rj.eyeoftheworld-第50部分

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he　hilt　of　Tam's　sword。　There　was　not　much　left　that　was　funny　at　all。
　　　　　　　〃A　shepherd　with　a　heron…mark　sword；〃　said　a　low；　woman's　voice。　〃That's　almost　enough　to　make　me　believe　anything。　What　trouble　are　you　in；　downcountry　boy？〃
　　　　　　　Startled；　Rand　jumped　to　his　feet。　It　was　the　crop…haired　young　woman　who　had　been　with　Moiraine　when　he　came　out　of　the　bath　chamber；　still　dressed　in　a　boy's　coat　and　breeches。　She　was　a　little　older　than　he　was；　he　thought；　with　dark　eyes　even　bigger　than　Egwene's；　and　oddly　intent。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　Rand；　aren't　you？〃　she　went　on。　〃My　name　is　Min。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　in　trouble；〃　he　said。　He　did　not　know　what　Moiraine　had　told　her；　but　he　remembered　Lan's　admonition　not　to　attract　any　notice。　〃What　makes　you　think　I'm　in　trouble？　The　Two　Rivers　is　a　quiet　place；　and　we're　all　quiet　people。　No　place　for　trouble；　unless　it　has　to　do　with　crops；　or　sheep。〃
　　　　　　　〃Quiet？〃　Min　said　with　a　faint　smile。　〃I've　heard　men　talk　about　you　Two　Rivers　folk。　I've　heard　the　jokes　about　wooden…headed　sheepherders；　and　then　there　are　men　who　have　actually　been　downcountry。〃
　　　　　　　〃Wooden…headed？〃　Rand　said；　frowning。　〃What　jokes？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　ones　who　know；〃　she　went　on　as　if　he　had　not　spoken；　〃say　you　walk　around　all　smiles　and　politeness；　just　as　meek　and　soft　as　butter。　On　the　surface；　anyway。　Underneath；　they　say；　you're　all　as　tough　as　old　oak　roots。　Prod　too　hard；　they　say；　and　you　dig　up　stone。　But　the　stone　isn't　buried　very　deep　in　you；　or　in　your　friends。　It's　as　if　a　storm　has　scoured　away　almost　all　the　covering。　Moiraine　didn't　tell　me　everything；　but　I　see　what　see。〃
　　　　　　　Old　oak　roots？　Stone？　It　hardly　sounded　like　the　sort　of　thing　the　merchants　or　their　people　would　say。　That　last　made　him　jump；　though。
　　　　　　　He　looked　around　quickly；　the　stableyard　was　empty；　and　the　nearest　windows　were　closed。　〃I　don't　know　anybody　named　…　what　was　it　again？〃
　　　　　　　〃Mistress　Alys；　then；　if　you　prefer；〃　Min　said　with　an　amused　look　that　made　his　cheeks　color。　〃There's　no　one　close　enough　to　hear。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　makes　you　think　Mistress　Alys　has　another　name？〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　she　told　me；〃　Min　said；　so　patiently　that　he　blushed　again。　〃Not　that　she　had　a　choice；　I　suppose。　I　saw　she　was　。。。　different　。。。　right　away。　When　she　stopped　here　before；　on　her　way　downcountry。　She　knew　about　me。　I've　talked　to　。。。　others　like　her　before。〃
　　　　　　　〃'Saw'？〃　Rand　said。
　　　　　　　〃Well；　I　don't　suppose　you'll　go　running　to　the　Children。　Not　considering　who　your　traveling　panions　are。　The　Whitecloaks　wouldn't　like　what　I　do　any　more　than　they　like　what　she　does。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　　　　　　　〃She　says　I　see　pieces　of　the　Pattern。　〃　Min　gave　a　little　laugh　and　shook　her　head。　〃Sounds　too　grand；　to　me。　I　just　see　things　when　I　look　at　people；　and　sometimes　I　know　what　they　mean。　I　look　at　a　man　and　a　woman　who've　never　even　talked　to　one　another；　and　I　know　they'll　marry。　And　they　do。　That　sort　of　thing。　She　wanted　me　to　look　at　you。　All　of　you　together。　〃
　　　　　　　Rand　shivered。　〃And　what　did　you　see？〃
　　　　　　　〃When　you're　all　in　a　group？　Sparks　swirling　around　you；　thousands　of　them；　and　a　big　shadow；　darker　than　midnight。　It's　so　strong；　I　almost　wonder　why　everybody　can't　see　it。　The　sparks　are　trying　to　fill　the　shadow；　and　the　shadow　is　trying　to　swallow　the　sparks。〃　She　shrugged。　〃You　are　all　tied　together　in　something　dangerous；　but　I　can't　make　any　more　of　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃All　of　us？〃　Rand　muttered。　〃Egwene；　too？　But　they　weren't　after　…　I　mean　…〃
　　　　　　　Min　did　not　seem　to　notice　his　slip。　〃The　girl　…？　She's　part　of　it。　And　the　gleeman。　All　of　you。　You're　in　love　with　her。〃　He　stared　at　her。　〃I　can　tell　that　even　without　seeing　any　images。　She　loves　you；　too；　but　she's　not　for　you；　or　you　for　her　either。　Not　the　way　you　both　want。　〃
　　　　　　　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　　　　　　　〃When　I　look　at　her；　I　see　the　same　as　when　I　look　at　。。。　Mistress　Alys。　Other　things；　things　I　don't　understand；　too；　but　I　know　what　that　means。　She　won't　refuse　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　all　foolishness；〃　Rand　said　unfortably。　His　headache　was　fading　to　numbness；　his　head　felt　packed　with　wool。　He　wanted　to　get　away　from　this　girl　and　the　things　she　saw。　And　yet　。。。〃　What　do　you　see　when　you　look　at　。。。　the　rest　of　us？〃
　　　　　　　〃All　sorts　of　things；〃　Min　said；　with　a　grin　as　if　she　knew　what　he　really　wanted　to　ask。　〃The　War　。。。　ah　。。。　Master　Andra　has　seven　ruined　towers　around　his　head；　and　a　babe　in　a　cradle　holding　a　sword；　and　。。。　〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Men　like　him　…　you　understand？　…　always　have　so　many　images　they　crowd　one　another。　The　strongest　images　around　the　gleeman　are　a　man　…　not　him　…　juggling　fire；　and　the　White　Tower；　and　that　doesn't　make　any　sense　at　all　for　a　man。　The　strongest　things　I　see　about　the　big；　curly…haired　fellow　are　a　wolf；　and　a　broken　crown；　and　trees　flowering　all　around　him。　And　the　other　one　…　a　red　eagle；　an　eye　on　a　balance　scale；　a　dagger　with　a　ruby；　a　horn；　and　a　laughing　face。　There　are　other　things；　but　you　see　what　I　mean。　This　time　I　can't　make　up　or　down　out　of　any　of　it。〃　She　waited　then；　still　grinning；　until　he　finally　cleared　his　throat　and　asked。
　　　　　　　〃What　about　me？〃
　　　　　　　Her　grin　stopped　just　short　of　outright　laughter。　〃The　same　kind　of　things　as　the　rest。　A　sword　that　isn't　a　sword；　a　golden　crown　of　laurel　leaves；　a　beggar's　staff；　you　pouring　water　on　sand；　a　bloody　hand　and　a　white…hot　iron；　three　women　standing　over　a　funeral　bier　with　you　on　it；　black　rock　wet　with　blood　…〃
　　　　　　　〃All　right；〃　he　broke　in　uneasily。　〃You　don't　have　to　list　it　all。〃
　　　　　　　〃Most　of　all；　I　see　lightning　around　you；　some　striking　at　you；　some　ing　out　of　you。　I　don't　know　what　any　of　it　means；　except　for　one　thing。　You　and　I　will　meet　again。〃　She　gave　him　a　quizzical　look；　as　if　she　did　not　understand　that　either。
　　　　　　　〃Why　shouldn't　we？〃　he　said。　〃I'll　be　ing　back　this　way　on　my　way　home。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　you　will；　at　that。〃　Suddenly　her　grin　was　back；　wry　and　mysterious；　and　she　patted　his　cheek。　〃But　if　I　told　you　everything　I　saw；　you'd　be　as　curly…haired　as　your　friend　with　the　shoulders。〃
　　　　　　　He　jerked　back　from　her　hand　as　if　it　were　red…hot。　〃What　do　you　mean？　Do　you　see　anything　about　rats？　Or　dreams？〃
　　　　　　　〃Rats！　No；　no　rats。　As　for　dreams；　maybe　it's　your　idea　of　a　dream；　but　I　never　thought　it　was　mine。　〃
　　　　　　　He　wondered　if　she　was　crazy；　grinning　like　that。　〃I　have　to　go；〃　he　said；　edging　around　her。　〃I　。。。　I　have　to　meet　my　friends。〃
　　　　　　　〃Go；　then。　But　you　won't　escape。〃
　　　　　　　He　didn't　exactly　break　into　a　run；　but　every　step　he　took　was　quicker　than　the　step　before。
　　　　　　　〃Run；　if　you　want；〃　she　called　after　him。　〃You　can't　escape　from　me。〃
　　　　　　　Her　laughter　sped　him　across　the　stableyard　and　out　into　the　street；　into　the　hubbub　of　people。　Her　last　words　were　too　close　to　what　Ba'alzamon　had　said。　He　blundered　into　people　as　he　hurried　through　the　crowd；　earning　hard　looks　and　hard　words；　but　he　did　not　slow　down　until　he　was　several　streets　away　from　the　inn。
　　　　　　　After　a　time　he　began　to　pay　attention　again　to　where　he　was。　His　head　felt　like　a　balloon；　but　he　stared　and　enjoyed　anyway。　He　thought　Baerlon　was　a　grand　city；　if　not　exactly　in　the　same　way　as　cities　in　Thom's　stories。　He　wandered　up　broad　streets；　most　paved　with　flagstone；　and　down　narrow；　twisting　lanes；　wherever　chance　and　the　shifting　of　the　crowd　took　him。　It　had　rained　during　the　night；　and　the　streets　that　were　unpaved　had　already　been　churned　to　mud　by　the　crowds；　but　muddy　streets　were　nothing　new　to　him。　None　of　the　streets　in　Emond's　Field　was　paved。
　　　　　　　There　certainly　were　no　palaces；　and　only　a　few　houses　were　very　much　bigger　than　those　back　home；　but　every　house　had　a　roof　of　slate　or　tile　as　fine　as　the　roof　of　the　Winespring　Inn。　He　supposed　there　would　be　a　palace　or　two　in　Caemlyn。　As　for　inns；　he　counted　nine；　not　one　smaller　than　the　Winespring　and　most　as　large　as　the　Stag　and　Lion；　and　there　were　plenty　of　streets　he　had　not　seen　yet。
　　　　　　　Shops　dotted　every　street；　with　awnings　out　front　sheltering　tables　covered　with　goods；　everything　from　cloth　to　books　to　pots　to　boots。　It　was　as　if　a　hundred　peddlers'　wagons　had　spilled　out　their　contents。　He　stared　so　much　that　more　than　once　he　had　to　hurry　on　at　the　suspicious　look　of　a　shopkeeper。　He　had　not　understood　the　first　shopkeeper's　stare。　When　he　did　understand；　he　started　to　get　angry　until　he　remembered　that　here　he　was　the　stranger。　He　could　not　have　bought　much；　anyway。　He　gasped　when　he　saw　how　many　coppers　were　exchanged　for　a　dozen　discolored　apples　or　a　handful　of　shrivelled　turnips；　the　sort　that　would　be　fed　to　the　horses　in　the　Two　Rivers；　but　people　seemed　eager　to　pay。
　　　　　　　There　were　certainly　more　than　enough　people；　to　his　estimation。　For　a　while　the　sheer　number　of　them　almost　overwhelmed　him。　Some　wore　clothes　of　finer　cut　than　anyone　in　the　Two　Rivers　…　almost　as　fine　as　Moiraine's　…　and　quite　a　few　had　long；　fur…lined　coats　that　flapped　around　their　ankles。　The　miners　everybody　at　the　inn　kept　talking　about；　they　had　the　hunched　look　of　men　who　grubbed　underground。　But　most　of　the　people　did　not　look　any　different　from　those　he　had　grown　up　with；　not　in　dress