grrm.astormofswords-第121节

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l　the　air　was　filled　with　flakes　of　rust；　but　the　iron　door　would　not　budge。　The　one　down　to　the　undervault　was　no　more　acmodating。　〃No　way　in；〃　said　Meera；　shrugging。
　The　murder　hole　was　just　above　Bran's　head；　as　he　sat　in　his　basket　on　Hodor's　back。　He　reached　up　and　grabbed　the　bars　to　give　them　a　try。　When　he　pulled　down　the　grating　came　out　of　the　ceiling　in　a　cascade　of　rust　and　crumbling　stone。　〃HODOR！〃　Hodor　shouted。　The　heavy　iron　grate　gave　Bran　another　bang　in　the　head；　and　crashed　down　near　Jojen's　feet　when　he　shoved　it　off　of　him。　Meera　laughed。　〃Look　at　that；　my　prince；〃　she　said；　〃you're　stronger　than　Hodor。〃　Bran　blushed。
　With　the　grate　gone；　Hodor　was　able　to　boost　Meera　and　Jojen　up　through　the　gaping　murder　hole。　The　crannogmen　took　Bran　by　the　arms　and　drew　him　up　after　them。　Getting　Hodor　inside　was　the　hard　part。　He　was　too　heavy　for　the　Reeds　to　lift　the　way　they'd　lifted　Bran。　Finally　Bran　told　him　to　go　look　for　some　big　rocks。　The　island　had　no　lack　of　those；　and　Hodor　was　able　to　pile　them　high　enough　to　grab　the　crumbling　edges　of　the　hole　and　climb　through。　〃Hodor；　〃　he　panted　happily；　grinning　at　all　of　them。
　They　found　themselves　in　a　maze　of　small　cells；　dark　and　empty；　but　Meera　explored　until　she　found　the　way　back　to　the　steps。　The　higher　they　climbed；　the　better　the　light；　on　the　third　story　the　thick　outer　wall　was　pierced　by　arrow　slits；　the　fourth　had　actual　windows；　and　the　fifth　and　highest　was　one　big　round　chamber　with　arched　doors　on　three　sides　opening　onto　small　stone　balconies。　On　the　fourth　side　was　a　privy　chamber　perched　above　a　sewer　chute　that　dropped　straight　down　into　the　lake。
　By　the　time　they　reached　the　roof　the　sky　was　pletely　overcast；　and　the　clouds　to　the　west　were　black。　The　wind　was　blowing　so　strong　it　lifted　up　Bran's　cloak　and　made　it　flap　and　snap。　〃Hodor；〃　Hodor　said　at　the　noise。
　Meera　spun　in　a　circle。　〃I　feel　almost　a　giant；　standing　high　above　the　world。〃
　〃There　are　trees　in　the　Neck　that　stand　twice　as　tall　as　this；〃　her　brother　reminded　her。
　〃Aye；　but　they　have　other　trees　around　them　just　as　high；〃　said　Meera。　〃The　world　presses　close　in　the　Neck；　and　the　sky　is　so　much　smaller。　Here　。　。　。　feel　that　wind；　Brother？　And　look　how　large　the　world　has　grown。〃
　It　was　true；　you　could　see　a　long　ways　from　up　here。　To　the　south　the　foothills　rose；　with　the　mountains　grey　and　green　beyond　them。　The　rolling　plains　of　the　New　Gift　stretched　away　to　all　the　other　directions；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。　〃I　was　hoping　we　could　see　the　Wall　from　here；〃　said　Bran；　disappointed。　〃That　was　stupid；　we　must　still　be　fifty　leagues　away。〃　just　speaking　of　it　made　him　feel　tired；　and　cold　as　well。　〃Jojen；　what　will　we　do　when　we　reach　the　Wall？　My　uncle　always　said　how　big　it　was。　Seven　hundred　feet　high；　and　so　thick　at　the　base　that　the　gates　are　more　like　tunnels　through　the　ice。　How　are　we　going　to　get　past　to　find　the　three…eyed　crow？〃
　〃There　are　abandoned　castles　along　the　Wall；　I've　heard；〃　Jojen　answered。　〃Fortresses　built　by　the　Night's　Watch　but　now　left　empty。　One　of　them　may　give　us　our　way　through。〃
　The　ghost　castles；　Old　Nan　had　called　them。　Maester　Luwin　had　once　made　Bran　learn　the　names　of　every　one　of　the　forts　along　the　Wall。　That　had　been　hard；　there　were　nineteen　of　them　all　told；　though　no　more　than　seventeen　had　ever　been　manned　at　any　one　time。　At　the　feast　in　honor　of　King　Robert's　visit　to　Winterfell；　Bran　had　recited　the　names　for　his　uncle　Benjen；　east　to　west　and　then　west　to　east。　Benjen　Stark　had　laughed　and　said；　〃You　know　them　better　than　I　do；　Bran。　Perhaps　you　should　be　First　Ranger。　I'll　stay　here　in　your　place。〃　That　was　before　Bran　fell；　though。　Before　he　was　broken。　By　the　time　he'd　woken　crippled　from　his　sleep；　his　uncle　had　gone　back　to　Castle　Black。
　〃My　uncle　said　the　gates　were　sealed　with　ice　and　stone　whenever　a　castle　had　to　be　abandoned；〃　said　Bran。
　〃Then　we'll　have　to　open　them　again；〃　said　Meera。
　That　made　him　uneasy。　〃We　shouldn't　do　that。　Bad　things　might　e　through　from　the　other　side。　We　should　just　go　to　Castle　Black　and　tell　the　Lord　mander　to　let　us　pass。〃
　〃Your　Grace；〃　said　Jojen；　〃we　must　avoid　Castle　Black；　just　as　we　avoided　the　kingsroad。　There　are　hundreds　of　men　there。〃
　〃Men　of　the　Night's　Watch；〃　said　Bran。　〃They　say　vows；　to　take　no　part　in　wars　and　stuff。〃
　〃Aye；〃　said　Jojen；　〃but　one　man　willing　to　forswear　himself　would　be　enough　to　sell　your　secret　to　the　ironmen　or　the　Bastard　of　Bolton。　And　we　cannot　be　certain　that　the　Watch　would　agree　to　let　us　pass。　They　might　decide　to　hold　us　or　send　us　back。〃
　〃But　my　father　was　a　friend　of　the　Night's　Watch；　and　my　uncle　is　First　Ranger。　He　might　know　where　the　three…eyed　crow　lives。　And　Jon's　at　Castle　Black　too。〃　Bran　had　been　hoping　to　see　Jon　again；　and　their　uncle　too。　The　last　black　brothers　to　visit　Winterfell　said　that　Benjen　Stark　had　vanished　on　a　ranging；　but　surely　he　would　have　made　his　way　back　by　now。　〃I　bet　the　Watch　would　even　give　us　horses；〃　he　went　on。
　〃Quiet。〃　Jojen　shaded　his　eyes　with　a　hand　and　gazed　off　toward　the　setting　sun。　〃Look。　There's　something　。　。　。　a　rider；　I　think。　Do　you　see　him？〃
　Bran　shaded　his　eyes　as　well；　and　even　so　he　had　to　squint。　He　saw　nothing　at　first；　till　some　movement　made　him　turn。　At　first　he　thought　it　might　be　Summer；　but　no。　A　man　on　a　horse。　He　was　too　far　away　to　see　much　else。
　〃Hodor？〃　Hodor　had　put　a　hand　over　his　eyes　as　well；　only　he　was　looking　the　wrong　way。　〃Hodor？〃
　〃He　is　in　no　haste；〃　said　Meera；　〃but　he's　making　for　this　village；　it　seems　to　me。〃
　〃We　had　best　go　inside；　before　we're　seen；〃　said　Jojen。
　〃Summer's　near　the　village；〃　Bran　objected。
　〃Summer　will　be　fine；〃　Meera　promised。　〃It's　only　one　man　on　a　tired　horse。〃
　A　few　fat　wet　drops　began　to　patter　against　the　stone　as　they　retreated　to　the　floor　below。　That　was　well　timed；　the　rain　began　to　fall　in　earnest　a　short　time　later。　Even　through　the　thick　walls　they　could　hear　it　lashing　against　the　surface　of　the　lake。　They　sat　on　the　floor　in　the　round　empty　room；　amidst　gathering　gloom。　The　north…facing　balcony　looked　out　toward　the　abandoned　village。　Meera　crept　out　on　her　belly　to　peer　across　the　lake　and　see　what　had　bee　of　the　horseman。　〃He's　taken　shelter　in　the　ruins　of　the　inn；〃　she　told　them　when　she　came　back。　〃it　looks　as　though　he's　making　a　fire　in　the　hearth。〃
　〃I　wish　we　could　have　a　fire；〃　Bran　said。　〃I'm　cold。　There's　broken　furniture　down　the　stairs；　I　saw　it。　We　could　have　Hodor　chop　it　up　and　get　warm。〃
　Hodor　liked　that　idea。　〃Hodor；〃　he　said　hopefully。
　Jojen　shook　his　head。　〃Fire　means　smoke。　Smoke　from　this　tower　could　be　seen　a　long　way　off。〃
　〃If　there　were　anyone　to　see；〃　his　sister　argued。
　〃There's　a　man　in　the　village。〃
　〃One　man。〃
　〃One　man　would　be　enough　to　betray　Bran　to　his　enemies；　if　he's　the　wrong　man。　We　still　have　half　a　duck　from　yesterday。　We　should　eat　and　rest。　e　morning　the　man　will　go　on　his　way；　and　we　will　do　the　same。〃
　Jojen　had　his　way；　he　always　did。　Meera　divided　the　duck　between　the　four　of　them。　She'd　caught　it　in　her　net　the　day　before；　as　it　tried　to　rise　from　the　marsh　where　she'd　surprised　it。　It　wasn't　as　tasty　cold　as　it　had　been　hot　and　crisp　from　the　spit；　but　at　least　they　did　not　go　hungry。　Bran　and　Meera　shared　the　breast　while　Jojen　ate　the　thigh。　Hodor　devoured　the　wing　and　leg；　muttering　〃Hodor〃　and　licking　the　grease　off　his　fingers　after　every　bite。　It　was　Bran's　turn　to　tell　a　story；　so　he　told　them　about　another　Brandon　Stark；　the　one　called　Brandon　the　Shipwright；　who　had　sailed　off　beyond　the　Sunset　Sea。
　Dusk　was　settling　by　the　time　duck　and　tale　were　done；　and　the　rain　still　fell。　Bran　wondered　how　far　Summer　had　roamed　and　whether　he　had　caught　one　of　the　deer。
　Grey　gloom　filled　the　tower；　and　slowly　changed　to　darkness。　Hodor　grew　restless　and　walked　awhile；　striding　round　and　round　the　walls　and　stopping　to　peer　into　the　privy　on　every　circuit；　as　if　he　had　forgotten　what　was　in　there。　Jojen　stood　by　the　north　balcony；　hidden　by　the　shadows；　looking　out　at　the　night　and　the　rain。　Somewhere　to　the　north　a　lightning　bolt　crackled　across　the　sky；　brightening　the　inside　of　the　tower　for　an　instant。　Hodor　jumped　and　made　a　frightened　noise。　Bran　counted　to　eight；　waiting　for　the　thunder。　When　it　came；　Hodor　shouted；　〃Hodor！〃
　I　hope　Summer　isn't　scared　too；　Bran　thought。　The　dogs　in　Winterfell's　kennels　had　always　been　spooked　by　thunderstorms；　just　like　Hodor。　I　should　go　see；　to　calm　him　。　。　。
　The　lightning　flashed　again；　and　this　time　the　thunder　came　at　six。　〃Hodor！〃　Hodor　yelled　again。　〃HODOR！　HODOR！〃　He　snatched　up　his　sword；　as　if　to　fight　the　storm。
　Jojen　said；　〃Be　quiet；　Hodor。　Bran；　tell　him　not　to　shout。　Can　you　get　the　sword　away　from　him；　Meera？〃
　〃I　can　try。〃
　〃Hodor；　hush；〃　said　Bran。　〃Be　quiet　now。　No　more　stupid　hodoring。　Sit　down。〃
　〃Hodor？〃　He　gave　the　longsword　to　Meera　meekly　enough；　but　his　face　was　a　mask　of　confusion。
　Jojen　turned　back　to　the　darkness；　and　they　all　heard　him　suck　in　his　breath。　〃What　is　it？〃　Meera　asked。
　〃Men　in　the　village。〃
　〃The　man　we　saw　before？〃
　〃Other　men。　Armed。　I　saw　an　axe；　and　spears　as　well。〃　Joien　had　never　sou