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general ashenber has returned south； due to 。 。 。 ah 。 。 。 ill health。 a temporary situation only鈥攁rmy hq is loath to give any sort of higher mand to those of us who wear the charter mark。 so the decision is mine 。 。 。鈥�
he stopped pacing； and stared back at sabriel and touchstone鈥攂ut his eyes seemed to see something well beyond them and the rusty corrugated iron that walled the dugout。 finally； he spoke。
鈥渧ery well。 i will give you twelve charter mages鈥攈alf of the full plement of the scouts鈥攂ut i will also add some more mundane force。 a detachment to escort you to 。 。 。 what was it？ docky point。 but i can鈥檛 promise we won鈥檛 fight on the perimeter。鈥�
鈥渨e need you； too； colonel；鈥潯abriel said； in the silence that followed his decision。 鈥測ou鈥檙e the strongest charter mage the garrison has。鈥�
鈥渋mpossible！鈥潯oryse exclaimed emphatically。
鈥渋鈥檓 in mand of the perimeter。 my responsibilities lie here。鈥�
鈥測ou鈥檒l never be able to explain tonight； anyway；鈥�
sabriel said。 鈥渘ot to any general down south； or to anyone who hasn鈥檛 crossed the wall。鈥�
鈥渋鈥檒l 。 。 。 i鈥檒l think about it while you have something to eat；鈥潯oryse declared； the rattle of a tray and plates tactfully announcing the arrival of a mess orderly on the steps。 鈥渆 in！鈥�
the orderly entered； steam rising around the edges of the silver dishes。 as he put the tray down； horyse strode out past him； bellowing。
鈥渕essenger！ i want the adjutant； major tindall and the csm from 鈥榓鈥櫋any； lieutenant aire from the scouts； the rsm and the quartermaster。 in the operations room in ten minutes。 oh 。 。 。 call in the transport officer too。 and warn the signals staff to stand by for coding。鈥�
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chapter xxvi
銆傚皬锛胯锛縯xt澶╁爞
everything moved rapidly after the tea was drunk。 almost too rapidly for the exhausted sabriel and touchstone。 judging from the noises outside； soldiers were rushing about in all directions； while they ate their belated lunch。 then； before they could even begin to digest； horyse was back； telling them to get moving。
it was somewhat like being a bit player in the school play； sabriel thought； as she stumbled out of the munication trench and onto the parade ground。 there was an awful lot happening around her； but she didn鈥檛 really feel part of it。 she felt touchstone lightly brush her arm； and smiled at him reassuringly鈥攊t had to be even worse for him。
within minutes； they were hustled across the parade ground； towards a waiting line of trucks； an open staff car and two strange steelplated contraptions。 lozenge…shaped； with gun turrets on either side； and caterpillar tracks。
tanks； sabriel realized。 a relatively recent invention。 like the trucks； they were roaring； engines belching blue…grey smoke。 no problem now； sabriel thought； but the engines would stop when the wind blew in from the old kingdom。 or when kerrigor came 。 。 。
horyse led them to the staff car； opened the back door and gestured for them to get in。
鈥渁re you ing with us？鈥潯abriel asked； hesitantly； as she settled back in the heavily padded leather seats； fighting a wave of tiredness that threatened immediate sleep。
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied horyse； slowly。 he seemed surprised at his own answer； and suddenly far away。
鈥測es； i am。鈥�
鈥測ou have the sight；鈥潯aid touchstone； looking up from where he was adjusting his scabbard before sitting down。 鈥渨hat did you see？鈥�
鈥渢he usual thing；鈥潯eplied horyse。 he got in the front seat； and nodded to the driver鈥攁 thin…faced veteran of the scouts； whose charter mark was almost invisible on his weather…beaten forehead。
鈥渨hat do you mean？鈥潯sked sabriel； but her question was lost as the driver pressed the starter switch； and the car coughed and spluttered into life； a tenor acpaniment to the bass cacophony of the trucks and tanks。
touchstone jumped at the sudden noise and vibration； then smiled sheepishly at sabriel； who鈥檇 lightly rested her fingers on his arm； as if calming a child。
鈥渨hat did he mean 鈥榯he usual thing鈥櫍库�潯sked sabriel。
touchstone looked at her； sadness and exhaustion vying for first place in his gaze。 he took her hand in his own and traced a line across her palm鈥攁 definite； ending sort of line。
鈥渙h；鈥潯uttered sabriel。 she sniffed and looked at the back of horyse鈥檚 head； eyes blurring； seeing only the line of his cropped silver hair extending just past his helmet rim。
鈥渉e has a daughter the same age as me； back at 。 。 。 somewhere south；鈥潯he whispered； shivering； clutching touchstone鈥檚 hand till his fingers were as white as her own。 鈥渨hy； oh why； does everything 。 。 。 everyone 。 。 。鈥�
the car started forward with a lurch； preceded by two motorcycle outriders and followed by each of the nine trucks in turn； carefully spaced out every hundred yards。 the tanks； with tracks screeching and clanking； took a side road up to the railway siding where they would be loaded up and sent on to wyverley halt。 it was unlikely they would arrive before nightfall。 the road convoy would be at docky point before six in the afternoon。
sabriel was silent for the first ten miles； her head bowed； hand still clutching tightly on touchstone鈥檚。 he sat silently too； but watching； looking out as they left the military zone； looking at the prosperous farms of ancelstierre； the sealed roads； the brick houses； the private cars and horse…drawn vehicles that pulled off the road in front of them； cleared aside by the two red…capped military policemen on motorcycles。
鈥渋鈥檓 all right now；鈥潯abriel said quietly； as they slowed to pass through the town of bain。
touchstone nodded； still watching； staring at the shop windows in the high street。 the townspeople stared back； for it was rare to see soldiers in full perimeter battle equipment； with sword…bayonets and shields鈥攁nd sabriel and touchstone were clearly from the old kingdom。
鈥渨e have to stop by the police station； and warn the superintendent；鈥潯oryse announced as their car pulled in next to an imposing white…walled edifice with two large； blue electric lanterns hanging out the front； and a sturdy sign proclaiming it to be the headquarters of the bainshire constabulary。
horyse stood up； waved the rest of the convoy on； then vaulted out and dashed up the steps； a curiously incongruous figure in mail and khaki。 a constable descending the steps looked ready to stop him； but stopped himself instead and saluted。
鈥渋鈥檓 all right；鈥潯abriel repeated。 鈥測ou can let go of my hand。鈥�
touchstone smiled； and flexed his hand a little in her grip。 she looked a bit puzzled； then smiled too； her fingers slowly relaxing till their hands lay flat on the seat； little fingers just touching。
in any other town； a crowd would certainly have formed around an army staff car with two such unusual passengers。 but this was bain； and bain was close to the wall。 people took one look； saw charter marks； swords and armor； and went the other way。 those with natural caution； or a touch of the sight； went home and locked their doors and shutters； not merely with steel and iron； but also with sprigs of broom and rowan。 others； even more cautious； took to the river and its sandy islets； without even pretending to be fishing。
horyse came out five minutes later； acpanied by a tall； serious…looking man whose large build and hawk…like visage were made slightly ridiculous by a pair of too…small pince…nez clinging to the end of his nose。 he shook hands with the colonel； horyse returned to the car； and they were off again； the driver crashing through the gears with considerable skill。
a few minutes later； before they鈥檇 left the last buildings of the town； a bell began to ring behind them； deep and slow。 only moments later； another followed from somewhere to the left； then another； from up ahead。 soon； there were bells ringing all around。
鈥渜uick work；鈥潯oryse shouted into the back of the car。 鈥渢he superintendent must have made them practice in the past。鈥�
鈥渢he bells are a warning？鈥潯sked touchstone。
this was something he was familiar with； and he began to feel more at home； even with this sound； warning of dire trouble。 he felt no fear from it鈥攂ut then； after facing the reservoir for a second time； he felt that he could cope with any fear。
鈥測es；鈥潯eplied horyse。 鈥渂e inside by nightfall。
lock all doors and windows。 deny entry to strangers。 shed light inside and out。 prepare candles and lanterns for when the electricity fails。
wear silver。 if caught outdoors； find running water。鈥�
鈥渨e used to recite that in the junior classes；鈥�
sabriel said。 鈥渂ut i don鈥檛 think too many people remember it； even the people around here。鈥�
鈥測ou鈥檇 be surprised； ma鈥檃m；鈥潯nterrupted the driver； speaking out of the corner of his mouth； eyes never leaving the road。 鈥渢he bells haven鈥檛 rung like this in twenty years； but plenty of folk remember。 they鈥檒l tell anyone who doesn鈥檛 know鈥攄on鈥檛 fret about that。鈥�
鈥渋 hope so；鈥潯eplied sabriel； a momentary flash of remembrance passing through her mind。 the people of nestowe； two…thirds of their number lost to the dead； the surviv