小牛电子书 > 名著电子书 > sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯 >

第60章

sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第60章

小说: sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯 字数: 每页3500字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



og was just about to reach his position。 then the line went silent。鈥

鈥渟o;鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渒errigor didn鈥檛 wait till sundown。 he鈥檚 working the weather。鈥

鈥渇rom the timings given by the perimeter;鈥

horyse said; 鈥渢his fog鈥攁nd whatever鈥檚 in it鈥敗s moving southwards at around twenty miles an hour。 as the crow flies; it鈥檒l reach us around half past seven。 dark; with the moonrise yet to e。鈥

鈥渓et鈥檚 go then;鈥潯napped sabriel。 鈥渢he bridlepath to docky point starts from behind the pub。

shall i lead?鈥

鈥渂est not;鈥潯eplied 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 trees fell away about twenty yards from the top of the hill; thick weeds and thistles taking their place。 then; at the highest point; there was the cairn: a solid; hut…sized square of grey…green stones。 the twelve scouts were grouped loosely around it; four of them already levering one of the corner stones out with a long crowbar; obviously carried up for this purpose。

as sabriel and touchstone came up; the stone fell with a thud; revealing more blocks underneath。

at the same time; every charter mage present felt a slight buzzing in their ears; and a wave of dizziness。

鈥渄id you feel that?鈥潯sked horyse; unnecessarily; as it was clear from everyone鈥檚 expressions and the hands that had gone to ears that they all had。

鈥測es;鈥潯eplied sabriel。 to a lesser extent; it was the same sort of feeling the broken stones caused in the reservoir。 鈥渋t will get worse; i鈥檓 afraid; as we get closer to the sarcophagus。鈥

鈥渉ow far in is it?鈥

鈥渇our blocks deep; i think;鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渙r five。 i 。 。 。 saw it 。 。 。 from an odd perspective。鈥

horyse nodded; and indicated to the men to  keep prying away the stones。 they went to it with a will; but sabriel noticed they kept looking at the position of the sun。 all the scouts were charter mages; of various power鈥攁ll knew what sundown would bring。

in fifteen minutes; they鈥檇 made a hole two blocks wide and two deep in one end; and the sickness was growing worse。 two of the younger scouts; men in their early twenties; had bee violently sick and were recuperating further down the hill。 the others were working more slowly; their energies directed to keeping lunches down and quelling shaking limbs。

surprisingly; given their lack of sleep and generally run…down state; sabriel and touchstone found it relatively easy to resist the waves of nausea emanating from the cairn。 it didn鈥檛 pare with the cold; dark fear of the reservoir; there on the hill; with the sunshine and the fresh breeze; warming and cooling at the same time。

when the third blocks came out; horyse called a brief rest break; and they all retreated down the hill to the tree line; where the cairn鈥檚 sickening aura dissipated。 the signalers had a  telephone there; the handset sitting on the upturned drum。 horyse took it; but turned to sabriel before the signaler wound the charging handle。

鈥渁re there any preparations to be made before we remove the last blocks? magical ones; i mean。鈥

sabriel thought for a moment; willing her tiredness away; then shook her head。 鈥渋 don鈥檛 think so。 once we have access to the sarcophagus; we may have to spell it open鈥攊鈥檒l need everyone鈥檚 help for that。 then; the final rites on the body鈥攖he usual cremation spell。 there will be resistance then; too。 have your men often cast charter magic in concert?鈥

鈥渦nfortunately; no;鈥潯eplied horyse; frowning。

鈥渂ecause the army doesn鈥檛 officially admit the existence of charter magic; everyone here is basically self…taught。鈥

鈥渘ever mind;鈥潯abriel said; trying to sound confident; aware that everyone around her was listening。 鈥渨e鈥檒l manage。鈥

鈥済ood;鈥潯eplied horyse; smiling。 that made him look very confident; thought sabriel。 she tried to smile too; but was uncertain about the result。 it felt too much like a grimace of pain。

鈥渨ell; let鈥檚 see where our uninvited guest has got to;鈥潯oryse continued; still smiling。 鈥渨here does this phone connect to; sergeant?鈥

鈥渂ain police;鈥潯eplied the signals sergeant; winding the charging handle vigorously。 鈥渁nd army hq north; sir。 you鈥檒l have to ask corporal synge to switch you。 he鈥檚 on the board at the village。鈥

鈥済ood;鈥潯eplied horyse。 鈥渉ello。 oh; synge? put me through to bain。 no; tell north you can鈥檛 get through to me。 yes; that鈥檚 right; corporal。

thank you 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 bainshire constabulary? it鈥檚 colonel horyse。 i want to speak to chief superintendent dingley 。 。 。 yes。 hello; superintendent。 have you had any reports of a strange; dense fog 。 。 。 what! already! no; on no account investigate。 get everyone in。 shutter the windows 。 。 。 yes; the usual drill。 yes; whatever is in 。 。 。 yes; extraordinarily dangerous 。 。 。

hello! hello!鈥

he put the handset down slowly; and pointed back up the hill。

鈥渢he fog is already moving through the northern part of bain。 it must be going much faster。 is it possible that this kerrigor could know what we鈥檙e up to?鈥

鈥測es;鈥潯eplied sabriel and touchstone; together。

鈥渨e鈥檇 better get a move on then;鈥潯oryse announced; looking at his watch。 鈥渋鈥檇 say we now have less than forty minutes。鈥

w w w。 xiao shuotxt。 co m



chapter xxvii

锛堝皬锛忥紡璇达紡锛弔锛忥紡xt锝//澶//鍫傦級
the last blocks came away slowly; pulled out by sweating; white…faced men; their hands and legs shivering; breath ragged。 as soon as the way was clear; they staggered back; away from the cairn; seeking patches of sunlight to bat the dreadful chill that seemed to eat at their bones。 one soldier; a dapper man with a white…blond moustache; fell down the hill; and lay retching; till stretcher…bearers ran up to take him away。

sabriel looked at the dark hole in the cairn; and saw the faint; unsettling sheen from the bronze sarcophagus within。 she felt sick too; with the hair on the back of her neck frizzing up; skin crawling。 the air seemed thick with the reek of free magic; a hard; metallic taste in her mouth。

鈥渨e will have to spell it open;鈥潯he announced; with a sinking heart。 鈥渢he sarcophagus is very strongly protected。 i think 。 。 。 the best thing would be if i go in with touchstone taking my hand; horyse his; and so on; to form a line reinforcement of the charter magic。 does everyone know the charter marks for the opening spell?鈥

the soldiers nodded; or said; 鈥測es; ma鈥檃m。鈥

one said; 鈥測es; abhorsen。鈥

sabriel looked at him。 a middle…aged corporal; with the chevrons of long service on his sleeve。 he seemed one of the least affected by the free magic。

鈥測ou can call me sabriel; if you want;鈥潯he said; strangely unsettled by what he had called her。

the corporal shook his head。 鈥渘o; miss。 i knew your dad。 you鈥檙e just like him。 the abhorsen; now。 you鈥檒l make this dead bugger鈥敗egging your pardon鈥攚ish he鈥檇 stayed properly bloody dead。鈥

鈥渢hank you;鈥潯abriel replied; uncertainly。

she k

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的