克瑞冈·卡史塔克（Cregan Karstark）咬牙切齿。“艾丽丝应该嫁给我的。” 虽然年过五十，他进牢房前仍然很强壮。严寒夺走了他的力量，只留下虚弱和呆板。“我的父亲大人—”
Cregan Karstark’s lips skinned back from his teeth. “Alys was promised to me.” Though past fifty, he had been a strong man when he went into the cell. The cold had robbed him of that strength and left him stiff and weak. “My lord father—”
“你的父亲只是代理城主，不是大人。代理城主无权决定婚约。”
“Your father is a castellan, not a lord. And a castellan has no right to make marriage pacts.”
“我父亲，阿洛夫（Arnolf），是卡霍城领主。”
“My father, Arnolf, is Lord of Karhold.”
“不管遵照任何法律，儿子比叔叔有优先继承权。”
“A son comes before an uncle by all the laws I know.”
克瑞冈（Cregan）站起来，踢掉缠在他脚踝上的毛皮。“哈瑞恩（Harrion）死了。”
Cregan pushed himself to his feet and kicked aside the furs clinging to his ankles. “Harrion is dead.”
或者很快就要死了。“女儿也比叔叔优先。如果他哥哥死了，卡霍城就属于艾丽丝女士。而她已与西戈（Sigorn），瑟恩的马格拿（Magnar of Thenn）联姻。”
Or will be soon. “A daughter comes before an uncle too. If her brother is dead, Karhold belongs to Lady Alys. And she has given her hand in marriage to Sigorn, Magnar of Thenn.”
“一个野人，肮脏的家伙，该死的野人。”克瑞刚握紧双拳，上面戴着皮质手套，毛色和披在宽肩上的僵硬褪色的斗篷很匹配。他的黑羊毛外衣上饰有他家族的白色旭日族徽。“我知道你是谁，雪诺。半个狼家半个野人，叛（河蟹）国者和妓女生出的贱种。你会把一个高贵出身的处女送到某个恶臭野人的床上，你自己不先给她开苞？”他哈哈大笑，“如果你想杀我，来吧，作为一个弑亲者被诅咒。史塔克和卡史塔克血脉相同。”
“A wildling. A filthy, murdering wildling.” Cregan’s hands closed into fists. The gloves that covered them were leather, lined with fur to match the cloak that hung matted and stiff from his broad shoulders. His black wool surcoat was emblazoned with the white sunburst of his house. “I see what you are, Snow. Half a wolf and half a wildling, baseborn get of a traitor and a whore. You would deliver a highborn maid to the bed of some stinking savage. Did you sample her yourself first?” He laughed. “If you mean to kill me, do it and be damned for a kinslayer. Stark and Karstark are one blood.”
“我的名字叫雪诺。”
“My name is Snow.”
“私生子。”
“Bastard.”
“至少，有点内疚。”
“Guilty. Of that, at least.”
“让这个马格拿去卡霍城吧，我们会砍掉他的脑袋丢进厕所，这样我们可以把尿撒到他嘴里。”
“Let this Magnar come to Karhold. We’ll hack off his head and stuff it in a privy, so we can piss into his mouth.”
“赛贡领导着瑟恩人，”琼恩指出，“而且亚丽女士相信卡霍城的大门会向她敞开。两个你的手下已经发誓向她效忠，并证实了她所说的关于你父亲和拉姆斯·雪诺制定的计划的全部。我听说你在卡霍城还有近亲，你的一句话可以拯救他们的生命。放弃卡霍城，亚丽女士会赦免背叛她的女人，并允许背叛她的男人穿上黑衣。”
“Sigorn leads two hundred Thenns,” Jon pointed out, “and Lady Alys believes Karhold will open its gates to her. Two of your men have already sworn her their service and confirmed all she had to say concerning the plans your father made with Ramsay Snow. You have close kin at Karhold, I am told. A word from you could save their lives. Yield the castle. Lady Alys will pardon the women who betrayed her and allow the men to take the black.”
克瑞刚摇头，随着他的走动，头发里缠结而成的冰块咔哒轻响。“绝不，”他说，“绝不，绝不，绝不。”
Cregan shook his head. Chunks of ice had formed about the tangles in his hair, and clicked together softly when he moved. “Never,” he said. “Never, never, never.”
我应该砍下他的头作为亚丽女士和她的马格拿的结婚礼物，琼恩想，但他不敢冒险。守夜人不参与王国的争斗；有人会说他已经给予史坦尼斯太多的帮助。砍下这个傻子的头，他们会声称我正在杀死北方人把他们的土地送给野人。释放他，他会竭尽所能地破坏我促成的亚丽女士和马格拿的联姻。琼恩想知道他父亲会做何选择，他叔叔又会怎么应付此事。但艾德·史塔克已死，班扬·史塔克在长城以外的冰冻荒野失踪。你什么都不懂，琼恩·雪诺。
I should make his head a wedding gift for Lady Alys and her Magnar, Jon thought, but dare not take the risk. The Night’s Watch took no part in the quarrels of the realm; some would say he had already given Stannis too much help. Behead this fool, and they will claim I am killing northmen to give their lands to wildlings. Release him, and he will do his best to rip apart all I’ve done with Lady Alys and the Magnar. Jon wondered what his father would do, how his uncle might deal with this. But Eddard Stark was dead, Benjen Stark lost in the frozen wilds beyond the Wall. You know nothing, Jon Snow.
“‘绝不’是个漫长的时间，”琼恩说，“一天或者一年之后，你的想法或许会有不同。然而，或早或晚史坦尼斯国王都将会回到长城，等他回来，他会宣判你的死刑……除非到时候你穿上了黑斗篷。罪犯一旦穿上黑衣，他的罪行都会抹去。”甚至是你这样的人。“现在请你原谅，我要去参加一个宴会。”
“Never is a long time,” Jon said. “You may feel differently on the morrow, or a year from now. Soon or late King Stannis will return to the Wall, however. When he does he will have you put to death … unless it happens that you are wearing a black cloak. When a man takes the black, his crimes are wiped away.” Even such a man as you. “Now pray excuse me. I have a feast to attend.”
离开冷得刺骨的冰牢，拥挤的地下大厅是如此之热，以至于当琼恩刚走下阶梯都感到呼吸困难。空气中散发着烟味、烤肉味和香料酒味。当琼恩走上高台时，亚赛尔·佛罗伦正在祝酒。“为史坦尼斯国王和他的夫人，赛丽丝王后，北方的光神干杯！”亚赛尔爵士大声说道，“为拉赫洛，光之王，他将会保卫我们所有人！一个王国，一位神灵，一位国王！”
After the biting cold of the ice cells, the crowded cellar was so hot that Jon felt suffocated from the moment he came down the steps. The air smelled of smoke and roasting meat and mulled wine. Axell Florent was making a toast as Jon took his place upon the dais. “To King Stannis and his wife, Queen Selyse, Light of the North!” Ser Axell bellowed. “To R’hllor, the Lord of Light, may he defend us all! One land, one god, one king!”
“一个王国，一位神灵，一位国王！”后党的人附和。
“One land, one god, one king!” the queen’s men echoed.
琼恩跟其他人干杯。他不知道亚丽·卡史塔克能否在她的婚姻中找到乐趣，但是这个夜晚至少是个应该庆祝的夜晚之一。
Jon drank with the rest. Whether Alys Karstark would find any joy in her marriage he could not say, but this one night at least should be one of celebration.
事务官们开始端上第一道菜，加了点羊肉和胡萝卜的洋葱肉汤。虽然不是皇家盛宴，但营养十足；肉汤尝起来味道够好，还能暖肚子。‘呆子’欧文弹起他的小提琴，一些自由民的笛子和鼓也加入合奏。曼斯·雷德袭击长城时，他们响起的战号声也是同样的笛子和鼓。琼恩觉得它们现在的声音更好听。和肉汤一起上来的还有大块的粗粮做的黑面包，还带着炉子里的热气。盐和黄油都摆在桌上，这光景让琼恩沮丧。他们的食盐供应充足，波文·马尔锡告诉过他，但最后一桶黄油将会在一个月内用完。
The stewards began to bring out the first dish, an onion broth flavored with bits of goat and carrot. Not precisely royal fare, but nourishing; it tasted good enough and warmed the belly. Owen the Oaf took up his fiddle, and several of the free folk joined in with pipes and drums. The same pipes and drums they played to sound Mance Rayder’s attack upon the Wall. Jon thought they sounded sweeter now. With the broth came loaves of coarse brown bread, warm from the oven. Salt and butter sat upon the tables. The sight made Jon gloomy. They were well provided with salt, Bowen Marsh had told him, but the last of the butter would be gone within a moon’s turn.
老菲林特和诺瑞被安排在高台下面的高贵席位，这两位都因为太年老没有跟随史坦尼斯进军；他们派了儿子和孙子们代替自己，但他们还能足够迅速地从黑城堡下来参加婚宴。他们每人还带来一个奶妈来长城，诺瑞的女人四十来岁，有着琼恩·雪诺从来没见过的大奶子。菲林特的女孩才十四岁，胸部平平像个男孩，尽管她不缺少奶水。这两个人中间，被称为‘怪物’的瓦迩的男孩似乎成长的很茁壮。
Old Flint and The Norrey had been given places of high honor just below the dais. Both men had been too old to march with Stannis; they had sent their sons and grandsons in their stead. But they had been quick enough to descend on Castle Black for the wedding. Each had brought a wet nurse to the Wall as well. The Norrey woman was forty, with the biggest breasts Jon Snow had ever seen. The Flint girl was fourteen and flat-chested as a boy, though she did not lack for milk. Between the two of them, the child Val called Monster seemed to be thriving.
为此，琼恩深深感激……但他一刻也不会相信这两个老掉牙的勇士会只为此事而赶着从他们的山上下来。他们每人都带来一队战士——老菲林特五个，诺瑞十二个，所有战士都穿着破烂的兽皮和镶钉的皮革，像寒冬一样可怕。有些人留着长胡子，有些人带着伤疤，有些人两样都有；但所有人都信仰北方的旧神，长城以外的自由民也信仰同样的旧神。然而，他们坐在这儿为一场被某个来自海外的奇怪的红神祝福的婚姻干杯。
For that much Jon was grateful … but he did not believe for a moment that two such hoary old warriors would have hied down from their hills for that alone. Each had brought a tail of fighting men—five for Old Flint, twelve for The Norrey, all clad in ragged skins and studded leathers, fearsome as the face of winter. Some had long beards, some had scars, some had both; all worshiped the old gods of the north, those same gods worshiped by the free folk beyond the Wall. Yet here they sat, drinking to a marriage hallowed by some queer red god from beyond the seas.
总比拒绝干杯要好。菲林特和诺瑞都没有翻转酒杯把酒泼到地板上，这可能预示着某种接受。或者可能只是他们不愿浪费上好的南方酒。在他们家族所在的石山上，他们不会品尝到这么多这种好酒。
Better that than refuse to drink. Neither Flint nor Norrey had turned their cups over to spill their wine upon the floor. That might betoken a certain acceptance. Or perhaps they just hate to waste good southron wine. They will not have tasted much of it up in those stony hills of theirs.
两道菜之间，亚赛尔·佛罗伦爵士领着赛丽丝王后到地板上来跳舞。其他人也跟着上来——先是王后的骑士们，与她的女伴们一起。布鲁斯爵士与希琳公主跳了她的第一支舞，然后又与她的母亲跳了一轮。纳伯特爵士跟每一位赛丽丝王后的女伴们都轮流跳舞。
Between courses, Ser Axell Florent led Queen Selyse out onto the floor to dance. Others followed—the queen’s knights first, partnered with her ladies. Ser Brus gave Princess Shireen her first dance, then took a turn with her mother. Ser Narbert danced with each of Selyse’s lady companions in turn.
后党的男人的数目远多过王后的女伴，三对一，所以即使是最卑贱的侍女们都不得不去跳舞。几支歌曲之后，一些黑衣兄弟——那些还记得他们青年时期因罪送至长城之前，在城堡和厅堂里学过舞技的人——也加入到跳舞的行列。老流氓‘御林的’乌尔马证明自己精熟于跳舞就像在熟悉的靶场一样，无疑他正在向他的舞伴讲述他那些御林兄弟的故事——当时他与西蒙·托尼（Simon Toyne）和‘大肚’本一起骑马，并帮助‘白鹿’雯达（Wenda）给她的高贵俘虏臀部烙上她的纹章。萨丁一直都很优雅，他轮流跟三个侍女跳舞，但从不试图接近一个高贵女士。琼恩明智地判断，他不喜欢某些后党骑士盯着事务官看的方式，特别是国王山的派崔克爵士。那人想着制造点儿流血，他想，他正在寻找某些挑衅。
The queen’s men outnumbered the queen’s ladies three to one, so even the humblest serving girls were pressed into the dance. After a few songs some black brothers remembered skills learned at the courts and castles of their youth, before their sins had sent them to the Wall, and took the floor as well. That old rogue Ulmer of the Kingswood proved as adept at dancing as he was at archery, no doubt regaling his partners with his tales of the Kingswood Brotherhood, when he rode with Simon Toyne and Big Belly Ben and helped Wenda the White Fawn burn her mark in the buttocks of her highborn captives. Satin was all grace, dancing with three serving girls in turn but never presuming to approach a highborn lady. Jon judged that wise. He did not like the way some of the queen’s knights were looking at the steward, particularly Ser Patrek of King’s Mountain. That one wants to shed a bit of blood, he thought. He is looking for some provocation.
当‘呆子’欧文开始与弄臣补丁脸跳舞时，笑声几乎冲破了拱形屋顶。这副景象让亚丽女士微笑，“你们经常跳舞吗？在这里，黑城堡？”
When Owen the Oaf began to dance with Patchface the fool, laughter echoed off the vaulted ceiling. The sight made Lady Alys smile. “Do you dance often, here at Castle Black?”
“每次我们举办婚礼的时候，我的女士。”
“Every time we have a wedding, my lady.”
“你可以跟我跳舞，你知道。这只不过是出于礼节。你跟我跳过另一次舞。”
“You could dance with me, you know. It would be only courteous. You danced with me anon.”
“另一次？”琼恩调侃道。
“Anon?” teased Jon.
“当时，我们都是小孩。”她扯下一条面包仍向他，“这是你很清楚的。”
“When we were children.” She tore off a bit of bread and threw it at him. “As you know well.”
“我的女士应该跟她的丈夫跳舞。”
“My lady should dance with her husband.”
“恐怕我的马格拿不是个适合跳舞的人。如果你打算跟我跳舞，至少为我倒些热葡萄酒。”
“My Magnar is not one for dancing, I fear. If you will not dance with me, at least pour me some of the mulled wine.”
“遵命。”他向一个大肚酒壶示意。
“As you command.” He signaled for a flagon.
“所以，”当琼恩倒酒时，亚丽说道，“现在我是个已婚女人。有一个自己有点儿野人军队的野人丈夫。”
“So,” said Alys, as Jon poured, “I am now a woman wed. A wildling husband with his own little wildling army.”
“他们称呼自己为自由民，至少，多数人这么称呼。然而，瑟恩人是个与众不同的民族，非常古老。”耶歌蕊特曾经告诉他：你什么都不懂，琼恩·雪诺。“他们来自霜雪之牙北边尽头的一个隐蔽山谷——被高大的山峰所包围，而且数千年来，他们跟巨人打交道比跟其他人类更多。这让他们不同。”
“Free folk is what they call themselves. Most, at least. The Thenns are a people apart, though. Very old.” Ygritte had told him that. You know nothing, Jon Snow. “They come from a hidden vale at the north end of the Frostfangs, surrounded by high peaks, and for thousands of years they’ve had more truck with the giants than with other men. It made them different.”
“不同，”她说，“但更像我们。”
“Different,” she said, “but more like us.”
“是的，我的女士。瑟恩人有领主和法律。”他们知道怎样屈膝。“他们开采锡和铜合成青铜，他们自己锻造臂甲和盔甲而不是去偷盗它们。一个自豪的民族，而且勇敢。直到曼斯·雷德打败老马格拿三次，斯迪才接受他作为境外之王。”
“Aye, my lady. The Thenns have lords and laws.” They know how to kneel. “They mine tin and copper for bronze, forge their own arms and armor instead of stealing it. A proud folk, and brave. Mance Rayder had to best the old Magnar thrice before Styr would accept him as King-Beyond-the-Wall.”
“现在，他们就在这里，长城的南边。离开他们的山地堡垒，来到我的卧室。”她微微苦笑，“是我自己的错。我的父亲大人曾告诉我，必须魅惑你的哥哥罗柏，但我当时只有六岁，不知道怎么做。”
“And now they are here, on our side of the Wall. Driven from their mountain fastness and into my bedchamber.” She smiled a wry smile. “It is my own fault. My lord father told me I must charm your brother Robb, but I was only six and didn’t know how.”
是啊，但是现在你差不多十六岁了，我们必须祈祷你将会知道怎样去魅惑你的新丈夫。“我的女士，你们卡霍城的食物仓库的库存情况怎样？”
Aye, but now you’re almost six-and-ten, and we must pray you will know how to charm your new husband. “My lady, how do things stand at Karhold with your food stores?”
“不好。”亚丽叹气，“我父亲把那么多我们的男人带去南方，只留下女人和年轻男孩收获庄稼。他们，和太老的或从战争中淘汰下来的伤残男人。庄稼在田地里干枯，或被秋雨拍进泥里。现在风雪已经袭来，这个冬天将会很艰难。没有几个老人会活过这个冬天，而且许多孩子也会死去。”
“Not well.” Alys sighed. “My father took so many of our men south with him that only the women and young boys were left to bring the harvest in. Them, and the men too old or crippled to go off to war. Crops withered in the fields or were pounded into the mud by autumn rains. And now the snows are come. This winter will be hard. Few of the old people will survive it, and many children will perish as well.”
这是每个北方人都很清楚的一个故事。“我父亲的祖母是山地部族的一个菲林特，他的母亲也是，”琼恩告诉她，“菲林特一世，他们称呼自己。他们称呼较年轻的儿子们的血脉为旁系菲林特——他们必须离开山地去寻找食物、土地和妻子。高山上的生活总是特别严酷，当大雪降下食物变得稀缺，他们的年轻人必须远行到越冬村镇，或服务一个城堡或服务另一个城堡。老人们召集他们之中还有残存力气的，宣布他们要出去打猎。有些人能看到来年的春天，更多的人再也不会看到。”
It was a tale that any northmen knew well. “My father’s grandmother was a Flint of the mountains, on his mother’s side,” Jon told her. “The First Flints, they call themselves. They say the other Flints are the blood of younger sons, who had to leave the mountains to find food and land and wives. It has always been a harsh life up there. When the snows fall and food grows scarce, their young must travel to the winter town or take service at one castle or the other. The old men gather up what strength remains in them and announce that they are going hunting. Some are found come spring. More are never seen again.”
“卡霍城也大致如此。”
“It is much the same at Karhold.”
他对此并不感到惊讶。“当你们的库存开始减少，我的女士，记得我们。送你们的老人来长城，让他们听从我们的安排。至少，在这里他们将不会孤独地死在积雪中，只有记忆温暖他们。男孩们也可以送来，如果你们有多余的男孩的话。”
That did not surprise him. “When your stores begin to dwindle, my lady, remember us. Send your old men to the Wall, let them say our words. Here at least they will not die alone in the snow, with only memories to warm them. Send us boys as well, if you have boys to spare.”
“如你所说。”他握住他的手，“卡霍城定会牢记。”
“As you say.” She touched his hand. “Karhold remembers.”
鹿肉正在被切开，味道闻起来比琼恩所能期待的更好。他派人给哈丁塔外面的莱瑟斯送去一块，顺便给旺·旺送去三大浅盘的烤蔬菜，然后自己吃了一块干净的肉片。‘三指’哈布表现的很好。他曾经为此担心，两天前的夜里哈布来向他抱怨：他加入守夜人是为了杀野人，而不是为了给他们做饭。“另外，我从来没有做过婚宴，大人。黑衣兄弟从不娶妻生子。这是血的誓约，我发誓它是。”
The elk was being carved. It smelled better than Jon had any reason to expect. He dispatched a portion to Leathers out at Hardin’s Tower, along with three big platters of roast vegetables for Wun Wun, then ate a healthy slice himself. Three-Finger Hobb’s acquitted himself well. That had been a concern. Hobb had come to him two nights ago complaining that he’d joined the Night’s Watch to kill wildlings, not to cook for them. “Besides, I never done no wedding feast, m’lord. Black brothers don’t never take no wifes. It’s in the bloody vows, I swear ’tis.”
当克莱达斯出现在他身旁时，琼恩正呷一小口香料酒把烤肉冲下肚去。“一只信鸦，”他宣称，然后把一卷羊皮纸送到琼恩手里。便笺是用一小块硬黑蜡封印。东海望，甚至在打开封蜡之前琼恩就知道。信是哈慕恩学士写的，卡特·派克既不会读又不会写。但话是派克说的，写出来如同他说过的话语，直率并切中要害。
Jon was washing the roast down with a sip of mulled wine when Clydas appeared at his elbow. “A bird,” he announced, and slipped a parchment into Jon’s hand. The note was sealed with a dot of hard black wax. Eastwatch, Jon knew, even before he broke the seal. The letter had been written by Maester Harmune; Cotter Pyke could neither read nor write. But the words were Pyke’s, set down as he had spoken them, blunt and to the point.
今天风平浪静。11艘船在早晨的潮汐中航向艰难堡。3艘布拉佛斯船，4艘里斯船，4艘我们的船。其中两艘里斯船勉强能出海。可能我们淹死的野人比我们拯救的野人更多。遵照你的命令，20只乌鸦和哈慕恩学士都在船上，将会送来消息。我驾驶‘塔伦号’，并命令‘破烂第二’驾驶‘黑鸟号’格兰登爵士统领东海望。
Calm seas today. Eleven ships set sail for Hardhome on the morning tide. Three Braavosi, four Lyseni, four of ours. Two of the Lyseni barely seaworthy. We may drown more wildlings than we save. Your command. Twenty ravens aboard, and Maester Harmune. Will send reports. I command from Talon, Tattersalt second on Blackbird, Ser Glendon holds Eastwatch.
“黑色的翅膀，黑色的消息？”亚丽·卡史塔克问道。
“Dark wings, dark words?” asked Alys Karstark.
“不，我的女士。这个消息是我期待已久的。”尽管后面部分让我烦恼。格兰登·赫威特是个经验丰富而且强壮的男人，卡特·派克不在期间让他来指挥是个明智的选择。但他也是艾里沙·索恩引以自豪的朋友之一，还是杰诺斯·史林特的某种密友，无论如何这只是暂时的。琼恩仍能回想起，当初赫威特怎样把他从床上拽出来，以及用靴子猛踢他的肋骨的感觉。不是我想选择的人选。他卷起牛皮纸，放进自己的腰带里。
“No, my lady. This news was long awaited.” Though the last part troubles me. Glendon Hewett was a seasoned man and a strong one, a sensible choice to command in Cotter Pyke’s absence. But he was also as much a friend as Alliser Thorne could boast, and a crony of sorts with Janos Slynt, however briefly. Jon could still recall how Hewett had dragged him from his bed, and the feel of his boot slamming into his ribs. Not the man I would have chosen. He rolled the parchment up and slipped it into his belt.
下一道菜是鱼，但当梭子鱼正被剔除骨头时，亚丽女士就拖着马格拿上到地板上。从他移动的方式判断，很明显赛贡以前从没跳过舞，但是他喝了足够多的香料酒，这让他的舞技似乎显得不那么重要。
The fish course was next, but as the pike was being boned Lady Alys dragged the Magnar up onto the floor. From the way he moved it was plain that Sigorn had never danced before, but he had drunk enough mulled wine so that it did not seem to matter.
“一个北方少女和一个野人勇士，由光之王绑在一起。”亚赛尔·佛罗伦爵士滑到亚丽女士的空座位上。“王后陛下赞同，我就在她的身边，我的大人，所以我知道她的想法。史坦尼斯国王也会赞同。”
“A northern maid and a wildling warrior, bound together by the Lord of Light.” Ser Axell Florent slipped into Lady Alys’s vacant seat. “Her Grace approves. I am close to her, my lord, so I know her mind. King Stannis will approve as well.”
除非卢斯·波顿把他的脑袋挂在一根长矛上。
Unless Roose Bolton has stuck his head on a spear.
“不是所有人都同意，唉。”亚赛尔爵士的胡子像一般参差不齐的刷子挂在下垂的下巴上；粗糙的毛发从他的双耳和鼻孔长出来。“派崔克爵士觉得他会更加般配亚丽女士。他来北方的途中失去了双手。”
“Not all agree, alas.” Ser Axell’s beard was a ragged brush beneath his sagging chin; coarse hair sprouted from his ears and nostrils. “Ser Patrek feels he would have made a better match for Lady Alys. His lands were lost to him when he came north.”
“这个大厅里还有很多人比他失去的更多。”琼恩说，“而且更多的人为服务王国献出了他们的生命。派崔克爵士应该为自己感到庆幸。”
“There are many in this hall who have lost far more than that,” said Jon, “and more who have given up their lives in service to the realm. Ser Patrek should count himself fortunate.”
亚赛尔·佛罗伦微笑道，“史坦尼斯国王如果在这儿也会这么说。不过，给国王陛下忠实的骑士们些补偿也是必须的，不是吗？他们这么远道而来追随他，又付出这种代价。而且我们也需要把这些野人与国王和王国绑在一起。这场婚姻是美好的第一步，但我知道再来一场野人公主的婚姻将会取悦王后。”
Axell Florent smiled. “The king might say the same if he were here. Yet some provision must be made for His Grace’s leal knights, surely? They have followed him so far and at such cost. And we must needs bind these wildlings to king and realm. This marriage is a good first step, but I know that it would please the queen to see the wildling princess wed as well.”
琼恩叹息。他已经厌烦了解释瓦迩不是真正的公主。无论告诉他们多少次，他们似乎从未听进去。“你是个固执的人，亚赛尔爵士，我敢肯定。”
Jon sighed. He was weary of explaining that Val was no true princess. No matter how often he told them, they never seemed to hear. “You are persistent, Ser Axell, I grant you that.”
“你在责备我吗，大人？这样一个奖赏并不是容易赢得的。一个适婚的女孩，我听说，而且不难看出来。完美的臀部，丰满的乳房，非常适合生养孩子。”
“Do you blame me, my lord? Such a prize is not easily won. A nubile girl, I hear, and not hard to look upon. Good hips, good breasts, well made for whelping children.”
“适合生养谁的孩子？派崔克爵士？还是你？”
“Who would father these children? Ser Patrek? You?”
“谁更好？我们佛伦特的血管里流着古老的‘园丁’国王的血脉。梅丽珊卓夫人可以主持婚礼仪式，就像她为亚丽女士和马格拿所做的那样。”
“Who better? We Florents have the blood of the old Gardener kings in our veins. Lady Melisandre could perform the rites, as she did for Lady Alys and the Magnar.”
“你们所缺少的是一位新娘。”
“All you are lacking is a bride.”
“容易解决。”佛伦特的微笑虚伪得让人不快。“她在哪儿，雪诺大人？你把她送到了你们的其他城堡？灰卫堡或影子塔？还是‘妓女跟其他姑娘的阴（河蟹）道’（指长坟堡）？”他倾身贴过来，“有人说把她藏起来自己享用了。不过对我来说这没关系，只要她没怀上孩子。我将让她生养我自己的儿子。如果你破了她的身，好吧……我们都是这个世界的男人，不是吗？”
“Easily remedied.” Florent’s smile was so false that it looked painful. “Where is she, Lord Snow? Have you moved her to one of your other castles? Greyguard or the Shadow Tower? Whore’s Burrow, with t’other wenches?” He leaned close. “Some say you have her tucked away for your own pleasure. It makes no matter to me, so long as she is not with child. I’ll get my own sons on her. If you’ve broken her to saddle, well … we are both men of the world, are we not?”
琼恩听够了。“亚赛尔爵士，如果你真的是王后之手，我为王后陛下感到遗憾。”
Jon had heard enough. “Ser Axell, if you are truly the Queen’s Hand, I pity Her Grace.”
佛伦特的脸因愤怒变的通红。“所以，传言是真的了。你打算自己享用她，我现在看出来了。私生子想要他父亲的宝座。”
Florent’s face grew flushed with anger. “So it is true. You mean to keep her for yourself, I see it now. The bastard wants his father’s seat.”
私生子拒绝了他父亲的宝座。如果私生子想要瓦迩，他所要做的是向她求爱。“请你原谅，爵士，”他说，“我需要呼吸下新鲜空气。”这里臭气熏天。他转过头，“是号角声。”
The bastard refused his father’s seat. If the bastard had wanted Val, all he had to do was ask for her. “You must excuse me, ser,” he said. “I need a breath of fresh air.” It stinks in here. His head turned. “That was a horn.”
其他人也听到了。音乐声和笑声立刻停止下来。舞者们僵在当场，倾听，甚至百灵都竖起它的双耳。“你们听到了吗？”赛丽丝王后问她的骑士们。
Others had heard it too. The music and the laughter died at once. Dancers froze in place, listening. Even Ghost pricked up his ears. “Did you hear that?” Queen Selyse asked her knights.
“是战号，王后陛下，”纳伯特爵士说道。
“A warhorn, Your Grace,” said Ser Narbert.
王后用手捂向自己的喉咙，“我们被袭击了吗？”
The queen’s hand went fluttering to her throat. “Are we under attack?”
“不，王后陛下，”御林的乌尔马说，“是长城上的巡察兵，仅此而已。”
“No, Your Grace,” said Ulmer of the Kingswood. “It’s the watchers on the Wall, is all.”
一声，琼恩·雪诺想，游骑兵们回来了。
One blast, thought Jon Snow. Rangers returning.
接着号声再次响起，声音几乎充满了地下大厅。
Then it came again. The sound seemed to fill the cellar.
“两声，”穆利说道。
“Two blasts,” said Mully.
黑衣兄弟、北方人、自由民、瑟恩人、王后的人，所有人都安静下来，倾听。五个心跳的时间过去，十个，二十个。然后，‘呆子’欧文痴痴傻笑，琼恩·雪诺才敢松口气。“两声，”他宣布，“野人们。”瓦迩。
Black brothers, northmen, free folk, Thenns, queen’s men, all of them fell quiet, listening. Five heartbeats passed. Ten. Twenty. Then Owen the Oaf tittered, and Jon Snow could breathe again. “Two blasts,” he announced. “Wildlings.” Val.
‘巨人克星’托蒙德终于来了。
Tormund Giantsbane had come at last.
