grrm.astormofswords-第78章

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rracks　for　her　inspection；　drawn　up　in　ten　ranks　of　one　hundred　before　the　fountain　and　its　great　bronze　harpy；　they　stood　stiffly　at　attention；　their　stony　eyes　fixed　straight　ahead。　They　wore　nought　but　white　linen　clouts　knotted　about　their　loins；　and　conical　bronze　helms　topped　with　a　sharpened　spike　a　foot　tall。　Kraznys　had　manded　them　to　lay　down　their　spears　and　shields；　and　doff　their　swordbelts　and　quilted　tunics；　so　the　Queen　of　Westeros　might　better　inspect　the　lean　hardness　of　their　bodies。
　〃They　are　chosen　young；　for　size　and　speed　and　strength；〃　the　slave　told　her。　〃They　begin　their　training　at　five。　Every　day　they　train　from　dawn　to　dusk；　until　they　have　mastered　the　shortsword；　the　shield；　and　the　three　spears。　The　training　is　most　rigorous；　Your　Grace。　Only　one　boy　in　three　survives　it。　This　is　well　known。　Among　the　Unsullied　it　is　said　that　on　the　day　they　win　their　spiked　cap；　the　worst　is　done　with；　for　no　duty　that　will　ever　fall　to　them　could　be　as　hard　as　their　training。〃
　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　supposedly　spoke　no　word　of　the　mon　Tongue；　but　he　bobbed　his　head　as　he　listened；　and　from　time　to　time　gave　the　slave　girl　a　poke　with　the　end　of　his　lash。　〃Tell　her　that　these　have　been　standing　here　for　a　day　and　a　night；　with　no　food　nor　water。　Tell　her　that　they　will　stand　until　they　drop　if　I　should　mand　it；　and　when　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　have　collapsed　to　die　upon　the　bricks；　the　last　will　stand　there　still；　and　never　move　until　his　own　death　claims　him。　Such　is　their　courage。　Tell　her　that。〃
　〃I　call　that　madness；　not　courage；〃　said　Arstan　Whitebeard；　when　the　solemn　little　scribe　was　done。　He　tapped　the　end　of　his　hardwood　staff　against　the　bricks；　tap　tap；　as　if　to　tell　his　displeasure。　The　old　man　had　not　wanted　to　sail　to　Astapor；　nor　did　he　favor　buying　this　slave　army。　A　queen　should　hear　all　sides　before　reaching　a　decision。　That　was　why　Dany　had　brought　him　with　her　to　the　Plaza　of　Pride；　not　to　keep　her　safe。　Her　bloodriders　would　do　that　well　enough。　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　she　had　left　aboard　Balerion　to　guard　her　people　and　her　dragons。　Much　against　her　inclination；　she　had　locked　the　dragons　belowdecks。　It　was　too　dangerous　to　let　them　fly　freely　over　the　city；　the　world　was　all　too　full　of　men　who　would　gladly　kill　them　for　no　better　reason　than　to　name　themselves　dragonslayer。
　〃What　did　the　smelly　old　man　say？〃　the　slaver　demanded　of　his　translator。　When　she　told　him；　he　smiled　and　said；　〃Inform　the　savages　that　we　call　this　obedience。　Others　may　be　stronger　or　quicker　or　larger　than　the　Unsullied。　Some　few　may　even　equal　their　skill　with　sword　and　spear　and　shield。　But　nowhere　between　the　seas　will　you　ever　find　any　more　obedient。〃
　〃Sheep　are　obedient；〃　said　Arstan　when　the　words　had　been　translated。　He　had　some　Valyrian　as　well；　though　not　so　much　as　Dany；　but　like　her　he　was　feigning　ignorance。
　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　showed　his　big　white　teeth　when　that　was　rendered　back　to　him。　〃A　word　from　me　and　these　sheep　would　spill　his　stinking　old　bowels　on　the　bricks；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　not　say　that。　Tell　them　that　these　creatures　are　more　dogs　than　sheep。　Do　they　eat　dogs　or　horse　in　these　Seven　Kingdoms？〃
　〃They　prefer　pigs　and　cows；　your　worship。〃
　〃Beef。　Pfag。　Food　for　unwashed　savages。〃
　Ignoring　them　all；　Dany　walked　slowly　down　the　line　of　slave　soldiers。
　The　girls　followed　close　behind　with　the　silk　awning；　to　keep　her　in　the　shade；　but　the　thousand　men　before　her　enjoyed　no　such　protection。　More　than　half　had　the　copper　skins　and　almond　eyes　of　Dothraki　and　Lhazerene；　but　she　saw　men　of　the　Free　Cities　in　the　ranks　as　well；　along　with　pale　Qartheen；　ebon…faced　Summer　Islanders；　and　others　whose　origins　she　could　not　guess。　And　some　had　skins　of　the　same　amber　hue　as　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz；　and　the　bristly　red…black　hair　that　marked　the　ancient　folk　of　Ghis；　who　named　themselves　the　harpy's　sons。　They　sell　even　their　ovm　kind。　It　should　not　have　surprised　her。　The　Dothraki　did　the　same；　when　khalasar　met　khalasar　in　the　sea　of　grass。
　Some　of　the　soldiers　were　tall　and　some　were　short。　They　ranged　in　age　from　fourteen　to　twenty；　she　judged。　Their　cheeks　were　smooth；　and　their　eyes　all　the　same；　be　they　black　or　brown　or　blue　or　grey　or　amber。　They　are　like　one　man；　Dany　thought；　until　she　remembered　that　they　were　no　men　at　all。　The　Unsullied　were　eunuchs；　every　one　of　them。　〃Why　do　you　cut　them？〃　she　asked　Kraznys　through　the　slave　girl。　〃Whole　men　are　stronger　than　eunuchs；　I　have　always　heard。〃
　〃A　eunuch　who　is　cut　young　will　never　have　the　brute　strength　of　one　of　your　Westerosi　knights；　this　is　true；〃　said　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　when　the　question　was　put　to　him。　〃A　bull　is　strong　as　well；　but　bulls　die　every　day　in　the　fighting　pits。　A　girl　of　nine　killed　one　not　three　days　past　in　Jothiel's　Pit。　The　Unsullied　have　something　better　than　strength；　tell　her。　They　have　discipline。　We　fight　in　the　fashion　of　the　Old　Empire；　yes。　They　are　the　lockstep　legions　of　Old　Ghis　e　again；　absolutely　obedient；　absolutely　loyal；　and　utterly　without　fear。〃
　Dany　listened　patiently　to　the　translation。
　〃Even　the　bravest　men　fear　death　and　maiming；〃　Arstan　said　when　the　girl　was　done。
　Kraznys　smiled　again　when　he　heard　that。　〃Tell　the　old　man　that　he　smells　of　piss；　and　needs　a　stick　to　hold　him　up。〃
　〃Truly；　your　worship？〃
　He　poked　her　with　his　lash。　〃No；　not　truly；　are　you　a　girl　or　a　goat；　to　ask　such　folly？　Say　that　Unsullied　are　not　men。　Say　that　death　means　nothing　to　them；　and　maiming　less　than　nothing。〃　He　stopped　before　a　thickset　man　who　had　the　look　of　Lhazar　about　him　and　brought　his　whip　up　sharply；　laying　a　line　of　blood　across　one　copper　cheek。　The　eunuch　blinked；　and　stood　there；　bleeding。　〃Would　you　like　another？〃　asked　Kraznys。
　〃If　it　please　your　worship。〃
　It　was　hard　to　pretend　not　to　understand。　Dany　laid　a　hand　on　Kraznys's　arm　before　he　could　raise　the　whip　again。　〃Tell　the　Good　Master　that　I　see　how　strong　his　Unsullied　are；　and　how　bravely　they　suffer　pain。〃
　Kraznys　chuckled　when　he　heard　her　words　in　Valyrian。　〃Tell　this　ignorant　whore　of　a　westerner　that　courage　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃
　〃The　Good　Master　says　that　was　not　courage；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃Tell　her　to　open　those　slut's　eyes　of　hers。〃
　〃He　begs　you　attend　this　carefully；　Your　Grace。〃
　Kraznys　moved　to　the　next　eunuch　in　line；　a　towering　youth　with　the　blue　eyes　and　flaxen　hair　of　Lys。　〃Your　sword；〃　he　said。　The　eunuch　knelt；　unsheathed　the　blade；　and　offered　it　up　hilt　first。　It　was　a　shortsword；　made　more　for　stabbing　than　for　slashing；　but　the　edge　looked　razor…sharp。　〃Stand；〃　Kraznys　manded。
　〃Your　worship。〃　The　eunuch　stood；　and　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　slid　the　sword　slowly　up　his　torso；　leaving　a　thin　red　line　across　his　belly　and　between　his　ribs。　Then　he　jabbed　the　swordpoint　in　beneath　a　wide　pink　nipple　and　began　to　work　it　back　and　forth。
　〃What　is　he　doing？〃　Dany　demanded　of　the　girl；　as　the　blood　ran　down　the　man's　chest。
　〃Tell　the　cow　to　stop　her　bleating；〃　said　Kraznys；　without　waiting　for　the　translation。　〃This　will　do　him　no　great　harm。　Men　have　no　need　of　nipples；　eunuchs　even　less　so。〃　The　nipple　hung　by　a　thread　of　skin。　He　slashed；　and　sent　it　tumbling　to　the　bricks；　leaving　behind　a　round　red　eye　copiously　weeping　blood。　The　eunuch　did　not　move；　until　Kraznys　offered　him　back　his　sword；　hilt　first。　〃Here；　I'm　done　with　you。〃
　〃This　one　is　pleased　to　have　served　you。〃
　Kraznys　turned　back　to　Dany。　〃They　feel　no　pain；　you　see。〃
　〃How　can　that　be？〃　she　demanded　through　the　scribe。
　〃The　wine　of　courage；〃　was　the　answer　he　gave　her。　〃It　is　no　true　wine　at　all；　but　made　from　deadly　nightshade；　bloodfly　larva；　black　lotus　root；　and　many　secret　things。　They　drink　it　with　every　meal　from　the　day　they　are　cut；　and　with　each　passing　year　feel　less　and　less。　It　makes　them　fearless　in　battle。　Nor　can　they　be　tortured。　Tell　the　savage　her　secrets　are　safe　with　the　Unsullied。　She　may　set　them　to　guard　her　councils　and　even　her　bedchamber；　and　never　a　worry　as　to　what　they　might　overhear。
　〃In　Yunkai　and　Meereen；　eunuchs　are　often　made　by　removing　a　boy's　testicles；　but　leaving　the　penis。　Such　a　creature　is　infertile；　yet　often　still　capable　of　erection。　Only　trouble　ca