rj.theshadowrising-第113部分

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　　　　　　　〃Hiding？〃
　　　　　　　〃There　is　no　need　to　go　into　that；〃　Mistress　al'Vere　said　briskly。　〃Bran；　bring　him　another　cup　of　brandy。　And　you　drink　this　one；　Perrin。〃　Her　husband　sat　where　he　was；　but　she　only　frowned　at　him　and　went　on。　〃I　would　offer　you　a　bed；　but　it　isn't　safe。　Some　people　are　like　as　not　to　run　off　hunting　for　Lord　Bornhald　if　they　find　out　you　are　here。　Eward　Congar　and　Hari　Coplin　fawn　after　the　Whitecloaks　like　heel…hounds；　eager　to　please　and　name　names；　and　Cenn　Buie　isn't　much　better。　And　Wit　Congar　will　carry　tales；　too；　if　Daise　doesn't　stop　him。　She　is　the　Wisdom；　now。　Perrin；　it　is　best　for　to　go。　Believe　me。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　shook　his　head　slowly；　it　was　too　much　to　take　in。　Daise　Congar　the　Wisdom？　The　woman　was　like　a　bull。　Whitecloaks　protecting　Emond's　Field。　Hari　and　Eward　and　Wit　cooperating。　Not　much　more　could　be　expected　from　Congars　or　Coplins；　but　Cenn　Buie　was　on　the　Village　Council。　Lord　Bornhald。　So　Geofram　Bornhald　was　there。　Faile　was　watching　him；　her　eyes　large　and　moist。　Why　should　she　be　on　the　edge　of　tears？
　　　　　　　〃There　is　more；　Brandelwyn　al'Vere；〃　Gaul　said。　〃Your　face　says　so。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　is；〃　Bran　agreed。　〃No；　Marin；〃　he　added　firmly　when　she　gave　a　small　shake　of　her　head。　〃He　deserves　the　truth。　The　whole　truth。〃　She　folded　her　hands　with　a　sigh；　Marin　al'Vere　very　nearly　always　got　her　way　…　except　when　Bran's　face　was　set；　as　now；　with　his　eyebrows　drawn　down　hard　as　a　plow。
　　　　　　　〃What　truth？〃　Perrin　asked。　His　mother　liked　apple　blossoms。
　　　　　　　〃First　off；　Padan　Fain　is　with　the　Whitecloaks；〃　Bran　said。　〃He　calls　himself　Ordeith　now；　and　he　won't　answer　to　his　own　name　at　all；　but　it's　him；　stare　down　his　nose　as　he　will。〃
　　　　　　　〃He's　a　Darkfriend；〃　Perrin　said　absently。　Adora　and　Deselle　always　put　apple　blossoms　in　their　hair　in　the　spring。　〃Admitted　from　his　own　mouth。　He　brought　the　Trollocs；　on　Winternight。〃　Paet　liked　to　climb　in　the　apple　trees；　he　would　throw　apples　at　you　from　the　branches　if　you　did　not　watch　him。
　　　　　　　〃Is　he；　now；〃　the　Mayor　said　grimly。　〃Now；　that　is　interesting。　He　has　some　authority　with　the　Whitecloaks。　The　first　we　heard　they　were　here　was　after　they　burned　Tam's　farm。　That　was　Fain's　work；　he　led　the　Whitecloaks　that　did　it。　Tam　feathered　four　or　five　of　them　with　arrows　before　he　made　it　to　the　woods；　and　he　reached　the　Cauthon　farm　in　the　nick　to　stop　them　taking　Abell。　But　they　arrested　Natti　and　the　girls。　And　Haral　Luhhan；　and　Alsbet；　too。　I　think　Fain　might　have　hung　them；　except　Lord　Bornhald　wouldn't　allow　it。　Not　that　he　let　them　go；　either。　They　haven't　been　harmed；　as　far　as　I　can　discover；　but　they're　being　held　in　the　Whitecloak　camp　up　at　Watch　Hill。　For　some　reason；　Fain　has　a　hate　for　you；　and　Rand；　and　Mat。　He's　offered　a　hundred　pieces　of　gold　for　anyone　related　to　the　three　of　you；　two　hundred　for　Tam　or　Abell。　And　Lord　Bornhald　seems　to　have　some　interest　in　you；　especially。　When　a　Whitecloak　patrol　es　here；　he　usually　es；　too；　and　asks　questions　about　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　Perrin　said。　〃Of　course。　He　would。〃　Perrin　of　the　Two　Rivers；　who　ran　with　wolves。　Darkfriend。　Fain　could　have　told　them　the　rest。　Fain；　with　the　Children　of　the　Light？　It　was　a　distant　thought。　Better　than　thinking　about　Trollocs；　though。　He　grimaced　at　his　hands；　made　them　be　still　on　the　table。　〃They　protect　you　from　the　Trollocs。〃
　　　　　　　Marin　al'Vere　leaned　toward　him；　frowning。　〃Perrin；　we　need　the　Whitecloaks。　Yes；　they　burned　Tam's　farm；　and　Abell's；　they've　arrested　people；　and　they　stamp　around　as　if　they　own　everything　they　see；　but　Alsbet　and　Natti　and　the　rest　are　unharmed；　only　held；　and　that　can　be　straightened　out　somehow。　The　Dragon's　Fang　has　been　scrawled　on　a　few　doors；　but　nobody　except　the　Congars　and　Coplins　pay　any　mind；　and　they're　likely　the　ones　who　did　the　scrawling。　Tam　and　Abell　can　stay　in　hiding　until　the　Whitecloaks　go。　They　have　to　go　sooner　or　later。　But　as　long　as　there　are　Trollocs　here；　we　do　need　them。　Please　understand。　It　isn't　that　we　would　not　rather　have　you　than　them；　but　we　need　them　and　we　don't　want　them　to　hang　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　call　this　being　protected；　roofmistress？〃　Bain　said。　〃If　you　ask　the　lion　to　protect　you　from　wolves；　you　have　only　chosen　to　end　in　one　belly　instead　of　another。〃
　　　　　　　〃Can　you　not　protect　yourselves？〃　Chiad　added。　〃I　have　seen　Perrin　fight；　and　Mat　Cauthon；　and　Rand　al'Thor。　They　are　the　same　blood　as　you。〃
　　　　　　　Bran　sighed　heavily。　〃We　are　farmers；　simple　people。　Lord　Luc　talks　of　organizing　men　to　fight　the　Trollocs；　but　that　means　leaving　your　family　unprotected　while　you　go　off　with　him；　and　no　one　much　likes　that　idea。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　was　confused。　Who　was　Lord　Luc？　He　asked　as　much；　and　Mistress　al'Vere　answered。
　　　　　　　〃He　came　about　the　time　the　Whitecloaks　did。　He's　a　Hunter　of　the　Horn。　You　know　the　story；　The　Great　Hunt　of　the　Horn？　Lord　Luc　thinks　the　Horn　of　Valere　is　somewhere　in　the　Mountains　of　Mist　above　the　Two　Rivers。　But　he　gave　over　his　hunt　because　of　our　problems。　Lord　Luc　is　a　great　gentleman；　with　the　finest　manners。〃　Smoothing　her　hair；　she　gave　an　approving　smile；　Bran　looked　at　her　sideways　and　grunted　sourly。
　　　　　　　Hunters　of　the　Horn。　Trollocs。　Whitecloaks。　The　Two　Rivers　hardly　seemed　the　same　place　he　had　left。　〃Faile　is　a　Hunter　of　the　Horn；　too。　Do　you　know　this　Lord　Luc；　Faile？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　had　enough；〃　she　announced。　Perrin　frowned　as　she　stood　and　came　around　the　table　to　him。　Seizing　his　head；　she　pulled　his　face　into　her　midriff。　〃Your　mother　is　dead；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Your　father　is　dead。　Your　sisters　are　dead；　and　your　brother。　Your　family　is　dead；　and　you　cannot　change　it。　Certainly　not　by　dying　yourself。　Let　yourself　grieve。　Don't　hold　it　inside　where　it　can　fester。〃
　　　　　　　He　took　her　by　the　arms；　meaning　to　move　her；　but　for　some　reason　his　hands　tightened　till　that　grip　was　the　only　thing　holding　him　up。　It　was　only　then　that　he　realized　he　was　crying；　sobbing　into　her　dress　like　a　baby。　What　must　she　think　of　him？　He　opened　his　mouth　to　tell　her　he　was　all　right；　to　apologize　for　breaking　down；　but　what　came　out　was；　〃I　couldn't　get　here　any　faster。　I　couldn't　…　I　…〃　He　gritted　his　teeth　to　shut　himself　off。
　　　　　　　〃I　know；〃　she　murmured；　stroking　his　hair　for　all　the　world　as　if　he　were　a　child。　〃I　know。〃
　　　　　　　He　wanted　to　stop；　but　the　more　she　whispered　understanding；　the　more　he　wept；　as　though　her　hands　soft　on　his　head　were　smoothing　the　tears　out　of　him。


Chapter　30
（Flame　of　Tar　Valon）
Beyond　the　Oak

　　　　　　　With　Faile　holding　his　head　beneath　her　breasts；　Perrin　lost　track　of　how　long　he　cried。　Images　of　his　family　flashed　in　his　thoughts；　his　father　smiling　as　he　showed　him　how　to　hold　a　bow；　his　mother　singing　while　she　spun　wool；　Adora　and　Deselle　teasing　him　when　he　shaved　the　first　time；　Paet　wide…eyed　at　a　gleeman　during　Sunday　long　ago。　Pictures　of　graves；　cold　and　lonely　in　a　row。　He　wept　until　there　were　no　more　tears　in　him。　When　he　finally　pulled　back；　the　two　of　them　were　alone　except　for　Scratch；　washing　himself　atop　the　ale　barrel。　He　was　glad　the　others　had　not　remained　to　watch　him。　Faile　was　bad　enough。　In　a　way　he　was　glad　she　had　stayed；　he　only　wished　she　had　not　seen　or　heard。
　　　　　　　Taking　his　hands　in　hers；　Faile　sat　in　the　next　chair。　She　was　so　beautiful；　with　her　slightly　tilted　eyes；　large　and　dark；　and　her　high　cheekbones。　He　did　not　know　how　he　was　going　to　be　able　to　make　up　to　her　for　the　way　he　had　treated　her　these　last　few　days。　No　doubt　she　would　find　a　means　to　make　him　pay　for　it。
　　　　　　　〃Have　you　given　up　the　notion　of　surrendering　to　the　Whitecloaks？〃　she　asked。　There　was　no　hint　in　her　voice　that　she　had　just　watched　him　cry　like　a　baby。
　　　　　　　〃It　seems　it　wouldn't　do　any　good。　They'll　be　after　Rand's　father；　and　Mat's；　whatever　I　do。　My　family。。。〃　He　quickly　loosened　his　grip　on　her　hands；　but　she　smiled　instead　of　wincing。　〃I　have　to　get　Master　Luhhan　and　his　wife　free；　if　I　can。　And　Mat's　mother　and　sisters；　I　promised　him　I　would　look　after　them。　And　do　what　I　can　about　the　Trollocs。〃　Maybe　this　Lord　Luc　had　some　ideas。　At　least　the　Waygate　was　blocked；　no　more　would　e　through　the　Ways。　He　especially　wanted　to　do　something　about　the　Trollocs。　〃I　can't　manage　any　of　that　if　I　let　them　hang　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　am　very　glad　you　see　that；〃　she　told　him　dryly。　〃Any　more　fool　notions　about　sending　me　away？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　He　braced　himself　for　the　storm；　but　she　simply　nodded　as　if　the　one　word　were　what　she　expected　and　all　she　wanted。　A　small　thing；　nothing　worth　arguing　over。　She　was　going　to　make　him　pay　large。
　　　　　　　〃We　are　five；　Perrin；　six　if　Loial　is　willing。　And　if　we　can　find　Tam　al'Thor　and　Abell　Cauthon。。。　Are　they　as　good　with　a　bow　as　you？〃
〃Better；〃　he　said　truthfully。　〃Much　better。〃
　　　　　　　She　gave　him　a　slight；　disbelieving　nod。　〃That　will　make　eight。　A　beginning。　Maybe　others　will　join　us。　And　then　there's　Lord　Luc。　He　will　probably　want　to　take　charge；　but　if　he's　not　a　crackbrain；　it　won't　matter。　Not　everyone　who　took　the　Hunter's　Oath　is　sensible；　though。　I've　met　some　who　think　they　know　everything；　and　are　stubborn　as　mules　besides。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。〃　She　looked　at　him　sharply；　and　he　managed　to　keep　the　smile　off　his