rj.acrownofswords-第100节

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e　in　disguise；　there　for　a　bit。　Since　I　still　seem　to　be　alive；　we　might　as　well　take　care　of　the　rest　of　it。　I　seem　to　recall　that　Birgitte　said　you　wanted　me　to　find　something　for　you。　What？〃
　　　〃You　won't　find　it；〃　Nynaeve　told　him　in　a　firm　voice。　Well；　perhaps　more　hard　than　firm；　but　Elayne　did　not　think　of　calling　her　down。　He　merited　every　wince。　〃You　will　acpany　us；　and　we　will　find　it。〃
　　　〃Backtracking　already；　Nynaeve？〃　Somehow；　he　managed　a　derisive　sneer；　especially　hideous　with　his　eyes。　〃You　just　finished　promising　to　do　as　I　say。　If　you　want　a　tame　ta'veren　on　a　leash；　go　ask　Rand　or　Perrin　and　see　what　answer　you　get。〃
　　　〃We　promised　no　such　thing；　Matrim　Cauthon；〃　Nynaeve　snapped；　going　up　on　her　toes。　〃I　promised　no　such　thing！〃　She　looked　about　to　fling　herself　at　him　again。　Even　her　braid　seemed　to　bristle。
　　　Elayne　kept　a　better　rein　on　her　temper。　They　would　get　nowhere　bludgeoning　him。　〃We　will　listen　to　your　advice；　and　accept　it　if　it　is　reasonable；　Master。。。　Mat；〃　she　chided　gently。　Surely　he　could　not　really　believe　they　had　promised　to。。。　Looking　at　him；　though；　she　saw　that　he　did。　Oh；　Light！　Nynaeve　was　right。　He　was　going　to　be　trouble。
　　　She　held　that　rein　firmly。　Channeling　again；　she　lifted　his　coat　from　the　chair　to　a　proper　place　on　one　of　the　pegs　on　the　wall　so　she　could　sit；　back　straight；　arranging　her　skirts　carefully。　Keeping　her　promises　to　Master　Cauthon　…　Mat　…　and　to　herself　was　going　to　be　difficult；　but　nothing　he　said　or　did　could　touch　her。　Nynaeve　eyed　the　only　other　place　to　sit；　a　low　carved　wooden　footstool；　and　remained　standing。　One　hand　moved　toward　her　。braid；　before　she　folded　her　arms。　Her　foot　tapped　ominously。
　　　〃The　Atha'an　Miere　call　it　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　Master。。。　Mat。　It　is　a　ter'angreal。。。　〃
　　　By　the　end；　a　light　of　excitement　shone　through　his　sickliness。　〃Now；　that　would　be　a　thing　to　find；〃　he　murmured。　〃In　the　Rahad。〃　He　shook　his　head；　and　flinched。　〃I'll　tell　you　this　now。　Neither　of　you　is　setting　foot　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　without　four　or　five　of　my　Redarms　each。　Not　outside　the　palace；　for　that　matter。　Did　Birgitte　tell　you　about　the　note　that　was　stuffed　in　my　coat？　I'm　sure　I　told　her。　And　there's　Carridin　and　his　Darkfriends；　you　can't　tell　me　he　isn't　up　to　something。〃。
　　　〃Any　sister　who　supports　Egwene　as　Amyrlin　is　in　danger　from　the　Tower。〃　Bodyguards　everywhere？　Light！　A　dangerous　light　shone　in　Nynaeve's　eyes；　and　her　foot　tapped　faster。　〃We　cannot　hide；　Mast。。。　Mat；　and　we　will　not。　Jaichim　Carridin　will　be　taken　care　of　in　due　course。〃　They　had　not　promised　to　tell　him　everything；　and　they　could　not　let　him　be　diverted。　〃There　are　more　important　matters　afoot。〃
　　　〃Due　course？〃　he　began；　voice　rising　in　disbelief；　but　Nynaeve　cut　him　short。
　　　〃Four　or　five　each？〃　she　said　sourly。　〃That's　ridic…〃　Her　eyes　shut　for　a　moment；　and　her　tone　became　milder。　Slightly　milder。　〃I　mean　to　say；　it　isn't　sensible。　Elayne　and　me；　Birgitte　and　Aviendha。　You　don't　have　that　many　soldiers。　Anyway；　all　we　really　need　is　you。〃　That　last　came　out　as　though　dragged。　It　was　much　too　much　an　admission。
　　　〃Birgitte　and　Aviendha　don't　need　minders；〃　he　said　absently。　〃I　suppose　this　Bowl　of　the　Winds　is　more　important　than　Carridin；　but。。。　It　doesn't　seem　right；　letting　Darkfriends　walk　loose。〃
　　　Slowly　Nynaeve's　face　turned　purple。　Elayne　checked　her　own　in　the　stand…mirror；　relieved　to　see　she　was　maintaining　her　posure。　On　the　outside；　anyway。　The　man　was　reprehensible！　Minders？　She　was　not　sure　which　would　be　worse：　that　he　had　flung　that　offhand　insult　on　purpose；　or　that　he　had　done　so　without　realizing。　She　eyed　herself　in　the　mirror　again　and　lowered　her　chin　a　trifle。　Minders！　She　was　poise　itself。
　　　He　studied　them　with　those　bloodshot　eyes；　but　saw　nothing；　apparently。　〃Was　that　all　Birgitte　told　you？〃　he　asked；　and　Nynaeve　snapped　back；　〃That　was　quite　enough；　I'd　think；　even　for　you。〃　Inexplicably；　he　looked　surprised；　and　quite　pleased。
　　　Nynaeve　gave　a　start；　then　folded　her　arms　around　herself　tighter。　〃Since　you're　in　no　condition　to　go　anywhere　with　us　now　…　don't　scowl　at　me；　Mat　Cauthon；　that　isn't　demeaning；　it's　simple　truth！　…　you　can　spend　the　morning　moving　yourself　into　the　palace。　And　you　needn't　think　we'll　help　carry　your　things。　I　didn't　promise　to　be　a　pack…horse。〃
　　　〃The　Wandering　Woman　is　plenty　good　enough；〃　he　began　angrily；　then　stopped；　a　wondering　expression　spreading　over　his　face。　A　horrified　expression；　Elayne　would　have　said。　That　should　teach　him　to　growl　when　he　had　a　head　like　a　melon。　At　least；　that　was　what　hers　had　felt　like；　the　time　she　drank　too　much。　Of　course　he　would　not　learn　from　it。　Men　kept　sticking　their　hands　in　the　fire　thinking　this　time　it　would　not　burn；　so　Lini　always　said。
　　　〃You　can　hardly　expect　we'll　find　the　Bowl　the　first　time　we　try；〃　Nynaeve　went　on；　〃ta'veren　or　no。　Going　out　each　day　will　be　much　simpler　if　you　don't　have　to　e　across　the　square。〃　If　they　did　not　have　to　wait　for　him　every　morning；　was　what　she　meant。　According　to　her；　drunkenness　was　not　the　only　excuse　he　could　find　for　lying　in　bed　till　all　hours；　far　from　it。
　　　〃Besides；〃　Elayne　added；　〃that　way；　you　can　keep　an　eye　on　us。〃　Nynaeve　made　a　sound　in　her　throat；　very　close　to　a　groan。　Did　she　not　see　that　he　must　be　enticed？　It　was　not　as　if　she　had　promised　to　actually　allow　him　to　keep　an　eye　on　them。
　　　He　seemed　not　to　have　heard　her　or　Nynaeve。　Haggard　eyes　stared　right　through　her。　〃Why　did　they　bloody　well　have　to　stop　now？〃　he　moaned；　so　softly　she　barely　heard。　What　under　the　Light　did　he　mean　by　that？
　　　〃The　rooms　are　fit　for　a　king；　Master。。。　Mat。　Tylin　herself　chose　them；　just　down　from　her　own。　She　has　taken　a　very　personal　interest。　Mat；　you　wouldn't　have　us　offend　the　Queen；　would　you？〃
　　　One　look　at　his　face；　and　Elayne　hurriedly　channeled　to　push　open　the　window　and　empty　the　washbasin　through　it。　If　she　had　ever　seen　a　man　about　to　lose　the　contents　of　his　stomach；　he　was　staring　red…eyed　at　her　right　that　minute。
　　　〃I　don't　see　why　you're　making　such　a　fuss；〃　she　said。　Actually；　she　supposed　she　did。　Some　of　the　serving　women　here　probably　let　him　paw　them；　but　she　doubted　many　in　the　palace　would；　if　any。　He　would　not　be　able　to　drink　and　gamble　his　nights　away；　either。　Tylin　surely　would　not　allow　a　bad　example　for　Beslan。　〃We　all　must　make　sacrifices。〃　With　an　effort　she　stopped　there；　not　telling　him　that　his　was　small　and　only　right；　theirs　monstrous　and　unjust；　no　matter　what　Aviendha　said。　Nynaeve　had　certainly　railed　against　any　sacrifice。
　　　He　put　his　head　in　his　hands　again；　making　strangled　noises　while　his　shoulders　shook。　He　was　laughing！　She　hefted　the　basin　on　a　flow　of　Air；　considering　hitting　him　with　it。　When　he　raised　his　eyes　again；　though；　he　looked　outraged　for　some　reason。　〃Sacrifices？〃　he　snarled。　〃If　I　asked　you　to　make　the　same；　you'd　box　every　ear　in　sight　and　pull　the　roof　down　on　my　head！〃　Could　he　still　be　drunk？
　　　She　decided　to　ignore　his　frightful　glare。　〃Speaking　of　your　head；　if　you　would　like　Healing；　I'm　sure　Nynaeve　would　oblige。〃　If　she　had　ever　been　angry　enough　to　channel；　she　was　now。
　　　Nynaeve　gave　a　small　jerk　and　glanced　at　her　from　the　corner　of　one　eye。　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　〃If　you　want。〃　The　color　in　her　cheeks　confirmed　all　of　Elayne's　suspicions　about　that　morning。
　　　Gracious　as　ever；　he　sneered。　〃You　just　forget　my　head。　I　do　very　well　without　Aes　Sedai。〃　And　then；　just　to　confuse　matters　she　was　sure；　he　added　in　a　hesitant　voice；　〃I　thank　you　for　asking；　though。〃　Almost　as　if　he　meant　it！
　　　Elayne　managed　not　to　gape。　Her　knowledge　of　men　was　limited　to　Rand　and　what　Lini　and　her　mother　had　told　her。　Was　Rand　going　to　be　as　confusing　as　Mat　Cauthon？
　　　Last　thing　before　going；　she　remembered　to　secure　a　promise　that　he　would　start　moving　to　the　palace　immediately。　He　kept　his　word　once　given；　so　Nynaeve　had　made　clear；　however　reluctantly；　but　leave　one　crack；　and　he　could　find　a　hundred　ways　to　slip　through。　That　she　had　been　all　too　eager　to　emphasize。　He　gave　his　promise　with　a　bleak；　resentful　grimace；　or　maybe　that　was　just　his　eyes　again。　When　she　set　the　basin　down　at　his　feet；　he　actually　looked　grateful。　She　would　not　feel　sympathy。　She　would　not。
　　　Once　back　in　the　corridor；　with　the　door　to　Mat's　room　closed；　Nynaeve　shook　her　fist　at　the　ceiling。　〃That　man　could　try　the　patience　of　a　stone！　I'm　glad　he　wants　to　cuddle　with　his　head！　Do　you　hear　me？　Glad！　He　will　make　trouble。　He　will。〃
　　　〃You　two　will　make　more　trouble　for　him　than　he　ever　could。〃　The　speaker　stalked　down　the　hall　toward　them；　a　woman　with　a　touch　of　gray　in　her　hair；　a　strong　face　and　a　manding　voice。　She　also　wore　a　frown　little　short　of　a　scowl。　Despite　the　marriage　knife　hanging　into　her　cleavage；　she　was　too　fair　for　an　Ebou　Dari。　〃I　couldn't　believe　it　when　Caira　told　me。　I　doubt　I've　ever　seen　so　much　foolishness　poured　into　just　two　dresses。〃
　　　Elayne　eyed　the　woman　up　and　down。　Not　even　as　a　novice　had　she　gotten　used　to　being　addressed　in　that　tone。　〃And　who　might　you　be；　my　good　woman？〃
　　　〃I　might　be　and