grrm.astormofswords-第274章

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　〃NO！〃　Lysa　gave　Sansa's　head　another　wrench。　Snow　eddied　around　them；　making　their　skirts　snap　noisily。　〃You　can't　want　her。　You　can't。　She's　a　stupid　empty…headed　little　girl。　She　doesn't　love　you　the　way　I　have。　I've　always　loved　you。　I've　proved　it；　haven't　I？〃　Tears　ran　down　her　aunt's　puffy　red　face。　〃I　gave　you　my　maiden's　gift。　I　would　have　given　you　a　son　too；　but　they　murdered　him　with　moon　tea；　with　tansy　and　mint　and　wormwood；　a　spoon　of　honey　and　a　drop　of　permyroyal。　It　wasn't　me；　I　never　knew；　I　only　drank　what　Father　gave　me　。　。　。〃
　〃That's　past　and　done；　Lysa。　Lord　Hoster's　dead；　and　his　old　maester　as　well。〃　Littlefinger　moved　closer。　〃Have　you　been　at　the　wine　again？　You　ought　not　to　talk　so　much。　We　don't　want　Alayne　to　know　more　than　she　should；　do　we？　Or　Marillion？〃
　Lady　Lysa　ignored　that。　〃Cat　never　gave　you　anything。　It　was　me　who　got　you　your　first　post；　who　made　Jon　bring　you　to　court　so　we　could　be　close　to　one　another。　You　promised　me　you　would　never　forget　that。〃
　〃Nor　have　I。　We're　together；　just　as　you　always　wanted；　just　as　we　always　planned。　just　let　go　of　Sansa's　hair　。　。　。〃
　〃I　won't！　I　saw　you　kissing　in　the　snow。　She's　just　like　her　mother。　Catelyn　kissed　you　in　the　godswood；　but　she　never　meant　it；　she　never　wanted　you。　Why　did　you　love　her　best？　It　was　me；　it　was　always　meeee！〃
　〃I　know；　love。〃　He　took　another　step。　〃And　I　am　here。　All　you　need　to　do　is　take　my　hand；　e　on。〃　He　held　it　out　to　her。　〃There's　no　cause　for　all　these　tears。〃
　〃Tears；　tears；　tears；〃　she　sobbed　hysterically。　〃No　need　for　tears　。　。　。　but　that's　not　what　you　said　in　King's　Landing。　You　told　me　to　put　the　tears　in　Jon's　wine；　and　I　did。　For　Robert；　and　for　us！　And　I　wrote　Catelyn　and　told　her　the　Lannisters　had　killed　my　lord　husband；　just　as　you　said。　That　was　so　clever　。　。　。　you　were　always　clever；　I　told　Father　that；　I　said　Petyr's　so　clever；　he'll　rise　high；　he　will；　he　will；　and　he's　sweet　and　gentle　and　I　have　his　little　baby　in　my　belly　。　。　。　Why　did　you　kiss　her？　Why？　We're　together　now；　we're　together　after　so　long；　so　very　long；　why　would　you　want　to　kiss　herrrrrr？〃
　〃Lysa；〃　Petyr　sighed；　〃after　all　the　storms　we've　suffered；　you　should　trust　me　better。　I　swear；　I　shall　never　leave　your　side　again；　for　as　long　as　we　both　shall　live。〃
　〃Truly？〃　she　asked；　weeping。　〃Oh；　truly？〃
　〃Truly。　Now　unhand　the　girl　and　e　give　me　a　kiss。〃
　Lysa　threw　herself　into　Littlefinger's　arms；　sobbing。　As　they　hugged；　Sansa　crawled　from　the　Moon　Door　on　hands　and　knees　and　wrapped　her　arms　around　the　nearest　pillar。　She　could　feel　her　heart　pounding。　There　was　snow　in　her　hair　and　her　right　shoe　was　missing。　It　must　have　fallen。　She　shuddered；　and　hugged　the　pillar　tighter。
　Littlefinger　let　Lysa　sob　against　his　chest　for　a　moment；　then　put　his　hands　on　her　arms　and　kissed　her　lightly。　〃My　sweet　silly　jealous　wife；〃　he　said；　chuckling。　〃I've　only　loved　one　woman；　I　promise　you。〃
　Lysa　Arryn　smiled　tremulously。　〃Only　one？　Oh；　Petyr；　do　you　swear　it？　Only　one？〃
　〃Only　Cat。〃　He　gave　her　a　short；　sharp　shove。
　Lysa　stumbled　backward；　her　feet　slipping　on　the　wet　marble。　And　then　she　was　gone。　She　never　screamed。　For　the　longest　time　there　was　no　sound　but　the　wind。
　Marillion　gasped；　〃You　。　。　。　you　。　。　。〃
　The　guards　were　shouting　outside　the　door；　pounding　with　the　butts　of　their　heavy　spears。　Lord　Petyr　pulled　Sansa　to　her　feet。　〃You're　not　hurt？〃　When　she　shook　her　head；　he　said；　〃Run　let　my　guards　in；　then。　Quick　now；　there's　no　time　to　lose。　This　singer's　killed　my　lady　wife。〃
　
　Epilogue
　
　The　road　up　to　Oldstones　went　twice　around　the　hill　before　reaching　the　summit。　Overgrown　and　stony；　it　would　have　been　slow　going　even　in　the　best　of　times；　and　last　night's　snow　had　left　it　muddy　as　well。　Snow　in　autumn　in　the　riverlands；　it's　unnatural；　Merrett　thought　gloomily。　It　had　not　been　much　of　a　snow；　true；　just　enough　to　blanket　the　ground　for　a　night。　Most　of　it　had　started　melting　away　as　soon　as　the　sun　came　up。　Still；　Merrett　took　it　for　a　bad　omen。　Between　rains；　floods；　fire；　and　war；　they　had　lost　two　harvests　and　a　good　part　of　a　third。　An　early　winter　would　mean　famine　all　across　the　riverlands。　A　great　many　people　would　go　hungry；　and　some　of　them　would　starve。　Merrett　only　hoped　he　wouldn't　be　one　of　them。　I　may；　though。　With　my　luck；　I　just　may。　I　never　did　have　any　luck。
　Beneath　the　castle　ruins；　the　lower　slopes　of　the　hill　were　so　thickly　forested　that　half　a　hundred　outlaws　could　well　have　been　lurking　there。　They　could　be　watching　me　even　now。　Merrett　glanced　about；　and　saw　nothing　but　gorse；　bracken；　thistle；　sedge；　and　blackberry　bushes　between　the　pines　and　grey…green　sentinels。　Elsewhere　skeletal　elm　and　ash　and　scrub　oaks　choked　the　ground　like　weeds。　He　saw　no　outlaws；　but　that　meant　little。　Outlaws　were　better　at　hiding　than　honest　men。
　Merrett　hated　the　woods；　if　truth　be　told；　and　he　hated　outlaws　even　more。　〃Outlaws　stole　my　life；〃　he　had　been　known　to　plain　when　in　his　cups。　He　was　too　often　in　his　cups；　his　father　said；　often　and　loudly。　Too　true；　he　thought　ruefully。　You　needed　some　sort　of　distinction　in　the　Twins；　else　they　were　liable　to　forget　you　were　alive；　but　a　reputation　as　the　biggest　drinker　in　the　castle　had　done　little　to　enhance　his　prospects；　he'd　found。　I　once　hoped　to　be　the　greatest　knight　who　ever　couched　a　lance。　The　gods　took　that　away　from　me。　Why　shouldn't　I　have　a　cup　of　wine　from　time　to　time？　It　helps　my　headaches。　Besides；　my　wife　is　a　shrew；　my　father　despises　me；　my　children　are　worthless。　What　do　I　have　to　stay　sober　for？
　He　was　sober　now；　though。　Well；　he'd　had　two　horns　of　ale　when　he　broke　his　fast；　and　a　small　cup　of　red　when　he　set　out；　but　that　was　just　to　keep　his　head　from　pounding。　Merrett　could　feel　the　headache　building　behind　his　eyes；　and　he　knew　that　if　he　gave　it　half　a　chance　he　would　soon　feel　as　if　he　had　a　thunderstorm　raging　between　his　ears。　Sometimes　his　headaches　got　so　bad　that　it　even　hurt　too　much　to　weep。　Then　all　he　could　do　was　rest　on　his　bed　in　a　dark　room　with　a　damp　cloth　over　his　eyes；　and　curse　his　luck　and　the　nameless　outlaw　who　had　done　this　to　him。
　Just　thinking　about　it　made　him　anxious。　He　could　no　wise　afford　a　headache　now。　If　I　bring　Petyr　back　home　safely；　all　my　luck　will　change。　He　had　the　gold；　all　he　needed　to　do　was　climb　to　the　top　of　Oldstones；　meet　the　bloody　outlaws　in　the　ruined　castle；　and　make　the　exchange。　A　simple　ransom。　Even　he　could　not　muck　it　up　。　。　。　unless　he　got　a　headache；　one　so　bad　that　it　left　him　unable　to　ride。　He　was　supposed　to　be　at　the　ruins　by　sunset；　not　weeping　in　a　huddle　at　the　side　of　the　road。　Merrett　rubbed　two　fingers　against　his　temple。　Once　more　around　the　hill；　and　there　I　am。　When　the　message　had　e　in　and　he　had　stepped　forward　to　offer　to　carry　the　ransom；　his　father　had　squinted　down　and　said；　〃You；　Merrett？　〃　and　started　laughing　through　his　nose；　that　hideous　heh　heh　heh　laugh　of　his。　Merrett　practically　had　to　beg　before　they'd　give　him　the　bloody　bag　of　gold。
　Something　moved　in　the　underbrush　along　the　side　of　the　road。　Merrett　reined　up　hard　and　reached　for　his　sword；　but　it　was　only　a　squirrel。　〃Stupid；〃　he　told　himself；　shoving　the　sword　back　in　its　scabbard　without　ever　having　gotten　it　out。　〃Outlaws　don't　have　tails。　Bloody　hell；　Merrett；　get　hold　of　yourself。〃　His　heart　was　thumping　in　his　chest　as　if　he　were　some　green　boy　on　his　first　campaign。　As　if　this　were　the　kingswood　and　it　was　the　old　Brotherhood　I　was　going　to　face；　not　the　lightning　lord's　sorry　lot　of　brigands。　For　a　moment　he　was　tempted　to　trot　right　back　down　the　hill　and　find　the　nearest　alehouse。　That　bag　of　gold　would　buy　a　lot　of　ale；　enough　for　him　to　forget　all　about　Petyr　Pimple。　Let　them　hang　him；　he　brought　this　on　himself。　It's　no　more　than　he　deserves；　wandering　off　with　some　bloody　camp　follower　like　a　stag　in　rut。
　His　head　had　begun　to　pound；　soft　now；　but　he　knew　it　would　get　worse。　Merrett　rubbed　the　bridge　of　his　nose。　He　really　had　no　right　to　think　so　ill　of　Petyr。　I　did　the　same　myself　when　I　was　his　age。　In　his　case　all　it　got　him　was　a　pox；　but　still；　he　shouldn't　condemn。　Whores　did　have　charms；　especially　if　you　had　a　face　like