穿过庭院去澡堂时，艾莉亚瞥到一只渡鸦盘旋降落在鸦巢，不禁疑惑它从哪里来，带来什么消息。说不定是罗柏派来的，专门澄清布兰和瑞肯的事。她咬紧嘴唇如此期望。如果我也有翅膀，就可以自己飞回，临冬城去看。如果事情是真的，那我就干脆一直飞，飞过月亮，飞过闪亮的星星，飞去看老奶妈故事里的一切，飞去看龙、海怪和布拉佛斯的泰坦巨人像。再也不要回来。

The hunting party returned near evenfall with nine dead wolves. Seven were adults, big grey-brown beasts, savage and powerful, their mouths drawn back over long yellow teeth by their dying snarls. But the other two had only been pups. Lord Bolton gave orders for the skins to be sewn into a blanket for his bed. “Cubs still have that soft fur, my lord,” one of his men pointed out. “Make you a nice warm pair of gloves.”

捕猎的队伍近黄昏时才回来，带回九匹死狼，其中七匹是成年狼，体型很大，一身灰棕，凶猛而强壮，由于临死前的咆哮，它们嘴巴张开露出黄色的牙齿；另有两匹是幼崽。波顿大人下令把它们的皮缝成毯子铺在他床上。“小狼皮软，大人，”他的一名手下指出，“不如做一副暖和的手套。”

Bolton glanced up at the banners waving above the gatehouse towers. “As the Starks are wont to remind us, winter is coming. Have it done.” When he saw Arya looking on, he said, “Nan, I’ll want a flagon of hot spice wine, I took a chill in the woods. See that it doesn’t get cold. I’m of a mind to sup alone. Barley bread, butter, and boar.”

波顿抬头瞥瞥城门楼上飘扬的旗帜，“好吧，正如史塔克常提醒我们的：凛冬将至。那就做吧。”他看见艾莉亚望着他，便道，“娜娜，我在林子里受了点风寒，来一壶加热的香料酒，别让它凉掉。我打算独自进晚餐。大麦面包，黄油和野猪肉。”

“At once, my lord.” That was always the best thing to say.

“我马上去办，大人。”这总是最佳回答。

Hot Pie was making oatcakes when she entered the kitchen. Three other cooks were boning fish, while a spit boy turned a boar over the flames. “My lord wants his supper, and hot spice wine to wash it down,” Arya announced, “and he doesn’t want it cold.” One of the cooks washed his hands, took out a kettle, and filled it with a heavy, sweet red. Hot Pie was told to crumble in the spices as the wine heated. Arya went to help.

到厨房时，热派做着燕麦饼，另三个厨子在剔鱼骨，司炉小弟则在火焰上翻转野猪。“大人要晚餐，配上加热的香料葡萄酒，”艾莉亚宣布，“不能凉掉。”听罢此言，一个厨子连忙洗手，取出一个锅子，倒满粘稠芬芳的红酒，然后叫热派边看着火边把香料捣碎了加进去。艾莉亚过去帮忙。

“I can do it,” he said sullenly. “I don’t need you to show me how to spice wine.”

“我自己来，”他沉着脸说。“这点小事不用你教。”

He hates me too, or else he’s scared of me. She backed away, more sad than angry. When the food was ready, the cooks covered it with a silver cover and wrapped the flagon in a thick towel to keep it warm. Dusk was settling outside. On the walls the crows muttered round the heads like courtiers round a king. One of the guards held the door to Kingspyre. “Hope that’s not weasel soup,” he jested.

他恨我，不然就是怕我。她退开去，伤心更甚气恼。食物准备好之后，厨子们扣上银罩，并拿厚毛巾包住酒壶保温。暮色降临，城墙上的乌鸦绕着头颅嘀嘀咕咕，活像满朝文武觐见国王。一个卫兵守在焚王塔门口，“这不是黄鼠狼汤吧？”他打趣道。

Roose Bolton was seated by the hearth reading from a thick leatherbound book when she entered. “Light some candles,” he commanded her as he turned a page. “It grows gloomy in here.”

卢斯·波顿正在火炉边看一本皮革装订的厚书。“多点几只蜡烛，”他边翻书页边下令，“越来越暗了。”

She placed the food at his elbow and did as he bid her, filling the room with flickering light and the scent of cloves. Bolton turned a few more pages with his finger, then closed the book and placed it carefully in the fire. He watched the flames consume it, pale eyes shining with reflected light. The old dry leather went up with a whoosh, and the yellow pages stirred as they burned, as if some ghost were reading them. “I will have no further need of you tonight,” he said, never looking at her.

她把餐盘放在他手边，然后遵命去点蜡烛，屋里顷刻间充满摇曳的亮光和丁香的气味。波顿又用手指夹着翻了几页，然后合上，缓缓地将书放进火堆。他目睹火焰将其吞噬，淡白的眼珠映着亮光。干燥的旧皮革“呼”的一声着了火，泛黄的书页一张张卷起来，仿佛有个幽灵正在阅读。“今晚用不着你了，”他说话时一眼都没瞧她。

She should have gone, silent as a mouse, but something had hold of her. “My lord,” she asked, “will you take me with you when you leave Harrenhal?”

她该像老鼠一样悄悄离开，却不知怎地留了下来。“大人，”她开口问，“您离开赫伦堡时会带上我吗？”

He turned to stare at her, and from the look in his eyes it was as if his supper had just spoken to him. “Did I give you leave to question me, Nan?”

他转头凝视她，那眼神好像是突然发现晚餐在跟他说话。“我准你问话了吗，娜娜？”

“No, my lord.” She lowered her eyes.

“没有，大人。”她垂下眼。

“You should not have spoken, then. Should you?”

“那你就不该问，对不对？”

“No. My lord.”

“不该，大人。”

For a moment he looked amused. “I will answer you, just this once. I mean to give Harrenhal to Lord Vargo when I return to the north. You will remain here, with him.”

他似乎有些兴致。“念你是初犯，我就回答一次，下不为例。我回北方的时候，打算把赫伦堡交给瓦格大人。你和他一起留下。”

“But I don’t—” she started.

“但我不——”

He cut her off. “I am not in the habit of being questioned by servants, Nan. Must I have your tongue out?”

他打断她，“我没有被仆人质问的习惯，娜娜，要我把你的舌头拔出来吗？”

He would do it as easily as another man might cuff a dog, she knew. “No, my lord.”

她知道这种事对他而言，就跟别人打狗一样稀松平常。“不，大人。”

“Then I’ll hear no more from you?”

“那就把嘴巴闭上。”

“No, my lord.”

“是，大人。”

“Go, then. I shall forget this insolence.”

“去吧，我原谅你这次无礼。”

Arya went, but not to her bed. When she stepped out into the darkness of the yard, the guard on the door nodded at her and said, “Storm coming. Smell the air?” The wind was gusting, flames swirling off the torches mounted atop the walls beside the rows of heads. On her way to the godswood, she passed the Wailing Tower where once she had lived in fear of Weese. The Freys had taken it for their own since Harrenhal’s fall. She could hear angry voices coming from a window, many men talking and arguing all at once. Elmar was sitting on the steps outside, alone.

艾莉亚离开了，但没有回去睡觉，她走出焚王塔，踏入黑暗的庭院，门口的卫兵点头道：“闻到了吧？暴风雨要来了。”阵阵朔风吹过，插在城墙上那些头颅旁的火炬急速摇曳。去神木林途中，经过号哭塔，她曾在那儿生活，生活在对威斯的恐惧中。赫伦堡陷落后，佛雷家将它占用，她听见一扇窗户内传来许多愤怒的话音，一群人在同时叫嚣，讨论争吵。艾尔玛独坐在门外台阶上。

“What’s wrong?” Arya asked him when she saw the tears shining on his cheeks.

“怎么回事？”艾莉亚问，他的脸颊闪着泪花。

“My princess,” he sobbed. “We’ve been dishonored, Aenys says. There was a bird from the Twins. My lord father says I’ll need to marry someone else, or be a septon.”

“我的公主，”他抽泣着，“伊尼斯说我们蒙羞了。父亲大人从孪河城派来一只鸟，要我跟别人结婚，否则就去做修士。”

A stupid princess, she thought, that’s nothing to cry over. “My brothers might be dead,” she confided.

就为一个笨公主，她心想，有什么好哭的。“我弟弟可能死了呢，”她向他吐露。

Elmar gave her a scornful look. “No one cares about a serving girl’s brothers.”

艾尔玛轻蔑地看了她一眼，“谁在乎女仆的弟弟呀。”

It was hard not to hit him when he said that. “I hope your princess dies,” she said, and ran off before he could grab her.

听他这么说，很难不去揍他。“你的公主去死吧！”她大声道，然后趁他抓她之前飞身跑掉。

In the godswood she found her broomstick sword where she had left it, and carried it to the heart tree. There she knelt. Red leaves rustled. Red eyes peered inside her. The eyes of the gods. “Tell me what to do, you gods,” she prayed.

    她跑进神木林，在原处找到扫帚剑，提着它来到心树前跪下。红叶沙沙作响，红眼洞穿内心，这是远古诸神的眼睛。“诸神啊，请告诉我该怎么做，”她祈求。良久，一片寂静，惟有风声、水声和枝叶的婆娑。接着，从遥远的地方，从神木林之外，从闹鬼的塔楼之外，从赫伦堡巨大的石墙之外，从世界的某处，传来一声孤寂而悠长的狼嚎。艾莉亚起了鸡皮疙瘩，片刻之间头晕目眩。然后，她朦朦胧胧听见父亲的声音，“当大雪降下，冷风吹起，独行狼死，群聚狼生，”他说。

For a long moment there was no sound but the wind and the water and the creak of leaf and limb. And then, far far off, beyond the godswood and the haunted towers and the immense stone walls of Harrenhal, from somewhere out in the world, came the long lonely howl of a wolf. Gooseprickles rose on Arya’s skin, and for an instant she felt dizzy. Then, so faintly, it seemed as if she heard her father’s voice. “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives,” he said.

“可我找不到伴，”她轻声对鱼梁木说。布兰和瑞肯死了，珊莎在兰尼斯特家手中，琼恩去了长城。“我甚至都不是自己，我成了娜娜。”

“But there is no pack,” she whispered to the weirwood. Bran and Rickon were dead, the Lannisters had Sansa, Jon had gone to the Wall. “I’m not even me now, I’m Nan.”

“你是临冬城的艾莉亚，北境的女儿。你答应过我会变得坚强，别忘了，你体内流着奔狼之血。”

“You are Arya of Winterfell, daughter of the north. You told me you could be strong. You have the wolf blood in you.”

“奔狼之血。”艾莉亚记起来。“我说过，我会变得跟罗柏一样坚强。”她深吸一口气，然后双手举起扫帚棍，往膝盖上一磕。它响亮地断裂，碎片被她扔掉。我是冰原狼，不需要木牙。

“The wolf blood.” Arya remembered now. “I’ll be as strong as Robb. I said I would.” She took a deep breath, then lifted the broomstick in both hands and brought it down across her knee. It broke with a loud crack, and she threw the pieces aside. I am a direwolf, and done with wooden teeth.

当天晚上，她躺在狭窄的稻草床上等待明月升起，一边聆听生者与死人的低语争辩。这是她现在惟一相信的声音。她耳中不但有自己的呼吸，也有狼群的嗥叫，它们已经成群。它们比我在神木林里听到时更接近了，她心想，它们在呼唤我。

That night she lay in her narrow bed upon the scratchy straw, listening to the voices of the living and the dead whisper and argue as she waited for the moon to rise. They were the only voices she trusted anymore. She could hear the sound of her own breath, and the wolves as well, a great pack of them now. They are closer than the one I heard in the godswood, she thought. They are calling to me.

最后，她从被子底下溜出来，摸索着套上外衣，光脚走下楼梯。卢斯·波顿是个谨慎的人，焚王塔门口日夜有人把守，她不得不从地窖的窄窗溜出去。庭院寂静无声，巨大的城堡陷入鬼影憧憧的迷梦，惟有寒风在头顶的号哭塔尖啸。

Finally she slipped from under the blanket, wriggled into a tunic, and padded barefoot down the stairs. Roose Bolton was a cautious man, and the entrance to Kingspyre was guarded day and night, so she had to slip out of a narrow cellar window. The yard was still, the great castle lost in haunted dreams. Above, the wind keened through the Wailing Tower.

她发现铁匠房炉火已熄，门也关闭上闩，于是像上次一样翻窗进去。詹德利跟另外两个铁匠学徒睡在一起。她在阁楼上蜷伏良久，等待眼睛适应黑暗，确定他就是边上那个。她用一只手捂住他的嘴，捏了他一把。他立刻睁眼，一定没睡熟。“求求你，”她轻声道，一边把手从他的嘴上移开，指指外面。

At the forge she found the fires extinguished and the doors closed and barred. She crept in a window, as she had once before. Gendry shared a mattress with two other apprentice smiths. She crouched in the loft for a long time before her eyes adjusted enough for her to be sure that he was the one on the end. Then she put a hand over his mouth and pinched him. His eyes opened. He could not have been very deeply asleep. “Please,” she whispered. She took her hand off his mouth and pointed.

片刻之间，她以为他不明白，但他随后从被子底下溜出来，光着身子穿过房间，套上一件松垮的粗布上衣，跟在她后面爬下阁楼。熟睡的人们没有动静。“你又要干什么？”詹德利压低声音恼怒地问。

For a moment she did not think he understood, but then he slid out from under the blankets. Naked, he padded across the room, shrugged into a loose roughspun tunic, and climbed down from the loft after her. The other sleepers did not stir. “What do you want now?” Gendry said in a low angry voice.

“我要一把剑。”

“A sword.”

“我给你说过一百遍，黑拇指把所有刀剑都锁起来了。水蛭大人叫你来拿？”

“Blackthumb keeps all the blades locked up, I told you that a hundred times. Is this for Lord Leech?”

“我自己要。用你的锤子把锁砸开。”

“For me. Break the lock with your hammer.”

“他们会砍断我的手，”他咕哝道，“或者更糟。”

“They’ll break my hand,” he grumbled. “Or worse.”

“跟我一起逃就不会了。”

“Not if you run off with me.”

“逃？他们会杀了你。”

“Run, and they’ll catch you and kill you.”

“留下来更糟。波顿大人亲口告诉我，要把赫伦堡交给血戏班。”

“They’ll do you worse. Lord Bolton is giving Harrenhal to the Bloody Mummers, he told me so.”

詹德利把盖在眼睛上的黑发拨开，“那又怎样？”

Gendry pushed black hair out of his eyes. “So?”

她勇敢地直视他，“一旦瓦格·赫特当上城主，会把全城仆人的脚都砍掉以防他们逃跑。铁匠也一样。”

She looked right at him, fearless. “So when Vargo Hoat’s the lord, he’s going to cut off the feet of all the servants to keep them from running away. The smiths too.”

“这只是吓小孩的故事，”他不屑地说。

“That’s only a story,” he said scornfully.

“不，是真的，我听瓦格大人亲口这么说，”她撒谎。“每个人都会被他砍掉一只脚。似乎是左脚。去厨房叫醒热派——他听你的话——让他准备些面包或燕麦饼之类。反正你负责拿剑，我负责牵马，最后在厉鬼塔后的东墙边门碰面。那里少有人进出。”

“No, it’s true, I heard Lord Vargo say so,” she lied. “He’s going to cut one foot off everyone. The left one. Go to the kitchens and wake Hot Pie, he’ll do what you say. We’ll need bread or oakcakes or something. You get the swords and I’ll do the horses. We’ll meet near the postern in the east wall, behind the Tower of Ghosts. No one ever comes there.”

“我知道那里，还不是跟其他门一样，有人守卫。”

“I know that gate. It’s guarded, same as the rest.”

“那又怎样？好啦，你别忘了剑！”

“So? You won’t forget the swords?”

“我又没说要来。”

“I never said I’d come.”

“好好。但如果你要来，不会忘记带剑？”

“No. But if you do, you won’t forget the swords?”

他皱起眉头。“不会，”他最后说，“我想不会。”

He frowned. “No,” he said at last. “I guess I won’t.”

艾莉亚原路返回焚王塔，一边悄悄走上蜿蜒的楼梯，一边聆听脚步。在自己的小房间里，她脱光衣服，仔细地着装。她穿上两层内衣，一双温暖的长袜，还有自己最干净的外衣——那是波顿家的制服，胸口上缝着恐怖堡的剥皮人纹章。随后她系紧鞋子，瘦小的肩膀披上一件羊毛斗篷，并在喉咙下打好结。静如影，她再次下楼，中途在领主的书房门口驻足聆听。惟有静默。于是她缓缓推开门。

Arya reentered Kingspyre the same way she had left it, and stole up the winding steps listening for footfalls. In her cell, she stripped to the skin and dressed herself carefully, in two layers of smallclothes, warm stockings, and her cleanest tunic. It was Lord Bolton’s livery. On the breast was sewn his sigil, the flayed man of the Dreadfort. She tied her shoes, threw a wool cloak over her skinny shoulders, and knotted it under her throat. Quiet as a shadow, she moved back down the stairs. Outside the lord’s solar she paused to listen at the door, easing it open slowly when she heard only silence.

羊皮纸地图就在桌上，在波顿大人吃剩的晚餐旁边。她将它紧紧卷好，插入腰带。为防詹德利万一不敢来，她把大人留在桌上的匕首也拿走了。

The sheepskin map was on the table, beside the remains of Lord Bolton’s supper. She rolled it up tight and thrust it through her belt. He’d left his dagger on the table as well, so she took that too, just in case Gendry lost his courage.

之后她溜进漆黑的马厩，有匹马低嘶了一声。马夫们都睡着了，她用脚尖捅醒一个，对方歪歪扭扭地坐起来，“呃？干嘛？”

A horse neighed softly as she slipped into the darkened stables. The grooms were all asleep. She prodded one with her toe until he sat up groggily and said, “Eh? Whas?”

“波顿大人要三匹马，上好马鞍和辔头。”

“Lord Bolton requires three horses saddled and bridled.”

男孩站起身，拍拍头发里的稻草，“干嘛？现在？你……要马？”他对着她外衣上的家徽眨眨眼。“大半夜的，他要马做什么？”

The boy got to his feet, pushing straw from his hair. “Wha, at this hour? Horses, you say?” He blinked at the sigil on her tunic. “Whas he want horses for, in the dark?”

“波顿大人没有被仆人质问的习惯。”她双手抱胸。

“Lord Bolton is not in the habit of being questioned by servants.” She crossed her arms.

马童盯着剥皮人不放，他知道那代表的含义。“你要……三匹？”

The stableboy was still looking at the flayed man. He knew what it meant. “Three, you say?”

“一，二，三。打猎用的马，又稳又快的那种。”艾莉亚帮他准备辔头和马鞍，以防惊动其他人。她希望将来不会连累到他，但心里知道这很难。

“One two three. Hunting horses. Fast and surefoot.” Arya helped him with the bridles and saddles, so he would not need to wake any of the others. She hoped they would not hurt him afterward, but she knew they probably would.

牵马过城是最困难的部分。只要可能，她便躲在墙内的阴影里，如此城头上走动的卫兵就得垂直往下看才能发现她。他们发现又怎样？我可是大人的贴身侍酒。这是个寒冷阴湿的秋夜，西边吹来的乌云遮住了星星，每阵风都让号哭塔发出凄厉的悲泣。闻起来快下雨了。艾莉亚不知这对他们的逃亡而言是好还是坏。

Leading the horses across the castle was the worst part. She stayed in the shadow of the curtain wall whenever she could, so the sentries walking their rounds on the ramparts above would have needed to look almost straight down to see her. And if they do, what of it? I’m my lord’s own cupbearer. It was a chill dank autumn night. Clouds were blowing in from the west, hiding the stars, and the Wailing Tower screamed mournfully at every gust of wind. It smells like rain. Arya did not know whether that would be good or bad for their escape.

没人看见她，她也没看见任何人，只有一只灰白相间的猫，沿着神木林的围墙悄悄走动。它停下来朝她吐口水，刹时间唤起她关于红堡、父亲和西利欧·佛瑞尔的记忆。“我想抓就能抓住你，”她轻声对它说，“但我得走了，猫咪。”那只猫嘶了一声，然后跑掉。

No one saw her, and she saw no one, only a grey and white cat creeping along atop the godswood wall. It stopped and spit at her, waking memories of the Red Keep and her father and Syrio Forel. “I could catch you if I wanted,” she called to it softly, “but I have to go, cat.” The cat hissed again and ran off.

厉鬼塔在赫伦堡的五座巨塔中损坏最为严重。它阴沉凄凉地矗立在一座倾颓的圣堂后面——近三百年来，只有老鼠到此祈祷。她就在那里等待詹德利和热派。仿佛过了很久很久，马匹啃食碎石间的杂草，乌云吞没最后一颗星星。艾莉亚百无聊赖地拿出匕首打磨。照着西利欧教她的法子，悠长而平稳地摩擦。这声音令她平静。

The Tower of Ghosts was the most ruinous of Harrenhal’s five immense towers. It stood dark and desolate behind the remains of a collapsed sept where only rats had come to pray for near three hundred years. It was there she waited to see if Gendry and Hot Pie would come. It seemed as though she waited a long time. The horses nibbled at the weeds that grew up between the broken stones while the clouds swallowed the last of the stars. Arya took out the dagger and sharpened it to keep her hands busy. Long smooth strokes, the way Syrio had taught her. The sound calmed her.

人还没到，她远远便听见他们的声音。热派呼吸粗浊，还在黑暗中绊了一跤，擦破小腿的皮，随之而来的大声咒骂几乎能吵醒半个赫伦堡。詹德利比较安静，但走动时身上扛的剑互相撞击，叮当作响。“我在这儿。”她站起来，“安静点，否则他们会听到。”

She heard them coming long before she saw them. Hot Pie was breathing heavily, and once he stumbled in the dark, barked his shin, and cursed loud enough to wake half of Harrenhal. Gendry was quieter, but the swords he was carrying rang together as he moved. “Here I am.” She stood. “Be quiet or they’ll hear you.”

男孩们在碎石堆中择路朝她走来。詹德利在斗篷下穿了上好油的锁甲，背挎铁匠的锤子。热派涨红的圆脸在兜帽里若隐若现，他右手摇摇晃晃地拎着一袋面包，左臂夹着一大轮奶酪。“边门有个卫兵，”詹德利平静地说，“我告诉你会有卫兵。”

The boys picked their way toward her over tumbled stones. Gendry was wearing oiled chainmail under his cloak, she saw, and he had his blacksmith’s hammer slung across his back. Hot Pie’s red round face peered out from under a hood. He had a sack of bread dangling from his right hand and a big wheel of cheese under his left arm. “There’s a guard on that postern,” said Gendry quietly. “I told you there would be.”

“你们留下来看马，”艾莉亚道，“我去处理。听到信号就赶快跟上。”

“You stay here with the horses,” said Arya. “I’ll get rid of him. Come quick when I call.”

詹德利点点头。热派说：“你学猫头鹰，我们就过来。”

Gendry nodded. Hot Pie said, “Hoot like an owl when you want us to come.”

“我不是猫头鹰，”艾莉亚道，“我是狼。我会嗥叫。”

“I’m not an owl,” said Arya. “I’m a wolf. I’ll howl.”

她独自一人穿越厉鬼塔的阴影，走得很快，以抵制内心的恐惧，一面幻想西利欧·佛瑞尔、尤伦、贾昆·赫加尔和琼恩·雪诺就在身边。她没带詹德利给的剑，现在还不需要。尖锐锋利的匕首更合适。东墙边门是赫伦堡最小的入口，十分狭窄，厚实的橡木板镶嵌铁钉，与城墙呈斜角，设在防御塔楼下。门边只有一个守卫，但塔楼里一定还有，沿墙巡逻的更多。不管发生什么，静如影。不能让他出声。零星的雨点开始落下，有一滴掉在眉梢，沿着鼻子缓缓流淌。

Alone, she slid through the shadow of the Tower of Ghosts. She walked fast, to keep ahead of her fear, and it felt as though Syrio Forel walked beside her, and Yoren, and Jaqen H’ghar, and Jon Snow. She had not taken the sword Gendry had brought her, not yet. For this the dagger would be better. It was good and sharp. This postern was the least of Harrenhal’s gates, a narrow door of stout oak studded with iron nails, set in an angle of the wall beneath a defensive tower. Only one man was set to guard it, but she knew there would be sentries up in that tower as well, and others nearby walking the walls. Whatever happened, she must be quiet as a shadow. He must not call out. A few scattered raindrops had begun to fall. She felt one land on her brow and run slowly down her nose.

她没有隐藏，而是径直走向卫兵，装作波顿大人有所差遣的样子。他看她走近，十分好奇一个仆人为何在漆黑的夜晚跑来找他。末了，她发现他是个又高又瘦的北方人，裹一件破烂的毛皮斗篷。真糟糕。她也许能瞒过佛雷家或勇士团的人，但恐怖堡的部属跟随卢斯·波顿一辈子，比她更了解他。如果我告诉他，我是艾莉亚·史塔克，命令他让开……不，她不敢。他是北方人，但不是临冬城的人。他是卢斯·波顿的手下。

She made no effort to hide, but approached the guard openly, as if Lord Bolton himself had sent her. He watched her come, curious as to what might bring a page here at this black hour. When she got closer, she saw that he was a northman, very tall and thin, huddled in a ragged fur cloak. That was bad. She might have been able to trick a Frey or one of the Brave Companions, but the Dreadfort men had served Roose Bolton their whole life, and they knew him better than she did. If I tell him I am Arya Stark and command him to stand aside … No, she dare not. He was a northman, but not a Winterfell man. He belonged to Roose Bolton.

于是她走到他面前，敞开斗篷，露出胸口的剥皮人。”波顿大人派我过来。“

When she reached him she pushed back her cloak so he would see the flayed man on her breast. “Lord Bolton sent me.”

“这个时候？做什么？”

“At this hour? Why for?”

她看见皮斗篷下钢铁的反光，却不知自己够不够强壮，能不能将匕首尖捅进锁甲。喉咙，一定要刺喉咙，但他太高，我够不到！片刻之间，她不知如何是好；片刻之间，她又成了受惊的小女孩。雨水聚在脸上，感觉像是眼泪。

She could see the gleam of steel under the fur, and she did not know if she was strong enough to drive the point of the dagger through chainmail. His throat, it must be his throat, but he’s too tall, I’ll never reach it. For a moment she did not know what to say. For a moment she was a little girl again, and scared, and the rain on her face felt like tears.

“他要我发给每个卫兵一枚银币，以示嘉奖。”这句话也不知打哪儿冒出来的。

“He told me to give all his guards a silver piece, for their good service.” The words seemed to come out of nowhere.

“你说……银币？”他并不相信她，但心里渴望相信，毕竟银币就是银币。“拿过来吧。”

“Silver, you say?” He did not believe her, but he wanted to; silver was silver, after all. “Give it over, then.”

她把手伸进外衣，掏出贾昆给的硬币。黑暗中，钢铁可以冒充褪色的银子。她递出去……并让它从指间滑落。

Her fingers dug down beneath her tunic and came out clutching the coin Jaqen had given her. In the dark the iron could pass for tarnished silver. She held it out … and let it slip through her fingers.

那人低声骂了一句，蹲下来在泥地中摸索，脖子凑到她眼前。艾莉亚拔出匕首，划破喉咙，动作流利得像夏日的丝绸。热血一下子涌出，喷满她的手。他想喊叫，却被血哽住。

Cursing her softly, the man went to a knee to grope for the coin in the dirt, and there was his neck right in front of her. Arya slid her dagger out and drew it across his throat, as smooth as summer silk. His blood covered her hands in a hot gush and he tried to shout but there was blood in his mouth as well.

“Valar morghulis。”他死去时，她轻声念。

“Valar morghulis,” she whispered as he died.

当他不再动弹，她捡起了硬币。赫伦堡的高墙之外，传来一声悠长而响亮的狼嗥。她推起门闩，搁到一边，然后打开沉重的橡木门。等热派和詹德利牵马过来，雨势已大。“你杀了他！”热派倒抽一口气。

When he stopped moving, she picked up the coin. Outside the walls of Harrenhal, a wolf howled long and loud. She lifted the bar, set it aside, and pulled open the heavy oak door. By the time Hot Pie and Gendry came up with the horses, the rain was falling hard. “You killed him!” Hot Pie gasped.

“当然！”手指上全是粘粘的血，气味令母马紧张不安。没关系，她一边想一边翻上马鞍，雨水会将它们冲得干干净净。

“What did you think I would do?” Her fingers were sticky with blood, and the smell was making her mare skittish. It’s no matter, she thought, swinging up into the saddle. The rain will wash them clean again.