grrm.astormofswords-第164章

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　〃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　forgotten　and　no　one's　been　rushing　to　remind　him。　I　suppose　I'm　as　much　a　mander　as　we　have　now。　The　meanest　of　the　cripples。〃
　That　was　for　the　good；　at　least。　The　one…armed　armorer　was　hard　headed；　tough；　and　well　seasoned　in　war。　Ser　Wynton　Stout；　on　the　other　hand　。　。　。　well；　he　had　been　a　good　man　once；　everyone　agreed；　but　he　had　been　eighty　years　a　ranger；　and　both　strength　and　wits　were　gone。　Once　he'd　fallen　asleep　at　supper　and　almost　drowned　in　a　bowl　of　pea　soup。
　〃Where's　your　wolf？〃　Noye　asked　as　they　crossed　the　yard。
　〃Ghost。　I　had　to　leave　him　when　I　climbed　the　Wall。　I'd　hoped　he'd　make　his　way　back　here。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　lad。　There's　been　no　sign　of　him。〃　They　limped　up　to　the　maester's　door；　in　the　long　wooden　keep　beneath　the　rookery。　The　armorer　gave　it　a　kick。　〃Glydas！〃
　After　a　moment　a　stooped；　round…shouldered　little　man　in　black　peered　out。　His　small　pink　eyes　widened　at　the　sight　of　Jon。　〃Lay　the　lad　down；　I'll　fetch　the　maester。〃
　A　fire　was　burning　in　the　hearth；　and　the　room　was　almost　stuffy。　The　warmth　made　Jon　sleepy。　As　soon　as　Noye　eased　him　down　onto　his　back；　he　closed　his　eyes　to　stop　the　world　from　spinning。　He　could　hear　the　ravens　quorking　and　plaining　in　the　rookery　above。　〃Snow；〃　one　bird　was　saying。　〃Snow；　snow；　snow。〃　That　was　Sam's　doing；　Jon　remembered。　Had　Samwell　Tarly　made　it　home　safely；　he　wondered；　or　only　the　birds？
　Maester　Aemon　was　not　long　in　ing。　He　moved　slowly；　one　spotted　hand　on　Clydas's　arm　as　he　shuffled　forward　with　small　careful　steps。　Around　his　thin　neck　his　chain　hung　heavy；　gold　and　silver　links　glinting　amongst　iron；　lead；　tin；　and　other　base　metals。　〃Jon　Snow；〃　he　said；　〃you　must　tell　me　all　you've　seen　and　done　when　you　are　stronger。　Donal；　put　a　kettle　of　wine　on　the　fire；　and　my　irons　as　well。　I　will　want　them　red…hot。　Clydas；　I　shall　need　that　good　sharp　knife　of　yours。〃　The　maester　was　more　than　a　hundred　years　old；　shrunken；　frail；　hairless；　and　quite　blind。　But　if　his　milky　eyes　saw　nothing；　his　wits　were　still　as　sharp　as　they　had　ever　been。
　〃There　are　wildlings　ing；〃　Jon　told　him；　as　Clydas　ran　a　blade　up　the　leg　of　his　breeches；　slicing　the　heavy　black　cloth；　crusty　with　old　blood　and　sodden　with　new。　〃From　the　south。　We　climbed　the　Wall　。　。　。〃
　Maester　Aemon　gave　Jon's　crude　bandage　a　sniff　when　Clydas　cut　it　away。　〃We？〃
　〃I　was　with　them。　Qhorin　Halfhand　manded　me　to　join　them。〃　Jon　winced　as　the　maester's　finger　explored　his　wound；　poking　and　prodding。　〃The　Magnar　of　Therm…aaaaah；　that　hurts。〃　He　clenched　his　teeth。　〃Where　is　the　Old　Bear？〃
　〃Jon　。　。　。　it　grieves　me　to　say；　but　Lord　mander　Mormont　was　murdered　at　Craster's　Keep；　at　the　hands　of　his　Sworn　Brothers。〃
　〃Bro　。　。　。　our　own　men？〃　Aemon's　words　hurt　a　hundred　times　worse　than　his　fingers。　Jon　remembered　the　Old　Bear　as　last　he'd　seen　him；　standing　before　his　tent　with　his　raven　on　his　arm　croaking　for　corn。　Mormont　gone？　He　had　feared　it　ever　since　he'd　seen　the　aftermath　of　battle　on　the　Fist；　yet　it　was　no　less　a　blow。　〃Who　was　it？　Who　turned　on　him？〃
　〃Garth　of　Oldtown；　Ollo　Lophand；　Dirk　。　。　。　thieves；　cowards　and　killers；　the　lot　of　them。　We　should　have　seen　it　ing。　The　Watch　is　not　what　it　was。　Too　few　honest　men　to　keep　the　rogues　in　line。〃　Donal　Noye　turned　the　maester's　blades　in　the　fire。　〃A　dozen　true　men　made　it　back。　Dolorous　Edd；　Giant；　your　friend　the　Aurochs。　We　had　the　tale　from　them。〃
　Only　a　dozen？　Two　hundred　men　had　left　Castle　Black　with　Lord　mander　Mormont；　two　hundred　of　the　Watch's　best。　〃Does　this　mean　Marsh　is　Lord　mander；　then？〃　The　Old　Pomegranate　was　amiable；　and　a　diligent　First　Steward；　but　he　was　woefully　ill…suited　to　face　a　wildling　host。
　〃For　the　nonce；　until　we　can　hold　a　choosing；〃　said　Maester　Aemon。　〃Clydas；　bring　me　the　flask。〃
　A　choosing。　With　Qhorin　Halfhand　and　Ser　Jaremy　Rykker　both　dead　and　Ben　Stark　still　missing；　who　was　there？　Not　Bowen　Marsh　or　Ser　Wynton　Stout；　that　was　certain。　Had　Thoren　Smallwood　survived　the　Fist；　or　Ser　Ottyn　Wythers？　No；　it　will　be　Cotter　Pyke　or　Ser　Denys　Mallister。　Which；　though？　The　manders　at　the　Shadow　Tower　and　Eastwatch　were　good　men；　but　very　different；　Ser　Denys　courtly　and　cautious；　as　chivalrous　as　he　was　elderly；　Pyke　younger；　bastard…born；　rough…tongued；　and　bold　to　a　fault。　Worse；　the　two　men　despised　each　other。　The　Old　Bear　had　always　kept　them　far　apart；　at　opposite　ends　of　the　Wall。　The　Mallisters　had　a　bone…deep　mistrust　of　the　ironborn；　Jon　knew。
　A　stab　of　pain　reminded　him　of　his　own　woes。　The　maester　squeezed　his　hand。　〃Clydas　is　bringing　milk　of　the　poppy。〃
　Jon　tried　to　rise。　〃I　don't　need…〃
　〃You　do；〃　Aemon　said　firmly。　〃This　will　hurt。〃
　Donal　Noye　crossed　the　room　and　shoved　Jon　back　onto　his　back。　〃Be　still；　or　I'll　tie　you　down。〃　Even　with　only　one　arm；　the　smith　handled　him　as　if　he　were　a　child。　Clydas　returned　with　a　green　flask　and　a　rounded　stone　cup。　Maester　Aemon　poured　it　full。　〃Drink　this。〃
　Jon　had　bitten　his　lip　in　his　struggles。　He　could　taste　blood　mingled　with　the　thick；　chalky　potion。　It　was　all　he　could　do　not　to　retch　it　back　up。
　Clydas　brought　a　basin　of　warm　water；　and　Maester　Aemon　washed　the　pus　and　blood　from　his　wound。　Gentle　as　he　was；　even　the　lightest　touch　made　Jon　want　to　scream。　〃The　Magnar's　men　are　disciplined；　and　they　have　bronze　armor；〃　he　told　them。　Talking　helped　keep　his　mind　off　his　leg。
　〃The　Magnar's　a　lord　on　Skagos；〃　Noye　said。　〃There　were　Skagossons　at　Eastwatch　when　I　first　came　to　the　Wall；　I　remember　hearing　them　talk　of　him。〃
　〃Jon　was　using　the　word　in　its　older　sense；　I　think；〃　Maester　Aemon　said；　〃not　as　a　family　name　but　as　a　title。　it　derives　from　the　Old　Tongue。〃
　〃It　means　lord；〃　Jon　agreed。　〃Styr　is　the　Magnar　of　some　place　called　Therm；　in　the　far　north　of　the　Frostfangs。　He　has　a　hundred　of　his　own　men；　and　a　score　of　raiders　who　know　the　Gift　almost　as　well　as　we　do。　Mance　never　found　the　horn；　though；　that's　something。　The　Horn　of　Winter；　that's　what　he　was　digging　for　up　along　the　Milkwater。〃
　Maester　Aemon　paused；　washcloth　in　hand。　〃The　Horn　of　Winter　is　an　ancient　legend。　Does　the　King…beyond…theWall　truly　believe　that　such　a　thing　exists？〃
　〃They　all　do；〃　said　Jon。　〃Ygritte　said　they　opened　a　hundred　graves　。　。　。　graves　of　kings　and　heroes；　all　over　the　valley　of　the　Milkwater；　but　they　never　。　。　。〃
　〃Who　is　Ygritte？〃　Donal　Noye　asked　pointedly。
　〃A　woman　of　the　free　folk。〃　How　could　he　explain　Ygritte　to　them？　She's　warm　and　smart　and　funny　and　she　can　kiss　a　man　or　slit　his　throat。　〃She's　with　Styr；　but　she's　not　。　。　。　she's　young；　only　a　girl；　in　truth；　wild；　but　she　。　。　。〃　She　killed　an　old　man　for　building　a　fire。　His　tongue　felt　thick　and　clumsy。　The　milk　of　the　poppy　was　clouding　his　wits。　〃I　broke　my　vows　with　her。　I　never　meant　to；　but　。　。　。〃　It　was　wrong。　Wrong　to　love　her；　wrong　to　leave　her　。　。　。　〃I　wasn't　strong　enough。　The　Halfhand　manded　me；　ride　with　them；　watch；　I　must　not　balk；　I　。　。　。
　His　head　felt　as　if　it　were　packed　with　wet　wool。
　Maester　Aemon　sniffed　Jon's　wound　again。　Then　he　put　the　bloody　cloth　back　in　the　basin　and　said；　〃Donal；　the　hot　knife；　if　you　please。　I　shall　need　you　to　hold　him　still。〃
　I　will　not　scream；　Jon　told　himself　when　he　saw　the　blade　glowing　red　hot。　But　he　broke　that　vow　as　well。　Donal　Noye　held　him　down；　while　Clydas　helped　guide　the　maester's　hand。　Jon　did　not　move；　except　to　pound　his　fist　against　the　table；　again　and　again　and　again。　The　pain　was　so　huge　he　felt　small　and　weak　and　helpless　inside　it；　a　child　whimpering　in　the　dark。　Ygritte；　he　thought；　when　the　stench　of　burning　flesh　was　in　his　nose　and　his　own　shriek　echoing　in　her　ears。　Ygritte；　I　had　to。　For　half　a　heartbeat　the　agony　started　to　ebb。　But　then　the　iron　touched　him　once　again；　and　he　fainted。
　When　his　eyelids　fluttered　open；　he　was　wrapped　in　thick　wool　and　floating。　He　could　not　seem　to　move；　but　that　did　not　matter。　For　a　time　he　dreamed　that　Ygritte　was　with　him；　tending　him　with　gentle　hands。　Finally　he　closed　his　eyes　and　slept。
　The　next　waking　was　not　s