Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第24章

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“no！”　howled　the　thing；　and　its　whole　twisting；　coiling　body　lurched　forward；　killing　arms　outstretched。　again；　the　talons　fell　short；　as　sabriel　crawled；　rolled　and　pushed　herself　away。

then　the　silver　ring　contracted　once　more；　and　a　terrible　shout　of　anguish；　rage　and　despair　came　from　the　very　center　of　the　white…flaming　thing。　its　arms　suddenly　shrank　back　to　its　torso；　the　head　fell　into　the　shoulders；　and　the　whole　body　sank　into　an　amorphous　blob　of　shimmering　white；　with　a　single；　still…large　silver　band　around　the　middle；　the　ruby　glittering　like　a　drop　of　blood。

sabriel　stared　at　it；　unable　to　look　aside；　or　do　anything　else；　even　quell　the　flow　from　her　bleeding　nose；　which　now　covered　half　her　face　and　chin；　her　mouth　glued　shut　with　dried　and　clotting　blood。　it　seemed　to　her　that　something　was　　left　undone；　something　that　she　had　to　provide。

nervously　crawling　closer；　she　saw　that　there　were　now　marks　on　the　ring；　charter　marks　that　told　her　what　she　must　do。　wearily；　she　got　up　on　her　knees　and　fumbled　with　the　bellbandolier。

saraneth　was　heavy；　almost　beyond　her　strength；　but　she　managed　to　draw　it　out；　and　the　deep；　pelling　voice　rang　through　the　sinkhole；　seeming　to　pierce　the　glowing；　silverbound　mass。

the　ring　hummed　in　answer　to　the　bell　and　exuded　a　pear…shaped　drop　of　its　own　metal；　which　cooled　to　bee　a　miniature　saraneth。

at　the　same　time；　the　ring　changed　color　and　consistency。　the　ruby’s　color　seemed　to　run；　and　a　red　wash　spread　through　the　silver。　it　was　now　dull　and　ordinary；　no　longer　a　silver　band；　but　a　red　leather　collar；　with　a　miniature　silver　bell。

with　this　change；　the　white　mass　quivered；　and　shone　bright　again；　till　sabriel　had　to　shield　her　eyes　once　more。　when　the　shadows　grew　together　again；　she　looked　back；　and　there　was　mogget；　collared　in　red　leather；　sitting　up　and　looking　like　he　was　about　to　throw　up　a　hairball。

it　wasn’t　a　hairball；　but　a　silver　ring；　the　ruby　　reflecting　mogget’s　internal　light。　it　rolled　to　sabriel；　tinkling　across　the　stone。　she　picked　it　up　and　slid　it　back　on　her　finger。

mogget’s　glow　faded；　and　the　burning　paperwing　was　now　only　faint　embers；　sad　memories　and　ash。　darkness　returned；　cloaking　sabriel；　wrapping　her　up　with　all　her　hurts　and　fears。　she　sat；　silent；　not　even　thinking。

a　little　later；　she　felt　a　soft　cat　nose　against　her　folded　hands；　and　a　candle；　damp　from　mogget’s　mouth。

“your　nose　is　still　bleeding；”　said　a　familiar；　didactic　voice。　“light　the　candle；　pinch　your　nose；　and　get　some　blankets　out　for　us　to　sleep。

it’s　getting　cold。”

“wele　back；　mogget；”　whispered　sabriel。

　。。



chapter　xiii

～　
neither　sabriel　nor　mogget　mentioned　the　happenings　of　the　previous　night　when　they　awoke。　sabriel；　bathing　her　seriously　swollen　nose　in　an　inch　of　water　from　her　canteen；　found　that　she　didn’t　particularly　want　to　remember　a　waking　nightmare；　and　mogget　was　quiet；　in　an　apologetic　way。　despite　what　happened　later；　freeing　mogget’s　alter　ego；　or　whatever　it　was；　had　saved　them　from　certain　destruction　by　the　wind。

as　she’d　expected；　dawn　had　brought　some　light　to　the　sinkhole；　and　as　the　day　progressed；　this　had　grown　to　a　level　approximating　twilight。

sabriel　could　read　and　see　things　close　by　quite　clearly；　but　they　merged　into　indistinct　gloom　twenty　or　thirty　yards　away。

not　that　the　sinkhole　was　much　larger　than　that—perhaps　a　hundred　yards　in　diameter；　not　the　fifty　she’d　guessed　at　when　she　was　ing　down。　the　entire　floor　of　it　was　paved；　with　a　circular　drain　in　the　middle；　and　there　were　several　tunnel　entrances　into　the　sheer　rock　walls—tunnels　which　sabriel　knew　she　would　eventually　have　to　take；　as　there　was　no　water　in　the　sinkhole。　there　seemed　little　chance　of　rain；　either。　it　was　cool；　but　nowhere　near　as　cold　as　the　plateau　near　abhorsen’s　house。

the　climate　was　mitigated　by　proximity　to　the　ocean；　and　an　altitude　that　could　easily　be　sealevel　or　below；　for　in　daylight　sabriel　could　see　that　the　sinkhole　was　at　least　a　hundred　yards　deep。

still；　with　a　half…full　canteen　of　water　gurgling　by　her　side；　sabriel　was　quite　content　to　slouch　upon　her　slightly　scorched　pack　and　apply　herbal　creams　to　her　bruises；　and　a　poultice　of　evilsmelling　tanmaril　leaves　to　her　strange　sunburn。

her　nose　was　a　different　matter　when　it　came　to　treatment。　it　wasn’t　broken—merely　hideous；　swollen　and　encrusted　with　dried　blood；　which　hurt　too　much　to　clean　off　pletely。

mogget；　after　an　hour　or　so　of　sheepish　silence；　　sauntered　off　to　explore；　refusing　sabriel’s　offer　of　hard　cakes　and　dried　meat　for　breakfast。　she　expected　he’d　find　a　rat；　or　something　equally　appetizing；　instead。　in　a　way；　she　was　quite　pleased　he　was　gone。　the　memory　of　the　free　magic　beast　that　lay　within　the　little　white　cat　was　still　disturbing。

even　so；　when　the　sun　had　risen　to　bee　a　little　disc　surrounded　by　the　greater　circumference　of　the　sinkhole’s　rim；　she　started　to　wonder　why　he　hadn’t　e　back。　levering　herself　up；　she　limped　over　to　the　tunnel　he’d　chosen；　using　her　sword　as　a　walking　stick　and　plaining　quietly　as　every　bruise　reminded　her　of　its　location。

of　course；　just　as　she　was　lighting　a　candle　at　the　tunnel　entrance　mogget　reappeared　behind　her。

“looking　for　me？”　he　mewed；　innocently。

“who　else？”　replied　sabriel。　“have　you　found　anything？　anything　useful；　i　mean。　water；　for　instance。”

“useful？”　mused　mogget；　rubbing　his　chin　back　along　his　two　outstretched　front　legs。

“perhaps。　interesting；　certainly。　water？　yes。”

“how　far　away？”　asked　sabriel；　all　too　aware　　of　her　bruise…limited　mobility。　“and　what　does　interesting　mean？　dangerous？”

“not　far；　by　this　tunnel；”　replied　mogget。

“there　is　a　little　danger　getting　there—a　trap　and　a　few　other　oddments；　but　nothing　that　will　harm　you。　as　to　the　interesting　part；　you　will　have　to　see　for　yourself；　abhorsen。”

“sabriel；”　said　sabriel　automatically；　as　she　tried　to　think　ahead。　she　needed　at　least　two　days’　rest；　but　no　more　than　that。　every　day　lost　before　she　found　her　father’s　corporeal　body　might　mean　disaster。　she　simply　had　to　find　him　soon。

a　mordicant；　shadow　hands；　gore　crows—it　was　now　all　too　clear　that　some　terrible　enemy　was　arrayed　against　both　father　and　daughter。

that　enemy　had　already　trapped　her　father；　so　it　had　to　be　a　very　powerful　necromancer；　or　some　greater　dead　creature。　perhaps　this　kerrigor　。　。　。

“i’ll　get　my　pack；”　she　decided；　trudging　back；　mogget　slipping　backwards　and　forwards　across　her　path　like　a　kitten；　almost　tripping　her；　but　always　just　getting　out　of　the　way。　sabriel　put　this　down　to　inexplicable　catness；　and　didn’t　ment。

as　mogget　had　promised；　the　tunnel　wasn’t　　long；　and　its　well…made　steps　and　cross…hatched　floor　made　passage　easy；　save　for　the　part　where　sabriel　had　to　follow　the　little　cat　exactly　across　the　stones；　to　avoid　a　cleverly　concealed　pit。

without　mogget’s　guidance；　sabriel　knew　she　would　have　fallen　in。

there　were　magical　wardings　too。　old；　inimical　spells　lay　like　moths　in　the　corners　of　the　tunnel；　waiting　to　fly　up　at　her；　to　surround　and　choke　her　with　power—but　something　checked　their　first　reaction　and　they　settled　again。　a　few　times；　sabriel　experienced　a　ghostly　touch；　like　a　hand　reaching　out　to　brush　the　charter　mark　on　her　forehead；　and　almost　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel；　she　saw　two　guard　sendings　melting　into　the　rock；　the　tips　of　their　halberds　glinting　in　her　candlelight　before　they；　too；　merged　into　stone。

“where　are　we　going？”　she　whispered；　nervously；　as　the　door　in　front　of　them　slowly　creaked　open—without　visible　means　of　propulsion。

“another　sinkhole；”　mogget　said；　matter…offactly。

“it　is　where　the　first　blood　。　。　。　ach　。　。　。”

he　choked；　hissed；　and　then　rephrased　his　sentence　rather　drably；　with　“it　is　interesting。”

“what　do　you　mean—”　sabriel　began；　but　she　fell　silent　as　they　passed　the　doorway；　magical　force　suddenly　tugging　at　her　hair；　her　hands；　her　surcoat；　the　hilt　of　her　sword。　mogget’s　fur　stood　on　end；　and　his　collar　rotated　halfway　around　of　its　own　accord；　till　the　charter　marks　of　binding　were　uppermost　and　clearly　readable；　bright　against　the　leather。

then　they　were　out；　standing　at　the　bottom　of　another　sinkhole；　in　a　premature　twilight；　for　the　sun　was　already　slipping　over　the　circumscribed　horizon　of　the　sinkhole　rim。

this　sinkhole　was　much　wider　than　the　first—　perhaps　a　mile　across；　and　deeper；　say　six　or　seven　hundred　feet。　despite　its　size；　the　entire　vast　pit　was　sealed　off　from　the　upper　air　by　a　gleaming；　web…thin　net；　which　seemed　to　merge　into　the　rim　wall　about　a　quarter　of　the　way　down　from　the　surface。　sunlight　had　given　it　away；　but　even　so；　sabriel　had　to　use　her　telescope　to　see　the　delicate　diamond…pattern　weave　clearly。　it　looked　flimsy；　but　the　presence　of　several　dessicated　bird…corpses　indicated　considerable　strength。　sabriel　guessed　the　unfortunate　birds　had　dived　into　the　net；　eyes　greedily　intent　on　food　below。

in　the　sinkhole　itself；　there　was　considerable；　if　uninspiring　vegetation—mostly　stunted　trees　and　malformed　bushes。　but　sabriel　had　little　attention　to　spare　for　the　trees；　for　in　between　each　of　th