rj.eyeoftheworld-第76节

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rs；　and　even　his　head；　making　him　appear　something　like　a　tree　himself。　Emond's　Field　faded　as　memory　rushed　back；　so　vivid　that　for　a　moment　the　night　before　seemed　more　real　than　anything　around　him　now。
　　　　　　　Panting；　frantic；　he　scrabbled　his　axe　out　of　the　pile。　He　clutched　it　in　both　hands　and　peered　around　cautiously；　holding　his　breath。　Nothing　moved。　The　morning　was　cold　and　still。　If　there　were　Trollocs　on　the　east　bank　of　the　Arinelle；　they　were　not　moving；　at　least　not　close　to　him。　Taking　a　deep；　calming　breath；　he　lowered　the　axe　to　his　knees；　and　waited　a　moment　for　his　heart　to　stop　pounding。
　　　　　　　The　small　stand　of　evergreens　surrounding　him　was　the　first　shelter　he　had　found　last　night。　It　was　sparse　enough　to　give　little　protection　against　watching　eyes　if　he　stood　up。　Plucking　branches　from　his　head　and　shoulders；　he　pushed　aside　the　rest　of　his　prickly　blanket；　then　crawled　on　hands　and　knees　to　the　edge　of　the　copse。　There　he　lay　studying　the　riverbank　and　scratching　where　the　needles　had　stabbed　him。
　　　　　　　The　cutting　wind　of　the　night　before　had　faded　to　a　silent　breeze　that　barely　rippled　the　surface　of　the　water。　The　river　ran　by；　calm　and　empty。　And　wide。　Surely　too　wide　and　too　deep　for　Fades　to　cross。　The　far　bank　appeared　a　solid　mass　of　trees　as　far　as　he　could　see　upriver　and　down。　Certainly　nothing　moved　in　his　view　over　there。
　　　　　　　He　was　not　sure　how　he　felt　about　that。　Fades　and　Trollocs　he　could　do　without　quite　easily；　even　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　but　a　whole　list　of　worries　would　have　vanished　with　the　appearance　of　the　Aes　Sedai；　or　the　Warder；　or；　even　better；　any　of　his　friends。　If　wishes　were　wings；　sheep　would　fly。　That　was　what　Mistress　Luhhan　always　said。
　　　　　　　He　had　not　seen　a　sign　of　his　horse　since　riding　over　the　bluff　…　he　hoped　it　had　swum　out　of　the　river　safely　…　but　he　was　more　used　to　walking　than　riding　anyway；　and　his　boots　were　stout　and　well　soled。　He　had　nothing　to　eat；　but　his　sling　was　still　wrapped　around　his　waist；　and　that　or　the　snarelines　in　his　pocket　ought　to　yield　a　rabbit　in　a　little　time。　Everything　for　making　a　fire　was　gone　with　his　saddlebags；　but　the　cedar　trees　would　yield　tinder　and　a　firebow　with　a　bit　of　work。
　　　　　　　He　shivered　as　the　breeze　gusted　into　his　hiding　place。　His　cloak　was　somewhere　in　the　river；　and　his　coat　and　everything　else　he　wore　were　still　clammy　cold　from　the　soaking　in　the　river。　He　had　been　too　tired　for　the　cold　and　damp　to　bother　him　last　night；　but　now　he　was　wide　awake　to　every　chill。　Just　the　same；　he　decided　against　hanging　his　clothes　on　the　branches　to　dry。　If　the　day　was　not　precisely　cold；　it　was　not　even　close　to　warm。
　　　　　　　Time　was　the　problem；　he　thought　with　a　sigh。　Dry　clothes；　with　a　little　time。　A　rabbit　to　roast　and　a　fire　to　roast　it　over；　with　a　little　time。　His　stomach　rumbled；　and　he　tried　to　forget　about　eating　altogether。　There　were　more　important　uses　for　that　time。　One　thing　at　a　time；　and　the　most　important　first。　That　was　his　way。
　　　　　　　His　eyes　followed　the　strong　flow　of　the　Arinelle　downriver。　He　was　a　stronger　swimmer　than　Egwene。　If　she　had　made　it　across　。。。　No；　not　if。　The　place　where　she　had　made　it　across　would　be　downriver。　He　drummed　on　the　ground　with　his　fingers；　weighing；　considering。
　　　　　　　His　decision　made；　he　wasted　no　time　in　picking　up　his　axe　and　setting　off　down　the　river。
　　　　　　　This　side　of　the　Arinelle　lacked　the　thick　forest　of　the　west　bank。　Clumps　of　trees　spotted　across　what　would　be　grassland　if　spring　ever　came。　Some　were　big　enough　to　be　called　thickets；　with　swathes　of　evergreens　among　the　barren　ash　and　alder　and　hardgum。　Down　by　the　river　the　stands　were　smaller　and　not　so　tight。　They　gave　poor　cover；　but　they　were　all　the　cover　there　was。
　　　　　　　He　dashed　from　growth　to　growth　in　a　crouch；　throwing　himself　down　when　he　was　among　the　trees　to　study　the　riverbanks；　the　far　side　as　well　as　his。　The　Warder　said　the　river　would　be　a　barrier　to　Fades　and　Trollocs；　but　would　it？　Seeing　him　might　be　enough　to　overe　their　reluctance　to　cross　deep　water。　So　he　watched　carefully　from　behind　the　trees　and　ran　from　one　hiding　place　to　the　next；　fast　and　low。
　　　　　　　He　covered　several　miles　that　way；　in　spurts；　until　suddenly；　halfway　to　the　beckoning　shelter　of　a　growth　of　willows；　he　grunted　and　stopped　dead；　staring　at　the　ground。　Patches　of　bare　earth　spotted　the　matted　brown　of　last　year's　grass；　and　in　the　middle　of　one　of　those　patches；　right　under　his　nose；　was　a　clear　hoofprint。　A　slow　smile　spread　across　his　face。　Some　Trollocs　had　hooves；　but　he　doubted　if　any　wore　horseshoes；　especially　horseshoes　with　the　double　crossbar　Master　Luhhan　added　for　strength。
　　　　　　　Forgetting　possible　eyes　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　he　cast　about　for　more　tracks。　The　plaited　carpet　of　dead　grass　did　not　take　impressions　well；　but　his　sharp　eyes　found　them　anyway。　The　scanty　trail　led　him　straight　away　from　the　river　to　a　dense　stand　of　trees；　thick　with　leatherleaf　and　cedar　that　made　a　wall　against　wind　or　prying　eyes。　The　spreading　branches　of　a　lone　hemlock　towered　in　the　middle　of　it　all。
　　　　　　　Still　grinning；　he　pushed　his　way　through　the　interwoven　branches；　not　caring　how　much　noise　he　made。　Abruptly　he　stepped　into　a　little　clearing　under　the　hemlock　…　and　stopped。　Behind　a　small　fire；　Egwene　crouched；　her　face　grim；　with　a　thick　branch　held　like　a　club　and　her　back　against　Bela's　flank。
　　　　　　　〃I　guess　I　should　have　called　out；〃　he　said　with　an　abashed　shrug。
　　　　　　　Tossing　her　club　down；　she　ran　to　throw　her　arms　around　him。　〃I　thought　you　had　drowned。　You're　still　wet。　Here；　sit　by　the　fire　and　warm　yourself。　You　lost　your　horse；　didn't　you？〃
　　　　　　　He　let　her　push　him　to　a　place　by　the　fire　and　rubbed　his　hands　over　the　flames；　grateful　for　the　warmth。　She　produced　an　oiled　paper　packet　from　her　saddlebags　and　gave　him　some　bread　and　cheese。　The　package　had　been　so　tightly　wrapped　that　even　after　its　dunking　the　food　was　dry。　Here　you　were　worrying　about　her；　and　she's　done　better　than　you　did。
　　　　　　　〃Bela　got　me　across；〃　Egwene　said；　patting　the　shaggy　mare。　〃She　headed　away　from　the　Trollocs　and　just　towed　me　along。〃　She　paused。　〃I　haven't　seen　anybody　else；　Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　He　heard　the　unspoken　question。　Regretfully　eyeing　the　packet　that　she　was　rewrapping；　he　licked　the　last　crumbs　from　his　fingers　before　speaking。　〃I've　seen　no　one　but　you　since　last　night。　No　Fades　or　Trollocs；　either；　there's　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Rand　has　to　be　all　right；〃　Egwene　said；　quickly　adding；　〃they　all　do。　They　have　to。　They're　probably　looking　for　us　right　now。　They　might　find　us　anytime　now。　Moiraine　is　an　Aes　Sedai；　after　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　keep　being　reminded　of　that；〃　he　said。　〃Burn　me；　I　wish　I　could　forget。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　not　hear　you　plaining　when　she　stopped　the　Trollocs　from　catching　us；〃　Egwene　said　tartly。
　　　　　　　〃I　just　wish　we　could　do　without　her。〃　He　shrugged　unfortably　under　her　steady　gaze。　〃I　suppose　we　can't；　though。　I've　been　thinking。〃　Her　eyebrows　rose；　but　he　was　used　to　surprise　whenever　he　claimed　an　idea。　Even　when　his　ideas　were　as　good　as　theirs；　they　always　remembered　how　deliberate　he　was　in　thinking　of　them。　〃We　can　wait　for　Lan　and　Moiraine　to　find　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course；〃　she　cut　in。　〃Moiraine　Sedai　said　she　would　find　us　if　we　were　separated。〃
　　　　　　　He　let　her　finish；　then　went　on。　〃Or　the　Trollocs　could　find　us；　first。　Moiraine　could　be　dead；　too。　All　of　them　could　be。　No；　Egwene。　I'm　sorry；　but　they　could　be。　I　hope　they　are　all　safe。　I　hope　they'll　walk　up　to　this　fire　any　minute。　But　hope　is　like　a　piece　of　string　when　you're　drowning；　it　just　isn't　enough　to　get　you　out　by　itself。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　closed　her　mouth　and　stared　at　him　with　her　jaw　set。　Finally；　she　said；　〃You　want　to　go　downriver　to　Whitebridge？　If　Moiraine　Sedai　doesn't　find　us　here；　that's　where　she　will　look　next。　〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　Whitebridge　is　where　we　should　go。　But　the　Fades　probably　know　that；　too。　That's　where　they'll　be　looking；　and　this　time　we　don't　have　an　Aes　Sedai　or　a　Warder　to　protect　us。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　you're　going　to　suggest　running　off　somewhere；　the　way　Mat　wanted　to？　Hiding　somewhere　the　Fades　and　Trollocs　won't　find　us？　Or　Moiraine　Sedai；　either？〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　think　I　haven't　considered　it；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃But　every　time　we　think　we　are　free；　Fades　and　Trollocs　find　us　again。　I　don't　know　if　there　is　anyplace　we　could　hide　from　them。　I　don't　like　it　much；　but　we　need　Moiraine。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　understand　then；　Perrin。　Where　do　we　go？〃
　　　　　　　He　blinked　in　surprise。　She　was　waiting　for　his　answer。　Waiting　for　him　to　tell　her　what　to　do。　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　she　would　look　to　him　to　take　the　lead。　Egwene　never　liked　doing　what　someone　else　had　planned　out；　and　she　never　let　anybody　tell　her　what　to　do。　Except　maybe　the　Wisdom；　and　he　thought　sometimes　she　balked　at　that。　He　smoothed　the　dirt　in　front　of　him　with　his　hand　and　cleared　his　throat　roughly。
　　　　　　　〃If　this　is　where　we　are　now；　and　that　is　Whitebridge；〃　he　stabbed　the　ground　twice　with　his　finger；　〃then　Caemlyn　should　be　somewhere　around　here。〃　He　made　a　third　mark；　off　to　the　side。
　　　　　　　He　paused；　looking　at　the　thre