grrm.astormofswords-第113章

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　His　wives　and　daughters　dragged　out　the　benches　and　the　long　log　tables；　and　cooked　and　served　as　well。　Except　for　Gilly；　Sam　could　hardly　tell　the　women　apart。　Some　were　old　and　some　were　young　and　some　were　only　girls；　but　a　lot　of　them　were　Craster's　daughters　as　well　as　his　wives；　and　they　all　looked　sort　of　alike。　As　they　went　about　their　work；　they　spoke　in　soft　voices　to　each　other；　but　never　to　the　men　in　black。
　Craster　owned　but　one　chair。　He　sat　in　it；　clad　in　a　sleeveless　sheepskin　jerkin。　His　thick　arms　were　covered　with　white　hair；　and　about　one　wrist　was　a　twisted　ring　of　gold。　Lord　mander　Mormont　took　the　place　at　the　top　of　the　bench　to　his　right；　while　the　brothers　crowded　in　knee　to　knee；　a　dozen　remained　outside　to　guard　the　gate　and　tend　the　fires。
　Sam　found　a　place　between　Grenn　and　Orphan　Oss；　his　stomach　rumbling。　The　charred　horsemeat　dripped　with　grease　as　Craster's　wives　turned　the　spits　above　the　firepit；　and　the　smell　of　it　set　his　mouth　to　watering　again；　but　that　reminded　him　of　Barmen。　Hungry　as　he　was；　Sam　knew　he　would　retch　if　he　so　much　as　tried　a　bite。　How　could　they　eat　the　poor　faithful　garrons　who　had　carried　them　so　far？　When　Craster's　wives　brought　onions；　he　seized　one　eagerly。　One　side　was　black　with　rot；　but　he　cut　that　part　off　with　his　dagger　and　ate　the　good　half　raw。　There　was　bread　as　well；　but　only　two　loaves。　When　Ulmer　asked　for　more；　the　woman　only　shook　her　head。　That　was　when　the　trouble　started。
　〃Two　loaves？〃　Clubfoot　Karl　plained　from　down　the　bench。　〃How　stupid　are　you　women？　We　need　more　bread　than　this！〃
　Lord　mander　Mormont　gave　him　a　hard　look。　〃Take　what　you're　given；　and　be　thankful。　Would　you　sooner　be　out　in　the　storm　eating　snow？〃
　〃We'll　be　there　soon　enough。〃　Clubfoot　Karl　did　not　flinch　from　the　Old　Bear's　wrath。　〃I'd　sooner　eat　what　Craster's　hiding；　my　lord。〃
　Craster　narrowed　his　eyes。　〃I　gave　you　crows　enough。　I　got　me　women　to　feed。〃
　Dirk　speared　a　chunk　of　horsemeat。　〃Aye。　So　you　admit　you　got　a　secret　larder。　How　else　to　make　it　through　a　winter？〃
　〃I'm　a　godly　man　。　。　。〃　Craster　started。
　〃You're　a　niggardly　man；〃　said　Karl；　〃and　a　liar。〃
　〃Hams；〃　Garth　of　Oldtown　said；　in　a　reverent　voice。　〃There　were　pigs；　last　time　we　e。　I　bet　he's　got　hams　hid　someplace。　Smoked　and　salted　hams；　and　bacon　too。〃
　〃Sausage；〃　said　Dirk。　〃Them　long　black　ones；　they're　like　rocks；　they　keep　for　years。　I　bet　he's　got　a　hundred　hanging　in　some　cellar。〃
　〃Oats；〃　suggested　Ollo　Lophand。　〃Corn。　Barley。〃
　〃Corn；〃　said　Mormont's　raven；　with　a　flap　of　the　wings。　〃Corn；　corn；　corn；　corn；　corn。〃
　〃Enough；〃　said　Lord　mander　Mormont　over　the　bird's　raucous　calls。　〃Be　quiet；　all　of　you。　This　is　folly。〃
　〃Apples；〃　said　Garth　of　Greenaway。　〃Barrels　and　barrels　of　crisp　autumn　apples。　There　are　apple　trees　out　there；　I　saw　'em。〃
　〃Dried　berries。　Cabbages。　Pine　nuts。〃
　〃Corn。　Corn。　Corn。〃
　〃Salt　mutton。　There's　a　sheepfold。　He's　got　casks　and　casks　of　mutton　laid　by；　you　know　he　does。〃
　Craster　looked　fit　to　spit　them　all　by　then。　Lord　mander　Mormont　rose。　〃Silence。　I'll　hear　no　more　such　talk。…
　〃Then　stuff　bread　in　your　cars；　old　man。〃　Clubfoot　Karl　pushed　back　from　the　table。　〃Or　did　you　swallow　your　bloody　crumb　already？〃
　Sam　saw　the　Old　Bear's　face　go　red。　〃Have　you　forgotten　who　I　am？　Sit；　eat；　and　be　silent。　That　is　a　mand。〃
　No　one　spoke。　No　one　moved。　All　eyes　were　on　the　Lord　mander　and　the　big　clubfooted　ranger；　as　the　two　of　them　stared　at　each　other　across　the　table。　It　seemed　to　Sam　that　Karl　broke　first；　and　was　about　to　sit；　though　sullenly　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　but　Craster　stood；　and　his　axe　was　in　his　hand。　The　big　black　steel　axe　that　Mormont　had　given　him　as　a　guest　gift。　〃No；〃　he　growled。　〃You'll　not　sit。　No　one　who　calls　me　niggard　will　sleep　beneath　my　roof　nor　eat　at　my　board。　Out　with　you；　cripple。　And　you　and　you　and　you。〃　He　jabbed　the　head　of　the　axe　toward　Dirk　and　Garth　and　Garth　in　turn。　〃Go　sleep　in　the　cold　with　empty　bellies；　the　lot　o'　you；　or　。　。　。〃
　〃Bloody　bastard！〃　Sam　heard　one　of　the　Garths　curse。　He　never　saw　which　one。
　〃Who　calls　me　bastard？〃　Craster　roared；　sweeping　platter　and　meat　and　wine　cups　from　the　table　with　his　left　hand　while　lifting　the　axe　with　his　right。
　〃It's　no　more　than　all　men　know；〃　Karl　answered。
　Craster　moved　quicker　than　Sam　would　have　believed　possible；　vaulting　across　the　table　with　axe　in　hand。　A　woman　screamed；　Garth　Greenaway　and　Orphan　Oss　drew　knives；　Karl　stumbled　back　and　tripped　over　Ser　Byarn　lying　wounded　on　the　floor。　One　instant　Craster　was　ing　after　him　spitting　curses。　The　next　he　was　spitting　blood。　Dirk　had　grabbed　him　by　the　hair；　yanked　his　head　back；　and　opened　his　throat　ear　to　ear　with　one　long　slash。　Then　he　gave　him　a　rough　shove；　and　the　wildling　fell　forward；　crashing　face　first　across　Ser　Byam。　Byam　screamed　in　agony　as　Craster　drowned　in　his　own　blood；　the　axe　slipping　from　his　fingers。　Two　of　Craster's　wives　were　wailing；　a　third　cursed；　a　fourth　flew　at　Sweet　Donnel　and　tried　to　scratch　his　eyes　out。　He　knocked　her　to　the　floor。　The　Lord　mander　stood　over　Craster's　corpse；　dark　with　anger。　〃The　gods　will　curse　us；〃　he　cried。　〃There　is　no　crime　so　foul　as　for　a　guest　to　bring　murder　into　a　man's　hall。　By　all　the　laws　of　the　hearth；　we…〃
　〃There　are　no　laws　beyond　the　Wall；　old　man。　Remember？〃　Dirk　grabbed　one　of　Craster's　wives　by　the　arm；　and　shoved　the　point　of　his　bloody　dirk　up　under　her　chin。　〃Show　us　where　he　keeps　the　food；　or　you'll　get　the　same　as　he　did；　woman。〃
　〃Unhand　her。〃　Mormont　took　a　step。　〃I'll　have　your　head　for　this；　you…〃　Garth　of　Greenaway　blocked　his　path；　and　Ollo　Lophand　yanked　him　back。　They　both　had　blades　in　hand。　〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　Ollo　warned。　Instead　the　Lord　mander　grabbed　for　his　dagger。　Ollo　had　only　one　hand；　but　that　was　quick。　He　twisted　free　of　the　old　man's　grasp；　shoved　the　knife　into　Mormont's　belly；　and　yanked　it　out　again；　all　red。　And　then　the　world　went　mad。
　Later；　much　later；　Sam　found　himself　sitting　crosslegged　on　the　floor；　with　Mormont's　head　in　his　lap。　He　did　not　remember　how　they'd　gotten　there；　or　much　of　anything　else　that　had　happened　after　the　Old　Bear　was　stabbed。　Garth　of　Greenaway　had　killed　Garth　of　Oldtown；　he　recalled；　but　not　why。　Rolley　of　Sisterton　had　fallen　from　the　loft　and　broken　his　neck　after　climbing　the　ladder　to　have　a　taste　of　Craster's　wives。　Grenn　。　。　。
　Grerm　had　shouted　and　slapped　him；　and　then　he'd　run　away　with　Giant　and　Dolorous　Edd　and　some　others。　Craster　still　sprawled　across　Ser　Byam；　but　the　wounded　knight　no　longer　moaned。　Four　men　in　black　sat　on　the　bench　eating　chunks　of　burned　horsemeat　while　Ollo　coupled　with　a　weeping　woman　on　the　table。
　〃Tarly。〃　When　he　tried　to　speak；　the　blood　dribbled　from　the　Old　Bear's　mouth　down　into　his　beard。　〃Tarly；　go。　Go。〃
　〃Where；　my　lord？〃　His　voice　was　flat　and　lifeless。　I　am　not　afraid。　It　was　a　queer　feeling。　〃There's　no　place　to　go。〃
　〃The　Wall。　Make　for　the　Wall。　Now。〃
　〃Now；〃　squawked　the　raven。　〃Now　Now〃　The　bird　walked　up　the　old　man's　arm　to　his　chest；　and　plucked　a　hair　from　his　beard。
　〃You　must。　Must　tell　them。〃
　〃Tell　them　what；　my　lord？〃　Sam　asked　politely。
　〃All。　The　Fist。　The　wildlings。　Dragonglass。　This。　All。〃　His　breathing　was　very　shallow　now；　his　voice　a　whisper。　〃Tell　my　son。　Jorah。　Tell　him；　take　the　black。　My　wish。　Dying　wish。〃
　〃　Wish？　〃　The　raven　cocked　its　head；　beady　black　eyes　shining。　〃　Corn？　the　bird　asked。
　〃No　corn；〃　said　Mormont　feebly。　〃Tell　Jorah。　Forgive　him。　My　son。　Please。　Go。〃
　〃It's　too　far；〃　said　Sam。　〃I'll　never　reach　the　Wall；　my　lord。〃　He　was　so　very　tired。　All　he　wanted　was　to　sleep；　to　sleep　and　sleep　and　never　wake；　and　he　knew　that　if　he　just　stayed　here　soon　enough　Dirk　or　Ollo　Lophand　or　Clubfoot　Karl　would　get　angry　with　him　and　grant　his　wish；　just　to　see　him　die。　〃I'd　sooner　stay　with　you。　See；　I'm　not　frightened　anymore。　Of　you；　or　。　。　。　of　anything。〃
　〃You　should　be；〃　said　a　woman's　voice。
　Three　of　Craster's　wives　were　standing　over　them。　Two　were　haggard　old　women　he　did　not　know；　but　Gilly　was　between　them；　all　bundled　up　in　skins　and　cradling　a　bundle　of　brown　and　white　fur　that　must　have　held　her　baby。　〃We're　not　supposed　to　t