Kenneth Oppel's the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel's the Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

Author:Kenneth Oppel [Oppel, Kenneth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781443441803
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2014-10-15T00:00:00+00:00


Returning, I rubbed at my face and neck, anticipating bruises, but there were none. When I stretched, there was no soreness in my ribs and stomach, either. Injuries in the spirit world, it seemed, did not cross over.

I glanced over at Henry and Elizabeth, and an uncomfortable silence stretched out as the three of us avoided one another’s eyes.

“It seems,” I said after a while, “that we got a little carried away.”

Henry scoffed.

“I’d just like to remind you, Henry Clerval, that you punched me in the face during a fencing match.”

“You told me to invent my own rules.”

“You two were both brutes,” Elizabeth murmured. “You especially, Victor.”

“And what about you?” I countered. “You had a sword pointed at my heart!”

“Only to stop you from killing Henry!”

“You didn’t really mean to stab me, did you?” Henry asked.

“Of course not,” I said, hoping my uncertainty didn’t stain my voice.

“You were both completely out of control,” Elizabeth said.

“Strange,” I said, “I didn’t see you objecting. In fact, you seemed quite thrilled.”

Her only reply was an impatient sigh, but I knew I was right. She’d observed our duel with the tense anticipation of a wild animal watching the brawl of prospective mates.

This brought me up short. Was that what it had been? Had Henry and I been displaying for her, so she could choose the finer specimen? The very idea made me indignant. Surely I didn’t need to prove myself, especially alongside Henry? It was unthinkable that Elizabeth could harbor romantic feelings for him. In all the years he’d been our beloved friend, he’d been bookish and nervy and faintly ridiculous. Elizabeth had never shown the slightest amorous interest in him—to my eye, anyway, which, I had to admit, was often dim to such matters. I’d been virtually blind to her love for my own twin.

My certainty began to crumble. Henry was very fine with words, and Elizabeth prized that. And I’d not forgotten his aura of paternal strength when holding the mud creature. Then there had been the speed and hardness of his newly trained knuckles against my body. I looked at him anew. Could he truly be my rival?

“Are you really taking boxing lessons?”

He nodded. “After our encounter with Julius Polidori, I thought it wise to learn how to defend myself without a sword.”

“You’re already skilled,” I said grudgingly.

He raised his fists. “Shall we spar again?” He gave a shy laugh, and for a moment he was the old Henry again. But when we shook hands, his grip was firmer than I remembered, and I wondered if it would truly be so easy to forgive the words and blows we’d exchanged.

“I’ll not go inside again,” Elizabeth said. “The place makes all of us mad, bad and dangerous to know. I shudder to think what we might do next. Let’s all of us make a pledge. Until the baby’s grown and ready to be reunited with Konrad’s spirit, none of us will go inside again.”

With reluctance Henry nodded. “I think that’s for the best.



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