Renly has thirty men in his personal guard, the rest even fewer. It is not enough, even if I could be certain that all of them will choose to give me their allegiance. I must have the gold cloaks. The City Watch is two thousand strong, sworn to defend the castle, the city, and the king's peace.
“蓝礼有三十个贴身护卫,其他人更少。就算他们全站到我这边,也还是不够。我需要都城守卫队的支持。他们一共有两千人,并宣誓守护城堡与市镇,以国王之名维护和平。”
Ah, but when the queen proclaims one king and the Hand another, whose peace do they protect? Lord Petyr flicked at the dagger with his finger, setting it spinning in place. Round and round it went, wobbling as it turned. When at last it slowed to a stop, the blade pointed at Littlefinger. "Why, there's your answer," he said, smiling. "They follow the man who pays them." He leaned back and looked Ned full in the face, his grey-green eyes bright with mockery. "You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move. Look at you now. You know why you summoned me here. You know what you want to ask me to do. You know it has to be done ... but it's not honorable, so the words stick in your throat."
“啊,可是当王后立了一个国王,首相却立了另一个,请问他们要以谁之名维护和平呢?”培提尔伯爵伸出手指轻推匕首,让它在原地打转。匕首旋转不息,边转边摇晃。最后速度减缓,终至停止时,刀尖正对着小指头。“唉,这就是答案啦。”他微笑道,“谁付钱,他们就听谁的话。”他向后靠上椅背,直直地看着奈德的脸,那双灰绿的眼睛里闪着嘲弄之色。“史塔克,你把荣誉当铠甲穿在身上,自以为能保你平安,结果却让自己负担沉重,行动困难。瞧你现在这个样子:你很清楚找我来目的为何,也知道要请我做什么,更明白这件事势在必行……可一点也不名誉,所以话哽在喉咙里说不出来。”
Ned's neck was rigid with tension. For a moment he was so angry that he did not trust himself to speak.
奈德的颈项因为紧张而僵硬,有好一阵子他委实太过恼怒,以致不敢轻易开口。