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owds to jostle your elbow and poke you in the ribs。 Nobody looking down their long noses at us。 There's still an hour； maybe two； of daylight left。〃
〃Aren't you forgetting the Trollocs？〃 Perrin said。
Mat shook his head scornfully。 〃Lan said they wouldn't e in here； remember？ You need to listen to what people say。〃
〃I remember；〃 Perrin said。 〃And I do listen。 This city … Aridhol？ … was an ally of Manetheren。 See？ I listen。〃
〃Aridhol must have been the greatest city in the Trolloc Wars；〃 Rand aid； 〃for the Trollocs to still be afraid of it。 They weren't afraid to e into the Two Rivers； and Moiraine said Manetheren was … how did she put it？ … a thorn to the Dark One's foot。〃
Perrin raised his hands。 〃Don't mention the Shepherd of the Night。 Please？〃
〃What do you say？〃 Mat laughed。 〃Let's go。〃
〃We should ask Moiraine；〃 Perrin said； and Mat threw up his hands。
〃Ask Moiraine？ You think she'll let us out of her sight？ And what about Nynaeve？ Blood and ashes； Perrin； why not ask Mistress Luhhan while you're about it？〃
Perrin nodded reluctant agreement； and Mat turned to Rand with a grin。 〃What about you？ A real city？ With palaces！〃 He gave a sly laugh。 〃And no Whitecloaks to stare at us。〃
Rand gave him a dirty look； but he hesitated only a minute。 Those palaces were like a gleeman's tale。 〃All right。〃
Stepping softly so as not to be heard in the front room； they left by the alley； following it away from the front of the building to a street on the other side。 They walked quickly； and when they were a block away from the white stone building Mat suddenly broke into a capering dance。
〃Free。〃 He laughed。 〃Free！〃 He slowed until he was turning a circle； staring at everything and still laughing。 The afternoon shadows stretched long and jagged； and the sinking sun made the ruined city golden。 〃Did you ever even dream of a place like this？ Did you？〃
Perrin laughed； too； but Rand shrugged unfortably。 This was nothing like the city in his first dream； but just the same 。。。〃If we're going to see anything；〃 he said； 〃we had better get on with it。 There isn't much daylight left。〃
Mat wanted to see everything； it seemed； and he pulled the others along with his enthusiasm。 They climbed over dusty fountains with basins wide enough to hold everybody in Emond's Field and wandered in and out of structures chosen at random； but always the biggest they could find。 Some they understood； and some not。 A palace was plainly a palace； but what was a huge building that was one round； white dome as big as a hill outside and one monstrous room inside？ And a walled place； open to the sky and big enough to have held all of Emond's Field； surrounded by row on row on row of stone benches？
Mat grew impatient when they found nothing but dust； or rubble； or colorless rags of wall hangings that crumbled at a touch。 Once some wooden chairs stood stacked against a wall； they all fell to bits when Perrin tried to pick one up。
The palaces； with their huge； empty chambers； some of which could have held the Winespring Inn with room to spare on every side and above as well； made Rand think too much of the people who had once filled them。 He thought everybody in the Two Rivers could have stood under that round dome； and as for the place with the stone benches 。。。 He could almost imagine he could see the people in the shadows； staring in disapproval at the three intruders disturbing their rest。
Finally even Mat tired； grand as the buildings were； and remembered that he had had only an hour's sleep the night before。 Everyone began to remember that。 Yawning； they sat on the steps of a tall building fronted by row on row of tall stone columns and argued about what to do next。
〃Go back；〃 Rand said； 〃and get some sleep。〃 He put the back of his hand against his mouth。 When he could talk again； he said； 〃Sleep。 That's all I want。〃
〃You can sleep anytime；〃 Mat said determinedly。 〃Look at where we are。 A ruined city。 Treasure。〃
〃Treasure？〃 Perrin's jaws cracked。 〃There isn't any treasure here。 There isn't anything but dust。〃
Rand shaded his eyes against the sun； a red ball sitting close to the rooftops。 〃It's getting late； Mat。 It'll be dark soon。〃
〃There could be treasure；〃 Mat maintained stoutly。 〃Anyway； I want to climb one of the towers。 Look at that one over there。 It's whole。 I'll bet you could see for miles from up there。 What do you say？〃
〃The towers are not safe；〃 said a man's voice behind them。
Rand leaped to his feet and spun around clutching his sword hilt； and the others were just as quick。
A man stood in the shadows among the columns at the top of the stairs。 He took half a step forward； raised his hand to shield his eyes； and stepped back again。 〃Forgive me；〃 he said smoothly。 〃I have been quite a long time in the dark inside。 My eyes are not yet used to the light。〃
〃Who are you？〃 Rand thought the man's accent sounded odd； even after Baerlon； some words he pronounced strangely； so Rand could barely understand them。 〃What are you doing here？ We thought the city was empty。〃
〃I am Mordeth。〃 He paused as if expecting them to recognize the name。 When none of them gave any sign of doing so； he muttered something under his breath and went on。 〃I could ask the same questions of you。 There has been no one in Aridhol for a long time。 A long； long time。 I would not have thought to find three young men wandering its streets。〃
〃We're on our way to Caemlyn；〃 Rand said。 〃We stopped to take shelter for the night。〃
〃Caemlyn；〃 Mordeth said slowly； rolling the name around his tongue； then shook his head。 〃Shelter for the night； you say？ Perhaps you will join me。〃
〃You still haven't said what you're doing here；〃 Perrin said。
〃Why； I am a treasure hunter； of course。〃
〃Have you found any？〃 Mat demanded excitedly。
Rand thought Mordeth smiled； but in the shadows he could not be sure。 〃I have；〃 the man said。 〃More than I expected。 Much more。 More than I can carry away。 I never expected to find three strong； healthy young men。 If you will help me move what I can take to where my horses are； you may each have a share of the rest。 As much as you can carry。 Whatever I leave will be gone； carried off by some other treasure hunter； before I can return for it。 〃
〃I told you there must be treasure in a place like this；〃 Mat exclaimed。 He darted up the stairs。 〃We'll help you carry it。 Just take us to it。〃 He and Mordeth moved deeper into the shadows among the columns。
Rand looked at Perrin。 〃We can't leave him。〃 Perrin glanced at the sinking sun； and nodded。
They went up the stairs warily； Perrin easing his axe in its belt loop。 Rand's hand tightened on his sword。 But Mat and Mordeth were waiting among the columns； Mordeth with arms folded； Mat peering impatiently into the interior。
〃e；〃 Mordeth said。 〃I will show you the treasure。〃 He slipped inside； and Mat followed。 There was nothing for the others to do but go on。
The hall inside was shadowy； but almost immediately Mordeth turned aside and took some narrow