rj.theshadowrising-第42部分

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f　me；〃　but　she　was　sure　the　effect　would　be　the　same。
　　　　　　　He　reached　out　as　if　to　stop　her；　but　she　slipped　away　from　him。　She　had　no　intention　of　putting　on　a　display　in　front　of　Gaul。　The　man　was　Aiel；　but　what　must　he　think　of　her；　wearing　perfume　and　sapphires　at　that　hour　of　the　morning？　It　required　real　effort　not　to　pull　the　neckline　of　her　dress　up　higher。
　　　　　　　The　High　Lords　entered　as　she　reached　the　door；　a　cluster　of　graying　men　in　pointed　beards　and　colorful；　ornate　coats　with　puffy　sleeves。　They　crowded　out　of　her　way　with　reluctant　bows；　their　bland　faces　and　polite　murmurs　not　hiding　their　relief　that　she　was　leaving。
　　　　　　　She　glanced　back　once　from　the　doorway。　A　tall；　broad…shouldered　young　man　in　a　plain　green　coat　among　the　High　Lords　in　their　silks　and　satin　stripes；　Rand　looked　like　a　stork　among　peacocks；　yet　there　was　something　about　him；　a　presence　that　said　he　manded　there　by　right。　The　Tairens　recognized　it；　bending　their　stiff　necks　reluctantly。　He　thought　probably　they　bowed　just　because　he　was　the　Dragon　Reborn；　and　perhaps　they　thought　so；　too。　But　she　had　seen　men；　like　Gareth　Bryne；　the　Captain…mander　of　her　mother's　Guards；　who　could　have　dominated　a　room　in　rags；　with　no　title　and　no　one　knowing　their　name。　Rand　might　not　know　it；　but　he　was　such　a　man。　He　had　not　been　when　she　first　saw　him；　but　he　was　now。　She　pulled　the　door　shut　behind　her。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　around　the　entrance　glanced　at　her；　and　the　captain　manding　the　ring　of　Defenders　in　the　middle　of　the　anteroom　stared　uneasily；　but　she　barely　noticed　them。　It　was　done。　Or　at　least　it　was　begun。　Four　days　she　had　before　Joiya　and　Amico　were　put　on　that　ship；　four　days　at　most　to　twine　herself　so　firmly　into　Rand's　thoughts　that　he　had　no　room　for　Berelain。　Of　if　not　that；　firmly　enough　that　she　stayed　inside　his　head　until　she　had　the　chance　to　do　more。　She　had　never　thought　she　might　do　a　thing　like　this；　stalk　a　man　like　a　huntress　stalking　a　wild　boar。　The　butterflies　were　still　gamboling　in　her　stomach。　At　least　she　had　not　let　him　see　how　nervous　she　was。　And　it　occurred　to　her　that　she　had　not　once　thought　of　what　her　mother　would　say。　With　that；　the　flutterings　vanished。　She　did　not　care　what　her　mother　said。　Morgase　had　to　accept　her　daughter　as　a　woman；　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　bowed　as　she　moved　away；　and　she　acknowledged　them　with　a　gracious　nod　that　would　have　done　Morgase　proud。　Even　the　Tairen　captain　looked　at　her　as　if　he　could　see　her　new　serenity。　She　did　not　think　she　would　be　troubled　by　butterflies　again。　For　the　Black　Ajah　perhaps；　but　not　for　Rand。
　
　　　　　　　Ignoring　the　High　Lords　in　their　anxious　semicircle；　Rand　watched　the　door　close　behind　Elayne　with　wonder　in　his　eyes。　Dreams　ing　true；　even　only　this　much；　made　him　uneasy。　A　swim　in　the　Waterwood　was　one　thing；　but　he　would　never　have　believed　a　dream　where　she　came　to　him　like　this。　She　had　been　so　cool　and　collected；　while　he　was　tripping　over　his　own　tongue。　And　Egwene；　giving　his　own　thoughts　back　to　him　and　only　concerned　she　might　hurt　him。　Why　was　it　women　could　go　to　pieces　or　fly　into　a　rage　at　the　smallest　thing；　yet　never　flicker　an　eyelash　at　what　left　you　gaping？
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Dragon？〃　Sunamon　murmured　even　more　diffidently　than　usual。　Word　of　this　morning　must　have　spread　through　the　Stone　already；　that　first　lot　had　nearly　run　on　their　way　out；　and　it　was　doubtful　Torean　would　show　his　face；　or　his　filthy　suggestions；　anywhere　Rand　was。
　　　　　　　Sunamon　essayed　an　ingratiating　smile；　then　smothered　it；　drywashing　his　plump　hands；　when　Rand　only　looked　at　him。　The　rest　pretended　they　did　not　see　the　burned　tables；　or　the　shattered　mattress　and　scattered　books；　or　the　half…melted　lumps　over　the　fireplace　that　had　been　the　stag　and　wolves。　High　Lords　were　good　at　seeing　only　what　they　wanted　to　see。　Carleon　and　Tedosian；　false　self…effacement　in　every　line　of　their　thick　bodies；　surely　never　realized　there　was　anything　suspicious　in　never　looking　at　one　another。　But　then；　Rand　might　never　have　noticed　if　not　for　Thom's　note；　found　in　the　pocket　of　a　coat　just　back　from　being　brushed。
　　　　　　　〃The　Lord　Dragon　wished　to　see　us？〃　Sunamon　managed。
　　　　　　　Could　Egwene　and　Elayne　have　worked　it　up　between　them？　Of　course　not。　Women　did　not　do　things　like　that　any　more　than　men。　Did　they？　It　had　to　be　coincidence。　Elayne　heard　that　he　was　free　and　decided　to　speak。　That　was　it。　〃Taxes；〃　he　barked。　The　Tairens　did　not　move；　but　they　gave　the　impression　of　stepping　back。　How　he　hated　dealing　with　these　men；　he　wanted　to　dive　back　into　the　books。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　a　bad　precedent；　my　Lord　Dragon；　lowering　taxes；〃　a　lean；　gray…haired　man　said　in　an　oily　voice。　Meilan　was　tall　for　a　Tairen；　only　a　hand　shorter　than　Rand；　and　hard　as　any　Defender。　He　held　himself　in　a　stoop　in　Rand's　presence；　his　dark　eyes　showed　how　he　hated　it。　But　he　had　hated　it　when　Rand　told　them　to　stop　crouching　around　him；　too。　None　of　them　straightened；　but　Meilan　especially　had　not　liked　being　reminded　of　what　he　did。　〃The　peasants　have　always　paid　easily；　but　if　we　lower　their　taxes；　when　the　day　es　that　we　raise　them　back　to　where　they　now　are；　the　fools　will　plain　as　bitterly　as　if　we　had　doubled　the　present　levy。　There　might　well　be　riots　when　that　day　es；　my　Lord　Dragon。〃
　　　　　　　Rand　strode　across　the　room　to　stand　before　Callandor；　the　crystal　sword　glittered；　outshining　the　gilt　and　gemstones　surrounding　it。　A　reminder　of　who　he　was；　of　the　power　he　could　wield。　Egwene。　It　was　foolish　to　feel　hurt　because　she　said　she　no　longer　loved　him。　Why　should　he　expect　her　to　have　feelings　for　him　that　he　did　not　have　for　her？　Yet　it　did　hurt。　A　relief；　but　not　a　pleasant　one。　〃You　will　have　riots　if　you　drive　men　off　their　farms。〃　Three　books　stood　in　a　stack　almost　by　Meilan's　feet。　The　Treasures　of　the　Stone　of　Tear；　Travels　in　the　Waste；　and　Dealings　with　the　Territory　of　Mayene。　The　keys　lay　in　those；　and　in　the　various　translations　of　The　Karaethon　Cycle；　if　he　could　only　find　them　and　fit　them　to　the　proper　locks。　He　pushed　his　mind　back　to　the　High　Lords。　〃Do　you　think　they　will　watch　their　families　starve　and　do　nothing？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Defenders　of　the　Stone　have　put　down　riots　before；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　Sunamon　said　soothingly。　〃Our　own　guards　can　keep　peace　in　the　countryside。　The　peasants　will　not　disturb　you；　I　give　you　my　assurance。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　are　too　many　farmers　as　it　is。〃　Carleon　flinched　at　Rand's　glare。　〃It　is　the　civil　war　in　Cairhien；　my　Lord　Dragon；〃　he　explained　hurriedly。　〃The　Cairhienin　can　buy　no　grain；　and　the　granaries　are　bursting。　This　year's　harvest　will　go　to　waste　as　it　is。　And　next　year。。。　？　Burn　my　soul；　my　Lord　Dragon；　but　what　we　need　is　for　some　of　those　peasants　to　stop　their　eternal　digging　and　planting。〃　He　seemed　to　realize　he　had　said　too　much；　though　he　clearly　did　not　understand　why。　Rand　wondered　whether　he　had　any　idea　how　food　got　to　his　table。　Did　he　see　anything　but　gold；　and　power？
　　　　　　　〃What　will　you　do　when　Cairhien　is　buying　grain　again？〃　Rand　said　coolly。　〃For　that　matter；　is　Cairhien　the　only　land　that　needs　grain？〃　Why　had　Elayne　spoken　up　like　that？　What　did　she　expect　of　him？　Fond；　she　said。　Women　could　play　games　with　words　like　Aes　Sedai。　Did　she　mean　she　loved　him？　No；　that　was　plain　foolishness。　Overproud　to　a　degree。
　　　　　　　〃My　Lord　Dragon；〃　Meilan　said；　half　subservient；　half　as　if　explaining　something　to　a　child；　〃if　the　civil　wars　stopped　today；　Cairhien　still　could　not　buy　more　than　a　few　bargeloads　for　two；　even　three　years。　We　have　always　sold　our　grain　to　Cairhien。〃
　　　　　　　Always　…　for　the　twenty　years　since　the　Aiel　War。　They　were　so　bound　up　in　what　they　had　always　done　that　they　could　not　see　what　was　so　simple。　Or　would　not　see　it。　When　the　cabbages　sprouted　like　weeds　around　Emond's　Field；　it　was　a　near　certainty　that　bad　rain　or　whiteworm　had　struck　Deven　Ride　or　Watch　Hill。　When　Watch　Hill　had　too　many　turnips；　Emond's　Field　would　have　a　shortage；　or　Deven　Ride。
　　　　　　　〃Offer　it　in　Illian；〃　he　told　them。　What　did　Elayne　expect？　〃Or　Altara。〃　He　did　like　her；　but　he　liked　Min　as　much。　Or　thought　he　did。　It　was　impossible　to　sort　out　his　feelings　for　either　of　them。　〃You　h