rj.acrownofswords-第50节

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　　　For　a　moment　Egwene　wished　she　had　spied　on　Moghedien's　dreams　while　the　woman　was　prisoner；　just　once；　just　enough　to　be　able　to　distinguish　them。　But　even　identifying　her　dreams　would　not　reveal　where　she　was　now。　And　there　had　been　the　possibility　of　being　drawn　in　against　her　will。　She　certainly　despised　Moghedien　enough；　and　the　Forsaken　most　assuredly　hated　her　without　bounds。　What　happened　in　there　was　not　real；　not　even　as　real　as　in　Tel'aran'rhiod；　but　you　remembered　it　as　if　it　was。　A　night　in　Moghedien's　power　would　have　been　a　nightmare　she　likely　would　have　relived　every　time　she　went　to　sleep　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　Maybe　awake；　too。
　　　Another　circuit。　What　was　that？　A　dark；　regally　beautiful　woman　in　pearl…covered　cap　and　lace…ruffed　gown　strode　from　the　shadows　and　vanished。　A　Tairen　woman　dreaming；　a　High　Lady　or　dreaming　herself　as　one。　She　might　be　plain　and　dumpy；　a　farmwife　or　a　merchant；　awake。
　　　Better　to　have　spied　on　Logain　than　Moghedien。　She　still　would　not　know　where　he　was；　but　she　might　have　some　idea　of　his　plans。　Of　course；　being　pulled　into　his　dream　might　not　have　been　much　more　pleasant　than　being　drawn　into　Moghedien's。　He　hated　all　Aes　Sedai。　Arranging　his　escape　had　been　one　of　those　necessary　things；　she　just　hoped　the　price　would　not　be　too　high。　Forget　Logain。　Moghedien　was　the　danger；　Moghedien　who　might　e　after　her；　even　here；　especially　here；　Moghedien　who。。。
　　　Suddenly　she　became　aware　of　how　heavily　she　was　moving；　and　made　a　vexed　sound　in　her　throat；　very　nearly　a　groan。　The　beautiful　gown　had　bee　a　full　set　of　plate…and…mail　armor　like　that　of　Gareth　Bryne's　heavy　cavalry。　An　open…faced　helmet　rested　on　her　head；　with　a　crest　in　the　shape　of　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon；　by　the　feel。　It　was　very　irritating。　She　was　beyond　this　sort　of　lack　of　control。
　　　Firmly　she　changed　the　armor　to　what　she　had　worn　meeting　the　Wise　Ones　before。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　thought。　Full　skirt　of　dark　wool　and　loose　white　algode　blouse；　just　as　she　had　worn　while　studying　with　them；　plete　with　a　fringed　shawl　so　green　it　was　nearly　black　and　a　folded　head　scarf　to　hold　her　hair　back。　She　did　not　duplicate　their　jewelry；　of　course；　all　the　multitudes　of　necklaces　and　bracelets。　They　would　laugh　at　her　for　that。　A　woman　built　her　collection　over　the　years；　not　in　the　blink　of　a　dream。
　　　〃Logain　is　on　his　way　to　the　Black　Tower；〃　she　said　aloud；　she　certainly　hoped　he　was；　at　least　there　would　be　some　check　on　him　then；　or　so　she　hoped；　and　if　he　was　caught　and　gentled　again；　Rand　could　not　blame　any　sister　following　her；　〃and　Moghedien　has　no　way　of　knowing　where　I　am。〃　That；　she　tried　to　make　sound　a　certainty。
　　　〃Why　should　you　fear　the　Shadowsouled？〃　asked　a　voice　behind　her；　and　Egwene　tried　to　climb　into　the　air。　This　being　Tel'aran'rhiod；　and　she　a　dream　walker；　she　was　more　than　her　own　height　above　the　floorstones　before　she　came　to　herself。　Oh；　yes；　she　thought；　floating；　I'm　far　beyond　all　those　beginner's　mistakes。　If　this　went　on；　next　she　would　be　jumping　when　Chesa　gave　her　good　morning。
　　　Hoping　she　was　not　blushing　too　badly；　she　let　herself　settle　slowly；　perhaps　she　could　retain　a　little　dignity。
　　　Perhaps；　yet　Bair's　aged　face　had　more　creases　than　usual　from　a　grin　that　seemed　nearly　to　touch　her　ears。　Unlike　the　other　two　women　with　her；　she　could　not　channel；　but　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　dreamwalking。　She　was　as　skilled　as　either；　more　in　some　areas。　Amys　was　smiling　too；　if　not　so　broadly；　but　sun…haired　Melaine　threw　back　her　head　and　roared。
　　　〃I　have　never　seen　anyone。。。〃　Melaine　just　managed　to　get　out。　〃Like　a　rabbit。〃　She　gave　a　little　hop　and　lifted　a　full　pace　into　the　air。
　　　〃I　recently　caused　Moghedien　some　hurt。〃　Egwene　was　quite　proud　of　her　poise。　She　liked　Melaine　…　the　woman　was　much　less　thorny　since　she　was　with　child；　with　twins；　actually　…　but　at　the　moment　Egwene　could　have　strangled　her　cheerfully。　〃Some　friends　and　I　damaged　her　pride；　if　not　much　more。　I　think　she　would　like　the　opportunity　to　repay　me。〃　On　impulse；　she　changed　her　clothes　once　more；　to　the　sort　of　riding　dress　she　wore　every　day　now；　in　lustrous　green　silk。　The　Great　Serpent　encircled　her　finger　with　gold。　She　could　not　tell　them　everything；　but　these　women　were　friends　too；　and　they　deserved　to　know　what　she　could　tell。
　　　〃Wounds　to　the　pride　are　remembered　long　after　wounds　to　the　flesh。〃　Bair's　voice　was　thin　and　high；　yet　strong；　a　reed　of　iron。
　　　〃Tell　us　about　it〃　Melaine　said；　with　an　eager　smile。　〃How　did　you　shame　her？〃　Bair's　was　just　as　enthusiastic。　In　a　cruel　land；　you　either　learned　to　laugh　at　cruelty　or　spent　your　life　weeping；　in　the　Three…fold　Land；　the　Aiel　had　learned　to　laugh　long　since。　Besides；　shaming　an　enemy　was　considered　an　art。
　　　Amys　studied　Egwene's　new　clothes　for　a　moment；　then；　said；　〃That　can　e　later；　I　think。　We　are　to　talk；　you　said。〃　She　gestured　to　where　the　Wise　Ones　liked　to　talk；　out　beneath　the　vast　dome　at　the　heart　of　the　chamber。
　　　Why　they　chose　that　spot　was　another　mystery　Egwene　could　not　puzzle　out。　The　three　women　settled　themselves　cross…legged；　spreading　their　skirts　neatly；　only　a　few　paces　from　what　seemed　to　be　a　sword　made　of　gleaming　crystal；　rising　hilt…first　from　where　it　had　been　driven　into　the　floor…stones。　They　paid　it　no　mind　whatsoever　…　it　was　no　part　of　their　prophecies　…　any　more　than　they　did　the　people　who　flashed　into　existence　around　the　great　chamber；　but　here　was　always　where　they　came。
　　　Fabled　Callandor　would　indeed　function　as　a　sword　despite　its　appearance；　but　in　truth　it　was　a　male　sa'angreal；　one　of　the　most　powerful　ever　made　in　the　Age　of　Legends。　She　felt　a　little　shiver；　thinking　of　male　sa'angreal。　It　had　been　different　when　there　was　only　Rand。　And　the　Forsaken；　of　course。　But　now　there　were　these　Asha'man。　With　Callandor；　a　man　could　draw　enough　of　the　One　Power　to　level　a　city　in　a　heartbeat　and　devastate　everything　for　miles。　She　walked　wide　around　it；　holding　her　skirts　aside　reflexively。　From　the　Heart　of　the　Stone　Rand　had　drawn　Callandor　in　fulfillment　of　the　Prophecies；　then　returned　it　for　his　own　reasons。　Returned　it；　and　snared　it　round　with　traps　woven　in　saidin。　They　would　have　their　reflection；　too；　one　that　might　trigger　as　decisively　as　the　original　should　the　wrong　weaves　be　tried　nearby。　Some　things　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　were　all　too　real。
　　　Trying　not　to　think　of　the　Sword　That　Is　Not　a　Sword；　Egwene　placed　herself　before　the　three　Wise　Ones。　Fastening　their　shawls　around　their　waists；　they　unlaced　their　blouses。　That　was　how　Aiel　women　sat　with　friends；　in　their　tents　beneath　a　hot　sun。　She　did　not　sit；　and　if　that　made　her　seem　a　supplicant　or　on　trial；　so　be　it。　In　a　way；　in　her　heart；　she　was。　〃I've　not　told　you　why　I　was　summoned　away　from　you；　and　you　have　not　asked。〃
　　　〃You　will　tell　us　when　you　are　ready；〃　Amys　said　placently。　She　looked　of　an　age　with　Melaine　despite　hair　white　as　Bair's　tumbling　to　her　waist　…　her　hair　had　begun　turning　when　she　was　little　older　than　Egwene　…　but　she　was　the　leader　among　the　three；　not　Bair。　For　the　first　time；　Egwene　wondered　just　how　old　she　was。　Not　a　question　you　asked　a　Wise　One；　any　more　than　an　Aes　Sedai。
　　　〃When　I　left　you；　I　was　one　of　the　Accepted。　You　know　about　the　division　in　the　White　Tower。〃　Bair　shook　her　head　and　grimaced；　she　knew；　but　she　did　not　understand。　None　of　them　did。　To　Aiel；　it　was　as　unreal　as　clan　or　warrior　society　dividing　against　itself。　Perhaps　it　was　also　affirmation　in　their　eyes　that　Aes　Sedai　were　less　than　they　should　be。　Egwene　went　on；　surprised　that　her　voice　was　collected；　steady。　〃The　sisters　who　oppose　Elaida　have　raised　me　as　their　Amyrlin。　When　Elaida　is　pulled　down；　I　will　sit　on　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　in　the　White　Tower。〃　She　added　the　striped　stole　to　her　clothes　and　waited。　Once　she　had　lied　to　them；　a　serious　transgression　under　ji'e'toh；　and　she　was　not　sure　how　they　would　react　to　learning　this　truth　she　had　hidden。　If　only　they　believed；　at　least。　They　merely　looked　at　her。
　　　〃There　is　a　thing　children　do；〃　Melaine　said　carefully　after　a　time。　Her　pregnancy　did　not　show　yet；　but　already　she　had　the　inner　radiance；　making　her　even　more　beautiful　than　usual；　and　an　inward；　unshakable　calm。　〃Children　all　want　to　push　spears；　and　they　all　want　to　be　the　clan　chief；　but　eventually　they　realize　that　the　clan　chief　seldom　dances　the　spears　himself。　So　they　make　a　figure　and　set　it　on　a　rise。〃　Off　to　one　side　the　floor　suddenly　mounded　up；　no　longer　stone　tiles　but　a　ridge　of　sun…baked　brown　rock。　Atop　it　stood　a　shape　vaguely　like　a　man；　made　of　twisted　twigs　and　bits　of　cloth。　〃This　is　the　clan　chief　who　mands　them　to　dance　the　spears　from　the　hill　where　he　can　see　the　battle。　But　the　children　run　where　they　will；　and　their　clan　chief　is　only　a　figure　of　sticks　and　rags。〃　A　wind　whipped　the　cloth　strips；　emphasizing　the　hollowness　of　the　shape；　and　then　ridge　and　figure　were　gone。
　　　Egwene　drew　a　deep　breath。　Of　course。　She　had　atoned　for　her　lie　according　to　ji'e'toh；　by　her　own　choice；　and　that　meant　it　was　as　if　the　lie　had　never　been　spoken。　She　should　have　known　better。　But　they　had　struck　to　the　hear