嘴角笑意像夏天里雪样快速地消逝了。“再那个在红厅见到家伙了。看到了太多死亡，还有些更糟东西。儿子们...”悲痛扭曲了托蒙德脸庞。“多蒙德在长城那场战斗里被砍倒了，还只个半大孩子。那国王手下某个骑士下手，个全身穿着灰钢盔甲手里拿着蛀虫盾牌混蛋。看见砍下去那刀，但儿子在赶到之前死了。而托温德...被伤风害死。老病怏怏。刚好了些却夜之间死了。最糟糕，在们知快死了之前蓝眼睛逐渐灰暗了下去。得亲眼看着。那太难了，琼恩。”眼里闪着泪花，“算上个男，说实话，但曾经小男孩，爱。”
      
      Jonputahandonhisshoulder.“Iamsosorry.”
      
      琼恩把手搭在了肩膀上。“很抱歉。”
      
      “Why?Weren’tyourdoing.There’sbloodonyourhands,aye,sameasmine.Butnothis.”Tormundshookhishead.“Istillhavetwostrongsons.”
      
      “为什么？又干。手上有血，啊，像样。但血。”托蒙德摇了摇头。“还有两个健壮儿子那。”
      
      “Yourdaughter…?”
      
      “女儿...？”
      
      “Munda.”ThatbroughtTormund’ssmileback.“TookthatLongspearRyktohusband,ifyoubelieveit.Boy’sgotmorecockthansense,youaskme,buthetreatsherwellenough.Itoldhimifheeverhurther,I’dyankhismemberoffandbeathimbloodywithit.”HegaveJonanotherheartyslap.“Timeyouweregoingback.Keepyouanylonger,they’reliketothinkweateyou.”
      
      “芒达。”这让托蒙德重新笑了起来。“选了那个长矛里克做她丈夫，信信由。得说那孩子老比脑子好使，但确把她照顾得挺好。告诉要敢伤害芒达，把老扯下来，拿着当鞭子狠狠抽顿。”亲切拍了琼恩巴掌。“该走啦。再呆们准以为们把给吃了”
      
      “Dawn,then.Threedaysfromnow.Theboysfirst.”
      
      “那黎明时分。从现在算起。男孩们第批。”
      
      “Iheardyouthefirsttentimes,crow.Aman’dthinktherewasnotrustbetweenus.”Hespat.“Boysfirst,aye.Mammothsgothelongwayround.YoumakesureEastwatchexpectsthem.I’llmakesurethere’snofighting,norrushingatyourbloodygate.Niceandorderlywe’llbe,ducklingsinarow.Andmethemotherduck.Har!”TormundledJonfromhistent.
      
      “在说前遍时候听见啦，乌鸦。别会以为之间没什么信任可言呢。”怨言到。“男孩第批，好。曼蒙斯打算走远路。得确保东海望指望着们要来。会确保没有争斗，也会在那该死门那里拥挤。们会漂漂亮亮秩序井然，像鸭子那样排着队过去。而那鸭妈妈。哈！”托蒙德把琼恩送出了帐篷。
      
      Outsidethedaywasbrightandcloudless.Thesunhadreturnedtotheskyafterafortnight’sabsence,andtothesouththeWallroseblue-whiteandglittering.TherewasasayingJonhadheardfromtheoldermenatCastleBlack:theWallhasmoremoodsthanMadKingAerys,they’dsay,orsometimes,theWallhasmoremoodsthanawoman.Oncloudydaysitlookedtobewhiterock.Onmoonlessnightsitwasasblackascoal.Insnowstormsitseemedcarvedofsnow.Butondayslikethis,therewasnomistakingitforanythingbutice.OndayslikethistheWallshimmeredbrightasasepton’scrystal,everycrackandcrevasselimnedbysunlight,asfrozenrainbowsdancedanddiedbehindtranslucentripples.OndayslikethistheWallwasbeautiful.
      
      帐篷外面天晴朗无云。太阳在消失了两周之后重新回来了，并且把长城南面照得散发出淡蓝闪光。琼恩在黑城堡时候曾经听那边老说长城比疯王更有情绪，们有时候又说长城比女更有情绪。在阴天它看起来像块白色石头。在无月夜晚它又像海边礁石样黑。在暴风雪中又像雪雕，但在像今天这样日子里绝会把它错认成冰以外任何东西。在像这样日子里长城会散发出像septon水晶光芒。每裂缝和破口都被阳光够勾画了出来，像冻结了彩虹在舞蹈并且死在了清澈微波之后。在像这样日子里长城美丽。
      
      Tormund’seldestsonstoodnearthehorses,talkingwithLeathers.TallToregg,hewascalledamongstthefreefolk.ThoughhebarelyhadaninchonLeathers,heovertoppedhisfatherbyafoot.Hareth,thestrappingMole’sTownboycalledHorse,huddlednearthefire,hisbacktotheothertwo.HeandLeathersweretheonlymenJonhadbroughtwithhimtotheparley;anymoremighthavebeenseenasasignoffear,andtwentymenwouldhavebeenofnomoreusethantwoifTormundhadbeenintentonblood.GhostwastheonlyprotectionJonneeded;thedirewolfcouldsniffoutfoes,eventhosewhohidtheirenmitybehindsmiles.
      
      托蒙德最大儿子站在马旁，在和莱瑟斯交谈。在自由民中被称作高个托拉格。虽然只比莱瑟斯高了到英寸，却比父亲高了近英尺。哈瑞斯，那个高大魁梧鼹鼠镇男孩叫豪斯，在火边蜷成了团，后背靠着另两个。琼恩带去进行谈判只有和莱瑟斯；数再多话会被认为胆怯，如果托蒙德打算诉诸武力，那个和两个没什么区别。白灵琼恩唯需要保护；这头冰原狼可以嗅出敌，即使那些把敌意藏在笑容背后家伙。
      
      Ghostwasgone,though.Jonpeeledoffoneblackglove,puttwofingersinhismouth,andwhistled.“Ghost!Tome.”
      
      虽然白灵已经走了。琼恩脱了只黑手套，把两根指头放在嘴里吹了声口哨。“白灵！过来。”
      
      Fromabovecamethesuddensoundofwings.Mormont’sravenflappedfromalimbofanoldoaktoperchuponJon’ssaddle.“Corn,”itcried.“Corn,corn,corn.”
      
      从上方忽然传来阵翅膀扇动声音。莫蒙司令乌鸦从棵老橡树树枝飞到了琼恩马鞍上。“玉米，”它叫着。