grrm.astormofswords-第177章
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〃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 of flaming arrows over the walls； Dany had sent two hundred men along the river under cover of darkness to fire the hulks in the harbor。 But that was only to hide their true purpose。 As the flaming ships drew the eyes of the defenders on the walls； a few half…mad swimmers found the sewer mouths and pried loose a rusted iron grating。 Ser Jorah； Ser Barristan； Strong Belwas； and twenty brave fools slipped beneath the brown water and up the brick tunnel； a mixed force of sellswords； Unsullied； and freedmen。 Dany had told them to choose only men who had no families 。 。 。 and preferably no sense of smell。
They had been lucky as well as brave。 It had been a moon's turn since the last good rain； and the sewers were only thigh…high。 The oilcloth they'd wrapped around their torches kept them dry； so they had light。 A few of the freedmen were frightened of the huge rats until Strong Belwas caught one and bit it in two。 One man was killed by a great pale lizard that reared up out of the dark water to drag him off by the leg； but when next ripples were spied Ser Jorah butchered the beast with his blade。 They took some wrong turnings； but once they found the surface Strong Belwas led them to the nearest fighting pit； where they surprised a few guards and struck the chains off the slaves。 Within an hour； half the fighting slaves in Meereen had risen。
〃You helped win this city；〃 she repeated stubbornly。 〃And you have served me well in the past。 Ser Barristan saved me from the Titan's Bastard； and from the Sorrowful Man in Qarth。 Ser Jorah saved me from the poisoner in Vaes Dothrak； and again from Drogo's bloodriders after my sun…and…stars had died。〃 So many people wanted her dead； sometimes she lost count。 〃And yet you lied； deceived me； betrayed me。〃 She turned to Ser Barristan。 〃You protected my father for many years； fought beside my brother on the Trident； but you abandoned Viserys in his exile and bent your knee to the Usurper instead。 Why？ And tell it true。〃
〃Some truths are hard to hear。 Robert was a 。 。 。 a good knight 。 。 。 chivalrous； brave 。 。 。 he spared my life； and the lives of many others 。 。 。 Prince Viserys was only a boy； it would have been years before he was fit to rule； and 。 。 。 forgive me； my queen； but you asked for truth 。 。 。 even as a child； your brother Viserys oft seemed to be his father's son； in ways that Rhaegar never did。〃
〃His father's son？〃 Dany frowned。 〃What does that mean？〃
The old knight did not blink。 〃Your father is called 'the Mad King' in Westeros。 Has no one ever told you？〃
〃Viserys did。〃 The Mad King。 〃The Usurper called him that； the Usurper and his dogs。〃 The Mad King。 〃It was a lie。〃
〃Why ask for truth；〃 Ser Barristan said softly； 〃if you close your ears to it？〃 He hesitated； then continued。 〃I told you before that I used a false name so the Lannisters would not know that I'd joined you。 That was less than half of it； Your Grace。 The truth is； I wanted to watch you for a time before pledging you my sword。 To make certain that you were not 。 。 。〃
〃 。 。 。 my father's daughter？〃 If she was not her father's daughter； who was she？
〃 。 。 。 mad；〃 he finished。 〃But I see no taint in you。〃
〃Taint？〃 Dany bristled。
〃I am no maester to quote history at you； Your Grace。 Swords have been my life； not books。 But every child knows that the Targaryens have always danced too close to madness。 Your father was not the first。 King Jaehaerys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin。 Every time a new Targaryen is born； he said； the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land。〃
Jaehaerys。 This old man knew my grandfather。 The thought gave her pause。 Most of what she knew of Westeros had e from her brother； and the rest from Ser Jorah。 Ser Barristan would have forgotten more than the two of them had ever known。 This man can tell me what I came from。 〃So I am a coin in the hands of some god； is that what you are saying； ser？〃
〃No；〃 Ser Barristan replied。 〃You are the trueborn heir of Westeros。 To the end of my days I shall remain your faithful knight； should you find me worthy to bear a sword again。 If not； I am content to serve Strong Belwas as his squire。〃
〃What if I decide you're only worthy to be my fool？〃 Dany asked scornfully。 〃Or perhaps my cook？〃
〃I would be honored； Your Grace；〃 Selmy said with quiet dignity。 〃I can bake apples and boil beef as well as any man； and I've roasted many a duck over a campfire。 I hope you like them greasy； with charred skin and bloody bones。〃
That made her smile。 〃I'd have to be mad to eat such fare。 Ben Plumm； e give Ser Barristan your longsword。〃
But Whitebeard would not take it。 〃I flung my sword at Joffrey's feet and have not touched one since。 Only from the hand of my queen will I accept a sword again。〃
〃As you wish。〃 Dany took the sword from Brown Ben and offered it hilt first。 The old man took it reverently。 〃Now kneel；〃 she told him； /land swear it to my service。〃
He went to one knee and lay the blade before her as he said the words。 Dany scarcely heard them。 He was the easy one； she thought。 The other will be harder。 When Ser Barristan was done； she turned to Jorah Mormont。 〃And now you； ser。 Tell me true。〃
The big man's neck was red； whether from anger or shame she did not know。 〃I have tried to tell you true； half a hundred times。 I told you Arstan was more than he seemed。 I warned you that Xaro and Pyat Pree were not to be trusted。 I warned you…〃
〃You warned me against everyone except yourself。〃 His insolence angered her。 He should be humbler。 He should beg for my forgiveness。 〃Trust no one but Jorah Mormont； you said 。 。 。 and all the time you were the Spider's creature！〃
〃I am no man's creature。 I took the eunuch's gold； yes。 I learned some ciphers and wrote some letters； but that was all…〃
〃All？ You spied on me and sold me to my enemies！〃
〃For a time。〃 He said it grudgingly。 〃I stopped。〃
〃When？ When did you stop？〃
〃I made one report from Qarth； but …
〃From Qarth？〃 Dany had been hoping it had ended much earlier。 〃What did you write from Qarth？ That you were my man now； that you wanted no more of their schemes？〃 Ser Jorah could not meet her eyes。 〃When Khal Drogo died； you asked me to go with you to Yi Ti and the jade Sea。 Was that your wish or Robert's？〃
〃That was to protect you；〃 he insisted。 〃To keep you away from them。 I knew what snakes they were 。 。 。〃
〃Snakes？ And what are you； ser？〃 Something unspeakable occurred to her。 〃You told them I was carrying Drogo's child 。 。 。〃
〃Khaleesi 。 。 。〃
〃Do not think to deny it； ser；〃 Ser Barristan said sharply。 〃I was there when the eunuch told the council； and Robert decreed that Her Grace and her child must die。 You were the source； ser。 There was even talk that you might do the deed； for a pardon。〃
〃A lie。〃 Ser Jorah's face darkened。 〃I would never 。 。 。 Daenerys； it was me who stopped you from drinking the wine。〃
〃Yes。 And how was it you knew the wine was poisoned？〃
〃I 。 。 。 I but suspected 。 。 。 the caravan brought a letter from Varys； he warned me there would be attempts。 He wanted you watched； yes； but not harmed。〃 He went to his knees。 〃If I had not told them someone else would have。 You know that。〃
〃I know you betrayed me。〃 She touched her belly； where her son Rhaego had perished。 〃I know a poisoner tried to kill my son； because of you。 That's what I know〃
〃No 。 。 。 no。〃 He shook his head。 〃I never meant 。 。 。 forgive me。 You have to forgive me。〃
〃Have to？〃 It was too late。 He should have begun by begging forgiveness。 She could not pardon him as she'd intended。 She had dragged the wineseller behind her horse until there was nothing left of him。 Didn't the man who brought him deserve the same？ This is Jorah； my fierce bear； the right arm that never failed me。 I would be dead without him； but 。 。 。 〃I can't forgive you；〃 she said。 〃I can't。〃
〃You forgave the old man 。 。 。〃
〃He lied to me about his name。 You sold my secrets to the men who killed my father and stole my brother's throne。〃
〃I protected you。 I fought for you。 Killed for you。〃
Kissed me； she thought； betrayed me。
〃I went down into the sewers like a rat。 For you。〃
It might have been kinder if you'd died there。 Dany said nothing。 There was nothing to say。
〃Daenerys；〃 he said； 〃I have loved you。〃
And there it was。 Three treasons will you know Once for blood and once for gold and once for love。 〃The gods do nothing without a purpose； they say。 You did not die in battle； so it must be they still have some use for you。 But I don't。 I will not have you near me。 You are banished； ser。 Go back to your masters in King's Landing and collect your pardon； if you can。 Or to Astapor。 No doubt the butcher king needs knights。〃
〃No。〃 He reached for her。 〃Daenerys； please； hear me 。 。 。〃
She slapped his hand away。 〃Do not ever presume to touch me again； or to speak my name。 You have until dawn to collect your things and leave this city。 If you're found in Meereen past break of day； I will have Strong Belwas twist your head off。 I will。 Believe that。〃 She turned her back on him； her skirts swirling。 I cannot bear to see his face。 〃Remove this liar from my sight； 〃 she manded。 I must not weep。 I must not。 If I weep I will forgive him。 Strong Belwas seized Ser Jorah by the arm and dragged him out。 When Dany glanced back； the knight was walking as if drunk； stumbling and slow。 She looked away until she heard the doors open and close。 Then she sank back onto the ebony bench。 He's gone； then。 Myfather and my mother； my brothers； Ser Willem Darry； Drogo who was my sunand…stars； his son who died inside me； and now Ser forah 。 。 。
〃The queen has a good heart；〃 Daario purred through his deep purple whiskers； 〃but that one is more dangerous than all the Oznaks and Meros rolled up in one。〃 His strong hands caressed the hilts of his matched blades； those wanton golden women。 〃You need not even say the word； my radiance。 Only give the tiniest nod； and your Daario shall fetch you back his ugly head。〃
〃Leave him be。 The scales are balanced now。 Let him go home。〃 Dany pictured Jorah moving amongst old gnarled oaks and tall pines； past flowering thornbushes； grey stones bearded with moss； and little creeks running icy down steep hillsides。 She saw him entering a hall built of huge logs； where dogs slept by the hearth and the smell of meat and mead hung thick in the smoky air。 〃We are done for now；〃 she told her captains。
It was all she could do not to run back up the wide marble stairs。 Irri helped her slip from her court clothes and into more fortable garb； baggy woolen breeches； a loose felted tunic； a painted Dothraki vest。 〃You are trembling； Khaleesi；〃 the girl said as she knelt to lace up Dany's sandals。
〃I'm cold；〃 Dany lied。 〃Bring me the book I was reading last night。〃 She wanted to lose herself in the words； in other times and other places。 The fat leather…bound volume was full of songs and stories from the Seven Kingdoms。 Children's stories； if truth be told； too simple and fanciful to be true history。 All the h
