rj.eyeoftheworld-第160节

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　　　　　　　〃Where　did　they　all　go？〃　Egwene　said。　〃Why？　They　can't　have　been　gone　very　long。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃　Mat　asked。　〃From　the　look　of　that　barn　door；　they　could　have　been　gone　all　winter。〃　Nynaeve　and　Egwene　both　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　slow…witted。
　　　　　　　〃The　curtains　in　the　windows；〃　Egwene　said　patiently。　〃They　look　too　light　for　winter　curtains；　even　here。　As　cold　as　it　is　here；　no　woman　would　have　had　those　up　more　than　a　week　or　two；　maybe　less。〃　The　Wisdom　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃Curtains。〃　Perrin　chuckled。　He　immediately　wiped　the　smile　off　his　face　when　the　two　women　raised　their　eyebrows　at　him。　〃Oh；　I　agree　with　you。　There　wasn't　enough　rust　on　that　scythe　for　any　more　than　a　week　in　the　open。　You　should　have　seen　that；　Mat。　Even　if　you　missed　the　curtains。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　sideways　at　Perrin；　trying　not　to　stare。　His　eyes　were　sharper　than　Perrin's　…　or　had　been；　when　they　used　to　hunt　rabbits　together　…　but　he　had　not　been　able　to　see　that　scythe…blade　well　enough　to　make　out　any　rust。
　　　　　　　〃I　really　don't　care　where　they　went；〃　Mat　grumbled。　〃I　just　want　to　find　someplace　with　a　fire。　Soon。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　why　did　they　go？〃　Rand　said　under　his　breath。　The　Blight　was　not　far　off　here。　The　Blight；　where　all　the　Fades　and　Trollocs　were；　those　not　down　in　Andor　chasing　them。　The　Blight；　where　they　were　going。
　　　　　　　He　raised　his　voice　enough　to　be　heard　by　those　close　to　him。　〃Nynaeve；　maybe　you　and　Egwene　don't　have　to　go　to　the　Eye　with　us。〃　The　two　women　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　speaking　gibberish；　but　with　the　Blight　so　close　he　had　to　make　one　last　try。　〃Maybe　it's　enough　for　you　to　be　close。　Moiraine　didn't　say　you　have　to　go。　Or　you；　Loial。　You　could　stay　at　Fal　Dara。　Until　we　e　back。　Or　you　could　start　for　Tar　Valon。　Maybe　there'll　be　a　merchant　train；　or　I'll　bet　Moiraine　would　even　hire　a　coach。　We　will　meet　in　Tar　Valon；　when　it's　all　over。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ta'veren。〃　Loial's　sigh　was　a　rumble　like　thunder　on　the　horizon。　〃You　swirl　lives　around　you；　Rand　al'Thor；　you　and　your　friends。　Your　fate　chooses　ours。〃　
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　shrugged；　and　suddenly　a　broad　grin　split　his　face。　〃Besides；　it　will　be　something　to　meet　the　Green　Man。　Elder　Haman　always　talks　about　his　meeting　with　the　Green　Man；　and　so　does　my　father；　and　most　of　the　Elders。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　many？〃　Perrin　said。　〃The　stories　say　the　Green　Man　is　hard　to　find；　and　no　one　can　find　him　twice。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　twice；　no；〃　Loial　agreed。　〃But　then；　I　have　never　met　him；　and　neither　have　you。　He　doesn't　seem　to　avoid　Ogier　quite　the　way　he　does　you　humans。　He　knows　so　much　about　trees。　Even　the　Tree　Songs。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　said；　〃The　point　I　was　trying　to　make　is　…　〃
　　　　　　　The　Wisdom　cut　him　off。　〃She　says　Egwene　and　I　are　part　of　the　Pattern；　too。　All　woven　in　with　you　three。　If　she　is　to　be　believed；　there's　something　about　the　way　that　piece　of　the　Pattern　is　woven　that　might　stop　the　Dark　One。　And　I　am　afraid　I　do　believe　her；　too　much　has　happened　not　to。　But　if　Egwene　and　I　go　away；　what　might　we　change　about　the　Pattern？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　only　trying　to　…　〃
　　　　　　　Again　Nynaeve　interrupted；　sharply。　〃I　know　what　you　were　trying　to　do。〃　She　looked　at　him　until　he　shifted　uneasily　in　his　saddle；　then　her　face　softened。　〃I　know　what　you　were　trying　to　do；　Rand。　I　have　little　liking　for　any　Aes　Sedai；　and　this　one　least　of　all；　I　think。　I　have　less　for　going　into　the　Blight；　but　least　of　all　is　the　liking　I　have　for　the　Father　of　Lies。　If　you　boys　。。。　you　men；　can　do　what　has　to　be　done　when　you'd　rather　do　almost　anything　else；　why　do　you　think　I　will　do　less？　Or　Egwene？〃　She　did　not　appear　to　expect　an　answer。　Gathering　her　reins；　she　frowned　toward　the　Aes　Sedai　up　ahead。　〃I　wonder　if　we're　going　to　reach　this　Fal　Dara　place　soon；　or　does　she　mean　us　to　spend　the　night　out　in　this？〃
　　　　　　　As　she　trotted　toward　Moiraine；　Mat　said；　〃She　called　us　men。　It　seems　like　only　yesterday　she　was　saying　we　shouldn't　be　off　leading　strings；　and　now　she　calls　us　men。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　still　shouldn't　be　off　your　mother's　apron　strings；〃　Egwene　said；　but　Rand　did　not　think　her　heart　was　in　it。　She　moved　Bela　close　to　his　bay；　and　lowered　her　voice　so　none　of　the　others　could　hear　although　Mat；　at　least；　tried。　〃I　only　danced　with　Aram；　Rand；〃　she　said　softly；　not　looking　at　him。　〃You　wouldn't　hold　it　against　me；　dancing　with　somebody　I　will　never　see　again；　would　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　he　told　her。　What　had　made　her　bring　it　up　now？　〃Of　course　not。〃　But　suddenly　he　remembered　something　Min　had　said　in　Baerlon；　what　seemed　a　hundred　years　ago。　She's　not　for　you；　nor　you　for　her；　at　least；　not　in　the　way　you　both　want。
　　　　　　　The　town　of　Fal　Dara　was　built　on　hills　higher　than　the　surrounding　country。　It　was　nowhere　near　as　big　as　Caemlyn；　but　the　wall　around　it　was　as　high　as　Caemlyn's。　For　a　full　mile　outside　that　wall　in　every　direction　the　ground　was　clear　of　anything　taller　than　grass；　and　that　cut　low。　Nothing　could　e　close　without　being　seen　from　one　of　the　many　tall　towers　topped　by　wooden　hoardings。　Where　the　walls　of　Caemlyn　had　a　beauty　about　them；　the　builders　of　Fal　Dara　seemed　not　to　have　cared　if　anyone　found　their　wall　beautiful。　The　gray　stone　was　grimly　implacable；　proclaiming　that　it　existed　for　one　purpose　alone：　to　hold。　Pennants　atop　the　hoardings　whipped　in　the　wind；　making　the　stooping　Black　Hawk　of　Shienar　seem　to　fly　all　along　the　walls。
　　　　　　　Lan　tossed　back　the　hood　of　his　cloak　and；　despite　the　cold；　motioned　for　the　others　to　do　the　same。　Moiraine　had　already　lowered　hers。　〃It's　the　law　in　Shienar；〃　the　Warder　said。　〃In　all　the　Borderlands。　No　one　may　hide　his　face　inside　a　town's　walls。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　they　all　that　good…looking？〃　Mat　laughed。
　　　　　　　〃A　Halfman　can't　hide　with　his　face　exposed；〃　the　Warder　said　in　a　flat　voice。
　　　　　　　Rand's　grin　slid　off　his　face。　Hastily　Mat　pushed　back　his　hood。
　　　　　　　The　gates　stood　open；　tall　and　covered　with　dark　iron；　but　a　dozen　armored　men　stood　guard　in　golden　yellow　surcoats　bearing　the　Black　Hawk。　The　hilts　of　long　swords　on　their　backs　peeked　over　their　shoulders；　and　broadsword　or　mace　or　axe　hung　at　every　waist。　Their　horses　were　tethered　nearby；　made　grotesque　by　the　steel　bardings　covering　chests　and　necks　and　heads；　with　lances　to　stirrup；　all　ready　to　ride　at　an　instant。　The　guards　made　no　move　to　stop　Lan　and　Moiraine　and　the　others。　Indeed；　they　waved　and　called　out　happily。
　　　　　　　〃Dai　Shan！〃　one　cried；　shaking　steel…gauntleted　fists　over　his　head　as　they　rode　past。　〃Dai　Shan！〃
　　　　　　　A　number　of　others　shouted；　〃Glory　to　the　Builders！〃　and；　〃Kiserai　ti　Wansho！〃　Loial　looked　surprised；　then　a　broad　smile　split　his　face　and　he　waved　to　the　guards。
　　　　　　　One　man　ran　alongside　Lan's　horse　a　little　way；　unhampered　by　the　armor　he　wore。　〃Will　the　Golden　Crane　fly　again；　Dai　Shan？〃
　　　　　　　〃Peace；　Ragan；〃　was　all　the　Warder　said；　and　the　man　fell　away。　He　returned　the　guards'　waves；　but　his　face　was　suddenly　even　more　grim。
　　　　　　　As　they　rode　through　stone…paved　streets　crowded　with　people　and　wagons；　Rand　frowned　worriedly。　Fal　Dara　was　bulging　at　the　seams；　but　the　people　were　neither　the　eager　crowds　of　Caemlyn；　enjoying　the　grandeur　of　the　city　even　as　they　squabbled；　nor　the　milling　throngs　of　Baerlon。　Packed　cheek　by　jowl；　these　folk　watched　their　party　ride　by　with　leaden　eyes　and　faces　blanked　of　emotion。　Carts　and　wagons　jammed　every　alleyway　and　half　the　streets；　piled　high　with　jumbled　household　furnishings；　and　carved　chests　packed　so　tight　that　clothes　spilled。　On　top　sat　the　children。　Adults　kept　the　younglings　up　where　they　could　be　seen　and　did　not　let　them　stray　even　to　play。　The　children　were　even　more　silent　than　their　elders；　their　eyes　bigger；　more　haunting　in　their　stares。　The　nooks　and　crannies　between　the　wagons　were　filled　with　shaggy　cattle　and　black…spotted　pigs　in　makeshift　pens。　Crates　of　chickens　and　ducks　and　geese　fitfully　made　up　for　the　silence　of　the　people。　He　knew　now　where　all　the　farmers　had　gone。
　　　　　　　Lan　led　the　way　to　the　fortress　in　the　middle　of　the　town；　a　massive　stone　pile　atop　the　highest　hill。　A　dry　moat；　deep　and　wide；　its　bottom　a　forest　of　sharp　steel　spikes；　razor…edged　and　as　tall　as　a　man；　surrounded　the　towered　walls　of　the　keep。　A　place　for　a　last　defense；　if　the　rest　of　the　town　fell。　From　one　of　the　gate　towers　an　armored　man　called　down；　〃Wele；　Dai　Shan。〃　Another　shouted　to　the　inside　of　the　fortress；　〃The　Golden　Crane！　The　Golden　Crane！〃
　　　　　　　Their　hooves　drummed　on　the　heavy　timbers　of　the　lowered　drawbridge　as　they　crossed　the　moat　and　rode　under　the　sharp　points　of　the　stout　portcullis。　Once　through　the　gates；　Lan　swung　down　out　of　his　saddle　to　lead　Mandarb；　signaling　the　others　to　dismount。
　　　　　　　The　first　courtyard　was　a　huge　square　paved　with　big　stone　blocks　and　surrounded　by　towers　and　battlements　as　fierce　as　those　on　the　outside　of　the　walls。　As　big　as　it　was；　the　courtyard　appeared　just　as　crowded　as　the　streets；　and　as　much　in　turmoil；　though　there　was　an　order　to　the　crowding　here。　Everywhere　were　armored　men　and　armored　horses。　At　half　a　dozen　smithies　around　the　court；　hammers　clanged；　and　big　bellows；　tugged　by　two　leather…aproned　men　apiece；　made　the　forge…fires　roar。　A　steady　stream　of