rj.eyeoftheworld-第63部分

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　　　　　　　Mat　shrugged　unfortably。　〃I　don't　remember。〃　He　stared　at　them　defensively。　〃Well；　I　don't。　It's　all　foggy。　I　don't　know　what　it　was；　or　where　it　came　from；　or　what　it　means。〃　He　gave　a　self…deprecating　laugh。　〃I　don't　suppose　it　means　anything。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　。。。　I　think　it　does；〃　Egwene　said　slowly。　〃When　you　shouted；　I　thought　…　just　for　a　minute　…　I　thought　I　understood　you。　But　it's　all　gone；　now。〃　She　sighed　and　shook　her　head。　〃Perhaps　you're　right。　Strange　what　you　can　imagine　at　a　time　like　that；　isn't　it？〃
　　　　　　　〃Carai　an　Caldazar；〃　Moiraine　said。　They　all　twisted　to　stare　at　her。　〃Carai　an　Ellisande。　Al　Ellisande。　For　the　honor　of　the　Red　Eagle。　For　the　honor　of　the　Rose　of　the　Sun。　The　Rose　of　the　Sun。　The　ancient　warcry　of　Manetheren；　and　the　warcry　of　its　last　king。　Eldrene　was　called　the　Rose　of　the　Sun。〃　Moiraine's　smile　took　in　Egwene　and　Mat　both；　though　her　gaze　may　have　rested　a　moment　longer　on　him　than　on　her。　〃The　blood　of　Arad's　line　is　still　strong　in　the　Two　Rivers。　The　old　blood　still　sings。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　and　Egwene　looked　at　each　other；　while　everyone　else　looked　at　them　both。　Egwene's　eyes　were　wide；　and　her　mouth　kept　quirking　into　a　smile　that　she　bit　back　every　time　it　began；　as　if　she　was　not　sure　just　how　to　take　this　talk　of　the　old　blood。　Mat　was　sure；　from　the　scowling　frown　on　his　face。
　　　　　　　Rand　thought　he　knew　what　Mat　was　thinking。　The　same　thing　he　was　thinking。　If　Mat　was　a　descendant　of　the　ancient　kings　of　Manetheren；　maybe　the　Trollocs　were　really　after　him　and　not　all　three　of　them。　The　thought　made　him　ashamed。　His　cheeks　colored；　and　when　he　caught　a　guilty　grimace　on　Perrin's　face；　he　knew　Perrin　had　been　having　the　same　thought。
　　　　　　　〃I　can't　say　that　I　have　ever　heard　the　like　of　this；〃　Thom　said　after　a　minute。　He　shook　himself　and　became　brusque。　〃Another　time　I　might　even　make　a　story　out　of　it；　but　right　now　。。。　Do　you　intend　to　remain　here　for　the　rest　of　the　day；　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Moiraine　replied；　gathering　her　reins。
　　　　　　　A　Trolloc　horn　keened　from　the　south　as　if　to　emphasize　her　word。　More　horns　answered；　east　and　west。　The　horses　whickered　and　sidled　about　nervously。
　　　　　　　〃They　have　passed　the　fire；〃　Lan　said　calmly。　He　turned　to　Moiraine。　〃You　are　not　strong　enough　for　what　you　intend；　not　yet；　not　without　rest。　And　neither　Myrddraal　nor　Trolloc　will　enter　that　place。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　raised　a　hand　as　if　to　cut　him　off；　then　sighed　and　let　it　fall　instead。　〃Very　well；〃　she　said　irritably。　〃You　are　right；　I　suppose；　but　I　would　rather　there　was　any　other　choice。〃　She　pulled　her　staff　from　under　the　girth　strap　of　her　saddle。　〃Gather　in　around　me；　all　of　you。　As　close　as　you　can。　Closer。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　urged　Cloud　nearer　the　Aes　Sedai's　mare。　At　Moiraine's　insistence　they　kept　on　crowding　closer　in　a　circle　around　her　until　every　horse　had　its　head　stretched　over　the　croup　or　withers　of　another。　Only　then　was　the　Aes　Sedai　satisfied。　Then；　without　speaking；　she　stood　in　the　stirrups　and　swung　her　staff　over　their　heads；　stretching　to　make　certain　it　covered　everyone。
　　　　　　　Rand　flinched　each　time　the　staff　passed　over　him。　A　tingle　ran　through　him　with　every　pass。　He　could　have　followed　the　staff　without　seeing　it；　just　by　following　the　shivers　as　it　moved　over　people。　It　was　no　surprise　to　him　that　Lan　was　the　only　one　not　affected。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　Moiraine　thrust　the　staff　out　to　the　west。　Dead　leaves　whirled　into　the　air　and　branches　whipped　as　if　a　dust…devil　ran　along　the　line　she　pointed　to。　As　the　invisible　whirlwind　vanished　from　sight　she　settled　back　into　her　saddle　with　a　sigh。
　　　　　　　〃To　the　Trollocs；〃　she　said；　〃our　scents　and　our　tracks　will　seem　to　follow　that。　The　Myrddraal　will　see　through　it　in　time；　but　by　then　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃By　then；〃　Lan　said；　〃we　will　have　lost　ourselves。〃
　　　　　　　〃Your　staff　is　very　powerful；〃　Egwene　said；　earning　a　sniff　from　Nynaeve。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　made　a　clicking　sound：　〃I　have　told　you；　child；　things　do　not　have　power。　The　One　Power　es　from　the　True　Source；　and　only　a　living　mind　can　wield　it。　This　is　not　even　an　angreal；　merely　an　aid　to　concentration。〃　Wearily　she　slid　the　staff　back　under　her　girth　strap。　〃Lan？〃
　　　　　　　〃Follow　me；〃　the　Warder　said；　〃and　keep　quiet。　It　will　ruin　everything　if　the　Trollocs　hear　us。〃
　　　　　　　He　led　the　way　north　again；　not　at　the　crashing　pace　they　had　been　making；　but　rather　in　the　quick　walk　with　which　they　had　traveled　the　Caemlyn　Road。　The　land　continued　to　flatten；　though　the　forest　remained　as　thick。
　　　　　　　Their　path　was　no　longer　straight；　as　it　had　been　before；　for　Lan　chose　out　a　route　that　meandered　over　hard　ground　and　rocky　outcrops；　and　he　no　longer　let　them　force　their　way　through　tangles　of　bush；　instead　taking　the　time　to　make　their　way　around。　Now　and　again　he　dropped　to　the　rear；　intently　studying　the　trail　they　made。　If　anyone　so　much　as　coughed；　it　drew　a　sharp　grunt　from　him。
　　　　　　　Nynaeve　rode　beside　the　Aes　Sedai；　concern　battling　dislike　on　her　face。　And　there　was　a　hint　of　something　more；　Rand　thought；　almost　as　if　the　Wisdom　saw　some　goal　in　sight。　Moiraine's　shoulders　were　slumped；　and　she　held　her　reins　and　the　saddle　with　both　hands；　swaying　with　every　step　Aldieb　took。　It　was　plain　that　laying　the　false　trail；　small　as　that　might　have　seemed　beside　producing　an　earthquake　and　a　wall　of　flame；　had　taken　a　great　deal　out　of　her；　strength　she　no　longer　had　to　lose。
　　　　　　　Rand　almost　wished　the　horns　would　start　again。　At　least　they　were　a　way　of　telling　how　far　back　the　Trollocs　were。　And　the　Fades。
　　　　　　　He　kept　looking　behind　them；　and　so　was　not　the　first　to　see　what　lay　ahead。　When　he　did；　he　stared；　perplexed。　A　great；　irregular　mass　stretched　off　to　either　side　out　of　sight；　in　most　places　as　high　as　the　trees　that　grew　right　up　to　it；　with　even　taller　spires　here　and　there。　Leafless　vines　and　creepers　covered　it　all　in　thick　layers。　A　cliff！　The　vines　will　make　climbing　easy；　but　we'll　never　get　the　horses　up。
　　　　　　　Suddenly；　as　they　rode　a　little　closer；　he　saw　a　tower。　It　was　clearly　a　tower；　not　some　kind　of　rock　formation；　with　an　odd；　pointed　dome　on　the　top。　〃A　city！〃　he　said。　And　a　city　wall；　and　the　spires　were　guard　towers　on　the　wall。　His　jaw　dropped。　It　had　to　be　ten　times　as　big　as　Baerlon。　Fifty　times　as　big。
　　　　　　　Mat　nodded。　〃A　city；〃　he　agreed。　〃But　what's　a　city　doing　in　the　middle　of　a　forest　like　this？〃
　　　　　　　〃And　without　any　people；〃　Perrin　said。　When　they　looked　at　him；　he　pointed　to　the　wall。　〃Would　people　let　vines　grow　over　everything　like　that？　You　know　how　creepers　can　tear　down　a　wall。　Look　how　it's　fallen。〃
　　　　　　　What　Rand　saw　adjusted　itself　in　his　mind　again。　It　was　as　Perrin　said。　Under　almost　every　low　place　in　the　wall　was　a　brush…covered　hill；　rubble　from　the　collapsed　wall　above。　No　two　of　the　guard　towers　were　the　same　height。
　　　　　　　〃I　wonder　what　city　it　was；〃　Egwene　mused。　〃I　wonder　what　happened　to　it。　I　don't　remember　anything　from　papa's　map。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　was　called　Aridhol；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃In　the　days　of　the　Trolloc　Wars；　it　was　an　ally　of　Manetheren。〃　Staring　at　the　massive　walls；　she　seemed　almost　unaware　of　the　others；　even　of　Nynaeve；　who　supported　her　in　the　saddle　with　a　hand　on　her　arm。　〃Later　Aridhol　died；　and　this　place　was　called　by　another　name。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　name？〃　Mat　asked。
　　　　　　　〃Here；〃　Lan　said。　He　stopped　Mandarb　in　front　of　what　had　once　been　a　gate　wide　enough　for　fifty　men　to　march　through　abreast。　Only　the　broken；　vine…encrusted　watchtowers　remained；　of　the　gates　there　was　no　sign。　〃We　enter　here。〃　Trolloc　horns　shrieked　in　the　distance。　Lan　peered　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　then　looked　at　the　sun；　halfway　down　toward　the　treetops　in　the　west。　〃They　have　discovered　it's　a　false　trail。　e；　we　must　find　shelter　before　dark。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　name？〃　Mat　asked　again。
　　　　　　　Moiraine　answered　as　they　rode　into　the　city。　〃Shadar　Logoth；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　called　Shadar　Logoth。〃
　　　　　　　
Chapter　19
Shadow's　Waiting
　
　　　　　　　Broken　paving　stones　crunched　under　the　horses'　hooves　as　Lan　led　the　way　into　the　city。　The　entire　city　was　broken；　what　Rand　could　see　of　it；　and　as　abandoned　as　Perrin　had　said。　Not　so　much　as　a　pigeon　moved；　and　weeds；　mainly　old　and　dead；　sprouted　from　cracks　in　walls　as　well　as　pavement。　More　buildings　had　roofs　fallen　in　than　had　them　whole。　Tumbled　walls　spilled　fans　of　brick　and　stone　into　the　streets。　Towers　stopped；　abrupt　and　jagged；　like　broken　sticks。　Uneven　rubble　hills　with　a　few　stunted　trees　growing　on　their　slopes　could　have　been　the　remains　of　palaces　or　of　entire　blocks　of　the　city。
　　　　　　　Yet　what　was　left　standing　was　enough　to　take　Rand's　breath。　The　largest　building　in　Baerlon　would　have　vanished　in　the　shadows　of　almost　anything　here。　Pale　marble　palaces　topped　with　huge　domes　met　him　wherever　he　looked。　Every　building　appeared　to　have　at　least　one　dome；　some　had　four　or　five；　and　each　one　shaped　differently。　Long　walks　lined　by　columns　ran　hundreds　of　paces　to　towers　that　seemed　to　reach　the　sky。　At　every　intersection　stood　a　bronze　fountain；　or　the　alabaster　spire　of　a　monument；　or　a　statue　on　a　pedestal。　If　the　fountains　were　dry；　most　of　the　spires　toppled；　and　many　of　the　statues　broken；　what　remained　was