ChapterOne
Bran
第 1 章 布蘭
The morning had dawnedclear and cold, with a crispness that hinted at the end of summer. They set forthat daybreak to see a man beheaded, twenty in all, and Bran rode among them,nervous with excitement. This was the first time he had been deemed old enoughto go with his lord father and his brothers to see the king’s justice done. Itwas the ninth year of summer, and the seventh of Bran’s life.
晨色清冷，帶著一絲寂寥，隱然暗示夏日將盡。為數(shù)二十人的隊(duì)伍于破曉時(shí)分啟程，布蘭策馬置身其間，滿心焦慮又興奮難耐。這次他年紀(jì)總算夠大，可與父兄同往刑場(chǎng)，一觀國(guó)王律法的執(zhí)行。這是夏天的第九年，布蘭七歲。
The man had been takenoutside a small holdfast in the hills. Robb thought he was a wildling, hissword sworn to Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall. It made Bran’s skinprickle to think of it. He remembered the hearth tales Old Nan told them. Thewildlings were cruel men, she said, slavers and slayers and thieves. Theyconsorted with giants and ghouls, stole girl children in the dead of night, anddrank blood from polished horns. And their women lay with the Others in theLong Night to sire terrible half-human children.
死囚已被領(lǐng)至小丘上的莊園，羅柏認(rèn)為他是個(gè)誓死效忠“塞外之王”曼斯·雷德的野人。布蘭想起老奶媽在火爐邊說(shuō)過(guò)的故事，不禁渾身起了雞皮疙瘩。她說(shuō)野人生性?xún)礆埿U橫，個(gè)個(gè)都是販賣(mài)奴隸、殺人放火的偷盜之徒。他們與巨人族、食尸鬼狼狽為奸，趁黑夜誘拐童女，還以磨亮的獸角啜飲鮮血。他們的女人則相傳在遠(yuǎn)古的“長(zhǎng)夜”里與異鬼媾合，繁衍半人半鬼的恐怖后代。
But the man they foundbound hand and foot to the holdfast wall awaiting the king’s justice was oldand scrawny, not much taller than Robb. He had lost both ears and a finger tofrostbite, and he dressed all in black, the same as a brother of the Night’sWatch, except that his furs were ragged and greasy.
然而眼前這個(gè)老人削瘦枯槁，比羅柏高不了多少，手腳緊縛身后，靜待國(guó)王的旨意發(fā)落。他在酷寒中因凍瘡失去了雙耳和一根手指。而他全身漆黑的衣服，與守夜人弟兄們的制服沒(méi)有兩樣，只不過(guò)衣衫襤褸，膿瘡四溢。
The breath of man andhorse mingled, steaming, in the cold morning air as his lord father had the mancut down from the wall and dragged before them. Robb and Jon sat tall and stillon their horses, with Bran between them on his pony, trying to seem older thanseven, trying to pretend that he’d seen all this before. A faint wind blewthrough the holdfast gate. Over their heads flapped the banner of the Starks ofWinterfell: a grey direwolf racing across an ice-white field.
人馬的氣息在清晨的冷空氣里交織成蒸騰的雪白霧網(wǎng)，父親下令將墻邊的人犯松綁，拖到隊(duì)伍前面。羅柏和瓊恩直挺背脊，昂然跨坐鞍背；布蘭則騎著小馬停在兩人中間，努力想表現(xiàn)出七歲孩童所沒(méi)有的成熟氣度，仿佛眼前一切早已司空見(jiàn)慣。微風(fēng)吹過(guò)柵門(mén)，眾人頭頂飄揚(yáng)著臨冬城史塔克家族的旗幟，上面畫(huà)著白底灰色的冰原奔狼。
Bran’s father satsolemnly on his horse, long brown hair stirring in the wind. His closelytrimmed beard was shot with white, making him look older than his thirty-fiveyears. He had a grim cast to his grey eyes this day, and he seemed not at allthe man who would sit before the fire in the evening and talk softly of the ageof heroes and the children of the forest. He had taken off Father’s face, Branthought, and donned the face of Lord Stark of Winterfell.
父親神情肅穆地騎在馬上，滿頭棕色長(zhǎng)發(fā)在風(fēng)中飛揚(yáng)。他修剪整齊的胡子里冒出幾縷白絲，看起來(lái)比三十五歲的實(shí)際年齡要老些。這天他的灰色眼瞳嚴(yán)厲無(wú)情，怎么看也不像是那個(gè)會(huì)在風(fēng)雪夜里端坐爐前，娓娓細(xì)述遠(yuǎn)古英雄紀(jì)元和森林之子①故事的人。他已經(jīng)摘下慈父的容顏，戴上臨冬城主史塔克公爵的面具，布蘭心想。
There were questions
asked and answers given there in the chill of morning, but afterwardBran could not recall much of what had been said. Finally his lord father gavea command, and two of his guardsmen dragged the ragged man to the ironwoodstump in the center of the square. They forced his head down onto the hardblack wood. Lord Eddard Stark dismounted and his ward Theon Greyjoy broughtforth the sword. “Ice,” that sword was called. It was as wide across as a man’shand, and taller even than Robb. The blade was Valyrian steel, spell-forged anddark as smoke. Nothing held an edge like Valyrian steel.
清晨的寒意里，布蘭聽(tīng)到有人問(wèn)了些問(wèn)題，以及問(wèn)題的答案，然而事后他卻想不起來(lái)究竟說(shuō)過(guò)了哪些話?？傊詈蟾赣H下了命令，兩名衛(wèi)士便把那衣衫襤褸的人拖到空地中央的鐵樹(shù)木樁前，將頭硬是按在漆黑的硬木上。艾德·史塔克解鞍下馬，他的養(yǎng)子②席恩·葛雷喬伊立刻遞上寶劍。劍名“寒冰”，身寬過(guò)掌，立起來(lái)比羅柏還高。劍刃乃是用瓦雷利亞鋼鍛造而成，受過(guò)法術(shù)加持，顏色暗如黑煙。世上沒(méi)有別的東西比瓦雷利亞鋼更銳利。
His father peeled offhis gloves and handed them to Jory Cassel, the captain of his household guard.He took hold of Ice with both hands and said, “In the name of Robert of theHouse Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar andthe First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by theword of Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North,I do sentence you to die.” He lifted the greatsword high above his head.
父親脫下手套，交給侍衛(wèi)隊(duì)長(zhǎng)喬里·凱索，然后雙手擎劍，朗聲說(shuō)道：“以安達(dá)爾人③、洛伊拿人和‘先民’的國(guó)王，七國(guó)統(tǒng)治者暨全境守護(hù)者，拜拉席恩家族的勞勃一世之名，我臨冬城公爵與北境守護(hù)，史塔克家族的艾德，在此宣判你死刑?！闭Z(yǔ)畢，他將巨劍高舉過(guò)頭。
Bran’s bastard brotherJon Snow moved closer. “Keep the pony well in hand,” he whispered. “And don’tlook away. Father will know if you do.”
布蘭的異母哥哥瓊恩·雪諾湊過(guò)來(lái)。“握緊韁繩，別讓馬兒亂動(dòng)。 還有，千萬(wàn)別扭頭，不然父親會(huì)知道?！?/p>
Bran kept his pony wellin hand, and did not look away.
于是布蘭緊握韁繩，沒(méi)讓小馬亂動(dòng)，也沒(méi)有把頭轉(zhuǎn)開(kāi)。
His father took off theman’s head with a single sure stroke. Blood sprayed out across the snow, as redas surnmerwine. One of the horses reared and had to be restrained to keep frombolting. Bran could not take his eyes off the blood. The snows around the stumpdrank it eagerly, reddening as he watched.
父親巨劍一揮，利落地砍下死囚首級(jí)。鮮血濺灑在雪地上，殷紅一如葡萄美釀夏日紅。隊(duì)伍中一匹馬嘶聲躍起，差點(diǎn)就要發(fā)狂亂跑。布蘭目不轉(zhuǎn)睛地直視血跡，只見(jiàn)樹(shù)干旁的白雪饑渴地啜飲鮮血，在他的注視下迅速染成暗紅。
The head bounced off athick root and rolled. It came up near Greyjoy’s feet. Theon was a lean, darkyouth of nineteen who found everything amusing. He laughed, put his boot on thehead, and kicked it away.
人頭翻過(guò)樹(shù)根，滾至葛雷喬伊腳邊。席恩是個(gè)身形精瘦，膚色黝黑的十九歲青年，對(duì)任何事物都覺(jué)得興致勃勃。他咧嘴一笑，揚(yáng)腳踢開(kāi)人頭。
“Ass,” Jon muttered, lowenough so Greyjoy did not hear. He put a hand on Bran’s shoulder, and Branlooked over at his bastard brother. “You did well,” Jon told him solemnly. Jonwas fourteen, an old hand at justice.
“混賬東西。”瓊恩低聲咒道，刻意放低聲音不讓葛雷喬伊聽(tīng)見(jiàn)。他伸手搭住布蘭肩膀，布蘭也轉(zhuǎn)頭看著私生子哥哥。“你做得很好?！杯偠魃袂榍f重地告訴他。瓊恩今年十四歲，觀看死刑對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)已是司空見(jiàn)慣。
It seemed colder on thelong ride back to Winterfell, though the wind had died by then and the sun washigher in the sky. Bran rode with his brothers, well ahead of the main party,his pony struggling hard to keep up with their horses.
冷風(fēng)已停，暖陽(yáng)高照，但返回臨冬城的漫漫長(zhǎng)路卻似乎愈加寒冷。布蘭與兄長(zhǎng)并騎，遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)走在隊(duì)伍前方，他跨下小馬氣喘吁吁方能跟上兄長(zhǎng)坐騎的迅捷步伐。
“The deserter diedbravely,” Robb said. He was big and broad and growing every day, with hismother’s coloring, the fair skin, red-brown hair, and blue eyes of the Tullysof Riverrun. “He had courage, at the least.”
“這逃兵死得挺勇敢?！绷_柏說(shuō)。高大壯碩的他每天都在成長(zhǎng)，他承襲了母親的白皙膚色、紅褐頭發(fā)，以及徒利家族的藍(lán)色眼眸?！安还茉趺凑f(shuō)，好歹他有點(diǎn)勇氣。”
“No,” Jon Snow saidquietly. “It was not courage. This one was dead of fear. You could see it inhis eyes, Stark.” Jon’s eyes were a grey so dark they seemed almost black, butthere was little they did not see. He was of an age with Robb, but they did notlook alike. Jon was slender where Robb was muscular, dark where Robb was fair,graceful and quick where his half brother was strong and fast.
“不對(duì)，”瓊恩靜靜地說(shuō)，“那不算勇氣。史塔克，這家伙正是因?yàn)榭謶侄赖模憧梢詮乃难凵窭锟闯鰜?lái)?！杯偠鞯幕疑弁畹媒跄?，但世間少有事物能逃過(guò)他的觀察。他與羅柏同年，兩人容貌卻大相徑庭：羅柏肌肉發(fā)達(dá)，皮膚白皙，強(qiáng)壯而動(dòng)作迅速；瓊恩則是體格精瘦，膚色沉黑，舉止優(yōu)雅而敏捷。
Robb was not impressed.“The Others take his eyes,” he swore. “He died well. Race you to the bridge?”
羅柏不以為然?！敖挟惞戆阉劬o挖了罷，”他咒道，“他總算是死得壯烈。怎么樣，比賽誰(shuí)先到橋邊？”
“Done,” Jon said,kicking his horse forward. Robb cursed and followed, and they galloped off downthe trail, Robb laughing and hooting, Jon silent and intent. The hooves oftheir horses kicked up showers of snow as they went.
“一言為定?！杯偠髡Z(yǔ)畢兩腳一夾馬肚，縱騎前奔。羅柏咒罵幾句后也追了上去，兩人沿著路徑向前急馳。羅柏又叫又笑，瓊恩則凝神專(zhuān)注。馬蹄在兩人身后濺起一片翻飛雪雨。
Bran did not try tofollow. His pony could not keep up. He had seen the ragged man’s eyes, and hewas thinking of them now. After a while, the sound of Robb’s laughter receded,and the woods grew silent again.
布蘭沒(méi)有跟上去，他的小馬沒(méi)這般能耐。他方才見(jiàn)到了死囚的眼睛，現(xiàn)在則陷入沉思。沒(méi)過(guò)多久，羅柏的笑聲漸遠(yuǎn)，林間歸于寂靜。
So deep in thought washe that he never heard the rest of the party until his father moved up to ridebeside him. “Are you well, Bran?” he asked, not unkindly.
太過(guò)專(zhuān)注的他，絲毫沒(méi)注意到跟進(jìn)的隊(duì)伍已趕上自己，直到父親騎馬趕到身邊，語(yǔ)帶關(guān)切地問(wèn)：“布蘭，你還好吧？”
“Yes, Father,” Bran toldhim. He looked up. Wrapped in his furs and leathers, mounted on his greatwarhorse, his lord father loomed over him like a giant. “Robb says the man diedbravely, but Jon says he was afraid.”
“父親大人，我很好?！辈继m應(yīng)答，他抬頭仰望父親，父親穿著毛皮大衣和皮革護(hù)甲，騎在雄駿戰(zhàn)馬上如巨人般籠罩住他?！傲_柏說(shuō)剛才那個(gè)人死得很勇敢，瓊恩卻說(shuō)他死的時(shí)候很害怕?！?/p>
“What do you think?” hisfather asked.
“你自己怎么想呢？”他的父親問(wèn)。
Bran thought about it.“Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?”
布蘭尋思片刻后反問(wèn)：“人在恐懼的時(shí)候還能勇敢嗎？”
“That is the only time aman can be brave,” his father told him. “Do you understand why I did it?”
“人惟有恐懼的時(shí)候方能勇敢?！备赣H告訴他，“你知道為什么我要?dú)⑺?？?/p>
“He was a wildling,”Bran said. “They carry off women and sell them to the Others.”
“因?yàn)樗且叭?，”布蘭不假思索地回答，“他們綁架女人，然后把她們賣(mài)給異鬼?！?/p>
His lord father smiled.“OldNan has been telling you stories again. In truth, the man was anoathbreaker, a deserter from the Night’s Watch. No man is more dangerous. Thedeserter knows his life is forfeit if he is taken, so he will not flinch fromany crime, no matter how vile. But you mistake me. The question was not why theman had to die, but whyI must do it.”
父親微笑道：“老奶媽又跟你說(shuō)故事了。那人其實(shí)是個(gè)逃兵，背棄了守夜人的誓言。世間最危險(xiǎn)的人莫過(guò)于此，因?yàn)樗麄冏灾坏┍徊?，只有死路一條，于是惡向膽邊生，再傷天害理的勾當(dāng)也干得出來(lái)。不過(guò)你會(huì)錯(cuò)了意，我不是問(wèn)你他為什么要死，而是我為何要親自行刑”。
Bran had no answer forthat. “King Robert has a headsman,” he said, uncertainly.
布蘭想不出答案?！拔抑恢绖诓獓?guó)王有個(gè)劊子手，”他不太確定地說(shuō)。
“He does,” his fatheradmitted. “As did the Targaryen kings before him. Yet our way is the older way.The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we holdto the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. Ifyou would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hearhis final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man doesnot deserve to die.
“他確實(shí)是由王家劊子手代勞，執(zhí)行國(guó)王律法，”父親承認(rèn)，“在他之前的坦格利安王朝也是如此。但我們遵循古老的傳統(tǒng)，史塔克家族的人體內(nèi)仍流有‘先民’的血液，而我們相信判決死刑的人必須親自動(dòng)手。如果你要取人性命，至少應(yīng)該注視他的雙眼，聆聽(tīng)他的臨終遺言。倘若做不到這點(diǎn)，那么或許他罪不致死?！?/p>
“One day, Bran, you willbe Robb’s bannerman, holding a keep of your own for your brother and your king,and justice will fall to you. When that day comes, you must take no pleasure inthe task, but neither must you look away. A ruler who hides behind paidexecutioners soon forgets what death is.”
“布蘭，有朝一日你會(huì)成為羅柏的封臣，為你哥哥和國(guó)王治理屬于自己的領(lǐng)地，屆時(shí)你也必須執(zhí)掌律法。當(dāng)那天來(lái)臨時(shí)，你絕不可以殺戮為樂(lè)，亦不能逃避責(zé)任。統(tǒng)治者若是躲在幕后，付錢(qián)給劊子手執(zhí)行，很快就會(huì)忘記死亡為何物。”
That was when Jonreappeared on the crest of the hill before them. He waved and shouted down atthem. “Father, Bran, come quickly, see what Robb has found!” Then he was goneagain.
這時(shí)瓊恩出現(xiàn)在他們前面的坡頂，揮手朝下大喊：“父親大人，布蘭，快來(lái)看看羅柏找到了什么！”語(yǔ)畢又消失在丘陵后方。
Jory rode up besidethem. “Trouble, my lord?”
喬里趕上前來(lái)，“大人，出事了嗎？”
“Beyond a doubt,” hislord father said. “Come, let us see what mischief my sons have rooted out now.”He sent his horse into a trot. Jory and Bran and the rest came after.
“那還用說(shuō)，”父親大人答道，“來(lái)罷，我們?nèi)タ纯次夷钦{(diào)皮的兒子又闖了什么禍。”他策馬狂奔，喬里、布蘭以及其他人也跟了上去。
They found Robb on theriverbank north of the bridge, with Jon still mounted beside him. The latesummer snows had been heavy this moonturn. Robb stood knee-deep in white, hishood pulled back so the sun shone in his hair. He was cradling something in hisarm, while the boys talked in hushed, excited voices.
他們?cè)跇虮焙优险业搅_柏，瓊恩仍在馬上。這個(gè)月來(lái)，晚夏的積雪沉厚，羅柏站在及膝深的雪中，披風(fēng)后敞，陽(yáng)光在他發(fā)際閃耀。他懷里抱著不知什么東西，正和瓊恩兩人興奮地竊語(yǔ)交談。
The riders picked theirway carefully through the drifts, groping for solid footing on the hidden,uneven ground. Jory Cassel and Theon Greyjoy were the first to reach the boys.Greyjoy was laughing and joking as he rode. Bran heard the breath go out ofhim. “Gods!” he exclaimed, struggling to keep control of his horse as hereached for his sword.
隊(duì)伍騎馬小心地穿過(guò)河面的諸多浮物，尋找隱藏于雪地之下的崎嶇地面。喬里·凱索和席恩·葛雷喬伊最先趕到男孩身邊。葛雷喬伊原本正有說(shuō)有笑，緊接著布蘭卻聽(tīng)他倒抽一口氣?！爸T神保佑！”他驚叫起來(lái)伸手拔劍，一邊掙扎著穩(wěn)住坐騎。
Jory’s sword was alreadyout. “Robb, get away from it!” he called as his horse reared under him.
喬里的佩劍已然出鞘，“羅柏，離那東西遠(yuǎn)點(diǎn)！”他剛叫出聲，坐騎便已前蹄高舉，人立空中。
Robb grinned and lookedup from the bundle in his arms. “She can’t hurt you,” he said. “She’s dead,Jory.”
羅柏懷里抱著一團(tuán)東西，這時(shí)他嘻嘻笑著抬起頭，“她傷不了你的，”他說(shuō)，“喬里，她已經(jīng)死啦。”
Bran was afire withcuriosity by then. He would have spurred the pony faster, but his father madethem dismount beside the bridge and approach on foot. Bran jumped off and ran.
布蘭滿心好奇，焦躁不安，一心只想教鞍下小馬再跑快點(diǎn)，但父親卻要他在橋邊下馬，徒步前往。他迫不及待地跳下馬，三步并作兩步地跑了過(guò)去。
By then Jon, Jory, andTheon Greyjoy had all dismounted as well. “What in the seven hells is it?”Greyjoy was saying.
等他到來(lái)，瓊恩、喬里和席恩·葛雷喬伊都已下馬?！捌邔拥鬲z啊， 這是什么鬼東西？”葛雷喬伊喃喃道。
“A wolf,” Robb told him.
“狼。”羅柏告訴他。
“A freak,” Greyjoy said.“Look at thesize of it.”
“胡說(shuō)，”葛雷喬伊反駁，“狼哪有這么大的？”
Bran’s heart wasthumping in his chest as he pushed through a waist-high drift to his brothers’side.
布蘭的心怦怦狂跳，他推開(kāi)一堆齊腰的漂浮物，奔至兄長(zhǎng)身旁。
Half-buried inbloodstained snow, a huge dark shape slumped in death. Ice had formed in itsshaggy grey fur, and the faint smell of corruption clung to it like a woman’sperfume. Bran glimpsed blind eyes crawling with maggots, a wide mouth full ofyellowed teeth. But it was the size of it that made him gasp. It was biggerthan his pony, twice the size of the largest hound in his father’s kennel.
一個(gè)巨大的暗黝身形半掩在血漬斑駁的雪堆里，綿軟而無(wú)生息。蓬松的灰絨毛已經(jīng)結(jié)冰，腐朽的氣息緊附其間，就像女人身上的香水味，布蘭隱約瞥見(jiàn)它無(wú)神的眼窩里爬滿蛆蟲(chóng)，咧嘴內(nèi)滿是黃牙。但真正嚇住他的是這只狼的體形，它竟比他的小馬還大，是他父親最大的獵犬身軀的兩倍。
“It’s no freak,” Jonsaid calmly. “That’s a direwolf. They grow larger than the other kind.”
“我沒(méi)騙你，”瓊恩正色道，“這確實(shí)是冰原狼，他們比其他狼都要大。”
Theon Greyjoy said,“There’s not been a direwolf sighted south of the Wall in two hundred years.”
席恩·葛雷喬伊說(shuō)：“可兩百年來(lái)，絕境長(zhǎng)城以南沒(méi)人見(jiàn)過(guò)半頭冰原狼。”
“I see one now,” Jonreplied.
“眼前不就是一頭？”瓊恩回答。
Bran tore his eyes awayfrom the monster. That was when he noticed the bundle in Robb’s arms. He gave acry of delight and moved closer. The pup was a tiny ball of grey-black fur, itseyes still closed. It nuzzled blindly against Robb’s chest as he cradled it,searching for milk among his leathers, making a sad little whimpery sound. Branreached out hesitantly. “Go on,” Robb told him. “You can touch him.”
布蘭努力將視線離開(kāi)面前的怪物，這才注意到羅柏懷里抱著的東西。他高興得叫了一聲，隨即靠過(guò)去。那只幼狼只是團(tuán)灰黑的毛球，雙眼仍未張開(kāi)。它盲目地往羅柏胸膛磨蹭，在他的皮護(hù)甲上尋找奶頭，發(fā)出哀傷的低吟。布蘭有些猶豫地探出手，“沒(méi)關(guān)系，”羅柏告訴他，“你可以摸摸看?！?/p>
Bran gave the pup aquick nervous stroke, then turned as Jon said, “Here you go.” His half brotherput a second pup into his arms. “There are five of them.” Bran sat down in thesnow and hugged the wolf pup to his face. Its fur was soft and warm against hischeek.
布蘭非常緊張，飛快碰了小狼一下，聽(tīng)到瓊恩的聲音，便轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)頭?！扒?，這只是給你的?！彼乃缴痈绺绨训诙^幼狼放進(jìn)他懷里?！翱偣灿形逯荒亍！辈继m在雪地里坐下，把小狼溫軟的皮毛貼近自己臉頰。
“Direwolves loose in therealm, after so many years,” muttered Hullen, the master of horse. “I like itnot.”
“經(jīng)過(guò)了這么多年，冰原狼突然重現(xiàn)人間，”馬房總管胡倫喃喃道，“這種事我可不喜歡?！?/p>
“It is a sign,” Jorysaid.
“這是個(gè)壞兆頭。”喬里說(shuō)。
Father frowned. “This isonly a dead animal, Jory,” he said. Yet he seemed troubled. Snow crunched underhis boots as he moved around the body. “Do we know what killed her?”
父親皺起眉頭?！皢汤?，不過(guò)是頭死狼罷了?！彼f(shuō)，但臉龐卻蒙上了一層陰霾。他繞著狼尸，積雪在他腳下碎裂?！爸浪皇裁礆⑺赖膯幔俊?/p>
“There’s something inthe throat,” Robb told him, proud to have found the answer before his fathereven asked. “There, just under the jaw.”
“喉嚨里好像有東西?！绷_柏得意地回答，暗暗為自己能在父親提出疑問(wèn)前找到解答而驕傲。“就在下巴底下?！?/p>
His father knelt andgroped under the beast’s head with his hand. He gave a yank and held it up forall to see. A foot of shattered antler, tines snapped off, all wet with blood.
他的父親蹲下來(lái)，伸手探向狼尸的頭底，使勁一擰，舉起某個(gè)物體讓大家看。原來(lái)那是一只碎裂的鹿角，分叉斷盡，染滿鮮血。
A sudden silencedescended over the party. The men looked at the antler uneasily, and no onedared to speak. Even Bran could sense their fear, though he did not understand.
一陣突如其來(lái)的寂靜籠罩了隊(duì)伍，眾人局促不安地看著那只鹿角，沒(méi)有人出聲說(shuō)話。布蘭雖然不解旁人為何驚恐，卻也能感覺(jué)得到他們的懼怕。
His father tossed theantler to the side and cleansed his hands in the snow. “I’m surprised she livedlong enough to whelp,” he said. His voice broke the spell.
父親扔開(kāi)鹿角，在雪地里把手弄干凈?！皼](méi)想到它還有力氣把孩子生下來(lái)?！彼穆曇舸蚱屏讼惹暗某聊?。
“Maybe she didn’t,” Jorysaid. “I’ve heard tales . . . maybe the bitch was already dead when the pupscame.”
“也許它沒(méi)撐那么久，”喬里說(shuō)：“我聽(tīng)過(guò)這樣的傳說(shuō)……也許小 狼降生時(shí)母狼就已經(jīng)死了?！?/p>
“Born with the dead,”another man put in. “Worse luck.”
“隨死降生，”另一個(gè)人接口道，“這是更壞的兆頭?！?/p>
“No matter,” saidHullen. “They be dead soon enough too.”
“都沒(méi)差，”胡倫說(shuō)，“反正這些小家伙也活不長(zhǎng)?！?/p>
Bran gave a wordless cryof dismay.
布蘭發(fā)出無(wú)聲的失望嘆息。
“The sooner the better,”Theon Greyjoy agreed. He drew his sword. “Give the beast here, Bran.”
“我看它們死得越快越好，”席恩·葛雷喬伊同意，他抽出佩劍?！安继m，把那東西丟過(guò)來(lái)?！?/p>
The little thingsquirmed against him, as if it heard and understood. “No!” Bran cried outfiercely. “It’s mine.”
布蘭懷中的小東西仿佛聽(tīng)懂人話，偎著他蠕動(dòng)了一下。“不要！” 他堅(jiān)決地叫道，“它是我的?！?/p>
“Put away your sword,Greyjoy,” Robb said. For a moment he sounded as commanding as their father,like the lord he would someday be. “We will keep these pups.”
“葛雷喬伊，把劍拿開(kāi)?！绷_柏說(shuō)，那一剎那，他聽(tīng)起來(lái)像父親一樣威嚴(yán)有力，正如他有朝一日將會(huì)成為的一方領(lǐng)主。“我們要養(yǎng)這些小狼?！?/p>
“You cannot do that,boy,” said Harwin, who was Hullen’s son.
“小子，這是行不通的?！焙鷤惖膬鹤庸枩氐?。
“It be a mercy to killthem,” Hullen said.
“殺了它們才是慈悲啊?！焙鷤惤涌?。
Bran looked to his lordfather for rescue, but got only a frown, a furrowed brow. “Hullen speaks truly,son. Better a swift death than a hard one from cold and starvation.”
布蘭朝父親望去，期盼能找到救兵，卻只見(jiàn)到深鎖的雙眉。“好兒子，胡倫說(shuō)得沒(méi)錯(cuò)。與其讓它們挨餓受凍，不如干脆趁早了結(jié)?！?/p>
“No!” He could feeltears welling in his eyes, and he looked away. He did not want to cry in frontof his father.
“不要！”他已經(jīng)感覺(jué)到淚水在眼眶里打轉(zhuǎn)，于是轉(zhuǎn)開(kāi)目光，他可不想在父親面前落淚。
Robb resistedstubbornly. “Ser Rodrik’s red bitch whelped again last week,” he said. “It wasa small litter, only two live pups. She’ll have milk enough.”
羅柏固執(zhí)地繼續(xù)抗拒。“羅德利克爵士的那頭紅母狗上星期才剛生產(chǎn)，”他說(shuō)：“那胎死了不少，只有兩只小狗活了下來(lái)，奶水應(yīng)該還夠它們喝?！?/p>
“She’ll rip them apartwhen they try to nurse.”
“它們只要想走近喝奶，立刻會(huì)被它撕成碎片。”
“Lord Stark,” Jon said.It was strange to hear him call Father that, so formal. Bran looked at him withdesperate hope. “There are five pups,” he told Father. “Three male, two female.”
“史塔克大人，”瓊恩說(shuō)。聽(tīng)他如此正式地稱(chēng)呼自己父親，實(shí)在很怪。布蘭抱著最后一絲希望看著他。“總共有五只小狼，”他告訴父親，“三只公的，兩只母的。”
“What of it, Jon?”
“瓊恩，這有什么意義嗎？”
“You have five truebornchildren,” Jon said. “Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil ofyour House. Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord.”
“您有五個(gè)孩子，”瓊恩回答，“三個(gè)兒子，兩個(gè)女兒。冰原狼又是你們的家徽，大人，您的孩子們注定要擁有這些小狼?！?/p>
Bran saw his father’sface change, saw the other men exchange glances. He loved Jon with all hisheart at that moment. Even at seven, Bran understood what his brother had done.The count had come right only because Jon had omitted himself. He had includedthe girls, included even Rickon, the baby, but not the bastard who bore thesurname Snow, the name that custom decreed be given to all those in the northunlucky enough to be born with no name of their own.
布蘭看到父親的臉色轉(zhuǎn)變，其他人則交換眼神，就在那一刻，他全身心地愛(ài)著瓊恩。雖然他只有七歲，布蘭仍很清楚自己的私生子哥哥這樣做所代表的意義：他是把自己排除在父親的子嗣之外，才會(huì)剛好湊成數(shù)的。他把兩個(gè)女孩算了進(jìn)去，甚至連襁褓中的小瑞肯也有分，卻獨(dú)獨(dú)沒(méi)有算冠著雪諾這個(gè)私生子姓氏的自己。雪諾這個(gè)姓氏是專(zhuān)門(mén)給那些在北方出生，卻不幸沒(méi)有父親的人用的。
Their father understoodas well. “You want no pup for yourself, Jon?” he asked softly.
父親也明白這點(diǎn)?！碍偠鳎阕约翰幌胍±敲?？”他輕聲問(wèn)。
“The direwolf graces thebanners of House Stark,” Jon pointed out. “I am no Stark, Father.”
“冰原狼是史塔克家族的紋章，”瓊恩指出，“我并非史塔克家族的一員，父親。”
Their lord fatherregarded Jon thoughtfully. Robb rushed into the silence he left. “I will nursehim myself, Father,” he promised. “I will soak a towel with warm milk, and givehim suck from that.”
父親若有所思地看了瓊恩一眼，羅柏急切地打破沉默，“父親，我會(huì)親自喂養(yǎng)小狼?！彼ＷC，“我會(huì)用浸過(guò)溫牛奶的濕毛巾喂它?！?/p>
“Me too!” Bran echoed.
“我也會(huì)！”布蘭連忙跟進(jìn)。
The lord weighed hissons long and carefully with his eyes. “Easy to say, and harder to do. I willnot have you wasting the servants’ time with this. If you want these pups, youwill feed them yourselves. Is that understood?”
公爵意味深長(zhǎng)地審視兒子，“說(shuō)起來(lái)簡(jiǎn)單，真要做可不容易。我不會(huì)讓你們占用仆人的時(shí)間。假如你們真要養(yǎng)這群小狼，就得一切自己來(lái)，知道么？”
Bran nodded eagerly. Thepup squirmed in his grasp, licked at his face with a warm tongue.
布蘭熱切地連連點(diǎn)頭，小狼蜷縮在他懷里，伸出溫?zé)岬纳囝^舔舔他的臉頰。
“You must train them aswell,” their father said. “You must train them. The kennelmaster will havenothing to do with these monsters, I promise you that. And the gods help you ifyou neglect them, or brutalize them, or train them badly. These are not dogs tobeg for treats and slink off at a kick. A direwolf will rip a man’s arm off hisshoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat. Are you sure you want this?”
“你們還得親自訓(xùn)練它們，”父親又道：“我保證馴獸長(zhǎng)和這些怪物將毫無(wú)干系。倘若你們把它們練得殘忍成性，或有什么閃失，那么祈禱天上諸神保佑吧。這些可不是討好賣(mài)乖的狗，也不是隨便踢一腳就能打發(fā)的角色。冰原狼要扯下胳膊就和狗殺老鼠一樣簡(jiǎn)單，你們確定要養(yǎng)么？”
“Yes, Father,” Bransaid.
“是的，父親大人?！辈继m答道。
“Yes,” Robb agreed.
“嗯?！绷_柏同意。
“The pups may dieanyway, despite all you do.”
“即使你們費(fèi)盡苦心，小狼還是有夭折的可能”。
“They won’t die,” Robbsaid. “We won’t let them die.”
“不會(huì)，”羅柏說(shuō)：“我們不會(huì)讓它們死掉?！?/p>
“Keep them, then. Jory,Desmond, gather up the other pups. It’s time we were back to Winterfell.”
“那就留著它們罷。喬里，戴斯蒙，把其他幾只小狼帶上，我們?cè)摶嘏R冬城了?！?/p>
It was not until theywere mounted and on their way that Bran allowed himself to taste the sweet airof victory. By then, his pup was snuggled inside his leathers, warm againsthim, safe for the long ride home. Bran was wondering what to name him.
一直到他們騎馬踏上歸途，布蘭方才允許自己享受勝利的喜悅。他的小狼此刻正安全地藏靠在他的皮護(hù)甲里，他不禁思索該為它取個(gè)什么名字才好。
Halfway across thebridge, Jon pulled up suddenly.
走到橋中央，瓊恩突然勒住馬韁。
“What is it, Jon?” theirlord father asked.
“瓊恩，怎么了？”公爵父親問(wèn)。
“Can’t you hear it?”
“你們沒(méi)聽(tīng)到么？”
Bran could hear the windin the trees, the clatter of their hooves on the ironwood planks, thewhimpering of his hungry pup, but Jon was listening to something else.
布蘭只聽(tīng)見(jiàn)林間風(fēng)聲和噠噠馬蹄，以及懷間嗷嗷待哺的小狼，但瓊恩正側(cè)耳傾聽(tīng)別的事物。
“There,” Jon said. Heswung his horse around and galloped back across the bridge. They watched himdismount where the direwolf lay dead in the snow, watched him kneel. A momentlater he was riding back to them, smiling.
“在那里?！杯偠鞯?，他掉轉(zhuǎn)馬頭，急馳過(guò)橋，大家看著他在母狼尸體旁下馬，屈膝跪下，一會(huì)兒過(guò)后又騎馬歸來(lái)，滿面笑容。
“He must have crawledaway from the others,” Jon said.
“這只一定是先爬開(kāi)了?！杯偠髡f(shuō)。
“Or been driven away,”their father said, looking at the sixth pup. His fur was white, where the restof the litter was grey. His eyes were as red as the blood of the ragged man whohad died that morning. Bran thought it curious that this pup alone would haveopened his eyes while the others were still blind.
“或是被趕開(kāi)的?！彼麄兊母赣H看著第六只小狼說(shuō)。它毛色凈白，其他的小狼則多半灰黑，它的眼瞳紅如早上死囚的鮮血。布蘭很覺(jué)好奇，不知為何其他小狼連眼睛都還沒(méi)睜開(kāi)，惟獨(dú)它雙目炯炯有神。
“An albino,” TheonGreyjoy said with wry amusement. “This one will die even faster than theothers.”
“白子，”席恩·葛雷喬伊話里有種興味十足的譏諷，“只怕這只會(huì)死得最快?！?/p>
Jon Snow gave hisfather’s ward a long, chilling look. “I think not, Greyjoy,” he said. “This onebelongs to me.”
瓊恩·雪諾給了他父親的養(yǎng)子一個(gè)意味深長(zhǎng)的冷絕凝視，“葛雷喬伊，我可不這么認(rèn)為?！彼鸬溃耙?yàn)檫@是我的狼?！?/p>
①?傳說(shuō)“森林之子”（Children
of the Forest）早在“先民”（First
Men）渡過(guò)狹海而來(lái) 以前便已存在。他們信仰樹(shù)林溪澗等自然間的無(wú)名神祗，后來(lái)先民也加入了這個(gè)信仰。
②?養(yǎng)子（ward）原意指年幼時(shí)到其他貴族家生活，直到成年才回家的貴族子弟。有可能是為了增進(jìn)兩家友好關(guān)系，如艾德和勞勃年幼時(shí)曾到瓊恩·艾林家做養(yǎng)子，或是戰(zhàn)敗將兒子送到戰(zhàn)勝者家里當(dāng)人質(zhì)，例如席恩。中國(guó)古代稱(chēng)之為“質(zhì)子”，為避免讀者覺(jué)得怪異，本書(shū)中一律用“養(yǎng)子”代之。
③?安達(dá)爾人是繼先民之后來(lái)到維斯特洛大陸的入侵者，他們帶來(lái)了七神的信仰。
