《THE AMBER SPYGLASS》第125章

〃then　maybe　your　daemond　be　an　animal　thats　good　at　hiding。　or　one　of　those　animals　that　looks　like　another；　a　butterfly　that　looks　like　a　wasp；　for　disguise。　they　must　have　creatures　like　that　in　your　world；　because　we　have；　and　were　so　much　alike。〃
they　walked　on　together　in　a　friendly　silence。　all　around　them　the　wide；　clear　morning　lay　limpid　in　the　hollows　and　pearly　blue　in　the　warm　air　above。　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　the　great　savanna　rolled；　brown；　gold；　buff…green；　shimmering　toward　the　horizon；　and　empty。　they　might　have　been　the　only　people　in　the　world。
〃but　its　not　empty　really；〃　lyra　said。
〃you　mean　that　man？〃
〃no。　you　know　what　i　mean。〃
〃yes；　i　do。　i　can　see　shadows　in　the　grass。。。　maybe　birds；〃　will　said。
he　was　following　the　little　darting　movements　here　and　there。　he　found　it　easier　to　see　the　shadows　if　he　didnt　look　at　them。　they　were　more　willing　to　show　themselves　to　the　corners　of　his　eye；　and　when　he　said　so　to　lyra；　she　said；　〃its　negative　capability。〃
〃whats　that？〃
〃the　poet　keats　said　it　first。　dr。　malone　knows。　its　how　i　read　the　alethiometer。　its　how　you　use　the　knife；　isnt　it？〃
〃yes；　i　suppose　it　is。　but　i　was　just　thinking　that　they　might　be　the　daemons。〃
〃so　was　i；　but。。。〃
she　put　her　finger　to　her　lips。　he　nodded。
〃look；〃　he　said；　〃theres　one　of　those　fallen　trees。〃
it　was　marys　climbing　tree。　they　went　up　to　it　carefully；　keeping　an　eye　on　the　grove　in　case　another　one　should　fall。　in　the　calm　morning；　with　only　a　faint　breeze　stirring　the　leaves；　it　seemed　impossible　that　a　mighty　thing　like　this　should　ever　topple；　but　here　it　was。
the　vast　trunk；　supported　in　the　grove　by　its　torn…up　roots　and　out　on　the　grass　by　the　mass　of　branches；　was　high　above　their　heads。　some　of　those　branches；　crushed　and　broken；　were　themselves　as　big　around　as　the　biggest　trees　will　had　ever　seen；　the　crown　of　the　tree；　tight…packed　with　boughs　that　still　looked　sturdy；　leaves　that　were　still　green；　towered　like　a　ruined　palace　into　the　mild　air。
suddenly　lyra　gripped　wills　arm。
〃shh；〃　she　whispered。　〃dont　look。　im　sure　theyre　up　there。　i　saw　something　move　and　i　swear　it　was　pan。。。〃
her　hand　was　warm。　he　was　more　aware　of　that　than　of　the　great　mass　of　leaves　and　branches　above　them。　pretending　to　gaze　vacantly　at　the　horizon；　he　let　his　attention　wander　upward　into　the　confused　mass　of　green；　brown；　and　blue；　and　there；　she　was　right！　；　there　was　a　something　that　was　not　the　tree。　and　beside　it；　another。
〃walk　away；〃　will　said　under　his　breath。　〃well　go　somewhere　else　and　see　if　they　follow　us。〃
〃suppose　they　dont。。。　but　yes；　all　right；〃　lyra　whispered　back。
they　pretended　to　look　all　around；　they　set　their　hands　on　one　of　the　branches　resting　on　the　ground；　as　if　they　were　intending　to　climb；　they　pretended　to　change　their　minds；　by　shaking　their　heads　and　walking　away。
〃i　wish　we　could　look　behind；〃　lyra　said　when　they　were　a　few　hundred　yards　away。
〃just　go　on　walking。　they　can　see　us；　and　they　wont　get　lost。　theyll　e　to　us　when　they　want　to。〃
they　stepped　off　the　black　road　and　into　the　knee…high　grass；　swishing　their　legs　through　the　stems；　watching　the　insects　hovering；　darting；　fluttering；　skimming；　hearing　the　million…voiced　chorus　chirrup　and　scrape。
〃what　are　you　going　to　do；　will？〃　lyra　said　quietly　after　theyd　walked　some　way　in　silence。
〃well；　ive　got　to　go　home；〃　he　said。
she　thought　he　sounded　unsure；　though。　she　hoped　he　sounded　unsure。
〃but　they　might　still　be　after　you；〃　she　said。　〃those　men。〃
〃weve　seen　worse　than　them；　after　all。〃
〃yes；　i　suppose。。。　but　i　wanted　to　show　you　jordan　college；　and　the　fens。　i　wanted　us　to。。。〃
〃yeah；〃　he　said；　〃and　i　wanted。。。　it　would　be　good　to　go　to　cittagazze　again；　even。　it　was　a　beautiful　place；　and　if　the　specters　are　all　gone。。。　but　theres　my　mother。　ive　got　to　go　back　and　look　after　her。　i　just　left　her　with　mrs。　cooper；　and　its　not　fair　on　either　of　them。〃
〃but　its　not　fair　on　you　to　have　to　do　that。〃
〃no；〃　he　said；　〃but　thats　a　different　sort　of　not　fair。　thats　just　like　an　earthquake　or　a　rainstorm。　it　might　not　be　fair；　but　no　ones　to　blame。　but　if　i　just　leave　my　mother　with　an　old　lady　who　isnt　very　well　herself；　then　thats　a　different　kind　of　not　fair。　that　would　be　wrong。　ive　just　got　to　go　home。　but　probably　its　going　to　be　difficult　to　go　back　as　we　were。　probably　the　secrets　out　now。　i　dont　suppose　mrs。　cooper　will　have　been　able　to　look　after　her；　not　if　my　mothers　in　one　of　those　times　when　she　gets　frightened　of　things。　so　shes　probably　had　to　get　help；　and　when　i　go　back；　ill　be　made　to　go　into　some　kind　of　institution。〃
〃no！　like　an　orphanage？〃
〃i　think　thats　what　they　do。　i　just　dont　know。　ill　hate　it。〃
〃you　could　escape　with　the　knife；　will！　you　could　e　to　my　world！〃
〃i　still　belong　there；　where　i　can　be　with　her。　when　im　grown　up　ill　be　able　to　look　after　her　properly；　in　my　own　house。　no　one　can　interfere　then。〃
〃dyou　think　youll　get　married？〃
he　was　quiet　for　a　long　time。　she　knew　he　was　thinking；　though。
〃i　cant　see　that　far　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃it　would　have　to　be　someone　who　understands　about。。。　i　dont　think　theres　any　one　like　that　in　my　world。　would　you　get　married？〃
〃me　too；〃　she　said。　〃not　to　anyone　in　my　world；　i　shouldnt　think。〃
they　walked　on　steadily；　wandering　toward　the　horizon。　they　had　all　the　time　in　the　world：　all　the　time　the　world　had。
after　a　while　lyra　said；　〃you　will　keep　the　knife；　wont　you？　so　you　could　visit　my　world？〃
〃of　course。　i　certainly　wouldnt　give　it　to　anyone　else；　ever。〃
〃dont　look。。。”　she　said；　not　altering　her　pace。　〃there　they　are　again。　on　the　left。〃
〃they　are　following　us；〃　said　will；　delighted。
〃shh！〃
〃i　thought　they　would。　okay；　well　just　pretend　now；　well　just　wander　along　as　if　were　looking　for　them；　and　well　look　in　all　sorts　of　stupid　places。〃
it　became　a　game。　they　found　a　pond　and　searched　among　the　reeds　and　in　the　mud；　saying　loudly　that　the　daemons　were　bound　to　be　shaped　like　frogs　or　water　beetles　or　slugs；　they　peeled　off　the　bark　of　a　long…fallen　tree　at　the　edge　of　a　string…wood　grove；　pretending　to　have　seen　the　two　daemons　creeping