rj.acrownofswords-第42节

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；　tomorrow；　when　we　are　alone；　I　am　sure　I　can　explain　everything　to　your　satisfaction。　I　must　speak　with　a　few　of　the　sisters　first。〃
　　　So　they　could　work　up　what　Sheriam　was　to　tell　her　tomorrow。　〃Chesa；〃　Egwene　said；　〃wait　outside；　please。〃　For　all　that　she　seemed　focused　on　her　work　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else；　Chesa　bounded　to　her　feet　in　a　flash　and　very　nearly　ran　from　the　tent。　When　Aes　Sedai　were　at　odds；　anyone　with　half　a　brain　went　elsewhere。　〃Now；　daughter；〃　Egwene　said。　〃The　truth。　All　that　you　know。　This　is　as　private　as　you　will　be；〃　she　added　when　Sheriam　glanced　at　Siuan。
　　　For　a　moment　Sheriam　adjusted　her　skirts；　plucking　at　them　really；　avoiding　Egwene's　eyes；　no　doubt　still　working　out　evasions。　But　the　Three　Oaths　trapped　her。　She　could　not　speak　an　untrue　word；　and　whatever　she　thought　of　Egwene's　true　position；　slipping　behind　her　back　was　a　long　way　from　denying　her　authority　to　her　face。　Even　Romanda　maintained　the　proper　courtesies；　if　only　by　a　hair　at　times。
　　　Drawing　a　deep　breath；　Sheriam　folded　her　hands　in　her　lap　and　spoke　to　Egwene's　chest；　matter…of…fact。　〃When　we　learned　the　Red　Ajah　was　responsible　for　setting　Logain　up　as　a　false　Dragon；　we　felt　something　had　to　be　done；〃　'We'　certainly　meant　the　small　coterie　of　sisters　she　had　gathered　around　her；　Carlinya　and　Beonin　and　the　rest　held　as　much　real　sway　as　most　Sitters；　if　not　actually　in　the　Hall。　〃Elaida　was　sending　out　demands　for　every　sister　to　return　to　the　Tower；　so　we　chose　ten　sisters　to　do　just　that；　by　the　fastest　means　they　could　manage。　They　all　should　be　there　long　since。　Quietly　making　sure　that　every　sister　in　the　Tower　understands　the　truth　of　what　the　Reds　did　with　Logain。　Not　…　〃　She　hesitated；　then　finished　in　a　rush。　〃Not　even　the　Hall　knows　of　them。〃
　　　Egwene　stepped　away；　rubbing　her　temples　again。　Quietly　making　sure。　In　the　hope　that　Elaida　would　be　deposed。　Not　exactly　a　bad　scheme；　really；　it　might　even　work；　eventually。　It　might　take　years；　too。　But　then；　for　most　sisters；　the　longer　they　could　go　without　truly　doing　anything；　the　better。　With　enough　time；　they　could　convince　the　world　that　the　White　Tower　had　never　really　broken。　It　had　been　broken　before；　even　if　only　a　handful　knew　it。　Maybe；　with　enough　time；　they　could　find　a　way　to　adjust　everything　so　it　had　not；　really。　〃Why　keep　it　from　the　Hall；　Sheriam？　Surely　you　don't　think　any　of　them　would　betray　your　plan　to　Elaida。〃　Half　the　sisters　eyed　the　other　half　askance　for　fear　of　Elaida's　sympathizers。　Partly　for　fear　of　that。
　　　〃Mother；　a　sister　who　decided　that　what　we　do　is　a　mistake　would　hardly　let　herself　be　chosen　a　Sitter。　Any　such　would　have　taken　herself　away　long　since。〃　Sheriam　had　not　relaxed；　but　her　voice　took　on　the　patient；　instructing　tone　she　seemed　to　think　had　the　greatest　effect　on　Egwene。　Usually；　though；　she　was　more　adroit　at　changing　the　subject。　〃Those　suspicions　are　the　worst　problem　we　face　for　the　time　being。　No　one　really　trusts　anyone。　If　we　could　only　see　how　to　…　〃
　　　〃The　Black　Ajah；〃　Siuan　cut　in　quietly。　〃That's　what　chills　your　blood　like　a　silverpike　up　your　skirts。　Who　can　say　for　sure　who　is　Black；　and　who　can　say　what　a　Black　sister　might　do？〃
　　　Sheriam　darted　another　hard　look　at　Siuan；　but　after　a　moment　the　force　went　out　of　her。　Or　rather；　one　sort　of　tension　replaced　another。　She　glanced　at　Egwene；　then　nodded；　reluctantly。　By　the　sour　twist　to　her　mouth；　she　would　have　made　another　evasion　had　it　not　been　plain　Egwene　would　not　stand　for　it。　Most　sisters　in　the　camp　believed　now；　but　after　more　than　three　thousand　years　denying　the　Black　Ajah's　existence；　it　was　a　queasy　belief。　Almost　no　one　would　open　her　mouth　on　that　topic；　no　matter　what　they　believed。
　　　〃The　question；　Mother；〃　Siuan　went　on；　〃is　what　happens　when　the　Hall　does　find　out。〃　She　seemed　to　be　thinking　aloud　again。　〃I　can't　see　any　Sitter　accepting　the　excuse　that　she　couldn't　be　told　because　she　might　be　on　Elaida's　side。　And　as　for　the　possibility　she　might　be　Black　Ajah。。。　Yes；　I　think　they　will　be　quite　upset。〃
　　　Sheriam's　face　paled　slightly。　It　was　a　wonder　she　did　not　go　dead　white。　〃Upset〃　did　not　begin　to　cover　it。　Yes；　Sheriam　would　face　much　more　than　upset　if　this　came　out。
　　　Now　was　the　time　to　drive　home　her　advantage；　but　another　question　occurred　to　Egwene。　If　Sheriam　and　her　friends　had　sent　…　what　were　they？　Not　spies。　Ferrets；　maybe；　sent　into　the　walls　after　rats　…　if　Sheriam　had　sent　ferrets　into　the　White　Tower；　could。。。？
　　　A　sudden　stab　of　pain　through　that　pocket　of　sensations　in　the　back　of　her　head　sent　everything　else　flying。　Had　she　felt　it　directly；　it　would　have　been　numbing。　As　it　was；　her　eyes　bulged　in　shock。　A　man　who　could　channel　was　touching　the　necklace　around　Moghedien's　neck；　this　was　one　link　no　man　could　be　brought　into。　Pain；　and　something　unheard　of　from　Moghedien。　Hope。　And　then　it　was　all　gone；　the　awareness；　the　emotions。　The　necklace　was　off。
　　　〃I。。。　need　some　fresh　air；〃　she　managed。　Sheriam　started　to　rise；　and　Siuan；　but　she　waved　them　back　down。　〃No；　I　want　to　be　alone；〃　she　said　hastily。　〃Siuan；　find　out　everything　Sheriam　knows　about　the　ferrets。　Light；　I　mean　the　ten　sisters。〃　They　both　stared　at　her；　but　thank　the　Light；　neither　followed　as　she　snatched　the　lantern　from　its　hook　and　hurried　out。
　　　It　would　not　do　for　the　Amyrlin　to　be　seen　running；　yet　she　came　close；　hoisting　her　divided　skirts　as　well　as　she　could　with　her　free　hand　and　very　nearly　trotting。　A　cloudless　sky　made　the　moonlight　bright；　dappling　the　tents　and　wagons　with　shadows。　Most　people　in　the　camp　were　asleep；　but　low　fires　still　burned　here　and　there。　A　handful　of　Warders　were　about；　a　few　servants。　Too　many　eyes　to　see　if　she　ran。　The　last　thing　she　wanted　was　someone　offering　help。　She　realized　she　was　panting；　but　from　alarm；　not　exertion。
　　　Thrusting　her　head　and　the　lantern　into　〃Marigan's〃　tiny　tent；　she　found　it　empty。　The　blankets　that　made　up　the　pallet　on　the　ground　lay　in　a　sprawl；　tossed　aside　by　someone　in　a　hurry。
　　　And　what　if　she　had　still　been　here？　she　wondered。　With　the　necklace　off；　and　maybe　whoever　freed　her？　Shivering；　she　withdrew　slowly。　Moghedien　had　good　reason　to　dislike　her；　very　personally；　and　the　only　sister　who　could　match　one　of　the　Forsaken　alone；　when　she　could　channel　at　all；　was　in　Ebou　Dar。　Moghedien　could　have　killed　Egwene　without　anyone　noticing；　even　had　a　sister　felt　her　channel；　there　would　be　nothing　remarkable　in　that。　Worse；　Moghedien　might　not　have　killed　her。　And　no　one　would　have　known　anything　until　they　found　the　pair　of　them　gone。
　　　〃Mother；〃　Chesa　fussed　behind　her；　〃you　should　not　be　out　in　the　night　air。　Night　air　is　bad　air。　If　you　wanted　Marigan；　I　could　have　fetched　her。〃
　　　Egwene　very　nearly　jumped。　She　had　not　been　aware　of　Chesa　following　her。　She　studied　the　people　at　the　nearest　fires。　They　had　gathered　for　panionship；　not　warmth　in　this　unholy　heat；　and　they　were　not　close；　but　maybe　someone　had　seen　who　went　into　〃Marigan's〃　tent。　She　certainly　had　few　visitors。　And　no　men　among　them。　A　man　might　well　have　been　remarked。　〃I　think　she　has　run　away；　Chesa。〃
　　　〃Why；　that　wicked　woman！〃　Chesa　exclaimed。　〃I　always　said　she　had　a　mean　mouth　and　a　sneaking　eye。　Slinking　away　like　a　thief　after　you　took　her　in。　She'd　be　starving　by　a　road；　if　not　for　you。　No　gratitude　at　all！〃
　　　She　followed　all　the　way　back　to　the　tent　where　Egwene　slept；　nattering　on　about　wickedness　in　general；　the　thanklessness　of　〃Marigan〃　in　particular；　and　how　that　sort　should　be　handled；　which　seemed　to　jump　between　switching　them　till　they　settled　down　and　tossing　them　out　before　they　could　run　away；　tucked　around　cautions　that　Egwene　check　her　jewelry　to　be　sure　it　was　all　still　there。
　　　Egwene　barely　heard。　Her　mind　spun。　It　could　not　have　been　Logain；　could　it？　He　could　not　have　known　about　Moghedien；　much　less　e　back　to　rescue　her。　Could　he？　Those　men　Rand　was　gathering；　those　Asha'man。　Rumor　in　every　village　carried　whispers　of　Asha'man　and　the　Black　Tower。　Most　of　the　sisters　tried　to　pretend　they　were　unaffected　by　dozens　of　men　who　could　channel　gathering　in　one　spot　…　the　worst　of　the　tales　had　to　be　inflated；　rumor　always　exaggerated　…　but　Egwene's　toes　wanted　to　curl　under　with　fright　whenever　she　thought　of　them。　An　Asha'man　could　have。。。　But　why？　How　would　he　have　known；　any　more　than　Logain？
　　　She　was　trying　to　avoid　the　only　reasonable　conclusion。　Something　far　worse　than　Logain　e　back；　or　even　Asha'man。　One　of　the　Forsaken　had　freed　Moghedien。　Rahvin　was　dead　by　Rand's　hand；　according　to　Nynaeve；　and　he　had　killed　Ishamael　as　well；　or　so　it　seemed。　And　Aginor　and　Balthamel。　Moiraine　had　killed　Be'lal。　That　left　only　Asmodean；　Demandred　and　Sammael　among　the　men。　Sammael　was　in　Illian。　No　one　knew　where　the　others　were；　or　any　of　the　women　who　survived。　Moiraine　had　done　for　Lanfear　too；　or　they　had　done　for　each　other；　but　all　the　other　women　were　still　alive；　so　far　as　anyone　knew。　Forget　the　women。　It　had　been　a　man。　Which？　Plans　had　been　laid　long　since　in　case　one　of　the　Forsaken　struck　at　the　camp。　No　one　sister　here　could　equal　any　of　the　Forsaken　by　herse