rj.eyeoftheworld-第15部分

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　solid　lads；　all　…　we　start　thinking　maybe　it's　there　whether　we　can　see　it　or　not。　All　except　Cenn；　of　course。　Anyway；　that's　why　we're　going　home。　With　both　of　us　away；　this　stranger　could　be　up　to　any　kind　of　mischief　there。　If　not　for　Festival；　I　wouldn't　e　back　tomorrow；　either。　But　we　can't　make　ourselves　prisoners　in　our　own　homes　just　because　this　fellow　is　lurking　about。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　didn't　know　about　Ban　or　Lem；〃　Rand　said。　〃The　rest　of　us　were　going　to　the　Mayor　tomorrow；　but　we　were　worried　he　wouldn't　believe　us；　either。〃
　　　　　　　〃Gray　hairs　don't　mean　our　brains　have　curdled；〃　Tam　said　dryly。　〃So　you　keep　a　sharp　eye。　Maybe　I'll　catch　sight　of　him；　too；　if　he　shows　up　again。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　settled　down　to　do　just　that。　He　was　surprised　to　realize　that　his　step　felt　lighter。　The　knots　were　gone　from　his　shoulders。　He　was　still　scared；　but　it　was　not　so　bad　as　it　had　been。　Tam　and　he　were　just　as　alone　on　the　Quarry　Road　as　they　had　been　that　morning；　but　in　some　way　he　felt　as　if　the　entire　village　were　with　them。　That　others　knew　and　believed　made　all　the　difference。　There　was　nothing　the　black…cloaked　horseman　could　do　that　the　people　of　Emond's　Field　could　not　handle　together。
　
Chapter　5
Winternight
　
　　　　　　　The　sun　stood　halfway　down　from　its　noonday　high　by　the　time　the　cart　reached　the　farmhouse。　It　was　not　a　big　house；　not　nearly　so　large　as　some　of　the　sprawling　farmhouses　to　the　east；　dwellings　that　had　grown　over　the　years　to　hold　entire　families。　In　the　Two　Rivers；　that　often　included　three　or　four　generations　under　one　roof；　including　aunts；　uncles；　cousins；　and　nephews。　Tam　and　Rand　were　considered　out　of　the　ordinary　as　much　for　being　two　men　living　alone　as　for　farming　in　the　Westwood。
　　　　　　　Here　most　of　the　rooms　were　on　one　floor；　a　neat　rectangle　with　no　wings　or　additions。　Two　bedrooms　and　an　attic　storeroom　fitted　up　under　the　steeply　sloped　thatch。　If　the　whitewash　was　all　but　gone　from　the　stout　wooden　walls　after　the　winter　storms；　the　house　was　still　in　a　tidy　state　of　repair；　the　thatch　tightly　mended　and　the　doors　and　shutters　well…hung　and　snug　fitting。
　　　　　　　House；　barn；　and　stone　sheep　pen　formed　the　points　of　a　triangle　around　the　farmyard；　where　a　few　chickens　had　ventured　out　to　scratch　at　the　cold　ground。　An　open　shearing　shed　and　a　stone…dipping　trough　stood　next　to　the　sheep　pen。　Hard　by　the　fields　between　the　farmyard　and　the　trees　loomed　the　tall　cone　of　a　tight…walled　curing　shed。　Few　farmers　in　the　Two　Rivers　could　make　do　without　both　wool　and　tabac　to　sell　when　the　merchants　came。
　　　　　　　When　Rand　took　a　look　in　the　stone　pen；　the　heavy…horned　herd　ram　looked　back　at　him；　but　most　of　the　black…faced　flock　remained　placidly　where　they　lay；　or　stood　with　their　heads　in　the　feed　trough。　Their　coats　were　thick　and　curly；　but　it　was　still　too　cold　for　shearing。
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　think　the　black…cloaked　man　came　here；〃　Rand　called　to　his　father；　who　was　walking　slowly　around　the　farmhouse；　spear　held　at　the　ready；　examining　the　ground　intently。　〃The　sheep　wouldn't　be　so　settled　if　that　one　had　been　around。〃
　　　　　　　Tam　nodded　but　did　not　stop。　When　he　had　made　a　plete　circuit　of　the　house；　he　did　the　same　around　the　barn　and　the　sheep　pen；　still　studying　the　ground。　He　even　checked　the　smokehouse　and　the　curing　shed。　Drawing　a　bucket　of　water　from　the　well；　he　filled　a　cupped　hand；　sniffed　the　water；　and　gingerly　touched　it　with　the　tip　of　his　tongue。　Abruptly　he　barked　a　laugh；　then　drank　it　down　in　a　quick　gulp。
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　he　didn't；〃　he　told　Rand；　wiping　his　hand　on　his　coat　front。　〃All　this　about　men　and　horses　I　can't　see　or　hear　just　makes　me　look　crossways　at　everything。〃　He　emptied　the　well　water　into　another　bucket　and　started　for　the　house；　the　bucket　in　one　hand　and　his　spear　in　the　other。　〃I'll　start　some　stew　for　supper。　And　as　long　as　were　here；　we　might　as　well　get　caught　up　on　a　few　chores。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　grimaced；　regretting　Winternight　in　Emond's　Field。　But　Tam　was　right。　Around　a　farm　the　work　never　really　got　done；　as　soon　as　one　thing　was　finished　two　more　always　needed　doing。　He　hesitated　about　it；　but　kept　his　bow　and　quiver　close　at　hand。　If　the　dark　rider　did　appear；　he　had　no　intention　of　facing　him　with　nothing　but　a　hoe。
　　　　　　　First　was　stabling　Bela。　Once　he　had　unharnessed　her　and　put　her　into　a　stall　in　the　barn　next　to　their　cow；　he　set　his　cloak　aside　and　rubbed　the　mare　down　with　handfuls　of　dry　straw；　then　curried　her　with　a　pair　of　brushes。　Climbing　the　narrow　ladder　to　the　loft；　he　pitched　down　hay　for　her　feed。　He　fetched　a　scoopful　of　oats　for　her　as　well；　though　there　was　little　enough　left　and　might　be　no　more　for　a　long　while　unless　the　weather　warmed　soon。　The　cow　had　been　milked　that　morning　before　first　light；　giving　a　quarter　of　her　usual　yield；　she　seemed　to　be　drying　up　as　the　winter　hung　on。
　　　　　　　Enough　feed　had　been　left　to　see　the　sheep　for　two　days　…　they　should　have　been　in　the　pasture　by　now；　but　there　was　none　worth　calling　it　so　…　but　he　topped　off　their　water。　Whatever　eggs　had　been　laid　needed　to　be　gathered；　too。　There　were　only　three。　The　hens　seemed　to　be　getting　cleverer　at　hiding　them。
　　　　　　　He　was　taking　a　hoe　to　the　vegetable　garden　behind　the　house　when　Tam　came　out　and　settled　on　a　bench　in　front　of　the　barn　to　mend　harness；　propping　his　spear　beside　him。　It　made　Rand　feel　better　about　the　bow　lying　on　his　cloak　a　pace　from　where　he　stood。
　　　　　　　Few　weeds　had　pushed　above　ground；　but　more　weeds　than　anything　else。　The　cabbages　were　stunted；　barely　a　sprout　of　the　beans　or　peas　showed；　and　there　was　not　a　sign　of　a　beet。　Not　everything　had　been　planted；　of　course；　only　part；　in　hopes　the　cold　might　break　in　time　to　make　a　crop　of　some　kind　before　the　cellar　was　empty。　It　did　not　take　long　to　finish　hoeing；　which　would　have　suited　him　just　fine　in　years　past；　but　now　he　wondered　what　they　would　do　if　nothing　came　up　this　year。　Not　a　pleasant　thought。　And　there　was　still　firewood　to　split。
　　　　　　　It　seemed　to　Rand　like　years　since　there　had　not　been　firewood　to　split。　But　plaining　would　not　keep　the　house　warm；　so　he　fetched　the　axe；　propped　up　bow　and　quiver　beside　the　chopping　block；　and　got　to　work。　Pine　for　a　quick；　hot　flame；　and　oak　for　long　burning。　Before　long　he　was　warm　enough　to　put　his　coat　aside。　When　the　pile　of　split　wood　grew　big　enough；　he　stacked　it　against　the　side　of　the　house；　beside　other　stacks　already　there。　Most　reached　all　the　way　to　the　eaves。　Usually　by　this　time　of　year　the　woodpiles　were　small　and　few；　but　not　this　year。　Chop　and　stack；　chop　and　stack；　he　lost　himself　in　the　rhythm　of　the　axe　and　the　motions　of　stacking　wood。　Tam's　hand　on　his　shoulder　brought　him　back　to　where　he　was；　and　for　a　moment　he　blinked　in　surprise。
　　　　　　　Gray　twilight　had　e　on　while　he　worked；　and　already　it　was　fading　quickly　toward　night。　The　full　moon　stood　well　above　the　treetops；　shimmering　pale　and　bulging　as　if　about　to　fall　on　their　heads。　The　wind　had　grown　colder　without　his　noticing；　too；　and　tattered　clouds　scudded　across　the　darkling　sky。
　　　　　　　〃Let's　wash　up；　lad；　and　see　about　some　supper。　I've　already　carried　in　water　for　hot　baths　before　sleep。〃
　　　　　　　〃Anything　hot　sounds　good　to　me；〃　Rand　said；　snatching　up　his　cloak　and　tossing　it　round　his　shoulders。　Sweat　soaked　his　shirt；　and　the　wind；　forgotten　in　the　heat　of　swinging　the　axe；　seemed　to　be　trying　to　freeze　it　now　that　he　had　stopped　work。　He　stifled　a　yawn；　shivering　as　he　gathered　the　rest　of　his　things。　〃And　sleep；　too；　for　that。　I　might　just　sleep　right　through　Festival。〃
　　　　　　　〃Would　you　care　to　make　a　small　wager　about　that？〃　Tam　smiled；　and　Rand　had　to　grin　back。　He　would　not　miss　Bel　Tine　if　he　had　had　no　sleep　in　a　week。　No　one　would。
　　　　　　　Tam　had　been　extravagant　with　the　candles；　and　a　fire　crackled　in　the　big　stone　fireplace；　so　that　the　main　room　had　a　warm；　cheerful　feel　to　it。　A　broad　oaken　table　was　the　main　feature　of　the　room　other　than　the　fireplace；　a　table　long　enough　to　seat　a　dozen　or　more；　though　there　had　seldom　been　so　many　around　it　since　Rand's　mother　died。　A　few　cabinets　and　chests；　most　of　them　skillfully　made　by　Tam　himself；　lined　the　walls；　and　high…backed　chairs　stood　around　the　table。　The　cushioned　chair　that　Tam　called　his　reading　chair　sat　angled　before　the　flames。　Rand　preferred　to　do　his　reading　stretched　out　on　the　rug　in　front　of　the　fire。　The　shelf　of　books　by　the　door　was　not　nearly　as　long　as　the　one　at　the　Winespring　Inn；　but　books　were　hard　to　e　by。　Few　peddlers　carried　more　than　a　handful；　and　those　had　to　be　stretched　out　among　everyone　who　wanted　them。
　　　　　　　If　the　room　did　not　look　quite　so　freshly　scrubbed　as　most　farm　wives　kept　their　homes…Tam's　pipe…rack　and　The　Travels　of　Jain　Farstrider　sat　on　the　table；　while　another　wood…bound　book　rested　on　the　cushion　of　his　reading　chair；　a　bit　of　harness　to　be　mended　lay　on　the　bench　by　the　fireplace；　and　some　shirts　to　be　darned　made　a　heap　on　a　chair　…　if　not　quite　so　spotless；　it　was　still　clean　and　neat　enough；　with　a　lived…in　look　that　was　almost　as　warming　and　forting　as　the　fire。　Here；　it　was　possible　to　forget　the　chill　beyond　the　walls。　There　was　no　false　Dragon　here。　No　wars　or　Aes　Sedai。　No　men　in　black　cloak