THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第46部分

〃how　are　we　going　to　help　these　people；　will？〃　she　said。

he　couldnt　even　guess。　as　they　moved　on；　they　could　see　a　movement　on　the　horizon　to　the　left　and　right；　and　ahead　of　them　a　dirty…colored　smoke　was　rising　slowly　to　add　its　darkness　to　the　dismal　air。　the　movement　was　people；　or　ghosts：　in　lines　or　pairs　or　groups　or　alone；　but　all　empty…handed；　hundreds　and　thousands　of　men　and　women　and　children　were　drifting　over　the　plain　toward　the　source　of　the　smoke。

the　ground　was　sloping　downward　now；　and　being　more　and　more　like　a　rubbish　dump。　the　air　was　heavy　and　full　of　smoke；　and　of　other　smells　besides：　acrid　chemicals；　decaying　vegetable　matter；　sewage。　and　the　farther　down　they　went；　the　worse　it　got。　there　was　not　a　patch　of　clean　soil　in　sight；　and　the　only　plants　growing　anywhere　were　rank　weeds　and　coarse　grayish　grass。

ahead　of　them；　above　the　water；　was　the　mist。　it　rose　like　a　cliff　to　merge　with　the　gloomy　sky；　and　from　somewhere　inside　it　came　those　bird　cries　that　tialys　had　referred　to。

between　the　waste　heaps　and　the　mist；　there　lay　the　first　town　of　the　dead。

。d　　。



NINETEEN　…　LYRA　AND　HER　DEATH


here　and　there；　fires　had　been　lit　among　the　ruins。　the　town　was　a　jumble；　with　no　streets；　no　squares；　and　no　open　spaces　except　where　a　building　had　fallen。　a　few　churches　or　public　buildings　still　stood　above　the　rest；　though　their　roofs　were　holed　or　their　walls　cracked；　and　in　one　case　a　whole　portico　had　crumpled　onto　its　columns。　between　the　shells　of　the　stone　buildings；　a　mazy　clutter　of　shacks　and　shanties　had　been　put　together　out　of　lengths　of　roofing　timber；　beaten…out　petrol　cans　or　biscuit　tins；　torn　plastic　sheeting；

scraps　of　plywood　or　hardboard。

the　ghosts　who　had　e　with　them　were　hurrying　toward　the　town；　and　from　every　direction　came　more　of　them；　so　many　that　they　looked　like　the　grains　of　sand　that　trickle　toward　the　hole　of　an　hourglass。　the　ghosts　walked　straight　into　the　squalid　confusion　of　the　town；　as　if　they　knew　exactly　where　they　were　going；　and　lyra　and　will　were　about　to　follow　them；　but　then　they　were　stopped。

a　figure　stepped　out　of　a　patched…up　doorway　and　said；　〃wait；　wait。〃

a　dim　light　was　glowing　behind　him；　and　it　wasnt　easy　to　make　out　his　features；　but　they　knew　he　wasnt　a　ghost。　he　was　like　them；　alive。　he　was　a　thin　man　who　could　have　been　any　age；　dressed　in　a　drab　and　tattered　business　suit；　and　he　was　holding　a　pencil　and　a　sheaf　of　papers　held　together　with　a　clip。　the　building　hed　stepped　out　of　had　the　look　of　a　customs　post　on　a　rarely　visited　frontier。

〃what　is　this　place？〃　said　will；　〃and　why　cant　we　go　in？〃

〃youre　not　dead；〃　said　the　man　wearily。　〃you　have　to　wait　in　the　holding　area。　go　farther　along　the　road　to　the　left　and　give　these　papers　to　the　official　at　the　gate。〃

〃but　excuse　me；　sir；〃　said　lyra；　〃i　hope　you　dont　mind　me　asking；　but　how　can　we　have　e　this　far　if　we　ent　dead？　because　this　is　the　world　of　the　dead；　isnt　it？〃

〃its　a　suburb　of　the　world　of　the　dead。　sometimes　the　living　e　here　by　mistake；　but　they　have　to　wait　in　the　holding　area　before　they　can　go　on。〃

〃wait　for　how　long？〃

〃until　they　die。〃

will　felt　his　head　swim。　he　could　see　lyra　was　about　to　argue；　and　before　she　could　speak；　he　said；　〃can　you　just　explain　what　happens　then？　i　mean；　these　ghosts　who　e　here；　do　they　stay　in　this　town　forever？〃

〃no；　no；〃　said　the　official。　〃this　is　just　a　port　of　transit。　they　go　on　beyond　here　by　boat。〃

〃where　to？〃　said　will。

〃thats　not　something　i　can　tell　you；〃　said　the　man；　and　a　bitter　smile　pulled　his　mouth　down　at　the　corners。　〃you　must　move　along；　please。　you　must　go　to　the　holding　area。〃

will　took　the　papers　the　man　was　holding　out；　and　then　held　lyras　arm　and　urged　her　away。

the　dragonflies　were　flying　sluggishly　now；　and　tialys　explained　that　they　needed　to　rest；　so　they　perched　on　wills　rucksack；　and　lyra　let　the　spies　sit　on　her　shoulders。　pantalaimon；　leopard…shaped；　looked　up　at　them　jealously；　but　he　said　nothing。　they　moved　along　the　track；　skirting　the　wretched　shanties　and　the　pools　of　sewage；　and　watching　the　never…ending　stream　of　ghosts　arriving　and　passing　without　hindrance　into　the　town　itself。

〃weve　got　to　get　over　the　water；　like　the　rest　of　them；〃　said　will。　〃and　maybe　the　people　in　this　holding　place　will　tell　us　how。　they　dont　seem　to　be　angry　anyway；　or　dangerous。　its　strange。　and　these　papers。。。　〃

they　were　simply　scraps　of　paper　torn　from　a　notebook；　with　random　words　scribbled　in　pencil　and　crossed　out。　it　was　as　if　these　people　were　playing　a　game；　and　waiting　to　see　when　the　travelers　would　challenge　them　or　give　in　and　laugh。　and　yet　it　all　looked　so　real。

it　was　getting　darker　and　colder；　and　time　was　hard　to　keep　track　of。　lyra　thought　they　walked　for　half　an　hour；　or　maybe　it　was　twice　as　long；　the　look　of　the　place　didnt　change。　finally　they　reached　a　little　wooden　shack　like　the　one　theyd　stopped　at　earlier；　where　a　dim　bulb　glowed　on　a　bare　wire　over　the　door。

as　they　approached；　a　man　dressed　much　like　the　other　one　came　out　holding　a　piece　of　bread　and　butter　in　one　hand；　and　without　a　word　looked　at　their　papers　and　nodded。

he　handed　them　back　and　was　about　to　go　inside　when　will　said；　〃excuse　me；　where　do　we　go　now？〃

〃go　and　find　somewhere　to　stay；〃　said　the　man；　not　unkindly。　〃just　ask。　everybodys　waiting；　same　as

you。〃

he　turned　away　and　shut　his　door　against　the　cold；　and　the　travelers　turned　down　into　the　heart　of　the　shanty　town　where　the　living　people　had　to　stay。

it　was　very　much　like　the　main　town：　shabby　little　huts；　repaired　a　dozen　times；　patched　with　scraps　of　plastic　or　corrugated　iron；　leaning　crazily　against　each　other　over　muddy　alleyways。　at　some　places；　an　anbaric　cable　looped　down　from　a　bracket　and　provided　enough　feeble　current　to　power　a　naked　lightbulb　or　two；　strung　out　over　the　nearby　huts。　most　of　what　light　there　was；　however；　came　from　the　fires。　their　smoky　glow　flickered　redly　over　the　scraps　and　tatters　of　building　material；　as　if　they　were　the　last　remaining　flames　of　a　great　conflagration；　staying　alive　out　of　pure　malice。

but　as　will　and　lyra　and　the　gallivespians　came　closer　and　saw　more　detail；　they　picked　out　many　more　figures　sitting　in　the　darkness　by　themselves；　or　leaning　against　the　walls；　or　gathered　in　small　groups；　talking　quietly。

〃why　arent　those　people　inside？〃　said　lyra。　〃its　cold。〃

〃theyre　not　people；〃　said　the　lady　salmakia。　〃theyre　not　even　ghosts。　theyre　something　else；　but　i　dont　know　what。〃

the　travelers　came　to　the　first　group　of　shacks；　which　were　lit　by　one　of　those　big　weak　anbaric　bulbs　on　a　cable　swinging　slightly　in　the　cold　wind；　and　will　put　his　hand　on　the　knife　at　his　belt。　there　was　a　group　of　those　people…shaped　things　outside；　crouching　on　their　heels　and　rolling　dice；　and　when　the　children　came　near；　they　stood　up：　five　of　them；　all　men；　their　faces　in　shadow　and　their　clothes　shabby；　all　silent。

〃what　is　the　name　of　this　town？〃　said　will。

there　was　no　reply。　some　of　them　took　a　step　backward；　and　all　five　moved　a　little　closer　together；　as　if　they　were　afraid。　lyra　felt　her　skin　crawling；　and　all　the　tiny　hairs　on　her　arms　standing　on　end；　though　she　couldnt　have　said　why。　inside　her　shirt　pantalaimon　was　shivering　and　whispering；　〃no；　no；　lyra；　no；　go　away；　lets　go　back；　please　。。。〃

the　〃people〃　made　no　move；　and　finally　will　shrugged　and　said；　〃well；　good　evening　to　you　anyway；〃　and　moved　on。　they　met　a　similar　response　from　all　the　other　figures　they　spoke　to；　and　all　the　time　their　apprehension　grew。

〃will；　are　they　specters？〃　lyra　said　quietly。　〃are　we　grown　up　enough　to　see　specters　now？〃

〃i　dont　think　so。　if　we　were；　theyd　attack　us；　but　they　seem　to　be　afraid　themselves。　i　dont　know　what　they　are。〃

a　door　opened；　and　light　spilled　out　on　the　muddy　ground。　a　man；　a　real　man；　a　human　being；　stood　in　the　doorway；　watching　them　approach。　the　little　cluster　of　figures　around　the　door　moved　back　a　step　or　two；　as　if　out　of　respect；　and　they　saw　the　mans　face：　stolid；　harmless；　and　mild。

〃who　are　you？〃　he　said。

〃travelers；〃　said　will。　〃we　dont　know　where　we　are。　what　is　this　town？〃

〃this　is　the　holding　area；〃　said　the　man。　〃have　you　traveled　far？〃

〃a　long　way；　yes；　and　were　tired；〃　said　will。　〃could　we　buy　some　food　and　pay　for　shelter？〃

the　man　was　looking　past　them；　into　the　dark；　and　then　he　came　out　and　looked　around　further；　as　if　there　were　someone　missing。　then　he　turned　to　the　strange　figures　standing　by　and　said：

〃did　you　see　any　death？〃

they　shook　their　heads；　and　the　children　heard　a　murmur　of　〃no；　no；　none。〃

the　man　turned　back。　behind　him；　in　the　doorway；　there　were　faces　looking　out：　a　woman；　two　young　children；　another　man。　they　were　all　nervous　and　apprehensive。

〃death？〃　said　will。　〃were　not　bringing　any　death。〃

but　that　fact　seemed　to　be　the　very　thing　they　were　worried　about；　because　when　will　spoke；　there　was　a　soft　gasp　from　the　living　people；　and　even　the　figures　outside　shrank　away　a　little。

〃excuse　me；〃　said　lyra；　stepping　forward　in　her　best　polite　way；　as　if　the　housekeeper　of　jordan　college　were　glaring　at　her。　〃i　couldnt　help　noticing；　but　these　gentlemen　here