rj.eyeoftheworld-第166部分

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draal；　and　the　fires　of　his　mouth　scourged　us。'〃
　　　　　　　〃Something；〃　Lan　said；　〃drove　four　Fades　to　where　they　feared　to　go　…　a　place　they　fear　almost　as　much　as　they　fear　the　wrath　of　the　Dark　One。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar　grunted　as　if　he　had　been　kicked；　he　looked　sick。
　　　　　　　〃It　was　evil　against　evil　in　the　ruins　of　Shadar　Logoth；〃　Moiraine　continued；　〃foul　fighting　vile。　When　Fain　spoke　of　it；　his　teeth　chattered　and　he　whimpered。　Many　Trollocs　were　slain；　consumed　by　Mashadar　and　other　things；　including　the　Trolloc　that　held　Fain's　leash。　He　fled　the　city　as　if　it　were　the　Pit　of　Doom；　at　Shayol　Ghul。
　　　　　　　〃Fain　believed　he　was　free　at　last。　He　intended　to　run　until　Ba'alzamon　could　never　find　him　again；　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　if　necessary。　Imagine　his　horror　when　he　discovered　that　the　pulsion　to　hunt　did　not　lessen。　Instead；　it　grew　stronger　and　sharper　with　every　day　that　passed。　He　could　not　eat；　except　what　he　could　scavenge　while　he　hunted　you…beetles　and　lizards　snatched　while　he　ran；　half…rotten　refuse　dug　from　midden　heaps　in　the　dark　of　night…nor　could　he　stop　until　exhaustion　collapsed　him　like　an　empty　sack。　And　as　soon　as　he　had　strength　to　stand　again；　he　was　driven　on。　By　the　time　he　reached　Caemlyn　he　could　feel　his　quarry　even　when　it　was　a　mile　away。　Here；　in　the　cells　below；　he　would　sometimes　look　up　without　realizing　what　he　was　doing。　He　was　looking　in　the　direction　of　this　room。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　had　a　sudden　itch　between　his　shoulder　blades；　it　was　as　if　he　could　feel　Fain's　eyes　on　him　then；　through　the　intervening　stone。　The　Aes　Sedai　noticed　his　uneasy　shrug；　but　she　went　on　implacably。
　　　　　　　〃If　Fain　was　half　mad　by　the　time　he　reached　Caemlyn；　he　sank　even　further　when　he　realized　that　only　two　of　those　he　sought　were　there。　He　was　pelled　to　find　all　of　you；　but　he　could　do　no　other　than　follow　the　two　who　were　there；　either。　He　spoke　of　screaming　when　the　Waygate　opened　in　Caemlyn。　The　knowledge　of　how　to　do　it　was　in　his　mind；　he　does　not　know　how　it　came　there；　his　hands　moved　of　their　own　accord；　burning　with　the　fires　of　Ba'alzamon　when　he　tried　to　stop　them。　The　owner　of　the　shop；　who　came　to　investigate　the　noise；　Fain　murdered。　Not　because　he　had　to；　but　out　of　envy　that　the　man　could　walk　freely　out　of　the　cellar　while　his　feet　carried　him　inexorably　into　the　Ways。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　Fain　was　the　one　you　sensed　following　us；〃　Egwene　said。　Lan　nodded。　〃How　did　he　escape　the　。。。　the　Black　Wind？〃　Her　voice　shook；　she　stopped　to　swallow。　〃It　was　right　behind　us　at　the　Waygate。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　escaped；　and　he　did　not；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃The　Black　Wind　caught　him　…　and　he　claimed　to　understand　the　voices。　Some　greeted　him　as　like　to　them；　others　feared　him。　No　sooner　did　the　Wind　envelop　Fain　than　it　fled。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Light　preserve　us。〃　Loial's　whisper　rumbled　like　a　giant　bumblebee。
　　　　　　　〃Pray　that　it　does；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃There　is　much　yet　hidden　about　Padan　Fain；　much　I　must　learn。　The　evil　goes　deeper　in　him；　and　stronger；　than　in　any　man　I　have　yet　seen。　It　may　be　that　the　Dark　One；　in　doing　what　he　did　to　Fain；　impressed　some　part　of　himself　on　the　man；　perhaps　even；　unknowing；　some　part　of　his　intent。　When　I　mentioned　the　Eye　of　the　World；　Fain　clamped　his　jaws　shut；　but　I　felt　something　knowing　behind　the　silence。　If　only　I　had　the　time　now。　But　we　cannot　wait。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　this　man　knows　something；〃　Agelmar　said；　〃I　can　get　it　out　of　him。〃　His　face　held　no　mercy　for　Darkfriends；　his　voice　promised　no　pity　for　Fain。　〃If　you　can　learn　even　a　part　of　what　you　will　face　in　the　Blight；　it's　worth　an　extra　day。　Battles　have　been　lost　for　not　knowing　what　the　enemy　intends。〃
　　　　　　　Moiraine　sighed　and　shook　her　head　ruefully。　〃My　lord；　if　we　did　not　need　at　least　one　good　night's　sleep　before　facing　the　Blight；　I　would　ride　within　the　hour；　though　it　meant　the　risk　of　meeting　a　Trolloc　raid　in　the　dark。　Consider　what　I　did　learn　from　Fain。　Three　years　ago　the　Dark　One　had　to　have　Fain　brought　to　Shayol　Ghul　to　touch　him；　despite　the　fact　that　Fain　is　a　Darkfriend　dedicated　to　his　marrow。　One　year　ago；　the　Dark　One　could　mand　Fain；　the　Darkfriend；　through　his　dreams。　This　year；　Ba'alzamon　walks　in　the　dreams　of　those　who　live　in　the　Light；　and　actually　appears；　if　with　difficulty；　at　Shadar　Logoth。　Not　in　his　own　body；　of　course；　but　even　a　projection　of　the　Dark　One's　mind；　even　a　projection　that　flickers　and　cannot　hold；　is　more　deathly　dangerous　to　the　world　than　all　the　Trolloc　hordes　bined。　The　seals　on　Shayol　Ghul　are　weakening　desperately；　Lord　Agelmar。　There　is　no　time。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar　bowed　his　head　in　acquiescence；　but　when　he　raised　it　again　there　was　still　a　stubborn　set　to　his　mouth。　〃Aes　Sedai；　I　can　accept　that　when　I　lead　the　lances　to　Tarwin's　Gap　we　will　be　no　more　than　a　diversion；　or　a　skirmish　on　the　outskirts　of　the　real　battle。　Duty　takes　men　where　it　will　as　surely　as　does　the　Pattern；　and　neither　promises　that　what　we　do　will　have　greatness。　But　our　skirmish　will　be　useless；　even　should　we　win；　if　you　lose　the　battle。　If　you　say　your　party　must　be　small；　I　say　well　and　good；　but　I　beg　you　to　make　every　effort　to　see　that　you　can　win。　Leave　these　young　men　here；　Aes　Sedai。　I　swear　to　you　that　I　can　find　three　experienced　men　with　no　thought　of　glory　in　their　heads　to　replace　them；　good　swordsmen　who　are　almost　as　handy　in　the　Blight　as　Lan。　Let　me　ride　to　the　Gap　knowing　that　I　have　done　what　I　can　to　help　you　be　victorious。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　must　take　them　and　no　others；　Lord　Agelmar；〃　Moiraine　said　gently。　〃They　are　the　ones　who　will　fight　the　battle　at　the　Eye　of　the　World。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar's　jaw　dropped；　and　he　stared　at　Rand　and　Mat　and　Perrin。　Suddenly　the　Lord　of　Fal　Dara　took　a　step　back；　his　hand　groping　unconsciously　for　the　sword　he　never　wore　inside　the　fortress。　〃They　aren't　。。。　You　are　not　Red　Ajah；　Moiraine　Sedai；　but　surely　not　even　you　would　。。。〃　Sudden　sweat　glistened　on　his　shaven　head。
　　　　　　　〃They　are　ta'veren；〃　Moiraine　said　soothingly。　〃The　Pattern　weaves　itself　around　them。　Already　the　Dark　One　has　tried　to　kill　each　of　them　more　than　once。　Three　ta'veren　in　one　place　are　enough　to　change　the　life　around　them　as　surely　as　a　whirlpool　changes　the　path　of　a　straw。　When　the　place　is　the　Eye　of　the　World；　the　Pattern　might　weave　even　the　Father　of　Lies　into　itself；　and　make　him　harmless　again。〃
　　　　　　　Agelmar　stopped　trying　to　find　his　sword；　but　he　still　looked　at　Rand　and　the　others　doubtfully。　〃Moiraine　Sedai；　if　you　say　they　are；　then　they　are；　but　I　cannot　see　it。　Farmboys。　Are　you　certain；　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　old　blood；〃　Moiraine　said；　〃split　out　like　a　river　breaking　into　a　thousand　times　a　thousand　streams；　but　sometimes　streams　join　together　to　make　a　river　again。　The　old　blood　of　Manetheren　is　strong　and　pure　in　almost　all　these　young　men。　Can　you　doubt　the　strength　of　Manetheren's　blood；　Lord　Agelmar？〃
　　　　　　　Rand　glanced　sideways　at　the　Aes　Sedai。　Almost　all。　He　risked　a　look　at　Nynaeve；　she　had　turned　back　to　watch　as　well　as　listen；　though　she　still　avoided　looking　at　Lan。　He　caught　the　Wisdom's　eye。　She　shook　her　head；　she　had　not　told　the　Aes　Sedai　that　he　was　not　Two　Rivers　born。　What　does　Moiraine　know？
　　　　　　　〃Manetheren；〃　Agelmar　said　slowly；　nodding。　〃I　would　not　doubt　that　blood。〃　Then；　more　quickly；　〃The　Wheel　brings　strange　times。　Farmboys　carry　the　honor　of　Manetheren　into　the　Blight；　yet　if　any　blood　can　strike　a　fell　blow　at　the　Dark　One；　it　would　be　the　blood　of　Manetheren。　It　shall　be　done　as　you　wish；　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　let　us　go　to　our　rooms；〃　Moiraine　said。　〃We　must　leave　with　the　sun；　for　time　grows　short。　The　young　men　must　sleep　close　to　me。　Time　is　too　short　before　the　battle　to　allow　the　Dark　One　another　strike　at　them。　Too　short。　〃
　　　　　　　Rand　felt　her　eyes　on　him；　studying　him　and　his　friends；　weighing　their　strength；　and　he　shivered。　Too　short。

Chapter　48
The　Blight
　
　　　　　　　The　wind　whipped　Lan's　cloak；　sometimes　making　him　hard　to　see　even　in　the　sunlight；　and　Ingtar　and　the　hundred　lances　Lord　Agelmar　had　sent　to　escort　them　to　the　Border；　in　case　they　met　a　Trolloc　raid；　made　a　brave　display　in　double　column　with　their　armor　and　their　red　pennants　and　their　steel…clad　horses　led　by　Ingtar's　Gray　Owl　banner。　They　were　easily　as　grand　as　a　hundred　of　the　Queen's　Guards；　but　it　was　the　towers　just　in　sight　ahead　of　them　that　Rand　studied。　He　had　had　all　morning　to　watch　the　Shienaran　lances。
　　　　　　　Each　tower　stood　tall　and　solid　atop　a　hill；　half　a　mile　from　its　neighbor。　East　and　west　others　rose；　and　more　beyond　those。　A　broad；　walled　ramp　spiralled　around　each　stone　shaft；　winding　all　the　way　around　by　the　time　it　reached　the　heavy　gates　halfway　to　the　crenellated　top。　A　sortie　from　the　garrison　would　be　protected　by　the　wall　until　it　reached　the　ground；　but　enemies　striving　to　reach　the　gate　would　climb　under　a　hail　of　arrows　and　stones　and　hot　oil　from　the　big　kettles　poised　on　the　outward　flaring　ramparts　above。　A　large　steel　mirror；　carefully　turned　down；　away　from　the　sun；　now；　glittered　atop　each　tower　below　the　high　iron　cup　where　signal　fires　could　be　lit　when　the　sun　did　not　shine。　The　signal　would　be　flashed；　to　towers　further　from　the　Border；　and　by　those　to　still　others；　and　so　relayed