grrm.astormofswords-第223章

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s　account　to　music；　or　else　there　might　have　been　seventy…seven　bloody　verses　to　it。
　When　his　uncle　called　that　night　after　supper；　his　manner　was　cold　and　distant。　He　thinks　I　did　it　too。　〃Do　you　have　witnesses　for　us？〃　Ser　Kevan　asked　him。
　〃Not　as　such；　no。　Unless　you've　found　my　wife。〃
　His　uncle　shook　his　head。　〃It　would　seem　the　trial　is　going　very　badly　for　you。〃
　〃Oh；　do　you　think　so？　I　hadn't　noticed。〃　Tyrion　fingered　his　scar。　〃Varys　has　not　e。〃
　〃Nor　will　he。　On　the　morrow　he　testifies　against　you。〃
　Lovely。　〃I　see。〃　He　shifted　in　his　seat。　〃I　am　curious。　You　were　always　a　fair　man；　Uncle。　What　convinced　you？〃
　〃Why　steal　Pycelle's　poisons；　if　not　to　use　them？〃　Ser　Kevan　said　bluntly。　〃And　Lady　Merryweather　saw…〃
　〃…nothing！　There　was　nothing　to　see。　But　how　do　I　prove　that？　How　do　I　prove　anything；　penned　up　here？〃
　〃Perhaps　the　time　has　e　for　you　to　confess。〃
　Even　through　the　thick　stone　walls　of　the　Red　Keep；　Tyrion　could　hear　the　steady　wash　of　rain。　〃Say　that　again；　Uncle？　I　could　swear　you　urged　me　to　confess。〃
　〃If　you　were　to　admit　your　guilt　before　the　throne　and　repent　of　your　crime；　your　father　would　withhold　the　sword。　You　would　be　permitted　to　take　the　black。〃
　Tyrion　laughed　in　his　face。　〃Those　were　the　same　terms　Cersei　offered　Eddard　Stark。　We　all　know　how　that　ended。〃
　〃Your　father　had　no　part　in　that。〃
　That　much　was　true；　at　least。　〃Castle　Black　teems　with　murderers；　thieves　and　rapists；〃　Tyrion　said；　〃but　I　don't　recall　meeting　many　regicides　while　I　was　there。　You　expect　me　to　believe　that　if　I　admit　to　being　a　kinslayer　and　kingslayer；　my　father　will　simply　nod；　forgive　me；　and　pack　me　off　to　the　Wall　with　some　warm　woolen　smallclothes。〃　He　hooted　rudely。
　〃Naught　was　said　of　forgiveness；〃　Ser　Kevan　said　sternly。　〃A　confession　would　put　this　matter　to　rest。　It　is　for　that　reason　your　father　sends　me　with　this　offer。〃
　〃Thank　him　kindly　for　me；　Uncle；〃　said　Tyrion；　〃but　tell　him　I　am　not　presently　in　a　confessing　mood。〃
　〃Were　I　you；　I'd　change　my　mood。　Your　sister　wants　your　head；　and　Lord　Tyrell　at　least　is　inclined　to　give　it　to　her。〃
　〃So　one　of　my　judges　has　already　condemned　me；　without　hearing　a　word　in　my　defense？〃　It　was　no　more　than　he　expected。　〃Will　I　still　be　allowed　to　speak　and　present　witnesses？〃
　〃You　have　no　witnesses；〃　his　uncle　reminded　him。　〃Tyrion；　if　you　are　guilty　of　this　enormity；　the　Wall　is　a　kinder　fate　than　you　deserve。　And　if　you　are　blameless　。　。　。　there　is　fighting　in　the　north；　I　know；　but　even　so　it　will　be　a　safer　place　for　you　than　King's　Landing；　whatever　the　oute　of　this　trial。　The　mob　is　convinced　of　your　guilt。　Were　you　so　foolish　as　to　venture　out　into　the　streets；　they　would　tear　you　limb　from　limb。〃
　〃I　can　see　how　much　that　prospect　upsets　you。〃
　〃You　are　my　brother's　son。〃
　〃You　might　remind　him　of　that。〃
　〃Do　you　think　he　would　allow　you　to　take　the　black　if　you　were　not　his　own　blood；　and　Joanna's？　Tywin　seems　a　hard　man　to　you；　I　know；　but　he　is　no　harder　than　he's　had　to　be。　Our　own　father　was　gentle　and　amiable；　but　so　weak　his　bannermen　mocked　him　in　their　cups。　Some　saw　fit　to　defy　him　openly。　Other　lords　borrowed　our　gold　and　never　troubled　to　repay　it。　At　court　they　japed　of　toothless　lions。　Even　his　mistress　stole　from　him。　A　woman　scarcely　one　step　above　a　whore；　and　she　helped　herself　to　my　mother's　jewels！　It　fell　to　Tywin　to　restore　House　Lannister　to　its　proper　place。　just　as　it　fell　to　him　to　rule　this　realm；　when　he　was　no　more　than　twenty。　He　bore　that　heavy　burden　for　twenty　years；　and　all　it　earned　him　was　a　mad　king's　envy。　Instead　of　the　honor　he　deserved；　he　was　made　to　suffer　slights　beyond　count；　yet　he　gave　the　Seven　Kingdoms　peace；　plenty；　and　justice。　He　is　a　just　man。　You　would　be　wise　to　trust　him。〃
　Tyrion　blinked　in　astonishment。　Ser　Kevan　had　always　been　solid；　stolid；　pragmatic；　he　had　never　heard　him　speak　with　such　fervor　before。　〃You　love　him。〃
　〃He　is　my　brother。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　will　think　on　what　you've　said。〃
　〃Think　carefully；　then。　And　quickly。〃
　He　thought　of　little　else　that　night；　but　e　morning　was　no　closer　to　deciding　if　his　father　could　be　trusted。　A　servant　brought　him　porridge　and　honey　to　break　his　fast；　but　all　he　could　taste　was　bile　at　the　thought　of　confession。　They　will　call　me　kinslayer　till　the　end　of　my　days。　For　a　thousand　years　or　more；　if　I　am　remembered　at　all；　it　will　be　as　the　monstrous　dwarf　who　poisoned　his　young　nephew　at　his　wedding　feast。　The　thought　made　him　so　bloody　angry　that　he　flung　the　bowl　and　spoon　across　the　room　and　left　a　smear　of　porridge　on　the　wall。　Ser　Addam　Marbrand　looked　at　it　curiously　when　he　came　to　escort　Tyrion　to　trial；　but　had　the　good　grace　not　to　inquire。
　〃Lord　Varys；〃　the　herald　said；　〃master　of　whisperers。〃
　Powdered；　primped；　and　smelling　of　rosewater；　the　Spider　rubbed　his　hands　one　over　the　other　all　the　time　he　spoke。　Washing　my　life　away；　Tyrion　thought；　as　he　listened　to　the　eunuch's　mournful　account　of　how　the　Imp　had　schemed　to　part　Joffrey　from　the　Hound's　protection　and　spoken　with　Bronn　of　the　benefits　of　having　Tornmen　as　king。　Half…truths　are　worth　more　than　outright　lies。　And　unlike　the　others；　Varys　had　documents；　parchments　painstakingly　filled　with　notes；　details；　dates；　whole　conversations。　So　much　material　that　its　recitation　took　all　day；　and　so　much　of　it　damning。　Varys　confirmed　Tyrion's　midnight　visit　to　Grand　Maester　Pycelle's　chambers　and　the　theft　of　his　poisons　and　potions；　confirmed　the　threat　he'd　made　to　Cersei　the　night　of　their　supper；　confirmed　every　bloody　thing　but　the　poisoning　itself。　When　Prince　Oberyn　asked　him　how　he　could　possibly　know　all　this；　not　having　been　present　at　any　of　these　events；　the　eunuch　only　giggled　and　said；　〃My　little　birds　told　me。　Knowing　is　their　purpose；　and　mine。〃
　How　do　I　question　a　little　bird？　thought　Tyrion。　I　should　have　had　the　eunuch's　head　off　my　first　day　in　King's　Landing。　Damn　him。　And　damn　me　for　whatever　trust　I　put　in　him。
　〃Have　we　heard　it　all？〃　Lord　Tywin　asked　his　daughter　as　Varys　left　the　hall。
　〃Almost；〃　said　Cersei。　〃I　beg　your　leave　to　bring　one　final　witness　before　you；　on　the　morrow。〃
　〃As　you　wish；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。
　Oh；　good；　thought　Tyrion　savagely。　After　this　farce　of　a　trial；　execution　will　almost　e　as　a　relief。
　That　night；　as　he　sat　by　his　window　drinking；　he　heard　voices　outside　his　door。　Ser　Kevan；　e　for　my　answer；　he　thought　at　once；　but　it　was　not　his　uncle　who　entered。
　Tyrion　rose　to　give　Prince　Oberyn　a　mocking　bow。　〃Are　judges　permitted　to　visit　the　accused？〃
　〃Princes　are　permitted　to　go　where　they　will。　Or　so　I　told　your　guards。〃　The　Red　Viper　took　a　seat。
　〃My　father　will　be　displeased　with　you。〃
　〃The　happiness　of　Tywin　Lannister　has　never　been　high　on　my　list　of　concerns。　Is　it　Domish　wine　you're　drinking？〃
　〃From　the　Arbor。〃
　Oberyn　made　a　face。　〃Red　water。　Did　you　poison　him？〃
　〃No。　Did　you？〃
　The　prince　smiled。　〃Do　all　dwarfs　have　tongues　like　yours？　Someone　is　going　to　cut　it　out　one　of　these　days。〃
　〃You　are　not　the　first　to　tell　me　that。　Perhaps　I　should　cut　it　out　myself；　it　seems　to　make　no　end　of　trouble。〃
　〃So　I've　seen。　I　think　I　may　drink　some　of　Lord　Redwyne's　grape　juice　after　all。〃
　〃As　you　like。〃　Tyrion　served　him　a　cup。
　The　man　took　a　sip；　sloshed　it　about　in　his　mouth；　and　swallowed。　〃it　will　serve；　for　the　moment。　I　will　send　you　up　some　strong　Domish　wine　on　the　morrow。〃　He　took　another　sip。　〃I　have　turned　up　that　goldenhaired　whore　I　was　hoping　for。〃
　〃So　you　found　Chataya's？〃
　〃At　Chataya's　I　bedded　the　black…skinned　girl。　Alayaya；　I　believe　she　is　called。　Exquisite；　despite　the　stripes　on　her　back。　But　the　whore　I　referred　to　is　your　sister。〃
　〃Has　she　seduced　you　yet？〃　Tyrion　asked；　unsurprised。
　Oberyn　laughed　aloud。　〃No；　but　she　will　if　I　meet　her　price。　The　queen　has　even　hinted　at　marriage。　Her　Grace　needs　another　husband；　and　who　better　than　a　prince　of　Dome？　Ellaria　believes　I　should　accept。　just　the　thought　of　Cersei　in　our　bed　makes　her　wet；　the　randy　wench。　And　we　should　not　even　need　to　pay　the　dwarf's　penny。　All　your　sister　requires　from　me　is　one　head；　somewhat　overlarge　and　missing　a　nose。〃
　〃And？〃　said　Tyrion；