sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第7部分

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ond　the　ninth　gate。　when　i　was　sixteen　i　stalked　and　banished　a　mordicant　that　came　near　the　school。　a　weakened　mordicant；　but　still　。　。　。　a　year　ago；　i　turned　the　final　page　of　the　book　of　the　dead。　i　don鈥檛　feel　young　anymore。鈥�

鈥渋　am　sorry　for　that；鈥潯�said　the　colonel；　then；　almost　as　if　he　had　surprised　himself；　he　added；　鈥渁h；　i　mean　that　i　wish　you　some　of　the　foolish　joys　my　daughter　has鈥攕ome　of　the　lightness；　the　lack　of　responsibility　that　goes　with　youth。　but　i　don鈥檛　wish　it　if　it　will　weaken　you　in　the　times　ahead。　you　have　chosen　a　difficult　path。鈥�

鈥溾�榙oes　the　walker　choose　the　path；　or　the　path　the　walker？鈥欌�潯�sabriel　quoted；　the　words；　redolent　with　echoes　of　charter　magic；　twining　around　her　tongue　like　some　lingering　spice。　those　words　were　the　dedication　in　the　front　of　her　almanac。

they　were　also　the　very　last　words；　all　alone　on　the　last　page；　of　the　book　of　the　dead。

鈥渋鈥檝e　heard　that　before；鈥潯�remarked　horyse。

鈥渨hat　does　it　mean？鈥�

鈥渋　don鈥檛　know；鈥潯�said　sabriel。

鈥渋t　holds　power　when　you　say　it；鈥潯�added　the　colonel　slowly。　he　swallowed；　open…mouthed；　as　if　the　taste　of　the　charter　marks　was　still　in　the　air。　鈥渋f　i　spoke　those　words；　that鈥檚　all　they　would　be。　just　words。鈥�

鈥渋　can鈥檛　explain　it。鈥潯�sabriel　shrugged；　and　attempted　a　smile。　鈥渂ut　i　do　know　other　sayings　that　are　more　to　the　point　at　the　moment；　like：　鈥榯raveler；　embrace　the　morning　light；　but　do　not　take　the　hand　of　night。鈥櫋�i　must　be　on　my　way。鈥�

horyse　smiled　at　the　old　rhyme；　so　beloved　of　grandmothers　and　nannies；　but　it　was　an　empty　smile。　his　eyes　slid　a　little　away　from　sabriel鈥檚　and　she　knew　that　he　was　thinking　about　refusing　to　let　her　cross　the　wall。　then　he　sighed；　the　short；　huffy　sigh　of　a　man　who　is　forced　into　a　　course　of　action　through　lack　of　alternatives。

鈥測our　papers　are　in　order；鈥潯�he　said；　meeting　her　gaze　once　again。　鈥渁nd　you　are　the　daughter　of　abhorsen。　i　cannot　do　other　than　let　you　pass。

but　i　can鈥檛　help　feeling　that　i　am　thrusting　you　out　to　meet　some　terrible　danger。　i　can鈥檛　even　send　a　patrol　out　with　you；　since　we　have　five　full　patrols　already　out　there。鈥�

鈥渋　expected　to　go　alone；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　she　had　expected　that；　but　felt　a　tinge　of　regret。　a　protective　group　of　soldiers　would　be　quite　a　fort。　the　fear　of　being　alone　in　a　strange　and　dangerous　land；　even　if　it　was　her　homeland；　was　only　just　below　the　level　of　her　excitement。

it　wouldn鈥檛　take　much　for　the　fear　to　rise　over　it。

and　always；　there　was　the　picture　of　her　father　in　her　mind。　her　father　in　trouble；　trapped　and　alone　in　the　chill　waters　of　death　。　。　。

鈥渧ery　well；鈥潯�said　horyse。　鈥渟ergeant！鈥�

a　helmeted　head　appeared　suddenly　around　the　doorway；　and　sabriel　realized　two　soldiers　must　have　been　standing　on　guard　outside　the　dugout；　on　the　steps　up　into　the　munication　trench。　she　wondered　if　they鈥檇　heard。

鈥減repare　a　crossing　party；鈥潯�snapped　horyse。

鈥渁　single　person　to　cross。　miss　abhorsen；　here。

and　sergeant；　if　you　or　private　rahise　so　much　as　talk　in　your　sleep　about　what　you　may　have　heard　here；　then　you鈥檒l　be　on　gravedigging　fatigues　for　the　rest　of　your　lives！鈥�

鈥測es；　sir！鈥潯�came　the　sharp　reply；　echoed　by　the　unfortunate　private　rahise；　who；　sabriel　noted；　did　seem　half…asleep。

鈥渁fter　you；　please；鈥潯�continued　horyse；　gesturing　towards　the　door。　鈥渕ay　i　carry　your　skis　again？鈥�

the　army　took　no　chances　when　it　came　to　crossing　the　wall。　sabriel　stood　alone　under　the　great　arch　of　the　gate　that　pierced　the　wall；　but　archers　stood　or　knelt　in　a　reverse　arrowhead　formation　around　the　gate；　and　a　dozen　swordsmen　had　gone　ahead　with　colonel　horyse。　a　hundred　yards　behind　her；　past　a　zigzagged　lane　of　barbed　wire；　two　lewyn　machine…gunners　watched　from　a　forward　emplacement鈥攖hough　sabriel　noted　they　had　drawn　their　swordbayonets　and　thrust　them；　ready　for　use；　in　the　sandbags；　showing　little　faith　in　their　air…cooled　…rounds…per…minute　tools　of　destruction。

there　was　no　actual　gate　in　the　archway；　though　rusting　hinges　swung　like　mechanical　hands　on　either　side　and　sharp　shards　of　oak　　thrust　out　of　the　ground；　like　teeth　in　a　broken　jaw；　testimony　to　some　explosion　of　modern　chemistry　or　magical　force。

it　was　snowing　lightly　on　the　old　kingdom　side；　and　the　wind　channeled　occasional　snowflakes　through　the　gate　into　ancelstierre；　where　they　melted　on　the　warmer　ground　of　the　south。

one　caught　in　sabriel鈥檚　hair。　she　brushed　at　it　lightly；　till　it　slid　down　her　face　and　was　captured　by　her　tongue。

the　cold　water　was　refreshing　and；　though　it　tasted　no　different　from　any　other　melted　snow　she鈥檇　drunk；　it　marked　her　first　taste　of　the　old　kingdom　in　thirteen　years。　dimly；　she　remembered　it　had　been　snowing　then。　her　father　had　carried　her　through；　when　he　first　brought　her　south　into　ancelstierre。

a　whistle　alerted　her；　and　she　saw　a　figure　appear　out　of　the　snow；　flanked　by　twelve　others；　who　drew　up　in　two　lines　leading　out　from　the　gate。　they　faced　outwards；　their　swords　shining；　blades　reflecting　the　light　that　was　itself　reflected　from　the　snow。　only　horyse　looked　inwards；　waiting　for　her。

with　her　skis　over　her　shoulder；　sabriel　picked　her　way　among　the　broken　timbers　of　the　gate。

going　through　the　arch；　from　mud　into　snow；　from　bright　sun　into　the　pallid　luminescence　of　a　snowfall；　from　her　past　into　her　future。

the　stones　of　the　wall　on　either　side；　and　above　her　head；　seemed　to　call　a　wele　home；　and　rivulets　of　charter　marks　ran　through　the　stones　like　rain　through　dust。

鈥渢he　old　kingdom　weles　you；鈥潯�said　horyse；　but　he　was　watching　the　charter　marks　run　on　the　stones；　not　looking　at　sabriel。

sabriel　stepped　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　gate　and　pulled　her　cap　down；　so　the　peak　shielded　her　face　against　the　snow。

鈥渋　wish　your　mission　every　success；　sabriel；鈥�

continued　horyse；　looking　back　at　her。　鈥渋　hope　。　。　。　hope　i　see　both　you　and　your　father　before　too　long。鈥�

he　saluted；　turned　smartly　to　his　left；　and　was　gone；　wheeling　around　her　and　marching　back　through　the　gate。　his　men　peeled　off　from　the　line　and　followed。　sabriel　bent　down　as　they　marched　past；　slid　her　skis　back　and　forth　in　the　snow；　then　slipped　her　boots　into　the　bindings。

the　snow　was　falling　steadily；　but　it　was　only　a　light　fall　and　the　cover　was　patchy。　she　could　still　easily　make　out　the　old　north　road。

fortunately；　the　snow　had　banked　up　in　the　gutters　to　either　side　of　the　road；　and　she　could　make　good　time　if　she　kept　to　these　narrow　snow…ways。　even　though　it　seemed　to　be　several　hours　later　in　the　old　kingdom　than　it　was　in　ancelstierre；　she　expected　to　reach　cloven　crest　before　dusk。

taking　up　her　poles；　sabriel　checked　that　her　father鈥檚　sword　was　easy　in　its　scabbard；　and　the　bells　hung　properly　from　their　baldric。　she　considered　a　quick　charter…spell　for　warmth；　but　decided　against　it。　the　road　had　a　slight　uphill　gradient；　so　the　skiing　would　be　quite　hard　work。　in　her　handknitted；　greasy　wool　shirt；　leather　jerkin　and　thick；　double　padded　skiing　knickerbockers；　she　would　probably　be　too　warm　once　she　got　going。

with　a　practiced　motion；　she　pushed　one　ski　ahead；　the　opposite　arm　reaching　forward　with　her　pole；　and　slid　forward；　just　as　the　last　swordsman　passed　her　on　his　way　back　through　the　gate。　he　grinned　as　he　passed　by；　but　she　didn鈥檛　notice；　concentrating　on　building　up　the　rhythm　of　her　skis　and　poles。　within　minutes；　she　was　practically　flying　up　the　road；　a　slim；　dark　figure　against　the　white　of　the　ground。

锛凤挤w。xi锛�os锛╱otxt。锛ｏ集锛�



chapter　iv

灏忥紲璇达紲t锛渪t锛炲ぉ锛煛峰爞
sabriel　found　the　first　dead　ancelstierran　soldier　about　six　miles　from　the　wall；　in　the　last；　fading　hours　of　the　afternoon。

the　hill　she　thought　was　cloven　crest　was　a　mile　or　two　to　the　north。　she鈥檇　stopped　to　look　at　its　dark　bulk；　rising　rocky　and　treeless　from　the　snow…covered　ground；　its　peak　temporarily　hidden　in　one　of　the　light；　puffy　clouds　that　occasionally　let　forth　a　shower　of　snow　or　sleet。

if　she　hadn鈥檛　stopped；　she　would　probably　have　missed　the　frosted…white　hand　that　peeked　out　of　a　drift　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　but　as　soon　as　she　saw　that；　her　attention　focused　and　sabriel　felt　the　familiar　pang　of　death。

crossing　over；　her　skis　clacking　on　bare　stone　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　she　bent　down　and　gently　brushed　the　snow　away。

the　hand　belonged　to　a　young　man；　who　wore　a　standard…issue　coat　of　mail　over　an　ancelstierran　uniform　of　khaki　serge。　he　was　blond　and　grey…eyed；　and　sabriel　thought　he　had　been　surprised；　for　there　was　no　fear　in　his　frozen　expression。　she　touched　his　forehead　with　one　finger；　closed　his　sightless　eyes；　and　laid　two　fingers　against　his　open　mouth。　he　had　been　dead　twelve　days；　she　felt。　there　were　no　obvious　signs　as　to　what　had　killed　him。　to　learn　more　than　that；　she　would　have　to　follow　the　young　man　into　death。　even　after　twelve　days；　it　was　unlikely　he　had　gone　further　than　the　fourth　gate。　even　so；　sabriel　had　a　strong　disinclination　to　enter　the　realm　of　the　dead　until　she　absolutely　had　to。　whatever　had　trapped鈥攐r　killed鈥攈er　father　could　easily　be　waiting　to　ambush　her　there。　this　dead　soldier　could　even　be　a　lure。

quashing　her　natural　curiosity　to　find　out　exactly　what　had　happened；　sabriel　folded　the　man鈥檚　arms　across　his　chest；　after　first　unclenching　the　grip　that　his　right　hand　still　had　on　his　sword　hilt鈥攑erhaps　he　had　not　been　taken　totally　unawares　after　all。　then　she　stood　and　drew　the　charter　marks　of　fire；　cleansing；　peace　　and　sleep　in　the　air　above　the　corpse；　while　whispering　the　sounds　of　those　same　marks。　it　was　a　litany　that　every　charter　mage　knew；　and　it　had　the　usual　effect。　a　glowing　ember　sparked　up　between　the　man鈥檚　folded　arms；　multiplied　into　many　stabbing；　darting　flames；　then　fire　whooshed　the　full　length　of　the　body。　seconds　later　it　was　out　and　only　ash　remained；　ash　staining　a　corselet　of　blackened　mail。

sabriel　took　the　soldier鈥檚　sword　from　the　pile　of　ashes　and　thrust　it　through　the　melted　snow；　into　the　dark　earth　beneath。　it　stuck　fast；　upright；　the　hilt　casting　a　shadow　like　a　cross　upon　the　ashes。　something　glinted　in　the　shadow　and；　bel