rj.eyeoftheworld-第122部分

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and　farms；　dotted　with　the　lights　of　farmhouses。　The　lights　seemed　distant；　seemed　to　struggle　vainly　against　the　night。　An　owl　called；　a　mourner's　cry；　and　the　wind　moaned　like　lost　souls　in　the　Shadow。
　　　　　　　It　could　be　out　there　anywhere；　Rand　thought。
　　　　　　　Bunt　seemed　to　feel　the　oppression　of　the　night；　too；　for　he　suddenly　spoke　up。　〃You　two　ever　been　to　Caemlyn　before？〃　He　gave　a　little　chuckle。　〃Don't　suppose　you　have。　Well；　wait　till　you　see　it。　The　greatest　city　in　the　world。　Oh；　I've　heard　all　about　Illian　and　Ebou　Dar　and　Tear　and　all　…　there's　always　some　fool　thinks　a　thing　is　bigger　and　better　just　because　it's　off　somewheres　over　the　horizon　…　but　for　my　money；　Caemlyn　is　the　grandest　there　is。　Couldn't　be　grander。　No；　it　couldn't。　Unless　maybe　Queen　Morgase；　the　Light　illumine　her；　got　rid　of　that　witch　from　Tar　Valon。　〃
　　　　　　　Rand　was　lying　back　with　his　head　pillowed　on　his　blanketroll　atop　the　bundle　of　Thom's　cloak；　watching　the　night　drift　by；　letting　the　farmer's　words　wash　by　him。　A　human　voice　kept　the　darkness　at　bay　and　muted　the　mournful　wind。　He　twisted　around　to　look　up　at　the　dark　mass　of　Bunt's　back。　〃You　mean　an　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　else　would　I　mean？　Sitting　there　in　the　Palace　like　a　spider。　I'm　a　good　Queen's　man　…　never　say　I'm　not　…　but　it　just　isn't　right。　I'm　not　one　of　those　saying　Elaida's　got　too　much　influence　over　the　Queen。　Not　me。　And　as　for　the　fools　who　claim　Elaida's　really　the　queen　in　all　but　name　。。。〃　He　spat　into　the　night。　〃That　for　them。　Morgase　is　no　puppet　to　dance　for　any　Tar　Valon　witch。〃
　　　　　　　Another　Aes　Sedai。　If　。。。　when　Moiraine　got　to　Caemlyn；　she　might　well　go　to　a　sister　Aes　Sedai。　If　the　worst　happened；　this　Elaida　might　help　them　reach　Tar　Valon。　He　looked　at　Mat；　and　just　as　if　he　had　spoken　aloud　Mat　shook　his　head。　He　could　not　see　Mat's　face；　but　he　knew　it　was　fixed　in　denial。
　　　　　　　Bunt　went　right　on　talking；　flicking　the　reins　whenever　his　horse　slowed　but　otherwise　letting　his　hands　rest　on　his　knees。　〃I'm　a　good　Queen's　man；　like　I　said；　but　even　fools　say　something　worthwhile　now　and　again。　Even　a　blind　pig　finds　an　acorn　sometimes。　There's　got　to　be　some　changes。　This　weather；　the　crops　failing；　cows　drying　up；　calves　and　lambs　born　dead；　or　with　two　heads。　Bloody　ravens　don't　even　wait　for　things　to　die。　People　are　scared。　They　want　somebody　to　blame。　Dragon's　Fang　turning　up　on　people's　doors。　Things　creeping　about　in　the　night。　Barns　getting　burned。　Fellows　around　like　that　friend　of　Holdwin；　scaring　people。　The　Queen's　got　to　do　something　before　it's　too　late。　You　see　that；　don't　you？〃　Rand　made　a　nonmittal　sound。　It　sounded　as　if　they　had　been　even　luckier　than　he　had　thought　to　find　this　old　man　and　his　cart。　They　might　not　have　gotten　further　than　that　last　village　if　they　had　waited　for　daylight。　Things　creeping　about　in　the　night。　He　lifted　up　to　look　over　the　side　of　the　cart　at　the　darkness。　Shadows　and　shapes　seemed　to　writhe　in　the　black。　He　dropped　back　before　his　imagination　convinced　him　there　was　something　there。
　　　　　　　Bunt　took　it　for　agreement。　〃Right。　I'm　a　good　Queen's　man；　and　I'll　stand　against　any　who　try　to　harm　her；　but　I'm　right。　You　take　the　Lady　Elayne　and　the　Lord　Gawyn；　now。　There's　a　change　wouldn't　harm　anything；　and　might　do　some　good。　Sure；　I　know　we've　always　done　it　that　way　in　Andor。　Send　the　Daughter…Heir　off　to　Tar　Valon　to　study　with　the　Aes　Sedai；　and　the　eldest　son　off　to　study　with　the　Warders。　I　believe　in　tradition；　I　do；　but　look　what　it　got　us　last　time。　Luc　dead　in　the　Blight　before　he　was　ever　anointed　First　Prince　of　the　Sword；　and　Tigraine　vanished　…　run　off　or　dead　…　when　it　came　time　for　her　to　take　the　throne。　Still　troubling　us；　that。
　　　　　　　〃There's　some　saying　she's　still　alive；　you　know；　that　Morgase　isn't　the　rightful　Queen。　Bloody　fools。　I　remember　what　happened。　Remember　like　it　was　yesterday。　No　Daughter…Heir　to　take　the　throne　when　the　old　Queen　died；　and　every　House　in　Andor　scheming　and　fighting　for　the　right。　And　Taringail　Damodred。　You　wouldn't　have　thought　he'd　lost　his　wife；　him　hot　to　figure　which　House　would　win　so　he　could　marry　again　and　bee　Prince　Consort　after　all。　Well；　he　managed　it；　though　why　Morgase　chose　。。。　ah；　no　man　knows　the　mind　of　a　woman；　and　a　queen　is　twice　a　woman；　wed　to　a　man；　wed　to　the　land。　He　got　what　he　wanted；　anyway；　if　not　the　way　he　wanted　it。
　　　　　　　〃Brought　Cairhien　into　the　plotting　before　he　was　done；　and　you　know　how　that　ended。　The　Tree　chopped　down；　and　black…veiled　Aiel　ing　over　the　Dragonwall。　Well；　he　got　himself　decently　killed　after　he'd　fathered　Elayne　and　Gawyn；　so　there's　an　end　to　it；　I　suppose。　But　why　send　them　to　Tar　Valon？　It's　time　men　didn't　think　of　the　throne　of　Andor　and　Aes　Sedai　in　the　same　thought　anymore。　If　they've　got　to　go　some　place　else　to　learn　what　they　need；　well；　Illian's　got　libraries　as　good　as　Tar　Valon；　and　they'll　teach　the　Lady　Elayne　as　much　about　ruling　and　scheming　as　ever　the　witches　could。　Nobody　knows　more　about　scheming　than　an　Illianer。　And　if　the　Guards　can't　teach　the　Lord　Gawyn　enough　about　soldiering；　well；　they've　soldiers　in　Illian；　too。　And　in　Shienar；　and　Tear；　for　that　matter。　I'm　a　good　Queen's　man；　but　I　say　let's　stop　all　this　truck　with　Tar　Valon。　Three　thousand　years　is　long　enough。　Too　long。　Queen　Morgase　can　lead　us　and　put　things　right　without　help　from　the　White　Tower。　I　tell　you；　there's　a　woman　makes　a　man　proud　to　kneel　for　her　blessing。　Why；　once　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　fought　the　sleep　his　body　cried　out　for；　but　the　rhythmic　creak　and　sway　of　the　cart　lulled　him　and　he　floated　off　on　the　drone　of　Bunt's　voice。　He　dreamed　of　Tam。　At　first　they　were　at　the　big　oak　table　in　the　farmhouse；　drinking　tea　while　Tam　told　him　about　Prince　Consorts；　and　Daughter…Heirs；　and　the　Dragonwall；　and　black…veiled　Aielmen。　The　heron…mark　sword　lay　on　the　table　between　them；　but　neither　of　them　looked　at　it。　Suddenly　he　was　in　the　Westwood；　pulling　the　makeshift　litter　through　the　moon…bright　night。　When　he　looked　over　his　shoulder；　it　was　Thom　on　the　litter；　not　his　father；　sitting　cross…legged　and　juggling　in　the　moonlight。
　　　　　　　〃The　Queen　is　wed　to　the　land；〃　Thom　said　as　brightly　colored　balls　danced　in　a　circle；　〃but　the　Dragon　。。。　the　Dragon　is　one　with　the　land；　and　the　land　is　one　with　the　Dragon。〃
　　　　　　　Further　back　Rand　saw　a　Fade　ing；　black　cloak　undisturbed　by　the　wind；　horse　ghosting　silently　through　the　trees。　Two　severed　heads　hung　at　the　Myrddraal's　saddlebow；　dripping　blood　that　ran　in　darker　streams　down　its　mount's　coal…black　shoulder。　Lan　and　Moiraine；　faces　distorted　in　grimaces　of　pain。　The　Fade　pulled　on　a　fistful　of　tethers　as　it　rode。　Each　tether　ran　back　to　the　bound　wrists　of　one　of　those　who　ran　behind　the　soundless　hooves；　their　faces　blank　with　despair。　Mat　and　Perrin。　And　Egwene。
　　　　　　　〃Not　her！〃　Rand　shouted。　〃The　Light　blast　you；　it's　me　you　want；　not　her！〃
　　　　　　　The　Halfman　gestured；　and　flames　consumed　Egwene；　flesh　crisping　to　ash；　bone　blacking　and　crumbling。
　　　　　　　〃The　Dragon　is　one　with　the　land；〃　Thom　said；　still　juggling　unconcernedly；　〃and　the　land　is　one　with　the　Dragon。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　screamed　。。。　and　opened　his　eyes。
　　　　　　　The　cart　creaked　along　the　Caemlyn　Road；　filled　with　night　and　the　sweetness　of　long…vanished　hay　and　the　faint　smell　of　horse。　A　shape　blacker　than　the　night　rested　on　his　chest；　and　eyes　blacker　than　death　looked　into　his。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　mine；〃　the　raven　said；　and　the　sharp　beak　stabbed　into　his　eye。　He　screamed　as　it　plucked　his　eyeball　out　of　his　head。
　　　　　　　With　a　throat…ripping　shriek；　he　sat　up；　clapping　both　hands　to　his　face。
　　　　　　　Early　morning　daylight　bathed　the　cart。　Dazed；　he　stared　at　his　hands。　No　blood。　No　pain。　The　rest　of　the　dream　was　already　fading；　but　that　。。。　Gingerly　he　felt　his　face　and　shuddered。
　　　　　　　〃At　least　。。。〃　Mat　yawned；　cracking　his　jaws。　〃At　least　you　got　some　sleep。〃　There　was　little　sympathy　in　his　bleary　eyes。　He　was　huddled　under　his　cloak；　with　his　blanketroll　doubled　up　beneath　his　head。　〃He　talked　all　bloody　night。　〃
　　　　　　　〃You　all　the　way　awake？〃　Bunt　said　from　the　driver's　seat。　〃Gave　me　a　start；　you　did；　yelling　like　that。　Well；　we're　there。〃　He　swept　a　hand　out　in　front　of　them　in　a　grand　gesture。　〃Caemlyn；　the　grandest　city　in　the　world。〃

Chapter　35
Caemlyn
　
　　　　　　　Rand　twisted　up　to　kneel　behind　the　driver's　seat。　He　could　not　help　laughing　with　relief。　〃We　made　it；　Mat！　I　told　you　we'd　。。。〃
　　　　　　　Words　died　in　his　mouth　as　his　eyes　fell　on　Caemlyn。　After　Baerlon；　even　more　after　the　ruins　of　Shadar　Logoth；　he　had　thought　he　knew　what　a　great　city　would　look　like；　but　this　。。。　this　was　more　than　he　would　have　believed。
　　　　　　　Outside　the　great　wall；　buildings　clustered　as　if　every　town　he　had　passed　through　had　been　gathered　and　set　down　there；　side…by…side　and　all　pushed　together。　Inns　thrust　their　upper　stories　above　the　tile　roofs　of　houses；　and　squat　warehouses；　broad　and　windowless；　shouldered　against　them　all。　Red　brick　and　gray　stone　and　plastered　white；　jumbled　and　mixed　together；　they　spread　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。　Baerlon　could　have　vanished　into　it　without　being　noticed；　and　Whitebridge　swallowed　up　twenty　times　over　with　hardly　a