sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第41章

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above　her。　when　the　swell　lifted　the　boat　up；　she　could　have　reached　out　and　touched　the　great　boom…chain　of　belis　mouth。

then　they　were　past；　and　touchstone　was　already　pushing　out　his　oar；　mogget　moving　to　the　bow。　sabriel　wanted　to　lie　there；　just　looking　up　at　the　sky；　but　the　collapsed　seawall　of　winding　post　was　no　more　than　an　oar…length　away。　she　sat　up　and　resumed　her　duty　as　a　rower。

the　water　changed　color　in　the　sea　of　saere。

sabriel　trailed　her　hand　in　it；　marveling　at　its　clear　turquoise　sheen。　for　all　its　color；　it　was　incredibly　transparent。　the　water　was　very　deep；　but　she　could　see　down　the　first　three　or　four　　fathoms；　watching　small　fish　dance　under　the　bubbles　of　their　boat鈥檚　wake。

she　felt　relaxed；　momentarily　carefree；　all　the　troubles　that　lay　ahead　and　behind　her　temporarily　lost　in　single…minded　contemplation　of　the　clear　blue…green　water。　there　was　no　dead　presence　here；　no　constant　awareness　of　the　many　doors　to　death。　even　charter　magic　was　dissipated　at　sea。　for　a　few　minutes；　she　forgot　about　touchstone　and　mogget。　even　her　father　faded　from　her　mind。　there　was　only　the　sea鈥檚　color；　and　its　coolness　on　her　hand。

鈥渨e鈥檒l　be　able　to　see　the　city　soon；鈥潯�touchstone　said；　interrupting　her　mental　holiday。　鈥渋f　the　towers　are　still　standing。鈥�

sabriel　nodded　thoughtfully；　and　slowly　took　her　hand　from　the　sea；　as　if　she　were　parting　from　a　dear　friend。

鈥渋t　must　be　difficult　for　you；鈥潯�she　said；　almost　to　herself；　not　really　expecting　him　to　answer。

鈥渢wo　hundred　years　gone；　the　kingdom　slowly　falling　into　ruin　while　you　slept。鈥�

鈥渋　didn鈥檛　really　believe　it；　till　i　saw　nestowe；　and　then　the　belis　mouth　towers；鈥潯�replied　touchstone。　鈥渘ow　i　am　afraid鈥攅ven　for　a　great　city　that　i　never　believed　could　really　change。鈥�

鈥渘o　imagination；鈥潯�said　mogget；　sternly。　鈥渘o　thinking　ahead。　a　flaw　in　your　character。　a　fatal　flaw。鈥�

鈥渕ogget；鈥潯�sabriel　said　indignantly；　angry　at　the　cat　for　crushing　yet　another　possible　conversation。

鈥渨hy　are　you　so　rude　to　touchstone？鈥�

mogget　hissed　and　the　fur　bristled　on　his　back。

鈥渋　am　accurate；　not　rude；鈥潯�he　snapped；　turning　his　back　to　them　with　studied　scorn。　鈥渁nd　he　deserves　it。鈥�

鈥渋鈥檓　sick　of　this！鈥潯�announced　sabriel。　鈥渢ouchstone；　what　does　mogget　know　that　i　don鈥檛？鈥�

touchstone　was　silent；　knuckles　white　on　the　tiller；　eyes　focused　on　the　distant　horizon；　as　if　he　could　already　see　the　towers　of　belisaere。

鈥測ou鈥檒l　have　to　tell　me　eventually；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　a　touch　of　the　prefect　entering　her　voice。

鈥渋t　can鈥檛　be　that　bad；　surely？鈥�

touchstone　wet　his　lips；　hesitated；　then　spoke。

鈥渋t　was　stupidity　on　my　part；　not　evil；　milady。

two　hundred　years　ago；　when　the　last　queen　reigned　。　。　。　i　think　。　。　。　i　know　that　i　am　partly　responsible　for　the　failing　of　the　kingdom；　the　end　of　the　royal　line。鈥�

鈥渨hat！鈥潯�exclaimed　sabriel。　鈥渉ow　could　you　be？鈥�

鈥渋　am；鈥潯�continued　touchstone　miserably；　his　hands　shaking　so　much　the　tiller　moved；　giving　the　boat　a　crazy　zigzag　wake。　鈥渢here　was　a　。　。　。

that　is　。　。　。鈥�

he　paused；　took　a　deep　breath；　sat　up　a　little　straighter；　and　continued；　as　if　reporting　to　a　senior　officer。

鈥渋　don鈥檛　know　how　much　i　can　tell　you；　because　it　involves　the　great　charters。　where　do　i　start？　with　the　queen；　i　guess。　she　had　four　children。　her　oldest　son；　rogir；　was　a　childhood　playmate　of　mine。　he　was　always　the　leader；　in　all　our　games。　he　had　the　ideas鈥攚e　followed　them。　later；　when　we　were　growing　up；　his　ideas　became　stranger；　less　nice。　we　grew　apart。　i　went　into　the　guard；　he　pursued　his　own　interests。　now　i　know　that　those　interests　must　have　included　free　magic　and　necromancy鈥敗�i　never　suspected　it　then。　i　should　have；　i　know；　but　he　was　secretive；　and　often　away。

鈥渢owards　the　end　。　。　。　i　mean　a　few　months　before　it　happened　。　。　。　well；　rogir　had　been　away　for　several　years。　he　came　back；　just　before　the　midwinter　festival。　i　was　glad　to　see　him；　for　he　seemed　to　be　more　like　he　was　as　a　　child。　he鈥檇　lost　interest　in　the　bizarrities　that　had　attracted　him。　we　spent　more　time　together　again；　hawking；　riding；　drinking；　dancing。

鈥渢hen；　late　one　afternoon鈥攐ne　cold；　crisp　afternoon；　near　sunset鈥攊　was　on　duty；　guarding　the　queen　and　her　ladies。　they　were　playing　cranaque。　rogir　came　to　her；　and　asked　her　to　e　with　him　down　to　the　place　where　the　great　stones　are　。　。　。　hey；　i　can　say　it！鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�interrupted　mogget。　he　looked　tired；　like　an　alley　cat　that　has　suffered　one　kick　too　many。　鈥渢he　sea　washes　all　things　clear；　for　a　time。

we　can　speak　of　the　great　charters；　at　least　for　a　little　while。　i　had　forgotten　it　was　so。鈥�

鈥済o　on；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　excitedly。　鈥渓et鈥檚　take　advantage　of　it　while　we　can。　the　great　stones　would　be　the　stones　and　mortar　of　the　rhyme鈥敗�the　third　and　fifth　great　charter？鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�replied　touchstone；　remotely；　as　if　reciting　a　lesson；　鈥渨ith　the　wall。　the　people；　or　whatever　they　were　who　made　the　great　charters；　put　three　in　bloodlines　and　two　in　physical　constructions：　the　wall　and　the　great　stones。　all　the　lesser　stones　draw　their　power　from　one　or　the　other。

鈥渢he　great　stones　。　。　。　rogir　came　and　said　　there　was　something　amiss　there；　something　the　queen　must　look　into。　he　was　her　son；　but　she　did　not　take　great　account　of　his　wisdom；　or　believe　him　when　he　spoke　of　trouble　with　the　stones。　she　was　a　charter　mage　and　felt　nothing　wrong。　besides；　she　was　winning　at　cranaque；　so　she　told　him　to　wait　till　morning。　rogir　turned　to　me；　asked　me　to　intercede；　and；　charter　help　me；　i　did。　i　believed　rogir。　i　trusted　him　and　my　belief　convinced　the　queen。　finally；　she　agreed。

by　that　time；　the　sun　had　set。　with　rogir；　myself；　three　guards　and　two　ladies…in…waiting；　we　went　down；　down　into　the　reservoir　where　the　great　stones　are。鈥�

touchstone鈥檚　voice　faded　to　a　whisper　as　he　continued；　and　grew　hoarse。

鈥渢here　was　terrible　wrong　down　there；　but　it　was　rogir鈥檚　doing；　not　his　discovery。　there　are　six　great　stones　and　two　were　just　being　broken；　broken　with　the　blood　of　his　own　sisters；　sacrificed　by　his　free　magic　minions　as　we　approached。　i　saw　their　last　seconds；　the　faint　hope　in　their　clouding　eyes；　as　the　queen鈥檚　barge　came　floating　across　the　water。　i　felt　the　shock　of　the　stones　breaking　and　i　remember　rogir；　stepping　up　behind　the　queen；　a　saw…edged　　　dagger　striking　so　swiftly　across　her　throat。　he　had　a　cup；　a　golden　cup；　one　of　the　queen鈥檚　own；　to　catch　the　blood；　but　i　was　too　slow；　too　slow　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渟o　the　story　you　told　me　at　holehallow　wasn鈥檛　true；鈥潯�sabriel　whispered；　as　touchstone鈥檚　voice　cracked　and　faded；　and　the　tears　rolled　down　his　face。　鈥渢he　queen　didn鈥檛　survive　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渘o；鈥潯�mumbled　touchstone。　鈥渂ut　i　didn鈥檛　mean　to　lie。　it　was　all　jumbled　up　in　my　head。鈥�

鈥渨hat　did　happen？鈥�

鈥渢he　other　two　guards　were　rogir鈥檚　men；鈥�

touchstone　continued；　his　voice　wet　with　tears；　muffled　with　sorrow。　鈥渢hey　attacked　me；　but　vlare鈥攐ne　of　the　ladies…in…waiting鈥攖hrew　herself　across　them。　i　went　mad；　battle…mad；　berserk。　i　killed　both　guards。　rogir　had　jumped　from　the　barge　and　was　wading　to　the　stones；　holding　the　cup。　his　four　sorcerers　were　waiting；　dark…cowled；　around　the　third　stone；　the　next　to　be　broken。　i　couldn鈥檛　reach　him　in　time；　i　knew。　i　threw　my　sword。　it　flew　straight　and　true；　taking　him　just　above　the　heart。　he　screamed；　the　echo　going　on　and　on　and　he　turned　back　towards　me！　transfixed　by　my　sword；　but　still　walking；　holding　that　vile　cup　of　blood　up；　as　if　offering　me　a　drink。

鈥溾�榶ou　may　tear　this　body；鈥櫋�he　said；　as　he　walked。　鈥榬ip　it；　like　some　poor…made　costume。

but　i　cannot　die。鈥櫋♀�渉e　came　within　an　arm鈥檚　length　of　me；　and　i　could　only　look　into　his　face；　look　at　the　evil　that　lay　so　close　behind　those　familiar　features　。　。　。

then　there　was　blinding　white　light；　the　sound　of　bells鈥攂ells　like　yours；　sabriel鈥攁nd　voices；　harsh　voices　。　。　。　rogir　flinching　back；　the　cup　dropped；　blood　floating　on　the　water　like　oil。　i　turned；　saw　guardsmen　on　the　stairs；　a　burning；　twisting　column　of　white　fire；　a　man　with　sword　and　bells　。　。　。　the