4．EDDARD 第四章艾德

The visitors poured through the castle gates in a river of gold and silver and polished steel, 来访的队伍如同一条由金、银和钢铁交融而成的璀璨河流，浩浩荡荡涌进城堡大门。

three hundred strong, a pride of bannermen and knights¹, of sworn swords and freeriders. 他们为数一共三百，由让人引以为傲的家臣、骑士和流浪武士所组成。

Over their heads a dozen golden banners whipped back and forth² in the northern wind, emblazoned with the crowned stag of Baratheon. 冰冷的北风拍打著他们头顶高举的十数面金色旗帜，上头绣了象徵拜拉锡安家族的宝冠雄鹿。

Ned knew many of the riders. 队伍中有不少奈德熟悉的面孔。

There came Ser Jaime Lannister with hair as bright as beaten gold, and there Sandor Clegane with his terrible burned face. 一头亮眼金发的是詹姆·兰尼斯特爵士，以及脸曾被烧伤的桑铎·克里冈。

The tall boy beside him could only be the crown prince, and that stunted³ little man behind them was surely the Imp⁴, Tyrion Lannister. 他身旁的高大男孩一定是王储，而他们身後的那个畸形矮子则毫无疑问是「小恶魔」提利昂·兰尼斯特了。

Yet the huge man at the head of the column, flanked by two knights in the snow-white cloaks of the Kingsguard, 然而那个走在队列前头，两名雪白披风御林铁卫随侍左右的人，

seemed almost a stranger to Ned. until he vaulted⁵ off the back of his warhorse with a familiar roar, 在奈德眼里竟像个陌生人。一亘到对方翻身跳下战马，发出熟悉的大声呐喊，

and crushed him in a bone-crunching hug. “Ned! Ah, but it is good to see that frozen face of yours.” 然後一把抱住他，差点把他全身骨头拆散，他才认出来者是谁。"奈德！啊，见到你更好，尤其是看到你那张冻得发紫的脸。"

The king looked him over top to bottom, and laughed. “You have not changed at all.” 国王仔细地上下打量他一番，然後朗声笑道：「你真是一点都没变。」

Would that Ned had been able to say the same. Fifteen years past, when they had ridden forth to win a throne, 要是奈德也能对他说同样的话就好了。十五年前，当他们并肩为王位奋战的时候，

the Lord of Storm's End had been clean-shaven, clear-eyed, and muscled like a maiden's fantasy. 这位风息堡公爵是个面容修整干净，眼神清澄，如同怀春少女梦寐以求的精壮男子。

Six and a half feet tall, he towered over lesser⁶ men, 他身高六尺五寸，有如巍然巨塔般鹤立鸡群。

and when he donned his armor and the great antlered helmet of his House, 当他身披战甲，头戴双叉鹿角巨盔，

he became a veritable giant. He'd had a giant's strength too, 则成了个名副其实的巨人。他的力气也不输巨人，

his weapon of choice a spiked⁷ iron warhammer that Ned could scarcely lift. 惯用的那柄铁刺战锤连奈德都只能勉强举起。

In those days, the smell of leather and blood had clung to him like perfume. 在那些个日子里，皮革和血的气味就像香水般和他如影随形。