rj.thepathofdaggers-第132章

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　　　　　　　Down　they　climbed　and　down；　past　doors　letting　onto　basements　and　sub…basements；　until　they　reached　the　very　lowest　level；　below　even　where　the　Accepted　were　tested。　The　dark　hallway　was　lit　only　by　Seaine's　small　light。　They　held　their　skirts　high；　but　their　slippers　kicked　up　small　clouds　of　dust　however　carefully　they　stepped。　Plain　wooden　doors　lined　the　smooth　stone　walls；　many　with　great　lumps　of　rust　for　hinges　and　locks。
　　　　　　　〃Sitter；〃　Zerah　asked；　finally　showing　doubt；　〃whatever　can　we　be　after　down　here？　I　don't　believe　anyone　has　been　this　deep　for　years。〃
　　　　　　　Seaine　was　sure　her　own　visit；　a　few　days　earlier；　had　been　the　first　to　this　level　in　at　least　a　century。　That　was　one　of　the　reasons　she　and　Pevara　had　chosen　it。　〃Just　in　here；〃　she　said；　swinging　open　a　door　that　moved　with　only　a　little　squealing。　No　amount　of　oil　could　loosen　all　the　rust；　and　efforts　to　use　the　Power　had　been　useless。　Her　abilities　with　Earth　were　better　than　Pevara's；　but　that　was　not　saying　very　much。
　　　　　　　Zerah　stepped　in；　and　blinked　in　surprise。　In　an　otherwise　empty　room；　Pevara　sat　behind　a　sturdy　if　rather　worn　table　with　three　small　benches　around　it。　Getting　those　few　pieces　down　unseen　had　been　difficult　…　especially　when　servants　could　not　be　trusted。　Clearing　out　the　dust　had　been　much　simpler　if　no　more　pleasant；　and　smoothing　the　dust　in　the　hall　outside；　necessary　after　every　visit；　had　been　simply　onerous。
　　　　　　　〃I　was　about　to　give　up　sitting　here　in　the　dark；〃　Pevara　growled。　The　glow　of　saidar　surrounded　her　as　she　lifted　a　lantern　from　beneath　the　table　and　channeled　it　alight；　casting　as　much　illumination　as　the　rough…walled　former　storeroom　deserved。　Somewhat　plump　and　normally　pretty；　the　Red　Sitter　looked　a　bear　with　two　sore　teeth。　〃We　want　to　ask　you　a　few　questions；　Zerah。〃　And　she　shielded　the　woman　as　Seaine　shut　the　door。
　　　　　　　Zerah's　shadowed　face　remained　utterly　calm；　but　she　swallowed　audibly。　〃About　what；　Sitters？〃　There　was　the　faintest　tremor　in　the　younger　woman's　voice；　as　well。　It　could　be　simply　the　mood　of　the　Tower；　though。
　　　　　　　〃The　Black　Ajah；〃　Pevara　replied　curtly。　〃We　want　to　know　whether　you're　a　Darkfriend。〃
　　　　　　　Amazement　and　outrage　shattered　Zerah's　calm。　Most　would　have　taken　that　for　sufficient　denial　without　her　snapped　〃I　don't　have　to　take　that　from　you！　You　Reds　have　been　setting　up　false　Dragons　for　years！　If　you　ask　me；　there's　no　need　to　look　further　than　the　Red　quarters　to　find　Black　sisters！〃
　　　　　　　Pevara's　face　darkened　with　fury。　Her　loyalty　to　her　Ajah　was　strong；　which　went　without　saying；　but　worse；　she　had　lost　her　entire　family　to　Darkfriends。　Seaine　decided　to　step　in　before　Pevara　resorted　to　brute　force。　They　had　no　proof。　Not　yet。
　　　　　　　〃Sit；　Zerah；〃　she　said　with　as　much　warmth　as　she　could　muster。　〃Sit　down；　sister。〃
　　　　　　　Zerah　turned　toward　the　door　as　though　she　might　disobey　an　order　from　a　Sitter　…　and　of　her　own　Ajah！　…　but　at　last　she　settled　onto　one　of　the　benches；　stiffly；　sitting　right　at　the　edge。
　　　　　　　Before　Seaine　had　finished　taking　a　seat　that　placed　Zerah　between　them；　Pevara　laid　the　ivory…white　Oath　Rod　on　the　battered　tabletop。　Seaine　sighed。　They　were　Sitters；　with　a　perfect　right　to　use　any　ter'angreal　they　wished；　but　she　had　been　the　one　to　filch　it　…　she　could　not　help　thinking　of　it　as　filching　when　she　had　observed　none　of　the　proper　procedures　…　and　the　whole　time；　in　the　back　of　her　head；　she　had　been　sure　she　would　turn　to　find　long…dead　Sereille　Bagand　standing　here；　ready　to　haul　her　off　to　the　Mistress　of　Novices'　study　by　her　ear。　Irrational；　but　no　less　real。
　　　　　　　〃We　want　to　make　sure　you　tell　the　truth；〃　Pevara　said；　still　sounding　like　an　angry　bear；　〃so　you　will　swear　an　oath　on　this；　and　then　I'll　ask　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　should　not　be　subjected　to　this；〃　Zerah　said　with　an　accusing　look　at　Seaine；　〃but　I　will　re…swear　all　of　the　Oaths；　if　that's　what　it　needs　to　satisfy　you。　And　I　will　demand　an　apology　from　you　both；　afterward。〃　She　hardly　sounded　like　a　women　shielded　and　asked　such　a　question。　Almost　contemptuously；　she　reached　for　the　slim；　foot…long　rod。　It　shone　in　the　dim　light　of　the　lantern。
　　　　　　　〃You'll　swear　to　obey　the　two　of　us　absolutely；〃　Pevara　told　her；　and　that　hand　snatched　back　as　if　from　a　coiled　viper。　Pevara　went　right　on；　even　sliding　the　Rod　closer　to　the　woman　with　two　fingers。　〃That　way；　we　can　tell　you　to　answer　truthfully　and　know　you　will；　and　if　you　give　the　wrong　answer；　we　can　know　you'll　be　obedient　and　helpful　in　helping　us　hunt　down　your　Black　sisters。　The　Rod　can　be　used　to　free　you　of　the　oath；　if　you　give　the　right　answer。〃
　　　　　　　〃To　free　…？〃　Zerah　exclaimed。　〃I've　never　heard　of　anyone　being　loosed　from　an　oath　on　the　Oath　Rod。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　why　we　are　taking　all　these　precautions；〃　Seaine　told　her。　〃Logically；　a　Black　sister　must　be　able　to　lie；　which　means　she　must　have　freed　of　at　least　that　Oath　and　likely　all　three。　Pevara　and　I　tested；　and　found　the　procedure　much　the　same　as　taking　an　oath。〃　She　did　not　mention　how　painful　it　had　been；　though；　leaving　the　pair　of　them　weeping。　She　also　did　not　mention　that　Zerah　would　not　be　freed　of　her　oath　whatever　her　answer；　not　until　the　search　for　the　Black　Ajah　came　to　a　conclusion。　For　one　thing；　she　could　not　be　allowed　to　run　off　and　plain　about　this　questioning；　which　she　most　certainly　would；　with　every　right；　if　she　was　not　of　the　Black。　If。
　　　　　　　Light；　but　Seaine　wished　they　had　found　a　sister　from　another　Ajah　who　fit　the　criteria　they　had　set。　A　Green　or　a　Yellow　would　have　done　quite　nicely。　That　lot　were　overweening　at　the　best　of　times；　and　of　late。。。！　No。　She　was　not　going　to　fall　prey　to　the　sickness　spreading　through　the　Tower。　Yet　she　could　not　help　the　names　that　flashed　through　her　head；　a　dozen　Greens；　twice　as　many　Yellows；　and　every　one　long　past　due　taking　down　a　few　rungs。　Sniff　at　a　Sitter？
　　　　　　　〃You　freed　yourselves　from　one　of　the　Oaths？〃　Zerah　sounded　startled；　disgusted；　uneasy；　all　at　the　same　time。　Perfectly　reasonable　responses。
　　　　　　　〃And　took　it　again；〃　Pevara　muttered　impatiently。　Snatching　up　the　slim　rod；　she　channeled　a　little　Spirit　into　one　end　while　maintaining　Zerah's　shield。　〃Under　the　Light；　I　vow　to　speak　no　word　that　is　not　true。　Under　the　Light；　I　vow　to　make　no　weapon　for　one　man　to　kill　another。　Under　the　Light；　I　vow　not　to　use　the　One　Power　as　a　weapon　except　against　Shadowspawn；　or　in　the　last　defense　of　my　life；　the　life　of　my　Warder；　or　that　of　another　sister。〃　She　did　not　grimace　over　the　part　about　Warders；　new　sisters　bound　for　the　Red　often　did。　〃I　am　not　a　Darkfriend。　I　hope　that　satisfies　you。〃　She　showed　Zerah　her　teeth；　but　whether　in　smile　or　snarl　was　hard　to　say。
　　　　　　　Seaine　retook　the　Oaths　in　turn；　each　producing　a　slight　momentary　pressure　everywhere　from　her　scalp　to　the　soles　of　her　feet。　In　truth；　the　pressure　was　difficult　to　detect　at　all；　with　her　skin　still　feeling　too　tight　from　retaking　the　Oath　against　speaking　a　lie。　Claiming　that　Pevara　had　a　beard　or　that　the　streets　of　Tar　Valon　were　paved　with　cheese　had　been　strangely　exhilarating　for　a　time　…　even　Pevara　had　giggled　…　but　hardly　worth　the　disfort　now。　Testing　had　not　really　seemed　necessary；　to　her。　Logically；　it　must　be　so。　Saying　that　she　was　not　of　the　Black　twisted　her　tongue　…　a　vile　thing　to　be　forced　to　deny　…　but　she　handed　Zerah　the　Oath　Rod　with　a　decisive　nod。
　　　　　　　Shifting　on　her　bench；　the　slender　woman　turned　the　smooth　white　rod　in　her　fingers；　swallowing　convulsively。　The　pale　lantern　light　made　her　appear　ill。　She　looked　from　one　of　them　to　the　other；　wide…eyed；　then　her　hands　tightened　on　the　Rod；　and　she　nodded。
　　　　　　　〃Exactly　as　I　said；〃　Pevara　growled；　channeling　Spirit　to　the　Rod　again；　〃or　you'll　be　swearing　until　you　have　it　right。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　vow　to　obey　the　two　of　you　absolutely；〃　Zerah　said　in　a　tight　voice；　then　shuddered　as　the　oath　took　hold。　It　was　always　tighter　at　the　first。　〃Ask　me　about　the　Black　Ajah；〃　she　demanded。　Her　hands　shook　holding　the　Rod。　〃Ask　me　about　the　Black　Ajah！〃　Her　intensity　told　Seaine　the　answer　even　before　Pevara　released　the　flow　of　Spirit　and　asked　the　question；　manding　utter　truth。　〃No