rj.eyeoftheworld-第23节

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iced　no　more　than　a　fly's　buzzing。　He　could　not　bear　any　more　sympathy；　any　more　attempts　to　boost　his　spirits。　Not　now。　Not　until　Bran　al'Vere　told　him　how　to　help　Tam。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　he　found　himself　facing　something　scrawled　on　the　inn　door；　a　curving　line　scratched　with　a　charred　stick；　a　charcoal　teardrop　balanced　on　its　point。　So　much　had　happened　that　it　hardly　surprised　him　to　find　the　Dragon's　Fang　marked　on　the　door　of　the　Winespring　Inn。　Why　anyone　would　want　to　accuse　the　innkeeper　or　his　family　of　evil；　or　bring　the　inn　bad　luck；　was　beyond　him；　but　the　night　had　convinced　him　of　one　thing。　Anything　was　possible。　Anything　at　all。
　　　　　　　At　a　push　from　the　gleeman　he　lifted　the　latch；　and　went　in。
　　　　　　　The　mon　room　was　empty　except　for　Bran　al'Vere；　and　cold；　too；　for　no　one　had　found　time　to　lay　a　fire。　The　Mayor　sat　at　one　of　the　tables；　dipping　his　pen　in　an　inkwell　with　a　frown　of　concentration　on　his　face　and　his　gray…fringed　head　bent　over　a　sheet　of　parchment。　Nightshirt　tucked　hastily　into　his　trousers　and　bagging　around　his　considerable　waist；　he　absently　scratched　at　one　bare　foot　with　the　toes　of　the　other。　His　feet　were　dirty；　as　if　he　had　been　outside　more　than　once　without　bothering　about　boots；　despite　the　cold。　〃What's　your　trouble？〃　he　demanded　without　looking　up。　〃Be　quick　with　it。　I　have　two　dozen　things　to　do　right　this　minute；　and　more　that　should　have　been　done　an　hour　ago。　So　I　have　little　time　or　patience。　Well？　Out　with　it！〃
　　　　　　　〃Master　al'Vere？〃　Rand　said。　〃It's　my　father。〃
　　　　　　　The　Mayor's　head　jerked　up。　〃Rand？　Tam！〃　He　threw　down　the　pen　and　knocked　over　his　chair　as　he　leaped　up。　〃Perhaps　the　Light　hasn't　abandoned　us　altogether。　I　was　afraid　you　were　both　dead。　Bela　galloped　into　the　village　an　hour　after　the　Trollocs　left；　lathered　and　blowing　as　if　she'd　run　all　the　way　from　the　farm；　and　I　thought　。。。　No　time　for　that；　now。　We'll　take　him　upstairs。〃　He　seized　the　rear　of　the　litter；　shouldering　the　gleeman　out　of　the　way。　〃You　go　get　the　Wisdom；　Master　Merrilin。　And　tell　her　I　said　hurry；　or　I'll　know　the　reason　why！　Rest　easy；　Tam。　We'll　soon　have　you　in　a　good；　soft　bed。　Go；　gleeman；　go！〃
　　　　　　　Thom　Merrilin　vanished　through　the　doorway　before　Rand　could　speak。　〃Nynaeve　wouldn't　do　anything。　She　said　she　couldn't　help　him。　I　knew　。。。　I　hoped　you'd　think　of　something。〃
　　　　　　　Master　al'Vere　looked　at　Tam　more　sharply；　then　shook　his　head。　〃We　will　see；　boy。　We　will　see。〃　But　he　no　longer　sounded　confident。　〃Let's　get　him　into　a　bed。　He　can　rest　easy；　at　least。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　let　himself　be　prodded　toward　the　stairs　at　the　back　of　the　mon　room。　He　tried　hard　to　keep　his　certainty　that　somehow　Tam　would　be　all　right；　but　it　had　been　thin　to　begin　with；　he　realized；　and　the　sudden　doubt　in　the　Mayor's　voice　shook　him。
　　　　　　　On　the　second　floor　of　the　inn；　at　the　front；　were　half　a　dozen　snug；　well…appointed　rooms　with　windows　overlooking　the　Green。　Mostly　they　were　used　by　the　peddlers；　or　people　down　from　Watch　Hill　or　up　from　Deven　Ride；　but　the　merchants　who　came　each　year　were　often　surprised　to　find　such　fortable　rooms。　Three　of　them　were　taken　now；　and　the　Mayor　hurried　Rand　to　one　of　the　unused　ones。
　　　　　　　Quickly　the　down　forter　and　blankets　were　stripped　back　on　the　wide　bed；　and　Tam　was　transferred　to　the　thick　feather　mattress；　with　goose…down　pillows　tucked　under　his　head。　He　made　no　sound　beyond　hoarse　breathing　as　he　was　moved；　not　even　a　groan；　but　the　Mayor　brushed　away　Rand's　concern；　telling　him　to　set　a　fire　to　take　the　chill　off　the　room。　While　Rand　dug　wood　and　kindling　from　the　woodbox　next　to　the　fireplace；　Bran　threw　back　the　curtains　on　the　window；　letting　in　the　morning　light；　then　began　to　gently　wash　Tam's　face。　By　the　time　the　gleeman　returned；　the　blaze　on　the　hearth　was　warming　the　room。
　　　　　　　〃She　will　not　e；〃　Thom　Merrilin　announced　as　he　stalked　into　the　room。　He　glared　at　Rand；　his　bushy　white　brows　drawing　down　sharply。　〃You　didn't　tell　me　she　had　seen　him　already。　She　almost　took　my　head　off。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　。。。　I　don't　know　。。。　maybe　the　Mayor　could　do　something；　could　make　her　see　。。。　〃　Hands　clenched　in　anxious　fists；　Rand　turned　from　the　fireplace　to　Bran。　〃Master　al'Vere；　what　can　I　do？〃　The　rotund　man　shook　his　head　helplessly。　He　laid　a　freshly　dampened　cloth　on　Tam's　forehead　and　avoided　meeting　Rand's　eye。　〃I　can't　just　watch　him　die；　Master　al'Vere。　I　have　to　do　something。〃　The　gleeman　shifted　as　if　to　speak。　Rand　rounded　on　him　eagerly。　。〃Do　you　have　an　idea？　I'll　try　anything。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　was　just　wondering；〃　Thom　said；　tamping　his　long…stemmed　pipe　with　his　thumb；　〃if　the　Mayor　knew　who　scrawled　the　Dragon's　Fang　on　his　door。〃　He　peered　into　the　bowl；　then　looked　at　Tam　and　replaced　the　unlit　pipe　between　his　teeth　with　a　sigh。　〃Someone　seems　not　to　like　him　anymore。　Or　maybe　it's　his　guests　they　don't　like。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　gave　him　a　disgusted　look　and　turned　away　to　stare　into　the　fire。　His　thoughts　danced　like　the　flames；　and　like　the　flames　they　concentrated　fixedly　on　one　thing。　He　would　not　give　up。　He　could　not　just　stand　there　and　watch　Tam　die。　My　father；　he　thought　fiercely。　My　father。　Once　the　fever　was　gone；　that　could　be　cleared　up　as　well。　But　the　fever　first。　Only；　how？
　　　　　　　Bran　al'Vere's　mouth　tightened　as　he　looked　at　Rand's　back；　and　the　glare　he　directed　at　the　gleeman　would　have　given　a　bear　pause；　but　Thom　just　waited　expectantly　as　if　he　had　not　noticed　it。
　　　　　　　〃It's　probably　the　work　of　one　of　the　Congars；　or　a　Coplin；〃　the　Mayor　said　finally；　〃though　the　Light　alone　knows　which。　They're　a　large　brood；　and　if　there's　ill　to　be　said　of　someone；　or　even　if　there　isn't；　they'll　say　it。　They　make　Cenn　Buie　sound　honey…tongued。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　wagonload　who　came　in　just　before　dawn？〃　the　gleeman　asked。　〃They　hadn't　so　much　as　smelled　a　Trolloc；　and　all　they　wanted　to　know　was　when　Festival　was　going　to　start；　as　if　they　couldn't　see　half　the　village　in　ashes。〃
　　　　　　　Master　al'Vere　nodded　grimly。　〃One　branch　of　the　family。　But　none　of　them　are　very　different。　That　fool　Darl　Coplin　spent　half　the　night　demanding　I　put　Mistress　Moiraine　and　Master　Lan　out　of　the　inn；　out　of　the　village；　as　if　there　would　be　any　village　at　all　left　without　them。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　had　only　half　listened　to　the　conversation；　but　this　last　tugged　him　to　speak。　〃What　did　they　do？〃
　　　　　　　〃Why；　she　called　ball　lightning　out　of　a　clear　night　sky；〃　Master　al'Vere　replied。　〃Sent　it　darting　straight　at　the　Trollocs。　You've　seen　trees　shattered　by　it。　The　Trollocs　stood　it　no　better。〃
　　　　　　　〃Moiraine？〃　Rand　said　incredulously；　and　the　Mayor　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃Mistress　Moiraine。　And　Master　Lan　was　a　whirlwind　with　that　sword　of　his。　His　sword？　The　man　himself　is　a　weapon；　and　in　ten　places　at　once；　or　so　it　seemed。　Burn　me；　but　I　still　wouldn't　believe　it　if　I　couldn't　step　outside　and　see　。。。〃　He　rubbed　a　hand　over　his　bald　head。　〃Winternight　visits　just　beginning；　our　hands　full　of　presents　and　honeycakes　and　our　heads　fall　of　wine；　then　the　dogs　snarling；　and　suddenly　the　two　of　them　burst　out　of　the　inn；　running　through　the　village；　shouting　about　Trollocs。　I　thought　they'd　had　too　much　wine。　After　all　。。。　Trollocs？　Then；　before　anyone　knew　what　was　happening；　those　。。。　those　things　were　right　in　the　streets　with　us；　slashing　at　people　with　their　swords；　torching　houses；　howling　to　freeze　a　man's　blood。〃　He　made　a　sound　of　disgust　in　his　throat。　〃We　just　ran　like　chickens　with　a　fox　in　the　henyard　till　Master　Lan　put　some　backbone　into　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　need　to　be　so　hard；〃　Thom　said。　〃You　did　as　well　as　anyone　could。　Not　every　Trolloc　lying　out　there　fell　to　the　two　of　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃Umm　。。。　yes；　well。〃　Master　al'Vere　gave　himself　a　shake。　〃It's　still　almost　too　much　to　believe。　An　Aes　Sedai　in　Emond's　Field。　And　Master　Lan　is　a　Warder。〃
　　　　　　　〃An　Aes　Sedai？〃　Rand　whispered。　〃She　can't　be。　I　talked　to　her。　She　isn't　。。。　She　doesn't　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Did　you　think　they　wore　signs？〃　the　Mayor　said　wryly。　〃'Aes　Sedai'　painted　across　their　backs；　and　maybe；　'Danger；　stay　away'？〃　Suddenly　he　slapped　his　forehead。　〃Aes　Sedai。　I'm　an　old　fool；　and　losing　my　wits。　There's　a　chance；　Rand；　if　you're　willing　to　take　it。　I　can't　tell　you　to　do　it；　and　I　don't　know　if　I'd　have　the　nerve；　if　it　were　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　chance？〃　Rand　said。　〃I'll　take　any　chance；　if　it'll　help　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃Aes　Sedai　can　heal；　Rand。　Burn　me；　lad；　you've　heard　the　stories。　They　can　cure　where　medicines　fail。　Gleeman；　you　should　have　remembered　that　better　than　I。　Gleemen's　tales　are　full　of　Aes　Sedai。　Why　didn't　you　speak　up；　instead　of　letting　me　flail　around？〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　a　stranger　here；〃　Thom　said；　looking　longingly　at　his　unlit　pipe；　〃and　Goodman　Coplin　isn't　the　only　one　who　wants　nothing　to　do　with　Aes　Sedai。　Best　the　idea　came　from　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃An　Aes　Sedai；〃　Rand　muttered；　trying　to　make　the　woman　who　had　smiled　at　him　fit　the　stories。　Help　from　an　Aes　Sedai　was　sometimes　worse　than　no　help　at　all；　so　the　stories　said；　like　poison　in　a　pie；　and　their　gifts　always　had　a　hook　in　them；　like　fishbait。　Suddenly　the　coin　in　his　pocket；　the　coin　Moiraine　had　given　him；　seemed　like　a　burning　coal。　It　was　all　he　could　do　not　to　rip　it　out　of　his　coat　and　throw　it