grrm.astormofswords-第25章

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　〃This　boy？〃　The　earless　man　was　angered　by　the　news。　〃The　Halfhand　should　have　been　mine。　Do　you　have　a　name；　crow？〃
　〃Jon　Snow；　Your　Grace。〃　He　wondered　whether　he　was　expected　to　bend　the　knee　as　well。
　〃Your　Grace？〃　The　earless　man　looked　at　the　big　white…bearded　one。　〃You　see。　He　takes　me　for　a　king。〃
　The　bearded　man　laughed　so　hard　he　sprayed　bits　of　chicken　everywhere。　He　rubbed　the　grease　from　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　a　huge　hand。　〃A　blind　boy；　must　be。　Who　ever　heard　of　a　king　without　ears？　Why；　his　crown　would　fall　straight　down　to　his　neck！　Har！〃　He　grinned　at　Jon；　wiping　his　fingers　clean　on　his　breeches。　〃Close　your　beak；　crow。　Spin　yourself　around；　might　be　you'd　find　who　you're　looking　for。〃
　Jon　turned。
　The　singer　rose　to　his　feet。　〃I'm　Mance　Rayder；〃　he　said　as　he　put　aside　the　lute。　〃And　you　are　Ned　Stark's　bastard；　the　Snow　of　Winterfell。〃
　Stunned；　Jon　stood　speechless　for　a　moment；　before　he　recovered　enough　to　say；　〃How　。　。　。　how　could　you　know　。　。　。〃
　〃That's　a　tale　for　later；〃　said　Mance　Rayder。　〃How　did　you　like　the　song；　lad？〃
　〃Well　enough。　I'd　heard　it　before。〃
　〃But　what　does　it　matter；　for　all　men　must　die；〃　the　King…beyond…the…Wall　said　lightly；　〃and　I've　tasted　the　Dornishman's　wife。　Tell　me；　does　my　Lord　of　Bones　speak　truly？　Did　you　slay　my　old　friend　the　Halffiand？〃
　〃I　did。〃　Though　it　was　his　doing　more　than　mine。
　〃The　Shadow　Tower　will　never　again　seem　as　fearsome；〃　the　king　said　with　sadness　in　his　voice。　〃Qhorin　was　my　enemy。　But　also　my　brother；　once。　So　。　。　。　shall　I　thank　you　for　killing　him；　Jon　Snow？　Or　curse　you？〃　He　gave　Jon　a　mocking　smile。
　The　King…beyond…the…Wall　looked　nothing　like　a　king；　nor　even　much　a　wildling。　He　was　of　middling　height；　slender；　sharp…faced；　with　shrewd　brown　eyes　and　long　brown　hair　that　had　gone　mostly　to　grey。　There　was　no　crown　on　his　head；　no　gold　rings　on　his　arms；　no　jewels　at　his　throat；　not　even　a　gleam　of　silver。　He　wore　wool　and　leather；　and　his　only　garment　of　note　was　his　ragged　black　wool　cloak；　its　long　tears　patched　with　faded　red　silk。
　〃You　ought　to　thank　me　for　killing　your　enemy；〃　Jon　said　finally；　〃and　curse　me　for　killing　your　friend。〃
　〃Har！〃　boomed　the　white…bearded　man。　〃Well　answered！〃
　〃Agreed。〃　Mance　Rayder　beckoned　Jon　closer。　〃If　you　would　join　us；　you'd　best　know　us。　The　man　you　took　for　me　is　Styr；　Magnar　of　Therm。　Magnar　means　'lord'　in　the　Old　Tongue。〃　The　earless　man　stared　at　Jon　coldly　as　Mance　turned　to　the　white…bearded　one。　〃Our　ferocious　chicken…eater　here　is　my　loyal　Tormund。　The　woman…〃
　Tormund　rose　to　his　feet。　〃Hold。　You　gave　Styr　his　style；　give　me　mine。〃
　Mance　Rayder　laughed。　〃As　you　wish。　Jon　Snow；　before　you　stands　Tormund　Giantsbane；　Tall…talker；　Horn…blower；　and　Breaker　of　lee。　And　here　also　Tormund　Thunderfist；　Husband　to　Bears；　the　Mead…king　of　Ruddy　Hall；　Speaker　to　Gods　and　Father　of　Hosts。〃
　〃That　sounds　more　like　me；〃　said　Tormund。　〃Well　met；　Jon　Snow。　I　am　fond　o'　wargs；　as　it　happens；　though　not　o'　Starks。〃
　〃The　good　woman　at　the　brazier；〃　Mance　Rayder　went　on；　〃is　Dalla。〃　The　pregnant　woman　smiled　shyly。　〃Treat　her　like　you　would　any　queen；　she　is　carrying　my　child。〃　He　turned　to　the　last　two。　〃This　beauty　is　her　sister　Val。　Young　Jarl　beside　her　is　her　latest　pet。〃
　〃I　am　no　man's　pet；〃　said　Jarl；　dark　and　fierce。
　〃And　Val's　no　man；〃　white…bearded　Tormund　snorted。　〃You　ought　to　have　noticed　that　by　now；　lad。〃
　〃So　there　you　have　us；　Jon　Snow；〃　said　Mance　Rayder。　〃The　Kingbeyond…the…Wall　and　his　court；　such　as　it　is。　And　now　some　words　from　you；　I　think。　Where　did　you　e　from？〃
　〃Winterfell；〃　he　said；　〃by　way　of　Castle　Black。〃
　〃And　what　brings　you　up　the　Milkwater；　so　far　from　the　fires　of　home？〃　He　did　not　wait　for　Jon's　answer；　but　looked　at　once　to　Rattleshirt。　〃How　many　were　they？〃
　〃Five。　Three's　dead　and　the　boy's　here。　T'other　went　up　a　mountainside　where　no　horse　could　follow。〃
　Rayder's　eyes　met　Jon's　again。　〃Was　it　only　the　five　of　you？　or　are　more　of　your　brothers　skulking　about？〃
　〃We　were　four　and　the　Halfhand。　Qhorin　was　worth　twenty　mon　men。〃
　The　King…beyond…the…Wall　smiled　at　that。　〃Some　thought　so。　Still　。　。　。　a　boy　from　Castle　Black　with　rangers　from　the　Shadow　Tower？　How　did　that　e　to　be？〃
　Jon　had　his　lie　all　ready。　〃The　Lord　mander　sent　me　to　the　Halfhand　for　seasoning；　so　he　took　me　on　his　ranging。〃
　Styr　the　Magnar　frowned　at　that。　〃Ranging；　you　call　it　。　。　。　why　would　crows　e　ranging　up　the　Skirling　Pass？〃
　〃The　villages　were　deserted；〃　Jon　said；　truthfully。　〃It　was　as　if　all　the　free　folk　had　vanished。〃
　〃Vanished；　aye；〃　said　Mance　Rayder。　〃And　not　just　the　free　folk。　Who　told　you　where　we　were；　Jon　Snow？〃
　Tormund　snorted。　〃It　were　Craster；　or　I'm　a　blushing　maid。　I　told　you；　Mance；　that　creature　needs　to　be　shorter　by　a　head。〃
　The　king　gave　the　older　man　an　irritated　look。　〃Tormund；　some　day　try　thinking　before　you　speak。　I　know　it　was　Craster。　I　asked　Jon　to　see　if　he　would　tell　it　true。〃
　〃Har。〃　Tormund　spat。　〃Well；　I　stepped　in　that！〃　He　grinned　at　Jon。　〃See；　lad；　that's　why　he's　king　and　I'm　not。　I　can　outdrink；　outfight；　and　outsing　him；　and　my　member's　thrice　the　size　o'　his；　but　Mance　has　cunning。　He　was　raised　a　crow；　you　know；　and　the　crow's　a　tricksy　bird。〃
　〃I　would　speak　with　the　lad　alone；　my　Lord　of　Bones；〃　Mance　Rayder　said　to　Rattleshirt。　〃Leave　us；　all　of　you。〃
　〃What；　me　as　well？〃　said　Tormund。
　〃No；　you　especially；〃　said　Mance。
　〃I　eat　in　no　hall　where　I'm　not　wele。〃　Tormund　got　to　his　feet。　〃Me　and　the　hens　are　leaving。〃　He　snatched　another　chicken　off　the　brazier；　shoved　it　into　a　pocket　sewn　in　the　lining　of　his　cloak；　said　〃Har；〃　and　left　licking　his　fingers。　The　others　followed　him　out；　all　but　the　woman　Dalla。
　〃Sit；　if　you　like；〃　Rayder　said　when　they　were　gone。　〃Are　you　hungry？　Tormund　left　us　two　birds　at　least。〃
　〃I　would　be　pleased　to　eat；　Your　Grace。　And　thank　you。〃
　〃Your　Grace？〃　The　king　smiled。　〃That's　not　a　style　one　often　hears　from　the　lips　of　free　folk。　I'm　Mance　to　most；　The　Mance　to　some。　Will　you　take　a　horn　of　mead？〃
　〃Gladly；〃　said　Jon。
　The　king　poured　himself　as　Dalla　cut　the　well…crisped　hens　apart　and　brought　them　each　a　half。　Jon　peeled　off　his　gloves　and　ate　with　his　fingers；　sucking　every　morsel　of　meat　off　the　bones。
　〃Tormund　spoke　truly；〃　said　Mance　Rayder　as　he　ripped　apart　a　loaf　of　bread。　〃The　black　crow　is　a　tricksy　bird；　that's　so　。　。　。　but　I　was　a　crow　when　you　were　no　bigger　than　the　babe　in　Dalla's　belly；　Jon　Snow。　So　take　care　not　to　play　tricksy　with　me。〃
　〃As　you　say；　Your…Mance。〃
　The　king　laughed。　〃Your　Mance！　Why　not？　I　promised　you　a　tale　before；　of　how　I　knew　you。　Have　you　puzzled　it　out　yet？〃
　Jon　shook　his　head。　〃Did　Rattleshirt　send　word　ahead？〃
　〃By　wing？　We　have　no　trained　ravens。　No；　I　knew　your　face。　I've　seen　it　before。　Twice。〃
　It　made　no　sense　at　first；　but　as　Jon　turned　it　over　in　his　mind；　dawn　broke。　〃When　you　were　a　brother　of　the　Watch　。　。　。〃
　〃Very　good！　Yes；　that　was　the　first　time。　You　were　just　a　boy；　and　I　was　all　in　black；　one　of　a　dozen　riding　escort　to　old　Lord　mander　Qorgyle　when　he　came　down　to　see　your　father　at　Winterfell。　I　was　walking　the　wall　around　the　yard　when　I　came　on　you　and　your　brother　Robb。　It　had　snowed　the　night　before；　and　the　two　of　you　had　built　a　great　mountain　above　the　gate　and　were　waiting　for　someone　likely　to　pass　underneath。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　said　Jon　with　a　startled　laugh。　A　young　black　brother　on　the　wallwalk；　yes　。　。　。　〃You　swore　not　to　tell。〃
　〃And　kept　my　vow。　That　one；　at　least。〃
　〃We　dumped　the　snow　on　Fat　Tom。　He　was　Father's　slowest　guardsman。〃　Tom　had　chased　them　around　the　yard　afterward；　until　all　three　were　red　as　autumn　apples。　〃But　you　said　you　saw　me　twice。　When　was　the　other　time？〃
　〃When　King　Robert　came　to　Winterfell　to　make　your　father　Hand；〃　the　King…beyond…the…Wall　said　lightly。
　Jon's　eyes　widened　in　disbelief。　〃That　can't　be　so。〃
　〃It　was。　When　your　father　learned　the　king　was　ing；　he　sent　word　to　his　brother　Benjen　on　the　Wall；　so　he　might　e　down　for　the　feast。　There　is　more　merce　between　the　black　brothers　and　the　free　folk　than　you　know；　and　soon　enough　word　came　to　my　ears　as　well。　it　was　too　choice　a　chance　to