rj.acrownofswords-第69章

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　　　For　a　moment；　Nisao　frowned　at　him　as　though　she；　too；　saw　a　puzzle。　Then　her　gaze　met　Myrelle's；　and　together　their　eyes　swept　to　Egwene。　Instead　of　ing　to　her；　they　went　to　each　other；　exchanging　hasty　whispers。　At　least；　it　was　an　exchange　at　first。　Then　Nisao　merely　stood　there；　shaking　her　head　in　disbelief　or　denial。　〃You　dropped　me　into　this；〃　she　groaned　aloud　at　last。　〃I　was　a　blind　fool　to　listen　to　you。〃
　　　〃This　should　be。。。　interesting；〃　Siuan　said　as　they　finally　turned　toward　her　and　Egwene。　The　twist　she　gave　the　word　made　it　sound　decidedly　unpleasant。
　　　Myrelle　and　Nisao　hurriedly　touched　hair　and　dresses　as　they　crossed　the　short　distance；　making　certain　everything　was　in　order。　Perhaps　they　had　been　caught　out　…　In　what？　Egwene　wondered　…　but　apparently　they　intended　to　put　the　best　face　they　could　on　matters。
　　　〃If　you　will　step　inside；　Mother；〃　Myrelle　said；　gesturing　to　the　nearest　tent。　Only　the　slightest　tremor　in　her　voice　betrayed　her　cool　face。　The　sweat　was　gone。　Wiped　away；　of　course；　but　it　had　not　returned。
　　　〃Thank　you；　no；　daughter。〃
　　　〃Some　wine　punch？〃　Nisao　asked　with　a　smile。　Hands　clasped　at　her　breast；　she　looked　anxious　anyway。　〃Siuan；　go　tell　Nicola　to　bring　the　punch。〃　Siuan　did　not　move；　and　Nisao　blinked　in　surprise；　her　mouth　thinning。　The　smile　returned　in　an　instant；　though；　and　she　raised　her　voice　a　little。　〃Nicola？　Child；　bring　the　punch。　Made　with　dried　blackberries；　I　fear；〃　she　confided　to　Egwene；　〃but　quite　restorative。〃
　　　〃I　don't　want　punch；〃　Egwene　said　curtly。　Nicola　emerged　from　behind　the　tent；　yet　she　showed　no　sign　of　running　to　obey。　Instead；　she　stood　staring　at　the　four　Aes　Sedai；　chewing　her　underlip。　Nisao　flashed　a　glare　of　what　could　only　be　called　distaste；　but　said　nothing。　Another　piece　of　the　puzzle　snapped　into　place；　and　Egwene　breathed　a　trifle　easier。　〃What　I　want；　daughter；　what　I　require；　is　an　explanation。〃
　　　Best　face　or　no；　it　was　a　thin　veneer。　Myrelle　stretched　out　a　pleading　hand。　〃Mother；　Moiraine　did　not　choose　me　just　because　we　were　friends。　Two　of　my　Warders　belonged　first　to　sisters　who　died。　Avar　and　Nuhel。　No　sister　has　saved　more　than　one　in　centuries。〃
　　　〃I　only　became　involved　because　of　his　mind；〃　Nisao　said　hastily。　〃I　have　some　interest　in　diseases　of　the　mind；　and　this　must　rightly　be　called　one。　Myrelle　practically　dragged　me　into　it。〃
　　　Smoothing　her　skirts；　Myrelle　directed　a　dark　look　at　the　Yellow　that　was　returned　with　interest。　〃Mother；　when　a　Warder's　Aes　Sedai　dies；　it　is　as　though　he　swallows　her　death　and　is　consumed　by　it　from　the　inside。　He　…　〃
　　　〃I　know　that；　Myrelle；〃　Egwene　broke　in　sharply。　Siuan　and　Leane　had　told　her　a　good　bit；　though　neither　knew　she　had　asked　because　she　wanted　to　know　what　to　expect　with　Gawyn。　A　poor　bargain；　Myrelle　had　called　it；　and　perhaps　it　was。　When　a　sister's　Warder　died；　grief　enveloped　her；　she　could　control　it　somewhat；　sometimes；　hold　it　in；　but　sooner　or　later　it　gnawed　a　way　out。　However　well　Siuan　managed　when　others　were　around；　she　still　wept　alone　many　nights　for　her　Alric；　killed　the　day　she　was　deposed。　Yet　what　were　even　months　of　tears；　pared　with　death　itself？　The　stories　were　full　of　Warders　dying　to　avenge　their　Aes　Sedai；　and　indeed　it　was　very　often　the　case。　A　man　who　wanted　to　die；　a　man　looking　for　what　could　kill　him；　took　risks　not　even　a　Warder　could　survive。　Perhaps　the　most　horrible　part　of　it；　to　her；　was　that　they　knew。　Knew　what　their　fate　would　be　if　their　Aes　Sedai　died；　knew　what　drove　them　when　she　did；　knew　nothing　they　did　could　change　it。　She　could　not　imagine　the　courage　required　to　accept　the　bargain；　knowing。
　　　She　stepped　aside；　so　she　could　see　Lan　clearly。　He　still　stood　motionless；　not　even　seeming　to　breathe。　Apparently　forgetting　the　tea；　Nicola　had　seated　herself　cross…legged　on　the　ground　to　watch　him。　Areina　squatted　on　her　heels　at　Nicola's　side　with　her　braid　pulled　over　her　shoulder；　staring　even　more　avidly。　Much　more　avidly；　actually；　since　Nicola　sometimes　darted　furtive　glances　at　Egwene　and　the　others。　The　rest　of　the　Warders　made　a　small　cluster；　pretending　to　watch　him　too　while　keeping　a　close　eye　on　their　Aes　Sedai。
　　　A　more　than　warm　breeze　stirred；　ruffling　the　dead　leaves　that　carpeted　the　ground；　and　with　shocking　suddenness；　Lan　was　moving；　shifting　from　stance　to　stance；　blade　a　whirling　blur　in　his　hands。　Faster　and　faster；　till　he　seemed　to　sprint　from　one　to　the　next；　yet　all　as　precise　as　the　movements　of　a　clock。　She　waited　for　him　to　stop；　or　at　least　slow；　but　he　did　not。　Faster。　Areina's　mouth　slowly　dropped　open；　eyes　going　wide　with　awe；　and　for　that　matter；　so　did　Nicola's。　They　leaned　forward；　children　watching　candy　set　to　dry　on　the　kitchen　table。　Even　the　other　Warders　really　divided　their　attention　between　their　Aes　Sedai　and　him　now；　but　in　contrast　to　the　two　women；　they　watched　a　lion　that　might　charge　any　moment。
　　　〃I　see　you　are　working　him　hard；〃　Egwene　said。　That　was　part　of　the　method　for　saving　a　Warder。　Few　sisters　were　willing　to　make　the　attempt；　given　the　rate　of　failure；　and　the　cost　of　it　to　themselves。　Keeping　him　from　risks　was　another。　And　bonding　him　again；　that　was　the　first　step。　Without　doubt　Myrelle　had　taken　care　of　that　little　detail。　Poor　Nynaeve。　She　might　well　strangle　Myrelle；　when　she　learned。　Then　again；　she　might　countenance　anything　that　kept　Lan　alive。　Maybe。　For　Lan's　part；　he　deserved　the　worst　he　received；　letting　himself　be　bonded　by　another　woman　when　he　knew　Nynaeve　was　pining　for　him。
　　　She　thought　she　had　kept　her　voice　clear；　but　something　of　what　she　felt　must　have　crept　through；　because　Myrelle　began　trying　to　explain　again。
　　　〃Mother；　passing　a　bond　is　not　that　bad。　Why；　in　point　of　fact；　it's　no　more　than　a　woman　deciding　who　should　have　her　husband　if　she　dies；　to　see　he　is　in　the　right　hands。〃
　　　Egwene　stared　at　her　so　hard　that　she　stepped　back；　almost　tripping　over　her　skirts。　It　was　only　shock；　though。　Every　time　she　thought　she　had　heard　of　the　strangest　possible　custom；　another　popped　up　stranger　still。
　　　〃We　aren't　all　Ebou　Dari；　Myrelle；〃　Siuan　said　dryly；　〃and　a　Warder　isn't　a　husband。　For　most　of　us。〃　Myrelle's　head　came　up　defiantly。　Some　sisters　did　marry　a　Warder；　a　handful；　not　many　married　at　all。　No　one　inquired　too　closely；　but　rumor　said　she　had　married　all　three　of　hers；　which　surely　violated　custom　and　law　even　in　Ebou　Dar。　〃Not　that　bad；　you　say；　Myrelle？　Not　that　bad？〃　Siuan's　scowl　matched　her　tone；　she　sounded　as　if　she　had　a　vile　taste　in　her　mouth。
　　　〃There　is　no　law　against　it；〃　Nisao　protested。　To　Egwene；　not　Siuan。　〃No　law　against　passing　a　bond。〃　Siuan　received　a　frown　that　should　have　made　her　step　back　and　shut　her　mouth。　She　was　having　none　of　it；　though。
　　　〃That's　not　the　point；　is　it？〃　she　demanded。　〃Even　if　it　hasn't　been　done　in　…　what？　four　hundred　years　or　more？　…　even　if　customs　have　changed；　you　might　have　escaped　with　a　few　stares　and　a　little　censure　if　all　you　and　Moiraine　had　done　was　pass　his　bond　between　you。　But　he　wasn't　asked；　was　he？　He　was　given　no　choice。　You　might　as　well　have　bonded　him　against　his　will。　In　fact；　you　bloody　well　did！〃
　　　At　last　the　puzzle　came　clear　for　Egwene。　She　knew　she　should　feel　the　same　disgust　as　Siuan。　Aes　Sedai　put　bonding　a　man　against　his　will　on　a　level　with　rape。　He　had　as　much　chance　to　resist　as　a　farmgirl　would　if　a　man　the　size　of　Lan　cornered　her　in　a　barn。　If　three　men　the　size　of　Lan　did。　Sisters　had　not　always　been　so　particular　though　…　a　thousand　years　earlier；　it　would　hardly　have　been　remarked　…　and　even　today　an　argument　could　sometimes　be　made　as　to　whether　a　man　had　actually　known　what　he　was　agreeing　to。　Hypocrisy　was　a　fine　art　among　Aes　Sedai　sometimes；　like　scheming　or　keeping　secrets。　The　thing　was；　she　knew　he　had　resisted　admitting　his　love　for　Nynaeve。　Some　nonsense　about　how　he　was　bound　to　be　killed　sooner　or　later　and　did　not　want　to　leave　her　a　widow；　men　always　did　spout　drivel　when　they　thought　they　were　being　logical　and　practical。　Would　Nynaeve　have　let　him　walk　away　unbonded；　had　she　had　the　chance；　whatever　he　said？　Would　she　herself　let