CATELYN

28 凯特琳

My lady, you

ought cover your head,” Ser Rodrik told her as their horses plodded north. “You

will take a chill.”

“夫人，您还是把头包住，”他们骑马踽踽北行，途中罗德利克爵士一再告诫她，“不然会着凉的。”

“It is only water, Ser Rodrik,” Catelyn replied. Her hair hung wet

and heavy, a loose strand stuck to her forehead, and she could imagine how

ragged and wild she must look, but for once she did not care. The southern rain

was soft and warm. Catelyn liked the feel of it on her face, gentle as a

mother’s kisses. It took her back to her childhood, to long grey days at

Riverrun. She remembered the godswood, drooping branches heavy with moisture,

and the sound of her brother’s laughter as he chased her through piles of damp

leaves. She remembered making mud pies with Lysa, the weight of them, the mud

slick and brown between her fingers. They had served them to Littlefinger,

giggling, and he’d eaten so much mud he was sick for a week. How young they all

had been.

“罗德利克爵士，淋点雨没什么大不了。”凯特琳回答。她的湿头发沉甸甸地垂下来，一撮松掉的发束黏贴在额头上，不难想像自己的模样有多狼狈，但这次她却不在乎。南国的雨柔软而温和，凯特琳喜欢用脸颊去体会这种轻如慈母亲吻的感觉。这感觉将她带回到童年时代，忆起在奔流城度过的那些灰蒙蒙的日子。她记得饱溢湿气的神木林，枝干低垂；记得弟弟追着她跑过一堆堆湿叶，笑声清脆。她也记得和莱莎玩泥巴的种种情景，记得泥团在手中的重量，滑溜的褐泞在指间流动的感觉。后来，她们咯咯笑着把做好的泥饼端给小指头吃，他竟当真吃了一堆，足足病了一个星期。啊，记得当时年纪还小。

Catelyn had

almost forgotten. In the north, the rain fell cold and hard, and sometimes at

night it turned to ice. It was as likely to kill a crop as nurture it, and it

sent grown men running for the nearest shelter. That was no rain for little

girls to play in.

凯特琳本以为自己早已忘却了这些事。北境的雨寒冷而无情，有时入夜还会成霜。说是滋养生殖，转眼就变成作物杀手，连成人遇上也纷纷走避。这种雨，哪是给小女孩玩的呢？

“I am soaked through,” Ser Rodrik complained. “Even my bones are

wet.” The woods pressed close around them, and the steady pattering of rain on

leaves was accompanied by the small sucking sounds their horses made as their

hooves pulled free of the mud. “We will want a fire tonight, my lady, and a hot

meal would serve us both.”

“全身都湿透了，”罗德利克爵士抱怨，“湿到骨子里去了。”他们周围树林浓密，叶梢的落雨声伴着马蹄行走泥泞的响动。“夫人，我们今晚该找个有火的地方歇歇，若能吃点热东西更好。”

“There is an inn at the crossroads up ahead,” Catelyn told him. She

had slept many a night there in her youth, traveling with her father. Lord

Hoster Tully had been a restless man in his prime, always riding somewhere. She

still remembered the innkeep, a fat woman named Masha Heddle who chewed

sourleaf night and day and seemed to have an endless supply of smiles and sweet

cakes for the children. The sweet cakes had been soaked with honey, rich and

heavy on the tongue, but how Catelyn had dreaded those smiles. The sourleaf had

stained Masha’s teeth a dark red, and made her smile a bloody horror.

“前面路口有家旅店。”凯特琳告诉他。她年轻时与父亲外出曾多次在此借宿。霍斯特·徒利公爵壮年时在城里待不住，总是骑马到处晃荡。她还记得旅馆主人是个不分昼夜嚼着烟叶、名叫玛莎·海德的胖女人。玛莎似乎永远都是笑容满面，还常拿蛋糕给孩子们吃。她的蛋糕浸过蜂蜜，吃起来香味浓郁。只是凯特琳很怕她的笑容，因为烟草把牙齿染成了暗红色，笑起来似乎血淋淋，怪吓人的。

“An inn,” Ser Rodrik repeated wistfully. “If only?.?.?.?but we dare

not risk it. If we wish to remain unknown, I think it best we seek out some

small holdfast?.?.?.?” He broke off as they heard sounds up the road; splashing

water, the clink of mail, a horse’s whinny. “Riders,” he warned, his hand

dropping to the hilt of his sword. Even on the kingsroad, it never hurt to be

wary.

“有旅馆当然好，”罗德利克爵士满心向往地重复了一遍。“不过……我们最好还是别冒险，为了避免被人认出，还是找家民居借宿比较妥……”这时路上传来盔甲铿锵、马匹嘶鸣和雨水溅洒的声音，他急忙住口。“有人。”他一边出声警告，一边伸手握住剑柄。即便是在国王大道，小心谨慎也绝对有益无害。

They followed

the sounds around a lazy bend of the road and saw them; a column of armed men

noisily fording a swollen stream. Catelyn reined up to let them pass. The

banner in the hand of the foremost rider hung sodden and limp, but the

guardsmen wore indigo cloaks and on their shoulders flew the silver eagle of

Seagard. “Mallisters,” Ser Rodrik whispered to her, as if she had not known.

“My lady, best pull up your hood.”

他们循声而去，绕过一个慵懒的弯道，看见那一群成纵队行进的人马，全副武装，正嘈杂地渡过涨水的溪流。凯特琳拉住缰绳让他们先行。骑在队伍前列的人高举的旗帜已然湿透，垂挂下来，看不清晰。但来人都穿着蓝紫色的披风，海疆城的银色飞鹰纹章在肩头飞扬。“是梅利斯特家的人。”罗德利克爵士朝她耳语，生怕她不知道。“夫人，我看您还是把兜帽拉起来吧。”

Catelyn made no

move. Lord Jason Mallister himself rode with them, surrounded by his knights,

his son Patrek by his side and their squires close behind. They were riding for

King’s Landing and the Hand’s tourney, she knew. For the past week, the

travelers had been thick as flies upon the kingsroad; knights and freeriders,

singers with their harps and drums, heavy wagons laden with hops or corn or

casks of honey, traders and craftsmen and whores, and all of them moving south.

凯特琳没有照办。杰森·梅利斯特伯爵本人就在队伍里面，骑士们围绕四周，身边是儿子派崔克，侍从们则跟在后方。她一眼就看出他们是赶往君临参加首相的比武大会。过去这一个星期，国王大道上到处都是骑士和自由骑手，带着竖琴和皮鼓的吟游诗人，满载啤酒花、玉米和一桶桶蜂蜜的马车，还有生意人，工匠和妓女，汹涌的人潮使得国王大道拥挤不堪，所有人都往南走。

She studied Lord

Jason boldly. The last time she had seen him he had been jesting with her uncle

at her wedding feast; the Mallisters stood bannermen to the Tullys, and his

gifts had been lavish. His brown hair was salted with white now, his face

chiseled gaunt by time, yet the years had not touched his pride. He rode like a

man who feared nothing. Catelyn envied him that; she had come to fear so much.

As the riders passed, Lord Jason nodded a curt greeting, but it was only a high

lord’s courtesy to strangers chance met on the road. There was no recognition

in those fierce eyes, and his son did not even waste a look.

她不顾被认出的风险，好好地打量了杰森伯爵一番。上次见他还是在她婚宴之上，当时他只顾着和她叔叔说笑。梅利斯特家族是徒利家族的臣属，此人出手送礼向来大方。如今他的棕发间杂了几丝白色，岁月把他的脸庞凿出了痕迹，却并未减损他的骄傲，他骑在马上的神情天不怕地不怕。凯特琳实在羡慕，她自己担惊受怕可太多了。他们经过时，杰森男爵简单地点头致意，但那只是贵族老爷路遇陌生人时的基本礼貌。那双锐利的眼睛并没有认出她，而他儿子则根本连看都懒得看。

“He did not know you,” Ser Rodrik said after, wondering.

“他竟没认出您。”之后罗德利克爵士疑惑地说。

“He saw a pair of mud-spattered travelers by the side of the road,

wet and tired. It would never occur to him to suspect that one of them was the

daughter of his liege lord. I think we shall be safe enough at the inn, Ser

Rodrik.”

“他只看到两个又湿又累，溅满泥浆的旅人站在路边，绝想不到其中一个会是他主子的女儿。我想我们就算进了旅馆也会很安全的，罗德利克爵士。”

It was near dark

when they reached it, at the crossroads north of the great confluence of the Trident.

Masha Heddle was fatter and greyer than Catelyn remembered, still chewing her

sourleaf, but she gave them only the most cursory of looks, with nary a hint of

her ghastly red smile. “Two rooms at the top of the stair, that’s all there

is,” she said, chewing all the while. “They’re under the bell tower, you won’t

be missing meals, though there’s some thinks it too noisy. Can’t be helped.

We’re full up, or near as makes no matter. It’s those rooms or the road.”

旅馆位于三河汇流处以北的岔路口，他们抵达时天已快黑。玛莎·海德还在嚼她的烟草，比凯特琳记忆中胖了点，头发也灰白了些，好在她只草草瞟了他们一眼，没有露出恐怖的血腥微笑。“只剩楼上两间客房，别的没了，”她一边说，嘴里一边嚼个没完。“两间都在钟塔下，所以不用担心错过用餐，只是有人会嫌吵。没办法，人太多，我们差不多客满了。如果不要，就请两位上路。”

It was those

rooms, low, dusty garrets at the top of a cramped narrow staircase. “Leave your

boots down here,” Masha told them after she’d taken their coin. “The boy will

clean them. I won’t have you tracking mud up my stairs. Mind the bell. Those

who come late to meals don’t eat.” There were no smiles, and no mention of

sweet cakes.

他们当然要。房间在低矮积尘的阁楼内，要经过狭窄老旧的楼梯爬上去。“把鞋子留在这儿，”玛莎收了钱后告诉他们，“伙计待会儿来清理。我可不想看你们踩着烂泥上楼。注意钟声，来晚了就没得吃了。”她脸上没有笑容，也只字未提香甜的蛋糕。

When the supper

bell rang, the sound was deafening. Catelyn had changed into dry clothes. She

sat by the window, watching rain run down the pane. The glass was milky and

full of bubbles, and a wet dusk was falling outside. Catelyn could just make

out the muddy crossing where the two great roads met.

当晚餐的钟声真的敲响时，简直震耳欲聋。凯特琳换了干衣服，正坐在窗边，凝视雨滴溜下窗棂。玻璃模糊不清，水珠密布，雨夜正要降临。凯特琳勉强分辨得出两条大路交会处的泥泞渡口。

The crossroads

gave her pause. If they turned west from here, it was an easy ride down to

Riverrun. Her father had always given her wise counsel when she needed it most,

and she yearned to talk to him, to warn him of the gathering storm. If

Winterfell needed to brace for war, how much more so Riverrun, so much closer

to King’s Landing, with the power of Casterly Rock looming to the west like a

shadow. If only her father had been stronger, she might have chanced it, but

Hoster Tully had been bedridden these past two years, and Catelyn was loath to

tax him now.

看到岔路，她飘忽的视线不禁停了下来。假如他们由此向西，便可轻松愉快地抵达奔流城。父亲总会在她需要的时候给予睿智的建议，她也渴望和他谈谈，警告他即将来临的风暴。倘若临冬城当真不免一战，奔流城更是首当其冲，因为它既靠近君临，西面又有如阴影般的凯岩城势力。若是父亲身体健康一点，她或许还会考虑，然而霍斯特·徒利卧病在床已有两年之久，凯特琳不愿再加重他的负担。

The eastern road

was wilder and more dangerous, climbing through rocky foothills and thick

forests into the Mountains of the Moon, past high passes and deep chasms to the

Vale of Arryn and the stony Fingers beyond. Above the Vale, the Eyrie stood

high and impregnable, its towers reaching for the sky. There she would find her

sister?.?.?.?and, perhaps, some of the answers Ned sought. Surely Lysa knew

more than she had dared to put in her letter. She might have the very proof

that Ned needed to bring the Lannisters to ruin, and if it came to war, they

would need the Arryns and the eastern lords who owed them service.

东边的路比较崎岖，也更险恶，攀越岩石山丘和浓密树林，进入明月山脉，再穿过陡峭隘口和深渊绝壁，则会到达艾林谷，以及更远处崎岖多石的五指半岛。雄立于艾林谷顶端的鹰巢城固若金汤，高塔直向天际。在那里她可以找到妹妹莱莎……或许还能找到某些奈德求索的答案。莱莎信里想必有所保留，不敢多说，说不定她正持有奈德需要的证据，足以导致兰尼斯特家的毁灭。倘若真的开战，他们也需要得到艾林家族和其臣属的东境贵族们的支持。

Yet the mountain

road was perilous. Shadowcats prowled those passes, rock slides were common,

and the mountain clans were lawless brigands, descending from the heights to

rob and kill and melting away like snow whenever the knights rode out from the

Vale in search of them. Even Jon Arryn, as great a lord as any the Eyrie had

ever known, had always traveled in strength when he crossed the mountains.

Catelyn’s only strength was one elderly knight, armored in loyalty.

然而山路崎岖难行，危机四伏。影子山猫四处出没不提，落石是常有的事，山区氏族部落更是目无法纪的盗匪，他们从峰峦间呼啸而至，杀人越货后，一见峡谷派出骑士追剿，便如积雪融化般消失得无影无踪。就连琼恩·艾林如此少见的英明领主，每次穿越山脉也必定带上大批人马。而此刻凯特琳惟一的人马是个老骑士，惟一的屏障是他的忠诚。

No, she thought,

Riverrun and the Eyrie would have to wait. Her path ran north to Winterfell,

where her sons and her duty were waiting for her. As soon as they were safely past

the Neck, she could declare herself to one of Ned’s bannermen, and send riders

racing ahead with orders to mount a watch on the kingsroad.

不，她想，奔流城和鹰巢城以后再说，此刻她应该北上直取临冬城，她的三个儿子和重责大任正对她翘首以盼。只等安然渡过颈泽，她便可对奈德的封臣宣布身份，然后派信使骑马先行，发布国王大道戒严的消息。

The rain

obscured the fields beyond the crossroads, but Catelyn saw the land clear

enough in her memory. The marketplace was just across the way, and the village

a mile farther on, half a hundred white cottages surrounding a small stone

sept. There would be more now; the summer had been long and peaceful. North of

here the kingsroad ran along the Green Fork of the Trident, through fertile

valleys and green woodlands, past thriving towns and stout holdfasts and the

castles of the river lords.

雨丝遮蔽了岔路远方的田野，但凯特琳记忆里的风景依旧清晰。市集在路的那一头，再走一里有个村落，五十来间白色农舍围绕着一间小小的石砌圣堂。经过漫长而平静的夏季，如今村里的房舍想必更多了。由此向北，国王大道与三叉戟河的支流绿叉河平行，穿过肥沃谷地和青葱林荫，穿过繁荣市镇、坚实农庄以及河间贵族的城堡。

Catelyn knew

them all: the Blackwoods and the Brackens, ever enemies, whose quarrels her

father was obliged to settle; Lady Whent, last of her line, who dwelt with her

ghosts in the cavernous vaults of Harrenhal; irascible Lord Frey, who had

outlived seven wives and filled his twin castles with children, grandchildren,

and great-grandchildren, and bastards and grandbastards as well. All of them

were bannermen to the Tullys, their swords sworn to the service of Riverrun.

Catelyn wondered if that would be enough, if it came to war. Her father was the

staunchest man who’d ever lived, and she had no doubt that he would call his

banners?.?.?.?but would the banners come? The Darrys and Rygers and Mootons had

sworn oaths to Riverrun as well, yet they had fought with Rhaegar Targaryen on

the Trident, while Lord Frey had arrived with his levies well after the battle

was over, leaving some doubt as to which army he had planned to join (theirs,

he had assured the victors solemnly in the aftermath, but ever after her father

had called him the Late Lord Frey). It must not come to war, Catelyn thought

fervently. They must not let it.

凯特琳对每一位河间贵族都了若指掌：积怨已久的布莱伍德和布雷肯家族，每有纷争她父亲就得出面调停；身为家族最后传人的河安伯爵夫人蛰居于赫伦堡空寂的地窖里，整日与逝者相伴；暴躁的佛雷侯爵死了七任太太，他巍立大河两岸的孪河城里早已四代同堂，内家、外家、私生、百系，难以尽数。他们全都是徒利家的封臣，宣誓效忠于奔流城。但倘若战争真的爆发，凯特琳却不知道这样的阵容够不够坚强。父亲是世上最坚定最可靠的人，届时他一定会召集封臣……然而诸侯们都会来么？戴瑞家、莱格家和慕顿家虽然也都是奔流城的臣属，然而在三河之役中，他们却与雷加·坦格利安并肩作战。佛雷侯爵则是战争结束后方才带着人马姗姗来迟，不禁让人怀疑他原本打算为哪一边效力（事后，他郑重其事地向胜利者表示自己一直站在他们这一边，但从那以后父亲便改口叫他“迟到的佛雷侯爵”）。不能开战，凯特琳焦急地想，绝不能让战争爆发。

Ser Rodrik came

for her just as the bell ceased its clangor. “We had best make haste if we hope

to eat tonight, my lady.”

钟声停止，罗德利克爵士过来敲她房门。“夫人，我们快下去罢，不然恐怕吃不到东西了。”

“It might be safer if we were not knight and lady until we pass the

Neck,” she told him. “Common travelers attract less notice. A father and

daughter taken to the road on some family business, say.”

“过颈泽之前，我们不以爵士、夫人相称会比较安全，”她告诉他，“扮成寻常旅人不会引人注意。嗯，就说我们是父女出门探亲好了。”

“As you say, my lady,” Ser Rodrik agreed. It was only when she

laughed that he realized what he’d done. “The old courtesies die hard, my, my

daughter.” He tried to tug on his missing whiskers, and sighed with

exasperation.

“那就这样办，夫人。”罗德利克爵士刚表同意，凯特琳便笑了起来，他才恍然大悟自己又说错了话。“习惯了，一时真改不过来，夫……女儿。”他伸手想捻他早已不见的胡子，不由得困窘地叹气。

Catelyn took his

arm. “Come, Father,” she said. “You’ll find that Masha Heddle sets a good

table, I think, but try not to praise her. You truly don’t want to see her

smile.”

凯特琳挽起他的手。“来罢，老爹，”她说，“玛莎·海德烧得一手好菜，我想你会喜欢的。不过千万别当面夸她，她那张笑脸还是不看为妙。”

The common room

was long and drafty, with a row of huge wooden kegs at one end and a fireplace

at the other. A serving boy ran back and forth with skewers of meat while Masha

drew beer from the kegs, chewing her sourleaf all the while.

大厅很长，通风良好，一边立着一排大木酒桶，另一边则是火炉。跑堂小弟拿着烤肉叉子跑来跑去，玛莎从酒桶里倒出啤酒，嘴里嚼的烟草却也没停。

The benches were

crowded, townsfolk and farmers mingling freely with all manner of travelers.

The crossroads made for odd companions; dyers with black and purple hands

shared a bench with rivermen reeking of fish, an ironsmith thick with muscle

squeezed in beside a wizened old septon, hard-bitten sellswords and soft plump

merchants swapped news like boon companions.

长椅上座无虚席，村民和农夫与来历各异的旅客并肩而坐。一手黑一手紫的染坊师傅和满身鱼腥的讨河人坐在一起；浑身肌肉的铁匠缩着身子挤在瘦小的老修士旁边；一副硬汉模样的流浪武士和轻声细语的生意人像老友般交换着路上的消息。

The company

included more swords than Catelyn would have liked. Three by the fire wore the

red stallion badge of the Brackens, and there was a large party in blue steel

ringmail and capes of a silvery grey. On their shoulder was another familiar

sigil, the twin towers of House Frey. She studied their faces, but they were

all too young to have known her. The senior among them would have been no older

than Bran when she went north.

然而用餐的人里有太多带着刀剑，看得凯特琳有些担心。坐在炉边那三个佩着布雷肯家的红色骏马徽章，还有一大群身穿蓝钢环甲，肩披银灰披风的人，他们肩头所绣的正是她熟悉的佛雷家双塔纹章。她一一打量他们的脸，但他们年纪都太小，认不出来。里面年纪稍长的，在她嫁到北方时也不过是布兰现在的年龄。

Ser Rodrik found

them an empty place on the bench near the kitchen. Across the table a handsome

youth was fingering a woodharp. “Seven blessings to you, goodfolk,” he said as

they sat. An empty wine cup stood on the table before him.

罗德利克爵士在靠近厨房的长椅上找到两个位子，饭桌对面坐了个英俊的年轻人，手里正拨弄着木头竖琴。“好心人，七神保佑你们。”他们坐下时他开口道。一个空酒杯摆在他面前。

“And to you, singer,” Catelyn returned. Ser Rodrik called for bread and

meat and beer in a tone that meant now. The singer, a youth of some eighteen

years, eyed them boldly and asked where they were going, and from whence they

had come, and what news they had, letting the questions fly as quick as arrows

and never pausing for an answer. “We left King’s Landing a fortnight ago,”

Catelyn replied, answering the safest of his questions.

“也保佑你，好歌手。”凯特琳回答。罗德利克爵士用一种“现在就要”的口气叫了面包、肉和啤酒。歌手约莫十八岁，他大胆地瞧着他们，问他们打哪儿来，往哪儿走，路上有些什么消息等等，连珠炮似的一串问题，叫人不及反应。“我们两个星期前从君临出发的。”凯特琳挑了最安全的问题回答。

“That’s where I’m bound,” the youth said. As she had suspected, he

was more interested in telling his own story than in hearing theirs. Singers

loved nothing half so well as the sound of their own voices. “The Hand’s

tourney means rich lords with fat purses. The last time I came away with more

silver than I could carry?.?.?.?or would have, if I hadn’t lost it all betting

on the Kingslayer to win the day.”

“我正要去那儿呢。”年轻人道。果然不出她所料，他对说自己的事远比听他们的事感兴趣。歌手们最爱的莫过于炫耀自己的声音。“首相比武大会上财主老爷肯定多的是，上回我赚的钱多到搬不动……呃，只可惜我后来把注下在‘弑君者’身上，输了个精光。”

“The gods frown on the gambler,” Ser Rodrik said sternly. He was of

the north, and shared the Stark views on tournaments.

“诸神在上，赌徒本该遭天谴。”罗德利克爵士口气严峻。身为北方人的他，和史塔克家一样对比武大会没好感。

“They frowned on me, for certain,” the singer said. “Your cruel gods

and the Knight of Flowers altogether did me in.”

“我知道老天看我不顺眼，”歌手说，“所以你那些神和百花骑士联手把我坑惨了。”

“No doubt that was a lesson for you,” Ser Rodrik said.

“想必你学到教训了。”罗德利克爵士道。

“It was. This time my coin will champion Ser Loras.”

“可不是嘛。这回我要把注下在洛拉斯爵士身上。”

Ser Rodrik tried

to tug at whiskers that were not there, but before he could frame a rebuke the

serving boy came scurrying up. He laid trenchers of bread before them and

filled them with chunks of browned meat off a skewer, dripping with hot juice.

Another skewer held tiny onions, fire peppers, and fat mushrooms. Ser Rodrik

set to lustily as the lad ran back to fetch them beer.

罗德利克爵士又想捻不存在的胡子，他还来不及回敬对方，跑堂小弟便急急赶了过来，在他们面前奉上一盘盘面包，又从叉子上切下烤成棕色，流着热汤汁的肉片。另一个叉子上则有小洋葱、红辣椒和肥美的蘑菇。罗德利克当下就狼吞虎咽起来，那侍者又跑去帮他们盛啤酒。

“My name is Marillion,” the singer said, plucking a string on his

woodharp. “Doubtless you’ve heard me play somewhere?”

“我叫马瑞里安，”歌手边说边拨着一根琴弦，“想必你们在别的地方听过我表演？”

His manner made

Catelyn smile. Few wandering singers ever ventured as far north as Winterfell,

but she knew his like from her girlhood in Riverrun. “I fear not,” she told

him.

听他这种口气，凯特琳不禁微笑。吟游诗人鲜少光临地处极北的临冬城，但她在奔流城的少女时代常见识这类人。“恐怕没有。”她告诉他。

He drew a

plaintive chord from the woodharp. “That is your loss,” he said. “Who was the

finest singer you’ve ever heard?”

他在琴上弹出一个哀伤的音符。“那是你的损失。”他说，“你听过最好的歌手是谁？”

“Alia of Braavos,” Ser Rodrik answered at once.

“布拉佛斯的阿利亚。”罗德利克爵士立刻应道。

“Oh, I’m much better than that old stick,” Marillion said. “If you

have the silver for a song, I’ll gladly show you.”

“唉，我比那老骨头高明多啦。”马瑞里安说，“如果你肯花个银币，我很乐意证明给你看。”

“I might have a copper or two, but I’d sooner toss it down a well

than pay for your howling,” Ser Rodrik groused. His opinion of singers was well

known; music was a lovely thing for girls, but he could not comprehend why any

healthy boy would fill his hand with a harp when he might have had a sword.

“我是有两个铜板，但我宁可把钱扔到井里也不想听你鬼叫。”罗德利克爵士没好气地说。他讨厌歌手是出了名的，他认为女孩子家学点音乐固然很好，但身体健康的男孩竟然不碰刀剑，反而拿个竖琴哼哼唱唱，实在太不像话。

“Your grandfather has a sour nature,” Marillion said to Catelyn. “I

meant to do you honor. An homage to your beauty. In truth, I was made to sing

for kings and high lords.”

“你爷爷讲话真酸，”马瑞里安对凯特琳说，“我本来是想歌颂你的美貌哪。说实话，我这嗓子生来就是要唱歌给国王和大老爷听的。”

“Oh, I can see that,” Catelyn said. “Lord Tully is fond of song, I

hear. No doubt you’ve been to Riverrun.”

“噢，看得出来，”凯特琳道，“据说徒利家老爷爱听音乐，想必你一定到过奔流城吧？”

“A hundred times,” the singer said airily. “They keep a chamber for

me, and the young lord is like a brother.”

“去过不知多少次了哪，”歌手轻飘飘地说，“他们还专门帮我备了一间客房，我和他家少爷熟得跟哥们儿一样。”

Catelyn smiled,

wondering what Edmure would think of that. Another singer had once bedded a

girl her brother fancied; he had hated the breed ever since. “And Winterfell?”

she asked him. “Have you traveled north?”

凯特琳微笑，心想不知艾德慕听了会作何反应？她弟弟自从喜欢的女孩子被一个歌手给睡了之后，他对这个行业便痛恨至今。“那临冬城呢？”她又问，“你去过北方吗？”

“Why would I?’ Marillion asked. “It’s all blizzards and bearskins up

there, and the Starks know no music but the howling of wolves.” Distantly, she

was aware of the door banging open at the far end of the room.

“我去那儿做什么？”马瑞里安反问，“那里冰雪满天飞，出个门都裹得厚厚的，而且史塔克家的人哪懂什么音乐？他们只爱听狼嚎罢了。”这时她隐约听见房间远端传来开门的声音。

“Innkeep,” a servant’s voice called out behind her, “we have horses

that want stabling, and my lord of Lannister requires a room and a hot bath.”

“老板，”一个随从的声音从她身后传来，“找个人帮我们喂马，我们家兰尼斯特大人要房间和洗热水澡。”

“Oh, gods,” Ser Rodrik said before Catelyn reached out to silence

him, her fingers tightening hard around his forearm.

“诸神在上。”罗德利克道，凯特琳急忙伸手制止他，她的手指紧紧攫住他的前臂。

Masha Heddle was

bowing and smiling her hideous red smile. “I’m sorry, m’lord, truly, we’re full

up, every room.”

玛莎·海德露出那招牌式的可怖的腥红微笑，忙着打躬作揖。“大人，真对不住，可咱们真的客满了。”

There were four

of them, Catelyn saw. An old man in the black of the Night’s Watch, two

servants?.?.?.?and him, standing there small and bold as life. “My men will

steep in your stable, and as for myself, well, I do not require a large room,

as you can plainly see.” He flashed a mocking grin. “So long as the fire’s warm

and the straw reasonably free of fleas, I am a happy man.”

凯特琳看到他们一行四人：一个穿着守夜人黑衫的老头，两个仆从……还有他，小个子好端端地站在那里。“我手下睡马厩就好，至于我嘛，你也看得出来，我不需要多大的房间。”他自我解嘲地嘻嘻一笑。“所以只要火够温暖，稻草里没太多跳蚤，我就很乐意啦。”

Masha Heddle was

beside herself. “M’lord, there’s nothing, it’s the tourney, there’s no help for

it, oh?.?.?.?”

玛莎·海德急得不知如何是好。“大人，我们真是没办法，都是这比武大会害的，人多得不像话，喔……”

Tyrion Lannister

pulled a coin from his purse and flicked it up over his head, caught it, tossed

it again. Even across the room, where Catelyn sat, the wink of gold was

unmistakable.

提利昂·兰尼斯特从口袋里取出一枚钱币，上抛过头，接住，又弹一遍。即使坐在房间对面的凯特琳也看得见那是闪闪发亮的黄金。

A freerider in a

faded blue cloak lurched to his feet. “You’re welcome to my room, m’lord.”

一名穿着褪色蓝斗篷的自由骑手摇晃着站起身。“大人，您若不嫌弃，就将就将就我的房间吧。”

“Now there’s a clever man,” Lannister said as he sent the coin

spinning across the room. The freerider snatched it from the air. “And a nimble

one to boot.” The dwarf turned back to Masha Heddle. “You will be able to

manage food, I trust?”

“这家伙聪明，”兰尼斯特边说边把金币丢过来，自由骑手在空中伸手接住。“身手也不赖。”侏儒转身对玛莎·海德说，“吃的方面，我想应该没问题吧？”

“Anything you like, m’lord, anything at all,” the innkeep promised.

And may he choke on it, Catelyn thought, but it was Bran she saw choking,

drowning on his own blood.

“什么都行，大人，您要吃什么都行。”老板娘再三保证。吃到噎死最好，凯特琳心想，然而她眼前浮现的却是布兰浑身浴血，难以呼吸的景象。

Lannister

glanced at the nearest tables. “My men will have whatever you’re serving these

people. Double portions, we’ve had a long hard ride. I’ll take a roast fowl,

chicken, duck, pigeon, it makes no matter. And send up a flagon of your best

wine. Yoren, will you sup with me?”

兰尼斯特瞄了离他最近的餐桌一眼。“我手下跟这些人吃一样的东西就成，不过份量加倍，我们骑了好长一段路。帮我烤只鸟，鸡鸭鸽子都行。再来一壶你最好的葡萄酒。尤伦，你要跟我一起吃吗？”

“Aye, m’lord, I will,” the black brother replied.

“好啊，大人，就跟您一起吃吧。”黑衣弟兄回答。

The dwarf had

not so much as glanced toward the far end of the room, and Catelyn was thinking

how grateful she was for the crowded benches between them when suddenly

Marillion bounded to his feet. “My lord of Lannister!” he called out. “I would

be pleased to entertain you while you eat. Let me sing you the lay of your

father’s great victory at King’s Landing!”

侏儒连看都没看房间这边一眼，凯特琳心里暗自庆幸，还好自己的位置与他们隔了这么多拥挤的餐桌和长凳。这时马瑞里安突然跳将起来。“兰尼斯特大人！”他叫道，“我可能荣幸地在您用餐时为您娱乐助兴？让我为您唱一首歌颂令尊大人君临大捷的歌罢！”

“Nothing would be more likely to ruin my supper,” the dwarf said

dryly. His mismatched eyes considered the singer briefly, started to move

away?.?.?.?and found Catelyn. He looked at her for a moment, puzzled. She

turned her face away, but too late. The dwarf was smiling. “Lady Stark, what an

unexpected pleasure,” he said. “I was sorry to miss you at Winterfell.”

“那我不反胃死才怪。”侏儒酸酸地说。他用大小不一的眼睛打量了歌手一眼，正准备挪开视线……却看到了凯特琳。他困惑地看了她半晌，她别过头，但为时已晚。侏儒露出微笑。“史塔克夫人，好个意外的惊喜。”他说，“很遗憾没能在临冬城见到您。”

Marillion gaped

at her, confusion giving way to chagrin as Catelyn rose slowly to her feet. She

heard Ser Rodrik curse. If only the man had lingered at the Wall, she thought,

if only?.?.?.?

马瑞里安张大了嘴，看着她缓缓起身，表情从困惑转为懊恼。她听见罗德利克爵士咒骂。若是提利昂在长城多待几天就好了，若是……

“Lady?.?.?.?Stark?” Masha Heddle said thickly.

“史塔克……夫人？”玛莎·海德粗声道。

“I was still Catelyn Tully the last time I bedded here,” she told the

innkeep. She could hear the muttering, feel the eyes upon her. Catelyn glanced

around the room, at the faces of the knights and sworn swords, and took a deep

breath to slow the frantic beating of her heart. Did she dare take the risk?

There was no time to think it through, only the moment and the sound of her own

voice ringing in her ears. “You in the corner,” she said to an older man she

had not noticed until now. “Is that the black bat of Harrenhal I see embroidered

on your surcoat, ser?”

“我上次在此投宿时，还是徒利家的凯特琳。”她告诉老板娘。她听见人群低声议论，感觉到众人的眼光集中在自己身上。凯特琳环顾房间，看着众位骑士和誓言骑士，然后深吸一口气，缓和狂乱的心跳。她真要冒险吗？没有时间仔细思量，机会转瞬即逝。她只听见自己的声音在耳际回荡。“坐在角落那位先生，”她先前没注意到这位年纪较长的人。“您外衣上绣的可是赫伦堡的黑蝙蝠？”

The man got to

his feet. “It is, my lady.”

那人连忙起身答道：“是的，夫人。”

“And is Lady Whent a true and honest friend to my father, Lord Hoster

Tully of Riverrun?”

“家父是奔流城的霍斯特·徒利，敢问河安夫人是不是他忠实的盟友？”

“She is,” the man replied stoutly.

“她当然是。”那人坚定地回答。

Ser Rodrik rose

quietly and loosened his sword in its scabbard. The dwarf was blinking at them,

blank-faced, with puzzlement in his mismatched eyes.

罗德利克爵士静静地站起来，抽出鞘里的剑。侏儒眨着眼睛，一脸茫然，两只大小不一的眼睛里闪着迷惑。

“The red stallion was ever a welcome sight in Riverrun,” she said to

the trio by the fire. “My father counts Jonos Bracken among his oldest and most

loyal bannermen.”

“红色骏马纹章向来受奔流城欢迎礼遇，”她对火炉边的三人说，“家父将裘诺斯·布雷肯伯爵视为追随他最久也最忠心耿耿的封臣。”

The three

men-at-arms exchanged uncertain looks. “Our lord is honored by his trust,” one

of them said hesitantly.

三位士兵交换着不太确定的眼神。“我们家大人感激令尊的信任。”

“I envy your father all these fine friends,” Lannister quipped, “but

I do not quite see the purpose of this, Lady Stark.”

“我羡慕令尊有这么多好朋友，”兰尼斯特讥讽地说，“但史塔克夫人，我不明白您这么做有何目的。”

She ignored him,

turning to the large party in blue and grey. They were the heart of the matter;

there were more than twenty of them. “I know your sigil as well: the twin

towers of Frey. How fares your good lord, sers?”

她没理会他，径自转向那群穿灰蓝衣服的人。这二十多个人才是关键所在。“佛雷家的双塔标志我也很熟悉，诸位爵士先生，不知你们家主人近来可好？”

Their captain

rose. “Lord Walder is well, my lady. He plans to take a new wife on his

ninetieth name day, and has asked your lord father to honor the wedding with

his presence.”

他们的领队站起来。“夫人，瓦德大人他很好。他打算在九十岁命名日那天迎娶新夫人，希望有幸可以请到令尊大人到场增光。”

Tyrion Lannister

sniggered. That was when Catelyn knew he was hers. “This man came a guest into

my house, and there conspired to murder my son, a boy of seven,” she proclaimed

to the room at large, pointing. Ser Rodrik moved to her side, his sword in

hand. “In the name of King Robert and the good lords you serve, I call upon you

to seize him and help me return him to Winterfell to await the king’s justice.”

提利昂·兰尼斯特听了不禁偷笑，然而这时凯特琳已然确定他逃不掉了。“此人以客人的身份来到我家，意图谋害我七岁的儿子。”她指给全场的人看。罗德利克爵士提着剑走到她身边。“以劳勃国王和诸位侍奉的贵族大人之名，我请求你们将他绳之以法，并协助我将他送至临冬城，听候国王律法发落。”

She did not know

what was more satisfying: the sound of a dozen swords drawn as one or the look

on Tyrion Lannister’s face.

一时之间，凯特琳不知道究竟是十数支长剑齐声出鞘的声音比较悦耳，还是当下提利昂·兰尼斯特脸上的表情更教人痛快？！