grrm.astormofswords-第125节

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　〃Do　it；　Jon　Snow；〃　Ygritte　urged。　〃You　must。　To　prove　you　are　no　crow；　but　one　o'　the　free　folk。〃
　〃An　old　man　sitting　by　a　fire？〃
　〃Orell　was　sitting　by　a　fire　too。　You　killed　him　quick　enough。〃　The　look　she　gave　him　then　was　hard。　〃You　meant　t'　kill　me　too；　till　you　saw　I　was　a　woman。　And　I　was　asleep。〃
　〃That　was　different。　You　were　soldiers　。　。　。　sentries。〃
　〃Aye；　and　you　crows　didn't　want　to　be　seen。　No　moren　we　do；　now。　It's　just　the　same。　Kill　him。〃
　He　turned　his　back　on　the　man。　〃No。〃
　The　Magnar　moved　closer；　tall；　cold；　and　dangerous。　〃I　say　yes。　I　mand　here。〃
　〃You　mand　Therms；〃　Jon　told　him；　〃not　free　folk。〃
　〃I　see　no　free　folk。　I　see　a　crow　and　a　crow　wife。〃
　〃I'm　no　crow　wife！〃　Ygritte　snatched　her　knife　from　its　sheath。　Three　quick　strides；　and　she　yanked　the　old　man's　head　back　by　the　hair　and　opened　his　throat　from　ear　to　ear。　Even　in　death；　the　man　did　not　cry　out。　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow！〃　she　shouted　at　him；　and　flung　the　bloody　blade　at　his　feet。
　The　Magnar　said　something　in　the　Old　Tongue。　He　might　have　been　telling　the　Therms　to　kill　Jon　where　he　stood；　but　he　would　never　know　the　truth　of　that。　Lightning　crashed　down　from　the　sky；　a　searing　bluewhite　bolt　that　touched　the　top　of　the　tower　in　the　lake。　They　could　smell　the　fury　of　it；　and　when　the　thunder　came　it　seemed　to　shake　the　night。
　And　death　leapt　down　amongst　them。
　The　lightning　flash　left　Jon　night…blind；　but　he　glimpsed　the　hurtling　shadow　half　a　heartbeat　before　he　heard　the　shriek。　The　first　Therm　died　as　the　old　man　had；　blood　gushing　from　his　torn　throat。　Then　the　light　was　gone　and　the　shape　was　spinning　away；　snarling；　and　another　man　went　down　in　the　dark。　There　were　curses；　shouts；　howls　of　pain。　Jon　saw　Big　Boil　stumble　backward　and　knock　down　three　men　behind　him。　Ghost；　he　thought　for　one　mad　instant。　Ghost　leapt　the　Wall。　Then　the　lightning　turned　the　night　to　day；　and　he　saw　the　wolf　standing　on　Del's　chest；　blood　running　black　from　his　jaws。　Grey。　He's　grey。
　Darkness　descended　with　the　thunderclap。　The　Therms　were　jabbing　with　their　spears　as　the　wolf　darted　between　them。　The　old　man's　mare　reared；　maddened　by　the　smell　of　slaughter；　and　lashed　out　with　her　hooves。　Longclaw　was　still　in　his　hand。　All　at　once　Jon　Snow　knew　he　would　never　get　a　better　chance。
　He　cut　down　the　first　man　as　he　turned　toward　the　wolf；　shoved　past　a　second；　slashed　at　a　third。　Through　the　madness　he　heard　someone　call　his　name；　but　whether　it　was　Ygritte　or　the　Magnar　he　could　not　say。　The　Thenn　fighting　to　control　the　horse　never　saw　him。　Longclaw　was　feather…light。　He　swung　at　the　back　of　the　man's　calf；　and　felt　the　steel　bite　down　to　the　bone。　When　the　wildling　fell　the　mare　bolted；　but　somehow　Jon　managed　to　grab　her　mane　with　his　off　hand　and　vault　himself　onto　her　back。　A　hand　closed　round　his　ankle；　and　he　hacked　down　and　saw　Bodger's　face　dissolve　in　a　welter　of　blood。　The　horse　reared；　lashing　out。　one　hoof　caught　a　Thenn　in　the　temple；　with　a　crunch。
　And　then　they　were　running。　Jon　made　no　effort　to　guide　the　horse。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　stay　on　her　as　they　plunged　through　mud　and　rain　and　thunder。　Wet　grass　whipped　at　his　face　and　a　spear　flew　past　his　ear。　If　the　horse　stumbles　and　breaks　a　leg；　they　will　run　me　down　and　kill　me；　he　thought；　but　the　old　gods　were　with　him　and　the　horse　did　not　stumble。　Lightning　shivered　through　the　black　dome　of　sky；　and　thunder　rolled　across　the　plains。　The　shouts　dwindled　and　died　behind　him。
　Long　hours　later；　the　rain　stopped。　Jon　found　himself　alone　in　a　sea　of　tall　black　grass。　There　was　a　deep　throbbing　ache　in　his　right　thigh。　When　he　looked　down；　he　was　surprised　to　see　an　arrow　jutting　out　the　back　of　it。　When　did　that　happen？　He　grabbed　hold　of　the　shaft　and　gave　it　a　tug；　but　the　arrowhead　was　sunk　deep　in　the　meat　of　his　leg；　and　the　pain　when　he　pulled　on　it　was　excruciating。　He　tried　to　think　back　on　the　madness　at　the　inn；　but　all　he　could　remember　was　the　beast；　gaunt　and　grey　and　terrible。　It　was　too　large　to　be　a　mon　wolf。　A　direwolf；　then。　It　had　to　be。　He　had　never　seen　an　animal　move　so　fast。　Like　a　grey　wind　。　。　。　Could　Robb　have　returned　to　the　north？
　Jon　shook　his　head。　He　had　no　answers。　It　was　too　hard　to　think　。　。　。　about　the　wolf；　the　old　man；　Ygritte；　any　of　it　。　。　。
　Clumsily；　he　slid　down　off　the　mare's　back。　His　wounded　leg　buckled　under　him；　and　he　had　to　swallow　a　scream。　This　is　going　to　be　agony。　The　arrow　had　to　e　out；　though；　and　nothing　good　could　e　of　waiting。　Jon　curled　his　hand　around　the　fletching；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　shoved　the　arrow　forward。　He　grunted；　then　cursed。　It　hurt　so　much　he　had　to　stop。　I　am　bleeding　like　a　butchered　pig；　he　thought；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　for　it　until　the　arrow　was　out。　He　grimaced　and　tried　again　。　。　。　and　soon　stopped　again；　trembling。　Once　more。　This　time　he　screamed；　but　when　he　was　done　the　arrowhead　was　poking　through　the　front　of　his　thigh。　Jon　pushed　back　his　bloody　breeches　to　get　a　better　grip；　grimaced；　and　slowly　drew　the　shaft　through　his　leg。　How　he　got　through　that　without　fainting　he　never　knew。
　He　lay　on　the　ground　afterward；　clutching　his　prize　and　bleeding　quietly；　too　weak　to　move。　After　a　while；　he　realized　that　if　he　did　not　make　himself　move　he　was　like　to　bleed　to　death。　Jon　crawled　to　the　shallow　stream　where　the　mare　was　drinking；　washed　his　thigh　in　the　cold　water；　and　bound　it　tight　with　a　strip　of　cloth　torn　from　his　cloak。　He　washed　the　arrow　too；　turning　it　in　his　hands。　Was　the　fletching　grey；　or　white？　Ygritte　fletched　her　arrows　with　pale　grey　goose　feathers。　Did　she　loose　a　shaft　at　me　as　I　fled？　Jon　could　not　blame　her　for　that。　He　wondered　if　she'd　been　aiming　for　him　or　the　horse。　If　the　mare　had　gone　down；　he　would　have　been　doomed。　〃A　lucky　thing　my　leg　got　in　the　way；〃　he　muttered。
　He　rested　for　a　while　to　let　the　horse　graze。　She　did　not　wander　far。　That　was　good。　Hobbled　with　a　bad　leg；　he　could　never　have　caught　her。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　force　himself　back　to　his　feet　and　climb　onto　her　back。　How　did　I　ever　mount　her　before；　without　saddle　or　stirrups；　and　a　sword　in　one　hand？　That　was　another　question　he　could　not　answer。
　Thunder　rumbled　softly　in　the　distance；　but　above　him　the　clouds　were　breaking　up。　Jon　searched　the　sky　until　he　found　the　Ice　Dragon；　then　turned　the　mare　north　for　the　Wall　and　Castle　Black。　The　throb　of　pain　in　his　thigh　muscle　made　him　wince　as　he　put　his　heels　into　the　old　man's　horse。　I　am　going　home；　he　told　himself。　But　if　that　was　true；　why　did　he　feel　so　hollow？
　He　rode　till　dawn；　while　the　stars　stared　down　like　eyes。
　
　CHAPTER　42
　DAENERYS
　
　Her　Dothraki　scouts　had　told　her　how　it　was；　but　Dany　wanted　to　see　for　herself。　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　rode　with　her　through　a　birchwood　forest　and　up　a　slanting　sandstone　ridge。　〃Near　enough；〃　he　warned　her　at　the　crest。
　Dany　reined　in　her　mare　and　looked　across　the　fields；　to　where　the　Yunkish　host　lay　athwart　her　path。　Whitebeard　had　been　teaching　her　how　best　to　count　the　numbers　of　a　foe。　〃Five　thousand；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。
　〃I'd　say　so。〃　Ser　Jorah　pointed。　〃Those　are　sellswords　on　the　flanks。　Lances　and　mounted　bowmen；　with　swords　and　axes　for　the　close　work。　The　Second　Sons　on　the　left　wing；　the　Stormcrows　to　the　right。　About　five　hundred　men　apiece。　See　the　banners？〃
　Yunkai's　harpy　grasped　a　whip　and　iron　collar　in　her　talons　instead　of　a　length　of　chain。　But　the　sellswords　flew　their　own　standards　beneath　those　of　the　city　they　served：　on　the　right　four　crows　between　crossed　thunderbolts；　on　the　left　a　broken　sword。　〃The　Yunkai'i　hold　the　center　themselves；〃　Dany　noted。　Their　officers　looked　indistinguishable　from　Astapor's　at　a　distance；　tall　bright　helms　and　cloaks　sewn　with　flashing　copper　disks。　〃Are　those　slave　soldiers　they　lead？〃
　〃In　large　part。　But　not　the　equal　of　Unsullied。　Yunkai　is　known　for　training　bed　slaves；　not　warriors。〃
　〃What　say　you？　Can　we　defeat　this　army？〃
　〃Easily；〃　Ser　Jorah　said。
　〃But　not　bloodlessly。〃　Blood　aplenty　had　soaked　into　the　bricks　of　Astapor　the　day　that　city　fell；　though　little　of　it　belonged　to　her　or　hers。
　〃We　might　win　a　battle　here；　but　at　such　cost　we　cannot　take　the　city。〃　
　〃That　is　ever　a　risk；　Khaleesi。　Astapor　was　placent　and　vulnerable。　Yunkai　is　forewarned。〃
　Dany　considered。　The　slaver　host　seemed　small　pared　to　her　own　numbers；　but　the　sellswords　were　ahorse。　She'd　ridden　too　long　with　Dothraki　not　to　have　a　healthy　respect　for　what　mounted　warriors　could　do　to　foot。　The　Unsullied　could　withstand　their　charge；　but　my　freedmen　will　be　slaughtered。　〃The　slavers　like　to　talk；〃　she　said。　〃Send　word　that　I　will　hear　them　this　evening　in　my　tent。　And　invite　the　captains　of　the　sellsword　panies　to　call　on　me　as　well。　But　not　together。　The　Stormcrows　at　midday；　the　Second　Sons　two　hours　later。〃
　〃As　you　wish；〃　Ser　Jorah　said。　〃But　if　they　do　not　e　…
　〃They'll　e。　They　will　be　curious　to　see　the　dragons　and　hear　what　I　might　have　to　say；　and　the　clever　ones　will　see　it　for　a　chance　to　gauge　my　strength。〃　She　wheeled　her　silver　mare　about。　〃I'll　await　them　in　my　pavilion。〃
　Slate　skies　and　brisk　winds　saw　Dany　back　to　her　host。　The　deep　ditch　that　would