grrm.astormofswords-第150章

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　〃I　understand　you　had　a　visitor　last　night；〃　said　Qyburn。　〃I　trust　that　you　enjoyed　her？〃
　Jaime　gave　him　a　cool　look。　〃She　did　not　say　who　sent　her。〃
　The　maester　smiled　modestly。　〃Your　fever　was　largely　gone；　and　I　thought　you　might　enjoy　a　bit　of　exercise。　Pia　is　quite　skilled；　would　you　not　agree？　And　so　。　。　。　willing。〃
　She　had　been　that；　certainly。　She　had　slipped　in　his　door　and　out　of　her　clothes　so　quickly　that　Jaime　had　thought　he　was　still　dreaming。
　It　hadn't　been　until　the　woman　slid　in　under　his　blankets　and　put　his　good　hand　on　her　breast　that　he　roused。　She　was　a　pretty　little　thing；　too。　〃I　was　a　slip　of　a　girl　when　you　came　for　Lord　Whent's　tourney　and　the　king　gave　you　your　cloak；〃　she　confessed。　〃You　were　so　handsome　all　in　white；　and　everyone　said　what　a　brave　knight　you　were。　Sometimes　when　I'm　with　some　man；　I　close　my　eyes　and　pretend　it's　you　on　top　of　me；　with　your　smooth　skin　and　gold　curls。　I　never　truly　thought　I'd　have　you；　though。〃
　Sending　her　away　had　not　been　easy　after　that；　but　Jaime　had　done　it　all　the　same。　I　have　a　woman；　he　reminded　himself。　〃Do　you　send　girls　to　everyone　you　leech？〃　he　asked　Qyburn。
　〃More　often　Lord　Vargo　sends　them　to　me。　He　likes　me　to　examine　them；　before　。　。　。　well；　suffice　it　to　say　that　once　he　loved　unwisely；　and　he　has　no　wish　to　do　so　again。　But　have　no　fear；　Pia　is　quite　healthy。　As　is　your　maid　of　Tarth。〃
　Jaime　gave　him　a　sharp　look。　〃Brienne？〃
　〃Yes。　A　strong　girl；　that　one。　And　her　maidenhead　is　still　intact。　As　of　last　night；　at　least。〃　Qyburn　gave　a　chuckle。
　〃He　sent　you　to　examine　her？〃
　〃To　be　sure。　He　is　。　。　。　fastidious；　shall　we　say？〃
　〃Does　this　concern　the　ransom？〃　Jaime　asked。　〃Does　her　father　require　proof　she　is　still　maiden？〃
　〃You　have　not　heard？〃　Qyburn　gave　a　shrug。　〃We　had　a　bird　from　Lord　Selwyn。　In　answer　to　mine。　The　Evenstar　offers　three　hundred　dragons　for　his　daughter's　safe　return。　I　had　told　Lord　Vargo　there　were　no　sapphires　on　Tarth；　but　he　will　not　listen。　He　is　convinced　the　Evenstar　intends　to　cheat　him。〃
　〃Three　hundred　dragons　is　a　fair　ransom　for　a　knight。　The　goat　should　take　what　he　can　get。〃
　〃The　goat　is　Lord　of　Harrenhal；　and　the　Lord　of　Harrenhal　does　not　haggle。〃
　The　news　irritated　him；　though　he　supposed　he　should　have　seen　it　ing。　The　lie　spared　you　awhile；　wench。　Be　grateful　for　that　much。　〃If　her　maidenhead's　as　hard　as　the　rest　of　her；　the　goat　will　break　his　cock　off　trying　to　get　in；〃　he　jested。　Brienne　was　tough　enough　to　survive　a　few　rapes；　Jaime　judged；　though　if　she　resisted　too　vigorously　Vargo　Hoat　might　start　lopping　off　her　hands　and　feet。　And　if　he　does；　why　should　I　care？　I　might　still　have　a　hand　if　she　had　let　me　have　my　cousin's　sword　without　getting　stupid。　He　had　almost　taken　off　her　leg　himself　with　that　first　stroke　of　his；　but　after　that　she　had　given　him　more　than　he　wanted。　Hoat　may　not　know　how　freakish　strong　she　is。　He　had　best　be　careful；　or　she'll　snap　that　skinny　neck　of　his；　and　wouldn't　that　be　sweet？
　Qybum's　panionship　was　wearing　on　him。　Jaime　trotted　toward　the　head　of　the　column。　A　round　little　tick　of　a　northman　name　of　Nage　went　before　Steelshanks　with　the　peace　banner；　a　rainbow…striped　flag　with　seven　long　tails；　on　a　staff　topped　by　a　seven…pointed　star。　〃Shouldn't　you　northmen　have　a　different　sort　of　peace　banner？〃　he　asked　Walton。　〃What　are　the　Seven　to　you？〃
　〃Southron　gods；〃　the　man　said；　〃but　it's　a　southron　peace　we　need；　to　get　you　safe　to　your　father。〃
　My　father。　Jaime　wondered　whether　Lord　Tywin　had　received　the　goat's　demand　for　ransom；　with　or　without　his　rotted　hand。　What　is　a　swordsman　worth　without　his　sword　hand？　Half　the　gold　in　Casterly　Rock？
　Three　hundred　dragons？　Or　nothing？　His　father　had　never　been　unduly　swayed　by　sentiment。　Tywin　Lannister's　own　father　Lord　Tytos　had　once　imprisoned　an　unruly　bannerman；　Lord　Tarbeck。　The　redoubtable　Lady　Tarbeck　responded　by　capturing　three　Lannisters；　including　young　Stafford；　whose　sister　was　betrothed　to　cousin　Tywin。　〃Send　back　my　lord　and　love；　or　these　three　shall　answer　for　any　harm　that　es　him；〃　she　had　written　to　Casterly　Rock。　Young　Tywin　suggested　his　father　oblige　by　sending　back　Lord　Tarbeck　in　three　pieces。　Lord　Tytos　was　a　gentler　sort　of　lion；　however；　so　Lady　Tarbeck　won　a　few　more　years　for　her　muttonheaded　lord；　and　Stafford　wed　and　bred　and　blundered　on　till　Oxcross。　But　Tywin　Lannister　endured；　eternal　as　Casterly　Rock。　And　now　you　have　a　cripple　for　a　son　as　well　as　a　dwarf；　my　lord。　How　you　will　hate　that　。　。　。
　The　road　led　them　through　a　burned　village。　It　must　have　been　a　year　or　more　since　the　place　had　been　put　to　torch。　The　hovels　stood　blackened　and　roofless；　but　weeds　were　growing　waist　high　in　all　the　surrounding　fields。　Steelshanks　called　a　halt　to　allow　them　to　water　the　horses。　I　know　this　place　too；　Jaime　thought　as　he　waited　by　the　well。　There　had　been　a　small　inn　where　only　a　few　foundation　stones　and　a　chimney　now　stood；　and　he　had　gone　in　for　a　cup　of　ale。　A　dark…eyed　serving　wench　brought　him　cheese　and　apples；　but　the　innkeep　had　refused　his　coin。　〃It's　an　honor　to　have　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard　under　my　roof；　ser；〃　the　man　had　said。　〃It's　a　tale　I'll　tell　my　grandchildren。〃　Jaime　looked　at　the　chimney　poking　out　of　the　weeds　and　wondered　whether　he　had　ever　gotten　those　grandchildren。　Did　he　tell　them　the　Kingslayer　once　drank　his　ale　and　ate　his　cheese　and　apples；　or　was　he　ashamed　to　admit　he　fed　the　likes　of　me？　Not　that　he　would　ever　know；　whoever　burned　the　inn　had　likely　killed　the　grandchildren　as　well。
　He　could　feel　his　phantom　fingers　clench。　When　Steelshanks　said　that　perhaps　they　should　have　a　fire　and　a　bit　of　food；　Jaime　shook　his　head。　〃I　mislike　this　place。　We'll　ride　on。〃
　By　evenfall　they　had　left　the　lake　to　follow　a　rutted　track　through　a　wood　of　oak　and　elm。　Jaime's　stump　was　throbbing　dully　when　Steelshanks　decided　to　make　camp。　Qyburn　had　brought　a　skin　of　dreamwine；　thankfully。　While　Walton　set　the　watches；　Jaime　stretched　out　near　the　fire　and　propped　a　rolled…up　bearskin　against　a　stump　as　a　pillow　for　his　head。　The　wench　would　have　told　him　he　had　to　eat　before　he　slept；　to　keep　his　strength　up；　but　he　was　more　tired　than　hungry。　He　closed　his　eyes；　and　hoped　to　dream　of　Cersei。　The　fever　dreams　were　all　so　vivid　。　。　。
　Naked　and　alone　he　stood；　surrounded　by　enemies；　with　stone　walls　all　around　him　pressing　close。　The　Rock；　he　knew。　He　could　feel　the　immense　weight　of　it　above　his　head。　He　was　home。　He　was　home　and　whole。
　He　held　his　right　hand　up　and　flexed　his　fingers　to　feel　the　strength　in　them。　it　felt　as　good　as　sex。　As　good　as　swordplay。　Four　fingers　and　a　thumb。　He　had　dreamed　that　he　was　maimed；　but　it　wasn't　so。　Relief　made　him　dizzy。　My　hand；　my　good　hand。　Nothing　could　hurt　him　so　long　as　he　was　whole。
　Around　him　stood　a　dozen　tall　dark　figures　in　cowled　robes　that　hid　their　faces。　In　their　hands　were　spears。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded　of　them。　〃What　business　do　you　have　in　Casterly　Rock？〃
　They　gave　no　answer；　only　prodded　him　with　the　points　of　their　spears。　He　had　no　choice　but　to　descend。　Down　a　twisting　passageway　he　went；　narrow　steps　carved　from　the　living　rock；　down　and　down。　I　must　go　up；　he　told　himself。　Up；　not　down。　Why　am　I　going　down？　Below　the　earth　his　doom　awaited；　he　knew　with　the　certainty　of　dream；　something　dark　and　terrible　lurked　there；　something　that　wanted　him。　Jaime　tried　to　halt；　but　their　spears　prodded　him　on。　If　only　I　had　my　sword；　nothing　could　harm　me。
　The　steps　ended　abruptly　on　echoing　darkness。　Jaime　had　the　sense　of　vast　space　before　him。　He　jerked　to　a　halt；　teetering　on　the　edge　of　nothingness。　A　spearpoint　jabbed　at　the　small　of　the　back；　shoving　him　into　the　abyss。　He　shouted；　but　the　fall　was　short。　He　landed　on　his　hands　and　knees；　upon　soft　sand　and　shallow　water。　There　were　watery　caverns　deep　below　Casterly　Rock；　but　this　one　was　strange　to　him。　〃What　place　is　this？〃
　〃Your　place。〃　The　voice　echoed；　it　was　a　hundred　voices；　a　thousand；　the　voices　of　all　the　Lannisters　since　Lann　the　Clever；　who'd　lived　at　the　dawn　of　days。　But　most　of　all　it　was　his　father's　voice；　and　beside　Lord　Tywin　stood　his　sister；　pale　and　beautiful；　a　torc