穿過庭院去澡堂時轨香，艾莉亞瞥到一只渡鴉盤旋降落在鴉巢，不禁疑惑它從哪里來幼东，帶來什么消息臂容。說不定是羅柏派來的，專門澄清布蘭和瑞肯的事根蟹。她咬緊嘴唇如此期望脓杉。如果我也有翅膀，就可以自己飛回简逮，臨冬城去看球散。如果事情是真的，那我就干脆一直飛散庶，飛過月亮蕉堰，飛過閃亮的星星凌净，飛去看老奶媽故事里的一切，飛去看龍屋讶、海怪和布拉佛斯的泰坦巨人像冰寻。再也不要回來。

The hunting party returned near evenfall with nine dead wolves. Seven were adults, big grey-brown beasts, savage and powerful, their mouths drawn back over long yellow teeth by their dying snarls. But the other two had only been pups. Lord Bolton gave orders for the skins to be sewn into a blanket for his bed. “Cubs still have that soft fur, my lord,” one of his men pointed out. “Make you a nice warm pair of gloves.”

捕獵的隊伍近黃昏時才回來皿渗，帶回九匹死狼斩芭，其中七匹是成年狼，體型很大乐疆，一身灰棕划乖，兇猛而強(qiáng)壯，由于臨死前的咆哮诀拭，它們嘴巴張開露出黃色的牙齒迁筛；另有兩匹是幼崽。波頓大人下令把它們的皮縫成毯子鋪在他床上耕挨。“小狼皮軟尉桩，大人筒占，”他的一名手下指出，“不如做一副暖和的手套蜘犁『采唬”

Bolton glanced up at the banners waving above the gatehouse towers. “As the Starks are wont to remind us, winter is coming. Have it done.” When he saw Arya looking on, he said, “Nan, I’ll want a flagon of hot spice wine, I took a chill in the woods. See that it doesn’t get cold. I’m of a mind to sup alone. Barley bread, butter, and boar.”

波頓抬頭瞥瞥城門樓上飄揚(yáng)的旗幟，“好吧这橙，正如史塔克常提醒我們的：凜冬將至奏窑。那就做吧∏”他看見艾莉亞望著他埃唯，便道，“娜娜鹰晨，我在林子里受了點(diǎn)風(fēng)寒墨叛，來一壺加熱的香料酒，別讓它涼掉模蜡。我打算獨(dú)自進(jìn)晚餐漠趁。大麥面包，黃油和野豬肉忍疾〈炒”

“At once, my lord.” That was always the best thing to say.

“我馬上去辦，大人卤妒∩蹋”這總是最佳回答叠必。

Hot Pie was making oatcakes when she entered the kitchen. Three other cooks were boning fish, while a spit boy turned a boar over the flames. “My lord wants his supper, and hot spice wine to wash it down,” Arya announced, “and he doesn’t want it cold.” One of the cooks washed his hands, took out a kettle, and filled it with a heavy, sweet red. Hot Pie was told to crumble in the spices as the wine heated. Arya went to help.

到廚房時，熱派做著燕麥餅妹窖，另三個廚子在剔魚骨纬朝，司爐小弟則在火焰上翻轉(zhuǎn)野豬〗竞簦“大人要晚餐共苛，配上加熱的香料葡萄酒，”艾莉亞宣布蜓萄，“不能涼掉隅茎。”聽罷此言嫉沽，一個廚子連忙洗手辟犀，取出一個鍋子，倒?jié)M粘稠芬芳的紅酒绸硕，然后叫熱派邊看著火邊把香料搗碎了加進(jìn)去堂竟。艾莉亞過去幫忙。

“I can do it,” he said sullenly. “I don’t need you to show me how to spice wine.”

“我自己來玻佩，”他沉著臉說出嘹。“這點(diǎn)小事不用你教咬崔∷凹冢”

He hates me too, or else he’s scared of me. She backed away, more sad than angry. When the food was ready, the cooks covered it with a silver cover and wrapped the flagon in a thick towel to keep it warm. Dusk was settling outside. On the walls the crows muttered round the heads like courtiers round a king. One of the guards held the door to Kingspyre. “Hope that’s not weasel soup,” he jested.

他恨我，不然就是怕我垮斯。她退開去郎仆，傷心更甚氣惱。食物準(zhǔn)備好之后兜蠕，廚子們扣上銀罩扰肌，并拿厚毛巾包住酒壺保溫。暮色降臨牺氨，城墻上的烏鴉繞著頭顱嘀嘀咕咕狡耻，活像滿朝文武覲見國王。一個衛(wèi)兵守在焚王塔門口猴凹，“這不是黃鼠狼湯吧夷狰？”他打趣道。

Roose Bolton was seated by the hearth reading from a thick leatherbound book when she entered. “Light some candles,” he commanded her as he turned a page. “It grows gloomy in here.”

盧斯·波頓正在火爐邊看一本皮革裝訂的厚書郊霎≌油罚“多點(diǎn)幾只蠟燭，”他邊翻書頁邊下令，“越來越暗了进倍⊥林粒”

She placed the food at his elbow and did as he bid her, filling the room with flickering light and the scent of cloves. Bolton turned a few more pages with his finger, then closed the book and placed it carefully in the fire. He watched the flames consume it, pale eyes shining with reflected light. The old dry leather went up with a whoosh, and the yellow pages stirred as they burned, as if some ghost were reading them. “I will have no further need of you tonight,” he said, never looking at her.

她把餐盤放在他手邊，然后遵命去點(diǎn)蠟燭猾昆，屋里頃刻間充滿搖曳的亮光和丁香的氣味陶因。波頓又用手指夾著翻了幾頁，然后合上垂蜗，緩緩地將書放進(jìn)火堆楷扬。他目睹火焰將其吞噬，淡白的眼珠映著亮光贴见。干燥的舊皮革“呼”的一聲著了火烘苹，泛黃的書頁一張張卷起來，仿佛有個幽靈正在閱讀片部×秃猓“今晚用不著你了，”他說話時一眼都沒瞧她档悠。

She should have gone, silent as a mouse, but something had hold of her. “My lord,” she asked, “will you take me with you when you leave Harrenhal?”

她該像老鼠一樣悄悄離開廊鸥，卻不知怎地留了下來≌舅冢“大人黍图，”她開口問，“您離開赫倫堡時會帶上我嗎奴烙？”

He turned to stare at her, and from the look in his eyes it was as if his supper had just spoken to him. “Did I give you leave to question me, Nan?”

他轉(zhuǎn)頭凝視她，那眼神好像是突然發(fā)現(xiàn)晚餐在跟他說話剖张∏芯鳎“我準(zhǔn)你問話了嗎，娜娜搔弄？”

“No, my lord.” She lowered her eyes.

“沒有幅虑，大人」擞蹋”她垂下眼倒庵。

“You should not have spoken, then. Should you?”

“那你就不該問，對不對炫刷？”

“No. My lord.”

“不該擎宝，大人』肼辏”

For a moment he looked amused. “I will answer you, just this once. I mean to give Harrenhal to Lord Vargo when I return to the north. You will remain here, with him.”

他似乎有些興致绍申。“念你是初犯，我就回答一次极阅，下不為例胃碾。我回北方的時候，打算把赫倫堡交給瓦格大人筋搏。你和他一起留下仆百。”

“But I don’t—” she started.

“但我不——”

He cut her off. “I am not in the habit of being questioned by servants, Nan. Must I have your tongue out?”

他打斷她奔脐，“我沒有被仆人質(zhì)問的習(xí)慣俄周，娜娜，要我把你的舌頭拔出來嗎帖族？”

He would do it as easily as another man might cuff a dog, she knew. “No, my lord.”

她知道這種事對他而言栈源，就跟別人打狗一樣稀松平常∈悖“不甚垦，大人』恋瘢”

“Then I’ll hear no more from you?”

“那就把嘴巴閉上艰亮。”

“No, my lord.”

“是挣郭，大人迄埃。”

“Go, then. I shall forget this insolence.”

“去吧兑障，我原諒你這次無禮侄非。”

Arya went, but not to her bed. When she stepped out into the darkness of the yard, the guard on the door nodded at her and said, “Storm coming. Smell the air?” The wind was gusting, flames swirling off the torches mounted atop the walls beside the rows of heads. On her way to the godswood, she passed the Wailing Tower where once she had lived in fear of Weese. The Freys had taken it for their own since Harrenhal’s fall. She could hear angry voices coming from a window, many men talking and arguing all at once. Elmar was sitting on the steps outside, alone.

艾莉亞離開了流译，但沒有回去睡覺逞怨，她走出焚王塔，踏入黑暗的庭院福澡，門口的衛(wèi)兵點(diǎn)頭道：“聞到了吧叠赦？暴風(fēng)雨要來了「镌遥”陣陣朔風(fēng)吹過除秀，插在城墻上那些頭顱旁的火炬急速搖曳。去神木林途中算利，經(jīng)過號哭塔册踩，她曾在那兒生活，生活在對威斯的恐懼中笔时。赫倫堡陷落后棍好，佛雷家將它占用，她聽見一扇窗戶內(nèi)傳來許多憤怒的話音，一群人在同時叫囂借笙，討論爭吵扒怖。艾爾瑪獨(dú)坐在門外臺階上。

“What’s wrong?” Arya asked him when she saw the tears shining on his cheeks.

“怎么回事业稼？”艾莉亞問盗痒，他的臉頰閃著淚花。

“My princess,” he sobbed. “We’ve been dishonored, Aenys says. There was a bird from the Twins. My lord father says I’ll need to marry someone else, or be a septon.”

“我的公主低散，”他抽泣著俯邓，“伊尼斯說我們蒙羞了。父親大人從孿河城派來一只鳥熔号，要我跟別人結(jié)婚稽鞭，否則就去做修士∫鳎”

A stupid princess, she thought, that’s nothing to cry over. “My brothers might be dead,” she confided.

就為一個笨公主朦蕴，她心想，有什么好哭的弟头》宰ィ“我弟弟可能死了呢，”她向他吐露赴恨。

Elmar gave her a scornful look. “No one cares about a serving girl’s brothers.”

艾爾瑪輕蔑地看了她一眼疹娶，“誰在乎女仆的弟弟呀÷琢”

It was hard not to hit him when he said that. “I hope your princess dies,” she said, and ran off before he could grab her.

聽他這么說雨饺，很難不去揍他』蟠荆“你的公主去死吧沛膳！”她大聲道，然后趁他抓她之前飛身跑掉汛聚。

In the godswood she found her broomstick sword where she had left it, and carried it to the heart tree. There she knelt. Red leaves rustled. Red eyes peered inside her. The eyes of the gods. “Tell me what to do, you gods,” she prayed.

? ? 她跑進(jìn)神木林，在原處找到掃帚劍短荐，提著它來到心樹前跪下倚舀。紅葉沙沙作響，紅眼洞穿內(nèi)心忍宋，這是遠(yuǎn)古諸神的眼睛痕貌。“諸神啊糠排，請告訴我該怎么做舵稠，”她祈求。良久，一片寂靜哺徊，惟有風(fēng)聲室琢、水聲和枝葉的婆娑。接著落追，從遙遠(yuǎn)的地方盈滴，從神木林之外，從鬧鬼的塔樓之外轿钠，從赫倫堡巨大的石墻之外巢钓，從世界的某處，傳來一聲孤寂而悠長的狼嚎疗垛。艾莉亞起了雞皮疙瘩症汹，片刻之間頭暈?zāi)垦！Ｈ缓蟠螅鼥V朧聽見父親的聲音背镇，“當(dāng)大雪降下，冷風(fēng)吹起花履，獨(dú)行狼死芽世，群聚狼生，”他說诡壁。

For a long moment there was no sound but the wind and the water and the creak of leaf and limb. And then, far far off, beyond the godswood and the haunted towers and the immense stone walls of Harrenhal, from somewhere out in the world, came the long lonely howl of a wolf. Gooseprickles rose on Arya’s skin, and for an instant she felt dizzy. Then, so faintly, it seemed as if she heard her father’s voice. “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives,” he said.

“可我找不到伴济瓢，”她輕聲對魚梁木說。布蘭和瑞肯死了妹卿，珊莎在蘭尼斯特家手中旺矾，瓊恩去了長城《峥耍“我甚至都不是自己箕宙，我成了娜娜∑膛Γ”

“But there is no pack,” she whispered to the weirwood. Bran and Rickon were dead, the Lannisters had Sansa, Jon had gone to the Wall. “I’m not even me now, I’m Nan.”

“你是臨冬城的艾莉亞柬帕，北境的女兒。你答應(yīng)過我會變得堅強(qiáng)狡门，別忘了陷寝，你體內(nèi)流著奔狼之血∑淞螅”

“You are Arya of Winterfell, daughter of the north. You told me you could be strong. You have the wolf blood in you.”

“奔狼之血凤跑。”艾莉亞記起來叛复∽幸“我說過扔仓，我會變得跟羅柏一樣堅強(qiáng)】г牛”她深吸一口氣翘簇，然后雙手舉起掃帚棍，往膝蓋上一磕鲤看。它響亮地斷裂缘揪，碎片被她扔掉。我是冰原狼义桂，不需要木牙找筝。

“The wolf blood.” Arya remembered now. “I’ll be as strong as Robb. I said I would.” She took a deep breath, then lifted the broomstick in both hands and brought it down across her knee. It broke with a loud crack, and she threw the pieces aside. I am a direwolf, and done with wooden teeth.

當(dāng)天晚上，她躺在狹窄的稻草床上等待明月升起慷吊，一邊聆聽生者與死人的低語爭辯袖裕。這是她現(xiàn)在惟一相信的聲音。她耳中不但有自己的呼吸溉瓶，也有狼群的嗥叫急鳄，它們已經(jīng)成群。它們比我在神木林里聽到時更接近了堰酿，她心想疾宏，它們在呼喚我。

That night she lay in her narrow bed upon the scratchy straw, listening to the voices of the living and the dead whisper and argue as she waited for the moon to rise. They were the only voices she trusted anymore. She could hear the sound of her own breath, and the wolves as well, a great pack of them now. They are closer than the one I heard in the godswood, she thought. They are calling to me.

最后触创，她從被子底下溜出來坎藐，摸索著套上外衣，光腳走下樓梯哼绑。盧斯·波頓是個謹(jǐn)慎的人岩馍，焚王塔門口日夜有人把守，她不得不從地窖的窄窗溜出去抖韩。庭院寂靜無聲蛀恩，巨大的城堡陷入鬼影憧憧的迷夢，惟有寒風(fēng)在頭頂?shù)奶柨匏鈬[茂浮。

Finally she slipped from under the blanket, wriggled into a tunic, and padded barefoot down the stairs. Roose Bolton was a cautious man, and the entrance to Kingspyre was guarded day and night, so she had to slip out of a narrow cellar window. The yard was still, the great castle lost in haunted dreams. Above, the wind keened through the Wailing Tower.

她發(fā)現(xiàn)鐵匠房爐火已熄双谆，門也關(guān)閉上閂，于是像上次一樣翻窗進(jìn)去席揽。詹德利跟另外兩個鐵匠學(xué)徒睡在一起佃乘。她在閣樓上蜷伏良久，等待眼睛適應(yīng)黑暗驹尼，確定他就是邊上那個。她用一只手捂住他的嘴庞呕，捏了他一把新翎。他立刻睜眼程帕，一定沒睡熟〉貑“求求你愁拭，”她輕聲道，一邊把手從他的嘴上移開亏吝，指指外面岭埠。

At the forge she found the fires extinguished and the doors closed and barred. She crept in a window, as she had once before. Gendry shared a mattress with two other apprentice smiths. She crouched in the loft for a long time before her eyes adjusted enough for her to be sure that he was the one on the end. Then she put a hand over his mouth and pinched him. His eyes opened. He could not have been very deeply asleep. “Please,” she whispered. She took her hand off his mouth and pointed.

片刻之間，她以為他不明白蔚鸥，但他隨后從被子底下溜出來惜论，光著身子穿過房間，套上一件松垮的粗布上衣止喷，跟在她后面爬下閣樓馆类。熟睡的人們沒有動靜〉“你又要干什么乾巧？”詹德利壓低聲音惱怒地問。

For a moment she did not think he understood, but then he slid out from under the blankets. Naked, he padded across the room, shrugged into a loose roughspun tunic, and climbed down from the loft after her. The other sleepers did not stir. “What do you want now?” Gendry said in a low angry voice.

“我要一把劍预愤」涤冢”

“A sword.”

“我給你說過一百遍，黑拇指把所有刀劍都鎖起來了植康。水蛭大人叫你來拿旷太？”

“Blackthumb keeps all the blades locked up, I told you that a hundred times. Is this for Lord Leech?”

“我自己要。用你的錘子把鎖砸開向图∮拘悖”

“For me. Break the lock with your hammer.”

“他們會砍斷我的手，”他咕噥道榄攀，“或者更糟嗜傅。”

“They’ll break my hand,” he grumbled. “Or worse.”

“跟我一起逃就不會了檩赢÷类郑”

“Not if you run off with me.”

“逃？他們會殺了你贞瞒∨挤浚”

“Run, and they’ll catch you and kill you.”

“留下來更糟。波頓大人親口告訴我军浆，要把赫倫堡交給血戲班棕洋。”

“They’ll do you worse. Lord Bolton is giving Harrenhal to the Bloody Mummers, he told me so.”

詹德利把蓋在眼睛上的黑發(fā)撥開乒融，“那又怎樣掰盘？”

Gendry pushed black hair out of his eyes. “So?”

她勇敢地直視他摄悯，“一旦瓦格·赫特當(dāng)上城主，會把全城仆人的腳都砍掉以防他們逃跑愧捕。鐵匠也一樣奢驯。”

She looked right at him, fearless. “So when Vargo Hoat’s the lord, he’s going to cut off the feet of all the servants to keep them from running away. The smiths too.”

“這只是嚇小孩的故事次绘，”他不屑地說瘪阁。

“That’s only a story,” he said scornfully.

“不，是真的邮偎，我聽瓦格大人親口這么說管跺，”她撒謊斋射∧笥悖“每個人都會被他砍掉一只腳。似乎是左腳转唉。去廚房叫醒熱派——他聽你的話——讓他準(zhǔn)備些面包或燕麥餅之類命迈。反正你負(fù)責(zé)拿劍贩绕，我負(fù)責(zé)牽馬，最后在厲鬼塔后的東墻邊門碰面壶愤。那里少有人進(jìn)出淑倾。”

“No, it’s true, I heard Lord Vargo say so,” she lied. “He’s going to cut one foot off everyone. The left one. Go to the kitchens and wake Hot Pie, he’ll do what you say. We’ll need bread or oakcakes or something. You get the swords and I’ll do the horses. We’ll meet near the postern in the east wall, behind the Tower of Ghosts. No one ever comes there.”

“我知道那里征椒，還不是跟其他門一樣娇哆，有人守衛(wèi)〔龋”

“I know that gate. It’s guarded, same as the rest.”

“那又怎樣碍讨？好啦，你別忘了劍蒙秒！”

“So? You won’t forget the swords?”

“我又沒說要來勃黍。”

“I never said I’d come.”

“好好晕讲。但如果你要來覆获，不會忘記帶劍？”

“No. But if you do, you won’t forget the swords?”

他皺起眉頭瓢省∨ⅲ“不會，”他最后說勤婚，“我想不會摹量。”

He frowned. “No,” he said at last. “I guess I won’t.”

艾莉亞原路返回焚王塔，一邊悄悄走上蜿蜒的樓梯荆永，一邊聆聽腳步废亭。在自己的小房間里，她脫光衣服具钥，仔細(xì)地著裝。她穿上兩層內(nèi)衣液兽，一雙溫暖的長襪骂删，還有自己最干凈的外衣——那是波頓家的制服，胸口上縫著恐怖堡的剝皮人紋章四啰。隨后她系緊鞋子宁玫，瘦小的肩膀披上一件羊毛斗篷，并在喉嚨下打好結(jié)柑晒。靜如影欧瘪，她再次下樓，中途在領(lǐng)主的書房門口駐足聆聽匙赞。惟有靜默佛掖。于是她緩緩?fù)崎_門。

Arya reentered Kingspyre the same way she had left it, and stole up the winding steps listening for footfalls. In her cell, she stripped to the skin and dressed herself carefully, in two layers of smallclothes, warm stockings, and her cleanest tunic. It was Lord Bolton’s livery. On the breast was sewn his sigil, the flayed man of the Dreadfort. She tied her shoes, threw a wool cloak over her skinny shoulders, and knotted it under her throat. Quiet as a shadow, she moved back down the stairs. Outside the lord’s solar she paused to listen at the door, easing it open slowly when she heard only silence.

羊皮紙地圖就在桌上涌庭，在波頓大人吃剩的晚餐旁邊芥被。她將它緊緊卷好，插入腰帶坐榆。為防詹德利萬一不敢來拴魄，她把大人留在桌上的匕首也拿走了。

The sheepskin map was on the table, beside the remains of Lord Bolton’s supper. She rolled it up tight and thrust it through her belt. He’d left his dagger on the table as well, so she took that too, just in case Gendry lost his courage.

之后她溜進(jìn)漆黑的馬廄席镀，有匹馬低嘶了一聲匹中。馬夫們都睡著了，她用腳尖捅醒一個豪诲，對方歪歪扭扭地坐起來顶捷，“呃？干嘛跛溉？”

A horse neighed softly as she slipped into the darkened stables. The grooms were all asleep. She prodded one with her toe until he sat up groggily and said, “Eh? Whas?”

“波頓大人要三匹馬焊切，上好馬鞍和轡頭》际遥”

“Lord Bolton requires three horses saddled and bridled.”

男孩站起身专肪，拍拍頭發(fā)里的稻草，“干嘛堪侯？現(xiàn)在嚎尤？你……要馬？”他對著她外衣上的家徽眨眨眼伍宦⊙克溃“大半夜的乏梁，他要馬做什么？”

The boy got to his feet, pushing straw from his hair. “Wha, at this hour? Horses, you say?” He blinked at the sigil on her tunic. “Whas he want horses for, in the dark?”

“波頓大人沒有被仆人質(zhì)問的習(xí)慣关贵∮銎铮”她雙手抱胸。

“Lord Bolton is not in the habit of being questioned by servants.” She crossed her arms.

馬童盯著剝皮人不放揖曾，他知道那代表的含義落萎。“你要……三匹炭剪？”

The stableboy was still looking at the flayed man. He knew what it meant. “Three, you say?”

“一练链，二，三奴拦。打獵用的馬媒鼓，又穩(wěn)又快的那種〈硌”艾莉亞幫他準(zhǔn)備轡頭和馬鞍绿鸣，以防驚動其他人。她希望將來不會連累到他站玄，但心里知道這很難枚驻。

“One two three. Hunting horses. Fast and surefoot.” Arya helped him with the bridles and saddles, so he would not need to wake any of the others. She hoped they would not hurt him afterward, but she knew they probably would.

牽馬過城是最困難的部分。只要可能株旷，她便躲在墻內(nèi)的陰影里再登，如此城頭上走動的衛(wèi)兵就得垂直往下看才能發(fā)現(xiàn)她。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)又怎樣晾剖？我可是大人的貼身侍酒锉矢。這是個寒冷陰濕的秋夜，西邊吹來的烏云遮住了星星齿尽，每陣風(fēng)都讓號哭塔發(fā)出凄厲的悲泣沽损。聞起來快下雨了。艾莉亞不知這對他們的逃亡而言是好還是壞循头。

Leading the horses across the castle was the worst part. She stayed in the shadow of the curtain wall whenever she could, so the sentries walking their rounds on the ramparts above would have needed to look almost straight down to see her. And if they do, what of it? I’m my lord’s own cupbearer. It was a chill dank autumn night. Clouds were blowing in from the west, hiding the stars, and the Wailing Tower screamed mournfully at every gust of wind. It smells like rain. Arya did not know whether that would be good or bad for their escape.

沒人看見她绵估，她也沒看見任何人，只有一只灰白相間的貓卡骂，沿著神木林的圍墻悄悄走動国裳。它停下來朝她吐口水，剎時間喚起她關(guān)于紅堡全跨、父親和西利歐·佛瑞爾的記憶缝左。“我想抓就能抓住你，”她輕聲對它說渺杉，“但我得走了蛇数，貓咪∈窃剑”那只貓嘶了一聲耳舅，然后跑掉。

No one saw her, and she saw no one, only a grey and white cat creeping along atop the godswood wall. It stopped and spit at her, waking memories of the Red Keep and her father and Syrio Forel. “I could catch you if I wanted,” she called to it softly, “but I have to go, cat.” The cat hissed again and ran off.

厲鬼塔在赫倫堡的五座巨塔中損壞最為嚴(yán)重倚评。它陰沉凄涼地矗立在一座傾頹的圣堂后面——近三百年來挽放，只有老鼠到此祈禱。她就在那里等待詹德利和熱派蔓纠。仿佛過了很久很久，馬匹啃食碎石間的雜草吗蚌，烏云吞沒最后一顆星星腿倚。艾莉亞百無聊賴地拿出匕首打磨。照著西利歐教她的法子蚯妇，悠長而平穩(wěn)地摩擦敷燎。這聲音令她平靜。

The Tower of Ghosts was the most ruinous of Harrenhal’s five immense towers. It stood dark and desolate behind the remains of a collapsed sept where only rats had come to pray for near three hundred years. It was there she waited to see if Gendry and Hot Pie would come. It seemed as though she waited a long time. The horses nibbled at the weeds that grew up between the broken stones while the clouds swallowed the last of the stars. Arya took out the dagger and sharpened it to keep her hands busy. Long smooth strokes, the way Syrio had taught her. The sound calmed her.

人還沒到箩言，她遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)便聽見他們的聲音硬贯。熱派呼吸粗濁，還在黑暗中絆了一跤陨收，擦破小腿的皮饭豹，隨之而來的大聲咒罵幾乎能吵醒半個赫倫堡。詹德利比較安靜务漩，但走動時身上扛的劍互相撞擊拄衰，叮當(dāng)作響《牵“我在這兒翘悉。”她站起來居触，“安靜點(diǎn)妖混，否則他們會聽到÷盅螅”

She heard them coming long before she saw them. Hot Pie was breathing heavily, and once he stumbled in the dark, barked his shin, and cursed loud enough to wake half of Harrenhal. Gendry was quieter, but the swords he was carrying rang together as he moved. “Here I am.” She stood. “Be quiet or they’ll hear you.”

男孩們在碎石堆中擇路朝她走來制市。詹德利在斗篷下穿了上好油的鎖甲，背挎鐵匠的錘子砖瞧。熱派漲紅的圓臉在兜帽里若隱若現(xiàn)息堂，他右手搖搖晃晃地拎著一袋面包，左臂夾著一大輪奶酪∪傺撸“邊門有個衛(wèi)兵床未，”詹德利平靜地說，“我告訴你會有衛(wèi)兵振坚∞备椋”

The boys picked their way toward her over tumbled stones. Gendry was wearing oiled chainmail under his cloak, she saw, and he had his blacksmith’s hammer slung across his back. Hot Pie’s red round face peered out from under a hood. He had a sack of bread dangling from his right hand and a big wheel of cheese under his left arm. “There’s a guard on that postern,” said Gendry quietly. “I told you there would be.”

“你們留下來看馬，”艾莉亞道渡八，“我去處理啃洋。聽到信號就趕快跟上∈瑚ⅲ”

“You stay here with the horses,” said Arya. “I’ll get rid of him. Come quick when I call.”

詹德利點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭宏娄。熱派說：“你學(xué)貓頭鷹，我們就過來逮壁》跫幔”

Gendry nodded. Hot Pie said, “Hoot like an owl when you want us to come.”

“我不是貓頭鷹，”艾莉亞道窥淆，“我是狼卖宠。我會嗥叫∮欠梗”

“I’m not an owl,” said Arya. “I’m a wolf. I’ll howl.”

她獨(dú)自一人穿越厲鬼塔的陰影扛伍，走得很快，以抵制內(nèi)心的恐懼词裤，一面幻想西利歐·佛瑞爾刺洒、尤倫、賈昆·赫加爾和瓊恩·雪諾就在身邊亚斋。她沒帶詹德利給的劍作媚，現(xiàn)在還不需要。尖銳鋒利的匕首更合適帅刊。東墻邊門是赫倫堡最小的入口纸泡，十分狹窄，厚實的橡木板鑲嵌鐵釘赖瞒，與城墻呈斜角女揭，設(shè)在防御塔樓下。門邊只有一個守衛(wèi)栏饮，但塔樓里一定還有吧兔，沿墻巡邏的更多。不管發(fā)生什么袍嬉，靜如影境蔼。不能讓他出聲灶平。零星的雨點(diǎn)開始落下，有一滴掉在眉梢箍土，沿著鼻子緩緩流淌逢享。

Alone, she slid through the shadow of the Tower of Ghosts. She walked fast, to keep ahead of her fear, and it felt as though Syrio Forel walked beside her, and Yoren, and Jaqen H’ghar, and Jon Snow. She had not taken the sword Gendry had brought her, not yet. For this the dagger would be better. It was good and sharp. This postern was the least of Harrenhal’s gates, a narrow door of stout oak studded with iron nails, set in an angle of the wall beneath a defensive tower. Only one man was set to guard it, but she knew there would be sentries up in that tower as well, and others nearby walking the walls. Whatever happened, she must be quiet as a shadow. He must not call out. A few scattered raindrops had begun to fall. She felt one land on her brow and run slowly down her nose.

她沒有隱藏，而是徑直走向衛(wèi)兵吴藻，裝作波頓大人有所差遣的樣子瞒爬。他看她走近，十分好奇一個仆人為何在漆黑的夜晚跑來找他沟堡。末了侧但，她發(fā)現(xiàn)他是個又高又瘦的北方人，裹一件破爛的毛皮斗篷航罗。真糟糕禀横。她也許能瞞過佛雷家或勇士團(tuán)的人，但恐怖堡的部屬跟隨盧斯·波頓一輩子粥血，比她更了解他燕侠。如果我告訴他，我是艾莉亞·史塔克立莉，命令他讓開……不，她不敢七问。他是北方人蜓耻，但不是臨冬城的人。他是盧斯·波頓的手下械巡。

She made no effort to hide, but approached the guard openly, as if Lord Bolton himself had sent her. He watched her come, curious as to what might bring a page here at this black hour. When she got closer, she saw that he was a northman, very tall and thin, huddled in a ragged fur cloak. That was bad. She might have been able to trick a Frey or one of the Brave Companions, but the Dreadfort men had served Roose Bolton their whole life, and they knew him better than she did. If I tell him I am Arya Stark and command him to stand aside … No, she dare not. He was a northman, but not a Winterfell man. He belonged to Roose Bolton.

于是她走到他面前刹淌，敞開斗篷，露出胸口的剝皮人讥耗∮泄矗”波頓大人派我過來」懦蹋“

When she reached him she pushed back her cloak so he would see the flayed man on her breast. “Lord Bolton sent me.”

“這個時候蔼卡？做什么？”

“At this hour? Why for?”

她看見皮斗篷下鋼鐵的反光挣磨，卻不知自己夠不夠強(qiáng)壯雇逞，能不能將匕首尖捅進(jìn)鎖甲。喉嚨茁裙，一定要刺喉嚨塘砸，但他太高，我夠不到晤锥！片刻之間掉蔬，她不知如何是好廊宪；片刻之間，她又成了受驚的小女孩女轿。雨水聚在臉上箭启，感覺像是眼淚。

She could see the gleam of steel under the fur, and she did not know if she was strong enough to drive the point of the dagger through chainmail. His throat, it must be his throat, but he’s too tall, I’ll never reach it. For a moment she did not know what to say. For a moment she was a little girl again, and scared, and the rain on her face felt like tears.

“他要我發(fā)給每個衛(wèi)兵一枚銀幣谈喳，以示嘉獎册烈。”這句話也不知打哪兒冒出來的婿禽。

“He told me to give all his guards a silver piece, for their good service.” The words seemed to come out of nowhere.

“你說……銀幣赏僧？”他并不相信她，但心里渴望相信扭倾，畢竟銀幣就是銀幣淀零。“拿過來吧膛壹〖葜校”

“Silver, you say?” He did not believe her, but he wanted to; silver was silver, after all. “Give it over, then.”

她把手伸進(jìn)外衣，掏出賈昆給的硬幣模聋。黑暗中肩民，鋼鐵可以冒充褪色的銀子。她遞出去……并讓它從指間滑落链方。

Her fingers dug down beneath her tunic and came out clutching the coin Jaqen had given her. In the dark the iron could pass for tarnished silver. She held it out … and let it slip through her fingers.

那人低聲罵了一句持痰，蹲下來在泥地中摸索，脖子湊到她眼前祟蚀。艾莉亞拔出匕首工窍，劃破喉嚨，動作流利得像夏日的絲綢前酿。熱血一下子涌出患雏，噴滿她的手。他想喊叫罢维，卻被血哽住淹仑。

Cursing her softly, the man went to a knee to grope for the coin in the dirt, and there was his neck right in front of her. Arya slid her dagger out and drew it across his throat, as smooth as summer silk. His blood covered her hands in a hot gush and he tried to shout but there was blood in his mouth as well.

“Valar morghulis》畏酰”他死去時攻人，她輕聲念。

“Valar morghulis,” she whispered as he died.

當(dāng)他不再動彈悬槽，她撿起了硬幣怀吻。赫倫堡的高墻之外，傳來一聲悠長而響亮的狼嗥初婆。她推起門閂蓬坡，擱到一邊猿棉，然后打開沉重的橡木門。等熱派和詹德利牽馬過來屑咳，雨勢已大萨赁。“你殺了他兆龙！”熱派倒抽一口氣杖爽。

When he stopped moving, she picked up the coin. Outside the walls of Harrenhal, a wolf howled long and loud. She lifted the bar, set it aside, and pulled open the heavy oak door. By the time Hot Pie and Gendry came up with the horses, the rain was falling hard. “You killed him!” Hot Pie gasped.

“當(dāng)然！”手指上全是粘粘的血紫皇，氣味令母馬緊張不安慰安。沒關(guān)系，她一邊想一邊翻上馬鞍聪铺，雨水會將它們沖得干干凈凈化焕。

“What did you think I would do?” Her fingers were sticky with blood, and the smell was making her mare skittish. It’s no matter, she thought, swinging up into the saddle. The rain will wash them clean again.