grrm.astormofswords-第130节

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ere　blowing　so　strongly　that　it　felt　like　someone　was　behind　her；　yanking　on　her　cloak。　Only　when　she　turned；　no　one　was　there。
　Ghosts；　she　remembered。　High　Heart　is　haunted。
　They　built　a　great　fire　atop　the　hill；　and　Thoros　of　Myr　sat　crosslegged　beside　it；　gazing　deep　into　the　flames　as　if　there　was　nothing　else　in　all　the　world。
　〃What　is　he　doing？〃　Arya　asked　Ned。
　〃Sometimes　he　sees　things　in　the　flames；〃　the　squire　told　her。　〃The　past。　The　future。　Things　happening　far　away。〃
　Arya　squinted　at　the　fire　to　see　if　she　could　see　what　the　red　priest　was　seeing；　but　it　only　made　her　eyes　water　and　before　long　she　turned　away。　Gendry　was　watching　the　red　priest　as　well。　〃Can　you　truly　see　the　future　there？〃　he　asked　suddenly。
　Thoros　turned　from　the　fire；　sighing。　〃Not　here。　Not　now。　But　some　days；　yes；　the　Lord　of　Light　grants　me　visions。〃
　Gendry　looked　dubious。　〃My　master　said　you　were　a　sot　and　a　fraud；　as　bad　a　priest　as　there　ever　was。〃
　〃That　was　unkind。〃　Thoros　chuckled。　〃True；　but　unkind。　Who　was　this　master　of　yours？　Did　I　know　you；　boy？〃
　〃I　was　'prenticed　to　the　master　armorer　Tobho　Mott；　on　the　Street　of　Steel。　You　used　to　buy　your　swords　from　him。〃
　〃Just　so。　He　charged　me　twice　what　they　were　worth；　then　scolded　me　for　setting　them　afire。〃　Thoros　laughed。　〃Your　master　had　it　right。　I　was　no　very　holy　priest。　I　was　born　youngest　of　eight；　so　my　father　gave　me　over　to　the　Red　Temple；　but　it　was　not　the　path　I　would　have　chosen。　I　prayed　the　prayers　and　I　spoke　the　spells；　but　I　would　also　lead　raids　on　the　kitchens；　and　from　time　to　time　they　found　girls　in　my　bed。　Such　wicked　girls；　I　never　knew　how　they　got　there。
　〃I　had　a　gift　for　tongues；　though。　And　when　I　gazed　into　the　flames；　well；　from　time　to　time　I　saw　things。　Even　so；　I　was　more　bother　than　I　was　worth；　so　they　sent　me　finally　to　King's　Landing　to　bring　the　Lord's　light　to　seven…besotted　Westeros。　King　Aerys　so　loved　fire　it　was　thought　he　might　make　a　convert。　Alas；　his　pyromancers　knew　better　tricks　than　I　did。
　〃King　Robert　was　fond　of　me；　though；　The　first　time　I　rode　into　a　melee　with　a　flaming　sword；　Kevan　Lannister's　horse　reared　and　threw　him　and　His　Grace　laughed　so　hard　I　thought　he　might　rupture。〃　The　red　priest　smiled　at　the　memory。　〃It　was　no　way　to　treat　a　blade；　though；　your　master　had　the　right　of　that　too。〃
　〃Fire　consumes；〃　Lord　Beric　stood　behind　them；　and　there　was　something　in　his　voice　that　silenced　Thoros　at　once。　〃it　consumes；　and　when　it　is　done　there　is　nothing　left。　Nothing。〃
　〃Beric。　Sweet　friend。〃　The　priest　touched　the　lightning　lord　on　the　forearm。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　〃Nothing　I　have　not　said　before。　Six　times；　Thoros？　Six　times　is　too　many。〃　He　turned　away　abruptly。
　That　night　the　wind　was　howling　almost　like　a　wolf　and　there　were　some　real　wolves　off　to　the　west　giving　it　lessons。　Notch；　Anguy；　and　Merrit　oMoontown　had　the　watch。　Ned；　Gendry；　and　many　of　the　others　were　fast　asleep　when　Arya　spied　the　small　pale　shape　creeping　behind　the　horses；　thin　white　hair　flying　wild　as　she　leaned　upon　a　gnarled　cane。　The　woman　could　not　have　been　more　than　three　feet　tall。　The　firelight　made　her　eyes　gleam　as　red　as　the　eyes　of　Jon's　wolf。　He　was　a　ghost　too。　Arya　stole　closer；　and　knelt　to　watch。
　Thoros　and　Lem　were　with　Lord　Beric　when　the　dwarf　woman　sat　down　uninvited　by　the　fire。　She　squinted　at　them　with　eyes　like　hot　coals。　〃The　Ember　and　the　Lemon　e　to　honor　me　again；　and　His　Grace　the　Lord　of　Corpses。〃
　〃An　ill…omened　name。　I　have　asked　you　not　to　use　it。〃
　〃Aye；　you　have。　But　the　stink　of　death　is　fresh　on　you；　my　lord。〃　She　had　but　a　single　tooth　remaining。　〃Give　me　wine　or　I　will　go。　My　bones　are　old。　My　joints　ache　when　the　winds　do　blow；　and　up　here　the　winds　are　always　blowing。〃
　〃A　silver　stag　for　your　dreams；　my　lady；〃　Lord　Beric　said；　with　solemn　courtesy。　〃Another　if　you　have　news　for　us。〃
　〃I　cannot　eat　a　silver　stag；　nor　ride　one。　A　skin　of　wine　for　my　dreams；　and　for　my　news　a　kiss　from　the　great　oaf　in　the　yellow　cloak。〃　The　little　woman　cackled。　〃Aye；　a　sloppy　kiss；　a　bit　of　tongue。　It　has　been　too　long；　too　long。　His　mouth　will　taste　of　lemons；　and　mine　of　bones。　I　am　too　old。〃
　〃Aye；〃　Lem　plained。　〃Too　old　for　wine　and　kisses。　All　you'll　get　from　me　is　the　flat　of　my　sword；　crone。〃
　〃My　hair　es　out　in　handfuls　and　no　one　has　kissed　me　for　a　thousand　years。　It　is　hard　to　be　so　old。　Well；　I　will　have　a　song　then。　A　song　from　Tom　o'　Sevens；　for　my　news。〃
　〃You　will　have　your　song　from　Tom；〃　Lord　Beric　promised。　He　gave　her　the　wineskin　himself。
　The　dwarf　woman　drank　deep；　the　wine　running　down　her　chin。　When　she　lowered　the　skin；　she　wiped　her　mouth　with　the　back　of　a　wrinkled　hand　and　said；　〃Sour　wine　for　sour　tidings；　what　could　be　more　fitting？　The　king　is　dead；　is　that　sour　enough　for　you？〃
　Arya's　heart　caught　in　her　throat。
　〃Which　bloody　king　is　dead；　crone？〃　Lem　demanded。
　；'The　wet　one。　The　kraken　king；　m'lords。　I　dreamt　him　dead　and　he　died；　and　the　iron　squids　now　turn　on　one　another。　Oh；　and　Lord　Hoster　Tully's　died　too；　but　you　know　that；　don't　you？　In　the　hall　of　kings；　the　goat　sits　alone　and　fevered　as　the　great　dog　descends　on　him。〃　The　old　woman　took　another　long　gulp　of　wine；　squeezing　the　skin　as　she　raised　it　to　her　lips。
　The　great　dog。　Did　she　mean　the　Hound？　Or　maybe　his　brother；　the　Mountain　That　Rides？　Arya　was　not　certain。　They　bore　the　same　arms；　three　black　dogs　on　a　yellow　field。　Half　the　men　whose　deaths　she　prayed　for　belonged　to　Ser　Gregor　Clegane；　Polliver；　Dunsen；　Raff　the　Sweetling；　the　Tickler；　and　Ser　Gregor　himself。　Maybe　Lord　Beric　will　hang　them　all。
　〃I　dreamt　a　wolf　howling　in　the　rain；　but　no　one　heard　his　grief；〃　the　dwarf　woman　was　saying。　〃I　dreamt　such　a　clangor　I　thought　my　head　might　burst；　drums　and　horns　and　pipes　and　screams；　but　the　saddest　sound　was　the　little　bells。　I　dreamt　of　a　maid　at　a　feast　with　purple　serpents　in　her　hair；　venom　dripping　from　their　fangs。　And　later　I　dreamt　that　maid　again；　slaying　a　savage　giant　in　a　castle　built　of　snow。〃　She　turned　her　head　sharply　and　smiled　through　the　gloom；　right　at　Arya。　〃You　cannot　hide　from　me；　child。　e　closer；　now。〃
　Cold　fingers　walked　down　Arya's　neck。　Fear　cuts　deeper　than　swords；　she　reminded　herself。　She　stood　and　approached　the　fire　warily；　light　on　the　balls　of　her　feet；　poised　to　flee。
　The　dwarf　woman　studied　her　with　dim　red　eyes。　〃I　see　you；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　see　you；　wolf　child。　Blood　child。　I　thought　it　was　the　lord　who　smelled　of　death　。　。　。　〃　She　began　to　sob；　her　little　body　shaking。　〃You　are　cruel　to　e　to　my　hill；　cruel。　I　gorged　on　grief　at　Surnmerhall；　I　need　none　of　yours。　Begone　from　here；　dark　heart。　Begone！〃
　There　was　such　fear　in　her　voice　that　Arya　took　a　step　backward；　wondering　if　the　woman　was　mad。　〃Don't　frighten　the　child；〃　Thoros　protested。　〃There's　no　harm　in　her。〃
　Lem　Lemoncloak's　finger　went　to　his　broken　nose。　〃Don't　be　so　bloody　sure　of　that。〃
　〃She　will　leave　on　the　morrow；　with　us；〃　Lord　Beric　assured　the　little　woman。　〃We're　taking　her　to　Riverrun；　to　her　mother。〃
　〃Nay；〃　said　the　dwarf。　〃You're　not。　The　black　fish　holds　the　rivers　now。　If　it's　the　mother　you　want；　seek　her　at　the　Twins。　For　there's　to　be　a　wedding。〃　She　cackled　again。　〃Look　in　your　fires；　pink　priest；　and　you　will　see。　Not　now；　though；　not　here；　you'll　see　nothing　here。　This　place　belongs　to　the　old　gods　still　。　。　。　they　linger　here　as　I　do；　shrunken　and　feeble　but　not　yet　dead。　Nor　do　they　love　the　flames。　For　the　oak　recalls　the　acorn；　the　acorn　dreams　the　oak；　the　stump　lives　in　them　both。　And　they　remember　when　the　First　Men　came　with　fire　in　their　fists。〃　She　drank　the　last　of　the　wine　in　four　long　swallows；　flung　the　skin　aside；　and　pointed　her　stick　at　Lord　Beric。　〃I'll　have　my　payment　now。　I'll　have　the　song　you　promised　me。〃
　And　so　Lem　woke　Tom　Sevenstrings　beneath　his　furs；　and　brought　him　yawning　to　the　fireside　with　his　woodharp　in　hand。　〃The　same　song　as　before？〃　he　asked。
　〃Oh；　aye。　My　jenny's　song。　Is　there　another？〃
　And　so　he　sang；　and　the　dwarf　woman　closed　her　eyes　and　rocked　slowly　back　and　forth；　murmuring　the　words　and　crying。　Thoros　took　Arya　firmly　by　the　hand　and　drew　her　aside。　〃Let　her　savor　her　song　in　peace；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　all　she　has　left。〃
　I　wasn't　going　to　hurt　her；　Arya　thought。　〃What　did　she　mean　about　the　Twins？　My　mother's　at　Riverrun；　isn't　she？〃
　〃She　was。〃　The　red　priest　rubbed　beneath　his　chin。　〃A　wedding；　she　said。　We　shall　see。　Whenever　she　is；　Lord　Beric　will　find　her；　though。〃
　Not　long　after；　the　sky　opened。　Lightning　cracked　and　thunder　rolled　across　the　hills；　and　the　rain　fell　in　blinding　sheets。　The　dwarf　woman　vanished　as　suddenly　as　she　had　appeared；　while　the　outlaws　gathered　branches　and　threw　up　crude　shelters。
　It　rained　all　through　that　night；　and　e　morning　Ned；　Lem；　and　Watty　the　Miller　awoke　with　chills。　Watty　could　not　keep　his　breakfast　down；　and　young　Ned　was　feverish　and　shivering　by　turns；　with　skin　clammy　to　the　touch。　There　was　an　abandoned　village　half　a　day's　ride　to　the　north；　Notch　told　Lord　Beric；　they'd　find　better　shelter　there；　a　place　to　wait　out　the　worst　of　the　rains。　So　they　dragged　themselves　back　into　the　saddles　and　urged　their　h