pp.thegoldencompass-第50部分

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　　〃This　little　girl's　pretty　important；　huh？〃　he　said　after　several　minutes。
　　〃More　than　she　will　know；〃　Serafina　Pekkala　said。
　　〃Does　that　mean　there's　gonna　be　much　in　the　way　of　armed　pursuit？　You　understand；　I'm　speaking　as　a　practical　man　with　a　living　to　earn。　I　can't　afford　to　get　busted　up　or　shot　to　pieces　without　some　kind　of　pensation　agreed　to　in　advance。　I　ain't　trying　to　lower　the　tone　of　this　expedition；　believe　me；　ma'am。　But　John　Faa　and　the　gyptians　paid　me　a　fee　that's　enough　to　cover　my　time　and　skill　and　the　normal　wear　and　tear　on　the　balloon；　and　that's　all。　It　didn't　include　acts…of…war　insurance。　And　let　me　tell　you；　ma'am；　when　we　land　Iorek　Byrnison　on　Svalbard；　that　will　count　as　an　act　of　war。〃
　　He　spat　a　piece　of　smokeleaf　delicately　overboard。
　　〃So　I'd　like　to　know　what　we　can　expect　in　the　way　of　mayhem　and　ructions；〃　he　finished。
　　〃There　may　be　fighting；〃　said　Serafina　Pekkala。　〃But　you　have　fought　before。〃
　　〃Sure；　when　I'm　paid。　But　the　fact　is；　I　thought　this　was　a　straightforward　transportation　contract；　and　I　charged　according。　And　I'm　a　wondering　now；　after　that　little　dust…up　down　there；　I'm　a　wondering　how　far　my　transportation　responsibility　extends。　Whether　I'm　bound　to　risk　my　life　and　my　equipment　in　a　war　among　the　bears；　for　example。　Or　whether　this　little　child　has　enemies　on　Svalbard　as　hot…tempered　as　the　ones　back　at　Bolvangar。　I　merely　mention　all　this　by　way　of　making　conversation。〃
　　〃Mr。　Scoresby；〃　said　the　witch；　〃I　wish　I　could　answer　your　question。　All　I　can　say　is　that　all　of　us；　humans；　witches；　bears；　are　engaged　in　a　war　already；　although　not　all　of　us　know　it。　Whether　you　find　danger　on　Svalbard　or　whether　you　fly　off　unharmed；　you　are　a　recruit；　under　arms；　a　soldier。〃
　　〃Well；　that　seems　kinda　precipitate。　Seems　to　me　a　man　should　have　a　choice　whether　to　take　up　arms　or　not。〃
　　〃We　have　no　more　choice　in　that　than　in　whether　or　not　to　be　born。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　like　choice；　though；〃　he　said。　〃I　like　choosing　the　jobs　I　take　and　the　places　I　go　and　the　food　I　eat　and　the　panions　I　sit　and　yarn　with。　Don't　you　wish　for　a　choice　once　in　a　while　？〃
　　Serafina　Pekkala　considered；　and　then　said；　〃Perhaps　we　don't　mean　the　same　thing　by　choice；　Mr。　Scoresby。　Witches　own　nothing；　so　we're　not　interested　in　preserving　value　or　making　profits；　and　as　for　the　choice　between　one　thing　and　another；　when　you　live　for　many　hundreds　of　years；　you　know　that　every　opportunity　will　e　again。　We　have　different　needs。　You　have　to　repair　your　balloon　and　keep　it　in　good　condition；　and　that　takes　time　and　trouble；　I　see　that；　but　for　us　to　fly；　all　we　have　to　do　is　tear　off　a　branch　of　cloud…pine；　any　will　do；　and　there　are　plenty　more。　We　don't　feel　cold；　so　we　need　no　warm　clothes。　We　have　no　means　of　exchange　apart　from　mutual　aid。　If　a　witch　needs　something；　another　witch　will　give　it　to　her。　If　there　is　a　war　to　be　fought；　we　don't　consider　cost　one　of　the　factors　in　deciding　whether　or　not　it　is　right　to　fight。　Nor　do　we　have　any　notion　of　honor；　as　bears　do；　for　instance。　An　insult　to　a　bear　is　a　deadly　thing。　To　us　。　。　。　　inconceivable。　How　could　you　insult　a　witch？　What　would　it　matter　if　you　did？〃
　　〃Well；　I'm　kinda　with　you　on　that。　Sticks　and　stones；　I'll　break　yer　bones；　but　names　ain't　worth　a　quarrel。　But　ma'am；　you　see　my　dilemma；　I　hope。　I'm　a　simple　aeronaut；　and　I'd　like　to　end　my　days　in　fort。　Buy　a　little　farm；　a　few　head　of　cattle；　some　horses　。　。　。　Nothing　grand；　you　notice。　No　palace　or　slaves　or　heaps　of　gold。　Just　the　evening　wind　over　the　sage；　and　a　ceegar；　and　a　glass　of　bourbon　whiskey。　Now　the　trouble　is；　that　costs　money。　So　I　do　my　flying　in　exchange　for　cash；　and　after　every　job　I　send　some　gold　back　to　the　Wells　Fargo　Bank；　and　when　I've　got　enough；　ma'am；　I'm　gonna　sell　this　balloon　and　book　me　a　passage　on　a　steamer　to　Port　Galveston；　and　I'll　never　leave　the　ground　again。〃
　　〃There's　another　difference　between　us；　Mr。　Scoresby。　A　witch　would　no　sooner　give　up　flying　than　give　up　breathing。　To　fly　is　to　be　perfectly　ourselves。〃
　　〃I　see　that；　ma'am；　and　I　envy　you；　but　I　ain't　got　your　sources　of　satisfaction。　Flying　is　just　a　job　to　me；　and　I'm　just　a　technician。　I　might　as　well　be　adjusting　valves　in　a　gas　engine　or　wiring　up　anbaric　circuits。　But　I　chose　it；　you　see。　It　was　my　own　free　choice。　Which　is　why　I　find　this　notion　of　a　war　I　ain't　been　told　nothing　about　kinda　troubling。〃
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison's　quarrel　with　his　king　is　part　of　it　too；〃　said　the　witch。　〃This　child　is　destined　to　play　a　part　in　that。〃
　　〃You　speak　of　destiny；〃　he　said；　〃as　if　it　was　fixed。　And　I　ain't　sure　I　like　that　any　more　than　a　war　I'm　enlisted　in　without　knowing　about　it。　Where's　my　free　will；　if　you　please？　And　this　child　seems　to　me　to　have　more　free　will　than　anyone　I　ever　met。　Are　you　telling　me　that　she's　just　some　kind　of　clockwork　toy　wound　up　and　set　going　on　a　course　she　can't　change？〃
　　〃We　are　all　subject　to　the　fates。　But　we　must　all　act　as　if　we　are　not；〃　said　the　witch；　〃or　die　of　despair。　There　is　a　curious　prophecy　about　this　child：　she　is　destined　to　bring　about　the　end　of　destiny。　But　she　must　do　so　without　knowing　what　she　is　doing；　as　if　it　were　her　nature　and　not　her　destiny　to　do　it。　If　she's　told　what　she　must　do；　it　will　all　fail；　death　will　sweep　through　all　the　worlds；　it　will　be　the　triumph　of　despair；　forever。　The　universes　will　all　bee　nothing　more　than　interlocking　machines；　blind　and　empty　of　thought；　feeling；　life　。　。　。　〃
　　They　looked　down　at　Lyra；　whose　sleeping　face　（what　little　of　it　they　could　see　inside　her　hood）　wore　a　stubborn　little　frown。
　　〃I　guess　part　of　her　knows　that；〃　said　the　aeronaut。　〃Looks　prepared　for　it；　anyways。　How　about　the　little　boy？　You　know　she　came　all　this　way　to　save　him　from　those　fiends　back　there？　They　were　playmates；　back　in　Oxford　or　somewhere。　Did　you　know　that？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　did　know　that。　Lyra　is　carrying　something　of　immense　value；　and　it　seems　that　the　fates　are　using　her　as　a　messenger　to　take　it　to　her　father。　So　she　came　all　this　way　to　find　her　friend；　not　knowing　that　her　friend　was　brought　to　the　North　by　the　fates；　in　order　that　she　might　follow　and　bring　something　to　her　father。〃
　　〃That's　how　you　read　it；　huh？〃
　　For　the　first　time　the　witch　seemed　unsure。
　　〃That　is　how　it　seems　。　。　。　。But　we　can't　read　the　darkness；　Mr。　Scoresby。　It　is　more　than　possible　that　I　might　be　wrong。〃
　　〃And　what　brought　you　into　all　this；　if　I　can　ask？〃
　　〃Whatever　they　were　doing　at　Bolvangar；　we　felt　it　was　wrong　with　all　our　hearts。　Lyra　is　their　enemy；　so　we　are　her　friends。　We　don't　see　more　clearly　than　that。　But　also　there　is　my　clan's　friendship　for　the　gyptian　people；　which　goes　back　to　the　time　when　Farder　Coram　saved　my　life。　We　are　doing　this　at　their　bidding。　And　they　have　ties　of　obligation　with　Lord　Asriel。〃
　　〃I　see。　So　you're　towing　the　balloon　to　Svalbard　for　the　gyp…tians'　sake。　And　does　that　friendship　extend　to　towing　us　back　again？　Or　will　I　have　to　wait　for　a　kindly　wind；　and　depend　on　the　indulgence　of　the　bears　in　the　meantime？　Once　again；　ma'am；　I'm　asking　merely　in　a　spirit　of　friendly　enquiry。〃
　　〃If　we　can　help　you　back　to　Trollesund；　Mr。　Scoresby；　we　shall　do　so。　But　we　don't　know　what　we　shall　meet　on　Svalbard。　The　bears'　new　king　has　made　many　changes；　the　old　ways　are　out　of　favor；　it　might　be　a　difficult　landing。　And　I　don't　know　how　Lyra　will　find　her　way　to　her　father。　Nor　do　I　know　what　Iorek　Byrnison　has　it　in　mind　to　do；　except　that　his　fate　is　involved　with　hers。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　either；　ma'am。　I　think　he's　attached　himself　to　the　little　girl　as　a　kind　of　protector。　She　helped　him　get　his　armor　back；　you　see。　Who　knows　what　bears　feel？　But　if　a　bear　ever　loved　a　human　being；　he　loves　her。　As　for　landing　on　Svalbard；　it's　never　been　easy。　Still；　if　I　can　call　on　you　for　a　tug　in　the　right　direction；　I'll　feel　kinda　easier　in　my　mind；　and　if　there's　anything　I　can　do　for　you　in　return；　you　only　have　to　say。　But　just　so　as　I　know；　would　you　mind　telling　me　whose　side　I'm　on　in　this　invisible　war？〃
　　〃We　are　both　on　Lyra's　side。〃
　　〃Oh；　no　doubt　about　that。〃
　　They　flew　on。　Because　of　the　clouds　below　there　was　no　way　of　telling　how　fast　they　were　going。　Normally；　of　course；　a　balloon　remained　still　with　respect　to　the　wind；　floating　at　whatever　speed　the　air　itself　was　moving；　but　now；　pulled　by　the　witches；　the　balloon　was　moving　through　the　air　instead　of　with　it；　and　resisting　the　movement；　too；　because　the　unwieldy　gas　bag　had　none　of　the　streamlined　smoothness　of　a　zeppelin。　As　a　result；　the　basket　swung　this　way　and　that；　rocking　and　bumping　much　more　than　on　a　normal　flight。
　　Lee　Scoresby　wasn't　concerned　for　his　fort　so　much　as　for　his　instruments；　and　he　spent　some　time　making　sure　they　were　securely　lashed　to　the　main　struts。　According　to　the　altimeter；　they　were　nearly　ten　thousand　feet　up。　The　temperature　was　minus　20　degrees。　He　had　been　colder　than　this；　but　not　much；　and　he　didn't　want　to　get　any　colder　now；　so　he　unrolled　the　canvas　sheet　he　used　as　an　emergency　bivouac；　and　spread　it　in　front　of　the　sleeping　children　to　keep　off　the　wind；　before　lying　down　back　to　back　with　his　old　rade　in　arms；　Iorek　Byrnison；　and　falling　asleep。
　　
　　When　Lyra　woke　up；　the　moon　was　high　in　the　sky；　and　everything　in　sight　was　silver…plated；　from　the　roiling　surface　of　the　clouds　below　to　the　frost　spears　and　icicles　on　the　rigging　of　the　balloon。
　　Roger　was　sleeping；　and　so　were　Lee　Scoresby　and　the　bear。　Beside　the　basket；　however；　the　witch　queen　was　flying　steadily。
　　〃How　far　are　we　from　Svalbard？〃　Lyra　said。
　　〃If　we　meet　no　winds；　we　shall　be　over　Svalbard　in　twelve　hours　or　so。〃
　　〃Where　are　we　going　to　land？〃
　　〃It　depends　on　the　weather。　We'll　try　to　avoid　the　cliffs；　though。　There　are　creatures　living　there　who　prey　on　anything　that　moves。　If　we　can；　we'll　set　you　down　in　the　interior；　away　from　lofur　Raknison's　palace。〃
　　〃What's　going　to　happen　when　I　find　Lord　Asriel？　Will　he　want　to　e　back　to　Oxford；　or　what？　I　don't　know　if　I　ought　to　tell　him　I　know　he's　my　father；　neither。　He　might　want　to　pretend　he's　still　my　uncle。　I　don't　hardly　know　him　at　all。〃