rj.theshadowrising-第58部分

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　　　　　　　He　seemed　to　be　stepping　through　a　sheet　of　brilliant　white　light；　infinitely　bright；　infinitely　thick。　For　a　moment　that　lasted　forever；　he　was　blind；　a　roaring　filled　his　ears；　all　the　sounds　of　the　world　gathered　together　at　once。　For　just　the　length　of　one　measureless　step。
　　　　　　　Stumbling　another　pace；　he　stared　around　in　amazement。　The　ter'angreal　was　still　there；　but　this　was　certainly　not　where　he　had　started。　The　twisted　stone　doorframe　stood　in　the　center　of　a　round　hall　with　a　ceiling　so　high　it　was　lost　in　shadows；　surrounded　by　strange　spiraled　yellow　columns　snaking　up　into　the　gloom；　like　huge　vines　twining　'round　poles　that　had　been　taken　away。　A　soft　light　came　from　glowing　spheres　atop　coiled　stands　of　some　white　metal。　Not　silver；　the　shine　was　too　dull　for　that。　And　no　hint　of　what　made　the　glow；　it　did　not　look　like　flame；　the　spheres　simply　shone。　The　floor　tiles　spiraled　out　in　white　and　yellow　stripes　from　the　ter'angreal。　There　was　a　heavy　scent　in　the　air；　sharp　and　dry　and　not　particularly　pleasant。　He　almost　turned　around　and　went　back　on　the　spot。
　　　　　　　〃A　long　time。〃
　　　　　　　He　jumped；　a　knife　conning　into　his　hand；　and　peered　among　the　columns　for　the　source　of　the　breathy　voice　that　pronounced　those　words　so　harshly。
　　　　　　　〃A　long　time；　yet　the　seekers　e　again　for　answers。　The　questioners　e　once　more。〃　A　shape　moved；　back　among　the　columns；　a　man；　Mat　thought。　〃Good。　You　have　brought　no　lamps；　no　torches；　as　the　agreement　was；　and　is；　and　ever　will　be。　You　have　no　iron？　No　instruments　of　music？〃
　　　　　　　The　figure　stepped　out；　tall；　barefoot；　arms　and　legs　and　body　wound　about　in　layers　of　yellow　cloth；　and　Mat　was　suddenly　not　so　sure　if　it　was　a　man。　Or　human。　It　looked　human；　at　first　glance；　though　perhaps　too　graceful；　but　it　seemed　far　too　thin　for　its　height；　with　a　narrow；　elongated　face。　Its　skin；　and　even　its　straight　black　hair；　caught　the　pale　light　in　a　way　that　reminded　him　of　a　snake's　scales。　And　those　eyes；　the　pupils　just　black；　vertical　slits。　No；　not　human。
　　　　　　　〃Iron。　Instruments　of　music。　You　have　none？〃
　　　　　　　Mat　wondered　what　it　thought　the　knife　was；　it　certainly　did　not　seem　concerned　over　it。　Well；　the　blade　was　good　steel；　not　iron。　〃No。　No　iron；　and　no　instruments　of　…　Why　…？〃　He　cut　off　sharply。　Three　questions；　Egwene　had　said。　He　was　not　about　to　waste　one　on　〃iron〃　or　〃instruments　of　music。〃　Why　should　he　care　if　I　have　a　dozen　musicians　in　my　pocket　and　a　smithy　on　my　back？　〃I　have　e　here　for　true　answers。　If　you　are　not　the　one　to　give　them；　take　me　to　who　can。〃
　　　　　　　The　man　…　it　was　male　at　least；　Mat　decided　…　smiled　slightly。　He　did　not　show　any　teeth。　〃According　to　the　agreement。　e。〃　He　beckoned　with　one　long…fingered　hand。　〃Follow。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　made　the　knife　disappear　up　his　sleeve。　〃Lead；　and　I　will　follow。〃　Just　you　keep　ahead　of　me　and　in　plain　sight。　This　place　makes　my　skin　crawl。
　　　　　　　There　was　not　a　straight　line　to　be　seen　anywhere　except　for　the　floor　itself；　as　he　trailed　the　strange　man。　Even　the　ceiling　was　always　arched；　and　the　walls　bowed　out。　The　halls　were　continuously　curved；　the　doorways　rounded；　the　windows　perfect　circles。　Tilework　made　spirals　and　sinuous　lines；　and　what　seemed　to　be　bronze　metalwork　set　in　the　ceiling　at　intervals　was　all　plicated　scrolls。　There　were　no　pictures　of　anything；　no　wall　hangings　or　paintings。　Only　patterns；　and　always　curves。
　　　　　　　He　saw　no　one　except　his　silent　guide；　he　could　have　believed　the　place　empty　except　for　the　two　of　them。　From　somewhere　he　had　a　dim　memory　of　walking　halls　that　had　not　known　a　human　foot　in　hundreds　of　years；　and　this　felt　the　same。　Yet　sometimes　he　caught　a　flicker　of　motion　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　Only；　however　quickly　he　turned；　there　was　never　anyone　there。　He　pretended　to　rub　his　forearms；　checking　the　knives　up　his　coatsleeves　for　reassurance。
　　　　　　　What　he　saw　through　those　round　windows　was　even　worse。　Tall　wispy　trees　with　only　a　drooping　umbrella　of　branches　at　the　top；　and　others　like　huge　fans　of　lacy　leaves；　a　tangle　of　growth　equal　to　the　heart　of　any　briar…choked　thicket；　all　under　a　dim；　overcast　light；　though　there　did　not　seem　to　be　a　cloud　in　the　sky。　There　were　always　windows；　always　along　just　one　side　of　the　curving　corridor；　but　sometimes　the　side　changed；　and　what　surely　should　have　been　looking　into　courtyard　or　rooms　instead　gave　out　into　that　forest。　He　never　caught　as　much　as　a　glimpse　of　any　other　part　of　this　palace；　or　whatever　it　was；　through　those　windows；　or　any　other　building；　except。。。
　　　　　　　Through　one　circular　window　he　saw　three　tall　silvery　spires；　curving　in　toward　each　other　so　their　points　all　aimed　at　the　same　spot。　They　were　not　visible　from　the　next　window；　three　paces　away；　but　a　few　minutes　later；　after　he　and　his　guide　had　rounded　enough　curves　that　he　had　to　be　looking　in　another　direction；　he　saw　them　again。　He　tried　telling　himself　these　were　three　different　spires；　but　between　them　and　him　was　one　of　those　fan…shaped　trees　with　a　dangling　broken　branch；　a　tree　that　had　been　in　the　same　spot　the　first　time。　After　his　third　sight　of　the　spires　and　the　strange　tree　with　the　broken　branch；　this　time　ten　paces　farther　on　but　on　the　other　side　of　the　hallway；　he　tried　to　stop　looking　at　what　lay　outside　at　all。
　　　　　　　The　walk　seemed　interminable。
　　　　　　　〃When　…？　Are　…？〃　Mat　ground　his　teeth。　Three　questions。　It　was　hard　to　learn　anything　without　asking　questions。　〃I　hope　you　are　taking　me　to　those　who　can　answer　my　questions。　Burn　my　bones；　I　do。　For　my　sake　and　yours；　the　Light　know　it　true。〃
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　the　peculiar；　yellow…wrapped　fellow　said；　gesturing　with　one　of　those　thin　hands　to　a　rounded　doorway　twice　as　large　as　any　Mat　had　seen　before。　His　strange　eyes　studied　Mat　intently。　His　mouth　gaped　open；　and　he　inhaled；　long　and　slow。　Mat　frowned　at　him；　and　the　stranger　gave　a　writhing　hitch　of　his　shoulders。　〃Here　your　answers　may　be　found。　Enter。　Enter　and　ask。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　drew　a　deep　breath　of　his　own；　then　grimaced　and　scrubbed　at　his　nose。　That　sharp；　heavy　smell　was　a　rank　nuisance。　He　took　a　hesitant　step　toward　the　tall　doorway；　and　looked　around　for　his　guide　again。　The　fellow　was　gone。　Light！　I　don't　know　why　anything　in　this　place　surprises　me　now。　Well；　I　will　be　burned　if　I'll　turn　back　now。　Trying　not　to　think　of　whether　he　could　find　the　ter'angreal　again　on　his　own；　he　went　in。
　　　　　　　It　was　another　round　room；　with　spiraling　floor　tiles　in　red　and　white　under　a　domed　ceiling。　It　had　no　columns；　or　furnishings　of　any　kind；　except　for　three　thick；　coiled　pedestals　around　the　heart　of　the　floor's　spirals。　Mat　could　see　no　way　to　reach　the　top　of　them　except　by　climbing　the　twists；　yet　a　man　like　his　guide　sat　cross…legged　atop　each；　only　wrapped　in　layers　of　red。　Not　all　men；　he　decided　at　a　second　look；　two　of　those　long　faces　with　the　odd　eyes　had　a　definite　feminine　cast。　They　stared　at　him；　intense　penetrating　stares；　and　breathed　deeply；　almost　panting。　He　wondered　if　he　made　them　nervous　in　some　way。　Not　much　bloody　chance　of　that。　But　they're　certainly　getting　under　my　coat。
　　　　　　　〃It　has　been　long；〃　the　woman　on　the　right　said。
　　　　　　　〃Very　long；〃　the　woman　on　the　left　added。
　　　　　　　The　man　nodded。　〃Yet　they　e　again。〃
　　　　　　　All　three　had　the　breathy　voice　of　the　guide　…　almost　indistinguishable　from　it；　in　fact　…　and　the　harsh　way　of　pronouncing　words。　They　spoke　in　unison；　and　the　words　might　as　well　have　e　from　one　mouth。　〃Enter　and　ask；　according　to　the　agreement　of　old。〃
　　　　　　　If　Mat　had　thought　his　skin　crawled　before；　now　he　was　sure　it　was　writhing。　He　made　himself　go　closer。　Carefully　…　careful　to　say　nothing　that　even　sounded　like　a　question　…　he　laid　the　situation　before　them。　The　Whitecloaks；　certainly　in　his　home　village；　surely　hunting　friends　of　his；　maybe　hunting　him。　One　of　his　friends　going　to　face　the　Whitecloaks；　another　not。　His　family；　not　likely　in　danger；　but　with　the　bloody　Children　of　the　bloody　Light　around。。。　A　ta'veren　pulling　at　him　so　he　could　hardly　move。　He　saw　no　reason　to　give　names；　or　mention　that　Rand　was　the　Dragon　Reborn。　His　first　question　…　and　the　other　two；　for　that　matter　…　he　had　worked　out　before　going　down　to　the　Great　Hold。　〃Should　I　go　home　to　help　my　people？〃　he　asked　finally。
　　　　　　　Three　sets　of　slitted　eyes　lifted　from　him　…　reluctantly；　it　seemed…　and　studied　the　air　above　his　head。　Finally　the　woman　on　the　left　said；　〃You　must　go　to　Rhuidean。〃
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　she　spoke　their　eyes　all　dropped　to　him　again；　and　they　leaned　forward；　breathing　deeply　again；　but　at　that　moment　a　bell　tolled；　a　sonorous　brazen　sound　that　rolled　through　the　room。　They　swayed　upright；　staring　at　one　another；　then　at　the　air　over　Mat's　head　again。
　　　　　　　〃He　is　another；〃　the　woman　on　the　left　whispered。　〃The　strain。　The　strain。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　savor；〃　the　man　said。　〃It　has　been　long。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　is　yet　time；〃　the　other　woman　told　them。　She　sounded　calm　…　they　all　did　…　but　there　was　a　sharpness　to　her　voice　when　she　turned　back　to　Mat。　〃Ask。　Ask。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　glared　up　at　them　furiously。　Rhuidean？　Light！　That　was　somewhere　out　in　the　Waste；　the　Light　and　the　Aiel　knew　where。　That　was　about　as　much　as　he　knew。　In　the　Waste！　An