THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第17章

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〃i　wonder　what　language　they　speak。　i　hope　they　dont　lock　me　up　if　i　cant　speak　theirs。〃

〃as　your　daemon；〃　said　balthamos；　〃i　shall　translate　for　you。　i　have　learned　many　human　languages；　i　can　certainly　understand　the　one　they　speak　in　this　country。〃

will　walked　on。　the　toil　was　dull　and　mechanical；　but　at　least　he　was　moving；　and　at　least　every　step　took　him　closer　to　lyra。

the　village　was　a　shabby　place：　a　huddle　of　wooden　buildings；　with　paddocks　containing　reindeer；　and　dogs　that　barked　as　he　approached。　smoke　crept　out　of　the　tin　chimneys　and　hung　low　over　the　shingled　roofs。　the　ground　was　heavy　and　dragged　at　his　feet；　and　there　had　obviously　been　a　recent　flood：　walls　were　marked　with　mud　to　halfway　up　the　doors；　and　broken　beams　of　wood　and　loose…hanging　sheets　of　corrugated　iron　showed　where　sheds　and　verandas　and　outbuildings　had　been　swept　away。

but　that　was　not　the　most　curious　feature　of　the　place。　at　first　he　thought　he　was　losing　his　balance；　it　even　made　him　stumble　once　or　twice；　for　the　buildings　were　two　or　three　degrees　out　of　the　vertical；　all　leaning　the　same　way。　the　dome　of　the　little　church　had　cracked　badly。　had　there　been　an　earthquake？

dogs　were　barking　with　hysterical　fury；　but　not　daring　to　e　close。　balthamos；　being　a　daemon；　had　taken　the　form　of　a　large　snow　white　dog　with　black　eyes；　thick　fur；　and　tight…curled　tail；　and　he　snarled　so　fiercely　that　the　real　dogs　kept　their　distance。　they　were　thin　and　mangy；　and　the　few　reindeer　will　could　see　were　scabby…coated　and　listless。

will　paused　in　the　center　of　the　little　village　and　looked　around；　wondering　where　to　go；　and　as　he　stood　there；　two　or　three　men　appeared　ahead　and　stood　staring　at　him。　they　were　the　first　people　he　had　ever　seen　in　lyras　world。　they　wore　heavy　felt　coats；　muddy　boots；　and　fur　hats；　and　they　didnt　look　friendly。

the　white　dog　changed　into　a　sparrow　and　flew　to　wills　shoulder。　no　one　blinked　an　eye　at　this：　each　of　the　men　had　a　daemon；　will　saw；　dogs；　most　of　them；　and　that　was　how　things　happened　in　this　world。　on　his　shoulder；　balthamos　whispered：　〃keep　moving。　dont　look　them　in　the　eye。　keep　your　head　down。　that　is　the　respectful　thing　to　do。〃

will　kept　walking。　he　could　make　himself　inconspicuous；　it　was　his　greatest　talent。　by　the　time　he　got

to　them；　the　men　had　already　lost　interest　in　him。　but　then　a　door　opened　in　the　biggest　house　in　the　road；　and　a　voice　called　something　loudly。

balthamos　said　softly；　〃the　priest。　you　will　have　to　be　polite　to　him。　turn　and　bow。〃

will　did　so。　the　priest　was　an　immense；　gray…bearded　man；　wearing　a　black　cassock；　with　a　crow　daemon　on　his　shoulder。　his　restless　eyes　moved　over　wills　face　and　body；　taking　everything　in。　he　beckoned。

will　went　to　the　doorway　and　bowed　again。

the　priest　said　something；　and　balthamos　murmured；　〃hes　asking　where　you　e　from。　say　whatever　you　like。〃

〃i　speak　english；〃　will　said　slowly　and　clearly。　〃i　dont　know　any　other　languages。〃

〃ah；　english！〃　cried　the　priest　gleefully　in　english。　〃my　dear　young　man！　wele　to　our　village；　our　little　no…longer…perpendicular　kholodnoye！　what　is　your　name；　and　where　are　you　going？〃

〃my　name　is　will；　and　im　going　south。　i　have　lost　my　family；　and　im　trying　to　find　them　again。〃

〃then　you　must　e　inside　and　have　some　refreshment；〃　said　the　priest；　and　put　a　heavy　arm　around　wills　shoulders；　pulling　him　in　through　the　doorway。

the　mans　crow　daemon　was　showing　a　vivid　interest　in　balthamos。　but　the　angel　was　equal　to　that：　he　became　a　mouse　and　crept　into　wills　shirt　as　if　he　were　shy。

the　priest　led　him　into　a　parlor　heavy　with　tobacco　smoke；　where　a　cast…iron　samovar　steamed　quietly　on　a　side　table。

〃what　was　your　name？〃　said　the　priest。　〃tell　me　again。〃

〃will　parry。　but　i　dont　know　what　to　call　you。〃

〃otyets　semyon；〃　said　the　priest；　stroking　wills　arm　as　he　guided　him　to　a　chair。　〃otyets　means　father。　i　am　a　priest　of　the　holy　church。　my　given　name　is　semyon；　and　the　name　of　my　father　was　boris；　so　i　am　semyon　borisovitch。　what　is　your　fathers　name？〃

〃john　parry。〃

〃john　is　ivan。　so　you　are　will　ivanovitch；　and　i　am　father　semyon　borisovitch。　where　have　you　e　from；　will　ivanovitch；　and　where　are　you　going？〃

〃im　lost；〃　will　said。　〃i　was　traveling　with　my　family　to　the　south。　my　father　is　a　soldier；　but　he　was　exploring　in　the　arctic；　and　then　something　happened　and　we　got　lost。　so　im　traveling　south　because　i　know　thats　where　we　were　going　next。〃

the　priest　spread　his　hands　and　said；　〃a　soldier？　an　explorer　from　england？　no　one　so　interesting　as　that　has　trodden　the　dirty　roads　of　kholodnoye　for　centuries；　but　in　this　time　of　upheaval；　how　can　we　know　that　he　will　not　appear　tomorrow？　you　yourself　are　a　wele　visitor；　will　ivanovitch。　you　must　stay　the　night　in　my　house　and　we　will　talk　and　eat　together。　lydia　alexandrovna！〃　he　called。

an　elderly　woman　came　in　silently。　he　spoke　to　her　in　russian；　and　she　nodded　and　took　a　glass　and　filled　it　with　hot　tea　from　the　samovar。　she　brought　the　glass　of　tea　to　will；　together　with　a　little　saucer　of　jam　with　a　silver　spoon。

〃thank　you；〃　said　will。

〃the　conserve　is　to　sweeten　the　tea；〃　said　the　priest。　〃lydia　alexandrovna　made　it　from　bilberries。〃

the　result　was　that　the　tea　was　sickly　as　well　as　bitter；　but　will　sipped　it；　nonetheless。　the　priest　kept　leaning　forward　to　look　closely　at　him；　and　felt　his　hands　to　see　whether　he　was　cold；　and　stroked　his　knee。　in　order　to　distract　him；　will　asked　why　the　buildings　in　the　village　sloped。

〃there　has　been　a　convulsion　in　the　earth；〃　the　priest　said。　〃it　is　all　foretold　in　the　apocalypse　of　st。　john。　rivers　flow　backward。。。　the　great　river　only　a　short　way　from　here　used　to　flow　north　into　the　arctic　ocean。　all　the　way　from　the　mountains　of　central　asia　it　flowed　north　for　thousands　and　thousands　of　years；

ever　since　the　authority　of　god　the　almighty　father　created　the　earth。　but　when　the　earth　shook　and　the　fog　and　the　floods　came；　everything　changed；　and　then　the　great　river　flowed　south　for　a　week　or　more　before　it　turned　again　and　went　north。　the　world　is　turned　upside　down。　where　were　you　when　the　great　convulsion　came？〃

〃a　long　way　from　here；〃　will　said。　〃i　didnt　know　what　was　happening。　when　the　fog　cleared；　i　had　lost　my　family　and　i　dont　know　where　i　am　now。　youve　told　me　the　name　of　this　place；　but　where　is　it？　where　are　we？〃

〃bring　me　that　large　book　on　the　bottom　shelf；〃　said　semyon　borisovitch。　〃i　will　show　you。〃

the　priest　drew　his　chair　up　to　the　table　and　licked　his　fingers　before　turning　the　pages　of　the　great　atlas。

〃here；〃　he　said；　pointing　with　a　dirty　fingernail　at　a　spot　in　central　siberia；　a　long　way　east　of　the　urals。　the　river　nearby　flowed；　as　the　priest　had　said；　from　the　northern　part　of　the　mountains　in　tibet　all　the　way　to　the　arctic。　he　looked　closely　at　the　himalaya；　but　he　could　see　nothing　like　the　map　baruch　had　sketched。

semyon　borisovitch　talked　and　talked；　pressing　will　for　details　of　his　life；　his　family；　his　home；　and　will；　a　practiced　dissembler；　answered　him　fully　enough。　presently　the　housekeeper　brought　in　some　beetroot　soup　and　dark　bread；　and　after　the　priest　had　said　a　long　grace；　they　ate。

〃well；　how　shall　we　pass　our　day；　will　ivanovitch？〃　said　semyon　borisovitch。　〃shall　we　play　at　cards；　or　would　you　prefer　to　talk？〃

he　drew　another　glass　of　tea　from　the　samovar；　and　will　took　it　doubtfully。

〃i　cant　play　cards；〃　he　said；　〃and　im　anxious　to　get　on　and　keep　traveling。　if　i　went　to　the　river；　for　example；　do　you　think　i　could　find　a　passage　on　a　steamer　going　south？〃

the　priests　huge　face　darkened；　and　he　crossed　himself　with　a　delicate　flick　of　the　wrist。

〃there　is　trouble　in　the　town；〃　he　said。　〃lydia　alexandrovna　has　a　sister　who　came　here　and　told　her　there　is　a　boat　carrying　bears　up　the　river。　armored　bears。　they　e　from　the　arctic。　you　did　not　see　armored　bears　when　you　were　in　the　north？〃

the　priest　was　suspicious；　and　balthamos　whispered　so　quietly　that　only　will　could　hear：　〃be　careful。〃　and　will　knew　at　once　why　hed　said　it：　his　heart　had　begun　to　pound　when　semyon　borisovitch　mentioned　the　bears；　because　of　what　lyra　had　told　him　about　them。　he　must　try　to　contain　his　feelings。

he　said；　〃we　were　a　long　way　from　svalbard；　and　the　bears　were　occupied　with　their　own　affairs。〃

〃yes；　that　is　what　i　heard；〃　said　the　priest；　to　wills　relief；　〃but　now　they　are　leaving　their　homeland　and　ing　south。　they　have　a　boat；　and　the　people　of　the　town　will　not　let　them　refuel。　they　are　afraid　of　the　bears。　and　so　they　should　be；　they　are　children　of　the　devil。　all　things　from　the　north　are　devilish。　like　the　witches；　daughters　of　evil！　the　church　should　have　put　them　all　to　death　many　years　ago。　witches；　have　nothing　to　do　with　them；　will　ivanovitch；　you　hear　me？　you　know　what　they　will　do　when　you　e　to　the　right　age？　they　will　try　to　seduce　you。　they　will　use　all　the　soft；　cunning；　deceitful　ways　they　have；　their　flesh；　their　soft　skin；　their　sweet　voices；　and　they　will　take　your　seed；　you　know　what　i　mean　by　that；　they　will　drain　you　and　leave　you　hollow！　they　will　take　your　future；　your　children　that　are　to　e；　and　leave　you　nothing。　they　should　be　put　to　death；　every　on