grrm.astormofswords-第205章

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　〃He's　choking；〃　Queen　Margaery　gasped。
　Her　grandmother　moved　to　her　side。　〃Help　the　poor　boy！〃　the　Queen　of　Thorns　screeched；　in　a　voice　ten　times　her　size。　〃Dolts！　Will　you　all　stand　about　gaping？　Help　your　king！〃
　Ser　Garlan　shoved　Tyrion　aside　and　began　to　pound　Joffrey　on　the　back。　Ser　Osmund　Kettleblack　ripped　open　the　king's　collar。　A　fearful　high　thin　sound　emerged　from　the　boy's　throat；　the　sound　of　a　man　trying　to　suck　a　river　through　a　reed；　then　it　stopped；　and　that　was　more　terrible　still。　〃Turn　him　over！〃　Mace　Tyrell　bellowed　at　everyone　and　no　one。　〃Turn　him　over；　shake　him　by　his　heels！〃　A　different　voice　was　calling；　〃Water；　give　him　some　water！〃　The　High　Septon　began　to　pray　loudly。　Grand　Maester　Pycelle　shouted　for　someone　to　help　him　back　to　his　chambers；　to　fetch　his　potions。　Joffrey　began　to　claw　at　his　throat；　his　nails　tearing　bloody　gouges　in　the　flesh。　Beneath　the　skin；　the　muscles　stood　out　hard　as　stone。　Prince　Tornmen　was　screaming　and　crying。
　He　is　going　to　die；　Tyrion　realized。　He　felt　curiously　calm；　though　pandemonium　raged　all　about　him。　They　were　pounding　Joff　on　the　back　again；　but　his　face　was　only　growing　darker。　Dogs　were　barking；　children　were　wailing；　men　were　shouting　useless　advice　at　each　other。　Half　the　wedding　guests　were　on　their　feet；　some　shoving　at　each　other　for　a　better　view；　others　rushing　for　the　doors　in　their　haste　to　get　away。
　Ser　Meryn　pried　the　king's　mouth　open　to　jam　a　spoon　down　his　throat。　As　he　did；　the　boy's　eyes　met　Tyrion's。　He　has　Jaime's　eyes。　Only　he　had　never　seen　Jaime　look　so　scared。　The　boy's　only　thirteen。　Joffrey　was　making　a　dry　clacking　noise；　trying　to　speak。　His　eyes　bulged　white　with　terror；　and　he　lifted　a　hand　。　。　。　reaching　for　his　uncle；　or　pointing　。　。　。　Is　he　begging　my　forgiveness；　or　does　he　think　I　can　save　him？　〃Noooo；〃　Cersei　wailed；　〃Father　help　him；　someone　help　him；　my　son；　my　son　。　。　。〃
　Tyrion　found　himself　thinking　of　Robb　Stark。　My　own　wedding　is　looking　much　better　in　hindsight。　He　looked　to　see　how　Sansa　was　taking　this；　but　there　was　so　much　confusion　in　the　hall　that　he　could　not　find　her。　But　his　eyes　fell　on　the　wedding　chalice；　forgotten　on　the　floor。　He　went　and　scooped　it　up。　There　was　still　a　half…inch　of　deep　purple　wine　in　the　bottom　of　it。　Tyrion　considered　it　a　moment；　then　poured　it　on　the　floor。
　Margaery　Tyrell　was　weeping　in　her　grandmother's　arms　as　the　old　lady　said；　〃Be　brave；　be　brave。〃　Most　of　the　musicians　had　fled；　but　one　last　flutist　in　the　gallery　was　blowing　a　dirge。　In　the　rear　of　the　throne　room　scuffling　had　broken　out　around　the　doors；　and　the　guests　were　trampling　on　each　other。　Ser　Addam's　gold　cloaks　moved　in　to　restore　order。　Guests　were　rushing　headlong　out　into　the　night；　some　weeping；　some　stumbling　and　retching；　others　white　with　fear。　It　occurred　to　Tyrion　belatedly　that　it　might　be　wise　to　leave　himself。
　When　he　heard　Cersei's　scream；　he　knew　that　it　was　over。
　I　should　leave。　Now。　Instead　he　waddled　toward　her。
　His　sister　sat　in　a　puddle　of　wine；　cradling　her　son's　body。　Her　gown　was　tom　and　stained；　her　face　white　as　chalk。　A　thin　black　dog　crept　up　beside　her；　sniffing　at　Joffrey's　corpse。　〃The　boy　is　gone；　Cersei；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　He　put　his　gloved　hand　on　his　daughter's　shoulder　as　one　of　his　guardsmen　shooed　away　the　dog。　〃Unhand　him　now。　Let　him　go。〃　She　did　not　hear。　It　took　two　Kingsguard　to　pry　loose　her　fingers；　so　the　body　of　King　Joffrey　Baratheon　could　slide　limp　and　lifeless　to　the　floor。
　The　High　Septon　knelt　beside　him。　〃Father　Above；　judge　our　good　King　Joffrey　justly；〃　he　intoned；　beginning　the　prayer　for　the　dead。　Margaery　Tyrell　began　to　sob；　and　Tyrion　heard　her　mother　Lady　Alerie　saying；　〃He　choked；　sweetling。　He　choked　on　the　pie。　It　was　naught　to　do　with　you。　He　choked。　We　all　saw。〃
　〃He　did　not　choke。〃　Cersei's　voice　was　sharp　as　Ser　Ilyn's　sword。　〃My　son　was　poisoned。〃　She　looked　to　the　white　knights　standing　helplessly　around　her。　〃Kingsguard；　do　your　duty。〃
　〃My　lady？〃　said　Ser　Loras　Tyrell；　uncertain。
　〃Arrest　my　brother；〃　she　manded　him。　〃He　did　this；　the　dwarf。　Him　and　his　little　wife。　They　killed　my　son。　Your　king。　Take　them！　Take　them　both！〃
　
　CHAPTER　61　
　SANSA
　
　Far　across　the　city；　a　bell　began　to　toll。
　Sansa　felt　as　though　she　were　in　a　dream。　〃Joffrey　is　dead；〃　she　told　the　trees；　to　see　if　that　would　wake　her。
　He　had　not　been　dead　when　she　left　the　throne　room。　He　had　been　on　his　knees；　though；　clawing　at　his　throat；　tearing　at　his　own　skin　as　he　fought　to　breathe。　The　sight　of　it　had　been　too　terrible　to　watch；　and　she　had　turned　and　fled；　sobbing。　Lady　Tanda　had　been　fleeing　as　well。　〃You　have　a　good　heart；　my　lady；〃　she　said　to　Sansa。　〃Not　every　maid　would　weep　so　for　a　man　who　set　her　aside　and　wed　her　to　a　dwarf。〃
　A　good　heart。　I　have　a　good　heart。　Hysterical　laughter　rose　up　her　gullet；　but　Sansa　choked　it　back　down。　The　bells　were　ringing；　slow　and　mournful。　Ringing；　ringing；　ringing。　They　had　rung　for　King　Robert　the　same　way。　Joffrey　was　dead；　he　was　dead；　he　was　dead；　dead；　dead。　Why　was　she　crying；　when　she　wanted　to　dance？　Were　they　tears　of　joy？
　She　found　her　clothes　where　she　had　hidden　them；　the　night　before　last。　With　no　maids　to　help　her；　it　took　her　longer　than　it　should　have　to　undo　the　laces　of　her　gown。　Her　hands　were　strangely　clumsy；　though　she　was　not　as　frightened　as　she　ought　to　have　been。　〃The　gods　are　cruel　to　take　him　so　young　and　handsome；　at　his　own　wedding　feast；〃　Lady　Tanda　had　said　to　her。
　The　gods　are　just；　thought　Sansa。　Robb　had　died　at　a　wedding　feast　as　well。　It　was　Robb　she　wept　for。　Him　and　Margaery。　Poor　Margaery；　twice　wed　and　twice　widowed。　Sansa　slid　her　arm　from　a　sleeve；　pushed　down　the　gown；　and　wriggled　out　of　it。　She　balled　it　up　and　shoved　it　into　the　bole　of　an　oak；　shook　out　the　clothing　she　had　hidden　there。　Dress　warmly；　Ser　Dontos　had　told　her；　and　dress　dark。　She　had　no　blacks；　so　she　chose　a　dress　of　thick　brown　wool。　The　bodice　was　decorated　with　freshwater　pearls；　though。　The　cloak　will　cover　them。　The　cloak　was　a　deep　green；　with　a　large　hood。　She　slipped　the　dress　over　her　head；　and　donned　the　cloak；　though　she　left　the　hood　down　for　the　moment。　There　were　shoes　as　well；　simple　and　sturdy；　with　flat　heels　and　square　toes。　The　gods　heard　my　prayer；　she　thought。　She　felt　so　numb　and　dreamy。　My　skin　has　turned　to　porcelain；　to　ivory；　to　steel。　Her　hands　moved　stiffly；　awkwardly；　as　if　they　had　never　let　down　her　hair　before。　For　a　moment　she　wished　Shae　was　there；　to　help　her　with　the　net。
　When　she　pulled　it　free；　her　long　auburn　hair　cascaded　down　her　back　and　across　her　shoulders。　The　web　of　spun　silver　hung　from　her　fingers；　the　fine　metal　glimmering　softly；　the　stones　black　in　the　moonlight。　Black　amethysts　from　Asshai。　One　of　them　was　missing。　Sansa　lifted　the　net　for　a　closer　look。　There　was　a　dark　smudge　in　the　silver　socket　where　the　stone　had　fallen　out。
　A　sudden　terror　filled　her。　Her　heart　hammered　against　her　ribs；　and　for　an　instant　she　held　her　breath。　Why　am　I　so　scared；　it's　only　an　amethyst；　a　black　amethyst　from　Asshai；　no　more　than　that。　It　must　have　been　loose　in　the　setting；　that's　all。　It　was　loose　and　it　fell　out；　and　now　it's　lying　somewhere　in　the　throne　room；　or　in　the　yard；　unless　。　。　。
　Ser　Dontos　had　said　the　hair　net　was　magic；　that　it　would　take　her　home。　He　told　her　she　must　wear　it　tonight　at　Joffrey's　wedding　feast。　The　silver　wire　stretched　tight　across　her　knuckles。　Her　thumb　rubbed　back　and　forth　against　the　hole　where　the　stone　had　been。　She　tried　to　stop；　but　her　fingers　were　not　her　own。　Her　thumb　was　drawn　to　the　hole　as　the　tongue　is　drawn　to　a　missing　tooth。　What　kind　of　magic？　The　king　was　dead；　the　cruel　king　who　had　been　her　gallant　prince　a　thousand　years　ago。　If　Dontos　had　lied　about　the　hair　net；　had　he　lied　about　the　rest　as　well？　What　if　he　never　es？　What　if　there　is　no　ship；　no　boat　on　the　river；　no　escape？　What　would　happen　to　her　then？
　She　heard　a　faint　rustle　of　leaves；　and　stuffed　the　silver　hair　net　down　deep　in　the　pocket　of　her　cloak。　〃Who's　there？〃　she　cried。　〃Who　is　it？〃　The　godswood　was　dim　and　dark；　and　the　bells　were　ringing　Joff　into　his　grave。
　〃Me。〃　He　stagger