rj.thegreathunt-第36节

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us　her　hate。　I　will　learn。　You　think　because　you　know；　you　can　escape　me。　But　I　will　learn　better　than　you　think；　and　I　will　pull　you　down　for　what　you've　done。　For　what　you've　done　to　Mat；　and　to　Perrin。　For　Rand；　the　Light　help　him　and　the　Creator　shelter　him。　Especially　for　Rand。　Her　hand　closed　around　the　heavy　circlet　of　gold。　And　for　me。
　　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Egwene　watched　the　liveried　maid　folding　her　dresses　into　a　leather…covered　travel　chest；　still　a　little　unfortable；　even　after　nearly　a　month's　practice；　with　someone　else　doing　what　she　could　very　well　have　done　herself。　They　were　such　beautiful　dresses；　all　gifts　from　the　Lady　Amalisa；　just　like　the　gray　silk　riding　dress　she　wore；　though　that　was　plain　except　for　a　few　white　morningstar　blossoms　worked　on　the　breast。　Many　of　the　dresses　were　much　more　elaborate。　Any　one　of　them　would　shine　at　Sunday；　or　at　Bel　Tine。　She　sighed；　remembering　that　she　would　be　in　Tar　Valon　for　the　next　Sunday；　not　Emond's　Field。　From　the　little　Moiraine　had　told　her　of　novice　training…almost　nothing；　really…she　expected　she　might　not　be　home　for　Bel　Tine；　in　the　spring；　or　even　the　Sunday　after　that。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　put　her　head　into　the　room。　〃Are　you　ready？〃　She　came　the　rest　of　the　way　in。　〃We　must　be　down　in　the　courtyard　soon。〃　She　wore　a　riding　dress；　too；　in　blue　silk　with　red　loversknots　on　the　bosom。　Another　gift　from　Amalisa。
　　　　　　　〃Nearly；　Nynaeve。　I　am　almost　sorry　to　be　going。　I　don't　suppose　we'll　have　many　chances　in　Tar　Valon　to　wear　the　nice　dresses　Amalisa　gave　us。〃　She　gave　an　abrupt　laugh。　〃Still；　Wisdom；　I　won't　miss　being　able　to　bathe　without　looking　over　my　shoulder　the　whole　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃Much　better　to　bathe　alone；〃　Nynaeve　said　briskly。　Her　face　did　not　change；　but　after　a　moment　her　cheeks　colored。
　　　　　　　Egwene　smiled。　She's　thinking　about　Lan。　It　was　still　odd　to　think　of　Nynaeve；　the　Wisdom；　mooning　after　a　man。　She　did　not　think　it　would　be　wise　to　put　it　to　Nynaeve　in　quite　that　way；　but　of　late；　sometimes　the　Wisdom　acted　as　strangely　as　any　girl　who　had　set　her　heart　on　a　particular　man。　And　one　who　doesn't　have　enough　sense　to　be　worthy　of　her；　at　that。　She　loves　him；　and　I　can　see　he　loves　her；　so　why　can't　he　have　sense　enough　to　speak　up？
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　think　you　should　call　me　Wisdom　any　longer；〃　Nynaeve　said　suddenly。
　　　　　　　Egwene　blinked。　It　was　not　required；　exactly；　and　Nynaeve　never　insisted　on　it　unless　she　was　angry；　or　being　formal；　but　this　。。。　〃Why　ever　not？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　a　woman；　now。〃　Nynaeve　glanced　at　her　unbraided　hair；　and　Egwene　resisted　the　urge　to　hurriedly　twist　it　into　a　semblance　of　a　braid。　Aes　Sedai　wore　their　hair　any　way　they　wanted；　but　wearing　hers　loose　had　bee　a　symbol　of　starting　on　a　new　life。　〃You　are　a　woman；〃　Nynaeve　repeated　firmly。　〃We　are　two　women；　a　long　way　from　Emond's　Field；　and　it　will　be　longer　still　before　we　see　home　again。　It　will　be　better　if　you　simply　call　me　Nynaeve。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　will　see　home　again；　Nynaeve。　We　will。〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　try　to　fort　the　Wisdom；　girl；〃　Nynaeve　said　gruffly；　but　she　smiled。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　but　before　Egwene　could　open　it；　Nisura　came　in；　agitation　all　over　her　face。　〃Egwene；　that　young　man　of　yours　is　trying　to　e　into　the　women's　apartments。〃　She　sounded　scandalized。　〃And　wearing　a　sword。　Just　because　the　Amyrlin　let　him　enter　that　way　。。。　Lord　Rand　should　know　better。　He　is　causing　an　uproar。　Egwene；　you　must　speak　to　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Lord　Rand；〃　Nynaeve　snorted。　〃That　young　man　is　growing　too　big　for　his　breeches。　When　I　get　my　hands　on　him；　I'll　lord　him。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　put　a　hand　on　Nynaeve's　arm。　〃Let　me　speak　to　him；　Nynaeve。　Alone。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　very　well。　The　best　of　men　are　not　much　better　than　housebroken。〃　Nynaeve　paused；　and　added　half　to　herself；　〃But　then；　the　best　of　them　are　worth　the　trouble　of　housebreaking。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　shook　her　head　as　she　followed　Nisura　into　the　hall。　Even　half　a　year　before；　Nynaeve　would　never　have　added　the　second　part。　But　she'll　never　housebreak　Lan。　Her　thoughts　turned　to　Rand。　Causing　an　uproar；　was　he？　〃Housebreak　him？〃　she　muttered。　〃If　he　hasn't　learned　manners　by　this　time；　I'll　skin　him　alive。〃
　　　　　　　〃Sometimes　that　is　what　it　takes；〃　Nisura　said；　walking　quickly。　〃Men　are　never　more　than　half…civilized　until　they're　wedded。〃　She　gave　Egwene　a　sidelong　glance。　〃Do　you　intend　to　marry　Lord　Rand？　I　do　not　mean　to　pry；　but　you　are　going　to　the　White　Tower；　and　Aes　Sedai　seldom　wed　…　none　but　some　of　the　Green　Ajah；　that　I've　ever　heard；　and　not　many　of　them　…　and　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　could　supply　the　rest。　She　had　heard　the　talk　in　the　women's　apartments　about　a　suitable　wife　for　Rand。　At　first　it　had　caused　stabs　of　jealousy；　and　anger。　He　had　been　all　but　promised　to　her　since　they　were　children。　But　she　was　going　to　be　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　he　was　what　he　was。　A　man　who　could　channel。　She　could　marry　him。　And　watch　him　go　mad；　watch　him　die。　The　only　way　to　stop　it　would　be　to　have　him　gentled。　I　can't　do　that　to　him。　I　can't！　〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　said　sadly。
　　　　　　　Nisura　nodded。　〃No　one　will　poach　where　you　have　a　claim；　but　you　are　going　to　the　Tower；　and　he　will　make　a　good　husband。　Once　he　has　been　trained。　There　he　is。〃
　　　　　　　The　women　gathered　around　the　entrance　to　the　women's　apartments；　both　inside　and　out；　were　all　watching　three　men　in　the　hallway　outside。　Rand；　with　his　sword　buckled　over　his　red　coat；　was　being　confronted　by　Agelmar　and　Kajin。　Neither　of　them　wore　a　sword；　even　after　what　had　happened　in　the　night；　these　were　still　the　women's　apartments。　Egwene　stopped　at　the　back　of　the　crowd。
　　　　　　　〃You　understand　why　you　cannot　go　in；〃　Agelmar　was　saying。　〃I　know　that　things　are　different　in　Andor；　but　you　do　understand？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　didn't　try　to　go　in。〃　Rand　sounded　as　if　he　had　explained　all　this　more　than　once　already。　〃I　told　the　Lady　Nisura　I　wanted　to　see　Egwene；　and　she　said　Egwene　was　busy；　and　I'd　have　to　wait。　All　I　did　was　shout　for　her　from　the　door。　I　did　not　try　to　enter。　You'd　have　thought　I　was　naming　the　Dark　One；　the　way　they　all　started　in　on　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃Women　have　their　own　ways；〃　Kajin　said。　He　was　tall　for　a　Shienaran；　almost　as　tall　as　Rand；　lanky　and　sallow。　His　topknot　was　black　as　pitch。　〃They　set　the　rules　for　the　women's　apartments；　and　we　abide　by　them　even　when　they　are　foolish。〃　A　number　of　eyebrows　were　raised　among　the　women；　and　he　hastily　cleared　his　throat。　〃You　must　send　a　message　in　if　you　wish　to　speak　to　one　of　the　women；　but　it　will　be　delivered　when　they　choose；　and　until　it　is；　you　must　wait。　That　is　our　custom。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to　see　her；〃　Rand　said　stubbornly。　〃We're　leaving　soon。　Not　soon　enough　for　me；　but　I　still　have　to　see　Egwene。　We　will　get　the　Horn　of　Valere　and　the　dagger　back；　and　that　will　be　the　end　of　it。　The　end　of　it。　But　I　want　to　see　her　before　I　go。〃　Egwene　frowned；　he　sounded　odd。
　　　　　　　〃No　need　to　be　so　fierce；〃　Kajin　said。　〃You　and　Ingtar　will　find　the　Horn；　or　not。　And　if　not；　then　another　will　retrieve　it。　The　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills；　and　we　are　but　threads　in　the　Pattern。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　let　the　Horn　seize　you；　Rand；〃　Agelmar　said。　〃It　can　take　hold　of　a　man　…　I　know　how　it　can　…　and　that　is　not　the　way。　A　man　must　seek　duty；　not　glory。　What　will　happen；　will　happen。　If　the　Horn　of　Valere　is　meant　to　be　sounded　for　the　Light；　then　it　will　be。〃
　　　　　　　〃Here　is　your　Egwene；〃　Kajin　said；　spotting　her。
　　　　　　　Agelmar　looked　around；　and　nodded　when　he　saw　her　with　Nisura。　〃I　will　leave　you　in　her　hands；　Rand　al'Thor。　Remember；　here；　her　words　are　law；　not　yours。　Lady　Nisura；　do　not　be　too　hard　on　him。　He　only　wished　to　see　his　young　woman；　and　he　does　not　know　our　ways。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　followed　Nisura　as　the　Shienaran　woman　threaded　her　way　through　the　watching　women。　Nisura　inclined　her　head　briefly　to　Agelmar　and　Kajin；　she　pointedly　did　not　include　Rand。　Her　voice　was　tight。　〃Lord　Agelmar。　Lord　Kajin。　He　should　know　this　much　of　our　ways　by　now；　but　he　is　too　big　to　spank；　so　I　will　let　Egwene　deal　with　him。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar　gave　Rand　a　fatherly　pat　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　see。　You　will　speak　with　her；　if　not　exactly　in　the　way　you　wished。　e；　Kajin。　We　have　much　to　see　to　yet。　The　Amyrlin　still　insists　on　。。。〃　His　voice　trailed　away　as　he　and　the　other　man　left。　Rand　stood　there；　looking　at　Egwene。
　　　　　　　The　women　were　still　watching；　Egwene　realized。　Watching　her　as　well　as　Rand。　Waiting　to　see　what　she　would　do。　So　I'm　supposed　to　deal　with　him；　am　I？　Yet　she　felt　her　heart　going　out　to　him。　His　hair　needed　brushing。　His　face　showed　anger；　defiance；　and　weariness。　〃Walk　with　me；〃　she　told　him。　A　murmur　started　up　behind　them　as　he　walked　down　the　hall　beside　her；　away　from　the　women's　apartments。　Rand　seemed　to　be　struggling　with　himself；　hunting　for　what　to　say。
　　　　　　　〃I've　heard　about　your　。。。　exploits；〃　she　said　finally。　〃Running　through　the　women's　apartments　last　night　with　a　sword。　Wearing　a　sword　to　an　audience　with　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃　He　still　said　nothing；　only　walked　along　frowning　at　the　floor。　〃She　didn't　。。。　hurt　you；　did　she？〃　She　could　not　make　herself　ask　if　he　had　been　gentled；　he　looked　anything　but　gentle；　but　she　had　no　idea　what　a　man　looked　like　afterwards。