grrm.astormofswords-第190部分

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ersisted　in　my　infamy。〃
　〃This　is　folly；　Tyrion；〃　declared　Lord　Tywin。　〃Speak　to　the　matter　at　hand。　You　are　not　on　trial　for　being　a　dwarf。〃
　〃That　is　where　you　err；　my　lord。　I　have　been　on　trial　for　being　a　dwarf　my　entire　life。〃
　〃Have　you　nothing　to　say　in　your　defense？〃
　〃Nothing　but　this：　I　did　not　do　it。　Yet　now　I　wish　I　had。〃　He　turned　to　face　the　hall；　that　sea　of　pale　faces。　〃I　wish　I　had　enough　poison　for　you　all。　You　make　me　sorry　that　I　am　not　the　monster　you　would　have　me　be；　yet　there　it　is。　I　am　innocent；　but　I　will　get　no　justice　here。　You　leave　me　no　choice　but　to　appeal　to　the　gods。　I　demand　trial　by　battle。〃
　〃Have　you　taken　leave　of　your　wits？〃　his　father　said。
　〃No；　I've　found　them。　I　demand　trial　by　battle！〃
　His　sweet　sister　could　not　have　been　more　pleased。　〃He　has　that　right；　my　lords；〃　she　reminded　the　judges。　〃Let　the　gods　judge。　Ser　Gregor　Clegane　will　stand　for　Joffrey。　He　returned　to　the　city　the　night　before　last；　to　put　his　sword　at　my　service。〃
　Lord　Tywin's　face　was　so　dark　that　for　half　a　heartbeat　Tyrion　wondered　if　he'd　drunk　some　poisoned　wine　as　well。　He　slammed　his　fist　down　on　the　table；　too　angry　to　speak。　It　was　Mace　Tyrell　who　turned　to　Tyrion　and　asked　the　question。　〃Do　you　have　a　champion　to　defend　your　innocence？〃
　〃He　does；　my　lord。〃　Prince　Oberyn　of　Dome　rose　to　his　feet。　〃The　dwarf　has　quite　convinced　me。〃
　The　uproar　was　deafening。　Tyrion　took　especial　pleasure　in　the　sudden　doubt　he　glimpsed　in　Cersei's　eyes。　It　took　a　hundred　gold　cloaks　pounding　the　butts　of　their　spears　against　the　floor　to　quiet　the　throne　room　again。　By　then　Lord　Tywin　Lannister　had　recovered　himself。　〃Let　the　issue　be　decided　on　the　morrow；〃　he　declared　in　iron　tones。　〃I　wash　my　hands　of　it。〃　He　gave　his　dwarf　son　a　cold　angry　look；　then　strode　from　the　hall；　out　the　king's　door　behind　the　Iron　Throne；　his　brother　Kevan　at　his　side。
　Later；　back　in　his　tower　cell；　Tyrion　poured　himself　a　cup　of　wine　and　sent　Podrick　Payne　off　for　cheese；　bread；　and　olives。　He　doubted　whether　he　could　keep　down　anything　heavier　just　now。　Did　you　think　I　would　go　meekly；　Father？　he　asked　the　shadow　his　candles　etched　upon　the　wall。　I　have　too　much　of　you　in　me　for　that。　He　felt　strangely　at　peace；　now　that　he　had　snatched　the　power　of　life　and　death　from　his　father's　hands　and　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　the　gods。　Assuming　there　are　gods；　and　they　give　a　mummer's　fart。　If　not；　then　I'm　in　Domish　hands。　No　matter　what　happened；　Tyrion　had　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　he'd　kicked　Lord　Tywin's　plans　to　splinters。　If　Prince　Oberyn　won；　it　would　further　inflame　Highgarden　against　the　Domish；　Mace　Tyrell　would　see　the　man　who　crippled　his　son　helping　the　dwarf　who　almost　poisoned　his　daughter　to　escape　his　rightful　punishment。　And　if　the　Mountain　triumphed；　Doran　Martell　might　well　demand　to　know　why　his　brother　had　been　served　with　death　instead　of　the　justice　Tyrion　had　promised　him。　Dome　might　crown　Myrcella　after　all。
　It　was　almost　worth　dying　to　know　all　the　trouble　he'd　made。　Will　you　e　to　see　the　end；　Shae？　Will　you　stand　there　with　the　rest；　watching　as　Ser　llyn　lops　my　ugly　head　off？　Will　you　miss　your　giant　of　Lannister　when　he's　dead？　He　drained　his　wine；　flung　the　cup　aside；　and　sang　lustily。
　He　rode　through　the　streets　of　the　city；　down　from　his　hill　on　high；
　O'er　the　wynds　and　the　steps　and　the　cobbles；　he　rode　to　a　woman's　sigh。
　For　she　was　his　secret　treasure；　she　was　his　shame　and　his　bliss。
　And　a　chain　and　a　keep　are　nothing；　pared　to　a　woman's　kiss。
　Ser　Kevan　did　not　visit　him　that　night。　He　was　probably　with　Lord　Tywin；　trying　to　placate　the　Tyrells。　I　have　seen　the　last　of　that　uncle；　I　fear。　He　poured　another　cup　of　wine。　A　pity　he'd　had　Symon　Silver　Tongue　killed　before　learning　all　the　words　of　that　song。　It　wasn't　a　bad　song；　if　truth　be　told。　Especially　pared　to　the　ones　that　would　be　written　about　him　henceforth。　〃For　hands　of　gold　are　always　cold；　but　a　woman's　hands　are　warm；〃　he　sang。　Perhaps　he　should　write　the　other　verses　himself。　If　he　lived　so　long。
　That　night；　surprisingly；　Tyrion　Larmister　slept　long　and　deep。　He　rose　at　first　light；　well　rested　and　with　a　hearty　appetite；　and　broke　his　fast　on　fried　bread；　blood　sausage；　applecakes；　and　a　double　helping　of　eggs　cooked　with　onions　and　fiery　Dornish　peppers。　Then　he　begged　leave　of　his　guards　to　attend　his　champion。　Ser　Addam　gave　his　consent。
　Tyrion　found　Prince　Oberyn　drinking　a　cup　of　red　wine　as　he　donned　his　armor。　He　was　attended　by　four　of　his　younger　Dornish　lordlings。　〃Good　morrow　to　you；　my　lord；〃　the　prince　said。　〃Will　you　take　a　cup　of　wine？〃
　〃Should　you　be　drinking　before　battle？〃
　〃I　always　drink　before　battle。〃
　〃That　could　get　you　killed。　Worse；　it　could　get　me　killed。〃
　Prince　Oberyn　laughed。　〃The　gods　defend　the　innocent。　You　are　innocent；　I　trust？〃
　〃Only　of　killing　Joffrey；〃　Tyrion　admitted。　〃I　do　hope　you　know　what　you　are　about　to　face。　Gregor　Clegane　is　…
　〃…large？　So　I　have　heard。〃
　〃He　is　almost　eight　feet　tall　and　must　weigh　thirty　stone；　all　of　it　muscle。　He　fights　with　a　two…handed　greatsword；　but　needs　only　one　hand　to　wield　it。　He　has　been　known　to　cut　men　in　half　with　a　single　blow。　His　armor　is　so　heavy　that　no　lesser　man　could　bear　the　weight；　let　alone　move　in　it。〃
　Prince　Oberyn　was　unimpressed。　〃I　have　killed　large　men　before。　The　trick　is　to　get　them　off　their　feet。　Once　they　go　down；　they're　dead。〃　The　Domishman　sounded　so　blithely　confident　that　Tyrion　felt　almost　reassured；　until　he　turned　and　said；　〃Daemon；　my　spear！〃　Ser　Daemon　tossed　it　to　him；　and　the　Red　Viper　snatched　it　from　the　air。
　〃You　mean　to　face　the　Mountain　with　a　spear？〃　That　made　Tyrion　uneasy　all　over　again。　In　battle；　ranks　of　massed　spears　made　for　a　formidable　front；　but　single　bat　against　a　skilled　swordsman　was　a　very　different　matter。
　〃We　are　fond　of　spears　in　Dome。　Besides；　it　is　the　only　way　to　counter　his　reach。　Have　a　look；　Lord　Imp；　but　see　you　do　not　touch。〃　The　spear　was　turned　ash　eight　feet　long；　the　shaft　smooth；　thick；　and　heavy。　The　last　two　feet　of　that　was　steel：　a　slender　leaf…shaped　spearhead　narrowing　to　a　wicked　spike。　The　edges　looked　sharp　enough　to　shave　with。　When　Oberyn　spun　the　haft　between　the　palms　of　his　hand；　they　glistened　black。　Oil？　Or　poison？　Tyrion　decided　that　he　would　sooner　not　know。　〃I　hope　you　are　good　with　that；〃　he　said　doubtfully。
　〃You　will　have　no　cause　for　plaint。　Though　Ser　Gregor　may。　However　thick　his　plate；　there　will　be　gaps　at　the　joints。　Inside　the　elbow　and　knee；　beneath　the　arms　。　。　。　I　will　find　a　place　to　tickle　him；　I　promise　you。〃　He　set　the　spear　aside。　〃It　is　said　that　a　Lannister　always　pays　his　debts。　Perhaps　you　will　return　to　Sunspear　with　me　when　the　day's　bloodletting　is　done。　My　brother　Doran　would　be　most　pleased　to　meet　the　rightful　heir　to　Casterly　Rock　。　。　。　especially　if　he　brought　his　lovely　wife；　the　Lady　of　Winterfell。〃
　Does　the　snake　think　I　have　Sansa　squirreled　away　somewhere；　like　a　nut　I'm　hoarding　for　winter？　If　so；　Tyrion　was　not　about　to　disabuse　him。　〃A　trip　to　Dome　might　be　very　pleasant；　now　that　I　reflect　on　it。〃
　〃Plan　on　a　lengthy　visit。〃　Prince　Oberyn　sipped　his　wine。　〃You　and　Doran　have　many　matters　of　mutual　interest　to　discuss。　Music；　trade；　history；　wine；　the　dwarf's　penny　。　。　。　the　laws　of　inheritance　and　succession。　No　doubt　an　uncle's　counsel　would　be　of　benefit　to　Queen　Myrcella　in　the　trying　times　ahead。〃
　If　Varys　had　his　little　birds　listening；　Oberyn　was　giving　them　a　ripe　earful。　〃I　believe　I　will　have　that　cup　of　wine；〃　said　Tyrion。　Queen　Myrcella？　It　would　have　been　more　tempting　if　only　he　did　have　Sansa　tucked　beneath　his　cloak。　If　she　declared　for　Myrcella　over　Tommen；　would　the　north　follow？　What　the　Red　Viper　was　hinting　at　was　treason。　Could　Tyrion　truly　take　up　arms　against　Tommen；　against　his　own　father？　Cersei　would　spit　blood。　It　might　be　worth　it　for　that　alone。
　〃Do　you　recall　the　tale　I　told　you　of　our　first　meeting；　Imp？〃　Prince　Oberyn　asked；　as　the　Bastard　of　Godsgrace　knelt　before　him　to　fasten　his　greaves。　〃It　was　not　for　your　tail　alone　that　my　sister　and　I　came　to　Casterly　Rock。　We　were　on　a　quest　of　sorts。　A　quest　that　took　us　to　Starfall；　the　Arbor；　Oldtown；　the　Shield　Islands；　Crakehall；　and　finally　Casterly　Rock　。　。　。　but　our　true　destination　was　marriage。　Doran　was　betrothed　to　Lady　Mellario　of　Norvos；　so　he　had　been　left　behind　as　castellan　of　Sunspear。　My　sister　and　I　were　yet　unpromised。
　〃Elia　found　it　all　exciting。　She　was　of　that　age；　and　her　delicate　health　had　never　permitted　her　much　travel。　I　preferred　to　amuse　myself　by　mocking　my　sister's　suitors。　There　was　Little　Lord　Lazyeye；　Squire　Squishlips；　one　I　named　the　Whale　That　Walks；　that　sort　of　thing。　The　only　one　who　was　even　halfway　presentable　was　young　Baelor　Hightower。　A　pretty　lad；　and　my　sister　was　half　in　love　with　him　until　he　had　the　misfortune　to　fart　once　in　our　presence。　I　promptly　named　him　Baelor　Breakwind；　and　after　that　Elia　couldn't　look　at　him　without　laughing。　I　was　a　monstrous　young　fellow；　someone　should　have　sliced　out　my　vile　tongue。〃
　Yes；　Tyrion　agreed　silently。　Baelor　Hightower　was　no　longer　young；　but　he　remained　Lord　Leyton's　heir；　wealthy；　handsome；　and　a　knight　of　splendid　repute。　Baelor　Brightsmile；　they　called　him　now。　Had　Elia　wed　him　in　place　of　Rhaegar　Targaryen；　she　might　be　in　Oldtown　with　her　children　growing　tall　around　her。　He　wondered　how　many　lives　had　been　snuffed　out　by　that　fart。
　〃Lannisport　was　the　end　of　our　voyage；〃　Prince　Oberyn　went　on；　as　Ser　Arron　Qorgyle　helped　him　into　a　padded　leather　tunic　and　began　lacing　it　up　the　back。　〃Were　you　aware　that　our　mothers　knew　each　other　of　old？〃
　〃They　had　been　at　court　together　as　girls；　I　seem　to　recall。　panions　to　Princess　Rhaella？〃
　〃Just　so。　It　was　my　belief　that　the　mothers　had　cooked　up　this　plot　between　them。　Squire　Squishlips　and　his　ilk　and　the　various　pimply　young　maidens　who'd　been　paraded　before　me　were　the　almonds　before　the　feast；　meant　only　to　whet　our　appetites。　The　main　course　was　to　be　served　at　Casterly　Rock。〃
　〃Cersei　and　Jaime。〃
　〃Such　a　clever　dwarf。　Elia　and　I　were　older；　to　be　sure。　Your　brother　and　sister　could　not　have　been　more　than　eight　or　nine。