rj.thegreathunt-第134部分

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way　out。　As　he　took　hand　from　hilt；　Rand　let　the　void　go；　too；　and　shivered。　The　void　went；　but　it　left　behind　a　slowly　fading　echo　of　the　emptiness　all　through　him；　and　a　desire　for　something　to　fill　it。
　　　　　　　The　Ogier　turned　to　Verin　and　bowed。　〃Aes　Sedai；　I　am　Juin；　son　of　Lacel　son　of　Laud。　I　have　e　to　take　you　to　the　Elders。　They　would　know　why　an　Aes　Sedai　es　among　us；　with　armed　men　and　one　of　our　own　youths。〃　Loial　hunched　his　shoulders　as　if　trying　to　disappear。
　　　　　　　Verin　gave　the　Aiel　a　regretful　look；　as　if　she　wanted　to　talk　with　them；　then　motioned　Juin　to　lead；　and　he　took　her　away　without　another　word　or　even　the　first　look　at　Loial。
　　　　　　　For　a　few　moments；　Rand　and　the　others　stood　facing　the　three　Aiel　women　uneasily。　At　least；　Rand　knew　he　was　uneasy。　Ingtar　seemed　steady　as　a　stone；　with　no　more　expression　than　one。　The　Aiel　might　have　unveiled　their　faces；　but　they　still　had　spears　in　their　hands；　and　they　studied　the　four　men　as　though　trying　to　see　inside　them。　Rand　in　particular　received　increasingly　angry　looks。　He　heard　the　youngest　woman　mutter；　〃He　is　wearing　a　sword；〃　in　tones　of　mingled　horror　and　contempt。　Then　the　three　were　leaving；　stopping　to　retrieve　the　wooden　bowl　and　looking　over　their　shoulders　at　Rand　and　the　others　until　they　vanished　among　the　trees。
　　　　　　　〃Maidens　of　the　Spear；〃　Ingtar　muttered。　〃I　never　thought　they'd　stop　once　they　veiled　their　faces。　Certainly　not　for　a　few　words。〃　He　looked　at　Rand　and　his　two　friends。　〃You　should　see　a　charge　by　Red　Shields；　or　Stone　Dogs。　As　easy　to　stop　as　an　avalanche。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　would　not　break　the　Pact　once　it　was　recalled　to　them；〃　Erith　said；　smiling。　〃They　came　for　sung　wood。〃　A　note　of　pride　entered　her　voice。　〃We　have　two　Treesingers　in　Stedding　Tsofu。　They　are　rare；　now。　I　have　heard　that　Stedding　Shangtai　has　a　young　Treesinger　who　is　very　talented；　but　we　have　two。〃　Loial　blushed；　but　she　did　not　appear　to　notice。　〃If　you　will　e　with　me；　I　will　show　you　where　you　may　wait　until　the　Elders　have　spoken。〃
　　　　　　　As　they　followed　her；　Perrin　murmured；　〃Sung　wood；　my　left　foot。　Those　Aiel　are　searching　for　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。〃
　　　　　　　And　Mat　added　dryly；　〃They're　looking　for　you；　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　〃For　me！　That　is　crazy。　What　makes　you　think　…　〃
　　　　　　　He　cut　off　as　Erith　showed　them　down　the　steps　of　a　wildflower…covered　house　apparently　set　aside　for　human　guests。　The　rooms　were　twenty　paces　from　stone　wall　to　stone　wall；　with　painted　ceilings　a　good　two　spans　above　the　floor；　but　the　Ogier　had　done　their　best　making　something　that　would　be　fortable　for　humans。　Even　so；　the　furniture　was　a　little　too　large　for　fort；　the　chairs　tall　enough　to　lift　a　man's　heels　off　the　floor；　the　table　higher　than　Rand's　waist。　Hurin；　at　least；　could　have　walked　erect　into　the　stone　fireplace；　which　seemed　to　have　been　worn　by　water　rather　than　made　by　hands。　Erith　eyed　Loial　doubtfully；　but　he　waved　away　her　concern　and　pulled　one　of　the　chairs　into　the　corner　least　easily　seen　from　the　door。
　　　　　　　As　soon　as　the　Ogier　girl　left；　Rand　got　Mat　and　Perrin　over　to　one　side。　〃What　do　you　mean　they're　looking　for　me？　Why？　For　what　reason？　They　looked　right　at　me；　and　went　away。〃
　　　　　　　〃They　looked　at　you；〃　Mat　said　with　a　grin；　〃like　you　hadn't　bathed　in　a　month；　and　had　doused　yourself　with　sheepdip　besides。〃　His　grin　faded。　〃But　they　could　be　looking　for　you。　We　met　another　Aiel。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　listened　in　growing　amazement　to　their　tale　of　the　meeting　in　Kinslayer's　Dagger。　Mat　told　most　of　it；　with　Perrin　putting　in　a　correcting　word　now　and　again　when　he　embellished　too　much。　Mat　made　a　great　show　of　how　dangerous　the　Aielman　had　been；　and　how　close　the　meeting　had　e　to　a　fight。
　　　　　　　〃And　since　you're　the　only　Aiel　we　know；〃　he　finished；　〃well；　it　could　be　you。　Ingtar　says　Aiel　never　live　outside　the　Waste；　so　you　must　be　the　only　one。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　think　that's　funny；　Mat；〃　Rand　growled。　〃I　am　not　an　Aiel。〃　The　Amyrlin　said　you　are。　Ingtar　thinks　you　are。　Tam　said　。。。　He　was　sick；　fevered。　They　had　severed　the　roots　he　had　thought　he　had；　the　Aes　Sedai　and　Tam　between　them；　though　Tam　had　been　too　sick　to　know　what　he　was　saying。　They　had　cut　him　loose　to　tumble　before　the　wind；　then　offered　him　something　new　to　hold　on　to。　False　Dragon。　Aiel。　He　could　not　claim　those　for　roots。　He　would　not。　〃Maybe　I　don't　belong　to　anyone。　But　the　Two　Rivers　is　the　only　home　I　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　didn't　mean　anything；〃　Mat　protested。　〃It's　just　。。。　Burn　me；　Ingtar　says　you　are。　Masema　says　you　are。　Urien　could　have　been　your　cousin；　and　if　Rhian　put　on　a　dress　and　said　she　was　your　aunt；　you'd　believe　it　yourself。　Oh；　all　right。　Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　Perrin。　If　he　wants　to　say　he　isn't；　all　right。　What　difference　does　it　make；　anyway？〃　Perrin　shook　his　head。
　　　　　　　Ogier　girls　brought　water　and　towels　for　washing　faces　and　hands；　and　cheese　and　fruit　and　wine；　with　pewter　goblets　a　little　too　large　to　be　fortable　in　the　hand。　Other　Ogier　women　came；　too；　their　dresses　all　embroidered。　One　by　one　they　appeared；　a　dozen　of　them　all　told；　to　ask　if　the　humans　were　fortable；　if　they　needed　anything。　Each　turned　her　attentions　to　Loial　just　before　she　left。　He　gave　his　answers　respectfully　but　in　as　few　words　as　Rand　had　ever　heard　him　use；　standing　with　an　Ogier…sized；　wood…bound　book　clutched　to　his　chest　like　a　shield；　and　when　they　went；　he　huddled　in　his　chair　with　the　book　held　up　in　front　of　his　face。　The　books　in　the　house　were　one　thing　not　sized　for　humans。
　　　　　　　〃Just　smell　this　air；　Lord　Rand；〃　Hurin　said；　filling　his　lungs　with　a　smile。　His　feet　dangled　from　one　of　the　chairs　at　the　table；　he　swung　them　like　a　boy。　〃I　never　thought　most　places　smelled　bad；　but　this　。。。　Lord　Rand；　I　don't　think　there's　ever　been　any　killing　here。　Not　even　any　hurting；　except　by　accident。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　stedding　are　supposed　to　be　safe　for　everyone；〃　Rand　said。　He　was　watching　Loial。　〃That's　what　the　stories　say；　anyway。〃　He　swallowed　a　last　bit　of　white　cheese　and　went　over　to　the　Ogier。　Mat　followed　with　a　goblet　in　his　hand。　〃What's　the　matter；　Loial？〃　Rand　said。　〃You've　been　as　nervous　as　a　cat　in　a　dogyard　ever　since　we　came　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　is　nothing；〃　Loial　said；　giving　the　door　an　uneasy　glance　from。　the　corner　of　his　eye。
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　afraid　they'll　find　out　you　left　Stedding　Shangtai　without　permission　from　your　Elders？〃
　　　　　　　Loial　looked　around　wildly；　the　tufts　on　his　ears　vibrating。　〃Don't　say　that；〃　he　hissed。　〃Not　where　anyone　can　hear。　If　they　found　out　。。。〃　With　a　heavy　sigh；　he　slumped　back；　looking　from　Rand　to　Mat。　〃I　don't　know　how　humans　do　it；　but　among　Ogier　。。。　If　a　girl　sees　a　boy　she　likes；　she　goes　to　her　mother。　Or　sometimes　the　mother　sees　someone　she　thinks　is　suitable。　In　any　case；　if　they　agree；　the　girl's　mother　goes　to　the　boy's　mother；　and　the　next　thing　the　boy　knows；　his　marriage　is　all　arranged。〃
　　　　　　　〃Doesn't　the　boy　have　any　say　in　it？〃　Mat　asked　incredulously。
　　　　　　　〃None。　The　women　always　say　we　would　spend　our　lives　married　to　the　trees　if　it　was　left　to　us。〃　Loial　shifted；　grimacing。　〃Half　of　our　marriages　take　place　between　stedding；　groups　of　young　Ogier　visit　from　stedding　to　stedding　so　they　can　see；　and　be　seen。　If　they　discover　I'm　Outside　without　permission；　the　Elders　will　almost　certainly　decide　I　need　a　wife　to　settle　me　down。　Before　I　know　it；　they'll　have　sent　a　message　to　Stedding　Shangtai；　to　my　mother；　and　she　will　e　here　and　have　me　married　before　she　washes　off　the　dust　of　her　journey。　She's　always　said　I　am　too　hasty　and　need　a　wife。　I　think　she　was　looking　when　I　left。　Whatever　wife　she　chooses　for　me　。。。　well；　any　wife　at　all　won't　let　me　go　back　Outside　until　I　have　gray　in　my　beard。　Wives　always　say　no　man　should　be　allowed　Outside　until　he's　settled　enough　to　control　his　temper。〃
　　　　　　　Mat　gave　a　guffaw　loud　enough　to　draw　every　head；　but　at　Loial's　frantic　gesture　he　spoke　softly。　〃Among　us；　men　do　the　choosing；　and　no　wife　can　stop　a　man　doing　what　he　wants。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　frowned；　remembering　how　Egwene　had　begun　following　him　around　when　they　were　both　little。　It　was　then　that　Mistress　al'Vere　had　begun　taking　a　special　interest　in　him；　more　than　in　any　of　the　ot