pp.thegoldencompass-第20部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　Oxford。　And　another　thing　。　。　。　My　uncle；　right；　Lord　Asriel。　1　heard　them　talking　about　his　journeys　to　the　North；　and　I　don't　reckon　he's　got　anything　to　do　with　the　Gobblers。　Because　I　spied　on　the　Master　and　the　Scholars　of　Jordan；　right；　I　hid　in　the　Retiring　Room　where　no　one's　supposed　to　go　except　them；　and　I　heard　him　tell　them　all　about　his　expedition　up　north；　and　the　Dust　he　saw；　and　he　brought　back　the　head　of　Stanislaus　Grumman；　what　the　Tartars　had　made　a　hole　in。　And　now　the　Gobblers've　got　him　locked　up　somewhere。　The　armored　bears　are　guarding　him。　And　I　want　to　rescue　him。〃
　　She　looked　fierce　and　stubborn　as　she　sat　there；　small　against　the　high　carved　back　of　the　chair。　The　two　old　men　couldn't　help　smiling；　but　whereas　Farder　Coram's　smile　was　a　hesitant；　rich；　plicated　expression　that　trembled　across　his　face　like　sunlight　chasing　shadows　on　a　windy　March　day；　John　Faa's　smile　was　slow；　warm；　plain；　and　kindly。

　　〃You　better　tell　us　what　you　did　hear　your　uncle　say　that　evening；〃　said　John　Faa。　〃Don't　leave　anything　out；　mind。　Tell　us　everything。〃
　　Lyra　did；　more　slowly　than　she'd　told　the　Costas　but　more　honestly；　too。　She　was　afraid　of　John　Faa；　and　what　she　was　most　afraid　of　was　his　kindness。　When　she'd　finished；　Farder　Coram　spoke　for　the　first　time。　His　voice　was　rich　and　musical；　with　as　many　tones　in　it　as　there　were　colors　in　his　daemon's　fur。
　　〃This　Dust；〃　he　said。　〃Did　they　ever　call　it　anything　else；　Lyra？〃
　　〃No。　Just　Dust。　Mrs。　Coulter　told　me　what　it　was；　elementary　particles；　but　that's　all　she　called　it。〃
　　〃And　they　think　that　by　doing　something　to　children；　they　can　find　out　more　about　it？〃
　　〃Yes。　But　I　don't　know　what。　Except　my　uncle　。　。　。　There's　something　I　forgot　to　tell　you。　When　he　was　showing　them　lantern　slides；　there　was　another　one　he　had。　It　was　the　Roarer…〃
　　〃The　what？〃　said　John　Faa。
　　〃The　Aurora；〃　said　Farder　Coram。　〃Is　that　right；　Lyra？〃
　　〃Yeah；　that's　it。　And　in　the　lights　of　the　Roarer　there　was　like　a　city。　All　towers　and　churches　and　domes　and　that。　It　was　a　bit　like　Oxford；　that's　what　I　thought；　anyway。　And　Uncle　Asriel；　he　was　more　interested　in　that；　I　think；　but　the　Master　and　the　other　Scholars　were　more　interested　in　Dust；　like　Mrs。　Coulter　and　Lord　Boreal　and　them。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　said　Farder　Coram。　〃That's　very　interesting。〃
　　〃Now；　Lyra；〃　said　John　Faa；　〃I'm　a　going　to　tell　you　something。　Farder　Coram　here；　he's　a　wise　man。　He's　a　seer。　He's　been　a　follering　all　what's　been　going　on　with　Dust　and　the　Gobblers　and　Lord　Asriel　and　everything　else；　and　he's　been　a　follering　you。　Every　time　the　Costas　went　to　Oxford；　or　half　a　dozen　other　families；　e　to　that；　they　brought　back　a　bit　of　news。　About　you；　child。　Did　you　know　that？〃
　　Lyra　shook　her　head。　She　was　beginning　to　be　frightened。　Pantalaimon　was　growling　too　deep　for　anyone　to　hear；　but　she　could　feel　it　in　her　fingertips　down　inside　his　fur。
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　John　Faa；　〃all　your　doings；　they　all　get　back　to　Farder　Coram　here。〃
　　Lyra　couldn't　hold　it　in。
　　〃We　didn't　damage　it！　Honest！　It　was　only　a　bit　of　mud！　And　we　never　got　very　far…〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　child？〃　said　John　Faa。
　　Farder　Coram　laughed。　When　he　did　that；　his　shaking　stopped　and　his　face　became　bright　and　young。
　　But　Lyra　wasn't　laughing。　With　trembling　lips　she　said；　〃And　even　if　we　had　found　the　bung；　we'd　never've　took　it　out！　It　was　just　a　joke。　We　wouldn't've　sunk　it；　never！〃
　　Then　John　Faa　began　to　laugh　too。　He　slapped　a　broad　hand　on　the　table　so　hard　the　glasses　rang；　and　his　massive　shoulders　shook；　and　he　had　to　wipe　away　the　tears　from　his　eyes。　Lyra　had　never　seen　such　a　sight；　never　heard　such　a　bellow；　it　was　like　a　mountain　laughing。
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said　when　he　could　speak　again；　〃we　heard　about　that　too；　little　girl！　I　don't　suppose　the　Costas　have　set　foot　anywhere　since　then　without　being　reminded　of　it。　You　better　leave　a　guard　on　your　boat；　Tony；　people　say。　Fierce　little　girls　round　here！　Oh；　that　story　went　all　over　the　fens；　child。　But　we　en't　going　to　punish　you　for　it。　No；　no！　Ease　your　mind。〃
　　He　looked　at　Farder　Coram；　and　the　two　old　men　laughed　again；　but　more　gently。　And　Lyra　felt　contented；　and　safe。
　　Finally　John　Faa　shook　his　head　and　became　serious　again。
　　〃I　were　saying；　Lyra；　as　we　knew　about　you　from　a　child。　From　a　baby。　You　oughter　know　what　we　know。　I　can't　guess　what　they　told　you　at　Jordan　College　about　where　you　came　from；　but　they　don't　know　the　whole　truth　of　it。　Did　they　ever　tell　you　who　your　parents　were？〃
　　Now　Lyra　was　pletely　dazed。
　　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃They　said　I　was…they　said　they…they　said　Lord　Asriel　put　me　there　because　my　mother　and　father　died　in　an　airship　accident。　That's　what　they　told　me。〃
　　〃Ah；　did　they。　Well　now；　child；　I'm　a　going　to　tell　you　a　story；　a　true　story。　I　know　it's　true；　because　a　gyptian　woman　told　me；　and　they　all　tell　the　truth　to　John　Faa　and　Farder　Coram。　So　this　is　the　truth　about　yourself；　Lyra。　Your　father　never　perished　in　no　airship　accident；　because　your　father　is　Lord　Asriel。〃
　　Lyra　could　only　sit　in　wonder。
　　〃Here's　how　it　came　about；〃　John　Faa　went　on。　〃When　he　was　a　young　man；　Lord　Asriel　went　exploring　all　over　the　North；　and　came　back　with　a　great　fortune。　And　he　was　a　high…spirited　man；　quick　to　anger；　a　passionate　man。
　　〃And　your　mother；　she　was　passionate　too。　Not　so　well　born　as　him；　but　a　clever　woman。　A　Scholar；　even；　and　those　who　saw　her　said　she　was　very　beautiful。　She　and　your　father；　they　fell　in　love　as　soon's　they　met。
　　〃The　trouble　was；　your　mother　was　already　married。　She'd　married　a　politician。　He　was　a　member　of　the　king's　party；　one　of　his　closest　advisers。　A　rising　man。
　　〃Now　when　your　mother　found　herself　with　child；　she　feared　to　tell　her　husband　the　child　wasn't　his。　And　when　the　baby　was　born…that's　you；　girl…it　was　clear　from　the　look　of　you　that　you　didn't　favor　her　husband；　but　your　true　father；　and　she　thought　it　best　to　hide　you　away　and　give　out　that　you'd　died。
　　〃So　you　was　took　to　Oxfordshire；　where　your　father　had　estates；　and　put　in　the　care　of　a　gyptian　woman　to　nurse。　But　someone　whispered　to　your　mother's　husband　what　had　happened；　and　he　came　a　flying　down　and　ransacked　the　cottage　where　the　gyptian　woman　had　been；　only　she'd　fled　to　the　great　house；　and　the　husband　followed　after；　in　a　murderous　passion。
　　〃Lord　Asriel　was　out　a　hunting；　but　they　got　word　to　him　and　he　came　riding　back　in　time　to　find　your　mother's　husband　at　the　foot　of　the　great　staircase。　Another　moment　and　he'd　have　forced　open　the　closet　where　the　gyptian　woman　was　hiding　with　you；　but　Lord　Asriel　challenged　him；　and　they　fought　there　and　then；　and　Lord　Asriel　killed　him。
　　〃The　gyptian　woman　heard　and　saw　it　all；　Lyra；　and　that's　how　we　know。
　　〃The　consequence　was　a　great　lawsuit。　Your　father　en't　the　kind　of　man　to　deny　or　conceal　the　truth；　and　it　left　the　judges　with　a　problem。　He'd　killed　all　right；　he'd　shed　blood；　but　he　was　defending　his　home　and　his　child　against　an　intruder。　On　t'other　hand；　the　law　allows　any　man　to　avenge　the　violation　of　his　wife；　and　the　dead　man's　lawyers　argued　that　he　were　doing　just　that。
　　〃The　case　lasted　for　weeks；　with　volumes　of　argument　back　and　forth。　In　the　end　the　judges　punished　Lord　Asriel　by　confiscating　all　his　property　and　all　his　land；　and　left　him　a　poor　man；　and　he　had　been　richer　than　a　king。
　　〃As　for　your　mother；　she　wanted　nothing　to　do　with　it；　nor　with　you。　She　turned　her　back。　The　gyptian　nurse　told　me　she'd　often　been　afeared　of　how　your　mother　would　treat　you；　because　she　was　a　proud　and　scornful　woman。　So　much　for　her。
　　〃Then　there　was　you。　If　things　had　fallen　out　different；　Lyra；　you　might　have　been　brought　up　a　gyptian；　because　the　nurse　begged　the　court　to　let　her　have　you；　but　we　gyptians　got　little　standing　in　the　law。　The　court　decided　you　was　to　be　placed　in　a　priory；　and　so　you　were；　with　the　Sisters　of　Obedience　at　Watlington。　You　won't　remember。
　　〃But　Lord　Asriel　wouldn't　stand　for　that。　He　had　a　hatred　of　priors　and　monks　and　nuns；　and　being　a　high…handed　man　he　just　rode　in　one　day　and　carried　you　off。　Not　to　look　after　himself；　nor　to　give　to　the　gyptians；　he　took　you　to　Jordan　College；　and　dared　the　law　to　undo　it。
　　〃Well；　the　law　let　things　be。　Lord　Asriel　went　back　to　his　explorations；　and　you　grew　up　at　Jordan　College。　The　one　thing　he　said；　your　father；　the　one　condition　he　made；　was　that　your　mother　shouldn't　be　let　see　you。　If　she　ever　tried　to　do　that；　she　was　to　be　prevented；　and　he　was　to　be　told；　because　all　the　anger　in　his　nature　had　turned　against　her　now。　The　Master　promised　faithfully　to　do　that；　and　so　time　passed。
　　〃Then　e　all　this　anxiety　about　Dust。　And　all　over　the　country；　all　over　the　world；　wise　men　and　women　too　began　a　worrying　about　it。　It　weren't　of　any　account　to　us　gyptians；　until　they　started　taking　our　kids。　That's　when　we　got　interested。　And　we　got　connections　in　all　sorts　of　places　you　wouldn't　imagine；　including　Jordan　College。　You　wouldn't　know；　but　there's　been　someone　a　watching　over　you　and　reporting　to　us　ever　since　you　been　there。　'Cause　we　got　an　interest　in　you；　and　that　gyptian　woman　who　nursed　you；　she　never　stopped　being　anxious　on　your　behalf。〃
　　〃Who　was　it　watching　over　me？〃　said　Lyra。　She　felt　immensely　important　and　strange；　that　all　her　doings　should　be　an　object　of　concern　so　far　away。
　　〃It　was　a　kitchen　servant。　It　was　Bernie　Johansen；　the　pastry　cook。　He's　half…gyptian；　you　never　knew　that；　I'll　be　bound。〃
　　Bernie　was　a　kindly；　solitary　man；　one　of　those　rare　people　whose　daemon　was　the　same　sex　as　himself。　It　was　Bernie　she'd　shouted　at　in　her　despair　when　Roger　was　taken。　And　Bernie　had　been　telling　the　gyptians　everything！　She　marveled。
　　〃So　anyway；〃　John　Faa　went　on；　〃we　heard　about　you　going　away　from　Jordan　College；　and　how　it　came　about　at　a　time　when　Lord　Asriel　was　imprisoned　and　couldn't　prevent　it。　And　we　remembered　what　he'd　said　to　the　Master　that　he　must　never　do；　and　we　remembered　that　the　man　your　mother　had　married；　the　politician　Lord　Asriel　killed；　was　called　Edward　Coulter。〃
　　〃Mrs。　Coulter？〃　said　Lyra；　quite　stupefied。　〃She