THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第28章

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　engines　roared；　and　shouts；　male　voices　warning　or　calling　orders；　made　it　clear　that　they　should　move　fast；　very　fast。

will　squeezed　amas　wrist　and　darted　forward；　watching　the　ground　in　case　he　stumbled；　running　fast　and　low。

then　he　was　at　lyras　side；　and　she　was　deep　asleep；　pantalaimon　around　her　neck；　and　then　will　held　up　the　knife　and　felt　carefully；　and　a　second　later　there　would　have　been　an　opening　to　pull　lyra　through　into　safety…

but　he　looked　up。　he　looked　at　mrs。　coulter。　she　had　turned　around　silently；　and　the　glare　from　the　sky；　reflected　off　the　damp　cave　wall；　hit　her　face；　and　for　a　moment　it　wasnt　her　face　at　all；　it　was　his　own　mothers　face；　reproaching　him；　and　his　heart　quailed　from　sorrow；　and　then　as　he　thrust　with　the　knife；　his　mind　left　the　point；　and　with　a　wrench　and　a　crack；　the　knife　fell　in　pieces　to　the　ground。

it　was　broken。

now　he　couldnt　cut　his　way　out　at　all。

he　said　to　ama；　〃wake　her　up。　do　it　now。〃

then　he　stood　up；　ready　to　fight。　hed　strangle　that　monkey　first。　he　was　tensed　to　meet　its　leap；　and　he　found　he　still　had　the　hilt　of　the　knife　in　his　hand；　at　least　he　could　use　it　to　hit　with。

but　there　was　no　attack　either　from　the　golden　monkey　or　from　mrs。　coulter。　she　simply　moved　a　little　to　let　the　light　from　outside　show　the　pistol　in　her　hand。　in　doing　so；　she　let　some　of　the　light　shine　on　what　ama　was　doing：　she　was　sprinkling　a　powder　on　lyras　upper　lip　and　watching　as　lyra　breathed　in；　helping　it　into　her　nostrils　by　using　her　own　daemons　tail　as　a　brush。

will　heard　a　change　in　the　sounds　from　outside：　there　was　another　note　now　as　well　as　the　roar　of　the　zeppelins。　it　sounded　familiar；　like　an　intrusion　from　his　own　world；　and　then　he　recognized　the　clatter　of　a　helicopter。　then　there　was　another　and　another；　and　more　lights　swept　across　the　ever…moving　trees　outside；　in　a　brilliant　green　scatter　of　radiance。

mrs。　coulter　turned　briefly　as　the　new　sound　came　to　her；　but　too　briefly　for　will　to　jump　and　seize　the　gun。　as　for　the　monkey　daemon；　he　glared　at　will　without　blinking；　crouched　ready　to　spring。

lyra　was　moving　and　murmuring。　will　bent　down　and　squeezed　her　hand；　and　the　other　daemon　nudged　pantalaimon；　lifting　his　heavy　head；　whispering　to　him。

outside　there　was　a　shout；　and　a　man　fell　out　of　the　sky；　to　land　with　a　sickening　crash　not　five　yards　from　the　entrance　to　the　cave。　mrs。　coulter　didnt　flinch；　she　looked　at　him　coolly　and　turned　back　to　will。　a　moment　later　there　came　a　crack　of　rifle　fire　from　above；　and　a　second　after　that；　a　storm　of　shooting　broke　out；　and　the　sky　was　full　of　explosions；　of　the　crackle　of　flame；　of　bursts　of　gunfire。

lyra　was　struggling　up　into　consciousness；　gasping；　sighing；　moaning；　pushing　herself　up　only　to　fall　back　weakly；　and　pantalaimon　was　yawning；　stretching；　snapping　at　the　other　daemon；　flopping　clumsily　to　one　side　as　his　muscles　failed　to　act。

as　for　will；　he　was　searching　the　cave　floor　with　the　utmost　care　for　the　pieces　of　the　broken　knife。　no　time　to　wonder　how　it　had　happened；　or　whether　it　could　be　mended；　but　he　was　the　knife　bearer；　and　he　had　to　gather　it　up　safely。　as　he　found　each　piece；　he　lifted　it　carefully；　every　nerve　in　his　body　aware　of　his　missing　fingers；　and　slipped　it　into　the　sheath。　he　could　see　the　pieces　quite　easily；　because　the　metal　caught　the　gleam　from　outside：　seven　of　them；　the　smallest　being　the　point　itself。　he　picked　them　all　up　and　then　turned　back　to　try　and　make　sense　of　the　fight　outside。

somewhere　above　the　trees；　the　zeppelins　were　hovering；　and　men　were　sliding　down　ropes；　but　the　wind　made　it　difficult　for　the　pilots　to　hold　the　aircraft　steady。　meanwhile；　the　first　gyropters　had　arrived　above　the　cliff。　there　was　only　room　for　them　to　land　one　at　a　time；　and　then　the　african　riflemen　had　to　make　their　way　down　the　rock　face。　it　was　one　of　them　who　had　been　picked　off　by　a　lucky　shot　from　the　swaying　zeppelins。

by　this　time；　both　sides　had　landed　some　troops。　some　had　been　killed　between　the　sky　and　the　ground；　several　more　were　wounded　and　lay　on　the　cliff　or　among　the　trees。　but　neither　force　had　yet　reached　the　cave；　and　still　the　power　inside　it　lay　with　mrs。　coulter。

will　said　above　the　noise：

〃what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃hold　you　captive。〃

〃what；　as　hostages？　why　should　they　take　any　notice　of　that？　they　want　to　kill　us　all　anyway。〃

〃one　force　does；　certainly；〃　she　said；　〃but　im　not　sure　about　the　other。　we　must　hope　the　africans　win。〃

she　sounded　happy；　and　in　the　glare　from　outside；　will　saw　her　face　full　of　joy　and　life　and　energy。

〃you　broke　the　knife；〃　he　said。

〃no；　i　didnt。　i　wanted　it　whole；　so　we　could　get　away。　you　were　the　one　who　broke　it。〃

lyras　voice　came　urgently：　〃will？〃　she　muttered。　〃is　that　will？〃

〃lyra！〃　he　said；　and　knelt　quickly　beside　her。　ama　was　helping　her　sit　up。

〃whats　happening？〃　lyra　said。　〃where　are　we？　oh；　will；　i　had　this　dream。。。〃

〃were　in　a　cave。　dont　move　too　fast；　youll　get　dizzy。　just　take　it　carefully。　find　your　strength。　youve　been　asleep　for　days　and　days。〃

her　eyes　were　still　heavy；　and　she　was　racked　by　deep　yawns；　but　she　was　desperate　to　be　awake；　and　he　helped　her　up；　putting　her　arm　over　his　shoulder　and　taking　much　of　her　weight。　ama　watched　timidly；　for　now　that　the　strange　girl　was　awake；　she　was　nervous　of　her。　will　breathed　in　the　scent　of　lyras　sleepy　body　with　a　happy　satisfaction：　she　was　here；　she　was　real。

they　sat　on　a　rock。　lyra　held　his　hand　and　rubbed　her　eyes。

〃whats　happening；　will？〃　she　whispered。

〃ama　here　got　some　powder　to　wake　you　up；〃　he　said；　speaking　very　quietly；　and　lyra　turned　to　the　girl；　seeing　her　for　the　first　time；　and　put　her　hand　on　amas　shoulder　in　thanks。　〃i　got　here　as　soon　as　i　could；〃　will　went　on；　〃but　some　soldiers　did；　too。　i　dont　know　who　they　are。　well　get　out　as　soon　as　we　can。〃

outside；　the　noise　and　confusion　were　reaching　a　height；　one　of　the　gyropters　had　taken　a　fusillade　from　a　zeppelins　machine　gun　while　the　riflemen　were　jumping　out　on　the　cliff　top；　and　it　burst　into　flames；　not　only　killing　the　crew　but　also　preventing　the　remaining　gyropters　from　landing。

another　zeppelin；　meanwhile；　had　found　a　clear　space　farther　down　the　valley；　and　the　crossbow　men　who　disembarked　from　it　were　now　running　up　the　path　to　reinforce　those　already　in　action。　mrs。　coulter　was　following　as　much　as　she　could　see　from　the　cave　mouth；　and　now　she　raised　her　pistol；　supporting　it　with　both　hands；　and　took　careful　aim　before　firing。　will　saw　the　flash　from　the　muzzle；　but　heard　nothing　over　the　explosions　and　gunfire　from　outside。

if　she　does　that　again；　he　thought；　ill　rush　and　knock　her　over；　and　he　turned　to　whisper　that　to　balthamos；　but　the　angel　was　nowhere　near。　instead；　will　saw　with　dismay；　he　was　cowering　against　the　wall　of　the　cave；　back　in　his　angel　form；　trembling　and　whimpering。

〃balthamos！〃　will　said　urgently。　〃e　on；　they　cant　hurt　you！　and　you　have　to　help　us！　you　can　fight；　you　know　that；　youre　not　a　coward；　and　we　need　you。。。”

but　before　the　angel　could　reply；　something　else　happened。

mrs。　coulter　cried　out　and　reached　down　to　her　ankle；　and　simultaneously　the　golden　monkey　snatched　at　something　in　midair；　with　a　snarl　of　glee。

a　voice；　a　womans　voice；　but　somehow　minute；　came　from　the　thing　in　the　monkeys　paw：

〃tialys！　tialys！〃

it　was　a　tiny　woman；　no　bigger　than　lyras　hand；　and　the　monkey　was　already　pulling　and　pulling　at　one　of　her　arms　so　that　she　cried　out　in　pain。　ama　knew　he　wouldnt　stop　till　hed　torn　it　off；　but　will　leapt　forward　as　he　saw　the　pistol　fall　from　mrs。　coulters　hand。

and　he　caught　the　gun；　but　then　mrs。　coulter　fell　still；　and　will　became　aware　of　a　strange　stalemate。

the　golden　monkey　and　mrs。　coulter　were　both　utterly　motionless。　her　face　was　distorted　with　pain　and　fury；　but　she　dared　not　move；　because　standing　on　her　shoulder　was　a　tiny　man　with　his　heel　pressed　against　her　neck；　his　hands　entwined　in　her　hair；　and　will；　through　his　astonishment；　saw　on　that　heel　a　glistening　horny　spur　and　knew　what　had　caused　her　to　cry　out　a　moment　before。　he　must　have　stung　her　ankle。

but　the　little　man　couldnt　hurt　mrs。　coulter　anymore；　because　of　the　danger　his　partner　was　in　at　the　hands　of　the　monkey；　and　the　monkey　couldnt　harm　her；　in　case　the　little　man　dug　his　poison　spur　into　mrs。　coulters　jugular　vein。　none　of　them　could　move。

breathing　deeply　and　swallowing　hard　to　govern　the　pain；　mrs。　coulter　turned　her　tear…dashed　eyes　to　will　and　said　calmly；　〃so；　master　will；　what　do　you　think　we　should　do　now？〃

m。



THIRTEEN　…　TIALYS　AND　SALMAKIA

　小=＿说。网
holding　the　heavy　gun；　will　swept　his　hand　sideways　and　knocked　the　golden　monkey　off　his　perch；　stunning　him　so　that　mrs。　coulter　groaned　aloud　and　the　monkeys　paw　relaxed　enough　to　let　the　tiny　woman　struggle　free。

in　a　moment　she　leapt　up　to　the　rocks；　and　the　man　sprang　away　from　mrs。　coulter；　both　of　them　moving　as　quickly　as　grasshoppers。　the　three　children　had　no　time　to　be　astonished。　the　man　was　concerned：　he　felt　his　panions　shoulder　and　arm　tenderly；　and　embraced　her　swiftly　before　calling　to　will。

〃you！　boy！〃　he　said；　and　although　his　voice　was　small　in　v