grrm.astormofswords-第266章

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nd　a　red…headed　sergeant　who　had　e　from　Dragonstone　with　Stannis。
　When　Sam　begged　leave　to　speak　with　him；　though；　Pyke　barked　an　order；　and　the　others　took　the　dice　and　coins　and　left　them。
　No　man　would　ever　call　Cotter　Pyke　handsome；　though　the　body　under　his　studded　brigantine　and　roughspun　breeches　was　lean　and　hard　and　wiry　strong。　His　eyes　were　small　and　close…set；　his　nose　broken；　his　widow's　peak　as　sharply　pointed　as　the　head　of　a　spear。　The　pox　had　ravaged　his　face　badly；　and　the　beard　he'd　grown　to　hide　the　scars　was　thin　and　scraggly。
　〃Sam　the　Slayer！〃　he　said；　by　way　of　greeting。　〃Are　you　sure　you　stabbed　an　Other；　and　not　some　child's　snow　knight？〃
　This　isn't　starting　well。　〃it　was　the　dragonglass　that　killed　it；　my　lord；〃　Sam　explained　feebly。
　〃Aye；　no　doubt。　Well；　out　with　it；　Slayer。　Did　the　maester　send　you　to　me？〃
　〃The　maester？〃　Sam　swallowed。　〃I　。　。　。　I　just　left　him；　my　lord。〃　That　wasn't　truly　a　lie；　but　if　Pyke　chose　to　read　it　wrong；　it　might　make　him　more　inclined　to　listen。　Sam　took　a　deep　breath　and　launched　into　his　plea。
　Pyke　cut　him　off　before　he'd　said　twenty　words。　〃You　want　me　to　kneel　down　and　kiss　the　hem　of　Mallister's　pretty　cloak；　is　that　it？　I　might　have　known。　You　lordlings　all　flock　like　sheep。　Well；　tell　Aemon　that　he's　wasted　your　breath　and　my　time。　if　anyone　withdraws　it　should　be　Mallister。　The　man's　too　bloody　old　for　the　job；　maybe　you　ought　to　go　tell　him　that。　We　choose　him；　and　we're　like　to　be　back　here　in　a　year；　choosing　someone　else。〃
　〃He's　old；〃　Sam　agreed；　〃but　he's　well　ex…experienced。〃
　〃At　sitting　in　his　tower　and　fussing　over　maps；　maybe。　What　does　he　plan　to　do；　write　letters　to　the　wights？　He's　a　knight；　well　and　good；　but　he's　not　a　fighter；　and　I　don't　give　a　kettle　of　piss　who　he　unhorsed　in　some　fool　tourney　fifty　years　ago。　The　Halfhand　fought　all　his　battles；　even　an　old　blind　man　should　see　that。　And　we　need　a　fighter　more　than　ever　with　this　bloody　king　on　top　of　us。　Today　it's　ruins　and　empty　fields；　well　and　good；　but　what　will　His　Grace　want　e　the　morrow？　You　think　Mallister　has　the　belly　to　stand　up　to　Stannis　Baratheon　and　that　red　bitch？〃　He　laughed。　〃I　don't。〃
　〃You　won't　support　him；　then？〃　said　Sam；　dismayed。
　〃Are　you　Sam　the　Slayer　or　Deaf　Dick？　No；　I　won't　support　him。〃　Pyke　jabbed　a　finger　at　his　face。　〃Understand　this；　boy。　I　don't　want　the　bloody　job；　and　never　did。　I　fight　best　with　a　deck　beneath　me；　not　a　horse；　and　Castle　Black　is　too　far　from　the　sea。　But　I'll　be　buggered　with　a　red…hot　sword　before　I　turn　the　Night's　Watch　over　to　that　preening　eagle　from　the　Shadow　Tower。　And　you　can　run　back　to　the　old　man　and　tell　him　I　said　so；　if　he　asks。〃　He　stood。　〃Get　out　of　my　sight。〃
　It　took　all　the　courage　Sam　had　left　in　him　to　say；　〃W…what　if　there　was　someone　else？　Could　you　s…support　someone　else？〃
　〃Who？　Bowen　Marsh？　The　man　counts　spoons。　Othell's　a　follower；　does　what　he's　told　and　does　it　well；　but　no　more'n　that。　Slynt　。　。　。　well；　his　men　like　him；　I'll　grant　you；　and　it　would　almost　be　worth　it　to　stick　him　down　the　royal　craw　and　see　if　Stannis　gagged；　but　no。　There's　too　much　of　King's　Landing　in　that　one。　A　toad　grows　wings　and　thinks　he's　a　bloody　dragon。〃　Pyke　laughed。　〃Who　does　that　leave；　Hobb？　We　could　pick　him；　I　suppose；　only　then　who's　going　to　boil　your　mutton；　Slayer？　You　look　like　a　man　who　likes　his　bloody　mutton。〃
　There　was　nothing　more　to　say。　Defeated；　Sam　could　only　stammer　out　his　thanks　and　take　his　leave。　I　will　do　better　with　Ser　Denys；　he　tried　to　tell　himself　as　he　walked　through　the　castle。　Ser　Denys　was　a　knight；　highborn　and　well…spoken；　and　he　had　treated　Sam　most　courteously　when　he'd　found　him　and　Gilly　on　the　road。　Ser　Denys　will　listen　to　me；　he　has　to。
　The　mander　of　the　Shadow　Tower　had　been　born　beneath　the　Booming　Tower　of　Seagard；　and　looked　every　inch　a　Mallister。　Sable　trimmed　his　collar　and　accented　the　sleeves　of　his　black　velvet　doublet。　A　silver　eagle　fastened　its　claws　in　the　gathered　folds　of　his　cloak。　His　beard　was　white　as　snow；　his　hair　was　largely　gone；　and　his　face　was　deeply　lined；　it　was　true。　Yet　he　still　had　grace　in　his　movements　and　teeth　in　his　mouth；　and　the　years　had　dimmed　neither　his　blue…grey　eyes　nor　his　courtesy。
　〃My　lord　of　Tarly；〃　he　said；　when　his　steward　brought　Sam　to　him　in　the　Lance；　where　the　Shadow　Tower　men　were　staying。　〃I　am　pleased　to　see　that　you've　recovered　from　your　ordeal。　Might　I　offer　you　a　cup　of　wine？　Your　lady　mother　is　a　Florent；　I　recall。　One　day　I　must　tell　you　about　the　time　I　unhorsed　both　of　your　grandfathers　in　the　same　tourney。　Not　today；　though；　I　know　we　have　more　pressing　concerns。　You　e　from　Maester　Aemon；　to　be　sure。　Does　he　have　counsel　to　offer　me？〃
　Sam　took　a　sip　of　wine；　and　chose　his　words　with　care。　〃A　maester　chained　and　sworn　。　。　。　it　would　not　be　proper　for　him　to　be　seen　as　having　influenced　the　choice　of　Lord　mander　。　。　。〃
　The　old　knight　smiled。　〃Which　is　why　he　has　not　e　to　me　himself。　Yes；　I　quite　understand；　Samwell。　Aemon　and　I　are　both　old　men；　and　wise　in　such　matters。　Say　what　you　came　to　say。〃
　The　wine　was　sweet；　and　Ser　Denys　listened　to　Sam's　plea　with　grave　courtesy；　unlike　Cotter　Pyke。　But　when　he　was　done；　the　old　knight　shook　his　head。　〃I　agree　that　it　would　be　a　dark　day　in　our　history　if　a　king　were　to　name　our　Lord　mander。　This　king　especially。　He　is　not　like　to　keep　his　crown　for　long。　But　truly；　Samwell；　it　ought　to　be　Pyke　who　withdraws。　I　have　more　support　than　he　does；　and　I　am　better　suited　to　the　office。〃
　〃You　are；〃　Sam　agreed；　〃but　Cotter　Pyke　might　serve。　It's　said　he　has　oft　proved　himself　in　battle。〃　He　did　not　mean　to　offend　Ser　Denys　by　praising　his　rival；　but　how　else　could　he　convince　him　to　withdraw？
　〃Many　of　my　brothers　have　proved　themselves　in　battle。　It　is　not　enough。　Some　matters　cannot　be　settled　with　a　battleaxe。　Maester　Aemon　will　understand　that；　though　Cotter　Pyke　does　not。　The　Lord　mander　of　the　Night's　Watch　is　a　lord；　first　and　foremost。　He　must　be　able　to　treat　with　other　lords　。　。　。　and　with　kings　as　well。　He　must　be　a　man　worthy　of　respect。〃　Ser　Denys　leaned　forward。　〃We　are　the　sons　of　great　lords；　you　and　I。　We　know　the　importance　of　birth；　blood；　and　that　early　training　that　can　ne'er　be　replaced。　I　was　a　squire　at　twelve；　a　knight　at　eighteen；　a　champion　at　two…and…twenty。　I　have　been　the　mander　at　the　Shadow　Tower　for　thirty…three　years。　Blood；　birth；　and　training　have　fitted　me　to　deal　with　kings。　Pyke　。　。　。　well；　did　you　hear　him　this　morning；　asking　if　His　Grace　would　wipe　his　bottom？　Samwell；　it　is　not　my　habit　to　speak　unkindly　of　my　brothers；　but　let　us　be　frank　。　。　。　the　ironborn　are　a　race　of　pirates　and　thieves；　and　Cotter　Pyke　was　raping　and　murdering　when　he　was　still　half　a　boy。　Maester　Harmune　reads　and　writes　his　letters；　and　has　for　years。　No；　loath　as　I　am　to　disappoint　Maester　Aemon；　I　could　not　in　honor　stand　aside　for　Pyke　of　Eastwatch。〃
　This　time　Sam　was　ready。　〃Might　you　for　someone　else？　If　it　was　someone　more　suitable？〃
　Ser　Denys　considered　a　moment。　〃I　have　never　desired　the　honor　for　its　own　sake。　At　the　last　choosing；　I　stepped　aside　gratefully　when　Lord　Mormont's　name　was　offered；　just　as　I　had　for　Lord　Qorgyle　at　the　choosing　before　that。　So　long　as　the　Night's　Watch　remains　in　good　hands；　I　am　content。　But　Bowen　Marsh　is　not　equal　to　the　task；　no　more　than　Othell　Yarwyck。　And　this　so…called　Lord　of　Harrenhal　is　a　butcher's　whelp　upjumped　by　the　Lannisters。　Small　wonder　he　is　venal　and　corrupt。〃
　〃There's　another　man；〃　Sam　blurted　out。　〃Lord　mander　Mormont　trusted　him。　So　did　Donal　Noye　and　Qhorin　Halfhand。　Though　he's　not　as　highly　born　as　you；　he　es　from　old　blood。　He　was　castle…born　and　castle…raised；　and　he　learned　sword　and　lance　from　a　knight　and　letters　from　a　maester　of　the　Citadel。　His　father　was　a　lord；　and　his　brother　a　king。〃
　Ser　Denys　stroked　his　long　white　beard。　〃Mayhaps；〃　he　said；　after　a　long　moment。　〃He　is　very　young；　but　。　。　。　mayhaps。　He　might　serve；　I　grant　you；　though　I　would　be　more　suitable。　I　have　no　doubt　of　that。　I　would　be　the　wiser　choice。〃
　Jon　said　there　could　be　honor　in　a　lie；　if　it　were　told　for　the　right　reason。　Sam　said；　〃If　we　do　not　choose　a