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sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第25章

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sed servant of abhorsen like mogget seemed to provide more trouble than service。

鈥渄o you have anything positive to say鈥攁nything that might actually help?鈥潯he snapped。

mogget yawned; showing a pink tongue that seemed to contain the very essence of scorn。

鈥渨ell; yes。 of course。 i know the way; so i鈥檇 better e with you。鈥

鈥渆 with me?鈥潯abriel asked; genuinely surprised。 she unclenched her fists; bent down; and scratched between the cat鈥檚 ears; till he ducked away。

鈥渟omeone has to look after you;鈥潯ogget  added。 鈥渁t least till you鈥檝e grown into a real abhorsen。鈥

鈥渢hank you;鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渋 think。 but i would still like a map。 since you know the country so well; would it be possible for you to鈥攊 don鈥檛 know鈥攄escribe it; so i can make a sketch map or something?鈥

mogget coughed; as if a hairball had suddenly lodged in his throat; and thrust his head back a little。 鈥測ou! draw a sketch map? if you must have one; i think it would be better if i undertook the cartography myself。 e down to the study and put out an inkwell and paper。鈥

鈥渁s long as i get a useable map i don鈥檛 care who draws it;鈥潯abriel remarked; as she went backwards down the ladder。 she tilted her head to watch how mogget came down; but there was only the open trapdoor。 a sarcastic meow under her feet announced that mogget had once again managed to get between rooms without visible means of support。

鈥渋nk and paper;鈥潯he cat reminded her; jumping up onto the dragon desk。 鈥渢he thick paper。

smooth side up。 don鈥檛 bother with a quill。鈥

sabriel followed mogget鈥檚 instructions; then watched with a resigned condescension that  rapidly changed to surprise as the cat crouched by the square of paper; his strange shadow falling on it like a dark cloak thrown across sand; pink tongue out in concentration。 mogget seemed to think for a moment; then one bright ivory claw shot out from a white pad鈥攈e delicately inked the claw in the inkwell; and began to draw。 first; a rough outline; in swift; bold strokes; the penning in of the major geographical features; then the delicate process of adding important sites; each named in fine; spidery writing。 last of all; mogget marked abhorsen鈥檚 house with a small illustration; before leaning back to admire his handiwork; and lick the ink from his paw。 sabriel waited a few seconds to be sure he was done; then cast drying sand over the paper; her eyes trying to absorb every detail; intent on learning the physical face of the old kingdom。

鈥測ou can look at it later;鈥潯ogget said after a few minutes; when his paw was clean; but sabriel was still bent over the table; nose inches from the map。 鈥渨e鈥檙e still in a hurry。 you鈥檇 better go and get dressed; for a start。 do try to be quick。鈥

鈥渋 will。鈥潯abriel smiled; still looking at the map。 鈥渢hank you; mogget。鈥

the sendings had laid out a great pile of clothes and equipment in sabriel鈥檚 room; and four of them were in attendance to help her get everything on and organized。 she had hardly stepped inside before they鈥檇 stripped her indoor dress and slippers off; and she鈥檇 only just managed to remove her own underclothes before ghostly charter…traced hands tickled her sides。

a few seconds later; she was suffering them anyway; as they pulled a thin; cotton…like undergarment over her head; and a pair of baggy drawers up her legs。 next came a linen shirt; then a tunic of doeskin and breeches of supple leather; reinforced with some sort of hard; segmented plates at thighs; knees and shins; not to mention a heavily padded bottom; no doubt designed for riding。

a brief respite followed; lulling sabriel into thinking that might be it; but the sendings had merely been arranging the next layer for immediate fitting。 two of them pushed her arms into a long; armored coat that buckled up at the sides; while the other two unlaced a pair of hobnailed boots and waited。

the coat wasn鈥檛 like anything sabriel had ever worn before; including the mail hauberk she鈥檇 worn in fighting arts lessons at school。 it was as long as an hauberk; with split skirts ing down to her knees and sleeves swallowtailed at her wrists; but it seemed to be entirely made of tiny overlapping plates; much like a fish鈥檚 scales。 they weren鈥檛 metal; either; but some sort of ceramic; or even stone。 much lighter than steel; but clearly very strong; as one sending demonstrated; by cutting down it with a dagger; striking sparks without leaving a scratch。

sabriel thought the boots pleted the ensemble; but as the laces were done up by one pair of sendings; the other pair were back in action。 one raised what appeared to be a blue and silver striped turban; but sabriel; pulling it down to just above her eyebrows; found it to be a cloth…wrapped helmet; made from the same material as the armor。

the other sending waved out a gleaming; deep blue surcoat; dusted with embroidered silver keys that reflected the light in all directions。 it waved the coat to and fro for a moment; then whipped it over sabriel鈥檚 head and adjusted the drape with a practiced motion。 sabriel ran her hand over its silken expanse and discreetly tried to rip  it in one corner; but; for all its apparent fragility; it wouldn鈥檛 tear。

last of all came sword…belt and bell…bandolier。

the sendings brought them to her; but made no attempt to put them on。 sabriel adjusted them herself; carefully arranging bells and scabbard; feeling the familiar weight鈥攂ells across her breast and sword balanced on her hip。 she turned to the mirror and looked at her reflection; both pleased and troubled by what she saw。 she looked petent; professional; a traveler who could look after herself。 at the same time; she looked less like someone called sabriel; and more like the abhorsen; capital letter and all。

she would have looked longer; but the sendings tugged at her sleeves and directed her attention to the bed。 a leather backpack lay open on it and; as sabriel watched; the sendings packed it with her remaining old clothes; including her father鈥檚 oilskin; spare undergarments; tunic and trousers; dried beef and biscuits; a water bottle; and several small leather pouches full of useful things; each of which were painstakingly opened and shown to her: telescope; sulphur matches; clockwork firestarter; medicinal herbs; fishing hooks and line; a sewing kit and a host of other  small essentials。 the three books from the library and the map went into oilskin pouches; and then into an outside pocket。

backpack on; sabriel tried a few basic exercises; and was relieved to find that the armor didn鈥檛 restrict her too much鈥攈ardly at all in fact; though the pack was not something she鈥檇 like to have on in a fight。 she could even touch her toes; so she did; several times; before straightening up to thank the sendings。

they were gone。 instead; there was mogget; stalking mysteriously towards her from the middle of the room。

鈥渨ell; i鈥檓 ready;鈥潯abriel said。

mogget didn鈥檛 answer; but sat at her feet; and made a movement that looked very much like he was going to be sick。 sabriel recoiled; disgusted; then halted; as a small metallic object fell from mogget鈥檚 mou
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