Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第55章

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idn’t　doubt　that　the　rest　of　the　school　would　be　lining　the　corridors　behind　them；　all　agog　to　hear　what　the　motion　was　all　about。

just　as　mrs。　umbrade　reached　her　staff；　all　the　lights　went　out。　for　a　moment；　there　was　total；　shocked　quiet；　then　the　noise　redoubled。　girls　screaming；　soldiers　shouting；　crashes　and　bangs　as　people　ran　into　things　and　each　other。

sabriel　stood　where　she　was；　and　conjured　the　charter　marks　for　light。　they　came　easily；　flowing　down　to　her　fingertips　like　cool　water　from　a　shower。　she　let　them　hang　there　for　a　moment；　　then　cast　them　at　the　ceiling；　drops　of　light　that　grew　to　the　size　of　dinner　plates　and　cast　a　steady　yellow　light　all　down　the　hall。　someone　else　was　also　casting　similar　lights　down　by　mrs。

umbrade；　and　sabriel　recognized　the　work　of　magistrix　greenwood。　she　smiled　at　that　recognition；　a　slight；　upturning　of　just　one　side　of　her　mouth。　she　knew　the　lights　had　gone　out　because　kerrigor　had　passed　the　electric　substation；　and　that　was　halfway　between　the　school　and　the　village。

as　expected；　mrs。　umbrade　wasn’t　telling　her　teachers　anything　useful—just　going　on　about　rudeness　and　some　general。　sabriel　saw　the　magistrix　behind　the　tall；　bent　figure　of　the　senior　science　mistress；　and　waved。

“and　i　was　never　more　shocked　to　see　one　of　our—”　mrs。　umbrade　was　saying；　when　sabriel　stepped　up　next　to　her　and　gently　laid　the　marks　of　silence　and　immobility　on　the　back　of　her　neck。

“i’m　sorry　to　interrupt；”　sabriel　said；　standing　next　to　the　temporarily　frozen　form　of　the　headmistress。

“but　this　is　an　emergency。　as　you　can　see；　the　army　is　temporarily　taking　over。　i　am　assisting　colonel　horyse；　who　is　in　charge。　now；　　we　need　all　the　girls　in　the　two　senior　magic　classes　to　e　down　to　the　great　hall—with　you；　magistrix　greenwood；　please。　everyone　else—students；　staff；　gardeners；　everyone—must　go　to　the　top　floors　of　the　north　tower　and　barricade　yourselves　in。　till　dawn　tomorrow。”

“why？”　demanded　mrs。　pearch；　the　mathematics　mistress。　“what’s　all　this　about？”

“something　has　e　from　the　old　kingdom；”　sabriel　replied　shortly；　watching　their　faces　change　as　she　spoke。　“we　will　shortly　be　attacked　by　the　dead。”

“so　there　will　be　danger　to　my　students？”

miss　greenwood　spoke；　pushing　her　way　forward；　between　two　frightened　english　teachers。

she　looked　sabriel　in　the　face；　as　if　in　recognition；　and　then　added；　“abhorsen。”

“there　will　be　danger　to　everyone；”　sabriel　said　bleakly。　“but　without　the　aid　of　the　charter　mages　here；　there　isn’t　even　a　chance　。　。　。”

“well；”　replied　miss　greenwood；　with　some　decision。　“we’d　better　get　organized　then。　i’ll　go　and　fetch　sulyn　and　ellimere。　i　think　they’re　the　only　two　charter　mages　among　the　prefects—　they　can　organize　the　others。　mrs。　pearch；　you’d　better　take　charge　of　the　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　evacuation　to　　the　north　tower；　as　i　imagine　mrs。　umbrade　will　be　。　。　。　err　。　。　。　deep　in　thought。　mrs。　swann；　you’d　best　round　up　cook　and　the　maids—get　some　fresh　water；　food　and　candles；　too。　mr。　arkler；　if　you　would　be　so　kind　as　to　fetch　the　swords　from　the　gymnasium　。　。　。”

seeing　that　all　was　under　control；　sabriel　sighed；　and　quickly　walked　back　outside；　past　soldiers　stringing　oil　lamps　up　in　the　corridor。　despite　them；　it　was　still　lighter　outside；　the　sky　washed　red　and　orange　with　the　last　sunlight　of　the　day。

touchstone　and　the　scouts　had　the　sarcophagus　down；　and　roped　up。　it　now　seemed　to　glow　with　its　own；　ugly　inner　light；　the　flickering　free　magic　marks　floating　on　the　surface　like　scum；　or　clots　in　blood。　apart　from　the　scouts　pulling　the　ropes；　no　one　went　close　to　it。　soldiers　were　everywhere；　coiling　out　barbed　wire；　filling　sandbags　from　the　rose　gardens；　preparing　firing　positions　on　the　second　floor；　tying　trip　flares。

but　in　all　this　motion；　there　was　an　empty　circle　around　the　glistening　coffin　of　rogir。

sabriel　walked　towards　touchstone；　feeling　the　reluctance　in　her　legs；　her　body　revolting　at　the　thought　of　going　any　closer　to　the　bloody　luminescence　of　the　sarcophagus。　it　seemed　to　　radiate　stronger　waves　of　nausea　now；　now　that　the　sun　had　almost　fled。　in　the　twilight；　it　looked　larger；　stronger；　its　magic　more　forceful　and　malign。

“pull！”　shouted　touchstone；　heaving　on　the　ropes　with　the　soldiers。　“pull！”

slowly；　the　sarcophagus　slid　across　the　old　paving　stones；　inching　towards　the　front　steps；　where　other　soldiers　were　hastily　hammering　a　wooden　ramp　together；　fitting　it　over　the　steps。

sabriel　decided　to　leave　touchstone　to　it；　and　walked　a　little　way　down　the　drive；　to　where　she　could　see　out　the　iron　gates。　she　stood　there；　watching；　her　hands　nervously　running　over　the　handles　of　the　bells。　six　bells；　now—all　probably　ineffective　against　the　awful　might　of　kerrigor。

and　an　unfamilar　sword；　strange　to　her　touch；　even　if　it　was　forged　by　the　wallmaker。

the　wallmaker。　that　reminded　her　of　mogget。

who　knew　what　he　had　been；　that　strange　bination　of　irascible　panion　to　the　abhorsens　and　blazing　free　magic　construct　sworn　to　kill　them。　gone　now；　swept　away　by　the　mournful　call　of　astarael　。　。　。

i　left　this　place　knowing　almost　nothing　about　the　old　kingdom；　and　i’ve　e　back　with　not　　much　more；　sabriel　thought。　i　am　the　most　ignorant　abhorsen　in　centuries；　and　perhaps　one　of　the　most　sorely　tried　。　。　。

a　clatter　of　shots　interrupted　her　thoughts；　followed　by　the　zing　of　a　rocket　arcing　up　into　the　sky；　its　yellow　trail　reaching　down　towards　the　road。　more　shots　followed。　a　rapid　volley—then　sudden　silence。　the　rocket　burst　into　a　white　parachute　flare；　that　slowly　descended。　in　its　harsh；　magnesium　brilliance；　sabriel　saw　fog　rolling　up　the　road；　thick　and　wet；　stretching　back　into　the　dark　as　far　as　she　could　see。

　。。



chapter　xxviii

　大＿
sabriel　forced　herself　to　walk　back　to　the　main　doors；　rather　than　break　into　a　screaming　run。　lots　of　soldiers　could　see　her—　they　were　still　placing　lanterns　out　in　lines；　radiating　out　from　the　steps；　and　several　soldiers　were　holding　a　coil　of　concertina　wire；　waiting　to　bounce　it　out。　they　looked　anxiously　at　her　as　she　passed。

the　sarcophagus　was　just　slipping　off　the　ramp　into　the　corridor　ahead　of　her。　sabriel　could　easily　have　pushed　past　it；　but　she　waited　outside；　looking　out。　after　a　moment；　she　became　aware　that　horyse　was　standing　next　to　her；　his　face　half…lit　by　the　lanterns；　half　in　shadow。

“the　fog　。　。　。　the　fog　is　almost　at　the　gates；”

she　said；　too　quickly　to　be　calm。

“i　know；”　replied　horyse；　steadily。　“that　firing　was　a　picket。　six　men　and　a　corporal。”

sabriel　nodded。　she　had　felt　their　deaths；　like　slight　punches　in　her　stomach。　already　she　was　hardening　herself　not　to　notice；　to　wilfully　dull　her　senses。　there　would　be　many　more　deaths　that　night。

suddenly；　she　felt　something　that　wasn’t　a　death；　but　things　already　dead。　she　stood　bolt　upright；　and　exclaimed；　“colonel！　the　sun　is　truly　down—and　something’s　ing；　ing　ahead　of　the　fog！”

she　drew　her　sword　as　she　spoke；　the　colonel’s　blade　flickering　out　a　second　later。　the　wiring　party　looked　around；　startled；　then　bolted　for　the　steps　and　the　corridor。　on　either　side　of　the　door；　two…man　teams　cocked　the　heavy；　tripodmounted　machine…guns；　and　laid　their　swords　across　the　newly　made　sandbag　walls。

“second　floor；　stand　ready！”　horyse　shouted；　and　above　her　head；　sabriel　heard　the　bolts　of　fifty　rifles　working。　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　two　of　the　scouts　step　back　outside；　and　take　up　position　behind　her；　arrows　nocked；　bows　ready。　she　knew　they　were　ready　to　snatch　her　inside；　if　it　came　to　that　。　。　。

in　the　expectant　quiet；　there　were　only　the　usual　sounds　of　the　night。　wind　in　the　big　trees　out　past　the　school　wall；　starting　to　rise　as　the　sky　darkened。　crickets　beginning　to　chirp。　then　sabriel　heard　it—the　massed　grinding　of　dead　joints；　no　longer　joined　by　gristle；　the　padding　of　dead　feet；　bones　like　hobnails　clicking　through　necrotic　flesh。

“hands；”　she　said；　nervously。　“hundreds　of　hands。”

even　as　she　spoke；　a　solid　wall　of　dead　flesh　hit　the　iron　gates；　throwing　them　over　in　a　split　second’s　crash。　then　vaguely　human　forms　were　everywhere；　rushing　towards　them；　dead　mouths　gulping　and　hissing　in　a　ghastly　parody　of　a　war　cry。

“fire！”

in　the　instant’s　delay　after　this　mand；　sabriel　felt　the　terrible　fear　that　the　guns　wouldn’t　work。　then　rifles　cracked；　and　the　machine…guns　beat　out　a　terrible；　barking　roar；　red　tracer　rounds　flinging　out；　ricocheting　from　the　paving　in　a　crazy　embroidery　of　terrible　violence。　bullets　tore　dead　flesh；　splintered　bone；　knocked　the　hands　down　and　over—but　still　they　came；　till　they　were　literally　torn　apart；　　broken　into　pieces；　hung　up　on　the　wire。

the　firing　slowed；　but　before　it　could　entirely　cease；　another　wave　of　hands　came　stumbling；　crawling；　running　through　the　gateway；　slipping；　tumbling　over　the　wall。　hundreds　of　them；　so　densely　packed　they　crushed　the　wire　and　came　on；　till　the　last　of　them　were　mown　down　by　the　guns　at　the　very　foot　of　the　front　steps。　some；　still　with　a　slight　vestige　of　human　intelligence；　retreated；　only　to　be　caught　in　great　gouts　of　flame　from　white　phosphorus