Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第44章

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she　stepped　back；　still　cautious。　there　was　always　the　chance　that　the　spirit　chained　in　the　waterfall　was　merely　the　mimic　of　her　father；　or；　even　if　it　was　him；　that　he　was　under　the　sway　of　some　power。

the　dead　creature　finally　hauled　itself　out；　muscles　differently　arranged　to　a　human’s　visibly　straining　along　the　forearms。　it　stood　on　the　rim　for　a　moment；　bulky　head　questing　from　side　to　side；　then　lumbered　towards　sabriel　with　that　　familiar　rolling　gait。　several　paces　away　from　her—out　of　sword’s　reach—it　stopped；　and　pointed　at　its　mouth。　its　jaw　worked　up　and　down；　but　no　sound　issued　from　its　red　and　fleshy　mouth。　a　black　thread　ran　from　its　back；　down　into　the　rushing　waters　of　the　gate。

sabriel　thought　for　a　moment；　then　replaced　saraneth；　one…handed；　and　drew　dyrim。　she　cocked　her　wrist　to　ring　the　bell；　hesitated—for　to　sound　dyrim　would　alert　the　dead　all　around—then　let　it　fall。　dyrim　rang；　sweet　and　clear；　several　notes　sounding　from　that　one　peal；　mixing　together　like　many　conversations　overheard　in　a　crowd。

sabriel　rang　the　bell　again　before　the　echoes　died；　in　a　series　of　slight　wrist…twitches；　moving　the　sound　out　towards　the　dead　creature；　weaving　into　the　echoes　of　the　first　peal。　sound　seemed　to　envelope　the　monster；　circling　around　its　head　and　muted　mouth。

the　echoes　faded。　sabriel　replaced　dyrim　quickly；　before　it　could　try　and　sound　of　its　own　accord；　and　drew　ranna。　the　sleeper　could　quell　a　large　number　of　dead　at　once；　and　she　feared　many　would　e　to　the　sound　of　the　bells。

they　would　probably　expect　to　find　a　foolish；　　half…trained　necromancer；　but　even　so；　they　would　be　dangerous。　ranna　twitched　in　her　hand；　expectantly；　like　a　child　waking　at　her　touch。

the　creature’s　mouth　moved　again；　and　now　it　had　a　tongue；　a　horrid　pulpy　mess　of　white　flesh　that　writhed　like　a　slug。　but　it　worked。　the　thing　made　several　gurgling；　swallowing　sounds；　then　it　spoke　with　the　voice　of　abhorsen。

“sabriel！　i　both　hoped　and　feared　you　would　e。”

“father　。　。　。”　sabriel　began；　looking　at　his　trapped　spirit　rather　than　the　creature。

“father　。　。　。”

she　broke　down；　and　started　to　cry。　she　had　e　all　this　way；　through　so　many　troubles；　only　to　find　him　trapped；　trapped　beyond　her　ability　to　free　him。　she　hadn’t　even　known　that　it　was　possible　to　imprison　someone　within　a　gate！　“sabriel！　hush；　daughter！　we　have　no　time　for　tears。　where　is　your　physical　body？”

“in　the　reservoir；”　sniffed　sabriel。　“next　to　yours。　inside　a　diamond　of　protection。”

“and　the　dead？　kerrigor？”

“there　was　no　sign　of　them　there；　but　　kerrigor　is　somewhere　in　life。　i　don’t　know　where。”

“yes；　i　knew　he　had　emerged；”　muttered　abhorsen；　via　the　thing’s　mouth。　“he　will　be　near　the　reservoir；　i　fear。　we　must　move　quickly。

sabriel；　do　you　remember　how　to　ring　two　bells　simultaneously？　mosrael　and　kibeth？”

“two　bells？”　asked　sabriel；　puzzled。　waker　and　walker？　at　the　same　time？　she　had　never　even　heard　it　was　possible—or　had　she？　“think；”　said　abhorsen’s　mouthpiece。　“remember。

the　book　of　the　dead。”

slowly；　it　came　back；　pages　floating　down　into　conscious　memory；　like　leaves　from　a　shaken　tree。　the　bells　could　be　rung　in　pairs；　or　even　greater　binations；　if　enough　necromancers　were　gathered　to　wield　the　bells。　but　the　risks　were　much　greater　。　。　。

“yes；”　said　sabriel；　slowly。　“i　remember。

mosrael　and　kibeth。　will　they　free　you？”

the　answer　was　slow　in　ing。

“yes。　for　a　time。　enough；　i　hope；　to　do　what　must　be　done。　quickly；　now。”

sabriel　nodded；　trying　not　to　think　about　what　he　had　just　said。　subconsciously；　she　had　always　been　aware　that　abhorsen’s　spirit　had　been　too　　long　from　his　body；　and　too　deep　in　the　realm　of　death。　he　could　never　truly　live　again。

consciously；　she　chose　to　barricade　this　knowledge　from　her　mind。

she　sheathed　her　sword；　replaced　ranna；　and　drew　mosrael　and　kibeth。　dangerous　bells；　both；　and　more　so　in　bination　than　alone。

she　stilled　her　mind；　emptying　herself　of　all　thought　and　emotion；　concentrating　solely　on　the　bells。　then；　she　rang　them。

mosrael　she　swung　in　a　three…quarter　circle　above　her　head；　kibeth　she　swung　in　a　reverse　figure　eight。　harsh　alarm　joined　with　dancing　jig；　merging　into　a　discordant；　grating；　but　energetic　tone。　sabriel　found　herself　walking　towards　the　waterfall；　despite　all　her　efforts　to　keep　still。　a　force　like　the　grip　of　a　demented　giant　moved　her　legs；　bent　her　knees；　made　her　step　forward。

at　the　same　time；　her　father　was　emerging　from　the　waterfall　of　the　fourth　gate。　his　head　was　freed　first；　and　he　flexed　his　neck；　then　rolled　his　shoulders；　raised　his　arms　over　his　head　and　stretched。　but　still　sabriel　stepped　on；　till　she　was　only　two　paces　from　the　rim；　and　could　look　down　into　the　swirling　waters；　the　　　sound　of　the　bells　filling　her　ears；　forcing　her　onwards。

then　abhorsen　was　free；　and　he　leapt　forward；　thrusting　his　hands　into　the　bell…mouths；　gripping　the　clappers　with　his　pallid　hands；　making　them　suddenly　quiet。　there　was　silence；　and　father　and　daughter　embraced　on　the　very　brink　of　the　fourth　gate。

“well　done；”　said　abhorsen；　his　voice　deep　and　familiar；　lending　fort　and　warmth　like　a　favorite　childhood　toy。　“once　trapped；　it　was　all　i　could　do　to　send　the　bells　and　sword。　now　i　am　afraid　we　must　hurry；　back　to　life；　before　kerrigor　can　plete　his　plan。　give　me　saraneth；　for　now　。　。　。　no；　you　keep　the　sword；　and　ranna；　i　think。　e　on！”

he　led　the　way　back；　walking　swiftly。　sabriel　followed　at　his　heels；　questions　bursting　up　in　her。　she　kept　looking　at　him；　looking　at　the　familiar　features；　the　way　his　hair　was　ragged　at　the　back；　the　silver　stubble　just　showing　on　his　chin　and　sideburns。　he　wore　the　same　sort　of　clothes　as　she　did；　plete　with　the　surcoat　of　silver　keys。　he　wasn’t　quite　as　tall　as　she　remembered。

“father！”　she　exclaimed；　trying　to　talk；　keep　up　with　him　and　keep　watch；　all　at　the　same　time。　“what　is　happening？　what　is　kerrigor’s　plan？　i　don’t　understand。　why　wasn’t　i　brought　up　here；　so　i　would　know　things？”

“here？”　asked　abhorsen；　without　slowing。

“in　death？”

“you　know　what　i　mean；”　protested　sabriel。

“the　old　kingdom！　why　did　。　。　。　i　mean；　i　must　be　the　only　abhorsen　ever　who　doesn’t　have　a　clue　about　how　everything　works！　why！　why？”

“there’s　no　simple　answer；”　replied　abhorsen；　over　his　shoulder。　“but　i　sent　you　to　ancelstierre　for　two　main　reasons。　one　was　to　keep　you　safe。　i　had　already　lost　your　mother；　and　the　only　way　to　keep　you　safe　in　the　old　kingdom　was　to　keep　you　either　with　me　or　always　at　our　house—practically　a　prisoner。　i　couldn’t　keep　you　with　me；　because　things　were　getting　worse　and　worse　since　the　death　of　the　regent；　two　years　before　you　were　born。　the　second　reason　was　because　the　clayr　advised　me　to　do　so。

they　said　we　needed　someone—or　will　need　someone—they’re　not　good　with　time—who　knows　ancelstierre。　i　didn’t　know　why　then；　but　i　suspect　i　do　now。”

“why？”　asked　sabriel。

“kerrigor’s　body；”　replied　abhorsen。　“or　rogir’s；　to　give　him　his　original　name。　he　could　never　be　made　truly　dead　because　his　body　is　preserved　by　free　magic；　somewhere　in　life。　it’s　like　an　anchor　that　always　brings　him　back。　every　abhorsen　since　the　breaking　of　the　great　stones　has　been　looking　for　that　body—but　none　of　us　ever　found　it；　including　me；　because　we　never　suspected　it　is　in　ancelstierre。　obviously；　somewhere　close　to　the　wall。　the　clayr　will　have　located　it　by　now；　because　kerrigor　must　have　gone　to　it　when　he　emerged　into　life。　right；　do　you　want　to　do　the　spell；　or　shall　i？”

they　had　reached　the　third　gate。　he　didn’t　wait　for　her　answer；　but　immediately　spoke　the　words。　sabriel　felt　strange　hearing　them；　rather　than　speaking　them—curiously　distant；　like　a　far…off　observer。

steps　rose　before　them；　cutting　through　the　waterfall　and　the　mist。　abhorsen　took　them　two　at　a　time；　showing　surprising　energy。　sabriel　followed　as　best　she　could。　she　felt　tiredness　in　her　bones　now；　a　weariness　beyond　exhausted　muscles。

“ready　to　run？”　asked　abhorsen。　he　took　her　　elbow　as　they　left　the　steps　and　went　into　the　parted　mists；　a　curiously　formal　gesture　that　reminded　her　of　when　she　was　a　little　girl；　demanding　to　be　properly　escorted　when　they　took　a　picnic　basket　out　on　one　of　her　father’s　corporeal　school　visitations。

they　ran　before　the　wave；　with　hands　inside　the　bells；　faster　and　faster；　till　sabriel　thought　her　legs　would　seize　up　and　she’d　tumble　head　over　heels；　around　and　around　and　around；　finally　clattering　to　a　halt　in　a　tangle　of　sword　and　bells。

but　she　made　it　somehow；　abhorsen　chanting　the　spell　that　would　open　the　base　of　the　second　gate；　so　they　could　ascend　through　the　whirlpool。

“as　i　was　saying；”　abhorsen　continued；　taking　these　steps　two　at　a　time　as　well；　speaking　as　swiftly　as　he　climbed。　“kerrigor　could　never　be　properly　dealt　with　till　an　abhorsen　found　the　body。　all　of　us　pushed　him　back　at　various　times；　as　far　back　as　the　seventh　gate；　but　that　was　merely　postponing　the　problem。　he　grew　stronger　all　the　time；　as　lesser　charter　stones　were　broken；　and　the　kingdom　deteriorated—　and　we　grew　weaker。”

“who’s　we？”　asked