grrm.astormofswords-第114部分

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brown　and　white　fur　that　must　have　held　her　baby。　〃We're　not　supposed　to　talk　to　Craster's　wives；〃　Sam　told　them。　〃We　have　orders。〃
　〃That's　done　now；〃　said　the　old　woman　on　the　right。
　〃The　blackest　crows　are　down　in　the　cellar；　gorging；〃　said　the　old　woman　on　the　left；　〃or　up　in　the　loft　with　the　young　ones。　They'll　be　back　soon；　though。　Best　you　be　gone　when　they　do。　The　horses　run　off；　but　Dyah's　caught　two。〃
　〃You　said　you'd　help　me；〃　Gilly　reminded　him。
　〃I　said　Jon　would　help　you。　Jon's　brave；　and　he's　a　good　fighter；　but　I　think　he's　dead　now。　I'm　a　craven。　And　fat。　Look　how　fat　I　am。　Besides；　Lord　Mormont's　hurt。　Can't　you　see？　I　couldn't　leave　the　Lord　mander。〃
　〃Child；〃　said　the　other　old　woman；　〃that　old　crow's　gone　before　you。　Look。〃
　Mormont's　head　was　still　in　his　lap；　but　his　eyes　were　open　and　staring　and　his　lips　no　longer　moved。　The　raven　cocked　its　head　and　squawked；　then　looked　up　at　Sam。　〃Corn？〃
　〃No　corn。　He　has　no　corn。〃　Sam　closed　the　Old　Bear's　eyes　and　tried　to　think　of　a　prayer；　but　all　that　came　to　mind　was；　〃Mother　have　mercy。　Mother　have　mercy。　Mother　have　mercy。〃
　〃Your　mother　can't　help　you　none；〃　said　the　old　woman　on　the　left。　〃That　dead　old　man　can't　neither。　You　take　his　sword　and　you　take　that　big　warm　far　cloak　o'　his　and　you　take　his　horse　if　you　can　find　him。　And　you　go。〃
　〃The　girl　don't　lie；〃　the　old　woman　on　the　right　said。　〃She's　my　girl；　and　I　beat　the　lying　out　of　her　early　on。　You　said　you'd　help　her。　Do　what　Ferny　says；　boy。　Take　the　girl　and　be　quick　about　it。〃
　〃Quick；〃　the　raven　said。　〃Quick　quick　quick。〃
　〃Where？〃　asked　Sam；　puzzled。　〃Where　should　I　take　her？〃
　〃Someplace　warm；〃　the　two　old　women　said　as　one。
　Gilly　was　crying。　〃Me　and　the　babe。　Please。　I'll　be　your　wife；　like　I　was　Craster's。　Please；　ser　crow。　He's　a　boy；　just　like　Nella　said　he'd　be。　If　you　don't　take　him；　they　will。〃
　〃They？〃　said　Sam；　and　the　raven　cocked　its　black　head　and　echoed；　〃They　They　They〃
　〃The　boy's　brothers；〃　said　the　old　woman　on　the　left。　〃Craster's　sons。　The　white　cold's　rising　out　there；　crow。　I　can　feel　it　in　my　bones。　These　poor　old　bones　don't　lie。　They'll　be　here　soon；　the　sons。〃
　
　CHAPTER　34
　ARYA
　
　Her　eyes　had　grown　accustomed　to　blackness。　When　Harwin　pulled　the　hood　off　her　head；　the　ruddy　glare　inside　the　hollow　hill　made　Arya　blink　like　some　stupid　owl。
　A　huge　firepit　had　been　dug　in　the　center　of　the　earthen　floor；　and　its　flames　rose　swirling　and　crackling　toward　the　smoke…stained　ceiling。　The　walls　were　equal　parts　stone　and　soil；　with　huge　white　roots　twisting　through　them　like　a　thousand　slow　pale　snakes。　People　were　emerging　from　between　those　roots　as　she　watched；　edging　out　from　the　shadows　for　a　look　at　the　captives；　stepping　from　the　mouths　of　pitch…black　tunnels；　popping　out　of　crannies　and　crevices　on　all　sides。　in　one　place　on　the　far　side　of　the　fire；　the　roots　formed　a　kind　of　stairway　up　to　a　hollow　in　the　earth　where　a　man　sat　almost　lost　in　the　tangle　of　weirwood。
　Lem　unhooded　Gendry。　〃What　is　this　place？〃　he　asked。
　〃An　old　place；　deep　and　secret。　A　refuge　where　neither　wolves　nor　lions　e　prowling。〃
　Neither　wolves　nor　lions。　Arya's　skin　prickled。　She　remembered　the　dream　she'd　had；　and　the　taste　of　blood　when　she　tore　the　man's　arm　from　his　shoulder。
　Big　as　the　fire　was；　the　cave　was　bigger；　it　was　hard　to　tell　where　it　began　and　where　it　ended。　The　tunnel　mouths　might　have　been　two　feet　deep　or　gone　on　two　miles。　Arya　saw　men　and　women　and　little　children；　all　of　them　watching　her　warily。
　Greenbeard　said；　〃Here's　the　wizard；　skinny　squirrel。　You'll　get　your　answers　now。〃　He　pointed　toward　the　fire；　where　Tom　Sevenstrings　stood　talking　to　a　tall　thin　man　with　oddments　of　old　armor　buckled　on　over　his　ratty　pink　robes。　That　can't　be　Thoros　of　Myr。　Arya　remembered　the　red　priest　as　fat；　with　a　smooth　face　and　a　shiny　bald　head。　This　man　had　a　droopy　face　and　a　full　head　of　shaggy　grey　hair。　Something　Tom　said　made　him　look　at　her；　and　Arya　thought　he　was　about　to　e　over　to　her。　Only　then　the　Mad　Huntsman　appeared；　shoving　his　captive　down　into　the　light；　and　she　and　Gendry　were　forgotten。
　The　Huntsman　had　turned　out　to　be　a　stocky　man　in　patched　tan　leathers；　balding　and　weak…chinned　and　quarrelsome。　At　Stoney　Sept　she　had　thought　that　Lem　and　Greenbeard　might　be　tom　to　pieces　when　they　faced　him　at　the　crow　cages　to　claim　his　captive　for　the　lightning　lord。　The　hounds　had　been　all　around　them；　sniffing　and　snarling。　But　Tom　o'　Sevens　soothed　them　with　his　playing；　Tansy　marched　across　the　square　with　her　apron　full　of　bones　and　fatty　mutton；　and　Lem　pointed　out　Anguy　in　the　brothel　window；　standing　with　an　arrow　notched。　The　Mad　Huntsman　had　cursed　them　all　for　lickspittles；　but　finally　he　had　agreed　to　take　his　prize　to　Lord　Beric　for　judgment。
　They　had　bound　his　wrists　with　hempen　rope；　strung　a　noose　around　his　neck；　and　pulled　a　sack　down　over　his　head；　but　even　so　there　was　danger　in　the　man。　Arya　could　feel　it　across　the　cave。　Thoros…if　that　was　Thoros…met　captor　and　captive　halfway　to　the　fire。　〃How　did　you　take　him？〃　the　priest　asked。
　〃The　dogs　caught　the　scent。　He　was　sleeping　off　a　drunk　under　a　willow　tree；　if　you　believe　it。〃
　〃Betrayed　by　his　own　kind。〃　Thoros　turned　to　the　prisoner　and　yanked　his　hood　off。　〃Wele　to　our　humble　hall；　dog。　It　is　not　so　grand　as　Robert's　throne　room；　but　the　pany　is　better。〃
　The　shifting　flames　painted　Sandor　Clegane's　burned　face　with　orange　shadows；　so　he　looked　even　more　terrible　than　he　did　in　daylight。　When　he　pulled　at　the　rope　that　bound　his　wrists；　flakes　of　dry　blood　fell　off。　The　Hound's　mouth　twitched。　〃I　know　you；〃　he　said　to　Thoros。
　〃You　did。　In　melees；　you'd　curse　my　flaming　sword；　though　thrice　I　overthrew　you　with　it。〃
　〃Thoros　of　Myr。　You　used　to　shave　your　head。〃
　〃To　betoken　a　humble　heart；　but　in　truth　my　heart　was　vain。　Besides；　I　lost　my　razor　in　the　woods。〃　The　priest　slapped　his　belly。　〃I　am　less　than　I　was；　but　more。　A　year　in　the　wild　will　melt　the　flesh　off　a　man。　Would　that　I　could　find　a　tailor　to　take　in　my　skin。　I　might　look　young　again；　and　pretty　maids　would　shower　me　with　kisses。〃
　〃Only　the　blind　ones；　priest。〃
　The　outlaws　hooted；　none　so　loud　as　Thoros。　〃Just　so。　Yet　I　am　not　the　false　priest　you　knew。　The　Lord　of　Light　has　woken　in　my　heart。　Many　powers　long　asleep　are　waking；　and　there　are　forces　moving　in　the　land。　I　have　seen　them　in　my　flames。〃
　The　Hound　was　unimpressed。　〃Bugger　your　flames。　And　you　as　well。〃　He　looked　around　at　the　others。　〃You　keep　queer　pany　for　a　holy　man。〃
　〃These　are　my　brothers；〃　Thoros　said　simply。
　Lem　Lemoncloak　pushed　forward。　He　and　Greenbeard　were　the　only　men　there　tall　enough　to　look　the　Hound　in　the　eye。　〃Be　careful　how　you　bark；　dog。　We　hold　your　life　in　our　hands。〃
　〃Best　wipe　the　shit　off　your　fingers；　then。〃　The　Hound　laughed。　〃How　long　have　you　been　hiding　in　this　hole？〃
　Anguy　the　Archer　bristled　at　the　suggestion　of　cowardice。　〃Ask　the　goat　if　we've　hidden；　Hound。　Ask　your　brother。　Ask　the　lord　of　leeches。　We've　bloodied　them　all。〃
　〃You　lot？　Don't　make　me　laugh。　You　look　more　swineherds　than　soldiers。〃
　〃Some　of　us　was　swineherds；〃　said　a　short　man　Arya　did　not　know。　〃And　some　was　tanners　or　singers　or　masons。　But　that　was　before　the　war　e。〃
　〃When　we　left　King's　Landing　we　were　men　of　Winterfell　and　men　of　Darry　and　men　of　Blackhaven；　Mallery　men　and　Wylde　men。　We　were　knights　and　squires　and　men…at…arms；　lords　and　moners；　bound　together　only　by　our　purpose。〃　The　voice　came　from　the　man　seated　amongst　the　weirwood　roots　halfway　up　the　wall。　〃Six　score　of　us　set　out　to　bring　the　king's　justice　to　your　brother。〃　The　speaker　was　descending　the　tangle　of　steps　toward　the　floor。　〃Six　score　brave　men　and　true；　led　by　a　fool　in　a　starry　cloak。〃　A　scarecrow　of　a　man；　he　wore　a　ragged　black　cloak　speckled　with　stars　and　an　iron　breastplate　dinted　by　a　hundred　battles。　A　thicket　of　red…gold　hair　hid　most　of　his　face；　save　for　a　bald　spot　above　his　left　ear　where　his　head　had　been　smashed　in。　〃More　than　eighty　of　our　pany　are　dead　now；　but　others　have　taken　up　the　swords　that　fell　from　their　hands。〃　When　he　reached　the　floor；　the　outlaws　moved　aside　to　l