rj.theshadowrising-第120部分

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　Children　…　but　he　wanted　as　little　trouble　as　possible。　Trouble　sparked　trouble。　If　rough　treatment　was　needed　with　the　prisoners；　it　might　raise　resentment　in　the　village　to　a　point　where　something　had　to　be　done　about　it。　Byar　was　a　fool。　He　…　and　others；　Farran　especially　…　wanted　to　put　the　prisoners　to　the　question。　Bornhald　was　not　a　Questioner；　and　he　did　not　like　to　use　their　methods。　Nor　did　he　mean　to　let　Farran　anywhere　near　those　girls；　even　if　they　were　Darkfriends；　as　Ordeith　claimed。
　　　　　　　Darkfriends　or　no　Darkfriends；　he　realized　more　and　more　that　all　he　really　wanted　was　one　Darkfriend。　More　than　the　Trollocs；　more　than　Aes　Sedai；　he　wanted　Perrin　Aybara。　He　could　hardly　credit　Byar's　tale's　of　the　man　running　with　wolves；　but　Byar　was　clear　enough　that　Aybara　had　led　Bornhald's　father　into　a　Darkfriend　trap；　led　Geofram　Bornhald　to　his　death　on　Toman　Head　at　the　hands　of　the　Seanchan　Darkfriends　and　their　Aes　Sedai　allies。　Perhaps；　if　neither　of　the　Luhhans　talked　soon；　he　might　let　Byar　have　his　way　with　the　blacksmith。　Either　the　man　would　crack；　or　his　wife　would；　watching。　One　of　them　would　give　him　the　means　to　find　Perrin　Aybara。
　　　　　　　When　he　dismounted　in　front　of　his　tent；　Byar　was　there　to　meet　him；　stiff　and　gaunt　as　a　scarecrow。　Bornhald　glanced　distastefully　toward　a　much　smaller　collection　of　tents　apart　from　the　rest。　The　wind　was　from　that　direction；　and　he　could　smell　the　other　camp。　They　did　not　keep　their　picket　lines　clean；　or　themselves。　〃Ordeith　is　back；　it　seems；　yes？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　my　Lord　Bornhald。　〃　Byar　stopped；　and　Bornhald　looked　at　him　questioningly。　〃They　report　a　skirmish　with　Trollocs　to　the　south。　Two　dead。　Six　wounded；　they　claim。
　　　　　　　〃And　who　are　the　dead？〃　Bornhald　asked　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃Child　Joelin　and　Child　Gomanes；　my　Lord　Bornhald。〃　Byar's　hollow…cheeked　expression　never　changed。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　drew　off　his　steel…backed　gauntlets　slowly。　The　two　he　had　sent　off　to　acpany　Ordeith；　to　see　what　he　did　on　his　forays　south。　Carefully；　he　did　not　raise　his　voice。　〃My　pliments　to　Master　Ordeith；　Byar；　and　…　No！　No　pliments。　Tell　him；　in　these　words；　that　I　will　have　his　scrawny　bones　before　me　now。　Tell　him；　Byar；　and　bring　him　if　you　must　arrest　him　and　those　filthy　wretches　who　disgrace　the　Children。　Go。〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　held　his　anger　until　he　was　inside　his　tent；　flap　lowered；　then　swept　maps　and　writing　case　from　his　camp　table　with　a　snarl。；　Ordeith　must　think　him　an　imbecile。　Twice　he　had　sent　men　with　the　fellow；　and　twice　they　had　been　the　only　deaths　in　〃a　skirmish　with　Trollocs〃　that　left　no　wounded　to　show　among　the　rest。　Always　to　the　south。　The　man　was　obsessed　with　Emond's　Field。　Well；　he　himself　might　have　had　his　camp　there；　if　not　for。。。　No　point　to　it　now。　He　had　the　Luhhans　here。　They　would　give　him　Perrin　Aybara；　one　way　or　another。　Watch　Hill　was　a　much　better　site　if　he　had　to　move　to　Taren　Ferry　quickly。　Military　considerations　before　personal。
　　　　　　　For　the　thousandth　time　he　wondered　why　the　Lord　Captain　mander　had　sent　him　here。　The　people　seemed　no　different　from　those　he　had　seen　a　hundred　other　places。　Except　that　only　the　Taren　Ferry　folk　showed　any　enthusiasm　for　rooting　out　their　own　Darkfriends。　The　rest　stared　with　a　sullen　stubbornness　when　the　Dragon's　Fang　was　scrawled　on　a　door。　A　village　always　knew　who　its　own　undesirables　were；　they　were　always　ready　to　cleanse　themselves；　with　a　little　encouragement；　and　any　Darkfriends　were　certain　to　be　swept　up　with　the　others　the　people　wanted　gone。　But　not　here。　The　black　scrawl　of　a　sharp　fang　on　a　door　might　as　well　be　new　whitewash　for　all　of　its　real　effect。　And　the　Trollocs。　Had　Pedron　Niall　known　the　Trollocs　would　e　when　he　wrote　those　orders？　How　could　he　have？　But　if　not；　why　had　he　sent　enough　of　the　Children　to　put　down　a　small　rebellion？　And　why　under　the　Light　had　the　Lord　Captain　mander　burdened　him　with　a　murderous　madman？
　　　　　　　The　tent　flap　swept　aside；　and　Ordeith　swaggered　in。　His　fine　gray　coat　was　embroidered　with　silver；　but　stained　heavily。　His　scrawny　neck　was　dirty；　too；　jutting　out　of　his　collar　and　giving　him　the　look　of　a　turtle。　〃A　good　evening　to　you；　my　Lord　Bornhald。　A　gracious　good　evening；　and　splendid。〃　The　Lugard　accent　was　heavy　today。
　　　　　　　〃What　happened　to　Child　Joelin　and　Child　Gomanes；　Ordeith？〃
　　　　　　　〃Such　a　terrible　thing；　my　Lord。　When　we　came　on　the　Trollocs；　Child　Gomanes　bravely　…〃　Bornhald　struck　him　across　the　face　with　his　gauntlets。　Staggering；　the　bony　man　put　a　hand　to　his　split　lip；　examined　the　red　on　his　fingers。　The　smile　on　his　face　no　longer　mocked。　It　looked　viperish。　〃Are　you　forgetting　who　signed　my　mission　now；　lordling？　Pedron　Niall　will　be　hanging　you　with　your　mother's　guts　if　I　say　a　word；　after　he　has　the　both　of　you　skinned　alive。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　if　you　are　alive　to　speak　this　word；　yes？〃
　　　　　　　Ordeith　snarled；　crouching　like　some　wild　thing；　spittle　bubbling。　Slowly　he　shook　himself；　slowly　straightened。　〃We　must　work　together。〃　The　Lugarder　accent　was　gone；　replaced　by　a　grander；　more　manding　tone。　Bornhald　preferred　the　taunting　Lugarder　voice　to　the　slightly　oily；　barely　veiled　contempt　in　this　one。　〃The　Shadow　lies　all　around　us　here。　Not　simply　Trollocs　and　Myrddraal。　They　are　the　least　of　it。　Three　were　spawned　here；　Darkfriends　meant　to　shake　the　world；　their　breeding　guided　by　the　Dark　One　for　a　thousand　years　or　more。　Rand　al'Thor。　Mat　Cauthon。　Perrin　Aybara。　You　know　their　names。　In　this　place；　forces　are　loosed　that　will　harrow　the　world。　Creatures　of　the　Shadow　walk　the　night；　tainting　men's　hearts；　corrupting　men's　dreams。　Scourge　this　land。　
　　　　　　　Scourge　it；　and　they　will　e。　Rand　al'Thor。　Mat　Cauthon。　Perrin　Aybara。〃　He　almost　caressed　the　last　name。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　drew　ragged　breath。　He　was　not　sure　how　Ordeith　had　discovered　what　he　wanted　here；　one　day　the　man　had　simply　revealed　his　knowledge。　〃I　covered　over　what　you　did　at　the　Aybara　farm　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Scourge　them。〃　There　was　a　hint　of　madness　in　that　grand　voice；　and　sweat　on　Ordeith's　brow。　〃Flay　them；　and　the　three　will　e。〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　raised　his　voice。　〃Covered　it　over　because　I　had　to。〃　There　had　been　no　choice。　If　the　truth　came　out；　he　would　have　more　than　sullen　stares　to　contend　with。　The　last　thing　he　needed　was　open　rebellion　on　top　of　Trollocs。　〃But　I　will　not　condone　the　murder　of　Children。　Do　you　hear　me？　What　is　it　you　do　that　you　need　to　hide　from　the　Children？〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　doubt　the　Shadow　will　do　whatever　is　needed　to　stop　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　doubt　it？〃　Ordeith　leaned　forward　intently。　〃You　saw　the　Gray　Men。〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　hesitated。　Fifty　of　the　Children　around　him；　in　the　middle　of　Watch　Hill；　and　no　one　had　noticed　the　pair　with　their　daggers。　He　had　looked　right　at　them　and　not　seen。　Until　Ordeith　killed　the　pair。　The　scrawny　little　fellow　had　gained　considerable　standing　with　the　men　for　that。　Later　Bornhald　had　buried　the　daggers　deep。　Those　blades　had　looked　to　be　steel；　but　a　touch　seared　like　molten　metal。　The　first　earth　thrown　on　them　in　the　pit　had　hissed　and　steamed。　〃You　believe　they　were　after　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　yes；　my　Lord　Bornhald。　After　me。　Whatever　it　takes　to　stop　me。　The　Shadow　itself　wants　to　stop　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　still　says　nothing　of　murdered　…〃
　　　　　　　〃I　must　do　what　I　do　in　secret。〃　It　was　a　whisper；　almost　a　hiss。　〃The　Shadow　can　enter　men's　minds　to　find　me　out；　enter　men's　thoughts　and　dreams。　Would　you　like　to　die　in　a　dream？　It　can　happen。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are。。。　mad。〃
　　　　　　　〃Give　me　a　free　hand；　and　I　will　give　you　Perrin　Aybara。　That　is　what　Pedron　Niall's　orders　require。　A　free　hand　for　me；　and　I　will　place　Perrin　Aybara　in　yours。〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　was　silent　for　a　long　time。　〃I　do　not　want　to　look　at　you；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Get　out。〃
　　　　　　　When　Ordeith　was　gone；　Bornhald　shivered。　What　was　the　Lord　Captain　mander　up　to　with　this　man？　But　if　it　put　Aybara　in　his　grasp。。。　Tossing　his　gauntlets　down；　he　began　digging　through　his　belongings。　Somewhere　he　had　a　flask　of　brandy。
　
　　　　　　　The　man　who　called　himself　Ordeith；　even　sometimes　thought　of　himself　as　Ordeith；　slunk　through　the　tents　of　the　Children　of　the　Light；　watching　the　white…cloaked　men　with　a　wary　eye。　Useful　tools；　ignorant　tools；　but　not　to　be　trusted。　Especially　not　Bornhald；　that　one　might　have　to　be　disposed　of；　if　he　became　too　troublesome。　Byar　would　be　much　more　easily　handled。　But　not　yet。　There　were　other　matters　more　important。　Some　of　the　soldiers　nodded　respectfully　as　he　passed。　He　showed　them　his　teeth　in　what　they　took　for　a　friendly　smile。　Tools；　and　fools。
　　　　　　　His　eyes　skittered　hungrily　across　the　tent　holding　the　prisoners。　They　could　wait。　For　a　while　yet。　A　little　while　longer。　They　were　only　tidbits　anyway。　Bait。　He　should　have　restrained　himself　at　the　Aybara　farm；　but　Con　Aybara　had　laughed　in　his　face；　and　Joslyn　had　called　him　a　filthy…minded　little　fool　for　naming　her　son　Darkfriend。　Well；　they　had　learned；　screaming；　burning。　In　spite　of　himself　he　giggled　under　his　breath。　Tidbits。
　　　　　　　He　could　feel　one　of　those　he　hated　out　there　somewhere；　south；　toward　Emond's　Field。　Which　one？　It　did　not　matter。　Rand　al'Thor　was　the　only　really　important　one。　He　wo