CATELYN

40 凱特琳

The eastern sky

was rose and gold as the sun broke over the Vale of Arryn. Catelyn Stark

watched the light spread, her hands resting on the delicate carved stone of the

balustrade outside her window. Below her the world turned from black to indigo

to green as dawn crept across fields and forests. Pale white mists rose off

Alyssa’s Tears, where the ghost waters plunged over the shoulder of the

mountain to begin their long tumble down the face of the Giant’s Lance. Catelyn

could feel the faint touch of spray on her face.

艾林谷的日出，將東方的天空染成玫瑰和金黃。凱特琳·史塔克雙手?jǐn)R在窗外雕飾華麗的欄桿上，凝望著逐漸散溢的光輝。黎明爬過(guò)田野和森林，世界在她腳下由漆黑轉(zhuǎn)為靛青，再變成茵綠。幽魂般的水沖出山脊，開始它們騰涌直落巨人之槍的漫長(zhǎng)旅程，阿萊莎之淚上白霧激蕩。凱特琳隱約可以感覺(jué)水花濺到臉上。

Alyssa Arryn had

seen her husband, her brothers, and all her children slain, and yet in life she

had never shed a tear. So in death, the gods had decreed that she would know no

rest until her weeping watered the black earth of the Vale, where the men she

had loved were buried. Alyssa had been dead six thousand years now, and still

no drop of the torrent had ever reached the valley floor far below. Catelyn

wondered how large a waterfall her own tears would make when she died. “Tell me

the rest of it,” she said.

阿萊莎·艾林生前眼睜睜地見(jiàn)到丈夫、兄弟和兒女慘遭殺害，卻從未掉過(guò)一滴眼淚。于是諸神諭令，死后她將淚流不止，直到流下的淚水澆灌至峽谷平原的黑色沃野，因?yàn)樗鶒?ài)的人們都葬在那里。阿萊莎已經(jīng)死了六千年，然而至今沒(méi)有一滴河水流到谷底。凱特琳不禁揣測(cè)，等自己死后，她的淚水又會(huì)變成多大的瀑布?！斑€有什么消息？”她說(shuō)。

“The Kingslayer is massing a host at Casterly Rock,” Ser Rodrik

Cassel answered from the room behind her. “Your brother writes that he has sent

riders to the Rock, demanding that Lord Tywin proclaim his intent, but he has

had no answer. Edmure has commanded Lord Vance and Lord Piper to guard the pass

below the Golden Tooth. He vows to you that he will yield no foot of Tully land

without first watering it with Lannister blood.”

“弒君者正在凱巖城集結(jié)軍隊(duì)，”身后的房間里，羅德利克爵士回答，“您哥哥信上說(shuō)他派人去凱巖城，要求泰溫大人表明意圖，但至今沒(méi)有回應(yīng)。艾德慕已命凡斯大人和派柏大人把守金牙城下的隘口，并向您發(fā)誓，他決不放棄徒利家族的每一寸土地，若蘭尼斯特敢來(lái)進(jìn)犯，就用他們的血來(lái)澆灌?！?/p>

Catelyn turned

away from the sunrise. Its beauty did little to lighten her mood; it seemed

cruel for a day to dawn so fair and end so foul as this one promised to.

“Edmure has sent riders and made vows,” she said, “but Edmure is not the Lord

of Riverrun. What of my lord father?”

凱特琳移開視線，不再觀看日出。朝陽(yáng)再美，也難以振奮她的心緒。想到一日之始如此美麗，卻注定將以慘劇收?qǐng)?，她愈發(fā)感慨造物者的殘酷?！鞍履脚闪巳艘舶l(fā)了誓，”她說(shuō)：“但他不是奔流城公爵。我父親大人有消息嗎？”

“The message made no mention of Lord Hoster, my lady.” Ser Rodrik

tugged at his whiskers. They had grown in white as snow and bristly as a

thornbush while he was recovering from his wounds; he looked almost himself

again.

“夫人，信上沒(méi)提到霍斯特大人。”羅德利克爵士捻捻胡須。他養(yǎng)傷期間，胡子又重新色白如雪，林立如叢?，F(xiàn)在的他，模樣與從前幾無(wú)二致了。

“My father would not have given the defense of Riverrun over to

Edmure unless he was very sick,” she said, worried. “I should have been woken

as soon as this bird arrived.”

“父親若非病重，決不會(huì)把奔流的防務(wù)交給艾德慕。”她憂心忡忡地說(shuō)，“鳥兒捎信來(lái)的時(shí)候，你應(yīng)該立刻叫醒我才對(duì)。”

“Your lady sister thought it better to let you sleep, Maester Colemon

told me.”

“柯蒙學(xué)士告訴我，您妹妹想讓您好好休息?！?/p>

“I should have been woken,” she insisted.

“應(yīng)該叫醒我?！彼龍?jiān)持。

“The maester tells me your sister planned to speak with you after the

combat,” Ser Rodrik said.

“學(xué)士他還說(shuō)，您妹妹準(zhǔn)備在比武之后再和您談?wù)??！?/p>

“Then she still plans to go through with this mummer’s farce?”

Catelyn grimaced. “The dwarf has played her like a set of pipes, and she is too

deaf to hear the tune. Whatever happens this morning, Ser Rodrik, it is past

time we took our leave. My place is at Winterfell with my sons. If you are

strong enough to travel, I shall ask Lysa for an escort to see us to Gulltown.

We can take ship from there.”

“這么說(shuō)來(lái)，她真打算把這出鬧劇演下去？”凱特琳皺眉?！澳琴迥盟?dāng)?shù)炎哟?，她自己還蒙在鼓里。羅德利克爵士，無(wú)論今天早上結(jié)果如何，我們都該動(dòng)身。我的職責(zé)是在臨冬城陪伴兒子們。假如你體力還撐得住，我這就請(qǐng)萊莎派人護(hù)送我們到海鷗鎮(zhèn)，我們從那里搭船回去?！?/p>

“Another ship?” Ser Rodrik looked a shade green, yet he managed not

to shudder. “As you say, my lady.”

“又要坐船？”羅德利克臉色發(fā)青，但還是忍耐住沒(méi)有發(fā)抖?！胺蛉?，就照您吩咐。”

The old knight

waited outside her door as Catelyn summoned the servants Lysa had given her. If

she spoke to her sister before the duel, perhaps she could change her mind, she

thought as they dressed her. Lysa’s policies varied with her moods, and her

moods changed hourly. The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman

who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,

vain, and, above all, inconstant.

凱特琳喚來(lái)萊莎派給她差遣的仆人，老騎士則候在門外。她一邊更衣，一邊想著如果趕在決斗開始前與妹妹談?wù)?，或許能讓她改變心意。萊莎行事全依心情而定，偏偏她的個(gè)性又陰晴不定。她所認(rèn)識(shí)的，昔日奔流城那位羞怯少女，已經(jīng)長(zhǎng)成了時(shí)而傲慢，時(shí)而憂懼，又或殘忍，甚至空幻不切實(shí)際，粗心大意、怯懦怕事、好大喜功的婦人，最糟糕的是她還變化無(wú)常。

When that vile

turnkey of hers had come crawling to tell them that Tyrion Lannister wished to

confess, Catelyn had urged Lysa to have the dwarf brought to them privately,

but no, nothing would do but that her sister must make a show of him before

half the Vale. And now this?.?.?.?

當(dāng)初她那陰狠的獄吏連走帶爬，跑來(lái)告訴她們提利昂·蘭尼斯特有意認(rèn)罪，凱特琳便力勸萊莎私下會(huì)審侏儒，然而妹妹非得在峽谷貴族面前大肆炫耀一番不可，結(jié)果竟演變至此……

“Lannister is my prisoner,” she told Ser Rodrik as they descended the

tower stairs and made their way through the Eyrie’s cold white halls. Catelyn

wore plain grey wool with a silvered belt. “My sister must be reminded of

that.”

“蘭尼斯特是我的犯人，”他們步上高塔樓梯，朝鷹巢城冰冷蒼白的大廳走去時(shí)，她這么對(duì)羅德利克爵士說(shuō)。凱特琳穿了一件樸素的灰羊毛外衣，系上一條鍍銀的腰帶?！拔颐妹貌荒芡涍@點(diǎn)?！?/p>

At the doors to

Lysa’s apartments, they met her uncle storming out. “Going to join the fool’s

festival?” Ser Brynden snapped. “I’d tell you to slap some sense into your

sister, if I thought it would do any good, but you’d only bruise your hand.”

他們?cè)谌R莎居所外遇見(jiàn)叔叔怒氣沖沖地沖出來(lái)。“這群傻瓜過(guò)節(jié)呢，你也去干嘛？”布林登爵士斥道，“本來(lái)我想叫你甩你妹妹兩個(gè)耳光，把她打清醒，可這沒(méi)用，你只會(huì)打痛自己的手?！?/p>

“There was a bird from Riverrun,” Catelyn began, “a letter from

Edmure?.?.?.?”

“有只鳥兒從奔流城過(guò)來(lái)，”凱特琳開口，“艾德慕寫信……”

“I know, child.” The black fish that fastened his cloak was Brynden’s

only concession to ornament. “I had to hear it from Maester Colemon. I asked your

sister for leave to take a thousand seasoned men and ride for Riverrun with all

haste. Do you know what she told me? The Vale cannot spare a thousand swords,

nor even one, Uncle, she said. You are the Knight of the Gate. Your place is

here.” A gust of childish laughter drifted through the open doors behind him,

and her uncle glanced darkly over his shoulder. “Well, I told her she could

bloody well find herself a new Knight of the Gate. Black fish or no, I am still

a Tully. I shall leave for Riverrun by evenfall.”

“孩子，我知道，”布林登斗篷上的黑魚，是他全身上下惟一稱得上裝飾的東西?！拔覐目旅蓭煾的莾郝牭搅讼?。我請(qǐng)你妹妹撥給我一千精兵，火速馳援奔流城，結(jié)果你知道她說(shuō)了些什么？她說(shuō)“叔叔，鷹巢城的守軍少不了一個(gè)，更別提一千，再說(shuō)你是血門騎士，理應(yīng)留守于此?！彼砗蟪ㄩ_的大門內(nèi)傳出一陣充滿稚氣的笑聲，叔叔沉著臉回頭看了一眼?！昂冒桑凑腋嬖V她大可再找個(gè)新的血門騎士。無(wú)論我是不是黑魚，我到底是徒利家的人。今天傍晚我就回奔流城?！?/p>

Catelyn could

not pretend to surprise. “Alone? You know as well as I that you will never

survive the high road. Ser Rodrik and I are returning to Winterfell. Come with

us, Uncle. I will give you your thousand men. Riverrun will not fight alone.”

凱特琳難掩驚訝之情?！熬湍阋粋€(gè)人？你我都很清楚一個(gè)人走山路根本是找死。正好羅德利克爵士和我也準(zhǔn)備回臨冬城去。叔叔，跟我們一道走罷，那一千精兵我來(lái)給。奔流城絕不會(huì)孤軍作戰(zhàn)?！?/p>

Brynden thought

a moment, then nodded a brusque agreement. “As you say. It’s the long way home,

but I’m more like to get there. I’ll wait for you below.” He went striding off,

his cloak swirling behind him.

布林登沉吟半晌，然后唐突地點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭?！澳蔷瓦@樣。雖然是繞遠(yuǎn)路，但我抵達(dá)的機(jī)會(huì)卻也比較大。我在下面等你。”說(shuō)完他大跨步離去，披風(fēng)在背后飄蕩。

Catelyn

exchanged a look with Ser Rodrik. They went through the doors to the high,

nervous sound of a child’s giggles.

凱特琳與羅德利克爵士交換了個(gè)眼色，接著穿過(guò)大門，朝那一片高亢尖銳，卻又焦慮不安的孩童嘻笑聲走去。

Lysa’s

apartments opened over a small garden, a circle of dirt and grass planted with

blue flowers and ringed on all sides by tall white towers. The builders had

intended it as a godswood, but the Eyrie rested on the hard stone of the

mountain, and no matter how much soil was hauled up from the Vale, they could

not get a weirwood to take root here. So the Lords of the Eyrie planted grass

and scattered statuary amidst low, flowering shrubs. It was there the two

champions would meet to place their lives, and that of Tyrion Lannister, into

the hands of the gods.

萊莎的居所位于一座小花園之上，花園呈圓圈狀，白色高塔環(huán)繞四周。花園的泥土和青草上種植著藍(lán)色花朵，當(dāng)初工匠的原意是要栽培神木林，然而鷹巢城立基于山巔堅(jiān)硬的磐石之上，無(wú)論自艾林谷運(yùn)來(lái)多少沃壤，依舊不能讓魚梁木在此生根茁長(zhǎng)。于是歷任公爵改種草坪，并在花朵繁茂的矮樹叢間放置雕像。兩位決斗者與提利昂·蘭尼斯特的性命，便將在此交付天上諸神，做出最后決斷。

Lysa, freshly

scrubbed and garbed in cream velvet with a rope of sapphires and moonstones

around her milk-white neck, was holding court on the terrace overlooking the

scene of the combat, surrounded by her knights, retainers, and lords high and

low. Most of them still hoped to wed her, bed her, and rule the Vale of Arryn

by her side. From what Catelyn had seen during her stay at the Eyrie, it was a

vain hope.

萊莎剛梳洗完畢，換了身奶油色的天鵝絨外衣，乳白的頸項(xiàng)間戴了一串青玉和月長(zhǎng)石，這時(shí)正在露天陽(yáng)臺(tái)上主持集會(huì)。該處視野恰好可將決斗過(guò)程盡收眼底，萊莎身邊圍滿了隨從、騎士、以及大小領(lǐng)主。其中大部分人依舊懷著希望，想娶她睡她，然后與她并肩統(tǒng)治艾林谷。但就凱特琳這些天來(lái)在鷹巢城所見(jiàn)判斷，他們的希望不大。

A wooden

platform had been built to elevate Robert’s chair; there the Lord of the Eyrie

sat, giggling and clapping his hands as a humpbacked puppeteer in

blue-and-white motley made two wooden knights hack and slash at each other.

Pitchers of thick cream and baskets of blackberries had been set out, and the

guests were sipping a sweet orange-scented wine from engraved silver cups. A

fool’s festival, Brynden had called it, and small wonder.

勞勃坐在高高的椅子上，座位下方搭了個(gè)木臺(tái)，眼前有個(gè)穿著藍(lán)白弄臣服的駝背木偶師，正操縱兩個(gè)木頭騎士相互砍殺，逗得鷹巢城公爵咯咯直笑，不停鼓掌。陽(yáng)臺(tái)上擺了一罐罐濃乳酪，以及一籃籃黑莓，賓客們正手拿雕花銀杯，啜飲一種摻了橙香的甜葡萄酒。傻瓜過(guò)節(jié)，難怪布林登這么說(shuō)。

Across the

terrace, Lysa laughed gaily at some jest of Lord Hunter’s, and nibbled a

blackberry from the point of Ser Lyn Corbray’s dagger. They were the suitors

who stood highest in Lysa’s favor?.?.?.?today, at least. Catelyn would have

been hard-pressed to say which man was more unsuitable. Eon Hunter was even

older than Jon Arryn had been, half-crippled by gout, and cursed with three

quarrelsome sons, each more grasping than the last. Ser Lyn was a different

sort of folly; lean and handsome, heir to an ancient but impoverished house,

but vain, reckless, hot-tempered?.?.?.?and, it was whispered, notoriously

uninterested in the intimate charms of women.

陽(yáng)臺(tái)上，杭特伯爵說(shuō)了個(gè)笑話，引得萊莎開懷大笑，然后她又從林恩·科布瑞爵士的匕首上咬過(guò)一顆黑莓。眾位追求者中，便數(shù)他倆最得萊莎歡心……至少，今天的情形是如此。若問(wèn)凱特琳他們誰(shuí)比較不適合，她還真無(wú)從答起。伊恩·杭特的年紀(jì)比瓊恩·艾林更大，害了痛風(fēng)，走起路來(lái)有些跛，膝下還有三個(gè)爭(zhēng)吵不休的兒子，一個(gè)比一個(gè)貪婪。林恩爵士則是另一番荒唐相，他苗條英俊，是古老而衰敗的科布瑞家族的繼承人，但他性好虛榮，脾氣暴躁，行事又不加思考……有人更謠傳，他對(duì)男文之間的親密關(guān)系出了名的沒(méi)興趣。

When Lysa espied

Catelyn, she welcomed her with a sisterly embrace and a moist kiss on the

cheek. “Isn’t it a lovely morning? The gods are smiling on us. Do try a cup of

the wine, sweet sister. Lord Hunter was kind enough to send for it, from his

own cellars.”

萊莎遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)望見(jiàn)凱特琳，立即起身熱情擁抱，還在她頰上印下濕濕一吻?！霸缟咸鞖饪烧婧?，你說(shuō)是不是？天上諸神都在對(duì)我們微笑呢。親愛(ài)的姐姐，快嘗嘗這酒，這是杭特大人特意從他自家酒窖里送來(lái)的?！?/p>

“Thank you, no. Lysa, we must talk.”

“謝謝，不用了。萊莎，我要跟你談?wù)劇！?/p>

“After,” her sister promised, already beginning to turn away from

her.

“等下再說(shuō)。”妹妹剛出口保證，就轉(zhuǎn)身準(zhǔn)備離開。

“Now.” Catelyn spoke more loudly than she’d intended. Men were

turning to look. “Lysa, you cannot mean to go ahead with this folly. Alive, the

Imp has value. Dead, he is only food for crows. And if his champion should

prevail here...”

“現(xiàn)在要談?！眲P特琳不自覺(jué)地提高音量，引來(lái)旁人轉(zhuǎn)頭觀望?！叭R莎，你不能這樣胡鬧下去。小惡魔活著才有價(jià)值，死了就只能喂烏鴉。若是他的代理騎士打贏——”

“Small chance of that, my lady,” Lord Hunter assured her, patting her

shoulder with a liver-spotted hand. “Ser Vardis is a doughty fighter. He will

make short work of the sellsword.”

“夫人，我看沒(méi)這可能?！焙继鼐羰可斐霾紳M老人斑的手拍拍她肩膀，向她保證?！巴叩宜咕羰课渌嚦?，三兩下便可把那傭兵解決掉?！?/p>

“Will he, my lord?” Catelyn said coolly. “I wonder.” She had seen

Bronn fight on the high road; it was no accident that he had survived the

journey while other men had died. He moved like a panther, and that ugly sword

of his seemed a part of his arm.

“大人，你就這么有把握？”凱特琳冷冷地說(shuō)，“我可不敢說(shuō)?！彼谏铰飞嫌H眼見(jiàn)識(shí)過(guò)波隆的身手，他之所以能活到現(xiàn)在，絕非偶然。他行動(dòng)靈敏宛如獵豹，那柄丑陋的劍更仿佛與他手臂合為一體。

Lysa’s suitors

were gathering around them like bees round a blossom. “Women understand little

of these things,” Ser Morton Waynwood said. “Ser Vardis is a knight, sweet

lady. This other fellow, well, his sort are all cowards at heart. Useful enough

in a battle, with thousands of their fellows around them, but stand them up

alone and the manhood leaks right out of them.”

萊莎的追求者們紛紛聚集過(guò)來(lái)，如同圍繞花朵的蜜蜂?！芭思夷亩@種事？”莫頓·韋伍德爵士道，“親愛(ài)的夫人，瓦狄斯爵士乃堂堂騎士。至于那家伙嘛，呵，他那種人骨子里都是懦夫。打仗的時(shí)候，幾千個(gè)聚在一起，還管點(diǎn)用，可叫他一對(duì)一與人單打獨(dú)斗，諒他沒(méi)這能耐?！?/p>

“Say you have the truth of it, then,” Catelyn said with a courtesy

that made her mouth ache. “What will we gain by the dwarf’s death? Do you

imagine that Jaime will care a fig that we gave his brother a trial before we

flung him off a mountain?”

“就算是這樣，”凱特琳硬裝出來(lái)的禮貌口吻，連自己都受不了?！案覇?wèn)侏儒死了對(duì)我們有何好處？只要我們把他丟下山崖，您覺(jué)得詹姆會(huì)在乎我們有沒(méi)有事先舉行審判嗎？”

“Behead the man,” Ser Lyn Corbray suggested. “When the Kingslayer

receives the Imp’s head, it will be a warning to him,”

“干脆把他腦袋砍了，”林恩·科布瑞爵士提議，“再把首級(jí)送給弒君者，當(dāng)作給他的警告。”

Lysa gave an

impatient shake of her waist-long auburn hair. “Lord Robert wants to see him

fly,” she said, as if that settled the matter. “And the Imp has only himself to

blame. It was he who demanded a trial by combat.”

萊莎不耐煩地甩甩及腰的紅棕長(zhǎng)發(fā)。“勞勃大人想要看他飛，”她的語(yǔ)氣仿佛在為這場(chǎng)爭(zhēng)執(zhí)劃下句點(diǎn)。“要怪也只能怪小惡魔自己，當(dāng)初要求比武審判的也是他?！?/p>

“Lady Lysa had no honorable way to deny him, even if she’d wished

to,” Lord Hunter intoned ponderously.

“即使萊莎夫人想拒絕，也無(wú)法在兼顧禮數(shù)的前提下辦到?！焙继夭粽Z(yǔ)氣沉重地發(fā)言。

Ignoring them

all, Catelyn turned all her force on her sister. “I remind you, Tyrion

Lannister is my prisoner.”

凱特琳不理睬他們，把所有的力氣都用來(lái)對(duì)付妹妹。“容我提醒你，提利昂·蘭尼斯特是我的犯人?！?/p>

“And I remind you, the dwarf murdered my lord husband!” Her voice

rose. “He poisoned the Hand of the King and left my sweet baby fatherless, and

now I mean to see him pay!” Whirling, her skirts swinging around her, Lysa

stalked across the terrace. Ser Lyn and Ser Morton and the other suitors

excused themselves with cool nods and trailed after her.

“讓我也提醒你，侏儒謀害的是我丈夫！”她提高音量。“他毒害了國(guó)王的首相，讓我寶貝小小年紀(jì)就沒(méi)了父親，現(xiàn)在我要他付出代價(jià)！”萊莎旋身，裙裾跟著飛揚(yáng)，她昂首闊步地走到陽(yáng)臺(tái)的一邊。林恩爵士、莫頓爵士和其他追求者冷冰冰地點(diǎn)頭致意，跟在她身后離去。

“Do you think he did?” Ser Rodrik asked her quietly when they were

alone again. “Murder Lord Jon, that is? The Imp still denies it, and most

fiercely?.?.?.?”

“您認(rèn)為真的是他干的嗎？”只剩他們倆后，羅德利克爵士悄聲問(wèn)她?！爸\害瓊恩大人的事，是真的嗎？小惡魔始終否認(rèn)，堅(jiān)決否認(rèn)……”

“I believe the Lannisters murdered Lord Arryn,” Catelyn replied, “but

whether it was Tyrion, or Ser Jaime, or the queen, or all of them together, I

could not begin to say.” Lysa had named Cersei in the letter she had sent to

Winterfell, but now she seemed certain that Tyrion was the killer?.?.?.?perhaps

because the dwarf was here, while the queen was safe behind the walls of the

Red Keep, hundreds of leagues to the south. Catelyn almost wished she had

burned her sister’s letter before reading it.

“我相信謀害艾林大人的是蘭尼斯特家的人，”凱特琳回答：“但究竟是提利昂，還是詹姆爵士，抑或王后，甚至三人都有份，我就不敢說(shuō)了?！碑?dāng)初萊莎送到臨冬城的信上指稱瑟曦為兇手，而現(xiàn)在她似乎又認(rèn)定提利昂才是真兇……這難道因?yàn)橘褰谘矍?，王后卻在好幾百里格以外的南方，安全地躲在紅堡高墻之后？凱特琳不禁希望自己當(dāng)初在沒(méi)拆信之前，就先把它燒掉。

Ser Rodrik

tugged at his whiskers. “Poison, well?.?.?.?that could be the dwarf’s work,

true enough. Or Cersei’s. It’s said poison is a woman’s weapon, begging your

pardons, my lady. The Kingslayer, now?.?.?.?I have no great liking for the man,

but he’s not the sort. Too fond of the sight of blood on that golden sword of

his. Was it poison, my lady?”

羅德利克爵士捻捻胡須。“若用毒藥，那么……的確有可能是侏儒下的手，或者瑟曦。夫人，我無(wú)意冒犯，但人們不都說(shuō)毒藥是女人的武器嗎？至于弒君者，呃……我對(duì)此人無(wú)甚好感，但他不像是會(huì)做這種事的人。他太喜歡看自己那把黃金寶劍染血了。夫人，真的是用毒藥？”

Catelyn frowned,

vaguely uneasy. “How else could they make it look a natural death?” Behind her,

Lord Robert shrieked with delight as one of the puppet knights sliced the other

in half, spilling a flood of red sawdust onto the terrace. She glanced at her

nephew and sighed. “The boy is utterly without discipline. He will never be

strong enough to rule unless he is taken away from his mother for a time.”

凱特琳有些不安地皺皺眉：“不然還有什么能造成自然死亡的假象？”身后，勞勃公爵眼見(jiàn)一個(gè)傀儡騎士把另外一個(gè)砍成兩半，灑了一地紅木屑，開心得興奮尖叫。她瞄了外甥一眼，不禁嘆氣?！澳呛⒆右稽c(diǎn)教養(yǎng)都沒(méi)有。除非讓他離開母親身邊一段時(shí)間，否則他永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)有統(tǒng)治的能力?！?/p>

“His lord father agreed with you,” said a voice at her elbow. She

turned to behold Maester Colemon, a cup of wine in his hand. “He was planning

to send the boy to Dragonstone for fostering, you know?.?.?.?oh, but I’m

speaking out of turn.” The apple of his throat bobbed anxiously beneath the

loose maester’s chain. “I fear I’ve had too much of Lord Hunter’s excellent

wine. The prospect of bloodshed has my nerves all a-fray?.?.?.?”

“他的先父也有同感?！鄙砼杂袀€(gè)聲音接口。她轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)頭，看見(jiàn)手拿酒杯的柯蒙學(xué)士?！笆聦?shí)上，他原本打算送這孩子去龍石島做養(yǎng)子，您知道……唉，我這是說(shuō)了不該說(shuō)的話?！彼暮斫Y(jié)在松垂的學(xué)士鎖鏈下方焦慮地起伏?！翱峙挛液榷嗔撕继卮笕说暮镁?。流血之事總教我緊張……”

“You are mistaken, Maester,” Catelyn said. “It was Casterly Rock, not

Dragonstone, and those arrangements were made after the Hand’s death, without

my sister’s consent.”

“學(xué)士，你一定是弄錯(cuò)了，”凱特琳道，“是凱巖城，不是龍石島，而且還是首相死后，未經(jīng)我妹妹同意安排的?！?/p>

The maester’s

head jerked so vigorously at the end of his absurdly long neck that he looked

half a puppet himself. “No, begging your forgiveness, my lady, but it was Lord

Jon who...”

學(xué)士的頭猛地一抖，配上他長(zhǎng)得出奇的脖子，看起來(lái)活像個(gè)木偶。“不，請(qǐng)您原諒，夫人，這是瓊恩大人他自己——”

A bell tolled

loudly below them. High lords and serving girls alike broke off what they were

doing and moved to the balustrade. Below, two guardsmen in sky-blue cloaks led

forth Tyrion Lannister. The Eyrie’s plump septon escorted him to the statue in

the center of the garden, a weeping woman carved in veined white marble, no

doubt meant to be Alyssa.

他們下方鈴聲大作。貴族和侍女都不約而同放下手邊的事，走到欄桿旁邊。臺(tái)下，兩名身著天藍(lán)色披風(fēng)的衛(wèi)兵領(lǐng)著提利昂·蘭尼斯特出來(lái)。鷹巢城的臃腫修士伴他走到花園中央的石像旁。那是一座用帶紋理的白色大理石雕刻出的、正在哭泣的女人，無(wú)疑便是阿萊莎。

“The bad little man,” Lord Robert said, giggling. “Mother, can I make

him fly? I want to see him fly.”

“小壞蛋來(lái)了，”勞勃公爵咯咯笑道，“媽咪，我可以讓他飛了嗎？我想看他飛。”

“Later, my sweet baby,” Lysa promised him.

“再等一等，小寶貝?！比R莎向他保證。

“Trial first,” drawled Ser Lyn Corbray, “then execution.”

“先審判，”林恩·科布瑞爵士慢條斯理地說(shuō)，“再處決?！?/p>

A moment later

the two champions appeared from opposite sides of the garden. The knight was

attended by two young squires, the sellsword by the Eyrie’s master-at-arms.

片刻之后，兩名決斗者也從花園兩邊進(jìn)場(chǎng)。騎士身邊跟了兩個(gè)年輕侍從，傭兵則由兩位鷹巢城的士兵侍候。

Ser Vardis Egen

was steel from head to heel, encased in heavy plate armor over mail and padded

surcoat. Large circular rondels, enameled cream-and-blue in the moon-and-falcon

sigil of House Arryn, protected the vulnerable juncture of arm and breast. A

skirt of lobstered metal covered him from waist to midthigh, while a solid

gorget encircled his throat. Falcon’s wings sprouted from the temples of his

helm, and his visor was a pointed metal beak with a narrow slit for vision.

瓦狄斯·伊根爵士穿了鎖甲和加墊外衣，其外從頭到腳都被厚重的鋼甲所覆蓋。許多金屬圓碟保護(hù)著手臂和胸膛間鎧甲的交接處，它們都被涂成藍(lán)白相間的艾林家族新月獵鷹紋章的式樣。腰部到大腿罩著一件龍蝦甲殼狀的金屬裙，脖子上則有一道堅(jiān)固的頸甲。他的頭盔兩側(cè)展出鷹翼，面罩是尖銳的鷹喙形狀，只留一條細(xì)縫容他觀察。

Bronn was so

lightly armored he looked almost naked beside the knight. He wore only a shirt

of black oiled ringmail over boiled leather, a round steel halfhelm with a

noseguard, and a mail coif. High leather boots with steel shinguards gave some

protection to his legs, and discs of black iron were sewn into the fingers of

his gloves. Yet Catelyn noted that the sellsword stood half a hand taller than

his foe, with a longer reach?.?.?.?and Bronn was fifteen years younger, if she

was any judge.

輕裝便甲的波隆，站在騎士身旁簡(jiǎn)直渾似赤身裸體。他只穿了件硬皮衣，外罩上好油的黑環(huán)甲，戴上金屬頭套和帶護(hù)鼻的半罩圓盔。他挑了雙高統(tǒng)皮靴，前端有鋼制護(hù)腿，手套的指頭部分縫上了黑鐵環(huán)。凱特琳注意到傭兵足足比他的對(duì)手高出一頭，手也較長(zhǎng)……更別提兩人的年齡差距了，根據(jù)她的目測(cè)，波隆起碼年輕十五歲。

They knelt in

the grass beneath the weeping woman, facing each other, with Lannister between

them. The septon removed a faceted crystal sphere from the soft cloth bag at

his waist. He lifted it high above his head, and the light shattered. Rainbows

danced across the Imp’s face. In a high, solemn, singsong voice, the septon

asked the gods to look down and bear witness, to find the truth in this man’s

soul, to grant him life and freedom if he was innocent, death if he was guilty.

His voice echoed off the surrounding towers.

他們?cè)诳奁说裣衲_下的草坪上面對(duì)面單膝跪地，蘭尼斯特站在兩人中間。修士從腰間的軟布袋里取出一個(gè)多面水晶，高舉過(guò)頭，光線隨即散射開來(lái)。七彩虹光輕躍過(guò)小惡魔的臉龐。修士以高亢、莊嚴(yán)，近乎歌唱的聲調(diào)，請(qǐng)求天上諸神作見(jiàn)證，找出這人靈魂中的真相，若他無(wú)辜，則還其自由，若其有罪，則賜之以死。他的聲音在四周的塔樓間回蕩。

When the last

echo had died away, the septon lowered his crystal and made a hasty departure.

Tyrion leaned over and whispered something in Bronn’s ear before the guardsmen

led him away. The sellsword rose laughing and brushed a blade of grass from his

knee.

當(dāng)最后一抹余音散去，修士放下水晶，快步離去。提利昂在衛(wèi)兵將他帶走前，湊到波隆耳邊低聲說(shuō)了幾句，傭兵聽了哈哈大笑，起身拍拍膝蓋上的草。

Robert Arryn,

Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale, was fidgeting impatiently in his

elevated chair. “When are they going to fight?” he asked plaintively.

鷹巢城公爵與峽谷守護(hù)者勞勃·艾林此時(shí)正不耐煩地在高高的座椅上扭來(lái)扭去?！八麄兪裁磿r(shí)候開打？”他哀怨地問(wèn)。

Ser Vardis was

helped back to his feet by one of his squires. The other brought him a

triangular shield almost four feet tall, heavy oak dotted with iron studs. They

strapped it to his left forearm. When Lysa’s master-at-arms offered Bronn a

similar shield, the sellsword spat and waved it away. Three days growth of

coarse black beard covered his jaw and cheeks, but if he did not shave it was

not for want of a razor; the edge of his sword had the dangerous glimmer of

steel that had been honed every day for hours, until it was too sharp to touch.

瓦狄斯爵士的侍從之一扶他起身，另一個(gè)則為他拿來(lái)長(zhǎng)近四尺，厚重橡木所制，表面有鐵釘?shù)娜切味芘啤晌皇虖膮f(xié)力替他把盾綁在左臂前端。萊莎的士兵遞給波隆一面類似的護(hù)盾，但傭兵啐了口唾沫，揮手拒絕。三天沒(méi)刮的粗黑胡子蓋住了他的下巴和兩頰，但他決非沒(méi)有剃刀。他的劍鋒閃著致命的光澤，看得出每天都花好幾個(gè)小時(shí)打磨，直到鋒利得血肉難近為止。

Ser Vardis held

out a gauntleted hand, and his squire placed a handsome double-edged longsword

in his grasp. The blade was engraved with a delicate silver tracery of a

mountain sky; its pommel was a falcon’s head, its crossguard fashioned into the

shape of wings. “I had that sword crafted for Jon in King’s Landing,” Lysa told

her guests proudly as they watched Ser Vardis try a practice cut. “He wore it

whenever he sat the Iron Throne in King Robert’s place. Isn’t it a lovely

thing? I thought it only fitting that our champion avenge Jon with his own

blade.”

瓦狄斯爵士伸出一只戴著鐵護(hù)腕的手，他的侍從遞過(guò)一把漂亮的、兩面開刃的長(zhǎng)劍。劍身用銀線雕鏤出山間長(zhǎng)空的紋理，劍柄如獵鷹的頭，護(hù)手則是兩只翅膀。“這把劍是我在君臨的時(shí)候特意叫人為瓊恩鑄的，”萊莎驕傲地告訴她的賓客，他們都看著瓦狄斯爵士嘗試揮舞?！懊慨?dāng)他代替勞勃國(guó)王坐上鐵王座，他總會(huì)配戴這柄劍。你們說(shuō)它漂不漂亮？我認(rèn)為讓我們的騎士手持瓊恩的劍替他復(fù)仇，是再恰當(dāng)也不過(guò)了。”

The engraved

silver blade was beautiful beyond a doubt, but it seemed to Catelyn that Ser

Vardis might have been more comfortable with his own sword. Yet she said

nothing; she was weary of futile arguments with her sister.

雕花銀劍固然漂亮，但在凱特琳看來(lái)，若讓瓦狄斯爵士用他自己的武器會(huì)更稱手?？伤钪c妹妹爭(zhēng)執(zhí)徒勞無(wú)功，因此什么也沒(méi)說(shuō)。

“Make them fight!” Lord Robert called out.

“叫他們快打！”勞勃公爵大喊。

Ser Vardis faced

the Lord of the Eyrie and lifted his sword in salute. “For the Eyrie and the

Vale!”

瓦狄斯爵士轉(zhuǎn)身面向鷹巢城公爵，舉劍致敬?！盀辁棾渤呛桶止榷鴳?zhàn)！”

Tyrion Lannister

had been seated on a balcony across the garden, flanked by his guards. It was

to him that Bronn turned with a cursory salute.

提利昂·蘭尼斯特被安排坐在花園對(duì)面的露天陽(yáng)臺(tái)上，身邊圍滿了守衛(wèi)。波隆轉(zhuǎn)身漫不經(jīng)心地朝他做了個(gè)敬禮的動(dòng)作。

“They await your command,” Lady Lysa said to her lord son.

“他們就等你命令了?！比R莎夫人告訴她的公爵兒子。

“Fight!” the boy screamed, his arms trembling as they clutched at his

chair.

“快打！”男孩尖叫，兩手緊握座椅扶手，不住地顫抖。

Ser Vardis

swiveled, bringing up his heavy shield. Bronn turned to face him. Their swords

rang together, once, twice, a testing. The sellsword backed off a step. The

knight came after, holding his shield before him. He tried a slash, but Bronn

jerked back, just out of reach, and the silver blade cut only air. Bronn

circled to his right. Ser Vardis turned to follow, keeping his shield between

them. The knight pressed forward, placing each foot carefully on the uneven

ground. The sellsword gave way, a faint smile playing over his lips. Ser Vardis

attacked, slashing, but Bronn leapt away from him, hopping lightly over a low,

moss-covered stone. Now the sellsword circled left, away from the shield,

toward the knight’s unprotected side. Ser Vardis tried a hack at his legs, but

he did not have the reach. Bronn danced farther to his left. Ser Vardis turned

in place.

瓦狄斯爵士立刻旋身，舉起重盾。波隆也轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)來(lái)面對(duì)他。兩人的長(zhǎng)劍交鋒一次，兩次，彼此試探。傭兵后退一步，騎士舉盾在前追趕。他揮出一劍，但波隆猛地后跳，躲到攻擊范圍之外，銀劍劃過(guò)空氣。波隆轉(zhuǎn)向右邊，瓦狄斯爵士跟過(guò)去，依然高舉護(hù)盾。騎士向前逼近，一步一步、小心翼翼地踩在不平坦的地面上。傭兵嘴邊掛著淡淡的微笑，不斷后退。瓦狄斯爵士揮劍猛攻，可波隆跳得更快，輕盈地躍過(guò)一塊長(zhǎng)滿青苔的低矮石頭。然后傭兵往左邊繞，遠(yuǎn)離盾牌，朝騎士沒(méi)有保護(hù)的那方而去。瓦狄斯爵士想砍他的腿，然而距離太遠(yuǎn)。波隆再往左跳，瓦狄斯爵士也跟著轉(zhuǎn)身。

“The man is craven,” Lord Hunter declared. “Stand and fight, coward!

“ Other voices echoed the sentiment.

“這家伙是個(gè)懦夫，”杭特伯爵道，“膽小鬼，有種就光明正大地打！”其他人也同聲附和。

Catelyn looked

to Ser Rodrik. Her master-at-arms gave a curt shake of his head. “He wants to

make Ser Vardis chase him. The weight of armor and shield will tire even the

strongest man.”

凱特琳望向羅德利克爵士。她的教頭簡(jiǎn)短地?fù)u頭道：“他故意讓瓦狄斯爵士追他。全副武裝加上盾牌，再?gòu)?qiáng)壯的人也會(huì)很快疲累?！?/p>

She had seen men

practice at their swordplay near every day of her life, had viewed half a

hundred tourneys in her time, but this was something different and deadlier: a

dance where the smallest misstep meant death. And as she watched, the memory of

another duel in another time came back to Catelyn Stark, as vivid as if it had

been yesterday.

其實(shí)，她幾乎是看著他人練劍長(zhǎng)大，觀賞過(guò)的比武競(jìng)技不只半百，然而眼前這場(chǎng)決斗卻與之殊異，更為致命：一招棋錯(cuò)，便在劫難逃?？粗@番場(chǎng)景，凱特琳·史塔克卻憶起了在不同時(shí)間，不同地點(diǎn)，曾經(jīng)發(fā)生過(guò)的另一場(chǎng)決斗，在腦海中歷歷如繪，恍如昨日。

They met in the

lower bailey of Riverrun. When Brandon saw that Petyr wore only helm and

breastplate and mail, he took off most of his armor. Petyr had begged her for a

favor he might wear, but she had turned him away. Her lord father promised her to

Brandon Stark, and so it was to him that she gave her token, a pale blue

handscarf she had embroidered with the leaping trout of Riverrun. As she

pressed it into his hand, she pleaded with him. “He is only a foolish boy, but

I have loved him like a brother. It would grieve me to see him die.” And her

betrothed looked at her with the cool grey eyes of a Stark and promised to

spare the boy who loved her.

那是在奔流城的下層庭院。布蘭登眼見(jiàn)培提爾只穿戴頭盔、護(hù)胸和鎖甲，便也脫去自己的大半護(hù)具。當(dāng)時(shí)培提爾懇求她以信物相贈(zèng)，卻被她拒絕。既然她被父親大人許配給布蘭登·史塔克，她的信物自然歸他所有。那是由她親手縫制的淡藍(lán)手帕，上面繡著奔流城的飛躍鱒魚。當(dāng)她把手帕塞進(jìn)他手中時(shí)，她向他懇求：“他只是個(gè)傻孩子，但我把他當(dāng)?shù)艿芤粯犹蹛?ài)。他若是死了，我會(huì)很難過(guò)?！彼奈椿榉蚵犃?，便用那雙史塔克家的冷靜灰眸看著她，并答應(yīng)饒那瘋狂愛(ài)著她的小子一命。

That fight was

over almost as soon as it began. Brandon was a man grown, and he drove

Littlefinger all the way across the bailey and down the water stair, raining

steel on him with every step, until the boy was staggering and bleeding from a

dozen wounds. “Yield!” he

called, more than once, but Petyr would only shake his head and fight on,

grimly. When the river was lapping at their ankles, Brandon finally ended it,

with a brutal backhand cut that bit through Petyr’s rings and leather into the

soft flesh below the ribs, so deep that Catelyn was certain that the wound was

mortal. He looked at her as he fell and murmured “Cat” as the bright blood came

flowing out between his mailed fingers. She thought she had forgotten that.

決斗才剛開始便告結(jié)束。已經(jīng)成年的布蘭登逼得小指頭節(jié)節(jié)后退，從城堡庭院一直退到臨水階梯，攻勢(shì)猛烈，劍如雨下，打得那男孩腳步踉蹌，渾身是傷。“快投降！”他不止一次呼喊，但培提爾總是搖搖頭，執(zhí)拗地繼續(xù)奮戰(zhàn)。最后在水深及踝的地方，布蘭登終于做出了斷，他反手一記猛烈的揮砍，穿透培提爾的護(hù)胸環(huán)甲和皮革，劃破肋骨下方的柔軟血肉，傷口之深，凱特琳以為必定致命。他倒在血泊中，一邊凝望著她，喃喃念著“凱特”，同時(shí)明艷的鮮血從他鐵手套間汩汩涌出。這一切，她以為自己早已遺忘。

That was the

last time she had seen his face?.?.?.?until the day she was brought before him

in King’s Landing.

那是她最后一次見(jiàn)到他的臉龐……直到那天他們?cè)诰R重逢。

A fortnight

passed before Littlefinger was strong enough to leave Riverrun, but her lord

father forbade her to visit him in the tower where he lay abed. Lysa helped

their maester nurse him; she had been softer and shyer in those days. Edmure

had called on him as well, but Petyr had sent him away. Her brother had acted

as Brandon’s squire at the duel, and Littlefinger would not forgive that. As

soon as he was strong enough to be moved, Lord Hoster Tully sent Petyr Baelish

away in a closed litter, to finish his healing on the Fingers, upon the

windswept jut of rock where he’d been born.

小指頭足足休養(yǎng)了兩個(gè)星期，才有體力離開奔流城，然而她的父親大人卻禁止她到塔里的病房去探望。是萊莎協(xié)助學(xué)士照顧他，當(dāng)年的她溫柔得多，也害羞得多。艾德慕也去探望過(guò)，然而培提爾不愿見(jiàn)他。弟弟在決斗中擔(dān)任布蘭登的助手，小指頭說(shuō)什么也不能原諒。待他體力稍稍恢復(fù)，霍斯特·徒利公爵便派人將培提爾·貝里席放進(jìn)一個(gè)密閉小轎，將他抬回五指半島強(qiáng)風(fēng)呼嘯的嶙峋巨巖，回到他的誕生地繼續(xù)療養(yǎng)。

The ringing

clash of steel on steel jarred Catelyn back to the present. Ser Vardis was

coming hard at Bronn, driving into him with shield and sword. The sellsword

scrambled backward, checking each blow, stepping lithely over rock and root,

his eyes never leaving his foe. He was quicker, Catelyn saw; the knight’s

silvered sword never came near to touching him, but his own ugly grey blade

hacked a notch from Ser Vardis’s shoulder plate.

刀劍的金屬交擊將凱特琳拉回現(xiàn)實(shí)。瓦狄斯爵士劍盾并用，攻勢(shì)猛烈。傭兵不斷后退，擋下道道攻勢(shì)，腳步輕靈地跳過(guò)石塊與樹根，眼睛卻從未離開對(duì)手。凱特琳發(fā)現(xiàn)他的動(dòng)作極其靈敏，騎士的銀劍始終碰不到他，而他那把丑惡的灰劍卻在瓦狄斯爵士的肩甲上劃了一道。

The brief flurry

of fighting ended as swiftly as it had begun when Bronn sidestepped and slid

behind the statue of the weeping woman. Ser Vardis lunged at where he had been,

striking a spark off the pale marble of Alyssa’s thigh.

突然，波隆溜到哭泣女人的雕像背后。瓦狄斯爵士收勢(shì)不及，一劍朝他剛才的位置揮去，阿萊莎的白色大理石腿上火花迸發(fā)，兩人這場(chǎng)迅捷的過(guò)招才開始沒(méi)多久，便就暫告段落。

“They’re not fighting good, Mother,” the Lord of the Eyrie

complained. “I want them to fight.”

“媽咪，他們打得不好看，”鷹巢城主抱怨，“我要看他們打真的?！?/p>

“They will, sweet baby,” his mother soothed him. “The sellsword can’t

run all day.”

“寶貝乖，他們馬上就打給你看?！彼赣H安慰他，“傭兵跑不了一整天的?！?/p>

Some of the

lords on Lysa’s terrace were making wry jests as they refilled their wine cups,

but across the garden, Tyrion Lannister’s mismatched eyes watched the champions

dance as if there were nothing else in the world.

萊莎所在的陽(yáng)臺(tái)上，有些貴族一邊對(duì)波隆冷嘲熱諷，一邊斟酒笑鬧，然而在花園對(duì)面，提利昂-蘭尼斯特那雙大小不一的眼睛卻全神貫注地看著兩位決斗者你來(lái)我往，似乎身邊一切都已消失。

Bronn came out

from behind the statue hard and fast, still moving left, aiming a two-handed

cut at the knight’s unshielded right side. Ser Vardis blocked, but clumsily,

and the sellsword’s blade flashed upward at his head. Metal rang, and a

falcon’s wing collapsed with a crunch. Ser Vardis took a half step back to

brace himself, raised his shield. Oak chips flew as Bronn’s sword hacked at the

wooden wall. The sellsword stepped left again, away from the shield, and caught

Ser Vardis across the stomach, the razor edge of his blade leaving a bright

gash when it bit into the knight’s plate.

波隆倏地自雕像后竄出，依舊向左，雙手擎劍朝騎士沒(méi)有盾牌保護(hù)的那邊猛砍。瓦狄斯爵士雖然擋下，但擋得很勉強(qiáng)。傭兵的劍順勢(shì)往上一彈，朝對(duì)方的頭部撲去。只聽鏗鏘一聲，獵鷹的一只翅膀應(yīng)聲而斷。瓦狄斯爵士后退半步，穩(wěn)住身子，然后又舉起盾牌。波隆的劍攻向這道木墻，砍得木屑四濺。傭兵再度向左，避開盾牌，一劍正中瓦狄斯爵士腹部，在騎士的鎧甲上留下一道鮮明的裂口。

Ser Vardis drove

forward off his back foot, his own silver blade descending in a savage arc.

Bronn slammed it aside and danced away. The knight crashed into the weeping

woman, rocking her on her plinth. Staggered, he stepped backward, his head

turning this way and that as he searched for his foe. The slit visor of his

helm narrowed his vision.

瓦狄斯爵士后腳一蹬，手中銀劍凌空揮出一道兇猛的圓弧。波隆硬是把它撥開，然后跳出去。騎士撞上哭泣的女人，震得她在基座上搖晃。他踉蹌著退開，左顧右盼搜索對(duì)手，面罩上的細(xì)縫限制了他的視線。

“Behind you, ser!” Lord Hunter shouted, too late. Bronn brought his

sword down with both hands, catching Ser Vardis in the elbow of his sword arm.

The thin lobstered metal that protected the joint crunched. The knight grunted,

turning, wrenching his weapon up. This time Bronn stood his ground. The swords

flew at each other, and their steel song filled the garden and rang off the

white towers of the Eyrie.

“爵士先生，在你后面！”杭特伯爵大喝，可惜為時(shí)已晚。波隆雙手舉劍，狠狠往下一斬，正中瓦狄斯爵士的右手肘。保護(hù)關(guān)節(jié)的細(xì)薄圓碟響聲大作。騎士悶哼著轉(zhuǎn)身，托起長(zhǎng)劍。這回波隆守在原地，兩人你來(lái)我往，刀劍交織出的金屬歌聲響徹花園，回蕩在鷹巢城的七座白塔之間。

“Ser Vardis is hurt,” Ser Rodrik said, his voice grave.

“瓦狄斯爵士受傷了。”羅德利克爵士語(yǔ)氣沉重地說(shuō)。

Catelyn did not

need to be told; she had eyes, she could see the bright finger of blood running

along the knight’s forearm, the wetness inside the elbow joint. Every parry was

a little slower and a little lower than the one before. Ser Vardis turned his

side to his foe, trying to use his shield to block instead, but Bronn slid

around him, quick as a cat. The sellsword seemed to be getting stronger. His

cuts were leaving their marks now. Deep shiny gashes gleamed all over the

knight’s armor, on his right thigh, his beaked visor, crossing on his

breastplate, a long one along the front of his gorget. The moon-and-falcon

rondel over Ser Vardis’s right arm was sheared clean in half, hanging by its

strap. They could hear his labored breath, rattling through the air holes in

his visor.

不需他說(shuō)，凱特琳也看得見(jiàn)鮮血正如無(wú)數(shù)手指，從他前臂緩緩流下，她還看得見(jiàn)他手肘關(guān)節(jié)的黏濕。他的每記擋格越來(lái)越慢，越來(lái)越低。瓦狄斯爵士側(cè)身面對(duì)敵人，想用盾牌抵擋攻勢(shì)，然而波隆也跟著側(cè)移，行動(dòng)靈敏如貓。而今，傭兵似乎愈發(fā)強(qiáng)壯，他的揮砍陸續(xù)留下痕跡。騎士的鎧甲、右腿、喙?fàn)蠲嬲趾妥o(hù)胸，甚至頸甲都印上了深陷的閃亮凹痕。瓦狄斯爵士右臂的新月獵鷹圓碟被砍成兩截，掛在皮帶上。他們可以聽見(jiàn)從他面罩里傳出的沉重呼吸。

Blind with

arrogance as they were, even the knights and lords of the Vale could see what

was happening below them, yet her sister could not. “Enough, Ser Vardis!” Lady

Lysa called down. “Finish him now, my baby is growing tired.”

無(wú)論在場(chǎng)的眾峽谷騎士和貴族多么高傲自大，他們都很清楚下面情勢(shì)如何，只有妹妹依舊看不到真相?！巴叩宜咕羰浚驂蛄?，”萊莎夫人向下高喊，“快收拾他，我的寶貝等得不耐煩了。”

And it must be

said of Ser Vardis Egen that he was true to his lady’s command, even to the

last. One moment he was reeling backward, half-crouched behind his scarred

shield; the next he charged. The sudden bull rush caught Bronn off balance. Ser

Vardis crashed into him and slammed the lip of his shield into the sellsword’s

face. Almost, almost, Bronn lost his feet?.?.?.?he staggered back, tripped over

a rock, and caught hold of the weeping woman to keep his balance. Throwing

aside his shield, Ser Vardis lurched after him, using both hands to raise his

sword. His right arm was blood from elbow to fingers now, yet his last

desperate blow would have opened Bronn from neck to navel?.?.?.?if the

sellsword had stood to receive it.

瓦狄斯·伊根爵士的確是忠心耿耿，至死不渝。原本他還蹣跚后退，半蹲著躲在他那傷痕累累的盾牌后面，聽了這話，他轉(zhuǎn)而向前沖鋒。這陣突如其來(lái)的猛攻大出波隆意外。瓦狄斯爵士跟他撞在一起，并將盾牌狠狠地朝傭兵面部砸去，差一點(diǎn)，差一點(diǎn)就把波隆打倒在地……傭兵踉蹌后退，被一塊石頭絆到，趕忙扶住哭泣的女人維持重心。瓦狄斯爵士拋下盾牌，雙手舉劍猛撲上去。他的右手從肘部到指尖全都是血，但他最后的死命一擊足以將波隆從頭到腳劈成兩半……如果傭兵跟他硬碰硬的話。

But Bronn jerked

back. Jon Arryn’s beautiful engraved silver sword glanced off the marble elbow

of the weeping woman and snapped clean a third of the way up the blade. Bronn

put his shoulder into the statue’s back. The weathered likeness of Alyssa Arryn

tottered and fell with a great crash, and Ser Vardis Egen went down beneath

her.

反之，波隆箭步向后跳開。瓊恩·艾林漂亮的雕花銀劍砍到哭泣女人的大理石手肘，劍身三分之一處應(yīng)聲而斷。這時(shí)波隆用肩膀拼命朝雕像背部撞去，飽經(jīng)風(fēng)雨摧殘的阿萊莎·艾林雕像搖晃幾下之后轟然倒下，將瓦狄斯·伊根爵士壓在下面。

Bronn was on him

in a heartbeat, kicking what was left of his shattered rondel aside to expose

the weak spot between arm and breastplate. Ser Vardis was lying on his side,

pinned beneath the broken torso of the weeping woman. Catelyn heard the knight

groan as the sellsword lifted his blade with both hands and drove it down and

in with all his weight behind it, under the arm and through the ribs. Ser

Vardis Egen shuddered and lay still.

轉(zhuǎn)瞬間波隆已踏上他身體，踢開殘余的金屬圓碟碎片，暴露出手臂和胸甲間的脆弱部位。瓦狄斯爵士側(cè)身躺臥，被斷裂的哭泣女人雕像壓住的軀體無(wú)法動(dòng)彈。凱特琳聽見(jiàn)騎士不住呻吟。傭兵雙手握劍高舉，用盡全身力氣，狠命刺進(jìn)，劃過(guò)手臂，穿透肋骨。瓦狄斯·伊根爵士抖了一下，便不再動(dòng)彈。

Silence hung

over the Eyrie. Bronn yanked off his halfhelm and let it fall to the grass. His

lip was smashed and bloody where the shield had caught him, and his coal-black

hair was soaked with sweat. He spit out a broken tooth.

一陣死寂籠罩著鷹巢城。波隆拔掉半罩頭盔，扔在草坪上。剛才被盾牌撞到的嘴唇，此刻正流著血，炭黑色的頭發(fā)也被汗水完全浸濕。他吐出一顆打落的牙齒。

“Is it over, Mother?” the Lord of the Eyrie asked.

“媽咪，結(jié)束了嗎？”鷹巢城公爵問(wèn)。

No, Catelyn

wanted to tell him, it’s only now beginning.

不，凱特琳想告訴他，一切才剛剛開始。

“Yes,” Lysa said glumly, her voice as cold and dead as the captain of

her guard.

“是的?！比R莎郁悶地說(shuō)，聲音一如她的侍衛(wèi)隊(duì)長(zhǎng)那般冰冷而死寂。

“Can I make the little man fly now?”

“現(xiàn)在我可以讓那個(gè)小壞蛋飛了嗎？”

Across the

garden, Tyrion Lannister got to his feet. “Not this little man,” he said. “This

little man is going down in the turnip hoist, thank you very much.”

花園的另一頭，提利昂站起身?！翱傊w的不會(huì)是我這個(gè)小壞蛋，”他說(shuō)，“這個(gè)小壞蛋打算跟蘿卜一起搭籃子下山去，感謝您的關(guān)照?！?/p>

“You presume...” Lysa began.

“你以為——”萊莎開口。

“I presume that House Arryn remembers its own words,” the Imp said.

“As High as Honor.”

“我以為艾林家族還記得他們的族語(yǔ)，”小惡魔道，“高如榮譽(yù)?！?/p>

“You promised I could make him fly,” the Lord of the Eyrie screamed

at his mother. He began to shake.

“你答應(yīng)我可以讓他飛的?！柄棾渤枪魧?duì)他母親尖叫，然后開始顫抖。

Lady Lysa’s face

was flushed with fury. “The gods have seen fit to proclaim him innocent, child.

We have no choice but to free him.” She lifted her voice. “Guards. Take my lord

of Lannister and his?.?.?.?creature here out of my sight. Escort them to the

Bloody Gate and set them free. See that they have horses and supplies

sufficient to reach the Trident, and make certain all their goods and weapons

are returned to them. They shall need them on the high road.”

萊莎夫人氣得滿臉通紅?！昂⒆樱焐现T神認(rèn)為這人無(wú)辜，除了放他走，我們別無(wú)選擇。”她提高音量，“來(lái)人，把蘭尼斯特家的大人和他……那只怪物給我?guī)ё?。護(hù)送他們到血門，然后放他們自由。要為他們準(zhǔn)備足以維持到三叉戟河的馬匹和糧食，同時(shí)務(wù)必歸還他們一切行李和武器。他們走山路，想必會(huì)很需要這些裝備?！?/p>

“The high road,” Tyrion Lannister said. Lysa allowed herself a faint,

satisfied smile. It was another sort of death sentence, Catelyn realized.

Tyrion Lannister must know that as well. Yet the dwarf favored Lady Arryn with

a mocking bow. “As you command, my lady,” he said. “I believe we know the way.”

“走山路？”提利昂·蘭尼斯特道。萊莎嘴角泛起一絲細(xì)小但得意的微笑。凱特琳忽然明白過(guò)來(lái)，這不啻另一種死刑。提利昂·蘭尼斯特想必也很清楚。然而侏儒僅故作禮貌地朝萊莎·艾林鞠了個(gè)躬。“遵命，夫人。”他說(shuō)，“我們認(rèn)得這條路?！?/p>