grrm.astormofswords-第168章

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　〃Some　wine　to　wash　it　down；〃　Robb　said。　〃And　salt。〃
　〃Bread　and　salt。　Heh。　Of　course；　of　course。〃　The　old　man　clapped　his　hands　together；　and　servants　came　into　the　hall；　bearing　flagons　of　wine　and　trays　of　bread；　cheese；　and　butter。　Lord　Walder　took　a　cup　of　red　himself；　and　raised　it　high　with　a　spotted　hand。　〃My　guests；〃　he　said。　〃My　honored　guests。　Be　wele　beneath　my　roof；　and　at　my　table。〃
　〃We　thank　you　for　your　hospitality；　my　lord；〃　Robb　replied。　Edmure　echoed　him；　along　with　the　Greatjon；　Ser　Marq　Piper；　and　the　others。　They　drank　his　wine　and　ate　his　bread　and　butter。　Catelyn　tasted　the　wine　and　nibbled　at　some　bread；　and　felt　much　the　better　for　it。　Now　we　should　be　safe；　she　thought。
　Knowing　how　petty　the　old　man　could　be；　she　had　expected　their　rooms　to　be　bleak　and　cheerless。　But　the　Freys　had　made　more　than　ample　provision　for　them；　it　seemed。　The　bridal　chamber　was　large　and　richly　appointed；　dominated　by　a　great　featherbed　with　corner　posts　carved　in　the　likeness　of　castle　towers。　its　draperies　were　Tully　red　and　blue；　a　nice　courtesy。　Sweet…smelling　carpets　covered　a　plank　floor；　and　a　tall　shuttered　window　opened　to　the　south。　Catelyn's　own　room　was　smaller；　but　handsomely　furnished　and　fortable；　with　a　fire　burning　in　the　hearth。　Lame　Lothar　assured　them　that　Robb　would　have　an　entire　suite；　as　befit　a　king。　〃If　there　is　anything　you　require；　you　need　only　tell　one　of　the　guards。〃　He　bowed　and　withdrew；　limping　heavily　as　he　made　his　way　down　the　curving　steps。
　〃We　should　post　our　own　guards；〃　Catelyn　told　her　brother。　She　would　rest　easier　with　Stark　and　Tully　men　outside　her　door。　The　audience　with　Lord　Walder　had　not　been　as　painful　as　she　feared；　yet　all　the　same　she　would　be　glad　to　be　done　with　this。　A　few　more　days；　and　Robb　will　be　off　to　battle；　and　me　to　a　fortable　captivity　at　Seagard。　Lord　Jason　would　show　her　every　courtesy；　she　had　no　doubt；　but　the　prospect　still　depressed　her。
　She　could　hear　the　sounds　of　horses　below　as　the　long　column　of　mounted　men　wound　their　way　across　the　bridge　from　castle　to　castle。　The　stones　rumbled　to　the　passage　of　heavy…laden　wayns。　Catelyn　went　to　the　window　and　gazed　out；　to　watch　Robb's　host　emerge　from　the　eastern　twin。　〃The　rain　seems　to　be　lessening。〃
　〃Now　that　we're　inside。〃　Edmure　stood　before　the　fire；　letting　the　warmth　wash　over　him。　〃What　did　you　make　of　Roslin？〃
　Too　small　and　delicate。　Childbirth　will　go　hard　on　her。　But　her　brother　seemed　well　pleased　with　the　girl；　so　all　she　said　was；　〃Sweet。〃
　〃I　believe　she　liked　me。　Why　was　she　crying？〃
　〃She's　a　maid　on　the　eve　of　her　wedding。　A　few　tears　are　to　be　expected。〃　Lysa　had　wept　lakes　the　morning　of　their　own　wedding；　though　she　had　managed　to　be　dry…eyed　and　radiant　when　Jon　Arryn　swept　his　cream…and…blue　cloak　about　her　shoulders。
　〃She's　prettier　than　I　dared　hope。〃　Edmure　raised　a　hand　before　she　could　speak。　〃I　know　there　are　more　important　things；　spare　me　the　sermon；　septa。　Even　so　。　。　。　did　you　see　some　of　those　other　maids　Frey　trotted　out？　The　one　with　the　twitch？　Was　that　the　shaking　sickness？　And　those　twins　had　more　craters　and　eruptions　on　their　faces　than　Petyr　Pimple。　When　I　saw　that　lot；　I　knew　Roslin　would　be　bald　and　one…eyed；　with　jinglebell's　wits　and　Black　Walder's　temper。　But　she　seems　gentle　as　well　as　fair。〃　He　looked　perplexed；　〃Why　would　the　old　weasel　refuse　to　let　me　choose　unless　he　meant　to　foist　off　someone　hideous？〃
　〃Your　fondness　for　a　pretty　face　is　well　known；〃　Catelyn　reminded　him。　〃Perhaps　Lord　Walder　actually　wants　you　to　be　happy　with　your　bride。〃　Or　more　like；　he　did　not　want　you　balking　over　a　boil　and　upsetting　all　his　plans。　〃Or　it　may　be　that　Roslin　is　the　old　man's　favorite。　The　Lord　of　Riverrun　is　a　much　better　match　than　most　of　his　daughters　can　hope　for。〃
　〃True。〃　Her　brother　still　seemed　uncertain；　however。　〃Is　it　possible　the　girl　is　barren？〃
　〃Lord　Walder　wants　his　grandson　to　inherit　Riverrun。　How　would　it　serve　him　to　give　you　a　barren　wife？〃
　〃It　rids　him　of　a　daughter　no　one　else　would　take。〃
　〃Small　good　that　will　do　him。　Walder　Frey　is　a　peevish　man；　not　a　stupid　one。〃
　〃Still　。　。　。　it　is　possible？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Catelyn　conceded；　reluctantly。　〃There　are　illnesses　a　girl　can　have　in　childhood　that　leave　her　unable　to　conceive。　There's　no　reason　to　believe　that　Lady　Roslin　was　so　afflicted；　though。〃　She　looked　round　the　room。　〃The　Freys　have　received　us　more　kindly　than　I　had　anticipated；　if　truth　be　told。〃
　Edmure　laughed。　〃A　few　barbed　words　and　some　unseemly　gloating。　From　him　that's　courtesy。　I　expected　the　old　weasel　to　piss　in　our　wine　and　make　us　praise　the　vintage。〃
　The　jest　left　Catelyn　strangely　disquieted。　〃If　you　will　excuse　me；　I　should　change　from　these　wet　clothes。
　〃As　you　wish。〃　Edmure　yawned。　〃I　may　nap　an　hour。〃
　She　retreated　to　her　own　room。　The　chest　of　clothes　she'd　brought　from　Riverrun　had　been　carried　up　and　laid　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　After　she'd　undressed　and　hung　her　wet　clothing　by　the　fire；　she　donned　a　warm　wool　dress　of　Tully　red　and　blue；　washed　and　brushed　her　hair　and　let　it　dry；　and　went　in　search　of　Freys。
　Lord　Walder's　black　oak　throne　was　empty　when　she　entered　the　hall；　but　some　of　his　sons　were　drinking　by　the　fire。　Lame　Lothar　rose　clumsily　when　he　saw　her。　〃Lady　Catelyn；　I　thought　you　would　be　resting。　How　may　I　be　of　service？〃
　〃Are　these　your　brothers？〃　she　asked。
　〃Brothers　half…brothers；　good　brothers；　and　nephews。　Raymund　and　I　shared　a　mother。　Lord　Lucias　Vypren　is　my　halfsister　Lythene's　husband；　and　Ser　Damon　is　their　son。　My　half…brother　Ser　Hosteen　I　believe　you　know。　And　this　is　Ser　Leslyn　Haigh　and　his　sons；　Ser　Harys　and　Ser　Donnel。〃
　〃Well　met；　sers。　Is　Ser　Perwyn　about？　He　helped　escort　me　to　Storm's　End　and　back；　when　Robb　sent　me　to　speak　with　Lord　Renly。　I　was　looking　forward　to　seeing　him　again。〃
　〃Perwyn　is　away；〃　Lame　Lothar　said。　〃I　shall　give　him　your　regards。　I　know　he　will　regret　having　missed　you。〃
　〃Surely　he　will　return　in　time　for　Lady　Roslin's　wedding？〃
　〃He　had　hoped　to；　〃　said　Lame　Lothar；　〃but　with　this　rain　。　。　。　you　saw　how　the　rivers　ran；　my　lady。〃
　〃I　did　indeed；〃　said　Catelyn。　〃I　wonder　if　you　would　be　so　good　as　to　direct　me　to　your　maester？〃
　〃Are　you　unwell；　my　lady？〃　asked　Ser　Hosteen；　a　powerful　man　with　a　square　strong　jaw。
　〃A　woman's　plaint。　Nothing　to　concern　you；　ser。〃
　Lothar；　ever　gracious；　escorted　her　from　the　hall；　up　some　steps；　and　across　a　covered　bridge　to　another　stair。　〃You　should　find　Maester　Brenett　in　the　turret　on　the　top；　my　lady。〃
　Catelyn　half　expected　that　the　maester　would　be　yet　another　son　of　Walder　Frey's；　but　Brenett　did　not　have　the　look。　He　was　a　great　fat　man；　bald　and　double…chinned　and　none　too　clean；　to　judge　from　the　raven　droppings　that　stained　the　sleeves　of　his　robes；　yet　he　seemed　amiable　enough。　When　she　told　him　of　Edmure's　concerns　about　Lady　Roslin's　fertility；　he　chuckled。　〃Your　lord　brother　need　have　no　fear；　Lady　Catelyn。　She's　small；　I'll　grant　you；　and　narrow　in　the　hips；　but　her　mother　was　the　same；　and　Lady　Bethany　gave　Lord　Walder　a　child　every　year。〃
　〃How　many　lived　past　infancy？〃　she　asked　bluntly。
　〃Five。〃　He　ticked　them　off　on　fingers　plump　as　sausages。　〃Ser　Perwyn。　Ser　Benfrey。　Maester　Willamen；　who　took　his　vows　last　year　and　now　serves　Lord　Hunter　in　the　Vale。　Olyvar；　who　squired　for　your　son。　And　Lady　Roslin；　the　youngest。　Four　boys　to　one　girl。　Lord　Edmure　will　have　more　sons　than　he　knows　what　to　do　with。〃
　〃I　am　sure　that　will　please　him。〃　So　the　girl　was　like　to　be　fertile　as　well　as　fair　of　face。　That　should　put　Edmure's　mind　at　ease。　Lord　Walder　had　left　her　brother　no　cause　for　plaint；　so　far　as　she　could　see。
　Catelyn　did　not　return　to　her　own　room　after　leaving　the　maester；　instead　she　went　to　Robb。　She　found　Robin　Flint　and　Ser　Wendel　Manderly　with　him；　along　with　the　Greatjon　and　his　son；　who　was　still　called　the　Smalljon　though　he　threatened　to　overtop　his　father。　They　were　all　damp。　Another　man；　still　wetter；　stood　before　the　fire　in　a　pale　pink　cloak　trimmed　with　white　fur。　〃Lord　Bolton；〃　she　said。
　〃Lady　Catelyn；〃　he　replied；　his　voice　faint；　〃it　is　a　pleasure　to　look　on　you　again；　even　in　such　trying　times。