rj.thepathofdaggers-第41节
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our hands and faces；〃 she told Maighdin and Lini。 Gathering up Breane with a gesture； she began herding them toward the tent。 At a nod from Perrin； Aram motioned the men to follow him。
〃As soon as you finish your wash； Master Gill； I'd like to talk with you；〃 Perrin said。
He might as well have made that spinning wheel of fire。 Maighdin whipped around to gape at him； and the other two women froze in their tracks。 Tallanvor was suddenly gripping his sword hilt again； and Balwer rose on his toes； peering over his bundle； head tilting this way then that。 Not a wolf； perhaps； some sort of bird； watching for cats。 The stout man； Basel Gill； dropped his belongings and leaped a foot in the air。
〃Why； Perrin；〃 he stammered； snatching off the straw hat。 Sweat made tracks in the dust on his cheeks。 He bent to pick up his bundle； changed his mind and straightened again hastily。 〃I mean； Lord Perrin。 I。。。 ah。。。 I thought it was you； but。。。 but with them calling you lord； I wasn't sure you'd want to know an old innkeeper。〃 Scrubbing a handkerchief across his nearly bald head； he laughed nervously。 〃Of course； I'll talk to you。 Washing can wait a little longer。〃
〃Hello； Perrin；〃 the hulking man said。 With his heavy…lidded eyes； Lamgwin Dorn appeared lazy despite his muscles and the scars on his face and hands。 〃We heard about young Rand being the Dragon Reborn； Master Gill and me。 Should have figured you'd have e up in the world； too。 Perrin Aybara's a good man； Mistress Maighdin。 I think you could trust him with anything you've a mind to。〃 He was not lazy； and he was not stupid； either。
Aram jerked his head impatiently； and Lamgwin and the other two followed； but Tallanvor and Balwer dragged their feet； casting wondering glances back at Perrin and Master Gill。 Concerned glances。 And at the women。 Faile had them moving again； as well； though with plenty of darted looks at Perrin and Master Gill； at the men trailing Aram。 Suddenly they were not so pleased at being separated。
Master Gill mopped his forehead and smiled uneasily。 Light； why did he smell afraid？ Perrin wondered。 Of him？ Of a man tied to the Dragon Reborn； calling himself lord and leading an army； however small； threatening the Prophet。 Might as well throw gagging Aes Sedai into it； too； he would take the blame for that； one way or another。 No； Perrin thought wryly； nothing in that to frighten anybody。 The whole lot of them were probably afraid he might murder them all。
Trying to put Master Gill at ease； he led the man to a large oak a hundred paces from the red…and…white tent。 Most of the great tree's leaves were gone and half those left were brown； but massive limbs spreading low provided a little shade； and some of the gnarled roots stood high enough to serve as benches。 Perrin had used one for just that； twiddling his thumbs while camp was being set。 Whenever he tried to do anything useful； there were always ten hands snatching it away from him。
Basel Gill was not eased； however much Perrin asked after the Queen's Blessing； his inn in Caemlyn； or recalled his own visit there。 But then； perhaps Gill was remembering that that visit was not the thing to calm a man； with Aes Sedai and talk of the Dark One and a flight in the night。 He paced anxiously and hugged his bundle to his chest； shifted it from one arm to the other and answered in a bare handful of words； licking his lips between。
〃Master Gill；〃 Perrin told him finally； 〃stop calling me Lord Perrin。 I'm not。 It's plicated； but I'm not a lord。 You know that。〃
〃Of course；〃 the round man replied； at last seating himself on one of the oak roots。 He appeared reluctant to set his bundled things down； drawing his hands from them slowly。 〃As you say； Lord Perrin。 Ah； Rand。。。 the Lord Dragon。。。 he really means the Lady Elayne to have the throne？ Not that I doubt your word； of course；〃 he added hurriedly。 Pulling off his hat； he began mopping his forehead again。 Even for such a round man； he seemed to be sweating twice as much as the heat called for。 〃I'm sure the Lord Dragon will do just as you say。〃 His laugh was shaky。 〃You wanted to talk to me。 And not about my old inn； I'm sure。〃
Perrin exhaled wearily。 He had thought nothing could be worse than old friends and neighbors bowing and scraping； but at least they forgot sometimes and spoke their minds。 And none of them was afraid of him。 〃You're a long way from home；〃 he said in a gentle voice。 No need to go too fast； not with a man ready to jump out of his skin。 〃I wondered what brought you here。 Not troubles of any kind； I hope。〃
〃You tell him right； Basel Gill；〃 Lini said sharply； marching up to the oak。 〃No embroidery； mind。〃 She had not been gone very long； yet somehow she had found time to wash her face and hands and work her hair into a neat white bun on the back of her head。 And to beat most of the dust from her plain woolen dress。 Bobbing a perfunctory curtsy in Perrin's direction； she turned to shake a gnarled finger at Gill。 〃 'Three things annoy to distraction： a tooth that aches； a shoe that pinches； and a man that chatters。' So you hold to the point and don't go telling the young lord more than he wants to hear。〃 For a moment she held the gaping innkeeper with an admonitory stare； then abruptly gave Perrin another quick curtsy。 〃He does love the sound of his own voice … most men do … but he'll tell it to you properly； now； my Lord。〃
Master Gill glowered at her； and muttered under his breath when she waved sharply for him to speak。 〃Bony old。。。 〃 was what Perrin heard。 〃What happened … the simple and straight of it … 〃 The round man glared at Lini again； but she did not appear to notice； 〃was that I had some business down to Lugard。 A chance to import wine。 But you're not interested in that。 I took Lamgwin along； of course； and Breane； because she won't let him out of her sight an hour she doesn't have to。 Along the way； we met Mistress Dorlain； Mistress Maighdin as we call her； and Lini； and Tallanvor。 And Balwer； of course。 On the road。 Near to Lugard。〃
〃Maighdin and I were in service in Murandy；〃 Lini put in impatiently。 〃Until the troubles。 Tallanvor was an armsman to the House； and Balwer the secretary。 Bandits burned the manor； and our lady couldn't afford to keep us； so we decided to travel together for protection。〃
〃I was telling it； Lini；〃 Master Gill grumbled； scratching behind his ear。 〃The wine merchant had left Lugard for the country； for some reason； and。。。 〃 He shook his head。 〃It's all too much to go into； Perrin。 Lord Perrin； I mean。 Forgive me。 You know there's trouble everywhere nowadays； one kind or another。 Seems like every time we ran from one kind； we found another； and always getting further from Caemlyn。 Till here we are； tired and grateful for a rest。 And that's the short of it。〃
Perrin nodded slowly。 That could be simple truth； though he had learned that people had a hundred reasons for lying； or just shading the truth。 Grimacing； he raked fingers through his hair。 Light！ He was being suspicious as a Cairhienin； and the deeper Rand tangled him； the worse it got。 Why on earth would Basel Gill； of all people； lie to him？ A lady's maid； accustomed to privilege and fallen on hard times； that explained Maighdin。 Some things were simple。
Lini's hands were folded at her waist； but she watched with a keen eye； no little like a falcon herself； and Master Gill began fidgeting as soon as he stopped talking。 He seemed to take Perrin's grimace as a demand for more。 He laughed； more on edge than amused。 〃I haven't seen so much of the world since the Aiel War； and I was considerably skinnier； then。 Why； we've been as far as Amador。 Of course； we left after those Seanchan took the city； but truth； they aren't any worse than the Whitecloaks； that I could … 〃 He cut off as Perrin leaned forward abruptly and seized his lapel。
〃Seanchan； Master Gill？ Are you sure of that？ Or is it one of those rumors； like the Aiel； or Aes Sedai？〃
〃I saw them；〃 Gill replied； exchanging uncertain looks with Lini。 〃And that's what they call themselves。 I'm surprised you don't know。 Word's been running ahead of us all the way from Amador。 These Seanchan want people to know what they're about。 Strange people； with strange creatures。〃 His voice picked up intensity。 〃Like Shadowspawn。 Big leathery things that fly； and carry men； and these things like lizards； only they're big as horses； and they have three eyes。 I saw them！ I did！〃
〃I believe you；〃 Perrin said； releasing the man's coat。 〃I've seen them； too。〃 At Falme； where a thousand Whitecloaks died in minutes and it had taken dead heroes of legend； called by the Horn of Valere； to throw the Seanchan back。 Rand had said they would return； but how could they have so soon？ Light！ If they held Amador； they had to have Tarabon as well； or most of it。 Only a fool killed a deer when he knew there was a wounded bear behind his back。 How much had they taken？ 〃I can't send you to Caemlyn right away； Master Gill； but if you stay with me a while longer； I'll see you there safely。〃 If staying with him any length of time was safe。 The Prophet； Whitecloaks； and now maybe Seanchan added in。
〃I
