Ⅱ 列王的紛爭 Chapter51 瓊恩

JON

夜色中的篝火定欧，在彼端的山坡放光，猶如墜落的星星怒竿。其實它比群星更加明亮砍鸠，但不曾閃爍，只是有的時候膨脹舒展耕驰，有的時候墮落陰郁爷辱，猶如遙遠的花火，微弱而暗淡。

They could see the fire in the night, glimmering against the side of the mountain like a fallen star. It burned redder than the other stars, and did not twinkle, though sometimes it flared up bright and sometimes dwindled down to no more than a distant spark, dull and faint.

它就在前方一里遠饭弓、兩千尺高的地方双饥，瓊恩估算，居高臨下示启，峽口動靜一覽無余兢哭。

Half a mile ahead and two thousand feet up, Jon judged, and perfectly placed to see anything moving in the pass below.

“風聲峽的守望者，”他們之中最年長的人開口夫嗓。此人年輕時當過國王的侍從迟螺，所以黑衣兄弟們至今仍叫他“侍從”戴里吉∩峥В“如此明目張膽矩父，曼斯·雷德到底在怕什么？”

“Watchers in the Skirling Pass,” wondered the oldest among them. In the spring of his youth, he had been squire to a king, so the black brothers still called him Squire Dalbridge. “What is it Mance Rayder fears, I wonder?”

“我看他若知道這些雜種生火排霉，非扒了他們的皮不可窍株。”伊班道攻柠，他雖矮胖禿頂球订，卻肌肉壯碩，活像一堆巖石瑰钮。

“If he knew they’d lit a fire, he’d flay the poor bastards,” said Ebben, a squat bald man muscled like a bag of rocks.

“高山上冒滩，火是生命之源，”斷掌科林說浪谴，“也是取死之道开睡。”奉他指示苟耻，自深入山區(qū)后篇恒，隊伍便不再弄出明火。大家以生冷的腌牛肉凶杖、硬面包和更硬的奶酪為食胁艰，睡覺時則擠在斗篷和毛皮下合衣而臥，彼此取暖官卡。這段經(jīng)歷讓瓊恩不由得憶起很久以前在臨冬城度過的寒夜蝗茁，那時他和兄弟們同床而眠。如今這些人也是他的兄弟寻咒，只是共享的床鋪換成了巖石和土地哮翘。

“Fire is life up here,” said Qhorin Halfhand, “but it can be death as well.” By his command, they’d risked no open flames since entering the mountains. They ate cold salt beef, hard bread, and harder cheese, and slept clothed and huddled beneath a pile of cloaks and furs, grateful for each other’s warmth. It made Jon remember cold nights long ago at Winterfell, when he’d shared a bed with his brothers. These men were brothers too, though the bed they shared was stone and earth.

“他們一定配有號角∶兀”石蛇道饭寺。

“They’ll have a horn,” said Stonesnake.

斷掌說：“一個他們永遠吹不了的號阻课。”

The Halfhand said, “A horn they must not blow.”

“好高的山艰匙，晚上爬真是既漫長又要命限煞。”伊班道员凝，一邊透過掩護大家的巖石中的裂縫觀察遙遠的火焰署驻。天空無云，鋸齒狀的山峰黑壓壓地拔高爬升健霹，直到極頂旺上，圍繞頂峰的極度冰雪在月光下發(fā)出蒼白的輝芒。

“That’s a long cruel climb by night,” Ebben said as he eyed the distant spark through a cleft in the rocks that sheltered them. The sky was cloudless, the jagged mountains rising black on black until the very top, where their cold crowns of snow and ice shone palely in the moonlight.

“如果不慎糖埋，也是一段漫長的墜落宣吱。”斷掌科林說瞳别，“依我看征候，兩個人就行。那邊也該是兩人看守祟敛，輪流值班疤坝。”

“And a longer fall,” said Qhorin Halfhand. “Two men, I think. There are like to be two up there, sharing the watch.”

“我來馆铁∽渖罚”綽號石蛇的游騎兵率先報名，經(jīng)過這段時間的相處叼架，瓊恩已知他是隊中最佳的登山手，此次任務自然非他莫屬衣撬。

“Me.” The ranger they called Stonesnake had already shown that he was the best climber among them. It would have to be him.

“我也去乖订，”瓊恩說。

“And me,” said Jon Snow.

斷掌科林望向他具练≌Ч梗狂風穿過頭頂高高的峽口，發(fā)出哭嚎——風聲峽正因此而得名扛点。某人的坐騎嘶鳴開來哥遮，揚腿踢打他們藏身的山洞中多石的薄泥×昃浚“狼留下眠饮，”科林道，“白毛在月光下太顯眼铜邮∫钦伲”他轉向石蛇寨蹋。“事成之后扔茅，扔下火把已旧。我們立刻跟上≌倌龋”

Qhorin Halfhand looked at him. Jon could hear the wind keening as it shivered through the high pass above them. One of the garrons whickered and pawed at the thin stony soil of the hollow where they had taken shelter. “The wolf will remain with us,” Qhorin said. “White fur is seen too easily by moonlight.” He turned to Stonesnake. “When it’s done, throw down a burning brand. We’ll come when we see it fall.”

“開始吧运褪。”石蛇說玖瘸。

“No better time to start than now,” said Stonesnake.

兩人各拿一大卷繩索秸讹。石蛇還帶了一袋鐵釘，一個頂端包裹厚毛氈的小錘店读。他們把馬嗦枢、頭盔、鎧甲和白靈一塊兒留下屯断。臨出發(fā)時文虏，瓊恩跪在冰原狼面前，任狼用鼻子拱他殖演⊙趺兀“留下來，”他命令趴久，“我會回來找你丸相。”

They each took a long coil of rope. Stonesnake carried a bag of iron spikes as well, and a small hammer with its head wrapped in thick felt. Their garrons they left behind, along with their helms, mail, and Ghost. Jon knelt and let the direwolf nuzzle him before they set off. “Stay,” he commanded. “I’ll be back for you.”

石蛇帶頭彼棍。他是個矮瘦男子灭忠，將近五十，胡子灰白座硕，但身體比外表看上去要結實得多弛作，也是瓊恩所認識的人中夜視能力最佳的一位——今晚正好派上用場。白天华匾，群山一片藍灰映琳，覆蓋冰雪，當太陽消失在參差的峰巒后蜘拉，一切又成了黑色萨西。而今，明月高掛旭旭，將它們?nèi)境摄y白谎脯。

Stonesnake took the lead. He was a short wiry man, near fifty and grey of beard but stronger than he seemed, and he had the best night eyes of anyone Jon had ever known. He needed them tonight. By day the mountains were blue-grey, brushed with frost, but once the sun vanished behind the jagged peaks they turned black. Now the rising moon had limned them in white and silver.

這一對黑衣兄弟走在漆黑巖石中的漆黑陰影里，朝峭壁行去您机，留下彎曲的軌跡穿肄，呼吸在漆黑的空氣中結霜年局。沒穿盔甲的瓊恩覺得自己赤裸無依，所幸行動更加便利咸产。一路艱苦又緩慢矢否，只因若是匆忙，就得冒摔斷膝蓋甚至更大的危險脑溢。石蛇似乎本能地知道如何下腳僵朗，但在這破碎不平的大地上，瓊恩只能步步為營屑彻，加倍小心验庙。

The black brothers moved through black shadows amidst black rocks, working their way up a steep, twisting trail as their breath frosted in the black air. Jon felt almost naked without his mail, but he did not miss its weight. This was hard going, and slow. To hurry here was to risk a broken ankle or worse. Stonesnake seemed to know where to put his feet as if by instinct, but Jon needed to be more careful on the broken, uneven ground.

風聲峽是一長串名副其實的峽谷，漫長而曲折社牲，時而環(huán)繞連綿起伏的風雪群山粪薛，時而成為不見天日的隱蔽峽道。自從離開森林上山以來搏恤，除了自己的伙伴违寿，瓊恩未見其他活人。霜雪之牙是諸神所造最為殘酷無情之處熟空，對人類飽含敵意藤巢。這里風如剃刀，在寒夜中發(fā)出尖嘯息罗，仿佛母親在痛悼孩兒掂咒；這里的樹寥寥無幾，且短小猥瑣迈喉，狼狽地擠在巖縫和裂溝中绍刮；小徑上方常懸層層巖片，邊沿掛著冰柱挨摸，遠遠觀之录淡，好似雪白的獠牙。

The Skirling Pass was really a series of passes, a long twisting course that went up around a succession of icy wind-carved peaks and down through hidden valleys that seldom saw the sun. Apart from his companions, Jon had glimpsed no living man since they’d left the wood behind and begun to make their way upward. The Frostfangs were as cruel as any place the gods had made, and as inimical to men. The wind cut like a knife up here, and shrilled in the night like a mother mourning her slain children. What few trees they saw were stunted, grotesque things growing sideways out of cracks and fissures. Tumbled shelves of rock often overhung the trail, fringed with hanging icicles that looked like long white teeth from a distance.

即便如此油坝，瓊恩并不后悔走這一遭，因為這里也是奇跡之地刨裆。他們走過陡峭的石壁邊緣澈圈，見識了陽光在覆著薄冰的瀑布上閃耀的美景；他們游歷長滿秋日野花的山間草坪帆啃，有藍色的冰心花瞬女、猩紅明亮的冷霜火，還有人立起來努潘、赤褐金黃的笛手草诽偷；深邃漆黑的洞穴坤学，他簡直以為其直通地獄；他還騎馬穿越歷經(jīng)風蝕的天然石橋报慕，兩邊除了無盡長空深浮，什么也沒有。老鷹在絕壁上筑巢眠冈，到峽溝中捕獵飞苇，不知疲倦地張開雄健的藍灰翅膀，盤桓飛揚蜗顽，幾乎和天空融為一體布卡。有一回他甚至目睹影子山貓獵襲公羊，它如山腹中緩緩溢出的流動煙霧雇盖，等待忿等，然后撲殺。

Yet even so, Jon Snow was not sorry he had come. There were wonders here as well. He had seen sunlight flashing on icy thin waterfalls as they plunged over the lips of sheer stone cliffs, and a mountain meadow full of autumn wildflowers, blue coldsnaps and bright scarlet frostfires and stands of piper’s grass in russet and gold. He had peered down ravines so deep and black they seemed certain to end in some hell, and he had ridden his garron over a wind-eaten bridge of natural stone with nothing but sky to either side. Eagles nested in the heights and came down to hunt the valleys, circling effortlessly on great blue-grey wings that seemed almost part of the sky. Once he had watched a shadowcat stalk a ram, flowing down the mountainside like liquid smoke until it was ready to pounce.

現(xiàn)在輪到我們撲殺崔挖。他希望自己能像影子山貓一樣堅定而沉寂贸街，斃敵干凈利落。長爪背在后背虚汛，但他擔心使用的空間匾浪，于是也準備好小刀和匕首。對方會有武器卷哩，而我沒穿護甲蛋辈。他不禁懷疑今晚誰是影子山貓，誰又來扮演公羊的角色将谊。

Now it is our turn to pounce. He wished he could move as sure and silent as that shadowcat, and kill as quickly. Longclaw was sheathed across his back, but he might not have room to use it. He carried dirk and dagger for closer work. They will have weapons as well, and I am not armored. He wondered who would prove the shadowcat by night’s end, and who the ram.

他們沿著小徑走了許久冷溶，在山的側面蛇行、蜿蜒尊浓、轉折逞频，不斷向上、向上栋齿。某些時候苗胀，群山相互包庇，無從窺見遠方的篝火瓦堵，但只要走下去基协，它必在前方重復出現(xiàn)。石蛇挑選的道路根本不容馬行菇用，有的地方連瓊恩也不得不將背脊貼上冰冷的石頭澜驮，如螃蟹般拖著腳一寸一寸地鉆過去。路徑變寬往往不是好事：那將出現(xiàn)大得能吞噬人腳的深洞惋鸥，無數(shù)絆人的碎石以及白天流動杂穷、夜晚冷凝的水坑悍缠。一步一個腳印小心走，瓊恩告訴自己耐量。一步一個腳印飞蚓，我決不會摔落。

For a long way they stayed to the trail, following its twists and turns as it snaked along the side of the mountain, upward, ever upward. Sometimes the mountain folded back on itself and they lost sight of the fire, but soon or late it would always reappear. The path Stonesnake chose would never have served for the horses. In places Jon had to put his back to the cold stone and shuffle along sideways like a crab, inch by inch. Even where the track widened it was treacherous; there were cracks big enough to swallow a man’s leg, rubble to stumble over, hollow places where the water pooled by day and froze hard by night. One step and then another, Jon told himself. One step and then another, and I will not fall.

自離開先民拳峰拴鸵，他便沒有修面玷坠，如今唇邊的胡須已被霜雪凍成一塊。經(jīng)過兩個鐘頭的攀登劲藐，寒風變得如此猛烈八堡，他只能使出全身力氣拼命挪動，攀附峭壁聘芜，心里默默祈禱不被吹下去兄渺。一步一個腳印，當狂風暫時止息汰现，他又對自己強調挂谍。一步一個腳印，我決不會摔落瞎饲。

He had not shaved since leaving the Fist of the First Men, and the hair on his lip was soon stiff with frost. Two hours into the climb, the wind kicked up so fiercely that it was all he could do to hunch down and cling to the rock, praying he would not be blown off the mountain. One step and then another, he resumed when the gale subsided. One step and then another, and I will not fall.

沒過多久口叙，他們所達到的高度便不允許往下察看了。身下為無盡黑暗嗅战，頭頂是皓月繁星妄田，天地之間，別無他物驮捍∨蹦牛“大山就是你的母親，”幾天前东且，當他們攀登不這么險峻的山巒時启具，石蛇便告訴過他∩河荆“緊緊摟住鲁冯，將你的臉龐貼緊她的乳房，她決不會遺棄你色查∠剩”當時瓊恩開了個玩笑，說自己一直在找尋生母综慎，沒想到在霜雪之牙和她團聚。如今這變得不那么好笑勤庐。一步一個腳印示惊，我決不會摔落好港，他心想，抓得更緊了米罚。

Soon they were high enough so that looking down was best not considered. There was nothing below but yawning blackness, nothing above but moon and stars. “The mountain is your mother,” Stonesnake had told him during an easier climb a few days past. “Cling to her, press your face up against her teats, and she won’t drop you.” Jon had made a joke of it, saying how he’d always wondered who his mother was, but never thought to find her in the Frostfangs. It did not seem nearly so amusing now. One step and then another, he thought, clinging tight.

窄路在一塊突出的厚重黑花崗巖前嘎然而止钧汹。明亮的月光下，巖石撒下的陰影黑如洞窟录择“卫常“直著上，”游騎兵平靜地說隘竭，“爬到他們頂上去塘秦。”他摘下手套动看，塞進腰帶尊剔，將繩子一頭捆住自己腰部，另一頭捆住瓊恩的腰菱皆⌒胛螅“繩子繃緊就跟上〕鹎幔”游騎兵不等回答立即出發(fā)京痢，手腳并用，動作快得超乎瓊恩想像篷店。長長的繩索緩慢釋放祭椰。瓊恩靠近來觀察，認真學習對方移動的姿勢船庇，記下每個落腳支撐之處吭产。當最后一卷麻繩也被松開，他連忙摘下手套跟進鸭轮，速度則遲緩了許多臣淤。

The narrow track ended abruptly where a massive shoulder of black granite thrust out from the side of the mountain. After the bright moonlight, its shadow was so black that it felt like stepping into a cave. “Straight up here,” the ranger said in a quiet voice. “We want to get above them.” He peeled off his gloves, tucked them through his belt, tied one end of his rope around his waist, the other end around Jon. “Follow me when the rope grows taut.” The ranger did not wait for an answer but started at once, moving upward with fingers and feet, faster than Jon would have believed. The long rope unwound slowly. Jon watched him closely, making note of how he went, and where he found each handhold, and when the last loop of hemp uncoiled, he took off his own gloves and followed, much more slowly.

石蛇將繩子繞上平滑突出的山石，人在旁邊等候窃爷，一伺瓊恩接近邑蒋，便又放松開來，繼續(xù)前進按厘。這一次當繩子拉張完畢医吊，卻沒了適宜的巖石，于是他拿出毛氈包裹的錘子逮京，輕輕敲打卿堂，將鐵釘鑿進山石。聲音雖輕，但每一擊都在巖壁間回蕩草描，使得瓊恩不住畏縮览绿，以為野人們定能聽見。當鐵釘扎好穗慕，石蛇將繩子系牢饿敲，瓊恩便即跟進。吮緊大山的奶子逛绵，他提醒自己怀各。別低頭。重心放腳上术浪。別低頭瓢对。盯著眼前的石頭。這釘子很牢添吗，是的沥曹。別低頭。撐到那塊懸壁就能喘口氣碟联，所以快走妓美！決不低頭。

Stonesnake had passed the rope around the smooth spike of rock he was waiting on, but as soon as Jon reached him he shook it loose and was off again. This time there was no convenient cleft when he reached the end of their tether, so he took out his felt-headed hammer and drove a spike deep into a crack in the stone with a series of gentle taps. Soft as the sounds were, they echoed off the stone so loudly that Jon winced with every blow, certain that the wildlings must hear them too. When the spike was secure, Stonesnake secured the rope to it, and Jon started after him. Suck on the mountain’s teat, he reminded himself. Don’t look down. Keep your weight above your feet. Don’t look down. Look at the rock in front of you. There’s a good handhold, yes. Don’t look down. I can catch a breath on that ledge there, all I need to do is reach it. Never look down.

他一度一腳踩空，胸膛里的心臟頓時停止了跳動，但諸神保佑亮钦，沒有摔下去伟恶。巖石里的寒氣滲進指尖耕渴，他卻不敢戴上手套——不管它們昨看起來多緊密，毛皮和布料在皮膚與石頭之間摩擦，都是會打滑，害他送命的毙玻。燒傷的手掌逐漸僵硬、疼痛廊散。不知何時桑滩，拇指甲也掉了，手到之處便留下一抹抹鮮血允睹。他只希望到達終點時十指還健全运准。

Once his foot slipped as he put his weight on it and his heart stopped in his chest, but the gods were good and he did not fall. He could feel the cold seeping off the rock into his fingers, but he dared not don his gloves; gloves would slip, no matter how tight they seemed, cloth and fur moving between skin and stone, and up here that could kill him. His burned hand was stiffening up on him, and soon it began to ache. Then he ripped open his thumbnail somehow, and after that he left smears of blood wherever he put his hand. He hoped he still had all his fingers by the end of the climb.

他們向上攀登，向上缭受，向上胁澳，猶如兩道蠕動在月光照耀的巖墻上的黑影。任何站在峽谷的人都能輕易發(fā)現(xiàn)他們米者，但高山遮擋了野人的營火韭畸。他們應該很近了，瓊恩感覺得到。但他心中所想?yún)s不是毫無防備胰丁、等候著他的敵人普筹，而是臨冬城里的兄弟。布蘭那么愛攀爬隘马，我要有他十分之一的勇氣就好了。

Up they went, and up, and up, black shadows creeping across the moonlit wall of rock. Anyone down on the floor of the pass could have seen them easily, but the mountain hid them from the view of the wildlings by their fire. They were close now, though. Jon could sense it. Even so, he did not think of the foes who were waiting for him, all unknowing, but of his brother at Winterfell. Bran used to love to climb. I wish I had a tenth part of his courage.

巖墻在三分之二高的地方被一道冰石裂溝所橫斷妻顶。石蛇伸手助他攀越酸员。見他已重戴手套，瓊恩也照辦讳嘱。上頂之后幔嗦，游騎兵扭身向左，他倆在平臺上爬行近三百尺沥潭，直到透過峭壁邊緣邀泉，看見昏暗的橙色光芒。

The wall was broken two-thirds of the way up by a crooked fissure of icy stone. Stonesnake reached down a hand to help him up. He had donned his gloves again, so Jon did the same. The ranger moved his head to the left, and the two of them crawled along the shelf three hundred yards or more, until they could see the dull orange glow beyond the lip of the cliff.

野人們將營火生在谷口最窄處上方的一道淺凹里钝鸽，其下有根垂直的巖柱汇恤，后方由山壁遮擋狂風。兩個黑衣兄弟正好利用防風壁緩緩爬行拔恰，匍匐前進因谎，直到俯視對手。

The wildlings had built their watchfire in a shallow depression above the narrowest part of the pass, with a sheer drop below and rock behind to shelter them from the worst of the wind. That same windbreak allowed the black brothers to crawl within a few feet of them, creeping along on their bellies until they were looking down on the men they must kill.

一人睡著了颜懊，緊緊蜷身财岔，埋在小山似的毛皮底，瓊恩只能看見篝火下鮮紅的頭發(fā)河爹。第二人緊靠火堆而坐匠璧，正往里添樹枝，一邊嘮嘮叨叨地抱怨寒風咸这。最后一人守望峽道夷恍，雖然現(xiàn)在沒什么可看，只有環(huán)繞積雪峰巒的無盡黑暗炊苫，但他并未松懈裁厅。號角正在他身上。

One was asleep, curled up tight and buried beneath a great mound of skins. Jon could see nothing of him but his hair, bright red in the firelight. The second sat close to the flames, feeding them twigs and branches and complaining of the wind in a querulous tone. The third watched the pass, though there was little to see, only a vast bowl of darkness ringed by the snowy shoulders of the mountains. It was the watcher who wore the horn.

三個人侨艾。瓊恩不免有些惴惴不安执虹。本以為是兩個，好在一人正睡著覺唠梨。不過不管下面是兩個袋励、三個還是二十個，他都必須履行自己的職責。石蛇碰碰他胳膊茬故，指指持號角的野人盖灸，瓊恩則朝火堆邊的人點點頭。挑選犧牲品磺芭，感覺真奇特赁炎。可他半生舞劍習盾钾腺，不就為了這一時刻徙垫？羅柏第一次上戰(zhàn)場是否也有相同的感覺？他不禁好奇放棒，但現(xiàn)下無暇仔細思考姻报。石蛇的動作迅如其名，伴著如雨的卵石间螟，他跳進野人營地吴旋。瓊恩長爪出鞘，緊跟而前厢破。

Three. For a moment Jon was uncertain. There was only supposed to be two. One was asleep, though. And whether there was two or three or twenty, he still must do what he had come to do. Stonesnake touched his arm, pointed at the wildling with the horn. Jon nodded toward the one by the fire. It felt queer, picking a man to kill. Half the days of his life had been spent with sword and shield, training for this moment. Did Robb feel this way before his first battle? he wondered, but there was no time to ponder the question. Stonesnake moved as fast as his namesake, leaping down on the wildlings in a rain of pebbles. Jon slid Longclaw from its sheath and followed.

一切都發(fā)生在瞬息之間荣瑟，事后瓊恩無比欽佩那名寧肯吹號角、不愿拿武器的野人的勇氣溉奕。他本已把它舉到唇邊褂傀，但石蛇搶先一步擲出短刀將號擊飛。瓊恩的對手跳起身加勤，順手抓起燃燒的木頭就朝他臉捅來仙辟。他連忙閃躲，只覺熱氣撲面而至鳄梅，同時眼角余光見到沉睡者也開始了行動叠国，心知必須速戰(zhàn)速決〈魇火棍再次掃來粟焊，他矮身跳前，雙手握緊長柄劍突刺孙蒙。瓦雷利亞鋼穿透皮革项棠、毛皮，羊毛和血肉挎峦，但野人在倒下之前香追，仍奮力爭奪，扭下瓊恩的劍坦胶。那邊的熟睡者已在毛皮下坐起身透典。瓊恩拔出短刀晴楔，抓住對方頭發(fā)，將刀鋒伸向他的下巴峭咒，伸向他的——不税弃，她的——

It all seemed to happen in a heartbeat. Afterward Jon could admire the courage of the wildling who reached first for his horn instead of his blade. He got it to his lips, but before he could sound it Stonesnake knocked the horn aside with a swipe of his shortsword. Jon’s man leapt to his feet, thrusting at his face with a burning brand. He could feel the heat of the flames as he flinched back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the sleeper stirring, and knew he must finish his man quick. When the brand swung again, he bulled into it, swinging the bastard sword with both hands. The Valyrian steel sheared through leather, fur, wool, and flesh, but when the wildling fell he twisted, ripping the sword from Jon’s grasp. On the ground the sleeper sat up beneath his furs. Jon slid his dirk free, grabbing the man by the hair and jamming the point of the knife up under his chin as he reached for his—no, her—

他的手猛然停住〈斩樱“女的则果。”

His hand froze. “A girl.”

“守望者漩氨，”石蛇道短条，“野人。解決她才菠。”

“A watcher,” said Stonesnake. “A wildling. Finish her.”

他看見她眼中的火焰和恐懼贡定。短刀割傷了她白皙的脖子赋访，鮮血順著鋒刃一滴一滴往下流。一刀解決她缓待，他告訴自己蚓耽。他們彼此靠得很近，他能聞到她呼吸里的洋蔥味旋炒。她比他年輕步悠，雖然長得和艾莉亞完全說不上形似，但懷有的某種特質卻讓他想起了小妹瘫镇《κ蓿“你投不投降？”他問铣除，一邊將刀子轉開些谚咬。她要是不投降怎么辦？

Jon could see fear and fire in her eyes. Blood ran down her white throat from where the point of his dirk had pricked her. One thrust and it’s done, he told himself. He was so close he could smell onion on her breath. She is no older than I am. Something about her made him think of Arya, though they looked nothing at all alike. “Will you yield?” he asked, giving the dirk a half turn. And if she doesn’t?

? “我投降尚粘≡褙裕”她的吐詞在冷氣里結霧。

“I yield.” Her words steamed in the cold air.

“那……你就是我們的俘虜郎嫁”蹋”他把短刀從她咽喉柔軟的皮膚旁拿開。

“You’re our captive, then.” He pulled the dirk away from the soft skin of her throat.

“科林沒吩咐抓俘虜泽铛∩屑”石蛇說。

“Qhorin said nothing of taking captives,” said Stonesnake.

“他也沒禁止厚宰‰缃恚”瓊恩放開女孩的頭發(fā)遂填，她急促后退，遠離他們澈蝙。

“He never said not to.” Jon let go his grip on the girl’s hair, and she scuttled backward, away from them.

“她是個矛婦吓坚，”石蛇指指她剛才睡覺的毛皮褥子邊放著的長柄斧，“剛才正要抓武器灯荧。你若慢半拍礁击，早被她砍翻《涸兀”

“She’s a spearwife.” Stonesnake gestured at the long-hafted axe that lay beside her sleeping furs. “She was reaching for that when you grabbed her. Give her half a chance and she’ll bury it between your eyes.”

“我不會慢半拍哆窿。”瓊恩一腳將斧頭踢到女孩夠不著的地方厉斟≈壳“你有名字嗎？”

“I won’t give her half a chance.” Jon kicked the axe well out of the girl’s reach. “Do you have a name?”

“耶哥蕊特擦秽÷肜螅”她用手揉揉喉頭，雙手一片血紅感挥。她吃驚地望著血跡缩搅。

“Ygritte.” Her hand rubbed at her throat and came away bloody. She stared at the wetness.

? ? 瓊恩收刀入鞘，從被他殺死的男人體內(nèi)拔出長爪触幼∨鸢辏“你是我的俘虜了，耶哥蕊特置谦√美穑”

Sheathing his dirk, he wrenched Longclaw free from the body of the man he’d killed. “You are my captive, Ygritte.”

“我給你講了名字∶较浚”

“I gave you my name.”

“我是瓊恩·雪諾筑累。”

“I’m Jon Snow.”

她不由一縮丝蹭÷冢“邪惡的姓氏”即”

She flinched. “An evil name.”

“私生子的姓氏镜沽，”他說，“我父親是臨冬城的艾德·史塔克公爵贱田∶遘裕”

“A bastard name,” he said. “My father was Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell.”

女孩警惕地望著他，石蛇則諷刺地輕笑道：“沒弄錯吧男摧？該作口供的是俘虜蔬墩∫氪颍”游騎兵把一根長枝條插進火中∧绰“不過她什么也不會說奏司，野人多半寧可咬舌自盡也不回答問題≌敛澹”枝條末端愉悅地燃燒起來韵洋，他上前兩步，將其扔下峽谷黄锤√掠В火枝旋轉著落入夜空，消失無蹤鸵熟。

The girl watched him warily, but Stonesnake gave a mordant chuckle. “It’s the captive supposed to tell things, remember?” The ranger thrust a long branch into the fire. “Not that she will. I’ve known wildlings to bite off their own tongues before they’d answer a question.” When the end of the branch was blazing merrily, he took two steps and flung it out over the pass. It fell through the night spinning until it was lost to sight.

“火葬死者副编，”耶哥蕊特突然開口。

“You ought to burn them you killed,” said Ygritte.

“這點火不夠流强，而加柴會暴露目標齿桃。”石蛇轉過頭煮盼，朝著黑漆漆的遠方看去，搜索亮光的痕跡带污〗┛兀“附近還有野人，對不對鱼冀？”

“Need a bigger fire for that, and big fires burn bright.” Stonesnake turned, his eyes scanning the black distance for any spark of light. “Are there more wildlings close by, is that it?”

“燒了他們报破，”女孩頑固地重復，“除非你想再殺一次千绪〕湟祝”

“Burn them,” the girl repeated stubbornly, “or it might be you’ll need them swords again.”

瓊恩猛然想起死去的奧瑟和他冰冷的黑手≥┬停“或許我們該考慮她的建議盹靴。”

Jon remembered dead Othor and his cold black hands. “Maybe we should do as she says.”

“辦法多著呢瑞妇「寰玻”石蛇跪在他的受害者身邊，脫下對方的斗篷辕狰、靴子改备、腰帶和背心，用自己的瘦肩扛起尸身蔓倍，帶到懸崖邊悬钳，隨后念念有詞地投擲下去盐捷。不一會兒，下方遠處傳來一聲含混默勾、沉重的悶響碉渡。這時游騎兵又把第二個死人剝了個精光，拖到邊沿灾测。瓊恩過來提起野人的腳爆价，兩人合力將其拋進無盡的黑暗中。

“There are other ways.” Stonesnake knelt beside the man he’d slain, stripped him of cloak and boots and belt and vest, then hoisted the body over one thin shoulder and carried it to the edge. He grunted as he tossed it over. A moment later they heard a wet, heavy smack well below them. By then the ranger had the second body down to the skin and was dragging it by the arms. Jon took the feet and together they flung the dead man out in the blackness of the night.

這期間媳搪，耶哥蕊特一直冷眼旁觀铭段，沉默不語。經(jīng)過仔細觀察秦爆，瓊恩發(fā)現(xiàn)她并非那么年幼序愚，或許有二十歲，只是與年齡不相稱地矮小等限，外彎的膝蓋爸吮，圓臉，小手望门，還生了個獅子鼻形娇，一頭亂蓬蓬的紅頭發(fā)朝著四面八方延伸。她蹲在那里顯得很臃腫筹误，其實是層層毛皮桐早、羊毛和皮革造成的錯覺，事實上厨剪，毛料下的她說不定和艾莉亞一般瘦骨伶仃哄酝。

Ygritte watched and said nothing. She was older than he’d thought at first, Jon realized; maybe as old as twenty, but short for her age, bandy-legged, with a round face, small hands, and a pug nose. Her shaggy mop of red hair stuck out in all directions. She looked plump as she crouched there, but most of that was layers of fur and wool and leather. Underneath all that she could be as skinny as Arya.

“你們被派來監(jiān)視我們？”瓊恩問她祷膳。

“Were you sent to watch for us?” Jon asked her.

“監(jiān)視你們陶衅，以及其他東西≈背浚”

“You, and others.”

石蛇用篝火暖手搀军。“峽谷那邊有什么勇皇？”

Stonesnake warmed his hands over the fire. “What waits beyond the pass?”

“自由民奕巍。”

“The free folk.”

“有多少儒士？”

“How many?”

“幾百幾千呢的止，包你大開眼界，烏鴉着撩∽绺＃”她笑了匾委，牙齒雖不整齊，卻潔白異常氓润。

“Hundreds and thousands. More than you ever saw, crow.” She smiled. Her teeth were crooked, but very white.

她根本不懂計數(shù)赂乐。“你們干嘛在那兒集合咖气？”

She doesn’t know how many. “Why come here?”

耶哥蕊特沉默挨措。

Ygritte fell silent.

“你的國王到霜雪之牙做什么？你們不能久留崩溪，那里沒有食物浅役。”

“What’s in the Frostfangs that your king could want? You can’t stay here, there’s no food.”

她扭頭不看他伶唯。

She turned her face away from him.

“你們打算進軍長城觉既？什么時候？”

“Do you mean to march on the Wall? When?”

她望向火焰乳幸，只當沒聽見他的話瞪讼。

She stared at the flames as if she could not hear him.

“你知道我叔叔，班揚·史塔克的消息嗎粹断？”

“Do you know anything of my uncle, Benjen Stark?”

耶哥蕊特無動于衷符欠，石蛇哈哈大笑：“待會她要是咬舌自殺，可別怪我沒警告你瓶埋∠Ｊ粒”

Ygritte ignored him. Stonesnake laughed. “If she spits out her tongue, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

一聲隆隆的低吼在山石間回蕩。影子山貓悬赏，瓊恩立刻明白。他起身時又聽見另一只的咆哮娄徊，近在咫尺闽颇，于是他旋身拔劍，側耳聆聽寄锐。

A low rumbling growl echoed off the rock. Shadowcat, Jon knew at once. As he rose he heard another, closer at hand. He pulled his sword and turned, listening.

“它們不會過來兵多，”耶哥蕊特說，“它們專為尸體而來橄仆。這些貓能在六里之外聞到血腥剩膘。今晚，它們會盤桓在尸體邊盆顾，把它啃得一干二凈怠褐，連骨髓也不放過∧埽”

“They won’t trouble us,” Ygritte said. “It’s the dead they’ve come for. Cats can smell blood six miles off. They’ll stay near the bodies till they’ve eaten every last stringy shred o’ meat, and cracked the bones for the marrow.”

瓊恩清晰地聽見它們進食發(fā)出的回音奈懒，這讓他很不舒服奠涌。篝火的溫暖讓他意識到自己的疲憊，但他不敢睡磷杏。他捉到了俘虜溜畅，就有責任保護她〖觯“他們是你親人嗎慈格？”他輕聲問她∫＝穑“就我們殺的那兩個浴捆？”

Jon could hear the sounds of their feeding echoing off the rocks. It gave him an uneasy feeling. The warmth of the fire made him realize how bone-tired he was, but he dared not sleep. He had taken a captive, and it was on him to guard her. “Were they your kin?” he asked her quietly. “The two we killed?”

“不比你親√妫”

“No more than you are.”

“我汤功？”他皺眉，“什么意思溜哮？”

“Me?” He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“你說你是臨冬城的私生子滔金。”

“You said you were the Bastard o’ Winterfell.”

“是啊茂嗓〔鸵穑”

“I am.”

“那你母親是誰？”

“Who was your mother?”

“我不知道……反正是個女人述吸》拮澹”這句話有人對他說過，但他想不起來是誰蝌矛。

“Some woman. Most of them are.” Someone had said that to him once. He did not remember who.

她第二次笑了道批，潔白的牙齒一閃而過∪肴觯“難道她沒給你唱過‘冬雪玫瑰’隆豹？”

She smiled again, a flash of white teeth. “And she never sung you the song o’ the winter rose?”

“我沒見過我母親，也沒聽過這首歌茅逮×模”

“I never knew my mother. Or any such song.”

“歌是‘吟游詩人’貝爾所寫，”耶哥蕊特說献雅，“他是很久很久以前的塞外之王碉考。自由民人人會唱他寫的歌，不過你在南方可能沒機會聽到罷了挺身『钏”

“Bael the Bard made it,” said Ygritte. “He was King-beyond-the-Wall a long time back. All the free folk know his songs, but might be you don’t sing them in the south.”

“臨冬城不算南方。”瓊恩辯駁良蒸。

“Winterfell’s not in the south,” Jon objected.

“不技扼，對我們而言，長城以南就是南方嫩痰〗宋牵”

“Yes it is. Everything below the Wall’s south to us.”

他從沒這樣想過〈模“看來丽旅，說法取決于所處的位置》墓祝”

He had never thought of it that way. “I suppose it’s all in where you’re standing.”

“是啊榄笙，”耶哥蕊特同意，“一直都是祷蝌∶┳玻”

“Aye,” Ygritte agreed. “It always is.”

“你講講這個典故，”瓊恩催促她巨朦。等科林上山還有幾個小時米丘，聽聽傳奇或能讓他保持清醒『龋“我想聽拄查。”

“Tell me,” Jon urged her. It would be hours before Qhorin came up, and a story would help keep him awake. “I want to hear this tale of yours.”

“這故事恐怕你不會喜歡棚蓄《榉觯”

“Might be you won’t like it much.”

“沒關系∷笠溃”

“I’ll hear it all the same.”

“好個勇敢的黑烏鴉稍算，”她嘲弄道∫鬯“好吧糊探，那我就說說。從前扎狱，貝爾在當上自由民的國王之前侧到，曾是一位了不起的掠襲者勃教∮倩鳎”

“Brave black crow,” she mocked. “Well, long before he was king over the free folk, Bael was a great raider.”

石蛇哼了一聲，“換言之故源，殺手污抬、土匪和強奸犯。”

Stonesnake gave a snort. “A murderer, robber, and raper, is what you mean.”

“說法取決于所處的位置印机∈改澹”耶哥蕊特道，“當時臨冬城的史塔克領主懸賞貝爾的人頭射赛，卻總是抓不到多柑，失敗的滋味讓他無比苦惱。有一天楣责，他惱羞成怒地指責貝爾是個只會欺負弱小的懦夫竣灌。消息傳來，貝爾發(fā)誓要給這位領主一個難忘的教訓秆麸。所以，他翻越長城，走上國王大道陶缺，在一個寒冷的冬夜抵達臨冬城咪啡。他手執(zhí)豎琴，自稱來自斯卡格斯島的斯戈里克房铭。斯卡格斯島是海豹灣中的大島驻龟，由于偏遠，只在名義上歸順于史塔克育叁。而‘斯戈里克’一詞在古語中是‘騙子’的意思迅脐，那是先民的語言，巨人們至今仍在用它豪嗽∏疵铮”

“That’s all in where you’re standing too,” Ygritte said. “The Stark in Winterfell wanted Bael’s head, but never could take him, and the taste o’ failure galled him. One day in his bitterness he called Bael a craven who preyed only on the weak. When word o’ that got back, Bael vowed to teach the lord a lesson. So he scaled the Wall, skipped down the kingsroad, and walked into Winterfell one winter’s night with harp in hand, naming himself Sygerrik of Skagos. Sygerrik means ‘deceiver’ in the Old Tongue, that the First Men spoke, and the giants still speak.”

“天南地北，歌手們總是處處受歡迎龟梦，所以貝爾受邀參加史塔克大人的宴席隐锭，為身處高位的領主彈奏作樂，直到深夜计贰。他彈奏古老的歌調钦睡，唱過自己譜寫的新曲，表演得非常動人躁倒，以至于結束之后荞怒，領主提議要他自行挑選東西作為獎賞⊙肀‘我只要一朵花褐桌，’貝爾回答，‘臨冬城的花園里綻放得最鮮艷的那朵花象迎∮叮’”

“North or south, singers always find a ready welcome, so Bael ate at Lord Stark’s own table, and played for the lord in his high seat until half the night was gone. The old songs he played, and new ones he’d made himself, and he played and sang so well that when he was done, the lord offered to let him name his own reward. ‘All I ask is a flower,’ Bael answered, ‘the fairest flower that blooms in the gardens o’ Winterfell.’ ”

“那個時候呛踊，恰逢冬雪玫瑰怒放之刻，沒有花朵比它更為珍貴和稀有啦撮。所以史塔克大人立刻命人前去自己的玻璃花園谭网，摘下最美麗的冬雪玫瑰，作為歌手的報酬赃春。人們以為一切就此結束愉择，但當黎明到來時，歌手卻神秘地失了蹤……同時消失的還有布蘭登大人的閨女织中。她的床空空蕩蕩薄辅，只在睡過的枕邊有貝爾留下的玫瑰花，碧藍如霜抠璃≌境”

“Now as it happened the winter roses had only then come into bloom, and no flower is so rare nor precious. So the Stark sent to his glass gardens and commanded that the most beautiful o’ the winter roses be plucked for the singer’s payment. And so it was done. But when morning come, the singer had vanished … and so had Lord Brandon’s maiden daughter. Her bed they found empty, but for the pale blue rose that Bael had left on the pillow where her head had lain.”

瓊恩從沒聽過這個故事〔耍“是哪個布蘭登窿春？筑城者布蘭登活在英雄紀元，大概比貝爾早了幾千年采盒。還有焚船者布蘭登和他父親造船者布蘭登旧乞，可是——”

Jon had never heard this tale before. “Which Brandon was this supposed to be? Brandon the Builder lived in the Age of Heroes, thousands of years before Bael. There was Brandon the Burner and his father Brandon the Shipwright, but—”

“這位是‘失女者’布蘭登，”耶哥蕊特尖刻地說磅氨〕咂埽“你到底想不想聽故事，嗯烦租？”

“This was Brandon the Daughterless,” Ygritte said sharply. “Would you hear the tale, or no?”

? ? 他繃起臉：“說吧延赌。”

He scowled. “Go on.”

“布蘭登大人只有這一個孩子叉橱，所以他心急如焚挫以，派出成百的黑烏鴉到北方來搜索。但他們既沒找到貝爾窃祝，更沒發(fā)現(xiàn)他女兒的蹤影掐松。徒勞無益地尋找大半年之后，領主大人傷心得一病不起粪小，而史塔克家族的血脈似乎要在此斷絕大磺。但某天晚上，正當布蘭登大人靜臥等死時探膊，卻聽見了嬰兒的啼哭杠愧。他一躍而起，循聲而去突想，居然在女兒的臥房里找到了女兒殴蹄，她正在熟睡，懷中有個嬰兒猾担∠疲”

“Lord Brandon had no other children. At his behest, the black crows flew forth from their castles in the hundreds, but nowhere could they find any sign o’ Bael or this maid. For most a year they searched, till the lord lost heart and took to his bed, and it seemed as though the line o’ Starks was at its end. But one night as he lay waiting to die, Lord Brandon heard a child’s cry. He followed the sound and found his daughter back in her bedchamber, asleep with a babe at her breast.”

“貝爾帶她回來了？”

“Bael had brought her back?”

“不绑嘹。他倆一直都在臨冬城稽荧，藏在城堡下死人的地窖里。歌謠中說工腋，那位少女深愛著貝爾姨丈，以至于愿為他懷孩子……不過實話實說，貝爾寫的曲子里每個少女都愛他擅腰。不管怎樣蟋恬，貝爾終究留下這個孩子，作為對他不告而摘的玫瑰的回報趁冈，而這個孩子長大之后也成為下一任史塔克大人歼争。所以說——你身上有貝爾的血統(tǒng)，跟我一樣渗勘°迦蓿”

“No. They had been in Winterfell all the time, hiding with the dead beneath the castle. The maid loved Bael so dearly she bore him a son, the song says … though if truth be told, all the maids love Bael in them songs he wrote. Be that as it may, what’s certain is that Bael left the child in payment for the rose he’d plucked unasked, and that the boy grew to be the next Lord Stark. So there it is—you have Bael’s blood in you, same as me.”

“這故事不是真的，”瓊恩說旺坠。

“It never happened,” Jon said.

她聳聳肩乔遮。“或許是取刃，或許不是蹋肮。但總之，那是首很美的歌璧疗。我媽常對我唱括尸。她也是個女人，瓊恩·雪諾病毡，跟你媽一樣濒翻。”她揉揉被他短刀割傷的脖子啦膜∮兴停“歌謠唱到人們找到嬰兒，便告一段落僧家，不過整個故事卻有個悲慘的結局雀摘。三十年后，貝爾當上塞外之王八拱，率領自由民大舉南下阵赠，年輕的史塔克大人領軍在冰霜渡口迎戰(zhàn)他……并殺了他涯塔，因為貝爾在決斗中無法對兒子下手∏迨矗”

She shrugged. “Might be it did, might be it didn’t. It is a good song, though. My mother used to sing it to me. She was a woman too, Jon Snow. Like yours.” She rubbed her throat where his dirk had cut her. “The song ends when they find the babe, but there is a darker end to the story. Thirty years later, when Bael was King-beyond-the-Wall and led the free folk south, it was young Lord Stark who met him at the Frozen Ford … and killed him, for Bael would not harm his own son when they met sword to sword.”

“所以兒子殺掉了父親匕荸，”瓊恩說。

“So the son slew the father instead,” said Jon.

“是的枷邪，”她道榛搔，“但諸神詛咒弒親者，即便他是無意犯下的過錯东揣。當史塔克大人作戰(zhàn)歸來践惑，他母親遠遠望見兒子槍尖上貝爾的頭顱，便在悲傷之中縱身從高塔跳下嘶卧。做兒子的也沒活多久尔觉，他后來被手下某位領主剝了皮，并拿皮當斗篷芥吟∏钣椋”

“Aye,” she said, “but the gods hate kinslayers, even when they kill unknowing. When Lord Stark returned from the battle and his mother saw Bael’s head upon his spear, she threw herself from a tower in her grief. Her son did not long outlive her. One o’ his lords peeled the skin off him and wore him for a cloak.”

“你說的這個貝爾在撒謊≡寺伲”瓊恩告訴她泵额，這怎么可能？

“Your Bael was a liar,” he told her, certain now.

“不對携添，”耶哥蕊特說嫁盲，“我只能說詩人承諾的真相和你我心目中的真實并不雷同。反正烈掠，你要我說故事羞秤，我也告訴了你∽蟮校”她轉頭不再看他瘾蛋，閉上眼睛，似乎要睡了矫限。

“No,” Ygritte said, “but a bard’s truth is different than yours or mine. Anyway, you asked for the story, so I told it.” She turned away from him, closed her eyes, and seemed to sleep.

? 天亮之時哺哼，斷掌科林終于趕到。東方的天空變?yōu)榈迩嗟鸱纾岷诘纳綆r由黑轉藍取董。石蛇首先發(fā)現(xiàn)跋涉而上的游騎兵們，瓊恩便弄醒他的俘虜无宿，捉住她的胳膊茵汰，下去會合。謝天謝地孽鸡，這里有其他道路通往山巒的北方和西方蹂午，且都比來時攀登的途徑好走栏豺。前進一段之后，他們等在一個狹窄的隘口豆胸，直到兄弟們牽馬出現(xiàn)奥洼。白靈嗅到氣味，跑在最前配乱。瓊恩連忙蹲下，任冰原狼用嘴咬住他的手腕皮迟，使勁拖來拉去搬泥，這是他們之間常玩的游戲。但當他抬頭伏尼，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)耶哥蕊特望著他忿檩，眼睛睜得雞蛋似的又大又白。

Dawn and Qhorin Halfhand arrived together. The black stones had turned to grey and the eastern sky had gone indigo when Stonesnake spied the rangers below, wending their way upward. Jon woke his captive and held her by the arm as they descended to meet them. Thankfully, there was another way off the mountain to the north and west, along paths much gentler than the one that had brought them up here. They were waiting in a narrow defile when their brothers appeared, leading their garrons. Ghost raced ahead at first scent of them. Jon squatted to let the direwolf close his jaws around his wrist, tugging his hand back and forth. It was a game they played. But when he glanced up, he saw Ygritte watching with eyes as wide and white as hen’s eggs.

斷掌科林對新來的俘虜未作評論爆阶≡锿福“上面有仨，”石蛇告訴他辨图。別的無需多言班套。

Qhorin Halfhand made no comment when he saw the prisoner. “There were three,” Stonesnake told him. No more than that.

“前兩個我們在路上剛見過，”伊班道故河，“至少見到了貓留下的殘骸吱韭。”他乖僻地打量女孩鱼的，懷疑清楚地寫在臉上理盆。

“We passed two,” Ebben said, “or what the cats had left of them.” He eyed the girl sourly, suspicion plain on his face.

“她投降了，”瓊恩發(fā)現(xiàn)自己必須解釋凑阶。

“She yielded,” Jon felt compelled to say.

科林表情冷漠猿规，“知道我是誰？”

Qhorin’s face was impassive. “Do you know who I am?”

“斷掌科林宙橱∫塘”女孩在他面前猶如半大小孩，卻大膽地回望师郑。

“Qhorin Halfhand.” The girl looked half a child beside him, but she faced him boldly.

“說實話哼勇，要是我落到你們手里，然后投降呕乎，能得到什么积担？”

“Tell me true. If I fell into the hands of your people and yielded myself, what would it win me?”

“死得快一點♀剩”

“A slower death than elsewise.”

高大的游騎兵轉向瓊恩帝璧∠扔“我們沒有多余的食物，更不可能分配人力來看守的烁『侄”

The big ranger looked to Jon. “We have no food to feed her, nor can we spare a man to watch her.”

“前路艱險，小子渴庆，”侍從戴里吉說铃芦，“當需要安靜的時候一聲喊，咱們就全完了襟雷∪凶遥”

“The way before us is perilous enough, lad,” said Squire Dalbridge. “One shout when we need silence, and every man of us is doomed.”

伊班抽出匕首∷逝“鋼鐵之吻讓她永遠閉嘴咧虎。”

Ebben drew his dagger. “A steel kiss will keep her quiet.”

瓊恩只覺喉嚨干燥计呈。他無助地看著其他人砰诵。“她對我投降了捌显∽屡恚”

Jon’s throat was raw. He looked at them all helplessly. “She yielded herself to me.”

“那你就得做你該做的事，”斷掌科林說扶歪，“記住尉间，你是臨冬城的血脈，守夜人的漢子击罪≌艹埃”他望向其他人∠苯“走吧眠副，兄弟們。讓他自己完成竣稽。咱們不在場會讓他好過些囱怕。”說完他率領人們踏上險峻扭曲的小徑毫别，迎著粉紅的陽光娃弓，朝山峰隘口走去。不久之后岛宦，原地只剩瓊恩台丛、白靈和野人女孩。

“Then you must do what needs be done,” Qhorin Halfhand said. “You are the blood of Winterfell and a man of the Night’s Watch.” He looked at the others. “Come, brothers. Leave him to it. It will go easier for him if we do not watch.” And he led them up the steep twisting trail toward the pale pink glow of the sun where it broke through a mountain cleft, and before very long only Jon and Ghost remained with the wildling girl.

他以為耶哥蕊特會逃跑，但她只是站在那兒挽霉，一動不動防嗡，盯著他瞧∠揽玻“你沒殺過女人蚁趁，對不對？”他搖搖頭实胸，她接著說他嫡，“我們和男人一樣會死。不過庐完，你不必殺我钢属。聽我說，曼斯會收留你假褪，我知道他會署咽。這里有秘密通路近顷。那些烏鴉永遠抓不到我們生音。”

He thought Ygritte might try to run, but she only stood there, waiting, looking at him. “You never killed a woman before, did you?” When he shook his head, she said, “We die the same as men. But you don’t need to do it. Mance would take you, I know he would. There’s secret ways. Them crows would never catch us.”

“我和他們都是烏鴉窒升，”瓊恩道缀遍。

“I’m as much a crow as they are,” Jon said.

她點點頭，做出聽天由命的姿勢饱须∮虼迹“之后，燒了我蓉媳？”

She nodded, resigned. “Will you burn me, after?”

“我做不到譬挚。煙霧會被發(fā)現(xiàn)±疑耄”

“I can’t. The smoke might be seen.”

“沒錯减宣。”她聳聳肩玩荠，“好吧漆腌，葬身影子山貓肚腹還不算最糟的死法〗赘裕”

“That’s so.” She shrugged. “Well, there’s worse places to end up than the belly of a shadowcat.”

他將長爪拔出肩闷尿。“你怕不怕女坑？”

He pulled Longclaw over a shoulder. “Aren’t you afraid?”

“昨晚很怕填具，”她承認〈移“但如今太陽已然升起灌旧“笤郏”她撥開頭發(fā)，露出脖子枢泰，跪在他面前描融。“狠狠地衡蚂、照準了斬窿克，烏鴉，不然我做鬼也來找你毛甲∧甓＃”

“Last night I was,” she admitted. “But now the sun’s up.” She pushed her hair aside to bare her neck, and knelt before him. “Strike hard and true, crow, or I’ll come back and haunt you.”

長爪不若父親的寒冰那般頎長沉重，但依舊是瓦雷利亞鋼制成玻募。他久久觸碰刀鋒只损，估算揮擊的位置，此時耶哥蕊特開始顫抖七咧≡颈梗“好冷，”她說艾栋，“快爆存，動手吧』壤”

Longclaw was not so long or heavy a sword as his father’s Ice, but it was Valyrian steel all the same. He touched the edge of the blade to mark where the blow must fall, and Ygritte shivered. “That’s cold,” she said. “Go on, be quick about it.”

他把長爪高舉過頭先较，雙手緊握。只需利落一刀悼粮，用盡全身力氣闲勺。至少，我能讓她痛快干凈地死去扣猫。我是父親的兒子菜循。不是嗎？不是嗎苞笨？

He raised Longclaw over his head, both hands tight around the grip. One cut, with all my weight behind it. He could give her a quick clean death, at least. He was his father’s son. Wasn’t he? Wasn’t he?

“動手债朵，”半晌之后，她再次催促瀑凝⌒蚵“私生子啊，快動手粤咪。我不能永遠勇敢下去谚中。”當那一擊始終未曾落下，她終于回頭來看他宪塔。

“Do it,” she urged him after a moment. “Bastard. Do it. I can’t stay brave forever.” When the blow did not fall she turned her head to look at him.

瓊恩垂低長劍磁奖。“走某筐，”他嘀咕道比搭。

Jon lowered his sword. “Go,” he muttered.

耶哥蕊特凝視他。

Ygritte stared.

“快南誊，”他說身诺，“趁我的理智還沒恢復，走抄囚∶股模”

“Now,” he said, “before my wits return. Go.”

她跑了。

She went.