sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第45部分

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are。

with　her　father　gone；　she　had　no　family　left鈥敗�but　perhaps　she　would　find　sisters　in　the　clayr；　and　perhaps　touchstone　would　be　。　。　。

鈥渢wo　minutes；鈥潯�repeated　both　the　women；　one　in　each　ear。　sabriel　let　them　go；　and　hurriedly　took　the　book　of　the　dead　and　the　two　charter　magic　books　from　her　pack；　wedging　them　down　next　to　touchstone鈥檚　slightly　snoring　form。

after　a　second鈥檚　thought；　she　also　stuffed　in　the　fleece…lined　oilskin　and　the　boat　cloak。

touchstone鈥檚　swords　went　into　the　special　holders　next；　but　the　pack　and　the　rest　of　its　contents　had　to　be　abandoned。

鈥渘ext　stop；　the　wall；鈥潯�sabriel　muttered　as　she　climbed　into　the　craft；　trying　not　to　think　about　what　would　happen　if　they　had　to　land　somewhere　uncivilized　in　between。

the　clayr　were　already　in　their　green　and　silver　craft；　and；　as　sabriel　did　up　her　straps；　she　heard　them　begin　to　whistle；　charter　magic　streaming　out　into　the　air。　sabriel　licked　her　lips；　summoned　her　breath　and　strength；　and　joined　in。　wind　rose　behind　both　the　craft；　tossing　black　hair　and　blond；　lifting　the　paperwings鈥櫋�tails　and　jostling　their　wings。

sabriel　took　a　breath　after　the　wind…whistling；　and　stroked　the　smooth；　laminated　paper　of　the　hull。　a　brief　image　of　the　first　paperwing　came　to　mind；　broken　and　burning　in　the　depths　of　holehallow。

鈥渋　hope　we　fare　better　together；鈥潯�she　whispered；　before　joining　with　the　clayr　to　whistle　the　last　note；　the　pure　clear　sound　that　would　wake　the　charter　magic　in　their　craft。

a　second　later；　two　bright…eyed　paperwings　leapt　out　from　the　ruined　palace　of　belisaere；　glided　down　almost　to　the　swell　in　the　sea　of　saere；　then　rose　to　circle　higher　and　higher　above　the　hill。　one　craft；　of　green　and　silver；　　turned　to　the　north…west。　the　other；　of　red　and　gold；　turned　south。

touchstone；　waking　to　the　rush　of　cold　air　on　his　face；　and　the　unfamiliar　sensation　of　flying；　groggily　muttered；　鈥渨hat　happened？鈥�

鈥渨e鈥檙e　going　to　ancelstierre；鈥潯�sabriel　shouted。

鈥渁cross　the　wall；　to　find　kerrigor鈥檚　body鈥攁nd　destroy　it！鈥�

鈥渙h；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　who　only　heard　鈥渁cross　the　wall。鈥潯♀�済ood。鈥�

锛凤挤w。xi锛�os锛╱otxt。锛ｏ集锛�



chapter　xxv

灏忥伎璇磘…x…t锛垮ぉ/鍫�
鈥渂eg　pardon；　sir；鈥潯�said　the　soldier；　saluting　at　the　doorway　to　the　officer鈥檚　bathroom。　鈥渄uty　officer鈥檚　pliments　and　can　you　e　straight　away？鈥�

colonel　horyse　sighed；　put　down　his　razor；　and　used　the　flannel　to　wipe　off　the　remains　of　the　shaving　soap。　he　had　been　interrupted　shaving　that　morning；　and　had　tried　several　times　during　the　day　to　finish　the　job。　perhaps　it　was　a　sign　he　should　grow　a　moustache。

鈥渨hat鈥檚　happening？鈥潯�he　asked；　resignedly。

whatever　was　happening；　it　was　unlikely　to　be　good。

鈥渁n　aircraft；　sir；鈥潯�replied　the　private；　stolidly。

鈥渇rom　army　hq？　dropping　a　message　cylinder？鈥�

鈥渋　don鈥檛　know；　sir。　it鈥檚　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall。鈥�

鈥渨hat！鈥潯�exclaimed　horyse；　dropping　all　his　shaving　gear；　picking　up　his　helmet　and　sword；　and　attempting　to　rush　out；　all　at　the　same　time。

鈥渋mpossible！鈥�

but；　when　he　eventually　sorted　himself　out　and　got　down　to　the　forward　observation　post鈥攁n　octagonal　strongpoint　that　thrust　out　through　the　perimeter　to　within　fifty　yards　of　the　wall鈥敗�it　quite　clearly　was　possible。　the　light　was　fading　as　the　afternoon　waned鈥攊t　was　probably　close　to　setting　on　the　other　side鈥攂ut　the　visibility　was　good　enough　to　make　out　the　distant　airborne　shape　that　was　descending　in　a　series　of　long；　gradual　loops　。　。　。　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall。　in　the　old　kingdom。

the　duty　officer　was　watching　through　big　artillery　spotter鈥檚　binoculars；　his　elbows　perched　on　the　sandbagged　parapet　of　the　position。

horyse　paused　for　a　moment　to　think　of　the　fellow鈥檚　name鈥攈e　was　new　to　the　perimeter　garrison鈥攖hen　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。

鈥渏orbert。　mind　if　i　have　a　look？鈥�

the　young　officer　lowered　the　binoculars　reluctantly；　and　handed　them　across　like　a　boy　　deprived　of　a　half…eaten　lollipop。

鈥渋t鈥檚　definitely　an　aircraft；　sir；鈥潯�he　said；　brightening　up　as　he　spoke。　鈥渢otally　silent；　like　a　glider；　but　it鈥檚　clearly　powered　somehow。　very　maneuverable；　and　beautifully　painted；　too。　there鈥檚　two　。　。　。　people　in　it；　sir。鈥�

horyse　didn鈥檛　answer；　but　took　up　the　binoculars　and　the　same　elbow…propping　stance。　for　a　moment；　he　couldn鈥檛　see　the　aircraft；　and　he　hastily　panned　left　and　right；　then　zigzagged　up　and　down鈥攁nd　there　it　was；　lower　than　he　expected；　almost　in　a　landing　approach。

鈥渟ound　stand…to；鈥潯�he　ordered　harshly；　as　the　realization　struck　him　that　the　craft　would　land　very　close　to　the　crossing　point鈥攑erhaps　only　a　hundred　yards　from　the　gate。

he　heard　his　mand　being　repeated　by　jorbert　to　a　sergeant；　and　then　bellowed　out；　to　be　taken　up　by　sentries；　duty　ncos；　and　eventually　to　hand…cranked　klaxons　and　the　old　bell　that　hung　in　the　front　of　the　officer鈥檚　mess。

it　was　hard　to　see　exactly　who　or　what　was　in　the　craft；　till　he　twiddled　with　the　focus；　and　sabriel鈥檚　face　leapt　towards　him；　magnified　up　to　a　recognizable　form；　even　at　the　current　distance。　sabriel；　the　daughter　of　abhorsen；　　acpanied　by　an　unknown　man鈥攐r　something　wearing　the　shape　of　a　man。　for　a　moment；　horyse　considered　ordering　the　men　to　stand…down；　but　he　could　already　hear　hobnailed　boots　clattering　on　the　duckboards；　sergeants　and　corporals　shouting鈥攁nd　it　might　not　really　be　sabriel。　the　sun　was　weakening；　and　the　ing　night　would　be　the　first　of　the　full　moon　。　。　。

鈥渏orbert！鈥潯�he　snapped；　handing　the　binoculars　back　to　the　surprised　and　unready　subaltern。

鈥済o　and　give　the　regimental　sergeant…major　my　pliments；　and　ask　him　to　personally　organize　a　section　of　the　scouts鈥攚e鈥檒l　go　out　and　take　a　closer　look　at　that　aircraft。鈥�

鈥渙h；　thank　you；　sir！鈥潯�gushed　lieutenant　jorbert；　obviously　taking　the　鈥渨e鈥潯�to　include　himself。　his　enthusiasm　surprised　horyse；　at　least　for　a　moment。

鈥渢ell　me；　mr。　jorbert；鈥潯�he　asked。　鈥渉ave　you　by　any　chance　sought　a　transfer　to　the　flying　corps？鈥�

鈥渨ell；　yes；　sir；鈥潯�replied　jorbert。　鈥渆ight　times　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渏ust　remember；鈥潯�horyse　said；　interrupting　him。　鈥渢hat　whatever　is　out　there　may　be　a　flying　　creature；　not　a　flying　machine鈥攁nd　its　pilots　may　be　half…rotted　things　that　should　be　properly　dead；　or　free　magic　beings　that　have　never　really　lived　at　all。　not　fellow　aviators；　knights　of　the　sky；　or　anything　like　that。鈥�

jorbert　nodded；　unmilitarily；　saluted；　and　turned　on　his　heel。

鈥渁nd　don鈥檛　forget　your　sword　next　time　you鈥檙e　on　duty；　officer；鈥潯�horyse　called　after　him。

鈥渉asn鈥檛　anyone　told　you　your　revolver　might　not　work？鈥�

jorbert　nodded　again；　flushed；　almost　saluted；　then　scuttled　off　down　the　munication　trench。　one　of　the　soldiers　in　the　forward　observation　post；　a　corporal　with　a　full　sleeve　of　chevrons　denoting　twenty　years鈥櫋�service；　and　a　charter　mark　on　his　forehead　to　show　his　perimeter　pedigree；　shook　his　head　at　the　departing　back　of　the　young　officer。

鈥渨hy　are　you　shaking　your　head；　corporal　anshy？鈥潯�snapped　horyse；　irked　by　his　many　interrupted　shaves　and　this　new　and　potentially　dangerous　appearance　of　an　aircraft。

鈥渨ater　on　the　brain；鈥潯�replied　the　corporal　cheerfully鈥攁nd　rather　ambiguously。　horyse　opened　his　mouth　to　issue　a　sharp　reprimand；　　then　closed　it　as　the　corners　of　his　mouth　involuntarily　inched　up　into　a　smile。　before　he　could　actually　laugh；　he　left　the　post；　heading　back　to　the　trench　junction　where　his　section　and　the　rsm　would　meet　him　to　go　beyond　the　wall。

within　five　paces；　he鈥檇　lost　his　smile。

the　paperwing　slid　to　a　perfect　landing　in　a　flurry　of　snow。　sabriel　and　touchstone　sat　in　it；　shivering　under　oilskin　and　boat　cloak；　respectively；　then　slowly　levered　themselves　out　to　stand　knee…deep　in　the　tightly　packed　snow。

touchstone　smiled　at　sabriel；　his　nose　bright　red　and　eyebrows　frosted。

鈥渨e　made　it。鈥�

鈥渟o　far；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　warily　looking　around。　she　could　see　the　long　grey　bulk　of　the　wall；　with　the　deep　honey…colored　sun　of　autumn　on　the　ancelstierran　side。　here；　the　snow　lay　banked　against　the　grey　stone；　and　it　was　overcast；　with　the　sun　almost　gone。　dark　enough　for　the　dead　to　be　wandering　around。

touchstone鈥檚　smile　faded　as　he　caught　her　mood；　and　he　took　his　swords　from　the　　paperwing；　giving　the　left　sword　to　sabriel。　she　sheathed　it；　but　it　was　a　bad　fit鈥攁nother　reminder　of　loss。

鈥渋鈥檇　better　get　the　books；　too；鈥潯�she　said；　bending　in　to　retrieve　them　from　the　cockpit。　the　two　charter　magic　books　were　fine；　untouched　by　snow；　but　the　book　of　the　dead　seemed　wet。

when　sabriel　pulled　it　out；　she　found　it　wasn鈥檛　snow…wet。　beads　of　dark；　thick　blood　were　welling　up　out　of　its　cover。　silently；　sabriel　wiped　it　on　the　hard　crust　of　the　snow；　leaving　a　livid　mark。　then　she　tucked　the　books　away　in　the　pockets　of　her　coat。

鈥渨hy　。　。　。　why　was　the　book　like　that？鈥潯�asked　touchstone；　trying；　and　almost　succeeding；　to　sound　curious　rather　than　afraid。

鈥渋　think　it鈥檚　reacting　to　the　presence　of　many　deaths；鈥潯�sabriel　replied。　鈥渢here　is　great　potential　here　for　the　dead　to　rise。　this　is　a　very　weak　point鈥斺��

鈥渟hhh！鈥潯�touchstone　interrupted　her；　pointing　towards　the　wall。　shapes；　dark　against　the　snow；　were　moving　in　an　extended　line　towards　them；　at　a　deliberate；　steady　pace。　they　carried　bows　and　spears；　and　sabriel；　at　least；　recognized　the　rifles　slung　across　their　backs。

鈥渋t鈥檚　all　right；鈥潯�sabriel　said；　though　a　faint　stab　of　nervousness　touched　her　stomach。　鈥渢hey鈥檙e　soldiers　from　the　ancelstierran　side鈥攕till；　i　might　send　the　paperwing　on　its　way　。　。　。鈥�

quickly；　she　checked　that　they鈥檇　taken　everything　from　the　cockpit；　then　laid　her　hand　on　the　nose　of　the　paperwing；　just　above　its　twinkling　eye。　it　seemed　to　look　up　at　her　as　she　spoke。

鈥済o　now；　friend。　i　don鈥檛　want　to　risk　you　being　dragged　into　ancelstierre　and　taken　apart。

fly　where　you　will鈥攖o　the　clayr鈥檚　glacier；　or；　if　you　care　to；　to　abhorsen鈥檚　house；　where　the　water　falls。鈥�

she　stepped　back；　and　formed　the　charter　marks　that　would　imbue　the　paperwing　with　choice；　and　the　winds　to