rj.theshadowrising-第173节

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es　were　dragging　Trollocs　off　to　great　pyres　already　sending　up　pillars　of　oily　black　smoke。　Luc　was　properly　admiring　in　turn；　making　only　one　or　two　criticisms　of　how　Perrin　had　disposed　his　men；　that　was　how　the　Two　Rivers　folk　told　it；　with　Perrin　lining　everybody　up　and　giving　orders　he　certainly　never　had。
　　　　　　　To　Perrin；　Luc　gave　a　patronizing　smile　of　approval。　〃You　did　very　well；　my　boy。　You　were　lucky；　of　course；　but　there　is　such　a　thing　as　the　luck　of　the　beginner；　is　there　not。〃
　　　　　　　When　he　went　off　to　his　room　in　the　Winespring　Inn；　Perrin　had　the　head　taken　down　and　buried。　Not　a　thing　people　should　be　staring　at；　especially　the　children。
　　　　　　　The　questions　continued　as　the　day　wore　on；　until　he　suddenly　realized　the　sun　stood　straight　overhead；　he　had　had　nothing　to　eat；　and　his　stomach　was　talking　to　him　in　no　uncertain　terms。　〃Mistress　al'Caar；〃　he　said　wearily　to　the　long…faced　woman　at　his　stirrup；　〃I　suppose　the　children　can　play　anywhere；　so　long　as　somebody　watches　to　make　sure　they　don't　go　beyond　the　last　houses。　Light；　woman；　you　know　that。　You　certainly　know　children　better　than　I　do！　If　you　don't；　how　have　you　managed　to　raise　four　of　your　own？〃　Her　youngest　was　six　years　older　than　he　was！
　　　　　　　Nela　al'Caar　frowned　and　tossed　her　head；　gray…streaked　braid　swinging。　For　a　moment　he　thought　she　was　going　to　snap　his　nose　off；　talking　that　way　to　her。　He　almost　wished　she　would；　for　a　change　from　everybody　wanting　to　know　what　he　thought　should　be　done。　〃Of　course　I　know　children；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　want　to　make　sure　it's　done　the　way　you　want。　That's　what　we'll　do；　then。〃
　　　　　　　Sighing；　he　only　waited　for　her　to　turn　away　before　reining　Stepper　around　toward　the　Winespring　Inn。　Two　or　three　voices　called　to　him；　but　he　refused　to　listen。　What　he　wanted　done。　What　was　wrong　with　these　people？　Two　Rivers　folk　did　not　follow　this　way。　Certainly　not　Emond's　Fielders。　They　wanted　a　say　in　everything。　Arguments　in　front　of　the　Village　Council；　arguments　among　the　Council；　had　to　e　to　blows　before　they　occasioned　ment。　And　if　the　Women's　Circle　thought　they　kept　their　own　affairs　more　circumspect；　there　was　not　a　man　who　did　not　know　the　meaning　of　tight…jawed　women　stalking　about　with　their　braids　all　but　bristling　like　angry　cats'　tails。
　　　　　　　What　I　want！　he　thought　angrily。　What　I　want　is　something　to　eat；　someplace　where　no　one　is　jabbering　in　my　ear。　Stepping　down　in　front　of　the　inn；　he　staggered；　and　thought　he　could　add　a　bed　to　that　short　list。　Only　midday；　with　Stepper　doing　all　the　work；　and　he　already　felt　bone…weary。　Maybe　Faile　had　been　right　after　all。　Maybe　going　after　Loial　and　Gaul　really　was　a　bad　idea。
　　　　　　　When　he　walked　into　the　mon　room；　Mistress　al'Vere　took　one　look　at　him　and　all　but　pushed　him　into　a　chair　with　a　motherly　smile。　〃You　can　just　give　over　handing　out　orders　for　a　while；〃　she　told　him　firmly。　〃Emond's　Field　can　very　well　survive　an　hour　by　itself　while　you　put　some　food　inside　you。〃　She　bustled　away　before　he　could　say　Emond's　Field　could　very　well　survive　by　itself　without　him　at　all。
　　　　　　　The　room　was　almost　empty。　Natti　Cauthon　sat　at　one　table；　rolling　bandages　and　adding　them　to　the　pile　in　front　of　her；　but　she　also　managed　to　keep　an　eye　on　her　daughters；　across　the　room；　though　both　were　old　enough　to　be　wearing　their　hair　in　a　braid。　The　reason　was　plain　enough。　Bode　and　Eldrin　sat　on　either　side　of　Aram；　coaxing　the　Tinker　to　eat。　Feeding　him；　actually；　and　wiping　his　chin；　too。　From　the　way　they　were　grinning　at　the　fellow；　Perrin　was　surprised　Natti　was　not　at　the　table　with　them；　braids　or　no。　The　fellow　was　good…looking；　he　supposed；　maybe　handsomer　than　Wil　al'Seen。　Bode　and　Eldrin　certainly　seemed　to　think　so。　For　his　part；　Aram　smiled　back　occasionally　…　they　were　plumply　pretty　girls；　he　would　have　to　be　blind　not　to　see　it；　and　Perrin　did　not　think　Aram　was　ever　blind　to　a　pretty　girl　…　but　he　hardly　swallowed　without　running　a　wide…eyed　gaze　over　the　spears　and　polearms　against　the　walls。　For　a　Tuatha'an；　it　had　to　be　a　horrible　sight。
　　　　　　　〃Mistress　al'Vere　said　you　had　finally　gotten　tired　of　your　saddle；〃　Faile　said；　popping　in　through　the　door　to　the　kitchen。　Startlingly；　she　wore　a　long　white　apron　like　Marin's；　her　sleeves　were　pushed　up　above　her　elbows；　and　she　had　flour　on　her　hands。　As　if　just　realizing　it；　she　whipped　the　apron　off；　wiping　her　hands　hastily；　and　laid　it　across　the　back　of　a　chair。　〃I　have　never　baked　anything　before；〃　she　said；　shoving　her　sleeves　down　as　she　joined　him。　〃It　is　rather　fun　kneading　dough。　I　might　like　to　do　it　again　someday。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　don't　bake；〃　he　said；　〃where　are　we　going　to　get　bread？　I　don't　intend　to　spend　my　whole　life　traveling；　buying　meals　or　eating　what　I　can　snare　or　fetch　with　bow　or　sling。〃
　　　　　　　She　smiled　as　if　he　had　said　something　very　pleasing；　though　he　could　not　for　the　life　of　him　see　what。　〃The　cook　will　bake；　of　course。　One　of　her　helpers；　really；　I　suppose；　but　the　cook　will　oversee　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　cook；〃　he　mumbled；　shaking　his　head。　〃Or　one　of　her　helpers。　Of　course。　Why　didn't　I　think　of　that？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　is　the　matter；　Perrin？　You　look　worried。　I　don't　think　the　defenses　could　be　any　sounder　without　a　fortress　wall。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　isn't　that。　Faile；　this　Perrin　Goldeneyes　business　is　getting　out　of　hand。　I　do　not　know　who　they　think　I　am；　but　they　keep　asking　me　what　to　do；　asking　if　it's　all　right；　when　they　already　know　what　has　to　be　done；　when　they　could　figure　it　out　with　two　minutes'　thought。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　long　moment　she　studied　his　face；　those　dark；　tilted　eyes　thoughtful；　then　said；　〃How　many　years　has　it　been　since　the　Queen　of　Andor　ruled　here　in　fact？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Queen　of　Andor？　I　don't　really　know。　A　hundred　years；　maybe。　Two　hundred。　What　does　that　have　to　do　with　anything？〃
　　　　　　　〃These　people　do　not　remember　how　to　deal　with　a　queen　…　or　a　king。　They　are　trying　to　puzzle　it　out。　You　must　be　patient　with　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　king？〃　he　said　weakly。　He　let　his　head　drop　down　onto　his　arms　on　the　table。　〃Oh；　Light！〃
　　　　　　　Laughing　softly；　Faile　ruffled　his　hair。　〃Well；　perhaps　not　that。　I　doubt　very　much　that　Morgase　would　approve。　A　leader；　at　least。　But　she　would　very　definitely　approve　a　man　who　brought　lands　back　to　her　that　her　throne　has　not　controlled　in　a　hundred　years　or　more。　She　would　surely　make　that　man　a　lord。　Perrin　of　House　Aybara；　Lord　of　the　Two　Rivers。　It　has　a　good　sound。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　do　not　need　any　lords　in　the　Two　Rivers；〃　he　growled　at　the　oak　tabletop。　〃Or　kings；　or　queens。　We　are　free　men！〃
　　　　　　　〃Free　men　can　have　a　need　to　follow　someone；　too；〃　she　said　gently。　〃Most　men　want　to　believe　in　something　larger　than　themselves；　something　wider　than　their　own　fields。　That　is　why　there　are　nations；　Perrin；　and　peoples。　Even　Raen　and　Ila　see　themselves　as　part　of　something　more　than　their　own　caravan。　They　have　lost　their　wagons　and　most　of　their　family　and　friends；　but　other　Tuatha'an　still　seek　the　song；　and　they　will　again；　too；　because　they　belong　to　more　than　a　few　wagons。〃
　　　　　　　〃Who　owns　these？〃　Aram　asked　suddenly。
　　　　　　　Perrin　raised　his　head。　The　young　Tinker　was　on　his　feet；　staring　uneasily　at　the　spears　lining　the　walls。　〃They　belong　to　anybody　who　wants　one；　Aram。　Nobody　is　going　to　hurt　you　with　any　of　them；　believe　me。〃　He　was　not　sure　if　Aram　did　believe；　not　the　way　he　began　walking　slowly　around　the　room　with　his　hands　stuffed　into　his　pockets；　eyeing　spears　and　halberds　sideways。
　　　　　　　Perrin　was　more　than　grateful　to　dig　in　when　Marin　brought　him　a　plate　of　sliced　roast　goose；　with　turnips　and　peas　and　good　crusty　bread。　At　least；　he　would　have　dug　in；　if　Faile　had　not　tucked　a　flower…embroidered　napkin　under　his　chin　and　snatched　the　knife　and　fork　out　of　his　hands。　She　seemed　to　find　it　amusing　to　feed　him　the　way　Bode　and　Eldrin　had　been　feeding　Aram。　The　Cauthon　girls　giggled　at　him；　and　Natti　and　Marin　wore　little　smiles；　too。　Perrin　did　not　see　what　was　so　funny。　He　was　willing　to　indulge　Faile；　though；　even　if　he　could　have　fed　himself　more　easily。　She　kept　making　him　stretch　his　neck　to　take　what　she　had　on　the　fork。
　　　　　　　Aram's　slow　wandering　took　him　around　the　room　three　times　before　he　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　staring　at　the　barrel　of　ill…assorted　swords。　Then　he　reached　out　and　pulled　a　sword　from　the　cluster；　hefting　it　awkwardly。　The　leather…wrapped　hilt　was　long　enough　for　both　of　his　hands。　〃Can　I　use　this　one？〃　he　asked。
　　　　　　　Perrin　nearly　choked。
　　　　　　　Alanna　appeared　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　with　Ila；　the　Tuatha'an　woman　looked　weary；　but　the　bruise　was　gone　from　her　face。　〃。　。　。　best　thing　is　sleep；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　was　saying。　〃It　is　shock　to　his　mind　that　troubles　him　most；　and　I　cannot　Heal　that。〃
　　　　　　　Ila's　eyes　fell　on　her　grandson；　on　what　he　held；　and　she　screamed　as　if　that　blade　had　gone　into　her　flesh。　〃No；　Aram！　Nooooo！〃　She　almost　fell　in　her　haste　to　get　down　the　stairs　and　flung　herself　on　Aram；　trying　to　pull　his　hands　from　the　sword。　〃No；　Aram；〃　she　panted　breathlessly。　〃You　must　not。　Put　it　down。　The　Way　of　the　Leaf。　You　must　not！　The　Way　of　the　Leaf！　Please；　Aram！　Please！〃
　　　　　　　Aram　danced　with　her；　fending　her　off　clumsily