rj.thegreathunt-第63部分

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　　　　　　　〃Every　man　wants　to　be　great。　You　could　be　the　greatest　man　in　all　the　Ages。〃
　　　　　　　It　sounded　too　close　to　what　Moiraine　had　said。　The　Dragon　Reborn　would　certainly　stand　out　through　the　Ages。　〃Not　me；〃　he　said　fervently。　〃I'm　just〃　…　he　thought　of　her　scorn　if　he　told　her　now　that　he　was　only　a　shepherd　after　letting　her　believe　he　was　a　lord；　and　changed　what　he　had　been　going　to　say　…　〃just　trying　to　find　it。　And　to　help　a　friend。〃
　　　　　　　She　was　silent　a　moment；　then　said；　〃You've　hurt　your　hand。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　nothing。〃　He　started　to　put　his　injured　hand　inside　his　coat　…　it　throbbed　from　holding　the　reins　…　but　she　reached　out　and　took　it。
　　　　　　　He　was　so　surprised　he　let　her；　and　then　there　was　nothing　to　do　except　either　jerk　away　rudely　or　else　let　her　unwrap　the　kerchief。　Her　touch　felt　cool　and　sure。　His　palm　was　angrily　red　and　puffy；　but　the　heron　still　stood　out；　plainly　and　clearly。
　　　　　　　She　touched　the　brand　with　a　finger；　but　made　no　ment　on　it；　not　even　to　ask　how　he　had　e　by　it。　〃This　could　stiffen　your　hand　if　it's　untended。　I　have　an　ointment　that　should　help。〃　From　a　pocket　inside　her　cloak　she　produced　a　small　stone　vial；　unstopped　it；　and　began　gently　rubbing　a　white　salve　on　the　burn　as　they　rode。
　　　　　　　The　ointment　felt　cold　at　first；　then　seemed　to　melt　away　warmly　into　his　flesh。　And　it　worked　as　well　as　Nynaeve's　ointments　sometimes　did。　He　stared　in　amazement　as　the　redness　faded　and　the　swelling　went　down　under　her　stroking　fingers。
　　　　　　　〃Some　men；〃　she　said；　not　raising　her　eyes　from　his　hand；　〃choose　to　seek　greatness；　while　others　are　forced　to　it。　It　is　always　better　to　choose　than　to　be　forced。　A　man　who's　forced　is　never　pletely　his　own　master。　He　must　dance　on　the　strings　of　those　who　forced　him。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　pulled　his　hand　free。　The　brand　looked　a　week　old　or　more；　all　but　healed。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　demanded。
　　　　　　　She　smiled　at　him；　and　he　felt　ashamed　of　his　outburst。　〃Why；　the　Horn；　of　course；〃　she　said　calmly；　putting　away　her　salve。　Her　mare；　stepping　along　beside　Red；　was　tall　enough　that　her　eyes　were　only　a　little　below　Rand's。　〃If　you　find　the　Horn　of　Valere；　there　will　be　no　avoiding　greatness。　But　will　it　be　forced　on　you；　or　will　you　take　it？　That's　the　question。〃
　　　　　　　He　flexed　his　hand。　She　sounded　so　much　like　Moiraine。　〃Are　you　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　Selene's　eyebrows　lifted；　her　dark　eyes　glittered　at　him；　but　her　voice　was　soft。　〃Aes　Sedai？　I？　No。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　offend　you。　I'm　sorry。〃
　　　　　　　〃Offend　me？　I　am　not　offended；　but　I'm　no　Aes　Sedai。〃　Her　lip　curled　in　a　sneer；　even　that　was　beautiful。　〃They　cower　in　what　they　think　is　safety　when　they　could　do　so　much。　They　serve　when　they　could　rule；　let　men　fight　wars　when　they　could　bring　order　to　the　world。　No；　never　call　me　Aes　Sedai。　〃　She　smiled　and　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm　to　show　she　was　not　angry　…　her　touch　made　him　swallow　…　but　he　was　relieved　when　she　let　the　mare　drop　back　beside　Loial。　Hurin　bobbed　his　head　at　her　like　an　old　family　retainer。
　　　　　　　Rand　was　relieved；　but　he　missed　her　presence；　too。　She　was　only　two　spans　away　…　he　twisted　in　his　saddle　to　stare　at　her；　riding　by　Loial's　side；　the　Ogier　was　bent　half　double　in　his　saddle　so　he　could　talk　with　her　…　but　that　was　not　the　same　as　being　right　there　beside　him；　close　enough　for　him　to　smell　her　heady　scent；　close　enough　to　touch。　He　settled　back　angrily。　It　was　not　that　he　wanted　to　touch　her；　exactly　…　he　reminded　himself　that　he　loved　Egwene；　he　felt　guilty　at　the　need　for　reminding　…　but　she　was　beautiful；　and　she　thought　he　was　a　lord；　and　she　said　he　could　be　a　great　man。　He　argued　sourly　with　himself　inside　his　head。　Moiraine　says　you　can　be　great；　too；　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Selene　is　not　Aes　Sedai。　That's　right；　she's　a　Cairhienin　noblewoman。　And　you're　a　shepherd。　She　doesn't　know　that。　How　long　do　you　let　her　believe　a　lie？　It's　only　till　we　get　out　of　this　place。　If　we　get　out。　If。　On　that　note；　his　thoughts　subsided　to　sullen　silence。
　　　　　　　He　tried　to　keep　a　watch　on　the　country　through　which　they　rode　…　if　Selene　said　there　were　more　of　those　things　。。。　those　grolm　。。。　about；　he　believed　her；　and　Hurin　was　too　intent　on　smelling　the　trail　to　notice　anything　else。　Loial　was　too　wrapped　up　in　his　talk　with　Selene　to　see　anything　until　it　bit　him　on　the　heel　…　but　it　was　hard　to　watch。　Turning　his　head　too　quickly　made　his　eyes　water；　a　hill　or　a　stand　of　trees　could　seem　a　mile　off　when　seen　from　one　angle　and　only　a　few　hundred　spans　when　seen　from　another。
　　　　　　　The　mountains　were　growing　closer；　of　that　much　he　was　sure。　Kinslayer's　Dagger；　looming　against　the　sky　now；　a　sawtooth　expanse　of　snow…capped　peaks。　The　land　around　them　already　rose　in　foothills　heralding　the　ing　of　the　mountains。　They　would　reach　the　edge　of　the　mountains　proper　well　before　dark；　perhaps　in　only　another　hour　or　so。　More　than　a　hundred　leagues　in　less　than　three　days。　Worse　than　that。　We　spent　most　of　a　day　south　of　the　Erinin　in　the　real　world。　Over　a　hundred　leaguer　in　less　than　two　days；　here。
　　　　　　　〃She　says　you　were　right　about　this　place；　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　gave　a　start　before　he　realized　Loial　had　ridden　up　beside　him。　He　looked　for　Selene　and　found　her　riding　with　Hurin；　the　sniffer　was　grinning　and　ducking　his　head　and　all　but　knuckling　his　forehead　at　everything　she　said。　Rand　glanced　sideways　at　the　Ogier。　〃I'm　surprised　you　could　let　her　go；　the　way　you　two　had　your　heads　together。　What　do　you　mean；　I　was　right？〃
　　　　　　　〃She　is　a　fascinating　woman；　isn't　she？　Some　of　the　Elders　don't　know　as　much　as　she　does　about　history　…　especially　the　Age　of　Legends　…　and　about　…　oh；　yes。　She　says　you　were　right　about　the　Ways；　Rand。　The　Aes　Sedai；　some　of　them；　studied　worlds　like　this；　and　that　study　was　the　basis　of　how　they　grew　the　Ways。　She　says　there　are　worlds　where　it　is　time　rather　than　distance　that　changes。　Spend　a　day　in　one　of　those；　and　you　might　e　back　to　find　a　year　has　passed　in　the　real　world；　or　twenty。　Or　it　could　be　the　other　way　round。　Those　worlds　…　this　one；　all　the　others　…　are　reflections　of　the　real　world；　she　says。　This　one　seems　pale　to　us　because　it　is　a　weak　reflection；　a　world　that　had　
little　chance　of　ever　being。　Others　are　almost　as　likely　as　ours。　Those　are　as　solid　as　our　world；　and　have　people。　The　same　people；　she　says；　Rand。　Imagine　it！　You　could　go　to　one　of　them　and　meet　yourself。　The　Pattern　has　infinite　variation；　she　says；　and　every　variation　that　can　be；　will　be。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shook　his　head；　then　wished　he　had　not　as　the　landscape　flickered　back　and　forth　and　his　stomach　lurched。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃How　does　she　know　all　that？　You　know　about　more　things　than　anybody　I　ever　met　before；　Loial；　and　all　you　knew　about　this　world　amounted　to　no　more　than　a　rumor。〃
　　　　　　　〃She's　Cairhienin；　Rand。　The　Royal　Library　in　Cairhien　is　one　of　the　greatest　in　the　world；　perhaps　the　greatest　outside　Tar　Valon。　The　Aiel　spared　it　deliberately；　you　know；　when　they　burned　Cairhien。　They　will　not　destroy　a　book。　Did　you　know　that　they　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　care　about　Aielmen；〃　Rand　said　hotly。　〃If　Selene　knows　so　much；　I　hope　she　read　how　to　get　us　home　from　here。　I　wish　Selene…〃
　　　　　　　〃You　wish　Selene　what？〃　The　woman　laughed　as　she　joined　them。
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　at　her　as　if　she　had　been　gone　months；　that　was　how　he　felt。　〃I　wish　Selene　would　e　ride　with　me　some　more；〃　he　said。　Loial　chuckled；　and　Rand　felt　his　face　burn。
　　　　　　　Selene　smiled；　and　looked　at　Loial。　〃You　will　excuse　us；　alantin。〃
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　bowed　in　his　saddle　and　let　his　big　horse　fall　back；　the　tufts　on　his　ears　drooping　with　reluctance。
　　　　　　　For　a　time　Rand　rode　in　silence；　enjoying　Selene's　presence。　Now　and　again　he　looked　at　her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　He　wished　he　could　get　his　feelings　about　her　straight。　Could　she　be　an　Aes　Sedai；　despite　her　denial？　Someone　sent　by　Moiraine　to　push　him　along　whatever　path　he　was　meant　to　follow　in　the　Aes　Sedai's　plans？　Moiraine　could　not　have　known　he　would　be　taken　to　this　strange　world；　and　no　Aes　Sedai　would　have　tried　to　fend　off　that　beast　with　a　stick　when　she　could　strike　it　dead　or　send　it　running　with　the　Power。　Well。　Since　she　took　him　for　a　lord　and　no　one　in　Cairhien　knew　different；　he　might　keep　on　letting　her　think　it。　She　was　surely　the　most　beautiful　woman　he　had　ever　seen；　intelligent　and　learned；　and　she　thought　he　was　brave；　what　more　could　a　man　ask　from　a　wife？　That's　crazy；　too。　I'd　marry　Egwene　if　I　could　marry　anyone；　but　I　can't　ask　a　woman　to　marry　a　man　who's　going　to　go　mad；　maybe　hurt　her。　But　Selene　was　so　beautiful。
　　　　　　　She　was　studying　his　sword；　he　saw。　He　readied　the　words　in　his　head。　No；　he　was　not　a　blademaster；　but　his　father　had　given　him　the　sword。　Tam。　Light；　why　couldn't　you　really　be　my　father？　He　squashed　the　thought　ruthlessly。
　　　　　　　〃That　was　a　magnificent　shot；〃　Selene　said。
　　　　　　　〃No；　I'm　not　a　…　〃　Rand　began；　then　blinked。　〃A　shot？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　A　tiny　target；　that　eye；　moving；　at　a　hundred　paces。　You've　a　wonderful　hand　with　that　bow。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shifted　awkwardly。　〃Ah　。。。　thank　you。　It's　a　trick　my　father　taught　me。〃　He　told　her　about　the　void；　about　how　Tam　had　taught　him　how　to　use　it　with　the