rj.eyeoftheworld-第11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！


。　Somehow；　it　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　she　would　reach　marriageable　age　at　the　same　time　that　he　did。
　　　　　　　〃Just　because　someone　is　old　enough　to　marry；〃　he　muttered；　〃doesn't　mean　they　should。　Not　right　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　not。　Or　ever；　for　that　matter。
　　　　　　　Rand　blinked。　〃Ever？〃
　　　　　　　〃A　Wisdom　almost　never　marries。　Nynaeve　has　been　teaching　me；　you　know。　She　says　I　have　a　talent；　that　I　can　learn　to　listen　to　the　wind。　Nynaeve　says　not　all　Wisdoms　can；　even　if　they　say　they　do。〃
　　　　　　　〃Wisdom！〃　he　hooted。　He　failed　to　notice　the　dangerous　glint　in　her　eye。　〃Nynaeve　will　be　Wisdom　here　for　another　fifty　years　at　least。　Probably　more。　Are　you　going　to　spend　the　rest　of　your　life　as　her　apprentice？〃
　　　　　　　〃There　are　other　villages；〃　she　replied　heatedly。　〃Nynaeve　says　the　villages　north　of　the　Taren　always　choose　a　Wisdom　from　away。　They　think　it　stops　her　from　having　favorites　among　the　village　folk。〃
　　　　　　　His　amusement　melted　as　fast　as　it　had　e。　〃Outside　the　Two　Rivers？　I'd　never　see　you　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　you　wouldn't　like　that？　You　have　not　given　any　sign　lately　that　you'd　care　one　way　or　another。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　one　ever　leaves　the　Two　Rivers；〃　he　went　on。　〃Maybe　somebody　from　Taren　Ferry；　but　they're　all　strange　anyway。　Hardly　like　Two　Rivers　folk　at　all。　〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　gave　an　exasperated　sigh。　〃Well；　maybe　I'm　strange；　too。　Maybe　I　want　to　see　some　of　the　places　I　hear　about　in　the　stories。　Have　you　ever　thought　of　that？〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　I　have。　I　daydream　sometimes；　but　I　know　the　difference　between　daydreams　and　what's　real。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　I　do　not？〃　she　said　furiously；　and　promptly　turned　her　back　on　him。
　　　　　　　〃That　wasn't　what　I　meant。　I　was　talking　about　me。　Egwene？〃
　　　　　　　She　jerked　her　cloak　around　her；　a　wall　to　shut　him　off；　and　stiffly　walked　a　few　paces　away。　He　rubbed　his　head　in　frustration。　How　to　explain？　This　was　not　the　first　time　she　had　squeezed　meanings　from　his　words　that　he　never　knew　was　in　them。　In　her　present　mood；　a　misstep　would　only　make　matters　worse；　and　he　was　fairly　sure　that　nearly　anything　he　said　would　be　a　misstep。
　　　　　　　Mat　and　Perrin　came　back　then。　Egwene　ignored　their　ing。　They　looked　at　her　hesitantly；　then　crowded　close　to　Rand。
　　　　　　　〃Moiraine　gave　Perrin　a　coin；　too；〃　Mat　said。　〃Just　like　ours。〃　He　paused　before　adding；　〃And　he　saw　the　rider。〃
　　　　　　　〃Where？〃　Rand　demanded。　〃When？　Did　anybody　else　see　him？　Did　you　tell　anyone？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　raised　broad　hands　in　a　slowing　gesture。　〃One　question　at　a　time。　I　saw　him　on　the　edge　of　the　village；　watching　the　smithy；　just　at　twilight　Yesterday。　Gave　me　the　shivers；　he　did。　I　told　Master　Luhhan；　only　nobody　was　there　when　he　looked。　He　said　I　was　seeing　shadows。　But　he　carried　his　biggest　hammer　around　with　him　while　we　were　banking　the　forge…fire　and　putting　the　tools　up。　He's　never　done　that　before。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　he　believed　you；〃　Rand　said；　but　Perrin　shrugged。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know。　I　asked　him　why　he　was　carrying　the　hammer　if　all　I　saw　was　shadows；　and　he　said　something　about　wolves　getting　bold　enough　to　e　into　the　village。　Maybe　he　thought　that's　what　I　saw；　but　he　ought　to　know　I　can　tell　the　difference　between　a　wolf　and　a　man　on　horseback；　even　at　dusk。　I　know　what　I　saw；　and　nobody　is　going　to　make　me　believe　different。　〃
　　　　　　　〃I　believe　you；〃　Rand　said。　〃Remember；　I　saw　him；　too。〃　Perrin　gave　a　satisfied　grunt；　as　if　he　had　not　been　sure　of　that。
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Egwene　demanded　suddenly。
　　　　　　　Rand　suddenly　wished　he　had　spoken　more　quietly。　He　would　have　if　he　had　realized　she　was　listening。　Mat　and　Perrin；　grinning　like　fools；　fell　all　over　themselves　telling　her　of　their　encounters　with　the　black…cloaked　rider；　but　Rand　kept　silent。　He　was　sure　he　knew　what　she　would　say　when　they　were　done。
　　　　　　　〃Nynaeve　was　right；〃　Egwene　announced　to　the　sky　when　the　two　youths　fell　silent。　〃None　of　you　is　ready　to　be　off　leading　strings。　People　do　ride　horses；　you　know。　That　doesn't　make　them　monsters　out　of　a　gleeman's　tale。〃　Rand　nodded　to　himself；　it　was　just　as　he　had　thought。　She　rounded　on　him。　〃And　you've　been　spreading　these　tales。　Sometimes　you　have　no　sense；　Rand　al'Thor。　The　winter　has　been　frightening　enough　without　you　going　about　scaring　the　children。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　gave　a　sour　grimace。　〃I　haven't　spread　anything；　Egwene。　But　I　saw　what　I　saw；　and　it　was　no　farmer　out　looking　for　a　strayed　cow。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　drew　a　deep　breath　and　opened　her　mouth；　but　whatever　she　had　been　going　to　say　vanished　as　the　door　of　the　inn　opened　and　a　man　with　shaggy　white　hair　came　hurrying　out　as　if　pursued。
　
Chapter　4
The　Gleeman
　
　　　　　　　The　door　of　the　inn　banged　shut　behind　the　white…haired　man；　and　he　spun　around　to　glare　at　it。　Lean；　he　would　have　been　tall　if　not　for　a　stoop　to　his　shoulders；　but　he　moved　in　a　spry　fashion　that　belied　his　apparent　age。　His　cloak　seemed　a　mass　of　patches；　in　odd　shapes　and　sizes；　fluttering　with　every　breath　of　air；　patches　in　a　hundred　colors。　It　was　really　quite　thick；　Rand　saw；　despite　what　Master　al'Vere　had　said；　with　the　patches　merely　sewn　on　like　decorations。
　　　　　　　〃The　gleeman！〃　Egwene　whispered　excitedly。
　　　　　　　The　white…haired　man　whirled；　cloak　flaring。　His　long　coat　had　odd；　baggy　sleeves　and　big　pockets。　Thick　mustaches；　as　snowy　as　the　hair　on　his　head；　quivered　around　his　mouth；　and　his　face　was　gnarled　like　a　tree　that　had　seen　hard　times。　He　gestured　imperiously　at　Rand　and　the　others　with　a　long…stemmed　pipe；　ornately　carved；　that　trailed　a　wisp　of　smoke。　Blue　eyes　peered　out　from　under　bushy　white　brows；　drilling　into　whatever　he　looked　at。
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　at　the　man's　eyes　almost　as　much　as　at　the　rest　of　him。　Everybody　in　the　Two　Rivers　had　dark　eyes；　and　so　did　most　of　the　merchants；　and　their　guards；　and　everyone　else　he　had　ever　seen。　The　Congars　and　the　Coplins　had　made　fun　of　him　for　his　gray　eyes；　until　the　day　he　finally　punched　Ewal　Coplin　in　the　nose；　the　Wisdom　had　surely　gotten　onto　him　for　that。　He　wondered　if　there　was　a　place　where　nobody　had　dark　eyes。　Maybe　Lan　es　from　there；　too。
　　　　　　　〃What　sort　of　place　is　this？〃　the　gleeman　demanded　in　a　deep　voice　that　sounded　in　some　way　larger　than　that　of　an　ordinary　man。　Even　in　the　open　air　it　seemed　to　fill　a　great　room　and　resonate　from　the　walls。　〃The　yokels　in　that　village　on　the　hill　tell　me　I　can　get　here　before　dark；　neglecting　to　say　that　that　was　only　if　I　left　well　before　noon。　When　I　finally　do　arrive；　chilled　to　the　bone　and　ready　for　a　warm　bed；　your　innkeeper　grumbles　about　the　hour　as　if　I　were　a　wandering　swineherd　and　your　Village　Council　hadn't　begged　me　to　display　my　art　at　this　festival　of　yours。　And　he　never　even　told　me　he　was　the　Mayor。〃　He　slowed　for　a　breath；　taking　them　all　in　with　a　glare；　but　he　was　off　again　on　the　instant。　〃When　I　came　downstairs　to　smoke　my　pipe　before　the　fire　and　have　a　mug　of　ale；　every　man　in　the　mon　room　stares　at　me　as　if　I　were　his　least　favorite　brother…in…law　seeking　to　borrow　money。　One　old　grandfather　starts　ranting　at　me　about　the　kind　of　stories　I　should　or　should　not　tell；　then　a　girl…child　shouts　at　me　to　get　out；　and　threatens　me　with　a　great　club　when　I　don't　move　quickly　enough　for　her。　Who　ever　heard　of　treating　a　gleeman　so？〃
　　　　　　　Egwene's　face　was　a　study；　her　goggle…eyed　amaze　at　a　gleeman　in　the　flesh　marred　by　a　desire　to　defend　Nynaeve。
　　　　　　　〃Your　pardon；　Master　Gleeman；〃　Rand　said。　He　knew　he　was　grinning　foolishly；　himself。　〃That　was　our　Wisdom；　and…　〃
　　　　　　　〃That　pretty　little　slip　of　a　girl？〃　the　gleeman　exclaimed。　〃A　village　Wisdom？　Why；　at　her　age　she　should　better　be　flirting　with　the　young　men　than　foretelling　the　weather　and　curing　the　sick。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shifted　unfortably。　He　hoped　Nynaeve　never　overheard　the　man's　opinion。　At　least；　not　until　he　had　done　with　his　performing。　Perrin　winced　at　the　gleeman's　words；　and　Mat　whistled　soundlessly；　as　if　both　had　had　the　same　thought　as　he　had。
　　　　　　　〃The　men　were　the　Village　Council；〃　Rand　went　on。　〃I'm　sure　they　intended　no　discourtesy。　You　see；　we　just　learned　there's　a　war　in　Ghealdan；　and　a　man　claiming　to　be　the　Dragon　Reborn。　A　false　Dragon。　Aes　Sedai　are　riding　there　from　Tar　Valon。　The　Council　is　trying　to　decide　if　we　might　be　in　danger　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Old　news；　even　in　Baerlon；〃　the　gleeman　said　dismissively；　〃and　that　is　the　last　place　in　the　world　to　hear　anything。〃　He　paused；　looking　around　the　village；　and　dryly　added；　〃Almost　the　last　place。〃　Then　his　eyes　fell　on　the　wagon　in　front　of　the　inn；　standing　alone　now；　with　its　shafts　on　the　ground。　〃So。　I　thought　I　recognized　Padan　Fain　in　there。〃　His　voice　was　still　deep；　but　the　resonance　had　gone；　replaced　by　scorn。　〃Fain　was　always　one　to　carry　bad　news　quickly；　and　the　worse；　the　faster。　There's　more　raven　in　him　than　man。〃
　　　　　　　〃Master　Fain　has　e　often　to　Emond's　Field；　Master　Gleeman；〃　Egwene　said；　a　hint　of　disapproval　finally　breaking　through　her　delight。　〃He　is　always　full　of　laughter；　and　he　brings　much　more　good　news　than　bad。〃
　　　　　　　The　gleeman　eyed　her　for　a　moment；　then　smiled　broadly。　〃Now　you're　a　lovely　lass。　You　should　have　rose　buds　in　your　hair。　Unfortunately；　I　cannot　pull　roses　from　the　air；　not　this　year；　but　h