grrm.astormofswords-第1章

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　A　NOTE　ON　CHRONOLOGY
　A　Song　of　Ice　and　Fire　is　told　through　the　eyes　of　characters　who　are　sometimes　hundreds　or　even　thousands　of　miles　apart　from　one　another。　Some　chapters　cover　a　day；　some　only　an　hour；　others　might　span　a　fortnight；　a　month；　half　a　year。　With　such　a　structure；　the　narrative　cannot　be　strictly　sequential；　sometimes　important　things　are　happening　simultaneously；　a　thousand　leagues　apart。
　In　the　case　of　the　volume　now　in　hand；　the　reader　should　realize　that　the　opening　chapters　of　A　Storm　of　Swords　do　not　follow　the　closing　chapters　of　A　Clash　of　Kings　so　much　as　overlap　them。　I　open　with　a　look　at　some　of　the　things　that　were　happening　on　the　Fist　of　the　First　Men；　at　Riverrun；　Harrenhal；　and　on　the　Trident　while　the　Battle　of　the　Blackwater　was　being　fought　at　King's　Landing；　and　during　its　aftermath　。　。　。
　
　GEORGE　R。　R。　MARTIN
　
　
　
　PROLOGUE
　
　
　The　day　was　grey　and　bitter　cold；　and　the　dogs　would　not　take　the　scent。
　The　big　black　bitch　had　taken　one　sniff　at　the　bear　tracks；　backed　off；　and　skulked　back　to　the　pack　with　her　tail　between　her　legs。　The　dogs　huddled　together　miserably　on　the　riverbank　as　the　wind　snapped　at　them。　Chett　felt　it　too；　biting　through　his　layers　of　black　wool　and　boiled　leather。　It　was　too　bloody　cold　for　man　or　beast；　but　here　they　were。　His　mouth　twisted；　and　he　could　almost　feel　the　boils　that　covered　his　cheeks　and　neck　growing　red　and　angry。　I　should　be　safe　back　at　the　Wall；　tending　the　bloodyravens　and　making　fires　for　old　Maester　Aemon。　It　was　the　bastard　Jon　Snow　who　had　taken　that　from　him；　him　and　his　fat　friend　Sam　Tarly。　it　was　their　fault　he　was　here；　freezing　his　bloody　balls　off　with　a　pack　of　hounds　deep　in　the　haunted　forest。
　〃Seven　hells。〃　He　gave　the　leashes　a　hard　yank　to　get　the　dogs'　attention。　〃Track；　you　bastards。　That's　a　bear　print。　You　want　some　meat　or　no？　Find！〃　But　the　hounds　only　huddled　closer；　whining。　Chett　snapped　his　short　lash　above　their　heads；　and　the　black　bitch　snarled　at　him。　〃Dog　meat　would　taste　as　good　as　bear；〃　he　warned　her；　his　breath　frosting　with　every　word。
　Lark　the　Sisterman　stood　with　his　arms　crossed　over　his　chest　and　his　hands　tucked　up　into　his　armpits。　He　wore　black　wool　gloves；　but　he　was　always　plaining　how　his　fingers　were　frozen。　〃It's　too　bloody　cold　to　hunt；〃　he　said。　〃Bugger　this　bear；　he's　not　worth　freezing　over。〃
　〃We　can't　go　back　emptyhand；　Lark；〃　rumbled　Small　Paul　through　the　brown　whiskers　that　covered　most　of　his　face。　〃The　Lord　mander　wouldn't　like　that。〃　There　was　ice　under　the　big　man's　squashed　pug　nose；　where　his　snot　had　frozen。　A　huge　hand　in　a　thick　fur　glove　clenched　tight　around　the　shaft　of　a　spear。
　〃Bugger　that　Old　Bear　too；〃　said　the　Sisterman；　a　thin　man　with　sharp　features　and　nervous　eyes。　〃Mormont　will　be　dead　before　daybreak；　remember？　Who　cares　what　he　likes？〃
　Small　Paul　blinked　his　black　little　eyes。　Maybe　he　had　forgotten；　Chett　thought；　he　was　stupid　enough　to　forget　most　anything。　〃Why　do　we　have　to　kill　the　Old　Bear？　Why　don't　we　just　go　off　and　let　him　be？〃
　〃You　think　he'll　let　us　be？〃　said　Lark。　〃He'll　hunt　us　down。　You　want　to　be　hunted；　you　great　muttonhead？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Small　Paul。　〃I　don't　want　that。　I　don't。〃
　〃So　you'll　kill　him？〃　said　Lark。
　〃Yes。〃　The　huge　man　stamped　the　butt　of　his　spear　on　the　frozen　riverbank。　〃I　will。　He　shouldn't　hunt　us。〃
　The　Sisterman　took　his　hands　from　his　armpits　and　turned　to　Chett。　〃We　need　to　kill　all　the　officers；　I　say。〃
　Chett　was　sick　of　hearing　it。　〃We　been　over　this。　The　Old　Bear　dies；　and　Blane　from　the　Shadow　Tower。　Grubbs　and　Aethan　as　well；　their　ill　luck　for　drawing　the　watch；　Dywen　and　Barmen　for　their　tracking；　and　Ser　Piggy　for　the　ravens。　That's　all。　We　kill　them　quiet；　while　they　sleep。　One　scream　and　we're　wormfood；　every　one　of　us。〃　His　boils　were　red　with　rage。　〃Just　do　your　bit　and　see　that　your　cousins　do　theirs。　And　Paul；　try　and　remember；　it's　third　watch；　not　second。〃
　〃Third　watch；〃　the　big　man　said；　through　hair　and　frozen　snot。　〃Me　and　Softfoot。　I　remember；　Chett。〃
　The　moon　would　be　black　tonight；　and　they　had　jiggered　the　watches　so　as　to　have　eight　of　their　own　standing　sentry；　with　two　more　guarding　the　horses。　It　wasn't　going　to　get　much　riper　than　that。　Besides；　the　wildlings　could　be　upon　them　any　day　now。　Chett　meant　to　be　well　away　from　here　before　that　happened。　He　meant　to　live。
　Three　hundred　sworn　brothers　of　the　Night's　Watch　had　ridden　north；　two　hundred　from　Castle　Black　and　another　hundred　from　the　Shadow　Tower。　It　was　the　biggest　ranging　in　living　memory；　near　a　third　of　the　Watch's　strength。　They　meant　to　find　Ben　Stark；　Ser　Waymar　Royce；　and　the　other　rangers　who'd　gone　missing；　and　discover　why　the　wildlings　were　leaving　their　villages。　Well；　they　were　no　closer　to　Stark　and　Royce　than　when　they'd　left　the　Wall；　but　they'd　learned　where　all　the　wildlings　had　gone…up　into　the　icy　heights　of　the　godsforsaken　Frostfangs。　They　could　squat　up　there　till　the　end　of　time　and　it　wouldn't　prick　Chett's　boils　none。
　But　no。　They　were　ing　down。　Down　the　Milkwater。
　Chett　raised　his　eyes　and　there　it　was。　The　river's　stony　banks　were　bearded　by　ice；　its　pale　milky　waters　flowing　endlessly　down　out　of　the　Frostfangs。　And　now　Mance　Rayder　and　his　wildlings　were　flowing　down　the　same　way。　Thoren　Smallwood　had　returned　in　a　lather　three　days　past。　While　he　was　telling　the　Old　Bear　what　his　scouts　had　seen；　his　man　Kedge　Whiteye　told　the　rest　of　them。　〃They're　still　well　up　the　foothills；　but　they're　ing；〃　Kedge　said；　warming　his　hands　over　the　fire。　〃Harma　the　Dogshead　has　the　van；　the　poxy　bitch。　Goady　crept　up　on　her　camp　and　saw　her　plain　by　the　fire。　That　fool　Tumberjon　wanted　to　pick　her　off　with　an　arrow；　but　Smallwood　had　better　sense。〃
　Chett　spat。　〃How　many　were　there；　could　you　tell？〃
　〃Many　and　more。　Twenty；　thirty　thousand；　we　didn't　stay　to　count。　Harma　had　five　hundred　in　the　van；　every　one　ahorse。〃
　The　men　around　the　fire　exchanged　uneasy　looks。　It　was　a　rare　thing　to　find　even　a　dozen　mounted　wildlings；　and　five　hundred　。　。　。
　〃Smallwood　sent　Bannen　and　me　wide　around　the　van　to　catch　a　peek　at　the　main　body；〃　Kedge　went　on。　〃There　was　no　end　of　them。　They're　moving　slow　as　a　frozen　river；　four；　five　miles　a　day；　but　they　don't　look　like　they　mean　to　go　back　to　their　villages　neither。　More'n　half　were　women　and　children；　and　they　were　driving　their　animals　before　them；　goats；　sheep；　even　aurochs　dragging　sledges。　They'd　loaded　up　with　bales　of　fur　and　sides　of　meat；　cages　of　chickens；　butter　chums　and　spinning　wheels；　every　damn　thing　they　own。　The　mules　and　garrons　was　so　heavy　laden　you'd　think　their　backs　would　break。　The　women　as　well。〃
　〃And　they　follow　the　Milkwater？〃　Lark　the　Sisterman　asked。
　〃I　said　so；　didn't　I？〃
　The　Milkwater　would　take　them　past　the　Fist　of　the　First　Men；　the　ancient　ringfort　where　the　Night's　Watch　had　made　its　camp。　Any　man　with　a　thimble　of　sense　could　see　that　it　was　time　to　pull　up　stakes　and　fall　back　on　the　Wall。　The　Old　Bear　had　strengthened　the　Fist　with　spikes　and　pits　and　caltrops；　but　against　such　a　host　all　that　was　pointless。　If　they　stayed　here；　they　would　be　engulfed　and　overwhelmed。
　And　Thoren　Smallwood　wanted　to　attack。　Sweet　Donnel　Hill　was　squire　to　Ser　Mallador　Locke；　and　the　night　before　last　Smallwood　had　e　to　Locke's　tent。　Ser　Mallador　had　been　of　the　same　mind　as　old　Ser　Ottyn　Wythers；　urging　a　retreat　on　the　Wall；　but　Smallwood　wanted　to　convince　him　otherwise。　〃This　King…beyond…the…Wall　will　never　look　for　us　so　far　north；〃　Sweet　Donnel　reported　him　saying。　〃And　this　great　host　of　his　is　a　shambling　horde；　full　of　useless　mouths　who　won't　know　what　end　of　a　sword　to　hold。　One　blow　will　take　all　the　fight　out　of　them　and　send　them　howling　back　to　their　hovels　for　another　fifty　years。〃
　Three　hundred　against　thirty　thousand。　Chett　called　that　rank　madness；　and　what　was　madder　still　was　that　Ser　Mallador　had　been　persuaded；　and　the　two　of　them　together　were　on　the　point　of　persuading　the　Old　Bear。　〃If　we　wait　too　long　this　chance　may　be　lost；　never　to　e　again；〃　Smallwood　was　saying　to　anyone　who　would　listen。　Against　that；　Ser　Ottyn　Wythers　said；　〃We　ar