rj.acrownofswords-第68节

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〃
　　　〃I　said　what　I　had　to　say。　The　decision　was　yours。〃
　　　〃The　key　thought　was　yours；　though。　Sometimes　I　think　the　rest　of　us　are　turning　into　half…wits。　Well。〃　Half　turning　to　the　steps；　not　quite　looking　at　her；　Elayne　paused。　〃Distances　bother　me；　sometimes；　over　water。　I　think　I　will　look　only　at　the　ship；　myself。　Nothing　else。〃　Aviendha　nodded　…　her　near…sister　had　a　fine　delicacy　…　and　they　went　up。
　　　On　the　deck；　Nynaeve　was　just　shaking　off　Birgitte's　offer　of　help　and　pushing　herself　up　from　the　railing。　The　two　oarsmen　looked　on　in　amusement　as　she　wiped　her　mouth　with　the　back　of　her　hand。　Shiftless　fellows　with　a　brass　hoop　in　each　ear；　they　must　have　had　frequent　use　for　the　curved　daggers　shoved　behind　their　sashes。　Most　of　their　attention　went　to　working　their　pairs　of　long　sweeps；　though；　walking　back　and　forth　on　the　deck　to　hold　the　heaving　boat　in　place　near　a　ship　that　almost　took　Aviendha's　breath　with　its　size；　looming　above　their　suddenly　very　tiny　vessel；　its　three　great　masts　reaching　taller　than　most　trees　she　had　seen　even　here　in　the　wetlands。　They　had　chosen　it　because　it　was　the　largest　of　the　hundreds　of　Sea　Folk　ships　anchored　in　the　bay。　On　a　ship　that　big；　surely　it　must　be　possible　to　forget　all　the　surrounding　water。　Except。。。
　　　Elayne　had　not　really　acknowledged　her　shame；　and　if　she　had；　a　near…sister　could　know　your　deepest　humiliation　without　it　mattering；　but。。。　Amys　said　she　had　too　much　pride。　She　made　herself　turn　and　look　away　from　the　boat。
　　　She　had　never　seen　so　much　water　in　her　life；　not　if　every　drop　seen　before　had　been　gathered　in　one　place；　all　of　it　rolling　gray…green　and　here　and　there　frothing　white。　Her　eyes　darted；　trying　to　avoid　taking　it　in。　Even　the　sky　seemed　larger　here；　immense；　with　a　liquid　gold　sun　crawling　up　from　the　east。　A　gusting　wind　blew；　somewhat　cooler　than　on　the　land　and　never　failing　entirely。　Clouds　of　birds　flurried　in　the　air；　gray　and　white　and　sometimes　splotched　with　black；　giving　those　shrill　cries。　One；　all　black　except　for　its　head；　skimmed　along　the　surface　with　its　long　lower　beak　slicing　through　the　water；　and　a　slanted　line　of　ungainly　brown　birds　…　pelicans；　Elayne　had　named　them　…　suddenly　folded　their　wings　one　by　one　and　plummeted　with　great　splashes；　bobbing　back　to　the　top；　where　they　floated；　tilting　up　beaks　of　incredible　size。　There　were　ships　everywhere；　many　almost　as　large　as　the　one　behind　her；　not　all　belonging　to　the　Atha'an　Miere；　and　smaller　vessels　with　one　or　two　masts　moving　under　triangular　sails。　Smaller　ships　still；　mastless　like　the　boat　she　was　on；　with　a　high　sharp　peak　at　the　front　and　a　low　flat　house　at　the　back；　spidered　across　the　water　on　oars；　one　pair　or　two；　or　sometimes　three。　One　long；　narrow　boat　that　must　have　had　twenty　to　a　side　looked　like　a　hundred…legs　skittering　along。　And　there　was　land。　Maybe　seven　or　eight　miles　distant；　sunlight　gleamed　off　the　white…plastered　buildings　of　the　city。　Seven　or　eight　miles　of　water。
　　　Swallowing；　she　turned　back　more　swiftly　than　she　had　turned　away。　She　thought　her　cheeks　must　be　greener　than　Nynaeve's　had　been。　Elayne　was　watching　her；　trying　to　keep　a　smooth　face；　but　wetlanders　showed　their　emotions　so　plainly　her　concern　was　visible。　〃I　am　a　fool；　Elayne。〃　Even　with　her；　using　no　more　of　her　name　made　Aviendha　feel　uneasy；　when　they　were　first…sisters；　when　they　were　sister…wives；　it　would　be　easier。　〃A　wise　woman　listens　to　wise　advice。〃
　　　〃You　are　braver　than　I　will　ever　be；〃　Elayne　replied；　quite　seriously。　She　was　another　who　kept　denying　that　she　had　any　courage。　Maybe　that　was　also　a　wetlander　custom？　No；　Aviendha　had　heard　wetlanders　speak　of　then　own　bravery；　these　Ebou　Dari；　for　one；　seemed　unable　to　utter　three　words　without　boasting。　Elayne　drew　a　deep　breath；　steeling　herself。　〃Tonight　we　will　talk　about　Rand。〃
　　　Aviendha　nodded；　but　she　did　not　see　how　that　followed　from　talk　of　courage。　How　could　sister…wives　manage　a　husband　if　they　did　not　talk　of　him　in　detail？　That　was　what　the　older　women　told　her；　anyway；　and　the　Wise　Ones。　They　were　not　always　so　forthing；　of　course。　When　she　plained　to　Amys　and　Bair　that　she　must　be　ill　because　she　felt　as　though　Rand　al'Thor　was　carrying　some　part　of　her　around　with　him；　they　had　fallen　down　laughing。　You　will　learn；　they　cackled　at　her；　and　You　would　have　learned　sooner　had　you　grown　up　in　skirts。　As　if　she　had　ever　wanted　any　life　but　that　of　a　Maiden；　running　with　her　spear…sisters。　Maybe　Elayne　felt　something　of　the　same　emptiness。　Speaking　of　him　did　seem　to　make　the　hollowness　grow　even　while　filling　it。
　　　For　some　time　she　had　been　aware　of　voices　rising；　and　now　she　heard　the　words。
　　　〃。。。　you　earringed　buffoon！〃　Nynaeve　was　shaking　her　fist　at　a　very　dark　man　peering　down　at　her　from　over　the　tall　side　of　the　ship。　He　looked　calm；　but　then；　he　could　not　see　the　glow　of　saidar　surrounding　her。　〃We　are　not　after　the　gift　of　passage；　so　it　doesn't　matter　whether　you　refuse　it　to　Aes　Sedai！　You　let　down　a　ladder　this　instant！〃　The　men　at　the　oars　were　missing　their　grins。　Apparently　they　had　failed　to　see　the　serpent　rings　back　at　the　stone　landing；　and　they　did　not　look　pleased　to　learn　they　had　Aes　Sedai　aboard。
　　　〃Oh；　dear；〃　Elayne　sighed。　〃I　must　retrieve　this；　Aviendha；　or　we've　wasted　the　morning　just　so　she　could　lose　her　breakfast　porridge。〃　Gliding　across　the　deck　…　Aviendha　was　proud　of　knowing　the　proper　names　for　things　on　boats　…　Elayne　addressed　the　man　up　on　the　ship。　〃I　am　Elayne　Trakand；　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　and　Aes　Sedai　of　the　Green　Ajah。　My　panion　is　quite　truthful。　We　do　not　seek　the　gift　of　passage。　But　we　must　speak　with　your　Windfinder　on　a　matter　of　urgency。　Tell　her　we　know　of　the　Weaving　of　Winds。　Tell　her　we　know　of　Windfinders。〃
　　　The　man　above　frowned　down　at　her；　then　abruptly　vanished　without　a　word。
　　　〃The　woman　will　probably　think　you　mean　to　blab　her　secrets；〃　Nynaeve　muttered；　jerking　her　cloak　into　place。　She　tied　the　ribbons　fiercely。　〃You　know　how　afraid　they　are　that　Aes　Sedai　will　haul　them　all　off　to　the　Tower；　if　it's　known　most　can　channel。　Only　a　ninny　thinks　she　can　threaten　people；　Elayne；　and　still　get　anywhere。〃
　　　Aviendha　burst　out　laughing。　By　the　startled　look　Nynaeve　gave　her；　she　did　not　see　the　joke　she　had　made　on　herself。　Elayne's　lips　quivered；　though；　however　she　tried　to　hold　them。　You　could　never　be　sure　about　wetlander　humor；　they　found　strange　things　funny　and　missed　the　best。
　　　Whether　or　not　the　Windfinder　felt　threatened；　by　the　time　Elayne　had　paid　the　boatmen　and　cautioned　them　to　wait　for　their　return　…　with　Nynaeve　grumbling　over　the　amount　and　telling　them　she　would　box　their　ears　if　they　left；　and　how　she　was　to　manage　that　nearly　set　Aviendha　laughing　again　…　by　the　time　all　that　was　done；　it　seemed　a　decision　had　been　reached　to　allow　them　on。　No　ladder　was　lowered；　but　instead　a　flat　piece　of　wood；　the　two　ropes　it　hung　from　being　one　and　running　up　to　a　thick　pole　swung　out　over　the　side　from　one　of　the　masts。　Nynaeve　took　her　place　sitting　on　the　board　with　dire　warnings　for　the　boatmen　if　they　even　thought　of　trying　to　look　up　her　skirts；　and　Elayne　blushed　and　held　hers　tightly　around　her　legs；　hunched　over　so　she　appeared　ready　to　fall　off　headfirst　as　she　wobbled　into　the　air　and　disappeared　from　sight　onto　the　ship。　One　of　the　fellows　looked　upward　anyway；　until　Birgitte　struck　him　on　the　nose　with　her　fist。　They　certainly　did　not　watch　her　ascent。
　　　Aviendha's　belt　knife　was　small；　with　a　blade　not　half　a　foot　long；　but　the　oarsmen　frowned　worriedly　when　she　drew　it。　Her　arm　went　back；　and　they　fell　sprawling　to　the　deck　as　the　knife　whirled　over　their　heads　to　sink　with　a　solid　thunk　into　the　thick　wooden　post　at　the　front　of　the　boat。　Looping　the　cloak　over　her　arms　like　a　shawl；　she　hoisted　her　skirts　well　above　her　knees　so　she　could　climb　over　the　oars　and　retrieve　her　blade；　then　took　her　place　on　the　dangling　board。　She　did　not　replace　the　knife　in　its　sheath。　For　some　reason　the　two　men　exchanged　confused　looks；　but　they　kept　their　eyes　down　as　she　was　lifted　up。　Perhaps　she　was　beginning　to　get　a　feel　for　wetlander　customs。
　　　Settling　onto　the　great　ship's　deck；　she　gaped；　almost　forgetting　to　climb　off　the　narrow　seat。　She　had　read　of　the　Atha'an　Miere；　but　reading　and　seeing　was　as　different　as　reading　of　saltwater　and　tasting　it。　They　were　all　dark；　for　one　thing；　much　darker　than　the　Ebou　Dari；　even　darker　than　most　Tairens；　with　straight　black　hair　and　black　eyes　and　tattooed　hands。　Bare…chested；　barefoot　men　with　bright　narrow　sashes　holding　up　baggy　breeches　of　some　dark　cloth　that　had　an　oily　look　to　it；　and　women　in　blouses　as　brilliantly　colored　as　their　sashes；　all　with　a　sway　to　their　movements；　gliding　gracefully　with　the　rocking　of　the　ship。　Sea　Folk　women　had　very　strange　customs　when　it　came　to　men；　according　to　what　she　had　read；　dancing　with　no　more　than　a　single　scarf　for　covering　and　worse；　but　it　was　the　earrings　that　made　her　stare。　Most　had　three　or　four；　often　with　polished　stones；　and　several　actually　had　a　small　ring　in　one　side　of　their　noses！　The　men　did；　too；　the　earrings　at　least；　and　just　as　man