提利昂实在无法忍耐，“说啊！告诉法官乔佛里做了什么！你敢不敢说？”

Tyrion could no longer hold his tongue. “Tell the judges what Joffrey was doing, why don’t you?”

这名双下巴的肥胖男子瞪了他一眼，“我没有说错，他当时威胁我，要派身边的蛮子来杀我。”

The big jowly man glared at him. “You told your savages to kill me if I opened my mouth, that’s what I’ll tell them.”

“提利昂，”泰温大人朗声道，“不得打断证人发言。给你一次警告。”

“Tyrion,” Lord Tywin said. “You are to speak only when we call upon you. Take this for a warning.”

提利昂咬牙切齿地闭上嘴巴。

Tyrion subsided, seething.

下面作证的是三位凯特布莱克。奥斯尼和奥斯佛利讲述了黑水河一战之前，提利昂和瑟曦晚宴时所作的威胁。

The Kettleblacks came next, all three of them in turn. Osney and Osfryd told the tale of his supper with Cersei before the Battle of the Blackwater, and of the threats he’d made.

“他威胁太后陛下，”奥斯佛利爵士说，“他发誓对付她，”他哥哥奥斯尼续道，“他说‘总有一天，当你自以为平安快活时，喜乐会在嘴里化成灰烬’。”没人提到爱拉雅雅。

“He told Her Grace that he meant to do her harm,” said Ser Osfryd. “To hurt her.” His brother Osney elaborated. “He said he would wait for a day when she was happy, and make her joy turn to ashes in her mouth.” Neither mentioned Alayaya.

奥斯蒙·凯特布莱克爵士打扮得十分光鲜，穿鳞甲和白袍的他，活脱脱一副大英雄模样。他作证说乔佛里国王早就知道舅舅的阴谋。“大人们，就在国王陛下为我披上白袍的那一天，”他告诉法官，“这英勇的孩子把我拉到一旁，告诉我说‘奥斯蒙好爵士，请你守护我，因为我舅舅迟早要图谋不轨，他打算代我为王呢’。”

Ser Osmund Kettleblack, a vision of chivalry in immaculate scale armor and white wool cloak, swore that King Joffrey had long known that his uncle Tyrion meant to murder him. “It was the day they gave me the white cloak, my lords,” he told the judges. “That brave boy said to me, ‘Good Ser Osmund, guard me well, for my uncle loves me not. He means to be king in my place.’ ”

真是无耻之极！“骗子！”他上前两步，金袍卫士见状连忙拖住他。

That was more than Tyrion could stomach. “Liar!” He took two steps forward before the gold cloaks dragged him back.

泰温大人皱眉道，“你要我们像对待土匪强盗一样将你手脚缚紧吗？”

Lord Tywin frowned. “Must we have you chained hand and foot like a common brigand?”

提利昂稳定情绪。这是我犯的第二个错误。笨蛋、笨蛋、笨蛋，笨蛋侏儒，急躁起来你就毁了！“不用。大人们，恳请您们原谅，他的谎言激怒了我。”

Tyrion gnashed his teeth. A second mistake, fool, fool, fool of a dwarf. Keep your calm or you’re doomed. “No. I beg your pardons, my lords. His lies angered me.”

“他的实话惹恼了你，”瑟曦说，“父亲，为大家的安全起见，我建议您将他捆起来。您也看到了，他究竟是个什么东西。”

“His truths, you mean,” said Cersei. “Father, I beg you to put him in fetters, for your own protection. You see how he is.”

“他是个侏儒，”奥柏伦亲王道，“若我连侏儒都怕，不如找桶红酒醉死。”

“I see he’s a dwarf,” said Prince Oberyn. “The day I fear a dwarf’s wrath is the day I drown myself in a cask of red.”

“是的，我们不用这么严厉，”泰温大人看看窗外，站起身来，“时候不早了，明日再审。”

“We need no fetters.” Lord Tywin glanced at the windows, and rose. “The hour grows late. We shall resume on the morrow.”

当天晚上，孤零零地躺在塔楼囚室，握起酒杯，看着空白羊皮纸，提利昂再度想到妻子。并非珊莎，而是泰莎。我的妓女夫人。她的爱是假，我的情是真，但从这份情爱中，我得到了欢乐。甜蜜的谎言，苦涩的真相。他喝干杯中酒，思念雪伊。深夜，当凯冯爵士来访时，他要叔叔去找瓦里斯。

That night, alone in his tower cell with a blank parchment and a cup of wine, Tyrion found himself thinking of his wife. Not Sansa; his first wife, Tysha. The whore wife, not the wolf wife. Her love for him had been pretense, and yet he had believed, and found joy in that belief. Give me sweet lies, and keep your bitter truths. He drank his wine and thought of Shae. Later, when Ser Kevan paid his nightly visit, Tyrion asked for Varys.

“你相信太监会为你说话？”

“You believe the eunuch will speak in your defense?”

“和他谈了才知道。若你愿意帮我，就找他来吧，叔叔。”

“I won’t know until I have talked with him. Send him here, Uncle, if you would be so good.”

“行。”

“As you wish.”

第二天审判，首先出庭作汪的是巴拉拔学士和法兰肯学士。他们解剖了乔佛里国王的身体，在咽喉中没有发现鸽子馅饼或其他食物。“大人们，国王陛下是给毒死的。”巴拉拔证实，法兰肯沉重地点点头。

Maesters Ballabar and Frenken opened the second day of trial. They had opened King Joffrey’s noble corpse as well, they swore, and found no morsel of pigeon pie nor any other food lodged in the royal throat. “It was poison that killed him, my lords,” said Ballabar, as Frenken nodded gravely.

派席尔大学士接着上场，他沉重地倚靠着一根扭曲藤杖，边走边抖，长长的鸡脖子上只剩几点白须。他太过虚弱，因此法官们特别备下桌椅。派席尔把一堆小瓶罐放到桌上，津津有味地挨个介绍。

Then they brought forth Grand Maester Pycelle, leaning heavily on a twisted cane and shaking as he walked, a few white hairs sprouting from his long chicken’s neck. He had grown too frail to stand, so the judges permitted a chair to be brought in for him, and a table as well. On the table were laid a number of small jars. Pycelle was pleased to put a name to each.

“这是灰蕈粉，”他颤声道，“用菌类制成。这三样分别是夜影之水、甜睡花和鬼舞草。这是瞎眼毒。这是寡妇之血，您们瞧，它因色泽而得名，毒性非凡，一旦被下药，大小便同时闭塞，不出数日将因毒素无法挥发而亡。这是附子草，这是石蜥毒，这个，就是里斯之泪。对它们，我都了若指掌。小恶魔提利昂·兰尼斯特曾以莫须有的罪名将我囚禁，并从我的房间里把它们统统抄走。”

“Greycap,” he said in a quavery voice, “from the toadstool. Nightshade, sweetsleep, demon’s dance. This is blindeye. Widow’s blood, this one is called, for the color. A cruel potion. It shuts down a man’s bladder and bowels, until he drowns in his own poisons. This wolfsbane, here basilisk venom, and this one the tears of Lys. Yes. I know them all. The Imp Tyrion Lannister stole them from my chambers, when he had me falsely imprisoned.”

“派席尔！”提利昂不顾父亲的警告，厉声质问道，“这些东西中有哪一样是能让人窒息而死的？”

“Pycelle,” Tyrion called out, risking his father’s wrath, “could any of these poisons choke off a man’s breath?”

“没有。所以我得出结论，你用的是更为恶毒的药品。当我少年时代在学城求学时，导师曾向我介绍过一味剧毒——扼死者。”

“No. For that, you must turn to a rarer poison. When I was a boy at the Citadel, my teachers named it simply the strangler.”

“这味剧毒并未被调查人员发现，对不对？”

“But this rare poison was not found, was it?”

“的确，大人，”派席尔朝他眨眨眼，“但这改变不了事实。诸神在上，我肯定你是以它来对付国王的万金之躯。”

“No, my lord.” Pycelle blinked at him. “You used it all to kill the noblest child the gods ever put on this good earth.”

提利昂的怒火压倒了理智。“乔佛里是个残暴的蠢蛋，但我没杀他！大人们，想要我的脑袋尽管来取！但我和自己亲外甥的死毫无瓜葛！”

Tyrion’s anger overwhelmed his sense. “Joffrey was cruel and stupid, but I did not kill him. Have my head off if you like, I had no hand in my nephew’s death.”

“安静！”泰温大人说，“这是第三次，再出声，就把你嘴巴塞住绑起来。”

“Silence!” Lord Tywin said. “I have told you thrice. The next time, you shall be gagged and chained.”

派席尔之后，证人的队伍无休无止、接踵上前。领主、夫人与骑士，贵族和下人，只要参加过婚宴，目睹乔佛里窒息而亡，面色黑得如多恩李子那一幕的人，纷纷提出证词。雷德温大人、赛提加大人和佛列蒙·布拉克斯爵士听见提利昂威胁国王；两名仆人、一个戏子、盖尔斯大人、霍柏·雷德温爵士和菲利普·福特爵士证明是他满上了婚宴金杯；玛瑞魏斯夫人发誓当国王与王后协力切馅饼时，侏儒趁机将某种物品放进杯中；老伊斯蒙大人、小派克顿、库伊家族的葛勒昂、侍从莫洛斯·史林特与杰索·史林特绘声绘色地描述了小恶魔在国王垂死时如何消灭证据，将残酒倒在地板上。

After Pycelle came the procession, endless and wearisome. Lords and ladies and noble knights, highborn and humble alike, they had all been present at the wedding feast, had all seen Joffrey choke, his face turning as black as a Dornish plum. Lord Redwyne, Lord Celtigar, and Ser Flement Brax had heard Tyrion threaten the king; two serving men, a juggler, Lord Gyles, Ser Hobber Redwyne, and Ser Philip Foote had observed him fill the wedding chalice; Lady Merryweather swore that she had seen the dwarf drop something into the king’s wine while Joff and Margaery were cutting the pie; old Estermont, young Peckledon, the singer Galyeon of Cuy, and the squires Morros and Jothos Slynt told how Tyrion had picked up the chalice as Joff was dying and poured out the last of the poisoned wine onto the floor.

我何时制造出这许多敌人？玛瑞魏斯夫人与我素无交往，她是产生了幻觉还是被对方所收买？幸好，库伊家族的葛勒昂兴致没上来，否则又得听一首七十七段的新歌。

When did I make so many enemies? Lady Merryweather was all but a stranger. Tyrion wondered if she was blind or bought. At least Galyeon of Cuy had not set his account to music, or else there might have been seventy-seven bloody verses to it.

当天夜里，晚餐后叔叔再来找他，表情显得疏远而冷淡。他也认定是我做的了。“你有证人吗？”凯冯爵士直率地问。

When his uncle called that night after supper, his manner was cold and distant. He thinks I did it too. “Do you have witnesses for us?” Ser Kevan asked him.

“有几个，首先是我老婆。”

“Not as such, no. Unless you’ve found my wife.”

叔叔摇摇头，“审判对你越来越不利了。”

His uncle shook his head. “It would seem the trial is going very badly for you.”

“噢，是这样吗？我还比较乐观，”提利昂摸摸脸上伤疤，“瓦里斯怎么回事？”

“Oh, do you think so? I hadn’t noticed.” Tyrion fingered his scar. “Varys has not come.”

“他不肯来，明天，他将作为控方证人出庭。”

“Nor will he. On the morrow he testifies against you.”

妙极了。“原来如此，”他挪动身体，“有一点我很好奇，叔叔，你为人一向公正严明，这次凭什么认定是我做的？”

Lovely. “I see.” He shifted in his seat. “I am curious. You were always a fair man, Uncle. What convinced you?”

“你为什么要偷派席尔的毒药？有何打算？”凯冯爵士唐突地问，“况且玛瑞魏斯夫人看见——”

“Why steal Pycelle’s poisons, if not to use them?” Ser Kevan said bluntly. “And Lady Merryweather saw—”

“——看见了个鬼！我什么都没做！但我该怎么证明？你们把我关在这里，我又能怎么办？”

“—nothing! There was nothing to see. But how do I prove that? How do I prove anything, penned up here?”

“或许，你认罪的时候到了。”

“Perhaps the time has come for you to confess.”

透过红堡的厚石墙，提利昂听见外面坚定的雨声。“再说一遍，叔叔？你竟然规劝我认罪？”

Even through the thick stone walls of the Red Keep, Tyrion could hear the steady wash of rain. “Say that again, Uncle? I could swear you urged me to confess.”

“假如你肯在铁王座前坦承罪行，并表示悔悟，你父亲就可网开一面，准你穿上黑衣。”

“If you were to admit your guilt before the throne and repent of your crime, your father would withhold the sword. You would be permitted to take the black.”

提利昂嗤之以鼻，“这是瑟曦对付艾德·史塔克的手段。我们都很清楚临冬城公爵的下场！”

Tyrion laughed in his face. “Those were the same terms Cersei offered Eddard Stark. We all know how that ended.”

“此事和你父亲无关。”

“Your father had no part in that.”

至少这是事实。“黑城堡专司收容暴徒、小偷和强奸犯，”提利昂道，“在我短短的造访期间，倒还没见过弑君者。你要我自承是个弑君弑亲的混球，然后由父亲大笔一挥，宣布赦免，接着裹几件毛衣把我扔去长城？”他粗鲁地大吼。

That much was true, at least. “Castle Black teems with murderers, thieves and rapists,” Tyrion said, “but I don’t recall meeting many regicides while I was there. You expect me to believe that if I admit to being a kinslayer and kingslayer, my father will simply nod, forgive me, and pack me off to the Wall with some warm woolen smallclothes.” He hooted rudely.

“这不是赦免的问题，”凯冯爵士严正声明，“我们家族已经够丢脸了。你的悔罪可以平息事端，所以你父亲才派我来提出建议。”

“Naught was said of forgiveness,” Ser Kevan said sternly. “A confession would put this matter to rest. It is for that reason your father sends me with this offer.”

“替我好好谢谢他，叔叔，”提利昂说，“并告诉他，我没有悔罪的心情。”

“Thank him kindly for me, Uncle,” said Tyrion, “but tell him I am not presently in a confessing mood.”

“如果我是你，一定会转变心情。你姐姐非置你于死地不可，她还得到了提利尔大人的支持。”

“Were I you, I’d change my mood. Your sister wants your head, and Lord Tyrell at least is inclined to give it to her.”

“所以说，审判我的法官中有一位还没听我辩护，就定了我的罪？”不出所料，“你们到底还准不准我发言举证？”

“So one of my judges has already condemned me, without hearing a word in my defense?” It was no more than he expected. “Will I still be allowed to speak and present witnesses?”

“你根本没有证据！”叔叔尖刻地提醒他，“提利昂，假如你是罪犯，去长城无疑算放你一马；就算你无辜……我明白，北方正在打仗，但你待在那边，也比留在君临安全。老百姓们坚信是你作的恶，假如你蠢到在市井出没，顷刻间就会被撕成碎片。”

“You have no witnesses,” his uncle reminded him. “Tyrion, if you are guilty of this enormity, the Wall is a kinder fate than you deserve. And if you are blameless … there is fighting in the north, I know, but even so it will be a safer place for you than King’s Landing, whatever the outcome of this trial. The mob is convinced of your guilt. Were you so foolish as to venture out into the streets, they would tear you limb from limb.”

“你似乎很关心我。”

“I can see how much that prospect upsets you.”

“你是我哥哥的儿子。”

“You are my brother’s son.”

“你应该提醒他这一点。”

“You might remind him of that.”

“你以为假如你不是他和乔安娜的儿子，他会容忍你穿上黑衣吗？泰温一直对你很严厉，我都看在眼里，但他的性格也是给逼出来的。你的祖父待人宽厚温和，因此被封臣们轻蔑，甚至有人公开反对他。外地领主借了我们的钱，从来不想归还，在宫里，他们嘲笑咱家是无牙的狮子，就连他的女管家也从事偷窃。想想看，一个妓女般的女子，居然敢拿你祖母的珠宝！重振兰尼斯特家族的重担落到了泰温肩上，他二十岁那年，又负起统治全国的重担。二十年啊！二十年如一日，他尽心竭力，到头来却只换回疯王的嫉妒。没有荣誉，只有背后的冷箭和侮辱，但他依然为七大王国带来了和平、富裕和正义。没错，他才是真正做到了公正严明，你应该相信他。”

“Do you think he would allow you to take the black if you were not his own blood, and Joanna’s? Tywin seems a hard man to you, I know, but he is no harder than he’s had to be. Our own father was gentle and amiable, but so weak his bannermen mocked him in their cups. Some saw fit to defy him openly. Other lords borrowed our gold and never troubled to repay it. At court they japed of toothless lions. Even his mistress stole from him. A woman scarcely one step above a whore, and she helped herself to my mother’s jewels! It fell to Tywin to restore House Lannister to its proper place. Just as it fell to him to rule this realm, when he was no more than twenty. He bore that heavy burden for twenty years, and all it earned him was a mad king’s envy. Instead of the honor he deserved, he was made to suffer slights beyond count, yet he gave the Seven Kingdoms peace, plenty, and justice. He is a just man. You would be wise to trust him.”

提利昂惊讶地眨眨眼。凯冯爵士是个单纯、坚定、感情内敛的人，从没用这般的狂热讲过话。“你爱他。”

Tyrion blinked in astonishment. Ser Kevan had always been solid, stolid, pragmatic; he had never heard him speak with such fervor before. “You love him.”

“他是我哥哥。”

“He is my brother.”

“我……我会想想你的话。”

“I … I will think on what you’ve said.”

“好好想想吧，而且要快。”

“Think carefully, then. And quickly.”

他想了整夜，清晨时仍未下定决心。仆人端来麦片粥和蜂蜜，但他思及认罪，嘴里就只剩胆汁的味道。直到我死的那一天，都会背着弑亲者的骂名，不，直到一千年一万年之后，我的名字都将被唾弃，我就是那歌谣中在婚宴上谋杀亲外甥的邪恶侏儒。想到这里，他满腔怒火，扬手将粥连碗带勺一起掷出去，重重地砸在墙上。亚当·马尔布兰爵士进门时有些好奇，但识趣地闭上了嘴。

He thought of little else that night, but come morning was no closer to deciding if his father could be trusted. A servant brought him porridge and honey to break his fast, but all he could taste was bile at the thought of confession. They will call me kinslayer till the end of my days. For a thousand years or more, if I am remembered at all, it will be as the monstrous dwarf who poisoned his young nephew at his wedding feast. The thought made him so bloody angry that he flung the bowl and spoon across the room and left a smear of porridge on the wall. Ser Addam Marbrand looked at it curiously when he came to escort Tyrion to trial, but had the good grace not to inquire.

“瓦里斯大人，”司仪宣布，“情报总管。”

“Lord Varys,” the herald said, “master of whisperers.”

八爪蜘蛛刻意打扮，脸上扑满了粉，闻起来有股玫瑰香水的味道，一边说一边搓手。他要把我送入深渊，提利昂听着太监悲天悯人的话语，心里想。瓦里斯提到小恶魔如何阴谋将猎狗和乔佛里分开，如何与波隆谈论立托曼为王的好处。假中带真赛过谎言。更绝的是，八爪蜘蛛样样事都有文件为凭，张张羊皮纸上写满了各种注释、细节、日期和谈话。由于文件太多，他讲了整整一天，效果谓为彰显。他证明提利昂确曾深夜闯入派席尔大学士的住所，拿走国师的种种药品和毒剂；他证明提利昂确曾在晚宴对瑟曦太后发出威胁——实际上，除了不能直接证明提利昂下毒，其他的情节都是一清二楚了。奥柏伦亲王忍不住问，既然他人不在场，又是如何了解这一切的呢？太监咯咯笑道，“小小鸟儿说的呗。它们天生便是要四处刺探，把情报告诉我，好由我转达给诸位大人。”

Powdered, primped, and smelling of rosewater, the Spider rubbed his hands one over the other all the time he spoke. Washing my life away, Tyrion thought, as he listened to the eunuch’s mournful account of how the Imp had schemed to part Joffrey from the Hound’s protection and spoken with Bronn of the benefits of having Tommen as king. Half-truths are worth more than outright lies. And unlike the others, Varys had documents; parchments painstakingly filled with notes, details, dates, whole conversations. So much material that its recitation took all day, and so much of it damning. Varys confirmed Tyrion’s midnight visit to Grand Maester Pycelle’s chambers and the theft of his poisons and potions, confirmed the threat he’d made to Cersei the night of their supper, confirmed every bloody thing but the poisoning itself. When Prince Oberyn asked him how he could possibly know all this, not having been present at any of these events, the eunuch only giggled and said, “My little birds told me. Knowing is their purpose, and mine.”

小小鸟儿，提利昂阴郁地想，来君临的第一天，我就该宰了他。真该死，你这混球，居然那么信任他。

How do I question a little bird? thought Tyrion. I should have had the eunuch’s head off my first day in King’s Landing. Damn him. And damn me for whatever trust I put in him.

“你还有证人吗？”瓦里斯离开王座厅后，泰温大人询问女儿。

“Have we heard it all?” Lord Tywin asked his daughter as Varys left the hall.

“差不多了，”瑟曦道，“但下次审判时，我请求带上最后一位证人，那将是决定性的证据。”

“Almost,” said Cersei. “I beg your leave to bring one final witness before you, on the morrow.”

“可以。”泰温大人说。

“As you wish,” Lord Tywin said.

噢，妙极了，提利昂狂乱地想，这场闹剧竟然还要继续，倒不如现在就砍头算了！

Oh, good, thought Tyrion savagely. After this farce of a trial, execution will almost come as a relief.

这天晚上，当他坐在窗边饮酒时，门外传来声响。凯冯爵士又来找我忏悔了，他心想，不料进门的却不是叔叔。

That night, as he sat by his window drinking, he heard voices outside his door. Ser Kevan, come for my answer, he thought at once, but it was not his uncle who entered.

提利昂起身朝奥柏伦亲王夸张地一鞠躬，“法官可以拜访嫌犯吗？”

Tyrion rose to give Prince Oberyn a mocking bow. “Are judges permitted to visit the accused?”

“亲王想去哪儿就去哪儿——我便是这么对守卫说的。”红毒蛇大喇喇地坐下。

“Princes are permitted to go where they will. Or so I told your guards.” The Red Viper took a seat.

“你这样做会冒犯我父亲。”

“My father will be displeased with you.”

“泰温·兰尼斯特的心情在我的考量名单上排不到前列。你喝的可是多恩红酒？”

“The happiness of Tywin Lannister has never been high on my list of concerns. Is it Dornish wine you’re drinking?”

“青亭岛的。”

“From the Arbor.”

奥柏伦扮个鬼脸，“掺颜料的水。是你下的毒吗？”

Oberyn made a face. “Red water. Did you poison him?”

“不是。是你下的吗？”

“No. Did you?”

亲王哈哈大笑，“天下侏儒莫非都跟你一般伶牙利齿？小心哦，没准哪天给人剁下来。”

The prince smiled. “Do all dwarfs have tongues like yours? Someone is going to cut it out one of these days.”

“谢谢，这话我听过很多遍了。我时常想自己动手，免得它再给我惹麻烦。”

“You are not the first to tell me that. Perhaps I should cut it out myself, it seems to make no end of trouble.”

“深有同感。好吧，不管怎样，我也渴了，就尝点雷德温大人的果汁吧。”

“So I’ve seen. I think I may drink some of Lord Redwyne’s grape juice after all.”

“好。”提利昂为对方满上一杯。

“As you like.” Tyrion served him a cup.

亲王吮了一口，在嘴里漱漱，最后方才咽下去。“勉勉强强。明天我送你几瓶够劲的多恩葡萄酒，”他又喝下一口，“金发妞儿让我动心了。”

The man took a sip, sloshed it about in his mouth, and swallowed. “It will serve, for the moment. I will send you up some strong Dornish wine on the morrow.” He took another sip. “I have turned up that golden-haired whore I was hoping for.”

“你找到莎塔雅的地方了？”

“So you found Chataya’s?”

“在莎塔雅那儿我睡黑皮肤的姑娘，叫什么爱拉雅雅，长得很美，只是背上有些伤痕。我刚才指的是你老姐。”

“At Chataya’s I bedded the black-skinned girl. Alayaya, I believe she is called. Exquisite, despite the stripes on her back. But the whore I referred to is your sister.”

“她找你出轨吗？”提利昂毫不吃惊地问。

“Has she seduced you yet?” Tyrion asked, unsurprised.

奥柏伦纵声长笑，“还没有，不过只要我出得起价，那是迟早的问题。太后甚至暗示过婚姻的事，没错，陛下她需要一个丈夫，有谁能比多恩领亲王更般配呢？艾拉莉亚认为我该接受，想起能和我共享瑟曦她就湿了——真是个淫荡的婊子。再说，睡她无需支付‘侏儒的铜板’，你说对吧？你老姐的价码不高，她只要一个头，一个缺鼻子的畸形脑袋。”

Oberyn laughed aloud. “No, but she will if I meet her price. The queen has even hinted at marriage. Her Grace needs another husband, and who better than a prince of Dorne? Ellaria believes I should accept. Just the thought of Cersei in our bed makes her wet, the randy wench. And we should not even need to pay the dwarf’s penny. All your sister requires from me is one head, somewhat overlarge and missing a nose.”

“你怎么想？”提利昂静待对方回答。

“And?” said Tyrion, waiting.

奥柏伦一口喝干杯中酒，讲起了故事。“很久以前，少龙主降服阳戟城，平定多恩领之后，留下高庭公爵担任总督。提利尔大人从不曾安顿，总是一城搬到另一城，四处讨伐叛党，确保我们多恩人屈膝臣服。他会带着大军，突然占领某领主的居城，住上一月之后，又扑向别处，每次入城，都将我们的领主赶出住所，霸占其床铺。有一回，他来到一座城堡，领主的床顶有张沉沉的天鹅绒遮罩，枕边有个小带子，似乎是用来召唤侍女的。提利尔大人喜爱多恩姑娘，谁能怪他呢？于是他拉了带子，结果头顶的遮罩猛然裂开，掉下一百只红蝎。总督的死令战火复燃，半月之内，少龙主的征服便化为乌有。不屈不挠的多恩人站起来，重新获得了自由。”

By way of answer Prince Oberyn swirled his wine, and said, “When the Young Dragon conquered Dorne so long ago, he left the Lord of Highgarden to rule us after the Submission of Sunspear. This Tyrell moved with his tail from keep to keep, chasing rebels and making certain that our knees stayed bent. He would arrive in force, take a castle for his own, stay a moon’s turn, and ride on to the next castle. It was his custom to turn the lords out of their own chambers and take their beds for himself. One night he found himself beneath a heavy velvet canopy. A sash hung down near the pillows, should he wish to summon a wench. He had a taste for Dornish women, this Lord Tyrell, and who can blame him? So he pulled upon the sash, and when he did the canopy above him split open, and a hundred red scorpions fell down upon his head. His death lit a fire that soon swept across Dorne, undoing all the Young Dragon’s victories in a fortnight. The kneeling men stood up, and we were free again.”

“我听过这个传说，”提利昂说，“你究竟什么意思？”

“I know the tale,” said Tyrion. “What of it?”

“我的意思很明显。我宁愿在枕边挂个带子，头顶有无数红蝎，也赛过美丽的太后睡在身边。”

“Just this. If I should ever find a sash beside my own bed, and pull on it, I would sooner have the scorpions fall upon me than the queen in all her naked beauty.”

提利昂咧嘴而笑，“彼此彼此。”

Tyrion grinned. “We have that much in common, then.”

“说到底，我应该感谢你老姐。若非她在婚宴上当即逮捕了你，说不定就轮到你来审判我了，”亲王的黑眼睛里闪烁着兴味，“你瞧，谁比多恩的红毒蛇更精于毒药之道呢？谁比我更不愿看到提利尔家与王族结合呢？如今乔佛里进了坟墓，根据多恩律法，铁王座应传给他妹妹弥赛菈——而她正好是我侄儿的未婚妻。这都是你的功劳。”

“To be sure, I have much to thank your sister for. If not for her accusation at the feast, it might well be you judging me instead of me judging you.” The prince’s eyes were dark with amusement. “Who knows more of poison than the Red Viper of Dorne, after all? Who has better reason to want to keep the Tyrells far from the crown? And with Joffrey in his grave, by Dornish law the Iron Throne should pass next to his sister Myrcella, who as it happens is betrothed to mine own nephew, thanks to you.”

“多恩的律法在此并不适用，”提利昂最近沉溺于自己的麻烦，已然忘了考虑继承顺位的事，“我父亲肯定会为托曼加冕。”

“Dornish law does not apply.” Tyrion had been so ensnared in his own troubles that he’d never stopped to consider the succession. “My father will crown Tommen, count on that.”

“他当然会为托曼加冕——在君临加冕。但这阻止不了我哥哥在阳戟城为弥赛菈加冕。你父亲会为了孙子和孙女打仗吗？你姐姐会为了儿子对付女儿吗？”红毒蛇一耸肩，“或许我真该与瑟曦太后成亲，条件是她支持女儿的继承权。你认为她会答应吗？”

“He may indeed crown Tommen, here in King’s Landing. Which is not to say that my brother may not crown Myrcella, down in Sunspear. Will your father make war on your niece on behalf of your nephew? Will your sister?” He gave a shrug. “Perhaps I should marry Queen Cersei after all, on the condition that she support her daughter over her son. Do you think she would?”

不大可能吧。提利昂第一反应是这样，然而转念一想，瑟曦不是总归咎老天没让她当男人吗？假如多恩的律法得以适用，也就意味着她可以当凯岩城的继承人。瑟曦和詹姆是双胞胎，但她抢先降世，因此做了姐姐。维护弥赛菈的事业就等于维护自己的权利。“在托曼和弥赛菈之间，我不清楚老姐会选择谁，”他承认，“但她选谁都没关系，因为我父亲不会给她这个机会。”

Never, Tyrion wanted to say, but the word caught in his throat. Cersei always resented being excluded from power on account of her sex. If Dornish law applied in the west, she would be the heir to Casterly Rock in her own right. She and Jaime were twins, but Cersei had come first into the world, and that was all it took. By championing Myrcella’s cause she would be championing her own. “I do not know how my sister would choose, between Tommen and Myrcella,” he admitted. “It makes no matter. My father will never give her that choice.”

“你父亲，”奥柏伦亲王缓缓地说，“不可能长命百岁。”

“Your father,” said Prince Oberyn, “may not live forever.”

亲王的口气让提利昂颈毛直竖。他忽然想起了伊莉亚，想起了穿越黑水河南岸战场时奥柏伦说的话。杀掉这混账以前，我要问出幕后主使。“在红堡内，谈论大逆不道之事极不明智，亲王殿下，小小鸟儿在听呢。”

Something about the way he said it made the hairs on the back of Tyrion’s neck bristle. Suddenly he was mindful of Elia again, and all that Oberyn had said as they crossed the field of ashes. He wants the head that spoke the words, not just the hand that swung the sword. “It is not wise to speak such treasons in the Red Keep, my prince. The little birds are listening.”

“让它们去听。我不过谈论人的生理规律，就是大逆不道吗？古瓦雷利亚语中有句名言‘Valar morghulis’，意思是‘凡人皆有一死’。瓦雷利亚的毁灭正好证明这一点。”多恩人踱到窗边，望进夜色中，“听说你没有证人。”

“Let them. Is it treason to say a man is mortal? Valar morghulis was how they said it in Valyria of old. All men must die. And the Doom came and proved it true.” The Dornishman went to the window to gaze out into the night. “It is being said that you have no witnesses for us.”

“我还指望法官大人们看着我这张天真无邪的脸，就宣判无罪呢。”

“I was hoping one look at this sweet face of mine would be enough to persuade you all of my innocence.”

“你错了，侏儒。高庭的胖玫瑰确信是你犯了罪，决意要判处死刑。他提醒过我们几十次，他宝贝的玛格丽也用那只杯子喝过酒，不杀你难消心头之恨。”

“You are mistaken, my lord. The Fat Flower of Highgarden is quite convinced of your guilt, and determined to see you die. His precious Margaery was drinking from that chalice too, as he has reminded us half a hundred times.”

“你呢？”提利昂问。

“And you?” said Tyrion.

“表象和实情是两回事，罪状貌似确凿无疑，我反而相信你的无辜。但不管我怎么想，看样子你难逃此劫，在山的这一边，正义极难伸张。伊莉亚、伊耿和雷妮丝，他们都没有得到正义，你又怎么逃得掉呢？或许杀害乔佛里的真凶也喂熊了，你说对不？噢，等等，熊这东西，是赫伦堡的特产吗？”

“Men are seldom as they appear. You look so very guilty that I am convinced of your innocence. Still, you will likely be condemned. Justice is in short supply this side of the mountains. There has been none for Elia, Aegon, or Rhaenys. Why should there be any for you? Perhaps Joffrey’s real killer was eaten by a bear. That seems to happen quite often in King’s Landing. Oh, wait, the bear was at Harrenhal, now I remember.”

“原来你跟我玩游戏来了。”提利昂摸摸鼻子上的伤疤，此时他孑然一身，没什么可隐瞒，“赫伦堡中确实有一头黑熊，亚摩利·洛奇爵士教它给吃了。”

“Is that the game we are playing?” Tyrion rubbed at his scarred nose. He had nothing to lose by telling Oberyn the truth. “There was a bear at Harrenhal, and it did kill Ser Amory Lorch.”

“我真为他遗憾，”红毒蛇道，“也为你遗憾。缺鼻子的人撒的谎都如此拙劣吗？”

“How sad for him,” said the Red Viper. “And for you. Do all noseless men lie so badly, I wonder?”

“我没撒谎。亚摩利爵士亲手将雷妮丝公主从她父亲床下拖出来，用刀子捅死。嗯，不错，他还带了几个手下，但这帮小辈的姓名我可不清楚，”他倾身向前，“而把伊耿王子一头撞死在墙上，就着满手鲜血和脑浆操了你姐姐伊莉亚的，便是格雷果·克里冈爵士。”

“I am not lying. Ser Amory dragged Princess Rhaenys out from under her father’s bed and stabbed her to death. He had some men-at-arms with him, but I do not know their names.” He leaned forward. “It was Ser Gregor Clegane who smashed Prince Aegon’s head against a wall and raped your sister Elia with his blood and brains still on his hands.”

“是吗？你们兰尼斯特终于肯说真话了？”奥柏伦冷笑，“那么，下令的就是你父亲喽？”

“What is this, now? Truth, from a Lannister?” Oberyn smiled coldly. “Your father gave the commands, yes?”

“不是。”他毫不犹豫地撒谎，连自己也奇怪为何如此不假思索。

“No.” He spoke the lie without hesitation, and never stopped to ask himself why he should.

多恩人扬起一道细细的黑眉毛，“好个尽职尽责的乖儿子！可惜说出口的却是不堪一击的谎言！别装模作样了！我知道是泰温公爵将我姐姐的孩子用兰尼斯特的红斗篷裹好，献给了劳勃。”

The Dornishman raised one thin black eyebrow. “Such a dutiful son. And such a very feeble lie. It was Lord Tywin who presented my sister’s children to King Robert all wrapped up in crimson Lannister cloaks.”

“事情真相你该跟我父亲讨论去。他当时人在君临，我当时人在凯岩城，况且那时我两腿间的玩意儿还只能用来尿尿呢。”

“Perhaps you ought to have this discussion with my father. He was there. I was at the Rock, and still so young that I thought the thing between my legs was only good for pissing.”

“哼，没错，不过你现在却是身在君临，还惹上了大麻烦。你的清白或许跟你脸上的伤疤一样明显，但这救不了你，你父亲也不会救你，”多恩领亲王微微一笑，“除了我，你没有别的救星。”

“Yes, but you are here now, and in some difficulty, I would say. Your innocence may be as plain as the scar on your face, but it will not save you. No more than your father will.” The Dornish prince smiled. “But I might.”

“你？”提利昂凝视着他，“你不过是三个法官之一，如何能扭转乾坤？”

“You?” Tyrion studied him. “You are one judge in three. How could you save me?”

“不是作为法官，而是作为你的代理骑士。”

“Not as your judge. As your champion.”