rj.thegreathunt- 第141节

　　　　　　　It　often　frightened　her。　How　much　she　wanted　to　channel　frightened　her；　and　how　drab　and　dreary　she　felt　when　she　was　not　channeling；　pared　to　when　she　was。　She　wanted　to　drink　it　all　in；　despite　the　cautions　about　burning　herself　out；　and　that　wanting　frightened　her　most　of　all。　Sometimes　she　wished　she　had　never　e　to　Tar　Valon。　But　the　fright　could　not　make　her　stop　for　long；　any　more　than　the　fear　of　being　caught　by　an　Aes　Sedai　or　by　any　of　the　Accepted　beside　Nynaeve。
　　　　　　　It　was　safe　enough　here；　though；　in　her　own　room。　Min　was　there；　sitting　on　the　three…legged　stool　watching　her；　but　she　knew　Min　well　enough　now　to　know　Min　would　never　report　her。　She　thought　she　was　lucky　to　have　made　two　good　friends　since　ing　to　Tar　Valon。
　　　　　　　It　was　a　little；　windowless　room；　as　all　novices'　rooms　were。　Three　short　paces　took　Nynaeve　from　wall　to　white…plastered　wall；　Nynaeve's　own　room　was　much　larger；　but　since　she　had　made　no　friends　among　the　other　Accepted；　she　came　to　Egwene's　room　when　she　needed　someone　to　talk　to；　even　as　now　when　she　did　not　talk　at　all。　The　tiny　fire　on　the　narrow　hearth　handily　kept　the　first　chill　of　approaching　autumn　at　bay；　though　Egwene　was　sure　it　would　not　serve　so　well　when　winter　came。　A　small　table　for　study　pleted　the　furnishings；　and　her　belongings　hung　neatly　on　a　row　of　pegs　on　the　wall　or　sat　on　the　short　shelf　above　the　table。　Novices　were　usually　kept　too　busy　to　spend　time　in　their　rooms；　but　today　was　a　freeday；　only　the　third　since　she　and　Nynaeve　had　e　to　the　White　Tower。
　　　　　　　〃Else　was　making　calf's　eyes　at　Galad　today　while　he　was　working　with　the　Warders；〃　Min　said；　rocking　the　stool　on　two　legs。
　　　　　　　The　small　balls　faltered　for　an　instant　above　Egwene's　hands。　〃She　can　look　at　whoever　she　wants；〃　Egwene　said　casually。　〃I　can't　imagine　why　I　would　be　interested。〃
　　　　　　　〃No　reason；　I　suppose。　He　is　awfully　handsome；　if　you　don't　mind　him　being　so　rigid。　Very　nice　to　look　at；　especially　with　his　shirt　off。〃
　　　　　　　The　balls　spun　furiously。　〃I　certainly　have　no　desire　to　look　at　Galad；　with　or　without　his　shirt。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　shouldn't　tease　you；〃　Min　said　contritely。　〃I'm　sorry　for　that。　But　you　do　like　to　look　at　him　…　don't　grimace　at　me　like　that　…　and　so　does　nearly　every　woman　in　the　White　Tower　who　isn't　a　Red。　I've　seen　Aes　Sedai　down　at　the　practice　yards　when　he's　working　forms；　especially　Greens。　Checking　on　their　Warders；　they　say；　but　I　don't　see　so　many　when　Galad　isn't　there。　Even　the　cooks　and　maids　e　out　to　watch　him。〃
　　　　　　　The　balls　stopped　dead；　and　for　a　moment　Egwene　stared　at　them。　They　vanished。　Suddenly　she　giggled。　〃He　it　good…looking；　isn't　he？　Even　when　he　walks　he　looks　as　if　he's　dancing。〃　The　color　in　her　cheeks　deepened。　〃I　know　I　shouldn't　stare　at　him；　but　I　can't　help　myself。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can't　either；〃　Min　said；　〃and　I　can　see　what　he　is　like。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　if　he　is　good　…？〃
　　　　　　　〃Egwene；　Galad　is　so　good　he'd　make　you　tear　your　hair　out。　He'd　hurt　a　person　because　he　had　to　serve　a　greater　good。　He　wouldn't　even　notice　who　was　hurt；　because　he'd　be　so　intent　on　the　other；　but　if　he　did；　he　would　expect　them　to　understand　and　think　it　was　all　well　and　right。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　suppose　you　know；〃　Egwene　said。　She　had　seen　Min's　ability　to　look　at　people　and　read　all　sorts　of　things　about　them；　Min　did　not　tell　everything　she　saw；　and　she　did　not　always　see　anything；　but　there　had　been　enough　for　Egwene　to　believe。　She　glanced　at　Nynaeve　…　the　other　woman　was　still　pacing；　muttering　to　herself　…　then　reached　for　saidar　again　and　resumed　her　juggling　in　a　desultory　fashion。
　　　　　　　Min　shrugged。　〃I　guess　I　might　as　well　tell　you。　He　didn't　even　notice　what　Else　was　doing。　He　asked　her　if　she　knew　whether　you　might　be　walking　the　South　Garden　after　supper；　since　today　is　a　freeday。　I　felt　sorry　for　her。〃
　　　　　　　〃Poor　Else；〃　Egwene　murmured；　and　the　balls　of　light　became　more　lively　above　her　hands。　Min　laughed。
　　　　　　　The　door　banged　open；　caught　by　the　wind。　Egwene　gave　a　yelp　and　let　the　balls　vanish　before　she　saw　it　was　only　Elayne。
　　　　　　　The　golden…haired　Daughter…Heir　of　Andor　pushed　the　door　shut　and　hung　up　her　cloak　on　a　peg。　〃I　just　heard；〃　she　said。　〃The　rumors　are　true。　King　Galldrian　is　dead。　That　makes　it　a　war　of　succession。〃
　　　　　　　Min　snorted。　〃Civil　war。　War　of　succession。　A　lot　of　silly　names　for　the　same　thing。　Do　you　mind　if　we　don't　talk　about　it？　That's　all　we　hear。　War　in　Cairhien。　War　on　Toman　Head。　They　may　have　caught　the　false　Dragon　in　Saldaea；　but　there's　still　war　in　Tear。　Most　of　it　is　rumors；　anyway。　Yesterday；　I　heard　one　of　the　cooks　saying　she'd　heard　Artur　Hawkwing　was　marching　on　Tanchico。　Artur　Hawkwing！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　thought　you　did　not　want　to　talk　about　it；〃　Egwene　said。
　　　　　　　〃I　saw　Logain；〃　Elayne　said。　〃He　was　sitting　on　a　bench　in　the　Inner　Court；　crying。　He　ran　when　he　saw　me。　I　cannot　help　feeling　sorry　for　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃Better　he　cries　than　the　rest　of　us；　Elayne；〃　Min　said。
　　　　　　　〃I　know　what　he　is；〃　Elayne　said　calmly。　〃Or　rather；　what　he　was。　He　isn't　anymore；　and　I　can　feel　sorry　for　him。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　slumped　back　against　the　wall。　Rand。　Logain　always　made　her　think　of　Rand。　She　had　not　dreamed　about　him　in　months；　now；　not　the　kind　of　dreams　she　had　had　on　the　River　Queen。　Anaiya　still　made　her　write　down　everything　she　dreamed；　and　the　Aes　Sedai　checked　them　for　signs；　or　connections　to　events；　but　there　was　never　anything　about　Rand　except　dreams　that；　Anaiya　said；　meant　she　missed　him。　Oddly；　she　felt　almost　as　if　he　were　not　there　any　longer；　as　if　he　had　ceased　to　exist；　along　with　her　dreams；　a　few　weeks　after　reaching　the　White　Tower。　And　I　sit　thinking　about　how　nicely　Galad　walks；　she　thought　bitterly。　Rand　has　to　be　all　right。　If　he'd　been　caught　and　gentled；　I'd　have　heard　something。
　　　　　　　That　sent　a　chill　through　her；　as　it　never　failed　to　do；　the　thought　of　Rand　being　gentled；　Rand　weeping　and　wanting　to　die　as　Logain　did。
　　　　　　　Elayne　sat　down　beside　her　on　the　bed；　tucking　her　feet　up　under　her。　〃If　you　are　mooning　over　Galad；　Egwene；　you　will　have　no　sympathy　from　me。　I'll　have　Nynaeve　dose　you　with　one　of　those　horrible　concoctions　she's　always　talking　about。〃　She　frowned　at　Nynaeve；　who　had　taken　no　notice　of　her　entrance。　〃What　is　the　matter　with　her？　Don't　tell　me　she　has　started　sighing　after　Galad；　too！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　wouldn't　bother　her。〃　Min　leaned　toward　the　two　of　them　and　lowered　her　voice。　〃That　skinny　Accepted　Irella　told　her　she　was　as　clumsy　as　a　cow　and　had　half　the　Talents；　and　Nynaeve　clouted　her　ear。〃　Elayne　winced。　〃Exactly；〃　Min　murmured。　〃They　had　her　up　to　Sheriam's　study　before　you　could　blink；　and　she　hasn't　been　fit　to　live　with　since。〃
　　　　　　　Apparently　Min　had　not　dropped　her　voice　enough；　for　there　was　a　growl　from　Nynaeve。　Suddenly　the　door　whipped　open　once　more；　and　a　gale　howled　into　the　room。　It　did　not　ruffle　the　blankets　on　Egwene's　bed；　but　Min　and　the　stool　toppled；　to　roll　against　the　wall。　Immediately　the　wind　died；　and　Nynaeve　stood　with　a　stricken　look　on　her　face。
　　　　　　　Egwene　hurried　to　the　door　and　peeked　out。　The　noonday　sun　was　burning　off　the　last　reminders　of　last　night's　rainstorm。　The　still…damp　balcony　around　the　Novices'　Court　was　empty；　the　long　row　of　doors　to　novices'　rooms　all　shut。　The　novices　who　had　taken　advantage　of　the　freeday　to　enjoy　themselves　in　the　gardens　were　no　doubt　catching　up　on　their　sleep。　No　one　could　have　seen。　She　closed　the　door　and　took　her　place　beside　Elayne　again　as　Nynaeve　helped　Min　to　her　feet。
　　　　　　　〃I'm　sorry；　Min；〃　Nynaeve　said　in　a　tight　voice。　〃Sometimes　my　temper　。。。　I　can't　ask　you　to　forgive　me；　not　for　this。〃　She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃If　you　want　to　report　me　to　Sheriam；　I　will　understand。　I　deserve　it。〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　wished　she　had　not　heard　that　admission；　Nynaeve　could　grow　prickly　over　such　things。　Searching　for　something　on　which　to　focus；　something　Nynaeve　could　believe　she　had　had　her　attention　on；　she　found　herself　touching　saidar　once　more；　and　began　juggling　the　balls　of　light　again。　Elayne　quickly　joined　her；　Egwene　saw　the　glow　form　around　the　Daughter…Heir　even　before　three　tiny　balls　appeared　above　her　hands。　They　began　to　pass　the　little　glowi