rj.eyeoftheworld-第153章

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　　　　　　　The　crowd　was　so　thick　that　jostling　was　inevitable。　Even　Whitecloaks　did　not　enjoy　their　little　open　spaces　in　the　throng　today。　As　Rand　let　the　crowd　carry　him　toward　the　Inner　City；　he　realized　that　not　all　animosities　were　being　reined　in。　He　saw　one　of　the　Children　of　the　Light；　one　of　three；　bumped　so　hard　he　almost　fell。　The　Whitecloak　barely　caught　himself　and　started　an　angry　oath　at　the　man　who　had　bumped　him　when　another　man　staggered　him　with　a　deliberate；　aimed　shoulder。　Before　matters　could　go　any　further　the　Whitecloak's　panions　pulled　him　over　to　the　side　of　the　street　to　where　they　could　shelter　in　a　doorway。　The　three　seemed　caught　between　their　normal　glaring　stare　and　disbelief。　The　crowd　streamed　on　by　as　if　none　had　noticed；　and　perhaps　none　had。
　　　　　　　No　one　would　have　dared　do　such　a　thing　two　days　earlier。　More；　Rand　realized；　the　men　who　had　done　the　bumping　wore　white　cockades　on　their　hats。　It　was　widely　believed　the　Whitecloaks　supported　those　who　opposed　the　Queen　and　her　Aes　Sedai　advisor；　but　that　made　no　difference。　Men　were　doing　things　of　which　they　had　never　before　thought。　Jostling　a　Whitecloak；　today。　Tomorrow；　perhaps　pulling　down　a　Queen？　Suddenly　he　wished　there　were　a　few　more　men　close　to　him　showing　red；　jostled　by　white　cockades　and　armbands；　he　abruptly　felt　very　alone。
　　　　　　　The　Whitecloaks　noticed　him　looking　at　them　and　stared　back　as　if　meeting　a　challenge。　He　let　a　singing　swirl　in　the　crowd　sweep　him　out　of　their　sight；　and　joined　in　their　song。
　　　　　　　
〃Forward　the　Lion；
forward　the　Lion；
the　White　Lion　takes　the　field。
Roar　defiance　at　the　Shadow。
Forward　the　Lion；
forward；　Andor　triumphant。〃

　　　　　　　The　route　that　would　bring　the　false　Dragon　into　Caemlyn　was　well　known。　Those　streets　themselves　were　kept　clear　by　solid　lines　of　the　Queen's　Guards　and　red…cloaked　pikemen；　but　people　packed　the　edges　of　them　shoulder　to　shoulder；　even　the　windows　and　the　rooftops。　Rand　worked　his　way　into　the　Inner　City；　trying　to　get　closer　to　the　Palace。　He　had　some　thought　of　actually　seeing　Logain　displayed　before　the　Queen。　To　see　the　false　Dragon　and　a　Queen；　both。。。　That　was　something　he　had　never　dreamed　of　back　home。
　　　　　　　The　Inner　City　was　built　on　hills；　and　much　of　what　the　Ogier　had　made　still　remained。　Where　streets　in　the　New　City　mostly　ran　every　which　way　in　a　crazy…quilt；　here　they　followed　the　curves　of　the　hills　as　if　they　were　a　natural　part　of　the　earth。　Sweeping　rises　and　dips　presented　new　and　surprising　vistas　at　every　turn。　Parks　seen　from　different　angles；　even　from　above；　where　their　walks　and　monuments　made　patterns　pleasing　to　the　eye　though　barely　touched　with　green。　Towers　suddenly　revealed；　tile…covered　walls　glittering　in　the　sunlight　with　a　hundred　changing　colors。　Sudden　rises　where　the　gaze　was　thrown　out　across　the　entire　city　to　the　rolling　plains　and　forests　beyond。　All　in　all；　it　would　have　been　something　to　see　if　not　for　the　crowd　that　hurried　him　along　before　he　had　a　chance　to　really　take　it　in。　And　all　those　curving　streets　made　it　impossible　to　see　very　far　ahead。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　he　was　swept　around　a　bend；　and　there　was　the　Palace。　The　streets；　even　following　the　natural　contours　of　the　land；　had　been　laid　out　to　spiral　in　on　this　…　this　gleeman's　tale　of　pale　spires　and　golden　domes　and　intricate　stonework　traceries；　with　the　banner　of　Andor　waving　from　every　prominence；　a　centerpiece　for　which　all　the　other　vistas　had　been　designed。　It　seemed　more　sculpted　by　an　artist　than　simply　built　like　ordinary　buildings。
　　　　　　　That　glimpse　showed　him　he　would　get　no　nearer。　No　one　was　being　allowed　close　to　the　Palace。　Queen's　Guards　made　scarlet　ranks　ten　deep　flanking　the　Palace　gates。　Along　the　tops　of　the　white　walls；　on　high　balconies　and　towers；　more　Guards　stood　rigidly　straight；　bows　precisely　slanted　across　breastplated　chests。　They；　too；　looked　like　something　out　of　a　gleeman's　tale；　a　guard　of　honor；　but　Rand　did　not　believe　that　was　why　they　were　there。　The　clamoring　crowd　lining　the　streets　was　almost　solid　with　white…wrapped　swords；　white　armbands；　and　white　cockades。　Only　here　and　there　was　the　white　wall　broken　by　a　knot　of　red。　The　red…uniformed　guards　seemed　a　thin　barrier　against　all　that　white。
　　　　　　　Giving　up　on　making　his　way　closer　to　the　Palace；　he　sought　a　place　where　he　could　use　his　height　to　advantage。　He　did　not　have　to　be　in　the　front　row　to　see　everything。　The　crowd　shifted　constantly；　people　shoving　to　get　nearer　the　front；　people　hurrying　off　to　what　they　thought　was　a　better　vantage　point。　In　one　of　those　shifts　he　found　himself　only　three　people　from　the　open　street；　and　all　in　front　of　him　were　shorter　than　he；　including　the　pikemen。　Almost　everyone　was。　People　crowded　against　him　from　both　sides；　sweating　from　the　press　of　so　many　bodies。　Those　behind　him　muttered　about　not　being　able　to　see；　and　tried　to　wriggle　past。　He　stood　his　ground；　making　an　impervious　wall　with　those　to　either　side。　He　was　content。　When　the　false　Dragon　passed　by；　he　would　be　close　enough　to　see　the　man's　face　clearly。
　　　　　　　Across　the　street　and　down　toward　the　gates　to　the　New　City；　a　ripple　passed　through　the　tight…packed　crowd；　around　the　curve；　an　eddy　of　people　was　drawing　back　to　let　something　go　by。　It　was　not　like　the　clear　space　that　followed　Whitecloaks　on　any　day　but　today。　These　people　jerked　themselves　back　with　startled　glances　that　became　grimaces　of　distaste。　Pressing　themselves　out　of　the　way；　they　turned　their　faces　from　whatever　it　was；　but　watched　out　of　the　corners　of　their　eyes　until　it　was　past。
　　　　　　　Other　eyes　around　him　noted　the　disturbance；　too。　Keyed　for　the　ing　of　the　Dragon　but　with　nothing　to　do　now　but　wait；　the　crowd　found　anything　at　all　worthy　of　ment。　He　heard　speculation　ranging　from　an　Aes　Sedai　to　Logain　himself；　and　a　few　coarser　suggestions　that　brought　rough　laughter　from　the　men　and　disdainful　sniffs　from　the　women。
　　　　　　　The　ripple　meandered　through　the　crowd；　drawing　closer　to　the　edge　of　the　street　as　it　came。　No　one　seemed　to　hesitate　in　letting　it　go　where　it　wanted；　even　if　that　meant　losing　a　good　spot　for　viewing　as　the　crowd　flowed　back　in　on　itself　behind　the　passing。　Finally；　directly　across　from　Rand；　the　crowd　bulged　into　the　street；　pushing　aside　red…cloaked　pikemen　who　struggled　to　shove　them　back；　and　broke　open。　The　stooped　shape　that　shuffled　hesitantly　out　into　the　open　looked　more　like　a　pile　of　filthy　rags　than　a　man。　Rand　heard　murmurs　of　disgust　around　him。
　　　　　　　The　ragged　man　paused　on　the　far　edge　of　the　street。　His　cowl；　torn　and　stiff　with　dirt；　swung　back　and　forth　as　if　searching　for　something；　or　listening。　Abruptly　he　gave　a　wordless　cry　and　flung　out　a　dirty　claw　of　a　hand；　pointing　straight　at　Rand。　Immediately　he　began　to　scuttle　across　the　street　like　a　bug。
　　　　　　　The　beggar。　Whatever　ill　chance　had　led　the　man　to　find　him　like　this；　Rand　was　suddenly　sure　that；　Darkfriend　or　not；　he　did　not　want　to　meet　him　face…to…face。　He　could　feel　the　beggar's　eyes；　like　greasy　water　on　his　skin。　Especially　he　did　not　want　the　man　close　to　him　here；　surrounded　by　people　balanced　on　the　brink　of　violence。　The　same　voices　that　had　laughed　before　now　cursed　him　as　he　pushed　his　way　back；　away　from　the　street。
　　　　　　　He　hurried；　knowing　the　densely　packed　mass　through　which　he　had　to　shove　and　wriggle　would　give　way　before　the　filthy　man。　Struggling　to　force　a　path　through　the　crowd；　he　staggered　and　almost　fell　when　he　abruptly　broke　free。　Flailing　his　arms　to　keep　his　balance　he　turned　the　stagger　into　a　run。　People　pointed　at　him；　he　was　the　only　one　not　pressing　the　other　way；　and　running　at　that。　Shouts　followed　him。　His　cloak　flapped　behind　him；　exposing　his　red…clad　sword。　When　he　realized　that；　he　ran　faster。　A　lone　supporter　of　the　Queen；　running；　could　well　spark　a　white…cockaded　mob　to　pursuit；　even　today。　He　ran；　letting　his　long　legs　eat　paving　stones。　Not　until　the　shouts　were　left　far　behind　did　he　allow　himself　to　collapse　against　a　wall；　panting。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　know　where　he　was；　except　that　he　was　still　within　the　Inner　City。　He　could　not　remember　how　many　twists　and　turns　he　had　taken　along　those　curving　streets。　Poised　to