“谷地很暖和，大人，”米亞保證，“下山之后，您就知道了。”

“It will be warmer on the valley floor, my lord,” said Mya. “You’ll see when we get down there.”

“我才不想下山！”勞勃道，而米亞不再搭理他。

“I don’t want to see,” said Robert, but Mya paid no mind.

道路乃是一系列沿山腰鑿刻的彎曲石階，不過(guò)騾子對(duì)每個(gè)踏腳處都很熟悉，阿蓮深感欣慰。由于數(shù)百年的結(jié)冰、融雪與踩踏，有的地方破損得相當(dāng)厲害，陳雪堆積在道路兩旁的石頭上，反射出耀眼的白光。太陽(yáng)高掛，晴空蔚藍(lán)，獵鷹在天上轉(zhuǎn)圈，乘風(fēng)翱翔。

Their road was a crooked series of stone steps carved into the mountainside, but the mules knew every inch of it. Alayne was glad of that. Here and there the stone was shattered from the strain of countless seasons, with all their thaws and freezes. Patches of snow clung to the rock on either side of the path, blinding white. The sun was bright, the sky was blue, and there were falcons circling overhead, riding on the wind.

由于斜坡太陡，這里的路全都大繞彎子。上山時(shí)是珊莎·史塔克，下山時(shí)成了阿蓮·石東。好奇特啊。出發(fā)前，米亞叮囑她眼睛直盯著道路，別往下看。“要看就看上面。”她如是說(shuō)……然而，怎么可能下山不往下看呢。我可以閉上眼睛，騾子認(rèn)得路，它無(wú)須我指引。但這像是那個(gè)愛(ài)受驚嚇的小珊莎會(huì)做的事，阿蓮是大人了，身為私生女，她得勇敢起來(lái)。

Up here where the slope was steepest, the steps wound back and forth rather than plunging straight down. Sansa Stark went up the mountain, but Alayne Stone is coming down. It was a strange thought. Coming up, Mya had warned her to keep her eyes on the path ahead, she remembered. “Look up, not down,” she said … but that was not possible on the descent. I could close my eyes. The mule knows the way, he has no need of me. But that seemed more something Sansa would have done, that frightened girl. Alayne was an older woman, and bastard brave.

起初他們單列前進(jìn)，隨后道路加寬，足以容兩人并騎，因此米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯上前來(lái)與她為伴。“我們收到了你父親的信，”她吐露，渾如她倆正坐在修女面前，邊做針線活邊聊閑話一般，“他說(shuō)他正星夜返回，期待早日和寶貝女兒重逢，還說(shuō)萊昂諾·科布瑞對(duì)新娘子很滿意，特別高興收到了豐厚嫁妝一我個(gè)人希望萊昂諾大人別忘了履行自己的責(zé)任才是。培提爾寫(xiě)道，在最后時(shí)刻，韋伍德伯爵夫人與九星城的騎士結(jié)伴出現(xiàn)在婚宴上，令所有人驚喜萬(wàn)分。”

At first they rode in single file, but farther down the path widened enough for two to ride abreast, and Myranda Royce came up beside her. “We have had a letter from your father,” she said, as casually as if they were sitting with their septa, doing needlework. “He is on his way home, he says, and hopes to see his darling daughter soon. He writes that Lyonel Corbray seems well pleased with his bride, and even more so with her dowry. I do hope Lord Lyonel remembers which one he needs to bed. Lady Waynwood turned up with the Knight of Ninestars for the wedding feast, Lord Petyr says, to everyone’s astonishment.”

“安雅·韋伍德？她真的來(lái)了？”那么公義者同盟已由六鎮(zhèn)減為三家。離開(kāi)之日，培提爾·貝里席只確定能贏得賽蒙·坦帕頓的支持，韋伍德伯爵夫人應(yīng)是下山后的杰作。“他還說(shuō)別的了嗎？”鷹巢城是個(gè)孤單寂寞的地方，她迫切地想了解外面的世界，那怕再瑣屑再無(wú)聊的新聞也好。

“Anya Waynwood? Truly?” The Lords Declarant were down from six to three, it would seem. The day he’d departed the mountain, Petyr Baelish had been confident of winning Symond Templeton to his side, but not so Lady Waynwood. “Was there more?” she asked. The Eyrie was such a lonely place that she was eager for any bit of news from the world beyond, however trivial or insignificant.

“噢，你父親沒(méi)話說(shuō)啦，不過(guò)有其他鳥(niǎo)兒飛來(lái)我們這里。到處都在打仗，只有峽谷還保持著和平。據(jù)說(shuō)奔流城投降了，史坦尼斯的龍石島與風(fēng)息堡也搖搖欲墜。”

“Not from your father, no, but we’ve had other birds. The war goes on, everywhere but here. Riverrun has yielded, but Dragonstone and Storm’s End still hold for Lord Stannis.”

“萊莎夫人真明智，沒(méi)讓我們卷入戰(zhàn)團(tuán)。”

“Lady Lysa was so wise, to keep us out of it.”

米蘭達(dá)露出最狡猾的微笑，“是啊，她打心眼兒里明智，多好的夫人。”她調(diào)整坐姿。“為啥騾子都是又消瘦又脾氣差呢？米亞定然克扣口糧。騎上又肥又溫順的騾子才好咧。總主教換人了，你知道嗎？噢，守夜人軍團(tuán)也換了個(gè)男孩當(dāng)司令，據(jù)說(shuō)是艾德·史塔克的私生子。”

Myranda gave her a shrewd little smile. “Yes, she was the very soul of wisdom, that good lady.” She shifted her seat. “Why must mules be so bony and ill-tempered? Mya does not feed them enough. A nice fat mule would be more comfortable to ride. There’s a new High Septon, did you know? Oh, and the Night’s Watch has a boy commander, some bastard son of Eddard Stark’s.”

“瓊恩·雪諾？”她不假思索地沖口而出。

“Jon Snow?” she blurted out, surprised.

“雪諾？噢，當(dāng)然，北地叫這個(gè)姓，大概是他吧。”

“Snow? Yes, it would be Snow, I suppose.”

她很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間沒(méi)想過(guò)瓊恩了。畢竟他只是同父異母的兄弟，然而……然而羅柏、布蘭和瑞肯都死了，他成了她唯一的兄弟。我是私生女，和他一樣，噢，若能再見(jiàn)他一面，該有多甜蜜。但那是不可能發(fā)生的事，阿蓮·石東沒(méi)有兄弟，沒(méi)有親人。

She had not thought of Jon in ages. He was only her half brother, but still … with Robb and Bran and Rickon dead, Jon Snow was the only brother that remained to her. I am a bastard too now, just like him. Oh, it would be so sweet, to see him once again. But of course that could never be. Alayne Stone had no brothers, baseborn or otherwise.

“我表叔青銅約恩在符石城舉辦了一場(chǎng)團(tuán)體比武，”米蘭達(dá)·羅伊斯顯然不打算住口，“規(guī)模不大，只有侍從參加，目的是讓繼承人哈利獲得榮譽(yù)，最終也達(dá)成了目的。”

“Our cousin Bronze Yohn had himself a mêlée at Runestone,” Myranda Royce went on, oblivious, “a small one, just for squires. It was meant for Harry the Heir to win the honors, and so he did.”

“繼承人哈利？”

“Harry the Heir?”

“韋伍德伯爵夫人的養(yǎng)子呀，哈羅德·哈頓。現(xiàn)在可以改口叫哈利爵士，青銅約恩親手賜封了他。”

“Lady Waynwood’s ward. Harrold Hardyng. I suppose we must call him Ser Harry now. Bronze Yohn knighted him.”

“哦，”阿蓮鬧不明白，為什么韋伍德伯爵夫人的養(yǎng)子成了她的繼承人？畢竟，她身邊兒子成群，例如現(xiàn)任血門(mén)騎士唐納爾爵士就很厲害。不過(guò)她不愿示弱，只說(shuō)道，“希望他當(dāng)個(gè)好騎士。”

“Oh.” Alayne was confused. Why should Lady Waynwood’s ward be her heir? She had sons of her own blood. One was the Knight of the Bloody Gate, Ser Donnel. She did not want to look stupid, though, so all she said was, “I pray he proves a worthy knight.”

米蘭達(dá)小姐哼了一聲，“希望他早點(diǎn)得天花。知道嗎？他和某位平民姑娘已搞出了私生女。我父親大人打算讓我嫁給他，卻得不到韋伍德伯爵夫人的支持。不曉得她是嫌我地位太次，還是嫁妝不多。”她嘆口氣。“我需要一個(gè)丈夫。我的前夫被我干掉了。”

Lady Myranda snorted. “I pray he gets the pox. He has a bastard daughter by some common girl, you know. My lord father had hoped to marry me to Harry, but Lady Waynwood would not hear of it. I do not know whether it was me she found unsuitable, or just my dowry.” She gave a sigh. “I do need another husband. I had one once, but I killed him.”

“干掉了？”阿蓮震驚地問(wèn)。

“You did?” Alayne said, shocked.

“噢，是的，他騎在我身上死的，如果說(shuō)實(shí)話，他那玩意兒還留在我體內(nèi)呢。你知道婚床上是怎么回事，對(duì)吧？”

“Oh, yes. He died on top of me. In me, if truth be told. You do know what goes on in a marriage bed, I hope?”

她想起提利昂，想起要吻她的獵狗，點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭，“這一定可怕極了，小姐。他死了，在那時(shí)候死了，我的意思是，在……在……”

She thought of Tyrion, and of the Hound and how he’d kissed her, and gave a nod. “That must have been dreadful, my lady. Him dying. There, I mean, whilst … whilst he was …”

“……在干我的時(shí)候？”她聳聳肩，“是啊，多惡心，多失禮啊。他根本不能播種，老頭子的種子都極虛弱。所以啦，我成了寡婦，卻還根本沒(méi)和丈夫做過(guò)。說(shuō)到哈利，他將來(lái)娶的人也許糟糕得多，韋伍德伯爵夫人多半會(huì)讓他上她自己或青銅約恩的孫女。”

“… fucking me?” She shrugged. “It was disconcerting, certainly. Not to mention discourteous. He did not even have the common decency to plant a child in me. Old men have weak seed. So here I am, a widow, but scarce used. Harry could have done much worse. I daresay that he will. Lady Waynwood will most like marry him to one of her granddaughters, or one of Bronze Yohn’s.”

“是的，小姐。”阿蓮忽然記起培提爾的告誡。

“As you say, my lady.” Alayne remembered Petyr’s warning.

“蘭達(dá)。這挺順口的，來(lái)，跟我念：蘭——達(dá)——”

“Randa. Come now, you can say it. Ran. Da.”

“蘭達(dá)。”

“Randa.”

“好多了。很抱歉，說(shuō)出來(lái)你也許會(huì)把我當(dāng)成不要臉的女人，事情是這樣，我跟那帥氣的馬瑞里安睡過(guò)，當(dāng)時(shí)還不知他是個(gè)怪物。他歌唱得那么好，指頭又會(huì)做最甜蜜的事，如果我曉得他將犯下把萊莎夫人推出月門(mén)這等令人發(fā)指的惡行，便決不會(huì)接納他。我不和怪物睡覺(jué)，這是規(guī)矩。”她瞧瞧阿蓮的臉蛋和胸脯。“你比我漂亮，但我的乳房比你大。學(xué)士說(shuō)乳房的大小和乳汁的產(chǎn)量無(wú)關(guān)，我可不信，你見(jiàn)過(guò)乳房干癟的奶媽嗎？其實(shí)依你的年紀(jì)而言，乳房也算可以，總之你是私生女，我就不跟你計(jì)較了。”米蘭達(dá)催騾子靠近，“我們的米亞不是處女，你知道吧？”

“Much better. I fear I must apologize to you. You will think me a dreadful slut, I know, but I bedded that pretty boy Marillion. I did not know he was a monster. He sang beautifully, and could do the sweetest things with his fingers. I would never have taken him to bed if I had known he was going to push Lady Lysa through the Moon Door. I do not bed monsters, as a rule.” She studied Alayne’s face and chest. “You are prettier than me, but my breasts are larger. The maesters say large breasts produce no more milk than small ones, but I do not believe it. Have you ever known a wet nurse with small teats? Yours are ample for a girl your age, but as they are bastard breasts, I shan’t concern myself with them.” Myranda edged her mule closer. “You know our Mya’s not a maid, I trust?”

她知道，有回米亞送補(bǔ)給上山時(shí)，胖瑪?shù)辖o阿蓮咬耳朵。“瑪?shù)细抑v過(guò)。”

She did. Fat Maddy had whispered it to her, one time when Mya brought up their supplies. “Maddy told me.”

“噢，她當(dāng)然講過(guò)，她大嘴巴大腿，你見(jiàn)過(guò)她的腿吧？米亞愛(ài)著米歇爾·雷德佛，此人曾是林恩·科布瑞的侍從，真正的侍從哦，和林恩爵士現(xiàn)下收的粗魯小子不一樣——這位是交錢(qián)當(dāng)侍從的。米歇爾可謂是峽谷里最年輕最優(yōu)秀的劍士，為人英雄豪俠……至少可憐的米亞現(xiàn)下這么想，等他跟青銅約恩的女兒成了親，她大概就得轉(zhuǎn)變觀點(diǎn)了。我很確定，霍頓大人沒(méi)留給他別的選擇，不過(guò)總歸對(duì)米亞是件殘酷的事。”

“Of course she did. She has a mouth as big as her thighs, and her thighs are enormous. Mychel Redfort was the one. He used to be Lyn Corbray’s squire. A real squire, not like that loutish lad Ser Lyn’s got squiring for him now. He only took that one on for coin, they say. Mychel was the best young swordsman in the Vale, and gallant … or so poor Mya thought, till he wed one of Bronze Yohn’s daughters. Lord Horton gave him no choice in the matter, I am sure, but it was still a cruel thing to do to Mya.”

“羅索爵士喜歡她，”阿蓮掃視著二十多級(jí)石階下的管騾女孩，“很喜歡。”

“Ser Lothor is fond of her.” Alayne glanced down at the mule girl, twenty steps below. “More than fond.”

“羅索·布倫，”米蘭達(dá)抬起一邊眉毛，“她知道嗎？”她不等回答，“他沒(méi)希望，可憐的男人，我父親為米亞提過(guò)幾次親，結(jié)果她統(tǒng)統(tǒng)不要。她啊，就是個(gè)倔騾。”

“Lothor Brune?” Myranda raised an eyebrow. “Does she know?” She did not wait for an answer. “He has no hope, poor man. My father’s tried to make a match for Mya, but she’ll have none of them. She is half mule, that one.”

阿蓮發(fā)現(xiàn)自己不由自主地與年長(zhǎng)的女孩親近起來(lái)，珍妮·普爾離開(kāi)后，她已很久很久沒(méi)有朋友閑話了。“你覺(jué)得羅索爵士是喜歡穿鐵甲皮衣的她，”她詢問(wèn)這位女智多星，“還是喜歡換上蕾絲綢緞的她呢？”

Despite herself, Alayne found herself warming to the older girl. She had not had a friend to gossip with since poor Jeyne Poole. “Do you think Ser Lothor likes her as she is, in mail and leather?” she asked the older girl, who seemed so worldly-wise. “Or does he dream of her draped in silks and velvets?”

“他是個(gè)男人，他夢(mèng)想著她的裸體。”

“He’s a man. He dreams of her naked.”

她想讓我臉紅吧。

She is trying to make me blush again.

米蘭達(dá)小姐似乎讀出了她的想法，“你的臉?lè)坂洁降模婵蓯?ài)，我臉紅時(shí)像個(gè)蘋(píng)果。唉，我好多年沒(méi)臉紅過(guò)了。”她傾身靠近。“你父親準(zhǔn)備再婚嗎？”

Lady Myranda must have heard her thoughts. “You do turn such a pretty shade of pink. When I blush I look quite like an apple. I have not blushed for years, though.” She leaned closer. “Does your father plan to wed again?”

“我父親？”阿蓮沒(méi)考慮過(guò)這檔子事。不知怎的，想起這個(gè)她就害怕，她忘不了萊莎·艾林跌出月門(mén)時(shí)臉上的表情。

“My father?” Alayne had never considered that. Somehow the notion made her squirm. She found herself remembering the look on Lysa Arryn’s face as she’d tumbled through the Moon Door.

“我們都清楚他有多鐘愛(ài)萊莎夫人，”米蘭達(dá)承認(rèn)，“但他不能永遠(yuǎn)這樣，他需要一位年輕貌美的妻子為他洗去悲哀。我猜谷地里一半的貴族少女都?jí)粝爰藿o他，挑誰(shuí)當(dāng)丈夫能比峽谷守護(hù)者更好呢？不過(guò)呀，我希望他換個(gè)名兒，別叫小指頭。他有多‘小’，你知道嗎？”

“We all know how devoted he was to Lady Lysa,” said Myranda, “but he cannot mourn forever. He needs a pretty young wife to wash away his grief. I imagine he could have his pick of half the noble maidens in the Vale. Who could be a better husband than our own bold Lord Protector? Though I do wish he had a better name than Littlefinger. How little is it, do you know?”

“你說(shuō)他的指頭？”她又臉紅了，“我不……我不知道……”

“His finger?” She blushed again. “I don’t … I never …”

米蘭達(dá)小姐縱聲大笑，引得米亞·石東回頭查看，“別介意，阿蓮，我相信他那里夠大的。”

Lady Myranda laughed so loud that Mya Stone glanced back at them. “Never you mind, Alayne, I’m sure it’s large enough.”

他們從一面風(fēng)蝕拱崖下走過(guò)，長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的冰柱從白石上垂下，水珠串串滴落。路的遠(yuǎn)端突然變窄，幾乎垂直地降下一百尺，米蘭達(dá)只好放慢腳步，走在后頭，任由阿蓮領(lǐng)先。路到驚險(xiǎn)處，阿蓮牢牢地攀住了騾子，由于被蹄鐵長(zhǎng)年踩踏，此處石階非常平滑，甚至變成空洞的凹陷，碗狀凹陷里滿是積水，在午后的太陽(yáng)下閃爍著金光。現(xiàn)在是水，阿蓮心想，入夜后就成冰了。她不自禁地屏住呼吸，大氣也不敢出。米亞·石東和勞勃公爵已幾乎走到下面的山脊上，那里的坡度逐漸和緩。她試圖瞪著他們，只瞪著他們。我不會(huì)摔下去，她告訴自己，米亞的騾子值得信賴(lài)。強(qiáng)風(fēng)擊打著她，她艱難地、一步又一步地走下去，騾子顛簸，好似過(guò)了一生。

They passed beneath a wind-carved arch, where long icicles clung to the pale stone, dripping down on them. On the far side the path narrowed and plunged down sharply for a hundred feet or more. Myranda was forced to drop back. Alayne gave the mule his head. The steepness of this part of the descent made her cling tightly to her saddle. The steps here had been worn smooth by the iron-shod hooves of all the mules who’d passed this way, until they resembled a series of shallow stone bowls. Water filled the bottoms of the bowls, glimmering golden in the afternoon sun. It is water now, Alayne thought, but come dark, all of it will turn to ice. She realized that she was holding her breath, and let it out. Mya Stone and Lord Robert had almost reached the rock spire where the slope leveled off again. She tried to look at them, and only them. I will not fall, she told herself. Mya’s mule will see me through. The wind skirled around her, as she bumped and scraped her way down step by step. It seemed to take a lifetime.

她終于來(lái)到米亞和小公爵身邊，籠罩在一塊扭曲危崖的陰影里，前方是一條高聳的結(jié)凍小路。冷風(fēng)凄厲地號(hào)叫，撕扯阿蓮的斗篷，上山時(shí)她便對(duì)此處記憶猶新，此刻更是怕得想回頭。“您看看路有多寬，”米亞用歡快的聲調(diào)對(duì)勞勃公爵說(shuō)，“一碼長(zhǎng)，八碼寬，除此之外什么都沒(méi)有。”

Then all at once she was at the bottom with Mya and her little lord, huddled beneath a twisted, rocky spire. Ahead stretched a high stone saddle, narrow and icy. Alayne could hear the wind shrieking, and feel it plucking at her cloak. She remembered this place from her ascent. It had frightened her then, and it frightened her now. “It is wider than it looks,” Mya was telling Lord Robert in a cheerful voice. “A yard across, and no more than eight yards long, that’s nothing.”

“什么都沒(méi)有？……”勞勃的小手痙攣起來(lái)。

“Nothing,” Robert said. His hand was shaking.

噢，不要，千萬(wàn)不要，阿蓮心想，求求你，不能在這里，不能在這時(shí)，千萬(wàn)不要。

Oh, no, Alayne thought. Please. Not here. Not now.

“這里我們最好牽騾子過(guò)去，”米亞道，“大人，請(qǐng)注意，我先走過(guò)去把騾子拴好，然后回來(lái)接你。”勞勃公爵沒(méi)有回答，他用發(fā)紅的眼睛難以置信地望著狹窄的小路。“沒(méi)幾步路的，大人。”米亞擔(dān)保，阿蓮覺(jué)得男孩根本沒(méi)聽(tīng)她說(shuō)話。

“It’s best to lead the mules across,” Mya said. “If it please my lord, I’ll take mine over first, then come back for yours.” Lord Robert did not answer. He was staring at the narrow saddle with his reddened eyes. “I shan’t be long, my lord,” Mya promised, but Alayne doubted that the boy could even hear her.

私生女孩領(lǐng)著騾子踏上小路，強(qiáng)風(fēng)立刻把她裹住。斗篷飛揚(yáng)，在空中旋轉(zhuǎn)拍打。米亞踉蹌了一下，似乎就要被吹下懸崖，但最終她維持住平衡，走完了那段路。

When the bastard girl led her mule out from beneath the shelter of the spire, the wind caught her in its teeth. Her cloak lifted, twisting and flapping in the air. Mya staggered, and for half a heartbeat it seemed as if she would be blown over the precipice, but somehow she regained her balance and went on.

阿蓮抓著小勞勃戴手套的小手掌，以止住他的顫抖。“乖羅賓，”她說(shuō)，“我好害怕。抓著我的手，給我勇氣，好嗎？我知道您不怕。”

Alayne took Robert’s gloved hand in her own to stop his shaking. “Sweetrobin,” she said, “I’m scared. Hold my hand, and help me get across. I know you’re not afraid.”

他抬頭看她，眼睛瞪得跟雞蛋一樣又白又圓，瞳仁則閃爍著微小的黑光，“我不怕？”

He looked at her, his pupils small dark pinpricks in eyes as big and white as eggs. “I’m not?”

“你不怕，您是我的飛翼騎士，乖羅賓。”

“Not you. You’re my winged knight, Ser Sweetrobin.”

“飛翼騎士可以飛。”勞勃低聲說(shuō)。

“The Winged Knight could fly,” Robert whispered.

“飛得比山峰更高。”她擠擠他的手掌。

“Higher than the mountains.” She gave his hand a squeeze.

這時(shí)，米蘭達(dá)小姐也已趕到。“飛得比山峰更高。”她發(fā)現(xiàn)眼前的狀況，立刻應(yīng)和道。

Lady Myranda had joined them by the spire. “He could,” she echoed, when she saw what was happening.

“乖羅賓爵士萬(wàn)歲！”勞勃叫道，阿蓮明白她不能等米亞返回了。她把男孩抱下騾子，兩人手拉手踏上光禿的小道，任憑寒風(fēng)席卷斗篷。兩側(cè)為虛無(wú)的空洞，直落萬(wàn)丈深淵，腳底的土地結(jié)了冰，無(wú)數(shù)碎石等著絆人摔倒，而風(fēng)嘶吼得更厲害了。這聲音就像冰原狼，珊莎·史塔克心想，一頭雄偉的冰原狼，此群山更高大。

“Ser Sweetrobin,” Lord Robert said, and Alayne knew that she dare not wait for Mya to return. She helped the boy dismount, and hand in hand they walked out onto the bare stone saddle, their cloaks snapping and flapping behind them. All around was empty air and sky, the ground falling away sharply to either side. There was ice underfoot, and broken stones just waiting to turn an ankle, and the wind was howling fiercely. It sounds like a wolf, thought Sansa. A ghost wolf, big as mountains.

等他們到達(dá)小路對(duì)面，米亞高興得笑起來(lái)，把勞勃抱在空中。“小心點(diǎn)，”阿蓮囑咐她，“若是癲癇病發(fā)作，他會(huì)弄得你很痛。你看不出來(lái)，他力氣大著呢。”他們?yōu)樾」粼谏綆r下找了個(gè)縫隙歇息，以阻擋寒風(fēng)。阿蓮一直照顧他，直到痙攣停止，米亞則回頭去接其他人。

And then they were on the other side, and Mya Stone was laughing and lifting Robert for a hug. “Be careful,” Alayne told her. “He can hurt you, flailing. You wouldn’t think so, but he can.” They found a place for him, a cleft in the rock to keep him out of the cold wind. Alayne tended him until the shaking passed, whilst Mya went back to help the others cross.

大家在雪山堡換乘新騾子，還吃了一鍋山羊肉加洋蔥燉的濃湯。她跟米亞和米蘭達(dá)一起用餐。“看來(lái)，你不僅美麗，而且勇敢。”米蘭達(dá)對(duì)她說(shuō)。

Fresh mules awaited them at Snow, and a hot meal of stewed goat and onions. She ate with Mya and Myranda. “So you’re brave as well as beautiful,” Myranda said to her.

“哪里。”對(duì)方的恭維讓她臉紅。“我很怕，真的很怕，沒(méi)有勞勃大人，我肯定過(guò)不來(lái)。”她轉(zhuǎn)向米亞、·石東。“剛才你幾乎摔下去。”

“No.” The compliment made her blush. “I’m not. I was so scared. I don’t think I could have crossed without Lord Robert.” She turned to Mya Stone. “You almost fell.”

“你錯(cuò)了，我決不會(huì)摔下去。”米亞的頭發(fā)垂下額頭，蓋住一只眼睛。

“You’re mistaken. I never fall.” Mya’s hair had tumbled across her cheek, hiding one eye.

“我的意思是，你幾乎摔下去。我看見(jiàn)的。你怕嗎？”

“Almost, I said. I saw you. Weren’t you afraid?”

米亞搖搖頭，“當(dāng)年我還是個(gè)小嬰兒時(shí)，有個(gè)男人喜歡把我往空中扔，他長(zhǎng)得跟擎天柱似的，雙手如此有力，我就像在飛。我們倆笑啊，笑啊，笑得我喘不過(guò)氣，連眼淚也笑了出來(lái)，把他逗得更樂(lè)。我一點(diǎn)都不怕，我知道，他總會(huì)抓住我。”她把頭發(fā)攬上去。“結(jié)果有一天，他卻失手了。后來(lái)，那男人走了，男人就是這樣，要么撒謊，要么死去，要么離開(kāi)你。大山和男人不同，石東是它的女兒，我相信我的父親，我相信我的騾子，我決不會(huì)摔下去。”她用手撐住一塊鋸齒狀巖石，站起身來(lái)。“動(dòng)作快點(diǎn)，還有很長(zhǎng)的路，我聞到風(fēng)暴的味道。”

Mya shook her head. “I remember a man throwing me in the air when I was very little. He stands as tall as the sky, and he throws me up so high it feels as though I’m flying. We’re both laughing, laughing so much that I can hardly catch a breath, and finally I laugh so hard I wet myself, but that only makes him laugh the louder. I was never afraid when he was throwing me. I knew that he would always be there to catch me.” She pushed her hair back. “Then one day he wasn’t. Men come and go. They lie, or die, or leave you. A mountain is not a man, though, and a stone is a mountain’s daughter. I trust my father, and I trust my mules. I won’t fall.” She put her hand on a jagged spur of rock, and got to her feet. “Best finish. We have a long way yet to go, and I can smell a storm.”

過(guò)了危巖堡，大雪終于降下，這是三座沿路堡壘中最低也最大的一座，保衛(wèi)著通向鷹巢城的要害。暮色深沉，米蘭達(dá)小姐建議干脆回頭，在危巖堡過(guò)夜，等太陽(yáng)升起再行下山，但米亞根本不聽(tīng)。“到明天大雪已積上五尺，連我的騾子也走不了了，”她堅(jiān)持，“我們應(yīng)該堅(jiān)持，走慢點(diǎn)就好。”

The snow began to fall as they were leaving Stone, the largest and lowest of the three waycastles that defended the approaches to the Eyrie. Dusk was settling by then. Lady Myranda suggested that perhaps they might turn back, spend the night at Stone, and resume their descent when the sun came up, but Mya would not hear of it. “The snow might be five feet deep by then, and the steps treacherous even for my mules,” she said. “We will do better to press on. We’ll take it slow.”

所以他們繼續(xù)前進(jìn)。危巖堡下，石階相對(duì)寬闊平整，道路在巨人之槍底部的高大松木和灰綠色哨兵樹(shù)之間蜿蜒。米亞的騾子似乎了解每一個(gè)樹(shù)根和每一塊石頭的所在，偶有意外，私生女孩也敏捷地親自排除。夜半時(shí)分，他們終于透過(guò)飛雪看到月門(mén)堡的燈火，隨后的旅途舒坦多了。雪，越下越大，將周?chē)氖澜缁癁榧儼住９粤_賓在鞍上睡著了，隨騾子行動(dòng)而上下?lián)u擺，連米蘭達(dá)小姐也打起呵欠，抱怨精力不濟(jì)。“我們?yōu)樗腥硕紲?zhǔn)備了房間，”她告訴阿蓮，“不過(guò)你得跟我同床，那張床睡得下四人。”

And so they did. Below Stone the steps were broader and less steep, winding in and out of the tall pines and grey-green sentinels that cloaked the lower slopes of the Giant’s Lance. Mya’s mules knew every root and rock on the way down, it seemed, and any they forgot the bastard girl remembered. Half the night was gone before they sighted the lights of the Gates of the Moon through the falling snow. The last part of their journey was the most peaceful. The snow fell steadily, cloaking all the world in white. Sweetrobin drifted to sleep in the saddle, swaying back and forth with the motion of his mule. Even Lady Myranda began to yawn and complain of being weary. “We have apartments prepared for all of you,” she told Alayne, “but if you like you may share my bed tonight. It’s large enough for four.”

“我很榮幸，小姐。”

“I should be honored, my lady.”

“蘭達(dá)。幸運(yùn)的是，我今天累了，只想倒床便睡，一般情況下，跟我同床的小姐都得上稅，把她干過(guò)的壞勾當(dāng)交代清楚。”

“Randa. Count yourself fortunate that I’m so tired. All I want to do is curl up and go to sleep. Usually when ladies share my bed they have to pay a pillow tax and tell me all about the wicked things they’ve done.”

“如果她什么‘壞勾當(dāng)’也沒(méi)干過(guò)呢？”

“What if they haven’t done any wicked things?”

“是嗎？那她就得透漏自己所有的壞念頭。當(dāng)然啦，你不在內(nèi)，我已經(jīng)知道你是多么純潔，啊，玫瑰色的臉龐和大大的藍(lán)眼睛，多教人羨慕啊。”她又打個(gè)呵欠。“希望你的腳很暖和，我討厭腳冷冰冰的床伴。”

“Why, then they must confess all the wicked things they want to do. Not you, of course. I can see how virtuous you are just by looking at those rosy cheeks and big blue eyes of yours.” She yawned again. “I hope your feet are warm. I do hate bedmaids with cold feet.”

終于抵達(dá)米蘭達(dá)小姐父親的城堡時(shí)，小姐本人已打起呼嚕，阿蓮則滿心想著那張床。一定是張羽毛床，她告訴自己，又軟又暖又大，鋪滿毛皮。我會(huì)做個(gè)美夢(mèng)，醒來(lái)的時(shí)候，獵狗在外面叫喚，女人在身邊閑話，男人在庭院練劍。隨后開(kāi)始宴會(huì)，宴會(huì)上有音樂(lè)和舞蹈。經(jīng)歷過(guò)鷹巢城的死寂，現(xiàn)在的她無(wú)比渴望笑鬧喧嘩。

By the time they finally reached her father’s castle, Lady Myranda was drowsing too, and Alayne was dreaming of her bed. It will be a featherbed, she told herself, soft and warm and deep, piled high with furs. I will dream a sweet dream, and when I wake there will be dogs barking, women gossiping beside the well, swords ringing in the yard. And later there will be a feast, with music and dancing. After the deathly silence of the Eyrie, she yearned for shouts and laughter.

大家爬下騾子，一名培提爾的貼身護(hù)衛(wèi)突然從城中走出。“阿蓮小姐，”他稟報(bào)，“峽谷守護(hù)者正在等您。”

As the riders were climbing off their mules, however, one of Petyr’s guardsmen emerged from within the keep. “Lady Alayne,” he said, “the Lord Protector has been waiting for you.”

“他回來(lái)了？”她吃驚地問(wèn)。

“He’s back?” she said, startled.

“傍晚剛到。他在西塔等您。”

“At evenfall. You’ll find him in the west tower.”

還有幾個(gè)鐘頭就是黎明，全城都在熟睡，不過(guò)培提爾·貝里席不在內(nèi)。阿蓮發(fā)現(xiàn)他坐在噼啪作響的爐火前，跟三個(gè)她不認(rèn)識(shí)的男人對(duì)飲熱葡萄酒。她一進(jìn)門(mén)，大家紛紛起立，培提爾和煦地笑道，“過(guò)來(lái)，阿蓮，給父親一個(gè)吻吧。”

The hour was closer to dawn than to dusk, and most of the castle was asleep, but not Petyr Baelish. Alayne found him seated by a crackling fire, drinking hot mulled wine with three men she did not know. They all rose when she entered, and Petyr smiled warmly. “Alayne. Come, give your father a kiss.”

她盡職盡責(zé)地抱住他，在他臉上印下一吻，“很抱歉打擾您，父親，我不知道您有客人。”

She hugged him dutifully and kissed him on the cheek. “I am sorry to intrude, Father. No one told me you had company.”

“怎么會(huì)是打擾呢，親愛(ài)的？我正對(duì)這些好騎士們夸你是多么地盡職盡責(zé)。”

“You are never an intrusion, sweetling. I was just now telling these good knights what a dutiful daughter I had.”

“盡職而且美麗。”一位蓬厚金發(fā)如瀑布般披散到肩的年輕騎士說(shuō)，他長(zhǎng)得很俊。

“Dutiful and beautiful,” said an elegant young knight whose thick blond mane cascaded down well past his shoulders.

“是的，”第二名騎士生得結(jié)實(shí)，豪放的大胡子，根莖狀紅鼻子上布滿破裂的脈絡(luò)，粗糙的手則如火腿一般，“您把她的美給忽略了，大人。”

“Aye,” said the second knight, a burly fellow with a thick salt-and-pepper beard, a red nose bulbous with broken veins, and gnarled hands as large as hams. “You left out that part, m’lord.”

“換我也會(huì)這么做，”第三名騎士身材瘦小，笑容扭曲，長(zhǎng)著狐貍臉、尖鼻子，亂蓬蓬的橙色頭發(fā)根根豎立，“尤其是向我們這幫粗人介紹的時(shí)候。”

“I would do the same if she were my daughter,” said the last knight, a short, wiry man with a wry smile, pointed nose, and bristly orange hair. “Particularly around louts like us.”

阿蓮淺淺一笑，“您們是粗人嗎？”她逗趣道，“太謙虛啦，我認(rèn)為您們?nèi)欢际怯⒂碌尿T士。”

Alayne laughed. “Are you louts?” she said, teasing. “Why, I took the three of you for gallant knights.”

“他們的確是騎士，”培提爾說(shuō)，“但他們的英勇還需要得到證明——我相信一定不會(huì)讓人失望。阿蓮，請(qǐng)?jiān)试S我向你介紹拜倫爵士、莫茍斯爵士和夏德里奇爵士。爵士先生們，這位是阿蓮小姐，我的私生女兒，她非常地善解人意……所以嘍，請(qǐng)您們?cè)彛覀兏概胤辏行┵N心話要說(shuō)。”

“Knights they are,” said Petyr. “Their gallantry has yet to be demonstrated, but we may hope. Allow me to present Ser Byron, Ser Morgarth, and Ser Shadrich. Sers, the Lady Alayne, my natural and very clever daughter … with whom I must needs confer, if you will be so good as to excuse us.”

三位騎士鞠躬告辭，其中長(zhǎng)得最高的那位金發(fā)騎士吻了她的手。

The three knights bowed and withdrew, though the tall one with the blond hair kissed her hand before taking his leave.

“雇傭騎士嗎？”阿蓮關(guān)門(mén)后問(wèn)。

“Hedge knights?” said Alayne, when the door had closed.

“饑餓的騎士。我替我們多買(mǎi)了三把劍。時(shí)局愈發(fā)有趣了，親愛(ài)的，當(dāng)有趣的時(shí)刻終于到來(lái)時(shí)，劍是不嫌多的。人魚(yú)王號(hào)剛回海鷗鎮(zhèn)，老奧斯威爾帶來(lái)許多消息。”

“Hungry knights. I thought it best that we have a few more swords about us. The times grow ever more interesting, my sweet, and when the times are interesting you can never have too many swords. The Merling King’s returned to Gulltown, and old Oswell had some tales to tell.”

她懂得不要主動(dòng)發(fā)問(wèn)，培提爾想說(shuō)的話，自然會(huì)說(shuō)的。“沒(méi)想到您這么快就回來(lái)，”她答道，“我很高興。”

She knew better than to ask what sort of tales. If Petyr had wanted her to know, he would have told her. “I did not expect you back so soon,” she said. “I am glad you’ve come.”

“從你給我的親吻中，我可感覺(jué)不出來(lái)。”他把她拉近，用手捧起她的臉，對(duì)準(zhǔn)嘴唇，長(zhǎng)久地接吻。“這才叫‘歡迎回家’的吻，下次記得表現(xiàn)好些。”

“I would never have known it from the kiss you gave me.” He pulled her closer, caught her face between his hands, and kissed her on the lips for a long time. “Now that’s the sort of kiss that says welcome home. See that you do better next time.”

“是，父親。”她紅暈上升。

“Yes, Father.” She could feel herself blushing.

他不再?gòu)?qiáng)吻她。“你決不會(huì)相信君臨發(fā)生的事，親愛(ài)的，瑟曦的愚行一樁接一樁，而她那個(gè)由聾子、瞎子和白癡組成的御前會(huì)議又推波助瀾。我早料到她會(huì)喪國(guó)敗家，沒(méi)想到報(bào)應(yīng)來(lái)得這么快！真矛盾啊，原本希望經(jīng)歷四到五年的和平時(shí)光，等待播下的種子茁壯成長(zhǎng)，等待她自投羅網(wǎng)，最終讓我收獲果實(shí)，現(xiàn)在嘛……反正我以混亂為養(yǎng)料，抓緊時(shí)間就成，恐怕五王之戰(zhàn)留給我們的短暫和平熬不過(guò)這三位女人的時(shí)代。”

He did not hold her kiss against her. “You would not believe half of what is happening in King’s Landing, sweetling. Cersei stumbles from one idiocy to the next, helped along by her council of the deaf, the dim, and the blind. I always anticipated that she would beggar the realm and destroy herself, but I never expected she would do it quite so fast. It is quite vexing. I had hoped to have four or five quiet years to plant some seeds and allow some fruits to ripen, but now … it is a good thing that I thrive on chaos. What little peace and order the five kings left us will not long survive the three queens, I fear.”

“三位女人？”她不懂。

“Three queens?” She did not understand.

培提爾笑而不答，“我給我親愛(ài)的女兒帶回來(lái)一件禮物。”

Nor did Petyr choose to explain. Instead, he smiled and said, “I have brought my sweet girl back a gift.”

阿蓮又驚又喜。“是裙服嗎？”聽(tīng)說(shuō)海鷗鎮(zhèn)的裁縫很棒，而她受夠了單調(diào)的服色。

Alayne was as pleased as she was surprised. “Is it a gown?” She had heard there were fine seamstresses in Gulltown, and she was so tired of dressing drably.

“比裙服更好，再猜。”

“Something better. Guess again.”

“珠寶？”

“Jewels?”

“世上沒(méi)有珠寶配得上我女兒的眼睛。”

“No jewels could hope to match my daughter’s eyes.”

“檸檬？您找到檸檬了？”她答應(yīng)給乖羅賓做檸檬蛋糕，檸檬蛋糕需要檸檬。

“Lemons? Did you find some lemons?” She had promised Sweetrobin lemon cake, and for lemon cake you needed lemons.

培提爾·貝里席握住她的手，將她拉到膝蓋上，“我為你簽訂了婚約。”

Petyr Baelish took her by the hand and drew her down onto his lap. “I have made a marriage contract for you.”

“婚約……”她喉嚨發(fā)緊。不，我不要再婚，不是現(xiàn)在，也許是永遠(yuǎn)。“我不想……我不能結(jié)婚，父親，我……”阿蓮朝門(mén)口望去，確認(rèn)它緊閉著。“我結(jié)過(guò)婚了，”她低聲說(shuō)，“您知道的。”

“A marriage …” Her throat tightened. She did not want to wed again, not now, perhaps not ever. “I do not … I cannot marry. Father, I …” Alayne looked to the door, to make certain it was closed. “I am married,” she whispered. “You know.”

培提爾用一根指頭壓住她的唇。“侏儒娶的是奈德·史塔克的女兒，不是我女兒。放心吧，現(xiàn)下還只是約定，真正的儀式得等瑟曦完蛋，珊莎安安全全地當(dāng)寡婦之后舉行。但你得先與那男孩會(huì)面，并贏得他的愛(ài)情，韋伍德伯爵夫人不想違拗他的意愿，她非常堅(jiān)持這點(diǎn)。”

Petyr put a finger to her lips to silence her. “The dwarf wed Ned Stark’s daughter, not mine. Be that as it may. This is only a betrothal. The marriage must needs wait until Cersei is done and Sansa’s safely widowed. And you must meet the boy and win his approval. Lady Waynwood will not make him marry against his will, she was quite firm on that.”

“韋伍德伯爵夫人？”阿蓮簡(jiǎn)直不敢相信，“她情愿把自己的兒子嫁給……嫁給……”

“Lady Waynwood?” Alayne could hardly believe it. “Why would she marry one of her sons to … to a …”

“……嫁給私生女？首先，你別忘了，你乃峽谷守護(hù)者的私生女。韋伍德家族非常古老非常驕傲，家道卻不殷實(shí)——我為他們還債時(shí)早發(fā)現(xiàn)了。當(dāng)然，安雅夫人決不會(huì)為金錢(qián)出賣(mài)自己的兒子，但養(yǎng)子嘛……年輕的哈利只是個(gè)表親，而我提出的嫁妝比給萊昂諾·科布瑞那份更豐厚。這是必要的犧牲，因?yàn)樗爸桥嚆~約恩的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，這份婚約將使羅伊斯的所有計(jì)劃花為泡影。親愛(ài)的，你的未婚夫是哈羅德·哈頓，你只需去贏得他那顆幼稚的心……對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)，這應(yīng)該是很容易的事。”

“… bastard? For a start, you are the Lord Protector’s bastard, never forget. The Waynwoods are very old and very proud, but not as rich as one might think, as I discovered when I began buying up their debt. Not that Lady Anya would ever sell a son for gold. A ward, however … young Harry’s only a cousin, and the dower that I offered her ladyship was even larger than the one that Lyonel Corbray just collected. It had to be, for her to risk Bronze Yohn’s wroth. This will put all his plans awry. You are promised to Harrold Hardyng, sweetling, provided you can win his boyish heart … which should not be hard, for you.”

“繼承人哈利？”阿蓮試圖回憶米蘭達(dá)在山上說(shuō)的話，“他剛受封為騎士，還跟某位平民姑娘生了私生女。”

“Harry the Heir?” Alayne tried to recall what Myranda had told her about him on the mountain. “He was just knighted. And he has a bastard daughter by some common girl.”

“另一個(gè)姑娘肚子也有了他的種。我向你保證，親愛(ài)的，哈利是個(gè)好小子，柔軟的沙色頭發(fā)，深藍(lán)色的眼睛，笑起來(lái)還有酒窩。聽(tīng)說(shuō)他非常英勇喲。”他以微笑來(lái)逗弄她。“親愛(ài)的，不管你是否出自私生，這段姻緣將讓谷地每一位貴族少女為之哭泣，說(shuō)不定還會(huì)引來(lái)河間地和河灣地的嫉妒。”

“And another on the way by a different wench. Harry can be a beguiling one, no doubt. Soft sandy hair, deep blue eyes, and dimples when he smiles. And very gallant, I am told.” He teased her with a smile. “Bastard-born or no, sweetling, when this match is announced you will be the envy of every highborn maiden in the Vale, and a few from the riverlands and the Reach as well.”

“為什么呀？”阿蓮不明白，“難道哈羅德爵士是……韋伍德伯爵夫人的繼承人？她不是有兒子的嗎？”

“Why?” Alayne was lost. “Is Ser Harrold … how could he be Lady Waynwood’s heir? Doesn’t she have sons of her own blood?”

“她有三個(gè)兒子，”培提爾確認(rèn)。她聞到他嘴里的酒氣，還有丁香與豆蔻的味道。“以及許多女兒和孫子。”

“Three,” Petyr allowed. She could smell the wine on his breath, the cloves and nutmeg. “Daughters too, and grandsons.”

“他們都排在哈利之后？我不懂。”

“Won’t they come before Harry? I don’t understand.”

“你會(huì)懂的，聽(tīng)著。”培提爾執(zhí)起她的手，用指頭輕輕刷她的掌心。“我們從賈斯皮·艾林公爵說(shuō)起，他是瓊恩·艾林的父親，留下三個(gè)子女，其中兩個(gè)兒子，一個(gè)女兒。長(zhǎng)子瓊恩，鷹巢城和爵位給了他；次女亞麗，嫁給伊利·韋伍德爵士，即當(dāng)今韋伍德伯爵夫人之叔。”他扮個(gè)鬼臉。“亞麗和伊利，不挺配的嗎？賈斯皮·艾林公爵的第三子，羅納·艾林爵士，娶了貝爾摩家的老婆，但只和新娘子做過(guò)一二次便因胃病發(fā)作而奄奄一息，可憐的羅納臨死前，他兒子艾伯特在大廳另一邊降世。你在注意聽(tīng)嗎，親愛(ài)的？”

“You will. Listen.” Petyr took her hand in his own and brushed his finger lightly down the inside of her palm. “Lord Jasper Arryn, begin with him. Jon Arryn’s father. He begot three children, two sons and a daughter. Jon was the eldest, so the Eyrie and the lordship passed to him. His sister Alys wed Ser Elys Waynwood, uncle to the present Lady Waynwood.” He made a wry face. “Elys and Alys, isn’t that precious? Lord Jasper’s younger son, Ser Ronnel Arryn, wed a Belmore girl, but only rang her once or twice before dying of a bad belly. Their son Elbert was being born in one bed even as poor Ronnel was dying in another down the hall. Are you paying close attention, sweetling?”

“我在聽(tīng)呢。瓊恩、亞麗和羅納，然后羅納死了。”

“Yes. There was Jon and Alys and Ronnel, but Ronnel died.”

“很好。后來(lái)，瓊恩·艾林結(jié)婚三次，但頭兩個(gè)老婆都沒(méi)給他留下子嗣，所以他外甥艾伯特一直是他的繼承人。與此同時(shí)呢，伊利卻拼命在亞麗肚子里播種，她幾乎每年生一個(gè)孩子，最后給了丈夫八個(gè)女兒和一個(gè)寶貝的小男孩，也取名為賈斯皮——做母親的則因難產(chǎn)而死。男孩賈斯皮歷經(jīng)千辛萬(wàn)苦方才誕生于世，卻很幽默地在三歲那年被馬兒踢中腦袋……接著天花奪走了他的兩個(gè)姐姐，剩下六個(gè)當(dāng)中最年長(zhǎng)的嫁給丹尼斯·艾林爵士，他是鷹巢城本家的親戚。你知道，峽谷里到處都有艾林家族的分支，他們個(gè)個(gè)傲慢瞧不起人——海鷗鎮(zhèn)艾林家除外，這一支曉得與富商們結(jié)合，結(jié)果既發(fā)了橫財(cái)，又不引人注目，終于興旺發(fā)達(dá)。丹尼斯爵士來(lái)自于一個(gè)更驕傲更潦倒的分支……他在比武場(chǎng)上建立了名聲，長(zhǎng)得英俊，為人豪俠，知禮虔誠(chéng)，號(hào)稱(chēng)‘谷地的寵兒’，再加上他冠有神奇的艾林姓氏，因此韋伍德的長(zhǎng)女嫁了他。他們的子孫也將是艾林，并成為自艾伯特之后谷地的繼承人。真湊巧，瘋王要了艾伯特的命，你知道那個(gè)故事吧？”

“Good. Now, Jon Arryn married thrice, but his first two wives gave him no children, so for long years his nephew Elbert was his heir. Meantime, Elys was plowing Alys quite dutifully, and she was whelping once a year. She gave him nine children, eight girls and one precious little boy, another Jasper, after which she died exhausted. Boy Jasper, inconsiderate of the heroic efforts that had gone into begetting him, got himself kicked in the head by a horse when he was three years old. A pox took two of his sisters soon after, leaving six. The eldest married Ser Denys Arryn, a distant cousin to the Lords of the Eyrie. There are several branches of House Arryn scattered across the Vale, all as proud as they are penurious, save for the Gulltown Arryns, who had the rare good sense to marry merchants. They’re rich, but less than couth, so no one talks about them. Ser Denys hailed from one of the poor, proud branches … but he was also a renowned jouster, handsome and gallant and brimming with courtesy. And he had that magic Arryn name, which made him ideal for the eldest Waynwood girl. Their children would be Arryns, and the next heirs to the Vale should any ill befall Elbert. Well, as it happened, Mad King Aerys befell Elbert. You know that story?”

她知道，“他謀殺了他。”

She did. “The Mad King murdered him.”

“沒(méi)錯(cuò)，細(xì)節(jié)我就不講了。總之，丹尼斯爵士很快拋下懷孕的妻子前去參戰(zhàn)，并在鳴鐘之役中陣亡，由于過(guò)度的英勇而死于戰(zhàn)斧之下。人們把消息告訴他老婆，她便因悲死去，她的嬰兒也死了。但這些在當(dāng)時(shí)都不成問(wèn)題，因?yàn)榄偠鳌ぐ秩⒘藗€(gè)年輕老婆，一個(gè)他覺(jué)得會(huì)很豐饒的老婆。對(duì)此他充滿信心，但你我都知道他從萊莎身上得到的只有死產(chǎn)、流產(chǎn)和可憐的乖羅賓。”

“He did indeed. And soon after, Ser Denys left his pregnant Waynwood wife to ride to war. He died during the Battle of the Bells, of an excess of gallantry and an axe. When they told his lady of his death she perished of grief, and her newborn son soon followed. No matter. Jon Arryn had gotten himself a young wife during the war, one he had reason to believe fertile. He was very hopeful, I’m sure, but you and I know that all he ever got from Lysa were stillbirths, miscarriages, and poor Sweetrobin.

“讓我們回頭來(lái)考察亞麗和伊利剩下的五個(gè)女兒。次女同樣得過(guò)天花，留下嚴(yán)重的傷疤，因此作了修女；三女為傭兵所誘惑，伊利爵士將其逐出家門(mén)，結(jié)果她生的野種死于襁褓后，她加入了靜默姐妹；四女和乳頭島伯爵成婚，卻又終身不孕；五女嫁去河間地的布雷肯家族，但在途中被灼人部搶了親；第六女，作為最年輕的女兒，嫁給一名效忠韋伍德家族的地方騎士，生下一子，取名哈羅德，隨后去世。”他把她的手掌翻過(guò)來(lái)，輕輕地吻她的腕部。“所以啰，告訴我，親愛(ài)的——為何叫他繼承人哈利？”

“Which brings us back to the five remaining daughters of Elys and Alys. The eldest had been left terribly scarred by the same pox that killed her sisters, so she became a septa. Another was seduced by a sellsword. Ser Elys cast her out, and she joined the silent sisters after her bastard died in infancy. The third wed the Lord of the Paps, but proved barren. The fourth was on her way to the riverlands to marry some Bracken when Burned Men carried her off. That left the youngest, who wed a landed knight sworn to the Waynwoods, gave him a son that she named Harrold, and perished.” He turned her hand over and lightly kissed her wrist. “So tell me, sweetling—why is Harry the Heir?”

她瞪大眼睛，“他不是韋伍德伯爵夫人的繼承人，他是勞勃的繼承人！如果勞勃有個(gè)三長(zhǎng)兩短……”

Her eyes widened. “He is not Lady Waynwood’s heir. He’s Robert’s heir. If Robert were to die …”

培提爾抬起一邊眉毛，“如果勞勃有個(gè)三長(zhǎng)兩短……唉，我們可憐又勇敢的乖羅賓是個(gè)百病纏身的孩子，出什么意外也只是時(shí)間問(wèn)題；如果勞勃有個(gè)三長(zhǎng)兩短繼承人哈利就成了哈羅德大人，鷹巢城公爵和艾林谷的守護(hù)者。瓊恩·艾林的封臣們永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)喜歡我，也不會(huì)喜歡咱們成天犯病的勞勃，但他們會(huì)追隨少鷹王……等他們?cè)诨槎Y上齊集之時(shí)，你散開(kāi)棗紅的長(zhǎng)發(fā)，穿著灰白的新娘斗篷，佩帶冰原狼胸針出現(xiàn)……那樣的話，峽谷騎士們將會(huì)紛紛宣誓效忠，為你贏回北境。這就是我的禮物，親愛(ài)的珊莎……哈利，谷地和臨冬城。這難道不值得另一個(gè)吻嗎，親愛(ài)的？”

Petyr arched an eyebrow. “When Robert dies. Our poor brave Sweetrobin is such a sickly boy, it is only a matter of time. When Robert dies, Harry the Heir becomes Lord Harrold, Defender of the Vale and Lord of the Eyrie. Jon Arryn’s bannermen will never love me, nor our silly, shaking Robert, but they will love their Young Falcon … and when they come together for his wedding, and you come out with your long auburn hair, clad in a maiden’s cloak of white and grey with a direwolf emblazoned on the back … why, every knight in the Vale will pledge his sword to win you back your birthright. So those are your gifts from me, my sweet Sansa … Harry, the Eyrie, and Winterfell. That’s worth another kiss now, don’t you think?”