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il the charter…spell renewed itself鈥攈ours； days or even years later。
the dead thing was curiously still； but it was clearly watching sabriel。 even so powerful a creature couldn鈥檛 cross this river and it made no attempt to do so。 in fact； the longer sabriel stared at it； the more it seemed to her that the mordicant was content to wait。 it was a sentry； guarding what might be the only exit from the island。 or perhaps it was waiting for something to happen； or for someone to arrive 。 。 。
sabriel suppressed a shudder and jumped on。
there was more light now； heralding the advent of the sun； and she could see a sort of wooden landing stage leading up to a gate in the white wall。 treetops were also visible behind the walls； winter trees； their branches bare of green raiment。
birds flew between trees and tower； little birds launching themselves for their morning forage。 it was a vision of normalcy； of a haven。 but sabriel could not forget the tall； flame…etched silhouette of the mordicant； brooding on the ledge。
wearily； she made the jump to the last stone and collapsed on the steps of the landing stage。 even her eyelids could barely move； and her field of vision had narrowed to a little slit directly to her front。 the grain of the planks of the landing stage loomed close； as she crawled up to the gate and halfheartedly fell against it。
the gate swung open； pitching her onto a paved courtyard； the beginning of a red…brick path； the bricks ancient； their redness the color of dusty apples。 the path wound up to the front door of the house； a cheerful sky…blue door； bright against whitewashed stone。 a bronze doorknocker in the shape of a lion鈥檚 head holding a ring in its mouth gleamed in counterpoint to the white cat that lay coiled on the rush mat before the door。
sabriel lay on the bricks and smiled up at the cat； blinking back tears。 the cat twitched and turned its head ever so slightly to look at her； revealing bright； green eyes。
鈥渉ello； puss；鈥潯roaked sabriel； coughing as she staggered once more to her feet and walked forward； groaning and creaking with every step。 she reached down to pat the cat； and froze鈥攆or； as the cat thrust its head up； she saw the collar around its neck and the tiny bell that hung there。
the collar was only red leather； but the charterspell on it was the strongest； most enduring； binding that sabriel had ever seen or felt鈥攁nd the bell was a miniature saraneth。 the cat was no cat； but a free magic creature of ancient power。
鈥渁bhorsen；鈥潯ewed the cat； its little pink tongue darting。 鈥渁bout time you got here。鈥�
sabriel stared at it for a moment； gave a little sort of moan and fell forward in a faint of exhaustion and dismay。
w w w/xiao shu otx t
chapter viii
灏忥伎璇础 xt 澶爞
sabriel awoke to soft candlelight； the warmth of a feather bed； and silken sheets； delightfully smooth under heavy blankets。 a fire burned briskly in a red…brick fireplace and wood…paneled walls gleamed with the dark mystery of well…polished mahogany。 a blue…papered ceiling with silver stars dusted across it； faced her newly opened eyes。 two windows confronted each other across the room； but they were shuttered； so sabriel had no idea what time it was； no more than she had any remembrance of how she鈥檇 got there。 it was definitely abhorsen鈥檚 house； but her last memory was of fainting on the doorstep。
gingerly鈥攆or even her neck ached from her day and night of travel； fear and flight鈥攕abriel lifted her head to look around and once again met the green eyes of the cat that wasn鈥檛 a cat。
the creature was lying near her feet； at the end of the bed。
鈥渨ho 。 。 。 what are you？鈥潯abriel asked nervously； suddenly all too aware that she was naked under the soft sheets。 a sensuous delight； but a defenseless one。 her eyes flickered to her sword…belt and bell…bandolier； carefully draped on a clothes…horse near the door。
鈥渋 have a variety of names；鈥潯eplied the cat。 it had a strange voice； half…mew； half…purr； with hissing on the vowels。 鈥測ou may call me mogget。 as to what i am； i was once many things； but now i am only several。 primarily； i am a servant of abhorsen。 unless you would be kind enough to remove my collar？鈥�
sabriel gave an uneasy smile； and shook her head firmly。 whatever mogget was； that collar was the only thing that kept it as a servant of abhorsen 。 。 。 or anybody else。 the charter marks on the collar were quite explicit about that。 as far as sabriel could tell； the binding spell was over a thousand years old。 it was quite possible that mogget was some free magic spirit as old as the wall； or even older。 she wondered why her father hadn鈥檛 mentioned it； and with a pang； wished that she had awoken to find her father here； in his house； both their troubles over。
鈥渋 thought not；鈥潯aid mogget； bining a careless shrug with a limbering stretch。 it 。 。 。 or he； for sabriel felt the cat was definitely masculine； jumped to the parquet floor and sauntered over to the fire。 sabriel watched； her trained eye noting that mogget鈥檚 shadow was not always that of a cat。
a knock at the door interrupted her study of the cat； the sharp sound making sabriel jump nervously； the hair on the back of her neck frizzing to attention。
鈥渋t鈥檚 only one of the servants；鈥潯ogget said； in a patronizing tone。 鈥渃harter sendings； and pretty low…grade ones at that。 they always burn the milk。鈥�
sabriel ignored him； and said； 鈥渆 in。鈥潯er voice shook； and she realized that shaky nerves and weakness would be with her for a while。
the door swung open silently and a short； robed figure drifted in。 it was similar to the upper gatewarden； being cowled and so without a visible face； but this one鈥檚 habit was of light cream rather than black。 it had a simple cotton underdress draped over one arm； a thick towel over the other and its charter…woven hands held a long woollen surcoat and a pair of slippers。
without a word； it went to the end of the bed and put the garments on sabriel鈥檚 feet。 then it crossed to a porcelain basin that sat in a silver filigree stand； above a tiled area of the floor to the left of the fire。 there； it twisted a bronze wheel； and steaming hot water splashed and gurgled from a pipe in the wall； bringing with it the stench of something sulphurous and unpleasant。
sabriel wrinkled her nose。
鈥渉ot springs；鈥潯ented mogget。 鈥測ou won鈥檛 smell it after a while。 your father always said that having permanent hot water was worth bearing the smell。 or was it your grandfather who said that？ or great…great…aunt？ ah； memory 。 。 。鈥�
the servant stood immobile while the basin filled； then twisted the wheel to cut the flow as water slopped over the rim to the floor； close to mogget鈥攚ho leapt to his feet and padded away； keeping a cautious distance from the charter sending。 just like a real cat； sabriel thought。 perhaps the imposed shape impressed behavior too； over the years鈥攐r centuries。 she liked cats。 the school had a cat； a plump marmalade feline； who went by the name of biscuits。
sabriel thought about the way it slept on the windowsill of the prefect鈥檚 room； and then found herself thinking about the school