grrm.astormofswords-第219章

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yn　herself。　When　she　closed　her　eyes　she　saw　her　mother's　face　against　the　back　of　her　eyelids。　She's　so　close　I　could　almost　smell　her　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　and　then　she　could　smell　her。　The　scent　was　faint　beneath　the　other　smells；　beneath　moss　and　mud　and　water；　and　the　stench　of　rotting　reeds　and　rotting　men。　She　padded　slowly　through　the　soft　ground　to　the　river's　edge；　lapped　up　a　drink；　the　lifted　her　head　to　sniff。　The　sky　was　grey　and　thick　with　cloud；　the　river　green　and　full　of　floating　things。　Dead　men　clogged　the　shallows；　some　still　moving　as　the　water　pushed　them；　others　washed　up　on　the　banks。　Her　brothers　and　sisters　swarmed　around　them；　tearing　at　the　rich　ripe　flesh。
　The　crows　were　there　too；　screaming　at　the　wolves　and　filling　the　air　with　feathers。　Their　blood　was　hotter；　and　one　of　her　sisters　had　snapped　at　one　as　it　took　flight　and　caught　it　by　the　wing。　It　made　her　want　a　crow　herself。　She　wanted　to　taste　the　blood；　to　hear　the　bones　crunch　between　her　teeth；　to　fill　her　belly　with　warm　flesh　instead　of　cold。　She　was　hungry　and　the　meat　was　all　around；　but　she　knew　she　could　not　eat。
　The　scent　was　stronger　now。　She　pricked　her　ears　up　and　listened　to　the　grumbles　of　her　pack；　the　shriek　of　angry　crows；　the　whirr　of　wings　and　sound　of　running　water。　Somewhere　far　off　she　could　hear　horses　and　the　calls　of　living　men；　but　they　were　not　what　mattered。　Only　the　scent　mattered。　She　sniffed　the　air　again。　There　it　was；　and　now　she　saw　it　too；　something　pale　and　white　drifting　down　the　river；　turning　where　it　brushed　against　a　snag。　The　reeds　bowed　down　before　it。
　She　splashed　noisily　through　the　shallows　and　threw　herself　into　the　deeper　water；　her　legs　churning。　The　current　was　strong　but　she　was　stronger。　She　swam；　following　her　nose。　The　river　smells　were　rich　and　wet；　but　those　were　not　the　smells　that　pulled　her。　She　paddled　after　the　sharp　red　whisper　of　cold　blood；　the　sweet　cloying　stench　of　death。　She　chased　them　as　she　had　often　chased　a　red　deer　through　the　trees；　and　in　the　end　she　ran　them　down；　and　her　jaw　closed　around　a　pale　white　arm。　She　shook　it　to　make　it　move；　but　there　was　only　death　and　blood　in　her　mouth。　By　now　she　was　tiring；　and　it　was　all　she　could　do　to　pull　the　body　back　to　shore。　As　she　dragged　it　up　the　muddy　bank；　one　of　her　little　brothers　came　prowling；　his　tongue　lolling　from　his　mouth。　She　had　to　snarl　to　drive　him　off；　or　else　he　would　have　fed。　Only　then　did　she　stop　to　shake　the　water　from　her　fur。　The　white　thing　lay　facedown　in　the　mud；　her　dead　flesh　wrinkled　and　pale；　cold　blood　trickling　from　her　throat。　Rise；　she　thought。　Rise　and　eat　and　run　with　us。
　The　sound　of　horses　turned　her　head。　Men。　They　were　ing　from　downwind；　so　she　had　not　smelled　them；　but　now　they　were　almost　here。　Men　on　horses；　with　flapping　black　and　yellow　and　pink　wings　and　long　shiny　claws　in　hand。　Some　of　her　younger　brothers　bared　their　teeth　to　defend　the　food　they'd　found；　but　she　snapped　at　them　until　they　scattered。　That　was　the　way　of　the　wild。　Deer　and　hares　and　crows　fled　before　wolves；　and　wolves　fled　from　men。　She　abandoned　the　cold　white　prize　in　the　mud　where　she　had　dragged　it；　and　ran；　and　felt　no　shame。
　When　morning　came；　the　Hound　did　not　need　to　shout　at　Arya　or　shake　her　awake。　She　had　woken　before　him　for　a　change；　and　even　watered　the　horses。　They　broke　their　fast　in　silence；　until　Sandor　said；　〃This　thing　about　your　mother　。　。　。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　Arya　said　in　a　dull　voice。　〃I　know　she's　dead。　I　saw　her　in　a　dream。〃
　The　Hound　looked　at　her　a　long　time；　then　nodded。　No　more　was　said　of　it。　They　rode　on　toward　the　mountains。
　In　the　higher　hills；　they　came　upon　a　tiny　isolated　village　surrounded　by　grey…green　sentinels　and　tall　blue　soldier　pines；　and　Clegane　decided　to　risk　going　in。　〃We　need　food；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　roof　over　our　heads。　They're　not　like　to　know　what　happened　at　the　Twins；　and　with　any　luck　they　won't　know　me。〃
　The　villagers　were　building　a　wooden　palisade　around　their　homes；　and　when　they　saw　the　breadth　of　the　Hound's　shoulders　they　offered　them　food　and　shelter　and　even　coin　for　work。　〃If　there's　wine　as　well；　I'll　do　it；〃　he　growled　at　them。　in　the　end；　he　settled　for　ale；　and　drank　himself　to　sleep　each　night。
　His　dream　of　selling　Arya　to　Lady　Arryn　died　there　in　the　hills；　though。　〃There's　frost　above　us　and　snow　in　the　high　passes；〃　the　village　elder　said。　〃If　you　don't　freeze　or　starve；　the　shadowcats　will　get　you；　or　the　cave　bears。　There's　the　clans　as　well。　The　Burned　Men　are　fearless　since　Timett　One…Eye　came　back　from　the　war。　And　half　a　year　ago；　Gunthor　son　of　Gurn　led　the　Stone　Crows　down　on　a　village　not　eight　miles　from　here。　They　took　every　woman　and　every　scrap　of　grain；　and　killed　half　the　men。　They　have　steel　now；　good　swords　and　mail　hauberks；　and　they　watch　the　high　road…the　Stone　Crows；　the　Milk　Snakes；　the　Sons　of　the　Mist；　all　of　them。　Might　be　you'd　take　a　few　with　you；　but　in　the　end　they'd　kill　you　and　make　off　with　your　daughter。〃
　I'm　not　his　daughter；　Arya　might　have　shouted；　if　she　hadn't　felt　so　tired。　She　was　no　one's　daughter　now。　She　was　no　one。　Not　Arya；　not　Weasel；　not　Nan　nor　Arry　nor　Squab；　not　even　Lumpyhead。　She　was　only　some　girl　who　ran　with　a　dog　by　day；　and　dreamed　of　wolves　by　night。
　It　was　quiet　in　the　village。　They　had　beds　stuffed　with　straw　and　not　too　many　lice；　the　food　was　plain　but　filling；　and　the　air　smelled　of　pines。　All　the　same；　Arya　soon　decided　that　she　hated　it。　The　villagers　were　cowards。　None　of　them　would　even　look　at　the　Hound's　face；　at　least　not　for　long。　Some　of　the　women　tried　to　put　her　in　a　dress　and　make　her　do　needlework；　but　they　weren't　Lady　Smallwood　and　she　was　having　none　of　it。　And　there　was　one　girl　who　took　to　following　her；　the　village　elder's　daughter。　She　was　of　an　age　with　Arya；　but　just　a　child；　she　cried　if　she　skinned　a　knee；　and　carried　a　stupid　cloth　doll　with　her　everywhere　she　went。　The　doll　was　made　up　to　look　like　a　man…at…arms；　sort　of；　so　the　girl　called　him　Ser　Soldier　and　bragged　how　he　kept　her　safe。　〃Go　away；〃　Arya　told　her　half　a　hundred　times。　〃Just　leave　me　be。〃　She　wouldn't；　though；　so　finally　Arya　took　the　doll　away　from　her；　ripped　it　open；　and　pulled　the　rag　stuffing　out　of　its　belly　with　a　finger。　〃Now　he　really　looks　like　a　soldier！〃　she　said；　before　she　threw　the　doll　in　a　brook。　After　that　the　girl　stopped　pestering　her；　and　Arya　spent　her　days　grooming　Craven　and　Stranger　or　walking　in　the　woods。　Sometimes　she　would　find　a　stick　and　practice　her　needlework；　but　then　she　would　remember　what　had　happened　at　the　Twins　and　smash　it　against　a　tree　until　it　broke。
　〃Might　be　we　should　stay　here　awhile；〃　the　Hound　told　her；　after　a　fortnight。　He　was　drunk　on　ale；　but　more　brooding　than　sleepy。　〃We'd　never　reach　the　Eyrie；　and　the　Freys　will　still　be　hunting　survivors　in　the　riverlands。　Sounds　like　they　need　swords　here；　with　these　clansmen　raiding。　We　can　rest　up；　maybe　find　a　way　to　get　a　letter　to　your　aunt。〃　Arya's　face　darkened　when　she　heard　that。　She　didn't　want　to　stay；　but　there　was　nowhere　to　go；　either。　The　next　morning；　when　the　Hound　went　off　to　chop　down　trees　and　haul　logs；　she　crawled　back　into　bed。
　But　when　the　work　was　done　and　the　tall　wooden　palisade　was　finished；　the　village　elder　made　it　plain　that　there　was　no　place　for　them。　〃e　winter；　we　will　be　hard　pressed　to　feed　our　own；〃　he　explained。　〃And　you　。　。　。　a　man　like　you　brings　blood　with　him。〃
　Sandor's　mouth　tightened。　〃So　you　do　know　who　I　am。〃
　〃Aye。　We　don't　get　travelers　here；　that's　so；　but　we　go　to　market；　and　to　fairs。　We　know　about　King　Joffrey's　dog。〃
　〃When　these　Stone　Crows　e　calling；　you　might　be　glad　to　have　a　dog。〃
　〃Might　be。〃　The　man　hesitated；　then　gathered　up　his　courage。　〃But　they　say　you　lost　your　belly　for　fighting　at　the　Blackwater。　They　say…〃
　〃I　know　what　they　say。〃　Sandor's　voice　sounded　like　two　woodsaws　grinding　together。　〃Pay　me；　and　we'll　be　gone。〃
　When　they　left；　the　Hound　had　a　pouch　full　of　coppers；　a　skin　of　sour　ale；　and　a　new　sword。　It　was　a　very　old　sword；　if　truth　be　told；　though　new　to　him。　He　swapped　its　owner　the　longaxe　he'd　taken　at　the　Twins；　the　one　he'd　used　to　raise　the　lump　on　Arya's　head。