rj.eyeoftheworld-第154节

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　　　　　　　There　would　be　more　people　in　the　streets　soon　…　very　soon。　Rand　eyed　a　woman　hurrying　past　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　seeing　nothing　but　the　pavement　in　front　of　her　feet。　More　people　to　notice　soon。　The　eastern　sky　grew　lighter。
　　　　　　　〃There；〃　Loial　announced　at　last。　〃It　is　under　there。〃　It　was　a　shop　he　pointed　to；　still　closed　for　the　night。　The　tables　out　front　were　bare；　the　awnings　over　them　rolled　up　tight；　the　door　stoutly　shuttered。　The　windows　above；　where　the　shopkeeper　lived；　were　still　dark。
　　　　　　　〃Under？〃　Mat　exclaimed　incredulously。　〃How　in　the　Light　can　we…？〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　raised　a　hand　that　cut　him　off；　and　motioned　for　them　to　follow　her　into　the　alley　beside　the　shop。　Horses　and　people　together；　they　crowded　the　opening　between　the　two　buildings。　Shaded　by　the　walls；　it　was　darker　there　than　on　the　street；　near　to　full　night　again。
　　　　　　　〃There　must　be　a　cellar　door；〃　Moiraine　muttered。　〃Ah；　yes。〃
　　　　　　　Abruptly　light　blossomed。　A　coolly　glowing　ball　the　size　of　a　man's　fist　hung　suspended　over　the　Aes　Sedai's　palm；　moving　as　she　moved　her　hand。　Rand　thought　that　it　was　a　measure　of　what　they　had　been　through　that　everyone　seemed　to　take　it　as　a　matter　of　course。　She　put　it　close　to　the　doors　she　had　found；　slanted　almost　flat　to　the　ground；　with　a　hasp　held　by　thick　bolts　and　an　iron　lock　bigger　than　Rand's　hand　and　thick　with　old　rust。
　　　　　　　Loial　gave　the　lock　a　tug。　〃I　can　pull　it　off；　hasp　and　all；　but　it　will　make　enough　noise　to　wake　the　whole　neighborhood。〃
　　　　　　　〃Let　us　not　damage　the　goodman's　property　if　we　can　avoid　it。〃　Moiraine　studied　the　lock　intently　for　a　moment。　Suddenly　she　gave　the　rusty　iron　a　tap　with　her　staff；　and　the　lock　fell　open　neatly。
　　　　　　　Hastily　Loial　undid　the　lock　and　swung　the　doors　up；　propping　them　back。　Moiraine　went　down　the　ramp　thus　revealed；　lighting　her　way　with　the　glowing　ball。　Aldieb　stepped　delicately　behind　her。
　　　　　　　〃Light　the　lanterns　and　e　down；〃　she　called　softly。　〃There　is　plenty　of　room。　Hurry。　It　will　be　light　out　soon。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　hurriedly　untied　the　poled　lanterns　off　the　packhorse；　but　even　before　the　first　was　lit　he　realized　he　could　see　Mat's　features。　People　would　be　filling　the　streets　in　minutes；　and　the　shopkeeper　would　be　ing　down　to　open　up　for　business；　all　wondering　why　the　alleyway　was　crammed　full　of　horses。　Mat　muttered　something　nervously　about　taking　horses　indoors；　but　Rand　was　glad　to　lead　his　down　the　ramp。　Mat　followed；　grumbling　but　no　less　quickly。
　　　　　　　Rand's　lantern　swung　on　the　end　of　its　pole；　bumping　the　ceiling　if　he　was　not　careful；　and　neither　Red　nor　the　packhorse　liked　the　ramp。　Then　he　was　down　and　getting　out　of　Mat's　way。　Moiraine　let　her　floating　light　die；　but　as　the　rest　joined　them；　the　added　lanterns　lit　the　open　space。
　　　　　　　The　cellar　was　as　long　and　as　wide　as　the　building　above；　much　of　the　space　taken　up　by　brick　columns；　flaring　up　from　narrow　bases　to　five　times　as　big　at　the　ceiling。　The　place　seemed　made　up　from　a　series　of　arches。　There　was　plenty　of　room；　but　Rand　still　felt　crowded。　Loial's　head　brushed　the　ceiling。　As　the　rusted　lock　had　foretold；　the　cellar　had　not　been　used　in　a　long　time。　The　floor　was　bare　except　for　a　few　broken　barrels　filled　with　odds　and　ends；　and　a　thick　layer　of　dust。　Motes；　stirred　up　by　so　many　feet；　sparkled　in　the　lantern　light。
　　　　　　　Lan　was　last　in；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　Mandarb　down　the　ramp　he　climbed　back　to　pull　the　doors　shut。
　　　　　　　〃Blood　and　ashes；〃　Mat　growled；　〃why　would　they　build　one　of　these　gates　in　a　place　like　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃It　was　not　always　like　this；〃　Loial　said。　His　rumbling　voice　echoed　in　the　cavernous　space。　〃Not　always。　No！〃　The　Ogier　was　angry；　Rand　realized　with　a　shock。　〃Once　trees　stood　here。　Every　kind　of　tree　that　would　grow　in　this　place；　every　kind　of　tree　that　Ogier　could　coax　to　grow　here。　The　Great　Trees；　a　hundred　spans　high。　Shade　of　branch；　and　cool　breezes　to　catch　the　smell　of　leaf　and　flower　and　hold　the　memory　of　the　peace　of　the　stedding。　All　that；　murdered　for　this！〃　His　fist　thumped　a　column。
　　　　　　　The　column　seemed　to　shake　under　that　blow。　Rand　was　certain　he　heard　bricks　crack。　Waterfalls　of　dry　mortar　slid　down　the　column。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　already　woven　cannot　be　undone；〃　Moiraine　said　gently。　〃It　will　not　make　the　trees　grow　again　for　you　to　bring　the　building　down　on　our　heads。〃　Loial's　drooping　eyebrows　made　him　look　more　abashed　than　a　human　face　could　have　managed。　〃With　your　help；　Loial；　perhaps　we　can　keep　the　groves　that　still　stand　from　falling　under　the　Shadow。　You　have　brought　us　to　what　we　seek。〃
　　　　　　　As　she　moved　to　one　of　the　walls；　Rand　realized　that　that　wall　was　different　from　the　others。　They　were　ordinary　brick；　this　was　intricately　worked　stone；　fanciful　swirls　of　leaves　and　vines；　pale　even　under　its　coat　of　dust。　The　brick　and　mortar　were　old；　but　something　about　the　stone　said　it　had　stood　there　long；　long　before　the　brick　was　fired。　Later　builders；　themselves　centuries　gone；　had　incorporated　what　already　stood；　and　still　later　men　had　made　it　part　of　a　cellar。
　　　　　　　One　part　of　the　carved　stone　wall；　right　in　the　center；　was　more　elaborate　than　the　rest。　As　well　done　as　the　rest　was；　it　appeared　a　crude　copy　in　parison。　Worked　in　hard　stone；　those　leaves　seemed　soft；　caught　in　one　frozen　moment　as　a　gentle　summer　breeze　stirred　them。　For　all　of　that；　they　had　the　feel　of　age；　as　much　greater　than　the　rest　of　the　stone　as　the　rest　was　older　than　the　brick。　That　old　and　more。　Loial　looked　at　them　as　if　he　would　rather　be　anywhere　else　but　there；　even　out　in　the　streets　with　another　mob。
　　　　　　　〃Avendesora；〃　Moiraine　murmured；　resting　her　hand　on　a　trefoil　leaf　in　the　stonework。　Rand　scanned　the　carving；　that　was　the　only　leaf　of　its　kind　he　could　find。　〃The　leaf　of　the　Tree　of　Life　is　the　key；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　said；　and　the　leaf　came　away　in　her　hand。
　　　　　　　Rand　blinked；　from　behind　him　he　heard　gasps。　That　leaf　had　seemed　no　less　a　part　of　the　wall　than　any　other。　Just　as　simply；　the　Aes　Sedai　set　it　against　the　pattern　a　handspan　lower。　The　three…pointed　leaf　fit　there　as　if　the　space　had　been　intended　for　it；　and　once　more　it　was　a　part　of　the　whole。　As　soon　as　it　was　in　place　the　entire　nature　of　the　central　stonework　changed。
　　　　　　　He　was　sure　now　that　he　could　see　the　leaves　ruffled　by　some　unfelt　breeze；　he　almost　thought　they　were　verdant　under　the　dust；　a　tapestry　of　thick　spring　greenery　there　in　the　lantern…lit　cellar。　Almost　imperceptibly　at　first；　a　split　opened　up　in　the　middle　of　the　ancient　carving；　widening　as　the　two　halves　slowly　swung　into　the　cellar　until　they　stood　straight　out。　The　backs　of　the　gates　were　worked　as　the　fronts；　the　same　profusion　of　vines　and　leaves；　almost　alive。　Behind；　where　should　have　been　dirt　or　the　cellar　of　the　next　building；　a　dull；　reflective　shimmering　faintly　caught　their　images。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　heard；〃　Loial　said；　half　mourning；　half　fearful；　〃that　once　the　Waygates　shone　like　mirrors。　Once；　who　entered　the　Ways　walked　through　the　sun　and　the　sky。　Once。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　have　no　time　for　waiting；〃　Moiraine　said。
　　　　　　　Lan　went　past　her；　leading　Mandarb；　poled　lantern　in　hand。　His　shadowy　reflection　approached　him；　leading　a　shadowy　horse。　Man　and　reflection　seemed　to　step　into　each　other　at　the　shimmering　surface；　and　both　were　gone。　For　a　moment　the　black　stallion　balked；　an　apparently　continuous　rein　connecting　him　to　the　dim　shape　of　his　own　image。　The　rein　tightened；　and　the　warhorse；　too；　vanished。
　　　　　　　For　a　minute　everyone　in　the　cellar　stood　staring　at　the　Waygate。
　　　　　　　〃Hurry；〃　Moiraine　urged。　〃I　must　be　the　last　through。　We　cannot　leave　this　open　for　anyone　to　find　by　chance。　Hurry。〃
　　　　　　　With　a　heavy　sigh　Loial　strode　into　the　shimmer。　Tossing　its　head；　his　big　horse　tried　to　hold　back　from　the　surface　and　was　hauled　through。　They　were　gone　as　pletely　as　the　Warder　and　Mandarb。
　　　　　　　Hesitantly；　Rand　poked　his　lantern　at　the　Waygate。　The　lantern　sank　into　its　reflection；　the　two　merging　until　both　were　gone。　He　made　himself　keep　on　walking　forward；　watching　the　pole　disappear　into　itself　inch　by　inch；　and　then　he　was　stepping　into　himself；　entering　the　gate。　His　mouth　fell　open。　Something　icy　slid　along　his　skin；　as　if　he　were　passing　through　a　wall　of　cold　water。　Time　stretched　out；　the　cold　enveloped　one　hair　at　a　time；　shivered　over　his　clothes　thread　by　thread。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　the　chill　burst　like　a　bubble；　and　he　paused　to　catch　his　breath。　He　was　inside　the　Ways。　Just　ahead　Lan　and　Loial　waited　patiently　by　their　horses。　All　around　them　was　blackness　that　seemed　to　stretch　on　forever。　Their　lanterns　made　a　small　pool　of　light　around　them；　too　small；　as　if　something　pressed　back　the　light；　or　ate　it。
　　　　　　　Of　a　sudden　anxious；　he　jerked　at　his　reins。　Red　and　the　packhorse　came　leaping　through；　nearly　knocking　him　down。　Stumbling；　he　caught　himself　and　hurried　to　the　Warder　and　the　Ogier；　pulling　the　nervous　horses　behind　him。　The　animals　whickered　softly。　Even　Mandarb　appeared　to　take　some　fort　from　the　presence　of　other　horses。
　　　　　　　〃Go　easy　when　you　pass　through　a　Waygate；　Rand；〃　Loial　cautioned。　〃Things　are。。。　different　inside　the　Ways　than　out。　Look。〃
　　　　　　　He　loo