rj.thepathofdaggers-第99章

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Bryne。　He　would　have　enjoyed　none　of　it。　Some；　he　might　not　have　survived。
　　　　　　　〃Siuan；〃　Egwene　said　warningly。　〃You　deny　one　more　time　what's　plain　as　your　nose；　and　I'll　tell　him　and　give　him　the　money。〃
　　　　　　　Siuan　pouted　sullenly。　She　pouted！　Sullenly！　Siuan！　〃I　don't　have　time　to　be　in　love。　I　barely　have　time　to　think；　between　working　for　you　and　him。　And　even　if　everything　goes　right　tonight；　I'll　have　twice　as　much　to　do。　Besides。。。　〃　Her　face　fell；　and　she　shifted　on　the　stool。　〃What　if　he　doesn't。。。　return　my　feelings？〃　she　muttered。　〃He's　never　even　tried　to　kiss　me。　All　he　cares　about　is　whether　his　shirts　are　clean。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　scraped　her　spoon　through　her　bowl；　and　was　surprised　when　it　came　up　empty。　Nothing　remained　of　the　roll　but　a　few　crumbs　on　her　dress。　Light；　her　middle　still　felt　hollow。　She　eyed　Siuan's　bowl　hopefully；　the　woman　seemed　to　have　little　interest　in　anything　but　drawing　circles　in　the　lentils。
　　　　　　　A　sudden　thought　occurred　to　her。　Why　had　Lord　Bryne　insisted　that　Siuan　work　off　her　debt　even　after　learning　who　she　was？　Just　because　she　had　said　she　would？　It　was　a　preposterous　arrangement。　Except　that　it　did　keep　her　close　to　him　when　nothing　else　would　have。　For　that　matter；　she　herself　had　often　wondered　why　Bryne　had　agreed　to　build　the　army。　He　had　to　have　known　there　was　a　very　good　chance　he　was　laying　his　head　on　the　chopping　block。　And　why　he　had　offered　that　army　to　her；　a　girl　Amyrlin　with　no　real　authority　and　not　a　friend　among　the　sisters　except　Siuan；　as　far　as　he　knew？　Could　the　answer　to　all　of　those　questions　be　as　simple　as。。。　he　loved　Siuan？　No；　most　men　were　frivolous　and　flighty；　but　that　was　truly　preposterous！　Still；　she　offered　the　suggestion；　if　only　to　amuse　Siuan。　It　might　cheer　her　a　little。
　　　　　　　Siuan　snorted　in　disbelief。　It　sounded　odd；　ing　from　that　pretty　face；　but　no　one　could　put　quite　so　much　expression　into　a　snort　as　she　did。　〃He's　not　a　total　idiot；〃　she　said　dryly。　〃In　fact；　he　has　a　good　head　on　his　shoulders。　He　thinks　like　a　woman；　most　of　the　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　still　haven't　heard　you　say　you'll　straighten　up；　Siuan；〃　Egwene　persisted。　〃You　have　to；　one　way　or　another。〃
　　　　　　　〃Well；　of　course　I　will。　I　don't　know　what's　been　the　matter　with　me。　It　isn't　as　if　I　never　kissed　a　man　before。〃　Her　eyes　narrowed　suddenly；　as　if　she　expected　Egwene　to　challenge　her　on　that。　〃I　haven't　spent　my　whole　life　in　the　Tower。　This　is　ridiculous！　Chattering　about　men；　tonight　of　all　nights！〃　Peering　into　her　bowl；　she　seemed　to　realize　for　the　first　time　that　it　held　food。　She　filled　her　spoon；　gesturing　with　it　at　Egwene。　〃You　have　to　be　careful　of　your　timing；　more　now　than　ever。　If　Romanda　or　Lelaine　grabs　the　tiller；　you'll　never　get　your　hands　on　it。〃
　　　　　　　Ridiculous　or　not；　something　certainly　had　restored　Siuan's　appetite。　She　went　through　her　stew　faster　than　Egwene　had　hers；　and　not　a　crumb　of　the　roll　escaped　her。　Egwene　found　that　she　had　drawn　her　fingers　through　her　own　empty　bowl。　There　was　nothing　for　it　then　but　to　lick　off　the　last　few　lentils；　of　course。
　　　　　　　Discussing　what　was　to　happen　tonight　served　no　real　point。　They　had　honed　and　refined　what　Egwene　was　to　say；　and　when；　so　many　times　that　she　was　surprised　she　had　not　dreamed　of　it。　She　certainly　could　have　done　her　part　in　her　sleep。　Siuan　insisted　anyway；　skirting　very　near　the　point　where　Egwene　would　have　to　call　her　down；　going　over　it　again　and　again；　bringing　up　possibilities　they　had　discussed　before　a　hundred　times。　Strangely；　Siuan　had　found　herself　a　very　good　mood。　She　even　essayed　a　little　humor；　unusual　for　her　of　late；　though　some　was　on　the　gallows　side。
　　　　　　　〃You　know　Romanda　wanted　to　be　Amyrlin　herself　once；〃　she　said　at　one　point。　〃I've　heard　it　was　Tamra　getting　the　stole　and　staff　that　made　her　stalk　off　into　retirement　like　a　gull　with　her　tail　feathers　clipped。　I'll　lay　a　silver　mark　I　don't　have　to　a　fish　scale　that　her　eyes　bulge　twice　as　much　as　Lelaine's。〃
　　　　　　　And　later。　〃I　wish　I　could　be　there　to　hear　them　howl。　Somebody's　going　to　before　much　longer；　and　I'd　rather　it　was　them　than　us。　I　never　had　the　voice　for　singing。〃　She　actually　sang　a　little　snatch　about　staring　across　the　river　at　a　boy　and　having　no　boat。　She　was　right；　her　voice　was　pleasant　in　its　fashion；　but　she　could　not　carry　a　tune　in　a　bucket。
　　　　　　　And　later　still。　〃A　good　thing　I　have　such　a　sweet　face　now。　If　this　goes　badly；　they'll　dress　the　pair　of　us　for　dolls　and　sit　us　on　a　shelf　to　admire。　Of　course；　we　might　have　'accidents'　instead。　Dolls　do　get　broken。　Gareth　Bryne　will　have　to　find　someone　else　to　bully。〃　She　really　laughed　at　that。
　　　　　　　Egwene　felt　considerable　relief　when　the　tentflap　bulged　inward　briefly；　announcing　someone　who　knew　enough　not　to　enter　where　there　was　a　ward。　She　really　did　not　want　to　hear　where　Siuan's　humor　went　from　there！
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　she　released　the　ward；　Sheriam　stepped　inside；　acpanied　by　a　rush　of　air　that　seemed　ten　times　as　cold　as　earlier。　〃It's　time；　Mother。　Everything　is　ready。〃　Her　tilted　eyes　were　wide；　and　she　licked　her　lips　with　the　tip　of　her　tongue。
　　　　　　　Siuan　bounded　to　her　feet　and　seized　her　cloak　from　Egwene's　cot；　but　she　paused　in　the　act　of　draping　it　on　her　shoulders。　〃I　have　sailed　the　Fingers　of　the　Dragon　in　the　dark；　you　know；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃And　netted　a　lionfish　once；　with　my　father。　It　can　be　done。〃
　　　　　　　Sheriam　frowned　as　Siuan　darted　out；　letting　in　more　cold。　〃Sometimes；　I　think；〃　she　began；　but　whatever　she　sometimes　thought；　she　did　not　share。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this；　Mother？〃　she　asked　instead。　〃All　of　it；　today　at　the　lake；　calling　the　Hall　tonight。　Why　did　you　have　us　spend　all　day　yesterday　talking　about　Logain　to　everybody　we　met？　I'd　think　you　might　share　it　with　me。　I　am　your　Keeper。　I　did　swear　fealty。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　tell　you　what　you　need　to　know；〃　Egwene　said；　swinging　her　cloak　around　her　shoulders。　There　was　no　need　to　say　that　she　trusted　a　forced　oath　only　so　far；　even　a　sister's。　And　Sheriam　might　find　a　reason　to　let　a　word　slip　into　the　wrong　ear　despite　that　oath。　After　all；　Aes　Sedai　were　noted　for　finding　loopholes　in　what　they　had　said。　She　did　not　really　believe　that　would　happen；　but　just　as　with　Lord　Bryne；　she　could　not　take　even　small　chances　unless　she　had　to。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to　tell　you；〃　Sheriam　said　bitterly；　〃I　think　tomorrow　Romanda　or　Lelaine　will　be　your　Keeper　of　the　Chronicles；　and　I'll　be　serving　a　penance　for　not　warning　the　Hall。　And　I　think　you　might　envy　me。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　nodded。　All　too　possible。　〃Shall　we　go？〃
　　　　　　　The　sun　made　a　red　dome　on　the　treetops　to　the　west；　and　a　lurid　light　shone　off　the　snow。　Servants　marked　Egwene's　passage　along　the　deep　paths　with　silent　bows　and　curtsies。　Their　faces　were　troubled　or　else　blank；　servants　could　pick　up　the　moods　of　those　they　served　almost　as　quickly　as　Warders。
　　　　　　　Not　a　sister　was　to　be　seen；　at　first；　and　then　they　all　were；　in　a　great　gathering　three　deep　around　a　pavilion　set　up　in　the　only　open　space　in　the　camp　large　enough；　the　area　used　by　sisters　Skimming　to　the　dovecotes　in　Salidar　and　Traveling　back　with　reports　from　the　eyes…and…ears。　A　large　much…mended　piece　of　heavy　canvas；　not　a　patch　on　the　splendor　of　the　canopy　at　the　lake；　it　had　been　a　great　deal　of　effort　to　set　up。　Most　often　in　the　past　two　months；　the　Hall　had　convened　much　as　they　had　yesterday　morning；　or　perhaps　squeezed　into　one　of　the　larger　tents。　The　pavilion　had　been　erected　only　twice　since　leaving　Salidar。　Both　times　for　a　trial。
　　　　　　　Noticing　Egwene　and　Sheriam's　approach；　sisters　in　the　back　murmured　to　those　ahead；　and　a　gap　opened　to　let　them　through。　Expressionless　eyes　watched　the　pair　of　them；　giving　not　a　clue　to　whether　the　watching　sisters　knew　or　even　suspected　what　was　happening。　Not　a　clue　to　what　they　thought。　Butterflies　stirred　in　Egwene's　stomach。　A　rosebud。　Calm。
　　　　　　　She　stepped　onto　the　layered　carpets；　woven　in　bright　flowers　and　a　dozen　different　patterns；　and　moved　through　the　ring　of　braziers　set　up　around　the　canopy's　rim；　and　Sheriam　began。　〃She　es；　she　es。。。　〃　If　she　sounded　a　little　less　grand　than　usual；　a　touch　nervous；　it　was　small　wonder。
　　　　　　　The　p