《冰与火之歌》节选

A Song of Ice and Fire

     简介：作者乔治·R·R·马丁以他深厚的历史功底与科学严谨的态度，构建起了一个“冰与火”的世界，人没有绝对的善恶好坏之分，也没有永恒的英雄和主角。这个世界的一城一物，各色人物间所经历的冒险，厮杀，斗争，都似乎在现实世界中有据可考，因此，可以说它更像是一部虚构世界的平行历史小说。并以此改编创作，由美国HBO电视网制作推出有史以来制作费用最贵的电视剧集—《权利的游戏(Game of Thrones)》。

Daenerys 丹妮莉丝

Her brother held the gown up for her inspection. “This is beauty. Touch it. Go on. Caress the fabric.”

Dany touched it. The cloth was so smooth that it seemed to run through her fingers like water. She could not remember ever wearing anything so soft. It frightened her. She pulled her hand away. “Is it really mine?’

“A gift from the Magister Illyrio,” Viserys said, smiling. Her brother was in a high mood tonight. “The color will bring out the violet in your eyes. And you shall have gold as well, and jewels of all sorts. Illyrio has promised. Tonight you must look like a princess.”

A princess, Dany thought. She had forgotten what that was like. Perhaps she had never really known. “Why does he give us so much?” she asked. “What does he want from us?”

For nigh on half a year, they had lived in the magister’s house, eating his food, pampered by his servants. Dany was thirteen, old enough to know that such gifts seldom come without their price, here in the free city of Pentos.

“Illyrio is no fool,” Viserys said. He was a gaunt young man with nervous hands and a feverish look in his pale lilac eyes. “The magister knows that I will not forget my friends when I come into my throne.”

Dany said nothing. Magister Illyrio was a dealer in spices, gemstones, dragon bone, and other, less savory things. He had friends in all of the Nine Free Cities, it was said, and even beyond, in Vaes Dothrak and the fabled lands beside the Jade Sea.

It was also said that he’d never had a friend he wouldn’t cheerfully sell for the right price. Dany listened to the talk in the streets, and she heard these things, but she knew better than question her brother when he wove his webs of dream. His anger was a terrible thing when roused. Viserys called it “waking the dragon”.

Her brother hung the gown beside the door. “Illyrio will send the slaves to bathe you. Be sure you wash off the stink of the stables. Khan Drogo has a thousand horses, tonight he looks for a different sort of mount.” He studies her critically. “You still slouch. Straighten yourself!” He pushed back her shoulders with his hands.

     哥哥举起长袍给她看。“真漂亮，你摸摸，没关系，你瞧瞧这料子。”

     丹妮摸了摸，衣料柔软如水，流过她的手指，她从没穿过这么柔软的衣服。她突然害怕了起来，连忙抽回手。“这真是给我的么？”

     “这是伊利里欧总督送的礼物，”韦赛里斯微笑道。哥哥今晚心情很好。“袍子的颜色刚好衬出你紫罗兰色的眼睛。你还要配戴金饰，以及各式各样的珠宝玉石，伊利里欧答应给你了。今晚你必须看起来有个公主的样子。”

     有个公主的样子，丹妮想着。她早已忘记那是什么样子了，也许她根本就不知道。“他为什么对我们这么好？”她问，“他想从我们这里得到什么好处？”

     过去近半年来，他们吃住都靠这位总督，在他的仆佣伺候下恃宠而骄。丹妮今年十三岁，已经懂得这种优渥的待遇不会凭空而来，尤其是在潘托斯这样的自由贸易城邦。

     “伊利里欧可不笨，”韦赛里斯回答，他是个削瘦的年轻人，双手局促不安，泛白的淡紫色眼瞳里有种狂热的神色。“他知道有朝一日当我重登王位，不会忘记曾经雪中送炭的朋友。”

     丹妮没有答话。伊利里欧总督是个商人，专做香料、宝石和龙骨买卖，还有其他见不得人的勾当。据说他交游广泛，不仅遍布九个自由贸易城邦，更远至东方的维斯·多斯拉克，以及玉海沿岸的传奇之地。

     又有人说，只要开得出价钱，任何朋友他都乐于出卖。这些话丹妮都静静地听了进去，但她知道最好不要在兄长编织迷梦时戳破。韦赛里斯一旦生气的样子很可怕，他将之称为“唤醒睡龙之怒”。

     哥哥把袍子挂在门边。“伊利里欧会派奴隶前来伺候你沐浴，记得把身上的马臊味洗掉。卓戈卡奥虽有千百良驹，但他今晚要骑的可是另一种马。”他仔细端详着她，“你还是弯腰驼背的老样子，要抬头挺胸。”他伸手把她的肩膀往后挺。

gown      n. 长袍

inspection     n. 视察

Caress     vt. 爱抚，抚抱

fabric     n. 织物

Magister Illyrio     伊利里欧总督

jewels     n. 珠宝

nigh     prep. 近于

pampered     adj. 饮食过量的；饮食奢侈的

Pentos     潘托斯

gaunt     adj. 憔悴的；荒凉的；枯瘦的

feverish     adj. 发热的；极度兴奋的

pale     adj. 苍白的；无力的；暗淡的

lilac     n. 淡紫色；丁香花；[植] 紫丁香

spices     n. 香味料，调味料

gemstones     n. [宝] 宝石

savory     adj. 可口的；风味极佳的；味美的

Vaes Dothrak    维斯·多斯拉克

Jade Sea     玉海

fabled     adj. 寓言中的，虚构的

stink     n. 臭味；讨厌的人

Khan Drogo     卓戈卡奥

slouch     vi. 没精打采地站；耷拉