sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第50部分

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she　jumped　down　from　the　wagon；　and　ran　over　to　horyse；　who　was　standing　on　the　steps　outside　the　partially　open　door；　talking　to　an　obscured　figure　within。　as　sabriel　got　closer；　edging　through　groups　of　waiting　soldiers；　she　recognized　the　voice。　it　was　mrs。　umbrade；　the　headmistress。

鈥渉ow　dare　you　barge　in　here！鈥潯�she　was　pronouncing；　very　pompously。　鈥渋　am　a　very　close　　personal　friend　of　lieutenant…general　farnsley；　i鈥檒l　have　you　know鈥攕abriel！鈥�

the　sight　of　sabriel　in　such　strange　garb　and　circumstance　seemed　to　momentarily　stun　mrs。

umbrade。　in　that　second　of　fish…mouthed　silence；　horyse　motioned　to　his　men。　before　mrs。　umbrade　could　protest；　they鈥檇　pushed　the　door　wide　open；　and　streams　of　armed　men　rushed　in；　pouring　around　her　startled　figure　like　a　flood　around　an　island。

鈥渕rs。　umbrade！鈥潯�sabriel　shouted。　鈥渋　need　to　talk　to　miss　greenwood　urgently；　and　the　girls　from　the　senior　magic　classes。　you鈥檇　better　get　the　rest　of　the　girls　and　the　staff　up　to　the　top　floors　of　the　north　tower。鈥�

mrs。　umbrade　stood；　gulping　like　a　goldfish；　till　horyse　suddenly　loomed　over　her　and　snapped；　鈥渕ove；　woman！鈥�

almost　before　his　mouth　closed；　she　was　gone。

sabriel　looked　back　to　check　that　touchstone　was　organizing　the　shifting　of　the　sarcophagus；　then　followed　her　in。

the　entrance　hall　was　already　blocked　by　a　conga　line　of　soldiers；　passing　boxes　in　from　the　trucks　outside；　stacking　them　up　all　along　the　walls。　khaki…colored　boxes　marked　鈥湣！�ball鈥�

or　鈥渂e　wp　grenade；鈥潯�piled　up　beneath　pictures　of　prizewinning　hockey　teams；　or　giltlettered　boards　of　merit　and　scholastic　brilliance。

the　soldiers　had　also　thrown　open　the　doors　to　the　great　hall；　and　were　busy　in　there；　closing　shutters　and　piling　pews　up　on　their　ends　against　the　shuttered　windows。

mrs。　umbrade　was　still　in　motion　at　the　other　end　of　the　entrance　hall；　bustling　along　towards　a　knot　of　obviously　nervous　staff。　behind　them；　peering　down　from　the　main　stair；　was　a　solid　rank　of　prefects。　behind　them；　higher　up　the　stair；　and　just　able　to　see；　were　several　gaggles　of　nonprefectorial　fifth　and　sixth　formers。　sabriel　didn鈥檛　doubt　that　the　rest　of　the　school　would　be　lining　the　corridors　behind　them；　all　agog　to　hear　what　the　motion　was　all　about。

just　as　mrs。　umbrade　reached　her　staff；　all　the　lights　went　out。　for　a　moment；　there　was　total；　shocked　quiet；　then　the　noise　redoubled。　girls　screaming；　soldiers　shouting；　crashes　and　bangs　as　people　ran　into　things　and　each　other。

sabriel　stood　where　she　was；　and　conjured　the　charter　marks　for　light。　they　came　easily；　flowing　down　to　her　fingertips　like　cool　water　from　a　shower。　she　let　them　hang　there　for　a　moment；　　then　cast　them　at　the　ceiling；　drops　of　light　that　grew　to　the　size　of　dinner　plates　and　cast　a　steady　yellow　light　all　down　the　hall。　someone　else　was　also　casting　similar　lights　down　by　mrs。

umbrade；　and　sabriel　recognized　the　work　of　magistrix　greenwood。　she　smiled　at　that　recognition；　a　slight；　upturning　of　just　one　side　of　her　mouth。　she　knew　the　lights　had　gone　out　because　kerrigor　had　passed　the　electric　substation；　and　that　was　halfway　between　the　school　and　the　village。

as　expected；　mrs。　umbrade　wasn鈥檛　telling　her　teachers　anything　useful鈥攋ust　going　on　about　rudeness　and　some　general。　sabriel　saw　the　magistrix　behind　the　tall；　bent　figure　of　the　senior　science　mistress；　and　waved。

鈥渁nd　i　was　never　more　shocked　to　see　one　of　our鈥斺�潯�mrs。　umbrade　was　saying；　when　sabriel　stepped　up　next　to　her　and　gently　laid　the　marks　of　silence　and　immobility　on　the　back　of　her　neck。

鈥渋鈥檓　sorry　to　interrupt；鈥潯�sabriel　said；　standing　next　to　the　temporarily　frozen　form　of　the　headmistress。

鈥渂ut　this　is　an　emergency。　as　you　can　see；　the　army　is　temporarily　taking　over。　i　am　assisting　colonel　horyse；　who　is　in　charge。　now；　　we　need　all　the　girls　in　the　two　senior　magic　classes　to　e　down　to　the　great　hall鈥攚ith　you；　magistrix　greenwood；　please。　everyone　else鈥攕tudents；　staff；　gardeners；　everyone鈥攎ust　go　to　the　top　floors　of　the　north　tower　and　barricade　yourselves　in。　till　dawn　tomorrow。鈥�

鈥渨hy？鈥潯�demanded　mrs。　pearch；　the　mathematics　mistress。　鈥渨hat鈥檚　all　this　about？鈥�

鈥渟omething　has　e　from　the　old　kingdom；鈥潯�sabriel　replied　shortly；　watching　their　faces　change　as　she　spoke。　鈥渨e　will　shortly　be　attacked　by　the　dead。鈥�

鈥渟o　there　will　be　danger　to　my　students？鈥�

miss　greenwood　spoke；　pushing　her　way　forward；　between　two　frightened　english　teachers。

she　looked　sabriel　in　the　face；　as　if　in　recognition；　and　then　added；　鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�

鈥渢here　will　be　danger　to　everyone；鈥潯�sabriel　said　bleakly。　鈥渂ut　without　the　aid　of　the　charter　mages　here；　there　isn鈥檛　even　a　chance　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渨ell；鈥潯�replied　miss　greenwood；　with　some　decision。　鈥渨e鈥檇　better　get　organized　then。　i鈥檒l　go　and　fetch　sulyn　and　ellimere。　i　think　they鈥檙e　the　only　two　charter　mages　among　the　prefects鈥敗�they　can　organize　the　others。　mrs。　pearch；　you鈥檇　better　take　charge　of　the　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　evacuation　to　　the　north　tower；　as　i　imagine　mrs。　umbrade　will　be　。　。　。　err　。　。　。　deep　in　thought。　mrs。　swann；　you鈥檇　best　round　up　cook　and　the　maids鈥攇et　some　fresh　water；　food　and　candles；　too。　mr。　arkler；　if　you　would　be　so　kind　as　to　fetch　the　swords　from　the　gymnasium　。　。　。鈥�

seeing　that　all　was　under　control；　sabriel　sighed；　and　quickly　walked　back　outside；　past　soldiers　stringing　oil　lamps　up　in　the　corridor。　despite　them；　it　was　still　lighter　outside；　the　sky　washed　red　and　orange　with　the　last　sunlight　of　the　day。

touchstone　and　the　scouts　had　the　sarcophagus　down；　and　roped　up。　it　now　seemed　to　glow　with　its　own；　ugly　inner　light；　the　flickering　free　magic　marks　floating　on　the　surface　like　scum；　or　clots　in　blood。　apart　from　the　scouts　pulling　the　ropes；　no　one　went　close　to　it。　soldiers　were　everywhere；　coiling　out　barbed　wire；　filling　sandbags　from　the　rose　gardens；　preparing　firing　positions　on　the　second　floor；　tying　trip　flares。

but　in　all　this　motion；　there　was　an　empty　circle　around　the　glistening　coffin　of　rogir。

sabriel　walked　towards　touchstone；　feeling　the　reluctance　in　her　legs；　her　body　revolting　at　the　thought　of　going　any　closer　to　the　bloody　luminescence　of　the　sarcophagus。　it　seemed　to　　radiate　stronger　waves　of　nausea　now；　now　that　the　sun　had　almost　fled。　in　the　twilight；　it　looked　larger；　stronger；　its　magic　more　forceful　and　malign。

鈥減ull！鈥潯�shouted　touchstone；　heaving　on　the　ropes　with　the　soldiers。　鈥減ull！鈥�

slowly；　the　sarcophagus　slid　across　the　old　paving　stones；　inching　towards　the　front　steps；　where　other　soldiers　were　hastily　hammering　a　wooden　ramp　together；　fitting　it　over　the　steps。

sabriel　decided　to　leave　touchstone　to　it；　and　walked　a　little　way　down　the　drive；　to　where　she　could　see　out　the　iron　gates。　she　stood　there；　watching；　her　hands　nervously　running　over　the　handles　of　the　bells。　six　bells；　now鈥攁ll　probably　ineffective　against　the　awful　might　of　kerrigor。

and　an　unfamilar　sword；　strange　to　her　touch；　even　if　it　was　forged　by　the　wallmaker。

the　wallmaker。　that　reminded　her　of　mogget。

who　knew　what　he　had　been；　that　strange　bination　of　irascible　panion　to　the　abhorsens　and　blazing　free　magic　construct　sworn　to　kill　them。　gone　now；　swept　away　by　the　mournful　call　of　astarael　。　。　。

i　left　this　place　knowing　almost　nothing　about　the　old　kingdom；　and　i鈥檝e　e　back　with　not　　much　more；　sabriel　thought。　i　am　the　most　ignorant　abhorsen　in　centuries；　and　perhaps　one　of　the　most　sorely　tried　。　。　。

a　clatter　of　shots　interrupted　her　thoughts；　followed　by　the　zing　of　a　rocket　arcing　up　into　the　sky；　its　yellow　trail　reaching　down　towards　the　road。　more　shots　followed。　a　rapid　volley鈥攖hen　sudden　silence。　the　rocket　burst　into　a　white　parachute　flare；　that　slowly　descended。　in　its　harsh；　magnesium　brilliance；　sabriel　saw　fog　rolling　up　the　road；　thick　and　wet；　stretching　back　into　the　dark　as　far　as　she　could　see。

ww锛枫��



chapter　xxviii

灏彛ヨ�碸t*xt…澶�。鍫偅�
sabriel　forced　herself　to　walk　back　to　the　main　doors；　rather　than　break　into　a　screaming　run。　lots　of　soldiers　could　see　her鈥敗�they　were　still　placing　lanterns　out　in　lines；　radiating　out　from　the　steps；　and　several　soldiers　were　holding　a　coil　of　concertina　wire；　waiting　to　bounce　it　out。　they　looked　anxiously　at　her　as　she　passed。

the　sarcophagus　was　just　slipping　off　the　ramp　into　the　corridor　ahead　of　her。　sabriel　could　easily　have　pushed　past　it；　but　she　waited　outside；　looking　out。　after　a　moment；　she　became　aware　that　horyse　was　standing　next　to　her；　his　face　half…lit　by　the　lanterns；　half　in　shadow。

鈥渢he　fog　。　。　。　the　fog　is　almost　at　the　gates；鈥�

she　said；　too　quickly　to　be　calm。

鈥渋　know；鈥潯�replied　horyse；　steadily。　鈥渢hat　firing　was　a　picket。　six　men　and　a　corporal。鈥�

sabriel　nodded。　she　had　felt　their　deaths；　like　slight　punches　in　her　stomach。　already　she　was　hardening　herself　not　to　notice；　to　wilfully　dull　her　senses。　there　would　be　many　more　deaths　that　night。

suddenly；　she　felt　something　that　wasn鈥檛　a　death；　but　things　already　dead。　she　stood　bolt　upright；　and　exclaimed；　鈥渃olonel！　the　sun　is　truly　down鈥攁nd　something鈥檚　ing；　ing　ahead　of　the　fog！鈥�

she　drew　her　sword　as　she　spoke；　the　colonel鈥檚　blade　flickering　out　a　second　later。　the　wiring　party　looked　around；　startled；　then　bolted　for　the　steps　and　the　corridor。　on　either　side　of　the　door；　two…man　teams　cocked　the　heavy；　tripodmounted　machine…guns；　and　laid　their　swords　across　the　newly　made　sandbag　walls。

鈥渟econd　floor；　stand　ready！鈥潯�horyse　shouted；　and　above　her　head；　sabriel　heard　the　bolts　of　fifty　rifles　working。　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　two　of　the　scouts　step　back　outside；　and　take　up　position　behind　her；　arrows　nocked；　bows　ready。　she　knew　they　were　ready　to　snatch　her　inside；　if　it　came　to　that　。　。　。

in　the　expectant　quiet；　there　were　only　the　usual　sounds　of　the　night。　wind　in　the　big　trees　out　past　the　school　wall；　starting　to　rise　as　the　sky　darkened。　crickets　beginning　to　chirp。　then　sabriel　heard　it鈥攖he　massed　grinding　of　dead　joints；　no　longer　joined　by　gristle；　the　padding　of　dead　feet；　bones　like　hobnails　clicking　through　necrotic　flesh。