rj.theshadowrising-第159节

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　　　　　　　〃Two　Rivers！〃　someone　shouted　frantically；　off　through　the　damp　woods；　and　then　another；　〃Two　Rivers！〃
　　　　　　　Two。　Only　two。　〃Faile！〃　he　cried。　〃Oh；　Light；　Faile！〃
　　　　　　　A　flicker　of　black　flowing　through　the　trees　announced　a　Myrddraal　before　he　could　see　it　clearly；　snakelike　black　armor　down　its　chest；　inky　cloak　hanging　undisturbed　by　its　running。　As　it　came　closer；　it　slowed　to　a　sinuous；　assured　walk；　it　knew　he　was　hurt；　knew　him　for　easy　meat。　Its　pale…faced；　eyeless　stare　stabbed　him　with　fear。　〃Faile？〃　it　said　mockingly。　Its　voice　made　the　name　sound　like　burned　leather　crumbling。　〃Your　Faile　was　delicious。〃
　　　　　　　Roaring；　Perrin　hurled　himself　at　it。　A　black…bladed　sword　turned　his　first　stroke。　And　his　second。　His　third。　The　thing's　slug…white　face　became　fixed　with　concentration；　but　it　moved　like　a　viper；　like　lightning。　For　the　moment　he　had　it　on　the　defensive。　For　the　moment。　Blood　trickled　down　his　side；　his　side　burned　like　a　forge…fire。　He　could　not　keep　this　up。　And　when　his　strength　failed；　that　sword　would　find　his　heart。
　　　　　　　His　foot　slipped　in　the　mud　churned　up　beneath　his　boots；　the　Fade's　blade　drew　back　…　and　a　blurring　sword　half…severed　the　eyeless　head；　so　it　fell　over　on　one　shoulder　in　a　fountain　of　black　blood。　Stabbing　blindly；　the　Myrddraal　staggered　forward；　stumbling；　refusing　to　die　pletely；　still　instinctively　trying　to　kill。
　　　　　　　Perrin　scrambled　out　of　its　path；　but　his　attention　was　all　for　the　man　coolly　wiping　his　blade　with　a　fistful　of　leaves。　Ihvon's　color…shifting　cloak　hung　down　his　back。　〃Alanna　sent　me　to　find　you。　I　almost　didn't；　the　way　you　have　been　moving；　but　seventy　horses　do　leave　tracks。〃　The　dark；　slender　Warder　seemed　as　posed　as　if　he　were　lighting　his　pipe　before　a　fireplace。　〃The　Trollocs　were　not　linked　to　that。。。〃　He　indicated　the　Myrddraal　with　his　sword；　it　had　fallen；　but　still　stabbed　randomly。　〃。。。more's　the　pity；　but　if　you　can　gather　your　people　together；　they　might　not　be　willing　to　try　you　without　one　of　the　Faceless　to　goad　them。　I　would　estimate　about　a　hundred；　to　begin。　A　few　less；　now。　You　have　bloodied　them　some。〃　He　began　a　calm　survey　of　the　shadows　beneath　the　trees；　only　the　blade　in　his　hand　indicating　anything　out　of　the　ordinary。
　　　　　　　For　a　bare　moment　Perrin　gaped。　Alanna　wanted　him？　She　had　sent　Ihvon？　Just　in　time　to　save　his　life。　Shaking　himself；　he　raised　his　voice　again。　〃Two　Rivers　to　me！　For　the　love　of　the　Light；　rally　to　me！　Here！　Rally！　Here！〃
　　　　　　　This　time　he　kept　it　up　until　familiar　faces　appeared；　stumbling　through　the　trees。　Blood…streaked　faces；　often　as　not。　Shocked；　staring　faces。　Some　men　half…supported　others；　and　some　had　lost　their　bows。　The　Aiel　were　among　them；　apparently　unhurt　except　that　Gaul　limped　slightly。
　　　　　　　〃They　did　not　e　as　we　expected〃　was　all　the　Aielman　said。　The　night　was　colder　than　we　expected。　There　was　more　rain　than　we　expected。　That　was　how　he　said　it。
　　　　　　　Faile　seemed　to　materialize　with　the　horses。　With　half　the　horses；　including　Stepper　and　Swallow；　and　nine　of　the　twelve　men　he　had　left　with　her。　A　scrape　marred　one　cheek；　but　she　was　alive。　He　tried　to　hug　her；　but　she　pushed　his　arms　away；　muttering　angrily　over　the　broken…off　arrow　even　while　she　gently　pulled　his　coat　away　from　the　thick　shaft　in　an　effort　to　examine　where　it　had　gone　in。
　　　　　　　Perrin　studied　the　men　around　him。　They　had　stopped　ing　now；　yet　there　were　faces　missing。　Kenley　Ahan。　Bili　al'Dai。　Teven　Marwin。　He　made　himself　name　the　missing；　made　himself　count　them。　Twenty…seven。　Twenty…seven　not　there。　〃Did　you　bring　all　the　wounded？〃　he　asked　dully。　〃Is　anybody　left　out　there？〃　Faile's　hand　trembled　on　his　side；　her　expression　as　she　frowned　at　his　wound　was　a　blend　of　worry　and　fury。　She　had　a　right　to　be　angry。　He　should　never　have　gotten　her　into　this。
　　　　　　　〃Only　the　dead；〃　Ban　al'Seen　said　in　a　voice　as　leaden　as　his　face。
　　　　　　　Wil　looked　to　be　frowning　at　something　just　out　of　sight。　〃I　saw　Kenley；〃　he　said。　〃His　head　was　in　the　crook　of　an　oak；　but　the　rest　of　him　was　down　at　the　foot。　I　saw　him。　His　cold　won't　bother　him　now。〃　He　sneezed；　and　looked　startled。
　　　　　　　Perrin　sighed　heavily；　and　wished　he　had　not；　pain　shooting　up　his　side　clenched　his　teeth。　Faile；　a　green…and…gold　silk　scarf　wadded　in　her　hand；　was　trying　to　pull　his　shirt　out　of　his　breeches。　He　pushed　her　hands　away　despite　her　scowl；　there　was　no　time　for　tending　wounds　now。　〃Wounded　on　the　horses；〃　he　said　when　he　could　speak。　〃Ihvon；　will　they　attack　us？〃　The　forest　seemed　too　still。　〃Ihvon？〃　The　Warder　appeared；　leading　a　dark　gray　gelding　with　a　fierce　eye。　Perrin　repeated　his　question。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps。　Perhaps　not。　On　their　own；　Trollocs　kill　whomever　is　easiest。　Without　a　Halfman；　they　would　probably　rather　find　a　farm　than　someone　who　might　put　arrows　in　them。　Make　sure　everyone　who　can　stand　upright　carries　a　bow　with　an　arrow　nocked　even　if　they　cannot　draw　it。　They　may　decide　the　price　is　too　high　for　the　fun。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　shivered。　If　the　Trollocs　did　attack；　they　would　have　as　much　fun　as　a　dance　at　Sunday。　Ihvon　and　the　Aiel　were　the　only　ones　really　ready　to　fight　back。　And　Faile；　her　dark　eyes　shone　with　fury。　He　had　to　get　her　to　safety。
　　　　　　　The　Warder　did　not　offer　his　own　horse　for　the　wounded；　which　made　sense。　The　animal　was　not　likely　to　let　anyone　else　on　its　back；　and　a　war…trained　horse　with　its　master　in　the　saddle　would　be　a　formidable　weapon　if　the　Trollocs　came　again。　Perrin　tried　to　put　Faile　up　on　Swallow；　but　she　stopped　him。　〃The　wounded；　you　said；〃　she　told　him　softly。　〃Remember？〃
　　　　　　　To　his　disgust；　she　insisted　he　ride　Stepper。　He　expected　the　others　to　protest；　after　he　had　brought　them　to　disaster；　but　no　one　did。　There　were　just　enough　horses　for　those　who　could　not　walk；　and　those　unable　to　walk　far　…　grudgingly　he　admitted　that　he　was　one　of　the　latter　…　so　he　ended　up　in　his　saddle。　Half　the　other　riders　had　to　cling　to　theirs。　He　sat　upright；　gritting　his　teeth　to　do　it。
　　　　　　　Those　who　walked　or　stumbled；　and　some　who　rode；　clutched　their　bows　as　if　they　meant　salvation。　Perrin　carried　one；　too；　and　so　did　Faile；　though　he　doubted　she　could　even　draw　a　Two　Rivers　longbow。　It　was　appearance　that　counted　now；　illusion　that　might　see　them　safe。　Like　Ihvon；　alert　as　a　coiled　whip；　the　three　Aiel　looked　unchanged　as　they　glided　ahead；　spears　stuck　through　the　harness　of　the　bow　cases　on　their　backs；　horn　bows　in　hand　and　ready。　The　rest；　including　himself；　were　a　ragbag　remnant；　nothing　like　the　band　he　had　led　here；　so　confident　and　full　of　his　own　pride。　Yet　illusion　worked　as　well　as　reality。　For　the　first　mile　through　the　tangle　vagrant　breezes　brought　him　Trolloc　stink；　the　scent　of　Trollocs　shadowing；　stalking。　Then　the　stench　slowly　faded　and　vanished　as　the　Trollocs　fell　behind；　deluded　by　a　mirage。
　　　　　　　Faile　walked　beside　Stepper；　one　hand　on　Perrin's　leg　as　though　she　meant　to　hold　him　up。　Now　and　then　she　looked　up　at　him；　smiling　encouragingly；　but　with　worry　creasing　her　forehead。　He　smiled　back　as　best　he　could；　trying　to　make　her　think　he　was　all　right。　Twenty…seven。　He　could　not　stop　the　names　from　running　through　his　head。　Colly　Garren　and　Jared　Aydaer；　Dael　al'Taron　and　Ken　Chandin。　Twenty…seven　Two　Rivers　folk　he　had　killed　with　his　stupidity。　Twenty…seven。
　　　　　　　They　took　the　most　direct　route　back　out　of　the　Waterwood；　breaking　clear　sometime　in　the　afternoon。　It　was　hard　to　tell　exactly　how　late　with　the　sky　still　blanketed　in　gray　and　everything　blandly　shadowed。　High…grass　pasture　dotted　with　trees　stretched　in　front　of　them；　and　some　scattered　sheep；　and　a　few　farmhouses　in　the　distance。　No　smoke　rose　from　any　of　the　chimneys；　if　there　was　anyone　in　those　houses；　something　hot　would　have　been　cooking　in　the　fireplace。　The　nearest　rising　smoke　plume　looked　five　miles　off　at　least。
　　　　　　　〃We　should　find　a　farm　for　the　night；〃　Ihvon　said。　〃Some　place　under　cover　in　case　it　rains　again。　A　fire。　Food。〃　He　looked　at　the　Two　Rivers　men　and　added；　〃Water　and　bandages。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　only　nodded。　The　Warder　was　better　than　he　at　knowing　the　right　thing　to　do。　Old　Bili　Congar　with　his　head　full　of　ale　was　probably　better。　He　just　let　Stepper　follow　Ihvon's　gray。
　　　　　　　Before　they　had　gone　much　beyond　a　mile；　a　faint　thread　of　music　caught　Perrin's　ear；　fiddles　and　flutes　playing　merry　tunes。　At　first　he　thought　he　was　dreaming；　but　then　the　others　heard；　too；　exchanging　incredulous　looks；　then　relieved　grins。　Music　meant　people；　and　happy　people　by　the　sound；　someone　celebrating。　That　anyone　might　have　something　to　celebrate　was　enough　to　pick　their　feet　up　somewhat。

　
Chapter　41
（Leaf）
Among　the　Tuatha'an

　　　　　　　A　gathering　of　wagons　came　in　sight；　a　little　off　to　the　south；　like　small　houses　on　wheels；　tall　wooden　boxes；　painted　and　lacquered　in　violent　shades　of　red　and　blue　and　green　and　yellow；　all　standing　in　a　large；　rough　circle　around　a　few　broad…limbed　oak　trees。　The　music　came　from　there。　Perrin　had　heard　there　were　Tinkers；　Traveling　People；　in　the　Two　Rivers；　but　he　had　not　seen　them　until　now。　Hobbled　horses　cropped　the　long　grass　nearby。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　sleep　elsewhere；〃　Gaul　said　stiffly　when　he　saw　Perrin　mea