grrm.astormofswords-第101部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He had once heard his uncle Benjen say that the Wall was a sword east of Castle Black； but a snake to the west。 It was true。 Sweeping in over one huge humped hill； the ice dipped down into a valley； climbed the knife edge of a long granite ridgeline for a league or more； ran along a jagged crest； dipped again into a valley deeper still； and then rose higher and higher； leaping from hill to hill as far as the eye could see； into the mountainous west。
Jarl had chosen to assault the stretch of ice along the ridge。 Here； though the top of the Wall loomed eight hundred feet above the forest floor； a good third of that height was earth and stone rather than ice； the slope was too steep for their horses； almost as difficult a scramble as the Fist of the First Men； but still vastly easier to ascend than the sheer vertical face of the Wall itself。 And the ridge was densely wooded as well； offering easy concealment。 Once brothers in black had gone out every day with axes to cut back the encroaching trees； but those days were long past； and here the forest grew right up to the ice。
The day promised to be damp and cold； and damper and colder by the Wall； beneath those tons of ice。 The closer they got； the more the Therms held back。 They have never seen the Wall before； not even the Magnar； Jon realized。 It frightens them。 In the Seven Kingdoms it was said that the Wall marked the end of the world。 That is true for them as well。 it was all in where you stood。
And where do I stand？ Jon did not know。 To stay with Ygritte； he would need to bee a wildling heart and soul。 if he abandoned her to return to his duty； the Magnar might cut her heart out。 And if he took her with him 。 。 。 assuming she would go； which was far from certain 。 。 。 well； he could scarcely bring her back to Castle Black to live among the brothers。 A deserter and a wildling could expect no wele anywhere in the Seven Kingdoms。 We could go look for Gendel's children； I suppose。 Though they'd be more like to eat us than to take us in。
The Wall did not awe Jarl's raiders； Jon saw。 They have done this before； every man of them。 Jarl called out names when they dismounted beneath the ridge； and eleven gathered round him。 All were young。 The oldest could not have been more than five…and…twenty； and two of the ten were younger than Jon。 Every one was lean and hard； though； they had a look of sinewy strength that reminded him of Stonesnake； the brother the Halfhand had sent off afoot when Rattleshirt was hunting them。
In the very shadow of the Wall the wildlings made ready； winding thick coils of hempen rope around one shoulder and down across their chests； and lacing on queer boots of supple doeskin。 The boots had spikes jutting from the toes； iron； for Jarl and two others； bronze for some； but most often jagged bone。 Small stone…headed hammers hung from one hip； a leathern bag of stakes from the other。 Their ice axes were antlers with sharpened tines； bound to wooden hafts with strips of hide。 The eleven climbers sorted themselves into three teams of four； Jarl himself made the twelfth man。 〃Mance promises swords for every man of the first team to reach the top；〃 he told them； his breath misting in the cold air。 〃Southron swords of castle…forged steel。 And your name in the song he'll make of this； that too。 What more could a free man ask？ Up； and the Others take the hindmost！〃
The Others take them all； thought Jon； as he watched them scramble up the steep slope of the ridge and vanish beneath the trees。 It would not be the first time wildlings had scaled the Wall； not even the hundred and first。 The patrols stumbled on climbers two or three times a year； and rangers sometimes came on the broken corpses of those who had fallen。 Along the east coast the raiders most often built boats to slip across the Bay of Seals。 in the west they would descend into the black depths of the Gorge to make their way around the Shadow Tower。 But in between the only way to defeat the Wall was to go over it； and many a raider had。 Fewer e back； though； he thought with a certain grim pride。 Climbers must of necessity leave their mounts behind； and many younger； greener raiders began by taking the first horses they found。 Then a hue and cry would go up； ravens would fly； and as often as not the Night's Watch would hunt them down and hang them before they could get back with their plunder and stolen women。 Jarl would not make that mistake； Jon knew； but he wondered about Styr。 The Magnar is a ruler； not a raider。 He may not know how the game is played。
〃There they are；〃 Ygritte said； and Jon glanced up to see the first climber emerge above the treetops。 It was Jarl。 He had found a sentinel tree that leaned against the Wall； and led his men up the trunk to get a quicker start。 The wood should never have been allowed to creep so close。 They're three hundred feet up； and they haven't touched the ice itself yet。
He watched the wildling move carefully from wood to Wall； hacking out a handhold with short sharp blows of his ice axe； then swinging over。 The rope around his waist tied him to the second man in line； still edging up the tree。 Step by slow step； Jarl moved higher； kicking out toeholds with his spiked boots when there were no natural ones to be found。 When he was ten feet above the sentinel； he stopped upon a narrow icy ledge； slung his axe from his belt； took out his hammer； and drove an iron stake into a cleft。 The second man moved onto the Wall behind him while the third was scrambling to the top of the tree。
The other two teams had no happily placed trees to give them a leg up； and before long the Therms； were wondering whether they had gotten lost climbing the ridge。 Jarl's party were all on the Wall and eighty feet up before the leading climbers from the other groups came into view。
The teams were spaced a good twenty yards apart。 Jarl's four were in the center。 To the right of them was a team headed up by Grigg the Goat； whose long blond braid made him easy to spot from below。 To the left a very thin man named Errok led the climbers。
〃So slow；〃 the Magnar plained loudly； as he watched them edge their way upward。 〃Has he forgotten the crows？ He should climb faster； afore we are discovered。〃
Jon had to hold his tongue。 He remembered the Skirling Pass all too well； and the moonlight climb he'd made with Stonesnake。 He had swallowed his heart a half…dozen times that night； and by the end his arms and legs had been aching and his fingers were half frozen。 And that was stone； not ice。 Stone was solid。 Ice was treacherous stuff at the best of times； and on a day like this； when the Wall was weeping； the warmth of a climber's hand might be enough to melt it。 The huge blocks could be frozen rock…hard inside； but their outer surface would be slick； with runnels of water trickling down； and patches of rotten ice where the air had gotten in。 Whatever else the wildlings are； they're brave。
All the same； Jon found himself hoping that Styr's fears proved well founded。 If the gods are good； a patrol will chance by and put an end to this。 〃No wall can keep you safe；〃 his father had told him once； as they walked the walls of Winterfell。 〃A wall is only as strong as the men who defend it。〃 The wildlings might have a hundred and twenty men； but four defenders would be enough to see them off； with a few well…placed arrows and perhaps a pail of stones。
No defenders appeared； however； not four； not even one。 The sun climbed the sky and the wildlings climbed the Wall。 Jarl's four remained well ahead till noon； when they hit a pitch of bad ice。 Jarl had looped his rope around a wind…carved pinnace and was using it to support his weight when the whole jagged thing suddenly crumbled and came crashing down； and him with it。 Chunks of ice as big as a man's head bombarded the three below； but they clung to the handholds and the stakes held； and Jarl jerked to a sudden halt at the end of the rope。
By the time his team had recovered from that mischance； Grigg the Goat had almost drawn even with them。 Errok's four remained well behind。 The face where they were climbing looked smooth and unpitted； covered with a sheet of icemelt that glistened wetly where the sun brushed it。 Grigg's section
