rj.acrownofswords-第179章

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s　if　he　were　a　stranger；　he　saw　it　for　true　now。　〃I　saw　what　you　did；　Mat。　With　him。　We　might　as　well　have　been　chickens　in　a　box　with　a　weasel。　Channeling　wouldn't　touch　him；　the　flows　melted　the　way　they　do　with　your。。。　〃　Glancing　at　the　medallion　still　hanging　from　his　fist；　she　drew　a　breath　that　did　interesting　things　to　that　oval　cut…out。　〃Thank　you；　Mat。　I　apologize　for　everything　I　ever　did　or　thought。〃　She　sounded　as　though　she　really　meant　it。　〃I　keep　building　up　toh　toward　you；〃　she　smiled　ruefully；　〃but　I　am　not　going　to　let　you　beat　me。　You　are　going　to　have　to　let　me　save　you　at　least　once　to　balance　matters。〃
　　　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　arrange；〃　he　said　dryly；　stuffing　the　medallion　into　a　coat　pocket。　Toh？　Beat　her？　Light！　The　woman　was　definitely　spending　too　much　time　with　Aviendha。
　　　Once　he　helped　her　to　her　feet；　she　looked　at　the　hallway；　at　Vanin　with　his　blood…smeared　face；　and　the　women　lying　where　they　had　fallen；　and　she　grimaced。　〃Oh；　Light！〃　she　breathed。　〃Oh；　blood　and　bloody　flaming　ashes！〃　Despite　the　situation；　he　gave　a　start。　It　was　not　just　that　he　had　never　expected　to　hear　those　words　out　of　her　mouth；　they　seemed　peculiar；　as　if　she　knew　the　sounds　but　not　the　meanings。　Somehow；　they　made　her　sound　younger　than　she　looked。
　　　Shaking　off　his　arm；　she　discarded　her　hat；　just　tossing　it　aside；　and　hurried　to　kneel　beside　the　nearest　Wise　Woman；　Reanne；　and　take　her　head　in　both　hands。　The　woman　lay　limp；　face　down　and　arms　stretched　out　as　though　she　had　been　tripped　up　running。　Toward　the　room　everyone　had　been　after；　toward　her　attacker；　not　away。
　　　〃This　is　beyond　me；〃　Elayne　muttered。　〃Where　is　Nynaeve？　Why　didn't　she　e　up　with　you；　Mat？　Nynaeve！〃　she　shouted　toward　the　stairs。
　　　〃No　need　to　shriek　like　a　cat；〃　Nynaeve　growled；　appearing　in　the　stairwell。　She　was　looking　back　over　her　shoulder　down　the　stairs；　though。　〃You　hold　her　tight；　you　hear　me？〃　she　shrieked　like　a　cat。　She　carried　her　hat；　and　shook　it　at　whoever　she　was　shouting　at。　〃You　let　her　get　away；　too；　and　I'll　box　your　ears　till　you　hear　bells　next　year！〃
　　　She　turned；　then；　and　her　eyes　nearly　bulged　out　of　her　head。　〃The　Light　shine　on　us；〃　she　breathed；　hurrying　to　bend　over　Janira。　One　touch；　and　she　straightened；　wincing　painfully。　He　could　have　told　her　the　woman　was　dead。　Nynaeve　seemed　to　take　death　personally。　Giving　herself　a　shake；　she　went　on　to　the　next；　Tamarla；　and　this　time　it　appeared　there　was　something　she　could　Heal。　It　also　appeared　Tamarla's　injuries　were　not　simple；　because　she　knelt　over　her；　frowning。　〃What　happened　here；　Mat？〃　she　demanded　without　looking　around　at　him。　Her　tone　made　him　sigh；　he　might　have　known　she　would　decide　it　was　his　fault。　〃Well；　Mat？　What　happened？　Will　you　speak　up；　man；　or　do　I　have　to　…　〃　He　never　learned　what　threat　she　intended　to　offer。
　　　Lan　had　followed　Nynaeve　out　of　the　stairwell；　of　course；　with　Sumeko　right　at　his　heels。　The　stout　Wise　Woman　took　one　look　at　the　hall　and　immediately　lifted　her　skirts　and　ran　to　Reanne。　She　did　give　Elayne　one　worried　glance　before　lowering　herself　to　her　knees　and　beginning　to　move　her　hands　over　Reanne　in　an　odd　way。　That　was　what　pulled　Nynaeve　up　short。
　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　she　said　sharply。　Not　halting　what　she　was　doing　to　Tamarla；　she　spared　the　round…faced　woman　only　short　glances；　but　they　were　as　piercing　as　her　voice。　〃Where　did　you　learn　that？〃
　　　Sumeko　gave　a　start；　but　her　hands　did　not　stop。　〃Forgive　me；　Aes　Sedai；〃　she　said　in　a　breathless；　disjointed　rush。　〃I　know　I'm　not　supposed　to。。。　She'll　die　if　I　don't。。。　I　know　I　wasn't　supposed　to　keep　trying　to。。。　I　just　wanted　to　learn；　Aes　Sedai。　Please。〃
　　　〃No；　no；　go　on；〃　Nynaeve　said　absently。　Most　of　her　attention　was　fixed　on　the　woman　under　her　hands；　but　not　all。　〃You　seem　to　know　a　few　things　even　I　…　That　is　to　say；　you　have　a　very　interesting　way　with　the　flows。　I　suspect　you'll　find　that　a　great　many　sisters　want　to　learn　from　you。〃　Half　under　her　breath；　she　added；　〃Maybe　now　they'll　leave　me　alone。〃　Sumeko　could　not　have　heard　that　last；　but　what　she　did　hear　dropped　her　chin　to　her　considerable　chest。　Her　hands　barely　paused；　though。
　　　〃Elayne；〃　Nynaeve　went　on；　〃would　you　look　for　the　Bowl；　please？　I　suspect　that　door　is　the　one。〃　She　nodded　to　the　correct　door；　standing　open　like　half　a　dozen　others。　That　made　Mat　blink　until　he　saw　two　tiny　cloth…wrapped　bundles　lying　in　front　of　it　where　the　looters　must　have　dropped　them。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Elayne　muttered。　〃Yes；　I　can　do　that　much；　at　least。〃　Half…raising　a　hand　toward　Vanin；　still　on　his　knees；　she　let　it　fall　with　a　sigh　and　strode　through　the　doorway；　which　almost　immediately　emitted　a　cloud　of　dust　and　the　sound　of　coughing。
　　　The　more…than…plump　Wise　Woman　had　not　been　the　only　one　following　Nynaeve　and　Lan。　Ieine　stalked　out　of　the　stairwell；　forcing　the　Taraboner　Darkfriend　in　front　of　her　by　means　of　an　arm　twisted　up　into　her　back　and　a　fist　clutching　the　back　of　her　neck。　Ieine's　jaw　was　set；　her　mouth　tight；　her　face　was　half　frightened　certainty　that　she　would　be　skinned　alive　for　manhandling　an　Aes　Sedai；　and　half　determination　to　hold　on　no　matter　what。　Nynaeve　had　that　effect　on　people；　sometimes。　The　Black　sister　was　wide…eyed　with　terror；　sagging　so　she　surely　would　have　fallen　except　for　Ieine's　grip。　She　must　have　been　shielded；　certainly；　and　with　equal　surety　she　probably　would　have　chosen　being　skinned　to　whatever　was　going　to　happen　to　her。　Tears　began　leaking　from　her　eyes；　and　her　mouth　sagged　in　silent　sobs。
　　　Behind　them　came　Beslan；　who　gave　a　sad　sigh　at　the　sight　of　Nalesean　and　a　sadder　for　the　women；　and　then　Harnan　and　three　of　the　Redarms；　Fergin　and　Gorderan　and　Metwyn。　Three　who　had　been　at　the　front　of　the　building。　Harnan　and　two　of　the　others　had　bloody　gashes　in　their　coats；　but　Nynaeve　must　have　Healed　them　below。　They　did　not　move　as　if　they　still　had　injuries。　They　looked　very　subdued；　though。
　　　〃What　happened　at　the　back？〃　Mat　asked　quietly。
　　　〃Burn　me　if　I　know；〃　Harnan　replied。　〃We　walked　right　into　a　knot　of　shoulder　thumpers　with　knives　in　the　dark。　There　was　one；　moved　like　a　snake。。。　〃　He　shrugged；　touching　the　bloodstained　hole　in　his　coat　absentmindedly。　〃One　of　them　got　a　knife　into　me；　and　the　next　I　remember　is　opening　my　eyes　with　Nynaeve　Sedai　bending　over　me　and　Mendair　and　the　others　dead　as　yesterday's　mutton。〃
　　　Mat　nodded。　One　who　moved　like　a　snake。　And　got　out　of　rooms　like　one；　too。　He　looked　around　the　hallway。　Reanne　and　Tamarla　were　on　their　feet　…　straightening　their　dresses；　of　course　…　and　Vanin；　peering　into　the　room　where　Elayne　was　apparently　trying　out　some　more　curses；　seemingly　with　no　more　success　than　earlier。　It　was　hard　to　tell　because　of　the　coughing。　Nynaeve　stood；　helping　up　Sibella；　a　scrawny　yellow…haired　woman；　and　Sumeko　was　still　working　on　Famelle；　with　her　pale…honey　hair　and　big　brown　eyes。　But　he　was　never　going　to　admire　Melore's　bosom　again；　Reanne　knelt　to　straighten　her　limbs　and　close　her　eyes；　while　Tamarla　performed　the　same　service　for　Janira。　Two　Wise　Women　dead；　and　six　of　his　Redarms。　Killed　by　a。。。　man。。。　the　Power　would　not　touch。
　　　〃I've　found　it！〃　Elayne　shouted　excitedly。　She　strode　back　out　into　the　hall　holding　a　wide　round　bundle　of　rotted　cloth　she　would　not　let　Vanin　take　from　her。　Coated　in　gray　from　head　to　toe；　she　looked　as　if　she　had　lain　down　and　rolled　in　the　dust。　〃We　have　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　Nynaeve！〃
　　　〃In　that　case；〃　Mat　announced；　〃we　are　bloody　well　getting　out　of　here　now。〃　Nobody　argued。　Oh；　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　insisted　on　all　the　men　making　sacks　out　of　their　jackets　for　things　they　rooted　out　of　the　room　…　they　even　loaded　the　Wise　Women　down；　and　themselves　…　and　Reanne　had　to　go　down　and　recruit　men　to　carry　their　dead　down　the　boat　landing；　but　nobody　argued。　He　doubted　if　the　Rahad　had　ever　seen　as　odd　a　procession　as　made　its　way　to　the　river；　or　one　that　moved　more　quickly。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　39　
（Dice）　
Promises　to　Keep　
　　　
　　　〃We　are　bloody　well　getting　out　of　here　now；〃　Mat　said　again　later；　and　this　time　there　was　argument。　There　had　been　argument　for　the　past　ha