grrm.astormofswords-第58部分

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　〃Step　away　from　him。　Now。　Stop　that。〃
　Jaime　was　tired。　Tired　of　her　suspicions；　tired　of　her　insults；　tired　of　her　crooked　teeth　and　her　broad　spotty　face　and　that　limp　thin　hair　of　hers。　Ignoring　her　protests；　he　grasped　the　hilt　of　his　cousin's　longsword　with　both　hands；　held　the　corpse　down　with　his　foot；　and　pulled。　As　the　blade　slid　from　the　scabbard；　he　was　already　pivoting；　bringing　the　sword　around　and　up　in　a　swift　deadly　arc。　Steel　met　steel　with　a　ringing；　bone…jarring　clang。　Somehow　Brienne　had　gotten　her　own　blade　out　in　time。　Jaime　laughed。　〃Very　good；　wench。〃
　〃Give　me　the　sword；　Kingslayer。〃
　〃Oh；　I　will。〃　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and　drove　at　her；　the　longsword　alive　in　his　hands。　Brienne　jumped　back；　parrying；　but　he　followed；　pressing　the　attack。　No　sooner　did　she　turn　one　cut　than　the　next　was　upon　her。　The　swords　kissed　and　sprang　apart　and　kissed　again。　Jaime's　blood　was　singing。　This　was　what　he　was　meant　for；　he　never　felt　so　alive　as　when　he　was　fighting；　with　death　balanced　on　every　stroke。　And　with　my　wrists　chained　together；　the　wench　may　even　give　me　a　contest　for　a　time。　His　chains　forced　him　to　use　a　two…handed　grip；　though　of　course　the　weight　and　reach　were　less　than　if　the　blade　had　been　a　true　two…handed　greatsword；　but　what　did　it　matter？　His　cousin's　sword　was　long　enough　to　write　an　end　to　this　Brienne　of　Tarth。
　High；　low；　overhand；　he　rained　down　steel　upon　her。　Left；　right；　backslash；　swinging　so　hard　that　sparks　flew　when　the　swords　came　together；　upswing；　sideslash；　overhand；　always　attacking；　moving　into　her；　step　and　slide；　strike　and　step；　step　and　strike；　hacking；　slashing；　faster；　faster；　faster　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　until；　breathless；　he　stepped　back　and　let　the　point　of　the　sword　fall　to　the　ground；　giving　her　a　moment　of　respite。　〃Not　half　bad；〃　he　acknowledged。　〃For　a　wench。〃
　She　took　a　slow　deep　breath；　her　eyes　watching　him　warily。　〃I　would　not　hurt　you；　Kingslayer。〃
　〃As　if　you　could。〃　He　whirled　the　blade　back　up　above　his　head　and　flew　at　her　again；　chains　rattling。
　Jaime　could　not　have　said　how　long　he　pressed　the　attack。　it　might　have　been　minutes　or　it　might　have　been　hours；　time　slept　when　swords　woke。　He　drove　her　away　from　his　cousin's　corpse；　drove　her　across　the　road；　drove　her　into　the　trees。　She　stumbled　once　on　a　root　she　never　saw；　and　for　a　moment　he　thought　she　was　done；　but　she　went　to　one　knee　instead　of　falling；　and　never　lost　a　beat。　Her　sword　leapt　up　to　block　a　downcut　that　would　have　opened　her　from　shoulder　to　groin；　and　then　she　cut　at　him；　again　and　again；　fighting　her　way　back　to　her　feet　stroke　by　stroke。
　The　dance　went　on。　He　pinned　her　against　an　oak；　cursed　as　she　slipped　away；　followed　her　through　a　shallow　brook　half…choked　with　fallen　leaves。　Steel　rang；　steel　sang；　steel　screamed　and　sparked　and　scraped；　and　the　woman　started　grunting　like　a　sow　at　every　crash；　yet　somehow　he　could　not　reach　her。　It　was　as　if　she　had　an　iron　cage　around　her　that　stopped　every　blow。
　〃Not　bad　at　all；〃　he　said　when　he　paused　for　a　second　to　catch　his　breath；　circling　to　her　right。
　〃For　a　wench？〃
　〃For　a　squire；　say。　A　green　one。〃　He　laughed　a　ragged；　breathless　laugh。　〃e　on；　e　on；　my　sweetling；　the　music's　still　playing。　Might　I　have　this　dance；　my　lady？〃
　Grunting；　she　came　at　him；　blade　whirling；　and　suddenly　it　was　Jaime　struggling　to　keep　steel　from　skin。　One　of　her　slashes　raked　across　his　brow；　and　blood　ran　down　into　his　right　eye。　The　Others　take　her；　and　Riverrun　as　well！　His　skills　had　gone　to　rust　and　rot　in　that　bloody　dungeon；　and　the　chains　were　no　great　help　either。　His　eye　closed；　his　shoulders　were　going　numb　from　the　jarring　they'd　taken；　and　his　wrists　ached　from　the　weight　of　chains；　manacles；　and　sword。　His　longsword　grew　heavier　with　every　blow；　and　Jaime　knew　he　was　not　swinging　it　as　quickly　as　he'd　done　earlier；　nor　raising　it　as　high。
　She　is　stronger　than　I　am。
　The　realization　chilled　him。　Robert　had　been　stronger　than　him；　to　be　sure。　The　White　Bull　Gerold　Hightower　as　well；　in　his　heyday；　and　Ser　Arthur　Dayne。　Amongst　the　living；　Greatjon　Umber　was　stronger；　Strongboar　of　Crakehall　most　likely；　both　Cleganes　for　a　certainty。　The　Mountain's　strength　was　like　nothing　human。　It　did　not　matter。　With　speed　and　skill；　Jaime　could　beat　them　all。　But　this　was　a　woman。　A　huge　cow　of　a　woman；　to　be　sure；　but　even　so　。　。　。　by　rights；　she　should　be　the　one　wearing　down。
　Instead　she　forced　him　back　into　the　brook　again；　shouting；　〃Yield！　Throw　down　the　sword！〃
　A　slick　stone　turned　under　Jaime's　foot。　As　he　felt　himself　falling；　he　twisted　the　mischance　into　a　diving　lunge。　His　point　scraped　past　her　parry　and　bit　into　her　upper　thigh。　A　red　flower　blossomed；　and　Jaime　had　an　instant　to　savor　the　sight　of　her　blood　before　his　knee　slammed　into　a　rock。　The　pain　was　blinding。　Brienne　splashed　into　him　and　kicked　away　his　sword。　〃YIELD！〃
　Jaime　drove　his　shoulder　into　her　legs；　bringing　her　down　on　top　of　him。　They　rolled；　kicking　and　punching　until　finally　she　was　sitting　astride　him。　He　managed　to　jerk　her　dagger　from　its　sheath；　but　before　he　could　plunge　it　into　her　belly　she　caught　his　wrist　and　slammed　his　hands　back　on　a　rock　so　hard　he　thought　she'd　wrenched　an　arm　from　its　socket。　Her　other　hand　spread　across　his　face。　〃Yield！〃　She　shoved　his　head　down；　held　it　under；　pulled　it　up。　〃Yield！〃　Jaime　spit　water　into　her　face。　A　shove；　a　splash；　and　he　was　under　again；　kicking　uselessly；　fighting　to　breathe。　Up　again。　〃Yield；　or　I'll　drown　you！〃
　〃And　break　your　oath？〃　he　snarled。　〃Like　me？〃
　She　let　him　go；　and　he　went　down　with　a　splash。
　And　the　woods　rang　with　coarse　laughter。
　Brienne　lurched　to　her　feet。　She　was　all　mud　and　blood　below　the　waist；　her　clothing　askew；　her　face　red。　She　looks　as　if　they　caught　us　fucking　instead　of　fighting。　Jaime　crawled　over　the　rocks　to　shallow　water；　wiping　the　blood　from　his　eye　with　his　chained　hands。　Armed　men　lined　both　sides　of　the　brook。　Small　wonder；　we　were　making　enough　noise　to　wake　a　dragon。　〃Well　met；　friends；〃　he　called　to　them　amiably。　〃My　pardons　if　I　disturbed　you。　You　caught　me　chastising　my　wife。〃
　〃Seemed　to　me　she　was　doing　the　chastising。〃　The　man　who　spoke　was　thick　and　powerful；　and　the　nasal　bar　of　his　iron　halfhelm　did　not　wholly　conceal　his　lack　of　a　nose。
　These　were　not　the　outlaws　who　had　killed　Ser　Cleos；　Jaime　realized　suddenly。　The　scum　of　the　earth　surrounded　them：　swarthy　Dornishmen　and　blond　Lyseni；　Dothraki　with　bells　in　their　braids；　hairy　Ibbenese；　coal…black　Summer　Islanders　in　feathered　cloaks。　He　knew　them。　The　Brave　panions。
　Brienne　found　her　voice。　〃I　have　a　hundred　stags…〃
　A　cadaverous　man　in　a　tattered　leather　cloak　said；　〃We'll　take　that　for　a　start；　m'lady。〃
　〃Then　we'll　have　your　cunt；〃　said　the　noseless　man。　〃It　can't　be　as　ugly　as　the　rest　of　you。〃
　〃Turn　her　over　and　rape　her　arse；　Rorge；〃　urged　a　Dornish　spearman　with　a　red　silk　scarf　wound　about　his　helm。　〃That　way　you　won't　need　to　look　at　her。〃
　〃And　rob　her　o'　the　pleasure　o'　looking　at　me？〃　noseless　said；　and　the　others　laughed。
　Ugly　and　stubborn　though　she　might　be；　the　wench　deserved　better　than　to　be　gang　raped　by　such　refuse　as　these。　〃Who　mands　here？〃　Jaime　demanded　loudly。
　〃I　have　that　honor；　Ser　Jaime。〃　The　cadaver's　eyes　were　rimmed　in　red；　his　hair　thin　and　dry。　Dark　blue　veins　could　be　seen　through　the　pallid　skin　of　his　hands　and　face。　〃Urswyck　I　am。　Called　Urswyck　the　Faithful。〃
　〃You　know　who　I　am？〃
　The　sellsword　inclined　his　head。　〃it　takes　more　than　a　beard　and　a　shaved　head　to　deceive　the　Brave　panions。〃
　The　Bloody　Mummers；　you　mean。　Jaime　had　no　more　use　for　these　than　he　did　for　Gregor　Clegane　or　Amory　Lorch。　Dogs；　his　father　called　them　all；　and　he　used　them　like　dogs；　to　hound　his　prey　and　put　fear　in　their　hearts。　〃If　you　know　me；　Urswyck；　you　know　you'll　have　your　reward。　A　Lannister　always　pays　his　debts。　As　for　the　wench；　she's　highborn；　and　worth　a　good　ransom。〃
　The　other　cocked　his　head。　〃Is　it　so？　How　fortunate。〃
　There　was　something　sly　about　the　way　Urswyck　was　smiling　that　Jaime　did　not　like。　〃You　heard　me。　Where's　the　goat？〃
　〃A　few　hours　distant。　He　will　be　pleased　to　see　you；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　I　would　not　call　him　a　goat　to　his　face。　Lord　Vargo　grows　prickly　about　his　dignity。〃
　Since　when　has　that　slobbering　savage　had　dignity？　〃I'll　be　sure　and　remember　that；　when　I　see　him。　Lord　of　what；　pray？〃
　〃Harrenhal。　It　has　been　promised。〃
　Harrenhal？　Has　my　father　taken　leave　of　his　senses？　Jaime　raised　his　hands。　〃I'll　have　these　chains　off。〃
　Urswyck's　chuckle　was　papery　dry。
　Something　is　very　wrong　here。　Jaime　gave　no　sign　of　his　disfiture；　but　only　smiled。　〃Did　I　say　something　amusing？〃
　Noseless　grinned。　〃You're　the　funniest　thing　I　seen　since　Biter　chewed　that　septa's　teats　off。〃
　〃You　and　your　father　lost　too　many　battles；〃　offered　the　Dornishman。　〃We　had　to　trade　our　lion　pelts　for　wolfskins。〃
　Urswyck　spread　his　hands。　〃What　Timeon　means　to　say　is　that　the　Brave　panions　are　no　longer　in　the　hire　of　House　Lannister。　We　now　serve　Lord　Bolton；　and　the　King　in　the　North。〃
　Jaime　gave　him　a　cold；　contemptuous　smile。　〃And　men　say　I　have　shit　for　honor？〃
　Urswyck　was　unhappy　with　that　ment。　At　his　signal；　two　of　the　Mummers　grasped　Jaime　by　the　arms　and　Rorge　drove　a　mailed　fist　into　his　stomach。　As　he　doubled　over　grunting；　he　heard　the　wench　protesting；　〃Stop；　he's　not　to　be　harmed！　Lady　Catelyn　sent　us；　an　exchange　of　captives；　he's　under　my　protection　。　。　。　〃　Rorge　hit　him　again；　driving　the　air　from　his　lungs。　Brienne　dove　for　her　sword　beneath　the　waters　of　the　brook；　but　the　Mummers　were　on　her　before　she　could　lay　hands　on　it。　Strong　as　she　was；　it　took　four　of　them　to　beat　her　into　submission。
　By　the　end　the　wench's　face　was　as　swollen　and　bloody　as　Jaime's　must　have　been；　and　they　had　knocked　out　two　of　her　teeth。　It　did　nothing　to　improve　her　appearance。　Stumbling　and　bleeding；　the　two　captives　were　dragged　back　through　the　woods　to　the　horses；　Brienne　limping　from　the　thigh　wound　he'd　given　her　in　the　brook。　Jaime　felt　sorry　for　her。　She　would　lose　her　maidenhood　tonight；　he　had　no　doubt。　That　noseless　bastard　would　have　her　for　a　certainty；　and　some　of　the　others　w