rj.eyeoftheworld-第74节

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s　Sedai　schemes。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　have　very　little　room　to　talk；　Wisdom。〃　Moiraine　showed　more　interest　in　her　hot　tea　than　in　anything　she　was　saying。　〃You　can　wield　the　One　Power　yourself；　after　a　fashion。　〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　pushed　at　Lan's　arm　again；　it　still　did　not　move；　and　she　decided　to　ignore　it。　〃Why　don't　you　try　claiming　I　am　a　Trolloc？〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine's　smile　was　so　knowing　that　Nynaeve　wanted　to　hit　her。　〃Do　you　think　I　can　stand　face…to…face　with　a　woman　who　can　touch　the　True　Source　and　channel　the　One　Power；　even　if　only　now　and　then；　without　knowing　what　she　is？　Just　as　you　sensed　the　potential　in　Egwene。　How　do　you　think　I　knew　you　were　behind　that　tree？　If　I　had　not　been　distracted；　I　would　have　known　the　moment　you　came　close。　You　certainly　are　not　a　Trolloc；　for　me　to　feel　the　evil　of　the　Dark　One。　So　what　did　I　sense；　Nynaeve　al'Meara；　Wisdom　of　Emond's　Field　and　unknowing　wielder　of　the　One　Power？〃
　　　　　　　Lan　was　looking　down　at　Nynaeve　in　a　way　she　did　not　like；　surprised　and　speculative；　it　seemed　to　her；　though　nothing　had　changed　about　his　face　but　his　eyes。　Egwene　was　special；　she　had　always　known　that。　Egwene　would　make　a　fine　Wisdom。　They're　working　together；　she　thought；　trying　to　put　me　off　balance。　〃I　won't　listen　to　any　more　of　this。　You　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃You　must　listen；〃　Moiraine　said　firmly。　〃I　had　my　suspicions　in　Emond's　Field　even　before　I　met　you。　People　told　me　how　upset　the　Wisdom　was　that　she　had　not　predicted　the　hard　winter　and　the　lateness　of　spring。　They　told　me　how　good　she　was　at　foretelling　weather；　at　telling　the　crops。　They　told　me　how　wonderful　her　cures　were；　how　she　sometimes　healed　injuries　that　should　have　been　crippling；　so　well　there　was　barely　a　scar；　and　not　a　limp　or　a　twinge。　The　only　ill　word　I　heard　about　you　was　from　a　few　who　thought　you　too　young　for　the　responsibility；　and　that　only　strengthened　my　suspicions。　So　much　skill　so　young。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mistress　Barran　taught　me　well。〃　She　tried　looking　at　Lan；　but　his　eyes　still　made　her　unfortable；　so　she　settled　for　staring　over　the　Aes　Sedai's　head　at　the　river。　How　dare　the　village　gossip　in　front　of　an　outlander！　〃Who　said　I　was　too　young？〃　she　demanded。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　smiled；　refusing　to　be　diverted。　〃Unlike　most　women　who　claim　to　listen　to　the　wind；　you　actually　can；　sometimes。　Oh；　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　wind；　of　course。　It　is　of　Air　and　Water。　It　is　not　something　you　needed　to　be　taught；　it　was　born　into　you；　just　as　it　was　born　into　Egwene。　But　you　have　learned　to　handle　it；　which　she　still　has　to　learn。　Two　minutes　after　I　came　face…to…face　with　you；　I　knew。　Do　you　remember　how　I　suddenly　asked　you　if　you　were　the　Wisdom？　Why；　do　you　think？　There　was　nothing　to　distinguish　you　from　any　other　pretty　young　woman　getting　ready　for　Festival。　Even　looking　for　a　young　Wisdom　I　expected　someone　half　again　your　age。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　remembered　that　meeting　all　too　well；　this　woman；　more　self…possessed　than　anyone　in　the　Women's　Circle；　in　a　dress　more　beautiful　than　any　she　had　ever　seen；　addressing　her　as　a　child。　Then　Moiraine　had　suddenly　blinked　as　if　surprised　and　out　of　a　clear　sky　asked　。。。
　　　　　　　She　licked　lips　gone　abruptly　dry。　They　were　both　looking　at　her；　the　Warder's　face　as　unreadable　as　a　stone；　the　Aes　Sedai's　sympathetic　yet　intent。　Nynaeve　shook　her　head。　〃No！　No；　it's　impossible。　I　would　know。　You　are　just　trying　to　trick　me；　and　it　will　not　work。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　you　do　not　know；〃　Moiraine　said　soothingly。　〃Why　should　you　even　suspect？　All　of　your　life　you　have　heard　about　listening　to　the　wind。　In　any　case；　you　would　as　soon　announce　to　all　of　Emond's　Field　that　you　were　a　Darkfriend　as　admit　to　yourself；　even　in　the　deepest　recesses　of　your　mind；　that　you　have　anything　to　do　with　the　One　Power；　or　the　dreaded　Aes　Sedai。〃　Amusement　flitted　across　Moiraine's　face。　〃But　I　can　tell　you　how　it　began。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　any　more　of　your　lies；〃　she　said；　but　the　Aes　Sedai　went　right　on。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　as　much　as　eight　or　ten　years　ago　…　the　age　varies；　but　always　es　young　…　there　was　something　you　wanted　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world；　something　you　needed。　And　you　got　it。　A　branch　suddenly　falling　where　you　could　pull　yourself　out　of　a　pond　instead　of　drowning。　A　friend；　or　a　pet；　getting　well　when　everyone　thought　they　would　die。〃You　felt　nothing　special　at　the　time；　but　a　week　or　ten　days　later　you　had　your　first　reaction　to　touching　the　True　Source。　Perhaps　fever　and　chills　that　came　on　suddenly　and　put　you　to　bed；　then　disappeared　after　only　a　few　hours。　None　of　the　reactions；　and　they　vary；　lasts　more　than　a　few　hours。　Headaches　and　numbness　and　exhilaration　all　mixed　together；　and　you　taking　foolish　chances　or　acting　giddy。　A　spell　of　dizziness；　when　you　tripped　and　stumbled　whenever　you　tried　to　move；　when　you　could　not　say　a　sentence　without　your　tongue　mangling　half　the　words。　There　are　others。　Do　you　remember？〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　sat　down　hard　on　the　ground；　her　legs　would　not　hold　her　up。　She　remembered；　but　she　shook　her　head　anyway。　It　had　to　be　coincidence。　Or　else　Moiraine　had　asked　more　questions　in　Emond's　Field　than　she　had　thought。　The　Aes　Sedai　had　asked　a　great　many　questions。　It　had　to　be　that。　Lan　offered　a　hand；　but　she　did　not　even　see　it。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　go　further；〃　Moiraine　said　when　Nynaeve　kept　silent。　〃You　used　the　Power　to　Heal　either　Perrin　or　Egwene　at　some　time。　An　affinity　develops。　You　can　sense　the　presence　of　someone　you　have　Healed。　In　Baerlon　you　came　straight　to　the　Stag　and　Lion；　though　it　was　not　the　nearest　inn　to　any　gate　by　which　you　could　have　entered。　Of　the　people　from　Emond's　Field；　only　Perrin　and　Egwene　were　at　the　inn　when　you　arrived。　Was　it　Perrin；　or　Egwene？　Or　both？〃
　　　　　　　〃Egwene；〃　Nynaeve　mumbled。　She　had　always　taken　it　for　granted　that　she　could　sometimes　tell　who　was　approaching　her　even　when　she　could　not　see　them；　not　until　now　had　she　realized　that　it　was　always　someone　on　whom　her　cures　had　worked　almost　miraculously　well。　And　she　had　always　known　when　the　medicine　would　work　beyond　expectations；　always　felt　the　certainty　when　she　said　the　crops　would　be　especially　good；　or　that　the　rains　would　e　early　or　late。　That　was　the　way　she　thought　it　was　supposed　to　be。　Not　all　Wisdoms　could　listen　to　the　wind；　but　the　best　could。　That　was　what　Mistress　Barran　always　said；　just　as　she　said　Nynaeve　would　be　one　of　the　best。
　　　　　　　〃She　had　breakbone　fever。〃　She　kept　her　head　down　and　spoke　to　the　ground。　〃I　was　still　apprentice　to　Mistress　Barran；　and　she　set　me　to　watch　Egwene。　I　was　young；　and　I　didn't　know　the　Wisdom　had　everything　well　in　hand。　It's　terrible　to　watch；　breakbone　fever。　The　child　was　soaked　with　sweat；　groaning　and　twisting　until　I　could　not　understand　why　I　didn't　hear　her　bones　snapping。　Mistress　Barran　had　told　me　the　fever　would　break　in　another　day；　two　at　the　most；　but　I　thought　she　was　doing　me　a　kindness。　I　thought　Egwene　was　dying。　I　used　to　look　after　her　sometimes　when　she　was　a　toddler　…　when　her　mother　was　busy　…　and　I　started　crying　because　I　was　going　to　have　to　watch　her　die。　When　Mistress　Barran　came　back　an　hour　later；　the　fever　had　broken。　She　was　surprised；　but　she　made　over　me　more　than　Egwene。　I　always　thought　she　believed　I　had　given　the　child　something　and　was　too　frightened　to　admit　it。　I　always　thought　she　was　trying　to　fort　me；　to　make　sure　I　knew　I　hadn't　hurt　Egwene。　A　week　later　I　fell　on　the　floor　in　her　sitting　room；　shaking　and　burning　up　by　turns。　She　bundled　me　into　bed；　but　by　suppertime　it　was　gone。〃
　　　　　　　She　dropped　her　head　in　her　hands　as　she　finished　speaking。　The　Aes　Sedai　chose　a　good　example；　she　thought；　Light　burn　her！　Using　the　Power　like　an　Aes　Sedai。　A　filthy；　Darkfriend　Aes　Sedai！
　　　　　　　〃You　were　very　lucky；〃　Moiraine　said；　and　Nynaeve　sat　erect。　Lan　stepped　back　as　if　what　they　talked　about　was　none　of　his　business；　and　busied　himself　with　Mandarb's　saddle；　not　even　glancing　at　them。
　　　　　　　〃Lucky！〃
　　　　　　　〃You　have　managed　a　crude　control　over　the　Power；　even　if　touching　the　True　Source　still　es　at　random。　If　you　had　not；　it　would　have　killed　you　eventually。　As　it　will；　in　all　probability；　kill　Egwene　if　you　manage　to　stop　her　from　going　to　Tar　Valon。　〃
　　　　　　　〃If　I　learned　to　control　it　。。。〃　Nynaeve　swallowed　hard。　It　was　like　admitting　all　over　again　that　she　could　do　what　the　Aes　Sedai　said。　〃If　I　learned　to　control　it；　so　can　she。　There　is　no　need　for　her　to　go　to　Tar　Valon；　and　get　mixed　up　in　your　intrigues。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　shook　her　head　slowly。　〃Aes　Sedai　search　for　girls　who　can　touch　the　True　Source　unguided　just　as　assiduously　as　we　search　for　men　who　can　do　so。　It　is　not　a　desire　to　increase　our　numbers　…　or　at　least；　not　only　that　…　nor　is　it　a　fear　that　those　women　will　misuse　the　Power。　The　rough　control　of　the　Power　they　may　gain；　if　the　Light　shines　on　them；　is　rarely　enough　to　do　any　great　damage；　especially　since　the　actual　touching　of　the　Source　is　beyond　their　control　without　a　teacher；　and　es　only　randomly。　And；　of　course；　they　do　not　suffer　the　madness　that　drives　men　to　evil　or　twisted　things。　We　want　to　save　their　lives。　The　lives　of　those　who　never　do　manage　any　control　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　fever　and　chills　I　had　coul