rj.eyeoftheworld-第101部分

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no　chance　to　hunt。　At　least　there　was　still　tea。　Perrin　did　his　share；　but　silently。　He　felt　Egwene's　eyes　on　him；　saw　growing　worry　on　her　face；　but　he　avoided　meeting　her　eyes　as　much　as　he　could。　Her　laughter　faded；　and　the　jokes　came　further　apart；　each　one　more　strained　than　the　last。　Elyas　watched；　saying　nothing。　A　somber　mood　descended；　and　they　began　their　meal　in　silence。　The　sun　grew　red　in　the　west；　and　their　shadows　stretched　out　long　and　thin。
　　　　　　　Not　quite　an　hour　till　dark。　If　not　for　the　stedding；　all　of　you　would　be　dead　now。　Would　you　have　saved　her？　Would　you　have　cut　her　down　like　so　many　bushes？　Bushes　don't　bleed；　do　they？　Or　scream；　and　look　in　your　eyes　and　ask；　why？
　　　　　　　Perrin　drew　in　on　himself　more。　He　could　feel　something　laughing　at　him；　deep　in　the　back　of　his　mind。　Something　cruel。　Not　the　Dark　One。　He　almost　wished　it　was。　Not　the　Dark　One；　himself。
　　　　　　　For　once　Elyas　had　broken　his　rule　about　fires。　There　were　no　trees；　but　he　had　snapped　dead　branches　from　the　brush　and　built　his　fire　against　a　huge　chunk　of　rock　sticking　out　of　the　hillside。　From　the　layers　of　soot　staining　the　stone；　Perrin　thought　the　site　must　have　been　used　by　generation　after　generation　of　travelers。
　　　　　　　What　showed　above　ground　of　the　big　rock　was　rounded　somewhat；　with　a　sharp　break　on　one　side　where　moss；　old　and　brown；　covered　the　ragged　surface。　The　grooves　and　hollows　eroded　in　the　rounded　part　looked　odd　to　Perrin；　but　he　was　too　absorbed　in　gloom　to　wonder　about　it。　Egwene；　though；　studied　it　as　she　ate。
　　　　　　　〃That；〃　she　said　finally；　〃looks　like　an　eye。〃　Perrin　blinked；　it　did　look　like　an　eye；　under　all　that　soot。
　　　　　　　〃It　is；〃　Elyas　said。　He　sat　with　his　back　to　the　fire　and　the　rock；　studying　the　land　around　them　while　he　chewed　a　strip　of　dried　meat　almost　as　tough　as　leather。　〃Artur　Hawkwing's　eye。　The　eye　of　the　High　King　himself。　This　is　what　his　power　and　glory　came　to；　in　the　end。〃　He　said　it　absently。　Even　his　chewing　was　absentminded；　his　eyes　and　his　attention　were　on　the　hills。
　　　　　　　〃Artur　Hawkwing！〃　Egwene　exclaimed。　〃You're　joking　with　me。　It　isn't　an　eye　at　all。　Why　would　somebody　carve　Artur　Hawkwing's　eye　on　a　rock　out　here？〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　her；　muttering；　〃What　do　they　teach　you　village　whelps？〃　He　snorted　and　straightened　back　to　his　watching；　but　he　went　on　talking。　〃Artur　Paendrag　Tanreall；　Artur　Hawkwing；　the　High　King；　united　all　the　lands　from　the　Great　Blight　to　the　Sea　of　Storms；　from　the　Aryth　Ocean　to　the　Aiel　Waste；　and　even　some　beyond　the　Waste。　He　even　sent　armies　the　other　side　of　the　Aryth　Ocean。　The　stories　say　he　ruled　the　whole　world；　but　what　he　really　did　rule　was　enough　for　any　man　outside　of　a　story。　And　he　brought　peace　and　justice　to　the　land。〃
　　　　　　　〃All　stood　equal　before　the　law；〃　Egwene　said；　〃and　no　man　raised　his　hand　against　another。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　you've　heard　the　stories；　at　least。〃　Elyas　chuckled；　a　dry　sound。　〃Artur　Hawkwing　brought　peace　and　justice；　but　he　did　it　with　fire　and　sword。　A　child　could　ride　alone　with　a　bag　of　gold　from　the　Aryth　Ocean　to　the　Spine　of　the　World　and　never　have　a　moment's　fear；　but　the　High　King's　justice　was　as　hard　as　that　rock　there　for　anyone　who　challenged　his　power；　even　if　it　was　just　by　being　who　they　were；　or　by　people　thinking　they　were　a　challenge。　The　mon　folk　had　peace；　and　justice；　and　full　bellies；　but　he　laid　a　twenty…year　siege　to　Tar　Valon　and　put　a　price　of　a　thousand　gold　crowns　on　the　head　of　every　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　you　didn't　like　Aes　Sedai；〃　Egwene　said。
　　　　　　　Elyas　gave　a　wry　smile。　〃Doesn't　matter　what　I　like；　girl。　Artur　Hawkwing　was　a　proud　fool。　An　Aes　Sedai　healer　could　have　saved　him　when　he　took　sick　…　or　was　poisoned；　as　some　say　…　but　every　Aes　Sedai　still　alive　was　penned　up　behind　the　Shining　Walls；　using　all　their　Power　to　hold　off　an　army　that　lit　up　the　night　with　their　campfires。　He　wouldn't　have　let　one　near　him；　anyway。　He　hated　Aes　Sedai　as　much　as　he　hated　the　Dark　One。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene's　mouth　tightened；　but　when　she　spoke；　all　she　said　was；　〃What　does　all　that　have　to　do　with　whether　that's　Artur　Hawkwing's　eye？〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　this；　girl。　With　peace　except　for　what　was　going　on　across　the　ocean；　with　the　people　cheering　him　wherever　he　went　…　they　really　loved　him；　you　see；　he　was　a　harsh　man；　but　never　with　the　mon　folk　…　well；　with　all　of　that；　he　decided　it　was　time　to　build　himself　a　capital。　A　new　city；　not　connected　in　any　man's　mind　with　any　old　cause　or　faction　or　rivalry。　Here；　he'd　build　it；　at　the　very　center　of　the　land　bordered　by　the　seas　and　the　Waste　and　the　Blight。　Here；　where　no　Aes　Sedai　would　ever　e　willing；　or　could　use　the　Power　if　they　did。　A　capital　from　which；　one　day；　the　whole　world　would　receive　peace　and　justice。　When　they　heard　the　proclamation；　the　mon　people　subscribed　enough　money　to　build　a　monument　to　him。　Most　of　them　looked　on　him　as　only　a　step　below　the　Creator。　A　short　step。　It　took　five　years　to　carve　and　build。　A　statue　of　Hawkwing；　himself；　a　hundred　times　bigger　than　the　man。　They　raised　it　right　here；　and　the　city　was　to　rise　around　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　was　never　any　city　here；〃　Egwene　scoffed。　〃There　would　have　to　be　something　left　if　there　was。　Something。〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　nodded；　still　keeping　his　watch。　〃Indeed　there　was　not。　Artur　Hawkwing　died　the　very　day　the　statue　was　finished；　and　his　sons　and　the　rest　of　his　blood　fought　over　who　would　sit　on　Hawkwing's　throne。　The　statue　stood　alone　in　the　midst　of　these　hills。　The　sons　and　the　nephews　and　the　cousins　died；　and　the　last　of　the　Hawkwing's　blood　vanished　from　the　earth　…　except　maybe　for　some　of　those　who　went　over　the　Aryth　Ocean。　There　were　those　who　would　have　erased　even　the　memory　of　him；　if　they　could。　Books　were　burned　just　because　they　mentioned　his　name。　In　the　end　there　was　nothing　left　of　him　but　the　stories；　and　most　of　them　wrong。　That's　what　his　glory　came　to。
　　　　　　　〃The　fighting　didn't　stop；　of　course；　just　because　the　Hawkwing　and　his　kin　were　dead。　There　was　still　a　throne　to　be　won；　and　every　lord　and　lady　who　could　muster　fighting　men　wanted　it。　It　was　the　beginning　of　the　War　of　the　Hundred　Years。　Lasted　a　hundred　and　twenty…three；　really；　and　most　of　the　history　of　that　time　is　lost　in　the　smoke　of　burning　towns。　Many　got　a　part　of　the　land；　but　none　got　the　whole；　and　sometime　during　those　years　the　statue　was　pulled　down。　Maybe　they　couldn't　stand　measuring　themselves　against　it　any　longer。〃
　　　　　　　〃First　you　sound　as　if　you　despise　him；〃　Egwene　said；　〃and　now　you　sound　as　if　you　admire　him。〃　She　shook　her　head。
　　　　　　　Elyas　turned　to　look　at　her；　a　flat；　unblinking　stare。　〃Get　some　more　tea　now；　if　you　want　any。　I　want　the　fire　out　before　dark。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　could　make　out　the　eye　clearly　now；　despite　the　failing　light。　It　was　bigger　than　a　man's　head；　and　the　shadows　falling　across　it　made　it　seem　like　a　raven's　eye；　hard　and　black　and　without　pity。　He　wished　they　were　sleeping　somewhere　else。

Chapter　30
Children　of　Shadow
　
　　　　　　　Egwene　sat　by　the　fire；　staring　up　at　the　fragment　of　statue；　but　Perrin　went　down　by　the　pool　to　be　alone。　Day　was　fading；　and　the　night　wind　was　already　rising　out　of　the　east；　ruffling　the　surface　of　the　water。　He　took　the　axe　from　the　loop　on　his　belt　and　turned　it　over　in　his　hands。　The　ashwood　haft　was　as　long　as　his　arm；　and　smooth　and　cool　to　the　touch。　He　hated　it。　He　was　ashamed　of　how　proud　he　had　been　of　the　axe　back　in　Emond's　Field。　Before　he　knew　what　he　might　be　willing　to　do　with　it。
　　　　　　　〃You　hate　her　that　much？〃　Elyas　said　behind　him。
　　　　　　　Startled；　he　jumped　and　half　raised　the　axe　before　he　saw　who　it　was。　〃Can。。。　Can　you　read　my　mind；　too？　Like　the　wolves？〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　and　eyed　him　quizzically。　〃A　blind　man　could　read　your　face；　boy。　Well；　speak　up。　Do　you　hate　the　girl？　Despise　her？　That's　it。　You　were　ready　to　kill　her　because　you　despise　her；　always　dragging　her　feet；　holding　you　back　with　her　womanish　ways。〃
　　　　　　　〃Egwene　never　dragged　her　feet　in　her　life；〃　he　protested。　〃She　always　does　her　share。　I　don't　despise　her；　I　love　her。〃　He　glared　at　Elyas；　daring　him　to　laugh。　〃Not　like　that。　I　mean；　she　isn't　like　a　sister；　but　she　and　Rand　。。。　Blood　and　ashes！　If　the　ravens　caught　us　。。。　If　。。。　I　don't　know。　〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　you　do。　If　she　had　to　choose　her　way　of　dying；　which　do　you　think　she'd　pick？　One　clean　blow　of　your　axe；　or　the　way　the　animals　we　saw　today　died？　I　know　which　I'd　take。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　have　any　right　to　choose　for　her。　You　won't　tell　her；　will　you？　About。。。〃　His　hands　tightened　on　the　axe　haft；　the　muscles　in　his　arms　corded；　heavy　muscles　for　his　age；　built　by　long　hours　swinging　the　hammer　at　Master　Luhhan's　forge。　For　an　instant　he　thought　the　thick　wooden　shaft　would　snap。　〃I　hate　this　bloody　thing；〃　he　growled。　〃I　don't　know　what　I'm　doing　with　it；　strutting　around　like　some　kind　of　fool。　I　couldn't　have　done　it；　you　know。　When　it　was　all　pretend　and　maybe；　I　could　swagger；　and　play　as　if　I　。。。〃　He　sighed；　his　voice　fading。　〃It's　different；　now。　I　don't　ever　want　to　use　it　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃You'll　use　it。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　raised　the　axe　to　throw　it　in　the　pool；　but　Elyas　caught　h