Gier Quotes

You were talking to that niche in the wall again, Gwyneth. I saw you." "Yes, but it's my favorite bit of wall, Gordon. I'd hurt its feelings if I didn't stop and talk to it.

If we were in a film, the villain would turn out to be the least-expected person. But as we aren’t in a film, I’d go for the character who tried to strangle you.

¿No podríamos seguir siendo amigos?... -Seguro que muere un hada cada vez que en algún lugar del mundo se formula esta pregunta.

Love goes through all times

Ready when you are.

The others can’t see me,” said the little ghost. “I know,” I said. “My name’s Gwyneth. What’s yours?” “Dr. White to you,” said Dr. White. “I’m Robert,” said the ghost. “That’s a very nice name,” I said. “Thank you,” said Dr. White. “I’ll return the compliment by saying you have very nice veins.

Zu Hause ist da, wo deine Bücher sind.

Hearts can't be broken because they're made of marzipan.

Y solo por amor se extingue una estrella, si ha elegido libremente su final.

-¿Hay algo que no sepas hacer? -¡No! Puedes tomarme tranquilamente por un Dios.

-¿Lista para la siguiente aventura, princesa? -Estoy lista si tú lo estás-Dijo ella en voz baja.

Lass uns Freunde bleiben - dieser Spruch war wirklich das allerletzte. Bestimmt stirbt jedesmal eine Fee, wenn irgendwo auf der Welt jemand diesen Satz ausspricht.' - Gwendolyn

True love knows no constraints, no locks or bars. Past every obstacle it makes its way. It spreads it wings to soar toward the stars, No earthly power will make it stop or stay.

It’s funny, but I was just thinking I wouldn’t mind a repeat of that boring evening when we elapsed to 1953,” said Gideon. “Just you and me and Cousin Sofa.

Time ain’t nothing, but time. It’s a verse with no rhyme, And it all come down to you. «El tiempo solo es tiempo. Es un verso sin rima, y todo depende de ti.»

You have a mother?" Only when I said it did I realize what a silly question it was! For heaven's sake! Gideon raised one eyebrow. "What did you expect?" he asked, amused. "You thought I was an android put together by Uncle Falk and Mr. George?

Pero por amor se hacen las cosas que de otro modo nunca se harían.(...)Cuando se quiere a alguien, de repente el otro es más importante que uno mismo.

—Yo también preferiría besarte todo el tiempo en lugar de despreciarte —dijo al cabo de un momento—. Pero de algún modo tú tampoco lo pones fácil. -Gideon

Que extraño que un corazón roto pudiera latir aún

Whenever he looks at me with those big brown eyes, I feel like giving him a nut,” she said. She even started calling the squirrels running around in the park Mr. Whitmans.

-Ready? -Ready if you are.

¿No tendrás un cepillo para el pelo? Es que canto mejor cuando tengo uno en la mano. Gideon parecía un poco desesperado.

The first pair Opal and Amber are, Agate sings in B flat, the wolf avatar, A duet-solutio! - with Aquamarine. Mighty Emerald next, with the lovely Citrine. Number Eight is digestio, her stand is Jade fine. E major's the key of the Black Tourmaline, Sapphire sings in F major, and bright is her sheen. Then almost at once comes Diamond alone, Whose sign of the lion as Leo is known. Projectio! Time flows on, both present and past. Ruby red is the first and is also the last.

Al fin y al cabo, no sería la primera que moría de amor; en ese sentido estaba en buena compañía: la Sirenita, Julieta, Pocahontas, la Dama de las Camelias, Madame Butterfly, y ahora también yo, Gwendolyn Shepard.

Cruza las fronteras del tiempo y encuentra el verdadero amor" "Me llamo Gwen y soy la última viajera en el tiempo. Así empieza la aventura de mi vida

The raven red, on ruby pinions winging its way between the worlds, hears dead men singing. It scarce knows it strength, the price it scarce knows, but its power will arise and the Circle will close.

You'd think that would have been forgotten long ago. But no, no sooner has a little grass grown over it than some clumsy camel comes along and rakes it all up again." Caroline giggled. She was probably imagining Aunt Glenda as a camel. "This is not a TV series, Maddy," said Lady Arista sharply. "Thank goodness, no, it isn't," said Great-aunt Maddy. "If it were, I'd have lost track of the plot ages ago.

Amor no conoce ningún freno; para él no existen puertas ni cerrojos ni poder que limite sus antojos. Amor no conoce principio ni fin. Agitó siempre sus alas al viento y así lo hará hasta el fin de los tiempos.

Te quiero, Gwendolyn; por favor, no me dejes

He took a hairpin out of my untidy hair (by now my complicated arrangement of ringlets must have looked as if a couple of birds had been nesting there); he took a strand of it and wound it around his finger. With his other hand he began stroking my face, and then he bent down and kissed me again, this time very cautiously. I closed my eyes - and the same thing happened as before: my brain suffered that delicious break in transmission.

—Oh, por Dios —gimió—. Si fueras un programa de la televisión, cambiaría ahora mismo de canal. -Xemerius

—En el comedor se hizo un silencio sepulcral—susurró Xemerius desde la araña—. Todas las miradas apuntaban a la muchacha de la blusa amarillo pipí...

Me han dicho que eso de sentirse feliz sin felicidad solo funciona con cocaína. Por desgracia no es bueno para la salud. Además de muy caro. Hum, e ilegal, desde luego. Así que mejor sigo siendo desgraciada y espero a encontrar alguna razón para poder ser feliz.

What do you mean, a ghost? The Honorable James Augustus Peregrine Pympoole-Bothame, heir to the fourteenth Earl of Hardsdale, is taking no insults from young girls!

I still have a headache,” said Charlotte, without looking up from the floor. “There, you see?” Aunt Glenda gave a venomous smile. “I have a headache too,” said Mum. “But that doesn’t mean I’m about to start traveling in time.

Home is where your books are.

You mean he's not afraid of me because I'm a woman? He ought to see Tomb Raider sometime. For all he knows, I could have a nuclear bomb under my dress and a hand grenade in each cup of my bra. I call it antifeminist!

—La casualidad es la única dueña y señora del universo, ya lo dijo Einstein

Sein Herz zu verlieren, ist die schönste Art festzustellen, dass man eines hat.

—Deberíamos recoger nuestras cosas —dijo Gideon finalmente—. Y deberías hacer algo urgente con tus cabellos; parece como si algún idiota se hubiera puesto a revolver en ellos con las dos manos y luego te hubiera tirado sobre un sofá… Sea quien sea el que nos espere sabrá que dos y dos son cuatro… Oh, por Dios, no me mires así. —¿Cómo? —Como si ya no pudieras moverte. —Es que no puedo —dije en serio—. Soy un pudin. Me has transformado en un pudin.

The lion-as proud as the diamond bright, Though the spell may be clouding that radiant light-in the death of the sun what's amiss will then mend, while the raven is dying discloses the end.

Ich wollte meine Augen öffnen, um Gideon ein letztes Mal anzusehen, aber ich schaffte es nicht. "Ich liebe dich, Gwenny, bitte verlass mich nicht", sagte Gideon, und das war das letzte, was ich hörte, bevor ich von einem großen Nichts verschluckt wurde.

Sí, claro. Algún día saldrás citada en los calendarios de todo el mundo —dije—. «Los corazones no se pueden partir de ningún modo porque son de mazapán». Brillante metáfora de la eminente Leslie Hay.

Friends of yours, eh?" I think one of them's about to faint." Oh, my god. "That's Chloe Dale," I said without turning arouind. "She suffers from high oestrogen levels. I can introduce you if you like." Gideon's smile grew wilder. "Maybe I'll take you up on that some other time. Now, come on. We still have a lot to do today." He took my arm (a loud squel could be heard from the steps and guided me towards the limousine.

Did you know that Gideon and I were trained in Krav Maga?" Charlotte took another step closer to me, and I automatically took one back. "No, but did /you/ know that at this moment you look like that crazy rodent in Ice Age?

....but talking to a ghost about a demon when you’re in a room full of people who can’t see either of them is not to be recommended.

I can’t do it, Gideon! I can’t make out the way you kiss me one moment and then act as if you loathed me like poison the next!” Gideon said, after a brief pause, “I’d much rather be kissing you the whole time than loathing you, but you don’t exactly make it easy for me.

Mi corazón se desbocó y luego dejó de palpitar un instante. ¡Fantástico! Mi corazón podía aguantar tranquilamente una estocada, pero Gideon era demasiado para él .Gwen

‹‹Si bien en el presente el pasado ya ha sucedido, es preciso extremar la prudencia para no poner en peligro lo presente a través de lo pasado al hacerlo presente>>

Ex hoc momento pendet aeternites. (Eternity hangs from this moment.)

Nick demonstrated twenty-three ways of communicating without words by fanning himself with a napkin. "This one means oops, your fly is open, sir, and if you lower the fan a little and look at someone over the top of it, it means wow, I'd like to marry you. But if you do it the other way around, it means ha ha, we are now at war with Spain.

Unfortunately it's an incontrovertible fact that sound common sense flies out of the window as soon as love comes in through the door.

I can take criticism. Or at least, I can if you put it nicely.

Odd that a broken heart can beat at all, come to think of it.

Liebe geht durch alle Zeiten.

Qua nesquik mosquitos.

Hearts are made of something much tougher. It's unbreakable, and you can reshape it anytime you like. Hearts are made to a secret formula.

I love you, Gwenny. Please don’t leave me,” said Gideon. That was the last thing I heard before a great void swallowed me up.

Good,” said Gideon. “It means the effect of the alcohol is wearing off. One question, by the way: what did you want a hairbrush for?” “I wanted it as a substitute for a mike,” I murmured through my fingers. “Oh, my God! I’m so horrible.” “But you have a pretty voice,” said Gideon. “Even I liked it, and I told you I hate musicals.” “Then how come you can play songs from them so well?” I put my hands in my lap and looked at him. “You were amazing! Is there anything you can’t do?” Good heavens, I heard myself sounding like a groupie. “No. Go ahead, you’re welcome to think me some kind of god!” He was grinning now. “It’s rather sweet of you!

I'm sure he knows you love him. All fathers know that children sometimes say things they really don't mean.

Schleimer!", sagte Xemerius. "Die Rothaarigen sind immer Schleimer, findest du nicht auch?" (....) "Streber", sagte Xemerius. "Die Rothaarigen sind immer Streber.

A weapon can usually be turned against you, if you don't know how to use it.

Cuando me besas, Gwendolyn Shepherd, es como si perdiera el contacto con el suelo. No tengo ni idea de cómo lo haces ni de dónde lo has aprendido. En todo caso, si ha sido en una película, tenemos que verla juntos. Lo que quiero decir es que cuando me besas, ya no quiero hacer nada más que sentirte y tenerte entre mis brazos. ¡Mierda, estoy tan terriblemente enamorado de ti que es como si hubieran volcado una lata de gasolina en mi interior y le hubieran prendido fuego!

Cuanto más inteligente sea una mujer menos tardará en establecer un compromiso con la naturaleza del hombre -Conde de Saint Germain

Maybe I should think of nothing at all? But that was passion impossible. As soon as I tried to thinking of anything, millions of ideas flooded my brain.

E major's the key of the Black Tourmaline, Sapphire sings in F major, and bright is her sheen. Then almost at once, comes Diamond alone, Whose sign of the lion as Leo is known. Projectio! Time flows on, both present and past. Ruby red is the first and is also the last.

Everything all right, Gwyneth?” asked Gideon, raising one eyebrow. “You look nervous. Would you like a cigarette to calm your nerves? What was your favorite brand, did you say? Marlboros?” I could only stare at him speechlessly. “Leave her alone,” said Xemerius. “Can’t you see she’s unhappy in love, bonehead? All because of you! What are you doing here, anyway?

I see,” I said, which was not entirely true. But it did seem to explain a bit of what I’d recently seen and heard. “Er . . . at this moment, are you kissing me?” “No, only almost,” murmured Gideon, with his lips just above my skin. “I mean, no way do I want to exploit the fact that you’re drunk and may be mistaking me for some kind of god right now. But it doesn’t come easy . . .” I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his shoulder, and he held me closer. “Like I said, you really don’t make things easy for me. You always give me the wrong sort of ideas in churches . . .

Wenn du mich küsst, Gwendolyn Shepherd, dann ist das so, als würde ich den Kontakt zum Boden verlieren. Ich habe keine Ahnung, wie du das machst oder wo du es gelernt hast. Wenn du mich küsst, dann will ich nichts anderes mehr, als dich zu spüren und in meinen Armen zu halten. Scheiße, ich bin so schrecklich in dich verliebt, dass es sich anfühlt, als hätte irgendwo in meinem Inneren jemand einen Kanister mit Benzin ausgekippt und angezündet! Gwenny, das alles macht mir furchtbare Angst. Ohne dich würde mein Leben keinen Sinn mehr haben, ohne dich... ich würde auf der Stelle sterben wollen, wenn dir etwas zustieße.

Ex hoc momento pendet aeternitas. (An diesem Augenblick hängt die Ewigkeit.)

A clever woman succeeds in concealing her jealousy. Otherwise we men always feel so sure of ourselves...

²Bereit für das nächste Abenteuer, Prinzessin?" "Bereit, wenn du es bist", sagte sie leise.

-A veces eres realmente... -Gideon sacudió la cabeza, y luego inspiró hondo y dijo muy serio-: Cuando me besas, Gwendolyn Sheperd, es como si perdiera el contacto con el suelo. No tengo ni idea de cómo lo haces ni de dónde lo has aprendido. En todo caso, si ha sido en una película, tenemos que verla juntos. -Se detuvo un momento-. Lo que quiero decir es que cuando me besas, ya no quiero hacer nada más que sentirte y tenerte entre mis brazos. ¡Mierda, estoy tan terriblemente enamorado de ti que es como si hubieran volcado una lata de gasolina en mi interior y le hubieran prendido fuego! Pero en este momento no podemos... al menos uno de nosotros debe mantener la cabeza fría. -La mirada que me lanzó disipó mis dudas-. Gwenny, todo esto me da un miedo horrible. Sin ti mi vida ya no tendría ningún sentido, sin ti... querría morirme si a ti te pasara algo.

I'll just do a round around of the house and make sure the rest of the family are fast asleep. We don't want that sharp-nosed aunt of yours catching us when we find the diamonds." "What diamonds?" "Think positive for once...Which would you rather, diamonds or the remains of a murdered maidservant? It's all a question of attitude.

Let’s stay friends—I mean, that really was the end!” “What do you bet a fairy dies every time someone says that anywhere in the world?

I hate all these crazy verbs, using a subjunctive to get what’s happened in the future and the past mixed up.

Don’t be scared,” said a voice behind me. Those must certainly fall into the category of Famous Last Words, the sort that are the last thing you hear before your death. (Along with “it isn’t loaded” and “he only wants to play.”) Of course I was terrible scared.

»Schschscht«, machte Gideon. »Alles ist gut, Gwenny. Ich bin bei dir.« »Ja, du bist bei mir«, sagte ich und wiederholte gleich noch einmal, wie ein beruhigendes Mantra. »Du bist bei mir du bist bei mir du bist bei mir.«

Und es herrschte Totenstille im Raum", flüsterte Xemerius vom Kronleuchter. "Alle Augen ruhten auf dem Mädchen in der pissgelben Bluse..." Argh, er hatte recht. Ich ärgerte mich, dass ich mich vorhin nicht noch schnell geduscht und umgezogen hatte -- die Blöde Schuluniform war so ziemlich das am wenigsten Kleidsame, das ich besaß. Aber wer hätte auch ahnen können, dass ich heute Abend noch mal Besuch bekommen würde? Und zwar Besuch, bei dem mir mein Aussehen wichtig war? "Hi", sagte Gideon und lächelte zum ersten Mal, seit er den Raum betreten hatte. Ich lechelte verlegen zurück. "Hi, Gollum." Gideons Lächeln vertiefte sich. Selbst die Schatten an den Wänden verstummten, während die beiden einander anschauten, als hätten sie sich gerade auf ein Pupskissen gesetzt", sagte Xemerius und flatterte vom Kronleuchter hinter uns her. "Romantische Geigenmusik setzte ein, dann taperten sie nebeneinander her, das Mädchen mit der pissgelben Bluse und der Junge, der dringend Mal wieder zum Friseur müsste.

Der Rabe auf seinen rubinroten Schwingen Zwischen den Welten hört Tote er singen, Kaum kennt er die Kraft, kaum kennt er den Preis, Die Macht erhebt sich, es schließt sich der Kreis. Der Löwe - so stolz das diamant'ne Gesicht, Der jähe Bann trübt das strahlende Licht, Im Sterben der Sonne bringt er die Wende, Des Raben Tod offenbart das Ende.

Als ich endlich ins Esszimmer hinunterkam, war die Frühstückszeit glücklicherweise schon so gut wie vorbei. Xemerius hing am Kronleuchter und baumelte mit dem Kopf. "Na, wieder nüchtern, kleine Saufnase?" Lady Arista musterte mich von Kopf bis Fuß. "Ist das Absicht dass du nur das eine Auge geschminkt hast?

There are no shy women,"announced the count. "The modest way they cast thier eyes down merely his their naivety." I was fast coming to the conclusion that there was no need to feel afraid of him. He was only a self-satisfied old git who hated women and liked the sound of his own voice.

It was Gideon who finally broke the silence, which gave me a certain satisfaction. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” The way he asked, he sounded almost embarrassed. “What?” “It’s what my mother always used to when I was little. If I was looking straight ahead and saying nothing, like you right at this moment.” “You have a mother?” Only when I’d said it did I realize what a silly question it was! Oh, for heaven’s sake! Gideon raised one eyebrow. “What did you expect?” he asked, amused. “You thought I was an android put together by Uncle Falk and Mr. George?” “Well, it’s not such an outlandish idea. Do you have photos of yourself as a baby?” Trying to imagine a baby Gideon with a round, soft plump-cheeked face and a bald head made me grin.

You’re not ordinary, Gwyneth,” he whispered as he began stroking my hair. “You’re totally, absolutely extraordinary. You don’t need the magic of any raven to be special to me.” He leaned as close as he could get, with his head and arms through the opening of the confessional window, and when his lips touched my mouth, I shut my eyes. Okay. So now I was going to faint.

I only wanted to . . . I mean, just now, when Mr. George interrupted us, there was something very important I wanted to say to you.” “It is about what I told you in the church yesterday? I mean, I can understand that you may think me crazy because I see these beings, but a psychiatrist wouldn’t make any difference.” Gideon frowned. “Just keep quiet for a moment, would you? I have to pluck up all my courage to make you a declaration of love . . . I’ve had absolutely no practice in this kind of thing.” “What?” “Gwyneth,” he said, perfectly seriously, “I’ve fallen in love with you.” My stomach muscles contracted as if I’d had a shock. But it was joy. “Really?” “Yes, really!” In the light of the torch I saw Gideon smile. “I do realize we’ve known each other for less than a week, and at first I thought you were rather . . . childish, and I probably behaved badly to you. But you’re terribly complicated, I never know what you’ll do next, and in some ways you really are terrifyingly . . . er. . . naïve. Sometimes I just want to shake you.” “Okay, I can see you were right about having no practice in making declarations of love,” I agreed. “But then you’re so amusing, and clever, and amazingly sweet,” Gideon went on, as if he hadn’t heard me. “And the worst of it is, you only have to be in the same room and I need to touch you and kiss you . . .” “Yes, that’s really too bad,” I whispered, and my heart turned over as Gideon took the hatpin out of my hair, tossed the feathered monstrosity into the air to fall on the floor, draw me close, and kissed me. About three minutes later, I was leaning against the wall, totally breathless, making an effort to stay upright. “Hey, Gwyneth, try breathing in and out in the normal way,” said Gideon, amused. I gave him a little push. “Stop that! I can’t believe how conceited you are!” “Sorry. It’s just such a . . . a heady feeling to think you’d forget to breathe on my account.

After three glasses, Cynthia flung the windows open and announced, “Zac Efron, I love you!” to the whole of Chelsea, while Lesley was crouched head down over the lavatory bowl throwing up, Maggie had made Sarah a declaration of love (“you’re sho, sho beautiful, marry me!”), and Sarah was shedding floods of tears without knowing why. It hit me worst of all. I had jumped on Cynthia’s bed and was bawling out “Breaking Free” in an endless loop. When Cynthia’s father came into the room, I’d held Cynthia’s hairbrush up to him like a microphone and called out, “Sing alone, baldie! Get those hips swinging!” Although the next day I couldn’t even being to explain why myself. After that embarrassing episode, Lesley and I had decided to give the demon drink a wide berth in future (we gave Cynthia’s father a wide berth as well for a couple of months), and we had stuck to that resolution.

Ópalo y Ámbar forman el primer par, Ágata canta en si, del lobo el avatar, Dueto —¡Solutio!— con Aguamarina. Siguen poderosas las Esmeralda y la Citrina, los gemelos cornalina en Escorpión, y Jade, el número 8, digestión. En mi mayor: negra Turmalina, Zafiro en fa se ilumina. Y casi al mismo tiempo el Diamante, 11 y 7, del León rampante. ¡Projectio llega! Fluye el tiempo, Y Rubí constituye el final y el comienzo. De los Escritos secretos del conde de Saint Germain.

That morning, the two eagerly awaited fairy-tale princes had left their white horses in the stable for once and traveled by Tube,” declaimed Xemerius unctuously. “At the sight of them, the eyes of the two princesses shone, and when the two concentrated sets of young hormones collided, expressing themselves in the form of embarrassed kisses and silly grins, the clever and incomparably handsome demon unfortunately had to throw up in a garbage bin.

Liv, stop it!" hissed Mia. "You look like a lovelorn sheep!" I gave a start. "As bad as that? Oh, that's terrible." I added - and I was to regret it in the course of the day - "If you see me looking like that again, give me a nudge or throw something at me. Promise?" "With pleasure," said Mia, and three hours later, because she always kept her promises, I was black and blue around the ribs and had been hit by assorted flying objects: several chestnuts, a spoon, and a blueberry muffin.

You’re going to make your lip bleed, biting it like that,” he said. “I’m feeling . . . kind of nervous.” “I can see that. Would it help if I held your hand?” I shook my head vigorously. No, it would make things worse, you idiot! Quite apart from the fact that I’m at a total loss to understand the way you’re treating me now, anyway! Not to mention our relationship in general. What’s more, Mr. Whitman is looking at us like some kind of know-it-all squirrel! I almost groaned aloud. Would I feel any better if I told him any of what I was thinking? I thought about doing just that for a moment, but I didn’t.

When you kiss me, Gwyneth, I feel I’m losing touch with the ground. I don’t know how you do it or where you learnt the trick of it. If it was from a film, well, we just have to go and see it together.” He stopped for a moment. “What I really want to say is, when you kiss me, all I want is to feel you and hold you in my arms. Hell, I’m so in love with you that it feels like someone had emptied a can of gasoline somewhere inside me and set fire to it! But right now, we can’t . . . we have to keep a cool head. Or one of us, anyway.” The look he gave me finally put an end to my doubts. “Gwenny, all this terrifies me. Without you, there’d be no sense in my life anymore . . . I’d want to die if anything happened to you.

Charlotte: Giordano is terribly afraid Gwyneth will get everything wrong tomorrow that she can get wrong. Gideon: Pass the olive oil, please. Charlotte: Politics and history are a closed book to Gwyneth. She can’t even remember names—they go in at one ear and straight out of the other. She can’t help it, her brain doesn’t have the capacity. It’s stuffed with the names of boy bands and long, long cast lists of actors in soppy romantic films. Raphael: Gwyneth is your time-traveling cousin, right? I saw her yesterday in school. Isn’t she the one with long dark hair and blue eyes? Charlotte: Yes, and that birthmark on her temple, the one that looks like a little banana. Gideon: Like a little crescent moon. Raphael: What’s that friend of hers called? The blonde with freckles? Lily? Charlotte: Lesley Hay. Rather brighter than Gwyneth, but she’s a wonderful example of the way people get to look like their dogs. Hers is a shaggy golden retriever crossbreed called Bertie. Raphael: That’s cute! Charlotte: You like dogs? Raphael: Especially golden retriever crossbreeds with freckles. Charlotte: I see. Well, you can try your luck. You won’t find it particularly difficult. Lesley gets through even more boys than Gwyneth. Gideon: Really? How many . . . er, boyfriends has Gwyneth had? Charlotte: Oh, my God! This is kind of embarrassing. I don’t want to speak ill of her, it’s just that she’s not very discriminating. Particularly when she’s had a drink. She’s done the rounds of almost all the boys in our class and the class above us . . . I guess I lost track at some point. I’d rather not repeat what they call her. Raphael: The school mattress? Gideon: Pass the salt, please.

Der Kreis des Blutes Vollendung findet, Der Stein der Weisen die Ewigkeit bindet. Im Kleid der Jugend wächst neue Kraft, Bringt dem, der den Zauber trägt, unsterbliche Macht. Doch achte, wenn der zwölfte Stern geht auf, Das Schicksal des Irdischen nimmt seinen Lauf. Die Jugend schmilzt, die Eiche ist geweiht Dem Untergang in Erdenzeit. Nur wenn der zwölfte Stern erbleicht, Der Adler auf ewig sein Ziel erreicht. Drum wisse, ein Stern verglüht vor Liebe gequält, Wenn sein Niedergang ist frei gewählt.

This time we weren’t disturbed either by traveling through time or a cheeky gargoyle demon. While “Hallelujah” was running, the kiss was gentle and careful, but then Gideon buried both hands in my hair and held me very close. It wasn’t a gentle kiss anymore, and my reaction surprised me. I suddenly felt very soft and lightweight, and my arms went around Gideon’s neck of their own accord. I had no idea how, but at some point in the next few minutes, still kissing without a break, we landed on the green sofa, and we went on kissing there until Gideon abruptly sat up and looked at his watch. “Like I said, it really is a shame I’m not allowed to kiss you anymore,” he remarked rather breathlessly. The pupils of his eyes looked huge, and his cheeks were definitely flushed. I wondered what I looked like myself. As I’d temporarily mutated into some kind of human blancmange, there was no way I could get out of my half-lying position. And I realized, with horror, that I had no idea how much time had passed since Bon Jovi stopped singing “Hallelujah.” Ten minutes? Half an hour? Anything was possible. Gideon looked at me, and I thought I saw something like bewilderment in his eyes. “We’d better collect our things,” he said at last. “And you need to do something about your hair—it looks as if some idiot has been digging both hands into it and dragging you down on a sofa. Whoever’s back there waiting for us will put two and two together—oh, my God, don’t look at me like that.” “Like what?” “As if you couldn’t move.” “But I can’t,” I said, perfectly seriously. “I’m a blancmange. You’ve turned me into blancmange.” A brief smile brightened Gideon’s face, and then he jumped up and began stowing my school things in my bag. “Come along, little blancmange. Stand up.

Sin hacerle caso, acaricié cariñosamente el cabello de su yo inconsciente. —¡Te has dejado K.O. A ti mismo! ¿Aún recuerdas lo cruel que fuiste conmigo por eso? Gideon sonrió débilmente. —Sí, lo recuerdo —dijo—. Y lo siento de verdad. Pero ¿quién puede contar con que pase algo así? ¡Ahora ven de una vez! Antes de que ese tonto se despierte. Hace rato que ha entregado la carta. —Y, a continuación, soltó unas cuantas palabras francesas tras las que supuse que se ocultaban otras tantas maldiciones jugosas, porque recurrió varias veces, igual que su hermano antes, a la palabra merde.

Isn’t she wonderful? A really fine talent, and so beautiful, too.” “Yes,” I said quietly, clapping as well and taking care not to play pat-a-cake. “It’s quite something to make the chandeliers ring like that.” The clapping upset my sensitive sense of balance, and I staggered slightly. Gideon caught me. “I can’t make it out,” he said angrily, his lips close to my ear. “We haven’t been here two hours, and you’re totally drunk! What on earth were you thinking of?” “You said totally. I’m going to tell on you to Giordano,” I giggled. In all the noise, no one else could hear us. “Anyway, it’s too late. No point in locking the stable door after the horse has gone.” A hiccup interrupted me--hic. “Sorry.” I looked around me. “But everyone else is much more drunk than me, so leave out the moral indignation, okay? I have everything under control. You can let go of me again. I stand here as steady as a rock among the breakers.” “I’m warning you,” whispered Gideon, but he did let go of me.

I stared at him, baffled. But at that moment Gideon began to play, and I entirely forgot what I had been going to ask the count. Oh, my god! Maybe it was the punch—but wow! That violin was really sexy! Even the way Gideon raised it and tucked it under his chin! He didn’t have to do more than that to carry me away with him. His long lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, and a lock of hair fell over his face as he began passing the bow over the strings. The first notes filling the room almost took my breath away, they made such tender, melting music, and suddenly I was close to tears. Until now, violins had been way down on my list of favorite instruments, and I really liked them only for accompanying certain moments in films. But this was just incredibly wonderful—well, all of it was: the bittersweet melody and boy enticing it out of the instrument. All the people in the room listened with bated breath, and Gideon played on, immersed in the music as if there were no one else there. I didn’t notice that I was crying until the count touched my cheek and caught a tear gently with his finger. Then I jumped in alarm. He was smiling down at me, and I saw a warm glow in his dark brown eyes. “Nothing to be ashamed of,” he said quietly. “If it were otherwise, I’d have been very disappointed.

I gave myself a little shake. So if Gideon was carrying on as if nothing had happened—well, thanks a lot, I could do the same. “Okay, let’s get out of here,” I said brightly. “I’m cold.” I tried to push past him, but he took hold of my arm and stopped me. “Listen, about all that just now . . .” He stopped, probably hoping I was going to interrupt him. Which of course I wasn’t. I was only too keen to hear what he had to say. I also found breathing difficult when he was standing so close to me. “That kiss . . . I didn’t mean . . .” Once again it was only half a sentence. But I immediately finished it in my mind. I didn’t mean it that way. Well, obviously, but then he shouldn’t have done it, should he? It was like setting fire to a curtain and then wondering why the whole house burned down. (Okay, silly comparison.) I wasn’t going to make it any easier for him. I looked at him coolly and expectantly. That is, I tried to look at him coolly and expectantly, but I probably really had an expression on my face saying, Oh, I’m cute little Bambie, please don’t shoot me! There was nothing I could do about that. All I needed was for my lower lip to start trembling. I didn’t mean it that way! Go on, say it! But Gideon didn’t say anything. He took a hairpin out of my untidy hair (by now my complicated arrangement of strands must have looked as if a couple of birds had been nesting in it), took one strand, and wound it around his finger. With his other hand, he began stroking my fact, and then he bent down and kissed me again, this time very cautiously. I closed my eyes—and the same thing happened as before: my brain suffered that delicious break in transmission. (Well, all it was transmitting was oh, hmm, and more!) But that lasted only about ten seconds, because then a voice right beside us said, irritated, “Not starting that stuff up again, are you?

Passersby looked at us curiously. In the porch, Mr. Whitman held the church door open for us. “Hurry up, please,” he said. “We don’t want to attract attention.” No, sure, there was nothing likely to attract attention in two black limousines parking in North Audley Street in broad daylight so that men in suits could carry the Lost Ark out of the trunk of one of the cars, over the sidewalk, and into the church. Although from a distance the chest carrying it could have been a small coffin . . . The thought gave me goose bumps. “I hope at least you remembered your pistol,” I whispered to Gideon. “You have a funny idea of what goes on at a soiree,” he said, in a normal tone of voice, arranging the scarf around my shoulders. “Did anyone check what’s in your bag? We don’t want your mobile ringing in the middle of a musical performance.” I couldn’t keep from laughing at the idea, because just then my ringtone was a croaking frog. “There won’t be anyone there who could call me except you,” I pointed out. “And I don’t even know your number. Please may I take a look inside your bag?” “It’s called a reticule,” I said, shrugging and handing him the little bag. “Smelling salts, handkerchief, perfume, powder . . . excellent,” said Gideon. “All just as it should be. Come along.” He gave me the reticule back, took my hand, and led me through the church porch. Mr. Whitman bolted the door again behind us. Gideon forgot to let go of my hand once we were inside the church, which was just as well, because otherwise I’d have panicked at the last moment and run away.

For a moment, I was perfectly relaxed, and I began enjoying the sight of this beautifully candlelit room full of well-dressed people. Then Mr. Merchant made a grab for my décolletage from behind, and I almost spilled the punch. “One of those dear, pretty little roses slipped out of place,” he claimed, with an insinuating grin. I stared at him, baffled. Giordano hadn’t prepared me for a situation like this, so I didn’t know the proper etiquette for dealing with Rococo gropers. I looked at Gideon for help, but he was so deep in conversation with the young widow that he didn’t even notice. If we’d been in my own century, I’d have told Mr. Merchant to keep his dirty paws to himself or I’d hit back, whether or not any little roses had really slipped. But in the circumstances, I felt that his reaction was rather—discourteous. So I smiled at him and said, “Oh, thank you, how kind. I never noticed.” Mr. Merchant bowed. “Always glad to be of service, ma’am.” The barefaced cheek of it! But in times when woman had no vote, I suppose it wasn’t surprising if they didn’t get any other kind of respect either. The talking and laughter gradually died away as Miss Fairfax, a thin-nosed lady wearing a reed-green dress, went over to the pianoforte, arranged her skirts, and placed her hands on the keys. In fact, she didn’t play badly. It was her singing that was rather disturbing. It was incredibly . . . well, high-pitched. A tiny bit higher, and you’d have thought she was a dog whistle.