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！
ed sun of autumn on the ancelstierran side。 here； the snow lay banked against the grey stone； and it was overcast； with the sun almost gone。 dark enough for the dead to be wandering around。
touchstone鈥檚 smile faded as he caught her mood； and he took his swords from the paperwing； giving the left sword to sabriel。 she sheathed it； but it was a bad fit鈥攁nother reminder of loss。
鈥渋鈥檇 better get the books； too；鈥潯he said； bending in to retrieve them from the cockpit。 the two charter magic books were fine； untouched by snow； but the book of the dead seemed wet。
when sabriel pulled it out； she found it wasn鈥檛 snow…wet。 beads of dark； thick blood were welling up out of its cover。 silently； sabriel wiped it on the hard crust of the snow； leaving a livid mark。 then she tucked the books away in the pockets of her coat。
鈥渨hy 。 。 。 why was the book like that？鈥潯sked touchstone； trying； and almost succeeding； to sound curious rather than afraid。
鈥渋 think it鈥檚 reacting to the presence of many deaths；鈥潯abriel replied。 鈥渢here is great potential here for the dead to rise。 this is a very weak point鈥斺��
鈥渟hhh！鈥潯ouchstone interrupted her； pointing towards the wall。 shapes； dark against the snow； were moving in an extended line towards them； at a deliberate； steady pace。 they carried bows and spears； and sabriel； at least； recognized the rifles slung across their backs。
鈥渋t鈥檚 all right；鈥潯abriel said； though a faint stab of nervousness touched her stomach。 鈥渢hey鈥檙e soldiers from the ancelstierran side鈥攕till； i might send the paperwing on its way 。 。 。鈥�
quickly； she checked that they鈥檇 taken everything from the cockpit； then laid her hand on the nose of the paperwing； just above its twinkling eye。 it seemed to look up at her as she spoke。
鈥済o now； friend。 i don鈥檛 want to risk you being dragged into ancelstierre and taken apart。
fly where you will鈥攖o the clayr鈥檚 glacier； or； if you care to； to abhorsen鈥檚 house； where the water falls。鈥�
she stepped back； and formed the charter marks that would imbue the paperwing with choice； and the winds to lift it there。 the marks went into her whistle； and the paperwing moved with the rising pitch； accelerating along till it leapt into the sky at the peak of the highest note。
鈥渋 say！鈥潯xclaimed a voice。 鈥渉ow did you do that？鈥�
sabriel turned to see a young； out…of…breath ancelstierran officer； the single gold pip of a second lieutenant looking lonely on his shoulderstraps。
he was easily fifty yards in front of the rest of the line； but he didn鈥檛 seem frightened。 he was clutching a sword and a revolver； though； and he raised both of them as sabriel stepped forward。
鈥渉alt！ you are my prisoners！鈥�
鈥渁ctually； we鈥檙e travelers；鈥潯eplied sabriel； though she did stand still。 鈥渋s that colonel horyse i can see behind you？鈥�
jorbert turned half around to have a look； realized his mistake； and turned back just in time to see sabriel and touchstone smiling； then chuckling； then out…and…out laughing； clutching at each other鈥檚 arms。
鈥渨hat鈥檚 so funny？鈥潯emanded lieutenant jorbert； as the two of them laughed and laughed； till the tears ran down their cheeks。
鈥渘othing；鈥潯aid horyse； gesturing to his men to encircle sabriel and touchstone； while he went up and carefully placed two fingers on their foreheads鈥攖esting the charter they bore within。 satisfied； he lightly shook them； till they stopped their shuddering； gasping laughter。
then； to the surprise of some of his men； he put an arm around each of them and led them back to the crossing point； towards ancelstierre and sunshine。
jorbert； left to cover the withdrawal； indignantly asked the air； 鈥渨hat was so funny？鈥�
鈥測ou heard the colonel；鈥潯eplied regimental sergeant…major tawklish。 鈥渘othing。 that was an hysterical reaction； that was。 they鈥檝e been through a lot； those two； mark my words。鈥�
then； in the way that only rsms have with junior officers； he paused； crushing jorbert pletely with a judicious； and long delayed 鈥渟ir。鈥�
the warmth wrapped sabriel like a soft blanket as they stepped out of the shadow of the wall； into the relative heat of an ancelstierran autumn。 she felt touchstone falter at her side； and stumble； his face staring blindly upwards to the sun。
鈥測ou both look done in；鈥潯aid horyse； speaking in the kindly； slow tone he used on shellshocked soldiers。 鈥渉ow about something to eat； or would you rather get some sleep first？鈥�
鈥渟omething to eat； certainly；鈥潯abriel replied； trying to give him a grateful smile。 鈥渂ut not sleep。 there鈥檚 no time for that。 tell me鈥攚hen was the full moon？ two days ago？鈥�
horyse looked at her； thinking that she no longer reminded him of his own daughter。
she had bee abhorsen； a person beyond his ken； in such a short time 。 。 。
鈥渋t鈥檚 tonight；鈥潯e said。
鈥渂ut i鈥檝e been in the old kingdom at least sixteen days 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢ime is strange between the kingdoms；鈥�
horyse said。 鈥渨e鈥檝e had patrols swear they were out for two weeks； ing back in after eight days。 a headache for the paymaster 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渢hat voice； ing from the box on the pole；鈥�
touchstone interrupted； as they left the zigzag path through the wire defenses and climbed down into a narrow munication trench。 鈥渢here is no charter magic in the box； or the voice 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渁h；鈥潯eplied horyse； looking ahead to where a loudspeaker was announcing stand…down。 鈥渋鈥檓 surprised it鈥檚 working。 electricity runs that； mr。
touchstone。 science； not magic。鈥�
鈥渋t won鈥檛 be working tonight；鈥潯abriel said quietly。 鈥渘o technology will be。鈥�
鈥測es； it is rather loud；鈥潯oryse said； in a strong voice。 more softly； he added； 鈥減lease don鈥檛 say anything more till we get to my dugout。 the men have already picked something up about tonight and the full moon 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渙f course；鈥潯eplied sabriel； wearily。 鈥渋鈥檓 sorry。鈥�
they walked the rest of the way in silence； slogging along the zigzagging munication trench； passing soldiers in the fighting trenches； ready at their stand…to positions。 the soldier鈥檚 conversations stopped as they passed； but resumed as soon as they turned the next zig or zag and were out of sight。
at last； they descended a series of steps into colonel horyse鈥檚 dugout。 two sergeants stood guard outside鈥攖his time； charter mages from the crossing point scouts； not the regular garrison infantry。 another soldier doubled off to the cookhouse； to fetch some food。 horyse busied himself with a small spirit…burner； and made tea。
sabriel drank it without feeling much relief。
ancelstierre； and the universal forter of its society鈥攖ea鈥攏o longer seemed as solid and dependable as she had once thought。
鈥渘ow；鈥潯aid horyse。 鈥渢ell me why you don鈥檛 have time to sleep。鈥�
鈥渕y father died yesterday；鈥潯abriel said； stony…faced。 鈥渢he wind flutes will fail tonight。
at moonrise。 the dead here will rise with the moon。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry to hear about your father。 very sorry；鈥潯oryse said。 he hesitated； then added； 鈥渂ut as you are here now； can鈥檛 you bind the dead anew？鈥�
鈥渋f that w