grrm.astormofswords-第177章

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haky　old　legs　could　take　him。　Tyrion　remained　where　he　was。
　〃Father；　I　am　sorry；〃　Cersei　said；　when　the　door　was　shut。　〃Joff　has　always　been　willful；　I　did　warn　you　。　。　。〃
　〃There　is　a　long　league's　worth　of　difference　between　willful　and　stupid。　'A　strong　king　acts　boldly？'　Who　told　him　that？〃
　〃Not　me；　I　promise　you；〃　said　Cersei。　〃Most　like　it　was　something　he　heard　Robert　say　。　。　。〃
　〃The　part　about　you　hiding　under　Casterly　Rock　does　sound　like　Robert。〃　Tyrion　didn't　want　Lord　Tywin　forgetting　that　bit。
　〃Yes；　I　recall　now；〃　Cersei　said；　〃Robert　often　told　Joff　that　a　king　must　be　bold。〃
　〃And　what　were　you　telling　him；　pray？　I　did　not　fight　a　war　to　seat　Robert　the　Second　on　the　Iron　Throne。　You　gave　me　to　understand　the　boy　cared　nothing　for　his　father。〃
　〃Why　would　he？　Robert　ignored　him。　He　would　have　beat　him　if　I'd　allowed　it。　That　brute　you　made　me　marry　once　hit　the　boy　so　hard　he　knocked　out　two　of　his　baby　teeth；　over　some　mischief　with　a　cat。　I　told　him　I'd　kill　him　in　his　sleep　if　he　ever　did　it　again；　and　he　never　did；　but　sometimes　he　would　say　things　。　。　。〃
　〃It　appears　things　needed　to　be　said。〃　Lord　Tywin　waved　two　fingers　at　her；　a　brusque　dismissal。　〃Go。〃
　She　went；　seething。
　〃Not　Robert　the　Second；〃　Tyrion　said。　〃Aerys　the　Third。〃
　〃The　boy　is　thirteen。　There　is　time　yet。〃　Lord　Tywin　paced　to　the　window。　That　was　unlike　him；　he　was　more　upset　than　he　wished　to　show。　〃He　requires　a　sharp　lesson。〃
　Tyrion　had　gotten　his　own　sharp　lesson　at　thirteen。　He　felt　almost　sorry　for　his　nephew。　On　the　other　hand；　no　one　deserved　it　more。　〃Enough　of　Joffrey；〃　he　said。　〃Wars　are　won　with　quills　and　ravens；　wasn't　that　what　you　said？　I　must　congratulate　you。　How　long　have　you　and　Walder　Frey　been　plotting　this？〃
　〃I　mislike　that　word；〃　Lord　Tywin　said　stiffly。
　〃And　I　mislike　being　left　in　the　dark。〃
　〃There　was　no　reason　to　tell　you。　You　had　no　part　in　this。〃
　〃Was　Cersei　told？〃　Tyrion　demanded　to　know。
　〃No　one　was　told；　save　those　who　had　a　part　to　play。　And　they　were　only　told　as　much　as　they　needed　to　know。　You　ought　to　know　that　there　is　no　other　way　to　keep　a　secret…here；　especially。　My　object　was　to　rid　us　of　a　dangerous　enemy　as　cheaply　as　I　could；　not　to　indulge　your　curiosity　or　make　your　sister　feel　important。〃　He　closed　the　shutters；　frowning。　〃You　have　a　certain　cunning；　Tyrion；　but　the　plain　truth　is　you　talk　too　much。　That　loose　tongue　of　yours　will　be　your　undoing。〃
　〃You　should　have　let　Joff　tear　it　out；〃　suggested　Tyrion。
　〃You　would　do　well　not　to　tempt　me；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃I'll　hear　no　more　of　this。　I　have　been　considering　how　best　to　appease　Oberyn　Martell　and　his　entourage。〃
　〃Oh？　Is　this　something　I'm　allowed　to　know；　or　should　I　leave　so　you　can　discuss　it　with　yourself？〃
　His　father　ignored　the　sally。　〃Prince　Oberyn's　presence　here　is　unfortunate。　His　brother　is　a　cautious　man；　a　reasoned　man；　subtle；　deliberate；　even　indolent　to　a　degree。　He　is　a　man　who　weighs　the　consequences　of　every　word　and　every　action。　But　Oberyn　has　always　been　half…mad。〃
　〃Is　it　true　he　tried　to　raise　Dome　for　Viserys？〃
　〃No　one　speaks　of　it；　but　yes。　Ravens　flew　and　riders　rode；　with　what　secret　messages　I　never　knew。　Jon　Arryn　sailed　to　Sunspear　to　return　Prince　Lewyn's　bones；　sat　down　with　Prince　Doran；　and　ended　all　the　talk　of　war。　But　Robert　never　went　to　Dome　thereafter；　and　Prince　Oberyn　seldom　left　it。〃
　〃Well；　he's　here　now；　with　half　the　nobility　of　Dome　in　his　tail；　and　he　grows　more　impatient　every　day；〃　said　Tyrion。　〃Perhaps　I　should　show　him　the　brothels　of　King's　Landing；　that　might　distract　him。　A　tool　for　every　task；　isn't　that　how　it　works？　My　tool　is　yours；　Father。　Never　let　it　be　said　that　House　Lannister　blew　its　trumpets　and　I　did　not　respond。〃
　Lord　Tywin's　mouth　tightened。　〃Very　droll。　Shall　I　have　them　sew　you　a　suit　of　motley；　and　a　little　hat　with　bells　on　it？〃
　〃If　I　wear　it；　do　I　have　leave　to　say　anything　I　want　about　His　Grace　King　Joffrey？〃
　Lord　Tywin　seated　himself　again　and　said；　〃I　was　made　to　suffer　my　father's　follies。　I　will　not　suffer　yours。　Enough。〃
　〃Very　well；　as　you　ask　so　pleasantly。　The　Red　Viper　is　not　going　to　be　pleasant；　I　fear　。　。　。　nor　will　he　content　himself　with　Ser　Gregor's　head　alone。〃
　〃All　the　more　reason　not　to　give　it　to　him。〃
　〃Not　to　。　。　。　？〃　Tyrion　was　shocked。　〃I　thought　we　were　agreed　that　the　woods　were　full　of　beasts。〃
　〃Lesser　beasts。〃　Lord　Tywin's　fingers　laced　together　under　his　chin。　〃Ser　Gregor　has　served　us　well。　No　other　knight　in　the　realm　inspires　such　terror　in　our　enemies。〃
　〃Oberyn　knows　that　Gregor　was　the　one　who　。　。　。〃
　〃He　knows　nothing。　He　has　heard　tales。　Stable　gossip　and　kitchen　calumnies。　He　has　no　crumb　of　proof。　Ser　Gregor　is　certainly　not　about　to　confess　to　him。　I　mean　to　keep　him　well　away　for　so　long　as　the　Domishmen　are　in　King's　Landing。〃
　〃And　when　Oberyn　demands　the　justice　he's　e　for？〃
　〃I　will　tell　him　that　Ser　Amory　Lorch　killed　Elia　and　her　children；〃　Lord　Tywin　said　calmly。　〃So　will　you；　if　he　asks。〃
　〃Ser　Amory　Lorch　is　dead；〃　Tyrion　said　flatly。
　〃Precisely。　Vargo　Hoat　had　Ser　Amory　torn　apart　by　a　bear　after　the　fall　of　Harrenhal。　That　ought　to　be　sufficiently　grisly　to　appease　even　Oberyn　Martell。〃
　〃You　may　call　that　justice　。　。　。
　〃It　is　justice。　It　was　Ser　Amory　who　brought　me　the　girl's　body；　if　you　must　know。　He　found　her　hiding　under　her　father's　bed；　as　if　she　believed　Rhaegar　could　still　protect　her。　Princess　Elia　and　the　babe　were　in　the　nursery　a　floor　below。〃
　〃Well；　it's　a　tale；　and　Ser　Amory's　not　like　to　deny　it。　What　will　you　tell　Oberyn　when　he　asks　who　gave　Lorch　his　orders？〃
　〃Ser　Amory　acted　on　his　own　in　the　hope　of　winning　favor　from　the　new　king。　Robert's　hatred　for　Rhaegar　was　scarcely　a　secret。〃
　It　might　serve；　Tyrion　had　to　concede；　but　the　snake　will　not　be　happy。　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　question　your　cunning；　Father；　but　in　your　place　I　do　believe　I'd　have　let　Robert　Baratheon　bloody　his　own　hands。〃
　Lord　Tywin　stared　at　him　as　if　he　had　lost　his　wits。　〃You　deserve　that　motley；　then。　We　had　e　late　to　Robert's　cause。　It　was　necessary　to　demonstrate　our　loyalty。　When　I　laid　those　bodies　before　the　throne；　no　man　could　doubt　that　we　had　forsaken　House　Targaryen　forever。　And　Robert's　relief　was　palpable。　As　stupid　as　he　was；　even　he　knew　that　Rhaegar's　children　had　to　die　if　his　throne　was　ever　to　be　secure。　Yet　he　saw　himself　as　a　hero；　and　heroes　do　not　kill　children。〃　His　father　shrugged。　〃I　grant　you；　it　was　done　too　brutally。　Elia　need　not　have　been　harmed　at　all；　that　was　sheer　folly。　By　herself　she　was　nothing。〃
　〃Then　why　did　the　Mountain　kill　her？〃
　〃Because　I　did　not　tell　him　to　spare　her。　I　doubt　I　mentioned　her　at　all。　I　had　more　pressing　concerns。　Ned　Stark's　van　was　rushing　south　from　the　Trident；　and　I　feared　it　might　e　to　swords　between　us。　And　it　was　in　Aerys　to　murder　Jaime；　with　no　more　cause　than　spite。　That　was　the　thing　I　feared　most。　That；　and　what　Jaime　himself　might　do。〃　He　closed　a　fist。　〃Nor　did　I　yet　grasp　what　I　had　in　Gregor　Clegane；　only　that　he　was　huge　and　terrible　in　battle。　The　rape　。　。　。　even　you　will　not　accuse　me　of　giving　that　mand；　I　would　hope。　Ser　Amory　was　almost　as　bestial　with　Rhaenys。　I　asked　him　afterward　why　it　had　required　half　a　hundred　thrusts　to　kill　a　girl　of　。　。　。　two？　Three？　He　said　she'd　kicked　him　and　would　not　stop　screaming。　If　Lorch　had　half　the　wits　the　gods　gave　a　turnip；　he　would　have　calmed　her　with　a　few　sweet　words　and　used　a　soft　silk　pillow。〃　His　mouth　twisted　in　distaste。　〃The　blood　was　in　him。〃
　But　not　in　you；　Father。　There　is　no　blood　in　Tywin　Lannister。　〃Was　it　a　soft　silk　pillow　that　slew　Robb　Stark？〃
　〃It　was　to　be　an　arrow；　at　Edmure　Tully's　wedding　feast。　The　boy　was　too　wary　in　the　field。　He　kept　his　men　in　good　order；　and　surrounded　himself　with　outriders　and　bodyguards。〃
　〃So　Lord　Walder　slew　him　under　his　own　roof；　at　his　own　table？〃　Tyrion　made　a　fist。　〃What　of　Lady　Catelyn？〃
　〃Slain　as　well；　I'd　say。　A　pair　of　wolfskins。　Frey　had　intended　to　keep　her　captive；　but　perhaps　something　went　awry。〃
　〃So　much　for　guest　right。〃
　〃The　blood　is　on　Walder　Frey's　hands；　not　mine。〃
　〃Walder　Frey　is　a　peevish　old　man　who