sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第18部分

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line；　in　swift；　bold　strokes；　the　penning　in　of　the　major　geographical　features；　then　the　delicate　process　of　adding　important　sites；　each　named　in　fine；　spidery　writing。　last　of　all；　mogget　marked　abhorsen鈥檚　house　with　a　small　illustration；　before　leaning　back　to　admire　his　handiwork；　and　lick　the　ink　from　his　paw。　sabriel　waited　a　few　seconds　to　be　sure　he　was　done；　then　cast　drying　sand　over　the　paper；　her　eyes　trying　to　absorb　every　detail；　intent　on　learning　the　physical　face　of　the　old　kingdom。

鈥測ou　can　look　at　it　later；鈥潯�mogget　said　after　a　few　minutes；　when　his　paw　was　clean；　but　sabriel　was　still　bent　over　the　table；　nose　inches　from　the　map。　鈥渨e鈥檙e　still　in　a　hurry。　you鈥檇　better　go　and　get　dressed；　for　a　start。　do　try　to　be　quick。鈥�

鈥渋　will。鈥潯�sabriel　smiled；　still　looking　at　the　map。　鈥渢hank　you；　mogget。鈥�

the　sendings　had　laid　out　a　great　pile　of　clothes　and　equipment　in　sabriel鈥檚　room；　and　four　of　them　were　in　attendance　to　help　her　get　everything　on　and　organized。　she　had　hardly　stepped　inside　before　they鈥檇　stripped　her　indoor　dress　and　slippers　off；　and　she鈥檇　only　just　managed　to　remove　her　own　underclothes　before　ghostly　charter…traced　hands　tickled　her　sides。

a　few　seconds　later；　she　was　suffering　them　anyway；　as　they　pulled　a　thin；　cotton…like　undergarment　over　her　head；　and　a　pair　of　baggy　drawers　up　her　legs。　next　came　a　linen　shirt；　then　a　tunic　of　doeskin　and　breeches　of　supple　leather；　reinforced　with　some　sort　of　hard；　segmented　plates　at　thighs；　knees　and　shins；　not　to　mention　a　heavily　padded　bottom；　no　doubt　designed　for　riding。

a　brief　respite　followed；　lulling　sabriel　into　thinking　that　might　be　it；　but　the　sendings　had　merely　been　arranging　the　next　layer　for　immediate　fitting。　two　of　them　pushed　her　arms　into　a　long；　armored　coat　that　buckled　up　at　the　sides；　while　the　other　two　unlaced　a　pair　of　hobnailed　boots　and　waited。

the　coat　wasn鈥檛　like　anything　sabriel　had　ever　worn　before；　including　the　mail　hauberk　she鈥檇　worn　in　fighting　arts　lessons　at　school。　it　was　as　long　as　an　hauberk；　with　split　skirts　ing　down　to　her　knees　and　sleeves　swallowtailed　at　her　wrists；　but　it　seemed　to　be　entirely　made　of　tiny　overlapping　plates；　much　like　a　fish鈥檚　scales。　they　weren鈥檛　metal；　either；　but　some　sort　of　ceramic；　or　even　stone。　much　lighter　than　steel；　but　clearly　very　strong；　as　one　sending　demonstrated；　by　cutting　down　it　with　a　dagger；　striking　sparks　without　leaving　a　scratch。

sabriel　thought　the　boots　pleted　the　ensemble；　but　as　the　laces　were　done　up　by　one　pair　of　sendings；　the　other　pair　were　back　in　action。　one　raised　what　appeared　to　be　a　blue　and　silver　striped　turban；　but　sabriel；　pulling　it　down　to　just　above　her　eyebrows；　found　it　to　be　a　cloth…wrapped　helmet；　made　from　the　same　material　as　the　armor。

the　other　sending　waved　out　a　gleaming；　deep　blue　surcoat；　dusted　with　embroidered　silver　keys　that　reflected　the　light　in　all　directions。　it　waved　the　coat　to　and　fro　for　a　moment；　then　whipped　it　over　sabriel鈥檚　head　and　adjusted　the　drape　with　a　practiced　motion。　sabriel　ran　her　hand　over　its　silken　expanse　and　discreetly　tried　to　rip　　it　in　one　corner；　but；　for　all　its　apparent　fragility；　it　wouldn鈥檛　tear。

last　of　all　came　sword…belt　and　bell…bandolier。

the　sendings　brought　them　to　her；　but　made　no　attempt　to　put　them　on。　sabriel　adjusted　them　herself；　carefully　arranging　bells　and　scabbard；　feeling　the　familiar　weight鈥攂ells　across　her　breast　and　sword　balanced　on　her　hip。　she　turned　to　the　mirror　and　looked　at　her　reflection；　both　pleased　and　troubled　by　what　she　saw。　she　looked　petent；　professional；　a　traveler　who　could　look　after　herself。　at　the　same　time；　she　looked　less　like　someone　called　sabriel；　and　more　like　the　abhorsen；　capital　letter　and　all。

she　would　have　looked　longer；　but　the　sendings　tugged　at　her　sleeves　and　directed　her　attention　to　the　bed。　a　leather　backpack　lay　open　on　it　and；　as　sabriel　watched；　the　sendings　packed　it　with　her　remaining　old　clothes；　including　her　father鈥檚　oilskin；　spare　undergarments；　tunic　and　trousers；　dried　beef　and　biscuits；　a　water　bottle；　and　several　small　leather　pouches　full　of　useful　things；　each　of　which　were　painstakingly　opened　and　shown　to　her：　telescope；　sulphur　matches；　clockwork　firestarter；　medicinal　herbs；　fishing　hooks　and　line；　a　sewing　kit　and　a　host　of　other　　small　essentials。　the　three　books　from　the　library　and　the　map　went　into　oilskin　pouches；　and　then　into　an　outside　pocket。

backpack　on；　sabriel　tried　a　few　basic　exercises；　and　was　relieved　to　find　that　the　armor　didn鈥檛　restrict　her　too　much鈥攈ardly　at　all　in　fact；　though　the　pack　was　not　something　she鈥檇　like　to　have　on　in　a　fight。　she　could　even　touch　her　toes；　so　she　did；　several　times；　before　straightening　up　to　thank　the　sendings。

they　were　gone。　instead；　there　was　mogget；　stalking　mysteriously　towards　her　from　the　middle　of　the　room。

鈥渨ell；　i鈥檓　ready；鈥潯�sabriel　said。

mogget　didn鈥檛　answer；　but　sat　at　her　feet；　and　made　a　movement　that　looked　very　much　like　he　was　going　to　be　sick。　sabriel　recoiled；　disgusted；　then　halted；　as　a　small　metallic　object　fell　from　mogget鈥檚　mouth　and　bounced　on　the　floor。

鈥渁lmost　forgot；鈥潯�said　mogget。　鈥測ou鈥檒l　need　this　if　i鈥檓　to　e　with　you。鈥�

鈥渨hat　is　it？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　bending　down　to　pick　up　a　ring；　a　small　silver　ring；　with　a　ruby　gripped　between　two　silver　claws　that　grew　out　of　the　band。

鈥渙ld；鈥潯�replied　mogget；　enigmatically。　鈥測ou鈥檒l　　know　if　you　need　to　use　it。　put　it　on。鈥�

sabriel　looked　at　it　closely；　holding　it　between　two　fingers　as　she　slanted　it　towards　the　light。　it　felt；　and　looked；　quite　ordinary。　there　were　no　charter　marks　on　the　stone　or　band；　it　seemed　to　have　no　emanations　or　aura。　she　put　it　on。

it　felt　cold　as　it　slipped　down　her　finger；　then　hot；　and　suddenly　she　was　falling；　falling　into　infinity；　into　a　void　that　had　no　end　and　no　beginning。　everything　was　gone；　all　light；　all　substance。　then　charter　marks　suddenly　exploded　all　around　her　and　she　felt　gripped　by　them；　halting　her　headlong　fall　into　nothing；　accelerating　her　back　up；　back　into　her　body；　back　to　the　world　of　life　and　death。

鈥渇ree　magic；鈥潯�sabriel　said；　looking　down　at　the　ring　gleaming　on　her　finger。　鈥渇ree　magic；　connected　to　the　charter。　i　don鈥檛　understand。鈥�

鈥測ou鈥檒l　know　if　you　need　to　use　it；鈥潯�mogget　repeated；　almost　as　if　it　were　some　lesson　to　be　learned　by　rote。　then；　in　his　normal　voice：　鈥渄on鈥檛　worry　about　it　till　then。　e鈥攖he　paperwing　is　ready。鈥�

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chapter　xi

锝涘皬锝濓經璇达綕锝泃锝濓經xt锝濓經澶╋綕锝涘爞
the　paperwing　sat　on　a　juryrigged　platform　of　freshly　sawn　pine　planks；　teetering　out　over　the　eastern　wall。　six　sendings　clustered　around　the　craft；　readying　it　for　flight。

sabriel　looked　up　at　it　as　she　climbed　the　stairs；　an　unpleasant　feeling　rising　with　her。　she　had　been　expecting　something　similar　to　the　aircraft　that　had　begun　to　be　mon　in　ancelstierre；　like　the　biplane　that　had　performed　aerobatics　at　the　last　wyverley　college　open　day。

something　with　two　wings；　rigging　and　a　propeller鈥敗�though　she　had　assumed　a　magical　engine　rather　than　a　mechanical　one。

but　the　paperwing　didn鈥檛　look　anything　like　an　ancelstierran　airplane。　it　most　closely　resembled　a　canoe　with　hawk…wings　and　a　tail。　on　closer　inspection；　sabriel　saw　that　the　central　fuselage　was　probably　based　on　a　canoe。　it　was　tapered　at　each　end　and　had　a　central　hole　for　a　cockpit。

wings　sprouted　on　each　side　of　this　canoe　shape鈥攍ong；　swept…back　wings　that　looked　very　flimsy。　the　wedge…shaped　tail　didn鈥檛　look　much　better。

sabriel　climbed　the　last　few　steps　with　sinking　expectations。　the　construction　material　was　now　clear　and　so　was　the　craft鈥檚　name鈥攖he　whole　thing　was　made　up　from　many　sheets　of　paper；　bonded　together　with　some　sort　of　laminate。

painted　powder…blue；　with　silver　bands　around　the　fuselage　and　silver　stripes　along　the　wings　and　tail；　it　looked　pretty；　decorative　and　not　at　all　airworthy。

only　the　yellow　falcon　eyes　painted　on　its　pointed　prow　hinted　at　its　capacity　for　flight。

sabriel　looked　at　the　paperwing　again；　and　then　out　at　the　waterfall　beyond。　now；　fed　by　floodwaters；　it　looked　even　more　frightening　than　usual。　spray　exploded　for　tens　of　yards　above　its　lip鈥攁　roaring　mist　the　paperwing　would　have　to　fly　through　before　it　reached　the　open　sky　beyond。　sabriel　didn鈥檛　even　know　if　it　was　waterproof。

鈥渉ow　often　has　this　。　。　。　thing　。　。　。　flown　before？鈥潯�she　asked；　nervously。　intellectually；　she　accepted　that　she　would　soon　be　sitting　in　this　craft；　to　be　launched　out　towards　the　crashing　waters鈥攂ut　her　subconscious；　and　her　stomach；　seemed　very　keen　to　stay　firmly　on　the　ground。

鈥渕any　times；鈥潯�replied　mogget；　easily　jumping　from　the　platform　to　the　cockpit。　his　voice　echoed　there　for　a　moment；　till　he　climbed　back　up；　furry　cat…face　propped　on　the　rim。　鈥渢he　abhorsen　who　made　it　once　flew　it　to　the　sea　and　back；　in　a　single　afternoon。　but　she　was　a　great　weather…witch　and　could　work　the　winds。　i　don鈥檛　suppose鈥斺��

鈥渘o；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　made　aware　of　another　gap　in　her　education。　she　knew　that　wind…magic　was　largely　whistled　charter　marks；　but　that　was　all。

鈥渘o。　i　can鈥檛。鈥�

鈥渨ell；鈥潯�continued　mogget；　after　a　thoughtful　pause；　鈥渢he　paperwing　does　have　some　elementary　charms　to　ride　the　wind。　you鈥檒l　have　to　whistle　them；　though。　you　can　whistle；　i　trust？鈥�

sabriel　ignored　him。　all　necromancers　had　to　be　musical；　had　to　be　able　to　whistle；　to　hum；　to　sing。

if　they　were　caught　in　death　without　bells；　or　other　magical　instruments；　their　vocal　skills　were　a　weapon　of　last　recourse。

a　sending　came　and　took　her　pack；　helping　her　to　wrestle　it　off；　then　stowing　it　at　the　rear　of　the　cockpit。　another　took　sabriel鈥檚　arm　and　directed　her　to　what　appeared　to　be　a　leather　halfhammock　strung　across　the　cockpit鈥攐bviously　the　pilot鈥檚　seat。　it　didn鈥檛　look　terribly　safe　either；　but　sabriel　forced　herself　to　climb　in；　after　giving　her　scabbarded　sword　into　the　hands　of　yet　another　sending。

surprisingly；　her　feet　didn鈥檛　go　through　the　paper…laminated　floor。　the　material　even　felt　reassuringly　solid　and；　after　a　minu