rj.acrownofswords-第79章

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do　it　alone。　It　will　require　many　women　working　together；　perhaps　a　full　circle　of　thirteen。　We　think　those　women　should　include　Windfinders。　No　one　else　knows　so　much　of　weather；　not　any　Aes　Sedai　living。　That　is　the　aid　we　ask。〃
　　　Dead　silence　met　her　speech；　until　Dorile　din　Eiran　said　carefully；　〃This　ter'angreal；　Aes　Sedai。　What　is　it　called？　How　does　it　look？〃
　　　〃It　has　no　name；　that　I　know；〃　Elayne　told　her。　〃It　is　a　thick　crystal　bowl；　shallow　but　something　over　two　feet　across；　and　worked　inside　with　clouds。　When　it　is　channeled　into；　the　clouds　move　…　〃
　　　〃The　Bowl　of　the　Winds；〃　the　Windfinder　broke　in　excitedly；　stepping　toward　Elayne　as　if　she　did　not　realize　it。　〃They　have　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds。〃
　　　〃You　truly　have　it？〃　The　Wavemistress's　eyes　were　fixed　on　Elayne　eagerly；　and　she　also　took　an　involuntary　step。
　　　〃We　are　looking　for　it；〃　Elayne　said。　〃But　we　know　it　is　in　Ebou　Dar。　If　it　is　the　same　…　〃
　　　〃It　must　be；〃　Malin　din　Toral　exclaimed。　〃By　your　description；　it　must！〃
　　　〃The　Bowl　of　the　Winds；〃　Dorile　din　Eiran　breathed。　〃To　think　it　would　be　found　again　after　two　thousand　years　here！　It　must　be　the　Coramoor。　He　must　have　…　〃
　　　Nesta　din　Reas'　hands　slapped　together　loudly。　〃Do　I　see　a　Wavemistress　and　her　Windfinder；　or　two　deckgirls　at　their　first　shipmeet？〃　Malin　din　Toral's　cheeks　reddened　with　a　proud　anger；　and　she　bent　her　head　stiffly；　pride　in　that　as　well。　Twice　as　flushed；　Dorile　din　Eiran　bowed；　touching　fingertips　to　forehead；　lips　and　heart。
　　　The　Shipmistress　frowned　at　them　a　moment；　before　going　on。　〃Baroc；　summon　the　other　Wavemistresses　who　hold　this　port；　and　the　First　Twelve　as　well。　With　their　Windfinders。　And　let　them　know　you　will　hoist　them　by　their　toes　in　their　own　rigging　if　they　do　not　hurry。〃　As　he　rose；　she　added；　〃Oh。　And　have　tea　sent　down。　Working　out　the　terms　of　this　bargain　will　be　thirsty。〃
　　　The　old　man　nodded；　that　he　might　dangle　Wavemistresses　by　their　toes　and　that　he　must　send　tea　were　accepted　equally。　Eyeing　Aviendha　and　the　others；　he　sauntered　out　with　that　rolling　walk。　She　changed　her　opinion　when　she　saw　his　eyes　close　up。　It　might　have　been　a　fatal　mistake　to　kill　the　Windfinder　first。
　　　Someone　must　have　been　awaiting　orders　of　the　sort；　because　Baroc　was　only　gone　moments　before　a　slim；　pretty　young　man　with　a　single　thin　ring　in　each　ear　entered　carrying　a　wooden　tray　that　bore　a　square　blue…glazed　teapot　with　a　golden　handle　and　large　blue　cups　of　thick　pottery。　Nesta　din　Reas　waved　him　out　…　〃He　will　spread　enough　tales　as　it　is；　without　hearing　what　he　should　not；〃　she　said　when　he　was　gone　…　and　directed　Birgitte　to　pour。　Which　she　did；　to　Aviendha's　surprise；　and　maybe　her　own。
　　　The　Shipmistress　settled　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　in　chairs　at　one　end　of　the　table；　apparently　intent　on　beginning　her　bargaining。　Aviendha　refused　a　chair　…　at　the　other　end　of　the　table　…　but　Birgitte　took　one；　swinging　the　arm　out；　then　latching　it　back　when　she　was　seated。　The　Wavemistress　and　the　Windfinder　were　excluded　from　that　discussion；　too；　if　discussion　it　could　be　called。　The　words　were　too　low　to　hear；　but　Nesta　din　Reas　emphasized　everything　she　said　with　a　finger　driven　like　a　spear；　Elayne　had　her　chin　so　high　she　seemed　to　be　looking　down　her　nose；　and　if　Nynaeve　for　once　was　managing　to　keep　her　face　calm；　she　seemed　to　be　trying　to　climb　her　own　braid。
　　　〃If　it　pleases　the　Light；　I　will　speak　with　both　of　you；〃　Malin　din　Toral　said；　looking　from　Aviendha　to　Birgitte；　〃but　I　think　I　must　hear　your　story　first。〃　Birgitte　began　to　look　alarmed　as　the　woman　sat　down　across　from　her。
　　　〃Which　means　I　can　speak　first　with　you；　if　it　pleases　the　Light；〃　Dorile　din　Eiran　told　Aviendha。　〃I　have　read　of　the　Aiel。　If　it　pleases　you；　tell　me；　if　an　Aiel　woman　must　kill　a　man　every　day；　how　are　there　any　men　left　among　you？〃
　　　Aviendha　did　her　best　not　to　stare。　How　could　the　woman　believe　such　nonsense？
　　　〃When　did　you　live　among　us？〃　Malin　din　Toral　said　over　her　teacup　at　the　near　end　of　the　table。　Birgitte　was　leaning　away　from　her　as　though　she　wanted　to　climb　over　the　back　of　the　chair。
　　　At　the　far　end　of　the　table；　Nesta　din　Reas'　voice　rose　for　a　moment。　〃。。。　came　to　me；　not　I　to　you。　That　sets　the　basis　for　our　bargain；　even　if　you　are　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　Slipping　into　the　room；　Baroc　paused　between　Aviendha　and　Birgitte。　〃It　seems　your　shoreboat　departed　as　soon　as　you　came　below；　but　have　no　worry；　Windrunner　has　boats　to　put　you　on　the　shore。〃　Walking　on　down　the　cabin；　he　took　a　chair　below　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　and　joined　right　in。　When　they　looked　at　whichever　was　speaking；　the　other　could　observe　them　unnoticed。　They　had　lost　an　advantage；　one　they　needed。　〃Of　course　the　bargain　is　on　our　terms；〃　he　said　in　tones　of　disbelief　that　it　could　be　otherwise；　while　the　Shipmistress　studied　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　as　a　woman　might　two　goats　she　meant　to　skin　for　a　feast。　Baroc's　smile　was　almost　fatherly。　〃Who　asks　must　of　course　pay　highest。〃
　　　〃But　you　must　have　lived　among　us　to　know　those　ancient　oaths；〃　Malin　din　Toral　insisted。
　　　〃Are　you　well；　Aviendha？〃　Dorile　din　Eiran　asked。　〃Even　here；　the　motion　of　a　ship　sometimes　affects　shorefolk　…　No？　And　my　questions　do　not　offend？　Then　tell　me。　Do　Aiel　women　truly　tie　a　man　down　before　you　…　I　mean；　when　you　and　he　…　when　you　…　〃　Cheeks　reddened；　she　broke　off　with　a　weak　smile。　〃Are　many　Aiel　women　as　strong　in　the　One　Power　as　you？〃
　　　It　was　not　the　Windfinder's　foolish　fumbling　about　that　had　made　the　blood　drain　from　Aviendha's　face；　or　that　Birgitte　appeared　ready　to　run　once　she　could　manage　to　unlatch　the　chair　arm　again；　or　even　that　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　were　apparently　discovering　they　were　two　bright…eyed　girls　at　a　fair；　in　the　hands　of　well…seasoned　traders。　They　would　all　blame　her；　and　rightly。　She　was　the　one　who　had　said　if　they　could　not　take　the　ter'angreal　back　to　Egwene　and　the　other　Aes　Sedai　once　found；　why　not　secure　these　Sea　Folk　women　they　spoke　of？　Time　could　not　be　wasted；　waiting　for　Egwene　al'Vere　to　say　they　could　return。　They　would　blame　her；　and　she　would　meet　her　toh；　but　she　was　remembering　the　boats　she　had　seen　on　the　deck；　stacked　upside　down　atop　one　another。　Boats　without　any　shelter　on　board。　They　would　blame　her；　but　whatever　debt　she　owed　she　was　going　to　repay　a　thousandfold　in　shame　by　the　time　she　was　taken　across　seven　or　eight　miles　of　water　in　an　open　boat。
　　　〃Do　you　have　a　bucket？〃　she　asked　the　Windfinder　faintly。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　14　
（Dice）　
White　Plumes　
　　　
　　　The　Silver　Circuit　was　misnamed　at　first　glance；　but　Ebou　Dar　liked　grand　names；　and　sometimes　it　seemed　that　the　worse　they　fit；　the　better。　The　grimiest　tavern　Mat　had　seen　in　the　city；　smelling　of　very　old　fish；　bore　the　name　of　The　Queen's　Glory　in　Radiance；　while　The　Golden　Crown　of　Heaven　graced　a　dim　hole　across　the　river　in　the　Rahad　with　only　a　blue　door　to　mark　it；　where　black　stains　from　old　knife　fights　splotched　the　grimy　floor。　The　Silver　Circuit　was　for　racing　horses。
　　　Removing　his　hat；　he　fanned　himself　with　the　broad　brim；　and　went　so　far　as　to　loosen　the　black　silk　scarf　he　wore　to　hide　the　scar　around　his　neck。　The　morning　air　shimmered　with　heat　already；　yet　crowds　packed　the　two　long　earthen　banks　that　flanked　the　course　where　the　horses　would　run　up　and　back。　That　was　all　there　was　to　the　Silver　Circuit。　The　murmur　of　voices　almost　drowned　out　the　cries　of　the　gulls　overhead。　There　was　no　charge　to　watch；　so　saltworkers　in　the　white　vest　of　their　guild　and　gaunt…faced　farmers　who　had　fled　from　the　Dragonsworn　inland　rubbed　shoulders　with　ragged　Taraboners　wearing　transparent　veils　across　their　thick　mustaches；　weavers　in　vests　with　vertical　stripes；　printers　in　horizontal　stripes　and　dyers　with　hands　stained　to　the　elbow。　The　unrelieved　black　of　Amadician　countrymen；　buttoned　to　the　neck　though　the　wearers　seemed　about　to　sweat　to　death；　stood　alongside　Murandian　village　dresses　with　long　colorful　aprons　so　narrow　they　must　be　only　for　show；　and　even　a　handful　of　copper…skinned　Domani；　the　men　in　short　coats　if　they　wore　one；　the　women　in　wool　or　linen　so　thin　it　clung