sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第9章

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there　was　no　actual　gate　in　the　archway；　though　rusting　hinges　swung　like　mechanical　hands　on　either　side　and　sharp　shards　of　oak　　thrust　out　of　the　ground；　like　teeth　in　a　broken　jaw；　testimony　to　some　explosion　of　modern　chemistry　or　magical　force。

it　was　snowing　lightly　on　the　old　kingdom　side；　and　the　wind　channeled　occasional　snowflakes　through　the　gate　into　ancelstierre；　where　they　melted　on　the　warmer　ground　of　the　south。

one　caught　in　sabriel鈥檚　hair。　she　brushed　at　it　lightly；　till　it　slid　down　her　face　and　was　captured　by　her　tongue。

the　cold　water　was　refreshing　and；　though　it　tasted　no　different　from　any　other　melted　snow　she鈥檇　drunk；　it　marked　her　first　taste　of　the　old　kingdom　in　thirteen　years。　dimly；　she　remembered　it　had　been　snowing　then。　her　father　had　carried　her　through；　when　he　first　brought　her　south　into　ancelstierre。

a　whistle　alerted　her；　and　she　saw　a　figure　appear　out　of　the　snow；　flanked　by　twelve　others；　who　drew　up　in　two　lines　leading　out　from　the　gate。　they　faced　outwards；　their　swords　shining；　blades　reflecting　the　light　that　was　itself　reflected　from　the　snow。　only　horyse　looked　inwards；　waiting　for　her。

with　her　skis　over　her　shoulder；　sabriel　picked　her　way　among　the　broken　timbers　of　the　gate。

going　through　the　arch；　from　mud　into　snow；　from　bright　sun　into　the　pallid　luminescence　of　a　snowfall；　from　her　past　into　her　future。

the　stones　of　the　wall　on　either　side；　and　above　her　head；　seemed　to　call　a　wele　home；　and　rivulets　of　charter　marks　ran　through　the　stones　like　rain　through　dust。

鈥渢he　old　kingdom　weles　you；鈥潯�said　horyse；　but　he　was　watching　the　charter　marks　run　on　the　stones；　not　looking　at　sabriel。

sabriel　stepped　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　gate　and　pulled　her　cap　down；　so　the　peak　shielded　her　face　against　the　snow。

鈥渋　wish　your　mission　every　success；　sabriel；鈥�

continued　horyse；　looking　back　at　her。　鈥渋　hope　。　。　。　hope　i　see　both　you　and　your　father　before　too　long。鈥�

he　saluted；　turned　smartly　to　his　left；　and　was　gone；　wheeling　around　her　and　marching　back　through　the　gate。　his　men　peeled　off　from　the　line　and　followed。　sabriel　bent　down　as　they　marched　past；　slid　her　skis　back　and　forth　in　the　snow；　then　slipped　her　boots　into　the　bindings。

the　snow　was　falling　steadily；　but　it　was　only　a　light　fall　and　the　cover　was　patchy。　she　could　still　easily　make　out　the　old　north　road。

fortunately；　the　snow　had　banked　up　in　the　gutters　to　either　side　of　the　road；　and　she　could　make　good　time　if　she　kept　to　these　narrow　snow…ways。　even　though　it　seemed　to　be　several　hours　later　in　the　old　kingdom　than　it　was　in　ancelstierre；　she　expected　to　reach　cloven　crest　before　dusk。

taking　up　her　poles；　sabriel　checked　that　her　father鈥檚　sword　was　easy　in　its　scabbard；　and　the　bells　hung　properly　from　their　baldric。　she　considered　a　quick　charter…spell　for　warmth；　but　decided　against　it。　the　road　had　a　slight　uphill　gradient；　so　the　skiing　would　be　quite　hard　work。　in　her　handknitted；　greasy　wool　shirt；　leather　jerkin　and　thick；　double　padded　skiing　knickerbockers；　she　would　probably　be　too　warm　once　she　got　going。

with　a　practiced　motion；　she　pushed　one　ski　ahead；　the　opposite　arm　reaching　forward　with　her　pole；　and　slid　forward；　just　as　the　last　swordsman　passed　her　on　his　way　back　through　the　gate。　he　grinned　as　he　passed　by；　but　she　didn鈥檛　notice；　concentrating　on　building　up　the　rhythm　of　her　skis　and　poles。　within　minutes；　she　was　practically　flying　up　the　road；　a　slim；　dark　figure　against　the　white　of　the　ground。

锛凤挤w。xi锛�os锛╱otxt。锛ｏ集锛�



chapter　iv

灏忥紲璇达紲t锛渪t锛炲ぉ锛煛峰爞
sabriel　found　the　first　dead　ancelstierran　soldier　about　six　miles　from　the　wall；　in　the　last；　fading　hours　of　the　afternoon。

the　hill　she　thought　was　cloven　crest　was　a　mile　or　two　to　the　north。　she鈥檇　stopped　to　look　at　its　dark　bulk；　rising　rocky　and　treeless　from　the　snow…covered　ground；　its　peak　temporarily　hidden　in　one　of　the　light；　puffy　clouds　that　occasionally　let　forth　a　shower　of　snow　or　sleet。

if　she　hadn鈥檛　stopped；　she　would　probably　have　missed　the　frosted…white　hand　that　peeked　out　of　a　drift　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　but　as　soon　as　she　saw　that；　her　attention　focused　and　sabriel　felt　the　familiar　pang　of　death。

crossing　over；　her　skis　clacking　on　bare　stone　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　she　bent　down　and　gently　brushed　the　snow　away。

the　hand　belonged　to　a　young　man；　who　wore　a　standard…issue　coat　of　mail　over　an　ancelstierran　uniform　of　khaki　serge。　he　was　blond　and　grey…eyed；　and　sabriel　thought　he　had　been　surprised；　for　there　was　no　fear　in　his　frozen　expression。　she　touched　his　forehead　with　one　finger；　closed　his　sightless　eyes；　and　laid　two　fingers　against　his　open　mouth。　he　had　been　dead　twelve　days；　she　felt。　there　were　no　obvious　signs　as　to　what　had　killed　him。　to　learn　more　than　that；　she　would　have　to　follow　the　young　man　into　death。　even　after　twelve　days；　it　was　unlikely　he　had　gone　further　than　the　fourth　gate。　even　so；　sabriel　had　a　strong　disinclination　to　enter　the　realm　of　the　dead　until　she　absolutely　had　to。　whatever　had　trapped鈥攐r　killed鈥攈er　father　could　easily　be　waiting　to　ambush　her　there。　this　dead　soldier　could　even　be　a　lure。

quashing　her　natural　curiosity　to　find　out　exactly　what　had　happened；　sabriel　folded　the　man鈥檚　arms　across　his　chest；　after　first　unclenching　the　grip　that　his　right　hand　still　had　on　his　sword　hilt鈥攑erhaps　he　had　not　been　taken　totally　unawares　after　all。　then　she　stood　and　drew　the　charter　marks　of　fire；　cleansing；　peace　　and　sleep　in　the　air　above　the　corpse；　while　whispering　the　sounds　of　those　same　marks。　it　was　a　litany　that　every　charter　mage　knew；　and　it　had　the　usual　effect。　a　glowing　ember　sparked　up　between　the　man鈥檚　folded　arms；　multiplied　into　many　stabbing；　darting　flames；　then　fire　whooshed　the　full　length　of　the　body。　seconds　later　it　was　out　and　only　ash　remained；　ash　staining　a　corselet　of　blackened　mail。

sabriel　took　the　soldier鈥檚　sword　from　the　pile　of　ashes　and　thrust　it　through　the　melted　snow；　into　the　dark　earth　beneath。　it　stuck　fast；　upright；　the　hilt　casting　a　shadow　like　a　cross　upon　the　ashes。　something　glinted　in　the　shadow　and；　belatedly；　sabriel　remembered　that　the　soldier　would　have　worn　an　identity　disc　or　tag。

shifting　her　skis　again　to　rebalance　she　bent　down　and　hooked　the　chain　of　the　identity　disc　on　one　finger；　pulling　it　up　to　read　the　name　of　the　man　who　had　met　his　end　here；　alone　in　the　snow。　but　both　the　chain　and　disc　were　machinemade　in　ancelstierre　and　so　unable　to　withstand　the　charter　magic　fire。　the　disc　crumbled　into　ash　as　sabriel　raised　it　to　eye　level　and　the　chain　fell　into　its　ponent　links；　pouring　between　sabriel鈥檚　fingers　like　small　steel　coins。

鈥減erhaps　they鈥檒l　know　you　from　your　sword；鈥�

said　sabriel。　her　voice　sounded　strange　in　the　quiet　of　the　snowy　wilderness　and；　behind　each　word；　her　breath　rolled　out　like　a　small；　wet　fog。

鈥渢ravel　without　regret；鈥潯�she　added。　鈥渄o　not　look　back。鈥�

sabriel　took　her　own　advice　as　she　skied　away。

there　was　an　anxiety　in　her　now　that　had　been　mostly　academic　before　and　every　sense　was　alert；　watchful。　she　had　always　been　told　that　the　old　kingdom　was　dangerous；　and　the　borderlands　near　the　wall　particularly　so。　but　that　intellectual　knowledge　was　tempered　by　her　vague　childhood　memories　of　happiness；　of　being　with　her　father　and　the　band　of　travelers。

now；　the　reality　of　the　danger　was　slowly　ing　home　。　。　。

half　a　mile　on　she　slowed　and　stopped　to　look　up　at　cloven　crest　again；　neck　cricked　back　to　watch　where　the　sun　struck　between　the　clouds；　lighting　up　the　yellow…red　granite　of　the　bluffs。

she　was　in　cloud　shadow　herself；　so　the　hill　looked　like　an　attractive　destination。　as　she　looked；　it　started　to　snow　again；　and　two　snowflakes　fell　upon　her　forehead；　melting　into　her　eyes。　she　blinked　and　the　melted　snow　　traced　tear　trails　down　her　cheeks。　through　misted　eyes；　she　saw　a　bird　of　prey鈥攁　hawk　or　kite鈥攍aunch　itself　from　the　bluffs　and　hover；　its　concentration　totally　centered　upon　some　small　mouse　or　vole　creeping　across　the　snow。

the　kite　dropped　like　a　cast　stone；　and　a　few　seconds　later；