THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第45章

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

〃are　you　a　ghost？〃　will　said　cautiously。

the　man　reached　out　his　hand；　and　will　tried　to　take　it；　but　his　fingers　closed　on　the　air。　a　tingle　of　cold　was　all　he　felt。

when　he　saw　it　happen；　the　man　looked　at　his　own　hand；　appalled。　the　numbness　was　beginning　to　wear　off；　and　he　could　feel　the　pity　of　his　state。

〃truly；〃　he　said；　〃i　am　dead。。。　im　dead；　and　im　going　to　hell。。。〃

〃hush；〃　said　lyra；　〃well　go　together。　whats　your　name？〃

〃dirk　jansen　i　was；〃　he　said；　〃but　already　i。。。　i　dont　know　what　to　do。。。　dont　know　where　to　go。。。〃

will　opened　the　door。　the　barnyard　looked　the　same；　the　kitchen　garden　was　unchanged；　the　same　hazy　sun　shone　down。　and　there　was　the　mans　body；　untouched。

a　little　groan　broke　from　dirk　jansens　throat；　as　if　there　were　no　denying　it　anymore。　the　dragonflies　darted　out　of　the　door　and　skimmed　over　the　ground　and　then　shot　up　high；　faster　than　birds。　the　man　was　looking　around　helplessly；　raising　his　hands；　lowering　them　again；　uttering　little　cries。

〃i　cant　stay　here。。。　cant　stay；〃　he　was　saying。　〃but　this　aint　the　farm　i　knew。　this　is　wrong。　i　got　to　go。。。〃

〃where　are　you　going；　mr。　jansen？〃　said　lyra。

〃down　the　road。　dunno。　got　to　go。　cant　stay　here。。。〃

salmakia　flew　down　to　perch　on　lyras　hand。　the　dragonflys　little　claws　pricked　as　the　lady　said；　〃there　are　people　walking　from　the　village；　people　like　this　man；　all　walking　in　the　same　direction。〃

〃then　well　go　with　them；〃　said　will；　and　swung　his　rucksack　over　his　shoulder。

dirk　jansen　was　already　passing　his　own　body；　averting　his　t　eyes。　he　looked　almost　as　if　he　were　drunk；　stopping；　moving　on；　wandering　to　left　and　right；　stumbling　over　little　ruts　and　stones　on　the　path　his　living　feet　had　known　so　well。

lyra　came　after　will；　and　pantalaimon　became　a　kestrel　and　flew　up　as　high　as　he　could；　making　lyra　gasp。

〃theyre　right；〃　he　said　when　he　came　down。　〃theres　lines　of　people　all　ing　from　the　village。　dead　people。。。〃

and　soon　they　saw　them；　too：　twenty　or　so　men；　women；　and　children；　all　moving　as　dirk　jansen　had　done；　uncertain　and　shocked。　the　village　was　half　a　mile　away；　and　the　people　were　ing　toward　them；　close　together　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　when　dirk　jansen　saw　the　other　ghosts；　he　broke　into　a　stumbling　run；　and　they　held　out　their　hands　to　greet　him。

〃even　if　they　dont　know　where　theyre　going；　theyre　all　going　there　together；〃　lyra　said。　〃we　better　just　go　with　them。〃

〃dyou　think　they　had　daemons　in　this　world？〃　said　will。

〃cant　tell。　if　you　saw　one　of　em　in　your　world；　would　you　know　he　was　a　ghost？〃

〃its　hard　to　say。　they　dont　look　normal；　exactly。。。there　was　a　man　i　used　to　see　in　my　town；　and　he　used　to　walk　about　outside　the　shops　always　holding　the　same　old　plastic　bag；　and　he　never　spoke　to　anyone　or　went　inside。　and　no　one　ever　looked　at　him。　i　used　to　pretend　he　was　a　ghost。　they　look　a　bit　like　him。　maybe　my　worlds　full　of　ghosts　and　i　never　knew。〃

〃i　dont　think　mine　is；〃　said　lyra　doubtfully。

〃anyway；　this　must　be　the　world　of　the　dead。　these　people　have　just　been　killed；　those　soldiers　mustve　done　it；　and　here　they　are；　and　its　just　like　the　world　they　were　alive　in。　i　thought　itd　be　a　lot　different。。。〃

〃will；　its　fading；〃　she　said。　〃look！〃

she　was　clutching　his　arm。　he　stopped　and　looked　around；　and　she　was　right。　not　long　before　he　had　found　the　window　in　oxford　and　stepped　through　into　the　other　world　of　cittagazze；　there　had　been　an　eclipse　of　the　sun；　and　like　millions　of　others　will　had　stood　outside　at　midday　and　watched　as　the　bright　daylight　faded　and　dimmed　until　a　sort　of　eerie　twilight　covered　the　houses；　the　trees；　the　park。　everything　was　just　as　clear　as　in　full　daylight；　but　there　was　less　light　to　see　it　by；　as　if　all　the　strength　were　draining　out　of　a　dying　sun。

what　was　happening　now　was　like　that；　but　odder；　because　the　edges　of　things　were　losing　their　definition　as　well　and　being　blurred。

〃its　not　like　going　blind；　even；〃　said　lyra；　frightened；　〃because　its　not　that　we　cant　see　things；　its　like　the　things　themselves　are　fading。。。〃

the　color　was　slowly　seeping　out　of　the　world。　a　dim　green　gray　for　the　bright　green　of　the　trees　and　the　grass；　a　dim　sand　gray　for　the　vivid　yellow　of　a　field　of　corn；　a　dim　blood　gray　for　the　red　bricks　of　a　neat　farmhouse　。。。

the　people　themselves；　closer　now；　had　begun　to　notice；　too；　and　were　pointing　and　holding　one　anothers　arms　for　reassurance。

the　only　bright　things　in　the　whole　landscape　were　the　brilliant　red…and…yellow　and　electric　blue　of　the　dragonflies；　and　their　little　riders；　and　will　and　lyra；　and　pantalaimon；　who　was　hovering　kestrel…shaped　close　above。

they　were　close　to　the　first　of　the　people　now；　and　it　was　clear：　they　were　all　ghosts。　will　and　lyra　took　a　step　toward　each　other；　but　there　was　nothing　to　fear；　for　the　ghosts　were　far　more　afraid　of　them　and　were　hanging　back；　unwilling　to　approach。

will　called　out；　〃dont　be　afraid。　were　not　going　to　hurt　you。　where　are　you　going？〃　〃

they　looked　at　the　oldest　man　among　them；　as　if　he　were　their　guide。

〃were　going　where　all　the　others　go；〃　he　said。　〃seems　as　if　i　know；　but　i　cant　remember　learning　it。　seems　as　if　its　along　the　road。　well　know　it　when　we　get　there。〃

〃mama；〃　said　a　child；　〃whys　it　getting　dark　in　the　daytime？〃

〃hush；　dear；　dont　fret；〃　the　mother　said。　〃cant　make　anything　better　by　fretting。　were　dead；　i　expect。〃

〃but　where　are　we　going？〃　the　child　said。　〃i　dont　want　to　be　dead；　mama！〃

〃were　going　to　see　grandpa；〃　the　mother　said　desperately。

but　the　child　wouldnt　be　consoled　and　wept　bitterly。　others　in　the　group　looked　at　the　mother　with　sympathy　or　annoyance；　but　there　was　nothing　they　could　do　to　help；　and　they　all　walked　on　disconsolately　through　the　fading　landscape　as　the　childs　thin　cries　went　on；　and　on；　and　on。

the　chevalier　tialys　had　spoken　to　salmakia　before　skimming　ahead；　and　will　and　lyra　watched　the　dragonfly　with　eyes　greedy　for　its　brightness　and　vigor　as　it　got　smaller　and　smaller。　the　lady　flew　down　and　perched　her　insect　on　wills　hand。

〃the　chevalier　has　gone　to　see　whats　ahead；〃　she　said。　〃we　think　the　landscape　is　fading　because　these　people　are　forgetting　it。　the　farther　they　go　away　from　their　homes；　the　darker　it　will　get。〃

〃but　why　dyou　think　theyre　moving？〃　lyra　said。　〃if　i　was　a　ghost　id　want　to　stay　in　the　places　i　knew；　not　wander　along　and　get　lost。〃

〃they　feel　unhappy　there；〃　will　said；　guessing。　〃its　where　theyve　just　died。　theyre　afraid　of　it。〃

〃no；　theyre　pulled　onward　by　something；〃　said　the　lady。　〃some　instinct　is　drawing　them　down　the　road。〃

and　indeed　the　ghosts　were　moving　more　purposefully　now　that　they　were　out　of　sight　of　their　own　village。　the　sky　was　as　dark　as　if　a　mighty　storm　were　threatening；　but　there　was　none　of　the　electric　tension

that　es　ahead　of　a　storm。　the　ghosts　walked　on　steadily；　and　the　road　ran　straight　ahead　across　a　landscape　that　was　almost　featureless。

from　time　to　time　one　of　them　would　glance　at　will　or　lyra；　or　at　the　brilliant　dragonfly　and　its　rider；　as　if　they　were　curious。　finally　the　oldest　man　said：

〃you；　you　boy　and　girl。　you　aint　dead。　you　aint　ghosts。　what　you　ing　along　here　for？〃

〃we　came　through　by　accident；〃　lyra　told　him　before　will　could　speak。　〃i　dont　know　how　it　happened。　we　were　trying　to　escape　from　those　men；　and　we　just　seemed　to　find　ourselves　here。〃

〃how　will　you　know　when　youve　got　to　the　place　where　youve　got　to　go？〃　said　will。

〃i　expect　well　be　told；〃　said　the　ghost　confidently。　〃theyll　separate　out　the　sinners　and　the　righteous；　i　dare　say。　its　no　good　praying　now。　its　too　late　for　that。　you　should　have　done　that　when　you　were　alive。　no　use　now。〃

it　was　quite　clear　which　group　he　expected　to　be　in；　and　quite　clear；　too；　that　he　thought　it　wouldnt　be　a　big　one。　the　other　ghosts　heard　him　uneasily；　but　he　was　all　the　guidance　they　had；　so　they　followed　without　arguing。

and　on　they　walked；　trudging　in　silence　under　a　sky　that　had　finally　darkened　to　a　dull　iron　gray　and　remained　there　without　getting　any　darker。　the　living　ones　found　themselves　looking　to　their　left　and　right；　above　and　below；　for　anything　that　was　bright　or　lively　or　joyful；　and　they　were　always　disappointed　until　a　little　spark　appeared　ahead　and　raced　toward　them　through　the　air。　it　was　the　chevalier；　and　salmakia　urged　her　dragonfly　ahead　to　meet　him；　with　a　cry　of　pleasure。

they　conferred　and　sped　back　to　the　children。

〃theres　a　town　ahead；〃　said　tialys。　〃it　looks　like　a　refugee　camp；　but　its　obviously　been　there　for　centuries　or　more。　and　i　think　theres　a　sea　or　a　lake　beyond　it；　but　thats　covered　in　mist。　i　could　hear　the　cries　of　birds。　and　there　are　hundreds　of　people　arriving　every　minute；　from　every　direction；　people　like　these；　ghosts。。。〃

the　ghosts　themselves　listened　as　he　spoke；　though　without　much　curiosity。　they　seemed　to　have　settled　into　a　dull　trance；　and　lyra　wanted　to　shake　them；　to　urge　them　to　struggle　and　wake　up　and　look　around　for　a　way　out。

〃how　are　we　going　to　help　these　people；　will？〃　she　said。

he　couldnt　even　guess。　as　they　moved　on；　they　could　see　a　mo