sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第40部分

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鈥渋鈥檓　not　sure　we　can；鈥潯�said　mogget；　with　a　sideways　glance　at　the　two　ice…rimmed　statues　nearby。　鈥渋t　depends　on　sabriel　and　her　father。鈥�

鈥渨hat　can　we　do？鈥�

鈥渄efend　ourselves　if　we鈥檙e　attacked；　i　suppose；鈥�

drawled　mogget；　as　if　stating　the　obvious　to　a　tiresome　child。　鈥渉ope。　pray　to　the　charter　that　kerrigor　doesn鈥檛　e　before　sabriel　returns。鈥�

鈥渨hat　if　he　does？鈥潯�asked　touchstone；　staring　white…eyed　out　into　the　darkness。　鈥渨hat　if　he　does？鈥�

but　mogget　was　silent。　all　touchstone　heard　was　the　shuffling；　wading；　splashing　of　the　dead；　as　they　slowly　drew　closer；　like　starving　rats　creeping　up　to　a　sleeping　drunk鈥檚　dinner。

sabriel　had　no　idea　of　how　far　she鈥檇　gone　before　she　found　him。　that　same　niggling　sensation　prompted　her　to　stop；　to　look　out　into　the　waterfall　itself；　and　there　he　was。　abhorsen。　father。

somehow　imprisoned　within　the　gate　itself；　so　only　his　head　was　visible　above　the　rush　of　the　water。

鈥渇ather！鈥潯�cried　sabriel；　but　she　resisted　the　urge　to　rush　forward。　at　first；　she　thought　he　was　unaware　of　her；　then　a　slight　wink　of　one　eye　showed　conscious　perception。　he　winked　again；　and　moved　his　eyeballs　to　the　right；　several　times。

sabriel　followed　his　gaze；　and　saw　something　tall　and　shadowy　thrust　up　through　the　waterfall；　arms　reaching　up　to　pull　itself　out　of　the　gate。　she　stepped　forward；　sword　and　bell　at　the　ready；　then　hesitated。　it　was　a　dead　humanoid；　very　similar　in　shape　and　size　to　the　one　who　had　brought　the　bells　and　sword　to　wyverley　college。　she　looked　back　at　her　father；　and　he　winked　again；　the　corner　of　his　mouth　curving　up　ever　so　slightly鈥攁lmost　a　smile。

she　stepped　back；　still　cautious。　there　was　always　the　chance　that　the　spirit　chained　in　the　waterfall　was　merely　the　mimic　of　her　father；　or；　even　if　it　was　him；　that　he　was　under　the　sway　of　some　power。

the　dead　creature　finally　hauled　itself　out；　muscles　differently　arranged　to　a　human鈥檚　visibly　straining　along　the　forearms。　it　stood　on　the　rim　for　a　moment；　bulky　head　questing　from　side　to　side；　then　lumbered　towards　sabriel　with　that　　familiar　rolling　gait。　several　paces　away　from　her鈥攐ut　of　sword鈥檚　reach鈥攊t　stopped；　and　pointed　at　its　mouth。　its　jaw　worked　up　and　down；　but　no　sound　issued　from　its　red　and　fleshy　mouth。　a　black　thread　ran　from　its　back；　down　into　the　rushing　waters　of　the　gate。

sabriel　thought　for　a　moment；　then　replaced　saraneth；　one…handed；　and　drew　dyrim。　she　cocked　her　wrist　to　ring　the　bell；　hesitated鈥攆or　to　sound　dyrim　would　alert　the　dead　all　around鈥攖hen　let　it　fall。　dyrim　rang；　sweet　and　clear；　several　notes　sounding　from　that　one　peal；　mixing　together　like　many　conversations　overheard　in　a　crowd。

sabriel　rang　the　bell　again　before　the　echoes　died；　in　a　series　of　slight　wrist…twitches；　moving　the　sound　out　towards　the　dead　creature；　weaving　into　the　echoes　of　the　first　peal。　sound　seemed　to　envelope　the　monster；　circling　around　its　head　and　muted　mouth。

the　echoes　faded。　sabriel　replaced　dyrim　quickly；　before　it　could　try　and　sound　of　its　own　accord；　and　drew　ranna。　the　sleeper　could　quell　a　large　number　of　dead　at　once；　and　she　feared　many　would　e　to　the　sound　of　the　bells。

they　would　probably　expect　to　find　a　foolish；　　half…trained　necromancer；　but　even　so；　they　would　be　dangerous。　ranna　twitched　in　her　hand；　expectantly；　like　a　child　waking　at　her　touch。

the　creature鈥檚　mouth　moved　again；　and　now　it　had　a　tongue；　a　horrid　pulpy　mess　of　white　flesh　that　writhed　like　a　slug。　but　it　worked。　the　thing　made　several　gurgling；　swallowing　sounds；　then　it　spoke　with　the　voice　of　abhorsen。

鈥渟abriel！　i　both　hoped　and　feared　you　would　e。鈥�

鈥渇ather　。　。　。鈥潯�sabriel　began；　looking　at　his　trapped　spirit　rather　than　the　creature。

鈥渇ather　。　。　。鈥�

she　broke　down；　and　started　to　cry。　she　had　e　all　this　way；　through　so　many　troubles；　only　to　find　him　trapped；　trapped　beyond　her　ability　to　free　him。　she　hadn鈥檛　even　known　that　it　was　possible　to　imprison　someone　within　a　gate！　鈥渟abriel！　hush；　daughter！　we　have　no　time　for　tears。　where　is　your　physical　body？鈥�

鈥渋n　the　reservoir；鈥潯�sniffed　sabriel。　鈥渘ext　to　yours。　inside　a　diamond　of　protection。鈥�

鈥渁nd　the　dead？　kerrigor？鈥�

鈥渢here　was　no　sign　of　them　there；　but　　kerrigor　is　somewhere　in　life。　i　don鈥檛　know　where。鈥�

鈥測es；　i　knew　he　had　emerged；鈥潯�muttered　abhorsen；　via　the　thing鈥檚　mouth。　鈥渉e　will　be　near　the　reservoir；　i　fear。　we　must　move　quickly。

sabriel；　do　you　remember　how　to　ring　two　bells　simultaneously？　mosrael　and　kibeth？鈥�

鈥渢wo　bells？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　puzzled。　waker　and　walker？　at　the　same　time？　she　had　never　even　heard　it　was　possible鈥攐r　had　she？　鈥渢hink；鈥潯�said　abhorsen鈥檚　mouthpiece。　鈥渞emember。

the　book　of　the　dead。鈥�

slowly；　it　came　back；　pages　floating　down　into　conscious　memory；　like　leaves　from　a　shaken　tree。　the　bells　could　be　rung　in　pairs；　or　even　greater　binations；　if　enough　necromancers　were　gathered　to　wield　the　bells。　but　the　risks　were　much　greater　。　。　。

鈥測es；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　slowly。　鈥渋　remember。

mosrael　and　kibeth。　will　they　free　you？鈥�

the　answer　was　slow　in　ing。

鈥測es。　for　a　time。　enough；　i　hope；　to　do　what　must　be　done。　quickly；　now。鈥�

sabriel　nodded；　trying　not　to　think　about　what　he　had　just　said。　subconsciously；　she　had　always　been　aware　that　abhorsen鈥檚　spirit　had　been　too　　long　from　his　body；　and　too　deep　in　the　realm　of　death。　he　could　never　truly　live　again。

consciously；　she　chose　to　barricade　this　knowledge　from　her　mind。

she　sheathed　her　sword；　replaced　ranna；　and　drew　mosrael　and　kibeth。　dangerous　bells；　both；　and　more　so　in　bination　than　alone。

she　stilled　her　mind；　emptying　herself　of　all　thought　and　emotion；　concentrating　solely　on　the　bells。　then；　she　rang　them。

mosrael　she　swung　in　a　three…quarter　circle　above　her　head；　kibeth　she　swung　in　a　reverse　figure　eight。　harsh　alarm　joined　with　dancing　jig；　merging　into　a　discordant；　grating；　but　energetic　tone。　sabriel　found　herself　walking　towards　the　waterfall；　despite　all　her　efforts　to　keep　still。　a　force　like　the　grip　of　a　demented　giant　moved　her　legs；　bent　her　knees；　made　her　step　forward。

at　the　same　time；　her　father　was　emerging　from　the　waterfall　of　the　fourth　gate。　his　head　was　freed　first；　and　he　flexed　his　neck；　then　rolled　his　shoulders；　raised　his　arms　over　his　head　and　stretched。　but　still　sabriel　stepped　on；　till　she　was　only　two　paces　from　the　rim；　and　could　look　down　into　the　swirling　waters；　the　　　sound　of　the　bells　filling　her　ears；　forcing　her　onwards。

then　abhorsen　was　free；　and　he　leapt　forward；　thrusting　his　hands　into　the　bell…mouths；　gripping　the　clappers　with　his　pallid　hands；　making　them　suddenly　quiet。　there　was　silence；　and　father　and　daughter　embraced　on　the　very　brink　of　the　fourth　gate。

鈥渨ell　done；鈥潯�said　abhorsen；　his　voice　deep　and　familiar；　lending　fort　and　warmth　like　a　favorite　childhood　toy。　鈥渙nce　trapped；　it　was　all　i　could　do　to　send　the　bells　and　sword。　now　i　am　afraid　we　must　hurry；　back　to　life；　before　kerrigor　can　plete　his　plan。　give　me　saraneth；　for　now　。　。　。　no；　you　keep　the　sword；　and　ranna；　i　think。　e　on！鈥�

he　led　the　way　back；　walking　swiftly。　sabriel　followed　at　his　heels；　questions　bursting　up　in　her。　she　kept　looking　at　him；　looking　at　the　familiar　features；　the　way　his　hair　was　ragged　at　the　back；　the　silver　stubble　just　showing　on　his　chin　and　sideburns。　he　wore　the　same　sort　of　clothes　as　she　did；　plete　with　the　surcoat　of　silver　keys。　he　wasn鈥檛　quite　as　tall　as　she　remembered。

鈥渇ather！鈥潯�she　exclaimed；　trying　to　talk；　keep　up　with　him　and　keep　watch；　all　at　the　same　time。　鈥渨hat　is　happening？　what　is　kerrigor鈥檚　plan？　i　don鈥檛　understand。　why　wasn鈥檛　i　brought　up　here；　so　i　would　know　things？鈥�

鈥渉ere？鈥潯�asked　abhorsen；　without　slowing。

鈥渋n　death？鈥�

鈥測ou　know　what　i　mean；鈥潯�protested　sabriel。

鈥渢he　old　kingdom！　why　did　。　。　。　i　mean；　i　must　be　the　only　abhorsen　ever　who　doesn鈥檛　have　a　clue　about　how　everything　works！　why！　why？鈥�

鈥渢here鈥檚　no　simple　answer；鈥潯�replied　abhorsen；　over　his　shoulder。　鈥渂ut　i　sent　you　to　ancelstierre　for　two　main　reasons。　one　was　to　keep　you　safe。　i　had　already　lost　your　mother；　and　the　only　way　to　keep　you　safe　in　the　old　kingdom　was　to　keep　you　either　with　me　or　always　at　our　house鈥攑ractically　a　prisoner。　i　couldn鈥檛　keep　you　with　me；　because　things　were　getting　worse　and　worse　since　the　death　of　the　regent；　two　years　before　you　were　born。　the　second　reason　was　because　the　clayr　advised　me　to　do　so。

they　said　we　needed　someone鈥攐r　will　need　someone鈥攖hey鈥檙e　not　good　with　time鈥攚ho　knows　ancelstierre。　i　didn鈥檛　know　why　then；　but　i　suspect　i　do　now。鈥�

鈥渨hy？鈥潯�asked　sabriel。

鈥渒errigor鈥檚　body；鈥潯�replied　abhorsen。　鈥渙r　rogir鈥檚；　to　give　him　his　original　name。　he　could　never　be　made　truly　dead　because　his　body　is　preserved　by　free　magic；　somewhere　in　life。　it鈥檚　like　an　anchor　that　always　brings　him　back。　every　abhorsen　since　the　breaking　of　the　great　stones　has　been　looking　for　that　body鈥攂ut　none　of　us　ever　found　it；　including　me；　because　we　never　suspected　it　is　in　ancelstierre。　obviously；　somewhere　close　to　the　wall。　the　clayr　will　have　located　it　by　now；　because　kerrigor　must　have　gone　to　it　when　he　emerged　into　life。　right；　do　you　want　to　do　the　spell；　or　shall　i？鈥�

they　had　reached　the　third　gate。　he　didn鈥檛　wait　for　her　answer；　but　immediately　spoke　the　words。　sabriel　felt　strange　hearing　them；　rather　than　speaking　them鈥攃uriously　distant；　like　a　far…off　observer。

steps　rose　before　them；　cutting　through　the　waterfall　and　the　mist。　abhorsen　took　them　two　at　a　time；　showing　surprising　energy。　sabriel　followed　as　best　she　could。　she　felt　tiredness　in　her　bones　now；　a　weariness　beyond　exhausted　muscles。

鈥渞eady　to　run？鈥潯�asked　abhorsen。　he　took　her　　elbow　as　they　left　the　steps　and　went　into　the　parted　mists；　a　curiously　formal　gesture　that　reminded　her　of　when　she　was　a　little　girl；　demanding　to　be　properly　escorted　when　they　took　a　picnic　basket　out　on　one　of　her　father鈥檚　corporeal　school　visitations。

they　ran　before　the　wave；　with　hands　inside　the　bells；　faster　and　faster；　till　sabriel　thought　her　legs　w