rj.eyeoftheworld-第73节

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　blue…green　water　flowed　by。　Empty。　Empty　of　anything。　Scattered　clumps　of　evergreens；　willows　and　firs；　dotted　the　far　bank；　and　there　seemed　to　be　fewer　trees　altogether　than　on　her　side。　If　Moiraine　or　any　of　the　younglings　were　over　there；　they　were　well　hidden。　Of　course；　there　was　no　reason　they　had　to　have　crossed；　or　tried　to　cross；　in　sight　of　where　she　was。　They　could　be　anywhere　ten　miles　upriver　or　down。　If　they're　alive　at　all；　after　last　night。
　　　　　　　Angry　with　herself　for　thinking　of　the　possibility；　she　slid　back　down　into　the　hollow。　Not　even　Winternight；　or　the　battle　before　Shadar　Logoth；　had　prepared　her　for　last　night；　for　that　thing；　Mashadar。　All　that　frantic　galloping；　wondering　if　anyone　else　was　still　alive；　wondering　when　she　was　going　to　e　face…to…face　with　a　Fade；　or　Trollocs。　She　had　heard　Trollocs　growling　and　shouting　in　the　distance；　and　the　quivering　shrieks　of　Trolloc　horns　had　chilled　her　deeper　than　the　wind　ever　could；　but　aside　from　that　first　encounter　in　the　ruins　she　saw　Trollocs　only　once；　and　that　once　she　was　outside。　Ten　or　so　of　them　seemed　to　spring　out　of　the　ground　not　thirty　spans　in　front　of　her；　bounding　toward　her　on　the　instant；　howling　and　shouting；　brandishing　hooked　catchpoles。　Yet　as　she　pulled　her　horse　around；　they　fell　silent；　lifting　muzzles　to　sniff　at　the　air。　She　watched；　too　astonished　to　run；　as　they　turned　their　backs　and　vanished　into　the　night。　And　that　had　been　the　most　frightening　of　all。
　　　　　　　〃They　know　the　smell　of　who　they　want；〃　she　told　her　horse；　standing　in　the　hollow；　〃and　it　is　not　me。　The　Aes　Sedai　is　right；　it　seems；　the　Shepherd　of　the　Night　swallow　her　up。〃
　　　　　　　Reaching　a　decision；　she　set　out　downriver；　leading　her　horse。　She　moved　slowly；　keeping　a　wary　watch　on　the　forest　around　her；　just　because　the　Trollocs　had　not　wanted　her　last　night　did　not　mean　they　would　let　her　go　if　she　stumbled　on　them　again。　As　much　attention　as　she　gave　the　woods；　she　gave　even　more　to　the　ground　in　front　of　her。　If　the　others　had　crossed　below　her　during　the　night；　she　should　see　some　signs　of　them；　signs　she　might　miss　from　horseback。　She　might　even　e　on　them　all　still　on　this　side。　If　she　found　neither；　the　river　would　take　her　to　Whitebridge　eventually；　and　there　was　a　road　from　Whitebridge　to　Caemlyn；　and　all　the　way　to　Tar　Valon　if　need　be。
　　　　　　　The　prospect　was　almost　enough　to　daunt　her。　Before　this　she　had　been　no　further　from　Emond's　Field　than　had　the　boys。　Taren　Ferry　had　seemed　strange　to　her；　Baerlon　would　have　had　her　staring　in　wonder　if　she　had　not　been　so　set　on　finding　Egwene　and　the　others。　But　she　allowed　none　of　that　to　weaken　her　resolve。　Sooner　or　later　she　would　find　Egwene　and　the　boys。　Or　find　a　way　to　make　the　Aes　Sedai　answer　for　whatever　had　happened　to　them。　One　or　the　other；　she　vowed。
　　　　　　　At　intervals　she　found　tracks；　plenty　of　them；　but　usually　her　best　efforts　could　not　say　whether　those　who　made　them　had　been　searching　or　chasing　or　pursued。　Some　had　been　made　by　boots　that　could　have　belonged　to　humans　or　Trollocs　either　one。　Others　were　hoofprints；　like　goats　or　oxen；　those　were　Trollocs　for　sure。　But　never　a　clear　sign　that　she　could　definitely　say　came　from　any　of　those　she　sought。
　　　　　　　She　had　covered　perhaps　four　miles　when　the　wind　brought　her　a　whiff　of　woodsmoke。　It　came　from　further　downriver；　and　not　too　far；　she　thought。　She　hesitated　only　a　moment　before　tying　her　horse　to　a　fir　tree；　well　back　from　the　river　in　a　small；　thick　stand　of　evergreens　that　should　keep　the　animal　hidden。　The　smoke　could　mean　Trollocs；　but　the　only　way　to　find　out　was　to　look。　She　tried　not　to　think　about　the　use　Trollocs　might　be　making　of　a　fire。
　　　　　　　Crouching；　she　slipped　from　tree　to　tree；　mentally　cursing　the　skirts　she　had　to　hold　up　out　of　the　way。　Dresses　were　not　made　for　stalking。　The　sound　of　a　horse　slowed　her；　and　when　she　finally　peered　cautiously　around　the　trunk　of　an　ash；　the　Warder　was　dismounting　from　his　black　warhorse　in　a　small　clearing　on　the　bank。　The　Aes　Sedai　sat　on　a　log　beside　a　small　fire　where　a　kettle　of　water　was　just　ing　to　a　boil。　Her　white　mare　browsed　behind　her　among　sparse　weeds。　Nynaeve　remained　where　she　was。
　　　　　　　〃They　are　all　gone；〃　Lan　announced　grimly。　〃Four　Halfmen　started　south　about　two　hours　before　dawn；　as　near　as　I　can　tell　…　they　don't　leave　much　trace　behind　…　but　the　Trollocs　have　vanished。　Even　the　corpses；　and　Trollocs　are　not　known　for　carrying　off　their　dead。　Unless　they're　hungry。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　tossed　a　handful　of　something　into　the　boiling　water　and　moved　the　kettle　from　the　fire。　〃One　could　always　hope　they　had　gone　back　into　Shadar　Logoth　and　been　consumed　by　it；　but　that　would　be　too　much　to　wish　for。〃
　　　　　　　The　delicious　odor　of　tea　drifted　to　Nynaeve。　Light；　don't　let　my　stomach　grumble。
　　　　　　　〃There　was　no　clear　sign　of　the　boys；　or　any　of　the　others。　The　tracks　are　too　muddled　to　tell　anything。〃　In　her　concealment；　Nynaeve　smiled；　the　Warder's　failure　was　a　slight　vindication　of　her　own。　〃But　this　other　is　important；　Moiraine；〃　Lan　went　on；　frowning。　He　waved　away　the　Aes　Sedai's　offer　of　tea　and　began　marching　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　fire；　one　hand　on　his　sword　hilt　and　his　cloak　changing　colors　as　he　turned。　〃I　could　accept　Trollocs　in　the　Two　Rivers；　even　a　hundred　Trollocs。　But　this？　There　must　have　been　almost　a　thousand　in　the　hunt　for　us　yesterday。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　were　very　lucky　that　not　all　stayed　to　search　Shadar　Logoth。　The　Myrddraal　must　have　doubted　we　would　hide　there；　but　they　also　feared　to　return　to　Shayol　Ghul　leaving　even　the　slightest　chance　uncovered。　The　Dark　One　was　never　a　lenient　master。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　try　to　evade　it。　You　know　what　I　am　saying。　If　those　thousand　were　here　to　be　sent　into　the　Two　Rivers；　why　were　they　not？　There　is　only　one　answer。　They　were　sent　only　after　we　crossed　the　Taren；　when　it　was　known　that　one　Myrddraal　and　a　hundred　Trollocs　were　no　longer　enough。　How？　How　were　they　sent？　If　a　thousand　Trollocs　can　be　brought　so　far　south　from　the　Blight；　so　quickly；　unseen　…　not　to　mention　being　taken　off　the　same　way　…　can　ten　thousand　be　sent　into　the　heart　of　Saldaea；　or　Arafel；　or　Shienar？　The　Borderlands　could　be　overrun　in　a　year。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　whole　world　will　be　overrun　in　five　if　we　do　not　find　those　boys；〃　Moiraine　said　simply。　〃The　question　worries　me；　also；　but　I　have　no　answers。　The　Ways　are　closed；　and　there　has　not　been　an　Aes　Sedai　powerful　enough　to　Travel　since　the　Time　of　Madness。　Unless　one　of　the　Forsaken　is　loose　…　the　Light　send　it　is　not　so；　yet　or　ever　…　there　is　still　no　one　who　can。　In　any　case；　I　do　not　think　all　the　Forsaken　together　could　move　a　thousand　Trollocs。　Let　us　deal　with　the　problems　that　face　us　here　and　now；　everything　else　must　wait。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　boys。〃　It　was　not　a　question。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　not　been　idle　while　you　were　away。　One　is　across　the　river；　and　alive。　As　for　the　others；　there　was　a　faint　trace　downriver；　but　it　faded　away　as　I　found　it。　The　bond　had　been　broken　for　hours　before　I　began　my　search。〃
　　　　　　　Crouched　behind　her　tree；　Nynaeve　frowned　in　puzzlement。
　　　　　　　Lan　stopped　his　pacing。　〃You　think　the　Halfmen　heading　south　have　them？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps。〃　Moiraine　poured　herself　a　cup　of　tea　before　going　on。　〃But　I　will　not　admit　the　possibility　of　them　being　dead。　I　cannot。　I　dare　not。　You　know　how　much　is　at　stake。　I　must　have　those　young　men。　That　Shayol　Ghul　will　hunt　them；　I　expect。　Opposition　from　within　the　White　Tower；　even　from　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　I　accept。　There　are　always　Aes　Sedai　who　will　accept　only　one　solution。　But　。。。　〃　Suddenly　she　put　her　cup　down　and　sat　up　straight；　grimacing。　〃If　you　watch　the　wolf　too　hard；〃　she　muttered；　〃a　mouse　will　bite　you　on　the　ankle。〃　And　she　looked　right　at　the　tree　behind　which　Nynaeve　was　hiding。　〃Mistress　al'Meara；　you　may　e　out　now；　if　you　wish。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　scrambled　to　her　feet；　hastily　dusting　dead　leaves　from　her　dress。　Lan　had　spun　to　face　the　tree　as　soon　as　Moiraine's　eyes　moved；　his　sword　was　in　his　hand　before　she　finished　speaking　Nynaeve's　name。　Now　he　sheathed　it　again　with　more　force　than　was　strictly　necessary。　His　face　was　almost　as　expressionless　as　ever；　but　Nynaeve　thought　there　was　a　touch　of　chagrin　about　the　set　of　his　mouth。　She　felt　a　stab　of　satisfaction；　the　Warder　had　not　known　she　was　there；　at　least。
　　　　　　　Satisfaction　lasted　only　a　moment；　though。　She　fastened　her　eyes　on　Moiraine　and　walked　toward　her　purposefully。　She　wanted　to　remain　cold　and　calm；　but　her　voice　quivered　with　anger。　〃What　have　you　meshed　Egwene　and　the　boys　in？　What　filthy　Aes　Sedai　plots　are　you　planning　to　use　them　in？〃
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai　picked　up　her　cup　and　calmly　sipped　her　tea。　When　Nynaeve　was　close；　though；　Lan　put　out　an　arm　to　bar　her　way。　She　tried　to　brush　the　obstruction　aside；　and　was　surprised　when　the　Warder's　arm　moved　no　more　than　an　oak　branch　would　have。　She　was　not　frail；　but　his　muscles　were　like　iron。
　　　　　　　〃Tea？〃　Moiraine　offered。
　　　　　　　〃No；　I　don't　want　any　tea。　I　would　not　drink　your　tea　if　I　was　dying　of　thirst。　You　won't　use　any　Emond's　Field　folk　in　your　dirty　Aes　Sedai　schemes。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　have　very　little　room　to　talk；　Wisdom。〃　Moiraine　showed　more　interest