Ⅱ 列王的紛爭(zhēng) Chapter50 席恩

THEON

前一秒還在熟睡，突然之間，他驚醒過來。

One moment he was asleep; the next, awake.

凱拉依偎在身旁，一只手輕擱在他體側(cè)卷胯，乳房緊貼他的背脊，均勻而柔順地呼吸威酒。罩在他們身上的被褥凌亂不整∫ふ觯現(xiàn)在是深夜，臥室漆黑一片葵孤，沉寂無聲担钮。

Kyra nestled against him, one arm draped lightly over his, her breasts brushing his back. He could hear her breathing, soft and steady. The sheet was tangled about them. It was the black of night. The bedchamber was dark and still.

怎么了？我聽見了什么尤仍？難道有什么人箫津？

What is it? Did I hear something? Someone?

晚風(fēng)在窄窗上微聲嘆氣。從遠(yuǎn)處宰啦，某個(gè)角落鲤嫡，他聽到貓咪激動(dòng)的叫聲。除此之外绑莺，什么也沒有。睡吧惕耕，葛雷喬伊纺裁，他告訴自己。城堡如此寧靜，你還派出了守衛(wèi)不是欺缘？在臥室門外栋豫，在城門邊，在軍械庫都有人值班呢谚殊。

Wind sighed faintly against the shutters. Somewhere, far off, he heard the yowl of a cat in heat. Nothing else. Sleep, Greyjoy, he told himself. The castle is quiet, and you have guards posted. At your door, at the gates, on the armory.

也許是剛做了什么噩夢(mèng)丧鸯，然而現(xiàn)在卻想不起來。凱拉讓他精疲力盡嫩絮。被席恩招來之前丛肢，她是個(gè)從未踏進(jìn)城堡半步的十八歲少女，一輩子都在避冬市鎮(zhèn)仰望臨冬城的高聳墻壘剿干。她又濕又軟又饑渴蜂怎，活像頭黃鼠狼。不可否認(rèn)的是置尔，在艾德·史塔克公爵的臥床上操粗鄙的酒館妓女實(shí)在別有一番情趣杠步。

He might have put it down to a bad dream, but he did not remember dreaming. Kyra had worn him out. Until Theon had sent for her, she had lived all of her eighteen years in the winter town without ever setting foot inside the walls of the castle. She came to him wet and eager and lithe as a weasel, and there had been a certain undeniable spice to fucking a common tavern wench in Lord Eddard Stark’s own bed.

席恩滑開她手臂的摟抱，下床之時(shí)榜轿，凱拉發(fā)出幾聲睡意惺忪的呢喃幽歼。壁爐里幾點(diǎn)余燼在燃燒。威克斯睡在床腳地板上谬盐，裹著自己的斗篷甸私，一動(dòng)也不動(dòng)。一片寂靜设褐。席恩走到窗邊颠蕴，把高處的窄窗一扇扇打開。夜晚伸出冰涼的手指助析，使他不禁渾身起了雞皮疙瘩犀被。他傾身靠近石窗臺(tái)，望向外面黑暗的塔樓外冀，空曠的廣場(chǎng)寡键，烏黑的天空和那數(shù)到一百歲也算不清的無垠繁星。半個(gè)月亮從鐘樓后面爬上來雪隧，玻璃花園的頂棚反射它的光芒西轩。沒有警報(bào)，沒有話語脑沿，就連一兩聲腳步都聽不到藕畔。

She murmured sleepily as Theon slid out from under her arm and got to his feet. A few embers still smoldered in the hearth. Wex slept on the floor at the foot of the bed, rolled up inside his cloak and dead to the world. Nothing moved. Theon crossed to the window and threw open the shutters. Night touched him with cold fingers, and gooseprickles rose on his bare skin. He leaned against the stone sill and looked out on dark towers, empty yards, black sky, and more stars than a man could ever count if he lived to be a hundred. A half-moon floated above the Bell Tower and cast its reflection on the roof of the glass gardens. He heard no alarums, no voices, not so much as a footfall.

一切正常，葛雷喬伊庄拇。你難道覺察不出四周的寧靜注服？還是及時(shí)行樂吧韭邓。用不到三十個(gè)人，你拿下了臨冬城堡溶弟，這將是被永遠(yuǎn)歌頌的豐功偉績(jī)女淑。于是席恩返回床邊，決定把凱拉翻過來辜御，再干一次鸭你，以此驅(qū)散那些無謂的幻影。她的喘息和嬌笑是對(duì)這片寂靜最好的回應(yīng)擒权。

All’s well, Greyjoy. Hear the quiet? You ought to be drunk with joy. You took Winterfell with fewer than thirty men, a feat to sing of. Theon started back to bed. He’d roll Kyra on her back and fuck her again, that ought to banish these phantoms. Her gasps and giggles would make a welcome respite from this silence.

他忽然停住袱巨。早已習(xí)慣冰原狼嗥叫的他，對(duì)此幾乎充耳不聞……然而體內(nèi)的某個(gè)部分菜拓，某種獵人的本能提醒他瓣窄，這聲音消失了。

He stopped. He had grown so used to the howling of the direwolves that he scarcely heard it anymore … but some part of him, some hunter’s instinct, heard its absence.

把門的是烏茲纳鼎，一個(gè)身負(fù)圓盾的強(qiáng)壯男子俺夕。“狼怎么安靜了下來贱鄙？”席恩對(duì)他說劝贸，“去看看他們?cè)诟墒裁矗缓罅⒖袒貓?bào)逗宁∮尘牛”想到冰原狼可能逃跑，他就覺得渾身不適瞎颗。他還記得那天在狼林件甥，當(dāng)野人們攻擊布蘭時(shí)，夏天和灰風(fēng)將他們活活撕成了碎片哼拔。

Urzen stood outside his door, a sinewy man with a round shield slung over his back. “The wolves are quiet,” Theon told him. “Go see what they’re doing, and come straight back.” The thought of the direwolves running loose gave him a queasy feeling. He remembered the day in the wolfswood when the wildlings had attacked Bran. Summer and Grey Wind had torn them to pieces.

他用腳尖踢醒威克斯引有，男孩坐起身來，直揉眼睛倦逐∑┱“去，看看布蘭·史塔克和他小弟還在不在床上檬姥，跑快點(diǎn)曾我。”

When he prodded Wex with the toe of his boot, the boy sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Make certain Bran Stark and his little brother are in their beds, and be quick about it.”

“大人健民？”凱拉困倦地叫喚抒巢。

“M’lord?” Kyra called sleepily.

“繼續(xù)睡吧，不關(guān)你的事秉犹∨扒兀”席恩給自己滿上一杯葡萄酒平酿，灌下去。他一直在傾聽悦陋，滿心希望能聽見一聲狼嗥。人手太少了筑辨，他酸酸地想俺驶，我只有這幾個(gè)手下，如果阿莎還不來……

“Go back to sleep, this does not concern you.” Theon poured himself a cup of wine and drank it down. All the time he was listening, hoping to hear a howl. Too few men, he thought sourly. I have too few men. If Asha does not come …

威克斯飛快返回棍辕，頭搖得像撥浪鼓暮现。席恩破口咒罵，揀起之前因急著上凱拉而扔了一地的衣服褲子楚昭。他在外衣外罩上一件鑲鐵釘?shù)钠け承钠艽验L(zhǎng)劍和匕首拴在腰際。頭發(fā)亂得像草叢抚太，但和令他恐懼的大麻煩相比塘幅，這反而無關(guān)緊要。

Wex returned the quickest, shaking his head side to side. Cursing, Theon found his tunic and breeches on the floor where he had dropped them in his haste to get at Kyra. Over the tunic he donned a jerkin of iron-studded leather, and he belted a longsword and dagger at his waist. His hair was wild as the wood, but he had larger concerns.

這時(shí)烏茲也回報(bào)：“狼全部失蹤尿贫〉缦保”

By then Urzen was back. “The wolves be gone.”

像艾德公爵一樣冷靜沉著，席恩提醒自己庆亡∝遗遥“把城堡里的人都叫起來，”他說又谋，“趕進(jìn)院子拼缝，所有人都不準(zhǔn)缺席，我們立刻檢查彰亥。告訴羅倫咧七，盤查各處城門。威克斯剩愧，跟我來猪叙。”

Theon told himself he must be as cold and deliberate as Lord Eddard. “Rouse the castle,” he said. “Herd them out into the yard, everyone, we’ll see who’s missing. And have Lorren make a round of the gates. Wex, with me.”

他不知斯提吉此刻抵達(dá)深林堡沒有仁卷。此人雖不像他自稱的那樣精于騎術(shù)——鐵民之中無人擅長(zhǎng)鞍馬之道——但算時(shí)間也夠了穴翩。阿莎應(yīng)該在路上。假如她知道我丟了兩個(gè)史塔克……其后果簡(jiǎn)直不堪設(shè)想锦积。

He wondered if Stygg had reached Deepwood Motte yet. The man was not as skilled a rider as he claimed—none of the ironmen were much good in the saddle—but there’d been time enough. Asha might well be on her way. And if she learns that I have lost the Starks … It did not bear thinking about.

布蘭的臥室空無一人芒帕，下方瑞肯的臥室亦房門大開。席恩不禁咒罵自己丰介。早該派人看住他們背蟆，我卻鬼迷心竅．認(rèn)為巡邏城墻和保護(hù)城門比看守兩個(gè)小孩——其中一個(gè)還是殘廢——重要得多鉴分。

Bran’s bedchamber was empty, as was Rickon’s half a turn below. Theon cursed himself. He should have kept a guard on them, but he’d deemed it more important to have men walking the walls and protecting the gates than to nursemaid a couple of children, one a cripple.

外面?zhèn)鱽韱柩事暎潜さ木用駛冋挥采鷱拇采贤掀鸫颍?qū)趕到廣場(chǎng)志珍。我會(huì)讓他們哭個(gè)痛快！我待他們多么親切垛叨，他們回報(bào)我的卻是如此伦糯。他兩個(gè)手下為著侵犯獸舍小妹的緣故，被他鞭打得血肉橫飛嗽元，這不足以展示他的公正無私么敛纲？然而，他們卻把這次強(qiáng)暴剂癌，還有旁的所有事淤翔，統(tǒng)統(tǒng)歸咎于他，真是太不公平佩谷！密肯是自己多嘴多舌才送命的旁壮，就和本福德一樣。至于柴爾琳要，他總得奉獻(xiàn)點(diǎn)什么給淹神啊寡具，他的人都看著呢≈刹梗“我對(duì)你并無惡意童叠，”他們把修士扔進(jìn)中庭的水井之前，他開口道课幕，“只是你和你的神已不能在此容身厦坛。”本以為其他人會(huì)心存感激乍惊，為著他不肯波及他們的緣故杜秸，然而事實(shí)卻大相徑庭。真不知有多少人參與了這次的脫逃密謀润绎。

Outside he heard sobbing as the castle folk were pulled from their beds and driven into the yard. I’ll give them reason to sob. I’ve used them gently, and this is how they repay me. He’d even had two of his own men whipped bloody for raping that kennel girl, to show them he meant to be just. They still blame me for the rape, though. And the rest. He deemed that unfair. Mikken had killed himself with his mouth, just as Benfred had. As for Chayle, he had to give someone to the Drowned God, his men expected it. “I bear you no ill will,” he’d told the septon before they threw him down the well, “but you and your gods have no place here now.” You’d think the others might be grateful he hadn’t chosen one of them, but no. He wondered how many of them were part of this plot against him.

烏茲和黑羅倫一道返回撬碟。“獵人門出事了莉撇，”羅倫道呢蛤，“您最好去看看」骼桑”

Urzen returned with Black Lorren. “The Hunter’s Gate,” Lorren said. “Best come see.”

為方便出行其障，獵人門開在獸舍和廚房旁邊，直通田野和森林涂佃，往來不必經(jīng)過避冬市鎮(zhèn)励翼，是打獵的專用出口蜈敢。“那兒歸誰守衛(wèi)汽抚？”席恩質(zhì)問抓狭。

The Hunter’s Gate was conveniently sited close to the kennels and kitchens. It opened directly on fields and forests, allowing riders to come and go without first passing through the winter town, and so was favored by hunting parties. “Who had the guard here?” Theon demanded.

“鄧蘭和斜眼∈獬龋”

“Drennan and Squint.”

鄧蘭是對(duì)帕拉動(dòng)手動(dòng)腳的兩人之一辐宾∽逼“倘若他們竟把倆小孩放跑了泻肯，這回別想背上脫層皮就了事谦趣，我起誓〕ǜ穑”

Drennan was one of the men who’d raped Palla. “If they’ve let the boys escape, I’ll have more than a little skin off their back this time, I swear it.”

“沒必要，”黑羅倫簡(jiǎn)略答道与涡。

“No need for that,” Black Lorren said curtly.

的確惹谐。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)斜眼面朝下漂浮在護(hù)城河中，內(nèi)臟在身后游蕩驼卖，活像一窩蒼白的蛇氨肌。鄧蘭半裸身子倒在城門樓里專用來操縱吊橋的暖和房間。從左耳到右耳酌畜，他的咽喉被劃開一道巨大的口子怎囚。他身穿一件粗糙外衣，遮住背上未愈的鞭傷桥胞，但靴子散亂在草席恳守，馬褲也褪到腳底。門邊的小桌放著奶酪和喝干的酒瓶贩虾，以及兩只杯子催烘。

Nor was there. They found Squint floating facedown in the moat, his entrails drifting behind him like a nest of pale snakes. Drennan lay half-naked in the gatehouse, in the snug room where the drawbridge was worked. His throat had been opened ear to ear. A ragged tunic concealed the half-healed scars on his back, but his boots were scattered amidst the rushes, and his breeches tangled about his feet. There was cheese on a small table near the door, beside an empty flagon. And two cups.

席恩拿起一只，嗅嗅底部殘余的酒液缎罢∫寥海“負(fù)責(zé)巡城的是斜眼，對(duì)不策精？”

Theon picked one up and sniffed at the dregs of wine in the bottom. “Squint was up on the wallwalk, no?”

“對(duì)舰始，”羅倫道。

“Aye,” said Lorren.

席恩揚(yáng)手將杯子擲進(jìn)壁爐蛮寂”挝纾“鄧蘭這白癡一定是拉下馬褲想插女人的時(shí)候，反被那女人給插了酬蹋。依這里的狀況看及老，兇器是切奶酪的刀抽莱。來人，找桿槍骄恶，把另一個(gè)白癡給我從河里釣出來食铐。”

Theon flung the cup into the hearth. “I’d say Drennan was pulling down his breeches to stick it in the woman when she stuck it in him. His own cheese knife, by the look of it. Someone find a pike and fish the other fool out of the moat.”

另一個(gè)白癡的情形比鄧蘭糟糕得多僧鲁。黑羅倫將他拖出河面虐呻，大家當(dāng)下發(fā)現(xiàn)此人一只手臂從肘部齊齊扭斷，半邊頸項(xiàng)不見蹤影寞秃，原本是肚臍和私處的地方只剩一個(gè)黑窟窿斟叼。羅倫叉他上岸，長(zhǎng)槍貫穿肚腸春寿，臭氣熏天朗涩。

The other fool was in a deal worse shape than Drennan. When Black Lorren drew him out of the water, they saw that one of his arms had been wrenched off at the elbow, half of his neck was missing, and there was a ragged hole where his navel and groin once had been. The pike tore through his bowels as Lorren was pulling him in. The stench was awful.

“冰原狼的杰作，”席恩道绑改，“兩匹一起上谢床，應(yīng)該是±逑撸”他滿心作嘔识腿，便走回吊橋。臨冬城有兩道花崗巖厚墻造壮，一條寬闊的護(hù)城河橫亙其間渡讼。外墻八十尺高，內(nèi)墻高度超過百尺费薄。由于人手不足硝全，席恩只好放棄外層防線，僅把守衛(wèi)安置在更高的內(nèi)墻上楞抡。在城堡隨時(shí)可能變亂的情況下伟众，他可不敢冒險(xiǎn)，把有限的兵力放在護(hù)城河的另一邊召廷。

“The direwolves,” Theon said. “Both of them, at a guess.” Disgusted, he walked back to the drawbridge. Winterfell was encircled by two massive granite walls, with a wide moat between them. The outer wall stood eighty feet high, the inner more than a hundred. Lacking men, Theon had been forced to abandon the outer defenses and post his guards along the higher inner walls. He dared not risk having them on the wrong side of the moat should the castle rise against him.

至少有兩個(gè)人參加此次行動(dòng)凳厢，他認(rèn)定。一邊由女人勾引鄧蘭竞慢，另一位則釋放冰原狼先紫。

There had to be two or more, he decided. While the woman was entertaining Drennan, the others freed the wolves.

席恩要根火把，領(lǐng)部下循階梯登上城墻筹煮，然后放低火炬遮精，掃視前方，尋找……就在那里，城墻內(nèi)部本冲，兩個(gè)城齒之間的寬闊垛口上准脂。“血跡檬洞，”他宣布狸膏，“沒擦干凈。據(jù)我推測(cè)添怔，那女人殺了鄧蘭后立即放下吊橋湾戳。這時(shí)斜眼聽見鎖鏈的叮當(dāng)聲，走過來查看广料，然后送了命砾脑。接著他們把尸體從這個(gè)城垛推下護(hù)城河，以防其他哨兵發(fā)現(xiàn)艾杏±怪梗”

Theon called for a torch and led them up the steps to the wallwalk. He swept the flame low before him, looking for … there. On the inside of the rampart and in the wide crenel between two upthrust merlons. “Blood,” he announced, “clumsily mopped up. At a guess, the woman killed Drennan and lowered the drawbridge. Squint heard the clank of chains, came to have a look, and got this far. They pushed the corpse through the crenel into the moat so he wouldn’t be found by another sentry.”

烏茲順著城墻看∶拥撸“可下一座守衛(wèi)塔離得不遠(yuǎn)啊。上面的火把還在燒——”

Urzen peered along the walls. “The other watch turrets are not far. I see torches burning—”

“有火把萧求，但沒守衛(wèi)其兴，”席恩暴躁地說】湔“臨冬城的守衛(wèi)塔比我的人還多元旬。”

“Torches, but no guards,” Theon said testily. “Winterfell has more turrets than I have men.”

“大門有四個(gè)守衛(wèi)守问，”黑羅倫道匀归，“巡城的加上斜眼共有六人『呐粒”

“Four guards at the main gate,” said Black Lorren, “and five walking the walls beside Squint.”

烏茲說：“他怎不吹號(hào)角——”

Urzen said, “If he had sounded his horn—”

老天穆端，我手下凈是些白癡》卤悖“試想想体啰，換你在這兒，會(huì)怎么做嗽仪，烏茲荒勇？外面又黑又冷，而你巡邏了好幾個(gè)鐘頭闻坚，只盼早點(diǎn)下哨沽翔。這時(shí)只聽一聲異樣的響動(dòng)，于是你走向城門窿凤，突然仅偎，樓梯盡頭有兩雙眼睛跨蟹，火光下閃著綠光和金光。兩個(gè)陰影以迅雷不及掩耳之勢(shì)撲下來哨颂。你看見利齒的寒光喷市，放低長(zhǎng)矛，接著便被“砰”地撞倒威恼。他們撕開你的肚腹品姓，像咬棉花一樣咬開皮甲◇锎耄”他用力一推烏茲腹备。“你頭朝下倒在地上斤蔓，內(nèi)臟流得到處都是植酥，還被一匹狼咬著脖子∠夷担”席恩勒住對(duì)方骨瘦如柴的頸項(xiàng)友驮，收攏指頭，冷笑道驾锰，“你倒是告訴我卸留，像這樣要怎么吹你媽的號(hào)？”他粗暴地推開烏茲椭豫，使他踉蹌著絆倒在城齒上耻瑟，不住揉搓咽喉。進(jìn)城那天我早該把這兩匹野東西除掉赏酥，他惱怒地想喳整，我見過他們殺人，明知他們有多危險(xiǎn)裸扶。

I am served by fools. “Try and imagine it was you up here, Urzen. It’s dark and cold. You have been walking sentry for hours, looking forward to the end of your watch. Then you hear a noise and move toward the gate, and suddenly you see eyes at the top of the stair, glowing green and gold in the torchlight. Two shadows come rushing toward you faster than you can believe. You catch a glimpse of teeth, start to level your spear, and they slam into you and open your belly, tearing through leather as if it were cheesecloth.” He gave Urzen a hard shove. “And now you’re down on your back, your guts are spilling out, and one of them has his teeth around your neck.” Theon grabbed the man’s scrawny throat, tightened his fingers, and smiled. “Tell me, at what moment during all of this do you stop to blow your fucking horn?” He shoved Urzen away roughly, sending him stumbling back against a merlon. The man rubbed his throat. I should have had those beasts put down the day we took the castle, he thought angrily. I’d seen them kill, I knew how dangerous they were.

“必須把他們抓回來框都，”黑羅倫說。

“We must go after them,” Black Lorren said.

“天黑時(shí)辦不到姓言∷蚕睿”席恩無法想像在暗夜里追逐冰原狼：自以為是獵人，卻成了獵物何荚〈蚜埽“我們等天亮。在此之前餐塘，我有話要對(duì)我忠順的臣民們講妥衣。”

“Not in the dark.” Theon did not relish the idea of chasing direwolves through the wood by night; the hunters could easily become the hunted. “We’ll wait for daylight. Until then, I had best go speak with my loyal subjects.”

他下到院子，男人税手、女人和兒童都被驅(qū)趕到墻邊蜂筹，擠成一團(tuán)，惶恐不安芦倒。很多人來不及穿戴：有的僅用毛毯裹住身子艺挪，更有的裸著軀體，只胡亂披件斗篷或睡袍兵扬。十幾個(gè)鐵民包圍他們麻裳，一手執(zhí)火炬一手拿武器∑髦樱狂風(fēng)呼嘯津坑，忽隱忽現(xiàn)的橘紅亮光映在鋼鐵的頭盔、濃密的胡須和無情的眼珠上傲霸。

Down in the yard, an uneasy crowd of men, women, and children had been pushed up against the wall. Many had not been given time to dress; they covered themselves with woolen blankets, or huddled naked under cloaks or bedrobes. A dozen ironmen hemmed them in, torches in one hand and weapons in the other. The wind was gusting, and the flickering orange light reflected dully off steel helms, thick beards, and unsmiling eyes.

席恩在囚徒之前走來走去疆瑰，審視他們的面容。在他眼中昙啄，每個(gè)人都是叛徒穆役。“丟了幾個(gè)梳凛？”

Theon walked up and down before the prisoners, studying the faces. They all looked guilty to him. “How many are missing?”

“六個(gè)孵睬。”臭佬踏步走到他背后伶跷，渾身散發(fā)著肥皂的味道，長(zhǎng)發(fā)在風(fēng)中飛舞秘狞“饶“包括兩名史塔克，澤地男孩和他姐姐烁试，馬房里那個(gè)白癡雇初，還有你的女野人〖跸欤”

“Six.” Reek stepped up behind him, smelling of soap, his long hair moving in the wind. “Both Starks, that bog boy and his sister, the halfwit from the stables, and your wildling woman.”

果然是歐莎靖诗。他看見二只杯子時(shí)就懷疑她了。我該多個(gè)心眼支示，不應(yīng)盲目相信她刊橘。她和阿莎一樣詭計(jì)多端，她們連名字也這么像颂鸿。

Osha. He had suspected her from the moment he saw that second cup. I should have known better than to trust that one. She’s as unnatural as Asha. Even their names sound alike.

馬廄清點(diǎn)過嗎促绵？

“Has anyone had a look at the stables?”

“阿加說馬一匹不少。”

“Aggar says no horses are missing.”

“小舞也在欄里败晴？”

“Dancer is still in his stall?”

“小舞浓冒？”臭佬皺眉，“阿加只說所有的馬都還在尖坤。惟有那個(gè)白癡丟了稳懒。”

“Dancer?” Reek frowned. “Aggar says the horses are all there. Only the halfwit is missing.”

那么慢味，他們是徒步前進(jìn)场梆。這是他醒來之后最好的消息。無疑贮缕，布蘭被裝在阿多背上的籃子里辙谜；歐莎得去背瑞肯——僅靠他幼小的腿腳可走不了多遠(yuǎn)。這下席恩確信他們還在掌中感昼∽岸撸“布蘭和瑞肯逃跑了，”他對(duì)城里的人大聲宣布定嗓，掃視他們的眼睛蜕琴。“有誰知道他們?nèi)チ四膬合Γ俊睙o人應(yīng)答凌简。“他們不可能獨(dú)立逃走恃逻，”席恩續(xù)道雏搂，“沒食物，沒衣服寇损，沒武器凸郑，他們是逃不了的∶校”他早已搜光臨冬城里的每一把劍芙沥、每一只斧，但肯定有人藏匿武器浊吏《颍“我會(huì)查出誰幫助過他們。我也會(huì)查出睜只眼閉只眼的人找田「韬”只有風(fēng)聲《昭茫“當(dāng)晨光初露躺孝，我就出發(fā)把他們抓回來享扔。”他的拇指勾住劍柄植袍【迕撸“我需要獵手。誰想要塊上好的狼皮過冬于个？蓋奇氛魁？”每次他打獵歸來，大廚總是興高采烈歡迎他厅篓，瞧瞧他有沒有帶什么野味獵獲秀存，然而現(xiàn)在卻一言不發(fā)。席恩回頭繼續(xù)踱步羽氮，一邊想從人們臉龐巡視出一點(diǎn)蛛絲馬跡或链。“荒山野嶺那不是跛子待的地方档押。想想瑞肯澳盐，半大小孩，怎么能撐下去令宿？奶媽叼耙，你說他現(xiàn)在該有多害怕×Ｃ唬”老婦人在他耳邊嘮嘮叨叨了十年筛婉，給他講過無數(shù)的故事，但而今她只朝他打呵欠癞松，似乎根本不認(rèn)得他爽撒。“我本可以把你們這些男人全殺光响蓉，然后把你們女人送給我的士兵享用匆浙，但我沒有，我反而極力保護(hù)你們厕妖。你們就這樣來感謝我么？”從前教他騎馬的喬賽斯挑庶，教他馴狗的法蘭言秸，成為他第一次的芭絲——釀酒師傅的老婆……人人都避開他的目光。他們恨我迎捺，他終于意識(shí)到举畸。

They’re afoot, then. That was the best news he’d heard since he woke. Bran would be riding in his basket on Hodor’s back, no doubt. Osha would need to carry Rickon; his little legs wouldn’t take him far on their own. Theon was confident that he’d soon have them back in his hands. “Bran and Rickon have fled,” he told the castle folk, watching their eyes. “Who knows where they’ve gone?” No one answered. “They could not have escaped without help,” Theon went on. “Without food, clothing, weapons.” He had locked away every sword and axe in Winterfell, but no doubt some had been hidden from him. “I’ll have the names of all those who aided them. All those who turned a blind eye.” The only sound was the wind. “Come first light, I mean to bring them back.” He hooked his thumbs through his swordbelt. “I need huntsmen. Who wants a nice warm wolfskin to see them through the winter? Gage?” The cook had always greeted him cheerfully when he returned from the hunt, to ask whether he’d brought anything choice for the table, but he had nothing to say now. Theon walked back the way he had come, searching their faces for the least sign of guilty knowledge. “The wild is no place for a cripple. And Rickon, young as he is, how long will he last out there? Nan, think how frightened he must be.” The old woman had nattered at him for ten years, telling her endless stories, but now she gaped at him as if he were some stranger. “I might have killed every man of you and given your women to my soldiers for their pleasure, but instead I protected you. Is this the thanks you offer?” Joseth who’d groomed his horses, Farlen who’d taught him all he knew of hounds, Barth the brewer’s wife who’d been his first—not one of them would meet his eyes. They hate me, he realized.

臭佬靠過來〉手Γ“剝了他們的皮抄沮，”他力促跋核，厚厚的嘴唇閃著寒光∨崖颍“波頓老爺常說：裸體的人少有秘密砂代，但被剝皮的人沒有秘密÷收酰”

Reek stepped close. “Strip off their skins,” he urged, his thick lips glistening. “Lord Bolton, he used to say a naked man has few secrets, but a flayed man’s got none.”

席恩知道刻伊，剝皮人是波頓家族的紋章；遠(yuǎn)古時(shí)代椒功，他們家族的族長(zhǎng)們甚至拿敵人的皮來作披風(fēng)捶箱。無數(shù)的史塔克以這樣的方式慘死。暴行大概在千年之前得以終止动漾，那個(gè)時(shí)候波頓家族最終臣服于臨冬城丁屎。話雖如此，但古道不死旱眯，我的人民不也一樣晨川。

The flayed man was the sigil of House Bolton, Theon knew; ages past, certain of their lords had gone so far as to cloak themselves in the skins of dead enemies. A number of Starks had ended thus. Supposedly all that had stopped a thousand years ago, when the Boltons had bent their knees to Winterfell. Or so they say, but old ways die hard, as well I know.

“只要我還在臨冬城主政一天，就不允許北境發(fā)生剝皮這樣的慘事键思〈∨溃”席恩朗聲道。在你們和他的怪癖之間吼鳞，我是惟一的屏障啊看蚜，他直想大叫。他無法炫耀赔桌，只希望有人夠聰明供炎，趕快汲取教訓(xùn)，明白事理疾党。

“There will be no flaying in the north so long as I rule in Winterfell,” Theon said loudly. I am your only protection against the likes of him, he wanted to scream. He could not be that blatant, but perhaps some were clever enough to take the lesson.

城墻邊緣音诫，天空漸漸變成灰色。黎明不遠(yuǎn)了雪位〗叨郏“喬賽斯，給笑星上鞍雹洗，為你自己也準(zhǔn)備一匹馬香罐。穆齊，加斯时肿，麻臉提姆庇茫，你們也一同出發(fā)◇Τ桑”穆齊和加斯是城堡里最好的獵人旦签，而提姆則精于箭術(shù)查坪。“阿加宁炫，紅鼻偿曙，葛馬，臭佬淋淀，威克斯遥昧，他們也來《浞祝”他需要自己的人擔(dān)任后衛(wèi)炭臭。“法蘭袍辞，我需要獵狗鞋仍，你來指揮它們〗劣酰”

The sky was greying over the castle walls. Dawn could not be far off. “Joseth, saddle Smiler and a horse for yourself. Murch, Gariss, Poxy Tym, you’ll come as well.” Murch and Gariss were the best huntsmen in the castle, and Tym was a fine bowman. “Aggar, Rednose, Gelmarr, Reek, Wex.” He needed his own to watch his back. “Farlen, I’ll want hounds, and you to handle them.”

頭發(fā)灰白的馴獸長(zhǎng)抱起手臂威创。“憑什么要我去追捕我真正的主人谎懦，憑什么要我去抓幾個(gè)孩子肚豺？”

The grizzled kennelmaster crossed his arms. “And why would I care to hunt down my own trueborn lords, and babes at that?”

席恩走近他〗缋梗“因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)在我才是你真正的主人吸申，也只有我能保護(hù)帕拉∠淼椋”

Theon moved close. “I am your trueborn lord now, and the man who keeps Palla safe.”

法蘭眼中的挑釁逐漸消散截碴。“是的蛉威，大人日丹。”

He saw the defiance die in Farlen’s eyes. “Aye, m’lord.”

席恩踱回去蚯嫌，一邊仔細(xì)盤算哲虾。“魯溫師傅择示，”他宣布束凑。

Stepping back, Theon glanced about to see who else he might add. “Maester Luwin,” he announced.

“我對(duì)捕獵之道一竅不通《酝”

“I know nothing of hunting.”

沒錯(cuò)，但我不放心把你留在城里敢朱〖袅猓“你早該學(xué)學(xué)摩瞎。”

No, but I don’t trust you in the castle in my absence. “Then it’s past time you learned.”

“也帶我去孝常。我想要那張狼皮斗篷旗们。”一個(gè)男孩走上前构灸，他年紀(jì)比布蘭還小上渴。席恩想了半天才憶起他是誰∠舶洌“以前我常打獵稠氮，”瓦德·佛雷說，“我打過紅鹿和麇鹿半开，甚至獵過野豬呢隔披。”

“Let me come too. I want that wolfskin cloak.” A boy stepped forward, no older than Bran. It took Theon a moment to remember him. “I’ve hunted lots of times before,” Walder Frey said. “Red deer and elk, and even boar.”

他表哥嘲笑道：“他是和他爸爸一起去的寂拆，他們甚至連野豬的面也沒讓他見著奢米。”

His cousin laughed at him. “He rode on a boar hunt with his father, but they never let him near the boar.”

席恩懷疑地看著男孩纠永△蕹ぃ“想來就來，但要是跟不上尝江，別以為我會(huì)過來哄你涉波。”他轉(zhuǎn)向黑羅倫茂装〉□澹“我不在時(shí)，臨冬城由你負(fù)責(zé)少态。假如我們沒有返回城侧，你可以機(jī)動(dòng)行事”似蓿”你們這些操他媽的混蛋就祈禱我得勝歸來吧嫌佑。

Theon look at the boy doubtfully. “Come if you like, but if you can’t keep up, don’t think that I’ll nurse you along.” He turned back to Black Lorren. “Winterfell is yours in my absence. If we do not return, do with it as you will.” That bloody well ought to have them praying for my success.

當(dāng)?shù)谝豢|蒼白曙光掠過鐘樓頂時(shí)，人們?cè)讷C人門前集合完畢侨歉，呼吸在清晨的寒氣中結(jié)霜屋摇。葛馬裝備一柄長(zhǎng)斧，長(zhǎng)柄足以使他在狼近身前加以打擊幽邓，而沉重的斧刃能將狼一擊斃命炮温。阿加戴上護(hù)脛鐵甲。臭佬提著一桿獵豬矛以及一口裝得滿滿的洗衣婦用的袋子牵舵，天知道里面是什么柒啤。席恩則帶上了他的長(zhǎng)弓——?jiǎng)e的他不需要倦挂。曾經(jīng)，他用一只飛箭救過布蘭的命担巩，他不希望用另一只箭做相反的事方援，然而真到情非得已的關(guān)頭，他別無選擇涛癌。

They assembled by the Hunter’s Gate as the first pale rays of the sun brushed the top of the Bell Tower, their breath frosting in the cold morning air. Gelmarr had equipped himself with a longaxe whose reach would allow him to strike before the wolves were on him. The blade was heavy enough to kill with a single blow. Aggar wore steel greaves. Reek arrived carrying a boar spear and an overstuffed washerwoman’s sack bulging with god knows what. Theon had his bow; he needed nothing else. Once he had saved Bran’s life with an arrow. He hoped he would not need to take it with another, but if it came to that, he would.

十一個(gè)男人犯戏，二個(gè)小孩和十二只狗一同越過護(hù)城河。外墻之外拳话，軟泥地上的蹤跡清晰可辨：狼的爪印先匪，阿多沉重的步履，還有兩個(gè)黎德留下的較淺足跡假颇。及至走到林邊胚鸯，碎石和沉積的落葉使追蹤變得困難，這時(shí)便輪到法蘭的紅母狗用鼻子上場(chǎng)了笨鸡，它果然沒有令他失望募舟。其他獵狗緊跟在后敌土，又嗅又吠算吩，一對(duì)龐大的獒犬則擔(dān)任后衛(wèi)碍沐。他們的體型和兇猛在對(duì)付冰原狼時(shí)可以派用場(chǎng)。

Eleven men, two boys, and a dozen dogs crossed the moat. Beyond the outer wall, the tracks were plain to read in the soft ground; the pawprints of the wolves, Hodor’s heavy tread, the shallower marks left by the feet of the two Reeds. Once under the trees, the stony ground and fallen leaves made the trail harder to see, but by then Farlen’s red bitch had the scent. The rest of the dogs were close behind, the hounds sniffing and barking, a pair of monstrous mastiffs bringing up the rear. Their size and ferocity might make the difference against a cornered direwolf.

他起初猜想歐莎會(huì)帶他們南下去找羅德利克爵士激涤，然而眼前的蹤跡卻是向著西北拟糕，一直深入狼林。席恩對(duì)此深感憂懼倦踢。假如史塔克們徑直投向深林堡送滞，真不啻于莫大的諷刺——他們會(huì)正好落入阿莎手中。與其那樣辱挥，我寧可讓他們死犁嗅，他苦澀地想，被當(dāng)成暴君總比被看作蠢蛋好晤碘。

He’d have guessed that Osha might run south to Ser Rodrik, but the trail led north by northwest, into the very heart of the wolfswood. Theon did not like that one bit. It would be a bitter irony if the Starks made for Deepwood Motte and delivered themselves right into Asha’s hands. I’d sooner have them dead, he thought bitterly. It is better to be seen as cruel than foolish.

縷縷蒼白的迷霧在林木間穿梭褂微。這里的哨兵樹和士卒松比城里的粗厚，四季常青的森林是世上最黑最暗的地方园爷。地面崎嶇不平宠蚂，散落的松針遮住柔軟的草皮，使得行馬變得危機(jī)四伏童社，他們不得不放慢速度求厕。但再怎么說，不會(huì)比肩馱殘廢的男子走得慢，比個(gè)瘦骨嶙峋呀癣、背負(fù)四歲小孩的潑婦也要快旅东。他告訴自己千萬耐心，日落之前十艾，一定能追上。

Wisps of pale mist threaded between the trees. Sentinels and soldier pines grew thick about here, and there was nothing as dark and gloomy as an evergreen forest. The ground was uneven, and the fallen needles disguised the softness of the turf and made the footing treacherous for the horses, so they had to go slowly. Not as slowly as a man carrying a cripple, though, or a bony harridan with a four-year-old on her back. He told himself to be patient. He’d have them before the day was out.

他們追到一條峽谷的邊緣腾节，魯溫師傅策馬跑近忘嫉。“迄今為止案腺，這場(chǎng)獵捕和林間放馬沒兩樣庆冕，大人∨ィ”

Maester Luwin trotted up to him as they were following a game trail along the lip of a ravine. “Thus far hunting seems indistinguishable from riding through the woods, my lord.”

席恩微笑道：“的確很相似访递。但不同在于，獵捕要以鮮血來劃上句號(hào)同辣】阶耍”

Theon smiled. “There are similarities. But with hunting, there’s blood at the end.”

“非得如此嗎？他們逃跑是件蠢事旱函，但您就不能發(fā)發(fā)慈悲响巢？我們追蹤的可都是您的養(yǎng)兄弟呀“舴粒”

“Must it be so? This flight was great folly, but will you not be merciful? These are your foster brothers we seek.”

“除了羅柏踪古，沒有史塔克以兄弟之禮待我。只是對(duì)我而言券腔，布蘭和瑞肯活著比死了有用伏穆。”

“No Stark but Robb was ever brotherly toward me, but Bran and Rickon have more value to me living than dead.”

“黎德們不也如此纷纫？卡林灣就在澤地邊緣枕扫，霍蘭大人如果有心，滿可以奇襲您叔叔涛酗，但只要您握有他的繼承人铡原，他只能按兵不動(dòng)∩烫荆”

“The same is true of the Reeds. Moat Cailin sits on the edge of the bogs. Lord Howland can make your uncle’s occupation a visit to hell if he chooses, but so long as you hold his heirs he must stay his hand.”

席恩沒想到這一點(diǎn)燕刻。事實(shí)上，除了瞄過梅拉一兩眼剖笙，懷疑她到底是不是處女以外卵洗，他根本沒把泥人們當(dāng)回事。“也許你說得對(duì)过蹂。如果事態(tài)允許十绑，我就饒過他們】嵘祝”

Theon had not considered that. In truth, he had scarcely considered the mudmen at all, beyond eyeing Meera once or twice and wondering if she was still a maiden. “You may be right. We will spare them if we can.”

? ? “我希望您也饒過阿多吧本橙。這孩子是個(gè)老實(shí)人，您也知道脆诉，他只是照著別人的命令行事甚亭。想想他為您喂過多少次馬，洗過多少次鞍击胜，擦過多少次甲吧亏狰！”

“And Hodor too, I hope. The boy is simple, you know that. He does as he is told. How many times has he groomed your horse, soaped your saddle, scoured your mail?”

阿多對(duì)他而言無足輕重∨妓ぃ“他肯束手就擒暇唾，就讓他活命〕秸”席恩抬起一根指頭策州。“別為那野人求情宫仗，否則我讓你和她一起死抽活。她對(duì)我發(fā)過誓，卻棄如草芥锰什∠滤叮”

Hodor was nothing to him. “If he does not fight us, we will let him live.” Theon pointed a finger. “But say one word about sparing the wildling, and you can die with her. She swore me an oath, and pissed on it.”

學(xué)士低下頭顱≈ǎ“我不會(huì)為背誓者辯解梭姓。您看著辦吧。我很感激您的慈悲嫩码∮猓”

The maester inclined his head. “I make no apologies for oathbreakers. Do what you must. I thank you for your mercy.”

慈悲，看著魯溫走回隊(duì)列铸题，席恩靜靜地想：這是個(gè)無情的陷阱铡恕，給得太多他們說你軟弱無能，給得太少你便成了殘暴野獸丢间。不過他心里也明白探熔，學(xué)士剛才的諫言確是忠告。父親滿腦子只想打仗征服烘挫，但如果守不住诀艰，打下一片江山又有什么意義呢？而單憑武力和恐怖是做不到這點(diǎn)的∑渎ⅲ可惜奈德·史塔克把他的女兒都帶去了南方——否則席恩任娶一個(gè)苛蒲，便足以把自己和臨冬城牢牢拴在一起。珊莎是個(gè)可愛的小東西绿满，現(xiàn)在也該成熟到能上床了吧臂外。但她偏偏在千里之外，身處蘭尼斯特掌中喇颁。真遺憾哪寄月。

Mercy, thought Theon as Luwin dropped back. There’s a bloody trap. Too much and they call you weak, too little and you’re monstrous. Yet the maester had given him good counsel, he knew. His father thought only in terms of conquest, but what good was it to take a kingdom if you could not hold it? Force and fear could carry you only so far. A pity Ned Stark had taken his daughters south; elsewise Theon could have tightened his grip on Winterfell by marrying one of them. Sansa was a pretty little thing too, and by now likely even ripe for bedding. But she was a thousand leagues away, in the clutches of the Lannisters. A shame.

越往深處，森林愈加濃密无牵。松樹和哨兵樹讓位給龐然而黑暗的橡木。糾結(jié)的山楂叢隱蔽了危險(xiǎn)的溝渠和小溪厂抖。多石起伏的小丘一座連著一座茎毁。他們經(jīng)過一間佃農(nóng)的茅屋，荒廢已久忱辅，雜草叢生七蜘，圍繞著一條滿滿的水溝，靜止的水流像鋼鐵一般放出灰光墙懂。此時(shí)狗們突然狂吠起來橡卤，席恩確信亡命者們已近在咫尺。他一踢笑星损搬，快馬加鞭碧库，但走近之后發(fā)現(xiàn)的卻是一只幼鹿的尸骸……業(yè)已支離破碎。

The wood grew ever wilder. The pines and sentinels gave way to huge dark oaks. Tangles of hawthorn concealed treacherous gullies and cuts. Stony hills rose and fell. They passed a crofter’s cottage, deserted and overgown, and skirted a flooded quarry where the still water had a sheen as grey as steel. When the dogs began to bay, Theon figured the fugitives were near at hand. He spurred Smiler and followed at a trot, but what he found was only the carcass of a young elk … or what remained of it.

他下馬細(xì)看巧勤。鹿剛死不久嵌灰，明顯看出是狼干的。獵狗們急切地在它四周嗅聞颅悉，一只獒犬則把頭直接埋進(jìn)死鹿尸首沽瞭，大快朵頤，直到法蘭吼著把它趕走剩瓶。這動(dòng)物根本沒被切割驹溃，席恩尋思，狼吃過延曙，但人沒有豌鹤。就算歐莎不敢冒險(xiǎn)生火，也該割走幾塊肉啊枝缔，沒道理把上好的食物扔在這里腐爛傍药。“法蘭，你確定我們跟對(duì)了拐辽？”他詢問拣挪，“有沒可能你的狗追逐的是別的狼？”

He dismounted for a closer look. The kill was still fresh, and plainly the work of wolves. The dogs sniffed round it eagerly, and one of the mastiffs buried his teeth in a haunch until Farlen shouted him off. No part of this animal has been butchered, Theon realized. The wolves ate, but not the men. Even if Osha did not want to risk a fire, she ought to have cut them a few steaks. It made no sense to leave so much good meat to rot. “Farlen, are you certain we’re on the right trail?” he demanded. “Could your dogs be chasing the wrong wolves?”

“我的母狗很清楚夏天和毛毛的味道俱诸〔と埃”

“My bitch knows the smell of Summer and Shaggy well enough.”

“希望如此。姑且信你睁搭「险铮”

“I hope so. For your sake.”

快一個(gè)小時(shí)之后，追蹤者們跟隨痕跡下到一個(gè)斜坡园骆，朝一條因最近的雨水而泛濫泥濘的小溪奔去舔痪。就在溪邊，獵狗失去了線索锌唾。法蘭和威克斯帶它們涉過溪流锄码，無功而返，狗們則在對(duì)岸茫然無措地上下游蕩晌涕，嗅來聞去滋捶。“他們到過這里余黎，大人重窟，但我不知道他們接下來去了哪兒，”馴獸長(zhǎng)說惧财。

Less than an hour later, the trail led down a slope toward a muddy brook swollen by the recent rains. It was there the dogs lost the scent. Farlen and Wex waded across with the hounds and came back shaking their heads while the animals ranged up and down the far bank, sniffing. “They went in here, m’lord, but I can’t see where they come out,” the kennelmaster said.

席恩下馬巡扇，跪在溪邊，伸出手沾了點(diǎn)水垮衷。溪流冰涼霎迫。“他們不可能長(zhǎng)久地待在里面帘靡，”他說知给。“帶一半的狗去下游描姚，我去上——”

Theon dismounted and knelt beside the stream. He dipped a hand in it. The water was cold. “They won’t have stayed long in this,” he said. “Take half the dogs downstream, I’ll go up—”

威克斯突然響亮地拍掌涩赢。

Wex clapped his hands together loudly.

“怎么了？”席恩道轩勘。

“What is it?” Theon said.

啞巴男孩伸手指點(diǎn)筒扒。

The mute boy pointed.

水邊的土地濕潤而泥濘。狼的足跡清晰可辨绊寻』ǘ眨“爪印悬秉，是的。所以冰蘑？”

The ground near the water was sodden and muddy. The tracks the wolves had left were plain enough. “Pawprints, yes. So?”

威克斯把腳陷進(jìn)泥土和泌，左右扭轉(zhuǎn)靴子，挖出一個(gè)深溝祠肥。

Wex drove his heel into the mud, and pivoted his foot this way and that. It left a deep gouge.

喬賽斯明白過來武氓。“阿多是個(gè)大塊頭仇箱，在泥地里定會(huì)留下深深的腳印县恕，”他說〖燎牛“尤其他還負(fù)著孩子忠烛。但這里所有腳印都是我們自己的。您瞧瞧权逗∶朗”

Joseth understood. “A man the size of Hodor ought to have left a deep print in this mud,” he said. “More so with the weight of a boy on his back. Yet the only boot prints here are our own. See for yourself.”

席恩大吃一驚，旋即發(fā)現(xiàn)對(duì)方所言非虛旬迹。兩匹狼是獨(dú)自走進(jìn)了褐色的泛濫溪流∏罄啵“歐莎一定老遠(yuǎn)便調(diào)轉(zhuǎn)了方向奔垦，很有可能，在那匹鹿之前便與狼分道揚(yáng)鑣尸疆。她讓狼照原路前進(jìn)椿猎，好誘我們繼續(xù)追趕∈偃酰”他在他的獵人面前踱步犯眠。“假若你兩個(gè)膽敢騙我——”

Appalled, Theon saw it was true. The wolves had gone into the turgid brown water alone. “Osha must have turned aside back of us. Before the elk, most likely. She sent the wolves on by themselves, hoping we’d chase after them.” He rounded on his huntsmen. “If you two have played me false—”

“一路上沒有別的蹤跡症革，大人筐咧，我發(fā)誓，”加斯辯解噪矛×咳铮“況且冰原狼決不可能離開孩子，至少不會(huì)離開太久艇挨〔信冢”

“There’s been only the one trail, my lord, I swear it,” said Gariss defensively. “And the direwolves would never have parted from them boys. Not for long.”

這倒不假，席恩想缩滨，夏天和毛毛狗應(yīng)是出去捕獵势就，飽餐之后便會(huì)回到布蘭和瑞肯身邊泉瞻。“加斯苞冯，穆齊袖牙，你們帶四條狗折回原路。阿加抱完，你盯住他們贼陶，以防他們要花樣。法蘭和我繼續(xù)追蹤冰原狼巧娱。大家有所發(fā)現(xiàn)便吹一聲號(hào)碉怔。倘若直接見到那兩只野獸，就吹兩聲禁添。只需盯住他倆撮胧，定能找到他們的主人±锨蹋”

That’s so, Theon thought. Summer and Shaggydog might have gone off to hunt, but soon or late they would return to Bran and Rickon. “Gariss, Murch, take four dogs and double back, find where we lost them. Aggar, you watch them, I’ll have no trickery. Farlen and I will follow the direwolves. Give a blast on the horn when you pick up the trail. Two blasts if you catch sight of the beasts themselves. Once we find where they went, they’ll lead us back to their masters.”

他帶上威克斯芹啥、佛雷家的小孩及“紅鼻”加尼往上游搜查。他和威克斯在一邊铺峭，紅鼻和瓦德·佛雷在對(duì)岸墓怀，雙方各帶一對(duì)獵狗，因?yàn)槔窃趦砂抖伎赡艹鰶]卫键。席恩刻意搜尋足印傀履、痕跡，斷裂枝條等等莉炉，企圖通過線索來揭示狼從何處離水上岸钓账。他輕易發(fā)現(xiàn)公鹿、麇鹿和獾的足跡絮宁。威克斯嚇跑一只飲水的狐貍梆暮，瓦德追逐草叢中三只奔逃的兔子，努力想射一只绍昂。他們看見大熊在一棵高大白樺的樹皮上留下的爪印啦粹。偏偏冰原狼的痕跡半點(diǎn)也無。

He took Wex, the Frey boy, and Gynir Rednose to search upstream. He and Wex rode on one side of the brook, Rednose and Walder Frey on the other, each with a pair of hounds. The wolves might have come out on either bank. Theon kept an eye out for tracks, spoor, broken branches, any hint as to where the direwolves might have left the water. He spied the prints of deer, elk, and badger easily enough. Wex surprised a vixen drinking at the stream, and Walder flushed three rabbits from the underbrush and managed to put an arrow in one. They saw the claw marks where a bear had shredded the bark of a tall birch. But of the direwolves there was no sign.

繼續(xù)前進(jìn)窘游，席恩鼓勵(lì)自己卖陵，過了這棵橡樹，爬上那道緩坡张峰，通過前面溪流的彎道泪蔫，我們一定能發(fā)現(xiàn)些什么。他一直這么克制自己喘批，走了許久撩荣，終于明白是該回頭的時(shí)候了铣揉。不斷加劇的焦慮在腹中噬啃。日近中午餐曹，他扭轉(zhuǎn)笑星的馬頭逛拱，戀戀不舍地轉(zhuǎn)了幾圈，旋即放棄追蹤台猴。

A little farther, Theon told himself. Past that oak, over that rise, past the next bend of the stream, we’ll find something there. He pressed on long after he knew he should turn back, a growing sense of anxiety gnawing at his belly. It was midday when he wrenched Smiler’s head round in disgust and gave up.

歐莎和那兩個(gè)小壞蛋不知想出什么法子朽合，始終能在他面前躲來躲去”タ瘢可是曹步，這不可能啊，他們是步行休讳，何況還有殘廢和幼童讲婚。然而他每多浪費(fèi)一個(gè)鐘頭，對(duì)方逃脫的機(jī)率就越大俊柔。若是給他們找到村莊……北方人不會(huì)拒絕奈德·史塔克的兒子筹麸，羅柏的兄弟。他們會(huì)送馬雏婶，送食物物赶，更有人會(huì)為保護(hù)少主這樣的榮譽(yù)而戰(zhàn)。甚至整個(gè)該死的北地都會(huì)團(tuán)結(jié)在他們周圍留晚，重整旗鼓酵紫。

Somehow Osha and the wretched boys were eluding him. It should not have been possible, not on foot, burdened with a cripple and a young child. Every passing hour increased the likelihood that they would make good their escape. If they reach a village … The people of the north would never deny Ned Stark’s sons, Robb’s brothers. They’d have mounts to speed them on their way, food. Men would fight for the honor of protecting them. The whole bloody north would rally around them.

夠了，狼只是去了下游倔丈，他緊抓這個(gè)念頭不放憨闰。紅母狗會(huì)嗅出他們離水登陸的地點(diǎn)状蜗，我們很快便能找到他們需五。

The wolves went downstream, that’s all. He clung to that thought. That red bitch will sniff where they came out of the water and we’ll be after them again.

但當(dāng)他們與法蘭的團(tuán)隊(duì)重新會(huì)合，席恩只消看馴獸長(zhǎng)一眼轧坎，便知他的希望已徹底粉碎宏邮。“這些臭狗該拿去喂熊缸血，”他惱怒地說蜜氨，“如果我有熊的話∩有海”

But when they joined up with Farlen’s party, one look at the kennelmaster’s face smashed all of Theon’s hopes to shards. “The only thing those dogs are fit for is a bear baiting,” he said angrily. “Would that I had a bear.”

“不是它們的錯(cuò)飒炎。”法蘭在一只獒犬和他心愛的紅母狗之間跪下笆豁，手放在他們身上郎汪〕嗌蓿“流水無法留存氣息，大人煞赢∨准疲”

“The dogs are not at fault.” Farlen knelt between a mastiff and his precious red bitch, a hand on each. “Running water don’t hold no scents, m’lord.”

“狼總得在什么地方上岸吧≌罩”

“The wolves had to come out of the stream somewhere.”

“這當(dāng)然吹截。要么在上游要么在下游。我們只要繼續(xù)搜凝危，一定能發(fā)現(xiàn)波俄，現(xiàn)在的問題是，走哪邊媒抠？”

“No doubt they did. Upstream or down. We keep on, we’ll find the place, but which way?”

“從沒聽說狼能逆流跑幾里路的弟断。”臭佬道趴生》浚“人還行，當(dāng)走投無路時(shí)苍匆，或許能行刘急。狼怎么成？”

“I never knew a wolf to run up a streambed for miles,” said Reek. “A man might. If he knew he was being hunted, he might. But a wolf?”

話雖這么說浸踩，席恩還是懷疑叔汁。這兩只野獸決不等同一般的狼检碗。當(dāng)初就該剝下這挨千刀的怪物的皮据块。

Yet Theon wondered. These beasts were not as other wolves. I should have skinned the cursed things.

同樣的故事在他們與加斯、穆齊和阿加會(huì)合時(shí)再度上演折剃。兩個(gè)獵人把到臨冬城的路折回了一半另假，卻絲毫沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)史塔克們離開冰原狼獨(dú)自行動(dòng)的跡象。法蘭的狗變得和主人一樣深感挫折怕犁，孤注一擲地在樹林和巖石間聞嗅边篮，不時(shí)還暴躁地互相撕咬。

It was the same tale all over again when they rejoined Gariss, Murch, and Aggar. The huntsmen had retraced their steps halfway to Winterfell without finding any sign of where the Starks might have parted company with the direwolves. Farlen’s hounds seemed as frustrated as their masters, sniffing forlornly at trees and rocks and snapping irritably at each other.

席恩不能接受失敗奏甫「杲危“我們回溪邊，再搜一次阵子，這一次盡可能擴(kuò)大搜索范圍思杯。”

Theon dared not admit defeat. “We’ll return to the brook. Search again. This time we’ll go as far as we must.”

“找不到的啦挠进，”佛雷家的男孩突然開口色乾√诿矗“只要吃青蛙的還跟著他們就找不到。泥人都鬼鬼崇崇杈湾，他們不像正派人一樣光明正大的打解虱，而是躲在暗處，施放涂毒的箭矢漆撞。你看不到他殴泰，可他看得到你。追他們進(jìn)沼澤的人沒一個(gè)回來過浮驳。他們的房子會(huì)動(dòng)悍汛，就連他們的城堡灰水望也會(huì)動(dòng)≈粱幔”他緊張兮兮地瞥瞥四周密密匝匝的林木草叢离咐。“搞不好他們正在附近奉件，聽我們說話呢宵蛀。”

“We won’t find them,” the Frey boy said suddenly. “Not so long as the frogeaters are with them. Mudmen are sneaks, they won’t fight like decent folks, they skulk and use poison arrows. You never see them, but they see you. Those who go into the bogs after them get lost and never come out. Their houses move, even the castles like Greywater Watch.” He glanced nervously at greenery that encircled them on all sides. “They might be out there right now, listening to everything we say.”

法蘭以大笑來表示他的感受县貌∈跆眨“只要是這片林里的東西，我的狗沒有嗅不出來的煤痕，連你剛才放的屁也不例外梧宫，臭小子“诘铮”

Farlen laughed to show what he thought of that notion. “My dogs would smell anything in them bushes. Be all over them before you could break wind, boy.”

“吃青蛙的身上的體味和人不一樣塘匣，”佛雷堅(jiān)持∠锏郏“他們帶著沼澤的臭氣忌卤，就像青蛙一樣，混合了樹木和泥水的味道锅睛。他們腋下長(zhǎng)的不是毛埠巨，是青苔历谍，餓的時(shí)候现拒，可以不吃東西，只吞泥巴過活望侈，甚至能在泥水底下呼吸呢印蔬！”

“Frogeaters don’t smell like men,” Frey insisted. “They have a boggy stink, like frogs and trees and scummy water. Moss grows under their arms in place of hair, and they can live with nothing to eat but mud and breathe swamp water.”

按捺不住的席恩剛想痛斥對(duì)方這堆奶媽講的鬼話，魯溫學(xué)士卻插進(jìn)來：“歷史上脱衙，綠先知們?cè)鬟^巨大努力來引水入頸澤侥猬，從此以后例驹，澤地人和森林之子建立了深厚的友誼⊥诉耄或許他們確然從中獲得秘密的知識(shí)鹃锈。”

Theon was about to tell him what he ought to do with his wet nurse’s fable when Maester Luwin spoke up. “The histories say the crannogmen grew close to the children of the forest in the days when the greenseers tried to bring the hammer of the waters down upon the Neck. It may be that they have secret knowledge.”

剎那間瞧预，整個(gè)樹林似乎突然黯淡了幾分屎债，就如浮云遮日。不懂事的孩子亂講一通是一回事垢油，但知識(shí)淵博的學(xué)士說的話分量不同盆驹。“我只關(guān)心奈德之子布蘭與瑞肯滩愁，”席恩說躯喇。“回溪邊去硝枉。立即出發(fā)廉丽。”

Suddenly the wood seemed a deal darker than it had a moment before, as if a cloud had passed before the sun. It was one thing to have some fool boy spouting folly, but maesters were supposed to be wise. “The only children that concern me are Bran and Rickon,” Theon said. “Back to the stream. Now.”

一開始誰也沒動(dòng)妻味，他以為人們會(huì)抗命雅倒，但北方人的責(zé)任感最后占了上風(fēng)。雖然勉強(qiáng)弧可，大家還是沉悶地跟上蔑匣。佛雷家的小孩變得和他剛才追逐的兔子一般神經(jīng)質(zhì)。席恩把人員分散到兩岸棕诵，順流而下裁良。他們騎行無數(shù)里，放慢速度校套，仔細(xì)搜查价脾，每遇危險(xiǎn)地段便下來牽馬過去，然后繼續(xù)搜尋笛匙，每個(gè)樹叢都讓那群“該拿去喂熊”的獵狗嗅聞探察侨把。有個(gè)地方，倒塌的大樹堵塞流水妹孙，追獵的人們不得不繞過一泓極深的綠池塘秋柄，可如果說冰原狼也做了同樣的事，他們卻沒有留下任何腳印或痕跡蠢正『П剩看來，這倆野東西一直在游泳。等抓到他們笨触，我讓他們游個(gè)夠懦傍，非把他們一起獻(xiàn)給淹神不可！

For a moment he did not think they were going to obey, but in the end old habit asserted itself. They followed sullenly, but they followed. The Frey boy was as jumpy as those rabbits he’d flushed earlier. Theon put men on either bank and followed the current. They rode for miles, going slow and careful, dismounting to lead the horses over treacherous ground, letting the good-for-bear-bait hounds sniff at every bush. Where a fallen tree dammed the flow, the hunters were forced to loop around a deep green pool, but if the direwolves had done the same they’d left neither print nor spoor. The beasts had taken to swimming, it seemed. When I catch them, they’ll have all the swimming they can stomach. I’ll give them both to the Drowned God.

林間逐漸黑暗芦劣，席恩·葛雷喬伊明白自己被打敗了粗俱。不管是澤地人使用了森林之子的魔法，還是歐莎施展出某種野人的伎倆虚吟，總之他是失敗了源梭。他逼迫人們?cè)谀荷锢^續(xù)前進(jìn)，當(dāng)最后一絲陽光也消逝無蹤后稍味，喬賽斯終于鼓起勇氣開口：“這不會(huì)有結(jié)果废麻，大人。我們只會(huì)扭到馬模庐，摔斷腿烛愧。”

When the woods began to darken, Theon Greyjoy knew he was beaten. Either the crannogmen did know the magic of the children of the forest, or else Osha had deceived them with some wildling trick. He made them press on through the dusk, but when the last light faded Joseth finally worked up the courage to say, “This is fruitless, my lord. We will lame a horse, break a leg.”

“喬賽斯說得沒錯(cuò)掂碱，”魯溫學(xué)士道怜姿。“僅憑幾根火把在森林里搜尋猶如大海撈針疼燥，毫無意義沧卢。”

“Joseth has the right of it,” said Maester Luwin. “Groping through the woods by torchlight will avail us nothing.”

席恩覺出喉頭膽汁的苦味醉者，胃里則仿佛有一窩毒蛇在纏繞扭打但狭。就這么兩手空空地折回臨冬城，那他以后干脆換身小丑服和尖帽子得了——整個(gè)北境都會(huì)把他當(dāng)成笑柄撬即。如果父親知道了立磁，如果阿莎……

Theon could taste bile at the back of his throat, and his stomach was a nest of snakes twining and snapping at each other. If he crept back to Winterfell empty-handed, he might as well dress in motley henceforth and wear a pointed hat; the whole north would know him for a fool. And when my father hears, and Asha …

“王子殿下“保”臭佬催馬靠近唱歧。“或許史塔克根本就沒走這條路粒竖。換作我的話颅崩，不用說，會(huì)往東北蕊苗，去投靠安伯家沿后。大家都知道，他們對(duì)史塔克是很賣命的岁歉。然而他們的領(lǐng)地離此很遠(yuǎn)得运，這些孩子會(huì)先就近避避風(fēng)頭」疲或許我知道他們?cè)谀膬喝鄄簟！?/p>

“M’lord prince.” Reek urged his horse near. “Might be them Starks never came this way. If I was them, I would have gone north and east, maybe. To the Umbers. Good Stark men, they are. But their lands are a long way. The boys will shelter someplace nearer. Might be I know where.”

席恩懷疑地看著他，“說〉鳎”

Theon looked at him suspiciously. “Tell me.”

“您知道那座老磨坊嗎藏雏，就是孤零零地立在橡樹河邊的那座？當(dāng)我身為俘虜被帶回臨冬城的途中克饶，曾在那里稍事停留。磨坊主的老婆賣干草給我們喂馬，押解我的老騎士還逗她的小孩呢恨锚。說不定史塔克就藏在那兒”睹遥”

“You know that old mill, sitting lonely on the Acorn Water? We stopped there when I was being dragged to Winterfell a captive. The miller’s wife sold us hay for our horses while that old knight clucked over her brats. Might be the Starks are hiding there.”

席恩知道那磨坊猴伶，甚至還和磨坊主的老婆做過一兩次。那里沒什么特別塌西，她也無甚特長(zhǎng)他挎。“為什么在那里捡需？這磨坊周圍有十幾個(gè)村子和莊園办桨。”

Theon knew the mill. He had even tumbled the miller’s wife a time or two. There was nothing special about it, or her. “Why there? There are a dozen villages and holdfasts just as close.”

那雙淡色的眼睛里閃動(dòng)著幾分揶揄站辉∧刈玻“您問為什么？這并不重要饰剥。他們就是在哪兒狸相。我有預(yù)感【璐ǎ”

Amusement shone in those pale eyes. “Why? Now that’s past knowing. But they’re there, I have a feeling.”

席恩受夠了對(duì)方兜圈子式的回答脓鹃。他這雙唇還真像兩條火熱交配的蠕蟲」帕ぃ“你到底是什么意思瘸右？有什么敢瞞著我的——”

He was growing sick of the man’s sly answers. His lips look like two worms fucking. “What are you saying? If you’ve kept some knowledge from me—”

“王子殿下？”臭佬翻身下馬岩齿，并示意席恩也照辦太颤。兩人都下馬后，他打開從臨冬城背來的布口袋盹沈×湔拢“您看看吃谣。”

“M’lord prince?” Reek dismounted, and beckoned Theon to do the same. When they were both afoot, he pulled open the cloth sack he’d fetched from Winterfell. “Have a look here.”

天色已暗做裙，什么也看不清岗憋。席恩不耐煩地把手伸進(jìn)口袋，在柔軟的獸皮和粗糙的羊毛之間摸索锚贱。一根尖刺戳痛了他仔戈，他合攏指頭，手中之物冰涼又堅(jiān)硬拧廊。原來是一枚狼頭胸針监徘，由白銀和黑玉制成。他忽然明白過來吧碾，不禁握緊拳頭凰盔。“葛馬倦春，”他叫道廊蜒，一邊揣測(cè)誰可信賴。一個(gè)都不行溅漾∩蕉＃“阿加，紅鼻添履，跟我們走屁倔。其他人帶上獵狗自行返回臨冬城。用不著你們了暮胧，我已知道布蘭和瑞肯的所在锐借。”

It was growing hard to see. Theon thrust his hand into the sack impatiently, groping amongst soft fur and rough scratchy wool. A sharp point pricked his skin, and his fingers closed around something cold and hard. He drew out a wolf’s-head brooch, silver and jet. Understanding came suddenly. His hand closed into a fist. “Gelmarr,” he said, wondering whom he could trust. None of them. “Aggar. Rednose. With us. The rest of you may return to Winterfell with the hounds. I’ll have no further need of them. I know where Bran and Rickon are hiding now.”

“席恩王子往衷，”魯溫學(xué)士懇求钞翔，“您可還記得您的承諾？發(fā)發(fā)慈悲席舍，您答應(yīng)過布轿。”

“Prince Theon,” Maester Luwin entreated, “you will remember your promise? Mercy, you said.”

“慈悲是早上的事来颤√ぃ”席恩說。被懼怕總比受嘲笑好福铅÷苊“現(xiàn)在他們?nèi)桥宋摇滑黔！?/p>

“Mercy was for this morning,” said Theon. It is better to be feared than laughed at. “Before they made me angry.”