sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第17部分

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she　looked　back　through　the　telescope　again　and　took　some　heart　in　the　slowing　of　the　work　as　the　last　light　faded；　though　at　the　same　time　　she　felt　a　pang　of　sympathy　for　the　poor　people　the　dead　had　enslaved。　many　would　probably　freeze　to　death；　or　die　of　exhaustion；　only　to　be　brought　back　as　dull…witted　hands。　only　those　who　went　over　the　waterfall　would　escape　that　fate。　truly；　the　old　kingdom　was　a　terrible　place；　when　even　death　did　not　mean　an　end　to　slavery　and　despair。

鈥渋s　there　another　way　out？鈥潯�she　asked；　swivelling　the　telescope　around　　degrees　to　look　at　the　northern　bank。　there　were　stepping…stones　going　there；　too；　and　another　door　high　on　the　riverbank；　but　there　were　also　dark　shapes　clustered　on　the　ledge　by　the　door。　four　or　five　shadow　hands；　too　many　for　sabriel　to　fight　through　alone。

鈥渋t　seems　not；鈥潯�she　answered　herself　grimly。

鈥渨hat　of　defenses；　then？　can　the　sendings　fight？鈥�

鈥渢he　sendings　don鈥檛　need　to　fight；鈥潯�replied　mogget。　鈥渇or　there　is　another　defense；　though　it　is　a　rather　constrictive　one。　and　there　is　one　other　way　out；　though　you　probably　won鈥檛　like　it。鈥�

the　sending　next　to　her　nodded　and　pantomimed　something　with　its　arm　that　looked　like　　a　snake　wiggling　through　grass。

鈥渨hat鈥檚　that？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　fighting　back　a　sudden　urge　to　break　into　hysterical　laughter。

鈥渢he　defense　or　the　way　out？鈥�

鈥渢he　defense；鈥潯�replied　mogget。　鈥渢he　river　itself。　it　can　be　invoked　to　rise　almost　to　the　height　of　the　island　walls鈥攆our　times　your　height　above　the　stepping…stones。　nothing　can　pass　such　a　flood；　in　or　out；　till　it　subsides；　in　a　matter　of　weeks。鈥�

鈥渟o　how　would　i　get　out？鈥潯�asked　sabriel。　鈥渋　can鈥檛　wait　weeks！鈥�

鈥渙ne　of　your　ancestors　built　a　flying　device。　a　paperwing；　she　called　it。　you　can　use　that；　launched　out　over　the　waterfall。鈥�

鈥渙h；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　in　a　little　voice。

鈥渋f　you　do　wish　to　raise　the　river；鈥潯�mogget　continued；　as　if　he　hadn鈥檛　noticed　sabriel鈥檚　sudden　silence；　鈥渢hen　we　must　begin　the　ritual　immediately。　the　flood　es　from　meltwater　and　the　mountains　are　many　leagues　upstream。　if　we　call　the　waters　now；　the　flood　will　be　on　us　by　dusk　tomorrow。鈥�

xi锛�oshuotx锛础�c锛�锛�



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銆傚皬锛胯�达伎txt澶╁爞
the　arrival　of　the　floodwaters　was　heralded　by　great　chunks　of　ice　that　came　battering　against　the　wooden　bridge　of　grave　dirt　boxes　like　storm…borne　icebergs　ramming　anchored　ships。　ice　shattered；　wood　splintered；　a　regular　drumming　that　beat　out　a　warning；　announcing　the　great　wave　that　followed　the　outriding　ice。

dead　hands　and　living　slaves　scurried　back　along　the　coffin　bridge；　the　dead鈥檚　shadowy　bodies　losing　shape　as　they　ran；　so　they　became　like　long；　thick　worms　of　black　crepe；　squirming　and　sliding　over　rocks　and　boxes；　throwing　human　slaves　aside　without　mercy；　desperate　to　escape　the　destruction　that　came　roaring　down　the　river。

sabriel；　watching　from　the　tower；　felt　the　people　die；　convulsively　swallowing　as　she　sensed　their　last　breaths　gurgling；　sucking　water　instead　of　air。　some　of　them；　at　least　two　pairs；　had　deliberately　thrown　themselves　into　the　river；　choosing　a　final　death；　rather　than　risk　eternal　bondage。　most　had　been　knocked；　pushed　or　simply　scared　aside　by　the　dead。

the　wavefront　of　the　flood　came　swiftly　after　the　ice；　shouting　as　it　came；　a　higher；　fiercer　roar　than　the　deep　bellow　of　the　waterfall。　sabriel　heard　it　for　several　seconds　before　it　rounded　the　last　bend　of　the　river；　then　suddenly；　it　was　almost　upon　her。　a　huge；　vertical　wall　of　water；　with　chunks　of　ice　on　its　crest　like　marble　battlements　and　all　the　debris　of　four　hundred　miles　swilling　about　in　its　muddy　body。　it　looked　enormous；　far　taller　than　the　island鈥檚　walls；　taller　even　than　the　tower　where　sabriel　stared；　shocked　at　the　power　she　had　unleashed；　a　power　she　had　hardly　dreamed　possible　when　she鈥檇　summoned　it　the　night　before。

it　had　been　a　simple　enough　summoning。

mogget　had　taken　her　to　the　cellar　and　then　down　a　winding；　narrow　stair；　that　grew　colder　and　colder　as　they　descended。　finally；　they　　reached　a　strange　grotto；　where　icicles　hung　and　sabriel鈥檚　breath　blew　clouds　of　white；　but　it　was　no　longer　cold；　or　perhaps　so　cold　she　no　longer　felt　it。　a　block　of　pure；　blue…white　ice　stood　upon　a　stone　pedestal；　both　limned　with　charter　marks；　marks　strange　and　beautiful。

then；　following　mogget鈥檚　instruction；　she鈥檇　simply　placed　her　hand　on　the　ice；　and　said；　鈥渁bhorsen　pays　her　respects　to　the　clayr；　and　requests　the　gift　of　water。鈥潯�that　was　all。　they鈥檇　gone　back　up　the　stairs；　a　sending　locked　the　cellar　door　behind　them；　and　another　brought　sabriel　a　nightshirt　and　a　cup　of　hot　chocolate。

but　that　simple　ceremony　had　summoned　something　that　seemed　totally　out　of　control。

sabriel　watched　the　wave　racing　towards　them；　trying　to　calm　herself；　but　her　breath　raced　in　and　out　as　quickly　as　her　stomach　flipped　over。

just　as　the　wave　hit；　she　screamed　and　ducked　under　the　telescope。

the　whole　tower　shook；　stones　screeching　as　they　moved；　and　for　a　moment；　even　the　sound　of　the　waterfall　was　lost　in　a　crack　that　sounded　as　if　the　island　had　been　leveled　by　the　first　shock　of　the　wave。

but；　after　a　few　seconds；　the　floor　stopped　　shaking；　and　the　crash　of　the　flood　subsided　to　a　controlled　roar；　like　a　shouting　drunk　made　aware　of　pany。　sabriel　hauled　herself　up　the　tripod　and　opened　her　eyes。

the　walls　had　held；　and　though　now　the　wave　was　past；　the　river　still　raged　a　mere　handspan　below　the　island鈥檚　defenses　and　was　almost　up　to　the　tunnel　doors　on　either　bank。

there　was　no　sign　of　the　stepping…stones；　the　coffin　bridge；　the　dead；　or　any　people鈥攋ust　a　wide；　brown　rushing　torrent；　carrying　debris　of　all　descriptions。　trees；　bushes；　parts　of　buildings；　livestock；　chunks　of　ice鈥攖he　flood　had　claimed　its　tribute　from　every　riverbank　for　hundreds　of　miles。

sabriel　looked　at　this　evidence　of　destruction　and　inwardly　counted　the　number　of　villagers　who　had　died　on　the　grave　boxes。　who　knew　how　many　other　lives　had　been　lost；　or　livelihoods　threatened；　upstream？　part　of　her　tried　to　rationalize　her　use　of　the　flood；　telling　her　that　she　had　to　do　it　in　order　to　fight　on　against　the　dead。　another　part　said　she　had　simply　summoned　the　flood　to　save　herself。

mogget　had　no　time　for　such　introspection；　mourning　or　pangs　of　responsibility。　he　left　　her　watching；　blank…eyed；　for　no　more　than　a　minute；　before　padding　forward　and　delicately　inserting　his　claws　in　sabriel鈥檚　slippered　foot。

鈥渙w！　what　did　you鈥斺��

鈥渢here鈥檚　no　time　to　waste　sightseeing；鈥�

mogget　said。　鈥渢he　sendings　are　readying　the　paperwing　on　the　eastern　wall。　and　your　clothing　and　gear　have　been　ready　for　at　least　half　an　hour。鈥�

鈥渋鈥檝e　got　all　。　。　。鈥潯�sabriel　began；　then　she　remembered　that　her　pack　and　skis　lay　at　the　bottom　end　of　the　entrance　tunnel；　probably　as　a　pile　of　mordicant…burned　ash。

鈥渢he　sendings　have　got　everything　you鈥檒l　need；　and　a　few　things　you　won鈥檛；　knowing　them。

you　can　get　dressed；　pack　up；　and　head　off　for　belisaere。　i　take　it　you　intend　to　go　to　belisaere？鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　sabriel　shortly。　she　could　detect　a　tone　of　smugness　in　mogget鈥檚　voice。

鈥渄o　you　know　how　to　get　there？鈥�

sabriel　was　silent。　mogget　already　knew　the　answer　was　鈥渘o。鈥潯�hence　the　smugness。

鈥渄o　you　have　a　。　。　。　er　。　。　。　map？鈥�

sabriel　shook　her　head；　clenching　her　fists　as　she　did　so；　resisting　the　urge　to　lean　forward　and　spank　mogget；　or　perhaps　give　his　tail　a　　judicious　tug。　she　had　searched　the　study　and　asked　several　of　the　sendings；　but　the　only　map　in　the　house　seemed　to　be　the　starmap　in　the　tower。　the　map　colonel　horyse　had　told　her　about　must　still　be　with　abhorsen。　with　father；　sabriel　thought；　suddenly　confused　about　their　identities。　if　she　was　now　abhorsen；　who　was　her　father？　had　he　too　once　had　a　name　that　was　lost　in　the　responsibility　of　being　abhorsen？　everything　that　had　seemed　so　certain　and　solid　in　her　life　a　few　days　ago　was　crumbling。　she　didn鈥檛　even　know　who　she　was　really；　and　trouble　seemed　to　beset　her　from　all　sides鈥攅ven　a　supposed　servant　of　abhorsen　like　mogget　seemed　to　provide　more　trouble　than　service。

鈥渄o　you　have　anything　positive　to　say鈥攁nything　that　might　actually　help？鈥潯�she　snapped。

mogget　yawned；　showing　a　pink　tongue　that　seemed　to　contain　the　very　essence　of　scorn。

鈥渨ell；　yes。　of　course。　i　know　the　way；　so　i鈥檇　better　e　with　you。鈥�

鈥渆　with　me？鈥潯�sabriel　asked；　genuinely　surprised。　she　unclenched　her　fists；　bent　down；　and　scratched　between　the　cat鈥檚　ears；　till　he　ducked　away。

鈥渟omeone　has　to　look　after　you；鈥潯�mogget　　added。　鈥渁t　least　till　you鈥檝e　grown　into　a　real　abhorsen。鈥�

鈥渢hank　you；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　鈥渋　think。　but　i　would　still　like　a　map。　since　you　know　the　country　so　well；　would　it　be　possible　for　you　to鈥攊　don鈥檛　know鈥攄escribe　it；　so　i　can　make　a　sketch　map　or　something？鈥�

mogget　coughed；　as　if　a　hairball　had　suddenly　lodged　in　his　throat；　and　thrust　his　head　back　a　little。　鈥測ou！　draw　a　sketch　map？　if　you　must　have　one；　i　think　it　would　be　better　if　i　undertook　the　cartography　myself。　e　down　to　the　study　and　put　out　an　inkwell　and　paper。鈥�

鈥渁s　long　as　i　get　a　useable　map　i　don鈥檛　care　who　draws　it；鈥潯�sabriel　remarked；　as　she　went　backwards　down　the　ladder。　she　tilted　her　head　to　watch　how　mogget　came　down；　but　there　was　only　the　open　trapdoor。　a　sarcastic　meow　under　her　feet　announced　that　mogget　had　once　again　managed　to　get　between　rooms　without　visible　means　of　support。

鈥渋nk　and　paper；鈥潯�the　cat　reminded　her；　jumping　up　onto　the　dragon　desk。　鈥渢he　thick　paper。

smooth　side　up。　don鈥檛　bother　with　a　quill。鈥�

sabriel　followed　mogget鈥檚　instructions；　then　watched　with　a　resigned　condescension　that　　rapidly　changed　to　surprise　as　the　cat　crouched　by　the　square　of　paper；　his　strange　shadow　falling　on　it　like　a　dark　cloak　thrown　across　sand；　pink　tongue　out　in　concentration。　mogget　seemed　to　think　for　a　moment；　then　one　bright　ivory　claw　shot　out　from　a　white　pad鈥攈e　delicately　inked　the　claw　in　the　inkwell；　and　began　to　draw。　first；　a　rough　outline；　in　swift；　bold　strokes；　the　pe