Ⅳ 群鸦的盛宴 Chapter17 瑟曦

CERSEI

三个白痴扛一个皮口袋，太后看着他们跪在她面前，心里想。她瞧不起这三个白痴。不过，或许会有意料之外的收获？

Three wretched fools with a leather sack, the queen thought as they sank to their knees before her. The look of them did not encourage her. I suppose there is always a chance.

“陛下，”科本悄声道，“御前会议……”

“Your Grace,” said Qyburn quietly, “the small council …”

“……等我到场才会召开。想想看，我可能将把叛徒丧命的好消息带给他们呢。”城市彼端，贝勒大圣堂敲打着哀悼的钟声。丧钟不会为你而鸣，提利昂，瑟曦心满意足地想，我要把你的头浸上焦油，拿你畸形的身躯去喂狗。“平身，”她吩咐三位未来的领主，“东西给我瞧瞧。”

“… will await my pleasure. It may be that we can bring them word of a traitor’s death.” Off across the city, the bells of Baelor’s Sept sang their song of mourning. No bells will ring for you, Tyrion, Cersei thought. I shall dip your head in tar and give your twisted body to the dogs. “Off your knees,” she told the would-be lords. “Show me what you’ve brought me.”

他们遵令起立，噢，这三人个个丑陋不堪，衣衫褴褛，至少半年没洗澡了，其中一位脖子上还有个大疖子。让他们成为领主，她觉得很有趣，就让他们在宴会上挨着玛格丽坐。这三位白痴的头目解开细绳，将手伸进袋子，腐败的味道顿时充盈接待室，犹如烂掉的玫瑰。他取出一颗爬满蛆虫的灰绿色头颅。味道就像父亲的尸体。多卡莎几乎窒息，而乔斯琳掩嘴作呕。

They rose; three ugly men, and ragged. One had a boil on his neck, and none had washed in half a year. The prospect of raising such to lordship amused her. I could seat them next to Margaery at feasts. When the chief fool undid the drawstring on the sack and plunged his hand inside, the smell of decay filled her audience chamber like some rank rose. The head he pulled out was grey-green and crawling with maggots. It smells like Father. Dorcas gasped, and Jocelyn covered her mouth and retched.

太后打量着战利品，眼睛都没眨一下。“你杀错了侏儒。”最后，她一字一顿地说。

The queen considered her prize, unflinching. “You’ve killed the wrong dwarf,” she said at last, grudging every word.

“我们没杀错，”一位白痴居然敢反对，“这肯定是他，太后陛下。瞧，他是个侏儒，只不过脸烂掉了，看不清模样而已。”

“We never did,” one of the fools dared to say. “This is got to be him, ser. A dwarf, see. He’s rotted some, is all.”

“不只脸烂掉了，还长出了新鼻子呢，”瑟曦评论，“又大又圆的鼻子。浑蛋！提利昂的鼻子打仗时早给砍掉了。”

“He has also grown a new nose,” Cersei observed. “A rather bulbous one, I’d say. Tyrion’s nose was hacked off in a battle.”

三位白痴互望了一眼。“没人告诉我们，”提头颅的那位声称，“反正这家伙大摇大摆地在路上游荡，他是个丑陋的侏儒，所以我们认为……”

The three fools exchanged a look. “No one told us,” said the one with head in hand. “This one come walking along as bold as you please, some ugly dwarf, so we thought …”

“哦，他自称是麻雀。”脖子上生疖子的补充。“是你，是你说他撒谎。”第三位白痴争辩。

“He said he were a sparrow,” the one with the boil added, “and you said he was lying.” That was directed at the third man.

太后恼怒地意识到自己搁下御前会议，全为了这出闹剧。“你们浪费我的时间，还杀害无辜之人。我本该摘下你们的脑袋。”如果真要了他们的脑袋，其他人就会退缩，就会听任小恶魔逃之天天了。宁肯错杀万人，让侏儒的头颅堆高十尺，她也不能允许这种情况发生。“算了，滚吧。”

The queen was angry to think that she had kept her small council waiting for this mummer’s farce. “You have wasted my time and slain an innocent man. I should have your own heads off.” But if she did, the next man might hesitate and let the Imp slip the net. She would pile dead dwarfs ten feet high before she let that happen. “Remove yourselves from my sight.”

“是，陛下，”疖子说，“我们恳求您的原谅。”

“Aye, Your Grace,” said the boil. “We beg your pardons.”

“您还要这颗头吗？”提头颅的人问。

“Do you want the head?” asked the man who held it.

“把它交给马林爵士。不，先装进袋子，你这白痴！奥斯蒙爵士，带他们出去。”

“Give it to Ser Meryn. No, in the sack, you lackwit. Yes. Ser Osmund, see them out.”

特兰拿走头颅，凯特布莱克赶走白痴，原地只剩乔斯琳小姐的早餐。“赶紧清理。”太后命令她。这已是献上的第三颗人头了。还好，这颗好歹是侏儒的头。前次不过是个丑陋的孩子。

Trant removed the head and Kettleblack the headsmen, leaving only Lady Jocelyn’s breakfast as evidence of their visit. “Clean that up at once,” the queen commanded her. This was the third head that had been delivered to her. At least this one was a dwarf. The last had simply been an ugly child.

“别担心，总会有人找到小恶魔的，”奥斯蒙爵士安慰她，“而他一旦被发现，便难逃一死。”

“Someone will find the dwarf, never fear,” Ser Osmund assured her. “And when they do, we’ll kill him good.”

是吗？昨晚，瑟曦又梦见了老巫婆，凹凸不平的下巴和嘶哑的嗓音。在兰尼斯港，大家叫她“蛤蟆”巫姬。若父亲知道她对我说了些什么，一定会拔了她的舌头。但瑟曦没对任何人讲过，甚至包括詹姆。梅拉雅说只要我们不提起预言，它将被遗忘，永远不会成真……

Will you? Last night Cersei had dreamed of the old woman, with her pebbly jowls and croaking voice. Maggy the Frog, they had called her in Lannisport. If Father had known what she said to me, he would have had her tongue out. Cersei had never told anyone, though, not even Jaime. Melara said that if we never spoke about her prophecies, we would forget them. She said that a forgotten prophecy couldn’t come true.

“我的眼线也在四处打探，陛下。”科本说。他的袍子类似于学士袍，但颜色并非灰色，而是御林铁卫的无瑕洁白，袍边、袖子和浆硬的高领上都装饰着黄金涡旋，腰部还束了一条金腰带。“旧镇、海鸥镇、多恩领，甚至自由贸易城邦，无论他逃到哪里，我的人都会把他揪出来。”

“I have informers sniffing after the Imp everywhere, Your Grace,” said Qyburn. He had garbed himself in something very like maester’s robes, but white instead of grey, immaculate as the cloaks of the Kingsguard. Whorls of gold decorated his hem, sleeves, and stiff high collar, and a golden sash was tied about his waist. “Oldtown, Gulltown, Dorne, even the Free Cities. Wheresoever he might run, my whisperers will find him.”

“你的前提是他离开了君临。事实上，他很可能藏身于贝勒大圣堂，此刻正拉着钟绳制造噪声呢。”瑟曦沉着脸，让多卡莎扶她起身。“来吧，大人，御前会议正等着我们。”下楼梯时，她挽起科本的手臂，“那件小任务你完成得如何？”

“You assume he left King’s Landing. He could be hiding in Baelor’s Sept for all we know, swinging on the bell ropes to make that awful din.” Cersei made a sour face and let Dorcas help her to her feet. “Come, my lord. My council awaits.” She took Qyburn by the arm as they made their way down the stairs. “Have you attended to that little task I set you?”

“办妥了，陛下。很抱歉花了太多时间，可那是好大一颗头颅，我的甲虫用了很长时间才把皮肉清干净。为表歉意，我特意用乌木和白银做了个盒子，用来装盛骷髅。”

“I have, Your Grace. I am sorry that it took so long. Such a large head. It took the beetles many hours to clean the flesh. By way of pardon, I have lined a box of ebony and silver with felt, to make a fitting presentation for the skull.”

“布口袋也行。道朗亲王只在乎里面的东西，你扔个破袋子去他也不会在意——只要脑袋装好别掉出来就行。”

“A cloth sack would serve as well. Prince Doran wants his head. He won’t give a fig what sort of box it comes in.”

走到院子里，隆隆的钟声更刺耳了。他不过是个总主教，犯得着如此兴师动众？我们到底要忍受多久？当然，丧钟比魔山的惨号悦耳得多，但……

The pealing of the bells was louder in the yard. He was only a High Septon. How long must we endure this? The ringing was more melodious than the Mountain’s screams had been, but …

科本似乎看穿了她的想法。“日落时，钟声便会停止，陛下。”

Qyburn seemed to sense what she was thinking. “The bells will stop at sunset, Your Grace.”

“那太好了。你怎么知道的？”

“That will be a great relief. How can you know?”

“我的工作就是刺探情报嘛。”

“Knowing is the nature of my service.”

瓦里斯让所有人都以为他不可或缺。我们真傻。太后宣布科本接替太监之后，害虫们便忙不迭地巴结他，为一点点金钱而出卖各种情报。笼络人心靠的是金银财宝，不是八爪蜘蛛。这活儿科本也能干。她等着看当科本首度在御前会议中落座时派席尔是什么表情。

Varys had all of us believing he was irreplaceable. What fools we were. Once the queen let it become known that Qyburn had taken the eunuch’s place, the usual vermin had wasted no time in making themselves known to him, to trade their whispers for a few coins. It was the silver all along, not the Spider. Qyburn will serve us just as well. She was looking forward to the look on Pycelle’s face when Qyburn took his seat.

御前会议召开期间，总有一名御林铁卫在议事厅门口站岗。今天轮到柏洛斯·布劳恩爵士。“柏洛斯爵士，”太后和蔼地唤道，“你今天早晨气色不太好。吃出什么问题了吗？”詹姆让他当国王的品尝师，以防备毒药。这是个美味的任务，但对骑士而言意味着耻辱。布劳恩痛恨这点，开门时，他多肉的下巴微微发抖。

A knight of the Kingsguard was always posted outside the doors of the council chambers when the small council was in session. Today it was Ser Boros Blount. “Ser Boros,” the queen said pleasantly, “you look quite grey this morning. Something you ate, perchance?” Jaime had made him the king’s food taster. A tasty task, but shameful for a knight. Blount hated it. His sagging jowls quivered as he held the door for them.

见她到来，重臣们停止了交谈。盖尔斯大人用咳嗽声欢迎太后——他的咳嗽声足以惊醒派席尔。其他人则满脸堆笑地纷纷起立。瑟曦容许自己露出一丝微笑。“大人们，请原谅我的迟到。”

The councillors quieted as she entered. Lord Gyles coughed by way of greeting, loud enough to wake Pycelle. The others rose, mouthing pleasantries. Cersei allowed herself the faintest of smiles. “My lords, I know you will forgive my lateness.”

“哪里，我们都是为陛下服务的仆人，”哈瑞斯·史威佛爵士说，“等待您驾临是大家的荣幸。”

“We are here to serve Your Grace,” said Ser Harys Swyft. “It is our pleasure to anticipate your coming.”

“我相信，大家都认识科本伯爵。”

“You all know Lord Qyburn, I am sure.”

派席尔国师没让她失望。“科本伯爵？”他的脸涨成紫色，说话吞吞吐吐，“陛下，这……这位学士发下神圣的誓言，不据地，不取头衔……”

Grand Maester Pycelle did not disappoint her. “Lord Qyburn?” he managed, purpling. “Your Grace, this … a maester swears sacred vows, to hold no lands or lordships …”

“你的学城剥夺了他的颈链。”瑟曦提醒对方，“他已经不是学士了，不用再遵循学士的誓言。若你记忆不差，应该记得我们也曾称呼太监为‘伯爵大人’。”

“Your Citadel took away his chain,” Cersei reminded him. “If he is not a maester, he cannot be held to a maester’s vows. We called the eunuch lord as well, you may recall.”

派席尔唾沫横飞地说：“可这个人……他不合适……”

Pycelle sputtered. “This man is … he is unfit …”

“你还敢在我面前说什么‘不合适’？不就是你亲手把我父亲大人的遗体弄得臭气熏天，惹人嘲笑的吗？”

“Do not presume to speak to me of fitness. Not after the stinking mockery you made of my lord father’s corpse.”

“陛下您，您不会以为……”他抬起一只斑驳的手掌，好似要格档打击，“静默姐妹们移去了泰温大人的肠胃及器官，抽干血液……照料得无微不至……我们往他肚子里填满了盐巴和香草。”

“Your Grace cannot think …” He raised a spotted hand, as if to ward off a blow. “The silent sisters removed Lord Tywin’s bowels and organs, drained his blood … every care was taken … his body was stuffed with salts and fragrant herbs …”

“噢，恶心的细节就省省吧，我闻到了你无微不至的关怀！科本大人的医术拯救过我弟弟的生命，我认为他毫无疑问比那假惺惺的太监更适合侍奉国王陛下。大人，你的同事你都认识吗？”

“Oh, spare me the disgusting details. I smelled the results of your care. Lord Qyburn’s healing arts saved my brother’s life, and I do not doubt that he will serve the king more ably than that simpering eunuch. My lord, you know your fellow councillors?”

“我连他们都不认识，还当什么情报总管呢，陛下。”科本边说边坐到奥顿·玛瑞魏斯和盖尔斯·罗斯比中间。

“I would be a poor informer if I did not, Your Grace.” Qyburn seated himself between Orton Merryweather and Gyles Rosby.

这才是我的御前会议。瑟曦拔掉了每一朵玫瑰，以及每一个忠实于她叔叔和两位弟弟的人，换上对她死心塌地的角色。她甚至废除了“大臣”的称呼——因为宫廷里面她最大——转而引进自由贸易城邦的头衔。例如奥顿·玛瑞魏斯呼为裁判法官，盖尔斯·罗斯比呼为国库经理，奥雷恩·维水，潮头岛浮华的年轻私生子，则是她的海军上将。

My councillors. Cersei had uprooted every rose, and all those beholden to her uncle and her brothers. In their places were men whose loyalty would be to her. She had even given them new styles, borrowed from the Free Cities; the queen would have no “masters” at court beside herself. Orton Merryweather was her justiciar, Gyles Rosby her lord treasurer. Aurane Waters, the dashing young Bastard of Driftmark, would be her grand admiral.

她的御前首相是哈瑞斯·史威佛爵士。

And for her Hand, Ser Harys Swyft.

史威佛肌肉松软，秃头，善于逢迎拍马。他没下巴，只有一撮荒谬可笑的短小白须，豪奢的黄色外套上用琉璃珠子拼出了家族纹章——蓝色矮脚公鸡，蓝天鹅绒斗篷则镶嵌了一百只金手。哈瑞斯被他的新职位弄得头晕目眩，丝毫没意识到这与其说是荣宠，其实是拿他当人质。他女儿嫁给了瑟曦的叔叔，而凯冯很爱那个没下巴、平胸脯还生了双罗圈腿的女人。只要把哈瑞斯爵士拽在手中，凯冯·兰尼斯特想对付她便得三思而后行。自然，岳丈不算是最有效的人质，但有总比没有的好。

Soft, bald, and obsequious, Swyft had an absurd little white puff of beard where most men had a chin. The blue bantam rooster of his House was worked across the front of his plush yellow doublet in beads of lapis. Over that he wore a mantle of blue velvet decorated with a hundred golden hands. Ser Harys had been thrilled by his appointment, too dim to realize that he was more hostage than Hand. His daughter was her uncle’s wife, and Kevan loved his chinless lady, flat-chested and chicken-legged as she was. So long as she had Ser Harys in hand, Kevan Lannister must needs think twice about opposing her. To be sure, a good-father is not the ideal hostage, but better a flimsy shield than none.

“国王陛下会驾临吗？”奥顿·玛瑞魏斯发问。

“Will the king be joining us?” asked Orton Merryweather.

“我儿子正跟他的小王后办家家酒呢。就目前而言，他对做国王的概念只是盖王家印信而已，陛下还太小，不能领悟国家大事。”

“My son is playing with his little queen. For the moment, his idea of kingship is stamping papers with the royal seal. His Grace is still too young to comprehend affairs of state.”

“咱们英勇的铁卫队长大人呢？”

“And our valiant Lord Commander?”

“詹姆爵士找铁匠打造新手去了，想必大家都受够了他那根丑陋的断肢。而且我敢断言，对于开会他比托曼更不耐烦。”奥雷恩·维水“扑哧”一下笑出声来。很好，瑟曦心想，你们就笑吧，笑得越大声，他便越不能构成威胁。“有酒吗？”

“Ser Jaime is at his armorer’s being fitted for a hand. I know we were all tired of that ugly stump. And I daresay he would find these proceedings as tiresome as Tommen.” Aurane Waters chuckled at that. Good, Cersei thought, the more they laugh, the less he is a threat. Let them laugh. “Do we have wine?”

“来了，陛下。”奥顿·玛瑞魏斯的鼻子太大，红橙色头发蓬乱不堪，但他长相虽平庸，礼貌却周到。“这里有多恩红酒和青亭岛的金色葡萄酒，还有高庭的上等香料甜酒。”

“We do, Your Grace.” Orton Merryweather was not a comely man, with his big lumpish nose and shock of unruly reddish-orange hair, but he was never less than courteous. “We have Dornish red and Arbor gold, and a fine sweet hippocras from Highgarden.”

“金色葡萄酒。依我看，多恩人的酒就跟他们的人似的，一股子酸溜溜的脾气。”玛瑞魏斯替她满上杯子，瑟曦续道，“就从多恩人开始吧。”

“The gold, I think. I find Dornish wines as sour as the Dornish.” As Merryweather filled her cup, Cersei said, “I suppose we had as well begin with them.”

派席尔国师的嘴唇仍在颤抖，亏得他没把舌头吞掉。“遵命。道朗亲王把他弟弟那帮蛮横的私生女都关押了起来，但阳戟城的骚动并未平息，据亲王信中所言，再不给他正义，他就无法掌控局面了。”

Grand Maester Pycelle’s lips were still quivering, yet somehow he found his tongue. “As you command. Prince Doran has taken his brother’s unruly bastards into custody, yet Sunspear still seethes. The prince writes that he cannot hope to calm the waters until he receives the justice that was promised him.”

“快了，快了，”这亲王，昏庸则罢，还很啰嗦，“等待很快就有结果。我已遣巴隆·史文前往阳戟城，把格雷果·克里冈的人头献上。”当然，巴隆爵士此行还另有重任，但没必要教他们知道。

“To be sure.” A tiresome creature, this prince. “His long wait is almost done. I am sending Balon Swann to Sunspear, to deliver him the head of Gregor Clegane.” Ser Balon would have another task as well, but that part was best left unsaid.

“哦，哦，”哈瑞斯·史威佛爵士用食指与拇指捻捻自己可笑的短胡须，“他已经死了吗？格雷果爵士？”

“Ah.” Ser Harys Swyft fumbled at his funny little beard with thumb and forefinger. “He is dead then? Ser Gregor?”

“他当然死了，大人，”奥雷恩·维水干巴巴地说，“据我所知，脑袋搬家可是致命伤。”

“I would think so, my lord,” Aurane Waters said dryly. “I am told that removing the head from the body is often mortal.”

瑟曦给了他一个赞许的微笑，她喜欢讽刺——只要对象不是自己。“正如派席尔国师预测的那样，格雷果爵士伤重不治身亡。”

Cersei favored him with a smile; she liked a bit of wit, so long as she was not its target. “Ser Gregor perished of his wounds, just as Grand Maester Pycelle foretold.”

派席尔哼哼了几声，不怀好意地瞅瞅科本，“长矛涂有剧毒，无药可解。”

Pycelle harrumphed and eyed Qyburn sourly. “The spear was poisoned. No man could have saved him.”

“是的，我记得你的话。”太后转向首相。“我进门时你在说什么，哈瑞斯爵士？”

“So you said. I recall it well.” The queen turned to her Hand. “What were you speaking of when I arrived, Ser Harys?”

“说‘麻雀’们，陛下。据雷那德修士统计，城内‘麻雀’已达二千之多，而且每天都有新人涌入。他们的领袖宣扬末日之说，抨击魔鬼邪教……”

“Sparrows, Your Grace. Septon Raynard says there may be as many as two thousand in the city, and more arriving every day. Their leaders preach of doom and demon worship …”

瑟曦吮了口酒。好喝。“这不是很自然的吗，你说呢？史斯坦尼崇拜的那个红神，不叫魔鬼叫什么？教会本该对抗邪恶嘛。”话是科本提醒她的，他真聪明。“看来，咱们已故的总主教疏于职守，听任岁月消磨洞察力，削弱了力量，以至于这么显而易见的事实都看不到。”

Cersei took a taste of wine. Very nice. “And long past time, wouldn’t you agree? What would you call this red god that Stannis worships, if not a demon? The Faith should oppose such evil.” Qyburn had reminded her of that, the clever man. “Our late High Septon let too much pass, I fear. Age had dimmed his sight and sapped his strength.”

“他早已是个行将就木的老人了，陛下，”科本边说边朝派席尔微笑，“他的逝世是意料之中的事。安详地在睡梦中故去，得享天年，世上少有人能享受这福分啊。”

“He was an old done man, Your Grace.” Qyburn smiled at Pycelle. “His passing should not have surprised us. No man can ask for more than to die peacefully in his sleep, full of years.”

“是的，”瑟曦承认，“现在我们需要一位精力旺盛的继任者。我在维桑尼亚丘陵上的朋友们告诉我，托伯特或雷那德会当选。”

“No,” said Cersei, “but we must hope that his successor is more vigorous. My friends upon the other hill tell me that it will most like be Torbert or Raynard.”

派席尔大学士清清喉咙，“我在教团中也有朋友，他们倾向于奥利多修士。”

Grand Maester Pycelle cleared his throat. “I have friends among the Most Devout as well, and they speak of Septon Ollidor.”

“别忘了卢琛，”科本补充，“昨晚他刚用乳猪和青亭岛的金色葡萄酒宴请三十位主教，白天又分发硬面包收买贫民。”

“Do not discount this man Luceon,” Qyburn said. “Last night he feted thirty of the Most Devout on suckling pig and Arbor gold, and by day he hands out hardbread to the poor to prove his piety.”

对于宗教话题，奥雷恩·维水看来就跟瑟曦一样不耐烦，由近观之，他的发色近于银而非金，眼睛则是灰绿，并非雷加王子的紫眼，尽管如此，他俩的相似之处还是很多……不知他是否专门为她而把胡子刮了……他比她年轻十岁，但他想要她，从他看她的方式里，瑟曦完全能解读出来——自从她乳房发育以后，十个男人中有九个会那样子看她。因为你太美了，他们如是说，可詹姆和我容貌相似，却从未受到如此看待。小时候，她常常穿起弟弟的衣服，当人们把她当做詹姆时，态度迥异，就连泰温大人……

Aurane Waters seemed as bored as Cersei by all this prattle about septons. Seen up close, his hair was more silvery than gold, and his eyes were grey-green where Prince Rhaegar’s had been purple. Even so, the resemblance … She wondered if Waters would shave his beard for her. Though he was ten years her junior, he wanted her; Cersei could see it in the way he looked at her. Men had been looking at her that way since her breasts began to bud. Because I was so beautiful, they said, but Jaime was beautiful as well, and they never looked at him that way. When she was small she would sometimes don her brother’s clothing as a lark. She was always startled by how differently men treated her when they thought that she was Jaime. Even Lord Tywin himself …

派席尔与玛瑞魏斯仍在为下任总主教争执不休。“谁戴上水晶冠都行，”太后粗暴地打断他们，“只要他肯将提利昂革出教门。”前任总主教显然是提利昂的同伙。“至于那帮没长翅膀的麻雀，就让他们去和教会斗吧，又不是聚众反叛王室，与我们有何相干？”

Pycelle and Merryweather were still quibbling about who the new High Septon was like to be. “One will serve as well as another,” the queen announced abruptly, “but whosoever dons the crystal crown must pronounce an anathema upon the Imp.” This last High Septon had been conspicuously silent regarding Tyrion. “As for these pink sparrows, so long as they preach no treason they are the Faith’s problem, not ours.”

奥顿大人和哈瑞斯爵士低声表示同意，盖尔斯·罗斯比的赞同被淹没在一阵咳嗽中，在他吐出血痰的瞬间，瑟曦厌恶地别过头去。“国师，你把谷地的信带来了吗？”

Lord Orton and Ser Harys murmured agreement. Gyles Rosby’s attempt to do the same dissolved into a fit of coughing. Cersei turned away in distaste as he was hacking up a gob of bloody phlegm. “Maester, have you brought the letter from the Vale?”

“带来了，陛下。”派席尔从面前的纸堆中拣出一封信，并将其抚平。“准确地说，这是宣言，并非信件。由符石城的青铜约恩·罗伊斯、韦伍德伯爵夫人、贝尔摩伯爵、雷德佛伯爵、杭特伯爵和九星城的骑士赛蒙·坦帕顿共同签署，他们六家都盖了印章，宣言声明——”

“I have, Your Grace.” Pycelle plucked it from his pile of papers and smoothed it out. “It is a declaration, rather than a letter. Signed at Runestone by Bronze Yohn Royce, Lady Waynwood, Lords Hunter, Redfort, and Belmore, and Symond Templeton, the Knight of Ninestars. All have affixed their seals. They write—”

全是废话。“大人们识字，相信都看过了。罗伊斯他们在鹰巢城下集结了重兵，企图剥夺小指头峡谷守护者的地位，为此不惜动用武力。现在的问题是，我们允许他们这么做吗？”

A deal of rubbish. “My lords may read the letter if they wish. Royce and these others are massing men below the Eyrie. They mean to remove Littlefinger as Lord Protector of the Vale, forcibly if need be. The question is, ought we allow this?”

“贝里席大人向我们求援？”哈瑞斯·史威佛问。

“Does Lord Baelish seek our help?” asked Harys Swyft.

“目前还没有，他对事态发展似乎漠不关心，他的上封来信只简单地提及叛乱，主要是请求我将劳勃留下来的老旧织锦画统统装船送给他。”

“Not as yet. In truth, he seems quite unconcerned. His last letter mentions the rebels only briefly before beseeching me to ship him some old tapestries of Robert’s.”

哈瑞斯爵士捻捻短胡须，“这所谓的‘公义者同盟’，请求国王援助了吗？”

Ser Harys fingered his chin beard. “And these lords of the declaration, do they appeal to the king to take a hand?”

“没有。”

“They do not.”

“那么……我们还是按兵不动吧。”

“Then … mayhaps we need do nothing.”

“听任谷地爆发战争，酿成悲剧？”派席尔说。

“A war in the Vale would be most tragic,” said Pycelle.

“战争？”奥顿·玛瑞魏斯笑出声来。“贝里席大人是天底下最幽默的人物，但光凭嘴皮子是不能打仗的，我很怀疑会不会流一滴血。再说，只要谷地按时纳税，谁做小公爵劳勃的监护人重要吗？”

“War?” Orton Merryweather laughed. “Lord Baelish is a most amusing man, but one does not fight a war with witticisms. I doubt there will be bloodshed. And does it matter who is regent for little Lord Robert, so long as the Vale remits its taxes?”

是的，这不重要，瑟曦下定决心，小指头回宫倒有用些，他能凭空变出钱财，而且很少咳嗽。“奥顿大人的话让我信服，派席尔国师，训示公义者同盟不得伤害培提尔，除此之外，在劳勃·艾林的监护期内，国王对谷地的政治不予干涉。”

No, Cersei decided. If truth be told, Littlefinger had been more use at court. He had a gift for finding gold, and never coughed. “Lord Orton has convinced me. Maester Pycelle, instruct these Lords Declarant that no harm must come to Petyr. Elsewise, the crown is content with whatever dispositions they might make for the governance of the Vale during Robert Arryn’s minority.”

“陛下英明。”

“Very good, Your Grace.”

“可以讨论舰队了吗？”奥雷恩·维水问，“只有十多条船自黑水河的大火中幸存，我们迫切需要重建海军。”

“Might we discuss the fleet?” asked Aurane Waters. “Fewer than a dozen of our ships survived the inferno on the Blackwater. We must needs restore our strength at sea.”

“海军很重要，”奥顿·玛瑞魏斯当即点头，

Merryweather nodded. “Strength at sea is most essential.”

“嗯，利用铁民行吗？敌人的敌人就是我们的朋友？与海石之位结盟的代价有多大？”

“Could we make use of the ironmen?” asked Orton Merryweather. “The enemy of our enemy? What would the Seastone Chair want of us as the price of an alliance?”

“他们要北境啊，”派席尔大学士道，“而北境已被太后陛下的先父许给了波顿家族。”

“They want the north,” Grand Maester Pycelle said, “which our queen’s noble father promised to House Bolton.”

“哟，多不方便，”玛瑞魏斯说，“可就我看来，北境实在太大，完全可以分割。况且无须永久性协议，我们可以私下答应波顿，一旦他消灭史坦尼斯，国王就全力支持他的要求。”

“How inconvenient,” said Merryweather. “Still, the north is large. The lands could be divided. It need not be a permanent arrangement. Bolton might consent, so long as we assure him that our strength will be his once Stannis is destroyed.”

“听说巴隆·葛雷乔伊已死，”哈瑞斯·史威佛爵士道，“群岛现下由谁做主呢？巴隆大王有儿子吗？”

“Balon Greyjoy is dead, I had heard,” said Ser Harys Swyft. “Do we know who rules the isles now? Did Lord Balon have a son?”

“莱恩？”盖尔斯大人咳嗽道，“席奥？”

“Leo?” coughed Lord Gyles. “Theo?”

“席恩·葛雷乔伊从小在临冬城长大，乃艾德·史塔克的养子，”科本表示，“看来非我之友。”

“Theon Greyjoy was raised at Winterfell, a ward of Eddard Stark,” Qyburn said. “He is not like to be a friend of ours.”

“听说他也被杀了。”玛瑞魏斯道。

“I had heard he was slain,” said Merryweather.

“他是唯一的儿子吗？”哈瑞斯·史威佛爵士拉了拉下巴上的短胡须，“他的兄弟呢，他没有兄弟吗，有没有啊？”

“Was there only one son?” Ser Harys Swyft tugged upon his chin beard. “Brothers. There were brothers. Were there not?”

若是瓦里斯在，一定全知道，瑟曦恼怒地想。“我才不跟鸟贼同流合污，消灭史坦尼斯之后，接下来就轮到他们——因此，我们需要舰队。”

Varys would have known, Cersei thought with irritation. “I do not propose to climb in bed with that sorry pack of squids. Their turn will come, once we have dealt with Stannis. What we require is our own fleet.”

“我建议兴建大帆船，”奥雷恩·维水提出，“首批兴建十艘。”

“I propose we build new dromonds,” said Aurane Waters. “Ten, to start with.”

“钱从哪里来？”派席尔责问。

“Where is the coin to come from?” asked Pycelle.

盖尔斯大人把这当成了新一轮咳嗽的信号，他咳出更多粉红唾沫，然后用红丝方巾一点一点蘸去。“……没有……”被又一阵咳嗽淹没之前，他挤出几个字眼，“……没有……我们没有……”

Lord Gyles took that as an invitation to begin coughing again. He brought up more pink spittle and dabbed it away with a square of red silk. “There is no …” he managed, before the coughing ate his words. “… no … we do not …”

至少这回，哈瑞斯爵士弄明白了咳嗽的意思。“预算异常拮据，”他提出抗议，“凯冯爵士跟我交代过。”

Ser Harys proved swift enough at least to grasp the meaning between the coughs. “The crown incomes have never been greater,” he objected. “Ser Kevan told me so himself.”

“……费用……金袍卫士……”盖尔斯大人咳个不停。

Lord Gyles coughed. “… expenses … gold cloaks …”

这些反对意见对瑟曦而言，都是老生常谈了。“我们的国库经理认为，金袍卫士太多，而国库里的金子太少。”罗斯比的咳嗽声开始让她厌烦起来。也许“粗胖的”加尔斯并不会那么讨厌。“财政收入纵然不菲，却无法抵消劳勃亏欠的巨债。有鉴于此，在战争结束之前，我决定暂停偿付教会和布拉佛斯铁金库方面的债务。”新任总主教肯定会不知所措地扭绞他那双神圣的手掌，而布拉佛斯人将一次又一次地前来诉苦聒噪，管他们呢？“省下的钱用于重建海军。”

Cersei had heard his objections before. “Our lord treasurer is trying to say that we have too many gold cloaks and too little gold.” Rosby’s coughing had begun to vex her. Perhaps Garth the Gross would not have been so ill. “Though large, the crown incomes are not large enough to keep abreast of Robert’s debts. Accordingly, I have decided to defer our repayment of the sums owed the Holy Faith and the Iron Bank of Braavos until war’s end.” The new High Septon would doubtless wring his holy hands, and the Braavosi would squeak and squawk at her, but what of it? “The monies saved will be used for the building of our new fleet.”

“陛下英明，”玛瑞魏斯大人赞道，“妙笔一挥，便替国家解决了大难题，在战争期间，这是必备的、合理的措施。我完全赞成。”

“Your Grace is prudent,” said Lord Merryweather. “This is a wise measure. And needed, until the war is done. I concur.”

“我也赞成。”哈瑞斯爵士说。

“And I,” said Ser Harys.

“陛下，”派席尔的声音因震惊而发抖，“恐怕这会带来您意想不到的麻烦。那铁金库……”

“Your Grace,” Pycelle said in a quavering voice, “this will cause more trouble than you know, I fear. The Iron Bank …”

“……位于布拉佛斯，远隔重洋。以后还他们金子，国师，兰尼斯特有债必还。”

“… remains on Braavos, far across the sea. They shall have their gold, maester. A Lannister pays his debts.”

“布拉佛斯人也有句谚语，”派席尔镶有宝石的颈链轻声作响，“‘铁金库不容拖欠’。”

“The Braavosi have a saying too.” Pycelle’s jeweled chain clinked softly. “The Iron Bank will have its due, they say.”

“哼，拖不拖欠，由我决定，在此之前，叫布拉佛斯人恭恭敬敬地候着。维水大人，启动大帆船工程。”

“The Iron Bank will have its due when I say they will. Until such time, the Iron Bank will wait respectfully. Lord Waters, commence the building of your dromonds.”

“太好了，陛下。”

“Very good, Your Grace.”

哈瑞斯爵士在纸堆中翻找了一番，“下一个议题……我们收到佛雷大人的信件，他在信中提出新要求……”

Ser Harys shuffled through some papers. “The next matter … we have had a letter from Lord Frey putting forth some claims …”

“这老头还想要多少土地和荣誉？”太后叫道，“他老妈一定长了三个奶子。”

“How many lands and honors does that man want?” snapped the queen. “His mother must have had three teats.”

“大人们有所不知，”科本说，“在都城的酒馆和食堂内，老百姓议论纷纷，许多人认为国王协助瓦德大人作恶犯罪。”

“My lords may not know,” said Qyburn, “but in the winesinks and pot shops of this city, there are those who suggest that the crown might have been somehow complicit in Lord Walder’s crime.”

重臣们狐疑地望着他。“你是指红色婚礼？”奥雷恩·维水问。“犯罪？”哈瑞斯爵士说。派席尔剧烈地清喉咙，盖尔斯大人又开始咳嗽。

The other councillors stared at him uncertainly. “Do you refer to the Red Wedding?” asked Aurane Waters. “Crime?” said Ser Harys. Pycelle cleared his throat noisily. Lord Gyles coughed.

“麻雀们公然宣讲——”科本警告，“——红色婚礼触犯神圣的宾客权利，令神人共愤，参与它的人将遭到永世诅咒。”

“These sparrows are especially outspoken,” warned Qyburn. “The Red Wedding was an affront to all the laws of gods and men, they say, and those who had a hand in it are damned.”