rj.thegreathunt-第21章

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h　to　be　the　third　to　lose　the　stole　and　the　staff；　Moiraine。　For　you；　of　course；　it　would　mean　being　stilled　and　put　outside　the　Shining　Walls。〃
　　　　　　　〃Elaida；　for　one；　would　never　let　me　off　so　easily。〃　Moiraine　watched　her　friend's　back　intently。　Light；　what　has　e　over　her？　She　has　never　been　like　this　before。　Where　is　her　strength；　her　fire？　〃But　it　will　not　e　to　that；　Siuan。〃
　　　　　　　The　other　woman　went　on　as　if　she　had　not　spoken。　〃For　me；　it　would　be　different。　Even　stilled；　an　Amyrlin　who　has　been　pulled　down　cannot　be　allowed　to　wander　about　loose；　she　might　be　seen　as　a　martyr；　bee　a　rallying　point　for　opposition。　Tetsuan　and　Bonwhin　were　kept　in　the　White　Tower　as　servants。　Scullery　maids；　who　could　be　pointed　to　as　cautions　as　to　what　can　happen　to　the　mightiest。　No　one　can　rally　around　a　woman　who　must　scrub　floors　and　pots　all　day。　Pity　her；　yes；　but　not　rally　to　her。〃
　　　　　　　Eyes　blazing；　Moiraine　leaned　her　fists　on　the　table。　〃Look　at　me；　Siuan。　Look　at　me！　Are　you　saying　that　you　want　to　give　up；　after　all　these　years；　after　all　we　have　done？　Give　up；　and　let　the　world　go？　And　all　for　fear　of　a　switching　for　not　getting　the　pots　clean　enough！〃　She　put　into　it　all　the　scorn　she　could　summon；　and　was　relieved　when　her　friend　spun　to　face　her。　The　strength　was　still　there；　strained　but　still　there。　Those　clear　blue　eyes　were　as　hot　with　anger　as　her　own。
　　　　　　　〃I　remember　which　of　the　two　of　us　squealed　the　loudest　when　we　were　switched　as　novices。　You　had　lived　a　soft　life　in　Cairhien；　Moiraine。　Not　like　working　a　fishing　boat。〃　Abruptly　Siuan　slapped　the　table　with　a　loud　crack。　〃No；　I　am　not　suggesting　giving　up；　but　neither　do　I　propose　to　watch　everything　slide　out　of　our　hands　while　I　can　do　nothing！　Most　of　my　troubles　with　the　Hall　stem　from　you。　Even　the　Greens　wonder　why　I　haven't　called　you　to　the　Tower　and　taught　you　a　little　discipline。　Half　the　sisters　with　me　think　you　should　be　handed　over　to　the　Reds；　and　if　that　happens；　you　will　wish　you　were　a　novice　again；　with　nothing　worse　to　look　forward　to　than　a　switching。　Light！　If　any　of　them　remember　we　were　friends　as　novices；　I'd　be　there　beside　you。
　　　　　　　〃We　had　a　plan！　A　plan；　Moiraine！　Locate　the　boy　and　bring　him　to　Tar　Valon；　where　we　could　hide　him；　keep　him　safe　and　guide　him。　Since　you　left　the　Tower；　I　have　had　only　two　messages　from　you。　Two！　I　feel　as　if　I'm　trying　to　sail　the　Fingers　of　the　Dragon　in　the　dark。　One　message　to　say　you　were　entering　the　Two　Rivers；　going　to　this　village；　this　Emond's　Field。　Soon；　I　thought。　He's　found；　and　she'll　have　him　in　hand　soon。　Then　word　from　Caemlyn　to　say　you　were　ing　to　Shienar；　to　Fal　Dara；　not　Tar　Valon。　Fal　Dara；　with　the　Blight　almost　close　enough　to　touch。　Fal　Dara；　where　Trollocs　raid　and　Myrddraal　ride　as　near　every　day　as　makes　no　difference。　Nearly　twenty　years　of　planning　and　searching；　and　you　toss　all　our　plans　practically　in　the　Dark　One's　face。　Are　you　mad？〃
　　　　　　　Now　that　she　had　stirred　life　in　the　other　woman；　Moiraine　returned　to　outward　calm；　herself。　Calm；　but　firm　insistence；　too。　〃The　Pattern　pays　no　heed　to　human　plans；　Siuan。　With　all　our　scheming；　we　forgot　what　we　were　dealing　with。　Ta'veren。　Elaida　is　wrong。　Artur　Paendrag　Tanreall　was　never　this　strongly　ta'veren。　The　Wheel　will　weave　the　Pattern　around　this　young　man　as　it　wills；　whatever　our　plans。〃
　　　　　　　The　anger　left　Amyrlin's　face；　replaced　by　white…faced　shock。　〃It　sounds　as　if　you　are　saying　we　might　as　well　give　up。　Do　you　now　suggest　standing　aside　and　watching　the　world　burn？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　Siuan。　Never　standing　aside。〃　Yet　the　world　will　burn；　Siuan；　one　way　or　another；　whatever　we　do。　You　could　never　see　that。　〃But　we　must　now　realize　that　our　plans　are　precarious　things。　We　have　even　less　control　than　we　thought。　Perhaps　only　a　fingernail's　grip。　The　winds　of　destiny　are　blowing；　Siuan；　and　we　must　ride　them　where　they　take　us。〃
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　shivered　as　if　she　felt　those　winds　icy　on　the　back　of　her　neck。　Her　hands　went　to　the　flattened　cube　of　gold；　blunt；　capable　fingers　finding　precise　points　in　the　plex　designs。　Cunningly　balanced；　the　top　lifted　back　to　reveal　a　curled；　golden　horn　nestled　within　a　space　designed　to　hold　it。　She　lifted　the　instrument　and　traced　the　flowing　silver　script；　in　the　Old　Tongue；　inlaid　around　the　flaring　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃'The　grave　is　no　bar　to　my　call；'〃　she　translated；　so　softly　she　seemed　to　be　speaking　to　herself。　〃The　Horn　of　Valere；　made　to　call　dead　heroes　back　from　the　grave。　And　prophecy　said　it　would　only　be　found　just　in　time　for　the　Last　Battle。〃　Abruptly　she　thrust　the　Horn　back　into　its　niche　and　closed　the　lid　as　if　she　could　no　longer　bear　the　sight　of　it。　〃Agelmar　pushed　it　into　my　hands　as　soon　as　the　Wele　was　done。　He　said　he　was　afraid　to　go　into　his　own　strongroom　any　longer；　with　it　there。　The　temptation　was　too　great；　he　said。　To　sound　the　Horn　himself　and　lead　the　host　that　answered　its　call　north　through　the　Blight　to　level　Shayol　Ghul　itself　and　put　an　end　to　the　Dark　One。　He　burned　with　the　ecstasy　of　glory；　and　it　was　that；　he　said；　that　told　him　it　was　not　to　be　him；　must　not　be　him。　He　could　not　wait　to　be　rid　of　it；　yet　he　wanted　it　still。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　nodded。　Agelmar　was　familiar　with　the　Prophecy　of　the　Horn；　most　who　fought　the　Dark　One　were。　〃'Let　whosoever　sounds　me　think　not　of　glory；　but　only　of　salvation。　'〃
　　　　　　　〃Salvation。〃　The　Amyrlin　laughed　bitterly。　〃From　the　look　in　Agelmar's　eyes；　he　didn't　know　whether　he　was　giving　away　salvation　or　rejecting　the　condemnation　of　his　own　soul。　He　only　knew　he　had　to　be　rid　of　it　before　it　burned　him　up。　He　has　tried　to　keep　it　secret；　but　he　says　there　are　rumors　in　the　keep　already。　I　do　not　feel　his　temptation；　yet　the　Horn　still　makes　my　skin　crawl。　He　will　have　to　take　it　back　into　his　strongroom　until　I　leave。　I　could　not　sleep　with　it　even　in　the　next　room。〃　She　rubbed　frown　lines　from　her　forehead　and　sighed。　〃And　it　was　not　to　be　found　until　just　before　the　Last　Battle。　Can　it　be　that　close？　I　thought；　hoped；　we　would　have　more　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Karaethon　Cycle。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Moiraine。　You　do　not　have　to　remind　me。　I've　lived　with　the　Prophecies　of　the　Dragon　as　long　as　you。〃　The　Amyrlin　shook　her　head。　〃Never　more　than　one　false　Dragon　in　a　generation　since　the　Breaking；　and　now　three　loose　in　the　world　at　one　time；　and　three　more　in　the　past　two　years。　The　Pattern　demands　a　Dragon　because　the　Pattern　weaves　toward　Tarmon　Gai'don。　Sometimes　doubt　fills　me；　Moiraine。〃　She　said　it　musingly；　as　if　wondering　at　it；　and　went　on　in　the　same　tone。　〃What　if　Logain　was　the　one？　He　could　channel；　before　the　Reds　brought　him　to　the　White　Tower；　and　we　gentled　him。　So　can　Mazrim　Taim；　the　man　in　Saldaea。　What　if　it　is　him？　There　are　sisters　in　Saldaea　already；　he　may　be　taken　by　now。　What　if　we　have　been　wrong　since　the　start？　What　happens　if　the　Dragon　Reborn　is　gentled　before　the　Last　Battle　even　begins？　Even　prophecy　can　fail　if　the　one　prophesied　is　slain　or　gentled。　And　then　we　face　the　Dark　One　naked　to　the　storm。〃
　　　　　　　〃Neither　of　them　is　the　one；　Siuan。　The　Pattern　does　not　demand　a　Dragon；　but　the　one　true　Dragon。　Until　he　proclaims　himself；　the　Pattern　will　continue　to　throw　up　false　Dragons；　but　after　that　there　will　be　no　others。　If　Logain　or　the　other　were　the　one；　there　would　be　no　others。〃
　　　　　　　〃'For　he　shall　e　like　the　breaking　dawn；　and　shatter　the　world　again　with　his　ing；　and　make　it　anew。'　Either　we　go　naked　in　the　storm；　or　cling　to　a　protection　that　will　scourge　us。　The　Light　help　us　all。〃　The　Amyrlin　shook　herself　as　if　to　throw　off　her　own　words。　Her　face　was　set；　as　though　bracing　for　a　blow。　〃You　could　never　hide　what　you　were　thinking　from　me　as　you　do　from　everyone　else；　Moiraine。　You　have　more　to　tell　me；　and　nothing　good。〃
　　　　　　　For　answer　Moiraine　took　the　leather　pouch　from　her　belt　and　upended　it；　spilling　the　contents　on　the　table。　It　appeared　to　be　only　a　heap　of　fragmented　pottery；　shiny　black　and　white。
　　　　　　　The　Amyrlin　Seat　touched　one　bit　curiously；　and　her　breath　caught。　〃Cuendillar。〃
　　　　　　　〃Heartstone；〃　Moiraine　agreed。　The　making　of　cuendillar　had　been　lost　at　the　Breaking　of　the　World；　but　what　had　been　made　of　heartsto