rj.acrownofswords-第48章

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rs。　And　no　men　among　them。　A　man　might　well　have　been　remarked。　〃I　think　she　has　run　away；　Chesa。〃
　　　〃Why；　that　wicked　woman！〃　Chesa　exclaimed。　〃I　always　said　she　had　a　mean　mouth　and　a　sneaking　eye。　Slinking　away　like　a　thief　after　you　took　her　in。　She'd　be　starving　by　a　road；　if　not　for　you。　No　gratitude　at　all！〃
　　　She　followed　all　the　way　back　to　the　tent　where　Egwene　slept；　nattering　on　about　wickedness　in　general；　the　thanklessness　of　〃Marigan〃　in　particular；　and　how　that　sort　should　be　handled；　which　seemed　to　jump　between　switching　them　till　they　settled　down　and　tossing　them　out　before　they　could　run　away；　tucked　around　cautions　that　Egwene　check　her　jewelry　to　be　sure　it　was　all　still　there。
　　　Egwene　barely　heard。　Her　mind　spun。　It　could　not　have　been　Logain；　could　it？　He　could　not　have　known　about　Moghedien；　much　less　e　back　to　rescue　her。　Could　he？　Those　men　Rand　was　gathering；　those　Asha'man。　Rumor　in　every　village　carried　whispers　of　Asha'man　and　the　Black　Tower。　Most　of　the　sisters　tried　to　pretend　they　were　unaffected　by　dozens　of　men　who　could　channel　gathering　in　one　spot　…　the　worst　of　the　tales　had　to　be　inflated；　rumor　always　exaggerated　…　but　Egwene's　toes　wanted　to　curl　under　with　fright　whenever　she　thought　of　them。　An　Asha'man　could　have。。。　But　why？　How　would　he　have　known；　any　more　than　Logain？
　　　She　was　trying　to　avoid　the　only　reasonable　conclusion。　Something　far　worse　than　Logain　e　back；　or　even　Asha'man。　One　of　the　Forsaken　had　freed　Moghedien。　Rahvin　was　dead　by　Rand's　hand；　according　to　Nynaeve；　and　he　had　killed　Ishamael　as　well；　or　so　it　seemed。　And　Aginor　and　Balthamel。　Moiraine　had　killed　Be'lal。　That　left　only　Asmodean；　Demandred　and　Sammael　among　the　men。　Sammael　was　in　Illian。　No　one　knew　where　the　others　were；　or　any　of　the　women　who　survived。　Moiraine　had　done　for　Lanfear　too；　or　they　had　done　for　each　other；　but　all　the　other　women　were　still　alive；　so　far　as　anyone　knew。　Forget　the　women。　It　had　been　a　man。　Which？　Plans　had　been　laid　long　since　in　case　one　of　the　Forsaken　struck　at　the　camp。　No　one　sister　here　could　equal　any　of　the　Forsaken　by　herself；　but　linked　in　circles　was　another　matter；　and　any　Forsaken　who　stepped　into　their　camp　would　find　circles　forming　on　every　side　of　him。　Or　her。　Once　they　realized　who　she　was。　The　Forsaken　showed　no　signs　of　agelessness；　for　some　reason。　Maybe　it　was　some　effect　of　being　connected　to　the　Dark　One。　They。。。
　　　This　was　dithering。　She　had　to　start　thinking　clearly。
　　　〃Chesa？〃
　　　〃。。。　look　like　you　need　your　head　rubbed　for　the　ache　again　is　what；　is　what　you。。。　Yes；　Mother？〃
　　　〃Find　Siuan　and　Leane。　Tell　them　to　e　to　me。　But　don't　let　anyone　hear　you。〃
　　　Grinning；　Chesa　dropped　a　curtsy　and　scampered　out。　She　could　hardly　avoid　knowing　the　currents　that　swirled　around　Egwene；　yet　she　found　all　the　plotting　and　scheming　fun。　Not　that　she　knew　more　than　surface；　and　little　enough　of　that。　Egwene　did　not　doubt　her　loyalty；　but　Chesa's　opinion　of　what　was　exciting　might　change　if　she　learned　the　depth　of　those　swirls。
　　　Channeling　the　oil　lamps　inside　the　tent　alight；　Egwene　blew　out　the　lantern　and　set　it　carefully　in　a　corner。　Maybe　she　had　to　think　clearly；　but　she　still　felt　as　if　she　was　stumbling　in　the　dark。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　9　
（Flame　of　Tar　Valon）　
A　Pair　of　Silverpike　
　　　
　　　Egwene　was　sitting　in　her　chair　…　one　of　the　few　real　chairs　in　the　camp；　with　a　little　plain　carving　like　a　farmer's　best　armchair；　roomy　and　fortable　enough　that　she　felt　only　a　touch　of　guilt　about　taking　up　valuable　wagon　space　for　it　…　she　was　sitting　there　trying　to　pull　her　thoughts　together　when　Siuan　swept　aside　the　entry　flaps　and　ducked　into　the　tent。　Siuan　was　not　happy。
　　　〃Why　in　the　Light　did　you　run　off？〃　Her　voice　had　not　changed　with　her　face；　and　she　chided　with　the　best　even　when　she　did　it　in　respectful　tones。　Barely　respectful。　Her　blue　eyes　remained　the　same；　too；　they　could　have　done　for　a　saddlemaker's　awls。　〃Sheriam　brushed　me　aside　like　a　fly。〃　That　surprisingly　delicate　mouth　twisted　bitterly。　〃She　was　gone　almost　as　soon　as　you　were。　Don't　you　realize　she　handed　herself　to　you？　She　certainly　does。　Her；　and　Anaiya　and　Morvrin　and　the　lot　of　them。　You　can　be　sure　they'll　spend　tonight　trying　to　bail　water　and　patch　holes。　They　could　manage　it。　I　don't　see　how；　but　they　might。〃
　　　Almost　as　the　last　word　left　her　mouth；　Leane　entered。　A　tall；　willowy　woman；　her　coppery　face　was　as　youthful　as　Siuan's；　and　for　the　same　reason；　she　also　was　more　than　old　enough　to　be　Egwene's　mother；　in　truth。　Leane　took　one　look　at　Siuan　and　threw　up　her　hands　as　much　as　the　roof　of　the　tent　would　allow。　〃Mother；　this　is　a　foolish　risk。〃　Her　dark　eyes　went　from　dreamy　to　flashing；　but　her　voice　had　a　languorous　quality　even　when　she　was　irritated。　Once；　it　had　been　brisk。　〃If　anyone　sees　Siuan　and　me　together　this　way　…　〃
　　　〃I　don't　care　if　the　whole　camp　learns　your　squabbling　is　a　fraud；〃　Egwene　broke　in　sharply；　weaving　a　small　barrier　against　eavesdropping　around　the　three　of　them。　It　could　be　worked　through　with　time；　but　not　without　detection；　so　long　as　she　held　the　weave　instead　of　tying　it　off。
　　　She　did　care；　and　perhaps　she　should　not　have　called　them　both；　but　her　first　half…coherent　thought　had　been　to　summon　the　two　sisters　she　could　count　on。　No　one　in　the　camp　so　much　as　suspected。　Everyone　knew　the　former　Amyrlin　and　her　former　Keeper　detested　one　another　every　bit　as　much　as　Siuan　detested　being　tutor　to　her　successor。　Should　any　sister　uncover　the　truth；　they　might　well　find　themselves　doing　penance　for　a　long　time　to　e；　and　not　an　easy　one　…　Aes　Sedai　appreciated　being　made　fools　of　even　less　than　other　people；　kings　had　been　made　to　pay　for　that　…　but　in　the　meanwhile　their　supposed　animosity　resulted　in　a　certain　leverage　with　the　other　sisters；　including　Sitters。　If　they　both　said　the　same　thing；　it　must　be　so。　Another　incidental　effect　of　being　stilled　was　very　useful；　one　no　one　else　knew　about。　The　Three　Oaths　no　longer　held　them；　they　could　lie　like　wool　merchants；　now。
　　　Schemes　and　deceptions　on　every　side。　The　camp　was　like　some　fetid　swamp　where　strange　growths　sprouted　unseen　in　mists。　Maybe　anywhere　Aes　Sedai　gathered　was　like　that。　After　three　thousand　years　of　plotting；　however　necessary；　it　was　hardly　surprising　that　scheming　had　bee　second　nature　to　most　sisters　and　only　a　breath　away　for　the　rest。　The　truly　horrible　thing　was　that　she　found　herself　beginning　to　enjoy　all　the　machinations。　Not　for　their　own　sake；　but　as　puzzles；　though　no　twisted　bits　of　iron　could　intrigue　her　a　quarter　so　much。　What　that　said　about　her；　she　did　not　want　to　know。　Well；　she　was　Aes　Sedai；　whatever　anyone　thought；　and　she　had　to　take　the　bad　of　it　with　the　good。
　　　〃Moghedien　has　escaped；〃　she　went　on　without　pause。　〃A　man　removed　the　a'dam　from　her。　A　man　who　can　channel。　I　think　one　of　them　took　the　necklace　away；　it　wasn't　in　her　tent；　that　I　saw。　There　might　be　some　way　to　find　it　using　the　bracelet；　but　if　there　is；　I　don't　know　it。〃
　　　That　took　the　starch　right　out　of　them。　Leane's　legs　gave　way；　and　she　dropped　like　a　sack　onto　the　stool　Chesa　sometimes　used。　Siuan　sat　down　on　the　cot　slowly；　back　very　straight；　hands　very　still　on　her　knees。　Incongruously；　Egwene　noticed　that　her　dress　had　tiny　blue　flowers　embroidered　in　a　wide　Tairen　maze　around　the　bottom；　a　band　that　made　the　divided　skirts　seem　one　when　she　was　still。　Another　band　curved　beingly　across　the　bodice。　Concern　for　her　clothes；　that　they　be　pretty　instead　of　just　suitable；　was　certainly　a　small　change；　looking　at　it　one　way　…　she　never　took　it　to　extremes　…　yet　in　another；　it　was　as　drastic　as　her　face。　And　a　puzzle。　Siuan　resented　the　changes；　and　resisted　them。　Except　for　this　one。
　　　Leane；　on　the　other　hand；　in　true　Aes　Sedai　fashion　embraced　what　had　changed。　A　young　woman　again　…　Egwene　had　overheard　a　Yellow　exclaiming　in　wonder　that　both　were　prime　childbearing　age；　by　everything　she　could　find　…　she　might　never　have　been　Keeper；　never　have　had　any　other　face。　The　very　image　of　practicality　and　efficiency　became　the　ideal　of　an　indolent　and　alluring　Domani　woman。