shut-off feature.

2017年06月21日

at the foot of her bunk

I am still half a world from Westeros, Dany reminded herself, but every hour brings me closer. She tried to imagine what it would feel like, when she first caught sight of the land she was born to rule. It will be as fair a shore as I have ever seen, I know it. How could it be otherwise? But later that night, as Balerion plunged onward through the dark and Dany sat cross-legged on her bunk in the captain’s cabin, feeding her dragons - “Even upon the sea,” Groleo had said, so graciously, “queens take precedence over captains” - a sharp knock came upon the door. Irri had been sleeping(it was too narrow for three, and tonight was Jhiqui’s turn to share the soft featherbed with her khaleesi), but the handmaid roused at the knock and went to the door. Dany pulled up a coverlet and tucked it in under her arms. She was naked, and had not expected a caller at this hour. “Come,” she said when she saw Ser Jorah standing without, beneath a swaying lantern. The exile knight ducked his head as he entered .
“Your Grace. I am sorry to disturb your sleep.” “I was not sleeping, ser. Come and watch.” She took a chunk of salt pork out of the bowl in her lap and held it up for her dragons to see. All three of them eyed it hungrily. Rhaegal spread green wings and stirred the air, and Viserion’s neck swayed back and forth like a long pale snake’s as he followed the movement of her hand. “Drogon,” Dany said softly, “dracarys.” And she tossed the pork in the air. Drogon moved quicker than a striking cobra. Flame roared from his mouth, orange and scarlet and black, searing the meat before it began to fall. As his sharp black teeth snapped shut around it, Rhaegal’s head darted close, as if to steal the prize from his brother’s jaws, but Drogon swallowed and screamed, and the smaller green dragon could only hiss in frustration. “Stop that, Rhaegal,” Dany said in annoyance, giving his head a swat. “You had the last one. I’ll have no greedy dragons .”
She smiled at Ser Jorah. “I won’t need to char their meat over a brazier any longer.” “So I see. Dracarys?” All three dragons turned their heads at the sound of that word and Viserion let loose with a blast of pale gold flame that made Ser Jorah take a hasty step backward. Dany giggled. “Be careful with that word, ser, or they’re like to singe your beard off. It means ‘dragonfire’ in High Valyrian. I wanted to choose a command that no one was like to utter by chance.” Mormont nodded. “Your Grace,” he said, “I wonder if I might have a few private words?” “Of course. Irri, leave us for a bit.” She put a hand on Jhiqui’s bare shoulder and shook the other handmaid awake. “You as well, sweetling. Ser Jorah needs to talk to me.” “Yes, Khaleesi.” Jhiqui tumbled from the bunk, naked and yawning, her thick black hair tumbled about her head. She dressed quickly and left with Irri, closing the door behind them. Dany gave the dragons the rest of the salt pork to squabble over, and patted the bed beside her. “Sit, good ser, and tell me what is troubling you.” “Three things.” Ser Jorah sat. “Strong Belwas. This Arstan Whitebeard. And Illyrio Mopatis, who sent them.” Again? Dany pulled the coverlet higher and tugged one end over her shoulder. “And why is that reenex?”   


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2017年06月01日

ourcrack cavalry regiments


At the lower end of the rapids (our Indians refusing to gofurther), we had to debark. A settler here was putting up azinc house for a store. Two others, with an officer of theMounted Rifles - the regiment we had left at the Dalles -were staying with him. They welcomed our arrival, andinsisted on our drinking half a dozen of poisonous stuff theycalled champagne. There were no chairs or table in the'house,' nor as yet any floor; and only the beginning of aroof. We sat on the ground, so that I was ablesurreptitiously to make libations with my share, to theearth .
According to my journal: 'In a short time the party began tobe a noisy one. Healths were drunk, toasts proposed,compliments to our respective nationalities paid in the mostflattering terms. The Anglo-Saxon race were destined toconquer the globe. The English were the greatest nationunder the sun - that is to say, they had been. America, ofcourse, would take the lead in time to come. We disputedthis. The Americans were certain of it, in fact this wasalready an accomplished fact. The big officer - a genuine"heavy" - wanted to know where the man was that would givehim the lie! Wasn't the Mounted Rifles the crack regiment ofthe United States army? And wasn't the United States armythe finest army in the universe? Who that knew anything ofhistory would compare the Peninsular Campaign to the war inMexico? Talk of Waterloo - Britishers were mighty fond ofswaggering about Waterloo! Let 'em look at Chepultapec. Asfor Wellington, he couldn't shine nohow with General Scott,nor old Zack neither !'
Then, WE wished for a war, just to let them see what could do. Mounted Rifles forsooth!
Mounted costermongers! whose trade it was to sell 'nutmegsmade of wood, and clocks that wouldn't figure.' Then somepretty forcible profanity was vented, fists were shaken, andthe zinc walls were struck, till they resounded like thethreatened thunder of artillery.
But Fred's merry laughter diverted the tragic end. It wasagreed that there had been too much tall talk. Britishersand Americans were not such fools as to quarrel. Leteverybody drink everybody else's health. A gentleman in thecorner (he needed the support of both walls) thought itwasn't good to 'liquor up' too much on an empty stomach; heput it to the house that we should have supper. The motionwas carried NEM. CON., and a Dutch cheese was produced withmuch ECLAT. Samson coupled the ideas of Dutch cheeses andYankee hospitality. This revived the flagging spirit ofemulation. On one side, it was thought that British mannerswere susceptible of amendment. Confusion was thenrespectively drunk to Yankee hospitality, English manners,and - this was an addition of Fred's - to Dutch cheeses .  


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