波文·馬爾錫催馬走到瓊恩身旁?！拔覐臎]想能有今天。”在頭骨橋腦袋受傷之后，總務長顯得更加消瘦了。他耳朵少了一塊。他看上去不那么像石榴了，瓊恩暗忖。馬爾錫說，“我們浴血奮戰在大峽谷抵擋野人。很多厲害角色死在那里，我們的朋友和弟兄。究竟為了什么？”
Bowen Marsh edged his mount up next to Jon’s. “This is a day I never thought to see.” The Lord Steward had thinned notably since suffering a head wound at the Bridge of Skulls. Part of one ear was gone. He no longer looks much like a pomegranate, Jon thought. Marsh said, “We bled to stop the wildlings at the Gorge. Good men were slain there, friends and brothers. For what?”
“王國會為我們今天所做的一切而詛咒我們，”艾里沙爵士用一種惡毒的腔調說?！熬S斯特洛的每個正派人都會唾棄守夜人?！?/p>
“The realm will curse us all for this,” declared Ser Alliser Thorne in a venomous tone. “Every honest man in Westeros will turn his head and spit at the mention of the Night’s Watch.”
你懂什么算正派人嗎？“隊伍中保持肅靜?！弊詮慕苤Z斯大人丟了腦袋之后，艾里沙爵士變得更加謹慎了，但怨恨仍然留著。瓊恩曾動過念頭把他派往史林特曾拒絕的灰衛堡，但他要盯緊這個家伙。他比杰諾斯要危險的多。他派了另外一個頭發已經花白的影子塔事務官去統領灰衛堡。
What would you know of honest men? “Quiet in the ranks.” Ser Alliser had grown more circumspect since Lord Janos had lost his head, but the malice was still there. Jon had toyed with the idea of giving him the command Slynt had refused, but he wanted the man close. He was always the more dangerous of the two. Instead he had dispatched a grizzled steward from the Shadow Tower to take command at Greyguard.
他希望這兩支新駐軍能帶來些改變。守夜人能讓自由民流血，但最終我們無法阻止他們。燒死曼斯·雷德也無法改變這一事實。我們人還是太少，而他們仍然眾多，而且沒了游騎兵，我們就同瞎了一樣。我不得不派人去巡邏。但如果我真的做了，他們還能回得來嗎？
He hoped the two new garrisons would make a difference. The Watch can make the free folk bleed, but in the end we cannot hope to stop them. Giving Mance Rayder to the fire did not change the truth of that. We are still too few and they are still too many, and without rangers, we’re good as blind. I have to send men out. But if I do, will they come back again?
通過長城的隧道狹窄而曲折，而大多數野人年老，生病或帶著傷，因此走得吃力而緩慢。當最后的野人屈服降服時，夜幕已經降臨?？又械幕鹧嬉驳吐淞?，國王映投在長城之上的身影只有最初的四分之一高了。瓊恩·雪諾能看到自己呼出得白霧，好冷，他想，而且越來越冷了。這場默默無聲的儀式拖的太久了。
The tunnel through the Wall was narrow and twisting, and many of the wildlings were old or ill or wounded, so the going was painfully slow. By the time the last of them had bent the knee, night had fallen. The pit fire was burning low, and the king’s shadow on the Wall had shrunk to a quarter of its former height. Jon Snow could see his breath in the air. Cold, he thought, and getting colder. This mummer’s show has gone on long enough.
還有四十來個俘虜滯留在圍欄里。其中有四個巨人，隆起的雙肩，濃密的毛發。雙腿粗如樹干，巨大的寬腳掌。盡管身材如此高大，他們仍能通過長城的，但其中一個巨人不愿放棄自己的猛犸象，而其他人又不肯拋下他。其余留下的都是正常的人類。有些已經死了，有些奄奄一息；其他人是他們的家人或親密伙伴，不愿為了一碗洋蔥湯而拋棄他們。
Two score captives lingered by the stockade. Four giants were among them, massive hairy creatures with sloped shoulders, legs as large as tree trunks, and huge splayed feet. Big as they were, they might still have passed through the Wall, but one would not leave his mammoth, and the others would not leave him. The rest of those who remained were all of human stature. Some were dead and some were dying; more were their kin or close companions, unwilling to abandon them even for a bowl of onion soup.
有些人在發抖，還有些凍得僵硬抖都抖不動了。他們傾聽國王的聲音在長城上回蕩?！澳銈兛梢噪S意離開，”史坦尼斯告訴他們。“把你所見證的告訴你們的人。告訴他們你所見到的真正國王，只要他們愿意保持和平，就會在他的王國受到歡迎，否則他們最好逃走或躲起來。我不會容忍任何對我的長城的攻擊?！?/p>
Some shivering, some too numb to shiver, they listened as the king’s voice rumbled off the Wall. “You are free to go,” Stannis told them. “Tell your people what you witnessed. Tell them that you saw the true king, and that they are welcome in his realm, so long as they keep his peace. Elsewise, they had best flee or hide. I will brook no further attacks upon my Wall.”
“一個王國，一位神靈，一位國王！”梅麗珊卓夫人高喊。
“One realm, one god, one king!” cried Lady Melisandre.
后黨騎士隨著這喊聲一起呼應，他們用矛柄敲打著盾牌?！耙粋€王國，一位神靈，一位國王！史坦尼斯！史坦尼斯！一個王國，一位神靈，一位國王！”
The queen’s men took up the cry, beating the butts of their spears against their shields. “One realm, one god, one king! STANNIS! STANNIS! ONE REALM, ONE GOD, ONE KING!”
瓊恩看到瓦邇沒有加入這呼喊中，黑衣兄弟也沒有。喧鬧當中剩下的幾個野人隱入了森林中。巨人是最后離開的，兩個騎在猛犸的背上，另兩個步行。身后只留下了死人。瓊恩注視著史坦尼斯在梅麗珊卓的陪伴下從平臺走下來。他紅色的身影。她從不會離開他身邊太久。國王的榮譽護衛緊隨在他們身后——歌德利爵士，克拉頓爵士，和十來個騎士，全都是后黨。他們身上的盔甲閃動著月光，寒風掀起了斗篷?！翱倓臻L大人，”瓊恩對馬爾錫說，“拆掉圍欄，用那些柵欄生火，把尸體燒掉?！?/p>
Val did not join the chant, he saw. Nor did the brothers of the Night’s Watch. During the tumult the few remaining wildlings melted into the trees. The giants were the last to go, two riding on the back of a mammoth, the other two afoot. Only the dead were left behind. Jon watched Stannis descend from the platform, with Melisandre by his side. His red shadow. She never leaves his side for long. The king’s honor guard fell in around them—Ser Godry, Ser Clayton, and a dozen other knights, queen’s men all. Moonlight shimmered on their armor and the wind whipped at their cloaks. “Lord Steward,” Jon told Marsh, “break up that stockade for firewood and throw the corpses in the flames.”
“遵命。”馬爾錫吼出命令，他手下的一群事務官走出隊列，開始拆除木制柵欄。總務長皺著眉注視著他們。“那些野人……您認為他們信守承諾嗎，大人？”
“As my lord commands.” Marsh barked out orders, and a swarm of his stewards broke from ranks to attack the wooden walls. The Lord Steward watched them, frowning. “These wildlings … do you think they will keep faith, my lord?”
“有些會，但不是所有。我們當中也有膽小鬼和惡棍，也有蠢貨和傻瓜，和他們一樣?！?/p>
“Some will. Not all. We have our cowards and our knaves, our weaklings and our fools, as do they.”
““我們的誓言……我們都曾發誓守護王國……”
“Our vows … we are sworn to protect the realm …”
“一旦自由民在新贈地定居下來，他們也就成了王國的一部分?！杯偠髦赋??！斑@是令人絕望的時刻，而且可能會愈加絕望。我們見識過我們真正的敵人，長著明亮藍眼睛的死人一樣蒼白的臉。自由民也同樣見過。史坦尼斯這么做沒有錯。我們為了共同的事業必須和野人聯手。”
“Once the free folk are settled in the Gift, they will become part of the realm,” Jon pointed out. “These are desperate days, and like to grow more desperate. We have seen the face of our real foe, a dead white face with bright blue eyes. The free folk have seen that face as well. Stannis is not wrong in this. We must make common cause with the wildlings.”
“齊心協力對抗共同的敵人，我同意這點，”波文·馬爾錫說，“但這不意味著我們該允許幾萬個餓得半死的野蠻人通過長城。讓他們回到自己的村莊，在那兒抵抗異鬼，與此同時我們封閉城門。奧賽爾告訴我那不難做到。我們只需用石塊堵住隧道，往殺人洞里灌上水。剩下的就交給長城。寒冷、尸鬼……一個月之后，長城就好似根本沒有過城門一樣。任何敵人都需要鑿出一條路來。”
“Common cause against a common foe, I could agree with that,” said Bowen Marsh, “but that does not mean we should allow tens of thousands of half-starved savages through the Wall. Let them return to their villages and fight the Others there, whilst we seal the gates. It will not be difficult, Othell tells me. We need only fill the tunnels with chunks of stone and pour water through the murder holes. The Wall does the rest. The cold, the weight … in a moon’s turn, it will be as if no gate had ever been. Any foe would need to hack his way through.”
“還可以翻過來?！?/p>
“Or climb.”
“不可能，”波文·馬爾錫說。“他們沒有掠襲者，翻過來偷個老婆或者搶點什么東西。托蒙德只有老婦、孩童、成群的山羊和綿羊，甚至猛犸象。他需要一扇門，而這里只剩下三扇門。如果他派人攀爬的話，那么，對付那些攀登者就像在壺里叉魚一樣容易?！?/p>
“Unlikely,” said Bowen Marsh. “These are not raiders, out to steal a wife and some plunder. Tormund will have old women with him, children, herds of sheep and goats, even mammoths. He needs a gate, and only three of those remain. And if he should send climbers up, well, defending against climbers is as simple as spearing fish in a kettle.”
魚兒可不會從水壺里爬出來然后用一把長矛捅過你肚子。瓊恩自己就爬過長城。
Fish never climb out of the kettle and shove a spear through your belly. Jon had climbed the Wall himself.
馬爾錫繼續說道，“根據我們從收集到的箭桿數量上判斷，曼斯·雷德的弓箭手朝我們射了上萬枝箭。但爬上城頭和我們短兵相接的還不到一百人，他們中的大多數都被飄忽不定的大風卷走了。玫瑰林的紅埃林是唯一一個死在那兒的人，他是掉下長城摔死的，而不是死于射中腿部的箭。唐納·諾伊為了把守城門而死。一個英勇的壯舉，是的……但如果堵上城門，我們勇敢的武器師傅仍會與我們同在。不管我們面對的是一百個還是十萬個敵人，只要我們在城頭上居高臨下，他們就傷不到我們?！?/p>
Marsh went on. “Mance Rayder’s bowmen must have loosed ten thousand arrows at us, judging from the number of spent shafts we’ve gathered up. Fewer than a hundred reached our men atop the Wall, most of those lifted by some errant gust of wind. Red Alyn of the Rosewood was the only man to die up there, and it was his fall that killed him, not the arrow that pricked his leg. Donal Noye died to hold the gate. A gallant act, yes … but if the gate had been sealed, our brave armorer might still be with us. Whether we face a hundred foes or a hundred thousand, so long as we’re atop the Wall and they’re below, they cannot do us harm.”
他說得沒錯。曼斯·雷德的軍隊如同拍在礁石的海浪一樣，在長城面前撞得粉碎，盡管守衛者不過是一小撮老家伙、毛頭小子和殘疾人。然而瓊恩的直覺覺得波文的建議不太對勁。“如果我們封閉城門，就沒法派遣游騎兵，”他指出，“我們會如同瞎了一樣。”
He’s not wrong. Mance Rayder’s host had broken against the Wall like a wave upon a stony shore, though the defenders were no more than a handful of old men, green boys, and cripples. Yet what Bowen was suggesting went against all of Jon’s instincts. “If we seal the gates, we cannot send out rangers,” he pointed out. “We will be as good as blind.”
“莫爾蒙大人最后一次的巡邏損失了守夜人四分之一的兵力，大人。我們需要保存實力。每死一個弟兄都會削弱我們，我們的實力就會日漸單薄……我叔叔常說，堅守高地贏得戰役。沒有哪比長城更高了，總司令大人?！?/p>
“Lord Mormont’s last ranging cost the Watch a quarter of its men, my lord. We need to conserve what strength remains us. Every death diminishes us, and we are stretched so thin … Take the high ground and win the battle, my uncle used to say. No ground is higher than the Wall, Lord Commander.”
“史坦尼斯向屈服的野人許諾了土地、食物和公正。他不會允許我們封上城門的。”
“Stannis promises land, food, and justice to any wildlings who bend the knee. He will never permit us to seal the gates.”
馬爾錫猶豫了。“雪諾大人，我不是一個傳謠的人，但有傳言說您實在……實在對史坦尼斯太友好了。一些人甚至暗示您是……一個……”
Marsh hesitated. “Lord Snow, I am not one to bear tales, but there has been talk that you are becoming too … too friendly with Lord Stannis. Some even suggest that you are … a …”
叛徒和變色龍，是的，還是個雜種和狼靈。杰諾斯·史林特雖死，但他的謠言并未消散?！拔抑浪麄冋f了什么?！杯偠髀牭竭^那些竊竊私語，看到當他穿過庭院時他們扭過頭去?！八麄兿胱屛腋墒裁?，拿起劍與史坦尼斯和野人同時為敵？國王陛下有三倍我們的人馬，而且他是我們的客人，受賓客權利的保護。我們還欠他和他的人一筆債?！?/p>
A rebel and a turncloak, aye, and a bastard and a warg as well. Janos Slynt might be gone, but his lies lingered. “I know what they say.” Jon had heard the whispers, had seen men turn away when he crossed the yard. “What would they have me do, take up swords against Stannis and the wildlings both? His Grace has thrice the fighting men we do, and is our guest besides. The laws of hospitality protect him. And we owe him and his a debt.”
“史坦尼斯大人雖然雪中送炭幫了我們一把。”馬爾錫固執道，“但他仍是名叛賊，他的事業已經注定失敗。正如我們注定會被鐵王座視為叛徒。我們必須確保我們沒有選擇失敗者一邊。”
“Lord Stannis helped us when we needed help,” Marsh said doggedly, “but he is still a rebel, and his cause is doomed. As doomed as we’ll be if the Iron Throne marks us down as traitors. We must be certain that we do not choose the losing side.”
“我沒打算選擇任何一邊，”瓊恩說，“但我不像你那樣確定這場戰爭的結果，大人。泰溫公爵死了之后更不能確定?！比绻麖膰醮蟮赖膫鱽淼墓适驴尚?，那么首相大人就是蹲在馬桶上時被自己的侏儒兒子殺掉了。瓊恩對提利昂·蘭尼斯特還是略知一二。他握過我的手，稱我為朋友。很難相信那個小家伙心中會有弒親的念頭，但泰溫公爵的去世不容置疑。“君臨城的那頭獅子還是個幼崽，而眾所周知鐵王座能把一個成年男人撕成碎片?！?/p>
“It is not my intent to choose any side,” said Jon, “but I am not as certain of the outcome of this war as you seem to be, my lord. Not with Lord Tywin dead.” If the tales coming up the kingsroad could be believed, the King’s Hand had been murdered by his dwarf son whilst sitting on a privy. Jon had known Tyrion Lannister, briefly. He took my hand and named me friend. It was hard to believe the little man had it in him to murder his own sire, but the fact of Lord Tywin’s demise seemed to be beyond doubt. “The lion in King’s Landing is a cub, and the Iron Throne has been known to cut grown men to ribbons.”
“他是個孩子，大人，但……勞勃國王深受愛戴，大多數人都認定托曼是他的兒子。他們接觸史坦尼斯大人越多，對他的敬愛也就越少，更少人會喜愛帶著她的火焰的梅麗珊卓夫人和她殘酷的紅色火神。他們在抱怨?！?/p>
“A boy he may be, my lord, but … King Robert was well loved, and most men still accept that Tommen is his son. The more they see of Lord Stannis the less they love him, and fewer still are fond of Lady Melisandre with her fires and this grim red god of hers. They complain.”
“他們也同樣沖莫爾蒙總司令大人抱怨過。他曾告訴過我，人們喜愛抱怨他們的老婆和領主，沒老婆的人會加倍抱怨他們的領主。”瓊恩·雪諾朝圍欄瞥去。兩面墻已經拆倒，第三面也正迅速倒下。“你留下來料理完這兒的事情，波文。確保每一具尸體都燒掉。感謝你的忠告，我向你保證我會好好考慮你所說的話?！?/p>
“They complained about Lord Commander Mormont too. Men love to complain about their wives and lords, he told me once. Those without wives complain twice as much about their lords.” Jon Snow glanced toward the stockade. Two walls were down, a third falling fast. “I will leave you to finish here, Bowen. Make certain every corpse is burned. Thank you for your counsel. I promise you, I will think on all you’ve said.”
當瓊恩匆匆返回城門時，煙灰仍在火坑上方縈繞。他在火坑旁下馬，牽著他的坐騎穿越冰墻去南邊。憂郁的艾迪舉著火把在前面帶路?；鸢训幕鹧嫣蛑错?，他們每走一步上面都會落下冰冷的水滴。
Smoke and drifting ash still lingered in the air about the pit as Jon trotted back to the gate. There he dismounted, to walk his garron through the ice to the south side. Dolorous Edd went before him with a torch. Its flames licked the ceiling, so cold tears trickled down upon them with every step.
“看到號角被燒掉真叫人松了口氣，大人。”艾迪說?！熬驮谧蛲砦覊舻疆斘艺L城外撒尿時，有個家伙吹響了號角。我沒抱怨。這夢比我以前做過的要好多了，有次夢到狗頭哈犸把我喂給她的豬?！?/p>
“It was a relief to see that horn burn, my lord,” Edd said. “Just last night I dreamt I was pissing off the Wall when someone decided to give the horn a toot. Not that I’m complaining. It was better than my old dream, where Harma Dogshead was feeding me to her pigs.”
“哈犸死了。”瓊恩說?！暗呢i沒死。它們盯著我的樣子就像屠夫盯著火腿。不是說野人們打算傷害我們。是的，我們是把他們的神砍成了碎片燒掉，但我們也給了他們洋蔥湯。一個神靈與一碗美味的洋蔥湯相比會如何？我知道該選哪個?！?/p>
“Harma’s dead,” Jon said. “But not the pigs. They look at me the way Slayer used to look at ham. Not to say that the wildlings mean us harm. Aye, we hacked their gods apart and made them burn the pieces, but we gave them onion soup. What’s a god compared to a nice bowl of onion soup? I could do with one myself.”
煙和燒焦血肉的氣味仍黏在瓊恩的黑衣上。他知道他必須吃點東西，但他渴望的是伙伴而不是食物。和伊蒙學士喝杯酒，和山姆聊些悄悄話，和派普、葛蘭、陶德開幾個玩笑。但伊蒙和山姆已經走了，而其他的朋友……“今晚我想和弟兄們共進晚餐。”
The odors of smoke and burned flesh still clung to Jon’s blacks. He knew he had to eat, but it was company he craved, not food. A cup of wine with Maester Aemon, some quiet words with Sam, a few laughs with Pyp and Grenn and Toad. Aemon and Sam were gone, though, and his other friends … “I will take supper with the men this evening.”
“煮牛肉和甜菜?！睉n郁的艾迪似乎知道菜單。“但哈布說辣根用完了。沒了辣根煮牛肉還有什么好吃的？”
“Boiled beef and beets.” Dolorous Edd always seemed to know what was cooking. “Hobb says he’s out of horseradish, though. What good is boiled beef without horseradish?”
自從野人燒掉舊議事廳之后，守夜人就改在了軍械庫下面的石窖用餐了，一個被兩排方石柱隔開的空闊地方，有著拱形的房頂，無數的葡萄和麥酒酒桶靠墻擺放著。瓊恩走進來時，四個工匠正在最靠近樓梯的桌旁下棋，挨著火爐坐著一群游騎兵和幾個國王的人，安靜地交談著。
Since the wildlings had burned the old common hall, the men of the Night’s Watch took their meals in the stone cellar below the armory, a cavernous space divided by two rows of square stone pillars, with barrel-vaulted ceilings and great casks of wine and ale along the walls. When Jon entered, four builders were playing at tiles at the table nearest the steps. Closer to the fire sat a group of rangers and a few king’s men, talking quietly.
年輕人都聚在另一張桌旁，派普正用自己的刀子叉著一塊蕪菁?！耙雇砥岷?，蕪菁游蕩，”他用一種莊嚴的腔調宣布?！白屛覀優榱寺谷馄矶\，我的子民，帶上洋蔥和一點美味的肉汁?！彼呐笥褌兇笮Α鹛m，陶德，紗丁，全都發出大笑。
The younger men were gathered at another table, where Pyp had stabbed a turnip with his knife. “The night is dark and full of turnips,” he announced in a solemn voice. “Let us all pray for venison, my children, with some onions and a bit of tasty gravy.” His friends laughed—Grenn, Toad, Satin, the whole lot of them.
瓊恩·雪諾沒跟著一起笑?！叭⌒e人的信仰是傻瓜才干的事，派普。而且危險?！?/p>
Jon Snow did not join the laughter. “Making mock of another man’s prayer is fool’s work, Pyp. And dangerous.”
“如果紅神被冒犯了，就讓他揍我吧?！?/p>
“If the red god’s offended, let him strike me down.”
所有笑聲都戛然而止?！拔覀兪窃谌⌒δ莻€女祭司，”紗丁說，他是一個嬌弱漂亮的年輕人，曾在在舊鎮做男妓?！拔覀冎皇情_個玩笑，大人?！?/p>
All the smiles had died. “It was the priestess we were laughing at,” said Satin, a lithe and pretty youth who had once been a whore in Oldtown. “We were only having a jape, my lord.”
“你們有你們的神靈，而她有她的。別去理她。”
“You have your gods and she has hers. Leave her be.”
“她可不會放過我們的神，”陶德爭辯道?！八哑呱穹Q做偽神，大人。還有舊神。她逼迫野人燒掉魚梁木枝條。您看見了?！?/p>
“She won’t let our gods be,” argued Toad. “She calls the Seven false gods, m’lord. The old gods too. She made the wildlings burn weirwood branches. You saw.”
“梅麗珊卓夫人不是歸我管轄，但你們是。我不想在國王的人和我的人之間有嫌怨?！?/p>
“Lady Melisandre is not part of my command. You are. I won’t have bad blood between the king’s men and my own.”
派普拍了一下陶德的胳膊。“別吵啦，勇敢的陶德，我們偉大的雪諾大人已經發話了?！迸善仗_，給瓊恩嘲弄地鞠了一躬?！拔艺埱笤彙慕褚院螅瑳]有大人您的許可，我再也不會搖擺我的耳朵了?！?/p>
Pyp laid a hand on Toad’s arm. “Croak no more, brave Toad, for our Great Lord Snow has spoken.” Pyp hopped to his feet and gave Jon a mocking bow. “I beg pardon. Henceforth, I shall not even waggle my ears save by your lordship’s lordly leave.”
他以為這不過是些游戲。瓊恩想讓他清醒些。“想搖你的耳朵盡管去搖。管不住你的舌頭可會招惹麻煩。”
He thinks this is all some game. Jon wanted to shake some sense into him. “Waggle your ears all you like. It’s your tongue waggling that makes the trouble.”
“我會盯著他讓他更謹慎些的，”葛蘭保證，“如果他不聽話，我就揍他?！彼行┻t疑?！按笕?，您要和我們一起進餐嗎？歐文，擠一擠給瓊恩挪點地方。”
“I’ll see that he’s more careful,” Grenn promised, “and I’ll clout him if he’s not.” He hesitated. “My lord, will you sup with us? Owen, shove over and make room for Jon.”
瓊恩僅能要求這么多了。他不得不提醒自己，那些時光都已逝去了。這想法像把刀子在他肚子里攪著。他們選擇了他來統領。長城是他的，他們的性命也是。領主應該關懷他的手下，他能聽到他父親大人的教誨，但他不能和他們成為朋友。會有一天他出席審判他們，或者將他們派上前線送死。“改天吧。”總司令大人撒謊道。“艾迪，你最好自己先吃。我還有工作要完成。”
Jon wanted nothing more. No, he had to tell himself, those days are gone. The realization twisted in his belly like a knife. They had chosen him to rule. The Wall was his, and their lives were his as well. A lord may love the men that he commands, he could hear his lord father saying, but he cannot be a friend to them. One day he may need to sit in judgment on them, or send them forth to die. “Another day,” the lord commander lied. “Edd, best see to your own supper. I have work to finish.”
外面似乎比剛才更冷了。穿過城堡，他可以看見國王塔窗戶中透出的燭光。瓦邇站在塔頂，凝視著長城。史坦尼斯安排她住在自己樓上的房間以嚴加看管，但他允許她在城垛上散步當作鍛煉。她看上去孤單寂寞，瓊恩想。孤單而動人。耶哥蕊特別有風采，一頭火吻而生的紅發，是她的微笑讓她的面容更添神采。瓦邇用不著笑；她會令世上任何一個男人都墜入愛河。
The outside air seemed even colder than before. Across the castle, he could see candlelight shining from the windows of the King’s Tower. Val stood on the tower roof, gazing up at the Wall. Stannis kept her closely penned in rooms above his own, but he did allow her to walk the battlements for exercise. She looks lonely, Jon thought. Lonely, and lovely. Ygritte had been pretty in her own way, with her red hair kissed by fire, but it was her smile that made her face come alive. Val did not need to smile; she would have turned men’s heads in any court in the wide world.
盡管如此，野人公主卻不被她的看守者所喜愛。她輕蔑地視他們為“下跪之人”，還三次試圖逃跑。有一次一個士兵在她面前稍不留神，就被她從鞘中奪到匕首，脖子上挨了一刀。稍偏一寸就會要了他的命。
All the same, the wildling princess was not beloved of her gaolers. She scorned them all as “kneelers,” and had thrice attempted to escape. When one man-at-arms grew careless in her presence she had snatched his dagger from its sheath and stabbed him in the neck. Another inch to the left and he might have died.
孤獨，可愛又致命，瓊恩·雪諾想，我本可以得到她。她，臨冬城，還有我父親大人的姓氏。然而他卻選擇了黑衣和冰冷的城墻。他選擇了榮譽。一個私生子的某種榮譽。
Lonely and lovely and lethal, Jon Snow reflected, and I might have had her. Her, and Winterfell, and my lord father’s name. Instead he had chosen a black cloak and a wall of ice. Instead he had chosen honor. A bastard’s sort of honor.
在他穿過庭院時，長城在他右側聳立。高處的冰墻閃動著微光，但下面全都籠罩在陰影之中。在大門那里，幾縷昏黃的燈光從守衛避風崗哨的板條間透出。瓊恩聽到當升降鐵籠隨風搖晃和撞到冰墻上時鐵鏈發出的吱嘎聲響。城墻之上，哨兵們也許正躲進暖棚里圍坐在的火盆旁，風聲帶走了喊話聲。也許他們放棄了無用的努力，每個人陷入自己靜靜的沉思當中。我應該在冰墻上走走。長城是我的。
The Wall loomed on his right as he crossed the yard. Its high ice glimmered palely, but down below all was shadow. At the gate a dim orange glow shone through the bars where the guards had taken refuge from the wind. Jon could hear the creak of chains as the winch cage swung and scraped against the ice. Up top, the sentries would be huddling in the warming shed around a brazier, shouting to be heard above the wind. Or else they would have given up the effort, and each man would be sunk in his own pool of silence. I should be walking the ice. The Wall is mine.
他走在總司令塔的外墻下，經過了耶哥蕊特死在他懷里的那個地方。當白靈在他身邊出現時，它溫暖的喘息在在寒風中化成霧氣。月光下，它紅色的雙眼像兩團跳動的火焰。瓊恩的嘴巴充滿了溫暖的鮮血的味道，他知道到白靈今晚又出去捕獵了。不，他想。我是人，不是狼。他用手套抹了抹嘴，吐了口唾沫。
He was walking beneath the shell of the Lord Commander’s Tower, past the spot where Ygritte had died in his arms, when Ghost appeared beside him, his warm breath steaming in the cold. In the moonlight, his red eyes glowed like pools of fire. The taste of hot blood filled Jon’s mouth, and he knew that Ghost had killed that night. No, he thought. I am a man, not a wolf. He rubbed his mouth with the back of a gloved hand and spat.
克萊達斯仍舊占據鴉巢下的房間。瓊恩敲門之后很久他才過來開門，手里端著一根細細的蠟燭，只把門打開了一條小縫?！拔掖驍_到你了嗎？”瓊恩問。
Clydas still occupied the rooms beneath the rookery. At Jon’s knock, he came shuffling, a taper in his hand, to open the door a crack. “Do I intrude?” asked Jon.
“根本沒有。”克萊達斯拉開門?！拔艺裏峋颇?，大人來一杯嗎？”
“Not at all.” Clydas opened the door wider. “I was mulling wine. Will my lord take a cup?”
“樂意之至。”他的雙手已經凍僵了。他脫掉手套，活動著手指。
“With pleasure.” His hands were stiff from cold. He pulled off his gloves and flexed his fingers.
克萊達斯走回壁爐攪拌著酒。他大概六十來歲。一位老人。他看上去只比伊蒙年輕。他又矮又胖，長了一雙像某些夜間活動的生物所具有的那種暗淡的紅色眼睛，頭皮上還剩下幾小撮白發?？巳R達斯倒酒的時候，瓊恩雙手握緊了杯子，嗅著酒香，大口地吞咽著。暖意在他胸口擴散。他又灌下一大口沖去口腔里的血腥味。
Clydas returned to the hearth to stir the wine. He’s sixty if he’s a day. An old man. He only seemed young compared with Aemon. Short and round, he had the dim pink eyes of some nocturnal creature. A few white hairs clung to his scalp. When Clydas poured, Jon held the cup with both hands, sniffed the spices, swallowed. The warmth spread through his chest. He drank again, long and deep, to wash the taste of blood from his mouth.
“后黨人士說塞外之王死得像個懦夫。他哭叫著求饒否認自己是個國王。”
“The queen’s men are saying that the King-Beyond-the-Wall died craven. That he cried for mercy and denied he was a king.”
“確實如此。光明使者比以往我所見的都要明亮，像太陽一樣明亮。”瓊恩舉起他的杯子?！熬词诽鼓崴购退哪??！逼咸丫圃谒彀屠镒兊冒l苦。
“He did. Lightbringer was brighter than I’d ever seen it. As bright as the sun.” Jon raised his cup. “To Stannis Baratheon and his magic sword.” The wine was bitter in his mouth.
“陛下可不好相處。戴上王冠的沒幾個好相處。許多好人都當不了好國王，伊蒙學士過去常說，而惡人卻能做好國王。”
“His Grace is not an easy man. Few are, who wear a crown. Many good men have been bad kings, Maester Aemon used to say, and some bad men have been good kings.”
“他的確了解這些?！币撩伞ぬ垢窭惨娺^九個國王坐上鐵王座。他曾是國王的兒子，國王的兄弟，國王的叔叔?！拔易x了伊蒙學士留給我的書?！队窈８攀觥?。提到亞梭爾·亞亥的那些章節。光明使者是他的劍。如果弗塔所說的可信，那劍用他妻子的鮮血淬火的。從那之后光明使者從未涼到可以觸碰，始終和妮莎·妮莎一樣溫暖。在戰斗中劍刃就會像火焰一樣熾熱。有一次亞梭爾·亞亥和一頭怪獸搏斗，當他把寶劍插入野獸的腹部時，它的血液開始沸騰。煙和蒸汽從它嘴里涌出，它的眼睛融化順著臉頰流下，然后它的身體迸發出火焰?！?/p>
“He would know.” Aemon Targaryen had seen nine kings upon the Iron Throne. He had been a king’s son, a king’s brother, a king’s uncle. “I looked at that book Maester Aemon left me. The Jade Compendium. The pages that told of Azor Ahai. Lightbringer was his sword. Tempered with his wife’s blood if Votar can be believed. Thereafter Lightbringer was never cold to the touch, but warm as Nissa Nissa had been warm. In battle the blade burned fiery hot. Once Azor Ahai fought a monster. When he thrust the sword through the belly of the beast, its blood began to boil. Smoke and steam poured from its mouth, its eyes melted and dribbled down its cheeks, and its body burst into flame.”
克萊達斯眨了眨眼?！耙话涯茏约喊l熱的寶劍……”
Clydas blinked. “A sword that makes its own heat …”
“……對長城可是件好東西?！杯偠靼阉木票诺揭慌?，戴上自己的黑鼴鼠皮手套?！斑z憾的是史坦尼斯揮舞的那把劍卻是冰冷的。我很期待見識他的光明使者在戰斗中會有如何的表現。謝謝你的酒。白靈，過來?！杯偠鳌ぱ┲Z拉起他斗篷的兜帽推開門。白色冰原狼跟隨著他走入夜色。
“… would be a fine thing on the Wall.” Jon put aside his wine cup and drew on his black moleskin gloves. “A pity that the sword that Stannis wields is cold. I’ll be curious to see how his Lightbringer behaves in battle. Thank you for the wine. Ghost, with me.” Jon Snow raised the hood of his cloak and pulled at the door. The white wolf followed him back into the night.
軍械庫幽暗寂靜。瓊恩朝守衛點點頭，然后穿過默不作聲的長矛架子走進自己的房間。他把劍帶掛在門邊的一個釘子上，斗篷掛到另一個釘子上。當他脫下手套時，他的雙手又已凍得僵硬了。他好不容易才點燃蠟燭。白靈蜷在地毯上睡著了，但瓊恩還不能休息。疤痕累累的松木桌上堆滿長城和境外的地圖、游騎兵的名冊，和一封從影子塔送來的丹尼斯·梅里斯特爵士用光滑的手寫下的信。
The armory was dark and silent. Jon nodded to the guards before making his way past the silent racks of spears to his rooms. He hung his sword belt from a peg beside the door and his cloak from another. When he peeled off his gloves, his hands were stiff and cold. It took him a long while to get the candles lit. Ghost curled up on his rug and went to sleep, but Jon could not rest yet. The scarred pinewood table was covered with maps of the Wall and the lands beyond, a roster of rangers, and a letter from the Shadow Tower written in Ser Denys Mallister’s flowing hand.
他把影子塔的來信又讀了一遍，削尖一根羽毛筆，啟開一瓶黑色濃墨水。他寫了兩封信，第一封寫給丹尼斯爵士，第二封寫給卡特·派克。他倆不停地向他索要更多的人手。瓊恩派遣霍德和陶德西去影子塔，葛蘭和派普則前往東海望。字跡有些斷續，措辭也顯得生硬、粗糙和笨拙，但他沒管這些。
He read the letter from the Shadow Tower again, sharpened a quill, and unstoppered a pot of thick black ink. He wrote two letters, the first to Ser Denys, the second to Cotter Pyke. Both of them had been hounding him for more men. Halder and Toad he dispatched west to the Shadow Tower, Grenn and Pyp to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. The ink would not flow properly, and all his words seemed curt and crude and clumsy, yet he persisted.
當他終于放下羽毛筆時，房間已變得昏暗和冰冷，讓他感到四周墻壁在合攏。熊老的烏鴉落在窗戶上，正用著機靈的黑眼睛凝視著他。我最后的朋友，瓊恩悲傷地想到。我最好活得比你久，否則你也會吃掉我的臉。白靈不算在內。白靈比起朋友還要親近。白靈是他的一部分。
When he finally put the quill down, the room was dim and chilly, and he could feel its walls closing in. Perched above the window, the Old Bear’s raven peered down at him with shrewd black eyes. My last friend, Jon thought ruefully. And I had best outlive you, or you’ll eat my face as well. Ghost did not count. Ghost was closer than a friend. Ghost was part of him.
瓊恩起身爬上通往曾屬于唐納·諾伊的那張窄床的樓梯。這是我的命運，當他脫下衣服時想道，至死方休。
Jon rose and climbed the steps to the narrow bed that had once been Donal Noye’s. This is my lot, he realized as he undressed, from now until the end of my days.
