rj.acrownofswords-第101节

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　　　Elayne　eyed　the　woman　up　and　down。　Not　even　as　a　novice　had　she　gotten　used　to　being　addressed　in　that　tone。　〃And　who　might　you　be；　my　good　woman？〃
　　　〃I　might　be　and　am　Setalle　Anan；　the　owner　of　this　inn；　child〃　was　the　dry　reply；　and　with　that；　the　woman　flung　open　a　door　across　the　hallway；　seized　them　each　by　an　arm；　and　hustled　them　through　so　fast　Elayne　thought　her　slippers　had　left　the　floor。
　　　〃You　seem　under　some　misapprehension；　Mistress　Anan；〃　she　said　coolly　as　the　woman　released　them　to　shut　the　door。
　　　Nynaeve　was　in　no　mood　for　niceties。　Holding　her　hand　so　her　Great　Serpent　ring　was　plain；　she　said　heatedly；　〃Now；　you　look　here　…　〃
　　　〃Very　pretty；〃　the　woman　said；　and　pushed　each　of　them　so　hard　they　found　themselves　sitting　side…by…side　on　the　bed。　Elayne's　eyes　popped　in　disbelief。　This　Anan　woman　confronted　them；　grim…faced；　fists　on　her　hips；　for　all　the　world　like　a　mother　about　to　castigate　her　daughters。　〃Flaunting　that　just　shows　how　silly　you　are。　That　young　man　will　dandle　you　on　his　knee　…　one　on　each；　I　shouldn't　wonder；　if　you　allow　…　he'll　take　a　few　kisses　and　as　much　else　as　you're　willing　to　give；　but　he　won't　harm　you。　You　can　harm　him；　though；　if　you　keep　on　with　this。〃
　　　Harm　him？　The　woman　thought　they　…　she　thought　he　had　dandled　…　she　thought　…　Elayne　did　not　know　whether　to　laugh　or　cry；　but　she　stood　up；　straightening　her　skirts。　〃As　I　said；　Mistress　Anan；　you　are　under　a　misapprehension。〃　Her　voice　became　smoother　as　she　went　on；　confusion　giving　way　to　calm。　〃I　am　Elayne　Trakand；　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　and　Aes　Sedai　of　the　Green　Ajah。　I　don't　know　what　you　think　…　〃　Her　eyes　nearly　crossed　as　Mistress　Anan　pushed　a　finger　to　the　tip　of　her　nose。
　　　〃Elayne；　if　that　is　your　name；　all　that　keeps　me　from　dragging　you　down　to　the　kitchen　and　washing　your　mouth　out；　yours　and　that　other　foolish　girl's　there；　is　the　possibility　that　you　actually　can　channel　somewhat。　Or　are　you　silly　enough　to　wear　that　ring　when　you　can't　even　do　that？　I　warn　you；　it　will　make　no　difference　to　the　sisters　over　in　the　Tarasin　Palace。　Do　you　even　know　about　them？　If　you　do；　frankly；　you　are　not　foolish；　you're　blind　stupid。〃
　　　Elayne's　temper　grew　by　the　word。　Foolish　girl？　Blind　stupid？　She　would　not　put　up　with　it；　especially　not　right　after　being　forced　to　crawl　to　Mat　Cauthon。　Dandle？　Mat　Cauthon？　She　maintained　her　outward　posure；　though；　but　not　so　Nynaeve。
　　　She　glared　in　a　fury；　and　the　glow　of　saidar　enveloped　her　as　she　bounded　to　her　feet。　Flows　of　Air　wrapped　mistress　Anan　from　shoulders　to　ankles；　crushing　her　skirts　and　petticoats　against　her　legs；　just　short　of　tight　enough　to　topple　her。　〃I　happen　to　be　one　of　those　sisters　in　the　palace。　Nynaeve　al'Meara　of　the　Yellow　Ajah；　to　be　exact。　Now　would　you　like　me　to　carry　you　down　to　the　kitchens？　I　know　something　of　how　to　wash　out　a　mouth。〃　Elayne　stepped　away　from　the　innkeeper's　outstretched　arm。
　　　The　woman　had　to　feel　the　pressure　of　the　flows；　and　even　a　half…wit　would　have　known　what　those　invisible　bonds　must　be；　yet　she　did　not　blink！　Her　green…flecked　eyes　narrowed；　no　more。　〃So　one　of　you　can　channel；　at　least；〃　she　said　calmly。　〃I　should　let　you　drag　me　downstairs；　child。　Whatever　you　do　to　me；　you　would　be　in　the　hands　of　real　Aes　Sedai　by　noon；　I'll　wager　that。〃
　　　〃Didn't　you　hear　me？〃　Nynaeve　demanded。　〃I　…　！〃
　　　The　Anan　woman　did　not　even　pause。　〃You'll　not　only　spend　the　next　year　blubbering；　you　will　do　part　of　it　in　front　of　anyone　you　told　that　you　are　Aes　Sedai。　Be　sure；　they'll　make　you　tell。　They　will　turn　your　liver　to　water。　I　should　let　you　go　blundering　on　your　way；　or　else　run　across　to　the　palace　as　soon　as　you　loose　me。　The　only　reason　I　don't　is　that　they'll　make　an　example　of　Lord　Mat　nearly　as　much　as　of　you；　if　they　even　suspect　he's　helped　you；　and　as　I　said；　I　like　the　young　man。〃
　　　〃I'm　telling　you　…　〃　Nynaeve　tried　again；　but　still　the　innkeeper　gave　her　no　chance　to　tell　anything。　Tied　like　a　bundle；　the　woman　was　a　boulder　rolling　downhill。　She　was　the　whole　hillside　falling；　flattening　whatever　lay　in　its　path。
　　　〃Trying　to　keep　up　the　lie　does　no　good；　Nynaeve。　You　look　to　be；　oh；　twenty…one　give　or　take　a　year；　so　you　might　be　as　much　as　ten　years　older　if　you've　already　reached　the　slowing。　You　might　even　have　worn　the　shawl　four　or　five　years。　Except　for　one　thing。〃　Her　head；　the　only　part　of　her　she　could　move；　swiveled　toward　Elayne。　〃You；　child；　aren't　old　enough　to　have　slowed　yet；　and　no　woman　has　ever　worn　the　shawl　as　young　as　you。　Never　in　the　history　of　the　Tower。　If　you　ever　were　in　the　Tower；　I'll　wager　you　wore　white　and　squeaked　every　time　the　Mistress　of　Novices　glanced　your　way。　You　had　some　goldsmith　make　that　ring　for　you　…　there　are　some　fool　enough；　I　hear　…　or　maybe　Nynaeve　stole　it　for　you；　if　she　has　any　right　to　hers。　Either　way；　since　you　can't　be　a　sister；　neither　can　she。　No　Aes　Sedai　would　travel　with　a　woman　who　was　pretending。〃
　　　Elayne　frowned；　not　noticing　that　she　was　chewing　her　lower　lip。　Slowed。　Slowing。　How　did　an　innkeeper　in　Ebou　Dar　know　those　words？　Maybe　Setalle　Anan　had　gone　to　the　Tower　as　a　girl；　though　she　would　not　have　remained　long；　since　she　clearly　could　not　channel。　Elayne　would　have　known　even　if　her　ability　had　been　as　small　as　her　own　mother's；　and　Morgase　Trakand　had　had　an　ability　so　small　she　would　have　been　sent　away　in　a　matter　of　weeks　probably；　had　she　not　been　heir　to　a　strong　House。
　　　〃Release　her；　Nynaeve；〃　she　said；　smiling。　She　truly　did　feel　more　well…disposed　toward　the　woman；　now。　It　must　have　been　terrible　to　make　that　journey　to　Tar　Valon　only　to　be　turned　away。　There　was　no　reason　the　woman　had　to　believe　them　…　something　tickled　at　that；　but　she　could　not　say　what　…　no　reason　at　all；　but　if　she　had　made　the　trip　to　Tar　Valon；　maybe　she　would　walk　across　the　Mol　Hara。　Merilille；　or　any　of　the　other　sisters；　could　set　her　straight。
　　　〃Release　her？〃　Nynaeve　yelped。　〃Elayne？〃
　　　〃Release　her。　Mistress　Anan；　I　see　the　only　way　to　convince　you　is　…　〃
　　　〃The　Amyrlin　Seat　and　three　Sitters　couldn't　convince　me；　child。〃　Light；　did　she　ever　let　anyone　finish　a　sentence？　〃Now；　I　don't　have　time　for　any　more　games。　I　can　help　the　pair　of　you。　I　know　those　who　can；　anyway；　some　women　who　take　in　strays。　You　can　thank　Lord　Mat　that　I'm　willing　to　take　you　to　them；　but　I　must　know。　Were　you　ever　in　the　Tower；　or　are　you　wilders？　If　you　were　there；　were　you　put　out；　or　did　you　run　away？　The　truth。　They　handle　each　in　a　different　way。〃
　　　Elayne　shrugged。　They　had　done　what　they　came　for；　she　was　more　than　ready　to　stop　wasting　time　and　get　on　with　what　needed　doing　next。　〃If　you　won't　be　convinced；　then　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　Nynaeve？　It　is　past　time　we　were　on　our　way。〃
　　　The　flows　around　the　innkeeper　vanished；　and　the　glow　around　Nynaeve　too；　but　Nynaeve　stood　there　watching　the　woman　warily；　hopefully。　She　wet　her　lips。　〃You　know　a　group　of　women　who　can　help　us？〃
　　　〃Nynaeve？〃　Elayne　said。　〃We　don't　need　any　help。　We　are　Aes　Sedai；　remember？〃
　　　With　a　wry　glance　in　her　direction；　Mistress　Anan　gave　her　skirts　a　shake　to　straighten　them　and　bent　to　smooth　her　exposed　petticoats。　Her　real　attention　was　on　Nynaeve；　Elayne　had　never　felt　so　pletely　shunted　aside　in　her　life。　〃I　know　a　few　women　who　take　in　the　occasional　wilder　or　runaway　or　woman　who　failed　her　test　for　Accepted　or　the　shawl。　There　must　be　at　least　fifty　of　them；　altogether；　though　the　number　changes。　They　can　help　you　find　a　life　without　the　risk　of　a　real　sister　making　you　wish　she'd　just　skin　you　and　be　done。　Now；　don't　lie　to　me。　Were　you　ever　in　the　Tower？　If　you've　run　away；　you　might　as　well　decide　to　go　back。　The　Tower　managed　to　find　most　runaways　even　during　the　War　of　the　Hundred　Years；　so　you　needn't　think　this　little　bother　now　will　stop　them。　In　truth；　my　suggestion　then　would　be　to　go　across　the　square　and　throw　yourself　on　a　sister's　mercy。　It　will　be　a　small　mercy；　I'm　afraid；　but　you　can　believe　me；　it's　more　than　you'll　find　if　they　have　to　drag　you　back。　You　won't　even　think　of　so　much　as　leaving　the　Tower　grounds　without　permission　after　that。〃
　　　Nynaeve　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃We　were　told　to　leave　the　Tower；　Mistress　Anan。　I　will　swear　to　that　however　you　ask。〃
　　　Elayne　stared　in　disbelief。　〃Nynaeve；　what　are　you　saying？　Mistress　Anan；　we　are　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　The　Anan　woman　laughed。　〃Child；　let　me　talk　with　Nynaeve；　who　at　least　seems　old　enough　to　have　sense。　You　tell　the　Circle　that；　and　they　will　not　take　it　kindly！　They　won't　care　you　can　channel；　they　can；　too；　and　they'll　smack　your　bottom　or　toss　you　out　in　the　street　on　your　nose　if　you　play　the　fool。〃
　　　〃Who　is　this　Circle？〃　Elayne　demanded。　〃We　are　Aes　Sedai。　You　e　across　to　the　Tarasin　Palace；　and　you　will　see。〃
　　　〃I'll　keep　her　in　hand；〃　Nynaeve　had　the　gall　to　say；　all　the　while　frowning　and　grimacing　at　Elayne　as　if　she　were　the　one　who　had　gone　mad。
　　　The　Anan　woman　merely　nodded。　〃Good。　Now　take　off　those　rings　and　put　them　away。　The　Circle　doesn't　allow　that　sort　of　pretending。　They'll　have　them　melted　down　to　give　you　a　start。　Though　by　the　look　of　your　dresse