sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第51部分

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ined　by　gristle；　the　padding　of　dead　feet；　bones　like　hobnails　clicking　through　necrotic　flesh。

鈥渉ands；鈥潯�she　said；　nervously。　鈥渉undreds　of　hands。鈥�

even　as　she　spoke；　a　solid　wall　of　dead　flesh　hit　the　iron　gates；　throwing　them　over　in　a　split　second鈥檚　crash。　then　vaguely　human　forms　were　everywhere；　rushing　towards　them；　dead　mouths　gulping　and　hissing　in　a　ghastly　parody　of　a　war　cry。

鈥渇ire！鈥�

in　the　instant鈥檚　delay　after　this　mand；　sabriel　felt　the　terrible　fear　that　the　guns　wouldn鈥檛　work。　then　rifles　cracked；　and　the　machine…guns　beat　out　a　terrible；　barking　roar；　red　tracer　rounds　flinging　out；　ricocheting　from　the　paving　in　a　crazy　embroidery　of　terrible　violence。　bullets　tore　dead　flesh；　splintered　bone；　knocked　the　hands　down　and　over鈥攂ut　still　they　came；　till　they　were　literally　torn　apart；　　broken　into　pieces；　hung　up　on　the　wire。

the　firing　slowed；　but　before　it　could　entirely　cease；　another　wave　of　hands　came　stumbling；　crawling；　running　through　the　gateway；　slipping；　tumbling　over　the　wall。　hundreds　of　them；　so　densely　packed　they　crushed　the　wire　and　came　on；　till　the　last　of　them　were　mown　down　by　the　guns　at　the　very　foot　of　the　front　steps。　some；　still　with　a　slight　vestige　of　human　intelligence；　retreated；　only　to　be　caught　in　great　gouts　of　flame　from　white　phosphorus　grenades　thrown　out　from　the　second　floor。

鈥渟abriel鈥攇et　inside！鈥潯�horyse　ordered；　as　the　last　of　the　hands　flopped　and　crawled　in　crazy　circles；　till　more　bullets　thudded　into　them　and　made　them　still。

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　looking　out　at　the　carpet　of　bodies；　the　flickering　fires　from　the　lanterns　and　lumps　of　phosphorus　burning　like　candles　in　some　ghastly　charnel　house。　the　stench　of　cordite　was　in　her　nose；　through　her　hair；　on　her　clothes；　the　machine…gun鈥檚　barrels　glowing　an　evil　red　to　either　side　of　her。　the　hands　were　already　dead；　but　even　so；　this　mass　destruction　made　her　sicker　than　any　free　magic　。　。　。

she　went　inside；　sheathing　her　sword。　only　then　did　she　remember　the　bells。　possibly；　she　could　have　quelled　that　vast　mob　of　hands；　sent　them　peaceably　back　into　death；　without鈥敗�but　it　was　too　late。　and　what　if　she　had　been　overmastered？　shadow　hands　would　be　next；　she　knew；　and　they　could　not　be　stopped　by　physical　force；　or　her　bells；　unless　they　came　in　small　numbers　。　。　。

and　that　was　as　likely　as　an　early　dawn　。　。　。

there　were　more　soldiers　in　the　corridor；　but　these　were　mailed　and　helmed；　with　large　shields　and　broad…headed　spears　streaked　with　silver　and　the　simplest　charter　marks；　drawn　in　chalk　and　spit。　they　were　smoking；　and　drinking　tea　from　the　school鈥檚　second…best　china。　sabriel　realized　they　were　there　to　fight　when　the　guns　failed。　there　was　an　air　of　controlled　nervousness　about　them鈥攏ot　bravado　exactly；　just　a　strange　mixture　of　petence　and　cynicism。　whatever　it　was；　it　made　sabriel　walk　casually　among　them；　as　if　she　were　in　no　hurry　at　all。

鈥渆vening；　miss。鈥�

鈥済ood　to　hear　the　guns；　hey？　practically　never　work　up　north！鈥�

鈥渨on鈥檛　need　us　at　this　rate。鈥�

鈥渘ot　like　the　perimeter；　is　it；　ma鈥檃m？鈥�

鈥済ood　luck　with　the　bloke　in　the　metal　cigar　case；　miss。鈥�

鈥済ood　luck　to　all　of　you；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　trying　to　smile　in　answer　to　their　grins。　then　the　firing　started　again；　and　she　winced；　losing　the　smile鈥攂ut　their　attention　was　off　her；　focused　back　outside。　they　weren鈥檛　nearly　as　casual　as　they　pretended；　sabriel　thought　as　she　edged　through　the　side　doors　leading　from　the　corridor　into　the　great　hall。

here；　the　mood　was　much　more　frightened。

the　sarcophagus　was　up　the　far　end　of　the　hall；　resting　across　the　speaker鈥檚　dais。　everyone　else　was　as　far　away　as　possible　up　at　the　other　end。

the　scouts　were　on　one　side；　also　drinking　tea。　magistrix　greenwood　was　talking　to　touchstone　in　the　middle；　and　the　thirty　or　so　girls鈥攜oung　women；　really鈥攚ere　lined　up　on　the　opposite　wall　to　the　soldiers。　it　was　all　rather　like　a　bizarre　parody　of　a　school　dance。

behind　the　thick　stone　walls　and　shuttered　windows　of　the　great　hall；　the　gunfire　could　almost　be　mistaken　for　extremely　heavy　hail；　with　grenades　for　thunderclaps；　but　not　if　you　　knew　what　it　was。　sabriel　walked　into　the　center　of　the　hall；　and　shouted。

鈥渃harter　mages！　please　e　here。鈥�

they　came；　the　young　women　quicker　than　the　soldiers；　who　were　showing　the　weariness　of　the　day鈥檚　work；　and　proximity　to　the　sarcophagus。

sabriel　looked　at　the　students；　their　faces　bright　and　open；　a　thin　layer　of　fear　laid　over　excitement　at　the　spice　of　the　unknown。　two　of　her　best　schoolfriends；　sulyn　and　ellimere；　were　among　the　crowd；　but　she　felt　far　distant　from　them　now。　she　probably　looked　it　too；　she　thought；　seeing　respect　and　something　like　wonder　in　their　eyes。　even　the　charter　marks　on　their　foreheads　looked　like　fragile　cosmetic　replicas；　though　she　knew　they　were　real。　it　was　so　unfair　that　they　had　to　be　caught　up　in　this　。　。　。

sabriel　opened　her　mouth　to　speak；　and　the　noise　of　gunfire　suddenly　ceased；　almost　on　cue。

in　the　silence；　one　of　the　girls　giggled　nervously。

sabriel；　however；　suddenly　felt　many　deaths　e　at　once；　and　a　familiar　dread　touched　her　spine　with　cold　fingers。　kerrigor　was　closing　in。

it　was　his　power　that　had　stilled　the　guns；　not　a　lessening　of　the　assault。　faintly；　she　could　hear　shouts　and　even　。　。　。　screams　。　。　。　from　outside。

they　would　be　fighting　with　older　weapons　now。

鈥渜uickly；鈥潯�she　said；　walking　towards　the　sarcophagus　as　she　spoke。　鈥渨e　must　make　a　handfast　ring　around　the　sarcophagus。　magistrix；　if　you　would　place　everyone鈥攍ieutenant；　please　put　your　men　in　among　the　girls　。　。　。鈥�

anywhere　else；　at　any　other　time；　there　would　have　been　ribald　jokes　and　giggles　about　that。

here；　with　the　dead　about　the　building；　and　the　sarcophagus　brooding　in　their　midst；　it　was　simply　an　instruction。　men　moved　quickly　to　their　places；　the　young　women　took　their　hands　purposefully。

in　a　few　seconds；　the　sarcophagus　was　ringed　by　charter　mages。

linked　by　touch　now；　sabriel　didn鈥檛　need　to　speak。　she　could　feel　everyone　in　the　ring。

touchstone；　to　her　right；　a　familiar　and　powerful　warmth。　miss　greenwood；　to　her　left；　less　powerful；　but　not　without　skill鈥攁nd　so　on；　right　around　the　ring。

slowly；　sabriel　brought　the　charter　marks　of　opening　to　the　forefront　of　her　mind。　the　marks　grew；　power　flowing　round　and　round　the　ring；　growing　in　force　till　it　started　to　project　inwards；　like　the　narrowing　vortex　of　a　whirlpool。　golden　light　began　to　stream　about　the　sarcophagus；　　visible　streaks　rotating　clockwise　around　it；　with　greater　and　greater　speed。

still　sabriel　kept　the　power　of　the　charter　magic　flowing　into　the　center；　drawing　on　everything　the　charter　mages　could　produce。　soldiers　and　schoolgirls　wavered；　and　some　fell　to　their　knees；　but　the　hands　stayed　linked；　the　circle　plete。

slowly；　the　sarcophagus　itself　began　turning　on　the　platform；　with　a　hideous　shrieking　noise；　like　an　enormous　unoiled　hinge。　steam　jetted　forth　from　under　its　lid；　but　the　golden　light　whisked　it　away。　still　shrieking；　the　sarcophagus　began　to　spin　faster　and　faster；　till　it　was　a　blur　of　bronze；　white　steam　and　yolk…yellow　light。

then；　with　a　scream　more　piercing　than　any　before；　it　suddenly　stopped；　the　lid　flying　off　to　hurtle　over　the　charter　mages鈥櫋�heads；　smashing　into　the　floor　a　good　thirty　paces　away。

the　charter　magic　went　too；　as　if　earthed　by　its　success；　and　the　ring　collapsed　with　fewer　than　half　the　participants　still　on　their　feet。

wavering；　her　hands　still　tightly　gripped　by　touchstone　and　the　magistrix；　sabriel　tottered　over　to　the　sarcophagus　and　looked　in。

鈥渨hy；鈥潯�said　miss　greenwood；　with　a　startled　　glance　back　up　at　touchstone；　鈥渉e　looks　just　like　you！鈥�

before　touchstone　could　answer；　steel　clashed　outside　in　the　corridor；　and　the　shouting　grew　louder。　those　scouts　still　standing　drew　their　swords　and　rushed　to　the　doors鈥攂ut　before　they　could　reach　them；　other　soldiers　were　pouring　in；　bloodied；　terrified　soldiers；　who　ran　to　the　corners；　or　threw　themselves　down；　and　sobbed；　or　laughed；　or　shook　in　silence。

behind　this　rush　came　some　of　the　heavily　armored　soldiery　of　the　corridor。　these　men　still　had　some　semblance　of　control。　instead　of　running　on；　they　hurled　themselves　back　against　the　doors；　and　dropped　the　bar　in　place。

鈥渉e鈥檚　inside　the　main　doors！鈥潯�one　of　them　shouted　back　towards　sabriel；　his　face　white　with　terror。　there　was　no　doubt　about　who　鈥渉e鈥�

was。

鈥渜uick；　the　final　rites！鈥潯�sabriel　snapped。　she　drew　her　hands　from　the　others鈥櫋�grasp；　and　held　them　out　over　the　body；　forming　the　marks　for　fire；　cleansing　and　peace　in　her　mind。　she　didn鈥檛　look　too　closely　at　the　body。　rogir　did　look　very　much　like　a　sleeping；　defenseless　touchstone。

she　was　tired；　and　there　were　still　free　magic　　protections　around　the　body；　but　the　first　mark　soon　lingered　in　the　air。　touchstone　had　transferred　his　hand　to　her　shoulder；　pouring　power　into　her。　others　of　the　circle　had　crept　up　and　linked　hands　again鈥攁nd　suddenly　sabriel　felt　a　stirring　of　relief。　they　were　going　to　make　it鈥敗�kerrigor鈥檚　human　body　would　be　destroyed；　and　the　greater　part　of　his　power　with　it　。　。　。

then　the　whole　of　the　northern　wall　exploded；　bricks　cascading　out；　red　dust　blowing　in　like　a　solid　wave；　knocking　everyone　down　in　blinding；　choking　ruin。

sabriel　lay　on　the　floor；　coughing；　hands　pushing　feebly　on　the　floor；　knees　scrabbling　as　she　tried　to　get　up。　there　was　dust　and　grit　in　her　eyes；　and　the　lanterns　had　all　gone　out。　blind；　she　felt　around　her；　but　there　was　only　the　stillscalding　bronze　of　the　sarcophagus。

鈥渢he　blood　price　must　be　paid；鈥潯�said　a　crackling；　inhuman　voice。　a　familiar　voice；　though　not　the　liquid；　ruined　tones　of　kerrigor　。　。　。　but　the　terrible　speech　of　the　night　in　holehallow；　when　the　paperwing　burned。

blinking　furiously；　sabriel　crawled　away　from　the　sound；　around　the　sarcophagus。　it　didn鈥檛　speak　again　immediately；　but　she　could　hear　it　　closing　in；　the　air　crackling　and　buzzing　at　its　passage。

鈥渋　must　deliver　my　last　burden；鈥潯�the　creature　said。　鈥渢hen　the　bargain　is　done；　and　i　may　turn　to　retribut