rj.acrownofswords-第135节

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n；　and　she　had　nothing　to　fear。　Unless　Elaida　learned　that　no　fewer　than　five　Ajahs　had　passed　mention　of　al'Thor　to　her　in　the　last　few　days；　the　deposing　of　Colavaere　had　sent　every　Ajah's　agent　in　Cairhien　flying　for　a　pen。　No；　if　Elaida　did　learn；　she　was　safe　enough；　with　the　hold　she　had　on　the　woman　now。　And　with　Mesaana　as　patron。　Elaida；　though；　was　finished　whether　she　realized　or　not。　Even　if　the　Asha'man　failed　to　trumpet　their　crushing　of　Toveine's　expedition　…　and　she　was　sure　they　would　crush　it；　after　what　Mesaana　had　told　her　of　events　of　Dumai's　Wells　…　all　the　eyes…and…ears　in　Caemlyn　truly　would　gain　wings　once　they　learned。　Lacking　a　miracle；　such　as　the　rebels　appearing　at　the　gates；　Elaida　would　suffer　Siuan　Sanche's　fate　in　a　matter　of　weeks。　In　any　case；　it　had　begun；　and　if　she　wished　she　knew　what　〃it〃　was；　all　she　really　had　to　do　was　obey。　And　watch。　And　learn。　Perhaps　she　would　wear　the　seven…striped　stole　herself　when　all　was　done。
　　　
　　　In　the　early　morning　sunlight　streaming　through　her　windows；　Seaine　dipped　the　pen；　but　before　she　could　write　the　next　word；　the　door　to　the　hall　opened　and　the　Amyrlin　swept　in。　Seaine's　thick　black　eyebrows　rose；　she　would　have　expected　anyone　else　at　all　before　Elaida；　perhaps　not　excluding　Rand　al'Thor　himself。　Still；　she　set　the　pen　down　and　rose　smoothly；　pulling　down　the　silver…white　sleeves　she　had　pushed　up　to　keep　clear　of　the　ink。　She　made　the　degree　of　curtsy　proper　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat　from　a　Sitter　in　her　own　apartments。
　　　〃I　do　hope　you　haven't　found　any　White　sisters　hiding　away　angreal；　Mother。〃　She　did　hope　it；　quite　fervently。　Elaida's　descent　on　the　Greens　a　few　hours　ago；　while　most　of　them　slept；　was　probably　still　producing　wails　and　gnashing　of　teeth。　In　living　memory　no　one　had　been　ordered　birched　for　keeping　back　an　angreal；　and　now　there　were　to　be　two。　The　Amyrlin　must　have　been　in　one　of　her　infamous　cold　furies。
　　　But　if　she　had　been　then；　no　sign　of　it　remained　now。　For　a　moment　she　regarded　Seaine　silently；　cool　as　a　winter　pond　in　her　red…slashed　silks；　then　glided　to　the　carved　sideboard　where　painted　ivory　miniatures　of　Seaine's　family　stood。　All　years　dead；　but　she　still　loved　every　one。
　　　〃You　did　not　stand　to　raise　me　Amyrlin；〃　Elaida　said；　picking　up　the　picture　of　Seaine's　father。　She　set　it　down　hastily　and　took　up　her　mother　instead。
　　　Seaine's　eyebrows　almost　rose　again；　but　she　tried　to　make　it　a　rule　not　to　let　herself　be　surprised　more　than　once　in　a　day。　〃I　was　not　informed　that　the　Hall　was　sitting　until　afterward；　Mother。〃　After　all　these　years；　a　touch　of　Lugard　still　clung　to　her　voice。
　　　〃Yes；　yes。〃　Abandoning　the　paintings；　Elaida　glided　to　the　fireplace。　Seaine　had　always　had　a　fondness　for　cats；　and　carved　wooden　cats　of　every　sort　crowded　the　mantelpiece；　some　in　amusing　poses。　The　Amyrlin　frowned　at　the　display；　then　squeezed　her　eyes　shut　and　gave　her　head　a　tiny　shake。　〃But　you　remained；〃　she　said；　turning　quickly。　〃Every　Sitter　who　was　not　informed　fled　the　Tower　and　joined　the　rebels。　Except　you。　Why？〃
　　　Seaine　spread　her　hands。　〃What　else　could　I　do　but　stay；　Mother？　The　Tower　must　be　whole。〃　Whoever　the　Amyrlin；　she　added　to　herself。　And　what's　wrong　with　my　cats；　if　I　may　ask？　Not　that　she　ever　would　aloud；　of　course。　Sereille　Bagand　had　been　a　fierce　Mistress　of　Novices　before　being　raised　Amyrlin　Seat；　the　very　year　she　herself　earned　the　shawl；　and　a　fiercer　Amyrlin　than　Elaida　could　be　with　a　sore　tooth。　Seaine　had　had　the　proprieties　driven　into　her　too　hard　and　deep　for　mere　years　to　shift；　or　any　dislike　for　the　woman　who　wore　the　stole。　One　did　not　have　to　like　an　Amyrlin。
　　　〃The　Tower　must　be　whole；〃　Elaida　agreed；　rubbing　her　hands　together。　〃It　must　be　whole。〃　Now；　why　was　she　nervous？　She　had　ninety…nine　kinds　of　temper；　all　hard　as　a　knife　and　twice　as　sharp；　but　nervous　the　woman　was　not。　〃What　I　say　to　you　now　is　Sealed　to　the　Flame；　Seaine。〃　Her　mouth　twisted　wryly；　and　she　shrugged；　giving　her　stole　an　irritable　twitch。　〃If　I　knew　how　to　make　the　seal　stronger；　I　would；〃　she　said；　dry　as　yesterday's　dust。
　　　〃I　will　hold　your　words　in　my　heart；　Mother。〃
　　　〃I　want　you　…　I　mand　you　…　to　undertake　an　inquiry。　And　you　must　indeed　hold　it　in　your　heart。　The　wrong　ear　hearing　of　it　might　mean　death；　and　disaster　for　the　whole　Tower。〃
　　　Seaine's　eyebrows　twitched。　Death　and　disaster　for　the　whole　Tower？　〃In　my　heart；〃　she　said　again。　〃Will　you　sit　yourself；　Mother？〃　That　was　proper；　in　her　own　apartments。　〃May　I　pour　you　some　mint　tea？　Or　plum　punch？〃
　　　Waving　away　the　offer　of　refreshment；　Elaida　took　the　most　fortable　chair；　carved　by　Seaine's　father　as　a　gift　when　she　received　the　shawl；　though　of　course　the　cushions　had　been　replaced　many　times　since。　The　Amyrlin　made　the　country　chair　seem　a　throne；　all　stiff　back　and　iron　countenance。　Most　ungraciously；　she　did　not　give　permission　for　Seaine　to　sit；　too；　so　Seaine　folded　her　hands　and　remained　standing。
　　　〃I　have　thought　long　and　hard　on　treason；　Seaine；　since　my　predecessor　and　her　Keeper　were　allowed　to　escape。　Helped　to　escape。　Treason　must　have　been　at　the　core　of　that；　and　I　fear　only　a　sister；　or　sisters；　could　have　effected　it。〃
　　　〃That　would　certainly　be　a　possibility；　Mother。〃
　　　Elaida　frowned　at　the　interruption。　〃We　can　never　be　sure　who　has　the　shadow　of　treason　in　her　heart；　Seaine。　Why；　I　suspect　that　someone　arranged　for　an　order　of　mine　to　be　countermanded。　And　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　someone　has　municated　privately　with　Rand　al'Thor；　to　what　end；　I　cannot　say；　but　that　surely　is　treason　against　me；　and　against　the　Tower。〃
　　　Seaine　waited　for　more；　but　the　Amyrlin　only　looked　back　at　her；　slowly　smoothing　her　red…slashed　skirts。　〃Exactly　what　inquiry　do　you　wish　me　to　make；　Mother？〃　she　asked　cautiously。
　　　Elaida　bounded　to　her　feet。　〃I　charge　you　to　follow　the　stench　of　treason；　no　matter　where　it　leads　or　how　high；　even　to　the　Keeper　herself。　Yes；　even　to　her。　What　you　find；　whoever　it　leads　to；　you　will　bring　before　the　Amyrlin　Seat　alone；　Seaine。　No　one　else　must　know。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　　〃I　understand　your　mands；　Mother。〃
　　　Which；　she　thought；　once　Elaida　had　departed　even　more　swiftly　than　she　had　e；　was　about　all　she　did　understand。　In　order　to　think　she　took　the　chair　the　Amyrlin　had　vacated；　fists　pressed　beneath　her　chin　in　just　the　way　her　father　had　always　sat　thinking。　Everything　fell　to　logic；　eventually。
　　　She　would　not　have　stood　against　Siuan　Sanche　…　she　had　proposed　the　girl　as　Amyrlin　in　the　first　place！　…　but　once　it　was　done　and　all　the　forms　were　followed；　however　sparely；　aiding　her　escape　certainly　had　been　treason；　and　deliberately　countermanding　an　Amyrlin's　order　just　as　much。　Possibly　municating　with　al'Thor　was；　too；　that　depended　on　what　was　municated；　with　what　intent。　Finding　who　had　changed　the　Amyrlin's　mand　would　be　difficult　without　knowing　what　mand。　At　this　late　date　learning　who　might　have　helped　Siuan　escape　stood　about　as　much　chance　of　success　as　learning　who　might　be　writing　to　al'Thor。　So　many　pigeons　flew　into　and　out　of　the　Tower　cotes　every　day　that　at　times　the　sky　seemed　to　be　raining　feathers。　If　Elaida　knew　more　than　she　had　said；　she　had　certainly　gone　around　the　barn。　This　all　made　very　little　sense。　Treason　ought　to　make　Elaida　boil　with　rage；　but　she　had　not　been　angry。　She　had　been　nervous。　And　anxious　to　be　gone。　And　secretive；　as　if　she　did　not　want　to　tell　everything　she　knew　or　suspected。　Almost　as　though　she　was　afraid　to。　What　kind　of　treason　would　make　Elaida　nervous　or　afraid？　Death　and　disaster　for　the　whole　Tower。
　　　Like　the　pieces　of　a　blacksmith's　puzzle；　all　fell　into　place；　and　Seaine's　eyebrows　tried　to　climb　onto　her　scalp。　It　fit；　it　all　fit。　She　felt　the　blood　draining　from　her　face；　her　hands　and　feet　were　suddenly　icy。　Sealed　to　the　Flame。　She　had　said　she　would　keep　this　in　her　heart；　but　everything　had　changed　since　she　spoke　those　words。　She　only　let　herself　be　afraid　when　it　was　logical　to　be；　and　right　then；　she　was　terrified。　She　could　not　face　this　alone。　But　who？　Under　the　circumstances；　who？　This　answer　came　much　more　easily。　Gathering　herself　took　a　little　time；　but　she　hurried　from　her　rooms　and　out　of　the　White　quarters　walking　a　good　deal　faster　than　she　usually　did。
　　　Servants　scurried　through　the　corridors　as　always；　though　she　walked　so　quickly　that　she　was　past　most　before　they　could　begin　bow　or　curtsy；　but　there　seemed　fewer　sisters　about　than　the　early　hour　could　account　for。　Many　fewer。　Yet　if　most　were　staying　close　to　their　quarters　for　some　reason；　the　few　she　saw　made　up　for　it　in　one　way。　Sisters　swarmed　along　the　tapestry…hung　hallways；　faces　all　serenity；　and　their　eyes　seemed　to　have　steam　behind　them。　Here　and　there　two　or　three　women　spoke　together；　with　sharp　eyes　darting　to　see　who　might　be　listening。　Always　two　or　three　of　the　same　Ajah。　Even　yesterday；　she　was　sure　she　had　still　seen　women　sharing　friendship　between　Ajahs。　Whites　were　supposed　to　put　emotion　away　entirely；　but　she　had　never　seen　the　reason　for　blinding　herself；　as　some　did。　Suspicion　made　the　air　in　the　Tower　like　hot　jelly。　Not　a