評論
打印
And what has my good sister done about this?
“我那親愛的姐姐有何應對之道？”
She is taking steps to restore the king's peace, Vylarr assured him. "Lord Slynt has tripled the size of the City Watch, and the queen has put a thousand craftsmen to work on our defenses. The stonemasons are strengthening the walls, carpenters are building scorpions and catapults by the hundred, fletchers are making arrows, the smiths are forging blades, and the Alchemists' Guild has pledged ten thousand jars of wildfire."
“她正逐步恢復國內治安，”維拉爾向他保證，“史林特大人將都城守備隊的人數增加到以前的三倍，太后則派了一千名工匠興建防御工事。石匠負責加厚城墻，木匠制作上百的巨弩和投石車，制箭匠忙著造箭，鐵匠則鍛造刀劍，煉金術士公會也愿意提供一萬罐野火。”
Tyrion shifted uncomfortably in his saddle. He was pleased that Cersei had not been idle, but wildfire was treacherous stuff, and ten thousand jars were enough to turn all of King's Landing into cinders. "Where has my sister found the coin to pay for all of this?" it was no secret that King Robert had left the crown vastly in debt, and alchemists were seldom mistaken for altruists.
提利昂一聽這話，略感不安地在馬鞍上動了動。他很高興瑟曦并未置身事外，但燃燒劑著實不牢靠，一萬罐這種東西足以把君臨燒成灰燼。“我姐姐哪有錢買這么多？”勞勃國王死后給王室留下巨額債務，這已經不是秘密，而練金術士又絕非大公無私。
Lord Littlefinger always finds a way, my lord. He has imposed a tax on those wishing to enter the city.
“大人，小指頭大人總有辦法弄到錢。他規定進城的人都得繳稅。”
Yes, that would work, Tyrion said, thinking, Clever. Clever and cruel. Tens of thousands had fled the fighting for the supposed safety of King's Landing. He had seen them on the kingsroad, troupes of mothers and children and anxious fathers who had gazed on his horses and wagons with covetous eyes. Once they reached the city they would doubtless pay over all they had to put those high comforting walls between them and the war... though they might think twice if they knew about the wildfire.
“嗯，行之有效，”提利昂嘴上輕描淡寫，心里卻想：聰明，好個既聰明又殘酷的辦法。成千上萬的人為了躲避戰事，紛紛逃往君臨，以為這里比較安全。他在國王大道上親眼見到洶涌人潮：母親帶著小孩，憂慮的父親則用貪婪的眼神盯著他的坐騎和馬車。等這些人抵達城外，一定會散盡家財，換取高聳的城墻以為屏障……但他們若知道野火這回事，或許就會重新考慮。
