pp.thegoldencompass-第53部分

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　　And　among　them　was　a　small　figure　who　ran　toward　her；　and　whose　daemon　leaped　up　to　greet　Pantalaimon。
　　〃Roger！〃　she　said。
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison　made　me　stay　out　there　in　the　snow　while　he　came　to　fetch　you　away…we　fell　out　the　balloon；　Lyra！　After　you　fell　out；　we　got　carried　miles　and　miles；　and　then　Mr。　Scoresby　let　some　more　gas　out　and　we　crashed　into　a　mountain；　and　we　fell　down　such　a　slope　like　you　never　seen！　And　I　don't　know　where　Mr。　Scoresby　is　now；　nor　the　witches。　There　was　just　me　and　Iorek　Byrnison。　He　e　straight　back　this　way　to　look　for　you。　And　they　told　me　about　his　fight　。　。　。　。〃
　　Lyra　looked　around。　Under　the　direction　of　an　older　bear；　the　human　prisoners　were　building　a　shelter　out　of　driftwood　and　scraps　of　canvas。　They　seemed　pleased　to　have　some　work　to　do。　One　of　them　was　striking　a　flint　to　light　a　fire。
　　〃There　is　food；〃　said　the　young　bear　who　had　woken　Lyra。
　　A　fresh　seal　lay　on　the　snow。　The　bear　sliced　it　open　with　a　claw　and　showed　Lyra　where　to　find　the　kidneys。　She　ate　one　raw：　it　was　warm　and　soft　and　delicious　beyond　imagining。
　　〃Eat　the　blubber　too；〃　said　the　bear；　and　tore　off　a　piece　for　her。　It　tasted　of　cream　flavored　with　hazelnuts。　Roger　hesitated；　but　followed　her　example。　They　ate　greedily；　and　within　a　very　few　minutes　Lyra　was　fully　awake　and　beginning　to　be　warm。
　　Wiping　her　mouth；　she　looked　around；　but　Iorek　was　not　in　sight。
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison　is　speaking　with　his　counselors；〃　said　the　young　bear。　〃He　wants　to　see　you　when　you　have　eaten。　Follow　me。〃
　　He　led　them　over　a　rise　in　the　snow　to　a　spot　where　bears　were　beginning　to　build　a　wall　of　ice　blocks。　Iorek　sat　at　the　center　of　a　group　of　older　bears；　and　he　rose　to　greet　her。
　　〃Lyra　Silvertongue；〃　he　said。　〃e　and　hear　what　I　am　being　told。〃
　　He　didn't　explain　her　presence　to　the　other　bears；　or　perhaps　they　had　learned　about　her　already；　but　they　made　room　for　her　and　treated　her　with　immense　courtesy；　as　if　she　were　a　queen。　She　felt　proud　beyond　measure　to　sit　beside　her　friend　Iorek　Byrnison　under　the　Aurora　as　it　flickered　gracefully　in　the　polar　sky；　and　join　the　conversation　of　the　bears。
　　It　turned　out　that　lofur　Raknison's　dominance　over　them　had　been　like　a　spell。　Some　of　them　put　it　down　to　the　influence　of　Mrs。　Coulter；　who　had　visited　him　before　Iorek's　exile；　though　Iorek　had　not　known　about　it；　and　given　lofur　various　presents。
　　〃She　gave　him　a　drug；〃　said　one　bear；　〃which　he　fed　secretly　to　Hjalmur　Hjalmurson；　and　made　him　forget　himself。〃
　　Hjalmur　Hjalmurson；　Lyra　gathered；　was　the　bear　whom　Iorek　had　killed；　and　whose　death　had　brought　about　his　exile。　So　Mrs。　Coulter　was　behind　that！　And　there　was　more。
　　〃There　are　human　laws　that　prevent　certain　things　that　she　was　planning　to　do；　but　human　laws　don't　apply　on　Svalbard。　She　wanted　to　set　up　another　station　here　like　Bolvangar；　only　worse；　and　lofur　was　going　to　allow　her　to　do　it；　against　all　the　custom　of　the　bears；　because　humans　have　visited；　or　been　imprisoned；　but　never　lived　and　worked　here。　Little　by　little　she　was　going　to　increase　her　power　over　lofur　Raknison；　and　his　over　us；　until　we　were　her　creatures　running　back　and　forth　at　her　bidding；　and　our　only　duty　to　guard　the　abomination　she　was　going　to　create　。　。　。　。〃
　　That　was　an　old　bear　speaking。　His　name　was　S0ren　Eisarson；　and　he　was　a　counselor；　one　who　had　suffered　under　lofur　Raknison。
　　〃What　is　she　doing　now；　Lyra？〃　said　Iorek　Byrnison。　〃Once　she　hears　of　lofur's　death；　what　will　her　plans　be？〃
　　Lyra　took　out　the　alethiometer。　There　was　not　much　light　to　see　it　by；　and　Iorek　manded　that　a　torch　be　brought。
　　〃What　happened　to　Mr。　Scoresby？〃　Lyra　said　while　they　were　waiting。　〃And　the　witches？〃
　　〃The　witches　were　attacked　by　another　witch　clan。　I　don't　know　if　the　others　were　allied　to　the　child　cutters；　but　they　were　patrolling　our　skies　in　vast　numbers；　and　they　attacked　in　the　storm。　I　didn't　see　what　happened　to　Serafina　Pekkala。　As　for　Lee　Scoresby；　the　balloon　soared　up　again　after　I　fell　out　with　the　boy；　taking　him　with　it。　But　your　symbol　reader　will　tell　you　what　their　fate　is。〃
　　A　bear　pulled　up　a　sledge　on　which　a　cauldron　of　charcoal　was　smoldering；　and　thrust　a　resinous　branch　into　the　heart　of　it。　The　branch　caught　at　once；　and　in　its　glare　Lyra　turned　the　hands　of　the　alethiometer　and　asked　about　Lee　Scoresby。
　　It　turned　out　that　he　was　still　aloft；　borne　by　the　winds　toward　Nova　Zembla；　and　that　he　had　been　unharmed　by　the　cliff…ghasts　and　had　fought　off　the　other　witch　clan。
　　Lyra　told　Iorek；　and　he　nodded；　satisfied。
　　〃If　he　is　in　the　air；　he　will　be　safe；〃　he　said。　〃What　of　Mrs。　Coulter？〃
　　The　answer　was　plicated；　with　the　needle　swinging　from　symbol　to　symbol　in　a　sequence　that　made　Lyra　puzzle　for　a　long　time。　The　bears　were　curious；　but　restrained　by　their　respect　for　Iorek　Byrnison；　and　his　for　Lyra；　and　she　put　them　out　of　her　mind　and　sank　again　into　the　alethiometric　trance。
　　The　play　of　symbols；　once　she　had　discovered　the　pattern　of　it；　was　dismaying。
　　〃It　says　she's　。　。　。　She's　heard　about　us　flying　this　way；　and　she's　got　a　transport　zeppelin　that's　armed　with　machine　guns…I　think　that's　it…and　they're　a　flying　to　Svalbard　right　now。　She　don't　know　yet　about　lofur　Raknison　being　beaten；　of　course；　but　she　will　soon　because　。　。　。　Oh　yes；　because　some　witches　will　tell　her；　and　they'll　learn　it　from　the　cliff…ghasts。　So　I　reckon　there　are　spies　in　the　air　all　around；　Iorek。　She　was　ing　to　。　。　。　to　pretend　to　help　lofur　Raknison；　but　really　she　was　going　to　take　over　power　from　him；　with　a　regiment　of　Tartars　that's　a　ing　by　sea；　and　they'll　be　here　in　a　couple　of　days。
　　〃And　as　soon　as　she　can；　she's　going　to　where　Lord　Asriel　is　kept　prisoner；　and　she's　intending　to　have　him　killed。　Because　　。　。　。　It's　ing　clear　now：　something　I　never　understood　before；　Iorek！　It's　why　she　wants　to　kill　Lord　Asriel：　it's　because　she　knows　what　he's　going　to　do；　and　she　fears　it；　and　she　wants　to　do　it　herself　and　gain　control　before　he　does　。　。　。　。It　must　be　the　city　in　the　sky；　it　must　be！　She's　trying　to　get　to　it　first！　And　now　it's　telling　me　something　else　。　。　。　。〃
　　She　bent　over　the　instrument；　concentrating　furiously　as　the　needle　darted　this　way　and　that。　It　moved　almost　too　fast　to　follow；　Roger；　looking　over　her　shoulder；　couldn't　even　see　it　stop；　and　was　conscious　only　of　a　swift　nickering　dialogue　between　Lyra's　fingers　turning　the　hands　and　the　needle　answering；　as　bewilderingly　unlike　language　as　the　Aurora　was。
　　〃Yes；〃　she　said　finally；　putting　the　instrument　down　in　her　lap　and　blinking　and　sighing　as　she　woke　out　of　her　profound　concentration。　〃Yes；　I　see　what　it　says。　She's　after　me　again。
　　She　wants　something　I've　got；　because　Lord　Asriel　wants　it　too。　They　need　it　for　this　。　。　。　for　this　experiment；　whatever　it　is　。　。　。　〃
　　She　stopped　there；　to　take　a　deep　breath。　Something　was　troubling　her；　and　she　didn't　know　what　it　was。　She　was　sure　that　this　something　that　was　so　important　was　the　alethiome…ter　itself；　because　after　all；　Mrs。　Coulter　had　wanted　it；　and　what　else　could　it　be？　And　yet　it　wasn't；　because　the　alethiometer　had　a　different　way　of　referring　to　itself；　and　this　wasn't　it。
　　〃I　suppose　it's　the　alethiometer；〃　she　said　unhappily。　〃It's　what　I　thought　all　along。　I've　got　to　take　it　to　Lord　Asriel　before　she　gets　it。　If　she　gets　it；　we'll　all　die。〃
　　As　she　said　that；　she　felt　so　tired；　so　bone…deep　weary　and　sad；　that　to　die　would　have　been　a　relief。　But　the　example　of　Iorek　kept　her　from　admitting　it。　She　put　the　alethiometer　away　and　sat　up　straight。
　　〃How　far　away　is　she　？〃　said　Iorek。
　　〃Just　a　few　hours。　I　suppose　I　ought　to　take　the　alethiometer　to　Lord　Asriel　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　　〃I　will　go　with　you；〃　said　Iorek。
　　She　didn't　argue。　While　Iorek　gave　mands　and　organized　an　armed　squad　to　acpany　them　on　the　final　part　of　their　journey　north；　Lyra　sat　still；　conserving　her　energy。　She　felt　that　something　had　gone　out　of　her　during　that　last　reading。　She　closed　her　eyes　and　slept；　and　presently　they　woke　her　and　set　off。
　　
　　
　　TWENTY…ONE
　　LORD　ASRIEL'S　WELE
　　
　　Lyra　rode　a　strong　young　bear；　and　Roger　rode　another；　while　Iorek　paced　tirelessly　ahead　and　a　squad　armed　with　a　fire　hurler　followed　guarding　the　rear。
　　The　way　was　long　and　hard。　The　interior　of　Svalbard　was　mountainous；　with　jumbled　peaks　and　sharp　ridges　deeply　cut　by　ravines　and　steep…sided　valleys；　and　the　cold　was　intense。　Lyra　thought　back　to　the　smooth…running　sledges　of　the　gyp…tians　on　the　way　to　Bolvangar；　how　swift　and　fortable　that　progress　now　seemed　to　have　been！　The　air　here　was　more　penetratingly　chill　than　any　she　had　experienced　before；　or　it　might　have　been　that　the　bear　she　was　riding　wasn't　as　lightfooted　as　Iorek；　or　it　might　have　been　that　she　was　tired　to　her　very　soul。　At　all　events；　it　was　desperately　hard　going。
　　She　knew　little　of　where　they　were　bound；　or　how　far　it　was。　All　she　knew　was　what　the　older　bear　S0ren　Eisarson　had　told　her　while　they　were　preparing　the　fire　hurler。　He　had　been　involved　in　negotiating　with　Lord　Asriel　about　the　terms　of　his　imprisonment；　and　he　remembered　it　well。
　　At　first；　he'd　said；　the　Svalbard　bears　regarded　Lord　Asriel　as　being　no　different　from　any　of　the　other　politicians；　kings；　or　troublemakers　who　had　been　exiled　to　their　bleak　island。　The　prisoners　were　important；　or　they　would　have　been　killed　outright　by　their　own　people；　they　might　be　valuable　to　the　bears　one　day；　if　their　political　fortunes　changed　and　they　returned　to　rule　in　their　own　countries；　so　it　might　pay　the　bears　not　to　treat　them　with　cruelty　or　disrespect。
　　So　Lord　Asriel　had　found　conditions　on　Svalbard　no　better　and　no　worse　than　hundreds　of　other　exiles　had　done。　But　certain　things　had　made　his　jailers　more　wary　of　him　than　of　other　prisoners　they'd　had。　There　was　the　air　of　mystery　and　spiritual　peril　surrounding　anything　that　had　to　do　with　Dust；　there　was　the　clear　panic　on　the　part　of　those　who'd　brought　him　there；　and　there　were　Mrs。　Coulter's　private　munications　with　lofur　Raknison。
　　Besides；　the　bears　had　never　met　anything　quite　like　Lord　Asriel's　own　haughty　and　imperious　nature。　He　dominated　even　lofur　Raknison；　arguing　forcefully　and　eloquently；　and　persuaded　the　bear…king　to　let　him　choose　his　own　dwelling　place。
　　The　first　one　he　was　allotted　was　too　low　down；　he　said。　He　needed　a　high　spot；　above　the　smoke　and　stir　of　the　fire　mines　and　the　smithies。　He　gave　the　bears　a　design　of　the　acmodation　he　wanted；　and　told　them　where　it　should　be；　and　he　bribed　them　with　gold；　and　he　flattered　and　bullied　lofur　Raknison；　and　with　a　bemused　willingness　the　bears　set　to　work。　Before　long　a　house　had　arisen　on　a　headland　facing　north：　a　wide　and　solid　place　with　fireplaces　that　burned　great　blocks　of　coal　mined　and　hauled　by　bears；　and　with　large　windows　of　real　glass。　There　he　dwelt；　a　prisoner　acting　like　a　king。
　　And　then　he　set　about　assembling　the　materials　for　a　laboratory。
　　With　furious　concentration　he　sent　for　books；　instruments；　chemicals；　all　manner　of　tools　and　equipment。　And　somehow　it　had　e；　from　this　source　or　that；　some　openly；　some　smuggled　in　by