rj.theshadowrising-第78部分

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　Mayene；　that　must　mean　beyond　the　Waste。〃
　　　　　　　He　stared　at　her　for　a　moment。　〃Shara；　you　say？　I　have　never　heard　any　such　name　before。　Is　Shara　city　or　nation　or　both？　Perhaps　I　will　learn　a　little　more。〃
　　　　　　　What　did　I　say？　she　wondered。　I　said　something　to　make　him　think。　Light！　I　told　him　we　convinced　Coine　to　change　her　plans。　It　could　not　make　any　difference；　but　she　scolded　herself　severely。　A　careless　word　to　this　nice　old　man　might　do　no　harm；　but　the　same　might　kill　her　in　Tanchico；　and　Nynaeve；　too；　not　to　mention　the　thief…catcher　and　Thom　himself。　If　he　was　such　a　nice　old　man。　〃Thom；　why　did　you　e　with　us？　Just　because　Moiraine　asked？〃
　　　　　　　His　shoulders　shook；　she　realized　he　was　laughing　at　himself。　〃As　to　that；　who　can　say？　Aes　Sedai　asking　favors　are　not　easily　resisted。　Perhaps　it　was　the　prospect　of　your　pleasant　pany　for　the　voyage。　Or　perhaps　I　decided　Rand　is　old　enough　to　look　after　himself　for　a　while。〃
　　　　　　　He　laughed　out　loud；　and　she　had　to　laugh　with　him。　The　idea　of　this　white…haired　old　fellow　looking　after　Rand。　The　feeling　that　she　could　trust　him　came　back；　stronger　than　ever；　as　he　looked　at　her。　Not　because　he　could　laugh　at　himself；　or　not　only　that。　She　could　not　have　given　a　reason　beyond　the　fact　that；　looking　up　into　those　blue　eyes；　she　could　not　make　herself　believe　this　man　would　ever　do　anything　to　harm　her。
　　　　　　　The　urge　to　pull　one　of　his　mustaches　again　was　almost　overwhelming；　but　she　schooled　her　hands　to　stillness。　She　was　not　a　child；　after　all。　A　child。　She　opened　her　mouth　…　and　suddenly　everything　went　out　of　her　head。
　　　　　　　〃Please　excuse　me；　Thom；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　〃I　must。。。　Excuse　me。〃　She　started　toward　the　stern　quickly；　not　waiting　for　a　reply。　He　probably　thought　the　ship's　motion　had　upset　her　stomach。　Wavedancer　was　pitching　more　rapidly；　moving　faster　through　the　great　sea　swells　as　the　wind　freshened。
　　　　　　　Two　men　stood　at　the　wheel　on　the　sterndeck；　the　muscle　of　both　needed　to　hold　the　vessel　on　course；　The　Sailmistress　was　not　on　deck；　but　the　Windfinder　was；　standing　at　the　rail　beyond　the　wheelmen；　bare　to　the　waist　like　the　men；　studying　the　sky　where　billowing　clouds　rolled　more　fiercely　than　the　ocean。　For　once　it　was　not　Jorin's　state　of　dress　…　or　undress　…　that　bothered　Elayne。　The　glow　of　a　woman　embracing　saidar　surrounded　her；　clearly　visible　despite　the　lurid　light。　That　was　what　she　had　felt；　what　had　drawn　her。　A　woman　channeling。
　　　　　　　Elayne　stopped　short　of　the　sterndeck　to　study　what　she　was　doing。　The　flows　of　Air　and　Water　the　Windfinder　handled　were　cable…thick；　yet　her　weaving　was　intricate；　almost　delicate；　and　it　reached　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see　across　the　waters；　a　web　drawn　across　the　sky。　The　wind　rose　higher；　higher；　the　wheelmen　strained；　and　Wavedancer　flew　through　the　sea。　The　weaving　stopped；　the　glow　of　saidar　vanished；　and　Jorin　slumped　at　the　rail；　leaning　on　her　hands。
　　　　　　　Elayne　climbed　the　ladder　quietly；　yet　the　Sea　Folk　woman　spoke　in　a　soft　voice　without　turning　her　head　as　soon　as　she　was　near　enough　to　hear。　〃In　the　middle　as　I　worked；　I　thought　that　you　were　watching　me。　I　could　not　stop　then；　there　might　have　been　a　storm　even　Wavedancer　could　not　survive。　The　Sea　of　Storms　is　well　named；　it　will　throw　up　bad　winds　enough　without　my　help。　I　meant　not　to　do　this　at　all；　but　Coine　said　we　must　go　quickly。　For　you；　and　for　the　Coramoor。〃　She　raised　her　eyes　to　peer　at　the　sky。　〃This　wind　will　hold　until　morning；　if　it　pleases　the　Light。〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　why　the　Sea　Folk　do　not　carry　Aes　Sedai？〃　Elayne　said；　taking　a　place　beside　her　at　the　rail。　〃So　the　Tower　won't　learn　Windfinders　can　channel。　That　is　why　it　was　your　decision　to　let　us　aboard；　not　your　sister's。　Jorin；　the　Tower　will　not　try　to　stop　you。　There　is　no　law　in　the　Tower　to　stop　any　woman　channeling；　even　if　she　is　not　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃Your　White　Tower　will　interfere。　It　will　try　to　reach　onto　our　ships；　where　we　are　free　of　the　land　and　landsmen。　It　will　try　to　tie　us　to　itself；　binding　us　away　from　the　sea。〃　She　sighed　heavily。　〃The　wave　that　has　passed　cannot　be　called　back。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　wished　she　could　tell　her　it　was　not　so；　but　the　Tower　did　seek　out　women　and　girls　who　could　learn　to　channel；　both　to　bolster　the　numbers　of　Aes　Sedai；　dwindling　now　pared　to　what　they　once　had　been；　and　because　of　the　danger　of　learning　unguided。　In　truth；　a　woman　who　could　be　taught　to　touch　the　True　Source　usually　found　herself　in　the　Tower　whatever　she　wanted；　at　least　until　she　was　trained　enough　not　to　kill　herself　or　others　by　accident。
　　　　　　　After　a　moment　Jorin　went　on。　〃It　is　not　all　of　us。　Only　some。　We　send　a　few　girls　to　Tar　Valon　so　Aes　Sedai　will　not　e　looking　among　us。　No　ship　will　carry　Aes　Sedai　whose　Windfinder　can　weave　the　winds。　When　you　first　named　yourselves；　I　thought　you　must　know　me；　but　you　did　not　speak；　and　you　asked　passage；　and　I　hoped　perhaps　you　were　not　Aes　Sedai　despite　your　rings。　A　foolish　hope。　I　could　feel　the　strength　of　you　both。　And　now　the　White　Tower　will　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　cannot　promise　to　keep　your　secret；　but　I　will　do　what　I　can。〃　The　woman　deserved　more。　〃Jorin；　I　swear　by　the　honor　of　House　Trakand　of　Andor　that　I　will　do　my　best　to　keep　your　secret　from　any　who　would　harm　you　or　your　people；　and　that　if　I　must　reveal　it　to　anyone；　I　will　do　all　in　my　ability　to　protect　your　people　from　interference。　House　Trakand　is　not　without　influence；　even　in　the　Tower。〃　And　I　will　make　mother　use　it；　if　need　be。　Somehow。
　　　　　　　〃If　it　pleases　the　Light；〃　Jorin　said　fatalistically；　〃all　will　be　well。　All　will　be　well；　and　all　will　be　well；　and　all　manner　of　thing　will　be　well；　if　it　pleases　the　Light。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　was　a　damane　on　that　Seanchan　ship；　wasn't　there？〃　The　Windfinder　gave　her　a　quizzical　look。　〃One　of　the　captive　women　who　can　channel。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　see　deeply　for　one　so　young。　That　is　why　I　first　thought　you　might　not　be　Aes　Sedai；　because　you　are　so　young；　I　have　daughters　older　than　you；　I　think。　I　did　not　know　she　was　a　captive；　that　makes　me　wish　we　could　have　saved　her。　Wavedancer　outran　the　Seanchan　vessel　easily　at　first　…　we　had　heard　of　the　Seanchan　and　their　vessels　with　ribbed　sails；　that　they　demanded　strange　oaths　and　punished　those　who　would　not　give　them　…　but　then　the　…　damane？　…　broke　two　of　his　masts；　and　they　boarded　him　with　swords。　I　managed　to　start　fires　on　the　Seanchan　vessel　…　weaving　Fire　is　difficult　for　me　beyond　lighting　a　lamp；　but　it　pleased　the　Light　to　make　it　enough　…　and　Toram　led　the　crew　to　fight　the　Seanchan　back　to　their　own　decks。　We　cut　loose　the　boarding　hooks；　and　their　ship　drifted　away；　burning。　They　were　too　occupied　with　trying　to　save　him　to　bother　us　as　we　limped　away。　I　regretted　seeing　him　burn　and　sink；　then；　he　was　a　fine　ship；　I　think；　for　heavy　seas。　Now　I　regret　it　because　we　might　have　saved　the　woman；　the　damane。　Even　if　she　damaged　him；　perhaps　she　would　not　have；　free。　The　Light　illumine　her　soul；　and　the　waters　take　her　peacefully。〃
　　　　　　　Telling　the　story　had　saddened　her。　She　needed　to　be　distracted。　〃Jorin；　why　do　the　Atha'an　Miere　call　ships　'he'？　Everyone　else　I've　ever　met　calls　them　'she。'　I　don't　suppose　it　makes　any　difference；　but　why？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　men　will　give　you　a　different　answer；〃　the　Windfinder　said；　smiling；　〃speaking　of　strength　and　grandness　and　the　like　as　men　will；　but　this　is　the　truth。　A　ship　is　alive；　and　he　is　like　a　man；　with　a　true　man's　heart。〃　She　rubbed　the　rail　fondly；　as　if　stroking　something　alive；　something　that　could　feel　her　caress。　〃Treat　him　well　and　care　for　him　properly；　and　he　will　fight　for　you　against　the　worst　sea。　He　will　fight　to　keep　you　alive　even　after　the　sea　has　long　since　given　him　his　own　deathstroke。　Neglect　him；　though；　ignore　the　small　warnings　he　gives　of　danger；　and　he　will　drown　you　in　a　flat　sea　beneath　a　cloudless　sky。〃
　　　　　　　Elayne　hoped　Rand　was　not　as　fickle　as　that。　Then　why　does　he　hop　about；　glad　to　see　me　go　one　minute　and　sending　Juilin　Sandar　after　me　the　next？　She　told　herself　to　stop　thinking　about　him。　He　was　a　long　way　away。　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　about　him　now。
　　　　　　　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder　toward　the　bow。　Thom　was　gone。　She　was　sure　she　had　found　the　key　to　his　puzzle；　just　before　she　had　felt　the　Windfinder　channeling。　Something　to　do　with　his　smile。　It　was　gone；　whatever　it　was。　Well；　she　meant　to　find　it　again　before　they　reached　Tanchico；　if　she　had　to　sit　on　him。　But　he　would　still　be　there　in　the　morning。　〃Jorin；　how　long　before　we　reach　Tanchico？　I　have　been　told　rakers　are　the　fastest　ships　in　the　world；　but　how　fast？〃
　　　　　　　〃To　Tanchico？　To　serve　the　Coramoor；　we　will　not　stop　at　any　port　between。　Perhaps　ten　days；　if　I　can　weave　the　winds　well　enough；　if　it　pleases　the　Light　that　I　find　the　proper　currents。　Perhaps　as　few　as　seven　or　eight；　with　the　grace　of　the　Light。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ten　days？〃　Elayne　gasped。　〃It　cannot　be　possible。〃　She　had　seen　maps；　after　all。
　　　　　　　The　other　woman's　smile　was　half　pride；　half　indulgence。　〃As　you　yourself　said；　the　fastest　ships　in　the　world。　The　next　quickest　take　half　again　as　long　over　any　stretch；　and　most　more　than　twice　as　long。　Coasting　craft　that　hug　the　shore　and　anchor