grrm.astormofswords-第206部分

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　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　Black　。　。　。　but　some　nights；　alone　in　his　cell；　he　thought　of　how　warm　Gilly　had　been　when　they'd　curled　up　beneath　the　furs　with　the　babe　between　them。　〃She　。　。　。　she　made　me　braver；　Jon。　Not　brave；　but　。　。　。　braver。〃
　〃You　know　you　cannot　keep　her；〃　Jon　said　gently；　〃no　more　than　I　could　stay　with　Ygritte。　You　said　the　words；　Sam；　the　same　as　I　did。　The　same　as　all　of　us。〃
　〃I　know。　Gilly　said　she'd　be　a　wife　to　me；　but　。　。　。　I　told　her　about　the　words；　and　what　they　meant。　I　don't　know　if　that　made　her　sad　or　glad；　but　I　told　her。〃　He　swallowed　nervously　and　said；　〃Jon；　could　there　be　honor　in　a　lie；　if　it　were　told　for　a　。　。　。　a　good　purpose？〃
　〃It　would　depend　on　the　lie　and　the　purpose；　I　suppose。〃　Jon　looked　at　Sam。　〃I　wouldn't　advise　it。　You're　not　made　to　lie；　Sam。　You　blush　and　squeak　and　stammer。〃
　〃I　do；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　I　could　lie　in　a　letter。　I'm　better　with　a　quill　in　hand。　I　had　a　。　。　。　a　thought。　When　things　are　more　settled　here；　I　thought　maybe　the　best　thing　for　Gilly　。　。　。　I　thought　I　might　send　her　to　Horn　Hill。　To　my　mother　and　sisters　and　my　。　。　。　my　f…f…father。　If　Gilly　were　to　say　the　babe　was　m…mine　。　。　。〃　He　was　blushing　again。　〃My　mother　would　want　him；　I　know。　She　would　find　some　place　for　Gilly；　some　kind　of　service；　it　wouldn't　be　as　hard　as　serving　Craster。　And　Lord　R…Randyll；　he　。　。　。　he　would　never　say　so；　but　he　might　be　pleased　to　believe　I　got　a　bastard　on　some　wildling　girl。　At　least　it　would　prove　I　was　man　enough　to　lie　with　a　woman　and　father　a　child。　He　told　me　once　that　I　was　sure　to　die　a　maiden；　that　no　woman　would　ever　。　。　。　you　know　。　。　。　Jon；　if　I　did　this；　wrote　this　lie　。　。　。　would　that　be　a　good　thing？　The　life　the　boy　would　have　。　。　。〃
　〃Growing　up　a　bastard　in　his　grandfather's　castle？〃　Jon　shrugged。　〃That　depends　in　great　part　on　your　father；　and　what　sort　of　boy　this　is。　If　he　takes　after　you　。　。　。〃
　〃He　won't。　Craster's　his　real　father。　You　saw　him；　he　was　hard　as　an　old　tree　stump；　and　Gilly　is　stronger　than　she　looks。〃
　〃If　the　boy　shows　any　skill　with　sword　or　lance；　he　should　have　a　place　with　your　father's　household　guard　at　the　least；〃　Jon　said。　〃It's　not　unknown　for　bastards　to　be　trained　as　squires　and　raised　to　knighthood。　But　you'd　best　be　sure　Gilly　can　play　this　game　convincingly。　From　what　you've　told　me　of　Lord　Randyll；　I　doubt　he　would　take　kindly　to　being　deceived。〃
　More　guards　were　posted　on　the　steps　outside　the　tower。　These　were　king's　men；　though；　Sam　had　quickly　learned　the　difference。　The　king's　men　were　as　earthy　and　impious　as　any　other　soldiers；　but　the　queen's　men　were　fervid　in　their　devotion　to　Melisandre　of　Asshai　and　her　Lord　of　Light。　〃Are　you　going　to　the　practice　yard　again？〃　Sam　asked　as　they　crossed　the　yard。　〃Is　it　wise　to　train　so　hard　before　your　leg's　done　healing？〃
　Jon　shrugged。　〃What　else　is　there　for　me　to　do？　Marsh　has　removed　me　from　duty；　for　fear　that　I'm　still　a　turncloak。〃
　〃It's　only　a　few　who　believe　that；〃　Sam　assured　him。　〃Ser　Alliser　and　his　friends。　Most　of　the　brothers　know　better。　King　Stannis　knows　as　well；　I'll　wager。　You　brought　him　the　Horn　of　Winter　and　captured　Mance　Rayder's　son。〃
　〃All　I　did　was　protect　Val　and　the　babe　against　looters　when　the　wildlings　fled；　and　keep　them　there　until　the　rangers　found　us。　I　never　captured　anyone。　King　Stannis　keeps　his　men　well　in　hand；　that's　plain。　He　lets　them　plunder　some；　but　I've　only　heard　of　three　wildling　women　being　raped；　and　the　men　who　did　it　have　all　been　gelded。　I　suppose　I　should　have　been　killing　the　free　folk　as　they　ran。　Ser　Alliser　has　been　putting　it　about　that　the　only　time　I　bared　my　sword　was　to　defend　our　foes。　I　failed　to　kill　Mance　Rayder　because　I　was　in　league　with　him；　he　says。〃
　〃That's　only　Ser　Alliser；〃　said　Sam。　〃Everyone　knows　the　sort　of　man　he　is。〃　With　his　noble　birth；　his　knighthood；　and　his　long　years　in　the　Watch；　Ser　Alliser　Thorne　might　have　been　a　strong　challenger　for　the　Lord　mander's　title；　but　almost　all　the　men　he'd　trained　during　his　years　as　master…at…arms　despised　him。　His　name　had　been　offered；　of　course；　but　after　running　a　weak　sixth　on　the　first　day　and　actually　losing　votes　on　the　second；　Thorne　had　withdrawn　to　support　Lord　Janos　Slynt。
　〃What　everyone　knows　is　that　Ser　Alliser　is　a　knight　from　a　noble　line；　and　trueborn；　while　I'm　the　bastard　who　killed　Qhorin　Halfhand　and　bedded　with　a　spearwife。　The　warg；　I've　heard　them　call　me。　How　can　I　be　a　warg　without　a　wolf；　I　ask　you？〃　His　mouth　twisted。　〃I　don't　even　dream　of　Ghost　anymore。　All　my　dreams　are　of　the　crypts；　of　the　stone　kings　on　their　thrones。　Sometimes　I　hear　Robb's　voice；　and　my　father's；　as　if　they　were　at　a　feast。　But　there's　a　wall　between　us；　and　I　know　that　no　place　has　been　set　for　me。〃
　The　living　have　no　place　at　the　feasts　of　the　dead。　It　tore　the　heart　from　Sam　to　hold　his　silence　then。　Bran's　not　dead；　Jon；　he　wanted　to　stay。　He's　with　friends；　and　they're　going　north　on　a　giant　elk　to　find　a　three…eyed　crow　in　the　depths　of　the　haunted　forest。　it　sounded　so　mad　that　there　were　times　Sam　Tarly　thought　he　must　have　dreamt　it　all；　conjured　it　whole　from　fever　and　fear　and　hunger　。　。　。　but　he　would　have　blurted　it　out　anyway；　if　he　had　not　given　his　word。
　Three　times　he　had　sworn　to　keep　the　secret；　once　to　Bran　himself；　once　to　that　strange　boy　Jojen　Reed；　and　last　of　all　to　Coldhands。　〃The　world　believes　the　boy　is　dead；〃　his　rescuer　had　said　as　they　parted。　〃Let　his　bones　lie　undisturbed。　We　want　no　seekers　ing　after　us。　Swear　it；　Samwell　of　the　Night's　Watch。　Swear　it　for　the　life　you　owe　me。〃
　Miserable；　Sam　shifted　his　weight　and　said；　〃Lord　Janos　will　never　be　chosen　Lord　mander。〃　It　was　the　best　fort　he　had　to　offer　Jon；　the　only　fort。　〃That　won't　happen。〃
　〃Sam；　you're　a　sweet　fool。　Open　your　eyes。　It's　been　happening　for　days。〃　Jon　pushed　his　hair　back　out　of　his　eyes　and　said；　〃I　may　know　nothing；　but　I　know　that。　Now　pray　excuse　me；　I　need　to　hit　someone　very　hard　with　a　sword。〃
　There　was　naught　that　Sam　could　do　but　watch　him　stride　off　toward　the　armory　and　the　practice　yard。　That　was　where　Jon　Snow　spent　most　of　his　waking　hours。　With　Ser　Endrew　dead　and　Ser　Alliser　disinterested；　Castle　Black　had　no　master…at…arms；　so　Jon　had　taken　it　on　himself　to　work　with　some　of　the　rawer　recruits；　Satin；　Horse；　Hop…Robin　with　his　clubfoot；　Arron　and　Emrick。　And　when　they　had　duties；　he　would　train　alone　for　hours　with　sword　and　shield　and　spear；　or　match　himself　against　anyone　who　cared　to　take　him　on。
　Sam；　you're　a　sweet　fool；　he　could　hear　Jon　saying；　all　the　way　back　to　the　maester's　keep。　Open　your　eyes。　It's　been　happening　for　days。　Could　he　be　right？　A　man　needed　the　votes　of　two…thirds　of　the　Sworn　Brothers　to　bee　the　Lord　mander　of　the　Night's　Watch；　and　after　nine　days　and　nine　votes　no　one　was　even　close　to　that。　Lord　Janos　had　been　gaining；　true；　creeping　up　past　first　Bowen　Marsh　and　then　Othell　Yarwyck；　but　he　was　still　well　behind　Ser　Denys　Mallister　of　the　Shadow　Tower　and　Cotter　Pyke　of　Eastwatch…by…the…Sea。　One　of　them　will　be　the　new　Lord　mander；　surely；　Sam　told　himself。
　Stannis　had　posted　guards　outside　the　maester's　door　too。　Within；　the　rooms　were　hot　and　crowded　with　the　wounded　from　the　battle；　black　brothers；　king's　men；　and　queen's　men；　all　three。　Clydas　was　shuffling　amongst　them　with　flagons　of　goats'　milk　and　dreamwine；　but　Maester　Aemon　had　not　yet　returned　from　his　morning　call　on　Mance　Rayder。　Sam　hung　his　cloak　upon　a　peg　and　went　to　lend　a　hand。　But　even　as　he　fetched　and　poured　and　changed　dressings；　Jon's　words　nagged　at　him。　Sam；　you're　a　sweet　fool。　Open　your　eyes。　It's　been　happening　for　days。
　It　was　a　good　hour　before　he　could　excuse　himself　to　feed　the　ravens。　On　the　way　up　to　the　rookery；　he　stopped　to　check　the　tally　he　had　made　of　last　night's　count。　At　the　start　of　the　choosing；　more　than　thirty　names　had　been　offered；　but　most　had　withdrawn　once　it　became　clear　they　could　not　win。　Seven　remained　as　of　last　night。　Ser　Denys　Mallister　had　collected　two　hundred　and　thirteen　tokens；　Cotter　Pyke　one　hundred　and　eighty…seven；　Lord　Slynt　seventy…four；　Othell　Yarwyck　sixty；　Bowen　Marsh　forty…nine；　Three…Finger　Hobb　five；　and　Dolorous　Edd　Tollett　one。　PYP　and　his　stupid　japes。　Sam　shuffled　through　the　earlier　counts。　Ser　Denys；　Cotter　Pyke；　and　Bowen　Marsh　had　all　been　falling　since　the　third　day；　Othell　Yarwyck　since　the　sixth。　Only　Lord　Janos　Slynt　was　climbing；　day　after　day　after　day。
　He　could　hear　the　birds　quorking　in　the　rookery；　so　he　put　the　papers　away　and　climbed　the　steps　to　feed　them。　Three　more　ravens　had　e　in；　he　saw　with　pleasure。　〃Snow；〃　they　cried　at　him。　〃Snow；　snow；　snow〃　He　had　taught　them　that。　Even　with　the　newers；　the　ravenry　seemed　dismally　empty。　Few　of　the　birds　that　Aemon　had　sent　off　had　returned　as　yet。　One　reached　Stannis；　though。　One　found　Dragonstone；　and　a　king　who　still　cared。　A　thousand　leagues　south；　Sam　knew；　his　father　had　joined　House　Tarly　to　the　cause　of　the　boy　on　the　Iron　Throne；　but　neither　King　Joffrey　nor　little　King　Tornmen　had　bestirred　himself　when　the　Watch　cried　out　for　help。　What　good　is　a　king　who　will　not　defend　his　realm？　he　thought　angrily；　remembering　the　night　on　the　Fist　of　the　First　Men　and　the　terrible　trek　to　Craster's　Keep　through　darkness；　fear；　and　falling　snow。　The　queen's　men　made　him　uneasy；　it　was　true；　but　at　least　they　had　e。
　That　night　at　supper　Sam　looked　for　Jon　Snow；　but　did　not　see　him　anywhere　in　the　cavernous　stone　vault　where　the　brothers　now　took　their　meals。　He　finally　took　a　place　on　the　bench　near　his　other　friends。　Pyp　was　telling　Dolorous　Edd　about　the　contest　they'd　had　to　see　which　of　the　straw　soldiers　could　collect　the　most　wildling　arrows。　〃You　were　leading　most　of　the　way；　but　Watt　of　Long　Lake　got　three　in　the　last　day　and　passed　you。〃
　〃I　never　win　anything；〃　Dolorous　Edd　plained。　〃The　gods　always　smiled　on　Watt；　though。　When　the　wildlings　knocked　him　off　the　Bridge　of　Skulls；　somehow　he　landed　in　a　nice　deep　pool　of　water。　How　lucky　was　that；　missing　all　those　rocks？〃
　〃Was　it　a　long　fall？〃　Grenn　wanted　to　know。　〃Did　landing　in　t