sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第39部分

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the　thing　she鈥檇　hit　stepped　back；　its　head　hanging　from　a　mostly　severed　neck。　it　was　humanoid　in　shape；　at　least　to　begin　with；　but　had　arms　that　trailed　down　below　its　knees；　into　the　river。　its　head；　now　flopping　on　one　shoulder；　was　longer　than　it　was　wide　or　tall；　possessed　a　mouth　with　several　rows　of　teeth。　it　had　flaming　coals　in　its　eyepits；　a　characteristic　of　the　deep　dead；　from　beyond　the　fifth　gate。

it　snarled　and　brought　its　long；　skewer…thin　fingers　up　out　of　the　water　to　try　and　straighten　its　head；　attempting　to　rest　it　back　atop　the　cleanly　hewn　neck。

sabriel　struck　again；　and　the　head　and　one　hand　flew　off；　splashing　into　the　river。　they　bobbed　on　the　surface　for　a　moment；　the　head　howling；　eyes　flaming　with　hate　across　the　water。　then　it　was　sucked　down；　down　into　the　hurly…burly　of　the　second　gate。

the　headless　body　stood　where　it　was　for　a　second；　then　started　to　cautiously　step　sideways；　its　remaining　hand　groping　around　in　front　of　it。

sabriel　watched　it　cautiously；　debating　whether　to　use　saraneth　to　bind　it　to　her　will；　and　then　kibeth　to　send　it　on　its　way　to　final　death。　but　using　the　bells　would　alert　everything　dead　between　here　and　the　first　and　third　gates　at　least鈥攁nd　she　didn鈥檛　want　that。

the　headless　thing　took　another　step；　and　fell　sideways　into　a　deep　hole。　it　scrabbled　there；　long　arms　thrashing　the　water；　but　couldn鈥檛　pull　itself　up　and　out。　it　only　succeeded　in　getting　across　into　the　full　force　of　the　current；　which　snatched　it　up　and　threw　it　into　the　whirlpool　of　the　gate。

once　again；　sabriel　recited　words　of　free　magic　power；　words　impressed　into　her　mind　long　ago　from　the　book　of　the　dead。　the　words　flowed　out　of　her；　blistering　her　lips；　strange　heat　in　this　place　of　leeching　cold。

with　the　words；　the　waters　of　the　second　gate　slowed　and　stilled。　the　whirling　vortex　separated　out　into　a　long　spiral　path；　winding　downwards。

sabriel；　checking　for　a　few　last　holes　near　the　edge；　gingerly　strode　out　to　this　path　and　started　down。　behind　and　above　her；　the　waters　began　to　swirl　again。

the　spiral　path　looked　long；　but　to　sabriel　it　seemed　only　a　matter　of　minutes　before　she　was　passing　through　the　very　base　of　the　whirlpool；　and　out　into　the　third　precinct。

this　was　a　tricksome　place。　the　water　was　shallow　here；　only　ankle…deep；　and　somewhat　warmer。　the　light　was　better　too鈥攕till　grey；　but　you　could　see　farther　out。　even　the　ubiquitous　current　was　no　more　than　a　bit　of　a　tickle　around　the　feet。

but　the　third　precinct　had　waves。　for　the　first　time；　sabriel　broke　into　a　run；　sprinting　as　fast　as　she　could　towards　the　third　gate；　just　visible　in　the　distance。　it　was　like　the　first　gate鈥攁　waterfall　concealed　in　a　wall　of　mist。

behind　her；　sabriel　heard　the　thunderous　crashing　that　announced　the　wave；　which　had　been　held　back　by　the　same　spell　that　gave　her　passage　through　the　whirlpool。　with　the　wave　　came　shrill　cries；　shrieks　and　screams。　there　were　clearly　many　dead　around；　but　sabriel　didn鈥檛　spare　them　a　thought。　nothing　and　no　one　could　withstand　the　waves　of　the　third　precinct。　you　simply　ran　as　fast　as　possible；　hoping　to　reach　the　next　gate鈥攚hichever　way　you　were　going。

the　thunder　and　crashing　grew　louder；　and　one　by　one　the　various　screams　and　shouts　were　submerged　in　the　greater　sound。　sabriel　didn鈥檛　look；　but　only　ran　faster。　looking　over　her　shoulder　would　lose　a　fraction　of　a　second；　and　that　might　be　enough　for　the　wave　to　reach　her；　pick　her　up　and　hurl　her　through　the　third　gate；　stunned　flotsam　for　the　current　beyond　。　。　。

touchstone　stared　out　past　the　southern　vertice；　listening。　he　had　heard　something；　he　was　sure；　something　besides　the　constant　dripping。

something　louder；　something　slow；　attempting　to　be　surreptitious。　he　knew　mogget　had　heard　it　too；　from　the　sudden　tensing　of　cat　paws　on　his　shoulder。

鈥渃an　you　see　anything？鈥潯�he　whispered；　peering　out　into　the　darkness。　the　clouds　were　still　　blocking　the　light　from　the　sun…shafts；　though　he　thought　the　intervals　of　sunlight　were　growing　longer。　but；　in　any　case；　they　were　too　far　away　from　the　edge　to　benefit　from　a　sudden　return　of　sun。

鈥測es；鈥潯�whispered　mogget。　鈥渢he　dead。　many　of　them；　filing　out　of　the　main　southern　stair。

they鈥檙e　lining　up　each　side　of　the　door；　along　the　reservoir　walls。鈥�

touchstone　looked　at　sabriel；　now　covered　in　frost；　like　a　wintering　statue。　he　felt　like　shaking　her　shoulder；　screaming　for　help　。　。　。

鈥渨hat　kind　of　dead　are　they？鈥潯�he　asked。　he　didn鈥檛　know　much　about　the　dead；　except　that　shadow　hands　were　the　worst　of　the　normal　variety；　and　mordicants；　like　the　one　that　had　followed　sabriel；　were　the　worst　of　them　all。

except　for　what　rogir　had　bee。　kerrigor；　the　dead　adept　。　。　。

鈥渉ands；鈥潯�muttered　mogget。　鈥渁ll　hands；　and　pretty　putrescent　ones；　too。　they鈥檙e　falling　apart　just　walking。鈥�

touchstone　stared　again；　trying　by　sheer　force　of　will　to　see鈥攂ut　there　was　nothing；　save　darkness。　he　could　hear　them；　though；　wading；　squelching　through　the　still　water。　too　still　for　　his　liking鈥攕uddenly　he　wondered　if　the　reservoir　had　a　drainhole　and　a　plug。　then　he　dismissed　it　as　a　foolish　notion。　any　such　plug　or　drain　cover　would　have　long　since　rusted　shut。

鈥渨hat　are　they　doing？鈥潯�he　whispered　anxiously；　fingering　his　sword；　tilting　the　blade　this　way　and　that。　his　left　hand　seemed　to　hold　the　candle　steady；　but　the　little　flame　flickered；　clear　evidence　of　the　tiny　shakes　that　ran　down　his　arm。

鈥渏ust　lining　up　along　the　walls；　in　ranks；鈥�

mogget　whispered　back。　鈥渟trange鈥攁lmost　like　an　honor　guard　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渃harter　preserve　us；鈥潯�touchstone　croaked；　with　a　weight　in　his　throat　of　absolute　dread　and　terrible　foreboding。　鈥渞ogir　。　。　。　kerrigor。

he　must　be　here　。　。　。　and　he鈥檚　ing　。　。　。鈥�

w　w　w/xiao　shu　otx　t



chapter　xxii

銆婂皬璇磘銆媥t澶╁爞
sabriel　reached　the　third　gate　just　ahead　of　the　wave；　gabbling　a　free　magic　spell　as　she　ran；　feeling　it　fume　up　and　out　of　her　mouth；　filling　her　nostrils　with　acrid　fumes。

the　spell　parted　the　mists；　and　sabriel　stepped　within；　the　wave　breaking　harmlessly　around　her；　dumping　its　cargo　of　dead　down　into　the　waterfall　beyond。　sabriel　waited　a　moment　more；　for　the　path　to　appear；　then　passed　on鈥敗�on　to　the　fourth　precinct。

this　was　a　relatively　easy　area　to　traverse。　the　current　was　strong　again；　but　predictable。　there　were　few　dead；　because　most　were　stunned　and　rushed　through　by　the　third　precinct鈥檚　wave。

sabriel　walked　quickly；　using　the　strength　of　her　will　to　suppress　the　leeching　cold　and　the　plucking　hands　of　the　current。　she　could　feel　her　father鈥檚　spirit　now；　close　by；　as　if　he　were　in　one　room　of　a　large　house；　and　she　in　another鈥敗�tracking　him　down　by　the　slight　sounds　of　habitation。

he　was　either　here　in　the　fourth　precinct；　or　past　the　fourth　gate；　in　the　fifth　precinct。

she　increased　her　pace　a　little　again；　eager　to　find　him；　talk　with　him；　free　him。　she　knew　everything　would　be　all　right　once　father　was　freed　。　。　。

but　he　wasn鈥檛　in　the　fourth　precinct。　sabriel　reached　the　fourth　gate　without　feeling　any　intensification　of　his　presence。　this　gate　was　another　waterfall；　of　sorts；　but　it　wasn鈥檛　cloaked　in　mist。　it　looked　like　the　easy　drop　of　water　from　a　small　weir；　a　matter　of　only　two　or　three　feet　down。　but　sabriel　knew　that　if　you　approached　the　edge　there　was　more　than　enough　force　to　drag　the　strongest　spirit　down。

she　halted　well　back；　and　was　about　to　launch　into　the　spell　that　would　conjure　her　path；　when　a　niggling　sensation　at　the　back　of　her　head　made　her　stop　and　look　around。

the　waterfall　stretched　as　far　as　she　could　see　to　either　side；　and　sabriel　knew　that　if　she　was　foolish　enough　to　try　and　walk　its　length；　it　　would　be　an　unending　journey。　perhaps　it　eventually　looped　back　on　itself；　but　as　there　were　no　landmarks；　stars　or　anything　else　to　fix　one鈥檚　position；　you鈥檇　never　know。　no　one　ever　walked　the　breadth　of　an　inner　precinct　or　gate。

what　would　be　the　point？　everyone　went　into　death　or　out　of　it。　not　sideways；　save　at　the　border　with　life；　where　walking　along　altered　where　you　came　out鈥攂ut　that　was　only　useful　for　spirit…forms；　or　rare　beings　like　the　mordicant；　who　took　their　physical　shape　with　them。

nevertheless；　sabriel　felt　an　urge　to　walk　along　next　to　the　gate；　to　turn　on　her　heel　and　follow　the　line　of　the　waterfall。　it　was　an　unidentifiable　urge；　and　that　made　her　uneasy。　there　were　other　things　in　death　than　the　dead鈥攊nexplicable　beings　of　free　magic；　strange　constructs　and　inprehensible　forces。　this　urge鈥攖his　calling鈥敗�might　e　from　one　of　them。

she　hesitated；　thinking　about　it；　then　pushed　out　into　the　water；　heading　out　parallel　to　the　waterfall。　it　might　be　some　free　magic　summoning；　or　it　might　be　some　connection　with　her　father鈥檚　spirit。

鈥渢hey鈥檙e　ing　down　the　east　and　west　stairs；　too；鈥潯�said　mogget。　鈥渕ore　hands。鈥�

鈥渨hat　about　the　south鈥攚here　we　came　in？鈥�

asked　touchstone；　looking　nervously　from　side　to　side；　ears　straining　to　hear　every　sound；　listening　to　the　dead　wading　out　into　the　reservoir　to　form　up　in　their　strange；　regimented　lines。

鈥渘ot　yet；鈥潯�replied　mogget。　鈥渢hat　stair　ends　in　sunlight；　remember？　they鈥檇　have　to　go　through　the　park。鈥�

鈥渢here　can鈥檛　be　much　sunlight；鈥潯�muttered　touchstone；　looking　at　the　light…shafts。　some　sunshine　was　ing　through；　heavily　filtered　by　clouds；　but　it　wasn鈥檛　enough　to　cause　the　dead　in　the　reservoir　any　distress；　or　lift　touchstone鈥檚　spirits。

鈥渨hen　。　。　。　when　do　you　think　he　will　e？鈥�

asked　touchstone。　mogget　didn鈥檛　need　to　ask　who　鈥渉e鈥潯�was。

鈥渟oon；鈥潯�replied　the　cat；　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone。

鈥渋　always　said　it　was　a　trap。鈥�

鈥渟o　how　do　we　get　out　of　it？鈥潯�asked　touchstone；　trying　to　keep　his　voice　steady。　he　was　inwardly　fighting　a　strong　desire　to　leave　the　diamond　of　protection　and　run　for　the　southern　stair；　splashing　through　the　reservoir　like　a　runaway　　horse；　careless　of　the　noise鈥攂ut　there　was　sabriel；　frosted　over；　immobile　。　。　。

鈥渋鈥檓　not　sure　we　can；鈥潯�said　mogget；　with　a　sideways　glance　at　the　two　ice…rimmed　statues　nearby。　鈥渋t　depends　on　sabriel　and　her　father。鈥�