SANSA
44 珊莎
”He wouldn’t send Ser Loras,” Sansa told Jeyne Poole that night as they shared a cold supper by lamplight. “I think it was because of his leg.”
“他竟然不肯派洛拉斯爵士去,”当晚她们一同就着油灯、吃冰冷的晚餐时,珊莎把这件事告诉珍妮·普尔。“我觉得一定是他脚受伤的关系。”
Lord Eddard had taken his supper in his bedchamber with Alyn, Harwin, and Vayon Poole, the better to rest his broken leg, and Septa Mordane had complained of sore feet after standing in the gallery all day. Arya was supposed to join them, but she was late coming back from her dancing lesson.
为了休养腿伤,艾德大人在他的卧房里与埃林、哈尔温和维扬·普尔共进晚餐,而茉丹修女在走廊上站了整天,抱怨起两脚酸痛,没有出来用饭。本来艾莉亚该跟她们一起吃,但她上舞蹈课还没回来。
“His leg?” Jeyne said uncertainly. She was a pretty, dark-haired girl of Sansa’s own age. “Did Ser Loras hurt his leg?”
“他脚受伤?”珍妮不确定地说。她和珊莎同龄,是个可爱的黑发女孩。“洛拉斯爵士脚受伤了?”
“Not his leg,” Sansa said, nibbling delicately at a chicken leg. “Father’s leg, silly. It hurts him ever so much, it makes him cross. Otherwise I’m certain he would have sent Ser Loras.”
“不是他的腿,”珊莎边说边优雅地咬着鸡腿。“傻瓜,是我父亲的腿。你看他痛得那么厉害,连脾气也暴躁起来了。不然我想他一定会派洛拉斯爵士去的。”
Her father’s decision still bewildered her. When the Knight of Flowers had spoken up, she’d been sure she was about to see one of Old Nan’s stories come to life. Ser Gregor was the monster and Ser Loras the true hero who would slay him. He even looked a true hero, so slim and beautiful, with golden roses around his slender waist and his rich brown hair tumbling down into his eyes. And then Father had refused him! It had upset her more than she could tell. She had said as much to Septa Mordane as they descended the stairs from the gallery, but the septa had only told her it was not her place to question her lord father’s decisions.
父亲的决定令她颇感困惑。百花骑士发言的时候,她本以为自己就要亲眼见到老奶妈的故事成真。格雷果爵士是怪兽,而洛拉斯爵士则是真正的英雄,定会将之斩杀。他那么纤瘦美丽,黄金玫瑰围绕着纤细腰身,浓密的棕发坠进双眼,活脱脱就是真英雄的模样。结果父亲竟一口回绝了他!她气得说不出话来。事后她和茉丹修女从长廊走下楼梯时,她忍不住说出自己的想法,但修女却说她不该过问父亲的决定。
That was when Lord Baelish had said, “Oh, I don’t know, Septa. Some of her lord father’s decisions could do with a bit of questioning. The young lady is as wise as she is lovely.” He made a sweeping bow to Sansa, so deep she was not quite sure if she was being complimented or mocked.
这时一旁的贝里席伯爵接口道:“哎,修女,我也弄不明白,只觉得她父亲大人有些决策可以再深思熟虑一些。我看您家小姐的睿智不输她的美貌。”说完他向珊莎深深鞠躬,弯腰的程度反而让珊莎怀疑他究竟是在恭维还是讥讽。
Septa Mordane had been very upset to realize that Lord Baelish had overheard them. “The girl was just talking, my lord,” she’d said. “Foolish chatter. She meant nothing by the comment.”
茉丹修女发现她们的谈话内容被贝里席大人听见,非常不悦。“大人,这孩子只是随便说说,”她说,“不过是瞎说话,没什么特别意思。”
Lord Baelish stroked his little pointed beard and said, “Nothing? Tell me, child, why would you have sent Ser Loras?”
贝里席大人捻捻尖胡子,“没有?孩子,告诉我,为什么你觉得应该派洛拉斯爵士去呢?”
Sansa had no choice but to explain about heroes and monsters. The king’s councillor smiled. “Well, those are not the reasons I’d have given, but?.?.?.?” He had touched her cheek, his thumb lightly tracing the line of a cheekbone. “Life is not a song, sweetling. You may learn that one day to your sorrow.”
珊莎别无选择,只好把英雄和怪兽那套和盘托出。国王的重臣微笑道:“呵,这可不是我的理由,不过……”他碰了碰她脸颊,手指轻轻划过颧骨轮廓。“小可爱,人生不比歌谣。有朝一日,你可能会大失所望。”
Sansa did not feel like telling all that to Jeyne, however; it made her uneasy just to think back on it.
珊莎觉得没必要把这席话也告诉珍妮,光想想就够让她不安了。
“Ser Ilyn’s the King’s Justice, not Ser Loras,” Jcyne said. “Lord Eddard should have sent him.”
“国王的执法官是伊林爵士,不是洛拉斯爵士,”珍妮说,“艾德大人应该派他去才对。”
Sansa shuddered. Every time she looked at Ser Ilyn Payne, she shivered. He made her feel as though something dead were slithering over her naked skin. “Ser Ilyn’s almost like a second monster. I’m glad Father didn’t pick him.”
珊莎听了不禁发起抖来。每次她见到伊林·派恩爵士,总是无法克制地颤抖,仿佛有什么死掉的东西在贴着皮肤滑动。“伊林爵士也跟怪兽没两样。我很高兴父亲没选他去。”
“Lord Beric is as much a hero as Ser Loras. He’s ever so brave and gallant.”
“要论谁是真英雄,贝里大人也不输洛拉斯爵士啊,你瞧他那英勇高贵的模样。”
“I suppose,” Sansa said doubtfully. Beric Dondarrion was handsome enough, but he was awfully old, almost twenty-two; the Knight of Flowers would have been much better. Of course, Jeyne had been in love with Lord Beric ever since she had first glimpsed him in the lists. Sansa thought she was being silly; Jeyne was only a steward’s daughter, after all, and no matter how much she mooned after him, Lord Beric would never look at someone so far beneath him, even if she hadn’t been half his age.
“也是啦。”珊莎有些怀疑地说。贝里·唐德利恩是挺英俊,但他实在有点“老”,都快满二十二岁的人了。还是百花骑士比较合适。话说回来,当初在竞技场上珍妮对贝里伯爵可是一见钟情。珊莎觉得珍妮真蠢,她不过是个管家的女儿,不管多么痴心妄想,贝里大人也绝不可能青睐地位比他低这么多的对象,更何况她的岁数只有他的一半。
It would have been unkind to say so, however, so Sansa took a sip of milk and changed the subject. “I had a dream that Joffrey would be the one to take the white hart,” she said. It had been more of a wish, actually, but it sounded better to call it a dream. Everyone knew that dreams were prophetic. White harts were supposed to be very rare and magical, and in her heart she knew her gallant prince was worthier than his drunken father.
然而这话说出口太伤人,因此珊莎啜了口牛奶,岔开话题。“我梦见乔佛里会得到那头白鹿喔。”她说。事实上这不过是个小小的希望,但说成梦听起来比较好。大家都知道梦是预言和先兆。传说白鹿非常稀少,具有魔力,她心里非常清楚她那英勇的王子比他的酒鬼老爸更有资格得到它。
“A dream? Truly? Did Prince Joffrey just go up to it and touch it with his bare hand and do it no harm?”
“你梦见了?真的吗?乔佛里王子是不是就走上前去,伸手摸摸它,不让它受任何伤害呢?”
“No,” Sansa said. “He shot it with a golden arrow and brought it back for me.” In the songs, the knights never killed magical beasts, they just went up to them and touched them and did them no harm, but she knew Joffrey liked hunting, especially the killing part. Only animals, though. Sansa was certain her prince had no part in murdering Jory and those other poor men; that had been his wicked uncle, the Kingslayer. She knew her father was still angry about that, but it wasn’t fair to blame Joff. That would be like blaming her for something that Arya had done.
“才不是,”珊莎道,“他用一支黄金箭把它射死,然后把它带回来给我。”歌谣里的骑士从不会杀害魔法动物,他们都是走上前去伸手抚摸它们,绝不加以伤害,但她知道乔佛里喜欢打猎,尤其是杀戮的部分。不过他只喜欢杀动物。珊莎很确定她的王子与杀害乔里和其他可怜人无关,那都是他的坏舅舅弑君者干的。她知道父亲依旧为此事生气,但他不该为此责怪小乔,否则就好像艾莉亚闯了祸,却来怪她一样。
“I saw your sister this afternoon,” Jeyne blurted out, as if she’d been reading Sansa’s thoughts. “She was walking through the stables on her hands. Why would she do a thing like that?”
“我今天下午看到你妹妹了,”珍妮脱口而出,仿佛能看穿珊莎的思绪。“瞧她两手倒立在马厩里走来走去的样子。她干嘛那样啊?”
“I’m sure I don’t know why Arya does anything.” Sansa hated stables, smelly places full of manure and flies. Even when she went riding, she liked the boy to saddle the horse and bring it to her in the yard. “Do you want to hear about the court or not?”
“我完全搞不懂艾莉亚做事的动机。”珊莎最讨厌像马厩那样充斥肥料和苍蝇恶臭的地方。就连外出骑马,她通常也是先叫马僮给马上好鞍,再牵到庭院里给她。“你到底想不想听宫里的事嘛?”
“I do,” Jeyne said.
“想。”珍妮说。
“There was a black brother,” Sansa said, “begging men for the Wall, only he was kind of old and smelly.” She hadn’t liked that at all. She had always imagined the Night’s Watch to be men like Uncle Benjen. In the songs, they were called the black knights of the Wall. But this man had been crookbacked and hideous, and he looked as though he might have lice. If this was what the Night’s Watch was truly like, she felt sorry for her bastard half brother, Jon. “Father asked if there were any knights in the hall who would do honor to their houses by taking the black, but no one came forward, so he gave this Yoren his pick of the king’s dungeons and sent him on his way. And later these two brothers came before him, freeriders from the Dornish Marches, and pledged their swords to the service of the king. Father accepted their oaths?.?.?.?”
“今天有个黑衣弟兄,”珊莎说,“来拜托多送点人手去守长城,可他又老又臭。”她一点也不喜欢那个人的模样。她以前总把守夜人都想像成班扬叔叔那样。在歌谣里,大家可称他们为长城上的黑骑士呢。然而今天这人驼着个背,面目可憎,活像生了一身虱子似的。假如守夜人都是这副德行,那她还真为她的同父异母私生子哥哥琼恩感到遗憾。“父亲询问在场的骑士,有没有人愿意披挂黑衣,借此光耀门楣,结果无人响应,最后他让这个叫尤伦的家伙自己去国王的地牢里挑选想要的人,遣他走了。随后来了两个自由骑手,他们是一对来自多恩边疆的兄弟,想要宣誓投效国王。父亲接受了他们的誓约……”
Jeyne yawned. “Are there any lemon cakes?”
珍妮打个哈欠。“还有柠檬蛋糕吗?”
Sansa did not like being interrupted, but she had to admit, lemon cakes sounded more interesting than most of what had gone on in the throne room. “Let’s see,” she said.
珊莎不喜欢被人打断,但她承认跟王座厅里处理的大部分事务比起来,柠檬蛋糕要有意思多了。“我们去看看罢。”
The kitchen yielded no lemon cakes, but they did find half of a cold strawberry pie, and that was almost as good. They ate it on the tower steps, giggling and gossiping and sharing secrets, and Sansa went to bed that night feeling almost as wicked as Arya.
厨房里没有柠檬蛋糕,不过她们找到了半块凉掉的草莓派,也还可以接受。她们在高塔的楼梯间把派吃得一干二净,一边咯咯笑着交换闲话传闻和秘密心事。当晚珊莎上床的时候,觉得自己调皮得简直和艾莉亚一样。
The next morning she woke before first light and crept sleepily to her window to watch Lord Beric form up his men. They rode out as dawn was breaking over the city, with three banners going before them; the crowned stag of the king flew from the high staff, the direwolf of Stark and Lord Beric’s own forked lightning standard from shorter poles. It was all so exciting, a song come to life; the clatter of swords, the flicker of torchlight, banners dancing in the wind, horses snorting and whinnying, the golden glow of sunrise slanting through the bars of the portcullis as it jerked upward. The Winterfell men looked especially fine in their silvery mail and long grey cloaks.
翌日清晨,天还没亮她就起来,睡眼惺忪地爬到窗边观望贝里伯爵整队出发。晓色才刚笼罩城市,他们便已动身。整齐划一的队伍前方打着三面旗帜,王室的宝冠雄鹿飘扬在最高的旗杖顶端,史塔克家族的冰原奔狼和贝里伯爵的分岔闪电则悬挂在比较短的杆子上。刀剑碰撞,火炬摇曳,旗帜飘舞风中;战马嘶鸣,闸门拉起,旭日金光自闸门铁条斜射而进。一切都如此鲜烈、令人兴奋,宛如歌谣中的梦境成真。穿着银色战甲和灰色长披风的临冬城侍卫,看起来尤其英姿勃发。
Alyn carried the Stark banner. When she saw him rein in beside Lord Beric to exchange words, it made Sansa feel ever so proud. Alyn was handsomer than Jory had been; he was going to be a knight one day.
埃林高举着史塔克家族的旗帜。当她看见他在贝里伯爵身边勒住马缰,与之交谈的时候,珊莎觉得好骄傲。埃林比乔里英俊多了,有朝一日他必会当上骑士。
The Tower of the Hand seemed so empty after they left that Sansa was even pleased to see Arya when she went down to break her fast. “Where is everyone?” her sister wanted to know as she ripped the skin from a blood orange. “Did Father send them to hunt down Jaime Lannister?”
少了他们,首相塔显得空荡荡的,因此珊莎下楼吃早餐时,看到艾莉亚也觉得很高兴。“大家都上哪儿去了?”妹妹一边剥开血橙的皮,一边问,“父亲派他们去追捕詹姆·兰尼斯特了吗?”
Sansa sighed. “They rode with Lord Beric, to behead Ser Gregor Clegane.” She turned to Septa Mordane, who was eating porridge with a wooden spoon. “Septa, will Lord Beric spike Ser Gregor’s head on his own gate or bring it back here for the king?” She and Jeyne Poole had been arguing over that last night.
珊莎叹了口气。“他们是跟贝里大人一同去砍格雷果·克里冈爵士项上人头的,”她转头望着正用木匙舀燕麦粥吃的茉丹修女。“修女,贝里大人会把格雷果爵士的头挂在他家城门上,还是带回来给国王呢?”昨晚她和珍妮·普尔为此争论了半天。
The septa was horror-struck. “A lady does not discuss such things over her porridge. Where are your courtesies, Sansa? I swear, of late you’ve been near as bad as your sister.”
修女一脸惊恐。“官家小姐吃饭时怎么能讨论这种事?珊莎,你的礼貌到哪里去了?我敢对天发誓,最近你快变得跟你妹妹一样坏了。”
“What did Gregor do?” Arya asked.
“格雷果怎么啦?”艾莉亚问。
“He burned down a holdfast and murdered a lot of people, women and children too.”
“他烧毁了一座村庄,杀了很多人,其中还包括女人和小孩。”
Arya screwed up her face in a scowl. “Jaime Lannister murdered Jory and Heward and Wyl, and the Hound murdered Mycah. Somebody should have beheaded them.”
艾莉亚的脸皱成一团。“詹姆·兰尼斯特杀了乔里、海华和韦尔,猎狗杀了米凯,也该有人去砍他们的头。”
“It’s not the same,” Sansa said. “The Hound is Joffrey’s sworn shield. Your butcher’s boy attacked the prince.”
“那不一样,”珊莎说,“猎狗是宣誓保护乔佛里的贴身护卫,而你那杀猪小弟出手攻击王子。”
“Liar,” Arya said. Her hand clenched the blood orange so hard that red juice oozed between her fingers.
“你这个骗子。”艾莉亚说。她的手握紧血橙,红色的果汁从她指缝间汩汩流下。
“Go ahead, call me all the names you want,” Sansa said airily. “You won’t dare when I’m married to Joffrey. You’ll have to bow to me and call me Your Grace.” She shrieked as Arya flung the orange across the table. It caught her in the middle of the forehead with a wet squish and plopped down into her lap.
“你再骂啊,随你怎么骂,”珊莎轻快地说,“等我嫁给乔佛里,看你还敢不敢骂。到时候你就得低头向我行礼,称我为王后陛下了。”艾莉亚把血橙从桌子的那头朝她咂过来。珊莎一声尖叫,血橙正中额心,发出湿湿的、压扁的声音,随后扑通落在她膝盖上。
“You have juice on your face, Your Grace,” Arya said.
“王后陛下,您脸上有果汁耶。”艾莉亚说。
It was running down her nose and stinging her eyes. Sansa wiped it away with a napkin. When she saw what the fruit in her lap had done to her beautiful ivory silk dress, she shrieked again. “You’re horrible,” she screamed at her sister. “They should have killed you instead of Lady!”
果汁流上鼻子,剌痛她的眼睛。珊莎用餐巾把脸抹干净,当她发现果汁已把她漂亮的象牙色丝衣染得一塌糊涂时,她再度高声大叫。“你真是讨厌死了,”她朝妹妹尖叫,“当初他们不该杀淑女,应该杀你才对!”
Septa Mordane came lurching to her feet. “Your lord father will hear of this! Go to your chambers, at once. At once!”
茉丹修女脚步踉跄地站起来。“我要把这件事告诉你们父亲大人!你们马上给我回房间,现在就去!”
“Me too?” Tears welled in Sansa’s eyes. “That’s not fair.”
“我也要去?”珊莎的眼眶盈满泪水。“不公平嘛。”
“The matter is not subject to discussion. Go!”
“不要跟我辩,快去!”
Sansa stalked away with her head up. She was to be a queen, and queens did not cry. At least not where people could see. When she reached her bedchamber, she barred the door and took off her dress. The blood orange had left a blotchy red stain on the silk. “I hate her!” she screamed. She balled up the dress and flung it into the cold hearth, on top of the ashes of last night’s fire. When she saw that the stain had bled through onto her underskirt, she began to sob despite herself. She ripped off the rest of her clothes wildly, threw herself into bed, and cried herself back to sleep.
珊莎昂首离去。她将来是要当王后的,而王后决不轻易掉眼泪。回房之后,她放下门闩,脱去衣服。血橙汁在丝衣上留下一滩红渍。“我恨她!”她放声尖叫,把衣服揉成一团,丢进冷却的壁炉,落在昨夜炉火的灰烬上。这时她发现果汁已经渗进她的衬裙,于是再也无法遏制地啜泣起来。她狂乱地把身上所有的衣物统统撕开,整个人扑倒在床,哭着直到睡着。
It was midday when Septa Mordane knocked upon her door. “Sansa. Your lord father will see you now.”
等茉丹修女来敲门,已是日正当中。“珊莎。你父亲大人现在要见你。”
Sansa sat up. “Lady,” she whispered. For a moment it was as if the direwolf was there in the room, looking at her with those golden eyes, sad and knowing. She had been dreaming, she realized. Lady was with her, and they were running together, and?.?.?.?and?.?.?.?trying to remember was like trying to catch the rain with her fingers. The dream faded, and Lady was dead again.
珊莎坐起身。“淑女。”她悄声道。有那么一会儿,冰原狼仿佛真的置身屋内,用那双金黄的眼睛凝视着她,哀伤却又善解人意。她知道自己在做梦,但她好想淑女在身边,与她一同奔跑,以及……以及……回忆的企图如同伸手盛接雨水。梦境逸去,淑女又是已死之身。
“Sansa.” The rap came again, sharply. “Do you hear me?”
“珊莎,”敲门声再度传来,这回相当急促。“你听见没有?”
“Yes, Septa,” she called out. “Might I have a moment to dress, please?” Her eyes were red from crying, but she did her best to make herself beautiful.
“听见了,修女,”她喊,“能不能给我几分钟换衣服?”她虽然哭红了眼,还是尽力把自己打扮得美美的。
Lord Eddard was bent over a huge leather-bound book when Septa Mordane marched her into the solar, his plaster-wrapped leg stiff beneath the table. “Come here, Sansa,” he said, not unkindly, when the septa had gone for her sister. “Sit beside me.” He closed the book.
茉丹修女领她走进书房时,艾德公爵正埋首于一本皮革封面的大书中。他打了石膏的腿僵直地伸在桌下。“珊莎,你过来。”修女去找妹妹后,他开了口,脸色并无不悦,“过来坐我旁边。”说着他合上书。
Septa Mordane returned with Arya squirming in her grasp. Sansa had put on a lovely pale green damask gown and a look of remorse, but her sister was still wearing the ratty leathers and roughspun she’d worn at breakfast. “Here is the other one,” the septa announced.
不一会儿茉丹修女把扭来扭去的艾莉亚也抓来了。珊莎换了一件可爱的浅绿色缎子外衣,脸上堆满愧疚之色,但妹妹依旧穿着早餐时那套脏兮兮的皮背心,一身破烂。“这是另一个。”修女宣布。
“My thanks, Septa Mordane. I would talk to my daughters alone, if you would be so kind.” The septa bowed and left.
“茉丹修女,谢谢你。我想跟我女儿私下谈谈,可否请你让我们独处一下?”修女鞠了个躬离开了。
“Arya started it,” Sansa said quickly, anxious to have the first word. “She called me a liar and threw an orange at me and spoiled my dress, the ivory silk, the one Queen Cersei gave me when I was betrothed to Prince Joffrey. She hates that I’m going to marry the prince. She tries to spoil everything, Father, she can’t stand for anything to be beautiful or nice or splendid.”
“是艾莉亚先动手的,”珊莎立刻开口,生怕不能抢得先机。“她说我是骗子,然后拿血橙砸我,把我衣服弄脏了。那是瑟曦王后因为我跟乔佛里王子订婚特别送的,象牙色的丝衣呢。我要嫁给王子,她就恨我。什么事到她手里都会搞砸,父亲,她就是见不得任何漂亮的东西。”
“Enough, Sansa.” Lord Eddard’s voice was sharp with impatience.
“珊莎,够了。”艾德公爵的声音充满不耐。
Arya raised her eyes. “I’m sorry, Father. I was wrong and I beg my sweet sister’s forgiveness.”
艾莉亚抬眼道:“父亲,对不起,我错了,请好姐姐原谅我。”
Sansa was so startled that for a moment she was speechless. Finally she found her voice. “What about my dress?”
珊莎正在气头上,好一阵子说不出话来。最后她总算找回了声音:“那我的衣服怎么办?”
“Maybe?.?.?.?I could wash it,” Arya said doubtfully.
“我……或许我可以帮你洗。”艾莉亚不太确定地说。
“Washing won’t do any good,” Sansa said. “Not if you scrubbed all day and all night. The silk is ruined.”
“怎么洗都没用,”珊莎道,“就算你搓上整天整夜也一样。绸子已经毁了。”
“Then I’ll?.?.?.?make you a new one,” Arya said.
“那……我帮你做件新的。”艾莉亚说。
Sansa threw back her head in disdain. “You? You couldn’t sew a dress fit to clean the pigsties.”
珊莎嫌恶地甩头。“你?你缝的衣服拿去抹猪舍都不配。”
Their father sighed. “I did not call you here to talk of dresses. I’m sending you both back to Winterfell.”
父亲叹道:“我不是叫你们来讨论衣服的。我准备送你们回临冬城。”
For the second time Sansa found herself too stunned for words. She felt her eyes grow moist again.
珊莎震惊得好几秒钟说不出话,她感觉自己的眼睛又湿了。
“You can’t,” Arya said.
“不要嘛。”艾莉亚说。
“Please, Father,” Sansa managed at last. “Please don’t.”
“求求你,父亲大人,”最后珊莎终于说出话,“求求你别这样。”
Eddard Stark favored his daughters with a tired smile. “At last we’ve found something you agree on.”
艾德·史塔克对他两个女儿露出一丝疲惫的微笑。“你们总算有点共识了。”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Sansa pleaded with him. “I don’t want to go back.” She loved Mng’s Landing; the pagaentry of the court, the high lords and ladies in their velvets and silks and gemstones, the great city with all its people. The tournament had been the most magical time of her whole life, and there was so much she had not seen yet, harvest feasts and masked balls and mummer shows. She could not bear the thought of losing it all. “Send Arya away, she started it, Father, I swear it. I’ll be good, you’ll see, just let me stay and I promise to be as fine and noble and courteous as the queen.”
“我又没犯错,”珊莎哀求他,“我不想回去。”她爱死了君临宫廷的壮观华丽,身披绫罗绸缎的贵族男女,以及城里形形色色的人们。那场比武竞技是她一生中最奇妙的时光,而她还有好些东西没观赏过呢,比如丰收宴会、化妆舞会和默剧表演。想到要失去这一切,她实在受不了。“把艾莉亚送走就好,是她先动手的,父亲,我发誓。我会当个乖女儿,真的,只要你让我留下来,我保证我会像王后一样举止高贵又有礼貌。”
Father’s mouth twitched strangely. “Sansa, I’m not sending you away for fighting, though the gods know I’m sick of you two squabbling. I want you back in Winterfell for your own safety. Three of my men were cut down like dogs not a league from where we sit, and what does Robert do? He goes hunting.”
父亲的嘴角怪异地牵动了一下。“珊莎,我不是因为你们吵架才送你们走,虽然我实在也受够了你们成天拌嘴。我是考虑到你们的安危才希望你们回临冬城。我的三名部下在离此不到三里的地方被人像杀狗似地砍倒,结果劳勃怎么做?他跑去打猎!”
Arya was chewing at her lip in that disgusting way she had. “Can we take Syrio back with us?”
艾莉亚正用她那种恶心的方式噘着嘴唇。“我们可以带西利欧一起走吗?”
“Who cares about your stupid dancing master?” Sansa flared. “Father, I only just now remembered, I can’t go away, I’m to marry Prince Joffrey.” She tried to smile bravely for him. “I love him, Father, I truly truly do, I love him as much as Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, as much as Jonquil loved Ser Florian. I want to be his queen and have his babies.”
“谁理你的笨舞蹈老师啊?”珊莎怒道,“父亲,我才刚想起来,我不能走啊,我是要嫁给乔佛里王子的。”为了他的缘故,她试着勇敢地微笑。“我爱他,父亲,真的,就像奈丽诗王后爱龙骑士伊蒙王子,琼琪爱佛罗理安那样爱他。我想做他的王后,为他生孩子。”
“Sweet one,” her father said gently, “listen to me. When you’re old enough, I will make you a match with a high lord who’s worthy of you, someone brave and gentle and strong. This match with Joffrey was a terrible mistake. That boy is no Prince Aemon, you must believe me.”
“我亲爱的孩子,”父亲轻声说,“听我说,等你长大,我会帮你找个最配得上你的贵族,既勇敢又温柔又强壮。和乔佛里的这桩婚事是个可怕的错误。那小子可不是伊蒙王子,你得相信我。”
“He is!” Sansa insisted. “I don’t want someone brave and gentle, I want him. We’ll be ever so happy, just like in the songs, you’ll see. I’ll give him a son with golden hair, and one day he’ll be the king of all the realm, the greatest king that ever was, as brave as the wolf and as proud as the lion.”
“他当然是!”珊莎坚持,“我才不要什么勇敢温柔又强壮的人,我只要他。我们会像歌谣里唱的那样,永远过着幸福快乐的生活,你到时候就知道了。我要帮他生个金发儿子,有朝一日他会成为一国之君,有史以来最伟大的国王,像奔狼一样勇敢,如雄狮一般骄傲。”
Arya made a face. “Not if Joffrey’s his father,” she said. “He’s a liar and a craven and anyhow he’s a stag, not a lion.”
艾莉亚做了个鬼脸。“有乔佛里当老爸不可能啦,”她说,“他既是骗子又是胆小鬼,更何况他是鹿,不是狮子。”
Sansa felt tears in her eyes. “He is not! He’s not the least bit like that old drunken king,” she screamed at her sister, forgetting herself in her grief.
珊莎眼里都是泪水。“他才不是!他一点都不像那酒鬼国王。”她对着妹妹尖叫,悲伤之余完全忘记了礼节。
Father looked at her strangely. “Gods,” he swore softly, “out of the mouth of babes?.?.?.?” He shouted for Septa Mordane. To the girls he said, “I am looking for a fast trading galley to take you home. These days, the sea is safer than the kingsroad. You will sail as soon as I can find a proper ship, with Septa Mordane and a complement of guards?.?.?.?and yes, with Syrio Forel, if he agrees to enter my service. But say nothing of this. It’s better if no one knows of our plans. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”
父亲眼神怪异地看着她。“诸神啊,”他轻声咒道,“这话竟从小孩子口中说出来……”他高呼修女进门,然后对两个女孩说:“我打算让你们搭快速商船回家。最近走海路要比国王大道安全。等我找到合适的船,你们就跟茉丹修女和部分侍卫一起出发……如果西利欧·佛瑞尔愿意到我手下做事,也可以带他一起去。这个计划最好不要泄漏,我们明天再谈。”
Sansa cried as Septa Mordane marched them down the steps. They were going to take it all away; the tournaments and the court and her prince, everything, they were going to send her back to the bleak grey walls of Winterfell and lock her up forever. Her life was over before it had begun.
茉丹修女领她们走下台阶时,珊莎禁不住哭了。他们要把比武竞技、繁华宫廷和她的白马王子都夺走,叫她搭什么阴森森的鬼船回临冬城,然后把她永远关起来。她的生命还没开始,就要这么结束了。
“Stop that weeping, child,” Septa Mordane said sternly. “I am certain your lord father knows what is best for you.”
“孩子,别哭哭啼啼了,”茉丹修女严峻地说,“我相信你父亲大人知道怎么做对你最好。”
“It won’t be so bad, Sansa,” Arya said. “We’re going to sail on a galley. It will be an adventure, and then we’ll be with Bran and Robb again, and Old Nan and Hodor and the rest.” She touched her on the arm.
“珊莎,没那么糟啦。”艾莉亚道,“我们要坐船耶,这将是一次大冒险,然后我们就又可以和布兰、罗柏、老奶妈和阿多他们住在一起了。”她碰碰她的手臂。
“Hodor!” Sansa yelled. “You ought to marry Hodor, you’re just like him, stupid and hairy and ugly!” She wrenched away from her sister’s hand, stormed into her bedchamber, and barred the door behind her.
“阿多!”珊莎大吼,“你这么笨这么脏这么丑,干脆嫁给阿多算了!”说完她甩开妹妹的手,冲进卧房,用力把身后的门闩上。