rj.theshadowrising-第79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！


ng　over　any　stretch；　and　most　more　than　twice　as　long。　Coasting　craft　that　hug　the　shore　and　anchor　in　the　shallows　each　night。。。〃　She　sniffed　contemptuously　〃。。。require　ten　times　as　much。〃
　　　　　　　〃Jorin；　would　you　teach　me　to　do　what　you　were　just　doing？〃
　　　　　　　The　Windfinder　stared；　her　dark　eyes　wide　and　shining　in　the　fading　light。　〃Teach　you？　But　you　are　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃Jorin；　I　have　never　woven　a　flow　half　as　thick　as　those　you　were　handling。　And　the　scope　of　it！　I　am　astounded；　Jorin。〃
　　　　　　　The　Windfinder　stared　a　moment　more；　no　longer　in　amazement；　but　as　if　trying　to　fix　Elayne's　face　in　her　mind。　Finally　she　kissed　the　fingers　of　her　right　hand　and　pressed　them　to　Elayne's　lips。　〃If　it　pleases　the　Light；　we　both　shall　learn。〃


Chapter　21
（Dragon）
Into　the　Heart

　　　　　　　Tairen　nobility　filled　the　great　vaulted　chamber　with　its　huge　polished　redstone　columns；　ten　feet　thick；　rising　into　shadowed　heights　above　golden　lamps　hanging　on　golden　chains。　The　High　Lords　and　Ladies　were　arrayed　in　a　thick　hollow　circle　under　the　great　dome　at　the　chamber's　heart　with　the　lesser　nobles　ranked　behind；　row　on　row　back　into　the　forest　of　columns；　all　in　their　best　velvets　and　silks　and　laces；　wide　sleeves　and　ruffed　collars　and　peaked　hats；　all　murmuring　uneasily　so　the　towering　ceiling　echoed　the　sounds　of　nervous　geese。　Only　the　High　Lords　themselves　had　ever　before　been　bidden　to　this　place；　called　the　Heart　of　the　Stone；　and　they　had　e　only　four　times　a　year；　at　the　twin　demands　of　law　and　custom。　They　came　now；　all　who　were　not　out　in　the　countryside　somewhere；　at　the　summons　of　their　new　lord；　the　maker　of　law　and　breaker　of　custom。
　　　　　　　The　packed　crowd　gave　way　before　Moiraine　as　soon　as　they　saw　who　she　was；　so　she　and　Egwene　moved　in　a　pocket　of　open　space。　Lan's　absence　irritated　Moiraine。　It　was　not　like　the　man　to　vanish　when　she　might　need　him；　his　way　usually　was　to　watch　over　her　as　if　she　could　not　fend　for　herself　without　a　guardian。　Had　she　not　been　able　to　feel　the　bond　linking　them　and　known　he　could　not　be　very　far　from　the　Stone；　she　might　have　worried。
　　　　　　　He　fought　the　strings　Nynaeve　was　tying　to　him　as　hard　as　he　had　ever　fought　Trollocs　in　the　Blight；　but　much　as　he　might　deny　it；　that　young　woman　had　bound　him　as　tightly　as　she　herself　did；　though　in　other　ways。　He　might　as　well　try　tearing　steel　with　his　hands　as　those　ties。　She　was　not　jealous；　exactly；　but　Lan　had　been　her　sword　arm；　her　shield　and　panion　for　too　many　years　for　her　to　give　him　up　lightly。　I　have　done　what　had　to　be　done；　there。　She　will　have　him　if　I　die；　and　not　before。　Where　is　the　man？　What　is　he　doing？
　　　　　　　One　red　gowned　lace…ruffed　woman；　a　horse…faced　Lady　of　the　Land　called　Leitha；　drew　her　skirts　away　a　bit　too　assiduously；　and　Moiraine　looked　at　her。　Merely　looked；　without　slowing　her　step；　but　the　woman　shuddered　and　dropped　her　eyes。　Moiraine　nodded　to　herself。　She　could　accept　that　these　people　hated　Aes　Sedai；　but　she　would　not　endure　open　rudeness　on　top　of　veiled　slights。　Besides；　the　rest　shied　back　another　step　after　seeing　Leitha　faced　down。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　certain　he　said　nothing　of　what　he　means　to　announce？〃　she　asked　quietly。　In　this　gabble；　no　one　three　paces　away　could　have　made　out　a　word。　The　Tairens　kept　about　that　distance　now。　She　did　not　like　being　overheard。
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　Egwene　said　just　as　softly。　She　sounded　as　irritated　as　Moiraine　felt。
　　　　　　　〃There　have　been　rumors。〃
　　　　　　　〃Rumors？　What　sort　of　rumors？〃
　　　　　　　The　girl　was　not　that　good　at　controlling　her　face　and　voice；　clearly　she　had　not　heard　the　tales　of　doings　in　the　Two　Rivers。　Betting　that　Rand　had　not；　though；　might　be　putting　her　horse　at　a　ten　foot　fence。　〃You　should　bring　him　to　confide　in　you。　He　needs　an　attentive　ear。　It　will　help　him；　to　talk　out　his　troubles　with　someone　he　can　trust。〃　Egwene　gave　her　a　sidelong　glance。　She　was　being　too　sophisticated　for　such　simple　methods。　Still；　Moiraine　had　spoken　unadorned　truth　…　the　boy　did　need　someone　to　listen　and　by　listening　lighten　his　burdens　…　and　it　might　work。
　　　　　　　〃He　will　not　confide　in　anyone；　Moiraine。　He　hides　his　pains；　and　hopes　he　can　deal　with　them　before　anyone　notices。〃　Anger　flashed　across　Egwene's　face。　〃The　wool…brained　mule！〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　felt　a　momentary　sympathy。　The　girl　could　not　be　expected　to　accept　Rand's　strolling　about　arm　in　arm　with　Elayne；　kissing　in　corners　where　they　thought　themselves　unseen。　And　Egwene　did　not　know　the　half；　yet。　miseration　did　not　last。　There　was　too　much　of　importance　to　deal　with　for　the　girl　to　be　fretting　over　what　she　could　not　have　in　any　case。
　　　　　　　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　should　be　aboard　the　raker　by　now；　out　of　the　way。　Their　voyage　might　eventually　tell　her　if　her　suspicions　about　the　Windfinders　were　correct。　That　was　a　minor　point；　though。　At　worst　the　pair　had　enough　gold　to　buy　a　ship　and　hire　a　crew　…　which　might　be　necessary　given　the　rumors　of　Tanchico　…　with　enough　left　for　the　bribes　so　often　necessary　with　Taraboner　officials。　Thom　Merrilin's　room　was　empty；　and　her　informants　had　reported　him　muttering　about　Tanchico　on　his　way　out　of　the　Stone；　he　would　see　they　got　a　good　crew　and　found　the　right　officials。　The　purported　plan　with　Mazrim　Taim　was　much　the　more　likely　of　the　two；　but　her　messages　to　the　Amyrlin　should　have　taken　care　of　that。　The　two　young　women　could　handle　the　much　less　likely　eventuality　of　a　mysterious　danger　hidden　in　Tanchico；　and　they　were　out　of　her　hair　and　away　from　Rand。　She　only　regretted　that　Egwene　had　refused　to　go　with　them。　Tar　Valon　would　have　been　best　for　all　three；　but　Tanchico　would　do。
　　　　　　　〃Speaking　of　wool…brained；　do　you　mean　to　continue　with　this　plan　to　go　into　the　Waste？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do；〃　the　girl　said；　firmly。　She　needed　to　be　back　in　the　Tower；　training　her　strength。　What　was　Siuan　thinking　of？　She　will　probably　give　me　one　of　those　sayings　about　boats　and　fish；　when　I　can　ask　her。
　　　　　　　At　least　Egwene　would　be　out　of　the　way；　too；　and　the　Aiel　girl　would　look　after　her。　Perhaps　the　Wise　Ones　really　could　teach　her　something　of　Dreaming。　That　had　been　the　most　astounding　letter　from　them；　not　that　she　could　afford　to　heed　most　of　it。　Egwene's　journey　into　the　Waste　might　be　useful　in　the　long　run。
　　　　　　　The　last　line　of　Tairens　gave　way；　making　a　little　hollow；　and　she　and　Egwene　faced　the　open　area　under　the　vast　dome。　The　nobles'　ill　ease　was　most　evident　here；　many　studied　their　feet　like　sulky　children；　and　others　stared　at　nothing；　looking　at　anything　but　where　they　were。　Here　was　where　Callandor　had　been　kept　before　Rand　took　it。　Here　beneath　this　dome；　untouched　by　any　hand　for　more　than　three　thousand　years；　untouchable　by　any　hand　but　that　of　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Tairens　did　not　like　admitting　that　the　Heart　of　the　Stone　existed。
　　　　　　　〃Poor　woman；〃　Egwene　murmured。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　followed　the　girl's　gaze。　The　High　Lady　Alteima；　already　gowned　and　ruffed　and　capped　in　shimmering　white　as　Tairen　widows　were　though　her　husband　still　lingered；　was　perhaps　the　most　posed　of　all　the　nobles。　She　was　a　slender；　lovely　woman；　made　more　so　by　her　small　sad　smile；　with　large　brown　eyes　and　long　black　hair　hanging　halfway　to　her　waist。　A　tall　woman；　though　Moiraine　admitted　she　did　tend　to　judge　such　things　by　her　own　height；　and　rather　too　full　bosomed。　Cairhienin　were　not　a　tall　people；　and　she　had　been　considered　short　even　among　them。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　a　poor　woman；〃　she　said；　but　she　did　not　mean　it　for　sympathy。　It　was　good　to　see　Egwene　had　not　yet　grown　sophisticated　enough　to　see　beneath　the　surface　all　the　time。　The　girl　was　already　far　less　malleable　than　she　should　have　been　for　years　yet。　She　needed　to　be　shaped　before　she　was　hardened。
　　　　　　　Thom　had　missed；　with　Alteima。　Or　perhaps　he　had　not　wanted　to　see；　he　seemed　to　have　a　strange　reluctance　to　move　against　women。　The　High　Lady　Alteima　was　far　more　dangerous　than　her　husband　or　her　lover；　both　of　whom　she　had　manipulated　without　either　knowing　it。　Perhaps　more　dangerous　than　anyone　else　in　Tear；　man　or　woman。　She　would　find　others　to　use　soon　enough。　It　was　Alteima's　style　to　remain　in　the　background　and　pull　strings。　Something　would　have　to　be　done　about　her。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　shifted　her　gaze　along　the　rows　of　High　Lords　and　Ladies；　until　she　found　Estanda；　in　brocaded　yellow　silks　with　a　large　ivory　lace　ruff　and　a　tiny　matching　cap。　A　certain　sternness　marred　the　beauty　of　her　face；　and　the　occasional　glances　she　gave　Alteima　were　iron　hard。　Feelings　between　the　two　went　beyond　mere　rivalry；　had　they　been　men；　one　would　have　shed　the　other's　blood　in　a　duel　years　since。　If　that　antagonism　could　be　sharpened；　Alteima　would　be　too　busy　to　make　trouble　for　Rand。
　　　　　　　For　an　instant　she　regretted　sending　Thom　away。　She　did　not　like　having　to　waste　her　time　with　these　petty　affairs。　But　he　had　too　much　influence　with　Rand；　the　boy　had　to　depend　on　her　counsel。　Hers；　and　hers　alone。　The　Light　knew　he　was　difficult　enough　without　interference。　Thom　had　been　settling　the　boy　down　to　rule　Tear　when　he　needed　to　be　moving　on　to　greater　things。　But　that　was　dealt　with　for　now。　The　problem　of　bringing　Thom　Merrilin　to　heel　could　be　managed　later。　Rand　was　the　d