grrm.astormofswords-第205部分

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ook；　asked　Arya　how　she'd　e　by　her；　and　grinned　at　her　answer。　〃She's　a　well…bred　horse；　that's　plain　enough；　and　I　don't　doubt　she　belonged　to　a　knight；　sweetling；〃　she　said。　〃But　the　knight　wasn't　no　dead　brother　o'　yours。　I　been　dealing　with　the　castle　there　many　a　year；　so　I　know　what　gentleborn　folk　is　like。　This　mare　is　well…bred；　but　you're　not。〃　She　poked　a　finger　at　Arya's　chest。　〃Found　her　or　stole　her；　never　mind　which；　that's　how　it　was。　Only　way　a　scruffy　little　thing　like　you　es　to　ride　a　palfrey。〃
　Arya　bit　her　lip。　〃Does　that　mean　you　won't　buy　her？〃
　The　woman　chuckled。　〃It　means　you'll　take　what　I　give　you；　sweetling。　Else　we　go　down　to　the　castle；　and　maybe　you　get　nothing。　Or　even　hanged；　for　stealing　some　good　knight's　horse。〃
　A　half…dozen　other　Saltpans　folks　were　around；　going　about　their　business；　so　Arya　knew　she　couldn't　kill　the　woman。　Instead　she　had　to　bite　her　lip　and　let　herself　be　cheated。　The　purse　she　got　was　pitifully　flat；　and　when　she　asked　for　more　for　the　saddle　and　bridle　and　blanket；　the　woman　just　laughed　at　her。
　She　would　never　have　cheated　the　Hound；　she　thought　during　the　long　walk　back　to　the　docks。　The　distance　seemed　to　have　grown　by　miles　since　she'd　ridden　it。
　The　purple　galley　was　still　there。　If　the　ship　had　sailed　while　she　was　being　robbed；　that　would　have　been　too　much　to　bear。　A　cask　of　mead　was　being　rolled　up　the　plank　when　she　arrived。　When　she　tried　to　follow；　a　sailor　up　on　deck　shouted　down　at　her　in　a　tongue　she　did　not　know。　〃I　want　to　see　the　captain；〃　Arya　told　him。　He　only　shouted　louder。　But　the　motion　drew　the　attention　of　a　stout　grey…haired　man　in　a　coat　of　purple　wool；　and　he　spoke　the　mon　Tongue。　〃I　am　captain　here；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　your　wish？　Be　quick；　child；　we　have　a　tide　to　catch。〃
　〃I　want　to　go　north；　to　the　Wall。　Here；　I　can　pay。〃　She　gave　him　the　purse。　〃The　Night's　Watch　has　a　castle　on　the　sea。〃
　〃Eastwatch。〃　The　captain　spilled　out　the　silver　onto　his　palm　and　frowned。　〃Is　this　all　you　have？〃
　It　is　not　enough；　Arya　knew　without　being　told。　She　could　see　it　on　his　face。　〃I　wouldn't　need　a　cabin　or　anything；〃　she　said。　〃I　could　sleep　down　in　the　hold；　or　。　。　。〃
　〃Take　her　on　as　cabin　girl；〃　said　a　passing　oarsman；　a　bolt　of　wool　over　one　shoulder。　〃She　can　sleep　with　me。〃
　〃Mind　your　tongue；〃　the　captain　snapped。
　〃I　could　work；〃　said　Arya。　〃I　could　scrub　the　decks。　I　scrubbed　a　castle　steps　once。　Or　I　could　row　。　。　。〃
　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃you　couldn't。〃　He　gave　her　back　her　coins。　〃It　would　make　no　difference　if　you　could；　child。　The　north　has　nothing　for　us。　Ice　and　war　and　pirates。　We　saw　a　dozen　pirate　ships　making　north　as　we　rounded　Crackclaw　Point；　and　I　have　no　wish　to　meet　them　again。　From　here　we　bend　our　oars　for　home；　and　I　suggest　you　do　the　same。〃
　I　have　no　home；　Arya　thought。　I　have　no　pack。　And　now　I　don't　even　have　a　horse。
　The　captain　was　turning　away　when　she　said；　〃What　ship　is　this；　my　lord？〃
　He　paused　long　enough　to　give　her　a　weary　smile。　〃This　is　the　galleas　Titan's　Daughter；　of　the　Free　City　of　Braavos。〃
　〃Wait；〃　Arya　said　suddenly。　〃I　have　something　else。〃　She　had　stuffed　it　down　inside　her　smallclothes　to　keep　it　safe；　so　she　had　to　dig　deep　to　find　it；　while　the　oarsmen　laughed　and　the　captain　lingered　with　obvious　impatience。　〃One　more　silver　will　make　no　difference；　child；〃　he　finally　said。
　〃It's　not　silver。〃　Her　fingers　closed　on　it。　〃It's　iron。　Here。〃　She　pressed　it　into　his　hand；　the　small　black　iron　coin　that　jaqen　Hghar　had　given　her；　so　worn　the　man　whose　head　it　bore　had　no　features。　It's　probably　worthless；　but　。　。　。
　The　captain　turned　it　over　and　blinked　at　it；　then　looked　at　her　again。　〃This　。　。　。　how　。　。　。　？〃
　Jaqen　said　to　say　the　words　too。　Arya　crossed　her　arms　against　her　chest。　〃Valar　morghulis；〃　she　said；　as　loud　as　if　she'd　known　what　it　meant。
　〃Valar　dohaeris；〃　he　replied；　touching　his　brow　with　two　fingers。　〃Of　course　you　shall　have　a　cabin。〃
　
　CHAPTER　75
　SAMWELL
　
　〃He　sucks　harder　than　mine。〃　Gilly　stroked　the　babe's　head　as　she　held　him　to　her　nipple。
　〃He's　hungry；〃　said　the　blonde　woman　Val；　the　one　the　black　brothers　called　the　wildling　princess。　〃He's　lived　on　goats'　milk　up　to　now；　and　potions　from　that　blind　maester。〃
　The　boy　did　not　have　a　name　yet；　no　more　than　Gilly's　did。　That　was　the　wildling　way。　Not　even　Mance　Rayder's　son　would　get　a　name　till　his　third　year；　it　would　seem；　though　Sam　had　heard　the　brothers　calling　him　〃the　little　prince〃　and　〃born…in…battle。〃
　He　watched　the　child　nurse　at　Gilly's　breast；　and　then　he　watched　Jon　watch。　fon　is　smiling。　A　sad　smile；　still；　but　definitely　a　smile　of　sorts。　Sam　was　glad　to　see　it。　It　is　the　first　time　I've　seen　him　smile　since　I　got　back。
　They　had　walked　from　the　Nightfort　to　Deep　Lake；　and　from　Deep　Lake　to　Queensgate；　following　a　narrow　track　from　one　castle　to　the　next；　never　out　of　sight　of　the　Wall。　A　day　and　a　half　from　Castle　Black；　as　they　trudged　along　on　callused　feet；　Gilly　heard　horses　behind　them；　and　turned　to　see　a　column　of　black　riders　ing　from　the　west。　〃My　brothers；〃　Sam　assured　her。　〃No　one　uses　this　road　but　the　Night's　Watch。〃　It　had　turned　out　to　be　Ser　Denys　Mallister　from　the　Shadow　Tower；　along　with　the　wounded　Bowen　Marsh　and　the　survivors　from　the　fight　at　the　Bridge　of　Skulls。　When　Sam　saw　Dywen；　Giant；　and　Dolorous　Edd　Tollett；　he　broke　down　and　wept。
　It　was　from　them　that　he　learned　about　the　battle　beneath　the　Wall。　〃Stannis　landed　his　knights　at　Eastwatch；　and　Cotter　Pyke　led　him　along　the　ranger's　roads；　to　take　the　wildlings　unawares；〃　Giant　told　him。　〃He　smashed　them。　Mance　Rayder　was　taken　captive；　a　thousand　of　his　best　slain；　including　Harma　Dogshead。　The　rest　scattered　like　leaves　before　a　storm；　we　heard。〃　The　gods　are　good；　Sam　thought。　If　he　had　not　gotten　lost　as　he　made　his　way　south　from　Craster's　Keep；　he　and　Gilly　might　have　walked　right　into　the　battle　。　。　。　or　into　Mance　Rayder's　camp；　at　the　very　least。　That　might　have　been　well　enough　for　Gilly　and　the　boy；　but　not　for　him。　Sam　had　heard　all　the　stories　about　what　wildlings　did　with　captured　crows。　He　shuddered。
　Nothing　that　his　brothers　told　him　prepared　him　for　what　he　found　at　Castle　Black；　however。　The　mon　hall　had　burned　to　the　ground　and　the　great　wooden　stair　was　a　mound　of　broken　ice　and　scorched　timbers。　Donal　Noye　was　dead；　along　with　Rast；　Deaf　Dick；　Red　Alyn；　and　so　many　more；　yet　the　castle　was　more　crowded　than　Sam　had　ever　seen；　not　with　black　brothers；　but　with　the　king's　soldiers；　more　than　a　thousand　of　them。　There　was　a　king　in　the　King's　Tower　for　the　first　time　in　living　memory；　and　banners　flew　from　the　Lance；　Hardin's　Tower；　the　Grey　Keep；　the　Shieldhall；　and　other　buildings　that　had　stood　empty　and　abandoned　for　long　years。　〃The　big　one；　the　gold　with　the　black　stag；　that's　the　royal　standard　of　House　Baratheon；〃　he　told　Gilly；　who　had　never　seen　banners　before。　〃The　fox…and…flowers　is　House　Florent。　The　turtle　is　Estermont；　the　swordfish　is　Bar　Emmon；　and　the　crossed　trumpets　are　for　Wensington。〃
　〃They're　all　bright　as　flowers。〃　Gilly　pointed。　〃I　like　those　yellow　ones；　with　the　fire。　Look；　and　some　of　the　fighters　have　the　same　thing　on　their　blouses。〃
　〃A　fiery　heart。　I　don't　know　whose　sigil　that　is。〃
　He　found　out　soon　enough。　〃Queen's　men；〃　Pyp　told　him…after　he　let　out　a　whoop；　and　shouted；　〃Run　and　bar　the　doors；　lads；　it's　Sam　the　Slayer　e　back　from　the　grave；〃　while　Grenn　was　hugging　Sam　so　hard　he　thought　his　ribs　might　break…〃but　best　you　don't　go　asking　where　the　queen　is。　Stannis　left　her　at　Eastwatch；　with　their　daughter　and　his　fleet。　He　brought　no　woman　but　the　red　one。〃
　〃The　red　one？〃　said　Sam　uncertainly。
　〃Melisandre　of　Asshai；〃　said　Grenn。　〃The　king's　sorceress。　They　say　she　burned　a　man　alive　at　Dragonstone　so　Stannis　would　have　favorable　winds　for　his　voyage　north。　She　rode　beside　him　in　the　battle　too；　and　gave　him　his　magic　sword。　Lightbringer；　they　call　it。　Wait　till　you　see　it。　It　glows　like　it　had　a　piece　of　sun　inside　it。〃　He　looked　at　Sam　again　and　grinned　a　big　helpless　stupid　grin。　〃I　still　can't　believe　you're　here。〃
　Jon　Snow　had　smiled　to　see　him　too；　but　it　was　a　tired　smile；　like　the　one　he　wore　now。　〃You　made　it　back　after　all；〃　he　said。　〃And　brought　Gilly　out　as　well。　You've　done　well；　Sam。〃
　Jon　had　done　more　than　well　himself；　to　hear　Grenn　tell　it。　Yet　even　capturing　the　Horn　of　Winter　and　a　wildling　prince　had　not　been　enough　for　Ser　Alliser　Thorne　and　his　friends；　who　still　named　him　turncloak。　Though　Maester　Aemon　said　his　wound　was　healing　well；　Jon　bore　other　scars；　deeper　than　the　ones　around　his　eye。　He　grieves　for　his　wildling　girl；　and　for　his　brothers。
　〃It's　strange；〃　he　said　to　Sam。　〃Craster　had　no　love　for　Mance；　nor　Mance　for　Craster；　but　now　Craster's　daughter　is　feeding　Mance's　son。〃　
　〃I　have　the　milk；〃　Gilly　said；　her　voice　soft　and　shy。　〃Mine　takes　only　a　little。　He's　not　so　greedy　as　this　one。〃
　The　wildling　woman　Val　turned　to　face　them。　〃I've　heard　the　queen's　men　saying　that　the　red　woman　means　to　give　Mance　to　the　fire；　as　soon　as　he　is　strong　enough。〃　Jon　gave　her　a　weary　look。　〃Mance　is　a　deserter　from　the　Night's　Watch。　The　penalty　for　that　is　death。　if　the　Watch　had　taken　him；　he　would　have　been　hanged　by　now；　but　he's　the　king's　captive；　and　no　one　knows　the　king's　mind　but　the　red　woman。〃
　〃I　want　to　see　him；〃　Val　said。　〃I　want　to　show　him　his　son。　He　deserves　that　much；　before　you　kill　him。〃
　Sam　tried　to　explain。　〃No　one　is　permitted　to　see　him　but　Maester　Aemon；　my　lady。〃
　〃If　it　were　in　my　power；　Mance　could　hold　his　son。〃　Jon's　smile　was　gone。　〃I'm　sorry；　Val。〃　He　turned　away。　〃Sam　and　I　have　duties　to　return　to。　Well；　Sam　does；　anyway。　We'll　ask　about　your　seeing　Mance。　That's　all　I　can　promise。〃
　Sam　lingered　long　enough　to　give　Gilly's　hand　a　squeeze　and　promise　to　return　again　after　supper。　Then　he　hurried　after。　There　were　guards　outside　the　door；　queen's　men　with　spears。　Jon　was　halfway　down　the　steps；　but　he　waited　when　he　heard　Sam　puffing　after　him。　〃You're　more　than　fond　of　Gilly；　aren't　you？〃
　Sam　reddened。　〃Gilly's　good。　She's　good　and　kind。〃　He　was　glad　that　his　long　nightmare　was　done；　glad　to　be　back　with　his　brothers　at　Castle