Ⅳ 群鴉的盛宴 Chapter5 山姆威爾

SAMWELL

山姆讀著關(guān)于異鬼的書啊掏，抬眼看到了那只老鼠旁趟。

Sam was reading about the Others when he saw the mouse.

他的眼睛又紅又腫。我不該揉得那么頻繁，他總是一邊揉一邊告訴自己。灰塵弄得眼睛癢癢的班套，直想流淚，這地下到處都是灰塵故河。每次翻動(dòng)書頁吱韭，一小簇塵埃就會(huì)飄散到空中，而每當(dāng)他移開一堆書鱼的，想看看下面藏著什么時(shí)理盆，總會(huì)弄出一團(tuán)灰云。

His eyes were red and raw. I ought not rub them so much, he always told himself as he rubbed them. The dust made them itch and water, and the dust was everywhere down here. Little puffs of it filled the air every time a page was turned, and it rose in grey clouds whenever he shifted a stack of books to see what might be hiding on the bottom.

山姆不知道自己有多久沒睡了凑阶，起初猿规，他發(fā)現(xiàn)一捆破破爛爛的散頁，便解開細(xì)繩宙橱，點(diǎn)燃蠟燭閱讀姨俩，結(jié)果一發(fā)不可收拾，到如今那支很粗壯的牛油蠟燭只剩下不到一寸师郑。他累極了环葵，卻無法停止。再看一本我就停下宝冕，他告訴自己张遭，再看一頁，一頁而已地梨。再看一頁我就上去休息菊卷，吃點(diǎn)東西缔恳。但一頁過后總有另一頁，另一頁過后又有新的一頁洁闰，而書堆底下還有另一本書在等著歉甚。我只瞧一眼，看看這本書講什么扑眉，他心想纸泄，然而等回過神來，已經(jīng)讀了一半襟雷。自打跟派普和葛蘭一起喝過培根豌豆湯之后刃滓，他就沒吃東西仁烹。噢耸弄，不，吃了面包與奶酪卓缰，但只有一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)计呈，他邊想邊略略瞥了瞥空盤子，發(fā)現(xiàn)那只老鼠正在享用面包屑征唬。

Sam did not know how long it had been since last he’d slept, but scarce an inch remained of the fat tallow candle he’d lit when starting on the ragged bundle of loose pages that he’d found tied up in twine. He was beastly tired, but it was hard to stop. One more book, he had told himself, then I’ll stop. One more folio, just one more. One more page, then I’ll go up and rest and get a bite to eat. But there was always another page after that one, and another after that, and another book waiting underneath the pile. I’ll just take a quick peek to see what this one is about, he’d think, and before he knew he would be halfway through it. He had not eaten since that bowl of bean-and-bacon soup with Pyp and Grenn. Well, except for the bread and cheese, but that was only a nibble, he thought. That was when he took a quick glance at the empty platter, and spied the mouse feasting on the bread crumbs.

老鼠有他粉紅色的手指頭一半那么長捌显，黑眼睛，軟灰毛总寒。山姆知道自己應(yīng)該殺死它扶歪。老鼠偏愛面包奶酪，但它們也啃嚼紙張摄闸。他曾在架子和書堆里發(fā)現(xiàn)大量老鼠屎善镰，許多皮革封面呈現(xiàn)出咬嚙的痕跡。

The mouse was half as long as his pinky finger, with black eyes and soft grey fur. Sam knew he ought to kill it. Mice might prefer bread and cheese, but they ate paper too. He had found plenty of mouse droppings amongst the shelves and stacks, and some of the leather covers on the books showed signs of being gnawed.

但它不過是一個(gè)饑餓的小東西年枕，他怎能吝嗇一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)面包屑呢炫欺？然而，它會(huì)吃書本……

It is such a little thing, though. And hungry. How could he begrudge it a few crumbs? It’s eating books, though …

坐椅子坐得太久熏兄，山姆的背僵硬如木板品洛，腿則像睡著了一般。他知道自己動(dòng)作不夠快摩桶，逮不住老鼠桥状，但也許可以砸死它。他肘邊躺著一本皮革封面的巨型抄本硝清，《黑色人馬年鑒》岛宦，這本書中喬昆修士詳盡敘述了奧勃特·卡斯威擔(dān)任守夜人軍團(tuán)總司令的九年生活，每一頁都對(duì)應(yīng)著他任期的一天耍缴，基本上都如此開頭砾肺，“奧勃特大人清晨起床如廁”——除了最后一頁挽霉，那一頁寫道，“奧勃特大人被發(fā)現(xiàn)于夜間亡故变汪∠揽玻”

After hours in the chair Sam’s back was stiff as a board, and his legs were half-asleep. He knew he was not quick enough to catch the mouse, but it might be he could squash it. By his elbow rested a massive leather-bound copy of Annals of the Black Centaur, Septon Jorquen’s exhaustively detailed account of the nine years that Orbert Caswell had served as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. There was a page for each day of his term, every one of which seemed to begin, “Lord Orbert rose at dawn and moved his bowels,” except for the last, which said, “Lord Orbert was found to have died during the night.”

不能讓老鼠毀了喬昆修士的辛苦成果。山姆的左手極其緩慢地伸向那本書裙盾。書又厚又重实胸，他試圖單手舉起來，結(jié)果卻從他肥胖的指間滑落番官，“砰”的一聲砸下庐完。老鼠轉(zhuǎn)瞬間便逃竄得不見蹤影。山姆松了口氣徘熔。砸死這可憐的小東西會(huì)讓他做噩夢的门躯。“但你不該吃書酷师⊙攘梗”他大聲說。也許下次下來時(shí)山孔，他該多帶些奶酪懂讯。

No mouse is a match for Septon Jorquen. Very slowly, Sam took hold of the book with his left hand. It was thick and heavy, and when he tried to lift it one-handed, it slipped from his plump fingers and thumped back down. The mouse was gone in half a heartbeat, skittery-quick. Sam was relieved. Squishing the poor little thing would have given him nightmares. “You shouldn’t eat the books, though,” he said aloud. Maybe he should bring more cheese the next time he came down here.

他很驚訝蠟燭已快燒完了，不曉得喝培根豌豆湯是今天還是昨天的事台颠？昨天褐望。一定是昨天。意識(shí)到這點(diǎn)串前，他打了個(gè)哈欠瘫里。瓊恩不會(huì)明白他的心情，但伊蒙師傅會(huì)幫他解釋酪呻。學(xué)士失明之前减宣，跟山姆威爾·塔利一樣酷愛讀書。他能明白玩荠，當(dāng)你深陷入書本中時(shí)漆腌，仿佛每一頁都是通往其他世界的通道。

He was surprised at how low the candle had burned. Had the bean-and-bacon soup been today or yesterday? Yesterday. It must have been yesterday. The realization made him yawn. Jon would be wondering what had become of him, though Maester Aemon would no doubt understand. Before he had lost his sight, the maester had loved books as much as Samwell Tarly did. He understood the way that you could sometimes fall right into them, as if each page was a hole into another world.

山姆艱難地站起來阶冈，露出痛苦的表情闷尿，小腿麻麻的，猶如針刺一般女坑。他坐的椅子十分堅(jiān)硬填具，當(dāng)他彎腰去取書時(shí)，會(huì)壓得腿部不舒服。我得記著帶墊子劳景。假如能睡在底下就更好了誉简。他在四只裝滿零散書頁（全部來自已經(jīng)失傳的著作）的箱子后面發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個(gè)半隱藏的地窖，這是個(gè)理想地點(diǎn)盟广，但他不能撇下伊蒙師傅太久闷串。學(xué)士最近身體不好，需要照料筋量，此外還有烏鴉呢烹吵。伊蒙身邊固然有克萊達(dá)斯，但山姆更年輕桨武，鳥兒也更喜歡他肋拔。

Pushing himself to his feet, Sam grimaced at the pins and needles in his calves. The chair was very hard and cut into the back of his thighs when he bent over a book. I need to remember to bring a cushion. It would be even better if he could sleep down here, in the cell he’d found half-hidden behind four chests full of loose pages that had gotten separated from the books they belonged to, but he did not want to leave Maester Aemon alone for so long. He had not been strong of late and required help, especially with the ravens. Aemon had Clydas, to be sure, but Sam was younger, and better with the birds.

于是山姆左腋下夾著一堆書籍和卷軸，右手拿著蠟燭呀酸，穿過被弟兄們稱為“蟲道”的隧道凉蜂，返回黑城堡。一束淡淡的光線照亮了通向地表的陡峭石階七咧，因而他知道上面已是白晝跃惫。他將蠟燭留在墻上的凹洞里叮叹，然后攀登艾栋。走到第五步，他喘起粗氣蛉顽；到了第十步蝗砾，他停下來把書換到右腋下。

With a stack of books and scrolls under his left arm and the candle in his right hand, Sam made his way through the tunnels the brothers called the wormways. A pale shaft of light illuminated the steep stone steps that led up to the surface, so he knew that day had come up top. He left the candle burning in a wall niche and began the climb. By the fifth step he was puffing. At the tenth he stopped to shift the books to his right arm.

天空是鉛白的顏色携冤〉苛福看樣子要下雪，山姆抬頭斜睨曾棕，心里想扣猫。這讓他感到不安。他記得先民拳峰上那個(gè)夜晚翘地，記得伴隨漫天大雪而來的尸鬼軍團(tuán)申尤。不要隨時(shí)隨地都像個(gè)膽小鬼，他責(zé)怪自己衙耕，現(xiàn)在你周圍有那么多誓言效命的兄弟昧穿，更不用說史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩和他的騎士們了。黑城堡的堡壘和塔樓在他面前聳立橙喘，但與碩大無朋的冰墻相比时鸵，顯得渺小不堪。一支小隊(duì)伍攀附于冰墻四分之一高處厅瞎，正在修建一段新的之字形樓梯饰潜，并與舊梯子相連初坠。鋸子與鐵錘的聲響在冰面上回蕩。瓊恩讓工匠們?nèi)找冠s工彭雾，山姆在晚餐時(shí)聽見有人抱怨某筐，說莫爾蒙大人決不會(huì)如此壓榨勞力。然而要是沒有梯子冠跷，除了絞盤鐵籠南誊，別無他法可以上長城，遇有情況會(huì)措手不及蜜托。雖然山姆威爾·塔利痛恨樓梯抄囚，但他更痛恨鐵籠子，乘坐時(shí)橄务，他總是閉起眼睛幔托，相信鏈子馬上就要斷掉。每當(dāng)鐵籠擦刮冰面蜂挪，他的心跳就會(huì)陡然停止重挑。

He emerged beneath a sky the color of white lead. A snow sky, Sam thought, squinting up. The prospect made him uneasy. He remembered that night on the Fist of the First Men when the wights and the snows had come together. Don’t be so craven, he thought. You have your Sworn Brothers all around you, not to mention Stannis Baratheon and all his knights. Castle Black’s keeps and towers rose about him, dwarfed by the icy immensity of the Wall. A small army was crawling over the ice a quarter of the way up, where a new switchback stair was creeping upward to meet the remnants of the old one. The sounds of their saws and hammers echoed off the ice. Jon had the builders working night and day on the task. Sam had heard some of them complaining about it over supper, insisting that Lord Mormont never worked them half so hard. Without the great stair there was no way to reach the top of the Wall except by the chain winch, however. And as much as Samwell Tarly hated steps, he hated the winch cage more. He always closed his eyes when he was riding it, convinced that the chain was about to break. Every time the iron cage scraped against the ice his heart stopped beating for an instant.

兩百年前此處有龍，看著籠子緩緩下降棠涮，山姆尋思谬哀，它們“嗖”地一下就能飛上城。亞莉珊王后騎著她的龍?jiān)煸L黑城堡严肪，而她的王夫杰赫里斯稍后也騎著自己的龍趕來史煎。銀翼有沒有留下龍蛋呢？史坦尼斯在龍石島有沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)別的蛋呢驳糯？不過篇梭，即使有蛋，又該如何孵化酝枢？受神祝福的貝勒對(duì)著他的蛋祈禱恬偷，坦格利安家族的其他人則尋求巫術(shù)的幫助，然而最終帘睦，他們只得到嘲笑和災(zāi)禍袍患。

There were dragons here two hundred years ago, Sam found himself thinking, as he watched the cage making a slow descent. They would just have flown to the top of the Wall. Queen Alysanne had visited Castle Black on her dragon, and Jaehaerys, her king, had come after her on his own. Could Silverwing have left an egg behind? Or had Stannis found one egg on Dragonstone? Even if he has an egg, how can he hope to quicken it? Baelor the Blessed had prayed over his eggs, and other Targaryens had sought to hatch theirs with sorcery. All they got for it was farce and tragedy.

“山姆威爾，”一個(gè)陰沉的聲音說官脓，“我是來找你的协怒。總司令大人吩咐我?guī)闳ヒ娝氨俊孕暇！?/p>

“Samwell,” said a glum voice, “I was coming to fetch you. I was told to bring you to the Lord Commander.”

一朵雪花飄落在山姆鼻尖上，“瓊恩想見我？”

A snowflake landed on Sam’s nose. “Jon wants to see me?”

“這個(gè)嘛妖滔，我可說不準(zhǔn)隧哮，”憂郁的艾迪·托勒特道，“我不想見的總是來找我座舍，我想見的卻老找不到沮翔，愿望和事實(shí)基本無瓜葛。但你還是快去吧曲秉，雪諾大人跟卡斯特的老婆談完話就跟你談采蚀。”

“As to that, I could not say,” said Dolorous Edd Tollett. “I never wanted to see half the things I’ve seen, and I’ve never seen half the things I wanted to. I don’t think wanting comes into it. You’d best go all the same. Lord Snow wishes to speak with you as soon as he is done with Craster’s wife.”

“吉莉承二？”

“Gilly.”

“是她榆鼠。假如我奶媽能長得像她，那我現(xiàn)在還叼奶頭呢亥鸠。知道嗎妆够，我奶媽長胡子的「何茫”

“That’s the one. If my wet nurse had looked like her, I’d still be on the teat. Mine had whiskers.”

“說明她是頭山羊神妹，”派普叫道，他跟葛蘭從角落里冒出來家妆，手拿長弓鸵荠，背著箭囊】玻“你上哪兒去了腰鬼，殺手嵌赠？昨天晚餐時(shí)缺了你塑荒，一整只烤公牛沒人吃〗Γ”

“Most goats do,” called Pyp, as he and Grenn emerged from around the corner, with longbows in hand and quivers of arrows on their backs. “Where have you been, Slayer? We missed you last night at supper. A whole roast ox went uneaten.”

“別叫我殺手齿税。”山姆不理會(huì)公牛的玩笑炊豪。派普就是那樣〈什常“我在看書牵舱。有只老鼠……”

“Don’t call me Slayer.” Sam ignored the gibe about the ox. That was just Pyp. “I was reading. There was a mouse …”

“別跟葛蘭提老鼠。他怕老鼠缺虐∥弑冢”

“Don’t mention mice to Grenn. He’s terrified of mice.”

“我才不怕。”葛蘭憤慨地說慧妄。

“I am not,” Grenn declared with indignation.

“但你不敢吃老鼠顷牌。”

“You’d be too scared to eat one.”

“我能吃的老鼠比你多塞淹】呃叮”

“I’d eat more mice than you would.”

憂郁的艾迪·托勒特嘆了口氣”テ眨“我小時(shí)候运挫，只有在節(jié)慶日才吃得到老鼠。我排行老幺套耕，所以總是吃尾巴滑臊。尾巴上沒肉」坎”

Dolorous Edd Tollett gave a sigh. “When I was a lad, we only ate mice on special feast days. I was the youngest, so I always got the tail. There’s no meat on the tail.”

“你的長弓呢雇卷，山姆？”葛蘭問颠猴。艾里沙爵士給他取了“笨殴鼗”的外號(hào)，而他現(xiàn)在長得日益名副其實(shí)翘瓮，真的像頭牛贮折。他來到長城時(shí)雖然高大，但行動(dòng)遲緩笨拙资盅，臉紅脖子粗调榄，腰也粗得像桶。如今雖然派普誘騙他出丑時(shí)呵扛，他的脖子仍然會(huì)紅每庆，但長期習(xí)武使得肚腩不見了，胳膊變得強(qiáng)硬今穿，胸膛變得寬闊缤灵。他極為強(qiáng)壯，而且跟野牛一樣毛發(fā)蓬松蓝晒∪觯“烏爾馬在靶場等你≈マ保”

“Where's your longbow, Sam?” asked Grenn. Ser Alliser used to call him Aurochs, and every day he seemed to grow into the name a little more. He had come to the Wall big but slow, thick of neck, thick of waist, red of face, and clumsy. Though his neck still reddened when Pyp twisted him around into some folly, hours of work with sword and shield had flattened his belly, hardened his arms, broadened his chest. He was strong, and shaggy as an aurochs too. “Ulmer was expecting you at the butts.”

“烏爾馬胚嘲。”山姆窘迫地重復(fù)道洛二。瓊恩·雪諾當(dāng)上總司令后做的第一件事馋劈，就是讓所有弟兄每天操練箭術(shù)立倍，即使事務(wù)官和廚師也不例外。他認(rèn)為侣滩，從前的守夜人軍團(tuán)過于強(qiáng)調(diào)劍術(shù)口注，而不注重弓箭，在每十人就有一個(gè)是騎士的時(shí)代當(dāng)然有道理君珠，但在每一百人當(dāng)中才有一個(gè)騎士的目前卻顯得不合時(shí)宜了寝志。山姆支持這道命令，但他討厭練習(xí)長弓幾乎就跟討厭爬樓梯一樣策添。他戴上手套便射不中任何目標(biāo)材部，脫掉手套指頭就會(huì)起泡。弓箭是危險(xiǎn)的東西唯竹。紗丁曾在弓弦上繃裂了半個(gè)拇指甲蓋乐导。“我忘了浸颓∥锉郏”

“Ulmer,” Sam said, abashed. Almost the first thing Jon Snow had done as Lord Commander was institute daily archery drill for the entire garrison, even stewards and cooks. The Watch had been placing too much emphasis on the sword and too little on the bow, he had said, a relic of the days when one brother in every ten had been a knight, instead of one in every hundred. Sam saw the sense in the decree, but he hated longbow practice almost as much as he hated climbing steps. When he wore his gloves he could never hit anything, but when he took them off he got blisters on his fingers. Those bows were dangerous. Satin had torn off half his thumbnail on a bowstring. “I forgot.”

“忘了？你好傷野人公主的心啊产上，殺手棵磷，”派普道，最近瓦邇開始從國王塔上她自己的窗前張望他們晋涣∫敲剑“她在等你呢⌒蝗担”

“You broke the heart of the wildling princess, Slayer,” said Pyp. Of late, Val had taken to watching them from the window of her chamber in the King’s Tower. “She was looking for you.”

“她才沒有算吩！別這么說！”山姆只跟瓦邇說過兩回話佃扼，那還是隨伊蒙學(xué)士去探望她偎巢，以確保孩子健康的時(shí)候。野人公主貌美如花松嘶，他在她面前總是結(jié)結(jié)巴巴艘狭，漲紅了臉。

“She was not! Don’t say that!” Sam had only spoken to Val twice, when Maester Aemon called upon her to make sure the babes were healthy. The princess was so pretty that he oft found himself stammering and blushing in her presence.

“為什么不呢翠订？”派普反問，“她想要懷你的孩子遵倦。也許我們?cè)摻心恪L(fēng)流浪子’山姆才對(duì)尽超。”

“Why not?” asked Pyp. “She wants to have your children. Maybe we should call you Sam the Seducer.”

山姆漲紅了臉梧躺。他知道史坦尼斯國王對(duì)瓦邇有安排——她是結(jié)合北方人與自由民似谁，讓他們和睦相處的關(guān)鍵棋子傲绣。“我今天沒時(shí)間練習(xí)長弓巩踏，我得去見瓊恩秃诵。”

Sam reddened. King Stannis had plans for Val, he knew; she was the mortar with which he meant to seal the peace between the northmen and the free folk. “I don’t have time for archery today, I need to go see Jon.”

“瓊恩塞琼？瓊恩菠净？我們認(rèn)識(shí)瓊恩嗎，葛蘭彪杉？”

“Jon? Jon? Do we know anyone named Jon, Grenn?”

“他是指總司令大人毅往。”

“He means the Lord Commander.”

“喔喔喔——偉大的雪諾大人派近。當(dāng)然了攀唯。不過，你干嘛跟他約會(huì)渴丸？他又不會(huì)扭耳朵侯嘀。”派普扭了扭自己的耳朵谱轨，以示能耐残拐。他長著一對(duì)凍得通紅的招風(fēng)耳〉欤“現(xiàn)在他真成了雪諾大人溪食，相對(duì)于我們，實(shí)在太尊貴了娜扇〈砦郑”

“Ohhh. The Great Lord Snow. To be sure. Why do you want to see him? He can’t even wiggle his ears.” Pyp wiggled his, to show he could. They were large ears, and red from cold. “He’s Lord Snow for true now, too bloody highborn for the likes of us.”

“瓊恩有他的責(zé)任，”山姆替朋友辯護(hù)雀瓢，“長城是他的了枢析，他必須統(tǒng)籌全局∪恤铮”

“Jon has duties,” Sam said in his defense. “The Wall is his, and all that goes with it.”

“一個(gè)人對(duì)他的朋友也有責(zé)任醒叁。要不是我們幫忙，當(dāng)上總司令的也許是杰諾斯·史林特呢泊业，然后史林特大人會(huì)派雪諾赤身裸體騎著騾子去巡邏把沼。‘趕往卡斯特的堡壘’吁伺，他會(huì)如此下令饮睬，‘把熊老的斗篷和靴子給我拿回來±貉伲’我們幫他避免了難堪捆愁，現(xiàn)在他的責(zé)任太多割去，居然連到壁爐邊喝杯熱酒的工夫都沒有？”

“A man has duties to his friends as well. If not for us, Janos Slynt might be our lord commander. Lord Janos would have sent Snow ranging naked on a mule. ‘Scamper on up to Craster’s Keep,’ he would have said, ‘a(chǎn)nd fetch me back the Old Bear’s cloak and boots.’ We saved him from that, but now he has too many duties to drink a cup of mulled wine by the fire?”

葛蘭表示贊同昼丑∩肽妫“他的責(zé)任沒妨礙他下校場∑械郏基本上咖城，他天天都在那兒打斗⌒哺剑”

Grenn agreed. “His duties don’t keep him from the yard. More days than not, he’s out there fighting someone.”

這是事實(shí)酒繁，山姆不得不承認(rèn)。有一次控妻，當(dāng)瓊恩來和伊蒙師傅談話時(shí)州袒，山姆問他為何花那么多時(shí)間練劍」颍“熊老作總司令時(shí)根本不怎么參加日常訓(xùn)練郎哭。”山姆指出菇存。作為回答夸研，瓊恩將長爪交到山姆手中，要他感覺這把劍的輕盈與平衡依鸥，并讓他旋轉(zhuǎn)劍刃亥至，觀察煙灰色金屬中閃現(xiàn)的波紋〖伲“這是瓦雷利亞鋼劍姐扮，”他說，“以魔法鍛冶而成衣吠，鋒利無比茶敏，幾乎堅(jiān)不可摧。劍士應(yīng)該和他的劍合為一體缚俏，山姆惊搏，然而長爪是瓦雷利亞鋼，我不是忧换。斷掌要?dú)⑽揖透闩乃酪恢幌x子那么容易恬惯。”

That was true, Sam had to admit. Once, when Jon came to consult with Maester Aemon, Sam had asked him why he spent so much time at swordplay. “The Old Bear never trained much when he was Lord Commander,” he had pointed out. In answer, Jon had pressed Longclaw into Sam’s hand. He let him feel the lightness, the balance, had him turn the blade so that ripples gleamed in the smoke-dark metal. “Valyrian steel,” he said, “spell-forged and razor-sharp, nigh on indestructible. A swordsman should be as good as his sword, Sam. Longclaw is Valyrian steel, but I’m not. The Halfhand could have killed me as easy as you swat a bug.”

山姆把劍遞回去包雀∷拚福“我老拍不到蟲子，它們會(huì)飛才写，我經(jīng)常打中胳膊葡兑，疼極了≡薏荩”

Sam handed back the sword. “When I try to swat a bug, it always flies away. All I do is slap my arm. It stings.”

瓊恩笑了讹堤。“好吧厨疙≈奘兀科林殺我就像你喝粥那么快≌雌啵”山姆喜歡喝粥梗醇，尤其是摻了蜂蜜的甜粥。

That made Jon laugh. “As you will. Qhorin could have killed me as easy as you eat a bowl of porridge.” Sam was fond of porridge, especially when it was sweetened with honey.

“我沒時(shí)間閑聊撒蟀⌒鸾鳎”山姆離開朋友們，向軍械庫走去保屯，一路把書本緊緊抓在胸前手负，這讓他聯(lián)想起了誓言：守護(hù)王國的堅(jiān)盾。唉姑尺，假如七國的老百姓們意識(shí)到守護(hù)王國的是葛蘭竟终、派普和憂郁的艾迪·托勒特這號(hào)人，真不知會(huì)如何評(píng)論切蟋。

“I don’t have time for this.” Sam left his friends and made his way toward the armory, clutching his books to his chest. I am the shield that guards the realms of men, he remembered. He wondered what those men would say if they realized their realms were being guarded by the likes of Grenn, Pyp, and Dolorous Edd.

司令塔內(nèi)部已被大火焚毀统捶，而史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩占據(jù)國王塔作為居所，因此瓊恩·雪諾住在軍械庫后面柄粹，昔日屬于唐納·諾伊的簡陋房間喘鸟。山姆到達(dá)時(shí)吉莉剛要離開，她裹著一件舊斗篷镰惦，那是他倆逃離卡斯特的堡壘時(shí)山姆給她的迷守。她幾乎直接奔了過去，但山姆抓住她的手臂旺入，兩本書因之掉下來兑凿。“吉莉茵瘾±窕”

The Lord Commander’s Tower had been gutted by fire, and Stannis Baratheon had claimed the King’s Tower for his own residence, so Jon Snow had established himself in Donal Noye’s modest quarters behind the armory. Gilly was leaving as Sam arrived, wrapped up in the old cloak he’d given her when they were fleeing Craster’s Keep. She almost rushed right past him, but Sam caught her arm, spilling two books as he did. “Gilly.”

“山姆∞置兀”她聲音沙啞圣絮。吉莉長著黑頭發(fā)，身材苗條雕旨，棕色的大眼睛猶如母鹿扮匠。她完全被山姆的舊斗篷淹沒捧请，然而她的臉雖然半隱藏于兜帽中，但還是能看出在發(fā)抖棒搜，神色蒼白而驚恐疹蛉。

“Sam.” Her voice sounded raw. Gilly was dark-haired and slim, with the big brown eyes of a doe. She was swallowed by the folds of Sam’s old cloak, her face half-hidden by its hood, but shivering all the same. Her face looked wan and frightened.

“出什么事了？”山姆問她力麸，“孩子們?cè)趺礃涌煽睿俊?/p>

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked her. “How are the babes?”

吉莉掙脫開來，“他們很好克蚂，山姆闺鲸。很好“０龋”

Gilly pulled loose from him. “They’re good, Sam. Good.”

“在他倆之間你還能睡覺摸恍，真是個(gè)奇跡∮蚊ぃ”山姆愉快地說误墓，“昨晚我聽見哭聲的是哪一個(gè)？他似乎怎么都哭不完益缎∶栈牛”

“Between the two of them it’s a wonder you can sleep,” Sam said pleasantly. “Which one was it that I heard crying last night? I thought he’d never stop.”

“是妲娜的兒子。他想喝奶時(shí)就會(huì)哭莺奔。我的……我的孩子從不亂哭欣范。有時(shí)候他會(huì)咯咯地叫喚，但……”她眼中盈滿淚水令哟∧涨恚“我得走了，去給他們喂奶屏富。要是不快去晴竞，奶水會(huì)漏到自己身上『莅耄”她跑過庭院噩死，留下困惑不解的山姆。

“Dalla’s boy. He cries when he wants the teat. Mine … mine hardly ever cries. Sometimes he gurgles, but …” Her eyes filled with tears. “I have to go. It’s past time that I fed them. I’ll be leaking all over myself if I don’t go.” She rushed across the yard, leaving Sam perplexed behind her.

他必須蹲下才能撿起掉落的書籍神年。我不該帶這么多書已维，他一邊告訴自己，一邊掃去書上的泥塵已日，那是柯洛庫·弗塔的《玉海概述》垛耳，厚厚一大卷來自東方的故事與傳奇劫窒，伊蒙師傅命令他必須找到這本書赏淌，幸好罗心，它看起來完好無損裁着；托馬克斯學(xué)士的《龍王們：坦格利安家族從流浪到神化的歷程散怖，兼論巨龍之生死》就沒那么幸運(yùn)了酒请。它掉落時(shí)被翻了開來霎肯，有幾頁紙沾上爛泥柑土，其中一頁有一幅相當(dāng)漂亮的彩圖逆济，畫的是“黑死神”貝勒里恩酌予。山姆一邊咒罵自己是個(gè)笨手笨腳的呆瓜，一邊擦拭書頁奖慌，將泥巴刮掉抛虫。在吉莉面前，他總是很狼狽简僧，而且下面還會(huì)硬……好吧建椰，每次都會(huì)硬。誓言效命的守夜人弟兄不該有這樣的感覺岛马，可是當(dāng)吉莉談及自己的乳房……

He had to get down on his knees to gather up the books he’d dropped. I should not have brought so many, he told himself as he brushed the dirt off Colloquo Votar’s Jade Compendium, a thick volume of tales and legends from the east that Maester Aemon had commanded him to find. The book appeared undamaged. Maester Thomax’s Dragonkin, Being a History of House Targaryen from Exile to Apotheosis, with a Consideration of the Life and Death of Dragons had not been so fortunate. It had come open as it fell, and a few pages had gotten muddy, including one with a rather nice picture of Balerion the Black Dread done in colored inks. Sam cursed himself for a clumsy oaf as he smoothed the pages down and brushed them off. Gilly’s presence always flustered him and gave rise to … well, risings. A Sworn Brother of the Night’s Watch should not be feeling the sorts of things that Gilly made him feel, especially when she would talk about her breasts and …

“雪諾大人正等著呢棉姐。”兩個(gè)穿黑斗篷啦逆、戴鐵半盔的守衛(wèi)站在軍械庫門口伞矩，斜倚著長矛。說話的是“毛人”哈爾夏志，穆利則幫助山姆站起來乃坤。他反射性地謝過之后，快速走了進(jìn)去沟蔑，經(jīng)過有砧板與風(fēng)箱的鍛爐時(shí)湿诊，不由得拼命抓緊書。一件鎖甲半成品放在工作臺(tái)上瘦材。白靈在砧板底下伸展著身子厅须，啃一根牛骨，要喝里面的骨髓食棕。山姆走過時(shí)朗和，大白狼抬頭看了看他，但沒有發(fā)出聲響宣蠕。

“Lord Snow is waiting.” Two guards in black cloaks and iron halfhelms stood by the doors of the armory, leaning on their spears. Hairy Hal was the one who’d spoken. Mully helped Sam back to his feet. He blurted out thanks and hurried past them, clutching desperately at the stack of books as he made his way past the forge with its anvil and bellows. A shirt of ringmail rested on his workbench, half-completed. Ghost was stretched out beneath the anvil, gnawing on the bone of an ox to get at the marrow. The big white direwolf looked up when Sam went by, but made no sound.

瓊恩的會(huì)客間就在那些放滿長矛與盾牌的架子后面例隆。山姆進(jìn)去時(shí)，他正在讀一卷羊皮紙抢蚀，莫爾蒙大人的烏鴉站在他肩頭向下張望镀层，仿佛也在讀羊皮紙，但當(dāng)它見到山姆，便展開翅膀唱逢，一邊向他飛來吴侦，一邊喊叫，“玉米坞古，玉米备韧！”

Jon’s solar was back beyond the racks of spears and shields. He was reading a parchment when Sam entered. Lord Commander Mormont’s raven was on his shoulder, peering down as if it were reading too, but when the bird spied Sam it spread its wings and flapped toward him crying, “Corn, corn!”

山姆將書換到一邊手上，用另一只手去門背后的袋子里抓出一把玉米粒痪枫。烏鴉落在他手腕上织堂，從掌心里啄起一粒，它啄得如此之重奶陈，山姆不由得叫了一聲易阳，抽回手來。烏鴉飛回空中吃粒，黃色紅色的玉米粒撒得到處都是潦俺。

Shifting the books, Sam thrust his arm into the sack beside the door and came out with a handful of kernels. The raven landed on his wrist and took one from his palm, pecking so hard that Sam yelped and snatched his hand back. The raven took to the air again, and yellow and red kernels went everywhere.

“關(guān)門，山姆徐勃∈率荆”瓊恩臉上仍有淡淡的疤痕，一只鷹曾試圖挖他的眼睛僻肖⌒ぞ簦“那家伙有沒有弄破你的皮？”

“Close the door, Sam.” Faint scars still marked Jon’s cheek, where an eagle had once tried to rip his eye out. “Did that wretch break the skin?”

山姆輕輕放下書檐涝，脫掉手套遏匆。“有啊谁榜》福”他感到一陣暈眩，“我在流血呢窃植〉圯铮”

Sam eased the books down and peeled off his glove. “He did.” He felt faint. “I’m bleeding.”

“我們都會(huì)為守夜人軍團(tuán)流血。戴上厚點(diǎn)的手套巷怜「鸪”瓊恩用腳把一張椅子推到他面前⊙铀埽“坐下绣张，看看這個(gè)」卮”他將羊皮紙遞給山姆侥涵。

“We all shed our blood for the Watch. Wear thicker gloves.” Jon shoved a chair toward him with a foot. “Sit, and have a look at this.” He handed him the parchment.

“這是什么？”山姆問。烏鴉開始在草席里搜尋玉米粒芜飘。

“What is it?” asked Sam. The raven began to hunt out corn kernels amongst the rushes.

“一面紙糊的盾牌务豺。”

“A paper shield.”

山姆邊看邊吮手掌上的血嗦明。他一眼就認(rèn)出伊蒙師傅的筆跡笼沥，老人的字體纖細(xì)而精準(zhǔn)，但由于看不到化開的墨漬娶牌，有時(shí)會(huì)留下難看的污斑奔浅。“給托曼國王的信裙戏？”

Sam sucked at the blood on his palm as he read. He knew Maester Aemon’s hand on sight. His writing was small and precise, but the old man could not see where the ink had blotted, and sometimes he left unsightly smears. “A letter to King Tommen?”

“在臨冬城乘凸，托曼曾跟我弟弟布蘭用木劍打斗。他穿著那么多襯墊累榜，看上去就像一只填鵝。后來灵嫌，布蘭將他擊倒在地壹罚。”瓊恩走到窗邊寿羞〔荩“現(xiàn)在布蘭死了，白白胖胖的托曼坐上了鐵王座绪穆，他的黃金鬈發(fā)上頂著王冠辨泳。”

“At Winterfell Tommen fought my brother Bran with wooden swords. He wore so much padding he looked like a stuffed goose. Bran knocked him to the ground.” Jon went to the window. “Yet Bran’s dead, and pudgy pink-faced Tommen is sitting on the Iron Throne, with a crown nestled amongst his golden curls.”

布蘭沒死玖院，山姆幾乎說出口菠红，他隨“冷手”去了長城外。話語卡在他喉嚨难菌。我發(fā)誓守秘试溯。“你還沒在信上簽名呢郊酒∮鼋剩”

Bran’s not dead, Sam wanted to say. He’s gone beyond the Wall with Coldhands. The words caught in his throat. I swore I would not tell. “You haven’t signed the letter.”

“熊老上百次地向君臨求助，他們送來的卻是杰諾斯·史林特燎窘。一旦蘭尼斯特聽說我們收留了史坦尼斯摹闽，只怕再謙卑的信件也無法獲取同情『纸。”

“The Old Bear begged the Iron Throne for help a hundred times. They sent him Janos Slynt. No letter will make the Lannisters love us better. Not once they hear that we’ve been helping Stannis.”

“我們收留他是為了防守長城付鹿，又不是幫他進(jìn)行戰(zhàn)爭。”山姆把信快速地重讀一遍倘屹∫祝“這里面說得很清楚∨Τ祝”

“Only to defend the Wall, not in his rebellion.” Sam read the letter quickly once again. “That’s what it says here.”

“泰溫公爵會(huì)在意其中差別嗎务蝠？”瓊恩把信拿回來≈虻蓿“他為什么要幫我們馏段？他從來沒有付出過〖桑”

“The distinction may escape Lord Tywin.” Jon took the letter back. “Why would he help us now? He never did before.”

“嗯院喜，”山姆說，“也許他不愿聽人們議論說當(dāng)史坦尼斯保衛(wèi)王國時(shí)晕翠，托曼國王卻在玩玩具喷舀。那會(huì)讓蘭尼斯特家族蒙羞的×苌觯”

“Well,” said Sam, “he will not want it said that Stannis rode to the defense of the realm whilst King Tommen was playing with his toys. That would bring scorn down upon House Lannister.”

“蒙羞硫麻？說心里話，我想帶給蘭尼斯特家族毀滅與死亡樊卓∧美ⅲ”瓊恩拿起信÷刀“守夜人軍團(tuán)決不參與七大王國的戰(zhàn)爭浇辜，”他念道，“我們立誓守護(hù)整個(gè)國度唾戚，而今國家已危于累卵柳洋。史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩協(xié)助我們對(duì)抗長城外的敵人，但我們并未支持他……”

“It’s death and destruction I want to bring down upon House Lannister, not scorn.” Jon lifted up the letter. “The Night’s Watch takes no part in the wars of the Seven Kingdoms,” he read. “Our oaths are sworn to the realm, and the realm now stands in dire peril. Stannis Baratheon aids us against our foes from beyond the Wall, though we are not his men …”

“嗯颈走，”山姆扭動(dòng)著身子膳灶，“我們并未支持他。是嗎立由？”

“Well,” said Sam, squirming, “we’re not. Are we?”

“我提供食宿給史坦尼斯的人轧钓，把長夜堡劃給他們支配，再允許部分自由民在新贈(zèng)地定居锐膜。僅此而已毕箍。”

“I gave Stannis food, shelter, and the Nightfort, plus leave to settle some free folk in the Gift. That’s all.”

“泰溫公爵會(huì)說你給的太多了道盏《蹋”

“Lord Tywin will say it was too much.”

“而史坦尼斯認(rèn)為還遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠文捶。對(duì)國王而言，你付出越多媒咳，他就索要得更多粹排。我們正如履薄冰，腳底是萬丈深淵涩澡。與一個(gè)國王相謀已經(jīng)夠難顽耳，同時(shí)滿足兩個(gè)根本不可能∶钔”

“Stannis says it’s not enough. The more you give a king the more he wants. We are walking on a bridge of ice with an abyss on either side. Pleasing one king is difficult enough. Pleasing two is hardly possible.”

“是的射富，但……若蘭尼斯特家大獲全勝之后，泰溫公爵認(rèn)定我們背叛真正的國王粥帚，那也許意味著守夜人的災(zāi)難胰耗。他背后有提利爾家族的支持，整個(gè)高庭的力量芒涡，而且他在黑水河上確實(shí)擊敗了史坦尼斯大人柴灯。”山姆或許見不得血拖陆，但他了解貴族戰(zhàn)爭的法則——全拜父親從小的耳濡目染所賜弛槐。

“Yes, but … if the Lannisters should prevail and Lord Tywin decides that we betrayed the king by aiding Stannis, it could mean the end of the Night’s Watch. He has the Tyrells behind him, with all the strength of Highgarden. And he did defeat Lord Stannis on the Blackwater.” The sight of blood might make Sam faint, but he knew how wars were won. His own father had seen to that.

“黑水河之戰(zhàn)只是一場戰(zhàn)役。羅柏贏得過所有戰(zhàn)役依啰，最終卻掉了腦袋。假如史坦尼斯能喚起北境……”

“The Blackwater was one battle. Robb won all his battles and still lost his head. If Stannis can raise the north …”

瓊恩企圖說服自己店枣，山姆意識(shí)到速警，但并不成功。這也難怪鸯两，近來闷旧，渡鴉川流不息地飛出黑城堡，猶如一場黑翼風(fēng)暴钧唐，前去號(hào)召北境的領(lǐng)主們起兵擁護(hù)史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩忙灼。這些烏兒大部分是山姆親手送出的，但迄今為止只有去卡霍城的那只回來了钝侠，其余是一片異樣的沉默该园。

He’s trying to convince himself, Sam realized, but he can’t. The ravens had gone forth from Castle Black in a storm of black wings, summoning the lords of the north to declare for Stannis Baratheon and join their strength to his. Sam had sent out most of them himself. Thusfar only one bird had returned, the one they’d sent to Karhold. Elsewise the silence had been thunderous.

即使史坦尼斯能把北方人爭取過來，山姆也不知道他如何匹敵凱巖城帅韧、高庭和孿河城的聯(lián)軍里初；然而若沒有北境的支持，他完蛋得更快忽舟。假如泰溫公爵因之把我們定性為叛徒双妨，守夜人也會(huì)跟著完蛋淮阐。“蘭尼斯特在北境有自己的代理人刁品。波頓公爵和他的私生子泣特。”

Even if he should somehow win the northmen to his side, Sam did not see how Stannis could hope to match the combined powers of Casterly Rock, Highgarden, and the Twins. Yet without the north, his cause was surely doomed. As doomed as the Night’s Watch, if Lord Tywin marks us down as traitors. “The Lannisters have northmen of their own. Lord Bolton and his bastard.”

“史坦尼斯似乎能取得卡史塔克的支持挑随，若能進(jìn)一步贏得白港……”

“Stannis has the Karstarks. If he can win White Harbor …”

“若能状您，”山姆強(qiáng)調(diào)，“若不能呢……大人镀裤，紙糊的盾牌總比沒盾牌強(qiáng)竞阐。”

“If,” Sam stressed. “If not … my lord, even a paper shield is better than none.”