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the binding resumes 。 。 。鈥�
鈥渘o； mogget！鈥潯xclaimed sabriel。 鈥渋 want to know； i need to know； who you are。 what鈥檚 your connection with the great 。 。 。鈥�
her voice locked up in her throat and a star… tled gargle was the only thing that came out。
鈥渢oo late；鈥潯aid mogget。 he started cleaning his fur； pink tongue darting out； bright color against white fur。
sabriel sighed； and looked out at the turquoise sea； then up at the sun； yellow disc on a field of white…streaked blue。 a light breeze filled the sail above her； ruffling her hair in passing。 gulls rode it on ahead； to join a squawking mass of their brethren； feeding from a school of fish； sharp silver bursting near the surface。
everything was alive； colorful； full of the joy of living。 even the salt tang on her skin； the stink of fish and her own unwashed body； was somehow rich and lively。 far； far removed from touchstone鈥檚 grim past； the threat of rogir/kerrigor and the chilling greyness of death。
鈥渨e shall have to be very careful；鈥潯abriel said at last； 鈥渁nd hope that 。 。 。 what was it you said to the elder of nestowe； touchstone？鈥�
he knew immediately what she meant。
鈥渉ope that the charter preserves us all。鈥�
ww銆�w。x锛゛oshuotxt。銆�
chapter xix
灏彙ｈ。t｜xt。澶爞
sabriel had expected belisaere to be a ruined city； devoid of life； but it was not so。 by the time they saw its towers； and the truly impressive walls that ringed the peninsula on which the city stood； they also saw fishing boats； of a size with their own。 people were fishing from them鈥攏ormal； friendly people； who waved and shouted as they passed。 only their greeting was telling of how things might be in belisaere。 鈥済ood sun and swift water鈥潯as not the typical greeting in touchstone鈥檚 time。
the city鈥檚 main harbor was reached from the west。 a wide； buoyed channel ran between two hulking defensive outworks； leading into a vast pool； easily as big as twenty or thirty playing fields。 wharves lined three sides of the pool； but most were deserted。 to the north and south； warehouses rotted behind the empty wharves； broken walls and holed roofs testimony to long abandonment。
only the eastern dock looked lively。 there were none of the big trading vessels of bygone days； but many small coastal craft； loading and unloading。 derricks swung in and out； longshoremen humped packages along gangplanks； small children dived and swam in between the boats。 no warehouses stood behind these wharves鈥攊nstead； there were hundreds of open…topped booths； little more than brightly decorated frameworks delineating a patch of space； with tables for the wares； and stools for the vendors and favored customers。 there seemed to be no shortage of customers in general； sabriel noted； as touchstone steered for a vacant berth。 people were swarming everywhere； hurrying about as if their time was sadly limited。
touchstone let the mainsheet go slack； and brought the boat into the wind just in time for them to lose way and glide at an oblique angle into the fenders that lined the wharf。 sabriel threw up a line； but before she could leap ashore and secure it to a bollard； a street urchin did it for her。
鈥減enny for the knot；鈥潯e cried； shrill voice piercing through the hubbub from the crowd。
鈥減enny for the knot； lady？鈥�
sabriel smiled； with effort； and flicked a silver penny at the boy。 he caught it； grinned and disappeared into the stream of people moving along the dock。 sabriel鈥檚 smile faded。 she could feel many； many dead here 。 。 。 or not precisely here； but further up in the city。 belisaere was built upon four low hills； surrounding a central valley； which lay open to the sea at this harbor。 as far as sabriel鈥檚 senses could tell； only the valley was free of the dead鈥攚hy； she didn鈥檛 know。 the hills； which made up at least two…thirds of the city鈥檚 area； were infested with them。
this part of the city； on the other hand； could truly be said to be infested with life。 sabriel had forgotten how noisy a city could be。 even in ancelstierre； she had rarely visited anything larger than bain； a town of no more than ten thousand people。 of course； belisaere wasn鈥檛 a big city by ancelstierran standards； and it didn鈥檛 have the noisy omnibuses and private cars that had been significantly adding to ancelstierran noise for the last ten years； but belisaere made up for it with the people。 people hurrying； arguing； shouting； selling； buying； singing 。 。 。
鈥渨as it like this before？鈥潯he shouted at touchstone； as they climbed up onto the wharf； making sure they had all their possessions with them。
鈥渘ot really；鈥潯nswered touchstone。 鈥渢he pool was normally full； with bigger ships鈥攁nd there were warehouses here； not a market。 it was quieter； too； and people were in less of a rush。鈥�
they stood on the edge of the dock； watching the stream of humanity and goods； hearing the tumult； and smelling all the new odors of the city replacing the freshness of the sea breeze。
cooking food； wood smoke； incense； oil； the occasional disgusting whiff of what could only be sewage 。 。 。
鈥渋t was also a lot cleaner；鈥潯dded touchstone。
鈥渓ook； i think we鈥檇 best find an inn or hostelry。 somewhere to stay for the night。鈥�
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied sabriel。 she was reluctant to enter the human tide。 there were no dead among them； as far as she could sense； but they must have some kind of acmodation or agreement with the dead and that stank to her far more than sewage。
touchstone snagged a passing boy by the shoulder as sabriel continued to eye the crowd； nose wrinkling。 they spoke together for a moment； a silver penny changed hands； then the boy slid into the rush； touchstone following。 he looked back； saw sabriel staring absently； and grabbed her by the hand； dragging both her and the lazy； fox…fur…positioned mogget after him。
it was the first time sabriel had touched him since he鈥檇 been revived and she was surprised by the shock it gave her。 certainly； her mind had been wandering； and it was a sudden grab 。 。 。
his hand felt larger than it should； and interestingly calloused and textured。 quickly； she slipped her hand out of his； and concentrated on following both him and the boy； weaving across the main direction of the crowd。
they went through the middle of the opentopped market； along one street of little booths鈥攐bviously the street of fish and fowl。
the harbor end was alive with boxes and boxes of fresh…caught fish； clear…eyed and wriggling。
vendors yelled their prices； or their best buy； and buyers shouted offers or amazement at the price。 baskets； bags and boxes changed hands； empty ones to be filled with fish or lobster； squid or shellfish。 coins went from palm to palm； or； occasionally； whole purses disgorged their shining contents into the belt…pouches of the stallholders。
towards the other end it grew a little quieter。
the stalls here had cages upon cages of chickens； but their trade was slower； and many of the chickens looked old and stunted。 sabriel； seeing an expert knife…man beheading row after row of chickens and dropping them to flop headless in a box； concentrated on shutting out their bewildered featherbrained experience of death。
beyond the market there was a wide swath of empty ground。 it had obviously been intentionally cleared； first with fire； then with mattock； shovel and bar。 sabriel wondered why； till she saw the aqueduct that ran beyond and parallel to this strip of wasteland。 the city folk who lived in the valley didn鈥檛 have an agreement with the dead鈥攖heir part of the city was bounded by aqueducts； and the dead could no more walk under running water than over it。
the cleared ground was a precaution； allowing the aqueducts to be guarded鈥攁nd sure enough； sabriel saw a patrol of archers marching atop it； their regularly moving shapes silhouetted； shadow puppets against the sky。 the boy was leading them to a central arch； which rose up through two of the aqueduct鈥檚 four tiers； and there were more archers there。
smaller arches continued on each side； supporting the aqueduct鈥檚 main channel； but these were heavily overgrown with thornbushes； to prevent unauthorized entry by the living； while the swift water overhead held back the dead。
sabriel drew her boat cloak tight as they passed under the arch； but the guards paid them no more attention than was required to extort a silver penny from touchstone。 they seemed very third…rate鈥攅ven fourth…rate鈥敗oldiers； who were probably more constables and watchkeepers than anything else。 none bore the charter mark； or had any trace of free magic。
beyond the aqueduct； streets wound chaotically from an unevenly paved square； plete with an eccentrically spouting fountain鈥攖he water jetted from the ears of a statue； a statue of an impressively crowned man。
鈥渒ing anstyr the third；鈥潯aid touchstone； pointing at the fountain。 鈥渉e had a strange sense of humor； by all accounts。 i鈥檓 glad it鈥檚 still there。鈥�
鈥渨here are we going？鈥潯sked sabriel。 she felt better now that she knew the citizenry weren鈥檛 in league with the dead。
鈥渢his boy says he knows a good inn；鈥潯eplied touchstone； indicating the ragged urchin who was