rj.acrownofswords-第165节

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ointed　lances　down。　They　wore　baggy　white　breeches　and　green　coats；　and　the　gold　cords　on　the　officer's　helmet　glittered。　With　a　collective　shout；　a　hundred　or　more　of　Tylin's　soldiers　hurled　themselves　toward　the　city's　attackers。　They　outnumbered　the　Seanchan　in　front　of　them　by　at　least　two　to　one。
　　　〃Bloody　fools；〃　Mat　muttered。　〃Not　like　that。　That　sul'dam　will　…　〃
　　　The　only　movement　among　the　Seanchan　was　the　woman　in　the　lightning…marked　dress　raising　her　hand　to　point；　as　one　might　launch　a　hawk；　or　send　off　a　hound。　The　golden…haired　woman　at　the　other　end　of　the　silvery　leash　took　a　small　step　forward。　The　foxhead　medallion　cooled　against　his　chest。
　　　Underneath　the　head　of　the　Ebou　Dari　charge；　the　street　suddenly　erupted；　paving　stones　and　men　and　horses　flying　into　the　air　with　a　deafening　roar。　The　concussion　knocked　Mat　flat　on　his　back；　or　maybe　it　was　the　way　the　ground　seemed　to　leap　from　under　his　feet。　He　pulled　himself　up　in　time　to　see　the　front　of　an　inn　across　the　way　suddenly　collapse　into　the　street　in　a　cloud　of　dust；　exposing　the　rooms　within。
　　　Men　and　horses　lay　everywhere；　pieces　of　men　and　horses；　those　still　alive　thrashing；　around　a　hole　in　the　ground　half　as　wide　as　the　street。　Screams　from　the　wounded　filled　the　air。　Fewer　than　half　the　Ebou　Dari　staggered　to　then　feet；　dazed　and　stumbling。　Some　seized　up　the　reins　of　horses　as　wobbly…legged　as　they；　heaving　themselves　into　saddles；　kicking　the　animals　into　some　semblance　of　a　run。　Others　just　ran　afoot。　All　away　from　the　Seanchan。　Steel　they　could　face；　but　not　this。
　　　Running；　Mat　realized；　seemed　a　particularly　fine　idea　right　then。　A　glance　back　down　the　alley　showed　dust　and　rubble　piled　at　least　a　story　high。　He　darted　down　the　street　ahead　of　the　fleeing　Ebou　Dari；　keeping　as　close　to　the　walls　as　possible；　hoping　none　of　the　Seanchan　would　think　he　was　one　of　Tylin's　soldiers。　He　should　never　have　worn　a　green　coat。
　　　The　sul'dam　apparently　was　not　satisfied。　The　foxhead　went　cool　again；　and　from　behind　another　roar　hammered　him　to　the　pavement；　pavement　that　jumped　up　to　meet　him。　Through　the　ringing　in　his　ears；　he　heard　masonry　groan。　Above　him；　the　white…plastered　brick　wall　began　leaning　outward。
　　　〃What　happened　to　my　bloody　luck？〃　he　shouted。　He　had　time　for　that。　And　just　time　to　realize；　as　brick　and　timbers　crashed　down　on　him；　that　the　dice　in　his　head　had　just　stopped　dead。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　40　
（Spears　and　Shield）　
Spears　
　　　
　　　Mountains　rose　all　around　Galina　Casban；　little　more　than　large　hills　behind　but　snowcapped　peaks　ahead　and　higher　peaks　beyond　those；　yet　she　really　saw　none　of　them。　The　stones　of　the　slope　bruised　her　bare　feet。　She　panted；　lungs　laboring　already。　The　sun　baked　overhead　as　it　had　for　seemingly　endless　days；　burning　the　sweat　out　of　her　in　rivers。　Anything　other　than　putting　one　foot　in　front　of　the　other　seemed　beyond　her。　Strange　that　with　all　the　sweat　ing　out　of　her；　she　could　not　find　any　moisture　in　her　mouth。
　　　She　had　been　Aes　Sedai　fewer　than　ninety　years；　her　long　black　hair　untouched　as　yet　by　gray；　but　for　nearly　twenty　of　those　she　had　been　head　of　the　Red　Ajah　…　called　the　Highest　by　other　Red　sisters；　in　private；　considered　by　other　Reds　equal　to　the　Amyrlin　Seat　…　and　for　all　but　five　of　the　years　she　had　worn　the　shawl；　she　had　been　of　the　Black　Ajah；　in　truth。　Not　to　the　exclusion　of　her　duties　as　a　Red；　but　superior　to　them。　Her　place　on　the　Supreme　Council　of　the　Black　Ajah　was　next　to　that　of　Alviarin　herself；　and　she　was　one　of　only　three　who　knew　the　name　of　the　woman　who　led　their　hooded　meetings。　She　could　speak　any　name　in　those　meetings　…　a　king's　…　and　know　that　name　belonged　to　the　dead。　It　had　happened；　with　a　king　and　with　a　queen。　She　had　helped　to　break　two　Amyrlins；　twice　helped　turn　the　most　powerful　woman　in　the　world　into　a　squealing　wretch　eager　to　tell　all　she　knew；　had　helped　make　it　seem　that　one　of　those　had　died　in　her　sleep　and　had　seen　the　other　deposed　and　stilled。　Such　things　were　a　duty；　like　the　need　to　exterminate　men　with　the　ability　to　channel；　not　actions　she　took　pleasure　in　beyond　that　of　tasks　well　done；　but　she　had　enjoyed　leading　the　circle　that　stilled　Siuan　Sanche。　Surely　all　those　things　meant　that　Galina　Casban　was　herself　among　the　mightiest　of　the　world；　among　the　most　powerful。　Surely　they　did。　They　must。
　　　Her　legs　wavered　like　springs　that　had　lost　their　tempering；　and　she　fell　heavily；　unable　to　catch　herself　with　arms　and　elbows　tightly　bound　behind　her。　The　once…white　silk　shift；　the　only　garment　left　to　her；　tore　again　as　she　slid　on　the　loose　rocks；　scraping　her　welts。　A　tree　stopped　her。　Face　pressed　against　the　ground；　she　began　to　sob。　〃How？〃　she　moaned　in　a　thick　voice。　〃How　can　this　happen　to　me？〃
　　　After　a　time　she　realized　that　she　had　not　been　pulled　to　her　feet；　no　matter　how　often　she　fell；　she　had　never　before　been　allowed　a　moment's　respite。　Blinking　away　tears；　she　raised　her　head。
　　　Aiel　women　covered　the　mountainside；　several　hundred　of　them　scattered　among　the　barren　trees　with　their　spears；　the　veils　they　could　raise　in　an　instant　hanging　down　their　chests。　Galina　wanted　to　laugh。　Maidens；　they　called　these　monstrous　women　Maidens。　She　wished　she　could　laugh。　At　least　there　were　no　men　present；　a　small　mercy。　Men　made　her　skin　crawl；　and　if　one　could　see　her　now；　less　than　half…clothed。。。
　　　Anxiously；　her　eyes　sought　for　Therava；　but　most　of　the　seventy　or　so　Wise　Ones　stood　together　looking　at　something　farther　up　the　slope；　blocking　her　view。　There　seemed　to　be　a　murmur　of　voices　from　the　front　of　them。　Maybe　the　Wise　Ones　were　conferring　about　something。　Wise　Ones。　They　had　been　brutally　efficient　in　teaching　her　the　correct　names；　never　just　Aiel　woman；　and　never　wilder。　They　could　smell　contempt　however　she　hid　it。　Of　course；　you　did　not　have　to　try　hiding　what　had　been　seared　out　of　you。
　　　Most　of　the　Wise　Ones　were　looking　away；　but　not　all。　The　glow　of　saidar　surrounded　a　young；　pretty；　red…haired　woman　with　a　delicate　mouth　who　watched　Galina　with　large；　intent　blue　eyes。　Perhaps　as　a　sign　of　their　own　disdain；　they　had　chosen　the　weakest　of　their　number　to　shield　her　this　morning。　Micara　was　not　truly　weak　in　the　Power　…　none　of　them　were　that　…　but　even　smarting　from　shoulders　to　knees　as　she　was；　Galina　could　have　broken　Micara's　shield　with　little　effort。　A　muscle　in　her　cheek　spasmed　uncontrollably；　it　always　did　when　she　thought　of　another　escape　attempt。　The　first　had　been　bad　enough。　The　second。。。　Shuddering；　she　fought　not　to　sob　again。　She　would　not　make　the　attempt　again　until　she　was　sure　of　plete　success。　Very　sure。　Absolutely　sure。
　　　The　mass　of　Wise　Ones　parted；　turning　to　follow　Therava　with　their　eyes　as　the　hawk…faced　woman　strode　toward　Galina。　Suddenly　panting　once　more；　with　apprehension；　Galina　tried　to　struggle　to　her　feet。　Hands　bound　and　muscles　watery；　she　had　only　reached　her　knees　when　Therava　bent　over　her；　necklaces　of　ivory　and　gold　clattering　softly。　Seizing　a　handful　of　Galina's　hair；　Therava　forced　her　head　back　sharply。　Taller　than　most　men；　the　woman　did　that　even　when　they　were　standing；　craning　Galina's　neck　painfully　to　make　her　look　up　into　the　Wise　One's　face。　Therava　was　somewhat　stronger　in　the　Power　than　she；　which　relatively　few　women　were；　but　that　was　not　what　made　Galina　tremble。　Cold　deep　blue　eyes　stabbed　into　her　own；　held　her　more　tightly　than　Therava's　rough　hand；　they　seemed　to　strip　her　soul　naked　as　easily　as　the　Wise　One　handled　her。　She　had　not　begged　yet；　not　when　they　made　her　walk　all　day　with　hardly　a　drop　of　water；　not　when　they　forced　her　to　keep　up　as　they　ran　for　hours；　not　even　when　their　switches　made　her　howl。　Therava's　cruel　hard　face；　staring　down　at　her　impassively；　made　her　want　to　beg。　Sometimes　she　woke　at　night；　stretched　out　tight　between　the　four　stakes　where　they　bound　her；　woke　whimpering　from　dreams　that　her　whole　life　would　be　lived　under　Therava's　hands。
　　　〃She　is　collapsing　already；〃　the　Wise　One　said　in　a　voice　like　stone。　〃Water　her；　and　bring　her。〃　Turning　away；　she　adjusted　her　shawl；　Galina　Casban　forgotten　until　there　was　need　to　recall　her；　to　Therava；　Galina　Casban　was　less　important　than　a　stray　dog。
　　　Galina　did　not　try　to　rise；　she　had　been　〃watered〃　often　enough　by　now。　It　was　the　only　way　they　let　her　drink。　Aching　for　moisture；　she　did　not　resist　when　a　blocky　Maiden　took　her　by　the　hair　as　Therava　had　and　pulled　her　head　back。　She　just　opened　her　mouth　as　far　as　she　could。　Another　Maiden；　with　a　puckered　scar　slanting　across　nose　and　cheek；　tilted　a　waterskin　and　slowly　poured　a　trickle　into　Galina's　waiting　mouth。　The　water　was　flat　and　warm；　it　was　delicious。　She　swallowed　convulsively；　awkwardly；　holding　her　jaws　wide。　Almost　as　much　as　water　to　drink；　she　wanted　to　move　her　face　under　that　thin　stream；　to　let　it　run　over　her　cheeks　and　forehead。　Instead　she　kept　her　head　very　steady；　so　that　every　drop　went　down　her　throat。　Spilling　water　was　cause　for　another　beating；　they　had　thrashed　her　in　sight　of　a　creek　six　paces　wide　for　spilling　a　mouthful　over　her　chin。
　　　When　the　waterskin　was　finally　taken　away；