grrm.astormofswords-第101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！


gs…beyond…the…Wall　have　failed　before　him。　And　when　he　does；　you'll　die。　All　of　you。〃
　Ygritte　had　looked　so　angry　he　thought　she　was　about　to　strike　him。　〃All　of　us；〃　she　said。　〃You　too。　You're　no　crow　now；　Jon　Snow。　I　swore　you　weren't；　so　you　better　not　be。〃　She　pushed　him　back　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree　and　kissed　him；　full　on　the　lips　right　there　in　the　midst　of　the　ragged　column。　Jon　heard　Grigg　the　Goat　urging　her　on。　Someone　else　laughed。　He　kissed　her　back　despite　all　that。　When　they　finally　broke　apart；　Ygritte　was　flushed。　〃You're　mine；〃　she　whispered。　〃Mine；　as　I'm　yours。　And　if　we　die；　we　die。　All　men　must　die；　Jon　Snow。　But　first　we'll　live。〃
　〃Yes。〃　His　voice　was　thick。　〃First　we'll　live。〃
　She　grinned　at　that；　showing　Jon　the　crooked　teeth　that　he　had　somehow　e　to　love。　Wildling　to　the　bone；　he　thought　again；　with　a　sick　sad　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　He　flexed　the　fingers　of　his　sword　hand；　and　wondered　what　Ygritte　would　do　if　she　knew　his　heart。　Would　she　betray　him　if　he　sat　her　down　and　told　her　that　he　was　still　Ned　Stark's　son　and　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch？　He　hoped　not；　but　he　dare　not　take　that　risk。　Too　many　lives　depended　on　his　somehow　reaching　Castle　Black　before　the　Magnar　。　。　。　assuming　he　found　a　chance　to　escape　the　wildlings。
　They　had　descended　the　south　face　of　the　Wall　at　Greyguard；　abandoned　for　two　hundred　years。　A　section　of　the　huge　stone　steps　had　collapsed　a　century　before；　but　even　so　the　descent　was　a　good　deal　easier　than　the　climb。　From　there　Styr　marched　them　deep　into　the　Gift；　to　avoid　the　Watch's　customary　patrols。　Grigg　the　Goat　led　them　past　the　few　inhabited　villages　that　remained　in　these　lands。　Aside　from　a　few　scattered　roundtowers　poking　the　sky　like　stone　fingers；　they　saw　no　sign　of　man。　Through　cold　wet　hills　and　windy　plains　they　marched；　unwatched；　unseen。
　You　must　not　balk；　whatever　is　asked　of　you；　the　Halfhand　had　said。　Ride　with　them；　eat　with　them；　fight　with　them；　for　as　long　as　it　takes。　He'd　ridden　many　leagues　and　walked　for　more；　had　shared　their　bread　and　salt；　and　Ygritte's　blankets　as　well；　but　still　they　did　not　trust　him。　Day　and　night　the　Therms　watched　him；　alert　for　any　signs　of　betrayal。　He　could　not　get　away；　and　soon　it　would　be　too　late。
　Fight　with　them；　Qhorin　had　said；　before　he　surrendered　his　own　life　to　Longclaw　。　。　。　but　it　had　not　e　to　that；　till　now。　Once　I　shed　a　brother's　blood　I　am　lost。　I　cross　the　Wall　for　good　then；　and　there　is　no　crossing　back。
　After　each　day's　march　the　Magnar　summoned　him　to　ask　shrewd　sharp　questions　about　Castle　Black；　its　garrison　and　defenses。　Jon　lied　where　he　dared　and　feigned　ignorance　a　few　times；　but　Grigg　the　Goat　and　Errok　listened　as　well；　and　they　knew　enough　to　make　Jon　careful。　Too　blatant　a　lie　would　betray　him。
　But　the　truth　was　terrible。　Castle　Black　had　no　defenses；　but　for　the　Wall　itself。　It　lacked　even　wooden　palisades　or　earthen　dikes。　The　〃castle〃　was　nothing　more　than　a　cluster　of　towers　and　keeps；　two…thirds　of　them　falling　into　ruin。　As　for　the　garrison；　the　Old　Bear　had　taken　two　hundred　on　his　ranging。　Had　any　returned？　Jon　could　not　know。　Perhaps　four　hundred　remained　at　the　castle；　but　most　of　those　were　builders　or　stewards；　not　rangers。
　The　Therms　were　hardened　warriors；　and　more　disciplined　than　the　mon　run　of　wildling；　no　doubt　that　was　why　Mance　had　chosen　them。　The　defenders　of　Castle　Black　would　include　blind　Maester　Aemon　and　his　half…blind　steward　Clydas；　one…armed　Donal　Noye；　drunken　Septon　Cellador；　Deaf　Dick　Follard；　Three…Finger　Hobb　the　cook；　old　Ser　Wynton　Stout；　as　well　as　Halder　and　Toad　and　Pyp　and　Albett　and　the　rest　of　the　boys　who'd　trained　with　Jon。　And　manding　them　would　be　red…faced　Bowen　Marsh；　the　plump　Lord　Steward　who　had　been　made　castellan　in　Lord　Mormont's　absence。　Dolorous　Edd　sometimes　called　Marsh　〃the　Old　Pomegranate；〃　which　fit　him　just　as　well　as　〃the　Old　Bear〃　fit　Mon　mont。　〃He's　the　man　you　want　in　front　when　the　foes　are　in　the　field；〃　Edd　would　say　in　his　usual　dour　voice。　〃He'll　count　them　right　up　for　you。　A　regular　demon　for　counting；　that　one。〃
　If　the　Magnar　takes　Castle　Black　unawares；　it　will　be　red　slaughter；　boys　butchered　in　their　beds　before　they　know　they　are　under　attack。　Jon　had　to　warn　them；　but　how？　He　was　never　sent　out　to　forage　or　hunt；　nor　allowed　to　stand　a　watch　alone。　And　he　feared　for　Ygritte　as　well。　He　could　not　take　her；　but　if　he　left　her；　would　the　Magnar　make　her　answer　for　his　treachery？　Two　hearts　that　beat　as　one　。　。　。
　They　shared　the　same　sleeping　skins　every　night；　and　he　went　to　sleep　with　her　head　against　his　chest　and　her　red　hair　tickling　his　chin。　The　smell　of　her　had　bee　a　part　of　him。　Her　crooked　teeth；　the　feel　of　her　breast　when　he　cupped　it　in　his　hand；　the　taste　of　her　mouth　。　。　。　they　were　his　joy　and　his　despair。　Many　a　night　he　lay　with　Ygritte　warm　beside　him；　wondering　if　his　lord　father　had　felt　this　confused　about　his　mother；　whoever　she　had　been。　Ygritte　set　the　trap　and　Mance　Rayder　pushed　me　into　it。
　Every　day　he　spent　among　the　wildlings　made　what　he　had　to　do　that　much　harder。　He　was　going　to　have　to　find　some　way　to　betray　these　men；　and　when　he　did　they　would　die。　He　did　not　want　their　friendship；　any　more　than　he　wanted　Ygritte's　love。　And　yet　。　。　。　the　Therms　spoke　the　Old　Tongue　and　seldom　talked　to　Jon　at　all；　but　it　was　different　with　Jarl's　raiders；　the　men　who'd　climbed　the　Wall。　Jon　was　ing　to　know　them　despite　himself：　gaunt；　quiet　Errok　and　gregarious　Grigg　the　Goat；　the　boys　Quort　and　Bodger；　Hempen　Dan　the　ropernaker。　The　worst　of　the　lot　was　Del；　a　horsefaced　youth　near　Jon's　own　age；　who　would　talk　dreamily　of　this　wildling　girl　he　meant　to　steal。　〃She's　lucky；　like　your　Ygritte。　She's　kissed　by　fire。〃
　Jon　had　to　bite　his　tongue。　He　didn't　want　to　know　about　Del's　girl　or　Bodger's　mother；　the　place　by　the　sea　that　Henk　the　Helm　came　from；　how　Grigg　yearned　to　visit　the　green　men　on　the　isle　of　Faces；　or　the　time　a　moose　had　chased　Toefinger　up　a　tree。　He　didn't　want　to　hear　about　the　boil　on　Big　Boil's　arse；　how　much　ale　Stone　Thumbs　could　drink；　or　how　Quort's　little　brother　had　begged　him　not　to　go　with　Jarl。　Quort　could　not　have　been　older　than　fourteen；　though　he'd　already　stolen　himself　a　wife　and　had　a　child　on　the　way。　〃Might　be　he'll　be　born　in　some　castle；〃　the　boy　boasted。　〃Born　in　a　castle　like　a　lord！〃　He　was　very　taken　with　the　〃castles〃　they'd　seen；　by　which　he　meant　watchtowers。
　Jon　wondered　where　Ghost　was　now。　Had　he　gone　to　Castle　Black；　or　was　he　was　running　with　some　wolfpack　in　the　woods？　He　had　no　sense　of　the　direwolf；　not　even　in　his　dreams。　It　made　him　feel　as　if　part　of　himself　had　been　cut　off。　Even　with　Ygritte　sleeping　beside　him；　he　felt　alone。　He　did　not　want　to　die　alone。
　By　that　afternoon　the　trees　had　begun　to　thin；　and　they　marched　east　over　gently　rolling　plains。　Grass　rose　waist　high　around　them；　and　stands　of　wild　wheat　swayed　gently　when　the　wind　came　gusting；　but　for　the　most　part　the　day　was　warm　and　bright。　Toward　sunset；　however；　clouds　began　to　threaten　in　the　west。　They　soon　engulfed　the　orange　sun；　and　Lerm　foretold　a　bad　storm　ing。　His　mother　was　a　woods　witch；　so　all　the　raiders　agreed　he　had　a　gift　for　foretelling　the　weather。　〃There's　a　village　close；〃　Grigg　the　Goat　told　the　Magnar。　〃Two　miles；　three。　We　could　shelter　there。〃　Styr　agreed　at　once。
　It　was　well　past　dark　and　the　storm　was　raging　by　the　time　they　reached　the　place。　The　village　sat　beside　a　lake；　and　had　been　so　long　abandoned　that　most　of　the　houses　had　collapsed。　Even　the　small　timber　inn　that　must　once　have　been　a　wele　sight　for　travelers　stood　half…fallen　and　roofless。　We　will　find　scant　shelter　here；　Jon　thought　gloomily。　Whenever　the　lightning　flashed　he　could　see　a　stone　roundtower　rising　from　an　island　out　in　the　lake；　but　without　boats　they　had　no　way　to　reach　it。
　Errok　and　Del　had　crept　ahead　to　scout　the　ruins；　but　Del　was　back　almost　at　once。　Styr　halted　the　column　and　sent　a　dozen　of　his　Therms　trotting　forward；　spears　in　hand。　By　then　Jon　had　seen　it　too：　the　glimmer　of　a　fire；　reddening　the　chimney　of　the　inn。　We　are　not　alone。　Dread　coiled　inside　him　like　a　snake。　He　heard　a　horse　neigh；　and　then　shouts。　Ride　with　them；　eat　with　them；　fight　with　them；　Qhorin　had　said。
　But　the　fighting　was　done。　〃There's　only　one　of　them；〃　Errok　said　when　he　came　back。　〃An　old　man　with　a　horse。〃
　The　Magnar　shouted　mands　in　the　Old　Tongue　and　a　score　of　his　Therms　spread　out　to　establish　a　perimeter　around　the　village；　whilst　others　went　prowling　through　the　houses　to　make　certain　no　one　else　was　hiding　amongst　the　weeds　and　tumbled　stones。　The　rest　crowded　into　the　roofless　inn；　jostling　each　other　to　get　closer　to　the　hearth。　The　broken　branches　the　old　man　had　been　burning　seemed　to　generate　more　smoke　than　heat；　but　any　warmth　was　wele　on　such　a　wild　rainy　night。　Two　of　the　Therms　had　thrown　the　man　to　the　ground　and　were　going　through　his　things。　Another　held　his　horse；　while　three　more　looted　his　saddlebags。
　Jon　walked　away。　A　rotten　apple　squished　beneath　his　heel。　Styr　will　kill　him。　The　Magnar　had　said　as　much　at　Greyguard；　any　kneelers　they　met　were　to　be　put　to　death　at　once；　to　make　certain　they　could　not　raise　the　alarm。　Ride　with　them；　eat　with　them；　fight　with　them。　Did　that　mean　he　must　stand　mute　and　helpless　while　they　slit　an　old　man's　throat？
　Near　the　edge　of　the　village；　Jon　came　face…to…face　with　one　of　the　guards　Styr　had　posted。　The　Therm　growled　something　in　the　Old　Tongue　and　pointed　his　spear　back　toward　the　inn。　Get　back　where　you　belong；　Jon　guessed。　But　where　is　that？
　He　walked　towards　the　water；　and　discovered　an　almost　dry　spot　beneath　the　leaning　daub…and…wattle　wall　of　a　tumbledown　cottage　that　had　mostly　tumbled　down。　That　was　where　Ygritte　found　him　sitting；　staring　off　across　the　rain…whipped　lake。　〃I　know　this　place；〃　he　told　her　when　she　sat　beside　him。　〃That　tower　。　。　。　look　at　the　top　of　it　the　next　time　the　lightning　flashes；　and　tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　〃Aye；　if　you　like；〃　she　said；　and　then；　〃Some　o'　the　Therms　are　saying　they　heard　noises　out　there。　Shouting；　they　say。〃
　〃Thunder。〃
　〃They　say　shouting。　Might　be　it's　ghosts。〃
　The　holdfast　did　have　a　grim　haunted　look；　standing　there　black　against　the　storm　on　its　rocky　island　with　the　rain　lashing　at　the　lake　all　around　it。　〃We　could　go　out　and　take　a　look；〃　he　suggested。　〃I　doubt　we　could　get　much　wetter　than　we　are。〃
　〃Swimming？　In　the　storm？〃　She　laughed　at　the　notion。　〃Is　this　a　trick　t'　get　the　clothes　off　me；　Jon　Snow？〃
　〃Do　I　need　a　trick　for　that　now？〃　he　teased。　〃Or　is　that　you　can't　swim　a　stroke？〃　Jon　was　a　strong　swimmer　himself；　having　learned　the　art　as　a　boy　in　Winterfell's　great　moat。
　Ygritte　punched　his　arm。　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　I'm　half　a　fish；　I'll　have　you　know。〃
　〃Half　fish；　half　goat；　half　horse　。　。　。　there's　too　many　halves　to　you；　Ygritte。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃We　wouldn't　need　to　swim；　if　this　is　the　place　I　think。　We　could　walk。〃
　She　pulled　back　and　gave　him　a　look。　〃Walk　on　water？　What　southron　sorcery　is　that？〃
　〃No　sorc…〃　he　began；　as　a　huge　bolt　of　lightning　stabbed　down　from　the　sky　and　touched　the　surface　of　the　lake。　For　half　a　heartbeat　the　world　was　n