grrm.astormofswords-第23部分

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　underneath；　to　stand　on　her　toes　and　kiss　him；　to　run　her　fingers　through　those　thick　brown　curls　and　drown　in　his　deep　brown　eyes。　A　flush　crept　up　her　neck。
　〃OH；　IMA　MAID；　AND　I'M　PURE　AND　FAIR！　I'LL　NEVER　DANCE　WITH　A　HAIRY　BEAR！　A　BEAR！　A　BEAR！　I'LL　NEVER　DANCE　WITH　A　HAIRY　BEAR！〃
　〃Would　you　like　that；　Sansa？〃　asked　Margaery。　〃I've　never　had　a　sister；　only　brothers。　Oh；　please　say　yes；　please　say　that　you　will　consent　to　marry　my　brother。〃
　The　words　came　tumbling　out　of　her。　〃Yes。　I　will。　I　would　like　that　more　than　anything。　To　wed　Ser　Loras；　to　love　him　。　。　。〃
　〃Loras？〃　Lady　Olenna　sounded　annoyed。　〃Don't　be　foolish；　child。　Kingsguard　never　wed。　Didn't　they　teach　you　anything　in　Winterfell？　We　were　speaking　of　my　grandson　Willas。　He　is　a　bit　old　for　you；　to　be　sure；　but　a　dear　boy　for　all　that。　Not　the　least　bit　oaflsh；　and　heir　to　Highgarden　besides。〃
　Sansa　felt　dizzy；　one　instant　her　head　was　full　of　dreams　of　Loras；　and　the　next　they　had　all　been　snatched　away。　Willas？　Willas？　〃I；〃　she　said　stupidly。　Courtesy　is　a　lady's　armor。　You　must　not　offend　them；　be　careful　what　you　say。　〃I　do　not　know　Ser　Willas。　I　have　never　had　the　pleasure；　my　lady。　Is　he　。　。　。　is　he　as　great　a　knight　as　his　brothers？〃
　〃　。　。　。　LIFTED　HER　HIGH　INTO　THE　AIR！　THE　BEAR！　THE　BEAR！〃
　〃No；〃　Margaery　said。　〃He　has　never　taken　vows。〃
　Her　grandmother　frowned。　〃Tell　the　girl　the　truth。　The　poor　lad　is　crippled；　and　that's　the　way　of　it。〃
　〃He　was　hurt　as　a　squire；　riding　in　his　first　tourney；〃　Margaery　confided。　〃His　horse　fell　and　crushed　his　leg。〃
　〃That　snake　of　a　Domishman　was　to　blame；　that　Oberyn　Martell。　And　his　maester　as　well。〃
　〃I　CALLED　FOR　A　KNIGHT；　BUT　YOU'RE　A　BEAR！　A　BEAR！　A　BEAR！　ALL　BLACK　AND　BROWN　AND　COVERED　WITH　HAIR！〃
　〃Willas　has　a　bad　leg　but　a　good　heart；〃　said　Margaery。　〃He　used　to　read　to　me　when　I　was　a　little　girl；　and　draw　me　pictures　of　the　stars。　You　will　love　him　as　much　as　we　do；　Sansa。〃
　〃SHE　KICKED　AND　WAILED；　THE　MAID　SO　FAIR；　BUT　HE　LICKED　THE　HONEY　FROM　HER　HAIR。　HER　HAIR！　HER　HAIR！　HE　LICKED　THE　HONEY　FROM　HER　HAIR！〃
　〃When　might　I　meet　him？〃　asked　Sansa；　hesitantly。
　〃Soon；〃　promised　Margaery。　〃When　you　e　to　Highgarden；　after　Joffrey　and　I　are　wed。　My　grandmother　will　take　you。〃
　〃I　will；〃　said　the　old　woman；　patting　Sansa's　hand　and　smiling　a　soft　wrinkly　smile。　〃I　will　indeed。〃
　〃THEN　SHE　SIGHED　AND　SQUEALED　AND　KICKED　THE　AIR！　MY　BEAR！　SHE　SANG。　MYBEAR　SO　FAIR！　AND　OFF　THEY　WENT；　FROM　HERE　TO　THERE；　THE　BEAR；　THE　BEAR；　AND　THE　MAIDEN　FAIR。〃　Butterbumps　roared　the　last　line；　leapt　into　the　air；　and　came　down　on　both　feet　with　a　crash　that　shook　the　wine　cups　on　the　table。　The　women　laughed　and　clapped。
　〃I　thought　that　dreadful　song　would　never　end；〃　said　the　Queen　of　Thorns。　〃But　look；　here　es　my　cheese。〃
　
　CHAPTER　7
　JON
　
　The　world　was　grey　darkness；　smelling　of　pine　and　moss　and　cold。　Pale　mists　rose　from　the　black　earth　as　the　riders　threaded　their　way　through　the　scatter　of　stones　and　scraggly　trees；　down　toward　the　weling　fires　strewn　like　jewels　across　the　floor　of　the　river　valley　below。　There　were　more　fires　than　Jon　Snow　could　count；　hundreds　of　fires；　thousands；　a　second　river　of　flickery　lights　along　the　banks　of　the　icy　white　Milkwater。　The　fingers　of　his　sword　hand　opened　and　closed。
　They　descended　the　ridge　without　banners　or　trumpets；　the　quiet　broken　only　by　the　distant　murmur　of　the　river；　the　clop　of　hooves；　and　the　clacking　of　Rattleshirt's　bone　armor。　Somewhere　above　an　eagle　soared　on　great　blue…grey　wings；　while　below　came　men　and　dogs　and　horses　and　one　white　direwolf。
　A　stone　bounced　down　the　slope；　disturbed　by　a　passing　hoof；　and　Jon　saw　Ghost　turn　his　head　at　the　sudden　sound。　He　had　followed　the　riders　at　a　distance　all　day；　as　was　his　custom；　but　when　the　moon　rose　over　the　soldier　pines　he'd　e　bounding　up；　red　eyes　aglow。　Rattleshirt's　dogs　greeted　him　with　a　chorus　of　snarls　and　growls　and　wild　barking；　as　ever；　but　the　direwolf　paid　them　no　mind。　Six　days　ago；　the　largest　hound　had　attacked　him　from　behind　as　the　wildlings　camped　for　the　night；　but　Ghost　had　turned　and　lunged；　sending　the　dog　fleeing　with　a　bloody　haunch。　The　rest　of　the　pack　maintained　a　healthy　distance　after　that。
　Jon　Snow's　garron　whickered　softly；　but　a　touch　and　a　soft　word　soon　quieted　the　animal。　Would　that　his　own　fears　could　be　calmed　so　easily。　He　was　all　in　black；　the　black　of　the　Night's　Watch；　but　the　enemy　rode　before　and　behind。　Wildlings；　and　I　am　with　them。　Ygritte　wore　the　cloak　of　Qhorin　Halfhand。　Lenyl　had　his　hauberk；　the　big　spearwife　Ragwyle　his　gloves；　one　of　the　bowmen　his　boots。　Qhorin's　helm　had　been　won　by　the　short　homely　man　called　Longspear　Ryk；　but　it　fit　poorly　on　his　narrow　head；　so　he'd　given　that　to　Ygritte　as　well。　And　Rattleshirt　had　Qhorin's　bones　in　his　bag；　along　with　the　bloody　head　of　Ebben；　who　set　out　with　Jon　to　scout　the　Skirling　Pass。　Dead；　all　dead　but　me；　and　I　am　dead　to　the　world。
　Ygritte　rode　just　behind　him。　In　front　was　Longspear　Ryk。　The　Lord　of　Bones　had　made　the　two　of　them　his　guards。　〃If　the　crow　flies；　I'll　boil　your　bones　as　well；〃　he　warned　them　when　they　had　set　out；　smiling　through　the　crooked　teeth　of　the　giant's　skull　he　wore　for　a　helm。
　Ygritte　hooted　at　him。　〃You　want　to　guard　him？　If　you　want　us　to　do　it；　leave　us　be　and　we'll　do　it。〃
　These　are　a　ftee　folk　indeed；　Jon　saw。　Rattleshirt　might　lead　them；　but　none　of　them　were　shy　in　talking　back　to　him。
　The　wildling　leader　fixed　him　with　an　unfriendly　stare。　〃Might　be　you　fooled　these　others；　crow；　but　don't　think　you'll　be　fooling　Mance。　He'll　take　one　look　a'　you　and　know　you're　false。　And　when　he　does；　I'll　make　a　cloak　o'your　wolf　there；　and　open　your　soft　boy's　belly　and　sew　a　weasel　up　inside。〃
　Jon's　sword　hand　opened　and　closed；　flexing　the　burned　fingers　beneath　the　glove；　but　Longspear　Ryk　only　laughed。　〃And　where　would　you　find　a　weasel　in　the　snow？〃
　That　first　night；　after　a　long　day　ahorse；　they　made　camp　in　a　shallow　stone　bowl　atop　a　nameless　mountain；　huddling　close　to　the　fire　while　the　snow　began　to　fall。　Jon　watched　the　flakes　melt　as　they　drifted　over　the　flames。　Despite　his　layers　of　wool　and　fur　and　leather；　he'd　felt　cold　to　the　bone。　Ygritte　sat　beside　him　after　she　had　eaten；　her　hood　pulled　up　and　her　hands　tucked　into　her　sleeves　for　warmth。　〃When　Mance　hears　how　you　did　for　Halfhand；　he'll　take　you　quick　enough；〃　she　told　him。
　〃Take　me　for　what？〃
　The　girl　laughed　scornfully。　〃For　one　o'　us。　D'ya　think　you're　the　first　crow　ever　flew　down　off　the　Wall？　In　your　hearts　you　all　want　to　fly　free。〃
　〃And　when　I'm　free；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃will　I　be　free　to　go？〃
　〃Sure　you　will。〃　She　had　a　warm　smile；　despite　her　crooked　teeth。　〃And　we'll　be　free　to　kill　you。　It's　dangerous　being　free；　but　most　e　to　like　the　taste　o'　it。〃　She　put　her　gloved　hand　on　his　leg；　just　above　the　knee。　〃You'll　see。〃
　I　will；　thought　Jon。　I　will　see；　and　hear；　and　learn；　and　when　I　have　I　will　carry　the　word　back　to　the　Wall。　The　wildlings　had　taken　him　for　an　oathbreaker；　but　in　his　heart　he　was　still　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch；　doing　the　last　duty　that　Qhorin　Halfhand　had　laid　on　him。　Before　I　killed　him。
　At　the　bottom　of　the　slope　they　came　upon　a　little　stream　flowing　down　from　the　foothills　to　join　the　Milkwater。　it　looked　all　stones　and　glass；　though　they　could　hear　the　sound　of　water　running　beneath　the　frozen　surface。　Rattleshirt　led　them　across；　shattering　the　thin　crust　of　ice。
　Mance　Rayder's　outriders　closed　in　as　they　emerged。　Jon　took　their　measure　with　a　glance：　eight　riders；　men　and　women　both；　clad　in　fur　and　boiled　leather；　with　here　and　there　a　helm　or　bit　of　mail。　They　were　armed　with　spears　and　fire…hardened　lances；　all　but　their　leader；　a　fleshy　blond　man　with　watery　eyes　who　bore　a　great　curved　scythe　of　sharpened　steel。　The　Weeper；　he　knew　at　once。　The　black　brothers　told　tales　of　this　one。　Like　Rattleshirt　and　Harma　Dogshead　and　Alfyn　Crowkiller；　he　was　a　known　raider。
　〃The　Lord　o'　Bones；〃　the　Weeper　said　when　he　saw　them。　He　eyed　Jon　and　his　wolf。　〃Who's　this；　then？〃
　〃A　crow　e　over；〃　said　Rattleshirt；　who　preferred　to　be　called　the　Lord　of　Bones；　for　the　clattering　armor　he　wore。