sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第3部分

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sabriel　was　thinking　of　this　as　she　waited；　book　in　hand；　half…drunk　cup　of　tea　balanced　precariously　on　the　arm　of　her　chair。　it　was　almost　midnight　and　abhorsen　hadn鈥檛　appeared。　sabriel　had　checked　the　almanac　twice　and　had　even　opened　the　shutters　to　peer　out　through　the　glass　at　the　sky。　it　was　definitely　the　dark　of　the　moon；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　him。　it　was　the　first　time　in　her　life　that　he　hadn鈥檛　appeared　and　she　felt　suddenly　uneasy。

sabriel　rarely　thought　about　what　life　was　really　like　in　the　old　kingdom；　but　now　old　stories　came　to　mind　and　dim　memories　of　when　she鈥檇　lived　there　with　the　travelers。　abhorsen　was　a　powerful　sorcerer；　but　even　then　。　。　。

鈥渟abriel！　sabriel！鈥�

a　high…pitched　voice　interrupted　her　thought；　quickly　followed　by　a　hasty　knock　and　a　rattle　of　the　doorknob。　sabriel　sighed；　pushed　herself　out　of　her　chair；　caught　the　teacup　and　unlocked　the　door。

a　young　girl　stood　on　the　other　side；　twisting　her　nightcap　from　side　to　side　in　trembling　hands；　her　face　white　with　fear。

鈥渙lwyn！鈥潯�exclaimed　sabriel。　鈥渨hat　is　it？　is　sussen　sick　again？鈥�

鈥渘o；鈥潯�sobbed　the　girl。　鈥渋　heard　noises　behind　the　tower　door；　and　i　thought　it　was　rebece　and　ila　having　a　midnight　feast　without　me；　so　i　looked　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渨hat！鈥潯�exclaimed　sabriel；　alarmed。　no　one　opened　outside　doors　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　not　this　close　to　the　old　kingdom。

鈥渋鈥檓　sorry；鈥潯�cried　olwyn。　鈥渋　didn鈥檛　mean　to。　i　don鈥檛　know　why　i　did。　it　wasn鈥檛　rebece　and　ila鈥敗�it　was　a　black　shape　and　it　tried　to　get　in。　i　slammed　the　door　。　。　。鈥�

sabriel　threw　the　teacup　aside　and　pushed　past　olwyn。　she　was　already　halfway　down　the　corridor　before　she　heard　the　porcelain　smash　behind　her；　and　olwyn鈥檚　horrified　gasp　at　such　　cavalier　treatment　of　good　china。　she　ignored　it　and　broke　into　a　run；　slapping　on　the　light　switches　as　she　ran　towards　the　open　door　of　the　west　dormitory。　as　she　reached　it；　screams　broke　out　inside；　rapidly　crescendoing　to　an　hysterical　chorus。　there　were　forty　girls　in　the　dormitory鈥攎ost　of　the　first　form；　all　under　the　age　of　eleven。　sabriel　took　a　deep　breath；　and　stepped　into　the　doorway；　fingers　crooked　in　a　spell…casting　stance。　even　before　she　looked；　she　felt　the　presence　of　death。

the　dormitory　was　very　long；　and　narrow；　with　a　low　roof　and　small　windows。　beds　and　dressers　lined　each　side。　at　the　far　end；　a　door　led　to　the　west　tower　steps。　it　was　supposed　to　be　locked　inside　and　out；　but　locks　rarely　prevailed　against　the　powers　of　the　old　kingdom。

the　door　was　open。　an　intensely　dark　shape　stood　there；　as　if　someone　had　cut　a　man…shaped　figure　out　of　the　night；　carefully　choosing　a　piece　devoid　of　stars。　it　had　no　features　at　all；　but　the　head　quested　from　side　to　side；　as　if　whatever　senses　it　did　possess　worked　in　a　narrow　range。

curiously；　it　carried　an　absolutely　mundane　sack　in　one　four…fingered　hand；　the　rough…woven　cloth　in　stark　contrast　to　its　own　surreal　flesh。

sabriel鈥檚　hands　moved　in　a　plicated　gesture；　drawing　the　symbols　of　the　charter　that　intimated　sleep；　quiet　and　rest。　with　a　flourish；　she　indicated　both　sides　of　the　dormitory　and　drew　one　of　the　master　symbols；　drawing　all　together。

instantly；　every　girl　in　the　room　stopped　screaming　and　slowly　subsided　back　onto　her　bed。

the　creature鈥檚　head　stopped　moving　and　sabriel　knew　its　attention　was　now　centered　on　her。　slowly　it　moved；　lifting　one　clumsy　leg　and　swinging　it　forward；　resting　for　a　moment；　then　swinging　the　other　a　little　past　the　first。　a　lumbering；　rolling　motion；　that　made　an　eerie；　shuffling　noise　on　the　thin　carpet。　as　it　passed　each　bed；　the　electric　lights　above　them　flared　once　and　went　out。

sabriel　let　her　hands　fall　to　her　side　and　focused　her　eyes　on　the　center　of　the　creature鈥檚　torso；　feeling　the　stuff　of　which　it　was　made。　she　had　e　without　any　of　her　instruments　or　tools；　but　that　led　to　only　a　moment鈥檚　hesitation　before　she　let　herself　slip　over　the　border　into　death；　her　eyes　still　on　the　intruder。

the　river　flowed　around　her　legs；　cold　as　always。　the　light；　grey　and　without　warmth；　still　stretched　to　an　entirely　flat　horizon。　in　the　　distance；　she　could　hear　the　roar　of　the　first　gate。　she　could　see　the　creature鈥檚　true　shape　clearly　now；　not　wrapped　in　the　aura　of　death　which　it　carried　to　the　living　world。　it　was　an　old　kingdom　denizen；　vaguely　humanoid；　but　more　like　an　ape　than　a　man　and　obviously　only　semi…intelligent。　but　there　was　more　to　it　than　that；　and　sabriel　felt　the　clutch　of　fear　as　she　saw　the　black　thread　that　came　from　the　creature鈥檚　back　and　ran　into　the　river。

somewhere；　beyond　the　first　gate；　or　even　further；　that　umbilical　rested　in　the　hands　of　an　adept。　as　long　as　the　thread　existed　the　creature　would　be　totally　under　the　control　of　its　master；　who　could　use　its　senses　and　spirit　as　it　saw　fit。

something　tugged　at　sabriel鈥檚　physical　body；　and　she　reluctantly　twitched　her　senses　back　to　the　living　world；　a　slight　feeling　of　nausea　rising　in　her　as　a　wave　of　warmth　rushed　over　her　death…chilled　body。

鈥渨hat　is　it？鈥潯�said　a　calm　voice；　close　to　sabriel鈥檚　ear。　an　old　voice；　tinged　with　the　power　of　charter　magic鈥攎iss　greenwood；　the　magistrix　of　the　school。

鈥渋t鈥檚　a　dead　servant鈥攁　spirit　form；鈥潯�replied　　sabriel；　her　attention　back　on　the　creature。　it　was　halfway　down　the　dorm；　still　single…mindedly　rolling　one　leg　after　the　other。　鈥渨ithout　free　will。

something　sent　it　back　to　the　living　world。　it鈥檚　controlled　from　beyond　the　first　gate。鈥�

鈥渨hy　is　it　here？鈥潯�asked　the　magistrix。　her　voice　sounded　calm；　but　sabriel　felt　the　charter　symbols　gathering　in　her　voice；　forming　on　her　tongue鈥攕ymbols　that　would　unleash　lightning　and　flame；　the　destructive　powers　of　the　earth。

鈥渋t鈥檚　not　obviously　malign；　nor　has　it　attempted　any　actual　harm　。　。　。鈥潯�replied　sabriel　slowly；　her　mind　working　over　the　possibilities。　she　was　used　to　explaining　purely　necromantic　aspects　of　magic　to　miss　greenwood。　the　magistrix　had　taught　her　charter　magic；　but　necromancy　was　definitely　not　on　the　syllabus。　sabriel　had　learned　more　than　she　wanted　to　know　about　necromancy　from　her　father　。　。　。　and　the　dead　themselves。

鈥渄on鈥檛　do　anything　for　a　moment。　i　will　attempt　to　speak　with　it。鈥�

the　cold　washed　over　her　again；　biting　into　her；　as　the　river　gushed　around　her　legs；　eager　to　pull　　her　over　and　carry　her　away。　sabriel　exerted　her　will；　and　the　cold　became　simply　a　sensation；　without　danger；　the　current　merely　a　pleasing　vibration　about　the　feet。

the　creature　was　close　now；　as　it　was　in　the　living　world。　sabriel　held　out　both　her　hands；　and　clapped；　the　sharp　sound　echoing　for　longer　than　it　would　anywhere　else。　before　the　echo　died；　sabriel　whistled　several　notes；　and　they　echoed　too；　sweet　sounds　within　the　harshness　of　the　handclap。

the　thing　flinched　at　the　sound　and　stepped　back；　putting　both　hands　to　its　ears。　as　it　did　so；　it　dropped　the　sack。　sabriel　started　in　surprise。

she　hadn鈥檛　noticed　the　sack　before；　possibly　because　she　hadn鈥檛　expected　it　to　be　there。　very　few　inanimate　things　existed　in　both　realms；　the　living　and　the　dead。

she　was　even　more　surprised　as　the　creature　suddenly　bent　forward　and　plunged　into　the　water；　hands　searching　for　the　sack。　it　found　it　almost　at　once；　but　not　without　losing　its　footing。　as　the　sack　surfaced；　the　current　forced　the　creature　under。　sabriel　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　as　she　saw　it　slide　away；　then　gasped　as　its　head　broke　the　surface　and　it　cried　out：　鈥渟abriel！　my　messenger！　　take　the　sack！鈥潯�the　voice　was　abhorsen鈥檚。

sabriel　ran　forward　and　an　arm　pushed　out　towards　her；　the　neck　of　the　sack　clutched　in　its　fingers。　she　reached　out；　missed；　then　tried　again。　the　sack　was　secure　in　her　grasp；　as　the　current　took　the　creature　pletely　under。

sabriel　looked　after　it；　hearing　the　roar　of　the　first　gate　suddenly　increase　as　it　always　did　when　someone　passed　its　falls。　she　turned　and　started　to　slog　back　against　the　current　to　a　point　where　she　could　easily　return　to　life。　the　sack　in　her　hand　was　heavy　and　there　was　a　leaden　feeling　in　her　stomach。　if　the　messenger　was　truly　abhorsen鈥檚；　then　he　himself　was　unable　to　return　to　the　realm　of　the　living。

and　that　meant　he　was　either　dead；　or　trapped　by　something　that　should　have　passed　beyond　the　final　gate。

once　again；　a　wave　of　nausea　overcame　her　and　sabriel　fell　to　her　knees；　shaking。　she　could　feel　the　magistrix鈥檚　hand　on　her　shoulder；　but　her　attention　was　fastened　on　the　sack　she　held　in　her　hand。　she　didn鈥檛　need　to　look　to　know　that　the　creature　was　gone。　its　manifestation　into　the　　living　world　had　ceased　as　its　spirit　had　gone　past　the　first　gate。　only　a　pile　of　grave　mold　would　remain；　to　be　swept　aside　in　the　morning。

鈥渨hat　did　you　do？鈥潯�asked　the　magistrix；　as　sabriel　brushed　her　hands　through　her　hair；　ice　crystals　falling　from　her　hands　onto　the　sack　that　lay　in　front　of　her　knees。

鈥渋t　had　a　message　for　me；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　鈥渟o　i　took　it。鈥�

she　opened　the　sack；　and　reached　inside。　a　sword　hilt　met　her　grasp；　so　she　drew　it　out；　still　scabbarded；　and　put　it　to　one　side。　she　didn鈥檛　need　to　draw　it　to　see　the　charter　symbols　etched　along　its　blade鈥攖he　dull　emerald　in　the　pommel　and　the　worn　bronze…plated　crossguard　were　as　familiar　to　her　as　the　school鈥檚　uninspired　cutlery。　it　was　abhorsen鈥檚　sword。

the　leather　bandolier　she　drew　out　next　was　an　old　brown　belt；　a　hand鈥檚…breadth　wide；　which　always　smelled　faintly　of　beeswax。　seven　tubular　leather　pouches　hung　from　it；　starting　with　one　the　size　of　a　small　pill　bottle；　growing　larger；　till　the　seventh　was　almost　the　size　of　a　jar。　the　bandolier　was　designed　to　be　worn　across　the　chest；　with　the　pouches　hanging　down。　sabriel　opened　the　smallest　and　pulled　out　a　tiny　silver　bell；　with　　　a　dark；　deeply　polished　mahogany　handle。　she　held　it　gently；　but　the　clapper　still　swung　slightly；　and　the　bell　made　a　high；　sweet　note　that　somehow　lingered　in　the　mind；　even　after　the　sound　was　gone。

鈥渇ather鈥檚　instruments；鈥潯�whispered　sabriel。

鈥渢he　tools　of　a　necromancer。鈥�

鈥渂ut　there　are　charter　marks　engraved　on　the　bell　。　。　。　and　the　handle！鈥潯�interjected　the　magistrix；