rj.acrownofswords-第4节

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s　found　your　offer　wanting。　They　are　no　longer　in　Salidar。　They　are　on　the　march。　The　reports　e　from　Altara；　but　they　must　be　into　Murandy　by　now。　And　they　have　chosen　themselves　an　Amyrlin。〃　She　scanned　the　top　sheet　of　her　sheaf　of　papers　as　if　searching　for　the　name。　〃Egwene　al'Vere；　it　seems。〃
　　　That　Alviarin　had　left　this；　the　most　important　piece　of　news；　until　now；　should　have　made　Elaida　explode　in　fury。　Instead；　she　threw　back　her　head　and　laughed。　Only　a　firm　hold　on　dignity　kept　her　from　drumming　her　heels　on　the　floor。　The　surprise　on　Alviarin's　face　made　her　laugh　harder；　till　she　had　to　wipe　her　eyes　with　her　fingers。
　　　〃You　do　not　see　it；〃　she　said　when　she　could　speak　between　ripples　of　mirth。　〃As　well　you　are　Keeper；　Alviarin；　not　a　Sitter。　In　the　Hall；　blind　as　you　are；　within　a　month　the　others　would　be　holding　you　in　a　cabinet　and　taking　you　out　when　they　needed　your　vote。〃
　　　〃I　see　enough；　Mother。〃　Alviarin's　voice　held　no　heat；　if　anything；　it　should　have　coated　the　walls　with　frost。　〃I　see　three　hundred　rebel　Aes　Sedai；　perhaps　more；　marching　on　Tar　Valon　with　an　army　led　by　Gareth　Bryne；　acknowledged　a　great　captain。　Discounting　the　more　ridiculous　reports；　that　army　may　number　over　twenty　thousand；　and　with　Bryne　to　lead　they　will　gain　more　at　every　village　and　town　they　pass。　I　do　not　say　they　have　hope　of　taking　the　city；　of　course；　but　it　is　hardly　a　matter　for　laughter。　High　Captain　Chubain　should　be　ordered　to　increase　recruiting　for　the　Tower　Guard。〃
　　　Elaida's　gaze　fell　sourly　on　the　broken　fish；　and　she　stood　and　stalked　to　the　nearest　window；　her　back　to　Alviarin。　The　palace　under　construction　took　away　the　bitter　taste；　that　and　the　slip　of　paper　she　still　clutched。
　　　She　smiled　down　on　her　palace…to…be。　〃Three　hundred　rebels；　yes；　but　you　should　read　Tarna's　account　again。　At　least　a　hundred　are　on　the　point　of　breaking　already。〃　She　trusted　Tarna　to　some　extent；　a　Red　with　no　room　in　her　head　for　nonsense；　and　she　said　the　rebels　were　ready　to　jump　at　shadows。　Quietly　desperate　sheep　looking　for　a　shepherd；　she　said。　A　wilder；　of　course；　yet　still　sensible。　Tarna　should　be　back　soon；　and　able　to　give　a　fuller　report。　Not　that　it　was　needed。　Elaida's　plans　were　already　working　among　the　rebels。　But　that　was　her　secret。
　　　〃Tarna　has　always　been　sure　she　could　make　people　do　what　it　was　clear　they　would　not。〃　Had　there　been　an　emphasis　in　that；　a　significance　of　tone？　Elaida　decided　to　ignore　it。　She　had　to　ignore　too　much　from　Alviarin；　but　the　day　would　e。　Soon。
　　　〃As　for　their　army；　daughter；　she　says　two　or　three　thousand　men　at　most。　If　they　had　more；　they　would　have　made　sure　she　saw　them；　to　overawe　us。〃　In　Elaida's　opinion；　eyes…and…ears　always　exaggerated；　to　make　their　information　seem　more　valuable。　Only　sisters　could　be　truly　trusted。　Red　sisters；　anyway。　Some　of　them。　〃But　I　would　not　care　if　they　did　have　twenty　thousand；　or　fifty；　or　a　hundred。　Can　you　even　begin　to　guess　why？〃　When　she　turned；　Alviarin's　face　was　all　smooth　posure；　a　mask　over　blind　ignorance。　〃You　seem　to　be　conversant　with　all　the　aspects　of　Tower　law。　What　penalty　do　rebels　face？〃
　　　〃For　the　leaders；〃　Alviarin　said　slowly；　〃stilling。〃　She　frowned　slightly；　skirts　swaying　just　barely　as　her　feet　shifted。　Good。　Even　Accepted　knew　this；　and　she　could　not　understand　why　Elaida　asked。　Very　good。　〃For　many　of　the　rest；　too。〃
　　　〃Perhaps。〃　The　leaders　might　themselves　escape　that；　most　of　them；　if　they　submitted　properly。　The　minimum　penalty　in　law　was　to　be　birched　in　the　Grand　Hall　before　the　assembled　sisters；　followed　by　at　least　a　year　and　a　day　in　public　penance。　Yet　nothing　said　the　penance　must　be　served　all　at　once；　a　month　here；　a　month　there；　and　they　would　still　be　atoning　their　crimes　ten　years　from　now；　constant　reminders　of　what　came　of　resisting　her。　Some　would　be　stilled；　of　course　…　Sheriam；　a　few　of　the　more　prominent　so…called　Sitters　…　but　only　sufficient　to　make　the　rest　fear　putting　a　foot　wrong　again；　not　enough　to　weaken　the　Tower。　The　White　Tower　had　to　be　whole；　and　it　had　to　be　strong。　Strong；　and　firmly　in　her　grasp。
　　　〃Only　one　crime　among　those　they　have　mitted　demands　stilling。〃　Alviarin　opened　her　mouth。　There　had　been　ancient　rebellions；　buried　so　deep　that　few　among　the　sisters　knew；　the　Chronicles　stood　mute；　the　lists　of　stilled　and　executed　confined　to　records　open　only　to　Amyrlin；　Keeper　and　Sitters；　aside　from　the　few　librarians　who　kept　them。　Elaida　allowed　Alviarin　no　opportunity　to　speak。　〃Any　woman　who　falsely　claims　the　title　of　Amyrlin　Seat　must　be　stilled。　If　they　believed　they　had　any　chance　of　success；　Sheriam　would　be　their　Amyrlin；　or　Lelaine；　or　Carlinya；　or　one　of　the　others。〃　Tarna　reported　that　Romanda　Cassin　had　e　out　of　her　retirement；　Romanda　surely　would　have　seized　the　stole　with　both　hands　if　she　saw　the　tenth　part　of　a　chance。　〃Instead；　they　have　plucked　out　an　Accepted。〃
　　　Elaida　shook　her　head　in　wry　amusement。　She　could　quote　every　word　of　the　law　setting　out　how　a　woman　was　chosen　Amyrlin　…　she　had　made　good　use　of　it　herself；　after　all　…　and　never　once　did　it　require　that　the　woman　be　a　full　sister。　Obviously　she　must　be；　so　those　who　framed　the　law　never　stated　it；　and　the　rebels　had　squirmed　through　that　crack。　〃They　know　their　cause　is　hopeless；　Alviarin。　They　plan　to　strut　and　bluster；　try　to　dig　out　some　protection　against　penalty　for　themselves；　then　yield　the　girl　as　a　sacrifice。〃　Which　was　a　pity。　The　al'Vere　girl　was　another　possible　handle　on　al'Thor；　and　when　she　reached　her　full　strength　in　the　One　Power；　she　would　have　been　one　of　the　strongest　in　a　thousand　years　or　more。　A　true　pity。
　　　〃Gareth　Bryne　and　an　army　hardly　sound　like　strutting　to　me。　It　will　take　their　army　five　or　six　months　to　reach　Tar　Valon。　In　that　time；　High　Captain　Chubain　could　increase　the　Guard　…　〃
　　　〃Their　army；〃　Elaida　sneered。　Alviarin　was　such　a　fool；　for　all　her　cool　exterior；　she　was　a　rabbit。　Next　she　would　be　spouting　the　Sanche　woman's　nonsense　about　the　Forsaken　being　loose。　Of　course；　she　did　not　know　the　secret；　but　just　the　same。。。　〃Farmers　carrying　pikes；　butchers　with　bows　and　tailors　on　horseback！　And　every　step　of　the　way；　thinking　of　the　Shining　Walls；　that　held　Artur　Hawkwing　at　bay。〃　No；　not　a　rabbit。　A　weasel。　Yet　soon　or　late；　she　would　be　weasel…fur　trim　on　Elaida's　cloak。　The　Light　send　it　soon。　〃Every　step　of　the　way；　they　will　lose　a　man；　if　not　ten。　I　would　not　be　surprised　if　our　rebels　appear　with　nothing　more　than　their　Warders。〃　Too　many　people　knew　of　the　division　in　the　Tower。　Once　the　rebellion　was　broken；　of　course；　it　could　be　made　to　seem　all　a　ploy；　a　part　of　gaining　control　of　young　al'Thor　perhaps。　An　effort　of　years；　that；　and　generations　before　memories　faded。　Every　last　rebel　would　pay　for　that　on　her　knees。
　　　Elaida　clenched　her　fist　as　though　she　held　all　the　rebels　by　the　throat。　Or　Alviarin。　〃I　mean　to　break　them；　daughter。　They　will　split　open　like　a　rotten　melon。〃　Her　secret　assured　that；　however　many　farmers　and　tailors　Lord　Bryne　hung　on　to；　but　let　the　other　woman　think　as　she　would。　Suddenly　the　Foretelling　took　hold　of　her；　a　certainty　about　things　she　could　not　see　stronger　than　if　they　had　been　laid　out　before　her。　She　would　have　been　willing　to　step　blindly　over　a　cliff　on　that　certainty。　〃The　White　Tower　will　be　whole　again；　except　for　remnants　cast　out　and　scorned；　whole　and　stronger　than　ever。　Rand　al'Thor　will　face　the　Amyrlin　Seat　and　know　her　anger。　The　Black　Tower　will　be　rent　in　blood　and　fire；　and　sisters　will　walk　its　grounds。　This　I　Foretell。〃
　　　As　usual；　the　Foretelling　left　her　trembling；　gasping　for　breath。　She　forced　herself　to　stand　still　and　straight；　to　breathe　slowly；　she　never　let　anyone　see　weakness。　But　Alviarin。。。　Her　eyes　were　wide　as　they　could　open；　lips　parted　as　if　she　had　forgotten　the　words　she　meant　to　speak。　A　paper　slid　from　the　sheaf　in　her　hands　and　almost　fell　before　she　could　catch　it。　That　recalled　her　to　herself。　In　a　flash　she　regained　her　serene　mask；　a　perfect　picture　of　Aes　Sedai　calm；　but　she　definitely　had　been　jolted　to　her　heels。　Oh；　very　good。　Let　her　chew　on　the　certain　surety　of　Elaida's　victory。　Chew　and　break　her　teeth。
　　　Elaida　drew　a　deep　breath　and　seated　herself　behind　her　writing　table　again；　putting　the　broken　ivory　fish　to　one　side　where　she　did　not　have　to　look　at　it。　It　was　time　to　exploit　her　victory。　〃There　is　work　to　be　done　today；　daughter。　The　first　message　is　to　go　to　the　Lady　Caraline　Damodred。。。　〃
　　　Elaida　spun　out　her　plans；　enlarging　on　what　Alviarin　knew；　revealing　some　that　she　did　not；　because　at　the　last　an　Amyrlin　did　have　to　work　through　her　Keeper；　however　much　she　hated　the　woman。　There　was　a　pleasure　in　watching　Alviarin's　eyes；　watching　her　wonder　what　else　she　still　did　not　know。　But　while　Elaida　ordered；　divided　and　assigned　the　world　between　the　Aryth　Ocean　and　the　Spine　of　the　World；　in　her　mind　frolicked　the　image　of　young　al'Thor　on　his　way　to　her　like　a　caged　bear；　to　be　taught　to　dance　for　his　dinner。
　　　The　Chronicles　could　hardly　record　the　years　of　the　Last　Battle　without　mentioning　the　Dragon　Reborn；　but　she　knew　that　one　name　would　be　writt