pp.thegoldencompass-第3部分

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　　decanter　of　Tokay　off　the　table；　and　made　it　look　as　if　the　Porter　had　done　it。　The　old　man　put　the　box　down　carefully　and　began　to　apologize。
　　〃I'm　truly　sorry；　my　lord…I　must　have　been　closer　than　I　thought…〃
　　〃Get　something　to　clear　this　mess　up。　Go　on；　before　it　soaks　into　the　carpet！〃
　　The　Porter　hurried　out。　Lord　Asriel　moved　closer　to　the　wardrobe　and　spoke　in　an　undertone。
　　〃Since　you're　in　there；　you　can　make　yourself　useful。　Watch　the　Master　closely　when　he　es　in。　If　you　tell　me　something　interesting　about　him；　I'll　keep　you　from　getting　further　into　the　trouble　you're　already　in。　Understand？〃
　　〃Yes；　Uncle。〃
　　〃Make　a　noise　in　there　and　I　won't　help　you。　You're　on　your　own。〃
　　He　moved　away　and　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fire　again　as　the　Porter　came　back　with　a　brush　and　dustpan　for　the　glass　and　a　bowl　and　cloth。
　　〃I　can　only　say　once　again；　my　lord；　I　do　most　earnestly　beg　your　pardon；　I　don't　know　what…〃
　　〃Just　clear　up　the　mess。〃
　　As　the　Porter　began　to　mop　the　wine　from　the　carpet；　the　Butler　knocked　and　came　in　with　Lord　Asriel's　manservant；　a　man　called　Thorold。　They　were　carrying　between　them　a　heavy　case　of　polished　wood　with　brass　handles。　They　saw　what　the　Porter　was　doing　and　stopped　dead。
　　〃Yes；　it　was　the　Tokay；〃　said　Lord　Asriel。　〃Too　bad。　Is　that　the　lantern？　Set　it　up　by　the　wardrobe；　Thorold；　if　you　would。　I'll　have　the　screen　up　at　the　other　end。〃
　　Lyra　realized　that　she　would　be　able　to　see　the　screen　and　whatever　was　on　it　through　the　crack　in　the　door；　and　wondered　whether　her　uncle　had　arranged　it　like　that　for　the　purpose。　Under　the　noise　the　manservant　made　unrolling　the　stiff　linen　and　setting　it　up　on　its　frame；　she　whispered：
　　〃See？　It　was　worth　ing；　wasn't　it？〃
　　〃It　might　be；〃　Pantalaimon　said　austerely；　in　his　tiny　moth　voice。　〃And　it　might　not。〃
　　Lord　Asriel　stood　by　the　fire　sipping　the　last　of　the　coffee　and　watching　darkly　as　Thorold　opened　the　case　of　the　projecting　lantern　and　uncapped　the　lens　before　checking　the　oil　tank。
　　〃There's　plenty　of　oil；　my　lord；〃　he　said。　〃Shall　I　send　for　a　technician　to　operate　it？〃
　　〃No。　I'll　do　it　myself。　Thank　you；　Thorold。　Have　they　finished　dinner　yet；　Wren？〃
　　〃Very　nearly；　I　think；　my　lord；〃　replied　the　Butler。　〃If　I　understand　Mr。　Cawson　aright；　the　Master　and　his　guests　won't　be　disposed　to　linger　once　they　know　you're　here。　Shall　I　take　the　coffee　tray？〃
　　〃Take　it　and　go。〃
　　〃Very　good；　my　lord。〃
　　With　a　slight　bow；　the　Butler　took　the　tray　and　left；　and　Thorold　went　with　him。　As　soon　as　the　door　closed；　Lord　Asriel　looked　across　the　room　directly　at　the　wardrobe；　and　Lyra　felt　the　force　of　his　glance　almost　as　if　it　had　physical　form；　as　if　it　were　an　arrow　or　a　spear。　Then　he　looked　away　and　spoke　softly　to　his　dasmon。
　　She　came　to　sit　calmly　at　his　side；　alert　and　elegant　and　dangerous；　her　tawny　eyes　surveying　the　room　before　turning；　like　his　black　ones；　to　the　door　from　the　hall　as　the　handle　turned。　Lyra　couldn't　see　the　door；　but　she　heard　an　intake　of　breath　as　the　first　man　came　in。
　　
　　
　　TWO　
　　THE　IDEA　OF　NORTH
　　
　　〃Master；〃　said　Lord　Asriel。　〃Yes；　I'm　back。　Do　bring　in　your　guests；　I've　got　something　very　interesting　to　show　you。〃
　　〃Lord　Asriel；〃　said　the　Master　heavily；　and　came　forward　to　shake　his　hand。　From　her　hiding　place　Lyra　watched　the　Master's　eyes；　and　indeed；　they　flicked　toward　the　table　for　a　second；　where　the　Tokay　had　been。
　　〃Master；〃　said　Lord　Asriel。　〃I　came　too　late　to　disturb　your　dinner；　so　I　made　myself　at　home　in　here。　Hello；　Sub…Rector。　Glad　to　see　you　looking　so　well。　Excuse　my　rough　appearance；　I've　only　just　landed。　Yes；　Master；　the　Tokay's　gone。　I　think　you're　standing　in　it。　The　Porter　knocked　it　off　the　table；　but　it　was　my　fault。　Hello；　Chaplain。　I　read　your　latest　paper　with　great　interest。〃
　　He　moved　away　with　the　Chaplain；　leaving　Lyra　with　a　clear　view　of　the　Master's　face。　It　was　impassive；　but　the　daemon　on　his　shoulder　was　shuffling　her　feathers　and　moving　restlessly　from　foot　to　foot。　Lord　Asriel　was　already　dominating　the　room；　and　although　he　was　careful　to　be　courteous　to　the　Master　in　the　Master's　own　territory；　it　was　clear　where　the　power　lay。
　　The　Scholars　greeted　the　visitor　and　moved　into　the　room；　some　sitting　around　the　table；　some　in　the　armchairs；　and　soon　a　buzz　of　conversation　filled　the　air。　Lyra　could　see　that　they　were　powerfully　intrigued　by　the　wooden　case；　the　screen；　and　the　lantern。　She　knew　the　Scholars　well：　the　Librarian；　the　Sub…Rector；　the　Enquirer；　and　the　rest；　they　were　men　who　had　been　around　her　all　her　life；　taught　her；　chastised　her；　consoled　her；　given　her　little　presents；　chased　her　away　from　the　fruit　trees　in　the　garden；　they　were　all　she　had　for　a　family。　They　might　even　have　felt　like　a　family　if　she　knew　what　a　family　was；　though　if　she　did；　she'd　have　been　more　likely　to　feel　that　about　the　College　servants。　The　Scholars　had　more　important　things　to　do　than　attend　to　the　affections　of　a　half…wild；　half…civilized　girl；　left　among　them　by　chance。
　　The　Master　lit　the　spirit　lamp　under　the　little　silver　chafing　dish　and　heated　some　butter　before　cutting　half　a　dozen　poppy　heads　open　and　tossing　them　in。　Poppy　was　always　served　after　a　feast：　it　clarified　the　mind　and　stimulated　the　tongue；　and　made　for　rich　conversation。　It　was　traditional　for　the　Master　to　cook　it　himself。
　　Under　the　sizzle　of　the　frying　butter　and　the　hum　of　talk；　Lyra　shifted　around　to　find　a　more　fortable　position　for　herself。　With　enormous　care　she　took　one　of　the　robes…a　full…length　fur…off　its　hanger　and　laid　it　on　the　floor　of　the　wardrobe。
　　〃You　should　have　used　a　scratchy　old　one；〃　whispered　Pantalaimon。　〃If　you　get　too　fortable；　you'll　go　to　sleep。〃
　　〃If　I　do；　it's　your　job　to　wake　me　up；〃　she　replied。
　　She　sat　and　listened　to　the　talk。　Mighty　dull　talk　it　was；　too；　almost　all　of　it　politics；　and　London　politics　at　that；　nothing　exciting　about　Tartars。　The　smells　of　frying　poppy　and　smoke…leaf　drifted　pleasantly　in　through　the　wardrobe　door；　and　more　than　once　Lyra　found　herself　nodding。　But　finally　she　heard　someone　rap　on　the　table。　The　voices　fell　silent；　and　then　the　Master　spoke。
　　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said。　〃I　feel　sure　I　speak　for　all　of　us　when　I　bid　Lord　Asriel　wele。　His　visits　are　rare　but　always　immensely　valuable；　and　I　understand　he　has　something　of　particular　interest　to　show　us　tonight。　This　is　a　time　of　high　political　tension；　as　we　are　all　aware；　Lord　Asriel's　presence　is　required　early　tomorrow　morning　in　White　Hall；　and　a　train　is　waiting　with　steam　up　ready　to　carry　him　to　London　as　soon　as　we　have　finished　our　conversation　here；　so　we　must　use　our　time　wisely。　When　he　has　finished　speaking　to　us；　I　imagine　there　will　be　some　questions。　Please　keep　them　brief　and　to　the　point。　Lord　Asriel；　would　you　like　to　begin？〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Master；〃　said　Lord　Asriel。　〃To　start　with；　I　have　a　few　slides　to　show　you。　Sub…Rector；　you　can　see　best　from　here；　I　think。　Perhaps　the　Master　would　like　to　take　the　chair　near　the　wardrobe？〃
　　Lyra　marveled　at　her　uncle's　skill。　The　old　Sub…Rector　was　nearly　blind；　so　it　was　courteous　to　make　room　for　him　nearer　the　screen；　and　his　moving　forward　meant　that　the　Master　would　be　sitting　next　to　the　Librarian；　only　a　matter　of　a　yard　or　so　from　where　Lyra　was　crouched　in　the　wardrobe。　As　the　Master　settled　in　the　armchair；　Lyra　heard　him　murmur：
　　〃The　devil！　He　knew　about　the　wine；　I'm　sure　of　it。〃
　　The　Librarian　murmured　back；　〃He's　going　to　ask　for　funds。　If　he　forces　a　vote…〃
　　〃If　he　does　that；　we　must　just　argue　against；　with　all　the　eloquence　we　have。〃
　　The　lantern　began　to　hiss　as　Lord　Asriel　pumped　it　hard。　Lyra　moved　slightly　so　that　she　could　see　the　screen；　where　a　brilliant　white　circle　had　begun　to　glow。　Lord　Asriel　called；　〃Could　someone　turn　the　lamp　down？〃
　　One　of　the　Scholars　got　up　to　do　that；　and　the　room　darkened。
　　Lord　Asriel　began：
　　〃As　some　of　you　know；　I　set　out　for　the　North　twelve　months　ago　on　a　diplomatic　mission　to　the　King　of　Lapland。　At　least；　that's　what　I　pretended　to　be　doing。　In　fact；　my　real　aim　was　to　go　further　north　still；　right　on　to　the　ice；　in　fact；　to　try　and　discover　what　had　happened　to　the　Grumman　expedition。　One　of　Grumman's　last　messages　to　the　academy　in　Berlin　spoke　of　a　certain　natural　phenomenon　only　seen　in　the　lands　of　the　North。　I　was　determined　to　investigate　that　as　well　as　find　out　what　I　could　about　Grumman。　But　the　first　picture　I'm　going　to　show　you　isn't　directly　about　either　of　those　things。〃
　　And　he　put　the　first　slide　into　the　frame　and　slid　it　behind　the　lens。　A　circular　photogram　in　sharp　black　and　white　appeared　on　the　screen。　It　had　been　taken　at　night　under　a　full　moon；　and　it　showed　a　wooden　hut　in　the　middle　distance；　its　walls　dark　against　the　snow　that　surrounded　it　and　lay　thickly　on　the　roof。　Beside　the　hut　stood　an　array　of　philosophical　instruments；　which　looked　to　Lyra's　eye　like　something　from　the　Anbaric　Park　on　the　road　to　Yarnton：　aerials；　wires；　porcelain　insulators；　all　glittering　in　the　moonlight　and　thickly　covered　in　frost。　A　man　in　furs；　his　face　hardly　visible　in　the　deep　hood　of　his　garment；　stood　in　the　foreground；　with　his　hand　raised　as　if　in　greeting。　To　one　side　of　him　stood　a　smaller　figure。　The　moonlight　bathed　everything　in　the　same　pallid　gleam。
　　〃That　photogram　was　taken　with　a　standard　silver　nitrate　emulsion；〃　Lord　Asriel　said。　〃I'd　like　you　to　look　at　another　one；　taken　from　the　same　spot　only　a　minute　later；　with　a　new　specially　prepared　emulsion。〃
　　He　lifted　out　the　first　slide　and　dropped　another　into　the　frame。　This　was　much　darker；　it　was　as　if　the　moonlight　had　been　filtered　out。　The　horizon　was　still　visible；　with　the　dark　shape　of　the　hut　and　its　light　snow…covered　roof　standing　out；　but　the　plexity　of　the　instruments　was　hidden　in　darkness。　But　the　man　had　altogether　changed：　he　was　bathed　in　light；　and　a　fountain　of　glowing　particles　seemed　to　be　streaming　from　his　upraised　hand。
　　〃That　light；〃　said　the　Chaplain；　〃is　it　going　up　or　ing　down？〃
　　〃It's　ing　down；〃　said　Lord　Asriel；　〃but　it　isn't　light。　It's　Dust。〃
　　Something　in　the　way　he　sai