評論
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"There's more,"
“沒完呢，”
the man said as he broke off,
換氣的時候歌手聲稱，
"Oh, a good deal more.
“噢，很長很長，
The refrain is especially nice, I think.
尤其是疊句，自以為寫得特別好：
For hands of gold are always cold, but a woman's hands are warm…"
金手觸摸冰冰涼呀，而姑娘小掌熱乎乎…”
"Enough."
“夠了，”
Tyrion slid his fingers from his cloak, empty.
提利昂將拳頭從斗篷里抽出來，把錢放在桌上，
"That's not a song I would care to hear again.
“這首歌再也不要讓我聽到，
Ever."
否則…”
"No?"
“否則？”
Symon Silver Tongue put his harp aside and took a sip of wine.
銀舌西蒙放開豎琴，喝一口酒，
"A pity.
“可惜，可惜。
Still, each man has his song, as my old master used to say when he was teaching me to play.
不過說實在話，正如我?guī)煾档慕陶d，每個人都有自己的歌，這點您無法否認的。
Others might like my tune better.
好吧，既然您不喜歡，我只好找識貨的人啰。
The queen, perhaps.
或許，去找太后？
Or your lord father."
您父親大人？”
Tyrion rubbed the scar over his nose, and said,
提利昂揉揉鼻子上的傷疤，緩緩地說：
"My father has no time for singers, and my sister is not as generous as one might think.
“我父親對歌手毫不關心，而我老姐并沒有某些人想象的那么慷慨。
A wise man could earn more from silence than from song."
聰明的歌手應該明白，有時候沉默比歌唱掙得更多。”
He could not put it much plainer than that.
他認為自己說得夠明白了。
Symon seemed to take his meaning quick enough.
西蒙沒有忽略他的暗示，
"You will find my price modest, my lord."
“我的價碼很公道，大人。”
"That's good to know."
“很好，”
This would not be a matter of thirty golden dragons, Tyrion feared.
提利昂一開始就擔心三十金龍不足以平服事端，
"Tell me."
“說吧。”
"At King Joffrey's wedding feast," the man said,
“在喬佛里國王的婚宴上，”對方道，
"there is to be a tournament of singers."
“歌手們將舉行一次盛大的表演。”
"And jugglers, and jesters, and dancing bears."
“沒錯，上場的還有戲子、小丑和跳舞的熊。”
"Only one dancing bear, my lord,"
“熊只有一只，大人，”
said Symon, who had plainly attended Cersei's arrangements with far more interest than Tyrion had,
對瑟曦的精心安排，西蒙顯然比提利昂在乎得多，
"but seven singers.
“但歌手共有七位。
Galyeon of Cuy, Bethany Fair-fingers, Aemon Costayne, Alaric of Eysen, Hamish the Harper, Collio Quaynis,
包括庫伊家族的葛勒昂，‘妙指’蓓珊妮，伊蒙·科托因，伊森人阿里克，‘琴手’哈米西，科里羅·昆延提斯
and Orland of Oldtown will compete for a gilded lute with silver strings…
和舊鎮(zhèn)的奧蘭多，他們將彼此競爭，獎品是一把鍍金銀弦豎琴…
yet unaccountably, no invitation has been forthcoming for one who is master of them all."
不幸地是，居然沒人邀請全君臨最最厲害的歌手。”
"Let me guess.
“讓我猜猜，
Symon Silver Tongue?"
你指的是銀舌西蒙？”
Symon smiled modestly.
西蒙謙虛地笑了，
"I am prepared to prove the truth of my boast before king and court.
“大人您放心，我將在國王和朝廷面前證明我的實力。
Hamish is old, and oft forgets what he is singing.
鄙人沒有夸口，您瞧那哈米西，老得連歌詞都背不住，
And Collio, with that absurd Tyroshi accent!
而科里羅呢，帶著可笑的泰洛西口音！
If you understand one word in three, count yourself fortunate."
包您三句里聽不懂一句。”
"My sweet sister has arranged the feast.
“表演由我親愛的老姐親自安排，我無從插手。
Even if I could secure you this invitation, it might look queer.
退一步講，就算把你安插進去，也顯得很不協(xié)調。
Seven kingdoms, seven vows, seven challenges, seventy-seven dishes… but eight singers?
你看，七大王國，七重誓言，七次挑戰(zhàn)，七十七道大菜…八個歌手怎么成？
What would the High Septon think?"
總主教會如何評論呢？”
"You did not strike me as a pious man, my lord."
“您居然這么虔誠，真讓我吃驚，大人。”
"Piety is not the point.
“我虔誠與否并不重要，
Certain forms must be observed."
關鍵是形式無法更改。”
Symon took a sip of wine.
西蒙再喝一口酒，
"Still… a singer's life is not without peril.
“其實…咱們做歌手的，性命都挺輕賤。
We ply our trade in alehouses and wine sinks, before unruly drunkards.
我們在酒店和旅館中表演，觀眾多半是無法無天的醉漢，
If one of your sister's seven should suffer some mishap, I hope you might consider me to fill his place."
假如您姐姐考慮的那七位人選中有誰出了意外，我瞧自己完全能替代。”
He smiled slyly, inordinately pleased with himself.
他狡詐地笑笑，仿佛對自己的暗示很滿意。
"Six singers would be as unfortunate as eight, to be sure.
“哼，不錯，六位和八位一樣不行。
I will inquire after the health of Cersei's seven.
那好吧，我會一一確認他們的狀況，
If any of them should be indisposed, my man Brorm will find you."
假如有誰委實無法勝任，我會派波隆來通知你。”
"Very good, my lord."
“很好，很好，大人。”
Symon might have left it at that, but flushed with triumph, he added,
西蒙得意極了，在勝利的喜悅中，他變得滔滔不絕，
"I shall sing the night of King Joffrey's wedding.
“我將在喬佛里國王的婚宴上好好表演，
Should it happen that I am called to court, why,
萬一我被召喚，
I will want to offer the king my very best compositions, songs I have sung a thousand times that are certain to please.
為滿朝文武獻上最優(yōu)秀的作品，那些我上千次彈唱的拿手歌謠。
If I should find myself singing in some dreary winesink, though…
從前，我在酒坊巷弄里埋沒…而今…
well, that would be an apt occasion to try my new song.
對了，這也是新歌上場的最好機會。
For the hands of gold are always cold, but a woman's hands are warm."
金手觸摸冰冰涼呀，而姑娘小掌熱乎乎…”
"That will not be necessary," said Tyrion.
“你放心吧，”提利昂道，
"You have my word as a Lannister, Bronn will call upon you soon."
“我以身為蘭尼斯特的榮譽保證，波隆很快就會來找你。”
"Very good, my lord."
“很好，很好，大人。”
The balding kettle-bellied singer took up his woodharp again.
禿頂?shù)拇蠖亲痈枋衷俅文闷鹭Q琴，沉浸在自己的迷夢中。
