rj.acrownofswords-第58章

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y　saw　it　anything　at　all　the　way　she　did。　Balancing　her　cup　on　her　fingertips；　she　told　them　everything。　About　Rand；　anyway；　and　her　fears　since　learning　of　the　silence　from　Caemlyn。　〃I　don't　know　what　he's　done　…　or　what　she　has；　everybody　tells　me　how　experienced　Merana　is；　but　she's　had　none　with　the　likes　of　him。　When　it　es　to　Aes　Sedai；　if　you　hid　this　cup　in　a　meadow；　he'd　still　manage　to　step　on　it　inside　three　paces。　I　know　I　could　do　better　than　Merana；　but。。。　〃
　　　〃You　could　return；〃　Bair　suggested　again；　and　Egwene　shook　her　head　firmly。
　　　〃I　can　do　more　where　I　am；　as　Amyrlin。　And　there　are　rules　even　for　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃　Her　mouth　twisted　for　an　instant。　She　did　not　like　admitting　that；　especially　not　to　these　women。　〃I　can't　even　visit　him　without　the　Hall's　permission。　I'm　Aes　Sedai　now；　and　I　have　to　obey　our　laws。〃　That　came　out　more　fiercely　than　she　intended。　It　was　a　stupid　law；　but　she　had　not　yet　found　a　way　around　it。　Besides；　they　wore　so　little　expression　she　was　sure　they　were　snickering　incredulously　inside。　Not　even　a　clan　chief　had　the　right　to　say　when　or　where　a　Wise　One　could　go。
　　　The　three　women　across　from　her　exchanged　long　looks。　Then　Amys　set　her　teacup　down　and　said；　〃Merana　Ambrey　and　other　Aes　Sedai　followed　the　Car'a'carn　to　the　treekillers'　city。　You　need　have　no　fear　he　will　put　his　foot　wrong　with　her；　or　any　of　your　sisters　with　her。　We　will　see　that　there　is　no　difficulty　between　him　and　any　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　〃That　hardly　sounds　like　Rand；〃　Egwene　said　doubtfully。　So　Sheriam　had　been　right　about　Merana。　But　why　was　she　still　silent？
　　　Bair　cackled　with　laughter。　〃Most　parents　have　more　trouble　with　their　children　than　lies　between　the　Car'a'carn　and　the　women　who　came　with　Merana　Ambrey。〃
　　　〃So　long　as　he　isn't　the　child；〃　Egwene　chuckled；　relieved　that　someone　was　amused　at　something。　The　way　these　women　felt　about　Aes　Sedai；　they　would　have　been　spitting　nails　if　they　thought　any　sister　was　gaining　influence　with　him。　On　the　other　hand；　Merana　had　to　gain　some；　or　she　might　as　well　leave　now。　〃But　Merana　should　have　sent　a　report。　I　don't　understand　why　she　hasn't。　You're　certain　there　isn't　any　…？〃　She　could　not　think　of　how　to　finish。　There　was　no　way　that　Rand　could　have　stopped　Merana　from　sending　off　a　pigeon。
　　　〃Perhaps　she　sent　a　man　on　a　horse。〃　Amys　grimaced　faintly；　as　much　as　any　Aiel；　she　found　riding　repugnant。　Your　own　legs　were　good　enough。　〃She　brought　none　of　the　birds　that　wetlanders　use。〃
　　　〃That　was　foolish　of　her；〃　Egwene　muttered。　Foolish　did　not　e　close。　Merana's　dreams　would　be　shielded；　so　there　was　no　point　trying　to　talk　to　her　there。　Even　if　they　could　be　found。　Light；　but　it　was　vexing！　She　leaned　forward　intently。　〃Amys；　promise　me　you　won't　try　to　stop　him　from　talking　with　her；　or　make　her　so　angry　she　does　something　foolish。〃　They　were　quite　capable　of　that；　more　than　capable。　They　had　putting　an　Aes　Sedai's　back　up　perfected　to　a　Talent。　〃She's　just　supposed　to　convince　him　that　we　mean　him　no　harm。　I'm　sure　Elaida　has　some　nasty　surprise　hidden　behind　her　skirts；　but　we　don't。〃　She　would　see　to　that；　if　anyone　had　different　notions。　Somehow；　she　would。　〃Promise　me？〃
　　　They　passed　unreadable　looks　back　and　forth。　They　could　not　like　the　idea　of　letting　a　sister　near　Rand；　certainly　not　unhindered。　Doubtless　one　of　them　would　contrive　to　be　present　whenever　Merana　was；　but　she　could　live　with　that　so　long　as　they　did　not　hinder　too　much。
　　　〃I　promise；　Egwene　al'Vere；〃　Amys　said　finally；　in　a　voice　flat　as　worked　stone。
　　　Probably　she　was　offended　that　Egwene　had　required　a　pledge；　but　Egwene　felt　as　though　a　weight　had　lifted。　Two　weights。　Rand　and　Merana　were　not　at　each　other's　throats；　and　Merana　would　have　a　chance　to　do　what　she　had　been　sent　to　do。　〃I　knew　I'd　have　the　unvarnished　truth　from　you；　Amys。　I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　I　am　to　hear　it。　If　anything　were　wrong　between　Rand　and　Merana。。。　Thank　you。〃
　　　Startled；　she　blinked。　For　an　instant；　Amys　wore　cadin'sor。　She　made　some　sort　of　small　gesture；　too。　Maiden　handtalk；　perhaps。　Neither　Bair　nor　Melaine；　sipping　their　tea；　gave　any　sign　that　they　had　noticed。　Amys　must　have　been　wishing　she　were　somewhere　else；　away　from　the　tangle　Rand　had　made　of　everybody's　life。　It　would　be　embarrassing；　shaming；　for　a　Wise　One　dream…walker　to　lose　control　of　herself　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　even　for　an　instant。　To　the　Aiel；　shame　hurt　far　worse　than　pain；　but　it　had　to　be　witnessed　to　be　shame。　If　it　was　not　seen；　or　those　who　saw　refused　to　admit　it；　then　it　might　as　well　never　have　happened。　A　strange　people；　but　she　certainly　did　not　want　to　shame　Amys。　posing　her　face；　she　went　on　as　if　nothing　had　happened。
　　　〃I　must　ask　a　favor。　An　important　favor。　Don't　tell　Rand　…　or　anybody　…　about　me。　About　this；　I　mean　to　say。〃　She　lifted　an　end　of　her　stole。　Their　faces　made　an　Aes　Sedai's　best　calm　look　maniacal。　Stone　was　not　in　it。　〃I　don't　mean　lie；〃　she　added　hastily。　Under　ji'e'toh；　asking　someone　to　lie　was　little　better　than　telling　one　yourself。　〃Just　don't　bring　it　up。　He's　already　sent　somebody　to　'rescue'　me。〃　And　won't　he　be　furious　when　he　finds　out　I　shuffled　Mat　off　to　Ebou　Dar　with　Nynaeve　and　Elayne；　she　thought。　She　had　had　to　do　it；　though。　〃I　don't　need　rescuing；　and　I　don't　want　it；　but　he　thinks　he　knows　better　than　everybody。　I'm　afraid　he　might　e　hunting　for　me　himself。〃　Which　frightened　her　more　…　that　he　might　appear　in　the　camp　alone；　raging；　with　three　hundred　or　so　Aes　Sedai　around　him？　Or　that　he　might　e　with　some　of　the　Asha'man？　Either　way；　a　disaster。
　　　〃That　would　be。。。　unfortunate；〃　Melaine　murmured；　though　she　was　seldom　one　for　understatement；　and　Bair　muttered；　〃The　Car'a'carn　is　headstrong。　As　bad　as　any　man　I　have　ever　known。　And　a　few　women；　for　that　matter。〃
　　　〃We　will　hold　your　confidence　close；　Egwene　al'Vere；〃　Amys　said　gravely。
　　　Egwene　blinked　at　the　quick　agreement。　But　perhaps　it　was　not　so　surprising。　To　them；　the　Car'a'carn　was　only　another　chief；　just　more　so；　and　Wise　Ones　had　certainly　been　known　to　keep　things　from　a　chief　they　thought　he　should　not　know。
　　　After　that　there　was　not　much　to　say；　though　they　talked　a　while　longer　over　more　cups　of　tea。　She　longed　for　a　lesson　in　walking　the　dream；　but　could　not　ask　with　Amys　there。　Amys　would　go；　and　she　wanted　her　pany　more　than　learning。　The　closest　the　Wise　Ones　came　to　telling　her　anything　Rand　was　actually　doing　was　when　Melaine　grumbled　that　he　should　finish　the　Shaido　and　Sevanna　now；　and　both　Bair　and　Amys　frowned　at　her　so；　she　turned　bright　red。　After　all；　Sevanna　was　a　Wise　One；　as　Egwene　knew　quite　bitterly。　Not　even　the　Car'a'carn　would　be　allowed　to　interfere　with　even　a　Shaido　Wise　One。　And　she　could　not　give　them　details　of　her　own　circumstances。　That　they　had　leaped　right　to　the　most　shaming　part　did　nothing　to　lessen　the　shame　she　would　feel　talking　about　it　…　it　was　very　hard　not　to　drop　back　into　behaving；　even　thinking；　as　the　Aiel　did　when　she　was　around　them；　for　that　matter；　she　thought　it　might　have　shamed　her　had　she　never　met　an　Aiel　…　and　the　only　sort　of　advice　they　had　about　dealing　with　Aes　Sedai　lately　was　of　a　nature　that　Elaida　herself　would　not　try　to　follow。　An　Aes　Sedai　riot；　unlikely　as　it　sounded；　might　result。　Worse；　they　already　thought　badly　enough　of　Aes　Sedai　without　her　adding　wood　to　the　fire。　Some　day　she　wanted　to　forge　a　link　between　the　Wise　Ones　and　the　White　Tower；　but　that　would　never　happen　unless　she　managed　to　dampen　that　fire　down。　Another　thing　she　had　no　idea　how　to　do；　as　yet。
　　　〃I　must　go；〃　she　said　at　last；　standing。　Her　body　lay　asleep　in　her　tent；　but　there　was　never　quite　enough　rest　in　sleep　while　you　were　in　Tel'aran'rhiod。　The　others　rose　with　her。　〃I　hope　you　will　all　be　very　careful。　Moghedien　hates　me；　and　she　would　certainly　try　to　hurt　anyone　who's　my　friend。　She　knows　a　great　deal　about　the　World　of　Dreams。　At　least　as　much　as　Lanfear　did。〃　That　was　as　close　as　she　could　e　to　warning　them　without　saying　right　out　that　Moghedien　might　know　more　than　they。　Aiel　pride　could　be　prickly。　They　took　her　meaning；　though；　and　without　offense。
　　　〃If　the　Shadowso