grrm.astormofswords-第253章

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　There　are　only　three；　Arya　thought。　Polliver　gave　her　a　fleeting　glance　and　the　boy　beside　him　never　looked　at　her　at　all；　but　the　third　one　gazed　long　and　hard。　He　was　a　man　of　middling　height　and　build；　with　a　face　so　ordinary　that　it　was　hard　to　say　how　old　he　was。　The　Tickler。　The　Tickler　and　Polliver　both。　The　boy　was　a　squire；　judging　by　his　age　and　dress。　He　had　a　big　white　pimple　on　one　side　of　his　nose；　and　some　red　ones　on　his　forehead。　〃is　this　the　lost　puppy　Ser　Gregor　spoke　of？〃　he　asked　the　Tickler。　〃The　one　who　piddled　in　the　rushes　and　ran　off？〃
　The　Tickler　put　a　warning　hand　on　the　boy's　arm；　and　gave　a　short　sharp　shake　of　his　head。　Arya　read　that　plain　enough。
　The　squire　didn't；　or　else　he　didn't　care。　〃Ser　said　his　puppy　brother　tucked　his　tail　between　his　legs　when　the　battle　got　too　warm　at　King's　Landing。　He　said　he　ran　off　whimpering。〃　He　gave　the　Hound　a　stupid　mocking　grin。
　Clegane　studied　the　boy　and　never　said　a　word。　Polliver　shoved　the　girl　off　his　lap　and　got　to　his　feet。　〃The　lad's　drunk；〃　he　said。　The　man…atarms　was　almost　as　tall　as　the　Hound；　though　not　so　heavily　muscled。　A　spade…shaped　beard　covered　his　jaws　and　jowls；　thick　and　black　and　neatly　trimmed；　but　his　head　was　more　bald　than　not。　〃He　can't　hold　his　wine；　is　all。〃
　〃Then　he　shouldn't　drink。〃
　〃The　puppy　doesn't　scare　。　。　。　〃　the　boy　began；　till　the　Tickler　casually　twisted　his　ear　between　thumb　and　forefinger。　The　words　became　a　squeal　of　pain。
　The　innkeep　came　scurrying　back　with　two　stone　cups　and　a　flagon　on　a　pewter　platter。　Sandor　lifted　the　flagon　to　his　mouth。　Arya　could　see　the　muscles　in　his　neck　working　as　he　gulped。　When　he　slammed　it　back　down　on　the　table；　half　the　wine　was　gone。　〃Now　you　can　pour。　Best　pick　up　those　coppers　too；　it's　the　only　coin　you're　like　to　see　today。〃
　〃We'll　pay　when　we're　done　drinking；〃　said　Polliver。
　〃When　you're　done　drinking　you'll　tickle　the　innkeep　to　see　where　he　keeps　his　gold。　The　way　you　always　do。〃
　The　innkeep　suddenly　remembered　something　in　the　kitchen。　The　locals　were　leaving　too；　and　the　girls　were　gone。　The　only　sound　in　the　mon　room　was　the　faint　crackling　of　the　fire　in　the　hearth。　We　should　go　too；　Arya　knew。
　〃If　you're　looking　for　Ser；　you　e　too　late；〃　Polliver　said。　〃He　was　at　Harrenhal；　but　now　he's　not。　The　queen　sent　for　him。〃　He　wore　three　blades　on　his　belt；　Arya　saw；　a　longsword　on　his　left　hip；　and　on　his　right　a　dagger　and　a　slimmer　blade；　too　long　to　be　a　dirk　and　too　short　to　be　a　sword。　〃King　Joffrey's　dead；　you　know；〃　he　added。　〃Poisoned　at　his　own　wedding　feast。〃
　Arya　edged　farther　into　the　room。　Joffrey's　dead。　She　could　almost　see　him；　with　his　blond　curls　and　his　mean　smile　and　his　fat　soft　lips。　lofftey's　dead！　She　knew　it　ought　to　make　her　happy；　but　somehow　she　still　felt　empty　inside。　Joffrey　was　dead；　but　if　Robb　was　dead　too；　what　did　it　matter？
　〃So　much　for　my　brave　brothers　of　the　Kingsguard。〃　The　Hound　gave　a　snort　of　contempt。　〃Who　killed　him？〃
　〃The　Imp；　it's　thought。　Him　and　his　little　wife。〃
　〃What　wife？〃
　〃I　forgot；　you've　been　hiding　under　a　rock。　The　northern　girl。　Winterfell's　daughter。　We　heard　she　killed　the　king　with　a　spell；　and　afterward　changed　into　a　wolf　with　big　leather　wings　like　a　bat；　and　flew　out　a　tower　window。　But　she　left　the　dwarf　behind　and　Cersei　means　to　have　his　head。〃
　That's　stupid；　Arya　thought。　Sansa　only　knows　songs；　not　spells；　and　she'd　never　marry　the　Imp。
　The　Hound　sat　on　the　bench　closest　the　door。　His　mouth　twitched；　but　only　the　burned　side。　〃She　ought　to　dip　him　in　wildfire　and　cook　him。　or　tickle　him　till　the　moon　turns　black。〃　He　raised　his　wine　cup　and　drained　it　straightaway。
　He's　one　of　them；　Arya　thought　when　she　saw　that。　She　bit　her　lip　so　hard　she　tasted　blood。　He's　just　like　they　are。　I　should　kill　him　when　he　sleeps。
　〃So　Gregor　took　Harrenhal？〃　Sandor　said。
　〃Didn't　require　much　taking；〃　said　Polliver。　〃The　sellswords　fled　as　soon　as　they　knew　we　were　ing；　all　but　a　few。　One　of　the　cooks　opened　a　postern　gate　for　us；　to　get　back　at　Hoat　for　cutting　off　his　foot。〃　He　chuckled。　〃We　kept　him　to　cook　for　us；　a　couple　wenches　to　warm　our　beds；　and　put　all　the　rest　to　the　sword。〃
　〃All　the　rest？〃　Arya　blurted　out。
　〃Well；　Ser　kept　Hoat　to　pass　the　time。〃
　Sandor　said；　〃The　Blackfish　is　still　in　Riverrun？〃
　〃Not　for　long；〃　said　Polliver。　〃He's　under　siege。　Old　Frey's　going　to　hang　Edmure　Tully　unless　he　yields　the　castle。　The　only　real　fighting's　around　Raventree。　Blackwoods　and　Brackens。　The　Brackens　are　ours　now。〃
　The　Hound　poured　a　cup　of　wine　for　Arya　and　another　for　himself；　and　drank　it　down　while　staring　at　the　hearthfire。　〃The　little　bird　flew　away；　did　she？　Well；　bloody　good　for　her。　She　shit　on　the　Imp's　head　and　flew　off。〃
　〃They'll　find　her；〃　said　Polliver。　〃If　it　takes　half　the　gold　in　Casterly　Rock。〃
　〃A　pretty　girl；　I　hear；〃　said　the　Tickler。　〃Honey　sweet。〃　He　smacked　his　lips　and　smiled。
　〃And　courteous；〃　the　Hound　agreed。　〃A　proper　little　lady。　Not　like　her　bloody　sister。〃
　〃They　found　her　too；〃　said　Polliver。　〃The　sister。　She's　for　Bolton's　bastard；　I　hear。〃
　Arya　sipped　her　wine　so　they　could　not　see　her　mouth。　She　didn't　understand　what　Polliver　was　talking　about。　Sansa　has　no　other　sister。　Sandor　Clegane　laughed　aloud。
　〃What's　so　bloody　funny？〃　asked　Polliver。
　The　Hound　never　flicked　an　eye　at　Arya。　〃If　I'd　wanted　you　to　know；　I'd　have　told　you。　Are　there　ships　at　Saltpans？〃
　〃Saltpans？　How　should　I　know？　The　traders　are　back　at　Maidenpool；　I　heard。　Randyll　Tarly　took　the　castle　and　locked　Mooton　in　a　tower　cell。　I　haven't　heard　shit　about　Saltpans。〃
　The　Tickler　leaned　forward。　〃Would　you　put　to　sea　without　bidding　farewell　to　your　brother？〃　It　gave　Arya　chills　to　hear　him　ask　a　question。　〃Ser　would　sooner　you　returned　to　Harrenhal　with　us；　Sandor。　I　bet　he　would。　Or　King's　Landing　。　。　。〃
　〃Bugger　that。　Bugger　him。　Bugger　you。〃
　The　Tickler　shrugged；　straightened；　and　reached　a　hand　behind　his　head　to　rub　the　back　of　his　neck。　Everything　seemed　to　happen　at　once　then；　Sandor　lurched　to　his　feet；　Polliver　drew　his　longsword；　and　the　Tickler's　hand　whipped　around　in　a　blur　to　send　something　silver　flashing　across　the　mon　room。　if　the　Hound　had　not　been　moving；　the　knife　might　have　cored　the　apple　of　his　throat；　instead　it　only　grazed　his　ribs；　and　wound　up　quivering　in　the　wall　near　the　door。　He　laughed　then；　a　laugh　as　cold　and　hollow　as　if　it　had　e　from　the　bottom　of　a　deep　well。　〃I　was　hoping　you'd　do　something　stupid。〃　His　sword　slid　from　its　scabbard　just　in　time　to　knock　aside　Polliver's　first　cut。
　Arya　took　a　step　backward　as　the　long　steel　song　began。　The　Tickler　came　off　the　bench　with　a　shortsword　in　one　hand　and　a　dagger　in　the　other。　Even　the　chunky　brown…haired　squire　was　up；　fumbling　for　his　swordhilt。　She　snatched　her　wine　cup　off　the　table　and　threw　it　at　his　face。　Her　aim　was　better　than　it　had　been　at　the　Twins。　The　cup　hit　him　right　on　his　big　white　pimple　and　he　went　down　hard　on　his　tail。
　Polliver　was　a　grim；　methodical　fighter；　and　he　pressed　Sandor　steadily　backward；　his　heavy　longsword　moving　with　brutal　precision。　The　Hound's　own　cuts　were　sloppier；　his　parries　rushed；　his　feet　slow　and　clumsy。　He's　drunk；　Arya　realized　with　dismay。　He　drank　too　much　too　fast；　with　no　food　in　his　belly。　And　the　Tickler　was　sliding　around　the　wall　to　get　behind　him。　She　grabbed　the　second　wine　cup　and　flung　it　at　him；　but　he　was　quicker　than　the　squire　had　been　and　ducked　his　head　in　time。　The　look　he　gave　her　then　was　cold　with　promise。　Is　there　gold　hidden　in　the　village？　she　could　hear　him　ask。　The　stupid　squire　was　clutching　the　edge　of　a　table　and　pulling　himself　to　his　knees。　Arya　could　taste　the　beginnings　of　panic　in　the　back　of　her　throat。　Fear　cuts　deeper　than　swords。　Fears　cuts　deeper　。　。　。
　Sandor　gave　a　grunt　of　pain。　The　burned　side　of　his　face　ran　red　from　temple　to　cheek；　and　the　stub　of　his　ear　was　gone。　That　seemed　to　make　him　angry。　He　drove　back　Polliver　with　a　furious　attack；　hammering　at　him　with　the　old　nicked　longsword　he　had　swapped　for　in　the　hills。　The　bearded　man　gave　way；　but　none　of　the　cuts　so　much　as　touched　him。　And　then　the　Tickler　leapt　over　a　bench　quic