rj.acrownofswords-第136章
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！
ted iron lock on the door to the corridor； he found the key and locked it。 Then； for good measure； he jammed a chair under the latch on the door to Nerim's room。 He could do well enough without dinner。 Just as he was about to climb into bed； the lock rattled； out in the hall； a woman laughed at finding the door secured。
He should have been able to sleep soundly then； but for some reason he lay there listening to his belly grumble。 Why was she doing this？ Well； he knew why； but why him？ Surely she had not decided to toss all decency over the barn just to bed a ta'veren。 He was safe now； anyway。 Tylin would not batter down the door； after all。 Would she？ Not even most birds could get in through the wrought…iron arabesques screening the balconies。 Besides； she would need a long ladder to reach that high。 And men to carry it。 Unless she climbed down from the roof on a rope。 Or she could。。。 The night passed； his stomach rumbled； the sun rose； and he never closed his eyes or had a decent thought。 Except that he did make a decision。 He thought of a use for the sulking room。 He certainly never sulked。
At first light； he sneaked out of his rooms and found another of the palace servants he remembered； a balding fellow named Madic； with a smug； self…satisfied air and a shy twist to his mouth that said he was not satisfied at all。 A man who could be bought。 Though the startled look that flashed across his square face； and the smirk he barely bothered to hide； said he knew exactly why Mat was slipping gold into his hand。 Blood and ashes！ How many people knew what Tylin was up to？
Nynaeve and Elayne did not seem to； thank the Light。 Though that did mean they chided him about missing dinner with the Queen； which they had learned about when Tylin inquired whether he was ill。 And worse。。。
〃Please；〃 Elayne said； smiling almost as if the word did not pain her； 〃you must put your best foot forward with the Queen。 Don't be nervous。 You'll enjoy an evening with her。〃
〃Just don't do anything to offend her；〃 Nynaeve muttered。 There was no doubt with her that being civil hurt； her brows drew down in concentration； her jaw tightened； and her hands trembled to pull her braid。 〃Be acmodating for once in your … I mean to say； remember she's a decent woman； and don't try any of your … Light； you know what I mean。〃
Nervous。 Ha！ Decent woman。 Ha！
Neither seemed the least concerned that he had wasted a whole afternoon。 Elayne patted his shoulder sympathetically and asked him please to try another day or two； it certainly was better than tramping through the Rahad in this heat。 Nynaeve said the exact same thing； the way women did； but without the shoulder pat。 They admitted right out that they intended to spend the day trying to spy on Carridin with Aviendha； though they evaded his question of who it was they thought they might recognize。 Nynaeve let that slip； and Elayne gave her such a look he thought he might see Nynaeve's ears boxed for once。
They meekly accepted his stricture not to lose sight of their bodyguards； and meekly let him see the disguises they intended to wear。 Even after Thom's description； seeing the pair suddenly turn into Ebou Dari women in front of his eyes was almost as big a shock as their meekness。 Well； Nynaeve made a sickly stab at meekness； growling when she realized he had meant what he said about the Aiel woman needing no bodyguard； but she came close。 Either one of these women folding her hands and answering submissively made him nervous。 Both of them together … with Aviendha nodding approvingly！ … and he was happy to send them on their way。 Just to be sure； though； he ignored their suddenly flat mouths and made them demonstrate their disguises for the men he was sending along first。 Vanin leaped at the chance to be one of Elayne's guards； knuckling his forehead right and left like a fool。
The fat man had not learned much watching on his own。 Just as on the day before； a surprising number of people had e to call on Carridin； including some in silk； but that was not proof they were all Darkfriends。 All said and done； the man was the Whitecloak ambassador； more folk who wanted to trade into Amadicia probably went to him than to the Amadician ambassador； whoever he or she was。 Vanin did say two women had definitely been watching Carridin's palace； too … the look on his face when Aviendha suddenly turned into a third Ebou Dari woman was a wonder … and also an old man； he thought； though the fellow proved surprisingly spry。 Vanin had not managed to get a good look at him despite spotting him three times。 Once Vanin and the women left； Mat sent off Thom and Juilin to see what they could uncover concerning Jaichim Carridin and a bent； white…haired old man with an interest in Darkfriends。 If the thief…catcher could not discover a way to trip Carridin on his face； it did not exist； and Thom seemed to have a way of putting together all the gossip and rumor in a place and filtering out the truth。 All that was the easy part； of course。
For two days he sweated on that bench； with an occasional stroll down the alley beside the dyer's； and the only thing that changed was that the tea got worse again。 The wine was so bad； Nalesean began drinking ale。 The first day； the tavern…keeper offered fish for a midday meal； but by the smell they had been caught last week。 The second day； he offered a stew of oysters； Mat ate five bowls of that despite the bits of shell。 Birgitte declined both。
He had been surprised when she caught up to him and Nalesean hurrying across the Mol Hara that first morning。 The sun barely made a rim above the rooftops； but already people and carts dotted the square。 〃I must have blinked；〃 she laughed。 〃I was waiting the way I thought you'd e out。 If you don't mind pany。〃
〃We move fast sometimes；〃 he said evasively。 Nalesean looked at him sideways； of course； he had no idea why they had crept out through a tiny side door near the stables。 It was not that Mat thought Tylin would actually leap on him in the halls in broad daylight； but then again； it never hurt to be careful。 〃Your pany is wele any time。 Uh。 Thanks。〃 She just shrugged and murmured something he did not catch and fell in on the other side of him。
That was the beginning with her。 Any other woman he had ever known would have demanded to know thanks for what； and then explained why none were necessary at such length that he wanted to cover his ears； or upbraided him at equal length for thinking they were； or sometimes made it clear she expected something more substantial than words。 Birgitte just shrugged； and over the next two days； something startling occurred in his head。
Normally； to him； women were to admire and smile at； to dance with and kiss if they would allow； to snuggle with if he was lucky。 Deciding which women to chase was almost as much fun as chasing them； if not nearly so much as catching them。 Some women were just friends； of course。 A few。 Egwene； for one； though he was not sure how that friendship would survive her being Amyrlin。 Nynaeve was sort of a friend； in a way； if she could forget for one hour that she had switched his bottom more than once and remember he was not a boy anymore。 But a woman friend was different from a man； you always knew her mind ran along other paths than yours； that she saw the world with different eyes。
Birgitte leaned toward him on the bench。 〃Best be wary；〃 she murmured。 〃That widow is looking for a new husband； the sheath on her marriage knife is blue。 Besides； the house is over there。〃
He blinked； losing sight of the sweetly plump woman who rolled her hips so extravagantly as she walked； and Birgitte answered his sheepish grin with a laugh。 Nynaeve would have flayed him with her tongue for looking； and even Egwene would have been coolly disapproving。 By the end of the second day on that bench； he realized he had sat all that time with his hip pressed against Birgitte's and never once thought of trying to kiss her。 He was sure she did not want to be kissed by him … frankly； considering the dog…ugly men she seemed to enjoy looking at； he might have been insulted if she had … and she was a hero out of legend whom he st
