sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第28部分

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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　pleasant；　the　constant　presence　of　the　charter　　stones　a　reassuring　sensation　to　sabriel　and　touchstone；　who　could　sense　them　like　lighthouses　in　a　sea　of　trees。

there　were　seven　stones　in　all；　and　none　of　them　broken；　though　sabriel　felt　a　stab　of　nervous　tension　every　time　they　left　the　ambience　of　one　and　moved　to　another；　a　stark　picture　always　flashing　into　her　head鈥攖he　bloodstained；　riven　stone　of　cloven　crest。

the　last　stone　stood　on　the　very　edge　of　the　pine　forest；　atop　a　granite　bluff　thirty　or　forty　yards　high；　marking　the　forest鈥檚　eastern　edge　and　the　end　of　high　ground。

they　stood　next　to　the　stone　and　looked　out；　out　towards　the　huge　expanse　of　blue…grey　sea；　white…crested；　restless；　always　rolling　in　to　shore。

below　them　were　the　flat；　sunken　fields　of　nestowe；　maintained　by　a　network　of　raised　canals；　pumps　and　dykes。　the　village　itself　lay　three…quarters　of　a　mile　away；　high　on　another　granite　bluff；　the　harbor　out　of　sight　on　the　other　side。

鈥渢he　fields　are　flooded；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　in　a　puzzled　tone；　as　if　he　couldn鈥檛　believe　what　he　was　seeing。

sabriel　followed　his　gaze；　and　saw　that　what　　she　had　taken　for　some　crop　was　actually　silt　and　water；　sitting　tepidly　where　food　once　grew。

windmills；　power　for　the　pumps；　stood　silent；　trefoil…shaped　vanes　still　atop　scaffolding　towers；　even　though　a　salt…laden　breeze　blew　in　from　the　sea。

鈥渂ut　the　pumps　were　charter…spelled；鈥�

touchstone　exclaimed。　鈥渢o　follow　the　wind；　to　work　without　care　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渢here　are　no　people　in　the　fields鈥攏o　one　on　this　side　of　the　village；鈥潯�mogget　added；　his　eyes　keener　than　the　telescope　in　sabriel鈥檚　pack。

鈥渘estowe鈥檚　charter　stone　must　be　broken；鈥�

sabriel　said；　mouth　tight；　words　cold。　鈥渁nd　i　can　smell　a　certain　stench　on　the　breeze。　there　are　dead　in　the　village。鈥�

鈥渁　boat　would　be　the　quickest　way　to　belisaere；　and　i　am　reasonably　confident　of　my　sailing；鈥潯�touchstone　remarked。　鈥渂ut　if　the　dead　are　there；　shouldn鈥檛　we　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渨e鈥檒l　go　down　and　get　a　boat；鈥潯�sabriel　announced　firmly。　鈥渨hile　the　sun　is　high。鈥�

xiaoshuot锛竧锛宑o锛�



chapter　xvi

灏彛¤�矗�txt！澶�。鍫�
there　was　a　built…up　path　through　the　flooded　fields；　but　it　was　submerged　to　ankle…depth；　with　occasional　thigh…high　slippages。

only　the　raised　canal　drains　stood　well　above　the　brackish　water；　and　they　all　ran　towards　the　east；　not　towards　the　village；　so　sabriel　and　touchstone　were　forced　to　wade　along　the　path。　mogget；　of　course；　rode；　his　lean　form　draped　around　sabriel鈥檚　neck　like　a　white　fox　fur。

water　and　mud；　coupled　with　an　uncertain　path；　made　it　slow　going。　it　took　an　hour　to　cover　less　than　a　mile；　so　it　was　later　in　the　afternoon　than　sabriel　would　have　wished　when　they　finally　climbed　out　of　the　water；　up　onto　the　beginnings　of　the　village鈥檚　rocky　mount。　at　least　the　sky　is　clear；　sabriel　thought；　glancing　up。　the　winter　sun　wasn鈥檛　particularly　hot　and　couldn鈥檛　be　described　as　glaring；　but　it　would　certainly　deter　most　kindred　of　the　lesser　dead　from　venturing　out。

nevertheless；　they　walked　carefully　up　to　the　village；　swords　loose；　sabriel　with　a　hand　to　her　bells。　the　path　wound　up　in　a　series　of　steps　carved　from　the　rock；　reinforced　here　and　there　with　bricks　and　mortar。　the　village　proper　nestled　on　top　of　the　bluff鈥攁bout　thirty　cozy　brick　cottages；　with　wood…tile　roofs；　some　painted　bright　colors；　some　dull；　and　some　simply　grey　and　weatherbeaten。

it　was　pletely　silent；　save　for　the　odd　gust　of　wind；　or　the　mournful　cry　of　a　gull；　slipping　down　through　the　air　above。　sabriel　and　touchstone　drew　closer　together；　walking　almost　shoulder…to…shoulder　up　what　passed　for　a　main　street；　swords　out　now；　eyes　flickering　across　closed　doors　and　shuttered　windows。

both　felt　uneasy；　nervous鈥攁　nasty；　tingling；　creeping　sensation　climbing　up　from　spine；　to　nape　of　neck；　to　forehead　charter　mark。

sabriel　also　felt　the　presence　of　dead　things。

lesser　dead；　hiding　from　sunlight；　lurking　　somewhere　nearby；　in　house　or　cellar。

at　the　end　of　the　main　street；　on　the　highest　point　of　the　bluff；　a　charter　stone　stood　on　a　patch　of　carefully　tended　lawn。　half　of　the　stone　had　been　sheared　away；　pieces　broken　and　tumbled；　dark　stone　on　green　turf。　a　body　lay　in　front　of　the　stone；　hands　and　feet　bound；　the　gaping　cut　across　the　throat　a　clear　sign　of　where　the　blood　had　e　from鈥攖he　blood　for　the　sacrifice　that　broke　the　stone。

sabriel　knelt　by　the　corpse；　eyes　averted　from　the　broken　stone。　it　was　only　recently　ruined；　she　felt；　but　already　the　door　to　death　was　creaking　open。　she　could　almost　feel　the　cold　of　the　currents　beyond；　leaking　out　around　the　stone；　sucking　warmth　and　life　from　the　air。

things　lurked　there　too；　she　knew；　just　beyond　the　border。　she　sensed　their　hunger　for　life；　their　impatience　for　night　to　fall。

as　she　expected；　the　corpse　was　of　a　charter　mage；　dead　but　three　or　four　days。　but　she　hadn鈥檛　expected　to　find　the　dead　person　was　a　woman。

wide　shoulders　and　a　muscular　build　had　deceived　her　for　a　moment；　but　there　was　a　middleaged　woman　before　her；　eyes　shut；　throat　cut；　short　brown　hair　caked　with　sea　salt　and　blood。

鈥渢he　village　healer；鈥潯�said　mogget；　indicating　a　bracelet　on　her　wrist　with　his　nose。　sabriel　pushed　the　rope　bindings　aside　for　a　better　look。　the　bracelet　was　bronze　with　inlaid　charter　marks　of　greenstone。　dead　marks　now；　for　blood　dried　upon　the　bronze；　and　no　pulse　beat　in　the　skin　under　the　metal。

鈥渟he　was　killed　three　or　four　days　ago；鈥�

sabriel　announced。　鈥渢he　stone　was　broken　at　the　same　time。鈥�

touchstone　looked　back　at　her　and　nodded　grimly；　then　resumed　watching　the　houses　opposite。　his　swords　hung　loosely　in　his　hands；　but　sabriel　noticed　that　his　entire　body　was　tense；　like　a　pressed　jack…in…the…box；　ready　to　spring。

鈥渨hoever　。　。　。　whatever　。　。　。　killed　her　and　broke　the　stone；　didn鈥檛　enslave　her　spirit；鈥�

sabriel　added　quietly；　as　if　thinking　to　herself。

鈥渋　wonder　why？鈥�

neither　mogget　nor　touchstone　answered。

for　a　moment；　sabriel　considered　asking　the　woman　herself；　but　her　impetuous　desire　for　journeys　into　death　had　been　soundly　dampened　by　recent　experience。　instead；　she　cut　the　woman鈥檚　bonds；　and　arranged　her　as　best　she　　could；　ending　up　with　a　sort　of　curled…up　sleeping　position。

鈥渋　don鈥檛　know　your　name；　healer；鈥潯�sabriel　whispered。　鈥渂ut　i　hope　you　go　quickly　beyond　the　final　gate。　farewell。鈥�

she　stood　back　and　drew　the　charter　marks　for　the　funeral　pyre　above　the　corpse；　whispering　the　names　of　the　marks　as　she　did　so鈥攂ut　her　fingers　fumbled　and　words　went　awry。　the　baleful　influence　of　the　broken　stone　pressed　against　her；　like　a　wrestler　gripping　her　wrists；　clamping　her　jaw。　sweat　beaded　on　her　forehead；　and　pain　shot　through　her　limbs；　her　hands　shaking　with　effort；　tongue　clumsy；　seeming　swollen　in　her　suddenly　dry　mouth。

then　she　felt　assistance　e；　strength　flowing　through　her；　reinforcing　the　marks；　steadying　her　hands；　clearing　her　voice。　she　pleted　the　litany；　and　a　spark　exploded　above　the　woman；　became　a　twisting　flame；　then　grew　to　a　fierce；　white…hot　blaze　that　spread　the　length　of　the　woman鈥檚　body；　totally　consuming　it；　to　leave　only　ash；　light　cargo　for　the　sea　winds。

the　extra　strength　came　through　touchstone鈥檚　hand；　his　open　palm　lightly　resting　on　her　shoulder。

as　she　straightened　up；　the　touch　was　lost。

when　sabriel　turned　around；　touchstone　was　just　drawing　his　right…hand　sword；　eyes　fixed　on　the　houses鈥攁s　if　he鈥檇　had　nothing　to　do　with　helping　her。

鈥渢hank　you；鈥潯�said　sabriel。　touchstone　was　a　strong　charter　mage；　perhaps　as　strong　as　she　was。　this　surprised　her；　though　she　couldn鈥檛　think　why。　he鈥檇　made　no　secret　of　being　a　charter　mage鈥攕he鈥檇　just　assumed　he　would　only　know　a　few　of　the　more　fighting…related　marks　and　spells。　petty　magics。

鈥渨e　should　move　on；鈥潯�said　mogget；　prowling　backwards　and　forwards　in　agitation；　carefully　avoiding　the　fragments　from　the　broken　stone。

鈥渇ind　a　boat；　and　put　to　sea　before　nightfall。鈥�

鈥渢he　harbor　is　that　way；鈥潯�touchstone　added　quickly；　pointing　with　his　sword。　both　he　and　the　cat　seemed　very　keen　to　leave　the　area　around　the　broken　stone；　thought　sabriel。　but　then；　so　was　she。　even　in　bright　daylight；　it　seemed　to　dull　the　color　around　it。　the　lawn　was　already　more　yellow　than　green；　and　even　the　shadows　looked　thicker　and　more　abundant　than　they　should。　she　shivered；　remembering　cloven　crest　and　the　thing　called　thralk。

the　harbor　lay　on　the　northern　side　of　the　　bluff；　reached　by　another　series　of　steps　in　the　rocky　hill；　or　in　the　case　of　cargo；　via　one　of　the　shear…legged　hoists　that　lined　the　edge　of　the　bluff。　long　wooden　jetties　thrust　out　into　the　clear　blue…green　water；　sheltered　under　the　lee　of　a　rocky　island；　a　smaller　sibling　of　the　village　bluff。　a　long　breakwater　of　huge　boulders　joined　island　and　shore；　pleting　the　harbor鈥檚　protection　from　wind　and　wave。

there　were　no　boats　moored　in　the　harbor；　tied　up　to　the　jetties；　or　at　the　harbor　wall。　not　even　a　dinghy；　hauled　up　for　repair。　sabriel　stood　on　the　steps；　looking　down；　mind　temporarily　devoid　of　further　plans。　she　just　watched　the　swirl　of　the　sea　around　the　barnacled　piles　of　the　jetties；　the　moving　shadows　in　the　blue；　marking　small　fish　schooling　about　their　business。

mogget　sat　near　her　feet；　sniffing　the　air；　silent。

touchstone　stood　higher；　behind　her；　guarding　the　rear。

鈥渨hat　now？鈥潯�asked　sabriel；　generally　indicating　the　empty　harbor　below；　her　arm　moving　with　the　same　rhythm　as　the　swell；　in　its　perpetual　tilt　against　wood　and　stone。

鈥渢here　are　people　on　the　island；鈥潯�mogget　said；　eyes　slitted　against　the　wind。　鈥渁nd　boats　　tied　up　between　the　two　outcrops　of　rock　on　the　southwest。鈥�

sabriel　looked；　but　saw　nothing；　till　she　extracted　the　telescope　from　the　pack　on　touchstone鈥檚　back。　he　stood　pletely　still　while　she　ferreted　around；　silent　as　the　empty　village。　playing　wooden　again；　sabriel　thought；　but　she　didn鈥檛　really　mind。　he　was　being　helpfu