rj.theshadowrising-第146节

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and　Nightrunners　might　not　know　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　if　they　knew　an　Aes　Sedai　was　with　the　Wise　Ones；〃　Rand　said；　〃that　attack　could　have　been　meant　to　keep　her　away；　too。　I　bring　enemies　with　me；　Rhuarc。　Remember　that。　Wherever　I　am；　my　enemies　are　never　far。〃
　　　　　　　Isendre　poked　her　head　out　of　the　lead　wagon。　A　moment　later　Kadere　climbed　down　past　her；　and　she　ducked　back　inside；　shutting　the　white…painted　door　behind　him。　He　stood　looking　around　at　the　carnage；　the　light　of　his　burning　wagons　painting　rippling　shadows　across　his　face。　The　group　around　Mat　held　his　attention　most。　The　wagons　seemed　to　interest　him　not　at　all。　Natael　got　down　from　Keille's　wagon；　too；　speaking　up　the　stairs　to　her　still　inside；　his　eyes　on　Mat　and　the　others。
　　　　　　　〃Fools；〃　Mat　muttered；　half　to　himself。　〃Hiding　inside　the　wagons；　as　if　that　would　make　any　difference　to　a　Trolloc。　They　could　all　have　roasted　alive；　easy　as　not。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　are　still　alive；〃　Rand　said；　and　Mat　realized　he　had　seen　them；　too。　〃That　is　always　important；　Mat；　who　stays　alive。　It's　like　dice。　You　can't　win　if　you　can't　play；　and　you　can't　play　if　you　are　dead。　Who　can　say　what　game　the　peddlers　play？〃　He　laughed　quietly；　and　the　fiery　sword　vanished　from　his　hands。
　　　　　　　〃I　am　going　to　get　some　sleep；〃　Mat　said；　already　turning　away。　〃Wake　me　if　the　Trollocs　show　up　again。　Or　better；　let　them　kill　me　in　my　blankets。　I　am　too　tired　to　wake　up　again。〃　Rand　was　definitely　going　over　the　edge。　Maybe　tonight　would　convince　Keille　and　Kadere　to　turn　back。　If　they　did；　he　intended　to　be　with　them。
　
　　　　　　　Rand　let　Moiraine　look　at　him；　muttering　to　herself；　though　he　had　taken　no　wound。　With　so　many　who　had；　she　could　not　spare　the　strength　to　wash　away　his　fatigue　with　the　One　Power。
　　　　　　　〃This　was　aimed　at　you；〃　she　told　him；　surrounded　by　the　moans　of　the　injured。　The　Trollocs　were　being　dragged　away　into　the　night；　by　packhorses　and　the　peddlers'　mules。　The　Aiel　apparently　intended　to　leave　the　Myrddraal　where　they　lay　until　they　stopped　moving；　to　make　sure　they　were　really　dead。　The　wind　gusted　up；　like　ice　with　no　moisture　in　it。
　　　　　　　〃Was　it？〃　he　said。　Her　eyes　glittered　in　the　firelight　before　she　turned　back　to　the　wounded。
　　　　　　　Egwene　came　to　him；　too；　but　only　to　say　in　a　low；　fierce　whisper；　〃Whatever　you　are　doing　to　upset　her；　stop　it！〃　The　glance　she　shot　past　him　at　Aviendha　left　no　doubt　who　she　meant；　and　she　went　off　to　help　Bair　and　Amys　before　he　could　say　he　had　done　nothing。　She　looked　ridiculous　with　those　two　braids　twined　with　ribbons。　The　Aiel　seemed　to　think　so；　too；　some　of　them　grinned　at　her　back。
　　　　　　　Stumbling；　shivering；　he　sought　his　tent。　He　had　never　been　this　tired　before。　The　sword　had　almost　not　e。　He　hoped　that　was　the　tiredness。　Sometimes　there　was　nothing　there　when　he　reached　for　the　Source；　and　sometimes　the　Power　would　not　do　what　he　wanted；　but　almost　from　the　first　the　sword　had　e　practically　without　thought。　Now　of　all　times。。。　It　had　to　be　the　tiredness。
　　　　　　　Aviendha　insisted　on　following　him　as　far　as　the　tent；　and　when　he　woke　the　next　morning　she　was　sitting　outside　cross…legged；　though　without　the　spear　and　buckler。　Spy　or　not；　he　was　glad　to　see　her。　At　least　he　knew　who　and　what　she　was；　and　what　she　felt　for　him。


Chapter　38
（Female　Silhouettes）
Hidden　Faces

　　　　　　　The　Garden　of　Silver　Breezes　was　not　a　garden　at　all　but　a　huge　wineshop；　much　too　large　to　be　called　a　shop　really；　atop　a　hill　centered　on　the　Calpene；　the　westernmost　of　Tanchico's　three　peninsulas　below　the　Great　Circle。　A　part　of　the　name；　at　least；　came　from　the　breezes　that　wafted　in　where　polished　green…streaked　marble　columns　and　balustrades　replaced　one　wall　except　on　the　topmost　floor。　Golden　oiled…silk　curtains　could　be　lowered　in　case　of　rain。　The　hill　fell　away　sharply　on　that　side；　and　the　tables　along　the　balustrades　gave　a　clear　view；　across　white　domes　and　spires；　of　the　great　harbor；　crowded　with　more　ships　than　ever。　Tanchico　needed　everything；　desperately；　and　there　was　gold　to　be　made　…　until　the　gold　and　time　ran　out。
　　　　　　　With　its　gilded　lamps　and　ceilings　inlaid　with　brass　fretwork　polished　to　a　golden　gleam；　its　serving　women　and　men　chosen　for　grace　and　beauty　and　discretion；　the　Garden　of　the　Silver　Breezes　had　been　the　most　expensive　wineshop　in　the　city　even　before　the　troubles。　Now　it　was　outrageous。　But　those　who　dealt　in　huge　sums　still　came；　those　who　dealt　in　power　and　influence；　or　thought　they　did。　In　some　ways　there　was　less　to　deal　in　than　before；　in　others；　more。
　　　　　　　Low　walls　surrounded　each　table　making　islands　dotted　across　the　green　and　golden　floor　tiles。　Each　wall；　pierced　with　lacy　carving　so　no　eavesdropper　could　listen　unseen；　stood　just　high　enough　to　hide　who　met　whom　from　the　casual　glances　of　passersby。　Even　so；　patrons　usually　went　masked；　especially　of　late；　and　some　had　a　bodyguard　beside　their　table；　also　masked　to　avoid　recognition　if　the　patron　was　prudent。　And　tongueless；　rumor　said；　for　the　most　prudent。　No　guard　was　visibly　armed；　the　proprietress　of　the　Garden　of　Silver　Breezes；　a　sleek　woman　of　indeterminate　age　named　Selindrin；　allowed　no　weapons　past　the　street　now。　Her　rule　was　not　broken；　at　least　openly。
　　　　　　　From　her　usual　table　against　the　balustrade；　Egeanin　watched　the　ships　in　the　harbor；　especially　those　under　sail。　They　made　her　want　to　be　back　on　a　deck　giving　orders。　She　had　never　expected　duty　to　bring　her　to　this。
　　　　　　　Unconsciously　she　adjusted　the　velvet　mask　that　hid　the　upper　half　of　her　face；　she　felt　ridiculous　wearing　the　thing；　but　it　was　necessary　to　blend　in　to　some　extent。　The　mask　…　blue　to　match　her　high…necked　silk　gown　…　the　gown　itself；　and　her　dark　hair；　grown　down　to　her　shoulders　now；　were　as　far　as　she　could　make　herself　go。　Passing　for　a　Taraboner　was　unnecessary　…　Tanchico　bulged　with　refugees；　a　good　many　of　them　foreigners　swept　up　in　the　troubles　…　and　it　was　beyond　her　in　any　case。　These　people　were　animals；　they　had　no　discipline；　no　order。
　　　　　　　Regretfully；　she　turned　from　the　harbor　to　her　table　panion；　a　narrow…faced　fellow　with　a　weasel's　greedy　smile。　Floran　Gelb's　frayed　collar　did　not　belong　in　the　Garden　of　Silver　Breezes；　and　he　continually　wiped　his　hands　on　his　coat。　She　always　met　them　here；　the　greasy　little　men　she　was　forced　to　deal　with。　It　was　a　reward　for　them；　and　a　means　of　keeping　them　off　balance。
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　have　for　me；　Master　Gelb？〃
　　　　　　　Wiping　his　hands　again；　he　lifted　a　coarse　jute　bag　onto　the　table　and　watched　her　anxiously。　She　held　the　bag　down　beside　her　before　opening　it。　A　silvery　metal　a'dam　lay　inside；　a　collar　and　bracelet　connected　by　a　leash　cunningly　worked　and　joined。　She　closed　the　bag　and　set　it　on　the　floor。　This　made　three　that　Gelb　had　recovered；　more　than　anyone　else。
　　　　　　　〃Very　good；　Master　Gelb。〃　A　small　purse　went　across　the　table　the　other　way；　Gelb　made　it　disappear　under　his　coat　as　if　it　held　the　Empress's　crown　instead　of　a　handful　of　silver。　〃And　do　you　have　anything　else？〃
　　　　　　　〃Those　women。　The　ones　you　want　me　to　look　for？〃　She　had　grown　used　to　the　quick　speech　of　these　people；　but　she　wished　he　would　not　lick　his　lips　that　way。　It　did　not　make　him　any　harder　to　understand；　but　it　was　unsightly。
　　　　　　　She　very　nearly　told　him　she　was　not　interested　anymore。　But　this　was　a　part　of　why　she　was　in　Tanchico；　after　all；　maybe　the　whole　reason；　now。　〃What　of　them？〃　That　she　could　even　think　of　shirking　her　duty　made　her　speak　more　harshly　than　she　had　intended；　and　Gelb　flinched。
　　　　　　　〃I。。。　I　think　I've　found　another　one。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　are　sure？　There　have　been。。。　mistakes。〃
　　　　　　　Mistakes　was　a　gentle　way　to　put　it。　Near　a　dozen　women　who　came　only　vaguely　near　the　descriptions　had　been　nuisances　she　could　ignore　once　she　had　seen　them。　But　that　noblewoman；　a　refugee　from　estates　burned　out　by　the　war。　Gelb　had　kidnapped　the　woman　off　the　street；　thinking　to　earn　more　for　delivering　her　than　for　telling　where　she　was。　In　his　defense；　the　Lady　Leilwin　closely　matched　one　of　the　women　Egeanin　sought；　but　she　had　told　him　they　would　not　speak　with　any　accent　he　recognized；　certainly　not　a　Taraboner　accent。　Egeanin　had　not　wanted　to　kill　the　woman；　yet　even　in　Tanchico　someone　might　have　listened　to　her　story。　Leilwin　had　gone　bound　and　gagged　onto　one　of　the　courier　boats　in　the　dead　of　night；　she　was　young　and　pretty；　and　someone　would　find　a　better　use　for　her　than　slitting　her　throat。　But　Egeanin　was　not　in　Tanchico　to　find　serving　girls　for　the　Blood。
　　　　　　　〃No　mistakes；　Mistress　Elidar；〃　he　said　hastily；　flashing　that　smile　full　of　teeth。　〃Not　this　time。　But。　。　。　I　need　a　little　gold。　To　be　sure。　To　get　close　enough。　Four　or　five　crowns？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　pay　for　results；〃　Egeanin　told　him　firmly。　〃After　your。。。　mistakes；　you　are　lucky　that　I　pay　you　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　Gelb　licked　his　lips　nervously。　〃You　said。。。　Back　in　the　beginning；　you　said　you'd　have　a　few　coins　for　those　as　could　do　special　sorts　of　work。〃　A　muscle　in　his　cheek　twitched；　his　eyes　darted　as　if　someone　might　be　listening　at　the　lace…carved　wall　around　three　sides　of　the　table；　and　his　voice　dropped　to　a　hoarse　whisper。　〃Stirring　up　trouble；　as　it　were？　I　hear