rj.theshadowrising-第224部分

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　　　　　　　〃No；　my　heart；　though　I　would　have　if　I　could。　When　that　man　came　with　his　message　…　'We　are　ing'　…　I　thought　…　hoped　…　that　that　was　what　it　meant。〃　Pulling　her　face　back　a　little；　she　looked　up　at　him　seriously。　〃I　could　not　tell　you；　Perrin。　I　could　not　raise　your　hopes　when　I　only　suspected。　It　would　have　been　too　cruel　if。。。　Don't　be　angry　with　me；　Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　Laughing；　he　lifted　her　out　of　her　saddle　and　set　her　sideways　in　front　of　his；　she　laughed　her　protests；　and　stretched　across　the　high　pommel　to　put　both　arms　around　him。　〃I　will　never；　ever　be　angry　with　you；　I　sw　…〃　She　cut　him　off　with　a　hand　over　his　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃Mother　says　the　worst　thing　Father　ever　did　to　her　was　vow　never　to　be　angry　with　her。　It　took　her　a　year　to　force　him　to　take　it　back；　and　she　says　he　was　hardly　fit　to　live　with　long　before　then　from　holding　in。　You　will　be　angry　with　me；　Perrin；　and　I　with　you。　If　you　want　to　make　me　another　wedding　vow；　vow　you　will　not　hide　it　when　you　are。　I　cannot　deal　with　what　you　will　not　let　me　see；　my　husband。　My　husband；〃　she　repeated　in　a　satisfied　tone；　snuggling　against　him。　〃I　do　like　the　sound　of　that。〃
　　　　　　　He　noticed　she　did　not　say　she　would　always　let　him　know　when　she　was　angry；　on　past　experience；　he　would　have　to　discover　it　the　hard　way　at　least　half　the　time。　And　she　made　no　promises　not　to　keep　secrets　from　him　again；　either。　Right　then；　it　did　not　matter　so　long　as　she　was　with　him。　〃I　will　let　you　know　when　I'm　angry；　my　wife；〃　he　promised。　She　gave　him　a　slanted　look；　as　if　she　was　not　sure　how　to　take　that。　You　won't　ever　e　to　understand　them；　Cousin　Jaim；　but　you　won't　care。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　he　became　aware　of　the　dead　Trollocs　all　around　him；　like　a　black　field　full　of　feathered　weeds；　the　thrashing　Myrddraal　still　refusing　to　die　finally。　Slowly　he　turned　Stepper。　A　slaughter　yard　and　a　shambles　of　Shadowspawn　stretching　for　hundreds　of　paces　in　every　direction。　Crows　hopped　across　the　ground　already；　and　vultures　soared　overhead　in　a　huge　milling　cloud。　No　ravens；　though。　And　the　same　to　the　south；　according　to　Jaim；　he　could　see　the　vultures　wheeling　beyond　the　village　for　proof。　Not　enough　to　repay　for　Deselle　or　Adora　or　little　Paet　or。。。　Not　enough；　it　would　never　be　enough。　Nothing　could　ever　repay　for　them。　He　hugged　Faile；　hard　enough　to　make　her　grunt；　but　when　he　tried　to　ease　up；　she　put　her　hands　on　his　arms；　gripping　just　as　hard　to　keep　them　where　they　were。　She　was　enough。
　　　　　　　People　were　streaming　out　of　Emond's　Field；　Bran　limping　and　using　his　spear　for　a　staff；　Marin　smiling　with　an　arm　around　him；　Daise　being　hugged　by　her　husband；　Wit；　and　Gaul　and　Chiad　hand　in　hand　with　their　veils　down。　Loial's　ears　drooped　wearily；　and　Tam　had　blood　on　his　face；　and　Flann　Lewin　was　standing　only　with　the　help　of　his　wife；　Adine；　there　was　blood　on　nearly　everyone；　and　hasty　bandages。　But　they　came　out　in　a　widening　throng；　Elam　and　Dav；　Ewin　and　Aram；　Eward　Candwin　and　Buel　Dowtry；　Hu　and　Tad　the　stablemen　from　the　Winespring　Inn；　Ban　and　Tell　and　the　panions　riding　with　that　banner　still。　This　time　he　did　not　see　the　missing　faces；　only　those　who　were　still　there。　Verin　and　Alanna　on　their　horses；　with　Tomas　and　Ihvon　riding　close　behind。　Old　Bili　Congar　waving　a　jug　that　surely　held　ale；　or　better　yet　brandy；　and　Cenn　Buie　as　gnarled　as　ever　if　bruised；　and　Jac　al'Seen　with　an　arm　around　his　wife；　and　his　sons　and　daughters　around　him　with　their　wives　and　husbands。　Raen　and　Ila；　still　with　the　babes　on　their　backs。　More。　Faces　he　did　not　know　at　all；　men　who　must　be　from　Deven　Ride　and　the　farms　down　there。　Boys　and　girls　running　among　them；　laughing。
　　　　　　　They　fanned　out　to　either　side；　forming　a　great　hollow　circle　with　the　Watch　Hill　men；　Faile　and　him　at　its　center。　Everyone　avoided　the　dying　Fades；　but　it　was　as　if　they　did　not　see　the　Shadowspawn　lying　everywhere；　only　the　pair　on　Stepper。　Silently　they　watched；　until　Perrin　began　to　feel　nervous。　Why　doesn't　somebody　say　something？　Why　are　they　staring　like　that？
　　　　　　　The　Whitecloaks　appeared；　riding　slowly　out　of　the　village　in　their　long　gleaming　column　of　fours；　Dain　Bornhald　at　their　head　with　Jaret　Byar。　Every　white　cloak　shone　as　though　freshly　laundered；　every　lance　slanted　at　precisely　the　same　angle。　Sullen　mutters　rose；　but　people　moved　aside　to　let　them　enter　the　circle。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　raised　a　gauntleted　hand；　halting　the　column　in　a　jingle　of　bridles　and　creak　of　saddles；　when　he　faced　Perrin。　〃It　is　done；　Shadowspawn。〃　Byar's　mouth　quivered　on　the　brink　of　a　snarl；　but　Bornhald's　face　never　changed；　his　voice　never　rose。　〃The　Trollocs　are　done　here。　As　we　agreed；　I　arrest　you　now　for　Darkfriend　and　murderer。〃
　　　　　　　〃No！〃　Faile　twisted　around　to　stare　up　at　Perrin；　eyes　angry。　〃What　does　he　mean；　as　you　agreed？〃
　　　　　　　Her　words　were　nearly　drowned　by　the　roar　from　every　side。　〃No！　No！〃　and　〃You　will　not　take　him！〃　and　〃Goldeneyes！〃
　　　　　　　Keeping　his　gaze　on　Bornhald；　Perrin　lifted　a　hand；　and　silence　descended　slowly。　When　all　was　quiet；　he　said；　〃I　said　I　would　not　resist；　if　you　aided。〃　Surprising；　how　calm　his　voice　was；　inside　he　seethed　with　a　slow；　cold　anger。　〃If　you　aided；　Whitecloak。　Where　were　you？〃　The　man　did　not　answer。
　　　　　　　Daise　Congar　stepped　out　from　the　encircling　throng　with　Wit；　who　clung　to　her　as　if　he　never　intended　to　let　go　of　her　again。　For　that　matter；　her　stout　arm　was　wrapped　around　Wit's　shoulders　in　much　the　same　fashion。　They　made　an　odd　picture　as　she　planted　her　pitchfork…polearm　firmly；　her　the　taller　by　a　head　and　holding　her　considerably　smaller　husband　as　though　she　meant　to　protect　him。　〃They　were　on　the　Green；〃　she　announced　loudly；　〃all　lined　up　and　sitting　their　horses　pretty　as　girls　ready　for　a　dance　at　Sunday。　They　never　stirred。　It　was　that　that　made　us　e。。。〃　A　fierce　murmur　of　agreement　rippled　from　the　women。　〃。　。　。　when　we　saw　you　were　about　to　be　overrun；　and　they　just　sat　there　like　bumps　on　a　log！〃
　　　　　　　Bornhald　did　not　take　his　eyes　from　Perrin　for　an　instant；　he　did　not　even　blink。　〃Did　you　think　I　would　trust　you？〃　he　sneered。　〃Your　plan　only　failed　because　these　others　arrived　…　yes？　…　and　you　can　claim　no　part　in　that。〃　Faile　shifted；　without　looking　away　from　the　man；　Perrin　laid　a　finger　across　her　lips　just　as　she　opened　her　mouth。　She　bit　him　…　hard　…　but　she　did　not　say　anything。　Bornhald's　voice　finally　began　to　rise。　〃I　will　see　you　hang；　Shadowspawn。　I　will　see　you　hang；　whatever　it　takes！　I　will　see　you　dead　if　the　world　burns！〃　The　last　came　as　a　shout。　Byar's　sword　slid　a　hand　of　bare　steel　from　its　scabbard；　a　massive　Whitecloak　behind　him　…　Farran；　Perrin　thought　his　name　was　…　drew　his　pletely；　with　a　pleased　smile　rather　than　Byar's　toothy　snarl。
　　　　　　　They　froze　as　quivers　rattled　to　arrows　being　drawn；　and　bows　came　up　all　around　the　circle；　fletchings　drawn　to　ear；　every　broadhead　shaft　pointed　at　a　Whitecloak。　Up　and　down　the　thick　column；　high…cantled　saddles　creaked　as　men　shifted　uneasily。　Bornhald　showed　no　sign　of　fear；　and　he　did　not　smell　of　it；　either；　his　scent　was　all　hate。　He　ran　almost　fevered　eyes　over　the　Two　Rivers　folk　encircling　his　men　and　returned　them　to　Perrin　just　as　hot　and　hate…filled。
　　　　　　　Perrin　motioned　downward；　and　tension　was　let　off　bowstrings　reluctantly；　bows　lowered　slowly。　〃You　would　not　help。〃　His　voice　was　cold　iron；　anvil…hard。　〃Since　you　came　to　the　Two　Rivers；　the　help　you've　given　has　been　almost　accidental。　You　never　really　cared　if　people　were　burned　out；　killed；　so　long　as　you　could　find　somebody　to　call　Darkfriend。〃　Bornhald　shivered；　though　his　eyes　still　burned。　〃It　is　time　for　you　to　go。　Not　just　from　Emond's　Field。　It　is　time　for　you　to　gather　up　your　Whitecloaks　and　leave　the　Two　Rivers。　Now；　Bornhald。　You　are　going　now。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　see　you　hang　one　day；〃　Bornhald　said　softly。　He　jerked　his　hand　for　the　column　to　follow　and　booted　his　horse　forward　as　if　he　meant　to　ride　Perrin　over。
　　　　　　　Perrin　moved　Stepper　aside；　he　wanted　these　men　gone；　not　more　killing。　Let　the　man　have　a　final　gesture　of　defiance。
　　　　　　　Bornhald　never　turned　his　head；　but　hollow…cheeked　Byar　stared　silent　hate　at　Perrin；　and　Farran　seemed　to　look　at　him　with　regret　for　some　reason。　The　others　kept　their　eyes　front　as　they　passed　in　a　jingle　of　tack　and　the　clop　of　hooves。　Silently　the　circle　opened　to　let　them　out；　heading　north。
　　　　　　　A　knot　of　ten　or　twelve　men　approached　Perrin　on　foot；　some　in　mismatched　bits　and　pieces　of　old　armor；　all　grinning　anxiously；　as　the　last　of　the　Whitecloaks　went　by。　He　did　not　recognize　any　of　them。　A　wide…nosed；　leathery…faced　fellow　seemed　to　be　their　leader；　his　white　hair　bare　but　a　rusty　mail　shirt　covering　him　to　the　knees；　though　the　collar　of　a　farmer's　coat　poked　up　around　his　neck。　He　bowed　awkwardly　over　his　bow。　〃Jerinvar　Barstere；　my　Lord　Perrin。　Jer；　they　call　me。〃　He　spoke　hurriedly；　as　if　afraid　of　being　interrupted。　〃Pardon　for　bothering　you。　Some　of　us　will　see　the　Whitecloaks　along；　if　that's　all　right　with　you。　A　good　many　want　to　get　on　home；　even　if　we　can't　get　there　before　dark。　There's　as　many　Whitecloaks　again　in　Watch　Hill；　but　they　would　not　e。　Had　orders　to　hold　fast；　they　said。　Bunch　of　fools；　if　y