rj.thepathofdaggers-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


arms　folded　beneath　their　breasts；　copying　Renaile。　Alise　marched　up　to　them；　marking　Renaile　out　as　the　leader　after　one　sweeping　glance。　Elayne　and　Aviendha　she　ignored。
　　　　　　　〃e　with　me；〃　she　said　in　brisk　tones　that　brooked　no　argument。　〃The　Aes　Sedai　say　you　will　want　to　be　out　of　the　sun　until　matters　are　more　settled。〃　The　words　〃Aes　Sedai〃　held　as　much　bitterness　as　they　did　the　awe　Elayne　was　used　to　from　Kinswomen。　Maybe　more。　Renaile　stiffened；　her　dark　face　growing　darker；　but　Alise　plowed　on。　〃You　wilders　can　sit　out　here　and　sweat　if　that's　what　you　want；　for　all　of　me。　If　you　can　sit。〃　It　was　obvious　none　of　the　Atha'an　Miere　had　received　Healing　for　their　saddle　soreness；　they　stood　like　women　who　wanted　to　forget　they　existed　below　the　waist。　〃What　you　will　not　do　is　keep　me　waiting。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　Renaile　demanded　in　a　tight　fury；　but　Alise　was　already　walking　away　and　not　looking　back。　Struggling　with　herself　visibly；　Renaile　dashed　sweat　from　her　forehead　with　the　back　of　her　hand；　then　angrily　ordered　the　other　Windfinders　to　leave　the　〃shore…cursed〃　horses　and　follow　her。　They　made　a　spraddle…legged　line　wobbling　along　after　Alise；　everyone　but　the　two　apprentices　muttering　to　herself　…　Alise　included。
　　　　　　　Instinctively；　Elayne　began　to　plan　how　to　smooth　matters　over；　how　to　get　the　Atha'an　Miere's　pains　Healed　without　them　having　to　ask。　Or　a　sister　having　to　offer　too　strenuously；　Nynaeve　had　to　be　appeased；　too；　and　the　other　sisters。　To　her　surprise；　she　suddenly　realized　that　for　once　in　her　life　she　had　no　real　desire　to　smooth　anything。　Watching　the　Windfinders　limp　toward　one　of　the　farm　buildings；　she　decided　that　matters　were　fine　just　as　they　were。　Aviendha　wore　a　large；　open　grin　as　she　watched　the　Atha'an　Miere。　Elayne　snatched　the　much　smaller　smile　from　her　own　face　and　turned　to　the　packhorses。　They　did　deserve　it；　though。　Not　grinning　was　very　hard。
　　　　　　　With　Aviendha's　help；　the　searching　went　more　quickly　than　before；　though　Aviendha　did　not　recognize　what　they　were　after　as　quickly　as　she　did。　Not　a　great　surprise。　A　few　of　the　sisters　Elayne　had　trained　showed　a　greater　skill　in　this　than　she　did　herself；　but　most　came　nowhere　near。　Still；　two　sets　of　hands　found　more　than　one；　and　there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　found。　Liveried　stablemen　and　women　carried　away　the　rubbish；　while　a　collection　of　ter'angreal　grew　on　the　broad　stone　lid　of　a　square　cistern。
　　　　　　　Four　more　horses　were　unloaded　quickly；　and　they　accumulated　a　selection　that　would　have　caused　a　celebration；　brought　into　the　Tower。　Even　with　no　one　studying　ter'angreal。　They　took　every　form　imaginable。　Cups　and　bowls　and　vases；　no　two　the　same　size　or　design　or　in　the　same　material。　A　flat；　worm…eaten　box；　half…falling　apart　and　whatever　had　lined　it　long　since　gone　to　dust；　held　pieces　of　jewelry　…　a　necklace　and　bracelets　set　with　colored　stones；　a　slim　gem…studded　belt；　several　finger　rings　…　and　there　were　spaces　for　more。　Every　single　one　was　a　ter'angreal；　and　they　all　matched；　meant　to　be　worn　together；　though　Elayne　could　not　imagine　why　any　woman　would　want　to　carry　so　many　about　her　at　one　time。　Aviendha　found　a　dagger　with　gold　wire　wrapped　around　a　hilt　of　rough　deerhorn；　the　blade　was　dull；　and　by　all　evidence；　always　had　been。　She　kept　turning　that　over　and　over　in　her　fingers　…　her　hands　actually　began　to　tremble　…　until　Elayne　took　it　away　from　her　and　put　it　with　the　others　on　the　cistern's　lid。　Even　then　Aviendha　stood　for　a　time；　looking　at　it　and　licking　her　lips　as　though　they　had　gone　dry。　There　were　finger　rings；　earrings；　necklaces；　bracelets　and　buckles；　many　of　very　peculiar　pattern　indeed。　There　were　statuettes　and　figures　of　birds　and　animals　and　people；　several　knives　that　did　have　edges；　half　a　dozen　large　medallions　in　bronze　or　steel；　most　worked　with　strange　patterns　and　not　one　carrying　an　image　Elayne　could　really　understand；　a　pair　of　peculiar　hats　seemingly　made　of　metal；　too　ornate　and　too　thin　to　be　helmets；　and　any　number　of　items　she　could　not　think　what　to　call。　A　rod；　as　thick　as　her　wrist；　bright　red　and　smooth　and　rounded；　firm　rather　than　hard　for　all　that　it　seemed　to　be　stone；　it　did　not　warm　slightly　in　her　hand；　it　almost　felt　hot！　Not　real　heat　any　more　than　the　warmth　was　real；　but　still！　What　about　a　set　of　metal　basketwork　balls；　one　inside　the　other？　Any　movement　produced　a　faint　musical　chime；　a　different　tone　every　time；　and　she　had　the　feeling　that　no　matter　how　hard　she　looked　into　it；　there　would　always　be　a　still　smaller　ball　waiting　to　be　discovered。　A　thing　that　looked　like　a　blacksmith's　puzzle　made　of　glass？　It　was　heavy　enough　that　she　dropped　it；　and　it　broke　a　chip　off　the　edge　of　the　cistern　cover。　A　collection　to　stir　amazement　in　any　Aes　Sedai。　More　important；　they　found　two　more　angreal。　Those　Elayne　set　very　carefully　aside；　within　arm's　reach。
　　　　　　　One　was　an　odd　piece　of　jewelry；　a　golden　bracelet　attached　by　four　flat　chains　to　finger　rings；　every　bit　of　it　engraved　in　an　intricate　mazelike　pattern。　That　was　the　stronger　of　the　two；　stronger　than　the　turtle　still　in　her　pouch。　It　was　made　for　a　smaller　hand　than　hers　or　Aviendha's。　Strangely；　the　bracelet　had　a　tiny　lock；　plete　with　a　minuscule；　tubular　key　dangling　from　a　fine　chain　that　was　obviously　made　to　be　removed。　Along　with　the　key！　The　other　was　a　seated　woman　in　age…darkened　ivory；　her　legs　folded　in　front　of　her；　her　exposed　knees　bare；　but　with　hair　so　long　and　luxuriant　she　could　not　have　been　more　muffled　in　the　heaviest　cloak。　It　was　not　even　as　strong　as　the　turtle；　but　she　found　it　very　appealing。　One　hand　rested　on　a　knee；　palm　up　and　fingers　arranged　so　the　thumb　touched　the　tips　of　the　middle　two　fingers；　while　the　other　hand　was　lifted；　the　first　two　fingers　raised　and　the　others　folded。　The　whole　figure　carried　an　air　of　supreme　dignity；　yet　the　delicately　worked　face　showed　amusement　and　delight。　Maybe　it　had　been　made　for　a　particular　woman？　It　seemed　personal；　somehow。　Perhaps　they　had　done　that；　in　the　Age　of　Legends。　Some　ter'angreal　were　immense；　needing　men　and　horses；　or　even　the　Power；　to　move；　but　most　angreal　were　small　enough　to　carry　about　your　person；　not　all；　but　most。
　　　　　　　They　were　tossing　back　the　canvas　covers　on　another　set　of　wicker　panniers　when　Nynaeve　came　striding　up。　The　Atha'an　Miere　began　filing　out　of　one　of　the　farm　buildings；　no　longer　limping。　Merilille　was　talking　with　Renaile；　or　rather；　the　Windfinder　was　talking　and　Merilille　listening。　Elayne　wondered　what　had　happened　in　there。　The　slim　Gray　did　not　look　so　satisfied　anymore。　The　huddle　of　Kinswomen　had　grown　larger；　but　even　as　Elayne　looked　up；　three　more　came　hesitantly　into　the　farmyard；　and　another　two　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　olive　trees；　peering　about　indecisively。　She　could　sense　Birgitte；　somewhere　out　among　the　groves　and　only　a　little　less　irritated　than　earlier。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　glanced　at　the　display　of　ter'angreal　and　gave　her　braid　a　tug。　Her　hat　had　gone　missing　somewhere。　〃That　can　wait；〃　she　said；　sounding　disgusted。　〃It's　time。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　5　
（Lion　Rampant）　
The　Breaking　Storm　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　sun　stood　little　more　than　halfway　down　toward　the　horizon　by　the　time　they　clambered　up　the　well…worn；　snaking　path　to　the　top　of　the　steep…sided　hill　above　the　barns。　That　was　the　spot　Renaile　had　chosen。　It　did　make　sense　from　what　Elayne　knew　of　working　weather；　all　learned　from　a　Sea　Folk　Windfinder；　to　be　sure。　Changing　anything　beyond　your　immediate　vicinity　required　working　over　long　distances；　which　meant　being　able　to　see　a　long　distance；　much　easier　on　the　ocean　than　on　land。　Except　from　a　mountain　or　hilltop。　It　also　needed　a　deft　hand　to　avoid　causing　torrential　rains　or　whirlwinds　or　the　Light　alone　knew　what　elsewhere。　Whatever　you　did；　the　effects　spread　like　ripples　from　a　stone　tossed　into　a　pond。　She　had　no　desire　whatsoever　to　lead　the　circle　that　would　use　the　Bowl。
　　　　　　　The　top　of　the　hill　was　clear　of　brush　and　flat；　if　far　from　level；　a　rough　stone　table；　fifty　paces　long　and　broad；　with　plenty　of　room　for　everybody　who　needed　to　be　there；　and　some　who　did　not；　strictly　speaking。　From　at　least　fifty　paces　above　the　farm；　the　spectacular　view　stretched　for　miles　over　a　patchwork　quilt　of　forms　and　pastures；　forests　and　olive　groves。　Far　too　many　browns　and　sere　yellows　were　mixed　in　with　a　hundred　shades　of　green；　crying　the　need　for　what　they　were　to　do；　yet　even　so；　the　beauty　of　it　struck　Elayne。　Despite　dust　in　the　air　like　a　faint　mist；　she　could　see　so　far！　The　land　really　was　quite　flat　here　except　for　those　few　hills。　Ebou　Dar　lay　just　out　of　sight　to　the　south　even　if　she　embraced　the　Power；　yet　it　seemed　she　should　be　able　to　see　it；　by　straining　just　a　little。　Surely　with　a　little　effort　she　could　see　the　River　Eldar。　A　marvelous　view。　Not　everyone　was　interested。
　　　　　　　〃An　hour　wasted；〃　Nynaeve　grumbled；　glaring　sideways　at　Reanne。　And　at　just　about　everyone　else。　With　Lan　not　there；　it　seemed　she　might　take　the　opportunity　to　unleash　her　temper。　〃Almost　an　hour。　Maybe　more。　pletely　wasted。　Alise　is　capable　enough；　I　suppose；　but　you'd　think　Reanne　would　know　who　was　there！　Light！　If　that　fool　woman