rj.thegreathunt-第110部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tance　from　every　other。　Still；　Thom　spoke　softly。　〃A　dangerous　thing　to　say　if　it　isn't　true；　and　more　dangerous　if　it　is。　An　accusation　like　that；　against　the　most　powerful　man　in　the　kingdom　。。。　You　say　he　has　the　Horn？　I　suppose　you're　after　my　help　again；　now　that　you're　tangled　with　the　White　Tower　once　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。〃　He　had　decided　Thom　had　been　right；　even　if　the　gleeman　did　not　know　why。　He　could　not　involve　anyone　else　in　his　troubles。　〃I　just　wanted　to　get　away　from　those　women。〃
　　　　　　　The　gleeman　blew　out　his　mustaches；　taken　aback。　〃Well。　Yes。　That　is　well。　The　last　time　I　helped　you；　I　got　a　limp　out　of　it；　and　you　seem　to　have　let　yourself　be　tied　to　Tar　Valon　strings　again。　You'll　have　to　get　yourself　out　of　it　this　time。〃　He　sounded　as　if　he　were　trying　to　convince　himself。
　　　　　　　〃I　will；　Thom。　I　will。〃　Just　as　soon　as　the　Horn　is　safe　and　Mat　has　that　bloody　dagger　back。　Mat；　Hurin；　where　are　you？
　　　　　　　As　if　the　thought　had　been　a　summons；　Hurin　appeared　in　the　room；　eyes　searching　among　the　lords　and　ladies。　They　looked　through　him；　servants　did　not　exist　unless　needed。　When　he　found　Rand　and　Thom；　he　made　his　way　between　the　small　clusters　of　nobles　and　bowed　to　Rand。　〃My　Lord；　I　was　sent　to　tell　you。　Your　manservant　had　a　fall　and　twisted　his　knee。　I　don't　know　how　bad；　my　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　Rand　stared　before　he　understood。　Conscious　of　all　the　eyes　on　him；　he　spoke　loudly　enough　for　the　nobles　closest　to　overhear。　〃Clumsy　fool。　What　good　is　he　to　me　if　he　can't　walk？　I　suppose　I'd　better　e　see　how　badly　he's　hurt　himself。〃
　　　　　　　It　seemed　to　be　the　right　thing　to　say。　Hurin　sounded　relieved　when　he　bowed　again　and　said；　〃As　my　Lord　wishes。　If　my　Lord　will　follow　me？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　play　very　well　at　being　a　lord；〃　Thom　said　softly。　〃But　remember　this。　Cairhienin　may　play　Daes　Dae'mar；　but　it　was　the　White　Tower　made　the　Great　Game　in　the　first　place。　Watch　yourself；　boy。〃　With　a　glare　at　the　nobles；　he　set　his　empty　goblet　on　the　tray　of　a　passing　servant　and　strolled　away；　plucking　his　harp。　He　began　reciting　Goodwife　Mili　and　the　Silk　Merchant。
　　　　　　　〃Lead　on；　man；〃　Rand　told　Hurin；　feeling　foolish。　As　he　followed　the　sniffer　out　of　the　room；　he　could　feel　the　eyes　following　him。
　
Chapter　33
（Leaf）
A　Message　From　the　Dark

　　　　　　　〃Have　you　found　it？〃　Rand　asked　as　he　followed　Hurin　down　a　cramped　flight　of　stairs。　The　kitchens　lay　on　the　lower　levels；　and　the　servants　who　had　e　attending　the　guests　had　all　been　sent　there。　〃Or　is　Mat　really　hurt？〃
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　Mat's　fine；　Lord　Rand。〃　The　sniffer　frowned。　〃At　least；　he　sounds　all　right；　and　he　grumbles　like　a　hale　man。　I　didn't　mean　to　worry　you；　but　I　needed　a　reason　for　you　to　e　below。　I　found　the　trail　easy　enough。　The　men　who　set　fire　to　the　inn　all　entered　a　walled　garden　behind　the　manor。　Trollocs　joined　them；　went　in　to　the　garden　with　them。　Sometime　yesterday；　I　think。　Maybe　even　night　before　last。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Lord　Rand；　they　didn't　e　out　again。　They　must　still　be　in　there。〃
　　　　　　　At　the　foot　of　the　stairs　the　sounds　of　the　servants　enjoying　themselves　drifted　down　the　hall；　laughter　and　singing。　Someone　had　a　bittern；　strumming　a　raucous　tune　to　clapping　and　the　thump　of　dancing。　There　was　no　worked　plaster　or　fine　tapestries　here；　only　bare　stone　and　plain　wood。　Light　in　the　halls　came　from　rush　torches；　smoking　the　ceiling　and　spread　far　enough　apart　that　the　light　faded　between　them。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　glad　you　are　talking　to　me　naturally　again；〃　Rand　said。　〃The　way　you　have　been　bowing　and　scraping；　I　was　beginning　to　think　you　were　more　Cairhienin　than　the　Cairhienin。〃
　　　　　　　Hurin's　face　colored。　〃Well；　as　to　that　。。。〃　He　glanced　down　the　hall　toward　the　noise　and　looked　as　if　he　wanted　to　spit。　〃They　all　pretend　to　be　so　proper；　but　。。。　Lord　Rand；　every　one　of　them　says　he's　loyal　to　his　master　or　mistress；　but　they　all　hint　they're　willing　to　sell　what　they　know；　or　have　heard。　And　when　they　have　a　few　drinks　in　them；　they'll　tell　you；　all　whispering　in　your　ear；　things　about　the　lords　and　ladies　they　serve　that'd　fair　make　your　hair　stand　on　end。　I　know　they're　Cairhienin；　but　I　never　heard　of　such　goings　on。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　will　be　out　of　here　soon；　Hurin。〃　Rand　hoped　it　was　true。　〃Where　is　this　garden？〃　Hurin　turned　down　a　side　hall　leading　toward　the　back　of　the　manor。　〃Did　you　bring　Ingtar　and　the　others　down　already？〃
　　　　　　　The　sniffer　shook　his　head。　〃Lord　Ingtar　had　let　himself　be　cornered　by　six　or　seven　of　those　who　call　themselves　ladies。　I　couldn't　get　close　enough　to　speak　to　him。　And　Verin　Sedai　was　with　Barthanes。　She　gave　me　such　a　look　when　I　came　near；　I　never　even　tried　to　tell　her。〃
　　　　　　　They　rounded　another　corner　just　then；　and　there　were　Loial　and　Mat；　the　Ogier　standing　a　little　stooped　for　the　lower　ceiling。
　　　　　　　Loial's　grin　almost　split　his　face。　〃There　you　are。　Rand；　I　was　never　so　glad　to　get　away　from　anyone　as　from　those　people　upstairs。　They　kept　asking　me　if　the　Ogier　were　ing　back；　and　if　Galldrian　had　agreed　to　pay　what　was　owed。　It　seems　the　reason　all　the　Ogier　stonemasons　left　is　because　Galldrian　stopped　paying　them；　except　with　promises。　I　kept　telling　them　I　didn't　know　anything　about　it；　but　half　of　them　seemed　to　think　that　I　was　lying；　and　the　other　half　that　I　was　hinting　at　something。〃
　　　　　　　〃We'll　be　out　of　here　soon；〃　Rand　assured　him。　〃Mat；　are　you　all　right？〃　His　friend's　face　looked　more　hollow…cheeked　than　he　remembered；　even　back　at　the　inn；　and　his　cheekbones　more　prominent。
　　　　　　　〃I　feel　fine；〃　Mat　said　grumpily；　〃but　I　certainly　didn't　have　any　trouble　leaving　the　other　servants。　The　ones　who　weren't　asking　if　you　starved　me　thought　I　was　sick　and　didn't　want　to　e　too　close。〃
　　　　　　　〃Have　you　sensed　the　dagger？〃　Rand　asked。
　　　　　　　Mat　shook　his　head　glumly。　〃The　only　thing　I've　sensed　is　that　somebody's　watching　me；　most　of　the　time。　These　people　are　as　bad　as　Fades　for　sneaking　around。　Burn　me；　I　nearly　jumped　out　of　my　skin　when　Hurin　told　me　he'd　located　the　Darkfriends'　trail。　Rand；　I　can't　feel　it　at　all；　and　I've　been　through　this　bloody　building　from　rafters　to　basement。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　does　not　mean　it　isn't　here；　Mat。　I　put　it　in　the　chest　with　the　Horn；　remember。　Maybe　that　keeps　you　from　feeling　it。　I　don't　think　Fain　knows　how　to　open　it；　else　he'd　not　have　gone　to　the　trouble　of　carrying　the　weight　when　he　fled　Fal　Dara。　Even　that　much　gold　isn't　important　beside　the　Horn　of　Valere。　When　we　find　the　Horn；　we　will　find　the　dagger。　You'll　see。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　long　as　I　don't　have　to　pretend　to　be　your　servant　anymore；〃　Mat　muttered。　〃As　long　as　you　don't　go　mad　and　。。。　〃　He　let　the　words　die　with　a　twist　of　his　mouth。
　　　　　　　〃Rand　is　not　mad；　Mat；〃　Loial　said。　〃The　Cairhienin　would　never　have　let　him　in　here　if　he　were　not　a　lord。　They　are　the　ones　who　are　mad。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　mad；〃　Rand　said　harshly。　〃Not　yet。　Hurin；　show　me　this　garden。〃
　　　　　　　〃This　way；　Lord　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　They　went　out　into　the　night　by　a　small　door　that　Rand　had　to　duck　to　get　through；　Loial　was　forced　to　bend　over　and　hunch　his　shoulders。　There　was　enough　light　in　yellow　pools　from　the　windows　above　for　Rand　to　make　out　brick　walks　between　square　flower　beds。　The　shadows　of　stables　and　other　outbuildings　bulked　in　the　darkness　to　either　side。　Occasional　fragments　of　music　drifted　out；　from　the　servants　below　or　from　those　entertaining　their　masters　above。
　　　　　　　Hurin　led　them　along　the　walks　until　even　the　dim　glow　failed　and　they　made　their　way　by　moonlight　alone；　their　boots　crunching　softly　on　the　brick。　Bushes　that　would　have　been　bright　with　flowers　by　daylight　now　made　strange　humps　in　the　dark。　Rand　fingered　his　sword　and　did　not　let　his　eyes　stay　on　any　one　spot　too　long。　A　hundred　Trollocs　could　be　hiding　around　them　unseen。　He　knew　Hurin　would　have　smelled　Trollocs　if　they　were　there；　but　that　did　not　help　a　great　deal。　If　Barthanes　was　a　Darkfriend；　then　at　least　some　of　his　servants　and　guards　had　to　be；　too；　and　Hurin　could　not　always　smell　a　Darkfriend。　Darkfriends　leaping　out　of　the　night　would　not　be　much　better　than　Trollocs。
　　　　　　　〃There；　Lord　Rand；〃　Hurin　whispered；　pointing。
　　　　　　　Ahead；　stone　walls　not　much　higher　than　Loial's　head　enclosed　a　square　perhaps　fifty　paces　on　a　side。　Rand　could　not　be　sure；　in　the　shadows；　but　it　looked　as　if　the　gardens　stretched　on　beyond　the　walls。　He　wondered　why　Barthanes　had　built　a　walled　enclosure　in　the　middle　of　his　garden。　No　roof　showed　above　the　wall。　Why　would　they　go　in　there　and　stay？
　　　　　　　Loial　bent　to　put　his　mouth　close　to　Rand's　ear。　〃I　told　you　this　was　all　an　Ogier　grove；　once。　Rand；　the　Waygate　is　within　that　wall。　I　can　feel　it。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　heard　Mat　sigh　despairingly。　〃We　can't　give　up；　Mat；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　giving　up。　I　just　have　enough　brains　not　to　want　to　travel　the　Ways　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　may　have　to；〃　Rand　told　him。　〃Go　find　Ingtar　and　Verin。　Get　them　alone　somehow　…　I　don't　care　how　…　and　tell　them　I　think　Fain　has　taken　the　Horn　through　a　Waygate。　Just　don't　let　anyone　else　hear。　And　remember　to　limp；　you　are　supposed　to　have　had　a　fall。〃　It　was　a　wonder　to　him　that　even　Fain　would　risk　the　Ways；　but　it　seemed　the　only　answer。　They　wouldn't　spend　a　day　and　a　night