rj.eyeoftheworld-第147节

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th　the　dagger　Lan　held　motionless。　〃Or　had　you　forgotten？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　gave　an　embarrassed　shrug　and　spread　his　hands　wordlessly。
　　　　　　　〃What's　wrong　with　him？〃　Egwene　asked；　and　Nynaeve　added；　〃Is　it　catching？　I　can　still　treat　him。　I　don't　seem　to　catch　sick；　no　matter　what　it　is。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　it　is　catching；〃　Moiraine　said；　〃and　your。。。　protection　would　not　save　you。〃　She　pointed　to　the　ruby…hilted　dagger；　careful　not　to　let　her　finger　touch　it。　The　blade　trembled　as　Mat　strained　to　reach　her　with　it。　〃This　is　from　Shadar　Logoth。　There　is　not　a　pebble　of　that　city　that　is　not　tainted　and　dangerous　to　bring　outside　the　walls；　and　this　is　far　more　than　a　pebble。　The　evil　that　killed　Shadar　Logoth　is　in　it；　and　in　Mat；　too；　now。　Suspicion　and　hatred　so　strong　that　even　those　closest　are　seen　as　enemies；　rooted　so　deep　in　the　bone　that　eventually　the　only　thought　left　is　to　kill。　By　carrying　the　dagger　beyond　the　walls　of　Shadar　Logoth　he　freed　it；　this　seed　of　it；　from　what　bound　it　to　that　place。　It　will　have　waxed　and　waned　in　him；　what　he　is　in　the　heart　of　him　fighting　what　the　contagion　of　Mashadar　sought　to　make　him；　but　now　the　battle　inside　him　is　almost　done；　and　he　almost　defeated。　Soon；　if　it　does　not　kill　him　first；　he　will　spread　that　evil　like　a　plague　wherever　he　goes。　Just　as　one　scratch　from　that　blade　is　enough　to　infect　and　destroy；　so；　soon；　a　few　minutes　with　Mat　will　be　just　as　deadly。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　face　had　gone　white。　〃Can　you　do　anything？〃　she　whispered。
　　　　　　　〃I　hope　so。〃　Moiraine　sighed。　〃For　the　sake　of　the　world；　I　hope　I　am　not　too　late。〃　Her　hand　delved　into　the　pouch　at　her　belt　and　came　out　with　the　silk…shrouded　angreal　。　〃Leave　me。　Stay　together；　and　find　somewhere　you　will　not　be　seen；　but　leave　me。　I　will　do　what　I　can　for　him。〃

Chapter　42
Remembrance　of　Dreams
　
　　　　　　　It　was　a　subdued　group　that　Rand　led　back　down　the　stairs。　None　of　them　wanted　to　talk　to　him　now；　or　to　one　another。　He　did　not　feel　much　like　talking；　either。
　　　　　　　The　sun　was　far　enough　across　the　sky　to　dim　the　back　stairwell；　but　the　lamps　had　not　yet　been　lit。　Sunlight　and　shadow　striped　the　stairs。　Perrin's　face　was　as　closed　as　the　others；　but　where　worry　creased　everyone　else's　brow；　his　was　smooth。　Rand　thought　the　look　Perrin　wore　was　resignation。　He　wondered　why；　and　wanted　to　ask；　but　whenever　Perrin　walked　through　a　deeper　patch　of　shadow；　his　eyes　seemed　to　gather　in　what　little　light　there　was；　glowing　softly　like　polished　amber。
　　　　　　　Rand　shivered　and　tried　to　concentrate　on　his　surroundings；　on　the　walnut　paneled　walls　and　the　oak　stair　railing；　on　sturdy；　everyday　things　He　wiped　his　hands　on　his　coat　several　times；　but　each　time　sweat　sprang　out　on　his　palms　anew。　It'll　all　be　all　right；　now。　We're　together　again；　and　。。。　Light；　Mat。
　　　　　　　He　took　them　to　the　library　by　the　back　way　that　went　by　the　kitchens；　avoiding　the　mon　room。　Not　many　travelers　used　the　library；　most　of　those　who　could　read　stayed　at　more　elegant　inns　in　the　Inner　City。　Master　Gill　kept　it　more　for　his　own　enjoyment　than　for　the　handful　of　patrons　who　wanted　a　book　now　and　then。　Rand　did　not　want　to　think　why　Moiraine　wanted　them　to　keep　out　of　sight；　but　he　kept　remembering　the　Whitecloak　under…officer　saying　he　would　be　back；　and　Elaida's　eyes　when　she　asked　where　he　was　staying。　Those　were　reasons　enough；　whatever　Moiraine　wanted。
　　　　　　　He　took　five　steps　into　the　library　before　he　realized　that　everyone　else　had　stopped；　crowded　together　in　the　doorway；　openmouthed　and　goggling。　A　brisk　blaze　crackled　in　the　fireplace；　and　Loial　was　sprawled　on　the　long　couch；　reading；　a　small　black　cat　with　white　feet　curled　and　half　asleep　on　his　stomach。　When　they　entered　he　closed　the　book　with　a　huge　finger　marking　his　place　and　gently　set　the　cat　on　the　floor；　then　stood　to　bow　formally。
　　　　　　　Rand　was　so　used　to　the　Ogier　that　it　took　him　a　minute　to　realize　that　Loial　was　the　object　of　the　others'　stares。　〃These　are　the　friends　I　was　waiting　for；　Loial；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　Nynaeve；　the　Wisdom　of　my　village。　And　Perrin。　And　this　is　Egwene。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah；　yes；〃　Loial　boomed；　〃Egwene。　Rand　has　spoken　of　you　a　great　deal。　Yes。　I　am　Loial。〃
　　　　　　　〃He's　an　Ogier；〃　Rand　explained；　and　watched　their　amazement　change　in　kind。　Even　after　Trollocs　and　Fades　in　the　flesh；　it　was　still　astonishing　to　meet　a　legend　walking　and　breathing。　Remembering　his　own　first　reaction　to　Loial；　he　grinned　ruefully。　They　were　doing　better　than　he　had。
　　　　　　　Loial　took　their　gaping　in　his　stride。　Rand　supposed　he　hardly　noticed　it　pared　with　a　mob　shouting　〃Trolloc。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　the　Aes　Sedai；　Rand？〃　Loial　asked。
　　　　　　　〃Upstairs　with　Mat。〃
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　raised　one　bushy　eyebrow　thoughtfully。　〃Then　he　is　ill。　I　suggest　we　all　be　seated。　She　will　be　joining　us？　Yes。　Then　there's　nothing　to　do　but　wait。〃
　　　　　　　The　act　of　sitting　seemed　to　loosen　some　catch　inside　the　Emond's　Field　folk；　as　if　being　in　a　well…stuffed　chair　with　a　fire　in　the　fireplace　and　a　cat　now　curled　up　on　the　hearth　made　them　feel　at　home。　As　soon　as　they　were　settled　they　excitedly　began　asking　the　Ogier　questions。　To　Rand's　surprise；　Perrin　was　the　first　to　speak。
　　　　　　　〃The　stedding；　Loial。　Are　they　really　havens；　the　way　the　stories　say？〃　His　voice　was　intent；　as　if　he　had　a　particular　reason　for　asking。
　　　　　　　Loial　was　glad　to　tell　about　the　stedding；　and　how　he　came　to　be　at　The　Queen's　Blessing；　and　what　he　had　seen　in　his　travels。　Rand　soon　leaned　back；　only　partly　listening。　He　had　heard　it　all　before；　in　detail。　Loial　liked　to　talk；　and　talk　at　length　when　he　had　the　slightest　chance；　though　he　usually　seemed　to　think　a　story　needed　two　or　three　hundred　years　of　background　to　make　it　understood。　His　sense　of　time　was　very　strange；　to　him　three　hundred　years　seemed　a　reasonable　length　of　time　for　a　story　or　explanation　to　cover。　He　always　talked　about　leaving　the　stedding　as　if　it　were　just　a　few　months　before；　but　it　had　finally　e　out　that　he　had　been　gone　more　than　three　years。
　　　　　　　Rand's　thoughts　drifted　to　Mat。　A　dagger。　A　bloody　knife；　and　it　might　kill　him　just　from　carrying　it。　Light；　I　don't　want　any　more　adventure。　If　she　can　heal　him；　we　should　all　go　。。。　not　home。　Can't　go　home。　Somewhere。　We'll　all　go　somewhere　they've　never　heard　of　Aes　Sedai　or　the　Dark　One。　Somewhere。
　　　　　　　The　door　opened；　and　for　a　moment　Rand　thought　he　was　still　imagining。　Mat　stood　there；　blinking；　with　his　coat　buttoned　up　and　the　dark　scarf　wrapped　low　around　his　forehead。　Then　Rand　saw　Moiraine；　with　her　hand　on　Mat's　shoulder；　and　Lan　behind　them。　The　Aes　Sedai　was　watching　Mat　carefully；　as　one　watches　someone　only　lately　out　of　a　sickbed。　As　always；　Lan　was　watching　everything　while　appearing　to　watch　nothing。
　　　　　　　Mat　looked　as　if　he　had　never　been　sick　a　day。　His　first；　hesitant　smile　included　everyone；　though　it　slipped　into　an　openmouthed　stare　at　the　sight　of　Loial；　as　if　he　were　seeing　the　Ogier　for　the　first　time。　With　a　shrug　and　a　shake；　he　turned　his　attention　back　to　his　friends。　〃I　。。。　ah　。。。　that　is。。。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃It　。。。　ah　。。。　it　seems　I've　been　acting　。。。　ah　。。。　sort　of　oddly。　I　don't　remember　much　of　it；　really。〃　He　gave　Moiraine　an　uneasy　look。　She　smiled　back　confidently；　and　he　went　on。　〃Everything　is　hazy　after　Whitebridge。　Thom；　and　the　。。。〃　He　shivered　and　hurried　on。　〃The　further　from　Whitebridge；　the　hazier　it　gets。　I　don't　really　remember　arriving　in　Caemlyn　at　all。〃　He　eyed　Loial　askance。　〃Not　really。　Moiraine　Sedai　says　I　。。。　upstairs；　I　。。。　ah　。。。〃　He　grinned；　and　suddenly　he　truly　was　the　old　Mat。　〃You　can't　hold　a　man　to　blame　for　what　he　does　when　he's　crazy；　can　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　always　were　crazy；〃　Perrin　said；　and　for　a　moment　he；　too；　sounded　as　of　old。
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Nynaeve　said。　Tears　made　her　eyes　bright；　but　she　was　smiling。　〃None　of　us　blames　you。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　and　Egwene　began　talking　at　once　then；　telling　Mat　how　happy　they　were　to　see　him　well　and　how　well　he　looked；　with　a　few　laughing　ments　thrown　in　about　hoping　that　he　was　done　with　tricks　now　that　one　so　ugly　had　been　played　on　him。　Mat　met　banter　with　banter　as　he　found　a　chair　with　all　of　his　old　swagger。　As　he　sat　down；　still　grinning；　he　absentmindedly　touched　his　coat　as　if　to　make　sure　that　something　tucked　behind　his　belt　was　still　there；　and　Rand's　breath　caught。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　Moiraine　said　quietly；　〃he　still　has　the　dagger。〃　The　laughter　and　talk　was　still　going　on　among　the　rest　of　the　Emond's　Field　folk；　but　she　had　noticed　his　sudden　intake　of　breath　and　had　seen　what　had　caused　it。　She　moved　closer　to　his　chair；　where　she　did　not　have　to　raise　her　voice　for　him　to　hear　clearly。　〃I　cannot　take　it　away　from　him　without　killing　him。　The　binding　has　lasted　too　long；　and　grown　too　strong。　That　must　be　unknotted　in　Tar　Valon；　it　is　beyond　me；　or　any　lone　Aes　Sedai；　even　with　an　angreal。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　he　doesn't　look　sick　anymore。〃　He　had　a　thought　and　looked　up　at　her。　〃As　long　as　he　has　the　dagger；　the　Fades　will　know　where　we　are。　Darkfriends；　too；　some　of　them。　You　said　so。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　contained　that；　after　a　fashion。　If　they　e　close　enough　to　sense　it　now；　they　will　be　on　top　of　us　anyway。　I　cleansed　the　taint　from　him；　Rand；