grrm.astormofswords-第116章

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　〃No；〃　Arya　cried；　before　Harwin　covered　her　mouth。　No；　they　can't；　he'll　go　free。　The　Hound　was　deadly　with　a　sword；　everyone　knew　that。　He'll　laugh　at　them；　she　thought。
　And　so　he　did；　a　long　rasping　laugh　that　echoed　off　the　cave　walls；　a　laugh　choking　with　contempt。　〃So　who　will　it　be？〃　He　looked　at　Lem　Lemoncloak。　〃The　brave　man　in　the　piss…yellow　cloak？　No？　How　about　you；　Huntsman？　You've　kicked　dogs　before；　try　me。〃　He　saw　Greenbeard。　〃You're　big　enough；　Tyrosh；　step　forward。　Or　do　you　mean　to　make　the　little　girl　fight　me　herself？〃　He　laughed　again。　〃e　on；　who　wants　to　die？
　〃It's　me　you'll　face；〃　said　Lord　Beric　Dondarrion。
　Arya　remembered　all　the　tales。　He　can't　be　killed；　she　thought；　hoping　against　hope。　The　Mad　Huntsman　sliced　apart　the　ropes　that　bound　Sandor　Clegane's　hands　together。　〃I'll　need　sword　and　armor。〃　The　Hound　rubbed　a　torn　wrist。
　〃Your　sword　you　shall　have；〃　declared　Lord　Beric；　〃but　your　innocence　must　be　your　armor。〃
　Clegane's　mouth　twitched。　〃My　innocence　against　your　breastplate；　is　that　the　way　of　it？〃
　〃Ned；　help　me　remove　my　breastplate。〃
　Arya　got　goosebumps　when　Lord　Beric　said　her　father's　name；　but　this　Ned　was　only　a　boy；　a　fair…haired　squire　no　more　than　ten　or　twelve。　He　stepped　up　quickly　to　undo　the　clasps　that　fastened　the　battered　steel　about　the　Marcher　lord。　The　quilting　beneath　was　rotten　with　age　and　sweat；　and　fell　away　when　the　metal　was　pulled　loose。　Gendry　sucked　in　his　breath。　〃Mother　have　mercy。〃
　Lord　Beric's　ribs　were　outlined　starkly　beneath　his　skin。　A　puckered　crater　scarred　his　breast　just　above　his　left　nipple；　and　when　he　turned　to　call　for　sword　and　shield；　Arya　saw　a　matching　scar　upon　his　back。　The　lance　went　through　him。　The　Hound　had　seen　it　too。　Is　he　scared？　Arya　wanted　him　to　be　scared　before　he　died；　as　scared　as　Mycah　must　have　been。
　Ned　fetched　Lord　Beric　his　swordbelt　and　a　long　black　surcoat。　It　was　meant　to　be　worn　over　armor；　so　it　draped　his　body　loosely；　but　across　it　crackled　the　forked　purple　lightning　of　his　House。　He　unsheathed　his　sword　and　gave　the　belt　back　to　his　squire。
　Thoros　brought　the　Hound　his　swordbelt。　〃Does　a　dog　have　honor？〃　the　priest　asked。　〃Lest　you　think　to　cut　your　way　free　of　here；　or　seize　some　child　for　a　hostage　。　。　。　Anguy；　Dennet；　Kyle；　feather　him　at　the　first　sign　of　treachery。〃　Only　when　the　three　bowmen　had　notched　their　shafts　did　Thoros　hand　Clegane　the　belt。
　The　Hound　ripped　the　sword　free　and　threw　away　the　scabbard。　The　Mad　Huntsman　gave　him　his　oaken　shield；　all　studded　with　iron　and　painted　yellow；　the　three　black　dogs　of　Clegane　emblazoned　upon　it。　The　boy　Ned　helped　Lord　Beric　with　his　own　shield；　so　hacked　and　battered　that　the　purple　lightning　and　the　scatter　of　stars　upon　it　had　almost　been　obliterated。
　But　when　the　Hound　made　to　step　toward　his　foe；　Thoros　of　Myr　stopped　him。　〃First　we　pray。〃　He　turned　toward　the　fire　and　lifted　his　arms。　〃Lord　of　Light；　look　down　upon　us。〃
　All　around　the　cave；　the　brotherhood　without　banners　lifted　their　own　voices　in　response。　〃Lord　of　Light；　defend　us。〃
　〃Lord　of　Light；　protect　us　in　the　darkness。〃
　〃Lord　of　Light；　shine　your　face　upon　us。〃
　〃Light　your　flame　among　us；　R'hllor；〃　said　the　red　priest。　〃Show　us　the　truth　or　falseness　of　this　man。　Strike　him　down　if　he　is　guilty；　and　give　strength　to　his　sword　if　he　is　true。　Lord　of　Light；　give　us　wisdom。〃
　〃For　the　night　is　dark；〃　the　others　chanted；　Harwin　and　Anguy　loud　as　all　the　rest；　〃and　full　of　terrors。〃
　〃This　cave　is　dark　too；〃　said　the　Hound；　〃but　I'm　the　terror　here。　I　hope　your　god's　a　sweet　one；　Dondarrion。　You're　going　to　meet　him　shortly。〃
　Unsmiling；　Lord　Beric　laid　the　edge　of　his　longsword　against　the　palm　of　his　left　hand；　and　drew　it　slowly　down。　Blood　ran　dark　from　the　gash　he　made；　and　washed　over　the　steel。
　And　then　the　sword　took　fire。
　Arya　heard　Gendry　whisper　a　prayer。
　〃Burn　in　seven　hells；〃　the　Hound　cursed。　〃You；　and　Thoros　too。〃　He　threw　a　glance　at　the　red　priest。　〃When　I'm　done　with　him　you'll　be　next；　Myr。〃
　〃Every　word　you　say　proclaims　your　guilt；　dog；〃　answered　Thoros；　while　Lem　and　Greenbeard　and　Jack…Be…Lucky　shouted　threats　and　curses。　Lord　Beric　himself　waited　silent；　calm　as　still　water；　his　shield　on　his　left　arm　and　his　sword　burning　in　his　right　hand。　Kill　him；　Arya　thought；　please；　you　have　to　kill　him。　Lit　from　below；　his　face　was　a　death　mask；　his　missing　eye　a　red　and　angry　wound。　The　sword　was　aflame　from　point　to　crossguard；　but　Dondarrion　seemed　not　to　feel　the　heat。　He　stood　so　still　he　might　have　been　carved　of　stone。
　But　when　the　Hound　charged　him；　he　moved　fast　enough。
　The　flaming　sword　leapt　up　to　meet　the　cold　one；　long　streamers　of　fire　trailing　in　its　wake　like　the　ribbons　the　Hound　had　spoken　of。　Steel　rang　on　steel。　No　sooner　was　his　first　slash　blocked　than　Clegane　made　another；　but　this　time　Lord　Beric's　shield　got　in　the　way；　and　wood　chips　flew　from　the　force　of　the　blow。　Hard　and　fast　the　cuts　came；　from　low　and　high；　from　right　and　left？　and　each　one　Dondarrion　blocked。　The　flames　swirled　about　his　sword　and　left　red　and　yellow　ghosts　to　mark　its　passage。　Each　move　Lord　Beric　made　fanned　them　and　made　them　burn　the　brighter；　until　it　seemed　as　though　the　lightning　lord　stood　within　a　cage　of　fire。　〃Is　it　wildfire？〃　Arya　asked　Gendry。
　〃No。　This　is　different。　This　is　。　。　。〃
　〃　。　。　。　magic？〃　she　finished　as　the　Hound　edged　back。　Now　it　was　Lord　Beric　attacking；　filling　the　air　with　ropes　of　fire；　driving　the　bigger　man　back　on　his　heels。　Clegane　caught　one　blow　high　on　his　shield；　and　a　painted　dog　lost　a　head。　He　countercut；　and　Dondarrion　interposed　his　own　shield　and　launched　a　fiery　backslash。　The　outlaw　brotherhood　shouted　on　their　leader。　〃He's　yours！〃　Arya　heard；　and　〃At　him！　At　him！　At　him！〃　The　Hound　parried　a　cut　at　his　head；　grimacing　as　the　heat　of　the　flames　beat　against　his　face。　He　grunted　and　cursed　and　reeled　away。
　Lord　Beric　gave　him　no　respite。　Hard　on　the　big　man's　heels　he　followed；　his　arm　never　still。　The　swords　clashed　and　sprang　apart　and　clashed　again；　splinters　flew　from　the　lightning　shield　while　swirling　flames　kissed　the　dogs　once；　and　twice；　and　thrice。　The　Hound　moved　to　his　right；　but　Dondarrion　blocked　him　with　a　quick　sidestep　and　drove　him　back　the　other　way　。　。　。　toward　the　sullen　red　blaze　of　the　firepit。　Clegane　gave　ground　until　he　felt　the　heat　at　his　back。　A　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder　showed　him　what　was　behind　him；　and　almost　cost　him　his　head　when　Lord　Beric　attacked　anew。
　Arya　could　see　the　whites　of　Sandor　Clegane's　eyes　as　he　bulled　his　way　forward　again。　Three　steps　up　and　two　back；　a　move　to　the　left　that　Lord　Beric　blocked；　two　more　forward　and　one　back；　clang　and　clang；　and　the　big　oaken　shields　took　blow　after　blow　after　blow。　The　Hound's　lank　dark　hair　was　plastered　to　his　brow　in　a　sheen　of　sweat。　Wine　sweat；　Arya　thought；　remembering　that　he'd　been　taken　drunk。　She　thought　she　could　see　the　beginnings　of　fear　wake　in　his　eyes。　He's　going　to　lose；　she　told　herself；　exulting；　as　Lord　Beric's　flaming　sword　whirled　and　slashed。　in　one　wild　flurry；　the　lightning　lord　took　back　all　the　ground　the　Hound　had　gained；　sending　Clegane　staggering　to　the　very　edge　of　the　firepit　once　more。　He　is；　he　is；　he's　going　to　die。　She　stood　on　her　toes　for　a　better　look。
　〃Bloody　bastard！〃　the　Hound　screamed　as　he　felt　the　fire　licking　against　the　back　of　his　thighs。　He　charged；　swinging　the　heavy　sword　harder　and　harder；　trying　to　smash　the　smaller　man　down　with　brute　force；　to　break　blade　or　shield　or　arm。　But　the　flames　of　Dondarrion's　parries　snapped　at　his　eyes；　and　when　the　Hound　jerked　away　from　them；　his　foot　went　out　from　under　him　and　he　staggered　to　one　knee。　At　once　Lord　Beric　closed；　his　downcut　screaming　through　the　air　trailing　permons　of　fire。　Panting　from　exertion；　Clegane　jerked　his　shield　up　over　his　head　just　in　time；　and　the　cave　rang　with　the　loud　crack　of　splintering　oak。
　〃His　shield　is　afire；〃　Gendry　said　in　a　hushed　voice。　Arya　saw　it　in　the　same　instant。　The　flames　had　spread　across　the　chipped　yellow　paint；　and　the　three　black　dogs　were　engulfed。
　Sandor　Clegane　had　fought　his　way　back　to　his　feet　with　a　reckless　counter