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！
she jumped down from the wagon； and ran over to horyse； who was standing on the steps outside the partially open door； talking to an obscured figure within。 as sabriel got closer； edging through groups of waiting soldiers； she recognized the voice。 it was mrs。 umbrade； the headmistress。
鈥渉ow dare you barge in here！鈥潯he was pronouncing； very pompously。 鈥渋 am a very close personal friend of lieutenant…general farnsley； i鈥檒l have you know鈥攕abriel！鈥�
the sight of sabriel in such strange garb and circumstance seemed to momentarily stun mrs。
umbrade。 in that second of fish…mouthed silence； horyse motioned to his men。 before mrs。 umbrade could protest； they鈥檇 pushed the door wide open； and streams of armed men rushed in； pouring around her startled figure like a flood around an island。
鈥渕rs。 umbrade！鈥潯abriel shouted。 鈥渋 need to talk to miss greenwood urgently； and the girls from the senior magic classes。 you鈥檇 better get the rest of the girls and the staff up to the top floors of the north tower。鈥�
mrs。 umbrade stood； gulping like a goldfish； till horyse suddenly loomed over her and snapped； 鈥渕ove； woman！鈥�
almost before his mouth closed； she was gone。
sabriel looked back to check that touchstone was organizing the shifting of the sarcophagus； then followed her in。
the entrance hall was already blocked by a conga line of soldiers； passing boxes in from the trucks outside； stacking them up all along the walls。 khaki…colored boxes marked 鈥湣！all鈥�
or 鈥渂e wp grenade；鈥潯iled up beneath pictures of prizewinning hockey teams； or giltlettered boards of merit and scholastic brilliance。
the soldiers had also thrown open the doors to the great hall； and were busy in there； closing shutters and piling pews up on their ends against the shuttered windows。
mrs。 umbrade was still in motion at the other end of the entrance hall； bustling along towards a knot of obviously nervous staff。 behind them； peering down from the main stair； was a solid rank of prefects。 behind them； higher up the stair； and just able to see； were several gaggles of nonprefectorial fifth and sixth formers。 sabriel didn鈥檛 doubt that the rest of the school would be lining the corridors behind them； all agog to hear what the motion was all about。
just as mrs。 umbrade reached her staff； all the lights went out。 for a moment； there was total； shocked quiet； then the noise redoubled。 girls screaming； soldiers shouting； crashes and bangs as people ran into things and each other。
sabriel stood where she was； and conjured the charter marks for light。 they came easily； flowing down to her fingertips like cool water from a shower。 she let them hang there for a moment； then cast them at the ceiling； drops of light that grew to the size of dinner plates and cast a steady yellow light all down the hall。 someone else was also casting similar lights down by mrs。
umbrade； and sabriel recognized the work of magistrix greenwood。 she smiled at that recognition； a slight； upturning of just one side of her mouth。 she knew the lights had gone out because kerrigor had passed the electric substation； and that was halfway between the school and the village。
as expected； mrs。 umbrade wasn鈥檛 telling her teachers anything useful鈥攋ust going on about rudeness and some general。 sabriel saw the magistrix behind the tall； bent figure of the senior science mistress； and waved。
鈥渁nd i was never more shocked to see one of our鈥斺�潯rs。 umbrade was saying； when sabriel stepped up next to her and gently laid the marks of silence and immobility on the back of her neck。
鈥渋鈥檓 sorry to interrupt；鈥潯abriel said； standing next to the temporarily frozen form of the headmistress。
鈥渂ut this is an emergency。 as you can see； the army is temporarily taking over。 i am assisting colonel horyse； who is in charge。 now； we need all the girls in the two senior magic classes to e down to the great hall鈥攚ith you； magistrix greenwood； please。 everyone else鈥攕tudents； staff； gardeners； everyone鈥攎ust go to the top floors of the north tower and barricade yourselves in。 till dawn tomorrow。鈥�
鈥渨hy？鈥潯emanded mrs。 pearch； the mathematics mistress。 鈥渨hat鈥檚 all this about？鈥�
鈥渟omething has e from the old kingdom；鈥潯abriel replied shortly； watching their faces change as she spoke。 鈥渨e will shortly be attacked by the dead。鈥�
鈥渟o there will be danger to my students？鈥�
miss greenwood spoke； pushing her way forward； between two frightened english teachers。
she looked sabriel in the face； as if in recognition； and then added； 鈥渁bhorsen。鈥�
鈥渢here will be danger to everyone；鈥潯abriel said bleakly。 鈥渂ut without the aid of the charter mages here； there isn鈥檛 even a chance 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渨ell；鈥潯eplied miss greenwood； with some decision。 鈥渨e鈥檇 better get organized then。 i鈥檒l go and fetch sulyn and ellimere。 i think they鈥檙e the only two charter mages among the prefects鈥敗hey can organize the others。 mrs。 pearch； you鈥檇 better take charge of the 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 evacuation to the north tower； as i imagine mrs。 umbrade will be 。 。 。 err 。 。 。 deep in thought。 mrs。 swann； you鈥檇 best round up cook and the maids鈥攇et some fresh water； food and candles； too。 mr。 arkler； if you would be so kind as to fetch the swords from the gymnasium 。 。 。鈥�
seeing that all was under control； sabriel sighed； and quickly walked back outside； past soldiers stringing oil lamps up in the corridor。 despite them； it was still lighter outside； the sky washed red and orange with the last sunlight of the day。
touchstone and the scouts had the sarcophagus down； and roped up。 it now seemed to glow with its own； ugly inner light； the flickering free magic marks floating on the surface like scum； or clots in blood。 apart from the scouts pulling the ropes； no one went close to it。 soldiers were everywhere； coiling out barbed wire； filling sandbags from the rose gardens； preparing firing positions on the second floor； tying trip flares。
but in all this motion； there was an empty circle around the glistening coffin of rogir。
sabriel walked towards touchstone； feeling the reluctance in her legs； her body revolting at the thought of going any closer to the bloody luminescence of the sarcophagus。 it seemed to radiate stronger waves of nausea now； now that the sun had almost fled。 in the twilight； it looked larger； stronger； its magic more forceful and malign。
鈥減ull！鈥潯houted touchstone； heaving on the ropes with the soldiers。 鈥減ull！鈥�
slowly； the sarcophagus slid across the old paving stones； inching towards the front steps； where other soldiers were hastily hammering a wooden ramp together； fitting it over the steps。
sabriel decided to leave touchstone to it； and walked a little way down the drive； to where she could see out the iron gates。 she stood there； watching； her hands nervously running over the handles of the bells。 six bells； now鈥攁ll probably ineffective against the awful might of kerrigor。
and an unfamilar sword； strange to her touch； even if it was forged by the wallmaker。
the wallmaker。 that reminded her of mogget。
who knew what he had been； that strange bination of ir