ARYA

32 艾莉亞

The one-eared black tom arched his back and hissed at her.

獨(dú)耳的黑公貓拱起背朝她嘶叫候学。

Arya padded down the alley, balanced lightly on the balls of her bare feet, listening to the flutter of her heart, breathing slow deep breaths. Quiet as a shadow, she told herself, light as a feather. The tomcat watched her come, his eyes wary.

艾莉亞沿著小路走振亮，赤裸的腳跟保持平衡显蝌，傾聽(tīng)心臟疾跳藏杖，深呼吸緩?fù)職馑褡ｌo如影另凌，她告訴自己康吵，輕如羽实夹。公貓看著她漸漸逼近橄浓，眼里充滿(mǎn)警戒。

Catching cats was hard. Her hands were covered with half-healed scratches, and both knees were scabbed over where she had scraped them raw in tumbles. At first even the cook’s huge fat kitchen cat had been able to elude her, but Syrio had kept her at it day and night. When she’d run to him with her hands bleeding, he had said, “So slow? Be quicker, girl. Your enemies will give you more than scratches.” He had dabbed her wounds with Myrish fire, which burned so bad she had had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. Then he sent her out after more cats.

抓貓難亮航。她手上到處都是未愈的抓痕荸实，兩腳膝蓋則因跌倒擦傷，結(jié)滿(mǎn)了疤缴淋。剛開(kāi)始准给，連廚師養(yǎng)的那只廚房胖貓都能躲過(guò)她泄朴，但西利歐叫她日夜不停地練習(xí)。當(dāng)她滿(mǎn)手是血找上他時(shí)露氮，他只說(shuō)：“怎么這么慢叼旋？小妹妹，動(dòng)作要快沦辙。等你遇到敵人夫植，就不只是抓傷而已了∮脱叮”他為她在傷口涂上密爾火详民，燙極了，她咬緊嘴唇才沒(méi)大聲尖叫陌兑。然后他又叫她繼續(xù)去抓貓沈跨。

The Red Keep was full of cats: lazy old cats dozing in the sun, cold-eyed mousers twitching their tails, quick little kittens with claws like needles, ladies’ cats all combed and trusting, ragged shadows prowling the midden heaps. One by one Arya had chased them down and snatched them up and brought them proudly to Syrio Forel?.?.?.?all but this one, this one-eared black devil of a tomcat. “That’s the real king of this castle right there,” one of the gold cloaks had told her. “Older than sin and twice as mean. One time, the king was feasting the queen’s father, and that black bastard hopped up on the table and snatched a roast quail right out of Lord Tywin’s fingers. Robert laughed so hard he like to burst. You stay away from that one, child.”

紅堡到處都是貓：有在太陽(yáng)下打盹的慵懶老貓、有冷眼擺尾的捕鼠貓兔综、有爪子利如尖針的靈巧小貓饿凛、還有宮廷仕女養(yǎng)的貓，一身的毛梳理柔順软驰，乖巧聽(tīng)話涧窒，以及渾身臟兮兮、專(zhuān)門(mén)在垃圾堆里出沒(méi)的黑貓锭亏。艾莉亞一只一只追蹤到底纠吴，然后拎起來(lái)，得意萬(wàn)分地帶回去給西利歐·佛瑞爾……如今就只差這只獨(dú)耳的黑色小惡魔啦慧瘤〈饕眩“那家伙才是城堡里真正的王，”有位穿金披風(fēng)的都城守衛(wèi)告訴她锅减，“不但老不死糖儡，還壞得跟什么似的。有次國(guó)王宴請(qǐng)他老丈人怔匣，結(jié)果那黑心肝的混球跳上桌握联，從泰溫大人的手里大搖大擺地叼走一只烤鵪鶉。勞勃笑得快爆炸劫狠。小乖乖拴疤，你離那壞蛋遠(yuǎn)點(diǎn)《琅ⅲ”

He had run her halfway across the castle; twice around the Tower of the Hand, across the inner bailey, through the stables, down the serpentine steps, past the small kitchen and the pig yard and the barracks of the gold cloaks, along the base of the river wall and up more steps and back and forth over Traitor’s Walk, and then down again and through a gate and around a well and in and out of strange buildings until Arya didn’t know where she was.

為了抓它呐矾，她跑遍半個(gè)城堡：繞了首相塔兩圈，穿越內(nèi)城中庭懦砂，鉆進(jìn)馬廄蜒犯，走下層層環(huán)繞的螺旋梯组橄，經(jīng)過(guò)小廚房、養(yǎng)豬場(chǎng)和都城守衛(wèi)隊(duì)的營(yíng)房罚随，順著臨河城墻的根基玉工，再上樓梯，在叛徒走道上來(lái)來(lái)回回淘菩，然后又下樓遵班，出一道門(mén)，繞過(guò)一口井潮改，進(jìn)出前方形形色色的建筑狭郑，到最后艾莉亞根本不知自己所在何處。

Now at last she had him. High walls pressed close on either side, and ahead was a blank windowless mass of stone. Quiet as a shadow, she repeated, sliding forward, light as a feather.

這下她總算逮著它了汇在。左右兩邊都是高墻翰萨，前方則是大片沒(méi)開(kāi)窗的石壁。靜如影糕殉，她滑步向前亩鬼，在心中重復(fù)，輕如羽阿蝶。

When she was three steps away from him, the tomcat bolted. Left, then right, he went; and right, then left, went Arya, cutting off his escape. He hissed again and tried to dart between her legs. Quick as a snake, she thought. Her hands closed around him. She hugged him to her chest, whirling and laughing aloud as his claws raked at the front of her leather jerkin. Ever so fast, she kissed him right between the eyes, and jerked her head back an instant before his claws would have found her face. The tomcat yowled and spit.

當(dāng)她離它只剩三步之遙時(shí)雳锋，公貓倏地沖了出來(lái)。先往左赡磅，再往右魄缚，艾莉亞便先擋右，再擋左焚廊，切斷了它逃生的路。它又發(fā)出嘶叫习劫，試圖從她兩腳之間溜走咆瘟。迅如蛇，她心想诽里。她伸手抓住它袒餐，把它抱在胸前，樂(lè)得放聲大笑谤狡，四處轉(zhuǎn)圈灸眼，任由它的利爪撕扯她的皮上衣。她用更快的速度在它兩眼之間輕吻一下墓懂，并在它伸出爪子抓她臉的前一刻縮回焰宣。公貓嘶吼著朝她吐口水。

“What’s he doing to that cat?”

“他在跟那只貓做什么捕仔？”

Startled, Arya dropped the cat and whirled toward the voice. The tom bounded off in the blink of an eye. At the end of the alley stood a girl with a mass of golden curls, dressed as pretty as a doll in blue satin. Beside her was a plump little blond boy with a prancing stag sewn in pearls across the front of his doublet and a miniature sword at his belt. Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen, Arya thought. A septa as large as a draft horse hovered over them, and behind her two big men in crimson cloaks, Lannister house guards.

艾莉亞嚇了一跳匕积，松開(kāi)貓盈罐，旋身面對(duì)聲音的來(lái)源。公貓轉(zhuǎn)瞬間便一溜煙逃走闪唆。小巷的另一端站著一個(gè)滿(mǎn)頭金卷發(fā)盅粪、穿著藍(lán)錦緞衣服、漂亮得像個(gè)洋娃娃似的女孩悄蕾。她身邊有個(gè)胖嘟嘟的金發(fā)小男孩票顾，外衣胸前用珍珠繡了一只昂首騰躍的公鹿，腰際配了把微型劍帆调。是彌賽菈公主和托曼王子奠骄，艾莉亞心想。他們身邊跟了一個(gè)塊頭大得像犁馬的修女贷帮，她背后還有兩個(gè)蘭尼斯特家的貼身護(hù)衛(wèi)戚揭，都是牛高馬大的漢子。

“What were you doing to that cat, boy?” Myrcella asked again, sternly. To her brother she said, “He’s a ragged boy, isn’t he? Look at him.” She giggled.

“小弟弟撵枢，你在跟那只貓做什么懊裆埂？”彌賽菈口氣嚴(yán)厲地再度發(fā)問(wèn)锄禽，然后對(duì)弟弟說(shuō)潜必，“你瞧，他還真是個(gè)臟兮兮的小弟弟沃但，對(duì)不對(duì)磁滚？”

“A ragged dirty smelly boy,” Tommen agreed.

“對(duì)，衣服破爛宵晚，又臟又臭的小弟弟垂攘。”托曼同意淤刃。

They don’t know me, Arya realized. They don’t even know I’m a girl. Small wonder; she was barefoot and dirty, her hair tangled from the long run through the castle, clad in a jerkin ripped by cat claws and brown roughspun pants hacked off above her scabby knees. You don’t wear skirts and silks when you’re catching cats. Quickly she lowered her head and dropped to one knee. Maybe they wouldn’t recognize her. If they did, she would never hear the end of it. Septa Mordane would be mortified, and Sansa would never speak to her again from the shame.

他們沒(méi)認(rèn)出我晒他，艾莉亞這才明白笨腥，他們甚至不知道我是女孩亮蛔。這也難怪，她光著腳丫寓调，全身骯臟铝侵，在城堡里跑過(guò)一圈以后灼伤，頭發(fā)亂成一團(tuán)，身上的皮背心布滿(mǎn)了貓的爪痕咪鲜，粗布縫制的棕色褲子膝蓋以下都被割掉狐赡，露出傷疤遍布的雙腳——抓貓總不能穿裙子或絲衣吧。她連忙低頭嗜诀，單膝跪下猾警。他們要是認(rèn)不出她來(lái)孔祸，就太好了。若是被認(rèn)出來(lái)发皿，她會(huì)吃不了兜著走的崔慧。因?yàn)檫@不但會(huì)丟光茉丹修女的臉，連珊莎也將覺(jué)得可恥穴墅，從此再不跟她說(shuō)話惶室。

The old fat septa moved forward. “Boy, how did you come here? You have no business in this part of the castle.”

肥胖的老修女往前挪了挪⌒酰“小弟弟皇钞，你怎么跑到這里來(lái)的？你不該在城堡里到處亂跑喔松捉〖薪纾”

“You can’t keep this sort out,” one of the red cloaks said. “Like trying to keep out rats.”

“沒(méi)辦法，這種人趕也趕不完隘世，”一個(gè)紅袍衛(wèi)士道可柿，“跟趕老鼠一樣的道理”撸”

“Who do you belong to, boy?” the septa demanded. “Answer me. What’s wrong with you, are you mute?”

“小弟弟复斥，你是誰(shuí)家的孩子？”修女質(zhì)問(wèn)械媒，“告訴我目锭。你怎么了？你是啞巴嗎纷捞？”

Arya’s voice caught in her throat. If she answered, Tommen and Myrcella would know her for certain.

艾莉亞的話音卡在喉嚨里痢虹。如果她出聲回答，托曼和彌賽菈一定會(huì)認(rèn)出她來(lái)主儡。

“Godwyn, bring him here,” the septa said. The taller of the guardsmen started down the alley.

“高德溫世分，把他帶過(guò)來(lái)∽罕纾”修女說(shuō)。長(zhǎng)得較高的那名衛(wèi)士朝小巷的這邊走來(lái)踪央。

Panic gripped her throat like a giant’s hand. Arya could not have spoken if her life had hung on it. Calm as still water, she mouthed silently.

恐慌如巨人的手攫住她的喉嚨臀玄，艾莉亞知道自己命懸于此，不發(fā)出半點(diǎn)聲音畅蹂。止如水健无，她在心里默念。

As Godwyn reached for her, Arya moved. Quick as a snake. She leaned to her left, letting his fingers brush her arm, spinning around him. Smooth as summer silk. By the time he got himself turned, she was sprinting down the alley. Swift as a deer. The septa was screeching at her. Arya slid between legs as thick and white as marble columns, bounded to her feet, bowled into Prince Tommen and hopped over him when he sat down hard and said “Oof,” spun away from the second guard, and then she was past them all, running full out.

就在高德溫伸手的前一刻液斜，艾莉亞采取了行動(dòng)累贤。迅如蛇叠穆。她重心左移，他的手指擦臂而過(guò)臼膏。她繞過(guò)他硼被。柔如絲。待他轉(zhuǎn)身渗磅，她已朝巷口飛奔而去嚷硫。疾如鹿。修女朝她尖叫始鱼，艾莉亞從她兩條粗得像白色大理石柱的腿中間鉆過(guò)去仔掸，站起身，迎面撞上托曼王子医清，他“哎喲”一聲重重坐倒起暮。她從他身上跳過(guò)，閃開(kāi)第二個(gè)侍衛(wèi)会烙，然后她便擺脫他們负懦，全速逃走。

She heard shouts, then pounding footsteps, closing behind her. She dropped and rolled. The red cloak went careening past her, stumbling. Arya sprang back to her feet. She saw a window above her, high and narrow, scarcely more than an arrow slit. Arya leapt, caught the sill, pulled herself up. She held her breath as she wriggled through. Slippery as an eel. Dropping to the floor in front of a startled scrubwoman, she hopped up, brushed the rushes off her clothes, and was off again, out the door and along a long hall, down a stair, across a hidden courtyard, around a corner and over a wall and through a low narrow window into a pitch-dark cellar. The sounds grew more and more distant behind her.

她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)叫喊持搜，緊接著是砰砰砰的腳步迅速朝她逼近密似。她身子一蹲，著地滾開(kāi)葫盼。紅衣衛(wèi)士踉蹌著沖過(guò)她身邊残腌，差點(diǎn)跌倒。艾莉亞一躍起身贫导，看到頭上有扇又高又窄的窗子抛猫，比城墻上的射箭孔大不了多少，便向上一跳孩灯，攀住窗臺(tái)闺金，往上拉升，閉著氣往里擠峰档“芷ィ滑如鰻。待她跳下窗口讥巡，正落在一名吃驚的洗衣婦面前掀亩，她立刻翻身，拍拍塵土欢顷，繼續(xù)逃跑槽棍。她穿門(mén)而出，奔過(guò)長(zhǎng)廳，跑下樓梯炼七，穿越一座隱蔽的庭院缆巧，繞過(guò)轉(zhuǎn)角，翻過(guò)墻豌拙，擠進(jìn)一扇低矮窄窗后陕悬，來(lái)到一個(gè)伸手不見(jiàn)五指的漆黑地窖。身后追趕的聲音漸漸變小姆蘸。

Arya was out of breath and quite thoroughly lost. She was in for it now if they had recognized her, but she didn’t think they had. She’d moved too fast. Swift as a deer.

艾莉亞幾乎喘不過(guò)氣墩莫，完全迷失了方向。現(xiàn)在就算他們認(rèn)出她逞敷，她也認(rèn)栽了狂秦，但她覺(jué)得他們應(yīng)該做不到，因?yàn)樗齽?dòng)作太快了推捐。疾如鹿裂问。

She hunkered down in the dark against a damp stone wall and listened for the pursuit, but the only sound was the beating of her own heart and a distant drip of water. Quiet as a shadow, she told herself. She wondered where she was. When they had first come to King’s Landing, she used to have bad dreams about getting lost in the castle. Father said the Red Keep was smaller than Winterfell, but in her dreams it had been immense, an endless stone maze with walls that seemed to shift and change behind her. She would find herself wandering down gloomy halls past faded tapestries, descending endless circular stairs, darting through courtyards or over bridges, her shouts echoing unanswered. In some of the rooms the red stone walls would seem to drip blood, and nowhere could she find a window. Sometimes she would hear her father’s voice, but always from a long way off, and no matter how hard she ran after it, it would grow fainter and fainter, until it faded to nothing and Arya was alone in the dark.

她摸黑靠著一堵潮濕的石墻蹲下，靜聽(tīng)追兵的響動(dòng)牛柒，卻只聽(tīng)見(jiàn)自己的心跳和遠(yuǎn)處的滴水聲堪簿。靜如影，她告訴自己皮壁。她納悶自己究竟置身何處椭更。初來(lái)君臨時(shí)，她常做惡夢(mèng)蛾魄，夢(mèng)見(jiàn)自己迷失在城堡里虑瀑。父親說(shuō)紅堡比臨冬城要小，但在夢(mèng)中它卻碩大無(wú)比滴须，活像一座無(wú)邊無(wú)際的石造迷宮舌狗，而墻壁仿佛會(huì)在她身后變換形體。她發(fā)現(xiàn)自己常漫游在陰森的廳堂里扔水，經(jīng)過(guò)褪色的壁氈痛侍，走下無(wú)止盡的螺旋樓梯，在庭院間和吊橋上穿梭魔市，尖聲叫喊卻無(wú)人回應(yīng)主届。有些房間里，紅墻似乎在滴血待德，而她一扇窗戶(hù)也找不到岂膳。有的時(shí)候，她能聽(tīng)見(jiàn)父親的聲音磅网，但總是從遙遠(yuǎn)的地方傳來(lái)，而不論她如何努力地朝聲音來(lái)源飛奔筷屡，那聲音卻依舊越來(lái)越微弱涧偷，直至完全消失簸喂。黑暗之中，只剩艾莉亞獨(dú)自一人燎潮。

It was very dark right now, she realized. She hugged her bare knees tight against her chest and shivered. She would wait quietly and count to ten thousand. By then it would be safe for her to come creeping back out and find her way home.

她發(fā)覺(jué)這里也很暗喻鳄，于是縮起裸露的膝蓋，緊緊抱在胸前确封，發(fā)起抖來(lái)除呵。她決定在這里默默數(shù)到一萬(wàn)，等那時(shí)候就可以安全地爬出去爪喘，找路回家了颜曾。

By the time she had reached eighty-seven, the room had begun to lighten as her eyes adjusted to the blackness. Slowly the shapes around her took on form. Huge empty eyes stared at her hungrily through the gloom, and dimly she saw the jagged shadows of long teeth. She had lost the count. She closed her eyes and bit her lip and sent the fear away. When she looked again, the monsters would be gone. Would never have been. She pretended that Syrio was beside her in the dark, whispering in her ear. Calm as still water, she told herself. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine. She opened her eyes again.

當(dāng)她數(shù)到八十七的時(shí)候，眼睛已經(jīng)習(xí)慣了黑暗秉剑，房間也似乎逐漸亮起來(lái)泛豪，身邊的事物緩緩現(xiàn)形≌炫簦昏暗之中诡曙，無(wú)數(shù)巨大而空洞的眼睛饑渴地瞪著她。她隱約看到長(zhǎng)牙的鋸齒陰影略水。她頓時(shí)忘了數(shù)到哪里价卤，只敢閉上眼睛，咬住嘴唇渊涝，驅(qū)趕恐懼慎璧。等她睜眼再看，怪獸就會(huì)不見(jiàn)驶赏。怪獸會(huì)不存在炸卑。她假裝西利歐也在黑暗中，陪在她身邊煤傍，對(duì)她悄聲說(shuō)話盖文。止如水，她告訴自己蚯姆，壯如熊五续，猛如狼，然后睜開(kāi)眼睛龄恋。

The monsters were still there, but the fear was gone.

怪獸還在疙驾，恐懼卻消失了。

Arya got to her feet, moving warily. The heads were all around her. She touched one, curious, wondering if it was real. Her fingertips brushed a massive jaw. It felt real enough. The bone was smooth beneath her hand, cold and hard to the touch. She ran her fingers down a tooth, black and sharp, a dagger made of darkness. It made her shiver.

艾莉亞小心翼翼地站起來(lái)郭毕。四周都是頭骨它碎，她好奇地摸摸其中一個(gè)，不知到底是不是真的。她的指尖拂過(guò)一個(gè)寬大的下巴扳肛，摸起來(lái)挺像真的傻挂。骨頭的感覺(jué)很平滑，既冷且硬挖息。她的手指摸到一顆牙齒金拒，又黑又尖，活像是由黑暗所造的匕首套腹，她不禁打了個(gè)寒顫绪抛。

“It’s dead,” she said aloud. “It’s just a skull, it can’t hurt me.” Yet somehow the monster seemed to know she was there. She could feel its empty eyes watching her through the gloom, and there was something in that dim, cavernous room that did not love her. She edged away from the skull and backed into a second, larger than the first. For an instant she could feel its teeth digging into her shoulder, as if it wanted a bite of her flesh. Arya whirled, felt leather catch and tear as a huge fang nipped at her jerkin, and then she was running. Another skull loomed ahead, the biggest monster of all, but Arya did not even slow. She leapt over a ridge of black teeth as tall as swords, dashed through hungry jaws, and threw herself against the door.

“它死了〉缳鳎”她朗聲道幢码，“只是顆骷髏頭，傷不了我的鞭呕「蛴”但不知怎的，那怪獸似乎知道她在這兒葫松。她感覺(jué)得到它空洞的眼睛穿過(guò)陰暗看著她瓦糕，在這個(gè)光線微弱、寬敞高大的房間里腋么，有種不喜歡她的東西存在咕娄。她避開(kāi)那個(gè)頭顱，向后退開(kāi)珊擂，卻又碰到一個(gè)更大的骷髏圣勒。一時(shí)間她幾乎可以感覺(jué)它的牙齒陷進(jìn)她的肩膀，仿佛想一口咬下她的血肉摧扇。艾莉亞旋身圣贸，一顆尖牙果然已經(jīng)咬住她的外衣，皮革被鉤住扛稽，撕裂了一大塊吁峻，她沒(méi)命似的快跑。眼前又有一個(gè)頭顱出現(xiàn)在张，這是最大的怪獸用含。艾莉亞不敢慢步，她跳過(guò)一排高得像劍帮匾、山脊似的黑牙齒啄骇，沖進(jìn)一個(gè)又一個(gè)饑餓的血盆大口，然后撞上了門(mén)瘟斜。

Her hands found a heavy iron ring set in the wood, and she yanked at it. The door resisted a moment, before it slowly began to swing inward, with a creak so loud Arya was certain it could be heard all through the city. She opened the door just far enough to slip through, into the hallway beyond.

她摸黑找到木門(mén)上厚重的鐵環(huán)缸夹，使勁一拉痪寻，門(mén)抗拒了一會(huì)兒，方才緩緩向內(nèi)打開(kāi)明未，可是發(fā)出來(lái)的嘎吱聲卻大得嚇人槽华，艾莉亞心想這下全城的人都會(huì)聽(tīng)見(jiàn)了。她拉開(kāi)恰好能讓自己鉆進(jìn)去的縫隙趟妥，溜進(jìn)門(mén)后的長(zhǎng)廳。

If the room with the monsters had been dark, the hall was the blackest pit in the seven hells. Calm as still water, Arya told herself, but even when she gave her eyes a moment to adjust, there was nothing to see but the vague grey outline of the door she had come through. She wiggled her fingers in front of her face, felt the air move, saw nothing. She was blind. A water dancer sees with all her senses, she reminded herself. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing one two three, drank in the quiet, reached out with her hands.

如果剛剛那個(gè)充滿(mǎn)怪獸的房間算得上黑暗佣蓉，那這個(gè)大廳就是七層地獄里最伸手不見(jiàn)五指的黑洞披摄。止如水，艾莉亞告訴自己勇凭，她給了眼睛足夠的調(diào)適時(shí)間疚膊，但除了剛才進(jìn)來(lái)的門(mén)有模糊的灰色輪廓，其余依舊什么也看不到虾标。她伸出手指在面前搖晃寓盗，感覺(jué)到空氣的移動(dòng)，卻沒(méi)有東西璧函。她成了瞎子傀蚌。水舞者要用所有的感官去洞察周?chē)嵝炎约赫合拧Ｓ谑撬]上眼善炫，穩(wěn)住呼吸數(shù)了一二三，靜靜吸口氣库继，然后伸出雙手箩艺，開(kāi)始摸索。

Her fingers brushed against rough unfinished stone to her left. She followed the wall, her hand skimming along the surface, taking small gliding steps through the darkness. All halls lead somewhere. Where there is a way in, there is a way out. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Arya would not be afraid. It seemed as if she had been walking a long ways when the wall ended abruptly and a draft of cold air blew past her cheek. Loose hairs stirred faintly against her skin.

左手邊宪萄，她的指頭拂過(guò)未完工的粗石表面艺谆。她便沿著墻走，手在石面游移拜英，踏著小碎步慢慢穿越黑暗静汤。每個(gè)房間總有出路，有進(jìn)必有出嘛聊记。而且撒妈，恐懼比利劍更傷人。艾莉亞不能害怕排监。她仿佛走了好長(zhǎng)一段狰右，墻壁突然到了盡頭，一團(tuán)冷氣吹過(guò)她的臉頰舆床。松開(kāi)的頭發(fā)輕輕拍打著她的皮膚棋蚌。

From somewhere far below her, she heard noises. The scrape of boots, the distant sound of voices. A flickering light brushed the wall ever so faintly, and she saw that she stood at the top of a great black well, a shaft twenty feet across plunging deep into the earth. Huge stones had been set into the curving walls as steps, circling down and down, dark as the steps to hell that Old Nan used to tell them of. And something was coming up out of the darkness, out of the bowels of the earth?.?.?.?

她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)有聲音從下方很遠(yuǎn)的地方傳來(lái)嫁佳。靴子的磨地聲，遙遠(yuǎn)的交談聲谷暮。搖曳的火光朦朧地掃過(guò)墻壁蒿往，她這才發(fā)現(xiàn)自己正站在一口大黑井邊，井足足有二十尺寬湿弦，開(kāi)口直向地心瓤漏。彎曲的墻上嵌了大石頭作為樓梯，向下回旋回旋颊埃，漆黑得就像老奶媽以前常跟他們說(shuō)的蔬充，通往地獄的階梯。有東西正從黑暗中爬出來(lái)班利，從地心深處爬出來(lái)……

Arya peered over the edge and felt the cold black breath on her face. Far below, she saw the light of a single torch, small as the flame of a candle. Two men, she made out. Their shadows writhed against the sides of the well, tall as giants. She could hear their voices, echoing up the shaft.

艾莉亞趴在井邊偷偷往下看饥漫，一股冰冷的黑氣迎面襲來(lái)。下方極遠(yuǎn)處罗标，她看到一根火把的亮光庸队，微小有如燭火。她分辨出是兩個(gè)人闯割，他們的影子交錯(cuò)投射在墻上彻消，高大有如巨人。她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)他們的聲音纽谒，回蕩著傳向井邊证膨。

“?.?.?.?found one bastard,” one said. “The rest will come soon. A day, two days, a fortnight?.?.?.?”

“……找到了一個(gè)私生子，”一個(gè)人說(shuō)鼓黔，“其他的也遲早會(huì)查出來(lái)央勒。要么一兩天，最遲不過(guò)兩星期……”

“And when he learns the truth, what will he do?” a second voice asked in the liquid accents of the Free Cities.

“等他查出真相澳化，他會(huì)怎么做崔步？”第二個(gè)聲音是自由貿(mào)易城邦的滑溜口音。

“The gods alone know,” the first voice said. Arya could see a wisp of grey smoke drifting up off the torch, writhing like a snake as it rose. “The fools tried to kill his son, and what’s worse, they made a mummer’s farce of it. He’s not a man to put that aside. I warn you, the wolf and lion will soon be at each other’s throats, whether we will it or no.”

“只有天上諸神知道缎谷，”第一個(gè)聲音說(shuō)井濒。艾莉亞看到火把冒出一縷灰煙，一邊冉冉上升列林，一邊像蛇似的翻騰纏繞瑞你。“那群蠢蛋想殺他兒子希痴，更糟糕的是者甲，他們將把事情全都搞砸。他可不是這么好打發(fā)的人砌创。我警告你虏缸，不管我們喜不喜歡鲫懒，狼和獅很快就會(huì)打成一團(tuán)」粽蓿”

“Too soon, too soon,” the voice with the accent complained. “What good is war now? We are not ready. Delay.”

“太快窥岩，太快了，”帶著口音的聲音抱怨宰缤，“現(xiàn)在開(kāi)戰(zhàn)有什么用颂翼？我們還沒(méi)準(zhǔn)備好。想辦法拖一拖慨灭【卫穑”

“As well bid me stop time. Do you take me for a wizard?”

“倒不如叫我暫停時(shí)間。你以為我是巫師缘挑？”

The other chuckled. “No less.” Flames licked at the cold air. The tall shadows were almost on top of her. An instant later the man holding the torch climbed into her sight, his companion beside him. Arya crept back away from the well, dropped to her stomach, and flattened herself against the wall. She held her breath as the men reached the top of the steps.

另一人呵呵笑道：“我以為你的能耐絕對(duì)不輸巫師⊥奥裕”火焰舐著冷空氣语淘，高大的影子幾乎就要投射到她身上。幾秒之后际歼，持火把的人順著樓梯進(jìn)入她的視線范圍惶翻，他的同伴跟在他身邊。艾莉亞從井邊爬開(kāi)鹅心，趴下來(lái)吕粗，貼緊墻壁。眼看兩人踏上樓梯頂端旭愧，她屏住了呼吸颅筋。

“What would you have me do?” asked the torchbearer, a stout man in a leather half cape. Even in heavy boots, his feet seemed to glide soundlessly over the ground. A round scarred face and a stubble of dark beard showed under his steel cap, and he wore mail over boiled leather, and a dirk and shortsword at his belt. It seemed to Arya there was something oddly familiar about him.

“你要我怎么辦？”拿火把的人問(wèn)输枯。他是個(gè)身材粗壯的人议泵，披著皮制的半身斗篷。雖然穿了厚重靴子桃熄，他的腳卻仿佛無(wú)聲地滑過(guò)路面先口。在他的鋼頭盔下，是張帶傷疤的圓臉瞳收，還有撮短須碉京。他穿著硬皮衣，外罩盔甲螟深，腰間則系了一把匕首和一柄短劍谐宙。艾莉亞覺(jué)得他有種古怪的熟悉感。

“If one Hand can die, why not a second?” replied the man with the accent and the forked yellow beard. “You have danced the dance before, my friend.” He was no one Arya had ever seen before, she was certain of it. Grossly fat, yet he seemed to walk lightly, carrying his weight on the balls of his feet as a water dancer might. His rings glimmered in the torchlight, red-gold and pale silver, crusted with rubies, sapphires, slitted yellow tiger eyes. Every finger wore a ring; some had two.

“既然死了一個(gè)首相血崭，為什么不能死第二個(gè)卧惜？”說(shuō)話帶著口音厘灼，長(zhǎng)著一撮黃色八字胡的人回答⊙蚀桑“我的好友啊设凹，你從前不就跳過(guò)這種舞？”艾莉亞以前沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)他茅姜，這點(diǎn)她很確定闪朱。他雖然臃腫不堪，卻步履輕盈钻洒，重心放在腳跟奋姿，走起路來(lái)像個(gè)水舞者該有的樣子。他的戒指在火光下熠熠發(fā)光素标，有紅金称诗、白銀、鑲了紅寶石头遭、藍(lán)寶石寓免，其中更有黃紋的老虎眼。每根指頭都戴有戒指计维，有些還戴了兩顆袜香。

“Before is not now, and this Hand is not the other,” the scarred man said as they stepped out into the hall. Still as stone, Arya told herself, quiet as a shadow. Blinded by the blaze of their own torch, they did not see her pressed flat against the stone, only a few feet away.

“從前不比現(xiàn)在，如今的首相也不一樣鲫惶◎谑祝”臉上有疤的人邊說(shuō)邊和同伴一起走進(jìn)房間。不動(dòng)如石欠母，艾莉亞告訴自己欢策，靜如影。眩目于自己帶來(lái)的火光艺蝴，他們沒(méi)看到她平平地貼緊石頭猬腰，離他們僅數(shù)尺之遙。

“Perhaps so,” the forked beard replied, pausing to catch his breath after the long climb. “Nonetheless, we must have time. The princess is with child. The khal will not bestir himself until his son is born. You know how they are, these savages.”

“或許吧猜敢，”八字胡男子回答姑荷，剛爬了這大段路，這時(shí)他停下來(lái)喘口氣缩擂∈竺幔“但無(wú)論如何，我們需要更多時(shí)間胯盯。公主已有了身孕懈费，在兒子誕生之前，卡奧是不會(huì)出兵的博脑。你也清楚這些野蠻人憎乙，知道他們什么德行票罐。”

The man with the torch pushed at something. Arya heard a deep rumbling. A huge slab of rock, red in the torchlight, slid down out of the ceiling with a resounding crash that almost made her cry out. Where the entry to the well had been was nothing but stone, solid and unbroken.

拿火把的人推了推什么東西泞边，艾莉亞聽(tīng)見(jiàn)一陣低沉的轟隆聲该押。接著，一片巨大的石板從井口緩緩滑出阵谚，在火光照耀下成了艷紅蚕礼，它在室內(nèi)發(fā)出隆隆巨響，差點(diǎn)害她叫出聲來(lái)梢什。等到聲音平復(fù)奠蹬，剛才井口所在的位置，只有一片平滑堅(jiān)硬嗡午、毫無(wú)裂縫的石頭囤躁。

“If he does not bestir himself soon, it may be too late,” the stout man in the steel cap said. “This is no longer a game for two players, if ever it was. Stannis Baratheon and Lysa Arryn have fled beyond my reach, and the whispers say they are gathering swords around them. The Knight of Flowers writes Highgarden, urging his lord father to send his sister to court. The girl is a maid of fourteen, sweet and beautiful and tractable, and Lord Renly and Ser Loras intend that Robert should bed her, wed her, and make a new queen. Littlefinger?.?.?.?the gods only know what game Littlefinger is playing. Yet Lord Stark’s the one who troubles my sleep. He has the bastard, he has the book, and soon enough he’ll have the truth. And now his wife has abducted Tyrion Lannister, thanks to Littlefinger’s meddling. Lord Tywin will take that for an outrage, and Jaime has a queer affection for the Imp. If the Lannisters move north, that will bring the Tullys in as well. Delay, you say. Make haste, I reply. Even the finest of jugglers cannot keep a hundred balls in the air forever.”

“若他不趕緊出兵，恐怕就來(lái)不及了荔睹「钜裕”戴著鋼盔的粗胖男子說(shuō)，“這已經(jīng)不再是一場(chǎng)兩人對(duì)弈的游戲了——如果以前可以稱(chēng)得上是的話应媚。史坦尼斯·拜拉席恩和萊莎·艾林已逃離我的掌握范圍，根據(jù)回報(bào)猜极，他們正在囤積兵力中姜。百花騎士寫(xiě)信回高庭，力勸他公爵老爸送他妹妹入宮跟伏。她是個(gè)十四歲的的黃花閨女丢胚，既漂亮又聽(tīng)話，藍(lán)禮大人和洛拉斯爵士打算讓勞勃上她受扳，然后娶她携龟，另立新后。至于小指頭……天上諸神才知道小指頭在玩什么把戲勘高。但尤其讓我坐立難安的卻是史塔克大人峡蟋。他找到了那個(gè)私生子，也拿到了那本書(shū)华望，遲早會(huì)猜出端倪∪锘龋現(xiàn)在的情況倒該感謝小指頭攪局，他太太綁架了提利昂·蘭尼斯特赖舟，他必將無(wú)暇多顧蓬戚。然而泰溫公爵絕咽不下這口氣，詹姆又對(duì)小惡魔懷有古怪的感情宾抓。若是蘭尼斯特對(duì)北方用兵子漩，那么徒利家也將被牽扯進(jìn)來(lái)豫喧。你叫我拖一拖，我卻要叫你加快行動(dòng)啊幢泼。就算最厲害的雜耍戲子也沒(méi)法永遠(yuǎn)把一百顆球拋在空中吶紧显。”

“You are more than a juggler, old friend. You are a true sorcerer. All I ask is that you work your magic awhile longer.” They started down the hall in the direction Arya had come, past the room with the monsters.

“老朋友旭绒，你可不只是雜耍戲子鸟妙，你是個(gè)真正的魔術(shù)師。我不過(guò)請(qǐng)你多變一會(huì)兒戲法罷了挥吵≈馗福”他們朝艾莉亞來(lái)時(shí)的方向走去，穿過(guò)充滿(mǎn)怪獸的房間忽匈。

“What I can do, I will,” the one with the torch said softly. “I must have gold, and another fifty birds.”

“只要我能做的房午，我都會(huì)去做〉ぴ剩”拿火把的人輕聲說(shuō)郭厌，“但我需要經(jīng)費(fèi)，還要五十只鳥(niǎo)兒雕蔽≌勰”

She let them get a long way ahead, then went creeping after them. Quiet as a shadow.

她等他們走遠(yuǎn)后才偷偷跟在后面。靜如影批狐。

“So many?” The voices were fainter as the light dwindled ahead of her. “The ones you need are hard to find?.?.?.?so young, to know their letters?.?.?.?perhaps older?.?.?.?not die so easy?.?.?.?”

“要那么多扇售？”前方光線漸暗，聲音也愈見(jiàn)微弱嚣艇〕斜“你要的這種可不好找……既要年輕，又要識(shí)字……如果年紀(jì)稍大一點(diǎn)……不那么容易送命……”

“No. The younger are safer?.?.?.?treat them gently?.?.?.?”

“不食零，年輕的比較安全……對(duì)他們好一點(diǎn)……”

“?.?.?.?.if they kept their tongues?.?.?.?”

“……如果他們保住口舌……”

“?.?.?.?the risk?.?.?.?”

“……冒風(fēng)險(xiǎn)……”

Long after their voices had faded away, Arya could still see the light of the torch, a smoking star that bid her follow. Twice it seemed to disappear, but she kept on straight, and both times she found herself at the top of steep, narrow stairs, the torch glimmering far below her. She hurried after it, down and down. Once she stumbled over a rock and fell against the wall, and her hand found raw earth supported by timbers, whereas before the tunnel had been dressed stone.

聲音淡去后許久困乒，艾莉亞依然能看見(jiàn)火把的光亮，如一顆冒煙的星星贰谣，吸引她跟隨娜搂。有兩次，它幾乎失去了蹤影吱抚，但她一徑向前涌攻，兩次都發(fā)現(xiàn)自己走到險(xiǎn)陡窄梯的頂端，火把的光芒則在遙遠(yuǎn)的下方频伤。她急忙追趕恳谎，不斷向下。中途她曾踢到石頭，失足撞上墻壁因痛，手指所觸卻是粗糙的泥土婚苹，由木材所支撐，并非先前的石造甬道鸵膏。

She must have crept after them for miles. Finally they were gone, but there was no place to go but forward. She found the wall again and followed, blind and lost, pretending that Nymeria was padding along beside her in the darkness. At the end she was knee-deep in foul-smelling water, wishing she could dance upon it as Syrio might have, and wondering if she’d ever see light again. It was full dark when finally Arya emerged into the night air.

她一定爬了好幾里膊升。到最后，他們倆都不見(jiàn)了谭企，而這里除了往上廓译，無(wú)處可去。她重新摸索债查，找到墻壁非区，在完全迷失方向的情況下，盲目地往前走盹廷，一邊假裝黑暗中娜梅莉亞正跟在自己身邊征绸。走到盡頭，她發(fā)現(xiàn)自己身陷及膝深俄占、散發(fā)出惡臭的水里管怠，她一邊希望自己能像西利歐一樣在水面輕舞，一邊心想不知何時(shí)才能重見(jiàn)天日缸榄。等艾莉亞走入夜空之下時(shí)渤弛，天已經(jīng)全黑。

She found herself standing at the mouth of a sewer where it emptied into the river. She stank so badly that she stripped right there, dropping her soiled clothing on the riverbank as she dove into the deep black waters. She swam until she felt clean, and crawled out shivering. Some riders went past along the river road as Arya was washing her clothes, but if they saw the scrawny naked girl scrubbing her rags in the moonlight, they took no notice.

她發(fā)現(xiàn)自己正站在下水道與河流相連的出水口甚带。一身臭得要命暮芭，她干脆當(dāng)場(chǎng)脫光，把臟衣服丟在河岸欲低，潛入深深的黑水里，游啊游畜晰，直到她覺(jué)得舒適干凈砾莱，這才顫抖著爬上岸。艾莉亞洗衣服時(shí)凄鼻，有幾個(gè)人騎馬經(jīng)過(guò)河濱道路，但就算他們看到了干巴巴的小女孩赤裸著身子，就著月光搓洗破爛不堪的衣服敬锐，也沒(méi)特別在意蒲祈。

She was miles from the castle, but from anywhere in King’s Landing you needed only to look up to see the Red Keep high on Aegon’s Hill, so there was no danger of losing her way. Her clothes were almost dry by the time she reached the gatehouse. The portcullis was down and the gates barred, so she turned aside to a postern door. The gold cloaks who had the watch sneered when she told them to let her in. “Off with you,” one said. “The kitchen scraps are gone, and we’ll have no begging after dark.”

她離城堡有好幾里之遙，但不管身在君臨的何地峭范，只需一抬頭便可看見(jiàn)那高高端坐于伊耿丘陵上的紅堡财松，所以她不怕迷路。等她抵達(dá)城門(mén)，身上的衣服已干得差不多辆毡。鐵閘早已降下菜秦，大門(mén)也上了閂，她不得不轉(zhuǎn)向邊門(mén)舶掖。當(dāng)她吩咐他們讓她進(jìn)去時(shí)球昨，守門(mén)的金袍衛(wèi)士冷笑一聲≌Ｈ粒“快滾罷主慰，”其中一人說(shuō)，“廚房的剩菜已經(jīng)沒(méi)了鲫售，天黑后不準(zhǔn)乞討共螺。”

“I’m not a beggar,” she said. “I live here.”

“我不是乞丐龟虎，”她說(shuō)：“我住這里璃谨。”

“I said, off with you. Do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?”

“我說(shuō)快滾鲤妥。還是要賞你兩個(gè)耳刮子才聽(tīng)得懂佳吞？”

“I want to see my father.”

“我要找我父親∶薨玻”

The guards exchanged a glance. “I want to fuck the queen myself, for all the good it does me,” the younger one said.

兩個(gè)守衛(wèi)交換了眼神底扳。“我還要搞王后咧贡耽≈阅＃”年輕的那個(gè)說(shuō)。

The older scowled. “Who’s this father of yours, boy, the city ratcatcher?”

比較老的那個(gè)皺眉道：“小子蒲赂，你老爸是誰(shuí)阱冶？抓老鼠的么？”

“The Hand of the King,” Arya told him.

“他是御前首相滥嘴∧镜牛”艾莉亞告訴他們。

Both men laughed, but then the older one swung his fist at her, casually, as a man would swat a dog. Arya saw the blow coming even before it began. She danced back out of the way, untouched. “I’m not a boy,” she spat at them. “I’m Arya Stark of Winterfell, and if you lay a hand on me my lord father will have both your heads on spikes. If you don’t believe me, fetch Jory Cassel or Vayon Poole from the Tower of the Hand.” She put her hands on her hips. “Now are you going to open the gate, or do you need a clout on the ear to help your hearing?”

兩人哈哈大笑若皱，緊接著老的那個(gè)一拳揮來(lái)镊叁，隨隨便便，像人欺負(fù)狗一樣走触。艾莉亞早在他動(dòng)手前便看清了晦譬，她往后輕輕退開(kāi)，毫發(fā)未損互广×搽纾“我不是小子，”她朝他們吐口水，“我是臨冬城的艾莉亞·史塔克迎瞧，你要是敢碰我夸溶，我老爸會(huì)把你們兩個(gè)的頭砍下來(lái)掛在槍上。如果你們不相信我凶硅，就去首相塔找喬里·凱索和維揚(yáng)·普爾問(wèn)問(wèn)缝裁。”她把小手背在身后足绅〗莅螅“你們是開(kāi)門(mén)，還是要賞兩個(gè)耳刮子才聽(tīng)得懂氢妈？”

Her father was alone in the solar when Harwin and Fat Tom marched her in, an oil lamp glowing softly at his elbow. He was bent over the biggest book Arya had ever seen, a great thick tome with cracked yellow pages of crabbed script, bound between faded leather covers, but he closed it to listen to Harwin’s report. His face was stern as he sent the men away with thanks.

哈爾溫和胖湯姆把她送回去時(shí)粹污，父親正獨(dú)自一人坐在書(shū)房，肘邊一盞油燈發(fā)出柔亮的光首量。他彎身讀著艾莉亞生平所見(jiàn)最大的一本書(shū)壮吩，這本厚重的書(shū)有著破爛的泛黃書(shū)頁(yè)，上面密密麻麻寫(xiě)滿(mǎn)了字加缘，封皮則是褪色的皮革鸭叙。他一臉嚴(yán)肅地向手下道謝，并把他們送走拣宏。

“You realize I had half my guard out searching for you?” Eddard Stark said when they were alone. “Septa Mordane is beside herself with fear. She’s in the sept praying for your safe return. Arya, you know you are never to go beyond the castle gates without my leave.”

“你知不知道我派出一半的衛(wèi)士去找你沈贝？”等他們獨(dú)處后，艾德·史塔克道勋乾，“茉丹修女慌得不知如何是好宋下，現(xiàn)在還在圣堂里祈禱你平安歸來(lái)。艾莉亞辑莫，你明明知道沒(méi)有我的許可学歧，不可以跑到城堡外面去「鞫郑”

“I didn’t go out the gates,” she blurted. “Well, I didn’t mean to. I was down in the dungeons, only they turned into this tunnel. It was all dark, and I didn’t have a torch or a candle to see by, so I had to follow. I couldn’t go back the way I came on account of the monsters. Father, they were talking about killing you! Not the monsters, the two men. They didn’t see me, I was being still as stone and quiet as a shadow, but I heard them. They said you had a book and a bastard and if one Hand could die, why not a second? Is that the book? Jon’s the bastard, I bet.”

“我沒(méi)有跑到城外去枝笨，”她沖口而出，“呃绅你，我不是故意的。我本來(lái)是在地城里昭躺，后來(lái)又變成了隧道忌锯，那里好黑，我沒(méi)有火把也沒(méi)有蠟燭领炫，所以只好一直走下去偶垮。我不敢從原路返回的，那樣會(huì)碰到怪獸。爸爸似舵，他們說(shuō)要?dú)⒛憬呕〔皇枪肢F，是兩個(gè)人砚哗。他們沒(méi)看到我龙助，因?yàn)槲也粍?dòng)如石又靜如影，但我聽(tīng)到他們說(shuō)的話蛛芥，他們說(shuō)你找到了私生子拿到了書(shū)提鸟，還說(shuō)既然一個(gè)首相可以死，為什么第二個(gè)不能死仅淑？你看的就是那本書(shū)嗎称勋？我敢打賭瓊恩就是他們說(shuō)的那個(gè)私生子啦⊙木梗”

“Jon? Arya, what are you talking about? Who said this?”

“瓊恩赡鲜？艾莉亞，你在說(shuō)些什么庐船？這些話又是誰(shuí)說(shuō)的银酬？”

“They did,” she told him. “There was a fat one with rings and a forked yellow beard, and another in mail and a steel cap, and the fat one said they had to delay but the other one told him he couldn’t keep juggling and the wolf and the lion were going to eat each other and it was a mummer’s farce.” She tried to remember the rest. She hadn’t quite understood everything she’d heard, and now it was all mixed up in her head. “The fat one said the princess was with child. The one in the steel cap, he had the torch, he said that they had to hurry. I think he was a wizard.”

“他們說(shuō)的，”她告訴他醉鳖，“一個(gè)是長(zhǎng)著黃色開(kāi)岔胡捡硅、手上戴滿(mǎn)戒指的胖子，另一個(gè)人穿了鎧甲戴著鋼盔盗棵，胖的那個(gè)說(shuō)要拖時(shí)間壮韭，可另外一個(gè)說(shuō)自己沒(méi)辦法一直變戲法，還說(shuō)狼和獅很快就會(huì)自相殘殺纹因，還說(shuō)事情都搞砸了喷屋。”她試著回憶其他的部分瞭恰。但她并不完全了解自己所聽(tīng)到的東西屯曹，現(xiàn)在又都在腦子里混成一團(tuán)了【罚“胖的那個(gè)說(shuō)公主懷了孩子恶耽，有鋼盔的那個(gè)說(shuō)的，他拿了火把颜启，他說(shuō)他們行動(dòng)要快偷俭。我猜他是個(gè)巫師＄终担”

“A wizard,” said Ned, unsmiling. “Did he have a long white beard and tall pointed hat speckled with stars?”

“巫師涌萤，”奈德皮笑肉不笑地說(shuō)淹遵，“那他有沒(méi)有長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的白胡子和鑲滿(mǎn)星星的尖帽子呢？”

“No! It wasn’t like Old Nan’s stories. He didn’t look like a wizard, but the fat one said he was.”

“沒(méi)有负溪！不像老奶媽的故事里那樣透揣。他看起來(lái)不像巫師，可胖的那個(gè)說(shuō)他是川抡》妫”

“I warn you, Arya, if you’re spinning this thread of air...”

“艾莉亞，我警告你猖腕，如果你這是在編故事……”

“No, I told you, it was in the dungeons, by the place with the secret wall. I was chasing cats, and well?.?.?.?” She screwed up her face. If she admitted knocking over Prince Tommen, he would be really angry with her. “?.?.?.?well, I went in this window. That’s where I found the monsters.”

“我沒(méi)有拆祈，我跟你說(shuō)了嘛，就是在地城那里倘感，在秘密墻旁邊放坏。我本來(lái)在抓貓，結(jié)果……”她皺起臉老玛，如果她說(shuō)出撞倒托曼王子的事淤年，他不氣死才怪，到時(shí)候可就較真了蜡豹◆锪福“……呃，反正我跑到一扇窗子邊镜廉，我就是在那里發(fā)現(xiàn)怪獸的弄诲。”

“Monsters and wizards,” her father said. “It would seem you’ve had quite an adventure. These men you heard, you say they spoke of juggling and mummery?”

“先是巫師娇唯，現(xiàn)在又是怪獸齐遵，”父親說(shuō)，“看來(lái)這場(chǎng)冒險(xiǎn)還真精彩塔插。你聽(tīng)到這些人說(shuō)什么梗摇，你說(shuō)他們會(huì)變戲法和演戲？”

“Yes,” Arya admitted, “only...”

“是啊想许，”艾莉亞承認(rèn)伶授，“可是——”

“Arya, they were mummers,” her father told her. “There must be a dozen troupes in King’s Landing right now, come to make some coin off the tourney crowds. I’m not certain what these two were doing in the castle, but perhaps the king has asked for a show.”

“艾莉亞，他們是戲班里的人流纹，”父親告訴她糜烹，“這會(huì)兒君臨大概有十來(lái)個(gè)戲班，想借著比武大會(huì)的人潮賺點(diǎn)錢(qián)呢漱凝。我不清楚這兩個(gè)人在城里做什么疮蹦，但說(shuō)不定是國(guó)王請(qǐng)他們來(lái)表演的〉镅疲”

“No.” She shook her head stubbornly. “They weren’t...”

“不是啦挚币，”她固執(zhí)地?fù)u頭，“他們不是——”

“You shouldn’t be following people about and spying on them in any case. Nor do I cherish the notion of my daughter climbing in strange windows after stray cats. Look at you, sweetling. Your arms are covered with scratches. This has gone on long enough. Tell Syrio Forel that I want a word with hirn...”

“更何況你一開(kāi)始就不該跟蹤別人扣典、偷聽(tīng)他們說(shuō)話妆毕，我也不喜歡自己女兒爬怪窗子抓流浪貓。親愛(ài)的贮尖，看看你這樣子笛粘，滿(mǎn)手都是抓傷。不能再這樣下去湿硝。告訴西利歐·佛瑞爾薪前，我要跟他談——”

He was interrupted by a short, sudden knock. “Lord Eddard, pardons,” Desmond called out, opening the door a crack, “but there’s a black brother here begging audience. He says the matter is urgent. I thought you would want to know.”

一陣短促的敲門(mén)聲打斷了他的話」匦保“艾德大人示括，很抱歉打攪×⌒螅”戴斯蒙叫道垛膝，把門(mén)打開(kāi)一條小縫《∠。“外面有個(gè)黑衣弟兄求見(jiàn)吼拥，說(shuō)有要緊事相告。我想跟您通報(bào)一聲线衫≡淇桑”

“My door is always open to the Night’s Watch,” Father said.

“我家的門(mén)永遠(yuǎn)為守夜人而開(kāi)∈谡耍”父親說(shuō)枯跑。

Desmond ushered the man inside. He was stooped and ugly, with an unkempt beard and unwashed clothes, yet Father greeted him pleasantly and asked his name.

戴斯蒙請(qǐng)那人進(jìn)來(lái)。他駝著背矗积，長(zhǎng)相奇丑全肮，一把未經(jīng)修整的雜亂胡子，衣服也像是很久沒(méi)洗了棘捣，但父親依舊很愉快地問(wèn)候他辜腺，并詢(xún)問(wèn)他的姓名。

“Yoren, as it please m’lord. My pardons for the hour.” He bowed to Arya. “And this must be your son. He has your look.”

“老爺乍恐，我叫尤倫评疗。這么晚來(lái)打擾，真對(duì)不住茵烈“俅遥”他向艾莉亞鞠躬∥赝叮“這一定是您的公子加匈，長(zhǎng)得跟您真像存璃。”

“I’m a girl,” Arya said, exasperated. If the old man was down from the Wall, he must have come by way of Winterfell. “Do you know my brothers?” she asked excitedly. “Robb and Bran are at Winterfell, and Jon’s on the Wall. Jon Snow, he’s in the Night’s Watch too, you must know him, he has a direwolf, a white one with red eyes. Is Jon a ranger yet? I’m Arya Stark.” The old man in his smelly black clothes was looking at her oddly, but Arya could not seem to stop talking. “When you ride back to the Wall, would you bring Jon a letter if I wrote one?” She wished Jon were here right now. He’d believe her about the dungeons and the fat man with the forked beard and the wizard in the steel cap.

“我是女孩雕拼∽荻”艾莉亞氣急敗壞地說(shuō)。假如這老頭是從長(zhǎng)城來(lái)的啥寇，那他一定會(huì)經(jīng)過(guò)臨冬城偎球。“你認(rèn)識(shí)我哥哥和弟弟嗎辑甜？”她興奮地問(wèn)衰絮，“羅柏和布蘭在臨冬城，瓊恩在長(zhǎng)城磷醋。瓊恩·雪諾猫牡，他也是守夜人，你一定認(rèn)識(shí)的邓线，他有只冰原狼镊掖，白色的毛，紅色的眼睛褂痰。瓊恩當(dāng)上游騎兵了嗎亩进？”穿臭衣服的老人一直用古怪的眼神看著她，但艾莉亞停不下來(lái)缩歪」檠Γ“如果我寫(xiě)封信，你回長(zhǎng)城去的時(shí)候匪蝙，可不可以幫我?guī)Ыo瓊恩主籍？”她好希望瓊恩此刻就在這里，他一定會(huì)相信她的逛球，不管是地城千元、長(zhǎng)八字胡的胖子，還是戴鋼盔的巫師颤绕。

“My daughter often forgets her courtesies,” Eddard Stark said with a faint smile that softened his words. “I beg your forgiveness, Yoren. Did my brother Benjen send you?”

“小女時(shí)常忘記應(yīng)有的禮數(shù)幸海，”艾德·史塔克道。他掛著一抹淡淡的微笑奥务，舒緩了他的口氣物独。“尤倫氯葬，還請(qǐng)你見(jiàn)諒挡篓。是我弟弟班揚(yáng)派你來(lái)的么？”

“No one sent me, m’lord, saving old Mormont. I’m here to find men for the Wall, and when Robert next holds court, I’ll bend the knee and cry our need, see if the king and his Hand have some scum in the dungeons they’d be well rid of. You might say as Benjen Stark is why we’re talking, though. His blood ran black. Made him my brother as much as yours. It’s for his sake I’m come. Rode hard, I did, near killed my horse the way I drove her, but I left the others well behind.”

“大人帚称，派我來(lái)的不是別人官研，是老莫爾蒙秽澳。我是來(lái)尋找把守長(zhǎng)城的人手，等下次勞勃上朝戏羽，我就要去卑躬屈膝肝集，跟他說(shuō)明我們的需要，看看國(guó)王和他的首相在他們的地牢里有沒(méi)有想處理掉的人渣蛛壳。不過(guò)我趕來(lái)這兒跟他也有關(guān)系。他是黑衫軍的一員所刀，我和您一樣把他當(dāng)成兄弟衙荐。我正是為了他才飛速趕來(lái)，拼了老命浮创，差點(diǎn)把我的馬都給累死了忧吟，好在也把其他人甩在后面≌杜”

“The others?”

“其他人溜族？”

Yoren spat. “Sellswords and freeriders and like trash. That inn was full o’ them, and I saw them take the scent. The scent of blood or the scent of gold, they smell the same in the end. Not all o’ them made for King’s Landing, either. Some went galloping for Casterly Rock, and the Rock lies closer. Lord Tywin will have gotten the word by now, you can count on it.”

尤倫吐了口口水】殉粒“還不就是流浪武士煌抒、自由騎手這路貨色。整間旅店都是這號(hào)人厕倍，我看他們是嗅到了好味道寡壮。血和黃金的味道，這類(lèi)人到死都追逐不放讹弯。他們沒(méi)有都往君臨來(lái)况既，有些朝凱巖城沖去，而凱巖城比較近组民，可以想見(jiàn)棒仍，如今泰溫大人肯定得到了消息〕羰ぃ”

Father frowned. “What word is this?”

父親皺眉莫其。“什么消息耸三？”

Yoren eyed Arya. “One best spoken in private, m’lord, begging your pardons.”

尤倫看了艾莉亞一眼榜配。“大人吕晌，請(qǐng)您原諒蛋褥，這事咱們最好私下談【Σ担”

“As you say. Desmond, see my daughter to her chambers.” He kissed her on the brow. “We’ll finish our talk on the morrow.”

“好吧烙心，戴斯蒙膜廊，帶我女兒回房∫穑”他吻了她的額頭爪瓜。“我們明天再把話說(shuō)完匙瘪∶”

Arya stood rooted to the spot. “Nothing bad’s happened to Jon, has it?” she asked Yoren. “Or Uncle Benjen?”

艾莉亞腳像生了根似地賴(lài)在原地〉び鳎“瓊恩沒(méi)事吧薄货？”她問(wèn)尤倫，“班揚(yáng)叔叔呢碍论？”

“Well, as to Stark, I can’t say. The Snow boy was well enough when I left the Wall. It’s not them as concerns me.”

“唉谅猾，史塔克他怎么樣我說(shuō)不準(zhǔn)，不過(guò)我從長(zhǎng)城出發(fā)時(shí)鳍悠，雪諾那小子倒是活得挺自在税娜。我要說(shuō)的不是他們的事〔匮校”

Desmond took her hand. “Come along, milady. You heard your lord father.”

戴斯蒙拉起她的手敬矩。“小姐蠢挡，我們走罷谤绳，您也聽(tīng)見(jiàn)您父親的吩咐了√桓纾”

Arya had no choice but to go with him, wishing it had been Fat Tom. With Tom, she might have been able to linger at the door on some excuse and hear what Yoren was saying, but Desmond was too single-minded to trick. “How many guards does my father have?” she asked him as they descended to her bedchamber.

艾莉亞別無(wú)選擇缩筛，只好跟他走，心里好希望他變成胖湯姆堡称。如果是湯姆瞎抛，她或許就可以找借口在門(mén)口多逗留一會(huì)兒，然后偷聽(tīng)尤倫要說(shuō)什么却紧，可戴斯蒙腦筋太直桐臊，騙不過(guò)的∠猓“我爸爸有多少守衛(wèi)断凶？”他們走下樓梯，去她臥房時(shí)巫俺，她問(wèn)他认烁。

“Here at King’s Landing? Fifty.”

“在君臨這兒?jiǎn)幔坑形迨畟€(gè)∪次耍”

“You wouldn’t let anyone kill him, would you?” she asked.

“你不會(huì)讓別人有機(jī)會(huì)殺他舶沛，對(duì)不對(duì)？”她問(wèn)窗价。

Desmond laughed. “No fear on that count, little lady. Lord Eddard’s guarded night and day. He’ll come to no harm.”

戴斯蒙笑道：“小姐您別擔(dān)心如庭，艾德大人他日夜都有人守著，誰(shuí)也動(dòng)不了他的撼港∑核”

“The Lannisters have more than fifty men,” Arya pointed out.

“可蘭尼斯特家的人不只五十個(gè)〉勰担”艾莉亞指出往毡。

“So they do, but every northerner is worth ten of these southron swords, so you can sleep easy.”

“多是多，可咱北方人一個(gè)人抵得上南方人十個(gè)否灾，所以你就安心地睡吧∶迹”

“What if a wizard was sent to kill him?”

“如果他們叫巫師來(lái)殺他呢墨技？”

“Well, as to that,” Desmond replied, drawing his longsword, “wizards die the same as other men, once you cut their heads off.”

“唉，這個(gè)嘛挎狸，”戴斯蒙邊說(shuō)邊抽出長(zhǎng)劍扣汪。“只要砍掉腦袋锨匆，巫師一樣會(huì)沒(méi)命崭别。”