rj.acrownofswords-第168节

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　　　Maeric　frowned　at　the　stone　cube　the　wetlander　had　given　him；　then　at　the。。。　hole。。。　that　had　appeared　when　he　pressed　the　red　spot。　A　hole；　five　paces　wide　and　three　high；　in　midair。　Beyond　lay　rolling　hills；　not　low；　covered　with　brown　grass。　He　did　not　like　things　to　do　with　the　One　Power；　especially　with　the　male　part　of　it。　Sevanna　stepped　through　another；　smaller；　hole　with　the　wetlander　and　a　dark　woman；　following　the　Wise　Ones　Sevanna　and　Rhiale　had　chosen　out。　Only　a　handful　of　Wise　Ones　remained　with　the　Moshaine　Shaido。　Through　that　second　hole；　he　could　see　Sevanna　talking　with　Bendhuin。　The　Green　Salts　sept　would　find　themselves　with　few　Wise　Ones；　too；　Maeric　was　sure　of　it。
　　　Dyrele　touched　his　arm。　〃Husband；〃　she　murmured；　〃Sevanna　said　it　would　only　remain　open　a　short　while。〃
　　　Maeric　nodded。　Dyrele　always　saw　straight　to　the　point。　Veiling　himself；　he　ran　forward　and　leaped　through　the　hole　he　had　made。　Whatever　Sevanna　and　the　wetlander　said；　he　would　send　none　of　his　Moshaine　through　before　he　knew　it　was　safe。
　　　He　landed　heavily　on　a　slope　covered　with　dead　grass　and　nearly　pitched　head…over…heels　down　the　hill　before　he　caught　himself。　For　a　moment　he　stared　back　up　at　the　hole。　On　this　side；　it　hung　more　than　a　foot　above　the　ground。
　　　〃Wife！〃　he　shouted。　〃There　is　a　drop！〃
　　　Black　Eyes　leaped　through；　veiled　and　spears　ready；　and　Maidens；　also。　As　well　try　to　drink　sand　as　try　to　keep　Maidens　from　being　among　the　first。　The　rest　of　the　Moshaine　followed　at　a　run；　algai'd'siswai　and　wives　and　children；　jumping　down　on　the　fly；　craftsfolk　and　traders　and　gai'shain；　most　pulling　heavily　loaded　packhorses　and　mules；　near　to　six　thousand　altogether。　His　sept；　his　people。　They　still　would　be　once　he　went　to　Rhuidean；　Sevanna　could　not　keep　him　from　being　clan　chief　for　much　longer。
　　　Scouts　began　spreading　out　immediately；　while　the　sept　still　rushed　out　of　the　hole。　Lowering　his　veil；　Maeric　shouted　orders　that　sent　a　screen　of　algai'd'siswai　toward　the　crests　of　the　surrounding　hills　while　everyone　else　remained　concealed　below。　There　was　no　telling　who　or　what　lay　beyond　those　hills。　Rich　lands；　the　wetlander　claimed；　but　this　part　did　not　look　rich　to　him。
　　　The　rush　of　his　sept　became　a　flood　of　algai'd'siswai　he　did　not　really　trust；　men　who　had　fled　their　own　clans　because　they　did　not　believe　Rand　al'Thor　was　truly　the　Car'a'carn。　Maeric　was　not　sure　what　he　himself　believed；　but　a　man　did　not　abandon　sept　and　clan。　These　men　called　themselves　Mera'din；　the　Brotherless；　a　fitting　name；　and　he　had　two　hundr…
　　　The　hole　suddenly　snapped　into　a　vertical　slash　of　silver　that　sliced　through　ten　of　the　Brotherless。　Pieces　of　them　fell　onto　the　slope；　arms；　legs。　The　front　half　of　a　man　slid　almost　to　Maeric's　feet。
　　　Staring　at　the　place　where　the　hole　had　been；　he　stabbed　at　the　red　spot　with　his　thumb。　Useless；　he　knew；　but。。。　Darin；　his　eldest　son；　was　one　of　the　Stone　Dogs　waiting　as　a　rear　guard。　They　would　have　been　the　last　through。　Suraile；　his　eldest　daughter；　had　remained　with　the　Stone　Dog　for　whom　she　was　thinking　of　giving　up　the　spear。
　　　His　eyes　met　Dyrele's；　as　green　and　beautiful　as　the　day　she　had　laid　the　wreath　at　his　feet。　And　threatened　to　cut　his　throat　if　he　did　not　pick　it　up。　〃We　can　wait。〃　he　said　softly。　The　wetlander　had　said　three　days；　but　maybe　he　was　wrong。　His　thumb　stabbed　the　red　spot　again。　Dyrele　nodded　calmly；　he　hoped　there　would　be　no　need　to　cry　in　one　another's　arms　once　they　could　be　alone。
　　　A　Maiden　came　skittering　down　the　slope　from　above；　hurriedly　lowering　her　veil；　and　actually　breathing　hard。　〃Maeric；〃　Naeise　said；　not　even　waiting　for　him　to　see　her；　〃there　are　spears　to　the　east；　only　a　few　miles　and　running　straight　at　us。　I　think　they　are　Reyn。　At　least　seven　or　eight　thousand　of　them。〃
　　　He　could　see　other　algai'd'siswai　running　toward　him。　A　young　Brother　to　the　Eagle；　Cairdin；　slid　to　a　stop；　speaking　as　soon　as　Maeric　saw　him。　〃I　see　you；　Maeric。　There　are　spears　no　more　than　five　miles　to　the　north；　and　wetlanders　on　horses。　Perhaps　ten　thousand　of　each。　I　do　not　think　any　of　us　broke　the　crest；　but　some　of　the　spears　have　turned　toward　us。〃
　　　Maeric　knew　before　the　grizzled　Water　Seeker　named　Laerad　opened　his　mouth。　〃Spears　ing　over　a　hill　three　or　four　miles　to　the　south。　Eight　thousand　or　more。　Some　of　them　saw　one　of　the　boys。〃　Laerad　never　wasted　words；　and　he　would　never　say　which　boy；　who　in　truth　could　be　anyone　without　gray　hair；　to　Laerad。
　　　There　was　no　time　for　wasting　words；　Maeric　knew。　〃Hamal！〃　he　shouted。　No　time　for　proper　courtesy　to　a　blacksmith；　either。
　　　The　big　man　knew　something　was　wrong；　he　scrambled　up　the　slope；　likely　moving　faster　than　he　had　since　first　picking　up　a　hammer。
　　　Maeric　handed　him　the　stone　cube。　〃You　must　press　the　red　spot　and　keep　pressing　it；　no　matter　what　happens；　no　matter　how　long　it　takes　for　that　hole　to　open。　That　is　the　only　way　out　for　any　of　you。〃　Hamal　nodded；　but　Maeric　did　not　even　wait　for　him　to　say　that　he　would。　Hamal　would　understand。　Maeric　touched　Dyrele's　cheek；　careless　of　how　many　eyes　were　on　them。　〃Shade　of　my　heart；　you　must　prepare　to　put　on　white。〃　Her　hand　strayed　toward　the　hilt　of　her　belt　knife　…　she　had　been　a　Maiden　when　she　made　his　wreath　…　but　he　shook　his　head…firmly。　〃You　must　live；　wife；　roofmistress；　to　hold　together　what　remains。〃　Nodding；　she　pressed　fingers　to　his　cheek。　He　was　astonished；　she　had　always　been　very　reserved　in　public。
　　　Raising　his　veil；　Maeric　shoved　one　spear　high　above　his　head。　〃Moshaine！〃　he　roared。　〃We　dance！〃
　　　Up　the　slope　they　followed　him；　men　and　Maidens；　nearly　a　thousand　strong　counting　the　Brotherless。　Perhaps　they　could　be　counted　among　the　sept。　Up　the　slope　and　west；　that　way　lay　the　nearest　and　the　fewest。　Perhaps　they　might　buy　enough　time；　though　he　did　not　really　believe　that。　He　wondered　whether　Sevanna　had　known　of　this。　Ah；　the　world　had　grown　very　strange　since　Rand　al'Thor　came。　Some　things　could　not　change；　though。　Laughing；　he　began　to　sing。

〃Wash　the　spears；　while　the　sun　climbs　high。
Wash　the　spears；　while　the　sun　falls　low。
Wash　the　spears；　who　fears　to　die？
Wash　the　spears；　no　one　I　know！〃
　　　
　　　Singing；　the　Moshaine　Shaido　ran　to　dance　their　deaths。
　　　
　　　Frowning；　Graendal　watched　the　gateway　close　behind　the　last　of　the　Jumai　Shaido。　The　Jumai　and　a　great　many　Wise　Ones。　Unlike　with　the　others；　Sammael　had　not　simply　knotted　this　web　so　it　would　fall　apart　eventually。　At　least；　she　assumed　he　held　it　to　the　last；　the　closing；　right　on　the　heels　of　the　last　brown…and…gray…clad　men；　was　too　fortuitous　otherwise。　Laughing；　Sammael　tossed　away　the　bag；　still　holding　a　few　of　those　useless　bits　of　stone。　Her　own　empty　sack　was　long　since　discarded。　The　sun　sat　low　behind　the　mountains　to　the　west；　half　of　a　glowing　red　ball。
　　　〃One　of　these　days；〃　she　said　dryly；　〃you　will　be　too　smart　for　your　own　good。　A　fool　box；　Sammael？　Suppose　one　of　them　had　understood？〃
　　　〃None　did；〃　he　said　simply；　but　he　kept　rubbing　his　hands　together　and　staring　at　where　the　gateway　had　been。　Or　maybe　at　something　beyond。　He　still　held　the　Mask　of　Mirrors；　giving　him　the　illusion　of　added　height。　She　had　dropped　hers　as　soon　as　the　gateway　closed。
　　　〃Well；　you　certainly　managed　to　put　a　panic　into　them。〃　Around　them　lay　the　evidence：　a　few　low　tents　still　standing；　blankets；　a　cookpot；　a　rag　doll；　all　sorts　of　rubbish　lying　where　it　had　fallen。　〃Where　did　you　send　them？　Somewhere　ahead　of　al'Thor's　army；　I　suppose？〃
　　　〃Some；〃　he　said　absently。　〃Enough。〃　His　staring　introspection　vanished　abruptly；　and　his　disguise　as　well。　The　scar　across　his　face　seemed　especially　livid。　〃Enough　to　cause　trouble；　particularly　with　their　Wise　Ones　channeling；　but　not　so　many　that　anyone　will　suspect　me。　The　rest　are　scattered　from　Illian　to　Ghealdan。　As　to　how　or　why？　Maybe　al'Thor　did　it；　for　his　own　reasons；　but　I　certainly　wouldn't　have　wasted　most　of　them　if　it　was　my　work；　now　would　I？〃　He　laughed　again；　caught　up　in　his　own　brilliance。
　　　She　adjusted　the　bodice　of　her　dress　to　cover　a　start。　peting　that　way　was　remarkably　silly　…　she　had　told　herself　that　ten　thousand　times；　and　never　listened　once　…　remarkably　silly；　and　now　the　dress　felt　as　if　it　might　fall　off。　Which　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　start。　He　did　not　know　Sevanna　had　taken　every　Shaido　woman　who　could　channel　with　her。　Was　it　finally　time　to　abandon　him？　If　she　threw　herself　on　Demandred's　mercy。。。
　　　As　if　reading　her　thoughts；　he　said；　〃You're　tied　to　me　as　tightly　as　my　belt；　Graendal。〃　A　gateway　opened；　revealing　his　private　rooms　in　Illian。　〃The　truth　doesn't　matter　anymore；　if　it　ever　has。　You　rise　with　me；　or　fall　with　me。　The　Great　Lord　rewards　success；　and　he's　never　cared　how　it　was　achieved。〃
　　　〃As　you　say；〃　she　told　him。　Demandred　had　no　mercy。　And　Semirhage。。。　〃I　rise　or　fall　with　you。〃　Still；　something　would　have　to　be　worked　out。　The　Great　Lord　rewarded　success；　but　she　would　not　be　pulled　down　if　Sammael　failed。　She　opened　a　gateway　to　her　palace　in　Arad　Doman；　to　the　long　columned　room　where　she　could　see　her　pets