rj.acrownofswords-第178部分

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　　　Women　lay　sprawled　everywhere。　Elayne　was　one；　half　on　her　back　against　the　wall；　eyes　closed。　Vanin　crouched　on　his　knees；　blood　streaming　from　nose　and　ears；　feebly　trying　to　pull　himself　up　against　the　wall。　The　last　woman　on　her　feet；　Janira；　fled　toward　Mat　as　soon　as　she　saw　him。　He　had　thought　of　her　as　a　hawk；　with　her　hooked　beak　of　a　nose　and　sharp　cheekbones；　but　her　face　was　pure　terror　now；　those　dark　eyes　wide　and　stark。
　　　〃Help　me！〃　she　screamed　at　him；　and　a　man　caught　her　from　behind。　He　was　an　ordinary…looking　fellow；　maybe　a　little　older　than　Mat；　of　the　same　height　and　slender　in　a　plain　gray　coat。　Smiling；　he　took　Janira's　head　between　his　hands　and　twisted　sharply。　The　sound　of　her　neck　breaking　was　like　a　dry　branch　snapping。　He　let　her　drop　in　a　boneless　heap　and　gazed　down　at　her。　For　a　moment；　his　smile　looked。。。　rapturous。
　　　By　the　light　of　a　pair　of　lanterns；　a　small　knot　of　men　just　beyond　Vanin　were　prying　open　a　door　to　the　squeal　of　rusted　hinges；　but　Mat　hardly　noticed。　His　eyes　went　from　Janira's　crumpled　corpse　to　Elayne。　He　had　promised　to　keep　her　safe　for　Rand。　He　had　promised。　With　a　cry；　he　launched　himself　at　the　killer；　ashandarei　extended。
　　　Mat　had　seen　Myrddraal　move；　but　this　fellow　was　quicker；　hard　as　that　was　to　believe。　He　just　seemed　to　flow　from　in　front　of　the　spear；　and　seizing　the　haft；　he　pivoted；　flinging　Mat　past　him　five　paces　down　the　hall。
　　　Breath　left　when　he　hit　the　floor　in　a　small　cloud　of　dust。　So　did　the　ashandarei。　Straggling　for　air；　he　pushed　himself　up；　foxhead　dangling　from　his　open　shirt。　Dragging　a　knife　from　under　his　coat；　he　flung　himself　at　the　man　again　just　as　Nalesean　appeared　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　sword　in　hand。　Now　they　had　him；　however　quick　he。。。
　　　The　man　made　a　Myrddraal　seem　stiff。　He　slid　around　Nalesean's　thrust　as　though　there　was　not　a　bone　in　his　body；　right　hand　shooting　out　to　seize　Nalesean's　throat。　His　hand　came　away　with　a　liquid；　ripping　sound。　Blood　fountained　past　Nalesean's　beard。　His　sword　dropped；　ringing　on　the　dusty　stone　floor；　and　he　clutched　both　hands　to　his　ruined　neck；　red　running　through　his　fingers　as　he　fell。
　　　Mat　crashed　into　the　killer's　back；　and　they　all　three　hit　the　floor　together。　He　had　no　punctions　against　stabbing　a　man　in　the　back　when　it　was　necessary；　especially　a　man　who　could　tear　somebody's　throat　out。　He　should　have　let　Nalesean　stay　in　bed。　The　thought　came　sadly　as　he　drove　the　blade　home　hard；　then　a　second　time；　a　third。
　　　The　man　twisted　in　his　grip。　It　should　not　have　been　possible；　but　somehow　the　fellow　rolled　over　beneath　him；　pulling　the　knife　hilt　out　of　his　hand。　Nalesean's　staring　eyes　and　bloody　throat　were　a　reminder　right　before　his　eyes。　Desperately　he　grabbed　the　man's　wrists；　one　hand　slipping　a　little　in　the　blood　that　ran　down　the　fellow's　hand。
　　　The　man　smiled　at　him。　With　a　knife　sticking　out　of　his　side；　he　smiled！　〃He　wants　you　dead　as　much　as　he　wants　her；〃　he　said　softly。　And　as　if　Mat　was　not　holding　him　at　all；　his　hands　moved　toward　Mat's　head；　driving　Mat's　arms　back。
　　　Mat　pushed　frantically；　threw　all　of　his　weight　against　the　fellow's　arms　to　no　avail。　Light；　he　might　as　well　have　been　a　child　fighting　a　grown　man。　The　fellow　was　making　a　game　of　it；　taking　his　bloody　time。　Hands　touched　his　head。　Where　was　his　flaming　luck？　He　gave　a　heave　with　what　seemed　his　last　strength　…　and　the　medallion　fell　against　the　man's　cheek。　The　man　screamed。　Smoke　rose　around　the　edges　of　the　foxhead；　and　a　sizzle　like　bacon　frying。　Convulsively；　he　hurled　Mat　away　with　hands　and　feet　both。　This　time；　Mat　flew　ten　paces　and　slid。
　　　When　he　scrambled　to　his　feet；　half…dazed；　the　man　was　already　up；　hands　trembling　at　his　face。　A　raw　red　brand　marked　where　the　foxhead　had　fallen。　Gingerly；　Mat　fingered　the　medallion。　It　was　cool。　Not　the　cool　of　someone　channeling　nearby　…　maybe　they　were　still　at　it　below；　but　that　was　too　far　off　…　just　the　cool　of　silver。　He　had　no　notion　what　this　fellow　was；　except　that　he　certainly　was　not　human；　but　between　that　burn　and　three　stab　wounds；　with　the　knife　hilt　still　jutting　out　beneath　his　arm；　he　had　to　be　slowed　enough　for　Mat　to　get　past　him　to　the　stairs。　Avenging　Elayne　was　all　very　well；　and　Nalesean　too；　but　it　was　not　going　to　happen　today；　apparently；　and　there　was　no　call　to　supply　a　reason　for　avenging　Mat　Cauthon。
　　　Jerking　the　knife　out　of　his　side；　the　man　hurled　it　at　him。　Mat　snagged　it　out　of　the　air　without　thinking。　Thom　had　taught　him　to　juggle；　and　Thom　said　he　had　the　quickest　hands　he　had　ever　seen。　Ripping　the　knife　around　so　he　held　it　properly；　pointed　slanted　up；　he　noticed　the　gleaming　blade；　and　his　heart　sank。　No　blood。　There　should　have　been　at　least　a　smear　of　red；　but　the　steel　shone；　bright　and　clean。　Maybe　even　three　stab　wounds　were　not　going　to　slow　this　…　whatever　he　was。
　　　He　risked　a　glance　over　his　shoulder。　The　other　men　were　streaming　out　of　that　door　they　had　pried　open；　the　door　those　footprints　had　led　him　to　yesterday；　but　their　arms　seemed　full　of　rubbish；　small　half…rotted　chests；　a　cask　with　cloth…wrapped　objects　bulging　through　missing　staves；　even　a　broken　chair　and　a　cracked　mirror。　They　must　have　had　orders　to　take　everything。　Paying　no　attention　whatever　to　Mat；　they　hurried　toward　the　far　end　of　the　hall　and　vanished　around　a　corner。　There　had　to　be　another　set　of　stairs　back　there。　Maybe　he　could　follow　them　down　at　a　distance。　Maybe。。。　Just　before　the　doorway　they　had　e　out　of；　Vanin　made　another　effort　to　stand；　and　fell　back。　Mat　bit　back　a　curse。　Lugging　Vanin　was　going　to　slow　him；　but　if　his　luck　was　in。。。　It　had　not　saved　Elayne；　but　maybe。。。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　her　move；　lifting　a　hand　to　her　head。
　　　The　man　in　the　gray　coat　saw　it；　too。　With　a　smile；　he　turned　toward　her。
　　　Sighing；　Mat　tucked　the　useless　knife　into　its　scabbard。　〃You　can't　have　her；〃　he　said　loudly。　Promises。　One　jerk　broke　the　leather　cord　around　his　neck；　the　silver　foxhead　dangled　a　foot　below　his　fist。　It　made　a　low　hum　as　he　whirled　it　in　a　double　loop。　〃You　can't　bloody　have　her。〃　He　started　forward；　keeping　the　medallion　spinning。　The　first　step　was　the　hardest；　but　he　had　a　promise　to　keep。
　　　The　fellow's　smile　faded。　Watching　the　flashing　foxhead　warily；　he　backed　away　on　his　toes。　The　same　light　that　glittered　on　the　whirling　silver；　from　the　single　window；　made　a　halo　around　him。　If　Mat　could　drive　him　that　far；　maybe　he　could　see　whether　a　six…story　drop　would　do　what　a　knife　could　not。
　　　Brand　livid　on　his　face；　the　fellow　backed　away；　sometimes　half…reaching　as　if　to　try　grabbing　past　the　medallion。　And　suddenly；　he　darted　to　one　side；　into　one　of　the　rooms。　This　one　had　a　door　that　he　pulled　shut　behind　him。　Mat　heard　the　bar　drop。
　　　Maybe　he　should　have　left　it　there；　but　without　thinking；　he　raised　a　foot　and　slammed　the　heel　of　his　boot　against　the　center　of　the　door。　Dust　leaped　off　the　rough　wood。　A　second　kick；　and　rotten　bar…catches　gave　way；　along　with　a　rusted　hinge。　The　door　fell　in；　hanging　at　a　slanted　angle。
　　　The　room　was　not　entirely　dark。　A　little　light　reached　it　from　the　window　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　just　one　door　away；　and　a　broken　triangle　of　mirror　leaning　against　the　far　wall　spread　a　faint　illumination。　That　mirror　let　him　see　everything　without　going　in。　Aside　from　that　and　a　piece　of　a　chair；　there　was　nothing　else　to　see。　The　only　openings　were　the　doorway　and　a　rathole　beside　the　mirror；　but　the　man　in　the　gray　coat　was　gone。
　　　〃Mat；〃　Elayne　called　faintly。　He　hurried　away　from　the　room　as　much　as　toward　her。　There　was　shouting　somewhere　below；　but　Nynaeve　and　the　rest　would　have　to　take　care　of　themselves　for　the　moment。
　　　Elayne　was　sitting　up；　working　her　jaw　and　wincing；　when　he　knelt　beside　her。　Dust　covered　her　dress；　her　hat　hung　askew；　some　of　the　plumes　broken；　and　her　red…gold　hair　looked　as　if　she　had　been　dragged　by　it。　〃He　hit　me　so　hard；〃　she　said　painfully。　〃I　don't　think　anything　is　broken；　but。。。　〃　Her　eyes　latched　on　to　his；　and　if　he　had　ever　thought　she　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　stranger；　he　saw　it　for　true　now。　〃I　saw　what　y