Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy)-第2章

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　frost　crackled　on　the　ground　and　icicles　hung　from　abhorsen’s　nose。　he　wiped　them　off　with　a　sleeve　and　leaned　over　the　child；　much　as　any　anxious　father　does　after　a　birth。

“how　is　the　babe？”　he　asked；　and　the　midwife　stared　at　him　wonderingly；　for　the　dead　child　was　now　loudly　alive　and　as　deathly　white　as　he。

“as　you　hear；　lord；”　she　answered。　“she　is　very　　well。　it　is　perhaps　a　little　cold　for　her—”

he　gestured　at　the　fire　and　spoke　a　word；　and　it　roared　into　life；　the　frost　melting　at　once；　the　raindrops　sizzling　into　steam。

“that　will　do　till　morning；”　said　abhorsen。

“then　i　shall　take　her　to　my　house。　i　shall　have　need　of　a　nurse。will　you　e？”

the　midwife　hesitated；　and　looked　to　the　charter　mage；　who　still　lingered　on　the　far　side　of　the　fire。　he　refused　to　meet　her　glance　and　she　looked　down　once　more　at　the　little　girl　bawling　in　her　arms。

“you　are　。　。　。　you　are　。　。　。”　whispered　the　midwife。

“a　necromancer？”　said　abhorsen。　“only　of　a　sort。　i　loved　the　woman　who　lies　here。　she　would　have　lived　if　she　had　loved　another；　but　she　did　not。　sabriel　is　our　child。　can　you　not　see　the　kinship？”

the　midwife　looked　at　him　as　he　leant　forward　and　took　sabriel　from　her；　rocking　her　on　his　chest。　the　baby　quietened　and；　in　a　few　seconds；　was　asleep。

“yes；”　said　the　midwife。　“i　shall　e　with　you；　and　look　after　sabriel。　but　you　must　find　a　wet…nurse　。　。　。”

“and　i　daresay　much　else　besides；”　mused　abhorsen。　“but　my　house　is　not　a　place　for—”

the　charter　mage　cleared　his　throat；　and　moved　around　the　fire。

“if　you　seek　a　man　who　knows　a　little　of　the　charter；”　he　said　hesitantly；　“i　should　wish　to　serve；　for　i　have　seen　its　work　in　you；　lord；　though　i　am　loath　to　leave　my　fellow　wanderers。”

“perhaps　you　will　not　have　to；”　replied　abhorsen；　smiling　at　a　sudden　thought。　“i　wonder　if　your　leader　will　object　to　two　new　members　joining　her　band。　for　my　work　means　i　must　travel；　and　there　is　no　part　of　the　kingdom　that　has　not　felt　the　imprint　of　my　feet。”

“your　work？”　asked　the　man；　shivering　a　little；　though　it　was　no　longer　cold。

“yes；”　said　abhorsen。　“i　am　a　necromancer；　but　not　of　the　mon　kind。　where　others　of　the　art　raise　the　dead；　i　lay　them　back　to　rest。　and　those　that　will　not　rest；　i　bind—or　try　to。　i　am　abhorsen　。　。　。”

he　looked　at　the　baby　again；　and　added；　almost　with　a　note　of　surprise；　“father　of　sabriel。”

。d　xs　



chapter　1

　生小说＿网　
the　rabbit　had　been　run　over　minutes　before。　its　pink　eyes　were　glazed　and　blood　stained　its　clean　white　fur。　unnaturally　clean　fur；　for　it　had　just　escaped　from　a　bath。　it　still　smelt　faintly　of　lavender　water。

a　tall；　curiously　pale　young　woman　stood　over　the　rabbit。　her　night…black　hair；　fashionably　bobbed；　was　hanging　slightly　over　her　face。

she　wore　no　makeup　or　jewelry；　save　for　an　enamelled　school　badge　pinned　to　her　regulation　navy　blazer。　that；　coupled　with　her　long　skirt；　stockings　and　sensible　shoes；　identified　her　as　a　schoolgirl。　a　nameplate　under　the　badge　read　“sabriel”　and　the　roman　“vi”　and　gilt　crown　proclaimed　her　to　be　both　a　member　of　the　sixth　form　and　a　prefect。

the　rabbit　was；　unquestionably；　dead。　sabriel　looked　up　from　it　and　back　along　the　bricked　drive　that　left　the　road　and　curved　up　to　an　imposing　pair　of　wrought…iron　gates。　a　sign　above　the　gate；　in　gilt　letters　of　mock　gothic；　announced　that　they　were　the　gates　to　wyverley　college。　smaller　letters　added　that　the　school　was　“established　in　　for　young　ladies　of　quality。”

a　small　figure　was　busy　climbing　over　the　gate；　nimbly　avoiding　the　spikes　that　were　supposed　to　stop　such　activities。　she　dropped　the　last　few　feet　and　started　running；　her　pigtails　flying；　shoes　clacking　on　the　bricks。　her　head　was　down　to　gain　momentum；　but　as　cruising　speed　was　established；　she　looked　up；　saw　sabriel　and　the　dead　rabbit；　and　screamed。

“bunny！”

sabriel　flinched　as　the　girl　screamed；　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　bent　down　by　the　rabbit’s　side　and　reached　out　with　one　pale　hand　to　touch　it　between　its　long　ears。　her　eyes　closed　and　her　face　set　as　if　she　had　suddenly　turned　to　stone。　a　faint　whistling　sound　came　from　her　slightly　parted　lips；　like　the　wind　heard　from　far　away。　frost　formed　on　her　fingertips　and　rimed　the　asphalt　beneath　her　feet　and　knees。

the　other　girl；　running；　saw　her　suddenly　tip　forward　over　the　rabbit；　and　topple　towards　the　road；　but　at　the　last　minute　her　hand　came　out　and　she　caught　herself。　a　second　later；　she　had　regained　her　balance　and　was　using　both　hands　to　restrain　the　rabbit—a　rabbit　now　inexplicably　lively　again；　its　eyes　bright　and　shiny；　as　eager　to　be　off　as　when　it　escaped　from　its　bath。

“bunny！”　shrieked　the　younger　girl　again；　as　sabriel　stood　up；　holding　the　rabbit　by　the　scruff　of　its　neck。　“oh；　thank　you；　sabriel！　when　i　heard　the　car　skidding　i　thought　。　。　。”

she　faltered　as　sabriel　handed　the　rabbit　over　and　blood　stained　her　expectant　hands。

“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　h