grrm.astormofswords-第104部分

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Lands　across　the　narrow　sea；　riding　with　the　Second　Sons　for　a　time　before　forming　his　own　pany。　His　tourneys；　his　battles；　his　duels；　his　horses；　his　carnality　。　。　。　it　was　said　that　he　bedded　men　and　women　both；　and　had　begotten　bastard　girls　all　over　Dome。　The　sand　snakes；　men　called　his　daughters。　So　far　as　Tyrion　had　heard；　Prince　Oberyn　had　never　fathered　a　son。
　And　of　course；　he　had　crippled　the　heir　to　Highgarden。
　There　is　no　man　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms　who　will　be　less　wele　at　a　7）7rell　wedding；　thought　Tyrion。　To　send　Prince　Oberyn　to　King's　Landing　while　the　city　still　hosted　Lord　Mace　Tyrell；　two　of　his　sons；　and　thousands　of　their　men…at…arms　was　a　provocation　as　dangerous　as　Prince　Oberyn　himself。　A　wrong　word；　an　ill…timed　jest；　a　look；　that's　all　it　will　take；　and　our　noble　allies　will　be　at　one　another's　throats。
　〃We　have　met　before；〃　the　Domish　prince　said　lightly　to　Tyrion　as　they　rode　side　by　side　along　the　kingsroad；　past　ashen　fields　and　the　skeletons　of　trees。　〃I　would　not　expect　you　to　remember；　though。　You　were　even　smaller　than　you　are　now。〃
　There　was　a　mocking　edge　to　his　voice　that　Tyrion　misliked；　but　he　was　not　about　to　let　the　Dornishman　provoke　him。　〃When　was　this；　my　lord？〃　he　asked　in　tones　of　polite　interest。
　〃Oh；　many　and　many　a　year　ago；　when　my　mother　ruled　in　Dome　and　your　lord　father　was　Hand　to　a　different　king。〃
　Not　so　different　as　you　might　think；　reflected　Tyrion。
　〃It　was　when　I　visited　Casterly　Rock　with　my　mother；　her　consort；　and　my　sister　Elia。　I　was；　oh；　fourteen；　fifteen；　thereabouts；　Elia　a　year　older。　Your　brother　and　sister　were　eight　or　nine；　as　I　recall；　and　you　had　just　been　born。〃
　A　queer　time　to　e　visiting。　His　mother　had　died　giving　him　birth；　so　the　Martells　would　have　found　the　Rock　deep　in　mouming。　His　father　especially。　Lord　Tywin　seldom　spoke　of　his　wife；　but　Tyrion　had　heard　his　uncles　talk　of　the　love　between　them。　In　those　days；　his　father　had　been　Aerys's　Hand；　and　many　people　said　that　Lord　Tywin　Lannister　ruled　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　but　Lady　Joanna　ruled　Lord　Tywin。　〃He　was　not　the　same　man　after　she　died；　imp；〃　his　Uncle　Gery　told　him　once。　〃The　best　part　of　him　died　with　her。〃　Gerion　had　been　the　youngest　of　Lord　Tytos　Lannister's　four　sons；　and　the　uncle　Tyrion　liked　best。
　But　he　was　gone　now；　lost　beyond　the　seas；　and　Tyrion　himself　had　put　Lady　Joanna　in　her　grave。　〃Did　you　find　Casterly　Rock　to　your　liking；　my　lord？〃
　〃Scarcely。　Your　father　ignored　us　the　whole　time　we　were　there；　after　manding　Ser　Kevan　to　see　to　our　entertainment。　The　cell　they　gave　me　had　a　featherbed　to　sleep　in　and　Myrish　carpets　on　the　floor；　but　it　was　dark　and　windowless；　much　like　a　dungeon　when　you　e　down　to　it；　as　I　told　Elia　at　the　time。　Your　skies　were　too　grey；　your　wines　too　sweet；　your　women　too　chaste；　your　food　too　bland　。　。　。　and　you　yourself　were　the　greatest　disappointment　of　all。〃
　〃I　had　just　been　born。　What　did　you　expect　of　me？〃
　〃Enormity；〃　the　black…haired　prince　replied。　〃You　were　small；　but　far…famed。　We　were　in　Oldtown　at　your　birth；　and　all　the　city　talked　of　was　the　monster　that　had　been　born　to　the　King's　Hand；　and　what　such　an　omen　might　foretell　for　the　realm。〃
　〃Famine；　plague；　and　war；　no　doubt。〃　Tyrion　gave　a　sour　smile。　〃It's　always　famine；　plague；　and　war。　Oh；　and　winter；　and　the　long　night　that　never　ends。〃
　〃All　that；〃　said　Prince　Oberyn；　〃and　your　father's　fall　as　well。　Lord　Tywin　had　made　himself　greater　than　King　Aerys；　I　heard　one　begging　brother　preach；　but　only　a　god　is　meant　to　stand　above　a　king。　You　were　his　curse；　a　punishment　sent　by　the　gods　to　teach　him　that　he　was　no　better　than　any　other　man。〃
　〃I　try；　but　he　refuses　to　learn。〃　Tyrion　gave　a　sigh。　〃But　do　go　on；　I　pray　you。　I　love　a　good　tale。〃
　〃And　well　you　might；　since　you　were　said　to　have　one；　a　stiff　curly　tail　like　a　swine's。　Your　head　was　monstrous　huge；　we　heard；　half　again　the　size　of　your　body；　and　you　had　been　born　with　thick　black　hair　and　a　beard　besides；　an　evil　eye；　and　lion's　claws。　Your　teeth　were　so　long　you　could　not　close　your　mouth；　and　between　your　legs　were　a　girl's　privates　as　well　as　a　boy's。〃
　〃Life　would　be　much　simpler　if　men　could　fuck　themselves；　don't　you　agree？　And　I　can　think　of　a　few　times　when　claws　and　teeth　might　have　proved　useful。　Even　so；　I　begin　to　see　the　nature　of　your　plaint。〃
　Brorm　gave　out　with　a　chuckle；　but　Oberyn　only　smiled。　〃We　might　never　have　seen　you　at　all　but　for　your　sweet　sister。　You　were　never　seen　at　table　or　hall；　though　sometimes　at　night　we　could　hear　a　baby　howling　down　in　the　depths　of　the　Rock。　You　did　have　a　monstrous　great　voice；　I　must　grant　you　that。　You　would　wail　for　hours；　and　nothing　would　quiet　you　but　a　woman's　teat。〃
　〃Still　true；　as　it　happens。〃
　This　time　Prince　Oberyn　did　laugh。　〃A　taste　we　share。　Lord　Gargalen　once　told　me　he　hoped　to　die　with　a　sword　in　his　hand；　to　which　I　replied　that　I　would　sooner　go　with　a　breast　in　mine。〃
　Tyrion　had　to　grin。　〃You　were　speaking　of　my　sister？〃
　〃Cersei　promised　Elia　to　show　you　to　us。　The　day　before　we　were　to　sail；　whilst　my　mother　and　your　father　were　closeted　together；　she　and　Jaime　took　us　down　to　your　nursery。　Your　wet　nurse　tried　to　send　us　off；　but　your　sister　was　having　none　of　that。　'He's　mine/　she　said；　'and　you're　just　a　milk　cow；　you　can't　tell　me　what　to　do。　Be　quiet　or　I'll　have　my　father　cut　your　tongue　out。　A　cow　doesn't　need　a　tongue；　only　udders。〃'
　〃Her　Grace　learned　charm　at　an　early　age；〃　said　Tyrion；　amused　by　the　notion　of　his　sister　claiming　him　as　hers。　She's　never　been　in　any　rush　to　claim　me　since；　the　gods　know。
　〃Cersei　even　undid　your　swaddling　clothes　to　give　us　a　better　look；〃　the　Dornish　prince　continued。　〃You　did　have　one　evil　eye；　and　some　black　fuzz　on　your　scalp。　Perhaps　your　head　was　larger　than　most　。　。　。　but　there　was　no　tail；　no　beard；　neither　teeth　nor　claws；　and　nothing　between　your　legs　but　a　tiny　pink　cock。　After　all　the　wonderful　whispers；　Lord　Tywin's　Doom　turned　out　to　be　just　a　hideous　red　infant　with　stunted　legs。　Elia　even　made　the　noise　that　young　girls　make　at　the　sight　of　infants；　I'm　sure　you've　heard　it。　The　same　noise　they　make　over　cute　kittens　and　playful　puppies。　I　believe　she　wanted　to　nurse　you　herself；　ugly　as　you　were。　When　I　mented　that　you　seemed　a　poor　sort　of　monster；　your　sister　said；　'He　killed　my　mother/　and　twisted　your　little　cock　so　hard　I　thought　she　was　like　to　pull　it　off。　You　shrieked；　but　it　was　only　when　your　brother　Jaime　said；　'Leave　him　be；　you're　hurting　him/　that　Cersei　let　go　of　you。　'It　doesn't　matter/　she　told　us。　'Everyone　says　he's　like　to　die　soon。　He　shouldn't　even　have　lived　this　long。〃'
　The　sun　was　shining　bright　above　them；　and　the　day　was　pleasantly　warm　for　autumn；　but　Tyrion　Lannister　went　cold　all　over　when　he　heard　that。　My　sweet　sister。　He　scratched　at　the　scar　of　his　nose　and　gave　the　Dornishman　a　taste　of　his　〃evil　eye。〃　Now　why　would　he　tell　such　a　tale？　Is　he　testing　me；　or　simply　twisting　my　cock　as　Cersei　did；　so　he　can　hear　me　scream？　〃Be　sure　and　tell　that　story　to　my　father。　It　will　delight　him　as　much　as　it　did　me。　The　part　about　my　tail；　especially。　I　did　have　one；　but　he　had　it　lopped　off。〃
　Prince　Oberyn　had　a　chuckle。　〃You've　grown　more　amusing　since　last　we　met。〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　meant　to　grow　taller。〃
　〃While　we　are　speaking　of　amusement；　I　heard　a　curious　tale　from　Lord　Buckler's　steward。　He　claimed　that　you　had　put　a　tax　on　women's　privy　purses。〃
　〃It　is　a　tax　on　whoring；〃　said　Tyrion；　irritated　all　over　again。　And　it　was　my　bloody　father's　notion。　〃Only　a　penny　for　each；　ah　。　。　。　act。　The　King's　Hand　felt　it　might　help　improve　the　morals　of　the　city。〃　And　pay　for　Joffrey's　wedding　besides。　Needless　to　say；　as　master　of　coin；　Tyrion　had　gotten　all　the　blame　for　it。　Brorm　said　they　were　calling　it　the　dwarf's　penny　inthestreets。　〃Spread　your　legs　for　the　Halfman；　now；〃　they　were　shouting　in　the　brothels　and　wine　sinks；　if　the　sellsword　could　be　believed。
　〃I　will　make　certain　to　keep　my　pouch　full　of　pennies。　Even　a　prince　must　pay　his　taxes。〃
　〃Why　should　you　need　to　go　whoring？〃　He　glanced　back　to　where　Ellaria　Sand　rode　among　the　other　women。　〃Did　you　tire　of　your　paramour　on　the　road？〃
　〃Never。　We　share　too　much。〃　Prince　Oberyn　shrugged。　〃We　have　never　shared　a　beautiful　blonde　woman；　however；　and　Ellaria　is　curious。　Do　you　know　of　such　a　creature？〃
　〃I　am　a　man　wedded。〃　Though　not　yet　bedded。　〃I　no　longer　frequent　whores。〃　Unless　I　want　to　see　them　hanged。
　Oberyn　abruptly　changed　the　subject。　〃It's　said　there　are　to　be　seventyseven　dishes　served　at　the　king's　wedding　feast。〃
　〃Are　you　hungry；　my　prince？〃
　〃I　have　hungered　for　a　long　time。　Though　not　for　food。　Pray　tell　me；　when　will　the　iustice　be　served？〃
　〃Justice。〃　Yes；　that　is　why　he's　here；　I　should　have　seen　that　at　once。　〃You　were　close　to　your　sister？〃
　〃As　children　Elia　and　I　were　inseparable；　much　like　your　own　brother　and　sister。〃
　Gods；　I　hope　not。　〃Wars　and　weddings　have　kept　us　well　occupied；　Prince　Oberyn。　I　fear　no　one　has　yet　had　the　time　to　look　into　murders　sixteen　years　stale；　dreadful　as　they　were。　We　shall；　of　course；　just　as　soon　as　we　may。　Any　help　that　Dome　might　be　able　to　provide　to　restore　the　king's　peace　would　only　hasten　the　beginning　of　my　lord　father's　inquiry…〃
　〃Dwarf；〃　said　the　Red　Viper；　in　a　tone　grown　markedly　less　cordial；　〃spare　me　your　Lannister　lies。　Is　it　sheep　you　take　us　for；　or　fools？　My　brother　is　not　a　bloodthirsty　man；　but　neither　has　he　been　asleep　for　sixteen　years。　Jon　Arryn　came　to　Sunspear　the　year　after　Robert　took　the　throne；　and　you　can　be　sure　that　he　was　questioned　closely。　Him；　and　a　hundred　more。　I　did　not　e　for　some　mummer's　show　of　an　inquiry。　I　came　for　justice　for　Elia　and　her　children；　and　I　will　have　it。　Starting　with　this　lummox　Gregor　Clegane　。　。　。　but　not；　I　think；　ending　there。　Before　he　dies；　the　Enormity　That　Rides　will　tell　me　whence　came　his　orders；　please　assure　your　lord　father　of　that。〃　He　smiled。　〃An　old　septon　once　claimed　I　was　living　proof　of　the　goodness　of　the　gods。　Do　you　know　why　that　is；　Imp？〃
　〃No；〃　Tyrion　admitted　warily。
　〃Why；　if　the　gods　were　cruel；　they　would　have　made　me　my　mother's　firstborn；　and　Doran　her　third。　I　am　a　bloo