“沼澤魔鬼的箭射中了當時正在護墻上的他。只不過是擦傷，但是……他們的箭矢喂了毒，箭頭上涂了糞便和別的什么更糟糕的東西。我們用沸酒澆過傷口，但那沒什么用。”
“He was on the parapets and some bog devil loosed an arrow at him. It was only a graze, but … they poison their shafts, smear the points with shit and worse things. We poured boiling wine into the wound, but it made no difference.”
我沒辦法和這個“人”談判?！皻⒘怂?，臭佬命令門衛(wèi)，“他的心智早已離他而去，剩下只有污血和蛆蟲?！?/p>
I cannot treat with this thing. “Kill him,” Reek told the guard. “His wits are gone. He’s full of blood and worms.”
門衛(wèi)目瞪口呆地望著他，“船長大人任命他為指揮官。”
The man gaped at him. “The captain put him in command.”
“當馬垂死的時候，你應該送他一程?！?/p>
“You’d put a dying horse down.”
“什么馬？我從來都沒有過馬。”
“What horse? I never had no horse.”
我有過?；貞浵矶鴣?。Smlier（席恩以前坐騎的名字）的尖叫聽起來就和人類一樣。他的鬃毛著了火，眼睛也瞎了，痛苦不堪。他人立起來，胡亂拍打著四蹄。不，不。那不是我的馬。臭佬從來都沒有過馬?！拔視婺銡⒘怂??！背衾心闷鹄瓲柗颉？蠈幮狈旁诙芘粕系膭ΓＯ碌氖种高€足以抓牢劍柄。當他揮動利刃劃開稻草堆上那個“人”腫脹的喉嚨時，黑色的污血與黃色的濃汁從破裂的皮膚里噴涌而出。肯寧猛烈地痙攣了一陣，隨后歸于平靜。一股可怕的惡臭充斥了屋子。臭佬跑到樓梯上，這里的空氣潮濕而寒冷，但比較起來要清新得多。門衛(wèi)跌跌撞撞地跟在他后面，臉色蒼白，努力想要止住干嘔。臭佬抓住了他的手臂，“誰是第二順位的指揮官？剩下的人在哪里？”
I did. The memory came back in a rush. Smiler’s screams had sounded almost human. His mane afire, he had reared up on his hind legs, blind with pain, lashing out with his hooves. No, no. Not mine, he was not mine, Reek never had a horse. “I will kill him for you.” Reek snatched up Ralf Kenning’s sword where it leaned against his shield. He still had fingers enough to clasp the hilt. When he laid the edge of the blade against the swollen throat of the creature on the straw, the skin split open in a gout of black blood and yellow pus. Kenning jerked violently, then lay still. An awful stench filled the room. Reek bolted for the steps. The air was damp and cold there, but much cleaner by comparison. The ironman stumbled out after him, white-faced and struggling not to retch. Reek grasped him by the arm. “Who was second-in-command? Where are the rest of the men?”
“在城垛上。要么就在大廳里。不是在睡覺就是在喝酒。如果你愿意的話我會帶你去。”
“Up on the battlements, or in the hall. Sleeping, drinking. I’ll take you if you like.”
“現(xiàn)在就去?！崩匪勾笕酥唤o他一天時間。
“Do it now.” Ramsay had only given him a day.
黑石砌就的大廳天護板很高，盡管四處透風仍然充斥著煙霧。石墻上點綴著大片的白色苔蘚。很久以前，這里的壁爐曾經熊熊燃燒，然而現(xiàn)在只有一塊泥煤在熏黑的爐床里冒著微弱的火苗。一張有著幾個世紀歷史的雕花大石桌幾乎填滿了整個房間。那是我曾經坐過的地方，那是我最后一次坐在這里，他回憶道。羅卜坐在桌子的一端，大瓊恩坐在他的右邊，盧斯波頓坐在左邊。The Glovers（誰？）挨著Helman Tallhart，卡史塔克和他的兒子們坐在他們對面。
The hall was dark stone, high ceilinged and drafty, full of drifting smoke, its stone walls spotted by huge patches of pale lichen. A peat fire burned low in a hearth blackened by the hotter blazes of years past. A massive table of carved stone filled the chamber, as it had for centuries. There was where I sat, the last time I was here, he remembered. Robb was at the head of the table, with the Greatjon to his right and Roose Bolton on his left. The Glovers sat next to Helman Tallhart. Karstark and his sons were across from them.
兩打的鐵民正坐在桌邊飲酒，當他進去的時候有幾個人抬起呆滯無神的眼睛看著他。剩下的則視而不見。所有人他都不認識。有幾個人穿的斗篷上別著銀鱈魚胸針，那是柯德家的家徽。這個家族是鐵群島上并不引人矚目的一員，他們的男人被認為是竊賊和懦夫，女人則和自己的父兄上床。因此他的叔叔在率領鐵艦隊返航時選擇將這些人留下來并不令他感到吃驚。這將會令他的工作更加容易?！袄瓲柗颉？蠈幩懒??！彼?，“這里誰說了算？”
Two dozen ironborn sat drinking at the table. A few looked at him with dull, flat eyes when he entered. The rest ignored him. All the men were strangers to him. Several wore cloaks fastened by brooches in the shape of silver codfish. The Codds were not well regarded in the Iron Islands; the men were said to be thieves and cowards, the women wantons who bedded with their own fathers and brothers. It did not surprise him that his uncle had chosen to leave these men behind when the Iron Fleet went home. This will make my task that much easier. “Ralf Kenning is dead,” he said. “Who commands here?”
正在飲酒的眾人茫然地盯著他。一個人大笑起來。另一個輕蔑地吐了口唾沫。最后一個柯德家的人答道：“是哪位問的？”
The drinkers stared at him blankly. One laughed. Another spat. Finally one of the Codds said, “Who asks?”
“巴隆大人的兒子。”臭佬，我的名字是臭佬，臭佬，臭佬，押韻臉頰?！拔曳罨粑榈聞拙艉涂植辣だ^承人拉姆斯波頓大人之名前來此地，他在臨冬城之戰(zhàn)后俘虜了我。他的大軍就在你們北方，他父親的大軍在你們南方。然而拉姆斯大人決定表示仁慈，如果你們能在太陽下山之前獻出卡林灣。”他拿出了他們交給他的信并把它扔到那群酒鬼面前的桌子上。
“Lord Balon’s son.” Reek, my name is Reek, it rhymes with cheek. “I am here at the command of Ramsay Bolton, Lord of the Hornwood and heir to the Dreadfort, who captured me at Winterfell. His host is north of you, his father’s to the south, but Lord Ramsay is prepared to be merciful if you yield Moat Cailin to him before the sun goes down.” He drew out the letter that they’d given him and tossed it on the table before the drinkers.
一個人撿起那封信，玩弄著那上面粉紅色的蠟封。然后他說道：“一張羊皮紙？這可真TMD好。我們需要的是奶酪和肉?！?/p>
One of them picked it up and turned it over in his hands, picking at the pink wax that sealed it. After a moment he said, “Parchment. What good is that? It’s cheese we need, and meat.”
“我們需要的是鋼鐵”，旁邊的一位老人說道，他的左手是木質假肢，“劍，戰(zhàn)斧，還有弓，上百張弓，還有用它們射箭的人?！?/p>
“Steel, you mean,” said the man beside him, a greybeard whose left arm ended in a stump. “Swords. Axes. Aye, and bows, a hundred more bows, and men to loose the arrows.”
“別說什么【鐵民決不投降】，”臭佬發(fā)話了，“去和我爸扯這些淡去吧。巴隆大人在勞勃王打破了他的城墻的時候屈膝求饒，另外他也已經死了。如果你不肯投降隨你的便”，他指了指那封信，“打開蠟封，讀讀那些內容。那是保證你們安全的條款，拉姆斯波頓大人親手寫的。放下你們的劍，跟我出去，拉姆斯大人會給你們食物，然后送你們去磐石海岸，在那里會有一艘船接你們回家。除非你們死掉?！?/p>
“Ironborn do not surrender,” said a third voice.
“這算是威脅嗎？”一位柯德家的人向前挪動了腳步。一個大塊頭的男人，有著死白的膚色，突出的眼球和寬大的嘴，看上去好像他父親是和一條魚生了他。但是他仍然佩戴著長劍?！斑_庚。柯德絕不屈服?！?/p>
“Tell that to my father. Lord Balon bent the knee when Robert broke his wall. Elsewise he would have died. As you will if you do not yield.” He gestured at the parchment. “Break the seal. Read the words. That is a safe conduct, written in Lord Ramsay’s own hand. Give up your swords and come with me, and his lordship will feed you and give you leave to march unmolested to the Stony Shore and find a ship for home. Elsewise you die.”
不，請你聽，你必須聽。只要想想如果他沒能規(guī)勸守軍投降就悄悄回到兵營的話拉姆斯大人會怎樣對他就會讓他尿了褲子。臭佬，臭佬，押韻側漏（我故意的…）。“這就是你的答案？”這句話在他聽起來可真是蠢。“這條鱈魚是代表你們全體講話嗎？”
“Is that a threat?” One of the Codds pushed to his feet. A big man, but pop-eyed and wide of mouth, with dead white flesh. He looked as if his father had sired him on a fish, but he still wore a longsword. “Dagon Codd yields to no man.”
那個他認識的門衛(wèi)看起來不太確定。“維克塔里昂大人命令我們堅守，他確實是這樣命令的，我親耳聽到的。守住這里直到我回來，他是這樣對肯寧講的?！?/p>
No, please, you have to listen. The thought of what Ramsay would do to him if he crept back to camp without the garrison’s surrender was almost enough to make him piss his breeches. Reek, Reek, it rhymes with leak. “Is that your answer?” The words rang feebly in his ears. “Does this codfish speak for all of you?”
“嗯”，那個獨臂的老人說道，“這便是他所說的。他回去參加選王會，但他發(fā)誓他將戴著浮木冠回來，帶領著上千的軍隊。”
The guard who had met him at the door seemed less certain. “Victarion commanded us to hold, he did. I heard him with my own ears. Hold here till I return, he told Kenning.”
“我叔叔不會回來了?！背衾懈嬖V他們?！斑x王會加冕了他的弟弟攸倫，而鴉眼有另一場戰(zhàn)爭要打。你以為我叔叔很重視你們？他當你們一錢不值。你們只不過是被他扔下等死的累贅而已。他拋棄你們就好像涉水上岸時刮掉靴子上污泥?！?/p>
“Aye,” said the one-armed man. “That’s what he said. The kingsmoot called, but he swore that he’d be back, with a driftwood crown upon his head and a thousand men behind him.”
這些話觸動了聽眾們。他可以從他們的眼睛里看出這一點，當他們彼此張望的時候，當他們對著酒杯皺眉的時候。他們都在擔心自己被遺棄了，這念頭引導著我令他們確信了這一點。這里沒有鐵群島著名首領的親屬，也沒有偉大家族的血脈。他們都是奴仆和鹽妾的兒子。
“My uncle is never coming back,” Reek told them. “The kingsmoot crowned his brother Euron, and the Crow’s Eye has other wars to fight. You think my uncle values you? He doesn’t. You are the ones he left behind to die. He scraped you off the same way he scrapes mud off his boots when he wades ashore.”
“如果我們投降，我們就能離開？”獨臂老人問道，“這信上都說了些什么？”他用手肘輕輕推了推那個羊皮紙卷，它的蠟封仍然完好無損。
Those words struck home. He could see it in their eyes, in the way they looked at one another or frowned above their cups. They all feared they’d been abandoned, but it took me to turn fear into certainty. These were not the kin of famous captains nor the blood of the great Houses of the Iron Islands. These were the sons of thralls and salt wives.
“你們自己看吧，”他回答。但他幾乎確定在場的沒有人識字?！袄匪勾笕藢Ψ攲⑿攀爻兄Z，只要你們同樣對他信守承諾。”他只不過會取走幾根腳趾，手指或是其他什么東西。他還可能割了我的舌頭，或者剝掉我腿上的皮，從腳后跟直到大腿根。“放下你們的劍向他臣服，你們就可以活命?！?/p>
“If we yield, we walk away?” said the one-armed man. “Is that what it says on this here writing?” He nudged the roll of parchment, its wax seal still unbroken.
“騙子！”達庚柯德抽出了他的長劍，“你是個變色龍。我們憑什么要聽信你的承諾？”
“Read it for yourself,” he answered, though he was almost certain that none of them could read. “Lord Ramsay treats his captives honorably so long as they keep faith with him.” He has only taken toes and fingers and that other thing, when he might have had my tongue, or peeled the skin off my legs from heel to thigh. “Yield up your swords to him, and you will live.”
他喝醉了，臭佬確信。這個酒桶正在發(fā)言?！跋嘈拍阆胍嘈诺?。我?guī)砹死匪勾笕说南ⅰ，F(xiàn)在我必須回去他身邊。我將品嘗以野豬肉和蘿卜烹制的美味晚餐，就著濃烈的紅酒。跟我一起回去的人將共享這盛宴，而留下的人將在一天內死去。恐怖堡伯爵將率領著他的騎士從堤道進攻，同時他的兒子也帶著自己的軍隊從北面夾擊。那就不會有慈悲。戰(zhàn)死的人是幸運的，還活著的人會被留給沼澤魔鬼。
“Liar.” Dagon Codd drew his longsword. “You’re the one they call Turncloak. Why should we believe your promises?”
“夠了！”達庚?？碌屡叵?，“你以為你能嚇倒鐵民嗎？滾！在你滾回你主人身邊前我要切開你的肚子，把你的內臟挖出來，還要讓你親自把它們吃掉！”
He is drunk, Reek realized. The ale is speaking. “Believe what you want. I have brought Lord Ramsay’s message. Now I must return to him. We’ll sup on wild boar and neeps, washed down with strong red wine. Those who come with me will be welcome at the feast. The rest of you will die within a day. The Lord of the Dreadfort will bring his knights up the causeway, whilst his son leads his own men down on you from the north. No quarter will be granted. The ones that die fighting will be the lucky ones. Those who live will be given to the bog devils.”
他或許還想說更多，但是突然間他的目光變得呆滯。隨著一聲悶響他的前額中間釘上了一柄飛斧。柯德的劍從手指間滑脫了，他像上鉤的魚一般猛地抽搐，隨后他裂開的臉撞在了桌子上。
“Enough,” snarled Dagon Codd. “You think you can frighten ironborn with words? Begone. Run back to your master before I open your belly, pull your entrails out, and make you eat them.”
是獨臂老人擲出了斧頭。他站起身來，手里還有另外一柄飛斧?！斑€有人想死嗎？”他問其他人。“大聲講，我能看到?！滨r血在柯德的頭顱四周匯聚，猩紅色的細流沿著石壁的縫隙蔓延開來?！拔蚁牖钪Ｎ也幌氪粼谶@個地方爛掉?！?/p>
He might have said more, but suddenly his eyes gaped wide. A throwing axe sprouted from the center of his forehead with a solid thunk. Codd’s sword fell from his fingers. He jerked like a fish on a hook, then crashed face-first onto the table.
一個人喝了一大口啤酒。還有一個在用酒洗手指上的血，剛才血流到了他所坐的地方。沒有人講話。當獨臂老人把飛斧插回皮帶，臭佬知道他贏了。他幾乎覺得自己又變成一個“人”了。拉姆斯大人會對我感到滿意的。
It was the one-armed man who’d flung the axe. As he rose to his feet he had another in his hand. “Who else wants to die?” he asked the other drinkers. “Speak up, I’ll see you do.” Thin red streams were spreading out across the stone from the pool of blood where Dagon Codd’s head had come to rest. “Me, I mean to live, and that don’t mean staying here to rot.”
他用兩只手拉下海怪的旗幟，動作因為那些失去的手指而顯得很笨拙。但感謝那些拉姆斯大人留給他的手指。在鐵民們準備離開之前又花掉了大半個下午。這里的鐵民比他之前所認為的要多——門衛(wèi)塔有四十七個，酒鬼塔有十八個。有兩個已經垂死，沒有任何希望生還；還有五個虛弱到不能走路。仍有五十八個準備充分，隨時可以戰(zhàn)斗。即便他們如此虛弱，仍然足以在拉姆斯大人進攻卡林灣時殺死三倍數(shù)量的敵人。所以他很明智地派了我來這里。在爬上馬背準備帶領他那衣衫襤褸的破爛隊伍穿過沼澤回到北方人的營地時，臭佬這樣對自己說。“把你們的武器留在這里。”他告訴他的囚犯們，“劍，弓，還有匕首。任何進入視線內的武裝人員都會被殺掉?！?/p>
One man took a swallow of ale. Another turned his cup over to wash away a finger of blood before it reached the place where he was seated. No one spoke. When the one-armed man slid the throwing axe back through his belt, Reek knew he had won. He almost felt a man again. Lord Ramsay will be pleased with me.
歸程花費了三倍于臭佬獨自一人前來的時間。他們?yōu)樗膫€不能走路的人準備了簡陋的轎子，而剩下的那一個則由他兒子背著，所有這些都拖慢了隊伍。所有鐵民都充分意識到自己現(xiàn)在沼澤魔鬼的毒箭前暴露無遺。如果我死了——臭佬只希望那個弓手能射的準些——希望能死的迅速干凈。一個人類應有的死亡，不要遭受拉爾夫?？蠈幵馐艿目嚯y。
He pulled down the kraken banner with his own two hands, fumbling some because of his missing fingers but thankful for the fingers that Lord Ramsay had allowed him to keep. It took the better part of the afternoon before the ironborn were ready to depart. There were more of them than he would have guessed—forty-seven in the Gatehouse Tower and another eighteen in the Drunkard’s Tower. Two of those were so close to dead there was no hope for them, another five too weak to walk. That still left fifty-eight who were fit enough to fight. Weak as they were, they would have taken three times their own number with them if Lord Ramsay had stormed the ruins. He did well to send me, Reek told himself as he climbed back onto his stot to lead his ragged column back across the boggy ground to where the northmen were encamped. “Leave your weapons here,” he told the prisoners. “Swords, bows, daggers. Armed men will be slain on sight.”
那個獨臂老人一瘸一拐地走在隊伍最前面。他說他的名字是Adrack Humble，他在大威克島有一個老婆和三個鹽妾。“她們中有三個在我們出發(fā)時已經懷孕”，他自夸道，“而且我家人往往生雙胞胎。我回去后第一件事就是數(shù)數(shù)我有了幾個新兒子。我或許會用您的名字命名其中一個，我的大人?！?/p>
It took them thrice as long to cover the distance as it had taken Reek alone. Crude litters had been patched together for four of the men who could not walk; the fifth was carried by his son, upon his back. It made for slow going, and all the ironborn were well aware of how exposed they were, well within bowshot of the bog devils and their poisoned arrows. If I die, I die. Reek only prayed the archer knew his business, so death would be quick and clean. A man’s death, not the end Ralf Kenning suffered.
啊，命名為臭佬。他想。要是他淘氣就切掉他的腳趾，讓他吃老鼠。他回過頭吐了口口水。拉爾夫?？蠈幓蛟S才是比較幸運的那個。他想。
The one-armed man walked at the head of the procession, limping heavily. His name, he said, was Adrack Humble, and he had a rock wife and three salt wives back on Great Wyk. “Three of the four had big bellies when we sailed,” he boasted, “and Humbles run to twins. First thing I’ll need to do when I get back is count up my new sons. Might be I’ll even name one after you, m’lord.”
當拉姆斯大人軍營出現(xiàn)在地平線上的時候，青灰色的天空凄凄瀝瀝地下起了小雨，一位哨兵注視著臭佬一行人靜靜地通過?？諝庵袕浡艋鸨挥晁疂矞绾笊l(fā)的潮濕煙氣。一列騎手在一位盾牌上有馬頭紋飾的貴族帶領下來到他們身后。臭佬知道他是誰，Ryswell大人的一個兒子。Roger或者是Rickard。他分不清這兩個人。“這就是全部？”栗色公馬背上的騎手問道。
Aye, name him Reek, he thought, and when he’s bad you can cut his toes off and give him rats to eat. He turned his head and spat, and wondered if Ralf Kenning hadn’t been the lucky one.
“所有還沒死的，我的大人?！?/p>
A light rain had begun to piss down out of the slate-grey sky by the time Lord Ramsay’s camp appeared in front of them. A sentry watched them pass in silence. The air was full of drifting smoke from the cookfires drowning in the rain. A column of riders came wheeling up behind them, led by a lordling with a horsehead on his shield. One of Lord Ryswell’s sons, Reek knew. Roger, or maybe Rickard. He could not tell the two of them apart. “Is this all of them?” the rider asked from atop a chestnut stallion.
“我以為會有更多人。我們曾三次進攻，三次都被他們趕了回來?！?/p>
“All who weren’t dead, my lord.”
我們是鐵民，臭佬想到。驕傲油然而生，在一瞬間他又成了一位王子，巴隆大王的兒子，派克島的血脈。然而甚至只是想想這些都是危險的。他必須想起他的名字。臭佬。我的名字是臭佬，押韻虛弱。
“I thought there would be more. We came at them three times, and three times they threw us back.”
他們就這樣站在營地外面直到一群獵犬的狂吠宣告了拉姆斯大人的到來。whoresbane（女支女克星？這誰？）跟在后面，還帶著半打他的收藏品。Skinner（剝皮者？），Sour Alyn，Damon Dance-for-Me，the Walders Big，Little也跟來了（沒一個認識的，囧）。獵犬群集在他們周圍，向著這些陌生人呲著牙低吼。私生子的女孩兒們，臭佬想，然后他記起來當拉姆斯大人在場的時候絕對，絕對，絕對不能提那個詞。
We are ironborn, he thought, with a sudden flash of pride, and for half a heartbeat he was a prince again, Lord Balon’s son, the blood of Pyke. Even thinking was dangerous, though. He had to remember his name. Reek, my name is Reek, it rhymes with weak.
臭佬滾鞍下馬，屈膝下跪?！拔业拇笕?，卡林灣是您的了，它最后的守衛(wèi)都在這里。”
They were just outside the camp when the baying of a pack of hounds told of Lord Ramsay’s approach. Whoresbane was with him, along with half a dozen of his favorites, Skinner and Sour Alyn and Damon Dance-for-Me, and the Walders Big and Little too. The dogs swarmed around them, snapping and snarling at the strangers. The Bastard’s girls, Reek thought, before he remembered that one must never, never, never use that word in Ramsay’s presence.
“好少。我本來希望能有更多人。他們是相當頑強的敵人?！崩匪勾笕说陌籽壑殚W閃發(fā)光?！澳銈円欢I壞了。達蒙，Alyn，去照顧他們。給他們紅酒和濃啤酒，還有任何他們能吃得下的食物。Skinner，讓學士們給他們療傷?！?/p>
Reek swung down from his saddle and took a knee. “My lord, Moat Cailin is yours. Here are its last defenders.”
“好的，我的大人?！?/p>
“So few. I had hoped for more. They were such stubborn foes.” Lord Ramsay’s pale eyes shone. “You must be starved. Damon, Alyn, see to them. Wine and ale, and all the food that they can eat. Skinner, show their wounded to our maesters.”
有幾個鐵民在蹣跚地走向營地中間的篝火之前咕噥著對拉姆斯大人表示了感謝，有一位柯德家的人甚至試圖去親吻拉姆斯大人的戒指，但那些獵犬在他靠近前把他趕了回來，Alison還咬掉了他耳朵上的一大塊肉。然而當鮮血順著他的脖子流下來的時候，他還在不停地一邊鞠躬一邊奉承拉姆斯大人的仁慈。
“Aye, my lord.”
當最后一個人也離開之后，拉姆斯大人回過頭對著臭佬微笑。拉姆斯伸出手臂繞過他的后頸緊緊擁抱他，貼過臉來在他的面頰上吻了一下（YOOOOOOOOOooooooooo?。⑶叶Z道：“臭佬，我的老朋友。他們的真的把你當成他們的王子？這些血腥的白癡，這些鐵民，簡直連神都要發(fā)笑?！?/p>
A few of the ironborn muttered thanks before they shambled off toward the cookfires in the center of the camp. One of the Codds even tried to kiss Lord Ramsay’s ring, but the hounds drove him back before he could get close, and Alison took a chunk of his ear. Even as the blood streamed down his neck, the man bobbed and bowed and praised his lordship’s mercy.
“他們想要的只是回家，我的主人。”
When the last of them were gone, Ramsay Bolton turned his smile on Reek. He clasped him by the back of the head, pulled his face close, kissed him on his cheek, and whispered, “My old friend Reek. Did they really take you for their prince? What bloody fools, these ironmen. The gods are laughing.”
“那么你想要什么？我的臭佬？”拉姆斯大人溫柔地輕聲細語，好像他是他的情人。他的呼吸有著紅酒和丁香的香氣，非常甜蜜?！坝⒂碌墓冎档锚剟睢Ｎ也荒馨涯愕哪_趾和手指接回去，但是無疑我能給你一些你想要的東西。想要我給你自由嗎？讓你從對我的服務中解脫出來，和那些鐵民一起回到你們那冰冷大海中的荒涼島嶼，恢復王子的身份？或者你更愿意作我的忠實仆人？”
“All they want is to go home, my lord.”
仿佛有一把冰冷的剃刀抵在他的脊梁上。要當心，他對自己說，要非常，非常地當心。他不喜歡拉姆斯大人像個貴族一樣微笑，不喜歡他閃爍的眼睛，不喜歡他嘴角邊噴濺的唾沫之前他必須看著這些（才給點好臉就皮癢了?。。。?。你不是王子。你是臭佬，僅僅是臭佬，臭佬，押韻丑陋。給他答案，他想要的答案。
“And what do you want, my sweet Reek?” Ramsay murmured, as softly as a lover. His breath smelled of mulled wine and cloves, so sweet. “Such valiant service deserves a reward. I cannot give you back your fingers or your toes, but surely there is something you would have of me. Shall I free you instead? Release you from my service? Do you want to go with them, return to your bleak isles in the cold grey sea, be a prince again? Or would you sooner stay my leal serving man?”
“我的大人，”他說道，“我的位置就在這里，跟您在一起。我是您的臭佬。我只想要服侍您。我想要…我只想要一皮囊的紅酒，這足夠作為我的臭佬…紅酒，您最濃烈的紅酒，一個人所能暢飲的最大量的紅酒……”
A cold knife scraped along his spine. Be careful, he told himself, be very, very careful. He did not like his lordship’s smile, the way his eyes were shining, the spittle glistening at the corner of his mouth. He had seen such signs before. You are no prince. You’re Reek, just Reek, it rhymes with freak. Give him the answer that he wants.
拉姆斯大人大笑起來。“你不是一個“人”，臭佬，你只是“我的人”。你會得到你的紅酒。瓦德，去拿些紅酒來。不要害怕，我不會把你送回地老去，我以波頓家的名義發(fā)誓。我會把你當做我的小狗，每天給都你肉吃，還要給你留下足夠多的牙齒好讓你能咬得動。我允許你和我的女孩兒們睡在一起。Ben，你能不能給他做個項圈？（噗嗤?。?/p>
“My lord,” he said, “my place is here, with you. I’m your Reek. I only want to serve you. All I ask … a skin of wine, that would be reward enough for me … red wine, the strongest that you have, all the wine a man can drink …”
“我會做一個，我的大人?！崩螧en Bones說道。
Lord Ramsay laughed. “You’re not a man, Reek. You’re just my creature. You’ll have your wine, though. Walder, see to it. And fear not, I won’t return you to the dungeons, you have my word as a Bolton. We’ll make a dog of you instead. Meat every day, and I’ll even leave you teeth enough to eat it. You can sleep beside my girls. Ben, do you have a collar for him?”
那個老頭能作得比現(xiàn)在這個更好的。在這個夜晚，這里除了這個項圈，還有一張破毯子，外加半只雞。為了這半只雞臭佬必須必須從狗嘴里把它搶下來，但這是自從離開臨冬城以來他吃得最好的一頓。
“I’ll have one made, m’lord,” said old Ben Bones.
還有紅酒。這紅酒既渾濁有酸臭，不過很濃烈。臭佬像條狗一樣蹲在狗群中，狂飲直到頭昏腦脹，干嘔不止。他擦了擦嘴，繼續(xù)狂飲。
The old man did better than that. That night, besides the collar, there was a ragged blanket too, and half a chicken. Reek had to fight the dogs for the meat, but it was the best meal he’d had since Winterfell.
然后他閉眼躺下，等醒來的時候發(fā)現(xiàn)狗在舔他的胡子。夜空中鐮刀般的新月刺破厚重的烏云。黑暗中某個地方傳來男人的慘叫聲。他把狗退到一邊，翻了個身繼續(xù)睡覺。
And the wine … the wine was dark and sour, but strong. Squatting amongst the hounds, Reek drank until his head swam, retched, wiped his mouth, and drank some more. Afterward he lay back and closed his eyes. When he woke a dog was licking vomit from his beard, and dark clouds were scuttling across the face of a sickle moon. Somewhere in the night, men were screaming. He shoved the dog aside, rolled over, and went back to sleep.
第二天清晨，拉姆斯大人派出三名騎兵沿堤道南下告知他的父親道路已經通暢。在門衛(wèi)塔塔頂，在臭佬降下派克島的金色海怪旗的地方。波頓家的剝皮人旗幟高高飄揚。沿著朽壞的棧道，一排木樁深深地插進沼澤地，上面釘著剝了皮的尸體，潰爛的，鮮紅的，濕漉漉的尸體。六十三具尸體，臭佬知道，六十三個人都在這里。其中一具有著一截斷臂，還有一具的嘴里塞著那卷羊皮紙，上面的蠟封仍舊完好無損。
The next morning Lord Ramsay dispatched three riders down the causeway to take word to his lord father that the way was clear. The flayed man of House Bolton was hoisted above the Gatehouse Tower, where Reek had hauled down the golden kraken of Pyke. Along the rotting-plank road, wooden stakes were driven deep into the boggy ground; there the corpses festered, red and dripping. Sixty-three, he knew, there are sixty-three of them. One was short half an arm. Another had a parchment shoved between its teeth, its wax seal still unbroken.
三天后，盧斯波頓大軍的先頭部隊穿越了卡林灣的廢墟，以及那六十三個可怕的哨兵。四百個穿著藍色和灰色軍服的弗雷家騎兵，陽光穿透云層映射在他們的矛尖上閃閃發(fā)亮。老弗雷大人的兩個兒子率領著這支隊伍。其中一個雄壯有力，生了一副突出的強壯下顎，粗壯的手臂肌肉虬結。另一個則是禿頂，尖鼻子上的那兩只靠得過近的眼睛透著饑渴，一小撮棕色的胡須很難遮住瘦弱的下巴。這是Hosteen和Aenys，臭佬在知道自己名字以前就認得他們。Hosteen是頭公牛，并不易怒，但一旦發(fā)火就誰也攔不住，被稱為是老瓦德大人麾下最兇猛的戰(zhàn)士。Aenys更加年長，也更加殘忍，而且更加聰明——更像是一位指揮官而不是戰(zhàn)士。這兩個人都是經驗豐富的軍人。
Three days later, the vanguard of Roose Bolton’s host threaded its way through the ruins and past the row of grisly sentinels—four hundred mounted Freys clad in blue and grey, their spearpoints glittering whenever the sun broke through the clouds. Two of old Lord Walder’s sons led the van. One was brawny, with a massive jut of jaw and arms thick with muscle. The other had hungry eyes close-set above a pointed nose, a thin brown beard that did not quite conceal the weak chin beneath it, a bald head. Hosteen and Aenys. He remembered them from before he knew his name. Hosteen was a bull, slow to anger but implacable once roused, and by repute the fiercest fighter of Lord Walder’s get. Aenys was older, crueler, and more clever—a commander, not a swordsman. Both were seasoned soldiers.
北方人緊跟在前鋒后面，他們破碎的旗幟在風中招展。臭佬注視著他們通過。大部分都是步兵，而且人數(shù)是如此之少。他還記得少狼主麾下的那支南征大軍，在臨冬城的冰原狼旗下行進。接近兩萬名手持劍和矛的戰(zhàn)士著追隨少狼主離開故鄉(xiāng)投入戰(zhàn)爭，如今回來的十不存二，而且絕大多數(shù)是恐怖堡的人馬。
The northmen followed hard behind the van, their tattered banners streaming in the wind. Reek watched them pass. Most were afoot, and there were so few of them. He remembered the great host that marched south with Young Wolf, beneath the direwolf of Winterfell. Twenty thousand swords and spears had gone off to war with Robb, or near enough to make no matter, but only two in ten were coming back, and most of those were Dreadfort men.
在隊列中間最擁擠的地方，一個人穿著黑灰色的板甲和血紅色的皮罩衫，他的護胸甲被鍛造成一張在痛苦中哀嚎的人臉的形狀。他的肩上披著粉色的羊斗篷，上面繡著斑斑鮮血。長長的紅綢流蘇從緊緊關閉的頭盔上披灑下來。這樣澤地人的毒箭就殺不了盧斯波頓，臭佬在剛看到那人時心想。一輛由六匹重挽馬拉的帶封閉車廂的四輪馬車緊隨在那人身后行進，發(fā)出吱吱呀呀的噪音。馬車前后都有十字弓手保護著。藍黑色的天鵝絨帷幕把車里的乘客和圍觀者的視線隔絕開來。
Back where the press was thickest at the center of the column rode a man armored in dark grey plate over a quilted tunic of blood-red leather. His rondels were wrought in the shape of human heads, with open mouths that shrieked in agony. From his shoulders streamed a pink woolen cloak embroidered with droplets of blood. Long streamers of red silk fluttered from the top of his closed helm. No crannogman will slay Roose Bolton with a poisoned arrow, Reek thought when he first saw him. An enclosed wagon groaned along behind him, drawn by six heavy draft horses and defended by crossbowmen, front and rear. Curtains of dark blue velvet concealed the wagon’s occupants from watching eyes.
在更遠處是是輜重車隊。滿載著給養(yǎng)和戰(zhàn)利品的貨車隆隆駛過，然后是擠滿傷員的馬車。在隊伍末端，是更多的弗雷家的軍隊，至少有一千人，也許更多。弓箭手，長矛手，拿著鐮刀和尖頭木棒的民兵，自由騎手和騎射手，此外還有上百名騎士。
Farther back came the baggage train—lumbering wayns laden with provisions and loot taken in the war, and carts crowded with wounded men and cripples. And at the rear, more Freys. At least a thousand, maybe more: bowmen, spearmen, peasants armed with scythes and sharpened sticks, freeriders and mounted archers, and another hundred knights to stiffen them.
當拉姆斯大人大步向前去迎接他的父親的時候，臭佬戴著項圈，拴著鎖鏈，破衣爛衫地和其他狗一起跟在拉姆斯大人腳邊?？墒钱敽诩椎尿T士摘掉頭盔，露出的卻是一張拉姆斯大人不認識的面孔。拉姆斯大人的笑容一瞬間凝固在臉上，緊接著怒容滿面：“這TMD算什么？戲弄我嗎？”
Collared and chained and back in rags again, Reek followed with the other dogs at Lord Ramsay’s heels when his lordship strode forth to greet his father. When the rider in the dark armor removed his helm, however, the face beneath was not one that Reek knew. Ramsay’s smile curdled at the sight, and anger flashed across his face. “What is this, some mockery?”
“只是小心罷了”，出現(xiàn)在四輪馬車帷幕后面的盧斯波頓輕聲說道。
“Just caution,” whispered Roose Bolton, as he emerged from behind the curtains of the enclosed wagon.
恐怖堡伯爵（應該是公爵了？）與他的私生子并沒有太多相似之處。他的臉刮的很干凈，皮膚光滑，雖然稱不上英俊過人但也絕非相貌平平。長期的戰(zhàn)斗并沒有給他留下傷痕。盡管年過四十，仍然沒什么皺紋，在他身上幾乎看不出歲月流逝。他的嘴唇很薄，抿在一起的話就幾乎看不到了。他仿佛是永恒不變的存在，在盧斯波頓的臉上，喜悅和憤怒的表現(xiàn)幾乎完全一樣。眼睛是他和拉姆斯唯一相似的地方。他的眼睛像冰一樣，臭佬很想知道盧斯波頓是否曾經哭泣，如果是的話，當眼淚流過他的面頰時是一種怎樣的感覺呢？
The Lord of the Dreadfort did not have a strong likeness to his bastard son. His face was clean-shaved, smooth-skinned, ordinary, not handsome but not quite plain. Though Roose had been in battles, he bore no scars. Though well past forty, he was as yet unwrinkled, with scarce a line to tell of the passage of time. His lips were so thin that when he pressed them together they seemed to vanish altogether. There was an agelessness about him, a stillness; on Roose Bolton’s face, rage and joy looked much the same. All he and Ramsay had in common were their eyes. His eyes are ice. Reek wondered if Roose Bolton ever cried. If so, do the tears feel cold upon his cheeks?
有一個叫席恩葛雷喬伊的男孩兒曾經非常喜歡拿波頓大人開玩笑，當他們和羅卜史塔克一起開會的時候。他嘲弄波頓大人細軟的嗓音，還編造關于水蛭的笑話。那時他一定是發(fā)了瘋、這絕不是一個可以拿來開玩笑的男人。你只要看上波頓大人一眼，就知道他的一個小指頭里的殘忍就比全體弗雷加起來還要多。
Once, a boy called Theon Greyjoy had enjoyed tweaking Bolton as they sat at council with Robb Stark, mocking his soft voice and making japes about leeches. He must have been mad. This is no man to jape with. You had only to look at Bolton to know that he had more cruelty in his pinky toe than all the Freys combined.
“父親。”拉姆斯大人在波頓大人面前跪下。
“Father.” Lord Ramsay knelt before his sire.
盧斯波頓大人審視了他一會兒，“你長高了。”接著他轉過身幫助兩位年輕女士從四輪馬車上下來。
Lord Roose studied him for a moment. “You may rise.” He turned to help two young women down from inside the wagon.
第一位又矮又胖，生了一張紅色的大圓臉，貂皮兜帽下面露出三層肥大的下巴?！拔业男路蛉恕保R斯波頓大人說，“瓦德女士，這是我的兒子。拉姆斯，親吻你繼母的手?！崩匪勾笕苏辙k了。“接下來是艾麗婭女士，你的未婚妻，我相信你不會忘了她?！?/p>
The first was short and very fat, with a round red face and three chins wobbling beneath a sable hood. “My new wife,” Roose Bolton said. “Lady Walda, this is my natural son. Kiss your stepmother’s hand, Ramsay.” He did. “And I am sure you will recall the Lady Arya. Your betrothed.”
這個女孩很瘦，比記憶中要高，但這還不足為奇。她穿著帶白色緞子鑲邊的灰羊毛外套，外罩白色貂皮斗篷，扣著銀色狼頭胸針。棕黑色的長發(fā)披散在背上。然而她的眼睛…
The girl was slim, and taller than he remembered, but that was only to be expected. Girls grow fast at that age. Her dress was grey wool bordered with white satin; over it she wore an ermine cloak clasped with a silver wolf’s head. Dark brown hair fell halfway down her back. And her eyes …
這個女孩兒不是艾德公爵的女兒。
That is not Lord Eddard’s daughter.
艾麗婭的眼睛和她的父親一樣，是史塔克家族的灰眼睛。隨著年齡的增長，女孩兒的個頭會變高，頭發(fā)會長長，胸部會逐漸豐滿，但眼睛的顏色不可能改變。這是珊紗的小玩伴，管家的女兒，簡妮，這才是她的名字。簡妮。普爾。
Arya had her father’s eyes, the grey eyes of the Starks. A girl her age might let her hair grow long, add inches to her height, see her chest fill out, but she could not change the color of her eyes. That’s Sansa’s little friend, the steward’s girl. Jeyne, that was her name. Jeyne Poole.
“拉姆斯大人”，這女孩兒在他面前欠身。這不會是真的，真正的史塔克只會向他的臉上吐口水?！拔移矶\能成為您的好妻子，并給您帶來強壯的兒子追隨左右?！?/p>
“Lord Ramsay.” The girl dipped down before him. That was wrong as well. The real Arya Stark would have spat into his face. “I pray that I will make you a good wife and give you strong sons to follow after you.”
“你會的?！崩匪勾笕嗽手Z，“很快就會?！?/p>
“That you will,” promised Ramsay, “and soon.”
