grrm.astormofswords-第210部分

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　〃You　have　not　answered　my　question。〃
　〃You　poor　stupid　blind　crippled　fool。　Must　I　spell　every　little　thing　out　for　you？　Very　well。　Cersei　is　a　lying　whore；　she's　been　fucking　Lancel　and　Osmund　Kettleblack　and　probably　Moon　Boy　for　all　I　know。　And　I　am　the　monster　they　all　say　I　am。　Yes；　I　killed　your　vile　son。〃　He　made　himself　grin。　It　must　have　been　a　hideous　sight　to　see；　there　in　the　torchlit　gloom。
　Jaime　turned　without　a　word　and　walked　away。
　Tyrion　watched　him　go；　striding　on　his　long　strong　legs；　and　part　of　him　wanted　to　call　out；　to　tell　him　that　it　wasn't　true；　to　beg　for　his　forgiveness。　But　then　he　thought　of　Tysha；　and　he　held　his　silence。　He　listened　to　the　receding　footsteps　until　he　could　hear　them　no　longer；　then　waddled　off　to　look　for　Varys。
　The　eunuch　was　lurking　in　the　dark　of　a　twisting　turnpike　stair；　garbed　in　a　moth…eaten　brown　robe　with　a　hood　that　hid　the　paleness　of　his　face。　〃You　were　so　long；　I　feared　that　something　had　gone　amiss；〃　he　said　when　he　saw　Tyrion。
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Tyrion　assured　him；　in　poisonous　tones。　〃What　could　possibly　have　gone　amiss？〃　He　twisted　his　head　back　to　stare　up。　〃I　sent　for　you　during　my　trial。〃
　〃I　could　not　e。　The　queen　had　me　watched；　night　and　day。　I　dared　not　help　you。〃
　〃You're　helping　me　now。〃
　〃Am　I？　Ah。〃　Varys　giggled。　It　seemed　strangely　out　of　place　in　this　place　of　cold　stone　and　echoing　darkness。　〃Your　brother　can　be　most　persuasive。〃
　〃Varys；　you　are　as　cold　and　slimy　as　a　slug；　has　anyone　ever　told　you？　You　did　your　best　to　kill　me。　Perhaps　I　ought　to　return　the　favor。〃
　The　eunuch　sighed。　〃The　faithful　dog　is　kicked；　and　no　matter　how　the　spider　weaves；　he　is　never　loved。　But　if　you　slay　me　here；　I　fear　for　you；　my　lord。　You　may　never　find　your　way　back　to　daylight。〃　His　eyes　glittered　in　the　shifting　torchlight；　dark　and　wet。　〃These　tunnels　are　full　of　traps　for　the　unwary。〃
　Tyrion　snorted。　〃Unwary？　I'm　the　wariest　man　who　ever　lived；　you　helped　see　to　that。〃　He　rubbed　at　his　nose。　〃So　tell　me；　wizard；　where　is　my　innocent　maiden　wife？〃
　〃I　have　found　no　trace　of　Lady　Sansa　in　King's　Landing　sad　to　say。　Nor　of　Ser　Dontos　Hollard；　who　by　rights　should　have　turned　up　somewhere　drunk　by　now。　They　were　seen　together　on　the　serpentine　steps　the　night　she　vanished。　After　that；　nothing。　There　was　much　confusion　that　night。　My　little　birds　are　silent。〃　Varys　gave　a　gentle　tug　at　the　dwarf's　sleeve　and　pulled　him　into　the　stair。　〃My　lord；　we　must　away。　Your　path　is　down。〃
　That's　no　lie；　at　least。　Tyrion　waddled　along　in　the　eunuch's　wake；　his　heels　scraping　against　the　rough　stone　as　they　descended。　It　was　very　cold　within　the　stairwell；　a　damp　bone…chilling　cold　that　set　him　to　shivering　at　once。　〃What　part　of　the　dungeons　are　these？〃　he　asked。
　〃Maegor　the　Cruel　decreed　four　levels　of　dungeons　for　his　castle；〃　Varys　replied。　〃On　the　upper　level；　there　are　large　cells　where　mon　criminals　may　be　confined　together。　They　have　narrow　windows　set　high　in　the　walls。　The　second　level　has　the　smaller　cells　where　highborn　captives　are　held。　They　have　no　windows；　but　torches　in　the　halls　cast　light　through　the　bars。　On　the　third　level　the　cells　are　smaller　and　the　doors　are　wood。　The　black　cells；　men　call　them。　That　was　where　you　were　kept；　and　Eddard　Stark　before　you。　But　there　is　a　level　lower　still。　Once　a　man　is　taken　down　to　the　fourth　level；　he　never　sees　the　sun　again；　nor　hears　a　human　voice；　nor　breathes　a　breath　free　of　agonizing　pain。　Maegor　had　the　cells　on　the　fourth　level　built　for　torment。〃　They　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　steps。　An　unlighted　door　opened　before　them。　〃This　is　the　fourth　level。　Give　me　your　hand；　my　lord。　It　is　safer　to　walk　in　darkness　here。　There　are　things　you　would　not　wish　to　see。〃
　Tyrion　hung　back　a　moment。　Varys　had　already　betrayed　him　once。　Who　knew　what　game　the　eunuch　was　playing？　And　what　better　place　to　murder　a　man　than　down　in　the　darkness；　in　a　place　that　no　one　knew　existed？　His　body　might　never　be　found。
　On　the　other　hand；　what　choice　did　he　have？　To　go　back　up　the　steps　and　walk　out　the　main　gate？　No；　that　would　not　serve。
　Jaime　would　not　be　afraid；　he　thought；　before　he　remembered　what　Jaime　had　done　to　him。　He　took　the　eunuch　by　the　hand　and　let　himself　be　led　through　the　black；　following　the　soft　scrape　of　leather　on　stone。　Varys　walked　quickly；　from　time　to　time　whispering；　〃Careful；　there　are　three　steps　ahead；〃　or；　〃The　tunnel　slopes　downward　here；　my　lord。〃　I　arrived　here　a　King's　Hand；　riding　through　the　gates　at　the　head　of　my　own　sworn　men；　Tyrion　reflected；　and　I　leave　like　a　rat　scuttling　through　the　dark；　holding　hands　with　a　spider。
　A　light　appeared　ahead　of　them；　too　dim　to　be　daylight；　and　grew　as　they　hurried　toward　it。　After　a　while　he　could　see　it　was　an　arched　doorway；　closed　off　by　another　iron　gate。　Varys　produced　a　key。　They　stepped　through　into　a　small　round　chamber。　Five　other　doors　opened　off　the　room；　each　barred　in　iron。　There　was　an　opening　in　the　ceiling　as　well；　and　a　series　of　rungs　set　in　the　wall　below；　leading　upward。　An　ornate　brazier　stood　to　one　side；　fashioned　in　the　shape　of　a　dragon's　head。　The　coals　in　the　beast's　yawning　mouth　had　burnt　down　to　embers；　but　they　still　glowed　with　a　sullen　orange　light。　Dim　as　it　was；　the　light　was　wele　after　the　blackness　of　the　tunnel。
　The　juncture　was　otherwise　empty；　but　on　the　floor　was　a　mosaic　of　a　three…headed　dragon　wrought　in　red　and　black　tiles。　Something　niggled　at　Tyrionfor　a　moment。　Then　it　came　to　him。　This　is　the　place　Shae　told　me　of；　when　Varys　first　led　her　to　my　bed。　〃We　are　below　the　Tower　of　the　Hand。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Frozen　hinges　screamed　in　protest　as　Varys　pulled　open　a　longclosed　door。　Flakes　of　rust　drifted　to　the　floor。　〃This　will　take　us　out　to　the　river。〃
　Tyrion　walked　slowly　to　the　ladder；　ran　his　hand　across　the　lowest　rung。　〃This　will　take　me　up　to　my　bedchamber。〃
　〃Your　lord　father's　bedchamber　now。〃
　He　looked　up　the　shaft。　〃How　far　must　I　climb？〃
　〃My　lord；　you　are　too　weak　for　such　follies；　and　there　is　besides　no　time。　We　must　go。〃
　〃I　have　business　above。　How　far？〃
　〃Two　hundred　and　thirty　rungs；　but　whatever　you　intend　。　。　。〃
　〃Two　hundred　and　thirty　rungs；　and　then？〃
　〃The　tunnel　to　the　left；　but　hear　me…〃
　〃How　far　along　to　the　bedchamber？〃　Tyrion　lifted　a　foot　to　the　lowest　rung　of　the　ladder。
　〃No　more　than　sixty　feet。　Keep　one　hand　on　the　wall　as　you　go。　You　will　feel　the　doors。　The　bedchamber　is　the　third。〃　He　sighed。　〃This　is　folly；　my　lord。　Your　brother　has　given　you　your　life　back。　Would　you　cast　it　away；　and　mine　with　it？〃
　〃Varys；　the　only　thing　I　value　less　than　my　life　just　now　is　yours。　Wait　for　me　here。〃　He　turned　his　back　on　the　eunuch　and　began　to　climb；　counting　silently　as　he　went。
　Rung　by　rung；　he　ascended　into　darkness。　At　first　he　could　see　the　dim　outline　of　each　rung　as　he　grasped　it；　and　the　rough　grey　texture　of　the　stone　behind；　but　as　he　climbed　the　black　grew　thicker。　Thirteen　fourteen　fifteen　sixteen。　By　thirty；　his　arms　trembled　with　the　strain　of　pulling。　He　paused　a　moment　to　catch　his　breath　and　glanced　down。　A　circle　of　faint　light　shone　far　below；　half　obscured　by　his　own　feet。　Tyrion　resumed　his　ascent。　Thirty…nine　forty　forty…one。　By　fifty；　his　legs　burned。　The　ladder　was　endless；　numbing。　Sixty…eight　sixty…nine　seventy。　By　eighty；　his　back　was　a　dull　agony。　Yet　still　he　climbed。　He　could　not　have　said　why。　One　thirteen　one　fourteen　one　fifteen。
　At　two　hundred　and　thirty；　the　shaft　was　black　as　pitch；　but　he　could　feel　the　warm　air　flowing　from　the　tunnel　to　his　left；　like　the　breath　of　some　great　beast。　He　poked　about　awkwardly　with　a　foot　and　edged　off　the　ladder。　The　tunnel　was　even　more　cramped　than　the　shaft。　Any　man　of　normal　size　would　have　had　to　crawl　on　hands　and　knees；　but　Tyrion　was　short　enough　to　walk　upright。　At　last；　a　place　made　for　dwarfs。　His　boots　scuffed　softly　against　the　stone。　He　walked　slowly；　counting　steps；　feeling　for　gaps　in　the　walls。　Soon　he　began　to　hear　voices；　muffled　and　indistinct　at　first；　then　clearer。　He　listened　more　closely。　Two　of　his　father's　guardsmen　were　joking　about　the　Imp's　whore；　saying　how　sweet　it　would　be　to　fuck　her；　and　how　bad　she　must　want　a　real　cock　in　place　of　the　dwarf's　stunted　little　thing。　〃Most　like　it's　got　a　crook　in　it；〃　said　Lum。　That　led　him　into　a　discussion　of　how　Tyrion　would　die　on　the　morrow。　〃He'll　weep　like　a　woman　and　beg　for　mercy；　you'll　see；〃　Lum　insisted。　Lester　figured　he'd　face　the　axe　brave　as　a　lion；　being　a　Lannister；　and　he　was　willing　to　bet　his　new　boots　on　it。　〃Ah；　shit　in　your　boots；〃　said　Lum；　〃you　know　they'd　never　fit　these　feet　Wmine。　Tell　you　what；　if　I　win　you　can　scour　my　bloody　mail　for　a　fortnight。〃
　For　the　space　of　a　few　feet；　Tyrion　could　hear　every　word　of　their　haggling；　but　when　he　moved　on；　the　voices　faded　quickly。　Small　wonder　Varys　did　not　want　me　to　climb　the　bloody　ladder；　Tyrion　thought；　smiling　in　the　dark。　Little　birds　indeed。
　He　came　to　the　third　door　and　fumbled　about　for　a　long　time　before　his　fingers　brushed　a　small　iron　hook　set　between　two　stones。　When　he　pulled　down　on　it；　there　was　a　soft　rumble　that　sounded　loud　as　an　avalanche　in　the　stillness；　and　a　square　of　dull　orange　light　opened　a　foot　to　his　left。
　The　hearth！　He　almost　laughed。　The　fireplace　was　full　of　hot　ash；　and　a　black　log　with　a　hot　orange　heart　burning　within。　He　edged　past　gingerly；　taking　quick　steps　so　as　not　to　burn　his　boots；　the　warm　cinders　crunching　softly　under　his　heels。　When　he　found　himself　in　what　had　once　been　his　bedchamber；　he　stood　a　long　moment；　breathing　the　silence。　Had　his　father　heard？　Would　he　reach　for　his　sword；　raise　the　hue　and　cry？
　〃M'lord？〃　a　woman's　voice　called。
　That　might　have　hurt　me　once；　when　I　still　felt　pain。　The　first　step　was　the　hardest。　When　he　reached　the　bed　Tyrion　pulled　the　draperies　aside　and　there　she　was；　turning　toward　him　with　a　sleepy　smile　on　her　lips。　It　died　when　she　saw　him。　She　pulled　the　blankets　up　to　her　chin；　as　if　that　would　protect　her。
　〃Were　you　expecting　someone　taller；　sweetling？〃
　Big　wet　tears　filled　her　eyes。　〃I　never　meant　those　things　I　said；　the　queen　made　me。　Please。　Your　father　frightens　me　so。〃　She　sat　up；　letting　the　blanket　slide　down　t