grrm.astormofswords-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　The　next　morning　they　left　the　road　to　cut　across　the　fields。　The　wind　was　gusting；　sending　dry　brown　leaves　swirling　around　the　hooves　of　their　horses；　but　for　once　it　did　not　rain。　When　the　sun　came　out　from　behind　a　cloud；　it　was　so　bright　Arya　had　to　pull　her　hood　forward　to　keep　it　out　of　her　eyes。
　She　reined　up　very　suddenly。　〃We　are　going　the　wrong　way！〃
　Gendry　groaned。　〃What　is　it；　moss　again？〃
　〃Look　at　the　sun；〃　she　said。　〃We're　going　south！〃　Arya　rummaged　in　her　saddlebag　for　the　map；　so　she　could　show　them。　〃We　should　never　have　left　the　Trident。　See。〃　She　unrolled　the　map　on　her　leg。　All　of　them　were　looking　at　her　now。　〃See；　there's　Riverrun；　between　the　rivers。〃
　〃As　it　happens；〃　said　Jack…Be…Lucky；　〃we　know　where　Riverrun　is。　Every　man　o'　us。〃
　〃You're　not　going　to　Riverrun；〃　Lem　told　her　bluntly。
　I　was　almost　there；　Arya　thought。　I　should　have　let　them　take　our　horses。　I　could　have　walked　the　rest　of　the　way。　She　remembered　her　dream　then；　and　bit　her　lip。
　〃Ah；　don't　look　so　hurt；　child；〃　said　Tom　Sevenstrings。　〃No　harm　will　e　to　you；　you　have　my　word　on　that。〃
　〃The　word　of　a　liar！〃
　〃No　one　lied；〃　said　Lem。　〃We　made　no　promises。　It's　not　for　us　to　say　what's　to　be　done　with　you。〃
　Lem　was　not　the　leader；　though；　no　more　than　Tom；　that　was　Greenbeard；　the　Tyroshi。　Arya　turned　to　face　him。　〃Take　me　to　Riverrun　and　you'll　be　rewarded；〃　she　said　desperately。
　〃Little　one；〃　Greenbeard　answered；　〃a　peasant　may　skin　a　mon　squirrel　for　his　pot；　but　if　he　finds　a　gold　squirrel　in　his　tree　he　takes　it　to　his　lord；　or　he　will　wish　he　did。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　squirrel；〃　Arya　insisted。
　〃You　are。〃　Greenbeard　laughed。　〃A　little　gold　squirrel　who's　off　to　see　the　lightning　lord；　whether　she　wills　it　or　not。　He'll　know　what's　to　be　done　with　you。　I'll　wager　he　sends　you　back　to　your　lady　mother；　just　as　you　wish。〃
　Tom　Sevenstrings　nodded。　〃Aye；　that's　like　Lord　Beric。　He'll　do　right　by　you；　see　if　he　don't。〃
　Lord　Beric　Dondarrion。　Arya　remembered　all　she'd　heard　at　Harrenhal；　from　the　Lannisters　and　the　Bloody　Mummers　alike。　Lord　Beric　the　wisp　o'　the　wood。　Lord　Beric　who'd　been　killed　by　Vargo　Hoat　and　before　that　by　Ser　Amory　Lorch；　and　twice　by　the　Mountain　That　Rides。　If　he　won't　send　me　home　maybe　I'll　kill　him　too。　〃Why　do　I　have　to　see　Lord　Beric？〃　she　asked　quietly。
　〃We　bring　him　all　our　highborn　captives；〃　said　Anguy。
　Captive。　Arya　took　a　breath　to　still　her　soul。　Calm　as　still　water。　She　glanced　at　the　outlaws　on　their　horses；　and　turned　her　horse's　head。　Now；　quick　as　a　snake；　she　thought；　as　she　slammed　her　heels　into　the　courser's　flank。　Right　between　Greenbeard　and　Jack…Be…Lucky　she　flew；　and　caught　one　glimpse　of　Gendry's　startled　face　as　his　mare　moved　out　of　her　way。　And　then　she　was　in　the　open　field；　and　running。
　North　or　south；　east　or　west；　that　made　no　matter　now。　She　could　find　the　way　to　Riverrun　later；　once　she'd　lost　them。　Arya　leaned　forward　in　the　saddle　and　urged　the　horse　to　a　gallop。　Behind　her　the　outlaws　were　cursing　and　shouting　at　her　to　e　back。　She　shut　her　ears　to　the　calls；　but　when　she　glanced　back　over　her　shoulder　four　of　them　were　ing　after　her；　Anguy　and　Harwin　and　Greenbeard　racing　side　by　side　with　Lem　farther　back；　his　big　yellow　cloak　flapping　behind　him　as　he　rode。　〃Swift　as　a　deer；〃　she　told　her　mount。　〃Run；　now；　run。〃
　Arya　dashed　across　brown　weedy　fields；　through　waist…high　grass　and　piles　of　dry　leaves　that　flurried　and　flew　when　her　horse　galloped　past。　There　were　woods　to　her　left；　she　saw。　I　can　lose　them　there。　A　dry　ditch　ran　along　one　side　of　the　field；　but　she　leapt　it　without　breaking　stride；　and　plunged　in　among　the　stand　of　elm　and　yew　and　birch　trees。　A　quick　peek　back　showed　Anguy　and　Harwin　still　hard　on　her　heels。　Greenbeard　had　fallen　behind；　though；　and　she　could　not　see　Lem　at　all。　〃Faster；〃　she　told　her　horse；　〃you　can；　you　can。〃
　Between　two　elms　she　rode；　and　never　paused　to　see　which　side　the　moss　was　growing　on。　She　leapt　a　rotten　log　and　swung　wide　around　a　monstrous　deadfall；　jagged　with　broken　branches。　Then　up　a　gentle　slope　and　down　the　other　side；　slowing　and　speeding　up　again；　her　horse's　shoes　striking　sparks　off　the　flintstones　underfoot。　At　the　top　of　the　hill　she　glanced　back。　Harwin　had　pushed　ahead　of　Anguy；　but　both　were　ing　hard。　Greenbeard　had　fallen　further　back　and　seemed　to　be　flagging。
　A　stream　barred　her　way。　She　splashed　down　into　it；　through　water　choked　with　wet　brown　leaves。　Some　clung　to　her　horse's　legs　as　they　climbed　the　other　side。　The　undergrowth　was　thicker　here；　the　ground　so　full　of　roots　and　rocks　that　she　had　to　slow；　but　she　kept　as　good　a　pace　as　she　dared。　Another　hill　before　her；　this　one　steeper。　Up　she　went；　and　down　again。　How　big　are　these　woods？　she　wondered。　She　had　the　faster　horse；　she　knew　that；　she　had　stolen　one　of　Roose　Bolton's　best　from　the　stables　at　Harrenhal；　but　his　speed　was　wasted　here。　I　need　to　find　the　fields　again。　I　need　to　find　a　road。　instead　she　found　a　game　trail。　It　was　narrow　and　uneven；　but　it　was　something。　She　raced　along　it；　branches　whipping　at　her　face。　One　snagged　her　hood　and　yanked　it　back；　and　for　half　a　heartbeat　she　feared　they　had　caught　her。　A　vixen　burst　from　the　brush　as　she　passed；　startled　by　the　fury　of　her　flight。　The　game　trail　brought　her　to　another　stream。　Or　was　it　the　same　one？　Had　she　gotten　turned　around？　There　was　no　time　to　puzzle　it　out；　she　could　hear　their　horses　crashing　through　the　trees　behind　her。　Thorns　scratched　at　her　face　like　the　cats　she　used　to　chase　in　King's　Landing。　Sparrows　exploded　from　the　branches　of　an　alder。　But　the　trees　were　thinning　now；　and　suddenly　she　was　out　of　them。　Broad　level　fields　stretched　before　her；　all　weeds　and　wild　wheat；　sodden　and　trampled。　Arya　kicked　her　horse　back　to　a　gallop。　Run；　she　thought；　run　for　Riverrun；　run　for　home。　Had　she　lost　them？　She　took　one　quick　look；　and　there　was　Harwin　six　yards　back　and　gaining。　No；　she　thought；　no；　he　can't；　not　him；　it　isn't　fair。
　Both　horses　were　lathered　and　flagging　by　the　time　he　came　up　beside　her；　reached　over；　and　grabbed　her　bridle。　Arya　was　breathing　hard　herself　then。　She　knew　the　fight　was　done。　〃You　ride　like　a　northman；　milady；〃　Harwin　said　when　he'd　drawn　them　to　a　halt。　〃Your　aunt　was　the　same。　Lady　Lyanna。　But　my　father　was　master　of　horse；　remember。〃
　The　look　she　gave　him　was　full　of　hurt。　〃I　thought　you　were　my　father's　man。〃
　〃Lord　Eddard's　dead；　milady。　I　belong　to　the　lightning　lord　now；　and　to　my　brothers。〃
　〃What　brothers？〃　Old　Hullen　had　fathered　no　other　sons　that　Arya　could　remember。
　〃Anguy；　Lem；　Tom　o'　Sevens；　Jack　and　Greenbeard；　all　of　them。　We　mean　your　brother　Robb　no　ill；　milady　。　。　。　but　it's　not　him　we　fight　for。　He　has　an　army　all　his　own；　and　many　a　great　lord　to　bend　the　knee。　The　smallfolk　have　only　us。〃　He　gave　her　a　searching　look。　〃Can　you　understand　what　I　am　telling　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃　That　he　was　not　Robb's　man；　she　understood　well　enough。　And　that　she　was　his　captive。　I　could　have　stayed　with　Hot　Pie。　We　could　have　taken　the　little　boat　and　sailed　it　up　to　Riverrun。　She　had　been　better　off　as　Squab。　No　one　would　take　Squab　captive；　or　Nan；　or　Weasel；　or　Arry　the　orphan　boy。　I　was　a　wolf；　she　thought；　but　now　I'm　just　some　stupid　little　lady　again。
　〃Will　you　ride　back　peaceful　now；〃　Harwin　asked　her；　〃or　must　I　tie　you　up　and　throw　you　across　your　horse？〃
　〃I'll　ride　peaceful；〃　she　said　sullenly。　For　now。
　
　CHAPTER　18
　SAMWELL
　
　Sobbing；　Sam　took　another　step。　This　is　the　last　one；　the　very　last；　I　can't　go　on；　I　can't。　But　his　feet　moved　again。　One　and　then　the　other。　They　took　a　step；　and　then　another；　and　he　thought；　They're　not　my　feet；　they're　someone　else's；　someone　else　is　walking；　it　can't　be　me。
　When　he　looked　down　he　could　see　them　stumbling　through　the　snow；　shapeless　things；　and　clumsy。　His　boots　had　been　black；　he　seemed　to　remember；　but　the　snow　had　caked　around　them；　and　now　they　were　misshapen　white　balls。　Like　two　clubfeet　made　of　ice。
　It　would　not　stop；　the　snow。　The　drifts　were　up　past　his　knees；　and　a　crust　covered　his　lower　legs　like　a　pair　of　white　greaves。　His　steps　were　dragging；　lurching。　The　heavy　pack　he　carried　made　him　look　l