grrm.astormofswords-第163节

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　We　are　the　garrison；　Jon　told　himself；　and　look　at　us。　The　brothers　Bowen　Marsh　had　left　behind　were　old　men；　cripples；　and　green　boys；　just　as　Donal　Noye　had　warned　him。　He　could　see　some　wrestling　barrels　up　the　steps；　others　on　the　barricade；　stout　old　Kegs；　as　slow　as　ever；　Spare　Boot　hopping　along　briskly　on　his　carved　wooden　leg；　half…mad　Easy　who　fancied　himself　Florian　the　Fool　reborn；　Dornish　Dilly；　Red　Alyn　of　the　Rosewood；　Young　Henly　（well　past　fifty）；　Old　Henly　（well　past　seventy）；　Hairy　Hal；　Spotted　Pate　of　Maidenpool。　A　couple　of　them　saw　Jon　looking　down　from　atop　the　King's　Tower　and　waved　up　at　him。　others　turned　away。　They　still　think　me　a　tumcloak。　That　was　a　bitter　draft　to　drink；　but　Jon　could　not　blame　them。　He　was　a　bastard；　after　all。　Everyone　knew　that　bastards　were　wanton　and　treacherous　by　nature；　having　been　born　of　lust　and　deceit。　And　he　had　made　as　many　enemies　as　friends　at　Castle　Black　。　。　。　Rast；　for　one。　Jon　had　once　threatened　to　have　Ghost　rip　his　throat　out　unless　he　stopped　tormenting　Samwell　Tarly；　and　Rast　did　not　forget　things　like　that。　He　was　raking　dry　leaves　into　piles　under　the　stairs　just　now；　but　every　so　often　he　stopped　long　enough　to　give　Jon　a　nasty　look。
　〃No；〃　Donal　Noye　roared　at　three　of　the　Mole's　Town　men；　down　below。　〃The　pitch　goes　to　the　hoist；　the　oil　up　the　steps；　crossbow　bolts　to　the　fourth；　fifth；　and　sixth　landings；　spears　to　first　and　second。　Stack　the　lard　under　the　stair；　yes；　there；　behind　the　planks。　The　casks　of　meat　are　for　the　barricade。　Now；　you　poxy　plow　pushers；　NOW！〃
　He　has　a　lord's　voice；　Jon　thought。　His　father　had　always　said　that　in　battle　a　captain's　lungs　were　as　important　as　his　sword　arm。　〃It　does　not　matter　how　brave　or　brilliant　a　man　is；　if　his　mands　cannot　be　heard；〃　Lord　Eddard　told　his　sons；　so　Robb　and　he　used　to　climb　the　towers　of　Winterfell　to　shout　at　each　other　across　the　yard。　Donal　Noye　could　have　drowned　out　both　of　them。　The　moles　all　went　in　terror　of　him；　and　rightfully　so；　since　he　was　always　threatening　to　rip　their　heads　off。
　Three…quarters　of　the　village　had　taken　Jon's　warning　to　heart　and　e　to　Castle　Black　for　refuge。　Noye　had　decreed　that　every　man　still　spry　enough　to　hold　a　spear　or　swing　an　axe　would　help　defend　the　barricade；　else　they　could　damn　well　go　home　and　take　their　chances　with　the　Therms。　He　had　emptied　the　armory　to　put　good　steel　in　their　hands；　big　double…bladed　axes；　razor…sharp　daggers；　longswords；　maces；　spiked　morningstars。　Clad　in　studded　leather　jerkins　and　mail　hauberks；　with　greaves　for　their　legs　and　gorgets　to　keep　their　heads　on　their　shoulders；　a　few　of　them　even　looked　like　soldiers。　In　a　bad　light。　If　you　squint。
　Noye　had　put　the　women　and　children　to　work　as　well。　Those　too　young　to　fight　would　carry　water　and　tend　the　fires；　the　Mole's　Town　midwife　would　assist　Clydas　and　Maester　Aemon　with　any　wounded；　and　Three…Finger　Hobb　suddenly　had　more　spit　boys；　kettle　stirrers；　and　onion　choppers　than　he　knew　what　to　do　with。　Two　of　the　whores　had　even　offered　to　fight；　and　had　shown　enough　skill　with　the　crossbow　to　be　given　a　place　on　the　steps　forty　feet　up。
　〃It's　cold。〃　Satin　stood　with　his　hands　tucked　into　his　armpits　under　his　cloak。　His　cheeks　were　bright　red。
　Jon　made　himself　smile。　〃The　Frostfangs　are　cold。　This　is　a　brisk　autumn　day。〃
　〃I　hope　I　never　see　the　Frostfangs　then。　I　knew　a　girl　in　Oldtown　who　liked　to　ice　her　wine。　That's　the　best　place　for　ice；　I　think。　In　wine。〃　Satin　glanced　south；　frowned。　〃You　think　the　scarecrow　sentinels　scared　them　off；　my　lord？〃
　〃We　can　hope。〃　It　was　possible；　Jon　supposed　。　。　。　but　more　likely　the　wildlings　had　simply　paused　for　a　bit　of　rape　and　plunder　in　Mole's　Town。　Or　maybe　Styr　was　waiting　for　nightfall；　to　move　up　under　cover　of　darkness。
　Midday　came　and　went；　with　still　no　sign　of　Therms　on　the　kingsroad。　Jon　heard　footsteps　inside　the　tower；　though；　and　Owen　the　Oaf　popped　up　out　of　the　trapdoor；　red…faced　from　the　climb。　He　had　a　basket　of　buns　under　one　arm；　a　wheel　of　cheese　under　the　other；　a　bag　of　onions　dangling　from　one　hand。　〃Hobb　said　to　feed　you；　in　case　you're　stuck　up　here　awhile。〃
　That；　or　for　our　last　meal。　〃Thank　him　for　us；　Owen。〃
　Dick　Follard　was　deaf　as　a　stone；　but　his　nose　worked　well　enough。
　The　buns　were　still　warm　from　the　oven　when　he　went　digging　in　the　basket　and　plucked　one　out。　He　found　a　crock　of　butter　as　well；　and　spread　some　with　his　dagger。　〃Raisins；〃　he　announced　happily。　〃Nuts；　too。〃　His　speech　was　thick；　but　easy　enough　to　understand　once　you　got　used　to　it。
　〃You　can　have　mine　too；〃　said　Satin。　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃
　〃Eat；〃　Jon　told　him。　〃There's　no　knowing　when　you'll　have　another　chance。〃　He　took　two　buns　himself　。　The　nuts　were　pine　nuts；　and　besides　the　raisins　there　were　bits　of　dried　apple。
　〃Will　the　wildlings　e　today；　Lord　Snow？〃　Owen　asked。
　〃You'll　know　if　they　do；〃　said　Jon。　〃Listen　for　the　horns。〃
　〃Two。　Two　is　for　wildlings。〃　Owen　was　tall；　towheaded；　and　amiable；　a　tireless　worker　and　surprisingly　deft　when　it　came　to　working　wood　and　fixing　catapults　and　the　like；　but　as　he'd　gladly　tell　you；　his　mother　had　dropped　him　on　his　head　when　he　was　a　baby；　and　half　his　wits　had　leaked　out　through　his　ear。
　〃You　remember　where　to　go？〃　Jon　asked　him。
　〃I'm　to　go　to　the　stairs；　Donal　Noye　says。　I'm　to　go　up　to　the　third　landing　and　shoot　my　crossbow　down　at　the　wildlings　if　they　try　to　climb　over　the　barrier。　The　third　landing；　one　two　three。〃　His　head　bobbed　up　and　down。　〃If　the　wildlings　attack；　the　king　will　e　and　help　us；　won't　he？　He's　a　mighty　warrior；　King　Robert。　He's　sure　to　e。　Maester　Aemon　sent　him　a　bird。〃
　There　was　no　use　telling　him　that　Robert　Baratheon　was　dead。　He　would　forget　it；　as　he'd　forgotten　it　before。　〃Maester　Aemon　sent　him　a　bird；〃　Jon　agreed。　That　seemed　to　make　Owen　happy。
　Maester　Aemon　had　sent　a　lot　of　birds　。　。　。　not　to　one　king；　but　to　four。　Wildlings　at　the　gate；　the　message　ran。　The　realm　in　danger。　Send　all　the　help　you　can　to　Castle　Black；　Even　as　far　as　Oldtown　and　the　Citadel　the　ravens　flew；　and　to　half　a　hundred　mighty　lords　in　their　castles。　The　northern　lords　offered　their　best　hope；　so　to　them　Aemon　had　sent　two　birds。　To　the　Umbers　and　the　Boltons；　to　Castle　Cerwyn　and　Torrhen's　Square；　Karhold　and　Deepwood　Motte；　to　Bear　Island；　Oldcastle；　Widow's　Watch；　White　Harbor；　Barrowton；　and　the　Rills；　to　the　mountain　fastnesses　of　the　Liddles；　the　Burleys；　the　Norreys；　the　Harclays；　and　the　Wulls；　the　black　birds　brought　their　plea。　Wildlings　at　the　gate。　The　north　in　danger。　e　with　all　your　strength。
　Well；　ravens　might　have　wings；　but　lords　and　kings　do　not。　If　help　was　ing；　it　would　not　e　today。
　As　morning　turned　to　afternoon；　the　smoke　of　Mole's　Town　blew　away　and　the　southern　sky　was　clear　again。　No　clouds；　thought　Jon。　That　was　good。　Rain　or　snow　could　doom　them　all。
　Clydas　and　Maester　Aemon　rode　the　winch　cage　up　to　safety　at　the　top　of　the　Wall；　and　most　of　the　Mole's　Town　wives　as　well。　Men　in　black　cloaks　paced　restlessly　on　the　tower　tops　and　shouted　back　and　forth　across　the　courtyards。　Septon　Cellador　led　the　men　on　the　barricade　in　a　prayer；　beseeching　the　Warrior　to　give　them　strength。　Deaf　Dick　Follard　curled　up　beneath　his　cloak　and　went　to　sleep。　Satin　walked　a　hundred　leagues　in　circles；　round　and　round　the　crenellations。　The　Wall　wept　and　the　sun　crept　across　a　hard　blue　sky。　Near　evenfall；　Owen　the　Oaf　returned　with　a　loaf　of　black　bread　and　a　pail　of　Hobb's　best　mutton；　cooked　in　a　thick　broth　of　ale　and　onions。　Even　Dick　woke　up　for　that。　They　ate　every　bit　of　it；　using　chunks　of　bread　to　wipe　the　bottom　of　the　pail。　By　the　time　they　were　done　the　sun　was　low　in　the　west；　the　shadows　sharp　and　black　throughout　the　castle。　〃Light　the　fire；〃　Jon　told　Satin；　〃and　fill　the　kettle　with　oil。〃
　He　went　downstairs　himself　to　bar　the　door；　to　try　and　work　some　of　the　stiffness　from　his　leg。　That　was　a　mistake；　and　Jon　soon　knew　it；　but　he　clutched　the　crutch　and　saw　it　through　all　the　same。　The　door　to　the　King's　Tower　was　oak　studded　with　iron。　It　might　delay　the　Thenns；　but　it　would　not　stop　them　if　they　wanted　to　e　in。　Jon　slammed　the　bar　down　in　its　notches；　paid　a　visit　to　the　privy…it　might　well　be　his　last　chance…and　hobbled　back　up　to　the　roof；　grimacing　at　the　pain。
　The　west　had　gone　the　color　of　a　blood　bruise；　but　the　sky　above　was　cobalt　blue；　deepening　to　purple；　and　the　stars　were　ing　out。　Jon　sat　between　two　merlons　with　only　a　scarecrow　for　pany　and　watched　the　Stallion　gallop　up　the　sky。　Or　was　it　the　Horned　Lord？　He　wondered　where　Ghost　was　now。　He　wondered　about　Ygritte　as　well；　and　told　himself　that　way　lay　madness。
　They　came　in　the　night；　of　course。　Like　thieves；　Jon　thought。　Like　murderers。
　Satin　pissed　himself　when　the　horns　blew；　but　Jon　pretended　not　to　notice。　〃Go　shake　Dick　by　the　shoulder；〃　he　told　the　Oldtown　boy；　〃else　he's　liable　to　sleep　through　the　fight。〃
　〃I'm　frightened。〃　Satin's　face　was　a　ghastly　white。
　〃So　are　they。〃　Jon　leaned　his　crutch　up　against　a　merlon　and　took　up　his　longbow；　bending　the　smooth　thick　Dornish　yew　to　slip　a　bowstring　through　the　notches。　〃Don't　waste　a　quarrel　unless　you　know　you　have　a　good　clean　shot；〃　he　said　whe