grrm.astormofswords-第262章

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　〃I　never　knew　he　would　do　that。　You　must　believe　me。〃
　〃Oh；　must　I；〃　Tyrion　snarled。　〃Why　should　I　believe　you　about　anything；　ever？　She　was　my　wife！〃
　〃Tyrion…it　。　。　。〃
　He　hit　him。　It　was　a　slap；　backhanded；　but　he　put　all　his　strength　into　it；　all　his　fear；　all　his　rage；　all　his　pain。　Jaime　was　squatting；　unbalanced。　The　blow　sent　him　tumbling　backward　to　the　floor。　〃I　。　。　。　I　suppose　I　earned　that。〃
　〃Oh；　you've　earned　more　than　that；　Jaime。　You　and　my　sweet　sister　and　our　loving　father；　yes；　I　can't　begin　to　tell　you　what　you've　earned。　But　you'll　have　it；　that　I　swear　to　you。　A　Lannister　always　pays　his　debts。〃　Tyrion　waddled　away；　almost　stumbling　over　the　turnkey　again　in　his　haste。　Before　he　had　gone　a　dozen　yards；　he　bumped　up　against　an　irongate　that　closed　the　passage。　Oh；　gods。　it　was　all　he　could　do　not　to　scream。
　Jaime　came　up　behind　him。　〃I　have　the　gaoler's　keys。〃
　〃Then　use　them。〃　Tyrion　stepped　aside。
　Jaime　unlocked　the　gate；　pushed　it　open；　and　stepped　through。　He　looked　back　over　his　shoulder。　〃Are　you　ing？〃
　〃Not　with　you。〃　Tyrion　stepped　through。　〃Give　me　the　keys　and　go。　I　will　find　Varys　on　my　own。〃　He　cocked　his　head　and　stared　up　at　his　brother　with　his　mismatched　eyes。　〃Jaime；　can　you　flght　left…handed？〃
　〃Rather　less　well　than　you；〃　Jaime　said　bitterly。
　〃Good。　Then　we　will　be　well　matched　if　we　should　ever　meet　again。　The　cripple　and　the　dwarf。〃
　Jaime　handed　him　the　ring　of　keys。　〃I　gave　you　the　truth。　You　owe　me　the　same。　Did　you　do　it？　Did　you　kill　him？〃
　The　question　was　another　knife；　twisting　in　his　guts。　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　to　know？〃　asked　Tyrion。　〃Joffrey　would　have　been　a　worse　king　than　Aerys　ever　was。　He　stole　his　father's　dagger　and　gave　it　to　a　footpad　to　slit　the　throat　of　Brandon　Stark；　did　you　know　that？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　thought　he　might　have。〃
　〃Well；　a　son　takes　after　his　father。　Joff　would　have　killed　me　as　well；　once　he　came　into　his　power。　For　the　crime　of　being　short　and　ugly；　of　which　I　am　so　conspicuously　guilty。〃
　〃You　have　not　answered　my　question。〃
　〃You　poor　stupid　blind　crippled　fool。　Must　I　spell　every　little　thing　out　for　you？　Very　well。　Cersei　is　a　lying　whore；　she's　been　fucking　Lancel　and　Osmund　Kettleblack　and　probably　Moon　Boy　for　all　I　know。　And　I　am　the　monster　they　all　say　I　am。　Yes；　I　killed　your　vile　son。〃　He　made　himself　grin。　It　must　have　been　a　hideous　sight　to　see；　there　in　the　torchlit　gloom。
　Jaime　turned　without　a　word　and　walked　away。
　Tyrion　watched　him　go；　striding　on　his　long　strong　legs；　and　part　of　him　wanted　to　call　out；　to　tell　him　that　it　wasn't　true；　to　beg　for　his　forgiveness。　But　then　he　thought　of　Tysha；　and　he　held　his　silence。　He　listened　to　the　receding　footsteps　until　he　could　hear　them　no　longer；　then　waddled　off　to　look　for　Varys。
　The　eunuch　was　lurking　in　the　dark　of　a　twisting　turnpike　stair；　garbed　in　a　moth…eaten　brown　robe　with　a　hood　that　hid　the　paleness　of　his　face。　〃You　were　so　long；　I　feared　that　something　had　gone　amiss；〃　he　said　when　he　saw　Tyrion。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Tyrion　assured　him；　in　poisonous　tones。　〃What　could　possibly　have　gone　amiss？〃　He　twisted　his　head　back　to　stare　up。　〃I　sent　for　you　during　my　trial。〃
　〃I　could　not　e。　The　queen　had　me　watched；　night　and　day。　I　dared　not　help　you。〃
　〃You're　helping　me　now。〃
　〃Am　I？　Ah。〃　Varys　giggled。　It　seemed　strangely　out　of　place　in　this　place　of　cold　stone　and　echoing　darkness。　〃Your　brother　can　be　most　persuasive。〃
　〃Varys；　you　are　as　cold　and　slimy　as　a　slug；　has　anyone　ever　told　you？　You　did　your　best　to　kill　me。　Perhaps　I　ought　to　return　the　favor。〃
　The　eunuch　sighed。　〃The　faithful　dog　is　kicked；　and　no　matter　how　the　spider　weaves；　he　is　never　loved。　But　if　you　slay　me　here；　I　fear　for　you；　my　lord。　You　may　never　find　your　way　back　to　daylight。〃　His　eyes　glittered　in　the　shifting　torchlight；　dark　and　wet。　〃These　tunnels　are　full　of　traps　for　the　unwary。〃
　Tyrion　snorted。　〃Unwary？　I'm　the　wariest　man　who　ever　lived；　you　helped　see　to　that。〃　He　rubbed　at　his　nose。　〃So　tell　me；　wizard；　where　is　my　innocent　maiden　wife？〃
　〃I　have　found　no　trace　of　Lady　Sansa　in　King's　Landing　sad　to　say。　Nor　of　Ser　Dontos　Hollard；　who　by　rights　should　have　turned　up　somewhere　drunk　by　now。　They　were　seen　together　on　the　serpentine　steps　the　night　she　vanished。　After　that；　nothing。　There　was　much　confusion　that　night。　My　little　birds　are　silent。〃　Varys　gave　a　gentle　tug　at　the　dwarf's　sleeve　and　pulled　him　into　the　stair。　〃My　lord；　we　must　away。　Your　path　is　down。〃
　That's　no　lie；　at　least。　Tyrion　waddled　along　in　the　eunuch's　wake；　his　heels　scraping　against　the　rough　stone　as　they　descended。　It　was　very　cold　within　the　stairwell；　a　damp　bone…chilling　cold　that　set　him　to　shivering　at　once。　〃What　part　of　the　dungeons　are　these？〃　he　asked。
　〃Maegor　the　Cruel　decreed　four　levels　of　dungeons　for　his　castle；〃　Varys　replied。　〃On　the　upper　level；　there　are　large　cells　where　mon　criminals　may　be　confined　together。　They　have　narrow　windows　set　high　in　the　walls。　The　second　level　has　the　smaller　cells　where　highborn　captives　are　held。　They　have　no　windows；　but　torches　in　the　halls　cast　light　through　the　bars。　On　the　third　level　the　cells　are　smaller　and　the　doors　are　wood。　The　black　cells；　men　call　them。　That　was　where　you　were　kept；　and　Eddard　Stark　before　you。　But　there　is　a　level　lower　still。　Once　a　man　is　taken　down　to　the　fourth　level；　he　never　sees　the　sun　again；　nor　hears　a　human　voice；　nor　breathes　a　breath　free　of　agonizing　pain。　Maegor　had　the　cells　on　the　fourth　level　built　for　torment。〃　They　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　steps。　An　unlighted　door　opened　before　them。　〃This　is　the　fourth　level。　Give　me　your　hand；　my　lord。　It　is　safer　to　walk　in　darkness　here。　There　are　things　you　would　not　wish　to　see。〃
　Tyrion　hung　back　a　moment。　Varys　had　already　betrayed　him　once。　Who　knew　what　game　the　eunuch　was　playing？　And　what　better　place　to　murder　a　man　than　down　in　the　darkness；　in　a　place　that　no　one　knew　existed？　His　body　might　never　be　found。
　On　the　other　hand；　what　choice　did　he　have？　To　go　back　up　the　steps　and　walk　out　the　main　gate？　No；　that　would　not　serve。
　Jaime　would　not　be　afraid；　he　thought；　before　he　remembered　what　Jaime　had　done　to　him。　He　took　the　eunuch　by　the　hand　and　let　himself　be　led　through　the　black；　following　the　soft　scrape　of　leather　on　stone。　Varys　walked　quickly；　from　time　to　time　whispering；　〃Careful；　there　are　three　steps　ahead；〃　or；　〃The　tunnel　slopes　downward　here；　my　lord。〃　I　arrived　here　a　King's　Hand；　riding　through　the　gates　at　the　head　of　my　own　sworn　men；　Tyrion　reflected；　and　I　leave　like　a　rat　scuttling　through　the　dark；　holding　hands　with　a　spider。
　A　light　appeared　ahead　of　them；　too　dim　to　be　daylight；　and　grew　as　they　hurried　toward　it。　After　a　while　he　could　see　it　was　an　arched　doorway；　closed　off　by　another　iron　gate。　Varys　produced　a　key。　They　stepped　through　into　a　small　round　chamber。　Five　other　doors　opened　off　the　room；　each　barred　in　iron。　There　was　an　opening　in　the　ceiling　as　well；　and　a　series　of　rungs　set　in　the　wall　below；　leading　upward。　An　ornate　brazier　stood　to　one　side；　fashioned　in　the　shape　of　a　dragon's　head。　The　coals　in　the　beast's　yawning　mouth　had　burnt　down　to　embers；　but　they　still　glowed　with　a　sullen　orange　light。　Dim　as　it　was；　the　light　was　wele　after　the　blackness　of　the　tunnel。
　The　juncture　was　otherwise　empty；　but　on　the　floor　was　a　mosaic　of　a　three…headed　dragon　wrought　in　red　and　black　tiles。　Something　niggled　at　Tyrionfor　a　moment。　Then　it　came　to　him。　This　is　the　place　Shae　told　me　of；　when　Varys　first　led　her　to　my　bed。　〃We　are　below　the　Tower　of　the　Hand。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Frozen　hinges　screamed　in　protest　as　Varys　pulled　open　a　longclosed　door。　Flakes　of　rust　drifted　to　the　floor。　〃This　will　take　us　out　to　the　river。〃
　Tyrion　walked　slowly　to　the　ladder；　ran　his　hand　across　the　lowest　rung。　〃This　will　take　me　up　to　my　bedchamber。〃
　〃Your　lord　father's　bedchamber　now。〃
　He　looked　up　the　shaft。　〃How　far　must　I　climb？〃
　〃My　lord；　you　are　too　weak　for　such　follies；　and　there　is　besides　no　time。　We　must　go。〃
　〃I　have　business　above。　How　far？〃
　〃Two　hundred　and　thirty　rungs；　but　whatever　you　intend　。　。　。〃
　〃Two　hundred　and　thirty　rungs；　and　then