Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第40章

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sabriel；　touchstone　and　mogget　followed　after　ten　minutes　spent　negotiating　with　the　guards。　at　first；　the　leader；　a　large　man　in　a　gravy…stained　leather　cuirass；　wanted　to　see　an　“official　scavenger’s　license；”　but　this　was　soon　translated　as　a　request　for　bribes。　then　it　was　merely　a　matter　of　bargaining；　down　to　the　final　price　of　three　silver　pennies　each　for　sabriel　and　touchstone；　and　one　for　the　cat。　strange　accounting；　sabriel　thought；　but　she　was　glad　mogget　stayed　silent；　not　voicing　the　opinion　that　he　was　being　undervalued。

past　the　aqueduct；　and　the　soothing　barrier　of　running　water；　sabriel　felt　the　immediate　presence　of　the　dead。　they　were　all　around；　in　the　ruined　houses；　in　cellars　and　drains；　lurking　anywhere　the　light　didn’t　reach。　dormant。　waiting　for　the　night；　while　the　sun　shone。

in　many　ways；　the　dead　of　belisaere　were　direct　　counterparts　of　the　scavengers。　hiding　by　day；　they　took　what　they　could　by　night。　there　were　many；　many　dead　in　belisaere；　but　they　were　weak；　cowardly　and　jealous。　their　bined　appetite　was　enormous；　but　the　supply　of　victims　sadly　limited。　every　morning　saw　scores　of　them　lose　their　hold　on　life；　to　fall　back　into　death。

but　more　always　came　。　。　。

“there　are　thousands　of　dead　here；”　sabriel　said；　eyes　darting　from　side　to　side。　“they’re　weak；　for　the　most　part—but　so　many！”

“do　we　go　straight　on　to　the　reservoir？”

touchstone　asked。　there　was　an　unspoken　question　there；　sabriel　knew。　should　they—could　they—save　the　children　first？　she　looked　at　the　sky；　and　the　sun；　before　answering。　they　had　about　four　hours　of　strong　sunlight；　if　no　clouds　intervened。　little　enough　time；　anyway。　assuming　that　they　could　defeat　the　scavengers；　could　they　leave　finding　her　father　till　tomorrow？　every　day　made　it　less　likely　his　spirit　and　body　could　be　brought　back　together。　without　him；　they　couldn’t　defeat　kerrigor—and　kerrigor　had　to　be　defeated　for　them　to　have　any　hope　of　repairing　the　stones　of　the　great　charter—　　banishing　the　dead　across　the　kingdom　。　。　。

“we’ll　go　straight　to　the　reservoir；”　sabriel　said；　heavily；　trying　to　blank　out　a　sudden　fragment　of　visual　memory；　sunlight　on　that　little　boy’s　head；　the　trudging　feet　。　。　。

“perhaps　we　。　。　。　perhaps　we　will　be　able　to　rescue　the　children　on　the　way　back。”

touchstone　led　the　way　with　confidence；　keeping　to　the　middle　of　the　streets；　where　the　sun　was　bright。　for　almost　an　hour；　they　strode　up　empty；　deserted　streets；　the　only　sound　the　clacking　of　their　boot…nails　on　the　cobbles。　there　were　no　birds；　or　animals。　not　even　insects。　just　ruin　and　decay。

finally；　they　reached　an　iron…fenced　park　that　ran　around　the　base　of　palace　hill。　atop　the　hill；　blackened；　burnt…out　shells　of　tumbled　stone　and　timber　were　all　that　remained　of　the　royal　palace。

“the　last　regent　burned　it；”　said　mogget；　as　all　three　stopped　to　look　up。　“about　twenty　years　ago。　it　was　being　infested　with　the　dead；　despite　all　the　guards　and　wards　that　various　visiting　abhorsens　put　up。　they　say　the　regent　went　mad　and　tried　to　burn　them　out。”

“what　happened　to　him？”　asked　sabriel。

“her；　actually；”　replied　mogget。　“she　died　in　the　fire—or　the　dead　took　her。　and　that　marked　the　end　of　any　attempt　at　governing　the　kingdom。”

“it　was　a　beautiful　building；”　touchstone　reminisced。　“you　could　see　out　over　the　saere。　it　had　high　ceilings；　and　a　clever　system　of　vents　and　shafts　to　catch　the　light　and　the　sea　breeze。

there　was　always　music　and　dancing　somewhere　in　the　palace；　and　midsummer　dinner　on　the　garden　roof；　with　a　thousand　scented　candles　burning　。　。　。”

he　sighed；　and　pointed　at　a　hole　in　the　park　fence。

“we　might　as　well　go　through　here。　there’s　an　entrance　to　the　reservoir　in　one　of　the　ornamental　caves　in　the　park。　only　fifty　steps　down　to　the　water；　rather　than　the　hundred　and　fifty　from　the　palace　proper。”

“one　hundred　and　fifty…six；”　said　mogget。　“as　i　recall。”

touchstone　shrugged；　and　climbed　through　the　hole；　onto　the　springy　turf　of　the　park。　there　was　no　one—and　no　thing—in　sight；　but　he　drew　his　swords　anyway。　there　were　large　trees　nearby；　and　accordingly；　shadows。

sabriel　followed；　mogget　jumping　down　from　her　shoulders　to　saunter　forward　and　sniff　the　air。

sabriel　drew　her　sword　too；　but　left　the　bells。

there　were　dead　about；　but　none　close。　the　park　was　too　open　in　daylight。

the　ornamental　caves　were　only　five　minutes’　walk　away；　past　a　fetid　pond　that　had　once　boasted　seven　water…spouting　statues　of　bearded　tritons。　now　their　mouths　were　clogged　with　rotten　leaves；　and　the　pond　was　almost　solid　with　yellow…green　slime。

there　were　three　cave　entrances；　side　by　side。

touchstone　led　them　to　the　largest；　central　entrance。　marble　steps　led　down　the　first　three　or　four　feet；　and　marble　pillars　supported　the　entrance　ceiling。

“it　only　goes　back　about　forty　paces　into　the　hill；”　touchstone　explained；　as　they　lit　their　candles　by　the　entrance；　sulphur　matches　adding　their　own　noisome　stench　to　the　dank　air　of　the　cave。　“they　were　built　for　picnics　in　high　summer。

there　is　a　door　at　the　back　of　this　one。　it　may　be　locked；　but　should　yield　to　a　charterspell。

the　steps　are　directly　behind；　and　pretty　straight；　but　there　are　no　light　shafts。　and　it’s　narrow。”

“i’ll　go　first　then；”　said　sabriel；　with　a　firmness　that　belied　the　weakness　in　her　legs　and　the　fluttering　in　her　stomach。　“i　can’t　sense　any　dead；　but　they　could　be　there　。　。　。”

“very　well；”　said　touchstone；　after　a　moment’s　hesitation。

“you　don’t　have　to　e；　you　know；”　sabriel　suddenly　burst　out；　as　they　stood　in　front　of　the　cave；　candles　flickering　foolishly　in　the　sunshine。

she　suddenly　felt　awfully　responsible　for　him。　he　looked　scared；　much　whiter　than　he　should；　almost　as　pale　as　a　death…leeched　necromancer。

he’d　seen　terrible　things　in　the　reservoir；　things　that　had　once　driven　him　mad；　and　despite　his　self…accusation；　sabriel　didn’t　believe　it　was　his　fault。　it　wasn’t　his　father　down　there。　he　wasn’t　an　abhorsen。

“i　do　have　to；”　touchstone　replied。　he　bit　his　lower　lip　nervously。　“i　have　to。　i’ll　never　be　free　of　my　memories；　otherwise。　i　have　to　do　something；　make　new　memories；　better　ones。　i　need　to　。　。　。　seek　redemption。　besides；　i　am　still　a　member　of　the　royal　guard。　it　is　my　duty。”

“so　be　it；”　said　sabriel。　“anyway；　i’m　glad　you’re　here。”

“i　am　too—in　a　strange　sort　of　way；”　said　touchstone；　and　he　almost；　but　not　quite；　smiled。

“i’m　not；”　interrupted　mogget；　decidedly。

“let’s　get　on　with　it。　we’re　wasting　sunlight。”

the　door　was　locked；　but　opened　easily　to　sabriel’s　spell；　the　simple　charter　symbols　of　unlocking　and　opening　flowing　from　her　mind　through　to　her　index　finger；　which　lay　against　the　keyhole。　but　though　the　spell　was　successful；　it　had　been　difficult　to　cast。　even　up　here；　the　broken　stones　of　the　great　charter　exerted　an　influence　that　disrupted　charter　magic。

the　faint　candlelight　showed　damp；　crumbly　steps；　leading　straight　down。　no　curves　or　turns；　just　a　straight　stair　leading　into　darkness。

sabriel　trod　gingerly；　feeling　the　soft　stone　crumble　under　her　heavy　boots；　so　she　had　to　keep　her　heels　well　back　on　each　step。　this　made　for　slow　progress；　with　touchstone　close　behind　her；　the　light　from　his　candle　casting　sabriel’s　shadow　down　the　steps　in　front；　so　she　saw　herself　elongated　and　distorted；　sliding　into　the　dark　beyond　the　light。

she　smelled　the　reservoir　before　she　saw　it；　somewhere　around　the　thirty…ninth　step。　a　chill；　damp　smell　that　cut　into　her　nose　and　lungs；　and　　filled　her　with　the　impression　of　a　cold　expanse。

then　the　steps　ended　in　a　doorway　on　the　edge　of　a　vast；　rectangular　hall—a　giant　chamber　where　stone　columns　rose　up　like　a　forest　to　support　a　roof　sixty　feet　above　her　head；　and　the　floor　before　her　wasn’t　stone；　but　water　as　cold　and　still　as　stone。　around　the　walls；　pallid　shafts　of　sunlight　thrust　down　in　counterpoint　to　the　supporting　columns；　leaving　discs　of　light　on　the　water。　these　made　the　rim　of　the　reservoir　a　pletudy　of　light　and　shade；　but　the　center　remained　unknown；　cloaked　in　heavy　darkness。

sabriel　felt　touchstone　touch　her　shoulder；　then　she　heard　his　whisper。

“it’s　about　waist…deep。　try　and　slip　in　as　quietly　as　possible。　here—i’ll　take　your　candle。”

sabriel　nodded；　passed　the　candle　back；　sheathed　her　sword；　and　sat　down　on　the　last　step；　before　slowly　easing　herself　into　the　water。

it　was　cold；　but　not　unbearable。　despite　sabriel’s　care；　ripples　spread　out　from　her；　silver　on　the　dark　water；　and　there　had　been　the　tiniest　splash。　her　feet　touched　the　bottom；　and　she　only　half　stifled　a　gasp。　not　from　the　cold；　but　　from　the　sudden　awareness　of　the　two　broken　stones　of　the　great　charter。　it　hit　her　like　the　savage　onset　of　gastric　flu；　bringing　stomach　cramps；　sudden　sweat　and　dizziness。　bent　over；　she　clutched　at　the　step；　till　the　first　pains　subsided　to　a　dull　ache。　it　was　much　worse　than　the　lesser　stones；　broken　at　cloven　crest　and　nestowe。

“what　is　it？”　whispered　touchstone。

“ah　。　。　。　the　broken　stones；”　sabriel　muttered。

she　took　a　deep　breath；　willing　the　pain　and　disfort　away。　“i　can