sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第44章

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had　virtually　stuck　to　her　after　almost　a　week　at　sea。　naked；　she　rested　her　sword　against　the　bath鈥檚　rim鈥攊n　easy　reach鈥攖hen　sank　gratefully　into　the　water；　taking　up　the　lump　of　lemon…scented　soap　to　begin　removing　the　caked　grime　and　sweat。

through　the　wall；　she　could　hear　a　man鈥檚鈥敗�touchstone鈥檚鈥攙oice。　then　water　gurgling；　that　maid　giggling。　sabriel　stopped　soaping　and　concentrated　on　the　sound。　it　was　hard　to　hear；　but　there　was　more　giggling；　a　deep；　indistinct　male　voice；　then　a　loud　splash。　like　two　bodies　in　a　bath　rather　than　one。

there　was　silence　for　a　while；　then　more　splashing；　gasps；　giggles鈥攚as　that　touchstone　laughing？　then　a　series　of　short；　sharp；　moans。

womanly　ones。　sabriel　flushed　and　gritted　her　teeth　at　the　same　time；　then　quickly　lowered　her　head　into　the　water　so　she　couldn鈥檛　hear；　leaving　only　her　nose　and　mouth　exposed。　underwater；　all　was　silent；　save　for　the　dull　booming　of　her　heart；　echoing　in　her　flooded　ears。

what　did　it　matter？　she　didn鈥檛　think　of　touchstone　in　that　way。　sex　was　the　last　thing　　on　her　mind。　just　another　plication鈥敗�contraception鈥攎essiness鈥攅motions。　there　were　enough　problems。　concentrate　on　planning。

think　ahead。　it　was　just　because　touchstone　was　the　first　young　man　she鈥檇　met　out　of　school；　that　was　all。　it　was　none　of　her　business。　she　didn鈥檛　even　know　his　real　name　。　。　。

a　dull　tapping　noise　on　the　side　of　the　bath　made　her　raise　her　head　out　of　the　water；　just　in　time　to　hear　a　very　self…satisfied；　masculine　and　drawn…out　moan　from　the　other　side　of　the　wall。

she　was　about　to　stick　her　head　back　under；　when　mogget鈥檚　pink　nose　appeared　on　the　rim。

so　she　sat　up；　water　cascading　down　her　face；　hiding　the　tears　she　told　herself　weren鈥檛　there。

angrily；　she　crossed　her　arms　across　her　breasts　and　said；　鈥渨hat　do　you　want？鈥�

鈥渋　just　thought　that　you　might　like　to　know　that　touchstone鈥檚　room　is　that　way；鈥潯�said　mogget；　indicating　the　silent　room　opposite　the　one　with　the　noisy　couple。　鈥渋t　hasn鈥檛　got　a　bathtub；　so　he鈥檇　like　to　know　if　he　can　use　yours　when　you鈥檙e　finished。　he鈥檚　waiting　downstairs　in　the　meantime；　getting　the　local　news。鈥�

鈥渙h；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　she　looked　across　at　the　far；　silent　wall；　then　back　to　the　close　wall；　where　　the　human　noises　were　now　largely　lost　in　the　groaning　of　bedsprings。　鈥渨ell；　tell　him　i　won鈥檛　be　long。鈥�

twenty　minutes　later；　a　clean　sabriel；　garbed　in　a　borrowed　dress　made　incongruous　by　her　sword…belt　（the　bell…bandolier　lay　under　her　bed；　with　mogget　asleep　on　top　of　it）；　crept　on　slippered　feet　through　the　largely　empty　mon　room　and　tapped　the　salty；　begrimed　touchstone　on　the　back；　making　him　spill　his　beer。

鈥測our　turn　for　the　bath；鈥潯�sabriel　said　cheerily；　鈥渕y　evil…smelling　swordsman。　i鈥檝e　just　had　it　refilled。　mogget鈥檚　in　the　room；　by　the　way。　i　hope　you　don鈥檛　mind。鈥�

鈥渨hy　would　i　mind？鈥潯�asked　touchstone；　as　much　puzzled　by　her　manner　as　the　question。　鈥渋　just　want　to　get　clean；　that鈥檚　all。鈥�

鈥済ood；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　obscurely。　鈥渋鈥檒l　organize　for　dinner　to　be　served　in　your　room；　so　we　can　plan　as　we　eat。鈥�

in　the　event；　the　planning　didn鈥檛　take　long；　nor　was　it　slow　in　dampening　what　was　otherwise　a　relatively　festive　occasion。　they　were　safe　for　the　moment；　clean；　well…fed鈥攁nd　able　to　forget　past　troubles　and　future　fears　for　a　little　while。

but；　as　soon　as　the　last　dish鈥攁　squid　stew；　　with　garlic；　barley；　yellow　squash　and　tarragon　vinegar鈥攚as　cleared；　the　present　reasserted　itself；　plete　with　cares　and　woe。

鈥渋　think　the　most　likely　place　to　find　my　father鈥檚　body　will　be　at　。　。　。　that　place；　where　the　queen　was　slain；鈥潯�sabriel　said　slowly。　鈥渢he　reservoir。　where　is　it；　by　the　way？鈥�

鈥渦nder　the　palace　hill；鈥潯�replied　touchstone。

鈥渢here　are　several　different　ways　to　enter。　all　lie　beyond　this　aqueduct…guarded　valley。鈥�

鈥測ou　are　probably　right　about　your　father；鈥�

mogget　mented　from　his　nest　of　blankets　in　the　middle　of　touchstone鈥檚　bed。　鈥渂ut　that　is　also　the　most　dangerous　place　for　us　to　go。

charter　magic　will　be　greatly　warped；　including　various　bindings鈥攁nd　there　is　a　chance　that　our　enemy　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渒errigor；鈥潯�interrupted　sabriel。　鈥渂ut　he　may　not　be　there。　even　if　he　is；　we　may　be　able　to　sneak　in鈥斺��

鈥渨e　might　be　able　to　sneak　around　the　edges；鈥�

said　touchstone。　鈥渢he　reservoir　is　enormous；　and　there　are　hundreds　of　columns。　but　wading　is　noisy；　and　the　water　is　very　still鈥攕ound　carries。

and　the　six　。　。　。　you　know　。　。　。　they　are　in　the　very　center。鈥�

鈥渋f　i　can　find　my　father　and　bring　his　spirit　back　to　his　body；鈥潯�sabriel　said　stubbornly；　鈥渢hen　we　can　deal　with　whatever　confronts　us。　that　is　the　first　thing。　my　father。　everything　else　is　just　a　plication　that鈥檚　followed　on。鈥�

鈥渙r　preceded　it；鈥潯�said　mogget。　鈥渟o；　i　take　it　your　master　plan　is　to　sneak　in；　as　far　as　we　can；　find　your　father鈥檚　body；　which　will　hopefully　be　tucked　away　in　some　safe　corner；　and　then　see　what　happens？鈥�

鈥渨e鈥檒l　go　in　the　middle　of　a　clear；　sunny　day　。　。　。鈥潯�sabriel　began。

鈥渋t鈥檚　underground；鈥潯�interrupted　mogget。

鈥渟o　we　have　sunlight　to　retreat　to；鈥潯�sabriel　continued　in　a　quelling　tone。

鈥渁nd　there　are　light　shafts；鈥潯�added　touchstone。

鈥渁t　noon；　it鈥檚　a　sort　of　dim　twilight　down　there；　with　patches　of　faint　sun　on　the　water。鈥�

鈥渟o；　we鈥檒l　find　father鈥檚　body；　bring　it　back　to　safety　here；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　鈥渁nd　。　。　。　and　take　things　from　there。鈥�

鈥渋t　sounds　like　a　terribly　brilliant　plan　to　me；鈥�

muttered　mogget。　鈥渢he　genius　of　simplicity　。　。　。鈥�

鈥樷�榗an　you　think　of　anything　else？鈥潯�snapped　sabriel。　鈥渋鈥檝e　tried；　and　i　can鈥檛。　i　wish　i　could　go　home　to　ancelstierre　and　forget　the　whole　　thing鈥攂ut　then　i鈥檇　never　see　father　again；　and　the　dead　would　just　eat　up　everything　living　in　this　whole　rotten　kingdom。　maybe　it　won鈥檛　work；　but　at　least　i鈥檒l　be　trying　something；　like　the　abhorsen　i鈥檓　supposed　to　be　and　you鈥檙e　always　telling　me　i鈥檓　not！鈥�

silence　greeted　this　sally。　touchstone　looked　away；　embarrassed。　mogget　looked　at　her；　yawned　and　shrugged。

鈥渁s　it　happens；　i　can鈥檛　think　of　anything　else。

i鈥檝e　grown　stupid　over　the　millennia鈥攅ven　stupider　than　the　abhorsens　i　serve。鈥�

鈥渋　think　it鈥檚　as　good　a　plan　as　any；鈥潯�touchstone　said；　unexpectedly。　he　hesitated；　then　added；　鈥渢hough　i　am　afraid。鈥�

鈥渟o　am　i；鈥潯�whispered　sabriel。　鈥渂ut　if　it鈥檚　a　sunny　day　tomorrow；　we　will　go　there。鈥�

鈥測es；鈥潯�said　touchstone。　鈥渂efore　we　grow　too　afraid。鈥�

w锛贰�w。xia　oshuotx锛础ｏ迹om



chapter　xx


leaving　the　safe；　aqueductbounded　quarter　of　belisaere　proved　to　be　a　more　difficult　business　than　entering　it；　particularly　through　the　northern　archway；　which　led　out　to　a　long…abandoned　street　of　derelict　houses；　winding　their　way　up　towards　the　northern　hills　of　the　city。

there　were　six　guards　at　the　archway；　and　they　looked　considerably　more　alert　and　efficient　than　the　ones　who　guarded　the　passage　from　the　docks。　there　was　also　a　group　of　other　people　ahead　of　sabriel　and　touchstone　waiting　to　be　let　through。　nine　men；　all　with　the　marks　of　violence　written　in　their　expressions；　in　the　way　they　spoke　and　moved。　every　one　was　armed；　with　weapons　ranging　from　daggers　to　a　broad…bladed　axe。　most　of　them　also　carried　bows鈥攕hort；　deeply　curved　bows；　slung　on　their　backs。

鈥渨ho　are　these　people？鈥潯�sabriel　asked　touchstone。　鈥渨hy　are　they　going　out　into　the　dead　part　of　the　city？鈥�

鈥渟cavengers；鈥潯�replied　touchstone。　鈥渟ome　of　the　people　i　spoke　to　last　night　mentioned　them。

parts　of　the　city　were　abandoned　to　the　dead　very　quickly；　so　there　is　still　plenty　of　loot　to　be　found。　a　risky　business；　i　think　。　。　。鈥�

sabriel　nodded　thoughtfully　and　looked　back　at　the　men；　most　of　whom　were　sitting　or　squatting　by　the　aqueduct　wall。　some　of　them　looked　back　at　her；　rather　suspiciously。　for　a　moment；　she　thought　they鈥檇　seen　the　bells　under　her　cloak　and　recognized　her　as　a　necromancer；　then　she　realized　that　she　and　touchstone　probably　looked　like　rival　scavengers。　after　all；　who　else　would　want　to　leave　th