grrm.astormofswords-第86章

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ot　stop　his　shivering。　I　will　not　linger　long；　he　remembered　thinking。　I　will　die　soon；　here　in　the　dark。
　Davos　soon　found　that　he　was　wrong　about　that；　as　about　so　much　else。　Dimly　he　remembered　gentle　hands　and　a　firm　voice；　and　young　Maester　Pylos　looking　down　on　him。　He　was　given　hot　garlic　broth　to　drink；　and　milk　of　the　poppy　to　take　away　his　aches　and　shivers。　The　poppy　made　him　sleep　and　while　he　slept　they　leeched　him　to　drain　off　the　bad　blood。　Or　so　he　surmised；　by　the　leech　marks　on　his　arms　when　he　woke。　Before　very　long　the　coughing　stopped；　the　blisters　vanished；　and　his　broth　had　chunks　of　whitefish　in　it；　and　carrots　and　onions　as　well。　And　one　day　he　realized　that　he　felt　stronger　than　he　had　since　Black　Betha　shattered　beneath　him　and　flung　him　in　the　river。
　He　had　two　gaolers　to　tend　him。　One　was　broad　and　squat；　with　thick　shoulders　and　huge　strong　hands。　He　wore　a　leather　brigantine　dotted　with　iron　studs；　and　once　a　day　brought　Davos　a　bowl　of　oaten　porridge。　Sometimes　he　sweetened　it　with　honey　or　poured　in　a　bit　of　milk。　The　other　gaoler　was　older；　stooped　and　sallow；　with　greasy　unwashed　hair　and　pebbled　skin。　He　wore　a　doublet　of　white　velvet　with　a　ring　of　stars　worked　upon　the　breast　in　golden　thread。　It　fit　him　badly；　being　both　too　short　and　too　loose；　and　was　soiled　and　torn　besides。　He　would　bring　Davos　plates　of　meat　and　mash；　or　fish　stew；　and　once　even　half　a　lamprey　pie。　The　lamprey　was　so　rich　he　could　not　keep　it　down；　but　even　so；　it　was　a　rare　treat　for　a　prisoner　in　a　dungeon。
　Neither　sun　nor　moon　shone　in　the　dungeons；　no　windows　pierced　the　thick　stone　walls。　The　only　way　to　tell　day　from　night　was　by　his　gaolers。　Neither　man　would　speak　to　him；　though　he　knew　they　were　no　mutes；　sometimes　he　heard　them　exchange　a　few　brusque　words　as　the　watch　was　changing。　They　would　not　even　tell　him　their　names；　so　he　gave　them　names　of　his　own。　The　short　strong　one　he　called　Porridge；　the　stooped　sallow　one　Lamprey；　for　the　pie。　He　marked　the　passage　of　days　by　the　meals　they　brought；　and　by　the　changing　of　the　torches　in　the　sconce　outside　his　cell。
　A　man　grows　lonely　in　the　dark；　and　hungers　for　the　sound　of　a　human　voice。　Davos　would　talk　to　the　gaolers　whenever　they　came　to　his　cell；　whether　to　bring　him　food　or　change　his　slops　pail。　He　knew　they　would　be　deaf　to　pleas　for　freedom　or　mercy；　instead　he　asked　them　questions；　hoping　perhaps　one　day　one　might　answer。　〃What　news　of　the　war？〃　he　asked；　and　〃Is　the　king　well？〃　He　asked　after　his　son　Devan；　and　the　Princess　Shireen；　and　Salladhor　Saan。　〃What　is　the　weather　like？〃　he　asked；　and　〃Have　the　autumn　storms　begun　yet？　Do　ships　still　sail　the　narrow　sea？〃
　It　made　no　matter　what　he　asked；　they　never　answered；　though　sometimes　Porridge　gave　him　a　look；　and　for　half　a　heartbeat　Davos　would　think　that　he　was　about　to　speak。　With　Lamprey　there　was　not　even　that　much。　I　am　not　a　man　to　him；　Davos　thought；　only　a　stone　that　eats　and　shits　and　speaks。　He　decided　after　a　while　that　he　liked　Porridge　much　the　better。　Porridge　at　least　seemed　to　know　he　was　alive；　and　there　was　a　queer　sort　of　kindness　to　the　man。　Davos　suspected　that　he　fed　the　rats；　that　was　why　there　were　so　many。　Once　he　thought　he　heard　the　gaoler　talking　to　them　as　if　they　were　children；　but　perhaps　he'd　only　dreamed　that。
　They　do　not　mean　to　let　me　die；　he　realized。　They　are　keeping　me　alive；　for　some　purpose　of　their　own。　He　did　not　like　to　think　what　that　might　be。　Lord　Sunglass　had　been　confined　in　the　cells　beneath　Dragonstone　for　a　time；　as　had　Ser　Hubard　Rambton's　sons；　all　of　them　had　ended　on　the　pyre。　I　should　have　given　myself　to　the　sea；　Davos　thought　as　he　sat　staring　at　the　torch　beyond　the　bars。　Or　let　the　sail　pass　me　by；　to　perish　on　my　rock。　I　would　sooner　feed　crabs　than　flames。
　Then　one　night　as　he　was　finishing　his　supper；　Davos　felt　a　queer　flush　e　over　him。　He　glanced　up　through　the　bars；　and　there　she　stood　in　shimmering　scarlet　with　her　great　ruby　at　her　throat；　her　red　eyes　gleaming　as　bright　as　the　torch　that　bathed　her。　〃Melisandre；〃　he　said；　with　a　calm　he　did　not　feel。
　〃Onion　Knight；〃　she　replied；　just　as　calmly；　as　if　the　two　of　them　had　met　on　a　stair　or　in　the　yard；　and　were　exchanging　polite　greetings。　〃Are　you　well？〃
　〃Better　than　I　was。〃
　〃Do　you　lack　for　anything？〃
　〃My　king。　My　son。　I　lack　for　them。〃　He　pushed　the　bowl　aside　and　stood。　〃Have　you　e　to　burn　me？〃
　Her　strange　red　eyes　studied　him　through　the　bars。　〃This　is　a　bad　place；　is　it　not？　A　dark　place；　and　foul。　The　good　sun　does　not　shine　here；　nor　the　bright　moon。〃　She　lifted　a　hand　toward　the　torch　in　the　wall　sconce。　〃This　is　all　that　stands　between　you　and　the　darkness；　Onion　Knight。　This　little　fire；　this　gift　of　R'hllor。　Shall　I　put　it　out？〃
　〃No。〃　He　moved　toward　the　bars。　〃Please。〃　He　did　not　think　he　could　bear　that；　to　be　left　alone　in　utter　blackness　with　no　one　but　the　rats　for　pany。
　The　red　woman's　lips　curved　upward　in　a　smile。　〃So　you　have　e　to　love　the　fire；　it　would　seem。〃
　〃I　need　the　torch。〃　His　hands　opened　and　closed。　I　will　not　beg　her。　I　will　not。
　〃I　am　like　this　torch；　Ser　Davos。　We　are　both　instruments　of　R'hllor。　We　were　made　for　a　single　purpose…to　keep　the　darkness　at　bay。　Do　you　believe　that？〃
　〃No。〃　Perhaps　he　should　have　lied；　and　told　her　what　she　wanted　to　hear；　but　Davos　was　too　accustomed　to　speaking　truth。　〃You　are　the　mother　of　darkness。　I　saw　that　under　Storm's　End；　when　you　gave　birth　before　my　eyes。〃
　〃Is　the　brave　Ser　Onions　so　frightened　of　a　passing　shadow？　Take　heart；　then。　Shadows　only　live　when　given　birth　by　light；　and　the　king's　fires　burn　so　low　I　dare　not　draw　off　any　more　to　make　another　son。　It　might　well　kill　him。〃　Melisandre　moved　closer。　〃With　another　man；　though　。　。　。　a　man　whose　flames　still　burn　hot　and　high　。　。　。　if　you　truly　wish　to　serve　your　king's　cause；　e　to　my　chamber　one　night。　I　could　give　you　pleasure　such　as　you　have　never　known；　and　with　your　life…fire　I　could　make　。　。　。〃
　〃　。　。　。　a　horror。〃　Davos　retreated　from　her。　〃I　want　no　part　of　you；　my　lady。　Or　your　god。　May　the　Seven　protect　me。〃
　Melisandre　sighed。　〃They　did　not　protect　Guncer　Sunglass。　He　prayed　thrice　each　day；　and　bore　seven　seven…pointed　stars　upon　his　shield；　but　when　R'hllor　reached　out　his　hand　his　prayers　turned　to　screams；　and　he　burned。　Why　cling　to　these　false　gods？〃
　〃I　have　worshiped　them　all　my　life。〃
　〃All　your　life；　Davos　Seaworth？　As　well　say　it　was　so　yesterday。〃　She　shook　her　head　sadly。　〃You　have　never　feared　to　speak　the　truth　to　kings；　why　do　you　lie　to　yourself？　Open　your　eyes；　ser　knight。〃
　〃What　is　it　you　would　have　me　see？〃
　〃The　way　the　world　is　made。　The　truth　is　all　around　you；　plain　to　behold。　The　night　is　dark　and　full　of　terrors；　the　day　bright　and　beautiful　and　full　of　hope。　One　is　black；　the　other　white。　There　is　ice　and　there　is　fire。　Hate　and　love。　Bitter　and　sweet。　Male　and　female。　Pain　and　pleasure。　Winter　and　summer。　Evil　and　good。〃　She　took　a　step　toward　him。　〃Death　and　life。　Everywhere；　opposites。　Everywhere；　the　war。〃
　〃The　war？〃　asked　Davos。
　〃The　war；〃　she　affirmed。　〃There　are　two；　Onion　Knight。　Not　seven；　not　one；　not　a　hundred　or　a　thousand。　Two！　Do　you　think　I　crossed　half　the　world　to　put　yet　another　vain　king　on　yet　another　empty　throne？　The　war　has　been　waged　since　time　began；　and　before　it　is　done；　all　men　must　choose　where　they　will　stand。　On　one　side　is　R'hllor；　the　Lord　of　Light；　the　Heart　of　Fire；　the　God　of　Flame　and　Shadow。　Against　him　stands　the　Great　Other　whose　name　may　not　be　spoken；　the　Lord　of　Darkness；　the　Soul　of　Ice；　the　God　of　Night　and　Terror。　Ours　is　not　a　choice　between　Baratheon　and　Lannister；　between　Greyjoy　and　Stark。　It　is　death　we　choose；　or　life。　Darkness；　or　light。〃　She　clasped　the　bars　of　his　cell　with　her　slender　white　hands。　The　great　ruby　at　her　throat　seemed　to　pulse　with　its　own　radiance。　〃So　tell　me；　Ser　Davos　Seaworth；　and　tell　me　truly…does　your　heart　burn　with　the　shining　light　of　R'hllor？　Or　is　it　black　and　cold　and　full　of　worms？〃　She　reached　through　the　bars　and　laid　three　fingers　upon　his　breast；　as　if　to　feel　the　truth　of　him　through　flesh　and　wool　and　leather。
　〃My　heart；〃　Davos　said　slowly；　〃is　full　of　doubts