grrm.astormofswords-第112章

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he　true　enemy。　And　now　he's　here；　but　we　don't　know　how　to　fight　him。　Is　dragonglass　made　by　dragons；　as　the　smallfolk　like　to　say？〃
　〃The　m…maesters　think　not；〃　Sam　stammered。　〃The　maesters　say　it　es　from　the　fires　of　the　earth。　They　call　it　obsidian。〃
　Mormont　snorted。　〃They　can　call　it　lemon　pie　for　all　I　care。　If　it　kills　as　you　claim；　I　want　more　of　it。〃
　Sam　stumbled。　〃Jon　found　more；　on　the　Fist。　Hundreds　of　arrowheads；　spearheads　as　well　。　。　。〃
　〃So　you　said。　Small　good　it　does　us　there。　To　reach　the　Fist　again　we'd　need　to　be　armed　with　the　weapons　we　won't　have　until　we　reach　the　bloody　Fist。　And　there　are　still　the　wildlings　to　deal　with。　We　need　to　find　dragonglass　someplace　else。〃
　Sam　had　almost　forgotten　about　the　wildlings；　so　much　had　happened　since。　〃The　children　of　the　forest　used　dragonglass　blades；〃　he　said。　〃They'd　know　where　to　find　obsidian。〃
　〃The　children　of　the　forest　are　all　dead；〃　said　Mormont。　〃The　First　Men　killed　half　of　them　with　bronze　blades；　and　the　Andals　finished　the　job　with　iron。　Why　a　glass　dagger　should…〃
　The　Old　Bear　broke　off　as　Craster　emerged　from　between　the　deerhide　flaps　of　his　door。　The　wildling　smiled；　revealing　a　mouth　of　brown　rotten　teeth。　〃I　have　a　son。〃
　〃Son；〃　cawed　Mormont's　raven。　〃Son；　son；　son。〃
　The　Lord　mander's　face　was　stiff。　〃I'm　glad　for　you。〃
　〃Are　you；　now？　Me；　I'll　be　glad　when　you　and　yours　are　gone。　Past　time；　I'm　thinking。〃
　〃As　soon　as　our　wounded　are　strong　enough　。　。　。〃
　〃They're　strong　as　they're　like　to　get；　old　crow；　and　both　of　us　know　it。　Them　that's　dying；　you　know　them　too；　cut　their　bloody　throats　and　be　done　with　it。　Or　leave　them；　if　you　don't　have　the　stomach；　and　I'll　sort　them　out　myself。〃
　Lord　mander　Mormont　bristled。　〃Thoren　Smallwood　claimed　you　were　a　friend　to　the　Watch…〃
　〃Aye；〃　said　Craster。　〃I　gave　you　all　I　could　spare；　but　winter's　ing　on；　and　now　the　girl's　stuck　me　with　another　squalling　mouth　to　feed。〃
　〃We　could　take　him；〃　someone　squeaked。
　Craster's　head　turned。　His　eyes　narrowed。　He　spat　on　Sam's　foot。　〃What　did　you　say；　Slayer？〃
　Sam　opened　and　closed　his　mouth。　〃I　。　。　。　I　。　。　。　I　only　meant　。　。　。　if　you　didn't　want　him　。　。　。　his　mouth　to　feed　。　。　。　with　winter　ing　on；　we　。　。　。　we　could　take　him；　and　。　。　。〃
　〃My　son。　My　blood。　You　think　I'd　give　him　to　you　crows？〃
　〃I　only　thought　。　。　。〃　You　have　no　sons；　you　expose　them；　Gilly　said　as　much；　you　leave　them　in　the　woods；　that's　why　you　have　only　wives　here；　and　daughters　who　grow　up　to　be　wives。
　〃Be　quiet；　Sam；〃　said　Lord　mander　Mormont。　〃You've　said　enough。　Too　much。　Inside。〃
　〃M…my　lord　…
　〃Inside！〃
　Red…faced；　Sam　pushed　through　the　deerhides；　back　into　the　gloom　of　the　hall。　Mormont　followed。　〃How　great　a　fool　are　you？〃　the　old　man　said　within；　his　voice　choked　and　angry。　〃Even　if　Craster　gave　us　the　child；　he'd　be　dead　before　we　reached　the　Wall。　We　need　a　newborn　babe　to　care　for　near　as　much　as　we　need　more　snow。　Do　you　have　milk　to　feed　him　in　those　big　teats　of　yours？　Or　did　you　mean　to　take　the　mother　too？〃
　〃She　wants　to　e；〃　Sam　said。　〃She　begged　me　。　。　。〃
　Mormont　raised　a　hand。　〃I　will　hear　no　more　of　this；　Tarly。　You've　been　told　and　told　to　stay　well　away　from　Craster's　wives。〃
　〃She's　his　daughter；〃　Sam　said　feebly。
　〃Go　see　to　Barmen。　Now。　Before　you　make　me　wroth。〃
　〃Yes；　my　lord。〃　Sam　hurried　off　quivering。
　But　when　he　reached　the　fire；　it　was　only　to　find　Giant　pulling　a　fur　cloak　up　over　Barmen's　head。　〃He　said　he　was　cold；〃　the　small　man　said。　〃I　hope　he's　gone　someplace　warm；　I　do。〃
　〃His　wound　。　。　。〃　said　Sam。
　〃Bugger　his　wound。〃　Dirk　prodded　the　corpse　with　his　foot。　〃His　foot　was　hurt。　I　knew　a　man　back　in　my　village　lost　a　foot。　He　lived　to　nine…and…forty。〃
　〃The　cold；〃　said　Sam。　〃He　was　never　warm。〃
　〃He　was　never　fed；〃　said　Dirk。　〃Not　proper。　That　bastard　Craster　starved　him　dead。〃
　Sam　looked　around　anxiously；　but　Craster　had　not　returned　to　the　hall。　if　he　had；　things　might　have　grown　ugly。　The　wildling　hated　bastards；　though　the　rangers　said　he　was　baseborn　himself；　fathered　on　a　wildling　woman　by　some　long…dead　crow。
　〃Craster's　got　his　own　to　feed；〃　said　Giant。　〃All　these　women。　He's　given　us　what　he　can。〃
　〃Don't　you　bloody　believe　it。　The　day　we　leave；　he'll　tap　a　keg　o'　mead　and　sit　down　to　feast　on　ham　and　honey。　And　laugh　at　us；　out　starving　in　the　snow。　He's　a　bloody　wildling；　is　all　he　is。　There's　none　o'　them　friends　of　the　Watch。〃　He　kicked　at　Bannen's　corpse。　〃Ask　him　if　you　don't　believe　me。〃
　They　burned　the　ranger's　corpse　at　sunset；　in　the　fire　that　Grenn　had　been　feeding　earlier　that　day。　Tim　Stone　and　Garth　of　Oldtown　carried　out　the　naked　corpse　and　swung　him　twice　between　them　before　heaving　him　into　the　flames。　The　surviving　brothers　divided　up　his　clothes；　his　weapons；　his　armor；　and　everything　else　he　owned。　At　Castle　Black；　the　Night's　Watch　buried　its　dead　with　all　due　ceremony。　They　were　not　at　Castle　Black；　though。　And　bones　do　not　e　back　as　wights。
　〃His　name　was　Bannen；〃　Lord　mander　Mormont　said；　as　the　flames　took　him。　〃He　was　a　brave　man；　a　good　ranger。　He　came　to　us　from　。　。　。　where　did　he　e　from？〃
　〃Down　White　Harbor　way；〃　someone　called　out。
　Mormont　nodded。　〃He　came　to　us　from　White　Harbor；　and　never　failed　in　his　duty。　He　kept　his　vows　as　best　he　could；　rode　far；　fought　fiercely。　We　shall　never　see　his　like　again。〃
　〃And　now　his　watch　is　ended；〃　the　black　brothers　said；　in　solemn　chant。
　〃And　now　his　watch　is　ended；〃　Mormont　echoed。
　〃Ended；〃　cried　his　raven。　〃Ended。〃
　Sam　was　red…eyed　and　sick　from　the　smoke。　When　he　looked　at　the　fire；　he　thought　he　saw　Bannen　sitting　up；　his　hands　coiling　into　fists　as　if　to　fight　off　the　flames　that　were　consuming　him；　but　it　was　only　for　an　instant；　before　the　swirling　smoke　hid　all。　The　worst　thing　was　the　smell；　though。　If　it　had　been　a　foul　unpleasant　smell　he　might　have　stood　it；　but　his　burning　brother　smelled　so　much　like　roast　pork　that　Sam's　mouth　began　to　water；　and　that　was　so　horrible　that　as　soon　as　the　bird　squawked　〃Ended〃　he　ran　behind　the　hall　to　throw　up　in　the　ditch。
　He　was　there　on　his　knees　in　the　mud　when　Dolorous　Edd　came　up。　〃Digging　for　worms；　Sam？　Or　are　you　just　sick？〃
　〃Sick；〃　said　Sam　weakly；　wiping　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　〃The　smell　。　。　。〃
　〃Never　knew　Bannen　could　smell　so　good。〃　Edd's　tone　was　as　morose　as　ever。　〃I　had　half　a　mind　to　carve　a　slice　off　him。　If　we　had　some　applesauce；　I　might　have　done　it。　Pork's　always　best　with　applesauce；　I　find。〃　Edd　undid　his　laces　and　pulled　out　his　cock。　〃You　best　not　die；　Sam；　or　I　fear　I　might　succumb。　There's　bound　to　be　more　crackling　on　you　than　Bannen　ever　had；　and　I　never　could　resist　a　bit　of　crackling。〃　He　sighed　as　his　piss　arced　out；　yellow　and　steaming。　〃We　ride　at　first　light；　did　you　hear？　Sun　or　snow；　the　Old　Bear　tells　me。〃
　Sun　or　snow。　Sam　glanced　up　anxiously　at　the　sky。　〃Snow？〃　he　squeaked。　〃We　。　。　。　ride？　All　of　us？〃
　〃Well；　no；　some　will　need　to　walk。〃　He　shook　himself。　〃Dywen　now；　he　says　we　need　to　learn　to　ride　dead　horses；　like　the　Others　do。　He　claims　it　would　save　on　feed。　How　much　could　a　dead　horse　eat？〃　Edd　laced　himself　back　up。　〃Can't　say　I　fancy　the　notion。　Once　they　figure　a　way　to　work　a　dead　horse；　we'll　be　next。　Likely　I'll　be　the　first　too。　'Edd'　they'll　say；　'dying's　no　excuse　for　lying　down　no　more；　so　get　on　up　and　take　this　spear；　you've　got　the　watch　tonight。'　Well；　I　shouldn't　be　so　gloomy。　Might　be　I'll　die　before　they　work　it　out。〃
　Might　be　we'll　all　die；　and　sooner　than　we'd　like；　Sam　thought；　as　he　climbed　awkwardly　to　his　feet。
　When　Craster　learned　that　his　unwanted　guests　would　be　departing　on　the　morrow；　the　wildling　became　almost　amiable；　or　as　close　to　amiable　as　Craster　ever　got。　〃Past　time；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　belong　here；　I　told　you　that。　All　the　same；　I'll　see　you　off　proper；　with　a　feast。　Well；　a　feed。　My　wives　can　roast　them　horses　you　slaughtered；　and　I'll　find　some　beer　and　bread。〃　He　smiled　his　brown　smile。　〃Nothing　better　than　beer　and　horsemeat。　If　you　can't　ride　'em；　eat　'em；　that's　what　I　say。〃
　His　wives　and　daughters　dragged　out　the　benches　and　the　long　log　tables；　and　cooked　and　served　as　well。　Except　for　Gilly；　Sa