“事態(tài)發(fā)展必定觸動(dòng)奧蓮娜夫人，她比她兒子精明，一方面不容許小喬對(duì)自己寶貝孫女可能的傷害，另一方面更清楚洛拉斯爵士固然外表光鮮英勇，骨子里卻是個(gè)不折不扣的詹姆·蘭尼斯特。把他、喬佛里和瑪格麗放在一起，遲早會(huì)出大事。老太婆看得很明白，雖然她兒子打定主意要瑪格麗當(dāng)上王后，因此需要一個(gè)國(guó)王……但并非一定是喬佛里。瞧好了，君臨城內(nèi)很快又得上演一出婚禮，主角則換成托曼和瑪格麗。瑪格麗保住了后冠和貞操，雖然兩樣都不一定合她的意，可她的愿望又有什么打緊？關(guān)鍵是西部大聯(lián)盟得以延續(xù)……至少，暫時(shí)如此?！?/p>
“Be that as it may. Lady Olenna was not about to let Joff harm her precious darling granddaughter, but unlike her son she also realized that under all his flowers and finery, Ser Loras is as hot-tempered as Jaime Lannister. Toss Joffrey, Margaery, and Loras in a pot, and you’ve got the makings for kingslayer stew. The old woman understood something else as well. Her son was determined to make Margaery a queen, and for that he needed a king … but he did not need Joffrey. We shall have another wedding soon, wait and see. Margaery will marry Tommen. She’ll keep her queenly crown and her maidenhead, neither of which she especially wants, but what does that matter? The great western alliance will be preserved … for a time, at least.”
瑪格麗和托曼。珊莎不知該說什么才好。她喜歡過瑪格麗·提利爾與她那瘦小尖酸的祖母，渴望過繁花遍地、鶯聲蕊舞的高庭，夢(mèng)想過乘坐花船沿曼德河觀光——而今卻來到這片荒涼孤寂的海岸。至少我在這里很安全，她安慰自己，喬佛里死了，再不可能來傷害我。我成了私生女，阿蓮·石東沒有丈夫，沒有繼承權(quán)，也沒有人關(guān)注。姨媽就要到來，君臨的長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)噩夢(mèng)將被拋諸身后，連帶我可笑的婚姻。正如培提爾所說，我可以在這里打造一個(gè)屬于我的家。
Margaery and Tommen. Sansa did not know what to say. She had liked Margaery Tyrell, and her small sharp grandmother as well. She thought wistfully of Highgarden with its courtyards and musicians, and the pleasure barges on the Mander; a far cry from this bleak shore. At least I am safe here. Joffrey is dead, he cannot hurt me anymore, and I am only a bastard girl now. Alayne Stone has no husband and no claim. And her aunt would soon be here as well. The long nightmare of King’s Landing was behind her, and her mockery of a marriage as well. She could make herself a new home here, just as Petyr said.
他們等了八天，其中五天下雨，珊莎只能無聊地坐在壁爐邊，暗自焦慮。有只瞎眼老狗陪著她，它沒了牙齒、病懨懨的，已無法跟隨拜蘭四處巡邏，只能成天睡大覺。不過當(dāng)珊莎拍它時(shí)，它會(huì)哀叫幾聲，舔她的手掌，于是他們很快成了朋友。雨停之后，培提爾帶她參觀領(lǐng)地，不出半日就走了個(gè)遍。正如他先前所言，他的確只繼承了一堆石頭。海邊某塊巖石中央有個(gè)洞，潮水涌來，形成三十尺高的噴泉，便是最好的風(fēng)景；另一塊巖崖上鑿了七芒星——培提爾說這是紀(jì)念昔日安達(dá)爾人登陸之處，他們渡海而來，將先民趕出谷地。
It was eight long days until Lysa Arryn arrived. On five of them it rained, while Sansa sat bored and restless by the fire, beside the old blind dog. He was too sick and toothless to walk guard with Bryen anymore, and mostly all he did was sleep, but when she patted him he whined and licked her hand, and after that they were fast friends. When the rains let up, Petyr walked with her around his holdings, which took less than half a day. He owned a lot of rocks, just as he had said. There was one place where the tide came jetting up out of a blowhole to shoot thirty feet into the air, and another where someone had chiseled the seven-pointed star of the new gods upon a boulder. Petyr said that marked one of the places the Andals had landed, when they came across the sea to wrest the Vale from the First Men.
十幾戶人家住在內(nèi)地，靠著個(gè)泥沼，搭了些石屋?！斑@就是我的子民?！迸嗵釥柦榻B，不過他們中似乎只有長(zhǎng)者才認(rèn)得他。據(jù)說領(lǐng)內(nèi)還有一個(gè)隱者居住的山洞，但里面已沒人了?！八懒恕Ｐr(shí)候父親帶我去見過他一面，這人四十年沒洗一次澡，你可以想象那種味道。他自稱具有預(yù)言能力，看了我的手相后，說我將來會(huì)成為大人物，然后父親給了他一袋酒?！迸嗵釥栢椭员?，“這把戲我也做得來，半杯酒也不該給他?！?/p>
Farther inland a dozen families lived in huts of piled stone beside a peat bog. “Mine own smallfolk,” Petyr said, though only the oldest seemed to know him. There was a hermit’s cave on his land as well, but no hermit. “He’s dead now, but when I was a boy my father took me to see him. The man had not washed in forty years, so you can imagine how he smelled, but supposedly he had the gift of prophecy. He groped me a bit and said I would be a great man, and for that my father gave him a skin of wine.” Petyr snorted. “I would have told him the same thing for half a cup.”
第九天下午，灰暗多風(fēng)，拜蘭領(lǐng)著狂吠不休的狗群回來，報(bào)告西南方向有大群騎士出現(xiàn)?！叭R莎到了，”培提爾大人說，“來，阿蓮，我們?nèi)ビ?。?/p>
Finally, on a grey windy afternoon, Bryen came running back to the tower with his dogs barking at his heels, to announce that riders were approaching from the southwest. “Lysa,” Lord Petyr said. “Come, Alayne, let us greet her.”
于是他們穿好斗篷，在塔樓外等候。來者不到二十人，就鷹巢城夫人這般顯赫的大貴族而言，規(guī)格算是很樸素了。隊(duì)伍中有三位侍女，十來個(gè)全副武裝的騎士，一位修士和一個(gè)留小胡子、有沙色長(zhǎng)卷發(fā)的英俊歌手。
They put on their cloaks and waited outside. The riders numbered no more than a score; a very modest escort, for the Lady of the Eyrie. Three maids rode with her, and a dozen household knights in mail and plate. She brought a septon as well, and a handsome singer with a wisp of a mustache and long sandy curls.
這就是我姨媽？萊莎應(yīng)該比母親晚兩年出生，可眼前的女人看上去卻足足年長(zhǎng)十歲。她蓬厚的紅棕色頭發(fā)流瀉至腰，昂貴的天鵝絨裙服和寶石胸衣下，身體顯得臃腫松弛。她蒼白的臉頰撲了粉，乳房碩大，四肢肥胖，不僅身高超過小指頭，體重也肯定超過了他。萊莎急切地下馬，不帶一絲一毫的優(yōu)雅。
Could that be my aunt? Lady Lysa was two years younger than Mother, but this woman looked ten years older. Thick auburn tresses fell down past her waist, but beneath the costly velvet gown and jeweled bodice her body sagged and bulged. Her face was pink and painted, her breasts heavy, her limbs thick. She was taller than Littlefinger, and heavier; nor did she show any grace in the clumsy way she climbed down off her horse.
培提爾跪在地上親吻她的手指，“我受御前會(huì)議差遣，不遠(yuǎn)萬里前來贏取您的芳心。夫人，您愿意接受我為您的夫君和依靠嗎？”
Petyr knelt to kiss her fingers. “The king’s small council commanded me to woo and win you, my lady. Do you think you might have me for your lord and husband?”
萊莎夫人熱切地舔舔嘴唇，拉他起來，在他臉上印下深深一吻，“噢，那得看你的表現(xiàn)啰，”她咯咯笑道，“為贏取我的芳心，你準(zhǔn)備了什么禮物？”
Lady Lysa pooched her lips and pulled him up to plant a kiss upon his cheek. “Oh, mayhaps I could be persuaded.” She giggled. “Have you brought gifts to melt my heart?”
“王國(guó)的和平?！?/p>
“The king’s peace.”
“噢，去他的和平，你到底準(zhǔn)備禮物沒有？”
“Oh, poo to the peace, what else have you brought me?”
“我?guī)砹宋业呐畠?，”小指頭招手示意珊莎上前，“夫人，請(qǐng)?jiān)试S我向您介紹阿蓮·石東小姐?！?/p>
“My daughter.” Littlefinger beckoned Sansa forward with a hand. “My lady, allow me to present you Alayne Stone.”
看到她，萊莎夫人似乎不太高興。珊莎深深地屈膝行禮，頭壓得很低?！八缴?？”她聽見姨媽說，“培提爾，你這大壞蛋，她的娘是誰？”
Lysa Arryn did not seem greatly pleased to see her. Sansa did a deep curtsy, her head bowed. “A bastard?” she heard her aunt say. “Petyr, have you been wicked? Who was her mother?”
“那女人已經(jīng)死了。我想把阿蓮帶到鷹巢城撫養(yǎng)?！?/p>
“The wench is dead. I’d hoped to take Alayne to the Eyrie.”
“那我該拿她怎么辦？”
“What am I to do with her there?”
“這些我都考慮周全了，”培提爾大人道，“現(xiàn)在嘛……我只想知道我該拿您怎么辦，夫人?！?/p>
“I have a few notions,” said Lord Petyr. “But just now I am more interested in what I might do with you, my lady.”
聽到這話，姨媽那張粉紅圓臉上所有的不快頓時(shí)煙消云散，珊莎覺得萊莎幾乎要哭了?！芭嗵釥枌氊悆海阒恢?？我真的好想你，不，你不知道，你不可能知道。約恩·羅伊斯成天給我制造麻煩，鼓吹應(yīng)該召集封臣，投入戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)。其他人更是像烏鴉一樣聚集在我身邊，杭特、科布瑞還有奈斯特·羅伊斯那頭笨牛……個(gè)個(gè)都想娶我為妻，收養(yǎng)我的孩子，但他們都不愛我。只有你，培提爾，只有你。我天天夢(mèng)見你?！?/p>
All the sternness melted off her aunt’s round pink face, and for a moment Sansa thought Lysa Arryn was about to cry. “Sweet Petyr, I’ve missed you so, you don’t know, you can’t know. Yohn Royce has been stirring up all sorts of trouble, demanding that I call my banners and go to war. And the others all swarm around me, Hunter and Corbray and that dreadful Nestor Royce, all wanting to wed me and take my son to ward, but none of them truly love me. Only you, Petyr. I’ve dreamed of you so long.”
“我也一樣，夫人，”他伸手抱住她，親吻她的脖子，“放心，過不多久我們就要結(jié)婚了?！?/p>
“And I of you, my lady.” He slid an arm around behind her and kissed her on the neck. “How soon can we be wed?”
“不，我現(xiàn)在就要，”萊莎激動(dòng)地說，“我把我的修士帶來了，還有歌手和美酒，立即操辦婚宴?！?/p>
“Now,” said Lady Lysa, sighing. “I’ve brought my own septon, and a singer, and mead for the wedding feast.”
“在這里？”他不太高興，“我覺得還是緩一緩，到鷹巢城當(dāng)著全谷地諸侯的面結(jié)合比較妥當(dāng)?！?/p>
“Here?” That did not please him. “I’d sooner wed you at the Eyrie, with your whole court in attendance.”
“去他的谷地諸侯，我只要你。等了這么久，不能再等下去了，”她緊緊回抱住他，“親愛的，我們今晚就同床。我想為你再生個(gè)孩子，為勞勃再添個(gè)可愛的弟弟或者妹妹?！?/p>
“Poo to my court. I have waited so long, I could not bear to wait another moment.” She put her arms around him. “I want to share your bed tonight, my sweet. I want us to make another child, a brother for Robert or a sweet little daughter.”
“這也是我的夢(mèng)想，親愛的。但請(qǐng)你仔細(xì)想想，舉辦一次盛大的婚禮，當(dāng)著全谷地諸侯的面，有很多好——”
“I dream of that as well, sweetling. Yet there is much to be gained from a great public wedding, with all the Vale—”
“不行，”她頓足道，“我已經(jīng)說了，現(xiàn)在就要你，今晚就要你。我跟你說，這么多年來我被迫遮遮掩掩、躲躲藏藏，此刻只想尖叫吶喊。噢，親愛的培提爾，我想我的呻吟會(huì)讓他們?cè)邡棾渤巧隙悸牭玫?！?/p>
“No.” She stamped a foot. “I want you now, this very night. And I must warn you, after all these years of silence and whisperings, I mean to scream when you love me. I am going to scream so loud they’ll hear me in the Eyrie!”
“或許，我們可以先上床，后結(jié)婚？”
“Perhaps I could bed you now, and wed you later?”
萊莎夫人像個(gè)小女孩似的咯咯嬌笑，“噢，培提爾·貝里席，你真是個(gè)名副其實(shí)的大壞蛋。不行，我說不行就不行，我是鷹巢城夫人，我命令你必須立刻與我成婚！”
The Lady Lysa giggled like a girl. “Oh, Petyr Baelish, you are so wicked. No, I say no, I am the Lady of the Eyrie, and I command you to wed me this very moment!”
培提爾聳聳肩，“那好吧，謹(jǐn)遵夫人吩咐。在您面前，我從來都那么無力。”
Petyr gave a shrug. “As my lady commands, then. I am helpless before you, as ever.”
于是他倆一小時(shí)之后就站在一塊天藍(lán)色篷布前發(fā)下婚誓。夕陽西沉，人們把擱板桌搬到小塔樓下，享用了一頓包括鵝肉、鹿肉、烤野豬和上等輕度蜜酒的婚宴。暮色深重，火炬燃起，萊莎的歌手唱起《牢不可破的誓言》《我的戀愛季節(jié)》和《兩顆跳動(dòng)如一的心》，年輕騎士們邀請(qǐng)珊莎下場(chǎng)跳舞。姨媽也跳，她裙裾飛揚(yáng)，光芒四射，被培提爾攬?jiān)趹阎?。蜜酒與婚姻發(fā)揮出奇跡般的效用，讓萊莎夫人再度顯得年輕而充滿活力，只要挽起丈夫的手，她臉上就洋溢著歡笑。她的眼里滿是仰慕的神采，她眼里只有培提爾。
They said their vows within the hour, standing beneath a sky-blue canopy as the sun sank in the west. Afterward trestle tables were set up beneath the small flint tower, and they feasted on quail, venison, and roast boar, washing it down with a fine light mead. Torches were lit as dusk crept in. Lysa’s singer played “The Vow Unspoken” and “Seasons of My Love” and “Two Hearts That Beat as One.” Several younger knights even asked Sansa to dance. Her aunt danced as well, her skirts whirling when Petyr spun her in his arms. Mead and marriage had taken years off Lady Lysa. She laughed at everything so long as she held her husband’s hand, and her eyes seemed to glow whenever she looked at him.
鬧洞房的時(shí)間一到，她的騎士們便將她抱進(jìn)塔樓，邊開下流玩笑，邊把她剝個(gè)精光。提利昂沒讓我承受這些，珊莎想起來。按常理，若是被深愛的男子和他忠心耿耿的伙伴們脫下衣服，并不可怕?？墒?，被喬佛里……光想想就渾身打顫。
When it was time for the bedding, her knights carried her up to the tower, stripping her as they went and shouting bawdy jests. Tyrion spared me that, Sansa remembered. It would not have been so bad being undressed for a man she loved, by friends who loved them both. By Joffrey, though … She shuddered.
姨媽只帶來三個(gè)侍女，為湊熱鬧，珊莎也不得不去幫著脫培提爾大人的衣服，然后將其推向婚床。他泰然自若，優(yōu)雅順從，只是不斷開著惡毒玩笑。當(dāng)女人們把赤條條的領(lǐng)主擁上塔樓房間時(shí)，已經(jīng)個(gè)個(gè)面紅耳赤、衣冠不整、裙裾散亂。一路上，直到上床為止，小指頭的眼睛都盯著珊莎，微笑。
Her aunt had brought only three ladies with her, so they pressed Sansa to help them undress Lord Petyr and march him up to his marriage bed. He submitted with good grace and a wicked tongue, giving as good as he got. By the time they had gotten him into the tower and out of his clothes, the other women were flushed, with laces unlaced, kirtles crooked, and skirts in disarray. But Littlefinger only smiled at Sansa as they marched him up to the bedchamber where his lady wife was waiting.
萊莎夫人和培提爾大人同居在三樓，但這座塔如此之小，而姨媽果真沒有食言……她的呻吟聲好嚇人。夜雨飄飛，賓客們?nèi)壕墼诙切d，每個(gè)字、每個(gè)詞都聽得極為真切?！芭嗵釥?，”姨媽呻吟著，“噢，培提爾，培提爾，培提爾寶貝兒，噢噢噢。這里，培提爾，這里。這里是你的地盤。”萊莎夫人的歌手唱起一首淫詞小調(diào)《夫人用晚餐》，但歌聲和琴聲加在一起都無法壓過萊莎的尖叫?！敖o我一個(gè)孩子，培提爾，”她叫道，“再給我一個(gè)甜蜜的小可愛。噢，培提爾，我的心肝，我的心肝，培提提提提提提提爾！”她拖長(zhǎng)的聲調(diào)惹得狗們吠叫回應(yīng)，兩名侍女忍不住笑出聲來。
Lady Lysa and Lord Petyr had the third-story bedchamber to themselves, but the tower was small … and true to her word, her aunt screamed. It had begun to rain outside, driving the feasters into the hall one floor below, so they heard most every word. “Petyr,” her aunt moaned. “Oh, Petyr, Petyr, sweet Petyr, oh oh oh. There, Petyr, there. That’s where you belong.” Lady Lysa’s singer launched into a bawdy version of “Milady’s Supper,” but even his singing and playing could not drown out Lysa’s cries. “Make me a baby, Petyr,” she screamed, “make me another sweet little baby. Oh, Petyr, my precious, my precious, PEEEEEETYR!” Her last shriek was so loud that it set the dogs to barking, and two of her aunt’s ladies could scarce contain their mirth.
珊莎獨(dú)下樓梯，沒入夜色之中。綿薄細(xì)雨，灑在宴會(huì)的殘局上，空氣清新而潔凈。她不由得想起與提利昂的新婚之夜。吹滅蠟燭，我就是你的百花騎士，他這樣說，我可以當(dāng)你的好丈夫。但這不過是又一個(gè)蘭尼斯特的謊言。狗是可以嗅出謊話的，獵狗曾提醒她，那喑啞粗噶的聲調(diào)猶在耳際，你好好瞧瞧這地方，再聞個(gè)仔細(xì)，他們?nèi)际球_子……而且每一個(gè)都比你高明。她不知桑鐸·克里岡如今身在何處？知道喬佛里被害的消息嗎？知道又會(huì)關(guān)心嗎？他可是小喬多年的貼身護(hù)衛(wèi)啊。
Sansa went down the steps and out into the night. A light rain was falling on the remains of the feast, but the air smelled fresh and clean. The memory of her own wedding night with Tyrion was much with her. In the dark, I am the Knight of Flowers, he had said. I could be good to you. But that was only another Lannister lie. A dog can smell a lie, you know, the Hound had told her once. She could almost hear the rough rasp of his voice. Look around you, and take a good whiff. They’re all liars here, and every one better than you. She wondered what had become of Sandor Clegane. Did he know that they’d killed Joffrey? Would he care? He had been the prince’s sworn shield for years.
她在樓下佇立良久，回去時(shí)又濕又冷。黑暗的大廳內(nèi)只剩一點(diǎn)炭火余燼，呻吟聲已然停止。年輕歌手坐在角落里，悠然哼著小曲。一名姨媽的侍女正和一位坐了培提爾大人座位的騎士接吻，他們的手在彼此衣服下面忙個(gè)不休。其他人都喝醉了，有的甚至在廁所內(nèi)嘔吐。珊莎找到自己位于階梯下的小凹室，發(fā)覺拜蘭的盲狗也在，于是便偎到它身邊。它醒過來，舔舔她的臉?！翱蓱z的老獵狗?！彼呎f邊摸它的毛。
She stayed outside for a long time. When at last she sought her own bed, wet and chilled, only the dim glow of a peat fire lit the darkened hall. There was no sound from above. The young singer sat in a corner, playing a slow song to himself. One of her aunt’s maids was kissing a knight in Lord Petyr’s chair, their hands busy beneath each other’s clothing. Several men had drunk themselves to sleep, and one was in the privy, being noisily sick. Sansa found Bryen’s old blind dog in her little alcove beneath the steps, and lay down next to him. He woke and licked her face. “You sad old hound,” she said, ruffling his fur.
“阿蓮，”姨媽的歌手走過來，“可愛的阿蓮。我叫馬瑞里安，剛才見你從雨夜中返回，外面又冷又濕，只怕甚是難受，請(qǐng)讓我給你一點(diǎn)溫暖吧。”
“Alayne.” Her aunt’s singer stood over her. “Sweet Alayne. I am Marillion. I saw you come in from the rain. The night is chill and wet. Let me warm you.”
老狗抬頭咆哮，但歌手揚(yáng)手就是一拳，打得他嗚咽著逃開。
The old dog raised his head and growled, but the singer gave him a cuff and sent him slinking off, whimpering.
“馬瑞里安？”珊莎遲疑地說，“你……你真體貼，但……但請(qǐng)?jiān)?，我今天太累了?！?/p>
“Marillion?” she said, uncertain. “You are … kind to think of me, but … pray forgive me. I am very tired.”
“噢，你真是太美了。你知道嗎？整晚我都在腦海里為你編織歌曲。我為你的眼眸寫了一首小調(diào)，為你的嘴唇描繪一張曲譜，為你的乳房作下一篇詞話?？墒?，我不能把它們唱出來，因?yàn)榕c你的美麗相比，統(tǒng)統(tǒng)黯然失色，不值一提，”他坐上床，將手放到她大腿上，“噢，阿蓮，還是讓我的軀體來代替我的聲帶，為你放聲高歌吧?！?/p>
“And very beautiful. All night I have been making songs for you in my head. A lay for your eyes, a ballad for your lips, a duet to your breasts. I will not sing them, though. They were poor things, unworthy of such beauty.” He sat on her bed and put his hand on her leg. “Let me sing to you with my body instead.”
她聞到他的喘息，“你醉了?！?/p>
She caught a whiff of his breath. “You’re drunk.”
“不，我沒醉，蜜酒讓我興奮，我就像著了魔的詩(shī)人，”他的手滑進(jìn)她股間，“你也一樣?！?/p>
“I never get drunk. Mead only makes me merry. I am on fire.” His hand slipped up to her thigh. “And you as well.”
“放手！你瘋了嗎？”
“Unhand me. You forget yourself.”
“發(fā)發(fā)慈悲吧，我的美人兒。唱了那么久的戀歌，我早已熱情難耐，而你呢，我知道……私生女最有欲望。你今天為我而濕了嗎？”
“Mercy. I have been singing love songs for hours. My blood is stirred. And yours, I know … there’s no wench half so lusty as one bastard born. Are you wet for me?”
“我還是個(gè)黃花閨女?！彼舐暱棺h。
“I’m a maiden,” she protested.
“真的？噢，阿蓮，阿蓮，我可愛的處女情人，把你的貞操獻(xiàn)給我吧。諸神眷顧我們，我會(huì)叫得比萊莎夫人更嘹亮?！?/p>
“Truly? Oh, Alayne, Alayne, my fair maid, give me the gift of your innocence. You will thank the gods you did. I’ll have you singing louder than the Lady Lysa.”
珊莎用力掙脫，滿心恐懼，“你——你再不走開，我姨——我父親就會(huì)吊死你。你可知道？他乃堂堂的赫倫堡公爵。”
Sansa jerked away from him, frightened. “If you don’t leave me, my au—my father will hang you. Lord Petyr.”
“你說小指頭？”他吃吃笑道，“小姐啊，萊莎夫人喜歡我，勞勃大人更是離我不開。倘若你父親膽敢冒犯，我?guī)拙涓柙~便能毀了他。”他一只手放到她乳房，開始擠壓?！皝戆?，把這身濕衣服脫掉。我知道，你舍不得它們被撕爛。來吧，可愛的小姐，聽聽自己的心——”
“Littlefinger?” He chuckled. “Lady Lysa loves me well, and I am Lord Robert’s favorite. If your father offends me, I will destroy him with a verse.” He put a hand on her breast, and squeezed. “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes. You wouldn’t want them ripped, I know. Come, sweet lady, heed your heart—”
對(duì)面?zhèn)鱽礓撹F在皮革上滑動(dòng)的細(xì)微聲響，“唱歌的，”某人粗聲道，“不想惹麻煩的話，快滾?！惫饩€昏暗，但她看到金屬的反光。
Sansa heard the soft sound of steel on leather. “Singer,” a rough voice said, “best go, if you want to sing again.” The light was dim, but she saw a faint glimmer of a blade.
歌手也發(fā)現(xiàn)了?！白约赫覙纷尤ァ钡豆庖婚W，他厲聲慘嚎，“你動(dòng)家伙！”
The singer saw it too. “Find your own wench—” The knife flashed, and he cried out. “You cut me!”
“再不滾，就要你的命?！?/p>
“I’ll do worse, if you don’t go.”
馬瑞里安眨眼間不見蹤影。她的救星沒有離開，而是在黑暗中籠罩著她?！芭嗵釥柎笕嗣冶Ｗo(hù)你，”原來是羅索·布倫。不是獵狗，怎么可能是獵狗？這里只有羅索……
And quick as that, Marillion was gone. The other remained, looming over Sansa in the darkness. “Lord Petyr said watch out for you.” It was Lothor Brune’s voice, she realized. Not the Hound’s, no, how could it be? Of course it had to be Lothor …
當(dāng)晚珊莎徹底失眠，像在“人魚王號(hào)”上一般難受，輾轉(zhuǎn)反側(cè)。她夢(mèng)見垂死的喬佛里，抓向喉嚨，鮮血流下手指，但仔細(xì)一看，眼前竟是哥哥羅柏。她也夢(mèng)見自己的新婚之夜，提利昂用饑渴的眼神注視著她脫衣服，夢(mèng)中的提利昂生得十分高大，等爬上床來，她才發(fā)現(xiàn)他的一半臉頰已遭焚傷。“我要聽你唱一首歌。”他粗聲道，嚇得珊莎立刻驚醒。老盲狗又回到身旁，“你要是淑女就好了?！彼龑?duì)它說。
That night Sansa scarcely slept at all, but tossed and turned just as she had aboard the Merling King. She dreamt of Joffrey dying, but as he clawed at his throat and the blood ran down across his fingers she saw with horror that it was her brother Robb. And she dreamed of her wedding night too, of Tyrion’s eyes devouring her as she undressed. Only then he was bigger than Tyrion had any right to be, and when he climbed into the bed his face was scarred only on one side. “I’ll have a song from you,” he rasped, and Sansa woke and found the old blind dog beside her once again. “I wish that you were Lady,” she said.
清晨，吉賽爾爬上三樓，為領(lǐng)主和夫人送上一盤配有黃油、蜂蜜、水果和乳酪的早餐面包。她下樓時(shí)宣阿蓮上去。珊莎昏沉沉地想了半天才意識(shí)到指的是自己。
Come the morning, Grisel climbed up to the bedchamber to serve the lord and lady a tray of morning bread, with butter, honey, fruit, and cream. She returned to say that Alayne was wanted. Sansa was still drowsy from sleep. It took her a moment to remember that she was Alayne.
萊莎夫人還在床上，但培提爾大人業(yè)已穿戴整齊。“你姨媽想和你談?wù)?，”他邊穿鞋邊?duì)珊莎說，“我把你的真實(shí)身份告訴了她?！?/p>
Lady Lysa was still abed, but Lord Petyr was up and dressed. “Your aunt wishes to speak with you,” he told Sansa, as he pulled on a boot. “I’ve told her who you are.”
諸神保佑，“非……非常感謝，大人?！?/p>
Gods be good. “I … I thank you, my lord.”
培提爾套上第二只鞋?！拔沂軌蛄思亦l(xiāng)的滋味，今天下午，我們就啟程前往鷹巢城?！彼莿e夫人，從她唇上舔了一點(diǎn)蜂蜜，出門走下樓梯。
Petyr yanked on the other boot. “I’ve had about as much home as I can stomach. We’ll leave for the Eyrie this afternoon.” He kissed his lady wife and licked a smear of honey off her lips, then headed down the steps.
珊莎站在床腳，姨媽邊吃梨子邊審視她?！翱吹贸鰜?，”萊莎吐掉果核，“你繼承了凱特琳的容貌?！?/p>
Sansa stood by the foot of the bed while her aunt ate a pear and studied her. “I see it now,” the Lady Lysa said, as she set the core aside. “You look so much like Catelyn.”
“謝謝您?！?/p>
“It’s kind of you to say so.”
“我沒有夸張，而是說實(shí)話，你和她簡(jiǎn)直是一個(gè)模子打出來的……得有些防范措施，起程之前，你要把頭發(fā)染黑?！?/p>
“It was not meant as flattery. If truth be told, you look too much like Catelyn. Something must be done. We shall darken your hair before we bring you back to the Eyrie, I think.”
把頭發(fā)染黑？“遵命，萊莎阿姨?！?/p>
Darken my hair? “If it please you, Aunt Lysa.”
“萬不可如此稱呼，你的存在不能教君臨城內(nèi)眾人知曉，這樣我的小親親才不會(huì)受傷害。”她一點(diǎn)一點(diǎn)地咬蜂巢，“一直以來，我的首要目標(biāo)是讓谷地遠(yuǎn)離戰(zhàn)火。我們這邊土地豐饒，山脈險(xiǎn)峻，鷹巢城更是難攻不破，即使如此，若是惹怒了泰溫公爵也大大不妙?！比R莎吃完蜂巢，舔著手指上的蜜汁，“培提爾說，你嫁給了提利昂·蘭尼斯特。那可是個(gè)討厭的小壞蛋?！?/p>
“You must not call me that. No word of your presence here must be allowed to reach King’s Landing. I do not mean to have my son endangered.” She nibbled the corner of a honeycomb. “I have kept the Vale out of this war. Our harvest has been plentiful, the mountains protect us, and the Eyrie is impregnable. Even so, it would not do to draw Lord Tywin’s wroth down upon us.” Lysa set the comb down and licked honey from her fingers. “You were wed to Tyrion Lannister, Petyr says. That vile dwarf.”
“他們逼我嫁給他，并非出自本心?！?/p>
“They made me marry him. I never wanted it.”
“我不也一樣？”姨媽道，“瓊恩·艾林雖非侏儒，卻是個(gè)老頭。你看我現(xiàn)在的容顏，多半不以為然，可當(dāng)年我結(jié)婚時(shí)，美得讓你母親無地自容。那個(gè)瓊恩，他要的只是父親的軍隊(duì)，好支持他所鐘愛的孩子。我早該徹底回絕他，可看他那么老，能活幾年？牙齒掉了一半，呼吸聞起來活像酸敗的干酪……我最不能忍受的就是他的味道，培提爾的口氣多么清新明朗……你知道嗎？我的初吻便給了他。父親說他出身太低，簡(jiǎn)直是個(gè)無恥之徒，可我知道他總有一天能夠出人頭地。在我的要求下，瓊恩讓他管理海鷗鎮(zhèn)的海關(guān)，沒過多久，稅賦便翻了十番。夫君發(fā)現(xiàn)他的才干，就提拔他節(jié)節(jié)晉升，最后帶到君臨城中當(dāng)上財(cái)政大臣。接下來的幾年，對(duì)我來說真不容易，每天都能見到他，卻必須始終和那個(gè)冷冰冰的老頭待在一起。沒錯(cuò)，瓊恩懂得在床上履行責(zé)任，可連給我一個(gè)好孩子都做不到。他的種子又老又弱，我們之間有過三個(gè)男孩、三個(gè)女孩，結(jié)果除了我的小親親勞勃，一個(gè)也沒活成。我的小寶貝們?nèi)览玻蛇@老頭還每每臭氣熏天地爬上我的床鋪。你瞧，我說得沒錯(cuò)吧？我和你一樣，”萊莎夫人吸吸鼻子，“你知道你那可憐的母親已經(jīng)死了嗎？”
“No more than I did,” her aunt said. “Jon Arryn was no dwarf, but he was old. You may not think so to see me now, but on the day we wed I was so lovely I put your mother to shame. But all Jon desired was my father’s swords, to aid his darling boys. I should have refused him, but he was such an old man, how long could he live? Half his teeth were gone, and his breath smelled like bad cheese. I cannot abide a man with foul breath. Petyr’s breath is always fresh … he was the first man I ever kissed, you know. My father said he was too lowborn, but I knew how high he’d rise. Jon gave him the customs for Gulltown to please me, but when he increased the incomes tenfold my lord husband saw how clever he was and gave him other appointments, even brought him to King’s Landing to be master of coin. That was hard, to see him every day and still be wed to that old cold man. Jon did his duty in the bedchamber, but he could no more give me pleasure than he could give me children. His seed was old and weak. All my babies died but Robert, three girls and two boys. All my sweet little babies dead, and that old man just went on and on with his stinking breath. So you see, I have suffered too.” Lady Lysa sniffed. “You do know that your poor mother is dead?”
“提利昂對(duì)我說過，”珊莎道，“他說佛雷家族在孿河城中把母親和羅柏一起謀害了?！?/p>
“Tyrion told me,” said Sansa. “He said the Freys murdered her at The Twins, with Robb.”
萊莎夫人眼中陡然間噙滿淚花，“我跟你，都是同病相憐的苦命女子。你害怕嗎，孩子？勇敢起來，我絕不會(huì)拋棄凱特的女兒，我們是血脈相連的骨肉。”她示意珊莎靠近，“你可以吻我的臉頰，阿蓮?！?/p>
Tears welled suddenly in Lady Lysa’s eyes. “We are women alone now, you and I. Are you afraid, child? Be brave. I would never turn away Cat’s daughter. We are bound by blood.” She beckoned Sansa closer. “You may come kiss my cheek, Alayne.”
她乖乖走過去，跪在床邊。姨媽全身散發(fā)著甜膩的香水味，底下卻是一股酸敗的牛奶氣息。她臉上粉撲得太多了。
Dutifully she approached and knelt beside the bed. Her aunt was drenched in sweet scent, though under that was a sour milky smell. Her cheek tasted of paint and powder.
吻完后，珊莎向后退開，不料被萊莎夫人一把拽住。“現(xiàn)在給我說實(shí)話，”她尖聲道，“你懷孩子沒有？說實(shí)話！你瞞不了我的?！?/p>
As Sansa stepped back, Lady Lysa caught her wrist. “Now tell me,” she said sharply. “Are you with child? The truth now, I will know if you lie.”
“沒有?！彼跄苓@么問？珊莎有些驚訝。
“No,” she said, startled by the question.
“我看你有月事了，對(duì)吧？”
“You are a woman flowered, are you not?”
“是的，”反正月事無法在鷹巢城內(nèi)隱瞞，“但提利昂他……他沒有……”紅暈爬上雙頰，“我還是處女?！?/p>
“Yes.” Sansa knew the truth of her flowering could not be long hidden in the Eyrie. “Tyrion didn’t … he never …” She could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks. “I am still a maid.”
“侏儒沒有性能力？”
“Was the dwarf incapable?”
“不，他只是……只是……”好心腸？她不敢這么說，不敢在這里說，不敢對(duì)這個(gè)仇恨他的姨媽說，“他……他跑去找妓女，夫人。他說他喜歡妓女?！?/p>
“No. He was only … he was …” Kind? She could not say that, not here, not to this aunt who hated him so. “He … he had whores, my lady. He told me so.”
“妓女，我明白了，”萊莎松開她的手，“不錯(cuò)，這樣的怪物，除非為了錢，哪個(gè)女人愿和他睡呢？在鷹巢城，我早該宰了他，可惜卻被騙過。告訴你，這侏儒只會(huì)耍小聰明，他唆使傭兵殺了咱們的好爵士瓦狄斯·伊根。但一切都怪凱特琳，她本不該把他帶進(jìn)來，我告訴過她，可她臨走前居然還連帶把我叔叔也拐跑，真是不可原諒。黑魚是我的血門騎士，缺了他，山區(qū)原住民越來越猖狂。好在現(xiàn)下有了培提爾，我會(huì)封他做峽谷守護(hù)者，”姨媽臉上頭一次露出笑容，笑得很溫馨，“他外表雖不出眾，不高也不壯，但我告訴你，他比世界上所有人加起來還能干。你要乖乖聽他的話，不可違拗?！?/p>
“Whores.” Lysa released her wrist. “Of course he did. What woman would bed such a creature, but for gold? I should have killed the Imp when he was in my power, but he tricked me. He is full of low cunning, that one. His sellsword slew my good Ser Vardis Egen. Catelyn should not have brought him here, I told her that. She made off with our uncle too. That was wrong of her. The Blackfish was my Knight of the Gate, and since he left us the mountain clans are growing very bold. Petyr will soon set all that to rights, though. I shall make him Lord Protector of the Vale.” Her aunt smiled for the first time, almost warmly. “He may not look as tall or strong as some, but he is worth more than all of them. Trust in him and do as he says.”
“是，姨……夫人。”
“I shall, Aunt … my lady.”
聽她這么稱呼，萊莎似乎很滿意?！拔矣浀脝谭鹄锬羌一铮?jīng)常給我的勞勃取些惡毒綽號(hào)，有回甚至還用木劍打人。在男人口中，毒藥是最不名譽(yù)的東西，但在女人眼里，一切就不一樣了。天上的圣母要我們保護(hù)自己的孩子，我們的榮譽(yù)只系于孩子的冷暖安危。等你懷孕生子后，自然會(huì)明白的?！?/p>
Lady Lysa seemed pleased by that. “I knew that boy Joffrey. He used to call my Robert cruel names, and once he slapped him with a wooden sword. A man will tell you poison is dishonorable, but a woman’s honor is different. The Mother shaped us to protect our children, and our only dishonor is in failure. You’ll know that, when you have a child.”
“懷孕生子？”珊莎不確定地說。
“A child?” said Sansa, uncertainly.
萊莎不耐煩地?fù)]揮手，“再等兩三年，你現(xiàn)下還太小，挑不起這個(gè)擔(dān)子。不過女人嘛，在這個(gè)年齡總是成天想著結(jié)婚生產(chǎn)?！?/p>
Lysa waved a hand negligently. “Not for many years. You are too young to be a mother. One day you shall want children, though. Just as you will want to marry.”
“我……我結(jié)過婚了，夫人。”
“I … I am married, my lady.”
“不錯(cuò)，但你很快會(huì)成為寡婦。你應(yīng)該慶幸，小惡魔只喜歡妓女，我兒子可不會(huì)屈就侏儒留下的殘貨，不過既然他沒碰過你……你愿意嫁給你的表弟，勞勃公爵嗎？”
“Yes, but soon a widow. Be glad the Imp preferred his whores. It would not be fitting for my son to take that dwarf’s leavings, but as he never touched you … How would you like to marry your cousin, the Lord Robert?”
這提議讓珊莎倍感疲憊。到目前為止，她只知道勞勃·艾林是個(gè)病懨懨的小男孩。她想要的不是我，而是我的繼承權(quán)。沒有人會(huì)因愛我而娶我。好在經(jīng)過這幾年的磨煉，謊話她是越說越容易了，“我……我等不及要見他呢，夫人?？伤€沒長(zhǎng)大，對(duì)吧？”
The thought made Sansa weary. All she knew of Robert Arryn was that he was a little boy, and sickly. It is not me she wants her son to marry, it is my claim. No one will ever marry me for love. But lying came easy to her now. “I … can scarcely wait to meet him, my lady. But he is still a child, is he not?”
“他今年八歲，身子強(qiáng)健得很，是個(gè)好孩子，聰明伶俐，陽光開朗，將來定會(huì)成為大人物。阿蓮，我夫君的臨終遺言便是“種性強(qiáng)韌”，你知道，諸神賜予凡人在彌留之際瞥見未來的能力，因此他注定前程無量。等你的蘭尼斯特丈夫一死，你就嫁給我兒子。當(dāng)然，婚禮得秘密舉行，可不能教外人知道鷹巢城公爵娶了一位私生女。烏鴉把小惡魔人頭落地的消息從君臨帶來，第二天你就和勞勃結(jié)婚慶祝，這不挺美的嗎？他身邊該有個(gè)小伙伴。前次回鷹巢城，他與瓦狄斯·伊根的兒子，以及總管的那些孩子們玩，可那幫家伙都太粗魯，我只能將他們統(tǒng)統(tǒng)趕走。你會(huì)讀書嗎，阿蓮？”
“He is eight. And not robust. But such a good boy, so bright and clever. He will be a great man, Alayne. The seed is strong, my lord husband said before he died. His last words. The gods sometimes let us glimpse the future as we lay dying. I see no reason why you should not be wed as soon as we know that your Lannister husband is dead. A secret wedding, to be sure. The Lord of the Eyrie could scarcely be thought to have married a bastard, that would not be fitting. The ravens should bring us the word from King’s Landing once the Imp’s head rolls. You and Robert can be wed the next day, won’t that be joyous? It will be good for him to have a little companion. He played with Vardis Egen’s boy when we first returned to the Eyrie, and my steward’s sons as well, but they were much too rough and I had no choice but to send them away. Do you read well, Alayne?”
“好心的茉丹修女從小就教我讀書。”
“Septa Mordane was good enough to say so.”
“勞勃眼睛不行，可他愛聽別人讀故事，”萊莎夫人保證，“尤其是那些動(dòng)物的故事。你知道那首小雞扮狐貍的曲謠嗎？我每次都跟他唱，他最愛這首歌。他還喜歡玩青蛙跳、輪轉(zhuǎn)寶劍和城堡游戲，但你記得，每次都要讓他當(dāng)贏家。他天生就是贏家，對(duì)不？堂堂的鷹巢城公爵，可不能忘了他的身份。我知道，你出身世家，臨冬城的史塔克向來很驕傲，可如今臨冬城成了廢墟，你不過是個(gè)乞丐，所以別在我們面前擺譜。如果我是你，就會(huì)心存感激。對(duì)，感激，服從。你要做我兒子溫順聽話的好妻子?！?/p>
“Robert has weak eyes, but he loves to be read to,” Lady Lysa confided. “He likes stories about animals the best. Do you know the little song about the chicken who dressed as a fox? I sing him that all the time, he never grows tired of it. And he likes to play hopfrog and spin-the-sword and come-into-my-castle, but you must always let him win. That’s only proper, don’t you think? He is the Lord of the Eyrie, after all, you must never forget that. You are well born, and the Starks of Winterfell were always proud, but Winterfell has fallen and you are really just a beggar now, so put that pride aside. Gratitude will better become you, in your present circumstances. Yes, and obedience. My son will have a grateful and obedient wife.”
