grrm.thehedgeknight-第10节

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an　indigo　sky。　〃Ser　Gawen　of　House　Swann；　Lord　of　Stonehelm　on　the　Cape　of　Wrath。〃　A　pair　of　swans；　one　black　and　one　white；　fought　furiously　on　his　arms。　Lord　Gawen's　armor；　cloak；　and　horse　bardings　were　a　riot　of　black　and　white　as　well；　down　to　the　stripes　on　his　scabbard　and　lance。
　Lord　Caron；　harper　and　singer　and　knight　of　renown；　touched　the　point　of　his　lance　to　Lord　Tyrell's　rose。　Ser　Joseth　thumped　on　Ser　Humfrey　Hardyng's　diamonds。　And　the　black…and…white　knight；　Lord　Gawen　Swann；　challenged　the　black　prince　with　the　white　guardian。　Dunk　rubbed　his　chin。　Lord　Gawen　was　even　older　than　the　old　man；　and　the　old　man　was　dead。　〃Egg；　who　is　the　least　dangerous　of　these　challengers？〃　he　asked　the　boy　on　his　shoulders；　who　seemed　to　know　so　much　of　these　knights。
　〃Lord　Gawen；〃　the　boy　said　at　once。　〃Valarr's　foe。〃
　〃Prince　Valarr；〃　he　corrected。　〃A　squire　must　keep　a　courteous　tongue；　boy。〃
　The　three　challengers　took　their　places　as　the　three　champions　mounted　up。　Men　were　making　wagers　all　around　them　and　calling　out　encouragement　to　their　choices；　but　Dunk　had　eyes　only　for　the　prince。　On　the　first　pass　he　struck　Lord　Gawen's　shield　a　glancing　blow；　the　blunted　point　of　the　lance　sliding　aside　just　as　it　had　with　Ser　Abelar　Hightower；　only　this　time　it　was　deflected　the　other　way；　into　empty　air。　Lord　Gawen's　own　lance　broke　clean　against　the　prince's　chest；　and　Valarr　seemed　about　to　fall　for　an　instant　before　he　recovered　his　seat。
　The　second　time　through　the　lists；　Valarr　swung　his　lance　left；　aiming　for　his　foe's　breast；　but　struck　his　shoulder　instead。　Even　so；　the　blow　was　enough　to　make　the　older　knight　lose　his　lance。　One　arm　flailed　for　balance　and　Lord　Gawen　fell。　The　Young　Prince　swung　from　the　saddle　and　drew　his　sword；　but　the　fallen　man　waved　him　off　and　raised　his　visor。　〃I　yield；　Your　Grace；〃　he　called。　〃Well　fought。〃　The　lords　in　the　viewing　stand　echoed　him；　shouting；　〃Well　fought！　Well　fought！〃　as　Valarr　knelt　to　help　the　grey…haired　lord　to　his　feet。
　〃It　was　not　either；〃　Egg　plained。
　〃Be　quiet；　or　you　can　go　back　to　camp。〃
　Farther　away；　Ser　Joseth　Mallister　was　being　carried　off　the　field　unconscious；　while　the　harp　lord　and　the　rose　lord　were　going　at　each　other　lustily　with　blunted　longaxes；　to　the　delight　of　the　roaring　crowd。　Dunk　was　so　intent　on　Valarr　Targaryen　that　he　scarcely　saw　them。　He　is　a　fair　knight；　but　no　more　than　that；　he　found　himself　thinking。　I　would　have　a　chance　against　him。　If　the　gods　were　good；　I　might　even　unhorse　him；　and　once　afoot　my　weight　and　strength　would　tell。
　〃Get　him！〃　Egg　shouted　merrily；　shifting　his　seat　on　Dunk's　back　in　his　excitement。　〃Get　him！　Hit　him！　Yes！　He's　right　there；　he's　right　there！〃　It　seemed　to　be　Lord　Caron　he　was　cheering　on。　The　harper　was　playing　a　different　sort　of　music　now；　driving　Lord　Leo　back　and　back　as　steel　sang　on　steel。　The　crowd　seemed　almost　equally　divided　between　them；　so　cheers　and　curses　mingled　freely　in　the　morning　air。　Chips　of　wood　and　paint　were　flying　from　Lord　Leo's　shield　as　Lord　Pearse's　axe　knocked　the　petals　off　his　golden　rose；　one　by　one；　until　the　shield　finally　shattered　and　split。　But　as　it　did；　the　axehead　hung　up　for　an　instant　in　the　wood　。　。　。　and　Lord　Leo's　own　axe　crashed　down　on　the　haft　of　his　foe's　weapon；　breaking　it　off　not　a　foot　from　his　hand。　He　cast　aside　his　broken　shield；　and　suddenly　he　was　the　one　on　the　attack。　Within　moments；　the　harper　knight　was　on　one　knee；　singing　his　surrender。
　For　the　rest　of　the　morning　and　well　into　the　afternoon；　it　was　more　of　the　same；　as　challengers　took　the　field　in　twos　and　threes；　and　sometimes　five　together。　Trumpets　blew；　the　heralds　called　out　names；　warhorses　charged；　the　crowd　cheered；　lances　snapped　like　twigs；　and　swords　rang　against　helms　and　mail。　It　was；　smallfolk　and　high　lord　alike　agreed；　a　splendid　day　of　jousting。　Ser　Humfrey　Hardyng　and　Ser　Humfrey　Beesbury；　a　bold　young　knight　in　yellow　and　black　stripes　with　three　beehives　on　his　shield；　splintered　no　less　than　a　dozen　lances　apiece　in　an　epic　struggle　the　smallfolk　soon　began　calling　〃the　Battle　of　Humfrey。〃　Ser　Tybolt　Lannister　was　unhorsed　by　Ser　Jon　Penrose　and　broke　his　sword　in　his　fall；　but　fought　back　with　shield　alone　to　win　the　bout　and　remain　a　champion。　One…eyed　Ser　Robyn　Rhysling；　a　grizzled　old　knight　with　a　salt…and…pepper　beard；　lost　his　helm　to　Lord　Leo's　lance　in　their　first　course；　yet　refused　to　yield。　Three　times　more；　they　rode　at　each　other；　the　wind　whipping　Ser　Robyn's　hair　while　the　shards　of　broken　lances　flew　round　his　bare　face　like　wooden　knives；　which　Dunk　thought　all　the　more　wondrous　when　Egg　told　him　that　Ser　Robyn　had　lost　his　eye　to　a　splinter　from　a　broken　lance　not　five　years　earlier。　Leo　Tyrell　was　too　chivalrous　to　aim　another　lance　at　Ser　Robyn's　unprotected　head；　but　even　so　Rhysling's　stubborn　courage　（or　was　it　folly？）　left　Dunk　astounded。　Finally　the　Lord　of　Highgarden　struck　Ser　Robyn's　breastplate　a　solid　thump　right　over　the　heart　and　sent　him　cartwheeling　to　the　earth。
　Ser　Lyonel　Baratheon　also　fought　several　notable　matches。　Against　lesser　foes；　he　would　often　break　into　booming　laughter　the　moment　they　touched　his　shield；　and　laugh　all　the　time　he　was　mounting　and　charging　and　knocking　them　from　their　stirrups。　If　his　challengers　wore　any　sort　of　crest　on　their　helm；　Ser　Lyonel　would　strike　it　off　and　fling　it　into　the　crowd。　The　crests　were　ornate　things；　made　of　carved　wood　or　shaped　leather；　and　sometimes　gilded　and　enameled　or　even　wrought　in　pure　silver；　so　the　men　he　beat　did　not　appreciate　this　habit；　though　it　made　him　a　great　favorite　of　the　mons。　Before　long；　only　crestless　men　were　choosing　him。　As　loud　and　often　as　Ser　Lyonel　laughed　down　a　challenger；　though；　Dunk　thought　the　day's　honors　should　go　to　Ser　Humfrey　Hardyng；　who　humbled　fourteen　knights；　each　one　of　them　formidable。
　Meanwhile　the　Young　Prince　sat　outside　his　black　pavilion；　drinking　from　his　silver　goblet　and　rising　from　time　to　time　to　mount　his　horse　and　vanquish　yet　another　undistinguished　foe。　He　had　won　nine　victories；　but　it　seemed　to　Dunk　that　every　one　was　hollow。　He　is　beating　old　men　and　upjumped　squires；　and　a　few　lords　of　high　birth　and　low　skill。　The　truly　dangerous　men　are　riding　past　his　shield　as　if　they　do　not　see　it。
　Late　in　the　day；　a　brazen　fanfare　announced　the　entry　of　a　new　challenger　to　the　lists。　He　rode　in　on　a　great　red　charger　whose　black　bardings　were　slashed　to　reveal　glimpses　of　yellow；　crimson；　and　orange　beneath。　As　he　approached　the　viewing　stand　to　make　his　salute；　Dunk　saw　the　face　beneath　the　raised　visor；　and　recognized　the　prince　he'd　met　in　Lord　Ashford's　stables。
　Egg's　legs　tightened　around　his　neck。　〃Stop　that；〃　Dunk　snapped；　yanking　them　apart。　〃Do　you　mean　to　choke　me？〃
　〃Prince　Aerion　Brightflame；〃　a　herald　called；　〃of　the　Red　Keep　of　King's　Landing；　son　of　Maekar　Prince　of　Summerhall　of　House　Targaryen；　grandson　to　Daeron　the　Good；　the　Second　of　His　Name；　King　of　the　Andals；　the　Rhoynar；　and　the　First　Men；　and　Lord　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms。〃
　Aerion　bore　a　three…headed　dragon　on　his　shield；　but　it　was　rendered　in　colors　much　more　vivid　than　Valarr's；　one　head　was　orange；　one　yellow；　one　red；　and　the　flames　they　breathed　had　the　sheen　of　gold　leaf。　His　surcoat　was　a　swirl　of　smoke　and　fire　woven　together；　and　his　blackened　helm　was　surmounted　by　a　crest　of　red　enamel　flames。
　After　a　pause　to　dip　his　lance　to　Prince　Baelor；　a　pause　so　brief　that　was　almost　perfunctory；　he　galloped　to　the　north　end　of　the　field；　past　Lord　Leo's　pavilion　and　the　Laughing　Storm's；　slowing　only　when　he　approached　Prince　Valarr's　tent。　The　Young　Prince　rose　and　stood　stiffly　beside　his　shield；　and　for　a　moment　Dunk　was　certain　that　Aerion　meant　to　strike　it　。　。　。　but　then　he　laughed　and　trotted　past；　and　banged　his　point　hard　against　Ser　Humfrey　Hardyng's　diamonds。　〃e　out；　e　out；　little　knight；〃　he　sang　in　a　loud　clear　voice；　〃it's　time　you　faced　the　dragon。〃
　Ser　Humfrey　inclined　his　head　stiffly　to　his　foe　as　his　destrier　was　brought　out；　and　then　ignored　him　while　he　mounted；　fastened　his　helm；　and　took　up　lance　and　shield。　The　spectators　grew　quiet　as　the　two　knights　took　their　places。　Dunk　heard　the　clang　of　Prince　Aerion　dropping　his　visor。　The　horn　blew。
　Ser　Humfrey　broke　slowly；　building　speed；　but　his　foe　raked　the　red　charger　hard　with　both　spurs；　ing　hard。　Egg's　legs　tightened　again。　〃Kill　him！〃　he　shouted　suddenly。　〃Kill　him；　he's　right　there；　kill　him；　kill　him；　kill　him！〃　Dunk　was　not　certain　which　of　the　knights　he　was　shouting　to。
　Prince　Aerion's　lance；　gold…tipped　and　painted　in　stripes　of　red；　orange；　and　yellow；　swung　down　across　the　barrier。　Low；　too　low；　thought　Dunk　the　moment　he　saw　it。　He'll　miss　the　rider　and　strike　Ser　Humfrey's　horse；　he　needs　to　bring　it　up。　Then；　with　dawning　horror；　he　began　to　suspect　that　Aerion　intended　no　such　thing。　He　cannot　mean　to　。　。　。
　At　the　last　possible　instant；　Ser　Humfrey's　stallion　reared　away　from　the　oning　point；　eyes　rolling　in　terror；　but　too　late；　Aerion's　lance　took　the　animal　just　above　the　armor　that　protected　his　breastbone；　and　exploded　out　of　the　back　of　his　neck　in　a　gout　of　bright　blood。　Screaming；　the　horse　crashed　sideway