grrm.astormofswords-第242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！
Dany stiffened。 〃I left a council to rule Astapor。 A healer； a scholar； and a priest。〃
〃Your Worship； those sly rogues betrayed your trust。 It was revealed that they were scheming to restore the Good Masters to power and the people to chains。 Great Cleon exposed their plots and hacked their heads off with a cleaver； and the grateful folk of Astapor have crowned him for his valor。〃
〃Noble Ghael；〃 said Missandei； in the dialect of Astapor； 〃is this the same Cleon once owned by Grazdan mo Ullhor？〃
Her voice was guileless； yet the question plainly made the envoy anxious。 〃The same；〃 he admitted。 〃A great man。〃
Missandei leaned close to Dany。 〃He was a butcher in Grazdan's kitchen；〃 the girl whispered in her ear。 〃It was said he could slaughter a pig faster than any man in Astapor。〃
I have given Astapor a butcher king。 Dany felt ill； but she knew she must not let the envoy see it。 〃I will pray that King Cleon rules well and wisely。 What would he have of me？〃
Ghael rubbed his mouth。 〃Perhaps we should speak more privily； Your Grace？〃
〃I have no secrets from my captains and manders。〃
〃As you wish。 Great Cleon bids me declare his devotion to the Mother of Dragons。 Your enemies are his enemies； he says； and chief among them are the Wise Masters of Yunkai。 He proposes a pact between Astapor and Meereen； against the Yunkai'i。〃
〃I swore no harm would e to Yunkai if they released their slaves；〃 said Dany。
〃These Yunkish dogs cannot be trusted； Your Worship。 Even now they plot against you。 New levies have been raised and can be seen drilling outside the city walls； warships are being built； envoys have been sent to New Ghis and Volantis in the west； to make alliances and hire sellswords。 They have even dispatched riders to Vaes Dothrak to bring a khalasar down upon you。 Great Cleon bid me tell you not to be afraid。
Astapor remembers。 Astapor will not forsake you。 To prove his faith； Great Cleon offers to seal your alliance with a marriage。〃
〃A marriage？ To me？〃
Ghael smiled。 His teeth were brown and rotten。 〃Great Cleon will give you many strong sons。〃
Dany found herself bereft of words； but little Missandei came to her rescue。 〃Did his first wife give him sons？〃
The envoy looked at her unhappily。 〃Great Cleon has three daughters by his first wife。 Two of his newer wives are with child。 But he means to put all of them aside if the Mother of Dragons will consent to wed him。〃
〃How noble of him；〃 said Dany。 〃I will consider all you've said； my lord。〃 She gave orders that Ghael be given chambers for the night； somewhere lower in the pyramid。
All my victories turn to dross in my hands； she thought。 Whatever I do； all I make is death and horror。 When word of what had befallen Astapor reached the streets； as it surely would； tens of thousands of newly freed Meereenese slaves would doubtless decide to follow her when she went west； for fear of what awaited them if they stayed 。 。 。 yetit might well be that worse would await them on the march。 Even if she emptied every granary in the city and left Meereen to starve； how could she feed so many？ The way before her was fraught with hardship； bloodshed； and danger。 Ser Jorah had warned her of that。 He'd warned her of so many things 。 。 。 he'd 。 。 。 No； I will not think of forah Mormont。 Let him keep a little longer。 〃I shall see this trader captain；〃 she announced。 Perhaps he would have some better tidings。
That proved to be a forlorn hope。 The master of the Indigo Star was Qartheen； so he wept copiously when asked about Astapor。 〃The city bleeds。 Dead men rot unburied in the streets； each pyramid is an armed camp； and the markets have neither food nor slaves for sale。 And the poor children！ King Cleaver's thugs have seized every highborn boy in Astapor to make new Unsullied for the trade； though it will be years before they are trained。〃
The thing that surprised Dany most was how unsurprised she was。 She found herself remembering Eroeh； the Lhazarene girl she had once tried to protect； and what had happened to her。 It will be the same in Meereen once I march； she thought。 The slaves from the fighting pits； bred and trained to slaughter； were already proving themselves unruly and quarrelsome。 They seemed to think they owned the city now； and every man and woman in it。 Two of them had been among the eight she'd hanged。 There is no more I can do； she told herself。 〃What do you want of me； Captain？〃
〃Slaves；〃 he said。 〃My holds are full to bursting with ivory； ambergris； zorse hides； and other fine goods。 I would trade them here for slaves； to sell in Lys and Volantis。…
〃We have no slaves for sale；〃 said Dany。
〃My queen？〃 Daario stepped forward。 〃The riverside is full of Meereenese； begging leave to be allowed to sell themselves to this Qartheen。 They are thicker than the flies。〃
Dany was shocked。 〃They want to be slaves？〃
〃The ones who e are well spoken and gently born； sweet queen。 Such slaves are prized。 In the Free Cities they will be tutors； scribes； bed slaves； even healers and priests。 They will sleep in soft beds； eat rich foods； and dwell in manses。 Here they have lost all； and live in fear and squalor。〃
〃I see。〃 Perhaps it was not so shocking； if these tales of Astapor were true。 Dany thought a moment。 〃Any man who wishes to sell himself into slavery may do so。 Or woman。〃 She raised a hand。 〃But they may not sell their children； nor a man his wife。〃
〃In Astapor the city took a tenth part of the price； each time a slave changed hands；〃 Missandei told her。
〃We'll do the same；〃 Dany decided。 Wars were won with gold as much as swords。 〃A tenth part。 In gold or silver coin； or ivory。 Meereen has no need of saffron； cloves； or zorse hides。〃
〃It shall be done as you mand； glorious queen；〃 said Daario。 〃My Stormcrows will collect your tenth。〃
If the Stormcrows saw to the collections at least half the gold would somehow go astray； Dany knew。 But the Second Sons were just as bad； and the Unsullied were as unlettered as they were incorruptible。 〃Records must be kept；〃 she said。 〃Seek among the freedmen for men who can read； write； and do sums。〃
His business done； the captain of the Indigo Star bowed and took his leave。 Dany shifted unfortably on the ebony bench。 She dreaded what must e next； yet she knew she had put it off too long already。 Yunkai and Astapor； threats of war； marriage proposals； the march west looming over all 。 。 。 I need my knights。 I need their swords； and I need their counsel。 Yet the thought of seeing Jorah Mormont again made her feel as if she'd swallowed a spoonful of flies； angry； agitated； sick。 She could almost feel them buzzing round her belly。 I am the blood of the dragon。 I must be strong。 I must have flre in my eyes when I face them； not tears。 〃Tell Belwas to bring my knights；〃 Dany manded； before she could change her mind。 〃My good knights。〃
Strong Belwas was puffing from the climb when he marched them through the doors； one meaty hand wrapped tight around each man's arm。 Ser Barristan walked with his head held high； but Ser Jorah stared at the marble floor as he approached。 The one is proud； the other guilty。
The old man had shaved off his white beard。 He looked ten years younger without it。 But her balding bear looked older than he had。 They halted before the bench。 Strong Belwas stepped back and stood with his arms crossed across his scarred chest。 Ser Jorah cleared his throat。 〃Khaleesi。。 。〃
She had missed his voice so much； but she had to be stem。 〃Be quiet。 I will tell you when to speak。〃 She stood。 〃When I sent you down into the sewers； part of me hoped I'd seen the last of you。 It seemed a fitting end for liars； to drown in slavers' filth。 I thought the gods would deal with you； but instead you returned to me。 My gallant knights of Westeros； an informer and a tumcloak。 My brother would have hanged you both。〃 Viserys； would have； anyway。 She did not know what Rhaegar would have done。 〃I will admit you helped win me this city 。 。 。〃
Ser Jorah's mouth tightened。 〃We won you this city。 We sewer rats。〃
〃Be quiet；〃 she said again。。 。 though there was truth to what he said。 While joso's Cock and the other rams were battering the city gates and her archers were firing flights o
