grrm.astormofswords-第276章

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he　saddle。　I　have　to　go　on；　he　told　himself。　If　he　could　bring　back　Petyr　Pimple；　surely　it　would　put　him　in　Ser　Ryman's　good　graces。　Petyr　might　be　a　whisker　on　the　hapless　side；　but　he　wasn't　as　cold　as　Edwyn；　nor　as　hot　as　Black　Walder。　The　boy　will　be　grateful　for　my　part；　and　his　father　will　see　that　I'm　loyal；　a　man　worth　having　about。
　But　only　if　he　was　there　by　sunset　with　the　gold。　Merrett　glanced　at　the　sky。　Right　on　time；　He　needed　something　to　steady　his　hands。　He　pulled　up　the　waterskin　hung　from　his　saddle；　uncorked　it；　and　took　a　long　swallow。　The　wine　was　thick　and　sweet；　so　dark　it　was　almost　black；　but　gods　it　tasted　good。
　The　curtain　wall　of　Oldstones　had　once　encircled　the　brow　of　the　hill　like　the　crown　on　a　king's　head。　Only　the　foundation　remained；　and　a　few　waist…high　piles　of　crumbling　stone　spotted　with　lichen。　Merrett　rode　along　the　line　of　the　wall　until　he　came　to　the　place　where　the　gatehouse　would　have　stood。　The　ruins　were　more　extensive　here；　and　he　had　to　dismount　to　lead　his　palfrey　through　them。　In　the　west；　the　sun　had　vanished　behind　a　bank　of　low　clouds。　Gorse　and　bracken　covered　the　slopes；　and　once　inside　the　vanished　walls　the　weeds　were　chest　high。　Merrett　loosened　his　sword　in　its　scabbard　and　looked　about　warily；　but　saw　no　outlaws。　Could　I　have　e　on　the　wrong　day？　He　stopped　and　rubbed　his　temples　with　his　thumbs；　but　that　did　nothing　to　ease　the　pressure　behind　his　eyes。　Seven　bloody　hells　。　。　。
　From　somewhere　deep　within　the　castle；　faint　music　came　drifting　through　the　trees。
　Merrett　found　himself　shivering；　despite　his　cloak。　He　pulled　open　his　waterskin　and　had　another　drink　of　wine。　I　could　just　get　back　on　my　horse；　ride　to　Oldtown；　and　drink　the　gold　away。　No　good　ever　came　from　dealing　with　outlaws。　That　vile　little　bitch　Wenda　had　burned　a　fawn　into　the　cheek　of　his　arse　while　she　had　him　captive。　No　wonder　his　wife　despised　him。　I　have　to　go　through　with　this。　Petyr　Pimple　might　be　Lord　of　the　Crossing　one　day；　Edwyn　has　no　sons　and　Black　Walder's　only　got　bastards。　Petyr　will　remember　who　came　to　get　him。　He　took　another　swallow；　corked　the　skin　up；　and　led　his　palfrey　through　broken　stones；　gorse；　and　thin　wind…whipped　trees；　following　the　sounds　to　what　had　been　the　castle　ward。
　Fallen　leaves　lay　thick　upon　the　ground；　like　soldiers　after　some　great　slaughter。　A　man　in　patched；　faded　greens　was　sitting　crosslegged　atop　a　weathered　stone　sepulcher；　fingering　the　strings　of　a　woodharp。　The　music　was　soft　and　sad。　Merrett　knew　the　song。　High　in　the　halls　of　the　kings　who　are　gone；　fenny　would　dance　with　her　ghosts　。　。　。
　〃Get　off　there；〃　Merrett　said。　〃You're　sitting　on　a　king。〃
　〃Old　Tristifer　don't　mind　my　bony　arse。　The　Hammer　of　justice；　they　called　him。　Been　a　long　while　since　he　heard　any　new　songs。〃　The　outlaw　hopped　down。　Trim　and　slim；　he　had　a　narrow　face　and　foxy　features；　but　his　mouth　was　so　wide　that　his　smile　seemed　to　touch　his　ears。　A　few　strands　of　thin　brown　hair　were　blowing　across　his　brow。　He　pushed　them　back　with　his　free　hand　and　said；　〃Do　you　remember　me；　my　lord？〃
　〃No。〃　Merrett　frowned。　〃Why　would　I？〃
　〃I　sang　at　your　daughter's　wedding。　And　passing　well；　I　thought。　That　Pate　she　married　was　a　cousin。　We're　all　cousins　in　Sevenstreams。　Didn't　stop　him　from　turning　niggard　when　it　was　time　to　pay　me。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Why　is　it　your　lord　father　never　has　me　play　at　the　Twins？　Don't　I　make　enough　noise　for　his　lordship？　He　likes　it　loud；　I　have　been　hearing。〃
　〃You　bring　the　gold？〃　asked　a　harsher　voice；　behind　him。
　Merrett's　throat　was　dry。　Bloody　outlaws；　always　hiding　in　the　bushes。　It　had　been　the　same　in　the　kingswood。　You'd　think　you'd　caught　five　of　them；　and　ten　more　would　spring　from　nowhere。
　When　he　turned；　they　were　all　around　him；　an　ill…favored　gaggle　of　leathery　old　men　and　smooth…cheeked　lads　younger　than　Petyr　Pimple；　the　lot　of　them　clad　in　roughspun　rags；　boiled　leather；　and　bits　of　dead　men's　armor。　There　was　one　woman　with　them；　bundled　up　in　a　hooded　cloak　three　times　too　big　for　her。　Merrett　was　too　flustered　to　count　them；　but　there　seemed　to　be　a　dozen　at　the　least；　maybe　a　score。
　〃I　asked　a　question。〃　The　speaker　was　a　big　bearded　man　with　crooked　green　teeth　and　a　broken　nose；　taller　than　Merrett；　though　not　so　heavy　in　the　belly。　A　halffielm　covered　his　head；　a　patched　yellow　cloak　his　broad　shoulders。　〃Where's　our　gold？〃
　〃in　my　saddlebag。　A　hundred　golden　dragons。〃　Merrett　cleared　his　throat。　〃You'll　get　it　when　I　see　that　Petyr…〃
　A　squat　one…eyed　outlaw　strode　forward　before　he　could　finish；　reached　into　the　saddlebag　bold　as　you　please；　and　found　the　sack。　Merrett　started　to　grab　him；　then　thought　better　of　it。　The　outlaw　opened　the　drawstring；　removed　a　coin；　and　bit　it。　〃Tastes　right。〃　He　hefted　the　sack。　〃Feels　right　too。〃
　They're　going　to　take　the　gold　and　keep　Petyr　too；　Merrett　thought　in　sudden　panic。　〃That's　the　whole　ransom。　All　you　asked　for。〃　His　palms　were　sweating。　He　wiped　them　on　his　breeches。　〃Which　one　of　you　is　Beric　Dondarrion？　〃　Dondarrion　had　been　a　lord　before　he　turned　outlaw；　he　might　still　be　a　man　of　honor。
　〃Why；　that　would　be　me；〃　said　the　one…eyed　man。
　〃You're　a　bloody　liar；　Jack；〃　said　the　big　bearded　man　in　the　yellow　cloak。　〃It's　my　turn　to　be　Lord　Beric。〃
　〃Does　that　mean　I　have　to　be　Thoros？〃　The　singer　laughed。　〃My　lord；　sad　to　say；　Lord　Beric　was　needed　elsewhere。　The　times　are　troubled；　and　there　are　many　battles　to　fight。　But　we'll　sort　you　out　just　as　he　would；　have　no　fear。〃
　Merrett　had　plenty　of　fear。　His　head　was　pounding　too。　Much　more　of　this　and　he'd　be　sobbing。　〃You　have　your　gold；〃　he　said。　〃Give　me　my　nephew；　and　I'll　be　gone。〃　Petyr　was　actually　more　a　great　half…nephew；　but　there　was　no　need　to　go　into　that。
　〃He's　in　the　godswood；〃　said　the　man　in　the　yellow　cloak。　〃We'll　take　you　to　him。　Notch；　you　hold　his　horse。〃
　Merrett　handed　over　the　bridle　reluctantly。　He　did　not　see　what　other　choice　he　had。　〃My　water　skin；〃　he　heard　himself　say。　〃A　swallow　of　wine；　to　settle　my…〃
　〃We　don't　drink　with　your　sort；〃　yellow　cloak　said　curtly。　〃It's　this　way。　Follow　me。〃
　Leaves　crunched　beneath　their　heels；　and　every　step　sent　a　spike　of　pain　through　Merrett's　temple。　They　walked　in　silence；　the　wind　gusting　around　them。　The　last　light　of　the　setting　sun　was　in　his　eyes　as　he　clambered　over　the　mossy　hummocks　that　were　all　that　remained　of　the　keep。　Behind　was　the　godswood。
　Petyr　Pimple　was　hanging　from　the　limb　of　an　oak；　a　noose　tight　around　his　long　thin　neck。　His　eyes　bulged　from　a　black　face；　staring　down　at　Men　rett　accusingly。　You　came　too　late；　they　seemed　to　say。　But　he　hadn't。　He　hadn't！　He　had　e　when　they　told　him。　〃You　killed　him；〃　he　croaked。
　〃Sharp　as　a　blade；　this　one；〃　said　the　one…eyed　man。
　An　aurochs　was　thundering　through　Merrett's　head。　Mother　have　mercy；　he　thought。　〃I　brought　the　gold。〃
　〃That　was　good　of　you；〃　said　the　singer　amiably。　〃We'll　see　that　it's　put　to　good　use。〃
　Merrett　turned　away　from　Petyr。　He　could　taste　the　bile　in　the　back　of　his　throat。　〃You　。　。　。　you　had　no　right。〃
　〃We　had　a　rope；〃　said　yellow　cloak。　〃That's　right　enough。〃
　Two　of　the　outlaws　seized　Merrett's　arms　and　bound　them　tight　behind　his　back。　He　was　too　deep　in　shock　to　struggle。　〃No；〃　was　all　he　could　manage。　〃I　only　came　to　ransom　Petyr。　You　said　if　you　had　the　gold　by　sunset　he　wouldn't　be　harmed　。　。　。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　the　singer；　〃you've　got　us　there；　my　lord。　That　was　a　lie　of　sorts；　as　it　happens。〃
　The　one…eyed　outlaw　came　forward　with　a　long　coil　of　hempen　rope。　He　looped　one　end　around　Merrett's　neck；　pulled　it　tight；　and　tied　a　hard　knot　under　his　ear。　The　other　end　he　threw　over　the　limb　of　the　oak。　The　big　man　in　the　yellow　cloak　caught　it。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Merrett　knew　how　stupid　that　sounded；　but　he　could　not　believe　what　was　happening；　even　then。　〃You'd　never　dare　hang　a　Frey。〃
　Yellow　cloak　laughed。　〃That　other　one；　the　pimply　boy；　he　said　the　same　thing。〃
　He　doesn't　mean　it。　He　cannot　mean　it。　〃My　father　will　pay　you。　I'm　worth　a　good　ransom；　more　than　Petyr；　twice　as　much。〃
　The　singer　sighed。　〃Lord　Walder　might　be　half…blind　and　gouty；　but　he's　not　so　stupid　as　to　snap　at　th