pp.thegoldencompass-第34部分

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　　〃No。〃
　　〃Or　tricked；　maybe？〃
　　He　stopped　gnawing　and　looked　at　her　directly。　Then　he　said；　〃You　will　never　defeat　the　armored　bears。　You　have　seen　my　armor；　now　look　at　my　weapons。〃
　　He　dropped　the　meat　and　held　out　his　paws；　palm　upward；　for　her　to　look　at。　Each　black　pad　was　covered　in　horny　skin　an　inch　or　more　thick；　and　each　of　the　claws　was　as　long　as　Lyra's　hand　at　least；　and　as　sharp　as　a　knife。　He　let　her　run　her　hands　over　them　wonderingly。
　　〃One　blow　will　crush　a　seal's　skull；〃　he　said。　〃Or　break　a　man's　back；　or　tear　off　a　limb。　And　I　can　bite。　If　you　had　not　stopped　me　in　Trollesund；　I　would　have　crushed　that　man's　head　like　an　egg。　So　much　for　strength；　now　for　trickery。　You　cannot　trick　a　bear。　You　want　to　see　proof？　Take　a　stick　and　fence　with　me。〃
　　Eager　to　try；　she　snapped　a　stick　off　a　snow…laden　bush；　trimmed　all　the　side　shoots　off；　and　swished　it　from　side　to　side　like　a　rapier。　Iorek　Byrnison　sat　back　on　his　haunches　and　waited；　forepaws　in　his　lap。　When　she　was　ready；　she　faced　him；　but　she　didn't　like　to　stab　at　him　because　he　looked　so　peaceable。　So　she　flourished　it；　feinting　to　right　and　left；　not　intending　to　hit　him　at　all；　and　he　didn't　move。　She　did　that　several　times；　and　not　once　did　he　move　so　much　as　an　inch。
　　Finally　she　decided　to　thrust　at　him　directly；　not　hard；　but　just　to　touch　the　stick　to　his　stomach。　Instantly　his　paw　reached　forward　and　flicked　the　stick　aside。
　　Surprised；　she　tried　again；　with　the　same　result。　He　moved　far　more　quickly　and　surely　than　she　did。　She　tried　to　hit　him　in　earnest；　wielding　the　stick　like　a　fencer's　foil；　and　not　once　did　it　land　on　his　body。　He　seemed　to　know　what　she　intended　before　she　did；　and　when　she　lunged　at　his　head；　the　great　paw　swept　the　stick　aside　harmlessly；　and　when　she　feinted；　he　didn't　move　at　all。
　　She　became　exasperated；　and　threw　herself　into　a　furious　attack；　jabbing　and　lashing　and　thrusting　and　stabbing；　and　never　once　did　she　get　past　those　paws。　They　moved　everywhere；　precisely　in　time　to　parry；　precisely　at　the　right　spot　to　block。
　　Finally　she　was　frightened；　and　stopped。　She　was　sweating　inside　her　furs；　out　of　breath；　exhausted；　and　the　bear　still　sat　impassive。　If　she　had　had　a　real　sword　with　a　murderous　point；　he　would　have　been　quite　unharmed。
　　〃I　bet　you　could　catch　bullets；〃　she　said；　and　threw　the　stick　away。　〃How　do　you　do　that？〃
　　〃By　not　being　human；〃　he　said。　〃That's　why　you　could　never　trick　a　bear。　We　see　tricks　and　deceit　as　plain　as　arms　and　legs。　We　can　see　in　a　way　humans　have　forgotten。　But　you　know　about　this；　you　can　understand　the　symbol　reader。〃
　　〃That　en't　the　same；　is　it？〃　she　said。　She　was　more　nervous　of　the　bear　now　than　when　she　had　seen　his　anger。
　　〃It　is　the　same；〃　he　said。　〃Adults　can't　read　it；　as　I　understand。　As　I　am　to　human　fighters；　so　you　are　to　adults　with　the　symbol　reader。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　suppose；〃　she　said；　puzzled　and　unwilling。　〃Does　that　mean　I'll　forget　how　to　do　it　when　I　grow　up？〃
　　〃Who　knows？　I　have　never　seen　a　symbol　reader；　nor　anyone　who　could　read　them。　Perhaps　you　are　different　from　others。〃　He　dropped　to　all　fours　again　and　went　on　gnawing　his　meat。　Lyra　had　unfastened　her　furs；　but　now　the　cold　was　striking　in　again　and　she　had　to　do　them　up。　All　in　all；　it　was　a　disquieting　episode。　She　wanted　to　consult　the　alethiome…ter　there　and　then；　but　it　was　too　cold；　and　besides；　they　were　calling　for　her　because　it　was　time　to　move　on。　She　took　the　tin　boxes　that　Iorek　Byrnison　had　made；　put　the　empty　one　back　into　Farder　Coram's　kit　bag；　and　put　the　one　with　the　spy…fly　in　it　together　with　the　alethiometer　in　the　pouch　at　her　waist。　She　was　glad　when　they　were　moving　again。
　　
　　The　leaders　had　agreed　with　Lee　Scoresby　that　when　they　reached　the　next　stopping　place；　they　would　inflate　his　balloon　and　he　would　spy　from　the　air。　Naturally　Lyra　was　eager　to　fly　with　him；　and　naturally　it　was　forbidden；　but　she　rode　with　him　on　the　way　there　and　pestered　him　with　questions。　〃Mr。　Scoresby；　how　would　you　fly　to　Svalbard？〃
　　〃You'd　need　a　dirigible　with　a　gas　engine；　something　like　a　zeppelin；　or　else　a　good　south　wind。　But　hell；　I　wouldn't　dare。　Have　you　ever　seen　it？　The　bleakest　barest　most　inhospitable　godforsaken　dead　end　of　nowhere。〃
　　〃I　was　just　wondering；　if　Iorek　Bymison　wanted　to　go　back　。　。　。　〃
　　〃He'd　be　killed。　Iorek's　in　exile。　As　soon　as　he　set　foot　there；　they'd　tear　him　to　pieces。〃
　　〃How　do　you　inflate　your　balloon；　Mr。　Scoresby？〃
　　〃Two　ways。　I　can　make　hydrogen　by　pouring　sulfuric　acid　onto　iron　filings。　You　catch　the　gas　it　gives　off　and　gradually　fill　the　balloon　like　that。　The　other　way　is　to　find　a　ground…gas　vent　near　a　fire　mine。　There's　a　lot　of　gas　under　the　ground　here；　and　rock　oil　besides。　I　can　make　gas　from　rock　oil；　if　I　need　to；　and　from　coal　as　well；　it's　not　hard　to　make　gas。　But　the　quickest　way　is　to　use　ground　gas。　A　good　vent　will　fill　the　balloon　in　an　hour。〃
　　〃How　many　people　can　you　carry？〃
　　〃Six；　if　I　need　to。〃
　　〃Could　you　carry　Iorek　Byrnison　in　his　armor？〃
　　〃I　have　done。　I　rescued　him　one　time　from　the　Tartars；　when　he　was　cut　off　and　they　were　starving　him　out…that　was　in　the　Tunguska　campaign；　I　flew　in　and　took　him　off。　Sounds　easy；　but　hell；　I　had　to　calculate　the　weight　of　that　old　boy　by　guess…work。　And　then　I　had　to　bank　on　finding　ground　gas　under　the　ice　fort　he'd　made。　But　I　could　see　what　kind　of　ground　it　was　from　the　air；　and　I　reckoned　we'd　be　safe　in　digging。　See；　to　go　down　I　have　to　let　gas　out　of　the　balloon；　and　I　can't　get　airborne　again　without　more。　Anyway；　we　made　it；　armor　and　all。〃
　　〃Mr。　Scoresby；　you　know　the　Tartars　make　holes　in　people's　heads？〃
　　〃Oh；　sure。　They've　been　doing　that　for　thousands　of　years。　In　the　Tunguska　campaign　we　captured　five　Tartars　alive；　and　three　of　them　had　holes　in　their　skulls。　One　of　them　had　two。〃
　　〃They　do　it　to　each　other？〃
　　〃That's　right。　First　they　cut　partway　around　a　circle　of　skin　on　the　scalp；　so　they　can　lift　up　a　flap　and　expose　the　bone。　Then　they　cut　a　little　circle　of　bone　out　of　the　skull；　very　carefully　so　they　don't　penetrate　the　brain；　and　then　they　sew　the　scalp　back　over。〃
　　〃I　thought　they　did　it　to　their　enemies！〃
　　〃Hell；　no。　It's　a　great　privilege。　They　do　it　so　the　gods　can　talk　to　them。〃
　　〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　an　explorer　called　Stanislaus　Grumman？〃
　　〃Grumman？　Sure。　I　met　one　of　his　team　when　I　flew　over　the　Yenisei　River　two　years　back。　He　was　going　to　live　among　the　Tartar　tribes　up　that　way。　Matter　of　fact；　I　think　he　had　that　hole　in　the　skull　done。　It　was　part　of　an　initiation　ceremony；　but　the　man　who　told　me　didn't　know　much　about　it。〃
　　〃So　。　。　。　If　he　was　like　an　honorary　Tartar；　they　wouldn't　have　killed　him？〃
　　〃Killed　him？　Is　he　dead　then？〃
　　〃Yeah。　I　saw　his　head；〃　Lyra　said　proudly。　〃My　father　found　it。　I　saw　it　when　he　showed　it　to　the　Scholars　at　Jordan　College　in　Oxford。　They'd　scalped　it；　and　all。〃
　　〃Who'd　scalped　it？〃
　　〃Well；　the　Tartars；　that's　what　the　Scholars　thought　。　。　。　。But　maybe　it　wasn't。〃
　　〃It　might　not　have　been　Grumman's　head；〃　said　Lee　Scoresby。　〃Your　father　might　have　been　misleading　the　Scholars。〃
　　〃I　suppose　he　might；〃　said　Lyra　thoughtfully。　〃He　was　asking　them　for　money。〃
　　〃And　when　they　saw　the　head；　they　gave　him　the　money？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃Good　trick　to　play。　People　are　shocked　when　they　see　a　thing　like　that；　they　don't　like　to　look　too　close。〃
　　〃Especially　Scholars；〃　said　Lyra。
　　〃Well；　you'd　know　better　than　I　would。　But　if　that　was　Grumman's　head；　I'll　bet　it　wasn't　the　Tartars　who　scalped　him。　They　scalp　their　enemies；　not　their　own；　and　he　was　a　Tartar　by　adoption。〃
　　Lyra　turned　that　over　in　her　mind　as　they　drove　on。　There　were　wide　currents　full　of　meaning　flowing　fast　around　her；　the　Gobblers　and　their　cruelty；　their　fear　of　Dust；　the　city　in　the　Aurora；　her　father　in　Svalbard；　her　mother　。　。　。　。And　where　was　she？　The　alethiometer；　the　witches　flying　northward。　And　poor　little　Tony　Makarios；　and　the　clockwork　spy…fly；　and　Iorek　Byrnison's　uncanny　fencing　。　。　。　
　　She　fell　asleep。　And　every　hour　they　drew　closer　to　Bolvangar。
　　
　　
　　FOURTEEN
　　BOLVANGAR　LIGHTS
　　
　　The　fact　that　the　gyptians　had　heard　or　seen　nothing　of　Mrs。　Coulter　worried　Farder　Coram　and　John　Faa　more　than　they　let　Lyra　know；　but　they　weren't　to　know　that　she　was　worried　too。　Lyra　feared　Mrs。　Coulter　and　thought　about　her　often。　And　whereas　Lord　Asriel　was　now　〃father；〃　Mrs。　Coulter　was　never　〃mother。〃　The　reason　for　that　was　Mrs。　Coulter's　daemon；　the　golden　monkey；　who　had　filled　Pantalaimon　with　a　powerful　loathing；　and　who；　Lyra　felt；　had　pried　into　her　secrets；　and　particularly　that　of　the　alethiometer。
　　And　they　were　bound　to　be　chasing　her；　it　was　silly　to　think　otherwise。　The　spy…fly　proved　that；　if　nothing　else。
　　But　when　an　enemy　did　strike；　it　wasn't　Mrs。　Coulter。　The　gyptians　had　planned　to　stop　and　rest　their　dogs；　repair　a　couple　of　sledges；　and　get　all　their　weapons　into　shape　for　the　assault　on　Bolvangar。　John　Faa　hoped　that　Lee　Scoresby　might　find　some　ground　gas　to　fill　his　smaller　balloon　（for　he　had　two；　apparently）　and　go　up　to　spy　out　the　land。　However；　the　aeronaut　attended　to　the　condition　of　the　weather　as　closely　as　a　sailor；　and　he　said　there　was　going　to　be　a　fog；　and　sure　enough；　as　soon　as　they　stopped；　a　thick　mist　descended。　Lee　Scoresby　knew　he'd　see　nothing　from　the　sky；　so　he　had　to　content　himself　with　checking　his　equipment；　though　it　was　all　in　meticulous　order。　Then；　with　no　warning　at　all；　a　volley　of　arrows　flew　out　of　the　dark。
　　Three　gyptian　men　went　down　at　once；　and　died　so　silently　that　no　one　heard　a　thing。　Only　when　they　slumped　clumsily　across　the　dog　traces　or　lay　unexpectedly　still　did　the　nearest　men　notice　what　was　happening；　and　then　it　was　already　too　late；　because　more　arrows　were　flying　at　them。　Some　men　looked　up；　puzzled　by　the　fast　irregular　knocking　sounds　that　came　from　up　and　down　the　line　as　arrows　hurtled　into　wood　or　frozen　canvas。
　　The　first　to　e　to　his　wits　was　John　Faa；　who　shouted　orders　from　the　center　of　the　line。　Cold　hands　and　stiff　limbs　moved　to　obey　as　yet　more　arrows　flew　down　like　rain；　straight　rods　of　rain　tipped　with　death。
　　Lyra　was　in　the　open；　and　the　arrows　were　passing　over　her　head。　Pantalaimon　heard　before　she　did；　and　became　a　leopard　and　knocked　her　over；　making　her　less　of　a　target。　Brushing　snow　out　of　her　eyes；　she　rolled　over　to　try　and　see　what　was　happening；　for　the　semidarkness　seemed　to　be　overflowing　with　confusion　and　noise。　She　heard　a　mighty　roar；　and　the　clang　and　scrape　of　Iorek　Byrnison's　armor　as　he　leaped　fully　clad　over　the　sledges　and　into　the　fog；　and　that　was　followed　by　screams；　snarling；　crunching　and　tearing　sounds；　great　smashing　blows；　cries　of　terror　and　roars　of　bearish　fury　as　he　laid　them　waste。
　　But　who　was　them？　Lyra　had　seen　no　enemy　figures　yet。　The　gyptians　were　swarming　to　defend　the　sledges；　but　that　（as　even　Lyra　could　see）　made　them　better　targets；　and　their　rifles　were　not　easy　to　fire　in　gloves　and　mittens；　she　had　only　heard　four　or　five　shots；　as　against　the　ceaseless　knocking　rain　of　arrows。　And　more　and　more　men