sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第27部分

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rescue　abhorsen。　don鈥檛　worry　about　touchstone鈥檚　problems；　or　mogget鈥檚　curious　nature。

rescue　abhorsen。　rescue　abhorsen。　rescue　abhors　。　。　。　rescue　。　。　。

鈥渨ake　up！鈥潯�mogget　said；　right　in　her　ear。　she　rolled　over；　ignoring　him；　but　he　leapt　across　her　head　and　repeated　it　in　her　other　ear。　鈥渨ake　up！鈥�

鈥渋鈥檓　awake；鈥潯�grumbled　sabriel。　she　sat　up　with　the　blanket　wrapped　around　her；　feeling　the　pre…dawn　chill　on　her　face　and　hands。　it　was　still　extremely　dark；　save　for　the　uneven　light　of　the　fire　and　the　faintest　brushings　of　dawn　light　above　the　sinkhole。　touchstone　was　already　making　the　porridge。　he鈥檇　also　washed；　and　shaved鈥攗sing　a　dagger　from　the　look　of　the　nicks　and　cuts　on　his　chin　and　neck。

鈥済ood　morning；鈥潯�he　said。　鈥渢his　will　be　ready　in　five　minutes；　milady。鈥�

sabriel　groaned　at　that　word　again。　feeling　like　a　shambling；　blanket…shrouded　excuse　for　a　human　being；　she　picked　up　her　shirt　and　trousers　and　staggered　off　to　find　a　suitable　bush　en　route　to　the　spring。

the　icy　water　of　the　spring　pleted　the　waking　up　process　without　kindness；　sabriel　exposing　herself　to　it　and　the　marginally　warmer　air　for　no　more　than　the　ten　seconds　it　took　to　shed　undershirt；　wash　and　get　dressed　again。

clean；　awake　and　clothed；　she　returned　to　the　campfire　and　ate　her　share　of　the　porridge。　then　touchstone　ate；　while　sabriel　buckled　on　armor；　sword　and　bells。　mogget　lay　near　the　fire；　warming　his　white…furred　belly。　not　for　the　first　time；　sabriel　wondered　if　he　needed　to　eat　at　all。　he　obviously　liked　food；　but　he　seemed　to　eat　for　amusement；　rather　than　sustenance。

touchstone　continued　being　a　servant　after　breakfast；　cleaning　pot　and　spoon；　quenching　the　fire　and　putting　everything　away。　but　when　he　was　about　to　swing　the　pack　on　his　back；　sabriel　stopped　him。

鈥渘o；　touchstone。　it鈥檚　my　pack。　i鈥檒l　carry　it；　thank　you。鈥�

he　hesitated；　then　passed　it　to　her　and　would　have　helped　her　put　it　on；　but　she　had　her　arms　through　the　straps　and　the　pack　swung　on　before　he　could　take　the　weight。

half　an　hour　later；　perhaps　a　third　of　the　way　up　the　narrow；　stone…carved　stair；　sabriel　　regretted　her　decision　to　take　the　pack。　she　still　wasn鈥檛　totally　recovered　from　the　paperwing　crash　and　the　stair　was　very　steep；　and　so　narrow　that　she　had　difficulty　negotiating　the　spiraling　turns。　the　pack　always　seemed　to　jam　against　the　outside　or　inside　wall；　no　matter　which　way　she　turned。

鈥減erhaps　we　should　take　it　in　turns　to　carry　the　pack；鈥潯�she　said　reluctantly；　when　they　stopped　at　a　sort　of　alcove　to　catch　their　breath。

touchstone；　who　had　been　leading；　nodded　and　came　back　down　a　few　steps　to　take　the　pack。

鈥渋鈥檒l　lead；　then；鈥潯�sabriel　added；　flexing　her　back　and　shoulders；　shuddering　slightly　at　the　packinduced　layer　of　sweat　on　her　back；　greasy　under　armor；　tunic；　shirt　and　undershirt。　she　picked　up　her　candle　from　the　bench　and　stepped　up。

鈥渘o；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　stepping　in　her　way。

鈥渢here　are　guards鈥攁nd　guardians鈥攐n　this　stair。　i　know　the　words　and　signs　to　pass　them。

you　are　the　abhorsen；　so　they　might　let　you　past；　but　i　am　not　sure。鈥�

鈥測our　memory　must　be　ing　back；鈥潯�sabriel　mented；　slightly　peeved　at　being　thwarted。

鈥渢ell　me；　is　this　stair　the　one　you　mentioned　when　you　said　the　queen　was　ambushed？鈥�

鈥渘o；鈥潯�touchstone　replied　flatly。　he　hesitated；　then　added；　鈥渢hat　stair　was　in　belisaere。鈥�

with　that；　he　turned；　and　continued　up　the　stairs。　sabriel　followed；　mogget　at　her　heels。　now　that　she　wasn鈥檛　lumbered　by　her　pack；　she　felt　more　alert。　watching　touchstone；　she　saw　him　pause　occasionally　and　mutter　some　words　under　his　breath。　each　time；　there　was　the　faint；　featherlight　touch　of　charter　magic。　subtle　magic；　much　cleverer　than　in　the　tunnel　below。　harder　to　detect　and　probably　much　more　deadly；　sabriel　thought。

now　she　knew　it　was　there；　she　also　picked　up　the　faint　sensation　of　death。　this　stair　had　seen　killings；　a　long；　long；　time　ago。

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　pleasa