grrm.astormofswords-第211章

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　〃Good。〃　His　father　sat。　〃That　is　good。　I　have　a　gift　for　you。　For　your　return。　After　Varys　told　me　。　。　。…
　〃Unless　it's　a　new　hand；　let　it　wait。〃　Jaime　took　the　chair　across　from　him。　〃How　did　Joffrey　die？〃
　〃Poison。　It　was　meant　to　appear　as　though　he　choked　on　a　morsel　of　food；　but　I　had　his　throat　slit　open　and　the　maesters　could　find　no　obstruction。〃
　〃Cersei　claims　that　Tyrion　did　it。〃
　〃Your　brother　served　the　king　the　poisoned　wine；　with　a　thousand　people　looking　on。〃
　〃That　was　rather　foolish　of　him。〃
　〃I　have　taken　Tyrion's　squire　into　custody。　His　wife's　maids　as　well。　We　shall　see　if　they　have　anything　to　tell　us。　Ser　Addam's　gold　cloaks　are　searching　for　the　Stark　girl；　and　Varys　has　offered　a　reward。　The　king's　justice　will　be　done。〃
　The　king's　justice。　〃You　would　execute　your　own　son？〃
　〃He　stands　accused　of　regicide　and　kinslaying。　If　he　is　innocent；　he　has　nothing　to　fear。　First　we　must　needs　consider　the　evidence　for　and　against　him。〃
　Evidence。　In　this　city　of　liars；　Jaime　knew　what　sort　of　evidence　would　be　found。　〃Renly　died　strangely　as　well；　when　Stannis　needed　him　to。〃
　〃Lord　Renly　was　murdered　by　one　of　his　own　guards；　some　woman　from　Tarth。〃
　〃That　woman　from　Tarth　is　the　reason　I'm　here。　I　tossed　her　into　a　cell　to　appease　Ser　Loras；　but　I'll　believe　in　Renly's　ghost　before　I　believe　she　did　him　any　harm。　But　Stannis…〃
　〃It　was　poison　that　killed　Joffrey；　not　sorcery。〃　Lord　Tywin　glanced　at　Jaime's　stump　again。　〃You　cannot　serve　in　the　Kingsguard　without　a　sword　hand…〃
　〃I　can；〃　he　interrupted。　〃And　I　will。　There's　precedent。　I'll　look　in　the　White　Book　and　find　it；　if　you　like。　Crippled　or　whole；　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard　serves　for　life。〃
　〃Cersei　ended　that　when　she　replaced　Ser　Barristan　on　grounds　of　age。　A　suitable　gift　to　the　Faith　will　persuade　the　High　Septon　to　release　you　from　your　vows。　Your　sister　was　foolish　to　dismiss　Selmy；　admittedly；　but　now　that　she　has　opened　the　gates…〃
　〃…someone　needs　to　close　them　again。〃　Jaime　stood。　〃I　am　tired　of　having　highborn　women　kicking　pails　of　shit　at　me；　Father。　No　one　ever　asked　me　if　I　wanted　to　be　Lord　mander　of　the　Kingsguard；　but　it　seems　I　am。　I　have　a　duty…〃
　〃You　do。〃　Lord　Tywin　rose　as　well。　〃A　duty　to　House　Lannister。　You　are　the　heir　to　Casterly　Rock。　That　is　where　you　should　be。　Tornmen　should　acpany　you；　as　your　ward　and　squire。　The　Rock　is　where　he'll　learn　to　be　a　Lannister；　and　I　want　him　away　from　his　mother。　I　mean　to　find　a　new　husband　for　Cersei。　Oberyn　Martell　perhaps；　once　I　convince　Lord　Tyrell　that　the　match　does　not　threaten　Highgarden。　And　it　is　past　time　you　were　wed。　The　Tyrells　are　now　insisting　that　Margaery　be　wed　to　Tommen；　but　if　I　were　to　offer　you　instead…〃
　〃NO！〃　Jaime　had　heard　all　that　he　could　stand。　No；　more　than　he　could　stand。　He　was　sick　of　it；　sick　of　lords　and　lies；　sick　of　his　father；　his　sister；　sick　of　the　whole　bloody　business。　〃No。　No。　No。　No。　No。　How　many　times　must　I　say　no　before　you'll　hear　it？　Oberyn　Martell？　The　man's　infamous；　and　not　just　for　poisoning　his　sword。　He　has　more　bastards　than　Robert；　and　beds　with　boys　as　well。　And　if　you　think　for　one　misbegotten　moment　that　I　would　wed　Joffrey's　widow　。　。　。〃
　〃Lord　Tyrell　swears　the　girl's　still　maiden。〃
　〃She　can　die　a　maiden　as　far　as　I'm　concerned。　I　don't　want　her；　and　I　don't　want　your　Rock！〃
　〃You　are　my　son…〃
　〃I　am　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard。　The　Lord　mander　of　the　Kingsguard！　And　that's　all　I　mean　to　be！〃
　Firelight　gleamed　golden　in　the　stiff　whiskers　that　framed　Lord　Tywin's　face。　A　vein　pulsed　in　his　neck；　but　he　did　not　speak。　And　did　not　speak。　And　did　not　speak。
　The　strained　silence　went　on　until　it　was　more　than　Jaime　could　endure。　〃Father　。　。　。　〃　he　began。
　〃You　are　not　my　son。〃　Lord　Tywin　turned　his　face　away。　〃You　say　you　are　the　Lord　mander　of　the　Kingsguard；　and　only　that。　Very　well；　ser。　Go　do　your　duty。〃
　
　CHAPTER　63
　DAVOS
　
　Their　voices　rose　like　cinders；　swirling　up　into　purple　evening　sky。　〃Lead　us　from　the　darkness；　O　my　Lord。　Fill　our　hearts　with　fire；　so　we　may　walk　your　shining　path。〃
　The　nightfire　burned　against　the　gathering　dark；　a　great　bright　beast　whose　shifting　orange　light　threw　shadows　twenty　feet　tall　across　the　yard。　All　along　the　walls　of　Dragonstone　the　army　of　gargoyles　and　grotesques　seemed　to　stir　and　shift。
　Davos　looked　down　from　an　arched　window　in　the　gallery　above。　He　watched　Melisandre　lift　her　arms；　as　if　to　embrace　the　shivering　flames。　〃WhIlor；〃　she　sang　in　a　voice　loud　and　clear；　〃you　are　the　light　in　our　eyes；　the　fire　in　our　hearts；　the　heat　in　our　loins。　Yours　is　the　sun　that　warms　our　days；　yours　the　stars　that　guard　us　in　the　dark　of　night。〃
　〃Lord　of　Light；　defend　us。　The　night　is　dark　and　full　of　terrors。　〃　Queen　Selyse　led　the　responses；　her　pinched　face　full　of　fervor。　King　Stannis　stood　beside　her；　jaw　clenched　hard；　the　points　of　his　red…gold　crown　shimmering　whenever　he　moved　his　head。　He　is　with　them；　but　not　of　them；　Davos　thought。　Princess　Shireen　was　between　them；　the　mottled　grey　patches　on　her　face　and　neck　almost　black　in　the　firelight。
　〃Lord　of　Light；　protect　us；〃　the　queen　sang。　The　king　did　not　respond　with　the　others。　He　was　staring　into　the　flames。　Davos　wondered　what　he　saw　there。　Another　vision　of　the　war　to　e？　Or　something　closer　to　home？
　〃WhIlor　who　gave　us　breath；　we　thank　you；〃　sang　Melisandre。　〃R'hllor　who　gave　us　day；　we　thank　you。〃
　〃We　thank　you　for　the　sun　that　warms　us；〃　Queen　Selyse　and　the　other　worshipers　replied。　〃We　thank　you　for　the　stars　that　watch　us。　We　thank　you　for　our　hearths　and　for　our　torches；　that　keep　the　savage　dark　at　bay。〃　There　were　fewer　voices　saying　the　responses　than　there　had　been　the　night　before；　it　seemed　to　Davos；　fewer　faces　flushed　with　orange　light　about　the　fire。　But　would　there　be　fewer　still　on　the　morrow　。　。　。　or　more？
　The　voice　of　Ser　Axell　Florent　rang　loud　as　a　trumpet。　He　stood　barrelchested　and　bandy…legged；　the　firelight　washing　his　face　like　a　monstrous　orange　tongue。　Davos　wondered　if　Ser　Axell　would　thank　him；　after。　The　work　they　did　tonight　might　well　make　him　the　King's　Hand；　as　he　dreamed。
　Melisandre　cried；　〃We　thank　you　for　Stannis；　by　your　grace　our　king。　We　thank　you　for　the　pure　white　fire　of　his　goodness；　for　the　red　sword　of　justice　in　his　hand；　for　the　love　he　bears　his　leal　people。　Guide　him　and　defend　him；　R'hllor；　and　grant　him　strength　to　smite　his　foes。〃
　〃Grant　him　strength；〃　answered　Queen　Selyse；　Ser　Axell；　Devan；　and　the　rest。　〃Grant　him　courage。　Grant　him　wisdom。〃
　When　he　was　a　boy；　the　septons　had　taught　Davos　to　pray　to　the　Crone　for　wisdom；　to　the　Warrior　for　courage；　to　the　Smith　for　strength。　But　it　was　the　Mother　he　prayed　to　now；　to　keep　his　sweet　son　Devan　safe　from　the　red　woman's　demon　god。
　〃Lord　Davos？　We'd　best　be　about　it。〃　Ser　Andrew　touched　his　elbow　gently。　〃My　lord？〃
　The　title　still　rang　queer　in　his　ears；　yet　Davos　turned　away　from　the　window。　〃Aye。　It's　time。〃　Stannis；　Melisandre；　and　the　queen's　men　would　be　at　their　prayers　an　hour　or　more。　The　red　priests　lit　their　fires　every　day　at　sunset；　to　thank　R'hllor　for　the　day　just　ending；　and　beg　him　to　send　his　sun　back　on　the　morrow　to　banish　the　gathering　darkness。　A　smuggler　must　know　the　tides　and　when　to　seize　them。　That　was　all　he　was　at　the　end　of　the　day；　Davos　the　smuggler。　His　maimed　hand　rose　to　his　throat　for　his　luck；　and　found　nothing。　He　snatched　it　down　and　walked　a　bit　more　quickly。
　His　panions　kept　pace；　matching　their　strides　to　his　own。　The　Bastard　of　Nightsong　had　a　pox…ravaged　face　and　an　air　of　tattered　chivalry；　Ser　Gerald　Gower　was　broad；　bluff；　and　blond；　Ser　Andrew　Estermont　stood　a　head　taller；　with　a　spade…shaped　beard　and　shaggy　brown　eyebrows。　They　were　all　good　men　in　their　own　ways；　Davos　thought。　And　they　will　all　be　dead　men　soon；　if　this　night's　work　goes　badly。
　〃Fire　is　a　living　thing；〃　the　red　woman　told　him；　when　he　asked　her　to　teach　him　how　to　see　the　future　in　the　flames。　〃It　is　always　moving；　always　changing　。　。　。　like　a　book　whose　letters　dance　and　shift　even　as　you　try　to　read　them。　It　takes　years　of　training　to　see　the　shapes　beyond　the　flames；　and　more　years　still　to　learn　to　tell