grrm.astormofswords-第131章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃No；〃　Tyrion　admitted　warily。
　〃Why；　if　the　gods　were　cruel；　they　would　have　made　me　my　mother's　firstborn；　and　Doran　her　third。　I　am　a　bloodthirsty　man；　you　see。　And　it　is　me　you　must　contend　with　now；　not　my　patient；　prudent；　and　gouty　brother。〃
　Tyrion　could　see　the　sun　shining　on　the　Blackwater　Rush　half　a　mile　ahead；　and　on　the　walls　and　towers　and　hills　of　King's　Landing　beyond。
　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　at　the　glittering　column　following　them　up　the　kingsroad。　〃You　speak　like　a　man　with　a　great　host　at　his　back；〃　he　said；　〃yet　all　I　see　are　three　hundred。　Do　you　spy　that　city　there；　north　of　the　river？〃
　〃The　midden　heap　you　call　King's　Landing？〃
　〃That's　the　very　one。〃
　〃Not　only　do　I　see　it；　I　believe　I　smell　it　now。〃
　〃Then　take　a　good　sniff；　my　lord。　Fill　up　your　nose。　Half　a　million　people　stink　more　than　three　hundred；　you'll　find。　Do　you　smell　the　gold　cloaks？　There　are　near　five　thousand　of　them。　My　father's　own　swom　swords　must　account　for　another　twenty　thousand。　And　then　there　are　the　roses。　Roses　smell　so　sweet；　don't　they？　Especially　when　there　are　so　many　of　them。　Fifty；　sixty；　seventy　thousand　roses；　in　the　city　or　camped　outside　it；　I　can't　really　say　how　many　are　left；　but　there's　more　than　I　care　to　count；　anyway。〃
　Martell　gave　a　shrug。　〃In　Dome　of　old　before　we　married　Dacron；　it　was　said　that　all　flowers　bow　before　the　sun。　Should　the　roses　seek　to　hinder　me　I'll　gladly　trample　them　underfoot。〃
　〃As　you　trampled　Willas　Tyrell？〃
　The　Domishman　did　not　react　as　expected。　〃I　had　a　letter　from　Willas　not　half　a　year　past。　We　share　an　interest　in　fine　horseflesh。　He　has　never　borne　me　any　ill　will　for　what　happened　in　the　lists。　I　struck　his　breastplate　clean；　but　his　foot　caught　in　a　stirrup　as　he　fell　and　his　horse　came　down　on　top　of　him。　I　sent　a　maester　to　him　afterward；　but　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　save　the　boy's　leg。　The　knee　was　far　past　mending。　If　any　were　to　blame；　it　was　his　fool　of　a　father。　Willas　Tyrell　was　green　as　his　surcoat　and　had　no　business　riding　in　such　pany。　The　Fat　Flower　thrust　him　into　tourneys　at　too　tender　an　age；　just　as　he　did　with　the　other　two。　He　wanted　another　Leo　Longthom；　and　made　himself　a　cripple。〃
　〃There　are　those　who　say　Ser　Loras　is　better　than　Leo　Longthom。　ever　was；〃　said　Tyrion。
　〃Renly's　little　rose？　I　doubt　that。〃
　〃Doubt　it　all　you　wish；〃　said　Tyrion；　〃but　Ser　Loras　has　defeated　many　good　knights；　including　my　brother　Jaime。〃
　〃By　defeated；　you　mean　unhorsed；　in　tourney。　Tell　me　who　he's　slain　in　battle　if　you　mean　to　frighten　me。〃
　〃Ser　Robar　Royce　and　Ser　Emmon　Cuy；　for　two。　And　men　say　he　performed　prodigious　feats　of　valor　on　the　Blackwater；　fighting　beside　Lord　Renly's　ghost。〃
　〃So　these　same　men　who　saw　the　prodigious　feats　saw　the　ghost　as　well；　yes？〃　The　Domishman　laughed　lightly。
　Tyrion　gave　him　a　long　look。　〃Chataya's　on　the　Street　of　Silk　has　several　girls　who　might　suit　your　needs。　Dancy　has　hair　the　color　of　honey。　Marei's　is　pale　white…gold。　I　would　advise　you　to　keep　one　or　the　other　by　your　side　at　all　times；　my　lord。〃
　〃At　all　times？〃　Prince　Oberyn　lifted　a　thin　black　eyebrow。　〃And　why　is　that；　my　good　imp？〃
　〃You　want　to　die　with　a　breast　in　hand；　you　said。〃　Tyrion　cantered　on　ahead　to　where　the　ferry　barges　waited　on　the　south　bank　of　the　Blackwater。　He　had　suffered　all　he　meant　to　suffer　of　what　passed　for　Dornish　wit。　Father　should　have　sent　Joffrey　after　all。　He　could　have　asked　Prince　Oberyn　if　he　knew　how　a　Dornishman　differed　from　a　cowflop。　That　made　him　grin　despite　himself。　He　would　have　to　make　a　point　of　being　on　hand　when　the　Red　Viper　was　presented　to　the　king。
　
　CHAPTER　39
　ARYA
　
　The　man　on　the　roof　was　the　first　to　die。　He　was　crouched　down　by　the　chimney　two　hundred　yards　away；　no　more　than　a　vague　shadow　in　the　predawn　gloom；　but　as　the　sky　began　to　lighten　he　stirred；　stretched；　and　stood。　Anguy's　arrow　took　him　in　the　chest。　He　tumbled　bonelessly　down　the　steep　slate　pitch；　and　fell　in　front　of　the　septry　door。
　The　Mummers　had　posted　two　guards　there；　but　their　torch　left　them　night　blind；　and　the　outlaws　had　crept　in　close。　Kyle　and　Notch　let　fly　together。　One　man　went　down　with　an　arrow　through　his　throat；　the　other　through　his　belly。　The　second　man　dropped　the　torch；　and　the　flames　licked　up　at　him。　He　screamed　as　his　clothes　took　fire；　and　that　was　the　end　of　stealth。　Thoros　gave　a　shout；　and　the　outlaws　attacked　in　earnest。
　Arya　watched　from　atop　her　horse；　on　the　crest　of　the　wooded　ridge　that　overlooked　the　septry；　mill；　brewhouse；　and　stables　and　the　desolation　of　weeds；　burnt　trees；　and　mud　that　surrounded　them。　The　trees　were　mostly　bare　now；　and　the　few　withered　brown　leaves　that　still　clung　to　the　branches　did　little　to　obstruct　her　view。　Lord　Beric　had　left　Beardless　Dick　and　Mudge　to　guard　them。　Arya　hated　being　left　behind　like　she　was　some　stupid　child；　but　at　least　Gendry　had　been　kept　back　as　well。　She　knew　better　than　to　try　and　argue。　This　was　battle；　and　in　battle　you　had　to　obey。
　The　eastern　horizon　glowed　gold　and　pink；　and　overhead　a　half　moon　peeked　out　through　low　scuttling　clouds。　The　wind　blew　cold；　and　Arya　could　hear　the　rush　of　water　and　the　creak　of　the　mill's　great　wooden　waterwheel。　There　was　a　smell　of　rain　in　the　dawn　air；　but　no　drops　were　falling　yet。　Flaming　arrows　flew　through　the　morning　mists；　trailing　pale　ribbons　of　fire；　and　thudded　into　the　wooden　walls　of　the　septry。　A　few　smashed　through　shuttered　windows；　and　soon　enough　thin　tendrils　of　smoke　were　rising　between　the　broken　shutters。
　Two　Mummers　came　bursting　from　the　septry　side　by　side；　axes　in　their　hands。　Anguy　and　the　other　archers　were　waiting。　One　axeman　died　at　once。　The　other　managed　to　duck；　so　the　shaft　ripped　through　his　shoulder。　He　staggered　on；　till　two　more　arrows　found　him；　so　quickly　it　was　hard　to　say　which　had　struck　first。　The　long　shafts　punched　through　his　breastplate　as　if　it　had　been　made　of　silk　instead　of　steel。　He　fell　heavily。　Anguy　had　arrows　tipped　with　bodkins　as　well　as　broadheads。　A　bodkin　could　pierce　even　heavy　plate。　I'm　going　to　learn　to　shoot　a　bow；　Arya　thought。　She　loved　sword　fighting；　but　she　could　see　how　arrows　were　good　too。
　Flames　were　creeping　up　the　west　wall　of　the　septry；　and　thick　smoke　poured　through　a　broken　window。　A　Myrish　crossbowman　poked　his　head　out　a　different　window；　got　off　a　bolt；　and　ducked　down　to　rewind。　She　could　hear　fighting　from　the　stables　as　well；　shouts　well　mingled　with　the　screams　of　horses　and　the　clang　of　steel。　Kill　them　all；　she　thought　fiercely。　She　bit　her　lip　so　hard　she　tasted　blood。　Kill　every　single　one。
　The　crossbowman　appeared　again；　but　no　sooner　had　he　loosed　than　three　arrows　hissed　past　his　head。　One　rattled　off　his　helm。　He　vanished；　bow　and　all。　Arya　could　see　flames　in　several　of　the　second…story　windows。　Between　the　smoke　and　the　morning　mists；　the　air　was　a　haze　of　blowing　black　and　white。　Anguy　and　the　other　bowmen　were　creeping　closer；　the　better　to　find　targets。
　Then　the　septry　erupted；　the　Mummers　boiling　out　like　angry　ants。　Two　ibbenese　rushed　through　the　door　with　shaggy　brown　shields　held　high　before　them；　and　behind　them　came　a　Dothraki　with　a　great　curved　arakh　and　bells　in　his　braid；　and　behind　him　three　Volantene　sellswords　covered　with　fierce　tattoos。　Others　were　climbing　out　windows　and　leaping　to　the　ground。　Arya　saw　a　man　take　an　arrow　through　the　chest　with　one　leg　across　a　windowsill；　and　heard　his　scream　as　he　fell。　The　smoke　was　thickening。　Quarrels　and　arrows　sped　back　and　forth。　Watty　fell　with　a　grunt；　his　bow　slipping　from　his　hand。　Kyle　was　trying　to　nock　another　shaft　to　his　string　when　a　man　in　black　mail　flung　a　spear　through　his　belly。　She　heard　Lord　Beric　shout。　From　out　of　the　ditches　and　trees　the　rest　of　his　band　came　pouring；　steel　in　hand。　Arya　saw　Lem's　bright　yellow　cloak　flapping　behind　him　as　he　rode　down　the　man　who'd　killed　Kyle。　Thoros　and　Lord　Beric　were　everywhere；　their　swords　swirling　fire。　The　red　priest　hacked　at　a　hide　shield　until　it　flew　to　pieces；　while　his　horse　kicked　the　man　in　the　face。　A　Dothraki　screamed　and　charged　the　lightning　lord；　and　the　flaming　sword　leapt　out　to　meet　his　arakh。　The　blades