“她们是提供给自由出身的有足够家产能参与投票的瓦兰提斯人的。河西岸的少数投票者。”

“They’re for freeborn Volantenes with enough property to vote. Precious few voters west of the river.”

“这种情况会持续十天？”提利昂大笑。“我大概会很享受的，但是三个国王的话就多了两个了。我得想像一下和我甜美的姐姐和勇敢的哥哥一起统治七大王国的情景。我们中的一个会在一年之内把另外两个杀掉。很难想象这些怎么不会再这几个元老身上发生。”

“And this goes on for ten days?” Tyrion laughed. “I might enjoy that, though three kings is two too many. I am trying to imagine ruling the Seven Kingdoms with my sweet sister and brave brother beside me. One of us would kill the other two inside a year. I am surprised these triarchs don’t do the same.”

“有些人尝试过。大概瓦兰提斯人是聪明人而维斯特洛伊人都是白痴。瓦兰提斯有着她一定比例的愚行，但是从未经历过男孩元老这种事。的那个一个疯子被选上后，他的同僚就会尽可能遏制他知道他任期结束。想象若疯王伊利斯有另外两个国外和他一起统治的话，也许就不会死那么多人了。”

“A few have tried. Might be the Volantenes are the clever ones and us Westerosi the fools. Volantis has known her share of follies, but she’s never suffered a boy triarch. Whenever a madman’s been elected, his colleagues restrain him until his year has run its course. Think of the dead who might still live if Mad Aerys only had two fellow kings to share the rule.”

他有的是我的父亲，提利昂想。

Instead he had my father, Tyrion thought.

“有些自由城邦的人认为在狭海另一端的我们都是野蛮人，”骑士继续道。“那些人不认为我们是小孩，哭着闹着要拉父亲强壮的手。”

“Some in the Free Cities think that we’re all savages on our side of the narrow sea,” the knight went on. “The ones who don’t think that we’re children, crying out for a father’s strong hand.”

“或者母亲的？”瑟熙肯定喜欢这个。当他将我的脑袋双手奉上时就更甚了。“你好像很了解这个城市。”

“Or a mother’s?” Cersei will love that. Especially when he presents her with my head. “You seem to know this city well.”

“我在一年中最好的时节都待在这儿。”骑士晃了晃贝蒂的泡沫。“当史塔克放逐我后，我与我的第二任妻子逃到里斯。布拉佛斯大概更适合我，但是里斯要更暖和点。与其服役于布拉佛斯，我选择了在罗伊达河上与他们战斗。但是我每赚到一分钱我的老婆就花掉十分。当我回到里斯的时候，她已经另攀情人，那人愉快的告诉我若我不想卖身为奴还债的话就放手离开城邦。于是我就这样来到了瓦兰提斯……与奴隶贩子擦肩而过，除了我的剑和身上的衣物一无所有。

“I spent the best part of a year here.” The knight sloshed the dregs at the bottom of his tankard. “When Stark drove me into exile, I fled to Lys with my second wife. Braavos would have suited me better, but Lynesse wanted someplace warm. Instead of serving the Braavosi I fought them on the Rhoyne, but for every silver I earned my wife spent ten. By the time I got back to Lys, she had taken a lover, who told me cheerfully that I would be enslaved for debt unless I gave her up and left the city. That was how I came to Volantis … one step ahead of slavery, owning nothing but my sword and the clothes upon my back.”

“现在你想回家。”

“And now you want to run home.”

骑士喝干了他最后的啤酒。“明天我就为我们找艘船。床是我的，你的链子允许的地方你自便。若能睡着你就睡吧，睡不着，你可以数数你的罪行，不过那样的话你恐怕的数到明天早上。”

The knight drained the last of his ale. “On the morrow I’ll find us a ship. The bed is mine. You can have whatever piece of floor your chains will let you reach. Sleep if you can. If not, count your crimes. That should see you through till the morning.”

你有你需要负责的罪，乔拉？莫尔蒙，侏儒想，但看起来还是只在心里想想不说出来为妙。

You have your crimes to answer for, Jorah Mormont, the dwarf thought, but it seemed wiser to keep that thought to himself.

乔拉爵士将自己的剑挂在床柱上，踢掉靴子，从头顶卸下链甲，脱掉那身羊毛与皮质的汗涔涔的上衣，在那下面盖着满是伤痕，覆盖着一层黑毛的强健躯干。若我能剥了他的皮，卖了它能换一件软毛斗篷。提利昂在莫尔蒙翻上那个有点发臭的破皮床上时想道。

Ser Jorah hung his sword belt on a bedpost, kicked off his boots, pulled his chain mail over his head, and stripped out of his wool and leather and sweat-stained undertunic to reveal a scarred, brawny torso covered with dark hair. If I could skin him, I could sell that pelt for a fur cloak, Tyrion thought as Mormont tumbled into the slightly smelly comfort of his sagging feather bed.

骑士简直倒头就睡接着就打起呼噜来，把他的小奖品撂在一堆铁链里。两扇窗户都是全开的，苍白的月亮光洒满了卧室。传来下面广场的声音：一阵醉酒般的歌声，烫了尾巴的猫叫，远处的金铁交鸣声。有人要死了，提利昂想。

In no time at all the knight was snoring, leaving his prize alone with his chains. With both windows open wide, the light of the waning moon spilled across the bedchamber. Sounds drifted up from the square below: snatches of drunken song, the yowling of a cat in heat, the far-off ring of steel on steel. Someone’s about to die, thought Tyrion.

他手腕破皮的地方一阵抽痛而他的脚镣让他无法坐下，更别说伸直了。他能做的唯一事情就是扭到一边斜靠着墙，而在他连手也感觉不到前这也仅仅支持了一小会儿。当他想动一动舒展下绷紧的躯体时，疼痛如潮水般涌来。他不得不咬紧牙关防止叫出声来。他想知道当他的箭穿过他父亲的肠子的时候是怎样的疼痛，当他将锁链勒在雪伊那说谎的喉头时她是什么感觉，当泰莎被轮奸时又是怎么想的。他现在的磨难与他们的相比简直不值一提，但是这不会让他减轻疼痛。就让它消停一下吧。

His wrist was throbbing where he’d torn the skin, and his fetters made it impossible for him to sit, let alone stretch out. The best he could do was twist sideways to lean against the wall, and before long he began to lose all feeling in his hands. When he moved to relieve the strain, sensation came flooding back as pain. He had to grind his teeth to keep from screaming. He wondered how much his father had hurt when the quarrel punched through his groin, what Shae had felt as he twisted the chain around her lying throat, what Tysha had been feeling as they raped her. His sufferings were nothing compared to their own, but that did not make him hurt any less. Just make it stop.

乔拉爵士翻身侧卧，所以提利昂所能看见的就是他宽阔、多毛、筋肉的后背。就算他能滑脱这些锁链，我也得爬过他才能呢个够到剑带。也许能把匕首弄松……或者她能找到钥匙，开门，爬过阶梯穿过公共房间……然后去哪儿呢？我没有朋友，没有钱，甚至不会说当地的语言。

Ser Jorah had rolled onto one side, so all that Tyrion could see of him was a broad, hairy, muscular back. Even if I could slip these chains, I’d need to climb over him to reach his sword belt. Perhaps if I could ease the dagger loose … Or else he could try for the key, unlock the door, creep down the stairs and through the common room … and go where? I have no friends, no coin, I do not even speak the local tongue.

精疲力尽终于胜过他的疼痛，提利昂飘入了一种不安的睡眠中去。但每一次一次痉挛席卷他的小腿，抽搐着，侏儒就会在睡梦中尖叫，在锁链中发抖。他醒来时每块肌肉都在疼痛，看见晨光像兰尼斯特雄狮一样穿过窗户金灿明亮。在楼下，他能听见鱼商的喊叫还有钢铁包边的车轮压过石子路的隆隆声。

Exhaustion finally overwhelmed his pains, and Tyrion drifted off into a fitful sleep. But every time another cramp took root inside his calf and twisted, the dwarf would cry out in his sleep, trembling in his chains. He woke with every muscle aching, to find morning streaming through the windows bright and golden as the lion of Lannister. Below he could hear the cries of fishmongers and the rumble of iron-rimmed wheels on cobblestones.

乔拉？莫尔蒙正俯视着他。“若我摘掉这铁环，你会照我说的做么？”

Jorah Mormont was standing over him. “If I take you off the ring, will you do as you’re told?”

“这包括了跳舞吗？我觉得在我感觉不到腿的时候要我跳还是有点困难，跳掉了我也不知道。其他的吗，我是您的人了。以我作为兰尼斯特的荣誉起誓。”

“Will it involve dancing? I might find dancing difficult. I cannot feel my legs. They may have fallen off. Elsewise, I am your creature. On my honor as a Lannister.”

“兰尼斯特没有荣誉。”乔拉还是解开了他的锁链。提利昂摇摆的走了两步就摔倒了，血流再次涌入他的手让他几乎哭出来，他咬着嘴唇说，“我们要去哪儿，你得把我滚到那儿了。”

“The Lannisters have no honor.” Ser Jorah loosed his chains anyway. Tyrion took two wobbly steps and fell. The blood rushing back into his hands brought tears to his eyes. He bit his lip and said, “Wherever we’re going, you will need to roll me there.”

相反，大个骑士攥着他手腕之间的锁链把他拎了起来。

Instead the big knight carried him, hoisting him by the chain between his wrists.

商人之家的公共大厅是由许多小隔间组成的昏暗迷宫。它环绕着的中心庭院里，爬满开花藤蔓的格子在石板地面上投下斑驳的影子，石缝中生长着绿色和紫色的苔藓。奴隶女孩们在光影之间穿梭，送来淡啤酒、葡萄酒和一些冰凉的绿色饮料，闻起来有薄荷的味道。早上的这个时间，一张桌子上挤了二十个人。

The common room of the Merchant’s House was a dim labyrinth of alcoves and grottoes built around a central courtyard where a trellis of flowering vines threw intricate patterns across the flagstone floor and green and purple moss grew between the stones. Slave girls scurried through light and shadow, bearing flagons of ale and wine and some iced green drink that smelled of mint. One table in twenty was occupied at this hour of the morning.

其中之一是一个侏儒，粉红色的脸颊干干净净，梳着栗色的拖把头，眉头紧缩，扁扁的鼻子。他坐在一把高脚椅上，手里拿着木勺，红肿的眼睛正在若有所思地盯着一碗紫色米粥。丑陋的小混蛋，提利昂想。

One of those was occupied by a dwarf. Clean-shaved and pink-cheeked, with a mop of chestnut hair, a heavy brow, and a squashed nose, he perched on a high stool with a wooden spoon in hand, contemplating a bowl of purplish gruel with red-rimmed eyes. Ugly little bastard, Tyrion thought.

另一个侏儒感觉到他的目光，当他抬起头看到提利昂时，他的勺子从手上滑落。

The other dwarf felt his stare. When he raised his head and saw Tyrion, the spoon slipped from his hand.

“他看到我了，”提利昂警告莫尔蒙。

“He saw me,” Tyrion warned Mormont.

“那又怎么样？”

“What of it?”

“他认识我，知道我是谁。”

“He knows me. Who I am.”

“我是不是该把你塞进麻袋里，这样就没人能看见你了？”骑士摸着他的剑柄。“如果他想把你抢走，欢迎来试试看。”

“Should I stuff you in a sack, so no one will see you?” The knight touched the hilt of his longsword. “If he means to try and take you, he is welcome to try.”

你是说欢迎去死，提利昂想。他对你这样的大个子能有什么威胁？他只是个侏儒。

Welcome to die, you mean, thought Tyrion. What threat could he pose to a big man like you? He is only a dwarf.

乔拉爵士选了一个安静角落的桌子，要了食物和饮料。他们吃了温软的切片面包、粉红色的鱼子、蜂蜜香肠还有炸蝗虫，就着半糖的黑啤酒。提利昂的吃相就像是饿坏了一样。“你今天早上胃口不错，”骑士说道。

Ser Jorah claimed a table in a quiet corner and ordered food and drink. They broke their fast with warm soft flatbread, pink fish roe, honey sausage, and fried locusts, washed down with a bittersweet black ale. Tyrion ate like a man half-starved. “You have a healthy appetite this morning,” the knight observed.

“我听说地狱里的食物糟透了。”提利昂瞥向门口，一个高个驼背男人刚走进来，他的尖胡子染成斑驳的紫色，泰洛西商人。带进来外面的喧闹，海鸥的叫声、女人的笑声、鱼贩的声音，半拍心跳后他以为他看见了伊利里欧？莫帕提斯，但那只是一头经过前门的白矮象。

“I’ve heard the food in hell is wretched.” Tyrion glanced at the door, where a man had just come in: tall and stooped, his pointed beard dyed a splotchy purple. Some Tyroshi trader. A gust of sound came with him from outside; the cries of gulls, a woman’s laughter, the voices of the fishmongers. For half a heartbeat he thought he glimpsed Illyrio Mopatis, but it was only one of those white dwarf elephants passing the front door.

莫尔蒙用些鱼子抹了抹面包片，咬了一口。“你是在等什么人么？”

Mormont spread some fish roe across a slice of flatbread and took a bite. “Are you expecting someone?”

提利昂耸肩。“你没法预料风会把谁挂来。我那唯一的爱人，我老爹的鬼魂，一只鸭子。”他扔了一只蝗虫进嘴嚼了嚼。“味道不坏，鉴于它是只虫子。”

Tyrion shrugged. “You never know who the wind might blow in. My one true love, my father’s ghost, a duck.” He popped a locust into his mouth and crunched it. “Not bad. For a bug.”

“昨晚这里的留言全是关于维斯特洛伊的。某位流=流放在外的领主雇佣了黄金团来打回他的土地。瓦兰提斯半数的船长都涌向上游的佛龙泰利斯要让自己的舰队加入。”

“Last night the talk here was all of Westeros. Some exiled lord has hired the Golden Company to win back his lands for him. Half the captains in Volantis are racing upriver to Volon Therys to offer him their ships.”

提利昂刚刚吞下另一只蝗虫，他几乎被噎着了。他是在玩儿我么？对于格里夫和伊耿他知道多少？“操他X的，”他说。“我还指望雇佣黄金团弄回凯岩城呢。”这会是格里夫的计谋么，故意传播的假消息？除非……小王子上钩了？让他们西行代替东进，放弃与丹妮莉丝女王和亲的希望？放弃那些龙……格里夫会这么放手么？“我当然也很高兴雇佣你，爵士。我父亲的爵位怎么说都是我的。对我宣誓，我马上就会把它弄回来然后用足够淹死你的金子打赏你。”

Tyrion had just swallowed another locust. He almost choked on it. Is he mocking me? How much could he know of Griff and Aegon? “Bugger,” he said. “I meant to hire the Golden Company myself, to win me Casterly Rock.” Could this be some ploy of Griff’s, false reports deliberately spread? Unless … Could the pretty princeling have swallowed the bait? Turned them west instead of east, abandoning his hopes of wedding Queen Daenerys? Abandoning the dragons … would Griff allow that? “I’ll gladly hire you as well, ser. My father’s seat is mine by rights. Swear me your sword, and once I win it back I’ll drown you in gold.”

“我看过一个人被金子淹死。那可不是什么美好的景象。若你真的取得了我的剑，那一定是在你的肠子中间。”

“I saw a man drowned in gold once. It was not a pretty sight. If you ever get my sword, it will be through your bowels.”

“治疗便秘的好方法，”提利昂说。“去问问我老爹吧。”他伸出手去够他的酒杯，慢慢的吞着酒以掩饰脸上的表情。这肯定是个计谋，为了抚慰瓦兰提斯人的猜疑。用虚假的承诺把人们骗上船，接着在出海后夺取船的领导权。这就是格里夫的计划？这也许能行。黄金团有一万名经验丰、富强壮而纪律严明的士兵。但是他们没有一个是水手。格里夫得在他们每个人喉咙上架一把刀才行，而且他们还必经奴隶湾，在那肯定有一场战斗……

“A sure cure for constipation,” said Tyrion. “Just ask my father.” He reached for his tankard and took a slow swallow, to help conceal whatever might be showing on his face. It had to be a stratagem, designed to lull Volantene suspicions. Get the men aboard with this false pretext and seize the ships when the fleet is out to sea. Is that Griff’s plan? It might work. The Golden Company was ten thousand strong, seasoned and disciplined. None of them seamen, though. Griff will need to keep a sword at every throat, and should they come on Slaver’s Bay and need to fight …

侍女回来了。“一会儿寡妇会召见您的，尊贵的爵士。您为她准备了礼物了吗？”

The serving girl returned. “The widow will see you next, noble ser. Have you brought a gift for her?”

“是的，谢谢。”乔拉爵士扔了一枚银币给那女孩遣走了她。

“Yes. Thank you.” Ser Jorah slipped a coin into the girl’s palm and sent her on her way.

提利昂皱眉。“这个寡妇是什么人？”

Tyrion frowned. “Whose widow is this?”

“河滨的寡妇。在罗伊达的东岸人么依旧叫她佛加罗的妓女，当然不会当面说。”

“The widow of the waterfront. East of the Rhoyne they still call her Vogarro’s whore, though never to her face.”

侏儒对这些一无所知。“那个佛加罗又是……？”

The dwarf was not enlightened. “And Vogarro was …?”

“一个象党成员，七次当选元老，富可敌国，在码头也有权有势。当其他人都在建造船只然后起航时，他就建造了码头和仓库，进行货物中转和货币兑换还有为出海船只保险的生计。他也买卖奴隶，当他被其中一个诱惑时，一个在渊凯被训练有七种呻吟之术的床奴，在当时可算一大丑闻……更大的丑闻是他给了她自由并娶了她。在他死后，她继承了他的冒险精神。当时没有自由人可以在黑墙内定居，所以她被迫卖掉了佛加罗的豪宅，在商行里避难。那都是32年前的事情了，而她一直居住至今。她就在你身后，庭院的后面，在她的例座那里见客。别，别看。现在有个人和她在一起。他完事后就轮到我们了。”

“An elephant, seven times a triarch, very rich, a power on the docks. Whilst other men built the ships and sailed them, he built piers and storehouses, brokered cargoes, changed money, insured shipowners against the hazards of the sea. He dealt in slaves as well. When he grew besotted with one of them, a bedslave trained at Yunkai in the way of seven sighs, it was a great scandal … and a greater scandal when he freed her and took her for his wife. After he died, she carried on his ventures. No freedman may dwell within the Black Wall, so she was compelled to sell Vogarro’s manse. She took up residence at the Merchant’s House. That was thirty-two years ago, and she remains here to this day. That’s her behind you, back by the courtyard, holding court at her customary table. No, don’t look. There’s someone with her now. When he’s done, it will be our turn.”

“那么这个老泼妇要怎么帮我们？”

“And this old harridan will help you how?”

乔拉爵士起身。“走着瞧吧。他离开了。”

Ser Jorah stood. “Watch and see. He’s leaving.”

提利昂从他的椅子上跳下来，叮叮当当金铁交鸣。这大概够引人注目的了。

Tyrion hopped down off his chair with a rattle of iron. This should be enlightening.

这女人坐在庭院她的角落里，像狐狸一样。她有着爬虫一般的眼睛。她的白发如此稀少，可以透过它看到她的粉红色头皮。一只眼睛下淡淡的疤痕像刀一样切断了她的泪痕。她早饭的残渣落在桌上——沙丁鱼头、橄榄核、面包屑。提利昂很快注意到她精心挑选的“例座”，她背后是坚固的石头，一侧是作为出入口，被绿叶覆盖的壁龛；能够一览无余的看到旅店前门，而她自身隐藏在暗影之中，几乎完全看不见。

There was something vulpine about the way the woman sat in her corner by the courtyard, something reptilian about her eyes. Her white hair was so thin that the pink of her scalp showed through. Under one eye she still bore faint scars where a knife had cut away her tears. The remnants of her morning meal littered the table—sardine heads, olive pits, chunks of flatbread. Tyrion did not fail to note how well chosen her “customary table” was; solid stone at her back, a leafy alcove to one side for entrances and exits, a perfect view of the inn’s front door, yet so steeped in shadow that she herself was nigh invisible.

老女人看见他的时候笑了。“一个侏儒”，她咕噜道，用柔软而又阴险的声音，她说的通用语只有一点口音。“看起来瓦兰提斯充斥着迟到的侏儒，这一个会不会变戏法？”

The sight of him made the old woman smile. “A dwarf,” she purred, in a voice as sinister as it was soft. She spoke the Common Tongue with only a trace of accent. “Volantis has been overrun with dwarfs of late, it seems. Does this one do tricks?”

是的，提利昂想说。给他一个十字弓，我会给你展示我的拿手好戏。“不，”乔拉？莫尔蒙回答。

Yes, Tyrion wanted to say. Give me a crossbow, and I’ll show you my favorite. “No,” Ser Jorah answered.

“真是遗憾。我以前有一只会耍各种聪明把戏的猴子。你的侏儒让我想起了他。他是个礼物吗？”

“A pity. I once had a monkey who could perform all sorts of clever tricks. Your dwarf reminds me of him. Is he a gift?”

“不。我给你带了这些。”乔拉爵士拿出一副手套，将它们甩到寡妇今天早上收到的各种礼物旁边：一支银质高脚杯，一把薄到透明的雕刻着翡翠叶片的华丽折扇，一把刻上着诗歌的古代青铜匕首。在这些宝贝旁边手套看起来廉价而俗丽。

“No. I brought you these.” Ser Jorah produced his pair of gloves, and slapped them down on the table beside the other gifts the widow had received this morning: a silver goblet, an ornate fan carved of jade leaves so thin they were translucent, and an ancient bronze dagger marked with runes. Beside such treasures the gloves looked cheap and tawdry.

“一副适合我衰弱的起皱的手的手套。真是不错。”但寡妇并没打算碰它们。

“Gloves for my poor old wrinkled hands. How nice.” The widow made no move to touch them.

“我在长桥上买的它们。”

“I bought them on the Long Bridge.”

“在长桥上什么都能买到。手套，奴隶，猴子。”岁月压弯了这个干瘪瘦小的老太婆的背形成一个隆起的驼峰，但是寡妇的眼睛依旧又黑又亮。“现在告诉我这个老寡妇她要怎么帮你的忙？”

“A man can buy most anything on the Long Bridge. Gloves, slaves, monkeys.” The years had bent her spine and put a crone’s hump upon her back, but the widow’s eyes were bright and black. “Now tell this old widow how she may be of service to you.”

“我们需要尽快赶往去弥林。”

“We need swift passage to Meereen.”

一个词。提利昂？兰尼斯特的世界完全颠覆了。

One word. Tyrion Lannister’s world turned upside down.

一个词。弥林。或者他出现幻听了？

One word. Meereen. Or had he misheard?

一个词。弥林，他说的是弥林，他要带我去弥林。弥林意味着生机，或者至少说是生命的希望。

One word. Meereen, he said Meereen, he’s taking me to Meereen. Meereen meant life. Or hope for life, at least.

“为什么来找我？”寡妇说。“我可没有船。”

“Why come to me?” the widow said. “I own no ships.”

“但是许多船长欠你一笔债。”

“You have many captains in your debt.”

将我送给女王/王后，他这样说。是啊，但是哪个女王/王后呢？他没准备把我卖给瑟熙。他将把握交给丹妮莉丝？坦格利安。这就是他为什么没砍掉我的脑袋。我们在向东行，而格里夫和他的王子则向西，该死的蠢货。

Deliver me to the queen, he says. Aye, but which queen? He isn’t selling me to Cersei. He’s giving me to Daenerys Targaryen. That’s why he hasn’t hacked my head off. We’re going east, and Griff and his prince are going west, the bloody fools.

哦，这真是太多了。一环套一环，但是条条大路都通向巨龙的咽喉。他的嘴里发出一声大笑，接着他就笑得停不下来了。

Oh, it was all too much. Plots within plots, but all roads lead down the dragon’s gullet. A guffaw burst from his lips, and suddenly Tyrion could not stop laughing.

“你的侏儒看来突然抽风了，”寡妇得出结论。

“Your dwarf is having a fit,” the widow observed.

“我的侏儒会安静下来的，或者我就堵上他的嘴。”

“My dwarf will be quiet, or I’ll see him gagged.”

提利昂用手捂住嘴。弥林！

Tyrion covered his mouth with his hands. Meereen!

河边的寡妇决定无视他。“我们来喝一杯怎么样？”她问。在女仆为乔拉爵士和寡妇用两个绿酒杯斟满酒时，可以看见空气中飘着的浮尘。提利昂的喉咙干得要命，但是没人给他也斟一杯。寡妇呷了一小口，在口中回味一番才咽下去。“所有其他的放逐者们都往西起航，至少我是这么听说的。而欠我债的船长们则争先恐后的将他们带到那，从黄金团手里拿到一点佣金。我们尊贵的元老们则为他们的事业允诺会派出一打的军舰，保证他们安全抵达石阶列岛。即使老迈的多尼弗斯也同意了。这还真是个辉煌的冒险。但是，你却希望走另一条道，爵士。”

The widow of the waterfront decided to ignore him. “Shall we have a drink?” she asked. Dust motes floated in the air as a serving girl filled two green glass cups for Ser Jorah and the widow. Tyrion’s throat was dry, but no cup was poured for him. The widow took a sip, rolled the wine round her mouth, swallowed. “All the other exiles are sailing west, or so these old ears have heard. And all those captains in my debt are falling over one another to take them there and leach a little gold from the coffers of the Golden Company. Our noble triarchs have pledged a dozen warships to the cause, to see the fleet safely as far as the Stepstones. Even old Doniphos has given his assent. Such a glorious adventure. And yet you would go the other way, ser.”

“我有事要在东方办。”

“My business is in the east.”

“可否让我知晓那是什么事呢？不是奴隶交易，银女王已经终结了它。她还关闭了角斗场，所以也不可能是血腥的嗜好。弥林还能有什么给一个维斯特洛伊骑士的呢？砖头？橄榄？龙？啊，就是这个了。”老女人的微笑变得狂野起来。“我听说银女王用幼儿喂养她的龙，而她自己则用处女之血沐浴并且夜夜淫愉，从不相同。”

“And what business is that, I wonder? Not slaves, the silver queen has put an end to that. She has closed the fighting pits as well, so it cannot be a taste for blood. What else could Meereen offer to a Westerosi knight? Bricks? Olives? Dragons? Ah, there it is.” The old woman’s smile turned feral. “I have heard it said that the silver queen feeds them with the flesh of infants while she herself bathes in the blood of virgin girls and takes a different lover every night.”

乔拉爵士有些咬牙切齿。“渊凯人不断毒害你的耳朵。夫人不应该相信这些淫词滥调。”

Ser Jorah’s mouth had hardened. “The Yunkai’i are pouring poison in your ears. My lady should not believe such filth.”

“我不是什么夫人，但是即使是佛加罗的妓女也知道谎言的模样。这都是真的，但是……龙后有她的敌人……渊凯，新吉斯，Tolos，魁斯……哎呀，很快还有瓦兰提斯。你要去弥林？还是等等吧，爵士。在战舰们划桨想动起航去推翻银女王的时候，剑士们可会被召集的。老虎喜欢亮出爪子，甚至大象在受到威胁时也会杀人。玛拉阔对荣誉有种饥渴，而尼耶索斯大多的财富都是从奴隶交易中赚到的。只要阿里欧斯、帕奎罗或者拜拉阔三人里的一人得到元老席位，那么战舰就该出发了。”

“I am no lady, but even Vogarro’s whore knows the taste of falsehood. This much is true, though … the dragon queen has enemies … Yunkai, New Ghis, Tolos, Qarth … aye, and Volantis, soon enough. You would travel to Meereen? Just wait a while, ser. Swords will be wanted soon enough, when the warships bend their oars eastward to bring down the silver queen. Tigers love to bare their claws, and even elephants will kill if threatened. Malaquo hungers for a taste of glory, and Nyessos owes much of his wealth to the slave trade. Let Alios or Parquello or Belicho gain the triarchy, and the fleets will sail.”

乔拉爵士有些不快。“若多尼弗斯回来的话……”

Ser Jorah scowled. “If Doniphos is returned …”

“佛加罗总是领先一步，而我亲爱的大人已经作死人作了30年了。”

“Vogarro will be returned first, and my sweet lord has been dead these thirty years.”

在他们身后，有些水手正大声咆哮。“他们管这叫淡啤酒？操，猴子都可以尿出更好的。”

Behind them, some sailor was bellowing loudly. “They call this ale? Fuck. A monkey could piss better ale.”

“而你会喝掉它，”另一个声音回答。

“And you would drink it,” another voice replied.

提利昂回头看，希望他听到的是鸭子和哈尔顿的声音。但是他之看到了两个陌生人……还有一个侏儒，在旁边几步远的地方注视着他。他看起来有点眼熟。

Tyrion twisted around for a look, hoping against hope that it was Duck and Haldon he was hearing. Instead he saw two strangers … and the dwarf, who was standing a few feet away staring at him intently. He seemed somehow familiar.

寡妇呷了一口她的葡萄酒。“第一批的象党有些事女人，”她说，“他们推翻了虎党的统治结束了古战争。提安娜四次当选，但那时300年前的事情了，哎。瓦兰提斯自从那之后就没有女性元老当选，但有时候会有女性参选。那些住在黑墙后面出身高贵的女人，可没有我这样的。那些‘古老血脉’宁愿让他们的狗和孩子参选也不会让自由人参选的。不，可能是贝里克，或者阿列斯，但是无论如何都会有场战争。或者他们这么认为。”

The widow sipped daintily at her wine. “Some of the first elephants were women,” she said, “the ones who brought the tigers down and ended the old wars. Trianna was returned four times. That was three hundred years ago, alas. Volantis has had no female triarch since, though some women have the vote. Women of good birth who dwell in ancient palaces behind the Black Walls, not creatures such as me. The Old Blood will have their dogs and children voting before any freedman. No, it will be Belicho, or perhaps Alios, but either way it will be war. Or so they think.”

“那你怎么想？”乔拉爵士问。

“And what do you think?” Ser Jorah asked.

好家伙，提利昂想，问对了问题。

Good, thought Tyrion. The right question.

“哦，我认为也会有场战争的，但不是他们想要的那种。”老女人向前倾了倾身，她的黑眼睛闪着光芒。“我认为红色的阿赫洛在这个城市里比其他神有更多的崇拜者。你听过班奈罗的宣讲没？”

“Oh, I think it will be war as well, but not the war they want.” The old woman leaned forward, her black eyes gleaming. “I think that red R’hllor has more worshipers in this city than all the other gods together. Have you heard Benerro preach?”

“昨晚。”

“Last night.”

“班奈罗可以在火焰中预见未来，”寡妇说。“玛拉阔原来试图雇佣黄金团，你知道么？他试图清扫红庙，把班奈罗插上剑。但他不敢用老虎军。他们中的一半都崇信光之王。哦，在古瓦兰提斯这些真是可怕的日子，对满脸皱纹的老寡妇也一样。但是我想，却连弥林的一半也不及。所以告诉我，爵士……你干嘛去找银王后？”

“Benerro can see the morrow in his flames,” the widow said. “Triarch Malaquo tried to hire the Golden Company, did you know? He meant to clean out the red temple and put Benerro to the sword. He dare not use tiger cloaks. Half of them worship the Lord of Light as well. Oh, these are dire days in Old Volantis, even for wrinkled old widows. But not half so dire as in Meereen, I think. So tell me, ser … why do you seek the silver queen?”

“那是我要关心的问题。我可以很好的付清你要的过路费，我有的是银子。”

“That is my concern. I can pay for our passage and pay well. I have the silver.”

傻瓜，提利昂想。她想要的不是钱而是尊重。你有在听她说的么？他又回头瞟了一眼。那个侏儒往他们桌子的方向又移了移，他手上好像拿了把刀。提利昂的后颈有点发麻。

Fool, thought Tyrion. It’s not coin she wants, it’s respect. Haven’t you heard a word she’s said? He glanced back over his shoulder again. The dwarf had moved closer to their table. And he seemed to have a knife in his hand. The hairs on the back of Tyrion’s neck began to prickle.

“留着你的银子吧，我有的是金子。收着你的黑脸吧，爵士，我见多了这种怒火了。你是个坚实的男人，毫无疑问我也知道你擅长用剑，但这是我的地盘。我动一动手指你就发现你被拷在一个前往弥林的大船里了。”她拿起她的翡翠扇子打开了它。一阵沙沙的响声一个男人穿过杂草丛生的拱门来到她左边。他的脸上伤痕累累，其中一只手握了一把像杀猪刀一样又短又重的剑。“‘去找河滨寡妇’，有人这样对你说过，但是他们忘了告诉你‘小心寡妇的儿子们’。但不得不再说一下，真是个愉快的早晨啊。你干什么去找丹妮莉丝？坦格利安，而半个世界的人都想要她死呢？”

“Keep your silver. I have gold. And spare me your black looks, ser. I am too old to be frightened of a scowl. You are a hard man, I see, and no doubt skilled with that long sword at your side, but this is my realm. Let me crook a finger and you may find yourself traveling to Meereen chained to an oar in the belly of a galley.” She lifted her jade fan and opened it. There was a rustle of leaves, and a man slid from the overgrown archway to her left. His face was a mass of scars, and in one hand he held a sword, short and heavy as a cleaver. “Seek the widow of the waterfront, someone told you, but they should have also warned you, beware the widow’s sons. It is such a sweet morning, though, I shall ask again. Why would you seek Daenerys Targaryen, whom half the world wants dead?”

乔拉？莫尔蒙的脸因为愤怒而阴沉，但是他回答了。“去效忠于他，保护她，若需要可以为她而死。”

Jorah Mormont’s face was dark with anger, but he answered. “To serve her. Defend her. Die for her, if need be.”

这让寡妇笑出了声。“你想拯救她，是不是这个意思？从无数的我可以列出的佩剑的敌人手中……这就是你想让我这个可怜的寡妇相信的？一个忠实的骑士风度的维斯特洛伊骑士跨越半个世界去拯救这个……恩，她可不是什么处女，但还是个正经女孩。”她又一次大笑。“你难道认为你的这个侏儒会取悦她么？你认为她是用这个家伙的血沐浴，或者通过砍掉他的头来满足自己？”

That made the widow laugh. “You want to rescue her, is that the way of it? From more enemies than I can name, with swords beyond count … this is what you’d have the poor widow believe? That you are a true and chivalrous Westerosi knight crossing half the world to come to the aid of this … well, she is no maiden, though she may still be fair.” She laughed again. “Do you think your dwarf will please her? Will she bathe in his blood, do you think, or content herself with striking off his head?”

乔拉不清不愿的说。“这个侏儒是——”

Ser Jorah hesitated. “The dwarf is—”

“——我知道这个侏儒是谁干过什么。”她的黑眼睛转向提利昂，硬的像块石头。“弑亲者，弑君者，谋杀犯，变色龙。兰尼斯特。”她说出了最后的诅咒。“你准备给龙母准备些什么啊，小个子？”

“—I know who the dwarf is, and what he is.” Her black eyes turned to Tyrion, hard as stone. “Kinslayer, kingslayer, murderer, turncloak. Lannister.” She made the last a curse. “What do you plan to offer the dragon queen, little man?”

我的仇恨，提利昂想说。但是相反他尽镣铐所能摊开他的手。“任何她想从我这里得到的。智者的劝诫，野性的智慧，几个筋斗。我的老二如果她想要的话。我的舌头，若她不想要的话。我可以为她领军或者搓她的脚若她希望。而我唯一所要的酬劳是让我奸杀我老姐。”

My hate, Tyrion wanted to say. Instead he spread his hands as far as the fetters would allow. “Whatever she would have of me. Sage counsel, savage wit, a bit of tumbling. My cock, if she desires it. My tongue, if she does not. I will lead her armies or rub her feet, as she desires. And the only reward I ask is I might be allowed to rape and kill my sister.”

这番话让老女人重回微笑。“这个起码还诚实，”她称，“至于你，爵士……我认识一打维斯特洛伊骑士和上千个家族的投机者，但是没有一个像你这样把自己装饰的这样目的纯洁。男人都是野兽，既自私又无情。无论有什么甜言蜜语，总有不可告人的秘密潜藏。我不信任你，爵士。”她弹了弹他的扇子，好像除了苍蝇没什么在她耳边嗡嗡。“若你想去弥林的话，自己游过去吧，我不会帮你的。”

That brought the smile back to the old woman’s face. “This one at least is honest,” she announced, “but you, ser … I have known a dozen Westerosi knights and a thousand adventurers of the same ilk, but none so pure as you would paint yourself. Men are beasts, selfish and brutal. However gentle the words, there are always darker motives underneath. I do not trust you, ser.” She flicked them off with her fan, as if they were no more than flies buzzing about her head. “If you want to get to Meereen, swim. I have no help to give you.”

接着七层地狱立刻降临。

Then seven hells broke out at once.

乔拉爵士开始起身，寡妇“啪”地合上了他的扇子，她的疤脸男从阴影里滑出……而他们身后一个女孩尖叫起来。提利昂刚好转身看见一个侏儒向他奔来。那是个女孩，他立即认出来，一个穿着男人衣服的女孩。而她准备用那把刀宰了我。

Ser Jorah started to rise, the widow snapped her fan closed, her scarred man slid out of the shadows … and behind them a girl screamed. Tyrion spun just in time to see the dwarf rushing toward him. She’s a girl, he realized all at once, a girl dressed up in man’s clothes. And she means to gut me with that knife.

在心跳半拍的时间内，乔拉爵士、寡妇和疤脸男都像石头一样定住了。旁边桌子的无关者呷了一口美酒和其他美食，但是没有人站出来干预。提利昂不得不立刻移动双手，但是他的锁链只允许他够到桌上的大酒壶。他抱着它旋转，将里面的液体泼向向他冲过来讨债的侏儒女孩的脸，然后闪到一边躲避女孩的刀子。酒壶摔的粉碎的同时，他就头撞地面。接着那个女孩又追着他来了。提利昂从一边滚到另一边躲避着女孩刀子一下下落下嵌入地面又拔出再刺……

For half a heartbeat Ser Jorah, the widow, and the scarred man stood still as stone. Idlers watched from nearby tables, sipping ale and wine, but no one moved to interfere. Tyrion had to move both hands at once, but his chains had just enough give for him to reach the flagon on the table. He closed his fist around it, spun, dashed its contents into the face of the charging dwarf girl, then threw himself to one side to avoid her knife. The flagon shattered underneath him as the floor came up to smack him in the head. Then the girl was on him once again. Tyrion rolled on one side as she buried the knife blade in the floorboards, yanked it free, raised it again …

……接着她被从地面拎起，在乔拉爵士的紧抓下两条腿疯狂得乱踢。“不！”她用维斯特洛伊通用语哭号。“放下我！”提利昂听见她挣扎时衣衫撕裂的声音。

… and suddenly she was rising off the floor, legs kicking wildly as she struggled in Ser Jorah’s grasp. “No!” she wailed, in the Common Tongue of Westeros. “Let go!” Tyrion heard her tunic rip as she fought to free herself.

莫尔蒙用一只手揪着她的领子，另一只拧下了她手上的匕首。“够了。”

Mormont had her by the collar with one hand. With the other he wrenched the dagger from her grasp. “Enough.”

接着店家来了，抓了一只棍子。当他看见碎裂的大酒壶时他狠狠的咒骂然后询问发生了什么。“侏儒打架，”一个有紫色胡须的泰洛西人轻笑着说。

The landlord made his appearance then, a cudgel in his hand. When he saw the broken flagon, he uttered a blistering curse and demanded to know what had happened here. “Dwarf fight,” replied the Tyroshi with the purple beard, chuckling.

提利昂对着扭曲地吊在空中的女孩眨了眨烟。“为何？”他想知道。“我对你做过什么？”

Tyrion blinked up at the dripping girl twisting in the air. “Why?” he demanded. “What did I ever do to you?”

“他们杀了他。”她说的时候再也不挣扎了，她无力地吊在莫尔蒙的手上眼中充满了泪水。“我的兄弟，他们带走了他杀了他。”

“They killed him.” All the fight went out of her at that. She hung limply in Mormont’s grasp as her eyes filled with tears. “My brother. They took him and they killed him.”

“谁杀了他？”莫尔蒙问。

“Who killed him?” asked Mormont.

“水手们。来自七大王国的水手们。他们五个都喝的烂醉，他们看见我们在广场杂耍就跟踪了我们。当他们意识到我是个女孩就放走了我，但是他们带走了我的兄弟把他的头砍了下来。”

“Sailors. Sailors from the Seven Kingdoms. There were five of them, drunk. They saw us jousting in the square and followed us. When they realized I was a girl they let me go, but they took my brother and killed him. They cut his head off.”

提利昂突然认出来了。他们看见我们在广场杂耍。他接着就知道这个女孩是谁了。“你是不是骑着一只猪？”他问她。“或者狗？”

Tyrion felt a sudden shock of recognition. They saw us jousting in the square. He knew who the girl was then. “Did you ride the pig?” he asked her. “Or the dog?”

“一只狗，”她啜泣道。“奥博总骑着猪。”

“The dog,” she sobbed. “Oppo always rode the pig.”

那些乔佛里婚礼上的侏儒们。正是他们的表演拉开了那个混乱之夜的序幕。真奇怪，在半个世界外有遇到了他们。也许也不是那么奇怪，如果他们有他们骑的猪一半聪明的话就会在当晚在，瑟熙悬赏他们也参与了那场谋杀之前立马逃出君临。“放开她，爵士，”他告诉乔拉？莫尔蒙爵士。“她不会再对我们不利了。”

The dwarfs from Joffrey’s wedding. It was their show that had started all the trouble that night. How strange, to encounter them again half a world away. Though perhaps not so strange as that. If they had half the wits of their pig, they would have fled King’s Landing the night Joff died, before Cersei could assign them some share of blame in her son’s death. “Let her down, ser,” he told Ser Jorah Mormont. “She won’t do us any harm.”

乔拉爵士把侏儒女孩放回地上。“对于发生在你兄弟身上的是我很抱歉……但是我们没参与谋杀他。”

Ser Jorah dumped the dwarf girl on the floor. “I am sorry for your brother … but we had no part in his murder.”

“他参与了。”女孩把身体蜷到膝盖，拉了拉她撕坏的沾满了葡萄酒的衣服盖住小小的乳房。“他们想要的是他。他们把奥博当成了他。”女孩哭泣着，向任何聆听的人祈求。“他必须死，就像我可怜的兄弟那样。求求你们，任何人，杀了他。”店家粗暴的用一只手捉住她把她的背拧道脚上，用瓦兰提斯语大骂，想知道谁来为这场损失赔付。

“He did.” The girl pushed herself to her knees, clutching her torn, wine-drenched tunic to small, pale breasts. “It was him they wanted. They thought Oppo was him.” The girl was weeping, begging for help from anyone who would listen. “He should die, the way my poor brother died. Please. Someone help me. Someone kill him.” The landlord seized her roughly by one arm and wrenched her back to her feet, shouting in Volantene, demanding to know who was going to pay for this damage.

水前的寡妇给了莫尔蒙一个冷冷的眼神。“据说骑士总是扶贫济弱，而我是瓦兰提斯最公正的女士。”她的笑声充满了轻蔑。“你叫什么，我的孩子？”

The widow of the waterfront gave Mormont a cool look. “Knights defend the weak and protect the innocent, they say. And I am the fairest maid in all Volantis.” Her laugh was full of scorn. “What do they call you, child?”

“佩妮。”

“Penny.”

老女人用古瓦兰提斯语招来店家。提利昂知道她说的是把女孩带到他的房间给她些葡萄酒壮胆和穿的衣服。

The old woman called out to the landlord in the tongue of Old Volantis. Tyrion knew enough to understand that she was telling him to take the dwarf girl up to her rooms, give her wine, and find some clothes for her to wear.

当他们走开后，寡妇端详着提利昂，她的黑眼睛在闪烁。“对我来说怪物应该要大点。在维斯特洛伊你价值一个爵位，但是在这里，我得说你没那么值钱了。但是我依然认为我可以好好帮你个忙。瓦兰提斯对侏儒来说可不是什么安全的地方。”

When they were gone, the widow studied Tyrion, her black eyes shining. “Monsters should be larger, it seems to me. You are worth a lordship back in Westeros, little man. Here, I fear, your worth is somewhat less. But I think I had best help you after all. Volantis is no safe place for dwarfs, it seems.”

“您真好心。”提利昂给她一个最甜美的微笑。“也许你好心到可以帮我把这些铁枷锁打开？这个小怪物有半个发痒的鼻子而锁链阻止他去挠挠它。我会很高兴用这些锁链做个精美的礼物送您的。”

“You are too kind.” Tyrion gave her his sweetest smile. “Perhaps you would remove these charming iron bracelets as well? This monster has but half a nose, and it itches most abominably. The chains are too short for me to scratch it. I’ll make you a gift of them, and gladly.”

“真是慷慨，但是我早就有了旧铁，现在我更喜欢金银。虽然很难过但我不得不说，这是瓦兰提斯，手铐脚镣比旧面包还便宜，而帮助一个奴隶逃走就更不被允许了。”

“How generous. But I have worn iron in my time, and now I find that I prefer gold and silver. And sad to say, this is Volantis, where fetters and chains are cheaper than day-old bread and it is forbidden to help a slave escape.”

“我不是奴隶。”

“I’m no slave.”

“每个奴隶都唱着这样的歌。我可不敢帮你……在这儿。”她再次前倾。“今后两天，Selaesori Qhoran号会起航去途经新吉斯去Qarth，载着罐头和铁，成捆的羊毛和蕾丝，五十个密尔木匠，一个浸在盐水里的尸体，20罐龙胡椒和一个红袍僧。在她出发时登上她。”

“Every man ever taken by slavers sings that same sad song. I dare not help you … here.” She leaned forward again. “Two days from now, the cog Selaesori Qhoran will set sail for Qarth by way of New Ghis, carrying tin and iron, bales of wool and lace, fifty Myrish carpets, a corpse pickled in brine, twenty jars of dragon peppers, and a red priest. Be on her when she sails.”

“我们会的，”提利昂说，“谢谢。”

“We will,” said Tyrion, “and thank you.”

乔拉皱了皱眉。“Qarth不是我们的目的地。”

Ser Jorah frowned. “Qarth is not our destination.”

“她不会到达Qarth的，班奈罗从他的火焰中预见了。”干瘪的老太婆诡异地笑了。

“She will never reach Qarth. Benerro has seen it in his fires.” The crone smiled a vulpine smile.

“如您所愿。”提利昂回忆微笑。“若我是个自由热血的瓦兰提斯人，你参选元老时会得到我的选票的，亲爱的女士。”

“As you say.” Tyrion grinned. “If I were Volantene, and free, and had the blood, you’d have my vote for triarch, my lady.”

“我可不是什么女士，”寡妇回答，“只是个佛加罗的妓女。你一定想在老虎来之前离开这里的。当你到你的女王那里时，记得带封来自古瓦伦提斯奴隶们的信。”她摸了摸她阡陌纵横的脸颊上眼泪图腾被剔除后留下的褪色的疤痕。“告诉她我们会在这里等着她，请快点来。”

“I am no lady,” the widow replied, “just Vogarro’s whore. You want to be gone from here before the tigers come. Should you reach your queen, give her a message from the slaves of Old Volantis.” She touched the faded scar upon her wrinkled cheek, where her tears had been cut away. “Tell her we are waiting. Tell her to come soon.?