rj.thepathofdaggers-第134部分

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ose　Aiel　women。　They　seem　agitated。〃　His　eyes　never　left　Rand；　but　Min　was　sure　he　had　noticed　her　touching　her　knife。　〃Understandably；　of　course；〃　he　went　on　smoothly。　〃I　cannot　express　my　joy　at　finding　you　alive　after　seeing　what　I　did　above。　I　came　to　report　deserters。　Normally；　I　wouldn't　have　bothered；　but　these　are　Gedwyn；　Rochaid；　Torval；　and　Kisman。　It　seems　they　were　malcontented　over　events　in　Altara；　but　I　never　thought　they　would　go　this　far。　I　haven't　seen　any　of　the　men　I　left　with　you。〃　For　an　instant；　his　gaze　flickered　to　Fedwin。　For　no　more　than　an　instant。　〃There　were。。。　other。。。　casualties？　I　will　take　this　one　with　me；　if　you　wish。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　told　them　to　stay　out　of　sight；〃　Rand　said　in　a　harsh　voice。　〃And　I'll　take　care　of　Fedwin。　Fedwin　Morr；　Taim；　not　'this　one。'〃　He　actually　backed　to　the　small　table　to　pick　up　the　silver　cup　sitting　among　the　lamps。　Min's　breath　caught。
　　　　　　　〃The　Wisdom　in　my　village　could　cure　anything；〃　Rand　said　as　he　knelt　beside　Fedwin。　Somehow；　he　managed　to　smile　at　the　boy　without　taking　his　eyes　from　Taim。　Fedwin　smiled　back　happily　and　tried　to　take　the　cup；　but　Rand　held　it　for　him　to　drink。　〃She　knows　more　about　herbs　than　anybody　I've　ever　met。　I　learned　a　little　from　her；　which　are　safe；　which　not。〃　Fedwin　sighed　as　Rand　took　the　cup　away　and　held　the　boy　to　his　chest。　〃Sleep；　Fedwin；〃　Rand　murmured。
　　　　　　　It　did　seem　that　the　boy　was　going　to　sleep。　His　eyes　closed。　His　chest　rose　and　fell　more　slowly。　Slower。　Until　it　stopped。　The　smile　never　left　his　lips。
　　　　　　　〃A　little　something　in　the　wine；〃　Rand　said　softly　as　he　laid　Fedwin　down。　Min's　eyes　burned；　but　she　would　not　cry。　She　would　not！
　　　　　　　〃You　are　harder　than　I　thought；〃　Taim　muttered。
　　　　　　　Rand　smiled　at　him；　a　hard　feral　smile。　〃Add　Corlan　Dashiva　to　your　list　of　deserters；　Taim。　Next　time　I　visit　the　Black　Tower；　I　expect　to　see　his　head　on　your　Traitor's　Tree。〃
　　　　　　　〃Dashiva？〃　Taim　snarled；　his　eyes　widening　in　surprise。　〃It　will　be　as　you　say。　When　next　you　visit　the　Black　Tower。〃　That　quickly；　he　recovered　himself；　all　polished　stone　and　poise　once　more。　How　she　wished　she　could　read　her　viewings　of　him。
　　　　　　　〃Return　to　the　Black　Tower；　and　don't　e　here　again。〃　Standing；　Rand　faced　the　other　man　over　Fedwin's　body。　〃I　may　be　moving　about　for　a　while。〃
　　　　　　　Taim's　bow　was　minuscule。　〃As　you　mand。〃
　　　　　　　As　the　door　closed　behind　him；　Min　let　out　a　long　breath。
　　　　　　　〃No　point　wasting　time；　and　no　time　to　waste；〃　Rand　muttered。　Kneeling　in　front　of　her；　he　took　the　crown　and　slipped　it　into　the　scrip　with　the　other　things。　〃Min；　I　thought　I　was　the　whole　pack　of　hounds；　chasing　down　one　wolf　after　another；　but　it　seems　I'm　the　wolf。〃
　　　　　　　〃Burn　you；〃　she　breathed。　Tangling　both　hands　in　his　hair；　she　stared　in　his　eyes。　Now　blue；　now　gray；　a　morning　sky　just　at　sunrise。　And　dry。　〃You　can　cry；　Rand　al'Thor。　You　won't　melt　if　you　cry！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　have　time　for　tears；　either；　Min；〃　he　said　gently。　〃Sometimes　the　hounds　catch　the　wolf　and　wish　they　hadn't。　Sometimes　he　turns　on　them；　or　waits　in　ambush。　But　first；　the　wolf　has　to　run。〃
　　　　　　　〃When　do　we　go？〃　she　asked。　She　did　not　let　go　of　his　hair。　She　was　never　going　to　let　go　of　him。　Never。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　30　
（Wolf）　
Beginnings　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Holding　his　fur…lined　cloak　close　with　one　hand；　Perrin　let　Stayer　walk　at　the　bay's　own　pace。　The　midmorning　sun　gave　no　warmth；　and　the　rutted　snow　on　the　road　leading　into　Abila　made　poor　footing。　He　and　his　dozen　panions　shared　the　way　with　only　two　lumbering　ox…carts　and　a　handful　of　farmfolk　in　plain　dark　woolens。　They　all　trudged　along　with　heads　down；　clutching　at　hat　or　cap　whenever　a　gust　rose　but　otherwise　concentrating　on　the　ground　beneath　their　shoes。
　　　　　　　Behind　him；　he　heard　Neald　make　a　ribald　joke　in　a　low　voice；　Grady　grunted　in　reply；　and　Balwer　sniffed　prissily。　None　of　the　three　seemed　at　all　affected　by　what　they　had　seen　and　heard　this　past　month　since　crossing　the　border　into　Amadicia；　or　by　what　lay　ahead。　Edarra　was　sharply　berating　Masuri　for　letting　her　hood　slip。　Edarra　and　Carelle　both　wore　their　shawls　wrapped　around　their　heads　and　shoulders　in　addition　to　cloaks；　but　even　after　admitting　the　necessity　to　ride；　they　had　refused　to　change　out　of　their　bulky　skirts；　so　their　dark…stockinged　legs　were　bared　above　the　knee。　The　cold　did　not　seem　to　bother　them　in　the　least；　just　the　strangeness　of　snow。　Carelle　began　quietly　advising　Seonid　as　to　what　would　happen　if　she　did　not　keep　her　face　hidden。
　　　　　　　Of　course；　if　she　let　her　face　be　seen　too　soon；　a　dose　of　the　strap　would　be　the　least　she　had　to　fear；　as　she　and　the　Wise　One　knew　well。　Perrin　did　not　have　to　look　back　to　know　the　sisters'　three　Warders；　bringing　up　the　rear　in　ordinary　cloaks；　were　men　expecting　the　need　at　any　moment　to　out　sword　and　carve　a　way　clear。　They　had　been　that　way　since　leaving　the　camp　at　dawn。　He　ran　a　gloved　thumb　along　the　axe　hanging　at　his　belt；　then　regathered　his　own　cloak　just　before　a　sudden　gust　could　make　it　billow。　If　this　went　badly；　the　Warders　might　be　right。
　　　　　　　Off　to　the　left；　short　of　where　the　road　crossed　a　wooden　bridge　over　a　frozen　stream　that　twisted　along　the　town's　edge；　charred　timbers　thrust　out　of　the　snow　atop　a　large　square　stone　platform　with　drifts　piled　around　the　bottom。　Slow　to　proclaim　allegiance　to　the　Dragon　Reborn；　the　local　lord　had　been　lucky　merely　to　be　flogged　and　fined　all　that　he　possessed。　A　knot　of　men　standing　at　the　bridge　watched　the　mounted　party　approaching。　Perrin　saw　no　sign　of　helmets　or　armor；　but　every　man　clutched　spear　or　crossbow　almost　as　hard　as　he　did　his　cloak。　They　did　not　talk　to　one　another。　They　just　watched；　the　mist　of　their　breath　curling　before　their　faces。　There　were　other　guards　bunched　all　around　the　town；　at　every　road　leading　out；　at　every　space　between　two　buildings。　This　was　the　Prophet's　country；　but　the　Whitecloaks　and　King　Ailron's　army　still　held　large　parts　of　it。
　　　　　　　〃I　was　right　not　to　bring　her；〃　he　muttered；　〃but　I'll　pay　for　it　anyway。〃
　　　　　　　〃Of　course　you'll　pay；〃　Elyas　snorted。　For　a　man　who　had　spent　most　of　the　last　fifteen　years　afoot；　he　handled　his　mouse…colored　gelding　well。　He　had　acquired　a　cloak　lined　with　black　fox；　dicing　with　Gallenne。　Aram；　riding　on　Perrin's　other　side；　eyed　Elyas　darkly；　but　the　bearded　man　ignored　him。　They　did　not　get　on　well。　〃A　man　always　pays　sooner　or　later；　with　any　woman；　whether　he　owes　or　not。　But　I　was　right；　wasn't　I？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　nodded。　Grudgingly。　It　still　did　not　seem　right　taking　advice　about　his　wife　from　another　man；　even　circumspectly；　obliquely；　yet　it　did　seem　to　be　working。　Of　course；　raising　his　voice　to　Faile　was　as　hard　as　not　raising　it　to　Berelain；　but　he　had　managed　the　last　quite　often　and　the　first　several　times。　He　had　followed　Elyas'　advice　to　the　letter。　Well；　most　of　it。　As　well　as　he　could。　That　spiky　scent　of　jealousy　still　flared　at　the　sight　of　Berelain；　yet　on　the　other　hand；　the　hurt　smell　had　vanished　as　they　made　their　slow　way　south。　Still；　he　was　uneasy。　When　he　firmly　told　her　she　was　not　ing　with　him　this　morning；　she　had　not　raised　a　single　word　of　protest！　She　even　smelled。。。　pleased！　Among　other　things；　including　startled。　And　how　could　she　be　pleased　and　angry　at　the　same　time？　Not　a　scrap　of　it　had　showed　on　her　face；　but　his　nose　never　lied。　Somehow；　it　seemed　that　the　more　he　learned　about　women；　the　less　he　knew！
　　　　　　　The　bridge　guards　frowned　and　fingered　their　weapons　as　Stayer's　hooves　thudded　hollowly　onto　the　wooden　planking。　They　were　the　usual　odd　mix　that　followed　the　Prophet；　dirty…faced　fellows　in　silk　coats　too　big　for　them；　scar…faced　street　toughs　and　pink…cheeked　apprentices；　former　merchants　and　craftsmen　who　looked　as　if　they　had　slept　in　their　once　fine　woolens　for　months。　Their　weapons　appeared　well　cared　for；　though。　Some　of　the　men　had　a　fever　in　their　eyes；　the　rest　wore　guarded；　wooden　faces。　Along　with　unwashed；　they　smelled　eager；　anxious；　fervent；　afraid；　all　jumbled　together。
　　　　　　　They　made　no　move　to　bar　passage；　just　watched；　hardly　blinking。　By　what　Perrin　had　heard；　all　sorts　from　ladies　in　silks　to　beggars　in　rags　came　to　the　Prophet　hoping　that　submitting　to　him　in　person　might　gain　added　blessings。　Or　maybe　added　protection。　That　was　why　he　had　e　this　way；　with　only　a　handful　of　panions。　He　would　frighten　Masema　if　he　had　to；　if　Masema　could　be　frightened；　but　it　had　seemed　better　to　try　reaching　the　man　without　fighting　a　battle。　He　could　feel　the　guard's　eyes　on　his　back　until　he　and　the　others　were　all　across　the　short　bridge　and　onto　the　paved　streets　of　Abila。　When　that　pressure　left；　though；　it　brought　no　sense　of　relief。
　　　　　　　Abila　was　a　goodly　sized　town；　with　several　tall　watch　towers　and　many　buildings　rising　four　stories；　every　last　one　roofed　in　slate。　Here　and　there；　mounded　stone　and　timbers　filled　a　gap　between　two　structures　where　an　inn　or　some　merchant's　house　had　been　pulled　down。　The　Prophet　disapproved　of　wealth　gained　by　trade　as　much　as　he　did　carousing　or　what　his　followers　called　lewd　behavior。　He　disapproved　of　a　great　many　things；　and　made　his　feelings　known　with　sharp　examples。
　　　　　　　The　str