THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第16部分

she　stepped　out　of　the　shelter　of　the　roots　and　faced　them　directly。　she　held　out　her　hands；　realizing　that　such　a　gesture　might　mean　nothing　to　creatures　with　no　hands　themselves。　still；　it　was　all　she　could　do。　picking　up　her　rucksack；　she　walked　across　the　grass　and　stepped　onto　the　road。

close　up；　not　five　steps　away；　she　could　see　much　more　about　their　appearance；　but　her　attention　was　held　by　something　lively　and　aware　in　their　gaze；　by　an　intelligence。　these　creatures　were　as　different　from　the　grazing　animals　nearby　as　a　human　was　from　a　cow。

mary　pointed　to　herself　and　said；　〃mary。〃

the　nearest　creature　reached　forward　with　its　trunk。　she　moved　closer；　and　it　touched　her　on　the　breast；　where　she　had　pointed；　and　she　heard　her　voice　ing　back　to　her　from　the　creatures　throat：　〃merry。〃

〃what　are　you？〃　she　said。

〃watahyu？〃　the　creature　responded。

all　she　could　do　was　respond。　〃i　am　a　human；〃　she　said。

〃ayama　yuman；〃　said　the　creature；　and　then　something　even　odder　happened：　the　creatures　laughed。

their　eyes　wrinkled；　their　trunks　waved；　they　tossed　their　heads；　and　from　their　throats　came　the　unmistakable　sound　of　merriment。　she　couldnt　help　it：　she　laughed；　too。

then　another　creature　moved　forward　and　touched　her　hand　with　its　trunk。　mary　offered　her　other　hand　as　well　to　its　soft；　bristled；　questing　touch。

〃ah；〃　she　said；　〃youre　smelling　the　oil　from　the　seedpod。。。〃

〃seepot；〃　said　the　creature。

〃if　you　can　make　the　sounds　of　my　language；　we　might　be　able　to　municate；　one　day。　god　knows　how。　mary；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　herself　again。

nothing。　they　watched。　she　did　it　again：　〃mary。〃

the　nearest　creature　touched　its　own　breast　with　its　trunk　and　spoke。　was　it　three　syllables；　or　two？　the　creature　spoke　again；　and　this　time　mary　tried　hard　to　make　the　same　sounds：　〃mulefa；〃　she　said　tentatively。

others　repeated；　〃mulefa〃　in　her　voice；　laughing；　and　even　seemed　to　be　teasing　the　creature　who　had　spoken。　〃mulefa！〃　they　said　again；　as　if　it　were　a　fine　joke。

〃well；　if　you　can　laugh；　i　dont　suppose　youll　eat　me；〃　mary　said。　and　from　that　moment；　there　was　an　ease　and　friendliness　between　her　and　them；　and　she　felt　nervous　no　more。

and　the　group　itself　relaxed：　they　had　things　to　do；　they　werent　roaming　at　random。　mary　saw　that　one　of　them　had　a　saddle　or　pack　on　its　back；　and　two　others　lifted　the　seedpod　onto　it；　making　it　secure　by　tying　straps　around　it；　with　deft　and　intricate　movements　of　their　trunks。　when　they　stood　still；　they　balanced　with　their　lateral　legs；　and　when　they　moved；　they　turned　both　front　and　back　legs　to　steer。　their　movements　were　full　of　grace　and　power。

one　of　them　wheeled　to　the　edge　of　the　road　and　raised　its　trunk　to　utter　a　trumpeting　call。　the　herd　of　grazers　all　looked　up　as　one　and　began　to　trot　toward　them。　when　they　arrived；　they　stood　patiently　at　the　verge　and　let　the　wheeled　creatures　move　slowly　through　them；　checking；　touching；　counting。

then　mary　saw　one　reach　beneath　a　grazer　and　milk　it　with　her　trunk；　and　then　the　wheeled　one　rolled　over　to　her　and　raised　her　trunk　delicately　to　marys　mouth。

at　first　she　flinched；　but　there　was　an　expectation　in　the　creatures　eye；　so　she　came　forward　again　and　opened　her　lips。

the　creature　expressed　a　little　of　the　sweet；　thin　milk　into　her　mouth；　watched　her　swallow；　and　gave　her　some　more；　again　and　again。　the　gesture　was　so　clever　and　kindly　that　mary　impulsively　put　her　arms　around　the　creatures　head　and　kissed　her；　smelling　the　hot；　dusty　hide　and　feeling　the　hard　bones　underneath　and　the　muscular　power　of　the　trunk。

presently　the　leader　trumpeted　softly　and　the　grazers　moved　away。　the　mulefa　were　preparing　to　leave。

she　felt　joy　that　they　had　weled　her；　and　sadness　that　they　were　leaving；　but　then　she　felt　surprise　as　well。

one　of　the　creatures　was　lowering　itself；　kneeling　down　on　the　road；　and　gesturing　with　its　trunk；　and　the　others　were　beckoning　and　inviting　her。。。no　doubt　about　it：　they　were　offering　to　carry　her；　to　take　her　with　them。

another　took　her　rucksack　and　fastened　it　to　the　saddle　of　a　third；　and　awkwardly　mary　climbed　on　the　back　of　the　kneeling　one；　wondering　where　to　put　her　legs；　in　front　of　the　creatures；　or　behind？　and　what　could　she　hold　on　to？

but　before　she　could　work　it　out；　the　creature　had　risen；　and　the　group　began　to　move　away　along　the　highway；　with　mary　riding　among　them。

—

because　hes　will。〃

。d　xs　



EIGHT　…　VODKA

…。网
balthamos　felt　the　death　of　baruch　the　moment　it　happened。　he　cried　aloud　and　soared　into　the　night　air　over　the　tundra；　flailing　his　wings　and　sobbing　his　anguish　into　the　clouds；　and　it　was　some　time　before　he　could　pose　himself　and　go　back　to　will；　who　was　wide　awake；　knife　in　hand；　peering　up　into　the　damp　and　chilly　murk。　they　were　back　in　lyras　world。

〃what　is　it？〃　said　will　as　the　angel　appeared　trembling　beside　him。　〃is　it　danger？　get　behind　me。。。”

〃baruch　is　dead；〃　cried　balthamos；　〃my　dear　baruch　is　dead。。。”

〃when？　where？〃

but　balthamos　couldnt　tell；　he　only　knew　that　half　his　heart　had　been　extinguished。　he　couldnt　keep　still：　he　flew　up　again；　scouring　the　sky　as　if　to　seek　out　baruch　in　this　cloud　or　that；　calling；　crying；　calling；　and　then　hed　be　overe　with　guilt；　and　fly　down　to　urge　will　to　hide　and　keep　quiet；　and　promise　to　watch　over　him　tirelessly；　and　then　the　pressure　of　his　grief　would　crush　him　to　the　ground；　and　hed　remember　every　instance　of　kindness　and　courage　that　baruch　had　ever　shown；　and　there　were　thousands；　and　hed　forgotten　none　of　them；　and　hed　cry　that　a　nature　so　gracious　could　never　be　snuffed　out；　and　hed　soar　into　the　skies　again；　casting　about　in　every　direction；　reckless　and　wild　and　stricken；　cursing　the　very　air；　the　clouds；　the　stars。

finally　will　said；　〃balthamos；　e　here。〃

the　angel　came　at　his　mand；　helpless。　shivering　inside　his　cloak；　in　the　hitter　cold　gloom　of　the　tundra；　the　boy　said　to　him；　〃you　must　try　to　keep　quiet　now。　you　know　there　are　things　out　there　thatll　attack　if　they　hear　a　noise。　i　can　protect　you　with　the　knife　if　youre　nearby；　but　if　they　attack　you　up　there；　i　wont　be　able　to　help。　and　if　you　die；　too；　thatll　be　the　end　for　me。　balthamos；　i　need　you　to　help　guide　me　to　lyra。　please　dont　forget　that。　baruch　was　strong；　be　strong；　too。　be　like　him　for　me。〃

at　first　balthamos　didnt　speak；　but　then　he　said；　〃yes。　yes；　of　course　i　must。　sleep　now；　will；　and　i　shall　stand　guard；　i　shant　fail　you。〃

will　trusted　him；　he　had　to。　and　presently　he　fell　asleep　again。

when　he　woke　up；　soaked　with　dew　and　cold　to　his　bones；　the　angel　was　standing　nearby。　the　sun　was　just　rising；　and　the　reeds　and　the　marsh　plants　were　all　tipped　with　gold。

before　will　could　move；　balthamos　said；　〃ive　decided　what　i　must　do。　i　shall　stay　with　you　day　and　night；　and　do　it　cheerfully　and　willingly；　for　the　sake　of　baruch。　i　shall　guide　you　to　lyra；　if　i　can；　and　then　i　shall　guide　you　both　to　lord　asriel。　i　have　lived　thousands　of　years；　and　unless　i　am　killed；　i　shall　live　many　thousands　of　years　more；　but　i　never　met　a　nature　that　made　me　so　ardent　to　do　good；　or　to　be　kind；　as　baruchs　did。　i　failed　so　many　times；　but　each　time　his　goodness　was　there　to　redeem　me。　now　its　not；　i

shall　have　to　try　without　it。　perhaps　i　shall　fail　from　time　to　time；　but　i　shall　try　all　the　same。〃

〃then　baruch　would　be　proud　of　you；〃　said　will；　shivering。

〃shall　i　fly　ahead　now　and　see　where　we　are？〃

〃yes；〃　said　will；　〃fly　high；　and　tell　me　what　the　lands　like　farther　on。　walking　on　this　marshland　is　going　to　take　forever。〃

balthamos　took　to　the　air。　he　hadnt　told　will　everything　he　was　anxious　about；　because　he　was　trying　to　do　his　best　and　not　worry　him；　but　he　knew　that　the　angel　metatron；　the　regent；　from　whom　theyd　escaped　so　narrowly；　would　have　wills　face　firmly　imprinted　on　his　mind。　and　not　only　his　face；　but　everything　about　him　that　angels　were　able　to　see；　including　parts　of　which　will　himself　was　not　aware；　such　as　that　aspect　of　his　nature　lyra　would　have　called　his　daemon。　will　was　in　great　danger　from　metatron　now；　and　at　some　time　balthamos　would　have　to　tell　him；　but　not　quite　yet。　it　was　too　difficult。

will；　reckoning　that　it　would　be　quicker　to　get　warm　by　walking　than　by　gathering　fuel　and　waiting　for　a　fire　to　catch；　simply　slung　the　rucksack　over　his　shoulders；　wrapped　the　cloak　around　everything；　and　set　off　toward　the　south。　there　was　a　path；　muddy　and　rutted　and　potholed；　so　people　did　sometimes　e　this　way；　but　the　flat　horizon　was　so　far　away　on　every　side　that　he　had　little　sense　of　making　progress。

sometime　later；　when　the　light　was　brighter；　balthamoss　voice　spoke　beside　him。

〃about　half　a　days　walk　ahead；　there　is　a　wide　river　and　a　town；　where　theres　a　wharf　for　boats　to　tie　up。　i　flew　high　enough　to　see　that　the　river　goes　a　long　way　directly　south　and　north。　if　you　could　get　a　passage；　then　you　could　move　much　more　quickly。〃

〃good；〃　said　will　fervently。　〃and　does　this　path　go　to　the　town？〃

〃it　goes　through　a　village；　with　a　church　and　farms　and　orchards；　and　then　on　to　the　town。〃

〃i　wonder　what　language　they　speak。　i　hope　they　dont　lock　me　up　if　i　cant　speak　theirs。〃

〃as　your　daemon；〃　said　b