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！
“he’ll be fine； jacinth；” sabriel replied wearily。
“a scratch。 it’s already closed up。”
jacinth examined bunny carefully； then looked up at sabriel； the beginnings of a wriggling fear showing at the back of her eyes。
“there isn’t anything under the blood；” stammered jacinth。 “what did you 。 。 。”
“i didn’t；” snapped sabriel。 “but perhaps you can tell me what you are doing out of bounds？”
“chasing bunny；” replied jacinth； her eyes clearing as life reverted to a more normal situation。
“you see 。 。 。”
“no excuses；” recited sabriel。 “remember what mrs。 umbrade said at assembly on monday。”
“it’s not an excuse；” insisted jacinth。 “it’s a reason。”
“you can explain it to mrs。 umbrade then。”
“oh； sabriel！ you wouldn’t！ you know i was only chasing bunny。 i’d never have e out—”
sabriel held up her hands in mock defeat； and gestured back to the gates。
“if you’re back inside within three minutes； i won’t have seen you。 and open the gate this time。 they won’t be locked till i go back inside。”
jacinth smiled； her whole face beaming； whirled around and sped back up the drive； bunny clutched against her neck。 sabriel watched till she had gone through the gate； then let the tremors take her till she was bent over； shaking with cold。 a moment of weakness and she had broken the promise she had made both to herself and her father。 it was only a rabbit and jacinth did love it so much—but what would that lead to？ it was no great step from bringing back a rabbit to bringing back a person。
worse； it had been so easy。 she had caught the spirit right at the wellspring of the river； and had returned it with barely a gesture of power； patching the body with simple charter symbols as they stepped from death to life。 she hadn’t even needed bells； or the other apparatus of a necromancer。
only a whistle and her will。
death and what came after death was no great mystery to sabriel。 she just wished it was。
it was sabriel’s last term at wyverley—the last three weeks； in fact。 she had graduated already； ing first in english； equal first in music； third in mathematics； seventh in science； second in fighting arts and fourth in etiquette。 she had also been a runaway first in magic； but that wasn’t printed on the certificate。 magic only worked in those regions of ancelstierre close to the wall which marked the border with the old kingdom。 farther away； it was considered to be quite beyond the pale； if it existed at all； and persons of repute did not mention it。
wyverley college was only forty miles from the wall； had a good all…round reputation； and taught magic to those students who could obtain special permission from their parents。
sabriel’s father had chosen it for that reason when he had emerged from the old kingdom with a five…year…old girl in tow to seek a boarding school。 he had paid in advance for that first year； in old kingdom silver deniers that stood up to surreptitious touches with cold iron。
thereafter； he had e to visit his daughter twice a year； at midsummer and midwinter； staying for several days on each occasion and always bringing more silver。
understandably； the headmistress was very fond of sabriel。 particularly since she never seemed troubled by her father’s rare visitations； as most other girls would be。 once mrs。
umbrade had asked sabriel if she minded； and had been troubled by the answer that sabriel saw her father far more often than when he was actually there。 mrs。 umbrade didn’t teach magic； and didn’t want to know any more about it other than the pleasant fact that some parents would pay considerable sums to have their daughters schooled in the basics of sorcery and enchantment。
mrs。 umbrade certainly didn’t want to know how sabriel saw her father。 sabriel； on the other hand； always looked forward to his unofficial visits and watched the moon； tracing its movements from the leather…bound almanac which listed the phases of the moon in both kingdoms and gave valuable insights into the seasons； tides and other ephemerae that were never the same at any one time on both sides of the wall。
abhorsen’s sending of himself always appeared at the dark of the moon。
on these nights； sabriel would lock herself into her study （a privilege of the sixth form— previously she’d had to sneak into the library）； put the kettle on the fire； drink tea and read a book until the characteristic wind rose up； extinguished the fire； put out the electric light and rattled the shutters—all necessary preparations； it seemed； for her father’s phosphorescent sending to appear in the spare armchair。
sabriel was particularly looking forward to her father’s visit that november。 it would be his last； because college was about to end and she wanted to discuss her future。 mrs。 umbrade wanted her to go to university； but that meant moving further away from the old kingdom。 her magic would wane and parental visitations would be limited to actual physical appearances； and those might well bee even less frequent。 on the other hand； going to university would mean staying with some of the friends she’d had virtually all her life； girls she’d started school with at the age of five。 there would also be a much greater world of social interaction； particularly with young men； of which modity there was a distinct shortage around wyverley college。
and the disadvantage of losing her magic could possibly be offset by a lessening of her affinity for death and the dead 。 。 。
sabriel was thinking of this as she waited； book in hand； half…drunk cup of tea balanced precariously on the arm of her chair。 it was almost midnight and abhorsen hadn’t appeared。 sabriel had checked the almanac twice and had even opened the shutters to peer out through the glass at the sky。 it was definitely the dark of the moon； but there was no sign of him。 it was the first time in her life that he hadn’t appeared and she felt suddenly uneasy。
sabriel rarely thought about what life was really like in the old kingdom； but now old stories came to mind and dim memories of when she’d lived there with the travelers。 abhorsen was a powerful sorcerer； but even then 。 。 。
“sabriel！ sabriel！”
a high…pitched voice interrupted her thought； quickly followed by a hasty knock and a rattle of the doorknob。 sabriel sighed； pushed herself out of her chair； caught the teacup and unlocked the door。
a young girl stood on the other side； twisting her nightcap from side to side in trembling hands； her face white with fear。
“olwyn！” exclaimed sabriel。 “what is it？ is sussen sick again？”
“no；” sobbed the girl。 “i heard noises behind the tower door； and i thought it was rebece and ila having a midnight feast without me； so i looked 。 。 。”
“what！” exclaimed sabriel； alarmed。 no one opened outside doors in the middle of the night； not this close to the old kingdom。
“i’m sorry；” cried olwyn。 “i didn’t mean to。 i don’t know why i did。 it wasn’t rebece and ila— it was a black shape and it tried to get in。 i slammed the door 。 。 。”
sabriel threw the teacup aside and pushed past olwyn。 she was already halfway down the corridor before she heard the porcelain s