《Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)》第77章

tanks；　sabriel　realized。　a　relatively　recent　invention。　like　the　trucks；　they　were　roaring；　engines　belching　blue…grey　smoke。　no　problem　now；　sabriel　thought；　but　the　engines　would　stop　when　the　wind　blew　in　from　the　old　kingdom。　or　when　kerrigor　came　。　。　。
horyse　led　them　to　the　staff　car；　opened　the　back　door　and　gestured　for　them　to　get　in。
“are　you　ing　with　us？”　sabriel　asked；　hesitantly；　as　she　settled　back　in　the　heavily　padded　leather　seats；　fighting　a　wave　of　tiredness　that　threatened　immediate　sleep。
“yes；”　replied　horyse；　slowly。　he　seemed　surprised　at　his　own　answer；　and　suddenly　far　away。
“yes；　i　am。”
“you　have　the　sight；”　said　touchstone；　looking　up　from　where　he　was　adjusting　his　scabbard　before　sitting　down。　“what　did　you　see？”
“the　usual　thing；”　replied　horyse。　he　got　in　the　front　seat；　and　nodded　to　the　driver—a　thin…faced　veteran　of　the　scouts；　whose　charter mark　was　almost　invisible　on　his　weather…beaten　forehead。
“what　do　you　mean？”　asked　sabriel；　but　her　question　was　lost　as　the　driver　pressed　the　starter　switch；　and　the　car　coughed　and　spluttered　into　life；　a　tenor　acpaniment　to　the　bass　cacophony　of　the　trucks　and　tanks。
touchstone　jumped　at　the　sudden　noise　and　vibration；　then　smiled　sheepishly　at　sabriel；　who’d　lightly　rested　her　fingers　on　his　arm；　as　if　calming　a　child。
“what　did　he　mean　‘the　usual　thing’？”　asked　sabriel。
touchstone　looked　at　her；　sadness　and　exhaustion　vying　for　first　place　in　his　gaze。　he　took　her　hand　in　his　own　and　traced　a　line　across　her　palm—a　definite；　ending　sort　of　line。
“oh；”　muttered　sabriel。　she　sniffed　and　looked　at　the　back　of　horyse’s　head；　eyes　blurring；　seeing　only　the　line　of　his　cropped　silver　hair　extending　just　past　his　helmet　rim。
“he　has　a　daughter　the　same　age　as　me；　back　at　。　。　。　somewhere　south；”　she　whispered；　shivering；　clutching　touchstone’s　hand　till　his　fingers　were　as　white　as　her　own。　“why；　oh　why；　does　everything　。　。　。　everyone　。　。　。”
the　car　started　forward　with　a　lurch；　preceded　by　two　motorcycle　outriders　and　followed　by　each　of　the　nine　trucks　in　turn；　carefully　spaced　out　every　hundred　yards。　the　tanks；　with　tracks　screeching　and　clanking；　took　a　side　road　up　to　the　railway　siding　where　they　would　be　loaded　up　and　sent　on　to　wyverley　halt。　it　was　unlikely　they　would　arrive　before　nightfall。　the　road　convoy　would　be　at　docky　point　before　six　in　the　afternoon。
sabriel　was　silent　for　the　first　ten　miles；　her　head　bowed；　hand　still　clutching　tightly　on　touchstone’s。　he　sat　silently　too；　but　watching；　looking　out　as　they　left　the　military　zone；　looking　at　the　prosperous　farms　of　ancelstierre；　the　sealed　roads；　the　brick　houses；　the　private　cars　and　horse…drawn　vehicles　that　pulled　off　the　road　in　front　of　them；　cleared　aside　by　the　two　red…capped　military　policemen　on　motorcycles。
“i’m　all　right　now；”　sabriel　said　quietly；　as　they　slowed　to　pass　through　the　town　of　bain。
touchstone　nodded；　still　watching；　staring　at　the　shop　windows　in　the　high　street。　the　townspeople　stared　back；　for　it　was　rare　to　see　soldiers　in　full　perimeter　battle　equipment；　with　sword…bayonets　and　shields—and　sabriel and　touchstone　were　clearly　from　the　old　kingdom。
“we　have　to　stop　by　the　police　station；　and　warn　the　superintendent；”　horyse　announced　as　their　car　pulled　in　next　to　an　imposing　white…walled　edifice　with　two　large；　blue　electric　lanterns　hanging　out　the　front；　and　a　sturdy　sign　proclaiming　it　to　be　the　headquarters　of　the　bainshire　constabulary。
horyse　stood　up；　waved　the　rest　of　the　convoy　on；　then　vaulted　out　and　dashed　up　the　steps；　a　curiously　incongruous　figure　in　mail　and　khaki。　a　constable　descending　the　steps　looked　ready　to　stop　him；　but　stopped　himself　instead　and　saluted。
“i’m　all　right；”　sabriel　repeated。　“you　can　let　go　of　my　hand。”
touchstone　smiled；　and　flexed　his　hand　a　little　in　her　grip。　she　looked　a　bit　puzzled；　then　smiled　too；　her　fingers　slowly　relaxing　till　their　hands　lay　flat　on　the　seat；　little　fingers　just　touching。
in　any　other　town；　a　crowd　would　certainly　have　formed　around　an　army　staff　car　with　two　such　unusual　passengers。　but　this　was　bain；　and　bain　was　close　to　the　wall。　people took　one　look；　saw　charter　marks；　swords　and　armor；　and　went　the　other　way。　those　with　natural　caution；　or　a　touch　of　the　sight；　went　home　and　locked　their　doors　and　shutters；　not　merely　with　steel　and　iron；　but　also　with　sprigs　of　broom　and　rowan。　others；　even　more　cautious；　took　to　the　river　and　its　sandy　islets；　without　even　pretending　to　be　fishing。
horyse　came　out　five　minutes　later；　acpanied　by　a　tall；　serious…looking　man　whose　large　build　and　hawk…like　visage　were　made　slightly　ridiculous　by　a　pair　of　too…small　pince…nez　clinging　to　the　end　of　his　nose。　he　shook　hands　with　the　colonel；　horyse　returned　to　the　car；　and　they　were　off　again；　the　driver　crashing　through　the　gears　with　considerable　skill。
a　few　minutes　later；　before　they’d　left　the　last　buildings　of　the　town；　a　bell　began　to　ring　behind　them；　deep　and　slow。　only　moments　later；　another　followed　from　somewhere　to　the　left；　then　another；　from　up　ahead。　soon；　there　were　bells　ringing　all　around。
“quick　work；”　horyse　shouted　into　the　back　of　the　car。　“the　superintendent　must　have　made　them　practice　in　the　past。”
“the　bells　are　a　warning？”　asked　touchstone。
this　was　something　he　was　familiar　with；　and　he　began　to　feel　more　at　home；　even　with　this　sound；　warning　of　dire　trouble。　he　felt　no　fear　from　it—but　then；　after　facing　the　reservoir　for　a　second　time；　he　felt　that　he　could　cope　with　any　fear。
“yes；”　replied　horyse。　“be　inside　by　nightfall。
lock　all　doors　and　windows。　deny　entry　to　strangers。　shed　light　inside　and　out。　prepare　candles　and　lanterns　for　when　the　electricity　fails。
wear　silver。　if　caught　outdoors；　find　running　water。”
“we　used　to　recite　that　in　the　junior　classes；”
sabriel　said。　“but　i　don’t　think　too　many　people　remember　it；　even　the　people　around　here。”
“you’d　be　surprised；　ma’am；”　interrupted　the　driver；　speaking　out　of　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　eyes　never　leaving　the　road。　“the　bells　haven’t　rung　like　this　in