THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第2章

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black　fingers　twitched　at　the　edge　of　the

sleeping　bag。

a　look　from　mrs。　coulter；　and　he　let　go　and　moved　back　a　hands　breadth。　the　woman　gently　lifted　her　daughter　so　that　her　shoulders　were　off　the　ground　and　her　head　lolled；　and　then　lyra　caught　her　breath　and　her　eyes　half…opened；　fluttering；　heavy。

〃roger；〃　she　murmured。　〃roger。。。　where　are　you。。。　i　cant　see。。。〃

〃shh；〃　her　mother　whispered；　〃shh；　my　darling；　drink　this。〃

holding　the　beaker　in　lyras　mouth；　she　tilted　it　to　let　a　drop　moisten　the　girls　lips。　lyras　tongue　sensed　it　and　moved　to　lick　them；　and　then　mrs。　coulter　let　a　little　more　of　the　liquid　trickle　into　lyras　mouth；　very　carefully；　letting　her　swallow　each　sip　before　allowing　her　more。

it　took　several　minutes；　but　eventually　the　beaker　was　empty；　and　mrs。　coulter　laid　her　daughter　down　again。　as　soon　as　lyras　head　lay　on　the　ground；　pantalaimon　moved　back　around　her　throat。　his　red…gold　fur　was　as　damp　as　her　hair。　they　were　deeply　asleep　again。

the　golden　monkey　picked　his　way　lightly　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave　and　sat　once　more　watching　the　path。　mrs。　coulter　dipped　a　flannel　in　a　basin　of　cold　water　and　mopped　lyras　face；　and　then　unfastened　the　sleeping　bag　and　washed　lyras　arms　and　neck　and　shoulders；　for　lyra　was　hot。　then　her　mother　took　a　b　and　gently　teased　out　the　tangles　in　lyras　hair；　smoothing　it　back　from　her　forehead；　parting　it　neatly。

she　left　the　sleeping　hag　open　so　the　girl　could　cool　down；　and　unfolded　the　bundle　that　ama　had　brought：　some　flat　loaves　of　bread；　a　cake　of　pressed　tea；　some　sticky　rice　wrapped　in　a　large　leaf。　it　was　time　to　build　the　fire。　the　chill　of　the　mountains　was　fierce　at　night。　working　methodically；　she　shaved　some　dry　tinder；　set　the　fire；　and　struck　a　match。　that　was　something　else　to　think　of：　the　matches　were　running　out；　and　so　was　the　naphtha　for　the　stove；　she　must　keep　the　fire　alight　day　and　night　from　now　on。

her　daemon　was　discontented。　he　didnt　like　what　she　was　doing　here　in　the　cave；　and　when　he　tried　to　express　his　concern；　she　brushed　him　away。　he　turned　his　back；　contempt　in　every　line　of　his　body　as　he　flicked　the　scales　from　his　pine　cone　out　into　the　dark。　she　took　no　notice；　but　worked　steadily　and　skillfully　to　build　up　the　fire　and　set　the　pan　to　heat　some　water　for　tea。

nevertheless；　his　skepticism　affected　her；　and　as　she　crumbled　the　dark　gray　tea　brick　into　the　water；　she　wondered　what　in　the　world　she　thought　she　was　doing；　and　whether　she　had　gone　mad；　and；　over　and　over　again；　what　would　happen　when　the　church　found　out。　the　golden　monkey　was　right。　she　wasnt　only　hiding　lyra：　she　was　hiding　her　own　eyes。

—

out　of　the　dark　the　little　boy　came；　hopeful　and　frightened；　whispering　over　and　over：

〃lyra；　lyra；　lyra。。。　〃

behind　him　there　were　other　figures；　even　more　shadowy　than　he　was；　even　more　silent。　they　seemed　to　be　of　the　same　pany　and　of　the　same　kind；　but　they　had　no　faces　that　were　visible　and　no　voices　that　spoke；　and　his　voice　never　rose　above　a　whisper；　and　his　face　was　shaded　and　blurred　like　something　half…forgotten。

〃lyra。。。　lyra。。。〃

where　were　they？

on　a　great　plain；　where　no　light　shone　from　the　iron…dark　sky；　and　where　a　mist　obscured　the　horizon　on　every　side。　the　ground　was　bare　earth；　beaten　flat　by　the　pressure　of　millions　of　feet；　even　though　those　feet　had　less　weight　than　feathers；　so　it　must　have　been　time　that　pressed　it　flat；　even　though　time　had　been　stilled　in　this　place；　so　it　must　have　been　the　way　things　were。　this　was　the　end　of　all　places　and　the　last　of　all　worlds。

〃lyra。。。〃

why　were　they　there？

they　were　imprisoned。　someone　had　mitted　a　crime；　though　no　one　knew　what　it　was；　or　who　had　done　it；　or　what　authority　sat　in　judgment。

why　did　the　little　boy　keep　calling　lyras　name？

hope。

who　were　they？

ghosts。

and　lyra　couldnt　touch　them；　no　matter　how　she　tried。　her　baffled　hands　moved　through　and　through；　and　still　the　little　boy　stood　there　pleading。

〃roger；〃　she　said；　but　her　voice　came　out　in　a　whisper。　〃oh；　roger；　where　are　you？　what　is　this　place？〃

he　said；　〃its　the　world　of　the　dead；　lyra；　i　dunno　what　to　do；　i　dunno　if　im　here　forever；　and　i　dunno　if　i　done　bad　things　or　what；　because　i　tried　to　be　good；　but　i　hate　it；　im　scared　of　it　all；　i　hate　it。。。”

and　lyra　said；　〃ill

〃be　quiet；〃　said　will；　〃just　be　quiet。　dont　disturb　me。〃

。。



TWO　…　BALTHAMOS　AND　BARUCH…1

小说
it　was　just　after　lyra　had　been　taken；　just　after　will　had　e　down　from　the　mountaintop；　just　after　the　witch　had　killed　his　father。　will　lit　the　little　tin　lantern　hed　taken　from　his　fathers　pack；　using　the　dry　matches　that　hed　found　with　it；　and　crouched　in　the　lee　of　the　rock　to　open　lyras　rucksack。

he　felt　inside　with　his　good　hand　and　found　the　heavy　velvet…wrapped　alethiometer。　it　glittered　in　the　lantern　light；　and　he　held　it　out　to　the　two　shapes　that　stood　beside　him；　the　shapes　who　called　themselves　angels。

〃can　you　read　this？〃　he　said。

〃no；〃　said　a　voice。　〃e　with　us。　you　must　e。　e　now　to　lord　asriel。〃

〃who　made　you　follow　my　father？　you　said　he　didnt　know　you　were　following　him。　but　he　did；〃　will　said　fiercely。　〃he　told　me　to　expect　you。　he　knew　more　than　you　thought。　who　sent　you？〃

〃no　one　sent　us。　ourselves　only；〃　came　the　voice。　〃we　want　to　serve　lord　asriel。　and　the　dead　man；　what　did　he　want　you　to　do　with　the　knife？〃

will　had　to　hesitate。

〃he　said　i　should　take　it　to　lord　asriel；〃　he　said。

〃then　e　with　us。〃

〃no。　not　till　ive　found　lyra。〃

he　folded　the　velvet　over　the　alethiometer　and　put　it　into　his　rucksack。　securing　it；　he　swung　his　fathers　heavy　cloak　around　him　against　the　rain　and　crouched　where　he　was；　looking　steadily　at　the　two　shadows。

〃do　you　tell　the　truth？〃　he　said。

〃yes。〃

〃then　are　you　stronger　than　human　beings；　or　weaker？〃

〃weaker。　you　have　true　flesh；　we　have　not。　still；　you　must　e　with　us。〃

〃no。　if　im　stronger；　you　have　to　obey　me。　besides；　i　have　the　knife。　so　i　can　mand　you：　help　me　find　lyra。　i　dont　care　how　long　it　takes；　ill　find　her　first　and　then　ill　go　to　lord　asriel。〃

the　two　figures　were　silent　for　several　seconds。　then　they　drifted　away　and　spoke　together；　though

will　could　hear　nothing　of　what　they　said。

finally　they　came　close　again；　and　he　heard：

〃very　well。　you　are　making　a　mistake；　though　you　give　us　no　choice。　we　shall　help　you　find　this　child。〃

will　tried　to　pierce　the　darkness　and　see　them　more　clearly；　but　the　rain　filled　his　eyes。

〃e　closer　so　i　can　see　you；〃　he　said。

they　approached；　but　seemed　to　bee　even　more　obscure。

〃shall　i　see　you　better　in　daylight？〃

〃no；　worse。　we　are　not　of　a　high　order　among　angels。〃

〃well；　if　i　cant　see　you；　no　one　else　will；　either；　so　you　can　stay　hidden。　go　and　see　if　you　can　find　where　lyras　gone。　she　surely　cant　be　far　away。　there　was　a　woman；　shell　be　with　her；　the　woman　took　her。　go　and　search；　and　e　back　and　tell　me　what　you　see。〃

the　angels　rose　up　into　the　stormy　air　and　vanished。　will　felt　a　great　sullen　heaviness　settle　over　him；　hed　had　little　strength　left　before　the　fight　with　his　father；　and　now　he　was　nearly　finished。　all　he　wanted　to　do　was　close　his　eyes；　which　were　so　heavy　and　so　sore　with　weeping。

he　tugged　the　cloak　over　his　head；　clutched　the　rucksack　to　his　breast；　and　fell　asleep　in　a　moment。

〃nowhere；〃　said　a　voice。

will　heard　it　in　the　depths　of　sleep　and　struggled　to　wake。　eventually　（and　it　took　most　of　a　minute；　because　he　was　so　profoundly　unconscious）　he　managed　to　open　his　eyes　to　the　bright　morning　in　front　of　him。

〃where　are　you？〃　he　said。

〃beside　you；〃　said　the　angel。　〃this　way。〃

the　sun　was　newly　risen；　and　the　rocks　and　the　lichens　and　mosses　on　them　shone　crisp　and　brilliant　in　the　morning　light；　but　nowhere　could　he　see　a　figure。

〃i　said　we　would　be　harder　to　see　in　daylight；〃　the　voice　went　on。　〃you　will　see　us　best　at　half…light；　at　dusk　or　dawn；　next　best　in　darkness；　least　of　all　in　the　sunshine。　my　panion　and　i　searched　farther　down　the　mountain；　and　found　neither　woman　nor　child。　but　there　is　a　lake　of　blue　water　where　she　must　have　camped。　there　is　a　dead　man　there；　and　a　witch　eaten　by　a　specter。〃

〃a　dead　man？　what　does　he　look　like？〃

〃he　was　in　late　middle　age。　fleshy　and　smooth…skinned。　silver…gray　hair。　dressed　in　expensive　clothes；　and　with　traces　of　a　heavy　scent　around　him。〃

〃sir　charles；〃　said　will。　〃thats　who　it　is。　mrs。　coulter　must　have　killed　him。　well；　thats　something　good；　at　least。〃

〃she　left　traces。　my　panion　has　followed　them；　and　he　will　return　when　hes　found　out　where　she　went。　i　shall　stay　with　you。〃

will　got　to　his　feet　and　looked　around。　the　storm　had　cleared　the　air；　and　the　morning　was　fresh　and　clean；　which　only　made　the　scene　around　him　more　distressing；　for　nearby　lay　the　bodies　of　several　of　the　witches　who　had　escorted　him　and　lyra　toward　the　meeting　with　his　father。　already　a　brutal…beaked　carrion　crow　was　tearing　at　the　face　of　one　of　them；　and　will　could　see　a　bigger　bird　circling　above；　as　if　choosing　the　richest　feast。

will　looked　at　each　of　the　bodies　in　turn；　but　none　of　them　was　serafina　pekkala；　the　queen　of　the　witch　clan；　lyras　particular　friend。　then　he　remembered