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！
feated for them to have any hope of repairing the stones of the great charter鈥敗 anishing the dead across the kingdom 。 。 。
鈥渨e鈥檒l go straight to the reservoir；鈥潯abriel said； heavily； trying to blank out a sudden fragment of visual memory； sunlight on that little boy鈥檚 head； the trudging feet 。 。 。
鈥減erhaps we 。 。 。 perhaps we will be able to rescue the children on the way back。鈥�
touchstone led the way with confidence； keeping to the middle of the streets； where the sun was bright。 for almost an hour； they strode up empty； deserted streets； the only sound the clacking of their boot…nails on the cobbles。 there were no birds； or animals。 not even insects。 just ruin and decay。
finally； they reached an iron…fenced park that ran around the base of palace hill。 atop the hill； blackened； burnt…out shells of tumbled stone and timber were all that remained of the royal palace。
鈥渢he last regent burned it；鈥潯aid mogget； as all three stopped to look up。 鈥渁bout twenty years ago。 it was being infested with the dead； despite all the guards and wards that various visiting abhorsens put up。 they say the regent went mad and tried to burn them out。鈥�
鈥渨hat happened to him？鈥潯sked sabriel。
鈥渉er； actually；鈥潯eplied mogget。 鈥渟he died in the fire鈥攐r the dead took her。 and that marked the end of any attempt at governing the kingdom。鈥�
鈥渋t was a beautiful building；鈥潯ouchstone reminisced。 鈥測ou 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 。 。 。鈥�
he sighed； and pointed at a hole in the park fence。
鈥渨e might as well go through here。 there鈥檚 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。鈥�
鈥渙ne hundred and fifty…six；鈥潯aid mogget。 鈥渁s i recall。鈥�
touchstone shrugged； and climbed through the hole； onto the springy turf of the park。 there was no one鈥攁nd no thing鈥攊n 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鈥櫋alk 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。
鈥渋t only goes back about forty paces into the hill；鈥潯ouchstone explained； as they lit their candles by the entrance； sulphur matches adding their own noisome stench to the dank air of the cave。 鈥渢hey 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鈥檚 narrow。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檒l go first then；鈥潯aid sabriel； with a firmness that belied the weakness in her legs and the fluttering in her stomach。 鈥渋 can鈥檛 sense any dead； but they could be there 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渧ery well；鈥潯aid touchstone； after a moment鈥檚 hesitation。
鈥測ou don鈥檛 have to e； you know；鈥潯abriel 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鈥檇 seen terrible things in the reservoir； things that had once driven him mad； and despite his self…accusation； sabriel didn鈥檛 believe it was his fault。 it wasn鈥檛 his father down there。 he wasn鈥檛 an abhorsen。
鈥渋 do have to；鈥潯ouchstone replied。 he bit his lower lip nervously。 鈥渋 have to。 i鈥檒l 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。鈥�
鈥渟o be it；鈥潯aid sabriel。 鈥渁nyway； i鈥檓 glad you鈥檙e here。鈥�
鈥渋 am too鈥攊n a strange sort of way；鈥潯aid touchstone； and he almost； but not quite； smiled。
鈥渋鈥檓 not；鈥潯nterrupted mogget； decidedly。
鈥渓et鈥檚 get on with it。 we鈥檙e wasting sunlight。鈥�
the door was locked； but opened easily to sabriel鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥攁 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鈥檛 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 plex study of light and shade； but the center remained unknown； cloaked in heavy darkness。
sabriel felt touchstone touch her shoulder； then she heard his whisper。
鈥渋t鈥檚 about waist…deep。 try and slip in as quietly as possible。 here鈥攊鈥檒l take your candle。鈥�
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鈥檚 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； broke