CATELYN

凯特琳

   Of all the rooms in Winterfell’s Great Keep,Catelyn’s bedchambers were the hottest. She seldom had to light a fire. Thecastle had been built over natural hot springs, and the scalding waters rushedthrough its walls and chambers like blood through a man’s body, driving thechill from the stone halls, filling the glass gardens with a moist warmth,keeping the earth from freezing. Open pools smoked day and night in a dozensmall courtyards. That was a little thing, in summer; in winter, it was thedifference between life and death.

在临冬城主堡所有的房间里，就属凯特琳的卧室最是闷热，以至于当时鲜少有生火取暖的必要。城堡立基于天然的温泉之上，蒸腾热水如同人体内的血液般流贯高墙寝室，将寒意驱出石材大厅，使玻璃花园充满湿气与暖意，让土壤不致结冻。十几个较小的露天庭院中，温泉日夜蒸腾。夏日里，这或许无足轻重，但到了冬季，却往往是生与死的差别。

   Catelyn’s bath was always hot and steaming,and her walls warm to the touch. The warmth reminded her of Riverrun, of daysin the sun with Lysa and Edmure, but Ned could never abide the heat. The Starkswere made for the cold, he would tell her, and she would laugh and tell him inthat case they had certainly built their castle in the wrong place.

凯特琳喜欢把洗澡水弄得滚烫炙热、蒸汽四溢，而她选择的居室四周墙壁摸起来也一向很温暖。只因这种温暖能勾起她对于奔流城的回忆，让她想起那段在艳阳底下，与莱莎和艾德慕嘻闹奔逐的日子，只是奈德始终无法忍受这种热度。他总告诉她，史塔克家族的人生来就要与冰天雪地为伍，而她也总会笑答：倘若真是这样，那么他们的城堡真是盖错了地方。

   So when they had finished, Ned rolled offand climbed from her bed, as he had a thousand times before. He crossed theroom, pulled back the heavy tapestries, and threw open the high narrow windowsone by one, letting the night air into the chamber.

所以，当他们完事之后，奈德便翻过身，从她床上爬起来，如以前千百次一样走过房间，拉开厚重的织锦帷幕，把高处的窄窗一扇扇推开，让夜里的寒意灌进卧房。

   The wind swirled around him as he stoodfacing the dark, naked and empty-handed. Catelyn pulled the furs to her chinand watched him. He looked somehow smaller and more vulnerable, like the youthshe had wed in the sept at Riverrun, fifteen long years gone. Her loins stillached from the urgency of his lovemaking. It was a good ache. She could feelhis seed within her. She prayed that it might quicken there. It had been threeyears since Rickon. She was not too old. She could give him another son.

他静静伫立窗边，全身赤裸，手无长物，独向漫天的幽暗长空，冷风在他身边穿梭呼啸。凯特琳拉过温暖的毛皮，盖到下巴，默默地看着丈夫，觉得他看起来似乎变得瘦小又脆弱，仿佛突然之间又成了那个自己十五年前在奔流城圣堂托付一生的年轻人。她的下体仍然因为刚才他剧烈的动作而疼痛，但这是一种感觉美好的疼痛，她可以感觉到他的种子在自己体内。她祈祷种子能开花结果。生完瑞肯已是三年前的事了，她年纪还轻，可以再为他添个儿子。

   “I will refuse him,” Ned said as he turnedback to her. His eyes were haunted, his voice thick with doubt.

“我拒绝他就是。”他边说边转身面向她，眼神阴霾不开，语调充满疑虑。

   Catelyn sat up in the bed. “You cannot. Youmust not.”

凯特琳从床上坐起来：“不行，你不能拒绝。”

   “My duties are here in the north. I have nowish to be Robert’s Hand.”

“我的责任在这里、在北方，我无意接任劳勃的首相一职。”

   “He will not understand that. He is a kingnow, and kings are not like other men. If you refuse to serve him, he willwonder why, and sooner or later he will begin to suspect that you oppose him.Can’t you see the danger that would put us in?”

“他才不懂这些，他现在是国王了，国王可不能当常人看待。倘若你拒绝了他，他定会纳闷其原因，随后迟早会怀疑你是否包藏二心。你难道看不出拒绝之后，可能为我们带来的危险吗？”

   Ned shook his head, refusing to believe.“Robert would never harm me or any of mine. We were closer than brothers. Heloves me. If I refuse him, he will roar and curse and bluster, and in a week wewill laugh about it together. I know the man!”

奈德摇摇头：“劳勃绝不会做出对我或我家人不利的事。他爱我更胜亲兄弟，假如我拒绝，他会暴跳如雷，骂不绝口，但一个星期之后我们便会对这件事嗤之以鼻。他这个人我清楚！”

   “You knew the man,” she said. “The king is astranger to you.” Catelyn remembered the direwolf dead in the snow, the brokenantler lodged deep in her throat. She had to make him see. “Pride is everythingto a king, my lord. Robert came all this way to see you, to bring you thesegreat honors, you cannot throw them back in his face.”

“你清楚的是过去的他，”她答道，“现在的国王对你来言，已经成了陌生人。”凯特琳想起倒卧雪地的那头冰原狼，想起喉咙里深插的鹿角。她得想办法让他认清事实。“大人，国王的自尊是他的一切，劳勃不远千里来看望你，为你带来如此至高无上的荣誉，你说什么也不能断然拒绝，这等于当众摔他一个耳光呀。”

   “Honors?” Ned laughed bitterly.

“荣誉？”奈德苦涩地笑道。

   “In his eyes, yes,” she said.

“在他眼里，没有更高的荣誉了。”她回答。

   “And in yours?”

“在你眼里呢？”

   “And in mine,” she blazed, angry now. Whycouldn’t he see? “He offers his own son in marriage to our daughter, what elsewould you call that? Sansa might someday be queen. Her sons could rule from theWall to the mountains of Dorne. What is so wrong with that?”

“在我眼里也一样！”她叱道，突然间生气起来。他为什么就不懂呢？“他愿意让自己的长子迎娶珊莎，还有什么能比这更光荣？珊莎有朝一日说不定会成为王后，她的孩子们将统治北起绝境长城，南及多恩峻岭的辽阔土地，这难道不好么？”

   “Gods, Catelyn, Sansa is only eleven,” Nedsaid. “And Joffrey?.?.?.?Joffrey is?.?.?.?”

“老天，凯特琳，珊莎才十一岁，”奈德说，“而乔佛里……乔佛里他……”

   She finished for him. “?.?.?.?crown prince,and heir to the Iron Throne. And I was only twelve when my father promised meto your brother Brandon.”

她忙接口：“他是当今王太子，铁王座的继承人。我父亲将我许配给你哥哥布兰登的时候，我也不过十二岁。”

   That brought a bitter twist to Ned’s mouth.“Brandon. Yes. Brandon would know what to do. He always did. It was all meantfor Brandon. You, Winterfell, everything. He was born to be a King’s Hand and afather to queens. I never asked for this cup to pass to me.”

这话引起了奈德嘴角苦涩的牵动，“布兰登，是啊，布兰登知道怎么做，他做什么都充满自信，成竹在胸。你和临冬城本来都该是布兰登的。他是个当首相和作王后父亲的料。我可从没说过要喝这杯苦酒。”

   “Perhaps not,” Catelyn said, “but Brandon isdead, and the cup has passed, and you must drink from it, like it or not.”

“也许你没有，”凯特琳说，“但布兰登早已不在人世，酒杯也已经传到你手中，不管喜不喜欢，你都非喝不可。”

   Ned turned away from her, back to the night.He stood staring out in the darkness, watching the moon and the stars perhaps,or perhaps the sentries on the wall.

奈德再度转身，返回暗夜之中。他站在原地望着屋外的黑暗，或许在凝视月光星辰，或许在瞭望城上哨兵。

   Catelyn softened then, to see his pain.Eddard Stark had married her in Brandon’s place, as custom decreed, but theshadow of his dead brother still lay between them, as did the other, the shadowof the woman he would not name, the woman who had borne him his bastard son.

见他受了伤，凯特琳缓和下来。依照习俗，艾德·史塔克代替布兰登娶了她，然而他过世兄长的阴影仍旧夹在两人之间，就像另一个女人的阴影，一个他不愿说出名字，却为他生下私生子的女人。

   She was about to go to him when the knockcame at the door, loud and unexpected. Ned turned, frowning. “What is it?”

她正准备起身走到他身旁，敲门声却突然传来，在这样的时刻显得尤为刺耳，出乎意料。奈德回身，皱眉道：“是谁？”

   Desmond’s voice came through the door. “Mylord, Maester Luwin is without and begs urgent audience.”

戴斯蒙的声音从门外传来：“老爷，鲁温学士在外面，说有急事求见。”

   “You told him I had left orders not to bedisturbed?”

“你有没跟他讲，我交代不准任何人打扰？”

   “Yes, my lord. He insists.”

“有的，老爷，不过他坚持要见您一面。”

   “Very well. Send him in.”

“好罢，让他进来。”

   Ned crossed to the wardrobe and slipped on aheavy robe. Catelyn realized suddenly how cold it had become. She sat up in bedand pulled the furs to her chin. “Perhaps we should close the windows,” shesuggested.

奈德走到衣橱前，披上一件厚重的长袍。凯特琳这才突然惊觉到屋里的寒意，她在床上坐起身子，把毛毯拉到下巴。“我们是不是该把窗子关起来？”她建议。

   Ned nodded absently. Maester Luwin was shownin.

奈德心不在焉地点点头，鲁温学士已经被带进来了。

   The maester was a small grey man. His eyeswere grey, and quick, and saw much. His hair was grey, what little the yearshad left him. His robe was grey wool, trimmed with white fur, the Stark colors.Its great floppy sleeves had pockets hidden inside. Luwin was always tuckingthings into those sleeves and producing other things from them: books,messages, strange artifacts, toys for the children. With all he kept hidden inhis sleeves, Catelyn was surprised that Maester Luwin could lift his arms atall.

学士是个瘦小的人，一身灰色。他的眼睛是灰色，但眼神敏锐，少有东西能逃过他的注意；岁月给他残留的头发也是灰的；他的长袍是灰色羊毛织成的，镶滚着白色绒边，正是史塔克家的色彩。宽大的袖子里藏有许许多多的口袋，鲁温总是忙不迭地把东西放进袖子，不时能从里面拿出书、信笺、古怪的法器、孩子们的玩具等等。想到鲁温师傅袖子里放了那么多东西，凯特琳很惊讶他的手还能活动。

   The maester waited until the door had closedbehind him before he spoke. “My lord,” he said to Ned, “pardon for disturbingyour rest. I have been left a message.”

学士直等到身后的门关上之后方才开口：“老爷，”他对奈德说，“请原谅我打扰你们休息，有人留给我一封信。”

   Ned looked irritated. “Been left? By whom?Has there been a rider? I was not told.”

奈德面带愠色地问：“有人留给你一封信？谁留的？今天有信使来过？我如何不知情？”

   “There was no rider, my lord. Only a carvedwooden box, left on a table in my observatory while I napped. My servants sawno one, but it must have been brought by someone in the king’s party. We havehad no other visitors from the south.”

“老爷，不是信使带来的。有人趁我打盹时，把一个雕工精巧的木盒放在我观星室的书桌上。我的仆人说没看到人进出，但想来一定是跟国王一道的人留下的，我们没有其他从南方来的访客。”

   “A wooden box, you say?” Catelyn said.

“你说是个木盒子？”凯特琳问。

   “Inside was a fine new lens for theobservatory, from Myr by the look of it. The lenscrafters of Myr are withoutequal.”

“里面装了个精美的透镜，专用于观星，看来应该是密尔的做工。密尔产的透镜可称举世无双。”

   Ned frowned. He had little patience for thissort of thing, Catelyn knew. “A lens,” he said. “What has that to do with me?”

奈德又皱起眉头，凯特琳知道他对这类琐事一向毫无耐性。“透镜？”他说，“这与我有何关系？”

   “I asked the same question,” Maester Luwinsaid. “Clearly there was more to this than the seeming.”

“当时，我也抱着相同的疑问，”鲁温师傅道，“显然这里面暗藏玄机。”

   Under the heavy weight of her furs, Catelynshivered. “A lens is an instrument to help us see.”

躲在厚重毛皮下的凯特琳颤抖着说：“透镜的用途是看清真相。”

   “Indeed it is.” He fingered the collar ofhis order; a heavy chain worn tight around the neck beneath his robe, each linkforged from a different metal.

“没错。”学士摸了摸象征自己身份的项圈，那是一串用许多片不同金属打造而成的沉重项链。

   Catelyn could feel dread stirring inside heronce again. “What is it that they would have us see more clearly?”

凯特琳只觉一股恐惧从心底升起。“那究竟想让我们看清什么呢？”

   “The very thing I asked myself.” MaesterLuwin drew a tightly rolled paper out of his sleeve. “I found the true messageconcealed within a false bottom when I dismantled the box the lens had come in,but it is not for my eyes.”

“这正是问题所在。”鲁温学士从衣袖里取出一封卷得密密实实的信笺。“于是我把整个木盒分解开来，在假的盒底找到真正的信。不过这封信不是给我的。”

   Ned held out his hand. “Let me have it,then.”

奈德伸出手：“那就交给我罢。”

   Luwin did not stir. “Pardons, my lord. Themessage is not for you either. It is marked for the eyes of the Lady Catelyn,and her alone. May I approach?”

鲁温学士没有反应。“老爷，很抱歉，可信也不是给您的。上面清楚写着只能让凯特琳夫人拆看。我可以把信送过去吗？”

   Catelyn nodded, not trusting to speak. Themaester placed the paper on the table beside the bed. It was sealed with asmall blob of blue wax. Luwin bowed and began to retreat.

凯特琳点点头，没有答话。鲁温把信放在她床边的矮桌上，信封乃是用一滴蓝色蜡油封笺。鲁温鞠了个躬，准备告退。

   “Stay,” Ned commanded him. His voice wasgrave. He looked at Catelyn. “What is it? My lady, you’re shaking.”

“留下来。”奈德语气沉重地命令，他看看凯特琳。“夫人，怎么了？你在发抖。”

   “I’m afraid,” she admitted. She reached outand took the letter in trembling hands. The furs dropped away from hernakedness, forgotten. In the blue wax was the moon-and-falcon seal of HouseArryn. “It’s from Lysa.” Catelyn looked at her husband. “It will not make usglad,” she told him. “There is grief in this message, Ned. I can feel it.”

“我害怕啊。”她坦承。她伸出颤抖的双手拿起信封，皮毛从她身上滑落，她完全忘记了自己赤裸的身体。只见蓝色封蜡上印有艾林家族的新月猎鹰家徽。“是莱莎写的信，”凯特琳看着她丈夫说，“只怕不会是什么好消息。”她告诉他，“奈德，这封信里蕴藏着无尽的哀伤，我感觉得出来。”

   Ned frowned, his face darkening. “Open it.”

奈德双眉深锁，脸色转阴。“拆开。”

   Catelyn broke the seal.

凯特琳揭开封印。

   Her eyes moved over the words. At first theymade no sense to her. Then she remembered. “Lysa took no chances. When we weregirls together, we had a private language, she and I.”

她的眼神扫过内文，起初看不出所以，随后才猛然醒悟：“莱莎行事谨慎，不肯冒险。我们年幼时发明了一种秘密语言，只有我和她懂。”

   “Can you read it?”

“那你能否读出信上的内容？”

   “Yes,” Catelyn admitted.

“能。”凯特琳表示。

   “Then tell us.”

“告诉我们。”

   “Perhaps I should withdraw,” Maester Luwinsaid.

“我想我还是先告退为好。”鲁温学士道。

   “No,” Catelyn said. “We will need yourcounsel.” She threw back the furs and climbed from the bed. The night air wasas cold as the grave on her bare skin as she padded across the room.

“不，”凯特琳说，“我们需要你的意见。”她掀开毛皮，翻身下床，走到房间的另一头。午夜的冷气寒彻心肺，凄冷有如坟墓。

   Maester Luwin averted his eyes. Even Nedlooked shocked. “What are you doing?” he asked.

鲁温学士见状立刻别过头去，连奈德都被她突如其来的举动给吓住。“你要做什么？”他问。

   “Lighting a fire,” Catelyn told him. Shefound a dressing gown and shrugged into it, then knelt over the cold hearth.

“生火。”凯特琳告诉他。她从衣柜里找出一件睡袍，披上之后在早已冷却的火炉前蹲了下来。

   “Maester Luwin...” Ned began.

“鲁温师傅……”奈德开口。

   “Maester Luwin has delivered all mychildren,” Catelyn said. “This is no time for false modesty.” She slid thepaper in among the kindling and placed the heavier logs on top of it.

“我每一个孩子都是鲁温师傅接生的，”凯特琳道，“现在可不是讲究虚伪礼数的时候。”说完她把信纸塞进甫燃的火中，然后将几根粗木堆在上面。

   Ned crossed the room, took her by the arm,and pulled her to her feet. He held her there, his face inches from her. “Mylady, tell me! What was this message?”

奈德走过房间，挽着她的胳膊，把她扶起。他的手紧握她不放，脸离她只有几寸。“夫人，快告诉我！信里面究竟写了些什么？”

   Catelyn stiffened in his grasp. “A warning,”she said softly. “If we have the wits to hear.”

凯特琳在他的逼问下浑身僵直。“那是封警告信，”她轻声道，“如果我们够聪明，听得进去的话。”

   His eyes searched her face. “Go on.”

他的眼神在她脸上搜索。“请说下去。”

   “Lysa says Jon Arryn was murdered.”

“莱莎说琼恩·艾林乃是被人谋害。”

   His fingers tightened on her arm. “By whom?”

他的手指握得更紧。“被谁谋害？”

   “The Lannisters,” she told him. “The queen.”

“兰尼斯特家。”她告诉他说，“当今的王后。”

   Ned released his hold on her arm. There weredeep red marks on her skin. “Gods,” he whispered. His voice was hoarse. “Yoursister is sick with grief. She cannot know what she is saying.”

奈德松开手，她的臂膀上留下了鲜明的深红指印。“老天，”他粗声低语，“你妹妹伤心过度，她根本不知道自己在说些什么。”

   “She knows,” Catelyn said. “Lysa isimpulsive, yes, but this message was carefully planned, cleverly hidden. Sheknew it meant death if her letter fell into the wrong hands. To risk so much,she must have had more than mere suspicion.” Catelyn looked to her husband.“Now we truly have no choice. You must be Robert’s Hand. You must go south withhim and learn the truth.”

“她当然知道，”凯特琳道，“莱莎本人是很冲动，但这封信乃是经过精密策划，小心隐藏的。她一定很清楚信若是落入他人手里，她必死无疑，可见这绝非空穴来风，否则她不会甘冒这么大的风险。”凯特琳注视着她的丈夫，“这下我们真的别无选择，你非当劳勃的首相不可，你得亲自南下去查个水落石出。”

   She saw at once that Ned had reached a verydifferent conclusion. “The only truths I know are here. The south is a nest ofadders I would do better to avoid.”

她立即明白奈德已然下了个截然相反的结论。“我知道的是，南方是个充满毒蛇猛兽的地方，我还是避开为宜。”

   Luwin plucked at his chain collar where ithad chafed the soft skin of his throat. “The Hand of the King has great power,my lord. Power to find the truth of Lord Arryn’s death, to bring his killers tothe king’s justice. Power to protect Lady Arryn and her son, if the worst betrue.”

鲁温拨了拨项链刮伤喉咙皮肤的地方：“老爷，御前首相握有大权，足以查出艾林公爵的真正死因，并将凶手绳之以法。就算情况不妙，要保护艾林夫人和她的

幼子，却也绰绰有余。”

   Ned glanced helplessly around thebedchamber. Catelyn’s heart went out to him, but she knew she could not takehim in her arms just then. First the victory must be won, for her children’ssake. “You say you love Robert like a brother. Would you leave your brothersurrounded by Lannisters?”

奈德无助地环视房间四周，凯特琳的心也随着他的视线飘移，但她知道此刻还不能拥他入怀。为了她的子女着想，她必须先打赢眼前这场仗。“你说你爱劳勃胜过亲生兄弟，你难道忍心眼看自家兄弟被兰尼斯特家的人包围吗？”

   “The Others take both of you,” Ned muttereddarkly. He turned away from them and went to the window. She did not speak, nordid the maester. They waited, quiet, while Eddard Stark said a silent farewellto the home he loved. When he turned away from the window at last, his voicewas tired and full of melancholy, and moisture glittered faintly in the cornersof his eyes. “My father went south once, to answer the summons of a king. Henever came home again.”

“你们两个都叫异鬼给抓去吧。”奈德喃喃咒道。他转身背对他们两人，径往窗边走去。她没有开口，学士也一言不发。他们默默地等待奈德向他挚爱的家园静静地道别，当他终于从窗边回首时，他的声音是如此疲惫而感伤，眼角也微微湿润，“我父亲一生之中只去过南方一次，就是响应国王的召唤。结果一去不返。”

   “A different time,” Maester Luwin said. “Adifferent king.”

“时局不同，”鲁温师傅道，“国王也不一样。”

   “Yes,” Ned said dully. He seated himself ina chair by the hearth. “Catelyn, you shall stay here in Winterfell.”

“是吗？”奈德木然地应了一声，在火炉边找了张椅子坐下。“凯特琳，你留在临冬城。”

   His words were like an icy draft through herheart. “No,” she said, suddenly afraid. Was this to be her punishment? Never tosee his face again, nor to feel his arms around her?

他的话有如寒冰刺进她心口。“不要。”她突然害怕起来，难道这是对她的惩罚？再也见不到他？再也得不到他的温情拥抱？

   “Yes,” Ned said, in words that would brookno argument. “You must govern the north in my stead, while I run Robert’serrands. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. Robb is fourteen. Soonenough, he will be a man grown. He must learn to rule, and I will not be herefor him. Make him part of your councils. He must be ready when his time comes.”

“一定要。”奈德的语气不容许任何辩驳。“我南下辅佐劳勃期间，你必须代替我管理北方。无论如何，临冬城一定得有史塔克家的人坐镇。罗柏已经十四岁，很快就会长大成人，他得开始学习如何统御，而我没法陪在他身边教导他。你要让他参与你的机要会议。在需要独当一面的时刻来临前，他必须做好万全的准备。”

   “Gods will, not for many years,” MaesterLuwin murmured.

“诸神保佑，让您早日回来。”鲁温学士嗫嚅道。

   “Maester Luwin, I trust you as I would myown blood. Give my wife your voice in all things great and small. Teach my sonthe things he needs to know. Winter is coming.”

“鲁温师傅，我一直把你当成自己血亲骨肉一般看待，请不论事情大小，都给我妻子意见，并教导我的孩子必须了解的知识。别忘记，凛冬将至。”

   Maester Luwin nodded gravely. Then silencefell, until Catelyn found her courage and asked the question whose answer shemost dreaded. “What of the other children?”

鲁温师傅沉重地点点头，屋里又复归寂静，直到凯特琳鼓起勇气问了她最害怕听到答案的问题：“其他孩子呢？”

   Ned stood, and took her in his arms, andheld her face close to his. “Rickon is very young,” he said gently. “He shouldstay here with you and Robb. The others I would take with me.”

奈德站起身，拥她入怀，捧着她的脸靠近自己说：“瑞肯年纪还小，”他温柔地说，“他留在这里跟你和罗柏作伴。其他孩子跟我一起南下。”

   “I could not bear it,” Catelyn said,trembling.

“这样子我承受不了。”她颤抖着回答。

   “You must,” he said. “Sansa must wedJoffrey, that is clear now, we must give them no grounds to suspect ourdevotion. And it is past time that Arya learned the ways of a southron court.In a few years she will be of an age to marry too.”

“你必须忍耐。”他说：“珊莎要嫁给乔佛里，这已经是既成的事实，我们绝不能留下让他们怀疑忠诚的口实。艾莉亚也早该学学南方宫廷仕女的规矩和礼节，再过几年，她也要准备出嫁了。”

   Sansa would shine in the south, Catelynthought to herself, and the gods knew that Arya needed refinement. Reluctantly,she let go of them in her heart. But not Bran. Never Bran. “Yes,” she said,“but please, Ned, for the love you bear me, let Bran remain here at Winterfell.He is only seven.”

珊莎在南方会成为一颗璀璨耀眼的明珠，凯特琳心想，而艾莉亚确实需要好好学点规矩。于是她很不情愿地暂时抛开心中对两个女儿的执着，但是布兰不能走，布兰一定要留下来。“好罢，”她说，“但是奈德，看在你对我的爱的份上，求求你让布兰留在临冬城，他才七岁呀。”

   “I was eight when my father sent me tofoster at the Eyrie,” Ned said. “Ser Rodrik tells me there is bad feelingbetween Robb and Prince Joffrey. That is not healthy. Bran can bridge thatdistance. He is a sweet boy, quick to laugh, easy to love. Let him grow up withthe young princes, let him become their friend as Robert became mine. Our Housewill be the safer for it.”

“当年我父亲把我送去鹰巢城做养子时，我也只有八岁。”奈德道，“罗德利克爵士说罗柏和乔佛里王子处得不太好，这可不是好现象。布兰恰好可以成为两家之间的桥梁，他是个可爱的孩子，笑容满面，讨人喜欢，让他和王子们一同长大，自然而然地产生友谊，就像当年我和劳勃一样，如此一来我们家族的地位也会更加安全稳固。”

   He was right; Catelyn knew it. It did notmake the pain any easier to bear. She would lose all four of them, then: Ned,and both girls, and her sweet, loving Bran. Only Robb and little Rickon wouldbe left to her. She felt lonely already. Winterfell was such a vast place.“Keep him off the walls, then,” she said bravely. “You know how Bran loves toclimb.”

凯特琳很清楚他说的是实话，但她的痛苦却并未因此而稍减。眼看着她就要失去他们全部：奈德、两个女儿，还有她最疼惜的心肝宝贝布兰，只剩下罗柏和瑞肯。此刻的她已感寂寞，临冬城毕竟是个很大的地方啊。“那就别让他靠墙太近，”她勇敢地说，“你知道布兰最爱爬上爬下。”

   Ned kissed the tears from her eyes beforethey could fall. “Thank you, my lady,” he whispered. “This is hard, I know.”

奈德轻吻了她眼里还未掉下的泪滴。“谢谢你，我亲爱的夫人，”他悄声道，“我知道这很痛苦。”

   “What of Jon Snow, my lord?” Maester Luwinasked.

“老爷，琼恩·雪诺该怎么办？”鲁温学士问。

   Catelyn tensed at the mention of the name.Ned felt the anger in her, and pulled away.

一听这名字，凯特琳立刻全身僵硬。奈德察觉到她的怒意，便抽身放开她。

   Many men fathered bastards. Catelyn hadgrown up with that knowledge. It came as no surprise to her, in the first yearof her marriage, to learn that Ned had fathered a child on some girl chance meton campaign. He had a man’s needs, after all, and they had spent that yearapart, Ned off at war in the south while she remained safe in her father’scastle at Riverrun. Her thoughts were more of Robb, the infant at her breast,than of the husband she scarcely knew. He was welcome to whatever solace hemight find between battles. And if his seed quickened, she expected he wouldsee to the child’s needs.

凯特琳打小就知道，贵族男子在外偷生私生子是常有的事，因此她在新婚不久，得知奈德在作战途中与农家少女生了个私生子时，丝毫不感意外。再怎么说，奈德有他男人的需求，而他征战的那一年，只和她婚后团聚数日便匆匆南下，留她安然地待在后方父亲的奔流城，两人分隔两地。那时她的心思都放在襁褓中的罗柏身上，甚少念及她几乎不认识的丈夫。他在戎马倥偬间，自然不免寻求慰藉。而一旦他留下了种，她也希望他至少能让那孩子衣食无虞。

   He did more than that. The Starks were notlike other men. Ned brought his bastard home with him, and called him “son” forall the north to see. When the wars were over at last, and Catelyn rode toWinterfell, Jon and his wet nurse had already taken up residence.

但他做的不只如此，史塔克家和别人不一样，奈德把他的私生子带回家来，在众人面前叫他“儿子”。当战争终于结束，凯特琳返回临冬城时，琼恩和他的奶妈已经在城里住了下来。

   That cut deep. Ned would not speak of themother, not so much as a word, but a castle has no secrets, and Catelyn heardher maids repeating tales they heard from the lips of her husband’s soldiers.They whispered of Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, deadliest of theseven knights of Aerys’s Kingsguard, and of how their young lord had slain himin single combat. And they told how afterward Ned had carried Ser Arthur’ssword back to the beautiful young sister who awaited him in a castle calledStarfall on the shores of the Summer Sea. The Lady Ashara Dayne, tall and fair,with haunting violet eyes. It had taken her a fortnight to marshal her courage,but finally, in bed one night, Catelyn had asked her husband the truth of it,asked him to his face.

这件事伤她很深，奈德非但不肯说出孩子的母亲，连关系情形半个字也不跟她提。然而城堡里没有不透风的墙，凯特琳很快就从她的侍女群中听说了几种揣测，这些都是从跟随她丈夫打仗的士兵嘴里传出来的。她们交头接耳说着外号“拂晓神剑”的亚瑟·戴恩爵士，说他是伊里斯麾下御林七铁卫中武艺最高强的骑士，但他们的年轻主子却在一对一的决斗中击毙了他。她们还绘声绘影地叙述事后奈德是如何地带着亚瑟爵士的佩剑，前往盛夏海岸的星坠城寻找亚瑟的妹妹。她们说亚夏拉·戴恩小姐皮肤白皙，身材高挑，一双紫罗兰色的眸子深邃而幽冷。她想了两个星期才终于鼓起勇气，某天夜里在床上向丈夫当面问起。

   That was the only time in all their yearsthat Ned had ever frightened her. “Never ask me about Jon,” he said, cold asice. “He is my blood, and that is all you need to know. And now I will learnwhere you heard that name, my lady.” She had pledged to obey; she told him; andfrom that day on, the whispering had stopped, and Ashara Dayne’s name was neverheard in Winterfell again.

然而，那却是两人结婚多年以来，奈德惟一吓着她的一次。“永远不要跟我问起琼恩的事，”他的口气寒冷如冰，“他是我的亲生骨肉，你只需知道这点就够了。现在，夫人，我要知道你是打哪儿听来这名字的。”她向他保证以后不会再提起这件事，于是便把消息来源告诉了他。翌日起，城中一切谣言戛然而止，临冬城中从此再听不到亚夏拉·戴恩这个名字。

   Whoever Jon’s mother had been, Ned must haveloved her fiercely, for nothing Catelyn said would persuade him to send the boyaway. It was the one thing she could never forgive him. She had come to loveher husband with all her heart, but she had never found it in her to love Jon.She might have overlooked a dozen bastards for Ned’s sake, so long as they wereout of sight. Jon was never out of sight, and as he grew, he looked more likeNed than any of the trueborn sons she bore him. Somehow that made it worse.“Jon must go,” she said now.

无论琼恩的生母是谁，奈德对她铁定是一往情深，因为不管凯特琳说好说歹，就是没法说服他把孩子送走。这是她永远不会原谅他的一件事。她已经学着全心全意去爱自己丈夫，但她怎么也无法对琼恩产生感情。其实只要别在她眼前出现，奈德爱在外面生多少私生子她都可以睁一只眼闭一只眼。然而琼恩却总是看得见摸得着，怎么看怎么碍眼，更糟的是他越长越像奈德，竟比她生的几个儿子都还要像父亲。“琼恩非走不可。”她回答。

   “He and Robb are close,” Ned said. “I hadhoped?.?.?.?”

“他和罗柏感情很好，”奈德说，“我本来希望……”

   “He cannot stay here,” Catelyn said, cuttinghim off. “He is your son, not mine. I will not have him.” It was hard, sheknew, but no less the truth. Ned would do the boy no kindness by leaving himhere at Winterfell.

“他绝不能留下来。”凯特琳打断他，“他是你儿子，可不是我的，我不会让他留在这里。”她知道自己这样有些过分，但她也是实话实说。奈德倘若真把他留在临冬城，对那孩子本身也无好处。

   The look Ned gave her was anguished. “Youknow I cannot take him south. There will be no place for him at court. A boywith a bastard’s name?.?.?.?you know what they will say of him. He will beshunned.”

奈德看她的眼神里充满痛楚。“你也知道我不能带他南下，朝廷里根本没他容身之处。一个冠着私生子姓氏的孩子……你应该很清楚旁人会如何闲言闲语。他会被排挤。”

   Catelyn armored her heart against the muteappeal in her husband’s eyes. “They say your friend Robert has fathered a dozenbastards himself.”

凯特琳再次武装起自己，对抗丈夫眼底无声的诉求：“我听说你的好朋友劳勃在外面也生了不少私生子。”

   “And none of them has ever been seen atcourt!” Ned blazed. “The Lannister woman has seen to that. How can you be sodamnably cruel, Catelyn? He is only a boy. He...”

“但一个也没在宫廷里出现过！”奈德怒道，“那个兰尼斯特家的女人很坚持这一点，天杀的，凯特琳，你怎么狠得下心这样对他？他不过是个孩子罢了，他——”

   His fury was on him. He might have saidmore, and worse, but Maester Luwin cut in. “Another solution presents itself,”he said, his voice quiet. “Your brother Benjen came to me about Jon a few daysago. It seems the boy aspires to take the black.”

他正在气头上，原本可能会说出更不堪入耳的话，但鲁温学士却适时插话：“我倒有个主意。您的弟弟班扬前几天来找过我，那孩子似乎对加入黑衫军颇有兴趣。”

   Ned looked shocked. “He asked to join theNight’s Watch?”

奈德听了大吃一惊：“他想加入守夜人？”

   Catelyn said nothing. Let Ned work it out inhis own mind; her voice would not be welcome now. Yet gladly would she havekissed the maester just then. His was the perfect solution. Benjen Stark was aSworn Brother. Jon would be a son to him, the child he would never have. And intime the boy would take the oath as well. He would father no sons who mightsomeday contest with Catelyn’s own grandchildren for Winterfell.

凯特琳没说什么，就让奈德自己理出一番头绪罢，现在她多说只会惹他生气。然而她却高兴得想亲吻眼前这位老师傅呢！他所提出的这个建议正是最完美的解决方案。班扬·史塔克是个发过誓的黑衣弟兄，对他而言，琼恩等于是此生不可能有的儿子。日子久了，那孩子自然而然也会跟着宣誓加入黑衣弟兄，这样一来，他就不能养儿育女，有朝一日来和凯特琳自己的孙子孙女抢夺临冬城的继承权了。

   Maester Luwin said, “There is great honor inservice on the Wall, my lord.”

鲁温学士又说：“老爷，加入长城守军可是很高的荣誉。”

   “And even a bastard may rise high in theNight’s Watch,” Ned reflected. Still, his voice was troubled. “Jon is so young.If he asked this when he was a man grown, that would be one thing, but a boy offourteen?.?.?.?”

　　“而且即使是私生子，在守夜人军团里也可能升到高位。”奈德思忖，但他的语气仍然有些困惑，“可琼恩年纪还这么小，倘若他是个成人，说要加入一切还好，然而他只是个十四岁的孩子……。”

   “A hard sacrifice,” Maester Luwin agreed.“Yet these are hard times, my lord. His road is no crueler than yours or yourlady’s.”

“这确实是个困难的抉择，”鲁温师傅同意，“但我们也身处艰难时刻，他所走的这条路，不会比您或夫人走的路更崎岖坎坷。”

   Catelyn thought of the three children shemust lose. It was not easy keeping silent then.

凯特琳又无可避免地想起她即将失去的三个孩子，想要保持沉默太难了。

   Ned turned away from them to gaze out thewindow, his long face silent and thoughtful. Finally he sighed, and turnedback. “Very well,” he said to Maester Luwin. “I suppose it is for the best. Iwill speak to Ben.”

奈德转过身去，再次望向窗外，他那长长的脸庞宁静中若有所思。最后他叹口气，又回过头：“好罢，”他对鲁温学士说，“看来这是目前最好的办法了。我会跟班扬谈谈。”

   “When shall we tell Jon?” the maester asked.

“我们什么时候告诉琼恩呢？”老师傅问。

   “When I must. Preparations must be made. Itwill be a fortnight before we are ready to depart. I would sooner let Jon enjoythese last few days. Summer will end soon enough, and childhood as well. Whenthe time comes, I will tell him myself.”

“还不是时候，我们要先做些准备，距离启程足足还有两个星期，就让他尽情享受这段剩余的时光吧。夏天很快就要结束，童年的日子所剩无多。时机一到，我会亲自告诉他。”