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Abarat :: Barker Clive
Страница: 5 из 234But the timbers of the boat had acquired a subtle luminescence from the appearance of the moon, and they were stronger for the benediction they had received. The boat no longer creaked when it was broad-sided. Instead it seemed to rise effortlessly up the steep sides of the waves.
"That's better," said Diamanda.
She reached out to reclaim their precious cargo.
"I can take care of it," Mespa protested.
"I'm sure you can," said Diamanda. "But the responsibility lies with me. I know the world we're going to, remember? You don't."
"You remember the way it was ," Joephi reminded her. "But it will have changed."
"Very possibly," Diamanda agreed. "But I still have a better idea of what lies ahead of us than you two do. Now give me the box, Mespa."
Mespa handed the treasure over, and the women's vessel carved its way through the lightless sea, picking up speed as it went, the bow lifting a little way above the waters.
The rain continued to beat down on the women's heads, gathering in the bottom of the boat until it was four inches deep. But the voyagers took no notice of its assault. They simply sat together in grateful silence, as the magic of the moon hurried them toward their destination.
" There !" said Joephi. She pointed off toward the distant shore. "I see the Hereafter."
"I see it too!" said Mespa. "Oh, thank the Goddess! I see it! I see it!"
"Hush yourselves," Diamanda said. "We don't want to draw attention."
"It looks empty," Joephi said, scanning the landscape ahead. "You said there was a town."
"There is a town. But it's a little distance from the harbor."
"I see no harbor."
"Well, there's not much of it left," Diamanda said. "It was burned down, long before my time."
The keel of The Lyre was grating on the shore of the Hereafter. Joephi was first out, hauling on the rope and securing it to a piece of aged timber that was driven into the ground. Mespa helped Diamanda out, and the three of them stood side by side assessing the unpromising landscape spread before them. The storm had followed them across the divide between the two worlds, its fury undimmed.
"Now, let's remember," said Diamanda, "we're here to do one thing and one thing only. We get our business done and then we leave. Remember: we should not be here."
"We know that," said Mespa.
"But let's not be hasty and make a mistake," Joephi said, glancing at the box Diamanda carried. "For her sake we have to do this right. We carry the hopes of the Abarat with us."
Even Diamanda was quieted by this remark.
"That's better," said Diamanda.
She reached out to reclaim their precious cargo.
"I can take care of it," Mespa protested.
"I'm sure you can," said Diamanda. "But the responsibility lies with me. I know the world we're going to, remember? You don't."
"You remember the way it was ," Joephi reminded her. "But it will have changed."
"Very possibly," Diamanda agreed. "But I still have a better idea of what lies ahead of us than you two do. Now give me the box, Mespa."
Mespa handed the treasure over, and the women's vessel carved its way through the lightless sea, picking up speed as it went, the bow lifting a little way above the waters.
The rain continued to beat down on the women's heads, gathering in the bottom of the boat until it was four inches deep. But the voyagers took no notice of its assault. They simply sat together in grateful silence, as the magic of the moon hurried them toward their destination.
" There !" said Joephi. She pointed off toward the distant shore. "I see the Hereafter."
"I see it too!" said Mespa. "Oh, thank the Goddess! I see it! I see it!"
"Hush yourselves," Diamanda said. "We don't want to draw attention."
"It looks empty," Joephi said, scanning the landscape ahead. "You said there was a town."
"There is a town. But it's a little distance from the harbor."
"I see no harbor."
"Well, there's not much of it left," Diamanda said. "It was burned down, long before my time."
The keel of The Lyre was grating on the shore of the Hereafter. Joephi was first out, hauling on the rope and securing it to a piece of aged timber that was driven into the ground. Mespa helped Diamanda out, and the three of them stood side by side assessing the unpromising landscape spread before them. The storm had followed them across the divide between the two worlds, its fury undimmed.
"Now, let's remember," said Diamanda, "we're here to do one thing and one thing only. We get our business done and then we leave. Remember: we should not be here."
"We know that," said Mespa.
"But let's not be hasty and make a mistake," Joephi said, glancing at the box Diamanda carried. "For her sake we have to do this right. We carry the hopes of the Abarat with us."
Even Diamanda was quieted by this remark.