grrm.astormofswords-第31节

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　〃Who？〃　asked　Davos；　between　sips　of　hot　wine。
　〃Illyrio　Mopatis。　A　whale　with　whiskers；　I　am　telling　you　truly。　These　chairs　were　built　to　his　measure；　though　he　is　seldom　bestirring　himself　from　Pentos　to　sit　in　them。　A　fat　man　always　sits　fortably；　I　am　thinking；　for　he　takes　his　pillow　with　him　wherever　he　goes。〃
　〃How　is　it　you　e　by　a　Pentoshi　ship？〃　asked　Davos。　〃Have　you　gone　pirate　again；　my　lord？〃　He　set　his　empty　cup　aside。
　〃Vile　calumny。　Who　has　suffered　more　from　pirates　than　Salladhor　Saan？　I　ask　only　what　is　due　me。　Much　gold　is　owed；　oh　yes；　but　I　am　not　without　reason；　so　in　place　of　coin　I　have　taken　a　handsome　parchment；　very　crisp。　It　bears　the　name　and　seal　of　Lord　Alester　Florent；　the　Hand　of　the　King。　I　am　made　Lord　of　Blackwater　Bay；　and　no　vessel　may　be　crossing　my　lordly　waters　without　my　lordly　leave；　no。　And　when　these　outlaws　are　trying　to　steal　past　me　in　the　night　to　avoid　my　lawful　duties　and　customs；　why；　they　are　no　better　than　smugglers；　so　I　am　well　within　my　rights　to　seize　them。〃　The　old　pirate　laughed。　〃I　cut　off　no　man's　fingers；　though。　What　good　are　bits　of　fingers？　The　ships　I　am　taking；　the　cargoes；　a　few　ransoms；　nothing　unreasonable。〃　He　gave　Davos　a　sharp　look。　〃You　are　unwell；　my　friend。　That　cough　。　。　。　and　so　thin；　I　am　seeing　your　bones　through　your　skin。　And　yet　I　am　not　seeing　your　little　bag　of　fingerbones　。　。　。〃
　Old　habit　made　Davos　reach　for　the　leather　pouch　that　was　no　longer　there。　〃I　lost　it　in　the　river。〃　My　luck。
　〃The　river　was　terrible；〃　Salladhor　Saan　said　solemnly。　〃Even　from　the　bay；　I　was　seeing；　and　shuddering。〃
　Davos　coughed；　spat；　and　coughed　again。　〃I　saw　Black　Betha　burning；　and　Fury　as　well；〃　he　finally　managed；　hoarsely。　〃Did　none　of　our　ships　escape　the　fire？〃　Part　of　him　still　hoped。
　〃Lord　Steffon；　Ragged　Jenna；　Swift　Sword；　Laughing　Lord；　and　some　others　were　upstream　of　the　pyromancers'pissing；　yes。　They　did　not　burn；　but　with　the　chain　raised；　neither　could　they　be　flying。　Some　few　were　surrendering。　Most　rowed　far　up　the　Blackwater；　away　from　the　battling；　and　then　were　sunk　by　their　crews　so　they　would　not　be　falling　into　Lannister　hands。　Ragged　Jenna　and　Laughing　Lord　are　still　playing　pirate　on　the　river；　I　have　heard；　but　who　can　say　if　it　is　so？〃
　〃Lady　Marya？〃　Davos　asked。　〃Wraith？〃
　Salladhor　Saan　put　a　hand　on　Davos's　forearm　and　gave　a　squeeze。　〃No。　Of　them；　no。　I　am　sorry；　my　friend。　They　were　good　men；　your　Dale　and　Allard。　But　this　fort　I　can　give　you…your　young　Devan　was　among　those　we　took　off　at　the　end。　The　brave　boy　never　once　left　the　king's　side；　or　so　they　say。〃
　For　a　moment　he　felt　almost　dizzy；　his　relief　was　so　palpable。　He　had　been　afraid　to　ask　about　Devan。　〃The　Mother　is　merciful。　I　must　go　to　him；　Salla。　I　must　see　him。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Salladhor　Saan。　〃And　you　will　be　wanting　to　sail　to　Cape　Wrath；　I　know；　to　see　your　wife　and　your　two　little　ones。　You　must　be　having　a　new　ship；　I　am　thinking。〃
　〃His　Grace　will　give　me　a　ship；〃　said　Davos。
　The　Lyseni　shook　his　head。　〃Of　ships；　His　Grace　has　none；　and　Salladhor　Saan　has　many。　The　king's　ships　burned　up　on　the　river；　but　not　mine。　You　shall　have　one；　old　friend。　You　will　sail　for　me；　yes？　You　will　dance　into　Braavos　and　Myr　and　Volantis　in　the　black　of　night；　all　unseen；　and　dance　out　again　with　silks　and　spices。　We　will　be　having　fat　purses；　yes。〃
　〃You　are　kind；　Salla；　but　my　duty's　to　my　king；　not　your　purse。　The　war　will　go　on。　Stannis　is　still　the　rightful　heir　by　all　the　laws　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms。〃
　〃All　the　laws　are　not　helping　when　all　the　ships　burn　up；　I　am　thinking。　And　your　king；　well；　you　will　be　finding　him　changed；　I　am　fearing。　Since　the　battle；　he　sees　no　one；　but　broods　in　his　Stone　Drum。　Queen　Selyse　keeps　court　for　him　with　her　uncle　the　Lord　Alester；　who　is　naming　himself　the　Hand。　The　king's　seal　she　has　given　to　this　uncle；　to　fix　to　the　letters　he　writes；　even　to　my　pretty　parchment。　But　it　is　a　little　kingdom　they　are　ruling；　poor　and　rocky；　yes。　There　is　no　gold；　not　even　a　little　bit　to　pay　faithful　Salladhor　Saan　what　is　owed　him；　and　only　those　knights　that　we　took　off　at　the　end；　and　no　ships　but　my　little　brave　few。〃
　A　sudden　racking　cough　bent　Davos　over。　Salladhor　Saan　moved　to　help　him；　but　he　waved　him　off；　and　after　a　moment　he　recovered。　〃No　one？〃　he　wheezed。　〃What　do　you　mean；　he　sees　no　one？〃　His　voice　sounded　wet　and　thick；　even　in　his　own　ears；　and　for　a　moment　the　cabin　swam　dizzily　around　him。
　〃No　one　but　her；〃　said　Salladhor　Saan；　and　Davos　did　not　have　to　ask　who　he　meant。　〃My　friend；　you　tire　yourself。　It　is　a　bed　you　are　needing；　not　Salladhor　Saan。　A　bed　and　many　blankets；　with　a　hot　press　for　your　chest　and　more　wine　and　cloves。〃
　Davos　shook　his　head。　〃I　will　be　fine。　Tell　me；　Salla；　I　must　know。　No　one　but　Melisandre？〃
　The　Lyseni　gave　him　a　long　doubtful　look；　and　continued　reluctantly。　〃The　guards　keep　all　others　away；　even　his　queen　and　his　little　daughter。　Servants　bring　meals　that　no　one　eats。〃　He　leaned　forward　and　lowered　his　voice。　〃Queer　talking　I　have　heard；　of　hungry　fires　within　the　mountain；　and　how　Stannis　and　the　red　woman　go　down　together　to　watch　the　flames。　There　are　shafts；　they　say；　and　secret　stairs　down　into　the　mountain's　heart；　into　hot　places　where　only　she　may　walk　unburned。　It　is　enough　and　more　to　give　an　old　man　such　terrors　that　sometimes　he　can　scarcely　find　the　strength　to　eat。〃
　Melisandre。　Davos　shivered。　〃The　red　woman　did　this　to　him；〃　he　said。　〃She　sent　the　fire　to　consume　us；　to　punish　Stannis　for　setting　her　aside；　to　teach　him　that　he　could　not　hope　to　win　without　her　sorceries。〃
　The　Lyseni　chose　a　plump　olive　from　the　bowl　between　them。　〃You　are　not　the　first　to　be　saying　this；　my　friend。　But　if　I　am　you；　I　am　not　saying　it　so　loudly。　Dragonstone　crawls　with　these　queen's　men；　oh　yes；　and　they　have　sharp　ears　and　sharper　knives。〃　He　popped　the　olive　into　his　mouth。
　〃I　have　a　knife　myself。　Captain　Khorane　made　me　a　gift　of　it。〃　He　pulled　out　the　dirk　and　laid　it　on　the　table　between　them。　〃A　knife　to　cut　out　Melisandre's　heart。　If　she　has　one。〃
　Salladhor　Saan　spit　out　an　olive　pit。　〃Davos；　good　Davos；　you　must　not　be　saying　such　things；　even　in　jest。〃
　〃No　jest。　I　mean　to　kill　her。〃　If　she　can　be　killed　by　mortal　weapons。　Davos　was　not　certain　that　she　could。　He　had　seen　old　Maester　Cressen　slip　poison　into　her　wine；　with　his　own　eyes　he　had　seen　it；　but　when　they　both　drank　from　the　poisoned　cup　it　was　the　maester　who　died；　not　the　red　priestess。　A　knife　in　the　heart；　though　。　。　。　even　demons　can　be　killed　by　cold　iron；　the　singers　say。
　〃These　are　dangerous　talkings；　my　friend；〃　Salladhor　Saan　warned　him。　〃I　am　thinking　you　are　still　sick　from　the　sea。　The　fever　has　cooked　your　wits；　yes。　Best　you　are　taking　to　your　bed　for　a　long　resting；　until　you　are　stronger。〃
　Until　my　resolve　weakens；　you　mean。　Davos　got　to　his　feet。　He　did　feel　feverish　and　a　little　dizzy；　but　it　did　not　matter。　〃You　are　a　treacherous　old　rogue；　Salladhor　Saan；　but　a　good　friend　all　the　same。〃
　The　Lyseni　stroked　his　pointed　silver　beard。　〃So　with　this　great　friend　you　will　be　staying；　yes？〃
　〃No；　I　will　be　going。〃　He　coughed。
　〃Go？　Look　at　you！　You　cough；　you　tremble；　you　are　thin　and　weak。　Where　will　you　be　going？〃
　〃To　the　castle。　My　bed　is　there；　and　my　son。〃
　〃And　the　red　woman；〃　Salladhor　Saan　said　suspiciously。　〃She　is　in　the　castle　also。〃
　〃Her　too。〃　Davos　slid　the　dirk　back　into　its　sheath。
　〃You　are　an　onion　smuggler；　what　do　you　know　of　skulkings　and　stabbings？　And　you　are　ill；　you　cannot　even　hold　the　dirk。　Do　you　know　what　will　be　happening　to　you；　if　you　are　caught？　While　we　were　burning　on　the　river；　the　queen　was　burning　traitors。　Servants　of　the　dark；　she　named　them；　poor　men；　and　the　red　woman　sang　as　the　fires　were　lit。〃
　Davos　was　unsurprised。　I　knew；　he　thought；　I　knew　before　he　told　me。　〃She　took　Lord　Sunglass　from　the　dungeons；〃　he　guessed；　〃and　Hubard　Rambton's　sons。〃
　〃Just　so；　and　burned　them；　as　she　will　burn　you。　If　you　kill　the　red　woman；　they　will　burn　you　for　revenge；　and　if　you　fail　to　kill　her；　they　will　burn　you　for　the　trying。　She　will　sing　and　you　will　scream；　and　then　you　will　die。　And　you　have　only　just　e　back　to　life！〃
　〃And　this　is　why；〃　said　Davos。　〃To　do　this　thing。　To　make　an　end　of　Melisandre　of　Asshai　and　all　her　works。　Why　else　would　the　sea　have　spit　me　out？　You　know　Blackwater　Bay　as　well　as　I　do；　Salla。　No　sensible　captain　would　ever　take　his　ship　through　the　spears　of　the　merling　king　and　risk　ripping　out　his　bottom。　Shayala's　Dance　should　never　have　e　near　me。〃
　〃A　wind；〃　insisted　Salladhor　Saan　loudly；　〃an　ill　wind；　is　all。　A　wind　drove　her　too　far　to　the　south。〃
　〃And　who　sent　the　wind？　Salla；　the　Mother　spoke　to　me。〃
　The　old　Lyseni　blinked　at　him。　〃Your　mother　is　dead　。　。　。〃
　〃The　Mother。　She　blessed　me　with　seven　sons；　and　yet　I　let　them　burn　her。　She　spoke　to　me。　We　called　the　fire；　she　said。　We　called　the　shadows　too。　I　rowed　Melisandre　into　the　bowels　of　Storm's　End　and　watched　her　birth　a　horror。〃　He　saw　it　still　in　his　nightmares；　the　gaunt　black　hands　pushing　against　her　thighs　as　it　wriggled　free　of　her　swollen　womb。　〃She　killed　Cressen　and　Lord　Renly　and　a　brave　man　na