grrm.astormofswords-第41章

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stering　coward；〃　he　said　amiably。
　〃Is　he？　Oh　dear。　Still；　the　knights　of　the　Kingsguard　do　serve　for　life；　traditionally。　Perhaps　Ser　Boros　will　prove　braver　in　future。　He　will　no　doubt　remain　very　loyal。〃
　〃To　my　father；〃　said　Tyrion　pointedly。
　〃While　we　are　on　the　subject　of　the　Kingsguard　。　。　。　I　wonder；　could　this　delightfully　unexpected　visit　of　yours　happen　to　concern　Ser　Boros's　fallen　brother；　the　gallant　Ser　Mandon　Moore？〃　The　eunuch　stroked　a　powdered　cheek。　〃Your　man　Brorm　seems　most　interested　in　him　of　late。〃
　Bronn　had　turned　up　all　he　could　on　Ser　Mandon；　but　no　doubt　Varys　knew　a　deal　more　。　。　。　should　he　choose　to　share　it。　〃The　man　seems　to　have　been　quite　friendless；〃　Tyrion　said　carefully。
　〃Sadly；〃　said　Varys；　〃oh；　sadly。　You　might　find　some　kin　if　you　turned　over　enough　stones　back　in　the　Vale；　but　here　。　。　。　Lord　Arryn　brought　him　to　King's　Landing　and　Robert　gave　him　his　white　cloak；　but　neither　loved　him　much；　I　fear。　Nor　was　he　the　sort　the　smallfolk　cheer　in　tourneys；　despite　his　undoubted　prowess。　Why；　even　his　brothers　of　the　Kingsguard　never　warmed　to　him。　Ser　Barristan　was　once　heard　to　say　that　the　man　had　no　friend　but　his　sword　and　no　life　but　duty　。　。　。　but　you　know；　I　do　not　think　Selmy　meant　it　altogether　as　praise。　Which　is　queer　when　you　consider　it；　is　it　not？　Those　are　the　very　qualities　we　seek　in　our　Kingsguard；　it　could　be　said…men　who　live　not　for　themselves；　but　for　their　king。　By　those　lights；　our　brave　Ser　Mandon　was　the　perfect　white　knight。　And　he　died　as　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard　ought；　with　sword　in　hand；　defending　one　of　the　king's　own　blood。〃　The　eunuch　gave　him　a　slimy　smile　and　watched　him　sharply。
　Trying　to　murder　one　of　the　king's　own　blood；　you　mean。　Tyrion　wondered　if　Varys　knew　rather　more　than　he　was　saying。　Nothing　he'd　just　heard　was　new　to　him；　Brorm　had　brought　back　much　the　same　reports。　He　needed　a　link　to　Cersei；　some　sign　that　Ser　Mandon　had　been　his　sister's　catspaw。　What　we　want　is　not　always　what　we　get；　he　reflected　bitterly；　which　reminded　him　。　。　。
　〃It　is　not　Ser　Mandon　who　brings　me　here。〃
　〃To　be　sure。〃　The　eunuch　crossed　the　room　to　his　flagon　of　water。　〃May　I　serve　you；　my　lord？〃　he　asked　as　he　filled　a　cup。
　〃Yes。　But　not　with　water。〃　He　folded　his　hands　together。　〃I　want　you　to　bring　me　Shae。〃
　Varys　took　a　drink。　〃Is　that　wise；　my　lord？　The　dear　sweet　child。　it　would　be　such　a　shame　if　your　father　hanged　her。〃
　It　did　not　surprise　him　that　Varys　knew。　〃No；　it's　not　wise；　it's　bloody　madness。　I　want　to　see　her　one　last　time；　before　I　send　her　away。　I　cannot　abide　having　her　so　close。〃
　〃I　understand。〃
　How　could　you？　Tyrion　had　seen　her　only　yesterday；　climbing　the　serpentine　steps　with　a　pail　of　water。　He　had　watched　as　a　young　knight　had　offered　to　carry　the　heavy　pail。　The　way　she　had　touched　his　arm　and　smiled　for　him　had　tied　Tyrion's　guts　into　knots。　They　passed　within　inches　of　each　other；　him　descending　and　her　climbing；　so　close　that　he　could　smell　the　clean　fresh　scent　of　her　hair。　〃M'Iord；〃　she'd　said　to　him；　with　a　little　curtsy；　and　he　wanted　to　reach　out　and　grab　her　and　kiss　her　right　there；　but　all　he　could　do　was　nod　stiffly　and　waddle　on　past。　〃I　have　seen　her　several　times；〃　he　told　Varys；　〃but　I　dare　not　speak　to　her。　I　suspect　that　all　my　movements　are　being　watched。〃
　〃You　are　wise　to　suspect　so；　my　good　lord。〃
　〃Who？〃　He　cocked　his　head。
　〃The　Kettleblacks　report　frequently　to　your　sweet　sister。〃
　〃When　I　think　of　how　much　coin　I　paid　those　wretched　。　。　。　do　you　think　there's　any　chance　that　more　gold　might　win　them　away　from　Cersei？〃
　〃There　is　always　a　chance；　but　I　should　not　care　to　wager　on　the　likelihood。　They　are　knights　now；　all　three；　and　your　sister　has　promised　them　further　advancement。〃　A　wicked　little　titter　burst　from　the　eunuch's　lips。　〃And　the　eldest；　Ser　Osmund　of　the　Kingsguard；　dreams　of　certain　other　。　。　。　favors　。　。　。　as　well。　You　can　match　the　queen　coin　for　coin；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　she　has　a　second　purse　that　is　quite　inexhaustible。〃
　Seven　hells；　thought　Tyrion。　〃Are　you　suggesting　that　Cersei's　fucking　Osmund　Kettleblack？〃
　〃Oh；　dear　me；　no；　that　would　be　dreadfully　dangerous；　don't　you　think？　No；　the　queen　only　hints　。　。　。　perhaps　on　the　morrow；　or　when　the　wedding's　done　。　。　。　and　then　a　smile；　a　whisper；　a　ribald　jest　。　。　。　a　breast　brushing　lightly　against　his　sleeve　as　they　pass　。　。　。　and　yet　it　seems　to　serve。　But　what　would　a　eunuch　know　of　such　things？〃　The　tip　of　his　tongue　ran　across　his　lower　lip　like　a　shy　pink　animal。
　If　I　could　somehow　push　them　beyond　sly　fondling；　arrange　for　Father　to　catch　them　abed　together　。　。　。　Tyrion　fingered　the　scab　on　his　nose。　He　did　not　see　how　it　could　be　done；　but　perhaps　some　plan　would　e　to　him　later。　〃Are　the　Kettleblacks　the　only　ones？〃
　〃Would　that　were　true；　my　lord。　I　fear　there　are　many　eyes　upon　you。　You　are　。　。　。　how　shall　we　say？　Conspicuous？　And　not　well　loved；　it　grieves　me　to　tell　you。　Janos　Slynt's　sons　would　gladly　inform　on　you　to　avenge　their　father；　and　our　sweet　Lord　Petyr　has　friends　in　half　the　brothels　of　King's　Landing。　Should　you　be　so　unwise　as　to　visit　any　of　them；　he　will　know　at　once；　and　your　lord　father　soon　thereafter。〃
　It's　even　worse　than　I　feared。　〃And　my　father？　Who　does　he　have　spying　on　me？〃
　This　time　the　eunuch　laughed　aloud。　〃Why；　me；　my　lord。〃
　Tyrion　laughed　as　well。　He　was　not　so　great　a　fool　as　to　trust　Varys　any　further　than　he　had　to…but　the　eunuch　already　knew　enough　about　Shae　to　get　her　well　and　thoroughly　hanged。　〃You　will　bring　Shae　to　me　through　the　walls；　hidden　from　all　these　eyes。　As　you　have　done　before。〃
　Varys　wrung　his　hands。　〃Oh；　my　lord；　nothing　would　please　me　more；　but　。　。　。　King　Maegor　wanted　no　rats　in　his　own　walls；　if　you　take　my　meaning。　He　did　require　a　means　of　secret　egress；　should　he　ever　be　trapped　by　his　enemies；　but　that　door　does　not　connect　with　any　other　passages。　I　can　steal　your　Shae　away　from　Lady　Lollys　for　a　time；　to　be　sure；　but　I　have　no　way　to　bring　her　to　your　bedchamber　without　us　being　seen。〃
　〃Then　bring　her　somewhere　else。〃
　〃But　where？　There　is　no　safe　place。〃
　〃There　is。〃　Tyrion　grinned。　〃Here。　It's　time　to　put　that　rock…hard　bed　of　yours　to　better　use；　I　think。〃
　The　eunuch's　mouth　opened。　Then　he　giggled。　〃Lollys　tires　easily　these　days。　She　is　great　with　child。　I　imagine　she　will　be　safely　asleep　by　moonrise。〃
　Tyrion　hopped　down　from　the　chair。　〃Moonrise；　then。　See　that　you　lay　in　some　wine。　And　two　clean　cups。〃
　Varys　bowed。　〃it　shall　be　as　my　lord　mands。〃
　The　rest　of　the　day　seemed　to　creep　by　as　slow　as　a　worm　in　molasses。　Tyrion　climbed　to　the　castle　library　and　tried　to　distract　himself　with　Beldecar's　History　of　the　Rhoynish　Wars；　but　he　could　hardly　see　the　elephants　for　imagining　Shae's　smile。　e　the　afternoon；　he　put　the　book　aside　and　called　for　a　bath。　He　scrubbed　himself　until　the　water　grew　cool；　and　then　had　Pod　even　out　his　whiskers。　His　beard　was　a　trial　to　him；　a　tangle　of　yellow；　white；　and　black　hairs；　patchy　and　coarse；　it　was　seldom　less　than　unsightly；　but　it　did　serve　to　conceal　some　of　his　face；　and　that　was　all　to　the　good。
　When　he　was　as　clean　and　pink　and　trimmed　as　he　was　like　to　get；　Tyrion　looked　over　his　wardrobe；　and　chose　a　pair　of　tight　satin　breeches　in　Lannister　crimson　and　his　best　doublet；　the　heavy　black　velvet　with　the　lion's　head　studs。　He　would　have　donned　his　chain　of　golden　hands　as　well；　if　his　father　hadn't　stolen　it　while　he　lay　dying。　It　was　not　until　he　was　dressed　that　he　realized　the　depths　of　his　folly。　Seven　hells；　dwarf；　did　you　lose　all　your　sense　along　with　your　nose？　Anyone　who　sees　you　is　going　to　wonder　why　you've　put　on　your　court　clothes　to　visit　the　eunuch。　Cursing；　Tyrion　stripped　and　dressed　again；　in　simpler　garb；　black　woolen　breeches；　an　old　white　tunic；　and　a　faded　brown　leather　jerkin。　It　doesn't　matter；　he　told　himself　as　he　waited　for　moonrise。　Whatever　you　wear；　you're　still　a　dwarf。　You'll　never　be　as　tall　as　that　knight　on　the　steps；　him　with　his　long　straight　legs　and　hard　stomach　and　wide　manly　shoulders。
　The　moon　was　peeping　over　the　castle　wall　when　he　told　Podrick　Payne　that　he　was　going　to　pay　a　call　on　Vary