rj.thegreathunt-第107部分

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　　　　　　　Ingtar　came　to　look　wonderingly　over　her　shoulder　at　the　seals。　〃Barthanes；　and　。。。　And　Galldrian！　Rand；　how　did　you　e　by　these？　What　have　you　been　doing？〃
　　　　　　　〃Nothing；〃　Rand　said。　〃I　haven't　done　anything。　They　just　sent　them　to　me。〃　Ingtar　let　out　a　long　breath。　Mat's　mouth　was　hanging　open。　〃Well；　they　did　just　send　them；〃　Rand　said　quietly。　There　was　a　dignity　to　him　that　Perrin　did　not　remember；　Rand　was　looking　at　the　Aes　Sedai　and　the　Shienaran　lord　as　equals。
　　　　　　　Perrin　shook　his　head。　You　are　fitting　that　coat。　We're　all　changing。
　　　　　　　〃Lord　Rand　burned　all　the　rest；〃　Hurin　said。　〃Every　day　they　came；　and　every　day　he　burned　them。　Until　these；　of　course。　Every　day　from　mightier　Houses。〃　He　sounded　proud。
　　　　　　　〃The　Wheel　of　Time　weaves　us　all　into　the　Pattern　as　it　wills；〃　Verin　said；　looking　at　the　parchments；　〃but　sometimes　it　provides　what　we　need　before　we　know　we　need　it。〃
　　　　　　　Casually　she　crumpled　the　King's　invitation　and　tossed　it　into　the　fireplace；　where　it　lay　white　on　the　cold　logs。　Breaking　the　other　seal　with　her　thumb；　she　read。　〃Yes。　Yes；　this　will　do　very　well。〃
　　　　　　　〃How　can　I　go？〃　Rand　asked　her。　〃They　will　know　I'm　no　lord。　I　am　a　shepherd；　and　a　farmer。〃　Ingtar　looked　skeptical。　〃I　am；　Ingtar。　I　told　you　I　am。〃　Ingtar　shrugged；　he　still　did　not　look　convinced。　Hurin　stared　at　Rand　with　flat　disbelief。
　　　　　　　Burn　me；　Perrin　thought；　if　I　didn't　know　him；　I　wouldn't　believe　it　either。　Mat　was　watching　Rand　with　his　head　tilted；　frowning　as　if　looking　at　something　he　had　never　seen　before。　He　sees　it；　too；　now。　〃You　can　do　it；　Rand；〃　Perrin　said。　〃You　can。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　will　help；〃　Verin　said；　〃if　you　don't　tell　everyone　what　you　are　not。　People　see　what　they　expect　to　see。　Beyond　that；　look　them　in　the　eye　and　speak　firmly。　The　way　you　have　been　talking　to　me；〃　she　added　dryly；　and　Rand's　cheeks　colored；　but　he　did　not　drop　his　eyes。　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　you　say。　They　will　attribute　anything　out　of　place　to　your　being　an　outlander。　It　will　also　help　if　you　remember　the　way　you　behaved　before　the　Amyrlin。　If　you　are　that　arrogant；　they　will　believe　you　are　a　lord　if　you　wear　rags。〃　Mat　snickered。
　　　　　　　Rand　threw　up　his　hands。　〃All　right。　I'll　do　it。　But　I　still　think　they　will　know　five　minutes　after　I　open　my　mouth。　When？〃
　　　　　　　〃Barthanes　has　asked　you　for　five　different　dates；　and　one　is　tomorrow　night。〃
　　　　　　　〃Tomorrow！〃　Ingtar　exploded。　〃The　Horn　could　be　fifty　miles　downriver　by　tomorrow　night；　or　…　〃
　　　　　　　Verin　cut　him　off。　〃Uno　and　your　soldiers　can　watch　the　manor。　If　they　try　to　take　the　Horn　anywhere；　we　can　easily　follow；　and　perhaps　retrieve　it　more　easily　than　from　inside　Barthanes's　walls。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　so；〃　Ingtar　agreed　grudgingly。　〃I　just　do　not　like　to　wait；　now　that　the　Horn　is　almost　in　my　hands。　I　will　have　it。　I　must！　I　must！〃
　　　　　　　Hurin　stared　at　him。　〃But；　Lord　Ingtar；　that　isn't　the　way。　What　happens；　happens；　and　what　is　meant　to　be；　will　…〃　Ingtar's　glare　cut　him　off；　though　he　still　muttered　under　his　breath；　〃It　isn't　the　way；　talking　of　'must'。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　turned　back　to　Verin　stiffly。　〃Verin　Sedai；　Cairhienin　are　very　strict　in　their　protocol。　If　Rand　does　not　send　a　reply；　Barthanes　may　be　so　insulted　he　will　not　let　us　in；　even　with　that　parchment　in　our　hands。　But　if　Rand　does。。。　well；　Fain；　at　least；　knows　him。　We　could　be　warning　them　to　set　a　trap。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　will　surprise　them。〃　Her　brief　smile　was　not　pleasant。　〃But　I　think　Barthanes　will　want　to　see　Rand　in　any　case。　Darkfriend　or　not；　I　doubt　he　has　given　up　plots　against　the　throne。　Rand；　he　says　you　took　an　interest　in　one　of　the　King's　projects；　but　he　doesn't　say　what。　What　does　he　mean？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Rand　said　slowly。　〃I　haven't　done　anything　at　all　since　I　arrived。　Wait。　Maybe　he　means　the　statue。　We　came　through　a　village　where　they　were　digging　up　a　huge　statue。　From　the　Age　of　Legends；　they　said。　The　King　means　to　move　it　to　Cairhien；　though　I　don't　know　how　he　can　move　something　that　big。　But　all　I　did　was　ask　what　it　was。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　passed　it　in　the　day；　and　did　not　stop　to　ask　questions。〃　Verin　let　the　invitation　fall　in　her　lap。　〃Not　a　wise　thing　for　Galldrian　to　do；　perhaps；　unearthing　that。　Not　that　there　is　any　real　danger；　but　it　is　never　wise　for　those　who　don't　know　what　they　are　doing　to　meddle　with　things　from　the　Age　of　Legends。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Rand　asked。
　　　　　　　〃A　sa'angreal。〃　She　sounded　as　if　it　were　really　not　very　important；　but　Perrin　suddenly　had　the　feeling　the　two　of　them　had　entered　a　private　conversation；　saying　things　no　one　else　could　hear。　〃One　of　a　pair；　the　two　largest　ever　made；　that　we　know　of。　And　an　odd　pair；　as　well。　One；　still　buried　on　Tremalking；　can　only　be　used　by　a　woman。　This　one　can　only　be　used　by　a　man。　They　were　made　during　the　War　of　the　Powers；　to　be　a　weapon；　but　if　there　is　anything　to　be　thankful　for　in　the　end　of　that　Age　or　the　Breaking　of　the　World；　it　is　that　the　end　came　before　they　could　be　used。　Together；　they　might　well　be　powerful　enough　to　Break　the　World　again；　perhaps　even　worse　than　the　first　Breaking。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin's　hands　tightened　to　knots。　He　avoided　looking　directly　at　Rand；　but　even　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　could　see　a　whiteness　around　Rand's　mouth。　He　thought　Rand　might　be　afraid；　and　he　did　not　blame　him　a　bit。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　looked　shaken；　as　well　he　might。　〃That　thing　should　be　buried　again；　and　as　deeply　as　they　can　pile　dirt　and　stone。　What　would　have　happened　if　Logain　had　found　it？　Or　any　wretched　man　who　can　channel；　let　alone　one　claiming　he's　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Verin　Sedai；　you　must　warn　Galldrian　what　he's　doing。〃
　　　　　　　〃What？　Oh；　there　is　no　need　for　that；　I　think。　The　two　must　be　used　in　unison　to　handle　enough　of　the　One　Power　to　Break　the　World　…　that　was　the　way　in　the　Age　of　Legends；　a　man　and　a　woman　working　together　were　always　ten　times　as　strong　as　they　were　apart　…　and　what　Aes　Sedai　today　would　aid　a　man　in　channeling？　One　by　itself　is　powerful　enough；　but　I　can　think　of　few　women　strong　enough　to　survive　the　flow　through　the　one　on　Tremalking。　The　Amyrlin；　of　course。　Moiraine；　and　Elaida。　Perhaps　one　or　two　others。　And　three　still　in　training。　As　for　Logain；　it　would　have　taken　all　his　strength　simply　to　keep　from　being　burned　to　a　cinder；　with　nothing　left　for　doing　anything。　No；　Ingtar；　I　don't　think　you　need　worry。　At　least；　not　until　the　real　Dragon　Reborn　proclaims　himself；　and　then　we　will　all　have　enough　to　worry　about　as　it　is。　Let　us　worry　now　about　what　we　shall　do　when　we　are　inside　Barthanes's　manor。〃
　　　　　　　She　was　talking　to　Rand。　Perrin　knew　it；　and　from　the　queasy　look　in　Mat's　eye；　he　did；　too。　Even　Loial　shifted　nervously　in　his　chair。　Oh；　Light；　Rand；　Perrin　thought。　Light；　don't　let　her　use　you。
　　　　　　　Rand's　hands　were　pressing　the　tabletop　so　hard　that　his　knuckles　were　white；　but　his　voice　was　steady。　His　eyes　never　left　the　Aes　Sedai。　〃First　we　have　to　take　back　the　Horn；　and　the　dagger。　And　then　it　is　done；　Verin。　Then　it　is　done。〃
　　　　　　　Watching　Verin's　smile；　small　and　mysterious；　Perrin　felt　a　chill。　He　did　not　think　Rand　knew　half　what　he　thought　he　did。　Not　half。


Chapter　32
（Harp）
Dangerous　Words

　　　　　　　Lord　Barthanes's　manor　crouched　like　a　huge　toad　in　the　night；　covering　as　much　ground　as　a　fortress；　with　all　its　walls　and　outbuildings。　It　was　no　fortress；　though；　with　tall　windows　everywhere；　and　lights；　and　the　sounds　of　music　and　laughter　drifting　out；　yet　Rand　saw　guards　moving　on　the　tower　tops　and　along　the　roofwalks；　and　none　of　the　windows　were　close　to　the　ground。　He　got　down　from　Red's　back　and　smoothed　his　coat；　adjusted　his　sword　belt。　The　others　dismounted　around　him；　at　the　foot　of　broad；　whitestone　stairs　leading　up　to　the　wide；　heavily　carved　doors　of　the　manor。
　　　　　　　Ten　Shienarans；　under　Uno；　made　an　escort。　The　one…eyed　man　exchanged　small　nods　with　Ingtar　before　taking　his　men　to　join　the　other　escorts；　where　ale　had　been　provided　and　a　whole　ox　was　roasting　on　a　spit　by　a　big　fire。
　　　　　　　The　other　ten　Shienarans　had　been　left　behind；　along　with　Perrin。　Every　one　of　them　had　to　be　there　for　a　purpose；　Verin　had　said；　and　Perrin　had　no　purpose　to　serve　this　night。　An　escort　was　necessary　for　dignity　in　Cairhienin　eyes；　but　more　than　ten　would　seem　suspicious。　Rand　was　there　because　he　had　received　the　invitation。　Ingtar　had　e　to　lend　the　prestige　of　his　title；　while　Loial　was　there　because　Ogier　were　sought　after　in　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Cairhienin　nobility。　Hurin　pretended　to　be　Ingtar's　bodyservant。　His　true　purpose　was　to　sniff　out　the　Darkfriends　and　Trollocs　if　he　could；　the　Horn　of　Valere　should　not　be　far　from　them。　Mat；　still　grumbling　about　it；　was　pretending　to　be　Rand's　servant；　since　he　could　feel　the　dagger　when　it　was　close。　If　Hurin　failed；　perhaps　he　could　find　the　Darkfriends。
　　　　　　　When　Rand　had　asked　Verin　why　she　was　there；　she　had　only　smiled　and　said；　〃To　keep　the　rest　of　you　out　of　trouble。〃
　　　　　　　As　they　mounted　the　stairs；　Mat　muttered；　〃I　still　don't　see　why　I　have　to　be　a　servant。〃　He　and　Hurin　followed　behind　the　others。　〃Burn　me；　if　Rand　can　be　a　lord；　I　can　put　on　a　fancy　coat；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　servant；〃　Verin　said　without　looking