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ime。
back on shore； the mordicant suddenly howled； a long； piercing cry that echoed far across the water； chilling hearts on both boat and island。
“bear a bit more to starboard；” said mogget； in the silence after the howl faded。 “we need more sea…room。”
touchstone was quick to ply。
……
chapter xviii
生小说＿网
by the morning of the sixth day out of nestowe； sabriel was heartily tired of nautical life。 they’d sailed virtually non…stop all that time； only putting into shore at noon for fresh water； and only then when it was sunny。
nights were spent under sail； or； when exhaustion claimed touchstone； hove…to with a sea anchor； the unsleeping mogget standing watch。
fortunately； the weather had been kind。
it had been a relatively uneventful five days。
two days from nestowe to beardy point； an unprepossessing peninsula whose only interesting features were a sandy…bottomed beach and a clear stream。 devoid of life； it was also devoid of the dead。 here； for the first time； sabriel could no longer sense the pursuing mordicant。 a good； strong； south…easterly had propelled them； reaching northwards； at too fast a pace for it to follow。
three days from beardy point to the island of ilgard； its rocky cliffs climbing sheer from the sea； a grey and pockmarked tenement； home to tens of thousands of seabirds。 they passed it late in the afternoon； their single sail stretched to bursting； clinker…built hull heeling well over； bow slicing up a column of spray that salted mouths； eyes and bodies。
it was half a day from ilgard to the belis mouth； that narrow strait that led to the sea of saere。 but that was tricky sailing； so they spent the night hove…to just out of sight of ilgard； to wait for the light of day。
“there is a boom…chain across the belis mouth；” touchstone explained； as he raised the sail and sabriel hauled the sea anchor in over the bow。 the sun was rising behind him； but had not yet pulled itself out of the sea； so he was no more than a dim shadow in the stern。 “it was built to keep pirates and suchlike out of the sea of saere。 you won’t believe the size of it—i can’t imagine how it was forged； or strung across。”
“will it still be there？” sabriel asked； cautiously； not wanting to prevent touchstone’s strangely talkative mood。
“i’m sure of it；” replied touchstone。 “we’ll see the towers on the opposite shores first。 winding post； to the south； and boom hook to the north。”
“not very imaginative names；” mented sabriel； unable to help herself from interrupting。
it was just such a pleasure to talk！ touchstone had lapsed back into non…munication for most of the voyage； though he did have a good excuse—handling the fishing boat for eighteen hours a day； even in good weather； didn’t leave much energy for conversation。
“they’re named after their purpose；” replied touchstone。 “which makes sense。”
“who decides whether to let vessels past the chain？” asked sabriel。 already； she was thinking ahead； wondering about belisaere。 could it be like nestowe—the city abandoned； riddled with the dead？ “ah；” said touchstone。 “i hadn’t thought about that。 in my time； there was a royal boom master； with a force of guards and a squadron of small； picket ships。 if； as mogget says； the city has fallen into anarchy 。 。 。”
“there may also be people working for； or in alliance with； the dead；” sabriel added thoughtfully。
“so even if we cross the boom in daylight； there could be trouble。 i think i’d better reverse my surcoat and hide my helmet wrapping。”
“what about the bells？” asked touchstone。
he leaned past her； to draw the main sheet tighter； right hand slightly nudging the tiller to take advantage of a shift in the wind。 “they’re fairly obvious； to say the least。”
“i’ll just look like a necromancer；” sabriel replied。 “a salty； unwashed necromancer。”
“i don’t know；” said touchstone； who couldn’t see that sabriel was joking。 “no necromancer would be let into the city； or would stay alive； in—”
“in your day；” interrupted mogget； from his favorite post on the bow。 “but this is now； and i am sure that necromancers and worse are not unmon sights in belisaere。”
“i’ll wear a cloak—” sabriel started to say。
“if you say so；” touchstone said； at the same time。 clearly； he didn’t believe the cat。 belisaere was the royal capital； a huge city； home to at least fifty thousand people。 touchstone couldn’t imagine it fallen； decayed and in the hands of the dead。 despite his own inner fears and secret knowledge； he couldn’t help but be confident that the belisaere they were sailing towards would be little different from the two…hundredyear… old images locked in his memory。
that confidence took a blow as the belis mouth towers became visible above the blue line of the horizon； on opposite shores of the strait。
at first； the towers were no more than dark smudges； that grew taller as wind and wave carried the boat towards them。 through her telescope； sabriel saw that they were made from a beautiful； rosy…pink stone that once must have been magnificent。 now they were largely blackened by fire； their majesty vanished。 winding post had lost the top three storys； from seven； boom hook stood as tall as ever； but sunlight shone through gaping holes； showing the interior to be a gutted ruin。 there was no sign of any garrison； toll collector； windlass mules； or anything alive。
the great boom…chain still stretched across the strait。 huge iron links； each as wide and long as the fishing boat； rose green and barnaclebefouled out of the water and up into each of the towers。 glimpses of it could be seen in the middle of the mouth； when the swell dipped； and a length of chain shone slick and green in the wave trough； like some lurking monster of the deep。
“we’ll have to go in close to the winding post tower； unstep the mast and row under the chain where it rises；” touchstone declared； after studying the chain for several minutes through the telescope； trying to gauge whether it had sunk enough to allow them passage。 but even with their relatively shallow…draft boat； it would be too risky； and they daren’t wait for high tide； late in the afternoon。 at some time in the past； perhaps when the towers were abandoned； the chain had been winched up to its maximum tension。 the engineers who’d made it would have been pleased； for there seemed to be no noticeable slippage。
“mogget； go to the bow and keep a lookout for anything in the water。 sabriel； could you please watch the shore and the tower； to guard against attack。”
sabriel nodded； pleased that touchstone’s stint as captain of their small vessel had done a lot to remove the servant nonsense out of him and make him more like a normal person。 mogget； for his part； jumped up to the bow without protest； despite the spray that occasionally burst over his head as they cut diagonally across the swell—towards the small triangle of opportunity between shore； sea and chain。
they came in as close as they dared before unstepping the mast。 the swell had diminished； for the belis mouth was well…sheltered by the two arms of land； but the tide had turned； and a tidal race was