rj.thegreathunt-第87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！


e　yards。　Good　morning　to　you　all。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida　spared　a　glance　for　the　departing　Gawyn　as　she　came　up　the　bridge。　She　was　a　handsome　woman　rather　than　beautiful；　Egwene　thought；　but　that　ageless　look　marked　her　as　surely　as　her　shawl；　only　the　newest…made　sisters　lacked　it。　When　her　gaze　swept　over　Egwene；　pausing　only　a　moment；　Egwene　suddenly　saw　a　hardness　in　the　Aes　Sedai。　She　had　always　thought　of　Moiraine　as　strong；　steel　under　silk；　but　Elaida　dispensed　with　the　silk。
　　　　　　　〃Elaida；〃　Elayne　said；　〃this　is　Egwene。　She　was　born　with　the　seed　in　her；　too。　And　she　has　already　had　some　lessons；　so　she　is　as　far　along　as　I　am。　Elaida？〃
　　　　　　　The　Aes　Sedai's　face　was　blank　and　unreadable。　〃In　Caemlyn；　child；　I　am　councilor　to　the　Queen　your　mother；　but　this　is　the　White　Tower；　and　you；　a　novice。〃　Min　made　as　if　to　go；　but　Elaida　stopped　her　with　a　sharp；　〃Stay；　girl。　I　would　speak　with　you。〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　known　you　all　my　life；　Elaida；〃　Elayne　said　incredulously。　〃You　watched　me　grow　up；　and　made　the　gardens　bloom　in　winter　so　I　could　play。〃
　　　　　　　〃Child；　there　you　were　the　Daughter…Heir。　Here　you　are　a　novice。　You　must　learn　that。　You　will　be　great　one　day；　but　you　must　learn！〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　was　astounded。　If　someone　had　snubbed　her　so　before　others；　she　would　have　been　in　a　fury。
　　　　　　　〃Now；　off　with　both　of　you。〃　A　gong　began　to　toll；　deep　and　sonorous；　and　Elaida　tilted　her　head。　The　sun　stood　halfway　to　its　pinnacle。　〃High；〃　Elaida　said。　〃You　must　hurry；　if　you　do　not　want　further　admonishment。　And　Elayne？　See　the　Mistress　of　Novices　in　her　study　after　your　chores。　A　novice　does　not　speak　to　Aes　Sedai　unless　bidden　to。　Run；　both　of　you。　You　will　be　late。　Run！〃
　　　　　　　They　ran；　holding　their　skirts　up。　Egwene　looked　at　Elayne。　Elayne　had　two　spots　of　color　in　her　cheeks　and　a　determined　look　on　her　face。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　be　Aes　Sedai；〃　Elayne　said　softly；　but　it　sounded　like　a　promise。
　　　　　　　Behind　them；　Egwene　heard　the　Aes　Sedai　begin；　〃I　am　given　to　understand；　girl；　that　you　were　brought　here　by　Moiraine　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　She　wanted　to　stay　and　listen；　to　hear　if　Elaida　asked　about　Rand；　but　High　rang　through　the　White　Tower；　and　she　was　summoned　to　chores。　She　ran　as　she　had　been　manded　to　run。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　be　Aes　Sedai；〃　she　growled。　Elayne　flashed　a　quick　smile　of　understanding；　and　they　ran　faster。
　
　　　　　　　Min's　shirt　clung　to　her　when　she　finally　left　the　bridge。　Not　sweat　from　the　sun；　but　from　the　heat　of　Elaida's　questions。　She　looked　over　her　shoulder　to　make　sure　the　Aes　Sedai　was　not　following　her；　but　Elaida　was　nowhere　in　sight。
　　　　　　　How　did　Elaida　know　that　Moiraine　had　summoned　her？　Min　had　been　sure　that　was　a　secret　known　only　to　her；　Moiraine；　and　Sheriam。　And　all　those　questions　about　Rand。　It　had　not　been　easy　keeping　a　smooth　face　and　a　steady　eye　while　telling　an　Aes　Sedai　to　her　face　that　she　had　never　heard　of　him　and　knew　nothing　of　him。　What　does　she　want　with　him？　Light；　what　does　Moiraine　want　with　him？　What　is　he？　Light；　I　don't　want　to　fall　in　love　with　a　man　I've　only　met　once；　and　a　farmboy　at　that。
　　　　　　　〃Moiraine；　the　Light　blind　you；〃　she　muttered；　〃whatever　you　brought　me　here　for；　e　out　from　wherever　you're　hiding　and　tell　me　so　I　can　go！
　　　　　　　The　only　answer　was　the　sweet　song　of　the　graywings。　With　a　grimace　she　went　in　search　of　a　place　to　cool　off。

Chapter　25
（Rising　Sun）
Cairhien

　　　　　　　The　city　of　Cairhien　lay　across　hills　against　the　River　Alguenya；　and　Rand's　first　sight　of　it　came　from　the　hills　to　the　north；　by　the　light　of　the　midday　sun。　Elricain　Tavolin　and　the　fifty　Cairhienin　soldiers　still　seemed　like　guards　to　him　…　the　more　since　crossing　the　bridge　at　the　Gaelin；　they　became　more　stiff　the　further　south　they　rode　…　but　Loial　and　Hurin　did　not　appear　to　mind；　so　he　tried　not　to。　He　studied　the　city；　as　large　as　any　he　had　seen。　Fat　ships　and　broad　barges　filled　the　river；　and　tall　granaries　sprawled　along　the　far　bank；　but　Cairhien　seemed　to　be　laid　out　in　a　precise　grid　behind　its　high；　gray　walls。　Those　walls　themselves　made　a　perfect　square；　with　one　side　hard　along　the　river。　In　just　as　exact　a　pattern；　towers　rose　within　the　walls；　soaring　as　much　as　twenty　times　the　height　of　the　wall；　yet　even　from　the　hills　Rand　could　see　that　each　one　ended　in　a　jagged　top。
　　　　　　　Outside　the　city　walls；　surrounding　them　from　riverbank　to　riverbank；　lay　a　warren　of　streets；　crisscrossing　at　all　angles　and　teeming　with　people。　Foregate；　Rand　knew　it　was　called；　from　Hurin；　once　there　had　been　a　market　village　for　every　city　gate；　but　over　the　years　they　had　all　grown　into　one；　a　hodgepodge　of　streets　and　alleys　growing　up　every　which　way。
　　　　　　　As　Rand　and　the　others　rode　into　those　dirt　streets；　Tavolin　put　some　of　his　soldiers　to　clearing　a　path　through　the　throng；　shouting　and　urging　their　horses　forward　as　if　to　trample　any　who　did　not　get　out　of　the　way　quickly。　People　moved　aside　with　no　more　than　a　glance；　as　if　it　were　an　everyday　occurrence。　Rand　found　himself　smiling；　though。
　　　　　　　The　Foregate　people's　clothes　were　shabby　more　often　than　not；　yet　much　of　it　was　colorful；　and　there　was　a　raucous　bustle　of　life　to　the　place。　Hawkers　cried　their　wares；　and　shopkeepers　called　for　people　to　examine　the　goods　displayed　on　tables　before　their　shops。　Barbers；　fruit…peddlers；　knife…sharpeners；　men　and　women　offering　a　dozen　services　and　a　hundred　things　for　sale；　wandered　through　the　crowds。　Music　drifted　through　the　babble　from　more　than　one　structure；　at　first　Rand　thought　they　were　inns；　but　the　signs　out　front　all　showed　men　playing　flutes　or　harps；　tumbling　or　juggling；　and　large　as　they　were；　they　had　no　windows。　Most　of　the　buildings　in　Foregate　seemed　to　be　wood；　however　big　they　were；　and　a　good　many　looked　new；　if　poorly　made。　Rand　gaped　at　several　that　stood　seven　stories　or　more；　they　swayed　slightly；　though　the　people　hurrying　in　and　out　did　not　seem　to　notice。
　　　　　　　〃Peasants；〃　Tavolin　muttered；　staring　straight　ahead　in　disgust。　〃Look　at　them；　corrupted　by　outland　ways。　They　should　not　be　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Where　should　they　be？〃　Rand　asked。　The　Cairhienin　officer　glared　at　him　and　spurred　his　horse　forward；　flogging　at　the　crowd　with　his　quirt。
　　　　　　　Hurin　touched　Rand's　arm。　〃It　was　the　Aiel　War；　Lord　Rand。〃　He　looked　to　make　sure　none　of　the　soldiers　were　close　enough　to　hear。　〃Many　of　the　farmers　were　afraid　to　go　back　to　their　lands　near　the　Spine　of　the　World；　and　they　all　came　here；　near　enough。　That's　why　Galldrian　has　the　river　full　of　grain　barges　up　from　Andor　and　Tear。　There's　no　crops　ing　from　farms　in　the　east　because　there　aren't　any　farms　anymore。　Best　not　to　mention　it　to　a　Cairhienin　though；　my　Lord。　They　like　to　pretend　the　war　never　happened；　or　at　least　that　they　won　it。〃
　　　　　　　Despite　Tavolin's　quirt；　they　were　forced　to　halt　while　a　strange　procession　crossed　their　path。　Half　a　dozen　men；　beating　tambours　and　dancing；　led　the　way　for　a　string　of　huge　puppets；　each　half　again　as　tall　as　the　men　who　worked　them　with　long　poles。　Giant　crowned　figures　of　men　and　women　in　long；　ornate　robes　bowed　to　the　crowd　amid　the　shapes　of　fanciful　beasts。　A　lion　with　wings。　A　goat；　walking　on　its　hind　legs；　with　two　heads；　both　of　which　were　apparently　meant　to　be　breathing　fire；　from　the　crimson　streamers　hanging　from　the　two　mouths。　Something　that　seemed　to　be　half　cat　and　half　eagle；　and　another　with　a　bear's　head　on　a　man's　body；　which　Rand　took　to　be　a　Trolloc。　The　crowd　cheered　and　laughed　as　they　pranced　by。
　　　　　　　〃Man　who　made　that　never　saw　a　Trolloc；〃　Hurin　grumbled。　〃Head's　too　big；　and　it's　too　skinny。　Likely　didn't　believe　in　them；　either；　my　Lord；　any　more　than　in　those　other　things。　The　only　monsters　these　Foregate　folk　believe　in　are　Aiel。〃
　　　　　　　〃Are　they　having　a　festival？〃　Rand　asked。　He　did　not　see　any　sign　of　it　other　than　the　procession；　but　he　thought　that　there　must　be　a　reason　for　that。　Tavolin　ordered　his　soldiers　forward　again。
　　　　　　　〃No　more　than　every　day；　Rand；〃　Loial　said。　Walking　alongside　his　horse；　the　blanket…wrapped　chest　still　strapped　to　his　saddle；　the　Ogier　drew　as　many　looks　as　the　puppets　had。　Some　even　laughed　and　clapped　as　they　had　for　the　puppets。　〃I　fear　Galldrian　keeps　his　people　quiet　by　entertaining　them。　He　gives　gleemen　and　musicians　the　King's　Gift；　a　bounty　in　silver；　to　perform　here　in　the　Foregate；　and　he　sponsors　horse　races　down　by　the　river　every　day。　There　are　fireworks　many　nights；　too。〃　He　sounded　disgusted。　〃Elder　Haman　says　Galldrian　is　a　disgrace。〃　He　blinked；　realizing　what　he　had　said；　and　looked　around　hurriedly　to　see　if　any　of　the　soldiers　had　heard。　None　seemed　to　have。
　　　　　　　〃Fireworks；〃　Hurin　said；　nodding。　〃The　Illuminators　have　built　a　chapter　house　here；　I've　heard；　the　same　as　in　Tanchico。　I　didn't　half　mind　seeing　the　fireworks；　when　I　was　here　before。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shook　his　head。　He　had　never　seen　fireworks　elaborate　enough　to　require　even　one　Illuminator。　He　had　heard　they　only　left　Tanchico　to　put　on　displays　for　rulers。　It　was　a　strange　place　he　was　ing　to。
　　　　　　　At　the　tall；　square　archway　of　the　city　gate；　Tavolin　ordered　a　halt　and　dismounted　by　a　squat　stone　building　just　inside　the　walls。　It　had　a