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冰與火之歌卷Ⅰ:權力的遊戲,第0篇 PROLOGUE

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  • 2022-01-02
簡介“If Gared said it was the cold

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冰與火之歌卷Ⅰ:權力的遊戲中英文雙語同步對照版 第0篇 PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

序曲

“We should start back,” Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them。 “The wildlings are dead。”

“咱們回頭吧。”蓋瑞不禁催促,眼看周圍的樹林逐漸黯淡,“既然野人①已經死了,”

“Do the dead frighten you?” Ser Waymar Royce asked with just the hint of a smile。

“死人嚇著你了嗎?”威瑪·羅伊斯爵士帶著輕淺的笑意問。

Gared did not rise to the bait。 He was an old man, past fifty,and he had seen the lordlings come and go。 “Dead is dead,” he said。 “We have no business with the dead。”

蓋瑞並未中激將之計,年過五十的他也算得上是個老人,這輩子看過太多貴族子弟來來去去。“死了就是死了,”他說,“咱們何必追尋死人。”

“Are they dead?” Royce asked softly。 “What proof have we?”

“你能確定他們真死了?”羅伊斯輕聲問,“證據何在?”

“Will saw them,” Gared said。 “If he says they are dead, that’s proof enough for me。”

“威爾看到了,”蓋瑞道,“我相信他說的話。”

Will had known they would drag him into the quarrel sooner or later。 He wished it had been later rather than sooner。 “My mother told me that dead men sing no songs,” he put in。

威爾料到他們早晚會把自己捲入這場爭執,只是沒想到這麼快。“我娘說過,死人沒戲可唱。”他插嘴道。

“My wet nurse said the same thing, Will,”Royce replied。 “Never believe anything you hear at awoman’s tit。 There are things to be learned even from the dead。” His voice echoed, too loud in the twilit forest。

“威爾,我奶媽也說過這話,”羅伊斯回答:“千萬別相信你在女人懷裡聽到的東西。就算人是死了,也能讓我們瞭解很多東西。”他的餘音在暮色

昏暝

的森林裡迴盪,似乎吵鬧了點。

“We have a long ride before us,” Gared pointed out。 “Eight days, maybe nine。 And night is falling。”

“回去的路還長著呢,”蓋瑞指出,“少不了走個八九天,況且天色漸漸暗下來了。”

Ser Waymar Royceglanced at the sky with disinterest。 “It does that every day about this time。 Are you unmanned by the dark, Gared?”

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士意興闌珊地掃視天際。“每天這時候不都如此?蓋瑞,你該不會怕黑吧?”

Will could see the tightness around Gared’s mouth, the barely suppresse danger in his eyes under the thick black

hood of his cloak。 Gared had spent forty years in the Night’s Watch, manand boy, and he was not accustomed to being made light of。 Yet it was more than that。 Under the wounded

pride, Will could sense something else in the older man。 You could taste it; a nervous tension that came perilous close to fear。

威爾看見蓋瑞緊抿的嘴唇,以及他厚重黑斗篷下強自遏抑的怒火。蓋瑞當了四十年的守夜人②,這種資歷可不是隨便讓人尋開心的。但蓋瑞不僅是憤怒,在他受

傷的自尊底下,威爾隱約察覺到某種潛藏的不安,一種近似於畏懼的緊張情緒。

Will shared his unease。 He had been four years on the Wall。 The first time he had been sent beyond, all the old stories had come rushing back, and

his bowels had turned to water。

He had laughed about it afterward。 He was a veteran of a hundred rangings by now, and the endlessdark wilderness that the southron called the haunted forest had no more terrorsfor him。

威爾深有同感。他戍守長城不過四年,當初首次越牆北進,所有的傳說故事突然都湧上心頭,把他嚇得四肢發軟,事後想起難免莞爾。如今他已是擁有百餘次巡

邏經驗的老手,眼前這片南方人稱作鬼影森林的廣袤黑荒,他早已無所畏懼。

Until tonight。 Something was different tonight。 There was an edge to this darkness that made his hackles rise。 Ninedays they had been riding, north and northwest and then north again, farther and farther from the Wall, hard on the track of a band of wildling raiders。Each day had been worse than the day that had come before it。 Today was the worst of all。 A cold wind was blowing out of the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things。 All day, Will had felt as though something were watching him, something cold and implacable that loved him not。 Gared had felt it too。 Will wanted nothing so much as to ride hell bent for the safety of theWall, but that was not a feeling to share with your commander。

然而今晚是個例外,迥異往昔,四方暗幕中有種莫可名狀、讓他汗毛豎立的驚悚。他們輕騎北出長城,中途轉向西北,隨即又向北,九天來晝夜加急、不斷推進,緊咬一隊土匪的足跡。環境日益惡化,今天已降到谷底。陰森北風吹得樹影幢幢,宛如猙獰活物,威爾整天都覺得自己受到一種冰冷且對他毫無好感的莫名之物監視,蓋瑞也感覺出了。此刻威爾心中只想掉轉馬頭,沒命似地逃回長城。但這卻是萬萬不能在長官面前說出的念頭。

Especially not a commander like this one。

尤其是這樣的長官。

Ser Waymar Royce was the youngest son of an ancient house with too many heirs。 He was a handsome youth of eighteen,grey-eyed and graceful and slender as a knife。 Mounted on his huge black destrier, the knight towered above Will and Gared on their smaller garrons。 He wore black leather boots, black woolen pants, black mole skin gloves, and a fine supple coat of gleaming black ringmail over layers of black wool and boiled leather。 Ser Waymar had been a Sworn Brother of the Night’s Watch for less than half a year, but no one could say he had not prepared for his vocation。 At least insofar as his wardrobe was concerned。

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士出身貴族世家,在兒孫滿堂的家裡排行老么。他是個俊美的十八歲青年,有雙灰色眸子,舉止優雅,瘦得像把尖刀。騎在他那匹健壯的黑色戰馬上,比騎著矮小犁馬的威爾和蓋瑞高出許多。他穿著黑色皮靴,黑色羊毛褲,戴著黑色鼴鼠皮手套,黑色羊毛衫外套硬皮甲,又罩了一件閃閃發光的黑色環甲。威瑪爵士宣誓成為守夜人尚不滿半年,但他絕非空手而來,最起碼行頭一件不少。

His cloak was his crowning glory; sable,thick and black and soft as sin。 “Bet he killed them all himself, he did,”Gared told the barracks over wine, “twisted their little heads off, our mightywarrior。” They had all shared the laugh。

而他身上最耀眼的行頭,自然便是那件既厚實、又柔軟驚人的黑色貂皮斗篷。“我敢打賭,那堆黑貂一定是他親手殺的,”蓋瑞在軍營裡喝酒時對兄弟們說:“我們偉大的戰士哦,把它們的小頭一顆顆扭斷啦。”當時便引得眾人鬨笑一團。

It is hard to take orders from a man you laughed at in your cups, Will reflected as he sat shivering atop his garron。Gared must have felt the same。

假如你的長官是大夥兒飲酒作樂時的嘲笑物件,你怎麼去尊敬他呢?威爾騎在馬上,不禁如此思量。想必蓋瑞也深有同感。

“Mormont said as we should track them, and we did,” Gared said。 “They’re dead。 They shan’t trouble us no more。 There’s hard riding before us。 I don’t like this weather。 If it snows, we could be afortnight getting back, and snow’s the best we can hope for。 Ever seen an icestorm, my lord?”

“莫爾蒙叫我們追查野人行蹤,我們照辦了,”蓋瑞道:“現在他們死去,再也不會來騷擾我們。而眼前還有好長一段路等著我們。我實在不喜歡這種天氣,要是下雪,我們得花兩個星期才能回去。其實下雪還算不上什麼,大人,您可見過冰風暴肆虐的景象?”

The lordling seemed not to hear him。 He studied the deepening twilight in that half-bored, half-distracted way he had。Will had ridden with the knight long enough to understand that it was best not to interrupt him when he looked like that。 “Tell me again what you saw, Will。All the details。 Leave nothing out。”

小少爺似乎沒聽見這番話。他用他特有的那種缺乏興趣、漫不經心的方式審視著漸暗的暮色。威爾跟隨他已有些時日,知道這種時候最好不要打斷他。“威爾,再跟我說一遍你看到了些什麼。仔細講來,別漏掉任何細節。”

Will had been a hunter before he joined the Night’s Watch。 Well, a poacher in truth。 Mallister freeriders had caught him red-handed in the Mallisters’ own woods, skinning one of the Mallisters’ ownbucks, and it had been a choice of putting on the black or losing a hand。 No one could move through the woods as silent as Will, and it had not taken the black brothers long to discover his talent。

在成為守夜人以前,威爾原本靠打獵為生。說難聽點,其實就是偷獵者。當年他在梅利斯特家族的森林裡偷獵公鹿,正忙著剝鹿皮,弄得一手血腥的時候,被受僱於梅利斯特家的自由騎手③逮個正著。他若不選擇加入黑衫軍,就只有單手被砍一途。威爾潛行的本事是一等一的,在森林裡無聲潛行等閒難及,黑衫軍的弟兄們果然很快也就發現了他的長處。

“The camp is two miles farther on, over that ridge, hard beside a stream,” Will said。 “I got close as I dared。 There’s eightof them, men and women both。 No children I could see。 They put up a lean-toagainst the rock。 The snow’s pretty well covered it now, but I could still make it out。 No fire burning, but the firepit was still plain as day。 No one moving。I watched a long time。 No living man ever lay so still。”

“營地在兩裡之外,翻過山脊,緊鄰著一條溪。”威爾答道,“我已經靠得很近了。總共有八個人,男女都有,但沒看見小孩。他們背靠著大石頭,雖然雪幾乎把營地整個蓋住,但我還是分辨得出來。沒有

營火

,只有火堆的餘燼比較明顯。他們一動不動,我仔細看了好長時間,活人絕不會躺得這麼安靜。”

“Did you see any blood?”

“你發現血跡了嗎?”

“Well, no,” Will admitted。

“嗯,沒有。”威爾坦承。

“Did you see any weapons?”

“你看見任何武器了嗎?”

“Some swords, a few bows。 One man had an axe。 Heavy-looking, double-bladed, a cruel piece of iron。 It was on the ground beside him, right by his hand。”

“幾支劍、兩三把弓,還有個傢伙帶了一柄斧頭。鐵打的雙刃斧,似乎挺沉的,擺在他右手邊的地上。”

“Did you make note of the position of thebodies?”

“你記得他們躺著的相對位置嗎?”

Will shrugged。 “A couple are sitting up against the rock。 Most of them on the ground。 Fallen, like。”

威爾聳聳肩。“兩三個靠著石頭,大部分躺在地上,像是被打死的。”

“Or sleeping,” Royce suggested。

“也可能在睡覺。”羅伊斯提出異議。

“Fallen,” Will insisted。 “There’s one woman up an ironwood, half-hid in the branches。 A far-eyes。” He smiled thinly。 “I took care she never saw me。 When I got closer, I saw that she wasn’t moving neither。” Despite himself, he shivered。

“肯定是被打死的,”威爾堅持己見,“因為有個女的爬在鐵樹上,藏在枝頭,應該是個斥候。”他淺淺一笑。“我很小心,沒讓她見著。但等我靠近,卻發現她根本毫無動靜。”說到這兒他不禁一陣顫抖。

“You have a chill?” Royce asked。

“你受寒了?”羅伊斯問。

“Some,” Will muttered。 “The wind, m’lord。”

“有點吧,”威爾喃喃道,“大人,是風的關係啊。”

The young knight turned back to his grizzled man-at-arms。 Frost fallen leaves whispered past them, and Royce’s destrier moved restlessly。 “What do you think might have killed these men, Gared?” Ser Waymar asked casually。 He adjusted the drape of his long sable cloak。

年輕騎士轉頭面對灰髮老兵。結霜的落葉在他們耳邊低語飄零,羅伊斯的戰馬侷促不安。“蓋瑞,你覺得是誰殺了這些人?”威瑪爵士隨口問,順手整了整貂皮長袍的

褶襉

“It was the cold,” Gared said with iron certainty。 “I saw men freeze last winter, and the one before, when I was half a boy。 Everyone talks about snows forty foot deep, and how the ice wind comes howling out of the north, but the real enemy is the cold。 It steals up on you quieter than Will, and at first you shiver and your teeth chatter and you stamp your feet and dream of mulled wine and nice hot fires。 It burns, it does。Nothing burns like the cold。 But only for a while。 Then it gets inside you and starts to fill you up, and after a while you don’t have the strength to fightit。 It’s easier just to sit down or go to sleep。 They say you don’t feel any pain toward the end。 First you go weak and drowsy, and everything starts to fade, and then it’s like sinking into a sea of warm milk。 Peaceful, like。”

“是這該死的天氣,”蓋瑞斬釘截鐵地說,“上個嚴冬④,我親眼見人活活凍死,再之前那次也看過,當時我還是個孩子。人人都說當時積雪深達四十尺,北風冷得跟玄冰似的,但真正要命的卻是低溫。它會無聲無息地逮住你,比威爾還安靜,起初你會發抖、牙齒打顫、兩腿一伸,夢見滾燙的酒,溫暖的營火。很燙人,是的,再也沒什麼像寒冷那樣燙人了。但只消一會兒,它便會鑽進你體內,填滿你的身體,過不了多久你就沒力氣抵抗,渴望坐下休息或小睡片刻,據說到最後完全不覺痛苦。你只是渾身無力,昏昏欲睡,然後一切漸漸消逝,最後,就像淹沒在熱牛奶裡一樣,安詳而恬靜。”

“Such eloquence, Gared,” Ser Waymar observed。 “I never suspected you had it in you。”

“我看你蠻有詩意嘛,”威瑪爵士下了評論,“沒想到你還有這方面的天分。”

“I’ve had the cold in me too, lordling。”Gared pulled back his hood, giving Ser Waymar a good long look at the stumps where his ears had been。 “Two ears, three toes, and the little finger off myleft hand。 I got off light。 We found my brother frozen at his watch, with a smile on his face。”

“大人,我親身體驗過嚴寒的威力,”蓋瑞往後拉開他的兜帽,好讓威瑪爵士看清楚他耳朵凍掉之後剩下的肉團。“兩隻耳朵,三根腳趾,還有左手的小指,我這算是輕傷了。我大哥當年就是站崗的時候活活凍死的,等我們找到他,他臉上還掛著笑容。”

Ser Waymar shrugged。 “You ought dress more warmly, Gared。”

威瑪爵士聳聳肩道:“我說蓋瑞,你該多穿兩件衣服。”

Gared glared at the lordling, the scars around his ear holes flushed red with anger where Maester Aemon had cut the ears away。 “We’ll see how warm you can dress when the winter comes。” He pulledup his hood and hunched over his garron, silent and sullen。

蓋瑞怒視著他的年輕長官,氣得耳根發紅。當年伊蒙學士⑤把他壞死的耳朵割去,如今耳洞旁還留著傷疤。“等冬天真正來臨時,看你能穿得多暖。”他拉起兜帽,縮著身子騎上馬,陰沉地不再吭聲。

“If Gared said it was the cold?。?。?。?” Willbegan。

“既然蓋瑞都說是天氣的關係了……”威爾正要開口。

“Have you drawn any watches this past week,Will?”

“威爾,上週你有沒有站崗?”

“Yes, m’lord。” There never was a week when he did not draw a dozen bloody watches。 What was the man driving at?

“有啊,大人。”他

星期沒抽到站崗的籤,這傢伙究竟想說什麼?

“And how did you find the Wall?”

“長城的情形如何?”

“Weeping,” Will said, frowning。 He saw it clear enough, now that the lordling had pointed it out。 “They couldn’t have froze。 Not if the Wall was weeping。 It wasn’t cold enough。”

“在‘哭泣’啊,”威爾皺著眉頭說。這下他明白了。“所以他們不是凍死的,假如城牆會滴水,表示天氣還不夠冷。”

Royce nodded。 “Bright lad。 We’ve had a few light frosts this past week, and a quick flurry of snow now and then, butsurely no cold fierce enough to kill eight grown men。 Men clad in fur and leather, let me remind you, with shelter near at hand, and the means of making fire。” The knight’s smile was cocksure。 “Will, lead us there。 I would see these dead men for myself。”

羅伊斯點點頭。“聰明。過去這周結了點霜,偶爾還下點雪,但絕對沒有冷到凍死八個人的地步。更何況他們穿著保暖的毛皮禦寒,所處地形足以遮擋風雪,還有充足的生火材料。”騎士露出充滿自信的笑容。“威爾,帶路

,我要親眼看看這些死人。”

And then there was nothing to be done for it。 The order had been given, and honor bound them to obey。

事情至此,他們別無選擇。既然命令已下,也只有照辦的份兒。

Will went in front, his shaggy little garron picking the way carefully through the undergrowth。 A light snow had fallen the night before, and there were stones and roots and hidden sinks lying just under its crust, waiting for the careless and the unwary。 Ser Waymar Royce came next,his great black destrier snorting impatiently。 The warhorse was the wrong mount for ranging, but try and tell that to the lordling。 Gared brought up the rear。The old man-at-arms muttered to himself as he rode。

威爾打前鋒,騎著他那匹長毛的馬,在矮樹叢裡小小心翼翼地探路。昨夜下了一場小雪,這會兒樹叢底下有許多石塊、樹根和水窪,一不小心就會摔倒。威瑪·羅伊斯爵士跟在後面,他那匹高壯駿馬不耐煩地吐著氣。巡邏任務最不適合騎戰馬,但貴族子弟哪聽得進去?老兵蓋瑞殿後,一路低聲喃喃自語。

Twilight deepened。 The cloudless sky turned a deep purple, the color of an old bruise, then faded to black。 The stars beganto come out。 A half-moon rose。 Will was grateful for the light。

暮色漸沉,無雲的天空轉為淤青般的深紫,然後沒入黑幕。星星出來了,新月也升起。威爾暗自感謝星月的光輝。

“We can make a better pace than this,surely,” Royce said when the moon was full risen。

“我們應該可以再走快點。”羅伊斯說。這時月亮已快升上天頂。

“Not with this horse,” Will said。 Fear had made him insolent。 “Perhaps my lord would care to take the lead?”

“你的馬沒這能耐,”威爾道,恐懼使他無禮起來。“少爺您走前面試試?”

Ser Waymar Royce did not deign to reply。

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士顯然不屑回答。

Somewhere off in the wood a wolf howled。

樹林深處傳來一聲

狼嗥

Will pulled his garron over beneath an ancient gnarled ironwood and dismounted。

威爾在一棵長滿樹瘤的老鐵樹旁停住,下了馬。

“Why are you stopping?” Ser Waymar asked。

“為何停下?”威瑪爵士問。

“Best go the rest of the way on foot,m’lord。 It’s just over that ridge。”

“大人,後面的路步行比較好,翻過那道山脊就到。”

Royce paused a moment, staring off into the distance, his face reflective。 A cold wind whispered through the trees。 His great sable cloak stirred behind like something half-alive。

羅伊斯也停下來凝神遠望,一臉思索的表情。陣陣冷風颯颯響徹林間,他的貂皮大衣在背後抖了抖,彷彿有了生命。

“There’s something wrong here,” Garedmuttered。

“這兒不太對勁。”蓋瑞喃喃地說。

The young knight gave him a disdainfu lsmile。 “Is there?”

年輕騎士對他輕蔑地一笑。“是嗎?”

“Can’t you feel it?” Gared asked。 “Listen to the darkness。”

“你難道沒感覺?”蓋瑞質問,“仔細聽聽暗處的聲音。”

Will could feel it。 Four years in theNight’s Watch, and he had never been so afraid。 What was it?

威爾也感覺到了。在守夜人服役這四年來,他從未如此恐懼。究竟是什麼東西在作怪?

“Wind。 Trees rustling。 A wolf。 Which soundis it that unmans you so, Gared?” When Gared did not answer, Royce slid gracefully from his saddle。 He tied the destrier securely to a low-hanginglimb, well away from the other horses, and drew his longsword from its sheath。Jewels glittered in its hilt, and the moonlight ran down the shining steel。 It was a splendid weapon, castle-forged, and new-made from the look of it。 Will doubted it had ever been swung in anger。

“風聲,樹葉沙沙響,還有狼嚎。蓋瑞,是哪一種把你嚇破膽啦?”羅伊斯見蓋瑞沒接腔,便優雅地翻身下馬。他把戰馬牢牢地綁在一根低垂的枝幹上,跟其他兩匹離得遠遠的,然後抽出長劍。這是把城裡打造的好劍,劍柄鑲著珠寶,熠熠發亮,月光在明晃晃的鋼劍身上反射出璀璨光芒,無疑是新打造的。威爾很懷疑它有沒有沾過血。

“The trees press close here,” Will warned。“That sword will tangle you up, m’lord。 Better a knife。”

“大人,這兒樹長得很密,”威爾警告,“可能會纏住您的劍,還是用短刀吧。”

“If I need instruction, I will ask for it,”the young lord said。 “Gared, stay here。 Guard the horses。”

“我需要指導的時候自然會開口。”年輕貴族道,“蓋瑞,你守在這裡,看好馬匹。”

Gared dismounted。 “We need a fire。 I’ll seeto it。”

蓋瑞下馬。“我來生個火。”

“How big a fool are you, old man? If there are enemies in this wood, a fire is the last thing we want。”

“老頭子,愚蠢也有個限度。若這林子裡有敵人,我們難道要生火引他們過來麼?”

“There’s some enemies a fire will keep away,” Gared said。 “Bears and direwolves and and other things”

“有些東西就只怕火,”蓋瑞道,“比如熊、冰原狼、還有……還有好些東西。”

Ser Waymar’s mouth became a hard line。 “No fire。”

威瑪爵士緊抿嘴唇。“我說不準就是不準。”

Gared’s hood shadowed his face, but Will could see the hard glitter in his eyes as he stared at the knight。 For a momen the was afraid the older man would go for his sword。 It was a short, ugly thing,its grip discolored by sweat, its edge nicked from hard use, but Will would not have given an iron bob for the lordling’s life if Gared pulled it from its scabbard。

蓋瑞的斗篷遮住了他的臉,但威爾還是看得到他瞪騎士時的眼神。他一度害怕這老頭會衝動地拔劍動粗。老頭的劍雖然又短又醜,劍柄早被汗漬浸得沒了顏色,劍刃也因長期使用而佈滿缺口,但若蓋瑞真的拔劍,威爾知道那貴族公子哥兒必死無疑。

Finally Gared looked down。 “No fire,” he muttered, low under his breath。

最後蓋瑞低下頭。“那就算了”。他訕訕地說。

Royce took it for acquiescence and turned away。 “Lead on,” he said to Will。

羅伊斯於是妥協,“帶路罷”。他對威爾說。

Will threaded their way through a thicket,then started up the slope to the low ridge where he had found his vantage point under a sentinel tree。 Under the thin crust of snow, the ground was damp and muddy, slick footing, with rocks and hidden roots to trip you up。 Will made no sound as he climbed。 Behind him, he heard the soft metallic slither of the lordling’s ringmail, the rustle of leaves, and muttered curses as reaching branches grabbed at his longsword and tugged on his splendid sable cloak。

威爾領他穿越濃密樹叢,爬上低緩斜坡,朝山脊走去,他先前便是在那兒的一棵樹下找到藏身處所。薄薄的積雪底,地面潮溼而泥濘,極易滑倒,石塊和暗藏的樹根也能絆人一跤。威爾爬坡時沒有發出任何聲響,身後卻不時傳來公子哥環甲的金屬碰撞,葉子摩擦,以及分叉枝幹絆住他的長劍,勾住他漂亮貂皮斗篷時所發出的咒罵聲。

The great sentinel was right there at the top of the ridge, where Will had known it would be, its lowest branches a barefoot off the ground。 Will slid in underneath, flat on his belly in the snow and the mud, and looked down on the empty clearing below。

威爾知道那棵大哨兵樹位於山脊最高處,底部枝幹離地僅有一尺。於是他爬進矮樹叢,平趴在殘雪和泥濘裡,往下方空曠的平地望去。

His heart stopped in his chest。 For a momen the dared not breathe。 Moonlight shone down on the clearing, the ashes of thefirepit, the snow-covered lean-to, the great rock, the little half-frozenstream。 Everything was just as it had been a few hours ago。

他的心臟停止了跳動,好一陣不敢呼吸。月光灑落在空地上,映照出營火餘燼,白雪覆蓋的岩石,半結冰的小溪,全都和數小時前所見一模一樣。

They were gone。 All the bodies were gone。

唯一的差別是,所有的人都不見了。

“Gods!” he heard behind him。 A sword slashedat a branch as Ser Waymar Royce gained the ridge。 He stood there beside the sentinel, longsword in hand, his cloak billowing behind him as the wind cameup, outlined nobly against the stars for all to see。

“諸神保佑!”他聽見背後傳來的聲音。威瑪·羅伊斯爵士揮劍劈砍樹枝,總算上了坡頂。他站在哨兵樹旁,手握寶劍,披風被吹得噼啪作響,明亮的星光清楚地勾勒出他高貴的身影。

“Get down!” Will whispered urgently。“Something’s wrong。”

“快趴下來!”威爾焦急地低聲說:“出怪事了。”

Royce did not move。 He looked down at the empty clearing and laughed。 “Your dead men seem to have moved camp, Will。”

羅伊斯沒動,他俯瞰著下面空蕩蕩的平地笑道:“威爾,看來你說的那些死人轉移陣地囉。”

Will’s voice abandoned him。 He groped forwords that did not come。 It was not possible。 His eyes swept back and forth over the abandoned campsite, stopped on the axe。 A huge double-bladedbattle-axe, still lying where he had seen it last, untouched。 A valuable weapon

威爾彷彿突然間喪失了說話能力,他竭力尋找合適的字眼,卻徒勞無功。怎麼會有這種事,他的視線在荒廢的營地中來回掃視,最後停留在那柄斧頭上。這麼一把巨大的雙刃戰斧,竟會留在原地紋絲不動。照說這麼值錢的傢伙……

“On your feet, Will,” Ser Waymar commanded。“There’s no one here。 I won’t have you hiding under a bush。”

“威爾,起來

。”威瑪爵士命令道,“這裡沒人,躲躲藏藏的,成何體統!”

Reluctantly, Will obeyed。

威爾很不情願地照辦。

Ser Waymar looked him over with open disapproval。 “I am not going back to Castle Black a failure on my first ranging。 We will find these men。” He glanced around。 “Up the tree。 Be quick about it。 Look for a fire。”

威瑪爵士不滿地上下打量他。“我可不想第一次巡邏就鎩羽而歸。我們一定要找到這些傢伙。”他環顧四周。“爬到樹上去看看,動作快,注意附近有沒有火光。”

Will turned away, wordless。 There was no use to argue。 The wind was moving。 It cut right through him。 He went to the tree, avaulting grey-green sentinel, and began to climb。 Soon his hands were sticky with sap, and he was lost among the needles。 Fear filled his gut like a meal he could not digest。 He whispered a prayer to the nameless gods of the wood, and slipped his dirk free of its sheath。 He put it between his teeth to keep both hands free for climbing。 The taste of cold iron in his mouth gave him comfort。

威爾無言地轉身,知道辯解無益。風勢轉強,猶如刀割。他走到高聳筆直的青灰色哨兵樹旁開始往上爬。很快他便消失在無邊松針裡,雙手沾滿樹汁。恐懼像肚裡一頓難以消化的飯菜,他只能向不知名的森林之神默禱,一邊抽出匕首,用牙咬住,空出雙手攀爬。嘴裡冰冷的兵器讓他稍微安了點心。

Down below, the lordling called out suddenly, “Who goes there?” Will heard uncertainty in the challenge。 He stopped climbing; he listened; he watched。

下方突然傳來年輕貴族的喊叫。“誰在那裡?”威爾在他的恫嚇中聽出了不安,便停止爬行,凝神諦聽,仔細觀察。

The woods gave answer: the rustle of leaves,the icy rush of the stream, a distant hoot of a snow owl。

森林給了他答案:樹葉沙沙作響,寒溪潺潺脈動,遠方傳來雪梟的吶喊。

The Others made no sound。

異鬼無聲無息地出現。

Will saw movement from the corner of his eye。 Pale shapes gliding through the wood。 He turned his head, glimpsed a white shadow in the darkness。 Then it was gone。 Branches stirred gently in the wind,scratching at one another with wooden fingers。 Will opened his mouth to calldown a warning, and the words seemed to freeze in his throat。 Perhaps he was wrong。 Perhaps it had only been a bird, a reflection on the snow, some trick of the moonlight。 What had he seen, after all?

威爾的眼角餘光瞄到白色身影穿過樹林。他轉過頭,看見黑暗中一道白影,隨即又消失不見。樹枝在風中微微悸動,伸出

木指

彼此搔抓。威爾張口想出聲警告,言語卻凍結在他的喉頭。或許是看錯了,或許那不過是隻鳥,或是雪地上的反光,更或許是月光造成的錯覺。他到底看到了什麼?

“Will, where are you?” Ser Waymar called up。“Can you see anything?” He was turning in a slow circle, suddenly wary, his sword in hand。 He must have felt them, as Will felt them。 There was nothing to see。 “Answer me! Why is it so cold?”

“威爾,你在哪裡?”威瑪爵士朝上方喊,“你看到什麼了嗎?”他突然提高警覺,手中持劍緩緩轉圈。他一定也和威爾一樣感覺到了。然而四周卻空無一人。“快回答我!這裡為什麼這麼冷?”

It was cold。 Shivering, Will clung more tightly to his perch。 His face pressed hard against the trunk of the sentinel。He could feel the sweet, sticky sap on his cheek。

這裡真的非常冷。威爾顫抖著抱緊樹幹,面頰貼住哨兵樹的樹皮。黏稠而甜膩的樹汁流到他臉上。

A shadow emerged from the dark of the wood。It stood in front of Royce。 Tall, it was, and gaunt and hard as old bones, with flesh pale as milk。 Its armor seemed to change color as it moved; here it was white as new-fallen snow, there black as shadow, everywhere dappled with the deep grey-green of the trees。 The patterns ran like moonlight on water with every step it took。

一道陰影突然自樹林暗處冒出,站到羅伊斯面前。它的體型十分高大,憔悴堅毅渾似枯骨,膚色蒼白如同乳汁。它的盔甲似乎會隨著移動而改變顏色,一會兒白如新雪,一會兒黑如暗影,處處點綴著森林的深奧灰綠。它每走一步,其上的圖案便似水面上的粼粼月光般不斷改變。

Will heard the breath go out of Ser WaymarRoyce in a long hiss。 “Come no farther,” the lordling warned。 His voice cracked like a boy’s。 He threw the long sable cloak back over his shoulders, to free his arms for battle, and took his sword in both hands。 The wind had stopped。 It was very cold。

威爾只聽威瑪·羅伊斯爵士倒抽一口冷氣。“不要過來!”貴族少爺警告對方,聲音卻小得像個孩童。他將那件長長的貂皮大衣翻到背後,空出活動空間,雙手持劍。風已停,寒徹骨。

The Other slid forward on silent feet。 In its hand was a longsword like none that Will had ever seen。 No human metal had gone into the forging of that blade。 It was alive with moonlight, translucent,a shard of crystal so thin that it seemed almost to vanish when seen edge-on。There was a faint blue shimmer to the thing, a ghost-light that played around its edges, and somehow Will knew it was sharper than any razor。

異鬼安靜地向前滑行,手中握著長劍,威爾從沒見過類似的武器。那是把半透明的劍,材質完全不是人類所使用的金屬,更像是一片極薄的水晶碎片,倘若平放刃面,幾乎無從發現。它與月光相互輝映,劍身周圍有股淡淡而詭異的藍光。不知怎地,威爾明白這柄劍比任何剃刀都要鋒利。

Ser Waymar met him bravely。 “Dance with me then。” He lifted his sword high over his head, defiant。 His hands trembled from the weight of it, or perhaps from the cold。 Yet in that moment, Will thought,he was a boy no longer, but a man of the Night’s Watch。

威瑪爵士勇敢地迎上前去。“既然如此,我們就來較量較量吧。”他舉劍過頭,語帶挑釁。雖然他的手不知因為重量或是酷寒而顫抖,威爾卻覺得在那一刻,他已經不再是個軟弱怯懦的少年,而成了真正的守夜人男子漢。

The Other halted。 Will saw its eyes; blue, deeper and bluer than any human eyes, a blue that burned like ice。 They fixed on the longsword trembling on high,watched the moonlight running cold along the metal。 For a heartbeat he dared to hope。

異鬼停住腳步。威爾看到了它的眼睛,那是一種比任何人眼都要湛藍深邃的顏色,如玄冰一般冷冷燃燒。它把視線停留在對方高舉的顫抖著的劍上,凝視著冷冷月光在金屬劍緣流動。那一剎那,威爾覺得事情還有轉機。

They emerged silently from the shadows,twins to the first。 Three of them。。。 four。。。。 five。。。 Ser Waymar may have felt the cold that came with them, but he never saw them, never heard them。 Will had to call out。 It was his duty。 And his death, if he did。 He shivered, and hugged the tree, and kept the silence。

此時它們靜悄悄地從陰影裡冒出來,與第一個異鬼長得一模一樣,三個……四個……五個……,威瑪爵士或許能感覺伴隨他們而來的寒意,但他既沒看到它們、也沒聽見它們的聲音。威爾應該警告他,畢竟那是他職責所在。然而一旦出聲,他便必死無疑。於是他顫抖著緊抱樹幹,不敢作聲。

The pale sword came shivering through theair。

慘白的長劍厲聲破空。

Ser Waymar met it with steel。 When the blades met, there was no ring of metal on metal; only a high, thin sound at the edge of hearing, like an animal screaming in pain。 Royce checked a second blow,and a third, then fell back a step。 Another flurry of blows, and he fell back again。

威瑪爵士舉起鋼劍迎敵。當兩劍交擊,發出的卻非金屬碰撞,而是一種位於人類聽覺極限邊緣,又高又細,像是動物痛苦哀嚎的聲音。羅伊斯擋住第二道攻擊,接著是第三道,然後退了一步。又一陣刀光劍影之後,他再度後退。

Behind him, to right, to left, all around him, the watchers stood patient, faceless, silent, the shifting patterns of their delicate armor making them all but invisible in the wood。 Yet they made no move to interfere。

在他左右兩側,前後周圍,其餘異鬼耐心地佇立旁觀。它們一聲不吭,面無表情,盔甲上不斷變化的細緻圖案在樹林中格外顯眼。它們遲遲未出手干預。

Again and again the swords met, until Willwanted to cover his ears against the strange anguished keening of their clash。Ser Waymar was panting from the effort now, his breath steaming in themoonlight。 His blade was white with frost; the Other’s danced with pale blue light。

兩人不斷交手,直到威爾想要捂住耳朵,再也無法忍受武器碰撞時刺耳的詭異聲響。威瑪爵士的呼吸開始急促,撥出的氣在月光下蒸騰如煙。他的長劍已結滿白霜,異鬼的劍則依舊閃耀著蒼藍光芒。

Then Royce’s parry came a beat too late。 The pale sword bit through the ringmail beneath his arm。 The young lord cried outin pain。 Blood welled between the rings。 It steamed in the cold, and the droplets seemed red as fire where they touched the snow。 Ser Waymar’s fingers brushed his side。 His moleskin glove came away soaked with red。

這時羅伊斯一記擋格慢了一拍,慘白色的劍頓時咬穿他腋下環甲。年輕貴族痛苦地喊了一聲,鮮血流淌在鐵環間,熾熱的血液在冷空氣中蒸汽朦朦,滴到雪地的血泊,紅得像火。威瑪爵士伸手按住傷口,鼴鼠皮手套整個浸成鮮紅。

The Other said something in a language tha tWill did not know; his voice was like the cracking of ice on a winter lake, and the words were mocking。

異鬼開口用一種威爾聽不懂的語言說了幾句話,聲音如冰湖碎裂,腔調充滿嘲弄。

Ser Waymar Royce found his fury。 “For Robert!” he shouted, and he came up snarling, lifting the frost-covered longsword with both hands and swinging it around in a flat side arm slash with all his weight behind it。 The Other’s parry was almost lazy。

威瑪·羅伊斯爵士找回了勇氣。“勞勃國王萬歲!”他高聲怒吼,雙手緊緊握住覆滿白霜的長劍,使盡全身力氣瘋狂揮舞。異鬼泰然自若。

When the blades touched, the steels hattered。

兩劍相擊,鋼劍應聲碎裂。

A scream echoed through the forest night,and the longsword shivered into a hundred brittle pieces, the shards scatteringlike a rain of needles。 Royce went to his knees, shrieking, and covered his eyes。 Blood welled between his fingers。

尖叫聲迴盪在深夜的林裡,羅伊斯的長劍裂成千千碎片,如同一陣

雨四散甩落。羅伊斯慘叫著跪下,伸手捂住雙眼,鮮血從他指縫間汩汩流下。

The watchers moved forward together, as if some signal had been given。 Swords rose and fell, all in a deathly silence。 It was cold butchery。 The pale blades sliced through ringmail as if it were silk。Will closed his eyes。 Far beneath him, he heard their voices and laughter sharpas icicles。

旁觀的異鬼彷彿接收到什麼訊號,這時一湧向前。一片死寂之中,劍雨紛飛,這是場冷酷的屠殺。慘白的劍刃砍絲般切進環甲。威爾閉上眼睛。他聽見地面上遠遠傳來它們的談笑聲,尖利一如冰針。

When he found the courage to look again, along time had passed, and the ridge below was empty。

良久,他終於鼓起勇氣睜開眼睛。樹下的山脊空無一人。

He stayed in the tree, scarce daring to breathe, while the moon crept slowly across the black sky。 Finally, his muscle scramping and his fingers numb with cold, he climbed down。

月亮緩緩爬過漆黑的天幕,但他依舊留在樹上,嚇得大氣也不敢出。最後,他驅動抽筋的肌肉和凍僵的手指,爬回樹下。

Royce’s body lay facedown in the snow, one arm outflung。 The thick sable cloak had been slashed in a dozen places。 Lying dead like that, you saw how young he was。 A boy。

羅伊斯的屍體面朝下倒臥在雪地裡,一隻手臂朝外伸出,厚重的貂皮披風被砍得慘不忍睹。見他命喪於此,才發現他原來有多年輕,不過是個大孩子罷了。

He found what was left of the sword a few feet away, the end splintered and twisted like a tree struck by lightning。 Will knelt, looked around warily, and snatched it up。 The broken sword would be his proof。 Gared would know what to make of it, and if not him, then surely tha told bear Mormont or Maester Aemon。 Would Gared still be waiting with the horses? He had to hurry。

他在幾尺外找到斷劍的殘骸,劍身像遭雷擊的樹頂支離破碎。威爾彎下腰,小心翼翼地環顧四周之後才把劍撿起來。他要拿這柄斷劍當證物,蓋瑞會知道該怎麼做。就算他不知道,“熊老”莫爾蒙或伊蒙學士也一定有辦法。蓋瑞還守著馬匹等他回去麼?最好加快腳步。

Will rose。 Ser Waymar Royce stood over him。

威爾起身。威瑪·羅伊斯爵士站在他面前。

His fine clothes were a tatter, his face a ruin。 A shard from his sword transfixed the blind white pupil of his left eye。

他的華裳盡碎,容貌全毀,斷劍的裂片反映出他左眼瞳孔的一片茫然。

The right eye was open。 The pupil burned blue。 It saw。

他的右眼卻是張開的,瞳孔中燒著藍火,看著活人。

The broken sword fell from nerveless fingers。 Will closed his eyes to pray。 Long, elegant hands brushed his cheek,then tightened around his throat。 They were gloved in the finest moleskin andsticky with blood, yet the touch was icy cold。

斷劍從威爾無力的手中落下,他閉眼默禱。優雅修長的雙手拂過他的兩頰,掐住他的咽喉。這雙手雖然包裹在最上等的鼴鼠皮手套裡,且滿是黏稠血塊,卻冰冷無比。

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①野人:指居住在絕境長城以北,不在王國法律統治之下的人。他們的首領是曼斯·雷德,號稱“塞外之王”。

②守夜人:一支駐守王國最北絕境長城的部隊,因身著黑衣,以對付長城外的各種威脅為職責而得名。

③自由騎手:僱傭兵的一種,擁有馬匹,但並無騎士身份。

④在冰與火之歌的世界裡,四季的持續時間與地球不同,四季均可逾年,甚至長達數年。一個人一生能夠經歷的冬季和夏季次數相當少。

⑤學士為一身兼學者、醫生、教師、顧問之職業。有時亦翻作“師傅”,作為較口語、較親暱之用法。在國王的御前會議中擁有席位的大學士亦稱作“國師”。

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