　bad　as　it　would　be　to　have　Romanda　for　a　maid。　The　thought　made　her　laugh　out　loud。　Romanda　as　lady's　maid　would　have　her　mistress　toeing　the　line　in　no　time；　no　doubt　as　to　who　would　run　and　fetch　in　that　pair。　A　gray…haired　cook　paused　in　raking　coals　from　atop　an　iron　oven　to　give　her　a　grin　of　shared　amusement。　For　a　moment；　anyway。　Then　he　realized　he　was　grinning　at　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　not　just　some　young　woman　walking　by；　and　the　grin　melted　crookedly　as　he　jerked　a　bow　before　bending　back　to　his　work。
　　　If　she　sent　Meri　off；　Romanda　would　only　find　a　new　spy。　And　Meri　would　again　be　starving　her　way　from　village　to　village。　Adjusting　her　dress　…　she　really　had　gone　before　the　woman　was　quite　finished　…　Egwene's　fingers　found　a　small　linen　bag；　the　strings　tucked　behind　her　belt。　She　did　not　have　to　lift　it　all　the　way　to　her　nose　to　smell　rose　petals　and　a　blend　of　herbs　with　a　cool　scent。　It　made　her　sigh。　A　face　like　a　headsman's；　spying　for　Romanda　without　any　doubt；　and　trying　to　perform　her　duties　as　well　as　she　could。　Why　were　these　things　never　easy？
　　　Approaching　the　tent　she　used　as　a　study　…　many　called　it　the　Amyrlin's　study；　as　if　it　were　rooms　in　the　Tower　…　a　solemn　satisfaction　replaced　worry　over　Meri。　Whenever　they　halted　for　a　day；　Sheriam　would　be　there　before　her　with　fat　sheaves　of　petitions。　A　laundress　imploring　clemency　on　a　charge　of　theft　when　she　had　been　caught　with　the　jewelry　sewn　into　her　dress；　or　a　blacksmith　begging　a　testimonial　for　his　work；　which　he　could　not　use　unless　he　intended　to　leave；　and　likely　not　then。　A　harness　maker　asking　the　Amyrlin's　prayers　for　her　to　give　birth　to　a　daughter。　One　of　Lord　Bryne's　soldiers　requesting　the　Amyrlin's　personal　blessing　to　his　wedding　a　seamstress。　There　was　always　a　slew　from　older　novices；　appealing　visits　to　Tiana　and　even　extra　chores。　Anyone　had　the　right　to　petition　the　Amyrlin；　but　those　in　service　to　the　Tower　seldom　did；　and　never　novices。　Egwene　suspected　that　Sheriam　worked　to　dig　up　petitioners；　something　to　butter　the　cat's　paws；　to　keep　her　out　of　Sheriam's　hair　while　the　Keeper　took　care　of　what　she　considered　important。　This　morning；　Egwene　thought　she　might　make　Sheriam　eat　those　petitions　for　her　breakfast。
　　　When　she　entered　the　tent；　though；　Sheriam　was　not　there。　Which　perhaps　should　not　have　been　a　surprise；　given　the　night　before。　The　tent　was　not　empty；　however。
　　　〃The　Light　illumine　you　this　morning；　Mother；〃　Theodrin　said；　making　a　deep　curtsy　that　set　the　brown　fringe　of　her　shawl　swaying。　She　had　all　the　fabled　Domani　grace；　though　her　high…necked　dress　was　really　quite　modest。　Domani　women　were　not　known　for　modesty。　〃We　did　as　you　manded；　but　no　one　saw　anybody　near　Marigan's　tent　last　night。〃
　　　〃Some　of　the　men　remembered　seeing　Halima；〃　Faolain　added　sourly；　with　a　much　briefer　bend　of　her　knees；　〃but　aside　from　that；　they　hardly　recalled　whether　they　went　to　sleep。〃　Many　women　disapproved　of　Delana's　secretary；　but　it　was　her　next　remark　that　made　Faolain's　round　face　darker　than　usual。　〃We　met　Tiana　while　we　were　roaming　about。　She　told　us　to　go　to　bed　and　be　quick　about　it。〃　Unconsciously　she　stroked　the　blue　fringe