grrm.astormofswords-第95节

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　〃As　the　Hand　mands；〃　Symon　said。
　The　last　time　Tyrion　had　seen　the　man；　a　sharp　word　had　been　enough　to　set　him　sweating；　but　it　seemed　the　singer　had　found　some　courage　somewhere。　Most　like　in　that　flagon。　Or　perhaps　Tyrion　himself　was　to　blame　for　this　new　boldness。　I　threatened　him；　but　nothing　ever　came　of　the　threat；　so　now　he　believes　me　toothless。　He　sighed。　〃I　am　told　you　are　a　very　gifted　singer。〃
　〃You　are　most　kind　to　say　so；　my　lord。〃
　Tyrion　gave　him　a　smile。　〃I　think　it　is　time　you　brought　your　music　to　the　Free　Cities。　They　are　great　lovers　of　song　in　Braavos　and　Pentos　and　Lys；　and　generous　with　those　who　please　them。〃　He　took　a　sip　of　wine。　It　was　foul　stuff；　but　strong。　〃A　tour　of　all　nine　cities　would　be　best。　You　wouldn't　want　to　deny　anyone　the　joy　of　hearing　you　sing。　A　year　in　each　should　suffice。〃　He　reached　inside　his　cloak；　to　where　the　gold　was　hidden。　〃With　the　port　closed；　you　will　need　to　go　to　Duskendale　to　take　ship；　but　my　man　Brorm　will　find　a　horse　for　you；　and　I　would　be　honored　if　you　would　let　me　pay　your　passage　。　。　。〃
　〃But　my　lord；〃　the　man　objected；　〃you　have　never　heard　me　sing。　Pray　listen　a　moment。〃　His　fingers　moved　deftly　over　the　strings　of　the　woodharp；　and　soft　music　filled　the　cellar。　Symon　began　to　sing。
　He　rode　through　the　streets　of　the　city；　down　from　his　hill　on　high；
　O'er　the　wynds　and　the　steps　and　the　cobbles；　he　rode　to　a　woman's　sigh。
　For　she　was　his　secret　treasure；　she　was　his　shame　and　his　bliss。
　And　a　chain　and　a　keep　are　nothing；　pared　to　a　woman's　kiss。
　〃There's　more；〃　the　man　said　as　he　broke　off；　〃Oh；　a　good　deal　more。　The　refrain　is　especially　nice；　I　think。　For　hands　of　gold　are　always　cold；　but　a　woman's　hands　are　warm　。　。　。〃
　〃Enough。〃　Tyrion　slid　his　fingers　from　his　cloak；　empty。　〃That's　not　a　song　I　would　care　to　hear　again。　Ever。〃
　〃No？〃　Symon　Silver　Tongue　put　his　harp　aside　and　took　a　sip　of　wine。　〃A　pity。　Still；　each　man　has　his　song；　as　my　old　master　used　to　say　when　he　was　teaching　me　to　play。　Others　might　like　my　tune　better。　The　queen；　perhaps。　Or　your　lord　father。〃
　Tyrion　rubbed　the　scar　over　his　nose；　and　said；　〃My　father　has　no　time　for　singers；　and　my　sister　is　not　as　generous　as　one　might　think。　A　wise　man　could　earn　more　from　silence　than　from　song。〃　He　could　not　put　it　much　plainer　than　that。
　Symon　seemed　to　take　his　meaning　quick　enough。　〃You　will　find　my　price　modest；　my　lord。〃
　〃That's　good　to　know。〃　This　would　not　be　a　matter　of　thirty　golden　dragons；　Tyrion　feared。　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃At　King　Joffrey's　wedding　feast；〃　the　man　said；　〃there　is　to　be　a　tournament　of　singers。〃
　〃And　jugglers；　and　jesters；　and　dancing　bears。〃
　〃Only　one　dancing　bear；　my　lord；〃　said　Symon；　who　had　plainly　attended　Cersei's　arrangements　with　far　more　interest　than　Tyrion　had；　〃but　seven　singers。　Galyeon　of　Cuy；　Bethany　Fair…fingers；　Aemon　Costayne；　Alaric　of　Eysen；　Hamish　the　Harper；　Collio　Quaynis；　and　Orland　of　Oldtown　will　pete　for　a　gilded　lute　with　silver　strings　。　。　。　yet　unaccountably；　no　invitation　has　been　forthing　for　one　who　is　master　of　them　all。〃
　〃Let　me　guess。　Symon　Silver　Tongue？〃
　Symon　smiled　modestly。　〃I　am　prepared　to　prove　the　truth　of　my　boast　before　king　and　court。　Hamish　is　old；　and　oft　forgets　what　he　is　singing。　And　Collio；　with　that　absurd　Tyroshi　accent！　if　you　understand　one　word　in　three；　count　yourself　fortunate。〃
　〃My　sweet　sister　has　arranged　the　feast。　Even　if　I　could　secure　you　this　invitation；　it　might　look　queer。　Seven　kingdoms；　seven　vows；　seven　challenges；　seventy…seven　dishes　。　。　。　but　eight　singers？　What　would　the　High　Septon　think？〃
　〃You　did　not　strike　me　as　a　pious　man；　my　lord。〃
　〃Piety　is　not　the　point。　Certain　forms　must　be　observed。〃
　Symon　took　a　sip　of　wine。　〃Still　。　。　。　a　singer's　life　is　not　without　peril。　We　ply　our　trade　in　alehouses　and　wine　sinks；　before　unruly　drunkards。　If　one　of　your　sister's　seven　should　suffer　some　mishap；　I　hope　you　might　consider　me　to　fill　his　place。〃　He　smiled　slyly；　inordinately　pleased　with　himself　。
　〃Six　singers　would　be　as　unfortunate　as　eight；　to　be　sure。　I　will　inquire　after　the　health　of　Cersei's　seven。　If　any　of　them　should　be　indisposed；　my　man　Brorm　will　find　you。〃
　〃Very　good；　my　lord。〃　Symon　might　have　left　it　at　that；　but　flushed　with　triumph；　he　added；　〃I　shall　sing　the　night　of　King　Joffrey's　wedding。　Should　it　happen　that　I　am　called　to　court；　why；　I　will　want　to　offer　the　king　my　very　best　positions；　songs　I　have　sung　a　thousand　times　that　are　certain　to　please。　If　I　should　find　myself　singing　in　some　dreary　winesink；　though　。　。　。　well；　that　would　be　an　apt　occasion　to　try　my　new　song。　For　hands　of　gold　are　always　cold；　but　a　woman's　hands　are　warm。〃
　〃That　will　not　be　necessary；〃　said　Tyrion。　〃You　have　my　word　as　a　Lannister；　Bronn　will　call　upon　you　soon。〃
　〃Very　good；　my　lord。〃　The　balding　kettle…bellied　singer　took　up　his　woodharp　again。
　Bronn　was　waiting　with　the　horses　at　the　mouth　of　the　alley。　He　helped　Tyrion　into　his　saddle。　〃When　do　I　take　the　man　to　Duskendale？〃
　〃You　don't。〃　Tyrion　turned　his　horse。　〃Give　him　three　days；　then　inform　him　that　Hamish　the　Harper　has　broken　his　arm。　Tell　him　that　his　clothes　will　never　serve　for　court；　so　he　must　be　fitted　for　new　garb　at　once。　He'll　e　with　you　quick　enough。〃　He　grimaced。　〃You　may　want　his　tongue；　I　understand　it's　made　of　silver。　The　rest　of　him　should　never　be　found。〃
　Bronn　grinned。　〃There's　a　pot　shop　I　know　in　Flea　Bottom　makes　a　savory　bowl　of　brown。　All　kinds　of　meat　in　it；　I　hear。〃
　〃Make　certain　I　never　eat　there。〃　Tyrion　spurred　to　a　trot。　He　wanted　a　bath；　and　the　hotter　the　better。
　Even　that　modest　pleasure　was　denied　him；　however；　no　sooner　had　he　returned　to　his　chambers　than　Podrick　Payne　informed　him　that　he　had　been　summoned　to　the　Tower　of　the　Hand。　〃His　lordship　wants　to　see　you。　The　Hand。　Lord　Tywin。〃
　〃I　recall　who　the　Hand　is；　Pod；〃　Tyrion　said。　〃I　lost　my　nose；　not　my　wits。〃
　Bronn　laughed。　〃Don't　bite　the　boy's　head　off　now。〃
　〃Why　not？　He　never　uses　it。〃　Tyrion　wondered　what　he'd　done　now。　Or　more　like；　what　I　have　failed　to　do。　A　summons　from　Lord　Tywin　always　had　teeth；　his　father　never　sent　for　him　just　to　share　a　meal　or　a　cup　of　wine；　that　was　for　certain。
　As　he　entered　his　lord　father's　solar　a　few　moments　later；　he　heard　a　voice　saying；　〃　。　。　。　cherrywood　for　the　scabbards；　bound　in　red　leather　and　ornamented　with　a　row　of　lion's…head　studs　in　pure　gold。　Perhaps　with　garnets　for　the　eyes　。　。　。〃
　〃Rubies；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃Garnets　lack　the　fire。〃
　Tyrion　cleared　his　throat。　〃My　lord。　You　sent　for　me？〃
　His　father　glanced　up。　〃I　did。　e　have　a　look　at　this。〃　A　bundle　of　oilcloth　lay　on　the　table　between　them；　and　Lord　Tywin　had　a　longsword　in　his　hand。　〃A　wedding　gift　for　Joffrey；〃　he　told　Tyrion。　The　light　streaming　through　the　diamond…shaped　panes　of　glass　made　the　blade　shimmer　black　and　red　as　Lord　Tywin　turned　it　to　inspect　the　edge；　while　the　pommel　and　crossguard　flamed　gold。　〃With　this　fool's　jabber　of　Stannis　and　his　magic　sword；　it　seemed　to　me　that　we　had　best　give　Joffrey　something　extraordinary　as　well。　A　king　should　bear　a　kingly　weapon。〃
　〃That's　much　too　much　sword　for　Joff；〃　Tyrion　said。
　〃He　will　grow　into　it。　Here；　feel　the　weight　of　it。〃　He　offered　the　weapon　hilt　first。
　The　sword　was　much　lighter　than　he　had　expected。　As　he　turned　it　in　his　hand　he　saw　why。　Only　one　metal　could　be　beaten　so　thin　and　still　have　strength　enough　to　fight　with；　and　there　was　no　mistaking　those　ripples；　the　mark　of　steel　that　has　been　folded　back　on　itself　many　thousands　of　times。　〃Valyrian　steel？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Lord　Tywin　said；　in　a　tone　of　deep　satisfaction。
　At　long　last；　Father？　Valyrian　steel　blades　were　scarce　and　costly；　yet　thousands　remained　in　the　world；　perhaps　two　hundred　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms　alone。　It　had　always　irked　his　father　that　none　belonged　to　House　Lannister。　The　old　Kings　of　the　Rock　had　owned　such　a　weapon；　but　the　greatsword　Brightroar　had　been　lost　when　the　second　King　Tommen　carried　it　back　to　Valyria　on　his　fool's　quest。　He　had　never　returned；　nor　had　Uncle　Gery；　the　youngest　and　most　reckless　of　his　father's　brothers；　who　had　gone　seeking　after　the　lost　sword　some　eight　years　past。
　Thrice　at　least　Lord　Tywin　had　offered　to　buy　Valyrian　longswords　from　impoverished　lesser　houses；　but　his　advances　had　always　been　firmly　rebuffed。　The　little　lordlings　would　gladly　part　with　their　daughters　should　a　Lannister　e　asking；　but　they　cherished　their　old　family　swords。
　Tyrion　wondered　where　the　metal　for　this　one　had　e　from。　A　few　master　armorers　could　rework　old　Valyrian　steel；　but　the　secrets　of　its　making　had　been　lost　when　the　Doom　came　to　old　Valyria。　〃The　colors　are　strange；〃　he　mented　as　he　turned　the　blade　in　the　sunlight。　Most　Valyrian　steel　was　a　grey　so　dark　it　looked　almost　black；　as　was　true　here　as　well。　But　blended　into　the　folds　was　a　red　as　deep　as　the　grey。　The　two　colors　lapped　over　one　another　without　ever　touching；　each　ripple　distinct；　like　waves　of　night　and　blood　upon　some　steely　shore。　〃How　did　you　get　this　patterning？　I've　never　seen　anything　like　it。〃
　〃Nor　I；　my　lord；〃　said　the　armorer。　〃I　confess；　these　colors　were　not　what　I　intended；　and　I