Ⅲ 冰雨的風(fēng)暴 Chapter22 艾莉亞

ARYA

這座小方堡幾乎被荒廢，居住其中的大個(gè)子灰騎士也一樣。他老得聽(tīng)不懂他們的問(wèn)題，不論問(wèn)什么，只會(huì)微笑著呢喃：“我守住橋，沒(méi)讓梅納德爵士過(guò)去。他紅頭發(fā)，脾氣倔，卻無(wú)法動(dòng)搖我。我殺他之前負(fù)了六處傷。六處哦！”

The small square keep was half a ruin, and so too the great grey knight who lived there. He was so old he did not understand their questions. No matter what was said to him, he would only smile and mutter, “I held the bridge against Ser Maynard. Red hair and a black temper, he had, but he could not move me. Six wounds I took before I killed him. Six!”

幸虧照顧他的學(xué)士是個(gè)年輕人。老騎士在椅子上漸漸入睡之后，他將大家拉到一邊，“只怕你們是在尋找鬼魂。很久以前，至少有半年，信鴉到這兒來(lái)過(guò)。上面說(shuō)貝里伯爵給蘭尼斯特的走狗在神眼湖附近抓住，上了吊?！?/p>

The maester who cared for him was a young man, thankfully. After the old knight had drifted to sleep in his chair, he took them aside and said, “I fear you seek a ghost. We had a bird, ages ago, half a year at least. The Lannisters caught Lord Beric near the Gods Eye. He was hanged.”

“是啊，是給上了吊，但索羅斯在他斷氣之前砍斷繩索，把人又放了下來(lái)?！睓幟实谋亲硬辉偌t腫，但愈合時(shí)長(zhǎng)歪了，使臉看起來(lái)不大對(duì)稱(chēng)。“閃電大王他死不了，真的?！?/p>

“Aye, hanged he was, but Thoros cut him down before he died.” Lem’s broken nose was not so red or swollen as it had been, but it was healing crooked, giving his face a lopsided look. “His lordship’s a hard man to kill, he is.”

“啊，他似乎也很會(huì)隱藏，”學(xué)士說(shuō)，“關(guān)于他的行蹤，你們問(wèn)過(guò)樹(shù)葉夫人了嗎？”

“And a hard man to find, it would seem,” the maester said. “Have you asked the Lady of the Leaves?”

“我們會(huì)去問(wèn)，”綠胡子道。

“We shall,” said Greenbeard.

第二天早上，他們穿過(guò)城堡后的小石橋繼續(xù)上路，詹德利很好奇這是否就是老人口中的橋。沒(méi)人知道?！岸喟胧牵毙疫\(yùn)杰克說(shuō)，“沒(méi)見(jiàn)別的橋?！?/p>

The next morning, as they crossed the little stone bridge behind the keep, Gendry wondered if this was the bridge the old man had fought over. No one knew. “Most like it is,” said Jack-Be-Lucky. “Don’t see no other bridges.”

“要是有首歌就好了，”七弦湯姆道，“一首動(dòng)聽(tīng)的歌謠，會(huì)讓我們知道梅納德爵士乃何許人，為什么想過(guò)橋。若可憐的老萊徹斯特頭腦清醒，留個(gè)歌手在身邊，他也許會(huì)跟龍騎士一樣出名咧?！?/p>

“You’d know for certain if there was a song,” said Tom Sevenstrings. “One good song, and we’d know who Ser Maynard used to be and why he wanted to cross this bridge so bad. Poor old Lychester might be as far famed as the Dragonknight if he’d only had sense enough to keep a singer.”

“萊徹斯特大人的兒子們都死在勞勃的起義中，”檸檬咕噥著，“有的參加這一邊，有的加入另一邊，但統(tǒng)統(tǒng)送了命。從此以后，他的腦袋就一直不正常，沒(méi)有哪首該死的歌可以改善這種情況?！?/p>

“Lord Lychester’s sons died in Robert’s Rebellion,” grumbled Lem. “Some on one side, some on t’other. He’s not been right in the head since. No bloody song’s like to help any o’ that.”

“那學(xué)士說(shuō)‘樹(shù)葉夫人’是什么意思？”上馬后，艾莉亞問(wèn)安蓋。

“What did the maester mean, about asking the Lady of the Leaves?” Arya asked Anguy as they rode.

射手笑笑，“等著瞧吧?！?/p>

The archer smiled. “Wait and see.”

三天之后，他們騎過(guò)一株黃桑樹(shù)，幸運(yùn)杰克取下獵號(hào)，吹出一種獨(dú)特的節(jié)奏。余音尚未消盡，樹(shù)上便放下繩梯?！跋岛民R兒呵，我們上去，”湯姆半唱半白地說(shuō)。枝杈高處有座隱藏的村落，一座由繩索走道和青苔小屋構(gòu)成的迷宮，房屋隱藏在紅色和金色的樹(shù)葉之墻后。他們被帶到樹(shù)葉夫人面前，她是個(gè)白發(fā)老嫗，瘦得像竹竿，穿著粗布衣。“秋天了，不能再在這兒呆下去，”她告訴他們，“九天前，十來(lái)個(gè)狼仔沿著哈佛大道過(guò)來(lái)搜刮。如果他們抬頭，也許就會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)我們?！?/p>

Three days later, as they rode through a yellow wood, Jack-Be-Lucky unslung his horn and blew a signal, a different one than before. The sounds had scarcely died away when rope ladders unrolled from the limbs of trees. “Hobble the horses and up we go,” said Tom, half singing the words. They climbed to a hidden village in the upper branches, a maze of rope walkways and little moss-covered houses concealed behind walls of red and gold, and were taken to the Lady of the Leaves, a stick-thin white-haired woman dressed in roughspun. “We cannot stay here much longer, with autumn on us,” she told them. “A dozen wolves went down the Hayford road nine days past, hunting. If they’d chanced to look up they might have seen us.”

“你沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)貝里伯爵？”七弦湯姆問(wèn)。

“You’ve not seen Lord Beric?” asked Tom Sevenstrings.

“他死了，”女人有些作嘔地說(shuō)，“給魔山逮住，眼睛被一把匕首刺穿。這是一名乞丐幫的兄弟說(shuō)的，而他有目擊證人?！?/p>

“He’s dead.” The woman sounded sick. “The Mountain caught him, and drove a dagger through his eye. A begging brother told us. He had it from the lips of a man who saw it happen.”

“老故事了，而且不真實(shí)，”檸檬道，“閃電大王可沒(méi)那么容易死。格雷果爵士也許能挖出他的眼睛，但人不會(huì)因此而死。你瞧，杰克不就是例子？”

“That’s an old stale tale, and false,” said Lem. “The lightning lord’s not so easy to kill. Ser Gregor might have put his eye out, but a man don’t die o’ that. Jack could tell you.”

“嗯，沒(méi)錯(cuò)，”獨(dú)眼的幸運(yùn)杰克說(shuō)?！拔腋赣H好端端就被派柏大人的監(jiān)察官吊死，我哥渥特則被抓去長(zhǎng)城，蘭尼斯特家殺死了我的弟弟們。一只眼睛，真算不了什么?！?/p>

“Well, I never did,” said one-eyed Jack-Be-Lucky. “My father got himself good and hanged by Lord Piper’s bailiff, my brother Wat got sent to the Wall, and the Lannisters killed my other brothers. An eye, that’s nothing.”

“你保證他沒(méi)死？”女人抓住檸檬的胳膊，“謝謝你，檸檬，這是半年以來(lái)我們所得到最好的消息。愿戰(zhàn)士守護(hù)他和他身邊的紅袍僧?！?/p>

“You swear he’s not dead?” The woman clutched Lem’s arm. “Bless you, Lem, that’s the best tidings we’ve had in half a year. May the Warrior defend him, and the red priest too.”

第二天晚上，他們?cè)谝粋€(gè)被焚毀的村落找到一座焦黑的圣堂作容身之所，此村名叫激舞村。圣堂的鑲鉛玻璃只余碎片，迎接他們的老修士說(shuō)，劫掠者們甚至奪走了圣母昂貴的長(zhǎng)袍、老嫗的鍍金燈籠和天父的銀冠?！八麄冞€砍下少女的乳房，盡管那只是木頭做的，”他繼續(xù)傾訴，“黑玉、玉髓和珍珠母制的眼睛也被匕首挖了出來(lái)。愿圣母寬恕他們。”

The next night they found shelter beneath the scorched shell of a sept, in a burned village called Sallydance. Only shards remained of its windows of leaded glass, and the aged septon who greeted them said the looters had even made off with the Mother’s costly robes, the Crone’s gilded lantern, and the silver crown the Father had worn. “They hacked the Maiden’s breasts off too, though those were only wood,” he told them. “And the eyes, the eyes were jet and lapis and mother-of-pearl, they pried them out with their knives. May the Mother have mercy on them all.”

“誰(shuí)干的？”檸檬斗篷問(wèn)，“血戲子？”

“Whose work was this?” said Lem Lemoncloak. “Mummers?”

“不，”老人道，“北方人，崇拜樹(shù)木的蠻子。他們說(shuō)要找弒君者。”

“No,” the old man said. “Northmen, they were. Savages who worship trees. They wanted the Kingslayer, they said.”

艾莉亞聽(tīng)到他的話，咬緊了嘴唇。她可以感覺(jué)到詹德利的目光，這讓她又羞又憤。

Arya heard him, and chewed her lip. She could feel Gendry looking at her. It made her angry and ashamed.

圣堂下有個(gè)地窖，十幾個(gè)人住在蜘蛛網(wǎng)、樹(shù)根和破酒桶之間，他們也都沒(méi)貝里·唐德利安的消息，甚至連他們的頭領(lǐng)也不知道——他可是穿著熏黑的甲胄，斗篷上粗粗畫(huà)著一道閃電呢。綠胡子見(jiàn)艾莉亞瞪著他瞧，哈哈大笑，“小松鼠啊，閃電大王他無(wú)處不在，又無(wú)處可尋喲?！?/p>

There were a dozen men living in the vault beneath the sept, amongst cobwebs and roots and broken wine casks, but they had no word of Beric Dondarrion either. Not even their leader, who wore soot-blackened armor and a crude lightning bolt on his cloak. When Greenbeard saw Arya staring at him, he laughed and said, “The lightning lord is everywhere and nowhere, skinny squirrel.”

“我才不是松鼠，”她說(shuō)，“我快十一歲，要當(dāng)真正的女人了?！?/p>

“I’m not a squirrel,” she said. “I’ll almost be a woman soon. I’ll be one-and-ten.”

“呵，小心別讓我娶你！”他想撓她的下巴，但艾莉亞把他的笨手給拍開(kāi)了。

“Best watch out I don’t marry you, then!” He tried to tickle her under the chin, but Arya slapped his stupid hand away.

當(dāng)晚，檸檬和詹德利跟東道主玩牌，而七弦湯姆唱了一支很笨的歌，關(guān)于大肚子本恩和總主教的鵝。安蓋讓艾莉亞試他的長(zhǎng)弓，但無(wú)論她如何咬緊牙關(guān)使勁，始終拉不開(kāi)。“你需要一把輕點(diǎn)的弓，小姐，”雀斑臉的弓箭手說(shuō)，“若奔流城有風(fēng)干木材，也許我可以為你做一把?！?/p>

Lem and Gendry played tiles with their hosts that night, while Tom Sevenstrings sang a silly song about Big Belly Ben and the High Septon’s goose. Anguy let Arya try his longbow, but no matter how hard she bit her lip she could not draw it. “You need a lighter bow, milady,” the freckled bowman said. “If there’s seasoned wood at Riverrun, might be I’ll make you one.”

聽(tīng)見(jiàn)此話，湯姆停止了歌唱?！澳阏媸莻€(gè)小傻瓜，射手，去奔流城只能是討贖金，不會(huì)有功夫坐下來(lái)制弓的。假如收錢(qián)就跑，沒(méi)被抓住剝皮，就該謝天謝地?；羲固毓粼谀汩L(zhǎng)胡子之前就當(dāng)家啦，土匪毛賊落到他手里只有被吊死一途。而他兒子……討厭音樂(lè)的人不能信任，這是我的口頭禪?！?/p>

Tom overheard him, and broke off his song. “You’re a young fool, Archer. If we go to Riverrun it will only be to collect her ransom, won’t be no time for you to sit about making bows. Be thankful if you get out with your hide. Lord Hoster was hanging outlaws before you were shaving. And that son of his … a man who hates music can’t be trusted, I always say.”

“他討厭的不是音樂(lè)，”檸檬說(shuō)，“而是你，笨蛋?！?/p>

“It’s not music he hates,” said Lem. “It’s you, fool.”

“喏，這就是他荒唐的地方了。那姑娘只想和男人上床，他自己喝醉了辦不了事，也是我的錯(cuò)嗎？”

“Well, he has no cause. The wench was willing to make a man of him, is it my fault he drank too much to do the deed?”

檸檬的破鼻子哼了一聲，“把這事編成歌的是你，還是另外哪個(gè)愛(ài)死自己嗓音的蠢貨？”

Lem snorted through his broken nose. “Was it you who made a song of it, or some other bloody arse in love with his own voice?”

“我只唱過(guò)一次嘛，”湯姆抗議，“而且誰(shuí)說(shuō)那首歌寫(xiě)的是他？明明就是一條魚(yú)！”

“I only sang it the once,” Tom complained. “And who’s to say the song was about him? ’Twas a song about a fish.”

“一條軟塌塌的魚(yú)，”安蓋嘻嘻笑道。

“A floppy fish,” said Anguy, laughing.

艾莉亞才不在乎湯姆的笨歌曲。她轉(zhuǎn)向哈爾溫，“他說(shuō)贖金是什么意思？”

Arya didn’t care what Tom’s stupid songs were about. She turned to Harwin. “What did he mean about ransom?”

“我們急需馬，小姐，還有盔甲、寶劍、盾牌、長(zhǎng)矛……所有這些都得用錢(qián)去買(mǎi)。對(duì)了，還要買(mǎi)種子，凜冬將至啊，記得嗎？”他摸摸她的下巴?！澳悴皇俏覀冾^一個(gè)用來(lái)討贖金的貴族俘虜，希望也不是最后一個(gè)?！?/p>

“We have sore need of horses, milady. Armor as well. Swords, shields, spears. All the things coin can buy. Aye, and seed for planting. Winter is coming, remember?” He touched her under the chin. “You will not be the first highborn captive we’ve ransomed. Nor the last, I’d hope.”

這倒是，艾莉亞明白，古往今來(lái)，騎士被俘后就是用來(lái)交換贖金的，有些女士也可以。如果羅柏不愿付錢(qián)呢？她不能打仗，而國(guó)王理應(yīng)將國(guó)家置于親屬之上。還有母親大人，她會(huì)怎么說(shuō)？我闖了這么多禍，母親還要我嗎？艾莉亞咬緊嘴唇尋思。

That much was true, Arya knew. Knights were captured and ransomed all the time, and sometimes women were too. But what if Robb won’t pay their price? She wasn’t a famous knight, and kings were supposed to put the realm before their sisters. And her lady mother, what would she say? Would she still want her back, after all the things she’d done? Arya chewed her lip and wondered.

第二天，他們騎到一個(gè)叫“高尚之心”的地方，那是一座高山，其頂蜂好似能看到半個(gè)世界。環(huán)繞頂峰的是一圈巨大蒼白的樹(shù)墩，原本都為高聳雄壯的魚(yú)梁木。艾莉亞和詹德利圍著山頭邊走邊數(shù)，一共三十一個(gè)，有些大得她可以當(dāng)床睡。

The next day they rode to a place called High Heart, a hill so lofty that from atop it Arya felt as though she could see half the world. Around its brow stood a ring of huge pale stumps, all that remained of a circle of once-mighty weirwoods. Arya and Gendry walked around the hill to count them. There were thirty-one, some so wide that she could have used them for a bed.

七弦湯姆告訴她，高尚之心曾是森林之子的圣地，他們的魔法仍在此存留?！八@兒的人不會(huì)受傷害，”歌手道。艾莉亞認(rèn)為這是真的：這座山好高哦，周?chē)恋赜制教梗瑪橙藳Q不可能悄悄接近。

High Heart had been sacred to the children of the forest, Tom Sevenstrings told her, and some of their magic lingered here still. “No harm can ever come to those as sleep here,” the singer said. Arya thought that must be true; the hill was so high and the surrounding lands so flat that no enemy could approach unseen.

湯姆續(xù)道，附近百姓都回避此處，因?yàn)閭髡f(shuō)有森林之子的鬼魂出沒(méi)。當(dāng)年安達(dá)爾人的國(guó)王“弒親者”艾瑞格砍倒樹(shù)林，殺死了他們，他們一直沒(méi)得到安息。艾莉亞卻不怕，她從小就聽(tīng)說(shuō)森林之子和安達(dá)爾人的故事，自己還當(dāng)過(guò)赫倫堡的鬼魂呢。就小時(shí)候吧，她也曾躲進(jìn)臨冬城的墓窖，在王座上的國(guó)王石像間玩城堡游戲，玩美女與怪獸。

The smallfolk hereabouts shunned the place, Tom told her; it was said to be haunted by the ghosts of the children of the forest who had died here when the Andal king named Erreg the Kinslayer had cut down their grove. Arya knew about the children of the forest, and about the Andals too, but ghosts did not frighten her. She used to hide in the crypts of Winterfell when she was little, and play games of come-into-my-castle and monsters and maidens amongst the stone kings on their thrones.

即便如此，入夜之后，她仍舊覺(jué)得毛骨悚然。好容易睡著，一陣突來(lái)的風(fēng)雨又將她驚醒，被單被一下子掀掉，旋轉(zhuǎn)著飛入灌木叢中。她追趕過(guò)去時(shí)，聽(tīng)到了說(shuō)話聲。

Yet even so, the hair on the back of her neck stood up that night. She had been asleep, but the storm woke her. The wind pulled the coverlet right off her and sent it swirling into the bushes. When she went after it she heard voices.

篝火余燼邊，湯姆、檸檬和綠胡子在跟一個(gè)矮小的女人交談。她比艾莉亞還矮一尺，比老奶媽更老，全身佝僂蜷縮，滿(mǎn)是皺褶，倚在一根疙疙瘩瘩的黑拐杖上。她的白發(fā)如此之長(zhǎng)，幾乎拖到地面，寒風(fēng)吹起，頭發(fā)在腦際飛舞，活似一片白云。她皮膚的顏色更白，好象牛奶，眼睛卻是紅的，從灌木叢中看去很難明辨?！芭f神蠢蠢欲動(dòng)，不讓我安睡，”她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)那女人說(shuō)，“我夢(mèng)見(jiàn)一個(gè)胸口戴著燃燒之心的影子殺了一頭金色的雄鹿，是的；我夢(mèng)見(jiàn)一個(gè)沒(méi)有臉孔的男人，等在一座搖搖晃晃的索橋上，他的肩頭棲息著一只淹死的烏鴉，烏鴉翅膀上還掛著海藻；我夢(mèng)見(jiàn)一條咆哮的河流和一尾雌魚(yú)，她漂浮在水面，臉上有紅色的淚痕，但眼睛卻猛然睜開(kāi)，啊，使我在恐懼中驚醒。我夢(mèng)到了這些……還有更多。好啦，為報(bào)答我的夢(mèng)，你的禮物呢？”

Beside the embers of their campfire, she saw Tom, Lem, and Greenbeard talking to a tiny little woman, a foot shorter than Arya and older than Old Nan, all stooped and wrinkled and leaning on a gnarled black cane. Her white hair was so long it came almost to the ground. When the wind gusted it blew about her head in a fine cloud. Her flesh was whiter, the color of milk, and it seemed to Arya that her eyes were red, though it was hard to tell from the bushes. “The old gods stir and will not let me sleep,” she heard the woman say. “I dreamt I saw a shadow with a burning heart butchering a golden stag, aye. I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung. On his shoulder perched a drowned crow with seaweed hanging from his wings. I dreamt of a roaring river and a woman that was a fish. Dead she drifted, with red tears on her cheeks, but when her eyes did open, oh, I woke from terror. All this I dreamt, and more. Do you have gifts for me, to pay me for my dreams?”

“夢(mèng)，”檸檬斗篷咕噥著，“夢(mèng)頂什么用？雌魚(yú)和淹死的烏鴉？昨晚我也做了夢(mèng)，在夢(mèng)中吻了從前認(rèn)識(shí)的一位酒館女郎。你會(huì)為此付酬嗎，老太婆？”

“Dreams,” grumbled Lem Lemoncloak, “what good are dreams? Fish women and drowned crows. I had a dream myself last night. I was kissing this tavern wench I used to know. Are you going to pay me for that, old woman?”

“那婆娘早死了，”老婦人嘶叫道，“只有蛆蟲(chóng)可以吻她?！彼D(zhuǎn)向七弦湯姆，“我要聽(tīng)歌，否則就把你們趕走?！?/p>

“The wench is dead,” the woman hissed. “Only worms may kiss her now.” And then to Tom Sevenstrings she said, “I’ll have my song or I’ll have you gone.”

于是歌手開(kāi)始表演，唱得如此輕柔悲傷，以至于艾莉亞完全忘記了自我。曲調(diào)有幾分熟悉。我敢打賭，若珊莎在，就會(huì)知道這是什么歌。姐姐不僅知道所有的歌謠，還會(huì)甜美悅耳地唱出來(lái)。我只會(huì)大聲嚷嚷。

So the singer played for her, so soft and sad that Arya only heard snatches of the words, though the tune was half-familiar. Sansa would know it, I bet. Her sister had known all the songs, and she could even play a little, and sing so sweetly. All I could ever do was shout the words.

第二天早上，矮小的白發(fā)女人不見(jiàn)了。準(zhǔn)備出發(fā)時(shí)，艾莉亞問(wèn)七弦湯姆，森林之子是否仍住在高尚之心。歌手咯咯直笑，“你看到她了，對(duì)吧？”

The next morning the little white woman was nowhere to be seen. As they saddled their horses, Arya asked Tom Sevenstrings if the children of the forest still dwelled on High Heart. The singer chuckled. “Saw her, did you?”

“她是鬼魂嗎？”

“Was she a ghost?”

“鬼魂會(huì)抱怨關(guān)節(jié)痛？不，當(dāng)然不是，她只是個(gè)上年紀(jì)的矮女人，性格古怪，眼睛邪門(mén)，知道一些本不可能知道的事。如果她喜歡你，就會(huì)把信息透漏出來(lái)?！?/p>

“Do ghosts complain of how their joints creak? No, she’s only an old dwarf woman. A queer one, though, and evil-eyed. But she knows things she has no business knowing, and sometimes she’ll tell you if she likes the look of you.”

“她喜歡你？”艾莉亞懷疑地問(wèn)。

“Did she like the looks of you?” Arya asked doubtfully.

歌手大笑，“至少喜歡我的聲音。她總讓我唱同一首歌，該死，那首歌好是好，但我也會(huì)彈別的咧?！彼麚u搖頭。“好啦，重要的是，我們終于有了線索，我敢打賭，這下你很快就會(huì)見(jiàn)到索羅斯和閃電大王了?！?/p>

The singer laughed. “The sound of me, at least. She always makes me sing the same bloody song, though. Not a bad song, mind you, but I know others just as good.” He shook his head. “What matters is, we have the scent now. You’ll soon be seeing Thoros and the lightning lord, I’ll wager.”

“你是他們的部下，他們干嘛還躲著你呀？”

“If you’re their men, why do they hide from you?”

對(duì)此，七弦湯姆翻翻白眼，回答的是哈爾溫，“這不叫‘躲’，小姐……貝里伯爵東奔西走，很少透露計(jì)劃，這樣無(wú)人能出賣(mài)他。迄今為止，已有數(shù)百人、甚至數(shù)千人向他宣誓效忠，但我們?nèi)](méi)好處，只會(huì)耗光這片土地的資源，或被敵軍一網(wǎng)打盡。相反，分散開(kāi)來(lái)，就能同時(shí)攻擊十幾個(gè)地方，并在敵人作出反應(yīng)之前撤離。就算我們中的一員被抓住，接受詢(xún)問(wèn)，無(wú)論對(duì)方怎樣動(dòng)手，也無(wú)法了解到貝里伯爵的動(dòng)向。”他猶豫片刻。“你知道這是什么意思吧，‘接受詢(xún)問(wèn)’？”

Tom Sevenstrings rolled his eyes at that, but Harwin gave her an answer. “I wouldn’t call it hiding, milady, but it’s true, Lord Beric moves about a lot, and seldom lets on what his plans are. That way no one can betray him. By now there must be hundreds of us sworn to him, maybe thousands, but it wouldn’t do for us all to trail along behind him. We’d eat the country bare, or get butchered in a battle by some bigger host. The way we’re scattered in little bands, we can strike in a dozen places at once, and be off somewhere else before they know. And when one of us is caught and put to the question, well, we can’t tell them where to find Lord Beric no matter what they do to us.” He hesitated. “You know what it means, to be put to the question?”

艾莉亞點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭?！笆堑?，我認(rèn)得記事本，還有波利佛、拉夫他們?！彼焉裱酆夏情g倉(cāng)庫(kù)的事說(shuō)了出來(lái)——她和詹德利就是在那兒被抓的——還講述了記事本提的問(wèn)題?！按謇锊赜薪鹱訂?？”他總?cè)绱碎_(kāi)頭，“銀子和珠寶呢？存糧呢？貝里·唐德利恩伯爵在哪兒？有哪位村民幫助過(guò)他？他離開(kāi)后去了哪兒？他身邊有多少人？其中有多少騎士，多少弓手，多少步兵？他們裝備如何？有多少人騎馬？有多少人受傷？可曾見(jiàn)過(guò)其他敵人？他們又有多少？什么時(shí)候見(jiàn)著的？他們舉著什么樣的旗幟？他們?nèi)チ四膬?？村里藏有金子嗎？銀子和珠寶呢？貝里·唐德利恩伯爵在哪兒？他身邊有多少人？他們?nèi)チ四膬?，你說(shuō)不說(shuō)？”想到這里，她仿佛再次聽(tīng)到那些慘叫，再次聞到鮮血、糞便和焦肉的臭味?！八偸菃?wèn)同樣的問(wèn)題，”她認(rèn)真地告訴土匪們，“但每天問(wèn)的方式都不一樣?！?/p>

Arya nodded. “Tickling, they called it. Polliver and Raff and all.” She told them about the village by the Gods Eye where she and Gendry had been caught, and the questions that the Tickler had asked. “Is there gold hidden in the village?” he would always begin. “Silver, gems? Is there food? Where is Lord Beric? Which of you village folk helped him? Where did he go? How many men did he have with him? How many knights? How many bowmen? How many were horsed? How are they armed? How many wounded? Where did they go, did you say?” Just thinking of it, she could hear the shrieks again, and smell the stench of blood and shit and burning flesh. “He always asked the same questions,” she told the outlaws solemnly, “but he changed the tickling every day.”

“小孩子不該有如此遭遇，”哈爾溫耐心等她說(shuō)完，然后評(píng)論道，“我們聽(tīng)說(shuō)魔山在石磨坊損失了一半部下，沒(méi)準(zhǔn)這個(gè)‘記事本’此刻正沿著紅叉河漂浮，被魚(yú)兒咬掉臉龐咧；如果不是，那他們又多一項(xiàng)罪狀需要償還。大人說(shuō)了，事情的起因是首相派他去懲罰格雷果·克里岡，他也一定會(huì)完成這項(xiàng)任務(wù)。”他拍拍艾莉亞的肩膀，以示寬心?！翱焐像R吧，小姐，去橡果廳要騎一整天，好在到達(dá)之后我們就能住進(jìn)房間，吃上熱騰騰的晚飯?！?/p>

“No child should be made to suffer that,” Harwin said when she was done. “The Mountain lost half his men at the Stone Mill, we hear. Might be this Tickler’s floating down the Red Fork even now, with fish biting at his face. If not, well, it’s one more crime they’ll answer for. I’ve heard his lordship say this war began when the Hand sent him out to bring the king’s justice to Gregor Clegane, and that’s how he means for it to end.” He gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. “You best mount up, milady. It’s a long day’s ride to Acorn Hall, but at the end of it we’ll have a roof above our heads and a hot supper in our bellies.”

他們果然騎了整整一天，夜幕降臨時(shí)，才渡過(guò)一條小溪，抵達(dá)橡果廳。這座巨大的橡木堡壘有石圍墻環(huán)繞，城主隨封君凡斯伯爵外出打仗，因此大門(mén)緊閉，并上了閂。城主夫人是七弦湯姆的舊識(shí)，安蓋說(shuō)他們?cè)菓偃?。這名弓箭手通常和她騎在一起，隊(duì)里除詹德利之外，就數(shù)他的年齡和她最接近，他也常給她講多恩領(lǐng)的風(fēng)情，卻從不亂開(kāi)玩笑。他不是我朋友，只是來(lái)監(jiān)視我的，確保我不會(huì)再逃走。艾莉亞懂得如何洞察真相，多虧西利歐·佛瑞爾的教誨。

It was a long day’s ride, but as dusk was settling they forded a brook and came up on Acorn Hall, with its stone curtain walls and great oaken keep. Its master was away fighting in the retinue of his master, Lord Vance, the castle gates closed and barred in his absence. But his lady wife was an old friend of Tom Sevenstrings, and Anguy said they’d once been lovers. Anguy often rode beside her; he was closer to her in age than any of them but Gendry, and he told her droll tales of the Dornish Marches. He never fooled her, though. He’s not my friend. He’s only staying close to watch me and make sure I don’t ride off again. Well, Arya could watch as well. Syrio Forel had taught her how.

斯莫伍德夫人待土匪們相當(dāng)友善，但她譴責(zé)他們將小女孩拖進(jìn)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)的行為。檸檬無(wú)意中透露艾莉亞是貴族之后，她顯得更為憤怒。“誰(shuí)給這可憐的孩子穿上波頓家的破衣服？”她質(zhì)問(wèn)，“這紋章……看到胸口的剝皮人，許多人會(huì)立刻吊死她?！庇谑前騺啽徊挥煞终f(shuō)推上樓梯，按進(jìn)浴盆里，用滾燙的熱水清洗。斯莫伍德夫人的女仆們搓得用勁，仿佛真要?jiǎng)兯に频?，水里面有東西很香，聞起來(lái)是花的味道。

Lady Smallwood welcomed the outlaws kindly enough, though she gave them a tongue lashing for dragging a young girl through the war. She became even more wroth when Lem let slip that Arya was highborn. “Who dressed the poor child in those Bolton rags?” she demanded of them. “That badge … there’s many a man who would hang her in half a heartbeat for wearing a flayed man on her breast.” Arya promptly found herself marched upstairs, forced into a tub, and doused with scalding hot water. Lady Smallwood’s maidservants scrubbed her so hard it felt like they were flaying her themselves. They even dumped in some stinky-sweet stuff that smelled like flowers.

洗完后，她們堅(jiān)持要她換上女裝：棕色羊毛長(zhǎng)襪和輕薄的亞麻布襯衣，外罩淡綠裙服，裙服上身用棕色絲線繡滿(mǎn)了橡果，褶邊里也有?！拔乙套婺甘桥f鎮(zhèn)圣堂的修女，”斯莫伍德夫人監(jiān)督女仆們替艾莉亞系上裙服背后的縛帶，“戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)開(kāi)始時(shí)，我把女兒送去那邊，等她回來(lái)肯定穿不下這些衣服了。你喜歡跳舞嗎，孩子？我的凱瑞琳跳得很可愛(ài)，她的歌聲也很美。你呢，你喜歡做什么？”

And afterward, they insisted she dress herself in girl’s things, brown woolen stockings and a light linen shift, and over that a light green gown with acorns embroidered all over the bodice in brown thread, and more acorns bordering the hem. “My great-aunt is a septa at a motherhouse in Oldtown,” Lady Smallwood said as the women laced the gown up Arya’s back. “I sent my daughter there when the war began. She’ll have outgrown these things by the time she returns, no doubt. Are you fond of dancing, child? My Carellen’s a lovely dancer. She sings beautifully as well. What do you like to do?”

她在草席上蹭蹭腳趾頭，“……針線活?！?/p>

She scuffed a toe amongst the rushes. “Needlework.”

“哦，看不出來(lái)，你是個(gè)好靜的孩子呀？”

“Very restful, isn’t it?”

“呃，”艾莉亞道，“我做的方式和別人不一樣?！?/p>

“Well,” said Arya, “not the way I do it.”

“不一樣？我總覺(jué)得針線活兒特別需要寧?kù)o細(xì)心。你瞧，諸神賜給我們每人不同的天賦和才能，我們就該把它用好。我姨母常說(shuō)，無(wú)論做什么，只要做到認(rèn)真二字，發(fā)揮出自己的潛力，就等于是一次祈禱。這是個(gè)有趣的想法，對(duì)吧？希望你下次做針線活時(shí)記得這一點(diǎn)。你每天都做嗎？”

“No? I have always found it so. The gods give each of us our little gifts and talents, and it is meant for us to use them, my aunt always says. Any act can be a prayer, if done as well as we are able. Isn’t that a lovely thought? Remember that the next time you do your needlework. Do you work at it every day?”

“每天都做，直到弄丟了縫衣針。新的不如原來(lái)的好?！?/p>

“I did till I lost Needle. My new one’s not as good.”

“唉，非常時(shí)局，大家都得將就將就?！彼鼓榈路蛉俗屑?xì)審視裙服，“你看上去是個(gè)像模像樣的小淑女啦?！?/p>

“In times like these, we all must make do as best we can.” Lady Smallwood fussed at the bodice of the gown. “Now you look a proper young lady.”

才不是淑女，艾莉亞想告訴她，我是冰原狼。

I’m not a lady, Arya wanted to tell her, I’m a wolf.

“我不知你是誰(shuí)，孩子，”夫人續(xù)道，“也許這樣更好?？峙履闶莻€(gè)重要人物?！彼姘騺啌崞筋I(lǐng)口?！胺浅r(shí)局，最好就是普普通通，誰(shuí)也不招惹。我很想把你留在身邊，但這樣其實(shí)并不安全。我有城墻，卻沒(méi)守衛(wèi)。”她長(zhǎng)嘆一聲。

“I do not know who you are, child,” the woman said, “and it may be that’s for the best. Someone important, I fear.” She smoothed down Arya’s collar. “In times like these, it is better to be insignificant. Would that I could keep you here with me. That would not be safe, though. I have walls, but too few men to hold them.” She sighed.

等艾莉亞梳洗著裝完畢，晚餐已在大廳里擺開(kāi)了。詹德利只消看一眼，就樂(lè)得酒都從鼻子里流了出來(lái)，哈爾溫“啪”地給了他一耳刮。這頓飯菜色雖然單調(diào)但量很足：包括蘑菇墩羊肉、黑面包、豌豆布丁和黃奶酪烤蘋(píng)果。吃完?yáng)|西，仆人們收拾干凈之后，綠胡子低聲詢(xún)問(wèn)夫人關(guān)于閃電大王的消息。

Supper was being served in the hall by the time Arya was all washed and combed and dressed. Gendry took one look and laughed so hard that wine came out his nose, until Harwin gave him a thwack alongside his ear. The meal was plain but filling; mutton and mushrooms, brown bread, pease pudding, and baked apples with yellow cheese. When the food had been cleared and the servants sent away, Greenbeard lowered his voice to ask if her ladyship had word of the lightning lord.

“消息？”她微笑道，“他們十幾天前還在這里。一共十來(lái)個(gè)，趕著羊呢——我簡(jiǎn)直不相信自己的眼睛！索羅斯給了我三頭作為答謝，你們今晚吃的就是其中的一頭。”

“Word?” She smiled. “They were here not a fortnight past. Them and a dozen more, driving sheep. I could scarcely believe my eyes. Thoros gave me three as thanks. You’ve eaten one tonight.”

“趕羊的索羅斯？”安蓋大笑出聲。

“Thoros herding sheep?” Anguy laughed aloud.

“是啊，我向你保證，那場(chǎng)景真古怪。但索羅斯聲稱(chēng)，作為僧侶，他懂得照顧羊群?！?/p>

“I grant you it was an odd sight, but Thoros claimed that as a priest he knew how to tend a flock.”

“沒(méi)錯(cuò)，他還懂得如何剪毛咧，”檸檬斗篷咯咯笑道。

“Aye, and shear them too,” chuckled Lem Lemoncloak.

“嗯，這事可以寫(xiě)一曲很不錯(cuò)的歌?！睖窊芘艘幌滤悄矩Q琴。

“Someone could make a rare fine song of that.” Tom plucked a string on his woodharp.

斯莫伍德夫人瞪了他一眼，“還是讓別人來(lái)寫(xiě)吧，人們受夠了那個(gè)編唱《緊緊跟隨唐德利安》的家伙，真肉麻。哼，此人見(jiàn)到鄉(xiāng)間放牛小妹表演的則是什么《噢，拉我的美女躺倒在草地》，聽(tīng)說(shuō)把兩位姑娘的肚子都弄大了?！?/p>

Lady Smallwood gave him a withering look. “Someone who doesn’t rhyme carry on with Dondarrion, perhaps. Or play ‘Oh, Lay My Sweet Lass Down in the Grass’ to every milkmaid in the shire and leave two of them with big bellies.”

“錯(cuò)了，是《讓我啜吸你的美麗》，”湯姆分辯，“放牛小妹最喜歡這個(gè)，記得某位夫人也愛(ài)聽(tīng)。哈哈，身為歌手，總是要散播快樂(lè)的嘛?！?/p>

“It was ‘Let Me Drink Your Beauty,’ ” said Tom defensively, “and milkmaids are always glad to hear it. As was a certain highborn lady I do recall. I play to please.”

她嗤之以鼻，“三河的姑娘讓你播了個(gè)遍，個(gè)個(gè)得喝艾菊茶。我以為你這種年紀(jì)的男人，應(yīng)該知道把種子撒在肚子上。瞎，看來(lái)用不了多久，你就得改名七子湯姆！”

Her nostrils flared. “The riverlands are full of maids you’ve pleased, all drinking tansy tea. You’d think a man as old as you would know to spill his seed on their bellies. Men will be calling you Tom Sevensons before much longer.”

“多年以前就超過(guò)七個(gè)啦，”湯姆說(shuō)，“都是些好孩子，嗓子跟夜鶯一樣甜美?！彼@然不在乎。

“As it happens,” said Tom, “I passed seven many years ago. And fine boys they are too, with voices sweet as nightingales.” Plainly he did not care for the subject.

“伯爵大人透漏去向了嗎，夫人？”哈爾溫問(wèn)。

“Did his lordship say where he was bound, milady?” asked Harwin.

“貝里大人從不公開(kāi)計(jì)劃，但石堂鎮(zhèn)和三錢(qián)林附近正鬧饑荒，要我的話就去那兒找。”她啜了一口酒。“告訴你們吧，我這邊還來(lái)過(guò)討厭的訪客。前不久，一群狼仔跑到城門(mén)前嚎叫，說(shuō)我把詹姆·蘭尼斯特藏了起來(lái)?！?/p>

“Lord Beric never shares his plans, but there’s hunger down near Stoney Sept and the Threepenny Wood. I should look for him there.” She took a sip of wine. “You’d best know, I’ve had less pleasant callers as well. A pack of wolves came howling around my gates, thinking I might have Jaime Lannister in here.”

湯姆停止撥琴，“如此說(shuō)來(lái)，弒君者真的跑了？”

Tom stopped his plucking. “Then it’s true, the Kingslayer is loose again?”

斯莫伍德夫人挖苦地看了他一眼，“如果還被鎖在奔流城下，會(huì)有人滿(mǎn)世界追嗎？”

Lady Smallwood gave him a scornful look. “I hardly think they’d be hunting him if he was chained up under Riverrun.”

“夫人您怎么對(duì)他們說(shuō)的？”幸運(yùn)杰克問(wèn)。

“What did m’lady tell them?” asked Jack-Be-Lucky.

“啊，我說(shuō)我沒(méi)藏啊，詹姆爵士不就光著身子躺我床上嗎？只是被我弄得筋疲力竭，所以才沒(méi)法出來(lái)迎接。有個(gè)厚臉皮的家伙居然還敢多嘴，我當(dāng)即叫人放箭。后來(lái)他們奔黑底灣去了。”

“Why, that I had Ser Jaime naked in my bed, but I’d left him much too exhausted to come down. One of them had the effrontery to call me a liar, so we saw them off with a few quarrels. I believe they made for Blackbottom Bend.”

艾莉亞不安地在座位里扭動(dòng)，“來(lái)找弒君者的是什么樣的北方人？”

Arya squirmed restlessly in her seat. “What northmen was it, who came looking after the Kingslayer?”

對(duì)她公然接口的舉動(dòng)，斯莫伍德夫人似乎很驚訝?！八麄儧](méi)報(bào)上姓名，孩子，但都穿著黑衣服，胸口有日芒紋章?！?/p>

Lady Smallwood seemed surprised that she’d spoken. “They did not give their names, child, but they wore black, with the badge of a white sun on the breast.”

那是卡史塔克伯爵的黑底日芒徽記，艾莉亞心想，他們是羅柏的人。不知他們還在不在附近。如果能偷偷逃出土匪們的掌握，然后找到他們，或許就可以去奔流城找母親了……

A white sun on black was the sigil of Lord Karstark, Arya thought. Those were Robb’s men. She wondered if they were still close. If she could give the outlaws the slip and find them, maybe they would take her to her mother at Riverrun …

“蘭尼斯特是怎么逃的，他們說(shuō)過(guò)嗎？”檸檬問(wèn)。

“Did they say how Lannister came to escape?” Lem asked.

“說(shuō)了，”斯莫伍德夫人道，“但我一個(gè)字也不信。他們聲稱(chēng)是凱特琳夫人將他放走的?！?/p>

“They did,” said Lady Smallwood. “Not that I believe a word of it. They claimed that Lady Catelyn set him free.”

湯姆大吃一驚，弄斷了一根弦?！鞍。俊彼@呼，“這太瘋狂了?！?/p>

That startled Tom so badly he snapped a string. “Go on with you,” he said. “That’s madness.”

這不是真的。不可能是真的。艾莉亞心想。

It’s not true, thought Arya. It couldn’t be true.

“我也這么認(rèn)為，”斯莫伍德夫人說(shuō)。

“I thought the same,” said Lady Smallwood.

哈爾溫想起了艾莉亞?！斑@個(gè)話題你不適合聽(tīng)，小姐?！?/p>

That was when Harwin remembered Arya. “Such talk is not for your ears, milady.”

“不，我要聽(tīng)?！?/p>

“No, I want to hear.”

土匪們態(tài)度堅(jiān)決?！叭グ桑∷墒?，”綠胡子道，“做個(gè)乖乖的小淑女就好，大人們說(shuō)話時(shí)，你去院子里玩，快去吧。”

The outlaws were adamant. “Go on with you, skinny squirrel,” said Greenbeard. “Be a good little lady and go play in the yard while we talk, now.”

艾莉亞忿忿地離開(kāi)，若不是門(mén)太重，她準(zhǔn)會(huì)狠狠甩上。門(mén)外，一片黑暗，沿著城墻燃起幾支火炬，僅此而已。小城堡已關(guān)門(mén)上閂——她答應(yīng)過(guò)哈爾溫，不會(huì)再逃跑，但那是在他們污蔑母親之前的事。

Arya stalked away angry, and would have slammed the door if it hadn’t been so heavy. Darkness had settled over Acorn Hall. A few torches burned along the walls, but that was all. The gates of the little castle were closed and barred. She had promised Harwin that she would not try and run away again, she knew, but that was before they started telling lies about her mother.

“艾莉亞？”詹德利跟在她后面出來(lái)，“斯莫伍德夫人說(shuō)這里有個(gè)小鐵匠鋪，想不想去瞧瞧？”

“Arya?” Gendry had followed her out. “Lady Smallwood said there’s a smithy. Want to have a look?”

“你想的話，就一起去吧?！狈凑龥](méi)別的事可干。

“If you want.” She had nothing else to do.

“這索羅斯，”走過(guò)獸舍時(shí)詹德利說(shuō)，“就是曾住在君臨城堡里的那個(gè)索羅斯？紅袍僧，胖胖的，剃個(gè)光頭？”

“This Thoros,” Gendry said as they walked past the kennels, “is he the same Thoros who lived in the castle at King’s Landing? A red priest, fat, with a shaved head?”

“我想是的?！卑騺啗](méi)跟君臨城里的索羅斯說(shuō)過(guò)話，但她認(rèn)識(shí)他。他和賈拉巴·梭爾是勞勃的宮廷里打扮最奇特的人物，而他本人還是國(guó)王的好朋友。

“I think so.” Arya had never spoken to Thoros at King’s Landing that she could recall, but she knew who he was. He and Jalabhar Xho had been the most colorful figures at Robert’s court, and Thoros was a great friend of the king as well.

“他多半不會(huì)記得我，雖然他常來(lái)我們的鋪?zhàn)印！彼鼓榈录业蔫T爐已有一段時(shí)間沒(méi)有使用，但鐵匠把工具整齊地掛在墻上。詹德利點(diǎn)燃一支蠟燭，放在砧板上，取下一副火鉗。“我?guī)煾祵?duì)索羅斯的火焰劍把戲很不滿(mǎn)，認(rèn)為不該如此對(duì)待鋼材。好在這索羅斯不大用好材料，常將不值錢(qián)的劍浸進(jìn)野火里，涂上薄薄一層，然后點(diǎn)燃就算數(shù)。我?guī)煾嫡f(shuō)，這只是煉金術(shù)士的小把戲，但足以嚇住馬匹和沒(méi)經(jīng)驗(yàn)的騎士。”

“He won’t remember me, but he used to come to our forge.” The Smallwood forge had not been used in some time, though the smith had hung his tools neatly on the wall. Gendry lit a candle and set it on the anvil while he took down a pair of tongs. “My master always scolded him about his flaming swords. It was no way to treat good steel, he’d say, but this Thoros never used good steel. He’d just dip some cheap sword in wildfire and set it alight. It was only an alchemist’s trick, my master said, but it scared the horses and some of the greener knights.”

她皺起眉頭，試圖回想父親對(duì)索羅斯的評(píng)價(jià)?！八幌駛€(gè)僧侶，對(duì)吧？”

She screwed up her face, trying to remember if her father had ever talked about Thoros. “He isn’t very priestly, is he?”

“不像，”詹德利承認(rèn)，“莫特師傅說(shuō)索羅斯的酒量比勞勃國(guó)王還大。他倆是一路貨色，他告訴我，貪吃鬼和醉鬼?！?/p>

“No,” Gendry admitted. “Master Mott said Thoros could outdrink even King Robert. They were pease in a pod, he told me, both gluttons and sots.”

“你不該說(shuō)國(guó)王是醉鬼?！币苍S勞勃國(guó)王喝得不少，但他是父親的朋友。

“You shouldn’t call the king a sot.” Maybe King Robert had drunk a lot, but he’d been her father’s friend.

“我在說(shuō)索羅斯?！闭驳吕斐鲢Q子，仿佛要夾她的臉，艾莉亞將其撥開(kāi)?！八矚g宴會(huì)，也喜歡比武會(huì)，因此勞勃國(guó)王非常寵幸他。不過(guò)這索羅斯的確很勇敢，當(dāng)初他們?cè)议_(kāi)派克城的城墻，他是第一個(gè)沖過(guò)去的。揮舞著火焰劍，鐵民們紛紛著火逃竄?！?/p>

“I was talking about Thoros.” Gendry reached out with the tongs as if to pinch her face, but Arya swatted them away. “He liked feasts and tourneys, that was why King Robert was so fond of him. And this Thoros was brave. When the walls of Pyke crashed down, he was the first through the breach. He fought with one of his flaming swords, setting ironmen afire with every slash.”

“我也想要一把火焰劍?！蔽乙蚕胍芏嗳嗽谖颐媲爸鹛痈Z。

“I wish I had a flaming sword.” Arya could think of lots of people she’d like to set on fire.

“那不過(guò)是小把戲，我告訴你，野火會(huì)毀壞鋼鐵，每次比武會(huì)后，我?guī)煾刀假u(mài)給索羅斯一把新劍，每次都會(huì)爭(zhēng)論價(jià)格?！闭驳吕麑Q子掛回去，然后取下沉重的錘子?！澳貛煾嫡f(shuō)是我打自己第一把長(zhǎng)劍的時(shí)候了。他給了我一塊上好的鋼材，我知道該怎么做。尤倫卻在這時(shí)候把我?guī)ё?，帶去?dāng)守夜人?！?/p>

“It’s only a trick, I told you. The wildfire ruins the steel. My master sold Thoros a new sword after every tourney. Every time they would have a fight about the price.” Gendry hung the tongs back up and took down the heavy hammer. “Master Mott said it was time I made my first longsword. He gave me a sweet piece of steel, and I knew just how I wanted to shape the blade. Only Yoren came, and took me away for the Night’s Watch.”

“如果你愿意，仍然可以鑄劍呀，”艾莉亞道，“等我們到達(dá)奔流城，你就可以為我哥哥羅柏鑄劍了?！?/p>

“You can still make swords if you want,” said Arya. “You can make them for my brother Robb when we get to Riverrun.”

“奔流城?！闭驳吕畔洛N子，望著她，“你看起來(lái)不一樣了，你像個(gè)體面的小淑女?！?/p>

“Riverrun.” Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her. “You look different now. Like a proper little girl.”

“我看起來(lái)像棵橡樹(shù)，渾身都是笨乎乎的橡果?！?/p>

“I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.”

“但你高雅，很高雅，你是一棵高雅的橡樹(shù)，”他走上前嗅嗅她，“連氣味也變得高雅。”

“Nice, though. A nice oak tree.” He stepped closer, and sniffed at her. “You even smell nice for a change.”

“你卻不是。你臭烘烘的?！卑騺唽⑺璋逋迫?，然后拔腿就跑，不料胳膊卻被一把拽住。她踢他胯下，并把他絆倒，然而詹德利將她一起拽翻，兩人在鐵匠鋪的地板上打鬧翻滾。詹德利強(qiáng)壯，艾莉亞靈活，每次男孩想抓她，都被她扭動(dòng)掙脫。她使勁打他，他卻哈哈大笑，把她氣壞了。最終，詹德利用一只手擒住她兩個(gè)手腕，另一只手撓她癢癢，艾莉亞便順勢(shì)拿膝蓋頂他胯下，再次掙脫。等她站起來(lái)，發(fā)現(xiàn)兩人混身灰塵，而那笨乎乎的橡果裙有只袖子撕裂了?！拔掖蛸€，現(xiàn)在我看上去不那么高雅了，”她喊道。

“You don’t. You stink.” Arya shoved him back against the anvil and made to run, but Gendry caught her arm. She stuck a foot between his legs and tripped him, but he yanked her down with him, and they rolled across the floor of the smithy. He was very strong, but she was quicker. Every time he tried to hold her still she wriggled free and punched him. Gendry only laughed at the blows, which made her mad. He finally caught both her wrists in one hand and started to tickle her with the other, so Arya slammed her knee between his legs, and wrenched free. Both of them were covered in dirt, and one sleeve was torn on her stupid acorn dress. “I bet I don’t look so nice now,” she shouted.

回到大廳時(shí)，湯姆正在唱歌：

Tom was singing when they returned to the hall.

我的羽床柔軟深陷，

My featherbed is deep and soft,

我的愛(ài)人躺臥其間。

and there I’ll lay you down,

我愿給你穿上絲衣，

I’ll dress you all in yellow silk,

我愿為你戴上寶冠。

and on your head a crown.

你將成為我的愛(ài)妻，

For you shall be my lady love,

我將當(dāng)上你的夫婿。

and I shall be your lord.

我會(huì)用劍守護(hù)著你，

I’ll always keep you warm and safe,

令你永遠(yuǎn)溫暖平安，

and guard you with my sword.

哈爾溫不經(jīng)眼間回頭一看，頓時(shí)暴笑出聲，安蓋的雀斑臉上也露出笨乎乎的笑容，他說(shuō)，“別弄錯(cuò)了，她到底是不是好人家的女兒?jiǎn)?？”檸檬斗篷則給了詹德利一耳刮，“要打跟我打！她是個(gè)女孩，年齡只有你一半！別碰她，聽(tīng)明白了嗎？”

Harwin took one look at them and burst out laughing, and Anguy smiled one of his stupid freckly smiles and said, “Are we certain this one is a highborn lady?” But Lem Lemoncloak gave Gendry a clout alongside the head. “You want to fight, fight with me! She’s a girl, and half your age! You keep your hands off o’ her, you hear me?”

“是我開(kāi)的頭。”艾莉亞道，“詹德利只是說(shuō)話而已?！?/p>

“I started it,” said Arya. “Gendry was just talking.”

“放過(guò)那男孩吧，檸檬，”哈爾溫說(shuō)，“是艾莉亞開(kāi)的頭，我毫不懷疑。她在臨冬城就這樣?！?/p>

“Leave the boy, Lem,” said Harwin. “Arya did start it, I have no doubt. She was much the same at Winterfell.”

湯姆邊唱邊朝她眨眼睛：

Tom winked at her as he sang:

樹(shù)仙子嫣然飄飄，

And how she smiled and how she laughed,

樹(shù)仙子笑聲飛揚(yáng)，

the maiden of the tree.

旋開(kāi)身軀朝他言語(yǔ)，

She spun away and said to him,

我不需要羽毛之床。

no featherbed for me.

愿穿一襲金葉長(zhǎng)裙，

I’ll wear a gown of golden leaves,

愿以青草束起長(zhǎng)發(fā)，

and bind my hair with grass,

愿你當(dāng)我的森林愛(ài)人，

But you can be my forest love,

我是你的森林姑娘。

and me your forest lass.

“我沒(méi)有金葉長(zhǎng)裙，”斯莫伍德夫人和藹地微笑，“但凱瑞琳還留下其他衣服。來(lái)吧，孩子，我們上樓看能找到什么?！?/p>

“I have no gowns of leaves,” said Lady Smallwood with a small fond smile, “but Carellen left some other dresses that might serve. Come, child, let us go upstairs and see what we can find.”

這回比上回更糟；斯莫伍德堅(jiān)持讓艾莉亞再洗一遍澡，然后修剪梳理頭發(fā)，換上的裙服乃是淡紫色，飾有細(xì)小珍珠。惟一的好處是，它如此精致，沒(méi)有人認(rèn)為她能穿這身衣服騎馬。所以第二天早晨用餐時(shí)，斯莫伍德夫人給她拿來(lái)馬褲、皮帶和束腰短裝，以及一件鑲鐵釘棕色鹿皮背心。“這是我兒子的，”她說(shuō)，“他七歲時(shí)死了?！?/p>

It was even worse than before; Lady Smallwood insisted that Arya take another bath, and cut and comb her hair besides; the dress she put her in this time was sort of lilac-colored, and decorated with little baby pearls. The only good thing about it was that it was so delicate that no one could expect her to ride in it. So the next morning as they broke their fast, Lady Smallwood gave her breeches, belt, and tunic to wear, and a brown doeskin jerkin dotted with iron studs. “They were my son’s things,” she said. “He died when he was seven.”

“我很遺憾，夫人?！卑騺喭蝗惶嫠y過(guò)起來(lái)，并且感到十分羞愧?！昂鼙杆簤牧四羌鸸棺樱苊??！?/p>

“I’m sorry, my lady.” Arya suddenly felt bad for her, and ashamed. “I’m sorry I tore the acorn dress too. It was pretty.”

“是啊，孩子，你和它一樣美。請(qǐng)勇敢起來(lái)?！?/p>

“Yes, child. And so are you. Be brave.”