THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第64部分

something　exploded；　somewhere；　but　mrs。　coulter　was　beyond　feeling　it。

there　were　hands　lifting　her　up：　lord　asriels　hands。　there　was　nothing　to　be　surprised　at　anymore；　the　intention　craft　stood　behind　him；　poised　on　the　slope　and　perfectly　level。　he　lifted　her　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　to　the　craft；　ignoring　the　gunfire；　the　billowing　smoke；　the　cries　of　alarm　and　confusion。

〃is　he　dead？　did　it　go　off？〃　she　managed　to　say。

lord　asriel　climbed　in　beside　her；　and　the　snow　leopard　leapt　in；　too；　the　half…stunned　monkey　in　her　mouth。　lord　asriel　took　the　controls　and　the　craft　sprang　at　once　into　the　air。　through　pain…dazed　eyes　mrs。　coulter　looked　down　at　the　mountain　slope。　men　were　running　here　and　there　like　ants；　some　lay　dead；　while　others　crawled　brokenly　over　the　rocks；　the　great　cable　from　the　generating　station　snaked　down　through　the　chaos；　the　only　purposeful　thing　in　sight；　making　its　way　to　the　glittering　bomb；　where　the　presidents　body　lay　crumpled　inside　the　cage。

〃lord　roke？〃　said　lord　asriel。

〃dead；〃　she　whispered。

he　pressed　a　button；　and　a　lance　of　flame　jetted　toward　the　tossing；　swaying　zeppelin。　an　instant　later　the　whole　airship　bloomed　into　a　rose　of　white　fire；　engulfing　the　intention　craft；　which　hung　motionless　and　unharmed　in　the　middle　of　it。　lord　asriel　moved　the　craft　unhurriedly　away；　and　they　watched　as　the　blazing　zeppelin　fell　slowly；　slowly　down　on　top　of　the　whole　scene；　bomb；　cable；　soldiers；　and　all；　and　everything　began　to　tumble　in　a　welter　of　smoke　and　flames　down　the　mountainside；　gathering　speed　and　incinerating　the　resinous　trees　as　it　went；　until　it　plunged　into　the　white　waters　of　the　cataract；　which　whirled　it　all　away　into　the　dark。

lord　asriel　touched　the　controls　again　and　the　intention　craft　began　to　speed　away　northward。　but　mrs。　coulter　couldnt　take　her　eyes　off　the　scene；　she　watched　behind　them　for　a　long　time；　gazing　with　tear…filled　eyes　at　the　fire；　until　it　was　no　more　than　a　vertical　line　of　orange　scratched　on　the　dark　and　wreathed　in　smoke　and　steam；　and　then　it　was　nothing。

？？



TWENTY…SIX　…　THE　ABYSS

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it　was　dark；　with　an　enfolding　blackness　that　pressed　on　lyras　eyes　so　heavily　that　she　almost　felt　the　weight　of　the　thousands　of　tons　of　rock　above　them。　the　only　light　they　had　came　from　the　luminous　tail　of　the　lady　salmakias　dragonfly；　and　even　that　was　fading；　for　the　poor　insects　had　found　no　food　in　the　world　of　the　dead；　and　the　chevaliers　had　died　not　long　before。

so　while　tialys　sat　on　wills　shoulder；　lyra　held　the　ladys　dragonfly　in　her　hands　as　the　lady　soothed　it　and　whispered　to　the　trembling　creature；　feeding　it　first　on　crumbs　of　biscuit　and　then　on　her　own　blood。　if　lyra　had　seen　her　do　that；　she　would　have　offered　hers；　since　there　was　more　of　it；　but　it　was　all　she　could　do　to　concentrate　on　placing　her　feet　safely　and　avoiding　the　lowest　parts　of　the　rock　above。

no…name　the　harpy　had　led　them　into　a　system　of　caves　that　would　bring　them；　she　said；　to　the　nearest　point　in　the　world　of　the　dead　from　which　they　could　open　a　window　to　another　world。　behind　them　came　the　endless　column　of　ghosts。　the　tunnel　was　full　of　whispers；　as　the　foremost　encouraged　those　behind；　as　the　brave　urged　on　the　fainthearted；　as　the　old　gave　hope　to　the　young。

〃is　it　much　farther；　no…name？〃　said　lyra　quietly。　〃because　this　poor　dragonflys　dying；　and　then　his　lightll　go　out。〃

the　harpy　stopped　and　turned　to　say：

〃just　follow。　if　you　cant　see；　listen。　if　you　cant　hear；　feel。〃

her　eyes　shone　fierce　in　the　gloom。　lyra　nodded　and　said；　〃yes；　i　will；　but　im　not　as　strong　as　i　used　to　be；　and　im　not　brave；　not　very　anyway。　please　dont　stop。　ill　follow　you；　we　all　will。　please　keep　going；　no…name。〃

the　harpy　turned　back　and　moved　on。　the　dragonfly　shine　was　getting　dimmer　by　the　minute；　and　lyra　knew　it　would　soon　be　pletely　gone。

but　as　she　stumbled　forward；　a　voice　spoke　just　beside　her；　a　familiar　voice。

〃lyra；　lyra；　child。。。〃

and　she　turned　in　delight。

〃mr。　scoresby！　oh；　im　so　glad　to　hear　you！　and　it　is　you；　i　can　see；　just；　oh；　i　wish　i　could　touch　you！〃

in　the　faint；　faint　light　she　made　out　the　lean　form　and　the　sardonic　smile　of　the　texan　aeronaut；　and　her　hand　reached　forward　of　its　own　accord；　in　vain。

〃me　too；　honey。　but　listen　to　me；　theyre　working　some　trouble　out　there；　and　its　aimed　at　you；　dont　ask　me　how。　is　this　the　boy　with　the　knife？〃

will　had　been　looking　at　him；　eager　to　see　this　old　panion　of　lyras；　but　now　his　eyes　went　right　past　lee　to　look　at　the　ghost　beside　him。　lyra　saw　at　once　who　it　was；　and　marveled　at　this　grown…up　vision　of　will；　the　same　jutting　jaw；　the　same　way　of　holding　his　head。

will　was　speechless；　but　his　father　said：

〃listen；　theres　no　time　to　talk　about　this；　just　do　exactly　as　i　say。　take　the　knife　now　and　find　a　place　where　a　lock　has　been　cut　from　lyras　hair。〃

his　tone　was　urgent；　and　will　didnt　waste　time　asking　why。　lyra；　her　eyes　wide　with　alarm；　held　up　the　dragonfly　with　one　hand　and　felt　her　hair　with　the　other。

〃no；〃　said　will；　〃take　your　hand　away；　i　cant　see。〃

and　in　the　faint　gleam；　he　could　see　it：　just　above　her　left　temple；　there　was　a　little　patch　of　hair　that　was　shorter　than　the　rest。

〃who　did　that？〃　said　lyra。　〃and。。。”

〃hush；〃　said　will；　and　asked　his　fathers　ghost；　〃what　must　i　do？”

〃cut　the　short　hair　off　right　down　to　her　scalp。　collect　it　carefully；　every　single　hair。　dont　miss　even　one。　then　open　another　world；　any　will　do；　and　put　the　hair　through　into　it；　and　then　close　it　again。　do　it　now；　at　once。〃

the　harpy　was　watching；　the　ghosts　behind　were　crowding　close。　lyra　could　see　their　faint　faces　in　the　dimness。　frightened　and　bewildered；　she　stood　biting　her　lip　while　will　did　as　his　father　told　him；　his　face　close　up　to　the　knifepoint　in　the　paling　dragonfly　light。　he　cut　a　little　hollow　space　in　the　rock　of　another　world；　put　all　the　tiny　golden　hairs　into　it；　and　replaced　the　rock　before　closing　the　window。

and　then　the　ground　began　to　shake。　from　somewhere　very　deep　came　a　growling；　grinding　noise；　as　if　the　whole　center　of　the　earth　were　turning　on　itself　like　a　vast　millwheel；　and　little　fragments　of　stone　began　to　fall　from　the　roof　of　the　tunnel。　the　ground　lurched　suddenly　to　one　side。　will　seized　lyras　arm；　and　they　clung　together　as　the　rock　under　their　feet　began　to　shift　and　slide；　and　loose　pieces　of　stone　came　tumbling　past；　bruising　their　legs　and　feet。。。

the　two　children；　sheltering　the　gallivespians；　crouched　down　with　their　arms　over　their　heads；　and　then　in　a　horrible　sliding　movement　they　found　themselves　being　borne　away　down　to　the　left；　and　they　held　each　other　fiercely；　too　breathless　and　shaken　even　to　cry　out。　their　ears　were　filled　with　the　roar　of　thousands　of　tons　of　rock　tumbling　and　rolling　down　with　them。

finally　their　movement　stopped；　though　all　around　them　smaller　rocks　were　still　tumbling　and

bounding　down　a　slope　that　hadnt　been　there　a　minute　before。　lyra　was　lying　on　wills　left　arm。　with　his　right　hand　he　felt　for　the　knife；　it　was　still　there　at　his　belt。

〃tialys？　salmakia？〃　said　will　shakily。

〃both　here；　both　alive；〃　said　the　chevaliers　voice　near　his　ear。

the　air　was　full　of　dust；　and　of　the　cordite　smell　of　smashed　rock。　it　was　hard　to　breathe；　and　impossible　to　see：　the　dragonfly　was　dead。

〃mr。　scoresby？〃　said　lyra。　〃we　cant　see　anything。。。　what　happened？〃

〃im　here；〃　said　lee；　close　by。　〃i　guess　the　bomb　went　off；　and　i　guess　it　missed。〃

〃bomb？〃　said　lyra；　frightened；　but　then　she　said；　〃roger；　are　you　there？〃

〃yeah；〃　came　the　little　whisper。　〃mr。　parry；　he　saved　me。　i　was　going　to　fall；　and　he　caught　hold。〃

〃look；〃　said　the　ghost　of　john　parry。　〃but　hold　still　to　the　rock；　and　dont　move。〃

the　dust　was　clearing；　and　from　somewhere　there　was　light：　a　strange　faint　golden　glimmer；　like　a　luminous　misty　rain　falling　all　around　them。　it　was　enough　to　strike　their　hearts　ablaze　with　fear；　for　it　lit　up　what　lay　to　their　left；　the　place　into　which　it　was　all　falling；　or　flowing；　like　a　river　over　the　edge　of　a　waterfall。

it　was　a　vast　black　emptiness；　like　a　shaft　into　the　deepest　darkness。　the　golden　light　flowed　into　it　and　died。　they　could　see　the　other　side；　but　it　was　much　farther　away　than　will　could　have　thrown　a　stone。　to　their　right；　a　slope　of　rough　stones；　loose　and　precariously　balanced；　rose　high　into　the　dusty　gloom。

the　children　and　their　panions　were　clinging　to　what　was　not　even　a　ledge；　just　some　lucky　hand…　and　footholds；　on　the　edge　of　that　abyss；　and　there　was　no　way　out　except　forward；　along　the　slope；　among　the　shattered　rocks　and　the　teetering　boulders；　which；　it　seemed；　the　slightest　touch　would　send　hurtling　down　below。

and　behind　them；　as　the　dust　cleared；　more　and　more　of　the　ghosts　were　gazing　in　horror　at　the　abyss。　they　were　crouching　on　the　slope；　too　frightened　to　move。　only　the　harpies　were　unafraid；　they　took　to　their　wings　and　soared　above；　scanning　backward　and　forward；　flying　back　to　reassure　those　still　in　the　tunnel；　flying　ahead　to　search　for　the　way　out。

lyra　checked：　at　least　the　alethiometer　was　safe。　suppressing　her　fear；　she　looked　around；　found　rogers　little　face；　and　sai