Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第36章

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lis　mouth　was　well…sheltered　by　the　two　arms　of　land；　but　the　tide　had　turned；　and　a　tidal　race　was　beginning　to　run　from　the　ocean　to　the　saere　sea。　so；　even　without　mast　and　sail；　they　were　borne　rapidly　towards　the　chain；　touchstone　rowing　with　all　his　strength　just　to　keep　steerage　way。　after　a　moment；　this　clearly　became　impossible；　so　sabriel　took　one　of　the　oars；　and　they　rowed　together；　with　mogget　yowling　directions。

every　few　seconds；　at　the　end　of　a　full　stroke；　her　back　nearly　level　with　the　thwarts；　sabriel　snatched　a　glimpse　over　her　shoulder。　they　were　headed　for　the　narrow　passage；　between　the　high　but　crumbling　seawall　of　winding　post；　and　the　enormous　chain　rising　out　of　the　swift…flowing　sea　in　a　swath　of　white　froth。　she　could　hear　the　melancholy　groaning　of　the　links；　like　a　chorus　of　pained　walruses。　even　that　gargantuan　chain　　moved　at　the　sea’s　whim。

“port　a　little；”　yowled　mogget。　touchstone　backed　his　oar　for　a　moment；　then　the　cat　jumped　down；　yelling；　“ship　oars　and　duck！”

the　oars　came　rattling；　splashing　in；　both　sabriel　and　touchstone　simply　lying　down　on　their　backs；　with　mogget　somewhere　between　them。　the　boat　rocked　and　plunged；　and　the　groan　of　the　chain　sounded　close　and　terrible。

sabriel；　one　moment　looking　up　at　the　clear；　blue　sky；　in　the　next　saw　nothing　but　green；　weedstrewn　iron　above　her。　when　the　swell　lifted　the　boat　up；　she　could　have　reached　out　and　touched　the　great　boom…chain　of　belis　mouth。

then　they　were　past；　and　touchstone　was　already　pushing　out　his　oar；　mogget　moving　to　the　bow。　sabriel　wanted　to　lie　there；　just　looking　up　at　the　sky；　but　the　collapsed　seawall　of　winding　post　was　no　more　than　an　oar…length　away。　she　sat　up　and　resumed　her　duty　as　a　rower。

the　water　changed　color　in　the　sea　of　saere。

sabriel　trailed　her　hand　in　it；　marveling　at　its　clear　turquoise　sheen。　for　all　its　color；　it　was　incredibly　transparent。　the　water　was　very　deep；　but　she　could　see　down　the　first　three　or　four　　fathoms；　watching　small　fish　dance　under　the　bubbles　of　their　boat’s　wake。

she　felt　relaxed；　momentarily　carefree；　all　the　troubles　that　lay　ahead　and　behind　her　temporarily　lost　in　single…minded　contemplation　of　the　clear　blue…green　water。　there　was　no　dead　presence　here；　no　constant　awareness　of　the　many　doors　to　death。　even　charter　magic　was　dissipated　at　sea。　for　a　few　minutes；　she　forgot　about　touchstone　and　mogget。　even　her　father　faded　from　her　mind。　there　was　only　the　sea’s　color；　and　its　coolness　on　her　hand。

“we’ll　be　able　to　see　the　city　soon；”　touchstone　said；　interrupting　her　mental　holiday。　“if　the　towers　are　still　standing。”

sabriel　nodded　thoughtfully；　and　slowly　took　her　hand　from　the　sea；　as　if　she　were　parting　from　a　dear　friend。

“it　must　be　difficult　for　you；”　she　said；　almost　to　herself；　not　really　expecting　him　to　answer。

“two　hundred　years　gone；　the　kingdom　slowly　falling　into　ruin　while　you　slept。”

“i　didn’t　really　believe　it；　till　i　saw　nestowe；　and　then　the　belis　mouth　towers；”　replied　touchstone。　“now　i　am　afraid—even　for　a　great　city　that　i　never　believed　could　really　change。”

“no　imagination；”　said　mogget；　sternly。　“no　thinking　ahead。　a　flaw　in　your　character。　a　fatal　flaw。”

“mogget；”　sabriel　said　indignantly；　angry　at　the　cat　for　crushing　yet　another　possible　conversation。

“why　are　you　so　rude　to　touchstone？”

mogget　hissed　and　the　fur　bristled　on　his　back。

“i　am　accurate；　not　rude；”　he　snapped；　turning　his　back　to　them　with　studied　scorn。　“and　he　deserves　it。”

“i’m　sick　of　this！”　announced　sabriel。　“touchstone；　what　does　mogget　know　that　i　don’t？”

touchstone　was　silent；　knuckles　white　on　the　tiller；　eyes　focused　on　the　distant　horizon；　as　if　he　could　already　see　the　towers　of　belisaere。

“you’ll　have　to　tell　me　eventually；”　said　sabriel；　a　touch　of　the　prefect　entering　her　voice。

“it　can’t　be　that　bad；　surely？”

touchstone　wet　his　lips；　hesitated；　then　spoke。

“it　was　stupidity　on　my　part；　not　evil；　milady。

two　hundred　years　ago；　when　the　last　queen　reigned　。　。　。　i　think　。　。　。　i　know　that　i　am　partly　responsible　for　the　failing　of　the　kingdom；　the　end　of　the　royal　line。”

“what！”　exclaimed　sabriel。　“how　could　you　be？”

“i　am；”　continued　touchstone　miserably；　his　hands　shaking　so　much　the　tiller　moved；　giving　the　boat　a　crazy　zigzag　wake。　“there　was　a　。　。　。

that　is　。　。　。”

he　paused；　took　a　deep　breath；　sat　up　a　little　straighter；　and　continued；　as　if　reporting　to　a　senior　officer。

“i　don’t　know　how　much　i　can　tell　you；　because　it　involves　the　great　charters。　where　do　i　start？　with　the　queen；　i　guess。　she　had　four　children。　her　oldest　son；　rogir；　was　a　childhood　playmate　of　mine。　he　was　always　the　leader；　in　all　our　games。　he　had　the　ideas—we　followed　them。　later；　when　we　were　growing　up；　his　ideas　became　stranger；　less　nice。　we　grew　apart。　i　went　into　the　guard；　he　pursued　his　own　interests。　now　i　know　that　those　interests　must　have　included　free　magic　and　necromancy—　i　never　suspected　it　then。　i　should　have；　i　know；　but　he　was　secretive；　and　often　away。

“towards　the　end　。　。　。　i　mean　a　few　months　before　it　happened　。　。　。　well；　rogir　had　been　away　for　several　years。　he　came　back；　just　before　the　midwinter　festival。　i　was　glad　to　see　him；　for　he　seemed　to　be　more　like　he　was　as　a　　child。　he’d　lost　interest　in　the　bizarrities　that　had　attracted　him。　we　spent　more　time　together　again；　hawking；　riding；　drinking；　dancing。

“then；　late　one　afternoon—one　cold；　crisp　afternoon；　near　sunset—i　was　on　duty；　guarding　the　queen　and　her　ladies。　they　were　playing　cranaque。　rogir　came　to　her；　and　asked　her　to　e　with　him　down　to　the　place　where　the　great　stones　are　。　。　。　hey；　i　can　say　it！”

“yes；”　interrupted　mogget。　he　looked　tired；　like　an　alley　cat　that　has　suffered　one　kick　too　many。　“the　sea　washes　all　things　clear；　for　a　time。

we　can　speak　of　the　great　charters；　at　least　for　a　little　while。　i　had　forgotten　it　was　so。”

“go　on；”　said　sabriel；　excitedly。　“let’s　take　advantage　of　it　while　we　can。　the　great　stones　would　be　the　stones　and　mortar　of　the　rhyme—　the　third　and　fifth　great　charter？”

“yes；”　replied　touchstone；　remotely；　as　if　reciting　a　lesson；　“with　the　wall。　the　people；　or　whatever　they　were　who　made　the　great　charters；　put　three　in　bloodlines　and　two　in　physical　constructions：　the　wall　and　the　great　stones。　all　the　lesser　stones　draw　their　power　from　one　or　the　other。

“the　great　stones　。　。　。　rogir　came　and　said　　there　was　something　amiss　there；　something　the　queen　must　look　into。　he　was　her　son；　but　she　did　not　take　great　account　of　his　wisdom；　or　believe　him　when　he　spoke　of　trouble　with　the　stones。　she　was　a　charter　mage　and　felt　nothing　wrong。　besides；　she　was　winning　at　cranaque；　so　she　told　him　to　wait　till　morning。　rogir　turned　to　me；　asked　me　to　intercede；　and；　charter　help　me；　i　did。　i　believed　rogir。　i　trusted　him　and　my　belief　convinced　the　queen。　finally；　she　agreed。

by　that　time；　the　sun　had　set。　with　rogir；　myself；　three　guards　and　two　ladies…in…waiting；　we　went　down；　down　into　the　reservoir　where　the　great　stones　are。”

touchstone’s　voice　faded　to　a　whisper　as　he　continued；　and　grew　hoarse。

“there　was　terrible　wrong　down　there；　but　it　was　rogir’s　doing；　not　his　discovery。　there　are　six　great　stones　and　two　were　just　being　broken；　broken　with　the　blood　of　his　own　sisters；　sacrificed　by　his　free　magic　minions　as　we　approached。　i　saw　their　last　seconds；　the　faint　hope　in　their　clouding　eyes；　as　the　queen’s　barge　came　floating　across　the　water。　i　felt　the　shock　of　the　stones　breaking　and　i　remember　rogir；　stepping　up　behind　the　queen；　a　saw…edged　　　dagger　striking　so　swiftly　across　her　throat。　he　had　a　cup；　a　golden　cup；　one　of　the　queen’s　own；　to　catch　the　blood；　but　i　was　too　slow；　too　slow　。　。　。”

“so　the　story　you　told　me　at　holehallow　wasn’t　true；”　sabriel　whispered；　as　touchstone’s　voice　cracked　and　faded；　and　the　tears　rolled　down　his　face。　“the　queen　didn’t　survive　。　。　。”

“no；”　mumbled　touchstone。　“but　i　didn’t　mean　to　lie。　it　was　all　jumbled　up　in　my　head。”

“what　did　happen？”

“the　other　two　guards　were　rogir’s　men；”

touchstone　continued；　his　voice　wet　with　tears；　muffled　with　sorrow。　“they　attacked　me；　but　vlare—one　of　the　ladies…in…waiting—threw　herself　across　them。　i　went　mad；　battle…mad；　berserk。　i　killed　both　guards。　rogir　had　jumped　from　the　barge　and　was　wading　to　the　stones；　holding　the　cup。　his　four　sorcerers　were　waiting；　dark…cowled；　around　the　third　stone；　the　next　to　be　broken。　i　couldn’t　reach　him　in　time；　i　knew。　i　threw　my　sword。　it　flew　straight　and　true；　taking　him　just　above　the　heart。　he　screamed；　the　echo　going　on　and　on　and　he　turned　back　towards　me！　transfixed　by　my　sword；　but　still　walking；　holding　that　vile　cup　of　blood　up；　as　if　offering　me　a　drink。

“‘you　may　tear　this　body；’　he　said；　as　he　walked。　‘rip　it；　like　some　poor…made　costume。

but　i　cannot　die。’　“he　came　within　an　arm’s　length　of　me；　and　i　could　only　look　into　his　face；　look　at　the　evil　that　lay　so　close　behind　those　familiar　features　。　。　。

then　there　was　blinding　white　light；　the　sound　of　bells—bells　like　yours；　sabriel—an