Ⅲ 冰雨的風暴 Chapter68 珊莎

SANSA

上前甲板的樓梯陡峭搖晃，幸虧羅索·布倫伸手相助。羅索爵士，她提醒自己——對方已因黑水河一役中的英勇表現(xiàn)升為騎士，然而騎士不該穿這身打補丁的褐色馬褲、拖鞋和風雨侵蝕的皮背心。他是個方臉壯漢，塌鼻子，偏灰發(fā)，很少說話，但極強壯。在他手中，珊莎覺得自己輕若鴻毛。

The ladder to the forecastle was steep and splintery, so Sansa accepted a hand up from Lothor Brune. Ser Lothor, she had to remind herself; the man had been knighted for his valor in the Battle of the Blackwater. Though no proper knight would wear those patched brown breeches and scuffed boots, nor that cracked and water-stained leather jerkin. A square-faced stocky man with a squashed nose and a mat of nappy grey hair, Brune spoke seldom. He is stronger than he looks, though. She could tell by the ease with which he lifted her, as if she weighed nothing at all.

“人魚王號”的前面，展開一片荒涼多石的海岸，光禿禿地，沒有樹，寂寞而寒磣。即便如此，珊莎也感到幾分歡喜，只因太久不曾見到陸地。航行初期還順著海岸，后來來了一場大風暴，將他們刮進狹海中間，瘋狂的顛簸讓珊莎以為商船必沉無疑。老奧斯威爾告訴她，風暴一共奪走了兩條性命，另有一人從桅桿上掉下來，摔斷了脖子。

Off the bow of the Merling King stretched a bare and stony strand, windswept, treeless, and uninviting. Even so, it made a welcome sight. They had been a long while clawing their way back on course. The last storm had swept them out of sight of land, and sent such waves crashing over the sides of the galley that Sansa had been certain they were all going to drown. Two men had been swept overboard, she had heard old Oswell saying, and another had fallen from the mast and broken his neck.

她很少上甲板，屬于她的小艙房則又濕又冷，所以一路都不舒服……恐懼，發(fā)燒，暈船……吃不下，睡不著。無論何時，只要閉上眼睛，就會看見撕扯衣領、抓破咽喉、掙扎呼吸的喬佛里，餡餅皮粘在嘴角，酒液則浸染上衣。每有海風吹過木板縫隙，都好似喬佛里當初所發(fā)出的那細得嚇人、充滿恐懼的嘶聲。有時她還夢見提利昂?！八裁匆矝]做啊。”小指頭來看望她時，她對他說。

She had seldom ventured out on deck herself. Her little cabin was dank and cold, but Sansa had been sick for most of the voyage … sick with terror, sick with fever, or seasick … she could keep nothing down, and even sleep came hard. Whenever she closed her eyes she saw Joffrey tearing at his collar, clawing at the soft skin of his throat, dying with flakes of pie crust on his lips and wine stains on his doublet. And the wind keening in the lines reminded her of the terrible thin sucking sound he’d made as he fought to draw in air. Sometimes she dreamed of Tyrion as well. “He did nothing,” she told Littlefinger once, when he paid a visit to her cabin to see if she were feeling any better.

“沒錯，喬佛里并非侏儒所殺，可這并不意味著他就是個正派人。你知道嗎，他有過老婆？”

“He did not kill Joffrey, true, but the dwarf’s hands are far from clean. He had a wife before you, did you know that?”

“他對我說過?！?/p>

“He told me.”

“是嗎？他有沒有告訴你，當他厭倦了那個女人后，就把她送給了父親帳下的衛(wèi)兵？你若留在他身邊，早晚也是這個下場。省省吧，小姐，小惡魔不值得你流一滴眼淚。”

“And did he tell you that when he grew bored with her, he made a gift of her to his father’s guardsmen? He might have done the same to you, in time. Shed no tears for the Imp, my lady.”

咸咸的海風伸出長長的手指，挽起她的頭發(fā)，令她打起顫來。即便海岸在望，搖晃的甲板仍教人惴惴不安。她好想洗個澡，換身衣服。我一定跟尸體般又憔悴又難聞。

The wind ran salty fingers through her hair, and Sansa shivered. Even this close to shore, the rolling of the ship made her tummy queasy. She desperately needed a bath and a change of clothes. I must look as haggard as a corpse, and smell of vomit.

培提爾大人走到旁邊，一如既往地好心情，“早上好。帶鹽味的風有幾分清新，對吧？我的好胃口就是這樣子出來的?！彼Ｗo性地環(huán)住珊莎的肩膀，“你行嗎？臉色好蒼白?！?/p>

Lord Petyr came up beside her, cheerful as ever. “Good morrow. The salt air is bracing, don’t you think? It always sharpens my appetite.” He put a sympathetic arm about her shoulders. “Are you quite well? You look so pale.”

“沒，一點小毛病，我……有些暈船。”

“It’s only my tummy. The seasickness.”

“喝點葡萄酒提神，應該會有助益。到得岸上，我立刻滿上一杯給你。”語畢，培提爾指向陰沉的天幕底下一座古老無名的燧石塔樓，浪濤在它下方的巖石上拍打。“瞧，就是這兒，景色不錯吧？不過呢，大船恐怕沒法子靠過去，只能換乘小舟?！?/p>

“A little wine will be good for that. We’ll get you a cup, as soon as we’re ashore.” Petyr pointed to where an old flint tower stood outlined against a bleak grey sky, the breakers crashing on the rocks beneath it. “Cheerful, is it not? I fear there’s no safe anchorage here. We’ll put ashore in a boat.”

“這兒？”她不想留在這兒。五指半島陰暗偏僻，眼前這座小塔樓更是孤獨荒蕪?！拔伊粼诖?，好不好？到白港再上岸。”

“Here?” She did not want to go ashore here. The Fingers were a dismal place, she’d heard, and there was something forlorn and desolate about the little tower. “Couldn’t I stay on the ship until we make sail for White Harbor?”

“從這兒開始，“人魚王號”將航向布拉佛斯——你我二人當然不去。”

“From here the King turns east for Braavos. Without us.”

“可……可是，大人，您說……您說要帶我回家……”

“But … my lord, you said … you said we were sailing home.”

“這就是我們的家——別嫌它寒磣，我祖父三代都居于此。它沒有名字，大人物的城堡應該有名字的，你說呢？臨冬城、鷹巢城、奔流城……好在如今我有了赫倫堡，而之前？之前我乃羊屎伯爵和荒塔主人，哈哈，總覺得缺了點什么?！彼没揖G色眼睛無邪地打量她，“你似乎心神不寧，難不成以為我們會去臨冬城？親愛的，臨冬城已經(jīng)陷落、焚毀、化為廢墟，所有你認識或者喜愛的人士都已不在人世。北境有的地方被鐵民奴役，有的地方在窩里斗，就連長城也遭到攻打。珊莎，臨冬城是你童年的家園，但你已不是孩子了。你長大成為女人，女人需要屬于自己的家。”

“And there it stands, miserable as it is. My ancestral home. It has no name, I fear. A great lord’s seat ought to have a name, wouldn’t you agree? Winterfell, the Eyrie, Riverrun, those are castles. Lord of Harrenhal now, that has a sweet ring to it, but what was I before? Lord of Sheepshit and Master of the Drearfort? It lacks a certain something.” His grey-green eyes regarded her innocently. “You look distraught. Did you think we were making for Winterfell, sweetling? Winterfell has been taken, burned, and sacked. All those you knew and loved are dead. What northmen who have not fallen to the ironmen are warring amongst themselves. Even the Wall is under attack. Winterfell was the home of your childhood, Sansa, but you are no longer a child. You’re a woman grown, and you need to make your own home.”

“但不是這里，”她驚惶地回答，“這里……”

“But not here,” she said, dismayed. “It looks so …”

“……又窄又小又難看？事實上，情況比你想象的更糟糕。五指半島乃石頭的樂土，巖崖的故鄉(xiāng)。好啦，請放心，我們只待半月，你姨媽已在路上了，”他淺淺一笑，“我和萊莎夫人不日即將成婚。”

“… small and bleak and mean? It’s all that, and less. The Fingers are a lovely place, if you happen to be a stone. But have no fear, we shan’t stay more than a fortnight. I expect your aunt is already riding to meet us.” He smiled. “The Lady Lysa and I are to be wed.”

“成婚？”珊莎只覺頭暈目眩，“你和我姨媽？”

“Wed?” Sansa was stunned. “You and my aunt?”

“赫倫堡公爵與鷹巢城夫人。”

“The Lord of Harrenhal and the Lady of the Eyrie.”

可你說我母親是你的寄托和唯一。當然，母親業(yè)已死去，就算她真的給過培提爾大人愛情與貞操，如今也是無足輕重了。

You said it was my mother you loved. But of course Lady Catelyn was dead, so even if she had loved Petyr secretly and given him her maidenhood, it made no matter now.

“沒話說啦，小姐？”培提爾道，“總該給我點祝福吧。一個生來只配繼承石頭、巖崖和羊屎的男孩能娶上霍斯特·徒利的女兒和瓊恩·艾林的遺孀，不值得贊許么？”

“So silent, my lady?” said Petyr. “I was certain you would wish to give me your blessing. It is a rare thing for a boy born heir to stones and sheep pellets to wed the daughter of Hoster Tully and the widow of Jon Arryn.”

“我……我祝您們舉案齊眉，多福多壽，白頭偕老，子孫滿堂?！鄙荷延卸嗄晡春鸵虌寛F聚。還好，她是我親戚，為著母親的緣故，想必會照顧我。她想起歌謠里美麗的艾林谷，寬慰自己暫避一時并非那么可怕。

“I … I pray you will have long years together, and many children, and be very happy in one another.” It had been years since Sansa last saw her mother’s sister. She will be kind to me for my mother’s sake, surely. She’s my own blood. And the Vale of Arryn was beautiful, all the songs said so. Perhaps it would not be so terrible to stay here for a time.

小舟放下，撐船的是羅索和老奧斯威爾。珊莎裹緊斗篷，蜷成一團，拉起兜帽遮擋寒風，不知前方等待著的是何種命運。仆人們走出塔樓，前來迎接，包括一名消瘦的老嫗，一名肥胖的中年婦人，兩名白發(fā)蒼蒼的男子，還有位一只眼睛長腫塊的兩三歲女孩。他們認出培提爾大人，紛紛在巖石間跪下，“這就是我的一家人，”小指頭介紹，“不過我不認得那孩子，大概又是卡拉的雜種。她每年都要生出個崽子來?！?/p>

Lothor and old Oswell rowed them ashore. Sansa huddled in the bow under her cloak with the hood drawn up against the wind, wondering what awaited her. Servants emerged from the tower to meet them; a thin old woman and a fat middle-aged one, two ancient white-haired men, and a girl of two or three with a sty on one eye. When they recognized Lord Petyr they knelt on the rocks. “My household,” he said. “I don’t know the child. Another of Kella’s bastards, I suppose. She pops one out every few years.”

兩位老人走到及腿深的水中，將珊莎抱出小舟，以免弄濕裙子。奧斯威爾、羅索和小指頭三人則自行上岸。領主給了老嫗一吻，又朝中年婦人微笑，“她爹是誰，卡拉？”

The two old men waded out up to their thighs to lift Sansa from the boat so she would not get her skirts wet. Oswell and Lothor splashed their way ashore, as did Littlefinger himself. He gave the old woman a kiss on the cheek and grinned at the younger one. “Who fathered this one, Kella?”

胖婦人哈哈大笑，“說不準呢，大人，我可來者不拒?！?/p>

The fat woman laughed. “I can’t rightly say, m’lord. I’m not one for telling them no.”

“好人兒，附近的小伙子真有福氣?！?/p>

“And all the local lads are grateful, I am quite sure.”

“大人，歡迎您回家?！逼渲幸晃焕先说?。照面相看，他至少有八十歲，但還穿一身鑲釘皮甲，腰掛長劍?！按舜螠蕚渚幼《嗑媚兀俊?/p>

“It is good to have you home, my lord,” said one old man. He looked to be at least eighty, but he wore a studded brigantine and a longsword at his side. “How long will you be in residence?”

“越短越好，拜蘭，你別擔心，我不會添麻煩。這地方能住嗎？”

“As short a time as possible, Bryen, have no fear. Is the place habitable just now, would you say?”

“假如先知道您回來，我們定會鋪上新草席，大人，”老嫗道，“好在糞便不缺，生火沒問題。”

“If we knew you was coming we would have laid down fresh rushes, m’lord,” said the crone. “There’s a dung fire burning.”

“糞便，啊，家園的味道，”培提爾轉向珊莎，“吉賽爾從前是我奶媽，如今替我管理城堡，伍佛德則是我領地的總管，而拜蘭呢——拜蘭，我離開前封你做侍衛(wèi)隊長了，對吧？”

“Nothing says home like the smell of burning dung.” Petyr turned to Sansa. “Grisel was my wet nurse, but she keeps my castle now. Umfred’s my steward, and Bryen—didn’t I name you captain of the guard the last time I was here?”

“是的，大人。您說會帶些精壯青年回來幫忙，卻不守承諾，我只好領著我的狗到處巡邏?！?/p>

“You did, my lord. You said you’d be getting some more men too, but you never did. Me and the dogs stand all the watches.”

“你工作很負責任，對此我不得不表示感謝。剛才親眼點過了，石頭和羊屎半分不少，”他指指胖婦人，“卡拉照管著我的牧群。卡拉，現(xiàn)下我們有幾只羊？”

“And very well, I’m sure. No one has made off with any of my rocks or sheep pellets, I see that plainly.” Petyr gestured toward the fat woman. “Kella minds my vast herds. How many sheep do I have at present, Kella?”

對方考慮了一會兒，“二十三只，大人。前不久有二十九只，可拜蘭的狗吃了一只，我們又宰了幾只，將肉腌制好過冬?！?/p>

She had to think a moment. “Three and twenty, m’lord. There was nine and twenty, but Bryen’s dogs killed one and we butchered some others and salted down the meat.”

“啊，冰冷的腌羊肉，純正家鄉(xiāng)口味！我明天的早餐，多半得就著海鷗蛋和海草湯吃它！”

“Ah, cold salt mutton. I must be home. When I break my fast on gulls’ eggs and seaweed soup, I’ll be certain of it.”

“希望您滿意，大人?！崩蠇灱悹栒f。

“If you like, m’lord,” said the old woman Grisel.

培提爾公爵扮個鬼臉，“來吧，瞧瞧我的廳堂是否還有記憶中的陰暗。”他當先領大家穿越海岸，踏過海草纏繞的滑溜巖石。荒塔底，幾只羊漫無目的地游蕩，不時咀嚼羊圈間和茅屋頂?shù)哪屈c薄草。珊莎走得很小心，因為到處都是屎。

Lord Petyr made a face. “Come, let’s see if my hall is as dreary as I recall.” He led them up the strand over rocks slick with rotting seaweed. A handful of sheep were wandering about the base of the flint tower, grazing on the thin grass that grew between the sheepfold and thatched stable. Sansa had to step carefully; there were pellets everywhere.

塔樓內部窄得嚇人。墻面上有一道蜿蜒敞開的螺旋梯，從地下室直通塔頂，每層樓只有一個房間。仆人們吃住都在底樓廚房，與一只巨大的斑紋獒犬和六七只牧羊犬同居。二樓是一個小廳，三樓則為臥室。廳內沒有窗戶，好歹樓梯間隔中開了些箭孔。壁爐頂掛著一把破損的長劍和一張擊扁的橡木盾牌，其上裝飾幾不可辨。

Within, the tower seemed even smaller. An open stone stair wound round the inside wall, from undercroft to roof. Each floor was but a single room. The servants lived and slept in the kitchen at ground level, sharing the space with a huge brindled mastiff and a half-dozen sheep-dogs. Above that was a modest hall, and higher still the bedchamber. There were no windows, but arrowslits were embedded in the outer wall at intervals along the curve of the stair. Above the hearth hung a broken longsword and a battered oaken shield, its paint cracked and flaking.

珊莎根本不認得這個紋章：嫩綠底色上一只有兇猛眼睛的灰石腦袋?！斑@是我祖父的盾牌，”培提爾跟她解釋，“他的父親則是布拉佛斯傭兵。他到谷地為科布瑞大人效力，受封騎士后，選了布拉佛斯泰坦巨人的頭作為紋章。”

The device painted on the shield was one Sansa did not know; a grey stone head with fiery eyes, upon a light green field. “My grandfather’s shield,” Petyr explained when he saw her gazing at it. “His own father was born in Braavos and came to the Vale as a sellsword in the hire of Lord Corbray, so my grandfather took the head of the Titan as his sigil when he was knighted.”

“看起來真威猛。”珊莎道。

“It’s very fierce,” said Sansa.

“是啊，很威猛，可惜我這后人孱弱得要命，”培提爾說，“只好挑了仿聲鳥?！?/p>

“Rather too fierce, for an amiable fellow like me,” said Petyr. “I much prefer my mockingbird.”

閑話期間，奧斯威爾又往返人魚王號兩次，卸下補給，其中包括多桶葡萄酒。培提爾依約為珊莎滿上一杯，“來，小姐，喝了提神?！?/p>

Oswell made two more trips out to the Merling King to offload provisions. Among the loads he brought ashore were several casks of wine. Petyr poured Sansa a cup, as promised. “Here, my lady, that should help your tummy, I would hope.”

腳踏地面，珊莎感覺好多了，但她還是乖乖地雙手舉杯，吮了一口。酒是好酒，青亭島佳釀，帶著橡木、水果和盛夏的味道，在口中綻放，好似艷陽下的花朵。她不禁暗暗祈禱自己別要迷醉，培提爾如此熱心腸，可不能在他面前失態(tài)。

Having solid ground beneath her feet had helped already, but Sansa dutifully lifted the goblet with both hands and took a sip. The wine was very fine; an Arbor vintage, she thought. It tasted of oak and fruit and hot summer nights, the flavors blossoming in her mouth like flowers opening to the sun. She only prayed that she could keep it down. Lord Petyr was being so kind, she did not want to spoil it all by retching on him.

他邊喝酒邊審視她，明亮的灰綠眼睛里滿是……興致？到底是什么？珊莎不確定?！凹悹?，”他召喚老嫗，“送點吃的上來。口味別太重，小姐她不舒服?；蛟S水果就行，奧斯威爾帶了一些橙子和石榴?！?/p>

He was studying her over his own goblet, his bright grey-green eyes full of … was it amusement? Or something else? Sansa was not certain. “Grisel,” he called to the old woman, “bring some food up. Nothing too heavy, my lady has a tender tummy. Some fruit might serve, perhaps. Oswell’s brought some oranges and pomegranates from the King.”

“是，大人。”

“Yes, m’lord.”

“我可以洗個熱水澡嗎？”珊莎問。

“Might I have a hot bath as well?” asked Sansa.

“我這就安排卡拉去取水，小姐?！?/p>

“I’ll have Kella draw some water, m’lady.”

于是她又吮一口酒，努力思考該說點什么得體話兒。培提爾大人省了她的煩惱，吉賽爾等仆人離開后，他便開口道，“萊莎不日即至，且并非單獨一人，在她抵達之前，我們必須澄清你的身份問題?！?/p>

Sansa took another sip of wine and tried to think of some polite conversation, but Lord Petyr saved her the effort. When Grisel and the other servants had gone, he said, “Lysa will not come alone. Before she arrives, we must be clear on who you are.”

“我……我不明白。”

“Who I … I don’t understand.”

“瓦里斯到處都有眼線。假如珊莎·史塔克出現(xiàn)在谷地，不出半月就會教他知道，這將造成許多不必要的……麻煩。安全起見，你不能再冠史塔克的姓，我們得告訴萊莎的隨從你是我的庶出女兒?！?/p>

“Varys has informers everywhere. If Sansa Stark should be seen in the Vale, the eunuch will know within a moon’s turn, and that would create unfortunate … complications. It is not safe to be a Stark just now. So we shall tell Lysa’s people that you are my natural daughter.”

“庶出？”珊莎嚇呆了，“您的意思是……讓我當私生女？”

“Natural?” Sansa was aghast. “You mean, a bastard?”

“是啊，總不能說你是我的親生女吧，大家都知道我沒結過婚。你叫什么名字？”

“Well, you can scarcely be my trueborn daughter. I’ve never taken a wife, that’s well known. What should you be called?”

“我……我可以用母親的名……”

“I … I could call myself after my mother …”

“凱特琳？太明顯……不過倒可用我母親的名——阿蓮。你意下如何？”

“Catelyn? A bit too obvious … but after my mother, that would serve. Alayne. Do you like it?”

“阿蓮是個好名字，”珊莎暗暗希望自己別要忘記才好，“可……可我就不能當您手下某位騎士的親生女嗎？他在戰(zhàn)斗中英勇獻身，因此……”

“Alayne is pretty.” Sansa hoped she would remember. “But couldn’t I be the trueborn daughter of some knight in your service? Perhaps he died gallantly in the battle, and …”

“我手下沒有英勇騎士，阿蓮。這個故事講出去，別人就會跟烏鴉尋覓腐尸一樣圍攏探聽。相反，查問私生子女卻極不禮貌，”他抬起頭，“告訴我，你叫什么名字？”

“I have no gallant knights in my service, Alayne. Such a tale would draw unwanted questions as a corpse draws crows. It is rude to pry into the origins of a man’s natural children, however.” He cocked his head. “So, who are you?”

“阿蓮……石東，是這樣么？”見他點頭，珊莎續(xù)道，“那我母親是誰？”

“Alayne … Stone, would it be?” When he nodded, she said, “But who is my mother?”

“卡拉？”

“Kella?”

“別，求求您?！彼鄲赖匕Ц?。

“Please no,” she said, mortified.

“我開玩笑呢，親愛的。你母親是布拉佛斯一位好人家的女兒，你外祖父則是商界巨賈。當年我在海鷗鎮(zhèn)管理海關，與她有過一段姻緣，后來她于外地生你時因難產(chǎn)而死，新生兒便托付給了教會——樓上有數(shù)本禱告書，這幾天用心背些格言，到時候逢人就來幾句虔誠祝語，自然沒人有興趣多問了——當你有了月事以后，并不愿成為修女，因此給我寫信。這是我第一次知道你的存在，”他捻捻胡須，“記全了嗎？”

“I was teasing. Your mother was a gentlewoman of Braavos, daughter of a merchant prince. We met in Gulltown when I had charge of the port. She died giving you birth, and entrusted you to the Faith. I have some devotional books you can look over. Learn to quote from them. Nothing discourages unwanted questions as much as a flow of pious bleating. In any case, at your flowering you decided you did not wish to be a septa and wrote to me. That was the first I knew of your existence.” He fingered his beard. “Do you think you can remember all that?”

“應該行吧。這好像玩游戲……扮家家？”

“I hope. It will be like playing a game, won’t it?”

“沒錯，你喜歡玩游戲嗎，阿蓮？”

“Are you fond of games, Alayne?”

她還不習慣自己的新名字，“游戲？那……那得看什么游……”

The new name would take some getting used to. “Games? I … I suppose it would depend …”

他不及回答，吉賽爾就托著一個大盤子進來，放在他倆之間。盤里有許多蘋果、梨子和石榴，幾串干癟的葡萄，一個大血橙，此外還有一輪面包和一壇黃油。培提爾用匕首將石榴剖成兩半，示意珊莎拿一半，“吃點壓驚，小姐?！?/p>

Grisel reappeared before he could say more, balancing a large platter. She set it down between them. There were apples and pears and pomegranates, some sad-looking grapes, a huge blood orange. The old woman had brought a round of bread as well, and a crock of butter. Petyr cut a pomegranate in two with his dagger, offering half to Sansa. “You should try and eat, my lady.”

“謝謝您，大人，”石榴子太小，她換成梨子，淺細精致地咬上七一口。這梨已經(jīng)熟透，果汁沿著下巴流淌。

“Thank you, my lord.” Pomegranate seeds were so messy; Sansa chose a pear instead, and took a small delicate bite. It was very ripe. The juice ran down her chin.

培提爾大人用匕首挑出石榴子，“我明白，你很思念自己的親爹，艾德大人人好，又勇敢、又誠實、又忠心……可在這場游戲里面，卻是個無可救藥的玩家。”他把挑著果實的匕首尖送到嘴邊，“君臨城內，只有兩種人。要么當玩家，要么做棋子。”

Lord Petyr loosened a seed with the point of his dagger. “You must miss your father terribly, I know. Lord Eddard was a brave man, honest and loyal … but quite a hopeless player.” He brought the seed to his mouth with the knife. “In King’s Landing, there are two sorts of people. The players and the pieces.”

“而我就是一個棋子？”她很害怕答案。

“And I was a piece?” She dreaded the answer.

“沒錯，但你無須擔憂，因為你還小。每個人都是從棋子開始做起的，男人女人都一樣。有些人自以為是玩家，其實……”他咀嚼著果實，“最明顯的例子是瑟曦。自以為聰明絕頂，機關算盡，其實走的每一步都不難預料。她的權力根基于她的美貌、家世和財富，實際上，除了第一點，后兩者都是虛幻，而沒有人能永葆青春。她渴望權力，當真正掌握了權力，卻不知該如何運用。阿蓮，每個人都有渴望，了解他們的渴望，就能了解對方，然后就可以操縱他?！?/p>

“Yes, but don’t let that trouble you. You’re still half a child. Every man’s a piece to start with, and every maid as well. Even some who think they are players.” He ate another seed. “Cersei, for one. She thinks herself sly, but in truth she is utterly predictable. Her strength rests on her beauty, birth, and riches. Only the first of those is truly her own, and it will soon desert her. I pity her then. She wants power, but has no notion what to do with it when she gets it. Everyone wants something, Alayne. And when you know what a man wants you know who he is, and how to move him.”

“所以你可以操縱唐托斯爵士去毒死喬佛里？”她認定這事是唐托斯干的。

“As you moved Ser Dontos to poison Joffrey?” It had to have been Dontos, she had concluded.

小指頭哈哈大笑，“紅騎士唐托斯爵士不過是會走路的酒袋而已，我可不敢將重擔托付給他，瞧他那德行，要么搞砸，要么出賣秘密。不，唐托斯只負責將你送出城堡……以及確保你在宴會上戴著銀絲發(fā)網(wǎng)?！?/p>

Littlefinger laughed. “Ser Dontos the Red was a skin of wine with legs. He could never have been trusted with a task of such enormity. He would have bungled it or betrayed me. No, all Dontos had to do was lead you from the castle … and make certain you wore your silver hair net.”

黑紫晶?！叭绻绻皇翘仆兴梗怯謺钦l呢？您還有其他……棋子？”

The black amethysts. “But … if not Dontos, who? Do you have other … pieces?”

“翻遍君臨，你也找不到一個人胸前縫有仿聲鳥紋章，可這并不意味著我培提爾在城中沒有朋友，”他走到樓梯口，“上來，奧斯威爾，珊莎小姐要見你。”

“You could turn King’s Landing upside down and not find a single man with a mockingbird sewn over his heart, but that does not mean I am friendless.” Petyr went to the steps. “Oswell, come up here and let the Lady Sansa have a look at you.”

老人片刻之后登上二樓，笑嘻嘻地鞠了個躬。珊莎茫然地打量他，“這是什么意思？”

The old man appeared a few moments later, grinning and bowing. Sansa eyed him uncertainly. “What am I supposed to see?”

“你不認得他？”培提爾問。

“Do you know him?” asked Petyr.

“不認得?！?/p>

“No.”

“仔細看清楚?！?/p>

“Look closer.”

老人的面頰歷經(jīng)風霜，大鷹鉤鼻，白頭發(fā)，一雙肌肉糾結的巨手。是有幾分面熟，但她就是說不上來，“真的不認得?？梢钥隙?，我上船以前沒見過這位奧斯威爾大爺?！?/p>

She studied the old man’s lined windburnt face, hook nose, white hair, and huge knuckly hands. There was something familiar about him, yet Sansa had to shake her head. “I don’t. I never saw Oswell before I got into his boat, I’m certain.”

奧斯威爾咧嘴一笑，露出滿嘴彎曲牙齒，“此話不假，但我那三個兒子，小姐您可是認得的?！?/p>

Oswell grinned, showing a mouth of crooked teeth. “No, but m’lady might of met my three sons.”

三個兒子……還有他的笑……“凱特布萊克！”珊莎瞪圓了眼睛，“你是個凱特布萊克！”

It was the “three sons,” and that smile too. “Kettleblack!” Sansa’s eyes went wide. “You’re a Kettleblack!”

“是的，小姐，您說得沒錯?！?/p>

“Aye, m’lady, as it please you.”

“瞧瞧，小姐因為回憶而喜悅著呢?！迸嗵釥柎笕藫]手驅走下人，繼續(xù)吃石榴。“你來說說，阿蓮——什么東西更危險，是手舞大刀長矛的敵人，還是神不知鬼不覺隱藏在背后的匕首？”

“She’s beside herself with joy.” Lord Petyr dismissed him with a wave, and returned to the pomegranate again as Oswell shuffled down the steps. “Tell me, Alayne—which is more dangerous, the dagger brandished by an enemy, or the hidden one pressed to your back by someone you never even see?”

“匕首?！?/p>

“The hidden dagger.”

“聰明的孩子，”他微笑贊揚，石榴子里流出的鮮紅汁水，淌下細嘴唇，“當初太后的衛(wèi)隊被小惡魔支開后，她忙著要藍賽爾爵士去為她招募人手。藍賽爾找到凱特布萊克，你的小丈夫很開心，因為他早已通過波隆付錢給他們三位，”小指頭咯咯發(fā)笑，“可是呢，他們三個之所以會被奧斯威爾派去君臨，完全是因為我得知了波隆正四處收買傭兵的消息。你瞧，阿蓮，這就是三把隱藏的匕首，完美之極?！?/p>

“There’s a clever girl.” He smiled, his thin lips bright red from the pomegranate seeds. “When the Imp sent off her guards, the queen had Ser Lancel hire sellswords for her. Lancel found her the Kettleblacks, which delighted your little lord husband, since the lads were in his pay through his man Bronn.” He chuckled. “But it was me who told Oswell to get his sons to King’s Landing when I learned that Bronn was looking for swords. Three hidden daggers, Alayne, now perfectly placed.”

“所以是凱特布萊克中的一位往小喬杯里下的毒？”記得奧斯蒙爵士整晚都在國王身邊。

“So one of the Kettleblacks put the poison in Joff’s cup?” Ser Osmund had been near the king all night, she remembered.

“我可沒這么說，”培提爾用匕首將血橙切為兩半，并將一半遞給珊莎，“這三個小伙子反復無常，怎能參與此等密謀？……尤其是奧斯蒙，加入了御林鐵衛(wèi)，白袍多少會改變一個人的心智，連他那樣的無賴也難保不受影響。”他張開嘴巴，用手將血橙一擠，果汁便沒有濺出來?！拔蚁矚g果汁，但討厭它們粘上手指，”他一邊抱怨，一邊揩手，“把手擦干凈，珊莎，無論做什么，記得把手擦干凈?！?/p>

“Did I say that?” Lord Petyr cut the blood orange in two with his dagger and offered half to Sansa. “The lads are far too treacherous to be part of any such scheme … and Osmund has become especially unreliable since he joined the Kingsguard. That white cloak does things to a man, I find. Even a man like him.” He tilted his chin back and squeezed the blood orange, so the juice ran down into his mouth. “I love the juice but I loathe the sticky fingers,” he complained, wiping his hands. “Clean hands, Sansa. Whatever you do, make certain your hands are clean.”

珊莎優(yōu)雅地用匙子挖果肉吃，“如果既不是凱特布萊克，也不是唐托斯爵士，您……您自己不在城中，又不是提利昂……”

Sansa spooned up some juice from her own orange. “But if it wasn’t the Kettleblacks and it wasn’t Ser Dontos … you weren’t even in the city, and it couldn’t have been Tyrion …”

“猜不出來啦，親愛的？”

“No more guesses, sweetling?”

她搖搖頭，“我……”

She shook her head. “I don’t …”

培提爾微笑，“我敢肯定，那天早些時候有人感嘆你亂了頭發(fā)，好心地為你整理發(fā)網(wǎng)?！?/p>

Petyr smiled. “I will wager you that at some point during the evening someone told you that your hair net was crooked and straightened it for you.”

珊莎驚得以手掩嘴，“您是說……可她要帶我去高庭，讓我嫁給她……”

Sansa raised a hand to her mouth. “You cannot mean … she wanted to take me to Highgarden, to marry me to her grandson …”

“……溫和、虔誠、好心腸的孫子維拉斯·提利爾。幸虧你沒和他結婚，否則定然無聊至死。不過這老太婆倒?jié)娎钡镁o，連我也不得不甘拜下風。她是個可怕的潑婦，外表虛弱不過是裝裝樣子。當初我去高庭聯(lián)絡瑪格麗的婚事，她一面安排自己的公爵兒子來嚇唬我，一面私下旁敲側擊喬佛里的情況。當然啰，我在那邊大吹法螺，把小喬捧上了天……然而我的部下卻在提利爾公爵的下人中間散播一些令人困擾的謠言。這場游戲就這樣開始了?！?/p>

“Gentle, pious, good-hearted Willas Tyrell. Be grateful you were spared, he would have bored you spitless. The old woman is not boring, though, I’ll grant her that. A fearsome old harridan, and not near as frail as she pretends. When I came to Highgarden to dicker for Margaery’s hand, she let her lord son bluster while she asked pointed questions about Joffrey’s nature. I praised him to the skies, to be sure … whilst my men spread disturbing tales amongst Lord Tyrell’s servants. That is how the game is played.

“讓洛拉斯爵士穿上白袍出自我的計謀。很明顯，我不會笨到直接建議，我先要手下在席間肆意宣揚某些毛骨悚然的故事，比如暴民們如何殺害普列斯頓·格林菲爾爵士，如何強暴洛麗絲小姐等等，然后呢，高庭圈養(yǎng)的歌手那么多，給點銀子，他們很樂意把萊安·雷德溫、‘鏡盾’薩文和龍騎士伊蒙王子頌揚一番。時機恰當?shù)脑?，豎琴比寶劍更管用?！?/p>

“I also planted the notion of Ser Loras taking the white. Not that I suggested it, that would have been too crude. But men in my party supplied grisly tales about how the mob had killed Ser Preston Greenfield and raped the Lady Lollys, and slipped a few silvers to Lord Tyrell’s army of singers to sing of Ryam Redwyne, Serwyn of the Mirror Shield, and Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. A harp can be as dangerous as a sword, in the right hands.

“于是乎梅斯·提利爾頭腦發(fā)熱，以為自己想出個高招兒，堅持要在婚約條款中加上洛拉斯爵士參加御林鐵衛(wèi)這一條。用光鮮英勇的騎士兒子來保護寶貝女兒，不是最合適之道么？再說，這還一并省卻不少麻煩，洛拉斯只是三子，將來需要領地和新娘，而他這個人……呵呵，要找對象可不容易?！?/p>

“Mace Tyrell actually thought it was his own idea to make Ser Loras’s inclusion in the Kingsguard part of the marriage contract. Who better to protect his daughter than her splendid knightly brother? And it relieved him of the difficult task of trying to find lands and a bride for a third son, never easy, and doubly difficult in Ser Loras’s case.