Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第49章

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sabriel　stared；　sickened　and　fascinated　by　the　similarities　between　the　half…brothers—then　the　vision　suddenly　blurred；　spinning　into　greyness；　greyness　acpanied　by　rushing　water。　death。

something　huge　and　monstrous　was　wading　against　the　current；　a　jagged　cutting　of　darkness；　formless　and　featureless；　save　for　two　eyes　that　burned　with　unnatural　flame。　it　seemed　to　see　her　beyond　the　ice…window；　and　lurched　forward；　two　arms　like　blown　storm　clouds　reaching　forward。

“abhorsen’s　get！”　screamed　kerrigor。　“your　blood　will　gush　upon　the　stones　。　。　。”

his　arms　seemed　about　to　e　through　the　window；　but　suddenly；　the　ice　cracked；　the　pieces　collapsing　into　a　pile　of　swift…melting　slush。

“you　saw；”　the　clayr　said　together。　it　wasn’t　a　question。　sabriel　nodded；　shaking；　her　thoughts　still　on　the　likeness　between　kerrigor’s　original　human　body　and　touchstone。　where　was　the　fork　in　their　paths？　what　had　put　rogir’s　feet　on　the　long　road　that　led　to　the　abomination　known　as　kerrigor？　“we　have　four　minutes；”　announced　sanar。

“till　the　slavers　e。　we’ll　help　you　get　the　king　to　your　paperwing；　shall　we？”

“yes；　please；”　replied　sabriel。　despite　the　fear…　　some　sight　of　kerrigor’s　raw　spirit　form；　the　vision　had　imbued　her　with　a　new　and　definite　sense　of　purpose。　kerrigor’s　body　was　in　ancelstierre。　she　would　find　it　and　destroy　it；　and　then　deal　with　his　spirit。　but　they　had　to　get　to　the　body　first　。　。　。

the　two　women　lifted　touchstone　up；　grunting　with　the　effort。　he　was　no　lightweight　at　any　time；　and　now　was　even　heavier；　still　sodden　with　water　from　his　ducking　in　the　reservoir。　but　the　clayr；　despite　their　rather　ethereal　appearance；　seemed　to　manage　well　enough。

“we　wish　you　luck；　cousin；”　they　said；　as　they　walked　slowly　to　the　red　and　gold　paperwing；　balanced　so　close　to　the　edge　of　the　broken　wall；　the　saere　glistening　white　and　blue　below。

“cousin？”　sabriel　murmured。　“i　suppose　we　are　cousins—of　a　sort；　aren’t　we？”

“blood　relatives；　all　the　children　of　the　great　charters；”　the　clayr　agreed。　“though　the　clan　dwindles　。　。　。”

“do　you　always—know　what　is　going　to　happen？”

sabriel　asked；　as　they　gently　lowered　touchstone　into　the　back　of　the　cockpit；　and　strapped　him　in　with　the　belts　normally　used　for　securing　luggage。

both　the　clayr　laughed。　“no；　thank　the　charter！　our　family　is　the　most　numerous　of　the　bloodlines；　and　the　gift　is　spread　among　many。　our　visions　e　in　snatches　and　splinters；　glimpses　and　shadows。　when　we　must；　the　whole　family　can　spend　its　strength　to　narrow　our　sight—as　it　has　done　through　us　today。

tomorrow；　we　will　be　back　to　dreams　and　confusion；　not　knowing　where；　when　or　what　we　see。　now；　we　have　only　two　minutes　。　。　。”

suddenly；　they　hugged　sabriel；　surprising　her　with　the　obvious　warmth　of　the　gesture。　she　hugged　them　back；　gladly；　grateful　for　their　care。

with　her　father　gone；　she　had　no　family　left—　but　perhaps　she　would　find　sisters　in　the　clayr；　and　perhaps　touchstone　would　be　。　。　。

“two　minutes；”　repeated　both　the　women；　one　in　each　ear。　sabriel　let　them　go；　and　hurriedly　took　the　book　of　the　dead　and　the　two　charter　magic　books　from　her　pack；　wedging　them　down　next　to　touchstone’s　slightly　snoring　form。

after　a　second’s　thought；　she　also　stuffed　in　the　fleece…lined　oilskin　and　the　boat　cloak。

touchstone’s　swords　went　into　the　special　holders　next；　but　the　pack　and　the　rest　of　its　contents　had　to　be　abandoned。

“next　stop；　the　wall；”　sabriel　muttered　as　she　climbed　into　the　craft；　trying　not　to　think　about　what　would　happen　if　they　had　to　land　somewhere　uncivilized　in　between。

the　clayr　were　already　in　their　green　and　silver　craft；　and；　as　sabriel　did　up　her　straps；　she　heard　them　begin　to　whistle；　charter　magic　streaming　out　into　the　air。　sabriel　licked　her　lips；　summoned　her　breath　and　strength；　and　joined　in。　wind　rose　behind　both　the　craft；　tossing　black　hair　and　blond；　lifting　the　paperwings’　tails　and　jostling　their　wings。

sabriel　took　a　breath　after　the　wind…whistling；　and　stroked　the　smooth；　laminated　paper　of　the　hull。　a　brief　image　of　the　first　paperwing　came　to　mind；　broken　and　burning　in　the　depths　of　holehallow。

“i　hope　we　fare　better　together；”　she　whispered；　before　joining　with　the　clayr　to　whistle　the　last　note；　the　pure　clear　sound　that　would　wake　the　charter　magic　in　their　craft。

a　second　later；　two　bright…eyed　paperwings　leapt　out　from　the　ruined　palace　of　belisaere；　glided　down　almost　to　the　swell　in　the　sea　of　saere；　then　rose　to　circle　higher　and　higher　above　the　hill。　one　craft；　of　green　and　silver；　　turned　to　the　north…west。　the　other；　of　red　and　gold；　turned　south。

touchstone；　waking　to　the　rush　of　cold　air　on　his　face；　and　the　unfamiliar　sensation　of　flying；　groggily　muttered；　“what　happened？”

“we’re　going　to　ancelstierre；”　sabriel　shouted。

“across　the　wall；　to　find　kerrigor’s　body—and　destroy　it！”

“oh；”　said　touchstone；　who　only　heard　“across　the　wall。”　“good。”

　．．



chapter　xxv

［。小＾说）网）
“beg　pardon；　sir；”　said　the　soldier；　saluting　at　the　doorway　to　the　officer’s　bathroom。　“duty　officer’s　pliments　and　can　you　e　straight　away？”

colonel　horyse　sighed；　put　down　his　razor；　and　used　the　flannel　to　wipe　off　the　remains　of　the　shaving　soap。　he　had　been　interrupted　shaving　that　morning；　and　had　tried　several　times　during　the　day　to　finish　the　job。　perhaps　it　was　a　sign　he　should　grow　a　moustache。

“what’s　happening？”　he　asked；　resignedly。

whatever　was　happening；　it　was　unlikely　to　be　good。

“an　aircraft；　sir；”　replied　the　private；　stolidly。

“from　army　hq？　dropping　a　message　cylinder？”

“i　don’t　know；　sir。　it’s　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall。”

“what！”　exclaimed　horyse；　dropping　all　his　shaving　gear；　picking　up　his　helmet　and　sword；　and　attempting　to　rush　out；　all　at　the　same　time。

“impossible！”

but；　when　he　eventually　sorted　himself　out　and　got　down　to　the　forward　observation　post—an　octagonal　strongpoint　that　thrust　out　through　the　perimeter　to　within　fifty　yards　of　the　wall—　it　quite　clearly　was　possible。　the　light　was　fading　as　the　afternoon　waned—it　was　probably　close　to　setting　on　the　other　side—but　the　visibility　was　good　enough　to　make　out　the　distant　airborne　shape　that　was　descending　in　a　series　of　long；　gradual　loops　。　。　。　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall。　in　the　old　kingdom。

the　duty　officer　was　watching　through　big　artillery　spotter’s　binoculars；　his　elbows　perched　on　the　sandbagged　parapet　of　the　position。

horyse　paused　for　a　moment　to　think　of　the　fellow’s　name—he　was　new　to　the　perimeter　garrison—then　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。

“jorbert。　mind　if　i　have　a　look？”

the　young　officer　lowered　the　binoculars　reluctantly；　and　handed　them　across　like　a　boy　　deprived　of　a　half…eaten　lollipop。

“it’s　definitely　an　aircraft；　sir；”　he　said；　brightening　up　as　he　spoke。　“totally　silent；　like　a　glider；　but　it’s　clearly　powered　somehow。　very　maneuverable；　and　beautifully　painted；　too。　there’s　two　。　。　。　people　in　it；　sir。”

horyse　didn’t　answer；　but　took　up　the　binoculars　and　the　same　elbow…propping　stance。　for　a　moment；　he　couldn’t　see　the　aircraft；　and　he　hastily　panned　left　and　right；　then　zigzagged　up　and　down—and　there　it　was；　lower　than　he　expected；　almost　in　a　landing　approach。

“sound　stand…to；”　he　ordered　harshly；　as　the　realization　struck　him　that　the　craft　would　land　very　close　to　the　crossing　point—perhaps　only　a　hundred　yards　from　the　gate。

he　heard　his　mand　being　repeated　by　jorbert　to　a　sergeant；　and　then　bellowed　out；　to　be　taken　up　by　sentries；　duty　ncos；　and　eventually　to　hand…cranked　klaxons　and　the　old　bell　that　hung　in　the　front　of　the　officer’s　mess。

it　was　hard　to　see　exactly　who　or　what　was　in　the　craft；　till　he　twiddled　with　the　focus；　and　sabriel’s　face　leapt　towards　him；　magnified　up　to　a　recognizable　form；　even　at　the　current　distance。　sabriel；　the　daughter　of　abhorsen；　　acpanied　by　an　unknown　man—or　something　wearing　the　shape　of　a　man。　for　a　moment；　horyse　considered　ordering　the　men　to　stand…down；　but　he　could　already　hear　hobnailed　boots　clattering　on　the　duckboards；　sergeants　and　corporals　shouting—and　it　might　not　really　be　sabriel。　the　sun　was　weakening；　and　the　ing　night　would　be　the　first　of　the　full　moon　。　。　。

“jorbert！”　he　snapped；　handing　the　binoculars　back　to　the　surprised　and　unready　subaltern。

“go　and　give　the　regimental　sergeant…major　my　pliments；　and　ask　him　to　personally　organize　a　section　of　the　scouts—we’ll　go　out　and　take　a　closer　look　at　that　aircraft。”

“oh；　thank　you；　sir！”　gushed　lieutenant　jorbert；　obviously　taking　the　“we”　to　include　himself。　his　enthusiasm　surprised　horyse；　at　least　for　a　moment。

“tell　me；　mr。　jorbert；”　he　asked。　“have　you　by　any　chance　sought　a　transfer　to　the　flying　corps？”

“well；　yes；　sir；”　replied　jorbert。　“eight　times　。　。　。”

“just　remember；”　horyse　said；　interrupting　him。　“that　whatever　is　out　there　may　be　a　flying　　creature；　not　a　flying　machine—and　its　pilots　may　be　half…rotted　things　that　should　be　properly　dead；　or　free　magic　beings　that　have　never　really　lived　at　all。　not　fellow　aviators；　knights　of　the　sky；　or　anything