rj.theshadowrising-第8部分

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　made　an　eye…jarring　blend　of　colors；　red　and　green　and　yellow　and　every　hue　imaginable　in　binations　only　a　Tinker's　eye　could　like。　The　people　themselves　wore　clothes　that　made　their　wagons　look　dull。　They　sat　on　the　ground　in　a　large　cluster；　eyeing　the　mounted　men　with　an　oddly　calm　unease；　the　thin　crying　of　a　child　was　swiftly　forted　by　its　mother。　Nearby；　dead　mastiffs　made　a　mound　already　buzzing　with　flies。　Tinkers　would　not　raise　a　hand　even　to　defend　themselves；　and　the　dogs　had　been　mostly　show；　but　Bornhald　had　not　been　willing　to　take　a　chance。
Six　men　were　all　he　had　thought　necessary　to　watch　Tinkers。　Even　with　stiff　faces；　they　looked　embarrassed。　None　glanced　at　the　seventh　man　sitting　a　horse　near　the　wagons；　a　bony　little　man　with　a　big　nose；　in　a　dark　gray　coat　that　looked　too　big　for　him　despite　the　fineness　of　its　cut。　Farran；　a　bearded　boulder　of　a　man　yet　light　on　his　feet　for　all　his　height　and　width；　stood　glaring　at　all　seven　equally。　The　hundredman　pressed　a　gauntleted　hand　to　his　heart　in　salute　but　left　all　talking　to　Bornhald。
〃A　word　with　you；　Master　Ordeith；〃　Bornhald　said　quietly。　The　bony　man　cocked　his　head；　looking　at　Bornhald　for　a　long　moment　before　dismounting。　Farran　growled；　but　Bornhald　kept　his　voice　low。　〃Three　of　the　Tinkers　cannot　be　found；　Master　Ordeith。　Did　you　perhaps　put　your　own　suggestion　into　practice？〃　The　first　words　out　of　Ordeith's　mouth　when　he　saw　the　Tinkers　had　been　〃Kill　them。　They're　of　no　use。〃　Bornhald　had　killed　his　share　of　men；　but　he　had　never　matched　the　casualness　with　which　the　little　man　had　spoken。
Ordeith　rubbed　a　finger　along　the　side　of　his　large　nose。　〃Now；　why　would　I　be　killing　them？　And　after　you　ripped　me　so　for　just　suggesting　it。〃　His　Lugarder　accent　was　heavy　today；　it　came　and　went　without　him　seeming　to　notice；　another　thing　about　the　man　that　disturbed　Bornhald。
〃Then　you　allowed　them　to　escape；　yes？〃
〃Well；　as　to　that；　I　did　take　a　few　of　them　off　where　I　could　see　what　they　knew。　Undisturbed；　you　see。〃
〃What　they　knew？　What　under　the　Light　could　Tinkers　know　of　use　to　us？〃
〃There's　no　way　of　telling　until　you　ask；　now　is　there？〃　Ordeith　said。　〃I　didn't　hurt　any　of　them　much；　and　I　told　them　to　get　themselves　back　to　the　wagons。　Who　would　be　thinking　they'd　have　the　nerve　to　run　away　with　so　many　of　your　men　about？〃
Bornhald　realized　he　was　grinding　his　teeth。　His　orders　had　been　to　make　the　best　time　possible　to　meet　this　odd　fellow；　who　would　have　more　orders　for　him。　Bornhald　liked　none　of　it；　though　both　sets　of　orders　bore　the　seal　and　signature　of　Pedron　Niall；　Lord　Captain　mander　of　the　Children　of　the　Light。
Too　much　had　been　left　unsaid；　including　Ordeith's　exact　status。　The　little　man　was　there　to　advise　Bornhald；　and　Bornhald　was　to　cooperate　with　Ordeith。　Whether　Ordeith　was　under　his　mand　had　been　left　vague；　and　he　did　not　like　the　strong　implication　that　he　should　heed　the　fellow's　advice。　Even　the　reason　for　sending　so　many　of　the　Children　into　this　backwater　had　been　vague。　To　root　out　Darkfriends；　of　course；　and　spread　the　Light；　that　went　without　saying。　But　close　to　half　a　legion　on　Andoran　soil　without　permission　…　the　order　risked　much　if　word　of　it　reached　the　Queen　in　Caemlyn。　Too　much　to　be　balanced　by　the　few　answers　Bornhald　had　been　given。
It　all　came　back　to　Ordeith。　Bornhald　did　not　understand　how　the　Lord　Captain　mander　could　trust　this　man；　with　his　sly　grins　and　his　black　moods　and　his　haughty　stares　so　you　could　never　be　sure　what　kind　of　man　you　were　talking　to。　Not　to　mention　his　accent　changing　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence。　The　fifty　Children　who　had　acpanied　Ordeith　were　as　sullen　and　frowning　a　lot　as　Bornhald　had　ever　seen。　He　thought　Ordeith　must　have　picked　them　himself　to　have　so　many　sour　scowls；　and　it　said　something　of　the　man　that　he　would　choose　that　sort。　Even　his　name；　Ordeith；　meant　〃wormwood〃　in　the　Old　Tongue。　Still；　Bornhald　had　his　own　reasons　for　wanting　to　be　where　he　was。　He　would　cooperate　with　the　man；　since　he　had　to。　But　only　as　much　as　he　had　to。
〃Master　Ordeith；〃　he　said　in　a　carefully　level　tone；　〃this　ferry　is　the　only　way　in　or　out　of　the　Two　Rivers　district。〃　That　was　not　quite　the　truth。　According　to　the　map　he　had；　there　was　no　way　across　the　Taren　except　here；　and　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Manetherendrelle；　bordering　the　region　on　the　south；　had　no　fords。　To　the　east　lay　bogs　and　swamps。　Even　so；　there　must　be　a　way　out　westward；　across　the　Mountains　of　Mist；　though　his　map　stopped　at　the　edge　of　the　range。　At　best；　however；　it　would　be　a　hard　crossing　that　many　of　his　men　might　not　survive；　and　he　did　not　intend　to　let　Ordeith　know　of　even　that　small　chance。　〃When　it　is　time　to　leave；　if　I　find　Andoran　soldiers　holding　this　bank；　you　will　ride　with　the　first　to　cross。　You　will　find　it　interesting　to　see　at　close　hand　the　difficulty　of　forcing　a　way　across　a　river　this　wide；　yes？〃
〃This　is　your　first　mand；　is　it　not？〃　Ordeith's　voice　held　a　hint　of　mockery。　〃This　may　be　part　of　Andor　on　the　map；　but　Caemlyn　has　not　sent　a　tax　collector　this　far　west　in　generations。　Even　if　those　three　talk；　who　will　believe　three　Tinkers？　If　you　think　the　danger　is　too　great；　remember　whose　seal　is　on　your　orders。〃
Farran　glanced　at　Bornhald；　half　reached　for　his　sword。　Bornhald　shook　his　head　slightly；　and　Farran　let　his　hand　fall。　〃I　mean　to　cross　the　river；　Master　Ordeith。　I　will　cross　if　the　next　word　I　hear　is　that　Gareth　Bryne　and　the　Queen's　Guards　will　be　here　by　sundown。〃
〃Of　course；〃　Ordeith　said；　suddenly　soothing。　〃There　will　be　as　much　glory　here　as　at　Tar　Valon；　I　assure　you。〃　His　deep；　dark　eyes　took　a　glazed　look；　stared　at　something　in　the　distance。　〃There　are　things　in　Tar　Valon　I　want；　too。〃
Bornhald　shook　his　head。　And　I　must　cooperate　with　him。
Jaret　Byar　drew　up　and　swung　down　from　his　saddle　beside　Farran。　As　tall　as　the　hundredman；　Byar　was　a　long…faced　man　with　dark；　deep…set　eyes。　He　looked　as　if　every　ounce　of　fat　had　been　boiled　off　of　him。　〃The　village　is　secured；　my　Lord。　Lucellin　is　making　certain　no　one　slips　off。　They　nearly　soiled　themselves　when　I　mentioned　Darkfriends。　None　in　their　village；　they　say。　The　folk　further　south　are　the　Darkfriend　kind；　though；　they　say。〃
〃Further　south；　is　it？〃　Bornhald　said　briskly。　〃We　shall　see。　Put　three　hundreds　across　the　river；　Byar。　Farran's　first。　The　rest　to　follow　after　the　Tinkers　cross。　And　make　sure　no　more　of　them　get　away；　yes？〃
〃We　will　scour　the　Two　Rivers；〃　Ordeith　broke　in。　His　narrow　face　was　wisted；　saliva　bubbled　at　his　lips。　〃We　will　flog　them；　and　flay　them；　and　sear　their　souls！　I　promised　him！　He'll　e　to　me；　now！　He　will　e！〃
Bornhald　nodded　for　Byar　and　Farran　to　carry　out　his　mands。　A　madman；　he　thought。　The　Lord　Captain　mander　has　tied　me　to　a　madman。　But　at　least　I　will　find　my　path　to　Perrin　of　the　Two　Rivers。　Whatever　it　takes；　I　will　avenge　my　father！
　
From　a　colonnaded　terrace　on　a　hilltop；　the　High　Lady　Suroth　looked　across　the　wide；　lopsided　bowl　of　Cantorin　Harbor。　The　shaven　sides　of　her　scalp　left　a　wide　crest　of　black　hair　that　fell　down　her　back。　Her　hands　rested　lightly　on　a　smooth　stone　balustrade　as　white　as　her　pristine　gown　with　its　hundreds　of　pleats。　There　was　a　faint　rhythmic　clicking　as　she　unconsciously　drummed　her　ringers　with　their　inch…long　nails；　the　first　two　on　each　hand　lacquered　blue。
A　slight　breeze　blew　off　of　the　Aryth　Ocean；　carrying　more　than　a　hint　of　salt　in　its　coolness。　Two　young　women　kneeling　against　the　wall　behind　the　High　Lady　held　white…plumed　fans　ready　if　the　breeze　should　fail。　Two　more　women　and　four　young　men　pleted　the　line　of　crouching　figures　waiting　to　serve。　Barefoot；　all　eight　wore　sheer　robes；　to　please　the　High　Lady's　aesthetic　senses　with　the　clean　lines　of　their　limbs　and　the　grace　of　their　motions。　At　the　moment　Suroth　truly　did　not　see　the　servants；　no　more　than　one　saw　furniture。
She　saw　the　six　Deathwatch　Guards　at　either　end　of　the　colonnade；　though；　stiff　as　statues　with　their　black…tasseled　spears　and　black…lacquered　shields。　They　symbolized　her　triumph；　and　her　danger。　The　Deathwatch　Guard　served　only　the　Empress　and　her　chosen　representatives；　and　they　would　kill　or　die　with　equal　fervor；　whichever　was　necessary。　There　was　a　saying：　〃On　the　heights；　the　paths　are　paved　with　daggers。〃
Her　fingernails　clicked　on　the　stone　balustrade。　How　thin　was　the　razor's　edge　she　walked。
Vessels　of　the　Atha'an　Miere；　the　Sea　Folk；　filled　the　inner　harbor　behind　the　seawall；　even　the　largest　looking　too　narrow　for　their　length。　Cut　rigging　made　their　yards　and　booms　slant　at　crazy　angles。　Their　decks　were　empty；　their　crews　ashore　and　under　guard；　as　were　any　in　these　islands　who　had　the　skill　to　sail　the　open　sea。　Great；　bluff…bowed　Seanchan　ships　by　the　score　lay　in　the　outer　harbor；　and　anchored　off　the　harbor　mouth。　One；　its　ribbed　sails　bellied　with　wind；　escorted　a　swarm　of　small　fishing　boats　back　toward　the　island　port。　If　the　smaller　craft　scattered；　some　of　them　might　escape；　but　the　Seanchan　ship　carried　a　damane；　and　one　demonstration　of　a　damane's　power　had　quelled　any　such　thoughts。　The　charred；　shattered　hulk　of　the　Sea　Folk　ship　still　lay　on　a　mudflat　near　the　harbor　mouth。
How　long　she