rj.theshadowrising-第83部分

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　　　　　　　When　do　I　tell　them？　he　wondered。　Soon；　now；　it　has　to　be　soon。　Moiraine　would　doubtless　think　it　daring；　a　bold　stroke；　she　might　even　approve。　Maybe；　She　thought　she　knew　his　whole　plan；　now；　and　made　no　bones　of　disapproving　that；　no　doubt　she　wanted　it　over　and　done　as　soon　as　possible。　But　the　Aiel。。。　What　if　they　refuse？　Well；　if　they　refuse；　they　refuse。　I　have　to　do　it。　As　for　the　fifth。。。　He　did　not　think　it　would　have　been　possible　to　stop　the　Aiel　from　taking　it　even　had　he　wanted　to；　and　he　had　not；　they　had　earned　their　rewards；　and　he　had　no　care　to　help　Tairen　lords　keep　what　they　had　wrung　from　their　people　over　generations。
　　　　　　　〃I　saw　her　showing　Rhuarc　a　silver　bowl；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃From　the　way　her　sack　clinked　when　she　stuffed　the　bowl　in；　there　was　more　silver　in　there。　Or　maybe　gold。　Do　you　disapprove？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　She　drew　the　word　out　slowly；　with　a　touch　of　doubt；　but　then　her　voice　firmed。　〃I　just　hadn't　thought　of　her。。。　The　Tairens　would　not　have　stopped　at　a　fifth　if　the　positions　had　been　reversed。　They'd　have　carted　away　whatever　wasn't　part　of　the　stonework；　and　stolen　all　the　carts　to　haul　it。　Just　because　a　people's　ways　are　different　doesn't　mean　they　are　wrong；　Rand。　You　should　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　He　laughed　softly。　This　was　almost　like　old　times；　he　ready　to　explain　why　and　how　she　was　wrong；　and　she　snatching　his　position　and　tossing　his　own　unvoiced　explanation　at　him。　His　stallion　danced　a　few　steps；　catching　his　mood。　He　patted　the　dapple's　arched　neck。　A　good　day。
　　　　　　　〃That's　a　fine　horse；〃　she　said。　〃What　have　you　named　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃Jeade'en；〃　he　said　cautiously；　losing　some　of　his　good　spirits。　He　was　a　little　ashamed　of　the　name；　of　his　reasons　for　choosing　it。　One　of　his　favorite　books　had　always　been　The　Travels　of　Jain　Farstrider；　and　that　great　traveler　had　named　his　horse　Jeade'en　…　True　Finder；　in　the　Old　Tongue　…　because　the　animal　had　always　been　able　to　find　the　way　home。　It　would　have　been　nice　to　think　Jeade'en　might　carry　him　home　one　day。　Nice；　but　not　likely；　and　he　did　not　want　anyone　suspecting　the　cause　for　the　name。　Boyish　fancies　had　no　place　in　his　life　now。　There　was　not　much　room　for　anything　but　what　he　had　to　do。
　　　　　　　〃A　fine　name；〃　she　said　absently。　He　knew　she　had　read　the　book；　too；　and　half　expected　her　to　recognize　the　name；　but　she　seemed　to　be　mulling　over　something　else；　chewing　her　lower　lip　pensively。
　　　　　　　He　was　content　with　silence。　The　last　dregs　of　the　city　gave　way　to　country　and　pitiful　scattered　farms。　Not　even　a　Congar　or　a　Coplin；　Two　River　folk　notorious　for　laziness　among　other　things；　would　keep　a　place　as　run　down　and　ramshackle　as　these　rough　stone　houses；　walls　slanting　as　if　about　to　topple　over　on　the　chickens　scratching　in　the　dirt。　Sagging　barns　leaned　against　laurels　or　spicewoods。　Roofs　of　cracked　and　broken　slates　all　looked　as　if　they　leaked。　Goats　bleated　disconsolately　in　stone　pens　that　might　have　been　thrown　together　hastily　that　morning。　Barefoot　men　and　women　hoed　stoop　shouldered　in　unfenced　fields；　not　looking　up　even　when　the　large　party　was　passing。　Redbeaks　and　thrushes　warbling　in　the　small　thickets　were　not　enough　to　lighten　the　feel　of　oppressive　gloom。
　　　　　　　I　have　to　do　something　about　this。　I。。。　No；　not　now。　First　things　first。　I've　done　what　I　could　for　them　in　a　few　weeks。　I　can't　do　anything　more　now。　He　tried　not　to　look　at　the　tumbledown　farms。　Were　the　olive　groves　in　the　south　as　bad？　The　people　who　worked　those　did　not　even　own　the　land；　it　all　belonged　to　High　Lords。　No。　The　breeze。　Nice；　the　way　it　cuts　the　heat。　I　can　enjoy　it　a　bit　longer。　I　have　to　tell　them；　soon　now。
　　　　　　　〃Rand；〃　Egwene　said　abruptly；　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃　Something　serious　by　her　expression；　those　big　dark　eyes；　fixed　on　him；　held　a　light　reminiscent　of　Nynaeve's　when　she　was　about　to　lecture。　〃I　want　to　talk　about　Elayne。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　about　her？〃　he　asked　warily。　He　touched　his　pouch；　where　two　letters　crinkled　against　a　small　hard　object。　If　they　had　not　both　been　in　the　same　elegantly　flowing　hand；　he　would　not　have　believed　they　came　from　the　same　woman。　And　after　all　that　kissing　and　snuggling。　The　High　Lords　were　easier　to　understand　than　women。
　　　　　　　〃Why　did　you　let　her　go　in　that　way？〃
　　　　　　　Puzzled；　he　stared　at　her。　〃She　wanted　to　go。　I'd　have　had　to　tie　her　up　to　stop　her。　Besides；　she'll　be　safer　in　Tanchico　than　near　me　…　or　Mat　…　if　we　are　going　to　attract　bubbles　of　evil　the　way　Moiraine　says。　You　would　be；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　isn't　what　I　mean　at　all。　Of　course　she　wanted　to　go。　And　you　had　no　right　to　stop　her。　But　why　didn't　you　tell　her　you　wished　she　would　stay？〃
　　　　　　　〃She　wanted　to　go；〃　he　repeated；　and　grew　more　confused　when　she　rolled　her　eyes　as　if　he　were　speaking　gibberish。　If　he　had　no　right　to　stop　Elayne；　and　she　wanted　to　go；　why　was　he　supposed　to　try　to　talk　her　out　of　it？　Especially　when　she　was　safer　gone。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　spoke；　right　behind　him。　〃Are　you　ready　to　tell　me　the　next　secret？　It　has　been　clear　you　were　keeping　something　from　me。　At　the　least　I　might　be　able　to　tell　you　if　you　are　leading　us　over　a　cliff。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　sighed。　He　had　not　heard　her　and　Lan　closing　up　on　him。　And　Mat　as　well；　although　still　holding　a　distance　between　himself　and　the　Aes　Sedai。　Mat's　face　was　a　study；　doubt　and　reluctance　and　grim　determination　all　running　across　it　by　turns；　especially　when　he　glanced　at　Moiraine。　He　never　looked　at　her　directly；　only　from　the　edge　of　his　eye。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　to　e；　Mat？〃　Rand　asked。
　　　　　　　Mat　shrugged　and　affected　a　grin；　not　a　very　confident　one。　〃Who　could　pass　up　a　chance　to　see　bloody　Rhuidean？〃　Egwene　raised　her　eyebrows　at　him。　〃Oh；　pardon　my　language；　Aes　Sedai。　I've　heard　you　say　as　bad；　and　for　less　cause；　I'll　wager。〃　Egwene　stared　at　him　indignantly；　but　spots　of　color　in　her　cheeks　said　he　had　scored　a　hit。
　　　　　　　〃Be　glad　Mat　is　here；〃　Moiraine　said　to　Rand；　her　voice　cool；　and　not　pleased。　〃You　made　a　grave　error　letting　Perrin　run　off；　hiding　his　going　from　me。　The　world　rests　on　your　shoulders；　but　they　must　both　support　you　or　you　will　fall；　and　the　world　with　you。〃　Mat　flinched；　and　Rand　thought　he　very　nearly　turned　his　gelding　and　rode　away　on　the　spot。
　　　　　　　〃I　know　my　duty；〃　he　told　her。　And　I　know　my　fate；　he　thought；　but　he　did　not　say　that　aloud；　he　was　not　asking　sympathy。　〃One　of　us　had　to　go　back；　Moiraine；　and　Perrin　wanted　to。　You're　willing　to　let　anything　go　to　save　the　world。　I。。。　I　do　what　I　have　to。〃　The　Warder　nodded；　though　he　said　nothing；　Lan　would　not　disagree　with　Moiraine　in　front　of　others。
　　　　　　　〃And　the　next　secret？〃　she　said　insistently。　She　would　not　give　up　until　she　had　ferreted　it　out；　and　he　had　no　reason　to　keep　it　secret　any　longer。　Not　this　part　of　it。
　　　　　　　〃Portal　Stones；〃　he　said　simply。　〃If　we　are　lucky。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　Light！〃　Mat　groaned。　〃Bloody　flaming　Light！　Don't　grimace　at　me；　Egwene！　Lucky？　Isn't　once　enough；　Rand？　You　almost　killed　us；　remember？　No；　worse　than　killed。　I　would　rather　ride　back　to　one　of　those　farms　and　ask　for　a　job　slopping　pigs　the　rest　of　my　life。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　can　go　your　own　way　if　you　want；　Mat；〃　Rand　told　him。　Moiraine's　calm　face　was　a　mask　over　fury；　but　he　ignored　the　icy　stare　that　tried　to　still　his　tongue。　Even　Lan　looked　disapproving；　for　all　his　hard　face　did　not　change　very　much；　the　Warder　believed　in　duty　before　anything　else。　Rand　would　do　his　duty；　but　his　friends。。。　He　did　not　like　making　people　do　things；　he　would　not　do　it　to　his　friends。　That　much　he　could　avoid；　surely。　〃You've　no　reason　to　e　to　the　Waste。〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　yes　I　do。　At　least。。。　Oh；　burn　me！　I've　one　life　to　give　away；　don't　I？　Why　not　like　this？〃　Mat　laughed　nervously；　and　a　bit　wildly。　〃Bloody　Portal　Stones！　Light！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　frowned；　he　was　the　one　they　all　said　was　supposed　to　go　mad；　but　Mat　was　the　one　who　seemed　on　the　edge　of　it　now。
　　　　　　　Egwene　blinked　at　Mat　worriedly；　but　it　was　Rand　she　leaned　toward。　〃Rand；　Verin　Sedai　told　me　a　little　about　Portal　Stones。　She　told　me　about　the。。。　journey　you　took。　Do　you　really　mean　to　do　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　what　I　have　to　do；　Egwene。〃　He　had　to　move　quickly；　and　there　was　no　quicker　way　than　Portal　Stones。　Remnants　of　an　Age　older　than　the　Age　of　Legends；　even　Aes　Sedai　of　the　Age　of　Legends　had　not　understood　them；　it　seemed。　But　there　was　no　quicker　way。　If　it　worked　the　way　he　hoped。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　had　listened　to　the　exchange　patiently。　Especially　to　Mat's　part　of　it；　though　Rand　could　not　see　why。　Now　she　said；　〃Verin　also　told　me　of　your　journey　using　Portal　Stones。　That　was　only　a　few　people　and　horses；　not　hundreds；　and　if　you　did　not　almost　kill　everyone　as　Mat　says；　it　yet　sounded　an　experience　no　one　would　wish　to　repeat。　Nor　did　it　turn　out　as　you　expected。　It　also　required　a　great　deal　of　the　Power；　almost　enough　to　kill　you　at　least；　Venn　said。　Even　if　you　leave　most　of　the　Aiel　behind；　do　you　dare　risk　the　attempt？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to；〃　he　said；　feeling　at　his　belt　pouch；　at　the　small　hard　shape　behind　the　letters；　but　she　went　right　on　as　if　he　had　not　spoken。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　even　certain　there　is　a　Portal　Stone　in　the　Waste？　Verin　certainly　knows　more　of　them　than　I；　b