grrm.astormofswords-第138章

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　lost；　the　shield　they　dreamt　together　would　never　be　forged。　〃This　land　belongs　to　the　Watch；〃　Jon　said。
　Her　nostrils　flared。　〃No　one　lives　here。〃
　〃Your　raiders　drove　them　off。〃
　〃They　were　cowards；　then。　if　they　wanted　the　land　they　should　have　stayed　and　fought。〃
　〃Maybe　they　were　tired　of　fighting。　Tired　of　barring　their　doors　every　night　and　wondering　if　Rattleshirt　or　someone　like　him　would　break　them　down　to　carry　off　their　wives。　Tired　of　having　their　harvests　stolen；　and　any　valuables　they　might　have。　It's　easier　to　move　beyond　the　reach　of　raiders。〃　But　if　the　Wall　should　fail；　all　the　north　will　lie　within　the　reach　of　raiders。
　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　Daughters　are　taken；　not　wives。　You're　the　ones　who　steal。　You　took　the　whole　world；　and　built　the　Wall　t'　keep　the　free　folk　out。〃
　〃Did　we？〃　Sometimes　Jon　forgot　how　wild　she　was；　and　then　she　would　remind　him。　〃How　did　that　happen？〃
　〃The　gods　made　the　earth　for　all　men　t'　share。　Only　when　the　kings　e　with　their　crowns　and　steel　swords；　they　claimed　it　was　all　theirs。　My　trees；　they　said；　you　can't　eat　them　apples。　My　stream；　you　can't　fish　here。　My　wood；　you're　not　t'hunt。　My　earth；　my　water；　my　castle；　my　daughter；　keep　your　hands　away　or　I'll　chop　'em　off；　but　maybe　if　you　kneel　t'　me　I'll　let　you　have　a　sniff。　You　call　us　thieves；　but　at　least　a　thief　has　t'　be　brave　and　clever　and　quick。　A　kneeler　only　has　t'　kneel。〃　
　〃Harma　and　the　Bag　of　Bones　don't　e　raiding　for　fish　and　apples。　They　steal　swords　and　axes。　Spices；　silks；　and　furs。　They　grab　every　coin　and　ring　and　jeweled　cup　they　can　find；　casks　of　wine　in　summer　and　casks　of　beef　in　winter；　and　they　take　women　in　any　season　and　carry　them　off　beyond　the　Wall。〃
　〃And　what　if　they　do？　I'd　sooner　be　stolen　by　a　strong　man　than　be　given　t'　some　weakling　by　my　father。〃
　〃You　say　that；　but　how　can　you　know？　What　if　you　were　stolen　by　someone　you　hated？〃
　〃He'd　have　t'　be　quick　and　cunning　and　brave　t'　steal　me。　So　his　sons　would　be　strong　and　smart　as　well。　Why　would　I　hate　such　a　man　as　that？〃
　〃Maybe　he　never　washes；　so　he　smells　as　rank　as　a　bear。〃
　〃Then　I'd　push　him　in　a　stream　or　throw　a　bucket　o'　water　on　him。　Anyhow；　men　shouldn't　smell　sweet　like　flowers。〃
　〃What's　wrong　with　flowers？〃
　〃Nothing；　for　a　bee。　For　bed　I　want　one　o'　these。〃　Ygritte　made　to　grab　the　front　of　his　breeches。
　Jon　caught　her　wrist。　〃What　if　the　man　who　stole　you　drank　too　much？〃　he　insisted。　〃What　if　he　was　brutal　or　cruel？〃　He　tightened　his　grip　to　make　a　point。　〃What　if　he　was　stronger　than　you；　and　liked　to　beat　you　bloody？〃
　〃I'd　cut　his　throat　while　he　slept。　You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。〃　Ygritte　twisted　like　an　eel　and　wrenched　away　from　him。
　I　know　one　thing。　I　know　that　you　are　wildling　to　the　bone。　It　was　easy　to　forget　that　sometimes；　when　they　were　laughing　together；　or　kissing。　But　then　one　of　them　would　say　something；　or　do　something；　and　he　would　suddenly　be　reminded　of　the　wall　between　their　worlds。
　〃A　man　can　own　a　woman　or　a　man　can　own　a　knife；〃　Ygritte　told　him；　〃but　no　man　can　own　both。　Every　little　girl　learns　that　from　her　mother。〃　She　raised　her　chin　defiantly　and　gave　her　thick　red　hair　a　shake。　〃And　men　can't　own　the　land　no　more'n　they　can　own　the　sea　or　the　sky。　You　kneelers　think　you　do；　but　Mance　is　going　t'　show　you　different。〃
　It　was　a　fine　brave　boast；　but　it　rang　hollow。　Jon　glanced　back　to　make　certain　the　Magnar　was　not　in　earshot。　Errok；　Big　Boil；　and　Hempen　Dan　were　walking　a　few　yards　behind　them；　but　paying　no　attention。　Big　Boil　was　plaining　of　his　arse。　〃Ygritte；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Mance　cannot　win　this　war。〃
　〃He　can！〃　she　insisted。　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　You　have　never　seen　the　free　folk　fight！〃
　Wildlings　fought　like　heroes　or　demons；　depending　on　who　you　talked　to；　but　it　came　down　to　the　same　thing　in　the　end。　They　fight　with　reckless　courage；　every　man　out　for　glory。　〃I　don't　doubt　that　you're　all　very　brave；　but　when　it　es　to　battle；　discipline　beats　valor　every　time。　in　the　end　Mance　will　fail　as　all　the　Kings…beyond…the…Wall　have　failed　before　him。　And　when　he　does；　you'll　die。　All　of　you。〃
　Ygritte　had　looked　so　angry　he　thought　she　was　about　to　strike　him。　〃All　of　us；〃　she　said。　〃You　too。　You're　no　crow　now；　Jon　Snow。　I　swore　you　weren't；　so　you　better　not　be。〃　She　pushed　him　back　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree　and　kissed　him；　full　on　the　lips　right　there　in　the　midst　of　the　ragged　column。　Jon　heard　Grigg　the　Goat　urging　her　on。　Someone　else　laughed。　He　kissed　her　back　despite　all　that。　When　they　finally　broke　apart；　Ygritte　was　flushed。　〃You're　mine；〃　she　whispered。　〃Mine；　as　I'm　yours。　And　if　we　die；　we　die。　All　men　must　die；　Jon　Snow。　But　first　we'll　live。〃
　〃Yes。〃　His　voice　was　thick。　〃First　we'll　live。〃
　She　grinned　at　that；　showing　Jon　the　crooked　teeth　that　he　had　somehow　e　to　love。　Wildling　to　the　bone；　he　thought　again；　with　a　sick　sad　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　He　flexed　the　fingers　of　his　sword　hand；　and　wondered　what　Ygritte　would　do　if　she　knew　his　heart。　Would　she　betray　him　if　he　sat　her　down　and　told　her　that　he　was　still　Ned　Stark's　son　and　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch？　He　hoped　not；　but　he　dare　not　take　that　risk。　Too　many　lives　depended　on　his　somehow　reaching　Castle　Black　before　the　Magnar　。　。　。　assuming　he　found　a　chance　to　escape　the　wildlings。
　They　had　descended　the　south　face　of　the　Wall　at　Greyguard；　abandoned　for　two　hundred　years。　A　section　of　the　huge　stone　steps　had　collapsed　a　century　before；　but　even　so　the　descent　was　a　good　deal　easier　than　the　climb。　From　there　Styr　marched　them　deep　into　the　Gift；　to　avoid　the　Watch's　customary　patrols。　Grigg　the　Goat　led　them　past　the　few　inhabited　villages　that　remained　in　these　lands。　Aside　from　a　few　scattered　roundtowers　poking　the　sky　like　stone　fingers；　they　saw　no　sign　of　man。　Through　cold　wet　hills　and　windy　plains　they　marched；　unwatched；　unseen。
　You　must　not　balk；　whatever　is　asked　of　you；　the　Halfhand　had　said。　Ride　with　them；　eat　with　them；　fight　with　them；　for　as　long　as　it　takes。　He'd　ridden　many　leagues　and　walked　for　more；　had　shared　their　bread　and　salt；　and　Ygritte's　blankets　as　well；　but　still　they　did　not　trust　him。　Day　and　night　the　Therms　watched　him；　alert　for　any　signs　of　betrayal。　He　could　not　get　away；　and　soon　it　would　be　too　late。
　Fight　with　them；　Qhorin　had　said；　before　he　surrendered　his　own　life　to　Longclaw　。　。　。　but　it　had　not　e　to　that；　till　now。　Once　I　shed　a　brother's　blood　I　am　lost。　I　cross　the　Wall　for　good　then；　and　there　is　no　crossing　back。
　After　each　day's　march　the　Magnar　summoned　him　to　ask　shrewd　sharp　questions　about　Castle　Black；　its　garrison　and　defenses。　Jon　lied　where　he　dared　and　feigned　ignorance　a　few　times；　but　Grigg　the　Goat　and　Errok　listened　as　well；　and　they　knew　enough　to　make　Jon　careful。　Too　blatant　a　lie　would　betray　him。
　But　the　truth　was　terrible。　Castle　Black　had　no　defenses；　but　for　the　Wall　itself。　It　lacked　even　wooden　palisades　or　earthen　dikes。　The　〃castle〃　was　nothing　more　than　a　cluster　of　towers　and　keeps；　two…thirds　of　them　falling　into　ruin。　As　for　the　garrison；　the　Old　Bear　had　taken　two　hundred　on　his　ranging。　Had　any　returned？　Jon　could　not　know。　Perhaps　four　hundred　remained　at　the　castle；　but　most　of　those　were　builders　or　stewards；　not　rangers。
　The　Therms　were　hardened　warriors；　and　more　disciplined　than　the　mon　run　of　wildling；　no　doubt　that　was　why　Mance　had　chosen　them。　The　defenders　of　Castle　Black　would　include　blind　Maester　Aemon　and　his　half…blind　steward　Clydas；　one…armed　Donal　Noye；　drunken　Septon　Cellador；　Deaf　Dick　Follard；　Three…Finger　Hobb　the　cook；　old　Ser　Wynton　Stout；　as　well　as　Halder　and　Toad　and　Pyp　and　Albett　and　the　rest　of　the　boys　who'd　trained　with　Jon。　And　manding　them　would　be　red…faced　Bowen　Marsh；　the　plump　Lord　Steward　who　had　been　made　castellan　in　Lord　Mormont's　absence。　Dolorous　Edd　sometimes　called　Marsh　〃the　Old　Pomegranate；〃　which　fit　him　just　as　well　as　〃the　Old　Bear〃　fit　Mon　mont。　〃He's　the　man　you　want　in　front　when　the　foes　are　in　the　field；〃　Edd　would　say　in　his　usual　dour　voice。　〃He'll　count　them　right　up　for　you。　A　regular　demon　for　counting；　that　one。〃
　If　the　Magnar　takes　Castle　Black　unawares；　it　w