然而這不過(guò)是故事歇父。自己嚇自己。沒(méi)有什么夜間出沒(méi)的妖怪护戳，魯溫學(xué)士說(shuō)垂睬，即使真有那樣的東西，也早已從世界上消失肺樟，好比巨人和龍逻淌。它不存在了卡儒，布蘭心想俐巴。

That was only a story, though. He was just scaring himself. There was no thing that comes in the night, Maester Luwin had said so. If there had ever been such a thing, it was gone from the world now, like giants and dragons. It’s nothing, Bran thought.

然而聲音越來(lái)越響欣舵。

But the sounds were louder now.

它是從井里傳來(lái)的缀磕，他陡然意識(shí)到。這讓他怕得厲害糟把。有什么東西正從地底上來(lái)牲剃，從黑暗中出現(xiàn)凿傅。阿多喚醒了它。用那塊愚蠢的石片喚醒了它辨液，現(xiàn)在它上來(lái)了过椎。阿多的鼾聲和自己的心跳使他很難聽(tīng)得清楚疚宇。是血從斧子上滴落的聲音嗎？有沒(méi)有幽靈鎖鏈遙遠(yuǎn)微弱的撞擊呢间涵？布蘭更仔細(xì)地聽(tīng)榜揖。腳步聲。絕對(duì)是腳步聲思劳，一下比一下響潜叛，但他無(wú)法分辨有多少下。聲音在井里回蕩销斟，沒(méi)有旁的滴水或鎖鏈聲椒舵，但有……高亢尖細(xì)的嗚咽，沉重壓抑的呼吸犁钟，仿佛一個(gè)人處在痛苦之中措伐。腳步聲最響侥加。腳步聲越來(lái)越近粪躬。

It’s coming from the well, he realized. That made him even more afraid. Something was coming up from under the ground, coming up out of the dark. Hodor woke it up. He woke it up with that stupid piece of slate, and now it’s coming. It was hard to hear over Hodor’s snores and the thumping of his own heart. Was that the sound blood made dripping from an axe? Or was it the faint, far-off rattling of ghostly chains? Bran listened harder. Footsteps. It was definitely footsteps, each one a little louder than the one before. He couldn’t tell how many, though. The well made the sounds echo. He didn’t hear any dripping, or chains either, but there was something else … a high thin whimpering sound, like someone in pain, and heavy muffled breathing. But the footsteps were loudest. The footsteps were coming closer.

布蘭嚇得都不敢喊镰官。火堆已燒成若干微弱的余燼狈网，而朋友們睡得香甜笨腥。他幾乎要溜出自己的身軀脖母，進(jìn)入狼體內(nèi)，但夏天遠(yuǎn)在數(shù)里之外烤礁，而他不能把朋友們無(wú)助地丟在黑暗中肥照，面對(duì)井里出來(lái)的莫名東西舆绎。我告訴過(guò)他們不要來(lái)這兒，他悲哀地想凑兰，我告訴過(guò)他們這兒有鬼魂。我告訴過(guò)他們波岛，應(yīng)該去黑城堡音半。

Bran was too frightened to shout. The fire had burned down to a few faint embers and his friends were all asleep. He almost slipped his skin and reached out for his wolf, but Summer might be miles away. He couldn’t leave his friends helpless in the dark to face whatever was coming up out of the well. I told them not to come here, he thought miserably. I told them there were ghosts. I told them that we should go to Castle Black.

那腳步聲很是沉重曹鸠，緩慢遲滯，摩擦著石頭坛善。它一定十分巨大邻眷。老奶媽的故事中肆饶，“瘋斧”是大個(gè)子，而黑夜里出沒(méi)的妖怪更加碩大葫督。從前在臨冬城板惑，珊莎告訴他洒放，如果躲進(jìn)被子底下，黑暗中的惡魔就找不到人⊙欤現(xiàn)在他差點(diǎn)這么做领追，隨即想起自己是個(gè)王子绒窑，幾乎就要長(zhǎng)大成人了。

The footfalls sounded heavy to Bran, slow, ponderous, scraping against the stone. It must be huge. Mad Axe had been a big man in Old Nan’s story, and the thing that came in the night had been monstrous. Back in Winterfell, Sansa had told him that the demons of the dark couldn’t touch him if he hid beneath his blanket. He almost did that now, before he remembered that he was a prince, and almost a man grown.

布蘭在地板上蠕動(dòng)蟀俊，拖動(dòng)那雙無(wú)力的腿，直至碰到梅拉矛洞。她立刻醒轉(zhuǎn)烫映。沒(méi)有誰(shuí)醒得有梅拉·黎德那樣快锭沟，沒(méi)有誰(shuí)像她這般高度警覺(jué)。布蘭將一根手指按到嘴上辫红，示意別說(shuō)話祝辣。她立刻聽(tīng)見(jiàn)了聲音较幌，他可以從她臉上看出來(lái)白翻÷蒜桑回蕩的腳步，微弱的嗚咽槐瑞，沉重的呼吸阁苞。

Bran wriggled across the floor, dragging his dead legs behind him until he could reach out and touch Meera on the foot. She woke at once. He had never known anyone to wake as quick as Meera Reed, or to be so alert so fast. Bran pressed a finger to his mouth so she’d know not to speak. She heard the sound at once, he could see that on her face; the echoing footfalls, the faint whimpering, the heavy breathing.

梅拉一聲不吭地拿起武器那槽，右手抓三叉捕蛙矛，收攏的索網(wǎng)懸于左手糟趾，光腳靜悄悄地走向那口井义郑。玖健仍在熟睡，對(duì)周遭變故毫無(wú)知覺(jué)交汤，而阿多邊呻吟院尔，邊翻身邀摆，顯得很不踏實(shí)。她在陰影之中移動(dòng)施逾，繞開(kāi)月光例获，像貓一般安靜榨汤。布蘭盯著她，發(fā)現(xiàn)連自己都很難察覺(jué)矛上反射的微弱閃光妓灌。我不能讓她獨(dú)自與妖怪搏斗蜜宪，他心想圃验。夏天在遠(yuǎn)處，但是……

Meera rose to her feet without a word and reclaimed her weapons. With her three-pronged frog spear in her right hand and the folds of her net dangling from her left, she slipped barefoot toward the well. Jojen dozed on, oblivious, while Hodor muttered and thrashed in restless sleep. She kept to the shadows as she moved, stepped around the shaft of moonlight as quiet as a cat. Bran was watching her all the while, and even he could barely see the faint sheen of her spear. I can’t let her fight the thing alone, he thought. Summer was far away, but …

……他溜出自己的皮斧散，進(jìn)入阿多體內(nèi)颅湘。

… he slipped his skin, and reached for Hodor.

跟進(jìn)入夏天不同栗精。進(jìn)入夏天太容易，現(xiàn)在布蘭連想都不用想新博。這更困難脚草，就像往右腳套左腳穿的鞋馏慨，怎么也不合適，而且這鞋很害怕，這鞋不明白怎么回事酬土，拼命要把腳推開(kāi)。他嘗到阿多嗓子里污物的味道，幾乎厭惡地逃離躏啰。但他不能给僵，反而掙扎著坐起详拙，雙腿收至身下——一雙壯碩的腿——然后站立溪厘。我能站了牌柄。他跨出一步珊佣。我能走了。感覺(jué)如此怪異冷冗，差點(diǎn)當(dāng)即摔倒惑艇。他看到自己就躺在冰冷的石頭地板上拇泛，一個(gè)小小的殘疾，然而“他”現(xiàn)在不是殘廢思灌。他抓起阿多的長(zhǎng)劍俺叭。井里的呼吸聲已變得跟鐵匠的風(fēng)箱一樣響。

It was not like sliding into Summer. That was so easy now that Bran hardly thought about it. This was harder, like trying to pull a left boot on your right foot. It fit all wrong, and the boot was scared too, the boot didn’t know what was happening, the boot was pushing the foot away. He tasted vomit in the back of Hodor’s throat, and that was almost enough to make him flee. Instead he squirmed and shoved, sat up, gathered his legs under him—his huge strong legs—and rose. I’m standing. He took a step. I’m walking. It was such a strange feeling that he almost fell. He could see himself on the cold stone floor, a little broken thing, but he wasn’t broken now. He grabbed Hodor’s longsword. The breathing was as loud as a blacksmith’s bellows.

突然一聲號(hào)哭泰偿，如同匕首穿透全身熄守。黑暗中耗跛，巨大的影子鉆上來(lái)裕照，歪歪扭扭地撞進(jìn)月光之中，恐懼從布蘭心中油然升起调塌，如此強(qiáng)烈晋南，以至于他發(fā)現(xiàn)自己又躺回地板，而阿多吼著“阿多烟阐，阿多搬俊，阿多”，就像當(dāng)日湖中塔上蜒茄，雷電閃耀之時(shí)唉擂。但那黑夜中出沒(méi)的妖怪也跟著慘叫，在梅拉的索網(wǎng)內(nèi)狂亂翻騰檀葛。布蘭看到長(zhǎng)矛從黑暗中猛刺而去玩祟，那東西踉踉蹌蹌地跌倒，不斷掙扎屿聋。號(hào)哭仍從井內(nèi)傳來(lái)空扎，甚至更響了。地上那團(tuán)黑乎乎的東西一邊翻滾抵抗润讥，一邊尖叫转锈，“不，不楚殿。不要撮慨。求求你。不要……”

From the well came a wail, a piercing creech that went through him like a knife. A huge black shape heaved itself up into the darkness and lurched toward the moonlight, and the fear rose up in Bran so thick that before he could even think of drawing Hodor’s sword the way he’d meant to, he found himself back on the floor again with Hodor roaring “Hodor hodor HODOR,” the way he had in the lake tower whenever the lightning flashed. But the thing that came in the night was screaming too, and thrashing wildly in the folds of Meera’s net. Bran saw her spear dart out of the darkness to snap at it, and the thing staggered and fell, struggling with the net. The wailing was still coming from the well, even louder now. On the floor the black thing flopped and fought, screeching, “No, no, don’t, please, DON’T …”

梅拉站在上方脆粥，銀色的月光在捕蛙矛尖端閃爍砌溺。“你是誰(shuí)变隔？”她提問(wèn)规伐。

Meera stood over him, the moonlight shining silver off the prongs of her frog spear. “Who are you?” she demanded.

“我是山姆，”黑乎乎的東西抽泣著匣缘，“山姆猖闪，山姆鲜棠，我是山姆，放我出來(lái)萧朝，你刺疼我了……”他在月光下打滾岔留，在梅拉那張糾結(jié)的索網(wǎng)中瞎撲騰，而阿多仍在喊检柬，“阿多献联，阿多，阿多何址±锬妫”

“I’m SAM,” the black thing sobbed. “Sam, Sam, I’m Sam, let me out, you stabbed me …” He rolled through the puddle of moonlight, flailing and flopping in the tangles of Meera’s net. Hodor was still shouting, “Hodor hodor hodor.”

這時(shí)玖健把枝條加入火堆之中，吹氣使得焰苗重新噼噼啪啪竄起來(lái)用爪。有了光線原押，布蘭看到井邊是個(gè)蒼白的女孩，面龐削瘦偎血，全身裹在獸皮里诸衔，披一件大黑斗篷，正試圖讓?xiě)阎械膵雰和Ｖ固?hào)哭颇玷。地上的東西隔網(wǎng)摸匕首笨农，可惜孔眼太小，做不到帖渠。他不是妖怪谒亦，也不是渾身滴血的“瘋斧”，只不過(guò)是個(gè)大胖子空郊，穿黑色羊毛布衣服份招，外加黑毛皮、黑皮革狞甚、黑鎖甲锁摔。“他是個(gè)黑衣弟兄哼审，”布蘭道鄙漏，“梅拉，他來(lái)自守夜人軍團(tuán)棺蛛。”

It was Jojen who fed the sticks to the fire and blew on them until the flames leapt up crackling. Then there was light, and Bran saw the pale thin-faced girl by the lip of the well, all bundled up in furs and skins beneath an enormous black cloak, trying to shush the screaming baby in her arms. The thing on the floor was pushing an arm through the net to reach his knife, but the loops wouldn’t let him. He wasn’t any monster beast, or even Mad Axe drenched in gore; only a big fat man dressed up in black wool, black fur, black leather, and black mail. “He’s a black brother,” said Bran. “Meera, he’s from the Night’s Watch.”

“阿多巩步？”阿多蹲下身子旁赊，窺視網(wǎng)中人∫我埃“阿多终畅，”他又大聲說(shuō)籍胯。

“Hodor?” Hodor squatted down on his haunches to peer at the man in the net. “Hodor,” he said again, hooting.

“黑衣弟兄，對(duì)离福≌壤牵”胖子仍像風(fēng)箱一樣喘氣⊙“我是守夜人的一員蝶涩。”他的下巴纏了根網(wǎng)線絮识，迫使他抬頭绿聘，其他的線則深深嵌入臉頰〈紊啵“我是烏鴉熄攘，求求你，把我放出來(lái)彼念∨不”

“The Night’s Watch, yes.” The fat man was still breathing like a bellows. “I’m a brother of the Watch.” He had one cord under his chins, forcing his head up, and others digging deep into his cheeks. “I’m a crow, please. Let me out of this.”

布蘭突然變得不大確定≈鹕常“你是三眼烏鴉嗎哲思？”他不可能是三眼烏鴉。

Bran was suddenly uncertain. “Are you the three-eyed crow?” He can’t be the three-eyed crow.

“我想不是酱吝∫仓常”胖子轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)眼珠，只有兩顆眼珠务热∫涫龋“我是山姆。山姆威爾·塔利崎岂。放我出來(lái)捆毫，它弄疼我了〕甯剩”他又開(kāi)始掙扎绩卤。

“I don’t think so.” The fat man rolled his eyes, but there were only two of them. “I’m only Sam. Samwell Tarly. Let me out, it’s hurting me.” He began to struggle again.

梅拉厭惡地哼了一聲〗迹“別亂動(dòng)濒憋，如果扯壞我的網(wǎng)，就把你扔回井里去陶夜。躺著別動(dòng)凛驮，我替你解開(kāi)√醣伲”

Meera made a disgusted sound. “Stop flopping around. If you tear my net I’ll throw you back down the well. Just lie still and I’ll untangle you.”

“你是誰(shuí)黔夭？”玖健問(wèn)那抱嬰兒的女孩宏胯。

“Who are you?” Jojen asked the girl with the baby.

“吉莉，”她說(shuō)本姥，“用紫羅蘭花取的名肩袍。他是山姆。我們沒(méi)想嚇唬人婚惫》沾停”她搖晃嬰兒，柔聲低語(yǔ)辰妙，終于制止了號(hào)哭鹰祸。

“Gilly,” she said. “For the gillyflower. He’s Sam. We never meant to scare you.” She rocked her baby and murmured at it, and finally it stopped crying.

梅拉為肥胖的黑衣弟兄解索網(wǎng)。玖健走到井邊密浑，向下窺視蛙婴。“你們從哪兒來(lái)的尔破？”

Meera was untangling the fat brother. Jojen went to the well and peered down. “Where did you come from?”

“從卡斯特堡壘街图，”女孩道，“你是那個(gè)人嗎懒构？”

“From Craster’s,” the girl said. “Are you the one?”

玖健轉(zhuǎn)身看她餐济。“那個(gè)人胆剧？”

Jojen turned to look at her. “The one?”

“他說(shuō)山姆不是那個(gè)人絮姆，”她解釋?zhuān)坝辛硪粋€(gè)。他被派來(lái)尋找那個(gè)人秩霍「菝酰”

“He said that Sam wasn’t the one,” she explained. “There was someone else, he said. The one he was sent to find.”

“誰(shuí)說(shuō)的？”布蘭問(wèn)铃绒。

“Who said?” Bran demanded.

“冷手鸽照。”吉莉輕輕回答颠悬。

“Coldhands,” Gilly answered softly.

梅拉掀開(kāi)索網(wǎng)一端矮燎，胖子坐起來(lái)。他在顫抖赔癌，布蘭發(fā)現(xiàn)诞外，而且仍然拼命喘氣≡制保“他說(shuō)這兒會(huì)有人峡谊，”他長(zhǎng)吁一口氣，“城堡里有人。但我不知你們就在樓梯頂上靖苇，不知你們會(huì)扔出一張網(wǎng)，還戳我肚子班缰∠捅冢”他用戴黑手套的手摸摸腹部〔和“有沒(méi)有流血脾拆？我看不見(jiàn)∮ǘ剩”

Meera peeled back one end of her net, and the fat man managed to sit up. He was shaking, Bran saw, and still struggling to catch his breath. “He said there would be people,” he huffed. “People in the castle. I didn’t know you’d be right at the top of the steps, though. I didn’t know you’d throw a net on me or stab me in the stomach.” He touched his belly with a black-gloved hand. “Am I bleeding? I can’t see.”

“沒(méi)那么嚴(yán)重名船，只想把你捅倒而已，”梅拉說(shuō)旨怠∏眨“來(lái)，讓我看看鉴腻∶陨龋”她單膝跪下，觸摸他的肚臍周?chē)ァ蜓席！澳愦┲i甲耶。根本連皮都沒(méi)破课锌〕冢”

“It was just a poke to get you off your feet,” said Meera. “Here, let me have a look.” She went to one knee, and felt around his navel. “You’re wearing mail. I never got near your skin.”

“啊，但還是很疼渺贤，”山姆抱怨雏胃。

“Well, it hurt all the same,” Sam complained.

“你真的是守夜人的弟兄？”

“Are you really a brother of the Night’s Watch?” Bran asked.

胖子點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭癣亚，下巴微微顫動(dòng)丑掺。他的皮膚看起來(lái)蒼白而松弛∈鑫恚“我只是個(gè)事務(wù)員街州，負(fù)責(zé)照看莫爾蒙總司令的烏鴉〔Ｃ希”片刻之間唆缴，他似乎快要哭出來(lái)∈螋幔“但我在先民拳峰把它們弄丟了面徽，都是我的錯(cuò)。我還迷了路，連長(zhǎng)城都找不到趟紊。它有一百里格長(zhǎng)氮双，七百尺高，我居然找不到霎匈！”

The fat man’s chins jiggled when he nodded. His skin looked pale and saggy. “Only a steward. I took care of Lord Mormont’s ravens.” For a moment he looked like he was going to cry. “I lost them at the Fist, though. It was my fault. I got us lost too. I couldn’t even find the Wall. It’s a hundred leagues long and seven hundred feet high and I couldn’t find it!”

“你已經(jīng)找到了戴差，”梅拉說(shuō)☆踔觯“把屁股抬起來(lái)暖释，我要收網(wǎng)∧牛”

“Well, you’ve found it now,” said Meera. “Lift your rump off the ground, I want my net back.”

“你怎么穿過(guò)長(zhǎng)城的球匕？”山姆掙扎起身時(shí)，玖健問(wèn)帖烘×敛埽“這口井是否通往某條地下河，然后可以過(guò)來(lái)蚓让？可你身上一點(diǎn)也不濕……”

“How did you get through the Wall?” Jojen demanded as Sam struggled to his feet. “Does the well lead to an underground river, is that where you came from? You’re not even wet …”

“這里有道門(mén)乾忱，”胖子山姆說(shuō)，“一道暗門(mén)历极，跟長(zhǎng)城本身一樣古老窄瘟，被稱(chēng)為‘黑門(mén)’√诵叮”

“There’s a gate,” said fat Sam. “A hidden gate, as old as the Wall itself. The Black Gate, he called it.”

黎德姐弟交換一個(gè)眼神蹄葱。“我們能在井底找到這道門(mén)嗎锄列？”玖健問(wèn)图云。

The Reeds exchanged a look. “We’ll find this gate at the bottom of the well?” asked Jojen.

山姆搖搖頭×谟剩“你們不行竣况。得由我?guī)贰筒严！?/p>

Sam shook his head. “You won’t. I have to take you.”

“為什么丹泉？”梅拉想知道，“如果確實(shí)有道門(mén)……”

“Why?” Meera demanded. “If there’s a gate …”

“你們找不到鸭蛙。即使找到了摹恨，它也不會(huì)開(kāi)。不會(huì)為你們而開(kāi)娶视。這乃是黑門(mén)晒哄≌鲈祝”山姆揪揪褪色的黑色羊毛布衣袖∏蘖瑁“他說(shuō)過(guò)柒傻，只有守夜人的漢子能夠打開(kāi)，需要一個(gè)發(fā)下誓言的弟兄较木∽缬蓿”

“You won’t find it. If you did it wouldn’t open. Not for you. It’s the Black Gate.” Sam plucked at the faded black wool of his sleeve. “Only a man of the Night’s Watch can open it, he said. A Sworn Brother who has said his words.”

“他，”玖健皺起眉頭劫映，“這個(gè)……冷手？”

“He said.” Jojen frowned. “This … Coldhands?”

“那并非他的真名刹前，”吉莉邊說(shuō)泳赋，邊搖晃孩子，“只是我們——山姆和我——為他取的外號(hào)喇喉。他的手冷得像冰祖今，但他和那些烏鴉從死人手里把我們拯救出來(lái)，還讓我們騎在麇鹿背上拣技，來(lái)到這里千诬。”

“That wasn’t his true name,” said Gilly, rocking. “We only called him that, Sam and me. His hands were cold as ice, but he saved us from the dead men, him and his ravens, and he brought us here on his elk.”

“麇鹿膏斤？”布蘭驚訝不已徐绑。

“His elk?” said Bran, wonderstruck.

“麇鹿？”梅拉難以置信莫辨。

“His elk?” said Meera, startled.

“烏鴉傲茄？”玖健說(shuō)。

“His ravens?” said Jojen.

“阿多沮榜？”阿多道盘榨。

“Hodor?” said Hodor.

“他是綠色的嗎？”布蘭想知道蟆融，“有沒(méi)有長(zhǎng)角呢草巡？”

“Was he green?” Bran wanted to know. “Did he have antlers?”

胖子也困惑，“你是指麇鹿型酥？”

The fat man was confused. “The elk?”

“冷手啦山憨，”布蘭不耐煩地說(shuō)，“綠人騎麇鹿冕末，老奶媽說(shuō)過(guò)萍歉，他們甚至?xí)L(zhǎng)角〉堤遥”

“Coldhands,” said Bran impatiently. “The green men ride on elks, Old Nan used to say. Sometimes they have antlers too.”

“他不是綠人枪孩。他穿黑衣，就像個(gè)守夜人弟兄，但皮膚同尸鬼一樣蒼白蔑舞，而雙手冷如玄冰拒担。一開(kāi)始我很害怕，然而尸鬼有藍(lán)色的眼睛攻询，也不會(huì)說(shuō)話从撼，或許根本忘記該怎樣說(shuō)話【埽可他不同低零。”胖子轉(zhuǎn)向玖健拯杠√蜕簦“他等在那里呢。我們走吧潭陪。你們有更暖和的東西穿嗎雄妥？黑門(mén)很冷，長(zhǎng)城另一邊更冷依溯。你們——”

“He wasn’t a green man. He wore blacks, like a brother of the Watch, but he was pale as a wight, with hands so cold that at first I was afraid. The wights have blue eyes, though, and they don’t have tongues, or they’ve forgotten how to use them.” The fat man turned to Jojen. “He’ll be waiting. We should go. Do you have anything warmer to wear? The Black Gate is cold, and the other side of the Wall is even colder. You—”

“他何不與你一同過(guò)來(lái)老厌？”梅拉朝吉莉和嬰兒比劃了一下±杪“他倆都能過(guò)來(lái)枝秤，為何他沒(méi)有呢？你為什么不帶他過(guò)這道黑門(mén)慷嗜？”

“Why didn’t he come with you?” Meera gestured toward Gilly and her babe. “They came with you, why not him? Why didn’t you bring him through this Black Gate too?”

“他……他不能宿百。”

“He … he can’t.”

“為什么不能洪添？”

“Why not?”

“因?yàn)殚L(zhǎng)城垦页。據(jù)他說(shuō)，長(zhǎng)城不僅是冰和石頭干奢，其中編織了魔法……古老而強(qiáng)大的魔法痊焊。他無(wú)法穿越長(zhǎng)城》蘧”

“The Wall. The Wall is more than just ice and stone, he said. There are spells woven into it … old ones, and strong. He cannot pass beyond the Wall.”

城堡廚房突然變得十分寧?kù)o薄啥。布蘭可以聽(tīng)見(jiàn)火焰輕微的噼啪聲，夜風(fēng)吹動(dòng)樹(shù)葉逛尚，伸向月亮的細(xì)瘦魚(yú)梁木吱吱嘎嘎垄惧。對(duì)面為怪獸、巨人族和食尸鬼的住所绰寞，他想起老奶媽的話到逊，但只要長(zhǎng)城牢牢矗立铣口，它們就都過(guò)不來(lái)【鹾快睡吧脑题，我的小布蘭登，寶貝兒铜靶。你無(wú)需害怕叔遂。這邊沒(méi)有怪獸。

It grew very quiet in the castle kitchen then. Bran could hear the soft crackle of the flames, the wind stirring the leaves in the night, the creak of the skinny weirwood reaching for the moon. Beyond the gates the monsters live, and the giants and the ghouls, he remembered Old Nan saying, but they cannot pass so long as the Wall stands strong. So go to sleep, my little Brandon, my baby boy. You needn’t fear. There are no monsters here.

“我不是你要帶過(guò)去的人争剿，”玖健·黎德告訴胖子山姆已艰，對(duì)方的黑衣松松垮垮，沾滿污漬蚕苇∑旆遥“他才是±κ瘢”

“I am not the one you were told to bring,” Jojen Reed told fat Sam in his stained and baggy blacks. “He is.”

“哦♂Ｉ”山姆低頭辆它，不大確定地看著他，也許這時(shí)才意識(shí)到布蘭是殘廢履恩∶誊裕“我不……不夠強(qiáng)壯，背不動(dòng)你切心，我……”

“Oh.” Sam looked down at him uncertainly. It might have been just then that he realized Bran was crippled. “I don’t … I’m not strong enough to carry you, I …”

“阿多可以背我飒筑。”布蘭指指籃子绽昏⌒牛“我坐里面，在他背上全谤》粝”

“Hodor can carry me.” Bran pointed at his basket. “I ride in that, up on his back.”

山姆盯著他瞧，“你是瓊恩·雪諾的弟弟认然。那個(gè)墜樓的……”

Sam was staring at him. “You’re Jon Snow’s brother. The one who fell …”

“不补憾，”玖健道，“那孩子死了卷员∮遥”

“No,” said Jojen. “That boy is dead.”

“別說(shuō)出去，”布蘭警告毕骡，“拜托削饵⊙沂荩”

“Don’t tell,” Bran warned. “Please.”

山姆疑惑了片刻，但最后道葵孤，“我……我可以守秘担钮。吉莉也可以∮热裕”他望向女孩箫津，她點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭≡桌玻“瓊恩……瓊恩也是我兄弟苏遥，是我迄今為止最好的朋友，但他跟斷掌科林去霜雪之牙偵察赡模，一直沒(méi)回來(lái)田炭。我們?cè)谙让袢宓人弧缓蟆?/p>

Sam looked confused for a moment, but finally he said, “I … I can keep a secret. Gilly too.” When he looked at her, the girl nodded. “Jon … Jon was my brother too. He was the best friend I ever had, but he went off with Qhorin Halfhand to scout the Frostfangs and never came back. We were waiting for him on the Fist when … when …”

“瓊恩就在附近漓柑，”布蘭說(shuō)教硫，“夏天看到他了。他跟一群野人在一起辆布，但他們殺了一個(gè)人瞬矩，于是瓊恩奪馬逃走。我敢打賭锋玲，他回黑城堡去了景用。”

“Jon’s here,” Bran said. “Summer saw him. He was with some wildlings, but they killed a man and Jon took his horse and escaped. I bet he went to Castle Black.”

山姆瞪大眼睛望向梅拉惭蹂∩〔澹“你肯定那是瓊恩？你看到他了盾碗？”

Sam turned big eyes on Meera. “You’re certain it was Jon? You saw him?”

“我是梅拉媚污，”梅拉輕笑，“夏天是……”

“I’m Meera,” Meera said with a smile. “Summer is …”

一個(gè)陰影脫離了殘破的拱項(xiàng)廷雅，穿過(guò)月光杠步，跳將下來(lái)。即使一條腿受傷榜轿，那只冰原狼落地時(shí)仍然輕盈猶如飄雪幽歼。女孩吉莉發(fā)出一聲驚呼，牢牢抱住嬰兒谬盐，抱得如此之緊甸私，以至于孩子又號(hào)哭起來(lái)。

A shadow detached itself from the broken dome above and leapt down through the moonlight. Even with his injured leg, the wolf landed as light and quiet as a snowfall. The girl Gilly made a frightened sound and clutched her babe so hard against her that it began to cry again.

“他不會(huì)傷害你飞傀，”布蘭說(shuō)皇型∥芘耄“他才是夏天∑唬”

“He won’t hurt you,” Bran said. “That’s Summer.”

“瓊恩說(shuō)你們都有狼绞吁，”山姆摘下手套，“我認(rèn)識(shí)白靈唬格〖移疲”他伸出顫抖的手，指頭又白又軟购岗，胖得像小香腸汰聋。夏天走近嗅了嗅，然后舔舔那只手喊积。

“Jon said you all had wolves.” Sam pulled off a glove. “I know Ghost.” He held out a shaky hand, the fingers white and soft and fat as little sausages. Summer padded closer, sniffed them, and gave the hand a lick.

這時(shí)布蘭下定決心烹困。“我們跟你走乾吻∷杳罚”

That was when Bran made up his mind. “We’ll go with you.”

“你們所有人？”山姆似乎很吃驚绎签。

“All of you?” Sam seemed surprised by that.

梅拉揉揉布蘭的頭發(fā)枯饿。“他是我們的王子辜御。”

Meera ruffled Bran’s hair. “He’s our prince.”

夏天繞著井轉(zhuǎn)圈屈张，嗅來(lái)嗅去擒权，然后停在第一格階梯上，回頭望向布蘭阁谆。他也想去碳抄。

Summer circled the well, sniffing. He paused by the top step and looked back at Bran. He wants to go.

“如果我把吉莉留在這兒，到回來(lái)之前场绿，她會(huì)安全嗎剖效？”山姆詢問(wèn)。

“Will Gilly be safe if I leave her here till I come back?” Sam asked them.

“應(yīng)該沒(méi)問(wèn)題焰盗，”梅拉說(shuō)璧尸，“她可以享用我們的火堆“揪埽”

“She should be,” said Meera. “She’s welcome to our fire.”

玖健確認(rèn)爷光，“城堡空的，沒(méi)人澎粟≈颍”

Jojen said, “The castle is empty.”

吉莉環(huán)顧四周欢瞪。“卡斯特跟我們講過(guò)城堡徐裸，但我不曉得它們有這么大遣鼓。”

Gilly looked around. “Craster used to tell us tales of castles, but I never knew they’d be so big.”

這不過(guò)是廚房重贺。布蘭不知她看到臨冬城會(huì)怎么想骑祟，如果真能看到的話。

It’s only the kitchens. Bran wondered what she’d think when she saw Winterfell, if she ever did.

他們花了點(diǎn)時(shí)間收拾檬姥，然后把布蘭放進(jìn)阿多背上的柳條籃里曾我。等準(zhǔn)備好出發(fā)時(shí)，吉莉已坐在火堆旁給嬰兒喂奶健民∈愠玻“你要回來(lái)找我哦，”她告訴山姆秉犹。

It took them a few minutes to gather their things and hoist Bran into his wicker seat on Hodor’s back. By the time they were ready to go, Gilly sat nursing her babe by the fire. “You’ll come back for me,” she said to Sam.

“我會(huì)盡快回來(lái)蛉谜，”他承諾，“然后我們?nèi)ヅ偷牡胤匠缍隆型诚！辈继m聽(tīng)到這話，不禁懷疑自己在做什么鸳劳。我還能再去暖和的地方嗎狰贯？

“As soon as I can,” he promised, “then we’ll go somewhere warm.” When he heard that, part of Bran wondered what he was doing. Will I ever go someplace warm again?

“我認(rèn)識(shí)路，我走前面赏廓，”山姆在頂上猶豫不決涵紊，“實(shí)在太多階梯了♂Ｃ”他嘆口氣摸柄，開(kāi)始往下走。玖健緊跟在后既忆，接著是夏天驱负，然后是背布蘭的阿多。梅拉殿后患雇，手中拿著捕蛙矛和索網(wǎng)跃脊。

“I’ll go first, I know the way.” Sam hesitated at the top. “There’s just so many steps,” he sighed, before he started down. Jojen followed, then Summer, then Hodor with Bran riding on his back. Meera took the rear, with her spear and net in hand.

這是一段很長(zhǎng)的路。井的頂端沐浴在月光中苛吱，但每轉(zhuǎn)一圈它就變得更加狹小匾乓，更加黯淡。他們的腳步在潮濕的石頭之間回蕩又谋，水聲也越來(lái)越響拼缝∮榫郑“我們是不是該點(diǎn)火炬？”玖健問(wèn)咧七。

It was a long way down. The top of the well was bathed in moonlight, but it grew smaller and dimmer every time they went around. Their footsteps echoed off the damp stones, and the water sounds grew louder. “Should we have brought torches?” Jojen asked.

“不用衰齐，眼睛會(huì)調(diào)節(jié)適應(yīng)，”山姆說(shuō)继阻〕芴危“一只手扶墻，就不會(huì)掉下去瘟檩∧疲”

“Your eyes will adjust,” said Sam. “Keep one hand on the wall and you won’t fall.”

每轉(zhuǎn)一圈，井變得更加黑暗墨辛，更加凄冷卓研。當(dāng)布蘭終于抬頭，望向上方時(shí)睹簇，井口已不到半個(gè)月亮大奏赘。“阿多太惠，”阿多低聲說(shuō)磨淌，“阿多阿多阿多阿多阿多阿多，”井也輕聲回應(yīng)凿渊，“阿多阿多阿多阿多阿多阿多梁只。”水聲近了埃脏，但布蘭向下窺探搪锣，只看到黑暗。

The well grew darker and colder with every turn. When Bran finally lifted his head around to look back up the shaft, the top of the well was no bigger than a half-moon. “Hodor,” Hodor whispered, “Hodorhodorhodorhodorhodorhodor,” the well whispered back. The water sounds were close, but when Bran peered down he saw only blackness.

又轉(zhuǎn)了一兩圈剂癌，山姆突然停下淤翔。此時(shí)他離布蘭和阿多四分之一圓周翰绊，在下方約六尺處佩谷，然而布蘭幾乎看不見(jiàn)人。但他看得見(jiàn)那道門(mén)监嗜，山姆口中的“黑門(mén)”谐檀。它根本不是黑的。

A turn or two later Sam stopped suddenly. He was a quarter of the way around the well from Bran and Hodor and six feet farther down, yet Bran could barely see him. He could see the door, though. The Black Gate, Sam had called it, but it wasn’t black at all.

白色的魚(yú)梁木裁奇，上面有一張臉桐猬。

It was white weirwood, and there was a face on it.

木頭散發(fā)出光芒，好似牛奶與月光的混合刽肠，如此微弱溃肪，除開(kāi)門(mén)本身免胃，幾乎不能照亮任何東西，連站在它跟前的山姆也是漆黑一團(tuán)惫撰。那張臉蒼白古老羔沙，滿是褶皺。死氣沉沉厨钻。嘴閉緊扼雏，眼也閉緊，臉頰塌陷夯膀，額頭枯癟诗充，下巴松弛。若一個(gè)人活上一千歲都死不了诱建，只是越來(lái)越老蝴蜓，那么他的臉最后就會(huì)像這個(gè)樣。

A glow came from the wood, like milk and moonlight, so faint it scarcely seemed to touch anything beyond the door itself, not even Sam standing right before it. The face was old and pale, wrinkled and shrunken. It looks dead. Its mouth was closed, and its eyes; its cheeks were sunken, its brow withered, its chin sagging. If a man could live for a thousand years and never die but just grow older, his face might come to look like that.

門(mén)睜開(kāi)眼睛涂佃。

The door opened its eyes.

白色的眼睛励翼，看不見(jiàn)東西」架“你是誰(shuí)汽抚？”門(mén)問(wèn)，井輕聲呼應(yīng)伯病，“誰(shuí)——誰(shuí)——誰(shuí)——誰(shuí)——誰(shuí)——誰(shuí)——誰(shuí)造烁？”

They were white too, and blind. “Who are you?” the door asked, and the well whispered, “Who-who-who-who-who-who-who.”

“我是黑暗中的利劍，”山姆威爾·塔利道午笛，“長(zhǎng)城上的守衛(wèi)惭蟋。抵御寒冷的烈焰，破曉時(shí)分的光線药磺，喚醒眠者的號(hào)角告组，守護(hù)王國(guó)的堅(jiān)盾“┡澹”

“I am the sword in the darkness,” Samwell Tarly said. “I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers. I am the shield that guards the realms of men.”

“去吧木缝，”那扇門(mén)說(shuō)。它的嘴唇張開(kāi)围辙，越張?jiān)酱笪业綇堅(jiān)酱螅钡阶詈笠ǎ艘蝗︸薨櫚鼑拇笞旖冒常裁匆矝](méi)剩下。山姆讓到一邊，揮手示意玖健通過(guò)厘托。夏天跟在后面友雳，邊嗅邊走，然后輪到布蘭铅匹。阿多彎下腰沥阱，但彎得不夠低，結(jié)果門(mén)的上沿輕輕擦過(guò)布蘭頭頂伊群，一滴水落在臉上考杉，沿著鼻子緩緩流淌。它帶有奇特的溫?zé)峤⑹迹倘鐪I水崇棠。

“Then pass,” the door said. Its lips opened, wide and wider and wider still, until nothing at all remained but a great gaping mouth in a ring of wrinkles. Sam stepped aside and waved Jojen through ahead of him. Summer followed, sniffing as he went, and then it was Bran’s turn. Hodor ducked, but not low enough. The door’s upper lip brushed softly against the top of Bran’s head, and a drop of water fell on him and ran slowly down his nose. It was strangely warm, and salty as a tear.