grrm.astormofswords-第246节

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before　he　turned　outlaw；　he　might　still　be　a　man　of　honor。
　〃Why；　that　would　be　me；〃　said　the　one…eyed　man。
　〃You're　a　bloody　liar；　Jack；〃　said　the　big　bearded　man　in　the　yellow　cloak。　〃It's　my　turn　to　be　Lord　Beric。〃
　〃Does　that　mean　I　have　to　be　Thoros？〃　The　singer　laughed。　〃My　lord；　sad　to　say；　Lord　Beric　was　needed　elsewhere。　The　times　are　troubled；　and　there　are　many　battles　to　fight。　But　we'll　sort　you　out　just　as　he　would；　have　no　fear。〃
　Merrett　had　plenty　of　fear。　His　head　was　pounding　too。　Much　more　of　this　and　he'd　be　sobbing。　〃You　have　your　gold；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　my　nephew；　and　I'll　be　gone。〃　Petyr　was　actually　more　a　great　half…nephew；　but　there　was　no　need　to　go　into　that。
　〃He's　in　the　godswood；〃　said　the　man　in　the　yellow　cloak。　〃We'll　take　you　to　him。　Notch；　you　hold　his　horse。〃
　Merrett　handed　over　the　bridle　reluctantly。　He　did　not　see　what　other　choice　he　had。　〃My　water　skin；〃　he　heard　himself　say。　〃A　swallow　of　wine；　to　settle　my…〃
　〃We　don't　drink　with　your　sort；〃　yellow　cloak　said　curtly。　〃It's　this　way。　Follow　me。〃
　Leaves　crunched　beneath　their　heels；　and　every　step　sent　a　spike　of　pain　through　Merrett's　temple。　They　walked　in　silence；　the　wind　gusting　around　them。　The　last　light　of　the　setting　sun　was　in　his　eyes　as　he　clambered　over　the　mossy　hummocks　that　were　all　that　remained　of　the　keep。　Behind　was　the　godswood。
　Petyr　Pimple　was　hanging　from　the　limb　of　an　oak；　a　noose　tight　around　his　long　thin　neck。　His　eyes　bulged　from　a　black　face；　staring　down　at　Men　rett　accusingly。　You　came　too　late；　they　seemed　to　say。　But　he　hadn't。　He　hadn't！　He　had　e　when　they　told　him。　〃You　killed　him；〃　he　croaked。
　〃Sharp　as　a　blade；　this　one；〃　said　the　one…eyed　man。
　An　aurochs　was　thundering　through　Merrett's　head。　Mother　have　mercy；　he　thought。　〃I　brought　the　gold。〃
　〃That　was　good　of　you；〃　said　the　singer　amiably。　〃We'll　see　that　it's　put　to　good　use。〃
　Merrett　turned　away　from　Petyr。　He　could　taste　the　bile　in　the　back　of　his　throat。　〃You　。　。　。　you　had　no　right。〃
　〃We　had　a　rope；〃　said　yellow　cloak。　〃That's　right　enough。〃
　Two　of　the　outlaws　seized　Merrett's　arms　and　bound　them　tight　behind　his　back。　He　was　too　deep　in　shock　to　struggle。　〃No；〃　was　all　he　could　manage。　〃I　only　came　to　ransom　Petyr。　You　said　if　you　had　the　gold　by　sunset　he　wouldn't　be　harmed　。　。　。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　the　singer；　〃you've　got　us　there；　my　lord。　That　was　a　lie　of　sorts；　as　it　happens。〃
　The　one…eyed　outlaw　came　forward　with　a　long　coil　of　hempen　rope。　He　looped　one　end　around　Merrett's　neck；　pulled　it　tight；　and　tied　a　hard　knot　under　his　ear。　The　other　end　he　threw　over　the　limb　of　the　oak。　The　big　man　in　the　yellow　cloak　caught　it。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Merrett　knew　how　stupid　that　sounded；　but　he　could　not　believe　what　was　happening；　even　then。　〃You'd　never　dare　hang　a　Frey。〃
　Yellow　cloak　laughed。　〃That　other　one；　the　pimply　boy；　he　said　the　same　thing。〃
　He　doesn't　mean　it。　He　cannot　mean　it。　〃My　father　will　pay　you。　I'm　worth　a　good　ransom；　more　than　Petyr；　twice　as　much。〃
　The　singer　sighed。　〃Lord　Walder　might　be　half…blind　and　gouty；　but　he's　not　so　stupid　as　to　snap　at　the　same　bait　twice。　Next　time　he'll　send　a　hundred　swords　instead　of　a　hundred　dragons；　I　fear。〃
　〃He　will！〃　Merrett　tried　to　sound　stem；　but　his　voice　betrayed　him。　〃He'll　send　a　thousand　swords；　and　kill　you　all。〃
　〃He　has　to　catch　us　first。〃　The　singer　glanced　up　at　poor　Petyr。　〃And　he　can't　hang　us　twice；　now　can　he？〃　He　drew　a　melancholy　air　from　the　strings　of　his　woodharp。　〃Here　now；　don't　soil　yourself。　All　you　need　to　do　is　answer　me　a　question；　and　I'll　tell　them　to　let　you　go。〃
　Merrett　would　tell　them　anything　if　it　meant　his　life。　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？　I'll　tell　you　true；　I　swear　it。〃
　The　outlaw　gave　him　an　encouraging　smile。　〃Well；　as　it　happens；　we're　looking　for　a　dog　that　ran　away。〃
　〃A　dog？〃　Merrett　was　lost。　〃What　kind　of　dog？〃
　〃He　answers　to　the　name　Sandor　Clegane。　Thoros　says　he　was　making　for　the　Twins。　We　found　the　ferrymen　who　took　him　across　the　Trident；　and　the　poor　sod　he　robbed　on　the　kingsroad。　Did　you　see　him　at　the　wedding；　perchance？〃
　〃The　Red　Wedding？〃　Merrett's　skull　felt　as　if　it　were　about　to　split；　but　he　did　his　best　to　recall。　There　had　been　so　much　confusion；　but　surely　someone　would　have　mentioned　Joffrey's　dog　sniffing　round　the　Twins。　〃He　wasn't　in　the　castle。　Not　at　the　main　feast　。　。　。　he　might　have　been　at　the　bastard　feast；　or　in　the　camps；　but　。　。　。　no；　someone　would　have　said　。　。　。〃
　〃He　would　have　had　a　child　with　him；〃　said　the　singer。　〃A　skinny　girl；　about　ten。　Or　perhaps　a　boy　the　same　age。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Merrett。　〃Not　that　I　knew。〃
　〃No？　Ah；　that's　a　pity。　Well；　up　you　go。〃
　〃No；〃　Merrett　squealed　loudly。　〃No；　don't；　I　gave　you　your　answer；　you　said　you'd　let　me　go。〃
　〃Seems　to　me　that　what　I　said　was　I'd　tell　them　to　let　you　go。〃　The　singer　looked　at　yellow　cloak。　〃Lem；　let　him　go。〃
　〃Go　bugger　yourself；〃　the　big　outlaw　replied　brusquely。
　The　singer　gave　Merrett　a　helpless　shrug　and　began　to　play；　〃The　Day　They　Hanged　Black　Robin。〃
　〃Please。〃　The　last　of　Merrett's　courage　was　running　down　his　leg。　〃I've　done　you　no　harm。　I　brought　the　gold；　the　way　you　said。　I　answered　your　question。　I　have　children。〃
　〃That　Young　Wolf　never　will；〃　said　the　one…eyed　outlaw。
　Merrett　could　hardly　think　for　the　pounding　in　his　head。　〃He　shamed　us；　the　whole　realm　was　laughing；　we　had　to　cleanse　the　stain　on　our　honor。〃　His　father　had　said　all　that　and　more。
　〃Maybe　so。　What　do　a　bunch　o'　bloody　peasants　know　about　a　lord's　honor？〃　Yellow　cloak　wrapped　the　end　of　the　rope　around　his　hand　three　times。　〃We　know　some　about　murder；　though。〃
　〃Not　murder。〃　His　voice　was　shrill。　〃It　was　vengeance；　we　had　a　right　to　our　vengeance。　It　was　war。　Aegon；　we　called　him　linglebell；　a　poor　lackwit　never　hurt　anyone；　Lady　Stark　cut　his　throat。　We　lost　half　a　hundred　men　in　the　camps。　Ser　Garse　Goodbrook；　Kyra's　husband；　and　Ser　Tytos；　Jared's　son　。　。　。　someone　smashed　his　head　in　with　an　axe　。　。　。　Stark's　direwolf　killed　four　of　our　wolfhounds　and　tore　the　kennelmaster's　arm　off　his　shoulder；　even　after　we'd　filled　him　full　of　quarrels　。　。　。〃
　〃So　you　sewed　his　head　on　Robb　Stark's　neck　after　both　o'　them　were　dead；〃　said　yellow　cloak。
　〃My　father　did　that。　All　I　did　was　drink。　You　wouldn't　kill　a　man　for　drinking。〃　Merrett　remembered　something　then；　something　that　might　be　the　saving　of　him。　〃They　say　Lord　Beric　always　gives　a　man　a　trial；　that　he　won't　kill　a　man　unless　something's　proved　against　him。　You　can't　prove　anything　against　me。　The　Red　Wedding　was　my　father's　work；　and　Ryman's　and　Lord　Bolton's。　Lothar　rigged　the　tents　to　collapse　and　put　the　crossbowmen　in　the　gallery　with　the　musicians；　Bastard　Walder　led　the　attack　on　the　camps　。　。　。　they're　the　ones　you　want；　not　me；　I　only　drank　some　wine　。　。　。　you　have　no　witness。〃
　〃As　it　happens；　you're　wrong　there。〃　The　singer　turned　to　the　hooded　woman。　〃Milady？〃
　The　outlaws　parted　as　she　came　forward；　saying　no　word。　When　she　lowered　her　hood；　something　tightened　inside　Merrett's　chest；　and　for　a　moment　he　could　not　breathe。　No。　No；　I　saw　her　die。　She　was　dead　for　a　day　and　night　before　they　stripped　her　naked　and　threw　her　body　in　the　river。　Raymund　opened　her　throat　from　ear　to　ear。　She　was　dead。
　Her　cloak　and　collar　hid　the　gash　his　brother's　blade　had　made；　but　her　face　was　even　worse　than　he　remembered。　The　flesh　had　gone　pudding　soft　in　the　water　and　turned　the　color　of　curdled　milk。　Half　her　hair　was　gone　and　the　rest　had　turned　as　white　and　brittle　as　a　crone's。　Beneath　her　ravaged　scalp；　her　face　was　shredded　skin　and　black　blood　where　she　had　raked　herself　with　her　nails。　But　her　eyes　were　the　most　terrible　thing。　Her　eyes　saw　him；　and　they　hated。
　〃She　don't　speak；〃　said　the　big　man　in　the　yellow　cloak。　〃You　bloody　bastards　cut　her　throat　too　deep　for　that。　But　she　remembers。〃　He　turned　to　the　dead　woman　and　said；　〃What　do　you　say；　m'lady？　Was　he　part　of　it？〃
　Lady　Catelyn's　eyes　never　left　him。　She　nodded。
　Merrett　Frey　opened　his　mouth　to　plead；　but　the　noose　choked　off　his　words。　His　feet　left　the　ground；　the　rope　cutting　deep　into　the　soft　flesh　beneath　his　chin。　Up　into　the　air　he　jerked；　kicking　and　twisting；　up　and　up　and　up。
　
　
　Appendix
　
　The　Kings　and　Their　Courts
　
　THE　KING　ON　THE　IRON　THRONE
　
　JOFFREY　BARATHEON；　the　First　of　His　Name；　a　boy　of　thirteen　years；　the　eldest　son　of　King　Robert　I　Baratheon　and　Queen　Cersei　of　House
　Lannister；
　…　his　mother；　QUEEN　CERSEI；　of　House　Lannister；　Queen　Regent　and　Protector　of　the　Realm；
　…　Cersei's　sworn　swords：
　…　SER　OSFRYD　KETTLEBLACK；　younger　brother　to　Ser　Osmund　Kettleblack　of　the　Kingsguard；
　…　SER　OSNEY　KETTLEBLACK；　youngest　brother　of　Ser　Osmund　and　Ser　Osfryd；
　…　his　sister；　PRINCESS　MYRCELLA；　a　girl　of　nine；　a　ward　of　Prince　Doran　Martell　at　Sunspear；
　…　his　brother；　PRINCE　TOMMEN；　a　boy　of　eight；　next　heir　to　the　Iron　Throne；
　…　his　grandfather；　TYWIN　LANNISTER；　Lord　of　Casterly　Rock；　Warden　of　the　West；　and　Hand　of　the　King；
　…　his　uncles　and　cousins；　paternal；
　…　his　father's　brother；　STANNIS　BARATHEON；　rebel　Lord　of　Dragonstone；　styling　himself　King　Stannis　the