THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第91部分

〃i　did　not！　you　came　charging　out　and　attacked　me。〃

〃yes；　but　i　soon　stopped。〃

〃yes；　but；〃　he　mocked　softly。

he　felt　her　tremble；　and　then　under　his　hands　the　delicate　bones　of　her　back　began　to　rise　and　fall；　and　he　heard　her　sob　quietly。　he　stroked　her　warm　hair；　her　tender　shoulders；　and　then　he　kissed　her　face　again　and　again；　and　presently　she　gave　a　deep；　shuddering　sigh　and　fell　still。

the　daemons　flew　back　down　now；　and　changed　again；　and　came　toward　them　over　the　soft　sand。　lyra　sat　up　to　greet　them；　and　will　marveled　at　the　way　he　could　instantly　tell　which　daemon　was　which；　never　mind　what　form　they　had。　pantalaimon　was　now　an　animal　whose　name　he　couldnt　quite　find：　like　a　large　and　powerful　ferret；　red…gold　in　color；　lithe　and　sinuous　and　full　of　grace。　kirjava　was　a　cat　again。　but　she　was　a　cat　of　no　ordinary　size；　and　her　fur　was　lustrous　and　rich；　with　a　thousand　different　glints　and　shades　of　ink　black；　shadow　gray；　the　blue　of　a　deep　lake　under　a　noon　sky；　mist…lavender…moonlight…fog。。。　to　see　the　meaning　of　the　word　subtlety；　you　had　only　to　look　at　her　fur。

〃a　marten；〃　he　said；　finding　the　name　for　pantalaimon；　〃a　pine　marten。〃

〃pan；〃　lyra　said　as　he　flowed　up　onto　her　lap；　〃youre　not　going　to　change　a　lot　anymore；　are　you？〃

〃no；〃　he　said。

〃its　funny；〃　she　said；　〃you　remember　when　we　were　younger　and　i　didnt　want　you　to　stop　changing　at　all。。。well；　i　wouldnt　mind　so　much　now。　not　if　you　stay　like　this。〃

will　put　his　hand　on　hers。　a　new　mood　had　taken　hold　of　him；　and　he　felt　resolute　and　peaceful。　knowing　exactly　what　he　was　doing　and　exactly　what　it　would　mean；　he　moved　his　hand　from　lyras　wrist　and　stroked　the　red…gold　fur　of　her　daemon。

lyra　gasped。　but　her　surprise　was　mixed　with　a　pleasure　so　like　the　joy　that　flooded　through　her　when　she　had　put　the　fruit　to　his　lips　that　she　couldnt　protest；　because　she　was　breathless。　with　a　racing　heart　she　responded　in　the　same　way：　she　put　her　hand　on　the　silky　warmth　of　wills　daemon；　and　as　her　fingers　tightened　in　the　fur；　she　knew　that　will　was　feeling　exactly　what　she　was。

and　she　knew；　too；　that　neither　daemon　would　change　now；　having　felt　a　lovers　hands　on　them。　these　were　their　shapes　for　life：　they　would　want　no　other。

so；　wondering　whether　any　lovers　before　them　had　made　this　blissful　discovery；　they　lay　together　as　the　earth　turned　slowly　and　the　moon　and　stars　blazed　above　them。

。d　　。



THIRTY…EIGHT　…　THE　BOTANIC　GARDEN

！小＄说＾网＆
the　gyptians　arrived　on　the　afternoon　of　the　following　day。　there　was　no　harbor；　of　course；　so　they　had　to　anchor　the　ship　some　way　out；　and　john　faa；　farder　coram；　and　the　captain　came　ashore　in　a　launch　with　serafina　pekkala　as　their　guide。

mary　had　told　the　mulefa　everything　she　knew；　and　by　the　time　the　gyptians　were　stepping　ashore　onto　the　wide　beach；　there　was　a　curious　crowd　waiting　to　greet　them。　each　side；　of　course；　was　on　fire　with　curiosity　about　the　other；　but　john　faa　had　learned　plenty　of　courtesy　and　patience　in　his　long　life；　and　he　was　determined　that　these　strangest　of　all　people　should　receive　nothing　but　grace　and　friendship　from　the　lord　of　the　western　gyptians。

so　he　stood　in　the　hot　sun　for　some　time　while　sattamax；　the　old　zalif；　made　a　speech　of　wele；　which　mary　translated　as　best　she　could；　and　john　faa　replied；　bringing　them　greetings　from　the　fens　and　the　waterways　of　his　homeland。

when　they　began　to　move　up　through　the　marshes　to　the　village；　the　mulefa　saw　how　hard　it　was　for　farder　coram　to　walk；　and　at　once　they　offered　to　carry　him。　he　accepted　gratefully；　and　so　it　was　that　they　came　to　the　gathering　ground；　where　will　and　lyra　came　to　meet　them。

such　an　age　had　gone　past　since　lyra　had　seen　these　dear　men！　theyd　last　spoken　together　in　the　snows　of　the　arctic；　on　their　way　to　rescue　the　children　from　the　gobblers。　she　was　almost　shy；　and　she　offered　her　hand　to　shake；　uncertainly；　but　john　faa　caught　her　up　in　a　tight　embrace　and　kissed　both　her　cheeks；　and　farder　coram　did　the　same；　gazing　at　her　before　folding　her　tight　to　his　chest。

〃shes　growed　up；　john；〃　he　said。　〃remember　that　little　girl　we　took　to　the　north　lands？　look　at　her　now；　eh！　lyra；　my　dear；　if　i　had　the　tongue　of　an　angel；　i　couldnt　tell　you　how　glad　i　am　to　set　eyes　on　you　again。〃

but　she　looks　so　hurt；　he　thought；　she　looks　so　frail　and　weary。　and　neither　he　nor　john　faa　could　miss　the　way　she　stayed　close　to　will；　and　how　the　boy　with　the　straight　black　eyebrows　was　aware　every　second　of　where　she　was；　and　made　sure　he　never　strayed　far　from　her。

the　old　men　greeted　him　respectfully；　because　serafina　pekkala　had　told　them　something　of　what　will　had　done。　for　wills　part；　he　admired　the　massive　power　of　lord　faas　presence；　power　tempered　by　courtesy；　and　he　thought　that　that　would　be　a　good　way　to　behave　when　he　himself　was　old；　john　faa　was　a　shelter　and　a　strong　refuge。

〃dr。　malone；〃　said　john　faa；　〃we　need　to　take　on　fresh　water；　and　whatever　in　the　way　of　food　your　friends　can　sell　us。　besides；　our　men　have　been　on　board　ship　for　a　fair　while；　and　weve　had　some　fighting　to　do；　and　it　would　be　a　blessing　if　they　could　all　have　a　run　ashore　so　they　can　breathe　the　air　of　this　land　and　tell　their　families　at　home　about　the　world　they　voyaged　to。〃

〃lord　faa；〃　said　mary；　〃the　mulefa　have　asked　me　to　say　they　will　supply　everything　you　need；　and　that　they　would　be　honored　if　you　could　all　join　them　this　evening　to　share　their　meal。〃

〃itll　be　our　great　pleasure　to　accept；〃　said　john　faa。

so　that　evening　the　people　of　three　worlds　sat　down　together　and　shared　bread　and　meat　and　fruit　and　wine。　the　gyptians　presented　their　hosts　with　gifts　from　all　the　corners　of　their　world：　with　crocks　of　genniver；　carvings　of　walrus　ivory；　silken　tapestries　from　turkestan；　cups　of　silver　from　the　mines　of　sveden；　enameled　dishes　from　corea。

the　mulefa　received　them　with　delight；　and　in　return　offered　objects　of　their　own　workmanship：　rare

vessels　of　ancient　knot　wood；　lengths　of　the　finest　rope　and　cord；　lacquered　bowls；　and　fishing　nets　so　strong　and　light　that　even　the　fen…dwelling　gyptians　had　never　seen　the　like。

having　shared　the　feast；　the　captain　thanked　his　hosts　and　left　to　supervise　the　crew　as　they　took　on　board　the　stores　and　water　that　they　needed；　because　they　meant　to　sail　as　soon　as　morning　came。　while　they　were　doing　that；　the　old　zalif　said　to　his　guests：

〃a　great　change　has　e　over　everything。　and　as　a　token；　we　have　been　granted　a　responsibility。　we　would　like　to　show　you　what　this　means。〃

so　john　faa；　farder　coram；　mary；　and　serafina　went　with　them　to　the　place　where　the　land　of　the　dead　opened；　and　where　the　ghosts　were　ing　out；　still　in　their　endless　procession。　the　mulefa　were　planting　a　grove　around　it；　because　it　was　a　holy　place；　they　said；　they　would　maintain　it　forever；　it　was　a　source　of　joy。

〃well；　this　is　a　mystery；〃　said　farder　coram；　〃and　im　glad　i　lived　long　enough　to　see　it。　to　go　into　the　dark　of　death　is　a　thing　we　all　fear；　say　what　we　like；　we　fear　it。　but　if　theres　a　way　out　for　that　part　of　us　that　has　to　go　down　there；　then　it　makes　my　heart　lighter。〃

〃youre　right；　coram；〃　said　john　faa。　〃ive　seen　a　good　many　folk　die；　ive　sent　more　than　a　few　men　down　into　the　dark　myself；　though　it　was　always　in　the　anger　of　battle。　to　know　that　after　a　spell　in　the　dark　well　e　out　again　to　a　sweet　land　like　this；　to　be　free　of　the　sky　like　the　birds；　well；　thats　the　greatest　promise　anyone　could　wish　for。〃

〃we　must　talk　to　lyra　about　this；〃　said　farder　coram；　〃and　learn　how　it　came　about　and　what　it　means。〃

mary　found　it　very　hard　to　say　good…bye　to　atal　and　the　other　mulefa。　before　she　boarded　the　ship；　they　gave　her　a　gift：　a　lacquer　phial　containing　some　of　the　wheel　tree　oil；　and　most　precious　of　all；　a　little　bag　of　seeds。

they　might　not　grow　in　your　world；　atal　said；　but　if　not；　you　have　the　oil。　dont　forget　us；　mary。

never；　mary　said。　never。　if　i　live　as　long　as　the　witches　and　forget　everything　else；　ill　never　forget　you　and　the　kindness　of　your　people；　atal。

so　the　journey　home　began。　the　wind　was　light；　the　seas　were　calm；　and　although　they　saw　the　glitter　of　those　great　snow　white　wings　more　than　once；　the　birds　were　wary　and　stayed　well　clear。　will　and　lyra　spent　every　hour　together；　and　for　them　the　two　weeks　of　the　voyage　passed　like　the　blink　of　an　eyelid。

xaphania　had　told　serafina　pekkala　that　when　all　the　openings　were　closed；　then　the　worlds　would　all　be　restored　to　their　proper　relations　with　one　another；　and　lyras　oxford　and　wills　would　lie　over　each　other　again；　like　transparent　images　on　two　sheets　of　film　being　moved　closer　and　closer　until　they　merged；　although　they　would　never　truly　touch。

at　the　moment；　however；　they　were　a　long　way　apart；　as　far　as　lyra　had　had　to　travel　from　her　oxford　to　cittagazze。　wills　oxford　was　here　now；　just　a　knife　cut　away。　it　was　evening　when　they　arrived；　and　as　the　anchor　splashed　into　the　water；　the　late　sun　lay　warmly　on　the　green　hills；　the　terracotta　roofs；　that　elegant　and　crumbling　waterfront；　and　will　and　lyras　little　cafe。　a　long　search　through　the　captains　telescope　had　shown　no　signs　of　life　whatsoever；　but　john　faa　planned　to　take