rj.theshadowrising-第141部分

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You　just　e　along　with　me；　and　I'll　see　you　all　get　hot　baths　and　somewhere　to　rest。　Every　house　is　crowded；　but　we'll　find　places　for　everyone。　e。〃
　　　　　　　Marin　al'Vere　came　hurrying　through　the　crowd；　and　Alsbet　Luhhan；　Natti　Cauthon　and　Neysa　Ayellin　and　more　women；　taking　up　children　or　putting　arms　around　Tuatha'an　women；　urging　them　along；　scolding　the　Two　Rivers　men　to　make　way。　Not　that　anybody　was　balking；　now；　it　just　took　a　little　time　for　so　many　to　jostle　back　and　open　a　path。
　　　　　　　Faile　gave　Perrin　an　admiring　look；　but　he　shook　his　head。　This　was　not　ta'veren　work；　Two　Rivers　people　might　need　the　right　way　pointed　out　to　them　sometimes；　but　they　could　see　it　when　it　was。　Even　Hari　Coplin；　watching　the　Tinkers　brought　in；　did　not　look　as　sour　as　he　had。　Well；　not。　quite　as　sour。　There　was　no　use　expecting　miracles。
　　　　　　　Shambling　by；　Raen　looked　up　at　Perrin　dully。　〃The　Way　of　the　Leaf　is　the　right　way。　All　things　die　in　their　appointed　time；　and。。。〃　He　trailed　off　as　if　he　could　not　remember　what　he　had　been　going　to　say。
　　　　　　　〃They　came　last　night；〃　Ila　said；　mumbling　because　of　her　swollen　face。　Her　eyes　were　almost　as　glazed　as　her　husband's。　〃The　dogs　might　have　helped　us　escape；　but　the　Children　killed　all　the　dogs；　and。。。　There　was　nothing　we　could　do。〃　Behind　her；　Aram　shivered　in　his　yellow…striped　coat；　staring　at　all　the　armed　men。　Most　of　the　Tinker　children　were　crying　now。
　　　　　　　Perrin　frowned　at　the　smoke　rising　to　the　south。　Twisting　in　his　saddle；　he　could　make　out　more　to　the　north　and　east。　Even　if　most　of　those　represented　houses　already　abandoned；　the　Trollocs　had　had　a　busy　night。　How　many　would　it　take　to　fire　that　many　farms；　even　running　between　and　taking　no　more　time　than　needed　to　toss　a　torch　into　an　empty　house　or　unwatched　field？　Maybe　as　many　as　they　had　killed　today；　What　did　that　say　about　Trolloc　numbers　already　in　the　Two　Rivers？　It　did　not　seem　possible　one　band　had　done　it　all；　burning　all　those　houses　and　destroying　the　Traveling　People's　caravan；　too。
　　　　　　　Eyes　falling　on　the　Tuatha'an　being　led　away；　he　felt　a　stab　of　embarrassment。　They　had　seen　kith　and　kin　killed　last　night；　and　here　he　was　coldly　considering　numbers。　He　could　hear　some　of　the　Two　Rivers　men　muttering；　trying　to　decide　which　smoke　represented　whose　farm。　To　all　of　these　people　those　fires　meant　real　losses；　lives　to　be　rebuilt　if　they　could；　not　just　numbers。　He　was　useless　here。　Now；　while　Faile　was　caught　up　in　helping　see　to　the　Tinkers；　was　the　time　for　him　to　be　off　after　Loial　and　Gaul。
　　　　　　　Master　Luhhan；　in　his　blacksmith's　vest　and　long　leather　apron；　caught　Stepper's　bridle。　〃Perrin；　you　have　to　help　me。　The　Warders　want　me　to　make　parts　for　more　of　those　catapults；　but　I've　twenty　men　clamoring　for　me　to　repair　bits　of　armor　their　grandfathers'　fool　grandfathers　bought　from　some　fool　merchants'　guards。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　would　like　to　give　you　a　hand；〃　Perrin　said；　〃but　I　have　something　else　that　needs　doing。　I'd　likely　be　rusty；　anyway。　I　haven't　had　much　work　at　a　forge　the　last　year。〃
　　　　　　　〃Light；　I　didn't　mean　that。　Not　for　you　to　work　a　hammer。〃　The　blacksmith　sounded　shocked。　〃Every　time　I　send　one　of　those　goose…brains　off　with　a　bee　in　his　ear；　he's　back　ten　minutes　later　with　a　new　argument。　I　cannot　get　any　work　done。　They'll　listen　to　you。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　doubted　it；　not　if　they　would　not　listen　to　Master　Luhhan。　Aside　from　being　on　the　Village　Council；　Haral　Luhhan　was　big　enough　to　pick　up　nearly　any　man　in　the　Two　Rivers　and　toss　him　out　bodily　if　need　be。　But　he　went　along　to　the　makeshift　forge　Master　Luhhan　had　set　up　beneath　a　hastily　built；　open…sided　shed　near　the　Green。　Six　men　clustered　around　the　anvils　salvaged　from　the　smithy　the　Whitecloaks　had　burned；　and　another　idly　pumping　the　big　leather　bellows　until　the　blacksmith　chased　him　away　from　the　long　handles　with　a　shout。　To　Perrin's　surprise　they　did　listen　when　he　told　them　to　go；　with　no　speech　to　bend　men　'round　a　ta'veren's　will；　just　a　plain　statement　that　Master　Luhhan　was　busy。　Surely　the　blacksmith　could　have　done　as　much　himself；　but　he　shook　Perrin's　hand　and　thanked　him　profusely　before　setting　to　work。
　　　　　　　Bending　down　from　Stepper's　saddle；　Perrin　caught　one　of　the　men　by　the　shoulder；　a　bald…headed　farmer　named　Get　Eldin；　and　asked　him　to　stay　and　warn　off　anyone　else　who　tried　to　bother　Master　Luhhan。　Get　must　have　been　three　times　his　age；　but　the　leathery；　wrinkle…faced　man　just　nodded　and　took　up　a　station　near　where　Haral　had　his　hammer　ringing　on　hot　iron。　Now　he　could　be　off；　before　Faile　turned　up。
　　　　　　　Before　he　could　as　much　as　turn　Stepper；　Bran　appeared；　spear　on　his　shoulder　and　steel　cap　under　one　stout　arm。　〃Perrin；　there　has　to　be　a　faster　way　to　bring　the　shepherds　and　herdsmen　in　if　we're　attacked　again。　Even　sending　the　fastest　runners　in　the　village；　Abell　couldn't　get　half　of　them　back　here　before　those　Trollocs　came　out　of　the　wood。〃
　　　　　　　That　was　easy　to　solve；　a　matter　of　remembering　an　old　bugle；　tarnished　nearly　black；　that　Cenn　Buie　had　hanging　on　his　wall；　and　settling　on　a　signal　of　three　long　blasts　that　the　farthest　shepherd　could　hear。　It　did　bring　up　signals　for　other　things；　of　course；　such　as　sending　everyone　to　their　places　if　an　attack　was　expected。　Which　led　to　how　to　know　when　an　attack　was　expected。　Bain　and　Chiad　and　the　Warders　turned　out　to　be　more　than　amenable　to　scouting；　but　four　were　hardly　enough；　so　good　woodsmen　and　trackers　had　to　be　found；　and　provided　with　horses　so　they　could　reach　Emond's　Field　ahead　of　any　Trollocs　they　
spotted。
　　　　　　　After　that；　Buel　Dowtry　had　to　be　settled　down。　The　white…haired　old　fletcher；　with　a　nose　nearly　as　sharp　as　a　broadhead　point；　knew　very　well　that　most　farmers　usually　made　their　own　arrows；　but　he　was　adamantly　opposed　to　anyone　helping　him　here　in　the　village；　as　if　he　could　keep　every　quiver　filled　by　himself。　Perrin　was　not　sure　how　he　smoothed　Buel's　ruffled　temper；　but　somehow　he　left　the　man　happily　teaching　a　knot　of　boys　to　tie　and　glue　goose…feather　fletchings。
　　　　　　　Eward　Candwin；　the　stout　cooper；　had　a　different　problem。　With　so　many　folks　needing　water；　he　had　more　buckets　and　barrels　to　make　than　he　could　hoop　in　weeks；　alone。　It　did　not　take　long　to　find　him　hands　he　trusted　to　chamfer　staves　at　least；　but　more　people　came　with　questions　and　problems　they　seemed　to　think　only　Perrin　had　the　answers　for；　from　where　to　burn　the　bodies　of　the　dead　Trollocs　to　whether　it　was　safe　to　return　to　their　farms　to　save　what　they　could。　That　last　he　answered　with　a　firm　no　whenever　it　was　asked　…　and　it　was　asked　more　often　than　any　other；　by　men　and　women　frowning　at　the　smoke　rising　in　the　countryside　…　but　most　of　the　time　he　simply　inquired　what　the　questioner　thought　was　a　good　solution　and　told　him　to　do　that。　It　was　seldom　he　really　had　to　e　up　with　an　answer；　people　knew　what　to　do；　they　just　had　this　fool　notion　they　had　to　ask　him。
　　　　　　　Dannil　and　Ban　and　the　others　found　him　and　insisted　on　riding　about　at　his　heels　with　that　banner；　as　if　the　big　one　over　the　Green　was　not　bad　enough；　until　he　sent　them　off　to　guard　the　men　who　had　gone　back　to　felling　trees　along　the　Westwood。　It　seemed　that　Tam　had　told　them　some　tale　about　something　called　the　panions；　in　Illian；　soldiers　who　rode　with　the　general　of　an　Illianer　army　and　were　thrown　in　wherever　the　battle　was　hottest。　Tam；　of　all　people！　At　least　they　took　the　banner　with　them。　Perrin　felt　a　right　fool　with　that　thing　trailing　after　him。
　　　　　　　In　the　middle　of　the　morning；　Luc　rode　in；　all　golden…haired　arrogance；　nodding　slightly　to　acknowledge　a　few　cheers；　though　why　anyone　wanted　to　cheer　him　seemed　a　mystery。　He　brought　a　trophy　that　he　pulled　out　of　a　leather　bag　and　had　set　on　a　spear　at　the　edge　of　the　Green　for　everyone　to　gawk　at。　A　Myrddraal's　eyeless　head。　The　fellow　was　modest　enough；　in　a　condescending　sort　of　way；　but　he　did　let　slip　that　he　had　killed　the　Fade　when　he　ran　into　a　band　of　Trollocs。　An　admiring　train　took　him　around　to　see　the　scene　of　the　battle　here　…　they　were　calling　it　that　…　where　horses　were　dragging　Trollocs　off　to　great　pyres　already　sending　up　pillars　of　oily　black　smoke。　Luc　was　properly　admiring　in　turn；　making　only　one　or　two　criticisms　of　how　Perrin　had　disposed　his　men；　that　was　how　the　Two　Rivers　folk　told　it；　with　Perrin　lining　everybody　up　and　giving　orders　he　certainly　never　had。
　　　　　　　To　Perrin；　Luc　gave　a　patronizing　smile　of　approval。　〃You　did　very　well；　my　boy。　You　were　lucky；　of　course；　but　there　is　such　a　thing　as　the　luck　of　the　beginner；　is　there　not。〃
　　　　　　　When　he　went　off　to　his　room　in　the　Winespring　Inn；　Perrin　had　the　head　taken　down　and　buried。　Not　a　thing　people　should　be　staring　at；　especially　the　children。
　　　　　　　The　questions　continued　as　the　day　wore　on；　until　he　suddenly　realized　the　sun　stood　straight　overhead；　he　had　had　nothing　to　eat；　and　his　stomach　was　talking　to　him　in　no　uncertain　terms。　〃Mistress　al'Caar；〃　he　said　wearily　to　the　long…faced　woman　at　his　stirrup；　〃I　suppose　the　children　can　play　anywhere；　so　long　as　somebody　watches　to　make　sure　they　don't　go　beyond　the　last　houses。　Light；　woman；　you　know　that。　You　certainly　know　children　better　than　I　do！　If　you　don't；　how　have　you　managed　to　raise　four　of　your　own？〃　Her　youngest　was　six　years　older　than　he　was！
　　　　　　　Nela　al'Caar　frowned　and　tossed　her　head；　gray…streaked　braid　swinging。　For　a　moment　he　thought　she　was　going　to　snap　his　nose　off；　talking　that　way　to　her。　He　almost　wished　she　would；　for　a　change　from　everybody　wanting　to　know　what　he　thought　should　be　done。　〃Of　course　I　know　children；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　want　to　make　sure　it's　done　the　way　you　want。　That's　what　we'll　do；　then。〃
　　　　　　　Sighing；　he　only　waited　for　her　to　turn　away　before　reining　Stepper　around　toward　the　Winespring　Inn。　Two　or　three　voices　called　to　him；　but　he　refused　to　listen。　What　he　wanted　done。　What　was　wrong　with　these　people？　Two　Rivers　folk　did　not　follow　this　way。　Certainly　not　Emond's　Fielders。　They　wanted　a　say　in　everything。　Arguments　in　front　of　the　Village　Council；　arguments　among　the　Council；　had　to　e　to　blows　before　they　occasioned　ment。　And　if　the　Women's　Circle　thought　they　kept　their　own　affairs　more　circumspect；　there　was　not　a　man　who　did　not　know　the　meaning　of　tight…jawed　women　stalking　about　with　their　braids　all　but　bristling　like　angry　cats'　tails。
　　　　　　　What　I　want！　he　thought　angrily。　What　I　want　is　something　to　eat；　someplace　where　no　one　is　jabbering　in　my　ear。　Stepping　down　in　front　of　the　inn；　he　staggered；　and　thought　he　could　add　a　bed　to　that　short　list。　Only　midday；　with　Stepper　doing　all　the　work；　and　he　already　felt　bone…weary。　Maybe　Faile　had　been　right　after　all。　Maybe　going　after　Loial　and　Gaul　really　was　a　bad　idea。
　　　　　　　When　he　walked　into　the　mon　room；　Mistress　al'Vere　took　one　look　at　him　and　all　but　pushed　him　into　a　chair　with　a　motherly　smile。　〃You　can　just　give　over　handing　out　orders　for　a　while；〃　she　told　him　firmly。　〃Emond's　Field　can　very　well　survive　an　hour　by　itself　while　you　put　some　food　inside　you。〃　She　bustled　away　before　he　could　say　Emond's　Field　could　very　well　survive　by　itself　without　him　at　all。
　　　　　　　The　room　was　almost　empty。　Natti　Cauthon　s