grrm.astormofswords-第156节

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t　to　him。　He　snatched　it　one…handed　from　the　air　and　lowered　it　over　his　head；　and　where　the　man　had　sat　only　a　steel　dog　remained；　snarling　at　the　fires。
　〃My　brother　。　。　。
　〃Dead；〃　he　shouted　back　at　her。　〃Do　you　think　they'd　slaughter　his　men　and　leave　him　alive？〃　He　turned　his　head　back　toward　the　camp。　〃Look。　Look；　damn　you。〃
　The　camp　had　bee　a　battlefield。　No；　a　butcher's　den。　The　flames　from　the　feasting　tents　reached　halfway　up　the　sky。　Some　of　the　barracks　tents　were　burning　too；　and　half　a　hundred　silk　pavilions。　Everywhere　swords　were　singing。　And　now　the　rains　weep　o'er　his　hall；　with　not　a　soul　to　hear。　She　saw　two　knights　ride　down　a　running　man。　A　wooden　barrel　came　crashing　onto　one　of　the　burning　tents　and　burst　apart；　and　the　flames　leapt　twice　as　high。　A　catapult；　she　knew。　The　castle　was　flinging　oil　or　pitch　or　something。
　〃e　with　me。〃　Sandor　Clegane　reached　down　a　hand。　〃We　have　to　get　away　from　here；　and　now。〃　Stranger　tossed　his　head　impatiently；　his　nostrils　flaring　at　the　scent　of　blood。　The　song　was　done。　There　was　only　one　solitary　drum；　its　slow　monotonous　beats　echoing　across　the　river　like　the　pounding　of　some　monstrous　heart。　The　black　sky　wept；　the　river　grumbled；　men　cursed　and　died。　Arya　had　mud　in　her　teeth　and　her　face　was　wet。　Rain。　It's　only　rain。　That's　all　it　is。　〃We're　here；〃　she　shouted。　Her　voice　sounded　thin　and　scared；　a　little　girl's　voice。　〃Robb's　just　in　the　castle；　and　my　mother。　The　gate's　even　open。〃　There　were　no　more　Freys　riding　out。　I　came　so　far。　〃We　have　to　go　get　my　mother。〃
　〃Stupid　little　bitch。〃　Fires　glinted　off　the　snout　of　his　helm；　and　made　the　steel　teeth　shine。　〃You　go　in　there；　you　won't　e　out。　Maybe　Frey　will　let　you　kiss　your　mother's　corpse。〃
　〃Maybe　we　can　save　her　。　。　。〃
　〃Maybe　you　can。　I'm　not　done　living　yet。〃　He　rode　toward　her；　crowding　her　back　toward　the　wayn。　〃Stay　or　go；　she…wolf。　Live　or　die。　Your…〃
　Arya　spun　away　from　him　and　darted　for　the　gate。　The　portcullis　was　ing　down；　but　slowly。　I　have　to　run　faster。　The　mud　slowed　her；　though；　and　then　the　water。　Run　fast　as　a　wolf。　The　drawbridge　had　begun　to　lift；　the　water　running　off　it　in　a　sheet；　the　mud　falling　in　heavy　clots。　Faster。　She　heard　loud　splashing　and　looked　back　to　see　Stranger　pounding　after　her；　sending　up　gouts　of　water　with　every　stride。　She　saw　the　longaxe　too；　still　wet　with　blood　and　brains。　And　Arya　ran。　Not　for　her　brother　now；　not　even　for　her　mother；　but　for　herself。　She　ran　faster　than　she　had　ever　run　before；　her　head　down　and　her　feet　churning　up　the　river；　she　ran　from　him　as　Mycah　must　have　run。
　His　axe　took　her　in　the　back　of　the　head。
　
　CHAPTER　53
　TYRION
　
　They　supped　alone；　as　they　did　so　often。　〃The　pease　are　overcooked；〃　his　wife　ventured　once。　〃No　matter；〃　he　said。　〃So　is　the　mutton。〃
　It　was　a　jest；　but　Sansa　took　it　for　criticism。　〃I　am　sorry；　my　lord。〃
　〃Why？　Some　cook　should　be　sorry。　Not　you。　The　pease　are　not　your　province；　Sansa。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　am　sorry　that　my　lord　husband　is　displeased。〃
　〃Any　displeasure　I'm　feeling　has　naught　to　do　with　pease。　I　have　Joffrey　and　my　sister　to　displease　me；　and　my　lord　father；　and　three　hundred　bloody　Dornishmen。〃　He　had　settled　Prince　Oberyn　and　his　lords　in　a　cornerfort　facing　the　city；　as　far　from　the　Tyrells　as　he　could　put　them　without　evicting　them　from　the　Red　Keep　entirely。　It　was　not　nearly　far　enough。　Already　there　had　been　a　brawl　in　a　Flea　Bottom　pot…shop　that　left　one　Tyrell　man…at…arms　dead　and　two　of　Lord　Gargalen's　scalded；　and　an　ugly　confrontation　in　the　yard　when　Mace　Tyrell's　wizened　little　mother　called　Ellaria　Sand　〃the　serpent's　whore。〃　Every　time　he　chanced　to　see　Oberyn　Martell　the　prince　asked　when　the　justice　would　be　served。　Overcooked　pease　were　the　least　of　Tyrion's　troubles；　but　he　saw　no　point　in　burdening　his　young　wife　with　any　of　that。　Sansa　had　enough　griefs　of　her　own。
　〃The　pease　suffice；〃　he　told　her　curtly。　〃They　are　green　and　round；　what　more　can　one　expect　of　pease？　Here；　I'll　have　another　serving；　if　it　please　my　lady。〃　He　beckoned；　and　Podrick　Payne　spooned　so　many　pease　onto　his　plate　that　Tyrion　lost　sight　of　his　mutton。　That　was　stupid；　he　told　himself。　Now　I　have　to　eat　them　all；　or　she'll　be　sorry　all　over　again。
　The　supper　ended　in　a　strained　silence；　as　so　many　of　their　suppers　did。　Afterward；　as　Pod　was　removing　the　cups　and　platters；　Sansa　asked　Tyrion　for　leave　to　visit　the　godswood。
　〃As　you　wish。〃　He　had　bee　accustomed　to　his　wife's　nightly　devotions。　She　prayed　at　the　royal　sept　as　well；　and　often　lit　candles　to　Mother；　Maid；　and　Crone。　Tyrion　found　all　this　piety　excessive；　if　truth　be　told；　but　in　her　place　he　might　want　the　help　of　the　gods　as　well。　〃I　confess；　I　know　little　of　the　old　gods；〃　he　said；　trying　to　be　pleasant。　〃Perhaps　someday　you　might　enlighten　me。　I　could　even　acpany　you。〃
　〃No；〃　Sansa　said　at　once。　〃You　。　。　。　you　are　kind　to　offer；　but　。　。　。　there　are　no　devotions；　my　lord。　No　priests　or　songs　or　candles。　Only　trees；　and　silent　prayer。　You　would　be　bored。〃
　〃No　doubt　you're　right。〃　She　knows　me　better　than　I　thought。　〃Though　the　sound　of　rustling　leaves　might　be　a　pleasant　change　from　some　septon　droning　on　about　the　seven　aspects　of　grace。〃　Tyrion　waved　her　off。　〃I　won't　intrude。　Dress　warmly；　my　lady；　the　wind　is　brisk　out　there。〃　He　was　tempted　to　ask　what　she　prayed　for；　but　Sansa　was　so　dutiful　she　might　actually　tell　him；　and　he　didn't　think　he　wanted　to　know。
　He　went　back　to　work　after　she　left；　trying　to　track　some　golden　dragons　through　the　labyrinth　of　Littlefinger's　ledgers。　Petyr　Baelish　had　not　believed　in　letting　gold　sit　about　and　grow　dusty；　that　was　for　certain；　but　the　more　Tyrion　tried　to　make　sense　of　his　accounts　the　more　his　head　hurt。　it　was　all　very　well　to　talk　of　breeding　dragons　instead　of　locking　them　up　in　the　treasury；　but　some　of　these　ventures　smelled　worse　than　week…old　fish。　I　wouldn't　have　been　so　quick　to　let　Joffrey　fling　the　Antler　Men　over　the　walls　if　I'd　known　how　many　of　the　bloody　bastards　had　taken　loans　from　the　crown。　He　would　have　to　send　Bronn　to　find　their　heirs；　but　he　feared　that　would　prove　as　fruitful　as　trying　to　squeeze　silver　from　a　silverfish。
　When　the　summons　from　his　lord　father　arrived；　it　was　the　first　time　Tyrion　could　ever　recall　being　pleased　to　see　Ser　Boros　Blount。　He　closed　the　ledgers　gratefully；　blew　out　the　oil　lamp；　tied　a　cloak　around　his　shoulders；　and　waddled　across　the　castle　to　the　Tower　of　the　Hand。　The　wind　was　brisk；　just　as　he'd　warned　Sansa；　and　there　was　a　smell　of　rain　in　the　air。　Perhaps　when　Lord　Tywin　was　done　with　him　he　should　go　to　the　godswood　and　fetch　her　home　before　she　got　soaked。
　But　all　that　went　straight　out　of　his　head　when　he　entered　the　Hand's　solar　to　find　Cersei；　Ser　Kevan；　and　Grand　Maester　Pycelle　gathered　about　Lord　Tywin　and　the　king。　Joffrey　was　almost　bouncing；　and　Cersei　was　savoring　a　smug　little　smile；　though　Lord　Tywin　looked　as　grim　as　ever。　I　wonder　if　he　could　smile　even　if　he　wanted　to。　〃What's　happened？〃　Tyrion　asked。
　His　father　offered　him　a　roll　of　parchment。　Someone　had　flattened　it；　but　it　still　wanted　to　curl。　〃Roslin　caught　a　fine　fat　trout；〃　the　message　read。　〃Her　brothers　gave　her　a　pair　of　wolf　pelts　for　her　wedding。〃　Tyrion　turned　it　over　to　inspect　the　broken　seal。　The　wax　was　silvery…grey；　and　pressed　into　it　were　the　twin　towers　of　House　Frey。　〃Does　the　Lord　of　the　Crossing　imagine　he's　being　poetic？　Or　is　this　meant　to　confound　us？　〃　Tyrion　snorted。　〃The　trout　would　be　Edmure　Tully；　the　pelts　。　。　。〃
　〃He's　dead！〃　Joffrey　sounded　so　proud　and　happy　you　might　have　thought　he'd　skinned　Robb　Stark　himself。
　First　Greyjoy　and　now　Stark。　Tyrion　thought　of　his　child　wife；　praying　in　the　godswood　even　now。　Praying　to　her　father's　gods　to　bring　her　brother　victory　and　keep　her　mother　safe；　no　doubt。　The　old　gods　paid　no　more　heed　to　prayer　than　the　new　ones；　it　would　seem。　Perhaps　he　should　take　fort　in　that。　〃Kings　are　falling　like　leaves　this　autumn；〃　he　said。　〃It　would　seem　our　little　war　is　winning　itself。〃
　〃Wars　do　not　win　themselves；　Tyrion；〃　Cersei　said　with　poisonous　sweetness。　〃Our　lord　father　won　this　war。〃
　〃Nothing　is　won　so　long　as　we　have　enemies　in　the　field；〃　Lord　Tywin　warned　them。
　〃The　river　lords　are　no　fools；〃　the　queen　argued。　〃Without　the　northmen　they　cannot　hope　to　stand　against　the　bined　power　of　Highgarden；　Casterly　Rock；　and　Dome。　Surely　they　will　choose　submission　rather　than　destruction。〃
　〃Most；〃　agreed　Lord　Tywin。　〃Riverrun　remains；　but　so　long　as　Walder　Frey　holds　Edmure　Tully　hostage；　the　Blackfish　dare　not　mount　a　threat。　Jason　Mallister　and　Tytos　Blackwood　will　fight　on　for　honor's　sake；　but　the　Freys　can　keep　the　Mallisters　penned　up　at　Seagard；　and　with　the　right　inducement　Jonos　Bracken　can　be　persuaded　to　change　his　allegiance　and　attack　the　Blackwoods。　In　the　end　they　will　bend　the　knee；　yes。　I　mean　to　offer　generous　terms。　Any　castle　that　yields　to　us　will　be　spared；　save　one。〃
　〃Harrenhal？〃　said　Tyrion；　who　knew　his　sire。
　〃The　realm　is　best　rid　of　these　Brave　panions。　I　have　manded　Ser　Gregor　to　put　the　castle　to　the　sword。〃
　Gregor　Clegane。　It　appeared　as　if　his　lord　father　meant　to　mine　the　Mountain　for　ever