Ⅲ 冰雨的风暴 Chapter37 詹姆

JAIME

赫伦堡的澡堂是一座低矮、阴暗、雾气腾腾的房间，内有很多石制大浴缸。他们领詹姆进去时，布蕾妮正坐在一个浴缸里，恼怒地用力搓洗手臂。

Harrenhal’s bathhouse was a dim, steamy, low-ceilinged room filled with great stone tubs. When they led Jaime in, they found Brienne seated in one of them, scrubbing her arm almost angrily.

“轻点，妞儿，”他打招呼，“洗澡还洗得皮开肉绽干吗？”她听到言语，忙放下刷子，用一双堪比格雷果·克里冈的巨掌的手护住乳房。那两个又小又尖的奶头与她粗厚壮实的胸膛极不协调，看起来倒像属于十岁幼女的东西。

“Not so hard, wench,” he called. “You’ll scrub the skin off.” She dropped her brush and covered her teats with hands as big as Gregor Clegane’s. The pointy little buds she was so intent on hiding would have looked more natural on some ten-year-old than they did on her thick muscular chest.

“你来做什么？”她问。

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“波顿大人邀我共进晚餐，但他餐桌上不允许出现跳蚤。”詹姆用左手扯扯守卫的衣角，“帮我把这身臭布脱掉。”一只手，他连马裤也解不开。守卫咕哝几句，照办了。“现在走吧，”衣服脱下来扔在潮湿的石地板上之后，詹姆吩咐，“咱们塔斯的布蕾妮小姐受不了你们这帮下人偷看她的玉体呢。”接着他用断肢指指那个伺候布蕾妮的、面目消瘦的妇人，“愣什么？你也出去，在外面等。这里只有一个门，妞儿那么肥，从烟囱爬不走的。”

“Lord Bolton insists I sup with him, but he neglected to invite my fleas.” Jaime tugged at his guard with his left hand. “Help me out of these stinking rags.” One-handed, he could not so much as unlace his breeches. The man obeyed grudgingly, but he obeyed. “Now leave us,” Jaime said when his clothes lay in a pile on the wet stone floor. “My lady of Tarth doesn’t want the likes of you scum gaping at her teats.” He pointed his stump at the hatchet-faced woman attending Brienne. “You too. Wait without. There’s only the one door, and the wench is too big to try and shinny up a chimney.”

这里的下人都养成了闭嘴服从的习惯，妇人和守卫鱼贯而出，片刻之后，澡堂只剩他们两人。这些浴缸是照着自由贸易城邦的样式修的，一个够六七人同洗。詹姆缓慢而笨拙地爬进妞儿的缸子。经过科本连日运用水蛭，他的右眼已经大好，只有一点微肿。但詹姆觉得自己浑身乏力，简直像个百来岁的老翁，唉，总比来时感觉好些吧。

The habit of obedience went deep. The woman followed his guard out, leaving the bathhouse to the two of them. The tubs were large enough to hold six or seven, after the fashion of the Free Cities, so Jaime climbed in with the wench, awkward and slow. Both his eyes were open, though the right remained somewhat swollen, despite Qyburn’s leeches. Jaime felt a hundred and nine years old, which was a deal better than he had been feeling when he came to Harrenhal.

布蕾妮忙不迭地从他身边挪开，“这里多的是缸子！”

Brienne shrunk away from him. “There are other tubs.”

“我就看中这缸。”他小心翼翼地舒展身子，直到冒蒸汽的热水漫到下巴。“别怕，妞儿，你嫩得跟青草似的，我对你那儿的东西没兴趣。”他将右臂放到缸子外，因为科本警告他必须保持亚麻布绷带的干燥，股间的压力逐渐舒缓，头脑却眩晕起来。“若见我昏厥，赶快把我拖出去，没有哪个兰尼斯特是洗澡时淹死的，我可不想当头名。”

“This one suits me well enough.” Gingerly, he immersed himself up to the chin in the steaming water. “Have no fear, wench. Your thighs are purple and green, and I’m not interested in what you’ve got between them.” He had to rest his right arm on the rim, since Qyburn had warned him to keep the linen dry. He could feel the tension drain from his legs, but his head spun. “If I faint, pull me out. No Lannister has ever drowned in his bath and I don’t mean to be the first.”

“我干吗管你死活！”

“Why should I care how you die?”

“当然要管，你发下了神圣的誓言，”他嘻嘻笑道。一轮红晕爬上她厚实白皙的脖子，她转过头去，背身对他。“啧啧，您看，我忘了您还是个含羞的处女呢。”他摸索着去够她先前用的刷子，手指颤巍巍地捏住，散乱地擦起身体。好笨拙，好难看啊。左手真没用。

“You swore a solemn vow.” He smiled as a red flush crept up the thick white column of her neck. She turned her back to him. “Still the shy maiden? What is it that you think I haven’t seen?” He groped for the brush she had dropped, caught it with his fingers, and began to scrub himself desultorily. Even that was difficult, awkward. My left hand is good for nothing.

慢慢地，随着结块的污垢被擦掉，水越来越黑。妞儿始终没回头，那对大肩膀上隆起两团坚实的肌肉。

Still, the water darkened as the caked dirt dissolved off his skin. The wench kept her back to him, the muscles in her great shoulders hunched and hard.

“你就这么厌恶见到残废？”詹姆问，“其实你该高兴才对，我所失去的这只手，正是杀害国王的罪魁元凶，也是它将那史塔克小孩从塔顶扔下，是它伸到我老姐双股之间，将她弄湿。”他用断肢去碰她的脸。“瞧你，这副德行，难怪保不住蓝礼。”

“Does the sight of my stump distress you so?” Jaime asked. “You ought to be pleased. I’ve lost the hand I killed the king with. The hand that flung the Stark boy from that tower. The hand I’d slide between my sister’s thighs to make her wet.” He thrust his stump at her face. “No wonder Renly died, with you guarding him.”

他不过碰了一下，她却像挨了打似地跳将起来，爬出浴缸，溅出许多热水。詹姆不经意间看到女人大腿间厚实的金毛丛。她的毛比老姐多。想到这，命根子竟荒谬地硬起来。这下该知道自己有多想念瑟曦了。他移开视线，不愿被对方发现身体的变化。“你别这样，”他喃喃道，“我都是个残废了，一身伤痛。唉，原谅我，妞儿，你从头到尾细心保护，武艺也比旁人都强。”

She jerked to her feet as if he’d struck her, sending a wash of hot water across the tub. Jaime caught a glimpse of the thick blonde bush at the juncture of her thighs as she climbed out. She was much hairier than his sister. Absurdly, he felt his cock stir beneath the bathwater. Now I know I have been too long away from Cersei. He averted his eyes, troubled by his body’s response. “That was unworthy,” he mumbled. “I’m a maimed man, and bitter. Forgive me, wench. You protected me as well as any man could have, and better than most.”

对方赶紧用一卷毛巾遮体，“你取笑我？”

She wrapped her nakedness in a towel. “Do you mock me?”

她让他火了，“你的心真跟城墙一样厚？我在道歉哪。行了行了，受够了你，咱们就不能停战么？”

That pricked him back to anger. “Are you as thick as a castle wall? That was an apology. I am tired of fighting with you. What say we make a truce?”

“停战的基础是信任。你要我相信——”

“Truces are built on trust. Would you have me trust—”

“——弑君者么？呵呵，怎能相信谋害可怜的老伊里斯的背誓之人？”詹姆哼了一声，“让我后悔不是伊里斯，而是劳勃。‘听说他们叫你弑君者，’他在加冕仪式结束后的宴会上对我说，‘喏，你可不要把这当成习惯哟，’说罢豪爽地大笑。为何就没人称他劳勃为背誓者呢？正是他分裂国家，挑起内战，结果人们只将屎倒在我的荣誉上。”

“The Kingslayer, yes. The oathbreaker who murdered poor sad Aerys Targaryen.” Jaime snorted. “It’s not Aerys I rue, it’s Robert. ‘I hear they’ve named you Kingslayer,’ he said to me at his coronation feast. ‘Just don’t think to make it a habit.’ And he laughed. Why is it that no one names Robert oathbreaker? He tore the realm apart, yet I am the one with shit for honor.”

“劳勃所做的一切都是为了爱。”洗澡水流下布蕾妮的大腿，在脚边汇成小池。

“Robert did all he did for love.” Water ran down Brienne’s legs and pooled beneath her feet.

“劳勃所做的一切都是为了自己的骄傲，为了一张俏脸和一个阴道。”他握手成拳……可惜没手。疼痛刺穿断肢，残酷一如笑颜。

“Robert did all he did for pride, a cunt, and a pretty face.” He made a fist … or would have, if he’d had a hand. Pain lanced up his arm, cruel as laughter.

“他必须站出来拯救国家。”她坚持。

“He rode to save the realm,” she insisted.

拯救国家。“你已听说我弟弟火烧黑水河的消息了吧？野火能在流水上燃烧，伊里斯做梦都想用它来洗澡。这帮坦格利安，对火简直着了魔！”詹姆有些神志不清。这里太热，我的血液污浊，高烧未退……控制不住自己。他放松身躯，任热水淹过下巴。“让白袍蒙羞……那天我穿的是金甲，可……”

To save the realm. “Did you know that my brother set the Blackwater Rush afire? Wildfire will burn on water. Aerys would have bathed in it if he’d dared. The Targaryens were all mad for fire.” Jaime felt light-headed. It is the heat in here, the poison in my blood, the last of my fever. I am not myself. He eased himself down until the water reached his chin. “Soiled my white cloak … I wore my gold armor that day, but …”

“金甲？”她的声音遥远而虚弱。

“Gold armor?” Her voice sounded far off, faint.

他在蒸汽和回忆中漂浮。“狮鹫在鸣钟之役中失败后，伊里斯流放了他。”我干吗把这些告诉这什么也不懂的丑小鸭？“这时国王已然明白，劳勃绝非什么可随意打发的土匪蟊贼，而是自戴蒙·黑火以来坦格利安家族所面临的最大威胁。于是他粗暴地提醒勒文·马泰尔亲王关注伊莉亚公主的安危，令他即刻沿国王大道南下，接管一万多恩军北上勤王；同时，调琼恩·戴瑞和巴利斯坦·赛尔弥前往石堂镇收容狮鹫麾下的败军。雷加王子也从南方归来，说服父王约束骄傲，召我父亲来援。但无论给凯岩城派出多少信鸦，都没回音。国王愈发恐惧，谁也不信任，瓦里斯火上浇油，列出长长的叛徒名单。最后，伊里斯下定决心，召来宠幸的炼金术士，命他们将野火罐子埋到全城各地。从贝勒大圣堂底到跳蚤窝的陋屋，马厩与仓库，七座城门，龙穴，甚至红堡的地窖内都有这些‘水果’。”

He floated in heat, in memory. “After dancing griffins lost the Battle of the Bells, Aerys exiled him.” Why am I telling this absurd ugly child? “He had finally realized that Robert was no mere outlaw lord to be crushed at whim, but the greatest threat House Targaryen had faced since Daemon Blackfyre. The king reminded Lewyn Martell gracelessly that he held Elia and sent him to take command of the ten thousand Dornishmen coming up the kingsroad. Jon Darry and Barristan Selmy rode to Stoney Sept to rally what they could of griffins’ men, and Prince Rhaegar returned from the south and persuaded his father to swallow his pride and summon my father. But no raven returned from Casterly Rock, and that made the king even more afraid. He saw traitors everywhere, and Varys was always there to point out any he might have missed. So His Grace commanded his alchemists to place caches of wildfire all over King’s Landing. Beneath Baelor’s Sept and the hovels of Flea Bottom, under stables and storehouses, at all seven gates, even in the cellars of the Red Keep itself.

“这是最高机密，由几个自恃甚高的火术士亲自安排，连他们手下的助手都不清楚。当年的雷拉王后对王夫的行为早已不闻不问，雷加王子作为总司令，又忙着整军备战，但那个新任的‘锤子与匕首’首相可不是白痴，任谁看到罗萨特、贝里斯和高苟斯他们成天进进出出都会心生疑虑。对了，他叫切斯德，切斯德伯爵，这是他的名字。”说着说着，回忆丰满起来。“这男人其实很没骨气，但有一天总算勇敢地面见伊里斯，要国王放弃疯狂的打算。他据理力争、玩笑戏语、威胁劝阻、最后苦苦哀求，当一切终归无用，他气急败坏地扯下首相项链，扔到地板上。就为这个，国王将他活活烤死，并把职位赏给罗萨特——最受宠的火术士，烹烤瑞卡德公爵便出自他的手笔。这期间，我一直全身白甲，站在铁王座下，如一具沉默的僵尸，守护着我的君王和他可爱的小秘密。”

“Everything was done in the utmost secrecy by a handful of master pyromancers. They did not even trust their own acolytes to help. The queen’s eyes had been closed for years, and Rhaegar was busy marshaling an army. But Aerys’s new mace-and-dagger Hand was not utterly stupid, and with Rossart, Belis, and Garigus coming and going night and day, he became suspicious. Chelsted, that was his name, Lord Chelsted.” It had come back to him suddenly, with the telling. “I’d thought the man craven, but the day he confronted Aerys he found some courage somewhere. He did all he could to dissuade him. He reasoned, he jested, he threatened, and finally he begged. When that failed he took off his chain of office and flung it down on the floor. Aerys burnt him alive for that, and hung his chain about the neck of Rossart, his favorite pyromancer. The man who had cooked Lord Rickard Stark in his own armor. And all the time, I stood by the foot of the Iron Throne in my white plate, still as a corpse, guarding my liege and all his sweet secrets.

“你看，伊里斯把我的兄弟们全派了出去，只留我随身伺候，因为我是泰温·兰尼斯特的儿子，他不放心。他要我待在瓦里斯监视的范围内，日日夜夜，不得脱离。所以那些勾当只有我一清二楚。”他还记得当罗萨特展开埋藏“这种物质”的分布图时，贝里斯、高苟斯和国王眼中闪烁的光芒。“后来雷加与劳勃在三叉戟河上决战，结果世人皆知。兵败的消息传来，伊里斯安排王后带韦赛里斯王子夜奔龙石岛，但不准伊莉丝公主离开。在他那颗疯狂的脑袋里，早将雷加的失败归咎于勒文亲王的背叛，而要挟伊莉丝公主和伊耿王子为人质，便能保住多恩人的效忠。‘篡夺者别想夺取我的王都’，我听他声嘶力竭地对罗萨特喊，‘我要留给他们一座灰烬之城。让劳勃这贼子和我一样，君临焦黑骨骸和烤熟血肉。’坦格利安家族世代实行火葬，没有坟墓，伊里斯要把整个君临城化为他的火葬堆。呵呵，其实他不是真的想死，和从前的‘明焰’伊利昂一样，国王相信火焰能让他……重生，化为真龙，向敌人复仇。”

“My Sworn Brothers were all away, you see, but Aerys liked to keep me close. I was my father’s son, so he did not trust me. He wanted me where Varys could watch me, day and night. So I heard it all.” He remembered how Rossart’s eyes would shine when he unrolled his maps to show where the substance must be placed. Garigus and Belis were the same. “Rhaegar met Robert on the Trident, and you know what happened there. When the word reached court, Aerys packed the queen off to Dragonstone with Prince Viserys. Princess Elia would have gone as well, but he forbade it. Somehow he had gotten it in his head that Prince Lewyn must have betrayed Rhaegar on the Trident, but he thought he could keep Dorne loyal so long as he kept Elia and Aegon by his side. The traitors want my city, I heard him tell Rossart, but I’ll give them naught but ashes. Let Robert be king over charred bones and cooked meat. The Targaryens never bury their dead, they burn them. Aerys meant to have the greatest funeral pyre of them all. Though if truth be told, I do not believe he truly expected to die. Like Aerion Brightfire before him, Aerys thought the fire would transform him … that he would rise again, reborn as a dragon, and turn all his enemies to ash.

“奈德·史塔克作为劳勃的先锋，率北军日夜兼程南下，但我父亲抢先一步抵达君临。派席尔哄骗国王，西境守护特为勤王而来，于是城门大开。这一次，他本该听从瓦里斯的劝告，这一次……我父亲在内战中从头到尾没动一兵一卒，他决心率兰尼斯特家族站在胜利者一边，他决心报复伊里斯多年以来的不公。三河之役让一切唾手可得。”

“Ned Stark was racing south with Robert’s van, but my father’s forces reached the city first. Pycelle convinced the king that his Warden of the West had come to defend him, so he opened the gates. The one time he should have heeded Varys, and he ignored him. My father had held back from the war, brooding on all the wrongs Aerys had done him and determined that House Lannister should be on the winning side. The Trident decided him.

“负责把守红堡的是我，眼见情势无可挽回，便派出信使敦请国王准备谈判。信使带着国王的手谕回来：‘献上乃父人头，否则汝自承叛逆。’我的人告诉我，罗萨特伯爵和国王在一起，他们不打算投降。我什么都明白了。”

“It fell to me to hold the Red Keep, but I knew we were lost. I sent to Aerys asking his leave to make terms. My man came back with a royal command. ‘Bring me your father’s head, if you are no traitor.’ Aerys would have no yielding. Lord Rossart was with him, my messenger said. I knew what that meant.

“找到罗萨特时，他换了身普通士兵的衣服，正急急忙忙想溜出边门。我一剑宰了他，接着杀了伊里斯，以防他派别人出去送信。城破后的数日，我跑遍全城，杀掉所有参与者。贝里斯用金子作贿赂，高苟斯流着眼泪恳求饶恕。呵，刀剑与火焰相比，无疑是种仁慈，高苟斯这奸贼不配。”

“When I came on Rossart, he was dressed as a common man-at-arms, hurrying to a postern gate. I slew him first. Then I slew Aerys, before he could find someone else to carry his message to the pyromancers. Days later, I hunted down the others and slew them as well. Belis offered me gold, and Garigus wept for mercy. Well, a sword’s more merciful than fire, but I don’t think Garigus much appreciated the kindness I showed him.”

水温逐渐变凉，詹姆睁开眼睛，发觉自己不由自主地盯着右手的断肢。正是它，让我成为弑君者。山羊剥夺了我的荣耀和耻辱，留下什么？我现在是谁？

The water had grown cool. When Jaime opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the stump of his sword hand. The hand that made me Kingslayer. The goat had robbed him of his glory and his shame, both at once. Leaving what? Who am I now?

妞儿摆出一个可笑的造型，双手牢牢抓着毛巾，靠在胸前，一对粗壮的白皙大腿从下面伸出来。“我的故事让你无言？别啊，骂我，吻我，说我是骗子。有点反应。”

The wench looked ridiculous, clutching her towel to her meager teats with her thick white legs sticking out beneath. “Has my tale turned you speechless? Come, curse me or kiss me or call me a liar. Something.”

“如果这是真的，为何无人知晓？”

“If this is true, how is it no one knows?”

“御林铁卫发誓守护国王的秘密，你要我背弃誓言么？”他笑了，“你以为高贵的临冬城公爵会来听取我无力的解释？好一个重荣誉的人，居然看着我就认定我有罪！”詹姆打算爬出来，水已经凉了。“奔狼有什么资格来评判雄狮？有什么资格？”他的身体剧烈颤抖，断肢扫到浴缸边沿。

“The knights of the Kingsguard are sworn to keep the king’s secrets. Would you have me break my oath?” Jaime laughed. “Do you think the noble Lord of Winterfell wanted to hear my feeble explanations? Such an honorable man. He only had to look at me to judge me guilty.” Jaime lurched to his feet, the water running cold down his chest. “By what right does the wolf judge the lion? By what right?” A violent shiver took him, and he smashed his stump against the rim of the tub as he tried to climb out.

剧痛……澡堂上下颠倒。布蕾妮在他摔倒前抓住他。她的手又湿、又冷、又抖，但总算还有力，她用意想不到的温柔将他扶起。比瑟曦更温柔。她一边将他扶出浴缸，他一边想，双腿麻木不仁。“守卫！”他听见妞儿大喊，“弑君者出事了！”

Pain shuddered through him … and suddenly the bathhouse was spinning. Brienne caught him before he could fall. Her arm was all gooseflesh, clammy and chilled, but she was strong, and gentler than he would have thought. Gentler than Cersei, he thought as she helped him from the tub, his legs wobbly as a limp cock. “Guards!” he heard the wench shout. “The Kingslayer!”

詹姆，詹姆模糊地想，我的名字叫詹姆。

Jaime, he thought, my name is Jaime.

等他醒来，发现自己躺在潮湿的地板上，守卫们、妞儿和科本关切地望着他。布蕾妮还是裸体，不过她似乎暂时忘记了。“热气的缘故，”科本学士诊断。不，他不是学士，他没有颈链。“他血液里还有污秽，且营养不良。你们给他吃什么？”

The next he knew, he was lying on the damp floor with the guards and the wench and Qyburn all standing over him looking concerned. Brienne was naked, but she seemed to have forgotten that for the moment. “The heat of the tubs will do it,” Maester Qyburn was telling them. No, he’s not a maester, they took his chain. “There’s still poison in his blood as well, and he’s malnourished. What have you been feeding him?”

“虫子、马尿和灰浆。”詹姆回答。

“Worms and piss and grey vomit,” offered Jaime.

“面包、清水和麦粥。”守卫声明，“而且他几乎不吃，我们能拿他怎么办呢？”

“Hardbread and water and oat porridge,” insisted the guard. “He don’t hardly eat it, though. What should we do with him?”

“这我不管，你们得负责帮他洗澡、穿衣、带到焚王塔，”科本说，“波顿大人等着他共进晚餐，时间不多了。”

“Scrub him and dress him and carry him to Kingspyre, if need be,” Qyburn said. “Lord Bolton insists he will sup with him tonight. The time is growing short.”

“把干净衣服给我，”布蕾妮道，“我来帮他梳洗更衣。”

“Bring me clean garb for him,” Brienne said, “I’ll see that he’s washed and dressed.”

大家都乐意把任务扔给她，于是忙把詹姆抬起，坐到墙边石凳上。布蕾妮拿来自己的毛巾，又找到一个硬刷子，帮他搓洗。一名守卫递来剃须刀，科本送来粗布内衣、干净的黑羊毛马裤、宽松的绿上衣和衣结在前的皮背心。詹姆神志清醒多了，但身体的残缺无法弥补，靠妞儿帮忙，方才穿上衣服。“好呀，万事具备，就差银镜对梳妆喽。”

The others were all too glad to give her the task. They lifted him to his feet and sat him on a stone bench by the wall. Brienne went away to retrieve her towel, and returned with a stiff brush to finish scrubbing him. One of the guards gave her a razor to trim his beard. Qyburn returned with roughspun smallclothes, clean black woolen breeches, a loose green tunic, and a leather jerkin that laced up the front. Jaime was feeling less dizzy by then, though no less clumsy. With the wench’s help he managed to dress himself. “Now all I need is a silver looking glass.”

跟随血戏班的前学士也为布蕾妮拿来干净衣服：褪色的粉红绸缎裙服和亚麻布内衣。“对不起，小姐，这是全城您唯一能穿进去的服装。”

The Bloody Maester had brought fresh clothing for Brienne as well; a stained pink satin gown and a linen undertunic. “I am sorry, my lady. These were the only women’s garments in Harrenhal large enough to fit you.”

显而易见，这身裙服是为手臂更苗条、腿脚更短、胸部更鼓胀的女人做的，漂亮的密尔蕾丝无法掩饰布蕾妮皮肤上处处伤痕。总而言之，换上女装的妞儿看起来滑稽透了。她的肩膀比我宽，脖子比我粗，詹姆心想，难怪平时只穿盔甲。粉红也和她不配。一连串残忍的笑话在詹姆脑海中成型，但他没说出口。还是别惹她，一只手打不过。

It was obvious at once that the gown had been cut for someone with slimmer arms, shorter legs, and much fuller breasts. The fine Myrish lace did little to conceal the bruising that mottled Brienne’s skin. All in all, the garb made the wench look ludicrous. She has thicker shoulders than I do, and a bigger neck, Jaime thought. Small wonder she prefers to dress in mail. Pink was not a kind color for her either. A dozen cruel japes leaped into his head, but for once he kept them there. Best not to make her angry; he was no match for her one-handed.

科本端来水瓶。“这是什么？”眼看无颈链的学士要他喝，詹姆问。

Qyburn had brought a flask as well. “What is it?” Jaime demanded when the chainless maester pressed him to drink.

“用欧亚甘草泡的醋，混了蜂蜜和丁香。喝下去，您会多些力气，头脑清醒。”

“Licorice steeped in vinegar, with honey and cloves. It will give you some strength and clear your head.”

“给我能长出新手的药剂，”詹姆道，“我只要这个。”

“Bring me the potion that grows new hands,” said Jaime. “That’s the one I want.”

“快喝，”布蕾妮严厉地说。他照办了。

“Drink it,” Brienne said, unsmiling, and he did.

足足过了半小时，他才找到力气站起来。与澡堂潮湿窒闷的暖意相比，外面的空气像冰冷的巴掌。“大人要立刻见他，”守卫告诉科本，“连她也去。需要我背他吗？”

It was half an hour before he felt strong enough to stand. After the dim wet warmth of the bathhouse, the air outside was a slap across the face. “M’lord will be looking for him by now,” a guard told Qyburn. “Her too. Do I need to carry him?”

“我能走路。布蕾妮，扶我一把。”

“I can still walk. Brienne, give me your arm.”

詹姆抓住她的手，任他们带他穿过庭院，来到一座通风良好的大厅。这里甚至比君临的王座厅还大，墙边有巨大的壁炉，每隔十尺一个，难以尽数，只如今没有生火，寒意彻骨。十来个穿毛皮披风的长矛兵警卫着大门和通往上方两层楼台的阶梯。在这片无限的空旷中，平滑的板岩地板上，搁了一张板桌，恐怖堡伯爵和他的侍从正在那里等他。

Clutching her, Jaime let them herd him across the yard to a vast draughty hall, larger even than the throne room in King’s Landing. Huge hearths lined the walls, one every ten feet or so, more than he could count, but no fires had been lit, so the chill between the walls went bone-deep. A dozen spearmen in fur cloaks guarded the doors and the steps that led up to the two galleries above. And in the center of that immense emptiness, at a trestle table surrounded by what seemed like acres of smooth slate floor, the Lord of the Dreadfort waited, attended only by a cupbearer.

“大人。”靠近后，布蕾妮开口。

“My lord,” said Brienne, when they stood before him.

卢斯·波顿眼睛的颜色比岩石还淡，但比牛奶略深，他的声音像蜘蛛一样轻柔。“很高兴见你身子好转，爵士。小姐，您请坐。”他朝满桌子奶酪、面包、冷肉和水果作个手势。“你要红葡萄酒还是白葡萄酒？可惜成色不太好，亚摩利爵士将河安伯爵夫人的酒窖都掏空了。”

Roose Bolton’s eyes were paler than stone, darker than milk, and his voice was spider soft. “I am pleased that you are strong enough to attend me, ser. My lady, do be seated.” He gestured at the spread of cheese, bread, cold meat, and fruit that covered the table. “Will you drink red or white? Of indifferent vintage, I fear. Ser Amory drained Lady Whent’s cellars nearly dry.”

“相信你是为此而处决了他。”詹姆一屁股坐下去，不让波顿发现他的虚弱。“白酒是史塔克的玩意儿，我要作个可敬的兰尼斯特，喝红的。”

“I trust you killed him for it.” Jaime slid into the offered seat quickly, so Bolton could not see how weak he was. “White is for Starks. I’ll drink red like a good Lannister.”

“我喝水。”布蕾妮说。

“I would prefer water,” said Brienne.

“艾尔玛，给詹姆爵士倒红葡萄酒，给布蕾妮小姐倒清水，给我香料甜酒。”波顿手一挥，解散了护卫们，大家一言不发地离去。

“Elmar, the red for Ser Jaime, water for the Lady Brienne, and hippocras for myself.” Bolton waved a hand at their escort, dismissing them, and the men beat a silent retreat.

詹姆习惯性地伸右手去拿酒杯，断肢碰到杯子，干净的亚麻绷带顿时留下无数鲜红的点，他忙在酒杯翻倒前伸左手接住。波顿假装不在意他出的丑，这名北方贵族精细而果决地咬着食物。“尝尝李子脯，詹姆爵士，甘甜可口，对肠胃有好处。这是瓦格大人从某间被他烧掉的客栈里弄到的。”

Habit made Jaime reach for his wine with his right hand. His stump rocked the goblet, spattering his clean linen bandages with bright red spots and forcing him to catch the cup with his left hand before it fell, but Bolton pretended not to notice his clumsiness. The northman helped himself to a prune and ate it with small sharp bites. “Do try these, Ser Jaime. They are most sweet, and help move the bowels as well. Lord Vargo took them from an inn before he burnt it.”

“我的肠胃很好，山羊不是大人，此外，我对李子脯不感兴趣，只关心你打的算盘。”

“My bowels move fine, that goat’s no lord, and your prunes don’t interest me half so much as your intentions.”

“关于你的部分？”卢斯·波顿唇边浮现一轮淡淡的微笑。“你是个棘手的战利品，爵士先生，走到哪里，哪里就出现不和与纷争，我在赫伦堡的快乐老家也被你搅浑了。”他的声音是低语中的低语。“奔流城更是闹翻了天，你可知道，艾德慕·徒利悬赏一千金龙？”

“Regarding you?” A faint smile touched Roose Bolton’s lips. “You are a perilous prize, ser. You sow dissension wherever you go. Even here, in my happy house of Harrenhal.” His voice was a whisker above a whisper. “And in Riverrun as well, it seems. Do you know, Edmure Tully has offered a thousand golden dragons for your recapture?”

这么简单？“我老姐会出十倍的价。”

Is that all? “My sister will pay ten times as much.”

“会吗？”他又笑了，接着表情陡然严肃。“一万金龙是笔大数目，可是，还有卡史塔克大人的承诺值得考虑。他承诺谁将你人头献上，就把女儿给谁。”

“Will she?” That smile again, there for an instant, gone as quick. “Ten thousand dragons is a formidable sum. Of course, there is Lord Karstark’s offer to consider as well. He promises the hand of his daughter to the man who brings him your head.”

“这话你留给山羊罢。”詹姆道。

“Leave it to your goat to get it backward,” said Jaime.

波顿轻笑，“你可知道，我们拿下城堡时，哈利昂·卡史塔克正在这里作俘虏？后来我把手下卡史塔克家的人马全拨给他，要他随葛洛佛东进，希望他别在暮谷城出什么意外……否则亚丽·卡史塔克小姐就成了他们家唯一的子嗣啰。”他选中另一块果脯。“你很走运，我刚在孪河城娶了瓦妲·佛雷夫人。”

Bolton gave a soft chuckle. “Harrion Karstark was captive here when we took the castle, did you know? I gave him all the Karhold men still with me and sent him off with Glover. I do hope nothing ill befell him at Duskendale … else Alys Karstark would be all that remains of Lord Rickard’s progeny.” He chose another prune. “Fortunately for you, I have no need of a wife. I wed the Lady Walda Frey whilst I was at the Twins.”

“美女瓦妲？”詹姆笨拙地用断肢托着面包，左手来撕取。

“Fair Walda?” Awkwardly, Jaime tried to hold the bread with his stump while tearing it with his left hand.

“胖子瓦妲。佛雷大人慷慨地允诺以新娘等体重的银子作嫁妆，所以我就挑她啰。艾尔玛，帮詹姆爵士撕面包。”

“Fat Walda. My lord of Frey offered me my bride’s weight in silver for a dowry, so I chose accordingly. Elmar, break off some bread for Ser Jaime.”

男孩从一条面包上撕下拳头大的一块，递给詹姆。布蕾妮则自己开动。“波顿大人，”她问，“听说您有意将赫伦堡送给瓦格·赫特？”

The boy tore a fist-sized chunk off one end of the loaf and handed it to Jaime. Brienne tore her own bread. “Lord Bolton,” she asked, “it’s said you mean to give Harrenhal to Vargo Hoat.”

“那是讲好的价码，”波顿伯爵解释，“天下懂得还债的不止兰尼斯特一家。不管怎样，我很快得离开。艾德慕·徒利与萝丝琳·佛雷的婚礼即将在孪河城举行，国王要我务必出席。”

“That was his price,” Lord Bolton said. “The Lannisters are not the only men who pay their debts. I must take my leave soon in any case. Edmure Tully is to wed the Lady Roslin Frey at the Twins, and my king commands my attendance.”

“艾德慕的婚礼？”詹姆说，“罗柏·史塔克呢？”

“Edmure weds?” said Jaime. “Not Robb Stark?”

“罗柏陛下已经成婚了。”波顿将果核吐到掌心，扔到一边。“他娶了峭岩城的维斯特林，芳名简妮。爵士，你肯定认识她，她父亲是你父亲的封臣呢。”

“His Grace King Robb is wed.” Bolton spit a prune pit into his hand and put it aside. “To a Westerling of the Crag. I am told her name is Jeyne. No doubt you know her, ser. Her father is your father’s bannerman.”

“我父亲有许多封臣，他们又有许多女儿，”詹姆左手端起酒杯，试图回忆这位简妮。记得维斯特林是个古老的家族，有的是骄傲，却没有力量，为何……

“My father has a good many bannermen, and most of them have daughters.” Jaime groped one-handed for his goblet, trying to recall this Jeyne. The Westerlings were an old house, with more pride than power.

“这不可能，”布蕾妮固执地反对，“罗柏国王承诺与佛雷家结亲，怎会背弃誓言？他——”

“This cannot be true,” Brienne said stubbornly. “King Robb was sworn to wed a Frey. He would never break faith, he—”

“——只是个十六岁的孩子，”卢斯·波顿温和地说，“小姐，请您不要质问我。”

“His Grace is a boy of sixteen,” said Roose Bolton mildly. “And I would thank you not to question my word, my lady.”

詹姆为罗柏·史塔克感到几许悲哀。他在沙场赢得战争，却又在床上输了回去，可怜的傻瓜。“瓦德大人愿用鳟鱼代替奔狼？”他问。

Jaime felt almost sorry for Robb Stark. He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool. “How does Lord Walder relish dining on trout in place of wolf?” he asked.

“噢，至少鳟鱼比较可口，”他用淡色的指头指着他的侍从。“真正受害的是可怜的艾尔玛。他跟艾莉亚·史塔克订过亲，但他慈祥的老父受不了罗柏国王的背弃，只能替他解除婚约。”

“Oh, trout makes for a tasty supper.” Bolton lifted a pale finger toward his cupbearer. “Though my poor Elmar is bereft. He was to wed Arya Stark, but my good father of Frey had no choice but to break the betrothal when King Robb betrayed him.”

“有艾莉亚·史塔克的消息？”布蕾妮立时靠过来，“凯特琳夫人还以为……这女孩活着？”

“Is there word of Arya Stark?” Brienne leaned forward. “Lady Catelyn had feared that … is the girl still alive?”

“噢，是的。”恐怖堡伯爵保证。

“Oh, yes,” said the Lord of the Dreadfort.

“您有确切的消息，大人？”

“You have certain knowledge of that, my lord?”

卢斯·波顿耸耸肩，“艾莉亚·史塔克的确失踪了一段时间，后来又找着了，我会把她安全带回北境。”

Roose Bolton shrugged. “Arya Stark was lost for a time, it was true, but now she has been found. I mean to see her returned safely to the north.”

“还有她姐姐呢！”布蕾妮急了，“提利昂·兰尼斯特答应用两个女孩来交换他哥哥。”

“Her and her sister both,” said Brienne. “Tyrion Lannister has promised us both girls for his brother.”

恐怖堡伯爵觉得很有趣。“小姐，没人告诉您吗？兰尼斯特都是骗子。”

That seemed to amuse the Lord of the Dreadfort. “My lady, has no one told you? Lannisters lie.”

“可以把这视为对我家族荣誉的侮辱吗？”詹姆用左手拾起切奶酪的刀。“又平又钝，”他将拇指滑过刃面，评论道，“但足以刺穿你的眼睛。”额头全是汗，他希望自己不要表现得像内心感觉的那么虚弱。

“Is that a slight on the honor of my House?” Jaime picked up the cheese knife with his good hand. “A rounded point, and dull,” he said, sliding his thumb along the edge of the blade, “but it will go through your eye all the same.” Sweat beaded his brow. He could only hope he did not look as feeble as he felt.

淡淡地微笑又回到波顿大人唇边。“就一个连面包也撕不了的人而言，你的口气不小。我提醒你，这里到处都是我的人。”

Lord Bolton’s little smile paid another visit to his lips. “You speak boldly for a man who needs help to break his bread. My guards are all around us, I remind you.”

“到处都是，但离得太远。”詹姆朝周围的长厅扫了一眼。“等他们赶到，你就跟伊里斯一样死翘翘了。”

“All around us, and half a league away.” Jaime glanced down the vast length of the hall. “By the time they reach us, you’ll be as dead as Aerys.”

“主人拿奶酪和橄榄盛情相待，作客人的怎可出言威胁？”波顿大人谴责，“至少在我们北方，大家还把宾客权利视为神圣不可侵犯的约定。”

“ ’Tis scarcely chivalrous to threaten your host over his own cheese and olives,” the Lord of the Dreadfort scolded. “In the north, we hold the laws of hospitality sacred still.”

“我是你的俘虏，不是你的客人。你的山羊砍了我的手，你以为几块果脯就能冰释前嫌，趁早绝了念头。”

“I’m a captive here, not a guest. Your goat cut off my hand. If you think some prunes will make me overlook that, you’re bloody well mistaken.”

卢斯·波顿缓缓地说：“或许我错了，或许我该把你当结婚彩礼送给艾德慕·徒利……或许我该将你明正典刑，就像你姐姐杀艾德·史塔克。”

That took Roose Bolton aback. “Perhaps I am. Perhaps I ought to make a wedding gift of you to Edmure Tully … or strike your head off, as your sister did for Eddard Stark.”

“我以为这很不明智，天下皆知，凯岩城有仇必报。”

“I would not advise it. Casterly Rock has a long memory.”

“在我的城堡和你的岩石之间，相隔上千里格的山峦、大海和沼泽。兰尼斯特能奈波顿家如何？”

“A thousand leagues of mountain, sea, and bog lie between my walls and your rock. Lannister enmity means little to Bolton.”

“兰尼斯特家同样以友谊和信誉著称。”詹姆逐渐明白了游戏规则。妞儿明白吗？他不敢去看。

“Lannister friendship could mean much.” Jaime thought he knew the game they were playing now. But does the wench know as well? He dare not look to see.

“不知聪明人该不该拿你当朋友。”卢斯·波顿朝男孩作个手势。“艾尔玛，帮客人们切肉。”

“I am not certain you are the sort of friends a wise man would want.” Roose Bolton beckoned to the boy. “Elmar, carve our guests a slice off the roast.”

烤肉先给布蕾妮，但她顾不得吃。“大人，”她说，“詹姆爵士是凯特琳夫人两个女儿的赎品，请您择日放了我们，让我们完成交易吧。”

Brienne was served first, but made no move to eat. “My lord,” she said, “Ser Jaime is to be exchanged for Lady Catelyn’s daughters. You must free us to continue on our way.”

“逃跑的消息从奔流城传来，至于交换，从无耳闻。小姐，您协助俘虏逃亡，已构成叛国大罪。”

“The raven that came from Riverrun told of an escape, not an exchange. And if you helped this captive slip his bonds, you are guilty of treason, my lady.”

大个子妞儿站了起来。“我所做的一切，全是为史塔克夫人效命。”

The big wench rose to her feet. “I serve Lady Stark.”

“我的主君是北境之王——或者像某些人说的那样，‘失去北境之王’。陛下不希望把詹姆爵士送回给兰尼斯特家。”

“And I the King in the North. Or the King Who Lost the North, as some now call him. Who never wished to trade Ser Jaime back to the Lannisters.”

“坐下来好好吃，布蕾妮，”詹姆劝道。艾尔玛在他的餐盘里放下一片烤肉。焦黑多血。“波顿大人想杀我们，就不会浪费宝贝的李子脯啦，不如留着补自个儿肠胃。”他瞪着烤肉，终于承认自己无法单手进食。如今的我，甚至值不了一个女孩，他盘算，外加山羊才能完成交易。而那女孩回去的方式，凯特琳夫人是肯定不会喜欢的。想到这，他做个鬼脸。不用说，到头来一切都会怪到我头上。

“Sit down and eat, Brienne,” Jaime urged, as Elmar placed a slice of roast before him, dark and bloody. “If Bolton meant to kill us, he wouldn’t be wasting his precious prunes on us, at such peril to his bowels.” He stared at the meat and realized there was no way to cut it, one-handed. I am worth less than a girl now, he thought. The goat’s evened the trade, though I doubt Lady Catelyn will thank him when Cersei returns her whelps in like condition. The thought made him grimace. I will get the blame for that as well, I’ll wager.

卢斯·波顿有条不紊地切肉，鲜血流下餐盘。“布蕾妮小姐，如果我告诉您，我愿意放詹姆爵士上路，愿意达成您和史塔克夫人的心愿，您可会坐下来好好吃？”

Roose Bolton cut his meat methodically, the blood running across his plate. “Lady Brienne, will you sit if I tell you that I hope to send Ser Jaime on, just as you and Lady Stark desire?”

“我……您愿意放我们走？”妞儿警戒地说，但她坐了下来。“谢谢您，大人。”

“I … you’d send us on?” The wench sounded wary, but she sat. “That is good, my lord.”

“没关系。其实问题在于，瓦格大人给我带来了一点……小麻烦。”他将淡色的眼睛转向詹姆。“你知道山羊为何砍你的手？”

“It is. However, Lord Vargo has created me one small … difficulty.” He turned his pale eyes on Jaime. “Do you know why Hoat cut off your hand?”

“他喜欢让人断手缺脚。”断肢上的亚麻布为血和酒所浸染，“无需什么理由。”

“He enjoys cutting off hands.” The linen that covered Jaime’s stump was spotted with blood and wine. “He enjoys cutting off feet as well. He doesn’t seem to need a reason.”

“不，他有目的。山羊比看上去机灵得多。长期统率勇士团那样的队伍，需要的是脑子。”波顿用匕首叉起一大片肉，送到嘴里，仔细咀嚼，然后吞下。“我以赫伦堡作贿赂，瓦格大人方才背叛兰尼斯特家，因为他知道，这高出你父亲能开出的任何价码一千倍之多。但反过来，身为异乡人，他不明白这份奖品是有毒的。”

“Nonetheless, he had one. Hoat is more cunning than he appears. No man commands a company such as the Brave Companions for long unless he has some wits about him.” Bolton stabbed a chunk of meat with the point of his dagger, put it in his mouth, chewed thoughtfully, swallowed. “Lord Vargo abandoned House Lannister because I offered him Harrenhal, a reward a thousand times greater than any he could hope to have from Lord Tywin. As a stranger to Westeros, he did not know the prize was poisoned.”

“黑心赫伦的诅咒？”詹姆笑道。

“The curse of Harren the Black?” mocked Jaime.

“泰温·兰尼斯特的诅咒。”波顿伸出酒杯，艾尔玛连忙斟满。“我的山羊不认识塔贝克家或雷耶斯家的人，不知道你父亲大人对付叛徒的手段。”

“The curse of Tywin Lannister.” Bolton held out his goblet and Elmar refilled it silently. “Our goat should have consulted the Tarbecks or the Reynes. They might have warned him how your lord father deals with betrayal.”

“早就没有塔贝克家或雷耶斯家的人了。”詹姆道。

“There are no Tarbecks or Reynes,” said Jaime.

“这点我相信。瓦格大人显然一门心思寄望史坦尼斯在君临高奏凯歌，接着为他反抗兰尼斯特出了一份绵薄之力的缘故，正式承认他的封地。”他干笑一声。“不错，只怕他也不了解史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩。那家伙或许会给他赫伦堡……同时也会给他一条绳子。”

“My point precisely. Lord Vargo doubtless hoped that Lord Stannis would triumph at King’s Landing, and thence confirm him in his possession of this castle in gratitude for his small part in the downfall of House Lannister.” He gave a dry chuckle. “He knows little of Stannis Baratheon either, I fear. That one might have given him Harrenhal for his service … but he would have given him a noose for his crimes as well.”

“一条绳子与我父亲将要他付出的代价相比，太轻。”詹姆道。

“A noose is kinder than what he’ll get from my father.”

“这点他和你达成共识。眼下史坦尼斯大败，蓝礼丧命，只有史塔克家能保他免遭泰温大人的报复，可惜连这个机会也越来越渺茫。”

“By now he has come to the same realization. With Stannis broken and Renly dead, only a Stark victory can save him from Lord Tywin’s vengeance, but the chances of that grow perishingly slim.”

“罗柏国王战无不胜。”布蕾妮坚决地说，一如既往地顽固。

“King Robb has won every battle,” Brienne said stoutly, as stubbornly loyal of speech as she was of deed.

“是啊，战无不胜，却接连丢掉佛雷家族、卡史塔克家族、临冬城与整个北境。遗憾哪，少狼主只有十六岁，他这个年纪的孩子总以为自己强大而不朽。就我看来，老成的做法是找机会屈膝。战争的结局总归是和平，和平的前提是宽恕……至少，罗柏·史塔克能保住爵禄，瓦格·赫特这样的人就难了。”波顿给他一个极轻微的笑。“两边都在利用他，但两边都不会为他的下场流一滴眼泪。勇士团没有参加黑水河之战，但他们的死刑已在那里判决。”

“Won every battle, while losing the Freys, the Karstarks, Winterfell, and the north. A pity the wolf is so young. Boys of sixteen always believe they are immortal and invincible. An older man would bend the knee, I’d think. After a war there is always a peace, and with peace there are pardons … for the Robb Starks, at least. Not for the likes of Vargo Hoat.” Bolton gave him a small smile. “Both sides have made use of him, but neither will shed a tear at his passing. The Brave Companions did not fight in the Battle of the Blackwater, yet they died there all the same.”

“你能原谅我的喜形于色吧。”

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t mourn?”

“呵，你就不为我那可怜的、遭天谴的山羊感到一点遗憾么？噢，可诸神终究是……不然又为何把‘你’交到他手里？”波顿咀嚼起另一片肉。“卡霍城无论从面积或影响上论，都远不及赫伦堡，好在位于狮爪可触及的范围之外。只要娶亚丽·卡史塔克小姐为妻，山羊就能成为名副其实的领主老爷。他想从你父亲那边敲诈一笔，然后把你卖给瑞卡德大人。他要的是那位少女，是避难所。”

“You have no pity for our wretched doomed goat? Ah, but the gods must … else why deliver you into his hands?” Bolton chewed another chunk of meat. “Karhold is smaller and meaner than Harrenhal, but it lies well beyond the reach of the lion’s claws. Once wed to Alys Karstark, Hoat might be a lord in truth. If he could collect some gold from your father so much the better, but he would have delivered you to Lord Rickard no matter how much Lord Tywin paid. His price would be the maid, and safe refuge.

“想卖你，首先要保住你，而河间地处处有危机。葛洛佛和陶哈在暮临厅大败，他们的部队四散溃逃，遭到魔山的追杀；一千名卡史塔克的部众为了抓你，朝奔流城东、南两个方向持续搜索；此外还有无主无地的戴瑞家部众，越来越猖狂的狼群和闪电大王率领的土匪。说真的，要给唐德利恩逮住，他会把你和山羊吊死在同一棵树上。”恐怖堡伯爵用面包块去吸餐盘里的血。“只有把你关在赫伦堡，他才能放心地做交易，可在此地，他的勇士团不仅比我的人少，甚至连伊尼斯爵士的人也比不上。毫无疑问，他害怕我把你送还给奔流城的艾德慕……甚至把你还给你父亲。”

“But to sell you he must keep you, and the riverlands are full of those who would gladly steal you away. Glover and Tallhart were broken at Duskendale, but remnants of their host are still abroad, with the Mountain slaughtering the stragglers. A thousand Karstarks prowl the lands south and east of Riverrun, hunting you. Elsewhere are Darry men left lordless and lawless, packs of four-footed wolves, and the lightning lord’s outlaw bands. Dondarrion would gladly hang you and the goat together from the same tree.” The Lord of the Dreadfort sopped up some of the blood with a chunk of bread. “Harrenhal was the only place Lord Vargo could hope to hold you safe, but here his Brave Companions are much outnumbered by my own men, and by Ser Aenys and his Freys. No doubt he feared I might return you to Ser Edmure at Riverrun … or worse, send you on to your father.

“但弄残了你，他一举达到三个目的：除去潜在的威胁，给你父亲一个恐怖的信物，抵消了你对我的价值——他是我的人，我是罗柏国王的人，如果要问罪，得先找到我头上。所以你看……这就是我的小麻烦。”他盯着詹姆，淡色的眼睛半点不眨，充满暗示，充满寒意。

“By maiming you, he meant to remove your sword as a threat, gain himself a grisly token to send to your father, and diminish your value to me. For he is my man, as I am King Robb’s man. Thus his crime is mine, or may seem so in your father’s eyes. And therein lies my … small difficulty.” He gazed at Jaime, his pale eyes unblinking, expectant, chill.

我明白了。“你要我为你洗刷，你要我告诉父亲这一切不关你的事，”詹姆哈哈大笑，“大人，把我送到瑟曦身边，我会尽我所能地大吹法螺，歌颂你对我的优待。”他明白，只消说个不字，波顿会立刻把他丢还给山羊。“如果我的手还在，我现在就写信。告诉父亲，我是如何被他飘洋过海请来的佣兵所伤害，又是如何被高贵的波顿老爷拯救的。”

I see. “You want me to absolve you of blame. To tell my father that this stump is no work of yours.” Jaime laughed. “My lord, send me to Cersei, and I’ll sing as sweet a song as you could want, of how gently you treated me.” Any other answer, he knew, and Bolton would give him back to the goat. “Had I a hand, I’d write it out. How I was maimed by the sellsword my own father brought to Westeros, and saved by the noble Lord Bolton.”

“我相信你的承诺，爵士。”

“I will trust to your word, ser.”

这话可稀罕。“那么，你打算何时放我？又如何保护我免遭狼群、土匪和卡史塔克的毒手呢？”

There’s something I don’t often hear. “How soon might we be permitted to leave? And how do you mean to get me past all these wolves and brigands and Karstarks?”

“科本说你能上路时，我才会送你走，并由我的侍卫队长沃顿亲率大批精兵跟随保护。他外号‘铁腿’，是个钢铁般忠诚的士兵，会确保你平安无恙地返回君临。”

“You will leave when Qyburn says you are strong enough, with a strong escort of picked men under the command of my captain, Walton. Steelshanks, he is called. A soldier of iron loyalty. Walton will see you safe and whole to King’s Landing.”

“还得确保把凯特琳夫人的女儿们平安无恙地送回来，”妞儿提醒，“大人，感谢您请沃顿先生前来保护，但归还女孩是我的责任。”

“Provided Lady Catelyn’s daughters are delivered safe and whole as well,” said the wench. “My lord, your man Walton’s protection is welcome, but the girls are my charge.”

波顿大人漠不关心地扫了她一眼。“小姐，那两个女孩不关你的事。珊莎小姐已是小恶魔的夫人，只有诸神能将他们分开。”

The Lord of the Dreadfort gave her an uninterested glance. “The girls need not concern you any further, my lady. The Lady Sansa is the dwarf’s wife, only the gods can part them now.”

“夫人？”布蕾妮很惊讶，“小恶魔的夫人？可他……他在朝堂上发过誓，满朝文武和诸神均能作证……”

“His wife?” Brienne said, appalled. “The Imp? But … he swore, before the whole court, in sight of gods and men …”

好个天真的孩子。其实，詹姆吃惊的程度不亚于她，但他知道隐藏。珊莎·史塔克，希望你将欢笑带给提利昂。他记得弟弟和农夫的小女孩共度的快乐时光……即便为时只有半月。

She is such an innocent. Jaime was almost as surprised, if truth be told, but he hid it better. Sansa Stark, that ought to put a smile on Tyrion’s face. He remembered how happy his brother had been with his little crofter’s daughter … for a fortnight.

“小恶魔发誓与否都毫无关系，”波顿大人宣布，“尤其和您没关系。”听罢此言，妞儿似乎很受伤，当卢斯·波顿挥手示意守卫上前时，或许她终于意识到陷阱的钢牙已经牢牢合拢。“既然詹姆爵士决定继续往君临的旅程，您恐怕就得留下来，我不能把瓦格大人的两件战利品同时剥夺掉。”恐怖堡伯爵拿起又一块李子脯，“如果我是您，小姐，我不会在意史塔克，而该担心蓝宝石的事。”

“What the Imp did or did not swear scarcely matters now,” said Lord Bolton. “Least of all to you.” The wench looked almost wounded. Perhaps she finally felt the steel jaws of the trap when Roose Bolton beckoned to his guards. “Ser Jaime will continue on to King’s Landing. I said nothing about you, I fear. It would be unconscionable of me to deprive Lord Vargo of both his prizes.” The Lord of the Dreadfort reached out to pick another prune. “Were I you, my lady, I should worry less about Starks and rather more about sapphires.”