THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第54部分

but　they　could　only　whisper。　a　faint；　pale　sound；　no　more　than　a　soft　breath；　was　all　they　could　utter。　and　as　they　thrust　forward；　jostling　and　desperate；　the　gallivespians　flew　down　and　darted　to　and　from　in　front　of　them；　to　prevent　them　from　crowding　too　close。　the　ghost　children　looked　up　with　a　passionate　longing；　and　lyra　knew　at　once　why：　they　thought　the　dragonflies　were　daemons；　they　were　wishing　with　all　their　hearts　that　they　could　hold　their　own　daemons　again。

〃oh；　they　ent　daemons；〃　lyra　burst　out　passionately；　〃and　if　my　own　daemon　was　here；　you　could　all　stroke　him　and　touch　him；　i　promise。。。”

and　she　held　out　her　hands　to　the　children。　the　adult　ghosts　hung　back；　listless　or　fearful；　but　the　children　all　came　thronging　forward。　they　had　as　much　substance　as　fog；　poor　things；　and　lyras　hands　passed　through　and　through　them；　as　did　wills。　they　crammed　forward；　light　and　lifeless；　to　warm　themselves　at　the　flowing　blood　and　the　strong…beating　hearts　of　the　two　travelers；　and　both　will　and　lyra　felt　a　succession　of　cold；　delicate　brushing　sensations　as　the　ghosts　passed　through　their　bodies；　warming　themselves　on　the　way。　the　two　living　children　felt　that　little　by　little　they　were　being　dead；　too；　they　hadnt　got　an　infinite　amount　of　life　and　warmth　to　give；　and　they　were　so　cold　already；　and　the　endless　crowds　pressing　forward　looked　as　if　they　were　never　going　to　stop。

finally　lyra　had　to　plead　with　them　to　hold　back。

she　held　up　her　hands　and　said；　〃please；　we　wish　we　could　touch　you　all；　but　we　came　down　here　to　look　for　someone；　and　i　need　you　to　tell　me　where　he　is　and　how　to　find　him。　oh；　will；〃　she　said；　leaning　her　head　to　his；　〃i　wish　i　knew　what　to　do！〃

the　ghosts　were　fascinated　by　the　blood　on　lyras　forehead。　it　glowed　as　brightly　as　a　holly　berry　in　the　dimness；　and　several　of　them　had　brushed　through　it；　longing　for　the　contact　with　something　so　vibrantly　alive。　one　ghost　girl；　who　when　she　was　alive　must　have　been　about　nine　or　ten；　reached　up　shyly　to　try　and　touch　it；　and　then　shrank　back　in　fear；　but　lyra　said；　〃dont　be　afraid；　we　ent　e　here　to　hurt　you；　speak　to　us；　if　you　can！〃

the　ghost　girl　spoke；　but　in　her　thin；　pale　voice；　it　was　only　a　whisper。

〃did　the　harpies　do　that？　did　they　try　and　hurt　you？〃

〃yeah；〃　said　lyra；　〃but　if　thats　all　they　can　do；　i　ent　worried　about　them。〃

〃oh；　it　isnt；　oh；　they　do　worse。。。”

〃what？　what　do　they　do？〃

but　they　were　reluctant　to　tell　her。　they　shook　their　heads　and　kept　silent；　until　one　boy　said；　〃it　ent　so　bad　for　them　thats　been　here　hundreds　of　years；　because　you　get　tired　after　all　that　time；　they　cant　fraid　you　up　so　much。。。”

〃its　the　new　ones　that　they　like　talking　to　most；〃　said　the　first　girl。　〃its　just。。　。oh；　its　just　hateful。　they。。。　i　cant　tell　you。〃

their　voices　were　no　louder　than　dry　leaves　falling。　and　it　was　only　the　children　who　spoke；　the　adults　all　seemed　sunk　in　a　lethargy　so　ancient　that　they　might　never　move　or　speak　again。

〃listen；〃　said　lyra；　〃please　listen。　we　came　here；　me　and　my　friends；　because　we　got　to　find　a　boy　called　roger。　he　ent　been　here　long；　just　a　few　weeks；　so　he　wont　know　very　many　people；　but　if　you　know　where　he　is。。。〃

but　even　as　she　spoke；　she　knew　that　they　could　stay　here　till　they　grew　old；　searching　everywhere　and　looking　at　every　face；　and　still　they　might　never　see　more　than　a　tiny　fraction　of　the　dead。　she　felt　despair　sit　on　her　shoulders；　as　heavy　as　if　the　harpy　herself　were　perching　there。

however；　she　clenched　her　teeth　and　tried　to　hold　her　chin　high。　we　got　here；　she　thought；　thats　part　of　it　anyway。

the　first　ghost　girl　was　saying　something　in　that　lost　little　whisper。

〃why　do　we　want　to　find　him？〃　said　will。　〃well；　lyra　wants　to　speak　to　him。　but　theres　someone　i　want　to　find　as　well。　i　want　to　find　my　father；　john　parry。　hes　here；　too；　somewhere；　and　i　want　to　speak　to　him　before　i　go　back　to　the　world。　so　please　ask；　if　you　can；　ask　for　roger　and　for　john　parry　to　e　and　speak　to　lyra　and　to　will。　ask　them。。。”

but　suddenly　the　ghosts　all　turned　and　fled；　even　the　grownups；　like　dry　leaves　scattered　by　a　sudden　gust　of　wind。　in　a　moment　the　space　around　the　children　was　empty；　and　then　they　heard　why。　screams；　cries；　shrieks　came　from　the　air　above；　and　then　the　harpies　were　on　them；　with　gusts　of　rotten　stink；　battering　wings；　and　those　raucous　screams；　jeering；　mocking；　cackling；　deriding。

lyra　shrank　to　the　ground　at　once；　covering　her　ears；　and　will；　knife　in　hand；　crouched　over　her。　he　could　see　tialys　and　salmakia　skimming　toward　them；　but　they　were　some　way　off　yet；　and　he　had　a　moment　or　two　to　watch　the　harpies　as　they　wheeled　and　dived。　he　saw　their　human　faces　snap　at　the　air；　as　if　they　were　eating　insects；　and　he　heard　the　words　they　were　shouting；　scoffing　words；　filthy　words；　all　about　his　mother；　words　that　shook　his　heart；　but　part　of　his　mind　was　quite　cold　and　separate；　thinking；　calculating；　observing。　none　of　them　wanted　to　e　anywhere　near　the　knife。

to　see　what　would　happen；　he　stood　up。　one　of　them；　it　might　have　been　no…name　herself；　had　to　swerve　heavily　out　of　the　way；　because　shed　been　diving　low；　intending　to　skim　just　over　his　head。　her

heavy　wings　beat　clumsily；　and　she　only　just　made　the　turn。　he　could　have　reached　out　and　slashed　off　her　head　with　the　knife。

by　this　time　the　gallivespians　had　arrived；　and　the　two　of　them　were　about　to　attack；　but　will　called：　〃tialys！　e　here！　salmakia；　e　to　my　hand！〃

they　landed　on　his　shoulders；　and　he　said；　〃watch。　see　what　they　do。　they　only　e　and　scream。　i　think　it　was　a　mistake　when　she　hit　lyra。　i　dont　think　they　want　to　touch　us　at　all。　we　can　ignore　them。〃

lyra　looked　up；　wide…eyed。　the　creatures　flew　around　wills　head；　sometimes　only　a　foot　or　so　away；　but　they　always　swerved　aside　or　upward　at　the　last　moment。　he　could　sense　the　two　spies　eager　for　battle；　and　the　dragonflies　wings　were　quivering　with　desire　to　dart　through　the　air　with　their　deadly　riders；　but　they　held　themselves　back：　they　could　see　he　was　right。

and　it　had　an　effect　on　the　ghosts；　too：　seeing　will　standing　unafraid　and　unharmed；　they　began　to　drift　back　toward　the　travelers。　they　watched　the　harpies　cautiously；　but　for　all　that；　the　lure　of　the　warm　flesh　and　blood；　those　strong　heartbeats；　was　too　much　to　resist。

lyra　stood　up　to　join　will。　her　wound　had　opened　again；　and　fresh　blood　was　trickling　down　her　cheek；　but　she　wiped　it　aside。

〃will；〃　she　said；　〃im　so　glad　we　came　down　here　together。。。〃

he　heard　a　tone　in　her　voice　and　he　saw　an　expression　on　her　face　that　he　knew　and　liked　more　than　anything　hed　ever　known：　it　showed　she　was　thinking　of　something　daring；　but　she　wasnt　ready　to　speak　of　it　yet。

he　nodded；　to　show　hed　understood。

the　ghost　girl　said；　〃this　way；　e　with　us；　well　find　them！〃

and　both　of　them　felt　the　strangest　sensation；　as　if　little　ghost　hands　were　reaching　inside　and　tugging　at　their　ribs　to　make　them　follow。

so　they　set　off　across　the　floor　of　that　great　desolate　plain；　and　the　harpies　wheeled　higher　and　higher　overhead；　screaming　and　screaming。　but　they　kept　their　distance；　and　the　gallivespians　flew　above；　keeping　watch。

as　they　walked　along；　the　ghosts　talked　to　them。

〃excuse　me；〃　said　one　ghost　girl；　〃but　wheres　your　daemons？　excuse　me　for　asking。　but。。。〃

lyra　was　conscious　every　single　second　of　her　dear；　abandoned　pantalaimon。　she　couldnt　speak　easily；　so　will　answered　instead。

〃we　left　our　daemons　outside；〃　he　said；　〃where　its　safe　for　them。　well　collect　them　later。　did　you　have　a　daemon？〃

〃yes；〃　said　the　ghost；　〃his　name　was　sandling。。。　oh；　i　loved　him。。。〃

〃and　had　he　settled？〃　said　lyra。

〃no；　not　yet。　he　used　to　think　hed　be　a　bird；　and　i　hoped　he　wouldnt；　because　i　liked　him　all　furry　in　bed　at　night。　but　he　was　a　bird　more　and　more。　whats　your　daemon　called？〃

lyra　told　her；　and　the　ghosts　pressed　forward　eagerly　again。　they　all　wanted　to　talk　about　their　daemons；　every　one。

〃mine　was　called　matapan。。。”

〃we　used　to　play　hide…and…seek；　shed　change　like　a　chameleon　and　i　couldnt　see　her　at　all；　she　was　ever　so　good。。。”

〃once　i　hurt　my　eye　and　i　couldnt　see　and　he　guided　me　all　the　way　home。。。”

〃he　never　wanted　to　settle；　but　i　wanted　to　grow　up；　and　we　used　to　argue。。。”

〃she　used　to　curl　up　in　my　hand　and　go　to　sleep。。。”

〃are　they　still　there；　somewhere　else？　will　we　see　them　again？〃

〃no。　when　you　die；　your　daemon　just　goes　out　like　a　candle　flame。　i　seen　it　happen。　i　never　saw　my　castor；　though；　i　never　said　good…bye。。。”

〃they　ent　nowhere！　they　must　be　somewhere！　my　daemons　still　there　somewhere；　i　know　he　is！〃

the　jostling　ghosts　were　animated　and　eager；　their　eyes　shining　and　their　cheeks　warm；　as　if　they　were　borrowing　life　from　the　travelers。

will　said；　〃is　there　anyone　here　from　my　world；　where　we　dont　have　daemons？〃

a　thin　ghost　boy　of　his　own　age　nodded；　and　will　turned　to　him。

〃oh　yes；〃　came　the　answer。　〃we　didnt　understand　what　daemons　were；　but　we　knew　what　it　felt　like　to　be　without　them。　theres　people　here　from　all　kinds　of　worlds。〃

〃i　knew　my　death；〃　said　one　girl；　〃i　knew　him　all　the　while　i　was　growing　up。　when　i　heard　them　talk　about　daemo