THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第55部分

〃i　knew　my　death；〃　said　one　girl；　〃i　knew　him　all　the　while　i　was　growing　up。　when　i　heard　them　talk　about　daemons；　i　thought　they　meant　something　like　our　deaths。　i　miss　him　now。　i　wont　never　see　him　again。　im　over　and　done　with；　thats　the　last　thing　he　said　to　me；　and　then　he　went　forever。　when　he　was　with　me；　i　always　knew　there　was　someone　i　could　trust；　someone　who　knew　where　we　was　going　and　what　to　do。　but　i　aint　got　him　no　more。　i　dont　know　whats　going　to　happen　ever　again。〃

〃there　aint　nothing　going　to　happen！〃　someone　else　said。　〃nothing；　forever！〃

〃you　dont　know；〃　said　another。　〃they　came；　didnt　they　？　no　one　ever　knew　that　was　going　to　happen。〃

she　meant　will　and　lyra。

〃this　is　the　first　thing　that　ever　happened　here；〃　said　a　ghost　boy。　〃maybe　its　all　going　to　change　now。〃

〃what　would　you　do；　if　you　could？〃　said　lyra。

〃go　up　to　the　world　again！〃

〃even　if　it　meant　you　could　only　see　it　once；　would　you　still　want　to　do　that？〃

〃yes！　yes！　yes！〃

〃well；　anyway；　ive　got　to　find　roger；〃　said　lyra；　burning　with　her　new　idea；　but　it　was　for　will　to　know　first。

on　the　floor　of　the　endless　plain；　there　was　a　vast；　slow　movement　among　the　uncountable　ghosts。　the　children　couldnt　see　it；　but　tialys　and　salmakia；　flying　above；　watched　the　little　pale　figures　all　moving　with　an　effect　that　looked　like　the　migration　of　immense　flocks　of　birds　or　herds　of　reindeer。　at　the　center　of　the　movement　were　the　two　children　who　were　not　ghosts；　moving　steadily　on；　not　leading；　and　not　following；　but　somehow　focusing　the　movement　into　an　intention　of　all　the　dead。

the　spies；　their　thoughts　moving　even　more　quickly　than　their　darting　steeds；　exchanged　a　glance　and　brought　the　dragonflies　to　rest　side　by　side　on　a　dry；　withered　branch。

〃do　we　have　daemons；　tialys？〃　said　the　lady。

〃since　we　got　into　that　boat；　i　have　felt　as　if　my　heart　had　been　torn　out　and　thrown　still　beating　on　the　shore；〃　he　said。　〃but　it　wasnt；　its　still　working　in　my　breast。　so　something　of　mine　is　out　there　with　the　little　girls　daemon；　and　something　of　yours；　too；　salmakia；　because　your　face　is　drawn　and　your　hands　are　pale　and　tight。　yes；　we　have　daemons；　whatever　they　are。　maybe　the　people　in　lyras　world　are　the　only　living　beings　to　know　they　have。　maybe　thats　why　it　was　one　of　them　who　started　the　revolt。〃

he　slipped　off　the　dragonflys　back　and　tethered　it　safely；　and　then　took　out　the　lodestone　resonator。　but　he　had　hardly　begun　to　touch　it　when　he　stopped。

〃no　response；〃　he　said　somberly。

〃so　were　beyond　everything？〃

〃beyond　help；　certainly。　well；　we　knew　we　were　ing　to　the　land　of　the　dead。〃

〃the　boy　would　go　with　her　to　the　end　of　the　world。〃

〃will　his　knife　open　the　way　back；　do　you　think？〃

〃im　sure　he　thinks　so。　but　oh；　tialys；　i　dont　know。〃

〃hes　very　young。　well；　they　are　both　young。　you　know；　if　she　doesnt　survive　this；　the　question　of　whether　shell　choose　the　right　thing　when　shes　tempted　wont　arise。　it　wont　matter　anymore。〃

〃do　you　think　shes　chosen　already？　when　she　chose　to　leave　her　daemon　on　the　shore？　was　that　the　choice　she　had　to　make？〃

the　chevalier　looked　down　on　the　slow…moving　millions　on　the　floor　of　the　land　of　the　dead；　all　drifting　after　that　bright　and　living　spark　lyra　silvertongue。　he　could　just　make　out　her　hair；　the　lightest　thing　in　the　gloom；　and　beside　it　the　boys　head；　black…haired　and　solid　and　strong。

〃no；〃　he　said；　〃not　yet。　thats　still　to　e；　whatever　it　may　be。〃

〃then　we　must　bring　her　to　it　safely。〃

〃bring　them　both。　theyre　bound　together　now。〃

the　lady　salmakia　flicked　the　cobweb…light　rein；　and　her　dragonfly　darted　off　the　branch　at　once　and　sped　down　toward　the　living　children；　with　the　chevalier　close　behind。

but　they　didnt　stop　with　them；　having　skimmed　low　to　make　sure　they　were　all　right；　they　flew　on　ahead；　partly　because　the　dragonflies　were　restless；　and　partly　because　they　wanted　to　find　out　how　far　this　dismal　place　extended。

lyra　saw　them　flashing　overhead　and　felt　a　pang　of　relief　that　there　was　still　something　that　darted　and　glowed　with　beauty。　then；　unable　to　keep　her　idea　to　herself　anymore；　she　turned　to　will；　but　she　had　to　whisper。　she　put　her　lips　to　his　ear；　and　in　a　noisy　rush　of　warmth；　he　heard　her　say：

〃will；　i　want　us　to　take　all　these　poor　dead　ghost　kids　outside；　the　grownups　as　well；　we　could　set　em　free！　well　find　roger　and　your　father；　and　then　lets　open　the　way　to　the　world　outside；　and　set　em　all　free！〃

he　turned　and　gave　her　a　true　smile；　so　warm　and　happy　she　felt　something　stumble　and　falter　inside　her；　at　least；　it　felt　like　that；　but　without　pantalaimon　she　couldnt　ask　herself　what　it　meant。　it　might　have　been　a　new　way　for　her　heart　to　heat。　deeply　surprised；　she　told　herself　to　walk　straight　and　stop　feeling　giddy。

so　they　moved　on。　the　whisper　roger　was　spreading　out　faster　than　they　could　move；　the　words　〃roger；　lyras　e；　roger；　lyras　here〃　passed　from　one　ghost　to　another　like　the　electric　message　that　one　cell　in　the　body　passes　on　to　the　next。

and　tialys　and　salmakia；　cruising　above　on　their　tireless　dragonflies；　and　looking　all　around　as　they　flew；　eventually　noticed　a　new　kind　of　movement。　some　way　off　there　was　a　little　gyration　of　activity。　skimming　down　closer；　they　found　themselves　ignored；　for　the　first　time；　because　something　more　interesting　was　gripping　the　minds　of　all　the　ghosts。　they　were　talking　excitedly　in　their　near…silent　whispers；　they　were　pointing；　they　were　urging　someone　forward。

salmakia　flew　down　low；　but　couldnt　land：　the　press　was　too　great；　and　none　of　their　hands　or　shoulders　would　support　her；　even　if　they　dared　to　try。　she　saw　a　young　ghost　boy　with　an　honest；　unhappy　face；　dazed　and　puzzled　by　what　he　was　being　told；　and　she　called　out：

〃roger？　is　that　roger？〃

he　looked　up；　bemused；　nervous；　and　nodded。

salmakia　flew　back　up　to　her　panion；　and　together　they　sped　back　to　lyra。　it　was　a　long　way；　and　hard　to　navigate；　but　by　watching　the　patterns　of　movement；　they　finally　found　her。

〃there　she　is；〃　said　tialys；　and　called：　〃lyra！　lyra！　your　friend　is　there！〃

lyra　looked　up　and　held　out　her　hand　for　the　dragonfly。　the　great　insect　landed　at　once；　its　red　and　yellow　gleaming　like　enamel；　and　its　filmy　wings　stiff　and　still　on　either　side。　tialys　kept　his　balance　as　she　held　him　at　eye　level。

〃where？〃　she　said；　breathless　with　excitement。　〃is　he　far　off？〃

〃an　hours　walk；〃　said　the　chevalier。　〃but　he　knows　youre　ing。　the　others　have　told　him；　and　we　made　sure　it　was　him。　just　keep　going；　and　soon　youll　find　him。〃

tialys　saw　will　make　the　effort　to　stand　up　straight　and　force　himself　to　find　some　more　energy。　lyra　was　charged　with　it　already；　and　plied　the　gallivespians　with　questions：　how　did　roger　seem？　had　he　spoken　to　them？　no；　of　course；　but　did　he　seem　glad？　were　the　other　children　aware　of　what　was　happening；　and　were　they　helping；　or　were　they　just　in　the　way？

and　so　on。　tialys　tried　to　answer　everything　truthfully　and　patiently；　and　step　by　step　the　living　girl　drew　closer　to　the　boy　she　had　brought　to　his　death。

。。



TWENTY…THREE　…　NO　WAY　OUT

　小=＿说。网
〃will；〃　said　lyra；　〃what　dyou　think　the　harpies　will　do　when　we　let　the　ghosts　out？〃

because　the　creatures　were　getting　louder　and　flying　closer；　and　there　were　more　and　more　of　them　all　the　time；　as　if　the　gloom　were　gathering　itself　into　little　clots　of　malice　and　giving　them　wings。　the　ghosts　kept　looking　up　fearfully。

〃are　we　getting　close？〃　lyra　called　to　the　lady　salmakia。

〃not　far　now；〃　she　called　down；　hovering　above　them。　〃you　could　see　him　if　you　climbed　that　rock。〃

but　lyra　didnt　want　to　waste　time。　she　was　trying　with　all　her　heart　to　put　on　a　cheerful　face　for　roger；　but　every　moment　in　front　of　her　minds　eye　was　that　terrible　image　of　the　little　dog…pan　abandoned　on　the　jetty　as　the　mist　closed　around　him；　and　she　could　barely　keep　from　howling。　she　must；　though；　she　must　be　hopeful　for　roger；　she　always　had　been。

when　they　did　e　face　to　face；　it　happened　quite　suddenly。　in　among　the　press　of　all　the　ghosts；　there　he　was；　his　familiar　features　wan　but　his　expression　as　full　of　delight　as　a　ghost　could　be。　he　rushed　to　embrace　her。

but　he　passed　like　cold　smoke　through　her　arms；　and　though　she　felt　his　little　hand　clutch　at　her　heart；　it　had　no　strength　to　hold　on。　they　could　never　truly　touch　again。

but　he　could　whisper；　and　his　voice　said；　〃lyra；　i　never　thought　id　ever　see　you　again；　i　thought　even　if　you　did　e　down　here　when　you　was　dead；　youd　be　much　older；　youd　be　a　grownup；　and　you　wouldnt　want　to　speak　to　me。。。”

〃why　ever　not？〃

〃because　i　done　the　wrong　thing　when　pan　got　my　daemon　away　from　lord　asriels！　we　shouldve　run；　we　shouldnt　have　tried　to　fight　her！　we　shouldve　run　to　you！　then　she　wouldnt　have　been　able　to　get　my　daemon　again；　and　when　the　cliff　fell　away；　my　daemon　wouldve　still　been　with　me！〃

〃but　that　werent　your　fault；　stupid！〃　lyra　said。　〃it　was　me　that　brung　you　there　in　the　first　place；　and　i　shouldve　let　you　go　back　with　the　other　kids　and　the　gyptians。　it　was　my　fault。　im　so　sorry；　roger；　honest；　it　was　my　fault；　you　wouldntve　been　here　otherwise。。。〃

〃well；〃　he　said；　〃i　dunno。　maybe　i　wouldve　g