pp.thegoldencompass-第55部分

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　　He　was　so　quiet　and　relaxed　that　some　of　her　ferocity　dwindled。
　　〃You　don't　know；〃　she　said　uncertainly。
　　〃Yes　I　do。〃
　　〃Have　you　got　another　alethiometer；　then？〃
　　〃I　don't　need　an　alethiometer　for　that。　Now　I　want　to　hear　about　your　journey　here；　Lyra。　Start　from　the　beginning。　Tell　me　everything。〃
　　So　she　did。　She　began　with　her　hiding　in　the　Retiring　Room；　and　went　on　to　the　Gobblers'　taking　Roger；　and　her　time　with　Mrs。　Coulter；　and　everything　else　that　had　happened。
　　It　was　a　long　tale；　and　when　she　finished　it　she　said；　〃So　there's　one　thing　I　want　to　know；　and　I　reckon　I've　got　the　right　to　know　it；　like　I　had　the　right　to　know　who　I　really　was。　And　if　you　didn't　tell　me　that；　you've　got　to　tell　me　this；　in　repense。　So：　what's　Dust？　And　why's　everyone　so　afraid　of　it？〃
　　He　looked　at　her　as　if　trying　to　guess　whether　she　would　understand　what　he　was　about　to　say。　He　had　never　looked　at　her　seriously　before；　she　thought；　until　now　he　had　always　been　like　an　adult　indulging　a　child　in　a　pretty　trick。　But　he　seemed　to　think　she　was　ready。
　　〃Dust　is　what　makes　the　alethiometer　work；〃　he　said。　〃Ah　。　。　。　I　thought　it　might！　But　what　else？　How　did　they　find　out　about　it？〃
　　〃In　one　way；　the　Church　has　always　been　aware　of　it。　They've　been　preaching　about　Dust　for　centuries；　only　they　didn't　call　it　by　that　name。
　　〃But　some　years　ago　a　Muscovite　called　Boris　Mikhailovitch　Rusakov　discovered　a　new　kind　of　elementary　particle。　You've　heard　of　electrons；　photons；　neutrinos；　and　the　rest？　They're　called　elementary　particles　because　you　can't　break　them　down　any　further：　there's　nothing　inside　them　but　themselves。　Well；　this　new　kind　of　particle　was　elementary　all　right；　but　it　was　very　hard　to　measure　because　it　didn't　react　in　any　of　the　usual　ways。　The　hardest　thing　for　Rusakov　to　understand　was　why　the　new　particle　seemed　to　cluster　where　human　beings　were；　as　if　it　were　attracted　to　us。　And　especially　to　adults。　Children　too；　but　not　nearly　so　much　until　their　daemons　have　taken　a　fixed　form。　During　the　years　of　puberty　they　begin　to　attract　Dust　more　strongly；　and　it　settles　on　them　as　it　settles　on　adults。
　　〃Now　all　discoveries　of　this　sort；　because　they　have　a　bearing　on　the　doctrines　of　the　Church；　have　to　be　announced　through　the　Magisterium　in　Geneva。　And　this　discovery　of　Rusakov's　was　so　unlikely　and　strange　that　the　inspector　from　the　Consistorial　Court　of　Discipline　suspected　Rusakov　of　diabolic　possession。　He　performed　an　exorcism　in　the　laboratory；　he　interrogated　Rusakov　under　the　rules　of　the　Inquisition；　but　finally　they　had　to　accept　the　fact　that　Rusakov　wasn't　lying　or　deceiving　them：　Dust　really　existed。
　　〃That　left　them　with　the　problem　of　deciding　what　it　was。　And　given　the　Church's　nature；　there　was　only　one　thing　they　could　have　chosen。　The　Magisterium　decided　that　Dust　was　the　physical　evidence　for　original　sin。　Do　you　know　what　original　sin　is？〃
　　She　twisted　her　lips。　It　was　like　being　back　at　Jordan；　being　quizzed　on　something　she'd　been　half…taught。　〃Sort　of；〃　she　said。
　　〃No；　you　don't。　Go　to　the　shelf　beside　the　desk　and　bring　me　the　Bible。〃
　　Lyra　did　so；　and　handed　the　big　black　book　to　her　father。
　　〃You　do　remember　the　story　of　Adam　and　Eve？〃
　　'〃Course；〃　she　said。　〃She　wasn't　supposed　to　eat　the　fruit　and　the　serpent　tempted　her；　and　she　did。〃
　　〃And　what　happened　then？〃
　　〃Umm　。　。　。　They　were　thrown　out。　God　threw　them　out　of　the　garden。〃
　　〃God　had　told　them　not　to　eat　the　fruit；　because　they　would　die。　Remember；　they　were　naked　in　the　garden；　they　were　like　children；　their　daemons　took　on　any　form　they　desired。　But　this　is　what　happened。〃
　　He　turned　to　Chapter　Three　of　Genesis；　and　read：
　　〃And　the　woman　said　unto　the　serpent；　We　may　eat　of　the　fruit　of　the　trees　of　the　garden：
　　〃But　of　the　fruit　of　the　tree　which　is　in　the　midst　of　the　garden；　God　hath　said；　Ye　shall　not　eat　of　it；　neither　shall　ye　touch　it；　lest　ye　die。
　　〃And　the　serpent　said　unto　the　woman；　Ye　shall　not　surely　die：

　　〃For　God　doth　know　that　in　the　day　ye　eat　thereof；　then　your　eyes　shall　be　opened；　and　your　daemons　shall　assume　their　true　forms；　and　ye　shall　be　as　gods；　knowing　good　and　evil。
　　〃And　when　the　woman　saw　that　the　tree　was　good　for　food；　and　that　it　was　pleasant　to　the　eyes；　and　a　tree　to　be　desired　to　reveal　the　true　form　of　one's　daemon；　she　took　of　the　fruit　thereof；　and　did　eat；　and　gave　also　unto　her　husband　with　her；　and　he　did　eat。
　　〃And　the　eyes　of　them　both　were　opened；　and　they　saw　the　true　form　of　their　daemons；　and　spoke　with　them。
　　〃But　when　the　man　and　the　woman　knew　their　own　daemons；　they　knew　that　a　great　change　had　e　upon　them；　for　until　that　moment　it　had　seemed　that　they　were　at　one　with　all　the　creatures　of　the　earth　and　the　air；　and　there　was　no　difference　between　them：
　　〃And　they　saw　the　difference；　and　they　knew　good　and　evil；　and　they　were　ashamed；　and　they　sewed　fig　leaves　together　to　cover　their　nakedness　。　。　。　。〃
　　He　closed　the　book。
　　〃And　that　was　how　sin　came　into　the　world；〃　he　said；　〃sin　and　shame　and　death。　It　came　the　moment　their　daemons　became　fixed。〃
　　〃But　。　。　。　〃　Lyra　struggled　to　find　the　words　she　wanted：　〃but　it　en't　true；　is　it？　Not　true　like　chemistry　or　engineering；　not　that　kind　of　true？　There　wasn't　really　an　Adam　and　Eve？　The　Cassington　Scholar　told　me　it　was　just　a　kind　of　fairy　tale。〃
　　〃The　Cassington　Scholarship　is　traditionally　given　to　a　freethinker；　it's　his　function　to　challenge　the　faith　of　the　Scholars。　Naturally　he'd　say　that。　But　think　of　Adam　and　Eve　like　an　imaginary　number；　like　the　square　root　of　minus　one：　you　can　never　see　any　concrete　proof　that　it　exists；　but　if　you　include　it　in　your　equations；　you　can　calculate　all　manner　of　things　that　couldn't　be　imagined　without　it。
　　〃Anyway；　it's　what　the　Church　has　taught　for　thousands　of　years。　And　when　Rusakov　discovered　Dust；　at　last　there　was　a　physical　proof　that　something　happened　when　innocence　changed　into　experience。
　　〃Incidentally；　the　Bible　gave　us　the　name　Dust　as　well。　At　first　they　were　called　Rusakov　Particles；　but　soon　someone　pointed　out　a　curious　verse　toward　the　end　of　the　Third　Chapter　of　Genesis；　where　God's　cursing　Adam　for　eating　the　fruit。〃
　　He　opened　the　Bible　again　and　pointed　it　out　to　Lyra。　She　read：
　　〃In　the　sweat　of　thy　face　shalt　thou　eat　bread；　till　thou　return　unto　the　ground；　for　out　of　it　wast　thou　taken：　for　dust　thou　art；　and　unto　dust　shalt　thou　return　。　。　。　。〃
　　Lord　Asriel　said；　〃Church　scholars　have　always　puzzled　over　the　translation　of　that　verse。　Some　say　it　should　read　not　'unto　dust　shalt　thou　return'　but　'thou　shalt　be　subject　to　dust；'　and　others　say　the　whole　verse　is　a　kind　of　pun　on　the　words　'ground'　and　'dust；'　and　it　really　means　that　God's　admitting　his　own　nature　to　be　partly　sinful。　No　one　agrees。　No　one　can；　because　the　text　is　corrupt。　But　it　was　too　good　a　word　to　waste；　and　that's　why　the　particles　became　known　as　Dust。〃
　　〃And　what　about　the　Gobblers？〃　Lyra　said。
　　〃The　General　Oblation　Board　。　。　。　Your　mother's　gang。　Clever　of　her　to　spot　the　chance　of　setting　up　her　own　power　base；　but　she's　a　clever　woman；　as　I　dare　say　you've　noticed。　It　suits　the　Magisterium　to　allow　all　kinds　of　different　agencies　to　flourish。　They　can　play　them　off　against　one　another；　if　one　succeeds；　they　can　pretend　to　have　been　supporting　it　all　along；　and　if　it　fails；　they　can　pretend　it　was　a　renegade　outfit　which　had　never　been　properly　licensed。
　　〃You　see；　your　mother's　always　been　ambitious　for　power。　At　first　she　tried　to　get　it　in　the　normal　way；　through　marriage；　but　that　didn't　work；　as　I　think　you've　heard。　So　she　had　to　turn　to　the　Church。　Naturally　she　couldn't　take　the　route　a　man　could　have　taken…priesthood　and　so　on…it　had　to　be　unorthodox；　she　had　to　set　up　her　own　order；　her　own　channels　of　influence；　and　work　through　that。　It　was　a　good　move　to　specialize　in　Dust。　Everyone　was　frightened　of　it；　no　one　knew　what　to　do；　and　when　she　offered　to　direct　an　investigation；　the　Magisterium　was　so　relieved　that　they　backed　her　with　money　and　resources　of　all　kinds。〃
　　〃But　they　were　cutting…〃　Lyra　couldn't　bring　herself　to　say　it；　the　words　choked　in　her　mouth。　〃You　know　what　they　were　doing！　Why　did　the　Church　let　them　do　anything　like　that？〃
　　〃There　was　a　precedent。　Something　like　it　had　happened　before。　Do　you　know　what　the　word　castration　means？　It　means　removing　the　sexual　organs　of　a　boy　so　that　he　never　develops　the　characteristics　of　a　man。　A　castrate　keeps　his　high　treble　voice　all　his　life；　which　is　why　the　Church　allowed　it：　so　useful　in　Church　music。　Some　castrati　became　great　singers；　wonderful　artists。　Many　just　became　fat　spoiled　half…men。　Some　died　from　the　effects　of　the　operation。　But　the　Church　wouldn't　flinch　at　the　idea　of　a　little　cut；　you　see。　There　was　a　precedent。　And　this　would　be　so　much　more　hygienic　than　the　old　methods；　when　they　didn't　have　anesthetics　or　sterile　bandages　or　proper　nursing　care。　It　would　be　gentle　by　parison。〃
　　〃It　isn't！〃　Lyra　said　fiercely。　〃It　isn't！〃
　　〃No。　Of　course　not。　That's　why　they　had　to　hide　away　in　the　far　North；　in　darkness　and　obscurity。　And　why　the　Church　was　glad　to　have　someone　like　your　mother　in　charge。　Who　could　doubt　someone　so　charming；　so　well…connected；　so　sweet　and　reasonable？　But　because　it　was　an　obscure　and　unofficial　kind　of　operation；　she　was　someone　the　Magisterium　could　deny　if　they　needed　to；　as　well。〃
　　〃But　whose　idea　was　it　to　do　that　cutting　in　the　first　place？〃
　　〃It　was　hers。　She　guessed　that　the　two　things　that　happen　at　adolescence　might　be　connected：　the　change　in　one's　daemon　and　the　fact　that　Dust　began　to　settle。　Perhaps　if　the　daemon　were　separated　from　the　body；　we　might　never　be　subject　to　Dust…to　original　sin。　The　question　was　whether　it　was　possible　to　separate　daemon　and　body　without　killing　the　person。　But　she's　traveled　in　many　places；　and　seen　all　kinds　of　things。　She's　traveled　in　Africa；　for　instance。The　Africans　have　a　way　of　making　a　slave　called　a　zombi。　It　has　no　will　of　its　own；　it　will　work　day　and　night　without　ever　running　away　or　plaining。　It　looks　like　a　corpse　。　。　。　。〃
　　〃It's　a　person　without　their　daemon！〃
　　〃Exactly。　So　she　found　out　that　it　was　possible　to　separate　them。〃
　　〃And　。　。　。　Tony　Costa　told　me　about　the　horrible　phantoms　they　have　in　the　northern　forests。　I　suppose　they　might　be　the　same　kind　of　thing。〃
　　〃That's　right。　Anyway；　the　General　Oblation　Board　grew　out　of　ideas　like　that；　and　out　of　the　Church's　obsession　with　original　sin。〃
　　Lord　Asriel's　daemon　twitched　her　ears；　and　he　laid　his　hand　on　her　beautiful　head。
　　〃There　was　something　else　that　happened　when　they　made　the　cut；〃　he　went　on。　〃And　they　didn't　see　it。　The　energy　that　links　body　and　daemon　is　immensely　powerful。　When　the　cut　is　made；　all　that　energy　dissipates　in　a　fraction　of　a　second。　They　didn't　notice；　because　they　mistook　it　for　shock；　or　disgust；　or　moral　outrage；　and　they　trained　themselves　to　feel　numb　towards　it。　So　they　missed　what　it　could　do；　and　they　never　thought　of　harnessing　it　。　。　。　。〃
　　Lyra　couldn't　sit　still。　She　got　up　and　walked　to　the　window；　and　stared　over　the　wid