Ⅳ 群鸦的盛宴 Chapter32 瑟曦
CERSEI
“一千条长船！”小王后未经梳理的棕发蓬乱地披散在肩，火光映照下，她的脸红彤彤的，好像刚从男人的怀抱中挣脱出来。“陛下，必须狠狠回击他们！”她激动的话语震动房梁，回荡在巨大的王座厅里。
A thousand ships!” The little queen’s brown hair was tousled and uncombed, and the torchlight made her cheeks look flushed, as if she had just come from some man’s embrace. “Your Grace, this must be answered fiercely!” Her last word rang off the rafters and echoed through the cavernous throne room.
瑟曦坐在铁王座下铺有金色和绯红垫子的高位上，感觉怒气逐渐上扬。必须，她心想，她竟然对我说“必须”。太后很想站起来抽提利尔女孩一巴掌。她应该跪下，哭求我的援助才对。她竟然对摄政王太后陛下说“必须”！
Seated on her gold-and-crimson high seat beneath the Iron Throne, Cersei could feel a growing tightness in her neck. Must, she thought. She dares say “must” to me. She itched to slap the Tyrell girl across the face. She should be on her knees, begging for my help. Instead, she presumes to tell her rightful queen what she must do.
“一千条长船？”哈瑞斯史威佛爵士还没睡醒，“肯定弄错了。没有哪位诸侯拥有一千条船。”
“A thousand ships?” Ser Harys Swyft was wheezing. “Surely not. No lord commands a thousand ships.”
“我看是哪个傻瓜吓傻了，把数目翻了番，”奥顿·玛瑞魏斯提出，“不然就是提利尔的封臣有意撒谎，以逃避失守之罪。”
“Some frightened fool has counted double,” agreed Orton Merryweather. “That, or Lord Tyrell’s bannermen are lying to us, puffing up the numbers of the foe so we will not think them lax.”
黑暗的墙壁上，火炬摇曳，使得铁王座扭曲的影子延伸了半个大厅，大厅底部则伸手不见五指。瑟曦感觉无数阴影朝她包围过来。我的敌人无处不在，而我的朋友净是些白痴。只消看看重臣们就知道了，除了科本和奥雷恩·维水，其他人都一副睡眼惺忪的模样。不久前，玛格丽的信使挨个敲门，将他们统统唤醒，没头没脑地带来这儿。厅外，夜色深沉，城堡和城市还在熟睡。柏洛斯布劳恩与马林特林虽然人站在这里，脑筋却是稀里糊涂，连奥斯蒙凯特布莱克也公然打起呵欠。但洛拉斯没有，我们的百花骑士十分警醒。他站在他的小妹身后，犹如一道腰悬长剑的苍白阴影。
The torches on the back wall threw the long, barbed shadow of the Iron Throne halfway to the doors. The far end of the hall was lost in darkness, and Cersei could not but feel that the shadows were closing around her too. My enemies are everywhere, and my friends are useless. She had only to glance at her councillors to know that; only Lord Qyburn and Aurane Waters seemed awake. The others had been roused from bed by Margaery’s messengers pounding on their doors, and stood there rumpled and confused. Outside the night was black and still. The castle and the city slept. Boros Blount and Meryn Trant seemed to be sleeping too, albeit on their feet. Even Osmund Kettleblack was yawning. Not Loras, though. Not our Knight of Flowers. He stood behind his little sister, a pale shadow with a longsword on his hip.
“就算数目减半，仍然高达五百艘，大人，”维水向玛瑞魏斯指出，“一支五百艘长船的舰队，可不是闹着玩的，唯有青亭岛的力量能与之抗衡。”
“Half as many ships would still be five hundred, my lord,” Waters pointed out to Orton Merryweather. “Only the Arbor has enough strength at sea to oppose a fleet that size.”
“我们新造的大帆船呢？”哈瑞斯爵士狐疑地问，“铁民的长船无法与大帆船相提并论，没错吧？记得劳勃国王之锤号是维斯特洛最雄伟的战舰……”
“What of your new dromonds?” asked Ser Harys. “The longships of the ironmen cannot stand before our dromonds, surely? King Robert’s Hammer is the mightiest warship in all Westeros.”
“她当然是，”维水承认，“甜蜜瑟曦号也不逊色，而泰温公爵号一旦建成，其尺寸等于前两者相加。不过大帆船迄今只完成了一半，船员也未齐备。就算他们做好了准备，数量差距也太过悬殊。海战中，普通长船无法与战舰抗衡，但别忘了，敌人也有大船。巴隆大王的泓洋巨怪号与铁岛舰队中的若干舰只是专冂设计用来制海非为劫掠的，在速度和力量上，他们都可同我方较小的划桨战舰匹敌，而水手和船长两方面又更为精良。毕竟，铁民们一生都在海上讨生活。”
“She was,” said Waters. “Sweet Cersei will be her equal, once complete, and Lord Tywin will be twice the size of either. Only half are fitted out, however, and none is fully crewed. Even when they are, the numbers would be greatly against us. The common longship is small compared to our galleys, this is true, but the ironmen have larger ships as well. Lord Balon’s Great Kraken and the warships of the Iron Fleet were made for battle, not for raids. They are the equal of our lesser war galleys in speed and strength, and most are better crewed and captained. The ironmen live their whole lives at sea.”
当年巴隆·葛雷乔伊起兵造反，劳勃就该把他的群岛清扫个一干二净，瑟暇心想，他毁灭了他们的舰队，烧毁了他们的村镇，粉碎了他们的城堡，但当他们屈膝臣服，他又亲手把他们扶了起来。他本该用头骨堆砌一座新岛。她父亲就会这么做，劳勃只想维持所谓的和平，他没有当国君的魄力。“达衮·葛雷乔伊之后，还没有哪个坐上海石之位的铁民敢于劫掠河湾地，”太后道，“他们现今怎么如此大胆？谁给他们这样大胆子？”
Robert should have scoured the isles after Balon Greyjoy rose against him, Cersei thought. He smashed their fleet, burned their towns, and broke their castles, but when he had them on their knees he let them up again. He should have made another island of their skulls. That was what her father would have done, but Robert never had the stomach that a king requires if he hopes to keep peace in the realm. “The ironmen have not dared raid the Reach since Dagon Greyjoy sat the Seastone Chair,” she said. “Why would they do so now? What has emboldened them?”
“是他们的新国王，”科本的双手隐藏在衣袖里，“巴隆大王的弟弟，外号鸦眼。”
“Their new king.” Qyburn stood with his hands hidden up his sleeves. “Lord Balon’s brother. The Crow’s Eye, he is called.”
“乌鸦会在尸体和垂死人畜身上展开盛宴，”派席尔国师道，“但不敢来打搅健康人。这位攸伦大王将肆意掠夺金银财宝，但等我们出兵，自会返回派克，从前的达衮大王也是如此。”
“Carrion crows make their feasts upon the carcasses of the dead and dying,” said Grand Maester Pycelle. “They do not descend upon hale and healthy animals. Lord Euron will gorge himself on gold and plunder, aye, but as soon as we move against him he will back to Pyke, as Lord Dagon was wont to do in his day.”
“你大错特错，”玛格丽·提利尔声称，“掠夺者们的兵力从未如此强盛。一千条长船！他们简直倾巢出动！赫威特伯爵、切斯塔伯爵和西瑞伯爵的长子继承人遇害，西瑞本人带着仅存的几条船逃回高庭，格林伯爵则被关在自己的城堡里。维拉斯说铁群岛之王另立了四位新领主来统治攻占的土地。”
“You are wrong,” said Margaery Tyrell. “Reavers do not come in such strength. A thousand ships! Lord Hewett and Lord Chester are slain, as well as Lord Serry’s son and heir. Serry has fled to Highgarden with what few ships remain him, and Lord Grimm is a prisoner in his own castle. Willas says that the iron king has raised up four lords of his own in their places.”
维拉斯，瑟曦心想，那个残废。全是他的错。呆子梅斯提利尔把河湾地的防务交给一个不能胜任的废物。“从铁群岛到盾牌列岛行程漫长，”她指出，“一千条长船怎么可能神不知鬼不觉地出现呢？”
Willas, Cersei thought, the cripple. He is to blame for this. That oaf Mace Tyrell left the defense of the Reach in the hands of a hapless weakling. “It is a long voyage from the Iron Isles to the Shields,” she pointed out. “How could a thousand ships come all that way without being seen?”
“维拉斯认为他们没靠海岸行驶，”玛格丽解释，“而是远离大陆，深入落日之海，最后从正西方直扑而来。”
“Willas believes that they did not follow the coast,” said Margaery. “They made the voyage out of sight of land, sailing far out into the Sunset Sea and swooping back in from the west.”
多半是残废没安排好海岸的瞭望措施，事到临头便如此搪塞，而小王后在为自己的哥哥开脱吧。想到这里，瑟曦不由得嘴唇一阵干涩，我喜欢青亭岛的金色葡萄酒，假如铁民们下一个目标是青亭岛，全国上下很快都会口渴的。“史坦尼斯一定与此有关联，巴隆·葛雷乔伊曾向我父亲提出结盟，或许他弟弟转向史坦尼斯……”
More like the cripple did not have his watchtowers manned, and now he fears to have us know it. The little queen is making excuses for her brother. Cersei’s mouth was dry. I need a cup of Arbor gold. If the ironmen decided to take the Arbor next, the whole realm might soon be going thirsty. “Stannis may have had a hand in this. Balon Greyjoy offered my lord father an alliance. Perhaps his son has offered one to Stannis.”
派席尔皱眉，“史坦尼斯大人能从中得到什么……”
Pycelle frowned. “What would Lord Stannis gain by …”
“得到另一个互足点，外加大量经由劫掠所得的财富。史坦尼斯需要金子来维持佣兵，而袭击西部也能分散我们对龙石岛和风息堡的关注。”
“He gains another foothold. And plunder, that as well. Stannis needs gold to pay his sellswords. By raiding in the west, he hopes he can distract us from Dragonstone and Storm’s End.”
玛瑞魏斯大人点头同意，“没错，这就是一次佯动。史坦尼斯比我们估计的更狡猾，而陛下明察秋毫，洞悉了他所有奸谋。”
Lord Merryweather nodded. “A diversion. Stannis is more cunning than we knew. Your Grace is clever to have seen through his ploy.”
“史坦尼斯大人正拼了命想赢取北境的支持，”派席尔质疑，“与铁群岛结盟，完全南辕北辙……”
“Lord Stannis is striving to win the northmen to his cause,” said Pycelle. “If he befriends the ironborn, he cannot hope …”
“这说明北方人不上他的当，”瑟曦打断道，她闹不明白，一个学识渊博的老人怎么可能如此愚蠢。“瞧，曼德勒大人砍了洋葱骑士的头和手，有佛雷家人亲眼为证，而其他五六个北方诸侯业已倒向波顿大人。敌人的敌人就是朋友。史坦尼斯不寻求铁民和野人——北方人的两大夙敌——的帮助，他还能找谁呢？不过，他若是以为我会踏进他设下的陷阱，那他可真是蠢到家了。”太后转向小王后。“盾牌列岛位于河湾地，格林、西瑞等人都是向高庭宣誓效忠的封臣，迎击侵略自是高庭分内之事。”
“The northmen will not have him,” said Cersei, wondering how such a learned man could be so stupid. “Lord Manderly hacked the head and hands off the onion knight, we have that from the Freys, and half a dozen other northern lords have rallied to Lord Bolton. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Where else can Stannis turn, but to the ironmen and the wildlings, the enemies of the north? But if he thinks that I am going to walk into his trap, he is a bigger fool than you.” She turned back to the little queen. “The Shield Islands belong to the Reach. Grimm and Serry and the rest are sworn to Highgarden. It is for Highgarden to answer this.”
“高庭当然会迎击，”玛格丽·提利尔回答，“维拉斯已紧急通知雷顿·海塔尔伯爵，要他做好旧镇的防御。加兰正在召集人马，准备夺回各岛。不过，我军精锐由我父亲大人指挥，我们必须给风息堡送信，立刻送信。”
“Highgarden shall answer,” said Margaery Tyrell. “Willas has sent word to Leyton Hightower in Oldtown, so he can see to his own defenses. Garlan is gathering men to retake the isles. The best part of our power remains with my lord father, though. We must send word to him at Storm’s End. At once.”
“撤销围攻？”瑟曦才不关心玛格丽的呼吁，她在意的是“立刻”两个字。她把我当成她的侍女了吗？“正中史坦尼斯大人下怀。你没听我分析吗，女士？他正是要分散我们对龙石岛和风息堡的注意力，通过攻击这堆石头……”
“And lift the siege?” Cersei did not care for Margaery’s presumption. She says “at once” to me. Does she take me for her handmaid? “I have no doubt that Lord Stannis would be pleased by that. Have you been listening, my lady? If he can draw our eyes away from Dragonstone and Storm’s End to these rocks …”
“石头？”玛格丽气鼓鼓地道，“陛下说它们是石头？”
“Rocks?” gasped Margaery. “Did Your Grace say rocks?”
百花骑士伸出一只手，按住妹妹的肩膀。“陛下您有所不知，以这堆‘石头’为基地，铁民可以直达旧镇和青亭岛。从盾牌列岛上的要塞出发，长船也能直溯曼德河，深入河湾地的心脏——远古时代，他们就是这么干的。如果兵力雄厚，他们甚至能威胁高庭。”
The Knight of Flowers put a hand upon his sister’s shoulder. “If it please Your Grace, from those rocks the ironmen threaten Oldtown and the Arbor. From strongholds on the Shields, raiders can sail up the Mander into the very heart of the Reach, as they did of old. With enough men they might even threaten Highgarden.”
“是吗？”太后无辜地问，“如果是这样，那你英勇的哥哥们就该迅速采取行动，把他们清出这堆石头。”
“Truly?” said the queen, all innocence. “Why then, your brave brothers had best roust them off those rocks, and quickly.”
“没有足够的船只，陛下的愿望又如何能实现呢？”洛拉斯爵士说，“两周之内，维拉斯和加兰能集结一万士兵，花上一月，数目还可以翻番。但陛下明鉴，人再多也没法从海上走过去。”
“How would the queen suggest they accomplish that, without sufficient ships?” asked Ser Loras. “Willas and Garlan can raise ten thousand men within a fortnight and twice that in a moon’s turn, but they cannot walk on water, Your Grace.”
“曼德河自高庭城下流过，”瑟曦提醒对方，“而你们家的封土横亘上千里格的海岸线。海边没有渔民吗？河上没有游艇、渡船、河上战舰、划桨小船之类吗？”
“Highgarden sits above the Mander,” Cersei reminded him. “You and your vassals command a thousand leagues of coast. Are there no fisherfolk along your shores? Do you have no pleasure barges, no ferries, no river galleys, no skiffs?”
“有很多很多。”洛拉斯爵士承认。
“Many and more,” Ser Loras admitted.
“把它们集中起来，应该不难运载一支军队渡过这么短短距离罢。”
“Such should be more than sufficient to carry a host across a little stretch of water, I would think.”
“当我们的军队渡过‘这么短短距离’的时候，如果铁民的长船攻向这支乞丐船队，请问太后陛下，该如何抵御？”
“And when the longships of the ironborn descend upon our ragtag fleet as it is making its way across this ‘little stretch of water,’ what would Your Grace have us do then?”
统统淹死最好，瑟曦心想。“高庭有的是钱，可以从狭海对岸雇佣舰队。”
Drown, thought Cersei. “Highgarden has gold as well. You have my leave to hire sellsails from beyond the narrow sea.”
“您是指密尔和里斯的海盗？”洛拉斯轻蔑地说，“自由贸易城邦的渣滓？”
“Pirates out of Myr and Lys, you mean?” Loras said with contempt. “The scum of the Free Cities?”
他跟他妹妹一样傲慢无礼、目中无人。“很遗憾，我们大家都得时不时地与‘渣滓’打交道，”她用满含恶意的甜蜜声调提示，“或许你有更好的办法？”
He is as insolent as his sister. “Sad to say, all of us must deal with scum from time to time,” she said with poisonous sweetness. “Perhaps you have a better notion?”
“青亭岛的舰队才有能力把铁民赶出曼德河口，并保护我哥哥们的部队渡海攻击。我恳请陛下，传信龙石岛，令雷德温大人立即返航。”
“Only the Arbor has sufficient galleys to retake the mouth of the Mander from the ironmen and protect my brothers from their longships during their crossing. I beg Your Grace, send word to Dragonstone and command Lord Redwyne to raise his sails at once.”
至少他知道说“恳请”二字。派克斯特雷德温有两百艘战船，还有五倍于此的商船、运酒船、贸易划桨船和捕鲸船。不过此刻雷德温驻于龙石岛下，大部分舰只一面负责封锁，一面将陆军运过黑水湾，准备夺取城堡。另有一个分队在南方的破船湾巡逻，以阻止风息堡从海上获得补给。
At least he has the sense to beg. Paxter Redwyne owned two hundred warships, and five times as many merchant carracks, wine cogs, trading galleys, and whalers. Redwyne was encamped beneath the walls of Dragonstone, however, and the greater part of his fleet was engaged in ferrying men across Blackwater Bay for the assault on that island stronghold. The remainder prowled Shipbreaker Bay to the south, where only their presence prevented Storm’s End from being resupplied by sea.
奥雷恩·维水首先出来反对洛拉斯爵士的意见，“若雷德温大人率舰队返航，那龙石岛上我军官兵的给养问题如何解决？没有青亭岛的船，又如何确保包围风息堡不出纰漏？”
Aurane Waters bristled at Ser Loras’s suggestion. “If Lord Redwyne sails his ships away, how are we to supply our men on Dragonstone? Without the Arbor’s galleys, how will we maintain the siege of Storm’s End?”
“包围可以稍后再加紧，等——”
“The siege can be resumed later, after—”
瑟曦不让他说完，“风息堡的重要性，百倍于所谓的盾牌列岛，而龙石岛……只要龙石岛仍在史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩手中，它就好比悬在我儿咽喉的一把匕首。不行，城堡陷落后，我们才能放雷德温大人和他的舰队回家。”语音未落，太后便即起身，“多言无益。派席尔师傅，还有事吗？”
Cersei cut him off. “Storm’s End is a hundred times more valuable than the Shields, and Dragonstone … so long as Dragonstone remains in the hands of Stannis Baratheon, it is a knife at my son’s throat. We will release Lord Redwyne and his fleet when the castle falls.” The queen pushed herself to her feet. “This audience is at an end. Grand Maester Pycelle, a word.”
老人回过神来，好像她的话刚将他从年少的梦想中唤醒，但他还不及开口，只见洛拉斯几个大步迈向前，走得如此坚定迅捷，令瑟曦顿时警觉，慌忙后退。她正要召唤奥斯蒙爵士过来保护，百花骑士却单膝跪在她面前。“陛下，请让我去夺回龙石岛。”
The old man started, as if her voice had woken him from some dream of youth, but before he could answer, Loras Tyrell strode forward, so swiftly that the queen drew back in alarm. She was about to shout for Ser Osmund to defend her when the Knight of Flowers sank to one knee. “Your Grace, let me take Dragonstone.”
他妹妹用手掩住了嘴巴，“不，洛拉斯，不。”
His sister’s hand went to her mouth. “Loras, no.”
洛拉斯爵士不理会玛格丽的抗议，“用饥饿降服龙石岛，至少得花半年——派克斯特大人正打算这么做。让我统领全军，陛下，半月之后，城堡就是您的了，我就算赤手空拳也要把它挖穿。”
Ser Loras ignored her plea. “It will take half a year or more to starve Dragonstone into submission, as Lord Paxter means to do. Give me the command, Your Grace. The castle will be yours within a fortnight if I have to tear it down with my bare hands.”
自从珊莎史塔克跑来把艾德史塔克的计划和盘托出之后，瑟曦还未收到过如此大礼。她很高兴地看到，玛格丽的脸全然刷白。“你的勇气让我窒息，洛拉斯爵士，”瑟曦赞许，“维水大人，我们新造的大帆船有没有哪艘适合出海呢？”
No one had given Cersei such a lovely gift since Sansa Stark had run to her to divulge Lord Eddard’s plans. She was pleased to see that Margaery had gone pale. “Your courage takes my breath away, Ser Loras,” Cersei said. “Lord Waters, are any of the new dromonds fit to put to sea?”
“甜蜜瑟曦号做好了准备，陛下，这是一艘敏捷的大船，而且跟陛下您一样有力量。”
“Sweet Cersei is, Your Grace. A swift ship, and as strong as the queen she’s named for.”
“太好了。就让甜蜜瑟曦号载我们的百花骑士立即前往龙石岛。洛拉斯爵士，我给你统率全军的权力，你必须向我发誓：在龙石岛归还于托曼陛下之前，你决不回来。”
“Splendid. Let Sweet Cersei carry our Knight of Flowers to Dragonstone at once. Ser Loras, the command is yours. Swear to me that you shall not return until Dragonstone is Tommen’s.”
“我保证，太后陛下。”他站起来。
“I shall, Your Grace.” He rose.
瑟曦吻了他的双颊，也吻了他妹妹，还在她耳边低语，“你有一个英勇的哥哥。”然而玛格丽没有回答，不知是因为愤怒还是恐惧，她一句话都说不出口。
Cersei kissed him on both cheeks. She kissed his sister too, and whispered, “You have a gallant brother.” Either Margaery did not have the grace to answer or fear had stolen all her words.
黎明还有许久才会到来，瑟曦从铁王座后的国王门离开。奥斯蒙爵士拿着火炬走在前面，科本伴随在她身旁。派席尔国师努力追上来。“等等，陛下，”他上气不接下气地说，“年轻人自以为是，只想到战斗的光荣，不考虑其中的危险。洛拉斯爵士……他这样冒进是要付出代价的。强攻龙石岛的城墙……”
Dawn was still several hours away when Cersei slipped out the king’s door behind the Iron Throne. Ser Osmund went before her with a torch and Qyburn strolled along beside her. Pycelle had to struggle to keep up. “If it please Your Grace,” he puffed, “young men are overbold, and think only of the glory of battle and never of its dangers. Ser Loras … this plan of his is fraught with peril. To storm the very walls of Dragonstone …”
“……实在太勇敢了。”
“… is very brave.”
“是，是，很勇敢，然而……”
“… brave, yes, but …”
“我毫不怀疑，咱们的百花骑士将是头一个登上龙石岛城墙的人。”但愿也是头一个摔下来的。史坦尼斯留下来守城的麻疹脸杂种可不是什么比武会上的冠军，而是经验丰富、杀人如麻的军官。若诸神保佑，他将给予洛拉斯爵士梦寐以求的光荣结局。这小子也可能被淹死。昨晚海湾内又有风暴，势道猛烈，几个时辰内，倾盆大雨犹如黑色帷幕，覆盖天地。这不是很令人伤感吗？太后饶有兴致地想，淹死是最粗鄙的死法，既然洛拉斯爵士像真正的男人渴望女人一样渴求光荣，那诸神让他死于大海，没有一首歌谣会传诵他，多么大快人心啊！
“I have no doubt that our Knight of Flowers will be the first man to gain the battlements.” And perhaps the first to fall. The pox-scarred bastard that Stannis had left to hold his castle was no callow tourney champion but a seasoned killer. If the gods were good, he would give Ser Loras the glorious end he seemed to want. Assuming the boy does not drown on the way. There had been another storm last night, a savage one. The rain had come down in black sheets for hours. And wouldn’t that be sad? the queen mused. Drowning is ordinary. Ser Loras lusts for glory as real men lust for women, the least the gods can do is grant him a death worthy of a song.
再说，无论这小子在龙石岛上结局如何，太后都是赢家。倘若洛拉斯拿下城堡，就是拔下她的眼中钉肉中刺，沉重打击了史坦尼斯；假如他做不到，狮子便能名正言顺地羞辱玫瑰——没有什么比失败更能损伤偶像的名誉了。即便他带着伤痕和光荣回来，等他回救盾牌列岛时，奥斯尼爵士也将成为那个安慰他妹妹悲伤的人。
No matter what befell the boy on Dragonstone, however, the queen would be the winner. If Loras took the castle, Stannis would suffer a grievous blow, and the Redwyne fleet could sail off to meet the ironmen. If he failed, she would see to it that he had the lion’s share of the blame. Nothing tarnishes a hero as much as failure. And if he should come home on his shield, covered in blood and glory, Ser Osney will be there to console his grieving sister.
笑意再也无法抑制。瑟曦“扑哧”一声笑出声来，笑声回荡在走廊里。
The laugh would not be contained any longer. It burst from Cersei’s lips, and echoed down the hall.
“陛下，”派席尔国师莫名其妙地眨眨眼睛，下垂的嘴唇合不拢来，“为何……为何发笑啊？”
“Your Grace?” Grand Maester Pycelle blinked, his mouth sagging open. “Why … why would you laugh?”
“还能为什么，”她不得不道，“不笑我就会感动得哭了。噢，咱们的洛拉斯爵士实在太勇敢，我的心因为仰慕而颤抖。”
“Why,” she had to say, “elsewise I might weep. My heart is bursting with love for our Ser Loras and his valor.”
她在螺旋梯前告别了派席尔国师。这老不死比之以前更加没用了，太后认定。派席尔近来唯一做的，就是用无穷无尽的告诫和异议来烦恼她。他甚至反对她同总主教达成的新谅解，当太后要他起草法律文本时，他竟用潮湿晦暗的眼睛瞪着她，唾沫横飞地讲历史。瑟曦只能打断，“梅葛王几百年前就进了坟墓，他的赦令也早该进坟墓，”太后肯定地说，“现在是托曼的天下，我的天下。”我怎不听任他烂在黑牢里呢？
She left the Grand Maester on the serpentine steps. That one has outlived any usefulness he ever had, the queen decided. All Pycelle ever seemed to do of late was plague her with cautions and objections. He had even objected to the understanding she had reached with the High Septon, gaping at her with dim and rheumy eyes when she commanded him to prepare the necessary papers and babbling about old dead history until Cersei cut him off. “King Maegor’s day is done, and so are his decrees,” she said firmly. “This is King Tommen’s day, and mine.” I would have done better to let him perish in the black cells.
“洛拉斯爵士死后，陛下要挑个合适人选填补御林铁卫的位子。”跨越去往梅葛楼的干涸护城河时，科本大人道。
“Should Ser Loras fall, Your Grace will need to find another worthy for the Kingsguard,” Lord Qyburn said as they crossed over the spiked moat that girded Maegor’s Holdfast.
“一个堂皇的人，”她表示同意，“一个年轻敏捷强壮足以让托曼把洛拉斯忘得一干二净的人。一点点的英勇是上好的作料，但此人脑筋里不能净是些骑士的蠢念头。你有这样的人选吗？”
“Someone splendid,” she agreed. “Someone so young and swift and strong that Tommen will forget all about Ser Loras. A bit of gallantry would not be amiss, but his head should not be full of foolish notions. Do you know of such a man?”
“啊，很抱歉，还没有。”科本承认，“我想到的是另一位武士。他不具备堂皇的外表，却对您有绝对的忠诚。他会不顾一切地保护您的儿子，消灭您的敌人，守卫您的秘密，而没有活人可以与他匹敌。”
“Alas, no,” said Qyburn. “I had another sort of champion in mind. What he lacks in gallantry he will give you tenfold in devotion. He will protect your son, kill your enemies, and keep your secrets, and no living man will be able to withstand him.”
“是吗？言语就像风，讲得过于夸张了。好吧，什么时候你可以把这位楷模献上，我们再来瞧瞧他够不够格。”
“So you say. Words are wind. When the hour is ripe, you may produce this paragon of yours and we will see if he is all that you have promised.”
“我发誓，人们将来会为他写一首歌，”科本围满皱纹的眼睛里兴致勃勃，“陛下，盔甲的事情有进展吗？”
“They will sing of him, I swear it.” Lord Qyburn’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Might I ask about the armor?”
“我给武器师傅说了你的要求，他以为我在发疯。他向我说明，穿上如此沉重的板甲，没有人能够移动，更别说打架了。”瑟曦用眼神警告没颈链的学士。“你敢耍我，将来会尖叫着死去，明白吗，嗯？”
“I have placed your order. The armorer thinks that I am mad. He assures me that no man is strong enough to move and fight in such a weight of plate.” Cersei gave the chainless maester a warning look. “Play me for a fool, and you’ll die screaming. You are aware of that, I trust?”