THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第58章

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sts　has　a　story；　every　single　one　that　es　down　in　the　future　will　have　true　things　to　tell　you　about　the　world。　and　youll　have　the　right　to　hear　them；　and　they　will　have　to　tell　you。〃

lyra　marveled　at　the　nerve　of　the　little　spy。　how　did　he　dare　speak　to　these　creatures　as　if　he　had　the　power　to　give　them　rights？　any　one　of　them　could　have　snapped　him　up　in　a　moment；　wrenched　him　apart　in　her　claws　or　carried　him　high　and　then　hurled　him　down　to　the　ground　to　smash　in　pieces。　and　yet　there　he　stood；　proud　and　fearless；　making　a　bargain　with　them！　and　they　listened；　and　conferred；　their　faces　turning　to　one　another；　their　voices　low。

all　the　ghosts　watched；　fearful　and　silent。

then　no…name　turned　back。

〃thats　not　enough；〃　she　said。　〃we　want　more　than　that。　we　had　a　task　under　the　old　dispensation。　we　had　a　place　and　a　duty。　we　fulfilled　the　authoritys　mands　diligently；　and　for　that　we　were　honored。　hated　and　feared；　hut　honored；　too。　what　will　happen　to　our　honor　now？　why　should　the　ghosts　take　any　notice　of　us；　if　they　can　simply　walk　out　into　the　world　again？　we　have　our　pride；　and　you　should　not　let　that　be　dispensed　with。　we　need　an　honorable　place！　we　need　a　duty　and　a　task　to　do；　one　that　will　bring　us　the　respect　we　deserve！〃

they　shifted　on　the　branches；　muttering　and　raising　their　wings。　but　a　moment　later　salmakia　leapt　up　to　join　the　chevalier；　and　called　out：

〃you　are　quite　right。　everyone　should　have　a　task　to　do　thats　important；　one　that　brings　them　honor；　one　they　can　perform　with　pride。　so　here　is　your　task；　and　its　one　that　only　you　can　do；　because　you　are　the　guardians　and　the　keepers　of　this　place。　your　task　will　be　to　guide　the　ghosts　from　the　landing　place　by　the　lake　all　the　way　through　the　land　of　the　dead　to　the　new　opening　out　into　the　world。　in　exchange；　they　will

tell　you　their　stories　as　a　fair　and　just　payment　for　this　guidance。　does　that　seem　right　to　you？〃

no…name　looked　at　her　sisters；　and　they　nodded。　she　said：　〃and　we　have　the　right　to　refuse　to　guide　them　if　they　lie；　or　if　they　hold　anything　back；　or　if　they　have　nothing　to　tell　us。　if　they　live　in　the　world；　they　should　see　and　touch　and　hear　and　learn　things。　we　shall　make　an　exception　for　infants　who　have　not　had　time　to　learn　anything；　but　otherwise；　if　they　e　down　here　bringing　nothing；　we　shall　not　guide　them　out。〃

〃that　is　fair；〃　said　salmakia；　and　the　other　travelers　agreed。

so　they　made　a　treaty。　and　in　exchange　for　the　story　of　lyras　that　theyd　already　heard；　the　harpies　offered　to　take　the　travelers　and　their　knife　to　a　part　of　the　land　of　the　dead　where　the　upper　world　was　close。　it　was　a　long　way　off；　through　tunnels　and　caves；　hut　they　would　guide　them　faithfully；　and　all　the　ghosts　could　follow。

but　before　they　could　begin；　a　voice　cried　out；　as　loudly　as　a　whisper　could　cry。　it　was　the　ghost　of　a　thin　man　with　an　angry；　passionate　face；　and　he　cried：

〃what　will　happen？　when　we　leave　the　world　of　the　dead；　will　we　live　again？　or　will　we　vanish　as　our　daemons　did？　brothers；　sisters；　we　shouldnt　follow　this　child　anywhere　till　we　know　whats　going　to　happen　to　us！〃

others　took　up　the　question：　〃yes；　tell　us　where　were　going！　tell　us　what　to　expect！　we　wont　go　unless　we　know　whatll　happen　to　us！〃

lyra　turned　to　will　in　despair；　but　he　said；　〃tell　them　the　truth。　ask　the　alethiometer；　and　tell　them　what　it　says。〃

〃all　right；〃　she　said。

she　took　out　the　golden　instrument。　the　answer　came　at　once。　she　put　it　away　and　stood　up。

〃this　is　whatll　happen；〃　she　said；　〃and　its　true；　perfectly　true。　when　you　go　out　of　here；　all　the　particles　that　make　you　up　will　loosen　and　float　apart；　just　like　your　daemons　did。　if　youve　seen　people　dying；　you　know　what　that　looks　like。　but　your　daemons　ent　just　nothing　now；　theyre　part　of　everything。　all　the　atoms　that　were　them；　theyve　gone　into　the　air　and　the　wind　and　the　trees　and　the　earth　and　all　the　living　things。　theyll　never　vanish。　theyre　just　part　of　everything。　and　thats　exactly　whatll　happen　to　you；　i　swear　to　you；　i　promise　on　my　honor。　youll　drift　apart；　its　true；　but　youll　be　out　in　the　open；　part　of　everything　alive　again。〃

no　one　spoke。　those　who　had　seen　how　daemons　dissolved　were　remembering　it；　and　those　who　hadnt　were　imagining　it；　and　no　one　spoke　until　a　young　woman　came　forward。　she　had　died　as　a　martyr　centuries　before。　she　looked　around　and　said　to　the　other　ghosts：

〃when　we　were　alive；　they　told　us　that　when　we　died　wed　go　to　heaven。　and　they　said　that　heaven　was　a　place　of　joy　and　glory　and　we　would　spend　eternity　in　the　pany　of　saints　and　angels　praising　the　almighty；　in　a　state　of　bliss。　thats　what　they　said。　and　thats　what　led　some　of　us　to　give　our　lives；　and　others　to　spend　years　in　solitary　prayer；　while　all　the　joy　of　life　was　going　to　waste　around　us　and　we　never　knew。

〃because　the　land　of　the　dead　isnt　a　place　of　reward　or　a　place　of　punishment。　its　a　place　of　nothing。　the　good　e　here　as　well　as　the　wicked；　and　all　of　us　languish　in　this　gloom　forever；　with　no　hope　of　freedom；　or　joy；　or　sleep；　or　rest；　or　peace。

〃but　now　this　child　has　e　offering　us　a　way　out　and　im　going　to　follow　her。　even　if　it　means　oblivion；　friends；　ill　wele　it；　because　it　wont　be　nothing。　well　be　alive　again　in　a　thousand　blades　of　grass；　and　a　million　leaves；　well　be　falling　in　the　raindrops　and　blowing　in　the　fresh　breeze；　well　be　glittering　in　the　dew　under　the　stars　and　the　moon　out　there　in　the　physical　world；　which　is　our　true　home　and　always　was。

〃so　i　urge　you：　e　with　the　child　out　to　the　sky！〃

but　her　ghost　was　thrust　aside　by　the　ghost　of　a　man　who　looked　like　a　monk：　thin　and　pale；　with　dark；　zealous　eyes　even　in　his　death。　he　crossed　himself　and　murmured　a　prayer；　and　then　he　said：

〃this　is　a　bitter　message；　a　sad　and　cruel　joke。　cant　you　see　the　truth？　this　is　not　a　child。　this　is　an　agent　of　the　evil　one　himself！　the　world　we　lived　in　was　a　vale　of　corruption　and　tears。　nothing　there　could　satisfy　us。　but　the　almighty　has　granted　us　this　blessed　place　for　all　eternity；　this　paradise；　which　to　the　fallen　soul　seems　bleak　and　barren；　but　which　the　eyes　of　faith　see　as　it　is；　overflowing　with　milk　and　honey　and　resounding　with　the　sweet　hymns　of　the　angels。　this　is　heaven；　truly！　what　this　evil　girl　promises　is　nothing　but　lies。　she　wants　to　lead　you　to　hell！　go　with　her　at　your　peril。　my　panions　and　i　of　the　true　faith　will　remain　here　in　our　blessed　paradise；　and　spend　eternity　singing　the　praises　of　the　almighty；　who　has　given　us　the　judgment　to　tell　the　false　from　the　true。〃

once　again　he　crossed　himself；　and　then　he　and　his　panions　turned　away　in　horror　and　loathing。

lyra　felt　bewildered。　was　she　wrong？　was　she　making　some　great　mistake？　she　looked　around：　gloom　and　desolation　on　every　side。　but　shed　been　wrong　before　about　the　appearance　of　things；　trusting　mrs。　coulter　because　of　her　beautiful　smile　and　her　sweet…scented　glamour。　it　was　so　easy　to　get　things　wrong；　and　without　her　daemon　to　guide　her；　maybe　she　was　wrong　about　this；　too。

but　will　was　shaking　her　arm。　then　he　put　his　hands　to　her　face　and　held　it　roughly。

〃you　know　thats　not　true；〃　he　said；　〃just　as　well　as　you　can　feel　this。　take　no　notice！　they　can　all　see　hes　lying；　too。　and　theyre　depending　on　us。　e　on；　lets　make　a　start。〃

she　nodded。　she　had　to　trust　her　body　and　the　truth　of　what　her　senses　told　her；　she　knew　pan　would　have。

so　they　set　off；　and　the　numberless　millions　of　ghosts　began　to　follow　them。　behind　them；　too　far　back　for　the　children　to　see；　other　inhabitants　of　the　world　of　the　dead　had　heard　what　was　happening　and　were　ing　to　join　the　great　march。　tialys　and　salmakia　flew　back　to　look　and　were　overjoyed　to　see　their　own　people　there；　and　every　other　kind　of　conscious　being　who　had　ever　been　punished　by　the　authority　with　exile　and　death。　among　them　were　beings　who　didnt　look　human　at　all；　beings　like　the　mulefa；　whom　mary　malone　would　have　recognized；　and　stranger　ghosts　as　well。

but　will　and　lyra　had　no　strength　to　look　back；　all　they　could　do　was　move　on　after　the　harpies；　and　hope。

〃have　we　almost　done　it；　will？〃　lyra　whispered。　〃is　it　nearly　over？〃

he　couldnt　tell。　but　they　were　so　weak　and　sick　that　he　said；　〃yes；　its　nearly　over；　weve　nearly　done　it。　well　be　out　soon。〃

。。！



TWENTY…FOUR　…　MRS。　COULTER　IN　GENEVA

（／小｜说｜网）
mrs。　coulter　waited　till　nightfall　before　she　approached　the　college　of　st。　jerome。　after　darkness　had　fallen；　she　brought　the　intention　craft　down　through　the　cloud　and　moved　slowly　along　the　lakeshore　at　treetop　height。　the　college　was　a　distinctive　shape　among　the　other　ancient　buildings　of　geneva；　and　she　soon　found　the　spire；　the　dark　hollow　of　the　cloisters；　the　square　tower　where　the　president　of　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline　had　his　lodging。　she　had　visited　the　college　three　times　before；　she　knew　that　the　ridges　and　gables　and　chimneys　of　the　roof　concealed　plenty　of　hiding　places；　even　for　something　as　large　as　the　intention　craft。

flying　slowly　above　the　tiles；　which　glistened　with　the　recent　rain；　she　edged　the　machine　into　a　little　gully　between　a　steep　tiled　roof　and　the　sheer　wall　of　the　tower。　the　place　was　only　visible　from　the　belfry　of　th