Ⅳ 群鴉的盛宴 Chapter41 阿蓮

ALAYNE

她抓住鐵環(huán)遵绰，將門拉開恩商，只發(fā)出輕微的嘎吱聲哄尔∫阍悖“乖羅賓？”她喚道弛饭，“我可以進(jìn)來嗎冕末？”

She turned the iron ring and pushed the door open, just a crack. “Sweetrobin?” she called. “May I enter?”

“小心，小姐侣颂，”雙手濕漉漉的老仆人吉思爾警告档桃，“大人剛拿夜壺丟學(xué)士°旧梗”

“Have a care, m’lady,” warned old Gretchel, wringing her hands. “His lordship threw his chamber pot at the maester.”

“那他就沒東西丟我了藻肄。你沒事做了嗎？還有你拒担，瑪?shù)稀皯舳缄P(guān)好了嗎嘹屯？家具都蓋上了嗎？”

“Then he has none to throw at me. Isn’t there some work you should be doing? And you, Maddy … are all the windows closed and shuttered? Have all the furnishings been covered?”

“都辦妥了从撼，小姐州弟。”瑪?shù)媳ＷC谋逻。

“All of them, m’lady,” said Maddy.

“再確認(rèn)一次呆馁，”阿蓮溜進(jìn)黑暗的臥室中』僬祝“是我啊，乖羅賓阴挣∑椋”

“Best make certain of it.” Alayne slipped into the darkened bedchamber. “It’s only me, Sweetrobin.”

有人在暗處吸吸鼻子，“只有你一個人嗎？”

Someone sniffled in the darkness. “Are you alone?”

“是的茎芭，大人揖膜。”

“I am, my lord.”

“那快過來吧梅桩，只有你唷壹粟。”

“Come close, then. Just you.”

阿蓮將身后的門牢牢鎖上宿百。門用結(jié)實的橡木制成趁仙，厚達(dá)四寸——吉思爾與瑪?shù)媳M可以偷聽，卻什么也聽不見垦页。這是必須的預(yù)防措施雀费，吉思爾固然謹(jǐn)慎，瑪?shù)蠀s是個大嘴巴痊焊。

Alayne shut the door firmly behind her. It was solid oak, four inches thick; Maddy and Gretchel might listen all they wished, but they would hear nothing. That was just as well. Gretchel could hold her tongue, but Maddy gossiped shamelessly.

“柯蒙師傅要你來的嗎盏袄？”男孩問。

“Did Maester Colemon send you?” the boy asked.

“才不呢薄啥，”她撒謊辕羽，“我聽說乖羅賓不舒服÷⒕澹”被夜壺砸中的學(xué)士跑去找羅索爵士逛漫，羅索爵士跑去找她∽秆蓿“如果小姐能讓他服服帖帖地下床酌毡，”騎士道，“我就不用拖走他了蕾管〖咸ぃ”

“No,” she lied. “I heard my Sweetrobin was ailing.” After his encounter with the chamber pot the maester had come running to Ser Lothor, and Brune had come to her. “If m’lady can talk him out of bed nice,” the knight said, “I won’t have to drag him out.”

不用那么暴力，她對自己保證掰曾。若粗暴地對待勞勃旭蠕，他的癲癇病便要當(dāng)即發(fā)作】跆梗“你餓嗎掏熬，大人？”她詢問小公爵秒梅，“我馬上叫瑪?shù)纤蛠頋{果和乳酪旗芬，外加剛出爐的面包與黃油±κ瘢”話一出口疮丛，她才想起沒有剛出爐的面包了幔嫂，廚房統(tǒng)統(tǒng)關(guān)閉，烤箱業(yè)已冷卻誊薄。沒關(guān)系履恩，只要能哄勞勃起床，我可以命令他們重新點火呢蔫，她寬慰自己切心。

We can’t have that, she told herself. When Robert was handled roughly he was apt to go into a shaking fit. “Are you hungry, my lord?” she asked the little lord. “Shall I send Maddy down for berries and cream, or some warm bread and butter?” Too late she remembered that there was no warm bread; the kitchens were closed, the ovens cold. If it gets Robert out of bed, it would be worth the bother of lighting a fire, she told herself.

“我不想吃東西，”小公爵要性子尖叫道片吊，“我今天要睡覺绽昏。你給我讀故事吧《瘢”

“I don’t want food,” the little lord said, in a reedy, petulant voice. “I’m going to stay in bed today. You could read to me if you want.”

“這里太暗而涉，我看不見呀×瑁”窗戶掛著厚厚的簾子啼县，房間漆黑一片，“乖羅賓沸久，你忘了今天是什么日子嗎季眷？”

“It is too dark in here for reading.” The heavy curtains drawn across the windows made the bedchamber black as night. “Has my Sweetrobin forgotten what day this is?”

“不，”男孩道卷胯，“我不走子刮。我就要在床上，我要你給我讀飛翼騎士的故事窑睁⊥ο浚”

“No,” he said, “but I’m not going. I want to stay in bed. You could read to me about the Winged Knight.”

飛翼騎士乃是阿提斯·艾林爵士，傳說他不僅將先民趕出谷地担钮，還騎著一只碩大無朋的獵鷹橱赠，飛到巨人之槍頂上，殺了獅鷲王箫津。關(guān)于他的冒險有上百個故事狭姨，小勞勃喜歡之極，統(tǒng)統(tǒng)倒背如流苏遥，但他偏要別人讀給他聽饼拍。“親愛的田炭，我們真的要走了师抄，”她告訴男孩，“我答應(yīng)你诫肠，一抵達(dá)月門堡就給你讀兩個飛翼騎士的故事司澎∑墼担”

The Winged Knight was Ser Artys Arryn. Legend said that he had driven the First Men from the Vale and flown to the top of the Giant’s Lance on a huge falcon to slay the Griffin King. There were a hundred tales of his adventures. Little Robert knew them all so well he could have recited them from memory, but he liked to have them read to him all the same. “Sweetling, we have to go,” she told the boy, “but I promise, I’ll read you two tales of the Winged Knight when we reach the Gates of the Moon.”

“三個栋豫〖钒玻”勞勃立馬抬價。不管你提出多少丧鸯，他總是索要更多蛤铜。

“Three,” he said at once. No matter what you offered him, Robert always wanted more.

“三個，”阿蓮?fù)獯灾翱梢岳_窗簾了嗎围肥？”

“Three,” she agreed. “Might I let some sun in?”

“不要。光線刺眼睛蜂怎。上床吧穆刻，阿蓮「懿剑”

“No. The light hurts my eyes. Come to bed, Alayne.”

她徑自走到窗邊氢伟，小心翼翼地繞開破碎的夜壺——寧肯聞到氣味，她也不想瞧見它幽歼《渎啵“我不會拉得太開，我只想看看乖羅賓今天的模樣呢甸私〕闲”

She went to the windows anyway, edging around the broken chamber pot. She could smell it better than she saw it. “I shan’t open them very wide. Only enough to see my Sweetrobin’s face.”He sniffled. “If you must.”

窗簾是豪奢的藍(lán)天鵝絨，她拉開一根手指的距離皇型，并牢牢系好诬烹。灰塵在蒼白的晨光中舞蹈弃鸦，細(xì)小的菱形窗格因結(jié)霜而模糊绞吁。阿蓮用掌跟輕輕擦了擦，眺望窗外美好的藍(lán)天和山巒間漂浮的流云寡键。鷹巢城披上了潔白斗篷掀泳，頭頂?shù)木奕酥畼尫e起了齊腰深的雪。

The curtains were of plush blue velvet. She pulled one back a finger’s length and tied it off. Dust motes danced in a shaft of pale morning light. The small diamond-shaped panes of the window were obscured by frost. Alayne rubbed at one with the heel of her hand, enough to glimpse a brilliant blue sky and a blaze of white from the mountainside. The Eyrie was wrapped in an icy mantle, the Giant’s Lance above buried in waist-deep snows.

她轉(zhuǎn)身西轩，只見勞勃·艾林撐著一堆枕頭员舵，用小眼睛看她。這臟兮兮的小孩便是鷹巢城公爵和艾林谷的主人藕畔。他腰部以下蓋著羊毛毯子马僻，以上則是全裸，膚色慘白注服，頭發(fā)跟女兒家一樣長韭邓，手腳瘦得可憐措近，胸膛軟塌凹陷，肚子又小又扁女淑，眼睛始終紅潤濕黏瞭郑。這不是他的錯，他生下來便畸小病弱鸭你∏牛“您今天早上看起來真威武，大人袱巨，”他喜歡別人贊他威武阁谆，“我叫瑪?shù)虾图紶柎驘崴o您沐浴好嗎？瑪?shù)蠒槟瓯诚搭^愉老，讓您干干凈凈场绿、精神抖擻地出門，這樣好嗎嫉入？”

When she turned back, Robert Arryn was propped up against the pillows looking at her. The Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale. A woolen blanket covered him below the waist. Above it he was naked, a pasty boy with hair as long as any girl’s. Robert had spindly arms and legs, a soft concave chest and little belly, and eyes that were always red and runny. He cannot help the way he is. He was born small and sickly. “You look very strong this morning, my lord.” He loved to be told how strong he was. “Shall I have Maddy and Gretchel fetch hot water for your bath? Maddy will scrub your back for you and wash your hair, to make you clean and lordly for your journey. Won’t that be nice?”

“不好焰盗，我討厭瑪?shù)希∷劬ι嫌蓄w痣劝贸，搓背又很痛姨谷。媽咪搓背從來不痛∮尘牛”

“No. I hate Maddy. She has a wart on her eye, and she scrubs so hard it hurts. My mommy never hurt me scrubbing.”

“我會特別關(guān)照瑪?shù)厦蜗妫辉S弄痛我的乖羅賓。換洗得干干凈凈件甥，你才會舒暢的捌议。”

“I will tell Maddy not to scrub my Sweetrobin so hard. You’ll feel better when you’re fresh and clean.”

“我不洗澡引有。我告訴過你瓣颅，我頭痛得厲害∑┱”

“No bath, I told you, my head hurts most awfully.”

“我給你做熱敷好嗎宫补？或者來杯安眠酒？不過曾我，只能喝一點點哦粉怕。米亞·石東正在下面的長天堡等待，待會你要是壓在她身上睡覺抒巢，她可受不了贫贝。你知道的，她很喜歡你哦≈赏恚”

“Shall I bring you a warm cloth for your brow? Or a cup of dreamwine? Only a little one, though. Mya Stone is waiting down at Sky, and she’ll be hurt if you go to sleep on her. You know how much she loves you.”

“我不喜歡她崇堵，她只是個管騾的女孩】脱啵”勞勃吸吸鼻子鸳劳。“柯蒙師傅在牛奶里面添了東西幸逆，我喝得出來棍辕。昨晚我告訴他我還要喝這種甜牛奶暮现，結(jié)果他不給我还绘，連我下命令也不行！我是主人栖袋，他應(yīng)該照我說的做拍顷。沒有人照我說的做！”

“I don’t love her. She’s just the mule girl.” Robert sniffled. “Maester Colemon put something vile in my milk last night, I could taste it. I told him I wanted sweetmilk, but he wouldn’t bring me any. Not even when I commanded him. I am the lord, he should do what I say. No one does what I say.”

“我會教訓(xùn)教訓(xùn)他塘幅，”阿蓮保證昔案，“條件是你起床喲。乖羅賓电媳，外面風(fēng)景多美啊踏揣，陽光普照，正是下山的好時機(jī)匾乓。米亞帶著騾子等在長天堡……”

“I’ll speak to him,” Alayne promised, “but only if you get up out of bed. It’s beautiful outside, Sweetrobin. The sun is shining bright, a perfect day for going down the mountain. The mules are waiting down at Sky with Mya …”

他嘴唇發(fā)抖捞稿。“我討厭這些臭騾子拼缝。有只騾子想咬我娱局！你去，你去告訴米亞我不走咧七∷テ耄”他聽起來就要哭了〖套瑁“留在這里耻涛，沒人能傷害我，媽咪說瘟檩，鷹巢城是攻不破的抹缕。”

His mouth quivered. “I hate those smelly mules. One tried to bite me once! You tell that Mya that I’m staying here.” He sounded as if he were about to cry. “No one can hurt me so long as I stay here. The Eyrie is impregnable.”

“有誰會來傷害我的乖羅賓呢芒帕？您的封臣與騎士是如此敬愛您歉嗓，您的子民日夜為您祈福”丑。”他在害怕啊鉴分，她心想哮幢，他當(dāng)然有理由害怕。自他母親大人墜落之后志珍，男孩便連陽臺也不敢站了橙垢，而從鷹巢城下到月門堡的危險旅途本就能嚇倒許多正常人。隨萊莎夫人和培提爾公爵登山那次伦糯，阿蓮自己的心也提到了嗓子眼柜某，下山無疑更恐怖，因為你不得不一直往下看敛纲。米亞跟她講過許多大諸侯和英勇騎士是如何臉色死白喂击、小便失禁的。況且這些人都不受癲癇病困擾淤翔。

“Who would want to hurt my Sweetrobin? Your lords and knights adore you, and the smallfolk cheer your name.” He is afraid, she thought, and with good reason. Since his lady mother had fallen, the boy would not even stand upon a balcony, and the way from the Eyrie to the Gates of the Moon was perilous enough to daunt anyone. Alayne’s heart had been in her throat when she made her own ascent with Lady Lysa and Lord Petyr, and everyone agreed that the descent was even more harrowing, since you were looking down the whole time. Mya could tell of great lords and bold knights who had gone pale and wet their smallclothes on the mountain. And none of them had the shaking sickness either.

但他們不得不走翰绊。谷地仍然秋意盎然，氣候溫和旁壮，一片金黃监嗜，然而冬天已把山峰牢牢抱緊。先前有過三場暴風(fēng)雪抡谐，另一次劇烈的冰風(fēng)暴將城堡凍住了兩個星期裁奇。鷹巢城或許真的難攻不破，但諷刺的是麦撵，很快就沒有任何人可以登上來了刽肠，下山的路一天比一天更危險叵測，城里的泰半守衛(wèi)與仆人已下了山厦坛，只剩十幾個人留著照顧勞勃公爵五垮。

Still, it would not serve. On the valley floor autumn still lingered, warm and golden, but winter had closed around the mountain peaks. They had weathered three snowstorms, and an ice storm that transformed the castle into crystal for a fortnight. The Eyrie might be impregnable, but it would soon be inaccessible as well, and the way down grew more hazardous every day. Most of the castle’s servants and soldiers had already made the descent. Only a dozen still lingered up here, to attend Lord Robert.

“乖羅賓，”她溫柔地說杜秸，“下山是一場多么歡樂的冒險啊放仗，真的。羅索爵士和米亞會保護(hù)我們撬碟，她的騾子已經(jīng)來回這條路一千遍了诞挨。”

“Sweetrobin,” she said gently, “the descent will be ever so jolly, you’ll see. Ser Lothor will be with us, and Mya. Her mules have gone up and down this old mountain a thousand times.”

“我討厭騾子呢蛤，”他堅持惶傻，“騾子很臟。我告訴過你其障，小時候有只騾子想咬我银室。”

“I hate mules,” he insisted. “Mules are nasty. I told you, one tried to bite me when I was little.”

她明白，勞勃從未有機(jī)會好好學(xué)習(xí)騎術(shù)蜈敢，對他而言辜荠，驢、馬或騾子沒有分別抓狭，全是可怕的怪獸伯病，跟巨龍和獅鷲一樣恐怖。他六歲時來到谷地否过，當(dāng)時是在媽媽懷中午笛，嘴里含著脹鼓鼓的奶頭，此后再未離開鷹巢城苗桂。

Robert had never learned to ride properly, she knew. Mules, horses, donkeys, it made no matter; to him they were all fearsome beasts, as terrifying as dragons or griffins. He had been brought to the Vale at six, riding with his head cradled between his mother’s milky breasts, and had never left the Eyrie since.

他們不得不走药磺，否則冰雪會徹底封山。誰也說不清還能維持多久誉察∮胛校“米亞會把騾子管好，”阿蓮繼續(xù)擔(dān)保持偏，“我會騎在你身后。瞧氨肌，我只是個女孩子鸿秆，沒有你那么強(qiáng)壯勇敢，如果我都能走下來怎囚，那你一定行卿叽，乖羅賓】沂兀”

Still, they had to go, before the ice closed about the castle for good. There was no telling how long the weather would hold. “Mya will keep the mules from biting,” Alayne said, “and I’ll be riding just behind you. I’m only a girl, not as brave or strong as you. If I can do it, I know you can, Sweetrobin.”

“我當(dāng)然行考婴，”勞勃公爵道，“但我不想去催烘！”他用手背揩掉垂下的鼻涕沥阱。“告訴米亞我今天要睡覺伊群，明天再走吧——如果我好起來的話考杉。今天外面太冷了，我又頭痛舰始，來崇棠，我們一起喝甜牛奶，還叫吉思爾拿許多蜂窩上來丸卷。我們可以親吻枕稀、睡覺、做游戲，然后你給我讀飛翼騎士的故事萎坷》蹲ィ”

“I could do it,” Lord Robert said, “but I don’t choose to.” He swiped at his runny nose with the back of his hand. “Tell Mya I am going to stay abed. Perhaps I will come down on the morrow, if I feel better. Today is too cold out, and my head hurts. You can have some sweetmilk too, and I’ll tell Gretchel to bring us some honeycombs to eat. We’ll sleep and kiss and play games, and you can read me about the Winged Knight.”

“我會讀的，三個故事食铐，我保證……抵達(dá)月門堡就讀匕垫。”阿蓮的耐心到了盡頭虐呻。今天必須出發(fā)象泵，她提醒自己，必須趕在太陽落山之前走到雪線以下斟叼∨蓟荩“奈斯特大人為您準(zhǔn)備了盛大宴會，有蘑菇湯朗涩、鹿肉還有蛋糕忽孽。您不想讓他空等，對吧谢床？”

“I will. Three tales, as I promised … when we reach the Gates of the Moon.” Alayne was running short of patience. We have to go, she reminded herself, or we’ll still be above the snow line when the sun goes down. “Lord Nestor has prepared a feast to welcome you, mushroom soup and venison and cakes. You don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”

“他有檸檬蛋糕嗎兄一？”勞勃愛吃檸檬蛋糕，或許正因為阿蓮的緣故识腿。

“Will they be lemon cakes?” Lord Robert loved lemon cakes, perhaps because Alayne did.

“很多很多好吃的檸檬蛋糕喲出革，”她誘人地說，“想吃多少就有多少渡讼÷钍”

“Lemony lemony lemon cakes,” she assured him, “and you can have as many as you like.”

“有一百個嗎？”他想弄清楚成箫，“我要一百個展箱。”

“A hundred?” he wanted to know. “Could I have a hundred?”

“當(dāng)然啦蹬昌，”她在床邊坐下混驰，撫摸他柔順的長發(fā)。他的頭發(fā)很漂亮凳厢。以前萊莎夫人每晚親手為兒子梳理修剪账胧，自她墜落后，每有人拿剪刀靠近先紫，他的癲癇病便會劇烈發(fā)作治泥，所以培提爾命下人不再關(guān)照主子的頭發(fā)。此時遮精，阿蓮用指頭繞起一個發(fā)卷居夹，“現(xiàn)在败潦，乖羅賓，你可以下床穿衣服了嗎准脂？”

“If it please you.” She sat on the bed and smoothed his long, fine hair. He does have pretty hair. Lady Lysa had brushed it herself every night, and cut it when it wanted cutting. After she had fallen Robert had suffered terrible shaking fits whenever anyone came near him with a blade, so Petyr had commanded that his hair be allowed to grow. Alayne wound a lock around her finger, and said, “Now, will you get out of bed and let us dress you?”

“我要一百個檸檬蛋糕和五個故事劫扒！”

“I want a hundred lemon cakes and five tales!”

我給你一百記屁股和五個耳光，培提爾在場時你可不敢這么放肆狸膏。小公爵很怕自己的繼父沟饥。阿蓮強(qiáng)顏歡笑，“遵命湾戳，大人贤旷。但你一定要乖乖洗澡、換衣服砾脑、準(zhǔn)備上路哦幼驶。來吧，別把大好晨光浪費(fèi)了韧衣≈言澹”她牢牢地握住男孩的手，把他拖下床畅铭。

I’d like to give you a hundred spankings and five slaps. You would not dare behave like this if Petyr were here. The little lord had a good healthy fear of his stepfather. Alayne forced a smile. “As my lord desires. But nothing till you’re washed and dressed and on your way. Come, before the morning’s gone.” She took him firmly by the hand, and drew him out of bed.

她還不及召喚仆人母债，乖羅賓便用瘦得可憐的胳膊環(huán)住她医窿，并且吻了她嫩挤。這是小孩子的吻闰围，十分笨拙，勞勃·艾林做什么事都很笨拙榴徐。閉上眼睛，當(dāng)他是百花騎士匀归。洛拉斯爵士給了珊莎·史塔克一朵紅玫瑰坑资，卻從未吻過她……今后也不會有任何提利爾家的人會親吻阿蓮·石東。她雖然漂亮穆端，卻是出自私生袱贮，為人嫌棄。

Before she could summon the servants, however, Sweetrobin threw his skinny arms around her and kissed her. It was a little boy’s kiss, and clumsy. Everything Robert Arryn did was clumsy. If I close my eyes I can pretend he is the Knight of Flowers. Ser Loras had given Sansa Stark a red rose once, but he had never kissed her … and no Tyrell would ever kiss Alayne Stone. Pretty as she was, she had been born on the wrong side of the blanket.

男孩的唇貼緊她的唇体啰，令她想起另一個得不到的吻攒巍。當(dāng)時種種歷歷在目，她還記得那張粗糙的臉龐荒勇。綠火漫天的晚上柒莉，他來到珊莎的臥房。他要一首歌和一個吻沽翔，卻除了染血的白袍兢孝，什么也沒留給我窿凤。

As the boy’s lips touched her own she found herself thinking of another kiss. She could still remember how it felt, when his cruel mouth pressed down on her own. He had come to Sansa in the darkness as green fire filled the sky. He took a song and a kiss, and left me nothing but a bloody cloak.

沒關(guān)系，那天已成了歷史跨蟹，珊莎已成了歷史雳殊。

It made no matter. That day was done, and so was Sansa.

阿蓮?fù)崎_小公爵，“夠了窗轩，等你遵守承諾夯秃，抵達(dá)山下，就可以再吻我痢艺〔滞荩”

Alayne pushed her little lord away. “That’s enough. You can kiss me again when we reach the Gates, if you keep your word.”

瑪?shù)稀⒓紶柵c柯蒙師傅一起候在門外腹备。學(xué)士已洗掉頭發(fā)上的屎尿衬潦，換了衣服。勞勃的兩位侍從也齊齊趕到植酥，泰倫斯和蓋爾斯在發(fā)掘麻煩方面是能手镀岛。

Maddy and Gretchel were waiting outside with Maester Colemon. The maester had washed the night soil from his hair and changed his robe. Robert’s squires had turned up as well. Terrance and Gyles could always sniff out trouble.

“勞勃大人好多了，”阿蓮吩咐女仆友驮，“準(zhǔn)備熱水為他洗澡漂羊，千萬不能燙著大人。還有卸留，洗頭時不準(zhǔn)用力走越，他討厭那樣〕苌”一名侍從哧哧發(fā)笑旨指，阿蓮轉(zhuǎn)身道，“泰倫斯喳整，把大人的騎裝和最暖和的斗篷取出來谆构；蓋爾斯，把碎夜壺清掉框都“崴兀”

“Lord Robert is feeling stronger,” Alayne told the serving women. “Fetch hot water for his bath, but see you don’t scald him. And do not pull on his hair when you brush out the tangles, he hates that.” One of the squires sniggered, until she said, “Terrance, lay out his lordship’s riding clothes and his warmest cloak. Gyles, you may clean up that broken chamber pot.”

蓋爾斯·格拉夫森扮個鬼臉，“我又不是仆人魏保“境撸”

Gyles Grafton made a face. “I’m no scrubwoman.”

“趕快照阿蓮小姐說的做，否則羅索·布倫唯你是問谓罗，”柯蒙師傅警告粱哼。隨后學(xué)士隨她走過長廊和螺旋梯，“謝謝您妥衣，小姐皂吮，謝謝您出來干預(yù)戒傻，您對他真有辦法，”學(xué)士猶豫片刻蜂筹，“您和他相處時需纳，有發(fā)作的跡象嗎？”

“Do as Lady Alayne commands, or Lothor Brune will hear of it,” said Maester Colemon. He followed her along the hallway and down the twisting stairs. “I am grateful for your intercession, my lady. You have a way with him.” He hesitated. “Did you observe any shaking while you were with him?”

“他的手指微微顫抖艺挪，好在被我握緊不翩。他知道你放了東西在牛奶里面÷樯眩”

“His fingers trembled a little bit when I held his hand, that’s all. He says you put something vile in his milk.”

“知道口蝠？”柯蒙眨眨眼睛，喉結(jié)焦慮地上下起伏津坑，“我只放了一點點……他鼻孔有出血嗎妙蔗？”

“Vile?” Colemon blinked at her, and the apple in his throat moved up and down. “I merely … is he bleeding from the nose?”

“沒有〗澹”

“No.”

“好的眉反，太好了，”他長得出奇的瘦脖子上掛的頸鏈隨點頭而輕聲作響穆役，“此行下山……小姐寸五，為安全起見，我再為大人調(diào)一劑罌粟花奶耿币，好讓他打瞌睡梳杏。米亞·石東會挑最穩(wěn)健的騾子給他騎⊙徒樱”

“Good. That is good.” His chain clinked softly as he bobbed his head, atop a ridiculously long and skinny neck. “This descent … my lady, it might be safest if I mixed his lordship some milk of the poppy. Mya Stone could lash him over the back of her most surefooted mule whilst he slumbered.”

“那敢情好十性，鷹巢城公爵可不能像一袋燕麥一樣被捆著帶下去∷艿浚”對此阿蓮十分確定烁试。父親警告過她，不得將勞勃的疾病和懦弱暴露于光天化日之下拢肆。他要在這里主持大局就好了，他總是知道該怎么做靖诗。

“The Lord of the Eyrie cannot descend from his mountain tied up like a sack of barleycorn.” Of that Alayne was certain. They dare not let the full extent of Robert’s frailty and cowardice become too widely known, her father had warned her. I wish he were here. He would know what to do.

然而培提爾·貝里席遠(yuǎn)在谷地彼端郭怪，列席萊昂諾·科布瑞伯爵的婚禮。培提爾撮成了這位膝下無子的四十一歲鰥夫和某海鷗鎮(zhèn)富商年方十六的健壯女兒的姻緣刊橘，據(jù)說新娘的嫁妝非常豐富鄙才。這不難理解，畢竟她是平民高攀顯貴促绵≡茆郑科布瑞家族的封臣統(tǒng)統(tǒng)到場祝賀嘴纺，還有魏克利大人、格拉夫森大人浓冒、林德利大人及許多下級領(lǐng)主和地方騎士……貝爾摩伯爵已同她父親和解栽渴，也將參加這次婚禮。公義者同盟的其他成員選擇回避稳懒，因此培提爾的出現(xiàn)顯得尤為重要闲擦。

Petyr Baelish was clear across the Vale, though, attending Lord Lyonel Corbray at his wedding. A widower of forty-odd years, and childless, Lord Lyonel was to wed the strapping sixteen-year-old daughter of a rich Gulltown merchant. Petyr had brokered the match himself. The bride’s dower was said to be staggering; it had to be, since she was of common birth. Corbray’s vassals would be there, with the Lords Waxley, Grafton, Lynderly, some petty lords and landed knights … and Lord Belmore, who had lately reconciled with her father. The other Lords Declarant were expected to shun the nuptials, so Petyr’s presence was essential.

阿蓮明白這一切安排的重要性，盡管這意味著照管乖羅賓的千鈞重?fù)?dān)落在她自己肩頭场梆∈洌“給大人一杯‘甜牛奶’，”她著重吩咐學(xué)士或油，“以防他下山途中發(fā)病寞忿。”

Alayne understood all that well enough, but it meant that the burden of getting Sweetrobin safely down the mountain fell on her. “Give his lordship a cup of sweetmilk,” she told the maester. “That will stop him from shaking on the journey down.”

“他不到三天前剛喝過一杯顶岸∏徽茫”柯蒙抗議。

“He had a cup not three days past,” Colemon objected.

“他昨晚也想要蜕琴，據(jù)說被你拒絕了萍桌。”

“And wanted another last night, which you refused him.”

“間隔太短凌简，小姐上炎，您不明白，我跟峽谷守護(hù)者講過雏搂，一小撮甜睡花的確有助于壓制癲癇病藕施，但毒素會逐漸累積，日久天長……”

“It was too soon. My lady, you do not understand. As I’ve told the Lord Protector, a pinch of sweetsleep will prevent the shaking, but it does not leave the flesh, and in time …”

“來日方長凸郑，如果大人下山時發(fā)病摔下去裳食，那便什么都談不上了。若我父親在此芙沥，他也會要你不惜一切代價確保勞勃大人的安全诲祸。”

“Time will not matter if his lordship has a shaking fit and falls off the mountain. If my father were here, I know he would tell you to keep Lord Robert calm at all costs.”

“小姐啊而昨，我已盡心竭力救氯，可他的發(fā)作仍舊愈來愈頻繁，愈來愈劇烈歌憨，他的血液變得如此稀薄着憨，我不敢再為他放血。甜睡花……您確定他的鼻孔沒出血务嫡？”

“I try, my lady, yet his fits grow ever more violent, and his blood is so thin I dare not leech him any more. Sweetsleep … you are certain he was not bleeding from the nose?”

“他一直吸鼻子甲抖，”阿蓮承認(rèn)漆改，“但我沒見到血∽佳瑁”

“He was sniffling,” Alayne admitted, “but I saw no blood.”

“我得跟峽谷守護(hù)者談?wù)劥旖！＿@場宴會……明智嗎，小姐氛魁，下山之后立即召開宴會暮顺？”

“I must speak to the Lord Protector. This feast … is that wise, I wonder, after the strain of the descent?”

“不是鋪張的宴會，”她向他保證秀存，“將近四十位客人捶码，僅包括奈斯特大人和他的部下、血門騎士或链、幾位小領(lǐng)主及其隨從……”

“It will not be a large feast,” she assured him. “No more than forty guests. Lord Nestor and his household, the Knight of the Gate, a few lesser lords and their retainers …”

“勞勃大人討厭陌生人惫恼，這您是清楚的，更別說行酒猜拳澳盐、笑鬧喧嘩……音樂祈纯，他最怕音樂〉鸢遥”

“Lord Robert mislikes strangers, you know that, and there will be drinking, noise … music. Music frightens him.”

“音樂能撫慰他的神經(jīng)腕窥，”阿蓮糾正，“尤其是豎琴筛婉。他受不了的是唱歌簇爆，因為馬瑞里安殺了他母親∷觯”她把謊話說了一千遍入蛆，幾乎相信這是真的了，除此之外的想法不過是折磨睡眠的噩夢而已硕勿∩诨伲“奈斯特大人沒有歌手，只有伴舞的笛手與琴手源武《笸剩”當(dāng)樂聲響起，她該怎么做粱栖？這是個令人煩惱的問題迎捺，她的心和她的頭給出了不同答案。珊莎喜歡跳舞查排，阿蓮嘛……“夠了，下山前給他一杯甜牛奶抄沮，宴會開始前再給一杯跋核，大家相安無事岖瑰。”

“Music soothes him,” she corrected, “the high harp especially. It’s singing he can’t abide, since Marillion killed his mother.” Alayne had told the lie so many times that she remembered it that way more oft than not; the other seemed no more than a bad dream that sometimes troubled her sleep. “Lord Nestor will have no singers at the feast, only flutes and fiddles for the dancing.” What would she do when the music began to play? It was a vexing question, to which her heart and head gave different answers. Sansa loved to dance, but Alayne … “Just give him a cup of the sweetmilk before we go, and another at the feast, and there should be no trouble.”

“好吧砂代，”他們在樓梯底部停下蹋订，“這是最后一次。至少半年之內(nèi)刻伊，不能再喝露戒。”

“Very well.” They paused at the foot of the stairs. “But this must be the last. For half a year, or longer.”

“你自己跟峽谷守護(hù)者商量去捶箱≈鞘玻”她推門走進(jìn)花園《∈海柯蒙在盡本分荠锭，阿蓮心里明白，可惜世人對男孩勞勃和艾林公爵的期待不一樣晨川。培提爾跟她說過证九，而他說的沒有錯」猜牵柯蒙只曉得關(guān)心孩子愧怜，父親與我必須考慮更多。

“You had best take that up with the Lord Protector.” She pushed through the door and crossed the yard. Colemon only wanted the best for his charge, Alayne knew, but what was best for Robert the boy and what was best for Lord Arryn were not always the same. Petyr had said as much, and it was true. Maester Colemon cares only for the boy, though. Father and I have larger concerns.

陳雪堆積院內(nèi)妈拌，陽臺與尖塔垂下無數(shù)冰柱拥坛，猶如閃爍的水晶長矛。鷹巢城乃是以上好的白石建造而成供炎，如今冬日的披掛讓它顯得更為潔白渴逻。好美啊，阿蓮心想音诫，難攻不破惨奕，猶如天宮的城堡。然而她始終無法喜歡上這里竭钝，不管怎么試梨撞，即便守衛(wèi)和仆人沒離開時，這里也總是異诚愎蓿荒涼卧波，猶如墳?zāi)梗鼊e提培提爾·貝里席下山之后的現(xiàn)在了庇茫。這里沒人唱歌港粱，除了曾經(jīng)的討厭鬼馬瑞里安，這里的人們連發(fā)笑也不敢大聲，連諸神也都沉默查坪。鷹巢城的圣堂沒有修士寸宏，神木林中沒有心樹。在這里祈禱偿曙，神靈聽不見氮凝，她常念及此，卻又每每在孤單的時候重復(fù)去試望忆。唯有寒風(fēng)回應(yīng)罩阵，寒風(fēng)環(huán)繞在t座細(xì)瘦的尖塔周圍，敲打著月門启摄，無休無止地嘆息稿壁。這里的冬天太可怕了，她心想鞋仍，這里的冬天是冰凍地獄常摧。

Old snow cloaked the courtyard, and icicles hung down like crystal spears from the terraces and towers. The Eyrie was built of fine white stone, and winter’s mantle made it whiter still. So beautiful, Alayne thought, so impregnable. She could not love this place, no matter how she tried. Even before the guards and serving men had made their descent, the castle had seemed as empty as a tomb, and more so when Petyr Baelish was away. No one sang up there, not since Marillion. No one ever laughed too loud. Even the gods were silent. The Eyrie boasted a sept, but no septon; a godswood, but no heart tree. No prayers are answered here, she often thought, though some days she felt so lonely she had to try. Only the wind answered her, sighing endlessly around the seven slim white towers and rattling the Moon Door every time it gusted. It will be even worse in winter, she knew. In winter this will be a cold white prison.

不過一想到離開，她就跟勞勃一樣害怕威创，只是隱藏得比較深沉落午，不讓人發(fā)現(xiàn)而已。父親說肚豺，恐懼不是罪溃斋，顯露恐懼才致命∥辏“所有人都必須學(xué)會在恐懼中生活梗劫。”他教誨她截碴。阿蓮不知自己究竟能不能做到梳侨。培提爾·貝里席可是天不怕地不怕的，他說這些是要我勇敢起來日丹。無論如何走哺，下山之后，她必須更勇敢才行哲虾，因為被揭穿偽裝的可能性大大增加丙躏。培提爾在宮中的朋友帶話給他，說是太后派人四處搜捕小惡魔和珊莎·史塔克束凑。她要我的腦袋晒旅，她走下一段冰雪封凍的臺階，一邊提醒自己汪诉，任何時候任何地方废恋，我都得是阿蓮，即使在這里，在我心中拴签。

And yet the thought of leaving frightened her almost as much as it frightened Robert. She only hid it better. Her father said there was no shame in being afraid, only in showing your fear. “All men live with fear,” he said. Alayne was not certain she believed that. Nothing frightened Petyr Baelish. He only said that to make me brave. She would need to be brave down below, where the chance of being unmasked was so much greater. Petyr’s friends at court had sent him word that the queen had men out looking for the Imp and Sansa Stark. It will mean my head if I am found, she reminded herself as she descended a flight of icy stone steps. I must be Alayne all the time, inside and out.

羅索·布倫待在絞盤室內(nèi)孝常，協(xié)助獄卒莫德和兩名男仆將成箱成捆的衣服塞進(jìn)六個大橡木籃子，每個籃子足以裝載三人蚓哩。籃子順著巨大的鐵鏈放下去上渴，是到達(dá)六百尺下長天堡最簡捷的辦法岸梨，否則就得在山腹中抓著搭手攀爬，或選擇馬瑞里安和萊莎夫人的路稠氮。

Lothor Brune was in the winch room, helping the gaoler Mord and two serving men wrestle chests of clothes and bales of cloth into six huge oaken buckets, each big enough around to hold three men. The great chain winches were the easiest way to reach the waycastle Sky, six hundred feet below them; elsewise you had to descend the natural stone chimney from the undercellar. Or go the way Marillion went, and Lady Lysa before him.

“孩子起床了曹阔？”羅索爵士問。

“Boy out of bed?” Ser Lothor asked.

“他們在給他洗澡隔披，一小時后準(zhǔn)備就緒赃份。”

“They’re bathing him. He will be ready within the hour.”

“希望如此吧奢米。米亞最多等到正午抓韩。”絞盤室內(nèi)寒意逼人鬓长，他的吐詞在空氣中結(jié)霜谒拴。

“We best hope he is. Mya won’t wait past midday.” The winch room was unheated, so his breath misted with every word.

“她得等著，”阿蓮道涉波，“她必須等英上。”

“She’ll wait,” Alayne said. “She has to wait.”

“別那么肯定啤覆，小姐苍日，她啊，自個兒就是個驢脾氣窗声。我想相恃，如果咱們對她的牲口不利，多半會被她活活扔在山上餓死嫌佑，”他笑著說豆茫。談到米亞·石冬他就會微笑。米亞比羅索爵士年輕得多屋摇，然而父親玉成科布瑞伯爵和富商之女的婚事時曾告訴她揩魂，小女子最好找老男人，“純真與世故搭配炮温，婚姻才會美滿火脉。”父親如是說。

“Don’t be so certain, m’lady. She’s half mule herself, that one. I think she’d leave us all to starve before she’d put those animals at risk.” He smiled when he said it. He always smiles when he speaks of Mya Stone. Mya was much younger than Ser Lothor, but when her father had been brokering the marriage between Lord Corbray and his merchant’s daughter, he’d told her that young girls were always happiest with older men. “Innocence and experience make for a perfect marriage,” he had said.

不知米亞對羅索爵士有什么感覺倦挂。布倫長著塌鼻子畸颅、方下巴和扁平灰發(fā)，談不上英俊方援，卻也不丑没炒。一個長相平凡的忠實武士。他雖當(dāng)上騎士犯戏，出身卻極寒微送火，某天夜里閑聊時他對她說，自己是褐穴山布倫家族的遠(yuǎn)親先匪，那是蟹爪半島上古老的騎士家族种吸。“父親死后呀非，我跑去投奔本家坚俗，”他吐露，“結(jié)果他們拿糞潑我岸裙，說我們不是他們的種猖败。”羅索不肯敘述后來的故事哥桥，只說自己費(fèi)盡辛苦辙浑，終于學(xué)成一身武藝。是啊拟糕，他是個冷靜沉默的男子漢判呕，很少說話，但極強(qiáng)壯送滞。培提爾對他的忠誠評價甚高侠草，也盡可能地信任他。對米亞·石東這樣的私生女而言犁嗅，布倫是個好對象边涕，阿蓮盤算。當(dāng)然褂微，若她生父承認(rèn)了她功蜓，他就指望不上了，好在勞勃已死宠蚂，而瑪?shù)险f她也早已不是處女式撼。

Alayne wondered what Mya made of Ser Lothor. With his squashed nose, square jaw, and nap of woolly grey hair, Brune could not be called comely, but he was not ugly either. It is a common face but an honest one. Though he had risen to knighthood, Ser Lothor’s birth had been very low. One night he had told her that he was kin to the Brunes of Brownhollow, an old knightly family from Crackclaw Point. “I went to them when my father died,” he confessed, “but they shat on me, and said I was no blood of theirs.” He would not speak of what happened after that, except to say that he had learned all he knew of arms the hard way. Sober, he was a quiet man, but a strong one. And Petyr says he’s loyal. He trusts him as much as he trusts anyone. Brune would be a good match for a bastard girl like Mya Stone, she thought. It might be different if her father had acknowledged her, but he never did. And Maddy says that she’s no maid either.

莫德提起鞭子，狠狠抽打求厕，第一對公牛轉(zhuǎn)起圈來著隆，拉動絞盤扰楼。鐵鏈逐漸松開，“喀噠”作響地刮過石地板美浦，橡木籃向著長天堡緩緩下降弦赖。可憐的牛浦辨，阿蓮心想蹬竖，離開的時候，莫德會割它們的喉嚨流酬，把它們留給獵鷹案腺。獵鷹吃剩的肉若沒變質(zhì)，開春回城時將被人們燒烤康吵，作為春季慶典的食物。老吉思爾說访递，凍硬的肉預(yù)示著夏天的豐收晦嵌。

Mord took up his whip and cracked it, and the first pair of oxen began to lumber in a circle, turning the winch. The chain uncoiled, rattling as it scraped across the stone, the oaken bucket swaying as it began its long descent to Sky. Poor oxen, thought Alayne. Mord would cut their throats and butcher them before he left, and leave them for the falcons. Whatever part remained when the Eyrie was reopened would be roasted up for the spring feast, if it had not spoiled. A good supply of hard frozen meat foretold a summer of plenty, old Gretchel claimed.

“小姐，”羅索爵士提示拷姿，“您知道嗎惭载？米亞并非獨自一人，米蘭達(dá)小姐也在响巢∶杼希”

“M’lady,” Ser Lothor said, “you’d best know. Mya didn’t come up alone. Lady Myranda’s with her.”

“噢，”她一路騎上山來干嘛踪古？為了隔天又騎下去含长？米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯是奈斯特子爵的女兒，珊莎唯一一次拜訪月門堡伏穆，也就是同萊莎姨媽和培提爾公爵一起上山的途中拘泞，米蘭達(dá)碰巧不在，但后來阿蓮自鷹巢城的守衛(wèi)和女仆口中聽說了她的許多故事枕扫。她母親病逝已久陪腌，她父親的城堡長久以來由她當(dāng)家，據(jù)說只要她在烟瞧，城內(nèi)便是生機(jī)勃勃诗鸭。“你總有一天會見到米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯参滴，”培提爾曾告誡阿蓮强岸，“到時候，千萬小心卵洗。她裝成一副樂呵呵的傻瓜模樣请唱，但內(nèi)心里面弥咪，卻比她父親更狡猾。有她在場十绑，務(wù)必管住舌頭聚至。”

“Oh.” Why would she ride all the way up the mountain, just to ride back down again? Myranda Royce was the Lord Nestor’s daughter. The one time that Sansa had visited the Gates of the Moon, on the way up to the Eyrie with her aunt Lysa and Lord Petyr, she had been away, but Alayne had heard much of her since from the Eyrie’s soldiers and serving girls. Her mother was long dead, so Lady Myranda kept her father’s castle for him; it was a much livelier court when she was home than when she was away, according to rumor. “Soon or late you must meet Myranda Royce,” Petyr had warned her. “When you do, be careful. She likes to play the merry fool, but underneath she’s shrewder than her father. Guard your tongue around her.”

我會的本橙，她默默保證扳躬，只是沒想到來得這么快∩跬ぃ“勞勃會很開心贷币，”他相當(dāng)喜歡米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯，“請原諒亏狰，爵士役纹，我該去收拾行裝了∠就伲”她獨自一人登上階梯促脉，最后一次回到自己的房間。窗戶已統(tǒng)統(tǒng)封閉策州，家具也都蓋好瘸味，一些東西被打包帶走，絕大多數(shù)留了下來够挂，包括萊莎夫人所有的絲衣錦繡旁仿，最光鮮的亞麻布和最豪華的天鵝絨，精美的刺繡與典雅的密爾蕾絲孽糖，她統(tǒng)統(tǒng)不要枯冈。下山之后，阿蓮的穿著必須樸素得體梭姓，以符合私生女的身份霜幼。沒關(guān)系，她告訴自己誉尖，連在山上我也不敢身著華服罪既。

I will, she thought, but I did not know I’d need to start so soon. “Robert will be pleased.” He liked Myranda Royce. “You must excuse me, ser. I need to finish packing.” Alone, she climbed the steps back to her room for one last time. The windows had been sealed and shuttered, the furnishings covered. A few of her things had already been removed, the rest stored away. All of Lady Lysa’s silks and samites were to be left behind. Her sheerest linens and plushest velvets, the rich embroidery and fine Myrish lace; all would remain. Down below, Alayne must dress modestly, as befit a girl of modest birth. It makes no matter, she told herself. I dared not wear the best clothes even here.

吉思爾為她整理了床鋪，并將隨身衣物放在上面铡恕。阿蓮的裙下已穿了羊毛長襪和兩層內(nèi)衣琢感，所以她只加了一件羔羊毛上衣和一件兜帽毛皮斗篷，用培提爾送她的瓷釉仿聲鳥別針系好探熔，然后圍上圍巾驹针，還有一雙鑲毛皮的皮革手套和騎靴搭配。等著裝完畢诀艰，她自覺像只又肥又笨的小熊。走山路這是必需的裝備，她提醒自己删顶。

Gretchel had stripped the bed and laid out the rest of her clothing. Alayne was already wearing woolen hose beneath her skirts, over a double layer of smallclothes. Now she donned a lambswool overtunic and a hooded fur cloak, fastening it with an enameled mockingbird that had been a gift from Petyr. There was a scarf as well, and a pair of leather gloves lined with fur to match her riding boots. When she’d donned it all, she felt as fat and furry as a bear cub. I will be glad of it on the mountain, she had to remind herself. She took one last look at her room before she left. I was safe here, she thought, but down below …

臨行前掂为，她回頭看了房間最后一眼颜及。在這里，我很安全，她心想，到了山下……阿蓮回到絞盤室窟扑，發(fā)現(xiàn)米亞·石東正不耐煩地跟羅索·布倫及莫德站在一起。她大概等不及了漏健，親自坐籃子上來探個究竟嚎货。米亞身材瘦長結(jié)實，跟她鍍銀輕環(huán)甲下穿的老舊騎馬皮衣一樣強(qiáng)硬蔫浆。她的頭發(fā)如烏鴉的翅膀那么黑殖属，而且又短又亂，阿蓮懷疑她是用匕首修剪的瓦盛。她最動人的地方是眼睛忱辅，又大又藍(lán)的眼睛。若換上女兒家衣裳谭溉，米亞確有幾分迷人氣質(zhì)。阿蓮不知羅索爵士喜歡穿鐵甲皮衣的她橡卤，還是夢想她換上蕾絲綢緞扮念。米亞說，她父親準(zhǔn)是山羊碧库，母親則是貓頭鷹柜与，實情阿蓮從瑪?shù)峡谥辛私膺^了。沒錯嵌灰，她邊看邊想弄匕，那雙眼睛，那窩頭發(fā)沽瞭，跟藍(lán)禮一樣漆黑如夜的頭發(fā)迁匠。

When Alayne returned to the winch room, she found Mya Stone waiting impatiently with Lothor Brune and Mord. She must have come up in the bucket to see what was taking us so long. Slim and sinewy, Mya looked as tough as the old riding leathers she wore beneath her silvery ringmail shirt. Her hair was black as a raven’s wing, so short and shaggy that Alayne suspected that she cut it with a dagger. Mya’s eyes were her best feature, big and blue. She could be pretty, if she would dress up like a girl. Alayne found herself wondering whether Ser Lothor liked her best in her iron and leather, or dreamed of her gowned in lace and silk. Mya liked to say that her father had been a goat and her mother an owl, but Alayne had gotten the true story from Maddy. Yes, she thought, looking at her now, those are his eyes, and she has his hair too, the thick black hair he shared with Renly.

“他在哪兒？”私生女單刀直入地問驹溃。

“Where is he?” the bastard girl demanded.

“大人正在沐浴更衣城丧。”

“His lordship is being bathed and dressed.”

“他得搞快點豌鹤。越來越冷了亡哄，您感覺不到嗎？太陽落坡之前布疙，至少得走到雪山堡蚊惯≡感叮”

“He needs to make some haste. It’s getting colder, can’t you feel it? We need to get below Snow before the sun goes down.”

“風(fēng)吹得厲害？”阿蓮問她截型。

“How bad is the wind?” Alayne asked her.

“是的……越來越厲害趴荸，入夜后就別提了〔と埃”米亞掃開一髻垂下的黑發(fā)赊舶。“若他繼續(xù)拖延赶诊，我們都會被困在山上笼平，冬天時只好你吃我我吃你了√蚧荆”

“It could be worse … and will be, after dark.” Mya pushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “If he bathes much longer, we’ll be trapped up here all winter with nothing to eat except each other.”

阿蓮不知該如何答復(fù)寓调，幸運(yùn)的是，勞勃·艾林正好在此刻趕到锄码。小公爵穿上天藍(lán)色天鵝絨外衣夺英，戴起藍(lán)寶石金項鏈，披著白熊皮斗篷滋捶。他的侍從一人牽斗篷一角痛悯，以防拖到地上≈乜撸柯蒙師傅穿鑲松鼠皮的老舊灰斗篷跟在后面载萌，吉思爾與瑪?shù)弦搽x得不遠(yuǎn)。

Alayne did not know what to say to that. Thankfully, she was spared by the arrival of Robert Arryn. The little lord wore sky-blue velvet, a chain of gold and sapphires, and a white bearskin cloak. His squires each held an end, to keep the cloak from dragging on the floor. Maester Colemon accompanied them, in a threadbare grey cloak lined with squirrel fur. Gretchel and Maddy were not far behind.

他感覺到寒風(fēng)撲面巡扇，頓時恐懼起來扭仁，然而有泰倫斯和蓋爾斯押陣，他沒法逃走厅翔」宰梗“大人，”米亞道刀闷，“請您和我一起下山吧熊泵。”

When he felt the cold wind on his face, Robert quailed, but Terrance and Gyles were behind him, so he could not flee. “My lord,” said Mya, “will you ride down with me?”

你太唐突了甸昏，阿蓮心想戈次，你應(yīng)該微笑著哄他，告訴他他有多么強(qiáng)壯勇敢筒扒。

Too brusque, Alayne thought. She should have greeted him with a smile, told him how strong and brave he looks.

“我要阿蓮怯邪，”勞勃公爵說，“我只和她一起走花墩⌒”

“I want Alayne,” Lord Robert said. “I’ll only go with her.”

“籃子可以裝三人呀澄步。”

“The bucket can hold all three of us.”

“我只要阿蓮和泌。你太臭了村缸，跟騾子一樣難聞∥涿ィ”

“I just want Alayne. You smell all stinky, like a mule.”

“遵命梯皿。”米亞面無表情地回答县恕。

“As you wish.” Mya’s face showed no emotion.

除了堅固的橡木籃东羹，還有的籃子用柳條編織，它們都比阿蓮的個頭還高忠烛，邊緣以鐵箍箍著黑棕色枝條属提。即便如此，當(dāng)她抱勞勃進(jìn)去時美尸，心里依舊惴惴不安冤议。等側(cè)門關(guān)閉，左右便只剩木頭师坎，只能看頭頂了恕酸。再好不過，她告訴自己胯陋，我們沒法往下面張望尸疆。下面除了空氣還是空氣，六百尺的空氣惶岭。片刻間，她不禁荒謬地計算起姨媽到底需要墜落多久犯眠，才能飛越這段漫長的距離按灶，最后跟某個山尖親密接吻。不筐咧，不要去想鸯旁，不要去想！

Some of the winch chains were fixed to wicker baskets, others to stout oaken buckets. The largest of those was taller than Alayne, with iron bands girding its dark brown staves. Even so, her heart was in her throat as she took Robert’s hand and helped him in. Once the hatch was closed behind them, the wood surrounded them on all sides. Only the top was open. It is best that way, she told herself, we can’t look down. Below them was only Sky and sky. Six hundred feet of sky. For a moment she found herself wondering how long it had taken her aunt to fall that distance, and what her last thought had been as the mountain rushed up to meet her. No, I mustn’t think of that. I mustn’t!

“出發(fā)量蕊！”羅索爵士叫道铺罢。有人應(yīng)聲將大籃子一推，它晃了晃残炮，底部刮著地板韭赘，隨后懸到半空。她聽見莫德?lián)]鞭抽打势就，聽見鐵鏈“喀噠”泉瞻。他們開始下降脉漏，籃子起初古怪地痙攣，隨后才慢慢平穩(wěn)袖牙。勞勃臉色慘白侧巨，眼睛發(fā)紅，幸好手沒抖鞭达。鷹巢城在頭頂越縮越小司忱，那無數(shù)天牢從下觀之，猶如蜂窩一樣畴蹭。玄冰蜂窩坦仍，阿蓮心想，風(fēng)雪城堡撮胧。寒風(fēng)把籃子也包裹進(jìn)去桨踪。

“AWAY!” came Ser Lothor’s shout. Someone shoved the bucket hard. It swayed and tipped, scraped against the floor, then swung free. She heard the crack of Mord’s whip and the rattle of the chain. They began to descend, by jerks and starts at first, then more smoothly. Robert’s face was pale and his eyes puffy, but his hands were still. The Eyrie shrank above them. The sky cells on the lower levels made the castle look something like a honeycomb from below. A honeycomb made of ice, Alayne thought, a castle made of snow. She could hear the wind whistling round the bucket.

又走了一百尺，一陣颶風(fēng)突然將他們抓住芹啥，籃子猛烈傾斜锻离，在空中打轉(zhuǎn)，隨后狠狠地砸在后面的巖石上墓怀。無數(shù)冰晶碎片打進(jìn)來汽纠，橡木發(fā)出痛苦的呻吟。勞勃喘口粗氣傀履，緊緊地抓住她虱朵，把頭埋進(jìn)她雙乳之間。

A hundred feet down, a sudden gust caught hold of them. The bucket swayed sideways, spinning in the air, then bumped hard against the rock face behind them. Shards of ice and snow rained down on them, and the oak creaked and strained. Robert gave a gasp and clung to her, burying his face between her breasts.

“大人您真勇敢钓账，”阿蓮感覺到對方正在顫抖碴犬，“我好害怕，連話都不敢說梆暮。您實在是我的榜樣呀服协。”

“My lord is brave,” Alayne said, when she felt him shaking. “I’m so frightened I can hardly talk, but not you.”

她感覺到對方點點頭啦粹〕ズ桑“飛翼騎士很勇敢，我和他一樣唠椭，”他朝她的胸衣夸口跳纳，“我也是艾林家族的人√吧”

She felt him nod. “The Winged Knight was brave, and so am I,” he boasted to her bodice. “I’m an Arryn.”

“乖羅賓寺庄，抱緊我好嗎？我很怕∠橙啵”雖然他抓得如此用力饶深，她幾乎不能呼吸了。

“Will my Sweetrobin hold me tight?” she asked, though he was already holding her so tightly that she could scarcely breathe.

“是的逛拱〉欣澹”他輕聲道。他把她抱得更緊朽合，兩人終于到達(dá)長天堡俱两。

“If you like,” he whispered. And clinging hard to one another, they continued on straight down to Sky.

稱這里是城堡，好比叫水坑做湖泊曹步，等側(cè)門打開宪彩，進(jìn)入沿路堡壘后，阿蓮心想讲婚。長天堡不過是一道新月形狀尿孔、用老舊粗糙的山石堆砌而成的城墻，城墻包圍著石坡道和山洞口筹麸，山洞里面有馬廄活合、軍營、窄長廳堂及直上鷹巢城的搭手云梯物赶。城外到處堆積著破碎的山巖白指，隨時有山崩的危險，六百尺的頭頂酵紫，鷹巢城渺小得可以用一只手遮住告嘲，然而腳下的谷地蔥綠金黃。

Calling this a castle is like calling a puddle on a privy floor a lake, Alayne thought, when the bucket was opened so they might emerge within the waycastle. Sky was no more than a crescent-shaped wall of old unmortared stone, enclosing a stony ledge and the yawning mouth of a cavern. Inside were storehouses and stables, a long natural hall, and the chiseled handholds that led up to the Eyrie. Outside, the ground was strewn by broken stones and boulders. Earthen ramps gave access to the wall. Six hundred feet above, the Eyrie was so small she could hide it with her hand, but far below the Vale stretched green and golden.

二十匹騾子等在堡壘里面奖地，外加兩名行騾人和米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯小姐橄唬。奈斯特子爵的女兒身材矮小，年齡和米亞·石東相仿参歹，但與后者的瘦長結(jié)實相反仰楚，她有些發(fā)福，臉上掛著迷人的微笑泽示，臀部寬大，腰肢肥胖蜜氨，胸膛更是豐滿械筛，蓬厚的栗色鬈發(fā)映襯著通紅的圓臉、小嘴唇和一對活潑的褐眼飒炎。眼見勞勃小心翼翼地從籃子里走出來埋哟，她連忙跪在雪地里親吻小公爵的手掌和臉龐。“大人赤赊，”她贊道闯狱，“您長大了！”

Twenty mules awaited them within the waycastle, along with two mule-walkers and the Lady Myranda Royce. Lord Nestor’s daughter proved to be a short, fleshy woman, of an age with Mya Stone, but where Mya was slim and sinewy, Myranda was soft-bodied and sweet-smelling, broad of hip, thick of waist, and extremely buxom. Her thick chestnut curls framed round red cheeks, a small mouth, and a pair of lively brown eyes. When Robert climbed gingerly from the bucket, she knelt in a patch of snow to kiss his hand and cheeks. “My lord,” she said, “you’ve grown so big!”

“是嗎抛计？”勞勃高興地說哄孤。

“Have I?” said Robert, pleased.

“很快你就比我還高了〈到兀”女人撒謊道瘦陈。她站起來，將雪從裙子上掃開波俄〕渴牛“你是峽谷守護(hù)者的女兒吧，”她邊問懦铺，籃子嘎吱嘎吱地升回鷹巢城捉貌，“聽說你長得很美，果然不假冬念〕们裕”

“You will be taller than me soon,” the lady lied. She got to her feet and brushed the snow from her skirts. “And you must be the Lord Protector’s daughter,” she added, as the bucket went rattling back up to the Eyrie. “I had heard that you were beautiful. I see that it is true.”

阿蓮屈膝為禮，“小姐過獎刘急∨锞眨”

Alayne curtsied. “My lady is kind to say so.”

“過獎？”年長的女孩哈哈一笑叔汁⊥城螅“是嗎，那你可得補(bǔ)償我据块，待會兒行路無聊码邻，我要當(dāng)壞人了……喂，你得把所有小秘密都傾囊告訴我喲另假。嗯像屋，我可以叫你阿蓮嗎？”

“Kind?” The older girl gave a laugh. “How boring that would be. I aspire to be wicked. You must tell me all your secrets on the ride down. May I call you Alayne?”

“當(dāng)然可以边篮，小姐己莺。”我什么秘密也不會告訴你戈轿。

“If you wish, my lady.” But you’ll get no secrets from me.

“在月門堡凌受，我是‘小姐’，但在山上思杯，叫我‘蘭達(dá)’就行胜蛉。你多大，阿蓮？”

“I am ‘my lady’ at the Gates, but up here on the mountain you may call me Randa. How many years have you, Alayne?”

“十四歲誊册，小姐领突。”阿蓮·石東比珊莎·史塔克年長一些案怯。

“Four-and-ten, my lady.” She had decided that Alayne Stone should be older than Sansa Stark.

“是‘蘭達(dá)’君旦。呵呵，十四歲對我來說是一百年的事兒了殴泰，那時的我多純潔呀于宙。你呢，你還‘純潔’嗎悍汛，阿蓮捞魁？”

“Randa. It seems a hundred years since I was four-and-ten. How innocent I was. Are you still innocent, Alayne?”

她臉紅了，“您別……是的离咐，當(dāng)然谱俭。”

She blushed. “You should not … yes, of course.”

“喲宵蛀，為勞勃大人留著的昆著？”米蘭達(dá)小姐取笑道，“或是哪個熱情的侍從夜夜念著你呢术陶？”

“Saving yourself for Lord Robert?” Lady Myranda teased. “Or is there some ardent squire dreaming of your favors?”

“沒有凑懂。”阿蓮說梧宫，連勞勃也抗議起來接谨，“她是我朋友，泰倫斯和蓋爾斯別想碰她塘匣！”

“No,” said Alayne, even as Robert said, “She’s my friend. Terrance and Gyles can’t have her.”

話說間脓豪，第二個籃子也到了，它輕輕撞在凍結(jié)的雪墩上忌卤，柯蒙師傅同侍從泰倫斯和蓋爾斯一起出來扫夜。第三個籃子帶來瑪?shù)稀⒓紶柡兔讈啞な瘱|驰徊。私生女孩立刻開始發(fā)號施令笤闯。“山路上棍厂，我們不能擠成一團(tuán)颗味，”她吩咐其他行騾人，“我來帶領(lǐng)勞勃大人和他的隨從勋桶。奧斯脱衙，你帶走羅索爵士和其他人，等我出發(fā)一小時后再上路例驹【韬卡羅特，你負(fù)責(zé)行李與箱子鹃锈』缧玻”她轉(zhuǎn)向勞勃·艾林，黑發(fā)迎風(fēng)飛舞屎债〗稣“您想騎哪頭騾子，大人盆驹？”

A second bucket had arrived by then, thumping down softly on a mound of frozen snow. Maester Colemon emerged with the squires Terrance and Gyles. The next winch delivered Maddy and Gretchel, who rode with Mya Stone. The bastard girl wasted no time taking charge. “We don’t want to get bunched up on the mountain,” she told the other mule handlers. “I’ll take Lord Robert and his companions. Ossy, you’ll bring down Ser Lothor and the rest, but give me an hour’s lead. Carrot, you’ll have charge of their chests and boxes.” She turned to Robert Arryn, her black hair blowing. “Which mule will you ride today, my lord?”

“它們都很臭圆丹。哼，我要灰色那頭躯喇，就是沒耳朵的辫封。我還要阿蓮和米蘭達(dá)陪我一起騎×觯”

“They’re all stinky. I’ll have the grey one, with the ear chewed off. I want Alayne to ride with me. And Myranda too.”

“路夠?qū)挸ǖ牡胤娇梢跃胛ⅰ戆桑笕苏梗向呑有栏！？諝庵杏醒┑奈兜澜孤摹拓劝！?/p>

“Where the way is wide enough. Come, my lord, let’s get you on your mule. There’s a smell of snow in the air.”

結(jié)果他們花了半個鐘頭才準(zhǔn)備好出發(fā)。當(dāng)所有人都安頓妥當(dāng)后裁良，米亞·石東簡捷地發(fā)令凿将，兩名長天堡的衛(wèi)兵便打開城門。米亞當(dāng)先領(lǐng)路价脾，裹好熊皮斗篷的勞勃公爵緊跟在后牧抵，隨后是阿蓮和米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯，吉思爾與瑪?shù)锨劝选⑻﹤愃埂ち值吕w爾斯·格拉夫森犀变，柯蒙師傅牽著一匹馱有草藥及藥劑箱子的騾子斷后。

It was another half hour before they were ready to set out. When all of them were mounted up, Mya Stone gave a crisp command, and two of Sky’s men-at-arms swung the gates open. Mya led them out, with Lord Robert just behind her, swaddled in his bearskin cloak. Alayne and Myranda Royce followed, then Gretchel and Maddy, then Terrance Lynderly and Gyles Grafton. Maester Colemon brought up the rear, leading a second mule laden with his chests of herbs and potions.

城墻之外秋柄，寒風(fēng)陡然增強(qiáng)數(shù)倍获枝。此地不生樹木，群山光禿禿的骇笔，阿蓮不由得慶幸自己額外添了衣物省店。斗篷在周身拍打嚣崭，發(fā)出清脆的響聲，兜帽也時不時被吹起來懦傍。她哈哈大笑雹舀，前面的勞勃公爵卻蠕動著說：“太冷了，我們還是回去等暖和了再下山吧粗俱∷涤埽”

Beyond the walls, the wind picked up sharply. They were above the tree line here, exposed to the elements. Alayne was thankful that she’d dressed so warmly. Her cloak was flapping noisily behind her, and a sudden gust blew back her hood. She laughed, but a few yards ahead Lord Robert squirmed, and said, “It’s too cold. We should go back and wait until it’s warmer.”