Benjen gave Jon a careful, measuring look. You don't miss much, do you, Jon? We could use a man like you on the Wall. 班扬仔细地审视了琼恩一番，说：琼恩，什么事都逃不过你眼光，是么？我们长城守军很需要你这样的人才。

Jon swelled¹ with pride. Robb is a stronger lance than I am, 琼恩骄傲地说：罗柏用起长枪来比我有力，

but I'm the better sword, and Hullen says I sit a horse as well as anyone in the castle. 但是我剑使得比较好，胡伦还说我的骑术在城里也是数一数二。

Notable achievements. 的确很不容易。

Take me with you when you go back to the Wall, Jon said in a sudden rush. 你回去的时候，带我一道走罢。琼恩突然激动起来，

Father will give me leave to go if you ask him, I know he will. 只要你去跟父亲大人说，他一定会同意，我知道他一定会。

Uncle Benjen studied his face carefully. The Wall is a hard place for a boy, Jon. 班扬叔叔再度审视他的脸庞，琼恩，对一个男孩子来说，长城是个很艰苦的地方。

I am almost a man grown, Jon protested. I will turn fifteen on my next name day, 我差不多成年了，琼恩辩解，下个命名日我就满十五岁，

and Maester Luwin says bastards² grow up faster than other children. 而且鲁温师傅说私生子会比其他孩子长得快。

That's true enough, Benjen said with a downward twist of his mouth. 这倒是真的。班扬的嘴角向下微翘，

He took Jon's cup from the table, filled it fresh from a nearby pitcher³, and drank down a long swallow. 他从桌上拿起琼恩的酒杯，斟满葡萄酒，深吸一口。

Daeren Targaryen was only fourteen when he conquered Dorne, Jon said. The Young Dragon was one of his heroes. 戴伦·坦格利安征服多恩领的时候也不过十四岁。琼恩又说。传说中的年轻龙王是他心目中的英雄。

A conquest that lasted a summer, his uncle pointed⁴ out. 那场仗可是打了一整个夏天，叔叔提醒道，

Your Boy King lost ten thousand men taking the place, and another fifty trying to hold it. 你说的这个年轻国王，为了攻下多恩，死了一万人，后来为了守住它，又死了五万人。

Someone should have told him that war isn't a game. He took another sip⁵ of wine. 应该有人告诉他，战争可不是儿戏。他又啜了口酒，抹抹嘴，

Also, he said, wiping his mouth, Daeren Targaryen was only eighteen when he died. Or have you forgotten that part? 而且，戴伦·坦格利安十八岁就英年早逝，你该不会忘记这一部分吧？