按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
silence greeted this sally。 touchstone looked away； embarrassed。 mogget looked at her； yawned and shrugged。
鈥渁s it happens； i can鈥檛 think of anything else。
i鈥檝e grown stupid over the millennia鈥攅ven stupider than the abhorsens i serve。鈥�
鈥渋 think it鈥檚 as good a plan as any；鈥潯ouchstone said； unexpectedly。 he hesitated； then added； 鈥渢hough i am afraid。鈥�
鈥渟o am i；鈥潯hispered sabriel。 鈥渂ut if it鈥檚 a sunny day tomorrow； we will go there。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯aid touchstone。 鈥渂efore we grow too afraid。鈥�
w锛贰。xia oshuotx锛础ｏ迹om
chapter xx
leaving the safe； aqueductbounded quarter of belisaere proved to be a more difficult business than entering it； particularly through the northern archway； which led out to a long…abandoned street of derelict houses； winding their way up towards the northern hills of the city。
there were six guards at the archway； and they looked considerably more alert and efficient than the ones who guarded the passage from the docks。 there was also a group of other people ahead of sabriel and touchstone waiting to be let through。 nine men； all with the marks of violence written in their expressions； in the way they spoke and moved。 every one was armed； with weapons ranging from daggers to a broad…bladed axe。 most of them also carried bows鈥攕hort； deeply curved bows； slung on their backs。
鈥渨ho are these people？鈥潯abriel asked touchstone。 鈥渨hy are they going out into the dead part of the city？鈥�
鈥渟cavengers；鈥潯eplied touchstone。 鈥渟ome of the people i spoke to last night mentioned them。
parts of the city were abandoned to the dead very quickly； so there is still plenty of loot to be found。 a risky business； i think 。 。 。鈥�
sabriel nodded thoughtfully and looked back at the men； most of whom were sitting or squatting by the aqueduct wall。 some of them looked back at her； rather suspiciously。 for a moment； she thought they鈥檇 seen the bells under her cloak and recognized her as a necromancer； then she realized that she and touchstone probably looked like rival scavengers。 after all； who else would want to leave the protection of swift water？ she felt a bit like a hard…bitten scavenger。 even freshly cleaned and scrubbed； her clothes and armor were not the sweetest items of wear。 they were also still slightly damp； and the boat cloak that covered her up was on the borderline between damp and wet； because it hadn鈥檛 been hung up properly after washing。 on the positive side； everything had the scent of lemon； for the sign of three lemons washerfolk used lemon…scented soap。
sabriel thought the scavengers had been waiting for the guards； but clearly they had been waiting for something else； which they鈥檇 suddenly sighted behind her。 the sitting or squatting men picked themselves up； grumbling and cursing； and shuffled together into something resembling a line。
sabriel looked over her shoulder to see what they saw鈥攁nd froze。 for ing towards the arch were two men； and about twenty children； children of all ages between six and sixteen。 the men had the same look as the other scavengers； and carried long； four…tongued whips。 the children were manacled at the ankles； the manacles fastened to a long central chain。 one man held the chain； leading the children down the middle of the road。 the other followed behind； plying the air above the small bodies idly with his whip； the four tongues occasionally licking against an ear or the top of a small head。
鈥渋 heard of this too；鈥潯uttered touchstone； moving up closer to sabriel； his hands falling on his sword hilts。 鈥渂ut i thought it was a beer story。 the scavengers use children鈥攕laves鈥攁s decoys； or bait； for the dead。 they leave them in one area； to draw the dead away from where they intend to search。鈥�
鈥渢his is 。 。 。 disgusting！鈥潯aged sabriel。
鈥渋mmoral！ they鈥檙e slavers； not scavengers！ we have to stop it！鈥�
she started forward； mind already forming a charter…spell to blind and confuse the scavengers； but a sharp pain in her neck halted her。
mogget； riding on her shoulders； had dug his claws in just under her chin。 blood trickled down in hairline traces； as he hissed close to her ear。
鈥渨ait！ there are nine scavengers and six guards； with more close by。 what will it profit these children； and all the others who may e； if you are slain？ it is the dead who are at the root of this evil； and abhorsen鈥檚 business is with the dead！鈥�
sabriel stood still； shuddering； tears of rage and anger welling up in the corners of her eyes。 but she didn鈥檛 attack。 just stood； watching the children。
they seemed resigned to their fate； silent； without hope。 they didn鈥檛 even fidget in their chains； standing still； heads bowed； till the scavengers whipped them up again and they broke into a dispirited shuffle towards the archway。
soon； they were beyond the arch； heading up the ruined street； the scavenging team walking slowly behind them。 the sun shone bright on the cobbled street and reflected from armor and weapons鈥攁nd； briefly； from a little boy鈥檚 blond head。 then they were gone； turning right； taking the way towards coiner鈥檚 hill。
sabriel； touchstone and mogget followed after ten minutes spent negotiating with the guards。 at first； the leader； a large man in a gravy…stained leather cuirass； wanted to see an 鈥渙fficial scavenger鈥檚 license；鈥潯ut this was soon translated as a request for bribes。 then it was merely a matter of bargaining； down to the final price of three silver pennies each for sabriel and touchstone； and one for the cat。 strange accounting； sabriel thought； but she was glad mogget stayed silent； not voicing the opinion that he was being undervalued。
past the aqueduct； and the soothing barrier of running water； sabriel felt the immediate presence of the dead。 they were all around； in the ruined houses； in cellars and drains； lurking anywhere the light didn鈥檛 reach。 dormant。 waiting for the night； while the sun shone。
in many ways； the dead of belisaere were direct counterparts of the scavengers。 hiding by day； they took what they could by night。 there were many； many dead in belisaere； but they were weak； cowardly and jealous。 their bined appetite was enormous； but the supply of victims sadly limited。 every morning saw scores of them lose their hold on life； to fall back into death。
but more always came 。 。 。
鈥渢here are thousands of dead here；鈥潯abriel said； eyes darting from side to side。 鈥渢hey鈥檙e weak； for the most part鈥攂ut so many！鈥�
鈥渄o we go straight on to the reservoir？鈥�
touchstone asked。 there was an unspoken question there； sabriel knew。 should they鈥攃ould they鈥攕ave the children first？ she looked at the sky； and the sun； before answering。 they had about four hours of strong sunlight； if no clouds intervened。 little enough time； anyway。 assuming that they could defeat the scavengers； could they leave finding her father till tomorrow？ every day made it less likely his spirit and body could be brought back together。 without him； they couldn鈥檛 defeat kerrigor鈥攁nd kerrigor had to be defeated for them to have any hope of repairing the stones of the great charter鈥敗 anishing the dea