grrm.astormofswords-第62部分

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o　tickle　her　with　the　other；　so　Arya　slammed　her　knee　between　his　legs；　and　wrenched　free。　Both　of　them　were　covered　in　dirt；　and　one　sleeve　was　tom。　on　her　stupid　acorn　dress。　〃I　bet　I　don't　look　so　nice　now；〃　she　shouted。
　Tom　was　singing　when　they　returned　to　the　hall。
　
　My　featherbed　is　deep　and　soft；　and　there　I'll　lay　you　down；
　I'll　dress　you　all　in　yellow　silk；　and　on　your　head　a　crown。
　For　you　shall　be　my　lady　love；　and　I　shall　be　your　lord。
　I'll　always　keep　you　warm　and　safe；　and　guard　you　with　my　sword。
　
　Harwin　took　one　look　at　them　and　burst　out　laughing；　and　Anguy　smiled　one　of　his　stupid　freckly　smiles　and　said；　〃Are　we　certain　this　one　is　a　highborn　lady？〃　But　Lem　Lernoncloak　gave　Gendry　a　clout　alongside　the　head。　〃You　want　to　fight；　fight　with　me！　She's　a　girl；　and　half　your　age！　You　keep　your　hands　off　o'　her；　you　hear　me？〃
　〃I　started　it　〃　said　Arya。　〃Gendry　was　just　talking。〃
　〃Leave　the　boy；　Lem；〃　said　Harwin。　〃Arya　did　start　it；　I　have　no　doubt。　She　was　much　the　same　at　Winterfell。〃
　Tom　winked　at　her　as　he　sang：
　
　And　how　she　smiled　and　how　she　laughed；　the　maiden　of　the　tree。
　She　spun　away　and　said　to　him；　no　featherbed　for　me。
　I'll　wear　a　gown　of　golden　leaves；　and　bind　my　hair　with　grass；
　But　you　can　be　my　forest　love；　and　me　your　forest　lass。
　
　〃I　have　no　gowns　of　leaves；〃　said　Lady　Smallwood　with　a　small　fond　smile；　〃but　Carellen　left　some　other　dresses　that　might　serve。　e；　child；　let　us　go　upstairs　and　see　what　we　can　find。〃
　It　was　even　worse　than　before；　Lady　Smallwood　insisted　that　Arya　take　another　bath；　and　cut　and　b　her　hair　besides；　the　dress　she　put　her　in　this　time　was　sort　of　lilac…colored；　and　decorated　with　little　baby　pearls。　The　only　good　thing　about　it　was　that　it　was　so　delicate　that　no　one　could　expect　her　to　ride　in　it。　So　the　next　morning　as　they　broke　their　fast；　Lady　Smallwood　gave　her　breeches；　belt；　and　tunic　to　wear；　and　a　brown　doeskin　jerkin　dotted　with　iron　studs。　〃They　were　my　son's　things；〃　she　said。　〃He　died　when　he　was　seven。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　my　lady。〃　Arya　suddenly　felt　bad　for　her；　and　ashamed。　〃I'm　sorry　I　tore　the　acorn　dress　too。　it　was　pretty。〃
　〃Yes；　child。　And　so　are　you。　Be　brave。〃
　
　CHAPTER　23
　DAENERYS
　
　In　the　center　of　the　Plaza　of　Pride　stood　a　red　brick　fountain　whose　waters　smelled　of　brimstone；　and　in　the　center　of　the　fountain　a　monstrous　harpy　made　of　hammered　bronze。　Twenty　feet　tall　she　reared。　She　had　a　woman's　face；　with　gilded　hair；　ivory　eyes；　and　pointed　ivory　teeth。　Water　gushed　yellow　from　her　heavy　breasts。　But　in　place　of　arms　she　had　the　wings　of　a　bat　or　a　dragon；　her　legs　were　the　legs　of　an　eagle；　and　behind　she　wore　a　scorpion's　curled　and　venomous　tail。
　The　harpy　of　Ghis；　Dany　thought。　Old　Ghis　had　fallen　five　thousand　years　ago；　if　she　remembered　true；　its　legions　shattered　by　the　might　of　young　Valyria；　its　brick　walls　pulled　down；　its　streets　and　buildings　turned　to　ash　and　cinder　by　dragonflame；　its　very　fields　sown　with　salt；　sulfur；　and　skulls。　The　gods　of　Ghis　were　dead；　and　so　too　its　people；　these　Astapori　were　mongrels；　Ser　Jorah　said。　Even　the　Ghiscari　tongue　was　largely　forgotten；　the　slave　cities　spoke　the　High　Valyrian　of　their　conquerors；　or　what　they　had　made　of　it。
　Yet　the　symbol　of　the　Old　Empire　still　endured　here；　though　this　bronze　monster　had　a　heavy　chain　dangling　from　her　talons；　an　open　manacle　at　either　end。　The　harpy　of　Ghis　had　a　thunderbolt　in　her　claws。　This　is　the　harpy　of　Astapor。
　〃Tell　the　Westerosi　whore　to　lower　her　eyes；〃　the　slaver　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　plained　to　the　slave　girl　who　spoke　for　him。　〃I　deal　in　meat；　not　metal。　The　bronze　is　not　for　sale。　Tell　her　to　look　at　the　soldiers。　Even　the　dim　purple　eyes　of　a　sunset　savage　can　see　how　magnificent　my　creatures　are；　surely。〃
　Kraznys's　High　Valyrian　was　twisted　and　thickened　by　the　characteristic　growl　of　Ghis；　and　flavored　here　and　there　with　words　of　slaver　argot。　Dany　understood　him　well　enough；　but　she　smiled　and　looked　blankly　at　the　slave　girl；　as　if　wondering　what　he　might　have　said。
　〃The　Good　Master　Kraznys　asks；　are　they　not　magnificent？〃　The　girl　spoke　the　mon　Tongue　well；　for　one　who　had　never　been　to　Westeros。　No　older　than　ten；　she　had　the　round　flat　face；　dusky　skin；　and　golden　eyes　of　Naath。　The　Peaceful　People；　her　folk　were　called。　All　agreed　that　they　made　the　best　slaves。
　〃They　might　be　adequate　to　my　needs；〃　Dany　answered。　It　had　been　Ser　Jorah's　suggestion　that　she　speak　only　Dothraki　and　the　mon　Tongue　while　in　Astapor。　My　bear　is　more　clever　than　he　looks。　〃Tell　me　of　their　training。〃
　〃The　Westerosi　woman　is　pleased　with　them；　but　speaks　no　praise；　to　keep　the　price　down；〃　the　translator　told　her　master。　〃She　wishes　to　know　how　they　were　trained。〃
　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　bobbed　his　head。　He　smelled　as　if　he'd　bathed　in　raspberries；　this　slaver；　and　his　jutting　red…black　beard　glistened　with　oil。　He　has　larger　breasts　than　I　do；　Dany　reflected。　She　could　see　them　through　the　thin　sea…green　silk　of　the　gold…fringed　tokar　he　wound　about　his　body　and　over　one　shoulder。　His　left　hand　held　the　tokar　in　place　as　he　walked；　while　his　right　clasped　a　short　leather　whip。　〃Are　all　Westerosi　pigs　so　ignorant？〃　he　plained。　〃All　the　world　knows　that　the　Unsullied　are　masters　of　spear　and　shield　and　shortsword。〃　He　gave　Dany　a　broad　smile。　〃Tell　her　what　she　would　know；　slave；　and　be　quick　about　it。　The　day　is　hot。〃
　That　much　at　least　is　no　lie。　A　matched　pair　of　slave　girls　stood　behind　them；　holding　a　striped　silk　awning　over　their　heads；　but　even　in　the　shade　Dany　felt　light…headed；　and　Kraznys　was　perspiring　freely。　The　Plaza　of　Pride　had　been　baking　in　the　sun　since　dawn。　Even　through　the　thickness　of　her　sandals；　she　could　feel　the　warmth　of　the　red　bricks　underfoot。　Waves　of　heat　rose　off　them　shimmering　to　make　the　stepped　pyramids　of　Astapor　around　the　plaza　seem　half　a　dream。
　If　the　Unsullied　felt　the　heat；　however；　they　gave　no　hint　of　it。　They　could　be　made　of　brick　themselves；　the　way　they　stand　there。　A　thousand　had　been　marched　out　of　their　barracks　for　her　inspection；　drawn　up　in　ten　ranks　of　one　hundred　before　the　fountain　and　its　great　bronze　harpy；　they　stood　stiffly　at　attention；　their　stony　eyes　fixed　straight　ahead。　They　wore　nought　but　white　linen　clouts　knotted　about　their　loins；　and　conical　bronze　helms　topped　with　a　sharpened　spike　a　foot　tall。　Kraznys　had　manded　them　to　lay　down　their　spears　and　shields；　and　doff　their　swordbelts　and　quilted　tunics；　so　the　Queen　of　Westeros　might　better　inspect　the　lean　hardness　of　their　bodies。
　〃They　are　chosen　young；　for　size　and　speed　and　strength；〃　the　slave　told　her。　〃They　begin　their　training　at　five。　Every　day　they　train　from　dawn　to　dusk；　until　they　have　mastered　the　shortsword；　the　shield；　and　the　three　spears。　The　training　is　most　rigorous；　Your　Grace。　Only　one　boy　in　three　survives　it。　This　is　well　known。　Among　the　Unsullied　it　is　said　that　on　the　day　they　win　their　spiked　cap；　the　worst　is　done　with；　for　no　duty　that　will　ever　fall　to　them　could　be　as　hard　as　their　training。〃
　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　supposedly　spoke　no　word　of　the　mon　Tongue；　but　he　bobbed　his　head　as　he　listened；　and　from　time　to　time　gave　the　slave　girl　a　poke　with　the　end　of　his　lash。　〃Tell　her　that　these　have　been　standing　here　for　a　day　and　a　night；　with　no　food　nor　water。　Tell　her　that　they　will　stand　until　they　drop　if　I　should　mand　it；　and　when　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　have　collapsed　to　die　upon　the　bricks；　the　last　will　stand　there　still；　and　never　move　until　his　own　death　claims　him。　Such　is　their　courage。　Tell　her　that。〃
　〃I　call　that　madness；　not　courage；〃　said　Arstan　Whitebeard；　when　the　solemn　little　scribe　was　done。　He　tapped　the　end　of　his　hardwood　staff　against　the　bricks；　tap　tap；　as　if　to　tell　his　displeasure。　The　old　man　had　not　wanted　to　sail　to　Astapor；　nor　did　he　favor　buying　this　slave　army。　A　queen　should　hear　all　sides　before　reaching　a　decision。　That　was　why　Dany　had　brought　him　with　her　to　the　Plaza　of　Pride；　not　to　keep　her　safe。　Her　bloodriders　would　do　that　well　enough。　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　she　had　left　aboard　Balerion　to　guard　her　people　and　her　dragons。　Much　against　her　inclination；　she　had　locked　the　dragons　belowdecks。　It　was　too　dangerous　to　let　them　fly　freely　over　the　city；　the　world　was　all　too　full　of　men　who　would　gladly　kill　them　for　no　better　reason　than　to　name　themselves　dragonslayer。
　〃What　did　the　smelly　old　man　say？〃　the　slaver　demanded　of　his　translator。　When　she　told　him；　he　smiled　and　said；　〃Inform　the　savages　that　we　call　this　obedience。　Others　may　be　stronger　or　quicker　or　larger　than　the　Unsullied。　Some　few　may　even　equal　their　skill　with　sword　and　spear　and　shield。　But　nowhere　between　the　seas　will　you　ever　find　any　more　obedient。〃
　〃Sheep　are　obedient；〃　said　Arstan　when　the　words　had　been　translated。　He　had　some　Valyrian　as　well；　though　not　so　much　as　Dany；　but　like　her　he　was　feigning　ignorance。
　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　showed　his　big　white　teeth　when　that　was　rendered　back　to　him。　〃A　word　from　me　and　these　sheep　would　spill　his　stinking　old　bowels　on　the　bricks；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　not　say　that。　Tell　them　that　these　creatures　are　more　dogs　than　sheep。　Do　they　eat　dogs　or　horse　in　these　Seven　Kingdoms？〃
　〃They　prefer　pigs　and　cows；　your　worship。〃
　〃Beef。　Pfag。　Food　for　unwashed　savages。〃
　Ignoring　them　all；　Dany　walked　slowly　down　the　line　of　slave　soldiers。
　The　girls　followed　close　behind　with　the　silk　awning；　to　keep　her　in　the　shade；　but　the　thousand　men　before　her　enjoyed　no　such　protection。　More　than　half　had　the　copper　skins　and　almond　eyes　of　Dothraki　and　Lhazerene；　but　she　saw　men　of　the　Free　Cities　in　the　ranks　as　well；　along　with　pale　Qartheen；　ebon…faced　Summer　Islanders；　and　others　whose　origins　she　could　not　guess。　And　some　had　skins　of　the　same　amber　hue　as　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz；　and　the　bristly　red…black　hair　that　marked　the　ancient　folk　of　Ghis；　who　named　themselves　the　harpy's　sons。　They　sell　even　their　ovm　kind。　It　should　not　have　surprised　her。　The　Dothraki　did　the　same；　when　khalasar　met　khalasar　in　the　sea　of　grass。
　Some　of　the　soldiers　were　tall　and　some　were　short。　They　ranged　in　age　from　fourteen　to　twenty；　she　judged。　Their　cheeks　were　smooth；