rj.eyeoftheworld-第111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！


　　　　　　　〃After　us；〃　Mat　said　when　he　finished。　The　creases　in　Mat's　forehead　deepened。　
　　　　　　　〃A　Darkfriend？〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe。　I　don't　know。〃　Rand　glanced　at　Jak　and　the　big　man　stretched　elaborately；　shrugging　shoulders　as　big　as　any　blacksmith's。　〃Do　you　think　we　can　get　past　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　without　him　making　enough　noise　to　bring　Hake　and　the　other　one。　I　knew　we　should　never　have　stopped　here。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　gaped；　but　before　he　could　say　anything　Hake　pushed　through　the　door　from　the　mon　room。　Strom　bulked　large　over　his　shoulder。　Jak　stepped　in　front　of　the　back　door。　〃You　going　to　eat　all　night？〃　Hake　barked。　〃I　didn't　feed　you　so　you　could　lie　around　out　here。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　looked　at　his　friend。　Later；　Mat　mouthed；　and　they　gathered　their　things　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　Hake；　Strom；　and　Jak。
　　　　　　　In　the　mon　room；　cries　for　juggling　and　the　names　of　tunes　burst　through　the　clamor　as　soon　as　Rand　and　Mat　appeared。　The　man　in　the　velvet　cloak　…　Howal　Gode　…　still　appeared　to　ignore　everyone　around　him；　but　he　was　nonetheless　seated　on　the　edge　of　his　chair。　At　the　sight　of　them　he　leaned　back；　the　satisfied　smile　returning　to　his　lips。
　　　　　　　Rand　took　the　first　turn　at　the　front　of　the　dais；　playing　〃Drawing　Water　From　the　Well〃　with　only　half　his　mind　on　it。　No　one　seemed　to　notice　the　few　wrong　notes。　He　tried　to　think　of　how　they　were　going　to　get　away；　and　tried　to　avoid　looking　at　Gode；　too。　If　he　was　after　them；　there　was　no　point　in　letting　him　know　they　knew　it。　As　for　getting　away。。。
　　　　　　　He　had　never　realized　before　what　a　good　trap　an　inn　made。　Hake；　Jak；　and　Strom　did　not　even　have　to　keep　a　close　eye　on　them；　the　crowd　would　let　them　know　if　he　or　Mat　left　the　dais。　As　long　as　the　mon　room　was　full　of　people；　Hake　could　not　send　Jak　and　Strom　after　them；　but　as　long　as　the　mon　room　was　full　of　people　they　could　not　get　away　without　Hake　knowing。　And　Gode　was　watching　their　every　move；　too。　It　was　so　funny　he　would　have　laughed　if　he　had　not　been　on　the　point　of　throwing　up。　They　would　just　have　to　be　wary　and　wait　their　chance。
　　　　　　　When　he　changed　places　with　Mat；　Rand　groaned　to　himself。　Mat　glared　at　Hake；　at　Strom；　at　Jak；　without　a　care　to　whether　they　noticed　or　wondered　why。　When　he　was　not　actually　handling　the　balls；　his　hand　rested　under　his　coat。　Rand　hissed　at　him；　but　he　paid　no　attention。　If　Hake　saw　that　ruby；　he　might　not　wait　until　they　were　alone。　If　the　men　in　the　mon　room　saw　it；　half　of　them　might　join　in　with　Hake。
　　　　　　　Worst　of　all；　Mat　stared　at　the　Whitebridge　merchant　…　the　Darkfriend？　…　twice　as　hard　as　at　anyone　else；　and　Gode　noticed。　There　was　no　way　he　could　avoid　noticing。　But　it　did　not　disturb　his　aplomb　is　the　least。　His　smile　deepened；　if　anything；　and　he　nodded　to　Mat　as　if　to　an　old　acquaintance；　then　looked　at　Rand　and　raised　a　questioning　eyebrow。　Rand　did　not　want　to　know　what　the　question　was。　He　tried　to　avoid　looking　at　the　man；　but　he　knew　it　was　too　late　for　that。　Too　late。　Too　late　again。
　　　　　　　Only　one　thing　seemed　to　shake　the　velvet…cloaked　man's　equilibrium。　Rand's　sword。　He　had　left　it　on。　Two　or　three　men　staggered　up　to　ask　if　he　thought　his　playing　was　so　bad　that　he　needed　protection；　but　none　of　them　had　noticed　the　heron　on　the　hilt。　Gode　noticed。　His　pale　hands　clenched；　and　he　frowned　at　the　sword　for　a　long　time　before　his　smile　came　back。　When　it　did；　it　was　not　as　sure　as　before。
　　　　　　　One　good　thing；　at　least；　Rand　thought。　If　he　believes　I　can　live　up　to　the　heron…mark；　maybe　he'll　leave　us　alone。　Then　all　we　have　to　worry　about　is　Hake　and　his　bullies。　It　was　hardly　a　forting　thought；　and；　sword　or　no　sword；　Gode　kept　watching。　And　smiling。
　　　　　　　To　Rand　the　night　seemed　to　last　a　year。　All　those　eyes　looking　at　him：　Hake　and　Jak　and　Strom　like　vultures　watching　a　sheep　caught　in　a　bog；　Gode　waiting　like　something　even　worse。　He　began　to　think　that　everybody　in　the　room　was　watching　with　some　hidden　motive。　Sour　wine　fumes　and　the　stench　of　dirty；　sweating　bodies　made　his　head　swim；　and　the　din　of　voices　beat　at　him　till　his　eyes　blurred　and　even　the　sound　of　his　own　flute　scratched　at　his　ears。　The　crash　of　the　thunder　seemed　to　be　inside　his　skull。　Weariness　hung　on　him　like　an　iron　weight。
　　　　　　　Eventually　the　need　to　be　up　with　the　dawn　began　to　pull　men　reluctantly　out　into　the　dark。　A　farmer　had　only　himself　to　answer　to；　but　merchants　were　notoriously　unfeeling　about　hangovers　when　they　were　paying　drivers'　wages。　In　the　small　hours　the　mon　room　slowly　emptied　as　even　those　who　had　rooms　abovestairs　staggered　off　to　find　their　beds。
　　　　　　　Gode　was　the　last　patron。　When　Rand　reached　for　the　leather　flute　case；　yawning；　Gode　stood　up　and　slung　his　cloak　over　his　arm。　The　serving　maids　were　cleaning　up；　muttering　among　themselves　about　the　mess　of　spilled　wine　and　broken　crockery。　Hake　was　locking　the　front　door　with　a　big　key。　Gode　cornered　Hake　for　a　moment；　and　Hake　called　one　of　the　women　to　show　him　to　a　room。　The　velvet…cloaked　man　gave　Mat　and　Rand　a　knowing　smile　before　he　disappeared　upstairs。
　　　　　　　Hake　was　looking　at　Rand　and　Mat。　Jak　and　Strom　stood　at　his　shoulders。
　　　　　　　Rand　hastily　finished　hanging　his　things　from　his　shoulders；　holding　them　all　awkwardly　behind　him　with　his　left　hand　so　he　could　reach　his　sword。　He　made　no　move　toward　it；　but　he　wanted　to　know　it　was　ready。　He　suppressed　a　yawn；　how　tired　he　was；　was　something　they　should　not　know。
　　　　　　　Mat　shouldered　his　bow　and　his　few　other　belongings　awkwardly；　but　he　put　his　hand　under　his　coat　as　he　watched　Hake　and　his　toughs　approach。
　　　　　　　Hake　was　carrying　an　oil　lamp；　and　to　Rand's　surprise　he　gave　a　little　bow　and　gestured　to　a　side　door　with　it。　〃Your　pallets　are　this　way。〃　Only　a　slight　twist　of　his　lips　spoiled　his　act。
　　　　　　　Mat　thrust　his　chin　out　at　Jak　and　Strom。　〃You　need　those　two　to　show　us　our　beds？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　a　man　of　property；〃　Hake　said；　smoothing　the　front　of　his　soiled　apron；　〃and　men　of　property　can't　be　too　careful。〃　A　crash　of　thunder　rattled　the　windows；　and　he　glanced　significantly　at　the　ceiling；　then　gave　them　a　toothy　grin。　〃You　want　to　see　your　beds　or　not？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　wondered　what　would　happen　if　he　said　they　wanted　to　leave。　If　you　really　did　know　more　about　using　a　sword　than　the　few　exercises　Lan　showed　you　。。。　〃Lead　the　way；〃　he　said；　trying　to　make　his　voice　hard。　〃I　don't　like　having　anybody　behind　me。〃
　　　　　　　Strom　snickered；　but　Hake　nodded　placidly　and　turned　toward　the　side　door；　and　the　two　big　men　swaggered　after　him。　Taking　a　deep　breath；　Rand　gave　a　wishful　glance　at　the　door　to　the　kitchen。　If　Hake　had　already　locked　the　back　door；　running　now　would　only　begin　what　he　was　hoping　to　avoid。　He　followed　the　innkeeper　glumly。
　　　　　　　At　the　side　door　he　hesitated；　and　Mat　crowded　into　his　back。　The　reason　for　Hake's　lamp　was　apparent。　The　door　let　into　a　hall　as　black　as　pitch。　Only　the　lamp　Hake　carried；　silhouetting　Jak　and　Strom；　gave　him　the　courage　to　keep　on。　If　they　turned；　he　would　know　it。　And　do　what？　The　floor　creaked　under　his　boots。
　　　　　　　The　hall　ended　in　a　rough；　unpainted　door。　He　had　not　seen　if　there　were　any　other　doors　along　the　way。　Hake　and　his　bullies　went　through；　and　he　followed　quickly；　before　they　could　have　a　chance　to　set　a　trap；　but　Hake　merely　lifted　the　lamp　high　and　gestured　at　the　room。
　　　　　　　〃Here　it　is。〃
　　　　　　　An　old　storeroom；　he　had　called　it；　and　by　the　look　of　it　not　used　in　some　time。　Weathered　barrels　and　broken　crates　filled　half　the　floor。　Steady　drips　fell　from　more　than　one　place　on　the　ceiling；　and　a　broken　pane　in　the　filthy　window　let　the　rain　blow　in　freely。　Unidentifiable　odds　and　ends　littered　the　shelves；　and　thick　dust　covered　almost　everything。　The　presence　of　the　promised　pallets　was　a　surprise。
　　　　　　　The　sword　makes　him　nervous。　He　won't　try　anything　until　we're　sound　asleep。　Rand　had　no　intention　of　sleeping　under　Hake's　roof。　As　soon　as　the　innkeeper　left；　he　intended　to　be　out　the　window。　〃It'll　do；〃　he　said。　He　kept　his　eyes　on　Hake；　wary　for　a　signal　to　the　two　grinning　men　at　the　innkeeper's　side。　It　was　an　effort　not　to　wet　his　lips。　〃Leave　the　lamp。〃
　　　　　　　Hake　grunted；　but　pushed　the　lamp　onto　a　shelf。　He　hesitated；　looking　at　them；　and　Rand　was　sure　he　was　about　to　give　the　word　for　Jak　and　Strom　to　jump　them；　but　his　eyes　went　to　Rand's　sword　with　a　calculating　frown；　and　he　jerked　his　head　at　the　two　big　men。　Surprise　flashed　across　their　broad　faces；　but　they　followed　him　out　of　the　room　without　a　backward　glance。
　　　　　　　Rand　waited　for　the　creak…creak…creak　of　their　footsteps　to　fade　away；　then　counted　to　fifty　before　sticking　his　head　into　the　hall。　The　blackness　was　broken　only　by　a　rectangle　of　light　that　seemed　as　distant　as　the　moon：　the　door　to　the　mon　room。　As　he　pulled　his　head　in；　something　big　moved　in　the　darkness　near　the　far　door。　Jak　or　Strom；　standing　guard。
　　　　　　　A　quick　examination　of　the　door　told　him　all　he　needed　to　know；　little　of　it　good。　The　boards　were　thick　and　stout；　but　there　was　no　lock；　and　no　bar　on　the　inside。　It　did　open　into　the　room；　though。
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　they　were　going　for　us；〃　Mat　said。　〃What　are　they　waiting　for？〃　He　had　the　dagger　out；　gripped　in　a　white…knuckled　fi