grrm.astormofswords-第269章

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　Cotter　Pyke　stood　up。　〃You　won't　suffer　it？　Might　be　you　had　those　gold　cloaks　trained　to　lick　your　bloody　arse；　but　you're　wearing　a　black　cloak　now。〃
　〃Any　brother　may　offer　any　name　for　our　consideration；　so　long　as　the　man　has　said　his　vows；〃　Ser　Denys　Mallister　said。　〃Tollett　is　well　within　his　rights；　my　lord。〃
　A　dozen　men　started　to　talk　at　once；　each　trying　to　drown　out　the　others；　and　before　long　half　the　hall　was　shouting　once　more。　This　time　it　was　Ser　Alliser　Thorne　who　leapt　up　on　the　table；　and　raised　his　hands　for　quiet。　〃Brothers！〃　he　cried；　〃this　gains　us　naught。　I　say　we　vote。　This　king　who　has　taken　the　King's　Tower　has　posted　men　at　all　the　doors　to　see　that　we　do　not　eat　nor　leave　till　we　have　made　a　choice。　So　be　it！　We　will　choose；　and　choose　again；　all　night　if　need　be；　until　we　have　our　lord　。　。　。　but　before　we　cast　our　tokens；　I　believe　our　First　Builder　has　something　to　say　to　us。〃
　Othell　Yarwyck　stood　up　slowly；　frowning。　The　big　builder　rubbed　his　long　lantern　jaw　and　said；　〃Well；　I'm　pulling　my　name　out。　If　you　wanted　me；　you　had　ten　chances　to　choose　me；　and　you　didn't。　Not　enough　of　you；　anyway。　I　was　going　to　say　that　those　who　were　casting　a　token　for　me　ought　to　choose　Lord　Janos　。　。　。〃
　Ser　Alliser　nodded。　〃Lord　Slynt　is　the　best　possible　。　。　。〃
　〃I　wasn't　done；　Alliser；〃　Yarwyck　plained。　〃Lord　Slynt　manded　the　City　Watch　in　King's　Landing；　we　all　know；　and　he　was　Lord　of　Harrenhal　。　。　。〃
　〃He's　never　seen　Harrenhal；〃　Cotter　Pyke　shouted　out。
　〃Well；　that's　so；〃　said　Yarwyck。　〃Anyway；　now　that　I'm　standing　here；　I　don't　recall　why　I　thought　Slynt　would　be　such　a　good　choice。　That　would　be　sort　of　kicking　King　Stannis　in　the　mouth；　and　I　don't　see　how　that　serves　us。　Might　be　Snow　would　be　better。　He's　been　longer　on　the　Wall；　he's　Ben　Stark's　nephew；　and　he　served　the　Old　Bear　as　squire。〃　Yarwyck　shrugged。　〃Pick　who　you　want；　just　so　it's　not　me。〃　He　sat　down。
　Janos　Slynt　had　turned　from　red　to　purple；　Jon　saw；　but　Ser　Alliser　Thorne　had　gone　pale。　The　Eastwatch　man　was　pounding　his　fist　on　the　table　again；　but　now　he　was　shouting　for　the　kettle。　Some　of　his　friends　took　up　the　cry。　〃Kettle！〃　they　roared；　as　one。　〃Kettle；　kettle；　KETTLE！〃
　The　kettle　was　in　the　corner　by　the　hearth；　a　big　black　potbellied　thing　with　two　huge　handles　and　a　heavy　lid。　Maester　Aemon　said　a　word　to　Sam　and　Clydas　and　they　went　and　grabbed　the　handles　and　dragged　the　kettle　over　to　the　table。　A　few　of　the　brothers　were　already　queueing　up　by　the　token　barrels　as　Clydas　took　the　lid　off　and　almost　dropped　it　on　his　foot。　With　a　raucous　scream　and　a　clap　of　wings；　a　huge　raven　burst　out　of　the　kettle。　It　flapped　upward；　seeking　the　rafters　perhaps；　or　a　window　to　make　its　escape；　but　there　were　no　rafters　in　the　vault；　nor　windows　either。　The　raven　was　trapped。　Cawing　loudly；　it　circled　the　hall；　once；　twice；　three　times。　And　Jon　heard　Samwell　Tarly　shout；　〃I　know　that　bird！　That's　Lord　Mormont's　raven！〃
　The　raven　landed　on　the　table　nearest　Jon。　〃Snow；〃　it　cawed。　it　was　an　old　bird；　dirty　and　bedraggled。　〃Snow；〃　it　said　again；　〃Snow；　snow；　snow〃　It　walked　to　the　end　of　the　table；　spread　its　wings　again；　and　flew　to　Jon's　shoulder。
　Lord　Janos　Slynt　sat　down　so　heavily　he　made　a　thump；　but　Ser　Alliser　filled　the　vault　with　mocking　laughter。　〃Ser　Piggy　thinks　we're　all　fools；　brothers；〃　he　said。　〃He's　taught　the　bird　this　little　trick。　They　all　say　snow；　go　up　to　the　rookery　and　hear　for　yourselves。　Mormont's　bird　had　more　words　than　that。〃
　The　raven　cocked　its　head　and　looked　at　Jon。　〃Corn？〃　it　said　hopefully。　When　it　got　neither　corn　nor　answer；　it　quorked　and　muttered；　〃Kettle？　Kettle？　Kettle？〃
　The　rest　was　arrowheads；　a　torrent　of　arrowheads；　a　flood　of　arrowheads；　arrowheads　enough　to　drown　the　last　few　stones　and　shells；　and　all　the　copper　pennies　too。
　When　the　count　was　done；　Jon　found　himself　surrounded。　Some　clapped　him　on　the　back；　whilst　others　bent　the　knee　to　him　as　if　he　were　a　lord　in　truth。　Satin；　Owen　the　Oaf；　Halder；　Toad；　Spare　Boot；　Giant；　Mully；　Ulmer　of　the　Kingswood；　Sweet　Donnel　Hill；　and　half　a　hundred　more　pressed　around　him。　Dywen　clacked　his　wooden　teeth　and　said；　〃Gods　be　good；　our　Lord　mander's　still　in　swaddling　clothes。〃　Iron　Emmett　said；　〃I　hope　this　don't　mean　I　can't　beat　the　bloody　piss　out　of　you　next　time　we　train；　my　lord。〃　Three…Finger　Hobb　wanted　to　know　if　he'd　still　be　eating　with　the　men；　or　if　he'd　want　his　meals　sent　up　to　his　solar。　Even　Bowen　Marsh　came　up　to　say　he　would　be　glad　to　continue　as　Lord　Steward　if　that　was　Lord　Snow's　wish。
　〃Lord　Snow；〃　said　Cotter　Pyke；　〃if　you　muck　this　up；　I'm　going　to　rip　your　liver　out　and　eat　it　raw　with　onions。〃
　Ser　Denys　Mallister　was　more　courteous。　〃It　was　a　hard　thing　young　Samwell　asked　of　me；〃　the　old　knight　confessed。　〃When　Lord　Qorgyle　was　chosen；　I　told　myself；　'No　matter；　he　has　been　longer　on　the　Wall　than　you　have；　your　time　will　e。'　When　it　was　Lord　Mormont；　I　thought；　'He　is　strong　and　fierce；　but　he　is　old；　your　time　may　yet　e。'　But　you　are　half　a　boy；　Lord　Snow；　and　now　I　must　return　to　the　Shadow　Tower　knowing　that　my　time　will　never　e。〃　He　smiled　a　tired　smile。　〃Do　not　make　me　die　regretful。　Your　uncle　was　a　great　man。　Your　lord　father　and　his　father　as　well。　I　shall　expect　full　as　much　of　you。〃
　〃Aye；〃　said　Cotter　Pyke。　〃And　you　can　start　by　telling　those　king's　men　that　it's　done；　and　we　want　our　bloody　supper。〃
　〃Supper；〃　screamed　the　raven。　〃Supper；　supper。〃
　The　king's　men　cleared　the　door　when　they　told　them　of　the　choosing；　and　Three…Finger　Hobb　and　half　a　dozen　helpers　went　trotting　off　to　the　kitchen　to　fetch　the　food。　Jon　did　not　wait　to　eat。　He　walked　across　the　castle；　wondering　if　he　were　dreaming；　with　the　raven　on　his　shoulder　and　Ghost　at　his　heels。　Pyp；　Grenn；　and　Sam　trailed　after　him；　chattering；　but　he　hardly　heard　a　word　until　Grenn　whispered；　〃Sam　did　it；〃　and　Pyp　said；　〃Sam　did　it！〃　Pyp　had　brought　a　wineskin　with　him；　and　he　took　a　long　drink　and　chanted；　〃Sam；　Sam；　Sam　the　wizard；　Sam　the　wonder；　Sam　Sam　the　marvel　man；　he　did　it。　But　when　did　you　hide　the　raven　in　the　kettle；　Sam；　and　how　in　seven　hells　could　you　be　certain　it　would　fly　to　Jon？　It　would　have　mucked　up　everything　if　the　bird　had　decided　to　perch　on　Janos　Slynt's　fat　head。〃
　〃I　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　bird；〃　Sam　insisted。　〃When　it　flew　out　of　the　kettle　I　almost　wet　myself。〃
　Jon　laughed；　half　amazed　that　he　still　remembered　how。　〃You're　all　a　bunch　of　mad　fools；　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃Us？〃　said　Pyp。　〃You　call　us　fools？　We're　not　the　ones　who　got　chosen　as　the　nine…hundredth…and…ninety…eighth　Lord　mander　of　the　Night's　Watch。　You　best　have　some　wine；　Lord　Jon。　I　think　you're　going　to　need　a　lot　of　wine。〃
　So　Jon　Snow　took　the　wineskin　from　his　hand　and　had　a　swallow。　But　only　one。　The　Wall　was　his；　the　night　was　dark；　and　he　had　a　king　to　face。
　
　CHAPTER　80
　SANSA
　
　She　awoke　all　at　once；　every　nerve　atingle。　For　a　moment　she　did　not　remember　where　she　was。　She　had　dreamt　that　she　was　little；　still　sharing　a　bedchamber　with　her　sister　Arya。　But　it　was　her　maid　she　heard　tossing　in　sleep；　not　her　sister；　and　this　was　not　Winterfell；　but　the　Eyrie。　And　I　am　Alayne　Stone；　a　bastard　girl。　The　room　was　cold　and　black；　though　she　was　warm　beneath　the　blankets。　Dawn　had　not　yet　e。　Sometimes　she　dreamed　of　Ser　Ilyn　Payne　and　woke　with　her　heart　thumping；　but　this　dream　had　not　been　like　that。　Home。　It　was　a　dream　of　home。
　The　Eyrie　was　no　home。　It　was　no　bigger　than　Maegor's　Holdfast；　and　outside　its　sheer　white　walls　was　only　the　mountain　and　the　long　treacherous　descent　past　Sky　and　Snow　and　Stone　to　the　Gates　of　the　Moon　on　the　valley　floor。　There　was　no　place　to　go　and　little　to　do。　The　older　servants　said　these　halls　rang　with　laughter　when　her　father　and　Robert　Baratheon　had　been　Jon　Arryn's　wards；　but　those　days　were　many　years　gone。　Her　aunt　kept　a　small　household；　and　seldom　permitted　any　guests　to　ascend　past　the　Gates　of　the　Moon。　Aside　from　her　aged　maid；　Sansa's　only　panion　was　the　Lord　Robert；　eight　going　on　three。
　And　Marillion。　There　is　always　Marillion。　When　he　played　for　them　at　supper；　the　young　singer　often　seemed　to　be　singing　directly　at　her。　H