grrm.astormofswords-第80节

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　cracks；　melting；　and　other　structural　problems；　while　the　rangers　look　for　signs　of　foes。　They　ride　mules。〃
　〃Mules？〃　The　earless　man　frowned。　〃Mules　are　slow。〃
　〃Slow；　but　more　surefooted　on　the　ice。　The　patrols　often　ride　atop　the　Wall；　and　aside　from　Castle　Black；　the　paths　up　there　have　not　been　graveled　for　long　years。　The　mules　are　bred　at　Eastwatch；　and　specially　trained　to　their　duty。〃
　〃They　often　ride　atop　the　Wall？　Not　always？〃
　〃No。　One　patrol　in　four　follows　the　base　instead；　to　search　for　cracks　in　the　foundation　ice　or　signs　of　tunneling。〃
　The　Magnar　nodded。　〃Even　in　far　Therm　we　know　the　tale　of　Arson　Iceaxe　and　his　tunnel。〃
　Jon　knew　the　tale　as　well。　Arson　Iceaxe　had　been　halfway　through　the　Wall　when　his　tunnel　was　found　by　rangers　from　the　Nightfort。　They　did　not　trouble　to　disturb　him　at　his　digging；　only　sealed　the　way　behind　with　ice　and　stone　and　snow。　Dolorous　Edd　used　to　say　that　if　you　pressed　your　ear　flat　to　the　Wall；　you　could　still　hear　Arson　chipping　away　with　his　axe。
　〃When　do　these　patrols　go　out？　How　often？〃
　Jon　shrugged。　〃It　changes。　I've　heard　that　Lord　mander　Qorgyle　used　to　send　them　out　every　third　day　from　Castle　Black　to　Eastwatch…bythe…Sea；　and　every　second　day　from　Castle　Black　to　the　Shadow　Tower。　The　Watch　had　more　men　in　his　day；　though。　Lord　mander　Mormont　prefers　to　vary　the　number　of　patrols　and　the　days　of　their　departure；　to　make　it　more　difficult　for　anyone　to　know　their　ings　and　goings。　And　sometimes　the　Old　Bear　will　even　send　a　larger　force　to　one　of　the　abandoned　castles　for　a　fortnight　or　a　moon's　turn。〃　His　uncle　had　originated　that　tactic；　Jon　knew。　Anything　to　make　the　enemy　unsure。
　〃Is　Stonedoor　manned　at　present？〃　asked　Jarl。　〃Greyguard？〃
　So　we're　between　those　two；　are　we？　Jon　kept　his　face　carefully　blank。　〃Only　Eastwatch；　Castle　Black；　and　the　Shadow　Tower　were　manned　when　I　left　the　Wall。　I　can't　speak　to　what　Bowen　Marsh　or　Ser　Denys　might　have　done　since。〃
　〃How　many　crows　remain　within　the　castles？〃　asked　Styr。
　〃Five　hundred　at　Castle　Black。　Two　hundred　at　Shadow　Tower；　perhaps　three　hundred　at　Eastwatch。〃　Jon　added　three　hundred　men　to　the　count。　If　only　it　were　that　easy　。　。　。
　Jarl　was　not　fooled；　however。　〃He's　lying；〃　he　told　Styr。　〃Or　else　including　those　they　lost　on　the　Fist。〃
　〃Crow；〃　the　Magnar　warned；　〃do　not　take　me　for　Mance　Rayder。　If　you　lie　to　me；　I　will　have　your　tongue。〃
　〃I'm　no　crow；　and　won't　be　called　a　liar。〃　Jon　flexed　the　fingers　of　his　sword　hand。
　The　Magnar　of　Therm　studied　Jon　with　his　chilly　grey　eyes。　〃We　shall　learn　their　numbers　soon　enough；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃Go。　I　will　send　for　you　if　I　have　further　questions。〃
　Jon　bowed　his　head　stiffly；　and　went。　If　all　the　wildlings　were　like　Styr；　it　would　be　easier　to　betray　them。　The　Therms　were　not　like　other　free　folk；　though。　The　Magnar　claimed　to　be　the　last　of　the　First　Men；　and　ruled　with　an　iron　hand。　His　little　land　of　Therm　was　a　high　mountain　valley　hidden　amongst　the　northernmost　peaks　of　the　Frostfangs；　surrounded　by　cave　dwellers；　Hornfoot　men；　giants；　and　the　cannibal　clans　of　the　ice　rivers。　Ygritte　said　the　Therms　were　savage　fighters；　and　that　their　Magnar　was　a　god　to　them。　Jon　could　believe　that。　Unlike　Jarl　and　Harma　and　Rattleshirt；　Styr　manded　absolute　obedience　from　his　men；　and　that　discipline　was　no　doubt　part　of　why　Mance　had　chosen　him　to　go　over　the　Wall。
　He　walked　past　the　Thenns；　sitting　atop　their　rounded　bronze　helms　about　their　cookfires。　Where　did　Ygrette　get　herself　to？　He　found　her　gear　and　his　together；　but　no　sign　of　the　girl　herself。　〃She　took　a　torch　and　went　off　that　way；〃　Grigg　the　Goat　told　him；　pointing　toward　the　back　of　the　cavern。
　Jon　followed　his　finger；　and　found　himself　in　a　dim　back　room　wandering　through　a　maze　of　columns　and　stalactites。　She　can't　be　here；　he　was　thinking；　when　he　heard　her　laugh。　He　turned　toward　the　sound　but　within　ten　paces　he　was　in　a　dead　end；　facing　a　blank　wall　of　rose　and　white　flowstone。　Baffled；　he　made　his　way　back　the　way　he'd　e；　and　then　he　saw　it：　a　dark　hole　under　an　outthrust　of　wet　stone。　He　knelt；　listened；　heard　the　faint　sound　of　water。　〃Ygritte？〃
　〃In　here；〃　her　voice　came　back；　echoing　faintly。
　Jon　had　to　crawl　a　dozen　paces　before　the　cave　opened　up　around　him。　When　he　stood　again；　it　took　his　eyes　a　moment　to　adjust。　Ygritte　had　brought　a　torch；　but　there　was　no　other　light。　She　stood　beside　a　little　waterfall　that　fell　from　a　cleft　in　the　rock　down　into　a　wide　dark　pool。　The　orange　and　yellow　flames　shone　against　the　pale　green　water。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　asked　her。
　〃I　heard　water。　I　wanted　t'see　how　deep　the　cave　went。〃　She　pointed　with　the　torch。　〃There's　a　passage　goes　down　further。　I　followed　it　a　hundred　paces　before　I　turned　back。〃
　〃A　dead　end？〃
　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　It　went　on　and　on　and　on。　There　are　hundreds　o'　caves　in　these　hills；　and　down　deep　they　all　connect。　There's　even　a　way　under　your　Wall。　Gorne's　Way。〃
　〃Gorne；〃　said　Jon。　〃Gorne　was　King…beyond…the…Wall。〃
　〃Aye；〃　said　Ygritte。　〃Together　with　his　brother　Gendel；　three　thousand　years　ago。　They　led　a　host　o'　free　folk　through　the　caves；　and　the　Watch　was　none　the　wiser。　But　when　they　e　out；　the　wolves　o'　Winterfell　fell　upon　them。〃
　〃There　was　a　battle；〃　Jon　recalled。　〃Gorne　slew　the　King　in　the　North；　but　his　son　picked　up　his　banner　and　took　the　crown　from　his　head；　and　cut　down　Gorne　in　turn。〃
　〃And　the　sound　o'　swords　woke　the　crows　in　their　castles；　and　they　rode　out　all　in　black　to　take　the　free　folk　in　the　rear。〃
　〃Yes。　Gendel　had　the　king　to　the　south；　the　Umbers　to　the　east；　and　the　Watch　to　the　north　of　him。　He　died　as　well。〃
　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　Gendel　did　not　die。　He　cut　his　way　free；　through　the　crows；　and　led　his　people　back　north　with　the　wolves　howling　at　their　heels。　Only　Gendel　did　not　know　the　caves　as　Gorne　had；　and　took　a　wrong　turn。〃　She　swept　the　torch　back　and　forth；　so　the　shadows　jumped　and　moved。　〃Deeper　he　went；　and　deeper；　and　when　he　tried　t'　turn　back　the　ways　that　seemed　familiar　ended　in　stone　rather　than　sky。　Soon　his　torches　began　t'　fail；　one　by　one；　till　finally　there　was　naught　but　dark。　Gendel's　folk　were　never　seen　again；　but　on　a　still　night　you　can　hear　their　children's　children's　children　sobbing　under　the　hills；　still　looking　for　the　way　back　up。　Listen？　Do　you　hear　them？〃
　All　Jon　could　hear　was　the　falling　water　and　the　faint　crackle　of　flames。　〃This　way　under　the　Wall　was　lost　as　well？〃
　〃Some　have　searched　for　it。　Them　that　go　too　deep　find　Gendel's　children；　and　Gendel's　children　are　always　hungry。〃　Smiling；　she　set　the　torch　carefully　in　a　notch　of　rock；　and　came　toward　him。　〃There's　naught　to　eat　in　the　dark　but　flesh；〃　she　whispered；　biting　at　his　neck。
　Jon　nuzzled　her　hair　and　filled　his　nose　with　the　smell　of　her。　〃You　sound　like　Old　Nan；　telling　Bran　a　monster　story。〃
　Ygritte　punched　his　shoulder。　〃An　old　woman；　am　I？〃
　〃You're　older　than　me。〃
　〃Aye；　and　wiser。　You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。〃　She　pushed　away　from　him；　and　shrugged　out　of　her　rabbitskin　vest。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Showing　you　how　old　I　am。〃　She　unlaced　her　doeskin　shirt；　tossed　it　aside；　pulled　her　three　woolen　undershirts　up　over　her　head　all　at　once。　〃I　want　you　should　see　me。〃
　〃We　shouldn't…〃
　〃We　should。〃　Her　breasts　bounced　as　she　stood　on　one　leg　to　pull　one　boot；　then　hopped　onto　her　other　foot　to　attend　to　the　other。　Her　nipples　were　wide　pink　circles。　〃You　as　well；〃　Ygritte　said　as　she　yanked　down　her　sheepskin　breeches。　〃If　you　want　to　look　you　have　to　show。　You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。〃
　〃I　know　I　want　you；〃　he　heard　himself　say；　all　his　vows　and　all　his　honor　forgotten。　She　stood　before　him　naked　as　her　name　day；　and　he　was　as　hard　as　the　rock　around　them。　He　had　been　in　her　half　a　hundred　times　by　now；　but　always　beneath　the　furs；　with　others　all　around　them。　He　had　never　seen　how　beautiful　she　was。　Her　legs　were　skinny　but　well　muscled；　the　hair　at　the　juncture　of　her　thighs　a　brighter　red　than　that　on　her　head。　Does　that　make　it　even　luckier？　He　pulled　her　close。　〃I　love　the　smell　of　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　your　red　hair。　I　love　your　mouth；　and　the　way　you　kiss　me。　I　love　your　smile。　I　love　your　teats。〃　He　kissed　them；　one　and　then　the　other。　〃I　love　your　skinny　legs；　and　what's　between　them。〃　He　knelt　to　kiss　her　there；　lightly　on　her　mound　at　first；　but　Ygritte　moved　her　legs　apart　a　little；　and　he　saw　the　pink　inside　and　kissed　that　as　well；　and　tasted　her。　She　gave　a　little　gasp。　〃If　you　love　me　all　so　much；　why　are　you　still　dressed？〃　she　whispered。　〃You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　Noth…oh。　Oh。　OHHH。〃
　Afterward；　she　was　almost　shy；　or　as　shy　as　Ygritte　ever　got。　〃That　thing　you　did；〃　she　said；　when　they　lay　together　on　their　piled　clothes。　〃With　your　。　。　。　mouth。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Is　that　。　。　。　is　it　what　lords　do　to　their　ladies；　down　in　the　south？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃　No　one　had　ever　told　Jon　just　what　lords　did　with　their　ladies。　〃I　only　。　。　。　wanted　to　kiss　you　there；　that's　all。　You　seemed　to　like　it。〃
　〃Aye。　I　。　。　。　I　liked　it　some。　No　one　taught　you　such？〃
　〃There's　been　no　one；〃　he　confessed。　〃Only　you。〃
　〃A　maid；〃　she　teased。　〃You　were　a　maid。〃
　He