sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第48部分

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鈥渋n　my　day；　you　mean；鈥潯�said　touchstone。　鈥渋　would　have　liked　that　too。　it　was　more　like　here；　then。　here　normally；　i　mean。　peaceful；　and　sort　of　slow。　sometimes　i　thought　life　was　too　slow；　too　predictable。　i鈥檇　prefer　that　now　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渋　used　to　think　like　that　at　school；鈥潯�sabriel　answered。　鈥渄reaming　about　the　old　kingdom。

proper　charter　magic。　dead　to　bind。　princes　to　be鈥斺��

鈥渞escued？鈥�

鈥渕arried；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　absently。　she　　seemed　intent　on　watching　horyse。　he　looked　like　he　was　getting　bad　news　over　the　telephone。

touchstone　didn鈥檛　speak。　everything　seemed　to　sharpen　in　focus　for　him；　centering　on　sabriel；　her　black　hair　gleaming　like　a　raven鈥檚　wing　in　the　afternoon　sun。　i　love　her；　he　thought。　but　if　i　say　the　wrong　thing　now；　i　may　never　。　。　。

horyse　handed　the　telephone　back　to　a　signaler；　and　turned　towards　them。　touchstone　watched　him；　suddenly　conscious　that　he　probably　only　had　five　seconds　to　be　alone　with　sabriel；　to　say　something；　to　say　anything。

perhaps　the　last　five　seconds　they　would　ever　have　alone　together　。　。　。

i　am　not　afraid；　he　said　to　himself。

鈥渋　love　you；鈥潯�he　whispered。　鈥渋　hope　you　don鈥檛　mind。鈥�

sabriel　looked　back　at　him；　and　smiled；　almost　despite　herself。　her　sadness　at　her　father鈥檚　death　was　still　there；　and　her　fears　for　the　future鈥攂ut　seeing　touchstone　staring　apprehensively　at　her　somehow　gave　her　hope。

鈥渋　don鈥檛　mind；鈥潯�she　whispered　back；　leaning　towards　him。　she　frowned；　鈥渋　think　。　。　。　i　think　i　might　love　you　too；　charter　help　me；　but　now　is鈥斺��

鈥渢he　telephone　line　to　the　perimeter　crossing　point　just　went　out；鈥潯�horyse　announced　grimly；　shouting　above　the　village　bell　even　before　he　was　close　enough　to　talk。　鈥渁　fog　started　rolling　across　the　wall　over　an　hour　ago。　it　reached　the　forward　trenches　at　four　forty…six。　after　that；　none　of　the　advance　panies　could　be　reached　by　phone　or　runner。　i　was　just　speaking　to　the　duty　officer　then鈥攖hat　young　chap　who　was　so　interested　in　your　aircraft。　he　said　the　fog　was　just　about　to　reach　his　position。　then　the　line　went　silent。鈥�

鈥渟o；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　鈥渒errigor　didn鈥檛　wait　till　sundown。　he鈥檚　working　the　weather。鈥�

鈥渇rom　the　timings　given　by　the　perimeter；鈥�

horyse　said；　鈥渢his　fog鈥攁nd　whatever鈥檚　in　it鈥敗�is　moving　southwards　at　around　twenty　miles　an　hour。　as　the　crow　flies；　it鈥檒l　reach　us　around　half　past　seven。　dark；　with　the　moonrise　yet　to　e。鈥�

鈥渓et鈥檚　go　then；鈥潯�snapped　sabriel。　鈥渢he　bridlepath　to　docky　point　starts　from　behind　the　pub。

shall　i　lead？鈥�

鈥渂est　not；鈥潯�replied　horyse。　he　turned；　and　shouted　some　orders；　acpanied　by　considerable　waving　and　pointing。　within　a　few　seconds；　　men　were　moving　off　around　the　pub；　taking　the　path　to　docky　point。　first；　the　crossing　point　scouts；　archers　and　charter　mages　all。　then；　the　first　platoon　of　infantry；　bayonets　fixed；　rifles　at　the　ready。　past　the　pub；　they　shook　out　into　an　arrowhead　formation。　horyse；　sabriel；　touchstone　and　their　driver　followed。　behind　them　came　the　other　two　platoons；　and　the　signalers；　unreeling　field　telephone　wire　from　a　large　and　cumbersome　drum。

it　was　quiet　among　the　cork　trees；　the　soldiers　moving　as　silently　as　they　could；　municating　by　hand　signals　rather　than　shouts；　only　their　heavy　tread　and　the　occasional　rattle　of　armor　or　equipment　disturbing　the　quiet。

sunshine　poured　down　between　the　trees；　rich　and　golden；　but　already　losing　its　warmth；　like　a　butter…colored　wine　that　was　all　taste　and　no　potency。

towards　the　top　of　the　hill；　only　the　crossing　point　scouts　went　on　up。　the　lead　platoon　of　infantry　followed　a　lower　contour　around　to　the　northern　side；　the　other　two　platoons　moved　to　the　south…west　and　south…east；　forming　a　defensive　triangle　around　the　hill。　horyse；　sabriel；　touchstone　and　the　driver　continued　on。

the　trees　fell　away　about　twenty　yards　from　the　top　of　the　hill；　thick　weeds　and　thistles　taking　their　place。　then；　at　the　highest　point；　there　was　the　cairn：　a　solid；　hut…sized　square　of　grey…green　stones。　the　twelve　scouts　were　grouped　loosely　around　it；　four　of　them　already　levering　one　of　the　corner　stones　out　with　a　long　crowbar；　obviously　carried　up　for　this　purpose。

as　sabriel　and　touchstone　came　up；　the　stone　fell　with　a　thud；　revealing　more　blocks　underneath。

at　the　same　time；　every　charter　mage　present　felt　a　slight　buzzing　in　their　ears；　and　a　wave　of　dizziness。

鈥渄id　you　feel　that？鈥潯�asked　horyse；　unnecessarily；　as　it　was　clear　from　everyone鈥檚　expressions　and　the　hands　that　had　gone　to　ears　that　they　all　had。

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　to　a　lesser　extent；　it　was　the　same　sort　of　feeling　the　broken　stones　caused　in　the　reservoir。　鈥渋t　will　get　worse；　i鈥檓　afraid；　as　we　get　closer　to　the　sarcophagus。鈥�

鈥渉ow　far　in　is　it？鈥�

鈥渇our　blocks　deep；　i　think；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　鈥渙r　five。　i　。　。　。　saw　it　。　。　。　from　an　odd　perspective。鈥�

horyse　nodded；　and　indicated　to　the　men　to　　keep　prying　away　the　stones。　they　went　to　it　with　a　will；　but　sabriel　noticed　they　kept　looking　at　the　position　of　the　sun。　all　the　scouts　were　charter　mages；　of　various　power鈥攁ll　knew　what　sundown　would　bring。

in　fifteen　minutes；　they鈥檇　made　a　hole　two　blocks　wide　and　two　deep　in　one　end；　and　the　sickness　was　growing　worse。　two　of　the　younger　scouts；　men　in　their　early　twenties；　had　bee　violently　sick　and　were　recuperating　further　down　the　hill。　the　others　were　working　more　slowly；　their　energies　directed　to　keeping　lunches　down　and　quelling　shaking　limbs。

surprisingly；　given　their　lack　of　sleep　and　generally　run…down　state；　sabriel　and　touchstone　found　it　relatively　easy　to　resist　the　waves　of　nausea　emanating　from　the　cairn。　it　didn鈥檛　pare　with　the　cold；　dark　fear　of　the　reservoir；　there　on　the　hill；　with　the　sunshine　and　the　fresh　breeze；　warming　and　cooling　at　the　same　time。

when　the　third　blocks　came　out；　horyse　called　a　brief　rest　break；　and　they　all　retreated　down　the　hill　to　the　tree　line；　where　the　cairn鈥檚　sickening　aura　dissipated。　the　signalers　had　a　　telephone　there；　the　handset　sitting　on　the　upturned　drum。　horyse　took　it；　but　turned　to　sabriel　before　the　signaler　wound　the　charging　handle。

鈥渁re　there　any　preparations　to　be　made　before　we　remove　the　last　blocks？　magical　ones；　i　mean。鈥�

sabriel　thought　for　a　moment；　willing　her　tiredness　away；　then　shook　her　head。　鈥渋　don鈥檛　think　so。　once　we　have　access　to　the　sarcophagus；　we　may　have　to　spell　it　open鈥攊鈥檒l　need　everyone鈥檚　help　for　that。　then；　the　final　rites　on　the　body鈥攖he　usual　cremation　spell。　there　will　be　resistance　then；　too。　have　your　men　often　cast　charter　magic　in　concert？鈥�

鈥渦nfortunately；　no；鈥潯�replied　horyse；　frowning。

鈥渂ecause　the　army　doesn鈥檛　officially　admit　the　existence　of　charter　magic；　everyone　here　is　basically　self…taught。鈥�

鈥渘ever　mind；鈥潯�sabriel　said；　trying　to　sound　confident；　aware　that　everyone　around　her　was　listening。　鈥渨e鈥檒l　manage。鈥�

鈥済ood；鈥潯�replied　horyse；　smiling。　that　made　him　look　very　confident；　thought　sabriel。　she　tried　to　smile　too；　but　was　uncertain　about　the　result。　it　felt　too　much　like　a　grimace　of　pain。

鈥渨ell；　let鈥檚　see　where　our　uninvited　guest　has　got　to；鈥潯�horyse　continued；　still　smiling。　鈥渨here　does　this　phone　connect　to；　sergeant？鈥�

鈥渂ain　police；鈥潯�replied　the　signals　sergeant；　winding　the　charging　handle　vigorously。　鈥渁nd　army　hq　north；　sir。　you鈥檒l　have　to　ask　corporal　synge　to　switch　you。　he鈥檚　on　the　board　at　the　village。鈥�

鈥済ood；鈥潯�replied　horyse。　鈥渉ello。　oh；　synge？　put　me　through　to　bain。　no；　tell　north　you　can鈥檛　get　through　to　me。　yes；　that鈥檚　right；　corporal。

thank　you　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　bainshire　constabulary？　it鈥檚　colonel　horyse。　i　want　to　speak　to　chief　superintendent　dingley　。　。　。　yes。　hello；　superintendent。　have　you　had　any　reports　of　a　strange；　dense　fog　。　。　。　what！　already！　no；　on　no　account　investigate。　get　everyone　in。　shutter　the　windows　。　。　。　yes；　the　usual　drill。　yes；　whatever　is　in　。　。　。　yes；　extraordinarily　dangerous　。　。　。

hello！　hello！鈥�

he　put　the　handset　down　slowly；　and　pointed　back　up　the　hill。

鈥渢he　fog　is　already　moving　through　the　northern　part　of　bain。　it　must　be　going　much　faster。　is　it　possible　that　this　kerrigor　could　know　what　we鈥檙e　up　to？鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　sabriel　and　touchstone；　together。

鈥渨e鈥檇　better　get　a　move　on　then；鈥潯�horyse　announced；　looking　at　his　watch。　鈥渋鈥檇　say　we　now　have　less　than　forty　minutes。鈥�

w　w　w。　xiao　shuotxt。　co　m



chapter　xxvii

锛堝皬锛忥紡璇达紡锛弔锛忥紡xt锝�//澶�//鍫傦級
the　last　blocks　came　away　slowly；　pulled　out　by　sweating；　white…faced　men；　their　hands　and　legs　shivering；　breath　ragged。　as　soon　as　the　way　was　clear；　they　staggered　back；　away　from　the　cairn；　seeking　patches　of　sunlight　to　bat　the　dreadful　chill　that　seemed　to　eat　at　their　bones。　one　soldier；　a　dapper　man　with　a　white…blond　moustache；　fell　down　the　hill；　and　lay　retching；　till　stretcher…bearers　ran　up　to　take　him　away。

sabriel　looked　at　the　dark　hole　in　the　cairn；　and　saw　the　faint；　unsettling　sheen　from　the　bronze　sarcophagus　within。　she　felt　sick　too；　with　the　hair　on　the　back　of　her　neck　frizzing　up；　skin　crawling。　the　air　seemed　thick　with　the　reek　of　free　magic；　a　hard；　metallic　taste　in　her　mouth。

鈥渨e　will　have　to　spell　it　open；鈥潯�she　announced；　with　a　sinking　heart。　鈥渢he　sarcophagus　is　very　strongly　protected。　i　think　。　。　。　the　best　thing　would　be　if　i　go　in　with　touchstone　taking　my　hand；　horyse　his；　and　so　on；　to　form　a　line　reinforcement　of　the　charter　magic。　does　everyone　know　the　charter　marks　for　the　opening　spell？鈥�

the　soldiers　nodded；　or　said；　鈥測es；　ma鈥檃m。鈥�

one　said；　鈥測es；　abhorsen。鈥�

sabriel　looked　at　him。　a　middle…aged　corporal；　with　the　chevrons　of　long　service　on　his　sleeve。　he　seemed　one　of　the　least　affected　by　the　free　magic。

鈥測ou　can　call　me　sabriel；　if　you　want；鈥潯�she　said；　strangely　unsettled　by　what　he　had　called　her。

the　corporal　shook　his　head。　鈥渘o；　miss。　i　knew　your　dad。　you鈥檙e　just　like　him。　the　abhorsen；　now。　you鈥檒l　make　this　dead　bugger鈥敗�begging　your　pardon鈥攚ish　he鈥檇　stayed　properly　bloody　dead。鈥�

鈥渢hank　you；鈥潯�sabriel　replied；　u