grrm.astormofswords-第208章

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he　bearded　one…handed　knight　with　the　big　bat　on　his　shield；　no　more　than　any　of　them；　so　he　said　things　he　might　otherwise　have　swallowed；　had　he　known　who　was　listening。
　〃It　was　poison　did　the　deed；〃　the　innkeep　insisted。　〃The　boy's　face　turned　black　as　a　plum。〃
　〃May　the　Father　judge　him　justly；〃　murmured　a　septon。
　〃The　dwarf's　wife　did　the　murder　with　him；〃　swore　an　archer　in　Lord　Rowan's　livery。　〃Afterward；　she　vanished　from　the　hall　in　a　puff　of　brimstone；　and　a　ghostly　direwolf　was　seen　prowling　the　Red　Keep；　blood　dripping　from　his　jaws。〃
　Jaime　sat　silent　through　it　all；　letting　the　words　wash　over　him；　a　horn　of　ale　forgotten　in　his　one　good　hand。　Joffrey。　My　blood。　My　firstborn。　My　son。　He　tried　to　bring　the　boy's　face　to　mind；　but　his　features　kept　turning　into　Cersei's。　She　will　be　in　mourning；　her　hair　in　disarray　and　her　eyes　red　from　crying；　her　mouth　trembling　as　she　tries　to　speak。　She　will　cry　again　when　she　sees　me；　though　she'll　fight　the　tears。　His　sister　seldom　wept　but　when　she　was　with　him。　She　could　not　stand　for　others　to　think　her　weak。　Only　to　her　twin　did　she　show　her　wounds。　She　will　look　to　me　for　fort　and　revenge。
　They　rode　hard　the　next　day；　at　Jaime's　insistence。　His　son　was　dead；　and　his　sister　needed　him。
　When　he　saw　the　city　before　him；　its　watchtowers　dark　against　the　gathering　dusk；　Jaime　Lannister　cantered　up　to　Steelshanks　Walton；　behind　Nage　with　the　peace　banner。
　〃What's　that　awful　stink？〃　the　northman　plained。
　Death；　thought　Jaime；　but　he　said；　〃Smoke；　sweat；　and　shit。　King's　Landing；　in　short。　If　you　have　a　good　nose　you　can　smell　the　treachery　too。　You've　never　smelled　a　city　before？〃
　〃I　smelled　White　Harbor。　It　never　stank　like　this。〃
　〃White　Harbor　is　to　King's　Landing　as　my　brother　Tyrion　is　to　Ser　Gregor　Clegane。〃
　Nage　led　them　up　a　low　hill；　the　seven…tailed　peace　banner　lifting　and　turning　in　the　wind；　the　polished　seven…pointed　star　shining　bright　upon　its　staff。　He　would　see　Cersei　soon；　and　Tyrion；　and　their　father。　Could　my　brother　truly　have　killed　the　boy？　Jaime　found　that　hard　to　believe。
　He　was　curiously　calm。　Men　were　supposed　to　go　mad　with　grief　when　their　children　died；　he　knew。　They　were　supposed　to　tear　their　hair　out　by　the　roots；　to　curse　the　gods　and　swear　red　vengeance。　So　why　was　it　that　he　felt　so　little？　The　boy　lived　and　died　believing　Robert　Baratheon　his　sire。
　Jaime　had　seen　him　born；　that　was　true；　though　more　for　Cersei　than　the　child。　But　he　had　never　held　him。　〃How　would　it　look？〃　his　sister　warned　him　when　the　women　finally　left　them。　〃Bad　enough　Joff　looks　like　you　without　you　mooning　over　him。〃　Jaime　yielded　with　hardly　a　fight。　The　boy　had　been　a　squalling　pink　thing　who　demanded　too　much　of　Cersei's　time；　Cersei's　love；　and　Cersei's　breasts。　Robert　was　wele　to　him。
　And　now　he's　dead。　He　pictured　Joff　lying　still　and　cold　with　a　face　black　from　poison；　and　still　felt　nothing。　Perhaps　he　was　the　monster　they　claimed。　if　the　Father　Above　came　down　to　offer　him　back　his　son　or　his　hand；　Jaime　knew　which　he　would　choose。　He　had　a　second　son；　after　all；　and　seed　enough　for　many　more。　If　Cersei　wants　another　child　I'll　give　her　one　。　。　。　and　this　time　I'll　hold　him；　and　the　Others　take　those　who　do　not　like　it。　Robert　was　rotting　in　his　grave；　and　Jaime　was　sick　of　lies。
　He　turned　abruptly　and　galloped　back　to　find　Brienne。　Gods　know　why　I　bother。　She　is　the　least　panionable　creature　I've　ever　had　the　misfortune　to　meet。　The　wench　rode　well　behind　and　a　few　feet　off　to　the　side；　as　if　to　proclaim　that　she　was　no　part　of　them。　They　had　found　men's　garb　for　her　along　the　way；　a　tunic　here；　a　mantle　there；　a　pair　of　breeches　and　a　cowled　cloak；　even　an　old　iron　breastplate。　She　looked　more　fortable　dressed　as　a　man；　but　nothing　would　ever　make　her　look　handsome。　Nor　happy。　Once　out　of　Harrenhal；　her　usual　pighead　stubbornness　had　soon　reasserted　itself。　〃I　want　my　arms　and　armor　back；〃　she　had　insisted。　〃Oh；　by　all　means；　let　us　have　you　back　in　steel；〃　Jaime　replied。　〃A　helm；　especially。　We'll　all　be　happier　if　you　keep　your　mouth　shut　and　your　visor　down。〃
　That　much　Brienne　could　do；　but　her　sullen　silences　soon　began　to　fray　his　good　humor　almost　as　much　as　Qyburn's　endless　attempts　to　be　ingratiating。　I　never　thought　I　would　find　myself　missing　the　pany　of　Cleos　Frey；　gods　help　me。　He　was　beginning　to　wish　he　had　left　her　for　the　bear　after　all。
　〃King's　Landing；〃　Jaime　announced　when　he　found　her。　〃Our　journey's　done；　my　lady。　You've　kept　your　vow；　and　delivered　me　to　King's　Landing。　All　but　a　few　fingers　and　a　hand。〃
　Brienne's　eyes　were　listless。　〃That　was　only　half　my　vow。　I　told　Lady　Catelyn　I　would　bring　her　back　her　daughters。　Or　Sansa；　at　the　least。　And　now　。　。　。〃
　She　never　met　Robb　Stark；　yet　her　grief　for　him　runs　deeper　than　mine　for　Joff。　Or　perhaps　it　was　Lady　Catelyn　she　mourned。　They　had　been　at　Brindlewood　when　they　had　that　news；　from　a　red…faced　tub　of　a　knight　named　Ser　Bertram　Beesbury；　whose　arms　were　three　beehives　on　a　field　striped　black　and　yellow。　A　troop　of　Lord　Piper's　men　had　passed　through　Brindlewood　only　yesterday；　Beesbury　told　them；　rushing　to　King's　Landing　beneath　a　peace　banner　of　their　own。　〃With　the　Young　Wolf　dead　Piper　saw　no　point　to　fighting　on。　His　son　is　captive　at　the　Twins。〃　Brienne　gaped　like　a　cow　about　to　choke　on　her　cud；　so　it　fell　to　Jaime　to　draw　out　the　tale　of　the　Red　Wedding。
　〃Every　great　lord　has　unruly　bannermen　who　envy　him　his　place；〃　he　told　her　afterward。　〃My　father　had　the　Reynes　and　Tarbecks；　the　Tyrells　have　the　Florents；　Hoster　Tully　had　Walder　Frey。　Only　strength　keeps　such　men　in　their　place。　The　moment　they　smell　weakness　。　。　。　during　the　Age　of　Heroes；　the　Boltons　used　to　flay　the　Starks　and　wear　their　skins　as　cloaks。〃　She　looked　so　miserable　that　Jaime　almost　found　himself　wanting　to　fort　her。
　Since　that　day　Brienne　had　been　like　one　half…dead。　Even　calling　her　〃wench〃　failed　to　provoke　any　response。　The　strength　is　gone　from　her。　The　woman　had　dropped　a　rock　on　Robin　Ryger；　battled　a　bear　with　a　tourney　sword；　bitten　off　Vargo　Float's　ear；　and　fought　Jaime　to　exhaustion　。　。　。　but　she　was　broken　now；　done。　〃I'll　speak　to　my　father　about　returning　you　to　Tarth；　if　it　please　you；〃　he　told　her。　〃Or　if　you　would　rather　stay；　I　could　perchance　find　some　place　for　you　at　court。〃
　〃As　a　lady　panion　to　the　queen？〃　she　said　dully。
　Jaime　remembered　the　sight　of　her　in　that　pink　satin　gown；　and　tried　not　to　imagine　what　his　sister　might　say　of　such　a　panion。　〃Perhaps　a　post　with　the　City　Watch　。　。　。〃
　〃I　will　not　serve　with　oathbreakers　and　murderers。〃
　Then　why　did　you　ever　bother　putting　on　a　sword？　he　might　have　said；　but　he　bit　back　the　words。　〃As　you　will；　Brienne。〃　One…handed；　he　wheeled　his　horse　about　and　left　her。
　The　Gate　of　the　Gods　was　open　when　they　reached　it；　but　two　dozen　wayns　were　lined　up　along　the　roadside；　loaded　with　casks　of　cider；　barrels　of　apples；　bales　of　hay；　and　some　of　the　biggest　pumpkins　Jaime　had　ever　seen。　Almost　every　wagon　had　its　guards；　men…at…arms　wearing　the　badges　of　small　lordlings；　sellswords　in　mail　and　boiled　leather；　sometimes　only　a　pink…cheeked　farmer's　son　clutching　a　homemade　spear　with　a　firehardened　point。　Jaime　smiled　at　them　all　as　he　trotted　past。　At　the　gate；　the　gold　cloaks　were　collecting　coin　from　each　driver　before　waving　the　wagons　through。　〃What's　this？〃　Steelshanks　demanded。
　〃They　got　to　pay　for　the　right　to　sell　inside　the　city。　By　mand　of　the　King's　Hand　and　the　master　of　coin。〃
　Jaime　looked　at　the　long　line　of　wayns；　carts；　and　laden　horses。　〃Yet　they　still　line　up　to　pay？〃
　〃There's　good　coin　to　be　made　here　now　that　the　fighting's　done；〃　the　miller　in　the　nearest　wagon　told　them　cheerfully。　〃It's　the　Lannisters　hold　the　city　now；　old　Lord　Tywin　of　the　Rock。　They　say　he　shits　silver。〃
　〃Gold；〃　Jaime　corrected　dryly。　〃And　Littlefinger　mints　the　stuff　from　goldenrod；　I　vow。〃
　〃The　Imp　is　master　of　coin　now；〃　said　the　captain　of　the　gate。　〃Or　was；　till　they　arrested　him　for　murdering　the　king。〃　The　man　looked　the　northmen　over　suspiciously。　〃Who　are　you　lot？〃
　〃Lord　Bolton's　men；　e　to　see　the　King's　Hand。〃
　The　captain　glanced　at　Nage　with　his　peac