grrm.astormofswords-第80部分

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ches　than　any　inn　could　want；　and　most　of　them　young　and　ely。　And　e　evenfall；　lots　of　men　started　ing　and　going　at　the　Peach。　They　did　not　linger　long　in　the　mon　room；　not　even　when　Tom　took　out　his　woodharp　and　began　to　sing　〃Six　Maids　in　a　Pool。〃　The　wooden　steps　were　old　and　steep；　and　creaked　something　fierce　whenever　one　of　the　men　took　a　girl　upstairs。　〃I　bet　this　is　a　brothel；〃　she　whispered　to　Gendry。
　〃You　don't　even　know　what　a　brothel　is。〃
　〃I　do　so；〃　she　insisted。　〃It's　like　an　inn；　with　girls。〃
　He　was　turning　red　again。　〃What　are　you　doing　here；　then？〃　he　demanded。　〃A　brothel's　no　fit　place　for　no　bloody　highborn　lady；　everybody　knows　that。〃
　One　of　the　girls　sat　down　on　the　bench　beside　him。　〃Who's　a　highborn　lady？　The　little　skinny　one？〃　She　looked　at　Arya　and　laughed。　〃I'm　a　king's　daughter　myself。〃
　Arya　knew　she　was　being　mocked。　〃You　are　not。〃
　〃Well；　I　might　be。〃　When　the　girl　shrugged；　her　gown　slipped　off　one　shoulder。　〃They　say　King　Robert　fucked　my　mother　when　he　hid　here；　back　before　the　battle。　Not　that　he　didn't　have　all　the　other　girls　too；　but　Leslyn　says　he　liked　my　ma　the　best。〃
　The　girl　did　have　hair　like　the　old　king's；　Arya　thought；　a　great　thick　mop　of　it；　as　black　as　coal。　That　doesn't　mean　anything；　though。　Gendry　has　the　same　kind　of　hair　too。　Lots　of　people　have　black　hair。
　〃I'm　named　Bella；〃　the　girl　told　Gendry。　〃For　the　battle。　I　bet　I　could　ring　your　bell；　too。　You　want　to？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said　gruffly。
　〃I　bet　you　do。〃　She　ran　a　hand　along　his　arm。　〃I　don't　cost　nothing　to　friends　of　Thoros　and　the　lightning　lord。〃
　〃No；　I　said。〃　Gendry　rose　abruptly　and　stalked　away　from　the　table　out　into　the　night。
　Bella　turned　to　Arya。　〃Don't　he　like　girls？〃
　Arya　shrugged。　〃He's　just　stupid。　He　likes　to　polish　helmets　and　beat　on　swords　with　hammers。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Bella　tugged　her　gown　back　over　her　shoulder　and　went　to　talk　with　Jack…Be…Lucky。　Before　long　she　was　sitting　in　his　lap；　giggling　and　drinking　wine　from　his　cup。　Greenbeard　had　two　girls；　one　on　each　knee。　Anguy　had　vanished　with　his　freckle…faced　wench；　and　Lem　was　gone　as　well。　Tom　Sevenstrings　sat　by　the　fire；　singing；　〃The　Maids　that　Bloom　in　Spring。〃　Arya　sipped　at　the　cup　of　watered　wine　the　red…haired　woman　had　allowed　her；　listening。　Across　the　square　the　dead　men　were　rotting　in　their　crow　cages；　but　inside　the　Peach　everyone　was　jolly。　Except　it　seemed　to　her　that　some　of　them　were　laughing　too　hard；　somehow。
　It　would　have　been　a　good　time　to　sneak　away　and　steal　a　horse；　but　Arya　couldn't　see　how　that　would　help　her。　She　could　only　ride　as　far　as　the　city　gates。　That　captain　would　never　let　me　pass；　and　if　he　did；　Harwin　would　e　after　me；　or　that　Huntsman　with　his　dogs。　She　wished　she　had　her　map；　so　she　could　see　how　far　Stoney　Sept　was　from　Riverrun。
　By　the　time　her　cup　was　empty；　Arya　was　yawning。　Gendry　hadn't　e　back。　Tom　Sevenstrings　was　singing　〃Two　Hearts　that　Beat　as　One；〃　and　kissing　a　different　girl　at　the　end　of　every　verse。　In　the　corner　by　the　window　Lem　and　Harwin　sat　talking　to　red…haired　Tansy　in　low　voices。　〃　。　。　。　spent　the　night　in　Jaime's　cell；〃　she　heard　the　woman　say。　〃Her　and　this　other　wench；　the　one　who　slew　Renly。　All　three　o'　them　together；　and　e　the　mom　Lady　Catelyn　cut　him　loose　for　love。〃　She　gave　a　throaty　chuckle。
　It's　not　true；　Arya　thought。　She　never　would。　She　felt　sad　and　angry　and　lonely；　all　at　once。
　An　old　man　sat　down　beside　her。　〃Well；　aren't　you　a　pretty　little　peach？〃　His　breath　smelled　near　as　foul　as　the　dead　men　in　the　cages；　and　his　little　pig　eyes　were　crawling　up　and　down　her。　〃Does　my　sweet　peach　have　a　name？〃
　For　half　a　heartbeat　she　forgot　who　she　was　supposed　to　be。　She　wasn't　any　peach；　but　she　couldn't　be　Arya　Stark　either；　not　here　with　some　smelly　drunk　she　did　not　know。　〃I'm　。　。　。〃
　〃She's　my　sister。〃　Gendry　put　a　heavy　hand　on　the　old　man's　shoulder；　and　squeezed。　〃Leave　her　be。〃
　The　man　turned；　spoiling　for　a　quarrel；　but　when　he　saw　Gendry's　size　he　thought　better　of　it。　〃Your　sister；　is　she？　What　kind　of　brother　are　you？　I'd　never　bring　no　sister　of　mine　to　the　Peach；　that　I　wouldn't。〃　He　got　up　from　the　bench　and　moved　off　muttering；　in　search　of　a　new　friend。
　〃Why　did　you　say　that？〃　Arya　hopped　to　her　feet。　〃You're　not　my　brother。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　he　said　angrily。　〃I'm　too　bloody　lowborn　to　be　kin　to　m'lady　high。〃
　Arya　was　taken　aback　by　the　fury　in　his　voice。　〃That's　not　the　way　I　meant　it。〃
　〃Yes　it　is。〃　He　sat　down　on　the　bench；　cradling　a　cup　of　wine　between　his　hands。　〃Go　away。　I　want　to　drink　this　wine　in　peace。　Then　maybe　I'll　go　find　that　black…haired　girl　and　ring　her　bell　for　her。〃
　〃But　。　。　。　〃　
　〃I　said；　go　away。　M'lady。〃
　Arya　whirled　and　left　him　there。　A　stupid　bullheaded　bastard　boy；　that's　all　he　is。　He　could　ring　all　the　bells　he　wanted；　it　was　nothing　to　her。
　Their　sleeping　room　was　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　under　the　eaves。　Maybe　the　Peach　had　no　lack　of　beds；　but　there　was　only　one　to　spare　for　the　likes　of　them。　It　was　a　big　bed；　though。　It　filled　the　whole　room；　just　about；　and　the　musty　straw…stuffed　mattress　looked　large　enough　for　all　of　them。　just　now；　though；　she　had　it　to　herself。　Her　real　clothes　were　hanging　from　a　peg　on　the　wall；　between　Gendry's　stuff　and　Lem's。　Arya　took　off　the　linen　and　lace；　pulled　her　tunic　over　her　head；　climbed　up　into　the　bed；　and　burrowed　under　the　blankets。　〃Queen　Cersei；〃　she　whispered　into　the　pillow。　〃King　Joffrey；　Ser　Ilyn；　Ser　Meryn。　Dunsen；　Raff；　and　Polliver。　The　Tickler；　the　Hound；　and　Ser　Gregor　the　Mountain。〃　She　liked　to　mix　up　the　order　of　the　names　sometimes。　It　helped　her　remember　who　they　were　and　what　they'd　done。　Maybe　some　of　them　are　dead；　she　thought。　Maybe　they're　in　iron　cages　someplace；　and　the　crows　are　picking　out　their　eyes。
　Sleep　came　as　quick　as　she　closed　her　eyes。　She　dreamed　of　wolves　that　night；　stalking　through　a　wet　wood　with　the　smell　of　rain　and　rot　and　blood　thick　in　the　air。　Only　they　were　good　smells　in　the　dream；　and　Arya　knew　she　had　nothing　to　fear。　She　was　strong　and　swift　and　fierce；　and　her　pack　was　all　around　her；　her　brothers　and　her　sisters。　They　ran　down　a　frightened　horse　together；　tore　its　throat　out；　and　feasted。　And　when　the　moon　broke　through　the　clouds；　she　threw　back　her　head　and　howled。
　But　when　the　day　came；　she　woke　to　the　barking　of　dogs。
　Arya　sat　up　yawning。　Gendry　was　stirring　on　her　left　and　Lem　Lemoncloak　snoring　loudly　to　her　right；　but　the　baying　outside　all　but　drowned　him　out。　There　must　be　half　a　hundred　dogs　out　there。　She　crawled　from　under　the　blankets　and　hopped　over　Lem；　Tom；　and　Jack…BeLucky　to　the　window。　When　she　opened　the　shutters　wide；　wind　and　wet　and　cold　all　came　flooding　in　together。　The　day　was　grey　and　overcast。　Down　below；　in　the　square；　the　dogs　were　barking；　running　in　circles；　growling　and　howling。　There　was　a　pack　of　them；　great　black　mastiffs　and　lean　wolfhounds　and　black…and…white　sheepdogs　and　kinds　Arya　did　not　know；　shaggy　brindled　beasts　with　long　yellow　teeth。　Between　the　inn　and　the　fountain；　a　dozen　riders　sat　astride　their　horses；　watching　the　townsmen　open　the　fat　man's　cage　and　tug　his　arm　until　his　swollen　corpse　spilled　out　onto　the　ground。　The　dogs　were　at　him　at　once；　tearing　chunks　of　flesh　off　his　bones。
　Arya　heard　one　of　the　riders　laugh。　〃Here's　your　new　castle；　you　bloody　Lannister　bastard；〃　he　said。　〃A　little　snug　for　the　likes　o'　you；　but　we'll　squeeze　you　in；　never　fret。〃　Beside　him　a　prisoner　sat　sullen；　with　coils　of　hempen　rope　tight　around　his　wrists。　Some　of　the　townsmen　were　throwing　dung　at　him；　but　he　never　flinched。　〃You'll　rot　in　them　cages；〃　his　captor　was　shouting。　〃The　crows　will　be　picking　out　your　eyes　while　we're　spending　all　that　good　Lannister　gold　o'　yours！　And　when　them　crows　are　done；　we'll　send　what's　left　o'　you　to　your　bloody　brother。　Though　I　doubt　he'll　know　you。〃
　The　noise　had　woken　half　the　Peach。　Gendry　squeezed　into　the　window　beside　Arya；　and　Tom　stepped　up　behind　them　naked　as　his　name　day。　〃What's　all　that　bloody　shouting？〃　Lem　plained　from　bed。　〃A　man's　trying　to　get　some　bloody　sleep。〃
　〃Where's　Greenbeard？〃　Tom　asked　him。
　〃Abed　with　Tansy；〃　Lem　said。　〃Why？〃
　〃Best　find　him。　Archer　too。　The　Mad　Huntsman's　e　back；　with　another　man　for　the　cages。〃
　〃Lannister；〃　said　Arya。　〃I　heard　him　say　Lannister。〃
　〃Have　they　caught　the　Kingslayer？〃　Gendry　wanted　to　know。
　Down　in　the　square；　a　thrown　stone　caught　the　captive　on　the　cheek；　turning　his　head。　Not　the　Kingslayer；　Arya　thought；　when　she　saw　his　face。　The　gods　had　heard　her　prayers　after　all。
　
　CHAPTER　30
　JON
　
　Ghost　was　gone　when　the　wildlings　led　their　horses　from　the　cave。　Did　he　understand　about　Castle　Black？　Jon　took　a　breath　of　the　crisp　morning　air　and　allowed　himself　to　hope。　The　eastern　sky　was　pink　near　the　horizon　and　pale　grey　higher　up。　The　Sword　of　the　Morning　still　hung　in　the　south；　the　bright　white　star　in　its　hilt　blazing　like　a　diamond　in　the　dawn；　but　the　blacks　and　greys　of　the　darkling　forest　were　turning　once　again　to　greens　and　golds；　reds　and　russets。　And　above　the　soldier　pines　and　oaks　and　ash　and　sentinels　stood　the　Wall；　the　ice　pale　and　glimmering　beneath　the　dust　and　dirt　that　pocked　its　surface。
　The　Magnar　sent　a　dozen　men　riding　west　and　a　dozen　more　east；　to　climb　the　highest　hills　they　could　find　and　watch　for　any　sign　of　rangers　in　the　wood　or　riders　on　the　high　ice。　The　Therms　carried　bronze…banded　warhorns　to　give　warning　should　the　Watch　be　sighted。　The　other　wildlings　fell　in　behind　Jarl；　Jon　and　Ygritte　with　the　rest。　This　was　to　be　the　young　raider's　hour　of　glory。
　The　Wall　was　often　said　to　stand　seven　hundred　feet　high；　but　Jarl　had　found　a　place　where　it　was　both　higher　and　lower。　Before　them；　the　ice　rose　sheer　from　out　of　the　trees　like　some　immense　cliff；　crowned　by　wind…carved　battlements　that　loomed　at　least　eight　hundred　feet　high；　perhaps　nine　hundred　in　spots。　But　that　was　deceptive；　Jon　realized　as　they　drew　closer。　Brandon　the　Builder　had　laid　his　huge　foundation　blocks　along　the　heights　wherever　feasible；　and　hereabouts　the　hills　rose　wild　and　rugged。
　He　had　once　heard　his　uncle　Benjen　say　that　the　Wall　was　a　sword　east　of　Castle　Black；　but　a　snake　to　the　west