rj.acrownofswords-第175章
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He stared straight ahead。 Bloody women！ Bloody promises。 Removing his hat long enough to pull the leather cord from around his neck； he reluctantly shoved it in her direction。 The silver foxhead dangled beneath his fist。 〃You and Nynaeve will have to decide which of you wears this。 But I want it back when we leave Ebou Dar。 You understand？ The moment we leave … 〃
Suddenly he realized he was walking alone。 Turning； he found Elayne standing stock still two paces back； staring at him with Reanne and the rest clustered behind her。
〃What's the matter now？〃 he demanded。 〃Oh。 Yes； I know all about Moghedien。〃 A skinny fellow with red stones on his brass…hoop earrings； bending over a mooring line； jerked around so fast at that name that he pitched over the side with a loud yell and a louder splash。 Mat did not care who heard。 〃Trying to keep her secret … and two of my men dead！ … after you promised。 Well； we'll talk about that later。 I made a promise； too； I promised to keep the pair of you alive。 If Moghedien shows up； she'll go after you two。 Now； here。〃 He pushed the medallion at her again。
She shook her head slowly in puzzlement； then turned to murmur to Reanne。 Only after the older women were on their way toward where Nynaeve stood beckoning them at the head of a flight of boat stairs did Elayne take the foxhead； turning it over in her fingers。
〃Do you have any notion what I would have done to have this for study？〃 she said quietly。 〃Any notion at all？〃 She was tall for a woman； but she still had to look up at him。 She might never have seen him before。 〃You are a troublesome man； Mat Cauthon。 Lini would say I was repeating myself； but you。。。！〃 Expelling her breath； Elayne reached up to pull his hat off and slip the cord over his head。 She actually tucked the foxhead into his shirt and patted it before handing him his hat。 〃I won't wear that while Nynaeve doesn't have one； or Aviendha； and I think they feel the same。 You wear it。 After all； you can hardly keep your promise if Moghedien kills you。 Not that I think she's still here。 I think she believes she killed Nynaeve； and I would not be surprised if that was all she came for。 You must be careful； though。 Nynaeve says there's a storm ing； and she doesn't mean this wind。 I。。。 〃 That faint blush returned to her cheeks。 〃I am sorry I laughed at you。〃 She cleared her throat； looking away。 〃Sometimes I forget my duty to my subjects。 You are a worthy subject； Matrim Cauthon。 I will see that Nynaeve understands the right of。。。 of you and Tylin。 Perhaps we can help。〃
〃No；〃 he spluttered。 〃I mean； yes。 I mean。。。 That is。。。 Oh； kiss a flaming goat if I know what I mean。 I almost wish you didn't know the truth。〃 Nynaeve and Elayne sitting down to discuss him with Tylin over tea。 Could he ever live that down？ Could he ever again look any of them in the eye afterward？ But if they did not。。。 He was between the wolf and the bear with nowhere to run。 〃Oh； sheep swallop！ Sheep swallop and bloody buttered onions！〃 He nearly wished she would call him down for his language the way Nynaeve would； just to change the subject。
Her lips moved silently； and for an instant he had the strange impression that she was repeating what he had just said。 Of course not。 He was seeing things； that was all。 Aloud； she said； 〃I understand。〃 Sounding just as if she did。 〃e along； now； Mat。 We can't waste time standing in one spot。〃
Gaping； he watched her lift skirts and cloak to make her way along the landing。 She understood？ She understood； and not one acid little ment； not one cutting remark？ And he was her subject。 Her worthy subject。 Fingering the medallion； he followed。 He had been sure the fight would be to ever get it back。 If he lived as long as two Aes Sedai； he still would never understand women； and noblewomen were purely the worst。
When he reached the steps Elayne had gone down； the boat's two brass…earringed oarsmen were already using their long sweeps to push the vessel away。 Elayne was herding Reanne and the last of the Wise Women into the cabin； and Lan stood up in the bows with Nynaeve。 A shout from Beslan called him on to the next boat； which held all of the men except the Warder。
〃Nynaeve said there wasn't room for any of us；〃 Nalesean said as the boat rocked its way out into the Eldar。 〃She said we'd crowd them。〃 Beslan laughed； looking around their own boat。 Vanin sat beside the cabin door with his eyes closed； trying to pretend he was somewhere else。 Harnan and Tad Kandel； an Andoran despite being as dark as either of the boatmen； had climbed atop the cabin； the rest of the Redarms hunkered about the deck； trying to keep out of the way of the rowers。 Nobody went into the cabin； all apparently waiting to see whether Mat and Nalesean and Beslan wanted it。
Mat put himself beside the tall bowpost； peering after the other boat； crawling on its sweeps just ahead。 The wind whipped the dark choppy waters； and his scarf as well； and he had to hold on to his hat。 What was Nynaeve up to？ The other nine women on the second boat were all in the cabin； leaving the deck to her and Lan。 They stood up in the bows； Lan with his arms folded； Nynaeve gesturing as though explaining。 Except that Nynaeve seldom explained anything。 Better say never than seldom。
Whatever she was doing； it did not last long。 There were whitecaps out in the bay； where Sea Folk rakers and skimmers and soarers heaved at their anchors。 The river was not so bad； but the boat still wallowed more than Mat remembered from any previous trip。 Before long； Nynaeve was draped over the railing； losing her breakfast while Lan held her。 That reminded Mat of his own belly； tucking his hat under his arm so it could not blow away； he pulled out the wedge of cheese。
〃Beslan； is this storm likely to break before we can e back from the Rahad？〃 He took a bite of the sharp…tasting cheese； they had fifty different sorts in Ebou Dar； all good。 Nynaeve was still hanging over the side。 How much had the woman eaten this morning？ 〃I don't know where we'll shelter if we're caught。〃 He could not think of a single inn he had seen in the Rahad that he would take the women into。
〃No storm；〃 Beslan said； seating himself on the railing。 〃These are the winter trade winds。 The trades e twice a year； in late winter and late summer； but they have to blow much harder before it es to storm。〃 He directed a sour look out toward the bay。 〃Every year those winds bring … brought … ships from Tarabon； and Arad Doman。 I wonder whether they ever will again。〃
〃The Wheel weaves；〃 Mat began； and choked on a crumb of cheese。 Blood and ashes； he was starting to sound like some gray…hair resting his aching joints in front of the fireplace。 Worrying about taking the women into a rough inn。 A year ago； half a year； he would have taken them； and laughed when their eyes popped； laughed at every prim sniff。 〃Well； maybe we'll find you some fun in the Rahad； anyway。 At the least； somebody will try to cut a purse； or pull Elayne's necklace off。〃 Maybe that was what he needed to clean the taste of sobriety from his tongue。 Sobriety。 Light； what a word to apply to Mat Cauthon！ Tylin must be scaring him more than he thought； if he was shriveling up this way。 Maybe he needed some of Beslan's sort of fun。 That was crazy … he had never seen the fight he would not rather walk around … but maybe。。。
Beslan shook his head。 〃If anyone can find it； you can； but。。。 We'll be with seven Wise Women； Mat。 Seven。 With just one at your side； you could slap a man； even in the Rahad； and he would swallow his tongue and walk away。 And the women。 What's the fun of kissing a woman without the risk she'll decide to stick a knife in you？〃
〃Burn my soul；〃 Nalesean muttered into his beard。 〃It sounds as though I've dragged myself from bed for a dull morning。〃
Beslan nodded in miseration。 〃If we're lucky； though。。。 The Civil Guard does send patrols to the Rahad occasionally； and if they're after smugglers； they always dress like anyone else。 They seem to think nobody will notice a dozen or so men together carrying swords； whatever they wear； and they're always surprised when the smugglers ambush them； which is wh
