grrm.thehedgeknight-第21部分

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ith　his　sword；　and　once　with　a　word；　even　though　he　was　a　dead　man　as　he　stood　there。　The　world　made　no　sense　when　a　great　prince　died　so　a　hedge　knight　might　live。　Dunk　sat　beneath　his　elm　and　stared　morosely　at　his　foot。
　
　When　four　guardsmen　in　the　royal　livery　appeared　in　his　camp　late　one　day；　he　was　sure　they　had　e　to　kill　him　after　all。　Too　weak　and　weary　to　reach　for　a　sword；　he　sat　with　his　back　to　the　elm；　waiting。
　〃Our　prince　begs　the　favor　of　a　private　word。〃
　〃Which　prince？〃　asked　Dunk；　wary。
　〃This　prince；〃　a　brusque　voice　said　before　the　captain　could　answer。　Maekar　Targaryen　walked　out　from　behind　the　elm。
　Dunk　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　What　would　he　have　of　me　now？
　Maekar　motioned；　and　the　guards　vanished　as　suddenly　as　they　had　appeared。　The　prince　studied　him　a　long　moment；　then　turned　and　paced　away　from　him　to　stand　beside　the　pool；　gazing　down　at　his　reflection　in　the　water。　〃I　have　sent　Aerion　to　Lys；〃　he　announced　abruptly。　〃A　few　years　in　the　Free　Cities　may　change　him　for　the　better。〃
　Dunk　had　never　been　to　the　Free　Cities；　so　he　did　not　know　what　to　say　to　that。　He　was　pleased　that　Aerion　was　gone　from　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　and　hoped　he　never　came　back；　but　that　was　not　a　thing　you　told　a　father　of　his　son。　He　stood　silent。
　Prince　Maekar　turned　to　face　him。　〃Some　men　will　say　I　meant　to　kill　my　brother。　The　gods　know　it　is　a　lie；　but　I　will　hear　the　whispers　till　the　day　I　die。　And　it　was　my　mace　that　dealt　the　fatal　blow；　I　have　no　doubt。　The　only　other　foes　he　faced　in　the　melee　were　three　Kingsguard；　whose　vows　forbade　them　to　do　any　more　than　defend　themselves。　So　it　was　me。　Strange　to　say；　I　do　not　recall　the　blow　that　broke　his　skull。　Is　that　a　mercy　or　a　curse？　Some　of　both；　I　think。〃
　From　the　way　he　looked　at　Dunk；　it　seemed　the　prince　wanted　an　answer。　〃I　could　not　say；　Your　Grace。〃　Perhaps　he　should　have　hated　Maekar；　but　instead　he　felt　a　queer　sympathy　for　the　man。　〃You　swung　the　mace；　m'lord；　but　it　was　for　me　Prince　Baelor　died。　So　I　killed　him　too；　as　much　as　you。〃
　〃Yes；〃　the　prince　admitted。　〃You'll　hear　them　whisper　as　well。　The　king　is　old。　When　he　dies；　Valarr　will　climb　the　Iron　Throne　in　place　of　his　father。　Each　time　a　battle　is　lost　or　a　crop　fails；　the　fools　will　say；　'Baelor　would　not　have　let　it　happen；　but　the　hedge　knight　killed　him。'〃
　Dunk　could　see　the　truth　in　that。　〃If　I　had　not　fought；　you　would　have　had　my　hand　off。　And　my　foot。　Sometimes　I　sit　under　that　tree　there　and　look　at　my　feet　and　ask　if　I　couldn't　have　spared　one。　How　could　my　foot　be　worth　a　prince's　life？　And　the　other　two　as　well；　the　Humfreys；　they　were　good　men　too。〃　Ser　Humfrey　Hardyng　had　succumbed　to　his　wounds　only　last　night。
　〃And　what　answer　does　your　tree　give　you？〃
　〃None　that　I　can　hear。　But　the　old　man；　Ser　Arlan；　every　day　at　evenfall　he'd　say；　'I　wonder　what　the　morrow　will　bring。'　He　never　knew；　no　more　than　we　do。　Well；　mighten　it　be　that　some　morrow　will　e　when　I'll　have　need　of　that　foot？　When　the　realm　will　need　that　foot；　even　more　than　a　prince's　life？〃
　Maekar　chewed　on　that　a　time；　mouth　clenched　beneath　the　silvery…pale　beard　that　made　his　face　seem　so　square。　〃It's　not　bloody　likely；〃　he　said　harshly。　〃The　realm　has　as　many　hedge　knights　as　hedges；　and　all　of　them　have　feet。〃
　〃If　Your　Grace　has　a　better　answer；　I'd　want　to　hear　it。〃
　Maekar　frowned。　〃It　may　be　that　the　gods　have　a　taste　for　cruel　japes。　Or　perhaps　there　are　no　gods。　Perhaps　none　of　this　had　any　meaning。　I'd　ask　the　High　Septon；　but　the　last　time　I　went　to　him　he　told　me　that　no　man　can　truly　understand　the　workings　of　the　gods。　Perhaps　he　should　try　sleeping　under　a　tree。〃　He　grimaced。　〃My　youngest　son　seems　to　have　grown　fond　of　you；　ser。　It　is　time　he　was　a　squire；　but　he　tells　me　he　will　serve　no　knight　but　you。　He　is　an　unruly　boy；　as　you　will　have　noticed。　Will　you　have　him？〃
　〃Me？〃　Dunk's　mouth　opened　and　closed　and　opened　again。　〃Egg　。　。　。　Aegon；　I　mean；　he　is　a　good　lad；　but；　Your　Grace；　I　know　you　honor　me；　but。。。　I　am　only　a　hedge　knight。〃
　〃That　can　be　changed；〃　said　Maekar。　〃Aegon　is　to　return　to　my　castle　at　Summerhall。　There　is　a　place　there　for　you；　if　you　wish。　A　knight　of　my　household。　You'll　swear　your　sword　to　me；　and　Aegon　can　squire　for　you。　While　you　train　him；　my　master…at…arms　will　finish　your　own　training。〃　The　prince　gave　him　a　shrewd　look。　〃Your　Ser　Arlan　did　all　he　could　for　you；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　you　still　have　much　to　learn。〃
　〃I　know；　m'lord。〃　Dunk　looked　about　him。　At　the　green　grass　and　the　reeds；　the　tall　elm；　the　ripples　dancing　across　the　surface　of　the　sunlit　pool。　Another　dragonfly　was　moving　across　the　water；　or　perhaps　it　was　the　same　one。　What　shall　it　be；　Dunk？　he　asked　himself。　Dragonflies　or　dragons？　A　few　days　ago　he　would　have　answered　at　once。　It　was　all　he　had　ever　dreamed；　but　now　that　the　prospect　was　at　hand　it　frightened　him。　〃Just　before　Prince　Baelor　died；　I　swore　to　be　his　man。〃
　〃Presumptuous　of　you；〃　said　Maekar。　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　〃That　the　realm　needed　good　men。〃
　〃That's　true　enough。　What　of　it？〃
　〃I　will　take　your　son　as　squire；　Your　Grace；　but　not　at　Summerhall。　Not　for　a　year　or　two。　He's　seen　sufficient　of　castles；　I　would　judge。　I'll　have　him　only　if　I　can　take　him　on　the　road　with　me。〃　He　pointed　to　old　Chestnut。　〃He'll　ride　my　steed；　wear　my　old　cloak；　and　he'll　keep　my　sword　sharp　and　my　mail　scoured。　We'll　sleep　in　inns　and　stables；　and　now　and　again　in　the　halls　of　some　landed　knight　or　lesser　lordling；　and　maybe　under　trees　when　we　must。〃
　Prince　Maekar　gave　him　an　incredulous　look。　〃Did　the　trial　addle　your　wits；　man？　Aegon　is　a　prince　of　the　realm。　The　blood　of　the　dragon。　Princes　are　not　made　for　sleeping　in　ditches　and　eating　hard　salt　beef。〃　He　saw　Dunk　hesitate。　〃What　is　it　you're　afraid　to　tell　me？　Say　what　you　will；　ser。〃
　〃Daeron　never　slept　in　a　ditch；　I'll　wager；〃　Dunk　said；　very　quietly；　〃and　all　the　beef　that　Aerion　ever　ate　was　thick　and　rare　and　bloody；　like　as　not。〃
　Maekar　Targaryen；　Prince　of　Summerhall；　regarded　Dunk　of　Flea　Bottom　for　a　long　time；　his　jaw　working　silently　beneath　his　silvery　beard。　Finally　he　turned　and　walked　away；　never　speaking　a　word。　Dunk　heard　him　riding　off　with　his　men。　When　they　were　gone；　there　was　no　sound　but　the　faint　thrum　of　the　dragonfly's　wings　as　it　skimmed　across　the　water。
　
　The　boy　came　the　next　morning；　just　as　the　sun　was　ing　up。　He　wore　old　boots；　brown　breeches；　a　brown　wool　tunic；　and　an　old　traveler's　cloak。　〃My　lord　father　says　I　am　to　serve　you。〃
　〃Serve　you；　ser；〃　Dunk　reminded　him。　〃You　can　start　by　saddling　the　horses。　Chestnut　is　yours；　treat　her　kindly。　I　don't　want　to　find　you　on　Thunder　unless　I　put　you　there。〃
　Egg　went　to　get　the　saddles。　〃Where　are　we　going；　ser？〃
　Dunk　thought　for　a　moment。　〃I　have　never　been　over　the　Red　Mountains。　Would　you　like　to　have　a　look　at　Dorne？〃
　Egg　grinned。　〃I　hear　they　have　good　puppet　shows；〃　he　said。
　
　THE　END



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