友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
八二电子书 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第22部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!


st gate。 if that happened; sabriel thought; she would have precipitated a murder rather than a rescue。

four steps to life鈥攖hen three。 the thing was closing now鈥攕abriel could see it; low in the water; still creeping; but faster now。 it was obviously a denizen of the third; or even some later gate; for she couldn鈥檛 identify what it once had been。 now it looked like a cross between a hog and a segmented worm; and it moved in a series of scuttles and sinuous wriggles。

two steps。 sabriel shifted her grip again; wrapping her left arm pletely around the spirit鈥檚 chest and balancing the weight on her hip; freeing her right arm; but she still couldn鈥檛 draw her sword; or clear the bells。

the hog…thing began to grunt and hiss; breaking into a diving; rushing gallop; its long; yellowcrusted tusks surfing through the water; its long body undulating along behind。

sabriel stepped back; turned; and threw herself and her precious cargo headfirst into life; using all her will to force them through the wards on the sinkhole。 for an instant; it seemed that they would be repulsed; then; like a pin pushing through a rubber band; they were through。

shrill squealing followed her; but nothing else。

sabriel found herself facedown on the ground; hands empty; ice crystals crunching as they fell from her frosted body。 turning her head; she met the gaze of mogget。 he stared at her; then closed his eyes and went back to sleep。

sabriel rolled over; and got to her feet; very; very slowly。 she felt all her pains e back and wondered why she鈥檇 been so hasty to perform deeds of derring…do and rescue。 still; she had managed it。 the man鈥檚 spirit was back where it belonged; back in life。

or so she thought; till she saw the figurehead。

it hadn鈥檛 changed at all to outward sight; though sabriel could now feel the living spirit in it。

puzzled; she touched his immobile face; fingers tracing the grain of the wood。

鈥渁 kiss;鈥潯aid mogget sleepily。 鈥渁ctually; just a breath would do。 but you have to start kissing someone sometime; i suppose。鈥

sabriel looked at the cat; wondering if this was the latest symptom of catbalm…induced lunacy。

but he seemed sober enough; and serious。

鈥渁 breath?鈥潯he asked。 she didn鈥檛 want to kiss  just any wooden man。 he looked nice enough; but he might not be like his looks。 a kiss seemed very forward。 he might remember it; and make assumptions。

鈥渓ike this?鈥潯he took a deep breath; leaned forward; exhaled a few inches from his nose and mouth; then stepped back to see what would happen鈥攊f anything。

nothing did。

鈥渃atbalm!鈥潯xclaimed sabriel; looking at mogget。 鈥測ou shouldn鈥檛鈥斺

a small sound interrupted her。 a small; wheezing sound; that didn鈥檛 e from her or mogget。

the figurehead was breathing; air whistling between carved wooden lips like the issue from an aged; underworked bellows。

the breathing grew stronger; and with it; color began to flow through the carving; dull wood giving way to the luster of flesh。 he coughed; and the carven chest became flexible; suddenly rising and falling as he began to pant like a recovering sprinter。

his eyes opened and met sabriel鈥檚。 fine grey eyes; but muzzy and unfocused。 he didn鈥檛 seem to see her。 his fingers clenched and unclenched; and his feet shuffled; as if he were running in  place。 finally; his back peeled away from the ship鈥檚 hull。 he took one step forward; and fell into sabriel鈥檚 arms。

she lowered him hastily to the ground; all too aware that she was embracing a naked young man鈥攊n circumstances considerably different than the various scenarios she鈥檇 imagined with her friends at school; or heard about from the earthier and more privileged day…girls。

鈥渢hank you;鈥潯e said; almost drunkenly; the words terribly slurred。 he seemed to focus on her鈥攐r her surcoat鈥攆or the first time; and added; 鈥渁bhorsen。鈥

then he went to sleep; mouth curling up at the corners; frown dissolving。 he looked younger than he did as a fixed…expression figurehead。

sabriel looked down at him; trying to ignore curiously fond feelings that had appeared from somewhere。 feelings similar to those that had made her bring back jacinth鈥檚 rabbit。

鈥渋 suppose i鈥檇 better get him a blanket;鈥潯he said reluctantly; as she wondered what on earth had possessed her to add this plication to her already confusing and difficult circumstances。

she supposed she would have to get him  to safety and civilization; at the very least鈥攊f there was any to be found。

鈥渋 can get a blanket if you want to keep staring at him;鈥潯ogget said slyly; twining himself around her ankles in a sensuous pavane。

sabriel realized she really was staring; and looked away。

鈥渘o。 i鈥檒l get it。 and my spare shirt; i suppose。

the breeches might fit him with a bit of work; i guess鈥攚e鈥檇 be much the same height。 keep watch; mogget。 i鈥檒l be back in a minute。鈥

mogget watched her hobble off; then turned back to the sleeping man。 silently; the cat padded over and touched his pink tongue to the charter mark on the man鈥檚 forehead。 the mark flared; but mogget didn鈥檛 flinch; till it grew dull again。

鈥渟o;鈥潯uttered mogget; tasting his own tongue by curling it back on itself。 he seemed somewhat surprised; and more than a little angry。 he tasted the mark again; and then shook his head in distaste; the miniature saraneth on his collar ringing a little peal that was not of celebration。





chapter xiv

锝炲皬锛滆t xt锛嬶紜澶╋紴鍫
grey mist coiling upwards; twining around him like a clinging vine; gripping arms and legs; immobilizing; strangling; merciless。 so firmly grown about his body there was no possibility of escape; so tight his muscles couldn鈥檛 even flex under skin; his eyelids couldn鈥檛 blink。 and nothing to see but patches of darker grey; crisscrossing his vision like windblown scum upon a fetid pool。

then; suddenly; fierce red light; pain exploding everywhere; rocketing from toes to brain and back again。 the grey mist clearing; mobility returning。 no more grey patches; but blurry colors; slowly twisting into focus。 a woman; looking down at him; a young woman; armed and armored; her face 。 。 。 battered。 no; not a woman。 the abhorsen; for she wore the blazon and the bells。 but she was too young; not the abhorsen he knew; or any of the family 。 。 。

鈥渢hank you;鈥潯e said; the words ing out like a mouse creeping from a dusty larder。

鈥渁bhorsen。鈥

then he fainted; his body rushing gladly to wele real sleep; true unconsciousness and sanity…restoring rest。

he awoke under a blanket; and felt a moment鈥檚 panic when the thick grey wool pressed upon his mouth and eyes。 he struggled with it; threw it back with a gasp; and relaxed as he felt fresh air on his face and dim sunlight filtering down from above。 he looked up and saw from the reddish hue that it must be soon after dawn。 the sinkhole puzzled him for a few seconds鈥敗isoriented; he felt dizzy and stupid; till he looked at the tall masts all around; the black sails; and the unfinished ship nearby。

鈥渉olehallow;鈥潯e muttered to himself; frowning。

he remembered it now。 but what was he doing here? pletely naked under a rough camping blanket? he sat up; and shook his head。 it was sore and his temples were throbbing; seemingly from the  battering…ram effect of a severe hangover。 but he felt certain he hadn鈥檛 been drinking。 the last thing he remembered was going down the steps。

rogir had asked him 。 。 。 no 。 。 。 the last thing was the fleeting image of a pale; concerned face; bloodied and bruised; black hair hanging out in a fringe under her helmet。 a deep blue surcoat; with the blazon of silver keys。 the abhorsen。

鈥渟he鈥檚 washing at the spring;鈥潯aid a soft voice; interrupting his faltering recollection。 鈥渟he got up before the sun。 cleanliness is a wonderful thing。鈥

the voice did not seem to belong to anything visible; till the man looked up at the nearby ship。

there was a large; irregular hole in the bow; where the figurehead should have been and a white cat was curled up in the hole; watching him with an unnaturally sharp; green…eyed gaze。

鈥渨hat are you?鈥潯aid the man; his eyes cautiously flickering from side to side; looking for a weapon。 a pile of clothes was the only thing nearby; containing a shirt; trousers and some underwear; but it was weighted down with a largish rock。 his hand sidled out towards the rock。

鈥渄on鈥檛 be alarmed;鈥潯aid the cat。 鈥渋鈥檓 but a faithful retainer of the abhorsen。 name of  mogget。 for the moment。鈥

the man鈥檚 hand closed on the rock; but he didn鈥檛 lift it。 memories were slowly sidling back to his benumbed mind; drawn like grains of iron to a magnet。 there were memories of various abhorsens among them鈥攎emories that gave him an inkling of what this cat…creature was。

鈥測ou were bigger when we last met;鈥潯e hazarded; testing his guess。

鈥渉ave we met?鈥潯eplied mogget; yawning。

鈥渄ear me。 i can鈥檛 recall it。 what was the name?鈥

a good question; thought the man。 he couldn鈥檛 remember。 he knew who he was; in general terms; but his name eluded him。 other names came easily though; and some flashes of memory concerning what he thought of as his immediate past。 he growled; and grimaced as they came to him; and clenched his fists in pain and anger。

鈥渦nusual name;鈥潯ented mogget。 鈥渕ore of a bear鈥檚 name; that growl。 do you mind if i call you touchstone?鈥

鈥渨hat!鈥潯he man exclaimed; affronted。 鈥渢hat鈥檚 a fool鈥檚 name! how dare鈥斺

鈥渋s it unfitting?鈥潯nterrupted mogget; coolly。

鈥測ou do remember what you鈥檝e done?鈥

the man was silent then; for he suddenly did remember; though he didn鈥檛 know why he鈥檇 done it; or what the consequences had been。 he also remembered that since this was the case; there was no point trying to remember his name。

he was no longer fit to bear it。

鈥測es; i remember;鈥潯e whispered。 鈥測ou may call me touchstone。 but i shall call you鈥斺

he choked; looked surprised; then tried again。

鈥測ou can鈥檛 say it;鈥潯ogget said。 鈥渁 spell tied to the corruption of鈥攂ut i can鈥檛 say it; nor tell anyone the nature of it; or how to fix it。 you won鈥檛 be able to talk about it either and there may be other effects。 certainly; it has affected me。鈥

鈥渋 see;鈥潯eplied touchstone; somberly。 he didn鈥檛 try the name again。 鈥渢ell me; who rules the kingdom?鈥

鈥渘o one;鈥潯aid mogget。

鈥渁 regency; then。 that is perhaps鈥斺

鈥渘o。 no regency。 no one reigns。 no one rules。

there was a regency at first; but it declined 。 。 。

with help。鈥

鈥渨hat do you mean; 鈥榓t first鈥櫍库潯sked touchstone。 鈥渨hat exactly has happened? where have i been?鈥

鈥渢he regency lasted for one hundred and  eighty years;鈥潯ogget announced callously。

鈥渁narchy has held sway for the last twenty; tempered by what a few remaining loyalists could do。 and you; my boy; have been adorning the front of this ship as a lump of wood for the last two hundred years。鈥

鈥渢he family?鈥

鈥渁ll dead and past the final gate; save one; who should be。 you know who i mean。鈥

for a moment; this news seemed to return touchstone to his wooden state。 he sat frozen; only 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!