grrm.astormofswords-第67节

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　Around　its　brow　stood　a　ring　of　huge　pale　stumps；　all　that　remained　of　a　circle　of　once…mighty　weirwoods。　Arya　and　Gendry　walked　around　the　hill　to　count　them。　There　were　thirty…one；　some　so　wide　that　she　could　have　used　them　for　a　bed。
　High　Heart　had　been　sacred　to　the　children　of　the　forest；　Tom　Sevenstrings　told　her；　and　some　of　their　magic　lingered　here　still。　〃No　harm　can　ever　e　to　those　as　sleep　here；〃　the　singer　said。　Arya　thought　that　must　be　true；　the　hill　was　so　high　and　the　surrounding　lands　so　flat　that　no　enemy　could　approach　unseen。
　The　smallfolk　hereabouts　shunned　the　place；　Tom　told　her；　it　was　said　to　be　haunted　by　the　ghosts　of　the　children　of　the　forest　who　had　died　here　when　the　Andal　king　named　Erreg　the　Kinslayer　had　cut　down　their　grove。　Arya　knew　about　the　children　of　the　forest；　and　about　the　Andals　too；　but　ghosts　did　not　frighten　her。　She　used　to　hide　in　the　crypts　of　Winterfell　when　she　was　little；　and　play　games　of　e…into…my…castle　and　monsters　and　maidens　amongst　the　stone　kings　on　their　thrones。
　Yet　even　so；　the　hair　on　the　back　of　her　neck　stood　up　that　night。　She　had　been　asleep；　but　the　storm　woke　her。　The　wind　pulled　the　coverlet　right　off　her　and　sent　it　swirling　into　the　bushes。　When　she　went　after　it　she　heard　voices。
　Beside　the　embers　of　their　campfire；　she　saw　Tom；　Lem；　and　Greenbeard　talking　to　a　tiny　little　woman；　a　foot　shorter　than　Arya　and　older　than　Old　Nan；　all　stooped　and　wrinkled　and　leaning　on　a　gnarled　black　cane。　Her　white　hair　was　so　long　it　came　almost　to　the　ground。　When　the　wind　gusted　it　blew　about　her　head　in　a　fine　cloud。　Her　flesh　was　whiter；　the　color　of　milk；　and　it　seemed　to　Arya　that　her　eyes　were　red；　though　it　was　hard　to　tell　from　thebushes。　〃The　old　gods　stir　and　will　not　let　me　sleep；〃　she　heard　the　woman　say。　〃I　dreamt　I　saw　a　shadow　with　a　burning　heart　butchering　a　golden　stag；　aye。　I　dreamt　of　a　man　without　a　face；　waiting　on　a　bridge　that　swayed　and　swung。　On　his　shoulder　perched　a　drowned　crow　with　seaweed　hanging　from　his　wings。　I　dreamt　of　a　roaring　river　and　a　woman　that　was　a　fish。　Dead　she　drifted；　with　red　tears　on　her　cheeks；　but　when　her　eyes　did　open；　oh；　I　woke　from　terror。　All　this　I　dreamt；　and　more。　Do　you　have　gifts　for　me；　to　pay　me　for　my　dreams？〃
　〃Dreams；〃　grumbled　Lem　Lemoncloak；　〃what　good　are　dreams？　Fish　women　and　drowned　crows。　I　had　a　dream　myself　last　night。　I　was　kissing　this　tavern　wench　I　used　to　know。　Are　you　going　to　pay　me　for　that；　old　woman？〃
　〃The　wench　is　dead；〃　the　woman　hissed。　〃Only　worms　may　kiss　her　now。〃　And　then　to　Tom　Sevenstrings　she　said；　〃I'll　have　my　song　or　I'll　have　you　gone。〃
　So　the　singer　played　for　her；　so　soft　and　sad　that　Arya　only　heard　snatches　of　the　words；　though　the　tune　was　half…familiar。　Sansa　would　know　it；　I　bet。　Her　sister　had　known　all　the　songs；　and　she　could　even　play　a　little；　and　sing　so　sweetly。　All　I　could　ever　do　was　shout　the　words。
　The　next　morning　the　little　white　woman　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　As　they　saddled　their　horses；　Arya　asked　Tom　Sevenstrings　if　the　children　of　the　forest　still　dwelled　on　High　Heart。　The　singer　chuckled。　〃Saw　her；　did　you？〃
　〃Was　she　a　ghost？〃
　〃Do　ghosts　plain　of　how　their　joints　creak？　No；　she's　only　an　old　dwarf　woman。　A　queer　one；　though；　and　evil…eyed。　But　she　knows　things　she　has　no　business　knowing；　and　sometimes　she'll　tell　you　if　she　likes　the　look　of　you。〃
　〃Did　she　like　the　looks　of　you？〃　Arya　asked　doubtfully。
　The　singer　laughed。　〃The　sound　of　me；　at　least。　She　always　makes　me　sing　the　same　bloody　song；　though。　Not　a　bad　song；　mind　you；　but　I　know　others　just　as　good。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃What　matters　is；　we　have　the　scent　now。　You'll　soon　be　seeing　Thoros　and　the　lightning　lord；　I'll　wager。〃
　〃If　you're　their　men；　why　do　they　hide　from　you？〃
　Tom　Sevenstrings　rolled　his　eyes　at　that；　but　Harwin　gave　her　an　answer。　〃I　wouldn't　call　it　hiding；　milady；　but　it's　true；　Lord　Beric　moves　about　a　lot；　and　seldom　lets　on　what　his　plans　are。　That　way　no　one　can　betray　him。　By　now　there　must　be　hundreds　of　us　sworn　to　him；　maybe　thousands；　but　it　wouldn't　do　for　us　all　to　trail　along　behind　him。　We'd　eat　the　country　bare；　or　get　butchered　in　a　battle　by　some　bigger　host。　The　way　we're　scattered　in　little　bands；　we　can　strike　in　a　dozen　places　at　once；　and　be　off　somewhere　else　before　they　know。　And　when　one　of　us　is　caught　and　put　to　the　question；　well；　we　can't　tell　them　where　to　find　Lord　Beric　no　matter　what　they　do　to　us。〃　He　hesitated。　〃You　know　what　it　means；　to　be　put　to　the　question？〃
　Arya　nodded。　〃Tickling；　they　called　it。　Polliver　and　Raff　and　all。〃　She　told　them　about　the　village　by　the　Gods　Eye　where　she　and　Gendry　had　been　caught；　and　the　questions　that　the　Tickler　had　asked。　〃Is　there　gold　hidden　in　the　village？〃　he　would　always　begin。　〃Silver；　gems？　Is　there　food？　Where　is　Lord　Beric？　Which　of　you　village　folk　helped　him？　Where　did　he　go？　How　many　men　did　he　have　with　him？　How　many　knights？　How　many　bowmen？　How　many　were　horsed？　How　are　they　armed？　How　many　wounded？　Where　did　they　go；　did　you　say？〃　just　thinking　of　it；　she　could　hear　the　shrieks　again；　and　smell　the　stench　of　blood　and　shit　and　burning　flesh。　〃He　always　asked　the　same　questions；〃　she　told　the　outlaws　solemnly；　〃but　he　changed　the　tickling　every　day。〃
　〃No　child　should　be　made　to　suffer　that；〃　Harwin　said　when　she　was　done。　〃The　Mountain　lost　half　his　men　at　the　Stone　Mill；　we　hear。　Might　be　this　Tickler's　floating　down　the　Red　Fork　even　now；　with　fish　biting　at　his　face。　If　not；　well；　it's　one　more　crime　they'll　answer　for。　I've　heard　his　lordship　say　this　war　began　when　the　Hand　sent　him　out　to　bring　the　king's　justice　to　Gregor　Clegane；　and　that's　how　he　means　for　it　to　end。〃　He　gave　her　shoulder　a　reassuring　pat。　〃You　best　mount　up；　milady。　It's　a　long　day's　ride　to　Acorn　Hall；　but　at　the　end　of　it　we'll　have　a　roof　above　our　heads　and　a　hot　supper　in　our　bellies。〃
　It　was　a　long　day's　ride；　but　as　dusk　was　settling　they　forded　a　brook　and　came　up　on　Acorn　Hall；　with　its　stone　curtain　walls　and　great　oaken　keep。　Its　master　was　away　fighting　in　the　retinue　of　his　master；　Lord　Vance；　the　castle　gates　closed　and　barred　in　his　absence。　But　his　lady　wife　was　an　old　friend　of　Tom　Sevenstrings；　and　Anguy　said　they'd　once　been　lovers。　Anguy　often　rode　beside　her；　he　was　closer　to　her　in　age　than　any　of　them　but　Gendry；　and　he　told　her　droll　tales　of　the　Dornish　Marches。　He　never　fooled　her；　though。　He's　not　my　friend。　He's　only　staying　close　to　watch　me　and　make　sure　I　don't　ride　off　again。　Well；　Arya　could　watch　as　well。　Syrio　Forel　had　taught　her　how。
　Lady　Smallwood　weled　the　outlaws　kindly　enough；　though　she　gave　them　a　tongue　lashing　for　dragging　a　young　girl　through　the　war。　She　became　even　more　wroth　when　Lem　let　slip　that　Arya　was　highborn。　〃Who　dressed　the　poor　child　in　those　Bolton　rags？〃　she　demanded　of　them。　〃That　badge　。　。　。　there's　many　a　man　who　would　hang　her　in　half　a　heartbeat　for　wearing　a　flayed　man　on　her　breast。〃　Arya　promptly　found　herself　marched　upstairs；　forced　into　a　tub；　and　doused　with　scalding　hot　water。　Lady　Smallwood's　maidservants　scrubbed　her　so　hard　it　felt　like　they　were　flaying　her　themselves。　They　even　dumped　in　some　stinkysweet　stuff　that　smelled　like　flowers。
　And　afterward；　they　insisted　she　dress　herself　in　girl's　things；　brown　woolen　stockings　and　a　light　linen　shift；　and　over　that　a　light　green　gown　with　acorns　embroidered　all　over　the　bodice　in　brown　thread；　and　more　acorns　bordering　the　hem。　〃My　great…aunt　is　a　septa　at　a　motherhouse　in　Oldtown；〃　Lady　Smallwood　said　as　the　women　laced　the　gown　up　Arya's　back。　〃I　sent　my　daughter　there　when　the　war　began。　She'll　have　outgrown　these　things　by　the　time　she　returns；　no　doubt。　Are　you　fond　of　dancing；　child？　My　Carellen's　a　lovely　dancer。　She　sings　beautifully　as　well。　What　do　you　like　to　do？〃
　She　scuffed　a　toe　amongst　the　rushes。　〃Needlework。〃
　〃Very　restful；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Arya；　〃not　the　way　I　do　it。〃
　〃No？　I　have　always　found　it　so。　The　gods　give　each　of　us　our　little　gifts　and　talents；　and　it　is　meant　for　us　to　use　them；　my　aunt　always　says。　Any　act　can　be　a　prayer；　if　done　as　well　as　we　are　able。　Isn't　that　a　lovely　thought？　Remember　that　the　next　time　you　do　your　needlework。　Do　you　work　at　it　every　day？〃
　〃I　did　till　I　lost　Needle。　My　new　one's　not　as　good。〃
　〃In　times　like　these；　we　all　must　make　do　as　best　we　can。〃　Lady　Smallwood　fussed　at　the　bodice　of　the　gown。　〃Now　you　look　a　proper　young　lady。〃
　I'm　not　a　lady；　Arya　wanted　to　tell　her；　I'm　a　wolf。
　〃I　do　not　know　who　you　are；　child；〃　the　woman　said；　〃and　it　may　be　that's　for　the　best。　Someone　important；　I　fear。〃　She　smoothed　down　Arya's　collar。　〃In　times　like　these；　it　is　better　to　be　insignificant。　Would　that　I　could　keep　you　here　with　me。　That　would　not　be　safe；　though。　I　have　walls；　but　too　few　men　to　hold　them。〃　She　sighed。
　Supper　was　being　served　in　the　hall　by　the　time　Arya　was　all　washed　and　bed　and　dressed。　Gendry　took　one　look　and　laughed　so　hard　that　wine　came　out　his　nose；　until　Harwin　gave　him　a　thwack　alongside　his　ear。　The　meal　was　plain　but　filling；　mutton　and　mushrooms；　brown　bread；　pease　pudding；　and　baked　apples　with　yellow　cheese。　When　the　fo