grrm.thehedgeknight-第7节

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！


ht；　you'll　need　to　know　good　steel　from　bad。　Look　here；　this　is　fine　work。　This　mail　is　double…chain；　each　link　bound　to　two　others；　see？　It　gives　more　protection　than　single…chain。　And　the　helm；　Pate's　rounded　the　top；　see　how　it　curves？　A　sword　or　an　axe　will　slide　off；　where　they　might　bite　through　a　flat…topped　helm。〃　Dunk　lowered　the　greathelm　over　his　head。　〃How　does　it　look？〃
　〃There's　no　visor；〃　Egg　pointed　out。
　〃There's　air　holes。　Visors　are　points　of　weakness。〃　Steely　Pate　had　said　as　much。　〃If　you　knew　how　many　knights　have　taken　an　arrow　in　the　eye　as　they　lifted　their　visor　for　a　suck　o'　cool　air；　you'd　never　want　one；〃　he'd　told　Dunk。
　〃There's　no　crest　either；〃　said　Egg。　〃It's　just　plain。〃
　Dunk　lifted　off　the　helm。　〃Plain　is　fine　for　the　likes　of　me。　See　how　bright　the　steel　is？　It　will　be　your　task　to　keep　it　that　way。　You　know　how　to　scour　mail？〃
　〃In　a　barrel　of　sand；〃　said　the　boy。　〃But　you　don't　have　a　barrel。　Did　you　buy　a　pavilion　too；　ser？〃
　〃I　didn't　get　that　good　a　price。〃　The　boy　is　too　bold　for　his　own　good；　I　ought　to　beat　that　out　of　him。　He　knew　he　would　not；　though。　He　liked　the　boldness。　He　needed　to　be　bolder　himself。　My　squire　is　braver　than　I　am；　and　more　clever。　〃You　did　well　here；　Egg；〃　Dunk　told　him。　〃On　the　morrow；　you'll　e　with　me。　Have　a　look　at　the　tourney　grounds。　We'll　buy　oats　for　the　horses　and　fresh　bread　for　ourselves。　Maybe　a　bit　of　cheese　as　well；　they　were　selling　good　cheese　at　one　of　the　stalls。〃
　〃I　won't　need　to　go　into　the　castle；　will　I？〃
　〃Why　not？　One　day　I　mean　to　live　in　a　castle。　I　hope　to　win　a　place　above　the　salt　before　I'm　done。〃
　The　boy　said　nothing。　Perhaps　he　fears　to　enter　a　lord's　hall；　Dunk　reflected。　That's　no　more　than　might　be　expected。　He　will　grow　out　of　it　in　time。　He　went　back　to　admiring　his　armor；　and　wondering　how　long　he　would　wear　it。
　
　Ser　Manfred　was　a　thin　man　with　a　sour　look　on　his　face。　He　wore　a　black　surcoat　slashed　with　the　purple　lightning　of　House　Dondarrion；　but　Dunk　would　have　remembered　him　anyway　by　his　unruly　mane　of　red…gold　hair。　〃Ser　Arlan　served　your　lord　father　when　he　and　Lord　Caron　burned　the　Vulture　King　out　of　the　Red　Mountains；　ser；〃　he　said　from　one　knee。　〃I　was　only　a　boy　then；　but　I　squired　for　him。　Ser　Arlan　of　Pennytree。〃
　Ser　Manfred　scowled。　〃No。　I　know　him　not。　Nor　you；　boy。〃
　Dunk　showed　him　the　old　man's　shield。　〃This　was　his　sigil；　the　winged　chalice。〃
　〃My　lord　father　took　eight　hundred　knights　and　near　four　thousand　foot　into　the　mountains。　I　cannot　be　expected　to　remember　every　one　of　them；　nor　what　shields　they　carried。　It　may　be　that　you　were　with　us；　but　。　。　。〃　Ser　Manfred　shrugged。
　Dunk　was　struck　speechless　for　an　instant。　The　old　man　took　a　wound　in　your　father's　service；　how　can　you　have　forgotten　him？　〃They　will　not　allow　me　to　challenge　unless　some　knight　or　lord　will　vouch　for　me。
　〃And　what　is　that　to　me？〃　said　Ser　Manfred。　〃I　have　given　you　enough　of　my　time；　ser。〃
　If　he　went　back　to　the　castle　without　Ser　Manfred；　he　was　lost。　Dunk　eyed　the　purple　lightning　embroided　across　the　black　wool　of　Ser　Manfred's　surcoat　and　said；　〃I　remember　your　father　telling　the　camp　how　your　house　got　its　sigil。　One　stormy　night；　as　the　first　of　your　line　bore　a　message　across　the　Dornish　Marches；　an　arrow　killed　his　horse　beneath　him　and　spilled　him　on　the　ground。　Two　Dornishmen　came　out　of　the　darkness　in　ring　mail　and　crested　helms。　His　sword　had　broken　beneath　him　when　he　fell。　When　he　saw　that；　he　thought　he　was　doomed。　But　as　the　Dornishmen　closed　to　cut　him　down；　lightning　cracked　from　the　sky。　It　was　a　bright　burning　purple；　and　it　split；　striking　the　Dornishmen　in　their　steel　and　killing　them　both　where　they　stood。　The　message　gave　the　Storm　King　victory　over　the　Dornish；　and　in　thanks　he　raised　the　messenger　to　lordship。　He　was　the　first　Lord　Dondarrion；　so　he　took　for　his　arms　a　forked　purple　lightning　bolt；　on　a　black　field　powdered　with　stars。〃
　If　Dunk　thought　the　tale　would　impress　Ser　Manfred；　he　could　not　have　been　more　wrong。　〃Every　pot　boy　and　groom　who　has　ever　served　my　father　hears　that　story　soon　or　late。　Knowing　it　does　not　make　you　a　knight。　Begone　with　you；　ser。〃
　
　It　was　with　a　leaden　heart　that　Dunk　returned　to　Ashford　Castle；　wondering　what　he　might　say　so　that　Plummer　would　grant　him　the　right　of　challenge。　The　steward　was　not　in　his　turret　chamber；　however。　A　guard　told　him　he　might　be　found　in　the　Great　Hall。　〃Shall　I　wait　here？〃　Dunk　asked。　〃How　long　will　he　be？〃
　〃How　should　I　know？　Do　what　you　please。〃
　The　Great　Hall　was　not　so　great；　as　halls　went；　but　Ashford　was　a　small　castle。　Dunk　entered　through　a　side　door；　and　spied　the　steward　at　once。　He　was　standing　with　Lord　Ashford　and　a　dozen　other　men　at　the　top　of　the　hall。　He　walked　toward　them；　beneath　a　wall　hung　with　wool　tapestries　of　fruits　and　flowers。
　〃…　more　concerned　if　they　were　your　sons；　I'll　wager；〃　an　angry　man　was　saying　as　Dunk　approached。　His　straight　hair　and　square…cut　beard　were　so　fair　they　seemed　white　in　the　dimness　of　the　hall；　but　as　he　got　closer　he　saw　that　they　were　in　truth　a　pale　silvery　color　touched　with　gold。
　〃Daeron　has　done　this　before；〃　another　replied。　Plummer　was　standing　so　as　to　block　Dunk's　view　of　the　speaker。　〃You　should　never　have　manded　him　to　enter　the　lists。　He　belongs　on　a　tourney　field　no　more　than　Aerys　does；　or　Rhaegel。〃
　〃By　which　you　mean　he'd　sooner　ride　a　whore　than　a　horse；〃　the　first　man　said。　Thickly　built　and　powerful；　the　prince　…　he　was　surely　a　prince　…　wore　a　leather　brigandine　covered　with　silver　studs　beneath　a　heavy　black　cloak　trimmed　with　ermine。　Pox　scars　marked　his　cheeks；　only　partly　concealed　by　his　silvery　beard。　〃I　do　not　need　to　be　reminded　of　my　son's　failings；　brother。　He　has　only　eighteen　years。　He　can　change。　He　will　change；　gods　be　damned；　or　I　swear　I'll　see　him　dead。〃
　〃Don't　be　an　utter　fool。　Daeron　is　what　he　is；　but　he　is　still　your　blood　and　mine。　I　have　no　doubt　Ser　Roland　will　turn　him　up；　and　Aegon　with　him。〃
　〃When　the　tourney　is　over；　perhaps。〃
　〃Aerion　is　here。　He　is　a　better　lance　than　Daeron　in　any　case；　if　it　is　the　tourney　that　concerns　you。〃　Dunk　could　see　the　speaker　now。　He　was　seated　in　the　high　seat；　a　sheaf　of　parchments　in　one　hand；　Lord　Ashford　hovering　at　his　shoulder。　Even　seated；　he　looked　to　be　a　head　taller　than　the　other；　to　judge　from　the　long　straight　legs　stretched　out　before　him。　His　short…cropped　hair　was　dark　and　peppered　with　grey；　his　strong　jaw　clean…shaven。　His　nose　looked　as　though　it　had　been　broken　more　than　once。　Though　he　was　dressed　very　plainly；　in　green　doublet；　brown　mantle；　and　scuffed　boots；　there　was　a　weight　to　him；　a　sense　of　power　and　certainty。
　It　came　to　Dunk　that　he　had　walked　in　on　something　that　he　ought　never　have　heard。　I　had　best　go　and　e　back　later；　when　they　are　done；　he　decided。　But　it　was　already　too　late。　The　prince　with　the　silvery　beard　suddenly　took　note　of　him。　〃Who　are　you；　and　what　do　you　mean　by　bursting　in　on　us？〃　he　demanded　harshly。
　〃He　is　the　knight　that　our　good　steward　was　expecting；〃　the　seated　man　said；　smiling　at　Dunk　in　a　way　that　suggested　he　had　been　aware　of　him　all　the　time。　〃You　and　I　are　the　intruders　here；　brother。　e　closer；　ser。〃
　Dunk　edged　forward；　uncertain　what　was　expected　of　him。　He　looked　at　Plummer；　but　got　no　help　there。　The　pinch…faced　steward　who　had　been　so　forceful　yesterday　now　stood　silent；　studying　the　stones　of　the　floor。　〃My　lords；〃　he　said；　〃I　asked　Ser　Manfred　Dondarrion　to　vouch　for　me　so　I　might　enter　the　lists；　but　he　refuses。　He　says　he　knows　me　not。　Ser　Arlan　served　him；　though；　I　swear　it。　I　have　his　sword　and　shield；　I　…〃
　〃A　shield　and　a　sword　do　not　make　a　knight；〃　declared　Lord　Ashford；　a　big　bald　man　with　a　round　red　face。　〃Plummer　has　spoken　to　me　of　you。　Even　if　we　accept　that　these　arms　belonged　to　this　Ser　Arlan　of　Pennytree；　it　may　well　be　that　you　found　him　dead　and　stole　them。　Unless　you　have　some　better　proof　of　what　you　say；　some　writing　or　…〃
　〃I　remember　Ser　Arlan　of　Pennytree；〃　the　man　in　the　high　seat　said　quietly。　〃He　never　won　a　tourney　that　I　know；　but　he　never　shamed　himself　either。　At　King's　Landing　sixteen　years　ago；　he　overthrew　Lord　Stokeworth　and　the　Bastard　of　Harrenhal　in　the　melee；　and　many　years　before　at　Lannisport　he　unhorsed　the　Grey　Lion　himself。　The　lion　was　not　so　grey　then；　to　be　sure。〃
　〃He　told　me　about　that；　many　a　time；〃　said　Dunk。
　The　tall　man　studied　him。　〃Then　you　will　remember　the　Grey　Lion's　true　name；　I　have　no　doubt。〃
　For　a　moment　there　was　nothing　in　Dunk's　head　at　all。　A　thousand　times　the　old　man　had　told　that　tale；　a　thousand　times；　the　lion；　the　lion；　his　name；　his　name；　his　name。。。　He　was　near　despair　when　suddenly；　it　came。　〃Ser　Damon　Lannister！〃　he　shouted。　〃The　Grey　Lion！　He's　Lord　of　Casterly　Rock　now。〃
　〃So　he　is；〃　said　the　tall　man　pleasantly；　〃and　he　enters　the　lists　on　the　morrow。〃　He　rattled　the　sheaf　of　papers　in　his　hand。
　〃How　can　you　possibly　remember　some　insignificant　hedge　knight　who　chanced　to　unhorse　Damon　Lannister　sixteen　years　ago？〃　said　the　prince　with　the　silver　beard；　frowning。
　〃I　make　it　a　practice　to　learn　all　I　can　of　my　foes。〃
　〃Why　would　you　deign　to　joust　with　a　hedge