rj.eyeoftheworld-第90部分

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go；　when　he　was　paraded　through　the　countryside；　but　that　was　just　some　fellow　who　thought　he　could　make　himself　a　king。　There　had　been　no　need　for　Aes　Sedai；　that　time。　Soldiers　had　had　him　chained　up　on　a　wagon。　A　sullen…looking　fellow　who　moaned　in　the　middle　of　the　wagonbed；　covering　his　head　with　his　arms　whenever　people　threw　stones　or　poked　him　with　sticks。　There　had　been　a　lot　of　that；　and　the　soldiers　had　done　nothing　to　stop　it；　as　long　as　they　did　not　kill　the　fellow。　Best　to　let　the　people　see　he　was　nothing　special　after　all。　He　could　not　do　〃things。〃　This　Logain　would　be　something　to　see；　though。　Something　for　Bartim　to　tell　his　grandchildren　about。　If　only　the　inn　would　let　him　get　away。
　　　　　　　Rand　listened　with　an　interest　that　did　not　have　to　be　faked。　When　Padan　Fain　had　brought　word　to　Emond's　Field　of　a　false　Dragon；　a　man　actually　wielding　the　Power；　it　had　been　the　biggest　news　to　e　into　the　Two　Rivers　in　years。　What　had　happened　since　had　pushed　it　to　the　back　of　his　mind；　but　it　was　still　the　sort　of　thing　people　would　be　talking　about　for　years；　and　telling　their　grandchildren　about；　too。　Bartim　would　probably　tell　his　that　he　had　seen　Logain　whether　he　did　or　not。　Nobody　would　ever　think　what　happened　to　some　village　folk　from　the　Two　Rivers　was　worth　talking　about；　not　unless　they　were　Two　Rivers　people　themselves。
　　　　　　　〃That；〃　Thom　said；　〃would　be　something　to　make　a　story　of；　a　story　they'd　tell　for　a　thousand　years。　I　wish　I　had　been　there。〃　He　sounded　as　if　it　was　the　simple　truth；　and　Rand　thought　it　really　was。　〃I　might　try　to　see　him　anyway。　You　didn't　say　what　route　they　were　taking。　Perhaps　there　are　some　other　travelers　around？　They　might　have　heard　the　route。〃
　　　　　　　Bartim　waved　a　grubby　hand　dismissively。　〃North；　that's　all　anybody　knows　around　here。　You　want　to　see　him；　go　to　Caemlyn。　That's　all　I　know；　and　if　there's　anything　to　know　in　Whitebridge；　I　know　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　doubt　you　do；〃　Thom　said　smoothly。　〃I　expect　a　lot　of　strangers　passing　through　stop　here。　Your　sign　caught　my　eye　from　the　foot　of　the　White　Bridge。〃
　　　　　　　〃Not　just　from　the　west；　I'll　have　you　know。　Two　days　ago　there　was　a　fellow　in　here；　an　Illianer；　with　a　proclamation　all　done　up　with　seals　and　ribbons。　Read　it　right　out　there　in　the　square。　Said　he's　taking　it　all　the　way　to　the　Mountains　of　Mist；　maybe　even　to　the　Aryth　Ocean；　if　the　passes　are　open。　Said　they've　sent　men　to　read　it　in　every　land　in　the　world。〃　The　innkeeper　shook　his　head。　〃The　Mountains　of　Mist。　I　hear　they're　covered　with　fog　all　the　year　round；　and　there's　things　in　the　fog　will　strip　the　flesh　off　your　bones　before　you　can　run。〃　Mat　snickered；　earning　a　sharp　look　from　Bartim。
　　　　　　　Thom　leaned　forward　intently。　〃What　did　the　proclamation　say？〃
　　　　　　　〃Why；　the　hunt　for　the　Horn；　of　course；〃　Bartim　exclaimed。　〃Didn't　I　say　that？　The　Illianers　are　calling　on　everybody　as　will　swear　their　lives　to　the　hunt　to　gather　in　Illian。　Can　you　imagine　that？　Swearing　your　life　to　a　legend？　I　suppose　they'll　find　some　fools。　There's　always　fools　around。　This　fellow　claimed　the　end　of　the　world　is　ing。　The　last　battle　with　the　Dark　One。〃　He　chuckled；　but　it　had　a　hollow　sound；　a　man　laughing　to　convince　himself　something　really　was　worth　laughing　at。　〃Guess　they　think　the　Horn　of　Valere　has　to　be　found　before　it　happens。　Now　what　do　you　think　of　that？〃　He　chewed　a　knuckle　pensively　for　a　minute。　〃Course；　I　don't　know　as　I　could　argue　with　them　after　this　winter。　The　winter；　and　this　fellow　Logain；　and　those　other　two　before；　as　well。　Why　all　these　fellows　the　last　few　years　claiming　to　be　the　Dragon？　And　the　winter。　Must　mean　something。　What　do　you　think？〃
　　　　　　　Thom　did　not　seem　to　hear　him。　In　a　soft　voice　the　gleeman　began　to　recite　to　himself。

〃In　the　last；　lorn　fight
'gainst　the　fall　of　long　night；
the　mountains　stand　guard；
and　the　dead　shall　be　ward；
for　the　grave　is　no　bar　to　my　call。〃

　　　　　　　〃That's　it。〃　Bartim　grinned　as　if　he　could　already　see　the　crowds　handing　him　their　money　while　they　listened　to　Thom。　〃That's　it。　The　Great　Hunt　of　the　Horn。　You　tell　that　one；　and　they'll　be　hanging　from　the　rafters　in　here。　Everybody's　heard　about　the　proclamation。〃
　　　　　　　Thom　still　seemed　to　be　a　thousand　miles　away；　so　Rand　said；　〃We're　looking　for　some　friends　who　were　ing　this　way。　From　the　west。　Have　there　been　many　strangers　passing　through　in　the　last　week　or　two？〃
　　　　　　　〃Some；〃　Bartim　said　slowly。　〃There's　always　some；　from　east　and　west　both。〃　He　looked　at　each　of　them　in　turn；　suddenly　wary。　〃What　do　they　look　like；　these　friends　of　yours？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　opened　his　mouth；　but　Thom；　abruptly　back　from　wherever　he　had　been；　gave　him　a　sharp；　silencing　look。　With　an　exasperated　sigh　the　gleeman　turned　to　the　innkeeper。　〃Two　men　and　three　women；〃　he　said　reluctantly。　〃They　may　be　together；　or　maybe　not。〃　He　gave　thumbnail　sketches；　painting　each　one　in　just　a　few　words；　enough　for　anyone　who　had　seen　them　to　recognize　without　giving　away　anything　about　who　they　were。
　　　　　　　Bartim　rubbed　one　hand　over　his　head；　disarranging　his　thinning　hair；　and　stood　up　slowly。　〃Forget　about　performing　here；　gleeman。　In　fact；　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you　drank　your　wine　and　left。　Leave　Whitebridge；　if　you're　smart。　〃
　　　　　　　〃Someone　else　has　been　asking　after　them？〃　Thom　took　a　drink；　as　if　the　answer　were　the　least　important　thing　in　the　world；　and　raised　an　eyebrow　at　the　innkeeper。　〃Who　would　that　be？〃
　　　　　　　Bartim　scrubbed　his　hand　through　his　hair　again　and　shifted　his　feet　on　the　point　of　walking　away；　then　nodded　to　himself。　〃About　a　week　ago；　as　near　as　I　can　say；　a　weaselly　fellow　came　over　the　bridge。　Crazy；　everybody　thought。　Always　talking　to　himself；　never　stopped　moving　even　when　he　was　standing　still。　Asked　about　the　same　people。。。　some　of　them。　He　asked　like　it　was　important；　then　acted　like　he　didn't　care　what　the　answer　was。　Half　the　time　he　was　saying　as　he　had　to　wait　here　for　them；　and　the　other　half　as　he　had　to　go　on；　he　was　in　a　hurry。　One　minute　he　was　whining　and　begging；　the　next　making　demands　like　a　king。　Near　got　himself　a　thrashing　a　time　or　two；　crazy　or　not。　The　Watch
almost　took　him　in　custody　for　his　own　safety。　He　went　off　toward　Caemlyn　that　same　day；　talking　to　himself　and　crying。　Crazy；　like　I　said。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　looked　at　Thom　and　Mat　questioningly；　and　they　both　shook　their　heads。　If　this　weaselly　fellow　was　looking　for　them；　he　was　still　nobody　they　recognized。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure　it　was　the　same　people　he　wanted？〃　Rand　asked。
　　　　　　　〃Some　of　them。　The　fighting　man；　and　the　woman　in　silk。　But　it　wasn't　them　as　he　cared　about。　It　was　three　country　boys。〃　His　eyes　slid　across　Rand　and　Mat　and　away　again　so　fast　that　Rand　was　not　sure　if　he　had　really　seen　the　look　or　imagined　it。　〃He　was　desperate　to　find　them。　But　crazy；　like　I　said。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shivered；　and　wondered　who　the　crazy　man　could　be；　and　why　he　was　looking　for　them。　A　Darkfriend？　Would　Ba'alzamon　use　a　madman？
　　　　　　　〃He　was　crazy；　but　the　other　one　。。。〃　Bartim's　eyes　shifted　uneasily；　and　his　tongue　ran　over　his　lips　as　if　he　could　not　find　enough　spit　to　moisten　them。　〃Next　day　。。。　next　day　the　other　one　came　for　the　first　time。〃　He　fell　silent。
　　　　　　　〃The　other　one？〃　Thom　prompted　finally。
　　　　　　　Bartim　looked　around；　although　their　side　of　the　divided　room　was　still　empty　except　for　them。　He　even　raised　up　on　his　toes　and　looked　over　the　low　wall。　When　he　finally　spoke；　it　was　in　a　whispered　rush。
　　　　　　　〃All　in　black　he　is。　Keeps　the　hood　of　his　cloak　pulled　up　so　you　can't　see　his　face；　but　you　can　feel　him　looking　at　you；　feel　it　like　an　icicle　shoved　into　your　spine。　He　。。。　he　spoke　to　me。〃　He　flinched　and　stopped　to　chew　at　his　lip　before　going　on。　〃Sounded　like　a　snake　crawling　through　dead　leaves。　Fair　turned　my　stomach　to　ice。　Every　time　as　he　es　back；　he　asks　the　same　questions。　Same　questions　the　crazy　man　asked。　Nobody　ever　sees　him　ing　…　he's　just　there　all　of　a　sudden；　day　or　night；　freezing　you　where　you　stand。　People　are　starting　to　look　over　their　shoulders。　Worst　of　it　is；　the　gatetenders　claim　as　he's　never　passed　through　any　of　the　gates；　ing　or　going。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　worked　at　keeping　his　face　blank；　he　clenched　his　jaw　until　his　teeth　ached。　Mat　scowled；　and　Thom　studied　his　wine。　The　word　none　of　them　wanted　to　say　hung　in　the　air　between　them。　Myrddraal。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　I'd　remember　if　I　ever　met　anyone　like　that；〃　Thom　said　after　a　minute。
　　　　　　　Bartim's　head　bobbed　furiously。　〃Burn　me；　but　you　would。　Light's　truth；　you　would。　He　。。。　he　wants　the　same　lot　as　the　crazy　man；　only　he　says　as　there's　a　girl　with　them。　And〃　…　he　glanced　sideways　at　Thom　…　〃and　a　white…haired　gleeman。〃
　　　　　　　Thom's　eyebrows　shot　up　in　what　Rand　was　sure　was　unfeigned　surprise。　〃A　white…haired　gleeman？　Well；　I'm　hardly　the　only　gleeman　in　the　world　with　a　little　age　on　him。　I　assure　you；　I　don't　know　this　fellow；　and　he　can　have　no　reason　to　be　looking　for　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　as　may　be；〃　Bartim　said　glumly。　〃He　didn't　say　it　in　so　many　words；　but　I　got　the　impression　as　he　would　be　very　displeased　with　anyone　as　tried　to　help　these　people；　or　tried　to　hide　them　from　him。　Anyway；　I'll　tell　you　what　I　told　him。　I　haven't　seen　a