pp.thegoldencompass-第30部分

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　　〃My　keep　here　in　meat　and　spirits。〃
　　Silence　from　the　bear；　and　then　he　dropped　the　ragged　bone　and　lifted　the　jar　to　his　muzzle　again；　drinking　the　powerful　spirits　like　water。
　　〃Forgive　me　for　asking；　Iorek　Byrnison；〃　said　Farder　Coram；　〃but　you　could　live　a　free　proud　life　on　the　ice　hunting　seals　and　walruses；　or　you　could　go　to　war　and　win　great　prizes。　What　ties　you　to　Trollesund　and　Einarsson's　Bar？〃
　　Lyra　felt　her　skin　shiver　all　over。　She　would　have　thought　a　question　like　that；　which　was　almost　an　insult；　would　enrage　the　great　creature　beyond　reason；　and　she　wondered　at　Farder　Coram's　courage　in　asking　it。　Iorek　Byrnison　put　down　his　jar　and　came　close　to　the　gate　to　peer　at　the　old　man's　face。　Farder　Coram　didn't　flinch。
　　〃I　know　the　people　you　are　seeking；　the　child　cutters；〃　the　bear　said。　〃They　left　town　the　day　before　yesterday　to　go　north　with　more　children。　No　one　will　tell　you　about　them；　they　pretend　not　to　see；　because　the　child　cutters　bring　money　and　business。　Now；　I　don't　like　the　child　cutters；　so　I　shall　answer　you　politely。　I　stay　here　and　drink　spirits　because　the　men　here　took　my　armor　away；　and　without　that；　I　can　hunt　seals　but　I　can't　go　to　war；　and　I　am　an　armored　bear；　war　is　the　sea　I　swim　in　and　the　air　I　breathe。　The　men　of　this　town　gave　me　spirits　and　let　me　drink　till　I　was　asleep；　and　then　they　took　my　armor　away　from　me。　If　I　knew　where　they　keep　it；　I　would　tear　down　the　town　to　get　it　back。　If　you　want　my　service；　the　price　is　this：　get　me　back　my　armor。　Do　that；　and　I　shall　serve　you　in　your　campaign；　either　until　I　am　dead　or　until　you　have　a　victory。　The　price　is　my　armor。　I　want　it　back；　and　then　I　shall　never　need　spirits　again。〃
　　
　　
　　ELEVEN　
　　ARMOR
　　
　　When　they　returned　to　the　ship；　Farder　Coram　and　John　Faa　and　the　other　leaders　spent　a　long　time　in　conference　in　the　saloon；　and　Lyra　went　to　her　cabin　to　consult　the　alethiome…ter。　Within　five　minutes　she　knew　exactly　where　the　bear's　armor　was；　and　why　it　would　be　difficult　to　get　it　back。
　　She　wondered　whether　to　go　to　the　saloon　and　tell　John　Faa　and　the　others；　but　decided　that　they'd　ask　her　if　they　wanted　to　know。　Perhaps　they　knew　already。
　　She　lay　on　her　bunk　thinking　of　that　savage　mighty　bear；　and　the　careless　way　he　drank　his　fiery　spirit；　and　the　loneliness　of　him　in　his　dirty　lean…to。　How　different　it　was　to　be　human；　with　one's　daemon　always　there　to　talk　to！　In　the　silence　of　the　still　ship；　without　the　continual　creak　of　metal　and　timber　or　the　rumble　of　the　engine　or　the　rush　of　water　along　the　side；　Lyra　gradually　fell　asleep；　with　Pantalaimon　on　her　pillow　sleeping　too。
　　She　was　dreaming　of　her　great　imprisoned　father　when　suddenly；　for　no　reason　at　all；　she　woke　up。　She　had　no　idea　what　time　it　was。　There　was　a　faint　light　in　the　cabin　that　she　took　for　moonlight；　and　it　showed　her　new　cold…weather　furs　that　lay　stiffly　in　the　corner　of　the　cabin。　No　sooner　did　she　see　them　than　she　longed　to　try　them　on　again。
　　Once　they　were　on；　she　had　to　go　out　on　deck；　and　a　minute　later　she　opened　the　door　at　the　top　of　the　pan…ionway　and　stepped　out。
　　At　once　she　saw　that　something　strange　was　happening　in　the　sky。　She　thought　it　was　clouds；　moving　and　trembling　under　a　nervous　agitation；　but　Pantalaimon　whispered：
　　〃The　Aurora！〃
　　Her　wonder　was　so　strong　that　she　had　to　clutch　the　rail　to　keep　from　falling。
　　The　sight　filled　the　northern　sky；　the　immensity　of　it　was　scarcely　conceivable。　As　if　from　Heaven　itself；　great　curtains　of　delicate　light　hung　and　trembled。　Pale　green　and　rose…pink；　and　as　transparent　as　the　most　fragile　fabric；　and　at　the　bottom　edge　a　profound　and　fiery　crimson　like　the　fires　of　Hell；　they　swung　and　shimmered　loosely　with　more　grace　than　the　most　skillful　dancer。　Lyra　thought　she　could　even　hear　them：　a　vast　distant　whispering　swish。　In　the　evanescent　delicacy　she　felt　something　as　profound　as　she'd　felt　close　to　the　bear。　She　was　moved　by　it；　it　was　so　beautiful　it　was　almost　holy；　she　felt　tears　prick　her　eyes；　and　the　tears　splintered　the　light　even　further　into　prismatic　rainbows。　It　wasn't　long　before　she　found　herself　entering　the　same　kind　of　trance　as　when　she　consulted　the　alethiometer。　Perhaps；　she　thought　calmly；　whatever　moves　the　alethiometer's　needle　is　making　the　Aurora　glow　too。　It　might　even　be　Dust　itself。　She　thought　that　without　noticing　that　she'd　thought　it；　and　she　soon　forgot　it；　and　only　remembered　it　much　later。
　　And　as　she　gazed；　the　image　of　a　city　seemed　to　form　itself　behind　the　veils　and　streams　of　translucent　color：　towers　and　domes；　honey…colored　temples　and　colonnades；　broad　boulevards　and　sunlit　parkland。　Looking　at　it　gave　her　a　sense　of　vertigo；　as　if　she　were　looking　not　up　but　down；　and　across　a　gulf　so　wide　that　nothing　could　ever　pass　over　it。　It　was　a　whole　universe　away。
　　But　something　was　moving　across　it；　and　as　she　tried　to　focus　her　eyes　on　the　movement；　she　felt　faint　and　dizzy；　because　the　little　thing　moving　wasn't　part　of　the　Aurora　or
　　of　the　other　universe　behind　it。　It　was　in　the　sky　over　the　roofs　of　the　town。　When　she　could　see　it　clearly；　she　had　e　fully　awake　and　the　sky　city　was　gone。
　　The　flying　thing　came　closer　and　circled　the　ship　on　outspread　wings。　Then　it　glided　down　and　landed　with　brisk　sweeps　of　its　powerful　pinions；　and　came　to　a　halt　on　the　wooden　deck　a　few　yards　from　Lyra。
　　In　the　Aurora's　light　she　saw　a　great　bird；　a　beautiful　gray　goose　whose　head　was　crowned　with　a　flash　of　pure　white。　And　yet　it　wasn't　a　bird：　it　was　a　daemon；　though　there　was　no　one　in　sight　but　Lyra　herself。　The　idea　filled　her　with　sickly　fear。
　　The　bird　said：
　　〃Where　is　Farder　Coram？〃
　　And　suddenly　Lyra　realized　who　it　must　be。　This　was　the　daemon　of　Serafina　Pekkala；　the　clan　queen；　Farder　Coram's　witch　friend。
　　She　stammered　to　reply：
　　〃I…he's…I'll　go　and　get　him　。　。　。　。〃
　　She　turned　and　scampered　down　the　panionway　to　the　cabin　Farder　Coram　occupied；　and　opened　the　door　to　speak　into　the　darkness：
　　〃Farder　Coram！　The　witch's　daemon's　e！　He's　waiting　on　the　deck！　He　flew　here　all　by　hisself…I　seen　him　ing　in　the　sky…〃
　　The　old　man　said；　〃Ask　him　to　wait　on　the　afterdeck；　child。〃
　　The　goose　made　his　stately　way　to　the　stern　of　the　ship；　where　he　looked　around；　elegant　and　wild　simultaneously；　and　a　cause　of　fascinated　terror　to　Lyra；　who　felt　as　though　she　were　entertaining　a　ghost。
　　Then　Farder　Coram　came　up；　wrapped　in　his　cold…weather　gear；　closely　followed　by　John　Faa。　Both　old　men　bowed　respectfully；　and　their　daemons　also　acknowledged　the　visitor。
　　〃Greetings；〃　said　Farder　Coram。　〃And　I'm　happy　and　proud　to　see　you　again；　Kaisa。　Now；　would　you　like　to　e　inside；　or　would　you　prefer　to　stay　out　here　in　the　open？〃
　　〃I　would　rather　stay　outside；　thank　you；　Farder　Coram。　Are　you　warm　enough　for　a　while？〃
　　Witches　and　their　daemons　felt　no　cold；　but　they　were　aware　that　other　humans　did。
　　Farder　Coram　assured　him　that　they　were　well　wrapped　up；　and　said；　〃How　is　Serafina　Pekkala？〃
　　〃She　sends　her　greetings　to　you；　Farder　Coram；　and　she　is　well　and　strong。　Who　are　these　two　people？〃
　　Farder　Coram　introduced　them　both。　The　goose　daemon　looked　hard　at　Lyra。
　　〃I　have　heard　of　this　child；〃　he　said。　〃She　is　talked　about　among　witches。　So　you　have　e　to　make　war？〃
　　〃Not　war；　Kaisa。　We　are　going　to　free　the　children　taken　from　us。　And　I　hope　the　witches　will　help。〃
　　〃Not　all　of　them　will。　Some　clans　are　working　with　the　Dust　hunters。〃
　　〃Is　that　what　you　call　the　Oblation　Board？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　this　board　may　be。　They　are　Dust　hunters。　They　came　to　our　regions　ten　years　ago　with　philosophical　instruments。　They　paid　us　to　allow　them　to　set　up　stations　in　our　lands；　and　they　treated　us　with　courtesy。〃
　　〃What　is　this　Dust？〃
　　〃It　es　from　the　sky。　Some　say　it　has　always　been　there；　some　say　it　is　newly　falling。　What　is　certain　is　that　when　people　bee　aware　of　it；　a　great　fear　es　over　them；　and　they'll　stop　at　nothing　to　discover　what　it　is。　But　it　is　not　of　any　concern　to　witches。〃

　　〃And　where　are　they　now；　these　Dust　hunters？〃
　　〃Four　days　northeast　of　here；　at　a　place　called　Bolvangar。　Our　clan　made　no　agreement　with　them；　and　because　of　our　longstanding　obligation　to　you；　Farder　Coram；　I　have　e　to　show　you　how　to　find　these　Dust　hunters。〃
　　Farder　Coram　smiled；　and　John　Faa　clapped　his　great　hands　together　in　satisfaction。
　　〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir；〃　he　said　to　the　goose。　〃But　tell　us　this：　do　you　know　anything　more　about　these　Dust　hunters？　What　do　they　do　at　this　Bolvangar？〃
　　〃They　have　put　up　buildings　of　metal　and　concrete；　and　some　underground　chambers。　They　burn　coal　spirit；　which　they　bring　in　at　great　expense。　We　don't　know　what　they　do；　but　there　is　an　air　of　hatred　and　fear　over　the　place　and　for　miles　around。　Witches　can　see　these　things　where　other　humans　can't。　Animals　keep　away　too。　No　birds　fly　there；　lemmings　and　foxes　have　fled。　Hence　the　name　Bolvangar：　the　fields　of　evil。　They　don't　call　it　that。　They　call　it　'the　station。'　But　to　everyone　else　it　is　Bolvangar。〃
　　〃And　how　are　they　defended？〃
　　〃They　have　a　pany　of　Northern　Tartars　armed　with　rifles。　They　are　good　soldiers；　but　they　lack　practice；　because　no　one　has　ever　attacked　the　settlement　since　it　was　built。　Then　there　is　a　wire　fence　around　the　pound；　which　is　filled　with　anbaric　force。　There　may　be　other　means　of　defense　that　we　don't　know　about；　because　as　I　say　they　have　no　interest　for　us。〃
　　Lyra　was　bursting　to　ask　a　question；　and　the　goose　dasmon　knew　it　and　looked　at　her　as　if　giving　permission。
　　〃Why　do　the　witches　talk　about　me？〃　she　said。
　　〃Because　of　your　father；　and　his　knowledge　of　the　other　worlds；〃　the　daemon　replied。
　　That　surprised　all　three　of　them。　Lyra　looked　at　Farder　Coram；　who　looked　back　in　mild　wonder；　and　at　John　Faa；　whose　expression　was　troubled。
　　　〃Other　worlds？〃　John　Faa　said。　〃Pardon　me；　sir；　but　what　worlds　would　those　be？　Do　you　mean　the　stars？〃
　　〃Indeed　no。〃
　　〃Perhaps　the　world　of　spirits？〃　said　Farder　Coram。
　　〃Nor　that。〃
　　〃Is　it　the　city　in　the　lights？〃　said　Lyra。　〃It　is；　en't　it？〃
　　The　goose　turned　his　state