pp.thegoldencompass-第40部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　　〃What　signal？〃　Annie　demanded。
　　〃The　fire　bell；　like　this　afternoon。　It's　all　organized。　All　the　kids're　going　to　know　and　none　of　the　grownups。　Especially　not　her。〃
　　Their　eyes　were　gleaming　with　hope　and　excitement。　And　all　through　the　canteen　the　message　was　being　passed　around。　Lyra　could　tell　that　the　atmosphere　had　changed。　Outside；　the　children　had　been　energetic　and　eager　for　play；　then　when　they　had　seen　Mrs。　Coulter　they　were　bubbling　with　a　suppressed　hysterical　fear；　but　now　there　was　a　control　and　purpose　to　their　talkativeness。　Lyra　marveled　at　the　effect　hope　could　have。
　　She　watched　through　the　open　doorway；　but　carefully；　ready　to　duck　her　head；　because　there　were　adult　voices　ing；　and　then　Mrs。　Coulter　herself　was　briefly　visible；　looking　in　and　smiling　at　the　happy　children；　with　their　hot　drinks　and　their　cake；　so　warm　and　well　fed。　A　little　shiver　ran　almost　instantaneously　through　the　whole　canteen；　and　every　child　was　still　and　silent；　staring　at　her。
　　Mrs。　Coulter　smiled　and　passed　on　without　a　word。　Little　by　little　the　talk　started　again。
　　Lyra　said；　〃Where　do　they　go　to　talk？〃
　　〃Probably　the　conference　room；〃　said　Annie。　〃They　took　us　there　once；〃　she　added；　meaning　her　and　her　dasmon。　〃There　was　about　twenty　grownups　there　and　one　of　'em　was　giving　a　lecture　and　I　had　to　stand　there　and　do　what　he　told　me；　like　seeing　how　far　my　Kyrillion　could　go　away　from　me；　and　then　he　hypnotized　me　and　did　some　other　things　。　。　。　。It's　a　big　room　with　a　lot　of　chairs　and　tables　and　a　little　platform。　It's　behind　the　front　office。　Hey；　I　bet　they're　going　to　pretend　the　fire　drill　went　off　all　right。　I　bet　they're　scared　of　her；　same　as　we　are　。　。　。　。〃
　　For　the　rest　of　the　day；　Lyra　stayed　close　to　the　other　girls；　watching；　saying　little；　remaining　inconspicuous。　There　was　exercise；　there　was　sewing；　there　was　supper；　there　was　playtime　in　the　lounge：　a　big　shabby　room　with　board　games　and　a　few　tattered　books　and　a　table…tennis　table。　At　some　point　Lyra　and　the　others　became　aware　that　there　was　some　kind　of　subdued　emergency　going　on；　because　the　adults　were　hurrying　to　and　fro　or　standing　in　anxious　groups　talking　urgently。　Lyra　guessed　they'd　discovered　the　daemons'　escape；　and　were　wondering　how　it　had　happened。
　　But　she　didn't　see　Mrs。　Coulter；　which　was　a　relief。　When　it　was　time　for　bed；　she　knew　she　had　to　let　the　other　girls　into　her　confidence。
　　〃Listen；〃　she　said；　〃do　they　ever　e　round　and　see　if　we're　asleep？〃
　　〃They　just　look　in　once；〃　said　Bella。　〃They　just　flash　a　lantern　round；　they　don't　really　look。〃
　　〃Good。　'Cause　I'm　going　to　go　and　look　round。　There's　a　way　through　the　ceiling　that　this　boy　showed　me　。　。　。　。〃
　　She　explained；　and　before　she'd　even　finished；　Annie　said；　〃I'll　e　with　you！〃
　　〃No；　you　better　not；　'cause　it'll　be　easier　if　there's　just　one　person　missing。　You　can　all　say　you　fell　asleep　and　you　don't　know　where　I've　gone。〃
　　〃But　if　I　came　with　you…〃
　　〃More　likely　to　get　caught；〃　said　Lyra。
　　Their　two　daemons　were　staring　at　each　other；　Pantalaimon　as　a　wildcat；　Annie's　Kyrillion　as　a　fox。　They　were　quivering。　Pantalaimon　uttered　the　lowest；　softest　hiss　and　bared　his　teeth；　and　Kyrillion　turned　aside　and　began　to　groom　himself　unconcernedly。
　　〃All　right　then；〃　said　Annie；　resigned。
　　It　was　quite　mon　for　struggles　between　children　to　be　settled　by　their　daemons　in　this　way；　with　one　accepting　the　dominance　of　the　other。　Their　humans　accepted　the　oute　without　resentment；　on　the　whole；　so　Lyra　knew　that　Annie　would　do　as　she　asked。
　　They　all　contributed　items　of　clothing　to　bulk　out　Lyra's　bed　and　make　it　look　as　if　she　was　still　there；　and　swore　to　say　they　knew　nothing　about　it。　Then　Lyra　listened　at　the　door　to　make　sure　no　one　was　ing；　jumped　up　on　the　locker；　pushed　up　the　panel；　and　hauled　herself　through。
　　〃Just　don't　say　anything；〃　she　whispered　down　to　the　three　faces　watching。
　　Then　she　dropped　the　panel　gently　back　into　place　and　looked　around。
　　She　was　crouching　in　a　narrow　metal　channel　supported　in　a　framework　of　girders　and　struts。　The　panels　of　the　ceilings　were　slightly　translucent；　so　some　light　came　up　from　below；　and　in　the　faint　gleam　Lyra　could　see　this　narrow　space　（only　two　feet　or　so　in　height）　extending　in　all　directions　around　her。　It　was　crowded　with　metal　ducts　and　pipes；　and　it　would　be　easy　to　get　lost　in；　but　provided　she　kept　to　the　metal　and　avoided　putting　any　weight　on　the　panels；　and　as　long　as　she　made　no　noise；　she　should　be　able　to　go　from　one　end　of　the　station　to　the　other。
　　〃It's　just　like　back　in　Jordan；　Pan；〃　she　whispered；　〃looking　in　the　Retiring　Room。〃
　　〃If　you　hadn't　done　that；　none　of　this　would　have　happened；〃　he　whispered　back。
　　〃Then　it's　up　to　me　to　undo　it；　isn't　it？〃
　　She　got　her　bearings；　working　out　approximately　which　direction　the　conference　room　was　in；　and　then　set　off。　It　was　a　far　from　easy　journey。　She　had　to　move　on　hands　and　knees；　because　the　space　was　too　low　to　crouch　in；　and　every　so　often　she　had　to　squeeze　under　a　big　square　duct　or　lift　herself　over　some　heating　pipes。　The　metal　channels　she　crawled　in　followed　the　tops　of　internal　walls；　as　far　as　she　could　tell；　and　as　long　as　she　stayed　in　them　she　felt　a　forting　solidity　below　her；　but　they　were　very　narrow；　and　had　sharp　edges；　so　sharp　that　she　cut　her　knuckles　and　her　knees　on　them；　and　before　long　she　was　sore　all　over；　and　cramped；　and　dusty。
　　But　she　knew　roughly　where　she　was；　and　she　could　see　the　dark　bulk　of　her　furs　crammed　in　above　the　dormitory　to　guide　her　back。　She　could　tell　where　a　room　was　empty　because　the　panels　were　dark；　and　from　time　to　time　she　heard　voices　from　below；　and　stopped　to　listen；　but　it　was　only　the　cooks　in　the　kitchen；　or　the　nurses　in　what　Lyra；　in　her　Jordan　way；　thought　of　as　their　mon　room。　They　were　saying　nothing　interesting；　so　she　moved　on。
　　At　last　she　came　to　the　area　where　the　conference　room　should　be；　according　to　her　calculations；　and　sure　enough；　there　was　an　area　free　of　any　pipework；　where　air　conditioning　and　heating　ducts　led　down　at　one　end；　and　where　all　the　panels　in　a　wide　rectangular　space　were　lit　evenly。　She　placed　her　ear　to　the　panel；　and　heard　a　murmur　of　male　adult　voices；　so　she　knew　she　had　found　the　right　place。
　　She　listened　carefully；　and　then　inched　her　way　along　till　she　was　as　close　as　she　could　get　to　the　speakers。　Then　she　lay　full　length　in　the　metal　channel　and　leaned　her　head　sideways　to　hear　as　well　as　she　could。
　　There　was　the　occasional　clink　of　cutlery；　or　the　sound　of　glass　on　glass　as　drink　was　poured；　so　they　were　having　dinner　as　they　talked。　There　were　four　voices；　she　thought；　including　Mrs。　Coulter's。　The　other　three　were　men。　They　seemed　to　be　discussing　the　escaped　dasmons。
　　〃But　who　is　in　charge　of　supervising　that　section？〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter's　gentle　musical　voice。
　　〃A　research　student　called　McKay；〃　said　one　of　the　men。　〃But　there　are　automatic　mechanisms　to　prevent　this　sort　of　thing　happening…〃
　　〃They　didn't　work；〃　she　said。
　　〃With　respect；　they　did；　Mrs。　Coulter。　McKay　assures　us　that　he　locked　all　the　cages　when　he　left　the　building　at　eleven　hundred　hours　today。　The　outer　door　of　course　would　not　have　been　open　in　any　case；　because　he　entered　and　left　by　the　inner　door；　as　he　normally　did。　There's　a　code　that　has　to　be　entered　in　the　ordinator　controlling　the　locks；　and　there's　a　record　in　its　memory　of　his　doing　so。　Unless　that's　done；　an　alarm　goes　off。〃
　　〃But　the　alarm　didn't　go　off；〃　she　said。
　　〃It　did。　Unfortunately；　it　rang　when　everyone　was　outside；　taking　part　in　the　fire　drill。〃
　　〃But　when　you　went　back　inside…〃
　　〃Unfortunately；　both　alarms　are　on　the　same　circuit；　that's　a　design　fault　that　will　have　to　be　rectified。　What　it　meant　was　that　when　the　fire　bell　was　turned　off　after　the　practice；　the　laboratory　alarm　was　turned　off　as　well。　Even　then　it　would　still　have　been　picked　up；　because　of　the　normal　checks　that　would　have　taken　place　after　every　disruption　of　routine；　but　by　that　time；　Mrs。　Coulter；　you　had　arrived　unexpectedly；　and　if　you　recall；　you　asked　specifically　to　meet　the　laboratory　staff　there　and　then；　in　your　room。　Consequently；　no　one　returned　to　the　laboratory　until　some　time　later。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter　coldly。　〃In　that　case；　the　daemons　must　have　been　released　during　the　fire　drill　itself。　And　that　widens　the　list　of　suspects　to　include　every　adult　in　the　station。　Had　you　considered　that？〃
　　〃Had　you　considered　that　it　might　have　been　done　by　a　child？〃　said　someone　else。
　　She　was　silent；　and　the　second　man　went　on：
　　〃Every　adult　had　a　task　to　do；　and　every　task　would　have　taken　their　full　attention；　and　every　task　was　done。　There　is　no　possibility　that　any　of　the　staff　here　could　have　opened　the　door。　None。　So　either　someone　came　from　outside　altogether　with　the　intention　of　doing　that；　or　one　of　the　children　managed　to　find　his　way　there；　open　the　door　and　the　cages；　and　return　to　the　front　of　the　main　building。〃
　　〃And　what　are　you　doing　to　investigate？〃　she　said。　〃No；　on　second　thought；　don't　tell　me。　Please　understand；　Dr。　Cooper；　I'm　not　criticizing　out　of　malice。　We　have　to　be　quite　extraordinarily　careful。　It　was　an　atrocious　lapse　to　have　allowed　both　alarms　to　be　on　the　same　circuit。　That　must　be　corrected　at　once。　Possibly　the　Tartar　officer　in　charge　of　the　guard　could　help　your　investigation？　I　merely　mention　that　as　a　possibility。　Where　were　the　Tartars　during　the　fire　drill；　by　the　way？　I　suppose　you　have　considered　that？〃
　　〃Yes；　we　have；〃　said　the　man　wearily。　〃The　guard　was　fully　occupied　on　patrol；　every　man。　They　keep　meticulous　records。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　you're　doing　your　very　best；〃　she　said。　〃Well；　there　we　are。　A　great　pity。　But　enough　of　that　for　now。　Tell　me　about　the　new　separator。〃
　　Lyra　felt　a　thrill　of　fear。　There　was　only　one　thing　this　could　mean。
　　〃Ah；〃　said　the　doctor；　relieved　to　find　the　conversation　turning　to　another　subject；　〃there's　a　real　advance。　With　the　first　model　we　could　never　entirely　overe　the　risk　of　　〃　the　patient　dying　of　shock；　but　we've　improved　that　no　end。〃
　　〃The　Skraelings　did　it　better　by　hand；〃　said　a　man　who　hadn't　spoken　yet。
　　〃Centuries　of　practice；〃　said　the　other　man。
　　〃But　simply　tearing　was　the　only　option　for　some　time；〃　said　the　main　speaker；　〃however　distressing　that　was　to　the　adult　operators。　If　you　remember；　we　had　to　discharge　quite　a　number　for　reasons　of　stress…related　anxiety。　But　the　first　big　breakthrough　was　the　use　of　anesthesia　bined　with　the　Maystadt　anbaric　scalpel。　We　were　able　to　reduce　death　from　operative　shock　to　below　five　percent。〃
　　〃And　the　new　instrument？〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter。
　　Lyra　was　trembling。　The　blood　was　pounding　in　her　ears；　and　Pantalaimon　was　pressing　his　ermine　form　against　her　side；　and　whispering；　〃Hush；　Lyra；　they　won't　do　it…we　won't　let　them　do　it…〃
　　〃Yes；　it　was　a　curious　discovery　by　Lord　Asriel　himself　that　gave　us　the　key　to　the　new　method。　He　discovered　that　an　alloy　of　manganese　and　titanium　has　the　property　of　insulating　body　from　daemon。　By　the　way；　what　is　happening　with　Lord　Asriel？〃
　　〃Perhaps　you　haven't　heard；〃　said