PROLOGUE

序曲

?? “We should start back,” Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them. “The wildlings are dead.”

“咱們回頭吧沃琅∠ㄗ瑁”蓋瑞不禁催促跪另，眼看周圍的樹林逐漸黯淡，“既然野人①已經(jīng)死了佳遣，”

?? “Do the dead frighten you?” Ser Waymar Royce asked with just the hint of a smile.

“死人嚇著你了嗎识埋？”威瑪·羅伊斯爵士帶著輕淺的笑意問。

?? Gared did notrise to the bait. He was an old man, past fifty, and he had seen the lordlings come and go. “Dead is dead,” he said. “We have no business with the dead.”

蓋瑞并未中激將之計(jì)零渐，年過五十的他也算得上是個(gè)老人窒舟，這輩子看過太多貴族子弟來來去去∷信危“死了就是死了惠豺，”他說，“咱們何必追尋死人风宁〗嗲剑”

?? “Are they dead?” Royce asked softly. “What proof have we?”

“你能確定他們真死了？”羅伊斯輕聲問戒财，“證據(jù)何在热监？”

?? “Will saw them,” Gared said. “If he says they are dead, that’s proof enough for me.”

“威爾看到了，”蓋瑞道饮寞，“我相信他說的話孝扛。”

?? Will had known they would drag him into the quarrel sooner or later. He wished it had been later rather than sooner. “My mother told me that dead men sing no songs,” he put in.

威爾料到他們?cè)缤頃?huì)把自己卷入這場(chǎng)爭(zhēng)執(zhí)骂际，只是沒想到這么快「曰叮“我娘說過歉铝，死人沒戲可唱〈粘埽”他插嘴道太示。

?? “My wet nurse said the same thing, Will,” Royce replied. “Never believe anything you hear at awoman’s tit. There are things to be learned even from the dead.” His voice echoed, too loud in the twilit forest.

“威爾，我奶媽也說過這話香浩，”羅伊斯回答：“千萬別相信你在女人懷里聽到的東西类缤。就算人是死了，也能讓我們了解很多東西邻吭〔腿酰”他的余音在暮色昏暝的森林里回蕩，似乎吵鬧了點(diǎn)。

?? “We have a long ride before us,” Gared pointed out. “Eight days, maybe nine. And night is falling.”

“回去的路還長(zhǎng)著呢膏蚓，”蓋瑞指出瓢谢，“少不了走個(gè)八九天，況且天色漸漸暗下來了驮瞧∶タ福”

?? Ser Waymar Royceglanced at the sky with disinterest. “It does that every day about this time. Are you unmanned by the dark, Gared?”

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士意興闌珊地掃視天際÷郾剩“每天這時(shí)候不都如此采郎？蓋瑞，你該不會(huì)怕黑吧狂魔？”

?? Will could see thetightness around Gared’s mouth, the barely suppressed anger in his eyes under the thick black hood of his cloak. Gared had spent forty years in the Night’s Watch, man and boy, and he was not accustomed to being made light of. Yet it was more than that. Under the wounded pride, Will could sense something else in the older man. You could taste it; a nervous tension that came perilous close to fear.

威爾看見蓋瑞緊抿的嘴唇蒜埋，以及他厚重黑斗篷下強(qiáng)自遏抑的怒火。蓋瑞當(dāng)了四十年的守夜人②毅臊，這種資歷可不是隨便讓人尋開心的理茎。但蓋瑞不僅是憤怒，在他受傷的自尊底下管嬉，威爾隱約察覺到某種潛藏的不安皂林，一種近似于畏懼的緊張情緒。

?? Will shared his unease. He had been four years on the Wall. The first time he had been sent beyond, all the old stories had come rushing back, and his bowels had turned to water. He had laughed about it afterward. He was a veteran of a hundred rangings by now, and the endless dark wilderness that the southron called the haunted forest had no more terrors for him.

威爾深有同感蚯撩。他戍守長(zhǎng)城不過四年础倍，當(dāng)初首次越墻北進(jìn)，所有的傳說故事突然都涌上心頭胎挎，把他嚇得四肢發(fā)軟沟启，事后想起難免莞爾。如今他已是擁有百余次巡邏經(jīng)驗(yàn)的老手犹菇，眼前這片南方人稱作鬼影森林的廣袤黑荒德迹，他早已無所畏懼。

?? Until tonight. Something was different tonight. There was an edge to this darkness that made his hackles rise. Nine days they had been riding, north and northwest and then north again, farther and farther from the Wall, hard on the track of a band of wildling raiders. Each day had been worse than the day that had come before it. Today was the worst of all. A cold wind was blowing out of the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things. All day, Will had felt as though something were watching him, something cold and implacable that loved him not. Gared had felt it too. Will wanted nothing so much as to ride hellbent for the safety of the Wall, but that was not a feeling to share with your commander.

然而今晚是個(gè)例外揭芍，迥異往昔胳搞，四方暗幕中有種莫可名狀、讓他汗毛豎立的驚悚称杨。他們輕騎北出長(zhǎng)城肌毅，中途轉(zhuǎn)向西北，隨即又向北姑原，九天來晝夜加急悬而、不斷推進(jìn)，緊咬一隊(duì)土匪的足跡锭汛。環(huán)境日益惡化笨奠，今天已降到谷底袭蝗。陰森北風(fēng)吹得樹影幢幢，宛如猙獰活物艰躺，威爾整天都覺得自己受到一種冰冷且對(duì)他毫無好感的莫名之物監(jiān)視呻袭，蓋瑞也感覺出了。此刻威爾心中只想掉轉(zhuǎn)馬頭腺兴，沒命似地逃回長(zhǎng)城左电。但這卻是萬萬不能在長(zhǎng)官面前說出的念頭。

?? Especially not a commander like this one.

尤其是這樣的長(zhǎng)官页响。

?? Ser Waymar Royce was the youngest son of an ancient house with too many heirs. He was a handsome youth of eighteen, grey-eyed and graceful and slender as a knife. Mounted on his huge black destrier, the knight towered above Will and Gared on their smaller garrons. He wore black leather boots, black woolen pants, black moleskin gloves, and a fine supple coat of gleaming black ringmail over layers of black wool and boiled leather. Ser Waymar had been a Sworn Brother of the Night’s Watch for less than half a year, but no one could say he had not prepared for his vocation. At least insofar as his wardrobe was concerned.

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士出身貴族世家篓足，在兒孫滿堂的家里排行老幺。他是個(gè)俊美的十八歲青年闰蚕，有雙灰色眸子栈拖，舉止優(yōu)雅，瘦得像把尖刀没陡。騎在他那匹健壯的黑色戰(zhàn)馬上涩哟，比騎著矮小犁馬的威爾和蓋瑞高出許多。他穿著黑色皮靴盼玄，黑色羊毛褲贴彼，戴著黑色鼴鼠皮手套，黑色羊毛衫外套硬皮甲埃儿，又罩了一件閃閃發(fā)光的黑色環(huán)甲器仗。威瑪爵士宣誓成為守夜人尚不滿半年，但他絕非空手而來童番，最起碼行頭一件不少精钮。

?? His cloak was his crowning glory; sable, thick and black and soft as sin. “Bet he killed them all himself, he did,” Gared told the barracks over wine, “twisted their little heads off, our mighty warrior.” They had all shared the laugh.

而他身上最耀眼的行頭，自然便是那件既厚實(shí)剃斧、又柔軟驚人的黑色貂皮斗篷轨香。“我敢打賭幼东，那堆黑貂一定是他親手殺的，”蓋瑞在軍營(yíng)里喝酒時(shí)對(duì)兄弟們說：“我們偉大的戰(zhàn)士哦策橘，把它們的小頭一顆顆扭斷啦娜亿。”當(dāng)時(shí)便引得眾人哄笑一團(tuán)蚌堵。

?? It is hard to take orders from a man you laughed at in your cups, Will reflected as he sat shivering atop his garron. Gared must have felt the same.

　假如你的長(zhǎng)官是大伙兒飲酒作樂時(shí)的嘲笑對(duì)象，你怎么去尊敬他呢督赤？威爾騎在馬上嘁灯，不禁如此思量躲舌。想必蓋瑞也深有同感。

?? “Mormont said as we should track them, and we did,” Gared said. “They’re dead. They shan’t trouble us no more. There’s hard riding before us. I don’t like this weather. If it snows, we could be a fortnight getting back, and snow’s the best we can hope for. Ever seen an ice storm, my lord?”

“莫爾蒙叫我們追查野人行蹤羹奉，我們照辦了诀拭，”蓋瑞道：“現(xiàn)在他們死去煤蚌，再也不會(huì)來騷擾我們尉桩。而眼前還有好長(zhǎng)一段路等著我們魄健。我實(shí)在不喜歡這種天氣，要是下雪革骨，我們得花兩個(gè)星期才能回去良哲。其實(shí)下雪還算不上什么助隧，大人并村，您可見過冰風(fēng)暴肆虐的景象哩牍？”

?? The lordling seemed not to hear him. He studied the deepening twilight in that half-bored, half-distracted way he had. Will had ridden with the knight long enough to understand that it was best not to interrupt him when he looked like that. “Tell me again what you saw, Will. All the details. Leave nothing out.”

小少爺似乎沒聽見這番話膝昆。他用他特有的那種缺乏興趣叠必、漫不經(jīng)心的方式審視著漸暗的暮色纬朝。威爾跟隨他已有些時(shí)日共苛，知道這種時(shí)候最好不要打斷他蜓萄∪频拢“威爾，再跟我說一遍你看到了些什么踪蹬。仔細(xì)講來跃捣，別漏掉任何細(xì)節(jié)夺蛇∩氖福”

?? Will had been a hunter before he joined the Night’s Watch. Well, a poacher in truth. Mallister freeriders had caught him red-handed in the Mallisters’ own woods, skinning one of the Mallisters’ own bucks, and it had been a choice of putting on the black or losing a hand. No one could move through the woods as silent as Will, and it had not taken the black brothers long to discover his talent.

在成為守夜人以前甚脉，威爾原本靠打獵為生牺氨。說難聽點(diǎn)猴凹，其實(shí)就是偷獵者郊霎。當(dāng)年他在梅利斯特家族的森林里偷獵公鹿歹篓，正忙著剝鹿皮，弄得一手血腥的時(shí)候背捌，被受雇于梅利斯特家的自由騎手③逮個(gè)正著毡庆。他若不選擇加入黑衫軍么抗，就只有單手被砍一途蝇刀。威爾潛行的本事是一等一的吞琐，在森林里無聲潛行等閑難及站粟，黑衫軍的弟兄們果然很快也就發(fā)現(xiàn)了他的長(zhǎng)處曾雕。

?? “The camp is two miles farther on, over that ridge, hard beside a stream,” Will said. “I got close as I dared. There’s eight of them, men and women both. No children I could see. They put up a lean-to against the rock. The snow’s pretty well covered it now, but I could still make it out. No fire burning, but the firepit was still plain as day. No one moving. I watched a long time. No living man ever lay so still.”

“營(yíng)地在兩里之外切诀，翻過山脊搔弄，緊鄰著一條溪肯污”脑”威爾答道柬唯，“我已經(jīng)靠得很近了锄奢。總共有八個(gè)人涂屁，男女都有拆又，但沒看見小孩帖族。他們背靠著大石頭竖般，雖然雪幾乎把營(yíng)地整個(gè)蓋住涣雕，但我還是分辨得出來胞谭。沒有營(yíng)火丈屹，只有火堆的余燼比較明顯旺垒。他們一動(dòng)不動(dòng)先蒋，我仔細(xì)看了好長(zhǎng)時(shí)間，活人絕不會(huì)躺得這么安靜眯搭×巯桑”

?? “Did you see any blood?”

“你發(fā)現(xiàn)血跡了嗎棍好？”

?? “Well, no,” Will admitted.

“嗯借笙，沒有业稼∨渭桑”威爾坦承谦纱。

?? “Did you see any weapons?”

“你看見任何武器了嗎跨嘉？”

?? “Some swords, a few bows. One man had an axe. Heavy-looking, double-bladed, a cruel piece of iron. It was on the ground beside him, right by his hand.”

“幾支劍祠乃、兩三把弓亮瓷，還有個(gè)家伙帶了一柄斧頭嘱支。鐵打的雙刃斧除师，似乎挺沉的汛聚，擺在他右手邊的地上倚舀∪趟危”

?? “Did you make note of the position of the bodies?”

“你記得他們躺著的相對(duì)位置嗎讶踪？”

?? Will shrugged. “A couple are sitting up against the rock. Most of them on the ground. Fallen, like.”

威爾聳聳肩柱查“ぃ“兩三個(gè)靠著石頭淋硝，大部分躺在地上，像是被打死的竿报×揖”

?? “Or sleeping,” Royce suggested.

“也可能在睡覺〖闷埃”羅伊斯提出異議妹卿。

?? “Fallen,” Will insisted. “There’s one woman up an ironwood, half-hid in the branches. A far-eyes.” He smiled thinly. “I took care she never saw me. When I got closer, I saw that she wasn’t moving neither.” Despite himself, he shivered.

“肯定是被打死的宠漩，”威爾堅(jiān)持己見扒吁，“因?yàn)橛袀€(gè)女的爬在鐵樹上雕崩，藏在枝頭盼铁，應(yīng)該是個(gè)斥候饶火》羟蓿”他淺淺一笑鲤看∫骞穑“我很小心慷吊，沒讓她見著罢浇。但等我靠近嚷闭，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)她根本毫無動(dòng)靜胞锰⌒衢牛”說到這兒他不禁一陣顫抖凌那。

?? “You have a chill?” Royce asked.

“你受寒了帽蝶？”羅伊斯問励稳。

?? “Some,” Will muttered. “The wind, m’lord.”

“有點(diǎn)罷驹尼，”威爾喃喃道新翎，“大人骆捧，是風(fēng)的關(guān)系啊敛苇》闩剩”

?? The young knight turned back to his grizzled man-at-arms. Frostfallen leaves whispered past them, and Royce’s destrier moved restlessly. “What do you think might have killed these men, Gared?” Ser Waymar asked casually. He adjusted the drape of his long sable cloak.

年輕騎士轉(zhuǎn)頭面對(duì)灰發(fā)老兵来涨。結(jié)霜的落葉在他們耳邊低語飄零蹦掐，羅伊斯的戰(zhàn)馬局促不安卧抗∩珩桑“蓋瑞泳秀，你覺得是誰殺了這些人？”威瑪爵士隨口問吕嘀，順手整了整貂皮長(zhǎng)袍的褶裥币他。

?? “It was the cold,” Gared said with iron certainty. “I saw men freeze last winter, and the one before, when I was half a boy. Everyone talks about snows forty foot deep, and how the ice wind comes howling out of the north, but the real enemy is the cold. It steals up on you quieter than Will, and at first you shiver and your teeth chatter and you stamp your feet and dream of mulled wine and nice hot fires. It burns, it does. Nothing burns like the cold. But only for a while. Then it gets inside you and starts to fill you up, and after a while you don’t have the strength to fight it. It’s easier just to sit down or go to sleep. They say you don’t feel any pain toward the end. First you go weak and drowsy, and everything starts to fade, and then it’s like sinking into a sea of warm milk. Peaceful, like.”

“是這該死的天氣，”蓋瑞斬釘截鐵地說拍冠，“上個(gè)嚴(yán)冬④庆杜，我親眼見人活活凍死晃财，再之前那次也看過断盛，當(dāng)時(shí)我還是個(gè)孩子伙菜。人人都說當(dāng)時(shí)積雪深達(dá)四十尺贩绕，北風(fēng)冷得跟玄冰似的淑倾，但真正要命的卻是低溫踊淳。它會(huì)無聲無息地逮住你，比威爾還安靜，起初你會(huì)發(fā)抖税肪、牙齒打顫益兄、兩腿一伸净捅，夢(mèng)見滾燙的酒荆永，溫暖的營(yíng)火具钥。很燙人骂删，是的桃漾，再也沒什么像寒冷那樣燙人了。但只消一會(huì)兒恋追，它便會(huì)鉆進(jìn)你體內(nèi)苦囱，填滿你的身體撕彤，過不了多久你就沒力氣抵抗，渴望坐下休息或小睡片刻职员，據(jù)說到最后完全不覺痛苦焊切。你只是渾身無力专肪，昏昏欲睡，然后一切漸漸消逝诺苹，最后，就像淹沒在熱牛奶里一樣收奔，安詳而恬靜掌呜。”

?? “Such eloquence, Gared,” Ser Waymar observed. “I never suspected you had it in you.”

“我看你蠻有詩意嘛坪哄，”威瑪爵士下了評(píng)論质蕉，“沒想到你還有這方面的天分翩肌。”

?? “I’ve had the cold in me too, lordling.” Gared pulled back his hood, giving Ser Waymar a good long look at the stumps where his ears had been. “Two ears, three toes, and the little finger off my left hand. I got off light. We found my brother frozen at his watch, with a smile on his face.”

“大人念祭，我親身體驗(yàn)過嚴(yán)寒的威力兑宇，”蓋瑞往后拉開他的兜帽，好讓威瑪爵士看清楚他耳朵凍掉之后剩下的肉團(tuán)粱坤×ジ猓“兩只耳朵，三根腳趾站玄，還有左手的小指枚驻，我這算是輕傷了。我大哥當(dāng)年就是站崗的時(shí)候活活凍死的株旷，等我們找到他再登，他臉上還掛著笑容×榔剩”

?? Ser Waymar shrugged. “You ought dress more warmly, Gared.”

威瑪爵士聳聳肩道：“我說蓋瑞锉矢，你該多穿兩件衣服〕伲”

?? Gared glared at the lordling, the scars around his ear holes flushed red with anger where Maester Aemon had cut the ears away. “We’ll see how warm you can dress when the winter comes.” He pulled up his hood and hunched over his garron, silent and sullen.

蓋瑞怒視著他的年輕長(zhǎng)官沈撞，氣得耳根發(fā)紅慷荔。當(dāng)年伊蒙學(xué)士⑤把他壞死的耳朵割去雕什，如今耳洞旁還留著傷疤∠跃В“等冬天真正來臨時(shí)贷岸，看你能穿得多暖×坠停”他拉起兜帽偿警，縮著身子騎上馬，陰沉地不再吭聲唯笙。

?? “If Gared said it was the cold?.?.?.?” Will began.

“既然蓋瑞都說是天氣的關(guān)系了……”威爾正要開口螟蒸。

?? “Have you drawn any watches this past week, Will?”

“威爾盒使，上周你有沒有站崗？”

?? “Yes, m’lord.” There never was a week when he did not draw a dozen bloody watches. What was the man driving at?

“有啊七嫌，大人少办。”他哪星期沒抽到站崗的簽诵原，這家伙究竟想說什么英妓？

?? “And how did you find the Wall?”

“長(zhǎng)城的情形如何？”

?? “Weeping,” Will said, frowning. He saw it clear enough, now that the lordling had pointed it out. “They couldn’t have froze. Not if the Wall was weeping. It wasn’t cold enough.”

“在‘哭泣’啊绍赛，”威爾皺著眉頭說蔓纠。這下他明白了÷鸢觯“所以他們不是凍死的腿倚，假如城墻會(huì)滴水，表示天氣還不夠冷蚯妇『锾埽”

?? Royce nodded. “Bright lad. We’ve had a few light frosts this past week, and a quick flurry of snow now and then, but surely no cold fierce enough to kill eight grown men. Men clad in fur and leather, let me remind you, with shelter near at hand, and the means of making fire.” The knight’s smile was cocksure. “Will, lead us there. I would see these dead men for myself.”

羅伊斯點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭∥甏耄“聰明懈叹。過去這周結(jié)了點(diǎn)霜，偶爾還下點(diǎn)雪分扎，但絕對(duì)沒有冷到凍死八個(gè)人的地步澄成。更何況他們穿著保暖的毛皮御寒，所處地形足以遮擋風(fēng)雪畏吓，還有充足的生火材料墨状。”騎士露出充滿自信的笑容菲饼∩錾埃“威爾，帶路罷宏悦，我要親眼看看這些死人镐确。”

?? And then there was nothing to be done for it. The order had been given, and honor bound them to obey.

事情至此饼煞，他們別無選擇源葫。既然命令已下，也只有照辦的份兒砖瞧。

?? Will went in front, his shaggy little garron picking the way carefully through the undergrowth. A light snow had fallen the night before, and there were stones and roots and hidden sinks lying just under its crust, waiting for the careless and the unwary. Ser Waymar Royce came next, his great black destrier snorting impatiently. The warhorse was the wrong mount for ranging, but try and tell that to the lordling. Gared brought up the rear. The old man-at-arms muttered to himself as he rode.

威爾打前鋒息堂，騎著他那匹長(zhǎng)毛的馬，在矮樹叢里小小心翼翼地探路。昨夜下了一場(chǎng)小雪荣堰，這會(huì)兒樹叢底下有許多石塊床未、樹根和水洼，一不小心就會(huì)摔倒振坚。威瑪·羅伊斯爵士跟在后面即硼，他那匹高壯駿馬不耐煩地吐著氣。巡邏任務(wù)最不適合騎戰(zhàn)馬屡拨，但貴族子弟哪聽得進(jìn)去只酥？老兵蓋瑞殿后，一路低聲喃喃自語呀狼。

?? Twilight deepened. The cloudless sky turned a deep purple, the color of an old bruise, then faded to black. The stars began to come out. A half-moon rose. Will was grateful for the light.

暮色漸沉裂允，無云的天空轉(zhuǎn)為淤青般的深紫，然后沒入黑幕哥艇。星星出來了绝编，新月也升起。威爾暗自感謝星月的光輝貌踏。

?? “We can make a better pace than this, surely,” Royce said when the moon was full risen.

“我們應(yīng)該可以再走快點(diǎn)十饥。”羅伊斯說祖乳。這時(shí)月亮已快升上天頂逗堵。

?? “Not with this horse,” Will said. Fear had made him insolent. “Perhaps my lord would care to take the lead?”

“你的馬沒這能耐，”威爾道眷昆，恐懼使他無禮起來蜒秤。“少爺您走前面試試亚斋？”

?? Ser Waymar Royce did not deign to reply.

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士顯然不屑回答作媚。

?? Somewhere off in the wood a wolf howled.

樹林深處傳來一聲狼嗥。

?? Will pulled his garron over beneath an ancient gnarled ironwood and dismounted.

威爾在一棵長(zhǎng)滿樹瘤的老鐵樹旁停住帅刊，下了馬纸泡。

?? “Why are you stopping?” Ser Waymar asked.

“為何停下？”威瑪爵士問赖瞒。

?? “Best go the rest of the way on foot, m’lord. It’s just over that ridge.”

“大人女揭，后面的路步行比較好，翻過那道山脊就到冒黑√锇螅”

?? Royce paused a moment, staring off into the distance, his face reflective. A cold wind whispered through the trees. His great sable cloak stirred behind like something half-alive.

羅伊斯也停下來凝神遠(yuǎn)望，一臉?biāo)妓鞯谋砬槁盏ｊ囮嚴(yán)滹L(fēng)颯颯響徹林間，他的貂皮大衣在背后抖了抖芒划，仿佛有了生命冬竟。

?? “There’s something wrong here,” Gared muttered.

“這兒不太對(duì)勁欧穴。”蓋瑞喃喃地說泵殴。

?? The young knight gave him a disdainful smile. “Is there?”

年輕騎士對(duì)他輕蔑地一笑涮帘。“是嗎笑诅？”

?? “Can’t you feel it?” Gared asked. “Listen to the darkness.”

“你難道沒感覺调缨？”蓋瑞質(zhì)問，“仔細(xì)聽聽暗處的聲音吆你∠乙叮”

?? Will could feel it. Four years in the Night’s Watch, and he had never been so afraid. What was it?

威爾也感覺到了。在守夜人服役這四年來妇多，他從未如此恐懼伤哺。究竟是什么東西在作怪？

?? “Wind. Trees rustling. A wolf. Which sound is it that unmans you so, Gared?” When Gared did not answer, Royce slid gracefully from his saddle. He tied the destrier securely to a low-hanging limb, well away from the other horses, and drew his longsword from its sheath. Jewels glittered in its hilt, and the moonlight ran down the shining steel. It was a splendid weapon, castle-forged, and new-made from the look of it. Will doubted it had ever been swung in anger.

“風(fēng)聲者祖，樹葉沙沙響立莉，還有狼嚎。蓋瑞七问，是哪一種把你嚇破膽啦蜓耻？”羅伊斯見蓋瑞沒接腔，便優(yōu)雅地翻身下馬械巡。他把戰(zhàn)馬牢牢地綁在一根低垂的枝干上媒熊，跟其他兩匹離得遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)的，然后抽出長(zhǎng)劍坟比。這是把城里打造的好劍芦鳍，劍柄鑲著珠寶，熠熠發(fā)亮葛账，月光在明晃晃的鋼劍身上反射出璀璨光芒柠衅，無疑是新打造的。威爾很懷疑它有沒有沾過血籍琳。

?? “The trees press close here,” Will warned. “That sword will tangle you up, m’lord. Better a knife.”

“大人菲宴，這兒樹長(zhǎng)得很密，”威爾警告趋急，“可能會(huì)纏住您的劍喝峦，還是用短刀罷∥卮铮”

?? “If I need instruction, I will ask for it,” the young lord said. “Gared, stay here. Guard the horses.”

“我需要指導(dǎo)的時(shí)候自然會(huì)開口谣蠢。”年輕貴族道，“蓋瑞眉踱，你守在這里挤忙，看好馬匹√冈”

?? Gared dismounted. “We need a fire. I’ll see to it.”

蓋瑞下馬册烈。“我來生個(gè)火婿禽∩蜕”

?? “How big a fool are you, old man? If there are enemies in this wood, a fire is the last thing we want.”

“老頭子，愚蠢也有個(gè)限度扭倾。若這林子里有敵人淀零，我們難道要生火引他們過來么？”

?? “There’s some enemies a fire will keep away,” Gared said. “Bears and direwolves and?.?.?.?and other things?.?.?.?”

“有些東西就只怕火吆录，”蓋瑞道窑滞，“比如熊、冰原狼恢筝、還有……還有好些東西哀卫。”

?? Ser Waymar’s mouth became a hard line. “No fire.”

威瑪爵士緊抿嘴唇撬槽〈烁模“我說不準(zhǔn)就是不準(zhǔn)≈度幔”

?? Gared’s hood shadowed his face, but Will could see the hard glitter in his eyes as he stared at the knight. For a moment he was afraid the older man would go for his sword. It was a short, ugly thing, its grip discolored by sweat, its edge nicked from hard use, but Will would not have given an iron bob for the lordling’s life if Gared pulled it from its scabbard.

蓋瑞的斗篷遮住了他的臉共啃，但威爾還是看得到他瞪騎士時(shí)的眼神。他一度害怕這老頭會(huì)沖動(dòng)地拔劍動(dòng)粗暂题。老頭的劍雖然又短又丑移剪，劍柄早被汗?jié)n浸得沒了顏色，劍刃也因長(zhǎng)期使用而布滿缺口薪者，但若蓋瑞真的拔劍纵苛，威爾知道那貴族公子哥兒必死無疑。

?? Finally Gared looked down. “No fire,” he muttered, low under his breath.

最后蓋瑞低下頭言津」ト耍“那就算了”。他訕訕地說悬槽。

?? Royce took it for acquiescence and turned away. “Lead on,” he said to Will.

羅伊斯于是妥協(xié)怀吻，“帶路罷”。他對(duì)威爾說初婆。

?? Will threaded their way through a thicket, then started up the slope to the low ridge where he had found his vantage point under a sentinel tree. Under the thin crust of snow, the ground was damp and muddy, slick footing, with rocks and hidden roots to trip you up. Will made no sound as he climbed. Behind him, he heard the soft metallic slither of the lordling’s ringmail, the rustle of leaves, and muttered curses as reaching branches grabbed at his longsword and tugged on his splendid sable cloak.

威爾領(lǐng)他穿越濃密樹叢蓬坡，爬上低緩斜坡猿棉，朝山脊走去，他先前便是在那兒的一棵樹下找到藏身處所渣窜。薄薄的積雪底铺根，地面潮濕而泥濘宪躯，極易滑倒乔宿，石塊和暗藏的樹根也能絆人一跤。威爾爬坡時(shí)沒有發(fā)出任何聲響访雪，身后卻不時(shí)傳來公子哥環(huán)甲的金屬碰撞详瑞，葉子摩擦，以及分叉枝干絆住他的長(zhǎng)劍臣缀，勾住他漂亮貂皮斗篷時(shí)所發(fā)出的咒罵聲坝橡。

?? The great sentinel was right there at the top of the ridge, where Will had known it would be, its lowest branches a bare foot off the ground. Will slid in underneath, flat on his belly in the snow and the mud, and looked down on the empty clearing below.

威爾知道那棵大哨兵樹位于山脊最高處，底部枝干離地僅有一尺精置。于是他爬進(jìn)矮樹叢计寇，平趴在殘雪和泥濘里，往下方空曠的平地望去脂倦。

?? His heart stopped in his chest. For a moment he dared not breathe. Moonlight shone down on the clearing, the ashes of the firepit, the snow-covered lean-to, the great rock, the little half-frozen stream. Everything was just as it had been a few hours ago.

他的心臟停止了跳動(dòng)番宁，好一陣不敢呼吸。月光灑落在空地上赖阻，映照出營(yíng)火余燼蝶押，白雪覆蓋的巖石，半結(jié)冰的小溪火欧，全都和數(shù)小時(shí)前所見一模一樣棋电。

?? They were gone. All the bodies were gone.

惟一的差別是，所有的人都不見了苇侵。

?? “Gods!” he heard behind him. A sword slashed at a branch as Ser Waymar Royce gained the ridge. He stood there beside the sentinel, longsword in hand, his cloak billowing behind him as the wind came up, outlined nobly against the stars for all to see.

“諸神保佑赶盔！”他聽見背后傳來的聲音旺韭。威瑪·羅伊斯爵士揮劍劈砍樹枝祖凫，總算上了坡頂银觅。他站在哨兵樹旁包个，手握寶劍抚吠，披風(fēng)被吹得噼啪作響桩砰，明亮的星光清楚地勾勒出他高貴的身影球匕。

?? “Get down!” Will whispered urgently. “Something’s wrong.”

“快趴下來填渠！”威爾焦急地低聲說：“出怪事了杉适』丫螅”

?? Royce did not move. He looked down at the empty clearing and laughed. “Your dead men seem to have moved camp, Will.”

羅伊斯沒動(dòng)，他俯瞰著下面空蕩蕩的平地笑道：“威爾猿推，看來你說的那些死人轉(zhuǎn)移陣地啰片习“齐龋”

?? Will’s voice abandoned him. He groped for words that did not come. It was not possible. His eyes swept back and forth over the abandoned campsite, stopped on the axe. A huge double-bladed battle-axe, still lying where he had seen it last, untouched. A valuable weapon?.?.?.?

威爾仿佛突然間喪失了說話能力，他竭力尋找合適的字眼藕咏，卻徒勞無功状知。怎么會(huì)有這種事，他的視線在荒廢的營(yíng)地中來回掃視孽查，最后停留在那柄斧頭上饥悴。這么一把巨大的雙刃戰(zhàn)斧，竟會(huì)留在原地紋絲不動(dòng)盲再。照說這么值錢的家伙……

?? “On your feet, Will,” Ser Waymar commanded. “There’s no one here. I won’t have you hiding under a bush.”

“威爾西设，起來罷〈鹋螅”威瑪爵士命令道贷揽，“這里沒人，躲躲藏藏的梦碗，成何體統(tǒng)禽绪！”

?? Reluctantly, Will obeyed.

威爾很不情愿地照辦。

?? Ser Waymar looked him over with open disapproval. “I am not going back to Castle Black a failure on my first ranging. We will find these men.” He glanced around. “Up the tree. Be quick about it. Look for a fire.”

威瑪爵士不滿地上下打量他洪规∮∑ǎ“我可不想第一次巡邏就鎩羽而歸。我們一定要找到這些家伙淹冰】獬担”他環(huán)顧四周∮Ｋ“爬到樹上去看看柠衍，動(dòng)作快，注意附近有沒有火光晶乔≌浞唬”

?? Will turned away, wordless. There was no use to argue. The wind was moving. It cut right through him. He went to the tree, a vaulting grey-green sentinel, and began to climb. Soon his hands were sticky with sap, and he was lost among the needles. Fear filled his gut like a meal he could not digest. He whispered a prayer to the nameless gods of the wood, and slipped his dirk free of its sheath. He put it between his teeth to keep both hands free for climbing. The taste of cold iron in his mouth gave him comfort.

威爾無言地轉(zhuǎn)身，知道辯解無益正罢。風(fēng)勢(shì)轉(zhuǎn)強(qiáng)阵漏，有如刀割。他走到高聳筆直的青灰色哨兵樹旁開始往上爬翻具。很快他便消失在無邊松針里履怯，雙手沾滿樹汁●捎荆恐懼像肚里一頓難以消化的飯菜叹洲，他只能向不知名的森林之神默禱，一邊抽出匕首工禾，用牙咬住运提，空出雙手攀爬蝗柔。嘴里冰冷的兵器讓他稍微安了點(diǎn)心。

?? Down below, the lordling called out suddenly, “Who goes there?” Will heard uncertainty in the challenge. He stopped climbing; he listened; he watched.

下方突然傳來年輕貴族的喊叫民泵⊙⑸ィ“誰在那里？”威爾在他的恫嚇中聽出了不安栈妆，便停止爬行胁编，凝神諦聽，仔細(xì)觀察签钩。

?? The woods gave answer: the rustle of leaves, the icy rush of the stream, a distant hoot of a snow owl.

森林給了他答案：樹葉沙沙作響掏呼，寒溪潺潺脈動(dòng)坏快，遠(yuǎn)方傳來雪梟的吶喊铅檩。

?? The Others made no sound.

異鬼無聲無息地出現(xiàn)。

?? Will saw movement from the corner of his eye. Pale shapes gliding through the wood. He turned his head, glimpsed a white shadow in the darkness. Then it was gone. Branches stirred gently in the wind, scratching at one another with wooden fingers. Will opened his mouth to call down a warning, and the words seemed to freeze in his throat. Perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps it had only been a bird, a reflection on the snow, some trick of the moonlight. What had he seen, after all?

威爾的眼角余光瞄到白色身影穿過樹林莽鸿。他轉(zhuǎn)過頭昧旨，看見黑暗中一道白影，隨即又消失不見祥得。樹枝在風(fēng)中微微悸動(dòng)兔沃，伸出木指彼此搔抓。威爾張口想出聲警告级及，言語卻凍結(jié)在他的喉頭乒疏。或許是看錯(cuò)了饮焦，或許那不過是只鳥怕吴，或是雪地上的反光，更或許是月光造成的錯(cuò)覺县踢。他到底看到了什么转绷？

?? “Will, where are you?” Ser Waymar called up. “Can you see anything?” He was turning in a slow circle, suddenly wary, his sword in hand. He must have felt them, as Will felt them. There was nothing to see. “Answer me! Why is it so cold?”

“威爾，你在哪里硼啤？”威瑪爵士朝上方喊议经，“你看到什么了嗎？”他突然提高警覺谴返，手中持劍緩緩轉(zhuǎn)圈煞肾。他一定也和威爾一樣感覺到了。然而四周卻空無一人嗓袱〖龋“快回答我！這里為什么這么冷索抓？”

?? It was cold. Shivering, Will clung more tightly to his perch. His face pressed hard against the trunk of the sentinel. He could feel the sweet, sticky sap on his cheek.

這里真的非常冷钧忽。威爾顫抖著抱緊樹干毯炮，面頰貼住哨兵樹的樹皮。黏稠而甜膩的樹汁流到他臉上耸黑。

?? A shadow emerged from the dark of the wood. It stood in front of Royce. Tall, it was, and gaunt and hard as old bones, with flesh pale as milk. Its armor seemed to change color as it moved; here it was white as new-fallen snow, there black as shadow, everywhere dappled with the deep grey-green of the trees. The patterns ran like moonlight on water with every step it took.

一道陰影突然自樹林暗處冒出桃煎，站到羅伊斯面前。它的體型十分高大大刊，憔悴堅(jiān)毅渾似枯骨为迈，膚色蒼白如同乳汁。它的盔甲似乎會(huì)隨著移動(dòng)而改變顏色缺菌，一會(huì)兒白如新雪葫辐，一會(huì)兒黑如暗影，處處點(diǎn)綴著森林的深?yuàn)W灰綠伴郁。它每走一步耿战，其上的圖案便似水面上的粼粼月光般不斷改變。

?? Will heard the breath go out of Ser Waymar Royce in a long hiss. “Come no farther,” the lordling warned. His voice cracked like a boy’s. He threw the long sable cloak back over his shoulders, to free his arms for battle, and took his sword in both hands. The wind had stopped. It was very cold.

威爾只聽威瑪·羅伊斯爵士倒抽一口冷氣焊傅〖炼福“不要過來！”貴族少爺警告對(duì)方狐胎，聲音卻小得像個(gè)孩童鸭栖。他將那件長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的貂皮大衣翻到背后，空出活動(dòng)空間握巢，雙手持劍晕鹊。風(fēng)已停，寒徹骨暴浦。

?? The Other slid forward on silent feet. In its hand was a longsword like none that Will had ever seen. No human metal had gone into the forging of that blade. It was alive with moonlight, translucent, a shard of crystal so thin that it seemed almost to vanish when seen edge-on. There was a faint blue shimmer to the thing, a ghost-light that played around its edges, and somehow Will knew it was sharper than any razor.

異鬼安靜地向前滑行溅话，手中握著長(zhǎng)劍，威爾從沒見過類似的武器肉渴。那是把半透明的劍公荧，材質(zhì)完全不是人類所使用的金屬，更像是一片極薄的水晶碎片同规，倘若平放刃面循狰，幾乎無從發(fā)現(xiàn)。它與月光相互輝映券勺，劍身周圍有股淡淡而詭異的藍(lán)光绪钥。不知怎地，威爾明白這柄劍比任何剃刀都要鋒利关炼。

?? Ser Waymar met him bravely. “Dance with me then.” He lifted his sword high over his head, defiant. His hands trembled from the weight of it, or perhaps from the cold. Yet in that moment, Will thought, he was a boy no longer, but a man of the Night’s Watch.

威瑪爵士勇敢地迎上前去程腹。“既然如此儒拂，我們就來較量較量罷寸潦∩В”他舉劍過頭，語帶挑釁见转。雖然他的手不知因?yàn)橹亓炕蚴强岷澏睹福枀s覺得在那一刻，他已經(jīng)不再是個(gè)軟弱怯懦的少年斩箫，而成了真正的守夜人男子漢吏砂。

?? The Other halted. Will saw its eyes; blue, deeper and bluer than any human eyes, a blue that burned like ice. They fixed on the longsword trembling on high, watched the moonlight running cold along the metal. For a heartbeat he dared to hope.

異鬼停住腳步。威爾看到了它的眼睛乘客，那是一種比任何人眼都要湛藍(lán)深邃的顏色狐血，如玄冰一般冷冷燃燒。它把視線停留在對(duì)方高舉的顫抖著的劍上易核，凝視著冷冷月光在金屬劍緣流動(dòng)匈织。那一剎那，威爾覺得事情還有轉(zhuǎn)機(jī)耸成。

?? They emerged silently from the shadows, twins to the first. Three of them?.?.?.?four?.?.?.?five?.?.?.?Ser Waymar may have felt the cold that came with them, but he never saw them, never heard them. Will had to call out. It was his duty. And his death, if he did. He shivered, and hugged the tree, and kept the silence.

此時(shí)它們靜悄悄地從陰影里冒出來报亩，與第一個(gè)異鬼長(zhǎng)得一模一樣，三個(gè)……四個(gè)……五個(gè)……井氢，威瑪爵士或許能感覺伴隨他們而來的寒意，但他既沒看到它們岳链、也沒聽見它們的聲音花竞。威爾應(yīng)該警告他，畢竟那是他職責(zé)所在掸哑。然而一旦出聲约急，他便必死無疑。于是他顫抖著緊抱樹干苗分，不敢作聲厌蔽。

?? The pale sword came shivering through the air.

慘白的長(zhǎng)劍厲聲破空。

?? Ser Waymar met it with steel. When the blades met, there was no ring of metal on metal; only a high, thin sound at the edge of hearing, like an animal screaming in pain. Royce checked a second blow, and a third, then fell back a step. Another flurry of blows, and he fell back again.

威瑪爵士舉起鋼劍迎敵摔癣。當(dāng)兩劍交擊奴饮，發(fā)出的卻非金屬碰撞，而是一種位于人類聽覺極限邊緣择浊，又高又細(xì)戴卜，像是動(dòng)物痛苦哀嚎的聲音。羅伊斯擋住第二道攻擊琢岩，接著是第三道投剥，然后退了一步。又一陣刀光劍影之后担孔，他再度后退江锨。

?? Behind him, to right, to left, all around him, the watchers stood patient, faceless, silent, the shifting patterns of their delicate armor making them all but invisible in the wood. Yet they made no move to interfere.

在他左右兩側(cè)吃警，前后周圍，其余異鬼耐心地佇立旁觀啄育。它們一聲不吭汤徽，面無表情，盔甲上不斷變化的細(xì)致圖案在樹林中格外顯眼灸撰。它們遲遲未出手干預(yù)谒府。

?? Again and again the swords met, until Will wanted to cover his ears against the strange anguished keening of their clash. Ser Waymar was panting from the effort now, his breath steaming in the moonlight. His blade was white with frost; the Other’s danced with pale blue light.

兩人不斷交手，直到威爾想要捂住耳朵浮毯，再也無法忍受武器碰撞時(shí)刺耳的詭異聲響完疫。威瑪爵士的呼吸開始急促，呼出的氣在月光下蒸騰如煙债蓝。他的長(zhǎng)劍已結(jié)滿白霜壳鹤，異鬼的劍則依舊閃耀著蒼藍(lán)光芒。

?? Then Royce’s parry came a beat too late. The pale sword bit through the ringmail beneath his arm. The young lord cried out in pain. Blood welled between the rings. It steamed in the cold, and the droplets seemed red as fire where they touched the snow. Ser Waymar’s fingers brushed his side. His moleskin glove came away soaked with red.

這時(shí)羅伊斯一記擋格慢了一拍饰迹，慘白色的劍頓時(shí)咬穿他腋下環(huán)甲芳誓。年輕貴族痛苦地喊了一聲，鮮血流淌在鐵環(huán)間啊鸭，熾熱的血液在冷空氣中蒸汽朦朦锹淌，滴到雪地的血泊，紅得像火赠制。威瑪爵士伸手按住傷口赂摆，鼴鼠皮手套整個(gè)浸成鮮紅。

?? The Other said something in a language that Will did not know; his voice was like the cracking of ice on a winter lake, and the words were mocking.

異鬼開口用一種威爾聽不懂的語言說了幾句話钟些，聲音如冰湖碎裂烟号，腔調(diào)充滿嘲弄。

?? Ser Waymar Royce found his fury. “For Robert!” he shouted, and he came up snarling, lifting the frost-covered longsword with both hands and swinging it around in a flat sidearm slash with all his weight behind it. The Other’s parry was almost lazy.

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士找回了勇氣政恍⊥粲担“勞勃國(guó)王萬歲！”他高聲怒吼篙耗，雙手緊緊握住覆滿白霜的長(zhǎng)劍迫筑，使盡全身力氣瘋狂揮舞。異鬼泰然自若鹤树。

?? When the blades touched, the steel shattered.

兩劍相擊铣焊，鋼劍應(yīng)聲碎裂。

?? A scream echoed through the forest night, and the longsword shivered into a hundred brittle pieces, the shards scattering like a rain of needles. Royce went to his knees, shrieking, and covered his eyes. Blood welled between his fingers.

尖叫聲回蕩在深夜的林里罕伯，羅伊斯的長(zhǎng)劍裂成千千碎片曲伊，如同一陣針雨四散甩落。羅伊斯慘叫著跪下，伸手捂住雙眼坟募，鮮血從他指縫間汩汩流下岛蚤。

?? The watchers moved forward together, as if some signal had been given. Swords rose and fell, all in a deathly silence. It was cold butchery. The pale blades sliced through ringmail as if it were silk. Will closed his eyes. Far beneath him, he heard their voices and laughter sharp as icicles.

旁觀的異鬼仿佛接收到什么訊號(hào)，這時(shí)一涌向前懈糯。一片死寂之中涤妒，劍雨紛飛，這是場(chǎng)冷酷的屠殺赚哗。慘白的劍刃砍絲般切進(jìn)環(huán)甲她紫。威爾閉上眼睛。他聽見地面上遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)傳來它們的談笑聲屿储，尖利一如冰針贿讹。

?? When he found the courage to look again, a long time had passed, and the ridge below was empty.

良久，他終于鼓起勇氣睜開眼睛够掠。樹下的山脊空無一人民褂。

?? He stayed in the tree, scarce daring to breathe, while the moon crept slowly across the black sky. Finally, his muscles cramping and his fingers numb with cold, he climbed down.

月亮緩緩爬過漆黑的天幕，但他依舊留在樹上疯潭，嚇得大氣也不敢出赊堪。最后，他驅(qū)動(dòng)抽筋的肌肉和凍僵的手指竖哩，爬回樹下哭廉。

?? Royce’s body lay facedown in the snow, one arm outflung. The thick sable cloak had been slashed in a dozen places. Lying dead like that, you saw how young he was. A boy.

羅伊斯的尸體面朝下倒臥在雪地里，一只手臂朝外伸出期丰，厚重的貂皮披風(fēng)被砍得慘不忍睹群叶。見他命喪于此，才發(fā)現(xiàn)他原來有多年輕钝荡，不過是個(gè)大孩子罷了。

?? He found what was left of the sword a few feet away, the end splintered and twisted like a tree struck by lightning. Will knelt, looked around warily, and snatched it up. The broken sword would be his proof. Gared would know what to make of it, and if not him, then surely that old bear Mormont or Maester Aemon. Would Gared still be waiting with the horses? He had to hurry.

他在幾尺外找到斷劍的殘骸舶衬，劍身像遭雷擊的樹頂支離破碎埠通。威爾彎下腰，小心翼翼地環(huán)顧四周之后才把劍撿起來逛犹。他要拿這柄斷劍當(dāng)證物端辱，蓋瑞會(huì)知道該怎么做。就算他不知道虽画，“熊老”莫爾蒙或伊蒙學(xué)士也一定有辦法舞蔽。蓋瑞還守著馬匹等他回去么？最好加快腳步码撰。

?? Will rose. Ser Waymar Royce stood over him.

威爾起身渗柿。威瑪·羅伊斯爵士站在他面前。

?? His fine clothes were a tatter, his face a ruin. A shard from his sword transfixed the blind white pupil of his left eye.

他的華裳盡碎，容貌全毀朵栖，斷劍的裂片反映出他左眼瞳孔的一片茫然颊亮。

?? The right eye was open. The pupil burned blue. It saw.

他的右眼卻是張開的，瞳孔中燒著藍(lán)火陨溅，看著活人终惑。

?? The broken sword fell from nerveless fingers. Will closed his eyes to pray. Long, elegant hands brushed his cheek, then tightened around his throat. They were gloved in the finest moleskin and sticky with blood, yet the touch was icy cold.

斷劍從威爾無力的手中落下，他閉眼默禱门扇。優(yōu)雅修長(zhǎng)的雙手拂過他的兩頰雹有，掐住他的咽喉。這雙手雖然包裹在最上等的鼴鼠皮手套里臼寄，且滿是黏稠血塊霸奕，卻冰冷無比。

※※※※※※

　「①野人：指居住在絕境長(zhǎng)城以北铅祸，不在王國(guó)法律統(tǒng)治之下的人。他們的首領(lǐng)是曼斯·雷德合武，號(hào)稱“塞外之王”临梗。

　　②守夜人：一支駐守王國(guó)最北絕境長(zhǎng)城的部隊(duì)稼跳，因身著黑衣盟庞，以對(duì)付長(zhǎng)城外的各種威脅為職責(zé)而得名。

　√郎啤③自由騎手：雇傭兵的一種什猖，擁有馬匹，但并無騎士身份红淡。

　〔皇ā④在冰與火之歌的世界里，四季的持續(xù)時(shí)間與地球不同在旱，四季均可逾年摇零，甚至長(zhǎng)達(dá)數(shù)年。一個(gè)人一生能夠經(jīng)歷的冬季和夏季次數(shù)相當(dāng)少桶蝎。

　∽そ觥⑤學(xué)士為一身兼學(xué)者、醫(yī)生登渣、教師噪服、顧問之職業(yè)。有時(shí)亦翻作“師傅”胜茧，作為較口語粘优、較親昵之用法。在國(guó)王的御前會(huì)議中擁有席位的大學(xué)士亦稱作“國(guó)師”。