rj.theshadowrising-第56部分

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　　　　　　　He　probably　has　as　much　to　do　with　anything　as　the　roaches；　she　told　herself。
　　　　　　　Perhaps　something　inside　the　buildings。　It　was　a　small　chance；　a　wild　hope；　but　she　was　desperate　enough　to　try　anything。　Almost　anything。　Time。　How　much　time　did　she　have　left？　She　began　running　from　doorway　to　doorway；　putting　her　head　into　shops　and　inns　and　houses。
　　　　　　　Tables　and　benches　stood　in　mon　rooms　awaiting　customers；　as　neatly　arranged　as　the　dully　gleaming　pewter　mugs　and　plates　on　their　shelves。　The　shops　were　as　tidy　as　if　the　shopkeeper　had　just　opened　for　the　morning；　yet　while　a　tailor's　tables　held　bolts　of　cloth；　and　a　cutler's　knives　and　scissors；　the　ceiling　hooks　hung　empty　in　a　butcher's　shop　and　the　shelves　stood　bare。　A　finger　run　along　anywhere　picked　up　no　dust　at　all；　everything　was　clean　enough　to　suit　her　mother。
　　　　　　　In　the　narrower　streets　there　were　homes；　small　simple　white　plastered　buildings　with　flat　roofs　and　no　windows　onto　the　street；　ready　for　families　to　walk　in　and　sit　on　benches　before　cold　fireplaces　or　around　narrow　tables　with　carved　legs　where　a　goodwife's　best　bowl　or　platter　was　given　pride　of　place。　Clothes　hung　on　pegs；　pots　hung　from　ceilings；　handtools　lay　on　benches；　waiting。
　　　　　　　On　a　hunch　she　retraced　her　steps　once；　just　to　see；　back　a　dozen　doors；　and　peered　a　second　time　into　what　was　some　woman's　home　in　the　real　world。　It　was　almost　the　way　it　had　been。　Almost。　The　red　striped　bowl　that　had　been　on　the　table　was　now　a　narrow　blue　vase；　one　of　the　benches；　on　it　a　broken　harness　and　the　tools　for　mending　it；　that　had　been　near　the　fireplace　now　sat　by　the　door　holding　a　darning　basket　and　a　child's　embroidered　dress。
　　　　　　　Why　did　it　change！　she　wondered。　But　for　that　matter；　why　should　it　stay　the　same？　Light；　I　don't　know　anything！
　　　　　　　There　was　a　stable　across　the　street；　the　white　plaster　showing　large　patches　of　brick。　She　trotted　to　it　and　pulled　open　one　of　the　big　doors。　Straw　covered　the　dirt　floor；　just　as　in　every　stable　she　had　ever　seen；　but　the　stalls　stood　empty。　No　horses。　Why？　Something　rustled　in　the　straw；　and　she　realized　the　stalls　were　not　empty　after　all。　Rats。　Dozens　of　them；　staring　at　her　boldly；　noses　testing　the　air　for　her　scent。　None　of　the　rats　ran；　or　even　shied　away；　they　behaved　as　if　they　had　more　right　there　than　she。　In　spite　of　herself　she　stepped　back。　Pigeons　and　gulls　and　dogs；　flies　and　rats。　Maybe　a　Wise　One　would　know　why。
　　　　　　　As　suddenly　as　that　she　was　back　in　the　Waste。
　　　　　　　With　a　scream　she　fell　flat　on　her　back　as　the　hairy　boarlike　creature　darted　straight　for　her；　looking　as　large　as　a　small　pony。　Not　a　pig；　she　saw　as　it　leaped　nimbly　over　her；　the　snout　was　too　sharp　and　full　of　keen　teeth；　and　it　had　four　toes　on　each　foot。　The　thought　was　calm；　but　she　shuddered　as　the　beast　scampered　away　through　the　rocks。　It　was　big　enough　to　have　trampled　her；　breaking　bones　and　worse；　those　teeth　could　have　ripped　and　torn　as　well　as　any　wolf's。　She　would　have　awakened　with　the　wounds。　If　she　had　waked　at　all。
　　　　　　　The　gritty　rock　under　her　back　was　a　blistering　stovetop。　She　scrambled　to　her　feet；　angry　with　herself。　If　she　could　not　keep　her　mind　on　what　she　was　doing；　she　would　acplish　nothing。　Tanchico　was　where　she　was　supposed　to　be；　she　had　to　concentrate　on　that。　Nothing　else。
　　　　　　　She　stopped　brushing　at　her　skirts　when　she　saw　the　Aiel　woman　watching　her　with　sharp　blue　eyes　from　ten　paces　off。　The　woman　was　Aviendha's　age；　no　older　than　herself；　but　the　wisps　of　hair　that　stuck　out　from　under　her　shoufa　were　so　pale　as　to　be　almost　white。　The　spear　in　her　hands　was　ready　to　be　cast；　and　at　that　distance　she　was　not　likely　to　miss。
　　　　　　　The　Aiel　were　said　to　be　more　than　rough　with　those　who　entered　the　Waste　without　permission。　Egwene　knew　she　could　wrap　woman　and　spear　in　Air；　hold　them　safely；　but　would　the　flows　keep　long　enough　when　she　began　to　fade？　Or　would　they　just　anger　the　woman　enough　to　make　her　cast　her　spear　the　moment　she　was　able；　perhaps　before　Egwene　was　truly　gone？　Much　good　it　would　do　to　take　herself　back　to　Tanchico　with　an　Aiel　spear　through　her。　If　she　tied　the　flows；　that　would　leave　the　woman　trapped　in　Tel'aran'rhiod　until　they　were　unraveled；　helpless　if　that　lion　or　the　boarlike　creature　returned。
　　　　　　　No。　She　simply　needed　the　woman　to　lower　her　spear；　just　long　enough　to　feel　safe　closing　her　eyes；　to　take　herself　back　to　Tanchico。　Back　to　what　she　was　supposed　to　be　doing。　She　had　no　more　time　for　these　flights　of　fancy。　She　was　not　entirely　sure　someone　who　had　only　dreamed　themselves　into　Tel'aran'rhiod　could　harm　her　the　way　other　things　there　could；　but　she　was　not　going　to　risk　finding　out　with　an　Aiel　spear　point。　The　Aiel　woman　should　vanish　in　a　few　moments。　Something　to　put　her　off　balance　until　then。
　　　　　　　Changing　her　clothes　was　easy；　as　soon　as　the　thought　came；　Egwene　was　wearing　the　same　browns　and　grays　as　the　woman。　〃I　mean　you　no　harm；〃　she　said；　outwardly　calm。
　　　　　　　The　woman　did　not　lower　her　weapon。　Instead；　she　frowned　and　said；　〃You　have　no　right　to　wear　cadin'sor；　girl。〃　And　Egwene　found　herself　standing　there　in　her　skin；　the　sun　burning　her　from　overhead；　the　ground　searing　her　bare　feet。
　　　　　　　For　a　moment　she　gaped　in　disbelief；　dancing　from　foot　to　foot。　She　had　not　thought　it　possible　to　change　things　about　someone　else。　So　many　possibilities；　so　many　rules；　that　she　did　not　know。　Hurriedly　she　thought　herself　back　into　stout　shoes　and　the　dark　dress　with　its　divided　skirts　and　at　the　same　time　made　the　Aiel　woman's　garments　vanish。　She　had　to　draw　on　saidar　to　do　it；　the　woman　must　have　been　concentrating　on　keeping　Egwene　naked。　She　had　a　flow　ready　to　seize　the　spear　if　the　other　woman　made　to　throw　it。
　　　　　　　It　was　the　Aiel　woman's　turn　to　look　shocked。　She　let　the　spear　fall　to　her　side；　too；　and　Egwene　seized　the　moment　to　shut　her　eyes　and　take　herself　back　to　Tanchico；　back　to　the　skeleton　of　that　huge　boar。　Or　whatever　it　was。　She　barely　gave　it　a　second　glance　this　time。　She　was　growing　tired　of　things　that　looked　like　boars　and　were　not。　How　did　she　do　that？　No！　It's　wondering　about　how　and　why　that　keeps　pulling　me　off　the　path。　This　time　I'll　stick　to　it。
　　　　　　　She　did　hesitate；　though。　Just　as　she　had　closed　her　eyes　it　had　seemed　she　saw　another　woman；　beyond　the　Aiel　woman；　watching　them　both。　A　golden　haired　woman　holding　a　silver　bow。　You　are　letting　wild　fancies　take　you；　now。　You've　been　listening　to　too　many　of　Thorn　Merrilin's　stories。　Brigitte　was　long　dead；　she　could　not　e　again　until　the　Horn　of　Valere　called　her　back　from　the　grave。　Dead　women；　even　heroes　of　legend；　surely　could　not　dream　themselves　into　Tel'aran'rhiod。
　　　　　　　It　was　only　a　moment's　pause；　though。　Shutting　off　futile　speculation；　she　ran　back　to　the　square。　How　much　time　did　she　have　left？　The　whole　city　to　search；　and　time　slipping　away；　and　she　as　ignorant　as　when　she　started。　If　only　she　had　some　idea　of　what　to　look　for。　Or　where。　Running　did　not　seem　to　tire　her　here　in　the　World　of　Dreams；　but　run　as　hard　as　she　might；　she　would　never　cover　the　entire　city　before　Elayne　and　Nynaeve　woke　her。　She　did　not　want　to　have　to　e　back。
　　　　　　　A　woman　appeared　suddenly　among　the　flock　of　pigeons　that　had　gathered　in　the　square。　Her　gown　was　pale　green；　thin　and　draped　closely　enough　to　have　satisfied　Berelain；　her　dark　hair　was　in　dozens　of　narrow　braids；　and　her　face　was　covered　to　the　eyes　by　a　transparent　veil　like　the　one　the　falling　man　had　worn。　The　pigeons　soared　up；　and　so　did　the　woman　gliding　over　the　nearest　rooftops　with　them　before　abruptly　winking　out　of　existence。
　　　　　　　Egwene　smiled。　She　dreamed　of　flying　like　a　bird　all　the　time；　and　this　was　a　dream；　after　all。　She　leaped　into　the　air；　and　kept　going　up；　toward　the　roofs。　She　wobbled　as　she　thought　how　ridiculous　this　was　…　Flying？　People　did　not　fly！　…　then　steadied　again　as　she　forced　herself　to　be　confident。　She　was　doing　it；　and　that　was　all　there　was　to　it。　This　was　a　dream；　and　she　was　flying。　The　wind　rushed　in　her　face；　and　she　wanted　to　laugh　giddily。
　　　　　　　She　skimmed　across　the　Panarch's　Circle；　where　rows　of　stone　benches　slanted　down　from　the　h