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！
sabriel and touchstone were thrown together； about five yards down from the entrance to the cairn。 somehow； sabriel’s head had landed on touchstone’s stomach。 his head was on a thistle； but both of them lay still for a moment； drained by the magic and the strength of the free magic defenses。 they looked up at the blue sky； already tinged with the red of the impending sunset。
around them there was much swearing and cursing； as the soldiers picked themselves up。
“it didn’t open；” sabriel said； in a quiet； matter…of…fact voice。 “we don’t have the power； or the skill—”
she paused； and then added； “i wish mogget wasn’t 。 。 。 i wish he was here。 he’d think of something 。 。 。”
touchstone was silent； then he said； “we need more charter mages—it would work if the marks were reinforced enough。”
“more charter mages；” sabriel said tiredly。
“we’re on the wrong side of the wall 。 。 。”
“what about your school？” asked touchstone； and then “ow！” as sabriel suddenly shot up； disrupting his balance； then “ow！” again as she bent down and kissed him； pushing his head further into the thistle。
“touchstone！ i should have thought 。 。 。 the senior magic classes。 there must be thirty…five girls with the charter mark and the basic skills。”
“good；” muttered touchstone； from the depths of the thistle。 sabriel put out her hands； and helped him up； smelling the sweat on him； and the fresh； pungent odor of crushed thistles。
he was halfway up when she suddenly seemed to lose her enthusiasm； and he almost fell back down again。
“the girls are there；” said sabriel； slowly； as if thinking aloud。 “but have i any right to involve them in something that 。 。 。”
“they’re involved anyway；” interrupted touchstone。 “the only reason that ancelstierre isn’t like the old kingdom is the wall； and it won’t last once kerrigor breaks the remaining stones。”
“they’re only schoolchildren；” sabriel said sadly。 “for all we always thought we were grown women。”
“we need them；” said touchstone； again。
“yes；” said sabriel； turning back towards the knot of men gathered as close as they dared to the cairn。 horyse； and some of the stronger charter mages； peering back towards the entrance and the shimmering bronze within。
“the spell failed；” sabriel said。 “but touchstone has just reminded me where we can get more charter mages。”
horyse looked at her； urgency in his face。
“where？”
“wyverley college。 my old school。 the fifth and sixth form magic classes； and their teacher； magistrix greenwood。 it’s less than a mile away。”
“i don’t think we’ve got time to get a message there； and get them over here；” horyse began； looking up at the setting sun； then at his watch— which was now going backwards。 he looked puzzled for a moment； then ignored it。 “but 。 。 。
do you think it would be possible to move the sarcophagus？”
sabriel thought about the protective spell that she’d encountered； then answered。 “yes。 most of the wards were on the cairn； for concealment。
there’s nothing to stop us moving the sarcophagus； save the side effects of the free magic。 if we can stand the sickness； we can shift it—”
“and wyverly college—it’s an old； solid building？”
“more like a castle than anything；” replied sabriel； seeing the way he was thinking。 “easier to defend than this hill。”
“running water 。 。 。 no？ that would be too much to hope for。 right！ private macking； run down to major tindall and tell him that i want his pany ready to move in two minutes。
we’re going back to the trucks； then on to wyverley college—it’s on the map； about a mile 。 。 。”
“south…west；” sabriel provided。
“south…west。 repeat that back。”
private macking repeated the message in a slow drawl； then ran off； clearly keen to get away from the cairn。 horyse turned to the longservice corporal and said； “corporal anshey。
you look pretty fit。 do you think you could get a rope around that coffin？”
“reckon so； sir；” replied corporal anshey。 he detached a coil of rope from his webbing as he spoke； and gestured with his hand to the other soldiers。
“e on you blokes； get yer ropes out。”
twenty minutes later； the sarcophagus was being lifted by shear…legs and rope aboard a horse…drawn wagon； appropriated from a local farmer。 as sabriel had expected； dragging it within twenty yards of the trucks stopped their engines； put out electric lights and disrupted the telephone。
curiously； the horse； a placid old mare； didn’t seem overly frightened by the gleaming sarcophagus； despite its bronze surface sluggishly crawling with stomach…churning perversions of charter marks。 she wasn’t a happy horse； but not a panicked one either。
“we’ll have to drive the wagon；” sabriel said to touchstone； as the soldiers pushed the suspended coffin aboard with long poles； and collapsed the shear…legs。 “i don’t think the scouts can withstand the sickness much longer。”
touchstone shuddered。 like everyone else； he was pale； eyes red…rimmed； his nose dripping and teeth chattering。 “i’m not sure i can； either。”
nevertheless； when the last rope was twitched off； and the soldiers hurried away； touchstone climbed up to the driver’s seat and picked up the reins。 sabriel climbed up next to him； suppressing the feeling that her stomach was about to rise into her mouth。 she didn’t look back at the sarcophagus。
touchstone said “tch…tch” to the horse； and flicked the reins。 the mare’s ears went up； and she took up the load； pacing forwards。 it was not a quick pace。
“is this as fast as 。 。 。” sabriel said anxiously。
they had a mile to cover； and the sun was already bloody； a red disc balanced on the line of the horizon。
“it’s a heavy load；” touchstone answered slowly； quick breaths ing between his words； as if he found it difficult to speak。 “we’ll be there before the light goes。”
the sarcophagus seemed to buzz and chuckle behind them。 neither of them mentioned that kerrigor might arrive； fog…wreathed； before the night did。 sabriel found herself looking behind every few seconds； back along the road。 this meant catching glimpses of the vilely shifting surface of the coffin； but she couldn’t help it。 the shadows were lengthening； and every time she caught a glimpse of some tree’s pale bark； or a whitewashed mile marker； fear twitched in her gut。 was that fog curling down the road？ wyverley college seemed much farther than a mile。 the sun was only a three…quarter disc by the time they saw the trucks turn off the road； turning up the bricked drive that led to the wrought…iron gates of wyverley college。 home； thought sabriel for a moment。 but that was no longer true。 it had been home for the better part of her life； but that was past。 it was the home of her childhood； when she was only sabriel。 now； she was also abhorsen。 now； her home lay in the old kingdom； as did her responsibilities。
but like her； these traveled。
electric lights burned brightly in the two antique glass lanterns on either side of the gate； but they dimmed to mere sparks as the wagon and its strange cargo drove through。 one of the gates was off its hinges； and sabriel realized the soldi