Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第14章

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have　ever　thought　that　a　first　in　magic　from　an　ancelstierran　school　would　make　her　a　great　mage　in　the　old　kingdom。　fear　and　realization　of　ignorance　were　strong　medicines　against　stupid　pride。

another　howl　came　racing　up　the　passage　and　echoed　onwards；　acpanied　by　many　crashes；　and　thuds　or　clangs　of　steel　striking　supernatural　flesh；　or　ricocheting　off　stone。

sabriel　didn’t　need　to　look　back　to　know　the　mordicant　had　broken　through　the　door　and　was　now　fighting　the　doorkeeper—or　pushing　past　him。　sabriel　knew　little　of　such　sendings；　but　a　mon　failing　with　the　sentinel　variety　was　an　inability　to　leave　their　post。　once　the　　creature　got　a　few　feet　past　the　doorkeeper；　the　sending　would　be　useless—and　one　great　charge　would　soon　get　the　mordicant　past。

that　thought　gave　her　another　burst　of　speed；　but　sabriel　knew　that　it　was　the　last。　her　body；　pushed　by　fear　and　weakened　by　cold　and　exertion；　was　on　the　edge　of　failure。　her　legs　felt　stiff；　muscles　ready　to　cramp；　and　her　lungs　seemed　to　bubble　with　fluid　rather　than　air。

ahead；　the　corridor　seemed　to　go　on　and　on；　sloping　ever　upwards。　but　the　light　only　shone　where　sabriel　ran；　so　perhaps　the　exit　might　not　be　too　far　ahead；　perhaps　just　past　the　next　little　patch　of　darkness　。　。　。

even　as　this　thought　passed　through　her　mind；　sabriel　saw　a　glow　that　sharpened　into　the　bright　tracing　of　a　doorway。　she　half　gasped；　half　cried　out；　both　slight　human　noises　drowned　out　by　the　unholy；　inhuman　screech　of　the　mordicant。　it　was　past　the　doorkeeper。

at　the　same　time；　sabriel　became　aware　of　a　new　sound　ahead；　a　sound　she　had　initially　thought　was　the　throb　of　blood　in　her　ears；　the　pounding　of　a　racing　heart。　but　it　was　outside；　beyond　the　upper　door。　a　deep；　roaring　noise；　so　low　it　was　almost　a　vibration；　a　shudder　that　she　　felt　through　the　floor；　rather　than　heard。

heavy　trucks　passing　on　a　road　above；　sabriel　thought；　before　remembering　where　she　was。　in　that　same　instant；　she　recognized　the　sound。

somewhere　ahead；　out　of　these　encircling　cliffs；　a　great　waterfall　was　crashing　down。　and　a　waterfall　that　made　so　great　a　sound　must　be　fed　by　an　equally　great　river。

running　water！　the　prospect　of　it　fueled　sabriel　with　sudden　hope；　and　with　that　hope　came　the　strength　she　thought　beyond　her。　in　a　wild　spurt　of　speed；　she　almost　hit　the　door；　hands　slapping　against　the　wood；　slowing　for　the　instant　she　needed　to　find　the　handle　or　ring。

but　another　hand　was　already　on　the　ring　when　she　touched　it；　though　none　had　been　there　a　second　before。　again；　charter　marks　defined　this　hand；　and　sabriel　could　see　the　grain　of　the　wood　and　the　blueing　of　the　steel　through　the　palm　of　another　sending。

this　one　was　smaller；　of　indeterminate　sex；　for　it　was　wearing　a　habit　like　a　monk’s；　with　the　hood　drawn　across　its　head。　the　habit　was　black　and　bore　the　emblem　of　the　silver　key　front　and　back。

it　bowed；　and　turned　the　ring。　the　door　swung　　open；　to　reveal　bright　starlight　shining　down　between　clouds　fleeing　the　newly　risen　wind。　the　noise　of　the　waterfall　roared　through　the　open　doorway；　acpanied　by　flecks　of　flying　spray。

without　thinking；　sabriel　stepped　out。

the　cowled　doorkeeper　came　with　her　and　shut　the　door　behind　it；　before　dragging　a　delicate；　silver　portcullis　down　across　the　door　and　locking　it　with　an　iron　padlock。　both　defenses　apparently　came　out　of　thin　air。　sabriel　looked　at　them　and　felt　power　in　them；　for　both　were　also　charter　sendings。　but　door；　portcullis　and　lock　would　only　slow　the　mordicant；　not　stop　it。　the　only　possible　escape　lay　across　the　swiftest　of　running　water；　or　the　untimely　glare　of　a　noonday　sun。

the　first　lay　at　her　feet　and　the　second　was　still　many　hours　away。　sabriel　stood　on　a　narrow　ledge　that　projected　out　from　the　bank　of　a　river　at　least　four　hundred　yards　wide。　a　little　to　her　right；　a　scant　few　paces　away；　this　mighty　river　hurled　itself　over　the　cliff；　to　make　a　truly　glorious　waterfall。　sabriel　leaned　forward　a　little；　to　look　at　the　waters　crashing　below；　creating　huge　white　wings　of　spray　that　could　easily　swallow　her　entire　school；　new　wing　and　all；　like　a　rubber　　duck　swamped　in　an　unruly　bath。

it　was　a　very　long　fall；　and　the　height；　coupled　with　the　sheer　power　of　the　water；　made　her　quickly　look　back　to　the　river。　straight　ahead；　halfway　across；　sabriel　could　just　make　out　an　island；　an　island　perched　on　the　very　lip　of　the　waterfall；　dividing　the　river　into　two　streams。　it　wasn’t　a　very　big　island；　about　the　size　of　a　football　field；　but　it　rose　like　a　ship　of　jagged　rock　from　the　turbulent　waters。

encircling　the　island　were　limestone…white　walls　the　height　of　six　men。　behind　those　walls　was　a　house。　it　was　too　dark　to　see　clearly；　but　there　was　a　tower；　a　thrusting；　pencil　silhouette；　with　red　tiles　that　were　just　beginning　to　catch　the　dawning　sun。　below　the　tower；　a　dark　bulk　hinted　at　the　existence　of　a　hall；　a　kitchen；　bedrooms；　armory；　buttery　and　cellar。　the　study；　sabriel　suddenly　remembered；　occupied　the　second　to　top　floor　of　the　tower。　the　top　floor　was　an　observatory；　both　of　stars　and　the　surrounding　territory。

it　was　abhorsen’s　house。　home；　although　sabriel　had　only　visited　it　twice；　or　maybe　three　times；　all　when　she　was　too　young　to　remember　much。　that　period　of　her　life　was　hazy；　and　mostly　filled　with　recollections　of　the　travelers；　　the　interiors　of　their　wagons；　and　many　different　campsites　that　all　blurred　together。　she　didn’t　even　remember　the　waterfall；　though　the　sound　of　it　did　stir　some　recognition—something　had　lodged　in　the　mind　of　a　four…year…old　girl。

unfortunately；　she　didn’t　remember　how　to　get　to　the　house。　only　the　words　her　mother…sending　had　given　her—abhorsen’s　bridge。

she　hadn’t　realized　she’d　spoken　these　words　aloud；　till　the　little　gate　warden　tugged　at　her　sleeve　and　pointed　down。　sabriel　looked　and　saw　steps　carved　into　the　bank；　steps　leading　right　down　to　the　river。

this　time；　sabriel　didn’t　hesitate。　she　nodded　to　the　charter　sending　and　whispered；　“thank　you；”　before　taking　the　steps。　the　mordicant’s　presence　was　pressing　at　her　again；　like　a　stranger’s　rank　breath　behind　her　ear。　she　knew　it　had　reached　the　upper　gate；　though　the　sound　of　its　battering　and　destruction　was　drowned　in　the　greater　roar　of　the　waters。

the　steps　led　to　the　river；　but　did　not　end　there。　though　invisible　from　the　ledge；　there　were　stepping…stones　leading　out　to　the　island。

sabriel　eyed　them　nervously；　and　looked　at　the　water。　it　was　clearly　very　deep　and　rushing　past　　　at　an　alarming　speed。　the　stepping…stones　were　barely　above　its　boisterous　wavelets　and；　even　though　they　were　wide　and　cross…hatched　for　grip；　they　were　also　wet　with　spray　and　the　slushy　remnants　of　snow　and　ice。

sabriel　watched　a　small　piece　of　ice　from　upstream　hurtle　by；　and　pictured　its　slingshot　ride　over　the　falls；　to　be　smashed　apart　so　far　below。

she　imagined　herself　in　its　place；　and　then　thought　of　the　mordicant　behind　her；　of　the　dead　spirit　that　was　at　its　heart；　of　the　death　it　would　bring；　and　the　imprisonment　she　would　suffer　beyond　death。

she　jumped。　her　boots　skidded　a　little　and　her　arms　flailed　for　balance；　but　she　ended　up　steady；　bent　over　in　a　half…crouch。　hardly　waiting　to　rebalance；　she　jumped　to　the　next　stone　and　then　the　one　after　that；　and　again；　in　a　mad　leapfrog　through　the　spray　and　thunder　of　the　river。

when　she　was　halfway　out；　with　a　hundred　yards　of　pure；　ferocious　water　behind　her；　she　stopped　and　looked　back。

the　mordicant　was　on　the　ledge；　the　silvery　portcullis　broken　and　mangled　in　its　grip。　there　was　no　sign　of　the　gate　warden；　but　that　was　not　surprising。　defeated；　it　would　merely　fade　until　the　charter…spell　renewed　itself—hours；　days　or　even　years　later。

the　dead　thing　was　curiously　still；　but　it　was　clearly　watching　sabriel。　even　so　powerful　a　creature　couldn’t　cross　this　river　and　it　made　no　attempt　to　do　so。　in　fact；　the　longer　sabriel　stared　at　it；　the　more　it　seemed　to　her　that　the　mordicant　was　content　to　wait。　it　was　a　sentry；　guarding　what　might　be　the　only　exit　from　the　island。　or　perhaps　it　was　waiting　for　something　to　happen；　or　for　someone　to　arrive　。　。　。

sabriel　suppressed　a　shudder　and　jumped　on。

there　was　more　light　now；　heralding　the　advent　of　the　sun；　and　she　could　see　a　sort　of　wooden　landing　stage　leading　up　to　a　gate　in　the　white　wall。　treetops　were　also　visible　behind　the　walls；　winter　trees；　their　branches　bare　of　green　raiment。

birds　flew　between　trees　and　tower；　little　birds　launching　themselves　for　their　morning　forage。　it　was　a　vision　of　normalcy；　of　a　haven。　but　sabriel　could　not　forget　the　tall；　flame…etched　silhouette　of　the　mordicant；　brooding　on　the　ledge。

wearily；　she　made　the　jump　to　the　last　stone　and　collapsed　on　the　steps　of　the　landing　stage。　even　her　eyelids　could　barely　move；　and　her　field　of　vision　had　narrowed　to　a　little　slit　directly　to　her　　front。　the　grain　of　the　planks　of　the　landing　stage　loomed　close；　as　she　crawled　up　to　the　gate　and　halfheartedly　fell　against　it。

the　gate　swung　open；　pitching　her　onto　a　paved　courtyard；　the　beginning　of　a　red…brick　path；　the　bricks　ancient；　their　redness　the　color　of　dusty　apples。　the　path　wound　up　to　the　fron