rj.eyeoftheworld-第14部分

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n　him　already？〃　The　others　exchanged　embarrassed　looks。
　　　　　　　〃Sorry；　Rand；〃　Mat　muttered。　〃But　a　chance　to　do　something　besides　milk　my　da's　cows　doesn't　e　along　very　often。〃　He　straightened　under　their　startled　stares。　〃Well；　I　do　milk　them；　and　every　day；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　black　rider；〃　Rand　reminded　them。　〃What　if　he　hurts　somebody？〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe　he's　a　refugee　from　the　war；〃　Perrin　said　doubtfully。
　　　　　　　〃Whatever　he　is；〃　Mat　said；　〃the　watch　will　find　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Rand　said；　〃but　he　seems　to　disappear　when　he　wants　to。　It　might　be　better　if　they　knew　to　look　for　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃We'll　tell　Master　al'Vere　when　we　volunteer　for　the　patrols；〃　Mat　said；　〃he'll　tell　the　Council；　and　they'll　tell　the　watch。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Council！〃　Perrin　said　incredulously。　〃We'd　be　lucky　if　the　Mayor　didn't　laugh　out　loud。　Master　Luhhan　and　Rand's　father　already　think　the　two　of　us　are　jumping　at　shadows。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　sighed。　〃If　we're　going　to　do　it；　we　might　as　well　do　it　now。　He　won't　laugh　any　louder　today　than　he　will　tomorrow。〃
　　　　　　　〃Maybe；〃　Perrin　said　with　a　sidelong　glance　at　Mat；　〃we　should　try　finding　some　others　who've　seen　him。　We'll　see　just　about　everybody　in　the　village　tonight。〃　Mat's　scowl　deepened；　but　he　still　did　not　say　anything。　All　of　them　understood　that　Perrin　meant　they　should　find　witnesses　who　were　more　reliable　than　Mat。　〃He　won't　laugh　any　louder　tomorrow；〃　Perrin　added　when　Rand　hesitated。　〃And　I'd　just　as　soon　have　somebody　else　with　us　when　we　go　to　him。　Half　the　village　would　suit　me　fine。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　nodded　slowly。　He　could　already　hear　Master　al'Vere　laughing。　More　witnesses　certainly　could　not　hurt。　And　if　three　of　them　had　seen　the　fellow；　others　had　to　have；　too。　They　must　have。　〃Tomorrow；　then。　You　two　find　whoever　you　can　tonight；　and　tomorrow　we　go　to　the　Mayor。　After　that　。。。〃　They　looked　at　him　silently；　no　one　raising　the　question　of　what　happened　if　they　could　not　find　anyone　else　who　had　seen　the　black…cloaked　man。　The　question　was　clear　in　their　eyes；　though；　and　he　had　no　answer。　He　sighed　heavily。　〃I'd　better　go；　now。　My　father　will　be　wondering　if　I　fell　into　a　hole。〃
　　　　　　　Followed　by　their　goodbyes；　he　trotted　around　to　the　stable　yard　where　the　high…wheeled　cart　stood　propped　on　its　shafts。
　　　　　　　The　stable　was　a　long；　narrow　building；　topped　by　a　high　peaked；　thatched　roof。　Stalls；　their　floors　covered　with　straw；　filled　both　sides　of　the　dim　interior；　lit　only　by　the　open　double　doors　at　either　end。　The　peddler's　team　munched　their　oats　in　eight　stalls；　and　Master　al'Vere's　massive　Dhurrans；　the　team　he　hired　out　when　farmers　had　hauling　beyond　the　abilities　of　their　own　horses；　filled　six　more；　but　only　three　others　were　occupied。　Rand　thought　he　could　match　up　horse　and　rider　with　no　trouble。　The　tall；　deep…chested　black　stallion　that　swung　up　his　head　fiercely　had　to　be　Lan's。　The　sleek　white　mare　with　an　arched　neck；　her　quick　steps　as　graceful　as　a　girl　dancing；　even　in　the　stall；　could　only　belong　to　Moiraine。　And　the　third　unfamiliar　horse；　a　rangy；　slab…sided　gelding　of　a　dusty　brown；　fit　Thom　Merrilin　perfectly。
　　　　　　　Tam　stood　in　the　rear　of　the　stable；　holding　Bela　by　a　lead　rope　and　speaking　quietly　to　Hu　and　Tad。　Before　Rand　had　taken　two　steps　into　the　stable　his　father　nodded　to　the　stablemen　and　brought　Bela　out；　wordlessly　gathering　up　Rand　as　he　went。
　　　　　　　They　harnessed　the　shaggy　mare　in　silence。　Tam　appeared　so　deep　in　thought　that　Rand　held　his　tongue。　He　did　not　really　look　forward　to　trying　to　convince　his　father　about　the　black…cloaked　rider；　much　less　the　Mayor。　Tomorrow　would　have　to　be　time　enough；　when　Mat　and　the　rest　had　found　others　who　had　seen　the　man。　If　they　found　others。
　　　　　　　As　the　cart　lurched　into　motion；　Rand　took　his　bow　and　quiver　from　the　back；　awkwardly　belting　the　quiver　at　his　waist　as　he　half　trotted　alongside。　When　they　reached　the　last　row　of　houses　in　the　village；　he　nocked　an　arrow；　carrying　it　half　raised　and　partly　drawn。　There　was　nothing　to　see　except　mostly　leafless　trees；　but　his　shoulders　tightened。　The　black　rider　could　be　on　them　before　either　of　them　knew　it。　There　might　not　be　time　to　draw　the　bow　if　he　was　not　already　halfway　to　it。
　　　　　　　He　knew　he　could　not　keep　up　the　tension　on　the　bowstring　for　long。　He　had　made　the　bow　himself；　and　Tam　was　one　of　the　few　others　in　the　district　who　could　even　draw　it　all　the　way　to　the　cheek。　He　cast　around　for　something　to　take　his　mind　off　thinking　about　the　dark　rider。　Surrounded　by　the　forest；　their　cloaks　flapping　in　the　wind；　it　was　not　easy。
　　　　　　　〃Father；〃　he　said　finally；　〃I　don't　understand　why　the　Council　had　to　question　Padan　Fain。〃　With　an　effort　he　took　his　eyes　off　the　woods　and　looked　across　Bela　at　Tam。　〃It　seems　to　me；　the　decision　you　reached　could　have　been　made　right　on　the　spot。　The　Mayor　frightened　everybody　half　out　of　their　wits；　talking　about　Aes　Sedai　and　the　false　Dragon　here　in　the　Two　Rivers。〃
　　　　　　　〃People　are　funny；　Rand。　The　best　of　them　are。　Take　Haral　Luhhan。　Master　Luhhan　is　a　strong　man；　and　a　brave　one；　but　he　can't　bear　to　see　butchering　done。　Turns　pale　as　a　sheet。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　does　that　have　to　do　with　anything？　Everybody　knows　Master　Luhhan　can't　stand　the　sight　of　blood；　and　nobody　but　the　Coplins　and　the　Congars　thinks　anything　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Just　this；　lad。　People　don't　always　think　or　behave　the　way　you　might　believe　they　would。　Those　folk　back　there　。。。　let　the　hail　beat　their　crops　into　the　mud；　and　the　wind　take　off　every　roof　in　the　district；　and　the　wolves　kill　half　their　livestock；　and　they'll　roll　up　their　sleeves　and　start　from　scratch。　They'll　grumble；　but　they　won't　waste　any　time　with　it。　But　you　give　them　just　the　thought　of　Aes　Sedai　and　a　false　Dragon　in　Ghealdan；　and　soon　enough　they'll　start　thinking　that　Ghealdan　is　not　that　far　the　other　side　of　the　Forest　of　Shadows；　and　a　straight　line　from　Tar　Valon　to　Ghealdan　wouldn't　pass　that　much　to　the　east　of　us。　As　if　the　Aes　Sedai　wouldn't　take　the　road　through　Caemlyn　and　Lugard　instead　of　traveling　cross…country！　By　tomorrow　morning　half　the　village　would　have　been　sure　the　entire　war　was　about　to　descend　on　us。　It　would　take　weeks　to　undo。　A　fine　Bel　Tine　that　would　make。　So　Bran　gave　them　the　idea　before　they　could　get　it　for　themselves。
　　　　　　　〃They've　seen　the　Council　take　the　problem　under　consideration；　and　by　now　they'll　be　hearing　what　we　decided。　They　chose　us　for　the　Village　Council　because　they　trust　we　can　reason　things　out　in　the　best　way　for　everybody。　They　trust　our　opinions。　Even　Cenn's；　which　doesn't　say　much　for　the　rest　of　us；　I　suppose。　At　any　rate；　they　will　hear　there　isn't　anything　to　worry　about；　and　they'll　believe　it。　It　is　not　that　they　couldn't　reach　the　same　conclusion；　or　would　not；　eventually；　but　this　way　we　won't　have　Festival　ruined；　and　nobody　has　to　spend　weeks　worrying　about　something　that　isn't　likely　to　happen。　If　it　does；　against　all　odds　。。。　well；　the　patrols　will　give　us　enough　warning　to　do　what　we　can。　I　truly　don't　think　it　will　e　to　that；　though。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　puffed　out　his　cheeks。　Apparently；　being　on　the　Council　was　more　plicated　than　he　had　believed。　The　cart　rumbled　on　along　the　Quarry　Road。
　　　　　　　〃Did　anyone　besides　Perrin　see　this　strange　rider？〃　Tam　asked。
　　　　　　　〃Mat　did；　but　…　〃　Rand　blinked；　then　stared　across　Bela's　back　at　his　father。　〃You　believe　me？　I　have　to　go　back。　I　have　to　tell　them。〃　Tam's　shout　halted　him　as　he　turned　to　run　back　to　the　village。
　　　　　　　〃Hold；　lad；　hold！　Do　you　think　I　waited　this　long　to　speak　for　no　reason？〃
　　　　　　　Reluctantly　Rand　kept　on　beside　the　cart；　still　creaking　along　behind　patient　Bela。　〃What　made　you　change　your　mind？　Why　can't　I　tell　the　others？〃
　　　　　　　〃They'll　know　soon　enough。　At　least；　Perrin　will。　Mat；　I'm　not　sure　of。　Word　must　be　gotten　to　the　farms　as　best　it　can；　but　in　another　hour　there　won't　be　anyone　in　Emond's　Field　above　sixteen；　those　who　can　be　responsible　about　it；　at　least；　who　doesn't　know　a　stranger　is　skulking　around　and　likely　not　the　sort　you　would　invite　to　Festival。　The　winter　has　been　bad　enough　without　this　to　scare　the　young　ones。〃
　　　　　　　〃Festival？〃　Rand　said。　〃If　you　had　seen　him　you　wouldn't　want　him　closer　than　ten　miles。　A　hundred；　maybe。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　so；〃　Tam　said　placidly。　〃He　could　be　just　a　refugee　from　the　troubles　in　Ghealdan；　or　more　likely　a　thief　who　thinks　the　pickings　will　be　easier　here　than　in　Baerlon　or　Taren　Ferry。　Even　so；　no　one　around　here　has　so　much　they　can　afford　to　have　it　stolen。　If　the　man　is　trying　to　escape　the　war　。。。　well；　that's　still　no　excuse　for　scaring　people。　Once　the　watch　is　mounted；　it　should　either　find　him　or　frighten　him　off。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　hope　it　frightens　him　off。　But　why　do　you　believe　me　now；　when　you　didn't　this　morning？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　had　to　believe　my　own　eyes　then；　lad；　and　I　saw　nothing。〃　Tam　shook　his　grizzled　head。　〃Only　young　men　see　this　fellow；　it　seems。　When　Haral　Luhhan　mentioned　Perrin　jumping　shadows；　though；　it　all　came　out。　Jon　Thane's　oldest　son　saw　him；　too；　and　so　did　Samel　Crawe's　boy；　Bandry。　Well；　when　four　of　you　say　you've　seen　a　thing　…　and　solid　lads；　all　…　we　start　thinking　maybe　it's　there　whether　we　can　see　it　or　not。　All　except　Cenn；