grrm.astormofswords-第220章

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　its　owner　the　longaxe　he'd　taken　at　the　Twins；　the　one　he'd　used　to　raise　the　lump　on　Arya's　head。　The　ale　was　gone　in　less　than　a　day；　but　Clegane　sharpened　the　sword　every　night；　cursing　the　man　he'd　swapped　with　for　every　nick　and　spot　of　rust。　If　he　lost　his　belly　for　fighting；　why　does　he　care　if　his　sword　is　sharp？　It　was　not　a　question　Arya　dared　ask　him；　but　she　thought　on　it　a　lot。　Was　that　why　he'd　run　from　the　Twins　and　carried　her　off？
　Back　in　the　riverlands；　they　found　that　the　rains　had　ebbed　away；　and　the　flood　waters　had　begun　to　recede。　The　Hound　turned　south；　back　toward　the　Trident。　〃We'll　make　for　Riverrun；〃　he　told　Arya　as　they　roasted　a　hare　he'd　killed。　〃Maybe　the　Blackfish　wants　to　buy　himself　a　she…wolf。〃
　〃He　doesn't　know　me。　He　won't　even　know　I'm　really　me。〃　Arya　was　tired　of　making　for　Riverrun。　She　had　been　making　for　Riverrun　for　years；　it　seemed；　without　ever　getting　there。　Every　time　she　made　for　Riverrun；　she　ended　up　someplace　worse。　〃He　won't　give　you　any　ransom。　He'll　probably　just　hang　you。〃
　〃He's　free　to　try。〃　He　turned　the　spit。
　He　doesn't　talk　like　he's　lost　his　belly　for　fighting。　〃I　know　where　we　could　go；〃　Arya　said。　She　still　had　one　brother　left。　fon　will　want　me；　even　if　no　one　else　does。　He'll　call　me　〃little　sister〃　and　muss　my　hair。　It　was　a　long　way；　though；　and　she　didn't　think　she　could　get　there　by　herself。　She　hadn't　even　been　able　to　reach　Riverrun。　〃We　could　go　to　the　Wall。〃
　Sandor's　laugh　was　half　a　growl。　〃The　little　wolf　bitch　wants　to　join　the　Night's　Watch；　does　she？〃
　〃My　brother's　on　the　Wall；〃　she　said　stubbornly。
　His　mouth　gave　a　twitch。　〃The　Wall's　a　thousand　leagues　from　here。　We'd　need　to　fight　through　the　bloody　Freys　just　to　reach　the　Neck。　There's　lizard　lions　in　those　swamps　that　eat　wolves　every　day　for　breakfast。　And　if　we　did　reach　the　north　with　our　skins　intact；　there's　ironborn　in　half　the　castles；　and　thousands　of　bloody　buggering　northmen　as　well。〃
　〃Are　you　scared　of　them？〃　she　asked。　〃Have　you　lost　your　belly　for　fighting？〃
　For　a　moment　she　thought　he　was　going　to　hit　her。　By　then　the　hare　was　brown；　though；　skin　crackling　and　grease　popping　as　it　dripped　down　into　the　cookfire。　Sandor　took　it　off　the　stick；　ripped　it　apart　with　his　big　hands；　and　tossed　half　of　it　into　Arya's　lap。　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　my　belly；〃　he　said　as　he　pulled　off　a　leg；　〃but　I　don't　give　a　rat's　arse　for　you　or　your　brother。　I　have　a　brother　too。〃
　
　CHAPTER　66
　TYRION
　
　〃Tyrion；〃　Ser　Kevan　Lannister　said　wearily；　〃if　you　are　indeed　innocent　of　Joffrey's　death；　you　should　have　no　difficulty　proving　it　at　trial。〃
　Tyrion　turned　from　the　window。　〃Who　is　to　judge　me？〃
　〃　justice　belongs　to　the　throne。　The　king　is　dead；　but　your　father　remains　Hand。　Since　it　is　his　own　son　who　stands　accused　and　his　grandson　who　was　the　victim；　he　has　asked　Lord　Tyrell　and　Prince　Oberyn　to　sit　in　judgment　with　him。〃
　Tyrion　was　scarcely　reassured。　Mace　Tyrell　had　been　Joffrey's　goodfather；　however　briefly；　and　the　Red　Viper　was　。　。　。　well；　a　snake。　〃Will　I　be　allowed　to　demand　trial　by　battle？〃
　〃I　would　not　advise　that。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　It　had　saved　him　in　the　Vale；　why　not　here？　〃Answer　me；　Uncle。　Will　I　be　allowed　a　trial　by　battle；　and　a　champion　to　prove　my　innocence？〃
　〃Certainly；　if　such　is　your　wish。　However；　you　had　best　know　that　your　sister　means　to　name　Ser　Gregor　Clegane　as　her　champion；　in　the　event　of　such　a　trial。〃
　The　bitch　checks　my　moves　before　I　make　them。　A　pity　she　didn't　choose　a　Kettleblack。　Bronn　would　make　short　work　of　any　of　the　three　brothers；　but　the　Mountain　That　Rides　was　a　kettle　of　a　different　color。　〃I　shall　need　to　sleep　on　this。〃　I　need　to　speak　with　Bronn；　and　soon。　He　didn't　want　to　think　about　what　this　was　like　to　cost　him。　Bronn　had　a　lofty　notion　of　what　his　skin　was　worth。　〃Does　Cersei　have　witnesses　against　me？〃
　〃More　every　day。〃
　〃Then　I　must　have　witnesses　of　my　own。〃
　〃Tell　me　who　you　would　have；　and　Ser　Addarn　will　send　the　Watch　to　bring　them　to　the　trial。〃
　〃I　would　sooner　find　them　myself。〃
　〃You　stand　accused　of　regicide　and　kinslaying。　Do　you　truly　imagine　you　will　be　allowed　to　e　and　go　as　you　please？〃　Ser　Kevan　waved　at　the　table。　〃You　have　quill；　ink；　and　parchment。　Write　the　names　of　such　witnesses　as　you　require；　and　I　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　produce　them；　you　have　my　word　as　a　Lannister。　But　you　shall　not　leave　this　tower；　except　to　go　to　trial。〃
　Tyrion　would　not　demean　himself　by　begging。　〃Will　you　permit　my　squire　to　e　and　go？　The　boy　Podrick　Payne？〃
　〃Certainly；　if　that　is　your　wish。　I　shall　send　him　to　you。〃
　〃Do　so。　Sooner　would　be　better　than　later；　and　now　would　be　better　than　sooner。〃　He　waddled　to　the　writing　table。　But　when　he　heard　the　door　open；　he　turned　back　and　said；　〃Uncle？〃
　Ser　Kevan　paused。　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　did　not　do　this。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could　believe　that；　Tyrion。〃
　When　the　door　closed；　Tyrion　Lannister　pulled　himself　up　into　the　chair；　sharpened　a　quill；　and　pulled　a　blank　parchment。　Who　will　speak　for　me？　He　dipped　his　quill　in　the　inkpot。
　The　sheet　was　still　maiden　when　Podrick　Payne　appeared；　sometime　later。　〃My　lord；〃　the　boy　said。
　Tyrion　put　down　the　quill。　〃Find　Bronn　and　bring　him　at　once。　Tell　him　there's　gold　in　it；　more　gold　than　he's　ever　dreamt　of；　and　see　that　you　don't　return　without　him。〃
　〃Yes；　my　lord。　I　mean；　no。　I　won't。　Return。〃　He　went。
　He　had　not　returned　by　sunset；　nor　by　moonrise。　Tyrion　fell　asleep　in　the　window　seat　to　wake　stiff　and　sore　at　dawn。　A　serving　man　brought　porridge　and　apples　to　break　his　fast；　with　a　horn　of　ale。　He　ate　at　the　table；　the　blank　parchment　before　him。　An　hour　later；　the　serving　man　returned　for　the　bowl。　〃Have　you　seen　my　squire？〃　Tyrion　asked　him。　The　man　shook　his　head。
　Sighing；　he　turned　back　to　the　table；　and　dipped　the　quill　again。　Sansa；　he　wrote　upon　the　parchment。　He　sat　staring　at　the　name；　his　teeth　clenched　so　hard　they　hurt。
　Assuming　Joffrey　had　not　simply　choked　to　death　on　a　bit　of　food；　which　even　Tyrion　found　hard　to　swallow；　Sansa　must　have　poisoned　him。　loff　practically　put　his　cup　down　in　her　lap；　and　he'd　given　her　ample　reason。　Any　doubts　Tyrion　might　have　had　vanished　when　his　wife　did。　One　flesh；　one　heart；　one　soul。　His　mouth　twisted。　She　wasted　no　time　proving　how　much　those　vows　meant　to　her；　did　she？　Well；　what　did　you　expect；　dwarf？
　And　yet　。　。　。　where　would　Sansa　have　gotten　poison？　He　could　not　believe　the　girl　had　acted　alone　in　this。　Do　I　really　want　to　find　her？　Would　the　judges　believe　that　Tyrion's　child　bride　had　poisoned　a　king　without　her　husband's　knowledge？　I　wouldn't。　Cersei　would　insist　that　they　had　done　the　deed　together。
　Even　so；　he　gave　the　parchment　to　his　uncle　the　next　day。　Ser　Kevan　frowned　at　it。　〃Lady　Sansa　is　your　only　witness？〃
　〃I　will　think　of　others　in　time。〃
　〃Best　think　of　them　now。　The　judges　mean　to　begin　the　trial　three　days　hence。〃
　〃That's　too　soon。　You　have　me　shut　up　here　under　guard；　how　am　I　to　find　witnesses　to　my　innocence？〃
　〃Your　sister's　had　no　difficulty　finding　witnesses　to　your　guilt。〃　Ser　Kevan　rolled　up　the　parchment。　〃Ser　Addam　has　men　hunting　for　your　wife。　Varys　has　offered　a　hundred　stags　for　word　of　her　whereabouts；　and　a　hundred　dragons　for　the　girl　herself。　If　the　girl　can　be　found　she　will　be　found；　and　I　shall　bring　her　to　you。　I　see　no　harm　in　husband　and　wife　sharing　the　same　cell　and　giving　fort　to　one　another。〃
　〃You　are　too　kind。　Have　you　seen　my　squire？〃
　〃I　sent　him　to　you　yesterday。　Did　he　not　e？〃
　〃He　came；〃　Tyrion　admitted；　〃and　then　he　went。〃
　〃I　shall　send　him　to　you　again。〃
　But　it　was　the　next　morning　before　Podrick　Payne　returned。　He　stepped　inside　the　room　hesitantly；　with　fear　written　all　over　his　face。　Bronn　came　in　behind　him。　The　sellsword　knight　wore　a　jerkin　studded　with　silver　and　a　heavy　riding　cloak；　with　a　pair　of　fine…tooled　leather　gloves　thrust　through　his　swordbelt。
　One　look　at　Bronn's　face　gave　Tyrion　a　queasy　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　〃It　took　you　long　enough。〃
　〃The　boy　begged；　or　I　wouldn't　have　e　at　all。　I　am　expected　at　Castle　Stokeworth　for　supper。〃
　〃Stokeworth？〃　Tyrion　hopped　from　the　bed。　〃And　pray；　what　is　the