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r passengers； and all full。 You can sleep on deck and eat with the crew for another gold crown。 Each。〃
〃That is ridiculous！〃 Thom snapped。 〃I don't care what the war has done downriver； that is ridiculous！〃 The two large sailors shifted their bare feet。
〃It is the price；〃 the captain said firmly。 〃I do not want to anger anyone； but I'd as soon not have any business you can be on aboard my vessel。 Like letting a man pay you so he can coat you with hot tar； mixing in that business。 You pay the price； or you go over the side； and the Amyrlin Seat herself can dry you off。 And I'll keep this for the trouble you've given me； thank you。〃 He stuffed the gold crown Mat has tossed him into a pocket of his puffy…sleeved coat。
〃How much for one of the cabins？〃 Mat asked。 〃To ourselves。 You can put whoever is in it now with someone else。〃 He did not want to sleep out in the cold night。 And if you don't overwhelm a fellow like this； he'll steal your breeches and say he is doing you a favor。 His stomach rumbled loudly。 〃And we eat what you eat； not with the crew。 And plenty of it！〃
〃Mat；〃 Thom said； 〃I'm the one who is supposed to be drunk here。〃 He turned to the captain； flourishing his patch…covered cloak as well as he could with blanketroll and instrument cases hung about him。 〃As you may have noticed； Captain； I am a gleeman。〃 Even in the open air； his voice suddenly seemed to echo。 〃For the price of our passages； I would be more than glad to entertain your passengers and your crew…〃
〃My crew is aboard to work； gleeman； not be entertained。〃 The captain stroked his pointed beard； his pale eyes priced Mat's plain coat to the copper。 〃So you want a cabin； do you？〃 He barked a laugh。 〃And my meals？ Well； you can have my cabin and my meals。 For five gold crowns from each of you！ Andoran weight！〃 Those were the heaviest。 He began to laugh so hard his words came out in wheezes。 Flanking him； Sanor and Vasa grinned wide grins。 〃For ten crowns； you can take my cabin； and my meals； and I'll move in with the passengers and eat with the crew。 Burn my soul； I will！ By the Stone； I swear it！ For ten gold crowns。。。〃 Laughter choked off anything else。
He was still laughing and gasping for breath and wiping tears from his eyes when Mat pulled out one of his two purses； but laughter stopped by the time Mat had counted five crowns into his hands。 The captain blinked in disbelief； the two big crewmen looked poleaxed。
〃Andoran weight； you said？〃 Mat asked。 It was hard to judge without scales； but he laid seven more on the pile。 Two actually were Andoran； and he thought the others made up the weight。 Close enough； for this fellow。 After a moment； he added another two gold Tairen crowns。 〃For whoever you'll be pushing out of the cabin they paid for。〃 He did not think the passengers would see a copper of it； but it sometimes paid to appear generous。 〃Unless you mean to share with them？ No； of course not。 They ought to have something for having to crowd in with others。 There's no need for you to eat with your crew； Captain。 You are wele to share Thom's meals and mine in your cabin。〃 Thom stared at him as hard as the others did。
〃Are you。。。？〃 The bearded man's voice was a hoarse whisper。 〃Are you。。。 by any chance。。。 a young lord in disguise？〃
〃I am no lord。〃 Mat laughed。 He had reason to laugh。 The Gray Gull was well out into the darkness of the harbor； now； with the wharf a band of light pointing up the black gap； not far ahead now； where the water gates let out onto the river。 The sweeps drove the vessel toward that gap quickly。 Men were already swinging the long； slanting booms around preparatory to unlashing the sails。 And with gold in his hands； the captain no longer seemed ready to throw anyone overboard。 〃If you don't mind； Captain； could we see our cabin？ Your cabin； I mean。 It's late； and I for one want a few hours sleep。〃 His stomach spoke to him。 〃And supper！〃
As the vessel put its bow into the blackness； the bearded man himself led the way down a ladder to a short； narrow passage lined with doors set close together。 While the captain cleared his things from his cabin … it ran the width of the stern； with its bed and all of its furnishings built into the walls except two chairs and a few chests … and saw that Mat and Thom were settled； Mat learned a great deal； beginning with the fact that the man would not be pushing any passengers out of their quarters。 He had too much respect for the coin they had paid； if not for them； to allow that。 The captain would take his first's cabin； and that officer would take the second's bed； pushing each lower man down till the deckmaster would end sleeping up in the bow with the crew。
Mat did not think that information could be very useful； but he listened to everything the man said。 It was always best to know not only where you were going； but who you were dealing with； or they might just take your coat and boots and leave you to walk home through the rain in bare feet。
The captain was a Tairen named Huan Mallia； and he spoke with great volubility once he had worked out Mat and Thom to his own satisfaction。 He was not nobly born； he said； not him； but he would not have anyone think he was a fool。 A young man with more gold than any young man should have by right might be a thief； if everyone did not know thieves never escaped Tar Valon with their haul。 A young man dressed like a farmboy but with the air and confidence of the lord he denied being … 〃By the Stone； I'll not say you are； if you say you are not。〃 Mallia winked and chuckled and tugged the point of his beard。 A young man carrying a paper bearing the Amyrlin Seat's seal and bound for Andor。 There was no secret that Queen Morgase had visited Tar Valon； though her reason certainly was。 It was obvious to Mallia something was afoot between Caemlyn and Tar Valon。 And Mat and Thom were messengers … for Morgase； he thought； by Mat's accent。 Anything he could do to help in so great an enterprise would be his pleasure； not that he meant to poke where he was not wanted。
Mat exchanged startled looks with Thom； who was stowing his instrument cases under a table built out from one wall。 The room had two small windows on either side； and a pair of lamps in jointed brackets for light。 〃That's nonsense；〃 Mat said。
〃Of course；〃 Mallia replied。 He straightened from pulling clothes out of a chest at the foot of the bed and smiled。 〃Of course。〃 A cupboard in the wall seemed to hold charts of the river he would need。 〃I'll say no more。〃
But he did mean to poke； though he attempted to disguise it； and he rambled while he tried to pry。 Mat listened； and answered the questions with grunts or shrugs or a word or two； while Thom said less than that。 The gleeman kept shaking his head while unburdening himself of his possessions。
Mallia had been a river man all his life； though he dreamed of sailing on the sea。 He hardly spoke of a country beside Tear without contempt； Andor was the only one to escape； and the praise he finally managed was grudging despite his obvious efforts。 〃Good horses in Andor； I've heard。 Not bad。 Not as good as Tairen stock； but good enough。