THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第65部分

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

〃e　on；　then；　were　all　still　here；　we　ent　been　hurt。　and　we　can　see　now；　at　least。　so　just　keep　going；　just　keep　on　moving。　we　cant　go　any　other　way　than　round　the　edge　of　this。。。〃　she　gestured　at　the　abyss。　〃so　we　just　got　to　keep　going　ahead。　i　swear　will　and　mell　just　keep　on　till　we　do。　so　dont　be　scared；　dont　give　up；　dont　lag　behind。　tell　the　others。　i　cant　look　back　all　the　time　because　i　got　to　watch　where　im　going；　so　i　got　to　trust　you　to　e　on　steady　after　us；　all　right？〃

the　little　ghost　nodded。　and　so；　in　a　shocked　silence；　the　column　of　the　dead　began　their　journey　along　the　edge　of　the　abyss。　how　long　it　took；　neither　lyra　nor　will　could　guess；　how　fearful　and　dangerous　it　was；　they　were　never　able　to　forget。　the　darkness　below　was　so　profound　that　it　seemed　to　pull　the　eyesight　down　into　it；　and　a　ghastly　dizziness　swam　over　their　minds　when　they　looked。　whenever　they　could；　they　looked　ahead　of　them　fixedly；　on　this　rock；　that　foothold；　this　projection；　that　loose　slope　of　gravel；　and　kept　their　eyes　from　the　gulf；　but　it　pulled；　it　tempted；　and　they　couldnt　help　glancing　into　it；　only　to　feel　their　balance　tilting　and　their　eyesight　swimming　and　a　dreadful　nausea　gripping　their　throats。

from　time　to　time　the　living　ones　looked　back　and　saw　the　infinite　line　of　the　dead　winding　out　of　the　crack　theyd　e　through：　mothers　pressing　their　infants　faces　to　their　breasts；　aged　fathers　clambering　slowly；　little　children　clutching　the　skirts　of　the　person　in　front；　young　boys　and　girls　of　rogers　age　keeping　staunch　and　careful；　so　many　of　them。。。　and　all　following　will　and　lyra；　so　they　still　hoped；　toward　the　open　air。

but　some　didnt　trust　them。　they　crowded　close　behind；　and　both　children　felt　cold　hands　on　their

hearts　and　their　entrails；　and　they　heard　vicious　whispers：

〃where　is　the　upper　world？　how　much　farther？〃

〃were　frightened　here！〃

〃we　should　never　have　e；　at　least　back　in　the　world　of　the　dead　we　had　a　little　light　and　a　little　pany；　this　is　far　worse！〃

〃you　did　a　wrong　thing　when　you　came　to　our　land！　you　should　have　stayed　in　your　own　world　and　waited　to　die　before　you　came　down　to　disturb　us！〃

〃by　what　right　are　you　leading　us？　you　are　only　children！　who　gave　you　the　authority？〃

will　wanted　to　turn　and　denounce　them；　but　lyra　held　his　arm；　they　were　unhappy　and　frightened；　she　said。

then　the　lady　salmakia　spoke；　and　her　clear；　calm　voice　carried　a　long　way　in　the　great　emptiness。

〃friends；　be　brave！　stay　together　and　keep　going！　the　way　is　hard；　but　lyra　can　find　it。　be　patient　and　cheerful　and　well　lead　you　out；　dont　fear！〃

lyra　felt　herself　strengthened　by　hearing　this；　and　that　was　really　the　ladys　intention。　and　so　they　toiled　on；　with　painful　effort。

〃will；〃　said　lyra　after　some　minutes；　〃can　you　hear　that　wind？〃

〃yes；　i　can；〃　said　will。　〃but　i　cant　feel　it　at　all。　and　i　tell　you　something　about　that　hole　down　there。　its　the　same　kind　of　thing　as　when　i　cut　a　window。　the　same　kind　of　edge。　theres　something　special　about　that　kind　of　edge；　once　youve　felt　it　you　never　forget　it。　and　i　can　see　it　there；　just　where　the　rock　falls　away　into　the　dark。　but　that　big　space　down　there；　thats　not　another　world　like　all　the　others。　its　different。　i　dont　like　it。　i　wish　i　could　close　it　up。〃

〃you　havent　closed　every　window　youve　made。〃

〃no；　because　i　couldnt；　some　of　them。　but　i　know　i　should。　things　go　wrong　if　theyre　left　open。　and　one　that　big。。。〃　he　gestured　downward；　not　wanting　to　look。　〃its　wrong。　something　bad　will　happen。〃

while　they　were　talking　together；　another　conversation　had　been　taking　place　a　little　way　off：　the　chevalier　tialys　was　talking　quietly　with　the　ghosts　of　lee　scoresby　and　john　parry。

〃so　what　are　you　saying；　john？〃　said　lee。　〃youre　saying　we　ought　not　to　go　out　into　the　open　air？　man；　every　single　part　of　me　is　aching　to　join　the　rest　of　the　living　universe　again！〃

〃yes；　and　so　am　i；〃　said　wills　father。　〃but　i　believe　that　if　those　of　us　who　are　used　to　fighting　could　manage　to　hold　ourselves　back；　we　might　be　able　to　throw　ourselves　into　the　battle　on　asriels　side。　and　if　it　came　at　the　right　moment；　it　might　make　all　the　difference。〃

〃ghosts？〃　said　tialys；　trying　to　hold　the　skepticism　from　his　voice；　and　failing。　〃how　could　you　fight？〃

〃we　couldnt　hurt　living　creatures；　thats　quite　true。　but　asriels　army　is　going　to　contend　with　other　kinds　of　being　as　well。〃

〃those　specters；〃　said　lee。

〃just　what　i　was　thinking。　they　make　for　the　daemon；　dont　they？　and　our　daemons　are　long　gone。　its　worth　a　try；　lee。〃

〃well；　im　with　you；　my　friend。〃

〃and　you；　sir；〃　said　john　parrys　ghost　to　the　chevalier：　〃i　have　spoken　to　the　ghosts　of　your　people。　will　you　live　long　enough　to　see　the　world　again；　before　you　die　and　e　back　as　a　ghost？〃

〃its　true；　our　lives　are　short　pared　to　yours。　i　have　a　few　days　more　to　live；〃　said　tialys；　〃and　the　lady　salmakia　a　little　longer；　perhaps。　but　thanks　to　what　those　children　are　doing；　our　exile　as　ghosts　will　not　be　permanent。　i　have　been　proud　to　help　them。〃

they　moved　on。　and　that　abominable　fall　yawned　all　the　time；　and　one　little　slip；　one　footstep　on　a

loose　rock；　one　careless　handhold；　would　send　you　down　forever　and　ever；　thought　lyra；　so　far　down　youd　die　of　starvation　before　you　ever　hit　the　bottom；　and　then　your　poor　ghost　would　go　on　falling　and　falling　into　an　infinite　gulf；　with　no　one　to　help；　no　hands　to　reach　down　and　lift　you　out；　forever　conscious　and　forever　falling。。。

oh；　that　would　be　far　worse　than　the　gray；　silent　world　they　were　leaving；　wouldnt　it？

a　strange　thing　happened　to　her　mind　then。　the　thought　of　falling　induced　a　kind　of　vertigo　in　lyra；　and　she　swayed。　will　was　ahead　of　her；　just　too　far　to　reach；　or　she　might　have　taken　his　hand；　but　at　that　moment　she　was　more　conscious　of　roger；　and　a　little　flicker　of　vanity　blazed　up　for　a　moment　in　her　heart。　thered　been　an　occasion　once　on　jordan　college　roof　when　just　to　frighten　him；　shed　defied　her　vertigo　and　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　stone　gutter。

she　looked　back　to　remind　him　of　it　now。　she　was　rogers　lyra；　full　of　grace　and　daring；　she　didnt　need　to　creep　along　like　an　insect。

but　the　little　boys　whispering　voice　said；　〃lyra；　be　careful；　remember；　you　ent　dead　like　us。。。”

and　it　seemed　to　happen　so　slowly；　but　there　was　nothing　she　could　do：　her　weight　shifted；　the　stones　moved　under　her　feet；　and　helplessly　she　began　to　slide。　in　the　first　moment　it　was　annoying；　and　then　it　was　ic：　how　silly！　she　thought。　but　as　she　utterly　failed　to　hold　on　to　anything；　as　the　stones　rolled　and　tumbled　beneath　her；　as　she　slid　down　toward　the　edge；　gathering　speed；　the　horror　of　it　slammed　into　her。　she　was　going　to　fall。　there　was　nothing　to　stop　her。　it　was　already　too　late。

her　body　convulsed　with　terror。　she　wasnt　aware　of　the　ghosts　who　flung　themselves　down　to　try　and　catch　her；　only　to　find　her　hurtling　through　them　like　a　stone　through　mist；　she　didnt　know　that　will　was　yelling　her　name　so　loudly　that　the　abyss　resounded　with　it。　instead；　her　whole　being　was　a　vortex　of　roaring　fear。　faster　and　faster　she　tumbled；　down　and　down；　and　some　ghosts　couldnt　bear　to　watch；　they　hid　their　eyes　and　cried　aloud。

will　felt　electric　with　fear。　he　watched　in　anguish　as　lyra　slid　farther　and　farther；　knowing　he　could　do　nothing；　and　knowing　he　had　to　watch。　he　couldnt　hear　the　desperate　wail　he　was　uttering　any　more　than　she　could。　another　two　seconds；　another　second；　she　was　at　the　edge；　she　couldnt　stop；　she　was　there；　she　was　falling。。。

and　out　of　the　dark　swooped　that　creature　whose　claws　had　raked　her　scalp　not　long　before；　no…name　the　harpy；　woman…faced；　bird…winged；　and　those　same　claws　closed　tight　around　the　girls　wrist。　together　they　plunged　on　down；　the　extra　weight　almost　too　much　for　the　harpys　strong　wings；　but　they　beat　and　beat　and　beat；　and　her　claws　held　firm；　and　slowly；　heavily；　slowly；　heavily；　the　harpy　carried　the　child　up　and　up　out　of　the　gulf　and　brought　her　limp　and　fainting　to　wills　reaching　arms。

he　held　her　tight；　pressing　her　to　his　chest；　feeling　the　wild　beat　of　her　heart　against　his　ribs。　she　wasnt　lyra　just　then；　and　he　wasnt　will；　she　wasnt　a　girl；　and　he　wasnt　a　boy。　they　were　the　only　two　human　beings　in　that　vast　gulf　of　death。　they　clung　together；　and　the　ghosts　clustered　around；　whispering　fort；　blessing　the　harpy。　closest　at　hand　were　wills　father　and　lee　scoresby；　and　how　they　longed　to　hold　her；　too；　and　tialys　and　salmakia　spoke　to　no…name；　praising　her；　calling　her　the　savior　of　them　all；　generous　one；　blessing　her　kindness。

as　soon　as　lyra　could　move；　she　reached　out　trembling　for　the　harpy　and　put　her　arms　around　her　neck；　kissing　and　kissing　her　ravaged　face。　she　couldnt　speak。　all　the　words；　all　the　confidence；　all　the　vanity　had　been　shaken　out　of　her。

they　lay　still　for　some　minutes。　once　the　terror　had　begun　to　subside；　they　set　off　again；　will　holding　lyras　hand　tightly　in　his　good　one。　they　crept　forward；　testing　each　spot　before　they　put　any　weight　on　it；　a　process　so　slow　and　wearisome　that　they　thought