rj.eyeoftheworld-第44章

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alizes　this　isn't　some　grand　adventure　after　all。　Then　he　guiltily　remembered　that；　unlike　him；　she　had　not　slept　the　day　away。　〃We　do　need　to　rest；　Moiraine　Sedai；〃　he　said。　〃　After　all；　we　have　ridden　all　night。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　I　suggest　we　see　what　Lan　has　for　us；〃　Moiraine　said；　〃e。〃
　　　　　　　She　led　them　on　up　the　bank；　into　the　woods　beyond　the　river。　Bare　branches　thickened　the　shadows。　A　good　hundred　spans　from　the　Taren　they　came　to　a　dark　mound　beside　a　clearing。　Here　a　long…ago　flood　had　undermined　and　toppled　an　entire　stand　of　leatherleafs；　washing　them　together　into　a　great；　thick　tangle；　an　apparently　solid　mass　of　trunks　and　branches　and　roots。　Moiraine　stopped；　and　suddenly　a　light　appeared　low　to　the　ground；　ing　from　under　the　heap　of　trees。
　　　　　　　Thrusting　a　stub　of　a　torch　ahead　of　him；　Lan　crawled　out　from　under　the　mound　and　straightened。　〃No　unwele　visitors；〃　he　told　Moiraine。　〃　And　the　wood　I　left　is　still　dry；　so　I　started　a　small　fire。　We　will　rest　warm。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　expected　us　to　stop　here？〃　Egwene　said　in　surprise。
　　　　　　　〃It　seemed　a　likely　place；〃　Lan　replied。　〃I　like　to　be　prepared；　just　in　case。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　took　the　torch　from　him：　〃Will　you　see　to　the　horses？　When　you　are　done　I　will　do　what　I　can　about　everyone's　tiredness。　Right　now　I　want　to　talk　to　Egwene。　Egwene？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　watched　the　two　women　crouch　down　and　disappear　under　the　great　pile　of　tree　trunks。　There　was　a　low　opening；　barely　big　enough　to　crawl　into。　The　light　of　the　torch　vanished。
　　　　　　　Lan　had　included　feedbags　and　a　small　quantity　of　oats　in　the　supplies；　but　he　stopped　the　others　from　unsaddling　their　horses。　Instead　he　produced　the　hobbles　he　had　also　packed。　〃They　would　rest　easier　without　the　saddles；　but　if　we　must　leave　quickly；　there　may　be　no　time　to　replace　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　don't　look　to　me　like　they　need　any　rest；〃　Perrin　said　as　he　attempted　to　slip　a　feedbag　over　his　mount's　muzzle。　The　horse　tossed　its　head　before　allowing　him　to　put　the　straps　in　place。　Rand　was　having　difficulties　with　Cloud；　too；　taking　three　tries　before　he　could　get　the　canvas　bag　over　the　gray's　nose。
　　　　　　　〃They　do；〃　Lan　told　them。　He　straightened　from　hobbling　his　stallion。　〃Oh；　they　can　still　run。　They　will　run　at　their　fastest；　if　we　let　them；　right　up　to　the　second　they　drop　dead　from　exhaustion　they　never　even　felt。　I　would　rather　Moiraine　Sedai　had　not　had　to　do　what　she　did；　but　it　was　necessary。〃　He　patted　the　stallion's　neck；　and　the　horse　bobbed　his　head　as　if　acknowledging　the　Warder's　touch。　〃We　must　go　slowly　with　them　for　the　next　few　days；　until　they　recover。　More　slowly　than　I　would　like。　But　with　luck　it　will　be　enough。〃
　　　　　　　〃Is　that　。。。　？〃　Mat　swallowed　audibly。　〃Is　that　what　she　meant？　About　our　tiredness？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　patted　Cloud's　neck　and　stared　at　nothing。　Despite　what　she　had　done　for　Tam；　he　had　no　desire　for　the　Aes　Sedai　to　use　the　Power　on　him。　Light；　she　as　much　as　admitted　sinking　the　ferry。
　　　　　　　〃Something　like　it。　〃　Lan　chuckled　wryly。　〃But　you　will　not　have　to　worry　about　running　yourself　to　death。　Not　unless　things　get　a　lot　worse　than　they　are。　Just　think　of　it　as　an　extra　night's　sleep。〃
　　　　　　　The　shrill　scream　of　the　Draghkar　suddenly　echoed　from　above　the　fog…covered　river。　Even　the　horses　froze。　Again　it　came；　closer　now；　and　again；　piercing　Rand's　skull　like　needles：　Then　the　cries　were　fading；　until　they　had　faded　away　entirely。
　　　　　　　〃Luck；〃　Lan　breathed。　〃It　searches　the　river　for　us。〃　He　gave　a　quick　shrug　and　abruptly　sounded　matter…of…fact。　〃Let's　get　inside。　I　could　do　with　some　hot　tea　and　something　to　fill　my　belly。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　was　the　first　to　crawl　on　hands　and　knees　through　the　opening　in　the　tangle　of　trees　and　down　a　short…tunnel。　At　the　end　of　it；　he　stopped；　still　crouching。　Ahead　was　an　irregularly　shaped　space；　a　woody　cave　easily　large　enough　to　hold　them　all。　The　roof　of　tree　trunks　and　branches　came　too　low　to　allow　any　but　the　women　to　stand。　Smoke　from　a　small　fire　on　a　bed　of　river　stones　drifted　up　and　through；　the　draft　was　enough　to　keep　the　space　free　of　smoke；　but　the　interweaving　was　too　thick　to　let　out　even　a　glimmer　of　the　flames。　Moiraine　and　Egwene；　their　cloaks　thrown　aside；　sat　cross…legged；　facing　one　another　beside　the　fire。
　　　　　　　〃The　One　Power；〃　Moiraine　was　saying；　〃es　from　the　True　Source；　the　driving　force　of　Creation；　the　force　the　Creator　made　to　turn　the　Wheel　of　Time。〃　She　put　her　hands　together　in　front　of　her　and　pushed　them　against　each　other。　〃Saidin；　the　male　half　of　the　True　Source；　and　saidar；　the　female　half；　work　against　each　other　and　at　the　same　time　together　to　provide　that　force。　saidin〃　…　she　lifted　one　hand；　then　let　it　drop　…〃is　fouled　by　the　touch　of　the　Dark　One；　like　water　with　a　thin　slick　of　rancid　oil　floating　on　top。　The　water　is　still　pure；　but　it　cannot　be　touched　without　touching　the　foulness。　Only　saidar　is　still　safe　to　be　used。〃　Egwene's　back　was　to　Rand。　He　could　not　see　her　face；　but　she　was　leaning　forward　eagerly。
　　　　　　　Mat　poked　Rand　from　behind　and　muttered　something；　and　he　moved　on　into　the　tree　cavern。　Moiraine　and　Egwene　ignored　his　entry。　The　other　men　crowded　in　behind　him；　tossing　off　damp　cloaks；　settling　around　the　fire；　and　holding　hands　out　to　the　warmth。　Lan；　the　last　to　enter；　pulled　water　bags　and　leather　sacks　from　a　nook　in　the　wall；　took　out　a　kettle；　and　began　to　prepare　tea。　He　paid　no　attention　to　what　the　women　were　saying；　but　Rand's　friends　began　to　stop　toasting　their　hands　and　stare　openly。　Thom　pretended　that　all　of　his　interest　was　engaged　in　loading　his　thickly　carved　pipe；　but　the　way　he　leaned　toward　the　women　gave　him　away。　Moiraine　and　Egwene　acted　as　if　they　were　alone。
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Moiraine　said　in　answer　to　a　question　Rand　had　missed；　〃the　True　Source　cannot　be　used　up；　any　more　than　the　river　can　be　used　up　by　the　wheel　of　a　mill。　The　Source　is　the　river；　the　Aes　Sedai；　the　waterwheel。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　you　really　think　I　can　learn？〃　Egwene　asked。　Her　face　shone　with　eagerness。　Rand　had　never　seen　her　look　so　beautiful；　or　so　far　away　from　him。　〃I　can　bee　an　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　jumped　up；　cracking　his　head　against　the　low　roof　of　logs。　Thom　Merrilin　grabbed　his　arm；　yanking　him　back　down。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　the　gleeman　murmured。　He　eyed　the　women　…　neither　seemed　to　have　noticed…and　the　look　he　gave　Rand　was　sympathetic。　〃It's　beyond　you　now；　boy。〃
　　　　　　　〃Child；〃　Moiraine　said　gently；　〃only　a　very　few　can　learn　to　touch　the　True　Source　and　use　the　One　Power。　Some　of　those　can　learn　to　a　greater　degree；　some　to　a　lesser。　You　are　one　of　the　bare　handful　for　whom　there　is　no　need　to　learn。　At　least；　touching　the　Source　will　e　to　you　whether　you　want　it　or　not。　Without　the　teaching　you　can　receive　in　Tar　Valon；　though；　you　will　never　learn　to　channel　it　fully；　and　you　may　not　survive。　Men　who　have　the　ability　to　touch　saidin　born　in　them　die；　of　course；　if　the　Red　Ajah　does　not　find　them　and　gentle　them　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Thom　growled　deep　in　his　throat；　and　Rand　shifted　unfortably。　Men　like　those　of　whom　the　Aes　Sedai　spoke　were　rare　…　he　had　only　heard　of　three　in　his　whole　life；　and　thank　the　Light　never　in　the　Two　Rivers　…　but　the　damage　they　did　before　the　Aes　Sedai　found　them　was　always　bad　enough　for　the　news　to　carry；　like　the　news　of　wars；　or　earthquakes　that　destroyed　cities。　He　had　never　really　understood　what　the　Ajahs　did。　According　to　the　stories　they　were　societies　among　the　Aes　Sedai　that　seemed　to　plot　and　squabble　among　themselves　more　than　anything　else；　but　the　stories　were　clear　on　one　point。　The　Red　Ajah　held　its　prime　duty　to　be　the　prevention　of　another　Breaking　of　the　World；　and　they　did　it　by　hunting　down　every　man　who　even　dreamed　of　wielding　the　One　Power。　Mat　and　Perrin　looked　as　if　they　suddenly　wished　they　were　back　home　in　their　beds。
　　　　　　　〃。。。　but　some　of　the　women　die；　too。　It　is　hard　to　learn　without　a　guide。　The　women　we　do　not　find；　those　who　live；　often　bee　。。。　well；　in　this　part　of　the　world　they　might　bee　Wisdoms　of　their　villages。〃　The　Aes　Sedai　paused　thoughtfully。　〃The　old　blood　is　strong　in　Emond's　Field；　and　the　old　blood　sings。　I　knew　you　for　what　you　were　the　moment　I　saw　you。　No　Aes　Sedai　can　stan