rj.thegreathunt-第39节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
； Mother。〃 She sounded tired。 〃He was dead when he struck the ground。 Even if I had been at his side 。。。〃
〃You did what you could； Daughter。 Death cannot be Healed。〃
Agelmar moved closer。 〃Mother； if there are Whitecloak killers about； or Darkfriends； you must allow me to send men with you。 As far as the river； at least。 I could not live if harm came to you in Shienar。 Please； return to the women's apartments。 I will see them guarded with my life until you are ready to travel。〃
〃Be at ease；〃 she told him。 〃This scratch will not delay me a moment。 Yes； yes； I will gladly accept your men as far as the river； if you insist。 But I will not let this delay Lord Ingtar a moment； either。 Every heartbeat counts until the Horn is found again。 Your leave； Lord Agelmar； to order your oathmen？〃
He bowed his head in assent。 At that moment he would have given her Fal Dara had she asked。
The Amyrlin turned back to Ingtar and the men gathered behind him。 She did not look at Rand again。 He was surprised to see her smile suddenly。
〃I wager Illian does not give its Great Hunt of the Horn so rousing a send…off；〃 she said。 〃But yours is the true Great Hunt。 You are few； so you may travel quickly； yet enough to do what you must。 I charge you； Lord Ingtar of House Shinowa； I charge all of you； find the Horn of Valere； and let nothing bar your way。〃
Ingtar whipped his sword from his back and kissed the blade。 〃By my life and soul； by my House and honor； I swear it； Mother。〃
〃Then ride。〃
Ingtar swung his horse toward the gate。
Rand dug his heels into Red's flanks and galloped after the column already disappearing through the gates。
Unaware of what had occurred within； the Amyrlin's pikemen and archers stood walling a path from the gates to the city proper； the Flame of Tar Valon on their chests。 Her drummers and trumpeters waited near the gates； ready to fall in when she left。 Behind the rows of armored men； people packed the square in front of the keep。 Some cheered Ingtar's banner； and others no doubt thought this was the start of the Amyrlin Seat's departure。 A swelling roar followed Rand across the square。
He caught up with Ingtar where low…eaved houses and shops stood to either side； and more people thickly lined the stone…paved street。 Some of them cheered； too。 Mat and Perrin had been riding at the head of the column with Ingtar and Loial； but the two of them fell back when Rand joined them。 How am I ever going to apologize if they won't stay near me long enough for me to say anything？ Burn me； he doesn't look like he's dying。
〃Changu and Nidao are gone；〃 Ingtar said abruptly。 He sounded cold and angry； but shaken； too。 〃We counted every head in the keep； alive or dead； last night and again this morning。 They are the only ones not accounted for。〃
〃Changu was on guard in the dungeon yesterday；〃 Rand said slowly。
〃And Nidao。 They had the second watch。 They always stayed together； even if they had to trade or do extra duty for it。 They were not on guard when it happened； but 。。。 They fought at Tarwin's Gap； a month gone； and saved Lord Agelmar when his horse went down with Trollocs all around him。 Now this。 Darkfriends。〃 He drew a deep breath。 〃Everything is breaking apart。〃
A man on horseback forced his way through the throng lining the street and joined in behind Ingtar。 He was a townsman； by his clothes； lean； with a lined face and graying hair cut long。 A bundle and waterbottles were lashed behind his saddle； and a short…bladed sword and a notched sword…breaker hung at his belt； along with a cudgel。
Ingtar noticed Rand's glances。 〃This is Hurin； our sniffer。 There was no need to let the Aes Sedai know about him。 Not that what he does is wrong； you understand。 The King keeps a sniffer in Fal Moran； and there's another in Ankor Dail。 It's just that Aes Sedai seldom like what they do not understand； and with him being a man 。。。 It's nothing to do with the Power； of course。 Aaaah！ You tell him； Hurin。〃
〃Yes； Lord Ingtar；〃 the man said。 He bowed low to Rand from his saddle。 〃Honor to serve； my Lord。〃
〃Call me Rand。〃 Rand stuck out his hand； and after a moment Hurin grinned and took it。
〃As you wish； my Lord Rand。 Lord Ingtar and Lord Kajin don't mind a man's ways … and Lord Agelmar； of course … but they say in the town you're an outland prince from the south； and some outland lords are strict for every man in his place。〃
〃I'm not a lord。〃 At least I'll get away from that； now。 〃Just Rand。〃
Hurin blinked。 〃As you wish； my Lor…ah …Rand。 I'm a sniffer； you see。 Been one four years this Sunday。 I never heard of such a thing before then； but I hear there's a few others like me。 It started slow； catching bad smells where nobody else smelled anything； and it grew。 Took a whole year before I realized what it was。 I could smell violence； the killing and the hurting。 Smell where it happened。 Smell the trail of those who did it。 Every trail's different； so there's no chance of mixing them up。 Lord Ingtar heard of it； and took me in his service； to serve the King's justice。〃
〃You can smell violence？〃 Rand said。 He could not help looking at the man's nose。 It was an ordinary nose； not large； not small。 〃You mean you can really follow somebody who； say； killed another man？ By smell？〃
〃I can that； my Lor…ah…Rand。 It fades with time； but the worse the violence； the longer it lasts。 Aiie； I can smell a battlefield ten years old； though the trails of the men who were there are gone。 Up near the Blight； the trails of the Trollocs almost never fade。 Not much to a Trolloc but killing and hurting。 A fight in a tavern； though； with maybe a broken arm 。。。 that smell's gone in hours。〃
〃I can see where you wouldn't want Aes Sedai to find out。〃
〃Ah； Lord Ingtar was right about the Aes Sedai； the Light illumine them…ah…Rand。 There was one in Cairhien once … Brown Ajah； but I swear I thought she was Red before she let me go … she kept me a month trying to find out how I do it。 She didn't like not knowing。 She kept muttering； 'Is it old e again； or new？' and staring at me until you would have thought I was using the One Power。 Almost had me doubting myself。 But I haven't gone mad； and I don't do anything。 I just smell it。〃
Rand could not help remembering Moiraine。 Old barriers weaken。 There is something of dissolution and change about our time。 Old things walk again； and new things are born。 We may live to see the end of an Age。 He shivered。 〃So we'll track those who took the Horn with your nose。〃
Ingtar nodded。 Hurin grinned proudly； and said； 〃We will that … ah … Rand。 I followed a murderer to Cairhien； once； and another all the way to Maradon； to bring them back for the King's justice。〃 His grin faded； and he looked troubled。 〃This is the worst ever； though。 Murder smells bad； and the trail of a murderer stinks with it； but this 。。。〃 His nose wrinkled。 〃There were men in it last night。 Darkfriends； must be； but you can't tell a Darkfriend by smell。 What I'll follow is the Trollocs； and the Halfmen。 And something even worse。〃 He trailed off； frowning and muttering to himself； but Rand could hear it。 〃Something even worse； the Light help me。〃
They reached the city gates； and just beyond the walls Hurin lifted his face to the breeze。 His nostrils flared； then he gave a snort of disgust。 〃That way； my Lord Ingtar。〃 He pointed south。
Ingtar looked surprised。 〃Not toward the Blight？〃
〃No； Lord Ingtar。 Faugh！〃 Hurin wiped his mouth on his sleeve。 〃I can almost taste them。 South； they went。〃
〃She was right； then； the Amyrlin Seat；〃 Ingtar said slowly。 〃A great and wise woman； who deserves better than me to serve her。 Take the trail； Hurin。〃
Rand turned and peered back through the gates； up the street to the keep。 He hoped Egwene was all right。 Nynaeve will look after her。 Maybe it's better this way； like a clean cut； too quick to hurt till after it's done。
He rode after Ingtar and the Gray Owl banner； south。 The wind was making up； and cold against his back despite the sun。 He thought he heard laughter in it； faint and mocking。
The waxing moon lit the humid； night…dark streets of Illian； which still rang with celebration left over from daylight。 In only a few more days； the Great Hunt of the Horn would be sent forth with pomp and ceremony that tradition claimed dated to the Age of Legends。 The festivities for the Hunters had blended into the Feast of Teven； with its famed contests and prizes for gleemen。 The greatest prize of all； as always； would go for the best telling of The Great Hunt of the Horn。
Tonight the gleemen entertained in the palaces and mansions of the city； where the great and mighty disported themselves； and the Hunters e from every nation to ride out and find； if not the Horn of Valere itself； at least immortality in song and story。 They would have music and dancing； and fans and ices to dispel the year's first real heat； but carnival filled the streets； too； in the moon…bright muggy night。 Every day was a carnival； until the Hunt departed； and every night。
People ran past Bayle Domo
