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！
“soon；” replied the cat； in a matter…of…fact tone。
“i always said it was a trap。”
“so how do we get out of it？” asked touchstone； trying to keep his voice steady。 he was inwardly fighting a strong desire to leave the diamond of protection and run for the southern stair； splashing through the reservoir like a runaway horse； careless of the noise—but there was sabriel； frosted over； immobile 。 。 。
“i’m not sure we can；” said mogget； with a sideways glance at the two ice…rimmed statues nearby。 “it depends on sabriel and her father。”
“what can we do？”
“defend ourselves if we’re attacked； i suppose；”
drawled mogget； as if stating the obvious to a tiresome child。 “hope。 pray to the charter that kerrigor doesn’t e before sabriel returns。”
“what if he does？” asked touchstone； staring white…eyed out into the darkness。 “what if he does？”
but mogget was silent。 all touchstone heard was the shuffling； wading； splashing of the dead； as they slowly drew closer； like starving rats creeping up to a sleeping drunk’s dinner。
sabriel had no idea of how far she’d gone before she found him。 that same niggling sensation prompted her to stop； to look out into the waterfall itself； and there he was。 abhorsen。 father。
somehow imprisoned within the gate itself； so only his head was visible above the rush of the water。
“father！” cried sabriel； but she resisted the urge to rush forward。 at first； she thought he was unaware of her； then a slight wink of one eye showed conscious perception。 he winked again； and moved his eyeballs to the right； several times。
sabriel followed his gaze； and saw something tall and shadowy thrust up through the waterfall； arms reaching up to pull itself out of the gate。 she stepped forward； sword and bell at the ready； then hesitated。 it was a dead humanoid； very similar in shape and size to the one who had brought the bells and sword to wyverley college。 she looked back at her father； and he winked again； the corner of his mouth curving up ever so slightly—almost a smile。
she stepped back； still cautious。 there was always the chance that the spirit chained in the waterfall was merely the mimic of her father； or； even if it was him； that he was under the sway of some power。
the dead creature finally hauled itself out； muscles differently arranged to a human’s visibly straining along the forearms。 it stood on the rim for a moment； bulky head questing from side to side； then lumbered towards sabriel with that familiar rolling gait。 several paces away from her—out of sword’s reach—it stopped； and pointed at its mouth。 its jaw worked up and down； but no sound issued from its red and fleshy mouth。 a black thread ran from its back； down into the rushing waters of the gate。
sabriel thought for a moment； then replaced saraneth； one…handed； and drew dyrim。 she cocked her wrist to ring the bell； hesitated—for to sound dyrim would alert the dead all around—then let it fall。 dyrim rang； sweet and clear； several notes sounding from that one peal； mixing together like many conversations overheard in a crowd。
sabriel rang the bell again before the echoes died； in a series of slight wrist…twitches； moving the sound out towards the dead creature； weaving into the echoes of the first peal。 sound seemed to envelope the monster； circling around its head and muted mouth。
the echoes faded。 sabriel replaced dyrim quickly； before it could try and sound of its own accord； and drew ranna。 the sleeper could quell a large number of dead at once； and she feared many would e to the sound of the bells。
they would probably expect to find a foolish； half…trained necromancer； but even so； they would be dangerous。 ranna twitched in her hand； expectantly； like a child waking at her touch。
the creature’s mouth moved again； and now it had a tongue； a horrid pulpy mess of white flesh that writhed like a slug。 but it worked。 the thing made several gurgling； swallowing sounds； then it spoke with the voice of abhorsen。
“sabriel！ i both hoped and feared you would e。”
“father 。 。 。” sabriel began； looking at his trapped spirit rather than the creature。
“father 。 。 。”
she broke down； and started to cry。 she had e all this way； through so many troubles； only to find him trapped； trapped beyond her ability to free him。 she hadn’t even known that it was possible to imprison someone within a gate！ “sabriel！ hush； daughter！ we have no time for tears。 where is your physical body？”
“in the reservoir；” sniffed sabriel。 “next to yours。 inside a diamond of protection。”
“and the dead？ kerrigor？”
“there was no sign of them there； but kerrigor is somewhere in life。 i don’t know where。”
“yes； i knew he had emerged；” muttered abhorsen； via the thing’s mouth。 “he will be near the reservoir； i fear。 we must move quickly。
sabriel； do you remember how to ring two bells simultaneously？ mosrael and kibeth？”
“two bells？” asked sabriel； puzzled。 waker and walker？ at the same time？ she had never even heard it was possible—or had she？ “think；” said abhorsen’s mouthpiece。 “remember。
the book of the dead。”
slowly； it came back； pages floating down into conscious memory； like leaves from a shaken tree。 the bells could be rung in pairs； or even greater binations； if enough necromancers were gathered to wield the bells。 but the risks were much greater 。 。 。
“yes；” said sabriel； slowly。 “i remember。
mosrael and kibeth。 will they free you？”
the answer was slow in ing。
“yes。 for a time。 enough； i hope； to do what must be done。 quickly； now。”
sabriel nodded； trying not to think about what he had just said。 subconsciously； she had always been aware that abhorsen’s spirit had been too long from his body； and too deep in the realm of death。 he could never truly live again。
consciously； she chose to barricade this knowledge from her mind。
she sheathed her sword； replaced ranna； and drew mosrael and kibeth。 dangerous bells； both； and more so in bination than alone。
she stilled her mind； emptying herself of all thought and emotion； concentrating solely on the bells。 then； she rang them。
mosrael she swung in a three…quarter circle above her head； kibeth she swung in a reverse figure eight。 harsh alarm joined with dancing jig； merging into a discordant； grating； but energetic tone。 sabriel found herself walking towards the waterfall； despite all her efforts to keep still。 a force like the grip of a demented giant moved her legs； bent her knees； made her step forward。
at the same time； her father was emerging from the waterfall of the fourth gate。 his head was freed first； and he flexed his neck； then rolled his shoulders； raised his arms over his head and stretched。 but still sabriel stepped on； till she was only two paces from the rim； and could look down into the swirling waters； the sound of the bells filling her ears； forcing her onwards。
then abhorsen was free； and he leapt forward； thrusting his hands into the bell…mouths； gripping the clappers with his pallid hands； making them suddenly quiet。 there was silence； and father and daughter embraced on the very brink of the fourth gate。
“well done；” said