《THE AMBER SPYGLASS》第141章

the　huge　pine　tree　nearby。　it　was　delightful　to　see　him　leaping　through　the　branches　so　far　from　her；　but　they　had　to　be　careful　not　to　do　it　when　anyone　was　looking；　their　painfully　acquired　witch　power　of　separating　had　to　stay　a　secret。　once　she　would　have　reveled　in　showing　it　off　to　all　her　urchin　friends；　and　making　them　goggle　with　fear；　but　will　had　taught　her　the　value　of　silence　and　discretion。
she　sat　on　the　bench　and　waited　for　pan　to　e　to　her。　he　liked　to　surprise　her；　but　she　usually　managed　to　see　him　before　he　reached　her；　and　there　was　his　shadowy　form；　flowing　along　beside　the　riverbank。　she　looked　the　other　way　and　pretended　she　hadnt　seen　him；　and　then　seized　him　suddenly　when　he　leapt　onto　the　bench。
〃i　nearly　did　it；〃　he　said。
〃youll　have　to　get　better　than　that。　i　heard　you　ing　all　the　way　from　the　gate。〃
he　sat　on　the　back　of　the　bench　with　his　forepaws　resting　on　her　shoulder。
〃what　are　we　going　to　tell　her？〃　he　said。
〃yes；〃　she　said。　〃its　only　to　meet　this　headmistress；　anyway。　its　not　to　go　to　the　school。〃
〃but　we　will　go；　wont　we？〃
〃yes；〃　she　said；　〃probably。〃
〃it　might　be　good。〃
lyra　wondered　about　the　other　pupils。　they　might　be　cleverer　than　she　was；　or　more　sophisticated；　and　they　were　sure　to　know　a　lot　more　than　she　did　about　all　the　things　that　were　important　to　girls　of　their　age。　and　she　wouldnt　be　able　to　tell　them　a　hundredth　of　the　things　that　she　knew。　theyd　be　bound　to　think　she　was　simple　and　ignorant。
〃dyou　think　dame　hannah　can　really　do　the　alethiometer？〃　said　pantalaimon。
〃with　the　hooks；　im　sure　she　can。　i　wonder　how　many　books　there　are？　i　bet　we　could　learn　them　all；　and　do　without。　imagine　having　to　carry　a　pile　of　books　everywhere。。。　pan？〃
〃what？〃
〃will　you　ever　tell　me　what　you　and　wills　daemon　did　while　we　were　apart？〃
〃one　day；〃　he　said。　〃and　shell　tell　will；　one　day。　we　agreed　that　wed　know　when　the　time　had　e；　but　we　wouldnt　tell　either　of　you　till　then。〃
〃all　right；〃　she　said　peaceably。
she　had　told　pantalaimon　everything；　but　it　was　right　that　he　should　have　some　secrets　from　her；　after　the　way　shed　abandoned　him。
and　it　was　forting　to　think　that　she　and　will　had　another　thing　in　mon。　she　wondered　whether　there　would　ever　e　an　hour　in　her　life　when　she　didnt　think　of　him；　didnt　speak　to　him　in　her　head；
didnt　relive　every　moment　theyd　been　together；　didnt　long　for　his　voice　and　his　hands　and　his　love。　she　had　never　dreamed　of　what　it　would　feel　like　to　love　someone　so　much；　of　all　the　things　that　had　astonished　her　in　her　adventures；　that　was　what　astonished　her　the　most。　she　thought　the　tenderness　it　left　in　her　heart　was　like　a　bruise　that　would　never　go　away；　but　she　would　cherish　it　forever。
pan　slipped　down　to　the　bench　and　curled　up　on　her　lap。　they　were　safe　together　in　the　dark；　she　and　her　daemon　and　their　secrets。　somewhere　in　this　sleeping　city　were　the　books　that　would　tell　her　how　to　read　the　alethiometer　again；　and　the　kindly　and　learned　woman　who　was　going　to　teach　her；　and　the　girls　at　the　school；　who　knew　so　much　more　than　she　did。
she　thought；　they　dont　know　it　yet；　but　theyre　going　to　be　my　friends。
pantalaimon　murmured；　〃that　thing　that　will　said。。。〃
〃when？〃
〃on　the　beach；　just　before　you　tried　the　alethiometer。　he　said　there　wasnt　any　elsewhere。　it　was　what　his　father　had　told　you。　but　there　was　something　else。〃
〃i　remember。　he　meant　the　kingdom　was　over；　the　kingdom　of　heaven；　it　was　all　finished。　we　shouldnt　live　as　if　it　mattered　more　than　this　life　in　this　world；　because　where　we　are　is　always　the　most　important　place。〃
〃he　said　we　had　to　build　something。。。〃
〃thats　why　we　needed　our　full　life；　pan。　we　would　have　gone　with　will　and　kirjava；　wouldnt　we？〃
〃yes。　of　course！　and　they　would　have　e　with　us。　but。。。”
〃but　then　we　wouldnt　have　been　able　to　build　it。　no　one　could　if　they　put　themselves　first。　we　have　to　be　all　those　difficult　things　like　cheerful　and　kind　and　curious　and　patient；　and　weve　got　to　study　and　think　and　work　hard；　all　of　us；　in　all　our　different　worlds；　and　then　well　build。。。〃
her　hands　were　resting　on　his　glossy　fur。　somewhere　in　the　garden　a　nightingale　was　singing；　and　a　little　breeze　touched　her　hair　and　stirred　the　leaves　overhead。　all　the　different　bells　of　the　city　chimed；　once　each；　this　one　high；　that　one　low；　some　close　by；　others　farther　off；　one　cracked　and　peevish；　another　grave　and　sonorous；　but　agreeing　in　all　their　different　voices　on　what　the　time　was；　even　if　some　of　them　got　to　it　a　little　more　slowly　than　others。　in　that　other　oxford　where　she　and　will　had　kissed　good…bye；　the　bells　would　be　chiming；　too；　and　a　nightingale　would　be　singing；　and　a　little　breeze　would　be　stirring　the　leaves　in　the　botanic　garden。
〃and　then　what？〃　said　her　daemon　sleepily。　〃build　what？〃
〃the　republic　of　heaven；〃　said　lyra。
the　end
。。。！
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