BRAN

37 布蘭

A light snow was

falling. Bran could feel the flakes on his face, melting as they touched his

skin like the gentlest of rains. He sat straight atop his horse, watching as

the iron portcullis was winched upward. Try as he might to keep calm, his heart

was fluttering in his chest.

天空下著細雪，布蘭可以感覺到臉上飄落的雪花，一碰皮膚便即融化省核，像一陣輕柔的雨。他筆直地騎在馬上嘱巾，看著鐵閘門被絞盤向上拉起。他雖竭力想保持鎮(zhèn)定败晴，心臟卻一直在胸口狂跳個不停浓冒。

“Are you ready?” Robb asked.

“準(zhǔn)備好了嗎？”羅柏問尖坤。

Bran nodded,

trying not to let his fear show. He had not been outside Winterfell since his

fall, but he was determined to ride out as proud as any knight.

布蘭點點頭稳懒，試著不露出害怕的神色。雖然自墜樓以來，他便沒有踏出過臨冬城一步场梆，但他打定主意要像個騎士一樣昂首騎馬出去墅冷。

“Let’s ride, then.” Robb put his heels into his big grey-and-white

gelding, and the horse walked under the portcullis.

“那我們走吧』蛴停”羅柏一夾馬肚寞忿，騎著他那匹灰白相間的大公馬穿過閘門。

“Go,” Bran whispered to his own horse. He touched her neck lightly,

and the small chestnut filly started forward. Bran had named her Dancer. She

was two years old, and Joseth said she was smarter than any horse had a right

to be. They had trained her special, to respond to rein and voice and touch. Up

to now, Bran had only ridden her around the yard. At first Joseth or Hodor

would lead her, while Bran sat strapped to her back in the oversize saddle the

Imp had drawn up for him, but for the past fortnight he had been riding her on

his own, trotting her round and round, and growing bolder with every circuit.

“前進顶岸∏徽茫”布蘭向自己的坐騎耳語。他輕觸它的脖子辖佣，栗子色的小母馬便邁步向前霹抛。布蘭為它取名“小舞”。它今年兩歲卷谈，喬賽斯說它聰明得不像馬杯拐。他們已經(jīng)對它進行過特別訓(xùn)練，讓它對韁繩世蔗、聲音和碰觸有反應(yīng)端逼，但到目前為止，布蘭只是騎它繞繞廣場污淋。最初喬賽斯或阿多會牽著它顶滩，布蘭則被綁在它背上那個超大的馬鞍上——馬鞍是照小惡魔的設(shè)計圖打造的。不過這兩個星期以來芙沥，他已經(jīng)能獨自駕馭诲祸，騎著它來回慢跑浊吏，每繞一圈而昨，膽子就更大。

They passed

beneath the gatehouse, over the drawbridge, through the outer walls. Summer and

Grey Wind came loping beside them, sniffing at the wind. Close behind came

Theon Greyjoy, with his longbow and a quiver of broadheads; he had a mind to

take a deer, he had told them. He was followed by four guardsmen in mailed

shirts and coifs, and Joseth, a stick-thin stableman whom Robb had named master

of horse while Hullen was away. Maester Luwin brought up the rear, riding on a

donkey. Bran would have liked it better if he and Robb had gone off alone, just

the two of them, but Hal Mollen would not hear of it, and Maester Luwin backed

him. If Bran fell off his horse or injured himself, the maester was determined

to be with him.

他們穿過城門樓找田，越過吊橋歌憨，走出外城墻。夏天和灰風(fēng)跑在他們身畔墩衙，嗅著風(fēng)中的氣息务嫡。緊跟在后的是帶著長弓和羽箭的席恩·葛雷喬伊。出發(fā)前他說過漆改，今天定要獵頭鹿回去心铃。在他后面的是四個穿著鎖子甲，戴著鎖甲頭套的衛(wèi)士挫剑，以及骨瘦如柴的喬賽斯去扣。胡倫離開之后，羅柏便指派喬賽斯擔(dān)任新的馬房總管樊破。魯溫師傅騎著驢子殿后愉棱。布蘭本來希望就他和羅柏兩個人出去唆铐，但哈爾·莫蘭不肯答應(yīng)，魯溫師傅也持相同意見奔滑。為防布蘭落馬或負傷艾岂，師傅打定主意隨侍在旁。

Beyond the

castle lay the market square, its wooden stalls deserted now. They rode down

the muddy streets of the village, past rows of small neat houses of log and

undressed stone. Less than one in five were occupied, thin tendrils of

woodsmoke curling up from their chimneys. The rest would fill up one by one as

it grew colder. When the snow fell and the ice winds howled down out of the

north, Old Nan said, farmers left their frozen fields and distant holdfasts,

loaded up their wagons, and then the winter town came alive. Bran had never

seen it happen, but Maester Luwin said the day was looming closer. The end of

the long summer was near at hand. Winter is coming.

城堡外便是市集廣場朋其，只是如今木頭搭建的攤位全部荒廢王浴。他們行經(jīng)鎮(zhèn)里的泥濘街道，穿過排列整齊梅猿，用木材和粗石建成的小屋叼耙。眼下只有不到五分之一的房屋有人跡，幾縷細細的柴煙從煙囪升起粒没。隨著天氣越趨寒冷筛婉，其余的空屋也會漸漸住滿。老奶媽說癞松，等到降雪時節(jié)來臨爽撒，冰風(fēng)從北吹來，農(nóng)民們便會離開他們結(jié)凍的田地和遙遠的村舍响蓉，把行李載上馬車運到鎮(zhèn)內(nèi)居住硕勿，然后避冬市鎮(zhèn)便會熱鬧起來。布蘭從沒見過這番景象枫甲，但魯溫師傅說那樣的日子就快來了源武。因為長夏已盡，凜冬將至想幻。

A few villagers

eyed the direwolves anxiously as the riders went past, and one man dropped the

wood he was carrying as he shrank away in fear, but most of the townfolk had

grown used to the sight. They bent the knee when they saw the boys, and Robb

greeted each of them with a lordly nod.

他們騎馬經(jīng)過時粱栖，有幾個村民不安地看著冰原狼，還有一個人丟下抱著的木材脏毯，害怕得慌忙躲開闹究，不過大多數(shù)村民早已習(xí)慣了這種情景∈车辏看到兩個男孩渣淤，他們單膝跪下，而羅柏也頗有領(lǐng)主風(fēng)范地——頷首致意吉嫩。

With his legs

unable to grip, the swaying motion of the horse made Bran feel unsteady at

first, but the huge saddle with its thick horn and high back cradled him

comfortingly, and the straps around his chest and thighs would not allow him to

fall. After a time the rhythm began to feel almost natural. His anxiety faded,

and a tremulous smile crept across his face.

因為雙腳無法用力夾緊价认，騎馬時的晃動起初使布蘭覺得很不安穩(wěn)，但大馬鞍厚實高聳的靠背自娩，卻如搖籃一般舒服地摟著他用踩，而綁住大腿和胸部的皮帶也讓他不致落馬。經(jīng)過一段時間，他漸漸習(xí)慣了搖晃的節(jié)奏捶箱，焦慮褪去智什，一抹害怕的微笑爬上了臉龐。

Two serving

wenches stood beneath the sign of the Smoking Log, the local alehouse. When

Theon Greyjoy called out to them, the younger girl turned red and covered her

face. Theon spurred his mount to move up beside Robb. “Sweet Kyra,” he said

with a laugh. “She squirms like

a weasel in bed, but say a word to her on the street, and she blushes pink as a

maid. Did I ever tell you about the night that she and Bessa...”

兩個女侍站在煙柴酒館的招牌下丁屎。當(dāng)席恩·葛雷喬伊向她們打招呼時荠锭，比較年輕的那個女孩滿面通紅，用手遮臉晨川。席恩踢馬跑到羅柏旁邊证九。“凱拉真可愛共虑，”他笑道愧怜，“在床上她扭得像只黃鼠狼，可在街上跟她一句話還沒說完妈拌，臉就紅了拥坛，好像自己還是個黃花閨女似的。我有沒有跟你說過那天晚上她和貝莎——”

“Not where my brother can hear, Theon,” Robb warned him with a glance

at Bran.

“席恩尘分，不要在我弟弟面前講這種事猜惋。”羅柏告誡他培愁，又瞄了布蘭一眼著摔。

Bran looked away

and pretended not to have heard, but he could feel Greyjoy’s eyes on him. No

doubt he was smiling. He smiled a lot, as if the world were a secret joke that

only he was clever enough to understand. Robb seemed to admire Theon and enjoy

his company, but Bran had never warmed to his father’s ward.

布蘭望向別處，假裝自己沒聽到定续，但他感覺得到葛雷喬伊的視線落在身上谍咆。可想而知私股，此刻的他一定正在微笑摹察。他一天到晚微笑，仿佛整個世界就是個秘密的玩笑庇茫，而惟有聰明的他能理解港粱。羅柏似乎對席恩頗為佩服，也很喜歡與他為伴旦签，但布蘭始終無法對父親的養(yǎng)子產(chǎn)生感情。

Robb rode

closer. “You are doing well, Bran.”

羅柏靠過來寸宏∧牛“布蘭，你騎得很好氮凝「岢玻”

“I want to go faster,” Bran replied.

“我想再騎快點。”布蘭回答竿秆。

Robb smiled. “As

you will.” He sent his gelding into a trot. The wolves raced after him. Bran

snapped the reins sharply, and Dancer picked up her pace. He heard a shout from

Theon Greyjoy, and the hoofbeats of the other horses behind him.

羅柏微笑启摄，“沒問題∮母郑”說完他策馬開跑歉备，狼群跟在他后面沖了出去。布蘭用力一扯韁繩匪燕，小舞也加快步伐蕾羊。他聽見席恩·葛雷喬伊一聲吆喝，以及身后雜沓的馬蹄畝帽驯。

Bran’s cloak

billowed out, rippling in the wind, and the snow seemed to rush at his face.

Robb was well ahead, glancing back over his shoulder from time to time to make

sure Bran and the others were following. He snapped the reins again. Smooth as

silk, Dancer slid into a gallop. The distance closed. By the time he caught

Robb on the edge of the wolfswood, two miles beyond the winter town, they had

left the others well behind. “I can ride!” Bran shouted, grinning. It felt

almost as good as flying.

布蘭的披風(fēng)在風(fēng)中翻騰猶如波浪龟再，落雪迎面撲來。羅柏遙遙領(lǐng)先尼变，不時回頭張望利凑，確定布蘭和其他人跟上。他再度扯韁嫌术，小舞如滑絲般流暢地邁步疾奔截碴。兩人的距離逐漸拉近，等他在避冬市鎮(zhèn)兩里外的狼林邊緣追上羅柏時蛉威，他們已把其他人遠遠拋在后方日丹。“我能騎馬了蚯嫌！”布蘭嘻嘻笑著大叫哲虾，這種感覺好像飛。

“I’d race you, but I fear you’d win.” Robb’s tone was light and

joking, yet Bran could tell that something was troubling his brother underneath

the smile.-----------------

“我很想跟你賽跑择示，怕只怕贏不了你束凑。”羅柏的口氣雖然輕快栅盲，帶著戲謔的意味汪诉，但在哥哥的笑容背后，布蘭卻看得出他有心事谈秫。

“I don’t want to race.” Bran looked around for the direwolves. Both

had vanished into the wood. “Did you hear Summer howling last night?”

“我不想跟你比賽扒寄。”布蘭四處張望拟烫，尋找冰原狼的蹤影该编。但那兩只狼早就消失在了森林里∷妒纾“昨晚你聽見夏天叫了嗎课竣？”

“Grey Wind was restless too,” Robb said. His auburn hair had grown

shaggy and unkempt, and a reddish stubble covered his jaw, making him look

older than his fifteen years. “Sometimes I think they know things?.?.?.?sense

things?.?.?.?” Robb sighed. “I never know how much to tell you, Bran. I wish

you were older.”

“灰風(fēng)也是焦躁不安嘉赎。”羅柏道于樟。他紅棕色的頭發(fā)長長了公条，未經(jīng)梳理，有些凌亂迂曲，幾撮紅胡子遮住了下巴靶橱，讓他看起來比十五歲的實際年齡要成熟∩菝祝“有時候我覺得他們知道很多事……感應(yīng)到很多事……”羅柏嘆口氣抓韩，“布蘭，我不知該跟你說多少鬓长，我真希望你年紀(jì)再大一點谒拴。”

“I’m eight now!” Bran said. “Eight isn’t so much younger than

fifteen, and I’m the heir to Winterfell, after you.”

“我已經(jīng)八歲了涉波！”布蘭說：“八歲和十五歲沒差多少英上，而且在你之后，我也是臨冬城的繼承人啤覆〔匀眨”

“So you are.” Robb sounded sad, and even a little scared. “Bran, I

need to tell you something. There was a bird last night. From King’s Landing.

Maester Luwin woke me.”

“是啊，”羅柏語氣哀傷窗声，甚至有些害怕相恃。“布蘭笨觅，有件事我必須跟你講清楚拦耐。昨晚來了只信鴉，從君臨來见剩，魯溫師傅半夜把我叫醒杀糯。”

Bran felt a

sudden dread. Dark wings, dark words, Old Nan always said, and of late the

messenger ravens had been proving the truth of the proverb. When Robb wrote to

the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, the bird that came back brought word

that Uncle Benjen was still missing. Then a message had arrived from the Eyrie,

from Mother, but that had not been good news either. She did not say when she

meant to return, only that she had taken the Imp as prisoner. Bran had sort of

liked the little man, yet the name Lannister sent cold fingers creeping up his

spine. There was something about the Lannisters, something he ought to

remember, but when he tried to think what, he felt dizzy and his stomach

clenched hard as a stone. Robb spent most of that day locked behind closed

doors with Maester Luwin, Theon Greyjoy, and Hallis Mollen. Afterward, riders

were sent out on fast horses, carrying Robb’s commands throughout the north.

Bran heard talk of Moat Cailin, the ancient stronghold the First Men had built

at the top of the Neck. No one ever told him what was happening, yet he knew it

was not good.

布蘭突然感到一陣驚恐苍苞。黑色的翅膀固翰，黑色的消息，老奶媽總這么說羹呵，而近來傳遞信息的渡鴉一再證明了這句俗諺的正確骂际。羅柏寫信給守夜人軍團的司令官，鳥兒卻帶回班揚叔叔依舊下落不明的消息担巩。接著鷹巢城有信傳來方援，是母親寫的，可惜也并非好消息。她沒說何時回來赏陵，只說小惡魔如今是她的犯人她混。布蘭其實還挺喜歡那矮個子，但“蘭尼斯特”這個姓氏卻教他背脊發(fā)涼先匪。有件和蘭尼斯特有關(guān)的事，他應(yīng)該記得弃衍，然而每次他試圖回憶呀非，便覺頭暈?zāi)垦＃雇慈缃g镜盯。那一天岸裙，羅柏整日把自己關(guān)在房里，和魯溫師傅速缆、席恩·葛雷喬伊降允，以及哈里斯·莫蘭共商對策。之后信使騎著快馬艺糜，將羅柏的命令傳遍北境剧董。布蘭依稀聽到卡林灣這地名，那是先民在頸澤北端筑起的古老要塞破停。究竟發(fā)生了什么翅楼，沒人告訴他，但肯定不是什么好事真慢。

And now another

raven, another message. Bran clung to hope. “Was the bird from Mother? Is she

coming home?”

這會兒竟又來了一只渡鴉毅臊，又帶來新的消息。布蘭強迫自己滿懷希望黑界」苕遥“是母親送來的嗎？她是不是要回家了园爷？”

“The message was from Alyn in King’s Landing. Jory Cassel is dead.

And Wyl and Heward as well. Murdered by the Kingslayer.” Robb lifted his face

to the snow, and the flakes melted on his cheeks. “May the gods give them

rest.”

“信是埃林從君臨寫來的宠蚂。喬里·凱索死了，還有韋爾和海華童社。他們慘死于弒君者之手求厕。”羅柏仰頭面對飄雪扰楼，雪片融化在他兩頰呀癣。“愿天上諸神讓他們安息弦赖∠罾福”

Bran did not

know what to say. He felt as if he’d been punched. Jory had been captain of the

household guard at Winterfell since before Bran was born. “They killed Jory?”

He remembered all the times Jory had chased him over the roofs. He could

picture him striding across the yard in mail and plate, or sitting at his

accustomed place on the bench in the Great Hall, joking as he ate. “Why would

anyone kill Jory?”

布蘭不知該說什么才好，只覺自己仿佛被狠揍了一拳蹬竖。打布蘭出生沼沈，喬里就是臨冬城的侍衛(wèi)隊長流酬。“他們殺了喬里列另？”他記得每一次喬里追著他在屋頂上奔跑的情景芽腾，他可以清楚地拼湊出他全副鎧甲，大步走過廣場的風(fēng)光页衙，或是坐在廳堂的老位子上摊滔，邊吃邊談笑的模樣〉昀郑“為什么會有人要殺喬里艰躺？”

Robb shook his

head numbly, the pain plain in his eyes. “I don’t know, and?.?.?.?Bran, that’s

not the worst of it. Father was caught beneath a falling horse in the fight.

Alyn says his leg was shattered, and?.?.?.?Maester Pycelle has given him the

milk of the poppy, but they aren’t sure when?.?.?.?when he . . .” The sound of

hoofbeats made him glance down the road, to where Theon and the others were

coming up. “When he will wake,” Robb finished. He laid his hand on the pommel

of his sword then, and went on in the solemn voice of Robb the Lord. “Bran, I

promise you, whatever might happen, I will not let this be forgotten.”

羅柏木然地搖頭，眼里溢滿悲痛眨八∠傩耍“我不知道。還有……布蘭踪古，這不是最糟的消息含长，父親也在打斗中被摔倒的馬壓住，埃林說他的腿碎了……派席爾大學(xué)士已經(jīng)給他喝了罌粟花奶伏穆，但他們不確定什么時候……什么時候他才……”聽見身后的蹄聲拘泞，他轉(zhuǎn)頭朝來路望去，席恩等人已經(jīng)趕了上來枕扫∨汶纾“他才會醒來⊙糖疲”羅柏把話說完诗鸭，伸手按住劍柄，恢復(fù)了羅柏城主的莊嚴(yán)聲調(diào)参滴，“布蘭强岸，我向你保證，不管發(fā)生什么砾赔，這個仇我永不會忘蝌箍。”

Something in his

tone made Bran even more fearful. “What will you do?” he asked as Theon Greyjoy

reined in beside them.

他的語氣卻更教布蘭害怕暴心〖嗣ぃ“那你打算怎么辦？”他問专普。席恩·葛雷喬伊拉住韁繩悯衬，停在他們旁邊。

“Theon thinks I should call the banners,” Robb said.

“席恩認(rèn)為我應(yīng)該立刻召集封臣檀夹〗畲郑”羅柏說策橘。

“Blood for blood.” For once Greyjoy did not smile. His lean, dark

face had a hungry look to it, and black hair fell down across his eyes.

“血債血還】髡”這次葛雷喬伊沒有笑役纹。他那張削瘦而黝黑的臉偶摔，有種饑渴的神色暇唾，黑發(fā)垂下，遮住雙眼辰斋。

“Only the lord can call the banners,” Bran said as the snow drifted

down around them.

“惟有領(lǐng)主才能召集封臣策州。”布蘭說宫仗，雪持續(xù)飄落在他們周圍够挂。

“If your father dies,” Theon said, “Robb will be Lord of Winterfell.”

“如果令尊去世，”席恩道藕夫，“羅柏就是臨冬城公爵孽糖。”

“He won’t die!” Bran screamed at him.

“他不會死毅贮！”布蘭朝他尖叫办悟。

Robb took his

hand. “He won’t die, not Father,” he said calmly. “Still?.?.?.?the honor of the

north is in my hands now. When our lord father took his leave of us, he told me

to be strong for you and for Rickon. I’m almost a man grown, Bran.”

羅柏握住他的手√踩欤“他不會死病蛉，父親大人不會死」寮澹”他平靜地說铺然。“可是……如今北境的榮譽系于我手酒甸。父親大人臨行前曾對我說魄健，為了你和瑞肯，我一定要堅強插勤。布蘭饮六，我?guī)缀跏浅赡耆肆死洹！?/p>

Bran shivered.

“I wish Mother was back,” he said miserably. He looked around for Maester

Luwin; his donkey was visible in the far distance, trotting over a rise. “Does

Maester Luwin say to call the banners too?”

布蘭顫抖不已外潜√霞荩“母親如果在就好了沽瞭⊥龊澹”他可憐兮兮地說截型。他轉(zhuǎn)頭尋找魯溫師傅的身影，他的驢子在遠處依稀可見，此刻正小跑步爬上緩丘歹篓≈乜撸“魯溫師傅也認(rèn)為應(yīng)該征召諸侯嗎？”

“The maester is timid as an old woman,” said Theon.

“師傅他和老女人一樣，膽小著呢徐许⌒扌担”席恩道县恕。

“Father always listened to his counsel,” Bran reminded his brother.

“Mother too.”

“但父親向來聽從他的忠告剂桥，”布蘭提醒哥哥忠烛，“母親也是∪ǘ海”

“I listen to him,” Robb insisted. “I listen to everyone.”

“我也聽美尸，”羅柏堅持，“每個人的意見我都聽斟薇∈玻”

The joy Bran had

felt at the ride was gone, melted away like the snowflakes on his face. Not so

long ago, the thought of Robb calling the banners and riding off to war would

have filled him with excitement, but now he felt only dread. “Can we go back

now?” he asked. “I’m cold.”

布蘭外出騎馬的喜悅，此刻已經(jīng)消失得無影無蹤堪滨，像臉上的雪片般融化殆盡胯陋。若是從前，聽到羅柏要召集封臣袱箱，率軍出征遏乔，他一定會興奮難耐，然而現(xiàn)在他感到的卻只有恐懼发笔∶巳“我們可以回去了嗎？”他問了讨，“我覺得好冷捻激。”

Robb glanced around.

“We need to find the wolves. Can you stand to go a bit longer?”

羅柏環(huán)顧四周前计“罚“得先把狼找到。你能再忍耐一會兒嗎残炮？”

“I can go as long as you can.” Maester Luwin had warned him to keep

the ride short, for fear of saddle sores, but Bran would not admit to weakness

in front of his brother. He was sick of the way everyone was always fussing

over him and asking how he was.

“你能騎多久韭赘，我就能騎多久∈凭停”魯溫師傅曾警告他騎馬時間不要太長泉瞻，惟恐他在馬鞍上坐久了全身會酸痛，但布蘭不愿在哥哥面前自承虛弱苞冯。他受夠了大家成天大驚小怪袖牙，對他的身體問長問短。

“Let’s hunt down the hunters, then,” Robb said. Side by side, they

urged their mounts off the kingsroad and struck out into the wolfswood. Theon

dropped back and followed well behind them, talking and joking with the

guardsmen.

“那我們這就去把小獵人給獵回來吧舅锄”薮铮”羅柏說。于是他們并肩而行，驅(qū)策坐騎離開國王大道畴蹭，進入狼林坦仍。席恩遠遠落在后面，和其他衛(wèi)士談笑叨襟。

It was nice

under the trees. Bran kept Dancer to a walk, holding the reins lightly and

looking all around him as they went. He knew this wood, but he had been so long

confined to Winterfell that he felt as though he were seeing it for the first

time. The smells filled his nostrils; the sharp fresh tang of pine needles, the

earthy odor of wet rotting leaves, the hints of animal musk and distant cooking

fires. He caught a glimpse of a black squirrel moving through the snow-covered

branches of an oak, and paused to study the silvery web of an empress spider.

置身林問的感覺真好繁扎。布蘭輕握馬韁，讓小舞緩步慢行糊闽，一邊四處觀望梳玫。他很熟悉這座森林，然而在長期坐困臨冬城后右犹，如今卻有初次造訪的興味提澎。樹林里的氣息充溢他的鼻孔：新鮮松針的明銳香氣，濕軟腐葉的泥土芬芳念链，還有模糊的動物麝香盼忌，以及遠方炊煙的味道。他瞥見一只黑松鼠的身影钓账，在一棵被雪覆蓋的橡樹枝干間穿梭碴犬，接著又駐足欣賞女王蛛所織就的銀色蛛網(wǎng)。

Theon and the

others fell farther and farther behind, until Bran could no longer hear their

voices. From ahead came the faint sound of rushing waters. It grew louder until

they reached the stream. Tears stung his eyes.

席恩和其他人離他們越來越遠梆暮，到后來布蘭已聽不見他們的聲音。前方傳來模糊的流水聲绍昂。水聲漸大啦粹，直到他們抵達溪邊。這時窘游，淚水刺痛了他的眼唠椭。

“Bran?” Robb asked. “What’s wrong?”

“布蘭？”羅柏問忍饰，“你怎么了贪嫂？”

Bran shook his

head. “I was just remembering,” he said. “Jory brought us here once, to fish

for trout. You and me and Jon. Do you remember?”

布蘭搖搖頭“叮“我只是想起從前的事力崇。”他說赢织，“有一次喬里帶我們來這兒抓鱒魚亮靴。就你、我還有瓊恩于置，記得嗎茧吊？”

“I remember,” Robb said, his voice quiet and sad.

“我記得。”羅柏說搓侄，他的語調(diào)平靜而哀傷瞄桨。

“I didn’t catch anything,” Bran said, “but Jon gave me his fish on

the way back to Winterfell. Will we ever see Jon again?”

“結(jié)果我什么也沒抓到，”布蘭說讶踪，“可在回臨冬城的路上芯侥，瓊恩卻把他抓的魚都給了我。我們還能再見到瓊恩嗎俊柔？”

“We saw Uncle Benjen when the king came to visit,” Robb pointed out.

“Jon will visit too, you’ll see.”

“上次國王來訪筹麸，我們不就看到了班揚叔叔？”羅柏告訴他雏婶，“瓊恩也會回來作客物赶，你等著瞧吧×敉恚”

The stream was

running high and fast. Robb dismounted and led his gelding across the ford. In

the deepest part of the crossing, the water came up to midthigh. He tied his

horse to a tree on the far side, and waded back across for Bran and Dancer. The

current foamed around rock and root, and Bran could feel the spray on his face

as Robb led him over. It made him smile. For a moment he felt strong again, and

whole. He looked up at the trees and dreamed of climbing them, right up to the

very top, with the whole forest spread out beneath him.

溪流湍急酵紫，水勢高漲。羅柏下馬错维，牽著坐騎越過淺灘奖地。渡口最深處，水及大腿赋焕。他把馬兒拴在對岸的一棵樹上参歹，然后涉水回來帶布蘭和小舞過去。溪流拍打著巖石和樹根隆判，激起陣陣飛沫犬庇，羅柏當(dāng)先領(lǐng)他渡河，布蘭可以感覺水花濺到臉上侨嘀。他笑了臭挽。一時之間，他覺得自己又是身強體壯咬腕，四肢健全欢峰。他仰望樹林，夢想自己能爬上去涨共，攀上樹頂纽帖，讓整片樹海盡展眼前。

They were on the

far side when they heard the howl, a long rising wail that moved through the

trees like a cold wind. Bran raised his head to listen. “Summer,” he said. No

sooner had he spoken than a second voice joined the first.

他們抵達對岸時煞赢，只聽樹林里傳來一聲長嚎抛计，音調(diào)漸高，哀嘆久長照筑，仿如穿梭林間的一陣?yán)滹L(fēng)吹截。布蘭抬首聆聽瘦陈。“那是夏天波俄〕渴牛”他說。話音剛落懦铺，第二陣嚎聲便加入進來捉貌。

“They’ve made a kill,” Robb said as he remounted. “I’d best go and bring

them back. Wait here, Theon and the others should be along shortly.”

“他們殺死獵物了《睿”羅柏邊說邊騎上馬趁窃。“我看我最好去帶他們回來急前。你在這里等醒陆，席恩他們應(yīng)該馬上就到●烧耄”

“I want to go with you,” Bran said.

“我想跟你一起去刨摩。”布蘭說世吨。

“I’ll find them faster by myself.” Robb spurred his gelding and

vanished into the trees.

“我自己去比較快澡刹。”羅柏一踢馬刺耘婚，消失在樹林里罢浇。

Once he was

gone, the woods seemed to close in around Bran. The snow was falling more

heavily now. Where it touched the ground it melted, but all about him rock and

root and branch wore a thin blanket of white. As he waited, he was conscious of

how uncomfortable he felt. He could not feel his legs, hanging useless in the

stirrups, but the strap around his chest was tight and chafing, and the melting

snow had soaked through his gloves to chill his hands. He wondered what was

keeping Theon and Maester Luwin and Joseth and the rest.

他走后，整個森林仿佛朝布蘭包圍過來沐祷。雪下得更大己莺，雖然一碰地面就會融化，但他周遭的巖石戈轿、樹根和枝干卻都覆上了一層薄薄的白。他等待之時阵子，方才察覺到自己有多不舒服：雙腿沒有知覺思杯，毫無用處地掛在馬鐙上；胸膛的皮帶綁得很緊挠进，擦傷了皮膚色乾；雪水融化滲進手套，凍得他兩手發(fā)麻领突。他不禁奇怪席恩暖璧、魯溫師傅，以及喬賽斯等人怎么還沒來君旦。

When he heard

the rustle of leaves, Bran used the reins to make Dancer turn, expecting to see

his friends, but the ragged men who stepped out onto the bank of the stream

were strangers.

隨后他聽見樹葉沙沙作響澎办，布蘭立刻拉動韁繩嘲碱，教小舞轉(zhuǎn)身，迎向他的朋友們局蚀。然而從林中走到溪邊的麦锯，卻是一群衣著破爛的陌生人。（文＇心＇手＇打＇組＇手＇打＇整＇理）

“Good day to you,” he said nervously. One look, and Bran knew they

were neither foresters nor farmers. He was suddenly conscious of how richly he

was dressed. His surcoat was new, dark grey wool with silver buttons, and a

heavy silver pin fastened his fur-trimmed cloak at the shoulders. His boots and

gloves were lined with fur as well.

“你們好琅绅》鲂溃”他緊張地說。只需一眼千扶，布蘭便知他們既非林務(wù)官料祠，亦非農(nóng)民。他猛然驚覺自己衣著華麗澎羞，身上穿著嶄新的深灰色羊毛外套髓绽，縫了銀扣，絨毛邊的披風(fēng)用一個沉甸甸的銀別針系在肩頭煤痕。他的皮靴和手套也都滾了絨毛邊梧宫。

“All alone, are you?” said the biggest of them, a bald man with a raw

windburnt face. “Lost in the wolfswood, poor lad.”

“你，就一個人鞍诘铩塘匣？”其中個子最大，滿臉風(fēng)霜痕跡的光頭男子說巷帝，“可憐的小鬼忌卤，在狼林里迷了路±闫茫”

“I’m not lost.” Bran did not like the way the strangers were looking

at him. He counted four, but when he turned his head, he saw two others behind

him. “My brother rode off just a moment ago, and my guard will be here shortly.”

“我沒有迷路驰徊。”布蘭不喜歡這群陌生人盯著他瞧的模樣堕阔。對方一共四人棍厂，他一轉(zhuǎn)頭看到背后還有兩個〕剑“我哥哥剛走牺弹，我的衛(wèi)兵馬上就來∈毖剑”

“Your guard, is it?” a second man said. Grey stubble covered his

gaunt face. “And what would they be guarding, my little lord? Is that a silver

pin I see there on your cloak?”

“你的衛(wèi)兵张漂，啊哈？”另一個面容憔悴谨娜，一臉灰胡碴的人說航攒，“小少爺，我倒問問你趴梢，他們要守衛(wèi)什么澳蟆币他？守衛(wèi)你披風(fēng)上那個銀別針嗎？”

“Pretty,” said a woman’s voice. She scarcely looked like a woman;

tall and lean, with the same hard face as the others, her hair hidden beneath a

bowl-shaped halfhelm. The spear she held was eight feet of black oak, tipped in

rusted steel.

“真是個漂亮東西盆驹≡驳ぃ”這次是女人的聲音。她看起來委實不太像女人躯喇；又高又瘦辫封，和其他人同樣的苦臉，頭發(fā)則埋藏在碗狀的半罩頭盔下廉丽。她手中的長矛是根八尺長的黑橡木棍倦微，前面安著銹掉的槍尖。

“Let’s have a look,” said the big bald man.

“給咱們瞧瞧正压⌒栏＃”光頭大漢說。

Bran watched him

anxiously. The man’s clothes were filthy, fallen almost to pieces, patched here

with brown and here with blue and there with a dark green, and faded everywhere

to grey, but once that cloak might have been black. The grey stubbly man wore black

rags too, he saw with a sudden start. Suddenly Bran remembered the oathbreaker

his father had beheaded, the day they had found the wolf pups; that man had

worn black as well, and Father said he had been a deserter from the Night’s

Watch. No man is more dangerous, he remembered Lord Eddard saying. The deserter

knows his life is forfeit if he is taken, so he will not flinch from any crime,

no matter how vile or cruel.

布蘭不安地看著他焦履。這人的衣服骯臟污穢拓劝、破爛不堪，東一塊棕嘉裤，西一塊藍郑临，還有一塊暗綠補丁，其余的地方則通通褪成灰色屑宠，但看得出原本是件黑斗篷厢洞。他突然發(fā)現(xiàn)，那個一臉灰胡碴的人也穿著黑色破衣典奉。布蘭驀地想起他們找到小狼當(dāng)天躺翻，被父親砍頭的那個背棄誓言的人，衣著也是黑色卫玖，而父親說他是守夜人部隊的逃兵公你。世間最危險的人莫過于此，他想起艾德公爵的話假瞬，因為他們自知一旦被捕省店，只有死路一條，于是惡向膽邊生笨触，再傷天害理的勾當(dāng)也干得出來。

“The pin, lad,” the big man said. He held out his hand.

“小鬼雹舀，把別針拿來芦劣。”大漢伸出手說说榆。

“We’ll take the horse too,” said another of them, a woman shorter

than Robb, with a broad fiat face and lank yellow hair. “Get down, and be quick

about it.” A knife slid from her sleeve into her hand, its edge jagged as a

saw.

“還有你的馬虚吟，”另一個女人說寸认，她的個子比羅柏矮，生了一張扁扁的寬臉和一頭黃色直發(fā)串慰∑“快給我下來“铞辏”一把鋒呈鋸齒的匕首從她袖里閃進手中灸叼。

“No,” Bran blurted. “I can’t?.?.?.?”

“可是，”布蘭脫口而出庆捺，“我沒辦法……”

The big man

grabbed his reins before Bran could think to wheel Dancer around and gallop

off. “You can, lordling?.?.?.?and will, if you know what’s good for you.”

布蘭還沒想到調(diào)轉(zhuǎn)小舞開步逃走古今，大漢便一把抓住了韁繩√弦裕“小少爺捉腥，你當(dāng)然有辦法……而且一定得想辦法，如果你不想吃苦頭的話你画〉值”

“Stiv, look how he’s strapped on.” The tall woman pointed with her

spear. “Might be it’s the truth he’s telling.”

“史帝夫，你瞧坏匪，他被綁在馬鞍上拟逮，”高個女人用長槍指著說，“或許他說的是實話剥槐〕纾”

“Straps, is it?” Stiv said. He drew a dagger from a sheath at his

belt. “There’s ways to deal with straps.”

“綁起來了，是嗎粒竖？”史帝夫說颅崩。他從腰間的刀鞘里抽出匕首∪锩纾“這不成問題沿后。”

“You some kind of cripple?” asked the short woman.

“你殘廢了還是怎么了？”矮個女人問。

Bran flared.

“I’m Brandon Stark of Winterfell, and you better let go of my horse, or I’ll

see you all dead.”

布蘭怒道：“我是臨冬城的布蘭登·史塔克囱皿，你最好放開我的馬瓢湃，否則我教你們通通沒命∫挡荆”

The gaunt man

with the grey stubbled face laughed. “The boy’s a Stark, true enough. Only a

Stark would be fool enough to threaten where smarter men would beg.”

一臉灰胡碴的瘦子哈哈大笑。“我看這小子準(zhǔn)是史塔克家的人沒錯撼唾，只有史塔克家的人才這么笨，該討?zhàn)埖臅r候還要狠哥蔚〉构龋”

“Cut his little cock off and stuff it in his mouth,” suggested the

short woman. “That should shut him up.”

“把他小雞雞割下來塞他嘴里蛛蒙，”矮個女人提議，“這樣他肯定閉嘴渤愁∏Ｋ睿”

“You’re as stupid as you are ugly, Hali,” said the tall woman. “The boy’s

worth nothing dead, but alive?.?.?.?gods be damned, think what Mance would give

to have Benjen Stark’s own blood to hostage!”

“哈莉，你已經(jīng)夠丑了抖格，沒想到還這么沒腦子诺苹。”高個女人道他挎，“這孩子死了就不值錢啦筝尾，可要留著活口……天殺的，想想曼斯手上若有了班揚·史塔克的親屬當(dāng)人質(zhì)办桨，他會怎么賞我們筹淫！”

“Mance be damned,” the big man cursed. “You want to go back there,

Osha? More fool you. Think the white walkers will care if you have a hostage?”

He turned back to Bran and slashed at the strap around his thigh. The leather

parted with a sigh.

“曼斯見鬼去，”大漢咒道呢撞，“你還想回去损姜，歐莎？我看你才沒腦子殊霞。你以為白鬼會管你手上有沒有人質(zhì)摧阅？”他轉(zhuǎn)向布蘭，割開他大腿的皮帶绷蹲。皮革仿佛松了口氣似地分開棒卷。

The stroke had

been quick and careless, biting deep. Looking down, Bran glimpsed pale flesh

where the wool of his leggings had parted. Then the blood began to flow. He

watched the red stain spread, feeling light-headed, curiously apart; there had

been no pain, not even a hint of feeling. The big man grunted in surprise.

他出手很快，又沒有留心祝钢，結(jié)果割得很深比规。布蘭低頭，看到羊毛綁腿被割開的地方拦英，露出白皙的大腿肉蜒什。接著血涌出來，他望著紅色的血漬逐漸擴散疤估，感覺輕微頭暈灾常，卻意外地疏離，絲毫不覺疼痛铃拇，連一點感覺都沒有钞瀑。大漢驚訝地哼了一聲。

“Put down your steel now, and I promise you shall have a quick and

painless death,” Robb called out.

“立刻放下武器慷荔，我保證讓你們死得干脆仔戈。”羅柏叫道。

Bran looked up

in desperate hope, and there he was. The strength of the words were undercut by

the way his voice cracked with strain. He was mounted, the bloody carcass of an

elk slung across the back of his horse, his sword in a gloved hand.

布蘭懷著最后一絲希望抬起頭监徘，他果真出現(xiàn)在那里“赡耄可惜他那番話的威嚴(yán)凰盔，卻被緊張嘶啞的聲調(diào)所減低。他騎著馬倦春，麇鹿血淋淋的尸體掛在馬背户敬，手握長劍。

“The brother,” said the man with the grey stubbly face.

“老哥回來了睁本∧蚵”灰胡碴的男子道。

“He’s a fierce one, he is,” mocked the short woman. Hali, they called

her. “You mean to fight us, boy?”

“喲呢堰，這家伙挺兇悍嘛抄瑟。”矮個女人譏諷他枉疼。他們叫她哈莉皮假。“你想跟咱們打骂维，小鬼頭惹资？”

“Don’t be a fool, lad. You’re one against six.” The tall woman, Osha,

leveled her spear. “Off the horse, and throw down the sword. We’ll thank you

kindly for the mount and for the venison, and you and your brother can be on

your way.”

“小子，你這是以一對六航闺，別傻了褪测。”高個的歐莎平舉長槍潦刃∥甏耄“趕快下馬，把劍扔了福铅。我們會謝謝你的馬兒和鹿肉萝毛，然后放你和你弟弟走路』”

Robb whistled.

They heard the faint sound of soft feet on wet leaves. The undergrowth parted,

low-hanging branches giving up their accumulation of snow, and Grey Wind and

Summer emerged from the green. Summer sniffed the air and growled.

羅柏吹聲口哨笆包。眾人聽見腳步輕踩濕葉的聲響。矮樹叢低垂的枝椏灑下覆蓋的雪略荡，向兩旁分開庵佣，灰風(fēng)和夏天自一片綠色中穿出。夏天嗅嗅風(fēng)中的氣息汛兜，出聲低吼巴粪。

“Wolves,” gasped Hali.

“狼來了。”哈莉噤聲道肛根。

“Direwolves,” Bran said. Still half-grown, they were as large as any

wolf he had ever seen, but the differences were easy to spot, if you knew what

to look for. Maester Luwin and Farlen the kennelmaster had taught him. A

direwolf had a bigger head and longer legs in proportion to its body, and its

snout and jaw were markedly leaner and more pronounced. There was something

gaunt and terrible about them as they stood there amid the gently falling snow.

Fresh blood spotted Grey Wind’s muzzle.

“是冰原狼辫塌。”布蘭說派哲。雖然并未發(fā)育完全臼氨，他們的體格也只有一般狼大小，但若仔細觀察芭届，很容易分辨出差異所在储矩。魯溫師傅和馴獸長法蘭教過他：冰原狼的頭比較大，四肢較長褂乍，鼻子和下巴則特別尖細持隧、形狀明顯。站在輕飄的細雪里逃片，他們懷著憔悴而駭人的神態(tài)屡拨。灰風(fēng)的口鼻沾滿鮮血题诵。

“Dogs,” the big bald man said contemptuously. “Yet I’m told there’s

nothing like a wolfskin cloak to warm a man by night.” He made a sharp gesture.

“Take them.”

“兩只臭狗洁仗。”光頭男子輕蔑地說性锭，“我倒是知道赠潦，夜里沒什么比狼皮斗篷更保暖〔莞裕”他猛地做了個手勢她奥。“拿下怎棱！”

Robb shouted,

“Winterfell!” and kicked his horse. The gelding plunged down the bank as the

ragged men closed. A man with an axe rushed in, shouting and heedless. Robb’s

sword caught him full in the face with a sickening crunch and a spray of bright

blood. The man with the gaunt stubbly face made a grab for the reins, and for

half a second he had them?.?.?.?and then Grey Wind was on him, bearing him

down. He fell back into the stream with a splash and a shout, flailing wildly

with his knife as his head went under. The direwolf plunged in after him, and

the white water turned red where they had vanished.

羅柏高喊：“臨名冬城萬歲哩俭！”然后踢馬向前。公馬跳進溪里拳恋，衣衫襤褸的敵人圍了過去凡资。有個人拿著斧頭，沒頭沒腦地大叫著朝他沖來谬运。羅柏的長劍正中對方面門隙赁，發(fā)出令人作嘔的碎裂聲，隨即鮮血四濺梆暖。一臉胡碴的人伸手去扯韁繩伞访，才抓住半秒……只見灰風(fēng)一躍而起把他撲倒。他噗通一聲跌進溪里轰驳，吶喊著厚掷，瘋狂地揮舞著短刀弟灼，頭部被水淹沒。冰原狼跳上去繼續(xù)攻擊冒黑，兩人消失在水中田绑，轉(zhuǎn)眼之間，白色的河水便轉(zhuǎn)為殷紅抡爹。

Robb and Osha

matched blows in midstream. Her long spear was a steel-headed serpent, flashing

out at his chest, once, twice, three times, but Robb parried every thrust with

his longsword, turning the point aside. On the fourth or fifth thrust, the tall

woman overextended herself and lost her balance, just for a second. Robb

charged, riding her down.

羅柏和歐莎在河中央打得不可開交辛馆。她的長槍活像條鋼頭毒蛇，閃電般朝他胸口竄去豁延，一次、兩次腊状、三次诱咏，但羅柏的長劍擋下每一記攻勢，撥開刺來的槍尖缴挖。在她第四還是第五次突刺時袋狞，高個女人用力過猛，失了重心映屋，僅一秒的時間苟鸯，羅柏便騎馬沖鋒，把她踩在蹄下棚点。

A few feet away,

Summer darted in and snapped at Hali. The knife bit at his flank. Summer slid

away, snarling, and came rushing in again. This time his jaws closed around her

calf. Holding the knife with both hands, the small woman stabbed down, but the

direwolf seemed to sense the blade coming. He pulled free for an instant, his

mouth full of leather and cloth and bloody flesh. When Hali stumbled and fell,

he came at her again, slamming her backward, teeth tearing at her belly.

幾尺外早处，夏天向前疾跳，撲咬哈莉瘫析，結(jié)果后背反挨一記短刀砌梆。夏天咆哮著后退，再度沖刺贬循。這回他的利齒緊緊咬住她的小腿咸包。矮個女人兩手握刀，死命向下插去杖虾，然而冰原狼仿佛能感應(yīng)危險烂瘫，迅速松開抽身，撕下滿嘴皮革奇适、碎布和血淋淋的肉塊坟比。哈莉跌倒在地，他又撲跳上前滤愕，把她向后撞開温算，撕咬她的小腹。

The sixth man

ran from the carnage?.?.?.?but not far. As he went scrambling up the far side

of the bank, Grey Wind emerged from the stream, dripping wet. He shook the

water off and bounded after the running man, hamstringing him with a single

snap of his teeth, and going for the throat as the screaming man slid back down

toward the water.

第五個人想逃離這場屠殺……可惜卻沒跑遠间影。他正踉蹌著爬上對岸注竿，灰風(fēng)渾身濕淋淋地從河里冒出，甩甩身上的水，箭步追去巩割。冰原狼嘴巴一張一闔裙顽，咬斷他的腿筋，接著去咬他的喉嚨宣谈，那人慘叫著滑進河里愈犹。

And then there

was no one left but the big man, Stiv. He slashed at Bran’s chest strap,

grabbed his arm, and yanked. Suddenly Bran was falling. He sprawled on the

ground, his legs tangled under him, one foot in the stream. He could not feel

the cold of the water, but he felt the steel when Stiv pressed his dagger to

his throat. “Back away,” the man warned, “or I’ll open the boy’s windpipe, I

swear it.”

此時只剩那個大漢史帝夫了。他割開布蘭胸前的皮帶闻丑，抓住他的臂膀用力一扯漩怎，布蘭便從馬背上摔下來。他癱在地上嗦嗡，雙腿糾纏一團勋锤，被身體壓住，一只腳還滑進了溪里侥祭。他感覺不到冰冷的河水叁执，卻感覺得出史帝夫按在他喉嚨的匕首““退后谈宛，”他警告道，“不然我發(fā)誓會把這小鬼的氣管給割了胎署∵郝迹”

Robb reined his

horse in, breathing hard. The fury went out of his eyes, and his sword arm

dropped.

羅柏勒住馬，急劇地喘氣硝拧。怒意從他眼底消失径筏，持劍的手也垂軟下來。

In that moment Bran

saw everything. Summer was savaging Hali, pulling glistening blue snakes from

her belly. Her eyes were wide and staring. Bran could not tell whether she was

alive or dead. The grey stubbly man and the one with the axe lay unmoving, but

Osha was on her knees, crawling toward her fallen spear. Grey Wind padded

toward her, dripping wet. “Call him off!” the big man shouted. “Call them both

off, or the cripple boy dies now!”

就在那一剎那障陶，整個局勢在布蘭眼前一覽無遺滋恬。夏天正對付哈莉，從她肚子里扯出一條條發(fā)亮的藍色小蛇抱究。她的眼睛睜得老大恢氯，瞪著冰原狼。布蘭辨不清她究竟是死是活鼓寺⊙猓灰胡碴和拿斧頭那兩個人躺著一動不動。歐莎則爬了起來妈候，正朝她的長槍挪去敢靡。灰風(fēng)渾身滴水苦银，啪噠啪噠朝她走近啸胧「险荆“叫他走開！”大漢喊道纺念，“把他們都叫開贝椿，不然這殘廢小鬼現(xiàn)在就死！”

“Grey Wind, Summer, to me,” Robb said.

“灰風(fēng)陷谱，夏天烙博，過來⊙萄罚”羅柏道渣窜。

The direwolves

stopped, turned their heads. Grey Wind loped back to Robb. Summer stayed where

he was, his eyes on Bran and the man beside him. He growled. His muzzle was wet

and red, but his eyes burned.

冰原狼停步，回頭宪躯⊥急希灰風(fēng)飛奔到羅柏身邊，夏天則留在原地眷唉，看著布蘭和他身旁的人，發(fā)出低吼囤官。它的口鼻鮮血淋漓冬阳，雙眼燃燒著怒火。

Osha used the

butt end of her spear to lever herself back to her feet. Blood leaked from a

wound on the upper arm where Robb had cut her. Bran could see sweat trickling

down the big man’s face. Stiv was as scared as he was, he realized. “Starks,”

the man muttered, “bloody Starks.” He raised his voice. “Osha, kill the wolves

and get his sword.”

歐莎撐著槍尾站起來党饮。她的上臂被羅柏砍了一劍肝陪，汨汨流血。布蘭看到大漢滿臉是汗刑顺，這才明白史帝夫和自己同樣害怕氯窍。“史塔克蹲堂，”他喃喃道狼讨，“該死的史塔克∑饩海”他提高音量政供。“歐莎朽基，把狼宰了布隔，拿走他的劍〖诨ⅲ”

“Kill them yourself,” she replied. “I’ll not be getting near those

monsters.”

“要殺你自己殺衅檀，”她回答，“我死也不靠近那些怪物霎俩“Ь”

For a moment

Stiv was at a loss. His hand trembled; Bran felt a trickle of blood where the

knife pressed against his neck. The stench of the man filled his nose; he

smelled of fear. “You,” he called out to Robb. “You have a name?”

史帝夫似乎突然間沒了主意沉眶。他的手開始發(fā)抖，布蘭只覺得刀鋒緊貼脖子排苍，血順著滴下來沦寂。男人的臭味充塞他鼻孔，那是一種恐俱的氣息淘衙〈兀“喂，”他朝羅柏喊彤守，“你叫啥名字毯侦？”

“I am Robb Stark, the heir to Winterfell.”

“我是羅柏·史塔克，臨冬城的繼承人具垫〕蘩耄”

“This is your brother?”

“這是你弟？”

“Yes.”

“對筝蚕∝阅耄”

“You want him alive, you do what I say. Off the horse.”

“如果你要他活命，就照我的話辦起宽。下馬洲胖。”

Robb hesitated a

moment. Then, slowly and deliberately, he dismounted and stood with his sword

in hand.

羅柏遲疑片刻坯沪，接著便刻意緩慢下馬绿映，持劍站立。

“Now kill the wolves.”

“現(xiàn)在把狼宰了腐晾〔嫦遥”

Robb did not

move.

羅柏沒動。

“You do it. The wolves or the boy.”

“快殺藻糖，不然這小鬼就沒命淹冰。”

“No!” Bran screamed. If Robb did as they asked, Stiv would kill them

both anyway, once the direwolves were dead.

“不要巨柒！”布蘭尖叫榄棵。就算羅柏照辦，等冰原狼一死潘拱，史帝夫也不會放過他們倆疹鳄。

The bald man

took hold of his hair with his free hand and twisted it cruelly, till Bran

sobbed in pain. “You shut your mouth, cripple, you hear me?” He twisted harder.

“You hear me?”

光頭用另一只手抓住他的頭發(fā)，使勁狠狠地一扭芦岂，直到布蘭痛得失聲啜泣瘪弓。“小廢物禽最，你給我閉嘴腺怯，聽到了沒袱饭？”他更用力地擰∏赫迹“你聽到了沒虑乖？”

A low thrum came

from the woods behind them. Stiv gave a choked gasp as a half foot of

razor-tipped broadhead suddenly exploded out of his chest. The arrow was bright

red, as if it had been painted in blood.

颼的一聲，從背后的樹林傳來晾虑。史帝夫聲音一緊疹味，喘不過氣來。只見一個半尺長帜篇，利如剃刀的寬大箭頭突然自他胸膛爆出糙捺。那枝箭整個成了鮮紅，沐浴在血中笙隙。

The dagger fell

away from Bran’s throat. The big man swayed and collapsed, facedown in the

stream. The arrow broke beneath him. Bran watched his life go swirling off in

the water.

布蘭喉頭的匕首松落洪灯，大漢晃了晃，面朝下倒在溪里竟痰。箭被他壓斷签钩，布蘭看著他的血淌進水中。

Osha glanced

around as Father’s guardsmen appeared from beneath the trees, steel in hand.

She threw down her spear. “Mercy, m’lord,” she called to Robb.

歐莎四處張望坏快；父親的侍衛(wèi)從樹底下冒出來边臼，手里都握著武器。她連忙拋下長槍假消。“大人饒命岭接「晦郑”她朝羅柏叫道。

The guardsmen

had a strange, pale look to their faces as they took in the scene of slaughter.

They eyed the wolves uncertainly, and when Summer returned to Hali’s corpse to

feed, Joseth dropped his knife and scrambled for the bush, heaving. Even

Maester Luwin seemed shocked as he stepped from behind a tree, but only for an

instant. Then he shook his head and waded across the stream to Bran’s side.

“Are you hurt?”

見到眼前的屠殺景象鸣戴，衛(wèi)士們個個臉色蒼白啃沪，神情怪異。他們猶豫地看著兩只狼窄锅，而當(dāng)夏天回去享用哈莉的尸體時创千，喬賽斯丟下獵刀，轉(zhuǎn)身返回樹叢邊嘔吐入偷。就連魯溫師傅從林子里出來時追驴，也是一臉驚駭。他隨即恢復(fù)過來疏之，搖搖頭殿雪，涉水渡河到布蘭身邊》孀Γ“你受傷了嗎丙曙？”

“He cut my leg,” Bran said, “but I couldn’t feel it.”

“他砍傷了我的腳爸业，”布蘭說：“可我沒感覺】髁”

As the maester

knelt to examine the wound, Bran turned his head. Theon Greyjoy stood beside a

sentinel tree, his bow in hand. He was smiling. Ever smiling. A half-dozen

arrows were thrust into the soft ground at his feet, but it had taken only one.

“A dead enemy is a thing of beauty,” he announced.

老師傅彎身檢視他的傷口扯旷，布蘭別過頭去，看見席恩·葛雷喬伊站在一棵哨兵樹下索抓，手里拿著弓钧忽，嘴上掛著笑。這家伙永遠都在微笑纸兔。他腳邊的軟泥地上插了五六枝箭惰瓜，但他只用了一枝『嚎螅“最好的敵人就是死掉的敵人崎坊。”他得意洋洋地表示洲拇。

“Jon always said you were an ass, Greyjoy,” Robb said loudly. “I

ought to chain you up in the yard and let Bran take a few practice shots at

you.”

“葛雷喬伊奈揍，瓊恩老說你是個渾球「承”羅柏朗聲道男翰，“我真該用鐵鏈把你綁起來，放在場子里給布蘭當(dāng)箭靶纽乱《暌铮”

“You should be thanking me for saving your brother’s life.”

“你怎么不謝謝我救了你老弟的命？”

“What if you had missed the shot?” Robb said. “What if you’d only

wounded him? What if you had made his hand jump, or hit Bran instead? For all

you knew, the man might have been wearing a breastplate, all you could see was

the back of his cloak. What would have happened to my brother then? Did you

ever think of that, Greyjoy?”

“要是你沒射中怎么辦鸦列？”羅柏道租冠，“要是你沒射死他怎么辦？要是你那一箭抖了他的手薯嗤，或是命中布蘭怎么辦顽爹？你從后面只看得到他的斗篷，怎么知道他沒穿胸甲骆姐？如果他真的穿了镜粤，那我弟弟會怎么樣？葛雷喬伊玻褪，你有沒有想過肉渴？”

Theon’s smile

was gone. He gave a sullen shrug and began to pull his arrows from the ground,

one by one.

席恩的笑容消失了带射。他悻悻地聳肩黄虱，然后開始把箭一根根從地上拔起來捻浦。

Robb glared at

his guardsmen. “Where were you?” he demanded of them. “I was sure you were

close behind us.”

羅柏瞪著侍衛(wèi)們跪楞》苍酰“你們跑哪兒去了？”他質(zhì)問，“我要你們緊跟在后」赵疲”

The men traded

unhappy glances. “We were following, m’lord,” said Quent, the youngest of them,

his beard a soft brown fuzz. “Only first we waited for Maester Luwin and his

ass, begging your pardons, and then, well, as it were?.?.?.?” He glanced over

at Theon and quickly looked away, abashed.

守衛(wèi)們交換著悶悶不樂的眼神∑岣幔“大人梧奢，我們是跟在后面⊙菅鳎”里面年紀(jì)最輕亲轨，長了棕色細胡的昆特說，“可我們要等魯溫師傅和他的驢鸟顺，請大人原諒惦蚊，然后，這個嘛讯嫂，就是……”他瞄了席恩一眼蹦锋，隨即尷尬地別開頭。

“I spied a turkey,” Theon said, annoyed by the question. “How was I

to know that you’d leave the boy alone?”

“我在路上看到只火雞欧芽，”席恩氣惱地說莉掂，“我哪知道你會丟下小鬼不管？”

Robb turned his

head to look at Theon once more. Bran had never seen him so angry, yet he said

nothing. Finally he knelt beside Maester Luwin. “How badly is my brother

wounded?”

羅柏再度轉(zhuǎn)頭瞪看席恩千扔。布蘭從未見他這么生氣過憎妙，但他沒有多說，只在魯溫師傅身旁蹲下來曲楚±逋伲“我弟弟的傷勢如何？”

“No more than a scratch,” the maester said. He wet a cloth in the

stream to clean the cut. “Two of them wear the black,” he told Robb as he

worked.

“破了點皮罷了龙誊「Ю”老學(xué)士說。他把一塊布在溪里浸濕，用來清洗傷口鹤树∠澈福“有兩個人穿著黑衫軍的衣服』昶”他邊弄邊告訴羅柏粗截。

Robb glanced

over at where Stiv lay sprawled in the stream, his ragged black cloak moving

fitfully as the rushing waters tugged at it. “Deserters from the Night’s

Watch,” he said grimly. “They must have been fools, to come so close to

Winterfell.”

羅柏轉(zhuǎn)頭望向倒臥溪中的史帝夫，溪流不斷拉扯著他破爛的黑斗篷捣炬⌒懿“守夜人軍團的逃兵，”他口氣嚴(yán)峻地說湿酸，“他們一定是沒腦子婿屹，才會跑到離臨冬城這么近的地方來⊥评＃”

“Folly and desperation are ofttimes hard to tell apart,” said Maester

Luwin.

“由愚蠢或絕望所生的行為昂利，彼此常常難以區(qū)分√玻”魯溫師傅道蜂奸。

“Shall we bury them, m’lord?” asked Quent.

“大人，我們要埋葬他們嗎硬萍？”昆特問扩所。

“They would not have buried us,” Robb said. “Hack off their heads,

we’ll send them back to the Wall. Leave the rest for the carrion crows.”

“他們可不打算為我們安葬∑庸裕”羅柏說祖屏，“把頭砍下，送到長城买羞。剩下的就留給烏鴉袁勺。”

“And this one?” Quent jerked a thumb toward Osha.

“那她呢畜普？”昆特用拇指指了指歐莎期丰。

Robb walked over

to her. She was a head taller than he was, but she dropped to her knees at his

approach. “Give me my life, m’lord of Stark, and I am yours.”

羅柏朝她走去。她比羅柏足足高出一頭吃挑，但見他過來钝荡，卻連忙跪下∪迓梗“史塔克大人化撕，求您饒我一命几晤，我的人是您的了约炎。”

“Mine? What would I do with an oathbreaker?”

“我的人？我要個背誓者做什么圾浅？”

“I broke no oaths. Stiv and Wallen flew down off the Wall, not me.

The black crows got no place for women.”

“我沒有背棄誓約掠手。從長城逃出來的是史帝夫和華倫，不是我狸捕。那群黑烏鴉不收女人喷鸽。”

Theon Greyjoy

sauntered closer. “Give her to the wolves,” he urged Robb. The woman’s eyes

went to what was left of Hali, and just as quickly away. She shuddered. Even

the guardsmen looked queasy.

席恩·葛雷喬伊慢悠悠地晃過來灸拍∽鲎＃“拿她喂狼〖Ω冢”他慫恿羅柏混槐。女人的視線望向哈莉的殘骸，趕緊顫抖著轉(zhuǎn)開轩性。那景象連侍衛(wèi)們看了也直想吐声登。

“She’s a woman,” Robb said.

“她是個女的〈眨”羅柏說悯嗓。

“A wildling,” Bran told him. “She said they should keep me alive so

they could take me to Mance Rayder.”

“也是個野人窄坦〖撞觯”布蘭告訴他，“是她叫他們留我活口作箍，好把我交給曼斯·雷德的蛾派《砣希”

“Do you have a name?” Robb asked her.

“你有名字嗎？”羅柏問她洪乍。

“Osha, as it please the lord,” she muttered sourly.

“大人高興的話眯杏，叫我歐莎就成】前模”她酸酸地低聲道岂贩。

Maester Luwin

stood. “We might do well to question her.”

魯溫師傅站起來∠锊ǎ“盤問一番比較穩(wěn)妥萎津。”

Bran could see

the relief on his brother’s face. “As you say, Maester. Wayn, bind her hands.

She’ll come back to Winterfell with us?.?.?.?and live or die by the truths she

gives us.”

布蘭看見哥哥臉上如釋重負的表情抹镊★鼻“那就這樣罷，師傅垮耳。韋恩颈渊，把她的手捆起來遂黍。她跟我們一起回臨冬城……是生是死，就得由她的話來決定了俊嗽∥砑遥”