Ⅲ 冰雨的風(fēng)暴 Chapter40 布蘭

BRAN

塔堡矗立在島上，影子倒映于平靜的藍(lán)色湖面。朔風(fēng)吹起，波紋蕩漾，猶如嬉戲的小孩互相追逐。橡樹沿岸生長(zhǎng)，茂密繁盛，地上布滿掉落的橡果。林后是個(gè)村子，或者說村子的遺跡。

The tower stood upon an island, its twin reflected on the still blue waters. When the wind blew, ripples moved across the surface of the lake, chasing one another like boys at play. Oak trees grew thick along the lakeshore, a dense stand of them with a litter of fallen acorns on the ground beneath. Beyond them was the village, or what remained of it.

那是下山之后他們見到的第一個(gè)村子。梅拉在前探路，以確保沒人躲在廢墟之中。她手拿索網(wǎng)和捕蛙矛，穿梭于橡樹和蘋果樹之間，驚起三頭紅鹿，使它們跳躍著越過灌木叢逃開。夏天發(fā)現(xiàn)動(dòng)靜，立刻追趕過去，布蘭看冰原狼大步奔跑，片刻之間，只想換為他的形體，同他一起前進(jìn)。但梅拉已揮手示意他們跟上，于是他不情不愿地催促阿多進(jìn)村，玖健跟隨在旁。

It was the first village they had seen since leaving the foothills. Meera had scouted ahead to make certain there was no one lurking amongst the ruins. Sliding in and amongst oaks and apple trees with her net and spear in hand, she startled three red deer and sent them bounding away through the brush. Summer saw the flash of motion and was after them at once. Bran watched the direwolf lope off, and for a moment wanted nothing so much as to slip his skin and run with him, but Meera was waving for them to come ahead. Reluctantly, he turned away from Summer and urged Hodor on, into the village. Jojen walked with them.

布蘭知道，從此直到長(zhǎng)城，一路都是草原，包括未耕種的田地和低伏的丘陵，高處的草場(chǎng)和低地的沼澤。這比他們走出的山區(qū)要容易行走，但開闊地讓梅拉不安?！案杏X就像沒穿衣服，”她承認(rèn)，“無處可藏?！?/p>

The ground from here to the Wall was grasslands, Bran knew; fallow fields and low rolling hills, high meadows and lowland bogs. It would be much easier going than the mountains behind, but so much open space made Meera uneasy. “I feel naked,” she confessed. “There’s no place to hide.”

“這片土地屬于誰？”玖健問布蘭。

“Who holds this land?” Jojen asked Bran.

“屬于守夜人軍團(tuán)，”他回答?！斑@是‘新贈(zèng)地’，位于‘布蘭登的饋贈(zèng)’以南?！濒敎貙W(xué)士教的歷史派上了用場(chǎng)?！啊钦摺继m登將絕境長(zhǎng)城南方二十五里格的土地全部送給黑衣弟兄，作為……作為維持生計(jì)的資源。”他很驕傲自己仍記得上的課。“有些學(xué)士爭(zhēng)論說那是另一個(gè)布蘭登，不是‘筑城者’，但反正那就叫‘布蘭登的饋贈(zèng)’。數(shù)千年后，善良的亞莉珊王后乘她的龍‘銀翼’造訪長(zhǎng)城，敬佩于守夜人的勇敢，因此建議‘人瑞王’將土地翻倍，擴(kuò)展至五十里格。這就是‘新贈(zèng)地’?！彼麚]揮手?！斑@里。所有這些都是。”

“The Night’s Watch,” he answered. “This is the Gift. The New Gift, and north of that Brandon’s Gift.” Maester Luwin had taught him the history. “Brandon the Builder gave all the land south of the Wall to the black brothers, to a distance of twenty-five leagues. For their … for their sustenance and support.” He was proud that he still remembered that part. “Some maesters say it was some other Brandon, not the Builder, but it’s still Brandon’s Gift. Thousands of years later, Good Queen Alysanne visited the Wall on her dragon Silverwing, and she thought the Night’s Watch was so brave that she had the Old King double the size of their lands, to fifty leagues. So that was the New Gift.” He waved a hand. “Here. All this.”

布蘭看得出，村子已多年無人居住。所有房屋皆已倒塌，連客棧也不例外。它原本就不是個(gè)像樣的客棧，而今只剩一根石煙囪和兩道殘墻，周圍是十幾棵蘋果樹。其中一棵從大廳里長(zhǎng)出來，廳內(nèi)地板鋪著一層濕乎乎的棕葉和爛蘋果，空中充滿濃郁的氣味，有些像酒，幾乎掩蓋了所有其他味道。梅拉用蛙矛戳起幾個(gè)蘋果，試圖找到一些可以吃的，但沒用，它們?nèi)闪俗睾稚瑑?nèi)里長(zhǎng)滿蠕蟲。

No one had lived in the village for long years, Bran could see. All the houses were falling down. Even the inn. It had never been much of an inn, to look at it, but now all that remained was a stone chimney and two cracked walls, set amongst a dozen apple trees. One was growing up through the common room, where a layer of wet brown leaves and rotting apples carpeted the floor. The air was thick with the smell of them, a cloying cidery scent that was almost overwhelming. Meera stabbed a few apples with her frog spear, trying to find some still good enough to eat, but they were all too brown and wormy.

這里平靜、安寧、寂謐，別具一番愜意舒適，但布蘭覺得空蕩蕩的客棧有些悲哀，阿多似乎也有同感。“阿多？”他困惑地說，“阿多？阿多？”

It was a peaceful spot, still and tranquil and lovely to behold, but Bran thought there was something sad about an empty inn, and Hodor seemed to feel it too. “Hodor?” he said in a confused sort of way. “Hodor? Hodor?”

“多好的一片土地?！本两∽テ鹉嗤?，在指間揉搓，“有村子，有客棧，還有湖中的堅(jiān)固要塞，蘋果樹……但人在哪兒，布蘭？人們?yōu)楹坞x開這樣好的地方?！?/p>

“This is good land.” Jojen picked up a handful of dirt, rubbing it between his fingers. “A village, an inn, a stout holdfast in the lake, all these apple trees … but where are the people, Bran? Why would they leave such a place?”

“因?yàn)橐叭?，”布蘭說?！耙叭藗兇┻^長(zhǎng)城或群山，前來搶劫偷盜，擄奪婦女。老奶媽說，若教他們逮住，頭骨就會(huì)被做成飲血的杯子。而今守夜人的力量不如布蘭登或亞莉珊王后的時(shí)代那樣強(qiáng)，許多野人都能過來?？拷L(zhǎng)城的地方常遭劫掠，因此百姓們往南遷移，進(jìn)入群山中或國王大道以東的安柏家領(lǐng)地。大瓊恩那兒也會(huì)遭受劫掠，但不若贈(zèng)地里這么頻繁?！?/p>

“They were afraid of the wildlings,” said Bran. “Wildlings come over the Wall or through the mountains, to raid and steal and carry off women. If they catch you, they make your skull into a cup to drink blood, Old Nan used to say. The Night’s Watch isn’t so strong as it was in Brandon’s day or Queen Alysanne’s, so more get through. The places nearest the Wall got raided so much the smallfolk moved south, into the mountains or onto the Umber lands east of the kingsroad. The Greatjon’s people get raided too, but not so much as the people who used to live in the Gift.”

玖健·黎德緩緩轉(zhuǎn)頭，聆聽只有他能聽見的聲音?！拔覀兊谜艺诒?，暴風(fēng)雨快來了，猛烈的暴風(fēng)雨?！?/p>

Jojen Reed turned his head slowly, listening to music only he could hear. “We need to shelter here. There’s a storm coming. A bad one.”

布蘭抬頭望向天空。這是個(gè)美麗的秋日，晴朗清爽，陽光充沛，幾乎算得上溫暖，但黎德說得沒錯(cuò)，西方出現(xiàn)黑壓壓的云層，風(fēng)也似乎漸漸增強(qiáng)?！斑@客棧沒有屋頂，只有兩面墻，”他指出，“我們還是去外面的塔樓要塞吧。”

Bran looked up at the sky. It had been a beautiful crisp clear autumn day, sunny and almost warm, but there were dark clouds off to the west now, that was true, and the wind seemed to be picking up. “There’s no roof on the inn and only the two walls,” he pointed out. “We should go out to the holdfast.”

“阿多。”阿多說。或許他也同意。

“Hodor,” said Hodor. Maybe he agreed.

“我們沒船，布蘭?！泵防瓚醒笱蟮赜貌锻苊林鴮訉訕淙~。

“We have no boat, Bran.” Meera poked through the leaves idly with her frog spear.

“那兒有個(gè)堤道。一條石頭堤道，藏于水下。我們可以走過去。”或者說“他們”可以——他得坐在阿多背上。也罷，至少保證身體干燥。

“There’s a causeway. A stone causeway, hidden under the water. We could walk out.” They could, anyway; he would have to ride on Hodor’s back, but at least he’d stay dry that way.

黎德姐弟交換一個(gè)眼神?！澳阍踔?？”玖健問，“你來過這里嗎，王子殿下？”

The Reeds exchanged a look. “How do you know that?” asked Jojen. “Have you been here before, my prince?”

“沒有，是老奶媽說的。那塔樓以金冠為頂，看到?jīng)]？”他指向湖對(duì)面城垛上塊塊剝落的金漆?！皝喞蛏和鹾笤谀抢锼^，因此他們將墻齒漆成金色，以為致敬?！?/p>

“No. Old Nan told me. The holdfast has a golden crown, see?” He pointed across the lake. You could see patches of flaking gold paint up around the crenellations. “Queen Alysanne slept there, so they painted the merlons gold in her honor.”

“堤道？”玖健仔細(xì)觀察湖面，“你肯定？”

“A causeway?” Jojen studied the lake. “You are certain?”

“肯定?！辈继m說。

“Certain,” said Bran.

梅拉仔細(xì)偵察，很容易便找到了竅門：原來這是條三尺寬的過道，直通湖中央。她用捕蛙矛在前小心翼翼地試探，一步步行進(jìn)。遠(yuǎn)處路面浮出湖水，攀至島上，變成一段短短的石頭階梯，通向塔門。

Meera found the foot of it easily enough, once she knew to look; a stone pathway three feet wide, leading right out into the lake. She took them out step by careful step, probing ahead with her frog spear. They could see where the path emerged again, climbing from the water onto the island and turning into a short flight of stone steps that led to the holdfast door.

過道、階梯和塔門同一直線，讓人以為堤道是筆直的，事實(shí)并非如此。湖面之下，它彎來折去，呈之字形，往一個(gè)方向延伸島的三分之一寬，然后再折回來。拐彎處危險(xiǎn)難料，而長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的道路意昧著任何企圖靠近的人都將暴露在塔樓的弓箭之下。水下的巖石又粘又滑，阿多兩次差點(diǎn)失足，急得驚恐地大喊“阿多！”，最后才重新找回平衡。第二次嚇得布蘭夠嗆。假如阿多和籃子里的他一起掉入湖中，他很可能被淹死，尤其是大個(gè)子馬童往往一受驚嚇就忘了布蘭的存在。也許我們?cè)摿粼诳蜅５奶O果樹下，他心想，但現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)遲了。

Path, steps, and door were in a straight line, which made you think the causeway ran straight, but that wasn’t so. Under the lake it zigged and zagged, going a third of a way around the island before jagging back. The turns were treacherous, and the long path meant that anyone approaching would be exposed to arrow fire from the tower for a long time. The hidden stones were slimy and slippery too; twice Hodor almost lost his footing and shouted “HODOR!” in alarm before regaining his balance. The second time scared Bran badly. If Hodor fell into the lake with him in his basket, he could well drown, especially if the huge stableboy panicked and forgot that Bran was there, the way he did sometimes. Maybe we should have stayed at the inn, under the apple tree, he thought, but by then it was too late.

謝天謝地，沒有第三次受驚。水從未超過阿多的腰，卻已沒到黎德姐弟的胸口，這時(shí)，他們來到島上，沿著階梯向塔樓攀登。門依然堅(jiān)固，但歷經(jīng)年月，沉重的橡木板業(yè)已彎曲，再也無法完全闔上。梅拉使勁將它頂開，生銹的鐵絞鏈吱吱作響。門梁很矮?！皬澭⒍?，”布蘭說，阿多遵令而行，但彎得不夠低，布蘭撞到了頭?！昂锰邸！彼г埂?/p>

Thankfully there was no third time, and the water never got up past Hodor’s waist, though the Reeds were in it up to their chests. And before long they were on the island, climbing the steps to the holdfast. The door was still stout, though its heavy oak planks had warped over the years and it could no longer be closed completely. Meera shoved it open all the way, the rusted iron hinges screaming. The lintel was low. “Duck down, Hodor,” Bran said, and he did, but not enough to keep Bran from hitting his head. “That hurt,” he complained.

“阿多?！卑⒍噙呎f，邊直起身子。

“Hodor,” said Hodor, straightening.

他們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己位于一間陰暗封閉、剛夠容納四人的房間里。構(gòu)筑于墻壁內(nèi)側(cè)的樓梯左邊盤旋向上，右邊則是向下，皆被鐵柵欄隔開。頭頂也有鐵柵欄。殺人洞。他很高興沒人從上面倒?jié)L油。

They found themselves in a gloomy strongroom, barely large enough to hold the four of them. Steps built into the inner wall of the tower curved away upward to their left, downward to their right, behind iron grates. Bran looked up and saw another grate just above his head. A murder hole. He was glad there was no one up there now to pour boiling oil down on them.

柵欄都上了鎖，欄桿全是紅色鐵銹。阿多緊緊抓住左邊的門，悶哼一聲，使勁拉去，卻什么也沒發(fā)生。他試圖往里推，同樣毫無建樹。接著他搖、踢、撞，把它們弄得嗒嗒直響，又用巨掌砸絞鏈，直到空中充滿鐵銹碎屑，但門依舊毫無反應(yīng)。向下的門也一樣難以撼動(dòng)?！皼]法進(jìn)去?！泵防柭柤纭?/p>

The grates were locked, but the iron bars were red with rust. Hodor grabbed hold of the lefthand door and gave it a pull, grunting with effort. Nothing happened. He tried pushing with no more success. He shook the bars, kicked, shoved against them and rattled them and punched the hinges with a huge hand until the air was filled with flakes of rust, but the iron door would not budge. The one down to the undervault was no more accommodating. “No way in,” said Meera, shrugging.

布蘭坐在阿多背上的籃子里，殺人洞就在頭頂上方。他伸手去抓那欄桿，試著拉了拉，不料剛一拽，柵欄門便從天花板上掉落下來，帶著陣陣鐵銹與碎石?！鞍⒍?！”阿多喊。沉重的鐵柵欄在布蘭頭上砸了一下，然后落到玖健身上，玖健將它踢開，梅拉哈哈大笑?！翱纯?，王子殿下，”她說，“你比阿多還強(qiáng)壯呢。”布蘭臉紅了。

The murder hole was just above Bran’s head, as he sat in his basket on Hodor’s back. He reached up and grabbed the bars to give them a try. When he pulled down the grating came out of the ceiling in a cascade of rust and crumbling stone. “HODOR!” Hodor shouted. The heavy iron grate gave Bran another bang in the head, and crashed down near Jojen’s feet when he shoved it off of him. Meera laughed. “Look at that, my prince,” she said, “you’re stronger than Hodor.” Bran blushed.

沒了鐵柵欄，阿多能夠托梅拉和玖健爬進(jìn)殺人洞。隨后兩個(gè)澤地人抓住布蘭的胳膊，將他也拉了上去。阿多是最難的，他太重，黎德姐弟無法像幫布蘭那樣幫他。布蘭只好讓他去找些大石頭，幸虧島上大石頭不少，阿多將它們堆到夠高，然后抓住崩塌的洞孔邊緣，也爬了上來?！鞍⒍??！彼贿呌淇斓卮瓪猓贿叧腥诉肿煨?。

With the grate gone, Hodor was able to boost Meera and Jojen up through the gaping murder hole. The crannogmen took Bran by the arms and drew him up after them. Getting Hodor inside was the hard part. He was too heavy for the Reeds to lift the way they’d lifted Bran. Finally Bran told him to go look for some big rocks. The island had no lack of those, and Hodor was able to pile them high enough to grab the crumbling edges of the hole and climb through. “Hodor,” he panted happily, grinning at all of them.

上面有許多迷宮般的無窗小房間，陰暗無人，梅拉到處探察，發(fā)現(xiàn)了通往樓梯的路。他們爬得越高，光線就越好；到第三層，厚厚的外墻上出現(xiàn)了一個(gè)個(gè)鏤空箭孔，第四層有了真正的窗戶，最高的第五層是圓形大房間，三面有拱門，通往石頭小陽臺(tái)，另一面則是廁所，底下有排污管道，直達(dá)湖泊。

They found themselves in a maze of small cells, dark and empty, but Meera explored until she found the way back to the steps. The higher they climbed, the better the light; on the third story the thick outer wall was pierced by arrow slits, the fourth had actual windows, and the fifth and highest was one big round chamber with arched doors on three sides opening onto small stone balconies. On the fourth side was a privy chamber perched above a sewer chute that dropped straight down into the lake.

等到塔頂，天空已完全陰沉，西方的云層黑黑的。風(fēng)勢(shì)強(qiáng)勁，吹起布蘭的斗篷，噼啪作響?！鞍⒍??！卑⒍嗦犚姸放衤暠阏f。

By the time they reached the roof the sky was completely overcast, and the clouds to the west were black. The wind was blowing so strong it lifted up Bran’s cloak and made it flap and snap. “Hodor,” Hodor said at the noise.

梅拉轉(zhuǎn)了一圈，“站在世界之上，感覺像個(gè)巨人?！?/p>

Meera spun in a circle. “I feel almost a giant, standing high above the world.”

“頸澤里的樹有這兩倍高?！彼艿芴嵝阉?。

“There are trees in the Neck that stand twice as tall as this,” her brother reminded her.

“對(duì)，但它們周圍都是同樣高的樹，”梅拉說?！邦i澤里，視野壓抑狹小，天空遮蔽不開。這兒……感覺到風(fēng)了嗎，弟弟？瞧瞧世界多么遼闊。”

“Aye, but they have other trees around them just as high,” said Meera. “The world presses close in the Neck, and the sky is so much smaller. Here … feel that wind, Brother? And look how large the world has grown.”

是的。從這兒，你可以看到極遠(yuǎn)處。南方是升起的丘陵，再遠(yuǎn)處是灰綠的山脈。贈(zèng)地的平原高低起伏，向各個(gè)方向延伸，直到目力極限?！拔疫€認(rèn)為可以從這兒看到長(zhǎng)城呢，”布蘭失望地說，“那太蠢了，還有五十里格的嘛。”單想起這點(diǎn)，他就不禁覺得又累又冷。“玖健，到了長(zhǎng)城又怎么辦呢？我叔叔經(jīng)常給我強(qiáng)調(diào)它的龐大。七百尺高，基部也有七百尺寬，因而城門更像穿越冰層的隧道。我們?cè)鯓硬拍艽┻^去找三眼烏鴉？”

It was true, you could see a long ways from up here. To the south the foothills rose, with the mountains grey and green beyond them. The rolling plains of the New Gift stretched away to all the other directions, as far as the eye could see. “I was hoping we could see the Wall from here,” said Bran, disappointed. “That was stupid, we must still be fifty leagues away.” Just speaking of it made him feel tired, and cold as well. “Jojen, what will we do when we reach the Wall? My uncle always said how big it was. Seven hundred feet high, and so thick at the base that the gates are more like tunnels through the ice. How are we going to get past to find the three-eyed crow?”

“聽說沿墻有些廢棄的要塞，”玖健回答，“曾是守夜人修筑的城堡，如今業(yè)已荒廢。也許其中一座可以通過?！?/p>

“There are abandoned castles along the Wall, I’ve heard,” Jojen answered. “Fortresses built by the Night’s Watch but now left empty. One of them may give us our way through.”

是的，老奶媽稱它們?yōu)椤肮沓恰?。魯溫學(xué)士曾讓布蘭記住絕境長(zhǎng)城沿線每一座要塞的名字。那很難，因?yàn)楣灿惺抛?，而任何時(shí)候有兵駐守的都沒超過十七座。在那次臨冬城歡迎勞勃國王的宴會(huì)上，布蘭曾向班揚(yáng)叔叔背誦那些名字，從東背到西，又從西背到東，逗得班揚(yáng)·史塔克哈哈大笑，“你比我還了解它們，布蘭，你才該當(dāng)首席游騎兵，我只是給你暖位子呢?！钡鞘菈嫎侵暗氖拢瑲垙U之前的事。等他醒來，叔叔已回黑城堡了。

The ghost castles, Old Nan had called them. Maester Luwin had once made Bran learn the names of every one of the forts along the Wall. That had been hard; there were nineteen of them all told, though no more than seventeen had ever been manned at any one time. At the feast in honor of King Robert’s visit to Winterfell, Bran had recited the names for his uncle Benjen, east to west and then west to east. Benjen Stark had laughed and said, “You know them better than I do, Bran. Perhaps you should be First Ranger. I’ll stay here in your place.” That was before Bran fell, though. Before he was broken. By the time he’d woken crippled from his sleep, his uncle had gone back to Castle Black.

“我叔叔說，城堡廢棄時(shí)，會(huì)用冰和石頭封門。”布蘭說。

“My uncle said the gates were sealed with ice and stone whenever a castle had to be abandoned,” said Bran.

“那我們就把它們挖開?！泵防?。

“Then we’ll have to open them again,” said Meera.

這讓他很不安?！安辉撨@么做。也許有不好的東西會(huì)趁機(jī)從另一邊過來。我們不如直接去黑城堡，讓總司令放我們通過。”

That made him uneasy. “We shouldn’t do that. Bad things might come through from the other side. We should just go to Castle Black and tell the Lord Commander to let us pass.”

“殿下，”玖健說，“我們得避開黑城堡，正如避開國王大道。那兒人太多?！?/p>

“Your Grace,” said Jojen, “we must avoid Castle Black, just as we avoided the kingsroad. There are hundreds of men there.”

“他們是守夜人嘛，”布蘭說，“發(fā)下誓言，不偏不倚，不參與王國的紛爭(zhēng)。”

“Men of the Night’s Watch,” said Bran. “They say vows, to take no part in wars and stuff.”

“不錯(cuò)，”玖健說。“但只要有一個(gè)人背誓，就足以將你的秘密出賣給鐵民或波頓的私生子。再說了，無法確定守夜人會(huì)放我們通過，他們也許將把我們扣下，或送我們回去?！?/p>

“Aye,” said Jojen, “but one man willing to forswear himself would be enough to sell your secret to the ironmen or the Bastard of Bolton. And we cannot be certain that the Watch would agree to let us pass. They might decide to hold us or send us back.”

“不會(huì)的！我父親是守夜人的朋友，我叔叔是首席游騎兵——他或許就知道三眼烏鴉住在哪里。而且瓊恩也在黑城堡?！辈继m一直希望再見到瓊恩，也希望見到他們的叔叔。上回造訪臨冬城的黑衣弟兄說，班揚(yáng)·史塔克在巡邏時(shí)失了蹤，但現(xiàn)在一定已回來了?！拔腋掖蛸€，守夜人甚至?xí)o我們馬呢。”他續(xù)道。

“But my father was a friend of the Night’s Watch, and my uncle is First Ranger. He might know where the three-eyed crow lives. And Jon’s at Castle Black too.” Bran had been hoping to see Jon again, and their uncle too. The last black brothers to visit Winterfell said that Benjen Stark had vanished on a ranging, but surely he would have made his way back by now. “I bet the Watch would even give us horses,” he went on.

“安靜?！本两∈执顩雠镎谧⊙劬?，凝視落日的方向。“看，什么東西……我想是個(gè)騎馬的人。你看見了嗎？”

“Quiet.” Jojen shaded his eyes with a hand and gazed off toward the setting sun. “Look. There’s something … a rider, I think. Do you see him?”

布蘭也搭起涼棚，把眼睛瞇著努力瞧。起初什么也沒看見，直到有什么東西在動(dòng)，吸引了他的注意。一開始他以為是夏天，但錯(cuò)了。一個(gè)人騎在馬上。距離太遠(yuǎn)，看不清細(xì)節(jié)。

Bran shaded his eyes as well, and even so he had to squint. He saw nothing at first, till some movement made him turn. At first he thought it might be Summer, but no. A man on a horse. He was too far away to see much else.

“阿多？”阿多也把手搭眼睛上，看的方向卻錯(cuò)了，“阿多？”

“Hodor?” Hodor had put a hand over his eyes as well, only he was looking the wrong way. “Hodor?”

“他不急著趕路，”梅拉說，“但我覺得好像在朝這個(gè)村子過來?！?/p>

“He is in no haste,” said Meera, “but he’s making for this village, it seems to me.”

“我們最好進(jìn)去，以免被發(fā)現(xiàn)。”玖健道。

“We had best go inside, before we’re seen,” said Jojen.

“夏天在村子附近?！辈继m反對(duì)。

“Summer’s near the village,” Bran objected.

“夏天不會(huì)有事的，”梅拉保證，“那不過是一個(gè)人騎一匹疲憊的馬?！?/p>

“Summer will be fine,” Meera promised. “It’s only one man on a tired horse.”

碩大的雨點(diǎn)開始敲擊石頭，逼他們退回下一層，這舉動(dòng)來得十分及時(shí)，因?yàn)槠讨?，暴雨便嘩啦啦地降落下來。透過厚厚的墻壁，也能聽見雨點(diǎn)抽打湖面的聲音。他們坐在圓形空房間里，四周的黑暗逐漸凝聚。北邊陽臺(tái)面對(duì)廢棄的村子。梅拉匍匐出去，窺探湖對(duì)面，看那騎馬的人究竟怎樣。“他在客棧廢墟避雨，”回來之后她告訴他們，“似乎在壁爐里生了堆火?！?/p>

A few fat wet drops began to patter against the stone as they retreated to the floor below. That was well timed; the rain began to fall in earnest a short time later. Even through the thick walls they could hear it lashing against the surface of the lake. They sat on the floor in the round empty room, amidst gathering gloom. The north-facing balcony looked out toward the abandoned village. Meera crept out on her belly to peer across the lake and see what had become of the horseman. “He’s taken shelter in the ruins of the inn,” she told them when she came back. “It looks as though he’s making a fire in the hearth.”

“我們也生火就好了，”布蘭說?！拔液美渑?，樓梯下面有破損的家具，我們可以讓阿多把它劈開取暖?！?/p>

“I wish we could have a fire,” Bran said. “I’m cold. There’s broken furniture down the stairs, I saw it. We could have Hodor chop it up and get warm.”

阿多喜歡這個(gè)主意?！鞍⒍唷！彼麧M懷希望地說。

Hodor liked that idea. “Hodor,” he said hopefully.

玖健搖搖頭，“生火就有煙。從這座塔里冒出的煙很遠(yuǎn)都能看到?！?/p>

Jojen shook his head. “Fire means smoke. Smoke from this tower could be seen a long way off.”

“如果有人看的話，”她姐姐爭(zhēng)辯。

“If there were anyone to see,” his sister argued.

“村里就有個(gè)人?！?/p>

“There’s a man in the village.”

“一個(gè)人。”

“One man.”

“一個(gè)人便足以將布蘭出賣，若他不是好人的話。昨天還剩半只鴨子，吃了睡吧。到了早晨，對(duì)方就會(huì)繼續(xù)上路，我們也一樣?！?/p>

“One man would be enough to betray Bran to his enemies, if he’s the wrong man. We still have half a duck from yesterday. We should eat and rest. Come morning the man will go on his way, and we will do the same.”

玖健總是拿主意，讓大家照著做。于是梅拉把鴨子分成四份——那是她前天在沼澤里出其不意地用索網(wǎng)逮住的。冷的不如剛烤出來又燙又脆的好吃，但至少能填肚子。布蘭和梅拉分享胸脯肉，玖健吃大腿，阿多吞下翅膀和爪子，每咬一口就哼哼著“阿多”，一邊舔手指上的油。今天輪到布蘭講故事，他給他們講了另一個(gè)布蘭登·史塔克，“造船者”布蘭登，曾經(jīng)航向落日之海的彼端。

Jojen had his way; he always did. Meera divided the duck between the four of them. She’d caught it in her net the day before, as it tried to rise from the marsh where she’d surprised it. It wasn’t as tasty cold as it had been hot and crisp from the spit, but at least they did not go hungry. Bran and Meera shared the breast while Jojen ate the thigh. Hodor devoured the wing and leg, muttering “Hodor” and licking the grease off his fingers after every bite. It was Bran’s turn to tell a story, so he told them about another Brandon Stark, the one called Brandon the Shipwright, who had sailed off beyond the Sunset Sea.

等鴨子吃光，故事講完，黑夜已然降臨，而雨仍在下。布蘭疑惑地想，不知夏天游蕩了多遠(yuǎn)，有沒有抓住一頭鹿呢。

Dusk was settling by the time duck and tale were done, and the rain still fell. Bran wondered how far Summer had roamed and whether he had caught one of the deer.

塔里灰蒙蒙的，漸漸轉(zhuǎn)為漆黑。阿多焦躁不安，走來走去，圍著墻壁一圈又一圈地踱步，每轉(zhuǎn)一圈就往廁所里張望一下，仿佛忘了那是什么。玖健站在北面陽臺(tái)邊，躲進(jìn)陰影里，望進(jìn)黑夜和大雨。北方某處，閃電劈過天空，瞬間照亮了塔樓內(nèi)部。阿多跳將起來，發(fā)出驚呼。布蘭數(shù)數(shù)等待雷聲，數(shù)到八的時(shí)候，雷聲才響起。阿多大喊：“阿多！”

Grey gloom filled the tower, and slowly changed to darkness. Hodor grew restless and walked awhile, striding round and round the walls and stopping to peer into the privy on every circuit, as if he had forgotten what was in there. Jojen stood by the north balcony, hidden by the shadows, looking out at the night and the rain. Somewhere to the north a lightning bolt crackled across the sky, brightening the inside of the tower for an instant. Hodor jumped and made a frightened noise. Bran counted to eight, waiting for the thunder. When it came, Hodor shouted, “Hodor!”

希望夏天不會(huì)也那么害怕，布蘭心想。臨冬城獸舍里的狗總是害怕雷雨，就跟阿多一樣。我該去安撫他……

I hope Summer isn’t scared too, Bran thought. The dogs in Winterfell’s kennels had always been spooked by thunderstorms, just like Hodor. I should go see, to calm him …

電光再次閃亮，這次數(shù)到六雷聲就來了。“阿多！”阿多再次呼喊，“阿多！阿多！”他抓起劍，仿佛要跟風(fēng)暴戰(zhàn)斗。

The lightning flashed again, and this time the thunder came at six. “Hodor!” Hodor yelled again. “HODOR! HODOR!” He snatched up his sword, as if to fight the storm.

玖健發(fā)話，“安靜，阿多。布蘭，告訴他不要喊。你能拿走他的劍嗎，梅拉？”

Jojen said, “Be quiet, Hodor. Bran, tell him not to shout. Can you get the sword away from him, Meera?”

“我可以試試。”

“I can try.”

“阿多，噓——”布蘭說，“安靜點(diǎn)兒。別傻乎乎地喊阿多了。坐下?！?/p>

“Hodor, hush,” said Bran. “Be quiet now. No more stupid hodoring. Sit down.”

“阿多？”他相當(dāng)溫順地將長(zhǎng)劍交給梅拉，臉上卻滿是疑惑。

“Hodor?” He gave the longsword to Meera meekly enough, but his face was a mask of confusion.

玖健回身面對(duì)黑暗，他們?nèi)悸犚娝钩橐豢诶錃狻！霸趺戳耍俊泵防瓎枴?/p>

Jojen turned back to the darkness, and they all heard him suck in his breath. “What is it?” Meera asked.

“村里有人。”

“Men in the village.”

“我們見過的那個(gè)？”

“The man we saw before?”

“不，有武器的人。我看到一把斧子，還有長(zhǎng)矛?！本两〉恼Z調(diào)從未如此符合自己的年齡，就像個(gè)小男孩的聲音?！伴W電的時(shí)候，我看到他們?cè)跇湎乱苿?dòng)?！?/p>

“Other men. Armed. I saw an axe, and spears as well.” Jojen had never sounded so much like the boy he was. “I saw them when the lightning flashed, moving under the trees.”

“有多少？”

“How many?”

“很多很多，數(shù)不清?！?/p>

“Many and more. Too many to count.”

“有沒有騎馬？”

“Mounted?”

“沒有?！?/p>

“No.”

“阿多，”阿多聽起來十分驚恐，“阿多。阿多。”

“Hodor.” Hodor sounded frightened. “Hodor. Hodor.”

布蘭自己也有點(diǎn)害怕，但不想在梅拉面前表現(xiàn)出來?！叭绻麄兊竭@兒來怎么辦？”

Bran felt a little scared himself, though he didn’t want to say so in front of Meera. “What if they come out here?”

“不會(huì)的。”她坐到他旁邊，“他們?yōu)槭裁匆^來？”

“They won’t.” She sat down beside him. “Why should they?”

“為了避雨，”玖健陰沉地說，“除非風(fēng)暴馬上停止。梅拉，你能不能下去閂門？”

“For shelter.” Jojen’s voice was grim. “Unless the storm lets up. Meera, could you go down and bar the door?”

“我連關(guān)都關(guān)不上。木頭彎曲得太厲害。好在他們無法穿越鐵柵欄?！?/p>

“I couldn’t even close it. The wood’s too warped. They won’t get past those iron gates, though.”

“他們可以。只需砸掉鎖或絞鏈，或像我們那樣爬上殺人洞?！?/p>

“They might. They could break the lock, or the hinges. Or climb up through the murder hole as we did.”

閃電再度撕裂長(zhǎng)空，阿多嗚咽起來。緊接著，一記響雷滾過湖面?！鞍⒍啵　彼厖柭暯泻?，邊用雙手捂住耳朵，黑暗之中跌跌撞撞地轉(zhuǎn)圈?！鞍⒍?！阿多！阿多！”

Lightning slashed the sky, and Hodor whimpered. Then a clap of thunder rolled across the lake. “HODOR!” he roared, clapping his hands over his ears and stumbling in a circle through the darkness. “HODOR! HODOR! HODOR!”

“別！”布蘭喊回去?！皠e再叫阿多了！”

“NO!” Bran shouted back. “NO HODORING!”

沒用。“阿阿阿阿多！”阿多哀號(hào)。梅拉試圖抓住他，讓他安靜，但他太強(qiáng)壯，只需聳肩就把她推到旁邊?！鞍⒍喽喽喽喽喽喽啵　遍W電填滿天空，馬童尖聲呼叫，玖健也在叫，他沖布蘭和梅拉大喊，要他們讓阿多閉嘴。

It did no good. “HOOOODOR!” moaned Hodor. Meera tried to catch him and calm him, but he was too strong. He flung her aside with no more than a shrug. “HOOOOOODOOOOOOOR!” the stableboy screamed as lightning filled the sky again, and even Jojen was shouting now, shouting at Bran and Meera to shut him up.

“安靜！”布蘭驚恐地尖呼，阿多從身旁踉踉蹌蹌經(jīng)過，他伸出去夠阿多的腿，伸出去，伸出去……

“Be quiet!” Bran said in a shrill scared voice, reaching up uselessly for Hodor’s leg as he crashed past, reaching, reaching.

阿多步履蹣跚，卻突然閉上了嘴巴，緩緩地把腦袋轉(zhuǎn)來轉(zhuǎn)去，然后盤腿坐到地板上。雷聲轟然響起，他仿佛根本沒聽見。四人坐在黑暗的塔樓里，幾乎不敢呼吸。

Hodor staggered, and closed his mouth. He shook his head slowly from side to side, sank back to the floor, and sat crosslegged. When the thunder boomed, he scarcely seemed to hear it. The four of them sat in the dark tower, scarce daring to breathe.

“布蘭，你干了什么？”梅拉低聲說。

“Bran, what did you do?” Meera whispered.

“沒什么，”布蘭搖搖頭，“我不知道。”他撒了謊。我鉆進(jìn)他體內(nèi)，就像鉆進(jìn)夏天那樣。有一瞬間，他成為了阿多。這嚇著他了。

“Nothing.” Bran shook his head. “I don’t know.” But he did. I reached for him, the way I reach for Summer. He had been Hodor for half a heartbeat. It scared him.

“湖對(duì)面有情況，”玖健說?！拔铱吹接腥酥钢?。”

“Something is happening across the lake,” said Jojen. “I thought I saw a man pointing at the tower.”

我不能驚慌失措。我是臨冬城的王子，艾德·史塔克的兒子，幾乎快要長(zhǎng)大成人了，而且還是個(gè)狼靈，不是瑞肯那樣的小男孩。夏天就不會(huì)恐懼?！耙苍S那不過是安柏家的人，”他說，“或是諾特家、諾瑞家或菲林特家，從山上下來的。甚至有可能是守夜人的弟兄呢。他有沒穿黑斗篷呀，玖?。俊?/p>

I won’t be afraid. He was the Prince of Winterfell, Eddard Stark’s son, almost a man grown and a warg too, not some little baby boy like Rickon. Summer would not be afraid. “Most like they’re just some Umbers,” he said. “Or they could be Knotts or Norreys or Flints come down from the mountains, or even brothers from the Night’s Watch. Were they wearing black cloaks, Jojen?”

“夜里所有衣服都是黑色，王子殿下。閃電來去太快，我無法分辨穿的什么?！?/p>

“By night all cloaks are black, Your Grace. And the flash came and went too fast for me to tell what they were wearing.”

梅拉警惕地說，“黑衣弟兄就該騎馬，不是嗎？”

Meera was wary. “If they were black brothers, they’d be mounted, wouldn’t they?”

布蘭不以為然?！皼]關(guān)系，”他自信滿滿地道，“就算他們想過來也沒辦法。除非有船，或者知道那條堤道?！?/p>

Bran had thought of something else. “It doesn’t matter,” he said confidently. “They couldn’t get out to us even if they wanted. Not unless they had a boat, or knew about the causeway.”

“堤道！”梅拉揉亂布蘭的頭發(fā)，親吻他的前額，“親愛的王子！他說得對(duì)，玖健，他們不知道堤道的事，即便知道，也無法摸黑過來?！?/p>

“The causeway!” Meera mussed Bran’s hair and kissed him on the forehead. “Our sweet prince! He’s right, Jojen, they won’t know about the causeway. Even if they did they could never find the way across at night in the rain.”

“但夜晚終會(huì)結(jié)束，若他們逗留到清晨……”玖健沒把話說完。過了片刻，他道，“他們?cè)谕惹澳侨它c(diǎn)的火堆里添柴?！遍W電劃過天空，光亮充滿塔樓，將人們統(tǒng)統(tǒng)鏤刻成陰影。阿多一邊前后搖晃，一邊哼哼。

“The night will end, though. If they stay till morning …” Jojen left the rest unsaid. After a few moments he said, “They are feeding the fire the first man started.” Lightning crashed through the sky, and light filled the tower and etched them all in shadow. Hodor rocked back and forth, humming.

那明亮的一剎那，布蘭感覺到夏天的恐懼。于是他閉上雙目，睜開第三只眼，男孩的外皮像斗篷一樣滑落，他將塔樓拋在身后……

Bran could feel Summer’s fear in that bright instant. He closed two eyes and opened a third, and his boy’s skin slipped off him like a cloak as he left the tower behind …

……發(fā)現(xiàn)自己身在雨中，低伏在灌木叢內(nèi)，肚里填滿鹿肉。頭頂?shù)奶炜毡婚W電撕破，雷聲轟轟隆隆。爛蘋果和濕樹葉的味道幾乎掩蓋了人類的氣息，但那氣息仍舊存在。他聽見硬皮革摩擦碰撞的聲音，看到人們?cè)跇湎伦邉?dòng)。一個(gè)拿棍子的人踉踉蹌蹌地走過，頭上蒙著一張皮，使他看不見也聽不到。冰原狼遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)繞開，來到一片滴水的荊棘叢后，上面是蘋果樹光禿禿的枝杈。他聽到人類說話，雨水、樹葉和馬匹的味道之下，傳來尖銳而強(qiáng)烈的恐懼……

… and found himself out in the rain, his belly full of deer, cringing in the brush as the sky broke and boomed above him. The smell of rotten apples and wet leaves almost drowned the scent of man, but it was there. He heard the clink and slither of hardskin, saw men moving under the trees. A man with a stick blundered by, a skin pulled up over his head to make him blind and deaf. The wolf went wide around him, behind a dripping thornbush and beneath the bare branches of an apple tree. He could hear them talking, and there beneath the scents of rain and leaves and horse came the sharp red stench of fear …