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hat he had paid too little attention to Thom's coughing。 The change from constant rain to steamy heat had not helped it。
〃e on； Thom；〃 he said。 〃Lopar says there's a Wise Woman not far。 That is what they call a Wisdom here … a Wise Woman。 Wouldn't Nynaeve like that！〃
〃I do not need。。。 any foul…tasting。。。 concoctions。。。 poured down my throat； boy。〃 Thom stuffed a fist through his mustaches in a vain attempt to stop his hacking。 〃You go ahead looking。 Just give me。。。 a few hours。。。 on my bed。。。 and I'll join you。〃 The wracking wheezes doubled him over till his head was almost on his knees。
〃So I am supposed to do all the work while you take your ease？〃 Mat said lightly。 〃How can I find anything without you？ You learn most of what we hear。〃 That was not exactly true； men talked as freely over dice as they did while buying a gleeman a cup of wine。 More freely than they did with a gleeman hacking so hard they feared contagion。 But he was beginning to think that Thom's cough was not going to go away by itself。 If the old goat dies on me； who will I play stones with？ he told himself roughly。 〃Anyway； your bloody coughing keeps me awake even in the next room。〃
Ignoring the white…haired man's protests； he pulled Thom to his feet。 He was shocked at how much of the gleeman's weight he had to support。 Despite the damp heat； Thom insisted on his patch…covered cloak。 Mat had his own coat unbuttoned pletely and all three ties of his shirt undone； but he let the old goat have his way。 No one in the mon room even looked up as he half carried Thom out into the muggy afternoon。
The innkeeper had given simple directions； but when they reached the gate； and faced the mud of the Maule； Mat almost turned back to ask after another Wise Woman。 There had to be more than one in a city this size。 Thom's wheezing decided him。 With a grimace Mat stepped off into the mud； half carrying the gleeman。
He had thought from the directions that they must have passed the Wise Woman's house on their way up from the dock that first night； and when he saw the long； narrow house with bunches of herbs hanging in the windows； right next to a potter's shop； he remembered it。 Lopar had said something about going to the back door； but he had had enough of mud。
And the stink of fish； he thought； frowning at the barefoot men squelching by with their baskets on their backs。 There were tracks of horses in the street； too； just beginning to be obliterated by feet and ox…carts。 Horses pulling a wagon； or maybe a carriage。 He had seen nothing but oxen drawing carts or wagons either one in Tear…the nobles and the merchants were proud of their fine stock； and never let one be put to anything like work…but he had not seen any carriages since leaving the walled city； either。
Dismissing horses and wheel tracks from his mind； he took Thom to the front door and knocked。 After a time he knocked again。 Then again。
He was on the point of giving up and returning to The White Crescent despite Thom coughing on his shoulder when he heard shuffling footsteps inside。
The door opened barely more than a crack； and a stout； gray…haired woman peered out。 〃What do you want？〃 she asked in a tired voice。
Mat put on his best grin。 Light； but I am getting sick myself at all these people who sound like there's no bloody hope。 〃Mother Guenna？ My name is Mat Cauthon。 Cavan Lopar told me you might do something for my friend's cough。 I can pay well。〃
She studied them a moment； seemed to listen to Thom's wheezes； then sighed。 〃I suppose I can still do that； at least。 You might as well e in。〃 She swung the door open and was already plodding toward the back of the house before Mat moved。
Her accent sounded so much like the Amyrlin's that he shivered； but he followed； all but carrying Thom。
〃I don't。。。 need this；〃 the gleeman wheezed。 〃Bloody mixtures。。。 always taste like。。。 dung！〃
〃Shut up； Thom。〃
Leading them all the way to the kitchen； the stout woman rummaged in one of the cupboards； taking out small stone pots and packets of herbs while muttering to herself。
Mat sat Thom down in one of the high…backed chairs； and glanced through the nearest window。 There were three good horses tied out back； he was surprised the Wise Woman had more than one； or any for that matter。 He had not seen anyone in Tear riding except nobles and the wealthy； and these animals looked as if they had cost more than a little silver。 Horses again。 I don't care about bloody horses now！
Mother Guenna brewed some sort of strong tea with a rank smell and forced it down Thom's throat； holding his nose when he tried to plain。 Mat decided she had less fat on her than he had thought； from the way she held the gleeman's head steady in the crook of one arm while she poured the black liquid into him no matter how hard he tried to stop her。
When she took the cup away； Thom coughed and scrubbed at his mouth with equal vigor。 〃Gaaah！ Woman。。。 I don't know。。。 whether you。。。 mean to drown me 。。。 or kill me。。。 with the taste！ You ought。。。 to be a bloody。。。 blacksmith！〃
〃You will take the same twice a day till that hacking is gone；〃 she said firmly。 〃And I have a salve that you'll rub on your chest every night。〃 Some of the weariness left her voice as she confronted the gleeman； fists on her broad hips。 〃That salve stinks as bad as this tea tastes； but you will rub it on … thoroughly！ … or I'll drag you upstairs like a scrawny carp in a net and tie you to a bed with that cloak of yours！ I never had a gleeman e to me before； and I'll not let the first one that does cough himself to death。〃
Thom glowered and blew out his mustaches with a cough； but he seemed to take her threat seriously。 At least； he did not say anything； but he looked as if he meant to throw her tea and her salve right back at her。
The more this Mother Guenna talked； the more she sounded like the Amyrlin to Mat。 From the sour look on Thom's face； and the steady stare on hers； he decided he had better smooth matters over a little before the gleeman refused to take her medicines。 And she decided to make him。 〃I knew a woman once who talked like you；〃 he said。 〃All fish and nets and things。 Sounded like you； too。 The same accent； I mean。 I suppose she's Tairen。〃
〃Perhaps。〃 The gray…haired woman suddenly sounded tired again； and she kept staring at the floor。 〃I knew some girls with the sound of your speech on their tongues； too。 Two of them had it； anyway。〃 She sighed heavily。
Mat felt his scalp prickle。 My luck can't be this good。 But he would not bet a copper on two other women with Two Rivers accents just happening to be in Tear。 〃Three girls？ Young women？ Named Egwene； and Nynaeve； and Elayne？ That one has hair like the sun； and blue eyes。〃
She frowned at him。 〃Those were not the names they gave；〃 she said slowly； 〃yet I suspected they did not give me their true names。 But they had their reasons； I thought。 One of them was a pretty girl with bright blue eyes and red…gold hair to her shoulders。〃 She described Nynaeve with her braid to her waist and Egwene with her big； dark eyes and ready smile； too。 Three