Ⅲ 冰雨的风暴 Chapter72 詹姆
JAIME
国王坐在会议桌首位，屁股下加了一堆垫子，正不断签署呈上的文件。
The king sat at the head of the table, a stack of cushions under his arse, signing each document as it was presented to him.
“还剩最后几张，陛下，”凯冯·兰尼斯特爵士向他保证，“这是虢夺状，为惩罚艾德慕·徒利公爵的叛国大罪，剥夺其对奔流城的权利及所有封地税赋，其叔‘黑鱼’布林登·徒利爵士的权利亦遭全部剥夺。”托曼一本正经地在两张纸上分别签字，他先小心翼翼地把鹅毛笔蘸满墨水，然后用稚嫩的胖手掌握着书写。
“Only a few more, Your Grace,” Ser Kevan Lannister assured him. “This is a bill of attainder against Lord Edmure Tully, stripping him of Riverrun and all its lands and incomes, for rebelling against his lawful king. This is a similar attainder, against his uncle Ser Brynden Tully, the Blackfish.” Tommen signed them one after the other, dipping the quill carefully and writing his name in a broad childish hand.
詹姆坐在长桌末端看着儿子，心知世上无数贵族使尽浑身解数想挤进国王的御前会议。妈的，谁要我的位子，我立刻让贤。这就叫权力？呆坐着看托曼的笔动个不休，有何满足可言？他唯一的心情是厌烦。
Jaime watched from the foot of the table, thinking of all those lords who aspired to a seat on the king’s small council. They can bloody well have mine. If this was power, why did it taste like tedium? He did not feel especially powerful, watching Tommen dip his quill in the inkpot again. He felt bored.
浑身酸痛。每块肌肉都在抗议，肋部和肩部无数的淤伤令人不适——这还是亚当·马尔布兰爵士手下留情的结果。只消想想昨天的打斗，詹姆就禁不住畏缩，希望对方千万别把事情传扬出去。其实马尔布兰小时候，在凯岩城当侍酒时，詹姆就与他认识了，而且相交颇深，因此才找他拿上盾牌和比武用的钝剑比划。他想瞧瞧自己的左手到底能不能打。
And sore. Every muscle in his body ached, and his ribs and shoulders were bruised from the battering they’d gotten, courtesy of Ser Addam Marbrand. Just thinking of it made him wince. He could only hope the man would keep his mouth shut. Jaime had known Marbrand since he was a boy, serving as a page at Casterly Rock; he trusted him as much as he trusted anyone. Enough to ask him to take up shields and tourney swords. He had wanted to know if he could fight with his left hand.
一切水落石出。答案远比亚当爵士给的伤痛更让他难受——而光这伤痛已令他今早差点穿不上衣服。若用真剑，詹姆已死了几十次。不过换只手，他便完全落于下风。以前可不是这样的。每个反应都错误，他必须停下来思考，重新计划每次行动。而当他思考时，马尔布兰轻易地打中他。实际上，他左手连剑都握不稳，三度被亚当爵士震飞。
And now I do. The knowledge was more painful than the beating that Ser Addam had given him, and the beating was so bad he could hardly dress himself this morning. If they had been fighting in earnest, Jaime would have died two dozen deaths. It seemed so simple, changing hands. It wasn’t. Every instinct he had was wrong. He had to think about everything, where once he’d just moved. And while he was thinking, Marbrand was thumping him. His left hand couldn’t even seem to hold a longsword properly; Ser Addam had disarmed him thrice, sending his blade spinning.
“这张授予状将上述城堡、封地和税赋赐予艾蒙·佛雷爵士和他的夫人兰尼斯特家族的吉娜。”待签完后，凯冯将另一卷羊皮纸呈给国王，托曼蘸蘸墨水，继续书写，“这张文书正式赐予恐怖堡公爵卢斯·波顿的庶子以嫡出身份。这张委任状任命波顿公爵为北境守护……”托曼蘸墨，签名，蘸墨，签名，忙个不停。“……这张授予状赐予罗佛·斯派瑟爵士卡斯特梅城堡，晋升为伯爵……”托曼的字迹开始潦草。
“This grants said lands, incomes, and castle to Ser Emmon Frey and his lady wife, Lady Genna.” Ser Kevan presented another sheaf of parchments to the king. Tommen dipped and signed. “This is a decree of legitimacy for a natural son of Lord Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort. And this names Lord Bolton your Warden of the North.” Tommen dipped, signed, dipped, signed. “This grants Ser Rolph Spicer title to the castle Castamere and raises him to the rank of lord.” Tommen scrawled his name.
我该找伊林·派恩爵士，詹姆突然醒悟，虽然御前执法官与他没什么交情，或许会下重手……可此人毕竟是哑巴，就算想炫耀武功，也没法说出口。而眼下只需亚当爵士多喝几杯，夸起口来，我的一世英名就得付诸流水。不会用剑的御林铁卫队长？真是个残酷的笑话……最为残酷的是他竟用不了父亲的礼物。
I should have gone to Ser Ilyn Payne, Jaime reflected. The King’s Justice was not a friend as Marbrand was, and might well have beat him bloody … but without a tongue, he was not like to boast of it afterward. All it would take would be one chance remark by Ser Addam in his cups, and the whole world would soon know how useless he’d become. Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. It was a cruel jape, that … though not quite so cruel as the gift his father had sent him.
“这是给予加文·维斯特林伯爵夫妇及其女简妮的王家赦免状，欢迎他们回归国王治下，”凯冯爵士道，“这张赦免状给予石篱城的杰诺斯·布雷肯伯爵，这张赦免状给予凡斯伯爵，这张赦免状给予古柏克伯爵，这张赦免状给予女泉城的莫顿伯爵……”
“This is your royal pardon for Lord Gawen Westerling, his lady wife, and his daughter Jeyne, welcoming them back into the king’s peace,” Ser Kevan said. “This is a pardon for Lord Jonos Bracken of Stone Hedge. This is a pardon for Lord Vance. This for Lord Goodbrook. This for Lord Mooton of Maidenpool.”
詹姆忍不住起身，“叔叔，这里的事，似乎由你处理就好，我把陛下交给你了。”
Jaime pushed himself to his feet. “You seem to have these matters well in hand, Uncle. I shall leave His Grace to you.”
“好吧，”凯冯爵士也站起来，“詹姆，你该去见见父亲，你们之间的争执——”
“As you wish.” Ser Kevan rose as well. “Jaime, you should go to your father. This breach between you—”
“——是他的缘故。送我一件讽刺的礼物也不能弥补。只管把这话告诉他，若你能让他暂时摆脱提利尔们的纠缠的话。”
“—is his doing. Nor will he mend it by sending me mocking gifts. Tell him that, if you can pry him away from the Tyrells long enough.”
叔叔表情哀伤，“这是我们的心意，希望激励你——”
His uncle looked distressed. “The gift was heartfelt. We thought that it might encourage you—”
“——长出一只新手来？”詹姆转向托曼。他除了有乔佛里的金色卷发和碧绿眼眸之外，与哥哥的相貌毫无雷同。国王很胖，粉红的脸蛋圆鼓鼓的，他还喜欢读书。害羞的小子，才九岁，是我唯一的亲儿子呢。他会长大成人的，七年之后，临朝亲政，期间王国将牢牢掌握在詹姆的父亲手里。“陛下，”他开口，“微臣可以先告退么？”
“—to grow a new hand?” Jaime turned to Tommen. Though he had Joffrey’s golden curls and green eyes, the new king shared little else with his late brother. He inclined to plumpness, his face was pink and round, and he even liked to read. He is still shy of nine, this son of mine. The boy is not the man. It would be seven years before Tommen was ruling in his own right. Until then the realm would remain firmly in the hands of his lord grandfather. “Sire,” he asked, “do I have your leave to go?”
“你先走吧，爵士舅舅。”托曼望向凯冯爵士，“我能给它们封印了吗，舅公？”到目前为止，他觉得当国王最有趣的部分就是在热蜡上印下王家印章。
“As you like, Ser Uncle.” Tommen looked back to Ser Kevan. “Can I seal them now, Great-Uncle?” Pressing his royal seal into the hot wax was his favorite part of being king, so far.
詹姆大步走出议事厅。门外，马林·特兰爵士身穿白鳞甲和雪白披风，笔直地站着担任警卫。如果这家伙知道我有多虚弱，或者叫凯特布莱克或布劳恩知道……“好好站岗，等待陛下处理公务，”詹姆吩咐，“然后护送他回梅葛楼。”
Jaime strode from the council chamber. Outside the door he found Ser Meryn Trant standing stiff at guard in white scale armor and snowy cloak. If this one should learn how feeble I am, or Kettleblack or Blount should hear of it … “Remain here until His Grace is done,” he said, “then escort him back to Maegor’s.”
特兰一鞠躬，“遵命，大人。”
Trant inclined his head. “As you say, my lord.”
这天早上，外院挤满了人，喧嚷吵闹。詹姆朝马厩走去，那儿一大群人正在备马。“铁腿！”他喊，“怎么，这就走了？”
The outer ward was crowded and noisy that morning. Jaime made for the stables, where a large group of men were saddling their horses. “Steelshanks!” he called. “Are you off, then?”
“只等小姐准备妥当，我们就走，”铁腿沃顿说，“波顿大人等着呢，看，她来了。”
“As soon as m’lady is mounted,” said Steelshanks Walton. “My lord of Bolton expects us. Here she is now.”
一名马夫牵着一匹上等灰母马走出马厩，马背上坐了一位瘦小的女孩，眼窝深陷，全身包裹在灰斗篷里，内里的衣服也是灰色，装饰着白绸缎花边。她胸前有个狼头形状的别针，带着切割的猫眼石眼睛。这女孩黑褐色的长发随风飘散。她很漂亮，他心想，但眼中充满悲伤与疲惫。
A groom led a fine grey mare out the stable door. On her back was mounted a skinny hollow-eyed girl wrapped in a heavy cloak. Grey, it was, like the dress beneath it, and trimmed with white satin. The clasp that pinned it to her breast was wrought in the shape of a wolf’s head with slitted opal eyes. The girl’s long brown hair blew wild in the wind. She had a pretty face, he thought, but her eyes were sad and wary.
她看见他，便低下头。“詹姆爵士，”她微弱而紧张地说，“很高兴您来送我。”
When she saw him, she inclined her head. “Ser Jaime,” she said in a thin anxious voice. “You are kind to see me off.”
詹姆仔细看看她，“呃，你认识我？”
Jaime studied her closely. “You know me, then?”
她咬紧嘴唇，“您也许不记得了，大人，我那时太小……但有幸参加家父奈德大人为劳勃国王访问临冬城而举办的欢迎宴会，”她垂下大大的褐色眼睛，喃喃地说，“我是艾莉亚·史塔克。”
She bit her lip. “You may not recall, my lord, as I was littler then … but I had the honor to meet you at Winterfell when King Robert came to visit my father Lord Eddard.” She lowered her big brown eyes and mumbled, “I’m Arya Stark.”
詹姆一直没太注意艾莉亚·史塔克，但印象中，她似乎更年幼些。“小姐，您要出嫁么？”
Jaime had never paid much attention to Arya Stark, but it seemed to him that this girl was older. “I understand you’re to be married.”
“我要嫁给波顿公爵的儿子拉姆斯。他从前是个雪诺，但国王陛下慷慨赐予他波顿的姓氏。大家都说他非常勇敢，我很高兴做他的妻子。”
“I am to wed Lord Bolton’s son, Ramsay. He used to be a Snow, but His Grace has made him a Bolton. They say he’s very brave. I am so happy.”
既然如此，为何你说话时满心恐惧呢？“祝您婚姻美满，小姐，”詹姆转向铁腿，“钱，你都收到了吧？”
Then why do you sound so frightened? “I wish you joy, my lady.” Jaime turned back to Steelshanks. “You have the coin you were promised?”
“对，大伙儿已经分了。谢谢您，爵士先生，”北方人咧嘴而笑，“兰尼斯特果真有债必还。”
“Aye, and we’ve shared it out. You have my thanks.” The northman grinned. “A Lannister always pays his debts.”
“知道就好。”詹姆边说边看了女孩最后一眼。他很怀疑这个“艾莉亚”和真正的艾莉亚有何相似之处，不过没关系，真正的艾莉亚·史塔克大概早已葬在跳蚤窝里某个不知名的墓穴了吧，她的双亲和手足统统死光，又有谁能戳穿眼前这位女孩呢？“一路顺风。”他祝愿铁腿。纳吉升起和平的旗帜，北方人排成松散的纵队，披着松散的毛斗篷，鱼贯而出。在他们中间，骑灰母马的瘦小女孩显得柔弱而孤单。
“Always,” said Jaime, with a last glance at the girl. He wondered if there was much resemblance. Not that it mattered. The real Arya Stark was buried in some unmarked grave in Flea Bottom in all likelihood. With her brothers dead, and both parents, who would dare name this one a fraud? “Good speed,” he told Steelshanks. Nage raised his peace banner, and the northmen formed a column as ragged as their fur cloaks and trotted out the castle gate. The thin girl on the grey mare looked small and forlorn in their midst.
马儿坚持避开硬泥地上那滩凝血，马房小弟在此惨死于魔山剑下。见到这个，詹姆的怒气又往上冲，他曾严令御林铁卫将围观群众挡开，但柏洛斯这白痴居然自己当起了观众。诚然，蠢小子自己有责任，死去的多恩领亲王有责任，但毫无疑问罪大恶极的是克里冈。砍到男孩手臂尚可称意外，而第二下……
A few of the horses still shied away from the dark splotch on the hard-packed ground where the earth had drunk the life’s blood of the stableboy Gregor Clegane had killed so clumsily. The sight of it made Jaime angry all over again. He had told his Kingsguard to keep the crowd out of the way, but that oaf Ser Boros had let himself be distracted by the duel. The fool boy himself shared some of the blame, to be sure; the dead Dornishman as well. And Clegane most of all. The blow that took the boy’s arm off had been mischance, but that second cut …
冥冥之中，他为此付出了代价。决斗之后，派席尔国师负责照料魔山，但从学士房间传来的号叫声不绝于耳，治疗丝毫没有生效。“肌肉坏死，伤口流脓，”派席尔苦着脸禀报御前会议，“连蛆虫也不愿接近患处。他成天因疼痛而剧烈抽搐，我不得不塞住他的嘴，以防他咬掉舌头。此外，我在他所能承受的范围内切掉尽可能多的腐肉，并用沸酒和面包霉来控制感染，但一切都归无用。他手臂的血管发黑，我用水蛭去吸，水蛭反而统统死去。大人们，我得知道奥柏伦亲王涂在矛上的是何种剧毒方能对症下药，让我们拘留这批多恩人，逼他们说出配方。”
Well, Gregor is paying for it now. Grand Maester Pycelle was tending to the man’s wounds, but the howls heard ringing from the maester’s chambers suggested that the healing was not going as well as it might. “The flesh mortifies and the wounds ooze pus,” Pycelle told the council. “Even maggots will not touch such foulness. His convulsions are so violent that I have had to gag him to prevent him from biting off his tongue. I have cut away as much tissue as I dare, and treated the rot with boiling wine and bread mold, to no avail. The veins in his arm are turning black. When I leeched him, all the leeches died. My lords, I must know what malignant substance Prince Oberyn used on his spear. Let us detain these other Dornishmen until they are more forthcoming.”
泰温公爵一口回绝。“因为奥柏伦亲王的死，我们和阳戟城的关系已闹得很僵，若还把他的同伴们扣住，就太不明智了。”
Lord Tywin had refused him. “There will be trouble enough with Sunspear over Prince Oberyn’s death. I do not mean to make matters worse by holding his companions captive.”
“那么，恐怕我保不住格雷果爵士的性命。”
“Then I fear Ser Gregor may die.”
“你当然得保住他的性命。我把奥柏伦亲王的尸体送还他哥哥道朗亲王时，附信保证献上格雷果的人头。他必须死在御前执法官剑下，而非因毒药丧命。无论如何，你得治好他。”
“Undoubtedly. I swore as much in the letter I sent to Prince Doran with his brother’s body. But it must be seen to be the sword of the King’s Justice that slays him, not a poisoned spear. Heal him.”
派席尔大学士慌乱地眨眼，“大人——”
Grand Maester Pycelle blinked in dismay. “My lord—”
“治好他！”泰温公爵恼怒地重复，“我告诉你，瓦里斯大人买通渔夫到龙石岛周围打探，发现岛上防御极为空虚。黑水湾内已无里斯舰队的踪影，史坦尼斯大人的部队也随之失踪。”
“Heal him,” Lord Tywin said again, vexed. “You are aware that Lord Varys has sent fishermen into the waters around Dragonstone. They report that only a token force remains to defend the island. The Lyseni are gone from the bay, and the great part of Lord Stannis’s strength with them.”
“是吗？那太好了，”派席尔叫道，“依我看，就让史坦尼斯烂在里斯吧，我们从此摆脱了这个野心勃勃的叛徒。”
“Well and good,” announced Pycelle. “Let Stannis rot in Lys, I say. We are well rid of the man and his ambitions.”
“废物，莫非被提利昂剃了胡子，连脑袋也傻了吗？我们谈论的是史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩！这个人会坚持到底，毫不妥协。如果他消失，只能证明在谋划什么，以便继续战争。很可能他想在风息堡登陆，发动风暴之地的领主们起来造反，如果是这样，倒还好说，他注定失败；但若他孤注一掷，将命运押在多恩人身上，以至于竟赢得阳戟城加盟，那要结束战争就不是一年两年内可办得到的了。所以，我们无论如何都不能再冒犯马泰尔家族，无论如何都不行！我会立刻放多恩的人马离开，而你，必须给我治好格雷果爵士。”
“Did you turn into an utter fool when Tyrion shaved your beard? This is Stannis Baratheon. The man will fight to the bitter end and then some. If he is gone, it can only mean he intends to resume the war. Most likely he will land at Storm’s End and try and rouse the storm lords. If so, he’s finished. But a bolder man might roll the dice for Dorne. If he should win Sunspear to his cause, he might prolong this war for years. So we will not offend the Martells any further, for any reason. The Dornishmen are free to go, and you will heal Ser Gregor.”
从此以后，魔山的尖叫夜以继日，从无断绝。似乎连掌管生死的陌客也畏惧泰温公爵的威权。
And so the Mountain screamed, day and night. Lord Tywin Lannister could cow even the Stranger, it would seem.
詹姆步上白剑塔的螺旋梯。从柏洛斯爵士的房间里，传来阵阵鼾声；巴隆爵士的房间也屋门紧闭——他守了国王一夜，想必此刻正在熟睡中。除了柏洛斯的鼾声，塔楼非常宁静，詹姆很满意。终于可以休息了。昨晚，经过与亚当爵士的打斗后，他酸痛得无法入眠。
As Jaime climbed the winding steps of White Sword Tower, he could hear Ser Boros snoring in his cell. Ser Balon’s door was shut as well; he had the king tonight, and would sleep all day. Aside from Blount’s snores, the tower was very quiet. That suited Jaime well enough. I ought to rest myself. Last night, after his dance with Ser Addam, he’d been too sore to sleep.
走进卧室，姐姐正在等他。
But when he stepped into his bedchamber, he found his sister waiting for him.
她站在窗边，透过外墙，远眺大海。海湾吹来无垠的风，卷动她的裙服，贴紧身子，令詹姆看了心跳加速。她全身素白，和墙上的织锦、床上的被盖同一颜色，宽大的袖子末端螺旋状地缀了许多细小祖母绿，胸衣上也有，更大的祖母绿则镶嵌在金色的发网上，包裹着金色的头发。裙服的胸开得很低，露出肩膀和半个乳房。她好美。顷刻间，他只想拥情人入怀。
She stood beside the open window, looking over the curtain walls and out to sea. The bay wind swirled around her, flattening her gown against her body in a way that quickened Jaime’s pulse. It was white, that gown, like the hangings on the wall and the draperies on his bed. Swirls of tiny emeralds brightened the ends of her wide sleeves and spiraled down her bodice. Larger emeralds were set in the golden spiderweb that bound her golden hair. The gown was cut low, to bare her shoulders and the tops of her breasts. She is so beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms.
“瑟曦，”他轻轻关上门，“你怎么来了？”
“Cersei.” He closed the door softly. “Why are you here?”
“我还能上哪儿去？”她回过头，眼里盈满泪水，“父亲明确宣布不准我参加御前会议。詹姆，你和他还没有对话么？”
“Where else could I go?” When she turned to him there were tears in her eyes. “Father’s made it clear that I am no longer wanted on the council. Jaime, won’t you talk to him?”
詹姆脱下披风，挂到墙壁的钩子上。“我和泰温公爵天天对话。”
Jaime took off his cloak and hung it from a peg on the wall. “I talk to Lord Tywin every day.”
“你非这么死脑筋不可？他只想……”
“Must you be so stubborn? All he wants …”
“……强迫我退出御林铁卫，返回凯岩城。”
“… is to force me from the Kingsguard and send me back to Casterly Rock.”
“这没那么可怕，他也要把我送回凯岩城。其实，他一心想把我赶得远远的，好随意操纵托曼。哼，托曼是我儿子，可不是他儿子！”
“That need not be so terrible. He is sending me back to Casterly Rock as well. He wants me far away, so he’ll have a free hand with Tommen. Tommen is my son, not his!”
“托曼是国王。”
“Tommen is the king.”
“他还小！可怜的孩子，小小年纪就眼睁睁看着哥哥被谋杀在婚宴上，该有多惧怕，现在倒好，他们还要逼他结婚。对方不仅年纪是他两倍，还做过两次寡妇！”
“He is a boy! A frightened little boy who saw his brother murdered at his own wedding. And now they are telling him that he must marry. The girl is twice his age and twice a widow!”
詹姆找椅子坐下，忍住淤伤带来的疼痛。“也不能全怪父亲，提利尔家十分坚持这场婚配。依我看，没什么害处，自弥赛菈去了多恩，托曼一直寂寞得紧，有玛格丽和她的女伴们作陪，想必会好一些。就让他们成亲吧。”
He eased himself into a chair, trying to ignore the ache of bruised muscles. “The Tyrells are insisting. I see no harm in it. Tommen’s been lonely since Myrcella went to Dorne. He likes having Margaery and her ladies about. Let them wed.”
“他可是你儿子……”
“He is your son …”
“他是我的种，但从没叫过我一声‘父亲’，乔佛里也没有。你无数次警告我，别对他们施与额外关心。”
“He is my seed. He’s never called me Father. No more than Joffrey ever did. You warned me a thousand times never to show any undue interest in them.”
“这是为了保护他们！也是保护你。你想过没有？如果我弟弟和我的孩子‘父亲、儿子’地叫起来，别人会怎么看呢？就连呆子劳勃都会怀疑。”
“To keep them safe! You as well. How would it have looked if my brother had played the father to the king’s children? Even Robert might have grown suspicious.”
“别的不说，至少他再也无法怀疑了。”劳勃的死一直让詹姆耿耿于怀。应该由我堂堂正正地动手，而不是瑟曦背后放冷箭。“我该亲手杀了他。”当我的“手”还健在的时候。“让弑君成为习惯——他不总这样嘲弄我？——我该杀了他，然后当着全世界的面娶你为妻。我爱你，对此无怨无悔，唯一羞愧的是自己竟不得不做事来隐藏这份爱，我，我做了很多……那临冬城的孩子——”
“Well, he’s beyond suspicion now.” Robert’s death still left a bitter taste in Jaime’s mouth. It should have been me who killed him, not Cersei. “I only wished he’d died at my hands.” When I still had two of them. “If I’d let kingslaying become a habit, as he liked to say, I could have taken you as my wife for all the world to see. I’m not ashamed of loving you, only of the things I’ve done to hide it. That boy at Winterfell …”
“——是我要你把他丢出窗外的吗？我求你去打猎，如果你听话，什么都不会发生。可你呢？你非要跟我在一起，明明等回到都城，一切就会恢复原状。”
“Did I tell you to throw him out the window? If you’d gone hunting as I begged you, nothing would have happened. But no, you had to have me, you could not wait until we returned to the city.”
“我等不了那么久。一路上，我每晚看着劳勃醉醺醺地爬上你的轮宫，每次都担心他会不会忽然起意要坚持做丈夫的权利，我恨透了！”詹姆忽然想起临冬城里另一桩怪事。“在奔流城，凯特琳·史塔克一口咬定我派人去割他儿子的喉咙，还说有匕首为证。”
“I’d waited long enough. I hated watching Robert stumble to your bed every night, always wondering if maybe this night he’d decide to claim his rights as husband.” Jaime suddenly remembered something else that troubled him about Winterfell. “At Riverrun, Catelyn Stark seemed convinced I’d sent some footpad to slit her son’s throat. That I’d given him a dagger.”
“这事，”瑟曦厌恶地说，“提利昂也问起过。”
“That,” she said scornfully. “Tyrion asked me about that.”
“确实有这么一把匕首，凯特琳夫人手上的伤我见过，很深。你有没……”
“There was a dagger. The scars on Lady Catelyn’s hands were real enough, she showed them to me. Did you …?”
“噢，行了，”她关上窗户，“没错，我心里希望他死，你不也一样？其实谁想看那副苟延残喘的样子呢？劳勃厌恶的程度比我们还要深。‘摔断腿的马就得杀，瞎了眼的狗就得宰，为何孩子残废了，就软弱得不愿施与慈悲？’他大醉一场后，这样对我说。”
“Oh, don’t be absurd.” Cersei closed the window. “Yes, I hoped the boy would die. So did you. Even Robert thought that would have been for the best. ‘We kill our horses when they break a leg, and our dogs when they go blind, but we are too weak to give the same mercy to crippled children,’ he told me. He was blind himself at the time, from drink.”
劳勃？詹姆守护了劳勃·拜拉席恩十几年，深知前国王有时候的杯中言语，第二天醒来就会恼怒地矢口否认。“这话，他是单独和你说的？”
Robert? Jaime had guarded the king long enough to know that Robert Baratheon said things in his cups that he would have denied angrily the next day. “Were you alone when Robert said this?”
“当然，你以为他会对奈德·史塔克这样讲？当时就我俩在场，还有孩子们。”瑟曦摘下发网，放在床柱上，抖散一头金色卷发，“嘿嘿，说不定是弥赛菈派人拿匕首作案的哟。”
“You don’t think he said it to Ned Stark, I hope? Of course we were alone. Us and the children.” Cersei removed her hairnet and draped it over a bedpost, then shook out her golden curls. “Perhaps Myrcella sent this man with the dagger, do you think so?”
她是开玩笑，但不经意间却直击要害。詹姆明白了。“不是弥赛菈，是乔佛里。”
It was meant as mockery, but she’d cut right to the heart of it, Jaime saw at once. “Not Myrcella. Joffrey.”
瑟曦皱起眉头，“乔佛里讨厌罗柏·史塔克，但对那残废没什么感觉。再说，小乔自己也是个孩子。”
Cersei frowned. “Joffrey had no love for Robb Stark, but the younger boy was nothing to him. He was only a child himself.”
“不错，他是个只想要你给他的酒鬼老爸拍拍脑袋的孩子。”他还有另一层不安，“因为这把该死的匕首，提利昂差点没命。假如教他得知是乔佛里……那么或许……”
“A child hungry for a pat on the head from that sot you let him believe was his father.” He had an uncomfortable thought. “Tyrion almost died because of this bloody dagger. If he knew the whole thing was Joffrey’s work, that might be why …”
“我管他有什么理由！”瑟曦叫道，“让他带着他的好理由下地狱去！你没见小乔是怎么死的……他挣扎呀，詹姆，他挣扎着呼吸，好像被恶灵扼住了喉咙，眼中充满恐惧……小时候，他要是被吓着，或受到伤害，总跑来找我，而我会保护他。但那天晚上，我什么也做不了！提利昂当着我的面谋杀了我的孩子，而我什么也做不了！”瑟曦跪倒在他的椅子前，捧起詹姆的左手。“小乔死了，弥赛菈去了多恩，我只剩下托曼。你一定得求求父亲，求求他不要把我们母子分开。詹姆，求你了。”
“I don’t care why,” Cersei said. “He can take his reasons down to hell with him. If you had seen how Joff died … he fought, Jaime, he fought for every breath, but it was as if some malign spirit had its hands about his throat. He had such terror in his eyes … When he was little, he’d run to me when he was scared or hurt and I would protect him. But that night there was nothing I could do. Tyrion murdered him in front of me, and there was nothing I could do.” Cersei sank to her knees before his chair and took Jaime’s good hand between both of hers. “Joff is dead and Myrcella’s in Dorne. Tommen’s all I have left. You mustn’t let Father take him from me. Jaime, please.”
“泰温大人行事不会征求我的意见。我可以和他谈，但多半没……”
“Lord Tywin has not asked for my approval. I can talk to him, but he will not listen …”
“他会的，只要你答应退出御林铁卫。”
“He will if you agree to leave the Kingsguard.”
“我决不退出御林铁卫。”
“I’m not leaving the Kingsguard.”
姐姐强忍眼泪，“詹姆，你是我心中永远的骑士，在我最需要你的时候，你不能就这么抛下我！他要偷走我儿子，赶走我这个母亲……只有你能阻止他……父亲要我立即再婚！”
His sister fought back tears. “Jaime, you’re my shining knight. You cannot abandon me when I need you most! He is stealing my son, sending me away … and unless you stop him, Father is going to force me to wed again!”
詹姆猝不及防，顿时天旋地转。这句话，比亚当·马尔布兰爵士给他的所有打击加起来伤得更深。“和谁？”
Jaime should not have been surprised, but he was. The words were a blow to his gut harder than any that Ser Addam Marbrand had dealt him. “Who?”
“和谁？有关系吗？不是这个领主，就是那位大人，反正只要符合父亲的目的。我不管，我不要第二个丈夫，我只要和你在一起，不要别人。”
“Does it matter? Some lord or other. Someone Father thinks he needs. I don’t care. I will not have another husband. You are the only man I want in my bed, ever again.”
“那你就站出来，告诉他！”
“Then tell him that!”
她抽开双手。“你又来发疯了。你这样下去，我们迟早会分开，难道你忘了小时候母亲是怎么做的吗？被你这么一弄，不仅托曼会失去王位，弥赛菈也成不了亲……詹姆，请你相信我，我一直都想做你的妻子，我们属于彼此，但永远不可能结合。我们只能是姐弟。”
She pulled her hands away. “You are talking madness again. Would you have us ripped apart, as Mother did that time she caught us playing? Tommen would lose the throne, Myrcella her marriage … I want to be your wife, we belong to each other, but it can never be, Jaime. We are brother and sister.”
“坦格利安家……”
“The Targaryens …”
“我们是兰尼斯特，不是坦格利安！”
“We are not Targaryens!”
“小声点，”他不满地说，“大吼大叫，不怕吵醒我的弟兄们？你刚才不是说我们永远不可能结合吗？要给别人知道你来见我，怎么得了？”
“Quiet,” he said, scornfully. “So loud, you’ll wake my Sworn Brothers. We can’t have that, now, can we? People might learn that you had come to see me.”
“詹姆，”她啜泣起来，“你难道不明白，我爱你的程度跟你爱我一样深？不管他们要我嫁给谁，我都会永远念着你，永远等待你，永远要你吗？没有什么东西可以改变我们彼此。来，让我证明给你看。”她掀开他外衣，忙乱地摸索裤带。
“Jaime,” she sobbed, “don’t you think I want it as much as you do? It makes no matter who they wed me to, I want you at my side, I want you in my bed, I want you inside me. Nothing has changed between us. Let me prove it to you.” She pushed up his tunic and began to fumble with the laces of his breeches.
詹姆硬了起来。“不行，”他说，“不能在这里。”他们从没在白剑塔内做过，更别说御林铁卫队长的房间。“瑟曦，这里真的不行。”
Jaime felt himself responding. “No,” he said, “not here.” They had never done it in White Sword Tower, much less in the Lord Commander’s chambers. “Cersei, this is not the place.”
“你在圣堂都和我做，这里又有什么区别。”她拔出他的命根子，将头凑过去。
“You took me in the sept. This is no different.” She drew out his cock and bent her head over it.
詹姆用右手的断肢轻轻扫开对方。“不，不能在这里，我说不行。”他被迫站起来。
Jaime pushed her away with the stump of his right hand. “No. Not here, I said.” He forced himself to stand.
在她那双碧绿明亮的眼睛里，他首先看见了混乱和恐惧，随后为怒气所代替。瑟曦整理好衣服，站起身来，拍拍裙子。“你在赫伦堡被切掉的是手还是命根子？”她摇摇头，卷发在裸露的白皙肩膀上荡漾，“我真是太傻了，居然跑来找你。你既没胆子为乔佛里报仇，又怎会保护托曼？告诉我，如果当时小恶魔杀的不止一个，而是把你的三个孩子全杀了，你会不会有点反应？”
For an instant he could see confusion in her bright green eyes, and fear as well. Then rage replaced it. Cersei gathered herself together, got to her feet, straightened her skirts. “Was it your hand they hacked off in Harrenhal, or your manhood?” As she shook her head, her hair tumbled around her bare white shoulders. “I was a fool to come. You lacked the courage to avenge Joffrey, why would I think that you’d protect Tommen? Tell me, if the Imp had killed all three of your children, would that have made you wroth?”
“提利昂不可能伤害托曼或弥赛菈，而我现在也不确定乔佛里的事是否与他有关。”
“Tyrion is not going to harm Tommen or Myrcella. I am still not certain he killed Joffrey.”
姐姐的嘴因恼怒而扭曲。“你怎能这么讲？我亲耳听他威胁——”
Her mouth twisted in anger. “How can you say that? After all his threats—”
“威胁不等于行动。他发誓什么也没做。”
“Threats mean nothing. He swears he did not do it.”
“噢，他发誓，他发誓！在你心目中，侏儒就是个不会撒谎的笨小孩啰？”
“Oh, he swears, is that it? And dwarfs don’t lie, is that what you think?”
“他不会对我撒谎。正如你也不会。”
“Not to me. No more than you would.”
“你这金光灿灿的大傻瓜！他成百上千次地对你撒谎，我也一样！”她拢好头发，从床柱上一把抓起发网。“你好好考虑吧。不过呢，你心爱的小怪物如今被关在黑牢，再也无法升天，很快就会教伊林·派恩爵士砍头。或许你想拿来做纪念也不一定。”她扫了他的枕头一眼。“一个人睡在这张冰冷的白床上难免孤单，它可以守着你，直到眼睛腐烂。”
“You great golden fool. He’s lied to you a thousand times, and so have I.” She bound up her hair again, and scooped up the hairnet from the bedpost where she’d hung it. “Think what you will. The little monster is in a black cell, and soon Ser Ilyn will have his head off. Perhaps you’d like it for a keepsake.” She glanced at the pillow. “He can watch over you as you sleep alone in that cold white bed. Until his eyes rot out, that is.”
“最好快走，瑟曦，你让我生气了。”
“You had best go, Cersei. You’re making me angry.”
“噢，一个生气的残废，好可怕哟，”她微笑，“泰温·兰尼斯特公爵最大的遗憾就是没有一个真正的儿子。我本可成为他意想中的继承人，可惜却没有鸡巴。说到鸡巴，弟弟，快把你那玩意儿藏起来。它还悬在裤子外面，又瘪又小地成什么样？”
“Oh, an angry cripple. How terrifying.” She laughed. “A pity Lord Tywin Lannister never had a son. I could have been the heir he wanted, but I lacked the cock. And speaking of such, best tuck yours away, brother. It looks rather sad and small, hanging from your breeches like that.”
待她走后，詹姆立刻接受了建议，单手笨拙地系好裤子。从幻影手指上，传来阵阵深及骨髓的痛。我失去了右手，失去了父亲，失去了儿子，失去了姐姐，失去了爱情，不久连弟弟也要失去。可他们居然告诉我，兰尼斯特家族赢得了战争。
When she was gone Jaime took her advice, fumbling one-handed at his laces. He felt a bone-deep ache in his phantom fingers. I’ve lost a hand, a father, a son, a sister, and a lover, and soon enough I will lose a brother. And yet they keep telling me House Lannister won this war.
詹姆披上披风，走下楼梯，发现柏洛斯·布劳恩爵士正在会议室内喝酒。“喝完这杯，叫洛拉斯爵士带她来见我。”
Jaime donned his cloak and went downstairs, where he found Ser Boros Blount having a cup of wine in the common room. “When you’re done with your drink, tell Ser Loras I’m ready to see her.”
柏洛斯爵士唯唯诺诺，“您要见哪个‘她’？”
Ser Boros was too much of a coward to do much more than glower. “You are ready to see who?”
“只管吩咐洛拉斯就好。”
“Just tell Loras.”
“是，”柏洛斯爵士一饮而尽，“是，队长大人。”
“Aye.” Ser Boros drained his cup. “Aye, Lord Commander.”
他等了很久，看来百花骑士并不好找。数小时后，两人才结伴而至，一个是苗条英俊的青年，一个是粗胖丑陋的少女。詹姆独坐在圆形会议室，慵懒地翻动白典。“队长大人，”洛拉斯爵士开口，“您想见塔斯之女？”
He took his own good time about it, though, or else the Knight of Flowers proved hard to find. Several hours had passed by the time they arrived, the slim handsome youth and the big ugly maid. Jaime was sitting alone in the round room, leafing idly through the White Book. “Lord Commander,” Ser Loras said, “you wished to see the Maid of Tarth?”
“对，”詹姆用左手招呼他们上前。“这么说，你和她谈过了？”
“I did.” Jaime waved them closer with his left hand. “You have talked with her, I take it?”
“照您的指示，我和她谈过了，大人。”
“As you commanded, my lord.”
“结果如何？”
“And?”
年轻人紧张起来，“我……或许她说的没错，大人，应该是史坦尼斯所为。我不确定……”
The lad tensed. “I … it may be it happened as she says, ser. That it was Stannis. I cannot be certain.”
“瓦里斯告诉我，风息堡代理城主死得也很蹊跷。”詹姆道。
“Varys tells me that the castellan of Storm’s End perished strangely as well,” said Jaime.
“科塔奈·庞洛斯爵士，”布蕾妮伤感地说，“他是个好人。”
“Ser Cortnay Penrose,” said Brienne sadly. “A good man.”
“他是个固执的老人。死之前一天还当面质问龙石岛之主，第二天早上却投海而亡，”詹姆站起来，“洛拉斯爵士，我们以后再来仔细分析。请你暂时回避。”
“A stubborn man. One day he stood square in the way of the King of Dragonstone. The next he leapt from a tower.” Jaime stood. “Ser Loras, we will talk more of this later. You may leave Brienne with me.”
洛拉斯走后，他仔细打量了妞儿一番。真是一点没变，又丑又笨。人们再度给她换上女装，这套衣服总算比山羊要她穿的那身粉红绸缎要强。“蓝色和你挺配，小姐，”詹姆边看边说，“尤其和你的眼睛般配。”她眼睛可真美啊。
The wench looked as ugly and awkward as ever, he decided when Tyrell left them. Someone had dressed her in woman’s clothes again, but this dress fit much better than that hideous pink rag the goat had made her wear. “Blue is a good color on you, my lady,” Jaime observed. “It goes well with your eyes.” She does have astonishing eyes.
布蕾妮低头看着自己的打扮，脸红了。“多丝修女特别缝补的胸衣，以配合我的体形。她说是你派来照顾我的。”妞儿站在门边，好像随时准备逃出去。“你看起来……”
Brienne glanced down at herself, flustered. “Septa Donyse padded out the bodice, to give it that shape. She said you sent her to me.” She lingered by the door, as if she meant to flee at any second. “You look …”
“……精神多了？”他勉力微笑，“身上长了点肉，头发里少了些虱子，仅此而已。断肢还是断肢，好不了。把门关上，过来吧。”
“Different?” He managed a half-smile. “More meat on the ribs and fewer lice in my hair, that’s all. The stump’s the same. Close the door and come here.”
她依言关门，“这身白袍……”
She did as he bid her. “The white cloak …”
“……还是新的，不过我很快就会令它蒙羞。”
“… is new, but I’m sure I’ll soil it soon enough.”
“不……我不是这个意思。它……它很适合你。”
“That wasn’t … I was about to say that it becomes you.”
她犹犹豫豫地靠过来，“詹姆，你真那样跟洛拉斯爵士解释？关于……关于蓝礼国王……和那道影子？”
She came closer, hesitant. “Jaime, did you mean what you told Ser Loras? About … about King Renly, and the shadow?”
詹姆耸耸肩，“蓝礼这家伙，若教我在战场上撞见，会毫不犹豫地宰掉，干吗关心谁割他喉咙？影子就影子吧。”
Jaime shrugged. “I would have killed Renly myself if we’d met in battle, what do I care who cut his throat?”
“你还说……我的荣誉心……”
“You said I had honor …”
“我是他妈的弑君者，明白吗？我说你有荣誉心，好比街上的妓女说你多纯洁。”他靠在椅子上，抬头仰望她。“铁腿上路了，将把艾莉亚·史塔克带回北方给卢斯·波顿。”
“I’m the bloody Kingslayer, remember? When I say you have honor, that’s like a whore vouchsafing your maidenhood.” He leaned back and looked up at her. “Steelshanks is on his way back north, to deliver Arya Stark to Roose Bolton.”
“你把她给了他？”她惊惶地叫喊，“别忘了，你对凯特琳夫人发的誓……”
“You gave her to him?” she cried, dismayed. “You swore an oath to Lady Catelyn …”
“用剑尖抵着喉咙发的誓——算啦，凯特琳夫人已死，即便我找到她两个女儿，也于事无补。何况，我父亲给铁腿的并非真正的艾莉亚·史塔克。”
“With a sword at my throat, but never mind. Lady Catelyn’s dead. I could not give her back her daughters even if I had them. And the girl my father sent with Steelshanks was not Arya Stark.”
“并非艾莉亚·史塔克？”
“Not Arya Stark?”
“你别激动，仔细听我讲。我父亲大人找了个瘦小的北方女孩，年龄基本与艾莉亚相仿，头发的颜色也大致雷同。他让她穿上白与灰的服色，斗篷别好银制狼胸针，然后送去嫁给波顿的私生子。”他举起断肢指着她，“我之所以跟你解释，是怕你知道以后急急忙忙冲去营救，毫无意义地断送性命。你使剑的功夫还可以，但对付不了两百人。”
“You heard me. My lord father found some skinny northern girl more or less the same age with more or less the same coloring. He dressed her up in white and grey, gave her a silver wolf to pin her cloak, and sent her off to wed Bolton’s bastard.” He lifted his stump to point at her. “I wanted to tell you that before you went galloping off to rescue her and got yourself killed for no good purpose. You’re not half bad with a sword, but you’re not good enough to take on two hundred men by yourself.”
布蕾妮摇摇头，“假如波顿大人知道，你父亲欺骗他……”
Brienne shook her head. “When Lord Bolton learns that your father paid him with false coin …”
“天哪，他早就知道，一直都知道。你记得吗，他说过，兰尼斯特都是骗子？是真是假，对他而言都没差，达到效果就行。谁能站出来说那不是艾莉亚·史塔克？除了她失踪的姐姐，所有跟她亲近的人都死了。”
“Oh, he knows. Lannisters lie, remember? It makes no matter, this girl serves his purpose just as well. Who is going to say that she isn’t Arya Stark? Everyone the girl was close to is dead except for her sister, who has disappeared.”
“你为什么要对我说？这等于泄露你父亲的机密。”
“Why would you tell me all this, if it’s true? You are betraying your father’s secrets.”
首相的机密，他心想，我没有父亲了。“像每个可敬的小狮子那样，我有债必还，既然答应凯特琳夫人送还她女儿……现今还有一个活着，我弟弟可能知道她在哪儿，但他什么也不肯说，瑟曦相信是珊莎帮助提利昂谋杀了乔佛里。”
The Hand’s secrets, he thought. I no longer have a father. “I pay my debts like every good little lion. I did promise Lady Stark her daughters … and one of them is still alive. My brother may know where she is, but if so he isn’t saying. Cersei is convinced that Sansa helped him murder Joffrey.”
妞儿的嘴顽固地抿紧。“我才不相信这位小淑女会去下毒。凯特琳夫人告诉我，她有一颗温柔的心。一定是你弟弟干的，洛拉斯爵士告诉我，经过正式审判已经定了他的罪。”
The wench’s mouth got stubborn. “I will not believe that gentle girl a poisoner. Lady Catelyn said that she had a loving heart. It was your brother. There was a trial, Ser Loras said.”
“事实上，言语和刀剑，两种审判都进行过。我弟弟均告失败。那天打得异常激烈，你在塔里没瞧见么？”
“Two trials, actually. Words and swords both failed him. A bloody mess. Did you watch from your window?”
“我的房间面朝大海，只听见喧嚣。”
“My cell faces the sea. I heard the shouting, though.”
“多恩的奥柏伦亲王死了，格雷果·克里冈爵士奄奄一息，提利昂则在诸神与凡人面前被证明有罪，并关进黑牢，等待处决。”
“Prince Oberyn of Dorne is dead, Ser Gregor Clegane lies dying, and Tyrion stands condemned before the eyes of gods and men. They’re keeping him in a black cell till they kill him.”
布蕾妮定定地望着他，“而你不相信是他干的。”
Brienne looked at him. “You do not believe he did it.”
詹姆苦涩地笑了，“你瞧，妞儿，我们彼此多么了解。提利昂从会走路那天起，就仰望我、景慕我，但他绝不会学我弑君。乔佛里是珊莎·史塔克杀的，这毫无疑问，而我弟弟保持沉默以保护自己的妻子。他这个人，经常来点出其不意的侠义行为。上一次丢了鼻子，这一次丢了性命。？’
Jaime gave her a hard smile. “See, wench? We know each other too well. Tyrion’s wanted to be me since he took his first step, but he’d never follow me in kingslaying. Sansa Stark killed Joffrey. My brother’s kept silent to protect her. He gets these fits of gallantry from time to time. The last one cost him a nose. This time it will mean his head.”
“不可能，”布蕾妮道，“夫人的女儿不可能做出这种事，绝不可能是她。”
“No,” Brienne said. “It was not my lady’s daughter. It could not have been her.”
“你真是我所见过最顽固最愚蠢的妞儿了，一点没变。”
“There’s the stubborn stupid wench that I remember.”
她脸一红，“我的名字……”
She reddened. “My name is …”
“是塔斯的布蕾妮，”詹姆叹道，“来，我有一件礼物送你。”他伸手到铁卫队长的坐椅下，取出一个绯红天鹅绒包裹。
“Brienne of Tarth.” Jaime sighed. “I have a gift for you.” He reached down under the Lord Commander’s chair and brought it out, wrapped in folds of crimson velvet.
布蕾妮小心翼翼地将一双巨手伸过来，好似那包裹中隐藏着什么邪恶企图。她猛然打开，内里放出红宝石的光芒。小心翼翼地，她取出这件珍宝，手指绕上皮革握把，缓缓拔剑出鞘。剑上的波纹放射出血红与漆黑的光泽，刃面如有一轮跃动的明亮红光。“这是瓦雷利亚钢剑吗？我从没见过这种颜色。”
Brienne approached as if the bundle was like to bite her, reached out a huge freckled hand, and flipped back a fold of cloth. Rubies glimmered in the light. She picked the treasure up gingerly, curled her fingers around the leather grip, and slowly slid the sword free of its scabbard. Blood and black the ripples shone. A finger of reflected light ran red along the edge. “Is this Valyrian steel? I have never seen such colors.”
“我也没见过。以前我满心希望自己能有一把好剑，为此手断骨折也在所不惜，现在大概是诸神替我还了愿。这把剑对我没用了，你拿上。”不待她拒绝，他续道，“好剑得有好名字，建议你称它为‘守誓剑’。最后一件事，这东西是有代价的。“
“Nor I. There was a time that I would have given my right hand to wield a sword like that. Now it appears I have, so the blade is wasted on me. Take it.” Before she could think to refuse, he went on. “A sword so fine must bear a name. It would please me if you would call this one Oathkeeper. One more thing. The blade comes with a price.”
她脸色一沉，“我告诉你，我绝不会替……”
Her face darkened. “I told you, I will never serve …”
“……我们这种肮脏怪物服务。是的，我记得。听着，布蕾妮。我们两人都发过与珊莎·史塔克相关的誓言，瑟曦的意思是，不管这女孩逃到天涯海角，都要抓出来杀……”
“… such foul creatures as us. Yes, I recall. Hear me out, Brienne. Both of us swore oaths concerning Sansa Stark. Cersei means to see that the girl is found and killed, wherever she has gone to ground …”
布蕾妮平庸的脸庞因愤怒而变形，“你以为我会为一把剑去伤害夫人的女儿，你简直——”
Brienne’s homely face twisted in fury. “If you believe that I would harm my lady’s daughter for a sword, you—”
“你给我听着！”他回敬道，因她的假设而怒火万丈，“我要你先找到珊莎，再带她去安全的地方。天哪，我们两个干吗要对你宝贝的、死了的凯特琳夫人发那愚蠢的誓言哪？”
“Just listen,” he snapped, angered by her assumption. “I want you to find Sansa first, and get her somewhere safe. How else are the two of us going to make good our stupid vows to your precious dead Lady Catelyn?”
妞儿眨眨眼，“唔……唔……我……我以为……”
The wench blinked. “I … I thought …”
“我知道你以为什么。”詹姆突然受够了她。妈的，居然像只该死的绵羊一样叫唤起来。“奈德·史塔克死后，他的剑被交给御前执法官，”他告诉她，“但我父亲认为，这么好的武器刽子手不配使用，于是便给了伊林爵士一把新剑，然后将寒冰溶解回炉，铸出两把新剑。你手中这把正是其中之一。所以呢，你是用奈德·史塔克自己的剑来保护他的女儿，希望能令你心里好过些。”
“I know what you thought.” Suddenly Jaime was sick of the sight of her. She bleats like a bloody sheep. “When Ned Stark died, his greatsword was given to the King’s Justice,” he told her. “But my father felt that such a fine blade was wasted on a mere headsman. He gave Ser Ilyn a new sword, and had Ice melted down and reforged. There was enough metal for two new blades. You’re holding one. So you’ll be defending Ned Stark’s daughter with Ned Stark’s own steel, if that makes any difference to you.”
“爵士，我应该……向您……道……”
“Ser, I … I owe you an apolo …”
他阻止她说完，“拿上这把该死的剑，在我改变主意之前，远走高飞。马厩里准备了一匹上等母马，长得跟你一样丑，但训练有素。你要去追铁腿，去找珊莎，或者回你的蓝宝石岛，都与我无关。反正，我再也不想见到你。”
He cut her off. “Take the bloody sword and go, before I change my mind. There’s a bay mare in the stables, as homely as you are but somewhat better trained. Chase after Steelshanks, search for Sansa, or ride home to your isle of sapphires, it’s naught to me. I don’t want to look at you anymore.”
“詹姆……”
“Jaime …”
“弑君者！”他提醒她，“用这把剑把耳朵里的污垢掏干净，妞儿，我说了，我们之间两清。”
“Kingslayer,” he reminded her. “Best use that sword to clean the wax out of your ears, wench. We’re done.”
她顽固地坚持，“乔佛里是你的……”
Stubbornly, she persisted. “Joffrey was your …”
“我的国王。你别多想。”
“My king. Leave it at that.”
“你说珊莎杀了他，为何还要保护她？”
“You say Sansa killed him. Why protect her?”
因为小乔不过是我洒进瑟曦阴道里的一颗精子，因为他自作孽不可活。“国王有什么？我生过国王，也害过国王，珊莎·史塔克却是好不容易能染指那宝贝荣誉的机会。”他淡淡地笑了，“除此之外，弑君者之间不是该互相关心吗？好啦，你到底走不走？”
Because Joff was no more to me than a squirt of seed in Cersei’s cunt. And because he deserved to die. “I have made kings and unmade them. Sansa Stark is my last chance for honor.” Jaime smiled thinly. “Besides, kingslayers should band together. Are you ever going to go?”
她用巨手紧握守誓剑。“我走。我会找到那女孩，护得她周全。为了她母亲，也为了您。”她僵硬地鞠躬，转身离开。
Her big hand wrapped tight around Oathkeeper. “I will. And I will find the girl and keep her safe. For her lady mother’s sake. And for yours.” She bowed stiffly, whirled, and went.
黄昏到来，阴影渐长，詹姆独坐桌旁，燃起一根蜡烛。他翻开白典，看到属于自己的那一页，接着从抽屉里取出笔墨，在巴利斯坦爵士的字迹下面，用笨拙而颤抖的左手开始书写。那字体，好像属于刚向学士讨教的六岁幼童：
Jaime sat alone at the table while the shadows crept across the room. As dusk began to settle, he lit a candle and opened the White Book to his own page. Quill and ink he found in a drawer. Beneath the last line Ser Barristan had entered, he wrote in an awkward hand that might have done credit to a six-year-old being taught his first letters by a maester:
“五王之战”期间，于呓语森林为“少狼主”罗柏·史塔克所败。此后在奔流城为俘，后以诺言自赎，但承诺未能实现。回归都城途中，再度为佣兵组织“勇士团”俘虏，受队长瓦格·赫特指使，“胖子”佐罗操刀，切掉了该人用剑的右手。最后在塔斯之女布蕾妮保护下，平安返回君临。
Defeated in the Whispering Wood by the Young Wolf Robb Stark during the War of the Five Kings. Held captive at Riverrun and ransomed for a promise unfulfilled. Captured again by the Brave Companions, and maimed at the word of Vargo Hoat their captain, losing his sword hand to the blade of Zollo the Fat. Returned safely to King’s Landing by Brienne, the Maid of Tarth.
他写完后，在左上角绯红底色上的金狮纹章与右下角的纯白徽记之间，还留有四分之三的空白。詹姆·兰尼斯特的历史，由杰洛·海塔尔爵士开始书写，巴利斯坦爵士接续记录，现在轮到他自己挑起职责。从今往后，他的路由他自己写……
When he was done, more than three-quarters of his page still remained to be filled between the gold lion on the crimson shield on top and the blank white shield at the bottom. Ser Gerold Hightower had begun his history, and Ser Barristan Selmy had continued it, but the rest Jaime Lannister would need to write for himself. He could write whatever he chose, henceforth.
由他自己写……
Whatever he chose …
