grrm.astormofswords-第43章

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！


　my　father　thinks？　Gladly　would　he　have　given　her　the　promise　she　wanted；　and　gladly　walked　her　back　to　his　own　bedchamber　on　his　arm　to　let　her　dress　in　the　silks　and　velvets　she　loved　so　much。　Had　the　choice　been　his；　she　could　have　sat　beside　him　at　Joffrey's　wedding　feast；　and　danced　with　all　the　bears　she　liked。　But　he　could　not　see　her　hang。
　When　the　candle　burned　out；　Tyrion　disentangled　himself　and　lit　another。　Then　he　made　a　round　of　the　walls；　tapping　on　each　in　turn；　searching　for　the　hidden　door。　Shae　sat　with　her　legs　drawn　up　and　her　arms　wrapped　around　them；　watching　him。　Finally　she　said；　〃They're　under　the　bed。　The　secret　steps。〃
　He　looked　at　her；　incredulous。　〃The　bed？　The　bed　is　solid　stone。　It　weighs　half　a　ton。〃
　〃There's　a　place　where　Varys　pushes；　and　it　floats　right　up。　I　asked　him　how；　and　he　said　it　was　magic。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Tyrion　had　to　grin。　〃A　counterweight　spell。〃
　Shae　stood。　〃I　should　go　back。　Sometimes　the　baby　kicks　and　Lollys　wakes　and　calls　for　me。〃
　〃Varys　should　return　shortly。　He's　probably　listening　to　every　word　we　say。〃　Tyrion　set　the　candle　down。　There　was　a　wet　spot　on　the　front　of　his　breeches　but　in　the　darkness　it　ought　to　go　unnoticed。　He　told　Shae　to　dress　and　wait　for　the　eunuch。
　〃I　will；〃　she　promised。　〃You　are　my　lion；　aren't　you？　My　giant　of　Lannister？〃
　〃I　am；〃　he　said。　〃And　you're　…
　〃…your　whore。〃　She　laid　a　finger　to　his　lips。　〃I　know。　I'd　be　your　lady；　but　I　never　can。　Else　you'd　take　me　to　the　feast。　It　doesn't　matter。　I　like　being　a　whore　for　you；　Tyrion。　just　keep　me；　my　lion；　and　keep　me　safe。〃
　〃I　shall；〃　he　promised。　Fool；　fool；　the　voice　inside　him　screamed。　Why　did　you　say　that？　You　came　here　to　send　her　away！　Instead　he　kissed　her　once　more。
　The　walk　back　seemed　long　and　lonely。　Podrick　Payne　was　asleep　in　his　trundle　bed　at　the　foot　of　Tyrion's；　but　he　woke　the　boy。　〃Bronn；〃　he　said。
　〃Ser　Bronn？〃　Pod　rubbed　the　sleep　from　his　eyes。　〃Oh。　Should　I　get　him？　My　lord？〃
　〃Why　no；　I　woke　you　up　so　we　could　have　a　little　chat　about　the　way　he　dresses；〃　said　Tyrion；　but　his　sarcasm　was　wasted。　Pod　only　gaped　at　him　in　confusion　until　he　threw　up　his　hands　and　said；　〃Yes；　get　him。　Bring　him。　Now。〃
　The　lad　dressed　hurriedly　and　all　but　ran　from　the　room。　Am　I　really　so　terriyying？　Tyrion　wondered；　as　he　changed　into　a　bedrobe　and　poured　himself　some　wine。
　He　was　on　his　third　cup　and　half　the　night　was　gone　before　Pod　finally　returned；　with　the　sellsword　knight　in　tow。　〃I　hope　the　boy　had　a　damn　good　reason　dragging　me　out　of　Chataya's；〃　Bronn　said　as　he　seated　himself。
　〃Chataya's？〃　Tyrion　said；　annoyed。
　〃It's　good　to　be　a　knight。　No　more　looking　for　the　cheaper　brothels　down　the　street。〃　Bronn　grinned。　〃Now　it's　Alayaya　and　Marei　in　the　same　featherbed；　with　Ser　Bronn　in　the　middle。〃
　Tyrion　had　to　bite　back　his　annoyance。　Bronn　had　as　much　right　to　bed　Alayaya　as　any　other　man；　but　still　。　。　。　I　never　touched　her；　much　as　I　wanted　to；　but　Bronn　could　not　know　that。　He　should　have　kept　his　cock　out　of　her。　He　dare　not　visit　Chataya's　himself。　If　he　did；　Cersei　would　see　that　his　father　heard　of　it；　and　'Yaya　would　suffer　more　than　a　whipping。　He'd　sent　the　girl　a　necklace　of　silver　and　jade　and　a　pair　of　matching　bracelets　by　way　of　apology；　but　other　than　that　。　。　。
　This　is　fruitless。　〃There　is　a　singer　who　calls　himself　Symon　Silver　Tongue；〃　Tyrion　said　wearily；　pushing　his　guilt　aside。　〃He　plays　for　Lady　Tanda's　daughter　sometimes。〃
　〃What　of　him？〃
　Kill　him；　he　might　have　said；　but　the　man　had　done　nothing　but　sing　a　few　songs。　And　fill　Shae's　sweet　head　with　visions　of　doves　and　dancing　bears。　〃Find　him；〃　he　said　instead。　〃Find　him　before　someone　else　does。〃
　
　CHAPTER　13
　ARYA
　
　She　was　grubbing　for　vegetables　in　a　dead　man's　garden　when　she　heard　the　singing。
　Arya　stiffened；　still　as　stone；　listening；　the　three　stringy　carrots　in　her　hand　suddenly　forgotten。　She　thought　of　the　Bloody　Mummers　and　Roose　Bolton's　men；　and　a　shiver　of　fear　went　down　her　back。　It's　not　fair；　not　when　we　finally　found　the　Trident；　not　when　we　thought　we　were　almost　safe。
　Only　why　would　the　Mummers　be　singing？
　The　song　came　drifting　up　the　river　from　somewhere　beyond　the　little　rise　to　the　east。　〃Off　to　Gulltown　to　see　the　fair　maid；　heigh…ho；　heigh…ho　。　。　。〃
　Arya　rose；　carrots　dangling　from　her　hand。　It　sounded　like　the　singer　was　ing　up　the　river　road。　Over　among　the　cabbages；　Hot　Pie　had　heard　it　too；　to　judge　by　the　look　on　his　face。　Gendry　had　gone　to　sleep　in　the　shade　of　the　burned　cottage；　and　was　past　hearing　anything。
　〃I'll　steal　a　sweet　kiss　with　the　point　of　my　blade；　heigh…ho；　heigh…ho。〃　She　thought　she　heard　a　woodharp　too；　beneath　the　soft　rush　of　the　river。
　〃Do　you　hear？〃　Hot　Pie　asked　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　as　he　hugged　an　armful　of　cabbages。　〃Someone's　ing。〃
　〃Go　wake　Gendry；〃　Arya　told　him。　〃Just　shake　him　by　the　shoulder；　don't　make　a　lot　of　noise。〃　Gendry　was　easy　to　wake；　unlike　Hot　Pie；　who　needed　to　be　kicked　and　shouted　at。
　〃I'll　make　her　my　love　and　we'll　rest　in　the　shade；　heigh…ho；　heigh…ho。　The　song　swelled　louder　with　every　word。
　Hot　Pie　opened　his　arms。　The　cabbages　fell　to　the　ground　with　soft　thumps。　〃We　have　to　hide。〃
　Where？　The　burned　cottage　and　its　overgrown　garden　stood　hard　beside　the　banks　of　the　Trident。　There　were　a　few　willows　growing　along　the　river's　edge　and　reed　beds　in　the　muddy　shallows　beyond；　but　most　of　the　ground　hereabouts　was　painfully　open。　I　knew　we　should　never　have　left　the　woods；　she　thought。　They'd　been　so　hungry；　though；　and　the　garden　had　been　too　much　a　temptation。　The　bread　and　cheese　they　had　stolen　from　Harrenhal　had　given　out　six　days　ago；　back　in　the　thick　of　the　woods。　〃Take　Gendry　and　the　horses　behind　the　cottage；〃　she　decided。　There　was　part　of　one　wall　still　standing；　big　enough；　maybe；　to　conceal　two　boys　and　three　horses。　If　the　horses　don't　whinny；　and　that　singer　doesn't　e　poking　around　the　garden。
　〃What　about　you？〃
　〃I'll　hide　by　the　tree。　He's　probably　alone。　If　he　bothers　me；　I'll　kill　him。　Go！〃
　Hot　Pie　went；　and　Arya　dropped　her　carrots　and　drew　the　stolen　sword　from　over　her　shoulder。　She　had　strapped　the　sheath　across　her　back；　the　longsword　was　made　for　a　man　grown；　and　it　bumped　against　the　ground　when　she　wore　it　on　her　hip。　It's　too　heavy　besides；　she　thought；　missing　Needle　the　way　she　did　every　time　she　took　this　clumsy　thing　in　her　hand。　But　it　was　a　sword　and　she　could　kill　with　it；　that　was　enough。
　Lightfoot；　she　moved　to　the　big　old　willow　that　grew　beside　the　bend　in　the　road　and　went　to　one　knee　in　the　grass　and　mud；　within　the　veil　of　trailing　branches。　You　old　gods；　she　prayed　as　the　singer's　voice　grew　louder；　you　tree　gods；　hide　me；　and　make　him　go　past。　Then　a　horse　whickered；　and　the　song　broke　off　suddenly。　He's　heard；　she　knew；　but　maybe　he's　alone；　or　if　he's　not；　maybe　they'll　be　as　scared　of　us　as　we　are　of　them。
　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　a　man's　voice　said。　〃There's　something　behind　that　wall；　I　would　say。〃
　〃Aye；〃　replied　a　second　voice；　deeper。　〃What　do　you　think　it　might　be；　Archer？〃
　Two；　then。　Arya　bit　her　lip。　She　could　not　see　them　from　where　she　knelt；　on　account　of　the　willow。　But　she　could　hear。
　〃A　bear。〃　A　third　voice；　or　the　first　one　again？
　〃A　lot　of　meat　on　a　bear；〃　the　deep　voice　said。　〃A　lot　of　fat　as　well；　in　fall。　Good　to　eat；　if　it's　cooked　up　right。〃
　〃Could　be　a　wolf。　Maybe　a　lion。〃
　〃With　four　feet；　you　think？　Or　two？〃
　〃Makes　no　matter。　Does　it？〃
　〃Not　so　I　know。　Archer；　what　do　you　mean　to　do　with　all　them　arrows？〃
　〃Drop　a　few　shafts　over　the　wall。　Whatever's　hiding　back　there　will　e　out　quick　enough；　watch　and　see。〃
　〃What　if　it's　some　honest　man　back　there；　though？　Or　some　poor　woman　with　a　little　babe　at　her　breast？〃
　〃An　honest　man　would　e　out　and　show　us　his　face。　Only　an　outlaw　would　skulk　and　hide。〃
　〃Aye；　that's　so。　Go　on　and　loose　your　shafts；　then。〃
　Arya　sprang　to　her　feet。　〃Don't！〃　She　showed　them　her　sword。　There　were　three；　she　saw。　Only　three。　Syrio　could　fight　more　than　three；　and　she　had　Hot　Pie　and　Gendry　to　stand　with　her；　maybe。　But　they're　boys；　and　these　are　men。
　They　were　men　afoot；　travel…stained　and　mud…specked。　She　k