EDDARD

43 艾德

Through the high

narrow windows of the Red Keep’s cavernous throne room, the light of sunset

spilled across the floor, laying dark red stripes upon the walls where the

heads of dragons had once hung. Now the stone was covered with hunting tapestries,

vivid with greens and browns and blues, and yet still it seemed to Ned Stark

that the only color in the hall was the red of blood.

透過紅堡深廣王座廳的狹窄高窗，夕陽余暉遍灑地面，為墻壁掛上暗紅色的條紋。龍頭曾經(jīng)高懸于此，如今石墻雖已為青綠和棕褐相襯、栩栩如生地描繪狩獵情景的掛毯織錦所覆蓋，但在奈德眼中，整個大廳依舊浸潤在一片血紅之中。

He sat high upon

the immense ancient seat of Aegon the Conqueror, an ironwork monstrosity of

spikes and jagged edges and grotesquely twisted metal. It was, as Robert had

warned him, a hellishly uncomfortable chair, and never more so than now, with

his shattered leg throbbing more sharply every minute. The metal beneath him

had grown harder by the hour, and the fanged steel behind made it impossible to

lean back. A king should never sit easy, Aegon the Conqueror had said, when he

commanded his armorers to forge a great seat from the swords laid down by his

enemies. Damn Aegon for his arrogance, Ned thought sullenly, and damn Robert

and his hunting as well.

他高高坐在“征服者”伊耿寬大而古老的座位上。那是張鋼鐵鑄成，滿是猙獰尖刺利角和詭異扭曲金屬的椅子，它正如勞勃所警告的那般，是張?zhí)鞖⒌牟皇娣囊巫?。眼下他的斷腿不住抽痛，這種感覺更是無以復加。他身子底下的金屬每一小時都越顯堅硬，布滿利齒般尖刺的椅背，更教他無法倚靠。當年征服者伊耿命令手下鐵匠使用敵人投降時的棄械，镕鑄成一張大椅時，曾說：“作國王的不能舒舒服服地坐著”。伊耿這傲慢的家伙該死，奈德陰沉地想，勞勃和他的打獵游戲也該死。

“You are quite certain these were more than brigands?” Varys asked

softly from the council table beneath the throne. Grand Maester Pycelle stirred

uneasily beside him, while Littlefinger toyed with a pen. They were the only

councillors in attendance. A white hart had been sighted in the kingswood, and

Lord Renly and Ser Barristan had joined the king to hunt it, along with Prince

Joffrey, Sandor Clegane, Balon Swann, and half the court. So Ned must needs sit

the Iron Throne in his absence.

“你能確定他們不是土匪毛賊？”坐在王座下方議事桌邊的瓦里斯輕聲問。他身旁的派席爾大學士坐立難安，小指頭則擺弄著一枝筆。列席的重臣只有他們幾個。前幾天有人在御林里瞧見了一只白公鹿，藍禮大人和巴利斯坦爵士便陪伴國王前去打獵，同行的還有喬佛里王子、桑鐸·克里岡、巴隆·史文以及半數(shù)廷臣。正因如此，奈德才不得不暫代勞勃坐在鐵王座上處理國事。

At least he

could sit. Save the council, the rest must stand respectfully, or kneel. The

petitioners clustered near the tall doors, the knights and high lords and

ladies beneath the tapestries, the smallfolk in the gallery, the mailed guards

in their cloaks, gold or grey: all stood.

好歹他還有椅子可坐。在王座廳里，除了王室家族和幾位重臣，余人都得畢恭畢敬地或站或跪。前來請愿的人群聚大門邊，騎士、貴族與仕女站在掛毯下，平民百姓則在走廊上。全副武裝的衛(wèi)兵肩披金色或灰色的披風，威嚴挺立。

The villagers

were kneeling: men, women, and children, alike tattered and bloody, their faces

drawn by fear. The three knights who had brought them here to bear witness

stood behind them.

這群村民單膝下跪，不論男女老少，清一色衣著破爛，滿身血污，臉上刻滿了恐懼。帶他們進來作證的三位騎士站在后面。

“Brigands, Lord Varys?” Ser Raymun Darry’s voice dripped scorn. “Oh,

they were brigands, beyond a doubt. Lannister brigands.”

“土匪？瓦里斯大人，”雷蒙·戴瑞爵士語透輕蔑?！昂撸f得好，他們當然是土匪了。蘭尼斯特家的土匪?！?/p>

Ned could feel

the unease in the hall, as high lords and servants alike strained to listen. He

could not pretend to surprise. The west had been a tinderbox since Catelyn had

seized Tyrion Lannister. Both Riverrun and Casterly Rock had called their

banners, and armies were massing in the pass below the Golden Tooth. It had

only been a matter of time until the blood began to flow. The sole question

that remained was how best to stanch the wound.

奈德感覺得到大廳里的緊張氣氛，在場人等不論出身高低，均屏息豎耳傾聽。這也不是什么新鮮事，自凱特琳逮捕提利昂·蘭尼斯特之后，西境便宛如一座柴火庫。奔流城與凱巖城均已召集封臣，此刻兩軍正向金牙城下的山口聚集。爆發(fā)流血沖突是遲早的事?，F(xiàn)在惟一的問題是如何能將傷害減到最小。

Sad-eyed Ser

Karyl Vance, who would have been handsome but for the winestain birthmark that

discolored his face, gestured at the kneeling villagers. “This is all the

remains of the holdfast of Sherrer, Lord Eddard. The rest are dead, along with

the people of Wendish Town and the Mummer’s Ford.”

滿眼憂傷，若非臉上酒紅色的胎記，本來還算英俊的卡列爾·凡斯爵士指著跪在地上的村民說：“艾德大人，榭爾全村就只剩這些人，其他的都和溫德鎮(zhèn)、戲子灘的居民一樣，通通死光了?！?/p>

“Rise,” Ned commanded the villagers. He never trusted what a man told

him from his knees. “All of you, up.”

“起來，”奈德命令村民們。他向來不相信一個人跪著的時候所說的話?！澳銈兺ㄍǘ计饋?。”

In ones and

twos, the holdfast of Sherrer struggled to its feet. One ancient needed to be

helped, and a young girl in a bloody dress stayed on her knees, staring blankly

at Ser Arys Oakheart, who stood by the foot of the throne in the white armor of

the Kingsguard, ready to protect and defend the king?.?.?.?or, Ned supposed,

the King’s Hand.

榭爾的居民聽了紛紛掙扎著起身。一位老者要靠人攙扶才能站起，另一個穿著血衣的女孩則維持跪姿，怔怔地望著亞歷斯·奧克赫特爵士。他身穿御林鐵衛(wèi)的白袍白甲，站在王座下方，隨時準備誓死保衛(wèi)國王……或者，奈德猜測，保衛(wèi)國王的首相。

“Joss,” Ser Raymun Darry said to a plump balding man in a brewer’s

apron. “Tell the Hand what happened at Sherrer.”

“喬斯，”雷蒙·戴瑞爵士對一位穿著釀酒師傅圍裙的光頭胖子說，“快跟首相大人說榭爾發(fā)生了什么事?！?/p>

Joss nodded. “If

it please His Grace...”

喬斯點點頭?！皢⒎A國王陛下——”

“His Grace is hunting across the Blackwater,” Ned said, wondering how

a man could live his whole life a few days ride from the Red Keep and still

have no notion what his king looked like. Ned was clad in a white linen doublet

with the direwolf of Stark on the breast; his black wool cloak was fastened at

the collar by his silver hand of office. Black and white and grey, all the

shades of truth. “I am Lord Eddard Stark, the King’s Hand. Tell me who you are

and what you know of these raiders.”

“國王陛下他正在黑水灣對岸打獵，”奈德一邊說，一邊自忖一個人有沒有可能終生居住在距紅堡僅幾日騎程的地方，卻仍舊對國王的相貌一無所知。奈德穿著白色的亞麻外衣，胸前繡有史塔克家族的冰原狼紋章，黑羊毛披風用象征職位的銀手徽章別在頸邊。黑白灰三色，正是真理的三種可能?！拔沂菄踔郑从笆紫喟隆な匪斯?。告訴我你是誰，以及你對這些強盜所知的一切。”

“I keep?.?.?.?I kept?.?.?.?I kept an alehouse, m’lord, in Sherrer, by

the stone bridge. The finest ale south of the Neck, everyone said so, begging

your pardons, m’lord. It’s gone now like all the rest, m’lord. They come and

drank their fill and spilled the rest before they fired my roof, and they would

of spilled my blood too, if they’d caught me. M’lord.”

“俺開了……以前俺開了……以前俺開了家酒館，大人，在榭爾，就在石橋旁邊。大家都說俺釀的麥酒是頸澤以南最好的，大人，請您見諒?？墒谴笕耍F(xiàn)在全都沒了。他們進來喝飽以后又把剩下的倒掉，然后放火燒了房子，本來啊，大人，本來他們還打算要俺命，可他們沒逮著?！?/p>

“They burnt us out,” a farmer beside him said. “Come riding in the

dark, up from the south, and fired the fields and the houses alike, killing

them as tried to stop them. They weren’t no raiders, though, m’lord. They had

no mind to steal our stock, not these, they butchered my milk cow where she

stood and left her for the flies and the crows.”

“他們放火把咱逼走，”他旁邊的一個農(nóng)夫說，“大半夜里從南方來，把田啊房子啊通通給燒了，誰要是敢上前阻攔就沒命。可是大人，他們不是強盜，因為他們根本不是來搶東西，他們把我的乳牛宰了之后，把尸體丟在那兒喂蒼蠅和烏鴉?！?/p>

“They rode down my ’prentice boy,” said a squat man with a smith’s

muscles and a bandage around his head. He had put on his finest clothes to come

to court, but his breeches were patched, his cloak travel-stained and dusty.

“Chased him back and forth across the fields on their horses, poking at him

with their lances like it was a game, them laughing and the boy stumbling and

screaming till the big one pierced him clean through.”

“他們還把我徒弟活活踩死，”一個有著鐵匠的肌肉，頭上包了繃帶的矮胖男子說?？吹贸鏊貏e換上最好的衣服上朝，但那條褲子卻布滿補丁，斗篷也是風塵仆仆?！八麄凃T在馬上哈哈大笑，追著他跑來跑去，還拿槍戳他，當成是在玩游戲。那孩子就這樣跑啊，慘叫個不停，最后摔倒在地，被塊頭最大那家伙一槍刺死?！?/p>

The girl on her

knees craned her head up at Ned, high above her on the throne. “They killed my

mother too, Your Grace. And they?.?.?.?they?.?.?.?” Her voice trailed off, as

if she had forgotten what she was about to say. She began to sob.

跪在地上的女孩伸長脖子抬頭看著高高在上的奈德?！氨菹?，他們還殺了我娘。然后他們……他們……”她的話音漸弱，仿佛忘了原本要說些什么，自顧自地啼哭了起來。

Ser Raymun Darry

took up the tale. “At Wendish Town, the people sought shelter in their

holdfast, but the walls were timbered. The raiders piled straw against the wood

and burnt them all alive. When the Wendish folk opened their gates to flee the

fire, they shot them down with arrows as they came running out, even women with

suckling babes.”

雷蒙·戴瑞爵士接過話茬：“溫德鎮(zhèn)的居民躲進莊園，可房子乃是木制，入侵者便將其鋪上稻草，把他們活活燒死在里面。有些人開門沖出火場逃走，他們便用弓箭射殺，連懷抱奶娃的女人也不放過?！?/p>

“Oh, dreadful,” murmured Varys. “How cruel can men be?”

“哎喲，真是可怕，”瓦里斯喃喃道，“怎么會有人如此殘忍呢？”

“They would of done the same for us, but the Sherrer holdfast’s made

of stone,” Joss said. “Some wanted to smoke us out, but the big one said there

was riper fruit upriver, and they made for the Mummer’s Ford.”

“他們本來也要這么對付俺們，幸好榭爾的莊園是石頭做的，”喬斯道，“有人想用煙把俺們薰出來，可那大塊頭說河上游比較有收獲，就奔戲子灘去了?！?/p>

Ned could feel

cold steel against his fingers as he leaned forward. Between each finger was a

blade, the points of twisted swords fanning out like talons from arms of the

throne. Even after three centuries, some were still sharp enough to cut. The

Iron Throne was full of traps for the unwary. The songs said it had taken a

thousand blades to make it, heated white-hot in the furnace breath of Balerion

the Black Dread. The hammering had taken fifty-nine days. The end of it was

this hunched black beast made of razor edges and barbs and ribbons of sharp

metal; a chair that could kill a man, and had, if the stories could be

believed.

奈德身體前傾，手指觸碰到冰冷的金屬。他每根指頭間都是一柄刀刃，尖端是彎曲的利劍，有如爪子般從王座的扶手向外伸展。雖然歷經(jīng)了三個世紀，其中有些刃葉依舊鋒利逼人。對粗心大意的人來說，鐵王座稱得上機關(guān)密布。歌謠里唱著當初花了一千把劍，經(jīng)過黑死神貝勒里恩的烈焰加熱熔解，方才鑄成王座。敲敲打打前后總共花了五十九天，最后的成品就是如今這座邊緣如剃刀般鋒利，無處不是倒鉤和糾結(jié)的駝背黑怪物。這張椅子可以殺人，倘若傳說屬實，還真的殺過。

What Eddard

Stark was doing sitting there he would never comprehend, yet there he sat, and

these people looked to him for justice. “What proof do you have that these were

Lannisters?” he asked, trying to keep his fury under control. “Did they wear

crimson cloaks or fly a lion banner?”

艾德·史塔克并不想坐上來，但如今他高踞于此，而下面的人民前來請求他主持正義?！澳銈冇泻巫C據(jù)指明這些是蘭尼斯特家族的人？”他問，同時努力壓抑怒氣?！八麄兇┝思t披風或打著獅子旗嗎？”

“Even Lannisters are not so blind stupid as that,” Ser Marq Piper

snapped. He was a swaggering bantam rooster of a youth, too young and too

hot-blooded for Ned’s taste, though a fast friend of Catelyn’s brother, Edmure

Tully.

“即便蘭尼斯特的人，也不至于蠢到這種地步?！瘪R柯·派柏爵士斥道。他是個脾氣暴躁、有如好斗雄雞的年輕人。雖然在奈德看來，他歷練太淺，又太過血氣方剛，但他卻是凱特琳的弟弟艾德慕·徒利的好友。

“Every man among them was mounted and mailed, my lord,” Ser Karyl

answered calmly. “They were armed with steel-tipped lances and longswords, with

battle-axes for the butchering.” He gestured toward one of the ragged

survivors. “You. Yes, you, no one’s going to hurt you. Tell the Hand what you

told me.”

“大人，他們個個騎著駿馬身披鎧甲，”卡列爾爵士冷靜地回答，“手中持有精鋼長槍和寶劍，還有用來屠殺村民的戰(zhàn)斧?！彼焓种钢高@群衣衫襤褸的幸存者中的一人?！澳悖瑢?，就是你，說出來沒關(guān)系，把你跟我說的話都告訴首相大人?！?/p>

The old man

bobbed his head. “Concerning their horses,” he said, “it were warhorses they

rode. Many a year I worked in old Ser Willum’s stables, so I knows the

difference. Not a one of these ever pulled a plow, gods bear witness if I’m

wrong.”

老人低下頭?！瓣P(guān)于他們騎的馬，”他說，“他們騎的是戰(zhàn)馬。我在維倫老爵士的馬房里做過很多年，看得出其中差異。他們騎的馬沒有一匹是犁過田的，我敢以天上諸神之名發(fā)誓?！?/p>

“Well-mounted brigands,” observed Littlefinger. “Perhaps they stole

the horses from the last place they raided.”

“騎好馬的土匪，”小指頭表示意見，“或許馬是他們剛從別處搶來的?！?/p>

“How many men were there in this raiding party?” Ned asked.

“這群強盜一共有多少人？”奈德問。

“A hundred, at the least,” Joss answered, in the same instant as the

bandaged smith said, “Fifty,” and the grandmother behind him, “Hunnerds and

hunnerds, m’lord, an army they was.”

“最起碼一百個?！眴趟够卮?，而在同時，那位包著繃帶的鐵匠也開了口，“五十個?！彼竺娴睦咸艅t說，“好幾百人啊，大人，根本就是一支軍隊?！?/p>

“You are more right than you know, goodwoman,” Lord Eddard told her.

“You say they flew no banners. What of the armor they wore? Did any of you note

ornaments or decorations, devices on shield or helm?”

“好太太，我相信您說得很正確?！卑鹿舾嬖V她，“你們說他們沒打旗幟，那他們穿的盔甲呢？你們有沒有誰注意到上面的花紋或裝飾，或者是盾牌和頭盔上的家徽？”

The brewer,

Joss, shook his head. “It grieves me, m’lord, but no, the armor they showed us

was plain, only?.?.?.?the one who led them, he was armored like the rest, but

there was no mistaking him all the same. It was the size of him, m’lord. Those

as say the giants are all dead never saw this one, I swear. Big as an ox he

was, and a voice like stone breaking.”

釀酒師傅喬斯搖搖頭?！按笕?，有的話那敢情好，可他們穿的盔甲樣式都很普通，只有……只有那領(lǐng)頭的，他雖然穿得和其他人一樣，可您絕不會把他和別人弄混。大人，這家伙塊頭可真大，俺敢打賭，那些斷言巨人已死的人沒見過這家伙。他塊頭大得跟頭牛似的，講起話來聲音響得像山石迸裂?！?/p>

“The Mountain!” Ser Marq said loudly. “Can any man doubt it? This was

Gregor Clegane’s work.”

“一定是‘魔山’！”馬柯爵士大聲說，“這還用問？一定是格雷果·克里岡干的好事?！?/p>

Ned heard

muttering from beneath the windows and the far end of the hall. Even in the

galley, nervous whispers were exchanged. High lords and smallfolk alike knew

what it could mean if Ser Marq was proved right. Ser Gregor Clegane stood

bannerman to Lord Tywin Lannister.

奈德聽見窗戶下方和大廳遠端竊竊私語聲此起彼落，不安的說話聲也從外面的走廊傳來。在場眾人不論貧富貴賤，都清楚倘若馬柯爵士所言得到證實，代表著什么：格雷果·克里岡爵士正是泰溫·蘭尼斯特公爵的封臣。

He studied the

frightened faces of the villagers. Small wonder they had been so fearful; they

had thought they were being dragged here to name Lord Tywin a red-handed

butcher before a king who was his son by marriage. He wondered if the knights

had given them a choice.

他審視著村民驚恐的臉孔，也難怪他們?nèi)绱撕ε?，他們起初必定以為自己被拖來這里，要在國王面前指控泰溫大人為滿手血腥的屠夫——而國王本人正是泰溫的女婿。他很懷疑那幾位騎士有沒有給他們選擇的余地。

Grand Maester

Pycelle rose ponderously from the council table, his chain of office clinking.

“Ser Marq, with respect, you cannot know that this outlaw was Ser Gregor. There

are many large men in the realm.”

派席爾大學士從議事桌邊沉重地站起身，象征職位的項鏈不住碰撞。“馬柯爵士，沒有對您不敬的意思，但我們無法就此認定那強盜便是格雷果爵士。國內(nèi)的大塊頭大有人在?！?/p>

“As large as the Mountain That Rides?” Ser Karyl said. “I have never

met one.”

“但有人跟魔山一樣嗎？”卡列爾爵士道，“我可從沒見過?！?/p>

“Nor has any man here,” Ser Raymun added hotly. “Even his brother is

a pup beside him. My lords, open your eyes. Do you need to see his seal on the

corpses? It was Gregor.”

“相信在場也沒人見過?！崩酌删羰繎嵟卣f，“跟他站在一起，連他弟弟都像只小狗。在座諸君，請睜開您們的眼睛吧，難道你們還需要親眼見到他的印章蓋上尸體才肯相信嗎？這一定是格雷果，不會錯的。”

“Why should Ser Gregor turn brigand?” Pycelle asked. “By the grace of

his liege lord, he holds a stout keep and lands of his own. The man is an

anointed knight.”

“然則格雷果爵士何必去打家劫舍？”派席爾問，“靠著他的封君老爺，他不但坐擁堅固堡壘，還有自己的良田領(lǐng)地，此人可是個涂抹圣油，經(jīng)過正式冊封的騎士啊?！?/p>

“A false knight!” Ser Marq said. “Lord Tywin’s mad dog.”

“這家伙是個虛偽的騎士！”馬柯爵士道，“他是泰溫大人的瘋狗。”

“My lord Hand,” Pycelle declared in a stiff voice, “I urge you to

remind this good knight that Lord Tywin Lannister is the father of our own

gracious queen.”

“首相大人，”派席爾語氣僵硬地說，“還請您提醒這位‘正直’的騎士先生，泰溫·蘭尼斯特大人是我們王后陛下的父親?！?/p>

“Thank you, Grand Maester Pycelle,” Ned said. “I fear we might have

forgotten that if you had not pointed it out.”

“謝謝您，派席爾大學士，”奈德道，“您若不提起，只怕我們都忘了。”

From his vantage

point atop the throne, he could see men slipping out the door at the far end of

the hall. Hares going to ground, he supposed?.?.?.?or rats off to nibble the

queen’s cheese. He caught a glimpse of Septa Mordane in the gallery, with his

daughter Sansa beside her. Ned felt a flash of anger; this was no place for a girl.

But the septa could not have known that today’s court would be anything but the

usual tedious business of hearing petitions, settling disputes between rival

holdfasts, and adjudicating the placement of boundary stones.

從高高的王座上，他看到大廳盡頭有人溜出去。兔子就這么跑走了，他心想……不，應(yīng)該說是貪戀王后奶酪的耗子吧。他瞥見茉丹修女帶著珊莎站在走廊上，頓時火冒三丈：這不是小女孩該來的地方。但修女事先也不可能料想到今天的會議內(nèi)容并非繁冗的日常雜務(wù)——聆聽百姓請愿，調(diào)解村鎮(zhèn)間紛爭，以及判定土地界石劃分等等。

At the council

table below, Petyr Baelish lost interest in his quill and leaned forward. “Ser

Marq, Ser Karyl, Ser Raymun, perhaps I might ask you a question? These

holdfasts were under your protection. Where were you when all this slaughtering

and burning was going on?”

下方的議事桌邊，培提爾·貝里席終于玩膩了他的羽毛筆，傾身向前道：“馬柯爵士，卡列爾爵士，雷蒙爵士——可否容我問個問題？這幾個村子都是由你們所管轄與保護，請問屠殺發(fā)生當時諸位又在何地呢？”

Ser Karyl Vance

answered. “I was attending my lord father in the pass below the Golden Tooth,

as was Ser Marq. When the word of these outrages reached Ser Edmure Tully, he

sent word that we should take a small force of men to find what survivors we

could and bring them to the king.”

卡列爾·凡斯爵士回答：“當時我與家父都在金牙城下的山口，馬柯爵士也是。當這些暴行傳到艾德慕·徒利耳中時，他囑咐我們率領(lǐng)小隊人馬，前來搜索幸存者，然后帶他們覲見國王?！?/p>

Ser Raymun Darry

spoke up. “Ser Edmure had summoned me to Riverrun with all my strength. I was

camped across the river from his walls, awaiting his commands, when the word

reached me. By the time I could return to my own lands, Clegane and his vermin

were back across the Red Fork, riding for Lannister’s hills.”

雷蒙·戴瑞爵士發(fā)言道：“艾德慕爵士早已讓我率領(lǐng)我的兵力趕到奔流城。我接獲消息時，正在城外隔河扎營，等候進一步命令。等我趕回封地，克里岡和他的走狗已經(jīng)渡過紅叉河，回蘭尼斯特家的丘陵地去了?！?/p>

Littlefinger

stroked the point of his beard thoughtfully. “And if they come again, ser?”

小指頭若有所思地撫弄他的尖胡子?！熬羰肯壬热羲麄冊俣葋硪u呢？”

“If they come again, we’ll use their blood to water the fields they

burnt,” Ser Marq Piper declared hotly.

“他們要是有膽再來，我們就用他們的血，澆灌被他們燒掉的田地。”馬柯·派柏爵士憤怒地說。

“Ser Edmure has sent men to every village and holdfast within a day’s

ride of the border,” Ser Karyl explained. “The next raider will not have such

an easy time of it.”

“艾德慕爵士已派兵駐防距離邊境一日騎程內(nèi)所有村鎮(zhèn)與莊園?！笨袪柧羰拷忉?，“若還有人來犯，可不會像這次那么好過了。”

And that may be

precisely what Lord Tywin wants, Ned thought to himself, to bleed off strength

from Riverrun, goad the boy into scattering his swords. His wife’s brother was

young, and more gallant than wise. He would try to hold every inch of his soil,

to defend every man, woman, and child who named him lord, and Tywin Lannister

was shrewd enough to know that.

這很可能正是泰溫公爵的目的，奈德心里明白，借此壓榨奔流城的力量，誘使那小伙子分散兵力。他小舅子年紀尚輕，英勇有余，睿智卻不足。他會竭盡全力守住每一寸土地，保護每一個依附他名下的男女老少。精明老練如泰溫·蘭尼斯特，自當很清楚這點。

“If your fields and holdfasts are safe from harm,” Lord Petyr was saying,

“what then do you ask of the throne?”

“既然你們的田產(chǎn)和房舍都安全了，”培提爾伯爵道，“那還上朝來做什么？”

“The lords of the Trident keep the king’s peace,” Ser Raymun Darry

said. “The Lannisters have broken it. We ask leave to answer them, steel for

steel. We ask justice for the smallfolk of Sherrer and Wendish Town and the

Mummer’s Ford.”

“三河流域的領(lǐng)主以國王之名維持境內(nèi)和平，”雷蒙·戴瑞說，“蘭尼斯特的人破壞了和平。我們要求血債血償，我們要為榭爾村、溫德鎮(zhèn)和戲子灘的百姓討個公道?！?/p>

“Edmure agrees, we must pay Gregor Clegane back his bloody coin,” Ser

Marq declared, “but old Lord Hoster commanded us to come here and beg the

king’s leave before we strike.”

“艾德慕同意我們以牙還牙，用相同的手段對付格雷果·克里岡，”馬柯爵士宣布，“但霍斯特老爵爺命令我們首先得到國王的允許再出擊?！?/p>

Thank the gods

for old Lord Hoster, then. Tywin Lannister was as much fox as lion. If indeed

he’d sent Ser Gregor to burn and pillage, and Ned did not doubt that he had,

he’d taken care to see that he rode under cover of night, without banners, in

the guise of a common brigand. Should Riverrun strike back, Cersei and her

father would insist that it had been the Tullys who broke the king’s peace, not

the Lannisters. The gods only knew what Robert would believe.

感謝天上諸神，還好有霍斯特大人在。與其說泰溫·蘭尼斯特是頭獅子，不如說他是只狐貍。假如當真是他派格雷果爵士去殺人放火——奈德對此毫無疑問——他一定會特意囑咐格雷果小心翼翼，夜晚行動，不張旗幟，扮成普通強盜。倘若奔流城反擊，瑟曦和她父親便能堅稱破壞和平的是徒利家族，而非蘭尼斯特。到時候勞勃會相信哪一邊，只有諸神才知道。

Grand Maester

Pycelle was on his feet again. “My lord Hand, if these good folk believe that

Ser Gregor has forsaken his holy vows for plunder and rape, let them go to his

liege lord and make their complaint. These crimes are no concern of the throne.

Let them seek Lord Tywin’s justice.”

派席爾大學士又站起來?！笆紫啻笕恕Ｈ绻@幾位好村民堅信格雷果爵士背棄了他神圣的誓言，轉(zhuǎn)而奸淫擄掠，請讓他們?nèi)ヒ娝姆饩笕?，向他去抱怨。這些罪行與王室無關(guān)，他們應(yīng)當請求泰溫大人主持正義。”

“It is all the king’s justice,” Ned told him. “North, south, east, or

west, all we do we do in Robert’s name.”

“這些當然與國王有關(guān)，”奈德告訴他，“不論東西南北，我們均以勞勃之名行事?！?/p>

“The king’s justice,” Grand Maester Pycelle said. “So it is, and so

we should defer this matter until the king...”

“和國王有關(guān)，”派席爾大學士說，“此話有理，那么我們該等國王回來再行商——”

“The king is hunting across the river and may not return for days,”

Lord Eddard said. “Robert bid me to sit here in his place, to listen with his

ears, and to speak with his voice. I mean to do just that?.?.?.?though I agree

that he must be told.” He saw a familiar face beneath the tapestries. “Ser

Robar.”

“國王此刻正在河對岸打獵，可能好幾天都不會回來。”艾德公爵說，“勞勃要我暫代他處理國事，用他的耳朵傾聽，用他的聲音說話，而我將謹遵其意……但我同意應(yīng)該要知會他?！彼诒跉窒驴吹揭粡埵煜さ哪樋?。“羅拔爵士?！?/p>

Ser Robar Royce

stepped forward and bowed. “My lord.”

羅拔·羅伊斯爵士前跨一步，鞠躬道：“大人，您有何吩咐？”

“Your father is hunting with the king,” Ned said. “Will you bring

them word of what was said and done here today?”

“令尊與國王陛下一道外出狩獵，”奈德說，“可否請你將今日之事通報他們？”

“At once, my lord.”

“大人，我這就去辦?！?/p>

“Do we have your leave to take our vengeance against Ser Gregor,

then?” Marq Piper asked the throne.

“那我們是不是這就可找格雷果爵士報一箭之仇？”馬柯·派柏詢問攝政。

“Vengeance?” Ned said. “I thought we were speaking of justice.

Burning Clegane’s fields and slaughtering his people will not restore the

king’s peace, only your injured pride.” He glanced away before the young knight

could voice his outraged protest, and addressed the villagers. “People of

Sherrer, I cannot give you back your homes or your crops, nor can I restore

your dead to life. But perhaps I can give you some small measure of justice, in

the name of our king, Robert.”

“報仇？”奈德說，“我以為我們談的是主持正義。到克里岡的封地放火殺人并不會恢復王國境內(nèi)的和平，只能稍稍彌補你受損的自尊?！睉嵟哪贻p騎士還來不及反駁，他便轉(zhuǎn)開視線，對那群村民說，“榭爾的居民們，我無法歸還你們的家園和你們的作物，更不能將死者復生。但或許我能以我們的國王勞勃之名，還你們一個遲來的公道?！?/p>

Every eye in the

hall was fixed on him, waiting. Slowly Ned struggled to his feet, pushing

himself up from the throne with the strength of his arms, his shattered leg

screaming inside its cast. He did his best to ignore the pain; it was no moment

to let them see his weakness. “The First Men believed that the judge who called

for death should wield the sword, and in the north we hold to that still. I

mislike sending another to do my killing?.?.?.?yet it seems I have no choice.”

He gestured at his broken leg.

大廳里的每一只眼睛都注視著他，凝神等待。奈德緩緩地掙扎著站起來，兩手全力撐住王座，斷腿撕心裂肺地劇痛。他盡一切所能不去注意疼痛，此刻千萬不能在他們面前顯示虛弱。“先民認為判人死刑者應(yīng)該親自操刀，我們在北境依舊保留了這個傳統(tǒng)。我本不愿由他人代為執(zhí)行……但看來我別無選擇?！彼钢缸约旱臄嗤取?/p>

“Lord Eddard!” The shout came from the west side of the hall as a

handsome stripling of a boy strode forth boldly. Out of his armor, Ser Loras

Tyrell looked even younger than his sixteen years. He wore pale blue silk, his

belt a linked chain of golden roses, the sigil of his House. “I beg you the

honor of acting in your place. Give this task to me, my lord, and I swear I

shall not fail you.”

“艾德大人！”從大廳西側(cè)傳來一聲喊叫，一名俊美的年輕男孩勇敢地向前走來。年僅十六的洛拉斯·提利爾爵士，脫去鎧甲后愈發(fā)顯得年輕。他身穿淺藍色絲衣，系著朵朵金玫瑰連綴而成的腰帶。金玫瑰是他家族的紋章。“我懇求您讓我有幸代您出戰(zhàn)。把這個任務(wù)交給我吧，大人，我發(fā)誓不會教您失望?！?/p>

Littlefinger

chuckled. “Ser Loras, if we send you off alone, Ser Gregor will send us back

your head with a plum stuffed in that pretty mouth of yours. The Mountain is

not the sort to bend his neck to any man’s justice.”

小指頭輕笑。“洛拉斯爵士，如果我們單只派您去對付格雷果爵士，他八成會把您的頭送回來，順便塞顆李子在您那張漂亮的嘴里。魔山可不會乖乖地看在正義的份上束手就擒?！?/p>

“I do not fear Gregor Clegane,” Ser Loras said haughtily.

“我不怕格雷果·克里岡?！甭謇咕羰框湴恋卣f。

Ned eased

himself slowly back onto the hard iron seat of Aegon’s misshapen throne. His

eyes searched the faces along the wall. “Lord Beric,” he called out. “Thoros of

Myr. Ser Gladden. Lord Lothar.” The men named stepped forward one by one. “Each

of you is to assemble twenty men, to bring my word to Gregor’s keep. Twenty of

my own guards shall go with you. Lord Beric Dondarrion, you shall have the

command, as befits your rank.”

奈德緩緩坐回伊耿那張畸形王座的冷硬鐵板上，他的視線沿著墻壁一張接一張臉孔地搜索?！柏惱锎笕耍彼?，“密爾的索羅斯，葛拉登爵士，羅沙大人?！北稽c到名字的人紛紛站到前面?！罢埬銈兏鲙Ф勘瑢⑽业拿钏偷礁窭坠某潜?。我將派出自己的二十名侍衛(wèi)與你們同行。貝里·唐德利恩大人，此次任務(wù)由您指揮，因為您的爵祿最高。”

The young lord

with the red-gold hair bowed. “As you command, Lord Eddard.”

金紅頭發(fā)的年輕伯爵鞠躬道：“艾德大人，悉聽尊命?！?/p>

Ned raised his

voice, so it carried to the far end of the throne room. “In the name of Robert

of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the

Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the

Realm, by the word of Eddard of the House Stark, his Hand, I charge you to ride

to the westlands with all haste, to cross the Red Fork of the Trident under the

king’s flag, and there bring the king’s justice to the false knight Gregor

Clegane, and to all those who shared in his crimes. I denounce him, and attaint

him, and strip him of all rank and titles, of all lands and incomes and

holdings, and do sentence him to death. May the gods take pity on his soul.”

奈德提高音量，讓王座大廳里所有的人都能聽見?！耙园策_爾人、洛伊拿人和先民的國王，七國的統(tǒng)治者暨全境守護者，拜拉席恩家族的勞勃一世之名，我，史塔克家族的艾德公爵，身為其國王之手，在此命令你們即刻高舉國王的旗幟，全速渡過三叉戟河的紅叉支流，進入西境，依照國王律法，制裁虛偽的騎士格雷果·克里岡，以及所有與他合謀的共犯。我在此宣告，從今以后，褫奪其一切官階與職銜，收回其一切封地、賦稅和房產(chǎn)，并明令處之以死刑。愿天上諸神憐憫他的靈魂?！?/p>

When the echo of

his words had died away, the Knight of Flowers seemed perplexed. “Lord Eddard,

what of me?”

余音漸落之后，百花騎士神情困惑地問：“艾德大人，那我該做什么？”

Ned looked down

on him. From on high, Loras Tyrell seemed almost as young as Robb. “No one

doubts your valor, Ser Loras, but we are about justice here, and what you seek

is vengeance.” He looked back to Lord Beric. “Ride at first light. These things

are best done quickly.” He held up a hand. “The throne will hear no more

petitions today.”

奈德低頭看著他。居高臨下，洛拉斯·提利爾看起來就和羅柏一樣年輕?！奥謇咕羰?，沒有人懷疑您的勇武，然而我們今天談的是律法和正義，你要的卻是報仇雪恨?！彼D(zhuǎn)向貝里伯爵說，“明天天亮就出發(fā)，這事最好盡快處理?！闭Z畢他舉起手。“今天的請愿到此為止?！?/p>

Alyn and Porther

climbed the steep iron steps to help him back down. As they made their descent,

he could feel Loras Tyrell’s sullen stare, but the boy had stalked away before

Ned reached the floor of the throne room.

埃林和波瑟爬上陡峻狹窄的鐵臺階，攙扶他下去。步下階梯時，奈德感覺得出洛拉斯·提利爾慍怒的瞪視，然而等他回到地面，那男孩已經(jīng)走了。

At the base of

the Iron Throne, Varys was gathering papers from the council table.

Littlefinger and Grand Maester Pycelle had already taken their leave. “You are

a bolder man than I, my lord,” the eunuch said softly.

鐵王座下方，瓦里斯正忙著收拾議事桌上散亂的文件。小指頭和派席爾國師已先行離去?！按笕?，您的膽子可比我大多了。”太監(jiān)輕聲說。

“How so, Lord Varys?” Ned asked brusquely. His leg was throbbing, and

he was in no mood for word games.

“瓦里斯大人，此話怎講？”奈德唐突地問。他的斷腿隱隱抽痛，此刻他沒有心情玩文字游戲。

“Had it been me up there, I should have sent Ser Loras. He so wanted

to go?.?.?.?and a man who has the Lannisters for his enemies would do well to

make the Tyrells his friends.”

“換做是我坐上面，我大概會派洛拉斯爵士去。瞧他那副躍躍欲試的模樣……再說要與蘭尼斯特為敵，還有什么能比拉攏提利爾家族更要緊呢？”

“Ser Loras is young,” said Ned. “I daresay he will outgrow the

disappointment.”

“洛拉斯爵士還年輕，”奈德道，“我敢說他很快就會忘記這次失意?！?/p>

“And Ser Ilyn?” The eunuch stroked a plump, powdered cheek. “He is

the King’s Justice, after all. Sending other men to do his office?.?.?.?some

might construe that as a grave insult.”

“那伊林爵士呢？”太監(jiān)輕撫他搽過粉的肥胖臉頰。“再怎么說，他到底是國王的執(zhí)法官哪，叫別人去做他份內(nèi)之事……可能會被解讀成惡意侮辱喲?！?/p>

“No slight was intended.” In truth, Ned did not trust the mute

knight, though perhaps that was only because he misliked executioners. “I

remind you, the Paynes are bannermen to House Lannister. I thought it best to

choose men who owed Lord Tywin no fealty.”

“我并無冒犯之意?！崩蠈嵳f，奈德并不信任那位啞巴騎士，但歸根到底，或許只是肇因于他對劊子手的嫌惡罷?！叭菸姨嵝涯?，派恩家族世代是蘭尼斯特臣屬。我認為選擇并未對泰溫大人宣誓效忠的人前去比較妥當。”

“Very prudent, no doubt,” Varys said. “Still, I chanced to see Ser

Ilyn in the back of the hall, staring at us with those pale eyes of his, and I

must say, he did not look pleased, though to be sure it is hard to tell with

our silent knight. I hope he outgrows his disappointment as well. He does so

love his work?.?.?.?”

“您的作法毫無疑問非常謹慎，”瓦里斯道，“只是我碰巧看見伊林爵士站在大廳后面，張大那雙蒼白的眼睛瞪著我們，我必須承認，他看起來委實不怎么高興，雖然我們這位沉默寡言的騎士先生心里究竟在想些什么，原本就不易猜測。我也希望他很快就會忘記這次失意。他可是熱愛著他的工作啊……”