grrm.astormofswords-第175部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　They　had　passed　a　small　pond　a　short　ways　back。　Sandor　gave　Arya　his　helm　and　told　her　to　fill　it；　so　she　trudged　back　to　the　water's　edge。　Mud　squished　over　the　toe　of　her　boots。　She　used　the　dog's　head　as　a　pail。　Water　ran　out　through　the　eyeholes；　but　the　bottom　of　the　helm　still　held　a　lot。
　When　she　came　back；　the　archer　turned　his　face　up　and　she　poured　the　water　into　his　mouth。　He　gulped　it　down　as　fast　as　she　could　pour；　and　what　he　couldn't　gulp　ran　down　his　cheeks　into　the　brown　blood　that　crusted　his　whiskers；　until　pale　pink　tears　dangled　from　his　beard。　When　the　water　was　gone　he　clutched　the　helm　and　licked　the　steel。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　it　was　wine；　though。　I　wanted　wine。〃
　〃Me　too。〃　The　Hound　eased　his　dagger　into　the　man's　chest　almost　tenderly；　the　weight　of　his　body　driving　the　point　through　his　surcoat；　ringmail；　and　the　quilting　beneath。　As　he　slid　the　blade　back　out　and　wiped　it　on　the　dead　man；　he　looked　at　Arya。　〃That's　where　the　heart　is；　girl。　That's　how　you　kill　a　man。〃
　That's　one　way。　〃Will　we　bury　him？〃
　〃Why？〃　Sandor　said。　〃He　don't　care；　and　we've　got　no　spade。　Leave　him　for　the　wolves　and　wild　dogs。　Your　brothers　and　mine。〃　He　gave　her　a　hard　look。　〃First　we　rob　him；　though。〃
　There　were　two　silver　stags　in　the　archer's　purse；　and　almost　thirty　coppers。　His　dagger　had　a　pretty　pink　stone　in　the　hilt。　The　Hound　hefted　the　knife　in　his　hand；　then　flipped　it　toward　Arya。　She　caught　it　by　the　hilt；　slid　it　through　her　belt；　and　felt　a　little　better。　It　wasn't　Needle；　but　it　was　steel。　The　dead　man　had　a　quiver　of　arrows　too；　but　arrows　weren't　much　good　without　a　bow。　His　boots　were　too　big　for　Arya　and　too　small　for　the　Hound；　so　those　they　left。　She　took　his　kettle　helm　as　well；　even　though　it　came　down　almost　past　her　nose；　so　she　had　to　tilt　it　back　to　see。　〃He　must　have　had　a　horse　as　well；　or　he　wouldn't　have　got　away；〃　Clegane　said；　peering　about；　〃but　it's　bloody　well　gone；　I'd　say。　No　telling　how　long　he's　been　here。〃
　By　the　time　they　found　themselves　in　the　foothills　of　the　Mountains　of　the　Moon；　the　rains　had　mostly　stopped。　Arya　could　see　the　sun　and　moon　and　stars；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　they　were　heading　eastward。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　she　asked　again。
　This　time　the　Hound　answered　her。　〃You　have　an　aunt　in　the　Eyrie。　Might　be　she'll　want　to　ransom　your　scrawny　arse；　though　the　gods　know　why。　Once　we　find　the　high　road；　we　can　follow　it　all　the　way　to　the　Bloody　Gate。〃
　Aunt　Lysa。　The　thought　left　Arya　feeling　empty。　It　was　her　mother　she　wanted；　not　her　mother's　sister。　She　didn't　know　her　mother's　sister　any　more　than　she　knew　her　great　uncle　Blackfish。　We　should　have　gone　into　the　castle。　They　didn't　really　know　that　her　mother　was　dead；　or　Robb　either。　it　wasn't　like　they'd　seen　them　die　or　anything。　Maybe　Lord　Frey　had　just　taken　them　captive。　Maybe　they　were　chained　up　in　his　dungeon；　or　maybe　the　Freys　were　taking　them　to　King's　Landing　so　Joffrey　could　chop　their　heads　off。　They　didn't　know。　〃We　should　go　back；〃　she　suddenly　decided。　〃We　should　go　back　to　the　Twins　and　get　my　mother。　She　can't　be　dead。　We　have　to　help　her。〃
　〃I　thought　your　sister　was　the　one　with　a　head　full　of　songs；〃　the　Hound　growled。　〃Frey　might　have　kept　your　mother　alive　to　ransom；　that's　true。　But　there's　no　way　in　seven　hells　I'm　going　to　pluck　her　out　of　his　castle　all　by　my　bloody　self。〃
　〃Not　by　yourself。　I'd　e　too。〃
　He　made　a　sound　that　was　almost　a　laugh。　〃That　will　scare　the　piss　out　of　the　old　man。〃
　〃You're　just　afraid　to　die！〃　she　said　scornfully。
　Now　Clegane　did　laugh。　〃Death　don't　scare　me。　Only　fire。　Now　be　quiet；　or　I'll　cut　your　tongue　out　myself　and　save　the　silent　sisters　the　bother。　It's　the　Vale　for　us。〃
　Arya　didn't　think　he'd　really　cut　her　tongue　out；　he　was　just　saying　that　the　way　Pinkeye　used　to　say　he'd　beat　her　bloody。　All　the　same；　she　wasn't　going　to　try　him。　Sandor　Clegane　was　no　Pinkeye。　Pinkeye　didn't　cut　people　in　half　or　hit　them　with　axes。　Not　even　with　the　flat　of　axes。
　That　night　she　went　to　sleep　thinking　of　her　mother；　and　wondering　if　she　should　kill　the　Hound　in　his　sleep　and　rescue　Lady　Catelyn　herself。　When　she　closed　her　eyes　she　saw　her　mother's　face　against　the　back　of　her　eyelids。　She's　so　close　I　could　almost　smell　her　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　and　then　she　could　smell　her。　The　scent　was　faint　beneath　the　other　smells；　beneath　moss　and　mud　and　water；　and　the　stench　of　rotting　reeds　and　rotting　men。　She　padded　slowly　through　the　soft　ground　to　the　river's　edge；　lapped　up　a　drink；　the　lifted　her　head　to　sniff。　The　sky　was　grey　and　thick　with　cloud；　the　river　green　and　full　of　floating　things。　Dead　men　clogged　the　shallows；　some　still　moving　as　the　water　pushed　them；　others　washed　up　on　the　banks。　Her　brothers　and　sisters　swarmed　around　them；　tearing　at　the　rich　ripe　flesh。
　The　crows　were　there　too；　screaming　at　the　wolves　and　filling　the　air　with　feathers。　Their　blood　was　hotter；　and　one　of　her　sisters　had　snapped　at　one　as　it　took　flight　and　caught　it　by　the　wing。　It　made　her　want　a　crow　herself。　She　wanted　to　taste　the　blood；　to　hear　the　bones　crunch　between　her　teeth；　to　fill　her　belly　with　warm　flesh　instead　of　cold。　She　was　hungry　and　the　meat　was　all　around；　but　she　knew　she　could　not　eat。
　The　scent　was　stronger　now。　She　pricked　her　ears　up　and　listened　to　the　grumbles　of　her　pack；　the　shriek　of　angry　crows；　the　whirr　of　wings　and　sound　of　running　water。　Somewhere　far　off　she　could　hear　horses　and　the　calls　of　living　men；　but　they　were　not　what　mattered。　Only　the　scent　mattered。　She　sniffed　the　air　again。　There　it　was；　and　now　she　saw　it　too；　something　pale　and　white　drifting　down　the　river；　turning　where　it　brushed　against　a　snag。　The　reeds　bowed　down　before　it。
　She　splashed　noisily　through　the　shallows　and　threw　herself　into　the　deeper　water；　her　legs　churning。　The　current　was　strong　but　she　was　stronger。　She　swam；　following　her　nose。　The　river　smells　were　rich　and　wet；　but　those　were　not　the　smells　that　pulled　her。　She　paddled　after　the　sharp　red　whisper　of　cold　blood；　the　sweet　cloying　stench　of　death。　She　chased　them　as　she　had　often　chased　a　red　deer　through　the　trees；　and　in　the　end　she　ran　them　down；　and　her　jaw　closed　around　a　pale　white　arm。　She　shook　it　to　make　it　move；　but　there　was　only　death　and　blood　in　her　mouth。　By　now　she　was　tiring；　and　it　was　all　she　could　do　to　pull　the　body　back　to　shore。　As　she　dragged　it　up　the　muddy　bank；　one　of　her　little　brothers　came　prowling；　his　tongue　lolling　from　his　mouth。　She　had　to　snarl　to　drive　him　off；　or　else　he　would　have　fed。　Only　then　did　she　stop　to　shake　the　water　from　her　fur。　The　white　thing　lay　facedown　in　the　mud；　her　dead　flesh　wrinkled　and　pale；　cold　blood　trickling　from　her　throat。　Rise；　she　thought。　Rise　and　eat　and　run　with　us。
　The　sound　of　horses　turned　her　head。　Men。　They　were　ing　from　downwind；　so　she　had　not　smelled　them；　but　now　they　were　almost　here。　Men　on　horses；　with　flapping　black　and　yellow　and　pink　wings　and　long　shiny　claws　in　hand。　Some　of　her　younger　brothers　bared　their　teeth　to　defend　the　food　they'd　found；　but　she　snapped　at　them　until　they　scattered。　That　was　the　way　of　the　wild。　Deer　and　hares　and　crows　fled　before　wolves；　and　wolves　fled　from　men。　She　abandoned　the　cold　white　prize　in　the　mud　where　she　had　dragged　it；　and　ran；　and　felt　no　shame。
　When　morning　came；　the　Hound　did　not　need　to　shout　at　Arya　or　shake　her　awake。　She　had　woken　before　him　for　a　change；　and　even　watered　the　horses。　They　broke　their　fast　in　silence；　until　Sandor　said；　〃This　thing　about　your　mother　。　。　。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　Arya　said　in　a　dull　voice。　〃I　know　she's　dead。　I　saw　her　in　a　dream。〃
　The　Hound　looked　at　her　a　long　time；　then　nodded。　No　more　was　said　of　it。　They　rode　on　toward　the　mountains。
　In　the　higher　hills；　they　came　upon　a　tiny　isolated　village　surrounded　by　grey…green　sentinels　and　tall　blue　soldier　pines；　and　Clegane　decided　to　risk　going　in。　〃We　need　food；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　roof　over　our　heads。　They're　not　like　to　know　what　happened　at　the　Twins；　and　with　any　luck　they　won't　know　me。〃
　The　villagers　were　building　a　wooden　palisade　around　their　homes；　and　when　they　saw　the　breadth　of　the　Hound's　shoulders　they　offered　them　food　and　shelter　and　even　coin　for　work。　〃If　there's　wine　as　well；　I'll　do　it；〃　he　growled　at　them。　in　the　end；　he　settled　for　ale；　and　drank　himself　to　sleep　each　night。
　His　dream　of　selling　Arya　to　Lady　Arryn　died　there　in　the　hills；　though。　〃There's　frost　above　us　and　snow　in　the　high　passes；〃　the　village　elder　said。　〃If　you　don't　freeze　or　starve；　the　shadowcats　will　get　you；　or　the　cave　bears。　There's　the　clans　as　well。　The　Burned　Men　are　fearless　since　Timett　One…Eye　came　back　from　the　war。　And　half　a　year　ago；　Gunthor　son　of　Gurn　led　the　Stone　Crows　down　on　a　village　not　eight　miles　from　here。　They　took　every　woman　and　every　scrap　of　grain；　and　killed　half　the　men。　They　have　steel　now；　good　swords　and　mail　hauberks；　and　they　watch　the　high　road…the　Stone　Crows；　the　Milk　Snakes；　the　Sons　of　the　Mist；　all　of　them。　Might　be　you'd　take　a　few　with　you；　but　in　the　end　they'd　kill　you　and　make　off　with　your　daughter。〃
　I'm　not　his　daughter；　Arya　might　have　shouted；　if　she　hadn't　felt　so　tired。　She　was　no　one's　daughter　now。　She　was　no　one。　Not　Arya；　not　Weasel；　not　Nan　nor　Arry　nor　Squab；　not　even　Lumpyhead。　She　was　only　some　girl　who　ran　with　a　dog　by　day；　and　dreamed　of　wolves　by　night。
　It　was　quiet　in　the　village。　They　had　beds　stuffed　with　straw　and　not　too　many　lice；　the　food　was　plain　but　filling；　and　the　air　smelled　of　pines。　All　the　same；　Arya　soon　decided　that　she　hated　it。　The　villagers　were　cowards。　None　of　them　would　even　look　at　the　Hound's　face；　at　least　not　for　long。　Some　of　the　women　tried　to　put　her　in　a　dress　and　make　her　do　needlework；　but　they　weren't　Lady　Smallwood　and　she　was　having　none　of　it。　And　there　was　one　girl　who　took　to　following　her；　the　village　elder's　daughter。　She　was　of　an　age　with　Arya；　but　just　a　child；　she　cried　if　she　skinned　a　knee；　and　carried　a　stupid　cloth　doll　with　her　everywhere　she　went。　The　doll　was　made　up　to　look　like　a　man…at…arms；　sort　of；　so　the　girl　called　him　Ser　Soldier　and　bragged　how　he　kept　her　safe。　〃Go　away；〃　Arya　told　her　half　a　hundred　times