Bywater glanced over the names and smiled. “As you will.” “There’s one,” Tyrion said quietly. “Deem. Tell the captain it would not be taken amiss if that one should happen to be swept overboard before they reach Eastwatch.” “I’m told those northern waters are very stormy, my lord.” Ser Jacelyn bowed and took his leave, his cloak
rippling1 behind him. He trod on Slynt’s cloth-of-gold
cape2 on his way. Tyrion sat alone,
sipping3 at what remained of the fine sweet Dornish wine. Servants came and went, clearing the dishes from the table. He told them to leave the wine. When they were done, Varys came
gliding5 into the hall, wearing flowing lavender robes that matched his smell. “Oh sweetly done, my good lord.” “Then why do I have this bitter taste in my mouth?” He pressed his fingers into his temples. “I told them to throw Allar Deem into the sea. I am sorely
tempted6 to do the same with you.” “You might be disappointed by the result,” Varys replied. “The storms come and go, the waves crash overhead, the big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on paddling. Might I trouble you for a taste of the wine that Lord Slynt enjoyed so much?” Tyrion waved at the flagon, frowning. Varys filled a cup. “Ah. Sweet as summer.” He took another
sip4. “I hear the grapes singing on my tongue.” “I wondered what that noise was. Tell the grapes to keep still, my head is about to split. It was my sister. That was what the oh-so-loyal Lord Janos refused to say. Cersei sent the gold cloaks to that brothel.” Varys tittered
nervously8. So he had known all along. “You left that part out,” Tyrion said accusingly. “Your own sweet sister,” Varys said, so grief-stricken he looked close to tears. “It is a hard thing to tell a man, my lord. I was fearful how you might take it. Can you forgive me?” “No,” Tyrion snapped. “Damn you. Damn her.” He could not touch Cersei, he knew. Not yet, not even if he’d wanted to, and he was far from certain that he did. Yet it
rankled9, to sit here and make a mummer’s show of justice by punishing the sorry likes of Janos Slynt and Allar Deem, while his sister continued on her
savage10 course. “In future, you will tell me what you know, Lord Varys. All of what you know.” The eunuch’s smile was sly. “That might take rather a long time, my good lord. I know quite a lot.” “Not enough to save this child, it would seem.” “Alas, no. There was another
bastard11, a boy, older. I took steps to see him removed from harm’s way... but I confess, I never dreamed the babe would be at risk. A baseborn girl, less than a year old, with a whore for a mother. What threat could she pose?” “She was Robert’s,” Tyrion said bitterly. “That was enough for Cersei, it would seem.” “Yes. It is grievous sad. I must blame myself for the poor sweet babe and her mother, who was so young and loved the king.” “Did she?” Tyrion had never seen the dead girl’s face, but in his mind she was Shae and Tysha both. “Can a whore truly love anyone, I wonder? No, don’t answer. Some things I would rather not know.” He had settled Shae in a
sprawling12 stone-and-timber manse, with its own well and stable and garden; he had given her servants to see to her wants, a white bird from the Summer
Isles13 to keep her company, silks and silver and gemstones to
adorn14 her, guards to protect her. And yet she seemed
restive15. She wanted to be with him more, she told him; she wanted to serve him and help him. “You help me most here, between the sheets,” he told her one night after their loving as he lay beside her, his head pillowed against her breast, his groin aching with a sweet soreness. She made no reply, save with her eyes. He could see there that it was not what she’d wanted to hear. Sighing, Tyrion started to reach for the wine again, then remembered Lord Janos and pushed the flagon away. “It does seem my sister was telling the truth about
Stark16’s death. We have my nephew to thank for that madness.” “King Joffrey gave the command. Janos Slynt and Ser Ilyn Payne carried it out, swiftly, without
hesitation17...” “... almost as if they had expected it. Yes, we have been over this ground before, without profit. A
folly18.” “With the City Watch in hand, my lord, you are well placed to see to it that His Grace commits no further...
follies19? To be sure, there is still the queen’s household guard to consider...” “The red cloaks?” Tyrion
shrugged20. “Vylarr’s
loyalty21 is to Casterly Rock. He knows I am here with my father’s authority. Cersei would find it hard to use his men against me... besides, they are only a hundred. I have half again as many men of my own. And six thousand gold cloaks, if Bywater is the man you claim.” “You will find Ser Jacelyn to be
courageous22, honorable, obedient... and most grateful.” “To whom, I wonder?” Tyrion did not trust Varys, though there was no denying his value. He knew things, beyond a doubt. “Why are you so helpful, my lord Varys?” he asked, studying the man’s soft hands, the bald powdered face, the slimy little smile. “You are the Hand. I serve the realm, the king, and you.” “As you served Jon Arryn and Eddard Stark?” “I served Lord Arryn and Lord Stark as best I could. I was saddened and
horrified23 by their most untimely deaths.” “Think how I feel. I’m like to be next.” “Oh, I think not,” Varys said,
swirling24 the wine in his cup. “Power is a curious thing, my lord. Perchance you have considered the
riddle25 I posed you that day in the inn?” “It has crossed my mind a time or two,” Tyrion admitted. “The king, the priest, the rich man-who lives and who dies? Who will the swordsman obey? It’s a riddle without an answer, or rather, too many answers. All depends on the man with the sword.” “And yet he is no one,” Varys said. “He has neither crown nor gold nor favor of the gods, only a piece of
pointed7 steel.” “That piece of steel is the power of life and death.” “Just so... yet if it is the swordsmen who rule us in truth, why do we pretend our kings hold the power? Why should a strong man with a sword ever obey a child king like Joffrey, or a wine-sodden oaf like his father? “ “Because these child kings and drunken oafs can call other strong men, with other swords.” “Then these other swordsmen have the true power. Or do they? Whence came their swords? Why do they obey?” Varys smiled. “Some say knowledge is power. Some tell us that all power comes from the gods. Others say it
derives26 from law. Yet that day on the steps of Baelor’s Sept, our godly High Septon and the
lawful27 Queen Regent and your everso-knowledgeable servant were as powerless as any cobbler or cooper in the crowd. Who truly killed Eddard Stark do you think? Joffrey, who gave the command? Ser Ilyn Payne, who swung the sword? Or... another?” Tyrion cocked his head sideways. “Did you mean to answer your damned riddle, or only to make my head ache worse?” Varys smiled. “Here, then. Power resides where men believe it resides. No more and no less.” “So power is a mummer’s trick?” “A shadow on the wall,” Varys murmured, “yet shadows can kill. And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.” Tyrion smiled. “Lord Varys, I am growing strangely fond of you. I may kill you yet, but I think I’d feel sad about it.” “I will take that as high praise.”
点击
收听单词发音
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1
rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 |
参考例句： |
- I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
- The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。
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2
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 |
参考例句： |
- I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
- She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。
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3
sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
- She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。
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sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 |
参考例句： |
- She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
- Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔
adj. 滑动的 |
参考例句： |
- Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
- The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） |
参考例句： |
- I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
- I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
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7
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 |
参考例句： |
- He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
- She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 |
参考例句： |
- He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
- He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
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rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- Her comments still rankled. 她的评价仍然让人耿耿于怀。
- The insult rankled in his mind. 这种侮辱使他心里难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 |
参考例句： |
- The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
- He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
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bastard
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| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 |
参考例句： |
- He was never concerned about being born a bastard.他从不介意自己是私生子。
- There was supposed to be no way to get at the bastard.据说没有办法买通那个混蛋。
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） |
参考例句： |
- He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
- a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇
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isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- the geology of the British Isles 不列颠群岛的地质
- The boat left for the isles. 小船驶向那些小岛。
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adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 |
参考例句： |
- She loved to adorn herself with finery.她喜欢穿戴华丽的服饰。
- His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.他的水彩设计使许多图书大为生色。
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restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 |
参考例句： |
- The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
- The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 |
参考例句： |
- The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
- He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 |
参考例句： |
- After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
- There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 |
参考例句： |
- Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
- Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。
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follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- He has given up youthful follies. 他不再做年轻人的荒唐事了。
- The writings of Swift mocked the follies of his age. 斯威夫特的作品嘲弄了他那个时代的愚人。
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20
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） |
参考例句： |
- Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
- She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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21
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 |
参考例句： |
- She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
- His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。
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22
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 |
参考例句： |
- We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
- He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。
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23
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 |
参考例句： |
- The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
- We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
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24
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句
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25
riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 |
参考例句： |
- The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
- Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。
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26
derives
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| v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 |
参考例句： |
- English derives in the main from the common Germanic stock. 英语主要源于日耳曼语系。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He derives his income from freelance work. 他以自由职业获取收入。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 |
参考例句： |
- It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
- We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。
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