rj.theshadowrising-第86部分

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　　　　　　　Ropes　were　cast　off　at　the　bow；　where　triangular　sails　suddenly　broke　out；　and　Wavedancer　heeled　away　from　the　dock。　More　sails　appeared；　great　white　squares　and　triangles；　the　sternlines　were　cast　off；　and　the　ship　curled　out　into　the　river　in　a　great　arc　through　the　anchored　ships　awaiting　their　turn　at　the　docks；　a　smooth　curve　that　ended　heading　south；　downriver。　The　Sea　Folk　handled　their　ship　as　a　master　horseman　would　a　fine　steed。　That　peculiar　spoked　wheel　worked　the　rudder；　somehow；　as　one　of　the　bare…chested　crewmen　turned　it。　A　man；　Elayne　was　relieved　to　see。　Sailmistress　and　Windfinder　stood　to　one　side　of　the　wheel；　Coine　issuing　occasional　orders；　sometimes　after　a　murmured　consultation　with　her　sister。　Toram　watched　for　a　time；　with　a　face　that　might　have　been　carved　from　a　deck　plank；　then　stalked　below。
　　　　　　　There　was　a　Tairen　on　the　sterndeck；　a　plump；　dejected　looking　man　in　a　dull　yellow　coat　with　puffy　gray　sleeves；　rubbing　his　hands　nervously。　He　had　been　hustled　aboard　just　as　the　gangway　was　being　hauled　up；　a　pilot　who　was　supposed　to　guide　Wavedancer　downriver；　according　to　Tairen　law；　no　ship　could　pass　through　the　Fingers　of　the　Dragon　without　a　Tairen　pilot　aboard。　His　dejection　certainly　came　from　doing　nothing；　for　if　he　gave　any　directions；　the　Sea　Folk　paid　them　no　heed。
　　　　　　　Muttering　about　seeing　what　their　cabin　was　like；　Nynaeve　went　downstairs　…　below　…　but　Elayne　was　enjoying　the　breeze　across　the　deck　and　the　feel　of　starting　out。　To　travel；　to　see　places　she　had　not　seen　before；　was　a　joy　in　itself。　She　had　never　expected　to；　not　like　this。　The　Daughter　Heir　of　Andor　might　make　a　few　state　visits；　and　she　would　make　more　once　she　succeeded　to　the　throne；　but　they　would　be　bounded　about　with　ceremony　and　propriety。　Not　like　this　at　all。　Barefoot　Sea　Folk　and　a　ship　headed　to　sea。
　　　　　　　The　riverbank　slid　by　quite　quickly　as　the　sun　climbed；　an　occasional　cluster　of　huddled　stone　farmhouses　and　barns；　bleak　and　lonely；　appearing　and　vanishing　behind。　No　villages；　though。　Tear　would　not　allow　the　smallest　village　on　the　river　between　the　city　and　the　sea；　for　even　the　tiniest　might　one　day　bee　petition　for　the　capital。　The　High　Lords　controlled　the　size　of　villages　and　towns　throughout　the　country　with　a　buildings　tax　that　grew　heavier　the　more　buildings　there　were。　Elayne　was　sure　they　would　never　have　allowed　Godan　to　thrive；　on　the　Bay　of　Remara；　if　not　for　the　supposed　necessity　of　a　strong　presence　overlooking　Mayene。　In　a　way　it　was　a　relief　to　be　leaving　such　foolish　people　behind。　If　only　she　did　not　have　to　leave　one　foolish　man　behind　as　well。
　　　　　　　The　number　of　fishing　boats；　most　small　and　all　surrounded　by　clouds　of　hopeful　gulls　and　fisher　birds；　increased　the　farther　south　Wavedancer　went；　especially　once　the　vessel　entered　the　maze　of　waterways　called　the　Fingers　of　the　Dragon。　Often　the　birds　overhead　and　the　long　poles　that　held　the　nets　were　all　that　was　visible　besides　plains　of　reeds　and　knifegrass　rippling　in　the　breezes；　dotted　with　low　islands　where　odd；　twisted　trees　grew　with　spidery　tangles　of　roots　exposed　to　the　air；　Many　boats　worked　right　in　the　reeds；　though　not　with　nets。　Once　Elayne　saw　some　of　them　close　to　clear　water；　men　and　women　dropping　hooked　lines　into　the　watery　growth　and　pulling　up　wriggling；　dark…striped　fish　as　long　as　a　man's　arm。
　　　　　　　The　Tairen　pilot　began　to　pace　anxiously　once　they　were　in　the　delta；　with　the　sun　overhead；　turning　up　his　nose　at　an　offered　bowl　of　thick　spicy　fish　stew　and　bread。　Elayne　ate　hers　hungrily；　wiping　her　pottery　bowl　with　the　last　scrap　of　bread；　though　she　shared　his　unease。　Passages　broad　and　narrow　ran　in　every　direction。　Some　ended　abruptly；　in　plain　sight；　against　a　wall　of　reeds。　There　was　no　way　to　tell　which　of　the　others　might　not　vanish　just　as　suddenly　around　the　next　bend。　Coine　did　not　slow　Wavedancer；　regardless；　or　hesitate　at　choosing　a　way。　Obviously　she　knew　the　channels　to　take；　or　the　Windfinder　did；　but　the　pilot　still　muttered　to　himself　as　if　he　expected　to　run　aground　any　moment。
　　　　　　　It　was　late　afternoon　when　the　river　mouth　suddenly　appeared　ahead；　and　the　endless　stretch　of　the　Sea　of　Storms　beyond。　The　Sea　Folk　did　something　with　the　sails；　and　the　ship　shuddered　softly　to　a　dead　halt。　It　was　only　then　that　Elayne　noticed　a　large　rowboat　skittering　like　a　many　legged　waterbug　out　from　an　island　where　a　few　forlorn　stone　buildings　stood　around　the　base　of　a　tall　narrow　tower　where　men　stood　small　at　the　top　beneath　the　banner　of　Tear；　three　white　crescents　on　a　field　of　red　and　gold。　The　pilot　took　the　purse　Coine　proffered　without　a　word　and　scrambled　down　a　rope　ladder　to　the　boat。　As　soon　as　he　was　aboard；　the　sails　were　swung　about　again；　and　Wavedancer　breasted　the　first　rollers　of　open　sea；　rising　slightly；　slicing　through。　Sea　Folk　scampered　through　the　rigging；　setting　more　sails；　as　the　ship　sped　south　and　west；　away　from　the　land。
　　　　　　　When　the　last　thin　strip　of　land　dropped　below　the　horizon；　the　Sea　Folk　women　doffed　their　blouses。　All　of　them；　even　the　Sailmistress　and　the　Windfinder。　Elayne　did　not　know　where　to　look。　All　those　women　walking　about　half　dressed　and　pletely　unconcerned　by　the　men　all　around　them。　Juilin　Sandar　seemed　to　be　having　as　hard　a　time　as　she　was；　alternating　between　staring　at　the　women　wide　eyed　and　staring　at　his　feet　until　he　finally　all　but　ran　below。　Elayne　would　not　let　herself　be　routed　that　way。　She　opted　for　staring　over　the　side　at　the　sea；　instead。
　　　　　　　Different　customs；　she　reminded　herself。　As　long　they　don't　expect　me　to　do　the　same。　The　very　thought　nearly　made　her　laugh　hysterically。　Somehow；　the　Black　Ajah　was　easier　to　contemplate　than　that。　Different　customs。　Light！
　　　　　　　The　sky　grew　purple；　with　a　dull　golden　sun　on　the　horizon。　Scores　of　dolphins　escorted　the　vessel；　rolling　and　arching　alongside；　and　farther　out　some　sort　of　sparkling　silver　blue　fish　rose　above　the　surface　in　schools；　gliding　on　outstretched　fins　a　span　across　for　fifty　paces　or　more　before　plunging　back　into　the　swelling　gray　green　water。　Elayne　watched　in　amazement　for　a　dozen　flights　before　they　did　not　appear　again。
　　　　　　　But　the　dolphins；　great　sleek　shapes；　were　wondrous　enough；　a　guard　of　honor　taking　Wavedancer　back　where　he　belonged。　Those　she　recognized　from　descriptions　in　books；　it　was　said　if　they　found　you　drowning；　they　would　push　you　to　shore。　She　was　not　sure　she　believed　it；　but　it　was　a　pretty　story。　She　followed　them　along　the　side　of　the　ship；　to　the　bow；　where　they　frolicked　in　the　bow　wave；　rolling　on　their　sides　to　look　up　at　her　without　losing　an　inch。
　　　　　　　She　was　almost　in　the　narrowest　point　of　the　bow　before　she　realized　Thom　Merrilin　was　there　before　her；　smiling　down　at　the　dolphins　a　bit　sadly；　his　cloak　catching　the　wind　like　the　cloud　of　sails　above。　He　had　rid　himself　of　his　belongings。　He　did　seem　familiar；　truly　he　did。　〃Are　you　not　happy；　Master　Merrilin？〃
　　　　　　　He　glanced　at　her　sideways。　〃Please；　call　me　Thom；　my　Lady。〃
　　　　　　　〃Thom；　then。　But　not　my　Lady。　I　am　only　Mistress　Trakand　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　you　say；　Mistress　Trakand；〃　he　said　with　a　hint　of　a　smile。
　　　　　　　〃How　can　you　look　at　these　dolphins　and　be　unhappy；　Thom？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　are　free；〃　he　murmured；　in　such　a　tone　that　she　was　not　sure　he　was　answering　her。　〃They　have　no　decisions　to　make；　no　prices　to　pay。　Not　a　worry　in　the　world；　except　finding　fish　to　eat。　And　sharks；　I　suppose。　And　lionfish。　And　likely　a　hundred　more　things　I　don't　know。　Perhaps　it　is　not　such　an　enviable　life　at　that。〃
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　envy　them？〃　He　did　not　answer；　but　that　was　the　wrong　question　anyway。　She　needed　to　make　him　smile　again。　No；　laugh。　For　some　reason　she　was　sure　if　she　could　make　him　laugh；　she　would　remember　where　she　had　seen　him　before。　She　chose　another　topic；　one　that　should　be　nearer　his　heart。　〃Do　you　mean　to　pose　the　epic　of　Rand；　Thom？〃　Epics　were　for　bards；　not　gleemen；　but　there　could　be　no　harm　in　a　little　flattery。　〃The　epic　of　the　Dragon　Reborn。　Loial　means　to　write　a　book；　you　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　I　will；　Mistress　Trakand。　Perhaps。　But　neither　my　posing　nor　the　Ogier's　book　will　make　much　difference　in　the　l