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！
The gleeman eyed her for a moment； then smiled broadly。 〃Now you're a lovely lass。 You should have rose buds in your hair。 Unfortunately； I cannot pull roses from the air； not this year； but how would you like to stand beside me tomorrow for a part of my performance？ Hand me my flute when I want it； and certain other apparatus。 I always choose the prettiest girl I can find as my assistant。〃
Perrin snickered； and Mat； who had been snickering； laughed out loud。 Rand blinked in surprise； Egwene was glaring at him； and he had not even smiled。 She straightened around and spoke in a too…calm voice。
〃Thank you； Master Gleeman。 I would be happy to assist you。〃
〃Thom Merrilin；〃 the gleeman said。 They stared。 〃My name is Thom Merrilin； not Master Gleeman。〃 He hitched the multihued cloak up on his shoulders； and abruptly his voice once more seemed to reverberate in a great hall。 〃Once a Court bard； I am now indeed risen to the exalted rank of Master Gleeman； yet my name is plain Thom Merrilin； and gleeman is the simple title in which I glory。〃 And he swept a bow so elaborate with flourishes of his cloak that Mat clapped and Egwene murmured appreciatively。
〃Master 。。。 ah 。。。 Master Merrilin；〃 Mat said； unsure exactly what form of address to take out of what Thom Merrilin had said； 〃what is happening in Ghealdan？ Do you know anything about this false Dragon？ Or the Aes Sedai？〃
〃Do I look like a peddler； boy？〃 the gleeman grumbled； tapping out his pipe on the heel of his palm。 He made the pipe disappear somewhere inside his cloak； or his coat； Rand was not sure where it had gone or how。 〃I am a gleeman； not a newsmonger。 And I make a point of never knowing anything about Aes Sedai。 Much safer that way。〃
〃But the war；〃 Mat began eagerly； only to be cut off by Master Merrilin。
〃In wars； boy； fools kill other fools for foolish causes。 That's enough for anyone to know。 I am here for my art。〃 Suddenly he thrust a finger at Rand。 〃You； lad。 You're a tall one。 Not with your full growth on you yet； but I doubt there's another man in the district with your height。 Not many in the village with eyes that color； either； I'll wager。 The point is； you're an axe handle across the shoulders and as tall as an Aielman。 What's your name； lad？〃
Rand gave it hesitantly； not sure whether or not the man was making fun of him； but the gleeman had already turned his attention to Perrin。 〃And you have almost the size of an Ogier。 Close enough。 How are you called？〃
〃Not unless I stand on my own shoulders。〃 Perrin laughed。 〃I'm afraid Rand and I are just ordinary folk； Master Merrilin； not made…up creatures from your stories。 I'm Perrin Aybara。〃
Merrilin tugged at one of his mustaches。 〃Well； now。 Made…up creatures from my stories。 Is that what they are？ You lads are widely traveled； then； it seems。〃
Rand kept his mouth shut； certain they were the butt of a joke； now； but Perrin spoke up。
〃We've all of us been as far as Watch Hill； and Deven Ride。 Not many around here have gone as far。〃 He was not boasting； Perrin seldom did。 He was just telling the truth。
〃We've all seen the Mire； too；〃 Mat added； and he did sound boastful。 〃That's the swamp at the far end of the Waterwood。 Nobody at all goes there … it's full of quicksands and bogs…except us。 And nobody goes to the Mountains of Mist； either； but we did； once。 To the foot of them； anyway。〃
〃As far as that？〃 the gleeman murmured； brushing at his mustaches now continually。 Rand thought he was hiding a smile； and he saw that Perrin was frowning。
〃It's bad luck to enter the mountains；〃 Mat said； as if he had to defend himself for not going further。 〃Everybody knows that。〃
〃That's just foolishness； Matrim Cauthon；〃 Egwene cut in angrily。 〃Nynaeve says 。。。〃 She broke off； her cheeks turning pink； and the look she gave Thom Merrilin was not as friendly as it had been。 〃It is not right to make 。。。 It isn't 。。。〃 Her face went redder； and she fell silent。 Mat blinked； as if he was just getting a suspicion of what had been going on。
〃You're right； child；〃 the gleeman said contritely。 〃I apologize humbly。 I am here to entertain。 Aah； my tongue has always gotten me into trouble。〃
〃Maybe we haven't traveled as far as you；〃 Perrin said flatly； 〃but what does how tall Rand is have to do with anything？〃
〃Just this； lad。 A little later I will let you try to pick me up； but you won't be able to lift my feet from the ground。 Not you； nor your tall friend there … Rand； is it？ … nor any other man。 Now what do you think of that？〃
Perrin snorted a laugh。 〃I think I can lift you right now。〃 But when he stepped forward Thom Merrilin motioned him back。
〃Later； lad； later。 When there are more folk to watch。 An artist needs an audience。〃
A score of folk had gathered on the Green since the gleeman appeared from the inn； young men and women down to children who peeked； wide…eyed and silent； from behind the older onlookers。 All looked as if they were waiting for miraculous things from the gleeman。 The white…haired man looked them over … he appeared to be counting them … then gave a slight shake of his head and sighed。
〃I suppose I had better give you a small sample。 So you can run tell the others。 Eh？ Just a taste of what you'll see tomorrow at your festival。〃
He took a step back； and suddenly leaped into the air； twisting and somersaulting to land facing them atop the old stone foundation。 More than that； three balls…red； white； and black… began dancing between his hands even as he landed。
A soft sound came from the watchers； half astonishment； half satisfaction。 Even Rand forgot his irritation。 He flashed Egwene a grin and got a delighted one in return； then both turned to stare unabashedly at the gleeman。
〃You want stories？〃 Thom Merrilin declaimed。 〃I have stories； and I will give them to you。 I will make them e alive before your eyes。〃 A blue ball joined the others from somewhere； then a green one； and a yellow。 〃Tales of great wars and great heroes； for the men and boys。 For the women and girls； the entire Aptarigine Cycle。 Tales of Artur Paendrag Tanreall； Artur Hawkwing； Artur the High King； who once ruled all the lands from the Aiel Waste to the Aryth Ocean； and even beyond。 Wondrous stories of strange people and strange lands； of the Green Man； of Warders and Trollocs； of Ogier and Aiel； The Thousand Tales of Anla； the Wise Counselor。 'Jaem the GiantSlayer'。 How Susa Tamed Jain Farstrider。 'Mara and the Three Foolish Kings。'〃
〃Tell us about Lenn；〃 Egwene called。 〃How he flew to the moon in the belly of an eagle made of fire。 Tell about his daughter Salya walking among the stars。〃
Rand looked at her out of the corner of his eye； but she seemed intent on the gleeman。 She had never liked stories about adventures and long journeys。 Her favorites were always the funny ones； or stories about women outwitting people who were supposed to be smarter than everyone else。 He was sure she had asked for tales about Lenn and Salya to put a burr under his shirt。 Surely she could see the world outside was no place for Two Rivers folk。 Listening to tales of adventures； even dreaming about them； was one thing； having them take place around you would be something else again。
〃Old stories； those；〃 Thom Merrilin said； and abruptly he was juggling three colored balls with each hand。 〃Stories from the Age before the Age of Legends； some say。 Perhaps even older。 But I have all stories； mind you now； of Ages that were and will be。 Ages when men ruled the heavens and the stars； and Ages when man roamed as brother to the animals。 Ages of wonder； and Ages of horror。 Ages ended by fire raining from the skies； and Ages doomed by snow and ice covering land and sea。 I have all stories； and I will tell all stories。 Tales of Mosk the Giant； with his Lance of Fire that could reach around the world； and his wars with Alsbet； the Queen of All。 Tales of Materese the Healer； Mother of the Wondrous Ind。〃
The balls now danced between Thom's hands in two intertwining circles。 His voice was almost a chant； and he turned slowly as he spoke； as if surveying the onlookers to gauge his effect。 〃I will tell you of the end of the Age of Legends； of the Dragon； and his attempt to free the Dark One into the world of men。 I will tell of the Time of Madness； when Aes Sedai shattered the world； of the Trolloc Wars； when men battled Trollocs for rule of the earth； of the War of the Hundred Years； when men battled men and the nations of our day were wrought。 I will tell the adventures of men and women； rich and poor； great and small； proud and humble。 The Siege of the Pillars of the Sky。 'How Goodwife Karil Cured Her Husband of Snoring。' King Darith and the Fall of the House of …〃
Abruptly the flow of words and the juggling alike stopped。 Thom simply snatched the balls from the air and stopped talking。 Unnoticed by Rand； Moiraine had joined the listeners。 Lan was at her shoulder； though he had to look twice to see the man。 For a moment Thom looked at Moiraine sideways； his face and body still except for making the balls disappear into his capacious coat sl