“審判抓艳？”她皺起眉頭」蛘撸“波德瑞克·派恩不過是個小男孩∠ㄇ螅”

“Judgment?” She frowned. “Podrick Payne is just a boy.”

“他說他是侍從渣玲。”

“He says he is a squire.”

“你知道男孩子都愛吹噓弟晚⊥埽”

“You know how boys will boast.”

“他是小惡魔的侍從逾苫。他承認(rèn)自己參加過戰(zhàn)斗，甚至承認(rèn)殺過人枚钓∏Υ辏”

“The Imp’s squire. He has fought in battles, by his own admission. He has even killed, to hear him tell it.”

“他是個孩子，”她又道秘噪，“可憐可憐他吧狸吞。”

“A boy,” she said again. “Have pity.”

“小姐指煎，”索羅斯說蹋偏，“我不懷疑在七大王國別的地方能找到仁慈、憐憫與寬恕至壤，但別在這里尋找威始。這是個山洞，不是座神廟像街，當(dāng)人們必須像老鼠一樣活在黑暗的地底時黎棠，同情心跟牛奶與蜂蜜一樣很快就耗光了×铮”

“My lady,” Thoros said, “I do not doubt that kindness and mercy and forgiveness can still be found somewhere in these Seven Kingdoms, but do not look for them here. This is a cave, not a temple. When men must live like rats in the dark beneath the earth, they soon run out of pity, as they do of milk and honey.”

“正義呢脓斩？山洞里能找到正義嗎？”

“And justice? Can that be found in caves?”

“正義畴栖∷婢玻”索羅斯無力地笑笑÷鹧龋“我記得正義燎猛。它的滋味曾如此美好。在貝里的帶領(lǐng)下照皆，我們替天行道重绷，我們就是正義的化身，至少我們?nèi)绱烁嬖V自己膜毁。我們是國王的子民昭卓，是騎士，是英雄……但長夜黑暗瘟滨，處處險惡葬凳，小姐，戰(zhàn)爭把我們?nèi)兂闪斯治锸易唷火焰！?/p>

“Justice.” Thoros smiled wanly. “I remember justice. It had a pleasant taste. Justice was what we were about when Beric led us, or so we told ourselves. We were king’s men, knights, and heroes … but some knights are dark and full of terror, my lady. War makes monsters of us all.”

“你說你們是怪物？”

“Are you saying you are monsters?”

“我說我們都是人胧沫。你不是唯一受過傷的昌简，布蕾妮小姐占业。當(dāng)這一切剛開始時，我的很多弟兄是好人纯赎，有些……不那么好谦疾，這樣說可以嗎？當(dāng)然犬金，有種說法認(rèn)為已日，說一個男人開始如何并不重要幅骄，重要的是最終結(jié)局。我想女人也一樣〕兆啵”僧侶站起身梦抢“覆冢“恐怕我們在一起的時間已經(jīng)結(jié)束地啰。我聽見我的弟兄們來了。夫人派人來找你栓袖∠徽”

“I am saying we are human. You are not the only one with wounds, Lady Brienne. Some of my brothers were good men when this began. Some were … less good, shall we say? Though there are those who say it does not matter how a man begins, but only how he ends. I suppose it is the same for women.” The priest got to his feet. “Our time together is at an end, I fear. I hear my brothers coming. Our lady sends for you.”

布蕾妮聽見腳步聲，看到火炬光在隧道中閃爍裹刮∫舭瘢“你告訴我說她去美人市集了∨跗”

Brienne heard their footsteps and saw torchlight flickering in the passage. “You told me she had gone to Fairmarket.”

“她是去過囊咏。我們睡覺時她又回來了。她從來不睡塔橡。”

“And so she had. She returned whilst we were sleeping. She never sleeps herself.”

我不害怕霜第，她告訴自己葛家，但已太遲了。至少我不能讓他們看出我害怕泌类，她轉(zhuǎn)而向自己承諾癞谒。他們一行四人，身強(qiáng)體壯刃榨，面容桀驁不馴弹砚，穿著鎖甲、鱗甲和皮甲枢希。她認(rèn)出其中一位桌吃，夢中的獨眼人。

I will not be afraid, she told herself, but it was too late for that. I will not let them see my fear, she promised herself instead. There were four of them, hard men with haggard faces, clad in mail and scale and leather. She recognized one of them; the man with one eye, from her dreams.

四人中最高大那個穿一件骯臟破舊的黃斗篷苞轿∶┯眨“吃得滿意逗物？”他問，“希望如此瑟俭。那是你的最后一餐翎卓。”他棕頭發(fā)摆寄，大胡子失暴，結(jié)實強(qiáng)健，斷裂過的鼻子愈合得很差微饥。我認(rèn)識這人逗扒，布蕾妮心想⌒蠛牛“你是獵狗缴阎。”

The biggest of the four wore a stained and tattered yellow cloak. “Enjoy the food?” he asked. “I hope so. It’s the last food you’re ever like to eat.” He was brown-haired, bearded, brawny, with a broken nose that had healed badly. I know this man, Brienne thought. “You are the Hound.”

他咧嘴一笑简软，露出滿口爛牙蛮拔，歪歪扭扭，布滿褐色蛀痕痹升〗牛“我想是的，因為小姐您殺了上一個獵狗疼蛾「氐”他扭頭啐了一口。

He grinned. His teeth were awful; crooked, and streaked brown with rot. “I suppose I am. Seeing as how m’lady went and killed the last one.” He turned his head and spat.

她記起閃爍的電光察郁，腳下的爛泥衍慎。“我殺了羅爾杰皮钠。他從克里岡墳頭取走頭盔稳捆，你又從他尸體上揀了過來÷蠛洌”

She remembered lightning flashing, the mud beneath her feet. “It was Rorge I killed. He took the helm from Clegane’s grave, and you stole it off his corpse.”

“他可沒抗議乔夯。”

“I didn’t hear him objecting.”

索羅斯不安地吸了一口氣款侵∧┘觯“真的嗎？死人的頭盔新锈？我們墮落到如此地步甲脏？”

Thoros sucked in his breath in dismay. “Is this true? A dead man’s helm? Have we fallen that low?”

大個子朝他皺眉頭。“那是好鋼剃幌×牵”

The big man scowled at him. “It’s good steel.”

“這頂頭盔和戴它的人都不吉祥，”紅袍僧說负乡，“桑鐸·克里岡飽受折磨牍白，而羅爾杰是人皮野獸《都”

“There is nothing good about that helm, nor the men who wore it,” said the red priest. “Sandor Clegane was a man in torment, and Rorge a beast in human skin.”

“我不是他們茂腥。”

“I’m not them.”

“那為什么要讓全世界看到他們的臉切省？殘暴最岗，兇狠，扭曲……你想當(dāng)那樣的人嗎朝捆，檸檬般渡？”

“Then why show the world their face? Savage, snarling, twisted … is that who you would be, Lem?”

“看到它，我的敵人會害怕芙盘⊙庇茫”

“The sight of it will make my foes afraid.”

“看到它，我自己都會害怕儒老『牵”

“The sight of it makes me afraid.”

“那就閉上你的眼睛⊥苑”黃斗篷打個急促的手勢薇正，“帶走那婊子∏粝危”

“Close your eyes, then.” The man in the yellow cloak made a sharp gesture. “Bring the whore.”

布蕾妮沒抗拒挖腰。他們有四個人，而受傷后的她十分虛弱练湿，寬松的羊毛衣服底下什么都沒有猴仑。他們押她穿過蜿蜒的隧道，她不得不矮下脖子鞠鲜，以免撞到頭。前方路面急速上升断国，拐了兩個彎贤姆，進(jìn)入一個巨洞，里面滿是土匪稳衬。

Brienne did not resist. There were four of them, and she was weak and wounded, naked beneath the woolen shift. She had to bend her neck to keep from hitting her head as they marched her through the twisting passage. The way ahead rose sharply, turning twice before emerging in a much larger cavern full of outlaws.

泥地中央挖出一個大火坑霞捡，空氣中青煙彌漫，很多人簇?fù)碓诨鸲堰吶∨【危瑢股蕉蠢锏暮畾獗绦拧Ｆ溆嗟难貕φ玖⑸蘖眨虮P腿坐在草墊上。也有女人砰碴，甚至有幾個小孩躏筏，躲在母親裙裾后面張望。布蕾妮唯一認(rèn)識的臉是“長腿”簡妮·海德呈枉。

A fire pit had been dug into the center of the floor, and the air was blue with smoke. Men clustered near the flames, warming themselves against the chill of the cave. Others stood along the walls or sat cross-legged on straw pallets. There were women too, and even a few children peering out from behind their mothers’ skirts. The one face Brienne knew belonged to Long Jeyne Heddle.

山洞中趁尼，巖石裂隙里支起一張擱板桌，后面坐著一個灰衣女人猖辫，披斗篷酥泞，戴兜帽。她手拿一頂王冠啃憎，青銅箍上圍了一圈黑鐵劍芝囤。她正端詳著它，手指摸索劍刃辛萍，仿佛在測試它們有多鋒利悯姊。她的眼睛在兜帽底下閃爍著寒光。

A trestle table had been set up across the cave, in a cleft in the rock. Behind it sat a woman all in grey, cloaked and hooded. In her hands was a crown, a bronze circlet ringed by iron swords. She was studying it, her fingers stroking the blades as if to test their sharpness. Her eyes glimmered under her hood.

灰色是靜默姐妹的顏色叹阔，她們是陌客的侍女挠轴。布蕾妮感覺一陣戰(zhàn)栗爬上脊柱。石心夫人耳幢。

Grey was the color of the silent sisters, the handmaidens of the Stranger. Brienne felt a shiver climb her spine. Stoneheart.

“夫人岸晦，”大個子通報【υ澹“她來了启上。”

“M’lady,” said the big man. “Here she is.”

“對店印，”獨眼人補(bǔ)充冈在。“弒君者的婊子按摘“”

“Aye,” added the one-eyed man. “The Kingslayer’s whore.”

她怔了一怔§畔停“你為什么這樣叫我溅固？”

She flinched. “Why would you call me that?”

“要是你每叫一聲他的名字，我就能得到一枚銀鹿兰珍，那我早跟你的蘭尼斯特朋友一樣富有了侍郭。”

“If I had a silver stag for every time you said his name, I’d be as rich as your friends the Lannisters.”

“那只不過……你不明白……”

“That was only … you do not understand …”

“哦，是嗎亮元？”大個子笑道猛计，“我覺得我們明白。你有一股獅子的臭味爆捞，小姐奉瘤。”

“Don’t we, though?” The big man laughed. “I think we might. There’s a stink of lion about you, lady.”

“不是那么回事嵌削∶茫”

“That’s not so.”

另一名土匪踏上前來，他是個年輕人苛秕，穿一件沾滿油污的羊皮短上衣肌访，手拿守誓劍⊥Ы伲“這把劍可以證明她是獅子吼驶。”他操著生硬的北方口音店煞，把劍從鞘中拔出蟹演，放在石心夫人面前∏牦埃火光照耀下酒请，黑紅波紋仿佛顫動不休，但那灰衣女人的眼睛只盯著劍柄后端的圓頭：一只黃金獅子頭鸣个，紅寶石眼睛像兩顆紅色的星星一樣熠熠生輝羞反。

Another of the outlaws stepped forward, a younger man in a greasy sheepskin jerkin. In his hand was Oathkeeper. “This says it is.” His voice was frosted with the accents of the north. He slid the sword from its scabbard and placed it in front of Lady Stoneheart. In the light from the firepit the red and black ripples in the blade almost seem to move, but the woman in grey had eyes only for the pommel: a golden lion’s head, with ruby eyes that shone like two red stars.

“還有這個《谟”彌爾的索羅斯從袖子里抽出一張羊皮紙昼窗，放在劍旁邊√紊幔“上面有小國王的印戳澄惊，說攜帶者在為他辦事「谎牛”

“There is this as well.” Thoros of Myr drew a parchment from his sleeve, and put it down next to the sword. “It bears the boy king’s seal and says the bearer is about his business.”

石心夫人將劍擱置一邊掸驱，開始讀信。

Lady Stoneheart set the sword aside to read the letter.

“給我這把劍是有正當(dāng)用途的没佑，”布蕾妮說毕贼，“詹姆爵士立過誓，向凱特琳·史塔克……”

“The sword was given me for a good purpose,” said Brienne. “Ser Jaime swore an oath to Catelyn Stark …”

“……然后叫朋友們割了她的喉嚨图筹，”穿黃斗篷的大個子說帅刀，“我們都了解弒君者和他的誓言≡妒＃”

“… before his friends cut her throat for her, that must have been,” said the big man in the yellow cloak. “We all know about the Kingslayer and his oaths.”

沒用扣溺，布蕾妮意識到，跟他們解釋沒用瓜晤。盡管如此锥余，她仍然說下去×÷樱“他答應(yīng)凱特琳夫人交還她的女兒們驱犹，但等他到達(dá)君臨城，她們已不在了足画。詹姆派我出來尋找珊莎小姐……”

It is no good, Brienne realized. No words of mine will sway them. She plunged ahead despite that. “He promised Lady Catelyn her daughters, but by the time we reached King’s Landing they were gone. Jaime sent me out to seek the Lady Sansa …”

“……假如你找到那女孩雄驹，”年輕的北境人問，“拿她怎么辦淹辞？”

“… and if you had found the girl,” asked the young northman, “what were you to do with her?”

“保護(hù)她医舆。帶她去安全的地方∠笞海”

“Protect her. Take her somewhere safe.”

大個子哈哈大笑蔬将。“那是哪里呢央星？瑟曦的地牢霞怀？”

The big man laughed. “Where’s that? Cersei’s dungeon?”

“不±蚋”

“No.”

“隨你怎么否認(rèn)毙石。這把劍說明你在撒謊。難道要我們相信蘭尼斯特家會把黃金紅寶石的劍交給敵人禁谦？要我們相信弒君者請求你把女孩藏起來胁黑，不讓他自己的孿生姐姐找到？我猜那張帶有小國王印鑒的紙只不過是以防萬一州泊，在你需要擦屁股時用的吧丧蘸？還有你那些同伙……”大個子轉(zhuǎn)身招招手，土匪們讓出一條通路遥皂，兩名俘虜被帶上來力喷。“男孩是小惡魔的侍從演训，夫人弟孟，”他向石心夫人報告，“另一個是‘血腥’藍(lán)道的直屬騎士样悟，雙手沾滿鮮血拂募⊥バ桑”

“Deny it all you want. That sword says you’re a liar. Are we supposed to believe the Lannisters are handing out gold and ruby swords to foes? That the Kingslayer meant for you to hide the girl from his own twin? I suppose the paper with the boy king’s seal was just in case you needed to wipe your arse? And then there’s the company you keep …” The big man turned and beckoned, the ranks of outlaws parted, and two more captives were brought forth. “The boy was the Imp’s own squire, m’lady,” he said to Lady Stoneheart. “T’other is one of Randyll Bloody Tarly’s bloody household knights.”

海爾·亨特被打得很慘，臉腫得幾乎認(rèn)不出來陈症。在他們的推搡下蔼水，他踉踉蹌蹌地走過來，差點跌倒录肯。波德里克抓住他的胳膊趴腋。“爵士论咏，”看到布蕾妮优炬，男孩悲慘地說√埃“小姐蠢护，我是說。抱歉养涮『啵”

Hyle Hunt had been beaten so badly that his face was swollen almost beyond recognition. He stumbled as they shoved him, and almost fell. Podrick caught him by the arm. “Ser,” the boy said miserably, when he saw Brienne. “My lady, I mean. Sorry.”

“你沒什么可抱歉的〉ゼ牛”布蕾妮轉(zhuǎn)向石心夫人贬芥。“不管你認(rèn)為我做了什么背信棄義的事宣决，波德里克和海爾爵士都沒參與蘸劈。”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Brienne turned to Lady Stoneheart. “Whatever treachery you think I may have done, my lady, Podrick and Ser Hyle were no part of it.”

“他們是獅子尊沸，”獨眼人道威沫。“這就夠了洼专。我說吊死他們棒掠，塔利已經(jīng)絞死了二十個我們的人，是時候吊幾個他的人了屁商！”

“They’re lions,” said the one-eyed man. “That’s enough. I say they hang. Tarly’s hanged a score o’ ours, past time we strung up some o’ his.”

海爾爵士朝布蕾妮無力地微笑烟很。“小姐蜡镶，”他說雾袱，“當(dāng)初我提出婚約時，你應(yīng)該答應(yīng)的」倩梗現(xiàn)在嘛芹橡，恐怕到死你都還是個處女，而我則是個窮人望伦×炙担”

Ser Hyle gave Brienne a faint smile. “My lady,” he said, “you should have wed me when I made my offer. Now I fear you’re doomed to die a maid, and me a poor man.”

“放他們走吧煎殷。”布蕾妮懇求腿箩。

“Let them go,” Brienne pleaded.

灰衣女人沒回答蝌数。她端詳著劍、羊皮紙以及銅鐵王冠度秘，最后把手伸到下巴下面，抓住脖子饵撑，好像要掐死自己一樣剑梳。但她開口說話了……嗓音斷斷續(xù)續(xù)，飽受折磨滑潘，似乎來自喉嚨垢乙，嘶啞喘息，很像臨死前的喉音语卤。那是被詛咒者的語言追逮，布蕾妮心想〈舛妫“我聽不懂钮孵。她說什么？”

The woman in grey gave no answer. She studied the sword, the parchment, the bronze-and-iron crown. Finally she reached up under her jaw and grasped her neck, as if she meant to throttle herself. Instead she spoke … Her voice was halting, broken, tortured. The sound seemed to come from her throat, part croak, part wheeze, part death rattle. The language of the damned, thought Brienne. “I don’t understand. What did she say?”

“她問你這把劍的名字眼滤“拖”穿羊皮短上衣的年輕北境人說。

“She asked the name of this blade of yours,” said the young northman in the sheepskin jerkin.

“守誓劍诅需⊙Γ”布蕾妮答道。

“Oathkeeper,” Brienne answered.

灰衣女人的指間發(fā)出嘶嘶聲堰塌。她的眼睛仿佛陰影中燃燒的兩顆紅炭赵刑。她又說話了。

The woman in grey hissed through her fingers. Her eyes were two red pits burning in the shadows. She spoke again.

“不對场刑，她說般此，這應(yīng)該叫‘破誓劍’。它是用來背叛與謀殺牵现，她為它取名為‘虛偽之友’恤煞，和你一樣∈┘”

“No, she says. Call it Oathbreaker, she says. It was made for treachery and murder. She names it False Friend. Like you.”

“我對誰虛偽了居扒？”

“To whom have I been false?”

“對她，”北境人說丑慎，“小姐喜喂，你難道忘了自己曾立誓為她效力瓤摧？”

“To her,” the northman said. “Can it be that my lady has forgotten that you once swore her your service?”

塔斯的處女立誓效力的女人只有一個∮裼酰“不可能照弥，”她說，“她死了进副≌獯В”

There was only one woman that the Maid of Tarth had ever sworn to serve. “That cannot be,” she said. “She’s dead.”

“死亡與賓客權(quán)利，”長腿簡妮·海德喃喃道影斑，“它們的意義都跟從前不同了给赞。”

“Death and guest right,” muttered Long Jeyne Heddle. “They don’t mean so much as they used to, neither one.”

石心夫人放低兜帽矫户，解開臉上的灰羊毛圍巾片迅。她的頭發(fā)干枯脆弱，白如骸骨皆辽，額頭是斑駁的灰綠色柑蛇，夾雜著褐色腐斑。條條碎肉附著在她臉上驱闷，從眼睛直到下巴耻台。有些豁口結(jié)著干血塊，有些則露出底下的骨頭空另。

Lady Stoneheart lowered her hood and unwound the grey wool scarf from her face. Her hair was dry and brittle, white as bone. Her brow was mottled green and grey, spotted with the brown blooms of decay. The flesh of her face clung in ragged strips from her eyes down to her jaw. Some of the rips were crusted with dried blood, but others gaped open to reveal the skull beneath.

她的臉粘我，布蕾妮心想，她的臉曾經(jīng)如此健康美麗痹换，她的皮膚曾經(jīng)如此光滑柔軟征字。“凱特琳夫人娇豫？”淚水充滿她的眼睛匙姜，“他們說……他們說你死了》肓。”

Her face, Brienne thought. Her face was so strong and handsome, her skin so smooth and soft. “Lady Catelyn?” Tears filled her eyes. “They said … they said that you were dead.”

“她確實死了氮昧，”密爾的索羅斯道，“佛雷家割了她的喉嚨浦楣，從一邊耳朵直到另一邊袖肥。我們在河邊找到她時，她已經(jīng)死了三天振劳。哈爾溫請求我給她生命之吻椎组，但隔得太久，我不愿意历恐，因此貝里伯爵代替我將嘴唇置于她的嘴唇之上寸癌，把自己的生命之火傳遞給她专筷。然后……她復(fù)活了。光之王保佑我們蒸苇。她復(fù)活了磷蛹。”

“She is,” said Thoros of Myr. “The Freys slashed her throat from ear to ear. When we found her by the river she was three days dead. Harwin begged me to give her the kiss of life, but it had been too long. I would not do it, so Lord Beric put his lips to hers instead, and the flame of life passed from him to her. And … she rose. May the Lord of Light protect us. She rose.”

我還在做夢溪烤？布蕾妮疑惑地想味咳，這是尖牙的牙衍生的又一個噩夢？“告訴她檬嘀，我從沒背叛她槽驶。我以七神之名起誓。我憑自己的劍起誓枪眉。”

Am I dreaming still? Brienne wondered. Is this another nightmare born from Biter’s teeth? “I never betrayed her. Tell her that. I swear it by the Seven. I swear it by my sword.”

曾是凱特琳·史塔克的東西再次捂住喉嚨再层，手指夾緊脖子上長長的可怕傷口贸铜，哽咽地擠出一點聲響∧羰埽“言辭就像風(fēng)蒿秦，她說，”北境人告訴布蕾妮蛋济，“她要你證明誠意棍鳖。”

The thing that had been Catelyn Stark took hold of her throat again, fingers pinching at the ghastly long slash in her neck, and choked out more sounds. “Words are wind, she says,” the northman told Brienne. “She says that you must prove your faith.”

“怎么證明碗旅？”布蕾妮問渡处。

“How?” asked Brienne.

“用你的劍。守誓劍祟辟，你是這樣叫它的吧医瘫？那就信守對她立下的誓言，夫人說旧困〈挤荩”

“With your sword. Oathkeeper, you call it? Then keep your oath to her, milady says.”

“她要我做什么？”

“What does she want of me?”

“她要她兒子活著吼具，或者要殺他的人死去僚纷，”大個子道∞趾校“她要拿他們喂烏鴉怖竭，就像他們在紅色婚禮后干的那樣。佛雷和波頓陡蝇，沒錯侵状。我們會滿足她赞弥，要多少有多少。她要你做的只是殺掉詹姆·蘭尼斯特而已趣兄≌雷螅”

“She wants her son alive, or the men who killed him dead,” said the big man. “She wants to feed the crows, like they did at the Red Wedding. Freys and Boltons, aye. We’ll give her those, as many as she likes. All she asks from you is Jaime Lannister.”

詹姆。這名字像一把匕首在她肚子里攪動艇潭∑纯“凱特琳夫人，我……您不明白蹋凝，詹姆……我們被血戲子們俘虜鲁纠，他救了我，使我不至于被強(qiáng)暴鳍寂，后來他又回來找我改含，赤手空拳跳下熊坑……我向你發(fā)誓，他不是那樣子的迄汛。他派我去找珊莎捍壤，保護(hù)她的安全，他不可能參與紅色婚禮鞍爱【榫酰”

Jaime. The name was a knife, twisting in her belly. “Lady Catelyn, I … you do not understand, Jaime … he saved me from being raped when the Bloody Mummers took us, and later he came back for me, he leapt into the bear pit empty-handed … I swear to you, he is not the man he was. He sent me after Sansa to keep her safe, he could not have had a part in the Red Wedding.”

凱特琳夫人的手指深深掐入脖子里，斷斷續(xù)續(xù)睹逃、窒息般的話語仿佛一條冰冷的河流盗扇。北境人說：“她說你必須選擇。要么拿劍去殺弒君者沉填，要么被當(dāng)做叛徒吊死疗隶。劍還是繩子，她說翼闹。選擇吧抽减，她說￠夏耄快選卵沉。”

Lady Catelyn’s fingers dug deep into her throat, and the words came rattling out, choked and broken, a stream as cold as ice. The northman said, “She says that you must choose. Take the sword and slay the Kingslayer, or be hanged for a betrayer. The sword or the noose, she says. Choose, she says. Choose.”

布蕾妮記起自己的夢法牲，記起自己在父親的大廳里等待那個將要與她結(jié)婚的男孩史汗。夢中的她咬掉了舌頭。鮮血從嘴里涌出拒垃。她深吸一口氣停撞，“我不會作這樣的選擇。”

Brienne remembered her dream, waiting in her father’s hall for the boy she was to marry. In the dream she had bitten off her tongue. My mouth was full of blood. She took a ragged breath and said, “I will not make that choice.”

長久的沉默戈毒。然后石心夫人又說話了艰猬。這一次布蕾妮聽得懂。只有兩個字埋市」谔遥“絞刑〉勒”她嘶啞地說食听。

There was a long silence. Then Lady Stoneheart spoke again. This time Brienne understood her words. There were only two. “Hang them,” she croaked.

“遵命，夫人污茵∮１ǎ”大個子應(yīng)道。

“As you command, m’lady,” said the big man.

他們再度將布蕾妮的手腕用繩子綁起來泞当，拉著她沿一條彎彎曲曲的巖石小道走出山洞迹蛤，來到地表。她驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn)襟士，外面是早上盗飒，清晨蒼白無力的光柱斜斜地穿過樹叢。這兒的樹真多敌蜂，她心想箩兽，不需走太遠(yuǎn)津肛。

They bound Brienne’s wrists with rope again and led her from the cavern, up a twisting stony path to the surface. It was morning outside, she was surprised to see. Shafts of pale dawn light were slanting through the trees. So many trees to choose from, she thought. They will not need to take us far.

他們果然沒走太遠(yuǎn)章喉。在一株歪歪扭扭的柳樹下，土匪們將她的脖子套進(jìn)繩圈身坐，抽緊之后秸脱，另一端拋過樹枝。海爾·亨特和波德瑞克·派恩將被吊在榆樹上部蛇。亨特爵士嚷嚷著說他愿意去殺詹姆·蘭尼斯特摊唇，但獵狗抽了他一巴掌，讓他閉嘴涯鲁。他又戴上那頂頭盔巷查。“假如你有罪孽要向諸神懺悔抹腿，是時候了岛请。”

Nor did they. Beneath a crooked willow, the outlaws slipped a noose about her neck, jerked it tight, and tossed the other end of the rope over a limb. Hyle Hunt and Podrick Payne were given elms. Ser Hyle was shouting that he would kill Jaime Lannister, but the Hound cuffed him across the face and shut him up. He had donned the helm again. “If you got crimes to confess to your gods, this would be the time to say them.”

“波德瑞克從沒傷害過你們警绩。我父親會付他的贖金崇败。塔斯被稱為藍(lán)寶石之島。把我的遺骨和波德瑞克一起送去暮臨廳，你們就能得到藍(lán)寶石后室，銀子缩膝，任何想要的東西“杜”

“Podrick has never harmed you. My father will ransom him. Tarth is called the sapphire isle. Send Podrick with my bones to Evenfall, and you’ll have sapphires, silver, whatever you want.”

“我想要我的妻子女兒活著疾层，”獵狗說，“你父親能給我嗎松申？如果不能云芦，讓他見鬼去吧。那孩子得跟你一塊兒爛掉贸桶，狼群會來啃你們的骨頭舅逸。”

“I want my wife and daughter back,” said the Hound. “Can your father give me that? If not, he can get buggered. The boy will rot beside you. Wolves will gnaw your bones.”

“你打算吊死這婊子皇筛，檸檬琉历？”獨眼人問，“還是想用口水把她淹死水醋∑毂剩”

“Do you mean to hang her, Lem?” asked the one-eyed man. “Or do you figure to talk the bitch to death?”

獵狗從邊上的人手中一把奪過繩子≈糇伲“讓我們看看她會不會跳舞蝇恶，”他道，然后使勁一拉惶桐。

The Hound snatched the end of the rope from the man holding it. “Let’s see if she can dance,” he said, and gave a yank.

布蕾妮感覺麻繩收緊撮弧，嵌入肌膚，將下巴往上提姚糊。海爾爵士滔滔不絕地咒罵贿衍，男孩卻什么也沒說，甚至當(dāng)雙腳騰空而起時救恨，波德瑞克連眼睛都沒抬一下贸辈。如果這是又一個夢，該醒了肠槽；如果這是真的擎淤，那我死定了。她只看得見波德瑞克秸仙，繩圈套著他細(xì)細(xì)的脖子嘴拢，他的雙腿在抽搐。她張開嘴巴筋栋。波德蹬踢掙扎炊汤，即將窒息而亡。雖然繩索緊緊扼住布蕾妮，但她拼命吸入一口氣抢腐。她從未感覺如此疼痛姑曙。

Brienne felt the hemp constricting, digging into her skin, jerking her chin upward. Ser Hyle was cursing them eloquently, but not the boy. Podrick never lifted his eyes, not even when his feet were jerked up off the ground. If this is another dream, it is time for me to awaken. If this is real, it is time for me to die. All she could see was Podrick, the noose around his thin neck, his legs twitching. Her mouth opened. Pod was kicking, choking, dying. Brienne sucked the air in desperately, even as the rope was strangling her. Nothing had ever hurt so much.

她嘶喊出一個詞。

She screamed a word.