sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第31部分

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so　he　decided　to　break　the　great　stones；　and　for　that　he　needed　royal　blood鈥攈is　own　family鈥檚　blood。　or　abhorsen鈥檚；　or　the　clayr鈥檚；　of　course；　but　that　would　be　much　harder　to　get。

鈥渂ecause　he　was　the　queen鈥檚　son；　clever；　and　very　powerful；　he　almost　achieved　his　aims。　two　of　the　six　great　stones　were　broken。　the　queen　and　her　daughters　were　killed。　abhorsen　intervened　a　little　too　late。　true；　he　did　manage　to　drive　him　deep　into　death鈥攂ut　since　his　true　body　has　never　been　found；　rogir　has　continued　to　exist。　even　from　death；　he　has　overseen　the　dissolution　of　the　kingdom鈥攁　kingdom　without　a　royal　family；　with　one　of　the　great　charters　crippled；　corrupting　and　weakening　all　the　others。　he　wasn鈥檛　really　beaten　that　night；　in　the　reservoir。　just　delayed；　and　for　two　hundred　years　he鈥檚　been　trying　to　e　back；　trying　to　re…enter　life鈥斺��

鈥渉e鈥檚　succeeded；　hasn鈥檛　he？鈥潯�interrupted　sabriel。　鈥渉e鈥檚　the　thing　called　kerrigor；　the　one　abhorsens　have　been　fighting　for　generations；　　trying　to　keep　in　death。　he　is　the　one　who　came　back；　the　greater　dead　who　murdered　the　patrol　near　cloven　crest；　the　master　of　the　mordicant。鈥�

鈥渋　do　not　know；鈥潯�replied　mogget。　鈥測our　father　thought　so。鈥�

鈥渋t　is　him；鈥潯�touchstone　said；　distantly。

鈥渒errigor　was　rogir鈥檚　childhood　nickname。　i　made　it　up；　on　the　day　we　had　the　mud　fight。

his　full　ceremonial　name　was　rogirek。鈥�

鈥渉e鈥攐r　his　servants鈥攎ust　have　lured　my　father　to　belisaere　just　before　he　emerged　from　death；鈥潯�sabriel　thought　aloud。　鈥渋　wonder　why　he　came　out　into　life　so　near　the　wall？鈥�

鈥渉is　body　must　be　near　the　wall。　he　would　need　to　be　close　to　it；鈥潯�mogget　said。　鈥測ou　should　know　that。　to　renew　the　master　spell　that　prevents　him　from　ever　passing　beyond　the　final　gate。鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　remembering　the　passages　from　the　book　of　the　dead。　she　shivered；　but　suppressed　it；　before　it　became　a　racking　sob。　inside；　she　felt　like　screaming；　crying。　she　wanted　to　flee　back　to　ancelstierre；　cross　the　wall；　leave　the　dead　and　magic　behind；　go　as　far　south　as　possible。　but　she　quelled　these　feelings；　　and　said；　鈥渁n　abhorsen　defeated　him　once。　i　can　do　so　again。　but　first；　we　must　find　my　father鈥檚　body。鈥�

there　was　silence　for　a　moment；　save　for　the　wind　in　the　canvas　and　the　quiet　hum　of　the　rigging。

touchstone　wiped　his　hand　across　his　eyes　and　looked　at　mogget。

鈥渢here　is　one　thing　i　would　like　to　ask。　who　put　my　spirit　in　death；　and　made　my　body　the　figurehead？鈥�

鈥渋　never　knew　what　happened　to　you；鈥潯�replied　mogget。　his　green　eyes　met　touchstone鈥檚　gaze；　and　it　wasn鈥檛　the　cat　who　blinked。　鈥渂ut　it　must　have　been　abhorsen。　you　were　insane　when　we　got　you　out　of　the　reservoir。　driven　mad；　probably　by　the　breaking　of　the　great　stones。　no　memory；　nothing。　it　seems　two　hundred　years　is　not　too　long　for　a　rest　cure。　he　must　have　seen　something　in　you鈥攐r　the　clayr　saw　something　in　the　ice　。　。　。　ah；　that　was　hard　to　say。　we　must　be　nearing　the　city；　and　the　sea鈥檚　influence　lessens。　the　binding　resumes　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渘o；　mogget！鈥潯�exclaimed　sabriel。　鈥渋　want　to　know；　i　need　to　know；　who　you　are。　what鈥檚　your　connection　with　the　great　。　。　。鈥�

her　voice　locked　up　in　her　throat　and　a　star…　　tled　gargle　was　the　only　thing　that　came　out。

鈥渢oo　late；鈥潯�said　mogget。　he　started　cleaning　his　fur；　pink　tongue　darting　out；　bright　color　against　white　fur。

sabriel　sighed；　and　looked　out　at　the　turquoise　sea；　then　up　at　the　sun；　yellow　disc　on　a　field　of　white…streaked　blue。　a　light　breeze　filled　the　sail　above　her；　ruffling　her　hair　in　passing。　gulls　rode　it　on　ahead；　to　join　a　squawking　mass　of　their　brethren；　feeding　from　a　school　of　fish；　sharp　silver　bursting　near　the　surface。

everything　was　alive；　colorful；　full　of　the　joy　of　living。　even　the　salt　tang　on　her　skin；　the　stink　of　fish　and　her　own　unwashed　body；　was　somehow　rich　and　lively。　far；　far　removed　from　touchstone鈥檚　grim　past；　the　threat　of　rogir/kerrigor　and　the　chilling　greyness　of　death。

鈥渨e　shall　have　to　be　very　careful；鈥潯�sabriel　said　at　last；　鈥渁nd　hope　that　。　。　。　what　was　it　you　said　to　the　elder　of　nestowe；　touchstone？鈥�

he　knew　immediately　what　she　meant。

鈥渉ope　that　the　charter　preserves　us　all。鈥�

ww銆�w。x锛゛oshuotxt。銆�



chapter　xix

灏彙ｈ�础�t｜xt。澶�＋鍫�
sabriel　had　expected　belisaere　to　be　a　ruined　city；　devoid　of　life；　but　it　was　not　so。　by　the　time　they　saw　its　towers；　and　the　truly　impressive　walls　that　ringed　the　peninsula　on　which　the　city　stood；　they　also　saw　fishing　boats；　of　a　size　with　their　own。　people　were　fishing　from　them鈥攏ormal；　friendly　people；　who　waved　and　shouted　as　they　passed。　only　their　greeting　was　telling　of　how　things　might　be　in　belisaere。　鈥済ood　sun　and　swift　water鈥潯�was　not　the　typical　greeting　in　touchstone鈥檚　time。

the　city鈥檚　main　harbor　was　reached　from　the　west。　a　wide；　buoyed　channel　ran　between　two　hulking　defensive　outworks；　leading　into　a　vast　pool；　easily　as　big　as　twenty　or　thirty　playing　fields。　wharves　lined　three　sides　of　the　pool；　but　most　were　deserted。　to　the　north　and　south；　warehouses　rotted　behind　the　empty　wharves；　broken　walls　and　holed　roofs　testimony　to　long　abandonment。

only　the　eastern　dock　looked　lively。　there　were　none　of　the　big　trading　vessels　of　bygone　days；　but　many　small　coastal　craft；　loading　and　unloading。　derricks　swung　in　and　out；　longshoremen　humped　packages　along　gangplanks；　small　children　dived　and　swam　in　between　the　boats。　no　warehouses　stood　behind　these　wharves鈥攊nstead；　there　were　hundreds　of　open…topped　booths；　little　more　than　brightly　decorated　frameworks　delineating　a　patch　of　space；　with　tables　for　the　wares；　and　stools　for　the　vendors　and　favored　customers。　there　seemed　to　be　no　shortage　of　customers　in　general；　sabriel　noted；　as　touchstone　steered　for　a　vacant　berth。　people　were　swarming　everywhere；　hurrying　about　as　if　their　time　was　sadly　limited。

touchstone　let　the　mainsheet　go　slack；　and　brought　the　boat　into　the　wind　just　in　time　for　them　to　lose　way　and　glide　at　an　oblique　angle　into　the　fenders　that　lined　the　wharf。　sabriel　threw　up　a　line；　but　before　she　could　leap　ashore　　and　secure　it　to　a　bollard；　a　street　urchin　did　it　for　her。

鈥減enny　for　the　knot；鈥潯�he　cried；　shrill　voice　piercing　through　the　hubbub　from　the　crowd。

鈥減enny　for　the　knot；　lady？鈥�

sabriel　smiled；　with　effort；　and　flicked　a　silver　penny　at　the　boy。　he　caught　it；　grinned　and　disappeared　into　the　stream　of　people　moving　along　the　dock。　sabriel鈥檚　smile　faded。　she　could　feel　many；　many　dead　here　。　。　。　or　not　precisely　here；　but　further　up　in　the　city。　belisaere　was　built　upon　four　low　hills；　surrounding　a　central　valley；　which　lay　open　to　the　sea　at　this　harbor。　as　far　as　sabriel鈥檚　senses　could　tell；　only　the　valley　was　free　of　the　dead鈥攚hy；　she　didn鈥檛　know。　the　hills；　which　made　up　at　least　two…thirds　of　the　city鈥檚　area；　were　infested　with　them。

this　part　of　the　city；　on　the　other　hand；　could　truly　be　said　to　be　infested　with　life。　sabriel　had　forgotten　how　noisy　a　city　could　be。　even　in　ancelstierre；　she　had　rarely　visited　anything　larger　than　bain；　a　town　of　no　more　than　ten　thousand　people。　of　course；　belisaere　wasn鈥檛　a　big　city　by　ancelstierran　standards；　and　it　didn鈥檛　have　the　noisy　omnibuses　and　private　cars　that　had　been　significantly　adding　to　ancelstierran　　noise　for　the　last　ten　years；　but　belisaere　made　up　for　it　with　the　people。　people　hurrying；　arguing；　shouting；　selling；　buying；　singing　。　。　。

鈥渨as　it　like　this　before？鈥潯�she　shouted　at　touchstone；　as　they　climbed　up　onto　the　wharf；　making　sure　they　had　all　their　possessions　with　them。

鈥渘ot　really；鈥潯�answered　touchstone。　鈥渢he　pool　was　normally　full；　with　bigger　ships鈥攁nd　there　were　warehouses　here；　not　a　market。　it　was　quieter；　too；　and　people　were　in　less　of　a　rush。鈥�

they　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　dock；　watching　the　stream　of　humanity　and　goods；　hearing　the　tumult；　and　smelling　all　the　new　odors　of　the　city　replacing　the　freshness　of　the　sea　breeze。

cooking　food；　wood　smoke；　incense；　oil；　the　occasional　disgusting　whiff　of　what　could　only　be　sewage　。　。　。

鈥渋t　was　also　a　lot　cleaner；鈥潯�added　touchstone。

鈥渓ook；　i　think　we鈥檇　best　find　an　inn　or　hostelry。　somewhere　to　stay　for　the　night。鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　she　was　reluctant　to　enter　the　human　tide。　there　were　no　dead　among　them；　as　far　as　she　could　sense；　but　they　must　have　some　kind　of　acmodation　or　agreement　with　the　dead　and　that　stank　to　　her　far　more　than　sewage。

touchstone　snagged　a　passing　boy　by　the　shoulder　as　sabriel　continued　to　eye　the　crowd；　nose　wrinkling。　they　spoke　together　for　a　moment；　a　silver　penny　changed　hands；　then　the　boy　slid　into　the　rush；　touchstone　following。　he　looked　back；　saw　sabriel　staring　absently；　and　grabbed　her　by　the　hand；　dragging　both　her　and　the　lazy；　fox…fur…positioned　mogget　after　him。

it　was　the　first　time　sabriel　had　touched　him　since　he鈥檇　been　revived　and　she　was　surprised　by　the　shock　it　gave　her。　certainly；　her　mind　had　been　wandering；　and　it　was　a　sudden　grab　。　。　。

his　hand　felt　larger　than　it　should；　and　interestingly　calloused　and　textured。　quickly；　she　slipped　her　hand　out　of　his；　and　concentrated　on　following　both　him　and　the　boy；　weaving　across　the　main　direction　of　the　crowd。

they　went　through　the　middle　of　the　opentopped　market；　along　one　street　of　little　booths鈥攐bviously　the　street　of　fish　and　fowl。

the　harbor　end　was　alive　with　boxes　and　boxes　of　fresh…caught　fish；　clear…eyed　and　wriggling。

vendors　yelled　their　prices；　or　their　best　buy；　and　buyers　shouted　offers　or　amazement　at　the　　price。　baskets；　bags　and　boxes　changed　hands；　empty　ones　to　be　filled　with　fish　or　lobster；　squid　or　shellfish。　coins　went　from　palm　to　palm；　or；　occasionally；　whole　purses　disgorged　their　shining　contents　into　the　belt…pouches　of　the　stallholders。

towards　the　other　end　it　grew　a　little　quieter。

the　stalls　here　had　cages　upon　cages　of　chickens；　but　their　trade　was　slower；　and　many　of　the　chickens　looked　old　and　stunted。　sabriel；　seeing　an　expert　knife…man　beheading　row　after　row　of　chickens　and　dropping　them　to　flop　headless　in　a　box；　concentrated　on　shutting　out　their　bewildered　featherbrained　experience　of　death。

beyond　the　market　there　was　a　wide　swath　of　empty　ground。　it　had　obviously　been　intentionally　cleared；　first　with　fire；　then　with　mattock；　shovel　and　bar。　sabriel　wondered　why；　till　she　saw　the　aqueduct　that　ran　beyond　and　parallel　to　this　strip　of　wasteland。　the　city　folk　who　lived　in　the　valley　didn鈥檛　have　an　agreement　with　the　dead鈥攖heir　part　of　the　city　was　bounded　by　aqueducts；　and　the　dead　could　no　more　walk　under　running　water　than　over　it。

the　cleared　ground　was　a　precaution；　allowing　the　aqueducts　to　be　guarded鈥攁nd　sure　　enough；　sabriel　saw　a　patrol　of　archers　marching　atop　it；　their　regularly　moving　shapes　silhouetted；　shadow　puppets　against　the　sky。　the　boy　was　leading　them　to　a　central　arch；　which　rose　up　through　two　of　the　aqueduct鈥檚　four　tiers；　and　there　were　more　archers　there。

smaller　arches　continued　on　each　side；　supporting　the　aqueduct鈥檚　main　channel；　but　these　were　heavily　overgrown　with　thornbushes；　to　prevent　unauthorized　entry