rj.acrownofswords-第76节

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nd　still　staring。　Within　his　head；　the　world　exploded　in　fire；　cascading　images　that　battered　him　and　swept　him　beyond　screaming。　The　forms　of　three　young　men　stood　unsupported　in　air；　and　one　of　them　began　to　glow；　the　form　of　the　man　in　the　street；　brighter　and　brighter　till　it　must　have　seared　any　living　eyes　to　ash；　brighter　still；　burning。　A　curled　golden　horn　sped　toward　him；　its　cry　pulling　his　soul；　then　flashed　into　a　ring　of　golden　light；　swallowing　him；　chilling　him　until　the　last　fragment　of　him　that　recalled　his　name　was　sure　his　bones　must　splinter。　A　ruby…tipped　dagger　hurdled　straight　at　him；　curved　blade　striking　him　between　the　eyes　and　sinking　in；　in；　until　gold…wrapped　hilt　and　all　was　gone；　and　he　knew　agony　that　washed　away　all　thought　that　what　had　gone　before　was　pain。　He　would　have　prayed　to　a　Creator　he　had　long　abandoned　if　he　remembered　how。　He　would　have　shrieked　if　he　remembered　how；　if　he　remembered　that　humans　shrieked；　that　he　was　human。　On　and　on；　more　and　more。。。
　　　Raising　a　hand　to　his　forehead；　he　wondered　why　it　trembled。　His　head　ached；　too。　There　had　been　something。。。　He　gave　a　start　at　the　street　below。　Everything　was　changed　in　the　blink　of　an　eye；　the　people　different；　wagons　moved；　colorful　coaches　and　chairs　replaced　by　others。　Worse；　Cauthon　was　gone。　He　wanted　to　swallow　that　whole　flask　of　brandy　in　one　gulp。
　　　Suddenly　he　realized　that　Shiaine　had　stopped　talking。　He　turned；　ready　to　continue　putting　her　in　her　place。
　　　She　was　leaning　forward　in　the　act　of　rising；　one　hand　on　the　arm　of　her　chair；　the　other　raised　in　a　gesture。　Her　narrow　face　was　fixed　in　petulant　defiance；　but　not　at　Carridin。　She　did　not　move。　She　did　not　blink。　He　was　not　sure　she　breathed。　He　barely　noticed　her。
　　　〃Ruminating？〃　Sammael　said。　〃Can　I　at　least　hope　that　it　is　about　what　you　are　here　to　find　for　me？〃　He　stood　only　a　little　taller　than　average；　a　muscular；　solid　man　in　a　coat　of　the　high…collared　Illianer　style；　so　covered　with　gold…work　it　was　hard　to　tell　the　cloth　was　green；　but　more　than　being　one　of　the　Chosen　gave　him　stature。　His　blue　eyes　were　colder　than　winter's　heart。　A　livid　scar　burned　down　his　face　from　golden　hairline　to　the　edge　of　golden；　square…cut　beard；　and　it　seemed　a　suitable　decoration。　Whatever　got　in　his　way　was　brushed　aside；　trampled　or　obliterated。　Carridin　knew　Sammael　would　have　turned　his　bowels　to　water　if　the　man　had　been　just　someone　met　by　chance。
　　　Hurriedly　moving　from　the　window；　he　dropped　to　his　knees　before　the　Chosen。　He　despised　the　Tar　Valon　witches；　indeed；　he　despised　anyone　who　used　the　One　Power；　meddling　with　what　had　broken　the　world　once；　wielding　what　mere　mortals　should　not　touch。　This　man　used　the　Power；　too；　but　the　Chosen　could　not　be　called　mere　mortals。　Perhaps　not　mortals　at　all。　And　if　he　served　well；　neither　would　he　be。　〃Great　Master；　I　saw　Mat　Cauthon。〃
　　　〃Here？〃　Oddly；　for　a　moment；　Sammael　seemed　taken　aback。　He　murmured　something　under　his　breath；　and　the　blood　drained　from　Carridin's　face　at　one　caught　word。
　　　〃Great　Lord；　you　know　I　would　never　betray　…〃
　　　〃You？　Fool！　You　haven't　the　stomach。　Are　you　certain　it　was　Cauthon　you　saw？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Great　Master。　In　the　street。　I　know　I　can　find　him　again。〃
　　　Sammael　frowned　down　at　him；　stroking　his　beard；　looking　through　and　beyond　Jaichim　Carridin。　Carridin　did　not　like　feeling　insignificant；　especially　when　he　knew　it　was　true。
　　　〃No；〃　Sammael　said　finally。　〃Your　search　is　the　most　important　thing；　the　only　thing；　so　far　as　you　are　concerned。　Cauthon's　death　would　be　convenient；　certainly；　but　not　if　it　draws　attention　here。　If　it　appears　that　attention　is　already　here；　should　he　take　an　interest　in　your　search；　then　he　dies；　but　otherwise；　he　can　wait。〃
　　　〃But　…　〃
　　　〃Did　you　mishear　me？〃　Sammael's　scar　pulled　his　smile　into　a　snarl　on　one　side。　〃I　saw　your　sister　Vanora　recently。　She　did　not　look　well；　at　first。　Screaming　and　weeping；　twitching　constantly　and　pulling　at　her　hair。　Women　do　suffer　worse　than　men　from　the　attentions　of　Myrddraal；　but　even　Myrddraal　must　find　their　pleasures　somewhere。　Don't　worry　that　she　suffered　too　long。　The　Trollocs　are　always　hungry。〃　The　smile　faded；　his　voice　was　stone。　〃Those　who　disobey　can　find　themselves　over　a　cookfire；　too。　Vanora　seemed　to　be　smiling；　Carridin。　Do　you　think　you　would　smile；　turning　on　a　spit？〃
　　　Carridin　swallowed　in　spite　of　himself；　and　quelled　a　pang　for　Vanora；　with　her　ready　laugh　and　her　skill　with　horses；　daring　to　gallop　where　others　feared　to　walk。　She　had　been　his　favorite　sister；　yet　she　was　dead　and　he　was　not。　If　there　were　any　mercies　in　the　world；　she　had　not　learned　why。　〃I　live　to　serve　and　obey；　Great　Master。〃　He　did　not　believe　he　was　a　coward；　but　no　one　disobeyed　one　of　the　Chosen。　Not　more　than　once。
　　　〃Then　find　what　I　want！〃　Sammael　roared。　〃I　know　it's　hidden　somewhere　in　this　kjasic　flyspeck　of　a　city！　Ter'angreal；　angreal；　even　sa'angreal！　I　have　tracked　them；　traced　them！　Now　you　find　them；　Carridin。　Do　not　make　me　grow　impatient。〃
　　　〃Great　Master。。。　〃　He　worked　his　mouth　to　find　moisture。　〃Great　Master；　there　are　witches。。。　Aes　Sedai。。。　here。　I　cannot　be　sure　how　many。　If　they　hear　a　whisper。。。　〃
　　　Waving　him　to　silence；　Sammael　paced　a　few　quick　steps；　three　times　up　and　back；　hands　clasped　behind　his　back。　He　did　not　look　worried；　only。。。　considering。　Finally　he　nodded。　〃I　will　send　you。。。　someone。。。　to　deal　with　these　Aes　Sedai。〃　He　barked　a　short　laugh。　〃I　almost　wish　I　could　see　their　faces。　Very　well。　You　have　a　little　while　longer。　Then　perhaps　someone　else　will　have　a　chance。〃　He　lifted　a　strand　of　Shiaine's　hair　with　a　finger；　she　still　did　not　move；　her　eyes　stared　unblinking。　〃This　child　would　certainly　leap　at　the　opportunity。〃
　　　Carridin　fought　down　a　stab　of　fear。　The　Chosen　cast　down　as　quickly　as　they　raised　up；　and　as　often。　Failure　never　went　unpunished。　〃Great　Master；　the　favor　I　asked　of　you。　If　I　might　know。。。　Have　you。。。　will　you　…？〃
　　　〃There　is　very　little　luck　in　you；　Carridin；〃　Sammael　said　with　another　smile。　〃You　had　better　hope　you　have　more　carrying　out　my　orders。　It　seems　that　someone　is　making　sure　at　least　some　of　Ishmael's　mands　are　still　carried　out。〃　He　was　smiling；　but　he　seemed　far　from　amused。　Or　perhaps　it　was　just　the　scar。　〃You　failed　him；　and　you've　lost　your　entire　family　for　it。　Only　my　hand　protects　you；　now。　Once；　long　ago；　I　saw　three　Myrddraal　make　a　man　give　them　his　wife　and　his　daughters　one　by　one；　then　beg　them　to　cut　off　his　right　leg；　then　the　left；　then　his　arms；　and　burn　out　his　eyes。〃　The　perfectly　ordinary　conversational　tone　made　the　recitation　worse　than　any　shouts　or　snarls　ever　could　have。　〃It　was　a　game　with　them；　you　understand；　to　see　how　much　they　could　make　him　beg　them　to　take。　They　left　his　tongue　for　last；　of　course；　but　there　wasn't　a　great　deal　of　him　remaining　by　then。　He　had　been　quite　powerful；　handsome　and　famous。　Envied。　No　one　would　ever　envy　what　they　finally　tossed　to　the　Trollocs。　You　wouldn't　believe　the　sounds　it　made。　Find　what　I　want；　Carridin。　You　will　not　like　it　if　I　withdraw　my　hand。〃
　　　Abruptly　there　was　a　vertical　line　of　light　in　the　air　before　the　Chosen。　It　seemed　to　turn　in　some　fashion；　widening　as　it　did　into　a　square。。。　hole。　Carridin　gaped。　He　was　staring　through　a　hole　in　the　air；　at　somewhere　full　of　gray　columns　and　thick　mist。　Sammael　stepped　through；　and　the　opening　snapped　shut；　a　brilliant　bar　of　light　that　vanished；　leaving　only　a　purple　afterimage　glowing　in　Carridin's　eyes。
　　　Unsteadily；　he　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　Failure　was　always　punished；　but　no　one　survived　disobeying　one　of　the　Chosen。
　　　Suddenly　Shiaine　moved；　pleting　her　halted　rise　from　the　chair。　〃You　mark　me；　Bors；〃　she　began；　then　cut　off；　staring　at　the　window　where　he　had　been　standing。　Her　eyes　darted；　found　him；　and　she　jumped。　He　could　have　been　one　of　the　Chosen　himself　from　the　way　those　eyes　bulged。
　　　No　one　survived　disobeying　the　Chosen。　He　pressed　his　hands　against　his　temples。　His　head　felt　tight　to　bursting。　〃There　is　a　man　in　the　city；　Mat　Cauthon。　You　will　…　〃　She　gave　a　small　start；　and　he　frowned。　〃You　know　him？〃
　　　〃I　have　heard　the　name；〃　she　said　warily。　And　angrily；　he　would　have　said。　〃Few　linked　to　al'Thor　remain　unknown　for　long。〃　As　he　stepped　closer；　she　crossed　her　arms　protectively　in　front　of　herself；　and　held　her　place　with　an　obvious　effort。　〃What　is　a　seedy　farmboy　doing　in　Ebou　Dar？　How　did　he　…？〃
　　　〃Don't　bother　me　with　foolish　questions；　Shiaine。〃　His　head　had　never　hurt　like　this；　never。　It　felt　as　though　a　dagger　was　being　driven　into　his　skull　between　his　eyes。　No　one　survived。。。　〃You　will　put　your　circle　to　locating　Cauthon　immediately。　All　of　them。〃　Old　Cully　was　ing　tonight；　slipping　in　through　the　back　of　the　stables；　she　did　not　need　to　know　there　would　be　others。　〃Nothing　else　is　to　get　in　the　way。〃
　　　〃But　I　thought　…　〃
　　　She　broke　off　with　a　gasp　as　he　seized　her　neck。　A　slim　dagger　appeared　in　her　hand；　but　he　wrenched　it　away。　She　twisted　and　jerked；　but　he　drove　her　face　down　onto　the　table；　her　cheek　smudging　still…damp　ink　on　the　discarded　letter　to