grrm.astormofswords-第252部分

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　Mance　donned　his　helm　with　its　raven　wings。　His　men　were　mounted　up　as　well。　〃Arrowhead；〃　Mance　snapped；　〃to　me；　form　wedge。〃　Yet　when　he　slammed　his　heels　into　the　mare　and　flew　across　the　field　at　the　rangers；　the　men　who　raced　to　catch　him　lost　all　semblance　of　formation。
　Jon　took　a　step　toward　the　tent；　thinking　of　the　Horn　of　Winter；　but　the　shadowcat　blocked　him；　tail　lashing。　The　beast's　nostrils　flared；　and　slaver　ran　from　his　curved　front　teeth。　He　smells　my　fear。　He　missed　Ghost　more　than　ever　then。　The　two　wolves　were　behind　him；　growling。
　〃Banners；〃　he　heard　Varamyr　murmur；　〃I　see　golden　banners；　oh　。　。　。　〃　A　mammoth　lumbered　by；　trumpeting；　a　half…dozen　bowmen　in　the　wooden　tower　on　its　back。　〃The　king　。　。　。　no　。　。　。〃
　Then　the　skinchanger　threw　back　his　head　and　screamed。
　The　sound　was　shocking；　ear…piercing；　thick　with　agony。　Varamyr　fell；　writhing；　and　the　'cat　was　screaming　too　。　。　。　and　high；　high　in　the　eastern　sky；　against　the　wall　of　cloud；　Jon　saw　the　eagle　burning。　For　a　heartbeat　it　flamed　brighter　than　a　star；　wreathed　in　red　and　gold　and　orange；　its　wings　beating　wildly　at　the　air　as　if　it　could　fly　from　the　pain。　Higher　it　flew；　and　higher；　and　higher　still。
　The　scream　brought　Val　out　of　the　tent；　white…faced。　〃What　is　it；　what's　happened？〃　Varamyr's　wolves　were　fighting　each　other；　and　the　shadowcat　had　raced　off　into　the　trees；　but　the　man　was　still　twisting　on　the　ground。　〃What's　wrong　with　him？〃　Val　demanded；　horrified。　〃Where's　Mance？〃
　〃There。〃　Jon　pointed。　〃Gone　to　fight。〃　The　king　led　his　ragged　wedge　into　a　knot　of　rangers；　his　sword　flashing。
　〃Gone？　He　can't　be　gone；　not　now。　It's　started。〃
　〃The　battle？〃　He　watched　the　rangers　scatter　before　Harma's　bloody　dog's　head。　The　raiders　screamed　and　hacked　and　chased　the　men　in　black　back　into　the　trees。　But　there　were　more　men　ing　from　the　wood；　a　column　of　horse。　Knights　on　heavy　horse；　Jon　saw。　Harma　had　to　regroup　and　wheel　to　meet　them；　but　half　of　her　men　had　raced　too　far　ahead。
　〃The　birth！〃　Val　was　shouting　at　him。
　Trumpets　were　blowing　all　around；　loud　and　brazen。　The　wildlings　have　no　trumpets；　only　warhorns。　They　knew　that　as　well　as　he　did；　the　sound　sent　free　folk　running　in　confusion；　some　toward　the　fighting；　others　away。　A　mammoth　was　stomping　through　a　flock　of　sheep　that　three　men　were　trying　to　herd　off　west。　The　drums　were　beating　as　the　wildlings　ran　to　form　squares　and　lines；　but　they　were　too　late；　too　disorganized；　too　slow。　The　enemy　was　emerging　from　the　forest；　from　the　east；　the　northeast；　the　north；　three　great　columns　of　heavy　horse；　all　dark　glinting　steel　and　bright　wool　surcoats。　Not　the　men　of　Eastwatch；　those　had　been　no　more　than　a　line　of　scouts。　An　army。　The　king？　Jon　was　as　confused　as　the　wildlings。　Could　Robb　have　returned？　Had　the　boy　on　the　iron　Throne　finally　bestirred　himself　？　〃You　best　get　back　inside　the　tent；〃　he　told　Val。
　Across　the　field　one　column　had　washed　over　Harma　Dogshead。　Another　smashed　into　the　flank　of　Tormund's　spearmen　as　he　and　his　sons　desperately　tried　to　turn　them。　The　giants　were　climbing　onto　their　mammoths；　though；　and　the　knights　on　their　barded　horses　did　not　like　that　at　all；　he　could　see　how　the　coursers　and　destriers　screamed　and　scattered　at　the　sight　of　those　lumbering　mountains。　But　there　was　fear　on　the　wildling　side　as　well；　hundreds　of　women　and　children　rushing　away　from　the　battle；　some　of　them　blundering　right　under　the　hooves　of　garrons。　He　saw　an　old　woman's　dog　cart　veer　into　the　path　of　three　chariots；　to　send　them　crashing　into　each　other。
　〃Gods；〃　Val　whispered；　〃gods；　why　are　they　doing　this？〃
　〃Go　inside　the　tent　and　stay　with　Dalla。　It's　not　safe　out　here。〃　It　wouldn't　be　a　great　deal　safer　inside；　but　she　didn't　need　to　hear　that。
　〃I　need　to　find　the　midwife；〃　Val　said。
　〃You're　the　midwife。　I'll　stay　here　until　Mance　es　back。〃　He　had　lost　sight　of　Mance　but　now　he　found　him　again；　cutting　his　way　through　a　knot　of　mounted　men。　The　mammoths　had　shattered　the　center　column；　but　the　other　two　were　closing　like　pincers。　On　the　eastern　edge　of　the　camps；　some　archers　were　loosing　fire　arrows　at　the　tents。　He　saw　a　mammoth　pluck　a　knight　from　his　saddle　and　fling　him　forty　feet　with　a　flick　of　its　trunk。　Wildlings　streamed　past；　women　and　children　running　from　the　battle；　some　with　men　hurrying　them　along。　A　few　of　them　gave　Jon　dark　looks　but　Longclaw　was　in　his　hand；　and　no　one　troubled　him。　Even　Varamyr　fled；　crawling　off　on　his　hands　and　knees。
　More　and　more　men　were　pouring　from　the　trees；　not　only　knights　now　but　freeriders　and　mounted　bowmen　and　men…at…arms　in　jacks　and　kettle　helms；　dozens　of　men；　hundreds　of　men。　A　blaze　of　banners　flew　above　them。　The　wind　was　whipping　them　too　wildly　for　Jon　to　see　the　sigils；　but　he　glimpsed　a　seahorse；　a　field　of　birds；　a　ring　of　flowers。　And　yellow；　so　much　yellow；　yellow　banners　with　a　red　device；　whose　arms　were　those？
　East　and　north　and　northeast；　he　saw　bands　of　wildlings　trying　to　stand　and　fight；　but　the　attackers　rode　right　over　them。　The　free　folk　still　had　the　numbers；　but　the　attackers　had　steel　armor　and　heavy　horses。　in　the　thickest　part　of　the　fray；　Jon　saw　Mance　standing　tall　in　his　stirrups。　His　red…and…black　cloak　and　raven…winged　helm　made　him　easy　to　pick　out。　He　had　his　sword　raised　and　men　were　rallying　to　him　when　a　wedge　of　knights　smashed　into　them　with　lance　and　sword　and　longaxe。　Mance's　mare　went　up　on　her　hind　legs；　kicking；　and　a　spear　took　her　through　the　breast。　Then　the　steel　tide　washed　over　him。
　It's　done；　Jon　thought；　they're　breaking。　The　wildlings　were　running；　throwing　down　their　weapons；　Hornfoot　men　and　cave　dwellers　and　Thenns　in　bronze　scales；　they　were　running。　Mance　was　gone；　someone　was　waving　Harma's　head　on　a　pole；　Tormund's　lines　had　broken。　Only　the　giants　on　their　mammoths　were　holding；　hairy　islands　in　a　red　steel　sea。　The　fires　were　leaping　from　tent　to　tent　and　some　of　the　tall　pines　were　going　up　as　well。　And　through　the　smoke　another　wedge　of　armored　riders　came；　on　barded　horses。　Floating　above　them　were　the　largest　banners　yet；　royal　standards　as　big　as　sheets；　a　yellow　one　with　long　pointed　tongues　that　showed　a　flaming　heart；　and　another　like　a　sheet　of　beaten　gold；　with　a　black　stag　prancing　and　rippling　in　the　wind。
　Robert；　Jon　thought　for　one　mad　moment；　remembering　poor　Owen；　but　when　the　trumpets　blew　again　and　the　knights　charged；　the　name　they　cried　was　〃Stannis！　Stannis！　STANNIS！〃
　Jon　turned　away；　and　went　inside　the　tent。
　
　CHAPTER　74
　ARYA
　
　Outside　the　inn　on　a　weathered　gibbet；　a　woman's　bones　were　twisting　and　rattling　at　every　gust　of　wind。
　I　know　this　inn。　There　hadn't　been　a　gibbet　outside　the　door　when　she　had　slept　here　with　her　sister　Sansa　under　the　watchful　eye　of　Septa　Mordane；　though。　〃We　don't　want　to　go　in；〃　Arya　decided　suddenly；　〃there　might　be　ghosts。〃
　〃You　know　how　long　it's　been　since　I　had　a　cup　of　wine？〃　Sandor　swung　down　from　the　saddle。　〃Besides；　we　need　to　learn　who　holds　the　ruby　ford。　Stay　with　the　horses　if　you　want；　it's　no　hair　off　my　arse。〃
　〃What　if　they　know　you？〃　Sandor　no　longer　troubled　to　hide　his　face。　He　no　longer　seemed　to　care　who　knew　him。　〃They　might　want　to　take　you　captive。〃
　〃Let　them　try。〃　He　loosened　his　longsword　in　its　scabbard；　and　pushed　through　the　door。
　Arya　would　never　have　a　better　chance　to　escape。　She　could　ride　off　on　Craven　and　take　Stranger　too。　She　chewed　her　lip。　Then　she　led　the　horses　to　the　stables；　and　went　in　after　him。
　They　know　him。　The　silence　told　her　that。　But　that　wasn't　the　worst　thing。　She　knew　them　too。　Not　the　skinny　innkeep；　nor　the　women；　nor　the　fieldhands　by　the　hearth。　But　the　others。　The　soldiers。　She　knew　the　soldiers。
　〃Looking　for　your　brother；　Sandor？〃　Polliver's　hand　was　down　the　bodice　of　the　girl　on　his　lap；　but　now　he　slid　it　out。
　〃Looking　for　a　cup　of　wine。　Innkeep；　a　flagon　of　red。〃　Clegane　threw　a　handful　of　coppers　on　the　floor。
　〃I　don't　want　no　trouble；　ser；〃　the　innkeep　said。
　〃Then　don't　call　me　ser。〃　His　mouth　twitched。　〃Are　you　deaf；　fool？　I　ordered　wine。〃　As　the　man　ran　off；　Clegane　shouted　after　him；　〃Two　cups！　The　girl's　thirsty　too！〃
　There　are　only　three