rj.theshadowrising-第146部分

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　with　the　definite　sound　of　orders　hammered　the　night；　well　before　they　reached　the　cover　of　the　thicket。　Not　that　it　was　much　cover　now。
　　　　　　　Tam　had　everyone　mounted；　as　Perrin　had　asked。　Or　ordered。　He　swung　straight　from　the　gelding　to　Stepper。　Verin　and　Tomas　were　the　only　ones　not　all　but　jumping　up　and　down　in　their　saddles；　their　horses　were　the　only　ones　not　dancing　with　their　riders'　nervousness。　Abell　was　trying　to　hug　his　wife　and　daughters　all　three　at　the　same　time；　all　of　them　laughing　and　crying。　Master　Luhhan　was　trying　to　shake　every　hand　he　could　reach。　Everybody　except　the　Aiel；　Verin　and　her　Warder　seemed　to　be　offering　everybody　else　congratulations；　as　though　it　were　all　done。
　　　　　　　〃Why；　Perrin；　it　is　you！〃　Mistress　Luhhan　exclaimed。　Her　round；　face　looked　peculiar　under　the　helmet；　sitting　askew　because　of　her　braid。　〃What　is　that　thing　on　your　face；　young　man？　I　am　more　than　grateful　to　you；　but　I　will　not　have　you　at　my　table　looking　like　a　…〃
　　　　　　　〃No　time　for　that；〃　he　told　her；　ignoring　the　shock　on　her　face。　She　was　not　a　woman　people　cut　off；　but　the　Whitecloak　horns　were　sounding　something　besides　an　alarm　now；　a　short　repetitive　cry；　sharp　and　insistent。　An　order　of　some　kind。　〃Tam；　Abell；　take　Master　Luhhan　and　the　women　to　that　hiding　place　you　know。　Gaul；　you　go　with　them。　And　Faile。〃　That　would　add　Bain　and　Chiad。　〃And　Hu　and　Haim。〃　That　should　be　enough　to　be　safe。　〃Move　quietly。　Quiet　is　better　than　speed；　for　a　little　while　anyway。　But　go　now。〃
　　　　　　　Those　he　named　wound　off　westward　with　no　argument；　though　Mistress　Luhhan；　holding　her　horse's　mane　with　both　hands；　gave　him　a　very　level　look。　It　was　the　lack　of　argument　from　Faile　that　stunned　him；　enough　that　it　took　him　a　moment　to　realize　he　had　called　Master　al'Thor　and　Master　Cauthon　by　their　first　names。
　　　　　　　Verin　and　Tomas　had　stayed　behind；　and　he　eyed　her　sharply。　〃Any　chance　of　a　little　help　from　you？〃'
　　　　　　　〃Not　the　way　you　mean；　perhaps；〃　she　replied　calmly；　as　though　the　Whitecloak　camp　were　not　in　turmoil　just　a　mile　off。　〃My　reasons　are　no　different　today　than　yesterday。　But　I　think　it　might　rain　in。。。　oh。。。　half　an　hour。　Maybe　less。　Quite　a　downpour；　I　expect。〃
　　　　　　　Half　an　hour。　Perrin　grunted　and　turned　to　the　remaining　Two　Rivers　lads。　Practically　quivering　with　the　desire　to　run；　they　held　their　bows　in　white…knuckled　grips。　He　hoped　they　had　all　remembered　to　bring　spare　bowstrings；　at　least；　since　it　was　going　to　rain。　〃We；〃　he　told　them；　〃are　going　to　draw　the　Whitecloaks　off　so　Mistress　Cauthon　and　Mistress　Luhhan　and　the　rest　can　get　away　safely。　We'll　take　them　south　along　the　North　Road　until　we　can　lose　them　in　the　rain。　If　anyone　wants　out；　he　had　best　ride　now。　〃　A　few　hands　shifted　on　their　reins；　but　they　all　sat　their　saddles　looking　at　him。　〃All　right；　then。　Shout　like　you've　gone　mad　so　they'll　hear　us。　Shout　until　we　reach　the　road。〃
　　　　　　　Bellowing；　he　wheeled　Stepper　and　galloped　for　the　road。　At　first　he　was　not　really　certain　they　would　follow；　but　their　wild　howls　drowned　his　roar　and　the　thunder　of　their　hooves。　If　the　Whitecloaks　did　not　hear　that；　they　were　deaf。
　　　　　　　Not　all　of　them　stopped　shouting　when　they　reached　the　hard…packed　dirt　of　the　North　Road　and　swung　south　at　a　dead　run　through　the　night。　Some　laughed　and　whooped。　Perrin　shrugged　out　of　the　white　cloak　and　let　it　fall。　The　horns　sounded　again；　a　little　fainter　now。
　　　　　　　〃Perrin；〃　Wil　called；　leaning　forward　on　the　neck　of　his　horse；　〃what　do　we　do　now？　What　do　we　do　next？〃
　　　　　　　〃We　hunt　Trollocs！　〃　Perrin　shouted　over　his　shoulder。　From　the　way　the　laughter　redoubled；　he　did　not　think　they　believed　him。　But　he　could　feel　Verin's　eyes　drilling　into　his　back。　She　knew。　Thunder　in　the　night　sky　echoed　the　horses'　hooves。


Chapter　34
（Dragon）
He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn

　　　　　　　The　dawn　shadows　shortened　and　paled　as　Rand　and　Mat　jogged　across　the　barren；　still…dark　valley　floor；　leaving　fog…shrouded　Rhuidean　behind。　The　dry　air　hinted　at　heat　to　e；　but　the　slight　breeze　actually　felt　cool　to　Rand；　with　no　coat。　That　would　not　last；　full　blistering　daylight　would　be　on　them　soon　enough；　They　hurried　as　best　they　could　in　the　hope　of　beating　it；　but　he　did　not　think　they　would。　Their　best　was　not　very　fast。
　　　　　　　Mat　trotted　in　a　pained　shamble；　a　dark　smear　fanned　across　half　his　face；　and　his　coat　hung　open；　revealing　his　unlaced　shirt　stuck　to　his　chest　by　more　drying　blood。　Sometimes　he　gingerly　touched　the　thick　weal　around　his　throat；　nearly　black　now；　growling　under　his　breath；　and　he　stumbled　often；　catching　himself　with　the　odd；　black…hafted　spear　and　clutching　at　his　head。　He　did　not　plain；　though；　which　was　a　bad　sign。　Mat　was　a　great　plainer　at　small　disforts；　if　he　was　silent　now；　it　meant　he　was　in　real　pain。
　　　　　　　The　old；　half…healed　wound　in　Rand's　side　felt　as　though　something　were　boring　into　it；　and　the　gashes　on　his　face　and　head　burned；　yet　lumbering　along；　half…hunched　over　his　aching　side；　he　hardly　thought　of　his　own　hurts。　He　was　all　too　conscious　of　the　sun　rising　behind　him　and　the　Aiel　waiting　on　the　bare　mountainside　ahead。　There　was　water　and　shade　up　there；　and　help　for　Mat。　The　rising　sun　behind；　and　the　Aiel　ahead。　Dawn　and　the　Aiel。
　　　　　　　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn。　That　Aes　Sedai　he　had　seen；　or　dreamed　he　had　seen；　before　Rhuidean　…　she　had　spoken　as　if　she　had　the　Foretelling。　He　will　bind　you　together。　He　will　take　you　back；　and　destroy　you。　Words　delivered　like　prophecy。　Destroy　them。　Prophecy　said　he　would　Break　the　World　again。　The　idea　horrified　him。　Perhaps　he　could　escape　that　part；　at　least；　but　war；　death　and　destruction　already　welled　up　in　his　footsteps。　Tear　was　the　first　place　in　what　seemed　a　very　long　time　where　he　had　not　left　chaos　behind；　men　dying　and　villages　burning。
　　　　　　　He　found　himself　wishing　he　could　climb　on　Jeade'en　and　run　as　fast　as　the　stallion　could　carry　him。　It　was　not　the　first　time。　But　I　can't　run；　he　thought。　I　have　it　to　do　because　there　isn't　anybody　else　who　can。　I　do　it；　or　the　Dark　One　wins。　A　hard　bargain；　but　the　only　one　there　was。　But　why　would　I　destroy　the　Aiel？　How？
　　　　　　　That　last　thought　chilled　him。　It　was　too　much　like　accepting　that　he　would；　that　he　should。　He　did　not　want　to　harm　the　Aiel。　〃Light；〃　he　said　harshly；　〃I　don't　want　to　destroy　anybody。〃　His　mouth　felt　lined　with　dust　again。
　　　　　　　Mat　glanced　at　him　silently。　A　wary　look。
　　　　　　　I　am　not　mad　yet；　Rand　thought　grimly。
　　　　　　　Upslope　the　Aiel　were　stirring　in　the　three　camps。　The　cold　fact　was；　he　needed　them。　That　was　why　he　had　begun　to　contemplate　this；　back　when　he　first　discovered　that　the　Dragon　Reborn　and　He　Who　es　With　the　Dawn　might　well　be　one　and　the　same。　He　needed　people　he　could　trust；　people　who　followed　from　something　besides　fear　of　him；　or　greed　for　power。　People　who　did　not　mean　to　use　him　for　their　own　ends。　He　had　done　what　was　required；　and　now　he　would　use　them。　Because　he　had　to。　He　was　not　mad　yet　…　he　did　not　think　he　was　…　but　many　would　think　so　before　he　was　done。
　　　　　　　Full；　glaring　sunlight　overtook　them　before　they　began　to　scramble　up　Chaendaer；　heat　like　a　club。　Rand　climbed　the　uneven　slope　as　fast　as　he　could　manage；　with　its　dips　and　rises　and　rough　outcrops；　his　throat　had　forgotten　its　last　drink；　and　the　sun　dried　his　shirt　as　fast　as　sweat　could　moisten　it。　Mat　needed　no　urging；　either。　There　was　water　up　there。　Bair　stood　in　front　of　the　Wise　One's　low　tents；　a　waterbag　in　her　hands；　glistening　with　condensation。　Licking　cracked　lips；　Rand　was　sure　he　could　see　the　glisten。
　　　　　　　〃Where　is　he？　What　have　you　done　to　him？〃
　　　　　　　The　roar　stopped　Rand　in　his　tracks。　The　flame…haired　man；　Couladin；　stood　atop　a　thick　thumb　of　granite　jutting　out　from　the　mountain。　Others　of　the　Shaido　clan　clustered　around　its　base；　all　looking　at　Rand　and　Mat。　Some　were　veiled。
　　　　　　　〃Who　are　you　talking　about？〃　Rand　called　back。　His　voice　croaked　with　thirst。
　　　　　　　Couladin's　eyes　bulged　in　outrage。　〃Muradin；　wetlander！　He　entered　two　days　before　you；　yet　you　e　out　first。　He　could　not　fail　where　you　survive！　You　must　have　murdered　him！〃
　　　　　　　Rand　thought　he　heard　a　shout　from　the　Wise　One's　tents；　but　bef