grrm.astormofswords-第21节

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！


he　wildlings　camped　for　the　night；　but　Ghost　had　turned　and　lunged；　sending　the　dog　fleeing　with　a　bloody　haunch。　The　rest　of　the　pack　maintained　a　healthy　distance　after　that。
　Jon　Snow's　garron　whickered　softly；　but　a　touch　and　a　soft　word　soon　quieted　the　animal。　Would　that　his　own　fears　could　be　calmed　so　easily。　He　was　all　in　black；　the　black　of　the　Night's　Watch；　but　the　enemy　rode　before　and　behind。　Wildlings；　and　I　am　with　them。　Ygritte　wore　the　cloak　of　Qhorin　Halfhand。　Lenyl　had　his　hauberk；　the　big　spearwife　Ragwyle　his　gloves；　one　of　the　bowmen　his　boots。　Qhorin's　helm　had　been　won　by　the　short　homely　man　called　Longspear　Ryk；　but　it　fit　poorly　on　his　narrow　head；　so　he'd　given　that　to　Ygritte　as　well。　And　Rattleshirt　had　Qhorin's　bones　in　his　bag；　along　with　the　bloody　head　of　Ebben；　who　set　out　with　Jon　to　scout　the　Skirling　Pass。　Dead；　all　dead　but　me；　and　I　am　dead　to　the　world。
　Ygritte　rode　just　behind　him。　In　front　was　Longspear　Ryk。　The　Lord　of　Bones　had　made　the　two　of　them　his　guards。　〃If　the　crow　flies；　I'll　boil　your　bones　as　well；〃　he　warned　them　when　they　had　set　out；　smiling　through　the　crooked　teeth　of　the　giant's　skull　he　wore　for　a　helm。
　Ygritte　hooted　at　him。　〃You　want　to　guard　him？　If　you　want　us　to　do　it；　leave　us　be　and　we'll　do　it。〃
　These　are　a　ftee　folk　indeed；　Jon　saw。　Rattleshirt　might　lead　them；　but　none　of　them　were　shy　in　talking　back　to　him。
　The　wildling　leader　fixed　him　with　an　unfriendly　stare。　〃Might　be　you　fooled　these　others；　crow；　but　don't　think　you'll　be　fooling　Mance。　He'll　take　one　look　a'　you　and　know　you're　false。　And　when　he　does；　I'll　make　a　cloak　o'your　wolf　there；　and　open　your　soft　boy's　belly　and　sew　a　weasel　up　inside。〃
　Jon's　sword　hand　opened　and　closed；　flexing　the　burned　fingers　beneath　the　glove；　but　Longspear　Ryk　only　laughed。　〃And　where　would　you　find　a　weasel　in　the　snow？〃
　That　first　night；　after　a　long　day　ahorse；　they　made　camp　in　a　shallow　stone　bowl　atop　a　nameless　mountain；　huddling　close　to　the　fire　while　the　snow　began　to　fall。　Jon　watched　the　flakes　melt　as　they　drifted　over　the　flames。　Despite　his　layers　of　wool　and　fur　and　leather；　he'd　felt　cold　to　the　bone。　Ygritte　sat　beside　him　after　she　had　eaten；　her　hood　pulled　up　and　her　hands　tucked　into　her　sleeves　for　warmth。　〃When　Mance　hears　how　you　did　for　Halfhand；　he'll　take　you　quick　enough；〃　she　told　him。
　〃Take　me　for　what？〃
　The　girl　laughed　scornfully。　〃For　one　o'　us。　D'ya　think　you're　the　first　crow　ever　flew　down　off　the　Wall？　In　your　hearts　you　all　want　to　fly　free。〃
　〃And　when　I'm　free；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃will　I　be　free　to　go？〃
　〃Sure　you　will。〃　She　had　a　warm　smile；　despite　her　crooked　teeth。　〃And　we'll　be　free　to　kill　you。　It's　dangerous　being　free；　but　most　e　to　like　the　taste　o'　it。〃　She　put　her　gloved　hand　on　his　leg；　just　above　the　knee。　〃You'll　see。〃
　I　will；　thought　Jon。　I　will　see；　and　hear；　and　learn；　and　when　I　have　I　will　carry　the　word　back　to　the　Wall。　The　wildlings　had　taken　him　for　an　oathbreaker；　but　in　his　heart　he　was　still　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch；　doing　the　last　duty　that　Qhorin　Halfhand　had　laid　on　him。　Before　I　killed　him。
　At　the　bottom　of　the　slope　they　came　upon　a　little　stream　flowing　down　from　the　foothills　to　join　the　Milkwater。　it　looked　all　stones　and　glass；　though　they　could　hear　the　sound　of　water　running　beneath　the　frozen　surface。　Rattleshirt　led　them　across；　shattering　the　thin　crust　of　ice。
　Mance　Rayder's　outriders　closed　in　as　they　emerged。　Jon　took　their　measure　with　a　glance：　eight　riders；　men　and　women　both；　clad　in　fur　and　boiled　leather；　with　here　and　there　a　helm　or　bit　of　mail。　They　were　armed　with　spears　and　fire…hardened　lances；　all　but　their　leader；　a　fleshy　blond　man　with　watery　eyes　who　bore　a　great　curved　scythe　of　sharpened　steel。　The　Weeper；　he　knew　at　once。　The　black　brothers　told　tales　of　this　one。　Like　Rattleshirt　and　Harma　Dogshead　and　Alfyn　Crowkiller；　he　was　a　known　raider。
　〃The　Lord　o'　Bones；〃　the　Weeper　said　when　he　saw　them。　He　eyed　Jon　and　his　wolf。　〃Who's　this；　then？〃
　〃A　crow　e　over；〃　said　Rattleshirt；　who　preferred　to　be　called　the　Lord　of　Bones；　for　the　clattering　armor　he　wore。　〃He　was　afraid　I'd　take　his　bones　as　well　as　Halfhand's。〃　He　shook　his　sack　of　trophies　at　the　other　wildlings。
　〃He　slew　Qhorin　Halfhand；〃　said　Longspear　Ryk。　〃Him　and　that　wolf　o'　his。〃
　〃And　did　for　Orell　too；〃　said　Rattleshirt。
　〃The　lad's　a　warg；　or　close　enough；〃　put　in　Ragwyle；　the　big　spearwife。　〃His　wolf　took　a　piece　o'　Halfhand's　leg。〃
　The　Weeper's　red　rheumy　eyes　gave　Jon　another　look。　〃Aye？　Well；　he　has　a　wolfish　cast　to　him；　now　as　I　look　close。　Bring　him　to　Mance；　might　be　he'll　keep　him。〃　He　wheeled　his　horse　around　and　galloped　off；　his　riders　hard　behind　him。
　The　wind　was　blowing　wet　and　heavy　as　they　crossed　the　valley　of　the　Milkwater　and　rode　singlefile　through　the　river　camp。　Ghost　kept　close　to　Jon；　but　the　scent　of　him　went　before　them　like　a　herald；　and　soon　there　were　wildling　dogs　all　around　them；　growling　and　barking。　Lenyl　screamed　at　them　to　be　quiet；　but　they　paid　him　no　heed。　〃They　don't　much　care　for　that　beast　o'　yours；〃　Longspear　Ryk　said　to　Jon。
　〃They're　dogs　and　he's　a　wolf；〃　said　Jon。　〃They　know　he's　not　their　kind。〃　No　more　than　I　am　yours。　But　he　had　his　duty　to　be　mindful　of；　the　task　Qhorin　Halfhand　had　laid　upon　him　as　they　shared　that　final　fire…to　play　the　part　of　tumcloak；　and　find　whatever　it　was　that　the　wildlings　had　been　seeking　in　the　bleak　cold　wilderness　of　the　Frostfangs。
　〃Some　power；〃　Qhorin　had　named　it　to　the　Old　Bear；　but　he　had　died　before　learning　what　it　was；　or　whether　Mance　Rayder　had　found　it　with　his　digging。
　There　were　cookfires　all　along　the　river；　amongst　wayns　and　carts　and　sleds。　Many　of　the　wildlings　had　thrown　up　tents；　of　hide　and　skin　and　felted　wool。　Others　sheltered　behind　rocks　in　crude　lean…tos；　or　slept　beneath　their　wagons。　At　one　fire　Jon　saw　a　man　hardening　the　points　of　long　wooden　spears　and　tossing　them　in　a　pile。　Elsewhere　two　bearded　youths　in　boiled　leather　were　sparring　with　staffs；　leaping　at　each　other　over　the　flames；　grunting　each　time　one　landed　a　blow。　A　dozen　women　sat　nearby　in　a　circle；　fletching　arrows。
　Arrows　for　my　brothers；　Jon　thought。　Arrows　for　my　father's　folk；　for　the　people　of　Winterfell　and　Deepwood　Motte　and　the　Last　Hearth。　Arrows　for　the　north。
　But　not　all　he　saw　was　warlike。　He　saw　women　dancing　as　well；　and　heard　a　baby　crying；　and　a　little　boy　ran　in　front　of　his　garron；　all　bundled　up　in　fur　and　breathless　from　play。　Sheep　and　goats　wandered　freely；　while　oxen　plodded　along　the　riverbank　in　search　of　grass。　The　smell　of　roast　mutton　drifted　from　one　cookflre；　and　at　another　he　saw　a　boar　turning　on　a　wooden　spit。
　In　an　open　space　surrounded　by　tall　green　soldier　pines；　Rattleshirt　dismounted。　〃We'll　make　camp　here；〃　he　told　Lenyl　and　Ragwyle　and　the　others。　〃Feed　the　horses；　then　the　dogs；　then　yourself。　Ygritte；　Longspear；　bring　the　crow　so　Mance　can　have　his　look。　We'll　gut　him　after。〃
　They　walked　the　rest　of　the　way；　past　more　cookflres　and　more　tents；　with　Ghost　following　at　their　heels。　Jon　had　never　seen　so　many　wildlings。　He　wondered　if　anyone　ever　had。　The　camp　goes　on　forever；　he　reflected；　but　it's　more　a　hundred　camps　than　one；　and　each　more　vulnerable　than　the　last。　Stretched　out　over　long　leagues；　the　wildlings　had　no　defenses　to　speak　of；　no　pits　nor　sharpened　stakes；　only　small　groups　of　outriders　patrolling　their　perimeters。　Each　group　or　clan　or　village　had　simply　stopped　where　they　wanted；　as　soon　as　they　saw　others　stopping　or　found　a　likely　spot。　The　free　folk。　If　his　brothers　were　to　catch　them　in　such　disarray；　many　of　them　would　pay　for　that　freedom　with　their　life's　blood。　They　had　numbers；　but　the　Night's　Watch　had　discipline；　and　in　battle　discipline　beats　numbers　nine　times　of　every　ten；　his　father　had　once　told　him。
　There　was　no　doubting　which　tent　was　the　king's。　It　was　thrice　the　size　of　the　next　largest　he'd　seen；　and　he　could　hear　music　drifting　from　within。　Like　many　of　the　lesser　tents　it　was　made　of　sewn　hides　with　the　fur　still　on；　but　Mance　Rayder's　hides　were　the　shaggy　white　pelts　of　snow　bears。　The　peaked　roof　was　crowned　with　a　huge　set　of　antlers　from　one　of　the　giant　elks　that　had　once　roamed　freely　throughout　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　in　the　times　of　the　First　Men。
　Here　at　least　they　found　defenders；　two　guards　at　the　flap　of　the　tent；　leaning　on　tall　spears　with　round　leather　shields　strapped　to　their　arms。　When　they　caught　sight　of　Ghost；　one　of　them　lowered　his　spearpoint　and　said；　〃That　beast　stays　here。〃
　〃Ghost；　stay；〃　Jon　manded。　The　direwolf　sat。
　〃Longspear；　watch　the　beast。〃　Rattleshirt　yanked　open　the　tent　and　gestured　Jon　and　Ygritte　inside。
　The　tent　was　hot　and　smoky。　Baskets　of　burning　peat　stood　in　all　four　corners；　filling　the　air　with　a　dim　reddish　light。　More　skins　carpeted　the　ground。　Jon　felt　utterly　alone　as　he　stood　there　in　his　blacks；　awaiting　the　pleasure　of　the　tumeloak　who　called　himself　King…beyond…the…Wall。　When　his　eyes　had　adjusted　to　the　smoky　red　gloom；　he　saw　six　people；　none　of　whom　paid　him　any　mind。　A　dark　young　man　and　a　pretty　blonde　woman　were　sharing　a　hom　of　mead。　A　pregnant　woman　stood　o