He had a duty to Robert, to the realm, to the shade of Jon Arryn...and to Bran, who surely must have stumbled on some part of the truth. 他要对劳勃负责，更要对整个国家，对死去的琼恩·艾林……对布兰负责。那孩子肯定是无意之中听见部分事实，

　　Why else would they have tried to slay him? 否则他们何必杀他灭口？

　　Late that afternoon he summoned Tomard, the portly guardsman with the ginger-colored whiskers his children called Fat Tom. 当天傍晚，他把身材粗壮，留着淡黄胡须，被他的孩子们戏称为“胖汤姆”的守卫托马德找来。

　　With Jory dead and Alyn gone, Fat Tom had command of his household guard.  由于乔里已死，埃林又出门在外，胖汤姆便成了他的侍卫队长。

　　The thought filled Ned with vague disquiet. 想到这奈德觉得些微不安，

　　Tomard was a solid man; affable, loyal, tireless, capable in a limited way, 托马德是个很可靠的人，待人和蔼可亲，忠心耿耿，不辞辛劳，某些地方还算能干，

　　but he was near fifty, and even in his youth he had never been energetic. 但他已年近五十，而即使年轻时也算不上精力充沛。

　　Perhaps Ned should not have been so quick to send off half his guard, and all his best swords among them. 或许奈德不该这么轻易地送走半数侍卫，那些可都是他手下最精良的战士。

　　I shall require your help, Ned said when Tomard appeared, looking faintly apprehensive, as he always did when called before his lord. “我需要你帮忙，”托马德进门时，奈德对他说。胖汤姆每当被主人传唤，总有些惴惴不安，这回也不例外。

　　"Take me to the godswood." “扶我去神木林。”

　　Is that wise, Lord Eddard? With your leg and all... “艾德大人，这样好吗？您脚这个样子……”

　　Perhaps not. But necessary. “或许不好，但我必须这么做。”

　　Tomard summoned Varly. With one arm around each man's shoulders, Ned managed to descend the steep tower steps and hobble across the bailey.  托马德叫来瓦利，奈德一手扶一人的肩膀，勉强走下高塔陡峭的楼梯，跛着脚穿过内城。

　　"I want the guard doubled," he told Fat Tom.  “将守卫班次加倍，”他告诉胖汤姆。

　　"No one enters or leaves the Tower of the Hand without my leave." “未经我允许，任何人不准进出首相塔。”

　　Tom blinked. "M'lord, with Alyn and the others away, we are hard-pressed already..." 汤姆眨眨眼。“老爷，眼下少了埃林他们，我们的人手很吃紧——”