grrm.thehedgeknight-第9部分

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　〃And　strong　as　an　aurochs；　by　the　look　of　you；〃　said　Baelor　Breakspear。　〃No　harm　was　done；　ser。　Rise。〃
　Dunk　got　to　his　feet；　wondering　if　he　should　keep　his　head　down　or　if　he　was　allowed　to　look　a　prince　in　the　face。　I　am　speaking　with　Baelor　Targaryen；　Prince　of　Dragonstone；　Hand　of　the　King；　and　heir　apparent　to　the　Iron　Throne　of　Aegon　the　Conqueror。　What　could　a　hedge　knight　dare　say　to　such　a　person？　〃Y…you　gave　him　back　his　horse　and　armor　and　took　no　ransom；　I　remember；〃　he　stammered。　〃The　old　…　Ser　Arlan；　he　told　me　you　were　the　soul　of　chivalry；　and　that　one　day　the　Seven　Kingdoms　would　be　safe　in　your　hands。〃
　〃Not　for　many　a　year　still；　I　pray；〃　Prince　Baelor　said。
　〃No；〃　said　Dunk；　horrified。　He　almost　said；　I　didn't　mean　that　the　king　should　die；　but　stopped　himself　in　time。　〃I　am　sorry；　m'lord。　Your　Grace；　I　mean。〃
　Belatedly　he　recalled　that　the　stocky　man　with　the　silver　beard　had　addressed　Prince　Baelor　as　brother。　He　is　blood　of　the　dragon　as　well；　damn　me　for　a　fool。　He　could　only　be　Prince　Maekar；　the　youngest　of　King　Daeron's　four　sons。　Prince　Aerys　was　bookish　and　Prince　Rhaegel　mad；　meek；　and　sickly。　Neither　was　like　to　cross　half　the　realm　to　attend　a　tourney；　but　Maekar　was　said　to　be　a　redoubtable　warrior　in　his　own　right；　though　ever　in　the　shadow　of　his　eldest　brother。
　〃You　wish　to　enter　the　lists；　is　that　it？〃　asked　Prince　Baelor。　〃That　decision　rests　with　the　master　of　the　games；　but　I　see　no　reason　to　deny　you。〃
　The　steward　inclined　his　head。　〃As　you　say；　my　lord。〃
　Dunk　tried　to　stammer　out　thanks；　but　Prince　Maekar　cut　him　off。　〃Very　well；　ser；　you　are　grateful。　Now　be　off　with　you。〃
　〃You　must　forgive　my　noble　brother；　ser；〃　said　Prince　Baelor。　〃Two　of　his　sons　have　gone　astray　on　their　way　here；　and　he　fears　for　them。〃
　〃The　spring　rains　have　swollen　many　of　the　streams；〃　said　Dunk。　〃Perhaps　the　princes　are　only　delayed。〃
　〃I　did　not　e　here　to　take　counsel　from　a　hedge　knight；〃　Prince　Maekar　declared　to　his　brother。
　〃You　may　go；　ser；〃　Prince　Baelor　told　Dunk；　not　unkindly。
　〃Yes；　my　lord。〃　He　bowed　and　turned。
　But　before　he　could　get　away；　the　prince　called　after　him。　〃Ser。　One　thing　more。　You　are　not　of　Ser　Arlan's　blood？〃
　〃Yes；　m'lord。　I　mean；　no。　I'm　not。〃
　The　prince　nodded　at　the　battered　shield　Dunk　carried；　and　the　winged　chalice　upon　its　face。　〃By　law；　only　a　trueborn　son　is　entitled　to　inherit　a　knight's　arms。　You　must　needs　find　a　new　device；　ser；　a　sigil　of　your　own。〃
　〃I　will；〃　said　Dunk。　〃Thank　you　again；　Your　Grace。　I　will　fight　bravely；　you'll　see。〃　As　brave　as　Baelor　Breakspear；　the　old　man　would　often　say。
　
　The　winesellers　and　sausage　makers　were　doing　a　brisk　trade；　and　whores　walked　brazenly　among　the　stalls　and　pavilions。　Some　were　pretty　enough；　one　red…haired　girl　in　particular。　He　could　not　help　staring　at　her　breasts；　the　way　they　moved　under　her　loose　shift　as　she　sauntered　past。　He　thought　of　the　silver　in　his　pouch。　I　could　have　her；　if　I　liked。　She'd　like　the　clink　of　my　coin　well　enough；　I　could　take　her　back　to　my　camp　and　have　her；　all　night　if　I　wanted。　He　had　never　lain　with　a　woman；　and　for　all　he　knew　he　might　die　in　his　first　tilt。　Tourneys　could　be　dangerous　。　。　。　but　whores　could　be　dangerous　too；　the　old　man　had　warned　him　of　that。　She　might　rob　me　while　I　slept；　and　what　would　I　do　then？　When　the　red…haired　girl　glanced　back　over　her　shoulder　at　him；　Dunk　shook　his　head　and　walked　away。
　He　found　Egg　at　the　puppet　show；　sitting　crosslegged　on　the　ground　with　the　hood　of　his　cloak　pulled　all　the　way　forward　to　hide　his　baldness。　The　boy　had　been　afraid　to　enter　the　castle；　which　Dunk　put　down　to　equal　parts　shyness　and　shame。　He　does　not　think　himself　worthy　to　mingle　with　lords　and　ladies；　let　alone　great　princes。　It　had　been　the　same　with　him　when　he　was　little。　The　world　beyond　Flea　Bottom　had　seemed　as　frightening　as　it　was　exciting。　Egg　needs　time；　that's　all。　For　the　present；　it　seemed　kinder　to　give　the　lad　a　few　coppers　and　let　him　enjoy　himself　among　the　stalls　than　to　drag　him　along　unwilling　into　the　castle。
　This　morning　the　puppeteers　were　doing　the　tale　of　Florian　and　Jonquil。　The　fat　Dornishwoman　was　working　Florian　in　his　armor　made　of　motley；　while　the　tall　girl　held　Jonquil's　strings。　〃You　are　no　knight；〃　she　was　saying　as　the　puppet's　mouth　moved　up　and　down。　〃I　know　you。　You　are　Florian　the　Fool。〃
　〃I　am；　my　lady；〃　the　other　puppet　answered；　kneeling。　〃As　great　a　fool　as　ever　lived；　and　as　great　a　knight　as　well。〃
　〃A　fool　and　a　knight？〃　said　Jonquil。　〃I　have　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。〃
　〃Sweet　lady；〃　said　Florian；　〃all　men　are　fools；　and　all　men　are　knights；　where　women　are　concerned。〃
　It　was　a　good　show；　sad　and　sweet　both；　with　a　sprightly　swordfight　at　the　end；　and　a　nicely　painted　giant。　When　it　was　over；　the　fat　woman　went　among　the　crowd　to　collect　coins　while　the　girl　packed　away　the　puppets。
　Dunk　collected　Egg　and　went　up　to　her。
　〃M'lord？〃　she　said；　with　a　sideways　glance　and　a　half…smile。　She　was　a　head　shorter　than　he　was；　but　still　taller　than　any　other　girl　he　had　ever　seen。
　〃That　was　good；〃　Egg　enthused。　〃I　like　how　you　make　them　move；　Jonquil　and　the　dragon　and　all。　I　saw　a　puppet　show　last　year；　but　they　moved　all　jerky。　Yours　are　more　smooth。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　told　the　boy　politely。
　Dunk　said；　〃Your　figures　are　well　carved　too。　The　dragon；　especially。　A　fearsome　beast。　You　make　them　yourself？〃
　She　nodded。　〃My　uncle　does　the　carving。　I　paint　them。〃
　〃Could　you　paint　something　for　me？　I　have　the　coin　to　pay。〃　He　slipped　the　shield　off　his　shoulder　and　turned　it　to　show　her。　〃I　need　to　paint　something　over　the　chalice。〃
　The　girl　glanced　at　the　shield；　and　then　at　him。
　〃What　would　you　want　painted？〃
　Dunk　had　not　considered　that。　If　not　the　old　man's　winged　chalice；　what？　His　head　was　empty。　Dunk　the　lunk；　thick　as　a　castle　wall。　〃I　don't　。　。　。　I'm　not　certain。〃　His　ears　were　turning　red；　he　realized　miserably。　〃You　must　think　me　an　utter　fool。〃
　She　smiled。　〃All　men　are　fools；　and　all　men　are　knights。〃
　〃What　color　paint　do　you　have？〃　he　asked；　hoping　that　might　give　him　an　idea。
　〃I　can　mix　paints　to　make　any　color　you　want。〃
　The　old　man's　brown　had　always　seemed　drab　to　Dunk。　〃The　field　should　be　the　color　of　sunset；〃　he　said　suddenly。　〃The　old　man　liked　sunsets。　And　the　device　。　。　。
　〃An　elm　tree；〃　said　Egg。　〃A　big　elm　tree；　like　the　one　by　the　pool；　with　a　brown　trunk　and　green　branches。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Dunk　said。　〃That　would　serve。　An　elm　tree　。　。　。　but　with　a　shooting　star　above。　Could　you　do　that？〃
　The　girl　nodded。　〃Give　me　the　shield。　I'll　paint　it　this　very　night；　and　have　it　back　to　you　on　the　morrow。〃
　Dunk　handed　it　over。　〃I　am　called　Ser　Duncan　the　Tall。〃
　〃I'm　Tanselle；〃　she　laughed。　〃Tanselle　Too…Tall；　the　boys　used　to　call　me。〃
　〃You're　not　too　tall；〃　Dunk　blurted　out。　〃You're　just　right　for。　。　。〃　He　realized　what　he　had　been　about　to　say；　and　blushed　furiously。
　〃For？〃　said　Tanselle；　cocking　her　head　inquisitively。
　〃Puppets；〃　he　finished　lamely。
　
　The　first　day　of　the　tourney　dawned　bright　and　clear。　Dunk　bought　a　sackful　of　foodstuffs；　so　they　were　able　to　break　their　fast　on　goose　eggs；　fried　bread；　and　bacon；　but　when　the　food　was　cooked　he　found　he　had　no　appetite。　His　belly　felt　hard　as　a　rock；　even　though　he　knew　he　would　not　ride　today。　The　right　of　first　challenge　would　go　to　knights　of　higher　birth　and　greater　renown；　to　lords　and　their　Sons　and　champions　from　other　tourneys。
　Egg　chattered　all　through　their　breakfast；　talking　of　this　man　and　that　man　and　how　they　might　fare。　He　was　not　japing　me　when　he　said　he　knew　every　good　knight　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　Dunk　thought　ruefully。　He　found　it　humbling　to　listen　so　intently　to　the　words　of　a　scrawny　orphan　boy；　but　Egg's　knowledge　might　serve　him　should　he　face　one　of　these　men　in　a　tilt。
　The　meadow　was　a　churning　mass　of　people；　all　trying　to　elbow　their　way　closer　for　a　better　view。　Dunk　was　as　good　an　elbower　as　any；　and　bigger　than　most。　He　squirmed　forward　to　a　rise　six　yards　from　the　fence。　When　Egg　plained　that　all　he　could　see　were　arses；　Dunk　sat　the　boy　on　his　shoulders。　Across　the　field；　the　viewing　stand　was　filling　up　with　h