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I should have known that was too much to ask of a childkiller.”
我早该知道和残杀儿童的人之间没什么好说的。 ”
His hand went to the hilt of his sword.
他手按剑柄，
“I ought cut you down here and now and put an end to your lies and deceits.
“我真该立时将你砍翻在地，就此终止这无穷无尽的谎言与欺骗。
By the gods, I should.”
以天上诸神之名，我办得到！”
Theon did not fear a doddering old man, but those watching archers and that line of knights were a different matter.
席恩并不害怕一个摇摇晃晃的老头，但附近凝神观望的弓箭手和骑兵队列不是闹着玩的。
If the swords came out his chances of getting back to the castle alive were small to none.
只要刀剑一现，他活着回城的希望便荡然无存。
“Forswear your oath and murder me, and you will watch your little Beth strangle at the end of a rope.”
“你就违约谋杀我吧！你的小贝丝就会被吊绳活活勒死。”
Ser Rodrik’s knuckles had gone white, but after a moment he took his hand off the swordhilt.
罗德利克爵士的指关节捏成了惨白，良久，他终于放开剑柄。
“Truly, I have lived too long.”
“老实讲，我活得够长了。”
“I will not disagree, ser.
“深有同感，爵士。
Will you accept my terms?”
您接不接受我的条件？”
“I have a duty to Lady Catelyn and House Stark.”
“我对凯特琳夫人和史塔克家族负有责任。”
“And your own House?
“对您自己的家族呢？
Beth is the last of your blood.”
贝丝可是您最后的血脉。”
The old knight drew himself up straight.
老骑士挺直腰板。
“I offer myself in my daughter’s place.
“我愿用自己来交换女儿。
Release her, and take me as your hostage.
放了她，拿我当人质。
Surely the castellan of Winterfell is worth more than a child.”
临冬城代理城主肯定比一个小孩价值大。”
“Not to me.”
“对我来说并非如此。”
A valiant gesture, old man, but I am not that great a fool.
高贵而英勇的举动，老头子，但我不是傻瓜。
“Not to Lord Manderly or Leobald Tallhart either, I’d wager.”
“我敢打赌，对曼德勒伯爵和兰巴德·陶哈来说也并非如此。”
Your sorry old skin is worth no more to them than any other man’s.
你这身老骨头对他们而言不值一哂。
“No, I’ll keep the girl … and keep her safe, so long as you do as I’ve commanded you.
“不，我会留着女孩……并保证她的安全，只要你遵命行事。
Her life is in your hands.”
记住，她的性命取决于你。”
“Gods be good, Theon, how can you do this?
“诸神在上，席恩，你怎忍心做出这种事？
You know I must attack, have sworn …”
你明知我非攻城不可，我宣誓……”
“If this host is still in arms before my gate when the sun sets, Beth will hang,” said Theon.
“日落之时，你还在城下磨刀霍霍，我就吊死贝丝。”席恩说，
“Another hostage will follow her to the grave at first light, and another at sunset.
“若继续不退，明天天亮前我处死第二名人质，日落时处死第三名。
Every dawn and every dusk will mean a death, until you are gone.
从今往后，每一个清晨，每一个黄昏，都意味一个人质的死亡，直到你撤军为止。
I have no lack of hostages.”
你知道，我手中人质多的是。”
He did not wait for a reply, but wheeled Smiler around and rode back toward the castle.
他不等对方回答，便掉转笑星的马头，返回城堡。
He went slowly at first, but the thought of those archers at his back soon drove him to a canter.
起初他骑得较慢，随即想到身后大群的弓箭手，便忍不住踢马开跑。
The small heads watched him come from their spikes, their tarred and flayed faces looming larger with every yard;
两个幼小的头颅依然在远处的枪尖守望他，随着距离接近，那剥去脸皮又浸过焦油的面孔越变越大——
between them stood little Beth Cassel, noosed and crying.
小贝丝就站在他们之间，颈套绳索，哭泣不止。
