Chapter 第七十二章 尾声（凯冯）

EPILOGUE

“我不是叛徒，”那个狮鹫之巢的骑士声称。“我是国王托曼的人，也是您的。”

I am no traitor,” the Knight of Griffin’s Roost declared. “I am King Tommen’s man, and yours.”

他说话时伴随着一种稳定的“哒—哒—哒”的停顿，这是他斗篷上滑落的雪水滴落在地板上的声音。 雪已经在君临下了将近一晚；外面的积雪已经没过脚踝。凯冯·兰尼斯特爵士将斗篷又拉紧一些。“你就这样说吧，爵士。话语如轻风。”

A steady drip-drip-drip punctuated his words, as snowmelt ran off his cloak to puddle on the floor. The snow had been falling on King’s Landing most of the night; outside the drifts were ankle deep. Ser Kevan Lannister pulled his cloak about himself more closely. “So you say, ser. Words are wind.”

“要么请允许我用我的剑证明我话语的真实。”火炬的光芒让罗奈特·康宁顿长长的火红须发似乎燃烧起来。“遣我前去对抗我的叔叔吧，我会提着他和那条伪龙的头回来见您。”

“Then let me prove the truth of them with my sword.” The light of the torches made a fiery blaze of Ronnet Connington’s long red hair and beard. “Send me against my uncle, and I will bring you back his head, and the head of this false dragon too.”

身披深红色色斗篷头戴狮首形半盔的兰尼斯特枪兵站在王座室的西墙边，穿着绿色斗篷的提利尔护卫则面对着他们站在对面的墙下。王座室中的寒冷显而易见，虽然瑟熙太后和玛格丽王后并不在列，但仍能感到他们的存在毒害着空气，如同鬼魂光临盛宴。

Lannister spearmen in crimson cloaks and lion-crested halfhelms stood along the west wall of the throne room. Tyrell guards in green cloaks faced them from the opposite wall. The chill in the throne room was palpable. Though neither Queen Cersei nor Queen Margaery was amongst them, their presence could be felt poisoning the air, like ghosts at a feast.

在国王那小议会的五名成员座位的桌后，铁王座像一头庞大的黑色猛兽蹲踞着，它的倒钩爪子和刀片都隐匿在阴影里。凯冯·兰尼斯特能感受到背后的它，肩部的刀刃间有一点儿痒。很容易就能想象年迈的疯王伊利斯端坐在上面怒目扫视下面的景象，他新鲜的割伤还在流血。但是今日的王座空空如也。他给不出让托曼加入他们的理由。还是让男孩和他的妈妈待在一起比较好。七神只知道在瑟熙的审判之前母子还有多少团聚的时间……而审判可能意味着处决。

Behind the table where the five members of the king’s small council were seated, the Iron Throne crouched like some great black beast, its barbs and claws and blades half-shrouded in shadow. Kevan Lannister could feel it at his back, an itch between the shoulder blades. It was easy to imagine old King Aerys perched up there, bleeding from some fresh cut, glowering down. But today the throne was empty. He had seen no reason for Tommen to join them. Kinder to let the boy remain with his mother. The Seven only knew how long mother and son might have together before Cersei’s trial … and possibly her execution.

梅斯·提利尔开口了。“我们得在适当的时候处理掉你叔叔和他的傀儡男孩的事。”新的国王之手坐在一张雕刻成手形的橡木制的宝座上，自从凯冯爵士同意他进驻一间他垂涎已久的办公室后他就制造了这个荒诞的虚荣之物。“你驻留在这里知道我们准备开拔。接着你将有机会来证明的忠诚。”

Mace Tyrell was speaking. “We shall deal with your uncle and his feigned boy in due time.” The new King’s Hand was seated on an oaken throne carved in the shape of a hand, an absurd vanity his lordship had produced the day Ser Kevan agreed to grant him the office he coveted. “You will bide here until we are ready to march. Then you shall have the chance to prove your loyalty.”

凯冯爵士对此并无异议。“护送罗奈特爵士回他的房间，”他说。他会留在那儿，这句话凯冯没说出口。但是无论他如何严正的声明，狮鹫之巢的骑士依旧洗脱不了嫌疑。据称那些在南部登陆的雇佣剑士是由他的血亲领导的。

Ser Kevan took no issue with that. “Escort Ser Ronnet back to his chambers,” he said. And see that he remains there went unspoken. However loud his protestations, the Knight of Griffin’s Roost remained suspect. Supposedly the sellswords who had landed in the south were being led by one of his own blood.

随着康宁顿的脚步声激起的回声也逐渐消失，大学士派席尔沉重地摇了摇头。“他的叔叔也曾站在男孩刚才站的地方，信誓旦旦的告诉伊利斯国王他会奉上劳伯·拜拉席恩的项上人头。”

As the echoes of Connington’s footsteps faded away, Grand Maester Pycelle gave a ponderous shake of his head. “His uncle once stood just where the boy was standing now and told King Aerys how he would deliver him the head of Robert Baratheon.”

这就是当一个人变得如派席尔一般老迈时所要面对的情况：现在的所有所见所闻找到一个年轻时代的版本。“有多少武装护卫陪同罗奈特爵士去城里？”凯冯爵士问。

That is how it is when a man grows as old as Pycelle. Everything you see or hear reminds you of something you saw or heard when you were young. “How many men-at-arms accompanied Ser Ronnet to the city?” Ser Kevan asked.

“二十名，”蓝道·塔利伯爵说，“而其中大部分是格雷果．克里冈的旧部。你的侄子詹姆将他们交给康宁顿。我打赌是他是为了让自己摆脱他们。他们到处女泉还不到一天，一个人就杀了人而另一个被指控强奸。我不得不吊死第一个然后阉掉另一个。若我说了算的话我早把他们送到守夜人部队去了，还有康宁顿，让他也一块儿去。长城就是这种人渣的归宿。”

“Twenty,” said Lord Randyll Tarly, “and most of them Gregor Clegane’s old lot. Your nephew Jaime gave them to Connington. To rid himself of them, I’d wager. They had not been in Maidenpool a day before one killed a man and another was accused of rape. I had to hang the one and geld the other. If it were up to me, I would send them all to the Night’s Watch, and Connington with them. The Wall is where such scum belong.”

“狗养不好还得怪主人，”梅斯·提利尔称。“黑衣和他们的确相配，这点我同意。我可受不了这帮人在都城守卫队里晃荡。”他自己的一百个高庭亲兵已经被安插到金袍子里，而显而易见的是他看起来相当抵触有西边的人来平衡一下。

“A dog takes after its master,” declared Mace Tyrell. “Black cloaks would suit them, I agree. I will not suffer such men in the city watch.” A hundred of his own Highgarden men had been added to the gold cloaks, yet plainly his lordship meant to resist any balancing infusion of westermen.

我给的越多，他索求的也越多。凯冯·兰尼斯特开始理解瑟熙对提利尔家的人如此愤恨的原因了。但这还不是在台面上激化矛盾的时候。蓝道·塔利和梅斯·提利尔都带兵来到君临，而兰尼斯特家族的力量依旧留在河间地正快速瓦解。“魔山的旧部总归来说都还都战斗力颇高，”他试图用调解性的语调缓和，“我们可能需要每柄可用之剑去对抗这些雇佣剑士。若他们真的是黄金团的话，就像科本的告密者坚称的——”

The more I give him, the more he wants. Kevan Lannister was beginning to understand why Cersei had grown so resentful of the Tyrells. But this was not the moment to provoke an open quarrel. Randyll Tarly and Mace Tyrell had both brought armies to King’s Landing, whilst the best part of the strength of House Lannister remained in the riverlands, fast melting away. “The Mountain’s men were always fighters,” he said in a conciliatory tone, “and we may have need of every sword against these sellswords. If this truly is the Golden Company, as Qyburn’s whisperers insist—”

“随你怎么叫他们，”蓝道·塔利说。“他们依旧不过是些投机者。”

“Call them what you will,” said Randyll Tarly. “They are still no more than adventurers.”

“也许吧，”凯冯爵士说。“但是若我们继续忽视这些投机者的话，他们就会变的越来越强大。我们已事先有了一张地图，一张他们的进犯路线图。大学士？”

“Perhaps,” Ser Kevan said. “But the longer we ignore these adventurers, the stronger they grow. We have had a map prepared, a map of the incursions. Grand Maester?”

这是张漂亮的地图，由学士书写在一张最好的牛皮纸上，大到足以盖住桌面。“这儿。”派席尔用他满是老人斑的手指着，在他卷起袖子露出的前臂下，晃着一条松松垮垮的苍白赘肉。“这儿，还有这儿。都沿着海岸，还有岛屿。塔斯，石阶列岛，伊斯蒙岛。现在我们又接到康宁顿向风息堡进军的报告。”

The map was beautiful, painted by a master’s hand on a sheet of the finest vellum, so large it covered the table. “Here.” Pycelle pointed with a spotted hand. Where the sleeve of his robe rode up, a flap of pale flesh could be seen dangling beneath his forearm. “Here and here. All along the coast, and on the islands. Tarth, the Stepstones, even Estermont. And now we have reports that Connington is moving on Storm’s End.”

“若那是琼恩·康宁顿，”蓝道·塔利说。

“If it is Jon Connington,” said Randyll Tarly.

“风息堡。”梅斯·提利尔公爵嘟囔出那两个词。“只要他不是征服者伊耿，他就没法攻下风息堡。若他是的话，又怎么样？那史坦尼斯的地盘。让那个城堡从一个觊位者手中转手到另一个那里，对我们有什么麻烦么？在我女儿的清白被证实之后我马上就把它再夺回来。”

“Storm’s End.” Lord Mace Tyrell grunted the words. “He cannot take Storm’s End. Not if he were Aegon the Conqueror. And if he does, what of it? Stannis holds it now. Let the castle pass from one pretender to another, why should that trouble us? I shall recapture it after my daughter’s innocence is proved.”

若你从未占领过它，又何谈再夺回？“我理解，大人，但是——”

How can you recapture it when you have never captured it to begin with? “I understand, my lord, but—”

提利尔没有让他说完。“这些针对我女儿的指控竟是些下流不堪的谎言。我得在问一遍，我们有必要让这场滑稽剧进行下去么？让国王托曼声明我女儿的清白，爵士，然后让这些蠢事马上在这结束。”

Tyrell did not let him finish. “These charges against my daughter are filthy lies. I ask again, why must we play out this mummer’s farce? Have King Tommen declare my daughter innocent, ser, and put an end to the foolishness here and now.”

就这样吧，而那些谣言将终生伴随着玛格丽。“没有人质疑您女儿的清白，大人，”凯冯爵士说了个谎，“但是主教大人坚持要进行审判。”

Do that, and the whispers will follow Margaery the rest of her life. “No man doubts your daughter’s innocence, my lord,” Ser Kevan lied, “but His High Holiness insists upon a trial.”

蓝道·塔利伯爵吸了吸鼻子。“我们都成了什么了。什么时候国王和大领主们得合着麻雀的叽叽喳喳声跳舞了？”

Lord Randyll snorted. “What have we become, when kings and high lords must dance to the twittering of sparrows?”

“我们的每只手上都有一把的敌人，塔利伯爵，”凯冯爵士提醒他。“北境有史坦尼斯，西境是铁民，而南边还有雇佣剑士们。要是公然反抗大主教，我们就会让君临的大沟小渠也都血流成河。若我们执意抗神，将仅会使教会的力量注入这个或者那个准篡位者手中。”

“We have foes on every hand, Lord Tarly,” Ser Kevan reminded him. “Stannis in the north, ironmen in the west, sellswords in the south. Defy the High Septon, and we will have blood running in the gutters of King’s Landing as well. If we are seen to be going against the gods, it will only drive the pious into the arms of one or the other of these would-be usurpers.”

梅斯·提利尔看来不为所动。“一旦派克斯特·雷德温将铁民们清扫出海域，我的儿子们就会再夺回盾牌群岛。风雪或者波顿会帮我们干掉史坦尼斯。至于康宁顿吗……”

Mace Tyrell remained unmoved. “Once Paxter Redwyne sweeps the ironmen from the seas, my sons will retake the Shields. The snows will do for Stannis, or Bolton will. As for Connington …”

“若那时他的话，”蓝道伯爵说。

“If it is him,” Lord Randyll said.

“至于康宁顿，”提利尔重复道，“他赢得过哪种胜利会让我们怕他？他本可在石堂镇镇压劳伯的叛乱，但是他失败了，就像黄金团一直的失败一样。没错，有些人会赶去他的阵营，王国境内可不乏这类白痴。”

“… as for Connington,” Tyrell repeated, “what victories has he ever won that we should fear him? He could have ended Robert’s Rebellion at Stoney Sept. He failed. Just as the Golden Company has always failed. Some may rush to join them, aye. The realm is well rid of such fools.”

凯冯爵士希望也能像他那么确定，他以前认识琼恩·康宁顿，但仅是一点儿——一个骄傲的年轻人，聚集在雷加王子身边的那伙为皇室恩宠争得头破血流的人里最顽固的家伙。他傲慢自大，但是同时活泼而才华四射。因为这点还有他对于武艺的熟练技艺让疯王伊利斯任命他为国王之手。年迈的领主梅里韦瑟的无所作为播下了叛乱的种子并人气生根发芽，而伊利斯则需要某个年轻力壮的人与劳伯自己的青春与气度相匹敌。“太早了，”泰温·兰尼斯特公爵在国王的决策的消息到达凯岩城时说。“康宁顿太年轻，太鲁莽也太渴望荣誉。”

Ser Kevan wished that he could share his certainty. He had known Jon Connington, slightly—a proud youth, the most headstrong of the gaggle of young lordlings who had gathered around Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, competing for his royal favor. Arrogant, but able and energetic. That, and his skill at arms, was why Mad King Aerys had named him Hand. Old Lord Merryweather’s inaction had allowed the rebellion to take root and spread, and Aerys wanted someone young and vigorous to match Robert’s own youth and vigor. “Too soon,” Lord Tywin Lannister had declared when word of the king’s choice had reached Casterly Rock. “Connington is too young, too bold, too eager for glory.”

钟鸣战役证实了泰温的预测。凯冯还希望在伊利斯别无选择后会再一次传唤泰温……但是疯王却向切尔斯泰德和罗萨特的领主们求助，最后付出了性命和王座的代价。但那是很久之前的事了，若这个人真的是琼恩·康宁顿，他一定成了个不同的人。更年长，坚毅，身经百战……也更危险。“康宁顿有的可能不止黄金团。据说他身边有着个假称坦格里安的冒牌货。”

The Battle of the Bells had proved the truth of that. Ser Kevan had expected that afterward Aerys would have no choice but to summon Tywin once more … but the Mad King had turned to the Lords Chelsted and Rossart instead, and paid for it with life and crown. That was all so long ago, though. If this is indeed Jon Connington, he will be a different man. Older, harder, more seasoned … more dangerous. “Connington may have more than the Golden Company. It is said he has a Targaryen pretender.”

“一个随便找来的傀儡男孩，”蓝道·塔利说。

“A feigned boy is what he has,” said Randyll Tarly.

“也许是，也许不是。”凯冯·兰尼斯特当时在这里，就在这座大厅里，看着泰温将用深红斗篷包裹着的雷加王子的孩子们的尸体置于铁王座之下。那个女孩可以辨认的确是蕾妮斯公主，但是那个男孩……虽然那一撮发色无误，但血肉模糊脑浆迸裂的脸却恐怖的难以辨认。我们没有人能盯着他看很久。泰温说那是伊耿王子，于是我们就默认了。“从东方我们也得到了这样的谣言。第二个坦格利安，她的血统无人会质疑，丹妮莉丝·风暴降生。”

“That may be. Or not.” Kevan Lannister had been here, in this very hall when Tywin had laid the bodies of Prince Rhaegar’s children at the foot of the Iron Throne, wrapped up in crimson cloaks. The girl had been recognizably the Princess Rhaenys, but the boy … a faceless horror of bone and brain and gore, a few hanks of fair hair. None of us looked long. Tywin said that it was Prince Aegon, and we took him at his word. “We have these tales coming from the east as well. A second Targaryen, and one whose blood no man can question. Daenerys Stormborn.”

“和她父亲一样疯狂，”梅斯·提利尔公爵宣布。

“As mad as her father,” declared Lord Mace Tyrell.

那个父亲可是同一个让当年的高庭和提利尔家族一直竭力维护而最终最终尽尝苦果的父亲。“她也许疯狂，”凯冯爵士说，“但是西边业已刮来浓烟滚滚，没理由东边没着火。”

That would be the same father that Highgarden and House Tyrell supported to the bitter end and well beyond. “Mad she may be,” Ser Kevan said, “but with so much smoke drifting west, surely there must be some fire burning in the east.”

大学士派席尔小鸡啄米似的点着头。“龙。旧镇也得到了同样的消息。太多的巧合已经无法质疑。一个银发的女王和她的龙。”

Grand Maester Pycelle bobbed his head. “Dragons. These same stories have reached Oldtown. Too many to discount. A silver-haired queen with three dragons.”

“在世界遥远的尽头，”梅斯·提利尔说。“奴隶湾的女王，是啊，她很高兴弄到这个头衔。”

“At the far end of the world,” said Mace Tyrell. “Queen of Slaver’s Bay, aye. She is welcome to it.”

“这点上我们没意见，”凯冯说，“但是那个女孩是征服者伊耿的血脉，我不认为她会满意于一直统治弥林那块弹丸之地。若她决定前往岸线将她的力量加入康宁顿大人和他的那个王子，无论他是龙是虫……我们都得现在摧毁康宁顿和他的冒牌货，在丹妮莉丝·风暴降生来到西边之前。”

“On that we can agree,” Ser Kevan said, “but the girl is of the blood of Aegon the Conqueror, and I do not think she will be content to remain in Meereen forever. If she should reach these shores and join her strength to Lord Connington and this prince of his, feigned or no … we must destroy Connington and his pretender now, before Daenerys Stormborn can come west.”

梅斯·提利尔抱起双臂。“我也打算这么做，爵士。在审判之后。”

Mace Tyrell crossed his arms. “I mean to do just that, ser. After the trials.”

“雇佣剑士为钱而战，”大学士派席尔称。“只要有足够的黄金，我们可以策反黄金团让他们交出康宁顿和冒牌货。”

“Sellswords fight for coin,” declared Grand Maester Pycelle. “With enough gold, we might persuade the Golden Company to hand over Lord Connington and the pretender.”

“是啊，要是我们有金子，”哈里斯·斯威夫特爵士说。“哎呀，我的大人们，我们的国库已经只剩下老鼠和蟑螂了。我已经再三写信给密尔的银行家们，若他们同意将王室的债务推给布拉佛斯并继续给我们一笔贷款的话，也许我们不需要再加税了。要不然的话——”

“Aye, if we had gold,” Ser Harys Swyft said. “Alas, my lords, our vaults contain only rats and roaches. I have written again to the Myrish bankers. If they will agree to make good the crown’s debt to the Braavosi and extend us a new loan, mayhaps we will not have to raise the taxes. Elsewise—”

“众所周知潘托斯的总督也放贷，”凯冯爵士说。“试试他们吧。”那个潘托斯人比密尔的放贷者看起来更不可能出手相助，但是总得试试。除非能找到新的财源，要么铁王座不得不服软，他别无选择只得用兰尼斯特家的黄金为王室还债。他不敢继续加税了，在七大王国遍地起义的时候。王土下半数的领主都经不起苛捐杂税了，否则他们会为了一枚铜板即刻投靠最近的篡夺者。“要那还是不行的话，你恐怕得自己去布拉佛斯和那些铁银行谈谈了。”

“The magisters of Pentos have been known to lend money as well,” said Ser Kevan. “Try them.” The Pentoshi were even less like to be of help than the Myrish money changers, but the effort must be made. Unless a new source of coin could be found, or the Iron Bank persuaded to relent, he would have no choice but to pay the crown’s debts with Lannister gold. He dare not resort to new taxes, not with the Seven Kingdoms crawling with rebellion. Half the lords in the realm could not tell taxation from tyranny, and would bolt to the nearest usurper in a heartbeat if it would save them a clipped copper. “If that fails, you may well need to go to Braavos, to treat with the Iron Bank yourself.”

哈里斯爵士有点畏缩。“一定得是我吗？”

Ser Harys quailed. “Must I?”

“你身为财政大臣，”蓝道伯爵尖锐的指出。

“You are the master of coin,” Lord Randyll said sharply.

“我是。”斯威夫特下巴末端的胡须因为愤怒抖动着。“我是不是也需要提醒一下大人，这些麻烦不是我惹来的？可不是我们中的所有人都有机会去用从女泉城和龙石岛劫掠来的赃物装满自家金库的。”

“I am.” The puff of white hair at the end of Swyft’s chin quivered in outrage. “Must I remind my lord, this trouble is not of my doing? And not all of us have had the opportunity to refill our coffers with the plunder of Maidenpool and Dragonstone.”

“我对你的隐喻表示深切的愤怒，斯威夫特，”梅斯·提利尔怒发冲冠的说，“龙石岛可没有什么财富，这点我可以向你保证。我儿子的人马搜索了那个潮湿阴郁的岛屿每一寸土地，结果看来它的财富还不及一块宝石和一块碎金子，更别提传说中龙蛋的痕迹了。”

“I resent your implication, Swyft,” Mace Tyrell said, bristling. “No wealth was found on Dragonstone, I promise you. My son’s men have searched every inch of that damp and dreary island and turned up not so much as a single gemstone or speck of gold. Nor any sign of this fabled hoard of dragon eggs.”

凯冯·兰尼斯特亲眼见过龙石岛，他很怀疑洛拉斯·提利尔搜索了那个古老要塞的每寸土地。毕竟是瓦雷利亚人建起了它，而他们的杰作总是与巫术密不可分。而洛拉丝爵士还年轻，就像所有年轻人一样会做出的鲁莽的判断，更别说他在攻城中受了重伤。但即使如此也无法让提利尔注意他儿子的错误。“若龙石岛上有财富的话，史坦尼斯早就找到了，”他称。

Kevan Lannister had seen Dragonstone with his own eyes. He doubted very much that Loras Tyrell had searched every inch of that ancient stronghold. The Valyrians had raised it, after all, and all their works stank of sorcery. And Ser Loras was young, prone to all the rash judgments of youth, and had been grievously wounded storming the castle besides. But it would not do to remind Tyrell that his favorite son was fallible. “If there was wealth on Dragonstone, Stannis would have found it,” he declared. “Let us move along, my lords. We have two queens to try for high treason, you may recall. My niece has elected trial by battle, she informs me. Ser Robert Strong will champion her.”

“让我们继续吧，大人们。你们恐怕还记得起我们手上有两位皇后面临被控以最严重的背叛。据我所知我的侄女已经选择用比武审判。劳伯·斯特朗爵士会代表她出战。”

“The silent giant.” Lord Randyll grimaced.

“那个无声的巨人。”蓝道伯爵的表情扭曲了。“告诉我，爵士，这个人从何而来？”梅斯·提利尔想知道。“我们怎么从未听说过这个名字？他不说话也从不露脸，他从不脱下他的盔甲。我们从哪里知道他甚至是个骑士？”

“Tell me, ser, where did this man come from?” demanded Mace Tyrell. “Why have we never heard his name before? He does not speak, he will not show his face, he is never seen without his armor. Do we know for a certainty that he is even a knight?”

我们甚至不知道他是不是活着。马林·特兰称斯特朗从不进食或者饮水，而布罗斯·布朗特更声称他从没看他去上过厕所。他有什么需要呢？一个死人可不会拉撒。凯冯·兰尼斯特强烈怀疑那闪亮的白色盔甲下这个劳伯爵士的真实身份。这种怀疑毫无疑问也是梅斯·提利尔和蓝道·塔利共同抱有的。无论斯特朗面具后面藏着的是谁的脸，眼下都不能揭开。那个沉默的巨人是他侄女唯一的希望了。希望他就如他看上去的那样可怕。

We do not even know if he’s alive. Meryn Trant claimed that Strong took neither food nor drink, and Boros Blount went so far as to say he had never seen the man use the privy. Why should he? Dead men do not shit. Kevan Lannister had a strong suspicion of just who this Ser Robert really was beneath that gleaming white armor. A suspicion that Mace Tyrell and Randyll Tarly no doubt shared. Whatever the face hidden behind Strong’s helm, it must remain hidden for now. The silent giant was his niece’s only hope. And pray that he is as formidable as he appears.

但是梅斯提利尔似乎眼睛里只看得见对他女儿的威胁。“陛下提名劳伯爵士为御林铁卫，”凯冯爵士提醒她，“而科本也为他担保了。尽管如此，我们需要劳伯爵士的胜利，大人。我的侄女已经在审判中被认定有罪，而她儿女的合法性将受到质疑。若托曼不能为王，玛格丽也不再是王后。”他让提利尔好好消化了一下。“无论瑟熙做过什么，她始终都是凯岩城的女儿，我自己的血亲。我不会允许让她像一个叛徒一样死去，但是我得确保拔掉她的毒牙。她所有的护卫已经解散换上了我自己的人。代之以她之前的贴身女仆，从今以后将由有大主教挑选的一个修女和三个见习修女照顾她起居。她将不会再王国事务上有任何发言权，在对于托曼的教育上也不再插手。我希望在审判后将她送回凯岩城并让她留在那里。这应该足够了。”

But Mace Tyrell could not seem to see beyond the threat to his own daughter. “His Grace named Ser Robert to the Kingsguard,” Ser Kevan reminded him, “and Qyburn vouches for the man as well. Be that as it may, we need Ser Robert to prevail, my lords. If my niece is proved guilty of these treasons, the legitimacy of her children will be called into question. If Tommen ceases to be a king, Margaery will cease to be a queen.” He let Tyrell chew on that a moment. “Whatever Cersei may have done, she is still a daughter of the Rock, of mine own blood. I will not let her die a traitor’s death, but I have made sure to draw her fangs. All her guards have been dismissed and replaced with my own men. In place of her former ladies-in-waiting, she will henceforth be attended by a septa and three novices selected by the High Septon. She is to have no further voice in the governance of the realm, nor in Tommen’s education. I mean to return her to Casterly Rock after the trial and see that she remains there. Let that suffice.”

剩下的他没说出口。瑟熙已经身败名裂了，她的权力生涯到此为止。城里每个面包房的学徒和乞丐都见证了她的耻辱而从跳蚤窝到尿水弯的每个妓女和皮匠都盯着她的裸体，他们贪婪的眼睛在她的胸部小腹和私处扫来扫去，没有哪个王后在这般待遇后还能统治的。穿金戴银套在上好丝绸里的瑟熙曾经是个仅次于女神的王后；赤裸着，她就只是个人，一个明日黄花的肚子上起着褶子而乳房变得干瘪下垂女人……那些人群里的悍妇兴高采烈的向她们的丈夫和情人指出。在屈辱中活着也比在骄傲中死掉好，凯冯对自己说。“我的侄女将不会再搅局了，”他向梅斯·提利尔允诺。“您得到了我的承诺，大人。”

The rest he left unsaid. Cersei was soiled goods now, her power at an end. Every baker’s boy and beggar in the city had seen her in her shame and every tart and tanner from Flea Bottom to Pisswater Bend had gazed upon her nakedness, their eager eyes crawling over her breasts and belly and woman’s parts. No queen could expect to rule again after that. In gold and silk and emeralds Cersei had been a queen, the next thing to a goddess; naked, she was only human, an aging woman with stretch marks on her belly and teats that had begun to sag … as the shrews in the crowds had been glad to point out to their husbands and lovers. Better to live shamed than die proud, Ser Kevan told himself. “My niece will make no further mischief,” he promised Mace Tyrell. “You have my word on that, my lord.”

提利尔不清不愿的点点头。“如你所说。我的玛格丽更希望经由信仰审判，所以整个王国都会见证她的清白。”

Tyrell gave a grudging nod. “As you say. My Margaery prefers to be tried by the Faith, so the whole realm can bear witness to her innocence.”

若你的女儿像你对我们保证的那样清白的话，你干嘛在她面对她的指控者时请出你的军队呢？凯冯爵士差点就说出口了。“很快，我希望，”但他还是在专项大学士派席尔之前说出这句话，“还有什么事吗？”

If your daughter is as innocent as you’d have us believe, why must you have your army present when she faces her accusers? Ser Kevan might have asked. “Soon, I hope,” he said instead, before turning to Grand Maester Pycelle. “Is there aught else?”

大学士翻了翻他的那堆文件。“我们要处理罗斯比的遗产。已经提出了六个申诉——。”

The Grand Maester consulted his papers. “We should address the Rosby inheritance. Six claims have been put forth—”

“我们可以先把罗斯比先放一放，还有呢？”

“We can settle Rosby at some later date. What else?”

“还有些为弥赛拉公主做的准备。”

“Preparations should be made for Princess Myrcella.”

“现在到对付多恩人的时候了，”梅斯·提利尔说。“你确定还能为那个女孩找到更好亲家吗？”

“This is what comes of dealing with the Dornish,” Mace Tyrell said. “Surely a better match can be found for the girl?”

就像你自己的儿子维拉斯，是不？她被一个多恩人毁容，他则被另一个弄跛了？“毫无疑问，”凯冯说，“但是我们再与多恩为敌前已经有够多的敌人了，若道朗·马泰尔决定以他的力量加入康宁顿来支持这个伪龙，那情况就一边倒了。”

Such as your own son Willas, perhaps? Her disfigured by one Dornishman, him crippled by another? “No doubt,” Ser Kevan said, “but we have enemies enough without offending Dorne. If Doran Martell were to join his strength to Connington’s in support of this feigned dragon, things could go very ill for all of us.”

“也许我们可以让我们的多恩朋友来对付康宁顿大人，”哈里斯·斯威夫特爵士发出一声不快的窃笑。“那就免了一堆血灾和麻烦。”

“Mayhaps we can persuade our Dornish friends to deal with Lord Connington,” Ser Harys Swyft said with an irritating titter. “That would save a deal of blood and trouble.”

“它会的，”凯冯爵士不耐烦的说。是时候结束这一切了。“感谢各位大人，5天之后我们再会。在瑟熙的审判之后。”

“It would,” Ser Kevan said wearily. Time to put an end to this. “Thank you, my lords. Let us convene again five days hence. After Cersei’s trial.”

“如您所说。希望战士赐予劳伯爵士以力量。”不清不愿的话语，梅斯·提利尔向摄政王大人微微颔首算是个鞠躬示意。但他至少还是做了，对此已经足以让凯冯·兰尼斯特爵士满意了。

“As you say. May the Warrior lend strength to Ser Robert’s arms.” The words were grudging, the dip of the chin Mace Tyrell gave the Lord Regent the most cursory of bows. But it was something, and for that much Ser Kevan Lannister was grateful.

蓝道·塔利带着他的下属领主离开了大厅，他们身披绿斗篷的枪兵跟在他们身后出去了。塔利才是真正的危险，凯冯爵士在看着他们离去的背影想。一个心胸狭隘的人，但是有铁一般的意志和足够的智慧，而且就像河湾地所吹嘘的那样是个强悍的军人。但是我该怎么把他赢到我们这边来呢？

Randyll Tarly left the hall with his liege lord, their green-cloaked spearmen right behind them. Tarly is the real danger, Ser Kevan reflected as he watched their departure. A narrow man, but iron-willed and shrewd, and as good a soldier as the Reach could boast. But how do I win him to our side?

“提利尔大人不喜欢我，”大学士派席尔在国王之手离开后沮丧的说。“月茶的事……我不该那么说的，但是丧夫的王后命令我这么做！若摄政王大人乐意借我一些您的守卫的话，我会睡的更好。”

“Lord Tyrell loves me not,” Grand Maester Pycelle said in gloomy tones when the Hand had departed. “This matter of the moon tea … I would never have spoken of such, but the Queen Dowager commanded me! If it please the Lord Regent, I would sleep more soundly if you could lend me some of your guards.”

“提利尔公爵可能不会乐意。”

“Lord Tyrell might take that amiss.”

哈里斯·斯威夫特爵士拉了拉他下巴上的胡须。“我自己也需要守卫。现在可是非常时期。”

Ser Harys Swyft tugged at his chin beard. “I am in need of guards myself. These are perilous times.”

是啊，凯冯·兰尼斯特想，而派席尔大学士可不是我们的国王之手想换掉的唯一一个议会成员。梅斯·派席尔有他自己的财务总管人选：他的叔叔，高挺总督大人，人们习惯称他为花园里的杂草、我最不想看到的就是另一个派席尔挤进这个小议会。他已经不止于满员了。哈里斯爵士是他妻子的父亲，而派席尔也算以为。但是塔利对高庭宣誓效忠，派克斯特·雷德温也是，他是海军总领统领全部船只，现在正驱使他的舰队前往多恩对付攸伦·格雷乔伊的铁民。一旦雷德温回到君临，委员会就会呈三对三的局面：兰尼斯特对提利尔。

Aye, thought Kevan Lannister, and Pycelle is not the only council member our Hand would like to replace. Mace Tyrell had his own candidate for lord treasurer: his uncle, Lord Seneschal of Highgarden, whom men called Garth the Gross. The last thing I need is another Tyrell on the small council. He was already outnumbered. Ser Harys was his wife’s father, and Pycelle could be counted upon as well. But Tarly was sworn to Highgarden, as was Paxter Redwyne, lord admiral and master of ships, presently sailing his fleet around Dorne to deal with Euron Greyjoy’s ironmen. Once Redwyne returned to King’s Landing, the council would stand at three and three, Lannister and Tyrell.

第七个声音属于正护送弥赛拉回家的多恩女人。娜梅小姐（沙蛇娜梅利亚），但若科本所说有一半属实的话，她可不是什么小姐，而是红毒蛇的私生女，她和他的父亲一样恶毒而且决心拿下委员会的席位，奥柏伦亲王当时就是这么坚决的占据着它。凯冯爵士还没找到合适的时机告知梅斯·提利尔她的到来。国王之手，他知道，可不会高兴。我们需要的人是小指头。培提尔·贝里席有种无中生凭空抓到金龙的本领。

The seventh voice would be the Dornishwoman now escorting Myrcella home. The Lady Nym. But no lady, if even half of what Qyburn reports is true. A bastard daughter of the Red Viper, near as notorious as her father and intent on claiming the council seat that Prince Oberyn himself had occupied so briefly. Ser Kevan had not yet seen fit to inform Mace Tyrell of her coming. The Hand, he knew, would not be pleased. The man we need is Littlefinger. Petyr Baelish had a gift for conjuring dragons from the air.

“那就雇佣魔山的旧部吧，”凯冯爵士建议。“红色的罗奈特要他们也没什么用了。”他不认为梅斯·提利尔会如此鲁莽的试图谋杀派席尔或者斯威夫特，但是若保卫能让他们感觉安全的话，就让他们带些守卫吧。

“Hire the Mountain’s men,” Ser Kevan suggested. “Red Ronnet will have no further use for them.” He did not think that Mace Tyrell would be so clumsy as to try to murder either Pycelle or Swyft, but if guards made them feel safer, let them have guards.

三人一起出了王座室。外面的院子里飞雪盘旋，入一头亟待出笼的咆哮的野兽。”你以前经历过如此的严寒么？哈里斯爵士问。

The three men walked together from the throne room. Outside the snow was swirling round the outer ward, a caged beast howling to be free. “Have you ever felt such cold?” asked Ser Harys.

“在我们站在严寒之中的时候，”派席尔大学士说，“可不是谈论它的好时候。”他挪着他迟缓的步伐穿过外庭回到他自己的房间。

“The time to speak of the cold,” said Grand Maester Pycelle, “is not when we are standing out in it.” He made his slow way across the outer ward, back to his chambers.

其他几个人则在王座室的石阶上逗留了一会儿。“我对密尔的银行家可不抱希望，”凯冯爵士告诉他的岳父（good-father是这个意思么，完全不知道这个人是谁来着……）说。“你最好做好去布拉佛斯的准备。”

The others lingered for a moment on the throne room steps. “I put no faith in these Myrish bankers,” Ser Kevan told his good-father. “You had best prepare to go to Braavos.”

看起来哈里斯爵士对这样的预测一点儿也不开心。“若我不得不的话。但是我得再声明一次，这些麻烦可不是我引起的。”

Ser Harys did not look happy at the prospect. “If I must. But I say again, this trouble is not of my doing.”

“不。是瑟熙她决定铁金库会等到他们的预付。那我是不是应该把她送去布拉佛斯？”

“No. It was Cersei who decided that the Iron Bank would wait for their due. Should I send her to Braavos?”

哈里斯爵士眨了眨眼。“殿下她……那个……那个……”

Ser Harys blinked. “Her Grace … that … that …”

凯冯爵士停止了他的恐慌。“那只是个玩笑，一个很糟糕的。去找个暖点而的地方烤烤火吧，我也打算去找个。”他拽上他的手套，准备穿过庭院离开，但是由于他的斗篷在身后翻卷缠绕让他在风中很难前行。

Ser Kevan rescued him. “That was a jape. A bad one. Go and find a warm fire. I mean to do the same.” He yanked his gloves on and set off across the yard, leaning hard into the wind as his cloak snapped and swirled behind him.

梅葛楼干涸的护城河淹没在三尺白雪之下，而环绕着它的尖刺已经凝满了冰霜。唯一进出梅葛楼的路只有那座横跨在护城河上的吊桥。总有一个御林铁卫守护在它的尽头。今夜的守卫任务交由马林·特兰爵士。在巴隆·斯旺于多恩追捕黑暗之星，洛拉斯奄奄一息的躺在龙石岛，詹姆消失于河间地的情况下，凯冯骑士在瑟熙宣称她将奥斯蒙德·凯特布莱克（和他的兄弟奥斯弗里德）纳为后宫的几个小时之内，就亲自把他们丢进了地牢。这样下去只剩下特兰，虚弱的布罗斯·布朗特和科本的无声怪物劳伯·斯特朗来保护年幼的国王与皇室了。

The dry moat surrounding Maegor’s Holdfast was three feet deep in snow, the iron spikes that lined it glistening with frost. The only way in or out of Maegor’s was across the drawbridge that spanned that moat. A knight of the Kingsguard was always posted at its far end. Tonight the duty had fallen to Ser Meryn Trant. With Balon Swann hunting the rogue knight Darkstar down in Dorne, Loras Tyrell gravely wounded on Dragonstone, and Jaime vanished in the riverlands, only four of the White Swords remained in King’s Landing, and Ser Kevan had thrown Osmund Kettleblack (and his brother Osfryd) into the dungeon within hours of Cersei’s confessing that she had taken both men as lovers. That left only Trant, the feeble Boros Blount, and Qyburn’s mute monster Robert Strong to protect the young king and royal family.

我得为御林铁卫找点新的人选。托曼总的有七名武艺高强的骑士保卫。以前御林铁卫众生任职，但仍然没法阻止乔佛里将巴利斯坦·赛尔弥爵士解职换上他的狗，桑铎·克雷冈。有了如此先例，凯冯便可以好好利用。我可以让蓝赛尔披上白袍，他想到，那可比他从“战士的子孙”那里能得到的更多的荣誉。

I will need to find some new swords for the Kingsguard. Tommen should have seven good knights about him. In the past the Kingsguard had served for life, but that had not stopped Joffrey from dismissing Ser Barristan Selmy to make a place for his dog, Sandor Clegane. Kevan could make use of that precedent. I could put Lancel in a white cloak, he reflected. There is more honor in that than he will ever find in the Warrior’s Sons.

凯冯·兰尼斯特将他被雪浸透的斗篷挂到他的solar上，脱下靴子，又令他的仆人拿点新鲜的木材烧火。“一杯香醇的葡萄酒会更好的，”在他坐定在壁炉前时说。“去吧。”

Kevan Lannister hung his snow-sodden cloak inside his solar, pulled off his boots, and commanded his serving man to fetch some fresh wood for his fire. “A cup of mulled wine would go down well,” he said as he settled by the hearth. “See to it.”