rj.eyeoftheworld-第148部分

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　　　　　　　〃I　have　contained　that；　after　a　fashion。　If　they　e　close　enough　to　sense　it　now；　they　will　be　on　top　of　us　anyway。　I　cleansed　the　taint　from　him；　Rand；　and　did　what　I　could　to　slow　its　return；　but　return　it　will；　in　time；　unless　he　receives　help　in　Tar　Valon。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　good　thing　that's　where　we're　going；　isn't　it？〃　He　thought　maybe　it　was　the　resignation　in　his　voice；　and　the　hope　for　something　else；　that　made　her　give　him　a　sharp　look　before　turning　away。
　　　　　　　Loial　was　on　his　feet；　bowing　to　her。　〃I　am　Loial；　son　of　Arent　son　of　Halan；　Aes　Sedai。　The　stedding　offers　sanctuary　to　the　Servants　of　the　Light。　〃
　　　　　　　〃Thank　you；　Loial；　son　of　Arent；〃　Moiraine　answered　dryly；　〃but　I　would　not　be　too　free　with　that　greeting　if　I　were　you。　There　are　perhaps　twenty　Aes　Sedai　in　Caemlyn　at　this　moment；　and　every　one　but　I　of　the　Red　Ajah。〃　Loial　nodded　sagely；　as　if　he　understood。　Rand　could　only　shake　his　head　in　confusion；　he　would　be　Lightblinded　if　he　knew　what　she　meant。　〃It　is　strange　to　find　you　here；〃　the　Aes　Sedai　went　on。　〃Few　Ogier　leave　the　stedding　in　recent　years。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　old　stories　caught　me；　Aes　Sedai。　The　old　books　filled　my　unworthy　head　with　pictures。　I　want　to　see　the　groves。　And　the　cities　we　built；　too。　There　do　not　seem　to　be　many　of　either　still　standing；　but　if　buildings　are　a　poor　substitute　for　trees；　they　are　still　worth　seeing。　The　Elders　think　I'm　odd；　wanting　to　travel。　I　always　have；　and　they　always　have。　None　of　them　believe　there　is　anything　worth　seeing　outside　the　stedding。　Perhaps　when　I　return　and　tell　them　what　I've　seen；　they　will　change　their　minds。　I　hope　so。　In　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　they　will；〃　Moiraine　said　smoothly。　〃Now；　Loial；　you　must　forgive　me　for　being　abrupt。　It　is　a　failing　of　humankind；　I　know。　My　panions　and　I　have　urgent　need　to　plan　our　journey。　If　you　could　excuse　us？〃
　　　　　　　It　was　Loial's　turn　to　look　confused。　Rand　came　to　his　rescue。　〃He's　ing　with　us。　I　promised　him　he　could。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　stood　looking　at　the　Ogier　as　if　she　had　not　heard；　but　finally　she　nodded。　〃The　Wheel　weaves　as　the　Wheel　wills；〃　she　murmured。　〃Lan；　see　that　we　are　not　taken　unaware。〃　The　Warder　vanished　from　the　room；　silently　but　for　the　click　of　the　door　shutting　behind　him。
　　　　　　　Lan's　disappearance　acted　like　a　signal；　all　talk　was　cut　off。　Moiraine　moved　to　the　fireplace；　and　when　she　turned　back　to　the　room　every　eye　was　on　her。　Slight　of　build　as　she　was；　her　presence　dominated。　〃We　cannot　remain　long　in　Caemlyn；　nor　are　we　safe　here　in　The　Queen's　Blessing。　The　Dark　One's　eyes　are　already　in　the　city。　They　have　not　found　what　they　are　searching　for；　or　they　would　not　still　be　looking。　That　we　have　to　our　advantage。　I　have　set　wards　to　keep　them　away；　and　by　the　time　the　Dark　One　realizes　that　there　is　a　part　of　the　city　the　rats　no　longer　enter；　we　will　be　gone。　Any　ward　that　will　turn　a　man　aside；　though；　would　be　as　good　as　a　beacon　fire　for　the　Myrddraal；　and　there　are　Children　of　the　Light　in　Caemlyn；　also；　looking　for　Perrin　and　Egwene。〃　Rand　made　a　sound；　and　Moiraine　raised　an　eyebrow　at　him。
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　they　were　looking　for　Mat　and　me；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　The　explanation　made　both　the　Aes　Sedai's　eyebrows　lift。　〃Why　would　you　think　the　Whitecloaks　were　looking　for　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　heard　one　say　they　were　looking　for　someone　from　the　Two　Rivers。　Darkfriends；　he　said。　What　else　was　I　supposed　to　think？　With　everything　that's　been　happening；　I'm　lucky　I　can　think　at　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　has　been　confusing；　I　know；　Rand；〃　Loial　put　in；　〃but　you　can　think　more　clearly　than　that。　The　Children　hate　Aes　Sedai。　Elaida　would　not　…　〃
　　　　　　　〃Elaida？〃　Moiraine　cut　in　sharply。　〃What　has　Elaida　Sedai　to　do　with　this？〃
　　　　　　　She　was　looking　at　Rand　so　hard　that　he　wanted　to　lean　back。　〃She　wanted　to　throw　me　in　prison；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃All　I　wanted　was　a　look　at　Logain；　but　she　wouldn't　believe　I　was　in　the　Palace　gardens　with　Elayne　and　Gawyn　just　by　chance。〃　They　were　all　staring　at　him　as　if　he　had　suddenly　sprouted　a　third　eye；　all　except　Loial。　〃Queen　Morgase　let　me　go。　She　said　there　was　no　proof　I　meant　any　harm　and　she　was　going　to　uphold　the　law　no　matter　what　Elaida　suspected。〃　He　shook　his　head；　the　memory　of　Morgase　in　all　her　radiance　making　him　forget　for　a　minute　that　anyone　was　looking　at　him。　〃Can　you　imagine　me　meeting　a　Queen？　She's　beautiful；　like　the　queens　in　stories。　So　is　Elayne。　And　Gawyn　。。。　you'd　like　Gawyn；　Perrin。　Perrin？　Mat？〃　They　were　still　staring。　
〃Blood　and　ashes；　I　just　climbed　up　on　the　wall　for　a　look　at　the　false　Dragon。　I　didn't　do　anything　wrong。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　what　I　always　say；〃　Mat　said　blandly；　though　he　was　suddenly　grinning　hard；　and　Egwene　asked　in　a　decidedly　neutral　voice；　〃Who's　Elayne？〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　muttered　something　crossly。
　　　　　　　〃A　Queen；〃　Perrin　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃You　really　have　had　adventures。　All　we　met　were　Tinkers　and　some　Whitecloaks。〃　He　avoided　looking　at　Moiraine　so　obviously　that　Rand　saw　the　avoidance　plain。　Perrin　touched　the　bruises　on　his　face。　〃On　the　whole；　singing　with　the　Tinkers　was　more　fun　than　the　Whitecloaks。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Traveling　People　live　for　their　songs；〃　Loial　said。　〃For　all　songs；　for　that　matter。　For　the　search　for　them；　at　least。　I　met　some　Tuatha'an　a　few　years　back；　and　they　wanted　to　learn　the　songs　we　sing　to　trees。　Actually；　the　trees　won't　listen　to　very　many　anymore；　and　so　not　many　Ogier　learn　the　songs。　I　have　a　scrap　of　that　Talent；　so　Elder　Arent　insisted　I　learn。　I　taught　the　Tuatha'an　what　they　could　learn；　but　the　trees　never　listen　to　humans。　For　the　Traveling　People　they　were　only　songs；　and　just　as　well　received　for　that；　since　none　was　the　song　they　seek。　That's　what　they　call　the　leader　of　each　band；　the　Seeker。　They　e　to　Stedding　Shangtai；　sometimes。　Few　humans　do。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　please；　Loial；〃　Moiraine　said；　but　he　cleared　his　throat　suddenly　and　went　on　in　a　quick　rumble　as　if　afraid　she　might　stop　him。
　　　　　　　〃I've　just　remembered　something；　Aes　Sedai；　something　I　have　always　wanted　to　ask　an　Aes　Sedai　if　ever　I　met　one；　since　you　know　many　things　and　have　great　libraries　in　Tar　Valon；　and　now　I　have；　of　course；　and　。。。　may　I？〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　make　it　brief；〃　she　said　curtly。
　　　　　　　〃Brief；〃　he　said　as　though　wondering　what　it　meant。　〃Yes。　Well。　Brief。　There　was　a　man　came　to　Stedding　Shangtai　a　little　time　back。　This　was　not　unusual　in　itself；　at　the　time；　since　a　great　many　refugees　had　e　to　the　Spine　of　the　World　fleeing　what　you　humans　call　the　Aiel　War。〃　Rand　grinned。　A　little　time　back；　twenty　years；　near　enough。　〃He　was　at　the　point　of　death；　though　there　was　no　wound　or　mark　on　him。　The　Elders　thought　it　might　be　something　Aes　Sedai　had　done〃　…　Loial　gave　Moiraine　an　apologetic　look　…　〃since　as　soon　as　he　was　within　the　stedding　he　quickly　got　well。　A　few　months。　One　night　he　left　without　a　word　to　anyone；　simply　sneaked　away　when　the　moon　was　down。〃　He　looked　at　Moiraine's　face　and　cleared　his　throat　again。　〃Yes。　Brief。　Before　he　left；　he　told　a　curious　tale　which　he　said　he　meant　to　carry　to　Tar　Valon。　He　said　the　Dark　One　intended　to　blind　the　Eye　of　the　World；　and　slay　the　Great　Serpent；　kill　time　itself。　The　Elders　said　he　was　as　sound　in　his　mind　as　in　his　body；　but　that　was　what　he　said。　What　I　have　wanted　to　ask　is；　can　the　Dark　One　do　such　a　thing？　Kill　time　itself？　And　the　Eye　of　the　World？　Can　he　blind　the　eye　of　the　Great　Serpent？　What　does　it　mean？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　expected　almost　anything　from　Moiraine　except　what　he　saw。　Instead　of　giving　Loial　an　answer；　or　telling　him　she　had　no　time　for　it　now；　she　stood　there　staring　right　through　the　Ogier；　frowning　in　thought。
　　　　　　　〃That's　what　the　Tinkers　told　us；〃　Perrin　said。
　　　　　　　〃Yes；〃　Egwene　said；　〃the　Aiel　story。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　turned　her　head　slowly。　No　other　part　of　her　moved。　〃What　story？〃
　　　　　　　It　was　an　expressionless　look　she　gave　them；　but　it　made　Perrin　take　a　deep　breath；　though　when　he　spoke　he　was　as　deliberate　as　ever。　〃Some　Tinkers　crossing　the　Waste　…　they　said　they　could　do　that　unharmed　…　found　Aiel　dying　after　a　battle　with　Trollocs。　Before　the　last　Aiel　died；　she　…　they　were　all　women；　apparently　…　told　the　Tinkers　what　Loial　just　said。　The　Dark　One　…　they　called　him　Sightblinder　…　intends　to　blind　the　Eye　of　the　World。　This　was　only　three　years　ago；　not　twenty。　Does　it　mean　something？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　everything；〃　Moiraine　said。　Her　face　was　still；　but　Rand　had　the　feeling　her　mind　raced　behind　those　dark　eyes。
　　　　　　　〃Ba'alzamon；〃　Perrin　said　suddenly。　The　name　cut　off　all　sound　in　the　room。　No　one　appeared　to　breathe。　Perrin　looked　at　Rand；　then　at　Mat；　his　eyes　strangely　calm　and　more　yellow　than　ever。　〃At　the　time　I　wondered　where　I'd　heard　that　name　before　。。。　the　Eye　of　the　World。　Now　I　remember。　Don't　you？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　want　to　remember　anything；〃　Mat　said　stiffly。
　　　　　　　〃We　have　to　tell　her；〃　Perrin　continued。　〃It's　important　now。　We　can't　keep　it　secret　any　longer。　You　see　it；　don't　you；　Rand？〃
　　　　　　　〃Tell　me　what？〃　Moiraine's　voice　was　harsh；　and　she　seemed　to　be　bracing　for　a　blow。　Her　gaze　had　settled　on　Rand。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　want　to　answer。　He　did　not　want　to　remember　any　more　than　Mat；　but　he　did　remember　…　and　he　kne