sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第14部分

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call　me　mogget。　as　to　what　i　am；　i　was　once　many　things；　but　now　i　am　only　several。　primarily；　i　am　a　servant　of　abhorsen。　unless　you　would　be　kind　enough　to　remove　my　collar？鈥�

sabriel　gave　an　uneasy　smile；　and　shook　her　head　firmly。　whatever　mogget　was；　that　collar　was　the　only　thing　that　kept　it　as　a　servant　of　abhorsen　。　。　。　or　anybody　else。　the　charter　marks　on　the　collar　were　quite　explicit　about　that。　as　far　as　sabriel　could　tell；　the　binding　spell　was　over　a　thousand　years　old。　it　was　quite　possible　that　mogget　was　some　free　magic　spirit　as　old　as　the　wall；　or　even　older。　she　wondered　　why　her　father　hadn鈥檛　mentioned　it；　and　with　a　pang；　wished　that　she　had　awoken　to　find　her　father　here；　in　his　house；　both　their　troubles　over。

鈥渋　thought　not；鈥潯�said　mogget；　bining　a　careless　shrug　with　a　limbering　stretch。　it　。　。　。　or　he；　for　sabriel　felt　the　cat　was　definitely　masculine；　jumped　to　the　parquet　floor　and　sauntered　over　to　the　fire。　sabriel　watched；　her　trained　eye　noting　that　mogget鈥檚　shadow　was　not　always　that　of　a　cat。

a　knock　at　the　door　interrupted　her　study　of　the　cat；　the　sharp　sound　making　sabriel　jump　nervously；　the　hair　on　the　back　of　her　neck　frizzing　to　attention。

鈥渋t鈥檚　only　one　of　the　servants；鈥潯�mogget　said；　in　a　patronizing　tone。　鈥渃harter　sendings；　and　pretty　low…grade　ones　at　that。　they　always　burn　the　milk。鈥�

sabriel　ignored　him；　and　said；　鈥渆　in。鈥潯�her　voice　shook；　and　she　realized　that　shaky　nerves　and　weakness　would　be　with　her　for　a　while。

the　door　swung　open　silently　and　a　short；　robed　figure　drifted　in。　it　was　similar　to　the　upper　gatewarden；　being　cowled　and　so　without　a　visible　face；　but　this　one鈥檚　habit　was　of　light　cream　rather　than　black。　it　had　a　simple　cotton　　underdress　draped　over　one　arm；　a　thick　towel　over　the　other　and　its　charter…woven　hands　held　a　long　woollen　surcoat　and　a　pair　of　slippers。

without　a　word；　it　went　to　the　end　of　the　bed　and　put　the　garments　on　sabriel鈥檚　feet。　then　it　crossed　to　a　porcelain　basin　that　sat　in　a　silver　filigree　stand；　above　a　tiled　area　of　the　floor　to　the　left　of　the　fire。　there；　it　twisted　a　bronze　wheel；　and　steaming　hot　water　splashed　and　gurgled　from　a　pipe　in　the　wall；　bringing　with　it　the　stench　of　something　sulphurous　and　unpleasant。

sabriel　wrinkled　her　nose。

鈥渉ot　springs；鈥潯�mented　mogget。　鈥測ou　won鈥檛　smell　it　after　a　while。　your　father　always　said　that　having　permanent　hot　water　was　worth　bearing　the　smell。　or　was　it　your　grandfather　who　said　that？　or　great…great…aunt？　ah；　memory　。　。　。鈥�

the　servant　stood　immobile　while　the　basin　filled；　then　twisted　the　wheel　to　cut　the　flow　as　water　slopped　over　the　rim　to　the　floor；　close　to　mogget鈥攚ho　leapt　to　his　feet　and　padded　away；　keeping　a　cautious　distance　from　the　charter　sending。　just　like　a　real　cat；　sabriel　thought。　perhaps　the　imposed　shape　impressed　behavior　too；　over　the　years鈥攐r　centuries。　she　　liked　cats。　the　school　had　a　cat；　a　plump　marmalade　feline；　who　went　by　the　name　of　biscuits。

sabriel　thought　about　the　way　it　slept　on　the　windowsill　of　the　prefect鈥檚　room；　and　then　found　herself　thinking　about　the　school　in　general；　and　what　her　friends　would　be　doing。　her　eyelids　drooped　as　she　imagined　an　etiquette　class；　and　the　mistress　droning　on　about　silver　salvers　。　。　。

a　sharp　clang　woke　her　with　yet　another　start；　sending　further　stabs　of　pain　through　tired　muscles。

the　charter　sending　had　tapped　the　bronze　wheel　with　the　poker　from　the　fireplace。　it　was　obviously　impatient　for　sabriel　to　have　her　wash。

鈥渨ater鈥檚　getting　cold；鈥潯�explained　mogget；　leaping　up　to　the　bed　again。　鈥渁nd　they鈥檒l　be　serving　dinner　in　half　an　hour。鈥�

鈥渢hey？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　sitting　up　and　reaching　forward　to　grab　slippers　and　towel；　preparatory　to　sidling　out　of　bed　and　into　them。

鈥渢hem；鈥潯�said　mogget；　butting　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　sending；　who　had　stepped　back　from　the　basin　and　was　now　holding　out　a　bar　of　soap。

sabriel　shuffled　over　to　the　basin；　the　towel　wrapped　firmly　around　her；　and　gingerly　touched　the　water。　it　was　delightfully　hot；　but　　before　she　could　do　anything　with　it；　the　sending　stepped　forward；　whisked　the　towel　off　her　and　upended　the　whole　basin　over　her　head。

sabriel　shrieked；　but；　again　before　she　could　do　anything　else；　the　sending　had　put　back　the　basin；　turned　the　wheel　for　more　hot　water　and　was　soaping　her　down；　paying　particular　attention　to　her　head；　as　if　it　wanted　to　get　soap　in　sabriel鈥檚　eyes；　or　suspected　an　infestation　of　nits。

鈥渨hat　are　you　doing！鈥潯�sabriel　protested；　as　the　strangely　cool　hands　of　the　sending　scrubbed　at　her　back　and　then；　quite　without　interest；　at　her　breasts　and　stomach。　鈥渟top　it！　i鈥檓　quite　old　enough　to　wash　myself；　thank　you！鈥�

but　miss　prionte鈥檚　techniques　for　dealing　with　domestic　servants　didn鈥檛　seem　to　work　on　domestic　sendings。　it　kept　scrubbing；　occasionally　tipping　hot　water　over　sabriel。

鈥渉ow　do　i　stop　it？鈥潯�she　spluttered　to　mogget；　as　still　more　water　cascaded　over　her　head　and　the　sending　started　to　scrub　lower　regions。

鈥測ou　can鈥檛；鈥潯�replied　mogget；　who　seemed　quite　amused　by　the　spectacle。　鈥渢his　one鈥檚　particularly　recalcitrant。鈥�

鈥渨hat　do　you　。　。　。　ow！　。　。　。　stop　that！　what　do　you　mean；　this　one？鈥�

鈥渢here鈥檚　lots　about　the　place；鈥潯�said　mogget。

鈥渆very　abhorsen　seems　to　have　made　their　own。

probably　because　they　get　like　this　one　after　a　few　hundred　years。　privileged　family　retainers；　who　always　think　they　know　best。　practically　human；　in　the　worst　possible　way。鈥�

the　sending　paused　in　its　scrubbing　just　long　enough　to　flick　some　water　at　mogget；　who　jumped　the　wrong　way　and　yowled　as　it　hit　him。

just　before　another　great　basin…load　of　water　hit　sabriel；　she　saw　the　cat　shoot　under　the　bed；　his　tail　dividing　the　bedspread。

鈥渢hat鈥檚　enough；　thank　you！鈥潯�she　pronounced；　as　the　last　drench　of　water　drained　out　through　a　grille　in　the　tiled　area。　the　sending　had　probably　finished　anyway；　thought　sabriel；　as　it　stopped　washing　and　started　to　towel　her　dry。

she　snatched　the　towel　back　from　it　and　tried　to　finish　the　job　herself；　but　the　sending　counterattacked　by　bing　her　hair；　causing　another　minor　tussle。　eventually；　between　the　two　of　them；　sabriel　shrugged　on　the　underdress　and　surcoat；　and　submitted　to　a　manicure　and　vigorous　hair…brushing。

she　was　admiring　the　tiny；　repeated　silver　key　motif　on　the　black　surcoat　in　the　mirror　that　　backed　one　of　the　window…shutters；　when　a　gong　sounded　somewhere　else　in　the　house　and　the　servant…sending　opened　the　door。　a　split　second　later；　mogget　raced　through；　with　a　cry　that　sabriel　thought　was　鈥渄inner！鈥潯�she　followed；　rather　more　sedately；　the　sending　closing　the　door　behind　her。

dinner　was　in　the　main　hall　of　the　house。　a　long；　stately　room　that　took　up　half　the　ground　floor；　it　was　dominated　by　the　floor　to　ceiling　stained…glass　window　at　the　western　end。　the　window　showed　a　scene　from　the　building　of　the　wall　and；　like　many　other　things　around　the　house；　was　heavily　laden　with　charter　magic。

perhaps　there　was　no　real　glass　in　it　at　all；　sabriel　mused；　as　she　watched　the　light　of　the　evening　sun　play　in　and　around　the　toiling　figures　that　were　building　the　wall。　as　with　the　sendings；　if　you　looked　closely　enough　you　could　see　tiny　charter　marks　making　up　the　patterns。

it　was　hard　to　see　through　the　window；　but　judging　from　the　sun；　it　was　almost　dusk。　sabriel　realized　she　must　have　slept　for　a　full　day；　or　possibly　even　two。

a　table　nearly　as　long　as　the　hall　stretched　away　from　her鈥攁　brightly　polished　table　of　　some　light　and　lustrous　timber；　heavily　laden　with　silver　salt　cellars；　candelabra　and　rather　fantastic…looking　decanters　and　covered　dishes。

but　only　two　places　were　fully　set；　with　a　plethora　of　knives；　forks；　spoons　and　other　instruments；　which　sabriel　only　recognized　from　obscure　drawings　in　her　etiquette　textbook。

she鈥檇　never　seen　a　real　golden　straw　for　sucking　the　innards　out　of　a　pomegranate　before；　for　example。

one　place　was　before　a　high…backed　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　the　other　was　to　the　left　of　this；　in　front　of　a　cushioned　stool。　sabriel　wondered　which　was　hers；　till　mogget　jumped　up　on　the　stool　and　said；　鈥渆　on！　they　won鈥檛　serve　till　you鈥檙e　seated。鈥�

鈥渢hey鈥潯�were　more　sendings。　half　a　dozen　in　all；　including　the　cream…dressed　tyrant　of　the　bedroom。　they　were　all　basically　the　same；　human　in　shape；　but　cowled　or　veiled。　only　their　hands　were　visible；　and　these　were　almost　transparent；　as　if　charter　marks　had　been　lightly　etched　on　prosthetic　hands　carved　from　moonstone。

the　sendings　stood　grouped　around　a　door鈥攖he　kitchen　door；　for　sabriel　saw　fires　beyond　them；　and　smelled　the　tang　of　cooking鈥敗　�and　stared　at　her。　it　was　rather　unnerving；　not　to　meet　any　eyes。

鈥測es；　that鈥檚　her；鈥潯�mogget　said　caustically。

鈥測our　new　mistress。　now　let鈥檚　have　dinner。鈥�

none　of　the　sendings　moved；　till　sabriel　stepped　forward。　they　stepped　forward；　too；　and　all　dropped　to　one　knee；　or　whatever　supported　them　beneath　the　floor…length　robes。　each　held　out　their　pale　right　hand；　charter　marks　running　bright　trails　around　their　palms　and　fingers。

sabriel　stared　for　a　moment；　but　it　was　clear　they　offered　their　services；　or　loyalty；　and　expected　her　to　do　something　in　return。　she　walked　to　them　and　gently　pressed　each　upthrust　hand　in　turn；　feeling　the　charter…spells　that　made　them　whole。　mogget　had　spoken　truly；　for　some　of　the　spells　were　old；　far　older　than　sabriel　could　guess。

鈥渋　thank　you；鈥潯�she　said　slowly。　鈥渙n　behalf　of　my　father；　and　for　the　kindness　you　have　shown　me。鈥�

this　seemed　to　be　appropriate；　or　enough　to　be　going　on　with。　the　sendings　stood；　bowed　and　went　about　their　business。　the　one　in　the　cream　habit　pulled　out　sabriel鈥檚　chair　and　placed　her　napkin　as　she　sat。　it　was　of　crisp　black　linen；　　dusted　with　tiny　silver　keys；　a　miracle　of　needlework。

mogget；　sabriel　noticed；　had　a　plain　white　napkin；　with　evidence　of　old　stains。

鈥渋鈥檝e　had　to　eat　in　the　kitchen　for　the　last　two　weeks；鈥潯�mogget　said　sourly；　as　two　sendings　approached　from　the　kitchen；　bearing　plates　that　signaled　their　arrival　with　a　tantalizing　odor　of　s