《THE AMBER SPYGLASS》第137章

seen　the　like。
having　shared　the　feast；　the　captain　thanked　his　hosts　and　left　to　supervise　the　crew　as　they　took　on　board　the　stores　and　water　that　they　needed；　because　they　meant　to　sail　as　soon　as　morning　came。　while　they　were　doing　that；　the　old　zalif　said　to　his　guests：
〃a　great　change　has　e　over　everything。　and　as　a　token；　we　have　been　granted　a　responsibility。　we　would　like　to　show　you　what　this　means。〃
so　john　faa；　farder　coram；　mary；　and　serafina　went　with　them　to　the　place　where　the　land　of　the　dead　opened；　and　where　the　ghosts　were　ing　out；　still　in　their　endless　procession。　the　mulefa　were　planting　a　grove　around　it；　because　it　was　a　holy　place；　they　said；　they　would　maintain　it　forever；　it　was　a　source　of　joy。
〃well；　this　is　a　mystery；〃　said　farder　coram；　〃and　im　glad　i　lived　long　enough　to　see　it。　to　go　into　the　dark　of　death　is　a　thing　we　all　fear；　say　what　we　like；　we　fear　it。　but　if　theres　a　way　out　for　that　part　of　us　that　has　to　go　down　there；　then　it　makes　my　heart　lighter。〃
〃youre　right；　coram；〃　said　john　faa。　〃ive　seen　a　good　many　folk　die；　ive　sent　more　than　a　few　men　down　into　the　dark　myself；　though　it　was　always　in　the　anger　of　battle。　to　know　that　after　a　spell　in　the　dark　well　e　out　again　to　a　sweet　land　like　this；　to　be　free　of　the　sky　like　the　birds；　well；　thats　the　greatest　promise　anyone　could　wish　for。〃
〃we　must　talk　to　lyra　about　this；〃　said　farder　coram；　〃and　learn　how　it　came　about　and　what　it　means。〃
mary　found　it　very　hard　to　say　good…bye　to　atal　and　the　other　mulefa。　before　she　boarded　the　ship；　they　gave　her　a　gift：　a　lacquer　phial　containing　some　of　the　wheel　tree　oil；　and　most　precious　of　all；　a　little　bag　of　seeds。
they　might　not　grow　in　your　world；　atal　said；　but　if　not；　you　have　the　oil。　dont　forget　us；　mary。
never；　mary　said。　never。　if　i　live　as　long　as　the　witches　and　forget　everything　else；　ill　never　forget　you　and　the　kindness　of　your　people；　atal。
so　the　journey　home　began。　the　wind　was　light；　the　seas　were　calm；　and　although　they　saw　the　glitter　of　those　great　snow　white　wings　more　than　once；　the　birds　were　wary　and　stayed　well　clear。　will　and　lyra　spent　every　hour　together；　and　for　them　the　two　weeks　of　the　voyage　passed　like　the　blink　of　an　eyelid。
xaphania　had　told　serafina　pekkala　that　when　all　the　openings　were　closed；　then　the　worlds　would　all　be　restored　to　their　proper　relations　with　one　another；　and　lyras　oxford　and　wills　would　lie　over　each　other　again；　like　transparent　images　on　two　sheets　of　film　being　moved　closer　and　closer　until　they　merged；　although　they　would　never　truly　touch。
at　the　moment；　however；　they　were　a　long　way　apart；　as　far　as　lyra　had　had　to　travel　from　her　oxford　to　cittagazze。　wills　oxford　was　here　now；　just　a　knife　cut　away。　it　was　evening　when　they　arrived；　and　as　the　anchor　splashed　into　the　water；　the　late　sun　lay　warmly　on　the　green　hills；　the　terracotta　roofs；　that　elegant　and　crumbling　waterfront；　and　will　and　lyras　little　cafe。　a　long　search　through　the　captains　telescope　had　shown　no　signs　of　life　whatsoever；　but　john　faa　planned　to　take　half　a　dozen　armed　men　ashore　just　in　case。
they　wouldnt　get　in　the　way；　but　they　were　there　if　they　were　needed。
they　ate　a　last　meal　together；　watching　the　darkness　fall。　will　said　goodbye　to　the　captain　and　his　officers；　and　to　john　faa　and　farder　coram。　he　had　hardly　seemed　to　be　aware　of　them；　and　they　saw　him　more　clearly　than　he　saw　them：　they　saw　someone　young；　but　very　strong；　and　deeply　stricken。
finally　will　and　lyra　and　their　daemons；　and　mary　and　serafina　pekkala；　set　off　through　the　empty　city。　and　it　was　empty；　the　only　footfalls　and　the　only　shadows　were　their　own。　lyra　and　will　went　ahead；　hand　in　hand；　to　the　place　where　they　had　to　part；　and　the　women　stayed　some　way　behind；　talking　like　sisters。
〃lyra　wants　to　e　a　little　way　into　my　oxford；〃　mary　said。　〃shes　got　something　in　mind。　shell　e　straight　back　afterwards。〃
〃what　will　you　do；　mary？〃
〃me；　go　with　will；　of　course。　well　go　to　my　flat；　my　house；　tonight；　and　then　tomorrow　well　go　and　find　out　where　his　mother　is；　and　see　what　we　can　do　to　help　her　get　better。　there　are　so　many　rules　and　regulations　in　my　world；　serafina；　you　have　to　satisfy　the　authorities　and　answer　a　thousand　questions；　ill　help　him　with　all　the　legal　side　of　things　and　the　social　services　and　housing　and　all　that；　and　let　him　concentrate　on　his　mother。　hes　a　strong　boy。。。but　ill　help　him。　besides；　i　need　him。　i　havent　got　a　job　anymore；　and　not　much　money　in　the　bank；　and　i　wouldnt　be　surprised　if　the　police　are　after　me。。。hell　be　the　only　person　in　my　whole　world　that　i　can　talk　to　about　all　this。〃
they　walked　on　through　the　silent　streets；　past　a　square　tower　with　a　doorway　opening　into　darkness；　past　a　little　cafe　where　tables　stood　on　the　pavement；　and　out　onto　a　broad　boulevard　with　a　line　of　palm　trees　in　the　center。
〃this　is　where　i　came　through；〃　said　mary。
the　window　will　had　first　seen　in　the　quiet　suburban　road　in　oxford　opened　here；　and　on　the　oxford　side　it　was　guarded　by　police；　or　had　been　when　mary　tricked　them　into　letting　her　through。　she　saw　will　reach　the　spot　and　move　his　hands　deftly　in　the　air；　and　the　window　vanished。
〃thatll　surprise　them　next　time　they　look；〃　she　said。
it　was　lyras　intention　to　go　into　will　and　marys　oxford　and　show　will　something　before　returning　with　serafina；　and　obviously　they　had　to　be　careful　where　they　cut　through；　so　the　women　followed　on　behind；　through　the　moonlit　streets　of　cittagazze。　on　their　right　a　wide　and　graceful　parkland　led　up　to　a　great　house　with　a　classical　portico　as　brilliant　as　icing　sugar　under　the　moon。
〃when　you　told　me　the　shape　of　my　daemon；〃　mary　said；　〃you　said　you　could　teach　me　how　to　see　him；　if　we　had　time。。。i　wish　we　had。〃
〃well；　we　have　had　time；〃　serafina　said；　〃and　havent　we　been　talking？　ive　taught　you　some　witch…lore；　which　would　be　forbidden　under　the　old　ways　in　my　world。　but　you　are　going　back　to　your　world；　and　the　old　ways　have　changed。　and　i；　too；　have　learned　much　from　you。　now　then：　when　you　spoke　to　the　shadows　on　your　puter；　you　had　to　hold　a　special　state　of　mind；　didnt　you？〃
〃yes。。。just