sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第45部分

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鈥渨e　need　them；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　again。

鈥測es；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　turning　back　towards　the　knot　of　men　gathered　as　close　as　they　dared　to　the　cairn。　horyse；　and　some　of　the　stronger　charter　mages；　peering　back　towards　the　entrance　and　the　shimmering　bronze　within。

鈥渢he　spell　failed；鈥潯�sabriel　said。　鈥渂ut　touchstone　has　just　reminded　me　where　we　can　get　more　charter　mages。鈥�

horyse　looked　at　her；　urgency　in　his　face。

鈥渨here？鈥�

鈥渨yverley　college。　my　old　school。　the　fifth　and　sixth　form　magic　classes；　and　their　teacher；　magistrix　greenwood。　it鈥檚　less　than　a　mile　away。鈥�

鈥渋　don鈥檛　think　we鈥檝e　got　time　to　get　a　message　there；　and　get　them　over　here；鈥潯�horyse　began；　looking　up　at　the　setting　sun；　then　at　his　watch鈥敗�which　was　now　going　backwards。　he　looked　puzzled　for　a　moment；　then　ignored　it。　鈥渂ut　。　。　。

do　you　think　it　would　be　possible　to　move　the　sarcophagus？鈥�

sabriel　thought　about　the　protective　spell　that　she鈥檇　encountered；　then　answered。　鈥測es。　most　of　the　wards　were　on　the　cairn；　for　concealment。

there鈥檚　nothing　to　stop　us　moving　the　sarcophagus；　save　the　side　effects　of　the　free　magic。　if　we　can　stand　the　sickness；　we　can　shift　it鈥斺��

鈥渁nd　wyverly　college鈥攊t鈥檚　an　old；　solid　building？鈥�

鈥渕ore　like　a　castle　than　anything；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　seeing　the　way　he　was　thinking。　鈥渆asier　to　defend　than　this　hill。鈥�

鈥渞unning　water　。　。　。　no？　that　would　be　too　much　to　hope　for。　right！　private　macking；　run　down　to　major　tindall　and　tell　him　that　i　want　his　pany　ready　to　move　in　two　minutes。

we鈥檙e　going　back　to　the　trucks；　then　on　to　wyverley　college鈥攊t鈥檚　on　the　map；　about　a　mile　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渟outh…west；鈥潯�sabriel　provided。

鈥渟outh…west。　repeat　that　back。鈥�

private　macking　repeated　the　message　in　a　slow　drawl；　then　ran　off；　clearly　keen　to　get　away　from　the　cairn。　horyse　turned　to　the　longservice　corporal　and　said；　鈥渃orporal　anshey。

you　look　pretty　fit。　do　you　think　you　could　get　a　rope　around　that　coffin？鈥�

鈥渞eckon　so；　sir；鈥潯�replied　corporal　anshey。　he　detached　a　coil　of　rope　from　his　webbing　as　he　spoke；　and　gestured　with　his　hand　to　the　other　soldiers。

鈥渆　on　you　blokes；　get　yer　ropes　out。鈥�

twenty　minutes　later；　the　sarcophagus　was　being　lifted　by　shear…legs　and　rope　aboard　a　horse…drawn　wagon；　appropriated　from　a　local　farmer。　as　sabriel　had　expected；　dragging　it　within　twenty　yards　of　the　trucks　stopped　their　engines；　put　out　electric　lights　and　disrupted　the　telephone。

curiously；　the　horse；　a　placid　old　mare；　didn鈥檛　seem　overly　frightened　by　the　gleaming　sarcophagus；　despite　its　bronze　surface　sluggishly　crawling　with　stomach…churning　perversions　of　charter　marks。　she　wasn鈥檛　a　happy　horse；　but　not　a　panicked　one　either。

鈥渨e鈥檒l　have　to　drive　the　wagon；鈥潯�sabriel　said　to　touchstone；　as　the　soldiers　pushed　the　suspended　coffin　aboard　with　long　poles；　and　collapsed　the　shear…legs。　鈥渋　don鈥檛　think　the　scouts　can　withstand　the　sickness　much　longer。鈥�

touchstone　shuddered。　like　everyone　else；　he　was　pale；　eyes　red…rimmed；　his　nose　dripping　and　　teeth　chattering。　鈥渋鈥檓　not　sure　i　can；　either。鈥�

nevertheless；　when　the　last　rope　was　twitched　off；　and　the　soldiers　hurried　away；　touchstone　climbed　up　to　the　driver鈥檚　seat　and　picked　up　the　reins。　sabriel　climbed　up　next　to　him；　suppressing　the　feeling　that　her　stomach　was　about　to　rise　into　her　mouth。　she　didn鈥檛　look　back　at　the　sarcophagus。

touchstone　said　鈥渢ch…tch鈥潯�to　the　horse；　and　flicked　the　reins。　the　mare鈥檚　ears　went　up；　and　she　took　up　the　load；　pacing　forwards。　it　was　not　a　quick　pace。

鈥渋s　this　as　fast　as　。　。　。鈥潯�sabriel　said　anxiously。

they　had　a　mile　to　cover；　and　the　sun　was　already　bloody；　a　red　disc　balanced　on　the　line　of　the　horizon。

鈥渋t鈥檚　a　heavy　load；鈥潯�touchstone　answered　slowly；　quick　breaths　ing　between　his　words；　as　if　he　found　it　difficult　to　speak。　鈥渨e鈥檒l　be　there　before　the　light　goes。鈥�

the　sarcophagus　seemed　to　buzz　and　chuckle　behind　them。　neither　of　them　mentioned　that　kerrigor　might　arrive；　fog…wreathed；　before　the　night　did。　sabriel　found　herself　looking　behind　every　few　seconds；　back　along　the　road。　this　meant　catching　glimpses　of　the　vilely　shifting　　surface　of　the　coffin；　but　she　couldn鈥檛　help　it。　the　shadows　were　lengthening；　and　every　time　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　some　tree鈥檚　pale　bark；　or　a　whitewashed　mile　marker；　fear　twitched　in　her　gut。　was　that　fog　curling　down　the　road？　wyverley　college　seemed　much　farther　than　a　mile。　the　sun　was　only　a　three…quarter　disc　by　the　time　they　saw　the　trucks　turn　off　the　road；　turning　up　the　bricked　drive　that　led　to　the　wrought…iron　gates　of　wyverley　college。　home；　thought　sabriel　for　a　moment。　but　that　was　no　longer　true。　it　had　been　home　for　the　better　part　of　her　life；　but　that　was　past。　it　was　the　home　of　her　childhood；　when　she　was　only　sabriel。　now；　she　was　also　abhorsen。　now；　her　home　lay　in　the　old　kingdom；　as　did　her　responsibilities。

but　like　her；　these　traveled。

electric　lights　burned　brightly　in　the　two　antique　glass　lanterns　on　either　side　of　the　gate；　but　they　dimmed　to　mere　sparks　as　the　wagon　and　its　strange　cargo　drove　through。　one　of　the　gates　was　off　its　hinges；　and　sabriel　realized　the　soldiers　must　have　forced　their　way　through。　it　was　unusual　for　the　gates　to　be　locked　before　full　dark。　they　must　have　closed　them　when　they　heard　the　bells；　sabriel　realized；　and　that　　alerted　her　to　something　else　。　。　。

鈥渢he　bell　in　the　village；鈥潯�she　exclaimed；　as　the　wagon　passed　several　parked　trucks　and　wheeled　around　to　stop　near　the　huge；　gate…like　doors　to　the　main　building　of　the　school。　鈥渢he　bell鈥攊t鈥檚　stopped。鈥�

touchstone　brought　the　wagon　to　a　halt；　and　listened；　cocking　an　ear　towards　the　darkening　sky。　true　enough；　they　could　no　longer　hear　the　wyverley　village　bell。

鈥渋t　is　a　mile；鈥潯�he　said；　hesitantly。　鈥減erhaps　we鈥檙e　too　far；　the　wind　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渘o；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　she　felt　the　air；　cool　with　evening；　still　on　her　face。　there　was　no　wind。

鈥測ou　could　always　hear　it　here。　kerrigor　has　reached　the　village。　we　need　to　get　the　sarcophagus　inside；　quickly！鈥�

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；