rj.acrownofswords-第90章
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His mouth fell open。 The writing table behind his back rattled against the wall as he tried to back away。 The only way out was to push her aside or climb over her skirts。 Women did not behave this way！ Oh； some of those old memories suggested they did； but it was mainly memories of memories that that woman had done this or this woman had done that； the things he recalled clearly were battles for the most part； and no help here at all。 She smiled； a faint curl of her lips that did not lessen the predatory gleam in her eyes。 The hair on his head tried to stand up。
Her eyes flickered over his shoulder to the mirror； and she turned abruptly； leaving him gaping at her back as she moved away。 〃I must arrange to speak with you again； Master Cauthon。 I … 〃 She cut off as the door swung all the way open； apparently surprised； but then he realized she had seen it begin moving in the mirror。
A slender young man entered； limping slightly； a dark lad with sharp eyes that flicked by Mat with barely a pause。 Black hair hung to his shoulders； and he wore one of those coats that was never meant to be worn normally draped across his shoulders； green silk； with a gold chain across his chest and gold leopards worked on the lapels。 〃Mother；〃 he said； bowing to Tylin and touching his lips with his fingers。
〃Beslan。〃 She filled the name with warmth； and kissed him on both cheeks and his eyelids。 The firm； even icy； tone she had used with Mat might as well have never been。 〃It went well； I see。〃
〃Not as well as it might。〃 The boy sighed。 Despite his eyes； he had a mild manner to him； and a soft voice。 〃Nevin nicked my leg on the second pass； then slipped on the third so I ran him through the heart instead of his sword…arm。 The offense was not worth killing； and now I must pay condolences to his widow。〃 He seemed to regret that as much as this Nevin's death。
Tylin's beaming face hardly seemed right on a woman whose son had just told her he had killed a man。 〃Just be sure your visit is brief。 Stab my eyes； but Davindra will be one of those widows who wants forting； and then you will either have to marry her or kill her brothers。〃 By her tone； the first alternative was much the worse； the second merely a nuisance。 〃This is Master Mat Cauthon； my son。 He is ta'veren。 I hope you will make a friend of him。 Perhaps you two will go to the Swovan Night dances together。〃
Mat jumped。 The last thing he wanted was to go anywhere with a fellow who fought duels and whose mother wanted to stroke Mat Cauthon's cheek。 〃I am not much for balls；〃 he said quickly。 Ebou Dari liked festivals beyond reason。 Here High Chasaline was just past； and they had five more in the next week； two all…day affairs； not just the simpler evening feasts。 〃I do my dancing in taverns。 The rougher sort； I'm afraid。 Nothing you'd like。〃
〃I favor taverns of the rougher sort；〃 Beslan said with a smile； in that soft voice。 〃The balls are for older people； and their pretties。〃
After that； it was all downhill on crumpling shingle。 Before Mat knew what was happening； Tylin had him sewed up in a sack。 He and Beslan would be attending the festivals together。 All of the festivals。 Hunting； Beslan called it； and when Mat said hunting for girls without thinking … he would never have said that in front of somebody's mother had he thought … the boy laughed and said； 〃A girl or a fight； pouting lips or a flashing blade。 Whichever dance you're dancing at the moment is always the most fun。 Wouldn't you say so； Mat？〃 Tylin smiled at Beslan fondly。
Mat managed a weak laugh。 This Beslan was mad； him and his mother both。
Chapter 17
（Female Silhouettes）
The Triumph of Logic
Mat stalked out of the palace when Tylin finally let him go； and had he thought it would do any good； he would have run。 The skin between his shoulder blades prickled so； he almost forgot the dice dancing in his head。 The worst moment … the very worst of a dozen bad … had been when Beslan teased his mother； saying she should find herself a pretty for the balls； and Tylin laughingly claimed a queen had no time for young men； all the while looking at Mat with those bloody eagle's eyes。 Now he knew why rabbits ran so fast。 He stumped across Mol Hara Square not seeing anything。 Had Nynaeve and Elayne been cavorting with Jaichim Carridin and Elaida in the fountain beneath that statue of some long…dead queen； two spans or more tall and pointing to the sea； he would have passed by without a second look。
The mon room of The Wandering Woman was dim and paratively cool after the bright heat outside。 He took off his hat gratefully。 A faint haze of pipesmoke hung in the air； but the arabesque…carved shutters across the wide arched windows let in more than enough light。 Some bedraggled pine branches had been tied above the windows for Swovan Night。 In one corner； two women with flutes and a fellow with a small drum between his knees provided a shrill； pulsing sort of music that Mat had e to like。 Even at this time of the day there were a few patrons； outland merchants in moderately plain woolens with a sprinkling of Ebou Dari； most in the vests of various guilds。 No apprentices or even journeymen here； so close to the palace； The Wandering Woman was hardly an inexpensive place to drink or eat； much less sleep。
The rattle of dice at a table in the corner echoed the feel in his head； but he turned the other way； to where three of his men sat on benches around another table。 Corevin； a thickly muscled Cairhienin with a nose that made his eyes seem even smaller than they were； sat stripped to the waist； holding his tattooed arms over his head while Vanin wound strips of bandage around his middle。 Vanin was three times Corevin's size； but he looked like a balding sack of suet overflowing his bench。 His coat appeared to have been slept in for a week； it always did； even an hour after one of the serving women ironed it。 Some of the merchants eyed the three uneasily； but none of the Ebou Dari； men or women； they had seen the same or worse； often。
Harnan； a lantern…jawed Tairen file leader with a crude tattoo of a hawk on his left cheek； was berating Corevin。 〃。。。 don't care what the flaming fish…seller said； you goat…spawned toad； you use your bloody club and don't go accepting flaming challenges just because … 〃 He cut off when he saw Mat； and tried to look as if he had not been saying what he had。 He just looked as if he had a toothache。
If Mat asked； it would turn out Corevin had slipped and fallen on his own dagger or some such foolery Mat was supposed to pretend to believe。 So he just leaned his fists on the table as if he saw nothing out of the ordinary。 Truth to tell； it was not that out of the ordinary。 Vanin was the only man who had not been in two dozen scrapes already； for some reason； men looking for trouble walked as wide of Vanin as they did Nalesean。 The only difference was that Vanin seemed to like it that way。 〃Has Thom or Juilin been here yet？〃
Vanin did not look up from tying the bandages。 〃Haven't seen hide； hair nor toenail。 Nalesean was in for a bit； though。〃 There was no 〃my lord〃 nonsense from Vanin。 He made no bones about not liking nobles。 With the unfortunate exception of Elayne。 〃Left an iron…strapped chest up in your room； and went out babbling about trinkets。〃 He made as if to spit through the gap in his teeth； then glanced at one of the serving women and did not。 Mistress Anan was death on anybody spitting on her floors； or tossing bones； or even tapping out a pipe。 〃The boy's out back in the stable；〃 he went on before Mat could ask； 〃with his book and one of the innkeeper's daughters。 Another of the girls spanked his bottom for pinching hers。〃 Finishing the last knot； he gave Mat an accusatory look； as if it had been his fault in some way。
〃Poor little mite；〃 Corevin muttered； twisting to see whether the bandages would stay in place。 He had a leopard and a boar inked on one arm； a lion and a woman on the other。 The woman did not seem to be wearing much except her hair。 〃Sniveling； he was。 Though he did brighten when Leral let him hold her hand。〃 The men all looked after Olver like a gaggle of uncl
