CATELYN

34 凱特琳

My lady, you should have sent word of your coming,” Ser Donnel Waynwood told her as their horses climbed the pass. “We would have sent an escort. The high road is not as safe as it once was, for a party as small as yours.”

“夫人，您應(yīng)該先捎個(gè)信來付燥，”他們騎馬爬上山口奸汇，唐納爾·韋伍德爵士對(duì)她說艾岂，“那樣的話叮盘，我們就可以派人護(hù)送聚请。這年頭山路的安全不比從前伞广，更何況您只帶了這么點(diǎn)人堰塌。”

“We learned that to our sorrow, Ser Donnel,” Catelyn said. Sometimes she felt as though her heart had turned to stone; six brave men had died to bring her this far, and she could not even find it in her to weep for them. Even their names were fading. “The clansmen harried us day and night. We lost three men in the first attack, and two more in the second, and Lannister’s serving man died of a fever when his wounds festered. When we heard your men approaching, I thought us doomed for certain.” They had drawn up for a last desperate fight, blades in hand and backs to the rock. The dwarf had been whetting the edge of his axe and making some mordant jest when Bronn spotted the banner the riders carried before them, the moon-and-falcon of House Arryn, sky-blue and white. Catelyn had never seen a more welcome sight.

“唐納爾爵士唉堪，我們的確是嘗到了慘痛的教訓(xùn)模聋。”凱特琳道唠亚。有時(shí)候她覺得自己鐵石心腸链方。六個(gè)英勇的人犧牲了性命，她才能走到這里趾撵，然而她卻連為他們掬一把淚都做不到侄柔。就連他們的名姓，也越來越模糊占调≡萏猓“原住民日夜騷擾，我們第一次損失了三個(gè)人究珊，后來又死了兩個(gè)薪者，蘭尼斯特的仆人傷口潰爛，死于高燒剿涮。聽到你手下接近的聲音時(shí)言津，我本以為我們完蛋了∪∈裕”他們決定孤注一擲悬槽，手握武器，背靠巖壁瞬浓。侏儒當(dāng)時(shí)一邊磨斧頭初婆，一邊開著語氣辛辣的玩笑，這時(shí)波隆首先看到來者高舉的旗幟，正是艾林家族的藍(lán)底白色新月獵鷹標(biāo)志磅叛。對(duì)凱特琳而言屑咳，再也沒有比這更受她歡迎的東西了。

“The clans have grown bolder since Lord Jon died,” Ser Donnel said. He was a stocky youth of twenty years, earnest and homely, with a wide nose and a shock of thick brown hair. “If it were up to me, I would take a hundred men into the mountains, root them out of their fastnesses, and teach them some sharp lessons, but your sister has forbidden it. She would not even permit her knights to fight in the Hand’s tourney. She wants all our swords kept close to home, to defend the Vale?.?.?.?against what, no one is certain. Shadows, some say.” He looked at her anxiously, as if he had suddenly remembered who she was. “I hope I have not spoken out of turn, my lady. I meant no offense.”

“瓊恩大人死后弊琴，這些原住民越來越膽大包天兆龙。”唐納爾爵士道敲董。他是個(gè)二十歲的年輕人紫皇，體格健壯睦刃，長相雖丑但待人誠懇裹芝，生了一個(gè)寬鼻和一頭散亂的棕色粗發(fā)。“若是交給我辦精置，我會(huì)帶上一百精兵深入山區(qū)，把他們從窩里趕出來锣杂，好好教訓(xùn)一頓脂倦，可您妹妹不準(zhǔn)。她連放手下騎士參加首相的比武大會(huì)都不準(zhǔn)元莫。說是要把所有的兵力都留在這兒赖阻，守護(hù)艾林谷……可誰也不清楚到底是要防備誰。有人說這是在捕風(fēng)捉影踱蠢』鹋罚”他不安地看著她，仿佛突然想起她的身份茎截∥郑“夫人，希望我沒說錯(cuò)話企锌。我沒有冒犯您的意思榆浓。”

“Frank talk does not offend me, Ser Donnel.” Catelyn knew what her sister feared. Not shadows, Lannisters, she thought to herself, glancing back to where the dwarf rode beside Bronn. The two of them had grown thick as thieves since Chiggen had died. The little man was more cunning than she liked. When they had entered the mountains, he had been her captive, bound and helpless. What was he now? Her captive still, yet he rode along with a dirk through his belt and an axe strapped to his saddle, wearing the shadowskin cloak he’d won dicing with the singer and the chainmail hauberk he’d taken off Chiggen’s corpse. Two score men flanked the dwarf and the rest of her ragged band, knights and men-at-arms in service to her sister Lysa and Jon Arryn’s young son, and yet Tyrion betrayed no hint of fear. Could I be wrong? Catelyn wondered, not for the first time. Could he be innocent after all, of Bran and Jon Arryn and all the rest? And if he was, what did that make her? Six men had died to bring him here.

“唐納爾爵士撕攒，實(shí)話實(shí)說怎么會(huì)冒犯到我呢陡鹃？”凱特琳知道妹妹怕的是什么。不是影子抖坪，而是蘭尼斯特萍鲸，她一邊想著，一邊回頭瞄了一眼騎行在波隆身旁的侏儒擦俐。自從契根死后脊阴，他們倆便成了哥們兒。小個(gè)子的精明狡獪，讓她頗感不悅蹬叭，他們剛上山時(shí)藕咏，他是她的俘虜，五花大綁秽五，求助無門孽查，瞧瞧如今他變成什么樣了？雖然依舊是她的囚徒坦喘，但騎著馬盲再，腰間斜插匕首，鞍上綁著大斧瓣铣，肩頭披了跟那歌手賭骰子贏來的山貓皮披風(fēng)答朋，身上穿著從契根尸體上取走的鎖子甲。二十名騎士和士兵走在侏儒和她殘敗不堪的隊(duì)伍兩側(cè)棠笑，他們都是她妹妹萊莎及瓊恩·艾林幼子的忠仆梦碗，然而提利昂卻連一點(diǎn)畏懼的神色也無。難道他真是無辜蓖救？難道他當(dāng)真與布蘭洪规、瓊恩·艾林以及其他事情無關(guān)？果真如此循捺，那她又是怎么了斩例？為了把他帶來這里，六個(gè)人丟了性命从橘。

Resolute, she pushed her doubts away. “When we reach your keep, I would take it kindly if you could send for Maester Colemon at once. Ser Rodrik is feverish from his wounds.” More than once she had feared the gallant old knight would not survive the journey. Toward the end he could scarcely sit his horse, and Bronn had urged her to leave him to his fate, but Catelyn would not hear of it. They had tied him in the saddle instead, and she had commanded Marillion the singer to watch over him.

她毅然決然地拋開疑慮念赶。“等我們到了你的要塞恰力，如果你能立刻請柯蒙學(xué)士過來叉谜，我會(huì)非常感激。羅德利克爵士因?yàn)閭麆莸年P(guān)系牺勾，高燒不退正罢。”她不止一次擔(dān)心這忠勇的老騎士撐不過這趟旅程驻民。末了他已經(jīng)幾乎無法騎馬翻具，波隆力勸她任他自生自滅，但凱特琳不聽回还。她反而令他們將他綁在鞍上裆泳，并吩咐歌手馬瑞里安負(fù)責(zé)看護(hù)。

Ser Donnel hesitated before he answered. “The Lady Lysa has commanded the maester to remain at the Eyrie at all times, to care for Lord Robert,” he said. “We have a septon at the gate who tends to our wounded. He can see to your man’s hurts.”

唐納爾爵士遲疑半晌才回答柠硕」ず蹋“萊莎夫人下令要學(xué)士留在鷹巢城运提，以便隨時(shí)照顧勞勃少主∥趴”他說民泵，“不過我們血門要塞有個(gè)修士負(fù)責(zé)處理傷患，他可以替您手下療傷槽畔≌蛔保”

Catelyn had more faith in a maester’s learning than a septon’s prayers. She was about to say as much when she saw the battlements ahead, long parapets built into the very stone of the mountains on either side of them. Where the pass shrank to a narrow defile scarce wide enough for four men to ride abreast, twin watchtowers clung to the rocky slopes, joined by a covered bridge of weathered grey stone that arched above the road. Silent faces watched from arrow slits in tower, battlements, and bridge. When they had climbed almost to the top, a knight rode out to meet them. His horse and his armor were grey, but his cloak was the rippling blue-and-red of Riverrun, and a shiny black fish, wrought in gold and obsidian, pinned its folds against his shoulder. “Who would pass the Bloody Gate?” he called.

相較于修士的祈禱，凱特琳對(duì)學(xué)士的醫(yī)療知識(shí)要有信心得多厢钧。她正準(zhǔn)備說出心中想法鳞尔，防御工事便已在前方出現(xiàn)。迤長的城垛建筑在兩邊危崖上早直，山路收縮到勉強(qiáng)只容四人并肩騎行寥假，兩座瞭望塔攀附于巖壁之上，彼此以一彎飽經(jīng)風(fēng)霜的灰石密閉拱橋相連霞扬。沉默的臉龐從塔中的射箭孔糕韧、城垛和石橋間注視著他們∠榈茫快到頂端時(shí)兔沃，一名騎士騎馬過來迎接。他的坐騎和鎧甲都是灰色级及，但披風(fēng)卻是奔流城抖擻的藍(lán)紅相間圖案，一尾用黃金和黑曜石精工打造额衙、閃閃發(fā)光的黑魚鑲在他肩頭饮焦。“是誰要通過血門窍侧？”他喊道县踢。

“Ser Donnel Waynwood, with the Lady Catelyn Stark and her companions,” the young knight answered.

“唐納爾·韋伍德爵士，以及凱特琳夫人和她的同伴伟件∨鹌。”年輕騎士回答。

The Knight of the Gate lifted his visor. “I thought the lady looked familiar. You are far from home, little Cat.”

血門騎士揭開面罩斧账∏捶担“我就覺得眼前這位夫人面熟。小凱特咧织，你離家可真遠(yuǎn)啊嗓袱。”

“And you, Uncle,” she said, smiling despite all she had been through. Hearing that hoarse, smoky voice again took her back twenty years, to the days of her childhood.

“叔叔习绢，您不也是渠抹？”雖然歷經(jīng)了一切苦難蝙昙，她還是發(fā)自內(nèi)心地微笑。聽見那沙啞梧却、如煙熏般的嗓音奇颠，仿佛時(shí)光倒流二十年，又把她帶回到童年時(shí)光放航。

“My home is at my back,” he said gruffly.

“我的家就在這里大刊。”他粗魯?shù)卣f三椿。

“Your home is in my heart,” Catelyn told him. “Take off your helm. I would look on your face again.”

“你的家在我心里缺菌。”凱特琳告訴他搜锰，“把頭盔拿下來伴郁，我想再好好看你〉暗穑”

“The years have not improved it, I fear,” Brynden Tully said, but when he lifted off the helm, Catelyn saw that he lied. His features were lined and weathered, and time had stolen the auburn from his hair and left him only grey, but the smile was the same, and the bushy eyebrows fat as caterpillars, and the laughter in his deep blue eyes. “Did Lysa know you were coming?”

“只怕過了這些年焊傅，還是沒好看到哪里去”蜂蹋”布林登·徒利雖然這么說狐胎，但當(dāng)他揭起頭盔時(shí)，凱特琳卻認(rèn)為他撒了謊歌馍。他的容貌雖然飽經(jīng)風(fēng)霜握巢，歲月偷走了他的紅褐頭發(fā)，只留滿頭灰白松却，但他的笑容依舊暴浦，肥如毛蟲的濃眉依舊，深邃藍(lán)眼中的笑意依舊晓锻「杞梗“萊莎知道你要來嗎？”

“There was no time to send word ahead,” Catelyn told him. The others were coming up behind her. “I fear we ride before the storm, Uncle.”

“我們事先來不及通知砚哆《榔玻”凱特琳告訴他。這時(shí)其他人也跟了上來躁锁》紫常“叔叔，只怕風(fēng)暴在我身后窮追不舍灿里」亓叮”

“May we enter the Vale?” Ser Donnel asked. The Waynwoods were ever ones for ceremony.

“我們能進(jìn)峽谷嗎？”唐納爾爵士問匣吊。韋伍德家的人向來講究禮儀儒拂。

“In the name of Robert Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, True Warden of the East, I bid you enter freely, and charge you to keep his peace,” Ser Brynden replied. “Come.”

“以鷹巢城公爵寸潦、艾林谷守護(hù)者、真正的東境守護(hù)勞勃·艾林之名社痛，我讓你們通過见转，并要求你們以他之名維持和平∷獍В”布林登爵士回答斩箫，“走吧∧於”

And so she rode behind him, beneath the shadow of the Bloody Gate where a dozen armies had dashed themselves to pieces in the Age of Heroes. On the far side of the stoneworks, the mountains opened up suddenly upon a vista of green fields, blue sky, and snowcapped mountains that took her breath away. The Vale of Arryn bathed in the morning light.

于是她騎馬跟在他身邊乘客，穿過血門的陰影。英雄紀(jì)元時(shí)期淀歇，無數(shù)兵馬命喪于此易核，卻依然無法攻克峽谷。石砌工事彼端浪默，峰巒驟然展開牡直，綠野、藍(lán)天和白雪皚皚的山尖驟然呈現(xiàn)纳决，美得讓她喘不過氣碰逸。此刻，艾林谷正沐浴在晨光之中阔加。

It stretched before them to the misty cast, a tranquil land of rich black soil, wide slow-moving rivers, and hundreds of small lakes that shone like mirrors in the sun, protected on all sides by its sheltering peaks. Wheat and corn and barley grew high in its fields, and even in Highgarden the pumpkins were no larger nor the fruit any sweeter than here. They stood at the western end of the valley, where the high road crested the last pass and began its winding descent to the bottomlands two miles below. The Vale was narrow here, no more than a half day’s ride across, and the northern mountains seemed so close that Catelyn could almost reach out and touch them. Looming over them all was the jagged peak called the Giant’s Lance, a mountain that even mountains looked up to, its head lost in icy mists three and a half miles above the valley floor. Over its massive western shoulder flowed the ghost torrent of Alyssa’s Tears. Even from this distance, Catelyn could make out the shining silver thread, bright against the dark stone.

峽谷在他們面前綿延饵史，直至氤氳彌漫的東方，這乃是一個(gè)祥和恬靜的國度掸哑，四面受群山庇護(hù)约急，內(nèi)中是肥沃的黑土，寬闊而舒緩的河川苗分，還有在陽光下明亮如鏡、數(shù)以百計(jì)的大小湖泊牵辣。田野間大麥摔癣、小麥和玉米結(jié)實(shí)累累，就連高庭所生產(chǎn)的南瓜也不比這里碩大纬向，水果更不及此地甜美择浊。他們走進(jìn)峽谷西端，通過最后一道山口后逾条，道路便開始蜿蜒向下琢岩，直至足足兩里高的山腳下。此處峽谷甚窄师脂，不需半日即可穿越担孔，北邊的山脈近在咫尺江锨，凱特琳仿佛伸手可及。此地最高的山被稱做“巨人之槍”糕篇，重重山脈都仰之彌高啄育，它的山尖離地三里半，消失在冰冷的霧氣之中拌消√敉悖“阿萊莎之淚”幽魂般的激流自其高聳的西巒貫穿而下，即使距離如此遙遠(yuǎn)墩崩，凱特琳也分辨得出那條閃亮的銀絲帶氓英，與暗色的磐石對(duì)比鮮明。

When her uncle saw that she had stopped, he moved his horse closer and pointed. “It’s there, beside Alyssa’s Tears. All you can see from here is a flash of white every now and then, if you look hard and the sun hits the walls just right.”

叔叔看見她停了下來鹦筹，便策馬靠過來指給她看铝阐。“就在那里盛龄，阿萊莎之淚旁邊饰迹，如果你看得夠仔細(xì)，陽光又恰好照到城墻余舶，就能見到閃現(xiàn)的白光啊鸭。”

Seven towers, Ned had told her, like white daggers thrust into the belly of the sky, so high you can stand on the parapets and look down on the clouds. “How long a ride?” she asked.

七座高塔匿值，奈德曾經(jīng)告訴她赠制，如純白的匕首刺進(jìn)蒼天的肚腹，聳立云天挟憔，站在城垛上钟些，云層都在你腳下“硖罚“要走多久政恍？”她問。

“We can be at the mountain by evenfall,” Uncle Brynden said, “but the climb will take another day.”

“今天傍晚我們可以抵達(dá)山下达传，”布林登叔叔道篙耗，“但上山還要再花去一天的時(shí)間∠芨希”

Ser Rodrik Cassel spoke up from behind. “My lady,” he said, “I fear I can go no farther today.” His face sagged beneath his ragged, newgrown whiskers, and he looked so weary Catelyn feared he might fall off his horse.

后面的羅德利克·凱索爵士開了口宗弯，“夫人，”他說搂妻，“恐怕我今天沒法再走下去蒙保。”他的臉?biāo)梢粓F(tuán)欲主，新長的胡子參差不齊邓厕，看來非常虛弱逝嚎，凱特琳真擔(dān)心他會(huì)跌下馬。

“Nor should you,” she said. “You have done all I could have asked of you, and a hundred times more. My uncle will see me the rest of the way to the Eyrie. Lannister must come with me, but there is no reason that you and the others should not rest here and recover your strength.”

“你本不該再走邑狸⌒概矗”她說，“我所要求你做的单雾，你不但盡數(shù)辦到赚哗，還大大超出我的期望。我叔叔會(huì)陪我上鷹巢城硅堆，蘭尼斯特必須跟我走屿储，但你和其他人沒有理由不留在這里好好休息，恢復(fù)元?dú)饨ヌ印够掠！?/p>

“We should be honored to have them to guest,” Ser Donnel said with the grave courtesy of the young. Beside Ser Rodrik, only Bronn, Ser Willis Wode, and Marillion the singer remained of the party that had ridden with her from the inn by the crossroads.

“能招待他們作為賓客是我們的榮幸∏丫眨”年輕的唐納爾爵士努力嚴(yán)肅而依禮地說疯潭。除了羅德利克爵士，當(dāng)初跟她一起從路口旅店出發(fā)的人面殖，如今只剩波隆竖哩、維里·渥德爵士和歌手馬瑞里安。

“My lady,” Marillion said, riding forward. “I beg you allow me to accompany you to the Eyrie, to see the end of the tale as I saw its beginnings.” The boy sounded haggard, yet strangely determined; he had a fevered shine to his eyes.

“夫人脊僚，”馬瑞里安驅(qū)騎向前相叁，“請您允許我也陪伴您到鷹巢城去，我看到了故事的開頭辽幌，也想看看故事怎么結(jié)束增淹。”男孩的聲音雖然憔悴乌企，卻出奇堅(jiān)決虑润，眼里閃著熱切的光芒。

Catelyn had never asked the singer to ride with them; that choice he had made himself, and how he had come to survive the journey when so many braver men lay dead and unburied behind them, she could never say. Yet here he was, with a scruff of beard that made him look almost a man. Perhaps she owed him something for having come this far. “Very well,” she told him.

凱特琳原本就沒有邀這名歌手同行加酵，完全是他自作主張端辱。至于為什么許多比他勇敢的人都棄尸荒野，他卻活得好端端的虽画，她就不得而知了∪俨。總之他在途中長了點(diǎn)胡碴码撰，看起來多了點(diǎn)男人味道，他都走了這么遠(yuǎn)个盆，或許她不該拒絕他脖岛《淦埽“好吧〔癜穑”她對(duì)他說陨溅。

“I’ll come as well,” Bronn announced.

“我也去∩茉冢”波隆表示门扇。

She liked that less well. Without Bronn she would never have reached the Vale, she knew; the sellsword was as fierce a fighter as she had ever seen, and his sword had helped cut them through to safety. Yet for all that, Catelyn misliked the man. Courage he had, and strength, but there was no kindness in him, and little loyalty. And she had seen him riding beside Lannister far too often, talking in low voices and laughing at some private joke. She would have preferred to separate him from the dwarf here and now, but having agreed that Marillion might continue to the Eyrie, she could see no gracious way to deny that same right to Bronn. “As you wish,” she said, although she noted that he had not actually asked her permission.

她更不喜歡他。要不是波隆偿渡，她絕不可能抵達(dá)艾林谷臼寄，這點(diǎn)她很清楚。這名傭兵是個(gè)極其剽悍的戰(zhàn)士溜宽，他的劍為他們殺出一條血路吉拳。即便如此，凱特琳還是不喜歡這人适揉。他有勇氣留攒，力量也不缺，但他心里沒有仁慈二字嫉嘀，更別說忠誠炼邀。她時(shí)常看見他跟蘭尼斯特騎行在一塊兒吃沪，低語交談汤善，同聲大笑。她原本打算當(dāng)下就把他和侏儒隔離開票彪，但既然答應(yīng)讓馬瑞里安一起去鷹巢城红淡，她實(shí)在沒有合適的理由拒絕他〗抵“隨你的吧在旱。”她說推掸，卻也發(fā)現(xiàn)他根本就沒請求她同意桶蝎。

Ser Willis Wode remained with Ser Rodrik, a soft-spoken septon fussing over their wounds. Their horses were left behind as well, poor ragged things. Ser Donnel promised to send birds ahead to the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon with the word of their coming. Fresh mounts were brought forth from the stables, surefooted mountain stock with shaggy coats, and within the hour they set forth once again. Catelyn rode beside her uncle as they began the descent to the valley floor. Behind came Bronn, Tyrion Lannister, Marillion, and six of Brynden’s men.

維里·渥德爵士和羅德利克爵士留了下來，由一位說話輕聲細(xì)語的修士照料他們的傷勢谅畅。他們那幾匹憔悴不堪的馬也被留下登渣。唐納爾爵士保證會(huì)先派鳥兒將他們到來的消息通知鷹巢城和月門堡。有人從馬廄里牽來精力充沛毡泻、鬃毛蓬松而熟悉山路的馬胜茧，他們只歇息不到一個(gè)小時(shí)便又再度上路，朝下方的谷地平原出發(fā)，凱特琳走在叔叔旁邊呻顽，波隆雹顺、提利昂·蘭尼斯特、馬瑞里安以及布林登的六名手下跟隨在后廊遍。

Not until they were a third of the way down the mountain path, well out of earshot of the others, did Brynden Tully turn to her and say, “So, child. Tell me about this storm of yours.”

直到他們走過三分之一的下山路嬉愧，遠(yuǎn)離其他人的聽力范圍之后，布林登·徒利方才轉(zhuǎn)向她說：“好吧喉前，孩子没酣，告訴我這場風(fēng)暴是怎么回事”欢觯”

“I have not been a child in many years, Uncle,” Catelyn said, but she told him nonetheless. It took longer than she would have believed to tell it all, Lysa’s letter and Bran’s fall, the assassin’s dagger and Littlefinger and her chance meeting with Tyrion Lannister in the crossroads inn.

“叔叔四康，我早不是小孩子了∠廖眨”凱特琳道闪金。但她還是一五一十地告訴了他，雖然花的時(shí)間遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超出預(yù)期论颅。她從萊莎的信哎垦、布蘭墜樓、刺客的匕首恃疯、小指頭漏设，一直講到她在岔路旅店與提利昂·蘭尼斯特的巧遇。

Her uncle listened silently, heavy brows shadowing his eyes as his frown grew deeper. Brynden Tully had always known how to listen?.?.?.?to anyone but her father. He was Lord Hoster’s brother, younger by five years, but the two of them had been at war as far back as Catelyn could remember. During one of their louder quarrels, when Catelyn was eight, Lord Hoster had called Brynden “the black goat of the Tully flock.” Laughing, Brynden had pointed out that the sigil of their house was a leaping trout, so he ought to be a black fish rather than a black goat, and from that day forward he had taken it as his personal emblem.

叔叔靜靜地聽著今妄，眉頭越皺越深郑口，濃厚的眉毛蓋住了眼睛。布林登·徒利是個(gè)善于傾聽的人……除非對(duì)象是她父親盾鳞。他是霍斯特公爵的弟弟犬性，雖只相差五歲，但自凱特琳有記憶起腾仅，兩人便已不和乒裆。凱特琳八歲時(shí)兄弟倆一場大吵，霍斯特公爵指責(zé)布林登是“徒利家的害群黑羊”推励，但布林登笑著說他們家族的標(biāo)志是躍出水面的鱒魚鹤耍，所以他應(yīng)該是黑魚，而非黑羊验辞。從那天起稿黄，他便以此為紋章。

The war had not ended until the day she and Lysa had been wed. It was at their wedding feast that Brynden told his brother he was leaving Riverrun to serve Lysa and her new husband, the Lord of the Eyrie. Lord Hoster had not spoken his brother’s name since, from what Edmure told her in his infrequent letters.

一直到她和萊莎出嫁那天跌造，兩人的紛爭都沒結(jié)束抛猖。布林登正是在婚宴上對(duì)他哥哥宣布自己要跟萊莎一起離開奔流城，去為她的新婚丈夫佩耳、鷹巢城公爵效命珠十。據(jù)艾德慕偶爾寫給她的信中所言辩撑，從那之后宰啦，霍斯特公爵再?zèng)]提過弟弟的名字允懂。

Nonetheless, during all those years of Catelyn’s girlhood, it had been Brynden the Blackfish to whom Lord Hoster’s children had run with their tears and their tales, when Father was too busy and Mother too ill. Catelyn, Lysa, Edmure?.?.?.?and yes, even Petyr Baelish, their father’s ward?.?.?.?he had listened to them all patiently, as he listened now, laughing at their triumphs and sympathizing with their childish misfortunes.

雖然如此汽馋，在凱特琳的少女時(shí)代偷遗，每每父親大人太忙醉拓，母親大人又病得太重伟姐，霍斯特公爵的子女分享喜怒哀樂的對(duì)象，卻是布林登叔叔亿卤。不論凱特琳愤兵，萊莎，還是艾德慕……噢排吴，對(duì)了秆乳，即便父親的養(yǎng)子培提爾·貝里席……他都耐心十足地側(cè)耳傾聽，為他們獲得的成功同聲歡笑钻哩，對(duì)他們幼稚惹來的麻煩表示同情屹堰，一如此刻。

When she was done, her uncle remained silent for a long time, as his horse negotiated the steep, rocky trail. “Your father must be told,” he said at last. “If the Lannisters should march, Winterfell is remote and the Vale walled up behind its mountains, but Riverrun lies right in their path.”

她說完之后街氢，叔叔沉默了很長一段時(shí)間扯键，他的坐騎沿著陡峭的巖徑小心下山∩核啵“這事一定要讓你父親知道荣刑，”最后他說，“如果蘭尼斯特真的出兵伦乔，臨冬城距離遙遠(yuǎn)厉亏，艾林谷有崇山峻嶺，但奔流城恰好在他們必經(jīng)之路上评矩∫抖眩”

“I’d had the same fear,” Catelyn admitted. “I shall ask Maester Colemon to send a bird when we reach the Eyrie.” She had other messages to send as well; the commands that Ned had given her for his bannermen, to ready the defenses of the north. “What is the mood in the Vale?” she asked.

“這正是我擔(dān)憂的，”凱特琳坦承斥杜，“等我們到了鷹巢城虱颗，我立刻請柯蒙學(xué)士派鳥兒捎信去≌嵛梗”她還有別的消息要送忘渔，奈德交代她通知諸侯，命令他們準(zhǔn)備防御北方缰儿∑枇福“艾林谷里情勢如何？”

“Angry,” Brynden Tully admitted. “Lord Jon was much loved, and the insult was keenly felt when the king named Jaime Lannister to an office the Arryns had held for near three hundred years. Lysa has commanded us to call her son the True Warden of the East, but no one is fooled. Nor is your sister alone in wondering at the manner of the Hand’s death. None dare say Jon was murdered, not openly, but suspicion casts a long shadow.” He gave Catelyn a look, his mouth tight. “And there is the boy.”

“人人都義憤填膺，”布林登·徒利說：“瓊恩大人深受愛戴宣赔，如今國王把一個(gè)近三百年來都由艾林家族繼承的職位交給詹姆·蘭尼斯特预麸，大家都覺得深受侮辱。萊莎命令我們稱呼她兒子為真正的東境守護(hù)儒将，但這騙不了人吏祸。至于首相大人的死因，也不只有你妹妹懷疑钩蚊。當(dāng)然贡翘，沒人敢公開宣稱瓊恩是被謀害，可這卻是個(gè)揮之不去的陰影砰逻∶”他看了凱特琳一眼，嘴巴一抿蝠咆∮欢“還有那孩子的問題∩酌溃”

“The boy? What of him?” She ducked her head as they passed under a low overhang of rock, and around a sharp turn.

“那孩子递胧？他怎么樣？”眼前是一塊低垂的巖石赡茸，她低下頭缎脾，之后他們轉(zhuǎn)了個(gè)大彎。

Her uncle’s voice was troubled. “Lord Robert,” he sighed. “Six years old, sickly, and prone to weep if you take his dolls away. Jon Arryn’s trueborn heir, by all the gods, yet there are some who say he is too weak to sit his father’s seat, Nestor Royce has been high steward these past fourteen years, while Lord Jon served in King’s Landing, and many whisper that he should rule until the boy comes of age. Others believe that Lysa must marry again, and soon. Already the suitors gather like crows on a battlefield. The Eyrie is full of them.”

叔叔的口氣憂心忡忡占卧∫挪ぃ“勞勃公爵，”他嘆道华蜒，“才六歲大辙纬，一天到晚生病，拿走他的玩偶他就哭叭喜。他是瓊恩·艾林的親生兒子贺拣，有天上諸神為證，可有人傳說他太過虛弱捂蕴，無法繼承父親的寶座譬涡。過去十四年來瓊恩大人都在君臨任職，此間是由大總管奈斯特·羅伊斯負(fù)責(zé)啥辨，不少人據(jù)此認(rèn)定應(yīng)該由他來代理涡匀，直到那孩子長大為止。還有的人認(rèn)為萊莎理應(yīng)再婚溉知，并且越快越好陨瘩。如今鷹巢城內(nèi)擠滿了追求者腕够，多得像戰(zhàn)場上的烏鴉∩嗬停”

“I might have expected that,” Catelyn said. Small wonder there; Lysa was still young, and the kingdom of Mountain and Vale made a handsome wedding gift. “Will Lysa take another husband?”

“我早該料到帚湘，”凱特琳道。這消息不足為奇蒿囤，萊莎還年輕客们，山谷王國更是一份最厚重的嫁妝〔姆蹋“萊莎會(huì)再嫁嗎？”

“She says yes, provided she finds a man who suits her,” Brynden Tully said, “but she has already rejected Lord Nestor and a dozen other suitable men. She swears that this time she will choose her lord husband.”

“她同意恒傻，只要找到合適的人脸侥。”布林登·徒利道盈厘，“但她卻拒絕了奈斯特大人和其他十來位追求者睁枕。她對(duì)外發(fā)誓這次要由她來選擇夫婿》惺郑”

“You of all people can scarce fault her for that.”

“別人也就算了外遇，至少你不該怪她∑跫”

Ser Brynden snorted. “Nor do I, but?.?.?.?it seems to me Lysa is only playing at courtship. She enjoys the sport, but I believe your sister intends to rule herself until her boy is old enough to be Lord of the Eyrie in truth as well as name.”

布林登爵士哼了一聲跳仿。“我也沒怪她捐晶，可……在我看來萊莎只是裝模作樣菲语，她雖然很享受被人追求的愛情游戲，但我相信你妹妹打算親自主政惑灵，直到兒子長大山上，成為名副其實(shí)的鷹巢城公爵∮⒅В”

“A woman can rule as wisely as a man,” Catelyn said.

“女人跟男人一樣可以英明統(tǒng)治佩憾。”凱特琳說干花。

“The right woman can,” her uncle said with a sideways glance. “Make no mistake, Cat. Lysa is not you.” He hesitated a moment. “If truth be told, I fear you may not find your sister as helpful as you would like.”

“合適的女人才可以妄帘。”叔叔從旁掃了她一眼把敢，“凱特寄摆，別搞錯(cuò)了，萊莎可不是你修赞∩裟眨”他遲疑了一會(huì)兒桑阶。“真要說的話勾邦，我很怕你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)你妹妹能幫得上的忙……沒有想像中的多蚣录。”

She was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

她被搞糊涂了眷篇∥樱“你是什么意思？”

“The Lysa who came back from King’s Landing is not the same girl who went south when her husband was named Hand. Those years were hard for her. You must know. Lord Arryn was a dutiful husband, but their marriage was made from politics, not passion.”

“從君臨回來的萊莎蕉饼，和當(dāng)初隨被任命為首相的丈夫南下時(shí)的她虐杯，已經(jīng)不是同一個(gè)人。這些年來她吃了不少苦頭昧港，你一定得知道擎椰。艾林大人雖然是個(gè)忠實(shí)的好丈夫，但他們的婚姻是建立在政治而非感情之上创肥〈锸妫”

“As was my own.”

“我的不也是？”

“They began the same, but your ending has been happier than your sister’s. Two babes stillborn, twice as many miscarriages, Lord Arryn’s death?.?.?.?Catelyn, the gods gave Lysa only the one child, and he is all your sister lives for now, poor boy. Small wonder she fled rather than see him handed over to the Lannisters. Your sister is afraid, child, and the Lannisters are what she fears most. She ran to the Vale, stealing away from the Red Keep like a thief in the night, and all to snatch her son out of the lion’s mouth?.?.?.?and now you have brought the lion to her door.”

“你們的婚姻出發(fā)點(diǎn)相同叹侄，但你的際遇比她好得多巩搏。她有兩個(gè)孩子生下來就沒活成，經(jīng)歷了四次流產(chǎn)趾代，加上艾林大人的死……凱特琳贯底，諸神只給了萊莎一個(gè)孩子，如今她活著就是為了他稽坤≌傻椋可憐的孩子。難怪她寧可逃走尿褪，也不愿見到兒子交給蘭尼斯特家撫養(yǎng)睦擂。孩子，你妹妹現(xiàn)在非常害怕杖玲，而她最怕的就是蘭尼斯特顿仇。她像個(gè)夜賊似的偷偷溜出紅堡，跑回艾林谷摆马，一切都是為了把兒子從獅口中搶救出來……結(jié)果這會(huì)兒你卻把獅子帶進(jìn)了她家門臼闻。”

“In chains,” Catelyn said. A crevasse yawned on her right, falling away into darkness. She reined up her horse and picked her way along step by careful step.

“我把他擒來的囤采∈瞿牛”凱特琳說。她右手邊的山巖出現(xiàn)了一個(gè)裂縫蕉毯，活像一張深不見底的黑暗大口乓搬，正張開打著哈欠思犁。她勒緊馬韁，小心翼翼地繞過去进肯。

“Oh?” Her uncle glanced back, to where Tyrion Lannister was making his slow descent behind them. “I see an axe on his saddle, a dirk at his belt, and a sellsword that trails after him like a hungry shadow. Where are the chains, sweet one?”

“是嗎激蹲？”叔叔回頭瞄了一眼，看看正在身后緩緩下山的提利昂·蘭尼斯特江掩⊙瑁“我見他鞍掛斧頭，腰插匕首环形，后面還有個(gè)如影隨形的傭兵策泣。親愛的，你所謂的‘擒’從何說起疤б鳌着降？”

Catelyn shifted uneasily in her seat. “The dwarf is here, and not by choice. Chains or no, he is my prisoner. Lysa will want him to answer for his crimes no less than I. It was her own lord husband the Lannisters murdered, and her own letter that first warned us against them.”

凱特琳不安地動(dòng)了動(dòng)∞志“反正侏儒人在這里，并且不是自愿蓄喇。不管什么說法发侵，總之他是我的犯人。萊莎想叫他認(rèn)罪的急切程度不會(huì)在我之下妆偏。蘭尼斯特家謀害的不是別人刃鳄，正是她的丈夫啊，當(dāng)初寫信警告我們的也是她钱骂∈迦瘢”

Brynden Blackfish gave her a weary smile. “I hope you are right, child,” he sighed, in tones that said she was wrong.

“黑魚”布林登疲倦地對(duì)她笑笑〖啵“孩子愉烙，希望你是對(duì)的〗馊。”他嘆口氣步责，言下之意卻大不以為然。

The sun was well to the west by the time the slope began to flatten beneath the hooves of their horses. The road widened and grew straight, and for the first time Catelyn noticed wildflowers and grasses growing. Once they reached the valley floor, the going was faster and they made good time, cantering through verdant greenwoods and sleepy little hamlets, past orchards and golden wheat fields, splashing across a dozen sunlit streams. Her uncle sent a standard-bearer ahead of them, a double banner flying from his staff; the moon-and-falcon of House Arryn on high, and below it his own black fish. Farm wagons and merchants’ carts and riders from lesser houses moved aside to let them pass.

馬蹄下的斜坡開始放緩禀苦，太陽已在西邊蔓肯。道路逐漸寬闊，變得筆直振乏，凱特琳也首次注意到路邊有野花和青草蔗包。等他們抵達(dá)谷地平原，行進(jìn)的速度更快慧邮，他們沒有浪費(fèi)時(shí)間调限，加緊趕路舟陆，穿越青翠綠林與沉靜的小村莊，經(jīng)過果園和金黃色的麥田旧噪，濺起水花渡過陽光照耀的溪流吨娜。叔叔派出掌旗手跑在前面，長竿上飄揚(yáng)著兩面旗幟淘钟，上方的是艾林家族的新月獵鷹宦赠，下面則是他自己的黑魚。農(nóng)家馬車米母，生意人的貨車和小貴族家的騎手紛紛回避勾扭，讓他們通過。

Even so, it was full dark before they reached the stout castle that stood at the foot of the Giant’s Lance. Torches flickered atop its ramparts, and the horned moon danced upon the dark waters of its moat. The drawbridge was up and the portcullis down, but Catelyn saw lights burning in the gatehouse and spilling from the windows of the square towers beyond.

即便如此铁瞒，當(dāng)他們抵達(dá)巨人之槍山腳下那座堅(jiān)固城堡時(shí)妙色，天色已經(jīng)全黑。城垛上火把通明慧耍，新月在護(hù)城河的漆黑水面舞動(dòng)身辨。吊橋已經(jīng)升起，鐵閘也已降下芍碧，但凱特琳看到城門樓內(nèi)的火光煌珊，燈光也從城樓后面的窗戶間流瀉出來。

“The Gates of the Moon,” her uncle said as the party drew rein. His standard-bearer rode to the edge of the moat to hail the men in the gatehouse. “Lord Nestor’s seat. He should be expecting us. Look up.”

“這就是月門堡泌豆《ㄢ郑”隊(duì)伍靠近城堡時(shí)，叔叔說踪危。他的掌旗手騎到護(hù)城河邊招呼塔樓里的人蔬浙。“奈斯特大人的居城贞远。他應(yīng)該在等我們了畴博。你再看看上面⌒烁铮”

Catelyn raised her eyes, up and up and up. At first all she saw was stone and trees, the looming mass of the great mountain shrouded in night, as black as a starless sky. Then she noticed the glow of distant fires well above them; a tower keep, built upon the steep side of the mountain, its lights like orange eyes staring down from above. Above that was another, higher and more distant, and still higher a third, no more than a flickering spark in the sky. And finally, up where the falcons soared, a flash of white in the moonlight. Vertigo washed over her as she stared upward at the pale towers, so far above.

凱特琳抬起頭绎晃，不斷抬高、抬高杂曲、抬高庶艾。起初，她只看到山石和樹木擎勘，夜幕覆蓋的崇山峻嶺咱揍，漆黑一如無星之夜。接著棚饵，她注意到高處飄渺的花火煤裙，那原是一座城堡的塔樓掩完，嵌筑于陡峭的危崖絕壁上，其燈火猶如橙色的眼睛般俯視大地硼砰。在那之上且蓬，還有一座更高更遠(yuǎn)的塔，再上去還有一座题翰，幾乎只是夜空中一點(diǎn)閃耀的火星恶阴。最后，在飛鷹翱翔的極高處豹障，有一片在月光下閃爍的白光冯事。她仰視著高空朦朧的蒼白高塔，暈眩感頓時(shí)排山倒海般襲來血公。

“The Eyrie,” she heard Marillion murmur, awed.

“鷹巢城昵仅。”她聽見馬瑞里安喃喃說累魔，顯然大為震驚摔笤。

The sharp voice of Tyrion Lannister broke in. “The Arryns must not be overfond of company. If you’re planning to make us climb that mountain in the dark, I’d rather you kill me here.”

提利昂·蘭尼斯特尖銳的聲音插進(jìn)來：“看來艾林家的人挺孤僻，不喜歡有人作伴垦写。假如你打算要我們摸黑爬上去籍茧，那干脆在這里把我殺了好了√堇剑”

“We’ll spend the night here and make the ascent on the morrow,” Brynden told him.

“我們今晚在此過夜，明天上山渴析⊥砘铮”布林登告訴他。

“I can scarcely wait,” the dwarf replied. “How do we get up there? I’ve no experience at riding goats.”

“喲俭茧，我可迫不及待咆疗，”侏儒回話，“要怎么上去母债？騎山羊我可不在行午磁。”

“Mules,” Brynden said, smiling.

“我們騎的是騾子毡们⊙富剩”布林登微笑道。

“There are steps carved into the mountain,” Catelyn said. Ned had told her about them when he talked of his youth here with Robert Baratheon and Jon Arryn.

“山上鑿了石階衙熔〉峭牵”凱特琳說。奈德提起他與勞勃·拜拉席恩和瓊恩·艾林在此度過的童年歲月時(shí)红氯，曾經(jīng)跟她講過框咙。

Her uncle nodded. “It is too dark to see them, but the steps are there. Too steep and narrow for horses, but mules can manage them most of the way. The path is guarded by three waycastles, Stone and Snow and Sky. The mules will take us as far up as Sky.”

叔叔點(diǎn)頭咕痛。“現(xiàn)在天太暗喇嘱，看不見茉贡，但的確是有石階可走。石階對(duì)馬來說太陡太狹窄者铜，騾子倒還勉強(qiáng)能成腔丧。沿路有三座堡壘：危巖堡、雪山堡和長天堡王暗，騾子最高可以走到長天堡悔据。”

Tyrion Lannister glanced up doubtfully. “And beyond that?”

提利昂·蘭尼斯特一臉狐疑地往上瞄俗壹】坪梗“那接下來怎么辦？”

Brynden smiled. “Beyond that, the path is too steep even for mules. We ascend on foot the rest of the way. Or perchance you’d prefer to ride a basket. The Eyrie clings to the mountain directly above Sky, and in its cellars are six great winches with long iron chains to draw supplies up from below. If you prefer, my lord of Lannister, I can arrange for you to ride up with the bread and beer and apples.”

布林登微笑道：“在那之后绷雏，山路太險(xiǎn)头滔，連騾子也上不去。所以接下來我們步行上山涎显，或者你想搭籃子坤检？鷹巢城在長天堡正上方的山頂，它的地窖里有六個(gè)掛鐵鏈的大絞盤期吓，負(fù)責(zé)拉補(bǔ)給早歇。如果你愿意，蘭尼斯特大人讨勤，我可以安排你跟面包箭跳、啤酒和蘋果一起上去√肚В”

The dwarf gave a bark of laughter. “Would that I were a pumpkin,” he said. “Alas, my lord father would no doubt be most chagrined if his son of Lannister went to his fate like a load of turnips. If you ascend on foot, I fear I must do the same. We Lannisters do have a certain pride.”

侏儒干笑一聲谱姓。“可惜我不是南瓜刨晴√肜矗”他說，“哎狈癞，如果我老爸知道他兒子跟蘿卜一樣被拖上斷頭臺(tái)茄靠，一定很不高興。假如你們要徒步上山蝶桶，恐怕我也得照做嘹黔。我們蘭尼斯特家的人多少還有點(diǎn)自尊。”

“Pride?” Catelyn snapped. His mocking tone and easy manner made her angry. “Arrogance, some might call it. Arrogance and avarice and lust for power.”

“自尊儡蔓？”凱特琳斥道郭蕉。他那充滿嘲弄的口吻和過于輕慢的態(tài)度讓她非常惱火∥菇“我看是自傲吧召锈。驕傲自大，貪得無厭获询，迷戀權(quán)位涨岁。”

“My brother is undoubtedly arrogant,” Tyrion Lannister replied. “My father is the soul of avarice, and my sweet sister Cersei lusts for power with every waking breath. I, however, am innocent as a little lamb. Shall I bleat for you?” He grinned.

“我老哥的確傲慢得很吉嚣，”提利昂·蘭尼斯特答道梢薪，“我老爸則根本是貪婪的化身，至于我那好姐姐嘛尝哆，迷戀權(quán)位就跟呼吸一般重要秉撇。惟有我，卻是只天真無邪的小羊秋泄。怎么樣琐馆，要不要我咩咩叫兩聲給你聽啊恒序？”他咧嘴嘻笑瘦麸。

The drawbridge came creaking down before she could reply, and they heard the sound of oiled chains as the portcullis was drawn up. Men-at-arms carried burning brands out to light their way, and her uncle led them across the moat. Lord Nestor Royce, High Steward of the Vale and Keeper of the Gates of the Moon, was waiting in the yard to greet them, surrounded by his knights. “Lady Stark,” he said, bowing. He was a massive, barrel-chested man, and his bow was clumsy.

她還不及回答，吊橋便喀啦喀啦降了下來歧胁，接著他們聽到上過油的鐵鏈滑動(dòng)滋饲，鐵閘也隨之升起。士兵們手持火炬出來為他們照明喊巍，叔叔領(lǐng)頭穿過護(hù)城河了赌。奈斯特·羅伊斯男爵，艾林谷的大總管和月門堡的守護(hù)者玄糟，正在中庭里迎接他們，身邊圍滿了騎士袄秩≌篝幔“史塔克夫人，”他鞠躬道之剧。他是個(gè)身軀龐大郭卫、胸膛厚實(shí)的人，動(dòng)作起來頗顯笨拙背稼。

Catelyn dismounted to stand before him. “Lord Nestor,” she said. She knew the man only by reputation; Bronze Yohn’s cousin, from a lesser branch of House Royce, yet still a formidable lord in his own right. “We have had a long and tiring journey. I would beg the hospitality of your roof tonight, if I might.”

凱特琳下了馬贰军，站在他面前。“奈斯特大人词疼，”她說俯树。她久聞其大名，他是青銅約恩的堂弟贰盗，生于羅伊斯家族的旁系支脈许饿，但本身依舊是個(gè)響當(dāng)當(dāng)?shù)娜宋铩舵盈！拔覀冮L途跋涉陋率，疲累不堪，如果您方便的話秽晚，今晚想在此借宿一宿瓦糟。”

“My roof is yours, my lady,” Lord Nestor returned gruffly, “but your sister the Lady Lysa has sent down word from the Eyrie. She wishes to see you at once. The rest of your party will be housed here and sent up at first light.”

“夫人赴蝇，請別客氣菩浙。”奈斯特男爵粗聲道扯再，“但您的妹妹萊莎夫人剛從鷹巢城傳話下來芍耘，希望能立刻見您一面。跟您同來的人今晚就住這里熄阻，明天一大早送他們上山斋竞。”

Her uncle swung off his horse. “What madness is this?” he said bluntly. Brynden Tully had never been a man to blunt the edge of his words. “A night ascent, with the moon not even full? Even Lysa should know that’s an invitation to a broken neck.”

叔叔翻身下馬秃殉“映酰“這太瘋狂了磁玉！”他唐突地說疾呻。布林登·徒利向來不是個(gè)善于修飾話語棱角的人∮掣“今天并不是滿月吏恭，你還要他們連夜上山拗小？就算萊莎也知道這是找死∮：撸”

“The mules know the way, Ser Brynden.” A wiry girl of seventeen or eighteen years stepped up beside Lord Nestor. Her dark hair was cropped short and straight around her head, and she wore riding leathers and a light shirt of silvered ringmail. She bowed to Catelyn, more gracefully than her lord. “I promise you, my lady, no harm will come to you. It would be my honor to take you up. I’ve made the dark climb a hundred times. Mychel says my father must have been a goat.”

“布林登爵士哀九，騾子認(rèn)得路哪〗练”一個(gè)瘦長結(jié)實(shí)的十七八歲少女自奈斯特男爵身邊走上前來阅束。她一頭剪短的黑發(fā)，身穿騎馬皮衣和一件鍍銀輕環(huán)甲茄唐。她朝凱特琳鞠躬的姿勢息裸，比她主人還要優(yōu)雅。“夫人呼盆，我向您保證年扩，不會(huì)出事的。能帶您上山是我的榮幸宿亡。這條路我摸黑走過幾百次常遂，米歇爾說我父親準(zhǔn)是頭山羊⊥燔”

She sounded so cocky that Catelyn had to smile. “Do you have a name, child?”

她那充滿自信的口氣克胳，聽得凱特琳忍不住微笑∪Υ遥“孩子漠另，你可有名字？”

“Mya Stone, if it please you, my lady,” the girl said.

“夫人高興的話跃赚，叫我米亞·石東就行笆搓。”女孩道纬傲。

It did not please her; it was an effort for Catelyn to keep the smile on her face. Stone was a bastard’s name in the Vale, as Snow was in the north, and Flowers in Highgarden; in each of the Seven Kingdoms, custom had fashioned a surname for children born with no names of their own. Catelyn had nothing against this girl, but suddenly she could not help but think of Ned’s bastard on the Wall, and the thought made her angry and guilty, both at once. She struggled to find words for a reply.

她聽了卻不高興满败。凱特琳好不容易才維持住臉上笑容。石東是艾林谷私生孩子的姓叹括，正如北方的雪諾算墨，高庭的佛花。依照習(xí)俗汁雷，七大王國各有專門給沒爹的孩子用的姓净嘀。凱特琳對(duì)這女孩本身并無惡感，只是不免突然想到奈德那正駐守長城的私生子侠讯，這個(gè)念頭讓她羞憤交加挖藏。她掙扎著找話回應(yīng)。

Lord Nestor filled the silence. “Mya’s a clever girl, and if she vows she will bring you safely to the Lady Lysa, I believe her. She has not failed me yet.”

奈斯特男爵填補(bǔ)了沉默厢漩∧っ撸“米亞是個(gè)機(jī)靈的孩子，她起誓會(huì)把您安全地帶到萊莎夫人那邊溜嗜，我相信她宵膨。她從沒教我失望過×皇ぃ”

“Then I put myself in your hands, Mya Stone,” Catelyn said. “Lord Nestor, I charge you to keep a close guard on my prisoner.”

“既然如此，米亞·石東狐树，我就把自己交到你手中了焙压。”凱特琳道，“奈斯特大人涯曲，還請您嚴(yán)加看管我的犯人野哭。”

“And I charge you to bring the prisoner a cup of wine and a nicely crisped capon, before he dies of hunger,” Lannister said. “A girl would be pleasant as well, but I suppose that’s too much to ask of you.” The sellsword Bronn laughed aloud.

“也請您給這位犯人弄杯酒幻件，來只香酥烤雞拨黔，免得他餓死〈铝ぃ”蘭尼斯特道篱蝇，“飯后有個(gè)女孩樂樂更好，怕只怕我要求得太多了徽曲×憬兀”傭兵波隆聽了哈哈大笑。

Lord Nestor ignored the banter. “As you say, my lady, so it will be done.” Only then did he look at the dwarf. “See our lord of Lannister to a tower cell, and bring him meat and mead.”

奈斯特男爵沒理會(huì)他的嘲弄秃臣〗а茫“夫人，就照您吩咐奥此，一切悉聽尊愿弧哎。”然后他才看看侏儒稚虎〕纺郏“把蘭尼斯特大人送進(jìn)塔上的監(jiān)獄，幫他張羅酒肉祥绞》侵蓿”

Catelyn took her leave of her uncle and the others as Tyrion Lannister was led off, then followed the bastard girl through the castle. Two mules were waiting in the upper bailey, saddled and ready. Mya helped her mount one while a guardsman in a sky-blue cloak opened the narrow postern gate. Beyond was dense forest of pine and spruce, and the mountain like a black wall, but the steps were there, chiseled deep into the rock, ascending into the sky. “Some people find it easier if they close their eyes,” Mya said as she led the mules through the gate into the dark wood. “When they get frightened or dizzy, sometimes they hold on to the mule too tight. They don’t like that.”

提利昂·蘭尼斯特被領(lǐng)走之后，凱特琳向叔叔和余人告別蜕径，跟著那私生女穿過城堡两踏。兩頭騾子等在城堡的上層庭院里，整裝待發(fā)兜喻。米亞扶她騎上梦染，一位身著天藍(lán)色披風(fēng)的守衛(wèi)拉開狹窄的后門。門外是濃密的云杉和松木朴皆，山壁像堵黑墻帕识，但巖石上果真有深深鑿出的石階，向上直入天際遂铡“沽疲“有些人覺得閉上眼睛會(huì)比較安心，”米亞領(lǐng)著騾子穿過后門扒接，走進(jìn)森林伪货∶茄茫“他們覺得害怕或頭暈的時(shí)候，常把騾子抓得太緊碱呼，可騾子不喜歡這樣蒙挑。”

“I was born a Tully and wed to a Stark,” Catelyn said. “I do not frighten easily. Do you plan to light a torch?” The steps were black as pitch.

“我本姓徒利愚臀，又嫁進(jìn)史塔克家忆蚀，”凱特琳道，“要嚇到我可不容易姑裂。你打算點(diǎn)火把嗎馋袜？”石階像瀝青一般黑。

The girl made a face. “Torches just blind you. On a clear night like this, the moon and the stars are enough. Mychel says I have the eyes of the owl.” She mounted and urged her mule up the first step. Catelyn’s animal followed of its own accord.

女孩扮了個(gè)鬼臉炭分√一溃“點(diǎn)火你反而看不見啦。今晚天氣這么好捧毛，有月亮和星光足矣观堂。米歇爾說我有對(duì)貓頭鷹的眼睛⊙接牵”她也騎了上去师痕，催促騾子踏上第一階。凱特琳的坐騎自行跟了上去而账。

“You mentioned Mychel before,” Catelyn said. The mules set the pace, slow but steady. She was perfectly content with that.

“你剛才也提到米歇爾胰坟。”凱特琳道泞辐。騾子的步伐雖慢笔横，卻很平穩(wěn)，她已經(jīng)非常滿意咐吼。

“Mychel’s my love,” Mya explained. “Mychel Redfort. He’s squire to Ser Lyn Corbray. We’re to wed as soon as he becomes a knight, next year or the year after.”

“米歇爾是我的愛人吹缔。”米亞解釋锯茄，“米歇爾·雷德佛厢塘，他是林恩·科布瑞爵士的侍從。過幾年等他當(dāng)上騎士肌幽，我們就要結(jié)婚了晚碾。”

She sounded so like Sansa, so happy and innocent with her dreams. Catelyn smiled, but the smile was tinged with sadness. The Redforts were an old name in the Vale, she knew, with the blood of the First Men in their veins. His love she might be, but no Redfort would ever wed a bastard. His family would arrange a more suitable match for him, to a Corbray or a Waynwood or a Royce, or perhaps a daughter of some greater house outside the Vale. If Mychel Redfort laid with this girl at all, it would be on the wrong side of the sheet.

她的語氣好像珊莎喂急，都是那么愉悅美妙格嘁，無憂無慮，充滿夢想廊移，凱特琳聽了不禁微笑糕簿，笑里卻帶著憂傷涣易。她知道雷德佛家是峽谷地區(qū)歷史悠久的世家大族，體內(nèi)更有先民的血脈冶伞。她或許能成為他的愛人，然而雷德佛家的人絕不會(huì)娶私生女步氏。他家里會(huì)幫他安排一樁門當(dāng)戶對(duì)的婚事响禽，或許是科布瑞家族，也可能是韋伍德或羅伊斯家族荚醒，甚至是艾林谷外的豪門望族芋类。就算米歇爾·雷德佛跟這女孩睡過，也不能代表什么界阁。

The ascent was easier than Catelyn had dared hope. The trees pressed close, leaning over the path to make a rustling green roof that shut out even the moon, so it seemed as though they were moving up a long black tunnel. But the mules were surefooted and tireless, and Mya Stone did indeed seem blessed with night-eyes. They plodded upward, winding their way back and forth across the face of the mountain as the steps twisted and turned. A thick layer of fallen needles carpeted the path, so the shoes of their mules made only the softest sound on the rock. The quiet soothed her, and the gentle rocking motion set Catelyn to swaying in her saddle. Before long she was fighting sleep.

上山的過程比凱特琳原本期待的要輕松許多侯繁。森林離他們很近，伸展過來遮住山路泡躯，搭起一棚瑟瑟作響的青綠屋頂贮竟，連月光也被遮蔽，所以她們仿佛是在暗道里行進(jìn)较剃。但是騾子的步履穩(wěn)健咕别，毫無疲態(tài)，米亞·石東也的確如有夜視能力写穴。山路蜿蜒崎嶇惰拱，兩人沿路緩步慢行，越過山壁啊送。厚厚的松針鋪在地上宛如絨毯偿短，騾子走在石階上只發(fā)出最細(xì)微的聲音。這片寧靜安撫了她的情緒馋没，輕微的晃動(dòng)讓凱特琳在鞍上搖搖擺擺昔逗，沒多久她就開始抗拒瞌睡的誘惑了。

Perhaps she did doze for a moment, for suddenly a massive ironbound gate was looming before them. “Stone,” Mya announced cheerily, dismounting. Iron spikes were set along the tops of formidable stone walls, and two fat round towers overtopped the keep. The gate swung open at Mya’s shout. Inside, the portly knight who commanded the waycastle greeted Mya by name and offered them skewers of charred meat and onions still hot from the spit. Catelyn had not realized how hungry she was. She ate standing in the yard, as stablehands moved their saddles to fresh mules. The hot juices ran down her chin and dripped onto her cloak, but she was too famished to care.

或許她真打了一陣盹吧披泪，因?yàn)楹陚サ蔫傝F城門突然便矗立在她們面前纤子。“危巖堡到了款票】嘏穑”米亞開心地跳下騾子宣布。堅(jiān)實(shí)的石城墻頂插滿鐵釘艾少，兩個(gè)圓胖的塔樓環(huán)繞主堡卡乾。城門在米亞的呼喊下緩緩打開，負(fù)責(zé)指揮這座堡壘的騎士是個(gè)粗壯的家伙缚够，他親切地叫出米亞的名字幔妨，拿出剛從烤架上取下鹦赎、雖有點(diǎn)焦但熱騰騰的燒肉和烤洋蔥招待她們。凱特琳早已忘記自己有多餓误堡，站在中庭里就吃了起來古话，馬夫則把她們的鞍鞫換到精力充沛的新騾子背上。溫?zé)岬娜庵鬟^她的下巴锁施，滴在披風(fēng)上陪踩，但她實(shí)在太餓，便也管不了這許多悉抵。

Then it was up onto a new mule and out again into the starlight. The second part of the ascent seemed more treacherous to Catelyn. The trail was steeper, the steps more worn, and here and there littered with pebbles and broken stone. Mya had to dismount a half-dozen times to move fallen rocks from their path. “You don’t want your mule to break a leg up here,” she said. Catelyn was forced to agree. She could feel the altitude more now. The trees were sparser up here, and the wind blew more vigorously, sharp gusts that tugged at her clothing and pushed her hair into her eyes. From time to time the steps doubled back on themselves, and she could see Stone below them, and the Gates of the Moon farther down, its torches no brighter than candles.

隨后她們騎上新騾子肩狂，在星光照耀下再度出發(fā)。凱特琳覺得這次的山路更為艱險(xiǎn)姥饰，不僅路徑更陡傻谁，石階磨損得厲害，地上也散滿了小圓石和巖石碎片列粪。有好幾次米亞都得下騾审磁，清開路上的落石∑褡“若是騾子在這里摔斷腿力图，那可就危險(xiǎn)了〔舯疲”她說吃媒。凱特琳只有同意的份。此時(shí)她已經(jīng)能切身感受所處的高度吕喘，這里林木漸稀赘那，風(fēng)勢轉(zhuǎn)強(qiáng)，拉扯著她的衣服氯质，把頭發(fā)吹進(jìn)眼睛里募舟。山路不斷迂回盤旋，因此她可以看見下面的危巖堡闻察，以及更下方的月門堡拱礁，那里的火光好似燭焰一般。

Snow was smaller than Stone, a single fortified tower and a timber keep and stable hidden behind a low wall of unmortared rock. Yet it nestled against the Giant’s Lance in such a way as to command the entire stone stair above the lower waycastle. An enemy intent on the Eyrie would have to fight his way from Stone step by step, while rocks and arrows rained down from Snow above. The commander, an anxious young knight with a pockmarked face, offered bread and cheese and the chance to warm themselves before his fire, but Mya declined. “We ought to keep going, my lady,” she said. “If it please you.” Catelyn nodded.

雪山堡比危巖堡小得多辕漂，只有一座加固的塔樓呢灶，一座木料搭建的主堡，以及躲在低矮石墻后的馬廄钉嘹。圍墻砌得很粗糙鸯乃，沒有涂上灰泥。雖然如此跋涣，它卻緊靠著巨人之槍缨睡，形勢足以掌控危巖堡以上所有的石階鸟悴。若有敵人想動(dòng)鷹巢城的主意，他就得從危巖堡一階一階地打上來奖年，同時(shí)還必須承受自雪山堡如雨般落下的飛箭和落石细诸。這里的指揮官是個(gè)一臉麻子、焦躁不安的年輕騎士陋守。他拿面包和乳酪招待她們揍堰，并請兩人到他的火爐邊取暖，但米亞婉拒了嗅义。“夫人隐砸，我們應(yīng)該繼續(xù)走之碗，”她說：“如果您愿意的話〖鞠＃”凱特琳點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭褪那。

Again they were given fresh mules. Hers was white. Mya smiled when she saw him. “Whitey’s a good one, my lady. Sure of foot, even on ice, but you need to be careful. He’ll kick if he doesn’t like you.”

她們再次換了新騾子。給她的那頭是白的式塌，米亞一見便微笑道：“夫人博敬，小白是頭好騾。就算步履堅(jiān)冰峰尝，它的腳步也很穩(wěn)偏窝，但您千萬小心，他要是不喜歡您武学，可是會(huì)踢人的祭往。”

The white mule seemed to like Catelyn; there was no kicking, thank the gods. There was no ice either, and she was grateful for that as well. “My mother says that hundreds of years ago, this was where the snow began,” Mya told her. “It was always white above here, and the ice never melted.” She shrugged. “I can’t remember ever seeing snow this far down the mountain, but maybe it was that way once, in the olden times.”

諸神保佑火窒，小白似乎還挺喜歡凱特琳硼补，至少它沒有踢人。路上沒有冰熏矿，這點(diǎn)她也很感激已骇。“我媽說票编，數(shù)百年前褪储，這里就是風(fēng)雪線』塾颍”米亞告訴她乱豆，“從這往上便是白茫茫的，冰雪從不融化吊趾⊥鹪＃”她聳聳肩瑟啃，“離山頂還很遠(yuǎn)，我不記得在這兒看過雪揩尸，不過蛹屿，或許古時(shí)候是那樣罷⊙矣埽”

So young, Catelyn thought, trying to remember if she had ever been like that. The girl had lived half her life in summer, and that was all she knew. Winter is coming, child, she wanted to tell her. The words were on her lips; she almost said them. Perhaps she was becoming a Stark at last.

她好年輕错负，凱特琳心想，一邊試著回憶自己是否曾如她這般純真勇边。這女孩大半時(shí)光都活在夏季犹撒，除此之外她一無所知。孩子粒褒，凜冬將至啊识颊，她想告訴她。話到嘴邊奕坟，幾乎就要出口祥款，或許她究竟是逐漸變成史塔克家的人了吧。

Above Snow, the wind was a living thing, howling around them like a wolf in the waste, then falling off to nothing as if to lure them into complacency. The stars seemed brighter up here, so close that she could almost touch them, and the horned moon was huge in the clear black sky. As they climbed, Catelyn found it was better to look up than down. The steps were cracked and broken from centuries of freeze and thaw and the tread of countless mules, and even in the dark the heights put her heart in her throat. When they came to a high saddle between two spires of rock, Mya dismounted. “It’s best to lead the mules over,” she said. “The wind can be a little scary here, my lady.”

雪山堡之上月杉，強(qiáng)風(fēng)是個(gè)活生生的事物刃跛，猶如荒野孤狼般在她們周圍呼嘯狂吼，時(shí)時(shí)又歸于平靜苛萎，仿佛有意誘使她們掉以輕心桨昙。從這里看去，星星似乎更亮腌歉，好似近在咫尺绊率，觸手可及。一彎新月掛在清朗的夜空中究履，顯得碩大無朋滤否。凱特琳只覺上山時(shí)往上看比往下看感覺好多了。經(jīng)過幾百年來的結(jié)冰最仑、融雪和無以計(jì)數(shù)的騾蹄踩踏藐俺，石階破損得相當(dāng)厲害，即便是在黑暗中看不清泥彤，她依舊提心吊膽欲芹。當(dāng)她們來到兩座尖石間的平臺(tái)時(shí)，米亞爬下騾子吟吝×飧福“這里我們最好牽騾子過去，”她說，“夫人浙宜，請注意官辽，這兒的風(fēng)有點(diǎn)強(qiáng)∷谒玻”

Catelyn climbed stiffly from the shadows and looked at the path ahead; twenty feet long and close to three feet wide, but with a precipitous drop to either side. She could hear the wind shrieking. Mya stepped lightly out, her mule following as calmly as if they were crossing a bailey. It was her turn. Yet no sooner had she taken her first step than fear caught Catelyn in its jaws. She could feel the emptiness, the vast black gulfs of air that yawned around her. She stopped, trembling, afraid to move. The wind screamed at her and wrenched at her cloak, trying to pull her over the edge. Catelyn edged her foot backward, the most timid of steps, but the mule was behind her, and she could not retreat. I am going to die here, she thought. She could feel cold sweat trickling down her back.

凱特琳手腳僵硬地從陰影里爬出同仆，看看眼前的山路：大約二十尺長，三尺寬裙品，但路的兩邊都是萬丈深淵俗批。她能聽見冷風(fēng)的呼嘯。米亞輕輕探出腳步市怎，騾子平穩(wěn)地跟隨在后岁忘，尤似穿越城堡中庭。接下來就輪到她了区匠。凱特琳才剛踏出第一步干像，恐懼就緊緊地抓住了她。她感覺到兩側(cè)的虛無空洞辱志，感覺到在她周遭大口呵欠的黑色氣旋。她停下腳步狞膘，顫抖著不敢前進(jìn)揩懒。狂風(fēng)向她嘶吼挽封，拉扯她的披風(fēng)已球，企圖將她拖下山崖。凱特琳畏縮地退了一小步辅愿，但騾子擋在后面智亮，她沒有去路。我要死在這里了点待，她心想阔蛉。她覺得背心冷汗淋漓。

“Lady Stark,” Mya called across the gulf. The girl sounded a thousand leagues away. “Are you well?”

“史塔克夫人癞埠，”米亞從對(duì)面喊状原。女孩的聲音聽起來仿佛有幾千里遠(yuǎn)∶缱伲“您還好嗎颠区？”

Catelyn Tully Stark swallowed what remained of her pride. “I?.?.?.?I cannot do this, child,” she called out.

凱特琳·徒利·史塔克咽下了僅存的自尊⊥ú“孩子，我……我做不到∨蠼兀”

“Yes you can,” the bastard girl said. “I know you can. Look how wide the path is.”

“沒問題的蛹稍，”私生女孩說，“我知道您行质和。您看看路有多寬稳摄。”

“I don’t want to look.” The world seemed to be spinning around her, mountain and sky and mules, whirling like a child’s top. Catelyn closed her eyes to steady her ragged breathing.

“我不想看饲宿∠贸辏”世界仿佛在她身邊旋轉(zhuǎn)，山脈瘫想、天空和騾子通通攪成一團(tuán)仗阅。凱特琳閉上眼睛，穩(wěn)住自己急促的呼吸国夜。

“I’ll come back for you,” Mya said. “Don’t move, my lady.”

“我這就過來减噪，”米亞道，“夫人车吹，您站在那兒別動(dòng)筹裕。”

Moving was about the last thing Catelyn was about to do. She listened to the skirling of the wind and the scuffling sound of leather on stone. Then Mya was there, taking her gently by the arm. “Keep your eyes closed if you like. Let go of the rope now, Whitey will take care of himself. Very good, my lady. I’ll lead you over, it’s easy, you’ll see. Give me a step now. That’s it, move your foot, just slide it forward. See. Now another. Easy. You could run across. Another one, go on. Yes.” And so, foot by foot, step by step, the bastard girl led Catelyn across, blind and trembling, while the white mule followed placidly behind them.

此刻凱特琳最不會(huì)做的就是亂動(dòng)窄驹。她聽著風(fēng)聲呼嘯朝卒，以及皮革在石頭上發(fā)出的摩擦，隨后米亞就來了乐埠，輕輕地牽起她的手抗斤。“您怕的話丈咐，閉上眼睛就好瑞眼。繩子可以放開，小白自己會(huì)走棵逊。很好伤疙，夫人。我?guī)^去辆影，您看吧掩浙，沒什么大不了。走一步試試看秸歧，就是這樣厨姚，動(dòng)動(dòng)您的腳，往前滑就對(duì)了键菱，看谬墙，挺簡單吧今布？再來一步，慢慢來拭抬，路這么寬部默，您都可以跑哩。再來一步造虎，再來傅蹂。對(duì)了∷阍洌”私生女孩就這樣一步一步帶著閉起眼睛份蝴，顫抖不已的凱特琳走過危崖，那頭白騾子則慢悠悠地跟在后面氓轰。

The waycastle called Sky was no more than a high, crescent-shaped wall of unmortared stone raised against the side of the mountain, but even the topless towers of Valyria could not have looked more beautiful to Catelyn Stark. Here at last the snow crown began; Sky’s weathered stones were rimed with frost, and long spears of ice hung from the slopes above.

長天堡不過是一道新月形狀婚夫，沿著山壁用粗石堆砌而成的高聳城墻，但凱特琳·史塔克卻覺得署鸡，即便傲立云霄的瓦雷利亞通天塔也沒這般美麗案糙。雪線由此開始，長天堡歷盡滄桑的城墻處處結(jié)霜靴庆，其上的斜坡掛滿了長長的冰柱时捌。

Dawn was breaking in the east as Mya Stone hallooed for the guards, and the gates opened before them. Inside the walls there was only a series of ramps and a great tumble of boulders and stones of all sizes. No doubt it would be the easiest thing in the world to begin an avalanche from here. A mouth yawned in the rock face in front of them. “The stables and barracks are in there,” Mya said. “The last part is inside the mountain. It can be a little dark, but at least you’re out of the wind. This is as far as the mules can go. Past here, well, it’s a sort of chimney, more like a stone ladder than proper steps, but it’s not too bad. Another hour and we’ll be there.”

米亞·石東向守衛(wèi)打過招呼，城門便在她們面前打開炉抒，此時(shí)東方已經(jīng)漸露曙光奢讨。城墻背后是一連串的坡道，各種大小的巖石搖搖欲墜端礼，這里無疑便是全世界最容易山崩的地方了禽笑。她們面前的巖壁上開了一個(gè)通道入录「虬拢“馬廄和軍營都在里面×鸥澹”米亞說凡桥，“最后一段路是在山內(nèi)，有點(diǎn)黑蚀同，但也免了風(fēng)雪缅刽。騾子只能到此為止，從這兒開始蠢络，嗯衰猛，直直地爬上去，那路比較像石頭做的云梯刹孔，而非正式的臺(tái)階啡省，但還不算太難走。大概再有一個(gè)小時(shí)就到了∝远茫”

Catelyn looked up. Directly overhead, pale in the dawn light, she could see the foundations of the Eyrie. It could not be more than six hundred feet above them. From below it looked like a small white honeycomb. She remembered what her uncle had said of baskets and winches. “The Lannisters may have their pride,” she told Mya, “but the Tullys are born with better sense. I have ridden all day and the best part of a night. Tell them to lower a basket. I shall ride with the turnips.”

凱特琳抬頭仰望畦戒，在頭頂正上方，破曉的晨光之中结序，她可以看見鷹巢城的基石障斋，離她們大概不超過六百尺。從下看去徐鹤，如同小小的白色蜂窩垃环。她憶起叔叔提起的籃子和絞盤〉矢桑“蘭尼斯特家的人或許自負(fù)傲慢晴裹，”她告訴米亞：“但徒利家的人懂得變通之道。我已經(jīng)騎了一整天馬救赐，又走了大半夜涧团。請他們放下籃子，我跟蘿卜一起上山经磅∶谛澹”

The sun was well above the mountains by the time Catelyn Stark finally reached the Eyrie. A stocky, silver-haired man in a sky-blue cloak and hammered moon-and-falcon breastplate helped her from the basket; Ser Vardis Egen, captain of Jon Arryn’s household guard. Beside him stood Maester Colemon, thin and nervous, with too little hair and too much neck. “Lady Stark,” Ser Vardis said, “the pleasure is as great as it is unanticipated.” Maester Colemon bobbed his head in agreement. “Indeed it is, my lady, indeed it is. I have sent word to your sister. She left orders to be awakened the instant you arrived.”

凱特琳·史塔克終于抵達(dá)鷹巢城時(shí)伙狐，太陽已經(jīng)高高升起沪哺。一位滿頭銀發(fā)、身材健壯稚伍、穿著天藍(lán)色披風(fēng)轧叽、新月獵鷹胸甲的人扶她出了吊籃苗沧。他是瓊恩·艾林的侍衛(wèi)隊(duì)長瓦狄斯·伊根爵士，站在他身邊的則是體格瘦弱炭晒、神色不安待逞、頭發(fā)太少、脖子卻太長的柯蒙學(xué)士网严∈队＃“史塔克夫人，”瓦狄斯爵士道震束，“您真是教我們又驚又喜怜庸。”柯蒙學(xué)士頷首同意垢村「罴玻“可不是嘛，夫人嘉栓，可不是嘛宏榕。我已經(jīng)帶話給您妹妹驰凛，她吩咐您一到就叫醒她〉Ｆ耍”

“I hope she had a good night’s rest,” Catelyn said with a certain bite in her tone that seemed to go unnoticed.

“我希望她昨晚睡得香甜恰响。”凱特琳的話中帶了一絲嘲諷涌献，但似乎沒人注意胚宦。

The men escorted her from the winch room up a spiral stair. The Eyrie was a small castle by the standards of the great houses; seven slender white towers bunched as tightly as arrows in a quiver on a shoulder of the great mountain. It had no need of stables nor smithys nor kennels, but Ned said its granary was as large as Winterfell’s, and its towers could house five hundred men. Yet it seemed strangely deserted to Catelyn as she passed through it, its pale stone halls echoing and empty.

他們護(hù)送她從絞盤室走上螺旋梯。以王國中貴族的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)而言燕垃，鷹巢城規(guī)模不大枢劝，只是七座白色尖塔像筒里的箭一樣擠成一團(tuán)，坐落在山巔上卜壕。它雖無馬廄您旁、鐵鋪或犬舍，但奈德曾說這里的糧倉和臨冬城的一般大轴捎，而塔樓足以容納五百人鹤盒。然而當(dāng)凱特琳行經(jīng)其中，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)城堡異痴旄保荒涼侦锯，白石打造的廳堂里回聲四起，空無一人秦驯。

Lysa was waiting alone in her solar, still clad in her bed robes. Her long auburn hair tumbled unbound across bare white shoulders and down her back. A maid stood behind her, brushing out the night’s tangles, but when Catelyn entered, her sister rose to her feet, smiling. “Cat,” she said. “Oh, Cat, how good it is to see you. My sweet sister.” She ran across the chamber and wrapped her sister in her arms. “How long it has been,” Lysa murmured against her. “Oh, how very very long.”

萊莎獨(dú)自在書房里等她尺碰，身上披著睡袍。她一頭紅褐色長發(fā)未經(jīng)整理译隘，垂過裸露的肩膀亲桥，覆在背后。一個(gè)侍女站在她身后固耘，正幫她梳理因睡眠而打結(jié)的發(fā)絲题篷。凱特琳剛進(jìn)門，妹妹立刻笑盈盈地起身玻驻〉看眨“凱特偿枕，”她說璧瞬，“噢，凱特渐夸，見到你真好嗤锉。我親愛的好姐姐∧顾”她跑過房間瘟忱，緊緊地?fù)ё〗憬惆露睢！拔覀兒镁脹]見面了访诱，”萊莎抱著她喃喃說垫挨，“噢，真的好久好久触菜【爬疲”

It had been five years, in truth; five cruel years, for Lysa. They had taken their toll. Her sister was two years the younger, yet she looked older now. Shorter than Catelyn, Lysa had grown thick of body, pale and puffy of face. She had the blue eyes of the Tullys, but hers were pale and watery, never still. Her small mouth had turned petulant. As Catelyn held her, she remembered the slender, high-breasted girl who’d waited beside her that day in the sept at Riverrun. How lovely and full of hope she had been. All that remained of her sister’s beauty was the great fall of thick auburn hair that cascaded to her waist.

事實(shí)上，兩人有五年沒見涡相。對(duì)萊莎而言哲泊，那是殘酷的五年，歲月在她身上留下了痕跡催蝗。妹妹小她兩歲切威，但現(xiàn)在看起來年紀(jì)卻比她大。萊莎原本就比凱特琳矮丙号，如今她胖了先朦，臉也顯得蒼白臃腫。她有著徒利家族的藍(lán)眼睛犬缨，卻是那么黯淡而濕潤烙无，目光游移不定，小嘴唇也沒了生氣遍尺。凱特琳抱著她截酷，想起當(dāng)年在奔流城的圣堂婚禮時(shí)站在自己身邊，那個(gè)身軀纖細(xì)乾戏、抬頭挺胸的女孩迂苛。如今妹妹的美貌只剩下那頭蓬松柔軟、流瀉至腰的紅棕色長發(fā)鼓择。

“You look well,” Catelyn lied, “but?.?.?.?tired.”

“你看起來氣色很好三幻，”凱特琳撒了謊∧拍埽“只是……有點(diǎn)累念搬。”

Her sister broke the embrace. “Tired. Yes. Oh, yes.” She seemed to notice the others then; her maid, Maester Colemon, Ser Vardis. “Leave us,” she told them. “I wish to speak to my sister alone.” She held Catelyn’s hand as they withdrew?.?.?.?

妹妹松開她摆出±驶玻“是有點(diǎn)累，是啊偎漫，真的有點(diǎn)累爷恳。”這時(shí)她似乎注意到在場的其他人：侍女象踊、柯蒙學(xué)士和瓦狄斯爵士温亲∨锉冢“你們下去罷，”她告訴他們栈虚，“我想跟我姐姐單獨(dú)談?wù)勑渫狻！彼炱饎P特琳魂务，看著他們離開……

?.?.?.?and dropped it the instant the door closed. Catelyn saw her face change. It was as if the sun had gone behind a cloud. “Have you taken leave of your senses?” Lysa snapped at her. “To bring him here, without a word of permission, without so much as a warning, to drag us into your quarrels with the Lannisters?.?.?.?”

……門一關(guān)上在刺，便立刻摔開她的手。凱特琳見她臉色一變头镊，仿佛烏云遮蔽了太陽蚣驼。“你到底想干什么相艇？”萊莎斥責(zé)她颖杏，“竟然未經(jīng)許可，連聲招呼都不打坛芽，就把他帶來這里留储，把我們扯進(jìn)你跟蘭尼斯特的爭端……”

“My quarrels?” Catelyn could scarce believe what she was hearing. A great fire burned in the hearth, but there was no trace of warmth in Lysa’s voice. “They were your quarrels first, sister. It was you who sent me that cursed letter, you who wrote that the Lannisters had murdered your husband.”

“我的爭端？”凱特琳簡直不敢相信自己的耳朵咙轩。壁爐里火光熊熊获讳，但萊莎的聲音卻沒有絲毫溫暖』詈埃“小妹丐膝，打一開始這就是你的事。你寫了那封該死的信給我钾菊，說蘭尼斯特家的人害死了你丈夫帅矗。”

“To warn you, so you could stay away from them! I never meant to fight them! Gods, Cat, do you know what you’ve done?”

“我寫信的目的是警告你煞烫，叫你離他們遠(yuǎn)一點(diǎn)浑此！不是叫你跟他們硬碰硬！諸神在上滞详，凱特凛俱，你知道這樣做會(huì)有什么后果？”

“Mother?” a small voice said. Lysa whirled, her heavy robe swirling around her. Robert Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, stood in the doorway, clutching a ragged cloth doll and looking at them with large eyes. He was a painfully thin child, small for his age and sickly all his days, and from time to time he trembled. The shaking sickness, the maesters called it. “I heard voices.”

“媽料饥？”一個(gè)細(xì)小的聲音說蒲犬。萊莎旋身，厚重的長袍也跟著轉(zhuǎn)圈稀火。鷹巢城公爵勞勃·艾林站在門邊暖哨，抱著一個(gè)破爛的布偶赌朋，睜大雙眼看著她們凰狞。這孩子瘦得可憐篇裁，個(gè)子比同年齡的孩子都要小，一張病懨懨的臉赡若，還不時(shí)顫抖达布。她知道，學(xué)士管這種病叫癲癇逾冬∈蚰簦“我聽見說話的聲音了∩砟澹”

Small wonder, Catelyn thought; Lysa had almost been shouting. Still, her sister looked daggers at her. “This is your aunt Catelyn, baby. My sister, Lady Stark. Do you remember?”

這也難怪产还，凱特琳心想，因?yàn)槿R莎剛才幾乎就是在吼嘀趟。妹妹看她的眼神依舊銳利如刀脐区。“小寶貝她按，這是你凱特琳阿姨牛隅。她是我姐姐，史塔克夫人酌泰，你還記得嗎媒佣？”

The boy glanced at her blankly. “I think so,” he said, blinking, though he had been less than a year old the last time Catelyn had seen him.

小男孩一臉茫然地看著她×晟玻“好像記得默伍。”他眨著眼說衰琐。凱特琳上次見他時(shí)巡验，他還未滿周歲。

Lysa seated herself near the fire and said, “Come to Mother, my sweet one.” She straightened his bedclothes and fussed with his fine brown hair. “Isn’t he beautiful? And strong too, don’t you believe the things you hear. Jon knew. The seed is strong, he told me. His last words. He kept saying Robert’s name, and he grabbed my arm so hard he left marks. Tell them, the seed is strong. His seed. He wanted everyone to know what a good strong boy my baby was going to be.”

萊莎在火爐邊坐下碘耳∠陨瑁“小親親，到媽咪這兒來辛辨〔段妫”她整整他的睡衣，撥撥他的頭發(fā)斗搞≈冈埽“你看他漂不漂亮？其實(shí)他也很強(qiáng)壯僻焚，你別聽信外邊的傳言允悦。瓊恩很清楚，他親口對(duì)我說‘種性強(qiáng)韌’虑啤，這是他的臨終遺言隙弛。他一直念叨著勞勃的名字架馋，用力抓我的手，直到留下血痕全闷。他是要我告訴他們叉寂，種性強(qiáng)韌，這是他的種总珠，他要大家都知道我的小寶貝長大之后會(huì)變成個(gè)強(qiáng)壯的男子漢屏鳍。”

“Lysa,” Catelyn said, “if you’re right about the Lannisters, all the more reason we must act quickly. We...”

“萊莎局服，”凱特琳道钓瞭，“如果關(guān)于蘭尼斯特家的情況屬實(shí)，那我們應(yīng)該趕緊采取行動(dòng)淫奔。我們——”

“Not in front of the baby,” Lysa said. “He has a delicate temper, don’t you, sweet one?”

“不要在我寶貝面前談這些降淮。”萊莎說搏讶，“他的脾氣很纖細(xì)佳鳖，對(duì)不對(duì)啊，小親親媒惕？”

“The boy is Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale,” Catelyn reminded her, “and these are no times for delicacy. Ned thinks it may come to war.”

“這孩子是鷹巢城公爵系吩，也是艾林谷的守護(hù)者《饰担”凱特琳提醒她穿挨，“現(xiàn)在不是曲意溫柔的時(shí)候。奈德認(rèn)為依目前情勢很可能會(huì)演變至戰(zhàn)爭肴盏】剖ⅲ”

“Quiet!” Lysa snapped at her. “You’re scaring the boy.” Little Robert took a quick peek over his shoulder at Catelyn and began to tremble. His doll fell to the rushes, and he pressed himself against his mother. “Don’t be afraid, my sweet baby,” Lysa whispered. “Mother’s here, nothing will hurt you.” She opened her robe and drew out a pale, heavy breast, tipped with red. The boy grabbed for it eagerly, buried his face against her chest, and began to suck. Lysa stroked his hair.

“閉嘴！”萊莎怒叱菜皂≌昝啵“你嚇到孩子了』衅”小勞勃從她肩頭偷偷望了凱特琳一眼榨崩，然后發(fā)起抖來。他的玩偶掉到地毯上章母，他則緊緊抱住母親母蛛。“我親愛的小寶貝乳怎，別怕喔彩郊。”萊莎輕聲說，“媽咪在這里秫逝，不會(huì)有事的√旮”她掀開睡袍前方，拉出一只蒼白但漲鼓鼓、奶頭紅潤的乳房惠险。男孩渴切地抓住它抒线，把頭埋在她胸口班巩，吸吮了起來嘶炭。萊莎撫弄著他的頭發(fā)。

Catelyn was at a loss for words. Jon Arryn’s son, she thought incredulously. She remembered her own baby, three-year-old Rickon, half the age of this boy and five times as fierce. Small wonder the lords of the Vale were restive. For the first time she understood why the king had tried to take the child away from his mother to foster with the Lannisters?.?.?.?

凱特琳說不出話來抑进。這竟然是瓊恩·艾林的兒子寺渗，她難以置信地想信殊。她想起了自己的小兒子汁果，瑞肯才三歲据德，年紀(jì)只有這男孩的一半晋控，卻精力旺盛赡译，足以當(dāng)他好幾倍有余。難怪艾林谷的諸侯們焦慮不安裹唆。她終于了解到國王為何要把這孩子從母親身邊帶開，交給蘭尼斯特家撫養(yǎng)……

“We’re safe here,” Lysa was saying. Whether to her or to the boy, Catelyn was not sure.

“在這里劳坑，我們不會(huì)有事距芬】蜃校”萊莎說离斩。至于這話究竟是對(duì)她說跛梗，還是對(duì)那孩子說核偿，凱特琳無法確定宪祥。

“Don’t be a fool,” Catelyn said, the anger rising in her. “No one is safe. If you think hiding here will make the Lannisters forget you, you are sadly mistaken.”

“別傻了蝗羊，”凱特琳道耀找，怒意陡然從心中升起野芒∷唬“現(xiàn)在哪里都不安全妇斤。你以為躲在這里，蘭尼斯特家就會(huì)忘記你的存在嗎乖酬？你真是大錯(cuò)特錯(cuò)咬像！”

Lysa covered her boy’s ear with her hand. “Even if they could bring an army through the mountains and past the Bloody Gate, the Eyrie is impregnable. You saw for yourself. No enemy could ever reach us up here.”

萊莎伸手捂住男孩的耳朵县昂∑甙牛“就算他們帶兵殺進(jìn)崇山峻嶺，穿過血門缩赛，也不可能攻破鷹巢城酥馍。你自己也看到了旨袒，沒有人能攻到這里砚尽”毓拢”

Catelyn wanted to slap her. Uncle Brynden had tried to warn her, she realized. “No castle is impregnable.”

凱特琳有種想甩她耳光的沖動(dòng)敷搪。布林登叔叔試圖警告她赡勘，她這才明白原因何在闸与〖钙“世上沒有攻不破的城堡映胁〗馑铮”

“This one is,” Lysa insisted. “Everyone says so. The only thing is, what am I to do with this Imp you have brought me?”

“這座城堡就攻不破弛姜⊥⒕剩”萊莎堅(jiān)持荠商，“而且每個(gè)人都知道±趁唬現(xiàn)在惟一的問題是饰躲，我該怎么處置你帶來的這個(gè)小惡魔嘹裂？”

“Is he a bad man?” the Lord of the Eyrie asked, his mother’s breast popping from his mouth, the nipple wet and red.

“他是壞人嗎焦蘑？”鷹巢城主松開口中紅潤潮濕的乳頭問例嘱。

“A very bad man,” Lysa told him as she covered herself, “but Mother won’t let him harm my little baby.”

“他是個(gè)非常非常壞的人拼卵∫溉”萊莎告訴他，一邊穿好衣服袜刷≈罚“但是媽咪不會(huì)讓他欺負(fù)我的小親親萧豆。”

“Make him fly,” Robert said eagerly.

“讓他飛洪鸭∏涑埃”勞勃急切地說。

Lysa stroked her son’s hair. “Perhaps we will,” she murmured. “Perhaps that is just what we will do.”

萊莎搓搓兒子的頭發(fā)盒让∫厍眩“這主意不錯(cuò)肺缕，”她喃喃道同木，“這主意的確不錯(cuò)彤路≈拮穑”