"Mance Rayder knows he must battle the Watch," Thoren had declared,

“曼斯·雷德很清楚自己必须与守夜人一战，”索伦宣布，

"but he will never look for us so far north.

“但他绝不会料到我们会深入极北。

If we ride up the Milkwater, we can take him unawares and cut his host to ribbons before he knows we are on him."

如果咱们顺着乳河主动出击，定能出其不意，攻其不备，彻底粉碎他的军队。”

"The numbers would be greatly against us,"

“你别忘了，咱们众寡悬殊，”

Ser Ottyn had objected.

奥廷爵士反对，

"Craster said he was gathering a great host.

“卡斯特说过，他正集结一支庞大的军队，

Many thousands.

成千上万。

Without Qhorin, we are only two hundred."

而不算科林的人，我们才两百。”

"Send two hundred wolves against ten thousand sheep, ser, and see what happens,"

“爵士先生，让两百头狼和一万只绵羊打，你瞧会是什么结果，”

said Smallwood confidently.

斯莫伍德坚定地说。

"There are goats among these sheep, Thoren," warned Jarman Buckwell.

“这群绵羊里也有不好对付的山羊，索伦，”贾曼·布克威尔告诫，

"Aye, and maybe a few lions.

“瞧，说不定还有几头狮子。

Rattleshirt, Harma the Dogshead, Alfyn Crowkiller..."

‘叮当衫’，‘狗头’哈犸，‘猎鸦’阿夫因……”

"I know them as well as you do, Buckwell,"

“我和你一样清楚他们的存在，布克威尔，”

Thoren Smallwood snapped back.

索伦·斯莫伍德不等对方说完。

"And I mean to have their heads, every one.

“但这次我能砍下他们的脑袋，砍下他们每个人的脑袋。

These are wildlings. No soldiers.

想想看，他们都是野人，不是军人，

A few hundred heroes, drunk most like, amidst a great horde of women, children, and thralls.

就算有几个了得人物，这会儿只怕也喝得醉醺醺，带着一大窝女人、小孩和奴隶赶路呢。

We will sweep over them and send them howling back to their hovels."

我们能扫荡他们，让他们嚎闹着滚回烂茅屋去！”

They had argued for many hours, and reached no agreement.

他们争执多时，却没有达成任何一致。

The Old Bear was too stubborn to retreat, but neither would he rush headlong up the Milkwater, seeking battle.

熊老执意不肯撤退，也不愿轻率地踏上乳河的征途，贸然求战。

In the end, nothing had been decided but to wait a few more days for the men from the Shadow Tower,

最后，大家只同意再等些时日，看影子塔的队伍能否出现，

and talk again if they did not appear.

之后再做商议。

And now they had, which meant that the decision could be delayed no longer.

如今他们来了，这意味着作决定的时刻已经到来。

Jon was glad of that much, at least.

不管别人怎么想，至少琼恩甚感欣慰。

If they must battle Mance Rayder, let it be soon.

如果非与曼斯·雷德一战不可，就让它快快到来吧。

He found Dolorous Edd at the fire,

忧郁的艾迪坐在营火边，

complaining about how difficult it was for him to sleep when people insisted on blowing horns in the woods.

抱怨别的家伙真是太不贴心，非要深更半夜在树林里吹号，闹得他失眠。

Jon gave him something new to complain about.

琼恩带来的命令给了他新的抱怨题材。

Together they woke Hake, who received the Lord Commander's orders with a stream of curses,

他们一同唤醒哈克，将司令大人的指示下达给他。对方嘴里唠叨不休，

but got up all the same and soon had a dozen brothers cutting roots for a soup.

但手脚也没闲着，很快叫来十几个兄弟挖菜根煮汤。

Sam came puffing up as Jon crossed the camp.

琼恩穿越营区时，山姆打着呵欠迎上来，

Under the black hood his face was as pale and round as the moon.

漆黑的兜帽下，他苍白的圆脸活像一轮满月。

"I heard the horn. Has your uncle come back?"

“我听到号声。是你叔叔回来了吗？”