grrm.astormofswords-第183章

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　〃The　castle　does　them　no　good；〃　the　armorer　told　his　little　garrison。　〃Kitchens；　mon　hall；　stables；　even　the　towers　。　。　。　let　them　take　it　all。　We'll　empty　the　armory　and　move　what　stores　we　can　to　the　top　of　the　Wall；　and　make　our　stand　around　the　gate。〃
　So　Castle　Black　had　a　wall　of　sorts　at　last；　a　crescent…shaped　barricade　ten　feet　high　made　of　stores；　casks　of　nails　and　barrels　of　salt　mutton；　crates；　bales　of　black　broadcloth；　stacked　logs；　sawn　timbers；　firehardened　stakes；　and　sacks　and　sacks　of　grain。　The　crude　rampart　enclosed　the　two　things　most　worth　defending；　the　gate　to　the　north；　and　the　foot　of　the　great　wooden　switchback　stair　that　clawed　and　climbed　its　way　up　the　face　of　the　Wall　like　a　drunken　thunderbolt；　supported　by　wooden　beams　as　big　as　tree　trunks　driven　deep　into　the　ice。
　The　last　few　moles　were　still　making　the　long　climb；　Jon　saw；　urged　on　by　his　brothers。　Grenn　was　carrying　a　little　boy　in　his　arms；　while　Pyp；　two　flights　below；　let　an　old　man　lean　upon　his　shoulder。　The　oldest　villagers　still　waited　below　for　the　cage　to　make　its　way　back　down　to　them。　He　saw　a　mother　pulling　along　two　children；　one　on　either　hand；　as　an　older　boy　ran　past　her　up　the　steps。　Two　hundred　feet　above　them；　Sky　Blue　Su　and　Lady　Meliana　（who　was　no　lady；　all　her　friends　agreed）　stood　on　a　landing；　looking　south。　They　had　a　better　view　of　the　smoke　than　he　did；　no　doubt。　Jon　wondered　about　the　villagers　who　had　chosen　not　to　flee。　There　were　always　a　few；　too　stubborn　or　too　stupid　or　too　brave　to　run；　a　few　who　preferred　to　fight　or　hide　or　bend　the　knee。　Maybe　the　Therms　would　spare　them。
　The　thing　to　do　would　be　to　take　the　attack　to　them；　he　thought。　With　fifty　rangers　well　mounted；　we　could　cut　them　apart　on　the　road。　They　did　not　have　fifty　rangers；　though；　nor　half　as　many　horses。　The　garrison　had　not　returned；　and　there　was　no　way　to　know　just　where　they　were；　or　even　whether　the　riders　that　Noye　had　sent　out　had　reached　them。
　We　are　the　garrison；　Jon　told　himself；　and　look　at　us。　The　brothers　Bowen　Marsh　had　left　behind　were　old　men；　cripples；　and　green　boys；　just　as　Donal　Noye　had　warned　him。　He　could　see　some　wrestling　barrels　up　the　steps；　others　on　the　barricade；　stout　old　Kegs；　as　slow　as　ever；　Spare　Boot　hopping　along　briskly　on　his　carved　wooden　leg；　half…mad　Easy　who　fancied　himself　Florian　the　Fool　reborn；　Dornish　Dilly；　Red　Alyn　of　the　Rosewood；　Young　Henly　（well　past　fifty）；　Old　Henly　（well　past　seventy）；　Hairy　Hal；　Spotted　Pate　of　Maidenpool。　A　couple　of　them　saw　Jon　looking　down　from　atop　the　King's　Tower　and　waved　up　at　him。　others　turned　away。　They　still　think　me　a　tumcloak。　That　was　a　bitter　draft　to　drink；　but　Jon　could　not　blame　them。　He　was　a　bastard；　after　all。　Everyone　knew　that　bastards　were　wanton　and　treacherous　by　nature；　having　been　born　of　lust　and　deceit。　And　he　had　made　as　many　enemies　as　friends　at　Castle　Black　。　。　。　Rast；　for　one。　Jon　had　once　threatened　to　have　Ghost　rip　his　throat　out　unless　he　stopped　tormenting　Samwell　Tarly；　and　Rast　did　not　forget　things　like　that。　He　was　raking　dry　leaves　into　piles　under　the　stairs　just　now；　but　every　so　often　he　stopped　long　enough　to　give　Jon　a　nasty　look。
　〃No；〃　Donal　Noye　roared　at　three　of　the　Mole's　Town　men；　down　below。　〃The　pitch　goes　to　the　hoist；　the　oil　up　the　steps；　crossbow　bolts　to　the　fourth；　fifth；　and　sixth　landings；　spears　to　first　and　second。　Stack　the　lard　under　the　stair；　yes；　there；　behind　the　planks。　The　casks　of　meat　are　for　the　barricade。　Now；　you　poxy　plow　pushers；　NOW！〃
　He　has　a　lord's　voice；　Jon　thought。　His　father　had　always　said　that　in　battle　a　captain's　lungs　were　as　important　as　his　sword　arm。　〃It　does　not　matter　how　brave　or　brilliant　a　man　is；　if　his　mands　cannot　be　heard；〃　Lord　Eddard　told　his　sons；　so　Robb　and　he　used　to　climb　the　towers　of　Winterfell　to　shout　at　each　other　across　the　yard。　Donal　Noye　could　have　drowned　out　both　of　them。　The　moles　all　went　in　terror　of　him；　and　rightfully　so；　since　he　was　always　threatening　to　rip　their　heads　off。
　Three…quarters　of　the　village　had　taken　Jon's　warning　to　heart　and　e　to　Castle　Black　for　refuge。　Noye　had　decreed　that　every　man　still　spry　enough　to　hold　a　spear　or　swing　an　axe　would　help　defend　the　barricade；　else　they　could　damn　well　go　home　and　take　their　chances　with　the　Therms。　He　had　emptied　the　armory　to　put　good　steel　in　their　hands；　big　double…bladed　axes；　razor…sharp　daggers；　longswords；　maces；　spiked　morningstars。　Clad　in　studded　leather　jerkins　and　mail　hauberks；　with　greaves　for　their　legs　and　gorgets　to　keep　their　heads　on　their　shoulders；　a　few　of　them　even　looked　like　soldiers。　In　a　bad　light。　If　you　squint。
　Noye　had　put　the　women　and　children　to　work　as　well。　Those　too　young　to　fight　would　carry　water　and　tend　the　fires；　the　Mole's　Town　midwife　would　assist　Clydas　and　Maester　Aemon　with　any　wounded；　and　Three…Finger　Hobb　suddenly　had　more　spit　boys；　kettle　stirrers；　and　onion　choppers　than　he　knew　what　to　do　with。　Two　of　the　whores　had　even　offered　to　fight；　and　had　shown　enough　skill　with　the　crossbow　to　be　given　a　place　on　the　steps　forty　feet　up。
　〃It's　cold。〃　Satin　stood　with　his　hands　tucked　into　his　armpits　under　his　cloak。　His　cheeks　were　bright　red。
　Jon　made　himself　smile。　〃The　Frostfangs　are　cold。　This　is　a　brisk　autumn　day。〃
　〃I　hope　I　never　see　the　Frostfangs　then。　I　knew　a　girl　in　Oldtown　who　liked　to　ice　her　wine。　That's　the　best　place　for　ice；　I　think。　In　wine。〃　Satin　glanced　south；　frowned。　〃You　think　the　scarecrow　sentinels　scared　them　off；　my　lord？〃
　〃We　can　hope。〃　It　was　possible；　Jon　supposed　。　。　。　but　more　likely　the　wildlings　had　simply　paused　for　a　bit　of　rape　and　plunder　in　Mole's　Town。　Or　maybe　Styr　was　waiting　for　nightfall；　to　move　up　under　cover　of　darkness。
　Midday　came　and　went；　with　still　no　sign　of　Therms　on　the　kingsroad。　Jon　heard　footsteps　inside　the　tower；　though；　and　Owen　the　Oaf　popped　up　out　of　the　trapdoor；　red…faced　from　the　climb。　He　had　a　basket　of　buns　under　one　arm；　a　wheel　of　cheese　under　the　other；　a　bag　of　onions　dangling　from　one　hand。　〃Hobb　said　to　feed　you；　in　case　you're　stuck　up　here　awhile。〃
　That；　or　for　our　last　meal。　〃Thank　him　for　us；　Owen。〃
　Dick　Follard　was　deaf　as　a　stone；　but　his　nose　worked　well　enough。
　The　buns　were　still　warm　from　the　oven　when　he　went　digging　in　the　basket　and　plucked　one　out。　He　found　a　crock　of　butter　as　well；　and　spread　some　with　his　dagger。　〃Raisins；〃　he　announced　happily。　〃Nuts；　too。〃　His　speech　was　thick；　but　easy　enough　to　understand　once　you　got　used　to　it。
　〃You　can　have　mine　too；〃　said　Satin。　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃
　〃Eat；〃　Jon　told　him。　〃There's　no　knowing　when　you'll　have　another　chance。〃　He　took　two　buns　himself　。　The　nuts　were　pine　nuts；　and　besides　the　raisins　there　were　bits　of　dried　apple。
　〃Will　the　wildlings　e　today；　Lord　Snow？〃　Owen　asked。
　〃You'll　know　if　they　do；〃　said　Jon。　〃Listen　for　the　horns。〃
　〃Two。　Two　is　for　wildlings。〃　Owen　was　tall；　towheaded；　and　amiable；　a　tireless　worker　and　surprisingly　deft　when　it　came　to　working　wood　and　fixing　catapults　and　the　like；　but　as　he'd　gladly　tell　you；　his　mother　had　dropped　him　on　his　head　when　he　was　a　baby；　and　half　his　wits　had　leaked　out　through　his　ear。
　〃You　remember　where　to　go？〃　Jon　asked　him。
　〃I'm　to　go　to　the　stairs；　Donal　Noye　says。　I'm　to　go　up　to　the　third　landing　and　shoot　my　crossbow　down　at　the　wildlings　if　they　try　to　climb　over　the　barrier。　The　third　landing；　one　two　three。〃　His　head　bobbed　up　and　down。　〃If　the　wildlings　attack；　the　king　will　e　and　help　us；　won't　he？　He's　a　mighty　warrior；　King　Robert。　He's　sure　to　e。　Maester　Aemon　sent　him　a　bird。〃
　There　was　no　use　telling　him　that　Robert　Baratheon　was　dead。　He　would　forget　it；　as　he'd　forgotten　it　before。　〃Maester　Aemon　sent　him　a　bird；〃　Jon　agreed。　That　seemed　to　make　Owen　happy。
　Maester　Aemon　had　sent　a　lot　of　birds　。　。　。　not　to　one　king；　but　to　four。　Wildlings　at　the　gate；　the　message　ran。　The　realm　in　danger。　Send　all　the　help　you　can　to　Castle　Black；　Even　as　far　as　Oldtown　and　the　Citadel　the　ravens　flew；　and　to　half　a　hundred　mighty　lords　in　their　castles。　The　northern　lords　offered　their　best　hope；　so　to　them　Aemon　had　sent　two　birds。　To　the　Umbers　and　the　Boltons；　to　C