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Robb lifted the heavy axe with both hands.
羅柏雙手舉起沉重的斧頭，
“Here in sight of gods and men, I judge you guilty of murder and high treason.
“在諸神與世人的見證下，我，北境之王羅柏，
In mine own name I condemn you.
以謀殺與叛亂的罪名宣判你死刑，
With mine own hand I take your life.
并親自執行。
Would you speak a final word?”
你可有話說？”
“Kill me, and be cursed.
“快快殺了我，接受詛咒吧。
You are no king of mine.”
你再也不是我的國王。”
The axe crashed down.
利斧揮下，
Heavy and well-honed, it killed at a single blow,
沉重而精確，一擊致命。
but it took three to sever the man’s head from his body, and by the time it was done both living and dead were drenched in blood.
但國王連斬了三次才將頭顱與軀體分開，此時，死人和活人都渾身浴血。
Robb flung the poleaxe down in disgust, and turned wordless to the heart tree.
羅柏厭惡地甩開斧頭，無言地走到心樹前，渾身發抖。
He stood shaking with his hands half-clenched and the rain running down his cheeks.
他的雙拳緊緊握攏，臉龐則有雨水如注流下。
Gods forgive him, Catelyn prayed in silence.
諸神饒恕他，凱特琳默默地祈禱，
He is only a boy, and he had no other choice.
他還是個孩子，他別無選擇。
That was the last she saw of her son that day.
那是她當天最后一次見到兒子。
The rain continued all through the morning, lashing the surface of the rivers and turning the godswood grass into mud and puddles.
雨，整個上午都在下，河流高漲，神木林的草地成為水鄉澤國。
The Blackfish assembled a hundred men and rode out after Karstarks, but no one expected he would bring back many.
黑魚率百名精銳，飛騎追趕卡史塔克的部眾，但無人期待會有成果。
“I only pray I do not need to hang them,” he said as he departed.
“只希望不要逼我吊死他們，”布林登離開時說。
When he was gone, Catelyn retreated to her father’s solar, to sit once more beside Lord Hoster’s bed.
他走后，凱特琳回到父親的房間，再次坐在霍斯特公爵的床前。
“It will not be much longer,”
“撐不久了，”
Maester Vyman warned her, when he came that afternoon.
維曼學士下午來照料公爵時告誡她，
“His last strength is going, though still he tries to fight.”
“他的力量已完全消失，只是心里還不肯放棄。“
“He was ever a fighter,” she said.
“他一直都是戰士，”他的女兒回答，
“A sweet stubborn man.”
“一個既可愛又頑固的人。”
“Yes,” the maester said, “but this battle he cannot win.
“沒錯，”師傅同意，“但這場戰斗他是無法取勝的。
It is time he lay down his sword and shield. Time to yield.”
如今，到了放下武器，向命運屈服的時候了。”
To yield, she thought, to make a peace.
放下武器，她秣然心驚，向命運屈服。
Was it her father the maester was speaking of, or her son?
他是在說我父親，還是指的我兒子？
At evenfall, Jeyne Westerling came to see her.
黃昏時分，簡妮·維斯特林過來見她。
The young queen entered the solar timidly.
年輕的王后羞赧地走進病房。
“Lady Catelyn, I do not mean to disturb you …”
“凱特琳夫人，我不該打擾您……”
“You are most welcome here, Your Grace.”
“非常歡迎您，陛下。”
Catelyn had been sewing, but she put the needle aside now.
凱特琳正在縫紉，連忙放下工具。
“Please. Call me Jeyne.
“謝謝您，請叫我簡妮吧，
I don’t feel like a Grace.”
我不習慣那些稱呼。”
“You are one, nonetheless.
“不管怎么說，您的確是王后呀。
Please, come sit, Your Grace.”
來，請坐，陛下。”
“Jeyne.”
“叫我簡妮就好，”
She sat by the hearth and smoothed her skirt out anxiously.
王后坐到壁爐邊，緊張地整整裙子。
“As you wish.
“如您所愿。
How might I serve you, Jeyne?”
您找我做什么，簡妮？”
“It’s Robb,” the girl said.
“是羅柏，”女孩開口道，
“He’s so miserable, so … so angry and disconsolate.
“他好可憐，他……又孤獨又憤怒。
I don’t know what to do.”
我不知怎么做才好。”
“It is a hard thing to take a man’s life.”
“殺人總是很難。”
“I know. I told him, he should use a headsman.
“我明白，我勸他用劊子手。
When Lord Tywin sends a man to die, all he does is give the command.
您知道，每當泰溫公爵要取人性命，只需下令就行。
It’s easier that way, don’t you think?”
這樣容易多了，不是嗎？”
“Yes,” said Catelyn, “but my lord husband taught his sons that killing should never be easy.”
“的確，”凱特琳道，“但我夫君教導我兒子不可以殺戮為樂，亦不能逃避責任。”
“Oh.” Queen Jeyne wet her lips.
“噢，”簡妮王后舔舔嘴唇，
“Robb has not eaten all day.
“羅柏他……整天都沒吃東西。
I had Rollam bring him a nice supper, boar’s ribs and stewed onions and ale, but he never touched a bite of it.
我叫洛拉姆送去一頓豐盛的晚餐，有烤野豬肋條、墩洋蔥和淡啤酒，但他一點沒動。
He spent all morning writing a letter and told me not to disturb him, but when the letter was done he burned it.
整個上午，他都在寫信，還叫我別打擾，可等終于寫完，又一把火將信燒掉。
Now he is sitting and looking at maps.
而今，他就坐在地圖前，默默地查看，
I asked him what he was looking for, but he never answered.
我問他找什么，他也不說，
I don’t think he ever heard me.
我覺得他根本就沒聽見我的話。
He wouldn’t even change out of his clothes.
他沒更衣，
They were damp all day, and bloody.
還穿著早晨那身濕漉漉、血淋淋的服裝。
