grrm.astormofswords-第236节

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　〃Y…yes；　Your　Grace。　Jon　Snow　gave　it　to　me。〃
　〃Dragonglass。〃　The　red　woman's　laugh　was　music。　〃Frozen　fire；　in　the　tongue　of　old　Valyria。　Small　wonder　it　is　anathema　to　these　cold　children　of　the　other。〃
　〃On　Dragonstone；　where　I　had　my　seat；　there　is　much　of　this　obsidian　to　be　seen　in　the　old　tunnels　beneath　the　mountain；〃　the　king　told　Sam。　〃Chunks　of　it；　boulders；　ledges。　The　great　part　of　it　was　black；　as　I　recall；　but　there　was　some　green　as　well；　some　red；　even　purple。　I　have　sent　word　to　Ser　Rolland　my　castellan　to　begin　mining　it。　I　will　not　hold　Dragonstone　for　very　much　longer；　I　fear；　but　perhaps　the　Lord　of　Light　shall　grant　us　enough　frozen　fire　to　arm　ourselves　against　these　creatures；　before　the　castle　falls。〃
　Sam　cleared　his　throat。　〃S…sire。　The　dagger　。　。　。　the　dragonglass　only　shattered　when　I　tried　to　stab　a　wight。〃
　Melisandre　smiled。　〃Necromancy　animates　these　wights；　yet　they　are　still　only　dead　flesh。　Steel　and　fire　will　serve　for　them。　The　ones　you　call　the　Others　are　something　more。〃
　〃Demons　made　of　snow　and　ice　and　cold；〃　said　Stannis　Baratheon。　〃The　ancient　enemy。　The　only　enemy　that　matters。〃　He　considered　Sam　again。　〃I　am　told　that　you　and　this　wildling　girl　passed　beneath　the　Wall；　through　some　magic　gate。〃
　〃The　B…black　Gate；〃　Sam　stammered。　〃Below　the　Nightfort。〃
　〃The　Nightfort　is　the　largest　and　oldest　of　the　castles　on　the　Wall；〃　the　king　said。　〃That　is　where　I　intend　to　make　my　seat；　whilst　I　fight　this　war。　You　will　show　me　this　gate。〃
　〃I；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　w…will；　if　。　。　。〃　If　it　is　still　there。　If　it　will　open　for　a　man　not　of　the　black。　If　。　。　。
　〃You　will；〃　snapped　Stannis。　〃I　shall　tell　you　when。〃
　Maester　Aemon　smiled。　〃Your　Grace；〃　he　said；　〃before　we　go；　I　wonder　if　you　would　do　us　the　great　honor　of　showing　us　this　wondrous　blade　we　have　all　heard　so　very　much　of。〃
　〃You　want　to　see　Lightbringer？　A　blind　man？〃
　〃Sam　shall　be　my　eyes。〃
　The　king　frowned。　〃Everyone　else　has　seen　the　thing；　why　not　a　blind　man？〃　His　swordbelt　and　scabbard　hung　from　a　peg　near　the　hearth。　He　took　the　belt　down　and　drew　the　longsword　out。　Steel　scraped　against　wood　and　leather；　and　radiance　filled　the　solar；　shimmering；　shifting；　a　dance　of　gold　and　orange　and　red　light；　all　the　bright　colors　of　fire。
　〃Tell　me；　Samwell。〃　Maester　Aemon　touched　his　arm。
　〃It　glows；〃　said　Sam；　in　a　hushed　voice。　〃As　if　it　were　on　fire。　There　are　no　flames；　but　the　steel　is　yellow　and　red　and　orange；　all　flashing　and　glimmering；　like　sunshine　on　water；　but　prettier。　I　wish　you　could　see　it；　Maester。〃
　〃I　see　it　now；　Sam。　A　sword　full　of　sunlight。　So　lovely　to　behold。〃　The　old　man　bowed　stiffly。　〃Your　Grace。　My　lady。　This　was　most　kind　of　you。〃
　When　King　Stannis　sheathed　the　shining　sword；　the　room　seemed　to　grow　very　dark；　despite　the　sunlight　streaming　through　the　window。　〃Very　well；　you've　seen　it。　You　may　return　to　your　duties　now。　And　remember　what　I　said。　Your　brothers　will　chose　a　Lord　mander　tonight；　or　I　shall　make　them　wish　they　had。〃
　Maester　Aemon　was　lost　in　thought　as　Sam　helped　him　down　the　narrow　turnpike　stair。　But　as　they　were　crossing　the　yard；　he　said；　〃I　felt　no　heat。　Did　you；　Sam？〃
　〃Heat？　From　the　sword？　〃　He　thought　back。　〃The　air　around　it　was　shimmering；　the　way　it　does　above　a　hot　brazier。〃
　〃Yet　you　felt　no　heat；　did　you？　And　the　scabbard　that　held　this　sword；　it　is　wood　and　leather；　yes？　I　heard　the　sound　when　His　Grace　drew　out　the　blade。　Was　the　leather　scorched；　Sam？　Did　the　wood　seem　burnt　or　blackened？〃
　〃No；〃　Sam　admitted。　〃Not　that　I　could　see。〃
　Maester　Aemon　nodded。　Back　in　his　own　chambers；　he　asked　Sam　to　set　a　fire　and　help　him　to　his　chair　beside　the　hearth。　〃it　is　hard　to　be　so　old；〃　he　sighed　as　he　settled　onto　the　cushion。　〃And　harder　still　to　be　so　blind。　I　miss　the　sun。　And　books。　I　miss　books　most　of　all。〃　Aemon　waved　a　hand。　〃I　shall　have　no　more　need　of　you　till　the　choosing。〃
　〃The　choosing　。　。　。　Maester；　isn't　there　something　you　could　do？　What　the　king　said　of　Lord　Janos　。　。　。〃
　〃I　recall；〃　Maester　Aemon　said；　〃but　Sam；　I　am　a　maester；　chained　and　sworn。　My　duty　is　to　counsel　the　Lord　mander；　whoever　he　might　be。　It　would　not　be　proper　for　me　to　be　seen　to　favor　one　contender　over　another。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　maester；〃　said　Sam。　〃Could　I　do　something？〃
　Aemon　turned　his　blind　white　eyes　toward　Sam's　face；　and　smiled　softy。　〃Why；　I　don't　know；　Samwell。　Could　you？〃
　I　could；　Sam　thought。　I　have　to。　He　had　to　do　it　right　away；　too。　If　he　hesitated　he　was　certain　to　lose　his　courage。　I　am　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch；　he　reminded　himself　as　he　hurried　across　the　yard。　I　am。　I　can　do　this。　There　had　been　a　time　when　he　had　quaked　and　squeaked　if　Lord　Mormont　so　much　as　looked　at　him；　but　that　was　the　old　Sam；　before　the　Fist　of　the　First　Men　and　Craster's　Keep；　before　the　wights　and　Coldhands；　and　the　Other　on　his　dead　horse。　He　was　braver　now。　Gilly　made　me　braver；　he'd　told　Jon。　It　was　true。　It　had　to　be　true。
　Cotter　Pyke　was　the　scarier　of　the　two　manders；　so　Sam　went　to　him　first；　while　his　courage　was　still　hot。　He　found　him　in　the　old　Shieldhall；　dicing　with　three　of　his　Eastwatch　men　and　a　red…headed　sergeant　who　had　e　from　Dragonstone　with　Stannis。
　When　Sam　begged　leave　to　speak　with　him；　though；　Pyke　barked　an　order；　and　the　others　took　the　dice　and　coins　and　left　them。
　No　man　would　ever　call　Cotter　Pyke　handsome；　though　the　body　under　his　studded　brigantine　and　roughspun　breeches　was　lean　and　hard　and　wiry　strong。　His　eyes　were　small　and　close…set；　his　nose　broken；　his　widow's　peak　as　sharply　pointed　as　the　head　of　a　spear。　The　pox　had　ravaged　his　face　badly；　and　the　beard　he'd　grown　to　hide　the　scars　was　thin　and　scraggly。
　〃Sam　the　Slayer！〃　he　said；　by　way　of　greeting。　〃Are　you　sure　you　stabbed　an　Other；　and　not　some　child's　snow　knight？〃
　This　isn't　starting　well。　〃it　was　the　dragonglass　that　killed　it；　my　lord；〃　Sam　explained　feebly。
　〃Aye；　no　doubt。　Well；　out　with　it；　Slayer。　Did　the　maester　send　you　to　me？〃
　〃The　maester？〃　Sam　swallowed。　〃I　。　。　。　I　just　left　him；　my　lord。〃　That　wasn't　truly　a　lie；　but　if　Pyke　chose　to　read　it　wrong；　it　might　make　him　more　inclined　to　listen。　Sam　took　a　deep　breath　and　launched　into　his　plea。
　Pyke　cut　him　off　before　he'd　said　twenty　words。　〃You　want　me　to　kneel　down　and　kiss　the　hem　of　Mallister's　pretty　cloak；　is　that　it？　I　might　have　known。　You　lordlings　all　flock　like　sheep。　Well；　tell　Aemon　that　he's　wasted　your　breath　and　my　time。　if　anyone　withdraws　it　should　be　Mallister。　The　man's　too　bloody　old　for　the　job；　maybe　you　ought　to　go　tell　him　that。　We　choose　him；　and　we're　like　to　be　back　here　in　a　year；　choosing　someone　else。〃
　〃He's　old；〃　Sam　agreed；　〃but　he's　well　ex…experienced。〃
　〃At　sitting　in　his　tower　and　fussing　over　maps；　maybe。　What　does　he　plan　to　do；　write　letters　to　the　wights？　He's　a　knight；　well　and　good；　but　he's　not　a　fighter；　and　I　don't　give　a　kettle　of　piss　who　he　unhorsed　in　some　fool　tourney　fifty　years　ago。　The　Halfhand　fought　all　his　battles；　even　an　old　blind　man　should　see　that。　And　we　need　a　fighter　more　than　ever　with　this　bloody　king　on　top　of　us。　Today　it's　ruins　and　empty　fields；　well　and　good；　but　what　will　His　Grace　want　e　the　morrow？　You　think　Mallister　has　the　belly　to　stand　up　to　Stannis　Baratheon　and　that　red　bitch？〃　He　laughed。　〃I　don't。〃
　〃You　won't　support　him；　then？〃　said　Sam；　dismayed。
　〃Are　you　Sam　the　Slayer　or　Deaf　Dick？　No；　I　won't　support　him。〃　Pyke　jabbed　a　finger　at　his　face。　〃Understand　this；　boy。　I　don't　want　the　bloody　job；　and　never　did。　I　fight　best　with　a　deck　beneath　me；　not　a　horse；　and　Castle　Black　is　too　far　from　the　sea。　But　I'll　be　buggered　with　a　red…hot　sword　before　I　turn　the　Night's　Watch　over　to　that　preening　eagle　from　the　Shadow　Tower。　And　you　can　run　back　to　the　old　man　and　tell　him　I　said　so；　if　he　asks。〃　He　stood。　〃Get　out　of　my　sight。〃
　It　took　all　the　courage　Sam　had　left　in　him　to　say；　〃W…what　if　there　was　someone　else？　Could　you　s…support　someone　else？〃
　〃Who？　Bowen　Marsh？　The　man　counts　spoons。　Othell's　a　follower；　does　what　he's　told　and　does　it　well；　but　no　more'n　that。　Slynt　。　。　。　well；　his　men　like　him；　I'll　grant　you；　and　it　would　almost　be　worth　it　to　stick　him　down　the　royal　craw　and　see　if　Stannis　gagged；　but　no。　There's　too　much　of　King's　Landing　in　that　one。　A　toad　grows　wings　and　thinks　he's　a　bloody　dragon。〃　Pyke　laughed。　〃Who　does　that　leave；　Hobb？　We　could　pick　him；　I　suppose；　only　then　who's　going　to　boil　your　mutton；　Slayer？　You　look　like　a　man　who　likes　his　bloody　mutton。〃
　There　was　nothing　more　to　say。　Defeated；　Sam　could　only　stammer　out　his　thanks　and　take　his　leave。　I　will　do　better　with　Ser　Denys；　he　tried　to　tell　himself　as　he　walked　through　the　castle。　Ser　Denys　was　a　knight；　highborn　and　well…spoken；　and　he　had　treated　Sam　most　courteously　when　he'd　found　him　and　Gilly　on　the　road。　Ser　Denys　will　listen　to　me；　he　has　to。
　The　mander　of　the　Shadow　Tower　had　been　born　beneath　the　Booming　Tower　of　Seagard；　and　looked　every　inch　a　Mallister。　Sable　trimmed　his　collar　and　accented　the　sleeves　of　his　black　velvet　doublet。　A　silver　eagle　fastened　its　claws　in　the　gathered　folds　of　his　cloak。　His　beard　was　white　as　snow；　his　hair　was　largely　gone；　and　his　face　w