Ⅱ 列王的紛爭 Chapter21 布蘭
BRAN
小舞披著一身雪白的羊毛衣奇颠，衣上繡著史塔克家族的灰色冰原狼紋章；布蘭穿著灰馬褲，白上裝赦役，袖子和領(lǐng)口鑲了松鼠皮。他的胸前別著白銀和錚亮黑玉制成的狼頭胸針惠拭。其實他本想帶上活生生的夏天扩劝，而非戴只銀狼，可惜羅德利克爵士不準职辅。
Dancer was draped in bardings of snowy white wool emblazoned with the grey direwolf of House Stark, while Bran wore grey breeches and white doublet, his sleeves and collar trimmed with vair. Over his heart was his wolf’s-head brooch of silver and polished jet. He would sooner have had Summer than a silver wolf on his breast, but Ser Rodrik had been unyielding.
起初棒呛，低矮的石階讓小舞躊躇不前，然而布蘭一加催促域携，它立刻輕松地越了過去簇秒。在橡木和鋼鐵制成的大門內(nèi)，八列長桌占滿了臨冬城的大廳秀鞭，一邊四列趋观，中間空出走道扛禽。人們接踵磨肩地擠在長凳上≈逄常“史塔克萬歲编曼！”布蘭疾跑而過，人們紛紛起立剩辟，高聲呼喊掐场，“臨冬城萬歲！臨冬城萬歲贩猎！”
The low stone steps balked Dancer only for a moment. When Bran urged her on, she took them easily. Beyond the wide oak-and-iron doors, eight long rows of trestle tables filled Winterfell’s Great Hall, four on each side of the center aisle. Men crowded shoulder to shoulder on the benches. “Stark!” they called as Bran trotted past, rising to their feet. “Winterfell! Winterfell!”
他已經(jīng)夠大熊户，知道他們歡呼的對象并非自己——他們是在慶祝豐收，慶祝羅柏和他的節(jié)節(jié)勝利吭服，他們祝福的是他的父親大人和他的祖父嚷堡，祝福的是八千年來所有故去的史塔克。雖然如此艇棕，他仍舊感到十分驕傲蝌戒。穿越大廳這段時間，足以使他忘記自己是個殘廢沼琉。最后他跑到高臺瓶颠，在眾目睽睽之下，歐莎和阿多替他解開皮帶和環(huán)扣刺桃，將他抱下小舞粹淋，放到父親的高位上。
He was old enough to know that it was not truly him they shouted for—it was the harvest they cheered, it was Robb and his victories, it was his lord father and his grandfather and all the Starks going back eight thousand years. Still, it made him swell with pride. For so long as it took him to ride the length of that hall he forgot that he was broken. Yet when he reached the dais, with every eye upon him, Osha and Hodor undid his straps and buckles, lifted him off Dancer’s back, and carried him to the high seat of his fathers.
羅德利克爵士坐在布蘭左邊瑟慈，他女兒貝絲陪在他身旁桃移。瑞肯坐在布蘭右手，一頭雜亂的褐發(fā)已經(jīng)太長葛碧，披散在白貂斗篷上借杰。自打母親離開，他便拒絕任何人為他修理进泼。前次為他剪頭的女侍反被他咬了一口蔗衡。“我也要騎馬乳绕，”阿多帶走小舞時绞惦，他說，“我騎得比你好洋措〖貌酰”
Ser Rodrik was seated to Bran’s left, his daughter Beth beside him. Rickon was to his right, his mop of shaggy auburn hair grown so long that it brushed his ermine mantle. He had refused to let anyone cut it since their mother had gone. The last girl to try had been bitten for her efforts. “I wanted to ride too,” he said as Hodor led Dancer away. “I ride better than you.”
“你不行的，別說話了，”他告訴弟弟王滤。這時贺嫂，只聽羅德利克大喝一聲，全場肅靜雁乡。接著布蘭提起嗓子第喳，以他長兄——北境之王羅柏的名義歡迎他們，請求他們?yōu)楣廨x的勝利和慷慨的豐收感謝新舊諸神踱稍《胀洌“愿此福運連綿不絕，”他結(jié)束講話寞射，舉起父親的銀杯。
“You don’t, so hush up,” he told his brother. Ser Rodrik bellowed for quiet. Bran raised his voice. He bid them welcome in the name of his brother, the King in the North, and asked them to thank the gods old and new for Robb’s victories and the bounty of the harvest. “May there be a hundred more,” he finished, raising his father’s silver goblet.
“連綿不絕锌钮！”白蠟酒杯桥温，陶杯和鑲鐵角杯相互交碰。布蘭的酒里摻了蜂蜜梁丘，還加了肉桂和丁香侵浸，喝起來甘甜可口，卻比他以前喝的飲料濃烈許多氛谜。他咽下酒汁掏觉，只覺無數(shù)熱辣而彎曲的手指在胸腔蜿蜒，放下杯子值漫，腦袋一片眩暈澳腹。
“A hundred more!” Pewter tankards, clay cups, and iron-banded drinking horns clashed together. Bran’s wine was sweetened with honey and fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, but stronger than he was used to. He could feel its hot snaky fingers wriggling through his chest as he swallowed. By the time he set down the goblet, his head was swimming.
“做得好，布蘭杨何，”羅德利克爵士對他說酱塔，“艾德大人一定會為你驕傲∥Ｊ”下首桌邊羊娃，魯溫師傅也點頭贊許，這時埃跷，仆人們把飯菜端上來了蕊玷。
“You did well, Bran,” Ser Rodrik told him. “Lord Eddard would have been most proud.” Down the table, Maester Luwin nodded his agreement as the servers began to carry in the food.
布蘭從未見過如此豐盛的宴席，菜肴一道又一道弥雹，目不暇接垃帅，起初他還打算每道菜都加以品嘗，但很快便打消了這念頭剪勿。人們端上韭菜烤野牛腿挺智，塞滿胡蘿卜、培根和蘑菇的鹿肉派，涂了蜂蜜和丁香的羊排赦颇，五香鴨子二鳄，胡椒野豬肉，烤鵝媒怯，烤雞串和鴿子串订讼，大麥墩牛肉，冰凍水果湯扇苞。
Such food Bran had never seen; course after course after course, so much that he could not manage more than a bite or two of each dish. There were great joints of aurochs roasted with leeks, venison pies chunky with carrots, bacon, and mushrooms, mutton chops sauced in honey and cloves, savory duck, peppered boar, goose, skewers of pigeon and capon, beef-and-barley stew, cold fruit soup. Lord Wyman had brought twenty casks of fish from White Harbor packed in salt and seaweed; whitefish and winkles, crabs and mussels, clams, herring, cod, salmon, lobster and lampreys. There was black bread and honeycakes and oaten biscuits; there were turnips and pease and beets, beans and squash and huge red onions; there were baked apples and berry tarts and pears poached in strongwine. Wheels of white cheese were set at every table, above and below the salt, and flagons of hot spice wine and chilled autumn ale were passed up and down the tables.
? ? 威曼大人從白港帶來二十箱封在鹽和藻類里的海鮮：白鮭和螺螄欺殿，螃蟹和蚌貝，以及蛤鳖敷，鯡魚脖苏，鱈魚，鮭魚定踱，龍蝦和七鰓鰻棍潘。四處都是黑面包、蜂蜜蛋糕和燕麥餅干崖媚，蕪箐亦歉、豌豆和甜菜，大豆畅哑、南瓜和紅色大洋蔥肴楷，還有烤蘋果，漿果餅和烈酒煮梨荠呐。每張桌子的鹽碟旁都擱著輪輪雪白的干酪赛蔫，一壺壺加了香料的熱葡萄酒和冰鎮(zhèn)秋麥酒則在席間傳來傳去威曼大人手下的樂師們熱情而優(yōu)雅地演奏著，然而豎琴泥张，提琴和喇叭的樂音很快被一片歡聲笑語濒募，觥讎交錯和撕打爭搶剩食的狗們的吠叫所淹沒。歌手們唱得悅耳動聽圾结，他們依次表演了“鐵槍”瑰剃，“焚船”和“狗熊與美少女”，然而全場似乎只有阿多在聽筝野。他湊到笛手旁晌姚，單腳蹦跳不休。
Lord Wyman’s musicians played bravely and well, but harp and fiddle and horn were soon drowned beneath a tide of talk and laughter, the clash of cup and plate, and the snarling of hounds fighting for table scraps. The singer sang good songs, “Iron Lances” and “The Burning of the Ships” and “The Bear and the Maiden Fair,” but only Hodor seemed to be listening. He stood beside the piper, hopping from one foot to the other.
喧嘩逐漸增大歇竟，組合成持續(xù)不斷的轟隆吼叫挥唠，好似一場大型合唱，教人頭暈?zāi)X脹焕议。羅德利克爵士隔著貝絲的卷發(fā)和魯溫師傅交談宝磨，瑞肯則歡快地朝瓦德兄弟尖叫。布蘭不愿佛雷兄弟坐上高臺，但師傅提醒他：他們不久后就是他的親戚了唤锉。羅柏很快要跟他們的姑媽成親世囊，而艾利亞會嫁給他們的叔叔×椋“她不會的株憾，”布蘭說，“艾利亞才不會晒衩∴拖梗”但魯溫師傅不理會他的抗議，最后這兩人還是坐在了瑞肯身邊听系。
The noise swelled to a steady rumbling roar, a great heady stew of sound. Ser Rodrik talked with Maester Luwin above Beth’s curly head, while Rickon screamed happily at the Walders. Bran had not wanted the Freys at the high table, but the maester reminded him that they would soon be kin. Robb was to marry one of their aunts, and Arya one of their uncles. “She never will,” Bran said, “not Arya,” but Maester Luwin was unyielding, so there they were beside Rickon.
每上一道菜贝奇，仆人們都先端給布蘭品嘗，作為最高領(lǐng)主靠胜，他有權(quán)選擇任何菜肴中喜歡的部分掉瞳。所以等端上鴨子時，他已經(jīng)徹底吃不下了髓帽。之后每道菜他都只好點頭示意，揮手放走脑豹。假如某個餐盤聞起來實在誘人郑藏，他便指名送給高臺上某位貴族，魯溫師傅之前特地指導過他：這是友誼和榮寵的姿勢瘩欺。他送了些鮭魚給可憐又憂傷的霍伍德伯爵夫人必盖，把野豬肉賜給喧鬧的安柏家人，一盤漿果填鵝給了克雷·賽文俱饿，一只巨龍蝦特意端給了馬房總管喬賽斯——他不是貴族領(lǐng)主也非特邀賓客歌粥，但小舞全賴他細心調(diào)教，布蘭方才得以乘騎拍埠。他還差人把糖果給阿多和老奶媽帶去失驶，不為別的，只因他愛他們枣购。羅德利克爵士提醒他也該送點什么給他的養(yǎng)兄弟嬉探，于是他給小瓦德挑了煮甜菜，給了大瓦德黃油蕪箐棉圈。
The serving men brought every dish to Bran first, that he might take the lord’s portion if he chose. By the time they reached the ducks, he could eat no more. After that he nodded approval at each course in turn, and waved it away. If the dish smelled especially choice, he would send it to one of the lords on the dais, a gesture of friendship and favor that Maester Luwin told him he must make. He sent some salmon down to poor sad Lady Hornwood, the boar to the boisterous Umbers, a dish of goose-in-berries to Cley Cerwyn, and a huge lobster to Joseth the master of horse, who was neither lord nor guest, but had seen to Dancer’s training and made it possible for Bran to ride. He sent sweets to Hodor and Old Nan as well, for no reason but he loved them. Ser Rodrik reminded him to send something to his foster brothers, so he sent Little Walder some boiled beets and Big Walder the buttered turnips.
一切都是虛無的一部分下方的長凳上涩堤，臨冬城堡的人們，避冬市鎮(zhèn)的平民分瘾，附近村鎮(zhèn)的來客以及來訪貴族的跟班隨從們混坐在一起胎围。其中既有許多布蘭從未見過的臉孔，也有許多他認識的人，然而在他眼中白魂，他們都顯得同樣地陌生汽纤。他遠遠望著他們，好似坐在臥房的窗邊探看下方的庭院碧聪，一切的一切都是虛無的一部分冒版。
On the benches below, Winterfell men mixed with smallfolk from the winter town, friends from the nearer holdfasts, and the escorts of their lordly guests. Some faces Bran had never seen before, others he knew as well as his own, yet they all seemed equally foreign to him. He watched them as from a distance, as if he still sat in the window of his bedchamber, looking down on the yard below, seeing everything yet a part of nothing.
歐莎游走席間，替人斟酒逞姿。蘭巴德·陶哈的某位手下把手滑進她裙子辞嗡，卻立刻遭她當頭一壺，酒壺粉碎滞造，眾人哄堂大笑续室。密肯倒真把手伸進了某個女人的胸衣，但對方并不介意谒养。布蘭看著法蘭拿骨頭逗他的紅母狗挺狰，老奶媽用滿是皺紋的手指撕熱派皮的動作瞧得他呵呵直笑。高臺桌旁买窟，威曼大人向一盤熱氣騰騰的鰻魚發(fā)動猛攻丰泊，仿佛那是仇敵的軍隊。他好胖啊始绍，羅德利克爵士不得不特地下令制做一把極寬的椅子供他入席瞳购，不過他總是笑口常開，樂呵呵的亏推，布蘭不由得暗自喜歡上了這人学赛。可憐的霍伍德伯爵夫人坐在他身邊吞杭，面色慘白盏浇，猶如一樽石雕，無精打采地撥弄著眼前的食物芽狗。桌子另一邊绢掰，霍瑟和莫爾斯正在斗酒，角杯交碰童擎，一如騎士格斗曼月。
Osha moved among the tables, pouring ale. One of Leobald Tallhart’s men slid a hand up under her skirts and she broke the flagon over his head, to roars of laughter. Yet Mikken had his hand down some woman’s bodice, and she seemed not to mind. Bran watched Farlen make his red bitch beg for bones and smiled at Old Nan plucking at the crust of a hot pie with wrinkled fingers. On the dais, Lord Wyman attacked a steaming plate of lampreys as if they were an enemy host. He was so fat that Ser Rodrik had commanded that a special wide chair be built for him to sit in, but he laughed loud and often, and Bran thought he liked him. Poor wan Lady Hornwood sat beside him, her face a stony mask as she picked listlessly at her food. At the opposite end of the high table, Hothen and Mors were playing a drinking game, slamming their horns together as hard as knights meeting in joust.
這里太熱，太吵柔昼，四處都是快醉的人哑芹。布蘭感覺到灰白毛衣下的身子好癢，他好渴望到別的地方捕透，只要不留在這里就行聪姿。神木林里多么涼爽碴萧。熱泉中蒸汽升騰，魚梁木的紅葉沙沙作響末购。那里的味道比這兒鮮活破喻，月亮快要升起，我的兄弟將為它歌唱盟榴。
It is too hot here, and too noisy, and they are all getting drunk. Bran itched under his grey and white woolens, and suddenly he wished he were anywhere but here. It is cool in the godswood now. Steam is rising off the hot pools, and the red leaves of the weirwood are rustling. The smells are richer than here, and before long the moon will rise and my brother will sing to it.
“布蘭曹质？”羅德利克爵士道，“你怎么不吃擎场？”
“Bran?” Ser Rodrik said. “You do not eat.”
白日夢活靈活現(xiàn)羽德，好長時間布蘭都弄不清自己置身何方⊙赴欤“我待會兒再吃宅静，”他說，“肚子撐了站欺∫碳校”
The waking dream had been so vivid, for a moment Bran had not known where he was. “I’ll have more later,” he said. “My belly’s full to bursting.”
老騎士的白須上沾滿紅酒》撸“你做得很好磷账，布蘭。不止是今天贾虽，你接見他們時的表現(xiàn)也很稱職逃糟。我相信，總有一天榄鉴，你會成為一位出類拔萃的領(lǐng)主老爺履磨◎茸ィ”
The old knight’s white mustache was pink with wine. “You have done well, Bran. Here, and at the audiences. You will be an especial fine lord one day, I think.”
我想當?shù)氖球T士庆尘。布蘭拿起父親的酒杯，又吮了一口香料蜜酒巷送。手里有東西抓握的感覺真好驶忌。栩栩如生的咆哮冰原狼頭雕在杯子側(cè)面，鍍銀的口鼻壓著他的手掌笑跛，布蘭憶起父親大人最后一次拿它飲酒的情景付魔。
I want to be a knight. Bran took another sip of the spiced honey wine from his father’s goblet, grateful for something to clutch. The lifelike head of a snarling direwolf was raised on the side of the cup. He felt the silver muzzle pressing against his palm, and remembered the last time he had seen his lord father drink from this goblet.
那一夜，為了給來到臨冬城的勞勃國王和他的宮廷接風洗塵飞蹂，舉行了盛大的歡迎宴會几苍。當時仍是夏天，父母同勞勃陈哑、王后和王后的兄弟們一塊坐在高臺妻坝。班揚叔叔也在那兒伸眶，全身黑衣。布蘭和兄弟姐妹們則與國王的孩子們同坐刽宪，有喬佛里厘贼，托曼還有彌賽拉公主。整個宴會期間圣拄，小公主都用崇拜的眼光打量著羅柏嘴秸。只要沒人注意，桌子對面的艾利亞便開始做鬼臉庇谆；珊莎則全神貫注地聽王家豎琴師彈唱騎士的歌謠岳掐；而瑞肯則不停詢問為何瓊恩不和他們在一起∽迕“因為他是個私生子岩四，”最后布蘭只好悄聲告訴他。
It had been the night of the welcoming feast, when King Robert had brought his court to Winterfell. Summer still reigned then. His parents had shared the dais with Robert and his queen, with her brothers beside her. Uncle Benjen had been there too, all in black. Bran and his brothers and sisters sat with the king’s children, Joffrey and Tommen and Princess Myrcella, who’d spent the whole meal gazing at Robb with adoring eyes. Arya made faces across the table when no one was looking; Sansa listened raptly while the king’s high harper sang songs of chivalry, and Rickon kept asking why Jon wasn’t with them. “Because he’s a bastard,” Bran finally had to whisper to him.
一切都恍若隔世哥攘。一切都不知被哪個殘酷的神靈從云端中伸出巨掌剖煌，擎上霄漢，一掃而空逝淹。女孩們被關(guān)起來耕姊，瓊恩去了長城，羅柏和媽媽在打仗栅葡，勞勃國王和爸爸進了墳?zāi)管岳迹蛟S班揚叔叔也……
And now they are all gone. It was as if some cruel god had reached down with a great hand and swept them all away, the girls to captivity, Jon to the Wall, Robb and Mother to war, King Robert and Father to their graves, and perhaps Uncle Benjen as well …
就算坐在下方長凳的，也早非故人欣簇。喬里死了规脸，過世的還包括胖湯姆，波瑟熊咽，埃林莫鸭，戴斯蒙，從前的馬房總管胡倫横殴，他兒子哈爾溫……他們和爸爸一起去了南方被因，茉丹修女和維揚·普爾也去了。剩下的人又和羅柏一起上了戰(zhàn)場衫仑，布蘭知道梨与，他們之中很快也會有人死去。他并非不喜歡稻草頭文狱、麻臉提姆粥鞋、俏皮話等等新人，但他更懷念老朋友瞄崇。
Even down on the benches, there were new men at the tables. Jory was dead, and Fat Tom, and Porther, Alyn, Desmond, Hullen who had been master of horse, Harwin his son … all those who had gone south with his father, even Septa Mordane and Vayon Poole. The rest had ridden to war with Robb, and might soon be dead as well for all Bran knew. He liked Hayhead and Poxy Tym and Skittrick and the other new men well enough, but he missed his old friends.
他來來回回地巡視長凳上那些或快樂或憂傷的臉龐呻粹，心里卻不知在明年到踏，在未來還能不能見到他們。他應(yīng)該要哭的尚猿，然而卻忍住了窝稿。他是臨冬城的史塔克，是父親的兒子凿掂，是哥哥的繼承人伴榔，幾乎就要長大成人了。
He looked up and down the benches at all the faces happy and sad, and wondered who would be missing next year and the year after. He might have cried then, but he couldn’t. He was the Stark in Winterfell, his father’s son and his brother’s heir, and almost a man grown.
大廳盡頭庄萎，門突然打開踪少，一陣寒風剎時吹進，火炬陡然發(fā)亮糠涛。酒肚子領(lǐng)著兩位新客人走進來援奢。“這位是黎德家族的梅拉小姐忍捡，”體態(tài)渾圓的衛(wèi)士用洪亮的聲音蓋過席間喧嘩集漾，“這位是她的弟弟，玖健砸脊，他們從灰水望而來具篇。”
At the foot of the hall, the doors opened and a gust of cold air made the torches flame brighter for an instant. Alebelly led two new guests into the feast. “The Lady Meera of House Reed,” the rotund guardsman bellowed over the clamor. “With her brother, Jojen, of Greywater Watch.”
人們紛紛自酒杯和餐盤上抬頭打量來人凌埂。布蘭聽到小瓦德朝身邊的大瓦德咕噥：“吃青蛙的驱显。”羅德利克爵士起身瞳抓，“歡迎之至埃疫，朋友們，請與我們共享豐收的盛宴孩哑∷ㄋ”仆人們急急忙忙趕來，搭長高臺上的餐桌臭笆，端來凳子和椅子叙淌。
Men looked up from their cups and trenchers to eye the newcomers. Bran heard Little Walder mutter, “Frogeaters,” to Big Walder beside him. Ser Rodrik climbed to his feet. “Be welcome, friends, and share this harvest with us.” Serving men hurried to lengthen the table on the dais, fetching trestles and chairs.
“他們是誰秤掌？”瑞肯問愁铺。
“Who are they?” Rickon asked.
“泥人，”小瓦德輕蔑地答道闻鉴，“都是些強盜和膽小鬼茵乱，他們吃青蛙，牙齒都是綠的孟岛∑拷撸”
“Mudmen,” answered Little Walder disdainfully. “They’re thieves and cravens, and they have green teeth from eating frogs.”
魯溫師傅蹲到布蘭身邊督勺，在他耳畔叮囑：“請你務(wù)必熱情接待他們。唉斤贰，我以為他們不會來……你知道他們的來頭嗎智哀？”
Maester Luwin crouched beside Bran’s seat to whisper counsel in his ear. “You must greet these ones warmly. I had not thought to see them here, but … you know who they are?”
布蘭點頭∮校“澤地人瓷叫。從頸澤來∷脱玻”
Bran nodded. “Crannogmen. From the Neck.”
“霍蘭·黎德是你父親的密友摹菠，”羅德利克爵士插話，“這兩位想必是他的子嗣骗爆〈伟保”
“Howland Reed was a great friend to your father,” Ser Rodrik told him. “These two are his, it would seem.”
來客穿越大廳走道的過程中，布蘭確定比較高的那位真是女士摘投，雖然從著裝上一點也看不出煮寡。她穿著磨舊的羊皮馬褲，無袖上衣外罩青銅甲胄犀呼。雖然年紀與羅柏相仿洲押，卻苗條得像個小孩，長長的褐發(fā)扎在腦后圆凰，幾乎沒有胸部杈帐。她一邊細臀上掛著一張編織精巧的網(wǎng)，另一邊則掛了把長長的青銅短刀专钉；腋下夾有一頂銹跡斑斑的老舊大鐵盔挑童，一只捕蛙矛和一面圓皮盾綁在后背。
As the newcomers walked the length of the hall, Bran saw that one was indeed a girl, though he would never have known it by her dress. She wore lambskin breeches soft with long use, and a sleeveless jerkin armored in bronze scales. Though near Robb’s age, she was slim as a boy, with long brown hair knotted behind her head and only the barest suggestion of breasts. A woven net hung from one slim hip, a long bronze knife from the other; under her arm she carried an old iron greathelm spotted with rust; a frog spear and round leathern shield were strapped to her back.
她的弟弟比她小了好幾歲跃须，沒帶武器站叼。他一襲綠衣，從頭到腳菇民，連靴子的皮革都是綠色尽楔。待他走近，布蘭發(fā)現(xiàn)他的眼睛也有青苔的色彩第练，只牙齒似旁人一般潔白阔馋。兩位黎德都是短小身材，瘦得像把劍娇掏，連布蘭都不比他們矮多少呕寝。他們單膝跪在高臺下。
Her brother was several years younger and bore no weapons. All his garb was green, even to the leather of his boots, and when he came closer Bran saw that his eyes were the color of moss, though his teeth looked as white as anyone else’s. Both Reeds were slight of build, slender as swords and scarcely taller than Bran himself. They went to one knee before the dais.
“尊貴的史塔克大人婴梧，”女孩道下梢，“千百年來客蹋，我族皆對北境之王誓言忠貞。如今尊王再現(xiàn)孽江，父親大人特命吾等前來讶坯，代表全體人民，向您再次宣誓效忠岗屏∶龉”
“My lords of Stark,” the girl said. “The years have passed in their hundreds and their thousands since my folk first swore their fealty to the King in the North. My lord father has sent us here to say the words again, for all our people.”
我們將永遠追隨于您她看著我呢！布蘭意識到担汤，必須說點什么涎跨。“我哥哥去南方作戰(zhàn)了崭歧，”他說隅很，“如果方便的話，您的誓言就對我說吧率碾∈逵”
She is looking at me, Bran realized. He had to make some answer. “My brother Robb is fighting in the south,” he said, “but you can say your words to me, if you like.”
“我們將灰水望的忠誠獻給臨冬城的主人，”他們同聲說道所宰，“我們將爐火绒尊、心靈和收獲都奉獻與您，大人仔粥。我們的寶劍婴谱、長矛和弓箭聽從您的召喚。請您憐憫我們的困苦躯泰，幫助我們的窘迫谭羔，公正平等地對待每個人，而我們將永遠追隨于您麦向∥谅悖”
“To Winterfell we pledge the faith of Greywater,” they said together. “Hearth and heart and harvest we yield up to you, my lord. Our swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to our weak, help to our helpless, and justice to all, and we shall never fail you.”
“我以大地和江河的名義起誓∷薪撸”綠衣男孩道话告。
“I swear it by earth and water,” said the boy in green.
“我以青銅和鋼鐵的名義起誓÷盐浚”他姐姐說沙郭。
“I swear it by bronze and iron,” his sister said.
“我們以冰與火的名義起誓『茄啵”他們齊聲完成棠绘。
“We swear it by ice and fire,” they finished together.
布蘭想說點什么件相。我是不是也該對他們起誓再扭？可他們這套誓詞從沒人教給他聽過呀氧苍。“愿汝之凜冬短暫泛范，盛夏長駐让虐，”最后他道，用了一句常用的祝詞罢荡∩耐唬“請起，我是布蘭登·史塔克区赵〔宴郑”
Bran groped for words. Was he supposed to swear something back to them? Their oath was not one he had been taught. “May your winters be short and your summers bountiful,” he said. That was usually a good thing to say. “Rise. I’m Brandon Stark.”
女孩梅拉首先起立，并扶起弟弟笼才。男孩則一直盯著布蘭漱受。“我們給您帶來了禮物骡送，有魚昂羡，青蛙和野禽，”他說摔踱。
The girl, Meera, got to her feet and helped her brother up. The boy stared at Bran all the while. “We bring you gifts of fish and frog and fowl,” he said.
“謝謝虐先。”布蘭不知遵照禮節(jié)自己是否得吃青蛙派敷∮寂“請您們盡情享用臨冬城的酒肉±河洌”他試圖回憶澤地人的習俗般眉，他們教過他的。相傳他們世代居于頸澤深處潜支，甚少離開沼澤甸赃。這些人都很窮，以捕魚和捉蛙為生冗酿，住在茅草和蘆葦編織的小屋中咐熙，躲藏于沼澤深處隱蔽的浮島上。據(jù)說他們是懦弱的民族尖啡，不僅慣用淬毒的武器荞估，而且常常躲著對手打游擊，不敢面對面地戰(zhàn)斗弱判。然而在布蘭出生之前襟沮，霍蘭·黎德卻成為了父親最堅定的伙伴之一，協(xié)助他為勞勃的王冠浴血奮戰(zhàn)。
“I thank you.” Bran wondered if he would have to eat a frog to be polite. “I offer you the meat and mead of Winterfell.” He tried to recall all he had been taught of the crannogmen, who dwelt amongst the bogs of the Neck and seldom left their wetlands. They were a poor folk, fishers and frog-hunters who lived in houses of thatch and woven reeds on floating islands hidden in the deeps of the swamp. It was said that they were a cowardly people who fought with poisoned weapons and preferred to hide from foes rather than face them in open battle. And yet Howland Reed had been one of Father’s staunchest companions during the war for King Robert’s crown, before Bran was born.
那男孩开伏，玖健膀跌，入席時好奇地環(huán)顧大廳」塘椋“冰原狼在哪兒捅伤？”
The boy, Jojen, looked about the hall curiously as he took his seat. “Where are the direwolves?”
“在神木林里，”瑞肯答道巫玻，“毛毛不乖丛忆。”
“In the godswood,” Rickon answered. “Shaggy was bad.”
“我弟弟很想見它們仍秤∠ü睿”女孩說。
“My brother would like to see them,” the girl said.
小瓦德高聲叫道：“最好別讓它們見你诗力，否則咬你一塊肉粮彤。”
Little Walder spoke up loudly. “He’d best watch they don’t see him, or they’ll take a bite out of him.”
“只要我在姜骡，他們不會咬人导坟。”他們想見小狼圈澈，布蘭覺得很開心惫周。“夏天從來就不會康栈，他還會把毛毛狗趕開递递。”對兩位“泥人”他很好奇啥么，以前他從未見過這個民族登舞。雖說父親年年歲歲都給灰水望的領(lǐng)主寫信，卻從未召見一個澤地人悬荣。他想跟他們多說話菠秒，可惜大廳實在太喧嘩，除了坐在身邊的人氯迂，遠處什么也聽不清践叠。
“They won’t bite if I’m there.” Bran was pleased that they wanted to see the wolves. “Summer won’t anyway, and he’ll keep Shaggydog away.” He was curious about these mudmen. He could not recall ever seeing one before. His father had sent letters to the Lord of Greywater over the years, but none of the crannogmen had ever called at Winterfell. He would have liked to talk to them more, but the Great Hall was so noisy that it was hard to hear anyone who wasn’t right beside you.
坐在身邊的是羅德利克爵士〗朗矗“他們真的吃青蛙禁灼？”他問老騎士。
Ser Rodrik was right beside Bran. “Do they truly eat frogs?” he asked the old knight.
“是啊轿曙∨叮”羅德利克爵士說僻孝，“吃青蛙，魚守谓，蜥獅穿铆，以及各種各樣的野禽》址桑”
“Aye,” Ser Rodrik said. “Frogs and fish and lizard-lions, and all manner of birds.”
他們那里或許沒有牛羊吧悴务，布蘭心想睹限。于是他指令仆人為他們送去羊排譬猫，烤野牛肉片和整盤的大麥燉牛肉∠哿疲看來他們相當滿意染服。女孩發(fā)現(xiàn)他注視著她，便報以微笑叨恨。布蘭紅了臉柳刮，別開頭去。
Maybe they don’t have sheep and cattle, Bran thought. He commanded the serving men to bring them mutton chops and a slice off the aurochs and fill their trenchers with beef-and-barley stew. They seemed to like that well enough. The girl caught him staring at her and smiled. Bran blushed and looked away.
又過了許久痒钝，當所有甜食上完秉颗，人們就著大杯夏日紅咽下去之后，仆人們便清空殘羹剩食送矩，把桌子推到墻邊蚕甥，留出跳舞的空間。音樂愈加狂放栋荸，鼓手們參加進來菇怀。霍瑟·安柏親提一只巨型的鑲銀彎戰(zhàn)角晌块，待歌手們唱起“終結(jié)長夜”——說的是守夜人與異鬼的黎明之戰(zhàn)——這歌謠時爱沟，他用力吹奏應(yīng)和，全廳的狗跟著狂吠匆背。
Much later, after all the sweets had been served and washed down with gallons of summerwine, the food was cleared and the tables shoved back against the walls to make room for the dancing. The music grew wilder, the drummers joined in, and Hother Umber brought forth a huge curved warhorn banded in silver. When the singer reached the part in “The Night That Ended” where the Night’s Watch rode forth to meet the Others in the Battle for the Dawn, he blew a blast that set all the dogs to barking.
兩個葛洛佛的人——呼伸。但莫爾斯·安柏是第一個站起來行動的人。他伸手抓住一位路過的女仆钝尸，將她手中的酒壺打飛在地蜂大，摔得粉碎。在扔滿燈心草蝶怔、骨頭和面包屑的石地板上奶浦，他引領(lǐng)著她，旋轉(zhuǎn)著她踢星，把她在空中拋來拋去澳叉。女孩歡快地尖叫，又因旋開提起的裙子而羞得滿臉通紅。
Two Glover men began a spinning skirl on bladder and woodharp. Mors Umber was the first on his feet. He seized a passing serving girl by the arm, knocking the flagon of wine out of her hands to shatter on the floor. Amidst the rushes and bones and bits of bread that littered the stone, he whirled her and spun her and tossed her in the air. The girl squealed with laughter and turned red as her skirts swirled and lifted.
其他人很快加入成洗。阿多開始自顧自地跳舞五督，威曼大人則邀請小貝絲·凱索作伴。別看他那么胖瓶殃，動作卻優(yōu)雅依然充包。他跳累之后，克雷·賽文便接替他和孩子舞蹈遥椿。羅德利克爵士走向霍伍德伯爵夫人基矮，但她說聲抱歉，離開了冠场。為了禮節(jié)家浇，布蘭觀看很久后，方才召喚阿多碴裙。他又熱又累钢悲，剛喝的酒讓他滿臉暈紅，而跳舞卻讓他感傷舔株。畢竟莺琳，這又是一件他再也辦不到的事啊≡卮龋“我想離開了惭等。”
Others soon joined in. Hodor began to dance all by himself, while Lord Wyman asked little Beth Cassel to partner him. For all his size, he moved gracefully. When he tired, Cley Cerwyn danced with the child in his stead. Ser Rodrik approached Lady Hornwood, but she made her excuses and took her leave. Bran watched long enough to be polite, and then had Hodor summoned. He was hot and tired, flushed from the wine, and the dancing made him sad. It was something else he could never do. “I want to go.”
“阿多娃肿，”阿多吼道咕缎，同時跪在地上。魯溫師傅和稻草頭合力把他抱進籃子料扰。臨冬城的居民對這樣的景象早已司空見慣凭豪，可對外人而言，無疑還很新鮮晒杈。想必有些客人的好奇心會超過禮儀的約束嫂伞，布蘭感覺得到他們的目光。
“Hodor,” Hodor shouted back, kneeling. Maester Luwin and Hayhead lifted him into his basket. The folk of Winterfell had seen this sight half a hundred times, but doubtless it looked queer to the guests, some of whom were more curious than polite. Bran felt the stares.
好在他沒有穿越走道拯钻，而是從后門出去帖努，經(jīng)過這道領(lǐng)主門時布蘭連忙低頭。廳外昏暗的走廊里粪般，馬房總管喬賽斯也在進行一場特殊的騎乘活動拼余。他把一位布蘭不認識的女人推到墻邊，裙子卷上腰際亩歹。女人一直咯咯笑鬧匙监，可眼見阿多停下來關(guān)注凡橱，便開始尖叫⊥だ眩“別管他們稼钩，阿多，”布蘭告訴他达罗，“帶我回房坝撑。”
They went out the rear rather than walk the length of the hall, Bran ducking his head as they passed through the lord’s door. In the dim-lit gallery outside the Great Hall, they came upon Joseth the master of horse engaged in a different sort of riding. He had some woman Bran did not know shoved up against the wall, her skirts around her waist. She was giggling until Hodor stopped to watch. Then she screamed. “Leave them be, Hodor,” Bran had to tell him. “Take me to my bedchamber.”
阿多負著他粮揉，攀登蜿蜒的階梯上了塔樓巡李，在密肯釘?shù)蔫F把手邊跪下。布蘭抓著把手移回床鋪滔蝉，然后阿多替他脫掉褲子鞋襪击儡∷郑“你可以回去參加宴會蝠引，但千萬別打擾喬賽斯和那個女人，”布蘭道蛀柴。
Hodor carried him up the winding steps to his tower and knelt beside one of the iron bars that Mikken had driven into the wall. Bran used the bars to move himself to the bed, and Hodor pulled off his boots and breeches. “You can go back to the feast now, but don’t go bothering Joseth and that woman,” Bran said.
“阿多螃概，”阿多回答，不住點頭鸽疾。
“Hodor,” Hodor replied, bobbing his head.
當他吹滅床頭的蠟燭吊洼，黑暗便像一張柔軟而熟悉的毯子蓋住了他。微弱的樂聲制肮，從百葉窗外飄進冒窍。
When he blew out his bedside candle, darkness covered him like a soft, familiar blanket. The faint sound of music drifted through his shuttered window.
此時此刻，童年時代父親給他講的故事突然浮現(xiàn)于腦海豺鼻。有一次综液，他問艾德公爵御林鐵衛(wèi)是不是七國上下最優(yōu)秀的騎士∪屐“再也不是了谬莹，”他答道，“但曾經(jīng)桩了，他們是奇跡附帽，是全世界最光耀的戰(zhàn)士【”
Something his father had told him once when he was little came back to him suddenly. He had asked Lord Eddard if the Kingsguard were truly the finest knights in the Seven Kingdoms. “No longer,” he answered, “but once they were a marvel, a shining lesson to the world.”
“他們之中誰最強蕉扮？”
“Was there one who was best of all?”
“在我所見過的騎士中，最為出色的是亞瑟·戴恩爵士颗圣，他的佩劍名為黎明喳钟，乃是用墜落隕石的核心鍛造而成爪模。人們尊他為拂曉神劍，若不是霍蘭·黎德荚藻，爸爸本來也要死在他的手上屋灌。”父親露出悲傷的神色应狱，也不再言語共郭。布蘭真希望當時能問個明白。
“The finest knight I ever saw was Ser Arthur Dayne, who fought with a blade called Dawn, forged from the heart of a fallen star. They called him the Sword of the Morning, and he would have killed me but for Howland Reed.” Father had gotten sad then, and he would say no more. Bran wished he had asked him what he meant.
你能感覺到嗎疾呻，姐姐他入眠時滿腦子騎士夢除嘹，他們穿著閃亮的鎧甲，握著宛如星火的寶劍相互砍殺岸蜗，但當夢境真的到來尉咕，他卻又回到了神木林。來自廚房和大廳的氣味是如此濃重璃岳，好似根本不曾離開宴會年缎。他在樹下巡游，弟弟緊跟著他铃慷。夜色如此鮮活单芜，充滿了人類玩耍的嚎叫。這聲音讓他煩躁不安犁柜。他渴望奔跑洲鸠，渴望捕獵，渴望—
He went to sleep with his head full of knights in gleaming armor, fighting with swords that shone like starfire, but when the dream came he was in the godswood again. The smells from the kitchen and the Great Hall were so strong that it was almost as if he had never left the feast. He prowled beneath the trees, his brother close behind him. This night was wildly alive, full of the howling of the man-pack at their play. The sounds made him restless. He wanted to run, to hunt, he wanted to—
? ? 突然馋缅，鋼鐵的碰撞讓他耳朵豎立扒腕。弟弟也聽見了。于是他們穿過矮樹叢萤悴，朝發(fā)聲之地飛奔而去瘾腰。在蒼白的老家伙腳邊，他們躍過寂靜的水面稚疹，追逐陌生人的氣息居灯，那是人類的味道，混合著皮革内狗、泥土和鋼鐵的嗅覺怪嫌。
The rattle of iron made his ears prick up. His brother heard it too. They raced through the undergrowth toward the sound. Bounding across the still water at the foot of the old white one, he caught the scent of a stranger, the man-smell well mixed with leather and earth and iron.
找到入侵者時，他們已進了樹林柳沙；來者是一名女性及一名年輕的男性岩灭。對方身上沒有一絲一毫恐懼的氣息，即使朝他們展示潔白的利牙也不管用赂鲤。弟弟發(fā)出低吼噪径，來者仍不卻步柱恤。
The intruders had pushed a few yards into the wood when he came upon them; a female and a young male, with no taint of fear to them, even when he showed them the white of his teeth. His brother growled low in his throat, yet still they did not run.
“他們來了，”女性說找爱。是梅拉梗顺，體內(nèi)的某個部分低語道，那是迷失在狼夢中的男孩的朦朧呼喚车摄∷掳“你知道他們有這么大？”
“Here they come,” the female said. Meera, some part of him whispered, some wisp of the sleeping boy lost in the wolf dream. “Did you know they would be so big?”
“他們成長后會更大吮播，”年輕的男性道变屁，他睜大那雙綠茵茵的眼睛，無懼地望著他們意狠∷诠兀“黑的那只充滿恐懼和憤怒，可灰的那只更強……比他自知的更強……你能感覺到嗎环戈，姐姐闷板？”
“They will be bigger still before they are grown,” the young male said, watching them with eyes large, green, and unafraid. “The black one is full of fear and rage, but the grey is strong … stronger than he knows … can you feel him, sister?”
“不能，”她說谷市，一只手滑上那柄長長的棕色短刀蛔垢』骱ⅲ“小心迫悠，玖健」遥”
“No,” she said, moving a hand to the hilt of the long brown knife she wore. “Go careful, Jojen.”
“他不會傷害我创泄，只因今日并非我的死期±穑”男性徑直朝他們走來鞠抑，毫無懼色。他朝他鼻子伸出手忌警，觸碰的感覺如盛夏清風一樣溫柔搁拙。然而隨著手指的撫摩，四周的樹林卻逐漸融化法绵，大地噴出煙霧箕速，整個世界狂笑著開始旋轉(zhuǎn)。他暈頭轉(zhuǎn)向朋譬，不斷墜落盐茎，墜落，墜落……
“He won’t hurt me. This is not the day I die.” The male walked toward them, unafraid, and reached out for his muzzle, a touch as light as a summer breeze. Yet at the brush of those fingers the wood dissolved and the very ground turned to smoke beneath his feet and swirled away laughing, and then he was spinning and falling, falling, falling …
