rj.thepathofdaggers-第64节

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er；　her　Warder。　She　had　the　gall　to　think　that！
　　　　　　　〃I　have　kept　your　crime　to　myself；〃　Cadsuane　said　quietly；　〃but　only　because　I　saw　no　reason　to　plicate　matters。〃　Lifting　her　eyes　to　the　other　woman；　she　kept　her　voice　soft。　〃If　you　think　that　means　I　won't　core　you　like　a　cabbage；　think　again。〃
　　　　　　　Alanna　stiffened。　The　light　of　saidar　suddenly　shone　around　her。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　wish　to　be　truly　foolish。〃　Cadsuane　smiled；　a　cold　smile。　She　made　no　move　to　embrace　the　Source　herself。　One　of　her　dangling　hair　ornaments；　intertwined　golden　crescents；　was　cool　on　her　temple。　〃You　keep　a　whole　hide　at　present；　but　my　sufferance　is　not　infinite。　In　fact；　it　dangles　by　a　thread。〃
　　　　　　　Alanna　struggled　with　herself；　unconsciously　smoothing　blue　silk。　Abruptly　the　glow　of　the　Power　winked　out；　and　she　turned　her　head　away　from　Cadsuane　so　swiftly　that　her　long　black　hair　swung。　〃I　don't　know　any　more　to　tell。〃　The　sullen　words　rushed　out　of　her　breathily。　〃He　was　injured；　and　then　not；　but　I　don't　think　a　sister　Healed　him。　The　wounds　no　one　could　Heal　are　still　there。　He　leaps　about；　Traveling；　but　he's　still　in　the　south。　Somewhere　in　Illian；　I　think；　but　at　this　distance；　he　could　be　in　Tear　for　all　I　know。　He's　full　of　rage；　and　pain；　and　suspicion。　There　isn't　any　more；　Cadsuane。　There　isn't！〃
　　　　　　　Careful　of　the　silver　pitcher's　heat；　Cadsuane　poured　a　cup　of　tea；　testing　the　thin　green　porcelain　cup　for　warmth。　As　might　have　been　expected　in　silver；　the　tea　had　cooled　quickly。　Channeling　briefly；　she　heated　it　again。　The　dark　tea　tasted　too　much　of　mint；　Cairhienin　used　mint　entirely　too　freely　in　her　opinion。　She　did　not　offer　a　cup　to　Alanna。　Traveling。　How　could　the　boy　have　rediscovered　what　had　been　lost　to　the　White　Tower　since　the　Breaking？　〃You　will　keep　me　fully　informed；　however；　won't　you；　Alanna。〃　That　was　not　a　question。　〃Look　at　me；　woman！　If　you　dream　of　him；　I　want　every　detail！〃
　　　　　　　Unshed　tears　glistened　in　Alanna's　eyes。　〃In　my　place；　you　would　have　done　the　same！〃
　　　　　　　Cadsuane　scowled　over　the　cup　at　her。　She　might　have。　There　was　no　difference　between　what　Alanna　had　done　and　a　man　forcing　himself　on　a　woman；　but；　the　Light　help　her；　she　might　have；　had　she　believed　it　would　help　her　reach　her　goal。　Now；　she　no　longer　considered　even　making　Alanna　pass　the　bond　to　her。　Alanna　had　proved　how　useless　that　was　in　controlling　him。
　　　　　　　〃Do　not　keep　me　waiting；　Alanna；〃　she　said　in　an　icy　tone。　She　had　no　sympathy　for　the　other　woman。　Alanna　was　another　in　a　line　of　sisters；　from　Moiraine　to　Elaida；　who　had　bungled　and　worsened　what　they　should　have　been　mending。　While　she　herself　had　been　off　chasing　first　Logain　Ablar　and　then　Mazrim　Taim。　Which　did　not　soothe　her　mood。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　keep　you　fully　informed；〃　Alanna　sighed；　pouting　like　a　girl。　Cadsuane　itched　to　slap　her。　Alanna　had　worn　the　shawl　almost　forty　years；　she　should　have　grown　up　more　than　this。　Of　course；　she　was　Arafellin。　In　Far　Madding；　few　girls　of　twenty　sulked　and　pouted　as　much　as　an　Arafellin　could　on　her　aged　deathbed。
　　　　　　　Abruptly；　Alanna's　eyes　widened　in　alarm；　and　Cadsuane　saw　another　face　reflected　in　the　lid　of　her　thread　box。　Setting　the　cup　back　on　the　tray　and　her　embroidery　hoop　on　the　table；　Cadsuane　stood　and　turned　to　the　door。　She　did　not　hurry；　but　she　did　not　dally　or　play　games　as　she　had　with　Alanna；　either。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　done　with　her；　Aes　Sedai？〃　Sorilea　asked；　stepping　into　the　room。　The　leathery；　white…haired　Wise　One　spoke　to　Cadsuane；　but　her　eyes　remained　on　Alanna。　Ivory　and　gold　clicked　softly　at　her　wrists　as　she　planted　hands　on　her　hips；　and　her　dark　shawl　slid　to　her　elbows。
　　　　　　　When　Cadsuane　said　that　she　was　indeed　done；　Sorilea　gestured　curtly　to　Alanna；　who　stalked　from　the　room。　Flounced　might　have　been　a　better　word；　with　sullen　irritation　on　her　face。　Sorilea　frowned　after　her。　Cadsuane　had　encountered　the　woman　before；　and　interesting　encounters　they　had　been；　if　brief。　She　had　not　met　many　people　she　considered　formidable；　but　Sorilea　was　one。　Perhaps　even　a　match　for　herself；　in　some　ways。　She　also　suspected　the　woman　was　as　old　as　she　was；　maybe　older；　and　that；　she　had　never　expected　to　find。
　　　　　　　No　sooner　had　Alanna　vanished　than　Kiruna　appeared　in　the　doorway；　kicking　gray　silk　skirts　in　her　hurry　and　peering　down　the　hall　in　the　direction　Alanna　had　gone。　And　carrying　an　intricately　worked　golden　tray　that　held　an　even　more　elaborate　golden　pitcher　with　a　high　neck；　and；　incongruously；　two　small；　white…glazed　pottery　cups。　〃Why　is　Alanna　running？〃　she　said。　〃I　would　have　been　faster；　Sorilea；　but　…　〃　She　saw　Cadsuane　then；　and　her　cheeks　went　the　deepest　possible　crimson。　Embarrassment　looked　quite　odd　on　the　statuesque　woman。
　　　　　　　〃Put　the　tray　on　the　table；　girl；〃　Sorilea　said；　〃and　go　to　Chaelin。　She　will　be　waiting　to　give　you　your　lessons。〃
　　　　　　　Stiffly；　Kiruna　set　her　burden　down；　avoiding　Cadsuane's　eyes。　As　she　turned　to　go；　Sorilea　caught　her　chin　in　sinewy　fingers。　〃You　have　begun　to　make　a　true　effort；　girl；〃　the　Wise　One　told　her　firmly。　〃If　you　continue；　you　will　do　very　well。　Very　well。　Now；　go。　Chaelin　is　not　as　patient　as　I。〃
　　　　　　　Sorilea　waved　toward　the　corridor；　but　Kiruna　stood　staring　at　her　for　a　long　moment；　a　strange　expression　on　her　face。　If　Cadsuane　had　had　to　make　a　wager；　she　would　have　called　Kiruna　pleased　at　the　praise　and　surprised　at　being　pleased。　The　white…haired　woman　opened　her　mouth；　and　Kiruna　gave　herself　a　shake　and　hurried　from　the　room。　A　remarkable　show。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　really　think　she　will　learn　your　ways　of　weaving　saidar？〃　Cadsuane　asked；　hiding　her　incredulity。　Kiruna　and　the　others　had　told　her　of　these　lessons；　but　many　of　the　Wise　Ones'　weaves　were　very　different　from　those　taught　in　the　White　Tower。　The　first　way　you　learned　the　weave　for　a　particular　thing　imprinted　itself　on　you；　learning　a　second　was　all　but　impossible；　and　even　when　you　could　learn；　the　second…learned　weave　almost　never　worked　nearly　as　well。　That　was　one　reason　some　sisters　did　not　wele　wilders　to　the　Tower　at　any　age；　too　much　might　have　been　learned　already；　and　could　not　be　unlearned。
　　　　　　　Sorilea　shrugged。　〃Perhaps。　Learning　a　second　way　is　hard　enough　without　all　the　hand…waving　you　Aes　Sedai　do。　The　main　thing　Kiruna　Nachiman　must　learn　is　that　she　owns　her　pride；　it　does　not　own　her。　She　will　be　a　very　strong　woman　once　she　learns　that。〃　Pulling　a　chair　around　to　face　the　one　Cadsuane　had　been　sitting　in；　she　eyed　it　doubtfully；　then　sat　down。　She　appeared　almost　as　stiff　and　unfortable　as　Kiruna　had；　but　she　motioned　authoritatively　for　Cadsuane　to　sit；　a　strong…willed　woman　used　to　mand。
　　　　　　　Cadsuane　swallowed　a　rueful　chuckle　as　she　took　her　chair。　It　was　well　to　be　reminded　that；　wilders　or　not；　the　Wise　Ones　were　far　from　ignorant　savages。　Of　course　they　would　know　the　difficulties。　As　for　hand…waving。。。　Few　had　channeled　where　she　could　see；　but　she　had　noticed　that　they　created　some　weaves　without　the　gestures　that　sisters　used。　The　hand　movements　were　not　truly　part　of　the　weave；　but　in　a　way　they　were；　because　they　had　been　part　of　learning　the　weave。　Perhaps；　once；　there　had　been　Aes　Sedai　who　could；　say；　hurl　a　ball　of　fire　without　some　sort　of　throwing　motion；　but　if　so；　they　were　long　dead；　and　their　teachings　with　them。　Today；　some　things　just　could　not　be　done　without　the　appropriate　gestures。　There　were　sisters　who　claimed　they　could　tell　who　had　taught　another　sister　by　which　motions　she　used　for　which　weaves。
　　　　　　　〃Teaching　any　of　our　new　apprentices　anything　has　been　difficult　at　best；〃　Sorilea　went　on。　〃I　do　not　speak　to　offend；　but　you　Aes　Sedai　give　oath；　it　seems；　and　immediately　try　to　find　a　way　around　it。　Alanna　Mosvani　is　particularly　difficult。〃　Suddenly　her　clear　green　eyes　were　very　sharp　on　Cadsuane's　face。　〃How　can　we　punish　her　willful　failings　if　it　means　harming　the　Car'a'carn'？〃
　　　　　　　Cadsuane　folded　her　hands　in　her　lap。　Masking　surprise　was　not　easy。　So　much　for　the　secret　of　Alanna's　crime。　But　why　had　the　woman　let　her　know　that　she　knew？　Perhaps　one　revelation　called　for　another。　〃The　bond　does　not　work　in　that　fashion；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　kill　her；　he　will　die；　then　or　soon　after。　Short　of　that；　he　will　be　aware　of　what　happens　to　her；　but　he　will　not　really　feel　it。　As　far　away　as　he　is　now；　he　will　only　be　vaguely　aware；　at　that。〃
　　　　　　　Sorilea　nodded　slowly。　Her　fingers　touched　the　golden　tray　on　the　table；　then　came　away。　Her　expression　was　as　hard　to　read　as　the　face　of　a　statue；　but　Cadsuane　suspected　that　Alanna　would　find　an　unpleasant　surprise　the　next　time　she　let　her　temper　flare；　or　threw　one　of　her　Arafellin　sulks。　That　was　unimportant；　though。　Only　the　boy　was　important。
　　　　　　　〃Most　men　will　take　what　is　offered；　if　it　seems　attractive　and　pleasant；〃　Sorilea　said。　〃Once；　we　thought　of　Rand　al'Thor　so。　Unfortunately；　it　is　too　late　to　change　the　path　we　walk。　Now；　he　suspects　whatever　is　offered　freely。　Now；　if　I　wanted　him　to　accept　something；　I　would　pretend　I　did　not　want　him　to　have　it。　If　I　wanted　to　stay　close　to　him；　I　would　pretend　indifference　to　whether　I　ever　saw　him　again。〃　Once　more；　those　eyes　focused　on　Cadsuane；　green　augers。　Not　trying