grrm.astormofswords-第53章

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hat　happened；　Mance　must　give　chase　with　his　center；　to　try　and　blunt　the　threat。　If　he　should　fall　in　the　fight　that　must　follow；　the　Wall　would　be　safe　for　another　hundred　years；　Jon　judged。　And　if　not　。　。　。
　He　flexed　the　burned　fingers　of　his　sword　hand。　Longclaw　was　slung　to　his　saddle；　the　carved　stone　wolf　's…head　pommel　and　soft　leather　grip　of　the　great　bastard　sword　within　easy　reach。
　The　snow　was　falling　heavily　by　the　time　they　caught　Tormund's　band；　several　hours　later。　Ghost　departed　along　the　way；　melting　into　the　forest　at　the　scent　of　prey。　The　direwolf　would　return　when　they　made　camp　for　the　night；　by　dawn　at　the　latest。　However　far　he　prowled；　Ghost　always　came　back　。　。　。　and　so；　it　seemed；　did　Ygritte。
　〃So；〃　the　girl　called　when　she　saw　him；　〃d'you　believe　us　now；　Jon　Snow？　Did　you　see　the　giants　on　their　mammoths？〃
　〃Har！〃　shouted　Tormund；　before　Jon　could　reply。　〃The　crow's　in　love！　He　means　to　marry　one！〃
　〃A　giantess？〃　Longspear　Ryk　laughed。
　〃No；　a　mammoth！〃　Tormund　bellowed。　〃Har！〃
　Ygritte　trotted　beside　Jon　as　he　slowed　his　garron　to　a　walk。　She　claimed　to　be　three　years　older　than　him；　though　she　stood　half　a　foot　shorter；　however　old　she　might　be；　the　girl　was　a　tough　little　thing。　Stonesnake　had　called　her　a　〃spearwife〃　when　they'd　captured　her　in　the　Skirling　Pass。　She　wasn't　wed　and　her　weapon　of　choice　was　a　short　curved　bow　of　horn　and　weirwood；　but　〃spearwife〃　fit　her　all　the　same。　She　reminded　him　a　little　of　his　sister　Arya；　though　Arya　was　younger　and　probably　skinnier。　It　was　hard　to　tell　how　plump　or　thin　Ygritte　might　be；　with　all　the　furs　and　skins　she　wore。
　〃Do　you　know　'The　Last　of　the　Giants'？〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer　Ygritte　said；　〃You　need　a　deeper　voice　than　mine　to　do　it　proper。〃　Then　she　sang；　〃Ooooooh；　I　am　the　last　of　the　giants；　my　people　are　gone　from　the　earth。〃
　Tormund　Giantsbane　heard　the　words　and　grinned。　〃The　last　of　the　great　mountain　giants；　who　ruled　all　the　world　at　my　birth；〃　he　bellowed　back　through　the　snow。
　Longspear　Ryk　joined　in；　singing；　〃Oh；　the　smallfolk　have　stolen　my　forests；　they've　stolen　my　rivers　and　hills。〃
　〃And　they've　built　a　great　wall　through　my　valleys；　and　fished　all　the　fish　from　my　rills；〃　Ygritte　and　Tormund　sang　back　at　him　in　turn；　in　suitably　gigantic　voices。
　Tormund's　sons　Toregg　and　Dormund　added　their　deep　voices　as　well；　then　his　daughter　Munda　and　all　the　rest。　Others　began　to　bang　their　spears　on　leathern　shields　to　keep　rough　time；　until　the　whole　war　band　was　singing　as　they　rode。
　In　stone　halls　they　burn　their　great　fires；　in　stone　halls　they　forge　their　sharp　spears。
　Whilst　I　walk　alone　in　the　mountains；　with　no　true　panion　but　tears。
　They　hunt　me　with　dogs　in　the　daylight；　they　hunt　me　with　torches　by　night。
　For　these　men　who　are　small　can　never　stand　tall；　whilst　giants　still　walk　in　the　light。
　Oooooooh；　I　am　the　LAST　of　the　giants；　so　learn　well　the　words　of　my　song。
　For　when　I　am　gone　the　singing　will　fade；　and　the　silence　shall　last　long　and　long。
　There　were　tears　on　Ygritte's　cheeks　when　the　song　ended。
　〃Why　are　you　weeping？〃　Jon　asked。　〃It　was　only　a　song。　There　are　hundreds　of　giants；　I've　just　seen　them。〃
　〃Oh；　hundreds；〃　she　said　furiously。　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　You…JON！〃
　Jon　turned　at　the　sudden　sound　of　wings。　Blue…grey　feathers　filled　his　eyes；　as　sharp　talons　buried　themselves　in　his　face。　Red　pain　lanced　through　him　sudden　and　fierce　as　pinions　beat　round　his　head。　He　saw　the　beak；　but　there　was　no　time　to　get　a　hand　up　or　reach　for　a　weapon。　Jon　reeled　backward；　his　foot　lost　the　stirrup；　his　garron　broke　in　panic；　and　then　he　was　falling。　And　still　the　eagle　clung　to　his　face；　its　talons　tearing　at　him　as　it　flapped　and　shrieked　and　pecked。　The　world　turned　upside　down　in　a　chaos　of　feathers　and　horseflesh　and　blood；　and　then　the　ground　came　up　to　smash　him。
　The　next　he　knew；　he　was　on　his　face　with　the　taste　of　mud　and　blood　in　his　mouth　and　Ygritte　kneeling　over　him　protectively；　a　bone　dagger　in　her　hand。　He　could　still　hear　wings；　though　the　eagle　was　not　in　sight。　Half　his　world　was　black。　〃My　eye；〃　he　said　in　sudden　panic；　raising　a　hand　to　his　face。
　〃It's　only　blood；　Jon　Snow。　He　missed　the　eye；　just　ripped　your　skin　up　some。〃
　His　face　was　throbbing。　Tormund　stood　over　them　bellowing；　he　saw　from　his　right　eye　as　he　rubbed　blood　from　his　left。　Then　there　were　hoofbeats；　shouts；　and　the　clacking　of　old　dry　bones。
　〃Bag　o'　Bones；〃　roared　Tormund；　〃call　off　your　hellcrow！〃
　〃There's　your　hellcrow！〃　Rattleshirt　pointed　at　Jon。　〃Bleeding　in　the　mud　like　a　faithless　dog！〃　The　eagle　came　flapping　down　to　land　atop　the　broken　giant's　skull　that　served　him　for　his　helm。　〃I'm　here　for　him。〃
　〃e　take　him　then；〃　said　Tormund；　〃but　best　e　with　sword　in　hand；　for　that's　where　you'll　find　mine。　Might　be　I'll　boil　your　bones；　and　use　your　skull　to　piss　in。　Har！〃
　〃Once　I　prick　you　and　let　the　air　out；　you'll　shrink　down　smallern　that　girl。　Stand　aside；　or　Mance　will　hear　o'　this。〃
　Ygritte　stood。　〃What；　is　it　Mance　who　wants　him？〃
　〃I　said　so；　didn't　I？　Get　him　up　on　those　black　feet。〃
　Tormund　frowned　down　at　Jon。　〃Best　go；　if　it's　the　Mance　who's　wanting　you。〃
　Ygritte　helped　pull　him　up。　〃He's　bleeding　like　a　butchered　boar。　Look　what　Orell　did　t'　his　sweet　face。〃
　Can　a　bird　hate？　Jon　had　slain　the　wildling　Orell；　but　some　part　of　the　man　remained　within　the　eagle。　The　golden　eyes　looked　out　on　him　with　cold　malevolence。　〃I'll　e；〃　he　said。　The　blood　kept　running　down　into　his　right　eye；　and　his　cheek　was　a　blaze　of　pain。　When　he　touched　it　his　black　gloves　came　away　stained　with　red。　〃Let　me　catch　my　garron。〃　It　was　not　the　horse　he　wanted　so　much　as　Ghost；　but　the　direwolf　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　He　could　be　leagues　away　by　now；　ripping　out　the　throat　of　some　elk。　Perhaps　that　was　just　as　well。
　The　garron　shied　away　from　him　when　he　approached；　no　doubt　frightened　by　the　blood　on　his　face；　but　Jon　calmed　him　with　a　few　quiet　words　and　finally　got　close　enough　to　take　the　reins。　As　he　swung　back　into　the　saddle　his　head　whirled。　I　will　need　to　get　this　tended；　he　thought；　but　not　just　now　Let　the　King…　beyond…　the…　Wall　see　what　his　eagle　did　to　me。　His　right　hand　opened　and　closed；　and　he　reached　down　for　Longclaw　and　slung　the　bastard　sword　over　a　shoulder　before　he　wheeled　to　trot　back　to　where　the　Lord　of　Bones　and　his　band　were　waiting。
　Ygritte　was　waiting　too；　sitting　on　her　horse　with　a　fierce　look　on　her　face。　〃I　am　ing　too。〃
　〃Be　gone。〃　The　bones　of　Rattleshirt's　breastplate　clattered　together。　〃I　was　sent　for　the　crow…e…down；　none　other。〃
　〃A　free　woman　rides　where　she　will；〃　Ygritte　said。
　The　wind　was　blowing　snow　into　Jon's　eyes。　He　could　feel　the　blood　freezing　on　his　face。　〃Are　we　talking　or　riding？〃
　〃Riding；〃　said　the　Lord　of　Bones。
　It　was　a　grim　gallop。　They　rode　two　miles　down　the　column　through　swirling　snows；　then　cut　through　a　tangle　of　baggage　wayns　to　splash　across　the　Milkwater　where　it　took　a　great　loop　toward　the　east。　A　crust　of　thin　ice　covered　the　river　shallows；　with　every　step　their　horses'hooves　crashed　through；　until　they　reached　the　deeper　water　ten　yards　out。　The　snow　seemed　be　falling　even　faster　on　the　eastern　bank；　and　the　drifts　were　deeper　too。　Even　the　wind　is　colder。　And　night　was　falling　too。
　But　even　through　the　blowing　snow；　the　shape　of　the　great　white　hill　that　loomed　above　the　trees　was　unmistakable。　The　Fist　of　the　First　Men。　Jon　heard　the　scream　of　the　eagle　overhead。　A　raven　looked　down　from　a　soldier　pine　and　quorked　as　he　went　past。　Had　the　Old　Bear　made　his　attack？　Instead　of　the　clash　of　steel　and　the　thrum　of　arrows　taking　flight；　Jon　heard　only　the　soft　crunch　of　frozen　crust　beneath　his　garron's　hooves。
　In　silence　they　circled　round　to　the　south　slope；　where　the　approach　was　easiest。　It　was　there　at　the　bottom　that　Jon　saw　the　dead　horse；　sprawled　at　the　base　of　the　hill；　half　buried　in　the　snow。　Entrails　spilled　from　the　belly　of　the　animal　like　frozen　snakes；　and　one　of　its　legs　was　gone。　Wolves；　was　Jon's　first　thought；　but　that　was　wrong。　Wolves　eat　their　kill。
　More　garrons　were　strewn　across　the　slope；　legs　twisted　grotesquely；　blind