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Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第60章

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“what happened to him?” asked sabriel。

“her; actually;” replied mogget。 “she died in the fire—or the dead took her。 and that marked the end of any attempt at governing the kingdom。”

“it was a beautiful building;” touchstone reminisced。 “you could see out over the saere。 it had high ceilings; and a clever system of vents and shafts to catch the light and the sea breeze。

there was always music and dancing somewhere in the palace; and midsummer dinner on the garden roof; with a thousand scented candles burning 。 。 。”

he sighed; and pointed at a hole in the park fence。

“we might as well go through here。 there’s an entrance to the reservoir in one of the ornamental caves in the park。 only fifty steps down to the water; rather than the hundred and fifty from the palace proper。”

“one hundred and fifty…six;” said mogget。 “as i recall。”

touchstone shrugged; and climbed through the hole; onto the springy turf of the park。 there was no one—and no thing—in sight; but he drew his swords anyway。 there were large trees nearby; and accordingly; shadows。

sabriel followed; mogget jumping down from her shoulders to saunter forward and sniff the air。

sabriel drew her sword too; but left the bells。

there were dead about; but none close。 the park was too open in daylight。

the ornamental caves were only five minutes’ walk away; past a fetid pond that had once boasted seven water…spouting statues of bearded tritons。 now their mouths were clogged with rotten leaves; and the pond was almost solid with yellow…green slime。

there were three cave entrances; side by side。

touchstone led them to the largest; central entrance。 marble steps led down the first three or four feet; and marble pillars supported the entrance ceiling。

“it only goes back about forty paces into the hill;” touchstone explained; as they lit their candles by the entrance; sulphur matches adding their own noisome stench to the dank air of the cave。 “they were built for picnics in high summer。

there is a door at the back of this one。 it may be locked; but should yield to a charterspell。

the steps are directly behind; and pretty straight; but there are no light shafts。 and it’s narrow。”

“i’ll go first then;” said sabriel; with a firmness that belied the weakness in her legs and the fluttering in her stomach。 “i can’t sense any dead; but they could be there 。 。 。”

“very well;” said touchstone; after a moment’s hesitation。

“you don’t have to e; you know;” sabriel suddenly burst out; as they stood in front of the cave; candles flickering foolishly in the sunshine。

she suddenly felt awfully responsible for him。 he looked scared; much whiter than he should; almost as pale as a death…leeched necromancer。

he’d seen terrible things in the reservoir; things that had once driven him mad; and despite his self…accusation; sabriel didn’t believe it was his fault。 it wasn’t his father down there。 he wasn’t an abhorsen。

“i do have to;” touchstone replied。 he bit his lower lip nervously。 “i have to。 i’ll never be free of my memories; otherwise。 i have to do something; make new memories; better ones。 i need to 。 。 。 seek redemption。 besides; i am still a member of the royal guard。 it is my duty。”

“so be it;” said sabriel。 “anyway; i’m glad you’re here。”

“i am too—in a strange sort of way;” said touchstone; and he almost; but not quite; smiled。

“i’m not;” interrupted mogget; decidedly。

“let’s get on with it。 we’re wasting sunlight。”

the door was locked; but opened easily to sabriel’s spell; the simple charter symbols of unlocking and opening flowing from her mind through to her index finger; which lay against the keyhole。 but though the spell was successful; it had been difficult to cast。 even up here; the broken stones of the great charter exerted an influence that disrupted charter magic。

the faint candlelight showed damp; crumbly steps; leading straight down。 no curves or turns; just a straight stair leading into darkness。

sabriel trod gingerly; feeling the soft stone crumble under her heavy boots; so she had to keep her heels well back on each step。 this made for slow progress; with touchstone close behind her; the light from his candle casting sabriel’s shadow down the steps in front; so she saw herself elongated and distorted; sliding into the dark beyond the light。

she smelled the reservoir before she saw it; somewhere around the thirty…ninth step。 a chill; damp smell that cut into her nose and lungs; and  filled her with the impression of a cold expanse。

then the steps ended in a doorway on the edge of a vast; rectangular hall—a giant chamber where stone columns rose up like a forest to support a roof sixty feet above her head; and the floor before her wasn’t stone; but water as cold and still as stone。 around the walls; pallid shafts of sunlight thrust down in counterpoint to the supporting columns; leaving discs of light on the water。 these made the rim of the reservoir a pletudy of light and shade; but the center remained unknown; cloaked in heavy darkness。

sabriel felt touchstone touch her shoulder; then she heard his whisper。

“it’s about waist…deep。 try and slip in as quietly as possible。 here—i’ll take your candle。”

sabriel nodded; passed the candle back; sheathed her sword; and sat down on the last step; before slowly easing herself into the water。

it was cold; but not unbearable。 despite sabriel’s care; ripples spread out from her; silver on the dark water; and there had been the tiniest splash。 her feet touched the bottom; and she only half stifled a gasp。 not from the cold; but  from the sudden awareness of the two broken stones of the great charter。 it hit her like the savage onset of gastric flu; bringing stomach cramps; sudden sweat and dizziness。 bent over; she clutched at the step; till the first pains subsided to a dull ache。 it was much worse than the lesser stones; broken at cloven crest and nestowe。

“what is it?” whispered touchstone。

“ah 。 。 。 the broken stones;” sabriel muttered。

she took a deep breath; willing the pain and disfort away。 “i can stand it。 be careful when you get in。”

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