grrm.astormofswords-第217部分

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　〃That　will　give　it　strength　enough　to　stand；　I'd　think；〃　Petyr　said。　〃May　I　e　into　your　castle；　my　lady？〃
　Sansa　was　wary。　〃Don't　break　it。　Be　。　。　。
　〃。　。　gentle？〃　He　smiled。　〃Winterfell　has　withstood　flercer　enemies　than　me。　It　is　Winterfell；　is　it　not？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Sansa　admitted。
　He　walked　along　outside　the　walls。　〃I　used　to　dream　of　it；　in　those　years　after　Cat　went　north　with　Eddard　Stark。　In　my　dreams　it　was　ever　a　dark　place；　and　cold。〃
　〃No。　It　was　always　warm；　even　when　it　snowed。　Water　from　the　hot　springs　is　piped　through　the　walls　to　warm　them；　and　inside　the　glass　gardens　it　was　always　like　the　hottest　day　of　summer。〃　She　stood；　towering　over　the　great　white　castle。　〃I　can't　think　how　to　do　the　glass　roof　over　the　gardens。〃
　Littlefinger　stroked　his　chin；　where　his　beard　had　been　before　Lysa　had　asked　him　to　shave　it　off。　〃The　glass　was　locked　in　frames；　no？　Twigs　are　your　answer。　Peel　them　and　cross　them　and　use　bark　to　tie　them　together　into　frames。　I'll　show　you。〃　He　moved　through　the　garden；　gathering　up　twigs　and　sticks　and　shaking　the　snow　from　them。　When　he　had　enough；　he　stepped　over　both　walls　with　a　single　long　stride　and　squatted　on　his　heels　in　the　middle　of　the　yard。　Sansa　came　closer　to　watch　what　he　was　doing。　His　hands　were　deft　and　sure；　and　before　long　he　had　a　crisscrossing　latticework　of　twigs；　very　like　the　one　that　roofed　the　glass　gardens　of　Winterfell。　〃We　will　need　to　imagine　the　glass；　to　be　sure；〃　he　said　when　he　gave　it　to　her。
　〃This　is　just　right；〃　she　said。
　He　touched　her　face。　〃And　so　is　that。〃
　Sansa　did　not　understand。　〃And　so　is　what？〃
　〃Your　smile；　my　lady。　Shall　I　make　another　for　you？〃
　〃If　you　would。〃
　〃Nothing　could　please　me　more。〃
　She　raised　the　walls　of　the　glass　gardens　while　Littlefinger　roofed　them　over；　and　when　they　were　done　with　that　he　helped　her　extend　the　walls　and　build　the　guardshall。　When　she　used　sticks　for　the　covered　bridges；　they　stood；　just　as　he　had　said　they　would。　The　First　Keep　was　simple　enough；　an　old　round　drum　tower；　but　Sansa　was　stymied　again　when　it　came　to　putting　the　gargoyles　around　the　top。　Again　he　had　the　answer。　〃It's　been　snowing　on　your　castle；　my　lady；〃　he　pointed　out。　〃What　do　the　gargoyles　look　like　when　they're　covered　with　snow？〃
　Sansa　closed　her　eyes　to　see　them　in　memory。　〃They're　just　white　lumps。〃
　〃Well；　then。　Gargoyles　are　hard；　but　white　lumps　should　be　easy。〃　And　they　were。
　The　Broken　Tower　was　easier　still。　They　made　a　tall　tower　together；　kneeling　side　by　side　to　roll　it　smooth；　and　when　they'd　raised　it　Sansa　stuck　her　fingers　through　the　top；　grabbed　a　handful　of　snow；　and　flung　it　full　in　his　face。　Petyr　yelped；　as　the　snow　slid　down　under　his　collar。　〃That　was　unchivalrously　done；　my　lady。〃
　〃As　was　bringing　me　here；　when　you　swore　to　take　me　home。〃
　She　wondered　where　this　courage　had　e　from；　to　speak　to　him　so　frankly。　From　Winterfell；　she　thought。　I　am　stronger　within　the　walls　of　Winterfell。
　His　face　grew　serious。　〃Yes；　I　played　you　false　in　that　。　。　。　and　in　one　other　thing　as　well。〃
　Sansa's　stomach　was　aflutter。　〃What　other　thing？〃
　〃I　told　you　that　nothing　could　please　me　more　than　to　help　you　with　your　castle。　I　fear　that　was　a　lie　as　well。　Something　else　would　please　me　more。〃　He　stepped　closer。　〃This。〃
　Sansa　tried　to　step　back；　but　he　pulled　her　into　his　arms　and　suddenly　he　was　kissing　her。　Feebly；　she　tried　to　squirm；　but　only　succeeded　in　pressing　herself　more　tightly　against　him。　His　mouth　was　on　hers；　swallowing　her　words。　He　tasted　of　mint。　For　half　a　heartbeat　she　yielded　to　his　kiss　。　。　。　before　she　turned　her　face　away　and　wrenched　free。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　Petyr　straightened　his　cloak。　〃Kissing　a　snow　maid。〃
　〃You're　supposed　to　kiss　her。〃　Sansa　glanced　up　at　Lysa's　balcony；　but　it　was　empty　now。　〃Your　lady　wife。〃
　〃I　do。　Lysa　has　no　cause　for　plaint。〃　He　smiled。　〃I　wish　you　could　see　yourself；　my　lady。　You　are　so　beautiful。　You're　crusted　over　with　snow　like　some　little　bear　cub；　but　your　face　is　flushed　and　you　can　scarcely　breathe。　How　long　have　you　been　out　here？　You　must　be　very　cold。　Let　me　warm　you；　Sansa。　Take　off　those　gloves；　give　me　your　hands。〃
　〃I　won't。〃　He　sounded　almost　like　Marillion；　the　night　he'd　gotten　so　drunk　at　the　wedding。　Only　this　time　Lothor　Brune　would　not　appear　to　save　her；　Ser　Lothor　was　Petyr's　man。　〃You　shouldn't　kiss　me。　I　might　have　been　your　own　daughter　。　。　。〃
　〃Might　have　been；〃　he　admitted；　with　a　rueful　smile。　〃But　you're　not；　are　you？　You　are　Eddard　Stark's　daughter；　and　Cat's。　But　I　think　you　might　be　even　more　beautiful　than　your　mother　was；　when　she　was　your　age。〃
　〃Petyr；　please。〃　Her　voice　sounded　so　weak。　〃Please。
　〃A　castle！〃
　The　voice　was　loud；　shrill；　and　childish。　Littleflnger　turned　away　from　her。　〃Lord　Robert。〃　He　sketched　a　bow。　〃Should　you　be　out　in　the　snow　without　your　gloves？〃
　〃Did　you　make　the　snow　castle；　Lord　Littlefinger？〃
　〃Alayne　did　most　of　it；　my　lord。〃
　Sansa　said；　〃It's　meant　to　be　Winterfell。〃
　〃Winterfell？〃　Robert　was　small　for　eight；　a　stick　of　a　boy　with　splotchy　skin　and　eyes　that　were　always　runny。　Under　one　arm　he　clutched　the　threadbare　cloth　doll　he　carried　everywhere。
　〃Winterfell　is　the　seat　of　House　Stark；〃　Sansa　told　her　husband…to…be。　〃The　great　castle　of　the　north。〃
　〃It's　not　so　great。〃　The　boy　knelt　before　the　gatehouse。　〃Look；　here　es　a　giant　to　knock　it　down。〃　He　stood　his　doll　in　the　snow　and　moved　it　jerkily。　〃Tromp　tromp　I'm　a　giant；　I'm　a　giant；〃　he　chanted。　〃Ho　ho　ho；　open　yourgates　or　I'll　mash　them　and　smash　them。〃　Swinging　the　doll　by　the　legs；　he　knocked　the　top　off　one　gatehouse　tower　and　then　the　other。
　It　was　more　than　Sansa　could　stand。　〃Robert；　stop　that。〃　Instead　he　swung　the　doll　again；　and　a　foot　of　wall　exploded。　She　grabbed　for　his　hand　but　she　caught　the　doll　instead。　There　was　a　loud　ripping　sound　as　the　thin　cloth　tore。　Suddenly　she　had　the　doll's　head；　Robert　had　the　legs　and　body；　and　the　rag…and…sawdust　stuffing　was　spilling　in　the　snow。
　Lord　Robert's　mouth　trembled。　〃You　killed　him；〃　he　wailed。　Then　he　began　to　shake。　It　started　with　no　more　than　a　little　shivering；　but　within　a　few　short　heartbeats　he　had　collapsed　across　the　castle；　his　limbs　flailing　about　violently。　White　towers　and　snowy　bridges　shattered　and　fell　on　all　sides。　Sansa　stood　horrified；　but　Petyr　Baelish　seized　her　cousin's　wrists　and　shouted　for　the　maester。
　Guards　and　serving　girls　arrived　within　instants　to　help　restrain　the　boy；　Maester　Colemon　a　short　time　later。　Robert　Arryn's　shaking　sickness　was　nothing　new　to　the　people　of　the　Eyrie；　and　Lady　Lysa　had　trained　them　all　to　e　rushing　at　the　boy's　first　cry。　The　maester　held　the　little　lord's　head　and　gave　him　half　a　cup　of　dreamwine；　murmuring　soothing　words。　Slowly　the　violence　of　the　fit　seemed　to　ebb　away；　till　nothing　remained　but　a　small　shaking　of　the　hands。　〃Help　him　to　my　chambers；〃　Colemon　told　the　guards。　〃A　leeching　will　help　calm　him。〃
　〃It　was　my　fault。〃　Sansa　showed　them　the　doll's　head。　〃I　ripped　his　doll　in　two。　I　never　meant　to；　but　。　。　。〃
　〃His　lordship　was　destroying　the　castle；〃　said　Petyr。
　〃A　giant；〃　the　boy　whispered；　weeping。　〃It　wasn't　me；　it　was　a　giant　hurt　the　castle。　She　killed　him！　I　hate　her！　She's　a　bastard　and　I　hate　her！　I　don't　want　to　be　leeched！〃
　〃My　lord；　your　blood　needs　thinning；〃　said　Maester　Colemon。　〃It　is　the　bad　blood　that　makes　you　angry；　and　the　rage　that　brings　on　the　shaking。　e　now。〃
　They　led　the　boy　away。　My　lord　husband；　Sansa　thought；　as　she　contemplated　the　ruins　of　Winterfell。　The　snow　had　stopped；　and　it　was　colder　than　before。　She　wondered　if　Lord　Robert　would　shake　all　through　their　wedding。　At　least　Joffrey　was　sound　of　body。　A　mad　rage　seized　hold　of　her。　She　picked　up　a　broken　branch　and　smashed　the　torn　doll's　head　down　on　top　of　it；　then　pushed　it　down　atop　the　shattered　gatehouse　of　her　snow　castle。　The　servants　looked　aghast；　but　when　Littlefinger　saw　what　she'd　done　he　laughed。　〃If　the　tales　be　true；　that's　not　the　first　giant　to　end　up　with　his　head　on　Winterfell's　walls。〃
　〃Those　are　only　stories；〃　she　said；　and　left　him　there。
　Back　in　her　bedchamber；　Sansa　took　off　her　cloak　and　her　wet　boots　and　sat　beside　the　fire。　She　had　no　doubt　that　she　would　be　made　to　answer　for　Lord　Robert's　fit。　Perhaps　Lady　Lysa　Mll　send　me　away。　Her　aunt　was　quick　to　banish　anyone　who　displeased　her；　and　nothing　displeased　her　quite　so　much　as　people　she　suspected　of　mistreating　her　son。
　Sansa　would　have　weled　banishment。　The　Gates　of　the　Moon　was　much　larger　than　the　Eyrie；　and　livelier　as　well。　Lord　Nestor　Royce　seemed　gruff　and　stem；　but　his　daughter　Myranda　kept　his　castle　for　him；　and　everyone　said　how　frolicsome　she　was。　Even　Sansa's　supposed　bastardy　might　not　count　too　much　against　her　below。　One　of　King　Robert's　baseborn　daughters　was　in　service　to　Lord　Nestor；　and　she　and　the　Lady　Myranda　were　said　to　be　fast　friends；　as　close　as　sisters。
　I　will　tell　my　aunt　that　I　don't　want　to　marry　Robert。　Not　even　the　High　Septon　himself　could　declare　a　woman　married　if　she　refused　to　say　the　vows。　She　wasn't　a　beggar；　no　matter　what　her　aunt　said。　She　was　thirteen；　a　woman　flowered　and　wed；　the　heir　to　Winterfell。　Sansa　felt　sorry　for　her　little　cousin　sometimes；　but　she　could　not　imagine　ever　wanting　to　be　his　wife。　I　would　sooner　be　married　to　Tyrion　again。　If　Lady　Lysa　knew　that；　surely　she'd　send　her　away　。　。　。　away　from　Robert's　pouts　and　shakes　and　runny　eyes；　away　from　Marillion's　lingering　looks；　away　from　Petyr's　kisses。　I　will　tell　her。　I　will！
　It　was　late　that　afternoon　when　Lady　Lysa　summoned　her。　Sansa　had　been　marshaling　her　courage　all　day；　but　no　sooner　did　Marillion　appear　at　her　door　than　all　her　doubts　returned。　〃Lady　Lysa　requires　your　presence　in　the　High　Hall。〃　The　singer's　eyes　undressed　her　as　he　spoke；　but　she　was　used　to　that。
　Marillion　was　ely；　there　was　no　denying　it；　boyish　and　slender；　with　smooth　skin；　sandy　hair；　a　charming　smile。　But　he　had　made　himself　well　hated　in　the　Vale；　by　everyone　but　her　aunt　and　little　Lord　Robert。　To　hear　the　servants　talk；　Sansa　was　not　the　first　maid　to　suffer　his　advances；　and　the　others　had　not　had　Lothor　Brune　to　defend　them。　But　Lady　Lysa　would　hea