《Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)》第80章

’ll　make　this　dead　bugger—　begging　your　pardon—wish　he’d　stayed　properly　bloody　dead。”
“thank　you；”　sabriel　replied；　uncertainly。
she　knew　the　corporal　didn’t　have　the　sight—　you　could　always　tell—but　his　belief　in　her　was　so　concrete　。　。　。
“he’s　right；”　said　touchstone。　he　gestured　for　her　to　go　in　front　of　him；　making　a　courtly　bow。
“let’s　finish　what　we　came　to　do；　abhorsen。”
sabriel　bowed　back；　in　a　motion　that　had　almost　the　feel　of　ritual　about　it。　the　abhorsen　bowing　to　the　king。　then　she　took　a　deep　breath；　her　face　settling　into　a　determined　mold。
beginning　to　form　the　charter　marks　of　opening　in　her　mind；　she　took　touchstone’s　hand　and　advanced　towards　the　open　cairn；　its　dark；　shadowy　interior　in　stark　contrast　with　the　sunlit　thistles　and　the　tumbled　stones。　behind　her；　touchstone　half…turned　to　take　horyse’s　calloused　hand　as　well；　the　colonel’s　other　hand　already　gripping　lieutenant　aire’s；　aire　gripping　a　sergeant’s；　the　sergeant　the　long…service　corporal’s；　and　so　on　down　the　hillside。　fourteen　charter　mages　in　all；　if　only　two　of　the　first　rank。
sabriel　felt　the　charter　magic　welling　up　the　line；　the　marks　glowing　brighter　and　brighter　in　her　mind；　till　she　almost　lost　her　normal　vision　in　their　brilliance。　she　shuffled　forwards　into　the　cairn；　each　step　bringing　that　all…too…familiar　nausea；　the　pins　and　needles；　uncontrollable　shaking。　but　the　marks　were　strong　in　her　mind；　stronger　than　the　sickness。
she　reached　the　bronze　sarcophagus；　slapped　her　hand　down　and　let　the　charter　magic　go。
instantly；　there　was　an　explosion　of　light；　and　a　terrible　scream　echoed　all　through　the　cairn。　the　bronze　grew　hot；　and　sabriel　snatched　back　her　hand；　the　palm　red　and　blistered。　a　second　later；　steam　billowed　out　all　around　the　sarcophagus；　great　gouts　of　scalding　steam；　forcing　sabriel　out；　the　whole　line　going　down　like　dominoes；　tumbling　out　of　the　cairn　and　down　the　hill。
sabriel　and　touchstone　were　thrown　together；　about　five　yards　down　from　the　entrance　to　the　cairn。　somehow；　sabriel’s　head　had　landed　on　touchstone’s　stomach。　his　head　was　on　a　thistle；　but　both　of　them　lay　still　for　a　moment；　drained　by　the　magic　and　the　strength　of　the　free　magic　defenses。　they　looked　up　at　the　blue　sky；　already　tinged　with　the　red　of　the　impending　sunset。
around　them　there　was　much　swearing　and　cursing；　as　the　soldiers　picked　themselves　up。
“it　didn’t　open；”　sabriel　said；　in　a　quiet；　matter…of…fact　voice。　“we　don’t　have　the　power；　or　the　skill—”
she　paused；　and　then　added；　“i　wish　mogget　wasn’t　。　。　。　i　wish　he　was　here。　he’d　think　of　something　。　。　。”
touchstone　was　silent；　then　he　said；　“we　need　more　charter　mages—it　would　work　if　the　marks　were　reinforced　enough。”
“more　charter　mages；”　sabriel　said　tiredly。
“we’re　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　wall　。　。　。”
“what　about　your　school？”　asked　touchstone；　and　then　“ow！”　as　sabriel　suddenly　shot　up；　disrupting　his　balance；　then　“ow！”　again　as　she　bent　down　and　kissed　him；　pushing　his　head　further　into　the　thistle。
“touchstone！　i　should　have　thought　。　。　。　the　senior　magic　classes。　there　must　be　thirty…five　girls　with　the　charter　mark　and　the　basic　skills。”
“good；”　muttered　touchstone；　from　the　depths　of　the　thistle。　sabriel　put　out　her　hands；　and　helped　him　up；　smelling　the　sweat　on　him；　and　the　fresh；　pungent　odor　of　crushed　thistles。
he　was　halfway　up　when　she　suddenly　seemed　to　lose　her　enthusiasm；　and　he　almost　fell　back　down　again。
“the　girls　are　there；”　said　sabriel；　slowly；　as　if　thinking　aloud。　“but　have　i　any　right　to　involve　them　in　something　that　。　。　。”
“they’re　involved　anyway；”　interrupted　touchstone。　“the　only　reason　that　ancelstierre isn’t　like　the　old　kingdom　is　the　wall；　and　it　won’t　last　once　kerrigor　breaks　the　remaining　stones。”
“they’re　only　schoolchildren；”　sabriel　said　sadly。　“for　all　we　always　thought　we　were　grown　women。”
“we　need　them；”　said　touchstone；　again。
“yes；”　said　sabriel；　turning　back　towards　the　knot　of　men　gathered　as　close　as　they　dared　to　the　cairn。　horyse；　and　some　of　the　stronger　charter　mages；　peering　back　towards　the　entrance　and　the　shimmering　bronze　within。
“the　spell　failed；”　sabriel　said。　“but　touchstone　has　just　reminded　me　where　we　can　get　more　charter　mages。”
horyse　looked　at　her；　urgency　in　his　face。
“where？”
“wyverley　college。　my　old　school。　the　fifth　and　sixth　form　magic　classes；　and　their　teacher；　magistrix　greenwood。　it’s　less　than　a　mile　away。”
“i　don’t　think　we’ve　got　time　to　get　a　message　there；　and　get　them　over　here；”　horyse　began；　looking　up　at　the　setting　sun；　then　at　his　watch—　which　was　now　going　backwards。　he　looked　puzzled　for　a　moment；　then　ignored　it。　“but　。　。　。
do　you　think　it　would　be　possible　to　move　the　sarcophagus？”
sabriel　thought　about　the　protective　spell　that　she’d　encountered；　then　answered。　“yes。　most　of　the　wards　were　on　the　cairn；　for　concealment。
there’s　nothing　to　stop　us　moving　the　sarcophagus；　save　the　side　effects　of　the　free　magic。　if　we　can　stand　the　sickness；　we　can　shift　it—”
“and　wyverly　college—it’s　an　old；　solid　building？”
“more　like　a　castle　than　anything；”　replied　sabriel；　seeing　the　way　he　was　thinking。　“easier　to　defend　than　this　hill。”
“running　water　。　。　。　no？　that　would　be　too　much　to　hope　for。　right！　private　macking；　run　down　to　major　tindall　and　tell　him　that　i　want　his　pany　ready　to　move　in　two　minutes。
we’re　going　back　to　the　trucks；　then　on　to　wyverley　college—it’s　on　the　map；　about　a　mile　。　。　。”
“south…west；”　sabriel　provided。
“south…west。　repeat　that　back。”
private　macking　repeated　the　message　in　a　slow　drawl；　then　ran　off；　clearly　keen　to　get　away　from　the　cairn。　horyse　turned　to　the　longservice　corporal　and　said；　“corporal　anshey。
you　look　pretty　fit。　do　you　think　you　could　get　a　rope　around　that　coffin？”
“reckon　so；　sir；”　replied　corporal　anshey。　he　detached　a　coil　of　rope　from　his　webbing　as　he　spoke；　and　gestured　with　his　hand　to　the　other　soldiers。
“e　on　you　blokes；　get　yer　ropes　out。”
twenty　minutes　later；　the　sarcophagus　was　being　lifte