《Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)》第82章

idn’t　doubt　that　the　rest　of　the　school　would　be　lining　the　corridors　behind　them；　all　agog　to　hear　what　the　motion　was　all　about。
just　as　mrs。　umbrade　reached　her　staff；　all　the　lights　went　out。　for　a　moment；　there　was　total；　shocked　quiet；　then　the　noise　redoubled。　girls　screaming；　soldiers　shouting；　crashes　and　bangs　as　people　ran　into　things　and　each　other。
sabriel　stood　where　she　was；　and　conjured　the　charter　marks　for　light。　they　came　easily；　flowing　down　to　her　fingertips　like　cool　water　from　a　shower。　she　let　them　hang　there　for　a　moment； then　cast　them　at　the　ceiling；　drops　of　light　that　grew　to　the　size　of　dinner　plates　and　cast　a　steady　yellow　light　all　down　the　hall。　someone　else　was　also　casting　similar　lights　down　by　mrs。
umbrade；　and　sabriel　recognized　the　work　of　magistrix　greenwood。　she　smiled　at　that　recognition；　a　slight；　upturning　of　just　one　side　of　her　mouth。　she　knew　the　lights　had　gone　out　because　kerrigor　had　passed　the　electric　substation；　and　that　was　halfway　between　the　school　and　the　village。
as　expected；　mrs。　umbrade　wasn’t　telling　her　teachers　anything　useful—just　going　on　about　rudeness　and　some　general。　sabriel　saw　the　magistrix　behind　the　tall；　bent　figure　of　the　senior　science　mistress；　and　waved。
“and　i　was　never　more　shocked　to　see　one　of　our—”　mrs。　umbrade　was　saying；　when　sabriel　stepped　up　next　to　her　and　gently　laid　the　marks　of　silence　and　immobility　on　the　back　of　her　neck。
“i’m　sorry　to　interrupt；”　sabriel　said；　standing　next　to　the　temporarily　frozen　form　of　the　headmistress。
“but　this　is　an　emergency。　as　you　can　see；　the　army　is　temporarily　taking　over。　i　am　assisting　colonel　horyse；　who　is　in　charge。　now； we　need　all　the　girls　in　the　two　senior　magic　classes　to　e　down　to　the　great　hall—with　you；　magistrix　greenwood；　please。　everyone　else—students；　staff；　gardeners；　everyone—must　go　to　the　top　floors　of　the　north　tower　and　barricade　yourselves　in。　till　dawn　tomorrow。”
“why？”　demanded　mrs。　pearch；　the　mathematics　mistress。　“what’s　all　this　about？”
“something　has　e　from　the　old　kingdom；”　sabriel　replied　shortly；　watching　their　faces　change　as　she　spoke。　“we　will　shortly　be　attacked　by　the　dead。”
“so　there　will　be　danger　to　my　students？”
miss　greenwood　spoke；　pushing　her　way　forward；　between　two　frightened　english　teachers。
she　looked　sabriel　in　the　face；　as　if　in　recognition；　and　then　added；　“abhorsen。”
“there　will　be　danger　to　everyone；”　sabriel　said　bleakly。　“but　without　the　aid　of　the　charter　mages　here；　there　isn’t　even　a　chance　。　。　。”
“well；”　replied　miss　greenwood；　with　some　decision。　“we’d　better　get　organized　then。　i’ll　go　and　fetch　sulyn　and　ellimere。　i　think　they’re　the　only　two　charter　mages　among　the　prefects—　they　can　organize　the　others。　mrs。　pearch；　you’d　better　take　charge　of　the　。　。　。　ah　。　。　。　evacuation　to the　north　tower；　as　i　imagine　mrs。　umbrade　will　be　。　。　。　err　。　。　。　deep　in　thought。　mrs。　swann；　you’d　best　round　up　cook　and　the　maids—get　some　fresh　water；　food　and　candles；　too。　mr。　arkler；　if　you　would　be　so　kind　as　to　fetch　the　swords　from　the　gymnasium　。　。　。”
seeing　that　all　was　under　control；　sabriel　sighed；　and　quickly　walked　back　outside；　past　soldiers　stringing　oil　lamps　up　in　the　corridor。　despite　them；　it　was　still　lighter　outside；　the　sky　washed　red　and　orange　with　the　last　sunlight　of　the　day。
touchstone　and　the　scouts　had　the　sarcophagus　down；　and　roped　up。　it　now　seemed　to　glow　with　its　own；　ugly　inner　light；　the　flickering　free　magic　marks　floating　on　the　surface　like　scum；　or　clots　in　blood。　apart　from　the　scouts　pulling　the　ropes；　no　one　went　close　to　it。　soldiers　were　everywhere；　coiling　out　barbed　wire；　filling　sandbags　from　the　rose　gardens；　preparing　firing　positions　on　the　second　floor；　tying　trip　flares。
but　in　all　this　motion；　there　was　an　empty　circle　around　the　glistening　coffin　of　rogir。
sabriel　walked　towards　touchstone；　feeling　the　reluctance　in　her　legs；　her　body　revolting　at　the　thought　of　going　any　closer　to　the　bloody　luminescence　of　the　sarcophagus。　it　seemed　to radiate　stronger　waves　of　nausea　now；　now　that　the　sun　had　almost　fled。　in　the　twilight；　it　looked　larger；　stronger；　its　magic　more　forceful　and　malign。
“pull！”　shouted　touchstone；　heaving　on　the　ropes　with　the　soldiers。　“pull！”
slowly；　the　sarcophagus　slid　across　the　old　paving　stones；　inching　towards　the　front　steps；　where　other　soldiers　were　hastily　hammering　a　wooden　ramp　together；　fitting　it　over　the　steps。
sabriel　decided　to　leave　touchstone　to　it；　and　walked　a　little　way　down　the　drive；　to　where　she　could　see　out　the　iron　gates。　she　stood　there；　watching；　her　hands　nervously　running　over　the　handles　of　the　bells。　six　bells；　now—all　probably　ineffective　against　the　awful　might　of　kerrigor。
and　an　unfamilar　sword；　strange　to　her　touch；　even　if　it　was　forged　by　the　wallmaker。
the　wallmaker。　that　reminded　her　of　mogget。
who　knew　what　he　had　been；　that　strange　bination　of　irascible　panion　to　the　abhorsens　and　blazing　free　magic　construct　sworn　to　kill　them。　gone　now；　swept　away　by　the　mournful　call　of　astarael　。　。　。
i　left　this　place　knowing　almost　nothing　about　the　old　kingdom；　and　i’ve　e　back　with　not much　more；　sabriel　thought。　i　am　the　most　ignorant　abhorsen　in　centuries；　and　perhaps　one　of　the　most　sorely　tried　。　。　。
a　clatter　of　shots　interrupted　her　thoughts；　followed　by　the　zing　of　a　rocket　arcing　up　into　the　sky；　its　yellow　trail　reaching　down　towards　the　road。　more　shots　followed。　a　rapid　volley—then　sudden　silence。　the　rocket　burst　into　a　white　parachute　flare；　that　slowly　descended。　in　its　harsh；　magnesium　brilliance；　sabriel　saw　fog　rolling　up　the　road；　thick　and　wet；　stretching　back　into　the　dark　as　far　as　she　could　see。
。。
chapter　xxviii
大＿
sabriel　forced　herself　to　walk　back　to　the　main　doors；　rather　than　break　into　a　screaming　run。　lots　of　soldiers　could　see　her—　they　were　still　placing　lanterns　out　in　lines；　radiating　out　from　the　steps；　and　several　soldiers　were　holding　a　coil　of　concertina　wire；　waiting　to　bounce　it　out。　they　looked　anxiously　at　her　as　she　passed。
the　sarcophagus　was　just　slipping