rj.acrownofswords-第96节

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gitte　Silverbow。　You　can　make　them　do　as　you　say。　This　city　has　a　pit…trap　at　every　crossing；　and　I　fear　the　stakes　grow　sharper　by　the　day。　Make　them　e　away　before　it's　too　late。〃
　　　She　laughed。　Put　a　hand　over　her　mouth　and　laughed！　〃You　have　the　wrong　end；　Hornsounder。　I　do　not　mand　them。　I　am　Elayne's　Warder。　I　obey。〃　Her　smile　became　rueful。　〃Birgitte　Silverbow。　Faith　of　the　Light；　I'm　not　sure　I　still　am　that　woman。　So　much　of　what　I　was　and　knew　has　faded　like　mist　beneath　the　summer　sun　since　my　strange　new　birth。　I'm　no　hero　now；　only　another　woman　to　make　my　way。　And　as　for　your　secrets。　What　language　do　we　speak；　Hornsounder？〃
　　　He　opened　his　mouth。。。　and　stopped；　really　hearing　what　she　had　just　asked。　Nosane　iro　gavane　domorakoshi；　Diynen'd'ma'purvene？　Speak　we　what　language；　Sounder　of　the　Horn？　The　hair　on　his　neck　tried　to　stand。　〃The　old　blood；〃　he　said　carefully。　Not　in　the　Old　Tongue。　〃An　Aes　Sedai　once　told　me　the　old　blood　runs　strong　in　…　What　are　you　bloody　well　laughing　at　now？〃
　　　〃You；　Mat；〃　she　managed　while　trying　not　to　double　over。　At　least　she　was　not　speaking　the　Old　Tongue　any　more　either。　She　knuckled　a　tear　from　the　corner　of　her　eye。　〃Some　people　speak　a　few　words；　a　phrase　or　two；　because　of　the　old　blood。　Usually　without　understanding　what　they　say；　or　not　quite。　But　you。。。　One　sentence；　you're　an　Eharoni　High　Prince　and　the　next　a　First　Lord　of　Manetheren；　accent　and　idiom　perfect。　No；　don't　worry。　Your　secret　is　safe　with　me。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Is　mine　with　you？〃
　　　He　waved　a　hand；　still　too　flabbergasted　to　be　offended。　〃Do　I　look　like　my　tongue　flaps？〃　he　muttered。　Birgitte！　In　the　flesh！　〃Burn　me；　I　could　use　a　drink。〃　Before　that　was　out　of　his　mouth　he　knew　it　was　the　wrong　thing　to　say。　Women　never　…
　　　〃That　sounds　the　right　notion　to　me；〃　she　said。　〃I　could　use　a　pitcher　of　wine；　myself。　Blood　and　ashes；　when　I　saw　you'd　recognized　me；　I　nearly　swallowed　my　tongue。〃
　　　He　sat　up　straight　as　if　he　had　been　jerked；　staring。
　　　She　met　his　gaze　with　a　merry　twinkle　and　a　grin。　〃There's　enough　noise　in　the　mon　room；　we　could　talk　without　being　overheard。　Besides；　I　wouldn't　mind　sitting　and　looking　a　bit。　Elayne　preaches　like　a　Tovan　councilor　if　I　ogle　a　man　for　longer　than　a　heartbeat。〃
　　　He　nodded　before　he　thought　Other　men's　memories　told　him　Tovans　were　a　stark　and　disapproving　people；　abstemious　to　the　point　of　pain；　at　least　they　had　been；　a　thousand　years　gone　and　more。　He　was　not　sure　whether　to　laugh　or　groan。　On　the　one　hand；　a　chance　to　talk　with　Birgitte　…　Birgitte！　he　doubted　he　would　ever　get　over　the　shock　…　but　on　the　other；　he　doubted　he　would　be　able　to　hear　the　music　downstairs　for　the　noise　of　those　dice　rattling　in　his　skull。　She　must　be　a　key　to　it；　somehow。　A　man　with　any　brains　would　climb　out　the　window　right　now。　〃A　pitcher　or　two　sounds　fine　to　me；〃　he　told　her。
　　　
　　　A　stiff　salt　breeze　up　from　the　bay　carried　a　touch　of　coolness；　for　a　wonder；　but　the　night　felt　oppressive　to　Nynaeve。　Music　and　snatches　of　laughter　drifted　into　the　palace；　and　faintly　from　within　as　well。　She　had　been　invited　to　the　ball　by　Tylin　herself；　and　Elayne　and　Aviendha　too；　but　all　declined；　with　varying　degrees　of　politeness。　Aviendha　had　said　there　was　only　one　dance　she　was　willing　to　do　with　wetlander　men；　which　made　Tylin　blink　uncertainly。　For　herself；　Nynaeve　would　have　liked　to　go　…　only　a　fool　passed　up　any　chance　to　dance　…　yet　she　knew　if　she　had；　she　would　have　done　exactly　what　she　was　doing；　sat　somewhere　worrying　and　trying　not　to　chew　her　knuckle　to　a　nub。
　　　So　there　they　all　were；　closeted　in　their　apartments　with　Thom　and　Juilin；　anxious　as　caged　cats；　while　everyone　else　in　Ebou　Dar　made　merry。　Well；　she　was；　anyway。　What　could　be　keeping　Birgitte？　How　long　did　it　take　to　tell　a　man　to　present　himself　first　thing　in　the　morning？　Light；　the　whole　effort　was　useless；　and　it　was　long　past　time　for　bed。　Long　past。　If　she　could　only　sleep；　she　could　put　away　memories　of　the　morning's　horrible　journeys　by　boat。　Worst　of　all；　her　weather　sense　told　her　a　storm　was　on　the　way；　told　her　the　wind　should　be　howling　outside　and　the　rain　sheeting　down　so　thick　no　one　could　see　ten　feet。　It　had　taken　her　some　time　to　understand　about　the　times　she　Listened　to　the　Wind　and　seemed　to　hear　lies。　At　least；　she　thought　she　understood。　Another　kind　of　storm　was　ing；　not　wind　or　rain。　She　had　no　proof；　but　she　would　eat　her　slippers　if　Mat　Cauthon　was　not　part　of　it　somehow。　She　wanted　to　sleep　for　a　month；　a　year；　to　forget　worries　until　Lan　wakened　her　with　a　kiss　like　the　Sun　King　with　Talia。　Which　was　ridiculous；　of　course；　that　was　only　a　story；　and　a　very　improper　one　at　that；　and　anyway；　she　was　not　about　to　bee　any　man's　pet；　not　even　Lan's。　She　would　find　him；　though；　somehow；　and　bond　him　hers。　She　would。。。　Light！　If　she　had　not　thought　the　others　would　stare　at　her；　she　would　have　paced　the　soles　out　of　her　slippers！
　　　The　hours　wore　on。　She　read　and　re…read　the　short　letter　Mat　had　left　with　Tylin。　Aviendha　sat　quietly　beside　her　high…backed　chair；　cross…legged　on　the　pale　green　floor　tiles　as　usual；　an　ornately　gilded　leather…bound　copy　of　The　Travels　of　Jain　Farstrider　open　on　her　knees。　No　anxiety　there；　not　to　see；　but　then　the　woman　would　not　turn　a　hair　if　someone　stuffed　a　viper　down　her　dress。　Since　returning　to　the　palace　she　had　donned　the　intricate　silver　necklace　she　wore　nearly　day　and　night。　Except　on　the　boat　trip；　she　had　said　she　did　not　want　to　risk　it；　then。　Idly；　Nynaeve　wondered　why　she　no　longer　wore　her　ivory　bracelet。　There　had　been　an　overheard　conversation；　something　about　not　wearing　it　until　Elayne　had　its　like；　which　made　little　sense。　And　mattered　as　little　as　the　bracelet；　of　course。　The　letter　called　from　her　lap。
　　　The　sitting…room　stand…lamps　made　reading　easy；　though　Mat's　unformed；　boyish　hand　did　present　difficulties。　It　was　the　contents　that　clenched　Nynaeve's　middle　into　knots。
　　　
　　　There's　nothing　here　but　heat　and　flies；　and　we　can　find　plenty　of　those　in　Caemlyn。
　　　
　　　〃Are　you　sure　you　didn't　tell　him　anything？〃　she　demanded。
　　　Across　the　room；　Juilin　paused　with　his　hand　over　the　stones　board；　giving　her　a　look　of　outraged　innocence。　〃How　often　must　I　say　so？〃　Outraged　innocence　was　one　of　the　things　men　did　best；　especially　when　they　were　guilty　as　foxes　in　the　henyard。　Interesting　that　the　carving　around　the　board's　rim　was　of　foxes。
　　　Thom；　seated　across　the　lapis…inlaid　table　from　the　thief…catcher；　looked　as　little　the　gleeman　in　his　finely　cut　coat　of　bronze　wool；　as　he　did　the　man　who　had　once　been　Queen　Morgase's　lover。　Gnarled　and　white…haired；　with　long　mustaches　and　thick　eyebrows；　he　was　frustrated　patience　from　his　sharp　blue　eyes　to　his　boot　soles。　〃I　can't　see　how　we　could　have；　Nynaeve；〃　he　said　dryly；　〃given　that　you　told　us　next　to　nothing　until　tonight。　You　should　have　sent　Juilin　and　me。〃
　　　Nynaeve　sniffed　loudly。　As　if　those　two　had　not　been　running　around　like　chickens　with　their　heads　off　ever　since　they　arrived；　prying　into　her　and　Elayne's　affairs　on　Mat's　say…so。　Those　three　could　not　be　together　two　minutes　without　gossiping；　either。　Men　never　could。　They。。。　The　truth　of　it　was；　she　admitted　reluctantly；　using　the　men　had　never　occurred　to　them。　〃You'd　have　gone　off　carousing　and　drinking　with　him；〃　she　muttered。　〃Don't　tell　me　you　would　not。〃　That　must　be　where　Mat　was；　leaving　Birgitte　to　cool　her　feet　at　the　inn。　That　man　would　find　some　way　to　set　the　whole　scheme　awry。
　　　〃And　what　if　they　had？〃　Leaning　beside　one　of　the　tall　arched　windows；　peering　out　at　the　night　through　the　white…painted　iron　balcony；　Elayne　giggled。　She　was　tapping　her　foot；　though　how　she　could　make　out　one　tune　from　all　those　floating　in　the　darkness　was　a　wonder。　〃It　is　a　night　for。。。　carousing。〃
　　　Nynaeve　frowned　at　her　back。　Elayne　had　been　increasingly　peculiar　all　night。　If　she　had　not　known　better；　she　would　have　suspected　the　other　woman　had　been　sneaking　out　to　snatch　sips　of　wine。　Gulps　of　it；　actually。　Even　if　Elayne　had　not　been　under　her　eye；　though；　that　was　impossible。　Each　of　them　had　had　a　rather　unfortunate　experience　with　too　much　wine；　and　neither　had　again　let　herself　have　more　than　a　single　cup　at　a　time。
　　　〃It　is　Jaichim　Carridin　who　interests　me；〃　Aviendha　said；　closing　the　book　and　setting　it　beside　her。　She　refused　to　consider　how　odd　she　looked；　sitting　on　the　floor　in　a　blue　silk　dress。　〃Among　us；　Shadowrunners　are　killed　as　soon　as　found；　and　not　clan；　sept；　society　or　first…sister　will　raise　a　hand　in　protest。　If　Jaichim　Carridin　is　a　Shadowrunner；　why　does　Tylin　Mitsobar　not　kill　him？　Why　do　we　not？〃
　　　〃Matters　are　a　little　more　plex　here；〃　Nynaeve　told　her；　though　she　had　wondered　the　same。　Not　why　Carridin　was　not　killed；　of　course；　but　why　he　was　still　allowed　to　e　and　go　as　he　wished。　She　had　seen　him　in　the　palace　that　very　day；　after　she　had　been　handed　Mat's　letter；　after　she　had　told　Tylin　what　it　contained。　He　had　spoken　with　Tylin　above　an　hour　and　departed　with　as　much　honor　as　when　he　arrived。　She　had　meant　to　discuss　it　with　Elayne；　but　the　question　of　what　Mat　knew；　and　how；　kep