grrm.astormofswords-第63部分

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　Some　of　the　soldiers　were　tall　and　some　were　short。　They　ranged　in　age　from　fourteen　to　twenty；　she　judged。　Their　cheeks　were　smooth；　and　their　eyes　all　the　same；　be　they　black　or　brown　or　blue　or　grey　or　amber。　They　are　like　one　man；　Dany　thought；　until　she　remembered　that　they　were　no　men　at　all。　The　Unsullied　were　eunuchs；　every　one　of　them。　〃Why　do　you　cut　them？〃　she　asked　Kraznys　through　the　slave　girl。　〃Whole　men　are　stronger　than　eunuchs；　I　have　always　heard。〃
　〃A　eunuch　who　is　cut　young　will　never　have　the　brute　strength　of　one　of　your　Westerosi　knights；　this　is　true；〃　said　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　when　the　question　was　put　to　him。　〃A　bull　is　strong　as　well；　but　bulls　die　every　day　in　the　fighting　pits。　A　girl　of　nine　killed　one　not　three　days　past　in　Jothiel's　Pit。　The　Unsullied　have　something　better　than　strength；　tell　her。　They　have　discipline。　We　fight　in　the　fashion　of　the　Old　Empire；　yes。　They　are　the　lockstep　legions　of　Old　Ghis　e　again；　absolutely　obedient；　absolutely　loyal；　and　utterly　without　fear。〃
　Dany　listened　patiently　to　the　translation。
　〃Even　the　bravest　men　fear　death　and　maiming；〃　Arstan　said　when　the　girl　was　done。
　Kraznys　smiled　again　when　he　heard　that。　〃Tell　the　old　man　that　he　smells　of　piss；　and　needs　a　stick　to　hold　him　up。〃
　〃Truly；　your　worship？〃
　He　poked　her　with　his　lash。　〃No；　not　truly；　are　you　a　girl　or　a　goat；　to　ask　such　folly？　Say　that　Unsullied　are　not　men。　Say　that　death　means　nothing　to　them；　and　maiming　less　than　nothing。〃　He　stopped　before　a　thickset　man　who　had　the　look　of　Lhazar　about　him　and　brought　his　whip　up　sharply；　laying　a　line　of　blood　across　one　copper　cheek。　The　eunuch　blinked；　and　stood　there；　bleeding。　〃Would　you　like　another？〃　asked　Kraznys。
　〃If　it　please　your　worship。〃
　It　was　hard　to　pretend　not　to　understand。　Dany　laid　a　hand　on　Kraznys's　arm　before　he　could　raise　the　whip　again。　〃Tell　the　Good　Master　that　I　see　how　strong　his　Unsullied　are；　and　how　bravely　they　suffer　pain。〃
　Kraznys　chuckled　when　he　heard　her　words　in　Valyrian。　〃Tell　this　ignorant　whore　of　a　westerner　that　courage　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃
　〃The　Good　Master　says　that　was　not　courage；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃Tell　her　to　open　those　slut's　eyes　of　hers。〃
　〃He　begs　you　attend　this　carefully；　Your　Grace。〃
　Kraznys　moved　to　the　next　eunuch　in　line；　a　towering　youth　with　the　blue　eyes　and　flaxen　hair　of　Lys。　〃Your　sword；〃　he　said。　The　eunuch　knelt；　unsheathed　the　blade；　and　offered　it　up　hilt　first。　It　was　a　shortsword；　made　more　for　stabbing　than　for　slashing；　but　the　edge　looked　razor…sharp。　〃Stand；〃　Kraznys　manded。
　〃Your　worship。〃　The　eunuch　stood；　and　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　slid　the　sword　slowly　up　his　torso；　leaving　a　thin　red　line　across　his　belly　and　between　his　ribs。　Then　he　jabbed　the　swordpoint　in　beneath　a　wide　pink　nipple　and　began　to　work　it　back　and　forth。
　〃What　is　he　doing？〃　Dany　demanded　of　the　girl；　as　the　blood　ran　down　the　man's　chest。
　〃Tell　the　cow　to　stop　her　bleating；〃　said　Kraznys；　without　waiting　for　the　translation。　〃This　will　do　him　no　great　harm。　Men　have　no　need　of　nipples；　eunuchs　even　less　so。〃　The　nipple　hung　by　a　thread　of　skin。　He　slashed；　and　sent　it　tumbling　to　the　bricks；　leaving　behind　a　round　red　eye　copiously　weeping　blood。　The　eunuch　did　not　move；　until　Kraznys　offered　him　back　his　sword；　hilt　first。　〃Here；　I'm　done　with　you。〃
　〃This　one　is　pleased　to　have　served　you。〃
　Kraznys　turned　back　to　Dany。　〃They　feel　no　pain；　you　see。〃
　〃How　can　that　be？〃　she　demanded　through　the　scribe。
　〃The　wine　of　courage；〃　was　the　answer　he　gave　her。　〃It　is　no　true　wine　at　all；　but　made　from　deadly　nightshade；　bloodfly　larva；　black　lotus　root；　and　many　secret　things。　They　drink　it　with　every　meal　from　the　day　they　are　cut；　and　with　each　passing　year　feel　less　and　less。　It　makes　them　fearless　in　battle。　Nor　can　they　be　tortured。　Tell　the　savage　her　secrets　are　safe　with　the　Unsullied。　She　may　set　them　to　guard　her　councils　and　even　her　bedchamber；　and　never　a　worry　as　to　what　they　might　overhear。
　〃In　Yunkai　and　Meereen；　eunuchs　are　often　made　by　removing　a　boy's　testicles；　but　leaving　the　penis。　Such　a　creature　is　infertile；　yet　often　still　capable　of　erection。　Only　trouble　can　e　of　this。　We　remove　the　penis　as　well；　leaving　nothing。　The　Unsullied　are　the　purest　creatures　on　the　earth。〃　He　gave　Dany　and　Arstan　another　of　his　broad　white　smiles。　〃I　have　heard　that　in　the　Sunset　Kingdoms　men　take　solemn　vows　to　keep　chaste　and　father　no　children；　but　live　only　for　their　duty。　Is　it　not　so？〃
　〃It　is；〃　Arstan　said；　when　the　question　was　put。　〃There　are　many　such　orders。　The　macsters　of　the　Citadel；　the　septons　and　septas　who　serve　the　Seven；　the　silent　sisters　of　the　dead；　the　Kingsguard　and　the　Night's　Watch　。　。　。〃
　〃Poor　things；〃　growled　the　slaver；　after　the　translation。　〃Men　were　not　made　to　live　thus。　Their　days　are　a　torment　of　temptation；　any　fool　must　see；　and　no　doubt　most　succumb　to　their　baser　selves。　Not　so　our　Unsullied。　They　are　wed　to　their　swords　in　a　way　that　your　Sworn　Brothers　cannot　hope　to　match。　No　woman　can　ever　tempt　them；　nor　any　man。〃
　His　girl　conveyed　the　essence　of　his　speech；　more　politely。　〃There　are　other　ways　to　tempt　men；　besides　the　flesh；〃　Arstan　Whitebeard　objected；　when　she　was　done。
　〃Men；　yes；　but　not　Unsullied。　Plunder　interests　them　no　more　than　rape。　They　own　nothing　but　their　weapons。　We　do　not　even　permit　them　names。〃
　〃No　names？〃　Dany　frowned　at　the　little　scribe。　〃Can　that　be　what　the　Good　Master　said？　They　have　no　names？〃
　〃It　is　so；　Your　Grace。〃
　Kraznys　stopped　in　front　of　a　Ghiscari　who　might　have　been　his　taller　fitter　brother；　and　flicked　his　lash　at　a　small　bronze　disk　on　the　swordbelt　at　his　feet。　〃There　is　his　name。　Ask　the　whore　of　Westeros　whether　she　can　read　Ghiscari　glyphs。〃　When　Dany　admitted　that　she　could　not；　the　slaver　turned　to　the　Unsullied。　〃What　is　your　name？〃　he　demanded。
　〃This　one's　name　is　Red　Flea；　your　worship。〃
　The　girl　repeated　their　exchange　in　the　mon　Tongue。
　〃And　yesterday；　what　was　it？〃
　〃Black　Rat；　your　worship。〃
　〃The　day　before？〃
　〃Brown　Flea；　your　worship。〃
　〃Before　that？〃
　〃This　one　does　not　recall；　your　worship。　Blue　Toad；　perhaps。　Or　Blue　Worm。〃
　〃Tell　her　all　their　names　are　such；〃　Kraznys　manded　the　girl。　〃It　reminds　them　that　by　themselves　they　are　vermin。　The　name　disks　are　thrown　in　an　empty　cask　at　duty's　end；　and　each　dawn　plucked　up　again　at　random。〃
　〃More　madness；〃　said　Arstan；　when　he　heard。　〃How　can　any　man　possibly　remember　a　new　name　every　day？〃
　〃Those　who　cannot　are　culled　in　training；　along　with　those　who　cannot　run　all　day　in　full　pack；　scale　a　mountain　in　the　black　of　night；　walk　across　a　bed　of　coals；　or　slay　an　infant。〃
　Dany's　mouth　surely　twisted　at　that。　Did　he　see；　or　is　he　blind　as　well　as　cruel？　She　turned　away　quickly；　trying　to　keep　her　face　a　mask　until　she　heard　the　translation。　Only　then　did　she　allow　herself　to　say；　〃Whose　infants　do　they　slay？〃
　〃To　win　his　spiked　cap；　an　Unsullied　must　go　to　the　slave　marts　with　a　silver　mark；　find　some　wailing　newborn；　and　kill　it　before　its　mother's　eyes。　In　this　way；　we　make　certain　that　there　is　no　weakness　left　in　them。〃
　She　was　feeling　faint。　The　heat；　she　tried　to　tell　herself。　〃You　take　a　babe　from　its　mother's　arms；　kill　it　as　she　watches；　and　pay　for　her　pain　with　a　silver　coin？〃
　When　the　translation　was　made　for　him；　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　laughed　aloud。　〃What　a　soft　mewling　fool　this　one　is。　Tell　the　whore　of　Westeros　that　the　mark　is　for　the　child's　owner；　not　the　mother。　The　Unsullied　are　not　permitted　to　steal。〃　He　tapped　his　whip　against　his　leg。　〃Tell　her　that　few　ever　fail　that　test。　The　dogs　are　harder　for　them；　it　must　be　said。　We　give　each　boy　a　puppy　on　the　day　that　he　is　cut。　At　the　end　of　the　first　year；　he　is　required　to　strangle　it。　Any　who　cannot　are　killed；　and　fed　to　the　surviving　dogs。　It　makes　for　a　good　strong　lesson；　we　find。〃
　Arstan　Whitebeard　tapped　the　end　of　his　staff　on　the　bricks　as　he　listened　to　that。　Tap　tap　tap。　Slow　and　steady。　Tap　tap　tap。　Dany　saw　him　turn　his　eyes　away；　as　if　he　could　not　bear　to　look　at　Kraznys　any　longer。
　〃The　Good　Master　has　said　that　these　eunuchs　cannot　be　tempted　with　coin　or　flesh；〃　Dany　told　the　girl；　〃but　if　some　enemy　of　mine　should　offer　them　freedom　for　betraying　me　。　。　。〃
　〃They　would　kill　him　out　of　hand　and　bring　her　his　head；　tell　her　that；〃　the　slaver　answered。　〃Other　slaves　may　steal　and　hoard　up　silver　in　hopes　of　buying　freedom；　but　an　Unsullied　would　not　take　it　if　the　little　mare　offered　it　as　a　gift。　They　have　no　life　outside　their　duty。　They　are　soldiers；　and　that　is　all。〃
　〃It　is　soldiers　I　need；〃　Dany　admitted。
　〃Tell　her　it　is　well　she　came　to　Astapor；　then。　Ask　her　how　large　an　army　she　wishes　to　buy。〃
　〃How　many　Unsullied　do　you　have　to　sell？〃
　〃Eight　thousand　fully　trained　and　available　at　present。　We　sell　them　only　by　the　unit；　she　should　know。　By　the　thousand　or　the　century。　Once　we　sold　by　the　ten；　as　household　guards；　but　that　proved　unsound。　Ten　is　too　few。　They　mingle　with　other　slaves；　even　freemen；　and　forget　who　and　what　they　are。〃　Kraznys　waited　for　that　to　be　rendered　in　the　mon　Tongue；　and　then　continued。　〃This　beggar　queen　must　understand；　such　wonders　do　not　e　cheaply。　In　Yunkai　and　Meereen；　slave　swordsmen　can　be　had　for　less　than　the　price　of　their　swords；　but　Unsullied　are　the　finest　foot　in　all　the　world；　and　each　represents　many　years　of　training。　Tell　her　they　are　like　Valyrian　steel；　folded　over　and　over　and　hammered　for　years　on　end；　until　they　are　stronger　and　more　resilient　than　any　metal　on　earth。〃
　〃I　know　of　Valyrian　steel；〃　said　Dany。　〃Ask　the　Good　Master　if　the　Unsullied　have　their　own　officers。〃
　〃You　must　set　your　own　officers　over　them。　We　train　them　to　obey；　not　to　think。　If　it　is　wits　she　wants；　let　her　buy　scribes。〃
　〃And　their　gear？〃
　〃Sword；　shield；　spear；　sandals；　and　quilted　tunic　are　included；〃　said　Kraznys。　〃And　the　spiked　caps；　to　be　sure。　They　will　wear　such　armor　as　you　wish；　but　you　must　provide　it。〃
　Dany　could　think　of　no　other　questions。　She　looked　at　Arstan。　〃You　have　lived　long　in　the　world；　Whitebeard。　Now　that　you　have　seen　them；　what　do　you　say？〃
　〃I　say　no；　Your　Grace；〃　the　old　man　answered　at　once。