grrm.astormofswords-第206节

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an。　The　memory　of　her　own　wedding　night　with　Tyrion　was　much　with　her。　In　the　dark；　I　am　the　Knight　of　Flowers；　he　had　said。　I　could　be　good　to　you。　But　that　was　only　another　Lannister　lie。　A　dog　can　smell　a　lie；　you　know；　the　Hound　had　told　her　once。　She　could　almost　hear　the　rough　rasp　of　his　voice。　Look　around　you；　and　take　a　good　whiff。　They're　all　liars　here；　and　every　one　better　than　you。　She　wondered　what　had　bee　of　Sandor　Clegane。　Did　he　know　that　they'd　killed　Joffrey？　Would　he　care？　He　had　been　the　prince's　sworn　shield　for　years。
　She　stayed　outside　for　a　long　time。　When　at　last　she　sought　her　own　bed；　wet　and　chilled；　only　the　dim　glow　of　a　peat　fire　lit　the　darkened　hall。　There　was　no　sound　from　above。　The　young　singer　sat　in　a　corner；　playing　a　slow　song　to　himself。　One　of　her　aunt's　maids　was　kissing　a　knight　in　Lord　Petyr's　chair；　their　hands　busy　beneath　each　other's　clothing。　Several　men　had　drunk　themselves　to　sleep；　and　one　was　in　the　privy；　being　noisily　sick。　Sansa　found　Bryen's　old　blind　dog　in　her　little　alcove　beneath　the　steps；　and　lay　down　next　to　him。　He　woke　and　licked　her　face。　〃You　sad　old　hound；〃　she　said；　ruffling　his　fur。
　〃Alayne。〃　Her　aunt's　singer　stood　over　her。　〃Sweet　Alayne。　I　am　Marillion。　I　saw　you　e　in　from　the　rain。　The　night　is　chill　and　wet。　Let　me　warm　you。〃
　The　old　dog　raised　his　head　and　growled；　but　the　singer　gave　him　a　cuff　and　sent　him　slinking　off；　whimpering。
　〃Marillion？〃　she　said；　uncertain。　〃You　are　。　。　。　kind　to　think　of　me；　but　。　。　。　pray　forgive　me。　I　am　very　tired。〃
　〃And　very　beautiful。　All　night　I　have　been　making　songs　for　you　in　my　head。　A　lay　for　your　eyes；　a　ballad　for　your　lips；　a　duet　to　your　breasts。　I　will　not　sing　them；　though。　They　were　poor　things；　unworthy　of　such　beauty。〃　He　sat　on　her　bed　and　put　his　hand　on　her　leg。　〃Let　me　sing　to　you　with　my　body　instead。〃
　She　caught　a　whiff　of　his　breath。　〃You're　drunk。〃
　〃I　never　get　drunk。　Mead　only　makes　me　merry。　I　am　on　fire。〃　His　hand　slipped　up　to　her　thigh。　〃And　you　as　well。〃
　〃Unhand　me。　You　forget　yourself。〃
　〃Mercy。　I　have　been　singing　love　songs　for　hours。　My　blood　is　stirred。　And　yours；　I　know　。　。　。　there's　no　wench　half　so　lusty　as　one　bastard　born。　Are　you　wet　for　me？〃
　〃I'm　a　maiden；〃　she　protested。
　〃Truly？　Oh；　Alayne；　Alayne；　my　fair　maid；　give　me　the　gift　of　your　innocence。　You　will　thank　the　gods　you　did。　I'll　have　you　singing　louder　than　the　Lady　Lysa。〃
　Sansa　jerked　away　from　him；　frightened。　〃If　you　don't　leave　me；　my　au…my　father　will　hang　you。　Lord　Petyr。〃
　〃Littlefinger？〃　He　chuckled。　〃Lady　Lysa　loves　me　well；　and　I　am　Lord　Robert's　favorite。　If　your　father　offends　me；　I　will　destroy　him　with　a　verse。〃　He　put　a　hand　on　her　breast；　and　squeezed。　〃Let's　get　you　out　of　these　wet　clothes。　You　wouldn't　want　them　ripped；　I　know。　e；　sweet　lady；　heed　your　heart…〃
　Sansa　heard　the　soft　sound　of　steel　on　leather。　〃Singer；〃　a　rough　voice　said；　〃best　go；　if　you　want　to　sing　again。〃　The　light　was　dim；　but　she　saw　a　faint　glimmer　of　a　blade。
　The　singer　saw　it　too。　〃Find　your　own　wench…〃　The　knife　flashed；　and　he　cried　out。　〃You　cut　me！〃
　〃I'll　do　worse；　if　you　don't　go。〃
　And　quick　as　that；　Marillion　was　gone。　The　other　remained；　looming　over　Sansa　in　the　darkness。　〃Lord　Petyr　said　watch　out　for　you。〃　It　was　Lothor　Brune's　voice；　she　realized。　Not　the　Hound's；　no；　how　could　it　be？　Of　course　it　had　to　be　Lothor　。　。　。
　That　night　Sansa　scarcely　slept　at　all；　but　tossed　and　turned　just　as　she　had　aboard　the　Merling　King。　She　dreamt　of　Joffrey　dying；　but　as　he　clawed　at　his　throat　and　the　blood　ran　down　across　his　fingers　she　saw　with　horror　that　it　was　her　brother　Robb。　And　she　dreamed　of　her　wedding　night　too；　of　Tyrion's　eyes　devouring　her　as　she　undressed。　Only　then　he　was　bigger　than　Tyrion　had　any　right　to　be；　and　when　he　climbed　into　the　bed　his　face　was　scarred　only　on　one　side。　〃I'll　have　a　song　from　you；〃　he　rasped；　and　Sansa　woke　and　found　the　old　blind　dog　beside　her　once　again。　〃I　wish　that　you　were　Lady；〃　she　said。
　e　the　morning；　Grisel　climbed　up　to　the　bedchamber　to　serve　the　lord　and　lady　a　tray　of　morning　bread；　with　butter；　honey；　fruit；　and　cream。　She　returned　to　say　that　Alayne　was　wanted。　Sansa　was　still　drowsy　from　sleep。　it　took　her　a　moment　to　remember　that　she　was　Alayne。
　Lady　Lysa　was　still　abed；　but　Lord　Petyr　was　up　and　dressed。　〃Your　aunt　wishes　to　speak　with　you；〃　he　told　Sansa；　as　he　pulled　on　a　boot。　〃I've　told　her　who　you　are。〃
　Gods　be　good。　〃I　。　。　。　I　thank　you；　my　lord。〃
　Petyr　yanked　on　the　other　boot。　〃I've　had　about　as　much　home　as　I　can　stomach。　We'll　leave　for　the　Eyrie　this　afternoon。〃　He　kissed　his　lady　wife　and　licked　a　smear　of　honey　off　her　lips；　then　headed　down　the　steps。
　Sansa　stood　by　the　foot　of　the　bed　while　her　aunt　ate　a　pear　and　studied　her。　〃I　see　it　now；〃　the　Lady　Lysa　said；　as　she　set　the　core　aside。　〃You　look　so　much　like　Catelyn。〃
　〃It's　kind　of　you　to　say　so。〃
　〃It　was　not　meant　as　flattery。　if　truth　be　told；　you　look　too　much　like　Catelyn。　Something　must　be　done。　We　shall　darken　your　hair　before　we　bring　you　back　to　the　Eyrie；　I　think。〃
　Darken　my　hair？　〃If　it　please　you；　Aunt　Lysa。〃
　〃You　must　not　call　me　that。　No　word　of　your　presence　here　must　be　allowed　to　reach　King's　Landing。　I　do　not　mean　to　have　my　son　endangered。〃　She　nibbled　the　corner　of　a　honeyb。　〃I　have　kept　the　Vale　out　of　this　war。　Our　harvest　has　been　plentiful；　the　mountains　protect　us；　and　the　Eyrie　is　impregnable。　Even　so；　it　would　not　do　to　draw　Lord　Tywin's　wroth　down　upon　us。〃　Lysa　set　the　b　down　and　licked　honey　from　her　fingers。　〃You　were　wed　to　Tyrion　Lannister；　Petyr　says。　That　vile　dwarf。〃
　〃They　made　me　marry　him。　I　never　wanted　it。〃
　；'No　more　than　I　did；〃　her　aunt　said。　〃Jon　Arryn　was　no　dwarf；　but　he　was　old。　You　may　not　think　so　to　see　me　now；　but　on　the　day　we　wed　I　was　so　lovely　I　put　your　mother　to　shame。　But　all　Jon　desired　was　my　father's　swords；　to　aid　his　darling　boys。　I　should　have　refused　him；　but　he　was　such　an　old　man；　how　long　could　he　live？　Half　his　teeth　were　gone；　and　his　breath　smelled　like　bad　cheese。　I　cannot　abide　a　man　with　foul　breath。　Petyr's　breath　is　always　fresh　。　。　。　he　was　the　first　man　I　ever　kissed；　you　know。　My　father　said　he　was　too　lowborn；　but　I　knew　how　high　he'd　rise。　Jon　gave　him　the　customs　for　Gulltown　to　please　me；　but　when　he　increased　the　ines　tenfold　my　lord　husband　saw　how　clever　he　was　and　gave　him　other　appointments；　even　brought　him　to　King's　Landing　to　be　master　of　coin。　That　was　hard；　to　see　him　every　day　and　still　be　wed　to　that　old　cold　man。　Jon　did　his　duty　in　the　bedchamber；　but　he　could　no　more　give　me　pleasure　than　he　could　give　me　children。　His　seed　was　old　and　weak。　All　my　babies　died　but　Robert；　three　girls　and　two　boys。　All　my　sweet　little　babies　dead；　and　that　old　man　just　went　on　and　on　with　his　stinking　breath。　So　you　see；　I　have　suffered　too。〃　Lady　Lysa　sniffed。　〃You　do　know　that　your　poor　mother　is　dead？〃
　〃Tyrion　told　me；〃　said　Sansa。　〃He　said　the　Freys　murdered　her　at　The　Twins；　with　Robb。〃
　Tears　welled　suddenly　in　Lady　Lysa's　eyes。　〃We　are　women　alone　now；　you　and　I。　Are　you　afraid；　child？　Be　brave。　I　would　never　turn　away　Cat's　daughter。　We　are　bound　by　blood。〃　She　beckoned　Sansa　closer。　〃You　may　e　kiss　my　cheek；　Alayne。〃
　Dutifully　she　approached　and　knelt　beside　the　bed。　Her　aunt　was　drenched　in　sweet　scent；　though　under　that　was　a　sour　milky　smell。　Her　cheek　tasted　of　paint　and　powder。
　As　Sansa　stepped　back；　Lady　Lysa　caught　her　wrist。　〃Now　tell　me；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃Are　you　with　child？　The　truth　now；　I　will　know　if　you　lie。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said；　startled　by　the　question。
　〃You　are　a　woman　flowered；　are　you　not？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Sansa　knew　the　truth　of　her　flowering　could　not　be　long　hidden　in　the　Eyrie。　〃Tyrion　didn't　。　。　。　he　never　。　。　。〃　She　could　feel　the　blush　creeping　up　her　cheeks。　〃I　am　still　a　maid。〃
　〃Was　the　dwarf　incapable？〃
　〃No。　He　was　only　。　。　。　he　was　。　。　。〃　Kind？　She　could　not　say　that；　not　here；　not　to　this　aunt　who　hated　him　so。　〃He　。　。　。　he　had　whores；　my　lady。　He　told　me　so。〃
　〃Whores。〃　Lysa　released　her　wrist。　〃Of　course　he　did。　What　woman　would　bed　such　a　creature；　but　for　gold？　I　should　have　killed　the　Imp　when　he　was　in　my　power；　but　he　tricked　me。　He　is　full　of　low　cunning；　that　one。　His　sellsword　slew　my　good　Ser　Vardis　Egen。　Catelyn　should　not　have　brought　him　here；　I　told　her　that。　She　made　off　with　our　uncle　too。　That　was　wrong　of　her。　The　Blackfish　was　my　Knight　of　the　Gate；　and　since　he　left　us　the　mountain　clans　are　growing　very　bold。　Petyr　will　soon　set　all　that　to　rights；　though。　I　shall　make　him　Lord　Protector　of　the　Vale。〃　Her　aunt　smiled　for　the　first　time；　almost　warmly。　〃He　may　not　look　as　tall　or　strong　as　some；　but　he　is　worth　more　than　all　of　them。　Trust　in　him　and　do　as　he　says。〃
　〃I　shall；　Aunt　。　。　。　my　lady。〃
　Lady　Lysa　seemed　pleased　by　that。　〃I　knew　that　boy　Joffrey。　He　used　to　call　my　Robert　cruel　names；　and　once　he　slapped　him　with　a　wooden　sword。　A　man　will　tell　you　poison　is　dishonorable；　but　a　woman's　honor　is　different。　The　Mother　shaped　us　to　protect　our　children；　and　our　only　dishonor　is　in　failure。　You'll　know　that；　when　you　have　a　child。〃
　〃A　child？〃　said　Sansa；　uncer