按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ted everything； and recorded it indelibly。 〃I do remember； Mistress Trakand； and well。 But； if you will forgive me； the last time I served you was in the pany of Mat Cauthon； when we pulled you both out of the water before the silverpike could get you。〃
Nynaeve harrumphed； but not loudly。 It had been a cell； not the water； and the Black Ajah； not silverpike。 Nynaeve in particular did not like being reminded that they had needed help that time。 Of course； they would not have been in that cell without Juilin Sandar。 No； that was not entirely fair。 True； but not pletely fair。
〃That is all very well；〃 Elayne said briskly； 〃but you still haven't said why you want to go to Tanchico。〃
He drew a deep breath and eyed Nynaeve warily。 Elayne was not sure that she liked him being more careful of the other woman than of her。 〃I was rousted out of my house no more than half an hour gone；〃 he said carefully； 〃by a man you know； I think。 A tall； stone faced man calling himself Lan。〃 Nynaeve's eyebrows rose slightly。 〃He came on behalf of another man you know。 A。。。 shepherd； I was told。 I was given a great quantity of gold and told to acpany you。 Both of you。 I was told that if you do not return safely from this journey。。。 Shall we just say it would be better to drown myself than e back？ Lan was emphatic； and the。。。 shepherd no less so in his message。 The Sailmistress tells me I cannot have passage unless you agree。 I am not without certain skills that can be useful。〃 The staff whirled in his hands； a whistling blur； and was still。 His fingers touched the sword…breaker on his hip； like a short sword but unsharpened； its slots meant to catch a blade。
〃Men will find ways to get 'round what you tell them to do；〃 Nynaeve murmured； sounding not unpleased。
Elayne only frowned vexedly。 Rand had sent him？ He must not have read the second letter before he did。 Burn him！ Why does he leap about so？ No time to send another letter； and it would probably only confuse him more if I did。 And make me look a bigger fool。 Burn him！
〃And you； Master Merrilin？〃 Nynaeve said。 〃Did the shepherd send a gleeman after us； too？ Or the other man？ To keep us amused with your juggling and fire eating； perhaps。〃
Thom had been scrutinizing Sandar closely； but he shifted his attentions smoothly and made an elegant bow； only spoiling it with a too…elaborate flourish of that patch…covered cloak。 〃Not the shepherd； Mistress al'Meara。 A lady of our mutual acquaintance asked … asked … me to acpany you。 The lady who found you and the shepherd in Emond's Field。〃
〃Why？〃 Nynaeve said suspiciously。
〃I； too； have useful skills；〃 Thom told her with a glance at the thief…catcher。 〃Other than juggling； that is。 And I have been to Tanchico several times。 I know the city well。 I can tell you where to find a good inn； and what districts are dangerous in daylight as well as after dark； and who must be bribed so the Civil Watch does not take too close an interest in your doings。 They are keen on watching outlanders。 I can help you with a good many things。〃
That familiarity tickled at Elayne's mind again。 Before she realized what she was doing； she reached up and tugged at one of his long white mustaches。 He gave a start； and she clapped both hands to her mouth； flushing crimson。 〃Forgive me。 I。。。 I seemed to remember doing that before。 I mean。。。 I am sorry。〃 Light； why did I do that？ He must think me an imbecile。〃
I。。。 would remember；〃 he said； very stiffly。
She hoped he was not affronted。 It was hard to tell from his expression。 Men could be offended when they should be amused； and amused when they should be offended。 If they were going to be traveling together。。。 That was the first time she realized that she had decided they could e。 〃Nynaeve？〃 she said。
The other woman understood the unspoken question； of course。 She studied the two men thoroughly； then nodded。 〃They may e。 As long as they agree to do as they are told。 I'll not have some wool…brained man going his own way and endangering us。〃
〃As you mand； Mistress al'Meara；〃 Sandar said immediately； with a bow； but Thom said； 〃A gleeman is a free soul； Nynaeve； but I can promise I will not endanger you。 Far from it。〃
〃As you are told；〃 Nynaeve said pointedly。 〃Your word on it； or you will watch this ship sail from the dock。〃
〃The Atha'an Miere do not refuse passage to anyone； Nynaeve。〃
〃Do you think not？ Was the thief…taker〃 … Sandar winced …〃the only one told he needed our permission？ As you are told； Master Merrilin。〃
Thom tossed his white head like a fractious horse and breathed heavily； but finally he nodded。 〃My word on it； Mistress al'Meara。〃
〃Very well then；〃 Nynaeve said in a bracing voice。 〃It is settled。 You two find the Sailmistress now； and tell her I said to find the pair of you a cubbyhole somewhere if she can； out of our way。 Off with you； now。 Quickly。〃
Sandar bowed again and left； Thom quivered visibly before joining him； stiff…backed。
〃Are you not being too hard on them？〃 Elayne said as soon as they were out of earshot。 That was not far； with all the hurly…burly on deck。 〃We do have to travel together； after all。 'Smooth words make smooth panions。' 〃
〃Best to begin as we mean to go on。 Elayne； Thom Merrilin knows very well we are not full Aes Sedai。〃 She lowered her voice and glanced around as she said it。 None of the crew was even looking at them； except for the Sailmistress； back near the sterndeck where she was listening to the tall gleeman and the thief…catcher。 〃Men talk … they always do … so Sandar will know it soon enough； as well。 They'd present no trouble to Aes Sedai； but two Accepted。。。？ Given half a chance； they would both be doing things they thought for the best no matter what we said。 I do not mean to give them even that half chance。〃
〃Perhaps you are right。 Do you think they know why we are going to Tanchico？〃
Nynaeve sniffed。 〃No； or they'd not be so sanguine； I think。 And I would rather not tell them until we must。〃 She gave Elayne a meaningful look； there was no need for her to say she would not have told the Sailmistress； either； had it been left to her。 〃Here is a saying for you。 'Borrow trouble； and you repay tenfold。' 〃
〃You speak as if you don't trust them； Nynaeve。〃 She would have said the other woman was behaving like Moiraine； but Nynaeve would not appreciate the parison。
〃Can we？ Juilin Sandar betrayed us once before。 Yes； yes； I know no man could have avoided it； but there it is just the same。 And Liandrin and the others know his face。 We will have to put him in different clothes。 Perhaps make him let his hair grow longer。 Perhaps a mustache； like that thing infesting the gleeman's face。 It might do。〃
〃And Thom Merrilin？〃 Elayne asked。 〃I think we can trust him。 I don't know why； but I do。〃
〃He admitted being sent by Moiraine；〃 Nynaeve said wearily。 〃What has he not admitted； though？ What did she tell him that he hasn't told us？ Is he meant to help us； or something else？ Moiraine plays her own game so often； I trust her this much more than I do Liandrin。〃 She held her thumb and