rj.theshadowrising-第112节

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they　give　you　that　decoration　on　your　face？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　It　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　it　doesn't　matter。　If　you　got　past　them　ing　in；　you　can　get　past　to　leave。　Their　main　camp　is　up　at　Watch　Hill；　but　their　patrols　can　be　anywhere。　Do　it；　my　boy。　〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　wait；　Perrin；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　added　quietly　but　firmly；　in　that　voice　that　usually　ended　with　people　doing　as　she　said。　〃Not　even　an　hour。　I'll　make　you　a　bundle　to　take　with　you。　Some　fresh　bread　and　cheese；　some　ham　and　roast　beef；　pickles。　You　must　go；　Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot。　You　know　they　are　after　me；　or　you'd　not　want　me　to　go。〃　And　they　had　not　mented　on　his　eyes；　even　to　ask　if　he　was　ill。　Mistress　al'Vere　had　barely　been　surprised。　They　knew。　〃If　I　give　myself　up；　I　can　stop　some　of　it。　I　can　keep　my　family　…〃　He　jumped　as　the　hall　door　banged　open　to　admit　Faile；　followed　by　Bain　and　Chiad。
　　　　　　　Master　al'Vere　ran　a　hand　over　his　bald　head；　even　taking　in　the　Aiel　women's　garb　and　obviously　identifying　them　with　Gaul；　he　only　seemed　a　little　bemused　that　they　were　women。　Mainly　he　looked　irritated　at　the　intrusion。　Scratch　sat　up　to　stare　suspiciously　at　all　these　strangers。　Perrin　wondered　whether　the　cat　considered　him　one；　as　well。　He　wondered　how　they　had　found　him；　too；　and　where　Loial　was。　Anything　to　avoid　wondering　how　he　was　going　to　manage　Faile　now。
　　　　　　　She　gave　him　little　time　to　ponder；　planting　herself　in　front　of　him　with　fists　on　hips。　Somehow　she　managed　that　trick　women　had；　making　herself　seem　taller　through　pure　quivering　outrage。　〃Give　yourself　up？　Give　yourself　up！　Have　you　been　planning　this　from　the　start？　You　have；　haven't　you？　You　utter　idiot！　Your　brain　has　frozen　solid；　Perrin　Aybara。　It　was　nothing　but　muscle　and　hair　to　begin；　but　now　it　isn't　even　that。　If　Whitecloaks　are　hunting　you；　they　will　hang　you　if　you　surrender　to　them。　Why　should　they　want　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　I　killed　Whitecloaks。〃　Looking　down　at　her；　he　ignored　Mistress　al'Vere's　gasp。　〃Those　the　night　I　met　you；　and　two　before　that。　They　know　about　those　two；　Faile；　and　they　think　I'm　a　Darkfriend。〃　She　would　learn　that　much　soon　enough。　Brought　to　the　point　of　it；　he　might　have　told　her　why；　had　they　been　alone。　At　least　two　Whitecloaks；　Geofram　Bornhald　and　Jaret　Byar；　suspected　something　of　his　connection　with　wolves。　Not　nearly　all；　but　for　them　the　little　was　enough。　A　man　who　ran　with　wolves　had　to　be　a　Darkfriend。　Maybe　one　or　both　was　with　the　Whitecloaks　here。　〃They　believe　it　for　true。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　no　more　a　Darkfriend　than　I；〃　she　whispered　harshly。　〃The　sun　could　be　a　Darkfriend　first。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　makes　no　difference；　Faile。　I　have　to　do　what　I　have　to　do。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　addle…brained　lummox！　You　don't　have　to　do　any　such　crackpate　thing！　You　goose…brain！　If　you　try　it；　I'll　hang　you　myself！〃
　　　　　　　〃Perrin；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　said　quietly；　〃would　you　introduce　me　to　this　young　woman　who　thinks　so　highly　of　you？〃
　　　　　　　Faile's　face　went　bright　red　when　she　realized　she　had　been　ignoring　Master　and　Mistress　al'Vere；　and　she　began　making　elaborate　curtsies　and　offered　flowery　apologies。　Bain　and　Chiad　did　as　Gaul　had；　asking　leave　to　defend　Mistress　al'Vere's　roof　and　giving　her　a　small　golden　bowl　worked　in　leaves　and　an　ornate　silver　pepper　mill　bigger　than　Perrin's　two　fists；　topped　by　some　fanciful　creature　half　horse；　half　fish。
　　　　　　　Bran　al'Vere　stared　and　frowned；　rubbed　his　head　and　muttered　to　himself。　Perrin　caught　the　word　〃Aiel〃　more　than　once　in　an　incredulous　tone。　The　Mayor　kept　glancing　at　the　windows；　too。　Not　wondering　about　more　Aiel；　he　had　been　surprised　to　learn　Gaul　was　Aiel。　Maybe　he　was　worried　about　Whitecloaks。
　　　　　　　Marin　al'Vere；　on　the　other　hand；　took　it　all　in　stride；　treating　Faile　and　Bain　and　Chiad　the　same　as　any　other　young　women　travelers　who　came　to　the　inn；　miserating　with　them　over　how　tiring　travel　was；　plimenting　Faile　on　her　riding　dress　…　dark　blue　silk；　today　…　and　telling　the　Aiel　women　how　she　admired　the　color　and　sheen　of　their　hair。　Perrin　suspected　that　Bain　and　Chiad；　at　least；　did　not　know　quite　what　to　make　of　her；　but　in　short　order；　with　a　sort　of　calm　motherly　firmness；　she　had　all　three　women　settled　at　a　table　with　damp　towels　to　wipe　journey　dust　from　hands　and　faces；　sipping　tea　she　poured　from　a　large　red…striped　pot　he　remembered　well。
　　　　　　　It　might　have　been　amusing　seeing　those　fierce　women　…　he　certainly　included　Faile　…　suddenly　eager　to　assure　Mistress　al'Vere　that　they　were　more　than　fortable；　was　there　nothing　they　could　do　to　help；　she　was　doing　too　much；　all　of　them　wide　eyed　as　children；　with　a　child's　chance　of　resisting　her。　It　would　have　been　amusing　if　she　had　not　included　himself　and　Gaul；　sweeping　them　just　as　firmly　to　the　table；　insisting　on　clean　hands　and　clean　faces　before　they　got　a　cup　of　tea。　Gaul　wore　a　small　grin　the　whole　time；　Aiel　had　a　strange　sense　of　humor。
Surprisingly；　she　never　glanced　at　his　bow　or　axe；　or　the　Aiel's　weapons。　People　seldom　carried　even　a　bow　in　the　Two　Rivers；　and　she　always　insisted　such　be　set　aside　before　anyone　took　a　place　at　one　of　her　tables。　Always。　But　she　just　ignored　them　now。
　　　　　　　Another　surprise　came　when　Bran　placed　a　silver　cup　of　apple　brandy　at　Perrin's　elbow；　not　the　small　tot　that　men　usually　drank　at　the　inn；　barely　enough　to　cover　the　last　joint　of　the　thumb；　but　half…full。　When　he　had　left　he　would　have　been　offered　cider　if　not　milk；　or　perhaps　well…watered　wine；　a　half…cup　with　a　meal　or　a　full　one　on　a　feastday。　It　was　gratifying　to　be　recognized　as　a　grown　man；　but　he　only　held　it。　He　was　used　to　wine　now；　but　he　seldom　drank　anything　stronger。
　　　　　　　〃Perrin；〃　the　Mayor　said　as　he　took　a　chair　beside　his　wife；　〃no　one　believes　you　a　Darkfriend。　No　one　with　any　sense。　There　is　no　reason　for　you　to　let　yourself　be　hanged。〃
　　　　　　　Faile　nodded　in　fierce　agreement；　but　Perrin　ignored　her。　〃I　won't　be　turned　aside；　Master　al'Vere。　The　Whitecloaks　want　me；　and　if　they　do　not　get　me；　they　might　turn　to　the　next　Aybara　they　can　find。　Whitecloaks　don't　need　much　to　decide　somebody　is　guilty。　They　are　not　pleasant　people。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　know；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　said　softly。
　　　　　　　Her　husband　stared　at　his　hands　on　the　table。　〃Perrin；　your　family　is　gone。〃
　　　　　　　〃Gone？　You　mean　the　farm　is　burned　already？〃　Perrin's　fist　tightened　around　the　silver　cup。　〃I　hoped　I　was　in　time。　I　should　have　known　better；　I　suppose。　Too　long　before　I　heard。　Maybe　I　can　help　my　da　and　Uncle　Eward　rebuild。　Who　are　they　staying　with？　I　want　to　see　them　first；　at　least。〃
　　　　　　　Bran　grimaced；　and　his　wife　stroked　his　shoulder　fortingly。　But　strangely　her　eyes　stayed　on　Perrin；　all　sadness　and　fort。
　　　　　　　〃They　are　dead；　my　boy；〃　Bran　said　in　a　rush。
　　　　　　　〃Dead？　No。　They　can't　be　…〃　Perrin　frowned　as　wetness　suddenly　slopped　over　his　hand；　stared　at　the　crumpled　cup　as　though　wondering　where　it　had　e　from。　〃I　am　sorry。　I　didn't　mean　to　…〃　He　pulled　at　the　flattened　silver；　trying　to　force　it　back　out　with　his　fingers。　That　would　not　work。　Of　course　not。　Very　carefully；　he　put　the　ruined　cup　in　the　middle　of　the　table。　〃I　will　replace　it。　I　can　…〃　He　wiped　his　hand　on　his　coat；　and　suddenly　found　he　was　caressing　the　axe　hanging　at　his　belt。　Why　was　everyone　looking　at　him　so　oddly？　〃Are　you　sure？〃　His　voice　sounded　far　away。　〃Adora　and　Deselle？　Paet？　My　mother？〃
　　　　　　　〃All　of　them；〃　Bran　told　him。　〃Your　aunts　and　uncles；　too；　and　your　cousins。　Everybody　on　the　farm。　I　helped　bury　them；　my　boy。　On　that　low　hill；　the　one　with　the　apple　trees。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　stuck　his　thumb　in　his　mouth。　Fool　thing　to　do；　cutting　himself　on　his　own　axe。　〃My　mother　likes　apple　blossoms。　The　Whitecloaks。　Why　would　they　…？　Burn　me；　Paet　was　only　nine。　The　girls。。。〃　His　voice　was　very　flat。　He　thought　he　should　have　had　some　emotion　in　those　words。　Some　emotion。
　　　　　　　〃It　was　Trollocs；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　said　quickly。　〃They　have　e　back；　Perrin。　Not　the　way　they　did　when　you　went　away；　not　attacking　the　village；　but　out　in　the　countryside。　Most　farms　without　close　neighbors　have　been　abandoned。　No　one　goes　outside　at　night；　even　near　to　the　village。　It　is　the　same　down　to　Deven　Ride　and　up　to　Watch　Hill；　maybe　to　Taren　Ferry。　The　Whitecloaks；　bad　as　they　are；　are　our　only　real　protection。　They've　saved　two　families　that　I　know；　when　Trollocs　attacked　their　farms。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　wished　…　I　hoped　…〃　He　could　not　quite　remember　what　it　was　he　had　wished。　Something　about　Trollocs。　He　did　not　want　to　remember。　The　Whitecloaks　protecting　the　Two　Rivers？　It　was　almost　enough　to　make　him　laugh。　〃Rand's　father。　Tam's　farm。　Was　that　Trollocs；　too？〃
　　　　　　　Mistress　al'Vere　opened　her　mouth；　but　Bran　cut　her　off。　〃He　deserves　the　truth；　Marin。　That　was　Whitecloaks；　Perrin。　That；　and　the　Cauthon　place。〃
　　　　　　　〃Mat's　people　too。　Rand's；　and　Mat's；　and　mine。〃　Strange。　He　sounded　as　if　he　were　talking　about　whether　it　might　rain。　〃Are　they　dead；　too？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　my　boy。　No；　Abell　and　Tam　are　hiding　in　the　Westwood　somewhere。　And　Mat's　mother　and　sisters。。。　They're　alive；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃Hiding？〃
　　　　　　　〃There　is　no　need　to　go　into　that；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　said　briskly。　〃Bran；　bring　him　another　cup　of　brandy。　And　you　drink　this　one；　Perrin。〃　Her　husband　sat　w