rj.acrownofswords-第114部分

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　　　〃Trying　to　keep　up　the　lie　does　no　good；　Nynaeve。　You　look　to　be；　oh；　twenty…one　give　or　take　a　year；　so　you　might　be　as　much　as　ten　years　older　if　you've　already　reached　the　slowing。　You　might　even　have　worn　the　shawl　four　or　five　years。　Except　for　one　thing。〃　Her　head；　the　only　part　of　her　she　could　move；　swiveled　toward　Elayne。　〃You；　child；　aren't　old　enough　to　have　slowed　yet；　and　no　woman　has　ever　worn　the　shawl　as　young　as　you。　Never　in　the　history　of　the　Tower。　If　you　ever　were　in　the　Tower；　I'll　wager　you　wore　white　and　squeaked　every　time　the　Mistress　of　Novices　glanced　your　way。　You　had　some　goldsmith　make　that　ring　for　you　…　there　are　some　fool　enough；　I　hear　…　or　maybe　Nynaeve　stole　it　for　you；　if　she　has　any　right　to　hers。　Either　way；　since　you　can't　be　a　sister；　neither　can　she。　No　Aes　Sedai　would　travel　with　a　woman　who　was　pretending。〃
　　　Elayne　frowned；　not　noticing　that　she　was　chewing　her　lower　lip。　Slowed。　Slowing。　How　did　an　innkeeper　in　Ebou　Dar　know　those　words？　Maybe　Setalle　Anan　had　gone　to　the　Tower　as　a　girl；　though　she　would　not　have　remained　long；　since　she　clearly　could　not　channel。　Elayne　would　have　known　even　if　her　ability　had　been　as　small　as　her　own　mother's；　and　Morgase　Trakand　had　had　an　ability　so　small　she　would　have　been　sent　away　in　a　matter　of　weeks　probably；　had　she　not　been　heir　to　a　strong　House。
　　　〃Release　her；　Nynaeve；〃　she　said；　smiling。　She　truly　did　feel　more　well…disposed　toward　the　woman；　now。　It　must　have　been　terrible　to　make　that　journey　to　Tar　Valon　only　to　be　turned　away。　There　was　no　reason　the　woman　had　to　believe　them　…　something　tickled　at　that；　but　she　could　not　say　what　…　no　reason　at　all；　but　if　she　had　made　the　trip　to　Tar　Valon；　maybe　she　would　walk　across　the　Mol　Hara。　Merilille；　or　any　of　the　other　sisters；　could　set　her　straight。
　　　〃Release　her？〃　Nynaeve　yelped。　〃Elayne？〃
　　　〃Release　her。　Mistress　Anan；　I　see　the　only　way　to　convince　you　is　…　〃
　　　〃The　Amyrlin　Seat　and　three　Sitters　couldn't　convince　me；　child。〃　Light；　did　she　ever　let　anyone　finish　a　sentence？　〃Now；　I　don't　have　time　for　any　more　games。　I　can　help　the　pair　of　you。　I　know　those　who　can；　anyway；　some　women　who　take　in　strays。　You　can　thank　Lord　Mat　that　I'm　willing　to　take　you　to　them；　but　I　must　know。　Were　you　ever　in　the　Tower；　or　are　you　wilders？　If　you　were　there；　were　you　put　out；　or　did　you　run　away？　The　truth。　They　handle　each　in　a　different　way。〃
　　　Elayne　shrugged。　They　had　done　what　they　came　for；　she　was　more　than　ready　to　stop　wasting　time　and　get　on　with　what　needed　doing　next。　〃If　you　won't　be　convinced；　then　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　Nynaeve？　It　is　past　time　we　were　on　our　way。〃
　　　The　flows　around　the　innkeeper　vanished；　and　the　glow　around　Nynaeve　too；　but　Nynaeve　stood　there　watching　the　woman　warily；　hopefully。　She　wet　her　lips。　〃You　know　a　group　of　women　who　can　help　us？〃
　　　〃Nynaeve？〃　Elayne　said。　〃We　don't　need　any　help。　We　are　Aes　Sedai；　remember？〃
　　　With　a　wry　glance　in　her　direction；　Mistress　Anan　gave　her　skirts　a　shake　to　straighten　them　and　bent　to　smooth　her　exposed　petticoats。　Her　real　attention　was　on　Nynaeve；　Elayne　had　never　felt　so　pletely　shunted　aside　in　her　life。　〃I　know　a　few　women　who　take　in　the　occasional　wilder　or　runaway　or　woman　who　failed　her　test　for　Accepted　or　the　shawl。　There　must　be　at　least　fifty　of　them；　altogether；　though　the　number　changes。　They　can　help　you　find　a　life　without　the　risk　of　a　real　sister　making　you　wish　she'd　just　skin　you　and　be　done。　Now；　don't　lie　to　me。　Were　you　ever　in　the　Tower？　If　you've　run　away；　you　might　as　well　decide　to　go　back。　The　Tower　managed　to　find　most　runaways　even　during　the　War　of　the　Hundred　Years；　so　you　needn't　think　this　little　bother　now　will　stop　them。　In　truth；　my　suggestion　then　would　be　to　go　across　the　square　and　throw　yourself　on　a　sister's　mercy。　It　will　be　a　small　mercy；　I'm　afraid；　but　you　can　believe　me；　it's　more　than　you'll　find　if　they　have　to　drag　you　back。　You　won't　even　think　of　so　much　as　leaving　the　Tower　grounds　without　permission　after　that。〃
　　　Nynaeve　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃We　were　told　to　leave　the　Tower；　Mistress　Anan。　I　will　swear　to　that　however　you　ask。〃
　　　Elayne　stared　in　disbelief。　〃Nynaeve；　what　are　you　saying？　Mistress　Anan；　we　are　Aes　Sedai。〃
　　　The　Anan　woman　laughed。　〃Child；　let　me　talk　with　Nynaeve；　who　at　least　seems　old　enough　to　have　sense。　You　tell　the　Circle　that；　and　they　will　not　take　it　kindly！　They　won't　care　you　can　channel；　they　can；　too；　and　they'll　smack　your　bottom　or　toss　you　out　in　the　street　on　your　nose　if　you　play　the　fool。〃
　　　〃Who　is　this　Circle？〃　Elayne　demanded。　〃We　are　Aes　Sedai。　You　e　across　to　the　Tarasin　Palace；　and　you　will　see。〃
　　　〃I'll　keep　her　in　hand；〃　Nynaeve　had　the　gall　to　say；　all　the　while　frowning　and　grimacing　at　Elayne　as　if　she　were　the　one　who　had　gone　mad。
　　　The　Anan　woman　merely　nodded。　〃Good。　Now　take　off　those　rings　and　put　them　away。　The　Circle　doesn't　allow　that　sort　of　pretending。　They'll　have　them　melted　down　to　give　you　a　start。　Though　by　the　look　of　your　dresses；　you　have　coin。　If　you　stole　it；　don't　let　Reanne　know。　One　of　the　first　rules　you'll　have　to　learn　is；　don't　steal　even　if　you　are　starving。　They　don't　want　to　draw　attention。〃
　　　Elayne　made　a　fist　and　thrust　it　behind　her　back。　And　watched　Nynaeve　meekly　slip　her　ring　off　and　tuck　it　into　her　belt　pouch。　Nynaeve；　who　howled　every　time　Merilille　or　Adeleas　or　any　of　them　forgot　she　was　a　full　sister！
　　　〃Trust　me；　Elayne；〃　Nynaeve　said。
　　　Which　Elayne　would　have　had　an　easier　time　of　if　she　had　any　notion　what　the　woman　was　up　to。　Still；　she　did　trust　her。　Mostly。　〃A　small　sacrifice；〃　she　muttered。　Aes　Sedai　did　go　without　their　rings　when　the　need　arose；　and　she　had　too；　while　passing　for　a　sister；　but　it　was　hers　by　right；　now。　Removing　that　band　of　gold　almost　hurt　physically。
　　　〃Talk　to　your　friend；　child；〃　the　Anan　woman　told　Nynaeve　impatiently。　〃Reanne　Corly　won't　put　up　with　all　this　sulky　pouting；　and　if　you　make　me　waste　my　morning　for　nothing。。。　e　along；　e　along。　It's　lucky　for　you　I　like　Lord　Mat。〃
　　　Elayne　held　on　to　cool　posure　by　a　fingernail。　Sulky　pouting？　Sulky　pouting！　When　she　had　the　chance；　she　was　going　to　kick　Nynaeve　where　it　hurt！
　　　
　　　
Chapter　23　
（Serpent　and　Wheel）　
Next　Door　to　a　Weaver　
　　　
　　　Nynaeve　did　want　to　talk　to　Elayne；　away　from　the　innkeeper's　ears；　but　she　did　not　find　the　chance　right　away。　The　woman　marched　them　out　of　the　room　doing　a　fine　imitation　of　a　guard　on　prisoners；　her　stony　impatience　undented　by　the　wary　look　she　cast　at　Mat's　door。　At　the　back　of　the　inn　a　set　of　unrailed　stone　steps　led　down　into　a　large　hot　kitchen　full　of　baking　smells；　where　the　roundest　woman　Nynaeve　had　ever　seen　was　wielding　a　large　wooden　spoon　like　a　scepter；　directing　three　others　in　sliding　crusty　brown　loaves　from　the　ovens　and　replacing　them　with　rolls　of　pale　dough。　A　large　pot　of　the　coarse　white　porridge　that　was　eaten　for　breakfast　hereabout　bubbled　gently　on　one　of　the　white…tiled　stoves。
　　　〃Enid；〃　Mistress　Anan　addressed　the　round　woman；　〃I　am　going　out　for　a　little　while。　I　need　to　take　these　two　children　to　someone　who　has　time　to　mother　them　properly。〃
　　　Wiping　broad；　floury　hands　on　a　piece　of　white　toweling；　Enid　studied　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　disapprovingly。　Everything　about　her　was　round；　her　sweaty　olive…skinned　face；　her　dark　eyes；　all　of　her；　she　seemed　made　of　very　large　balls　stuffed　into　a　dress。　The　marriage　knife　she　wore　hanging　outside　her　snowy　apron　sparkled　with　a　full　dozen　stones。　〃Is　this　the　pair　of　barkers　Caira　was　chattering　about；　Mistress？　Fancy　bits　for　the　young　Lord's　taste；　I'd　have　said。　He　likes　them　with　a　bit　of　wiggle。〃　That　amused　her；　by　her　tone。
　　　The　innkeeper　shook　her　head　in　vexation。　〃I　told　that　girl　to　hold　her　tongue。　I　won't　let　that　sort　of　rumor　touch　The　Wandering　Woman。　Remind　Caira　for　me；　Enid；　and　use　your　spoon　to　get　her　attention；　if　need　be。〃　The　gaze　she　turned　on　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　was　so　disparaging　that　Nynaeve　nearly　gasped。　〃Would　anyone　with　half　their　wits　believe　these　two　were　Aes　Sedai？　Spent　all　their　coin　on　dresses　t