THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第53章

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r　every　time　she　moved。

will　and　lyra；　both　of　them　sick　and　full　of　pain；　tried　to　stand　upright　and　face　her。

〃but　you　are　alive！〃　the　harpy　said；　her　harsh　voice　mocking　them。

will　found　himself　hating　and　fearing　her　more　than　any　human　being　he　had　ever　known。

〃who　are　you？〃　said　lyra；　who　was　just　as　repelled　as　will。

for　answer　the　harpy　screamed。　she　opened　her　mouth　and　directed　a　jet　of　noise　right　in　their　faces；　so　that　their　heads　rang　and　they　nearly　fell　backward。　will　clutched　at　lyra　and　they　both　clung　together　as　the　scream　turned　into　wild；　mocking　peals　of　laughter；　which　were　answered　by　other　harpy　voices　in　the　fog　along　the　shore。　the　jeering；　hate…filled　sound　reminded　will　of　the　merciless　cruelty　of　children　in　a　playground；　but　there　were　no　teachers　here　to　regulate　things；　no　one　to　appeal　to；　nowhere　to　hide。

he　set　his　hand　on　the　knife　at　his　belt　and　looked　her　in　the　eyes；　though　his　head　was　ringing　and　the　sheer　power　of　her　scream　had　made　him　dizzy。

〃if　youre　trying　to　stop　us；〃　he　said；　〃then　youd　better　be　ready　to　fight　as　well　as　scream。　because　were　going　through　that　door。〃

the　harpys　sickening　red　mouth　moved　again；　but　this　time　it　was　to　purse　her　lips　into　a　mock　kiss。

then　she　said；　〃your　mother　is　alone。　we　shall　send　her　nightmares。　we　shall　scream　at　her　in　her　sleep！〃

will　didnt　move；　because　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　could　see　the　lady　salmakia　moving　delicately　along　the　branch　where　the　harpy　was　perching。　her　dragonfly；　wings　quivering；　was　being　held　by　tialys　on　the　ground；　and　then　two　things　happened：　the　lady　leapt　at　the　harpy　and　spun　around　to　dig　her　spur　deep　into　the　creatures　scaly　leg；　and　tialys　launched　the　dragonfly　upward。　in　less　than　a　second　salmakia　had　spun　away　and　leapt　off　the　branch；　directly　onto　the　back　of　her　electric　blue　steed　and　up　into　the　air。

the　effect　on　the　harpy　was　immediate。　another　scream　shattered　the　silence；　much　louder　than　before；　and　she　beat　her　dark　wings　so　hard　that　will　and　lyra　both　felt　the　wind　and　staggered。　but　she　clung　to　the　stone　with　her　claws；　and　her　face　was　suffused　with　dark　red　anger；　and　her　hair　stood　out　from　her　head　like　a　crest　of　serpents。

will　tugged　at　lyras　hand；　and　they　both　tried　to　run　toward　the　door；　but　the　harpy　launched　herself　at　them　in　a　fury　and　only　pulled　up　from　the　dive　when　will　turned；　thrusting　lyra　behind　him　and　holding　up　the　knife。

the　gallivespians　were　on　her　at　once；　darting　close　at　her　face　and　then　darting　away　again；　unable　to　get　in　a　blow　but　distracting　her　so　that　she　beat　her　wings　clumsily　and　half…fell　onto　the　ground。

lyra　called　out；　〃tialys！　salmakia！　stop；　stop！〃

the　spies　reined　back　their　dragonflies　and　skimmed　high　over　the　childrens　heads。　other　dark　forms　were　clustering　in　the　fog；　and　the　jeering　screams　of　a　hundred　more　harpies　sounded　from　farther　along　the　shore。　the　first　one　was　shaking　her　wings；　shaking　her　hair；　stretching　each　leg　in　turn；　and　flexing　her　claws。　she　was　unhurt；　and　that　was　what　lyra　had　noticed。

the　gallivespians　hovered　and　then　dived　back　toward　lyra；　who　was　holding　out　both　hands　for　them　to　land　on。　salmakia　realized　what　lyra　had　meant；　and　said　to　tialys：　〃shes　right。　we　cant　hurt　her；　for　some　reason。〃

lyra　said；　〃lady；　whats　your　name？〃

the　harpy　shook　her　wings　wide；　and　the　travelers　nearly　fainted　from　the　hideous　smells　of　corruption　and　decay　that　wafted　from　her。

〃no…name！〃　she　cried。

〃what　do　you　want　with　us？〃　said　lyra。

〃what　can　you　give　me？〃

〃we　could　tell　you　where　weve　been；　and　maybe　youd　be　interested；　i　dont　know。　we　saw　all　kinds　of　strange　things　on　the　way　here。〃

〃oh；　and　youre　offering　to　tell　me　a　story？〃

〃if　youd　like。〃

〃maybe　i　would。　and　what　then？〃

〃you　might　let　us　go　in　through　that　door　and　find　the　ghost　weve　e　here　to　look　for；　i　hope　you　would；　anyway。　if　youd　be　so　kind。〃

〃try；　then；〃　said　no…name。

and　even　in　her　sickness　and　pain；　lyra　felt　that　shed　just　been　dealt　the　ace　of　trumps。

〃oh；　be　careful；〃　whispered　salmakia；　but　lyras　mind　was　already　racing　ahead　through　the　story　shed　told　the　night　before；　shaping　and　cutting　and　improving　and　adding：　parents　dead；　family　treasure；　shipwreck；　escape　。。。

〃well；〃　she　said；　settling　into　her　storytelling　frame　of　mind；　〃it　began　when　i　was　a　baby；　really。　my　father　and　mother　were　the　duke　and　duchess　of　abingdon；　you　see；　and　they　were　as　rich　as　anything。　my　father　was　one　of　the　kings　advisers；　and　the　king　himself　used　to　e　and　stay；　oh；　all　the　time。　theyd　go　hunting　in　our　forest。　the　house　there；　where　i　was　born；　it　was　the　biggest　house　in　the　whole　south　of　england。　it　was　called…〃

without　even　a　cry　of　warning；　the　harpy　launched　herself　at　lyra；　claws　outstretched。　lyra　just　had　time　to　duck；　but　still　one　of　the　claws　caught　her　scalp　and　tore　out　a　clump　of　hair。

〃liar！　liar！〃　the　harpy　was　screaming。　〃liar！〃

she　flew　around　again；　aiming　directly　for　lyras　face；　but　will　took　out　the　knife　and　threw　himself　in　the　way。　no…name　swerved　out　of　reach　just　in　time；　and　will　hustled　lyra　over　toward　the　door；　because　she　was　numb　with　shock　and　half…blinded　by　the　blood　running　down　her　face。　where　the　gallivespians　were；　will　had　no　idea；　but　the　harpy　was　flying　at　them　again　and　screaming　and　screaming　in　rage　and　hatred：

〃liar！　liar！　liar！〃

and　it　sounded　as　if　her　voice　were　ing　from　everywhere；　and　the　word　echoed　back　from　the　great　wall　in　the　fog；　muffled　and　changed；　so　that　she　seemed　to　be　screaming　lyras　name；　so　that　lyra　and　liar　were　one　and　the　same　thing。

will　had　the　girl　pressed　against　his　chest；　with　his　shoulder　curved　over　to　protect　her；　and　he　felt　her　shaking　and　sobbing　against　him；　but　then　he　thrust　the　knife　into　the　rotten　wood　of　the　door　and　cut　out　the　lock　with　a　quick　slash　of　the　blade。

then　he　and　lyra；　with　the　spies　beside　them　on　their　darting　dragonflies；　tumbled　through　into　the　realm　of　the　ghosts　as　the　harpys　cry　was　doubled　and　redoubled　by　others　on　the　foggy　shore　behind　them。

。d　　。



TWENTY…TWO　…　THE　WHISPERERS

^生。网！
the　first　thing　will　did　was　to　make　lyra　sit　down；　and　then　he　took　out　the　little　pot　of　bloodmoss　ointment　and　looked　at　the　wound　on　her　head。　it　was　bleeding　freely；　as　scalp　wounds　do；　but　it　wasnt　deep。　he　tore　a　strip　off　the　edge　of　his　shirt　and　mopped　it　clean；　and　spread　some　of　the　ointment　over　the　gash；

trying　not　to　think　of　the　filthy　state　of　the　claw　that　made　it。

lyras　eyes　were　glazed；　and　she　was　ash…pale。

〃lyra！　lyra！〃　he　said；　and　shook　her　gently。　〃e　on　now；　weve　got　to　move。〃

she　gave　a　shudder　and　took　a　long；　shaky　breath；　and　her　eyes　focused　on　him；　full　of　a　wild　despair。

〃will；　i　cant　do　it　anymore；　i　cant　do　it！　i　cant　tell　lies！　i　thought　it　was　so　easy；　but　it　didnt　work；　its　all　i　can　do；　and　it　doesnt　work！〃

〃its　not　all　you　can　do。　you　can　read　the　alethiometer；　cant　you？　e　on；　lets　see　where　we　are。　lets　look　for　roger。〃

he　helped　her　up；　and　for　the　first　time　they　looked　around　at　the　land　where　the　ghosts　were。

they　found　themselves　on　a　great　plain　that　extended　far　ahead　into　the　mist。　the　light　by　which　they　saw　was　a　dull　self…luminescence　that　seemed　to　exist　everywhere　equally；　so　that　there　were　no　true　shadows　and　no　true　light；　and　everything　was　the　same　dingy　color。

standing　on　the　floor　of　this　huge　space　were　adults　and　children；　ghost　people；　so　many　that　lyra　couldnt　guess　their　number。　at　least；　most　of　them　were　standing；　though　some　were　sitting　and　some　lying　down　listless　or　asleep。　no　one　was　moving　about；　or　running　or　playing；　though　many　of　them　turned　to　look　at　these　new　arrivals；　with　a　fearful　curiosity　in　their　wide　eyes。

〃ghosts；〃　she　whispered。　〃this　is　where　they　all　are；　everyone　thats　ever　died。。。〃

no　doubt　it　was　because　she　didnt　have　pantalaimon　anymore；　but　she　clung　close　to　wills　arm；　and　he　was　glad　she　did。　the　gallivespians　had　flown　ahead；　and　he　could　see　their　bright　little　forms　darting　and　skimming　over　the　heads　of　the　ghosts；　who　looked　up　and　followed　them　with　wonder；　but　the　silence　was　immense　and　oppressive；　and　the　gray　light　filled　him　with　fear；　and　lyras　warm　presence　beside　him　was　the　only　thing　that　felt　like　life。

behind　them；　outside　the　wall；　the　screams　of　the　harpies　were　still　echoing　up　and　down　the　shore。　some　of　the　ghost　people　were　looking　up　apprehensively；　but　more　of　them　were　staring　at　will　and　lyra；　and　then　they　began　to　crowd　forward。　lyra　shrank　back；　she　didnt　have　the　strength　just　yet　to　face　them　as　she　would　have　liked　to　do；　and　it　was　will　who　had　to　speak　first。

〃do　you　speak　our　language？〃　he　said。　〃can　you　speak　at　all？〃

shivering　and　frightened　and　full　of　pain　as　he　and　lyra　were；　they　had　more　authority　than　the　whole　mass　of　the　dead　put　together。　these　poor　ghosts　had　little　power　of　their　own；　and　hearing　wills　voice；　the　first　clear　voice　that　had　sounded　there　in　all　the　memory　of　the　dead；　many　of　them　came　forward；　eager　to　respond。

but　they　could　only　whisper。　a　faint；　pale　sound；　no　more　than　a　soft　breath；　was　all　they　could　utter。　and　as　they