rj.acrownofswords-第164节

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　gave　under　his　fingers；　they　were　softer　than　any　baking　could　account　for。　〃Did　my　Lord　hear　about　the　riot？〃
　　　〃No；〃　Mat　said　sourly；　and　pushed　on。　At　the　other　end　of　the　bridge；　he　stopped　a　plump　woman　with　a　tray　of　ribbons。　Ribbons　held　no　fascination　for　Olver；　but　her　red　petticoats　flashed　beneath　a　skirt　sewn　up　nearly　to　her　left　hip；　and　the　cut　of　her　bodice　revealed　rounded　cleavage　to　equal　Riselle's。　〃Have　you　seen　a　boy。。。？〃
　　　He　heard　about　the　riot　from　her；　too；　and　from　half　the　people　he　asked。　That　rumor；　he　suspected　had　begun　with　events　at　a　certain　house　in　the　Rahad　that　very　morning。　A　wagon　driver　with　her　long　whip　coiled　around　her　neck　even　told　him　the　riot　had　been　across　the　river；　once　she　allowed　as　how　she　never　noticed　boys　unless　they　ran　under　her　mules。　A　square…faced　man　who　sold　honeyb　…　incredibly　dry…looking　honeyb　…　said　the　riot　had　been　down　near　the　light　tower　at　the　end　of　the　Bay　Road；　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　mouth　of　the　bay；　which　was　about　as　likely　a　place　for　rioting　as　the　middle　of　the　bay　itself。　There　were　always　a　thousand　rumors　in　any　city；　if　you　listened；　and　he　was　forced　to　listen　to　snatches　of　all　of　them；　it　seemed。　One　of　the　most　remarkably　pretty　women　he　had　ever　seen；　standing　outside　a　tavern　…　Maylin　was　a　serving　girl　at　The　Old　Sheep；　but　her　only　task　seemed　to　be　standing　outside　to　attract　customers；　which　she　certainly　did　…　told　him　there　had　been　a　battle　that　morning；　in　the　Cordese　Hills　west　of　the　city；　she　thought。　Or　maybe　in　the　Rhannon　Hills；　across　the　bay。　Or　maybe。。。　Remarkably　pretty；　Maylin；　but　not　very　bright；　Olver　might　have　watched　her　for　hours；　so　long　as　she　never　opened　her　mouth。　But　she　could　not　remember　seeing　any　boy　in　a。。。　What　color　coat　had　he　said；　again？　He　heard　about　riots　and　battles；　he　heard　about　enough　strange　things　seen　in　the　sky　or　the　hills　to　populate　the　Blight。　He　heard　that　the　Dragon　Reborn　was　about　to　descend　on　the　city　with　thousands　of　men　who　could　channel；　that　the　Aiel　were　ing；　an　army　of　Aes　Sedai　…　no；　it　was　an　army　of　Whitecloaks；　Pedron　Niall　was　dead；　and　the　Children　intended　to　avenge　him；　though　why　in　Ebou　Dar　was　not　exactly　clear。　You　might　have　thought　the　city　would　be　hip…deep　in　panic　with　all　the　tales　floating　around；　but　the　fact　was；　even　those　who　told　a　tale　usually　only　half…believed　it。　So；　he　heard　all　sorts　of　nonsense；　but　not　a　word　about　any　boy　in　a　red　coat。
　　　A　few　streets　from　the　river；　he　began　hearing　thunder；　great　hollow　booms　that　seemed　to　roll　in　from　the　sea。　People　looked　up　curiously　at　the　cloudless　sky；　scratched　their　heads；　and　went　on　about　their　business。　So　did　he；　questioning　every　seller　of　sweets　or　fruit　he　saw；　and　every　pretty　woman　afoot。　All　to　no　avail。　Reaching　the　long　stone　quay　that　ran　the　whole　length　of　the　river　side　of　the　city；　he　paused；　studying　the　gray　docks　stretching　out　into　the　river　and　the　ships　tied　to　them。　The　wind　blew　strong；　heaving　vessels　at　their　mooring　lines；　grinding　them　against　the　stone　docks　despite　the　bags　stuffed　with　wool　hung　down　between　for　fenders。　Unlike　horses；　ships　did　not　interest　Olver　except　as　a　way　to　go　from　here　to　there；　and　ships　were　men's　business　in　Ebou　Dar　even　if　the　lading　they　carried　often　was　not。　Women　on　these　docks　would　either　be　merchants　keeping　an　eye　on　their　goods　or　hard…armed　members　of　the　cargo…loader's　guild；　and　there　would　be　no　sweet…sellers　here。
　　　About　to　turn　away；　he　realized　almost　no　one　was　moving。　The　docks　usually　bustled；　yet　on　every　ship　he　could　see；　crewmen　lined　the　rails　and　had　climbed　into　the　rigging　to　stare　toward　the　bay。　Barrels　and　crates　stood　abandoned　while　shirtless　men　and　wiry　women　in　green　leather　vests　crowded　together　at　the　ends　of　the　docks　to　peer　between　the　ships；　south；　toward　the　thunder。　Down　that　way；　black　smoke　rose　in　thick　towering　columns；　slanting　sharply　north　on　the　wind。
　　　Hesitating　only　a　moment；　he　trotted　out　along　the　nearest　dock。　At　first；　ships　tied　to　the　long　fingers　of　stone　to　the　south　blocked　his　view　of　anything　except　the　smoke。　Because　of　the　way　the　shoreline　lay；　though；　each　dock　stuck　out　farther　than　the　next　down；　once　he　pushed　into　the　murmuring　crowd　at　the　end；　the　broad　river　made　an　open　path　of　choppy　green　water　to　the　wave…tossed　bay。
　　　At　least　two　dozen　ships　were　burning　out　on　the　wide　expanse　of　the　bay；　maybe　more；　engulfed　in　flame　from　end　to　end。　A　number　of　others　had　already　settled；　only　a　bow　or　stern　still　above　water　and　that　sliding　under。　Even　as　he　looked；　the　bow　of　a　broad　two…masted　ship　flying　a　large　banner　of　red　and　blue　and　gold；　the　banner　of　Altara；　suddenly　flew　apart　with　a　roar；　a　boom　like　thunder；　and　fast…thickening　tendrils　of　smoke　wafted　away　on　the　wind　as　the　vessel　began　settling　by　the　head。　Hundreds　of　vessels　were　in　motion；　every　craft　in　the　bay；　three…masted　Sea　Folk　rakers　and　skimmers　and　two…masted　soarers；　coastal　ships　with　their　triangular　sails；　river　ships　under　sail　or　sweep；　some　fleeing　upriver；　most　trying　to　beat　out　to　sea。　Scores　of　other　ships　swanned　into　the　bay　before　the　wind；　great　bluff…bowed　vessels　as　tall　as　any　of　the　rakers；　crashing　through　the　rolling　waves；　throwing　aside　spray。　His　breath　caught　as　he　suddenly　made　out　square；　ribbed　sails。
　　　〃Blood　and　bloody　ashes；〃　he　muttered　in　shock。　〃It's　the　flaming　Seanchan！〃
　　　〃Who？〃　demanded　a　stern…faced　woman　crowded　next　to　him。　A　dark　blue　woolen　dress　of　fine　cut　marked　her　a　merchant　as　much　as　did　the　leather　folder　she　carried　for　her　bills　of　lading　or　the　guild　pin　over　one　breast；　a　silver　quill　pen。　〃It's　the　Aes　Sedai；〃　she　announced　in　tones　of　conviction。　〃I　know　channeling　when　I　see　it。　The　Children　of　the　Light　will　do　for　them；　just　as　soon　as　they　arrive。　You'll　see。〃
　　　A　lanky；　gray…haired　woman　in　a　grimy　green　vest　twisted　around　to　confront　her；　fingering　the　wooden　hilt　of　her　dagger。　〃Hold　your　tongue　about　Aes　Sedai；　you　flaming　penny…grubber；　or　I'll　peel　you　and　stuff　a　Whitecloak　down　your　bleeding　gullet！〃
　　　Mat　left　them　waving　their　arms　and　shouting　at　one　another；　and　pushed　clear　of　the　crowd；　running　for　the　quay。　Already　he　could　see　three　…　no；　four　…　huge　creatures　circling　over　the　city　to　the　south　on　great　pinions　like　those　of　a　bat。　Figures　clung　to　the　creatures'　backs；　apparently　in　some　sort　of　saddles。　Another　flying　creature　appeared；　and　more。　Below　them；　flame　suddenly　fountained　above　the　rooftops　with　a　roar。
　　　People　ran　now；　buffeting　Mat　as　he　struggled　through　the　streets。　〃Olver！〃　he　shouted；　hoping　to　be　heard　above　other　shouts　from　every　side；　and　the　screams。　〃Olver！〃
　　　Abruptly；　everybody　seemed　to　be　heading　the　other　way；　battering　past　him。　Stubbornly　he　forced　on　against　the　tide。　And　came　to　a　street　where　what　all　those　folk　fled　from　was　made　plain。
　　　A　Seanchan　column　rushed　by；　a　hundred　or　more　men　in　helmets　like　insects'　heads　and　armor　of　overlapping　plates；　all　riding　animals　like　cats　the　size　of　horses；　but　covered　in　bronze　scales　rather　than　fur。　Leaning　forward　in　their　saddles；　blue…streamered　lances　slanted；　they　galloped　toward　the　Mol　Hara　without　looking　to　either　side。　Though　〃gallop〃　was　not　quite　the　word　for　the　way　those　creatures　moved；　the　speed　was　right；　but　they。。。　flowed。　It　was　time　to　be　gone；　past　time。　As　soon　as　he　found　…
　　　As　the　end　of　column　went　by　a　flash　of　red；　waist　high；　caught　his　eye　among　the　crowd　in　the　street　beyond　the　intersection。　〃Olver！〃　He　darted　across　almost　on　the　heels　of　the　last　scaled　creature；　pushing　into　the　crowd　in　time　to　see　a　wide…eyed　woman　snatch　up　a　little　girl　in　a　red　dress　and　ran　with　the　child　clutched　to　her　bosom。　Wildly；　Mat　pressed　ahead；　shouldering　people　aside　when　they　Bumped　into　him；　Bumping　into　more　than　a　few　himself。　〃Olver！　Olver！〃
　　　Twice　more　he　saw　a　column　of　fire　rise　briefly　above　the　rooftops；　and　smoke　drifted　to　the　sky　in　a　dozen　places。　Several　times　he　heard　those　booming　roars；　much　closer　than　the　bay；　now。　Inside　the　city；　he　was　sure；　more　than　once　the　ground　quivered　beneath　his　boots。
　　　And　then　the　street　was　clearing　again；　people　fleeing　in　every　direction；　down　alleys　and　into　houses　and　shops；　for　Seanchan　on　horses　were　ing。　Not　all　were　armored　men；　near　the　head　of　that　small　thicket　of　lances　rode　a　dark　woman　in　a　blue　dress。　Mat　knew　the　large　red　panels　on　her　skirts　and　bosom　were　worked　with　silver　lightning。　A　silver　leash；　gleaming　in　the　sun；　ran　from　her　left　wrist　to　the　neck　of　a　woman　in　gray；　a　damane；　who　trotted　beside　the　sul'dam's　horse　like　a　pet　dog。　He　had　seen　more　of　Seanchan　at　Falme　than　he　wanted　to；　but　unconsciously　he　paused　at　the　mouth　of　an　alleyway；　watching。　The　roars　and　fires　had　showed　that　somebody　in　the　city　was　trying　to　fight　back；　at　least；　and　now　he　was　going　to　see　such　an　attempt。
　　　The　Seanchan　were　not　the　only　reason　everyone　else　had　gotten　out　of　sight。　At　the　other　end　of　the　street；　a　good　hundred　mounted　men　swung　long…pointed　lances　down。　They　wore　baggy　white　breeches　and　green　coats；　and　the　gold　cords　on　the　office