As they made their way south, staying well clear of towns and holdfasts, they had seen bands of mailed men more than once, and glimpsed smoke on the eastern horizon, but none had dared molest them. They were too weak to be a threat, too many to be easy prey. Once across the Blackwater, the worst was behind. For the past four days, they had seen no signs of war.
他们一路南下,远离市镇和城堡,不时邂逅成群的武装人员,瞥见东方地平线上滚滚浓烟。无人前来骚扰。作为威胁他们人太少,当成猎物他们人太多。就这样,他们终于安然渡过黑水河,将混乱的江山抛在马后。自此四天以来,没有一丝一毫战争的迹象。
Catelyn had never wanted this. She had told Robb as much, back in Riverrun. "When last I saw Renly, he was a boy no older than Bran. I do not know him. Send someone else. My place is here with my father, for whatever time he has left."
此行并非凯特琳的意思。在奔流城,她和罗柏争辩了许多。“我上次见到蓝礼时,他还没你弟弟布兰大。我根本就不了解他。派别人去。我有责任留在这里陪伴父亲,直到他的时辰最后到来。”
Her son had looked at her unhappily. "There is no one else. I cannot go myself. Your father's too ill. The Blackfish is my eyes and ears, I dare not lose him. Your brother I need to hold Riverrun when we march—"
儿子不悦地望着她。“没别人可派。我不可能亲自去。你父亲病得太厉害。黑鱼则是我的耳目,我不能缺了他。至于你弟弟,我需要他坐镇奔流城,当我们进军——”
"March?" No one had said a word to her of marching.
“进军?”没人跟她提过进军。
"I cannot sit at Riverrun waiting for peace. It makes me look as if I were afraid to take the field again. When there are no battles to fight, men start to think of hearth and harvest, Father told me that. Even my northmen grow restless."
“我不能枯坐奔流城,等待和平,这会授人以柄,教世人说我害怕再上战场。父亲教导过我,无仗可打时,士兵就会思念壁炉和丰收……近来,我的北军也开始焦躁不宁。”
My northmen, she thought. He is even starting to talk like a king. "No one has ever died of restlessness, but rashness is another matter. We've planted seeds, let them grow."
我的北军,她品味着,他连说话的方式都开始变得像个国王。“焦躁不宁不会导致伤亡,轻率卤莽却大不一样。我们播下了种子,应该耐心等待它们成长。”