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Stannis would be camped with his lords on the south bank of the river,
史坦尼斯带着诸侯部属在南岸扎营等候，想必沸腾着无奈的怒火，
doubtless seething with impatience and wondering what Ser Imry had done with his fleet.
猜疑伊姆瑞爵士将他的舰队带往了何方。
Off Merling Rock two days before, they had sighted a half-dozen fishing skiffs.
两天前，通过美人鱼礁时，他们遇见五六艘小渔船。
The fisherfolk had fled before them, but one by one they had been overtaken and boarded.
渔民们一见大船便分头逃窜，最后还是被一个个抓获，关进船舱。
“A small spoon of victory is just the thing to settle the stomach before battle,” Ser Imry had declared happily.
“一小匙胜利，大战前的开胃菜，”伊姆瑞爵士兴高采烈地宣布，
“It makes the men hungry for a larger helping.”
“有助于我们放开肚皮，打扫正餐。”
But Davos had been more interested in what the captives had to say about the defenses at King’s Landing.
戴佛斯只关心俘虏吐露的君临守备情况。
The dwarf had been busy building some sort of boom to close off the mouth of the river,
侏儒似乎忙着修筑某种铁索以堵住河口，
though the fishermen differed as to whether the work had been completed or not.
然而渔民们众说纷纭，弄不清障碍物是否完工。
He found himself wishing it had.
他暗暗希望有铁索横江，
If the river was closed to them, Ser Imry would have no choice but to pause and take stock.
如果河道上不去，伊姆瑞爵士便别无选择，必须停下来，做好整顿。
The sea was full of sound: shouts and calls, warhorns and drums and the trill of pipes,
海上众声喧嚣，充斥着吼叫、呼喊，号角、鼓声和笛子的颤音，
the slap of wood on water as thousands of oars rose and fell.
还有成千的木桨起落击水的声响。
“Keep line,” Davos shouted.
“保持阵线，”戴佛斯喊道。
A gust of wind tugged at his old green cloak.
一阵海风牵起他老旧的绿披风，
A jerkin of boiled leather and a pothelm at his feet were his only armor.
他没穿铠甲，只罩了件皮背心，脚边搁着一顶圆盔。
At sea, heavy steel was as like to cost a man his life as to save it, he believed.
在海上，沉重的盔甲不但不能救人于水火，反而会断送性命，对此他坚信不疑。
Ser Imry and the other highborn captains did not share his view;
伊姆瑞爵士和其他出身高贵的船长却不这么看，
they glittered as they paced their decks.
他们在甲板上走来走去，身上的铠甲闪烁着光芒。
Harridan and Seahorse had slipped into their places now, and Lord Celtigar’s Red Claw beyond them.
此时，老妇人号和海马号已就位，赛提加大人的红蟹号也即将就绪。
To starboard of Allard’s Lady Marya were the three galleys that Stannis had seized from the unfortunate Lord Sunglass,
阿拉德的玛瑞亚夫人号右舷是史坦尼斯从不幸的桑格拉斯伯爵手中夺来的三艘战舰：
Piety, Prayer, and Devotion, their decks crawling with archers.
虔诚号，祈祷号和奉献号，她们甲板上排满弓箭手。
Even Swordfish was closing, lumbering and rolling through a thickening sea under both oars and sail.
连剑鱼号也已驶近，她帆桨并用，摇摇摆摆地在洋面挪动。
A ship of that many oars ought to be much faster, Davos reflected with disapproval.
一艘如此多桨的大船本可行得更快，戴佛斯不以为然地想。
It’s that ram she carries, it’s too big, she has no balance.
一定是撞锤的缘故，它实在太大，使她失去了平衡。
The wind was gusting from the south, but under oars it made no matter.
现下是南风，但由于舰队换帆用桨，所以行动没受什么影响。
They would be sweeping in on the flood tide,
他们将跟着潮水长驱直入，
but the Lannisters would have the river current to their favor, and the Blackwater Rush flowed strong and swift where it met the sea.
但一旦入河，优势便会逆转，兰尼斯特军势必会好好利用河道激流，众所周知，黑水河入海处的水流又强又急。
