rj.eyeoftheworld-第115章

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　told　what　he　knew　over　his　shoulder　in　snatches　while　hunting　for　a　place　to　go　to　ground　and　wait　for　Elyas。
　　　　　　　〃There　are　a　lot　of　men　ing；　on　horses。　They　came　up　behind　the　wolves；　but　the　men　didn't　see　them。　They're　heading　toward　the　pool。　Probably　they　don't　have　anything　to　do　with　us；　it's　the　only　water　for　miles。　But　Dapple　says。。。〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　The　evening　sun　painted　odd　shadows　on　her　face；　shadows　that　hid　her　expression。　What　is　she　thinking？　Is　she　looking　at　you　as　if　she　doesn't　know　you　anymore？　Does　she　know　you？　〃Dapple　says　they　smell　wrong。　It's　。。。　sort　of　the　way　a　rabid　dog　smells　wrong。〃　The　pool　was　lost　to　sight　behind　them。　He　could　still　pick　out　boulders　…　fragments　of　Artur　Hawkwing's　statue　…　in　the　deepening　twilight；　but　not　to　tell　which　was　the　stone　where　the　fire　had　been。　〃We'll　stay　away　from　them；　find　a　place　to　wait　for　Elyas。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　should　they　bother　us？〃　she　demanded。　〃We're　supposed　to　be　safe　here。　It's　supposed　to　be　safe。　Light；　there　has　to　be　some　place　safe。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　began　looking　harder　for　somewhere　to　hide。　They　could　not　be　very　far　from　the　pool；　but　the　twilight　was　thickening。　Soon　it　would　be　too　dark　to　travel。　Faint　light　still　bathed　the　crests。　From　the　hollows　between；　where　there　was　barely　enough　to　see；　it　seemed　bright　by　contrast。　Off　to　the　left　a　dark　shape　stood　sharp　against　the　sky；　a　large；　flat　stone　slanting　out　of　a　hillside；　cloaking　the　slope　beneath　in　darkness。
　　　　　　　〃This　way；〃　he　said。
　　　　　　　He　trotted　toward　the　hill；　glancing　over　his　shoulder　for　any　sign　of　the　men　who　were　ing。　There　was　nothing　…　yet。　More　than　once　he　had　to　stop　and　wait　while　the　others　stumbled　after　him。　Egwene　was　crouched　over　Bela's　neck；　and　the　mare　was　picking　her　way　carefully　over　the　uneven　ground。　Perrin　thought　they　both　must　be　more　tired　than　he　had　believed。　This　had　better　be　a　good　hiding　place。　I　don't　think　we　can　hunt　for　another。
　　　　　　　At　the　base　of　the　hill　he　studied　the　massive；　flat　rock　outlined　against　the　sky；　jutting　out　the　slope　almost　at　the　crest。　There　was　an　odd　familiarity　to　the　way　the　top　of　the　huge　slab　seemed　to　form　irregular　steps；　three　up　and　one　down。　He　climbed　the　short　distance　and　felt　across　the　stone；　walking　along　it。　Despite　the　weathering　of　centuries　he　could　still　feel　four　joined　columns。　He　glanced　up　at　the　step…like　top　of　the　stone；　towering　over　his　head　like　a　huge　lean…to。　Fingers。　We'll　shelter　in　Artur　Hawkwing's　hand。　Maybe　some　of　his　justice　is　left　here。
　　　　　　　He　motioned　for　Egwene　to　join　him。　She　did　not　move；　so　he　slid　back　down　to　the　base　of　the　hill　and　told　her　what　he　had　found。
　　　　　　　Egwene　peered　up　the　hill　with　her　head　pushed　forward。　〃How　can　you　see　anything？〃　she　asked。
　　　　　　　Perrin　opened　his　mouth；　then　shut　it。　He　licked　his　lips　as　he　looked　around；　for　the　first　time　really　aware　of　what　he　was　seeing。　The　sun　was　down。　All　the　way　down；　now；　and　clouds　hid　the　full　moon；　but　it　still　seemed　like　the　deep　purple　fringes　of　twilight　to　him。　〃I　felt　the　rock；〃　he　said　finally。　〃That's　what　it　has　to　be。　They　won't　be　able　to　pick　us　out　against　the　shadow　of　it　even　if　they　e　this　far。〃　He　took　Bela's　bridle　to　lead　her　to　the　shelter　of　the　hand。　He　could　feel　Egwene's　eyes　on　his　back。
　　　　　　　As　he　was　helping　her　down　from　the　saddle；　the　night　broke　out　in　shouts　back　toward　the　pool。　She　laid　a　hand　on　Perrin's　arm；　and　he　heard　her　unspoken　question。
　　　　　　　〃The　men　saw　Wind；〃　he　said　reluctantly。　It　was　difficult　to　pick　out　the　meaning　of　the　wolves'　thoughts。　Something　about　fire。　〃They　have　torches。〃　He　pressed　her　down　at　the　base　of　the　fingers　and　crouched　beside　her。　〃They're　breaking　up　into　parties　to　search。　So　many　of　them；　and　the　wolves　are　all　hurt。〃　He　tried　to　make　his　voice　heartier。　〃But　Dapple　and　the　others　should　be　able　to　keep　out　of　their　way；　even　injured；　and　they　don't　expect　us。　People　don't　see　what　they　don't　expect。　They'll　give　up　soon　enough　and　make　camp。〃　Elyas　was　with　the　wolves；　and　would　not　leave　them　while　they　were　hunted。　So　many　riders。　So　persistent。　Why　so　persistent？
　　　　　　　He　saw　Egwene　nod；　but　in　the　dark　she　did　not　realize　it。　〃We'll　be　all　right；　Perrin。〃
　　　　　　　Light；　he　thought　wonderingly；　she's　trying　to　fort　me。
　　　　　　　The　shouts　went　on　and　on。　Small　knots　of　torches　moved　in　the　distance；　flickering　points　of　light　in　the　darkness。
　　　　　　　〃Perrin；〃　Egwene　said　softly；　〃will　you　dance　with　me　at　Sunday？　If　we're　home　by　then？〃
　　　　　　　His　shoulders　shook。　He　made　no　sound；　and　he　did　not　know　if　he　was　laughing　or　crying。　〃I　will。　I　promise。〃　Against　his　will　his　hands　tightened　on　the　axe；　reminding　him　that　he　still　held　it。　His　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper。　〃I　promise；〃　he　said　again；　and　hoped。
　　　　　　　Groups　of　torch…carrying　men　now　rode　through　the　hills；　bunches　of　ten　or　twelve。　Perrin　could　not　tell　how　many　groups　there　were。　Sometimes　three　or　four　were　in　sight　at　once；　quartering　back　and　forth。　They　continued　to　shout　to　one　another；　and　sometimes　there　were　screams　in　the　night；　the　screams　of　horses；　the　screams　of　men。
　　　　　　　He　saw　it　all　from　more　than　one　vantage。　He　crouched　on　the　hillside　with　Egwene；　watching　the　torches　move　through　the　darkness　like　fireflies；　and　in　his　mind　he　ran　in　the　night　with　Dapple；　and　Wind；　and　Hopper。　The　wolves　had　been　too　hurt　by　the　ravens　to　run　far　or　fast；　so　they　intended　to　drive　the　men　out　of　the　darkness；　drive　them　to　the　shelter　of　their　fires。　Men　always　sought　the　safety　of　fires　in　the　end；　when　wolves　roamed　the　night。　Some　of　the　mounted　men　led　strings　of　horses　without　riders；　they　whinnied　and　reared　with　wide；　rolling　eyes　when　the　gray　shapes　darted　among　them；　screaming　and　pulling　their　lead　ropes　from　the　hands　of　the　men　who　held　them；　scattering　in　all　directions　as　fast　as　they　could　run。　Horses　with　men　on　their　backs　screamed；　too；　when　gray　shadows　flashed　out　of　the　dark　with　hamstringing　fangs；　and　sometimes　their　riders　screamed　as　well；　just　before　jaws　tore　out　their　throats。　Elyas　was　out　there；　also；　more　dimly　sensed；　stalking　the　night　with　his　long　knife；　a　two…legged　wolf　with　one　sharp　steel　tooth。　The　shouts　became　curses　more　often　than　not；　but　the　searchers　refused　to　give　up。
　　　　　　　Abruptly　Perrin　realized　that　the　men　with　torches　were　following　a　pattern。　Each　time　some　of　the　parties　came　in　view；　one　of　them；　at　least；　was　closer　to　the　hillside　where　he　and　Egwene　were　hiding。　Elyas　had　said　to　hide；　but　。。。　What　if　we　run？　Maybe　we　could　hide　in　the　dark；　if　we　keep　moving。　Maybe。　It　has　to　he　dark　enough　for　that。
　　　　　　　He　turned　to　Egwene；　but　as　he　did　the　decision　was　taken　away　from　him。　Bunched　torches；　a　dozen　of　them；　came　around　the　base　of　the　hill；　wavering　with　the　trot　of　the　horses。　Lanceheads　gleamed　in　the　torchlight。　He　froze；　holding　his　breath；　hands　tightening　on　his　axe　haft。
　　　　　　　The　horsemen　rode　past　the　hill；　but　one　of　the　men　shouted；　and　the　torches　swung　back。　He　thought　desperately；　seeking　for　a　way　to　go。　But　as　soon　as　they　moved　they　would　be　seen；　if　they　had　not　already　been；　and　once　they　were　marked　they　would　have　no　chance；　not　even　with　the　darkness　to　help。
　　　　　　　The　horsemen　drew　up　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　each　man　holding　a　torch　in　one　hand　and　a　long　lance　in　the　other；　guiding　his　horse　by　the　pressure　of　his　knees。　By　the　light　of　the　torches　Perrin　could　see　the　white　cloaks　of　the　Children　of　the　Light。　They　held　the　torches　high　and　leaned　forward　in　their　saddles；　peering　up　at　the　deep　shadows　under　Artur　Hawkwing's　fingers。
　　　　　　　〃There　is　something　up　there；〃　one　of　them　said。　His　voice　was　too　loud；　as　if　he　was　afraid　of　what　lay　outside　the　light　of　his　torch。　〃I　told　you　somebody　could　hide　in　that。　Isn't　that　a　horse？〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　laid　a　hand　on　Perrin's　arm；　her　eyes　were　big　in　the　dark。　Her　silent　question　plain　despite　the　shadow　hiding　her　features。　What　to　do？　Elyas　and　the　wolves　still　hunted　through　the　night。　The　horses　below　shifted　their　feet　nervously。　If　we　run　now；　they'll　chase　us　down。
　　　　　　　One　of　the　Whitecloaks　stepped　his　horse　forward　and　shouted　up　the