grrm.astormofswords-第96节

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　〃Nor　I；　my　lord；〃　said　the　armorer。　〃I　confess；　these　colors　were　not　what　I　intended；　and　I　do　not　know　that　I　could　duplicate　them。　Your　lord　father　had　asked　for　the　crimson　of　your　House；　and　it　was　that　color　I　set　out　to　infuse　into　the　metal。　But　Valyrian　steel　is　stubborn。　These　old　swords　remember；　it　is　said；　and　they　do　not　change　easily。　I　worked　half　a　hundred　spells　and　brightened　the　red　time　and　time　again；　but　always　the　color　would　darken；　as　if　the　blade　was　drinking　the　sun　from　it。　And　some　folds　would　not　take　the　red　at　all；　as　you　can　see。　if　my　lords　of　Lannister　are　displeased；　I　will　of　course　try　again；　as　many　times　as　you　should　require；　but…〃
　〃No　need；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃This　will　serve。〃
　〃A　crimson　sword　might　flash　prettily　in　the　sun；　but　if　truth　be　told　I　like　these　colors　better；〃　said　Tyrion。　〃They　have　an　ominous　beauty　。　。　。　and　they　make　this　blade　unique。　There　is　no　other　sword　like　it　in　all　the　world；　I　should　think。〃
　〃There　is　one。〃　The　armorer　bent　over　the　table　and　unfolded　the　bundle　of　oilcloth；　to　reveal　a　second　longsword。
　Tyrion　put　down　Joffrey's　sword　and　took　up　the　other。　If　not　twins；　the　two　were　at　least　close　cousins。　This　one　was　thicker　and　heavier；　a　half…inch　wider　and　three　inches　longer；　but　they　shared　the　same　fine　clean　lines　and　the　same　distinctive　color；　the　ripples　of　blood　and　night。　Three　fullers；　deeply　incised；　ran　down　the　second　blade　from　hilt　to　point；　the　king's　sword　had　only　two。　Joff's　hilt　was　a　good　deal　more　ornate；　the　arms　of　its　crossguard　done　as　lions'　paws　with　ruby　claws　unsheathed；　but　both　swords　had　grips　of　finely　tooled　red　leather　and　gold　lions'　heads　for　pornmels。
　〃Magnificent。〃　Even　in　hands　as　unskilled　as　Tyrion's；　the　blade　felt　alive。　〃I　have　never　felt　better　balance。〃
　〃It　is　meant　for　my　son。〃
　No　need　to　ask　which　son。　Tyrion　placed　Jaime's　sword　back　on　the　table　beside　Joffrey's；　wondering　if　Robb　Stark　would　let　his　brother　live　long　enough　to　wield　it。　Our　father　must　surely　think　so；　else　why　have　this　blade　forged？
　〃You　have　done　good　work；　Master　Mott；〃　Lord　Tywin　told　the　armorer。　〃My　steward　will　see　to　your　payment。　And　remember；　rubies　for　the　scabbards。〃
　〃I　shall；　my　lord。　You　are　most　generous。〃　The　man　folded　the　swords　up　in　the　oilcloth；　tucked　the　bundle　under　one　arm；　and　went　to　his　knee。　〃It　is　an　honor　to　serve　the　King's　Hand。　I　shall　deliver　the　swords　the　day　before　the　wedding。〃
　〃See　that　you　do。〃
　When　the　guards　had　seen　the　armorer　out；　Tyrion　clambered　up　onto　a　chair。　〃So　。　。　。　a　sword　for　Joff；　a　sword　for　Jaime；　and　not　even　a　dagger　for　the　dwarf。　is　that　the　way　of　it；　Father？〃
　〃The　steel　was　sufficient　for　two　blades；　not　three。　If　you　have　need　of　a　dagger；　take　one　from　the　armory。　Robert　left　a　hundred　when　he　died。　Gerion　gave　him　a　gilded　dagger　with　an　ivory　grip　and　a　sapphire　pommel　for　a　wedding　gift；　and　half　the　envoys　who　came　to　court　tried　to　curry　favor　by　presenting　His　Grace　with　jewel…encrusted　knives　and　silver　inlay　swords。〃
　Tyrion　smiled。　〃They'd　have　pleased　him　more　if　they'd　presented　him　with　their　daughters。〃
　〃No　doubt。　The　only　blade　he　ever　used　was　the　hunting　knife　he　had　from　Jon　Arryn；　when　he　was　a　boy。〃　Lord　Tywin　waved　a　hand；　dismissing　King　Robert　and　all　his　knives。　〃What　did　you　find　at　the　riverfront？〃
　〃Mud；〃　said　Tyrion；　〃and　a　few　dead　things　no　one's　bothered　to　bury。　Before　we　can　open　the　port　again；　the　Blackwater's　going　to　have　to　be　dredged；　the　sunken　ships　broken　up　or　raised。　Three…quarters　of　the　quays　need　repair；　and　some　may　have　to　be　torn　down　and　rebuilt。　The　entire　fish　market　is　gone；　and　both　the　River　Gate　and　the　King's　Gate　are　splintered　from　the　battering　Stannis　gave　them　and　should　be　replaced。　I　shudder　to　think　of　the　cost。〃　If　you　do　shit　gold；　Father；　find　a　privy　and　get　busy；　he　wanted　to　say；　but　he　knew　better。
　〃You　will　find　whatever　gold　is　required。〃
　〃Will　I？　Where？　The　treasury　is　empty；　I've　told　you　that。　We're　not　done　paying　the　alchemists　for　all　that　wildfire；　or　the　smiths　for　my　chain；　and　Cersei's　pledged　the　crown　to　pay　half　the　costs　of　Joffs　wedding…seventy…seven　bloody　courses；　a　thousand　guests；　a　pie　full　of　doves；　singers；　jugglers　。　。　。〃
　〃Extravagance　has　its　uses。　We　must　demonstrate　the　power　and　wealth　of　Casterly　Rock　for　all　the　realm　to　see。〃
　〃Then　perhaps　Casterly　Rock　should　pay。〃
　〃Why？　I　have　seen　Littlefinger's　accounts。　Crown　ines　are　ten　times　higher　than　they　were　under　Aerys。〃
　〃As　are　the　crown's　expenses。　Robert　was　as　generous　with　his　coin　as　he　was　with　his　cock。　Littlefinger　borrowed　heavily。　From　you；　amongst　others。　Yes；　the　ines　are　considerable；　but　they　are　barely　sufficient　to　cover　the　usury　on　Littlefinger's　loans。　Will　you　forgive　the　throne's　debt　to　House　Lannister？〃
　〃Don't　be　absurd。〃
　〃Then　perhaps　seven　courses　would　suffice。　Three　hundred　guests　instead　of　a　thousand。　I　understand　that　a　marriage　can　be　just　as　binding　without　a　dancing　bear。〃
　〃The　Tyrells　would　think　us　niggardly。　I　will　have　the　wedding　and　the　waterfront。　If　you　cannot　pay　for　them；　say　so；　and　I　shall　find　a　master　of　coin　who　can。〃
　The　disgrace　of　being　dismissed　after　so　short　a　time　was　not　something　Tyrion　cared　to　suffer。　〃I　will　find　your　money。〃
　〃You　will；〃　his　father　promised；　〃and　while　you　are　about　it；　see　if　you　can　find　your　wife's　bed　as　well。〃
　So　the　talk　has　reached　even　him。　〃I　have；　thank　you。　It's　that　piece　of　furniture　between　the　window　and　the　hearth；　with　the　velvet　canopy　and　the　mattress　stuffed　with　goose　down。〃
　〃I　am　pleased　you　know　of　it。　Now　perhaps　you　ought　to　try　and　know　the　woman　who　shares　it　with　you。〃
　Woman？　Child；　you　mean。　〃Has　a　spider　been　whispering　in　your　ear；　or　do　I　have　my　sweet　sister　to　thank？〃　Considering　the　things　that　went　on　beneath　Cersei's　blankets；　you　would　think　she'd　have　the　decency　to　keep　her　nose　out　of　his。　〃Tell　me；　why　is　it　that　all　of　Sansa's　maids　arc　women　in　Cersei's　service？　I　am　sick　of　being　spied　upon　in　my　own　chambers。〃
　〃If　you　mislike　your　wife's　servants；　dismiss　them　and　hire　ones　more　to　your　liking。　That　is　your　right。　it　is　your　wife's　maidenhood　that　concerns　me；　not　her　maids。　This　。　。　。　delicacy　puzzles　me。　You　seem　to　have　no　difficulty　bedding　whores。　Is　the　Stark　girl　made　differently？〃
　〃Why　do　you　take　so　much　bloody　interest　in　where　I　put　my　cock？〃　Tyrion　demanded。　〃Sansa　is　too　young。〃
　〃She　is　old　enough　to　be　Lady　of　Winterfell　once　her　brother　is　dead。　Claim　her　maidenhood　and　you　will　be　one　step　closer　to　claiming　the　north。　Get　her　with　child；　and　the　prize　is　all　but　won。　Do　I　need　to　remind　you　that　a　marriage　that　has　not　been　consummated　can　be　set　aside？〃
　〃By　the　High　Septon　or　a　Council　of　Faith。　Our　present　High　Septon　is　a　trained　seal　who　barks　prettily　on　mand。　Moon　Boy　is　more　like　to　annul　my　marriage　than　he　is。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　should　have　married　Sansa　Stark　to　Moon　Boy。　He　might　have　known　what　to　do　with　her。〃
　Tyrion's　hands　clenched　on　the　arms　of　his　chair。　〃I　have　heard　all　I　mean　to　hear　on　the　subject　of　my　wife's　maidenhead。　But　so　long　as　we　are　discussing　marriage；　why　is　it　that　I　hear　nothing　of　my　sister's　impending　nuptials？　As　I　recall…〃
　Lord　Tywin　cut　him　off。　〃Mace　Tyrell　has　refused　my　offer　to　marry　Cersei　to　his　heir　Willas。〃
　〃Refused　our　sweet　Cersei？〃　That　put　Tyrion　in　a　much　better　mood。
　〃When　I　first　broached　the　match　to　him；　Lord　Tyrell　seemed　well　enough　disposed；〃　his　father　said。　〃A　day　later；　all　was　changed。　The　old　woman's　work。　She　hectors　her　son　unmercifully。　Varys　claims　she　told　him　that　your　sister　was　too　old　and　too　used　for　this　precious　one…legged　grandson　of　hers。〃
　〃Cersei　must　have　loved　that。〃　He　laughed。
　Lord　Tywin　gave　him　a　chilly　look。　〃She　does　not　know。　Nor　will　she。　It　is　better　for　all　of　us　if　the　offer　was　never　made。　See　that　you　remember　that；　Tyrion。　The　offer　was　never　made。〃
　〃What　offer？〃　Tyrion　rather　suspected　that　Lord　Tyrell　might　e　to　regret　this　rebuff。
　〃Your　sister　will　be　wed。　The　question　is；　to　whom？　I　have　several　thoughts…〃　Before　he　could　get　to　them；　there　was　a　rap　at　the　door　and　a　guardsman　stuck　in　his　head　to　announce　Grand　Maester　Pycelle。　〃He　may　enter；〃　said　Lord　Tywin。
　Pycelle　tottered　in　on　a　cane；　and　stopped　long　enough　to　give　Tyrion　a　look　that　would　curdle　milk。　His　once…magnificent　white　beard；　which　someone　had　unaccountably　shaved　off；　was　growing　back　sparse　and　wispy；　leaving　him　with　unsightly　pink　wattles　to　dangle　beneath　his　neck。　〃My　lord　Hand；〃　the　old　man　said；　bowing　as　deeply　as　he　could　without　falling；　〃there　has　been　another　bird　from　Castle　Black。　Mayhaps　we　could　consult　privily？〃
　〃There's　no　need　for　that。〃　Lord　Tywin　waved　Grand　Maester　Pycelle　to　a　seat。　〃Tyrion　may　stay。〃
　Oooooh；　may　R　He　rubbed　his　nose；　and　waited。
　Pycelle　cleared　his　throat；　which　involved　a　deal　of　coughing　and　hawking。　〃The　letter　is　from　the　same　Bowen　Marsh　who　sent　the　last。　The　castellan。　He　writes　that　Lord　Mormont　has　sent　word　of　wildlings　moving　south　in　vast　numbers。〃
　〃The　lands　beyond　the　Wall　cannot　support　vast　numbers；〃　said　Lord　Tywin　firmly。　〃This　w