grrm.astormofswords-第132节

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　The　village　was　just　where　Notch　had　promised　it　would　be。　They　took　shelter　in　a　grey　stone　stable。　Only　half　a　roof　remained；　but　that　was　half　a　roof　more　than　any　other　building　in　the　village。　It's　not　a　village；　it's　only　black　stones　and　old　bones。　〃Did　the　Lannisters　kill　the　people　who　lived　here？〃　Arya　asked　as　she　helped　Anguy　dry　the　horses。
　〃No。〃　He　pointed。　〃Look　at　how　thick　the　moss　grows　on　the　stones。　No　one's　moved　them　for　a　long　time。　And　there's　a　tree　growing　out　of　the　wall　there；　see？　This　place　was　put　to　the　torch　a　long　time　ago。〃
　〃Who　did　it；　then？〃　asked　Gendry。
　〃Hoster　Tully。〃　Notch　was　a　stooped　thin　grey…haired　man；　born　in　these　parts。　〃This　was　Lord　Goodbrook's　village。　When　Riverrun　declared　for　Robert；　Goodbrook　stayed　loyal　to　the　king；　so　Lord　Tully　came　down　on　him　with　fire　and　sword。　After　the　Trident；　Goodbrook's　son　made　his　peace　with　Robert　and　Lord　Hoster；　but　that　didn't　help　the　dead　none。〃
　A　silence　fell。　Gendry　gave　Arya　a　queer　look；　then　turned　away　to　brush　his　horse。　Outside　the　rain　came　down　and　down。　〃I　say　we　need　a　fire；〃　Thoros　declared。　〃The　night　is　dark　and　full　of　terrors。　And　wet　too；　eh？　Too　very　wet。〃
　Jack…Be…Lucky　hacked　some　dry　wood　from　a　stall；　while　Notch　and　Merrit　gathered　straw　for　kindling。　Thoros　himself　struck　the　spark；　and　Lem　fanned　the　flames　with　his　big　yellow　cloak　until　they　roared　and　swirled。　Soon　it　grew　almost　hot　inside　the　stable。　Thoros　sat　before　it　crosslegged；　devouring　the　flames　with　his　eyes　just　as　he　had　atop　High　Heart。　Arya　watched　him　closely；　and　once　his　lips　moved；　and　she　thought　she　heard　him　mutter；　〃Riverrun。〃　Lem　paced　back　and　forth；　coughing；　a　long　shadow　matching　him　stride　for　stride；　while　Tom　o'　Sevens　pulled　off　his　boots　and　rubbed　his　feet。　〃I　must　be　mad；　to　be　going　back　to　Riverrun；〃　the　singer　plained。　〃The　Tullys　have　never　been　lucky　for　old　Tom。　It　was　that　Lysa　sent　me　up　the　high　road；　when　the　moon　men　took　my　gold　and　my　horse　and　all　my　clothes　as　well。　There's　knights　in　the　Vale　still　telling　how　I　came　walking　up　to　the　Bloody　Gate　with　only　my　harp　to　keep　me　modest。　They　made　me　sing　'The　Name　Day　Boy'andThe　King　Without　Courage'before　they　opened　that　gate。　My　only　solace　was　that　three　of　them　died　laughing。　I　haven't　been　back　to　the　Eyrie　since；　and　I　won't　sing'The　King　Without　Courage'　either；　not　for　all　the　gold　in　Casterly…〃
　〃Lannisters；〃　Thoros　said。　〃Roaring　red　and　gold。〃　He　lurched　to　his　feet　and　went　to　Lord　Beric。　Lem　and　Tom　wasted　no　time　joining　them。　Arya　could　not　make　out　what　they　were　saying；　but　the　singer　kept　glancing　at　her；　and　one　time　Lem　got　so　angry　he　pounded　a　fist　against　the　wall。　That　was　when　Lord　Beric　gestured　for　her　to　e　closer。　It　was　the　last　thing　she　wanted　to　do；　but　Harwin　put　a　hand　in　the　small　of　her　back　and　pushed　her　forward。　She　took　two　steps　and　hesitated；　full　of　dread。　〃My　lord。〃　She　waited　to　hear　what　Lord　Beric　would　say。
　〃Tell　her；〃　the　lightning　lord　manded　Thoros。
　The　red　priest　squatted　down　beside　her。　〃My　lady；〃　he　said；　〃the　Lord　granted　me　a　view　of　Riverrun。　An　island　in　a　sea　of　fire；　it　seemed。　The　flames　were　leaping　lions　with　long　crimson　claws。　And　how　they　roared！　A　sea　of　Lannisters；　my　lady。　Riverrun　will　soon　e　under　attack。〃
　Arya　felt　as　though　he'd　punched　her　in　the　belly。　〃No！〃
　〃Sweetling；〃　said　Thoros；　〃the　flames　do　not　lie。　Sometimes　I　read　them　wrongly；　blind　fool　that　I　am。　But　not　this　time；　I　think。　The　Lannisters　will　soon　have　Riverrun　under　siege。〃
　〃Robb　will　beat　them。〃　Arya　got　a　stubborn　look。　〃He'll　beat　them　like　he　did　before。〃
　〃Your　brother　may　be　gone；〃　said　Thoros。　〃Your　mother　as　well。　I　did　not　see　them　in　the　flames。　This　wedding　the　old　one　spoke　of；　a　wedding　on　the　Twins　。　。　。　she　has　her　own　ways　of　knowing　things；　that　one。　The　weirwoods　whisper　in　her　ear　when　she　sleeps。　If　she　says　your　mother　is　gone　to　the　Twins　。　。　。〃
　Arya　turned　on　Tom　and　Lem。　〃If　you　hadn't　caught　me；　I　would　have　been　there。　I　would　have　been　home。〃
　Lord　Beric　paid　no　heed　to　her　outburst。　〃My　lady；〃　he　said　with　weary　courtesy；　〃would　you　know　your　grandfather's　brother　by　sight？　Ser　Brynden　Tully；　called　the　Blackfish？　Would　he　know　you；　perchance？〃
　Arya　shook　her　head　miserably。　She　had　heard　her　mother　speak　of　Ser　Brynden　Blackfish；　but　if　she　had　ever　met　him　herself　it　had　been　when　she　was　too　little　to　remember。
　〃Small　chance　the　Blackfish　will　pay　good　coin　for　a　girl　he　doesn't　know；〃　said　Tom。　〃Those　Tullys　are　a　sour；　suspicious　lot；　he's　like　to　think　we're　selling　him　false　goods。〃
　〃We'll　convince　him；〃　Lem　Lemoncloak　insisted。　〃She　will；　or　Harwin。　Riverrun　is　closest。　I　say　we　take　her　there；　get　the　gold；　and　be　bloody　well　done　with　her。〃
　〃And　if　the　lions　catch　us　inside　the　castle？〃　said　Tom。　〃They'd　like　nothing　better　than　to　hang　his　lordship　in　a　cage　from　the　top　of　Casterly　Rock。〃
　〃I　do　not　mean　to　be　taken；〃　said　Lord　Beric。　A　final　word　hung　unspoken　in　the　air。　Alive。　They　all　heard　it；　even　Arya；　though　it　never　passed　his　lips。　〃Still；　we　dare　not　go　blindly　here。　I　want　to　know　where　the　armies　are；　the　wolves　and　lions　both。　Shama　will　know　something；　and　Lord　Vance's　maester　will　know　more。　Acorn　Hall's　not　far。　Lady　Smallwood　will　shelter　us　for　a　time　while　we　send　scouts　ahead　to　learn　。　。　。〃
　His　words　beat　at　her　ears　like　the　pounding　of　a　drum；　and　suddenly　it　was　more　than　Arya　could　stand。　She　wanted　Riverrun；　not　Acorn　Hall；　she　wanted　her　mother　and　her　brother　Robb；　not　Lady　Smallwood　or　some　uncle　she　never　knew。　Whirling；　she　broke　for　the　door；　and　when　Harwin　tried　to　grab　her　arm　she　spun　away　from　him　quick　as　a　snake。
　Outside　the　stables　the　rain　was　still　falling；　and　distant　lightning　flashed　in　the　west。　Arya　ran　as　fast　as　she　could。　She　did　not　know　where　she　was　going；　only　that　she　wanted　to　be　alone；　away　from　all　the　voices；　away　from　their　hollow　words　and　broken　promises。　All　I　wanted　was　to　go　to　Riverrun。　It　was　her　own　fault；　for　taking　Gendry　and　Hot　Pie　with　her　when　she　left　Harrenhal。　She　would　have　been　better　alone。　If　she　had　been　alone；　the　outlaws　would　never　have　caught　her；　and　she'd　be　with　Robb　and　her　mother　by　now。　They　were　never　my　pack。　If　they　had　been；　they　wouldn't　leave　me。　She　splashed　through　a　puddle　of　muddy　water。　Someone　was　shouting　her　name；　Harwin　probably；　or　Gendry；　but　the　thunder　drowned　them　out　as　it　rolled　across　the　hills；　half　a　heartbeat　behind　the　lightning。　The　lightning　lord；　she　thought　angrily。　Maybe　he　couldn't　die；　but　he　could　lie。
　Somewhere　off　to　her　left　a　horse　whinnied。　Arya　couldn't　have　gone　more　than　fifty　yards　from　the　stables；　yet　already　she　was　soaked　to　the　bone。　She　ducked　around　the　corner　of　one　of　the　tumbledown　houses；　hoping　the　mossy　walls　would　keep　the　rain　off；　and　almost　bowled　right　into　one　of　the　sentries。　A　mailed　hand　closed　hard　around　her　arm。
　〃You're　hurting　me；〃　she　said；　twisting　in　his　grasp。　〃Let　go；　I　was　going　to　go　back；　I　。　。　。〃
　〃Back？〃　Sandor　Clegane's　laughter　was　iron　scraping　over　stone。　〃Bugger　that；　wolf　girl。　You're　mine。〃　He　needed　only　one　hand　to　yank　her　off　her　feet　and　drag　her　kicking　toward　his　waiting　horse。　The　cold　rain　lashed　them　both　and　washed　away　her　shouts；　and　all　that　Arya　could　think　of　was　the　question　he　had　asked　her。　Do　you　know　what　dogs　do　to　wolves？
　
　CHAPTER　44
　JAIME
　
　Though　his　fever　lingered　stubbornly；　the　stump　was　healing　clean；　and　Qybum　said　his　arm　was　no　longer　in　danger。　Jaime　was　anxious　to　be　gone；　to　put　Harrenhal；　the　Bloody　Mummers；　and　Brienne　of　Tarth　all　behind　him。　A　real　woman　waited　for　him　in　the　Red　Keep。
　〃I　am　sending　Qybum　with　you；　to　look　after　you　on　the　way　to　King's　Landing；〃　Roose　Bolton　said　on　the　mom　of　their　departure。　〃He　has　a　fond　hope　that　your　father　will　force　the　Citadel　to　give　him　back　his　chain；　in　gratitude。〃
　〃We　all　have　fond　hopes。　If　he　grows　me　back　a　hand；　my　father　will　make　him　Grand　Maester。〃
　Steelshanks　Walton　manded　Jaime's　escort；　blunt；　brusque；　brutal；　at　heart　a　simple　soldier。　Jaime　had　served　with　his　sort　all　his　life。　Men　like　Walton　would　kill　at　their　lord's　mand；　rape　when　their　blood　was　up　after　battle；　and　plunder　wherever　they　could；　but　once　the　war　was　done　they　would　go　back　to　their　homes；　trade　their　spears　for　hoes；　wed　their　neighbors'　daughters；　and　raise　a　pack　of　squalling　children。　Such　men　obeyed　without　question；　but　the　deep　malignant　cruelty　of　the　Brave　panions　was　not　a　part　of　their　nature。
　Both　parties　left　Harrenhal　the　same　morning；　beneath　a　cold　grey　sky　that　promised　rain。　Ser　Aenys　Frey　had　marched　three　days　before；　striking　northeast　for　the　kingsroad。　Bolton　meant　to　follow　him。　〃The　Trident　is　in　flood；〃　he　told　Jaime。　〃Even　at　the　ruby　ford；　the　crossing　will　be　difficult。　You　will　give　my　warm　regards　to　your　father？〃
　〃So　long　as　you　give　mine　to　Robb　Stark。〃
　〃That　I　shall。〃
　Some　Brave　panions　had　gathered　in　the　yard　to　watch　them　leave。　Jaime　trotted　over　to　where　they　stood。　〃Zollo。　How　kind　of　you　to　see　me　off。　Pyg。　Timeon。　Will　you　miss　me？　No　last　jest　to　share；　Shagwell？　To　lighten　my　way　down　the　road？　And　R