Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第26章

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e　water。

sabriel　hesitated；　then　walked　towards　it；　carefully　feeling　her　way；　making　sure　of　every　footfall；　guarding　against　the　gripping　current。　there　was　definitely　something　odd　out　there。　she　could　feel　it　quite　strongly—it　had　to　be　the　trapped　spirit。　she　ignored　the　little　voice　at　the　back　of　her　mind　that　suggested　it　was　a　fiercely　devious　dead　creature；　strong　enough　to　hold　its　own　against　the　race　of　the　river　。　。　。

nevertheless；　when　she　was　a　few　paces　back　from　whatever　it　was；　sabriel　let　ranna　sound—　a　muffled；　sleepy　peal　that　carried　the　sensation　of　a　yawn；　a　sigh；　a　head　falling　forward；　eyes　heavy—a　call　to　sleep。

if　there　was　a　dead　thing　there；　sabriel　reasoned；　it　would　now　be　quiescent。　she　put　her　sword　and　bell　away；　edged　forward　to　a　good　position；　and　reached　down　into　the　water。

her　hands　touched　something　as　cold　and　hard　as　ice；　something　totally　unidentifiable。

she　flinched　back；　then　reached　down　again；　till　her　hands　found　something　that　was　clearly　a　shoulder。　she　followed　this　up　to　a　head；　and　traced　the　features。　sometimes　a　spirit　bore　little　relation　to　the　physical　body；　and　sometimes　living　spirits　became　warped　if　they　spent　too　　long　in　death；　but　this　one　was　clearly　the　counterpart　of　the　figurehead。　it　lived　too；　somehow　encased　and　protected　from　death；　as　the　living　body　was　preserved　in　wood。

sabriel　gripped　the　spirit…form　under　the　arms　and　pulled。　it　rose　up　out　of　the　water　like　a　killer　whale；　pallid　white　and　rigid　as　a　statue。

sabriel　staggered　backwards；　and　the　river；　evereager；　wrapped　her　legs　with　tricksome　eddies—　but　she　steadied　herself　before　it　could　drag　her　down。

changing　her　hold　a　little；　sabriel　began　to　drag　the　spirit…form　back　towards　life。　it　was　hard　going；　much　harder　than　she’d　expected。

the　current　seemed　far　too　strong　for　this　side　of　the　first　gate；　and　the　crystallized　spirit—or　whatever　it　was—was　much；　much　heavier　than　any　spirit　should　be。

with　nearly　all　her　concentration　bent　on　staying　upright　and　heading　in　the　right　direction；　sabriel　almost　didn’t　notice　the　sudden　cessation　of　noise　that　marked　the　passage　of　something　through　the　first　gate。　but　she’d　learned　to　be　wary　over　the　last　few　days；　and　her　conscious　fears　had　bee　enshrined　in　subconscious　caution。

she　heard；　and　listening　carefully；　caught　the　soft　slosh…slosh　of　something　half…wading；　halfcreeping；　moving　as　quietly　as　it　could　against　the　current。　moving　towards　her。　something　dead　was　hoping　to　catch　her　unawares。

obviously；　some　alarm　or　summons　had　gone　out　beyond　the　first　gate；　and　whatever　was　stalking　towards　her　had　e　in　answer　to　it。

inwardly　cursing　herself　for　stupidity；　sabriel　looked　down　at　her　spirit　burden。　sure　enough；　she　could　just　make　out　a　very　thin　black　line；　fine　as　cotton　thread；　running　from　his　arm　into　the　water—and　thence　to　the　deeper；　darker　regions　of　death。　not　a　controlling　thread；　but　one　that　would　let　some　distant　adept　know　the　spirit　had　been　moved。　fortunately；　sounding　ranna　would　have　slowed　the　message；　but　was　she　close　enough　to　life　。　。　。

she　increased　her　speed　a　little；　but　not　too　much；　pretending　she　hadn’t　noticed　the　hunter。

whatever　it　was；　it　seemed　quite　reluctant　to　close　in　on　her。

sabriel　quickened　her　pace　a　little　more；　adrenaline　and　suspense　feeding　her　strength。　if　it　rushed　her；　she　would　have　to　drop　the　spirit—　and　he　would　be　carried　away；　lost　forever。

whatever　magic　had　preserved　his　living　spirit　here　on　the　boundary　couldn’t　possibly　prevail　if　he　went　past　the　first　gate。　if　that　happened；　sabriel　thought；　she　would　have　precipitated　a　murder　rather　than　a　rescue。

four　steps　to　life—then　three。　the　thing　was　closing　now—sabriel　could　see　it；　low　in　the　water；　still　creeping；　but　faster　now。　it　was　obviously　a　denizen　of　the　third；　or　even　some　later　gate；　for　she　couldn’t　identify　what　it　once　had　been。　now　it　looked　like　a　cross　between　a　hog　and　a　segmented　worm；　and　it　moved　in　a　series　of　scuttles　and　sinuous　wriggles。

two　steps。　sabriel　shifted　her　grip　again；　wrapping　her　left　arm　pletely　around　the　spirit’s　chest　and　balancing　the　weight　on　her　hip；　freeing　her　right　arm；　but　she　still　couldn’t　draw　her　sword；　or　clear　the　bells。

the　hog…thing　began　to　grunt　and　hiss；　breaking　into　a　diving；　rushing　gallop；　its　long；　yellowcrusted　tusks　surfing　through　the　water；　its　long　body　undulating　along　behind。

sabriel　stepped　back；　turned；　and　threw　herself　and　her　precious　cargo　headfirst　into　life；　using　all　her　will　to　force　them　through　the　wards　on　the　sinkhole。　for　an　instant；　it　seemed　that　they　would　be　repulsed；　then；　like　a　pin　pushing　through　a　rubber　band；　they　were　through。

shrill　squealing　followed　her；　but　nothing　else。

sabriel　found　herself　facedown　on　the　ground；　hands　empty；　ice　crystals　crunching　as　they　fell　from　her　frosted　body。　turning　her　head；　she　met　the　gaze　of　mogget。　he　stared　at　her；　then　closed　his　eyes　and　went　back　to　sleep。

sabriel　rolled　over；　and　got　to　her　feet；　very；　very　slowly。　she　felt　all　her　pains　e　back　and　wondered　why　she’d　been　so　hasty　to　perform　deeds　of　derring…do　and　rescue。　still；　she　had　managed　it。　the　man’s　spirit　was　back　where　it　belonged；　back　in　life。

or　so　she　thought；　till　she　saw　the　figurehead。

it　hadn’t　changed　at　all　to　outward　sight；　though　sabriel　could　now　feel　the　living　spirit　in　it。

puzzled；　she　touched　his　immobile　face；　fingers　tracing　the　grain　of　the　wood。

“a　kiss；”　said　mogget　sleepily。　“actually；　just　a　breath　would　do。　but　you　have　to　start　kissing　someone　sometime；　i　suppose。”

sabriel　looked　at　the　cat；　wondering　if　this　was　the　latest　symptom　of　catbalm…induced　lunacy。

but　he　seemed　sober　enough；　and　serious。

“a　breath？”　she　asked。　she　didn’t　want　to　kiss　　just　any　wooden　man。　he　looked　nice　enough；　but　he　might　not　be　like　his　looks。　a　kiss　seemed　very　forward。　he　might　remember　it；　and　make　assumptions。

“like　this？”　she　took　a　deep　breath；　leaned　forward；　exhaled　a　few　inches　from　his　nose　and　mouth；　then　stepped　back　to　see　what　would　happen—if　anything。

nothing　did。

“catbalm！”　exclaimed　sabriel；　looking　at　mogget。　“you　shouldn’t—”

a　small　sound　interrupted　her。　a　small；　wheezing　sound；　that　didn’t　e　from　her　or　mogget。

the　figurehead　was　breathing；　air　whistling　between　carved　wooden　lips　like　the　issue　from　an　aged；　underworked　bellows。

the　breathing　grew　stronger；　and　with　it；　color　began　to　flow　through　the　carving；　dull　wood　giving　way　to　the　luster　of　flesh。　he　coughed；　and　the　carven　chest　became　flexible；　suddenly　rising　and　falling　as　he　began　to　pant　like　a　recovering　sprinter。

his　eyes　opened　and　met　sabriel’s。　fine　grey　eyes；　but　muzzy　and　unfocused。　he　didn’t　seem　to　see　her。　his　fingers　clenched　and　unclenched；　and　his　feet　shuffled；　as　if　he　were　running　in　　place。　finally；　his　back　peeled　away　from　the　ship’s　hull。　he　took　one　step　forward；　and　fell　into　sabriel’s　arms。

she　lowered　him　hastily　to　the　ground；　all　too　aware　that　she　was　embracing　a　naked　young　man—in　circumstances　considerably　different　than　the　various　scenarios　she’d　imagined　with　her　friends　at　school；　or　heard　about　from　the　earthier　and　more　privileged　day…girls。

“thank　you；”　he　said；　almost　drunkenly；　the　words　terribly　slurred。　he　seemed　to　focus　on　her—or　her　surcoat—for　the　first　time；　and　added；　“abhorsen。”

then　he　went　to　sleep；　mouth　curling　up　at　the　corners；　frown　dissolving。　he　looked　younger　than　he　did　as　a　fixed…expression　figurehead。

sabriel　looked　down　at　him；　trying　to　ignore　curiously　fond　feelings　that　had　appeared　from　somewhere。　feelings　similar　to　those　that　had　made　her　bring　back　jacinth’s　rabbit。

“i　suppose　i’d　better　get　him　a　blanket；”　she　said　reluctantly；　as　she　wondered　what　on　earth　had　possessed　her　to　add　this　plication　to　her　already　confusing　and　difficult　circumstances。

she　supposed　she　would　have　to　get　him　　to　safety　and　civilization；　at　the　very　least—if　there　was　any　to　be　found。

“i　can　get　a　blanket　if　you　want　to　keep　staring　at　him；”　mogget　said　slyly；　twining　himself　around　her　ankles　in　a　sensuous　pavane。

sabriel　realized　she　really　was　staring；　and　looked　away。

“no。　i’ll　get　it。　and　my　spare　shirt；　i　suppose。

the　breeches　might　fit　him　with　a　bit　of　work；　i　guess—we’d　be　much　the　same　height。　keep　watch；　mogget。　i’ll　be　back　in　a　minute。”

mogget　watched　her　hobble　off；　then　turned　back　to　the　sleeping　man。　silently；　the　cat　padded　over　and　touched　his　pink　tongue　to　the　charter　mark　on　the　man’s　forehead。　the　mark　flared；　but　mogget　didn’t　flinch；　till　it　grew　dull　again。

“so；”　muttered　mogget；　tasting　his　own　tongue　by　curling　it　back　on　itself。　he　seemed　somewhat　surprised；　and　more　than　a　little　angry。　he　tasted　the　mark　again；　and　then　shook　his　head　in　distaste；　the　miniature　saraneth　on　his　collar　ringing　a　little　peal　that　was　not　of　celebration。

xs



chapter　xiv

　　　生小　说＋网
grey　mist　coiling　upwards；　twining　around　him　like　a　clinging　vine；　gripping　arms　and　legs；　immobilizing；　strangling；　merciless。　so　firmly　grown　about　his　body　there　was　no　possibility　of