grrm.astormofswords-第15节

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le　may　not　be　as　empty　as　you　think；〃　he　warned。　〃Littlefinger　does　nothing　without　good　reason。　But　be　that　as　it　may。　You　said　something　about　paying　debts；　I　believe？〃
　〃And　you　want　your　own　reward；　is　that　it？　Very　well。　What　is　it　you　would　have　of　me？　Lands；　castle；　some　office？〃
　〃A　little　bloody　gratitude　would　make　a　nice　start。〃
　Lord　Tywin　stared　at　him；　unblinking。　〃Mummers　and　monkeys　require　applause。　So　did　Aerys；　for　that　matter。　You　did　as　you　were　manded；　and　I　am　sure　it　was　to　the　best　of　your　ability。　No　one　denies　the　part　you　played。〃
　〃The　part　I　played？〃　What　nostrils　Tyrion　had　left　must　surely　have　flared。　〃I　saved　your　bloody　city；　it　seems　to　me。〃
　〃Most　people　seem　to　feel　that　it　was　my　attack　on　Lord　Stannis's　flank　that　turned　the　tide　of　battle。　Lords　Tyrell；　Rowan；　Redwyne；　and　Tarly　fought　nobly　as　well；　and　I'm　told　it　was　your　sister　Cersei　who　set　the　pyromancers　to　making　the　wildfire　that　destroyed　the　Baratheon　fleet。〃
　〃While　all　I　did　was　get　my　nosehairs　trimmed；　is　that　it？〃　Tyrion　could　not　keep　the　bitterness　out　of　his　voice。
　〃Your　chain　was　a　clever　stroke；　and　crucial　to　our　victory。　Is　that　what　you　wanted　to　hear？　I　am　told　we　have　you　to　thank　for　our　Dornish　alliance　as　well。　You　may　be　pleased　to　learn　that　Myrcella　has　arrived　safely　at　Sunspear。　Ser　Arys　Oakheart　writes　that　she　has　taken　a　great　liking　to　Princess　Arianne；　and　that　Prince　Trystane　is　enchanted　with　her。　I　mislike　giving　House　Martell　a　hostage；　but　I　suppose　that　could　not　be　helped。〃
　〃We'll　have　our　own　hostage；〃　Tyrion　said。　〃A　council　seat　was　also　part　of　the　bargain。　Unless　Prince　Doran　brings　an　army　when　he　es　to　claim　it；　he'll　be　putting　himself　in　our　power。〃
　〃Would　that　a　council　seat　were　all　Martell　came　to　claim；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃You　promised　him　vengeance　as　well。〃
　〃I　promised　him　justice。〃
　〃Call　it　what　you　will。　It　still　es　down　to　blood。〃
　〃Not　an　item　in　short　supply；　surely？　I　splashed　through　lakes　of　it　during　the　battle。〃　Tyrion　saw　no　reason　not　to　cut　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。　〃Or　have　you　grown　so　fond　of　Gregor　Clegane　that　you　cannot　bear　to　part　with　him？〃
　〃Ser　Gregor　has　his　uses；　as　did　his　brother。　Every　lord　has　need　of　a　beast　from　time　to　time　。　。　。　a　lesson　you　seem　to　have　learned；　judging　from　Ser　Bronn　and　those　clansmen　of　yours。〃
　Tyrion　thought　of　Timett's　burned　eye；　Shagga　with　his　axe；　Chella　in　her　necklace　of　dried　ears。　And　Bronn。　Brorm　most　of　all。　〃The　woods　are　full　of　beasts；〃　he　reminded　his　father。　〃The　alleyways　as　well。〃
　〃True。　Perhaps　other　dogs　would　hunt　as　well。　I　shall　think　on　it。　If　there　is　nothing　else　。　。　。〃
　〃You　have　important　letters；　yes。〃　Tyrion　rose　on　unsteady　legs；　closed　his　eyes　for　an　instant　as　a　wave　of　dizziness　washed　over　him；　and　took　a　shaky　step　toward　the　door。　Later；　he　would　reflect　that　he　should　have　taken　a　second；　and　then　a　third。　instead　he　turned。　〃What　do　I　want；　you　ask？　I'll　tell　you　what　I　want。　I　want　what　is　mine　by　rights。　I　want　Casterly　Rock。〃
　His　father's　mouth　grew　hard。　〃Your　brother's　birthright？〃
　〃The　knights　of　the　Kingsguard　are　forbidden　to　marry；　to　father　children；　and　to　hold　land；　you　know　that　as　well　as　I。　The　day　Jaime　put　on　that　white　cloak；　he　gave　up　his　claim　to　Casterly　Rock；　but　never　once　have　you　acknowledged　it。　It's　past　time。　I　want　you　to　stand　up　before　the　realm　and　proclaim　that　I　am　your　son　and　your　lawful　heir。〃
　Lord　Tywin's　eyes　were　a　pale　green　flecked　with　gold；　as　luminous　as　they　were　merciless。　〃Casterly　Rock；〃　he　declared　in　a　flat　cold　dead　tone。　And　then；　〃Never。〃
　The　word　hung　between　them；　huge；　sharp；　poisoned。
　I　knew　the　answer　before　I　asked；　Tyrion　said。　Eighteen　years　since　Jaime　joined　the　Kingsguard；　and　I　never　once　raised　the　issue。　I　must　have　known。　I　must　always　have　known。　〃Why？〃　he　made　himself　ask；　though　he　knew　he　would　rue　the　question。
　〃You　ask　that？　You；　who　killed　your　mother　to　e　into　the　world？　You　are　an　ill…made；　devious；　disobedient；　spiteful　little　creature　full　of　envy；　lust；　and　low　cunning。　Men's　laws　give　you　the　right　to　bear　my　name　and　display　my　colors；　since　I　cannot　prove　that　you　are　not　mine。　To　teach　me　humility；　the　gods　have　condemned　me　to　watch　you　waddle　about　wearing　that　proud　lion　that　was　my　father's　sigil　and　his　father's　before　him。　But　neither　gods　nor　men　shall　ever　pel　me　to　let　you　turn　Casterly　Rock　into　your　whorehouse。〃
　〃My　whorehouse？〃　The　dawn　broke；　Tyrion　understood　all　at　once　where　this　bile　had　e　from。　He　ground　his　teeth　together　and　said；　〃Cersei　told　you　about　Alayaya。〃
　〃Is　that　her　name？　I　confess；　I　cannot　remember　the　names　of　all　your　whores。　Who　was　the　one　you　married　as　a　boy？〃
　〃Tysha。〃　He　spat　out　the　answer；　defiant。
　〃And　that　camp　follower　on　the　Green　Fork？〃
　〃Why　do　you　care？〃　he　asked；　unwilling　even　to　speak　Shae's　name　in　his　presence。
　〃I　don't。　No　more　than　I　care　if　they　live　or　die。〃
　〃It　was　you　who　had　Yaya　whipped。〃　It　was　not　a　question。
　〃Your　sister　told　me　of　your　threats　against　my　grandsons。〃　Lord　Tywin's　voice　was　colder　than　ice。　〃Did　she　lie？〃
　Tyrion　would　not　deny　it。　〃I　made　threats；　yes。　To　keep　Alayaya　safe。　So　the　Kettleblacks　would　not　misuse　her。〃
　〃To　save　a　whore's　virtue；　you　threatened　your　own　House；　your　own　kin？　Is　that　the　way　of　it？〃
　〃You　were　the　one　who　taught　me　that　a　good　threat　is　often　more　telling　than　a　blow。　Not　that　Joffrey　hasn't　tempted　me　sore　a　few　hundred　times。　If　you're　so　anxious　to　whip　people；　start　with　him。　But　Tornmen　。　。　。　why　would　I　harm　Tommen？　He's　a　good　lad；　and　mine　own　blood。〃
　〃As　was　your　mother。〃　Lord　Tywin　rose　abruptly；　to　tower　over　his　dwarf　son。　〃Go　back　to　your　bed；　Tyrion；　and　speak　to　me　no　more　of　your　rights　to　Casterly　Rock。　You　shall　have　your　reward；　but　it　shall　be　one　I　deem　appropriate　to　your　service　and　station。　And　make　no　mistake…this　was　the　last　time　I　will　suffer　you　to　bring　shame　onto　House　Lannister。　You　are　done　with　whores。　The　next　one　I　find　in　your　bed；　I'll　hang。〃
　
　CHAPTER　5
　DAVOS
　
　He　watched　the　sail　grow　for　a　long　time；　trying　to　decide　whether　he　would　sooner　live　or　die。
　Dying　would　be　easier；　he　knew。　All　he　had　to　do　was　crawl　inside　his　cave　and　let　the　ship　pass　by；　and　death　would　find　him。　For　days　now　the　fever　had　been　burning　through　him；　turning　his　bowels　to　brown　water　and　making　him　shiver　in　his　restless　sleep。　Each　morning　found　him　weaker。　It　will　not　be　much　longer；　he　had　taken　to　telling　himself。
　If　the　fever　did　not　kill　him；　thirst　surely　would。　He　had　no　fresh　water　here；　but　for　the　occasional　rainfall　that　pooled　in　hollows　on　the　rock。　Only　three　days　past　（or　had　it　been　four？　On　his　rock；　it　was　hard　to　tell　the　days　apart）　his　pools　had　been　dry　as　old　bone；　and　the　sight　of　the　bay　rippling　green　and　grey　all　around　him　had　been　almost　more　than　he　could　bear。　Once　he　began　to　drink　seawater　the　end　would　e　swiftly；　he　knew；　but　all　the　same　he　had　almost　taken　that　first　swallow；　so　parched　was　his　throat。　A　sudden　squall　had　saved　him。　He　had　grown　so　feeble　by　then　that　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　lie　in　the　rain　with　his　eyes　closed　and　his　mouth　open；　and　let　the　water　splash　down　on　his　cracked　lips　and　swollen　tongue。　But　afterward　he　felt　a　little　stronger；　and　the　island's　pools　and　cracks　and　crevices　once　more　had　brimmed　with　life。
　But　that　had　been　three　days　ago　（or　maybe　four）；　and　most　of　the　water　was　gone　now。　Some　had　evaporated；　and　he　had　sucked　up　the　rest。　By　the　morrow　he　would　be　tasting　the　mud　again；　and　licking　the　damp　cold　stones　at　the　bottom　of　the　depressions。
　And　if　not　thirst　or　fever；　starvation　would　kill　him。　His　island　was　no　more　than　a　barren　spire　jutting　up　out　of　the　immensity　of　Blackwater　Bay。　When　the　tide　was　low；　he　could　sometimes　find　tiny　crabs　along　the　stony　strand　where　he　had　washed　ashore　after　the　battle。　They　nipped　his　fingers　painfully　before　he　smashed　them　apart　on　the　rocks　to　suck　the　meat　from　their　claws　and　the　guts　from　their　shells。
　But　the　strand　vanished　whenever　the　tide　came　rushing　in；　and　Davos　had　to　scramble　up　the　rock　to　keep　from　being　swept　out　into　the　bay　once　more。　The　point　of　the　spire　was　fifteen　feet　above　the　water　at　high　tide；　but　when　the　bay　grew　rough　the　spray　went　even　higher；　so　there　was　no　way　to　keep　dry；　even　in　his　cave　（which　was　really　no　more　than　a　hollow　in　the　rock　beneath　an　overhang）。　Nothing　grew　on　the　rock　but　lichen；　and　even　the　seabirds　shunned　the　place。　Now　and　again　some　gulls　would　land　atop　the　spire　and　Davos　would　try　to　catch　one；　but　they　were　too　quick　for　him　to　get　close。　He　took　to　flinging　stones　at　them；　but　he　was　too　weak　to　throw　with　much　force；　so　even　when　his　stones　hit　the　gulls　would　only　scream　at　him　in　annoyance　and　then　take　to　the　air。
　There　were　other　rocks　visible　from　his　refuge；　distant　stony　spires　taller　than　his　own。　The　nearest　stood　a　good　forty　feet　above　the　water；　he　guessed；　though　it　was　hard　to　be　sure　at　this　distance。　A　cloud　of　gulls　swirled　about　it　constantly；　and　often　Davos　thought　of　crossing　over　to　raid　their　nests。　But　the　water　was　cold　here；　the　currents　strong　a