rj.theshadowrising-第204部分

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return　of　the　Dragon；　a　speech　followed　by　a　battle　with　soldiers　trying　to　disperse　them。　Aside　from　the　fact　that　the　soldiers　apparently　got　the　worst　of　it；　the　interesting　thing　was　that　this　Masema　knew　Rand　al'Thor's　name。　That　definitely　went　back　into　the　box。
　　　　　　　A　report　that　nothing　had　yet　been　found　of　Mazrim　Taim。　No　reason　for　that　to　be　in　there。　Another　on　worsening　conditions　in　Arad　Doman　and　Tarabon。　Ships　vanishing　along　the　Aryth　Ocean　coast。　Rumors　of　Tairen　incursions　into　Cairhien。　She　was　getting　into　the　habit　of　putting　everything　in　this　box；　none　of　that　needed　to　be　kept　secret。　Two　sisters　had　vanished　from　Illian；　and　another　in　Caemlyn。　She　shivered；　wondering　where　the　Forsaken　were。　Too　many　of　her　agents　had　gone　silent。　There　were　lionfish　out　there；　and　she　was　swimming　in　darkness。　There　it　was。　The　silk…thin　slip　of　paper　crackled　as　she　unrolled　it。
　　　　　　　The　sling　has　been　used。　The　shepherd　holds　the　sword。
　　　　　　　The　Hall　of　the　Tower　had　voted　as　she　had　expected；　unanimously　and　with　no　need　for　arm…twisting；　much　less　invoking　her　authority。　If　a　man　had　drawn　Callandor；　he　must　be　the　Dragon　Reborn；　and　that　man　had　to　be　guided　by　the　White　Tower。　Three　Sitters　for　three　different　Ajahs　had　proposed　holding　all　plans　close　in　the　Hall　before　she　even　suggested　it；　the　surprise　had　been　that　one　was　Elaida；　but　then　the　Reds　would　surely　want　the　tightest　hawsers　possible　kept　on　a　man　who　could　channel。　The　sole　problem　had　been　to　stop　a　delegation　from　being　sent　to　Tear　to　take　him　in　hand；　and　that　had　not　really　been　difficult；　not　when　she　was　able　to　say　that　her　news　came　from　an　Aes　Sedai　who　had　already　managed　to　put　herself　close　to　the　man。
　　　　　　　But　what　was　he　doing　now？　Why　had　Moiraine　not　sent　further　word？　Impatience　hung　so　thick　in　the　Hall　now　that　she　almost　expected　the　air　to　sparkle。　She　kept　a　tight　hold　oh　her　anger。　Burn　the　woman！　Why　hasn't　she　sent　word？
　　　　　　　The　door　crashed　open；　and　she　straightened　furiously　as　more　than　a　dozen　women　strode　into　her　study；　led　by　Elaida。　All　wore　their　shawls；　most　red…fringed；　but　cool…faced　Alviarin；　a　White；　was　at　Elaida's　side；　and　Joline　Maza；　a　slender　Green；　and　plump　Shemerin　of　the　Yellow　came　close　behind　with　Danelle；　her　big　blue　eyes　not　dreamy　at　all。　In　fact；　at　least　one　woman　from　every　Ajah　except　the　Blue。　Some　looked　nervous；　but　most　wore　grim　determination；　and　Elaida's　dark　eyes　held　stern　confidence；　even　triumph。
　　　　　　　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　Siuan　snapped；　slapping　the　blackwood　box　shut　with　a　sharp　crack。　She　bounced　to　her　feet　and　strode　around　the　desk。　First　Moiraine　and　now　this！　〃If　this　is　about　Tairen　matters；　Elaida；　you　know　better　than　to　bring　others　into　it。　And　you　know　better　than　to　walk　in　here　as　if　this　were　your　mother's　kitchen！　Make　your　apologies　and　leave　before　I　make　you　wish　you　were　an　ignorant　novice　again！〃
　　　　　　　Her　cold　rage　should　have　sent　them　scurrying；　but　though　a　few　shifted　uneasily；　none　made　a　move　toward　the　door。　Little　Danelle　actually　smirked　at　her。　And　Elaida　calmly　reached　out　and　pulled　the　striped　stole　from　Siuan's　shoulders。　〃You　will　not　need　this　any　longer；〃　she　said。　〃You　were　never　fit　for　it；　Siuan。〃
　　　　　　　Shock　turned　Siuan's　tongue　to　stone。　This　was　madness。　This　was　impossible。　In　a　rage　she　reached　for　saidar　…　and　suffered　her　second　shock。　A　barrier　lay　between　her　and　the　True　Source；　like　a　wall　of　thick　glass。　She　stared　at　Elaida　in　disbelief。
　　　　　　　As　if　to　mock　her；　the　radiance　of　saidar　sprang　up　around　Elaida。　She　stood　helpless　as　the　Red　sister　wove　flows　of　Air　around　her　from　shoulders　to　waist；　crushing　her　arms　to　her　side。　She　could　barely　breathe。　〃You　must　be　mad！〃　she　rasped。　〃All　of　you！　I'll　have　your　hides　for　this！　Release　me！〃　No　one　answered；　they　almost　seemed　to　ignore　her。
　　　　　　　Alviarin　ruffled　through　the　papers　on　the　table；　quickly　yet　unhurriedly。　Joline　and　Danelle　and　others　began　tilting　up　the　books　on　the　reading　stands；　shaking　them　to　see　if　anything　fell　out　from　between　the　pages。　The　White　sister　gave　a　small　hiss　of　vexation　at　not　finding　what　she　sought　on　the　table；　then　flipped　open　the　lid　of　the　blackwood　box。　Instantly　the　box　flared　in　a　ball　of　flame。
　　　　　　　Alviarin　leaped　back　with　a　cry；　shaking　a　hand　where　blisters　were　already　forming。　〃Warded；〃　she　muttered；　as　close　to　open　anger　as　a　White　ever　came。　〃So　small　that　I　never　felt　it　until　too　late。〃　Nothing　remained　of　the　box　and　its　contents　but　a　heap　of　gray　ash　atop　a　square　charred　into　the　tabletop。
　　　　　　　Elaida's　face　showed　no　disappointment。　〃I　promise　you；　Siuan；　that　you　will　tell　me　every　word　that　burned；　who　it　was　meant　for；　and　to　what　purpose。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　must　be　taken　by　the　Dragon！〃　Siuan　snapped。　〃I　will　have　your　hide　for　this；　Elaida。　All　of　your　hides！　You　will　be　lucky　if　the　Hall　of　the　Tower　doesn't　vote　to　still　all　of　you！〃
　　　　　　　Elaida's　tiny　smile　did　not　touch　her　eyes；　〃The　Hall　convened　not　an　hour　ago　…　enough　Sisters　to　meet　our　laws　…　and　by　unanimous　vote；　as　required；　you　are　no　longer　Amyrlin。　It　is　done；　and　we　are　here　to　see　it　enforced。〃
　　　　　　　Siuan's　stomach　turned　to　ice；　and　a　small　voice　in　the　back　of　her　head　shrieked；　What　do　they　know？　Light；　how　much　do　they　know？　Fool！　Blind；　fool　woman！　She　kept　her　face　smooth；　though。　This　was　not　the　first　hard　corner　she　had　ever　been　in。　A　fifteen…year…old　girl　with　nothing　but　her　bait　knife；　hauled　into　an　alley　by　four　hard…eyed　louts　with　their　bellies　full　of　cheap　wine　…　that　had　been　harder　to　escape　than　this。　So　she　told　herself。
　　　　　　　〃Enough　to　meet　the　laws？〃　she　sneered。　〃A　bare　minimum；　heavy　with　your　friends　and　those　you　can　influence　or　bully。〃　That　Elaida　had　been　able　to　convince　even　a　relatively　small　number　of　Sitters　was　enough　to　dry　her　throat；　but　she　would　not　let　it　show。　〃When　the　full　Hall　meets；　with　all　the　Sitters；　you'll　learn　your　mistake。　Too　late！　There　has　never　been　a　rebellion　inside　the　Tower；　a　thousand　years　from　now　they'll　be　using　your　fate　to　teach　novices　what　happens　to　rebels。〃　Tendrils　of　doubt　crept　onto　some　of　those　faces；　it　seemed　Elaida　did　not　have　as　tight　a　grip　on　her　conspirators　as　she　thought。　〃It's　time　to　stop　trying　to　hack　a　hole　in　the　hull；　and　start　bailing。　Even　you　can　still　mitigate　your　offense；　Elaida。〃
　　　　　　　Elaida　waited　with　chill　calm　until　she　was　done。　Then　her　full…armed　slap　exploded　across　Siuan's　face；　she　staggered；　silver…black　flecks　dancing　in　her　vision。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　finished；〃　Elaida　said。　〃Did　you　think　I　…　we　…　would　allow　you　to　destroy　the　Tower？　Bring　her！〃
　　　　　　　Siuan　stumbled　as　two　of　the　Reds　pushed　her　forward。　Barely　keeping　her　feet；　she　glared　at　them；　but　went　as　they　directed。　Who　did　she　need　to　get　word　to？　Whatever　charges　had　been　brought；　she　could　counter　them；　given　time。　Even　charges　involving　Rand；　they　could　not　fasten　more　than　rumors　to　her；　and　she　had　played　the　Great　Game　too　long　to　be　beaten　by　rumors。　Unless　they　had　Min；　Min　could　clothe　rumors　in　truth。　She　ground　her　teeth。　Burn　my　soul；　I'll　use　this　lot　for　fish　bait！
　　　　　　　In　the　antechamber；　she　stumbled　again；　but　not　from　pushing；　this　time。　She　had　half…hoped　that　Leane　had　been　away　from　her　post；　but　the　Keeper　stood　as　Siuan　did；　arms　stiffly　at　her　sides；　mouth　working　soundlessly；　furiously；　around　a　gag　of　Air。　She　had　certainly　sensed　Leane　being　bound　and　never　realized　it；　in　the　Tower；　there　was　always　the　feel　of　women　channeling。
　　　　　　　Yet　it　was　not　the　sight　of　Leane　that　made　her　miss　her　step；　but　the　tall；　slender　gray…haired　man　stretched　on　the　floor　with　a　knife　rising　from　his　back。　Alric　had　been　her　Warder　for　close　to　twenty　years；　never　plaining　when　her　path　kept　them　in　the　Tower；　never　muttering　when　being　the　Amyrlin's　Warder　sent　him　hundreds　of　leagues　from　her；　a　thing　none　of　the　Gaidin　liked。
　　　　　　　She　cleared　her　throat；　but　her　voice　was　still　husky　when　she　spoke。　〃I'll　have　your　hide　salted　and　stretched　in　the　sun　for　this；　Elaida。　I　swear　it！〃
　　　　　　　〃Consider　your　own　hide；　Siuan；〃　Elaida　said；　moving　closer　to　stare　her　in　the　eyes。　〃There　is