rj.thegreathunt-第48部分

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y　first　met；　preferring　to　trust　to　his　own　feet；　but　Rand　thought　he　had　long　gotten　over　that。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　like　to　run；　Rand？〃　Loial　laughed。　〃I　do。　I　was　the　fastest　in　Stedding　Shangtai。　I　outran　a　horse；　once。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　only　shook　his　head。　He　did　not　want　to　waste　breath　on　talk。　He　looked　for　Mat　and　Perrin；　but　they　were　still　at　the　back；　too　many　men　between　for　Rand　to　make　them　out。　He　wondered　how　the　Shienarans　could　manage　this　in　their　armor。　Not　a　one　of　them　slowed　or　voiced　a　plaint。　Uno　did　not　even　look　as　if　he　were　breaking　a　sweat；　and　the　bannerman　never　let　the　Gray　Owl　waver。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　quick　pace；　but　twilight　began　to　close　without　any　sight　of　those　they　hunted　except　their　tracks。　At　last；　reluctantly；　Ingtar　called　a　halt　to　make　camp　for　the　night　in　the　forest。　The　Shienarans　went　about　getting　fires　started　and　setting　picket…lines　for　the　horses　with　a　smooth　economy　of　effort　born　of　long　experience。　Ingtar　posted　six　guards；　in　pairs；　for　the　first　watch。
　　　　　　　Rand's　first　order　of　business　was　finding　his　bundle　in　the　wicker　panniers　from　the　packhorses。　It　was　not　hard　…　there　were　few　personal　bundles　among　the　supplies　…　but　when　he　had　it　open；　he　let　out　a　shout　that　brought　every　man　in　the　camp　erect　with　sword　in　hand。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　came　running。　〃What　is　it？　Peace；　did　someone　get　through？　I　did　not　hear　the　guards。〃
　　　　　　　〃It's　these　coats；〃　Rand　growled；　still　staring　at　what　he　had　unpacked。　One　coat　was　black；　embroidered　with　silver　thread；　the　other　white　worked　in　gold。　Both　had　herons　on　the　collars；　and　both　were　at　least　as　ornate　as　the　scarlet　coat　he　was　wearing。　〃The　servants　told　me　I　had　two　good；　serviceable　coats　in　here。　Look　at　them！〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　sheathed　his　sword　over　his　shoulder。　The　other　men　began　to　settle　back　down。　〃Well；　they　are　serviceable。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can't　wear　these。　I　can't　go　around　dressed　like　this　all　the　time。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　can　wear　them。　A　coat's　a　coat。　I　understand　Moiraine　Sedai　herself　saw　to　your　packing。　Maybe　Aes　Sedai　do　not　exactly　understand　what　a　man　wears　in　the　field。〃　Ingtar　grinned。　〃After　we　catch　these　Trollocs；　perhaps　we'll　have　a　feast。　You　will　be　dressed　for　it；　at　least；　even　if　the　rest　of　us　are　not。〃　He　strolled　back　to　where　the　cook　fires　were　already　burning。
　　　　　　　Rand　had　not　moved　since　Ingtar　mentioned　Moiraine。　He　stared　at　the　coats。　What　is　she　doing？　Whatever　it　is；　I　will　not　be　used。　He　bundled　everything　together　again　and　stuffed　the　bundle　back　into　the　pannier。　I　can　always　go　naked；　he　thought　bitterly。
　　　　　　　Shienarans　took　turns　at　the　cooking　when　they　were　in　the　field；　and　Masema　was　stirring　the　kettle　when　Rand　returned　to　the　fires。　The　smell　of　a　stew　made　from　turnips；　onions；　and　dried　meat　settled　over　the　camp。　Ingtar　was　served　first；　and　then　Uno；　but　everyone　else　stood　in　line　however　they　happened　to　e。　Masema　slopped　a　big　ladle　of　stew　on　Rand's　plate；　Rand　stepped　back　quickly　to　keep　from　getting　the　overflow　on　his　coat；　and　made　room　for　the　next　man　while　sucking　a　burned　thumb。　Masema　stared　at　him；　with　a　fixed　grin　that　never　reached　his　eyes。　Until　Uno　stepped　up　and　cuffed　him。
　　　　　　　〃We　didn't　bloody　bring　enough　for　you　to　be　spilling　it　on　the　flaming　ground。〃　The　one…eyed　man　looked　at　Rand　and　left。　Masema　rubbed　his　ear；　but　his　glare　followed　Rand。
　　　　　　　Rand　went　to　join　Ingtar　and　Loial；　sitting　on　the　ground　under　a　spreading　oak。　Ingtar　had　his　helmet　off；　on　the　ground　beside　him；　but　otherwise　he　was　fully　armored。　Mat　and　Perrin　were　already　there；　eating　hungrily。　Mat　gave　a　broad　sneer　at　Rand's　coat；　but　Perrin　barely　looked　up；　golden　eyes　shining　in　the　half…light　from　the　fires；　before　bending　back　to　his　plate。
　　　　　　　At　least　they　didn't　leave　this　time。
　　　　　　　He　sat　cross…legged　on　the　other　side　of　Ingtar　from　them。　〃I　wish　I　knew　why　Uno　keeps　looking　at　me。　It's　probably　this　bloody　coat。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　paused　thoughtfully　around　a　mouthful　of　stew。　Finally　he　said；　〃Uno　no　doubt　wonders　if　you　are　worthy　of　a　heron…mark　blade。〃　Mat　snorted　loudly；　but　Ingtar　went　on　unperturbed。　〃Do　not　let　Uno　upset　you。　He　would　treat　Lord　Agelmar　like　a　raw　recruit　if　he　could。　Well；　perhaps　not　Agelmar；　but　anyone　else。　He　has　a　tongue　like　a　file；　but　he　gives　good　advice。　He　should；　he's　been　campaigning　since　before　I　was　born。　Listen　to　his　advice；　don't　mind　his　tongue；　and　you　will　do　all　right　with　Uno。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　he　was　like　Masema。〃　Rand　shoveled　stew　into　his　mouth。　It　was　too　hot；　but　he　gulped　it　down。　They　had　not　eaten　since　leaving　Fal　Dara；　and　he　had　been　too　worried　to　eat　that　morning。　His　stomach　rumbled；　reminding　him　it　was　past　time。　He　wondered　if　telling　Masema　he　liked　the　food　would　help。　〃Masema　acts　like　he　hates　me；　and　I　don't　understand　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Masema　served　three　years　in　the　Eastern　Marches；〃　Ingtar　said。　〃At　Ankor　Dail；　against　the　Aiel。〃　He　stirred　his　stew　with　his　spoon；　frowning。　〃I　ask　no　questions；　mind。　If　Lan　Dai　Shan　and　Moiraine　Sedai　want　to　say　you　are　from　Andor；　from　the　Two　Rivers；　then　you　are。　But　Masema　can't　get　the　look　of　the　Aiel　out　of　his　head；　and　when　he　sees　you　。。。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　ask　no　questions。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　dropped　his　spoon　in　the　plate　with　a　sigh。　〃Everybody　thinks　I'm　somebody　I　am　not。　I　am　from　the　Two　Rivers；　Ingtar。　I　grew　tabac　with　…　with　my　father；　and　tended　his　sheep。　That　is　what　I　am。　A　farmer　and　shepherd　from　the　Two　Rivers。〃
　　　　　　　〃He's　from　the　Two　Rivers；〃　Mat　said　scornfully。　〃I　grew　up　with　him；　though　you'd　never　know　it　now。　You　put　this　Aiel　nonsense　in　his　head　on　top　of　what's　already　there；　and　the　Light　knows　what　we'll　have。　An　Aiel　lord；　maybe。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；〃　Loial　said；　〃he　has　the　look。　You　remember；　Rand；　I　remarked　on　it　once；　though　I　thought　it　was　just　because　I　didn't　know　you　humans　well　enough　then。　Remember？　'Till　shade　is　gone；　till　water　is　gone；　into　the　Shadow　with　teeth　bared；　screaming　defiance　with　the　last　breath；　to　spit　in　Sightblinder's　eye　on　the　Last　Day。'　You　remember；　Rand。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　stared　at　his　plate。　Wrap　a　shoufa　around　your　head；　and　you　would　be　the　image　of　an　Aielman。　That　had　been　Gawyn；　brother　to　Elayne；　the　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor。　Everybody　thinks　I'm　somebody　I'm　not。
　　　　　　　〃What　was　that？〃　Mat　asked。　〃About　spitting　in　the　Dark　One's　eye。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　how　long　the　Aiel　say　they'll　fight；〃　Ingtar　said；　〃and　I　don't　doubt　they　will。　Except　for　peddlers　and　gleemen；　Aiel　divide　the　world　in　two。　Aiel；　and　enemies。　They　changed　that　for　Cairhien　five　hundred　years　ago；　for　some　reason　no　one　but　an　Aiel　could　understand；　but　I　do　not　think　they　will　ever　do　so　again。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　not；〃　Loial　sighed。　〃But　they　do　let　the　Tuatha'an；　the　Traveling　People；　cross　the　Waste。　And　they　don't　see　Ogier　as　enemies；　either；　though　I　doubt　any　of　us　would　want　to　go　out　into　the　Waste。　Aiel　e　to　Stedding　Shangtai　sometimes　to　trade　for　sung　wood。　A　hard　people；　though。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　nodded。　〃I　wish　I　had　some　as　hard。　Half　as　hard。〃
　　　　　　　〃Is　that　a　joke？〃　Mat　laughed。　〃If　I　ran　a　mile　wearing　all　the　iron　you're　wearing；　I　would　fall　down　and　sleep　a　week。　You've　done　it　mile　after　mile　all　day。〃
　　　　　　　〃Aiel　are　hard；〃　Ingtar　said。　〃Man　and　woman；　hard。　I've　fought　them；　and　I　know。　They　will　run　fifty　miles；　and　fight　a　battle　at　the　end　of　it。　They're　death　walking；　with　any　weapon　or　none。　Except　a　sword。　They　will　not　touch　a　sword；　for　some　reason。　Or　ride　a　horse；　not　that　they　need　to。　If　you　have　a　sword；　and　the　Aielman　has　his　bare　hands；　it　is　an　even　fight。　If　you're　good。　They　herd　cattle　and　goats　where　you　or　I　would　die　of　thirst　before　the　day　was　done。　They　dig　their　villages　into　huge　rock　spires　out　in　the　Waste。　They've　been　there　since　the　Breaking；　near　enough。　Artur　Hawkwing　tried　to　dig　them　out　and　was　bloodied；　the　only　major　defeats　he　ever　suffered。　By　day　the　air　in　the　Aiel　Waste　shimmers　with　heat；　and　by　night　it　freezes。　And　an　Aiel　will　give　you　that　blue…eyed　stare　and　tell　you　there　is　no　place　on　earth　he　would　rather　be。　He　won't　be　lying；　either。　If　they　ever　tried　to　e　out；　we　would　be　hard…pressed　to　stop　them。　The　Aiel