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“i can hear voices；” exclaimed sabriel at the same time； her ears full of half…caught words； laughter； distant singing。
“i can see time；” whispered mogget； so softly that his words were lost。
then the doors were open。 they walked through； shielding their eyes against the sun； feeling the cool breeze sharp on their skin； the fresh scent of pine trees clearing their nostrils of underground dust。 mogget sneezed quickly three times； and ran about in a tight circle。 the doors slid shut behind them； as silently and inexplicably as they’d opened。
they stood in a small clearing in the middle of a pine forest； or plantation； for the trees were regularly spaced。 the doors behind them stood in the side of a low hillock of turf and stunted bushes。 pine needles lay thick on the ground； pinecones peeking through every few paces； like skulls ploughed up on some ancient battleground。
“the watchwood；” said touchstone。 he took several deep breaths； looked at the sky； and sighed。 “it is winter； i think—or early spring？”
“winter；” replied sabriel。 “it was snowing quite heavily； back near the wall。 it seems much milder here。”
“most of the wall； the long cliffs； and abhorsen’s house； are on； or part of； the southern plateau；” mogget explained。 “the plateau is between one and two thousand feet above the coastal plain。 in fact； the area around nestowe； where we are headed； is mostly below sea level and has been reclaimed。”
“yes；” said touchstone。 “i remember。 long dyke； the raised canals； the wind pumps to raise the water—”
“you’re both very informative for a change；”
remarked sabriel。 “would one of you care to tell me something i really want to know； like what are the great charters？”
“i can’t；” mogget and touchstone said together。
then touchstone continued； haltingly； “there is a spell 。 。 。 a binding on us。 but someone who is not a charter mage； or otherwise closely bound to the charter； might be able to speak。 a child； perhaps； baptized with the charter mark； but not grown into power。”
“you’re cleverer than i thought；” mented mogget。 “not that that’s saying much。”
“a child；” said sabriel。 “why would a child know？”
“if you’d had a proper education； you’d know too；” said mogget。 “a waste of good silver； that school of yours。”
“perhaps；” agreed sabriel。 “but now that i know more of the old kingdom； i suspect being at school in ancelstierre saved my life。 but enough of that。 which way do we go now？”
touchstone looked at the sky； blue above the clearing； dark where the pines circled。 the sun was just visible above the trees； perhaps an hour short of its noon…time zenith。 touchstone looked from it to the shadows of the trees； then pointed： “east。 there should be a series of charter stones； leading from here to the eastern edge of the watchwood。 this place is heavily warded with magic。 there are 。 。 。 there were； many stones。”
the stones were still there； and after the first； some sort of animal track that meandered from one stone to the next。 it was cool under the pines； but pleasant； the constant presence of the charter stones a reassuring sensation to sabriel and touchstone； who could sense them like lighthouses in a sea of trees。
there were seven stones in all； and none of them broken； though sabriel felt a stab of nervous tension every time they left the ambience of one and moved to another； a stark picture always flashing into her head—the bloodstained； riven stone of cloven crest。
the last stone stood on the very edge of the pine forest； atop a granite bluff thirty or forty yards high； marking the forest’s eastern edge and the end of high ground。
they stood next to the stone and looked out； out towards the huge expanse of blue…grey sea； white…crested； restless； always rolling in to shore。
below them were the flat； sunken fields of nestowe； maintained by a network of raised canals； pumps and dykes。 the village itself lay three…quarters of a mile away； high on another granite bluff； the harbor out of sight on the other side。
“the fields are flooded；” said touchstone； in a puzzled tone； as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing。
sabriel followed his gaze； and saw that what she had taken for some crop was actually silt and water； sitting tepidly where food once grew。
windmills； power for the pumps； stood silent； trefoil…shaped vanes still atop scaffolding towers； even though a salt…laden breeze blew in from the sea。
“but the pumps were charter…spelled；”
touchstone exclaimed。 “to follow the wind； to work without care 。 。 。”
“there are no people in the fields—no one on this side of the village；” mogget added； his eyes keener than the telescope in sabriel’s pack。
“nestowe’s charter stone must be broken；”
sabriel said； mouth tight； words cold。 “and i can smell a certain stench on the breeze。 there are dead in the village。”
“a boat would be the quickest way to belisaere； and i am reasonably confident of my sailing；” touchstone remarked。 “but if the dead are there； shouldn’t we 。 。 。”
“we’ll go down and get a boat；” sabriel announced firmly。 “while the sun is high。”
。。
chapter xvi
/小。说＋
there was a built…up path through the flooded fields； but it was submerged to ankle…depth； with occasional thigh…high slippages。
only the raised canal drains stood well above the brackish water； and they all ran towards the east； not towards the village； so sabriel and touchstone were forced to wade along the path。 mogget； of course； rode； his lean form draped around sabriel’s neck like a white fox fur。
water and mud； coupled with an uncertain path； made it slow going。 it took an hour to cover less than a mile； so it was later in the afternoon than sabriel would have wished when they finally climbed out of the water； up onto the beginnings of the village’s rocky mount。 at least the sky is clear； sabriel thought； glancing up。 the winter sun wasn’t particularly hot and couldn’t be described as glaring； but it would certainly deter most kindred of the lesser dead from venturing out。
nevertheless； they walked carefully up to the village； swords loose； sabriel with a