rj.theshadowrising-第46部分

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l　short　of　Rand。　As　if　he　were　too　dangerous　for　even　Lan　to　approach。　〃Are　you。。。　well；　Rand？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　pulled　his　gaze　away　from　her；　and　it　fell　on　the　body　of　a　dark…haired　girl；　little　more　than　a　child。　She　lay　sprawled　on　her　back；　eyes　wide　and　fixed　on　the　ceiling；　blood　blackening　the　bosom　of　her　dress。　Sadly；　he　bent　to　brush　strands　of　hair　from　her　face。　Light；　she　is　only　a　child。　I　was　too　late。　Why　didn't　I　do　it　sooner？　A　child！
　　　　　　　〃I　will　see　that　someone　takes　care　of　her；　Rand；〃　Moiraine　said　gently。　〃You　cannot　help　her　now。〃
　　　　　　　His　hand　shook　so　hard　on　Callandor　that　he　could　barely　hold　on。　〃With　this；　I　can　do　anything。〃　His　voice　was　harsh　in　his　own　ears。　〃Anything！〃
　　　　　　　〃Rand！〃　Moiraine　said　urgently。
　　　　　　　He　would　not　listen。　The　Power　was　in　him。　Callandor　blazed；　and　he　was　the　Power。　He　channeled；　directing　flows　into　the　child's　body；　searching；　trying；　fumbling；　she　lurched　to　her　feet；　arms　and　legs　unnaturally　rigid　and　jerky。
　　　　　　　〃Rand；　you　cannot　do　this。　Not　this！〃
　　　　　　　Breathe。　She　has　to　breathe。　The　girl's　chest　rose　and　fell。　Heart。　Has　to　beat。　Blood　already　thick　and　dark　oozed　from　the　wound　in　her　chest。　Live。　Live；　burn　you！　I　didn't　mean　to　be　too　late。　Her　eyes　stared　at　him；　filmed。　Lifeless。　Tears　trickled　unheeded　down　his　cheeks。　〃She　has　to　live！　Heal　her；　Moiraine。　I　don't　know　how。　Heal　her！〃
　　　　　　　〃Death　cannot　be　Healed；　Rand。　You　are　not　the　Creator。〃
　　　　　　　Staring　into　those　dead　eyes；　Rand　slowly　withdrew　the　flows。　The　body　fell　stiffly。　The　body。　He　threw　back　his　head　and　howled；　as　wild　as　any　Trolloc。　Braided　fire　sizzled　into　walls　and　ceiling　as　he　lashed　out　in　frustration　and　pain。
　　　　　　　Sagging；　he　released　saidin；　pushed　it　away；　it　was　like　pushing　away　a　boulder；　like　pushing　away　life。　Strength　drained　out　of　him　with　the　Power。　The　taint　remained；　though；　a　stain　weighing　him　down　with　darkness。　He　had　to　ground　Callandor　on　the　floor　tiles　and　lean　on　it　to　stay　on　his　feet。
　　　　　　　〃The　others。〃　It　was　hard　to　speak；　his　throat　hurt。　〃Elayne；　Perrin；　the　rest？　Was　I　too　late　for　them；　too？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　were　not　too　late；〃　Moiraine　said　calmly。　But　she　had　e　no　closer；　and　Lan　looked　ready　to　dart　between　her　and　Rand。　〃You　must　not　…〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　they　still　alive？〃　Rand　shouted。
　　　　　　　〃They　are；〃　she　assured　him。
　　　　　　　He　nodded　in　weary　relief。　He　tried　not　to　look　at　the　girl's　body。　Three　days　waiting；　so　he　could　enjoy　a　few　stolen　kisses。　If　he　had　moved　three　days　ago。。。　But　he　had　learned　things　in　those　three　days；　things　he　might　be　able　to　use　if　he　could　put　them　together。　If。　Not　too　late　for　his　friends；　at　least。　Not　too　late　for　them。　〃How　did　the　Trollocs　get　in？　I　don't　think　they　climbed　the　walls　like　Aiel；　not　with　the　sun　still　up。　Is　it　still　up？〃　He　shook　his　head　to　dispel　some　of　the　fog。　〃No　matter。　The　Trollocs。　How？〃
　　　　　　　Lan　was　the　one　who　answered。　〃Eight　large　grain　barges　tied　up　at　the　Stone's　docks　late　this　afternoon。　Apparently　no　one　thought　to　question　why　laden　grain　barges　would　be　ing　downriver〃　…　his　voice　was　heavy　with　contempt　…〃or　why　they'd　dock　at　the　Stone；　or　why　the　crews　left　the　hatches　shut　until　nearly　sunfall。　Also；　a　train　of　wagons　arrived　…　about　two　hours　ago；　now　…　thirty　of　them；　supposedly　bringing　some　lord　or　other's　things　from　the　country　for　his　return　to　the　Stone。　When　the　canvas　was　thrown　back；　they　were　packed　with　Halfmen　and　Trollocs；　too。　If　they　came　in　any　other　way；　I　don't　know　of　it；　yet。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　nodded　again；　and　the　effort　buckled　his　knees。　Suddenly　Lan　was　there；　pulling　Rand's　arm　over　his　shoulder　to　hold　him　up。　Moiraine　took　his　face　in　her　hands。　A　chill　rippled　through　him；　not　the　blasting　cold　of　full　Healing；　but　a　chill　that　pushed　weariness　out　as　it　passed。　Most　of　the　weariness。　A　seed　remained；　as　if　he　had　worked　a　day　hoeing　tabac。　He　moved　away　from　the　support　he　no　longer　needed。　Lan　watched　him　warily；　to　see　if　he　could　really　stand　alone；　or　perhaps　because　the　Warder　was　not　certain　how　dangerous　he　was；　how　sane。
　　　　　　　〃I　left　some　apurpose；〃　Moiraine　told　him。　〃You　need　to　sleep　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　Sleep。　There　was　too　much　to　do　to　sleep。　But　he　gave　another　nod。　He　did　not　want　her　shadowing　him。　Yet　what　he　said　was　〃Lanfear　was　here。　This　was　not　her　doing。　She　said　so；　and　I　believe　her。　You　don't　seem　surprised；　Moiraine。〃　Would　Lanfear's　offer　surprise　her？　Would　anything？　〃Lanfear　was　here；　and　I　talked　with　her。　She　didn't　try　to　kill　me；　and　I　didn't　try　to　kill　her。　And　you　are　not　surprised。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　doubt　you　could　kill　her。　Yet。〃　Her　glance　at　Callandor　was　the　merest　flicker　of　dark　eyes。　〃Not　unaided。　And　I　doubt　she　will　try　to　kill　you。　Yet。　We　know　little　of　any　of　the　Forsaken；　and　least　of　all　Lanfear；　but　we　do　know　she　loved　Lews　Therin　Telamon。　To　say　you　are　safe　from　her　is　certainly　too　strong　…　there　is　a　good　deal　she　can　do　to　harm　you　short　of　murder　…　but　I　do　not　think　she　will　try　to　kill　as　long　as　she　thinks　she　might　win　Lews　Therin　back　again。〃
　　　　　　　Lanfear　wanted　him。　The　Daughter　of　the　Night；　used　by　mothers　who　only　half…believed　in　her　to　frighten　children。　She　certainly　frightened　him。　It　was　nearly　enough　to　make　him　laugh。　He　had　always　felt　guilty　for　looking　at　any　woman　besides　Egwene；　and　Egwene　did　not　want　him；　but　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　wanted　to　kiss　him；　at　least；　and　one　of　the　Forsaken　claimed　to　love　him。　Nearly　enough　for　laughter；　but　not　quite。　Lanfear　seemed　jealous　of　Elayne；　that　pale…haired　milksop；　she　had　called　her。　Madness。　All　madness。
　　　　　　　〃Tomorrow。〃　He　started　away　from　them。
　　　　　　　〃Tomorrow？〃　Moiraine　said。
　　　　　　　〃Tomorrow；　I　will　tell　you　what　I　am　going　to　do。〃　Some　of　it；　he　would。　The　thought　of　Moiraine's　face　if　he　told　her　everything　made　him　want　to　laugh。　If　he　knew　everything　himself；　yet。　Lanfear　had　given　him　almost　the　last　piece；　without　knowing　it。　One　more　step；　tonight。　The　hand　holding　Callandor　by　his　side　trembled。　With　that；　he　could　do　anything。　I　am　not　mad　yet。　Not　mad　enough　for　that。　〃Tomorrow。　A　good　night　to　us　all；　the　Light　willing。〃　Tomorrow　he　would　begin　to　unleash　another　kind　of　lightning。　Another　lightning　that　might　save　him。　Or　kill　him。　He　was　not　mad　yet。


Chapter　11
（Dream　Ring）
What　Lies　Hidden

　　　　　　　Clad　in　her　shift；　Egwene　drew　a　deep　breath　and　left　the　stone　ring　lying　beside　an　open　book　on　her　bedside　table。　All　flecked　and　striped　in　brown　and　red　and　blue；　it　was　slightly　too　large　for　a　finger　ring；　and　shaped　wrong；　flattened　and　twisted　so　that　a　fingertip　run　along　the　edge　would　circle　both　inside　and　out　before　ing　back　to　where　it　had　started。　There　was　only　one　edge；　impossible　though　that　seemed。　She　was　not　leaving　the　ring　there　because　she　might　fail　without　it；　because　she　wanted　to　fail。　She　had　to　try　without　the　ring　sooner　or　later；　or　she　could　never　do　more　than　dabble　her　toes　where　she　dreamed　of　swimming。　It　might　as　well　be　now。　That　was　the　reason。　It　was。
　　　　　　　The　thick　leather　bound　book　was　A　Journey　to　Tarabon；　written　by　Eurian　Romavni；　from　Kandor　…　fifty　three　years　ago；　according　to　the　date　the　author　gave　in　the　first　line；　but　little　of　any　consequence　would　have　changed　in　Tanchico　in　that　short　a　time。　Besides；　it　was　the　only　volume　she　had　found　with　useful　drawings。　Most　of　the　books　only　had　portraits　of　kings；　or　fanciful　renderings　of　battles　by　men　who　had　not　seen　them。
　　　　　　　Darkness　filled　both　windows；　but　the　lamps　gave　more　than　adequate　light。　One　tall　beeswax　candle　burned　in　a　gilded　candlestick　on　the　bedside　table。　She　had　gone　to　fetch　that　herself；　this　was　no　night　to　be　sending　a　maid　for　a　candle。　Most　of　the　servants　were　tending　the　wounded　or　weeping　over　loved　ones；　or　being　tended　themselves。　There　had　been　too　many　for　Healing　any　but　those　who　would　have　died　without　it。
　　　　　　　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　waited　with　high　backed　chairs　pulled　to　either　side　of　the　wide　bed　with　its　tall；　swallow　carved　posts；　they　tried　to　hide　their　anxiety　with　differing　degrees　of　success。　Elayne　managed　a　passably　stately　calm；　and　only　spoiled　it　by　frowning　and　chewing　her　underlip　when　she　thought　Egwene　was　not　looking。　Nynaeve　was　all　brisk　confidence；　the　sort　that　made　you　feel　forted　when　she　tucked　you　into　a　sickbed；　but　Egwene　recognized　the　set　of　her　eyes；　they　said　Nynaeve　was　afraid。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　sat　cross…legged　beside　the　door；　her　browns　and　grays　standing　out　sharply　against　the　deep　blue　of　the　carpet。　This　time　the　Aiel　woman　had　her　long　bladed　knife　at　one　side　of　her　belt；　a　bristling　quiver　at　the　other；　and　four　short　spears　across　her　knees。　Her　round；　hide　buckler　lay　close　at　hand；　atop　a　horn　bow　in　a　worked　leather　case　with　straps　that　could　hold　it　on　her　back。　After　tonight；　Egwene　could　not　fault　her　for　going　armed。　She　still　wanted　to　hold　a　lightning　bolt　ready　to　fling　herself。
　　　　　　　Light；　what　was　that　Rand　did？　Burn　him；　he　frightened　me　almost　as　badly　as　the　Fades　did。　Maybe　worse。　It　isn't　fair　he　can　do　something　like　that　and　I　can't　even　see　the　flows。
　　　　　　　She　climbed　onto　the　bed　and　took　the　leather…bound　book　on　her　knees；　frowning　at　an　engrav