Ⅲ 冰雨的风暴 Chapter39 艾莉亚

ARYA

屋顶上那人是今天第一个牺牲品。他蹲在两百码外的烟囱下，黎明前的黑暗中，不过是个模糊的影子，但随着天空逐渐放亮，他开始动作，伸个懒腰，站起身子。安盖的箭正中其胸膛，他从倾斜陡峭的石板上软绵绵地滚下来，掉在圣堂门前。

The man on the roof was the first to die. He was crouched down by the chimney two hundred yards away, no more than a vague shadow in the predawn gloom, but as the sky began to lighten he stirred, stretched, and stood. Anguy’s arrow took him in the chest. He tumbled bonelessly down the steep slate pitch, and fell in front of the septry door.

血戏班安排了两名岗哨，但火炬使他们看不清黑暗，直到土匪们悄悄靠近。凯勒和诺奇同时放箭。一人被利箭封喉，顿时倒下，另一人肚子中箭，慌忙扔掉火炬。火舌把衣服舔着了火，他尖叫起来。潜行到此为止，索罗斯大喊一声，土匪们猛烈地发起总攻。

The Mummers had posted two guards there, but their torch left them night blind, and the outlaws had crept in close. Kyle and Notch let fly together. One man went down with an arrow through his throat, the other through his belly. The second man dropped the torch, and the flames licked up at him. He screamed as his clothes took fire, and that was the end of stealth. Thoros gave a shout, and the outlaws attacked in earnest.

艾莉亚坐在马上观看，树木繁多的山脊顶端，正好俯瞰圣堂、磨坊、酿酒屋和马厩，俯瞰荒芜的野草、烧焦的树木及无处不在的烂泥。树木几乎全秃，枝干上残余的少数棕黄枯叶全不能阻挡视线。贝里伯爵留没胡子的迪克和墨吉守护他们，艾莉亚讨厌被当个笨小孩似的留在后方，但至少詹德利也在。而且这是战斗，战斗需要纪律和服从，因此她没争辩。

Arya watched from atop her horse, on the crest of the wooded ridge that overlooked the septry, mill, brewhouse, and stables and the desolation of weeds, burnt trees, and mud that surrounded them. The trees were mostly bare now, and the few withered brown leaves that still clung to the branches did little to obstruct her view. Lord Beric had left Beardless Dick and Mudge to guard them. Arya hated being left behind like she was some stupid child, but at least Gendry had been kept back as well. She knew better than to try and argue. This was battle, and in battle you had to obey.

东方地平线上闪耀着金粉光芒，头顶半个月亮从低行疾走的云层中探出。寒风凛冽，艾莉亚听见水声和磨坊的大木轮发出的吱嘎响动。黎明的空气中有雨的气息，但没雨点落下。火箭穿过晨雾，留下丝带般的苍白轨迹，钉入圣堂的木墙。有些射穿了关闭的窄窗，缕缕薄烟很快从里面升起。

The eastern horizon glowed gold and pink, and overhead a half moon peeked out through low scuttling clouds. The wind blew cold, and Arya could hear the rush of water and the creak of the mill’s great wooden waterwheel. There was a smell of rain in the dawn air, but no drops were falling yet. Flaming arrows flew through the morning mists, trailing pale ribbons of fire, and thudded into the wooden walls of the septry. A few smashed through shuttered windows, and soon enough thin tendrils of smoke were rising between the broken shutters.

两个血戏子手持战斧，并肩从圣堂里冲出。安盖和其他弓箭手正等着他们。一人当即毙命，另一人奋力伏低，因此只被射穿了肩膀。他跌跌撞撞地继续前进，很快又中两箭，速度之快，甚至无法辨别哪支先中。长箭杆贯穿铁胸甲，仿佛那是丝绸做的。他沉重地倒下。安盖用的箭箭头都绑着锥子，连板甲都防不住。我要学射箭，艾莉亚心想。她喜欢用剑，如今却明白了弓箭的好处。

Two Mummers came bursting from the septry side by side, axes in their hands. Anguy and the other archers were waiting. One axeman died at once. The other managed to duck, so the shaft ripped through his shoulder. He staggered on, till two more arrows found him, so quickly it was hard to say which had struck first. The long shafts punched through his breastplate as if it had been made of silk instead of steel. He fell heavily. Anguy had arrows tipped with bodkins as well as broadheads. A bodkin could pierce even heavy plate. I’m going to learn to shoot a bow, Arya thought. She loved swordfighting, but she could see how arrows were good too.

火焰爬上圣堂西墙，浓烟从一扇破损的窗户中冒出。一个密尔十字弓手打另一扇窗户探出脑袋，射出一支飞失，然后蹲下去重新装填。她也听见马厩里的战斗，喊声，马嘶，金铁交击。把他们全杀光，她咬紧嘴唇，激动地想，甚至咬出血来，全杀光！

Flames were creeping up the west wall of the septry, and thick smoke poured through a broken window. A Myrish crossbowman poked his head out a different window, got off a bolt, and ducked down to rewind. She could hear fighting from the stables as well, shouts well mingled with the screams of horses and the clang of steel. Kill them all, she thought fiercely. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Kill every single one.

十字弓手再度出现，但刚发射，便有三支箭呼啸着飞过脑袋边，其中一支击中头盔。从此他便跟他的十字弓一起消失。艾莉亚看到二楼窗户里有火。翻滚的黑烟与白色晨雾中，一片朦胧模糊。安盖和其他弓箭手蹑手蹑脚地靠近，以利瞄准。

The crossbowman appeared again, but no sooner had he loosed than three arrows hissed past his head. One rattled off his helm. He vanished, bow and all. Arya could see flames in several of the second-story windows. Between the smoke and the morning mists, the air was a haze of blowing black and white. Anguy and the other bowmen were creeping closer, the better to find targets.

紧接着，血戏子们像愤怒的蚂蚁一样冲出来，圣堂如同爆发的火山。两个伊班人夺门而出，高举毛绒的褐色盾牌，后面跟着一个手持巨大亚拉克弯刀的多斯拉克人，辫绑铃铛，再后面有三个覆满可怕刺青的瓦兰提斯佣兵。其他人从窗户爬出，跳到地上。艾莉亚看见有人一条腿刚跨过窗台，胸口便被射中，坠落时发出凄厉的惨叫。烟越来越浓。弩箭来回飞驰。瓦特闷哼一声，栽倒下去，弓从手中滑落。凯勒正在搭箭，却被一个黑甲人掷出的长矛刺穿了肚子。她听到贝里伯爵的喊叫，大部队手执兵器，自沟渠与树丛中一涌而上。柠檬鲜亮的黄斗篷在身后飞舞，他骑马冲出，砍倒杀死凯勒的人。索罗斯和贝里伯爵无处不在，两人剑上皆旋绕火焰。红袍僧朝一面皮盾猛砍，打得它四散飞裂，同时他的坐骑扬腿踢在执盾者脸上。一个多斯拉克人嘶叫着朝闪电大王扑来，火焰剑迎住亚拉克弯刀，刀剑交手数个回合，多斯拉克人的头发便着了火，很快人也死了。她瞥到艾德在闪电大王身边战斗。这不公平，他才比我大一点，他们应该让我也参战才对。

Then the septry erupted, the Mummers boiling out like angry ants. Two Ibbenese rushed through the door with shaggy brown shields held high before them, and behind them came a Dothraki with a great curved arakh and bells in his braid, and behind him three Volantene sellswords covered with fierce tattoos. Others were climbing out windows and leaping to the ground. Arya saw a man take an arrow through the chest with one leg across a windowsill, and heard his scream as he fell. The smoke was thickening. Quarrels and arrows sped back and forth. Watty fell with a grunt, his bow slipping from his hand. Kyle was trying to nock another shaft to his string when a man in black mail flung a spear through his belly. She heard Lord Beric shout. From out of the ditches and trees the rest of his band came pouring, steel in hand. Arya saw Lem’s bright yellow cloak flapping behind him as he rode down the man who’d killed Kyle. Thoros and Lord Beric were everywhere, their swords swirling fire. The red priest hacked at a hide shield until it flew to pieces, while his horse kicked the man in the face. A Dothraki screamed and charged the lightning lord, and the flaming sword leapt out to meet his arakh. The blades kissed and spun and kissed again. Then the Dothraki’s hair was ablaze, and a moment later he was dead. She spied Ned too, fighting at the lightning lord’s side. It’s not fair, he’s only a little older than me, they should have let me fight.

战斗没持续很久。“勇士们”要么亡命重伤，要么弃械投降。两个多斯拉克人夺马逃跑，但不过是贝里伯爵故意为之。“让他们把消息带回赫伦堡，”他手握燃烧的剑说，“教水蛭大人和他的山羊多几个不眠之夜。”

The battle did not last very long. The Brave Companions still on their feet soon died, or threw down their swords. Two of the Dothraki managed to regain their horses and flee, but only because Lord Beric let them go. “Let them carry the word back to Harrenhal,” he said, with flaming sword in hand. “It will give the Leech Lord and his goat a few more sleepless nights.”

幸运杰克、哈尔温、月镇的梅利自告奋勇进入焚烧的圣堂搜寻俘虏。过了一会儿，他们从烟雾和火焰中出现，带出八个褐衣僧侣，其中一个如此虚弱，梅利不得不将他扛在肩上。他们中还有一名修士，肩膀宽，身体瘦，秃了项，灰袍外罩黑锁甲。“他躲在地窖楼梯下，”杰克边咳边说。

Jack-Be-Lucky, Harwin, and Merrit o’ Moontown braved the burning septry to search for captives. They emerged from the smoke and flames a few moments later with eight brown brothers, one so weak that Merrit had to carry him across a shoulder. There was a septon with them as well, round-shouldered and balding, but he wore black chainmail over his grey robes. “Found him hiding under the cellar steps,” said Jack, coughing.

索罗斯朝他微笑，“厄特。”

Thoros smiled to see him. “You are Utt.”

“厄特修士。我是神的仆人。”

“Septon Utt. A man of god.”

“什么神会要你这样的家伙？”柠檬喝道。

“What god would want the likes o’ you?” growled Lem.

“我有罪，”修士哀号，“我知道，我知道。天父啊，原谅我，噢，我的罪孽如此深重。”

“I have sinned,” the septon wailed. “I know, I know. Forgive me, Father. Oh, grievously have I sinned.”

艾莉亚在赫伦堡见过厄特修士。小丑夏格维说他每杀一个小男孩，都会边哭泣边祈祷宽恕，有时甚至让其他血戏子鞭打自己。他们都认为那非常滑稽。

Arya remembered Septon Utt from her time at Harrenhal. Shagwell the Fool said he always wept and prayed for forgiveness after he’d killed his latest boy. Sometimes he even made the other Mummers scourge him. They all thought that was very funny.

贝里伯爵“啪”地一声收剑回鞘，熄灭了火焰。“对濒死者施以慈悲，绑上余人手脚，准备审判。”他命令，土匪们依令而行。

Lord Beric slammed his sword into its scabbard, quenching the flames. “Give the dying the gift of mercy and bind the others hand and foot for trial,” he commanded, and it was done.

审判进行得很快。土匪纷纷出来控诉勇士们的劣迹：洗劫城镇与村落，焚毁农获，奸杀妇女，摧残男人。有人说起被厄特修士带走的男孩，修士本人则一直哭泣祈祷。“我是一根软弱的芦苇，”他告诉贝里伯爵，“我向战士祈祷，请求他赐予力量，但神灵却让我心灵软弱。可怜可怜我这软弱的人儿吧。那些男孩，可爱的男孩……我根本不想伤害他们……”

The trials went swiftly. Various of the outlaws came forward to tell of things the Brave Companions had done; towns and villages sacked, crops burned, women raped and murdered, men maimed and tortured. A few spoke of the boys that Septon Utt had carried off. The septon wept and prayed through it all. “I am a weak reed,” he told Lord Beric. “I pray to the Warrior for strength, but the gods made me weak. Have mercy on my weakness. The boys, the sweet boys … I never mean to hurt them …”

很快，厄特修士被吊上一棵高大榆树，随脖子套的绳索缓缓摇摆，和出生时一样一丝不挂。其余“勇士”也一个一个地接受审判。绳索套上脖子时，有人试图反抗，边踢腿，边挣扎。有个十字弓手用浓重的密尔口音不停地喊，“我，当兵的，我，当兵的。”另一个提出带他们去找金子；还有一个保证会当一名出色的强盗。但最终个个都被扒光衣服，依次绑起来上吊。七弦汤姆用木竖琴为他们弹奏挽歌，索罗斯则祈求光之王焚烧他们的灵魂，直至时间尽头。

Septon Utt soon dangled beneath a tall elm, swinging slowly by the neck, as naked as his name day. The other Brave Companions followed one by one. A few fought, kicking and struggling as the noose was tightened round their throats. One of the crossbowmen kept shouting, “I soldier, I soldier,” in a thick Myrish accent. Another offered to lead his captors to gold; a third told them what a good outlaw he would make. Each was stripped and bound and hanged in turn. Tom Sevenstrings played a dirge for them on his woodharp, and Thoros implored the Lord of Light to roast their souls until the end of time.

这是一棵血戏子树，艾莉亚边看他们摇摆，边想，燃烧的圣堂为他们苍白的皮肤蒙上一层阴沉的红色。不知什么时候，不知从什么地方，乌鸦已经来了，她听它们互相喋喋不休地聒噪，很想知道在说些什么。艾莉亚不大怕厄特修士，不像怕罗尔杰、尖牙和其他一些仍在赫伦堡的人，但他的死还是让她很高兴。他们也该吊死猎狗，或者砍他的脑袋。然而令她反感的是，他们反给桑铎·克里冈治疗烧伤的手臂，归还了他的剑、马和盔甲，在距离空山数里处把他释放，拿走的只有他的钱。

A mummer tree, Arya thought as she watched them dangle, their pale skins painted a sullen red by the flames of the burning septry. Already the crows were coming, appearing out of nowhere. She heard them croaking and cackling at one another, and wondered what they were saying. Arya had not feared Septon Utt as much as she did Rorge and Biter and some of the others still at Harrenhal, but she was glad that he was dead all the same. They should have hanged the Hound too, or chopped his head off. Instead, to her disgust, the outlaws had treated Sandor Clegane’s burned arm, restored his sword and horse and armor, and set him free a few miles from the hollow hill. All they’d taken was his gold.

圣堂很快在烟火中坍塌，它的墙再也无法支撑沉重的石板房顶。八名褐衣僧听天由命地看着。只剩这些人了，其中年纪最大的解释，他脖子上用皮绳挂一小铁锤，代表对铁匠的信仰。“战争爆发之前，我们共有四十四人，而这里非常富足。我们拥有一打奶牛和一头公牛，一百个蜂箱，一片葡萄园和几棵苹果树。紧接着狮子来了，夺走葡萄酒、牛奶和蜂蜜，杀死奶牛，并将葡萄园付之一炬。之后……数不清多少人来过。这假修士不过刚来的。有个穷凶极恶的家伙……所有银子都给了他，但他确定我们还藏着金币，所以命手下一个接一个地审讯杀人，逼迫长老开口。”

The septry soon collapsed in a roar of smoke and flame, its walls no longer able to support the weight of its heavy slate roof. The eight brown brothers watched with resignation. They were all that remained, explained the eldest, who wore a small iron hammer on a thong about his neck to signify his devotion to the Smith. “Before the war we were four-and-forty, and this was a prosperous place. We had a dozen milk cows and a bull, a hundred beehives, a vineyard and an apple arbor. But when the lions came through they took all our wine and milk and honey, slaughtered the cows, and put our vineyard to the torch. After that … I have lost count of our visitors. This false septon was only the latest. There was one monster … we gave him all our silver, but he was certain we were hiding gold, so his men killed us one by one to make Elder Brother talk.”

“你们八个怎么活下来的？”射手安盖问。

“How did the eight of you survive?” asked Anguy the Archer.

“很惭愧，”老人说，“都是由于我的软弱。轮到我时，我把藏金子的地方说了出来。”

“I am ashamed,” the old man said. “It was me. When it came my turn to die, I told them where our gold was hidden.”

“兄弟，”密尔的索罗斯道，“唯一的惭愧是没有立即把地方告诉他们。”

“Brother,” said Thoros of Myr, “the only shame was not telling them at once.”

当晚，土匪们在小河畔的酿酒屋过夜。主人在马厩地板下藏有食物，因此他们分享了一顿简单的晚餐：燕麦面包、洋葱及略带大蒜味道、稀稀拉拉的白菜汤。艾莉亚还在自己碗里发现一片胡萝卜，觉得挺走运。僧侣没问他们的来历，其实心照不宣，艾莉亚心想。怎可能不知道呢？贝里伯爵的胸甲、盾牌和斗篷上都有分叉闪电，而索罗斯穿着红袍——或者说红袍的残留物。一个年轻的见习修士壮起胆子告诉红袍僧，在他们屋檐下，不要向伪神祈祷。“见鬼去，”柠檬斗篷说，“他是我们的神，而你们的性命是我们给的。说他是伪神？妈的，你们的铁匠只能补补剑，而他可以治病救人呢！”

The outlaws sheltered that night in the brewhouse beside the little river. Their hosts had a cache of food hidden beneath the floor of the stables, so they shared a simple supper; oaten bread, onions, and a watery cabbage soup tasting faintly of garlic. Arya found a slice of carrot floating in her bowl, and counted herself lucky. The brothers never asked the outlaws for names. They know, Arya thought. How could they not? Lord Beric wore the lightning bolt on breastplate, shield, and cloak, and Thoros his red robes, or what remained of them. One brother, a young novice, was bold enough to tell the red priest not to pray to his false god so long as he was under their roof. “Bugger that,” said Lem Lemoncloak. “He’s our god too, and you owe us for your bloody lives. And what’s false about him? Might be your Smith can mend a broken sword, but can he heal a broken man?”

“够了，柠檬，”贝里伯爵命令，“在别人屋檐下，守别人的规矩。”

“Enough, Lem,” Lord Beric commanded. “Beneath their roof we will honor their rules.”

“少祈祷一两次，太阳也不会停止发光，”索罗斯温和地赞同，“我心中有数。”

“The sun will not cease to shine if we miss a prayer or two,” Thoros agreed mildly. “I am one who would know.”

贝里伯爵没吃东西。艾莉亚从没见他吃东西，只时不时喝杯酒。他似乎也不大睡觉，完好的那只眼睛通常闭着，仿佛十分疲倦，但你跟他说话时，它又会立即睁开。边疆地领主仍穿着那件破破烂烂的黑披风和伤痕累累的胸甲，上面的釉彩闪电斑驳脱落。他甚至穿胸甲休息，阴沉的黑铁隐藏了猎狗给他的恐怖伤口，正如厚羊毛巾掩盖了脖子上的黑圈。但碎裂的脑袋、凹陷的太阳穴、眼眶处那鲜红的洞都无法隐瞒，脸下看得到头骨的形状。

Lord Beric himself did not eat. Arya had never seen him eat, though from time to time he took a cup of wine. He did not seem to sleep, either. His good eye would often close, as if from weariness, but when you spoke to him it would flick open again at once. The Marcher lord was still clad in his ratty black cloak and dented breastplate with its chipped enamel lightning. He even slept in that breastplate. The dull black steel hid the terrible wound the Hound had given him, the same way his thick woolen scarf concealed the dark ring about his throat. But nothing hid his broken head, all caved in at the temple, or the raw red pit that was his missing eye, or the shape of the skull beneath his face.

艾莉亚警惕地打量他，记起赫伦堡里所有的故事。贝里伯爵似乎察觉到她的恐惧，便转头招呼她走近。“我吓着你了吗，孩子？”

Arya looked at him warily, remembering all the tales told of him in Harrenhal. Lord Beric seemed to sense her fear. He turned his head, and beckoned her closer. “Do I frighten you, child?”

“没，”她咬紧嘴唇，“只不过……嗯……我以为猎狗把你给杀了，但……”

“No.” She chewed her lip. “Only … well … I thought the Hound had killed you, but …”

“大王受了伤，”柠檬斗篷说，“受了重伤，嗯，但索罗斯治好了它，他是最好的医生。”

“A wound,” said Lem Lemoncloak. “A grievous wound, aye, but Thoros healed it. There’s never been no better healer.”

贝里伯爵注视柠檬，完好的眼睛带着古怪的神情，另一只眼睛则什么也无，唯有伤疤和干血。“最好的医生，”他谨慎地赞同，“柠檬，换岗时间到，麻烦你负责一下。”

Lord Beric gazed at Lem with a queer look in his good eye and no look at all in the other, only scars and dried blood. “No better healer,” he agreed wearily. “Lem, past time to change the watch, I’d think. See to it, if you’d be so good.”

“是，大人。”柠檬走出去，跨入夜风中，大黄斗篷在身后飞舞。

“Aye, m’lord.” Lem’s big yellow cloak swirled behind him as he strode out into the windy night.

“当勇士害怕真相时，也会蒙蔽自己的眼睛，”柠檬离开后，贝里伯爵评论。“索罗斯，到目前为止，你已复活了我多少次？”

“Even brave men blind themselves sometimes, when they are afraid to see,” Lord Beric said when Lem was gone. “Thoros, how many times have you brought me back now?”

红袍僧侣低头，“是拉赫洛把您救回来的，大人。我只是光之王的工具。”

The red priest bowed his head. “It is R’hllor who brings you back, my lord. The Lord of Light. I am only his instrument.”

“多少次？”贝里伯爵坚持。

“How many times?” Lord Beric insisted.

“六次，”索罗斯勉强地说，“一次比一次艰难。您变得太无畏了，大人，死亡真的如此甜美？”

“Six,” Thoros said reluctantly. “And each time is harder. You have grown reckless, my lord. Is death so very sweet?”

“甜美？不，我的朋友，那并不甜美。”

“Sweet? No, my friend. Not sweet.”

“那就不要急着追求它。泰温公爵总在后方坐镇。史坦尼斯公爵亦是如此。你也应该这样，这样比较明智。第七次的死亡也许意味着我俩的末日。”

“Then do not court it so. Lord Tywin leads from the rear. Lord Stannis as well. You would be wise to do the same. A seventh death might mean the end of both of us.”

贝里伯爵摸摸左耳上方，太阳穴凹了进去。“这是勃顿·克雷赫爵士用锤子砸碎头盔的地方。”他解开围巾，露出脖子上的黑色淤青。“这是那狮身蝎尾兽纹章的骑士在急流瀑给我留的印记。他抓住一对可怜的养蜂人夫妇，认定都是我的人，便到处放话除非我亲自现身，否则便绞死他们俩。等我去了那儿，他还是绞死了他们，并把我吊在他们中间。”他提起一根手指，指着眼眶鲜红的洞。“魔山的匕首刺进面罩缝隙。”疲惫的微笑在他唇间掠过。“我在克里冈家的人手上死了三次，也许该学乖……”

Lord Beric touched the spot above his left ear where his temple was caved in. “Here is where Ser Burton Crakehall broke helm and head with a blow of his mace.” He unwound his scarf, exposing the black bruise that encircled his neck. “Here the mark the manticore made at Rushing Falls. He seized a poor beekeeper and his wife, thinking they were mine, and let it be known far and wide that he would hang them both unless I gave myself up to him. When I did he hanged them anyway, and me on the gibbet between them.” He lifted a finger to the raw red pit of his eye. “Here is where the Mountain thrust his dirk through my visor.” A weary smile brushed his lips. “That’s thrice I have died at the hands of House Clegane. You would think that I might have learned …”

这是个玩笑，艾莉亚知道，但索罗斯没笑。他一只手搭到贝里伯爵肩头，“别想这些。”

It was a jest, Arya knew, but Thoros did not laugh. He put a hand on Lord Beric’s shoulder. “Best not to dwell on it.”

“我还能想什么？记得曾在边疆地拥有一座城堡，有个情人等我回去，但我已记不得城堡的确切位置，回忆不出情人头发的颜色。是谁封我为骑士，老朋友？我最喜欢吃什么？一切都已淡去。有时我觉得自己乃是在岑树林中染血的草地上诞生，嘴里是火的味道，胸口则有个洞，而你是我的母亲，索罗斯……”

“Can I dwell on what I scarce remember? I held a castle on the Marches once, and there was a woman I was pledged to marry, but I could not find that castle today, nor tell you the color of that woman’s hair. Who knighted me, old friend? What were my favorite foods? It all fades. Sometimes I think I was born on the bloody grass in that grove of ash, with the taste of fire in my mouth and a hole in my chest. Are you my mother, Thoros?”

艾莉亚注视着密尔僧侣，对方头发蓬乱，穿着破烂的淡红长袍与零落的旧铠甲，脸颊布满灰色胡茬，下巴皮肤松垂。他不像老奶妈故事里的巫师，可是……

Arya stared at the Myrish priest, all shaggy hair and pink rags and bits of old armor. Grey stubble covered his cheeks and the sagging skin beneath his chin. He did not look much like the wizards in Old Nan’s stories, but even so …

“你能复活没有脑袋的人吗？”艾莉亚问，“就一次，不用六次，可以吗？”

“Could you bring back a man without a head?” Arya asked. “Just the once, not six times. Could you?”

“我不懂魔法，孩子，只会祈祷。第一次，大人身上穿了个洞，嘴里满是鲜血，我知道没希望了。因此，当他撕裂的胸膛停止跳动后，我给予他仁慈的神吻，送他上路——用火填满嘴巴，吹入人体内，通过咽喉、肺部和心脏，直达灵魂。这被称为‘最后之吻’，从前当真主的仆人死去时，我多次见老僧侣给予他们这‘最后之吻’。我自己也施行过一两次，这是所有红袍僧必须掌握的技能。但我从没见过火焰注入尸体能让死人开始颤抖，乃至双目睁开。并非我复活了他，小姐，这是真主的神力。拉赫洛还不要他死。生命即是温暖，温暖来自烈火，烈火属于真主，真主独占其身。”

“I have no magic, child. Only prayers. That first time, his lordship had a hole right through him and blood in his mouth, I knew there was no hope. So when his poor torn chest stopped moving, I gave him the good god’s own kiss to send him on his way. I filled my mouth with fire and breathed the flames inside him, down his throat to lungs and heart and soul. The last kiss it is called, and many a time I saw the old priests bestow it on the Lord’s servants as they died. I had given it a time or two myself, as all priests must. But never before had I felt a dead man shudder as the fire filled him, nor seen his eyes come open. It was not me who raised him, my lady. It was the Lord. R’hllor is not done with him yet. Life is warmth, and warmth is fire, and fire is God’s and God’s alone.”

艾莉亚眼里泛起泪花。索罗斯说了这么多，其中的意思只有“不”，对此她很明白。

Arya felt tears well in her eyes. Thoros used a lot of words, but all they meant was no, that much she understood.

“你父亲是个好人，”贝里伯爵道，“哈尔温告诉过我许多他的事迹。为了他，我很乐意放弃你的赎金，但我们实在太需要钱了。”

“Your father was a good man,” Lord Beric said. “Harwin has told me much of him. For his sake, I would gladly forgo your ransom, but we need the gold too desperately.”

她咬紧嘴唇。我猜那是事实。她知道他把猎狗的钱给了绿胡子和疯猎人，叫他们去曼德河以南购买物资。“上批庄稼被烧，这批又快淹死，而冬天马上就会降临，”他派他们出去时吩咐，“百姓需要谷物和种子，我们需要刀剑和坐骑，不能总是骑矮种马、驮马和骡子去对抗装备高大战马的敌人。”

She chewed her lip. That’s true, I guess. He had given the Hound’s gold to Greenbeard and the Huntsman to buy provisions south of the Mander, she knew. “The last harvest burned, this one is drowning, and winter will soon be on us,” she had heard him say when he sent them off. “The smallfolk need grain and seed, and we need blades and horses. Too many of my men ride rounseys, drays, and mules against foes mounted on coursers and destriers.”

然而艾莉亚不知罗柏会为她付多少钱。他现在是国王，不是她离开临冬城时那个雪花在发际融化的男孩。假如他知道自己闯过的祸，知道君临的马僮和赫伦堡的卫兵，知道所有这一切……“我哥不愿赎我怎办呢？”

Arya didn’t know how much Robb would pay for her, though. He was a king now, not the boy she’d left at Winterfell with snow melting in his hair. And if he knew the things she’d done, the stableboy and the guard at Harrenhal and all … “What if my brother doesn’t want to ransom me?”

“什么？”贝里伯爵问。

“Why would you think that?” asked Lord Beric.

“呃，”艾莉亚解释，“我头发又乱，指甲又脏，脚上全是水疱。”也许罗柏不在乎这些，但母亲会。凯特琳夫人要她像珊莎一样能歌善舞、缝纫刺绣，做个随时随地都有礼貌的小淑女。想到这里，艾莉亚开始拿手指梳头发，但头发杂乱纠结，结果只扯下来一些。“我弄坏了斯莫伍德夫人的裙服，而我的针线功夫还是不行。”她咬紧嘴唇。“我的意思是，我绣不好。茉丹修女说我的手跟铁匠的手没两样。”

“Well,” Arya said, “my hair’s messy and my nails are dirty and my feet are all hard.” Robb wouldn’t care about that, probably, but her mother would. Lady Catelyn always wanted her to be like Sansa, to sing and dance and sew and mind her courtesies. Just thinking of it made Arya try to comb her hair with her fingers, but it was all tangles and mats, and all she did was tear some out. “I ruined that gown that Lady Smallwood gave me, and I don’t sew so good.” She chewed her lip. “I don’t sew very well, I mean. Septa Mordane used to say I had a blacksmith’s hands.”

詹德利受不了了。“凭你那软软的小手？”他大喊，“甚至拿不住锤子。”

Gendry hooted. “Those soft little things?” he called out. “You couldn’t even hold a hammer.”

“我想拿就拿得住！”她冲他吼。

“I could if I wanted!” she snapped at him.

索罗斯咯咯笑道，“你哥哥会付钱的，孩子。这点不用担心。”

Thoros chuckled. “Your brother will pay, child. Have no fear on that count.”

“是的，但假如他不付怎么办？”她坚持。

“Yes, but what if he won’t?” she insisted.

贝里伯爵叹口气。“那就暂时把你送去斯莫伍德夫人那儿，或者送到黑港，我自己的城堡，但肯定没那个必要。我和索罗斯无法还你父亲，却至少可以保你安全回到母亲怀中。”

Lord Beric sighed. “Then I will send you to Lady Smallwood for a time, or perhaps to mine own castle of Blackhaven. But that will not be necessary, I’m certain. I do not have the power to give you back your father, no more than Thoros does, but I can at least see that you are returned safely to your mother’s arms.”

“你发誓？”她问他。尤伦也曾允诺带她回家，却在半途被杀了。

“Do you swear?” she asked him. Yoren had promised to take her home too, only he’d gotten killed instead.

“以我身为骑士的荣誉。”闪电大王庄严地说。

“On my honor as a knight,” the lightning lord said solemnly.

柠檬回到酿酒屋时，雨水从他的黄斗篷上流下来，在地面积成一滩，惹得他不自禁地低声咒骂。安盖和幸运杰克坐在门边掷骰子，但不管怎么玩，一只眼的杰克半点运气也没有。七弦汤姆为自己的木竖琴换了根弦，唱起《圣母的眼泪》《威廉的老婆湿透了》《哈特大人雨天骑行记》，然后是《卡斯特梅的雨季》：

It was raining when Lem returned to the brewhouse, muttering curses as water ran off his yellow cloak to puddle on the floor. Anguy and Jack-Be-Lucky sat by the door rolling dice, but no matter which game they played one-eyed Jack had no luck at all. Tom Sevenstrings replaced a string on his woodharp, and sang “The Mother’s Tears,” “When Willum’s Wife Was Wet,” “Lord Harte Rode Out on a Rainy Day,” and then “The Rains of Castamere.”

汝何德何能？爵爷傲然宣称，

And who are you, the proud lord said,

须令吾躬首称臣？

that I must bow so low?

颜色有别，威力不逊，

Only a cat of a different coat,

各显神通分个高低。

that’s all the truth I know.

红狮子斗黄狮子，

In a coat of gold or a coat of red,

爪牙锋利不留情。

a lion still has claws,

出手致命招招狠，

And mine are long and sharp, my lord,

汝子莫忘记，汝子莫忘记。

as long and sharp as yours.

噢，他这样说，他这样说，

And so he spoke, and so he spoke,

卡斯特梅的爵爷他这样说。

that lord of Castamere,

然而今天，每逢雨季，

But now the rains weep o’er his hall,

雨水在大厅哭泣，内里却无人影。

with no one there to hear.

然而今天，每逢雨季，

Yes now the rains weep o’er his hall,

雨水在大厅哭泣，内里却无魂灵。

and not a soul to hear.

最后，汤姆把所有关于雨的歌都唱完了，方才放下竖琴。于是只剩雨水敲打酿酒屋板岩顶的声音。骰子游戏也告结束。艾莉亚单腿站立，又换到另一条腿，继续西利欧·佛瑞尔教导的练习。梅利抱怨他的马踢掉了一块蹄铁。

Finally Tom ran out of rain songs and put away his harp. Then there was only the sound of the rain itself beating down on the slate roof of the brewhouse. The dice game ended, and Arya stood on one leg and then the other listening to Merrit complain about his horse throwing a shoe.

“我可以帮你镶，”詹德利突然说，“我只是个铁匠学徒，但师傅说，我这双手天生就是用来抡锤子的。我会镶马蹄铁，修补锁甲，打平板甲。我敢打赌，还可以铸剑呢。”

“I could shoe him for you,” said Gendry, all of a sudden. “I was only a ’prentice, but my master said my hand was made to hold a hammer. I can shoe horses, close up rents in mail, and beat the dents from plate. I bet I could make swords too.”

“你说什么，孩子？”哈尔温道。

“What are you saying, lad?” asked Harwin.

“我可以为您打铁。”詹德利单膝跪倒在贝里伯爵跟前。“若您愿意收留，大人，我会有用的。我会造工具和匕首，有回还打了顶不错的头盔，只是被抓时，教魔山的部下夺走了。”

“I’ll smith for you.” Gendry went to one knee before Lord Beric. “If you’ll have me, m’lord, I could be of use. I’ve made tools and knives and once I made a helmet that wasn’t so bad. One of the Mountain’s men stole it from me when we was taken.”

艾莉亚咬紧嘴唇。他也要离我而去。

Arya bit her lip. He means to leave me too.

“你该替奔流城的徒利大人效劳，”贝里伯爵说，“我付不了工钱。”

“You would do better serving Lord Tully at Riverrun,” said Lord Beric. “I cannot pay for your work.”

“我不要工钱，只需火炉、面包和睡的地方，大人。”

“No one ever did. I want a forge, and food to eat, some place I can sleep. That’s enough, m’lord.”

“铁匠上哪儿都受欢迎，武器师傅尤有过之。你为什么要跟我们呢？”

“A smith can find a welcome most anywhere. A skilled armorer even more so. Why would you choose to stay with us?”

艾莉亚看着詹德利作出那副若有所思的笨表情。“在空山里，您说你们是劳勃国王的人，是无旗兄弟会，我很喜欢这些话。我喜欢您给予猎狗的审判。波顿伯爵只会把人绞死，或者砍脑袋，泰温公爵和亚摩利爵士也一样。我宁愿为您打铁。”

Arya watched Gendry screw up his stupid face, thinking. “At the hollow hill, what you said about being King Robert’s men, and brothers, I liked that. I liked that you gave the Hound a trial. Lord Bolton just hanged folk or took off their heads, and Lord Tywin and Ser Amory were the same. I’d sooner smith for you.”

“我们有大量锁甲需要修补，大人，”杰克提醒贝里伯爵，“多半是从死者身上剥的，要害处有洞眼。”

“We got plenty of mail needs mending, m’lord,” Jack reminded Lord Beric. “Most we took off the dead, and there’s holes where the death came through.”

“你一定是个笨蛋，孩子，”柠檬说。“我们这帮人落草为生，除了伯爵大人，大多出生低微。不要把汤姆那些笨歌曲当真。你不可能偷取公主的吻，也不可能穿着盗来的盔甲参加比武大会。当了强盗，下场不是脖子套绞绳，便是脑袋搬家插在城堡大门。”

“You must be a lackwit, boy,” said Lem. “We’re outlaws. Lowborn scum, most of us, excepting his lordship. Don’t think it’ll be like Tom’s fool songs neither. You won’t be stealing no kisses from a princess, nor riding in no tourneys in stolen armor. You join us, you’ll end with your neck in a noose, or your head mounted up above some castle gate.”

“我们都一样。”詹德利说。

“It’s no more than they’d do for you,” said Gendry.

“没错，就是这样，”幸运杰克乐呵呵地道，“乌鸦等着大家。大人，这孩子够胆，我们又确实需要他的手艺。依杰克之见，留下他吧。”

“Aye, that’s so,” said Jack-Be-Lucky cheerfully. “The crows await us all. M’lord, the boy seems brave enough, and we do have need of what he brings us. Take him, says Jack.”

“而且要快，”哈尔温咯咯笑着建议，“免得他热情消退，恢复理智。”

“And quick,” suggested Harwin, chuckling, “before the fever passes and he comes back to his senses.”

一抹淡淡的微笑掠过贝里伯爵的嘴唇。“索罗斯，我的剑！”

A wan smile crossed Lord Beric’s lips. “Thoros, my sword.”

这一次，闪电大王没把剑点燃，只将它轻轻搭在詹德利肩头。“詹德利，你是否愿在诸神和世人面前发誓，守卫弱者，保护妇女与儿童，服从长官、封君与国王，无论前途如何艰难、如何卑微、如何危险，始终如一地英勇奋战，不辱使命？”

This time the lightning lord did not set the blade afire, but merely laid it light on Gendry’s shoulder. “Gendry, do you swear before the eyes of gods and men to defend those who cannot defend themselves, to protect all women and children, to obey your captains, your liege lord, and your king, to fight bravely when needed and do such other tasks as are laid upon you, however hard or humble or dangerous they may be?”

“我愿意，大人。”

“I do, m’lord.”

边疆地的伯爵把剑从右肩移到左肩，“起来吧，詹德利爵士，空山的骑士，欢迎加入无旗兄弟会。”

The marcher lord moved the sword from the right shoulder to the left, and said, “Arise Ser Gendry, knight of the hollow hill, and be welcome to our brotherhood.”

门口传来刺耳的笑声。

From the door came rough, rasping laughter.

雨水从他身上滴落，烧伤的手臂仍裹在层层叠叠的亚麻布中，用一根粗麻绳紧缚于胸前，但脸庞旧有的灼伤在微弱火焰的照耀下闪烁着阴沉的光芒。“又封骑士了，唐德利恩？”闯入者低沉地说，“为此我该再杀你一遍。”

The rain was running off him. His burned arm was wrapped in leaves and linen and bound tight against his chest by a crude rope sling, but the older burns that marked his face glistened black and slick in the glow of their little fire. “Making more knights, Dondarrion?” the intruder said in a growl. “I ought to kill you all over again for that.”

贝里伯爵沉着地面对他，“我以为再见不到面了，克里冈，你怎么找来的？”

Lord Beric faced him coolly. “I’d hoped we’d seen the last of you, Clegane. How did you come to find us?”

“妈的，有什么难？你们弄出来许多烟，只怕旧镇都看得到。”

“It wasn’t hard. You made enough bloody smoke to be seen in Oldtown.”

“我的岗哨呢？”

“What’s become of the sentries I posted?”

克里冈的嘴抽搐了一下，“那两瞎子？也许我杀了他俩——若是真的，你待怎样？”

Clegane’s mouth twitched. “Those two blind men? Might be I killed them both. What would you do if I had?”

安盖拿出长弓。诺奇也是同样动作。“真不要命了，桑铎？”索罗斯问，“居然跟到这儿，你一定是疯了，要么醉了。”

Anguy strung his bow. Notch was doing the same. “Do you wish to die so very much, Sandor?” asked Thoros. “You must be mad or drunk to follow us here.”

“雨水也能喝醉？你们连买一杯酒的钱都没留给我，婊子养的。”

“Drunk on rain? You didn’t leave me enough gold to buy a cup of wine, you whoresons.”

安盖抽出一支箭，“我们是强盗，强盗抢东西天经地义。瞧，歌里都这么说，去求好心的汤姆唱一首吧。没杀你，就该心存感激了，还耍赖皮。”

Anguy drew an arrow. “We’re outlaws. Outlaws steal. It’s in the songs, if you ask nice Tom may sing you one. Be thankful we didn’t kill you.”

“杀我？来试试啊，拿弓箭的。操你妈，瞧老子不夺你的武器，把箭插进那满是雀斑的小屁股里。”

“Come try it, Archer. I’ll take that quiver off you and shove those arrows up your freckly little arse.”

安盖抬起长弓，贝里伯爵赶在他射击前举手。“你为何跟来，克里冈？”

Anguy raised his longbow, but Lord Beric lifted a hand before he could loose. “Why did you come here, Clegane?”

“来取东西。”

“To get back what’s mine.”

“你的金币？”

“Your gold?”

“还有什么？你的脸可不会让我感到愉快，唐德利恩！你现在比我更丑，还当了强盗骑士。”

“What else? It wasn’t for the pleasure of looking at your face, Dondarrion, I’ll tell you that. You’re uglier than me now. And a robber knight besides, it seems.”

“我给了欠条，”贝里伯爵平静地说，“战争结束之后，便会兑现。”

“I gave you a note for your gold,” Lord Beric said calmly. “A promise to pay, when the war’s done.”

“对不起，那张纸擦屁股了，我要货真价实的金币。”

“I wiped my arse with your paper. I want the gold.”

“我们分文未留，全部交给绿胡子和疯猎人带去南方，到曼德河对岸购买谷物和种子。”

“We don’t have it. I sent it south with Greenbeard and the Huntsman, to buy grain and seed across the Mander.”

“为养活所有这些被你们烧掉庄稼的可怜人。”詹德利说。

“To feed all them whose crops you burned,” said Gendry.

“哦，是这样吗？”桑铎·克里冈再度大笑，“正巧与我不谋而合，我也有一帮丑陋的农民和长雀斑的小崽子需要供养呢。”

“Is that the tale, now?” Sandor Clegane laughed again. “As it happens, that’s just what I meant to do with it. Feed a bunch of ugly peasants and their poxy whelps.”

“你撒谎。”詹德利说。

“You’re lying,” said Gendry.

“哦，我懂，你们一个鼻孔出气。妈的，凭什么信他们，不信我？该不会是因为我的脸吧，嗯？”克里冈瞥了艾莉亚一眼。“你打算把她也变成骑士吗，唐德利恩？世上头一个八岁的女骑士？”

“The boy has a mouth on him, I see. Why believe them and not me? Couldn’t be my face, could it?” Clegane glanced at Arya. “You going to make her a knight too, Dondarrion? The first eight-year-old girl knight?”

“我十二岁了，”艾莉亚大声撒谎，“如果愿意，就可以当骑士。我本来也可以杀你，只不过柠檬拿了我的匕首。”想起这事仍令她愤怒。

“I’m twelve,” Arya lied loudly, “and I could be a knight if I wanted. I could have killed you too, only Lem took my knife.” Remembering that still made her angry.

“跟什么柠檬抱怨去，别找我，然后夹着尾巴逃吧。知道狗是怎样对付狼的吗？”

“Complain to Lem, not me. Then tuck your tail between your legs and run. Do you know what dogs do to wolves?”

“下次我会杀了你，还会杀了你哥哥！”

“Next time I will kill you. I’ll kill your brother too!”

“那可不行，”他的黑眼睛眯在一起，“他是我的。”他转头面对贝里伯爵。“我说，封我的马当骑士吧。它从不在厅里拉屎，乱踢的次数也不比别的牲畜多，够得上骑士，除非你想把它也偷走。”

“No.” His dark eyes narrowed. “That you won’t.” He turned back to Lord Beric. “Say, make my horse a knight. He never shits in the hall and doesn’t kick more than most, he deserves to be knighted. Unless you meant to steal him too.”

“你最好爬上这匹马滚。”柠檬警告。

“Best climb on that horse and go,” warned Lem.

“我要带着我的金币走。你们自己的神判我无罪——”

“I’ll go with my gold. Your own god said I’m guiltless—”

“光之王饶你一条命，”密尔的索罗斯宣布，“却没说你是圣贝勒转世，不干坏事的主。”红袍僧拔剑出鞘，杰克和梅利也都取出武器，而贝里伯爵仍握着给詹德利授勋的剑。也许他们这次会杀了他。

“The Lord of Light gave you back your life,” declared Thoros of Myr. “He did not proclaim you Baelor the Blessed come again.” The red priest unsheathed his sword, and Arya saw that Jack and Merrit had drawn as well. Lord Beric still held the blade he’d used to dub Gendry. Maybe this time they’ll kill him.

猎狗的嘴又抽搐了一下，“你们不过一帮土匪蟊贼，还假装什么仁义道德。”

The Hound’s mouth gave another twitch. “You’re no more than common thieves.”

柠檬怒目而视，“你的狮子朋友骑马冲进村子，夺走能找到的全部食物和每一分钱，称之为‘征集’，狼仔也一样，为什么我们不行？没人抢你，狗，你很慷慨，刚被‘征集’了。”

Lem glowered. “Your lion friends ride into some village, take all the food and every coin they find, and call it foraging. The wolves as well, so why not us? No one robbed you, dog. You just been good and foraged.”

桑铎·克里冈看着每个人的脸，仿佛要将他们全印在脑海里，然后走了出去，回到黑暗和倾盆大雨之中，一个字也没多说。留下土匪们疑惑地等待……

Sandor Clegane looked at their faces, every one, as if he were trying to commit them all to memory. Then he walked back out into the darkness and the pouring rain from whence he’d come, with never another word. The outlaws waited, wondering …

“我去瞧瞧他把咱们的哨兵怎么了。”哈尔温警惕地看看门外，以确定猎狗没潜伏在附近。

“I best go see what he did to our sentries.” Harwin took a wary look out the door before he left, to make certain the Hound was not lurking just outside.

“那该死的混蛋打哪儿弄来许多金币？”为打破不安的气氛，柠檬斗篷道。

“How’d that bloody bastard get all that gold anyhow?” Lem Lemoncloak said, to break the tension.

安盖耸耸肩。“首相的比武大会上赢的。在君临。”射手咧嘴笑道。“我自己也赢了不少钱，随后却遇上丹晰、捷蒂和爱拉雅雅。她们教我烤天鹅肉的滋味，还有如何用青亭岛的葡萄酒洗澡。”

Anguy shrugged. “He won the Hand’s tourney. In King’s Landing.” The bowman grinned. “I won a fair fortune myself, but then I met Dancy, Jayde, and Alayaya. They taught me what roast swan tastes like, and how to bathe in Arbor wine.”

“全部挥霍掉了，对不对？”哈尔温大笑。

“Pissed it all away, did you?” laughed Harwin.

“才不是全部咧。我买了这双靴子，外加这把好匕首。”

“Not all. I bought these boots, and this excellent dagger.”

“你应该买块地，让其中一个烤天鹅肉的姑娘从良，”幸运杰克说，“然后种一批芜菁，养一堆孩子。”

“You ought t’have bought some land and made one o’ them roast swan girls an honest woman,” said Jack-Be-Lucky. “Raised yourself a crop o’ turnips and a crop o’ sons.”

“战士在上！真糟蹋，金子变芜菁！”

“Warrior defend me! What a waste that would have been, to turn my gold to turnips.”

“我喜欢芜菁，”杰克委屈地说，“现在就想吃点芜菁泥。”

“I like turnips,” said Jack, aggrieved. “I could do with some mashed turnips right now.”

密尔的索罗斯不理会这些玩笑。“猎狗失去的不止几袋钱币，”他沉思，“还失去了主子和狗舍。他回不了兰尼斯特家，少狼主绝不会收留他，他哥哥也不大可能欢迎他。依我看，这些金币是他仅剩的东西。”

Thoros of Myr paid no heed to the banter. “The Hound has lost more than a few bags of coin,” he mused. “He has lost his master and kennel as well. He cannot go back to the Lannisters, the Young Wolf would never have him, nor would his brother be like to welcome him. That gold was all he had left, it seems to me.”

“该死，”磨坊主瓦特道，“他一定会趁我们睡着时来杀我们。”

“Bloody hell,” said Watty the Miller. “He’ll come murder us in our sleep for sure, then.”

“不。”贝里伯爵回剑入鞘，“桑铎·克里冈很乐意把我们全杀光，但不是趁睡着时。安盖，明天跟没胡子的迪克一起殿后，假若看到克里冈仍在跟踪，就射他的马。”

“No.” Lord Beric had sheathed his sword. “Sandor Clegane would kill us all gladly, but not in our sleep. Anguy, on the morrow, take the rear with Beardless Dick. If you see Clegane still sniffing after us, kill his horse.”

“那是匹好马。”安盖抗议。

“That’s a good horse,” Anguy protested.

“是啊，”柠檬说，“该杀的是骑马的混蛋。那匹马对我们有用。”

“Aye,” said Lem. “It’s the bloody rider we should be killing. We could use that horse.”

“我同意，”诺奇说，“让我给狗插几根羽毛，教训教训他。”

“I’m with Lem,” Notch said. “Let me feather the dog a few times, discourage him some.”

贝里伯爵摇摇头，“克里冈在空山里赢得了生命，我不会将其剥夺。”

Lord Beric shook his head. “Clegane won his life beneath the hollow hill. I will not rob him of it.”

“大人很明智，”索罗斯告诉大家，“兄弟们，比武审判神圣不可侵犯。你们都听到我请求拉赫洛作出判决，也都看到当贝里大人要作个了断时，真主用炽热的手指折断了他的宝剑。看来，光之王还需要乔佛里的猎狗。”

“My lord is wise,” Thoros told the others. “Brothers, a trial by battle is a holy thing. You heard me ask R’hllor to take a hand, and you saw his fiery finger snap Lord Beric’s sword, just as he was about to make an end of it. The Lord of Light is not yet done with Joffrey’s Hound, it would seem.”

哈尔温很快折回酿酒屋。“‘布丁脚’睡得死死的，但没受伤。”

Harwin soon returned to the brewhouse. “Puddingfoot was sound asleep, but unharmed.”

“等着，我去收拾他，”柠檬说，“非戳个窟窿不可。这笨蛋，也许会害我们全被杀死。”

“Wait till I get hold of him,” said Lem. “I’ll cut him a new bunghole. He could have gotten every one of us killed.”

那天晚上，知道桑铎·克里冈就在外面的黑暗中潜伏，没人能舒舒服服地休息。艾莉亚在火堆旁蜷起身子，感觉温暖舒适，但睡不着。她躺在自己的斗篷下，紧紧握住贾昆·赫加尔给的硬币。这枚硬币让她感觉强大，她曾是赫伦堡的鬼魂，一声低语就能杀人。

No one rested very comfortably that night, knowing that Sandor Clegane was out there in the dark, somewhere close. Arya curled up near the fire, warm and snug, yet sleep would not come. She took out the coin that Jaqen H’ghar had given her and curled her fingers around it as she lay beneath her cloak. It made her feel strong to hold it, remembering how she’d seen the ghost in Harrenhal. She could kill with a whisper then.

然而贾昆走了，离开了她。正如热派，正如詹德利。罗米死了，尤伦死了，西利欧·佛瑞尔死了，甚至连父亲也死了，而贾昆交给她一枚蠢笨的铁币后就从此消失。“valar morghulis.”她轻声低语，捏紧拳头，坚硬的钱币嵌入掌心。“格雷果爵士，邓森，波利佛，‘甜嘴’拉夫。‘记事本’，猎狗。伊林爵士，马林爵士，乔佛里国王，瑟曦太后。”艾莉亚试图想象他们死去时是什么光景，却记不大起他们的脸。猎狗和哥哥魔山没问题，她也永远不会忘记乔佛里的表情，还有他母亲……但拉夫、邓森和波利佛的印象都渐渐消退，那个平凡的‘记事本’更是模糊。

Jaqen was gone, though. He’d left her. Hot Pie left me too, and now Gendry is leaving. Lommy had died, Yoren had died, Syrio Forel had died, even her father had died, and Jaqen had given her a stupid iron penny and vanished. “Valar morghulis,” she whispered softly, tightening her fist so the hard edges of the coin dug into her palm. “Ser Gregor, Dunsen, Polliver, Raff the Sweetling. The Tickler and the Hound. Ser Ilyn, Ser Meryn, King Joffrey, Queen Cersei.” Arya tried to imagine how they would look when they were dead, but it was hard to bring their faces to mind. The Hound she could see, and his brother the Mountain, and she would never forget Joffrey’s face, or his mother’s … but Raff and Dunsen and Polliver were all fading, and even the Tickler, whose looks had been so commonplace.

最后艾莉亚终于睡着，但漆黑的深夜，她又不安地醒转。火焰缩小成一点余烬。墨吉站在门口，另一个哨兵在外面踱步。雨已停歇，她听到狼嗥。如此之近啊，她心想，又如此之多。听起来好像就在马厩周围，有好几十匹，甚至数百匹之多呢。我希望它们把猎狗吃了。她想起他关于狼和狗的评论。

Sleep took her at last, but in the black of night Arya woke again, tingling. The fire had burned down to embers. Mudge stood by the door, and another guard was pacing outside. The rain had stopped, and she could hear wolves howling. So close, she thought, and so many. They sounded as if they were all around the stable, dozens of them, maybe hundreds. I hope they eat the Hound. She remembered what he’d said, about wolves and dogs.

到得天明，厄特修士仍在树下摇摆，但褐衣僧们拿着铲子，在雨中挖出浅坟，埋葬其他死者。贝里伯爵感谢他们提供宿食，并给了一袋银鹿以助重建。哈尔温、“可靠的”卢克和磨坊主瓦特出去侦察，但既没发现狼，也没找到猎狗。

Come morning, Septon Utt still swung beneath the tree, but the brown brothers were out in the rain with spades, digging shallow graves for the other dead. Lord Beric thanked them for the night’s lodging and the meal, and gave them a bag of silver stags to help rebuild. Harwin, Likely Luke, and Watty the Miller went out scouting, but neither wolves nor hounds were found.

艾莉亚系马鞍时，詹德利过来说抱歉。她赶紧一脚踏住马镫，甩腿骑上去，这样就能低头看他，而非抬头。你本可在奔流城为我哥哥铸剑，她心想，口中说的却是，“你想当个笨蛋土匪骑士，然后被吊死，与我何干？我会被赎回去，回到奔流城，跟我哥哥一起。”

As Arya was cinching her saddle girth, Gendry came up to say that he was sorry. She put a foot in the stirrup and swung up into her saddle, so she could look down on him instead of up. You could have made swords at Riverrun for my brother, she thought, but what she said was, “If you want to be some stupid outlaw knight and get hanged, why should I care? I’ll be at Riverrun, ransomed, with my brother.”

谢天谢地，那天没有下雨，数日来，终于可以全速前进。

There was no rain that day, thankfully, and for once they made good time.