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kingdom sinks day by day； into a darkness from which no one will rise 。 。 。”
“the charter—” sabriel began； but mogget interrupted with a yowl of derision。
“the charter crumbles too；” he mewed。
“without a ruler； charter stones broken one by one with blood； one of the great charters twi 。 。 。 twis 。 。 。 twisted—”
“what do you mean； one of the great charters？” sabriel interrupted in turn。 she had never heard of such a thing。 not for the first time； she also wondered what she’d been taught in school； and why her father had kept so quiet about the state of the old kingdom。
but mogget was silent； as if the things he’d already said had stopped his mouth。 for a moment； he seemed to be trying to form words； but nothing came from his small red mouth。
finally； he gave up。 “i cannot tell you。 it’s part of my binding； curse it！ suffice to say that the whole world slides into evil； and many are helping the slide。”
“and others resist it；” said sabriel。 “like my father。 like me。”
“it depends what you do；” mogget said； as if he doubted that someone as patently useless as sabriel would make much difference。 “not that i care—”
the sound of the trapdoor opening above their heads stopped the cat in mid…speech。
sabriel tensed； looking up to see what was ing down the ladder； then started breathing again as she realized that it was only another charter sending； its black habit flopping over the rungs of the ladder as it came down。 this one； like the guards on the cliff corridor—but unlike the other house servants—had the silver key emblazoned on its chest and back。 it bowed to sabriel； and pointed up。
with a feeling of foreboding； sabriel knew that it wanted her to look at something from the observatory。 reluctantly； she pushed her chair back and went over to the ladder。 a cold draft was blowing in through the open trapdoor； carrying with it the chill of ice from further up the river。 sabriel shivered； as her hands touched the cold metal rungs。
emerging into the observatory； the chill passed； for the room was still lit by the last； red light of the setting sun； giving an illusion of warmth and making sabriel squint。 she had no memory of this room； so it was with delight that she saw that it was totally walled in glass； or something like it。 the bare beams of the redtiled roof rested on transparent walls； so cleverly morticed together that the roof was like a work of art； plete with the slight draft that reduced its perfection to a more human level。
a large telescope of gleaming glass and bronze dominated the observatory； standing triumphant on a tripod of dark wood and darker iron。 a tall observer’s stool stood next to it； and a lectern； a star chart still spilled across it。 a thick； toe wriggle…inviting carpet lay under all； a carpet that was also a map of the heavens； showing many different； colorful constellations and whirling planets； woven in thick； richly dyed wool。
the sending； who had followed sabriel； went to the south wall and pointed out towards the southern riverbank； its pallid； charter…drawn hand indicating the very spot where sabriel had emerged after her underground flight from the mordicant。
sabriel looked there； shielding her right eye from the west…falling sun。 her gaze crossed the white tops of the river and was drawn to the ledge； despite an inner quailing about what she would see。
as she feared； the mordicant was still there。
but with what she had e to think of as her death sight； sabriel sensed it was quiescent； temporarily just an unpleasant statue； a foreground to other； more active shapes that bustled about in some activity behind。
sabriel stared a little longer； then went to the telescope； narrowly avoiding mogget； who had somehow appeared underfoot。 sabriel wondered how he had got up the ladder； then dismissed the thought as she concentrated on what was happening outside。
unaided； she hadn’t been certain what the shapes around the mordicant were； but they sprang sharply at her through the telescope； drawn so close she felt she could somehow lean forward and snatch them away。
they were men and women—living； breathing people。 each was shackled to a partner’s leg by an iron chain and they shuffled about in these pairs under the dominating presence of the mordicant。 there were scores of them； ing out of the corridor； carrying heavily laden leather buckets or lengths of timber； taking them across the ledge and down the steps to the river。
then they filed back again； buckets empty； timber left behind。
sabriel depressed the telescope a little； and almost growled in exasperation and anger as she saw the scene by the river。 more living slaves were hammering long boxes together from the timber； and these boxes were being filled with earth from the buckets。 as each box was filled； it was pushed out to bridge the gap from shore to stepping…stone and locked in place by slaves hammering iron spikes into the stone。
this particular part of the operation was being directed by something that lurked well back from the river； halfway up the steps。 a manshaped blot of blackest night； a moving silhouette。
a necromancer’s shadow hand； or some free…willed dead spirit that scorned the use of a body。
as sabriel watched； the last of four boxes was thrust out to the first stepping…stone； spiked in place； and then chained to its three adjacent fellows。 one slave； fastening the chain； overbalanced and went headfirst into the water； his shackle…mate following a second later。 their screams； if any； were drowned by the roar of the waterfall as its waters took their bodies。 a few seconds later； sabriel felt their lives snuffed out。
the other slaves at the river’s edge stopped working for a moment； either shocked at the sudden loss； or momentarily made more afraid of the river than their masters。 but the shadow hand on the steps moved towards them； its legs like treacle； pouring down the slope； lapping over each step in turn。 it gestured for some of the nearer slaves to walk across the earth…filled boxes to the stepping…stone。 they did so； to cluster unhappily amid the spray。
the shadow hand hesitated then； but the mordicant on the ledge a