rj.eyeoftheworld-第107节

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t　went　beyond　worrying　about　his　belly　or　pursuit。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　we　know　about　them；　anyway？〃　Mat　demanded　one　afternoon　while　they　were　mucking　out　stalls　on　a　small　farm。
　　　　　　　〃Light；　Mat；　what　do　they　know　about　us？〃　Rand　sneezed。　They　were　working　stripped　to　the　waist；　and　sweat　and　straw　covered　them　both　liberally；　and　motes　of　straw…dust　hung　in　the　air。　〃What　I　know　is　they'll　give　us　some　roast　lamb　and　a　real　bed　to　sleep　in。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　dug　his　hayfork　into　the　straw　and　manure　and　gave　a　sidelong　frown　at　the　farmer；　ing　from　the　back　of　the　barn　with　a　bucket　in　one　hand　and　his　milking　stool　in　the　other。　A　stooped　old　man　with　skin　like　leather　and　thin；　gray　hair；　the　farmer　slowed　when　he　saw　Mat　looking　at　him；　then　looked　away　quickly　and　hurried　on　out　of　the　barn；　slopping　milk　over　the　rim　of　the　bucket　in　his　haste。
　　　　　　　〃He's　up　to　something；　I　tell　you；〃　Mat　said。　〃See　the　way　he　wouldn't　meet　my　eye？　Why　are　they　so　friendly　to　a　couple　of　wanderers　they　never　laid　eyes　on　before？　Tell　me　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃His　wife　says　we　remind　her　of　their　grandsons。　Will　you　stop　worrying　about　them？　What　we　have　to　worry　about　is　behind　us。　I　hope。〃
　　　　　　　〃He's　up　to　something；〃　Mat　muttered。
　　　　　　　When　they　finished；　they　washed　up　at　the　trough　in　front　of　the　barn；　their　shadows　stretching　long　with　the　sinking　sun。　Rand　toweled　off　with　his　shirt　as　they　walked　to　the　farmhouse。　The　farmer　met　them　at　the　door；　he　leaned　on　a　quarterstaff　in　a　too…casual　manner。　Behind　him　his　wife　clutched　her　apron　and　peered　past　his　shoulder；　chewing　her　lip。　Rand　sighed；　he　did　not　think　he　and　Mat　reminded　them　of　their　grandsons　any　longer。
　　　　　　　〃Our　sons　are　ing　to　visit　tonight；〃　the　old　man　said。　〃All　four　of　them。　I　forgot。　They're　all　four　ing。　Big　lads。　Strong。　Be　here　any　time；　now。　I'm　afraid　we　don't　have　the　bed　we　promised　you。〃
　　　　　　　His　wife　thrust　a　small　bundle　wrapped　in　a　napkin　past　him。　〃Here。　It's　bread；　and　cheese；　and　pickles；　and　lamb。　Enough　for　two　meals；　maybe。　Here。〃　Her　wrinkled　face　asked　them　to　please　take　it　and　go。
　　　　　　　Rand　took　the　bundle。　〃Thank　you。　I　understand。　e　on；　Mat。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　followed　him；　grumbling　while　he　pulled　his　shirt　over　his　head。　Rand　thought　it　best　to　cover　as　many　miles　as　they　could　before　stopping　to　eat。　The　old　farmer　had　a　dog。
　　　　　　　It　could　have　been　worse；　he　thought。　Three　days　earlier；　while　they　were　still　working；　they'd　had　the　dogs　set　on　them。　The　dogs；　and　the　farmer；　and　his　two　sons　waving　cudgels　chased　them　out　to　the　Caemlyn　Road　and　half　a　mile　down　it　before　giving　up。　They　had　barely　had　time　to　snatch　up　their　belongings　and　run。　The　farmer　had　carried　a　bow　with　a　broad…head　arrow　nocked。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　e　back；　hear！〃　he　had　shouted　after　them。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　up　to；　but　don't　let　me　see　your　shifty　eyes　again！〃
　　　　　　　Mat　had　started　to　turn　back；　fumbling　at　his　quiver；　but　Rand　pulled　him　on。　〃Are　you　crazy？〃　Mat　gave　him　a　sullen　look；　but　at　least　he　kept　running。
　　　　　　　Rand　sometimes　wondered　if　it　was　worthwhile　stopping　at　farms。　The　further　they　went；　the　more　suspicious　of　strangers　Mat　became；　and　the　less　he　was　able　to　hide　it。　Or　bothered　to。　The　meals　got　skimpier　for　the　same　work；　and　sometimes　not　even　the　barn　was　offered　as　a　place　to　sleep。　But　then　a　solution　to　all　their　problems　came　to　Rand；　or　so　it　seemed；　and　it　came　at　Grinwell's　farm。
　　　　　　　Master　Grinwell　and　his　wife　had　nine　children；　the　eldest　a　daughter　not　more　than　a　year　younger　than　Rand　and　Mat。　Master　Grinwell　was　a　sturdy　man；　and　with　his　children　he　probably　had　no　need　of　any　more　help；　but　he　looked　them　up　and　down；　taking　in　their　travel…stained　clothes　and　dusty　boots；　and　allowed　as　how　he　could　always　find　work　for　more　hands。　Mistress　Grinwell　said　that　if　they　were　going　to　eat　at　her　table；　they　would　not　do　it　in　those　filthy　things。　She　was　about　to　do　laundry；　and　some　of　her　husband's　old　clothes　would　fit　them　well　enough　for　working。　She　smiled　when　she　said　it；　and　for　a　minute　she　looked　to　Rand　just　like　Mistress　al'Vere；　though　her　hair　was　yellow；　he　had　never　seen　hair　that　color　before。　Even　Mat　seemed　to　lose　some　of　his　tension　when　her　smile　touched　him。　The　eldest　daughter　was　another　matter。
　　　　　　　Dark…haired；　big…eyed；　and　pretty；　Else　grinned　impudently　at　them　whenever　her　parents　were　not　looking。　While　they　worked；　moving　barrels　and　sacks　of　grain　in　the　barn；　she　hung　over　a　stall　door；　humming　to　herself　and　chewing　the　end　of　one　long　pigtail；　watching　them。　Rand　she　watched　especially。　He　tried　to　ignore　her；　but　after　a　few　minutes　he　put　on　the　shirt　Master　Grinwell　had　loaned　him。　It　was　tight　across　the　shoulders　and　too　short；　but　it　was　better　than　nothing。　Else　laughed　out　loud　when　he　tugged　it　on。　He　began　to　think　that　this　time　it　would　not　be　Mat's　fault　when　they　were　chased　off。
　　　　　　　Perrin　would　know　how　to　handle　this；　he　thought。　He'd　make　some　offhand　ment；　and　pretty　soon　she'd　be　laughing　at　his　jokes　instead　of　mooning　around　where　her　father　can　see。　Only　he　could　not　think　of　any　offhand　ment；　or　any　jokes；　either。　Whenever　he　looked　in　her　direction；　she　smiled　at　him　in　a　way　that　would　have　her　father　loosing　the　dogs　on　them　if　he　saw。　Once　she　told　him　she　liked　tall　men。　All　the　boys　on　the　farms　around　there　were　short。　Mat　gave　a　nasty　snicker。　Wishing　he　could　think　of　a　joke；　Rand　tried　to　concentrate　on　his　hayfork。
　　　　　　　The　younger　children；　at　least；　were　a　blessing　in　Rand's　eyes。　Mat's　wariness　always　eased　a　little　when　there　were　children　around。　After　supper　they　all　settled　in　front　of　the　fireplace；　with　Master　Grinwell　in　his　favorite　chair　thumbing　his　pipe　full　of　tabac　and　Mistress　Grinwell　fussing　with　her　sewing　box　and　the　shirts　she　had　washed　for　him　and　Mat。　Mat　dug　out　Thom's　colored　balls　and　began　to　juggle。　He　never　did　that　unless　there　were　children。　The　children　laughed　when　he　pretended　to　be　dropping　the　balls；　snatching　them　at　the　last　minute；　and　they　clapped　for　fountains　and　figure…eights　and　a　six…ball　circle　that　he　really　did　almost　drop。　But　they　took　it　in　good　part；　Master　Grinwell　and　his　wife　applauding　as　hard　as　their　children。　When　Mat　was　done；　bowing　around　the　room　with　as　many　flourishes　as　Thom　might　have　made；　Rand　took　Thom's　flute　from　its　case。
　　　　　　　He　could　never　handle　the　instrument　without　a　pang　of　sadness。　Touching　its　gold…and…silver　scrollwork　was　like　touching　Thom's　memory。　He　never　handled　the　harp　except　to　see　that　it　was　safe　and　dry　…　Thom　had　always　said　the　harp　was　beyond　a　farmboy's　clumsy　hands　…　but　whenever　a　farmer　allowed　them　to　stay；　he　always　played　one　tune　on　the　flute　after　supper。　It　was　just　a　little　something　extra　to　pay　the　farmer；　and　maybe　a　way　of　keeping　Thom's　memory　fresh。
　　　　　　　With　a　laughing　mood　already　set　by　Mat's　juggling；　he　played　〃Three　Girls　in　the　Meadow。〃　Master　and　Mistress　Grinwell　clapped　along；　and　the　smaller　children　danced　around　the　floor；　even　the　smallest　boy；　who　could　barely　walk；　stomping　his　feet　in　time。　He　knew　he　would　win　no　prizes　at　Bel　Tine；　but　after　Thom's　teaching　he　would　not　be　embarrassed　to　enter。
　　　　　　　Else　was　sitting　cross…legged　in　front　of　the　fire；　and　as　he　lowered　the　flute　after　the　last　note；　she　leaned　forward　with　a　long　sigh　and　smiled　at　him。　〃You　play　so　beautifully。　I　never　heard　anything　so　beautiful。〃
　　　　　　　Mistress　Grinwell　suddenly　paused　in　her　sewing　and　raised　an　eyebrow　at　her　daughter；　then　gave　Rand　a　long；　appraising　look。
　　　　　　　He　had　picked　up　the　leather　case　to　put　the　flute　away；　but　under　her　stare　he　dropped　the　case　and　almost　the　flute；　too。　If　she　accused　him　of　trifling　with　her　daughter　。。。　In　desperation　he　put　the　flute　back　to　his　lips　and　played　another　song；　then　another；　and　another。　Mistress　Grinwell　kept　watching　him。　He　played　〃The　Wind　That　Shakes　the　Willow；〃　and　〃ing　Home　From　Tarwin's　Gap；〃　and　〃Mistress　Aynora's　Rooster；〃　and　〃The　Old　Black　Bear。〃　He　played　every　song　he　could　think　of；　but　she　never　took　her　eyes　off　him。　She　never　said　anything；　either；　but　she　watched；　and　weighed。
　　　　　　　It　was　late　when　Master　Grinwell　finally　stood　up；　chuckling　and　rubbing　his　hands　together。　〃Well；　this　has　been　rare　fun；　but　it's　way　past　our　bedtime。　You　traveling　lads　make　your　own　hours；　but　morning　es　early　on　a　farm。　I'll　tell　you　lads；　I　have　paid　good　money　at　an　inn　for　no　better　entertainment　than　I've　had　this　night。　For　worse。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　they　should　have　a　reward；　father；〃　Mistress　Grinwell　said　as　she　picked　up　her　youngest　boy；　who　had　long　since　fallen　asleep　in　front　of　the　fire。　〃The　barn　is　no　fit　place　to　sleep。　They　can　sleep　in　Else's　room　tonight；　and　she　will　sleep　with　me。〃
　　　　　　　Else　grimaced。　She　was　careful　to　keep　her　head　down；　but　Rand　saw　it。　He　thought　her　mother　did；　too。
　　　　　　　Master　Grinwell　nodded。　〃Yes；　yes；　much　better　than　the　barn。　If　you　don't　mind　sleeping　two　to　a　bed；　that　is。〃　Rand　flushed；　Mistress　Grinwell　was　still　looking　at　him。　〃I　do　wish　I　could　hear　more　of　that　flute。　And　your　juggling；　too。　I　like　that。　You　know；　there's　a　little　task　you　could　help　with　tomorrow；　and　…〃
　　　　　　　〃The