THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第44章

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hat　lodestone　thing。　you　could　do　that　easily。　so　we　need　to　have　a　proper　guarantee　that　you　wont。　a　promise　isnt　enough。〃

the　two　gallivespians　trembled　with　anger　at　this　slur　on　their　honor。

tialys；　controlling　himself；　said；　〃we　dont　accept　one…sided　demands。　you　must　give　something　in　exchange。　you　must　tell　us　what　your　intentions　are；　and　then　i　shall　give　the　lodestone　resonator　into　your　care。　you　must　let　me　have　it　when　i　want　to　send　a　message；　but　you　will　always　know　when　that　happens；　and　we　shall　not　be　able　to　use　it　without　your　agreement。　that　will　be　our　guarantee。　and　now　you　tell　us　where　you　are　going；　and　why。〃

will　and　lyra　exchanged　a　glance　to　confirm　it。

〃all　right；〃　lyra　said；　〃thats　fair。　so　heres　where　were　going：　were　going　to　the　world　of　the　dead。　we　dont　know　where　it　is；　but　the　knifell　find　it。　thats　what　were　going　to　do。〃

the　two　spies　were　looking　at　her　with　openmouthed　incredulity。

then　salmakia　blinked　and　said；　〃what　you　say　doesnt　make　sense。　the　dead　are　dead；　thats　all。　there　is　no　world　of　the　dead。〃

〃i　thought　that　was　true；　as　well；〃　said　will。　〃but　now　im　not　sure。　at　least　with　the　knife　we　can　find　out。〃

〃but　why？〃

lyra　looked　at　will　and　saw　him　nod。

〃well；〃　she　said；　〃before　i　met　will；　long　before　i　was　asleep；　i　led　this　friend　into　danger；　and　he　was　killed。　i　thought　i　was　rescuing　him；　only　i　was　making　things　worse。　and　while　i　was　asleep　i　dreamed　of　him　and　i　thought　maybe　i　could　make　amends　if　i　went　where　hes　gone　and　said　i　was　sorry。　and　will　wants　to　find　his　father；　who　died　just　when　he　found　him　before。　see；　lord　asriel　wouldnt　think　of　that。　nor　would　mrs。　coulter。　if　we　went　to　him　wed　have　to　do　what　he　wants；　and　he　wouldnt　think　of　roger　at　all；　thats　my　friend　who　died；　it　wouldnt　matter　to　him。　but　it　matters　to　me。　to　us。　so　thats　what　we　want　to　do。〃

〃child；〃　said　tialys；　〃when　we　die；　everything　is　over。　there　is　no　other　life。　you　have　seen　death。　youve　seen　dead　bodies；　and　youve　seen　what　happens　to　a　daemon　when　death　es。　it　vanishes。　what　else　can　there　be　to　live　on　after　that？〃

〃were　going　to　go　and　find　out；〃　said　lyra。　〃and　now　weve　told　you；　ill　take　your　resonator　lodestone。〃

she　held　out　her　hand；　and　leopard…pantalaimon　stood；　tail　swinging　slowly；　to　reinforce　her　demand。　tialys　unslung　the　pack　from　his　back　and　laid　it　in　her　palm。　it　was　surprisingly　heavy；　no　burden　for　her；　of　course；　but　she　marveled　at　his　strength。

〃and　how　long　do　you　think　this　expedition　will　take？〃　said　the　chevalier。

〃we　dont　know；〃　lyra　told　him。　〃we　dont　know　anything　about　it；　any　more　than　you　do。　well　just　go　there　and　see。〃

〃first　thing；〃　will　said；　〃weve　got　to　get　some　water　and　some　more　food；　something　easy　to　carry。　so　im　going　to　find　a　world　where　we　can　do　that；　and　then　well　set　off。〃

tialys　and　salmakia　mounted　their　dragonflies　and　held　them　quivering　on　the　ground。　the　great　insects　were　eager　for　flight；　but　the　mand　of　their　riders　was　absolute；　and　lyra；　watching　them　in　daylight　for　the　first　time；　saw　the　extraordinary　fineness　of　the　gray　silk　reins；　the　silvery　stirrups；　the　tiny　saddles。

will　took　the　knife；　and　a　powerful　temptation　made　him　feel　for　the　touch　of　his　own　world：　he　had　the　credit　card　still；　he　could　buy　familiar　food；　he　could　even　telephone　mrs。　cooper　and　ask　for　news　of　his　mother…

the　knife　jarred　with　a　sound　like　a　nail　being　drawn　along　rough　stone；　and　his　heart　nearly　stopped。　if　he　broke　the　blade　again；　it　would　be　the　end。

after　a　few　moments　he　tried　again。　instead　of　trying　not　to　think　of　his　mother；　he　said　to　himself：　yes；　i　know　shes　there；　but　im　just　going　to　look　away　while　i　do　this。。。

and　that　time　it　worked。　he　found　a　new　world　and　slid　the　knife　along　to　make　an　opening；　and　a　few　moments　later　all　of　them　were　standing　in　what　looked　like　a　neat　and　prosperous　farmyard　in　some　northern　country　like　holland　or　denmark；　where　the　stone…flagged　yard　was　swept　and　clean　and　a　row　of　stable　doors　stood　open。　the　sun　shone　down　through　a　hazy　sky；　and　there　was　the　smell　of　burning　in　the　air；　as　well　as　something　less　pleasant。　there　was　no　sound　of　human　life；　though　a　loud　buzzing；　so　active　and　vigorous　that　it　sounded　like　a　machine；　came　from　the　stables。

lyra　went　and　looked；　and　came　back　at　once；　looking　pale。

〃theres　four；”　she　gulped；　hand　to　her　throat；　and　recovered；　〃four　dead　horses　in　there。　and　millions　of　flies。。。〃

〃look；〃　said　will；　swallowing；　〃or　maybe　better　not。〃

he　was　pointing　at　the　raspberry　canes　that　edged　the　kitchen　garden。　hed　just　seen　a　mans　legs；　one　with　a　shoe　on　and　one　without；　protruding　from　the　thickest　part　of　the　bushes。

lyra　didnt　want　to　look；　but　will　went　to　see　if　the　man　was　still　alive　and　needed　help。　he　came　back　shaking　his　head；　looking　uneasy。

the　two　spies　were　already　at　the　farmhouse　door；　which　was　ajar。

tialys　darted　back　and　said；　〃it　smells　sweeter　in　there；〃　and　then　he　flew　back　over　the　threshold　while　salmakia　scouted　further　around　the　outbuildings。

will　followed　the　chevalier。　he　found　himself　in　a　big　square　kitchen；　an　old…fashioned　place　with　white　china　on　a　wooden　dresser；　and　a　scrubbed　pine　table；　and　a　hearth　where　a　black　kettle　stood　cold。　next　door　there　was　a　pantry；　with　two　shelves　full　of　apples　that　filled　the　whole　room　with　fragrance。　the　silence　was　oppressive。

lyra　said　quietly；　〃will；　is　this　the　world　of　the　dead？〃

the　same　thought　had　occurred　to　him。　but　he　said；　〃no；　i　dont　think　so。　its　one　we　havent　been　in　before。　look；　well　load　up　with　as　much　as　we　can　carry。　theres　sort　of　rye　bread；　thatll　be　good；　its　light；　and　heres　some　cheese。。。〃

when　they　had　taken　what　they　could　carry；　will　dropped　a　gold　coin　into　the　drawer　in　the　big　pine　table。

〃well？〃　said　lyra；　seeing　tialys　raise　his　eyebrows。　〃you　should　always　pay　for　what　you　take。〃

at　that　moment　salmakia　came　in　through　the　back　door；　landing　her　dragonfly　on　the　table　in　a　shimmer　of　electric　blue。

〃there　are　men　ing；〃　she　said；　〃on　foot；　with　weapons。　theyre　only　a　few　minutes　walk　away。　and　there　is　a　village　burning　beyond　the　fields。〃

and　as　she　spoke；　they　could　hear　the　sound　of　boots　on　gravel；　and　a　voice　issuing　orders；　and　the　jingle　of　metal。

〃then　we　should　go；〃　said　will。

he　felt　in　the　air　with　the　knifepoint。　and　at　once　he　was　aware　of　a　new　kind　of　sensation。　the　blade　seemed　to　be　sliding　along　a　very　smooth　surface；　like　a　mirror；　and　then　it　sank　through　slowly　until　he　was　able　to　cut。　but　it　was　resistant；　like　heavy　cloth；　and　when　he　made　an　opening；　he　blinked　with　surprise　and　alarm：　because　the　world　he　was　opening　into　was　the　same　in　every　detail　as　the　one　they　were　already　standing　in。

〃whats　happening？〃　said　lyra。

the　spies　were　looking　through；　puzzled。　but　it　was　more　than　puzzlement　they　felt。　just　as　the　air　had　resisted　the　knife；　so　something　in　this　opening　resisted　their　going　through。　will　had　to　push　against　something　invisible　and　then　pull　lyra　after　him；　and　the　gallivespians　could　hardly　make　any　headway　at　all。　they　had　to　perch　the　dragonflies　on　the　childrens　hands；　and　even　then　it　was　like　pulling　them　against　a　pressure　in　the　air；　their　filmy　wings　bent　and　twisted；　and　the　little　riders　had　to　stroke　their　mounts　heads　and　whisper　to　calm　their　fears。

but　after　a　few　seconds　of　struggle；　they　were　all　through；　and　will　found　the　edge　of　the　window　（though　it　was　impossible　to　see）　and　closed　it；　shutting　the　sound　of　the　soldiers　away　in　their　own　world。

〃will；〃　said　lyra；　and　he　turned　to　see　that　there　was　another　figure　in　the　kitchen　with　them。

his　heart　jolted。　it　was　the　man　hed　seen　not　ten　minutes　before；　stark　dead　in　the　bushes　with　his　throat　cut。

he　was　middle…aged；　lean；　with　the　look　of　a　man　who　spent　most　of　the　time　in　the　open　air。　but　now　he　was　looking　almost　crazed；　or　paralyzed；　with　shock。　his　eyes　were　so　wide　that　the　white　showed　all　around　the　iris；　and　he　was　clutching　the　edge　of　the　table　with　a　trembling　hand。　his　throat；　will　was　glad　to　see；　was　intact。

he　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　but　no　words　came　out。　all　he　could　do　was　point　at　will　and　lyra。

lyra　said；　〃excuse　us　for　being　in　your　house；　but　we　had　to　escape　from　the　men　who　were　ing。　im　sorry　if　we　startled　you。　im　lyra；　and　this　is　will；　and　these　are　our　friends；　the　chevalier　tialys　and　the　lady　salmakia。　could　you　tell　us　your　name　and　where　we　are？〃

this　normal…sounding　request　seemed　to　bring　the　man　to　his　senses；　and　a　shudder　passed　over　him；　as　if　he　were　waking　from　a　dream。

〃im　dead；〃　he　said。　〃im　lying　out　there；　dead。　i　know　i　am。　you　aint　dead。　whats　happening？　god　help　me；　they　cut　my　throat。　whats　happening？〃

lyra　stepped　closer　to　will　when　the　man　said　im　dead；　and　pantalaimon　fled　to　her　breast　as　a　mouse。　as　for　the　gallivespians；　they　were　trying　to　control　their　dragonflies；　because　the　great　insects　seemed　to

have　an　aversion　for　the　man　and　darted　here　and　there　in　the　kitchen；　looking　for　a　way　out。

but　the　man　didnt　notice　them。　he　was　still　trying　to　understand　what　had　happened。

〃are　you　a　ghost？〃　will　said　cautiously。