rj.thegreathunt-第67节

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　　　　　　　Nynaeve　struggled　to　a　sitting　position；　with　her　back　against　the　wall。　〃My　temper　is　just　fine；　thank　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　are　honored；　Mother；〃　Egwene　began；　but　the　Amyrlin　waved　her　to　silence。
　　　　　　　〃It's　good　to　be　on　the　water　again；　but　it　grows　boring　as　a　mill　pond　after　a　while　with　nothing　to　do。〃　The　ship　heeled；　and　she　shifted　her　balance　without　seeming　to　notice。　〃I　will　give　you　your　lesson　today。〃　She　folded　herself　onto　the　end　of　Egwene's　bed；　feet　tucked　under　her。　〃Sit；　child。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　sat；　but　Nynaeve　began　trying　to　push　herself　to　her　feet。　〃I　think　I　will　go　on　deck。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　said；　sit！〃　The　Amyrlin's　voice　cracked　like　a　whip；　but　Nynaeve　kept　rising；　wavering。　She　still　had　both　hands　on　the　bed；　but　she　was　almost　upright。　Egwene　held　herself　ready　to　catch　her　when　she　fell。
　　　　　　　Closing　her　eyes；　Nynaeve　slowly　lowered　herself　back　to　the　bed。　〃Perhaps　I　will　stay。　It　is　no　doubt　windy　up　there。〃
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　barked　a　laugh。　〃They　told　me　you　had　a　temper　in　you　like　a　fisher…bird　with　a　bone　in　its　throat。　Some　of　them；　child；　say　you'd　do　well　for　some　time　as　a　novice；　no　matter　how　old　you　are。　I　say；　if　you　have　the　ability　I　hear　of；　you　deserve　to　be　one　of　the　Accepted。〃　She　gave　another　laugh。　〃I　always　believe　in　giving　people　what　they　deserve。　Yes。　I　suspect　you　will　learn　a　great　deal　once　you　reach　the　White　Tower。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'd　rather　one　of　the　Warders　taught　me　how　to　use　a　sword；〃　Nynaeve　growled。　She　swallowed　convulsively；　and　opened　her　eyes。　〃There　is　someone　I'd　like　to　use　it　on。〃　Egwene　looked　at　her　sharply；　did　Nynaeve　mean　the　Amyrlin　…　which　was　stupid；　and　dangerous　besides　…　or　Lan？　She　snapped　at　Egwene　every　time　Lan　was　mentioned。
　　　　　　　〃A　sword？〃　the　Amyrlin　said。　〃I　never　thought　swords　were　much　use　…　even　if　you　have　the　skill；　child；　there　are　always　men　who　have　as　much；　and　a　deal　more　strength　…　but　if　you　want　a　sword　。。。〃　She　held　up　her　hand　…　Egwene　gasped；　and　even　Nynaeve's　eyes　bulged　…　and　there　was　a　sword　in　it。　With　blade　and　hilt　of　an　odd　bluish　white；　it　looked　somehow　。。。　cold。　〃Made　from　the　air；　child；　with　Air。　It's　as　good　as　most　steel　blades；　better　than　most；　but　still　not　much　use。〃　The　sword　became　a　paring　knife。　There　was　no　shrinking；　it　just　was　one　thing；　then　the　other。　〃This；　now；　is　useful。〃　The　paring　knife　turned　to　mist；　and　the　mist　faded　away。　The　Amyrlin　put　her　empty　hand　back　in　her　lap。　〃But　either　takes　more　effort　than　it　is　worth。　Better；　easier；　simply　to　carry　a　good　knife　with　you。　You　have　to　learn　when　to　use　your　ability；　as　well　as　how；　and　when　it's　better　to　do　things　the　way　any　other　woman　would。　Let　a　blacksmith　make　knives　for　gutting　fish。　Use　the　One　Power　too　often　and　too　freely；　and　you　can　e　to　like　it　too　much。　That　way　lies　danger。　You　begin　to　want　more　of　it；　and　sooner　or　later　you　run　the　risk　of　drawing　more　than　you've　learned　to　handle。　And　that　can　burn　you　out　like　a　guttered　candle；　or　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃If　I　must　learn　all　this；〃　Nynaeve　broke　in　stiffly；　〃I　would　as　soon　learn　something　useful。　All　this　…　this　。。。　'Make　the　air　stir；　Nynaeve。　Light　the　candle；　Nynaeve。　Now　put　it　out。　Light　it　again。'　Paah！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment。　Please；　Nynaeve。　Please　keep　a　check　on　your　temper。　She　bit　her　lip　to　keep　from　saying　it　out　loud。
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃Useful；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃Something　useful。　You　wanted　a　sword。　Suppose　a　man　came　at　me　with　a　sword。　What　would　I　do？　Something　useful；　you　can　be　sure。　This；　I　think。〃
　　　　　　　For　an　instant；　Egwene　thought　she　saw　a　glow　around　the　woman　at　the　other　end　of　her　bed。　Then　the　air　seemed　to　thicken；　nothing　changed　that　Egwene　could　see；　but　she　could　surely　feel　it。　She　tried　to　lift　her　arm；　it　did　not　budge　any　more　than　if　she　were　buried　to　her　neck　in　thick　jelly。　Nothing　could　move　except　her　head。
　　　　　　　〃Release　me！〃　Nynaeve　grated。　Her　eyes　glared；　and　her　head　jerked　from　side　to　side；　but　the　rest　of　her　sat　as　rigidly　as　a　statue。　Egwene　realized　that　she　was　not　the　only　one　held。　〃Let　me　go！〃
　　　　　　　〃Useful；　wouldn't　you　say？　And　it　is　nothing　but　Air。〃　The　Amyrlin　spoke　in　a　conversational　tone；　as　if　they　were　all　chatting　over　tea。　〃Big　man；　with　his　muscles　and　his　sword；　and　the　sword　does　him　as　much　good　as　the　hair　on　his　chest。〃
　　　　　　　〃Let　me　go；　I　say！〃
　　　　　　　〃And　if　I　don't　like　where　he　is；　why；　I　can　pick　him　up。〃　Nynaeve　squawked　furiously　as　she　slowly　rose；　still　in　a　sitting　position；　until　her　head　almost　touched　the　ceiling。　The　Amyrlin　smiled。　〃I've　often　wished　I　could　use　this　to　fly。　The　records　say　Aes　Sedai　could　fly；　in　the　Age　of　Legends；　but　they　aren't　clear　on　how；　exactly。　Not　this　way；　though。　It　doesn't　work　like　that。　You　might　reach　out　with　your　hands　and　pick　up　a　chest　that　weighs　as　much　as　you　do；　you　look　strong。　But　take　hold　of　yourself　however　you　will；　you　cannot　pick　yourself　up。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　head　jerked　furiously；　but　not　another　muscle　of　her　twitched。　〃The　Light　burn　you；　let　me　go！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　swallowed　hard　and　hoped　she　was　not　also　to　be　lifted。
　　　　　　　〃So；〃　the　Amyrlin　continued；　〃big；　hairy　man；　and　so　forth。　He　can　do　nothing　to　me；　while　I　can　do　anything　at　all　to　him。　Why；　if　I　had　a　mind　to〃　…　she　leaned　forward；　her　eyes　intent　on　Nynaeve；　suddenly　her　smile　did　not　seem　very　friendly　…　〃I　could　turn　him　upside　down　and　paddle　his　bottom。　Just　like　…　〃　Suddenly　the　Amyrlin　flew　backwards　so　hard　her　head　rebounded　from　the　wall；　and　there　she　stayed；　as　if　something　were　pressing　against　her。
　　　　　　　Egwene　stared；　her　mouth　dry。　This　isn't　happening。　It　isn't。
　　　　　　　〃They　were　right；〃　the　Amyrlin　said。　Her　voice　sounded　strained；　as　though　she　found　it　hard　to　breathe。　〃They　said　you　learned　quickly。　And　they　said　it　took　your　temper　burning　to　get　to　the　heart　of　what　you　can　do。〃　She　took　a　struggling　breath。　〃Shall　we　release　each　other　together；　child？〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve；　floating　in　the　air　with　her　eyes　ablaze；　said；　〃You　let　me　go　right　now；　or　I'll…〃　Abruptly　a　look　of　amazement　came　over　her　face；　a　look　of　loss。　Her　mouth　worked　slently。
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　sat　up；　working　her　shoulders。　〃You　don't　know　everything　yet；　do　you；　child？　Not　the　hundredth　part　of　everything。　You　did　not　suspect　I　could　cut　you　off　from　the　True　Source。　You　can　still　feel　it　there；　but　you　can't　touch　it　any　more　than　a　fish　can　touch　the　moon。　When　you　learn　enough　to　be　raised　to　full　sisterhood；　no　one　woman　will　be　able　to　do　that　to　you。　The　stronger　you　bee；　the　more　Aes　Sedai　it　will　take　to　shield　you　against　your　will。　Do　you　think；　now；　you　want　to　learn？〃　Nynaeve　pressed　her　mouth　shut　in　a　thin　line　and　stared　her　in　the　eye　grimly。　The　Amyrlin　sighed。　〃If　you　had　a　hair　less　potential　than　you　do；　child；　I　would　send　you　to　the　Mistress　of　Novices　and　tell　her　to　keep　you　the　rest　of　your　life。　But　you　will　get　what　you　deserve。〃
　　　　　　　Nynaeve's　eyes　widened；　and　she　had　just　time　to　start　a　yell　before　she　dropped；　hitting　her　bed　with　a　loud　thud。　Egwene　winced；　the　mattresses　were　thin；　and　the　wood　beneath　hard。　Nynaeve's　face　stayed　frozen　as　she　shifted　the　way　she　sat；　just　a　fraction。
　　　　　　　〃And　now；〃　the　Amyrlin　said　firmly；　〃unless　you　would　like　further　demonstration；　we　will　get　on　with　your　lesson。　Continue　your　lesson；　we　might　say。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mother？〃　Egwene　said　faintly。　She　still　could　not　twitch　below　her　chin。
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　looked　at　her　questioningly；　then　smiled。　〃Oh。　I　am　sorry；　child。　Your　friend　was　occupying　my　attention；　I'm　afraid。〃　Suddenly　Egwene　could　move　again；　she　raised　her　arms；　just　to　convince　herself　that　she　could。　〃Are　you　both　ready　to　learn？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　Egwene　said　quickly。
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　raised　an　eyebrow　at　Nynaeve。
　　　　　　　After　a　moment；　Nynaeve　said　in　a　tight　voice；　〃Yes；　Mother。〃
Egwene　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。
　　　　　　　〃Good。　Now；　then。　Empty　your　thoughts　of　everything　but　a　flower　bud。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　was　sweating　by　the　time　the　Amyrlin　left。　She　had　thought　some　of　the　other　Aes　Sedai　had　been　hard　teachers；　but　that　smiling；　plain…faced　woman　coaxed　out　every　last　drop　of　effort；　drew　it　out；　and　when　there　was　nothing　left；　she　seemed　to　reach　into　you　and　pulled　it　out。　It　had　gone　well；　though。　As　the　door　closed　behind　the　Amyrlin；　Egwene　raised　one　hand；　a　tiny　flame　sprang　to　life；　balanced　a　hairbreadth　above　the　tip　of　her　forefinger；　then　danced　from　fingertip　to　fingertip。　She　was　not　supposed　to　do　this　without　a　teacher　…　one　of　the　Accepted；　at　the　very　least　…　to　watch　over　her；　but　she　was　too　excited　at　her　progress　to　pay　any　mind　to　that。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　bounded　to　her　feet　and　threw　her　pillow　at　the　closing　door。　〃That　…　that　vile；　contemptible；　miserable　…　hag！　The　Light　burn　her！　I'd　like　to　feed　her　to　the　fish。　I'd　like　to　dose　her　with　things　that　would　turn　her　green　for　the　rest　of　her　life！　I　don't　care　if　she's　old　enough　to　be　my　mother；　if　I　had　her　in　Emond's　Field；　she　wouldn't　sit　down　fortably　for　。。。〃　Her　teeth　ground　so　loudly　that　Egwene　jumped。
　　　　　　　Letting　the　flame　die；　Egwene　put　her　eyes　firmly　on　her　lap。　She　wished　she　could　think　of　a　way　to　sneak　ou