rj.acrownofswords-第80节

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　　　〃The　Daughter…Heir　and　Nynaeve　Sedai　seldom　mention　you；〃　she　said；　〃but　one　learns　to　hear　what　is　not　said。〃　Casually　she　reached　up　and　touched　his　cheek；　he　half…raised　his　own　hand　uncertainly。　Had　he　smeared　ink　there；　chewing　the　pen？　Women　did　like　to　tidy　things；　including　men。　Maybe　queens　did；　too。　〃What　they　do　not　say；　but　I　hear；　is　that　you　are　an　untamed　rogue；　a　gambler　and　chaser　after　women。〃　Her　eyes　held　his；　expression　never　altering　a　hair；　and　her　voice　stayed　firm　and　cool；　but　as　she　spoke；　her　fingers　stroked　his　other　cheek。　〃Untamed　men　are　often　the　most　interesting。　To　talk　to。〃　A　finger　outlined　his　lips。　〃An　untamed　rogue　who　travels　with　Aes　Sedai；　a　ta'veren　who；　I　think；　makes　them　a　little　afraid。　Uneasy；　at　the　least。　It　takes　a　man　with　a　strong　liver　to　make　Aes　Sedai　uneasy。　How　will　you　bend　the　Pattern　in　Ebou　Dar；　just　Mat　Cauthon？〃　Her　hand　settled　against　his　neck；　he　could　feel　his　pulse　throbbing　against　her　fingers。
　　　His　mouth　fell　open。　The　writing　table　behind　his　back　rattled　against　the　wall　as　he　tried　to　back　away。　The　only　way　out　was　to　push　her　aside　or　climb　over　her　skirts。　Women　did　not　behave　this　way！　Oh；　some　of　those　old　memories　suggested　they　did；　but　it　was　mainly　memories　of　memories　that　that　woman　had　done　this　or　this　woman　had　done　that；　the　things　he　recalled　clearly　were　battles　for　the　most　part；　and　no　help　here　at　all。　She　smiled；　a　faint　curl　of　her　lips　that　did　not　lessen　the　predatory　gleam　in　her　eyes。　The　hair　on　his　head　tried　to　stand　up。
　　　Her　eyes　flickered　over　his　shoulder　to　the　mirror；　and　she　turned　abruptly；　leaving　him　gaping　at　her　back　as　she　moved　away。　〃I　must　arrange　to　speak　with　you　again；　Master　Cauthon。　I　…　〃　She　cut　off　as　the　door　swung　all　the　way　open；　apparently　surprised；　but　then　he　realized　she　had　seen　it　begin　moving　in　the　mirror。
　　　A　slender　young　man　entered；　limping　slightly；　a　dark　lad　with　sharp　eyes　that　flicked　by　Mat　with　barely　a　pause。　Black　hair　hung　to　his　shoulders；　and　he　wore　one　of　those　coats　that　was　never　meant　to　be　worn　normally　draped　across　his　shoulders；　green　silk；　with　a　gold　chain　across　his　chest　and　gold　leopards　worked　on　the　lapels。　〃Mother；〃　he　said；　bowing　to　Tylin　and　touching　his　lips　with　his　fingers。
　　　〃Beslan。〃　She　filled　the　name　with　warmth；　and　kissed　him　on　both　cheeks　and　his　eyelids。　The　firm；　even　icy；　tone　she　had　used　with　Mat　might　as　well　have　never　been。　〃It　went　well；　I　see。〃
　　　〃Not　as　well　as　it　might。〃　The　boy　sighed。　Despite　his　eyes；　he　had　a　mild　manner　to　him；　and　a　soft　voice。　〃Nevin　nicked　my　leg　on　the　second　pass；　then　slipped　on　the　third　so　I　ran　him　through　the　heart　instead　of　his　sword…arm。　The　offense　was　not　worth　killing；　and　now　I　must　pay　condolences　to　his　widow。〃　He　seemed　to　regret　that　as　much　as　this　Nevin's　death。
　　　Tylin's　beaming　face　hardly　seemed　right　on　a　woman　whose　son　had　just　told　her　he　had　killed　a　man。　〃Just　be　sure　your　visit　is　brief。　Stab　my　eyes；　but　Davindra　will　be　one　of　those　widows　who　wants　forting；　and　then　you　will　either　have　to　marry　her　or　kill　her　brothers。〃　By　her　tone；　the　first　alternative　was　much　the　worse；　the　second　merely　a　nuisance。　〃This　is　Master　Mat　Cauthon；　my　son。　He　is　ta'veren。　I　hope　you　will　make　a　friend　of　him。　Perhaps　you　two　will　go　to　the　Swovan　Night　dances　together。〃
　　　Mat　jumped。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　to　go　anywhere　with　a　fellow　who　fought　duels　and　whose　mother　wanted　to　stroke　Mat　Cauthon's　cheek。　〃I　am　not　much　for　balls；〃　he　said　quickly。　Ebou　Dari　liked　festivals　beyond　reason。　Here　High　Chasaline　was　just　past；　and　they　had　five　more　in　the　next　week；　two　all…day　affairs；　not　just　the　simpler　evening　feasts。　〃I　do　my　dancing　in　taverns。　The　rougher　sort；　I'm　afraid。　Nothing　you'd　like。〃
　　　〃I　favor　taverns　of　the　rougher　sort；〃　Beslan　said　with　a　smile；　in　that　soft　voice。　〃The　balls　are　for　older　people；　and　their　pretties。〃
　　　After　that；　it　was　all　downhill　on　crumpling　shingle。　Before　Mat　knew　what　was　happening；　Tylin　had　him　sewed　up　in　a　sack。　He　and　Beslan　would　be　attending　the　festivals　together。　All　of　the　festivals。　Hunting；　Beslan　called　it；　and　when　Mat　said　hunting　for　girls　without　thinking　…　he　would　never　have　said　that　in　front　of　somebody's　mother　had　he　thought　…　the　boy　laughed　and　said；　〃A　girl　or　a　fight；　pouting　lips　or　a　flashing　blade。　Whichever　dance　you're　dancing　at　the　moment　is　always　the　most　fun。　Wouldn't　you　say　so；　Mat？〃　Tylin　smiled　at　Beslan　fondly。
　　　Mat　managed　a　weak　laugh。　This　Beslan　was　mad；　him　and　his　mother　both。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　17　
（Female　Silhouettes）
The　Triumph　of　Logic　
　　　
　　　Mat　stalked　out　of　the　palace　when　Tylin　finally　let　him　go；　and　had　he　thought　it　would　do　any　good；　he　would　have　run。　The　skin　between　his　shoulder　blades　prickled　so；　he　almost　forgot　the　dice　dancing　in　his　head。　The　worst　moment　…　the　very　worst　of　a　dozen　bad　…　had　been　when　Beslan　teased　his　mother；　saying　she　should　find　herself　a　pretty　for　the　balls；　and　Tylin　laughingly　claimed　a　queen　had　no　time　for　young　men；　all　the　while　looking　at　Mat　with　those　bloody　eagle's　eyes。　Now　he　knew　why　rabbits　ran　so　fast。　He　stumped　across　Mol　Hara　Square　not　seeing　anything。　Had　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　been　cavorting　with　Jaichim　Carridin　and　Elaida　in　the　fountain　beneath　that　statue　of　some　long…dead　queen；　two　spans　or　more　tall　and　pointing　to　the　sea；　he　would　have　passed　by　without　a　second　look。
　　　The　mon　room　of　The　Wandering　Woman　was　dim　and　paratively　cool　after　the　bright　heat　outside。　He　took　off　his　hat　gratefully。　A　faint　haze　of　pipesmoke　hung　in　the　air；　but　the　arabesque…carved　shutters　across　the　wide　arched　windows　let　in　more　than　enough　light。　Some　bedraggled　pine　branches　had　been　tied　above　the　windows　for　Swovan　Night。　In　one　corner；　two　women　with　flutes　and　a　fellow　with　a　small　drum　between　his　knees　provided　a　shrill；　pulsing　sort　of　music　that　Mat　had　e　to　like。　Even　at　this　time　of　the　day　there　were　a　few　patrons；　outland　merchants　in　moderately　plain　woolens　with　a　sprinkling　of　Ebou　Dari；　most　in　the　vests　of　various　guilds。　No　apprentices　or　even　journeymen　here；　so　close　to　the　palace；　The　Wandering　Woman　was　hardly　an　inexpensive　place　to　drink　or　eat；　much　less　sleep。
　　　The　rattle　of　dice　at　a　table　in　the　corner　echoed　the　feel　in　his　head；　but　he　turned　the　other　way；　to　where　three　of　his　men　sat　on　benches　around　another　table。　Corevin；　a　thickly　muscled　Cairhienin　with　a　nose　that　made　his　eyes　seem　even　smaller　than　they　were；　sat　stripped　to　the　waist；　holding　his　tattooed　arms　over　his　head　while　Vanin　wound　strips　of　bandage　around　his　middle。　Vanin　was　three　times　Corevin's　size；　but　he　looked　like　a　balding　sack　of　suet　overflowing　his　bench。　His　coat　appeared　to　have　been　slept　in　for　a　week；　it　always　did；　even　an　hour　after　one　of　the　serving　women　ironed　it。　Some　of　the　merchants　eyed　the　three　uneasily；　but　none　of　the　Ebou　Dari；　men　or　women；　they　had　seen　the　same　or　worse；　often。
　　　Harnan；　a　lantern…jawed　Tairen　file　leader　with　a　crude　tattoo　of　a　hawk　on　his　left　cheek；　was　berating　Corevin。　〃。。。　don't　care　what　the　flaming　fish…seller　said；　you　goat…spawned　toad；　you　use　your　bloody　club　and　don't　go　accepting　flaming　challenges　just　because　…　〃　He　cut　off　when　he　saw　Mat；　and　tried　to　look　as　if　he　had　not　been　saying　what　he　had。　He　just　looked　as　if　he　had　a　toothache。
　　　If　Mat　asked；　it　would　turn　out　Corevin　had　slipped　and　fallen　on　his　own　dagger　or　some　such　foolery　Mat　was　supposed　to　pretend　to　believe。　So　he　just　leaned　his　fists　on　the　table　as　if　he　saw　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary。　Truth　to　tell；　it　was　not　that　out　of　the　ordinary。　Vanin　was　the　only　man　who　had　not　been　in　two　dozen　scrapes　already；　for　some　reason；　men　looking　for　trouble　walked　as　wide　of　Vanin　as　they　did　Nalesean。　The　only　difference　was　that　Vanin　seemed　to　like　it　that　way。　〃Has　Thom　or　Juilin　been　here　yet？〃
　　　Vanin　did　not　look　up　from　tying　the　bandages。　〃Haven't　seen　hide；　hair　nor　toenail。　Nalesean　was　in　for　a　bit；　though。〃　There　was　no　〃my　lord〃　nonsense　from　Vanin。　He　made　no　bones　about　not　liking　nobles。　With　the　unfortunate　exception　of　Elayne。　〃Left　an　iron…strapped　chest　up　in　your　room；　and　went　out　babbling　about　trinkets。〃　He　made　as　if　to　spit　through　the　gap　in　his　teeth；　then　glanced　at　one　of　the　serving　women　and　did　not。　Mistress　Anan　was　death　on　anybody　spitting　on　her　floors；　or　tossing　bones；　or　even　tapping　out　a　pipe。　〃The　boy's　out　back　in　the　stable；〃　he　went　on　before　Mat　could　ask；　〃with　his　book　and　one　of　the　innkeeper's　daughters。　Another　of　the　girls　spanked　his　bottom　for　pinching　hers。〃　Finishing　the　last　knot；　he　gave　Mat　an　accusatory　look；　as　if　it　had　been　his　fault　in　some　way。
　　　〃Poor　little　mite；〃　Corevin　muttered；　twisting　to　see　whether　the　bandages　would　stay　in　place。　He　had　a　leopard　and　a　boar　inked　on　one　arm；　a　lion　and　a　woman　on　the　other。　The　woman　did　not　seem　to　be　wearing　much　except　her　hair。　〃Sniveling；　he　was。　Though　he　did　brighten　when　Leral　let　him　hold　her　hand。〃　The　men　all　looked　after　Olver　like　a　gaggle　of　uncles；　though　certainly　the　sort　no　mothe