rj.eyeoftheworld-第105节

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！


　then。〃　The　thumb　rose。　〃You　know　Trollocs；　and　Myrddraal。　This　far　south；　only　a　few　scholars　and　those　who　have　traveled　in　the　Borderlands　believe　they　are　anything　but　stories。　Perhaps　you　have　been　to　the　Borderlands？　If　so；　tell　me　where？　I　have　traveled　a　good　deal　in　the　Borderlands；　I　know　them　well。　No？　Ah；　well；　then。〃　He　looked　at　his　spread　hand；　then　dropped　it　hard　on　the　table。　The　grandfatherly　expression　said　the　grandchildren　had　been　up　to　some　very　serious　mischief　indeed。　〃Why　do　you　not　tell　me　the　truth　of　how　you　came　to　be　running　in　the　night　with　wolves？〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　opened　her　mouth；　but　Perrin　saw　the　stubborn　set　of　her　jaw　and　knew　right　away　she　was　going　to　tell　one　of　the　stories　they　had　worked　out。　That　would　not　do。　Not　now；　not　here。　His　head　ached；　and　he　wished　he　had　time　to　think　it　out；　but　there　was　no　time。　Who　could　tell　where　this　Bornhald　had　traveled；　with　what　lands　and　cities　he　was　familiar？　If　he　caught　them　in　a　lie；　there　would　be　no　going　back　to　the　truth。　Bornhald　would　be　convinced　they　were　Darkfriends；　then。
　　　　　　　〃We're　from　the　Two　Rivers；〃　he　said　quickly。
　　　　　　　Egwene　stared　at　him　openly　before　she　caught　herself；　but　he　pressed　on　with　the　truth　…　or　a　version　of　it。　The　two　of　them　had　left　the　Two　Rivers　to　see　Caemlyn。　On　the　way　they　had　heard　of　the　ruins　of　a　great　city；　but　when　they　found　Shadar　Logoth；　there　were　Trollocs　there。　The　two　of　them　managed　to　escape　across　the　River　Arinelle；　but　by　that　time　they　were　pletely　lost。　Then　they　fell　in　with　a　man　who　offered　to　guide　them　to　Caemlyn。　He　had　said　his　name　was　none　of　their　business；　and　he　hardly　seemed　friendly；　but　they　needed　a　guide。　The　first　either　of　them　had　seen　of　wolves　had　been　after　the　Children　of　the　Light　appeared。　All　they　had　been　trying　to　do　was　hide　so　they　would　not　get　eaten　by　wolves　or　killed　by　the　men　on　horses。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　If　we'd　known　you　were　Children　of　the　Light；〃　he　finished；　〃we'd　have　gone　to　you　for　help。〃
　　　　　　　Byar　snorted　with　disbelief。　Perrin　did　not　care　overmuch；　if　the　Lord　Captain　was　convinced；　Byar　could　not　harm　them。　It　was　plain　that　Byar　would　stop　breathing　if　Lord　Captain　Bornhald　told　him　to。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　no　Warder　in　that；〃　the　gray…haired　man　said　after　a　moment。
　　　　　　　Perrin's　invention　failed　him；　he　knew　he　should　have　taken　time　to　think　it　out。　Egwene　leaped　into　the　breach。　〃We　met　him　in　Baerlon。　The　city　was　crowded　with　men　who　had　e　down　from　the　mines　after　the　winter；　and　we　were　put　at　the　same　table　in　an　inn。　We　only　talked　to　him　for　the　length　of　a　meal。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　breathed　again。　Thank　you；　Egwene。
　　　　　　　〃Give　them　back　their　belongings；　Child　Byar。　Not　the　weapons；　of　course。〃　When　Byar　looked　at　him　in　surprise；　Bornhald　added；　〃Or　are　you　one　of　those　who　have　taken　to　looting　the　unenlightened；　Child　Byar？　It　is　a　bad　business；　that；　yes？　No　man　can　be　a　thief　and　walk　in　the　Light。〃　Byar　seemed　to　struggle　with　disbelief　at　the　suggestion。
　　　　　　　〃Then　you're　letting　us　go？〃　Egwene　sounded　surprised。　Perrin　lifted　his　head　to　stare　at　the　Lord　Captain。
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　not；　child；〃　Bornhald　said　sadly。　〃You　may　be　telling　the　truth　about　being　from　the　Two　Rivers；　since　you　know　about　Baerlon；　and　the　mines。　But　Shadar　Logoth　。。。　？　That　is　a　name　very；　very　few　know；　most　of　them　Darkfriends；　and　anyone　who　knows　enough　to　know　the　name；　knows　enough　not　to　go　there。　I　suggest　you　think　of　a　better　story　on　the　journey　to　Amador。　You　will　have　time；　since　we　must　pause　in　Caemlyn。　Preferably　the　truth；　child。　There　is　freedom　in　truth　and　the　Light。　〃
　　　　　　　Byar　forgot　some　of　his　diffidence　toward　the　gray…haired　man。　He　spun　from　the　prisoners；　and　there　was　an　outraged　snap　to　his　words。　〃You　can't！　It　is　not　allowed！〃　Bornhald　raised　one　eyebrow　quizzically；　and　Byar　pulled　himself　up　short；　swallowing。　〃Forgive　me；　my　Lord　Captain。　I　forgot　myself；　and　I　humbly　beg　pardon　and　submit　myself　for　penance；　but　as　my　Lord　Captain　himself　has　pointed　out；　we　must　reach　Caemlyn　in　time；　and　with　most　of　our　remounts　gone；　we　will　be　hard　pressed　enough　without　carrying　prisoners　along。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　what　would　you　suggest？〃　Bornhald　asked　calmly。
　　　　　　　〃The　penalty　for　Darkfriends　is　death。〃　The　flat　voice　made　it　all　the　more　jarring。　He　might　have　been　suggesting　stepping　on　a　bug。　〃There　is　no　truce　with　the　Shadow。　There　is　no　mercy　for　Darkfriends。〃
　　　　　　　〃Zeal　is　to　be　applauded；　Child　Byar；　but；　as　I　must　often　tell　my　son；　Dain；　overzealousness　can　be　a　grievous　fault。　Remember　that　the　Tenets　also　say；　'No　man　is　so　lost　that　he　cannot　be　brought　to　the　Light。'　These　two　are　young。　They　cannot　yet　be　deep　in　the　Shadow。　They　can　yet　be　led　to　the　Light；　if　they　will　only　allow　the　Shadow　to　be　lifted　from　their　eyes。　We　must　give　them　that　chance。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Perrin　almost　felt　affection　for　the　grandfatherly　man　who　stood　between　them　and　Byar。　Then　Bornhald　turned　his　grandfather's　smile　on　Egwene。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　refuse　to　e　to　the　Light　by　the　time　we　reach　Amador；　I　will　be　forced　to　turn　you　over　to　the　Questioners；　and　beside　them　Byar's　zeal　is　but　a　candle　beside　the　sun。〃　The　gray…haired　man　sounded　like　a　man　who　regretted　what　he　must　do；　but　who　had　no　intention　of　ever　doing　anything　but　his　duty　as　he　saw　it。　〃Repent；　renounce　the　Dark　One；　e　to　the　Light；　confess　your　sins　and　tell　what　you　know　of　this　vileness　with　wolves；　and　you　will　be　spared　that。　You　will　walk　free；　in　the　Light。〃　His　gaze　centered　on　Perrin；　and　he　sighed　sadly。　Ice　filled　Perrin's　spine。　〃But　you；　just　Perrin　from　the　Two　Rivers。　You　killed　two　of　the　Children。〃　He　touched　the　axe　that　Byar　still　held。　〃For　you；　I　fear；　a　gibbet　waits　in　Amador。〃

Chapter　31
Play　for　Your　Supper
　
　　　　　　　Rand　narrowed　his　eyes；　watching　the　dust…tail　that　rose　ahead；　three　or　four　bends　of　the　road　away。　Mat　was　already　headed　toward　the　wild　hedgerow　alongside　the　roadway。　Its　evergreen　leaves　and　densely　intermeshed　branches　would　hide　them　as　well　as　a　stone　wall；　if　they　could　find　a　way　through　to　the　other　side。　The　other　side　of　the　road　was　marked　by　the　sparse　brown　skeletons　of　head…high　bushes；　and　beyond　was　an　open　field　for　half　a　mile　to　the　woods。　It　might　have　been　part　of　a　farm　not　too　long　abandoned；　but　it　offered　no　quick　hiding　place。　He　tried　to　judge　the　speed　of　the　dust…tail；　and　the　wind。
　　　　　　　A　sudden　gust　swirled　road　dust　up　around　him；　obscuring　everything。　He　blinked　and　adjusted　the　plain；　dark　scarf　across　his　nose　and　mouth。　None　too　clean　now；　it　made　his　face　itch；　but　it　kept　him　from　inhaling　dust　with　every　breath。　A　farmer　had　given　it　to　him；　a　long…faced　man　with　grooves　in　his　cheeks　from　worry。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　running　from；〃　he　had　said　with　an　anxious　frown；　〃and　I　don't　want　to。　You　understand？　My　family。〃　Abruptly　the　farmer　had　dug　two　long　scarves　out　of　his　coat　pocket　and　pushed　the　tangle　of　wool　at　them。　〃It's　not　much；　but　here。　Belong　to　my　boys。　They　have　others。　You　don't　know　me；　understand？　It's　hard　times。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　treasured　the　scarf。　The　list　of　kindnesses　he　had　made　in　his　mind　in　the　days　since　Whitebridge　was　a　short　one；　and　he　did　not　believe　it　would　get　much　longer。
　　　　　　　Mat；　all　but　his　eyes　hidden　by　the　scarf　wrapped　around　his　head；　hunted　swiftly　along　the　tall　hedgerow；　pulling　at　the　leafy　branches。　Rand　touched　the　heron…marked　hilt　at　his　belt；　but　let　his　hand　fall　away。　Once　already；　cutting　a　hole　through　a　hedge　had　almost　given　them　away。　The　dust…tail　was　moving　toward　them；　and　staying　together　too　long。　Not　the　wind。　At　least　it　was　not　raining。　Rain　settled　the　dust。　No　matter　how　hard　it　fell；　it　never　turned　the　hard…packed　road　to　mud；　but　when　it　rained　there　was　no　dust。　Dust　was　the　only　warning　they　had　before　whoever　it　was　came　close　enough　to　hear。　Sometimes　that　was　too　late。
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　Mat　called　softly。　He　seemed　to　step　right　through　the　hedge。
　　　　　　　Rand　hurried　to　the　spot。　Someone　had　cut　a　hole　there；　once。　It　was　partly　grown　over；　and　from　three　feet　away　it　looked　as　solid　as　the　rest；　but　close　up　there　was　only　a　thin　screen　of　branches。　As　he　pushed　through；　he　heard　horses　ing。　Not　the　wind。
　　　　　　　He　crouched　behind　the　barely　covered　opening；　clutching　the　hilt　of　his　sword　as　the　horsemen　rode　by。　Five　。。。　six　。。。　seven　of　them。　Plainly　dressed　men；　but　swords　and　spears　said　they　were　not　villagers。　Some　wore　leather　tunics　with　metal　studs；　and　two　had　round　steel　caps。　Merchants'　guards；　perhaps；　between　hirings。　Perhaps。
　　　　　　　One　of　them　casually　swung　his　eyes　toward　the　hedge　as　he　went　by　the　opening；　and　Rand　bared　an　inch　of　his　sword。　Mat　snarled　silently　like　a　cornered　badger；　squinting　above　his　scarf。　His　hand　was　under　his　coat；　he　always　clutched　the　dagger　from　Shadar　Logoth　when　there　was　danger。　Rand　was　no　longer　sure　if　it　was　to　protect　himself　or　to　protect　the　ruby…hilted　dagger。　Of　late　Mat　seemed　to　forget　he　had　a　bow；　sometimes。
　　　　　　　The　riders　passed　at　a　slow　trot；　going　somewhere　with　a　purpose　but　not　too　great　a　haste。　Dust　sifted　through　the　hedge。
　　　　　　　Rand　waited　until　the　clop　of　the　hooves　faded　be