rj.thepathofdaggers-第115节

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ward　her。　She　replaced　the　ivory　carving　with　the　rest　of　her　collection　in　the　large　box　covered　with　roses　and　golden　scrolls；　carefully　adjusted　the　positions　of　her　writing　case　and　correspondence　box　so　the　three　lacquered　boxes　lined　up　just　so　on　the　table；　and　once　their　silence　was　perfect　she　went　on。　〃The　business　of　the　Tower　is　more　important；　though。　I　trust　you　will　effect　my　decrees　promptly。　I　see　too　much　sloth　in　the　Tower。　I　fear　Silviana　may　find　herself　very　busy　if　matters　do　not　e　right　soon。〃　She　did　not　voice　any　further　threat。　She　merely　smiled。
　　　　　　　〃As　you　mand；　Mother；〃　murmured　six　voices　not　so　steady　as　their　owners　might　have　wished。　Even　Duhara's　face　was　pasty　pale　as　they　made　their　curtsies。　Two　Sitters　had　been　stripped　of　their　chairs；　and　half　a　dozen　had　served　days　of　Labor　for　penance　…　which　was　humiliating　enough　in　their　position　to　be　Mortification　of　the　Spirit　besides；　Shevan　and　Sedore　certainly　wore　tight　mouths　as　they　remembered　all　too　well　scrubbing　floors　and　working　in　the　laundries　…　but　none　had　been　sent　to　Silviana　for　Mortification　of　the　Flesh。　No　one　wanted　to　be。　The　Mistress　of　Novices　had　two　or　three　visits　each　week　from　sisters　who　been　given　penance　by　their　Ajahs　or　set　one　for　themselves　…　a　dose　of　the　strap；　however　painful；　was　done　with　much　more　quickly　than　raking　garden　paths　for　a　month　…　but　Silviana　possessed　considerably　less　mercy　with　sisters　than　with　the　novices　and　Accepted　in　her　charge。　More　than　one　sister　must　have　spent　the　next　few　days　wondering　whether　a　month　pulling　a　rake　might　not　have　been　preferable　after　all。
　　　　　　　They　scurried　toward　the　doors；　eager　to　be　away。　Sitters　or　no；　not　one　would　have　set　foot　this　high　in　the　Tower　without　Elaida's　direct　summons。　Fingering　her　striped　stole；　Elaida　let　her　smile　bee　one　of　pleasure。　Yes；　she　was　the　mistress　in　the　White　Tower。　As　was　only　proper　for　the　Amyrlin　Seat。
　　　　　　　Before　that　fast…stepping　knot　of　Sitters　reach　the　doorway；　the　left…hand　door　opened；　and　Alviarin　stepped　in；　the　narrow　white　stole　of　the　Keeper　almost　vanishing　against　a　silk　dress　that　made　Velina's　seem　dingy。
　　　　　　　Elaida　felt　her　smile　go　crooked　and　begin　sliding　from　her　face。　Alviarin　had　a　single　sheet　of　parchment　in　one　slim　hand。　Odd；　what　one　noticed　at　a　time　like　this。　The　woman　had　been　gone　almost　two　weeks；　vanished　from　the　Tower　without　word　or　note；　without　anyone　so　much　as　seeing　her　go；　and　Elaida　had　begun　to　think　fond　thoughts　of　Alviarin　lying　in　a　snowbank；　or　swept　away　in　a　river；　sliding　beneath　the　ice。
　　　　　　　The　six　Sitters　skidded　to　a　halt　uncertainly　when　Alviarin　did　not　move　out　of　their　way。　Even　a　Keeper　with　Alviarin's　influence　did　not　impede　Sitters。　Though　Velina；　normally　the　most　self…possessed　woman　in　the　Tower；　flinched　for　some　reason。　Alviarin　glanced　once　at　Elaida；　coolly；　studied　the　Sitters　for　a　moment；　and　understood　everything。
　　　　　　　〃I　think　you　should　leave　that　with　me；〃　she　said　to　Sedore　in　tones　only　a　fraction　warmer　than　the　snow　outside。　〃The　Mother　likes　to　consider　her　decrees　carefully；　as　you　know。　This　would　not　be　the　first　time　she　changed　her　mind　after　signing。〃　She　held　out　a　slim　hand。
　　　　　　　Sedore；　whose　arrogance　was　notable　even　among　Yellows；　barely　hesitated　before　giving　her　the　leather　folder。
　　　　　　　Elaida　ground　her　teeth　in　fury。　Sedore　had　hated　her　five　days　up　to　her　elbows　in　hot　water　and　scrub　boards。　Elaida　would　find　something　less　fortable　for　her　next　time。　Maybe　Silviana　after　all。　Maybe　cleaning　the　cesspits！
　　　　　　　Alviarin　stepped　aside　without　a　word；　and　the　Sitters　went；　adjusting　shawls；　muttering　to　themselves；　reassuming　the　dignity　of　the　Hall。　Briskly；　Alviarin　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　walked　toward　Elaida　thumbing　through　the　papers　in　the　folder。　The　decrees　she　had　signed　hoping　Alviarin　was　dead。　Of　course；　she　had　not　rested　on　hope。　She　had　not　spoken　to　Seaine；　in　case　someone　might　see　and　tell　Alviarin　when　she　returned；　but　Seaine　was　certainly　working　away　as　instructed；　following　the　path　of　treason　that　surely　would　lead　to　Alviarin　Freidhen。　But　Elaida　had　hoped。　Oh；　how　she　had　hoped。
　　　　　　　Alviarin　murmured　to　herself　as　she　rifled　the　folder。　〃This　can　go　through；　I　suppose。　But　not　this。　Or　this。　And　certainly　not　this！〃　She　crumpled　a　decree；　signed　and　sealed　by　the　Amyrlin　Seat；　and　tossed　it　to　the　floor　contemptuously。　Stopping　beside　Elaida's　gilded　chair；　with　the　Flame　of　Tar　Valon　in　moonstones　atop　its　high　back；　she　slapped　the　folder　and　her　own　parchment　down　on　the　table。　And　then　slapped　Elaida's　face　so　hard　she　saw　black　flecks。
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　we　had　settled　this；　Elaida。〃　The　monstrous　woman's　voice　made　the　snowstorm　outside　seem　warm。　〃I　know　how　to　save　the　Tower　from　your　blunders；　and　I　won't　have　you　making　new　ones　behind　my　back。　If　you　persist；　be　assured　that　I　will　see　you　deposed；　stilled；　and　howling　under　the　birch　before　every　initiate　and　even　the　servants！〃
　　　　　　　With　an　effort；　Elaida　kept　her　hand　away　from　her　cheek。　She　did　not　need　a　mirror　to　tell　her　it　was　red。　She　had　to　be　careful。　Seaine　had　found　nothing　yet；　or　she　would　have　e。　Alviarin　could　open　her　mouth　before　the　Hall　and　reveal　the　whole　disastrous　kidnapping　of　the　al'Thor　boy。　She　might　see　her　deposed；　and　stilled　and　birched　with　that　alone；　but　Alviarin　had　another　string　to　her　bow。　Toveine　Gazal　was　leading　fifty　sisters　and　two　hundred　of　the　Tower　Guard　against　a　Black　Tower　Elaida　had　been　sure；　when　she　gave　the　orders；　held　perhaps　two　or　three　men　who　could　channel。　Yet　even　with　the　hundreds　…　hundreds！　with　Alviarin　staring　coldly　down　at　her；　that　thought　still　curdled　Elaida's　stomach！　…　even　with　hundreds　of　these　Asha'man；　she　had　hope　for　Toveine。　The　Black　Tower　would　be　rent　in　fire　and　blood；　she　had　Foretold；　and　sisters　would　walk　its　grounds。　Surely　that　meant　that　somehow；　Toveine　would　triumph。　More；　the　rest　of　the　Foretelling　had　told　her　that　the　Tower　would　regain　all　its　old　glories　under　her；　that　al'Thor　himself　would　quail　at　her　anger。　Alviarin　had　heard　the　words　ing　out　of　Elaida's　mouth　when　the　Foretelling　took　her。　And　she　had　not　remembered　later；　when　she　began　her　blackmail；　had　not　understood　her　own　doom。　Elaida　waited　in　patience。　She　would　repay　the　woman　threefold！　But　she　could　be　patient。　For　now。
　　　　　　　Making　no　attempt　to　hide　her　sneer；　Alviarin　pushed　the　folder　aside　and　moved　the　single　parchment　in　front　of　Elaida。　She　flipped　open　the　green…and…gold　writing　case；　dipped　Elaida's　pen　in　the　inkwell　and　thrust　it　at　her。　〃Sign。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida　took　the　pen　wondering　what　madness　she　would　be　putting　her　name　to　this　time。　Yet　another　increase　in　the　Tower　Guard；　when　the　rebels　would　be　done　before　there　was　any　use　for　soldiers？　Another　attempt　to　make　the　Ajahs　reveal　publicly　which　sisters　headed　them？　That　had　certainly　fallen　on　its　nose！　Reading　quickly；　she　felt　a　knot　of　ice　grow　in　her　belly　and　keep　growing。　Giving　each　Ajah　final　authority　over　any　sister　in　its　quarter　no　matter　her　own　Ajah　had　been　the　worst　insanity　so　far　…　how　could　picking　apart　the　very　fabric　of　the　Tower　save　it？　…　but　this　…！
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　The　world　now　knows　that　Rand　al'Thor　is　the　Dragon　Reborn。　The　world　knows　that　he　is　a　man　who　can　touch　the　One　Power。　Such　men　have　lain　within　the　authority　of　the　White　Tower　since　time　immemorial。　The　Dragon　Reborn　is　granted　the　protection　of　the　Tower；　but　whosoever　attempts　to　approach　him　save　through　the　White　Tower　lies　attainted　of　treason　against　the　Light；　and　anathema　is　pronounced　against　them　now　and　forever。　The　world　may　rest　easily　knowing　that　the　White　Tower　will　safely　guide　the　Dragon　Reborn　to　the　Last　Battle　and　the　inevitable　triumph。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Automatically；　numbly；　she　added　〃of　the　Light〃　after　〃triumph；〃　but　then　her　hand　froze。　Publicly　acknowledging　al'Thor　as　the　Dragon　Reborn　could　be　borne；　since　he　was；　and　this　might　lead　many　to　accept　the　rumors　that　he　had　knelt　to　her　already；　which　would　prove　useful；　but　for　the　rest；　she　could　not　believe　so　much　damage　could　be　contained　in　so　few　words。
　　　　　　　〃The　Light　have　mercy；〃　she　breathed　fervently。　〃If　this　is　proclaimed；　it　will　be　impossible　to　convince　al'Thor　that　his　abduction　was　unsanctioned。〃　It　would　be　hard　enough　without；　but　she　had　seen　people　convinced　before　that　what　had　happened；　had　not；　and　them　in　the　middle　of　it　happening。　〃And　he　will　be　ten　times　on　his　guard　against　another　attempt。　Alviarin；　at　best；　this　will　frighten　away　a　few　of　his　followers。　At　best！〃　Many　likely　had　waded　so　deep　with　him　they　did　not　dare　try　to　wade　back。　Certainly　not　if　they　thought　anathema　already　hung　over　their　heads！　〃I　might　as　well　set　fire　to　the　Tower　with　my　own　hand　as　sign　this！〃
　　　　　　　Alviarin　sighed　impatiently。　〃You　haven't　forgotten　your　catechism；　have　you？　Say　it　for　me；　as　I　taught　you。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida's　lips　pressed　of　their　own　accord。　One　pleasure　in　the　woman's　absence　…　not　the　greatest；　but　a　very　real　pleasure　…　had　been　not　being　forced　to　repeat　that　vile　litany　every　day。　〃I　will　do　as　I　am　told；〃　she　said　at　last；　in　a　flat　voice。