rj.acrownofswords-第118章

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　　　Another　maid　appeared；　a　slender　woman；　pretty　except　for　a　sullen　expression；　with　a　rough　gray　woolen　dress　and　a　long　white　apron。　Setting　a　green…lacquered　tray　on　one　of　the　small　tables；　she　surreptitiously　wiped　her　cheeks　with　a　corner　of　her　apron　and　began　fussing　with　blue…glazed　cups　and　a　matching　teapot。　Nynaeve's　eyebrows　rose。　This　woman　could　channel；　too；　if　not　to　any　high　degree。　What　was　she　doing　as　a　servant？
　　　Garenia　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　and　gave　a　start。　〃What　did　Derys　do　to　earn　penance？　I　thought　fish　would　sing　the　day　she　cracked　a　rule；　much　less　broke　one。〃
　　　Berowin　sniffed　loudly；　but　her　reply　was　barely　audible。　〃She　wanted　to　marry。　She　will　advance　a　turn　and　go　with　Keraille　the　day　after　the　Feast　of　the　Half　Moon。　That　will　settle　for　Master　Denal。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　you　both　wish　to　hoe　the　fields　for　Alise？〃　Reanne　spoke　dryly；　and　the　voices　fell　again。
　　　Nynaeve　felt　a　rush　of　exultation。　She　did　not　care　much　for　rules；　at　least　for　other　people's　rules　…　other　people　rarely　saw　the　situation　as　clearly　as　she；　and　thus　made　stupid　rules；　why　should　that　woman；　Derys；　not　marry　if　she　wished；　for　example？　…　but　rules　and　penances　spoke　of　a　society。　She　was　right。　And　another　thing。　She　nudged　Elayne　until　the　other　woman　bent　her　head。
　　　〃Berowin's　wearing　a　red　belt；〃　she　whispered。　That　indicated　a　Wise　Woman；　one　of　Ebou　Dar's　fabled　healers；　their　care　known　far　and　wide　as　the　next　best　to　being　Healed　by　an　Aes　Sedai；　curing　just　about　anything。　Supposedly　it　was　all　done　with　herbs　and　knowledge；　but。。。　〃How　many　Wise　Women　have　we　seen；　Elayne？　How　many　could　channel？　How　many　were　Ebou　Dari；　or　even　Altaran？〃
　　　〃Seven；　counting　Berowin〃　was　the　slow　answer；　〃and　only　one　I　was　sure　was　from　here。〃　Hah！　The　others　plainly　had　not　been。　Elayne　took　a　deep　breath；　though　she　went　on　softly。　〃None　had　anywhere　near　these　women's　strength；　though。〃　At　least　she　had　not　suggested　they　were　mistaken　somehow；　all　of　those　Wise　Women　had　been　able。　〃Nynaeve；　are　you　really　suggesting　that　the　Wise　Women。。。all　the　Wise　Women。。。　are。。。？　That　would　be　beyond　incredible。〃
　　　〃Elayne；　this　city　has　a　guild　for　the　men　who　sweep　the　squares　every　night！　I　think　we've　just　found　the　Ancient　Muckety…muck　Sisterhood　of　Wise　Women。〃
　　　The　stubborn　woman　shook　her　head。　〃The　Tower　would　have　had　a　hundred　sisters　here　years　ago；　Nynaeve。　Two　hundred。　Anything　of　the　sort　would　have　been　squashed　flat　in　short　order。〃
　　　〃Maybe　the　Tower　doesn't　know；〃　Nynaeve　said。　〃Maybe　the　guild　keeps　low　enough　that　the　Tower　never　thought　they　were　worth　troubling。　There's　no　law　against　channeling　if　you　aren't　Aes　Sedai；　only　against　claiming　to　be　Aes　Sedai；　or　misusing　the　Power。　Or　bringing　discredit。〃　That　meant　doing　anything　that　might　possibly　cast　a　bad　light　on　real　Aes　Sedai；　should　anyone　happen　to　think　you　were　one；　which　was　going　pretty　far；　to　her　way　of　thinking。　The　real　trouble；　though；　was　that　she　did　not　believe　it。　The　Tower　seemed　to　know　everything；　and　they　probably　would　break　up　a　quilting　circle　if　the　women　in　it　could　channel。　Yet　there　had　to　be　some　explanation　for。。。
　　　Only　half…aware；　she　felt　the　True　Source　being　embraced；　but　suddenly　she　became　very　aware。　Her　mouth　fell　open　as　a　flow　of　Air　snared　her　braid　right　at　the　base　of　her　skull　and　ran　her　across　the　room　on　her　toes。　Elayne　ran　right　beside　her；　red…faced　with　fury。　The　worst　of　it　was；　they　were　both　shielded。
　　　The　short　run　ended　when　they　were　allowed　to　settle　their　heels　in　front　of　Mistress　Corly　and　the　other　two；　all　three　seated　against　the　wall　in　red　chairs；　all　surrounded　by　the　glow　of　saidar。
　　　〃You　were　told　to　be　quiet；〃　Reanne　said　firmly。　〃If　we　decide　to　help　you；　you　will　have　to　learn　that　we　expect　strict　obedience　no　less　than　the　White　Tower　itself。〃　She　imbued　those　last　words　with　a　tone　of　reverence。　〃I　will　tell　you　that　you　would　have　been　treated　more　gently　if　you　had　not　e　to　us　in　this　irregular　fashion。〃　The　flow　gripping　Nynaeve's　braid　vanished。　Elayne　tossed　her　head　angrily　as　she　was　released。
　　　Appalled　astonishment　became　fiery　outrage　as　Nynaeve　realized　that　Berowin　held　her　shield。　Most　Aes　Sedai　she　had　met　stood　above　Berowin；　nearly　all。　Gathering　herself；　she　strained　to　reach　the　Source；　expecting　the　weaves　to　shatter。　She　would　at　least　show　these　women　she　would　not　be。。。　The　weaves。。。　stretched。　The　round　Cairhienin　woman　smiled；　and　Nynaeve's　face　darkened。　The　shield　stretched　further；　further；　bulging　like　a　ball。　It　would　not　break。　That　was　impossible。　Anyone　could　block　her　from　the　Source　if　they　caught　her　by　surprise；　of　course；　and　someone　weaker　could　hold　the　shield　once　woven；　but　not　this　much　weaker。　And　a　shield　did　not　bend　that　far　without　breaking。　It　was　impossible！
　　　〃You　could　burst　a　blood　vessel　if　you　keep　at　that；〃　Berowin　said；　almost　panionably。　〃We　do　not　try　to　reach　above　our　station；　but　skills　are　honed　with　time；　and　this　was　always　nearly　a　Talent　with　me。　I　could　hold　one　of　the　Forsaken。〃
　　　Scowling；　Nynaeve　gave　over。　She　could　wait。　Since　she　had　no　choice；　she　could。
　　　Derys　came　bearing　her　tray；　distributing　cups　of　dark　tea。　To　the　three　seated　women。　She　never　so　much　as　glanced　at　Nynaeve　or　Elayne　before　making　a　perfect　curtsy　and　returning　to　her　table。
　　　〃We　could　have　been　drinking　blueberry　tea；　Nynaeve；〃　Elayne　said；　shooting　such　a　look　at　her　that　she　came　close　to　stepping　back。　Maybe　it　would　be　best　not　to　wait　too　long。
　　　〃Be　quiet；　girl。〃　Mistress　Corly's　tone　might　be　calm；　but　she　patted　her　handkerchief　to　her　face　angrily。　〃Our　report　of　you　says　you　both　are　froward　and　contentious；　that　you　chase　after　men　and　lie。　To　which　I　add　that　you　cannot　follow　simple　instructions。　All　of　which　must　change　if　you　seek　our　help。　All　of　it。　This　is　most　irregular。　Be　grateful　we're　willing　to　speak　to　you。〃
　　　〃We　do　seek　your　help；〃　Nynaeve　said。　She　wished　Elayne　would　stop　glaring　so。　It　was　worse　than　the　Corly　woman's　hard　stare。　Well；　as　bad；　anyway。　〃We　desperately　need　to　find　a　ter'angreal　…　〃
　　　Reanne　Corly　broke　in　as　if　she　had　been　standing　there　silent。　〃Usually；　we　know　the　girls　brought　to　us　beforehand；　but　we　must　make　certain　you　are　what　you　say。　How　many　doors　to　the　Tower　Library　may　a　novice　use；　and　which？〃　She　took　a　sip　of　tea；　waiting。
　　　〃Two。〃　The　word　dripped　venom　from　Elayne's　mouth。　〃The　main　door　to　the　east；　when　a　sister　sends　her；　or　the　small　door　at　the　southwest　corner；　called　the　Novice　Door；　when　she　goes　for　herself。　How　long；　Nynaeve？〃
　　　Garenia；　who　held　Elayne's　shield；　channeled　another　slender　flow　of　Air；　not　gently。　Elayne　quivered；　then　again；　and　Nynaeve　winced；　wondering　that　she　did　not　grab　at　the　back　of　her　skirt。　〃A　civil　tongue　is　another　requirement；〃　Garenia　murmured　wryly　into　her　cup。
　　　〃That　is　the　right　answer；〃　Mistress　Corly　said；　as　if　nothing　else　had　happened。　Although　she　did　eye　the　Saldaean　woman　briefly　over　her　tea。　〃Now；　how　many　bridges　in　the　Water　Garden？〃
　　　〃Three；〃　Nynaeve　snapped；　mainly　because　she　knew。　She　had　not　known　about　the　library；　having　never　been　a　novice。　〃We　need　to　know　…　〃　Berowin　could　not　spare　anything　to　channel　a　flow　of　Air；　but　Mistress　Corly　could；　and　did。　Barely　keeping　her　face　smooth；　Nynaeve　knotted　her　hands　in　her　skirts　to　hold　them　still。　Elayne　had　the　gall　to　give　her　a　small；　chilly　smile。　Chilly；　but　satisfied。
　　　A　dozen　more　questions　hammered　at　them；　from　how　many　floors　the　novice　quarters　contained　…　twelve　…　to　under　what　circumstances　a　novice　was　allowed　into　the　Hall　of　the　Tower　…　to　carry　messages　or　to　be　expelled　from　the　Tower　for　a　crime；　no　others　…　hammered　without　Nynaeve　getting　in　more　than　two　words；　and　those　two　answered　silently　by　the　horrible　Corly　woman。　She　began　to　feel　like　a　novice　in　the　Hall；　they　were　not　allowed　to　speak　a　word　either。　That　was　one　of　the　few　answers　she　knew；　but　luckily　Elayne　responded　promptly　when　she　did　not。　Nynaeve　might　have　done　better　had　they　asked　about　Accepted；　a　little　better　at　least；　but　it