《THE AMBER SPYGLASS》第128章

〃no；　were　not。　i　have　been　following　you。　i　know　whose　side　youre　on；　no；　no；　dont　move。　stay　there。〃
〃its　not　too　late　to　repent。　even　angels　are　allowed　to　do　that。　let　me　hear　your　confession。〃
〃oh；　baruch；　help　me！〃　cried　balthamos　in　despair；　turning　away。
and　as　he　cried　out；　father　gomez　leapt　for　him。　his　shoulder　hit　the　angels；　and　knocked　balthamos　off　balance；　and　in　throwing　out　a　hand　to　save　himself；　the　angel　let　go　of　the　insect　daemon。　the　beetle　flew　free　at　once；　and　father　gomez　felt　a　surge　of　relief　and　strength。　in　fact；　it　was　that　which　killed　him；　to　his　great　surprise。　he　hurled　himself　so　hard　at　the　faint　form　of　the　angel；　and　he　expected　so　much　more　resistance　than　he　met；　that　he　couldnt　keep　his　balance。　his　foot　slipped；　his　momentum　carried　him　down　toward　the　stream；　and　；　balthamos；　thinking　of　what　baruch　would　have　done；　kicked　aside　the　priests　hand　as　he　flung　it　out　for　support。
father　gomez　fell　hard。　his　head　cracked　against　a　stone；　and　he　fell　stunned　with　his　face　in　the　water。　the　cold　shock　woke　him　at　once；　but　as　he　choked　and　feebly　tried　to　rise；　balthamos；　desperate；　ignored　the　daemon　stinging　his　face　and　his　eyes　and　his　mouth；　and　used　all　the　little　weight　he　had　to　hold　the　mans　head　down　in　the　water；　and　he　kept　it　there；　and　kept　it　there；　and　kept　it　there。
when　the　daemon　suddenly　vanished；　balthamos　let　go。　the　man　was　dead。　as　soon　as　he　was　sure；　balthamos　hauled　the　body　out　of　the　stream　and　laid　it　carefully　on　the　grass；　folding　the　priests　hands　over　his　breast　and　closing　his　eyes。
then　balthamos　stood　up；　sick　and　weary　and　full　of　pain。
〃baruch；〃　he　said；　〃oh；　baruch；　my　dear；　i　can　do　no　more。　will　and　the　girl　are　safe；　and　everything　will　be　well；　but　this　is　the　end　for　me；　though　truly　i　died　when　you　did；　baruch；　my　beloved。〃
a　moment　later；　he　was　gone。
in　the　bean　field；　drowsy　in　the　late　afternoon　heat；　mary　heard　atals　voice；　and　she　couldnt　tell　excitement　from　alarm：　had　another　tree　fallen？　had　the　man　with　the　rifle　appeared？
look！　look！　atal　was　saying；　nudging　marys　pocket　with　her　trunk；　so　mary　took　the　spyglass　and　did　as　her　friend　said；　pointing　it　up　to　the　sky。
tell　me　what　its　doing！　said　atal。　i　can　feel　it　is　different；　but　i　cant　see。
the　terrible　flood　of　dust　in　the　sky　had　stopped　flowing。　it　wasnt　still；　by　any　means；　mary　scanned　the　whole　sky　with　the　amber　lens；　seeing　a　current　here；　an　eddy　there；　a　vortex　farther　off；　it　was　in　perpetual　movement；　but　it　wasnt　flowing　away　anymore。　in　fact；　if　anything；　it　was　falling　like　snowflakes。
she　thought　of　the　wheel　trees：　the　flowers　that　opened　upward　would　be　drinking　in　this　golden　rain。　mary　could　almost　feel　them　weling　it　in　their　poor　parched　throats；　which　were　so　perfectly　shaped　for　it；　and　which　had　been　starved　for　so　long。
the　young　ones；　said　atal。
mary　turned；　spyglass　in　hand；　to　see　will　and　lyra　returning。　they　were　some　way　off；　they　werent　hurrying。　they　were　holding　hands；　talking　together；　heads　close；　oblivious　to　everything　else；　she　could　see　that　even　from　a　distance。
she　nearly　put　the　spyglass　to　her　eye；　but　held　back；　and　returned　it　to　her　pocket。　there　was　no　need　for　the　glass；　she　knew　what　she　would　see；　they　would　seem　to　be　made　of　living　gold。　they　would　seem　the　true　image　of　what　human　beings　always　could　be；　once　they　had　e　into　their　inheritance。
the　dust　pouring　down　from　the　stars　had　found　a　living　home　again；　and　these　children…no…longer…children；　saturated　with　love；　were　the　cause　of　it　all。
。。
THIRTY…SIX　…　THE　BROKEN　ARROW
小=＿说。网
the　two　daemons　moved　through　the　silent　village；　in　and　out　of　the　shadows；　padding　cat…formed　across　the　moonlit　gathering…floor；　pausing　outside　the　open　door　of　marys　house。
cautiously　they　looked　inside　and　saw　only　the　sleeping　woman；　so　they　withdrew　and　moved　through　the　moonlight　again；　toward　the　shelter　tree。
its　long　branches　trailed　their　fragrant　corkscrew　leaves　almost　down　to　the　ground。　very　slowly；　very　careful　not　to　rustle　a　leaf　or　snap　a　fallen　twig；　the　two　shapes　slipped　in　through　the　leaf　curtain　and　saw　what　they　were　seeking：　the　boy　and　the　girl；　fast　asleep　in　each　others　arms。
they　moved　closer　over　the　grass　and　touched　the　sleepers　softly　with　nose；　paw；　whiskers；　bathing　in　the　life…giving　warmth　they　gave　off；　but　being　infinitely　careful　not　to　wake　them。
as　they　checked　their　people　（gently　cleaning　wills　fast…healing　wound；　lifting　the　lock　of　hair　off　lyras　face）；　there　was　a　soft　sound　behind　them。
instantly；　in　total　silence；　both　daemons　sprang　around；　being　wolves：　mad　light　eyes；　bare　white　teeth；　menace　in　every　line。
a　woman　stood　there；　outlined　by　the　moon。　it　was　not　mary；　and　when　she　spoke；　they　heard　her　clearly；　though　her　voice　made　no　sound。
〃e　with　me；〃　she　said。
pantalaimons　daemon　heart　leapt　within　him；　but　he　said　nothing　until　he　could　greet　her　away　from　the　sleepers　under　the　tree。
〃serafina　pekkala！〃　he　said　joyfully。　〃where　have　you　been？　do　you　know　whats　happened？〃
〃hush。　lets　fly　to　a　place　where　we　can　talk；〃　she　said；　mindful　of　the　sleeping　villagers。
her　branch　of　cloud…pine　lay　by　the　door　of　marys　house；　and　as　she　took　it　up；　the　two　daemons　changed　into　birds；　a　nightingale；　an　owl；　and　flew　with　her　over　the　thatched　roofs；　over　the　grasslands；　over　the　ridge；　and　toward　the　nearest　wheel　tree　grove；　as　huge　as　a　castle；　its　crown　looking　like　curds　of　silver　in　the　moonlight。
there　serafina　pekkala　settled　on　the　highest　fortable　branch；　among　the　open　flowers　drinking　in　the　dust；　and　the　two　birds　perched　nearby。
〃you　wont　be　birds　for　long；〃　she　said。　〃very　soon　now　your　shapes　will　settle。　look　around　and　take　this　sight　into　your　memory。〃
〃what　will　we　be？〃　said　pantalaimon。
〃youll　find　out　sooner　than　you　think。　listen；〃　said　serafina　pekkala；　〃and　ill　tell　you　some　witch…lore　that　none　but　witches　know。　the　reason　i　can　do　that　is　that　you　are　here　with　me；　and　your　humans　are　down　there；　sleeping。　who　are　the　only　people　for　whom　that　is　possible？〃
〃witches；〃　said　pantalaimon；　〃and　shamans。　s