THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第47章

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　couldnt　help　noticing；　but　these　gentlemen　here；　are　they　dead？　im　sorry　for　asking；　if　its　rude；　but　where　we　e　from　its　very　unusual；　and　we　never　saw　anyone　like　them　before。　if　im　being　impolite　i　do　beg　your　pardon。　but　you　see；　in　my　world；　we　have　daemons；　everyone　has　a　daemon；　and　wed　be　shocked　if　we　saw　someone　without　one；　just　like　youre　shocked　to　see　us。　and　now　weve　been　traveling；　will　and　me；　this　is　will；　and　im　lyra；　ive　learned　there　are　some　people　who　dont　seem　to　have　daemons；　like　will　doesnt；　and　i　was　scared　till　i　found　out　they　were　just　ordinary　like　me　really。　so　maybe　thats　why　someone　from　your　world　might　be　just　a　bit　sort　of　nervous　when　they　see　us；　if　you　think　were　different。〃

the　man　said；　〃lyra？　and　will？〃

〃yes；　sir；〃　she　said　humbly。

〃are　those　your　daemons？〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　spies　on　her　shoulder。

〃no；〃　said　lyra；　and　she　was　tempted　to　say；　〃theyre　our　servants；〃　but　she　felt　will　would　have　thought　that　a　bad　idea；　so　she　said；　〃theyre　our　friends；　the　chevalier　tialys　and　the　lady　salmakia；　very　distinguished　and　wise　people　who　are　traveling　with　us。　oh；　and　this　is　my　daemon；〃　she　said；　taking　mouse…pantalaimon　out　of　her　pocket。　〃you　see；　were　harmless；　we　promise　we　wont　hurt　you。　and　we　do　need　food　and　shelter。　well　move　on　tomorrow。　honest。〃

everyone　waited。　the　mans　nervousness　was　soothed　a　little　by　her　humble　tone；　and　the　spies　had　the　good　sense　to　look　modest　and　harmless。　after　a　pause　the　man　said：

〃well；　though　its　strange；　i　suppose　these　are　strange　times。。　。e　in；　then；　be　wele　。。。〃

the　figures　outside　nodded；　one　or　two　of　them　gave　little　bows；　and　they　stood　aside　respectfully　as　will　and　lyra　walked　into　the　warmth　and　light。　the　man　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　hooked　a　wire　over　a　nail　to　keep　it　shut。

it　was　a　single　room；　lit　by　a　naphtha　lamp　on　the　table；　and　clean　but　shabby。　the　plywood　walls　were　decorated　with　pictures　cut　from　film…star　magazines；　and　with　a　pattern　made　with　fingerprints　of　soot。　there　was　an　iron　stove　against　one　wall；　with　a　clotheshorse　in　front　of　it；　where　some　dingy　shirts　were　steaming；　and　on　a　dressing　table　there　was　a　shrine　of　plastic　flowers；　seashells；　colored　scent　bottles；　and　other　gaudy　bits　and　pieces；　all　surrounding　the　picture　of　a　jaunty　skeleton　with　a　top　hat　and　dark　glasses。

the　shanty　was　crowded：　as　well　as　the　man　and　the　woman　and　the　two　young　children；　there　was　a　baby　in　a　crib；　an　older　man；　and　in　one　corner；　in　a　heap　of　blankets；　a　very　old　woman；　who　was　lying　and　watching　everything　with　glittering　eyes；　her　face　as　wrinkled　as　the　blankets。　as　lyra　looked　at　her；　she　had　a　shock：　the　blankets　stirred；　and　a　very　thin　arm　emerged；　in　a　black　sleeve；　and　then　another　face；　a　mans；　so　ancient　it　was　almost　a　skeleton。　in　fact；　he　looked　more　like　the　skeleton　in　the　picture　than　like　a　living　human　being；　and　then　will；　too；　noticed；　and　all　the　travelers　together　realized　that　he　was　one　of　those　shadowy；　polite　figures　like　the　ones　outside。　and　all　of　them　felt　as　nonplussed　as　the　man　had　been　when　hed　first　seen　them。

in　fact；　all　the　people　in　the　crowded　little　shack；　all　except　the　baby；　who　was　asleep；　were　at　a　loss　for　words。　it　was　lyra　who　found　her　voice　first。

〃thats　very　kind　of　you；〃　she　said；　〃thank　you；　good　evening；　were　very　pleased　to　be　here。　and　like　i　said；　were　sorry　to　have　arrived　without　any　death；　if　thats　the　normal　way　of　things。　but　we　wont　disturb　you　any　more　than　we　have　to。　you　see；　were　looking　for　the　land　of　the　dead；　and　thats　how　we　happened　to　e　here。　but　we　dont　know　where　it　is；　or　whether　this　is　part　of　it；　or　how　to　get　there；　or　what。　so　if　you　can　tell　us　anything　about　it；　well　be　very　grateful。〃

the　people　in　the　shack　were　still　staring；　but　lyras　words　eased　the　atmosphere　a　little；　and　the　woman　invited　them　to　sit　at　the　table；　drawing　out　a　bench。　will　and　lyra　lifted　the　sleeping　dragonflies　up

to　a　shelf　in　a　dark　corner；　where　tialys　said　they　would　rest　till　daylight；　and　then　the　gallivespians　joined　them　on　the　table。

the　woman　had　been　preparing　a　dish　of　stew；　and　she　peeled　a　couple　of　potatoes　and　cut　them　into　it　to　make　it　go　farther；　urging　her　husband　to　offer　the　travelers　some　other　refreshment　while　it　cooked。　he　brought　out　a　bottle　of　clear　and　pungent　spirit　that　smelled　to　lyra　like　the　gyptians　jenniver；　and　the　two　spies　accepted　a　glass　into　which　they　dipped　little　vessels　of　their　own。

lyra　would　have　expected　the　family　to　stare　most　at　the　gallivespians；　but　their　curiosity　was　directed　just　as　much；　she　thought；　at　her　and　will。　she　didnt　wait　long　to　ask　why。

〃youre　the　first　people　we　ever　saw　without　a　death；〃　said　the　man；　whose　name；　theyd　learned；　was　peter。　〃since　we　e　here；　that　is。　were　like　you；　we　e　here　before　we　was　dead；　by　some　chance　or　accident。　we　got　to　wait　till　our　death　tells　us　its　time。〃

〃your　death　tells　you？〃　said　lyra。

〃yes。　what　we　found　out　when　we　e　here；　oh；　long　ago　for　most　of　us；　we　found　we　all　brought　our　deaths　with　us。　this　is　where　we　found　out。　we　had　em　all　the　time；　and　we　never　knew。　see；　everyone　has　a　death。　it　goes　everywhere　with　em；　all　their　life　long；　right　close　by。　our　deaths；　theyre　outside；　taking　the　air；　theyll　e　in　by　and　by。　grannys　death；　hes　there　with　her；　hes　close　to　her；　very　close。〃

〃doesnt　it　scare　you；　having　your　death　close　by　all　the　time？〃　said　lyra。

〃why　ever　would　it？　if　hes　there；　you　can　keep　an　eye　on　him。　id　be　a　lot　more　nervous　not　knowing　where　he　was。〃

〃and　everyone　has　their　own　death？〃　said　will；　marveling。

〃why；　yes；　the　moment　youre　born；　your　death　es　into　the　world　with　you；　and　its　your　death　that　takes　you　out。〃

〃ah；〃　said　lyra；　〃thats　what　we　need　to　know；　because　were　trying　to　find　the　land　of　the　dead；　and　we　dont　know　how　to　get　there。　where　do　we　go　then；　when　we　die？〃

〃your　death　taps　you　on　the　shoulder；　or　takes　your　hand；　and　says；　e　along　o　me；　its　time。　it　might　happen　when　youre　sick　with　a　fever；　or　when　you　choke　on　a　piece　of　dry　bread；　or　when　you　fall　off　a　high　building；　in　the　middle　of　your　pain　and　travail；　your　death　es　to　you　kindly　and　says；　easy　now；　easy；　child；　you　e　along　o　me；　and　you　go　with　them　in　a　boat　out　across　the　lake　into　the　mist。　what　happens　there；　no　one　knows。　no　ones　ever　e　back。〃

the　woman　told　a　child　to　call　the　deaths　in；　and　he　scampered　to　the　door　and　spoke　to　them。　will　and　lyra　watched　in　wonder；　and　the　gallivespians　drew　closer　together；　as　the　deaths；　one　for　each　of　the　family；　came　in　through　the　door：　pale；　unremarkable　figures　in　shabby　clothes；　just　drab　and　quiet　and　dull。

〃these　are　your　deaths？〃　said　tialys。

〃indeed；　sir；〃　said　peter。

〃do　you　know　when　theyll　tell　you　its　time　to　go？〃

〃no。　but　you　know　theyre　close　by；　and　thats　a　fort。〃

tialys　said　nothing；　but　it　was　clear　that　he　felt　it　would　be　anything　but　a　fort。　the　deaths　stood　politely　along　the　wall；　and　it　was　strange　to　see　how　little　space　they　took　up；　and　to　find　how　little　notice　they　attracted。　lyra　and　will　soon　found　themselves　ignoring　them　altogether；　though　will　thought：　those　men　i　killed；　their　deaths　were　close　beside　them　all　the　time；　they　didnt　know；　and　i　didnt　know。。。

the　woman；　martha；　dished　the　stew　onto　chipped　enamel　plates　and　put　some　in　a　bowl　for　the　deaths　to　pass　among　themselves。　they　didnt　eat；　but　the　good　smell　kept　them　content。　presently　all　the　family　and　their　guests　were　eating　hungrily；　and　peter　asked　the　children　where　theyd　e　from；　and　what　their　world　was　like。

〃ill　tell　you　all　about　it；〃　said　lyra。

as　she　said　that；　as　she　took　charge；　part　of　her　felt　a　little　stream　of　pleasure　rising　upward　in　her　breast　like　the　bubbles　in　champagne。　and　she　knew　will　was　watching；　and　she　was　happy　that　he　could　see　her　doing　what　she　was　best　at；　doing　it　for　him　and　for　all　of　them。

she　started　by　telling　about　her　parents。　they　were　a　duke　and　duchess；　very　important　and　wealthy；　who　had　been　cheated　out　of　their　estate　by　a　political　enemy　and　thrown　into　prison。　but　they　managed　to　escape　by　climbing　down　a　rope　with　the　baby　lyra　in　her　fathers　arms；　and　they　regained　the　family　fortune；　only　to　be　attacked　and　murdered　by　outlaws。　lyra　would　have　been　killed　as　well；　and　roasted　and　eaten；　had　not　will　rescued　her　just　in　time　and　taken　her　back　to　the　wolves；　in　the　forest　where　he　was　being　brought　；；　up　as　one　of　them。　he　had　fallen　overboard　as　a　baby　from　the　side　of　his　fathers　ship　and　been　washed　up　on　a　desolate　shore；　where　a　female　wolf　had　suckled　him　and　kept　him　alive。

the　people　ate　up　this　nonsense　with　placid　credulity；　and　even　the　deaths　crowded　close　to　listen；　perching　on　the　bench　or　lying　on　the　floor　close　by；　gazing　at　her　with　their　mild　and　courteous　faces　as　she　spun　out　the　tale　of　her　life　with　will　in　the　forest。

he　and　lyra　stayed　with　the　wolves　for　a　while；　and　then　moved　to　oxford　to　work　in　the　kitchens　of　jordan　college。　there　they　met　roger；　and　when　jordan　was　attacked　by　the　brickburners　who　lived　in　the　clay　beds；　they　had　to　escape　in　a　hurry；　so　she　and　will　and　roger　captured　a　gyptian　narrow　boat　and　sai