rj.acrownofswords-第148章

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　　　Reanne　swayed；　white…faced；　and　visibly　tried　to　gather　herself　with　slight　success。　It　took　her　only　a　moment　to　scan　the　five　cool…faced　Aes　Sedai　lined　up　before　the　door　and　decide　who　must　be　in　charge。　She　wobbled　across　the　floortiles　to　Merilille　and　sank　to　her　knees；　head　bowed。　〃Forgive　us；　Aes　Sedai。〃　Her　voice　was　worshipful；　and　only　a　little　steadier　than　her　knees　had　been。　She　babbled；　in　fact。　〃We　are　only　a　few　friends。　We　have　done　nothing；　certainly　nothing　to　bring　discredit　to　Aes　Sedai。　I　swear　that；　whatever　this　girl　has　told　you。　We　would　have　told　you　of　her；　but　we　were　afraid。　We　only　meet　to　talk。　She　has　a　friend；　Aes　Sedai。　Did　you　catch　her；　too？　I　can　describe　her　for　you；　Aes　Sedai。　Whatever　you　wish；　we　will　do。　I　swear；　we　…　〃
　　　Merilille　cleared　her　throat　loudly。　〃Your　name　is　Reanne　Corly；　I　believe？〃　Reanne　flinched　and　whispered　that　it　was；　still　peering　at　the　floor　at　the　Gray　sister's　feet。　〃I　fear　you　must　address　yourself　to　Elayne　Sedai；　Reanne。〃
　　　Reanne's　head　jerked　up　in　a　most　satisfactory　way。　She　stared　at　Merilille；　then　by　slow　increments　turned　eyes　as　big　as　her　face　to　Elayne。　She　licked　her　lips。　She　drew　a　deep；　long　breath。　Twisting　around　on　her　knees　to　face　Elayne；　she　bowed　her　head　once　more。　〃I　beg　your　forgiveness；　Aes　Sedai；〃　she　said　leadenly。　〃I　did　not　know。　I　could　not　…　〃　Another　long；　hopeless　breath。　〃Whatever　punishment　you　decree；　we　accept　humbly；　of　course；　but　please；　I　beg　you　to　believe　that　…　〃
　　　〃Oh；　stand　up；〃　Elayne　broke　in　impatiently。　She　had　wanted　to　make　this　woman　acknowledge　her　as　much　as　she　had　Merilille　or　any　of　the　others；　but　the　groveling　sickened　her。　〃That's　right。　Stand　on　your　feet。〃　She　waited　until　Reanne　plied；　then　walked　over　and　sat　in　the　woman's　chair。　There　was　no　need　for　cringing；　but　she　wanted　no　doubts　who　was　in　charge。　〃Do　you　still　deny　knowledge　of　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　Reanne？〃
　　　Reanne　spread　her　hands。　〃Aes　Sedai；〃　she　said　guilelessly；　〃none　of　us　would　ever　use　a　ter'angreal；　much　less　an　angreal　or　sa'angreal。〃　Guileless；　and　wary　as　a　fox　in　a　city。　〃I　assure　you；　we　make　no　pretense　of　being　anything　even　near　to　Aes　Sedai。　We　are　just　these　few　friends　you　see；　tied　together　by　once　having　been　allowed　to　enter　the　White　Tower。　That　is　all。〃
　　　〃Just　these　few　friends；〃　Elayne　said　dryly　over　steepled　fingers。　〃And　Garenia；　of　course。　And　Berowin；　and　Derys；　and　Alise。〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　Reanne　said　reluctantly。　〃And　them。〃
　　　Elayne　shook　her　head　very　slowly。　〃Reanne；　the　White　Tower　knows　about　your　Kin。　The　Tower　has　always　known。〃　A　dark　woman　with　a　Tairen　look　to　her；　though　wearing　a　blue…and…white　silk　vest　with　the　sigil　of　the　goldsmith's　guild；　gave　a　strangled　scream　and　pressed　both　plump　hands　to　her　mouth。　A　lean；　graying　Saldaean　wearing　the　red　belt　crumpled　with　a　sigh　to　join　the　yellow…haired　woman　on　the　floor；　and　two　more　swayed　as　if　they　might。
　　　For　her　part；　Reanne　looked　to　the　sisters　in　front　of　the　door　for　confirmation；　and　saw　it；　as　she　thought。　Merilille's　face　was　more　icy　than　serene；　and　Sareitha　grimaced　before　she　could　stop　herself。　Vandene　and　Careane　were　both　tight…lipped；　and　even　Adeleas　seemed　included；　turning　her　head　this　way　and　that　to　study　the　women　along　the　walls　as　she　might　have　insects　previously　unknown　to　her。　Of　course；　what　Reanne　saw　and　what　was　were　not　the　same。　They　had　all　accepted　Elayne's　decision；　but　no　amount　of　〃Yes；　Elayne。。。〃　could　make　them　like　it。　They　would　have　been　here　two　hours　ago　if　not　for　a　great　deal　of　〃But；　Elayne。。。　〃　tossed　in。　Sometimes　leading　meant　herding。
　　　Reanne　did　not　faint；　but　fear　filled　her　face；　and　she　raised　pleading　hands。　〃Do　you　mean　to　destroy　the　Kin？　Why　now；　after　so　long？　What　have　we　done　that　you　should　e　down　on　us　now？〃
　　　〃No　one　will　destroy　you；〃　Elayne　told　her。　〃Careane；　since　nobody　else　is　going　to　help　those　two；　would　you；　please？〃　Jumps　and　blushes　ran　around　the　room；　and　before　Careane　could　move；　two　women　were　crouching　over　each　one　who　had　fainted；　lifting　her　up　and　waving　smelling　salts　under　her　nose。　〃The　Amyrlin　Seat　desires　every　woman　who　can　channel　to　be　connected　to　the　Tower；〃　Elayne　went　on。　〃The　offer　is　open　to　any　of　the　Kin　who　wish　to　accept。〃
　　　Had　she　woven　flows　of　Air　around　every　one　of　those　women；　she　could　not　have　frozen　them　more　still。　Had　she　squeezed　those　flows　tight；　she　could　not　have　produced　more　bulging　eyes。　One　of　the　women　who　had　fainted　suddenly　gasped　and　coughed；　pushing　away　the　tiny　vial　of　salts　that　had　been　held　still　too　long。　That　broke　everyone　free　in　a　deluge　of　voices。
　　　〃We　can　bee　Aes　Sedai　after　all？〃　the　Tairen　in　the　goldsmith's　vest　asked　excitedly；　at　the　same　time　that　a　round…faced　woman　with　a　red　belt　at　least　twice　as　long　as　anyone　else's　burst　out　with；　〃They　will　let　us　learn？　They　will　teach　us　again？〃　A　deluge　of　painfully　eager　voices。　〃We　can　really。。。？〃　and　〃They　will　let　us。。。？〃　from　every　side。
　　　Reanne　rounded　on　them　fiercely。　〃Ivara；　Sumeko；　all　of　you；　you　forget　yourselves！　You　speak　in　front　of　Aes　Sedai！　You　speak　in　…　front　of　…　Aes　Sedai。〃　She　passed　a　hand　over　her　face；　trembling。　An　embarrassed　silence　descended。　Eyes　fell　and　blushes　rose。　With　all　those　lined　faces；　all　that　gray　and　white　hair；　Elayne　still　was　minded　of　nothing　so　much　as　a　group　of　novices　having　a　pillow…fight　after　Last　had　tolled　when　the　Mistress　of　Novices　walked　in。
　　　Hesitantly；　Reanne　looked　at　her　across　her　fingertips。　〃We　truly　will　be　allowed　to　return　to　the　Tower？〃　she　mumbled　into　her　hand。
　　　Elayne　nodded。　〃Those　who　can　learn　to　bee　Aes　Sedai　will　have　the　chance；　and　there　will　be　a　place　for　all。　For　any　woman　who　channels。〃
　　　Unshed　tears　shone　in　Reanne's　eyes。　Elayne　was　not　sure；　but　she　thought　the　woman　whispered；　〃I　can　be　Green。〃　It　was　hard　not　to　rush　over　and　throw　her　arms　around　her。
　　　None　of　the　other　Aes　Sedai　showed　any　signs　of　giving　way　to　emotion；　and　Merilille　certainly　was　of　sterner　stuff。　〃If　I　may　ask　a　question；　Elayne？　Reanne；　how　many。。。　of　you　will　we　be　taking　in？〃　Doubtless　that　pause　covered　a　change　from　〃how　many　wilders　and　failures。〃
　　　If　Reanne　noticed　or　suspected；　she　ignored　it　or　did　not　care。　〃I　cannot　believe　there　are　any　who　would　refuse　the　offer；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃It　may　take　some　time　to　send　word　to　everyone。　We　remain　spread　out；　you　see；　so。。。　〃　She　laughed；　a　touch　nervously　and　still　not　far　from　tears。　〃。。。　so　Aes　Sedai　would　not　notice　us。　At　present　there　are　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　eighty…three　names　on　the　roll。〃
　　　Most　Aes　Sedai　learned　to　cover　shock　with　an　outward　show　of　calm；　and　only　Sareitha　allowed　her　eyes　to　widen。　She　also　mouthed　silent　words；　but　Elayne　knew　her　well　enough　to　read　her　lips。　Two　thousand　wilders！　Light　help　us！　Elayne　made　a　great　show　of　adjusting　her　skirts　until　she　was　sure　her　own　face　was　under　control。　Light　help　them；　indeed。
　　　Reanne　misunderstood　the　silence。　〃You　expected　more？　Accidents　do　take　some　every　year；　or　natural　deaths；　as　with　everyone　else；　and　I　fear　the　Kin　have　grown　fewer　in　the　last　thousand　years。　Perhaps　we　have　been　too　cautious　in　approaching　women　when　they　leave　the　White　Tower；　but　there　has　always　been　the　fear　that　one　of　them　might　report　being　questioned；　and。。。　and。。。　〃
　　　〃We　are　not　disappointed　in　the　least；〃　Elayne　assured　her；　making　soothing　gestures。　Disappointed？　She　very　nearly　giggled　hysterically。　There　were　nearly　twice　as　many　Kinswomen　as　there　were　Aes　Sedai！　Egwene　could　never　say　she　had　not　done　her　part　to　bring　women　who　could　channel　to　the　Tower。　But　if　the　Kin　refused　wilders。。。　She　must　stick　to　the　point；　conscripting　the　Kin　had　only　been　incidental。　〃Reanne；〃　she　said　gently；　〃do　you　think　perhaps　you　might　happen　to　recall　where　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds　is；　now？〃
　　　Reanne　blushed　a　sunset。　〃We've　never　touched　them；　Elayne　Sedai。　I　don't　know　why　they　were　gathered。　I've　never　heard　of　this　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　but　there　is　a　storeroom　such　as　you　describe　over　…　〃
　　　Belowstairs；　a　woman　channeled　briefly。　Someone