grrm.astormofswords-第36节

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and　the　storm　lord　choke　with　rage。　For　a　moment　he　was　tempted；　until　he　glanced　down　again　at　the　body　on　the　floor；　in　its　spreading　pool　of　blood。　His　blood　is　in　both　of　them；　he　thought。　〃Proclaim　who　you　bloody　well　like；〃　he　told　Crakehall。　Then　he　climbed　the　Iron　Throne　and　seated　himself　with　his　sword　across　his　knees；　to　see　who　would　e　to　claim　the　kingdom。　As　it　happened；　it　had　been　Eddard　Stark。
　You　had　no　right　to　judge　me　either；　Stark。
　In　his　dreams　the　dead　came　burning；　gowned　in　swirling　green　flames。　Jaime　danced　around　them　with　a　golden　sword；　but　for　every　one　he　struck　down　two　more　arose　to　take　his　place。
　Brienne　woke　him　with　a　boot　in　the　ribs。　The　world　was　still　black；　and　it　had　begun　to　rain。　They　broke　their　fast　on　oatcakes；　salt　fish；　and　some　blackberries　that　Ser　Cleos　had　found；　and　were　back　in　the　saddle　before　the　sun　came　up。
　
　CHAPTER　12
　TYRION
　
　The　eunuch　was　humming　tunelessly　to　himself　as　he　came　through　the　door；　dressed　in　flowing　robes　of　peachcolored　silk　and　smelling　of　lemons。　When　he　saw　Tyrion　seated　by　the　hearth；　he　stopped　and　grew　very　still。　〃My　lord　Tyrion；〃　came　out　in　a　squeak；　punctuated　by　a　nervous　giggle。
　〃So　you　do　remember　me？　I　had　begun　to　wonder。〃
　〃It　is　so　very　good　to　see　you　looking　so　strong　and　well。〃　Varys　smiled　his　slimiest　smile。　〃Though　I　confess；　I　had　not　thought　to　find　you　in　mine　own　humble　chambers。〃
　〃They　are　humble。　Excessively　so；　in　truth。〃　Tyrion　had　waited　until　Varys　was　summoned　by　his　father　before　slipping　in　to　pay　him　a　visit。　The　eunuch's　apartments　were　sparse　and　small；　three　snug　windowless　chambers　under　the　north　wall。　〃I'd　hoped　to　discover　bushel　baskets　of　juicy　secrets　to　while　away　the　waiting；　but　there's　not　a　paper　to　be　found。〃　He'd　searched　for　hidden　passages　too；　knowing　the　Spider　must　have　ways　of　ing　and　going　unseen；　but　those　had　proved　equally　elusive。　〃There　was　water　in　your　flagon；　gods　have　mercy；〃　he　went　on；　/iyour　sleeping　cell　is　no　wider　than　a　coffin；　and　that　bed　。　。　。　is　it　actually　made　of　stone；　or　does　it　only　feel　that　way？〃
　Varys　closed　the　door　and　barred　it。　〃I　am　plagued　with　backaches；　my　lord；　and　prefer　to　sleep　upon　a　hard　surface。〃
　〃I　would　have　taken　you　for　a　featherbed　man。〃
　〃I　am　full　of　surprises。　Are　you　cross　with　me　for　abandoning　you　after　the　battle？〃
　〃It　made　me　think　of　you　as　one　of　my　family。〃
　〃It　was　not　for　want　of　love；　my　good　lord。　I　have　such　a　delicate　disposition；　and　your　scar　is　so　dreadful　to　look　upon　。　。　。〃　He　gave　an　exaggerated　shudder。　〃Your　poor　nose　。　。　。〃
　Tyrion　rubbed　irritably　at　the　scab。　〃Perhaps　I　should　have　a　new　one　made　of　gold。　What　sort　of　nose　would　you　suggest；　Varys？　One　like　yours；　to　smell　out　secrets？　Or　should　I　tell　the　goldsmith　that　I　want　my　father's　nose？〃　He　smiled。　〃My　noble　father　labors　so　diligently　that　I　scarce　see　him　anymore。　Tell　me；　is　it　true　that　he's　restoring　Grand　Maester　Pycelle　to　the　small　council？〃
　〃It　is；　my　lord。〃
　〃Do　I　have　my　sweet　sister　to　thank　for　that？〃　Pycelle　had　been　his　sister's　creature；　Tyrion　had　stripped　the　man　of　office；　beard；　and　dignity；　and　flung　him　down　into　a　black　cell。
　〃Not　at　all；　my　lord。　Thank　the　archmaesters　of　Oldtown；　those　who　wished　to　insist　on　Pycelle's　restoration　on　the　grounds　that　only　the　Conclave　may　make　or　unmake　a　Grand　Maester。〃
　Bloody　fools；　thought　Tyrion。　〃I　seem　to　recall　that　Maegor　the　Cruel's　headsman　unmade　three　with　his　axe。〃
　〃Quite　true；〃　Varys　said。　〃And　the　second　Aegon　fed　Grand　Maester　Gerardys　to　his　dragon。〃
　〃Alas；　I　am　quite　dragonless。　I　suppose　I　could　have　dipped　Pycelle　in　wildfire　and　set　him　ablaze。　Would　the　Citadel　have　preferred　that？〃
　〃Well；　it　would　have　been　more　in　keeping　with　tradition。〃　The　eunuch　tittered。　〃Thankfully；　wiser　heads　prevailed；　and　the　Conclave　accepted　the　fact　of　Pycelle's　dismissal　and　set　about　choosing　his　successor。　After　giving　due　consideration　to　Maester　Turquin　the　cordwainer's　son　and　Maester　Erreck　the　hedge　knight's　bastard；　and　thereby　demonstrating　to　their　own　satisfaction　that　ability　counts　for　more　than　birth　in　their　order；　the　Conclave　was　on　the　verge　of　sending　us　Maester　Gormon；　a　Tyrell　of　Highgarden。　When　I　told　your　lord　father；　he　acted　at　once。〃
　The　Conclave　met　in　Oldtown　behind　closed　doors；　Tyrion　knew；　its　deliberations　were　supposedly　a　secret。　So　Varys　has　little　birds　in　the　Citadel　too。　〃I　see。　So　my　father　decided　to　nip　the　rose　before　it　bloomed。〃　He　had　to　chuckle。　〃Pycelle　is　a　toad。　But　better　a　Lannister　toad　than　a　Tyrell　toad；　no？〃
　〃Grand　Maester　Pycelle　has　always　been　a　good　friend　to　your　House；〃　Varys　said　sweetly。　〃Perhaps　it　will　console　you　to　learn　that　Ser　Boros　Blount　is　also　being　restored。〃
　Cersei　had　stripped　Ser　Boros　of　his　white　cloak　for　failing　to　die　in　the　defense　of　Prince　Tornmen　when　Bronn　had　seized　the　boy　on　the　Rosby　road。　The　man　was　no　friend　of　Tyrion's；　but　after　that　he　likely　hated　Cersei　almost　as　much。　I　suppose　that's　something。　〃Blount　is　a　blustering　coward；〃　he　said　amiably。
　〃Is　he？　Oh　dear。　Still；　the　knights　of　the　Kingsguard　do　serve　for　life；　traditionally。　Perhaps　Ser　Boros　will　prove　braver　in　future。　He　will　no　doubt　remain　very　loyal。〃
　〃To　my　father；〃　said　Tyrion　pointedly。
　〃While　we　are　on　the　subject　of　the　Kingsguard　。　。　。　I　wonder；　could　this　delightfully　unexpected　visit　of　yours　happen　to　concern　Ser　Boros's　fallen　brother；　the　gallant　Ser　Mandon　Moore？〃　The　eunuch　stroked　a　powdered　cheek。　〃Your　man　Brorm　seems　most　interested　in　him　of　late。〃
　Bronn　had　turned　up　all　he　could　on　Ser　Mandon；　but　no　doubt　Varys　knew　a　deal　more　。　。　。　should　he　choose　to　share　it。　〃The　man　seems　to　have　been　quite　friendless；〃　Tyrion　said　carefully。
　〃Sadly；〃　said　Varys；　〃oh；　sadly。　You　might　find　some　kin　if　you　turned　over　enough　stones　back　in　the　Vale；　but　here　。　。　。　Lord　Arryn　brought　him　to　King's　Landing　and　Robert　gave　him　his　white　cloak；　but　neither　loved　him　much；　I　fear。　Nor　was　he　the　sort　the　smallfolk　cheer　in　tourneys；　despite　his　undoubted　prowess。　Why；　even　his　brothers　of　the　Kingsguard　never　warmed　to　him。　Ser　Barristan　was　once　heard　to　say　that　the　man　had　no　friend　but　his　sword　and　no　life　but　duty　。　。　。　but　you　know；　I　do　not　think　Selmy　meant　it　altogether　as　praise。　Which　is　queer　when　you　consider　it；　is　it　not？　Those　are　the　very　qualities　we　seek　in　our　Kingsguard；　it　could　be　said…men　who　live　not　for　themselves；　but　for　their　king。　By　those　lights；　our　brave　Ser　Mandon　was　the　perfect　white　knight。　And　he　died　as　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard　ought；　with　sword　in　hand；　defending　one　of　the　king's　own　blood。〃　The　eunuch　gave　him　a　slimy　smile　and　watched　him　sharply。
　Trying　to　murder　one　of　the　king's　own　blood；　you　mean。　Tyrion　wondered　if　Varys　knew　rather　more　than　he　was　saying。　Nothing　he'd　just　heard　was　new　to　him；　Brorm　had　brought　back　much　the　same　reports。　He　needed　a　link　to　Cersei；　some　sign　that　Ser　Mandon　had　been　his　sister's　catspaw。　What　we　want　is　not　always　what　we　get；　he　reflected　bitterly；　which　reminded　him　。　。　。
　〃It　is　not　Ser　Mandon　who　brings　me　here。〃
　〃To　be　sure。〃　The　eunuch　crossed　the　room　to　his　flagon　of　water。　〃May　I　serve　you；　my　lord？〃　he　asked　as　he　filled　a　cup。
　〃Yes。　But　not　with　water。〃　He　folded　his　hands　together。　〃I　want　you　to　bring　me　Shae。〃
　Varys　took　a　drink。　〃Is　that　wise；　my　lord？　The　dear　sweet　child。　it　would　be　such　a　shame　if　your　father　hanged　her。〃
　It　did　not　surprise　him　that　Varys　knew。　〃No；　it's　not　wise；　it's　bloody　madness。　I　want　to　see　her　one　last　time；　before　I　send　her　away。　I　cannot　abide　having　her　so　close。〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　How　could　you？　Tyrion　had　seen　her　only　yesterday；　climbing　the　serpentine　steps　with　a　pail　of　water。　He　had　watched　as　a　young　knight　had　offered　to　carry　the　heavy　pail。　The　way　she　had　touched　his　arm　and　smiled　for　him　had　tied　Tyrion's　guts　into　knots。　They　passed　within　inches　of　each　other；　him　descending　and　her　climbing；　so　close　that　he　could　smell　the　clean　fresh　scent　of　her　hair。　〃M'Iord；〃　she'd　said　to　him；　with　a　little　curtsy；　and　he　wanted　to　reach　out　and　grab　her　and　kiss　her　right　there；　but　all　he　could　do　was　nod　stiffly　and　waddle　on　past。　〃I　have　seen　her　several　times；〃　he　told　Varys；　〃but　I　dare　not　speak　to　her。　I　suspect　that　all　my　movements　are　being　watched。〃
　〃You　are　wise　to　suspect　so；　my　good　lord。〃
　〃Who？〃　He　cocked　his　head。
　〃The　Kettleblacks　report　frequently　to　your　sweet　sister。〃
　〃When　I　think　of　how　much　coin　I　paid　those　wretched　。　。　。　do　you　think　there's　any　chance　that　more　gold　might　win　them　away　from　Cersei？〃
　〃There　is　always　a　chance；　but　I　should　not　care　to　wager　on　the　likelihood。　They　are　knights　now；　all　three；　and　your　sister　has　promised　them　further　advancement。〃　A　wicked　little　titter　burst　from　the　eunuch's　lips。　〃And　the　eldest；　Ser　Osmund　of　the　Kingsguard；　dreams　of　certain　other　。　。　。　favors　。　。　。　as　well。　You　can　match　the　queen　coin　for　coin；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　she　has　a　second　purse　that　is　quite　inexhaustible。〃
　Seven　hells；　thought　Tyrion。　〃Are　you　suggesting　that　Cersei's　fucking　Osmund　Kettleblack？〃
　〃Oh；　dear　me；　no；　tha