grrm.astormofswords-第222部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　He　would　not　waste　a　heartbeat。　〃No。〃
　〃Well；　that's　a　relief；〃　said　Oberyn　Martell　dryly。
　〃Did　Sansa　Stark　do　it；　then？〃　Lord　Tyrell　demanded。
　I　would　have；　if　I'd　been　her。　Yet　wherever　Sansa　was　and　whatever　her　part　in　this　might　have　been；　she　remained　his　wife。　He　had　wrapped　the　cloak　of　his　protection　about　her　shoulders；　though　he'd　had　to　stand　on　a　fool's　back　to　do　it。　〃The　gods　killed　Joffrey。　He　choked　on　his　pigeon　pie。〃
　Lord　Tyrell　reddened。　〃You　would　blame　the　bakers？〃
　〃Them；　or　the　pigeons。　just　leave　me　out　of　it。〃　Tyrion　heard　nervous　laughter；　and　knew　he'd　made　a　mistake。　Guard　your　tongue；　you　little　fool；　before　it　digs　your　grave。
　〃There　are　witnesses　against　you；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃We　shall　hear　them　first。　Then　you　may　present　your　own　witnesses。　You　are　to　speak　only　with　our　leave。〃
　There　was　naught　that　Tyrion　could　do　but　nod。
　Ser　Addarn　had　told　it　true；　the　first　man　ushered　in　was　Ser　Balon　Swann　of　the　Kingsguard。　〃Lord　Hand；〃　he　began；　after　the　High　Septon　had　sworn　him　to　speak　only　truth；　〃I　had　the　honor　to　fight　beside　your　son　on　the　bridge　of　ships。　He　is　a　brave　man　for　all　his　size；　and　I　will　not　believe　he　did　this　thing。〃
　A　murmur　went　through　the　hall；　and　Tyrion　wondered　what　mad　game　Cersei　was　playing。　Why　offer　a　witness　that　believes　me　innocent？　He　soon　learned。　Ser　Balon　spoke　reluctantly　of　how　he　had　pulled　Tyrion　away　from　Joffrey　on　the　day　of　the　riot。　〃He　did　strike　His　Grace；　that's　so。　It　was　a　fit　of　wroth；　no　more。　A　summer　storm。　The　mob　near　killed　us　all。〃
　〃In　the　days　of　the　Targaryens；　a　man　who　struck　one　of　the　blood　royal　would　lose　the　hand　he　struck　him　with；〃　observed　the　Red　Viper　of　Dome。　〃Did　the　dwarf　regrow　his　little　hand；　or　did　you　White　Swords　forget　your　duty？〃
　〃He　was　of　the　blood　royal　himself；〃　Ser　Balon　answered。　〃And　the　King's　Hand　beside。〃
　〃No；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃He　was　acting　Hand；　in　my　stead。〃
　Ser　Meryn　Trant　was　pleased　to　expand　on　Ser　Balon's　account；　when　he　took　his　place　as　witness。　〃He　knocked　the　king　to　the　ground　and　began　kicking　him。　He　shouted　that　it　was　unjust　that　His　Grace　had　escaped　unharmed　from　the　mobs。〃
　Tyrion　began　to　grasp　his　sister's　plan。　She　began　with　a　man　known　to　be　honest；　and　milked　him　for　all　he　would　give。　Every　witness　to　follow　will　tell　a　worse　tale；　until　I　seem　as　bad　as　Maegor　the　Cruel　and　Aerys　the　Mad　together；　with　a　pinch　of　Aegon　the　Unworthy　for　spice。
　Ser　Meryn　went　on　to　relate　how　Tyrion　had　stopped　Joffrey's　chastisement　of　Sansa　Stark。　〃The　dwarf　asked　His　Grace　if　he　knew　what　had　happened　to　Aerys　Targaryen。　When　Ser　Boros　spoke　up　in　defense　of　the　king；　the　Imp　threatened　to　have　him　killed。〃
　Blount　himself　came　next；　to　echo　that　sorry　tale。　Whatever　mislike　Ser　Boros　might　harbor　toward　Cersei　for　dismissing　him　from　the　Kingsguard；　he　said　the　words　she　wanted　all　the　same。
　Tyrion　could　no　longer　hold　his　tongue。　〃Tell　the　judges　what　Joffrey　was　doing；　why　don't　you？〃
　The　big　jowly　man　glared　at　him。　〃You　told　your　savages　to　kill　me　if　I　opened　my　mouth；　that's　what　I'll　tell　them。〃
　〃Tyrion；〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃You　are　to　speak　only　when　we　call　upon　you。　Take　this　for　a　warning。〃
　Tyrion　subsided；　seething。
　The　Kettleblacks　came　next；　all　three　of　them　in　turn。　Osney　and　Osfryd　told　the　tale　of　his　supper　with　Cersei　before　the　Battle　of　the　Blackwater；　and　of　the　threats　he'd　made。
　〃He　told　Her　Grace　that　he　meant　to　do　her　harm；〃　said　Ser　Osfryd。　〃To　hurt　her。〃　His　brother　Osney　elaborated。　〃He　said　he　would　wait　for　a　day　when　she　was　happy；　and　make　her　joy　turn　to　ashes　in　her　mouth。〃　Neither　mentioned　Alayaya。
　Ser　Osmund　Kettleblack；　a　vision　of　chivalry　in　immaculate　scale　armor　and　white　wool　cloak；　swore　that　King　Joffrey　had　long　known　that　his　uncle　Tyrion　meant　to　murder　him。　〃It　was　the　day　they　gave　me　the　white　cloak；　my　lords；〃　he　told　the　judges。　〃That　brave　boy　said　to　me；　'Good　Ser　Osmund；　guard　me　well；　for　my　uncle　loves　me　not。　He　means　to　be　king　in　my　place。〃'
　That　was　more　than　Tyrion　could　stomach。　〃Liar！〃　He　took　two　steps　forward　before　the　gold　cloaks　dragged　him　back。
　Lord　Tywin　frowned。　〃Must　we　have　you　chained　hand　and　foot　like　a　mon　brigand？〃
　Tyrion　gnashed　his　teeth。　A　second　mistake；　fool；　fool；　fool　of　a　dwarf。　Keep　your　calm　or　you're　doomed。　〃No。　I　beg　your　pardons；　my　lords。　His　lies　angered　me。〃
　〃His　truths；　you　mean；〃　said　Cersei。　〃Father；　I　beg　you　to　put　him　in　fetters；　for　your　own　protection。　You　see　how　he　is。〃
　〃I　see　he's　a　dwarf；〃　said　Prince　Oberyn。　〃The　day　I　fear　a　dwarf's　wrath　is　the　day　I　drown　myself　in　a　cask　of　red。〃
　〃We　need　no　fetters。〃　Lord　Tywin　glanced　at　the　windows；　and　rose。　〃The　hour　grows　late。　We　shall　resume　on　the　morrow。〃
　That　night；　alone　in　his　tower　cell　with　a　blank　parchment　and　a　cup　of　wine；　Tyrion　found　himself　thinking　of　his　wife。　Not　Sansa；　his　first　wife；　Tysha。　The　whore　wife；　not　the　wolf　wife。　Her　love　for　him　had　been　pretense；　and　yet　he　had　believed；　and　found　joy　in　that　belief。　Give　me　sweet　lies；　and　keep　your　bitter　truths。　He　drank　his　wine　and　thought　of　Shae。　Later；　when　Ser　Kevan　paid　his　nightly　visit；　Tyrion　asked　for　Varys。
　〃You　believe　the　eunuch　will　speak　in　your　defense？〃
　〃I　won't　know　until　I　have　talked　with　him。　Send　him　here；　Uncle；　if　you　would　be　so　good。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃
　Maesters　Ballabar　and　Frenken　opened　the　second　day　of　trial。　They　had　opened　King　Joffrey's　noble　corpse　as　well；　they　swore；　and　found　no　morsel　of　pigeon　pie　nor　any　other　food　lodged　in　the　royal　throat。　〃It　was　poison　that　killed　him；　my　lords；〃　said　Ballabar；　as　Frenken　nodded　gravely。
　Then　they　brought　forth　Grand　Maester　Pycelle；　leaning　heavily　on　a　twisted　cane　and　shaking　as　he　walked；　a　few　white　hairs　sprouting　from　his　long　chicken's　neck。　He　had　grown　too　frail　to　stand；　so　the　judges　permitted　a　chair　to　be　brought　in　for　him；　and　a　table　as　well。　On　the　table　were　laid　a　number　of　small　jars。　Pycelle　was　pleased　to　put　a　name　to　each。
　〃Greycap；〃　he　said　in　a　quavery　voice；　〃from　the　toadstool。　Nightshade；　sweetsleep；　demon's　dance。　This　is　blindeye。　Widow's　blood；　this　one　is　called；　for　the　color。　A　cruel　potion。　It　shuts　down　a　man's　bladder　and　bowels；　until　he　drowns　in　his　own　poisons。　This　wolfsbane；　here　basilisk　venom；　and　this　one　the　tears　of　Lys。　Yes。　I　know　them　all。　The　Imp　Tyrion　Lannister　stole　them　from　my　chambers；　when　he　had　me　falsely　imprisoned。〃
　〃Pycelle；〃　Tyrion　called　out；　risking　his　father's　wrath；　〃could　any　of　these　poisons　choke　off　a　man's　breath？〃
　〃No。　For　that；　you　must　turn　to　a　rarer　poison。　When　I　was　a　boy　at　the　Citadel；　my　teachers　named　it　simply　the　strangler。〃
　〃But　this　rare　poison　was　not　found；　was　it？〃
　〃No；　my　lord。〃　Pycelle　blinked　at　him。　〃You　used　it　all　to　kill　the　noblest　child　the　gods　ever　put　on　this　good　earth。〃
　Tyrion's　anger　overwhelmed　his　sense。　〃Joffrey　was　cruel　and　stupid；　but　I　did　not　kill　him。　Have　my　head　off　if　you　like；　I　had　no　hand　in　my　nephew's　death。〃
　〃Silence！〃　Lord　Tywin　said。　〃I　have　told　you　thrice。　The　next　time；　you　shall　be　gagged　and　chained。〃
　After　Pycelle　came　the　procession；　endless　and　wearisome。　Lords　and　ladies　and　noble　knights；　highborn　and　humble　alike；　they　had　all　been　present　at　the　wedding　feast；　had　all　seen　Joffrey　choke；　his　face　turning　as　black　as　a　Dornish　plum。　Lord　Redwyne；　Lord　Celtigar；　and　Ser　Flement　Brax　had　heard　Tyrion　threaten　the　king；　two　serving　men；　a　juggler；　Lord　Gyles；　Ser　Hobber　Redwyne；　and　Ser　Philip　Foote　had　observed　him　fill　the　wedding　chalice；　Lady　Merryweather　swore　that　she　had　seen　the　dwarf　drop　something　into　the　king's　wine　while　Joff　and　Margaery　were　cutting　the　pie；　old　Estermont；　young　Peckledon；　the　singer　Galyeon　of　Cuy；　and　the　squires　Morros　and　Jothos　Slynt　told　how　Tyrion　had　picked　up　the　chalice　as　Joff　was　dying　and　poured　out　the　last　of　the　poisoned　wine　onto　the　floor。
　When　did　I　make　so　many　enemies？　Lady　Merryweather　was　all　but　a　stranger。　Tyrion　wondered　if　she　was　blind　or　bought。　At　least　Galyeon　of　Cuy　had　not　set　his　account　to　music；　or　else　there　might　have　been　seventy…seven　bloody　verses　to　it。