《Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)》第79章

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。
“did　you　feel　that？”　asked　horyse；　unnecessarily；　as　it　was　clear　from　everyone’s　expressions　and　the　hands　that　had　gone　to　ears　that　they　all　had。
“yes；”　replied　sabriel。　to　a　lesser　extent；　it　was　the　same　sort　of　feeling　the　broken　stones　caused　in　the　reservoir。　“it　will　get　worse；　i’m　afraid；　as　we　get　closer　to　the　sarcophagus。”
“how　far　in　is　it？”
“four　blocks　deep；　i　think；”　said　sabriel。　“or　five。　i　。　。　。　saw　it　。　。　。　from　an　odd　perspective。”
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—all　knew　what　sundown　would　bring。
in　fifteen　minutes；　they’d　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’t　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’s　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。
“are　there　any　preparations　to　be　made　before　we　remove　the　last　blocks？　magical　ones；　i　mean。”
sabriel　thought　for　a　moment；　willing　her　tiredness　away；　then　shook　her　head。　“i　don’t　think　so。　once　we　have　access　to　the　sarcophagus；　we　may　have　to　spell　it　open—i’ll　need　everyone’s　help　for　that。　then；　the　final　rites　on　the　body—the　usual　cremation　spell。　there　will　be　resistance　then；　too。　have　your　men　often　cast　charter　magic　in　concert？”
“unfortunately；　no；”　replied　horyse；　frowning。
“because　the　army　doesn’t　officially　admit　the　existence　of　charter　magic；　everyone　here　is　basically　self…taught。”
“never　mind；”　sabriel　said；　trying　to　sound　confident；　aware　that　everyone　around　her　was　listening。　“we’ll　manage。”
“good；”　replied　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。
“well；　let’s　see　where　our　uninvited　guest　has　got　to；”　horyse　continued；　still　smiling。　“where　does　this　phone　connect　to；　sergeant？”
“bain　police；”　replied　the　signals　sergeant；　winding　the　charging　handle　vigorously。　“and　army　hq　north；　sir。　you’ll　have　to　ask　corporal　synge　to　switch　you。　he’s　on　the　board　at　the　village。”
“good；”　replied　horyse。　“hello。　oh；　synge？　put　me　through　to　bain。　no；　tell　north　you　can’t　get　through　to　me。　yes；　that’s　right；　corporal。
thank　you　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　bainshire　constabulary？　it’s　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！”
he　put　the　handset　down　slowly；　and　pointed　back　up　the　hill。
“the　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’re　up　to？”
“yes；”　replied　sabriel　and　touchstone；　together。
“we’d　better　get　a　move　on　then；”　horyse　announced；　looking　at　his　watch。　“i’d　say　we　now　have　less　than　forty　minutes。”
％％。
chapter　xxvii
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。
“we　will　have　to　spell　it　open；”　she　announced；　with　a　sinking　heart。　“the　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？”
the　soldiers　nodded；　or　said；　“yes；　ma’am。”
one　said；　“yes；　abhorsen。”
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。
“you　can　call　me　sabriel；　if　you　want；”　she　said；　strangely　unsettled　by　what　he　had　called　her。
the　corporal　shook　his　head。　“no；　miss。　i　knew　your　dad。　you’re　just　like　him。　the　abhorsen；　now。　you’ll　make　this　dead　bugger—　begging　your　pardon—wish　he’d　stayed　properly　bloody　dead。”