pp.thegoldencompass-第63部分

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stand　minor　scratches；　a　hundredweight　of　blazing　rock　was　too　much　for　it。　The　silk　ripped　straight　through；　and　sulfur　and　hydrogen　leaped　to　meet　each　other　in　a　catastrophe　of　flame。
　　At　once　the　silk　became　transparent；　the　entire　skeleton　of　the　zeppelin　was　visible；　dark　against　an　inferno　of　orange　and　red　and　yellow；　hanging　in　the　air　for　what　seemed　like　an　impossibly　long　time　before　drifting　to　the　ground　almost　reluctantly。　Little　figures　black　against　the　snow　and　the　fire　came　tottering　or　running　from　it；　and　witches　flew　down　to　help　drag　them　away　from　the　flames。　Within　a　minute　of　the　zeppelin's　hitting　the　ground　it　was　a　mass　of　twisted　metal；　a　pall　of　smoke；　and　a　few　scraps　of　fluttering　fire。
　　But　the　soldiers　on　board；　and　the　others　too　（though　Lyra　was　too　far　away　by　now　to　spot　Mrs。　Coulter；　she　knew　she　was　there）；　wasted　no　time。　With　the　help　of　the　witches　they　dragged　the　machine　gun　out　and　set　it　up；　and　began　to　fight　in　earnest　on　the　ground。
　　〃On；〃　said　Iorek。　〃They　will　hold　out　for　a　long　time。〃
　　He　roared；　and　a　group　of　bears　peeled　away　from　the　main　group　and　attacked　the　Tartars'　right　flank。　Lyra　could　feel　his　desire　to　be　there　among　them；　but　all　the　time　her　nerves　were　screaming：　On！　On！　and　her　mind　was　filled　with　pictures　of　Roger　and　Lord　Asriel；　and　Iorek　Byrnison　knew；　and　turned　up　the　mountain　and　away　from　the　fight；　leaving　his　bears　to　hold　back　the　Tartars。
　　On　they　climbed。　Lyra　strained　her　eyes　to　look　ahead；　but　not　even　Pantalaimon's　owl　eyes　could　see　any　movement　on　the　flank　of　the　mountain　they　were　climbing。　Lord　Asriel's　sledge　tracks　were　clear；　however；　and　Iorek　followed　them　swiftly；　loping　through　the　snow　and　kicking　it　high　behind　them　as　he　ran。　Whatever　happened　behind　now　was　simply　that：　behind。　Lyra　had　left　it。　She　felt　she　was　leaving　the　world　altogether；　so　remote　and　intent　she　was；　so　high　they　were　climbing；　so　strange　and　uncanny　was　the　light　that　bathed　them。
　　〃Iorek；〃　she　said；　〃will　you　find　Lee　Scoresby？〃
　　〃Alive　or　dead；　I　will　find　him。〃
　　〃And　if　you　see　Serafina　Pekkala　。　。　。　〃
　　〃I　will　tell　her　what　you　did。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Iorek；〃　she　said。
　　They　spoke　no　more　for　some　time。　Lyra　felt　herself　moving　into　a　kind　of　trance　beyond　sleep　and　waking：　a　state　of　conscious　dreaming；　almost；　in　which　she　was　dreaming　that　she　was　being　carried　by　bears　to　a　city　in　the　stars。
　　She　was　going　to　say　something　about　it　to　Iorek　Byrnison；　when　he　slowed　down　and　came　to　a　halt。
　　〃The　tracks　go　on；〃　said　Iorek　Byrnison。　〃But　I　cannot。〃
　　Lyra　jumped　down　and　stood　beside　him　to　look。　He　was　standing　at　the　edge　of　a　chasm。　Whether　it　was　a　crevasse　in　the　ice　or　a　fissure　in　the　rock　was　hard　to　say；　and　made　little　difference　in　any　case；　all　that　mattered　was　that　it　plunged　downward　into　unfathomable　gloom。
　　And　the　tracks　of　Lord　Asriel's　sledge　ran　to　the　brink　。　。　。　　and　on；　across　a　bridge　of　pacted　snow。
　　This　bridge　had　clearly　felt　the　strain　of　the　sledge's　weight；　for　a　crack　ran　across　it　close　to　the　other　edge　of　the　chasm；　and　the　surface　on　the　near　side　of　the　crack　had　settled　down　a　foot　or　so。　It　might　support　the　weight　of　a　child：　it　would　certainly　not　stand　under　the　weight　of　an　armored　bear。
　　And　Lord　Asriel's　tracks　ran　on　beyond　the　bridge　and　further　up　the　mountain。　If　she　went　on；　it　would　have　to　be　by　herself。
　　Lyra　turned　to　Iorek　Byrnison。
　　〃I　got　to　go　across；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　you　for　all　you　done。　I　don't　know　what's　going　to　happen　when　I　get　to　him。　We　might　all　die；　whether　I　get　to　him　or　not。　But　if　I　e　back；　I'll　e　and　see　you　to　thank　you　properly；　King　Iorek　Byrnison。〃
　　She　laid　a　hand　on　his　head。　He　let　it　lie　there　and　nodded　gently。
　　〃Goodbye；　Lyra　Silvertongue；〃　he　said。
　　Her　heart　thumping　painfully　with　love；　she　turned　away　and　set　her　foot　on　the　bridge。　The　snow　creaked　under　her；　and　Pantalaimon　flew　up　and　over　the　bridge；　to　settle　in　the　snow　on　the　far　side　and　encourage　her　onward。　Step　after　step　she　took；　and　wondered　with　every　step　whether　it　would　be　better　to　run　swiftly　and　leap　for　the　other　side；　or　go　slowly　as　she　was　doing　and　tread　as　lightly　as　possible。　Halfway　across　there　came　another　loud　creak　from　the　snow；　a　piece　fell　off　near　her　feet　and　tumbled　into　the　abyss；　and　the　bridge　settled　down　another　few　inches　against　the　crack。
　　She　stood　perfectly　still。　Pantalaimon　was　crouched；　leopard…formed；　ready　to　leap　down　and　reach　for　her。
　　The　bridge　held。　She　took　another　step；　then　another；　and　then　she　felt　something　settling　down　below　her　feet　and　leaped　for　the　far　side　with　all　her　strength。　She　landed　belly…down　in　the　snow　as　the　entire　length　of　the　bridge　fell　into　the　crevasse　with　a　soft　whoosh　behind　her。
　　Pantalaimon's　claws　were　in　her　furs；　holding　tight。
　　After　a　minute　she　opened　her　eyes　and　crawled　up　away　from　the　edge。　There　was　no　way　back。　She　stood　and　raised　her　hand　to　the　watching　bear。　Iorek　Byrnison　stood　on　his　hind　legs　to　acknowledge　her；　and　then　turned　and　made　off　down　the　mountain　in　a　swift　run　to　help　his　subjects　in　the　battle　with　Mrs。　Coulter　and　the　soldiers　from　the　zeppelin。
　　Lyra　was　alone。
　　
　　
　　TWENTY…THREE
　　THE　BRIDGE　TO　THE　STARS
　　
　　Once　Iorek　Byrnison　was　out　of　sight；　Lyra　felt　a　great　weakness　ing　over　her；　and　she　turned　blindly　and　felt　for　Pantalaimon；　〃Oh；　Pan；　dear；　I　can't　go　on！　I'm　so　frightened…and　so　tired…all　this　way；　and　I'm　scared　to　death！　I　wish　it　was　someone　else　instead　of　me；　I　do　honestly！〃
　　Her　daemon　nuzzled　at　her　neck　in　his　cat　form；　warm　and　forting。
　　〃I　just　don't　know　what　we　got　to　do；〃　Lyra　sobbed。　〃It's　too　much　for　us；　Pan；　we　can't　。　。　。　〃
　　She　clung　to　him　blindly；　rocking　back　and　forth　and　letting　the　sobs　cry　out　wildly　over　the　bare　snow。
　　〃And　even　if…if　Mrs。　Coulter　got　to　Roger　first；　there'd　be　no　saving　him；　because　she'd　take　him　back　to　Bolvangar；　or　worse；　and　they'd　kill　me　out　of　vengeance　。　。　。　。Why　do　they　do　these　things　to　children；　Pan？　Do　they　all　hate　children　so　much；　that　they　want　to　tear　them　apart　like　this？　Why　do　they　do　it？〃
　　But　Pantalaimon　had　no　answer；　all　he　could　do　was　hug　her　close。　Little　by　little；　as　the　storm　of　fear　subsided；　she　came　to　a　sense　of　herself　again。　She　was　Lyra；　cold　and　frightened　by　all　means；　but　herself。
　　〃I　wish　。　。　。　〃　she　said；　and　stopped。　There　was　nothing　that　could　be　gained　by　wishing　for　it。　A　final　deep　shaky　breath；　and　she　was　ready　to　go　on。
　　The　moon　had　set　by　now；　and　the　sky　to　the　south　was　profoundly　dark；　though　the　billions　of　stars　lay　on　it　like　diamonds　on　velvet。　They　were　outshone；　though；　by　the　Aurora；　outshone　a　hundred　times。　Never　had　Lyra　seen　it　so　brilliant　and　dramatic；　with　every　twitch　and　shiver；　new　miracles　of　light　danced　across　the　sky。　And　behind　the　ever…changing　gauze　of　light；　that　other　world；　that　sunlit　city；　was　clear　and　solid。
　　The　higher　they　climbed；　the　more　the　bleak　land　spread　out　below　them。　To　the　north　lay　the　frozen　sea；　pacted　here　and　there　into　ridges　where　two　sheets　of　ice　had　pressed　together；　but　otherwise　flat　and　white　and　endless；　reaching　to　the　Pole　itself　and　far　beyond；　featureless；　lifeless；　colorless；　and　bleak　beyond　Lyra's　imagination。　To　the　east　and　west　were　more　mountains；　great　jagged　peaks　thrusting　sharply　upward；　their　scarps　piled　high　with　snow　and　raked　by　the　wind　into　bladelike　edges　as　sharp　as　scimitars。　To　the　south　lay　the　way　they　had　e；　and　Lyra　looked　most　longingly　back；　to　see　if　she　could　spy　her　dear　friend　Iorek　Byrnison　and　his　troops；　but　nothing　stirred　on　the　wide　plain。　She　was　not　even　sure　if　she　could　see　the　burned　wreckage　of　the　zeppelin；　or　the　crimson…stained　snow　around　the　corpses　of　the　warriors。
　　Pantalaimon　flew　high；　and　swooped　back　to　her　wrist　in　his　owl　form。
　　〃They're　just　beyond　the　peak！〃　he　said。　〃Lord　Asriel's　laid　out　all　his　instruments；　and　Roger　can't　get　away…〃
　　And　as　he　said　that；　the　Aurora　nickered　and　dimmed；　like　an　anbaric　bulb　at　the　end　of　its　life；　and　then　went　out　altogether。　In　the　gloom；　though；　Lyra　sensed　the　presence　of　the　Dust；　for　the　air　seemed　to　be　full　of　dark　intentions；　like　the　forms　of　thoughts　not　yet　born。
　　In　the　enfolding　dark　she　heard　a　cry：
　　〃Lyra！　Lyra！〃
　　〃I'm　ing！〃　she　cried　back；　and　stumbled　upward；　clambering；　sprawling；　struggling；　at　the　end　of　her　strength；　but　hauling　herself　on　and　further　on　through　the　ghostly…gleaming　snow。
　　〃Lyra！　Lyra！〃
　　〃I'm　nearly　there；〃　she　gasped。　〃Nearly　there；　Roger！〃
　　Pantalaimon　was　changing　rapidly；　in　his　agitation：　lion；　ermine；　eagle；　wildcat；　hare；　salamander；　owl；　leopard；　every　form　he'd　ever　taken；　a　kaleidoscope　of　forms　among　the　Dust…
　　〃Lyra！〃
　　Then　she　reached　the　summit；　and　saw　what　was　happening。
　　Fifty　yards　away　in　the　starlight　Lord　Asriel　was　twisting　together　two　wires　that　led　to　his　upturned　sledge；　on　which　stood　a　row　of　batteries　and　jars　and　pieces　of　apparatus；　already　frosted　with　crystals　of　cold。　He　was　dressed　in　heavy　furs；　his　face　illuminated　by　the　flame　of　a　naphtha　lamp。　Crouching　like　the　Sphinx　beside　him　was　his　daemon；　her　beautiful　spotted　coat　glossy　with　power；　her　tail　moving　lazily　in　the　snow。
　　In　her　mouth　she　held　Roger's　daemon。
　　The　little　creature　was　struggling；　flapping；　fighting；　one　moment　a　bird；　the　next　a　dog；　then　a　cat；　a　rat；　a　bird　again；　and　calling　every　moment　to　Roger　himself；　who　was　a　few　yards　off；　straining；　trying　to　pull　away　against　the　heart…deep　tug；　and　crying　out　with　the　pain　and　the　cold。　He　was　calling　his　daemon's　name；　and　calling　Lyra；　he　ran　to　Lord　Asriel　and　plucked　his　arm；　and　Lord　Asriel　brushed　him　aside。　He　tried　again；　crying　and　pleading；　begging；　sobbing；　and　Lord　Asriel　took　no　notice　except　to　knock　him　to　the　ground。
　　They　were　on　the　edge　of　a　cliff。　Beyond　them　was　nothing　but　a　huge　illimitable　dark。　They　were　a　thousand　feet　or　more　above　the　frozen　sea。
　　All　this　Lyra　saw　by　starlight　alone；　but　then；　as　Lord　Asriel　connected　his　wires；　the　Aurora　blazed　all　of　a　sudden　into　brilliant　life。　Li