sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第25部分

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finally；　they　came　to　a　large　chamber；　with　a　set　of　double　doors　to　one　side。　light　leaked　in　from　a　large　number　of　small；　circular　holes　in　the　roof；　or　as　sabriel　soon　saw；　through　an　overgrown　lattice　that　had　once　been　open　to　air　and　sky。

鈥渢hat鈥檚　the　outside　door；鈥潯�touchstone　said；　unnecessarily。　he　snuffed　out　his　candle；　took　sabriel鈥檚；　now　little　more　than　a　stub　of　wax；　and　put　both　in　a　pocket　stitched　to　the　front　of　his　kilt。　sabriel　thought　of　joking　about　the　hot　wax　and　the　potential　for　damage；　but　thought　better　　of　it。　touchstone　was　not　the　lighthearted　type。

鈥渉ow　does　it　open？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　indicating　the　door。　she　couldn鈥檛　see　any　handle；　lock　or　key。　or　any　hinges；　for　that　matter。

touchstone　was　silent；　eyes　unfocused　and　staring；　then　he　laughed；　a　bitter　little　chuckle。

鈥渋　don鈥檛　remember！　all　the　way　up　the　stair；　all　the　words　and　signals　。　。　。　and　now　useless！　useless！鈥�

鈥渁t　least　you　got　us　up　the　steps；鈥潯�sabriel　pointed　out；　alarmed　by　the　violence　of　his　selfloathing。

鈥渋鈥檇　still　be　sitting　by　the　spring；　watching　it　bubble；　if　you　hadn鈥檛　e　along。鈥�

鈥測ou　would　have　found　the　way　out；鈥�

touchstone　muttered。　鈥渙r　mogget　would。

wood！　yes；　that鈥檚　what　i　deserve　to　be鈥斺��

鈥渢ouchstone；鈥潯�mogget　interrupted；　hissing。

鈥渟hut　up。　you鈥檙e　to　be　useful；　remember？鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　touchstone；　visibly　calming　his　breathing；　posing　his　face。　鈥渋鈥檓　sorry；　mogget。　milady。鈥�

鈥減lease；　please；　just　sabriel；鈥潯�she　said　tiredly。

鈥渋鈥檝e　only　just　left　school鈥攊鈥檓　only　eighteen！　calling　me　milady　seems　ridiculous。鈥�

鈥渟abriel；鈥潯�touchstone　said　tentatively。　鈥渋　will　try　to　remember。　鈥榤ilady鈥櫋�is　a　habit　。　。　。　it　　　reminds　me　of　my　place　in　the　world。　it鈥檚　easier　for　me鈥斺��

鈥渋　don鈥檛　care　what鈥檚　easier　for　you！鈥潯�sabriel　snapped。　鈥渄on鈥檛　call　me　milady　and　stop　acting　like　a　halfwit！　just　be　yourself。　behave　normally。　i　don鈥檛　need　a　valet；　i　need　a　useful　。　。　。　friend！鈥�

鈥渧ery　well；　sabriel；鈥潯�touchstone　said；　with　careful　emphasis。　he　was　angry　now；　but　at　least　that　was　an　improvement　over　servile；　sabriel　thought。

鈥渘ow；鈥潯�she　said　to　the　smirking　mogget。

鈥渉ave　you　got　any　ideas　about　this　door？鈥�

鈥渏ust　one；鈥潯�replied　mogget；　sliding　between　her　legs　and　over　to　the　thin　line　that　marked　the　division　between　the　two　leaves　of　the　door。

鈥減ush。　one　on　each　side。鈥�

鈥減ush？鈥�

鈥渨hy　not？鈥潯�said　touchstone；　shrugging。　he　took　up　a　position；　braced　against　the　left　side　of　the　door；　palms　flat　on　the　metal…studded　wood。

sabriel　hesitated；　then　did　the　same　against　the　right。

鈥渙ne；　two；　three；　push！鈥潯�announced　mogget。

sabriel　pushed　on　鈥渢hree鈥潯�and　touchstone　on　鈥減ush；鈥潯�so　their　bined　effort　took　several　seconds　to　synchronize。　then　the　doors　creaked　slowly　open；　sunshine　spilling　through　in　a　bright　bar；　climbing　from　floor　to　ceiling；　dust　motes　dancing　in　its　progress。

鈥渋t　feels　strange；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　the　wood　humming　beneath　his　hands　like　plucked　lute　strings。

鈥渋　can　hear　voices；鈥潯�exclaimed　sabriel　at　the　same　time；　her　ears　full　of　half…caught　words；　laughter；　distant　singing。

鈥渋　can　see　time；鈥潯�whispered　mogget；　so　softly　that　his　words　were　lost。

then　the　doors　were　open。　they　walked　through；　shielding　their　eyes　against　the　sun；　feeling　the　cool　breeze　sharp　on　their　skin；　the　fresh　scent　of　pine　trees　clearing　their　nostrils　of　underground　dust。　mogget　sneezed　quickly　three　times；　and　ran　about　in　a　tight　circle。　the　doors　slid　shut　behind　them；　as　silently　and　inexplicably　as　they鈥檇　opened。

they　stood　in　a　small　clearing　in　the　middle　of　a　pine　forest；　or　plantation；　for　the　trees　were　regularly　spaced。　the　doors　behind　them　stood　in　the　side　of　a　low　hillock　of　turf　and　stunted　bushes。　pine　needles　lay　thick　on　the　ground；　pinecones　peeking　through　every　few　paces；　like　skulls　ploughed　up　on　some　ancient　battleground。

鈥渢he　watchwood；鈥潯�said　touchstone。　he　took　several　deep　breaths；　looked　at　the　sky；　and　sighed。　鈥渋t　is　winter；　i　think鈥攐r　early　spring？鈥�

鈥渨inter；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　鈥渋t　was　snowing　quite　heavily；　back　near　the　wall。　it　seems　much　milder　here。鈥�

鈥渕ost　of　the　wall；　the　long　cliffs；　and　abhorsen鈥檚　house；　are　on；　or　part　of；　the　southern　plateau；鈥潯�mogget　explained。　鈥渢he　plateau　is　between　one　and　two　thousand　feet　above　the　coastal　plain。　in　fact；　the　area　around　nestowe；　where　we　are　headed；　is　mostly　below　sea　level　and　has　been　reclaimed。鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�said　touchstone。　鈥渋　remember。　long　dyke；　the　raised　canals；　the　wind　pumps　to　raise　the　water鈥斺��

鈥測ou鈥檙e　both　very　informative　for　a　change；鈥�

remarked　sabriel。　鈥渨ould　one　of　you　care　to　tell　me　something　i　really　want　to　know；　like　what　are　the　great　charters？鈥�

鈥渋　can鈥檛；鈥潯�mogget　and　touchstone　said　together。

then　touchstone　continued；　haltingly；　鈥渢here　is　a　spell　。　。　。　a　binding　on　us。　but　someone　who　is　not　a　charter　mage；　or　otherwise　closely　bound　to　the　charter；　might　be　able　to　speak。　a　child；　perhaps；　baptized　with　the　　charter　mark；　but　not　grown　into　power。鈥�

鈥測ou鈥檙e　cleverer　than　i　thought；鈥潯�mented　mogget。　鈥渘ot　that　that鈥檚　saying　much。鈥�

鈥渁　child；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　鈥渨hy　would　a　child　know？鈥�

鈥渋f　you鈥檇　had　a　proper　education；　you鈥檇　know　too；鈥潯�said　mogget。　鈥渁　waste　of　good　silver；　that　school　of　yours。鈥�

鈥減erhaps；鈥潯�agreed　sabriel。　鈥渂ut　now　that　i　know　more　of　the　old　kingdom；　i　suspect　being　at　school　in　ancelstierre　saved　my　life。　but　enough　of　that。　which　way　do　we　go　now？鈥�

touchstone　looked　at　the　sky；　blue　above　the　clearing；　dark　where　the　pines　circled。　the　sun　was　just　visible　above　the　trees；　perhaps　an　hour　short　of　its　noon…time　zenith。　touchstone　looked　from　it　to　the　shadows　of　the　trees；　then　pointed：　鈥渆ast。　there　should　be　a　series　of　charter　stones；　leading　from　here　to　the　eastern　edge　of　the　watchwood。　this　place　is　heavily　warded　with　magic。　there　are　。　。　。　there　were；　many　stones。鈥�

the　stones　were　still　there；　and　after　the　first；　some　sort　of　animal　track　that　meandered　from　one　stone　to　the　next。　it　was　cool　under　the　pines；　but　pleasant；　the　constant　presence　of　the　charter　　stones　a　reassuring　sensation　to　sabriel　and　touchstone；　who　could　sense　them　like　lighthouses　in　a　sea　of　trees。

there　were　seven　stones　in　all；　and　none　of　them　broken；　though　sabriel　felt　a　stab　of　nervous　tension　every　time　they　left　the　ambience　of　one　and　moved　to　another；　a　stark　picture　always　flashing　into　her　head鈥攖he　bloodstained；　riven　stone　of　cloven　crest。

the　last　stone　stood　on　the　very　edge　of　the　pine　forest；　atop　a　granite　bluff　thirty　or　forty　yards　high；　marking　the　forest鈥檚　eastern　edge　and　the　end　of　high　ground。

they　stood　next　to　the　stone　and　looked　out；　out　towards　the　huge　expanse　of　blue…grey　sea；　white…crested；　restless；　always　rolling　in　to　shore。

below　them　were　the　flat；　sunken　fields　of　nestowe；　maintained　by　a　network　of　raised　canals；　pumps　and　dykes。　the　village　itself　lay　three…quarters　of　a　mile　away；　high　on　another　granite　bluff；　the　harbor　out　of　sight　on　the　other　side。

鈥渢he　fields　are　flooded；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　in　a　puzzled　tone；　as　if　he　couldn鈥檛　believe　what　he　was　seeing。

sabriel　followed　his　gaze；　and　saw　that　what　　she　had　taken　for　some　crop　was　actually　silt　and　water；　sitting　tepidly　where　food　once　grew。

windmills；　power　for　the　pumps；　stood　silent；　trefoil…shaped　vanes　still　atop　scaffolding　towers；　even　though　a　salt…laden　breeze　blew　in　from　the　sea。

鈥渂ut　the　pumps　were　charter…spelled；鈥�

touchstone　exclaimed。　鈥渢o　follow　the　wind；　to　work　without　care　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渢here　are　no　people　in　the　fields鈥攏o　one　on　this　side　of　the　village；鈥潯�mogget　added；　his　eyes　keener　than　the　telescope　in　sabriel鈥檚　pack。

鈥渘estowe鈥檚　charter　stone　must　be　broken；鈥�

sabriel　said；　mouth　tight；　words　cold。　鈥渁nd　i　can　smell　a　certain　stench　on　the　breeze。　there　are　dead　in　the　village。鈥�

鈥渁　boat　would　be　the　quickest　way　to　belisaere；　and　i　am　reasonably　confident　of　my　sailing；鈥潯�touchstone　remarked。　鈥渂ut　if　the　dead　are　there；　shouldn鈥檛　we　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渨e鈥檒l　go　down　and　get　a　boat；鈥潯�sabriel　announced　firmly。　鈥渨hile　the　sun　is　high。鈥�

xiaoshuot锛竧锛宑o锛�



chapter　xvi

灏彛¤�矗�txt！澶�。鍫�
there　was　a　built…up　path　through　the　flooded　fields；　but　it　was　submerged　to　ankle…depth；　with　occasional　thigh…high　slippages。

only　the　raised　canal　drains　stood　well　above　the　brackish　water；　and　they　all　ran　towards　the　east；　not　towards　the　village；　so　sabriel　and　touchstone　were　forced　to　wade　along　the　path。　mogget；　of　course；　rode；　his　lean　form　draped　around　sabriel鈥檚　neck　like　a　white　fox　fur。

water　and　mud；　coupled　with　an　uncertain　path；　made　it　slow　going。　it　took　an　hour　to　cover　less　than　a　mile；　so　it　was　later　in　the　afternoon　than　sabriel　would　have　wished　when　they　finally　climbed　out　of　the　water；　up　onto　the　beginnings　of　the　village鈥檚　rocky　mount。　at　least　the　sky　is　clear；　sabriel　thought；　glancing　up。　the　winter　sun　wasn鈥檛　particularly　hot　and　couldn鈥檛　be　described　as　glaring；　but　it　would　certainly　deter　most　kindred　of　the　lesser　dead　from　venturing　out。

nevertheless；　they　walked　carefully　up　to　the　village；　swords　loose；　sabriel　with　a　hand　to　her　bells。　the　path　wound　up　in　a　series　of　steps　carved　from　the　rock；　reinforced　here　and　there　with　bricks　and　mortar。　the　village　proper　nestled　on　top　of　the　bluff鈥攁bout　thirty　cozy　brick　cottages；　with　wood…tile　roofs；　some　painted　bright　colors；　some　dull；　and　some　simply　grey　and　weatherbeaten。

it　was　pletely　silent；　save　for　the　odd　gust　of　wind；　or　the　mournful　cry　of　a　gull；　slipping　down　through　the　air　above。　sabriel　and　touchstone　drew　closer　together；　walking　almost　shoulder…to…shoulder　up　what　passed　for　a　main　street；　swords　out　now；　eyes　flickering　across　closed　doors　and　shuttered　windows。

both　felt　uneasy；　nervous鈥攁　nasty；　tingling；　creeping　sensation　climbing　up　from　spine；　to　nape　of　neck；　to　forehead　charter　mark。

sabriel　also　felt　the　presence　of　dead　things。

lesser　dead；　hiding　from　sunlight；　lurking　　somewhere　nearby；　in　house　or　cellar。

at　the　end　of　the　main　street；　on　the　highest　point　of　the　bluff；　a　charter　stone　stood　on　a　patch　of　carefully　tended　lawn。　half　of　the　stone　had　been　sheared　away；　pieces　broken　and　tumbled；　dark　stone　on　green　turf。　a　body　lay　in　front　of　the　stone；　hands　and　feet　bound；　the　gaping　cut　across　the　throat　a　clear　sign　of　where　the　blood　had　e　from鈥攖he　blood　for　the　sacrifice　that　broke　the　stone。

sabriel　knelt　by　the　corpse；　eyes　averted　from　the　broken　stone。　it　was　only　recently　ruined；　she　felt；　but　already　the　door　to　death　was　creaking　open。　she　could　almost　feel　the　cold　of　the　currents　beyond；　leaking　out　around　the　stone；　sucking　warmth　and　life　from　the　air。

things　lurked　there　too；　she　knew；　just　beyond　the　border。　she　sensed　their　hunger　for　life；　their　impatience　for　night　to　fall。

as　she　expected；　the　corpse　was　of　a　charter　mage；　dead　but　three　or　four　days。　but　she　hadn鈥檛　expected　to　find　the　dead　person　was　a　woman。

wide　shou