sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第10部分

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　and　sword　straightened　like　one　limb　to　their　full　extent　and　the　sword…point　ripped　through　thralk鈥檚　neck；　and　into　eight　inches　of　air　beyond。

thralk　screamed；　his　reaching　fingers　gripping　the　sword　to　push　himself　free鈥攐nly　to　scream　again　as　charter　marks　flared　on　the　blade。　white…hot　sparks　plumed　between　his　knuckles　and　thralk　suddenly　knew　what　he鈥檇　encountered。

鈥渁bhorsen！鈥潯�he　croaked；　falling　backwards　as　sabriel　twisted　the　blade　free　with　one　explosive　jerk。

already；　the　sword　was　affecting　the　dead　flesh　thralk　inhabited；　charter　magic　burning　through　reanimated　nerves；　freezing　those　alltoo…　fluid　joints。　fire　rose　in　thralk鈥檚　throat；　but　he　spoke；　to　distract　this　terrible　opponent　while　his　spirit　tried　to　shuck　the　body；　like　a　snake　its　skin；　and　retreat　into　the　night。

鈥渁bhorsen！　i　will　serve　you；　praise　you；　be　your　hand　。　。　。　i　know　things；　alive　and　dead　。　。　。

i　will　help　lure　others　to　you　。　。　。鈥�

the　clear；　deep　sound　of　saraneth　cut　through　the　whining；　broken　voice　like　a　foghorn　booming　above　the　shriek　of　seagulls。

the　chime　vibrated　on　and　on；　echoing　into　the　night；　and　thralk　felt　it　bind　him　even　as　his　spirit　leaked　out　of　the　body　and　made　for　flight。　the　bell　bound　him　to　paralyzed　flesh；　bound　him　to　the　will　of　the　bell…ringer。

fury　seethed　in　him；　anger　and　fear　fueling　his　struggle；　but　the　sound　was　everywhere；　all　around　him；　all　through　him。　he　would　never　be　free　of　it。

sabriel　watched　the　misshapen　shadow　writhing；　half　out　of　the　corpse；　half　in　it；　the　body　bleeding　a　pool　of　darkness。　it　was　still　trying　to　use　the　corpse鈥檚　mouth；　but　without　　success。　she　considered　going　with　it　into　death；　where　it　would　have　a　shape　and　she　could　make　it　answer　with　dyrim。　but　the　broken　charter　stone　loomed　nearby　and　she　felt　it　as　an　everpresent　fear；　like　a　cold　jewel　upon　her　breast。

in　her　mind；　she　heard　her　mother…sending鈥檚　words；　鈥渄o　not　tarry；　do　not　stop；　no　matter　what　happens。鈥�

sabriel　thrust　her　sword　point…first　into　the　snow；　put　saraneth　away　and　drew　kibeth　from　the　bandolier；　using　both　hands。　thralk　sensed　it　and　his　fury　gave　way　to　pure；　unadulterated　fear。　after　all　the　centuries　of　struggle；　he　knew　true　death　had　e　for　him　at　last。

sabriel　took　up　a　careful　stance；　with　the　bell　held　in　a　curious　two…handed　grip。　kibeth　seemed　almost　to　twitch　in　her　hands；　but　she　controlled　it；　swinging　it　backwards；　forwards；　and　then　in　a　sort　of　odd　figure　eight。　the　sounds；　all　from　the　one　bell；　were　very　different　to　each　other；　but　they　made　a　little　marching　tune；　a　dancing　song；　a　parade。

thralk　heard　them　and　felt　forces　grip　him。

strange；　inexorable　powers　that　made　him　find　the　border；　made　him　return　to　death。　vainly；　almost　pathetically；　he　struggled　against　them；　　knowing　he　couldn鈥檛　break　free。　he　knew　that　he　would　walk　through　every　gate；　to　fall　at　last　through　the　ninth。　he　gave　up　the　struggle　and　used　the　last　of　his　strength　to　form　a　semblance　of　a　mouth　in　the　middle　of　his　shadow…stuff；　a　mouth　with　a　writhing　tongue　of　darkness。

鈥渃urse　you！鈥潯�he　gurgled。　鈥渋　will　tell　the　servants　of　kerrigor！　i　will　be　revenged　。　。　。鈥�

his　grotesque；　gulping　voice　was　chopped　off　in　mid…sentence；　as　thralk　lost　free　will。

saraneth　had　bound　him；　but　kibeth　gripped　him　and　kibeth　walked　him；　walked　him　so　thralk　would　be　no　more。　the　twisting　shadow　simply　disappeared　and　there　was　only　snow　under　a　long…dead　corpse。

even　though　the　revenant　was　gone；　his　last　words　troubled　sabriel。　the　name　kerrigor；　while　not　exactly　familiar；　touched　some　basic　fear　in　her；　some　memory。　perhaps　abhorsen　had　spoken　this　name；　which　undoubtedly　belonged　to　one　of　the　greater　dead。　the　name　scared　her　in　the　same　way　the　broken　stone　did；　as　if　they　were　tangible　symbols　of　a　world　gone　wrong；　a　world　where　her　father　was　lost；　where　she　herself　was　terribly　threatened。

sabriel　coughed；　feeling　the　cold　in　her　lungs；　　and　very　carefully　replaced　kibeth　in　the　bandolier。

her　sword　seemed　to　have　burned　itself　clean；　but　she　ran　a　cloth　over　the　blade　before　returning　it　to　the　scabbard。　she　felt　very　tired　as　she　swung　her　pack　back　on；　but　there　was　no　doubt　in　her　mind　that　she　must　move　on　immediately。　her　mother…spirit鈥檚　words　kept　echoing　in　her　mind；　and　her　own　senses　told　her　something　was　happening　in　death；　something　powerful　was　moving　towards　life；　moving　towards　emergence　at　the　broken　stone。

there　had　been　too　much　death　and　too　much　charter　magic　on　this　hill；　and　the　night　was　yet　to　reach　its　blackest。　the　wind　was　swinging　around；　the　clouds　regaining　their　superiority　over　sky。　soon；　the　stars　would　disappear　and　the　young　moon　would　be　wrapped　in　white。

quickly；　sabriel　scanned　the　heavens；　looking　for　the　three　bright　stars　that　marked　the　buckle　of　the　north　giant鈥檚　belt。　she　found　them；　but　then　had　to　check　the　star　map　in　her　almanac；　a　handmade　match　stinking　as　it　cast　a　yellow　flicker　on　the　pages；　for　she　didn鈥檛　dare　use　any　more　charter　magic　till　she　was　away　from　the　broken　stone。　the　almanac　showed　that　she　had　remembered　correctly：　the　buckle　was　due　north　　in　the　old　kingdom；　its　other　name　was　mariner鈥檚　cheat。　in　ancelstierre；　the　buckle　was　easily　ten　degrees　west　of　north。

north　located；　sabriel　started　to　make　her　way　to　that　side　of　the　crest；　looking　for　the　spur　that　slanted　down　to　the　valley　lost　in　darkness　below。　the　clouds　were　thickening　and　she　wanted　to　reach　level　ground　before　the　moonlight　disappeared。　at　least　the　spur；　when　found；　looked　like　easier　going　than　the　broken　steps　to　the　south；　though　its　gentle　slope　proclaimed　a　long　descent　to　the　valley。

in　fact；　it　took　several　hours　before　sabriel　reached　the　valley　floor；　stumbling　and　shivering；　a　very　pale　charter　flame　dancing　a　little　ways　in　front　of　her。　too　insubstantial　to　really　ease　her　path；　it　had　helped　her　avoid　major　disaster；　and　she　hoped　it　was　pallid　enough　to　be　taken　for　marsh…gas　or　chance　reflection。　in　any　case；　it　had　proved　essential　when　clouds　closed　the　last　remaining　gap　in　the　sky。

so　much　for　no　cloud；　sabriel　thought；　as　she　looked　towards　what　she　guessed　was　still　north；　searching　for　the　red　star；　uallus。　her　teeth　were　chattering　and　would　not　be　stilled；　and　a　shiver　that　had　started　with　her　ice…cold　feet　was　　repeating　itself　through　every　limb。　if　she　didn鈥檛　keep　moving；　she鈥檇　simply　freeze　where　she　stood鈥攑articularly　as　the　wind　was　rising　once　more　。　。　。

sabriel　laughed　quietly；　almost　hysterically；　and　turned　her　face　to　feel　the　breeze。　it　was　an　easterly；　gaining　strength　with　the　minute。

colder；　yes；　but　it　also　cleared　the　cloud；　sweeping　it　to　the　west鈥攁nd　there；　in　the　first　cleared　broom…stroke　of　the　wind；　was　uallus　gleaming　red。　sabriel　smiled；　stared　at　it；　took　stock　of　the　little　she　could　see　around　her；　and　started　off　again；　following　the　star；　a　whispering　voice　constant　in　the　back　of　her　mind。

do　not　tarry；　do　not　stop；　no　matter　what　happens。

the　smile　lasted　as　sabriel　found　the　road　and；　with　a　good　cover　of　snow　in　each　gutter；　she　skied；　making　good　time。

by　the　time　sabriel　found　the　mile　marker　and　the　charter　stone　behind　it；　no　trace　of　the　smile　could　be　seen　on　her　pale　face。　it　was　snowing　again；　snowing　sideways　as　the　wind　grew　more　frenzied；　taking　the　snowflakes　and　whipping　them　into　her　eyes；　now　the　only　exposed　portion　of　her　entire　body。　her　boots　were　soaked　　too；　despite　the　mutton　fat　she鈥檇　rubbed　into　them。　her　feet；　face　and　hands　were　freezing；　and　she　was　exhausted。　she鈥檇　dutifully　eaten　a　little　every　hour；　but　now；　simply　couldn鈥檛　open　her　frozen　jaws。

for　a　short　time；　at　the　intact　charter　stone　that　rose　proudly　behind　the　smaller　milemarker；　sabriel　had　made　herself　warm；　invoking　a　charter…spell　for　heat。　but　she鈥檇　grown　too　tired　to　maintain　it　without　the　assistance　of　the　stone；　and　the　spell　dissipated　almost　as　soon　as　she　walked　on。　only　the　mother…spirit鈥檚　warning　kept　her　going。　that；　and　the　sensation　that　she　was　being　followed。

it　was　only　a　feeling；　and　in　her　tired；　chilled　state；　sabriel　wondered　if　it　was　just　imagination。

but　she　wasn鈥檛　in　any　state　to　face　up　to　anything　that　might　not　be　imagined；　so　she　forced　herself　to　go　on。

do　not　tarry；　do　not　stop；　no　matter　what　happens。

the　path　from　the　charter　stone　was　better　made　than　the　one　that　climbed　cloven　crest；　but　steeper。　the　pathmakers　here　had　to　cut　through　a　dense；　greyish　rock；　which　did　not　erode　like　granite；　and　they　had　built　hundreds　　of　wide；　low　steps；　carved　with　intricate　patterns。

whether　these　meant　something；　sabriel　didn鈥檛　know。　they　weren鈥檛　charter　marks；　or　symbols　of　any　language　that　she　knew；　and　she　was　too　tired　to　speculate。　she　concentrated　on　one　step　at　a　time；　using　her　hands　to　push　down　on　her　aching　thighs；　coughing　and　gasping；　head　down　to　avoid　the　flying　snow。

the　path　grew　steeper　still　and　sabriel　could　see　the　cliff…face　ahead；　a　huge；　black；　vertical　mass；　a　much　darker　backdrop　to　the　swirling　snow　than　the　clouded　sky；　palely　backlit　by　the　moon。　but　she　didn鈥檛　seem　to　get　any　closer　as　the　path　switchbacked　to　and　fro；　rising　further　and　further　up　from　the　valley　below。

then；　suddenly；　sabriel　was　there。　the　path　turned　again　and　her　little　will…o鈥櫋璽he…wisp　light　reflected　back　from　a　wall；　a　wall　that　stretched　for　miles　to　either　side；　and　for　hundreds　of　yards　upwards。　clearly；　these　were　the　long　cliffs；　and　the　path　had　ended。

almost　sobbing　with　relief；　sabriel　pushed　herself　forward　to　the　very　base　of　the　cliff；　and　the　little　light　rose　above　her　head　to　disclose　grey；　lichen…veined　rock。　but　even　with　that　light；　there　was　no　sign　of　a　door鈥攏othing　but　　jagged；　impervious　rock；　going　up　and　out　of　her　tiny　circle　of　illumination。　there　was　no　path　and　nowhere　else　to　go。

wearily；　sabriel　knelt　in　a　patch　of　snow　and　rubbed　her　hands　together　vigorously；　trying　to　restore　circulation；　before　drawing　mosrael　from　the　bandolier。　mosrael；　the　waker。　sabriel　stilled　it　carefully　and　concentrated　her　senses；　feeling　for　anything　dead　that　might　be　near　and　should　not　be　woken。　there　was　nothing　close；　but　once　again　sabriel　felt　something　behind　her；　something　following　her；　far　down　on　the　path。　something　dead；　something　reeking　of　power。　she　tried　to　judge　how　distant　the　thing　was；　before　forcing　it　from　her　thoughts。

whatever　it　might　be；　it　was　too　far　away　to　hear　even　mosrael鈥檚　raucous　voice。　sabriel　stood　up；　and　rang　the　bell。

it　made　a　sound　like　tens　of　parrots　screeching；　a　noise　that　burst　into　the　air　and　wove　itself　into　the　wind；　echoing　from　the　cliffs；　multiplying　into　the　scream　of　a　thousand　birds。

sabriel　stilled　the　bell　at　once　and　put　it　away；　but　the　echoes　raced　across　the　valley；　and　she　knew　the　thing　behind　her　had　heard。　she　felt　it　fix　its　attention　on　where　she　was　and　she　felt　　it　quicken　its　pace；　like　watching　the　muscles　on　a　racehorse　going　from　the　walk　to　a　gallop。　it　was　ing　up　the　steps　at　least　four　or　five　at　a　time。　she　felt　the　rush　of　it　in　her　head　and　the　fear　rising　in　her　at　equal　pace；　but　she　still　went　to　the　path　and　looked　down；　draw