grrm.astormofswords-第219节

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　A　few　of　the　horses　still　shied　away　from　the　dark　splotch　on　the　hard…packed　ground　where　the　earth　had　drunk　the　life's　blood　of　the　stableboy　Gregor　Clegane　had　killed　so　clumsily。　The　sight　of　it　made　Jaime　angry　all　over　again。　He　had　told　his　Kingsguard　to　keep　the　crowd　out　of　the　way；　but　that　oaf　Ser　Boros　had　let　himself　be　distracted　by　the　duel。　The　fool　boy　himself　shared　some　of　the　blame；　to　be　sure；　the　dead　Domishman　as　well。　And　Clegane　most　of　all。　The　blow　that　took　the　boy's　arm　off　had　been　mischance；　but　that　second　cut　。　。　。
　Well；　Gregor　is　paying　for　it　now　Grand　Maester　Pycelle　was　tending　to　the　man's　wounds；　but　the　howls　heard　ringing　from　the　maester's　chambers　suggested　that　the　healing　was　not　going　as　well　as　it　might。　〃The　flesh　mortifies　and　the　wounds　ooze　pus；〃　Pycelle　told　the　council。　〃Even　maggots　will　not　touch　such　foulness。　His　convulsions　are　so　violent　that　I　have　had　to　gag　him　to　prevent　him　from　biting　off　his　tongue。　I　have　cut　away　as　much　tissue　as　I　dare；　and　treated　the　rot　with　boiling　wine　and　bread　mold；　to　no　avail。　The　veins　in　his　arm　are　turning　black。　When　I　leeched　him；　all　the　leeches　died。　My　lords；　I　must　know　what　malignant　substance　Prince　Oberyn　used　on　his　spear。　Let　us　detain　these　other　Domishmen　until　they　are　more　forthing。〃
　Lord　Tywin　had　refused　him。　〃There　will　be　trouble　enough　with　Sunspear　over　Prince　Oberyn's　death。　I　do　not　mean　to　make　matters　worse　by　holding　his　panions　captive。〃
　〃Then　I　fear　Ser　Gregor　may　die。〃
　〃Undoubtedly。　I　swore　as　much　in　the　letter　I　sent　to　Prince　Doran　with　his　brother's　body。　But　it　must　be　seen　to　be　the　sword　of　the　King's　justice　that　slays　him；　not　a　poisoned　spear。　Heal　him。〃
　Grand　Maester　Pycelle　blinked　in　dismay。　〃MY　lord　…
　〃Heal　him；〃　Lord　Tywin　said　again；　vexed。　〃You　are　aware　that　Lord　Varys　has　sent　fishermen　into　the　waters　around　Dragonstone。　They　report　that　only　a　token　force　remains　to　defend　the　island。　The　Lyseni　are　gone　from　the　bay；　and　the　great　part　of　Lord　Stannis's　strength　with　them。〃
　〃Well　and　good；〃　announced　Pycelle。　〃Let　Stannis　rot　in　Lys；　I　say。　We　are　well　rid　of　the　man　and　his　ambitions。〃
　〃Did　you　turn　into　an　utter　fool　when　Tyrion　shaved　your　beard？　This　is　Stannis　Baratheon。　The　man　will　fight　to　the　bitter　end　and　then　some。　If　he　is　gone；　it　can　only　mean　he　intends　to　resume　the　war。　Most　likely　he　will　land　at　Storm's　End　and　try　and　rouse　the　storm　lords。　If　so；　he's　finished。　But　a　bolder　man　might　roll　the　dice　for　Dome。　If　he　should　win　Sunspear　to　his　cause；　he　might　prolong　this　war　for　years。　So　we　will　not　offend　the　Martells　any　further；　for　any　reason。　The　Domishmen　are　free　to　go；　and　you　will　heal　Ser　Gregor。〃
　And　so　the　Mountain　screamed；　day　and　night。　Lord　Tywin　Lannister　could　cow　even　the　Stranger；　it　would　seem。
　As　Jaime　climbed　the　winding　steps　of　White　Sword　Tower；　he　could　hear　Ser　Boros　snoring　in　his　cell。　Ser　Balon's　door　was　shut　as　well；　he　had　the　king　tonight；　and　would　sleep　all　day。　Aside　from　Blount's　snores；　the　tower　was　very　quiet。　That　suited　Jaime　well　enough。　I　ought　to　rest　myself。　Last　night；　after　his　dance　with　Ser　Addam；　he'd　been　too　sore　to　sleep。
　But　when　he　stepped　into　his　bedchamber；　he　found　his　sister　waiting　for　him。
　She　stood　beside　the　open　window；　looking　over　the　curtain　walls　and　out　to　sea。　The　bay　wind　swirled　around　her；　flattening　her　gown　against　her　body　in　a　way　that　quickened　Jaime's　pulse。　It　was　white；　that　gown；　like　the　hangings　on　the　wall　and　the　draperies　on　his　bed。　Swirls　of　tiny　emeralds　brightened　the　ends　of　her　wide　sleeves　and　spiraled　down　her　bodice。　Larger　emeralds　were　set　in　the　golden　spiderweb　that　bound　her　golden　hair。　The　gown　was　cut　low；　to　bare　her　shoulders　and　the　tops　of　her　breasts。　She　is　so　beautiful。　He　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　take　her　in　his　arms。
　〃Cersei。〃　He　closed　the　door　softly。　〃Why　are　you　here？〃
　〃Where　else　could　I　go？〃　When　she　turned　to　him　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃Father's　made　it　clear　that　I　am　no　longer　wanted　on　the　council。　Jaime；　won't　you　talk　to　him？〃
　Jaime　took　off　his　cloak　and　hung　it　from　a　peg　on　the　wall。　〃I　talk　to　Lord　Tywin　every　day。〃
　〃Must　you　be　so　stubborn？　All　he　wants　。　。　。〃
　〃　。　。　。　is　to　force　me　from　the　Kingsguard　and　send　me　back　to　Casterly　Rock。〃
　〃That　need　not　be　so　terrible。　He　is　sending　me　back　to　Casterly　Rock　as　well。　He　wants　me　far　away；　so　he'll　have　a　free　hand　with　Tommen。　Tornmen　is　my　son；　not　his！〃
　〃Tommen　is　the　king。〃
　〃He　is　a　boy！　A　frightened　little　boy　who　saw　his　brother　murdered　at　his　own　wedding。　And　now　they　are　telling　him　that　he　must　marry。　The　girl　is　twice　his　age　and　twice　a　widow！〃
　He　eased　himself　into　a　chair；　trying　to　ignore　the　ache　of　bruised　muscles。　〃The　Tyrells　are　insisting。　I　see　no　harm　in　it。　Tommen's　been　lonely　since　Myrcella　went　to　Dorne。　He　likes　having　Margaery　and　her　ladies　about。　Let　them　wed。〃
　〃He　is　your　son　。　。　。〃
　〃He　is　my　seed。　He's　never　called　me　Father。　No　more　than　Joffrey　ever　did。　You　warned　me　a　thousand　times　never　to　show　any　undue　interest　in　them。〃
　〃To　keep　them　safe！　You　as　well。　How　would　it　have　looked　if　my　brother　had　played　the　father　to　the　king's　children？　Even　Robert　might　have　grown　suspicious。〃
　〃Well；　he's　beyond　suspicion　now。〃　Robert's　death　still　left　a　bitter　taste　in　Jaime's　mouth。　It　should　have　been　me　who　killed　him；　not　Cersei。　〃I　only　wished　he'd　died　at　my　hands。〃　When　I　still　had　two　of　them。　〃If　I'd　let　kingslaying　bee　a　habit；　as　he　liked　to　say；　I　could　have　taken　you　as　my　wife　for　all　the　world　to　see。　I'm　not　ashamed　of　loving　you；　only　of　the　things　I've　done　to　hide　it。　That　boy　at　Winterfell　。　。　。〃
　〃Did　I　tell　you　to　throw　him　out　the　window？　If　you'd　gone　hunting　as　I　begged　you；　nothing　would　have　happened。　But　no；　you　had　to　have　me；　you　could　not　wait　until　we　returned　to　the　city。〃
　〃I'd　waited　long　enough。　I　hated　watching　Robert　stumble　to　your　bed　every　night；　always　wondering　if　maybe　this　night　he'd　decide　to　claim　his　rights　as　husband。〃　Jaime　suddenly　remembered　something　else　that　troubled　him　about　Winterfell。　〃At　Riverrun；　Catelyn　Stark　seemed　convinced　I'd　sent　some　footpad　to　slit　her　son's　throat。　That　I'd　given　him　a　dagger。〃
　〃That；〃　she　said　scornfully。　〃Tyrion　asked　me　about　that。〃
　〃There　was　a　dagger。　The　scars　on　Lady　Catelyn's　hands　were　real　enough；　she　showed　them　to　me。　Did　you　。　。　。　？〃
　〃Oh；　don't　be　absurd。〃　Cersei　closed　the　window。　〃Yes；　I　hoped　the　boy　would　die。　So　did　you。　Even　Robert　thought　that　would　have　been　for　the　best。　'We　kill　our　horses　when　they　break　a　leg；　and　our　dogs　when　they　go　blind；　but　we　are　too　weak　to　give　the　same　mercy　to　crippled　children/　he　told　me。　He　was　blind　himself　at　the　time；　from　drink。〃
　Robert？　Jaime　had　guarded　the　king　long　enough　to　know　that　Robert　Baratheon　said　things　in　his　cups　that　he　would　have　denied　angrily　the　next　day。　〃Were　you　alone　when　Robert　said　this？〃
　〃You　don't　think　he　said　it　to　Ned　Stark；　I　hope？　Of　course　we　were　alone。　Us　and　the　children。〃　Cersei　removed　her　hairnet　and　draped　it　over　a　bedpost；　then　shook　out　her　golden　curls。　〃Perhaps　Myrcella　sent　this　man　with　the　dagger；　do　you　think　so？〃
　It　was　meant　as　mockery；　but　she'd　cut　right　to　the　heart　of　it；　Jaime　saw　at　once。　〃Not　Myrcella。　Joffrey。〃
　Cersei　frowned。　〃Joffrey　had　no　love　for　Robb　Stark；　but　the　younger　boy　was　nothing　to　him。　He　was　only　a　child　himself。〃
　〃A　child　hungry　for　a　pat　on　the　head　from　that　sot　you　let　him　believe　was　his　father。〃　He　had　an　unfortable　thought。　〃Tyrion　almost　died　because　of　this　bloody　dagger。　If　he　knew　the　whole　thing　was　Joffrey's　work；　that　might　be　why　。　。　。〃
　〃I　don't　care　why；〃　Cersei　said。　〃He　can　take　his　reasons　down　to　hell　with　him。　If　you　had　seen　how　Joff　died　。　。　。　he　fought；　Jaime；　he　fought　for　every　breath；　but　it　was　as　if　some　malign　spirit　had　its　hands　about　his　throat。　He　had　such　terror　in　his　eyes　。　。　。　When　he　was　little；　held　run　to　me　when　he　was　scared　or　hurt　and　I　would　protect　him。　But　that　night　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。　Tyrion　murdered　him　in　front　of　me；　and　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。〃　Cersei　sank　to　her　knees　before　his　chair　and　took　Jaime's　good　hand　between　both　of　hers。　〃Joff　is　dead　and　Myrcella's　in　Dome。　Tommen's　all　I　have　left。　You　mustn't　let　Father　take　him　from　me。　Jaime；　please。〃
　〃Lord　Tywin　has　not　asked　for　my　approval。　I　can　talk　to　him；　but　he　will　not　listen　。　。　。〃
　〃He　will　if　you　agree　to　leave　the　Kingsguard。…
　〃I'm　not　leaving　the　Kingsguard。〃
　His　sister　fought　back　tears。　〃Jaime；　you're　my　shining　knight。　You　cannot　abandon　me　when　I　need　you　most！　He　is　stealing　my　son；　sending　me　away　。　。　。　and　unless　you　stop　him；　Father　is　going　to　force　me　to　wed　again！〃
　Jaime　should　not　have　been　surprised；　but　he　was。　The　words　were　a　blow　to　his　gut　harder　than　any　that　Ser　Addam　Marbrand　had　dealt　him。　〃Who？〃
　〃Does　it　matter？　Some　lord　or　other。　Someone　Father　thinks　he　needs。　I　don't　care。　I　will　not　have　another　husband。　You　are　the　only　man　I　want　in　my　bed；　ever　again。〃
　〃Then　tell　him　that！〃
　She　pulled　her　hands　away。　〃You　are　talking　madness　again。　Would　you　h