grrm.astormofswords-第71节

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u　say？〃
　〃I　say　no；　Your　Grace；〃　the　old　man　answered　at　once。
　〃Why？〃　she　asked。　〃Speak　freely。〃　Dany　thought　she　knew　what　he　would　say；　but　she　wanted　the　slave　girl　to　hear；　so　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　might　hear　later。
　〃My　queen；〃　said　Arstan；　〃there　have　been　no　slaves　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms　for　thousands　of　years。　The　old　gods　and　the　new　alike　hold　slavery　to　be　an　abomination。　Evil。　If　you　should　land　in　Westeros　at　the　head　of　a　slave　army；　many　good　men　will　oppose　you　for　no　other　reason　than　that。　You　will　do　great　harm　to　your　cause；　and　to　the　honor　of　your　House。〃
　〃Yet　I　must　have　some　army；〃　Dany　said。　〃The　boy　Joffrey　will　not　give　me　the　Iron　Throne　for　asking　politely。〃
　〃When　the　day　es　that　you　raise　your　banners；　half　of　Westeros　will　be　with　you；〃　Whitebeard　promised。　〃Your　brother　Rhaegar　is　still　remembered；　with　great　love。〃
　〃And　my　father？〃　Dany　said。
　The　old　man　hesitated　before　saying；　〃King　Aerys　is　also　remembered。　He　gave　the　realm　many　years　of　peace。　Your　Grace；　you　have　no　need　of　slaves。　Magister　Illyrio　can　keep　you　safe　while　your　dragons　grow；　and　send　secret　envoys　across　the　narrow　sea　on　your　behalf；　to　sound　out　the　high　lords　for　your　cause。〃
　〃Those　same　high　lords　who　abandoned　my　father　to　the　Kingslayer　and　bent　the　knee　to　Robert　the　Usurper？〃
　〃Even　those　who　bent　their　knees　may　yearn　in　their　hearts　for　the　return　of　the　dragons。〃
　〃May；〃　said　Dany。　That　was　such　a　slippery　word；　may。　In　any　language。　She　turned　back　to　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　and　his　slave　girl。　〃I　must　consider　carefully。〃
　The　slaver　shrugged。　〃Tell　her　to　consider　quickly。　There　are　many　other　buyers。　Only　three　days　past　I　showed　these　same　Unsullied　to　a　corsair　king　who　hopes　to　buy　them　all。〃
　〃The　corsair　wanted　only　a　hundred；　your　worship；〃　Dany　heard　the　slave　girl　say。
　He　poked　her　with　the　end　of　the　whip。　〃Corsairs　are　all　liars。　He'll　buy　them　all。　Tell　her　that；　girl。〃
　Dany　knew　she　would　take　more　than　a　hundred；　if　she　took　any　at　all。　〃Remind　your　Good　Master　of　who　I　am。　Remind　him　that　I　am　Daenerys　Stormborn；　Mother　of　Dragons；　the　Unburnt；　trueborn　queen　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms　of　Westeros。　My　blood　is　the　blood　of　Aegon　the　Conqueror；　and　of　old　Valyria　before　him。〃
　Yet　her　words　did　not　move　the　plump　perfumed　slaver；　even　when　rendered　in　his　own　ugly　tongue。　〃Old　Ghis　ruled　an　empire　when　the　Valyrians　were　still　fucking　sheep；〃　he　growled　at　the　poor　little　scribe；　/land　we　are　the　sons　of　the　harpy。〃　He　gave　a　shrug。　〃My　tongue　is　wasted　wagging　at　women。　East　or　west；　it　makes　no　matter；　they　cannot　decide　until　they　have　been　pampered　and　flattered　and　stuffed　with　sweetmeats。　Well；　if　this　is　my　fate；　so　be　it。　Tell　the　whore　that　if　she　requires　a　guide　to　our　sweet　city；　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　will　gladly　serve　her　。　。　。　and　service　her　as　well；　if　she　is　more　woman　than　she　looks。〃
　〃Good　Master　Kraznys　would　be　most　pleased　to　show　you　Astapor　while　you　ponder；　Your　Grace；〃　the　translator　said。
　〃I　will　feed　her　jellied　dog　brains；　and　a　fine　rich　stew　of　red　octopus　and　unborn　puppy。〃　He　wiped　his　lips。
　〃Many　delicious　dishes　can　be　had　here；　he　says。〃
　〃Tell　her　how　pretty　the　pyramids　are　at　night；〃　the　slaver　growled。　〃Tell　her　I　will　lick　honey　off　her　breasts；　or　allow　her　to　lick　honey　off　mine　if　she　prefers。〃
　〃Astapor　is　most　beautiful　at　dusk；　Your　Grace；〃　said　the　slave　girl。　〃The　Good　Masters　light　silk　lanterns　on　every　terrace；　so　all　the　pyramids　glow　with　colored　lights。　Pleasure　barges　ply　the　Worm；　playing　soft　music　and　calling　at　the　little　islands　for　food　and　wine　and　other　delights。〃
　〃Ask　her　if　she　wishes　to　view　our　fighting　pits；〃　Kraznys　added。　〃Douquor's　Pit　has　a　fine　folly　scheduled　for　the　evening。　A　bear　and　three　small　boys。　One　boy　will　be　rolled　in　honey；　one　in　blood；　and　one　in　rotting　fish；　and　she　may　wager　on　which　the　bear　will　eat　first。〃
　Tap　tap　tap；　Dany　heard。　Arstan　Whitebeard's　face　was　still；　but　his　staff　beat　out　his　rage。　Tap　tap　tap。　She　made　herself　smile。　〃I　have　my　own　bear　on　Balerion；〃　she　told　the　translator；　〃and　he　may　well　eat　me　if　I　do　not　return　to　him。〃
　〃See；〃　said　Kraznys　when　her　words　were　translated。　〃It　is　not　the　woman　who　decides；　it　is　this　man　she　runs　to。　As　ever！〃
　〃Thank　the　Good　Master　for　his　patient　kindness；〃　Dany　said；　〃and　tell　him　that　I　will　think　on　all　I　learned　here。〃　She　gave　her　arm　to　Arstan　Whitebeard；　to　lead　her　back　across　the　plaza　to　her　litter。　Aggo　and　Jhogo　fell　in　to　either　side　of　them；　walking　with　the　bowlegged　swagger　all　the　horselords　affected　when　forced　to　dismount　and　stride　the　earth　like　mon　mortals。
　Dany　climbed　into　her　litter　frowning；　and　beckoned　Arstan　to　climb　in　beside　her。　A　man　as　old　as　him　should　not　be　walking　in　such　heat。　She　did　not　close　the　curtains　as　they　got　under　way。　With　the　sun　beating　down　so　fiercely　on　this　city　of　red　brick；　every　stray　breeze　was　to　be　cherished；　even　if　it　did　e　with　a　swirl　of　fine　red　dust。　Besides；　I　need　to　see。
　Astapor　was　a　queer　city；　even　to　the　eyes　of　one　who　had　walked　within　the　House　of　Dust　and　bathed　in　the　Womb　of　the　World　beneath　the　Mother　of　Mountains。　All　the　streets　were　made　of　the　same　red　brick　that　had　paved　the　plaza。　So　too　were　the　stepped　pyramids；　the　deep…dug　fighting　pits　with　their　rings　of　descending　seats；　the　sulfurous　fountains　and　gloomy　wine　caves；　and　the　ancient　walls　that　encircled　them。　So　many　bricks；　she　thought；　and　so　old　and　crumbling。　Their　fine　red　dust　was　everywhere；　dancing　down　the　gutters　at　each　gust　of　wind。　Small　wonder　so　many　Astapori　women　veiled　their　faces；　the　brick　dust　stung　the　eyes　worse　than　sand。
　〃Make　way！〃　Jhogo　shouted　as　he　rode　before　her　litter。　〃Make　way　for　the　Mother　of　Dragons！〃　But　when　he　uncoiled　the　great　silverhandled　whip　that　Dany　had　given　him；　and　made　to　crack　it　in　the　air；　she　leaned　out　and　told　him　nay。　〃Not　in　this　place；　blood　of　my　blood；〃　she　said；　in　his　own　tongue。　〃These　bricks　have　heard　too　much　of　the　sound　of　whips。〃
　The　streets　had　been　largely　deserted　when　they　had　set　out　from　the　port　that　morning；　and　scarcely　seemed　more　crowded　now。　An　elephant　lumbered　past　with　a　latticework　litter　on　its　back。　A　naked　boy　with　peeling　skin　sat　in　a　dry　brick　gutter；　picking　his　nose　and　staring　sullenly　at　some　ants　in　the　street。　He　lifted　his　head　at　the　sound　of　hooves；　and　gaped　as　a　column　of　mounted　guards　trotted　by　in　a　cloud　of　red　dust　and　brittle　laughter。　The　copper　disks　sewn　to　their　cloaks　of　yellow　silk　glittered　like　so　many　suns；　but　their　tunics　were　embroidered　linen；　and　below　the　waist　they　wore　sandals　and　pleated　linen　skirts。　Bareheaded；　each　man　had　teased　and　oiled　and　twisted　his　stiff　red…black　hair　into　some　fantastic　shape；　horns　and　wings　and　blades　and　even　grasping　hands；　so　they　looked　like　some　troupe　of　demons　escaped　from　the　seventh　hell。　The　naked　boy　watched　them　for　a　bit；　along　with　Dany；　but　soon　enough　they　were　gone；　and　he　went　back　to　his　ants；　and　a　knuckle　up　his　nose。
　An　old　city；　this；　she　reflected；　but　not　so　populous　as　it　was　in　its　glory；　nor　near　so　crowded　as　Qarth　or　Pentos　or　Lys。
　Her　litter　came　to　a　sudden　halt　at　the　cross　street；　to　allow　a　coffle　of　slaves　to　shuffle　across　her　path；　urged　along　by　the　crack　of　an　overseer's　lash。　These　were　no　Unsullied；　Dany　noted；　but　a　more　mon　sort　of　men；　with　pale　brown　skins　and　black　hair。　There　were　women　among　them；　but　no　children。　All　were　naked。　Two　Astapori　rode　behind　them　on　white　asses；　a　man　in　a　red　silk　tokar　and　a　veiled　woman　in　sheer　blue　linen　decorated　with　flakes　of　lapis　lazuli。　In　her　red…black　hair　she　wore　an　ivory　b。　The　man　laughed　as　he　whispered　to　her；　paying　no　more　mind　to　Dany　than　to　his　slaves；　nor　the　overseer　with　his　twisted　five…thonged　lash；　a　squat　broad　Dothraki　who　had　the　harpy　and　chains　tattooed　proudly　across　his　muscular　chest。
　〃Bricks　and　blood　built　Astapor；〃　Whitebeard　murmured　at　her　side；　〃and　bricks　and　blood　her　people。〃
　〃What　is　that？〃　Dany　asked　him；　curious。
　〃An　old　rhyme　a　maester　taught　me；　when　I　was　a　boy。　I　never　knew　how　true　it　was。　The　bricks　of　Astapor　are　red　with　the　blood　of　the　slaves　who　make　them。〃
　〃I　can　well　believe　that；〃　said　Dany。
　〃Then　leave　this　place　before　your　heart　turns　to　brick　as　well。　Sail　this　very　night；　on　the　evening　tide。〃
　Would　that　I　could；　thought　Dany。　〃When　I　leave　Astapor　it　must　be　with　an　army；　Ser　Jorah　says。〃
　〃Ser　Jorah　was　a　slaver　himself；　Your　Grace；〃　the　old　man　reminded　her。　〃There　are　sellswords　in　Pentos　and　Myr　and　Tyrosh　you　can　hire。　A　man　who　kills　for　coin　has　no　honor；　but　at　least　they　are　no　slaves。　Find　your　army　there；　I　beg　you。〃
　〃My　brother　visited　Pentos；　Myr；　Braavos；　near　all　the　Free　Cities。　The　magisters　and　archons　fed　him　wine　and　promises；　but　his　soul　was　starved　to　death。　A　man　cannot　sup　from　the　beggar's　bowl　all　his　life　and　stay　a　man。　I　had　my　taste　in　Qarth；　that　was　enough。　I　will　not　e　to　Pentos　bowl　in　hand。〃
　〃Better　to　e　a　beggar　than　a　slaver；〃　Arstan　said。
　〃There　speaks　one　who　has　been　neither。〃　Dany's　nostrils　flared。　〃Do　you　know　what　it　is　like　to　be　sold；　squire？　I　do。　My　brother　sold　me　to　Kh