grrm.astormofswords-第92节

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　The　days　and　the　nights　blurred　together　in　a　haze　of　pain。　He　would　sleep　in　the　saddle；　pressed　against　Brienne；　his　nose　full　of　the　stink　of　his　rotting　hand；　and　then　at　night　he　would　lie　awake　on　the　hard　ground；　caught　in　a　waking　nightmare。　Weak　as　he　was；　they　always　bound　him　to　a　tree。　It　gave　him　some　cold　consolation　to　know　that　they　feared　him　that　much；　even　now。
　Brienne　was　always　bound　beside　him。　She　lay　there　in　her　bonds　like　a　big　dead　cow；　saying　not　a　word。　The　wench　has　built　a　fortress　inside　herself。　They　will　rape　her　soon　enough；　but　behind　her　walls　they　cannot　touch　her。　But　Jaime's　walls　were　gone。　They　had　taken　his　hand；　they　had　taken　his　sword　hand；　and　without　it　he　was　nothing。　The　other　was　no　good　to　him。　Since　the　time　he　could　walk；　his　left　arm　had　been　his　shield　arm；　no　more。　It　was　his　right　hand　that　made　him　a　knight；　his　right　arm　that　made　him　a　man。
　One　day；　he　heard　Urswyck　say　something　about　Harrenhal；　and　remembered　that　was　to　be　their　destination。　That　made　him　laugh　aloud；　and　that　made　Timeon　slash　his　face　with　a　long　thin　whip。　The　cut　bled；　but　beside　his　hand　he　scarcely　felt　it。　〃Why　did　you　laugh？〃　the　wench　asked　him　that　night；　in　a　whisper。
　〃Harrenhal　was　where　they　gave　me　the　white　cloak；〃　he　whispered　back。　〃Whent's　great　tourney。　He　wanted　to　show　us　all　his　big　castle　and　his　fine　sons。　I　wanted　to　show　them　too。　I　was　only　fifteen；　but　no　one　could　have　beaten　me　that　day。　Aerys　never　let　me　joust。〃　He　laughed　again。　〃He　sent　me　away。　But　now　I'm　ing　back。〃
　They　heard　the　laugh。　That　night　it　was　Jaime　who　got　the　kicks　and　punches。　He　hardly　felt　them　either；　until　Rorge　slammed　a　boot　into　his　stump；　and　then　he　fainted。
　It　was　the　next　night　when　they　finally　came；　three　of　the　worst；　Shagwell；　noseless　Rorge；　and　the　fat　Dothraki　Zollo；　the　one　who'd　cut　his　hand　off。　Zollo　and　Rorge　were　arguing　about　who　would　go　first　as　they　approached；　there　seemed　to　be　no　question　but　that　the　fool　would　be　going　last。　Shagwell　suggested　that　they　should　both　go　first；　and　take　her　front　and　rear。　Zollo　and　Rorge　liked　that　notion；　only　then　they　began　to　fight　about　who　would　get　the　front　and　who　the　rear。
　They　will　leave　her　a　cripple　too；　but　inside；　where　it　does　not　show　〃Wench；〃　he　whispered　as　Zollo　and　Rorge　were　cursing　one　another；　〃let　them　have　the　meat；　and　you　go　far　away。　It　will　be　over　quicker；　and　they'll　get　less　pleasure　from　it。〃
　〃They'll　get　no　pleasure　from　what　I'll　give　them；〃　she　whispered　back；　defiant。
　Stupid　stubborn　brave　bitch。　She　was　going　to　get　herself　good　and　killed；　he　knew　it。　And　what　do　I　care　if　she　does？　If　she　hadn't　been　so　pigheaded；　I'd　still　have　a　hand。　Yet　he　heard　himself　whisper；　〃Let　them　do　it；　and　go　away　inside。〃　That　was　what　he'd　done；　when　the　Starks　had　died　before　him；　Lord　Rickard　cooking　in　his　armor　while　his　son　Brandon　strangled　himself　trying　to　save　him。　〃Think　of　Renly；　if　you　loved　him。　Think　of　Tarth；　mountains　and　seas；　pools；　waterfalls；　whatever　you　have　on　your　Sapphire　Isle；　think　。　。　。〃
　But　Rorge　had　won　the　argument　by　then。　〃You're　the　ugliest　woman　I　ever　seen；〃　he　told　Brienne；　〃but　don't　think　I　can't　make　you　uglier。　You　want　a　nose　like　mine？　Fight　me；　and　you'll　get　one。　And　two　eyes；　that's　too　many。　One　scream　out　o'　you；　and　I'll　pop　one　out　and　make　you　eat　it；　and　then　I'll　pull　your　fucking　teeth　out　one　by　one。〃
　〃Oh；　do　it；　Rorge；〃　pleaded　Shagwell。　〃Without　her　teeth；　she'll　look　just　like　my　dear　old　mother。〃　He　cackled。　〃And　I　always　wanted　to　fuck　my　dear　old　mother　up　the　arse。〃
　Jaime　chuckled。　〃There's　a　funny　fool。　I　have　a　riddle　for　you；　Shagwell。　Why　do　you　care　if　she　screams？　Oh；　wait；　I　know。〃　He　shouted；　〃SAPPHIRES；〃　as　loudly　as　he　could。
　Cursing；　Rorge　kicked　at　his　stump　again。　Jaime　howled。　I　never　knew　there　was　such　agony　in　the　world；　was　the　last　thing　he　remembered　thinking。　it　was　hard　to　say　how　long　he　was　gone；　but　when　the　pain　spit　him　out；　Urswyck　was　there；　and　Vargo　Hoat　himself。　〃Thee'th　not　to　be　touched；〃　the　goat　screamed；　spraying　spittle　all　over　Zollo。　〃Thee　hath　to　be　a　maid；　you　foolth！　Thee'th　worth　a　bag　of　thapphireth！〃　And　from　then　on；　every　night　Hoat　put　guards　on　them；　to　protect　them　from　his　own。
　Two　nights　passed　in　silence　before　the　wench　finally　found　the　courage　to　whisper；　〃Jaime？　Why　did　you　shout　out？〃
　〃Why　did　I　shout　'sapphires；'you　mean？　Use　your　wits；　wench。　Would　this　lot　have　cared　if　I　shouted　'rape'？
　〃You　did　not　need　to　shout　at　all。〃
　〃You're　hard　enough　to　look　at　with　a　nose。　Besides；　I　wanted　to　make　the　goat　say'thapphireth。〃'　He　chuckled。　〃A　good　thing　for　you　I'm　such　aliar。　An　honorable　man　would　have　told　the　truth　about　the　SapphireIsle。〃
　〃All　the　same；〃　she　said。　〃I　thank　you；　ser。〃
　His　hand　was　throbbing　again。　He　ground　his　teeth　and　said；　〃A　Lannister　pays　his　debts。　That　was　for　the　river；　and　those　rocks　you　dropped　on　Robin　Ryger。〃
　The　goat　wanted　to　make　a　show　of　parading　him　in；　so　Jaime　was　made　to　dismount　a　mile　from　the　gates　of　Harrenhal。　A　rope　was　looped　around　his　waist；　a　second　around　Brienne's　wrists；　the　ends　were　tied　to　the　pommel　of　Vargo　Hoat's　saddle。　They　stumbled　along　side　by　side　behind　the　Qohorik's　striped　zorse。
　Jaime's　rage　kept　him　walking。　The　linen　that　covered　the　stump　was　grey　and　stinking　with　pus。　His　phantom　fingers　screamed　with　every　step。　I　am　stronger　than　they　know；　he　told　himself。　I　am　still　a　Lannister。　I　am　still　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard。　He　would　reach　Harrenhal；　and　then　King's　Landing。　He　would　live。　And　I　will　pay　this　debt　with　interest。
　As　they　approached　the　clifflike　walls　of　Black　Harren's　monstrous　castle；　Brienne　squeezed　his　arm。　〃Lord　Bolton　holds　this　castle。　The　Boltons　are　bannermen　to　the　Starks。〃
　〃The　Boltons　skin　their　enemies。〃　Jaime　remembered　that　much　about　the　northman。　Tyrion　would　have　known　all　there　was　to　know　about　the　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort；　but　Tyrion　was　a　thousand　leagues　away；　with　Cersei。　I　cannot　die　while　Cersei　lives；　he　told　himself。　We　will　die　together　as　we　were　born　together。
　The　castleton　outside　the　walls　had　been　burned　to　ash　and　blackened　stone；　and　many　men　and　horses　had　recently　encamped　beside　the　lakeshore；　where　Lord　Whent　had　staged　his　great　tourney　in　the　year　of　the　false　spring。　A　bitter　smile　touched　Jaime's　lips　as　they　crossed　that　torn　ground。　Someone　had　dug　a　privy　trench　in　the　very　spot　where　he'd　once　knelt　before　the　king　to　say　his　vows。　I　never　dreamed　how　quick　the　sweet　would　turn　to　sour。　Aerys　would　not　even　let　me　savor　that　one　night。　He　honored　me；　and　then　he　spat　on　me。
　〃The　banners；〃　Brienne　observed。　〃Flayed　man　and　twin　towers；　see。　King　Robb's　sworn　men。　There；　above　the　gatehouse；　grey　on　white。　They　fly　the　direwolf。〃
　Jaime　twisted　his　head　upward　for　a　look。　〃That's　your　bloody　wolf；　true　enough；〃　he　granted　her。　〃And　those　are　heads　to　either　side　of　it。〃
　Soldiers；　servants；　and　camp　followers　gathered　to　hoot　at　them。　A　spotted　bitch　followed　them　through　the　camps　barking　and　growling　until　one　of　the　Lyseni　impaled　her　on　a　lance　and　galloped　to　the　front　of　the　column。　〃I　am　bearing　Kingslayer's　banner；〃　he　shouted；　shaking　the　dead　dog　above　Jaime's　head。
　The　walls　of　Harrenhal　were　so　thick　that　passing　beneath　them　was　like　passing　through　a　stone　tunnel。　Vargo　Hoat　had　sent　two　of　his　Dothraki　ahead　to　inform　Lord　Bolton　of　their　ing；　so　the　outer　ward　was　full　of　the　curious。　They　gave　way　as　Jaime　staggered　past；　the　rope　around　his　waist　jerking　and　pulling　at　him　whenever　he　slowed。　〃I　give　you　the　Kingthlayer；〃　Vargo　Hoat　proclaimed　in　that　thick　slobbery　voice　of　his。　A　spear　jabbed　at　the　small　of　Jaime's　back；　sending　him　sprawling。
　Instinct　made　him　put　out　his　hands　to　stop　his　fall。　When　his　stump　smashed　against　the　ground　the　pain　was　blinding；　yet　somehow　he　managed　to　fight　his　way　back　to　one　knee。　Before　him；　a　flight　of　broad　stone　steps　led　up　to　the　entrance　of　one　of　Harrenhal's　colossal　round　towers。　Five　knights　and　a　northman　stood　looking　down　on　him；　the　one　paleeyed　in　wool　and　fur；　the　five　fierce　in　mail　and　plate；　with　the　twin　towers　sigil　on　their　surcoats。　〃A　fury　of　Freys；〃　Jaime　declared。　〃Ser　Danwell；　Ser　Aenys；　Ser　Hosteen。〃　He　knew　Lord　Walder's　sons　by　sight；　his　aunt　had　married　one；　after　all。　〃You　have　my　condolences。〃
　〃For　what；　ser？〃　Ser　Danwell　Frey　asked。
　〃Your　brother's　son；　Ser　Cleos；〃　said　Jaime。　〃He　was　with　us　until　outlaws　filled　him　full　of　arrows。　Urswyck　and　this　lot　took　his　goods　and　left　him　for　the　wolves。〃
　〃My　lords！〃　Brienne　wrenched　herself　free　and　pushed　forward。　〃I　saw　your　banners。　Hear　me　for　your　oath！〃
　〃Who　speaks？〃　demanded　Ser　Aenys　Frey。
　〃Lannither'th　wet　nurth。〃
　〃I　am　Brienne　of　Tarth；　daughter　to　Lord　Selwyn　the　Evenstar；　and　sworn　to　House　Stark　even　as　you　are。〃
　Ser　Aenys　spit　at　her　feet。　〃That's　for　your　oaths。　We　trusted　the　word　of　Robb　Stark；　and　he　repaid　our　faith　with　betrayal。〃
　Now　this　is　interesting。　Jaime　twisted　to　see　how　Brienne　might　take　the　accusation；　but　the　wench　was　as　singleminded　as　a　mule　with　a　bit　between　his　teeth。　〃I　know　of　no　betrayal。〃　She　ch