Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第52章

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touchstone　nodded；　still　watching；　staring　at　the　shop　windows　in　the　high　street。　the　townspeople　stared　back；　for　it　was　rare　to　see　soldiers　in　full　perimeter　battle　equipment；　with　sword…bayonets　and　shields—and　sabriel　　and　touchstone　were　clearly　from　the　old　kingdom。

“we　have　to　stop　by　the　police　station；　and　warn　the　superintendent；”　horyse　announced　as　their　car　pulled　in　next　to　an　imposing　white…walled　edifice　with　two　large；　blue　electric　lanterns　hanging　out　the　front；　and　a　sturdy　sign　proclaiming　it　to　be　the　headquarters　of　the　bainshire　constabulary。

horyse　stood　up；　waved　the　rest　of　the　convoy　on；　then　vaulted　out　and　dashed　up　the　steps；　a　curiously　incongruous　figure　in　mail　and　khaki。　a　constable　descending　the　steps　looked　ready　to　stop　him；　but　stopped　himself　instead　and　saluted。

“i’m　all　right；”　sabriel　repeated。　“you　can　let　go　of　my　hand。”

touchstone　smiled；　and　flexed　his　hand　a　little　in　her　grip。　she　looked　a　bit　puzzled；　then　smiled　too；　her　fingers　slowly　relaxing　till　their　hands　lay　flat　on　the　seat；　little　fingers　just　touching。

in　any　other　town；　a　crowd　would　certainly　have　formed　around　an　army　staff　car　with　two　such　unusual　passengers。　but　this　was　bain；　and　bain　was　close　to　the　wall。　people　　took　one　look；　saw　charter　marks；　swords　and　armor；　and　went　the　other　way。　those　with　natural　caution；　or　a　touch　of　the　sight；　went　home　and　locked　their　doors　and　shutters；　not　merely　with　steel　and　iron；　but　also　with　sprigs　of　broom　and　rowan。　others；　even　more　cautious；　took　to　the　river　and　its　sandy　islets；　without　even　pretending　to　be　fishing。

horyse　came　out　five　minutes　later；　acpanied　by　a　tall；　serious…looking　man　whose　large　build　and　hawk…like　visage　were　made　slightly　ridiculous　by　a　pair　of　too…small　pince…nez　clinging　to　the　end　of　his　nose。　he　shook　hands　with　the　colonel；　horyse　returned　to　the　car；　and　they　were　off　again；　the　driver　crashing　through　the　gears　with　considerable　skill。

a　few　minutes　later；　before　they’d　left　the　last　buildings　of　the　town；　a　bell　began　to　ring　behind　them；　deep　and　slow。　only　moments　later；　another　followed　from　somewhere　to　the　left；　then　another；　from　up　ahead。　soon；　there　were　bells　ringing　all　around。

“quick　work；”　horyse　shouted　into　the　back　of　the　car。　“the　superintendent　must　have　made　them　practice　in　the　past。”

“the　bells　are　a　warning？”　asked　touchstone。

this　was　something　he　was　familiar　with；　and　he　began　to　feel　more　at　home；　even　with　this　sound；　warning　of　dire　trouble。　he　felt　no　fear　from　it—but　then；　after　facing　the　reservoir　for　a　second　time；　he　felt　that　he　could　cope　with　any　fear。

“yes；”　replied　horyse。　“be　inside　by　nightfall。

lock　all　doors　and　windows。　deny　entry　to　strangers。　shed　light　inside　and　out。　prepare　candles　and　lanterns　for　when　the　electricity　fails。

wear　silver。　if　caught　outdoors；　find　running　water。”

“we　used　to　recite　that　in　the　junior　classes；”

sabriel　said。　“but　i　don’t　think　too　many　people　remember　it；　even　the　people　around　here。”

“you’d　be　surprised；　ma’am；”　interrupted　the　driver；　speaking　out　of　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　eyes　never　leaving　the　road。　“the　bells　haven’t　rung　like　this　in　twenty　years；　but　plenty　of　folk　remember。　they’ll　tell　anyone　who　doesn’t　know—don’t　fret　about　that。”

“i　hope　so；”　replied　sabriel；　a　momentary　flash　of　remembrance　passing　through　her　mind。　the　people　of　nestowe；　two…thirds　of　their　number　lost　to　the　dead；　the　survivors　huddled　in　fishdrying　sheds　on　a　rocky　island。　“i　hope　so。”

“how　long　till　we　reach　docky　point？”　asked　touchstone。　he　was　remembering　too；　but　his　memories　were　of　rogir。　soon　he　would　look　on　rogir’s　face　again；　but　it　would　only　be　a　husk；　a　tool　for　what　rogir　had　bee　。　。　。

“about　an　hour　at　the　most；　i　should　think；”

replied　horyse。　“around　six　o’clock。　we　can　average　almost　thirty　miles　an　hour　in　this　contraption—quite　remarkable。　to　me；　anyway。

i’m　so　used　to　the　perimeter；　and　the　old　kingdom—the　small　part　we　saw　on　patrol；　anyway。

i’d　have　liked　to　see　more　of　it　。　。　。　gone　further　north　。　。　。”

“you　will；”　said　sabriel；　but　her　voice　lacked　conviction；　even　to　her　own　ears。　touchstone　didn’t　say　anything；　and　horyse　didn’t　reply；　so　they　drove　on　in　silence　after　that；　soon　catching　the　truck　convoy；　overtaking　each　vehicle　till　they　were　in　front　again。　but　wherever　they　drove；　the　bells　preceded　them；　every　village　belltower　taking　up　the　warning。

as　horyse　had　predicted；　they　arrived　at　wyverley　village　just　before　six。　the　trucks　stopped　in　a　line　all　through　the　village；　from　policeman’s　cottage　to　the　wyvern　pub；　the　men　debussing　almost　before　the　vehicles　stopped；　　quickly　forming　up　into　ranks　on　the　road。　the　signals　truck　parked　under　a　telephone　pole　and　two　men　swarmed　up　to　connect　their　wires。　the　military　policeman　went　to　each　end　of　the　village；　to　redirect　traffic。　sabriel　and　touchstone　got　out　of　the　car　and　waited。

“it’s　not　much　different　from　the　royal　guard；”　touchstone　said；　watching　the　men　hurry　into　their　parade　positions；　the　sergeants　shouting；　the　officers　gathering　around　horyse；　who　was　speaking　on　the　newly　connected　phone。　“hurry　up　and　wait。”

“i’d　have　liked　to　see　you　in　the　royal　guard；”

sabriel　said。　“and　the　old　kingdom；　in　。　。　。　i　mean　before　the　stones　were　broken。”

“in　my　day；　you　mean；”　said　touchstone。　“i　would　have　liked　that　too。　it　was　more　like　here；　then。　here　normally；　i　mean。　peaceful；　and　sort　of　slow。　sometimes　i　thought　life　was　too　slow；　too　predictable。　i’d　prefer　that　now　。　。　。”

“i　used　to　think　like　that　at　school；”　sabriel　answered。　“dreaming　about　the　old　kingdom。

proper　charter　magic。　dead　to　bind。　princes　to　be—”

“rescued？”

“married；”　replied　sabriel；　absently。　she　　seemed　intent　on　watching　horyse。　he　looked　like　he　was　getting　bad　news　over　the　telephone。

touchstone　didn’t　speak。　everything　seemed　to　sharpen　in　focus　for　him；　centering　on　sabriel；　her　black　hair　gleaming　like　a　raven’s　wing　in　the　afternoon　sun。　i　love　her；　he　thought。　but　if　i　say　the　wrong　thing　now；　i　may　never　。　。　。

horyse　handed　the　telephone　back　to　a　signaler；　and　turned　towards　them。　touchstone　watched　him；　suddenly　conscious　that　he　probably　only　had　five　seconds　to　be　alone　with　sabriel；　to　say　something；　to　say　anything。

perhaps　the　last　five　seconds　they　would　ever　have　alone　together　。　。　。

i　am　not　afraid；　he　said　to　himself。

“i　love　you；”　he　whispered。　“i　hope　you　don’t　mind。”

sabriel　looked　back　at　him；　and　smiled；　almost　despite　herself。　her　sadness　at　her　father’s　death　was　still　there；　and　her　fears　for　the　future—but　seeing　touchstone　staring　apprehensively　at　her　somehow　gave　her　hope。

“i　don’t　mind；”　she　whispered　back；　leaning　towards　him。　she　frowned；　“i　think　。　。　。　i　think　i　might　love　you　too；　charter　help　me；　but　now　is—”

“the　telephone　line　to　the　perimeter　crossing　point　just　went　out；”　horyse　announced　grimly；　shouting　above　the　village　bell　even　before　he　was　close　enough　to　talk。　“a　fog　started　rolling　across　the　wall　over　an　hour　ago。　it　reached　the　forward　trenches　at　four　forty…six。　after　that；　none　of　the　advance　panies　could　be　reached　by　phone　or　runner。　i　was　just　speaking　to　the　duty　officer　then—that　young　chap　who　was　so　interested　in　your　aircraft。　he　said　the　fog　was　just　about　to　reach　his　position。　then　the　line　went　silent。”

“so；”　said　sabriel。　“kerrigor　didn’t　wait　till　sundown。　he’s　working　the　weather。”

“from　the　timings　given　by　the　perimeter；”

horyse　said；　“this　fog—and　whatever’s　in　it—　is　moving　southwards　at　around　twenty　miles　an　hour。　as　the　crow　flies；　it’ll　reach　us　around　half　past　seven。　dark；　with　the　moonrise　yet　to　e。”

“let’s　go　then；”　snapped　sabriel。　“the　bridlepath　to　docky　point　starts　from　behind　the　pub。

shall　i　lead？”

“best　not；”　replied　horyse。　he　turned；　and　shouted　some　orders；　acpanied　by　considerable　waving　and　pointing。　within　a　few　seconds；　　men　were　moving　off　around　the　pub；　taking　the　path　to　docky　point。　first；　the　crossing　point　scouts；　archers　and　charter　mages　all。　then；　the　first　platoon　of　infantry；　bayonets　fixed；　rifles　at　the　ready。　past　the　pub；　they　shook　out　into　an　arrowhead　formation。　horyse；　sabriel；　touchstone　and　their　driver　followed。　behind　them　came　the　other　two　platoons；　and　the　signalers；　unreeling　field　telephone　wire　from　a　large　and　cumbersome　drum。

it　was　quiet　among　the　cork　trees；　the　soldiers　moving　as　silently　as　they　could；　municating　by　hand　signals　rather　than　shouts；　only　their　heavy　tread　and　the　occasional　rattle　of　armor　or　equipment　disturbing　the　quiet。

sunshine　poured　down　between　the　trees；　rich　and　golden；　but　already　losing　its　warmth；　like　a　butter…colored　wine　that　was　all　taste　and　no　potency。

towards　the　top　of　the　hill；　only　the　crossing　point　scouts　went　on　up。　the　lead　platoon　of　infantry　followed　a　lower　contour　around　to　the　northern　side；　the　other　two　platoons　moved　to　the　south…west　and　south…east；　forming　a　defensive　triangle　around　the　hill。　horyse；　sabriel；　touchstone　and　the　driver　continued　on。

the　tre