THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第77章

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〃not　much；〃　he　said。　〃i　picked　up　pantalaimon　and　you　picked　up；　the　other　one　and　we　came　through；　and　it　was　moonlight　everywhere；　and　i　put　him　down　to　close　the　window。〃

〃and　your；　the　other　daemon　just　jumped　out　of　my　arms；〃　she　said。　〃and　i　was　trying　to　see　mr。　scoresby　through　the　window；　and　iorek；　and　to　see　where　pan　had　gone；　and　when　i　looked　around；　they　just　werent　there。〃

〃it　doesnt　feel　like　when　we　went　into　the　world　of　the　dead；　though。　like　when　we　were　really　separated。〃

〃no；〃　she　agreed。　〃theyre　somewhere　near　all　right。　i　remember　when　we　were　young　we　used　to　try　and　play　hide…and…seek；　except　it　never　really　worked；　because　i　was　too　big　to　hide　from　him　and　i　always　used　to　know　exactly　where　he　was；　even　if　he　was　camouflaged　as　a　moth　or　something。　but　this　is　strange；〃　she　said；　passing　her　hands　over　her　head　involuntarily　as　if　she　were　trying　to　dispel　some　enchantment。　〃he　ent　here；　but　i　dont　feel　torn　apart；　i　feel　safe；　and　i　know　he　is。〃

〃theyre　together；　i　think；〃　will　said。

〃yeah。　they　must　be。〃

he　stood　up　suddenly。

〃look；〃　he　said；　〃over　there。。。〃

he　was　shading　his　eyes　and　pointing。　she　followed　his　gaze　and　saw　a　distant　tremor　of　movement；　quite　different　from　the　shimmer　of　the　heat　haze。

〃animals？〃　she　said　doubtfully。

〃and　listen；〃　he　said；　putting　his　hand　behind　his　ear。

now　hed　pointed　it　out；　she　could　hear　a　low；　persistent　rumble；　almost　like　thunder；　a　very　long　way　off。

〃theyve　disappeared；〃　will　said；　pointing。

the　little　patch　of　moving　shadows　had　vanished；　but　the　rumble　went　on　for　a　few　moments。　then　it　became　suddenly　quieter；　though　it　had　been　very　quiet　already。　the　two　of　them　were　still　gazing　in　the　same　direction；　and　shortly　afterward　they　saw　the　movement　start　up　again。　and　a　few　moments　later　came　the　sound。

〃they　went　behind　a　ridge　or　something；〃　said　will。　〃are　they　closer？〃

〃cant　really　see。　yes；　theyre　turning；　look；　theyre　ing　this　way。〃

〃well；　if　we　have　to　fight　them；　i　want　a　drink　first；〃　said　will；　and　he　took　the　rucksack　down　to　the　stream；　where　he　drank　deep　and　washed　off　most　of　the　dirt。　his　wound　had　bled　a　lot。　he　was　a　mess；　he　longed　for　a　hot　shower　with　plenty　of　soap；　and　for　some　clean　clothes。

lyra　was　watching　the。。。　whatever　they　were；　they　were　very　strange。

〃will；〃　she　called；　〃theyre　riding　on　wheels。。。〃

but　she　said　it　uncertainly。　he　climbed　back　a　little　way　up　the　slope　and　shaded　his　eyes　to　look。　it　was　possible　to　see　individuals　now。　the　group；　or　herd；　or　gang；　was　about　a　dozen　strong；　and　they　were　moving；　as　lyra　said；　on　wheels。　they　looked　like　a　cross　between　antelopes　and　motorcycles；　but　they　were　stranger　than　that；　even：　they　had　trunks　like　small　elephants。

and　they　were　making　for　will　and　lyra；　with　an　air　of　intention。　will　took　out　the　knife；　but　lyra；　sitting　on　the　grass　beside　him；　was　already　turning　the　hands　of　the　alethiometer。

it　responded　quickly；　while　the　creatures　were　still　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　the　needle　darted　swiftly　left　and　right；　and　left　and　left；　and　lyra　felt　her　mind　dart　to　the　meanings　and　land　on　them　as　lightly　as　a　bird。

〃theyre　friendly；〃　she　said；　〃its　all　right；　will；　theyre　looking　for　us；　they　knew　we　were　here。。。　and　its　odd；　i　cant　quite　make　it　out。。。　dr。　malone　？〃

she　said　the　name　half　to　herself；　because　she　couldnt　believe　dr。　malone　would　be　in　this　world。　still；　the　alethiometer　indicated　her　clearly；　although　of　course　it　couldnt　give　her　name。　lyra　put　it　away　and　stood　up　slowly　beside　will。

〃i　think　we　should　go　down　to　them；〃　she　said。　〃they　ent　going　to　hurt　us。〃

some　of　them　had　stopped；　waiting。　the　leader　moved　ahead　a　little；　trunk　raised；　and　they　could　see　how　he　propelled　himself　with　powerful　backward　strokes　of　his　lateral　limbs。　some　of　the　creatures　had　gone　to　the　pond　to　drink；　the　others　waited；　but　not　with　the　mild；　passive　curiosity　of　cows　gathering　at　a　gate。　these　were　individuals；　lively　with　intelligence　and　purpose。　they　were　people。

will　and　lyra　moved　down　the　slope　until　they　were　close　enough　to　speak　to　them。　in　spite　of　what　lyra　had　said；　will　kept　his　hand　on　the　knife。

〃i　dont　know　if　you　understand　me；〃　lyra　said　cautiously；　〃but　i　know　youre　friendly。　i　think　we　should。。。”

the　leader　moved　his　trunk　and　said；　〃e　see　mary。　you　ride。　we　carry。　e　see　mary。〃

〃oh！〃　she　said；　and　turned　to　will；　smiling　with　delight。

two　of　the　creatures　were　fitted　with　bridles　and　stirrups　of　braided　cord。　not　saddles；　their　diamond…shaped　backs　turned　out　to　be　fortable　enough　without　them。　lyra　had　ridden　a　bear；　and　will　had　ridden　a　bicycle；　but　neither　had　ridden　a　horse；　which　was　the　closest　parison。　however；　riders　of　horses　are　usually　in　control；　and　the　children　soon　found　that　they　were　not：　the　reins　and　the　stirrups　were　there　simply　to　give　them　something　to　hold　on　to　and　balance　with。　the　creatures　themselves　made　all　the　decisions。

〃where　are…〃　will　began　to　say；　but　had　to　stop　and　regain　his　balance　as　the　creature　moved　under　him。

the　group　swung　around　and　moved　down　the　slight　slope；　going　slowly　through　the　grass。　the　movement　was　humpy；　but　not　unfortable；　because　the　creatures　had　no　spine；　will　and　lyra　felt　that　they　were　sitting　on　chairs　with　a　well…sprung　seat。

soon　they　came　to　what　they　hadnt　seen　clearly　from　the　bluff：　one　of　those　patches　of　black　or　dark　brown　ground。　and　they　were　as　surprised　to　find　roads　of　smooth　rock　lacing　through　the　prairie　as　mary　malone　had　been　sometime　before。

the　creatures　rolled　onto　the　surface　and　set　off；　soon　picking　up　speed。　the　road　was　more　like　a　watercourse　than　a　highway。　in　places　it　broadened　into　wide　areas　like　small　lakes；　and　at　others　it　split　into　narrow　channels；　only　to　bine　again　unpredictably。　it　was　quite　unlike　the　brutal；　rational　way　roads　in　wills　world　sliced　through　hillsides　and　leapt　across　valleys　on　bridges　of　concrete。　this　was　part　of　the　landscape；　not　an　imposition　on　it。

they　were　going　faster　and　faster。　it　took　will　and　lyra　a　while　to　get　used　to　the　living　impulse　of　the　muscles　and　the　shuddering　thunder　of　the　hard　wheels　on　the　hard　stone。　lyra　found　it　more　difficult　than　will　at　first；　because　she　had　never　ridden　a　bicycle；　and　she　didnt　know　the　trick　of　leaning　into　the　corner；　but　she　saw　how　he　was　doing　it；　and　soon　she　was　finding　the　speed　exhilarating。

the　wheels　made　too　much　noise　for　them　to　speak。　instead；　they　had　to　point：　at　the　trees；　in　amazement　at　their　size　and　splendor；　at　a　flock　of　birds；　the　strangest　they　had　ever　seen；　their　fore　and　aft　wings　giving　them　a　twisting；　screwing　motion　through　the　air；　at　a　fat　blue　lizard　as　long　as　a　horse　basking　in　the　very　middle　of　the　road　（the　wheeled　creatures　divided　to　ride　on　either　side　of　it；　and　it　took　no　notice　at　all）。

the　sun　was　high　in　the　sky　when　they　began　to　slow　down。

and　in　the　air；　unmistakable；　was　the　salt　smell　of　the　sea。　the　road　was　rising　toward　a　bluff；　and　presently　they　were　moving　no　faster　than　a　walk。

lyra；　stiff　and　sore；　said；　〃can　you　stop？　i　want　to　get　off　and　walk。〃

her　creature　felt　the　tug　at　the　bridle；　and　whether　or　not　he　understood　her　words；　he　came　to　a　halt。　wills　did；　too；　and　both　children　climbed　down；　finding　themselves　stiff　and　shaken　after　the　continued　jolting　and　tensing。

the　creatures　wheeled　around　to　talk　together；　their　trunks　moving　elegantly　in　time　with　the　sounds　they　made。　after　a　minute　they　moved　on；　and　will　and　lyra　were　happy　to　walk　among　the　hay…scented；　grass…warm　creatures　who　trundled　beside　them。　one　or　two　had　gone　on　ahead　to　the　top　of　the　rise；　and　the　children；　now　that　they　no　longer　had　to　concentrate　on　hanging　on；　were　able　to　watch　how　they　moved；　and　admire　the　grace　and　power　with　which　they　propelled　themselves　forward　and　leaned　and　turned。

as　they　came　to　the　top　of　the　rise；　they　stopped；　and　will　and　lyra　heard　the　leader　say；　〃mary　close。　mary　there。〃

they　looked　down。　on　the　horizon　there　was　the　blue　gleam　of　the　sea。　a　broad；　slow…moving　river　wound　through　rich　grassland　in　the　middle　distance；　and　at　the　foot　of　the　long　slope；　among　copses　of　small　trees　and　rows　of　vegetables；　stood　a　village　of　thatched　houses。　more　creatures　like　these　moved　about　among　the　houses；　or　tended　crops；　or　worked　among　the　trees。

〃now　ride　again；〃　said　the　leader。

there　wasnt　far　to　go。　will　and　lyra　climbed　up　once　more；　and　the　other　creatures　looked　closely　at　their　balance　and　checked　the　stirrups　with　their　trunks；　as　if　to　make　sure　they　were　safe。

then　they　set　off；　beating　the　road　with　their　lateral　limbs；　and　urging　themselves　forward　down　the　slope　until　they　were　moving　at　a　terrific　pace。　will　and　lyra　clung　tight　with　hands　and　knees。　they　felt　the　air　whip　past　their　faces；　flinging　their　hair　back　and　pressing　on　their　eyeballs。　the　thundering　of　the　wheels；　the　rush　of　the　grassland　on　either　side；　the　sure　and　powerful　lean　into　the　broad　curve　ahead；　the　clearheaded　rapture　of　speed；　the　creatures　loved　this；　and　will　and　lyra　felt　their　joy　and　laughed　in　happy　response。

they　stopped　in　the　center　of　the　village；　and　the