rj.acrownofswords-第160节

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ice　for　Janira。　Two　Wise　Women　dead；　and　six　of　his　Redarms。　Killed　by　a。。。　man。。。　the　Power　would　not　touch。
　　　〃I've　found　it！〃　Elayne　shouted　excitedly。　She　strode　back　out　into　the　hall　holding　a　wide　round　bundle　of　rotted　cloth　she　would　not　let　Vanin　take　from　her。　Coated　in　gray　from　head　to　toe；　she　looked　as　if　she　had　lain　down　and　rolled　in　the　dust。　〃We　have　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　Nynaeve！〃
　　　〃In　that　case；〃　Mat　announced；　〃we　are　bloody　well　getting　out　of　here　now。〃　Nobody　argued。　Oh；　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　insisted　on　all　the　men　making　sacks　out　of　their　jackets　for　things　they　rooted　out　of　the　room　…　they　even　loaded　the　Wise　Women　down；　and　themselves　…　and　Reanne　had　to　go　down　and　recruit　men　to　carry　their　dead　down　the　boat　landing；　but　nobody　argued。　He　doubted　if　the　Rahad　had　ever　seen　as　odd　a　procession　as　made　its　way　to　the　river；　or　one　that　moved　more　quickly。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　39　
（Dice）　
Promises　to　Keep　
　　　
　　　〃We　are　bloody　well　getting　out　of　here　now；〃　Mat　said　again　later；　and　this　time　there　was　argument。　There　had　been　argument　for　the　past　half…hour；　near　enough。　Outside；　the　sun　was　past　its　noon　peak。　The　trade　winds　cut　the　heat　a　little；　stiff　yellow　curtains　fastened　over　the　tall　windows　bulged　and　snapped　at　gusts。　Three　hours　back　in　the　Tarasin　Palace；　the　dice　still　bouncing　in　his　head；　and　he　wanted　to　kick　something。　Or　somebody。　He　tugged　at　the　scarf　tied　around　his　neck；　it　felt　as　though　the　rope　that　had　given　him　the　scar　under　that　scarf　was　back　and　tightening　slowly。　〃Love　of　the　Light；　are　you　all　blind？　Or　just　deaf？〃
　　　The　room　Tylin　had　provided　was　large；　with　green　walls　and　high　blue　ceiling；　and　no　furnishings　but　gilded　chairs　and　small　tables　set　with　pearlshell；　yet　it　was　crowded　even　so。　It　seemed　so；　anyway。　Tylin　herself　sat　before　one　of　the　three　marble　fireplaces　with　her　knees　crossed；　watching　him　with　those　dark　eagle's　eyes　and　a　small　smile；　idly　kicking　her　layered　blue　and　yellow　petticoats；　idly　toying　with　the　jeweled　hilt　of　her　curved　knife。　He　suspected　Elayne　or　Nynaeve　had　spoken　to　her。　They　were　there；　too；　seated　to　either　side　of　the　Queen；　somehow　in　clean　dresses　and　apparently　even　bathed；　though　they　had　only　been　out　of　his　sight　for　minutes　at　a　stretch　since　returning　to　the　palace。　They　almost　matched　Tylin　for　regal　dignity　in　their　bright　silks；　he　was　not　sure　who　they　wanted　to　impress；　with　all　that　lace　and　elaborate　embroidery。　They　looked　ready　for　a　royal　ball；　not　a　journey。　He　himself　was　still　in　his　muck；　with　his　dusty　green　coat　hanging　open　and　the　silver　foxhead　caught　in　the　neck　of　his　half　undone　shirt。　Knotting　the　leather　cord　had　shortened　it；　but　he　wanted　the　medallion　touching　his　skin。　He　was　around　women　who　could　channel；　after　all。
　　　Truth；　those　three　women　could　probably　have　crowded　the　room　by　themselves。　Tylin　could　have　done　it　by　herself；　so　far　as　he　was　concerned；　if　Nynaeve　or　Elayne　had　spoken　to　her；　it　was　a　very　good　thing　that　he　was　going。　They　three　could　have　done　it　alone；　but。。。
　　　〃This　is　preposterous；〃　Merilille　announced。　〃I've　never　heard　of　any　Shadowspawn　called　a　gholam。　Have　any　of　you？〃　That　was　directed　to　Adeleas　and　Vandene；　Sareitha　and　Careane。　Facing　Tylin；　the　cool…eyed　Aes　Sedai　serenity　of　all　five　made　a　fair　job　of　turning　their　high…backed　armchairs　into　thrones。　He　could　not　understand　why　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　just　sat　like　lumps；　coolly　serene　too；　but　absolutely　silent。　They　knew；　they　understood；　and　for　some　reason；　Merilille　and　that　lot　slathered　their　tongues　with　meekness　for　them；　now。　Mat　Cauthon；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　hairy…eared　lout　who　needed　to　be　kicked；　and　from　Merilille　on　down；　they　were　all　ready　to　do　the　kicking。
　　　〃I　saw　the　thing；〃　he　snapped；　〃Elayne　saw　the　thing；　Reanne　and　the　Wise　Women　saw　it。　Ask　any　of　them！〃
　　　Gathered　at　one　end　of　the　room；　Reanne　and　the　five　surviving　Wise　Women　shrank　back　like　huddling　hens；　afraid　of　actual　questions。　All　but　Sumeko；　anyway；　thumbs　tucked　behind　her　long　red　belt；　the　round　woman　kept　frowning　at　the　Aes　Sedai；　then　shaking　her　head；　frowning；　then　shaking　her　head。　Nynaeve　had　had　a　considerable　talk　with　her　in　the　privacy　of　the　cabin　on　the　boat　ing　back；　and　Mat　thought　that　had　something　to　do　with　her　newfound　attitude。　He　had　caught　mention　of　Aes　Sedai　more　than　once；　not　that　he　had　been　trying　to　eavesdrop。　The　rest　seemed　to　be　wondering　whether　they　should　offer　to　fetch　tea。　Only　Sumeko　had　even　appeared　to　consider　the　offer　of　a　chair。　Sibella；　flapping　bony　arms　in　shock；　had　nearly　fainted。
　　　〃No　one　denies　the　word　of　Elayne　Aes　Sedai；　Master　Cauthon；〃　said　Renaile　din　Calon　Blue　Star　in　a　cool　deep　voice。　Even　had　the　dignified　woman　in　silks　to　match　the　red…and…yellow　floor　tiles　not　been　named　to　him　earlier；　the　old　memories　meshed　into　his　own　would　have　identified　her　as　Windfinder　to　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships　by　the　ten　fat　gold　rings　in　her　earlobes；　those　in　each　ear　connected　by　a　golden　chain　and　half…hidden　by　the　narrow　wings　of　white　in　her　straight　black　hair。　The　medallions　clustered　along　the　finer　chain　that　ran　to　her　nose　ring　would　tell　him　what　clan　she　came　from　among　other　things。　So　would　the　tattoos　on　her　slim　dark　hands。　〃What　we　question　is　the　danger；〃　she　continued。　〃We　do　not　like　leaving　the　water　without　good　cause。〃
　　　Nearly　twenty　Sea　Folk　women　stood　gathered　behind　her　chair；　a　riot　of　colorful　silks　and　earrings　and　medallions　on　chains　for　the　most　part。　The　first　odd　thing　he　had　noticed　about　them　was　their　attitude　toward　the　Aes　Sedai。　They　were　perfectly　respectful；　on　the　surface　at　any　rate；　but　he　had　never　before　seen　anyone　look　at　Aes　Sedai　smugly。　The　second　odd　thing　came　from　those　other　men's　memories；　he　did　not　know　a　great　deal　about　the　Sea　Folk　from　them；　but　enough。　Every　Atha'an　Miere；　man　or　woman；　began　as　the　lowest　deckhand　whether　they　were　destined　one　day　to　bee　the　Master　of　the　Blades　or　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships　herself；　and　every　step　of　the　way　between；　the　Sea　Folk　were　sticklers　for　rank　to　make　any　king　or　Aes　Sedai　look　a　sloven。　The　women　behind　Renaile　were　a　peculiar　lot　by　any　measure　…　Windfinders　to　Wavemistresses　rubbing　shoulders　with　Windfinders　from　soarers；　by　their　medallions　…　but　two　wore　bright　blouses　of　plain　wool　above　the　dark　oily　breeches　of　deckhands；　each　with　a　single　thin　ring　in　her　left　ear。　A　second　and　third　ring　in　the　right　indicated　they　were　being　trained　as　Windfinders；　but　with　two　more　to　earn；　not　to　mention　the　nose　ring；　it　would　be　a　long　while　yet　that　either　would　find　herself　called　to　haul　sail　whenever　the　deckmaster　needed　her；　and　find　the　deckmaster's　flail　across　her　rump　if　she　did　not　move　quickly　enough。　Those　two　did　not　belong　in　this　gathering　by　any　memory　he　had；　normally；　the　Windfinder　to　the　Mistress　of　the　Ships　would　not　even　have　spoken　to　one　of　them。
　　　〃Very　much　as　I　said；　Renaile；〃　Merilille　said；　icily　condescending。　She　had　certainly　noticed　those　smug　glances。　That　tone　did　not　change　as　she　shifted　her　attention　to　him。　〃Do　not　grow　petulant；　Master　Cauthon。　We　are　willing　to　listen　to　reason。　If　you　have　any。〃
　　　Mat　gathered　patience；　he　hoped　he　could　find　enough。　Maybe　if　he　used　both　hands　and　both　feet。　〃Gholam　were　created　in　the　middle　of　the　War　of　the　Power；　during　the　Age　of　Legends；〃　he　began　from　the　beginning。　Almost　from　the　beginning　of　what　Birgitte　had　told　him。　He　turned；　facing　each　group　of　women　as　he　spoke。　Burn　him　if　he　was　going　to　let　one　bunch　think　they　were　more　important。　Or　that　he　was　bloody　pleading　with　them。　Especially　since　he　was。　〃They　were　made　to　assassinate　Aes　Sedai。　No　other　reason。　To　kill　people　who　could　channel。　The　One　Power　won't　help　you；　the　Power　won't　touch　a　gholam。　In　fact；　they　can　sense　the　ability　to　channel；　if　they're　within；　say；　fifty　paces　of　you。　They　can　feel　the　power　in　you；　too。　You　won't　know　the　gholam　until　it's　too　late。　They　look　just　like　anybody　else。　On　the　outside。　Inside。。。　Gholam　have　no　bones；　they　can　squeeze　themselves　under　a　door。　And　they're　strong　enough　to　rip　a　door　off　steel　hinges　with　one　hand。〃　Or　rip　out　a　throat。　Light；　he　should　have　let　Nalesean　stay　in　bed。
　　　Suppressing　a　shiver；　he　pressed　on。　The　women；　all　of　them；　watched　him；　almost　not　appearing　to　blink。　He　would　not　let　them　see　him　shiver。　〃There　were　only　six　gholam　made　…　three　male　and　three　female；　at　least；　that's　what　they　look　like。　Apparently　even　the　Forsaken　were　a　little　uneasy　about　them。　Or　maybe　they　just　decided　six　was　enough。　Either　way；　we　know　one　is　in　Ebou　Dar；　probably　kept　alive　since　the　Breaking　in　a　stasis…box。　We　don't　know　if　any　others　were　put　into　that　box；　but　one　is　more　than　enough。　Whoever　sent　him　…　and　it　had　to　be　one　of　the　Forsaken　…　knew　to　follow　us　across　the　river。　He　had　to　have　been　sent　after　the　Bowl　of　the　Winds；　and　by　what　he　said　to　me；　to　kill　Nynaeve　or　Elayne；　maybe　both。〃　He　spared　them　a　quick　look；　soothing　and　sympathetic；　nobody　could　feel　easy　knowing　that　thing　was　after　them。　In　return　he　received　a　puzzled　frown　from　Elayne；　just　t