rj.eyeoftheworld-第96节

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hen　you　accept。
　　　　　　　He　forced　the　wolves　out　of　his　head；　and　blinked　in　surprise。　He　had　not　known　he　could　do　that。　He　determined　not　to　let　them　back　in　again。　Even　in　dreams？　He　was　not　sure　if　the　thought　was　his　or　theirs。
　　　　　　　Egwene　still　wore　the　string　of　blue　beads　Aram　had　given　her；　and　a　little　sprig　of　something　with　tiny；　bright　red　leaves　in　her　hair；　another　gift　from　the　young　Tuatha'an。　That　Aram　had　tried　to　talk　her　into　staying　with　the　Traveling　People；　Perrin　was　sure。　He　was　glad　she　had　not　given　in；　but　he　wished　she　did　not　finger　the　beads　so　fondly。
　　　　　　　Finally　he　said；　〃What　did　you　spend　so　much　time　talking　about　with　Ila？　If　you　weren't　dancing　with　that　long…legged　fellow；　you　were　talking　to　her　like　it　was　some　kind　of　secret。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ila　was　giving　me　advice　on　being　a　woman；〃　Egwene　replied　absently。　He　began　laughing；　and　she　gave　him　a　hooded；　dangerous　look　that　he　failed　to　see。
　　　　　　　〃Advice！　Nobody　tells　us　how　to　be　men。　We　just　are。〃
　　　　　　　〃That；〃　Egwene　said；　〃is　probably　why　you　make　such　a　bad　job　of　it。〃　Up　ahead；　Elyas　cackled　loudly。

Chapter　28
Footprints　in　Air
　
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　stared　in　wonder　at　what　lay　ahead　down　the　river；　the　White　Bridge　gleaming　in　the　sun　with　a　milky　glow。　Another　legend；　she　thought；　glancing　at　the　Warder　and　the　Aes　Sedai；　riding　just　ahead　of　her。　Another　legend；　and　they　don't　even　seem　to　notice。　She　resolved　not　to　stare　where　they　could　see。　They'll　laugh　if　they　see　me　gaping　like　a　country　bumpkin。　The　three　rode　on　silently　toward　the　fabled　White　Bridge。
　　　　　　　Since　that　morning　after　Shadar　Logoth；　when　she　had　found　Moiraine　and　Lan　on　the　bank　of　the　Arinelle；　there　had　been　little　in　the　way　of　real　conversation　between　her　and　the　Aes　Sedai。　There　had　been　talk；　of　course；　but　nothing　of　substance　as　Nynaeve　saw　it。　Moiraine's　attempts　to　talk　her　into　going　to　Tar　Valon；　for　instance。　Tar　Valon。　She　would　go　there；　if　need　be；　and　take　their　training；　but　not　for　the　reasons　the　Aes　Sedai　thought。　If　Moiraine　had　brought　harm　to　Egwene　and　the　boys　。。。
　　　　　　　Sometimes；　against　her　will；　Nynaeve　had　found　herself　thinking　of　what　a　Wisdom　could　do　with　the　One　Power；　of　what　she　could　do。　Whenever　she　realized　what　was　in　her　head；　though；　a　flash　of　anger　burned　it　out。　The　Power　was　a　filthy　thing。　She　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Unless　she　had　to。
　　　　　　　The　cursed　woman　only　wanted　to　talk　about　taking　her　to　Tar　Valon　for　training。　Moiraine　would　not　tell　her　anything！　It　was　not　as　if　she　wanted　to　know　so　much。
　　　　　　　〃How　do　you　mean　to　find　them？〃　she　remembered　demanding。
　　　　　　　〃As　I　have　told　you；〃　Moiraine　replied　without　bothering　to　look　back　at　her；　〃I　will　know　when　I　am　close　to　the　two　who　have　lost　their　coins。〃　It　was　not　the　first　time　Nynaeve　had　asked；　but　the　Aes　Sedai's　voice　was　like　a　still　pond　that　refused　to　ripple　no　matter　how　many　stones　Nynaeve　threw；　it　made　the　Wisdom's　blood　boil　every　time　she　was　exposed　to　it。　Moiraine　went　on　as　if　she　could　not　feel　Nynaeve's　eyes　on　her　back；　Nynaeve　knew　she　must　be　able　to；　she　was　staring　so　hard。　〃The　longer　it　takes；　the　closer　I　must　e；　but　I　will　know。　As　for　the　one　who　still　has　his　token；　so　long　as　he　has　it　in　his　possession　I　can　follow　him　across　half　the　world；　if　need　be。　〃
　　　　　　　〃And　then？　What　do　you　plan　when　you've　found　them；　Aes　Sedai？〃　She　did　not　for　a　minute　believe　the　Aes　Sedai　would　be　so　intent　on　finding　them　if　she　did　not　have　plans。
　　　　　　　〃Tar　Valon；　Wisdom。〃
　　　　　　　〃Tar　Valon；　Tar　Valon。　That's　all　you　ever　say；　and　I　am　being…〃
　　　　　　　〃Part　of　the　training　you　will　receive　in　Tar　Valon；　Wisdom；　will　teach　you　to　control　your　temper。　You　can　do　nothing　with　the　One　Power　when　emotion　rules　your　mind。〃　Nynaeve　opened　her　mouth；　but　the　Aes　Sedai　went　right　on。　〃Lan；　I　must　speak　with　you　a　moment。〃
　　　　　　　The　two　put　their　heads　together；　and　Nynaeve　was　left　with　a　sullen　glower　that　she　hated　every　time　she　realized　it　was　on　her　face。　It　came　too　often　as　the　Aes　Sedai　deftly　turned　her　questions　off　onto　another　subject；　slid　easily　by　her　conversational　traps；　or　ignored　her　shouts　until　they　ended　in　silence。　The　scowl　made　her　feel　like　a　girl　who　had　been　caught　acting　the　fool　by　someone　in　the　Women's　Circle。　That　was　a　feeling　Nynaeve　was　not　used　to；　and　the　calm　smile　on　Moiraine's　face　only　made　it　worse。
　　　　　　　If　only　there　was　some　way　to　get　rid　of　the　woman。　Lan　would　be　better　by　himself　…　a　Warder　should　be　able　to　handle　what　was　needed；　she　told　herself　hastily；　feeling　a　sudden　flush；　no　other　reason…　but　one　meant　the　other。
　　　　　　　And　yet；　Lan　made　her　even　more　furious　than　Moiraine。　She　could　not　understand　how　he　managed　to　get　under　her　skin　so　easily。　He　rarely　said　anything　…　sometimes　not　a　dozen　words　in　a　day　…　and　he　never　took　part　in　any　of　the。。。　discussions　with　Moiraine。　He　was　often　apart　from　the　two　women；　scouting　the　land；　but　even　when　he　was　there　he　kept　a　little　to　one　side；　watching　them　as　if　watching　a　duel。　Nynaeve　wished　he　would　stop。　If　it　was　a　duel；　she　had　not　managed　to　score　once；　and　Moiraine　did　not　even　seem　to　realize　she　was　in　a　fight。　Nynaeve　could　have　done　without　his　cool　blue　eyes；　without　even　a　silent　audience。
　　　　　　　That　had　been　the　way　of　their　journey；　for　the　most　part。　Quiet；　except　when　her　temper　got　the　best　of　her；　and　sometimes　when　she　shouted　the　sound　of　her　voice　seemed　to　crash　in　the　silence　like　breaking　glass。　The　land　itself　was　quiet；　as　if　the　world　were　pausing　to　catch　its　breath。　The　wind　moaned　in　the　trees；　but　all　else　was　still。　The　wind　seemed　distant；　too；　even　when　it　was　cutting　through　the　cloak　on　her　back。
　　　　　　　At　first　the　stillness　was　restful　after　everything　that　had　happened。　It　seemed　as　if　she　had　not　known　a　moment　of　quiet　since　before　Winternight。　By　the　end　of　the　first　day　alone　with　the　Aes　Sedai　and　the　Warder；　though；　she　was　looking　over　her　shoulder　and　fidgeting　in　her　saddle　as　if　she　had　an　itch　in　the　middle　of　her　back　where　she　could　not　reach。　The　silence　seemed　like　crystal　doomed　to　shatter；　and　waiting　for　the　first　crack　put　her　teeth　on　edge。
　　　　　　　It　weighed　on　Moiraine　and　Lan；　too；　as　outwardly　unperturbable　as　they　were。　She　soon　realized　that；　beneath　their　calm　surfaces；　hour　by　hour　they　wound　tighter　and　tighter；　like　clocksprings　being　forced　to　the　breaking　point。　Moiraine　seemed　to　listen　to　things　that　were　not　there；　and　what　she　heard　put　a　crease　in　her　forehead。　Lan　watched　the　forest　and　the　river　as　if　the　leafless　trees　and　wide；　slow　water　carried　the　signs　of　traps　and　ambushes　waiting　ahead。
　　　　　　　Part　of　her　was　glad　that　she　was　not　the　only　one　who　apprehended　that　poised…on…the…brink　feel　to　the　world；　but　if　it　affected　them；　it　was　real；　and　another　part　of　her　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　for　it　to　be　just　her　imagination。　Something　of　it　tickled　the　corners　of　her　mind；　as　when　she　listened　to　the　wind；　but　now　she　knew　that　that　had　to　do　with　the　One　Power；　and　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　embrace　those　ripples　at　the　edge　of　thought。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　nothing；〃　Lan　said　quietly　when　she　asked。　He　did　not　look　at　her　while　he　spoke；　his　eyes　never　ceased　their　scanning。　Then；　contradicting　what　he　had　just　said；　he　added；　〃You　should　go　back　to　your　Two　Rivers　when　we　reach　Whitebridge；　and　the　Caemlyn　Road。　It's　too　dangerous　here。　Nothing　will　try　to　stop　you　going　back；　though。〃　It　was　the　longest　speech　he　made　all　that　day。
　　　　　　　〃She　is　part　of　the　Pattern；　Lan；〃　Moiraine　said　chidingly。　Her　gaze　was　elsewhere；　too。　〃It　is　the　Dark　One；　Nynaeve。　The　storm　has　left　us　。。。　for　a　time；　at　least。〃　She　raised　one　hand　as　though　feeling　the　air；　then　scrubbed　it　on　her　dress　unconsciously；　as　if　she　had　touched　filth。　〃He　is　still　watching；　however〃　…　she　sighed　…　〃and　his　gaze　is　stronger。　Not　on　us；　but　on　the　world。　How　much　longer　before　he　is　strong　enough　to　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　hunched　her　shoulders；　suddenly　she　could　almost　feel　someone　staring　at　her　back。　It　was　one　explanation　she　would　just　as　soon　the　Aes　Sedai　had　not　given　her。
　　　　　　　Lan　scouted　their　path　down　the　river；　but　where　before　he　had　chosen　the　way；　now　Moiraine　did　so；　as　surely　as　if　she　followed　some　unseen　track；　footprints　in　air；　the　scent　of　memory。　Lan　only　checked　the　route　she　intended；　to　see　that　it　was　safe。　Nynaeve　had　the　feeling　that　even　if　he　said　it　was　not；　Moiraine　would　insist　on　it　anyway。　And　he　would　go；　she　was　sure。　Straight　down　the　river　to　。。。
　　　　　　　With　a　start；　Nynaeve　pulled　out　of　her　thoughts。　They　were　at　the　foot　of　the　White　Bridge。　The　pale　arch　shone　in　the　sunlight；　a　milky　spiderweb　too　delicate　to　stand；　sweeping　across　the　Arinelle。　The　weight　of　a　man　would　bring　it　crashing　down；　much　less　that　of　a　horse。　Surely　it　would　collapse　under　its　own　weight　any　minute。
　　　　　　　Lan　and　Moiraine　rode　unconcernedly　ahead；　up　the　gleaming　white　approach　and　onto　the　bridge；　hooves　ringing；　not　like　steel　on　glass；　but　like　steel　on　steel。　The　surface　of　the　bridge　certainly　looked　as　slick　as　glass；　wet　glass；　but　it　gave　the　horses　a　firm；　sure　footing。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　made　herself　follow；　but　f