The north went on forever. 北境漫漫，一望无涯。

　　Tyrion Lannister knew the maps as well as anyone,  提利昂·兰尼斯特虽然熟读地图，

　　but a fortnight on the wild track that passed for the kingsroad up here had brought home the lesson  但经过两周以来的一径北行，他深切体会到地图上说的是一回事，

　　that the map was one thing and the land quite another. 实际上却另有蹊跷。

　　They had left Winterfell on the same day as the king, amidst all the commotion of the royal departure,  他们和国王的队伍于同一天离开临冬城，冒着细雪，

　　riding out to the sound of men shouting and horses snorting, to the rattle of wagons and the groaning of the queen’s huge wheelhouse,  穿过那一片人声马嘶、马车嘎吱和王后轮宫的呻吟

　　as a light snow flurried about them. The kingsroad was just beyond the sprawl of castle and town.  。国王大道紧邻着主堡和城下市镇。

　　There the banners and the wagons and the columns of knights and freeriders turned south, taking the tumult with them, 国王的旗帜与车队，骑士和自由骑手就在该处转向南行，

　　while Tyrion turned north with Benjen Stark and his nephew. 提利昂则与班扬·史塔克和琼恩叔侄二人往北走。

　　It had grown colder after that, and far more quiet. 在那之后，天气越趋凄冷，四周更显沉寂。

　　West of the road were flint hills, grey and rugged, with tall watchtowers on their stony summits.  国王大道逐渐变成一条比森林小路大不了多少的小径。道路西边是崎岖的灰岩丘陵，矮丘顶高耸着一座座守望台。

　　To the east the land was lower, the ground flattening to a rolling plain that stretched away as far as the eye could see.  东边则地势低缓，平坦旷野无限伸展，直至极目尽头。

　　Stone bridges spanned swift, narrow rivers, while small farms spread in rings around holdfasts walled in wood and stone.  石桥跨越汹涌的狭窄激流，农场围绕石墙木梁的聚落。

　　The road was well trafficked, and at night for their comfort there were rude inns to be found. 路上来往颇为频繁，日落后极易找到歇脚旅店。