grrm.thehedgeknight-第15部分

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the　royal　House。　To　portray　one　being　slain；　sawdust　blood　spilling　from　its　neck。。。　well；　it　was　doubtless　innocent；　but　it　was　far　from　wise。　Aerion　calls　it　a　veiled　attack　on　House　Targaryen；　an　incitement　to　revolt。　Maekar　will　likely　agree。　My　brother　has　a　prickly　nature；　and　he　has　placed　all　his　best　hopes　on　Aerion；　since　Daeron　has　been　such　a　grave　disappointment　to　him。〃　The　prince　took　a　sip　of　wine；　then　set　the　goblet　aside。　〃Whatever　my　brother　believes　or　fails　to　believe；　one　truth　is　beyond　dispute。　You　laid　hands　upon　the　blood　of　the　dragon。　For　that　offense；　you　must　be　tried；　and　judged；　and　punished。〃
　〃Punished？〃　Dunk　did　not　like　the　sound　of　that。
　〃Aerion　would　like　your　head；　with　or　without　teeth。　He　will　not　have　it；　I　promise　you；　but　I　cannot　deny　him　a　trial。　As　my　royal　father　is　hundreds　of　leagues　away；　my　brother　and　I　must　sit　in　judgment　of　you；　along　with　Lord　Ashford；　whose　domains　these　are；　and　Lord　Tyrell　of　Highgarden；　his　liege　lord。　The　last　time　a　man　was　found　guilty　of　striking　one　of　royal　blood；　it　was　decreed　that　he　should　lose　the　offending　hand。〃
　〃My　hand？〃　said　Dunk；　aghast。
　〃And　your　foot。　You　kicked　him　too；　did　you　not？〃
　Dunk　could　not　speak。
　〃To　be　sure；　I　will　urge　my　fellow　judges　to　be　merciful。　I　am　the　King's　Hand　and　the　heir　to　the　throne；　my　word　carries　some　weight。　But　so　does　my　brother's。　The　risk　is　there。〃
　〃I；〃　said　Dunk；　〃I。。。　Your　Grace；　I。。。〃　They　meant　no　treason；　it　was　only　a　wooden　dragon；　it　was　never　meant　to　be　a　royal　prince；　he　wanted　to　say；　but　his　words　had　deserted　him　once　and　all。　He　had　never　been　any　good　with　words。
　〃You　have　another　choice；　though；〃　Prince　Baelor　said　quietly。　〃Whether　it　is　a　better　choice　or　a　worse　one；　I　cannot　say；　but　I　remind　you　that　any　knight　accused　of　a　crime　has　the　right　to　demand　trial　by　bat。　So　I　ask　you　once　again；　Ser　Duncan　the　Tall　…　how　good　a　knight　are　you？　Truly？〃
　
　A　trial　of　seven；〃　said　Prince　Aerion；　smiling。　〃That　is　my　right；　I　do　believe。
　Prince　Baelor　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　table；　frowning。　To　his　left；　Lord　Ashford　nodded　slowly。　〃Why？〃　Prince　Maekar　demanded；　leaning　forward　toward　his　son。　〃Are　you　afraid　to　face　this　hedge　knight　alone；　and　let　the　gods　decide　the　truth　of　your　accusations？〃
　〃Afraid？〃　said　Aerion。　〃Of　such　as　this？　Don't　be　absurd；　Father。　My　thought　is　for　my　beloved　brother。　Daeron　has　been　wronged　by　this　Ser　Duncan　as　well；　and　has　first　claim　to　his　blood。　A　trial　of　seven　allows　both　of　us　to　face　him。〃
　〃Do　me　no　favors；　brother；〃　muttered　Daeron　Targaryen。　The　eldest　son　of　Prince　Maekar　looked　even　worse　than　he　had　when　Dunk　had　encountered　him　in　the　inn。　He　seemed　to　be　sober　this　time；　his　red…and…black　doublet　unstained　by　wine；　but　his　eyes　were　bloodshot；　and　a　fine　sheen　of　sweat　covered　his　brow。　〃I　am　content　to　cheer　you　on　as　you　slay　the　rogue。〃
　〃You　are　too　kind；　sweet　brother；〃　said　Prince　Aerion；　all　smiles；　〃but　it　would　be　selfish　of　me　to　deny　you　the　right　to　prove　the　truth　of　your　words　at　the　hazard　of　your　body。　I　must　insist　upon　a　trial　of　seven。〃
　Dunk　was　lost。　〃Your　Grace；　my　lords；〃　he　said　to　the　dais。　〃I　do　not　understand。　What　is　this　trial　of　seven？〃
　Prince　Baelor　shifted　unfortably　in　his　seat。　〃It　is　another　form　of　trial　by　bat。　Ancient；　seldom　invoked。　It　came　across　the　narrow　sea　with　the　Andals　and　their　seven　gods。　In　any　trial　by　bat；　the　accuser　and　accused　are　asking　the　gods　to　decide　the　issue　between　them。　The　Andals　believed　that　if　the　seven　champions　fought　on　each　side；　the　gods；　being　thus　honored；　would　be　more　like　to　take　a　hand　and　see　that　a　just　result　was　achieved。〃
　〃Or　mayhap　they　simply　had　a　taste　for　swordplay；〃　said　Lord　Leo　Tyrell；　a　cynical　smile　touching　his　lips。　〃Regardless；　Ser　Aerion　is　within　his　rights。　A　trial　of　seven　it　must　be。〃
　〃I　must　fight　seven　men；　then？〃　Dunk　asked　hopelessly。
　〃Not　alone；　ser；〃　Prince　Maekar　said　impatiently。
　〃Don't　play　the　fool；　it　will　not　serve。　It　must　be　seven　against　seven。　You　must　needs　find　six　other　knights　to　fight　beside　you。〃
　Six　knights；　Dunk　thought。　They　might　as　well　have　told　him　to　find　six　thousand。　He　had　no　brothers；　no　cousins；　no　old　rades　who　had　stood　beside　him　in　battle。　Why　would　six　strangers　risk　their　own　lives　to　defend　a　hedge　knight　against　two　royal　princelings？　〃Your　Graces；　my　lords；〃　he　said；　〃what　if　no　one　will　take　my　part？〃
　Maekar　Targaryen　looked　down　on　him　coldly。　〃If　a　cause　is　just；　good　men　will　fight　for　it。　If　you　can　find　no　champions；　ser；　it　will　be　because　you　are　guilty。　Could　anything　be　more　plain？〃
　
　Dunk　had　never　felt　so　alone　as　he　did　when　he　walked　out　the　gates　of　Ashford　Castle　and　heard　the　portcullis　rattle　down　behind　him。　A　soft　rain　was　falling；　light　as　dew　on　his　skin；　and　yet　he　shivered　at　the　touch　of　it。　Across　the　river；　colored　rings　haloed　the　scant　few　pavilions　where　fires　still　burned。　The　night　was　half　gone；　he　guessed。　Dawn　would　be　on　him　in　a　few　hours。　And　with　dawn　es　death。
　They　had　given　him　back　his　sword　and　silver；　yet　as　he　waded　across　the　ford；　his　thoughts　were　bleak。　He　wondered　if　they　expected　him　to　saddle　a　horse　and　flee。　He　could；　if　be　wished。　That　would　be　the　end　of　his　knighthood；　to　be　sure；　he　would　be　no　more　than　an　outlaw　henceforth；　until　the　day　some　lord　took　him　and　struck　off　his　head。　Better　to　die　a　knight　than　live　like　that；　he　told　himself　stubbornly。　Wet　to　the　knee；　he　trudged　past　the　empty　lists。　Most　of　the　pavilions　were　dark；　their　owners　long　asleep；　but　here　and　there　a　few　candles　still　burned。　Dunk　heard　soft　moans　and　cries　of　pleasure　ing　from　within　one　tent。　It　made　him　wonder　whether　he　would　die　without　ever　having　known　a　maid。
　Then　he　heard　the　snort　of　a　horse；　a　snort　he　somehow　knew　for　Thunder's。　He　turned　his　steps　and　ran；　and　there　he　was；　tied　up　with　Chestnut　outside　a　round　pavilion　lit　from　within　by　a　vague　golden　glow。　On　its　center　pole　the　banner　hung　sodden；　but　Dunk　could　still　make　out　the　dark　curve　of　the　Fossoway　apple。　It　looked　like　hope。
　
　A　trial　by　bat；〃　Raymun　said　heavily。　〃Gods　be　good；　Duncan；　that　means　lances　of　war；　morningstars；　battle…axes　。　。　。　the　swords　won't　be　blunted；　do　you　understand　that？〃
　〃Raymun　the　Reluctant；〃　mocked　his　cousin　Ser　Steffon。　An　apple　made　of　gold　and　garnets　fastened　his　cloak　of　yellow　wool。　〃You　need　not　fear；　cousin；　this　is　a　knightly　bat。　As　you　are　no　knight；　your　skin　is　not　at　risk。　Ser　Duncan；　you　have　one　Fossoway　at　least。　The　ripe　one。　I　saw　what　Aerion　did　to　those　puppeteers。　I　am　for　you。〃
　〃And　I；〃　snapped　Raymun　angrily。　〃I　only　meant　…〃
　His　cousin　cut　him　off。　〃Who　else　fights　with　us；　Ser　Duncan？〃
　Dunk　spread　his　hands　hopelessly。　〃I　know　no　one　else。　Well；　except　for　Ser　Manfred　Dondarrion。　He　wouldn't　even　vouch　that　I　was　a　knight；　he'll　never　risk　his　life　for　me。〃
　Ser　Steffon　seemed　little　perturbed。　〃Then　we　need　five　more　good　men。　Fortunately；　I　have　more　than　five　friends。　Leo　Longthorn；　the　Laughing　Storm；　Lord　Caron；　the　Lannisters。　Ser　Otho　Bracken。。。　aye；　and　the　Blackwoods　as　well；　though　you　will　never　get　Blackwood　and　Bracken　on　the　same　side　of　a　melee。　I　shall　go　and　speak　with　some　of　them。〃
　〃They　won't　be　happy　at　being　woken；〃　his　cousin　objected。
　〃Excellent；〃　declared　Ser　Steffon。　〃If　they　are　angry；　they'll　fight　all　the　more　fiercely。　You　may　rely　on　me；　Ser　Duncan。　Cousin；　if　I　do　not　return　before　dawn；　bring　my　armor　and　see　that　Wrath　is　saddled　and　barded　for　me。　I　shall　meet　you　both　in　the　challengers'　paddock。〃　He　laughed。　〃This　will　be　a　day　long　remembered；　I　think。〃　When　he　strode　from　the　tent；　he　looked　almost　happy。
　Not　so　Raymun。　〃Five　knights；〃　he　said　glumly　after　his　cousin　had　gone。　〃Duncan；　I　am　loath　to　dash　your　hopes；　but。。。〃
　〃If　your　cousin　can　bring　the　men　be　speaks　of。。。〃
　〃Leo　Longthorn？　The　Brute　of　Bracken？　The　Laughing　Storm？〃　Raymun　stood。　〃He　knows　all　of　them；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　I　would　be　less　certain　that　any　of　them　know　him。　Steffon　sees　this　as　a　chance　for　glory；　but　it　means　your　life。　You　should　find　your　own　men。　I'll　help。　Better　you　have　too　many　champions　tha