rj.thepathofdaggers-第39部分

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　　　　　　　Furen；　riding　behind　Seonid；　wore　a　thunderhead　for　a　face；　but　it　was　Teryl　who　made　everything　even　less　simple　by　tossing　something　to　the　ground。　〃I　found　this　behind　him；〃　he　said；　〃where　he　might　have　dropped　it；　running。〃
　　　　　　　At　first；　Perrin　did　not　know　what　he　was　looking　at；　a　long　loop　of　rawhide　thickly　strung　with　what　appeared　to　be　tags　of　shriveled　leather。　Then　he　did　know；　and　his　teeth　bared　in　a　snarl。　〃The　Prophet　would　have　our　ears；　you　said。〃
　　　　　　　The　stubble…cheeked　man　stopped　gaping　at　Seonid　and　licked　his　lips。　〃That。。。　that's　Hari's　work！〃　he　protested。　〃Hari's　a　mean　one。　He　likes　to　keep　count；　take　trophies；　and　he。。。　uh。。。　〃　Shrugging　in　his　captive　coat；　he　sank　in　on　himself　like　a　cornered　dog。　〃You　can't　tie　that　to　me！　The　Prophet'll　hang　you　if　you　touch　me！　He's　hanged　nobles　before；　fine　lords　and　ladies。　I　walk　in　the　Light　of　the　blessed　Lord　Dragon！〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　walked　Stepper　to　the　man；　careful　to　keep　the　dun's　hooves　clear　of　the。。。　thing。。。　on　the　ground。　He　wanted　nothing　less　than　to　have　the　fellow's　scent　in　his　nose；　but　he　bent　down；　putting　his　face　closer。　Sour　sweat　warred　with　fear；　panic；　a　tinge　of　anger。　A　pity　he　could　not　sniff　out　guilt。　〃Might　have　dropped〃　was　not　〃had　dropped。〃　Close…set　eyes　widened；　and　the　man　pressed　back　against　Teryl's　gelding。　Yellow　eyes　had　their　uses。
　　　　　　　〃If　I　could　tie　that　to　you；　you'd　hang　from　the　nearest　tree；〃　he　growled。　The　fellow　blinked；　began　to　brighten　as　he　understood　what　that　meant；　but　Perrin　gave　him　no　time　to　regain　his　bluster。　〃I'm　Perrin　Aybara；　and　your　precious　Lord　Dragon　sent　me　here。　You　spread　the　word。　He　sent　me；　and　if　I　find　a　man　with。。。　trophies。。。　he　hangs！　If　I　find　a　man　burning　a　farm；　he　hangs！　If　one　of　you　looks　at　me　cross…eyed；　he　hangs！　And　you　can　tell　Masema　I　said　so；　too！〃　Disgusted；　Perrin　straightened。　〃Let　him　go；　Teryl。　If　he　isn't　out　of　my　sight　in　two　shakes。。。！〃
　　　　　　　Teryl's　hand　opened；　and　the　fellow　dashed　off　at　a　dead　run　for　the　nearest　trees；　never　so　much　as　glancing　back。　Part　of　Perrin's　disgust　was　for　himself。　Threatening！　If　one　of　them　looked　at　him　cross…eyed？　But　if　the　nameless　man　had　not　cut　off　ears　himself；　he　had　watched　it　and　done　nothing。
　　　　　　　Faile　was　smiling；　pride　shining　through　the　sweat　on　her　face。　Her　look　washed　away　some　of　Perrin's　revulsion。　He　would　walk　barefoot　through　fire　for　that　look。
　　　　　　　Not　everyone　approved；　of　course。　Seonid's　eyes　were　squeezed　shut；　and　her　gloved　fists　quivered　on　her　reins　as　though　she　desperately　wanted　to　yank　that　scarf　from　her　mouth　and　tell　him　what　she　thought。　He　could　guess　anyway。　Edarra　and　Nevarin　had　gathered　their　shawls　around　them　and　were　eyeing　him　darkly。　Oh；　yes；　he　could　guess。
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　it　was　to　be　all　secrecy；〃　Teryl　said　casually；　watching　the　stubble…cheeked　man　run。　〃I　thought　Masema　wasn't　to　know　you　were　here　till　you　spoke　in　his　pink　ear。〃
　　　　　　　That　had　been　the　plan。　Rand　had　suggested　it　as　a　precaution；　Seonid　and　Masuri　had　insisted　on　it　every　chance　they　got。　After　all；　Prophet　of　the　Lord　Dragon　or　no；　Masema　might　not　want　to　e　face…to…face　with　someone　Rand　sent；　considering　the　things　he　was　said　to　have　allowed。　Those　ears　were　not　the　worst；　if　the　tenth　part　of　rumor　was　to　be　believed。　Edarra　and　the　other　Wise　Ones　saw　Masema　as　a　possible　enemy；　to　be　ambushed　before　he　could　set　his　own　trap。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　supposed　to　stop。。。　that；〃　Perrin　said；　gesturing　angrily　to　the　rawhide　string　on　the　ground。　He　had　heard　the　rumors；　and　done　nothing。　Now　he　had　seen。　〃I　might　as　well　start　now。〃　And　if　Masema　decided　he　was　an　enemy？　How　many　thousands　followed　the　Prophet；　out　of　belief　or　fear？　It　did　not　matter。　〃It　stops；　Teryl。　It　stops！〃
　　　　　　　The　Murandian　nodded　slowly；　eyeing　Perrin　as　though　seeing　him　for　the　first　time。
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Perrin？〃　Maighdin　said。　He　had　forgotten　all　about　her　and　her　friends。　The　others　had　gathered　with　her　a　little　way　off；　most　still　afoot。　There　were　three　men　aside　from　the　fellow　who　had　followed　Maighdin；　and　two　of　those　were　hiding　behind　their　horses。　Lini　appeared　the　wariest　of　all；　eyes　focused　on　him　worriedly；　she　had　her　horse　close　to　Maighdin's　and　seemed　ready　to　seize　the　bridle　herself。　Not　to　stop　the　younger　woman　bolting；　but　to　bolt　herself　and　take　Maighdin　with　her。　Maighdin　herself　appeared　pletely　at　ease；　but　she　also　studied　Perrin。　Little　wonder；　after　all　that　talk　of　the　Prophet　and　the　Dragon　Reborn；　on　top　of　his　eyes。　Not　to　mention　an　Aes　Sedai　gagged。　He　expected　her　to　say　that　they　wanted　to　go　now；　immediately；　but　what　she　said　instead　was　〃We　will　accept　your　kind　offer。　A　day　or　two　resting　in　your　camp　might　be　just　the　thing。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　you　say；　Mistress　Maighdin；〃　he　said　slowly。　Masking　his　surprise　was　difficult。　Especially　since　he　had　just　recognized　the　two　men　trying　to　keep　their　horses　between　them　and　him。　Ta'veren　work；　to　bring　them　here？　A　strange　twist　in　any　case。　〃It　might　be　just　the　thing　at　that。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　
Chapter　8　
（Lion　Rampant）　
A　Simple　Country　Woman　
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　camp　lay　about　a　league　farther　on；　well　back　from　the　road　among　low；　wooded　hills；　just　beyond　a　stream　that　was　ten　paces'　width　of　stones　and　only　five　of　water　never　deeper　than　a　man's　knees。　Tiny　green　and　silver　fish　darted　away　from　the　horses'　hooves。　Casual　passersby　were　unlikely　to　e　on　them　here。　The　nearest　inhabited　farm　was　over　a　mile　away；　and　Perrin　had　checked　personally　to　make　sure　those　folk　took　their　animals　to　water　elsewhere。
　　　　　　　He　truly　had　been　trying　to　avoid　notice　as　much　as　possible；　traveling　by　back　roads　and　the　smallest　country　paths　when　they　could　not　keep　to　the　forests。　A　futile　effort；　really。　The　horses　could　be　pastured　wherever　there　was　grass；　but　they　required　at　least　some　grain；　and　even　a　small　army　had　to　buy　food；　and　a　lot　of　it。　Every　man　needed　four　pounds　a　day；　in　flour　and　beans　and　meat。　Rumors　must　have　been　floating　all　over　Ghealdan；　though　with　luck；　no　one　suspected　who　they　were。　Perrin　grimaced。　Perhaps　they　had　not；　until　he　went　and　opened　his　mouth。　Still；　he　would　have　done　nothing　differently。
　　　　　　　It　was　three　camps　really；　close　to　one　another　and　none　far　from　the　stream。　They　traveled　together；　all　following　him；　obeying　him　supposedly；　but　there　were　too　many　personalities　involved；　and　no　one　was　entirely　sure　the　others　aimed　at　the　same　goal。　Some　nine　hundred　or　so　Winged　Guards　had　their　cook　fires　crowded　between　rows　of　picketed　horses　in　a　broad　meadow　of　trampled　brown　grass。　He　tried　to　close　his　nose　to　the　mingled　smells　of　horses；　sweat；　dung　and　boiling　goat　meat；　an　unpleasant　bination　on　a　hot　day。　A　dozen　mounted　sentries　rode　a　slow　circuit　in　pairs；　their　long；　red…streamered　lances　all　at　precisely　the　same　angle；　but　the　rest　of　the　Mayeners　had　shed　breastplates　and　helmets。　Coatless　and　often　shirtless　in　the　sun；　they　lay　sprawled　on　their　blankets　or　diced　as　they　waited　on　the　food。　Some　looked　up　as　Perrin　passed；　a　number　straightened　from　what　they　were　doing　to　study　the　additions　to　his　party；　but　none　came　running；　so　the　patrols　were　still　out。　Small　patrols；　without　lances；　who　could　see　without　being　seen。　Well；　that　was　the　hope。　It　had　been。
　　　　　　　A　handful　of　gai'shain　moved　at　various　chores　among　the　Wise　Ones'　low　gray…brown　tents　on　the　sparsely　wooded　crest　of　the　hill　above　the　Mayeners。　At　this　distance；　the　white…robed　figures　appeared　harmless；　eyes　downcast　and　meek。　Up　close；　they　would　look　the　same；　but　most　were　Shaido。　The　Wise　Ones　claimed　gai'shain　were　gai'shain；　Perrin　did　not　trust　any　Shaido　out　of　his　sight。　Off　to　one　side　on　the　slope；　beneath　a　bedraggled　sourgum；　perhaps　a　dozen　Maidens　in　cadin'sor　knelt　in　a　circle　around　Sulin；　the　toughest　of　them　despite　her　white　hair。　She　had　sent　out　scouts；　too；　women　who　could　move　as　fast　afoot　as　the　Mayeners　on　their　horses　and　were　much　more　likely　to　escape　unwanted　attention。　None　of　the　Wise　Ones　up　there　were　in　the　open；　but　a　slender　woman　stirring　a　large　stew　kettle　straightened；　knuckling　her　back　as　she　watched　Perrin　and　the　others　pass。　A　woman　in　a　green　silk　riding　dress。
　　　　　　　He　could　see　the　glare　on　Masuri's　face。　Aes　Sedai　did　not　stir　kettles；　nor　perform　twenty　other　tasks　the　Wise　Ones　had　her　and　Seonid　doing。　Masuri　laid　it　at　Rand's　feet；　but　he　was　not　here；　and　Perrin　was。　Given　half　a　chance；　she　would　peel　his　hide　for　him。
　　　　　　　Edarra　and　Nevarin　turned　up　that　way；　even　in　those　bulky　skirts　barely　disturbing　the　layers　of　dead　leaves　that　carpeted　the　ground。　Seonid　followed；　her　cheeks　still　bulging　around　that　scarf。　She　twisted　in　her　saddle；　peering　back　at　Perrin。　If　he　could　have　believed　an　Aes　Sedai　looking　anxious；　that　was　what　he　would　have　called　her。　Riding　behind　her；　Furen　and　Teryl　wore　scowls。
　　　　　　　Masuri　saw　them　ing　and　hastily　bent　back　to　the　black　kettle；　stirring　with　renewed　vigor；　trying　to　make　out　that　she　had　never　stopped。　So　long　as　Masuri　stayed　in　the　Wise　Ones'　charge；　Perrin　thought　he　did　not　have　to　worry　about　his　hide。　The　Wise　Ones　seemed　to　keep　a　very　short　leash。