rj.acrownofswords-第139章
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gainst the door。 The unlocked door。 Light； what was he going to do？ Move back to the inn？ Burn why the dice had stopped before。 Only； he would not put it past Tylin to bribe Mistress Anan and Enid； or the innkeeper wherever he went。 He would not put it past Nynaeve and Elayne to claim he had broken some agreement and put an end to their promises。 Burn all women！
A large parcel elaborately wrapped in green paper sat on one of the tables。 It contained an eagle mask in black and gold and a coat covered with feathers to match。 There was also a red silk purse holding twenty gold crowns and a note that smelled of flowers。
I would have bought you an earring； piglet； but I noticed your ear is not pierced。 Have it done； and buy yourself something nice。
He nearly wept again。 He gave women presents。 The world was standing on its head！ Piglet？ Oh； Light！ After a minute； he did take the mask； she owed him that much； for his coat alone。
When he finally reached the small； shaded courtyard where they had been meeting each morning beside a tiny round pool of lily pads and brightly spotted white fish； he found Nalesean and Birgitte ready for the Festival of Birds； too。 The Tairen had contented himself with a plain green mask； but Birgitte's was a spray of yellow…and…red with a crest of plumes； her golden hair hung loose； with feathers tied all down its length； and she wore a dress with a wide yellow belt； diaphanous beneath more red and yellow feathers。 It did not reveal nearly as much as Riselle's； yet it seemed about to every time she moved。 He had never thought of her wearing a dress like other women。
〃Sometimes it's fun to be looked at；〃 she said； poking him in the ribs； when he mented。 Her grin would have done for Nalesean saying how much fun it was to pinch serving girls。 〃There's a lot more to it than feather dancers wore； but not enough to it to slow me down； and anyway； I cannot see we'll have to move quickly on this side of the river。〃 The dice rattled in his head。 〃What kept you？〃 she went on。 〃You didn't make us wait so you could tickle a pretty girl； I hope。〃 He hoped he was not blushing。
〃I … 〃 He was not certain what excuse he would have made； but just then half a dozen men wearing feathered coats strolled into the courtyard； all with those narrow swords on their hips； all but one wearing an elaborate mask with colorful crest and beak that represented no bird ever seen by human eyes。 The exception was Beslan； twirling his mask by its ribbon。 〃Oh； blood and bloody ashes； what's he doing here？〃
〃Beslan？〃 Nalesean folded his hands on the pommel of his sword and shook his head in disbelief。 〃Why； burn my soul； he says he intends to spend the festival in your pany。 Some promise you two made； he says。 I told him it would be deadly boring； but he wouldn't believe me。〃
〃I cannot think it is ever boring around Mat；〃 Tylin's son said； his bow took them all in； but his dark eyes especially lingered on Birgitte。 〃I've never had so much fun as I did drinking with him and the Lady Elayne's Warder on Swovan Night； though truth； I remember little。〃 He did not seem to recognize that Warder。 Strangely； considering the taste she had shown in men … Beslan was fine…looking； maybe a little too fine； not at all her sort … strangely； she smiled slightly； and preened under his scrutiny。
Right then； Mat did not care how out of character she behaved。 Obviously Beslan suspected nothing； or that sword of his likely would already be out； but the last thing under the Light Mat wanted was a day in pany with the man。 It would be excruciating。 He had some sense of decency； even if Beslan's mother did not。
The only problem was Beslan； who took that bloody promise to attend all the festivals and feastdays together very seriously。 The more Mat agreed with Nalesean that the day they had planned would be dull beyond belief； the more determined Beslan grew。 After a bit； his face began to darken； and Mat began to think that sword might be unsheathed yet。 Well； a promise was a promise。 When he and Nalesean and Birgitte left the palace； half a dozen feathered fools strutted along。 Mat was sure it would not have happened had Birgitte been wearing her proper clothes。 The whole lot of them kept eyeing her and smiling。
〃What was all that twisting around while he was spilling his eyes all over you？〃 he muttered as they crossed the Mol Hara。 He tugged the ribbon holding the eagle mask tighter。
〃I did not twist； I moved。〃 Her primness was so blatantly false； he would have laughed some other time。 〃Slightly。〃 Abruptly her grin was back； and she lowered her voice for his ear alone。 〃I told you sometimes it's fun to be looked at； just because they're all too pretty doesn't mean I cannot enjoy them looking。 Oh； you'll want to look at her；〃 she added； pointing to a slender woman who went running by in a blue owl mask and rather fewer feathers than Riselle had worn。
That was one of the things about Birgitte； she would nudge him in the ribs and point out a pretty girl for his eye as readily as any man he had ever known； and expect him to point out in turn what she liked to see； which was generally the ugliest man in sight。 Whether or not she chose to go half…naked today … a quarter； anyway … she was。。。 well； a friend。 A strange world； it was turning out to be。 One woman he was beginning to think of as a drinking panion； and another after him as intently as he had ever pursued any pretty woman； in those old memories or his own。 More intently； he had never chased any woman who let him know she did not want to be chased。 A very strange world。
The sun stood little more than halfway to its peak； but already celebrants filled the streets and squares and bridges。 Tumblers and jugglers and musicians with feathers sewn about their clothes performed at every street corner； the music often drowned in laughter and shouting。 For the poorer folk a few feathers laced into their hair sufficed； pigeon feathers gathered from the pavement for the street children dodging about and the beggars； but masks and costumes grew more elaborate as purses grew heavier。 More elaborate； and frequently more scandalous。 Men and women alike were often decked in feathers that revealed more skin than Riselle or that woman back in the Mol Hara。 No merce moved in the streets or canals today； though a number of shops seemed to be open … along with every tavern and inn； of course … but here and there a wagon made its way through the throng or a barge was poled along supporting a platform where young men and women posed in bright bird masks that covered their entire…heads； with spreading crests sometimes rising a full pace； moving long colorful wings in such a way that the rest of their costumes were exposed only in flashes。 Which was just as well； considering。
According to Beslan； these settings； as they were called； were usually presented in guild halls and private palaces and houses。 The entire festival normally took place indoors for the most part。 It did not snow properly in Ebou Dar even when the weather was as it should be … Beslan said he would like to see this snow； one day … but apparently ordinary winter was cold enough to keep people from running around outdoors all but unclothed。 With the heat； everything was spilling into the streets。 Wait until night fell； Beslan said； then Mat would really see something。 As sunlight faded； so did inhibitions。
Staring at a tall slender woman gliding along through the crowd in mask and feathered cloak and beyond that； six or seven feathers； Mat wondered what inhibitions some of these folk had left to shed。 He almost shouted at her to cover herself with that cloak。 She was pretty； but out in the street； before the Light and everybody？
Those wagons carrying the settings attracted followers； of course； thick knots of men and women who shouted and laughed as they tossed coins； and sometimes folded notes； onto the wagons and squeezed everyone else in the street aside。 He became used to fleeing ahead until they could duck down a crossing street； or waiting until the setting went by to cross an intersection or bridge。 While waiting； Birgitte and Nalesean tossed
