公爵的母亲突然出现，挽起儿子的胳膊。“看来泰温大人并没把计划同摄政王太后分享，哦，我能想象这是为什么。既然如此，木已成舟，咱们就别烦恼太后陛下了，她说得很对，你赶紧吩咐雷顿大人，阻止加尔斯上船吧。他这家伙老晕船，要真乘这么久的船，放的屁也会更臭了。”奥莲娜夫人朝瑟曦露出无牙的笑容。“您真有先见之明，议事厅中换成盖尔斯大人，味道会好很多的，虽然照实说，我受不了他的咳嗽声。哎，我们一家子都仰慕加尔斯老大爷，他唯一的缺点就是肠胃不好，没得治，您知道，我最讨厌臭气熏天、扑鼻难闻。”她皱巴巴的脸皱得更紧了，“我今天就不舒服，这神圣的殿堂内味道却不对劲，您也发现了吧？”

Then his mother appeared and slid her arm through his own. “It would seem that Lord Tywin did not share his plans with our regent, I can’t imagine why. Still, there ’tis, no use hectoring Her Grace. She is quite right, you must write Lord Leyton before Garth boards a ship. You know the sea will sicken him and make his farting worse.” Lady Olenna gave Cersei a toothless smile. “Your council chambers will smell sweeter with Lord Gyles, though I daresay that coughing would drive me to distraction. We all adore dear old uncle Garth, but the man is flatulent, that cannot be gainsaid. I do abhor foul smells.” Her wrinkled face wrinkled up even more. “I caught a whiff of something unpleasant in the holy sept, in truth. Mayhaps you smelled it too?”

“没有，”瑟曦冷冷地说，“什么意思，味道？”

“No,” Cersei said coldly. “A scent, you say?”

“是啊，真是有损于健康。”

“More like a stink.”

“看来你是太想念你们家领地的秋玫瑰了，真不好意思，留你在都城盘桓太久。”她打算立刻把奥莲娜夫人从宫中打发走，为保证母亲的安全，提利尔一定还会遣开一大群骑士，而都城中提利尔的人越少，她就越能安睡。

“Perhaps you miss your autumn roses. We have kept you here too long.” The sooner she rid the court of Lady Olenna the better. Lord Tyrell would doubtless dispatch a goodly number of knights to see his mother safely home, and the fewer Tyrell swords in the city, the more soundly the queen would sleep.

“必须承认，我的确怀念繁花盛开的高庭，”老妇人说，“可是，在我心爱的玛格丽嫁给您宝贝的小托曼之前，我又怎么忍心弃他俩而去呢？”

“I do long for the fragrances of Highgarden, I confess it,” said the old lady, “but of course I cannot leave until I have seen my sweet Margaery wed to your precious little Tommen.”

“我也急切地期盼着大婚的日子，”提利尔公爵插话，“事实上，泰温大人最近正与我商讨婚期。陛下，如果合适的话，咱们就把它定下来吧。”

“I await that day eagerly as well,” Tyrell put in. “Lord Tywin and I were on the point of setting a date, as it happens. Perhaps you and I might take up that discussion, Your Grace.”

“我很快会和你谈。”

“Soon.”

“陛下英明，一定要快，”奥莲娜夫人又拿鼻子嗅嗅，“来吧，梅斯，别打扰陛下……哀悼了。”

“Soon will serve,” said Lady Olenna with a sniff. “Now come along, Mace, let Her Grace get on with her … grief.”

我会杀了你，老太婆，瑟曦看着荆棘女王在两名高大护卫之间蹒跚而行——这两名七尺高的双胞胎被高庭的老太婆滑稽地称为“左手”和“右手”——心里暗暗发誓，到时候再看看你的尸体有多臭。显然，老的比做儿子的聪明十倍。

I will see you dead, old woman, Cersei promised herself as the Queen of Thorns tottered off between her towering guardsmen, a pair of seven-footers that it amused her to call Left and Right. We’ll see how sweet a corpse you make. The old woman was twice as clever as her lord son, that was plain.

太后匆匆地将儿子自玛格丽和她表亲们身边拯救出来，朝门口走去。圣堂之外，雨已停歇，秋日的空气清新而甜美。托曼摘下王冠。“把它戴上。”瑟曦命令他。

The queen rescued her son from Margaery and her cousins, and made for the doors. Outside, the rain had finally stopped. The autumn air smelled sweet and fresh. Tommen took his crown off. “Put that back on,” Cersei commanded him.

“它弄得我脖子疼，”男孩虽然抗议，但还是乖乖照办了。“我什么时候结婚呢？玛格丽说等我俩结婚之后，她就带我去高庭参观。”

“It makes my neck hurt,” the boy said, but he did as he was bid. “Will I be married soon? Margaery says that as soon as we’re wed we can go to Highgarden.”

“你不去高庭，但我准许你今天早上骑马回城堡。”瑟曦招呼马林·特兰爵士，“给陛下一匹好马，然后去问盖尔斯大人能否赏光，与我同乘坐轿。”事态发展之迅速，超过她的预计，没有时间可以浪费了。

“You are not going to Highgarden, but you can ride back to the castle.” Cersei beckoned to Ser Meryn Trant. “Bring His Grace a mount, and ask Lord Gyles if he would do me the honor of sharing my litter.” Things were moving more quickly than she had anticipated; there was no time to be squandered.

听说可以骑马，托曼欢天喜地，而盖尔斯大人当然不敢不“赏光”……不过当她提出任命他为财政大臣时，他咳嗽得如此剧烈，让她怀疑他就要当时当地发病身亡。幸亏圣母慈悲，最终盖尔斯有力气答应下来，甚至边咳边提出替换官员的名单——他要换掉小指头任命的海关人员和羊毛代理商之流，甚至包括四库总管之一。

Tommen was happy at the prospect of a ride, and of course Lord Gyles was honored by her invitation … though when she asked him to be her master of coin, he began coughing so violently that she feared he might die right then and there. But the Mother was merciful, and Gyles eventually recovered sufficiently to accept, and even began coughing out the names of men he wanted to replace, customs officers and wool factors appointed by Littlefinger, even one of the keepers of the keys.

“只要能挤奶，随你让什么牛上阵，我都会同意。此外，明天请你参加御前会议。”

“Name the cow what you will, so long as the milk flows. And should the question arise, you joined the council yesterday.”

“明……”对方咳得弯下腰去，“明天……好的。”盖尔斯大人朝一块红丝方巾咳嗽，为了隐藏唾沫中的血点。瑟曦假装不在意。

“Yester—” A fit of coughing bent him over. “Yesterday. To be sure.” Lord Gyles coughed into a square of red silk, as if to hide the blood in his spittle. Cersei pretended not to notice.

等他死了，我还得换人。或许，应该召回小指头才是，莱莎·徒利去世后，太后无法想象培提尔·贝里席还能安稳地做他的峡谷守护者。若派席尔所言非虚，峡谷诸侯已然起事。一旦他们把那臭屁小孩夺走，培提尔公爵就得连滚带爬地回来求我照应了。

When he dies I will find someone else. Perhaps she would recall Littlefinger. The queen could not imagine that Petyr Baelish would be allowed to remain Lord Protector of the Vale for very long, with Lysa Arryn dead. The Vale lords were already stirring, if what Pycelle said was true. Once they take that wretched boy away from him, Lord Petyr will come crawling back.

“陛下？”盖尔斯大人在咳嗽间挪动嘴唇说，“我可以……”他又咳起来。“……问一问……”一阵剧烈的咳嗽淹没了他。“……问一问谁是下任首相吗？”

“Your Grace?” Lord Gyles coughed, and dabbed his mouth. “Might I …” He coughed again. “… ask who …” Another series of coughs racked him. “… who will be the King’s Hand?”

“我叔叔。”瑟曦心不在焉地答道。

“My uncle,” she replied absently.

看到红堡的城门在眼前越变越大，她安心多了，便把托曼交给他的侍从，自己欣慰地回房准备休息。

It was a relief to see the gates of the Red Keep looming large before her. She gave Tommen over to the charge of his squires and retired gratefully to her own chambers to rest.

谁知刚把鞋脱下，乔斯琳便怯生生地走进来，通报科本在外求见。“带他进来。”太后命令。没办法，治国者日理万机，无暇休息。

No sooner had she eased off her shoes than Jocelyn entered timidly to say that Qyburn was without and craved audience. “Send him in,” the queen commanded. A ruler gets no rest.

科本已然老迈，头上的灰发却多过白丝，唇边始终挂着笑意，让他看起来像小女孩家仰慕的祖父。他是个衣衫褴楼的祖父。长袍领口磨损，一边袖子撕破后草草缝上。“十分抱歉打扰太后陛下休息，恳求您的原谅，”他开口道，“遵照您的命令，我深入地牢，调查了小恶魔逃亡事件。”

Qyburn was old, but his hair still had more ash than snow in it, and the laugh lines around his mouth made him look like some little girl’s favorite grandfather. A rather shabby grandfather, though. The collar of his robe was frayed, and one sleeve had been torn and badly sewn. “I must beg Your Grace’s pardon for my appearance,” he said. “I have been down in the dungeons making inquiries into the Imp’s escape, as you commanded.”

“你有什么发现？”

“And what have you discovered?”

“在瓦里斯大人和您弟弟失踪的那一夜，还有个人也消失了。”

“The night that Lord Varys and your brother disappeared, a third man also vanished.”

“我知道，是狱卒。他有什么情况？”

“Yes, the gaoler. What of him?”

“此人名叫罗根，为长年负责黑牢的下级看守。地牢长官说他生得矮胖、不刮胡子、声音粗哑，却是由老王伊里斯指派，准他来去自由。近几年来，黑牢没关押多少人犯，再加上其他狱卒似乎都很怕他，所以无从了解此人的真实情况。他没有亲人、没有朋友，不去酒馆，也不上妓院。他的卧室潮湿狭小，睡的稻草席发了霉，夜壶多时未加清理，甚至满溢出来。”

“Rugen was the man’s name. An undergaoler who had charge of the black cells. The chief undergaoler describes him as portly, unshaven, gruff of speech. He held his appointment of the old king, Aerys, and came and went as he pleased. The black cells have not oft been occupied in recent years. The other turnkeys were afraid of him, it seems, but none knew much about him. He had no friends, no kin. Nor did he drink or frequent brothels. His sleeping cell was damp and dreary, and the straw he slept upon was mildewed. His chamber pot was overflowing.”

“这些我都知道。”詹姆去过罗根的房间，亚当爵士的金袍子们又查了一次。

“I know all this.” Jaime had examined Rugen’s cell, and Ser Addam’s gold cloaks had examined it again.

“是，陛下，”科本说，“可您知不知道在那发臭的夜壶底下有块可以活动的石头，盖着一个小孔洞呢？这样的机关，不是通常用来保存贵重物品的吗？”

“Aye, Your Grace,” said Qyburn, “but did you know that under that stinking chamber pot was a loose stone, which opened on a small hollow? The sort of place where a man might hide valuables that he did not wish to be discovered?”

“贵重物品？”这是个新发现。“你的意思是：钱？”不出所料，她一直怀疑提利昂收买了狱卒。

“Valuables?” This was new. “Coin, you mean?” She had suspected all along that Tyrion had somehow bought this gaoler.

“陛下英明，那小孔洞在被我发现时自然已经掏空了，罗根肯定是带着贿赂仓皇逃命的。但我蹲下去，拿着火炬仔细观察，发现有个闪亮的玩意儿藏在泥土里，于是把它挖了出来。”科本张开手掌，“看，一枚金币。”

“Beyond a doubt. To be sure, the hole was empty when I found it. No doubt Rugen took his ill-gotten treasure with him when he fled. But as I crouched over the hole with my torch, I saw something glitter, so I scratched in the dirt until I dug it out.” Qyburn opened his palm. “A gold coin.”

金子，真的是金子，但瑟曦接过之后却发现不大对劲。它太小，她心想，太轻了。这枚硬币十分陈旧，历经磨损，一面烙着国王的头像，另一面是一只手。“没有龙啊，”她脱口而出。

Gold, yes, but the moment Cersei took it she could tell that it was wrong. Too small, she thought, too thin. The coin was old and worn. On one side was a king’s face in profile, on the other side the imprint of a hand. “This is no dragon,” she said.

“是的，没有龙。”科本道，“它来自于征服战争之前，陛下，硬币上这位国王乃是加尔斯二十世，手则是园丁家族的纹章。”

“No,” Qyburn agreed. “It dates from before the Conquest, Your Grace. The king is Garth the Twelfth, and the hand is the sigil of House Gardener.”

来自高庭。瑟曦紧紧握住了硬币。这代表着什么阴谋？梅斯·提利尔乃是审判提利昂的三位法官之一，而且一直力主死刑。难道全是逢场作戏？难道他一直跟小恶魔暗中勾连，密谋害死父亲？只要泰温·兰尼斯特一死，提利尔公爵便是理所当然的首相候选人，话虽如此……“此事切不可走漏风声。”太后下令。

Of Highgarden. Cersei closed her hand around the coin. What treachery is this? Mace Tyrell had been one of Tyrion’s judges, and had called loudly for his death. Was that some ploy? Could he have been plotting with the Imp all the while, conspiring at Father’s death? With Tywin Lannister in his grave, Lord Tyrell was an obvious choice to be King’s Hand, but even so … “You will not speak of this with anyone,” she commanded.

“陛下尽可以相信我的嘴巴——一个跟随佣兵团走南闯北的人懂得什么时候该说，什么时候不该说，否则他的脑袋早就搬家了。”

“Your Grace may trust in my discretion. Any man who rides with a sellsword company learns to hold his tongue, else he does not keep it long.”

“在我这里也是一样的规矩，”太后放下硬币，她决定待会儿再来仔细考虑这个东西。“还有事吗？”

“In my company as well.” The queen put the coin away. She would think about it later. “What of the other matter?”

“格雷果爵士的事，”科本耸耸肩，“遵照您的命令，我做了检查。红毒蛇的长矛上的剧毒来自于东方的狮身蝎尾兽，对此我敢拿性命担保。”

“Ser Gregor.” Qyburn shrugged. “I have examined him, as you commanded. The poison on the Viper’s spear was manticore venom from the east, I would stake my life on that.”

“派席尔的意见与你相左。他告诉我父亲大人，若是狮身蝎尾兽之毒，毒入心脏时人便已死。”

“Pycelle says no. He told my lord father that manticore venom kills the instant it reaches the heart.”

“他说得没错。但这次的施毒者在毒性上做了‘特殊处理’，好让魔山尝遍痛苦，受尽折磨。”

“And so it does. But this venom has been thickened somehow, so as to draw out the Mountain’s dying.”

“特殊处理？什么样的处理？混合其他毒素？”

“Thickened? Thickened how? With some other substance?”

“或许正如陛下您所言，但从理论上讲，混合多种毒素往往会中和掉各自的药性。也许对方这面的手段……不那么自然，不妨这么说吧。我认为，他使用了法术。”

“It may be as Your Grace suggests, though in most cases adulterating a poison only lessens its potency. It may be that the cause is … less natural, let us say. A spell, I think.”

这家伙也和派席尔一样愚蠢吗？“所以，你要告诉我魔山是因为某种‘黑魔法’而这么半死不活的？”

Is this one as big a fool as Pycelle? “So are you telling me that the Mountain is dying of some black sorcery?”

科本没理会她语中的讽刺。“他因毒药而缓慢地死去，一时半会儿却断不了气，必须忍受极度的痛苦。我企图减轻他痛苦的措施和派席尔的方子一样无效。事实上，我认为格雷果爵士服用罂粟花奶已经大大超标，他的侍从告诉我，由于他日夜都承担着仿佛要分裂骨颅的头痛，于是喝罂粟花奶就跟平常人喝啤酒一样，以此抵御苦楚。嗯，且不论这罂粟的副作用，单从身体上看，他从头到脚的血管已经变黑，尿液里面全是脓汁，被长矛刺穿的孔洞由于毒性发作无法愈合，至今已长到我的拳头那么大。说实话，他还活着简直可以称之为奇迹。”

Qyburn ignored the mockery in her voice. “He is dying of the venom, but slowly, and in exquisite agony. My efforts to ease his pain have proved as fruitless as Pycelle’s. Ser Gregor is overly accustomed to the poppy, I fear. His squire tells me that he is plagued by blinding headaches and oft quaffs the milk of the poppy as lesser men quaff ale. Be that as it may, his veins have turned black from head to heel, his water is clouded with pus, and the venom has eaten a hole in his side as large as my fist. It is a wonder that the man is still alive, if truth be told.”

“瞧他的身材，”太后皱起眉头提示，“格雷果是个大块头，也是个大蠢货，或许他蠢到闹不清楚自己死了吧。”她伸出酒杯，塞蕾娜连忙添满。“他的叫声吓着了托曼，甚至有天晚上把我都吵醒了。我想，还是召唤伊林·派恩，料理个干净的好。”

“His size,” the queen suggested, frowning. “Gregor is a very large man. Also a very stupid one. Too stupid to know when he should die, it seems.” She held out her cup, and Senelle filled it once again. “His screaming frightens Tommen. It has even been known to wake me of a night. I would say it is past time we summoned Ilyn Payne.”

“陛下，”科本建议，“能让我把格雷果爵士带到地牢去吗？如此一来，他的叫声就不会打扰您了，而我也可以放开手脚料理他。”

“Your Grace,” said Qyburn, “mayhaps I might move Ser Gregor to the dungeons? His screams will not disturb you there, and I will be able to tend to him more freely.”

“你来料理他？”她笑笑，“让伊林爵士动手吧。”

“Tend to him?” She laughed. “Let Ser Ilyn tend to him.”

“陛下英明，”科本道，“可这种毒药……若能加以了解，想必对我们有所助益，不是吗？老百姓们常说，‘以眼还眼，以牙还牙’，敌人既使用黑暗的伎俩……”他没把话讲完，只是微笑着打量她。

“If that is Your Grace’s wish,” Qyburn said, “but this poison … it would be useful to know more about it, would it not? Send a knight to slay a knight and an archer to kill an archer, the smallfolk often say. To combat the black arts …” He did not finish the thought, but only smiled at her.

显然，这家伙和派席尔不同。太后掂量着他，心中飞速转过几个念头。“学城为什么剥夺你的颈链？”

He is not Pycelle, that much is plain. The queen weighed him, wondering. “Why did the Citadel take your chain?”

“因为那帮博士打心眼儿里是懦夫，马尔温形容他们是‘灰衣绵羊’，一点不差。我曾是一位堪比安布罗斯的医者，并且注定会超越他。后来——您可知道？学城一直在解剖尸体，以探询生命的奥秘，这是数百年来不曾断绝的实验，只不过我更进了一步，我想研究死亡背后，于是解剖活人。为这项‘罪名’，灰衣绵羊们侮辱我，并将我驱逐……不过，对于生死之道，我比旧镇的老夫子们了解得更多更深。”

“The archmaesters are all craven at heart. The grey sheep, Marwyn calls them. I was as skilled a healer as Ebrose, but aspired to surpass him. For hundreds of years the men of the Citadel have opened the bodies of the dead, to study the nature of life. I wished to understand the nature of death, so I opened the bodies of the living. For that crime the grey sheep shamed me and forced me into exile … but I understand the nature of life and death better than any man in Oldtown.”

“是吗？”她觉得很有趣，“好，我就把魔山交给你。你想怎么料理就怎么料理，但你的活动只准在黑牢内进行。当他死后，把他人头奉上，这是父亲答应过多恩人的信物。想来道朗亲王大概恨不得能生剜其心、生啖其肉，但我们人人都要学会时不时忍受一点失望嘛。”

“Do you?” That intrigued her. “Very well. The Mountain is yours. Do what you will with him, but confine your studies to the black cells. When he dies, bring me his head. My father promised it to Dorne. Prince Doran would no doubt prefer to kill Gregor himself, but we all must suffer disappointments in this life.”

“谢谢您，陛下，”科本清清喉咙。“还有一点小问题，我的地位没有派席尔师傅那么高，我需要必需的设备……”

“Very good, Your Grace.” Qyburn cleared his throat. “I am not so well provided as Pycelle, however. I must needs equip myself with certain …”

“我会指示盖尔斯为你准备资金，以应所需。首先，你得给自己买些新袍子，你这样子见人像是从跳蚤窝里面抓出来的。”她望进他的眼睛，不知自己能信任他多深。“需要我提醒你，如果有任何关于……关于你的料理……的话传出去，你会有什么后果……”

“I shall instruct Lord Gyles to provide you with gold sufficient for your needs. Buy yourself some new robes as well. You look as though you’ve wandered up from Flea Bottom.” She studied his eyes, wondering how far she dared trust this one. “Need I say that it will go ill for you if any word of your … labors … should pass beyond these walls?”

“不会的，陛下，”科本给她一个宽心的微笑，“您的秘密就是我的秘密。”

“No, Your Grace.” Qyburn gave her a reassuring smile. “Your secrets are safe with me.”

当他走后，瑟曦为自己又倒上一杯浓葡萄酒，坐在窗边享用，看着阴影逐渐笼罩庭院。她忘不了那枚硬币。河湾地的钱。君临城中最低贱的狱卒怎么会有河湾地的钱？这是协助谋杀父亲的价码吗？

When he was gone, Cersei poured herself a cup of strongwine and drank it by the window, watching the shadows lengthen across the yard and thinking about the coin. Gold from the Reach. Why would an undergaoler in King’s Landing have gold from the Reach, unless he were paid to help bring about Father’s death?

无论她怎么努力，只要想起泰温公爵，脑海中浮现的就是那张茫然微笑的诡异面容和身体散发出的浓烈臭气。弄不好这一切都是提利昂在暗中安排、偷偷作怪。这玩笑虽小，可是好残酷啊，他正是这么个又小又残酷的东西。派席尔也是他的爪牙吗？别忘了，大学士听任那个罗根掌控黑牢。所有线索连在一起，让她很是不安。总主教肯定是提利昂的鹰犬，瑟曦突然想到，父亲可怜的尸体从早到晚都由他关照。

Try as she might, she could not seem to bring Lord Tywin’s face to mind without seeing that silly little half smile and remembering the foul smell coming off his corpse. She wondered whether Tyrion was somehow behind that as well. It is small and cruel, like him. Could Tyrion have made Pycelle his catspaw? He sent the old man to the black cells, and this Rugen had charge of those cells, she remembered. All the strings were tangled up together in ways she did not like. This High Septon is Tyrion’s creature too, Cersei recalled suddenly, and Father’s poor body was in his care from dark till dawn.

叔叔于黄昏时分如约到达，身穿加垫的炭色羊毛外衣——颜色就跟他的脸一样犹如死灰。和所有的兰尼斯特家人相同，凯冯爵士皮肤精致，须发金黄，但现年五十五岁的他，头基本秃光了。他肩圆腰粗，丝毫谈不上俊朗，方下巴上全是肉，修剪得很短的黄胡子完全不能将其隐藏。他让她想起了老看家犬……不过她现在需要的正是忠实的看家犬。

Her uncle arrived promptly at sunset, wearing a quilted doublet of charcoal-colored wool as somber as his face. Like all the Lannisters, Ser Kevan was fair-skinned and blond, though at five-and-fifty he had lost most of his hair. No one would ever call him comely. Thick of waist, round of shoulder, with a square jutting chin that his close-cropped yellow beard did little to conceal, he reminded her of some old mastiff … but a faithful old mastiff was the very thing that she required.

他们吃了一顿包括甜菜、面包和带血牛排的便饭，用一壶多恩红酒送下肚。席间，凯冯爵士很少说话，也基本不喝酒。大概他的心情太沉重了吧，她认为，他需要工作，好从悲伤中解脱出来。

They ate a simple supper of beets and bread and bloody beef with a flagon of Dornish red to wash it all down. Ser Kevan said little and scarce touched his wine cup. He broods too much, she decided. He needs to be put to work to get beyond his grief.

于是等食物被清走，仆人们也都离开后，她把这番话和盘托出。“我明白父亲有多依仗你，叔叔，我也同样需要你。”

She said as much, when the last of the food had been cleared away and the servants had departed. “I know how much my father relied on you, Uncle. Now I must do the same.”

“你需要一个首相，”凯冯爵士回答，“而詹姆拒绝了你。”

“You need a Hand,” he said, “and Jaime has refused you.”

他一如既往地直率。很好。“关于詹姆……父亲的去世令我心神游移，思虑不周，我简直都记不得自己说过些什么。詹姆他是很英勇，可我们直说了吧，他骨子里蛮有些傻。托曼需要更有经验的长者……”

He is blunt. Very well. “Jaime … I felt so lost with Father dead, I scarce knew what I was saying. Jaime is gallant, but a bit of a fool, let us be frank. Tommen needs a more seasoned man. Someone older …”

“梅斯·提利尔符合长者的标准。”

“Mace Tyrell is older.”

瑟曦鼻孔一张。“决不，”她把一绺垂下的头发扫上额头，“我决不会放纵贪得无厌的提利尔家。”

Her nostrils flared. “Never.” Cersei pushed a lock of hair off her brow. “The Tyrells overreach themselves.”

“让梅斯·提利尔当首相将是桩蠢事，”凯冯爵士承认，“但与他为敌就更蠢了。灯火之厅里发生的事我已经听说了，自然，梅斯应该学会别在公开场合谈论这类话题，即便如此，你当着全宫廷的面羞辱他也极为不智。”

“You would be a fool to make Mace Tyrell your Hand,” Ser Kevan admitted, “but a bigger fool to make him your foe. I’ve heard what happened in the Hall of Lamps. Mace should have known better than to broach such matters in public, but even so, you were unwise to shame him in front of half the court.”

“总比让提利尔混进御前会议好得多！”他的责备让她不耐烦。“罗斯比会是个不错的财政大臣，看看他的坐轿，看看那上面的雕刻装饰与丝绸织锦你就知道了。他的马比大多数骑士的马打扮得更华丽。一个如此富裕的人想必精通生财之道。至于御前首相嘛……谁能比我父亲的弟弟，那个从来与我父亲亲密无间，并无私奉献着的弟弟更有资格接过他的担子呢？”

“Better that than suffer another Tyrell on the council.” His reproach annoyed her. “Rosby will make an adequate master of coin. You’ve seen that litter of his, with its carvings and silk draperies. His horses are better dressed than most knights. A man that rich should have no problem finding gold. As for Handship … who better to finish my father’s work than the brother who shared all his counsels?”

“每个人都需要有信得过的人。泰温信任我和你母亲。”

“Every man needs someone he can trust. Tywin had me, and once your mother.”

“他很爱她，”瑟曦拒绝去想父亲床上妓女的尸体，“我知道，他们现在团聚了。”

“He loved her very much.” Cersei refused to think about the dead whore in his bed. “I know they are together now.”

“我也如此祈祷。”凯冯爵士看着她的脸，看了很长时间，最后才续道，“瑟曦，你要我再次做出牺牲。”

“So I pray.” Ser Kevan studied her face for a long moment before he replied. “You ask much of me, Cersei.”

“不比父亲要求的多。”

“No more than my father did.”

“我累了。”叔叔抓起酒杯，吮了一口。“我已经两年没和妻子见面，一个儿子已成尸骨，另一个儿子即将结婚、当上领主——是啊，戴瑞城必须恢复往日的荣光，三河肥沃的土地必须得到保护，烧焦的田野等待着重新耕作播种。蓝赛尔需要我的协助。”

“I am tired.” Her uncle reached for his wine cup and took a swallow. “I have a wife I have not seen in two years, a dead son to mourn, another son about to marry and assume a lordship. Castle Darry must be made strong again, its lands protected, its burned fields plowed and planted anew. Lancel needs my help.”

“托曼比他更需要你。”瑟曦没料到凯冯竟然需要她的抚慰。在父亲驾下，他可从来都是打头阵的。“国家更需要你。”

“As does Tommen.” Cersei had not expected Kevan to require coaxing. He never played coy with Father. “The realm needs you.”

“国家，啊，兰尼斯特家族，”他又吮一口酒。“那好吧，我会留下来，替国王陛下效劳……”

“The realm. Aye. And House Lannister.” He sipped his wine again. “Very well. I will remain and serve His Grace …”

“太好了。”她正待夸奖，凯冯爵士却提高声调，制止她继续下去。

“Very good,” she started to say, but Ser Kevan raised his voice and bulled right over her.

“……条件是你指名我为摄政王兼国王之手，你自己返回凯岩城。”

“… so long as you name me regent as well as Hand and take yourself back to Casterly Rock.”

半晌之间，瑟曦错愕地瞪着对方，不知如何是好。“我才是摄政王。”她提醒他。

For half a heartbeat Cersei could only stare at him. “I am the regent,” she reminded him.

“你现下是，但泰温不打算让你继续待在这个位置上。他把计划告诉了我，他要你回归凯岩城，并给你找个新丈夫。”

“You were. Tywin did not intend that you continue in that role. He told me of his plans to send you back to the Rock and find a new husband for you.”

瑟曦的怒火在心中腾地升起，“这话他讲过，是的，我对他说我没兴趣再婚。”

Cersei could feel her anger rising. “He spoke of such, yes. And I told him it was not my wish to wed again.”

叔叔不为所动。“若你实在不愿再婚，我也不会强迫你。至于另一个条件，嗯……你现在是凯岩城公爵夫人了，你应该守在领地。”

Her uncle was unmoved. “If you are resolved against another marriage, I will not force it on you. As to the other, though … you are the Lady of Casterly Rock now. Your place is there.”

你好大的胆子！她想朝他尖叫，却不敢这么做。“我是凯岩城公爵夫人，更是太后摄政王，我应该守着我儿子。”

How dare you? she wanted to scream. Instead, she said, “I am also the Queen Regent. My place is with my son.”

“你父亲不这么想。”

“Your father thought not.”

“我父亲已经死了。”

“My father is dead.”

“这是我的不幸，也是国家的不幸。你睁开眼睛，把自己瞧个清楚吧，瑟曦。王国成了一片废墟，泰温本可以让国家走上复兴之路，可……”

“To my grief, and the woe of all the realm. Open your eyes and look about you, Cersei. The kingdom is in ruins. Tywin might have been able to set matters aright, but …”

“我正是那个复兴国家的人！”瑟曦吼完之后压低声音，“在你的协助之下，叔叔。只要你像对父亲尽忠一样对我尽忠——”

“I shall set matters aright!” Cersei softened her tone. “With your help, Uncle. If you will serve me as faithfully as you served my father—”

“你并非你父亲。而且泰温一直将詹姆当做他真正的传人。”

“You are not your father. And Tywin always regarded Jaime as his rightful heir.”

“詹姆……詹姆发过誓言，詹姆从不思考，他嘲笑每个人、每件事，想到什么就说什么。詹姆他只是个英俊的白痴而已。”

“Jaime … Jaime has taken vows. Jaime never thinks, he laughs at everything and everyone and says whatever comes into his head. Jaime is a handsome fool.”

“尽管如此，他却是你心目中御前首相的第一人选。原因何在，瑟曦？”

“And yet he was your first choice to be the King’s Hand. What does that make you, Cersei?”

“我告诉你了，当时我沉溺在悲伤中，思虑不周——”

“I told you, I was sick with grief, I did not think—”

“思虑不周，”凯冯爵士同意，“这正是你必须返回凯岩城，将王国留给更懂得思虑的人的原因。”

“No,” Ser Kevan agreed. “Which is why you should return to Casterly Rock and leave the king with those who do.”

“国王是我儿子！”瑟曦霍地起身。

“The king is my son!” Cersei rose to her feet.

“他当然是，”叔叔不紧不慢地说，“但就乔佛里的例子来看，你当母亲就跟当统治者一样不够格。”

“Aye,” her uncle said, “and from what I saw of Joffrey, you are as unfit a mother as you are a ruler.”

她把杯中酒结结实实地泼到他脸上。

She threw the contents of her wine cup full in his face.

凯冯爵士带着凝重的尊严也站起来。“陛下，”酒液流过他下巴，从剪短的胡子上滴下去，“很抱歉，请允许我告辞？”

Ser Kevan rose with a ponderous dignity. “Your Grace.” Wine trickled down his cheeks and dripped from his close-cropped beard. “With your leave, might I withdraw?”

“你凭什么提条件？你不过是我父亲豢养的骑士！连爵禄都没有！”

“By what right do you presume to give me terms? You are no more than one of my father’s household knights.”

“的确，我没有领地，但我的收入并不少，家中的钱币堆积成箱。我父亲去世时没有亏待他的每个孩子，而泰温也懂得奖励他人的服务。我麾下拥有两百骑士，如果需要，还可以将这个数目翻番。别忘了，自由骑手们愿意追随我的旗帜，雇佣佣兵我也不缺资金。建议你千万别小瞧了我，陛下……明智的话，不要把我也当成你的敌人。”

“I hold no lands, that is true. But I have certain incomes, and chests of coin set aside. My own father forgot none of his children when he died, and Tywin knew how to reward good service. I feed two hundred knights and can double that number if need be. There are freeriders who will follow my banner, and I have the gold to hire sellswords. You would be wise not to take me lightly, Your Grace … and wiser still not to make of me a foe.”

“你竟敢威胁我？”

“Are you threatening me?”

“我在给你谏言。听着，如果你不让我当摄政王，就任命我为凯岩城代理城主吧，然后令马图斯·罗宛或蓝道·塔利来辅佐国王，此二人得一亦可定天下。”

“I am counseling you. If you will not yield the regency to me, name me your castellan for Casterly Rock and make either Mathis Rowan or Randyll Tarly the Hand of the King.”

此二人都是提利尔的心腹。叔叔的建议让她语塞。他也被收买了吗？太后心想。他是不是拿了提利尔的金子来出卖兰尼斯特家族？

Tyrell bannermen, both of them. The suggestion left her speechless. Is he bought? she wondered. Has he taken Tyrell gold to betray House Lannister?

“马图斯·罗宛睿智、谨慎，且广受爱戴，”叔叔不依不饶地续道，“蓝道·塔利堪称海内名将——和平时期也许用不着他，但泰温去世后，没有谁比他更有能耐来结束战争了。如果你提名提利尔家的大封臣为御前首相，提利尔公爵将无法反对，而塔利和罗宛都是懂事的人……懂得报答的人，任命他们中的任何一个，他就将成为你的人。如此一来，你便增强了自己，削弱了高庭，梅斯还不能不对你釜底抽薪的行为表示感谢。”他耸耸肩。“这就是我的谏言，听不听随你，反正你要任命月童为首相也不干我事。女人，我哥哥死了，我要带他回家。”

“Mathis Rowan is sensible, prudent, well liked,” her uncle went on, oblivious. “Randyll Tarly is the finest soldier in the realm. A poor Hand for peacetime, but with Tywin dead there’s no better man to finish this war. Lord Tyrell cannot take offense if you choose one of his own bannermen as Hand. Both Tarly and Rowan are able men … and loyal. Name either one, and you make him yours. You strengthen yourself and weaken Highgarden, yet Mace will likely thank you for it.” He gave a shrug. “That is my counsel, take it or no. You may make Moon Boy your Hand for all I care. My brother is dead, woman. I am going to take him home.”

叛徒，她心想，变色龙。不知梅斯·提利尔给了他多少好处。“在你的国王最需要你的时候，你抛弃了他，”她告诉叔叔，“你抛弃了托曼。”

Traitor, she thought. Turncloak. She wondered how much Mace Tyrell had given him. “You would abandon your king when he needs you most,” she told him. “You would abandon Tommen.”

“托曼有他的母亲照料着，”凯冯爵士的绿眸对上太后的绿眸，一眨不眨。最后一滴鲜红的液体在他下巴下面抖了抖，坠落。“是啊，”他顿了顿，轻声补充，“他还有他的父亲呢。”

“Tommen has his mother.” Ser Kevan’s green eyes met her own, unblinking. A last drop of wine trembled wet and red beneath his chin, and finally fell. “Aye,” he added softly, after a pause, “and his father too, I think.”