grrm.astormofswords-第163章

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ed　the　questions。　But　she　had　to　say　something。
　〃Stupid　blind　little　wolf　bitch。〃　His　voice　was　rough　and　hard　as　an　iron　rasp。　〃Bugger　Joffrey；　bugger　the　queen；　and　bugger　that　twisted　little　gargoyle　she　calls　a　brother。　I'm　done　with　their　city；　done　with　their　Kingsguard；　done　with　Lannisters。　What's　a　dog　to　do　with　lions；　I　ask　you？〃　He　reached　for　his　waterskin；　took　a　long　pull。　As　he　wiped　his　mouth；　he　offered　the　skin　to　Arya　and　said；　〃The　river　was　the　Trident；　girl。　The　Trident；　not　the　Blackwater。　Make　the　map　in　your　head；　if　you　can。　On　the　morrow　we　should　reach　the　kingsroad。　We'll　make　good　time　after　that；　straight　up　to　the　Twins。　It's　going　to　be　me　who　hands　you　over　to　that　mother　of　yours。　Not　the　noble　lightning　lord　or　that　flaming　fraud　of　a　priest；　the　monster。〃　He　grinned　at　the　look　on　her　face。　〃You　think　your　outlaw　friends　are　the　only　ones　can　smell　a　ransom？　Dondarrion　took　my　gold；　so　I　took　you。　You're　worth　twice　what　they　stole　from　me；　I'd　say。　Maybe　even　more　if　I　sold　you　back　to　the　Lannisters　like　you　fear；　but　I　won't。　Even　a　dog　gets　tired　of　being　kicked。　If　this　Young　Wolf　has　the　wits　the　gods　gave　a　toad；　he'll　make　me　a　lordling　and　beg　me　to　enter　his　service。　He　needs　me；　though　he　may　not　know　it　yet。　Maybe　I'll　even　kill　Gregor　for　him；　he'd　like　that。〃
　〃He'll　never　take　you；〃　she　spat　back。　〃Not　you。〃
　〃Then　I'll　take　as　much　gold　as　I　can　carry；　laugh　in　his　face；　and　ride　off。　if　he　doesn't　take　me；　he'd　be　wise　to　kill　me；　but　he　won't。　Too　much　his　father's　son；　from　what　I　hear。　Fine　with　me。　Either　way　I　win。　And　so　do　you；　she…wolf。　So　stop　whimpering　and　snapping　at　me；　I'm　sick　of　it。　Keep　your　mouth　shut　and　do　as　I　tell　you；　and　maybe　we'll　even　be　in　time　for　your　uncle's　bloody　wedding。〃
　
　CHAPTER　48
　JON
　
　The　mare　was　blown；　but　Jon　could　not　let　up　on　her。　He　had　to　reach　the　Wall　before　the　Magnar。　He　would　have　slept　in　the　saddle　if　he'd　had　one；　lacking　that；　it　was　hard　enough　to　stay　ahorse　while　awake。　His　wounded　leg　grew　ever　more　painful。　He　dare　not　rest　long　enough　to　let　it　heal。　Instead　he　ripped　it　open　anew　each　time　he　mounted　up。
　When　he　crested　a　rise　and　saw　the　brown　rutted　kingsroad　before　him　wending　its　way　north　through　hill　and　plain；　he　patted　the　mare's　neck　and　said；　〃Now　all　we　need　do　is　follow　the　road；　girl。　Soon　the　Wall。〃　His　leg　had　gone　as　stiff　as　wood　by　then；　and　fever　had　made　him　so　light…headed　that　twice　he　found　himself　riding　in　the　wrong　direction。
　Soon　the　Wall。　He　pictured　his　friends　drinking　mulled　wine　in　the　mon　hall。　Hobb　would　be　with　his　kettles；　Donal　Noye　at　his　forge；　Maester　Aemon　in　his　rooms　beneath　the　rookery。　And　the　Old　Bear？　Sam；　Grenn；　Dolorous　Edd；　Dywen　with　his　wooden　teeth　。　。　。　Jon　could　only　pray　that　some　had　escaped　the　Fist。
　Ygritte　was　much　in　his　thoughts　as　well。　He　remembered　the　smell　of　her　hair；　the　warmth　of　her　body　。　。　。　and　the　look　on　her　face　as　she　slit　the　old　man's　throat。　You　were　wrong　to　love　her；　a　voice　whispered。　You　were　wrong　to　leave　her；　a　different　voice　insisted。　He　wondered　if　his　father　had　been　torn　the　same　way；　when　he'd　left　Jon's　mother　to　return　to　Lady　Catelyn。　He　was　pledged　to　Lady　Stark；　and　I　am　pledged　to　the　Night's　Watch。
　He　almost　rode　through　Mole's　Town；　so　feverish　that　he　did　not　know　where　he　was。　Most　of　the　village　was　hidden　underground；　only　a　handful　of　small　hovels　to　be　seen　by　the　light　of　the　waning　moon。　The　brothel　was　a　shed　no　bigger　than　a　privy；　its　red　lantern　creaking　in　the　wind；　a　bloodshot　eye　peering　through　the　blackness。　Jon　dismounted　at　the　adjoining　stable；　half…stumbling　from　the　mare's　back　as　he　shouted　two　boys　awake。　〃I　need　a　fresh　mount；　with　saddle　and　bridle；〃　he　told　them；　in　a　tone　that　brooked　no　argument。　They　brought　him　that；　a　skin　of　wine　as　well；　and　half　a　loaf　of　brown　bread。　〃Wake　the　village；〃　he　told　them。　〃Warn　them。　There　are　wildlings　south　of　the　Wall。　Gather　your　goods　and　make　for　Castle　Black。〃　He　pulled　himself　onto　the　black　gelding　they'd　given　him；　gritting　his　teeth　at　the　pain　in　his　leg；　and　rode　hard　for　the　north。
　As　the　stars　began　to　fade　in　the　eastern　sky；　the　Wall　appeared　before　him；　rising　above　the　trees　and　the　morning　mists。　Moonlight　glimmered　pale　against　the　ice。　He　urged　the　gelding　on；　following　the　muddy　slick　road　until　he　saw　the　stone　towers　and　timbered　halls　of　Castle　Black　huddled　like　broken　toys　beneath　the　great　cliff　of　ice。　By　then　the　Wall　glowed　pink　and　purple　with　the　first　light　of　dawn。
　No　sentries　challenged　him　as　he　rode　past　the　outbuildings。　No　one　came　forth　to　bar　his　way。　Castle　Black　seemed　as　much　a　ruin　as　Greyguard。　Brown　brittle　weeds　grew　between　cracks　in　the　stones　of　the　courtyards。　Old　snow　covered　the　roof　of　the　Flint　Barracks　and　lay　in　drifts　against　the　north　side　of　Hardin's　Tower；　where　Jon　used　to　sleep　before　being　made　the　Old　Bear's　steward。　Fingers　of　soot　streaked　the　Lord　mander's　Tower　where　the　smoke　had　boiled　from　the　windows。　Mormont　had　moved　to　the　King's　Tower　after　the　fire；　but　Jon　saw　no　lights　there　either。　From　the　ground　he　could　not　tell　if　there　were　sentries　walking　the　Wall　seven　hundred　feet　above；　but　he　saw　no　one　on　the　huge　switchback　stair　that　climbed　the　south　face　of　the　ice　like　some　great　wooden　thunderbolt。
　There　was　smoke　rising　from　the　chimney　of　the　armory；　though；　only　a　wisp；　almost　invisible　against　the　grey　northern　sky；　but　it　was　enough。　Jon　dismounted　and　limped　toward　it。　Warmth　poured　out　the　open　door　like　the　hot　breath　of　summer。　Within；　one…armed　Donal　Noye　was　working　his　bellows　at　the　fire。　He　looked　up　at　the　noise。　〃Jon　Snow？〃
　〃None　else。〃　Despite　fever；　exhaustion；　his　leg；　the　Magnar；　the　old　man；　Ygritte；　Mance；　despite　it　all；　Jon　smiled。　It　was　good　to　be　back；　good　to　see　Noye　with　his　big　belly　and　pinned…up　sleeve；　his　jaw　bristling　with　black　stubble。
　The　smith　released　his　grip　on　the　bellows。　〃Your　face　。　。　。
　He　had　almost　forgotten　about　his　face。　〃A　skinchanger　tried　to　rip　out　my　eye。〃
　Noye　frowned。　〃Scarred　or　smooth；　it's　a　face　I　thought　I'd　seen　the　last　of。　We　heard　you'd　gone　over　to　Mance　Raydar。〃
　Jon　grasped　the　door　to　stay　upright。　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　〃Jarman　Buckwell。　He　returned　a　fortnight　past。　His　scouts　claim　they　saw　you　with　their　own　eyes；　riding　along　beside　the　wildling　column　and　wearing　a　sheepskin　cloak。〃　Noye　eyed　him。　〃I　see　the　last　part's　true。〃
　〃It's　all　true；〃　Jon　confessed。　〃As　far　as　it　goes。〃
　〃Should　I　be　pulling　down　a　sword　to　gut　you；　then？〃
　〃No。　I　was　acting　on　orders。　Qhorin　Halfhand's　last　mand。　Noye；　where　is　the　garrison？〃
　〃Defending　the　Wall　against　your　wildling　friends。〃
　〃Yes；　but　where？〃
　〃Everywhere。　Harma　Dogshead　was　seen　at　Woodswatch…by…the…Pool；　Rattleshirt　at　Long　Barrow；　the　Weeper　near　Icemark。　All　along　the　Wall　。　。　。　they're　here；　they're　there；　they're　climbing　near　Queensgate；　they're　hacking　at　the　gates　of　Greyguard；　they're　massing　against　Eastwatch　。　。　。　but　one　glimpse　of　a　black　cloak　and　they're　gone。　Next　day　they're　somewhere　else。〃
　Jon　swallowed　a　groan。　〃Feints。　Mance　wants　us　to　spread　ourselves　thin；　don't　you　see？〃　And　Bowen　Marsh　has　obliged　him。　〃The　gate　is　here。　The　attack　is　here。〃
　Noye　crossed　the　room。　〃Your　leg　is　drenched　in　blood。〃
　Jon　looked　down　dully。　It　was　true。　His　wound　had　opened　again。　〃An　arrow　wound　。　。　。〃
　〃A　wildling　arrow。〃　It　was　not　a　question。　Noye　had　only　one　arm；　but　that　was　thick　with　muscle。　He　slid　it　under　Jon's　to　help　support　him。　〃You're　white　as　milk；　and　burning　hot　besides。　I'm　taking　you　to　Aemon。〃
　〃There's　no　time。　There　are　wildlings　south　of　the　Wall；　ing　up　from　Queenscrown　to　open　the　gate。〃
　〃How　many？〃　Noye　half…carried　Jon　out　the　door。
　〃A　hundred　and　twenty；　and　well　armed　for　wildlings。　Bronze　armor；　some　bits　of　steel。　How　many　men　are　left　here？〃
　〃Forty　odd；〃　said　Donal　Noye。　〃The　crippled　and　infirm；　and　some　green　boys　still　in　training。〃
　〃If　Marsh　is　gone；　who　did　he　name　as　castellan？〃
　The　armorer　laughed。　〃Ser　Wynton；　gods　preserve　him。　Last　knight　in　the　castle　and　all。　The　thing　is；　Stout　seems　to　have　forgotte