grrm.astormofswords-第147部分

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　Three…quarters　of　the　village　had　taken　Jon's　warning　to　heart　and　e　to　Castle　Black　for　refuge。　Noye　had　decreed　that　every　man　still　spry　enough　to　hold　a　spear　or　swing　an　axe　would　help　defend　the　barricade；　else　they　could　damn　well　go　home　and　take　their　chances　with　the　Therms。　He　had　emptied　the　armory　to　put　good　steel　in　their　hands；　big　double…bladed　axes；　razor…sharp　daggers；　longswords；　maces；　spiked　morningstars。　Clad　in　studded　leather　jerkins　and　mail　hauberks；　with　greaves　for　their　legs　and　gorgets　to　keep　their　heads　on　their　shoulders；　a　few　of　them　even　looked　like　soldiers。　In　a　bad　light。　If　you　squint。
　Noye　had　put　the　women　and　children　to　work　as　well。　Those　too　young　to　fight　would　carry　water　and　tend　the　fires；　the　Mole's　Town　midwife　would　assist　Clydas　and　Maester　Aemon　with　any　wounded；　and　Three…Finger　Hobb　suddenly　had　more　spit　boys；　kettle　stirrers；　and　onion　choppers　than　he　knew　what　to　do　with。　Two　of　the　whores　had　even　offered　to　fight；　and　had　shown　enough　skill　with　the　crossbow　to　be　given　a　place　on　the　steps　forty　feet　up。
　〃It's　cold。〃　Satin　stood　with　his　hands　tucked　into　his　armpits　under　his　cloak。　His　cheeks　were　bright　red。
　Jon　made　himself　smile。　〃The　Frostfangs　are　cold。　This　is　a　brisk　autumn　day。〃
　〃I　hope　I　never　see　the　Frostfangs　then。　I　knew　a　girl　in　Oldtown　who　liked　to　ice　her　wine。　That's　the　best　place　for　ice；　I　think。　In　wine。〃　Satin　glanced　south；　frowned。　〃You　think　the　scarecrow　sentinels　scared　them　off；　my　lord？〃
　〃We　can　hope。〃　It　was　possible；　Jon　supposed　。　。　。　but　more　likely　the　wildlings　had　simply　paused　for　a　bit　of　rape　and　plunder　in　Mole's　Town。　Or　maybe　Styr　was　waiting　for　nightfall；　to　move　up　under　cover　of　darkness。
　Midday　came　and　went；　with　still　no　sign　of　Therms　on　the　kingsroad。　Jon　heard　footsteps　inside　the　tower；　though；　and　Owen　the　Oaf　popped　up　out　of　the　trapdoor；　red…faced　from　the　climb。　He　had　a　basket　of　buns　under　one　arm；　a　wheel　of　cheese　under　the　other；　a　bag　of　onions　dangling　from　one　hand。　〃Hobb　said　to　feed　you；　in　case　you're　stuck　up　here　awhile。〃
　That；　or　for　our　last　meal。　〃Thank　him　for　us；　Owen。〃
　Dick　Follard　was　deaf　as　a　stone；　but　his　nose　worked　well　enough。
　The　buns　were　still　warm　from　the　oven　when　he　went　digging　in　the　basket　and　plucked　one　out。　He　found　a　crock　of　butter　as　well；　and　spread　some　with　his　dagger。　〃Raisins；〃　he　announced　happily。　〃Nuts；　too。〃　His　speech　was　thick；　but　easy　enough　to　understand　once　you　got　used　to　it。
　〃You　can　have　mine　too；〃　said　Satin。　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃
　〃Eat；〃　Jon　told　him。　〃There's　no　knowing　when　you'll　have　another　chance。〃　He　took　two　buns　himself　。　The　nuts　were　pine　nuts；　and　besides　the　raisins　there　were　bits　of　dried　apple。
　〃Will　the　wildlings　e　today；　Lord　Snow？〃　Owen　asked。
　〃You'll　know　if　they　do；〃　said　Jon。　〃Listen　for　the　horns。〃
　〃Two。　Two　is　for　wildlings。〃　Owen　was　tall；　towheaded；　and　amiable；　a　tireless　worker　and　surprisingly　deft　when　it　came　to　working　wood　and　fixing　catapults　and　the　like；　but　as　he'd　gladly　tell　you；　his　mother　had　dropped　him　on　his　head　when　he　was　a　baby；　and　half　his　wits　had　leaked　out　through　his　ear。
　〃You　remember　where　to　go？〃　Jon　asked　him。
　〃I'm　to　go　to　the　stairs；　Donal　Noye　says。　I'm　to　go　up　to　the　third　landing　and　shoot　my　crossbow　down　at　the　wildlings　if　they　try　to　climb　over　the　barrier。　The　third　landing；　one　two　three。〃　His　head　bobbed　up　and　down。　〃If　the　wildlings　attack；　the　king　will　e　and　help　us；　won't　he？　He's　a　mighty　warrior；　King　Robert。　He's　sure　to　e。　Maester　Aemon　sent　him　a　bird。〃
　There　was　no　use　telling　him　that　Robert　Baratheon　was　dead。　He　would　forget　it；　as　he'd　forgotten　it　before。　〃Maester　Aemon　sent　him　a　bird；〃　Jon　agreed。　That　seemed　to　make　Owen　happy。
　Maester　Aemon　had　sent　a　lot　of　birds　。　。　。　not　to　one　king；　but　to　four。　Wildlings　at　the　gate；　the　message　ran。　The　realm　in　danger。　Send　all　the　help　you　can　to　Castle　Black；　Even　as　far　as　Oldtown　and　the　Citadel　the　ravens　flew；　and　to　half　a　hundred　mighty　lords　in　their　castles。　The　northern　lords　offered　their　best　hope；　so　to　them　Aemon　had　sent　two　birds。　To　the　Umbers　and　the　Boltons；　to　Castle　Cerwyn　and　Torrhen's　Square；　Karhold　and　Deepwood　Motte；　to　Bear　Island；　Oldcastle；　Widow's　Watch；　White　Harbor；　Barrowton；　and　the　Rills；　to　the　mountain　fastnesses　of　the　Liddles；　the　Burleys；　the　Norreys；　the　Harclays；　and　the　Wulls；　the　black　birds　brought　their　plea。　Wildlings　at　the　gate。　The　north　in　danger。　e　with　all　your　strength。
　Well；　ravens　might　have　wings；　but　lords　and　kings　do　not。　If　help　was　ing；　it　would　not　e　today。
　As　morning　turned　to　afternoon；　the　smoke　of　Mole's　Town　blew　away　and　the　southern　sky　was　clear　again。　No　clouds；　thought　Jon。　That　was　good。　Rain　or　snow　could　doom　them　all。
　Clydas　and　Maester　Aemon　rode　the　winch　cage　up　to　safety　at　the　top　of　the　Wall；　and　most　of　the　Mole's　Town　wives　as　well。　Men　in　black　cloaks　paced　restlessly　on　the　tower　tops　and　shouted　back　and　forth　across　the　courtyards。　Septon　Cellador　led　the　men　on　the　barricade　in　a　prayer；　beseeching　the　Warrior　to　give　them　strength。　Deaf　Dick　Follard　curled　up　beneath　his　cloak　and　went　to　sleep。　Satin　walked　a　hundred　leagues　in　circles；　round　and　round　the　crenellations。　The　Wall　wept　and　the　sun　crept　across　a　hard　blue　sky。　Near　evenfall；　Owen　the　Oaf　returned　with　a　loaf　of　black　bread　and　a　pail　of　Hobb's　best　mutton；　cooked　in　a　thick　broth　of　ale　and　onions。　Even　Dick　woke　up　for　that。　They　ate　every　bit　of　it；　using　chunks　of　bread　to　wipe　the　bottom　of　the　pail。　By　the　time　they　were　done　the　sun　was　low　in　the　west；　the　shadows　sharp　and　black　throughout　the　castle。　〃Light　the　fire；〃　Jon　told　Satin；　〃and　fill　the　kettle　with　oil。〃
　He　went　downstairs　himself　to　bar　the　door；　to　try　and　work　some　of　the　stiffness　from　his　leg。　That　was　a　mistake；　and　Jon　soon　knew　it；　but　he　clutched　the　crutch　and　saw　it　through　all　the　same。　The　door　to　the　King's　Tower　was　oak　studded　with　iron。　It　might　delay　the　Thenns；　but　it　would　not　stop　them　if　they　wanted　to　e　in。　Jon　slammed　the　bar　down　in　its　notches；　paid　a　visit　to　the　privy…it　might　well　be　his　last　chance…and　hobbled　back　up　to　the　roof；　grimacing　at　the　pain。
　The　west　had　gone　the　color　of　a　blood　bruise；　but　the　sky　above　was　cobalt　blue；　deepening　to　purple；　and　the　stars　were　ing　out。　Jon　sat　between　two　merlons　with　only　a　scarecrow　for　pany　and　watched　the　Stallion　gallop　up　the　sky。　Or　was　it　the　Horned　Lord？　He　wondered　where　Ghost　was　now。　He　wondered　about　Ygritte　as　well；　and　told　himself　that　way　lay　madness。
　They　came　in　the　night；　of　course。　Like　thieves；　Jon　thought。　Like　murderers。
　Satin　pissed　himself　when　the　horns　blew；　but　Jon　pretended　not　to　notice。　〃Go　shake　Dick　by　the　shoulder；〃　he　told　the　Oldtown　boy；　〃else　he's　liable　to　sleep　through　the　fight。〃
　〃I'm　frightened。〃　Satin's　face　was　a　ghastly　white。
　〃So　are　they。〃　Jon　leaned　his　crutch　up　against　a　merlon　and　took　up　his　longbow；　bending　the　smooth　thick　Dornish　yew　to　slip　a　bowstring　through　the　notches。　〃Don't　waste　a　quarrel　unless　you　know　you　have　a　good　clean　shot；〃　he　said　when　Satin　returned　from　waking　Dick。　〃We　have　an　ample　supply　up　here；　but　ample　doesn't　mean　inexhaustible。　And　step　behind　a　merlon　to　reload；　don't　try　and　hide　in　back　of　a　scarecrow。　They're　made　of　straw；　an　arrow　will　punch　through　them。〃　He　did　not　bother　telling　Dick　Follard　anything。　Dick　could　read　your　lips　if　there　was　enough　light　and　he　gave　a　damn　what　you　were　saying；　but　he　knew　it　all　already。
　The　three　of　them　took　up　positions　on　three　sides　of　the　round　tower。
　Jon　hung　a　quiver　from　his　belt　and　pulled　an　arrow。　The　shaft　was　black；　the　fletching　grey。　As　he　notched　it　to　his　string；　he　remembered　something　that　Theon　Greyjoy　had　once　said　after　a　hunt。　〃The　boar　can　keep　his　tusks　and　the　bear　his　claws；〃　he　had　declared；　smiling　that　way　he　did。　〃There's　nothing　half　so　mortal　as　a　grey　goose　feather。〃
　Jon　had　never　been　half　the　hunter　that　Theon　was；　but　he　was　no　stranger　to　the　longbow　either。　There　were　dark　shapes　slipping　around　the　armory；　backs　against　the　stone；　but　he　could　not　see　them　well　enough　to　waste　an　arrow。　He　heard　distant　shouts；　and　saw　the　archers　on　the　Tower　of　Guards　loosing　shafts　at　the　ground。　That　was　too　far　off　to　concern　Jon。　But　when　he　glimpsed　three　shadows　detach　themselves　from　the　old　stables　fifty　yards　away；　he　stepped　up　to　the　crenel；　raised　his　bow；　and　drew。　They　were　running；　so　he　led　them；　waiting；　waiting　。　。　。
　The　arrow　made　a　soft　hiss　as　it　left　his　string。　A　moment　later　there　was　a　grunt；　and　suddenly　only　two　shadows　were　loping　across　the　yard。　They　ran　all　the　faster；　but　Jon　had　already　pulled　a　second　arrow　from　his　quiver。　This　time　he　hurried　the　shot　too　much；　and　missed。　The　wildlings　were　gone　by　the　time　he　nocked　again。　He　searched　for　another　target；　and　found　four；　rushing　around　the　empty　shell　of　the　Lord　mander's　Keep。　The　moonlight　glimmered　off　their　spears　and　axes；　and　the　gruesome　devices　on　their　round　leathern　shields；　skulls　and　bones；　serpents；　bear　claws；　twisted　demonic　faces。　Free　folk；　he　knew。　The　Therms　carried　shields　of　black　boiled　leather　with　bronze　rims　and　bosses；　but　theirs　were　plain　and　unadorned。　These　were　the　lighter　wicker　shields　of　raiders。
　Jon　pulled　the　goose　feather　back　to　his　ear；　aimed；　and　loosed　the　arrow；　then　nocked　and　drew　and　loosed　again。　The　first　shaft　pierced　the　bearclaw　shield；　the　second　one　a　throat。　The　wildling　screamed　as　he　went　down。　He　heard　the　deep　thrum　of　Deaf　Dick's　crossbow　to　his　left；　and　Satin's　a　moment　later。　〃I　got　one！〃　the　boy　cried　hoarsely。　〃I　got　one　in　the　chest。〃
　〃Get　another；〃　Jon　called。
　He　did　not　have　to　search　for　targets　now；　only　choose　them。　He　dropped　a　wildling　archer　as　he　was　fitting　an　arrow　to　his　string；　then　sent　a　shaft　toward　the　axeman　hacking　at　the　door　of　Hardin's　Tower。　That　time　he　missed；　but　the　arrow　quivering　in　the　oak　made　the　wildling　reconsider。　It　was　only　as　he　was　running　off　that　Jon　recognized　Big　Boil。　Half　a　heartbeat　later；　old　Mully　put　an　arrow　through　his　leg　from　the　roof　of　the　Flint　Barracks；　and　he　crawled　off