pp.thegoldencompass-第21部分

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into　the　still　air；　and　from　the　press　of　boats　all　around　came　the　smells　of　frying　fish；　of　smokeleaf；　of　jenniver　spirit。
　　They　tied　up　close　to　the　Zaal　itself；　at　a　mooring　Tony　said　had　been　used　by　their　family　for　generations。　Presently　Ma　Costa　had　the　frying　pan　going；　with　a　couple　of　fat　eels　hissing　and　sputtering　and　the　kettle　on　for　potato　powder。　Tony　and　Kerim　oiled　their　hair；　put　on　their　finest　leather　jackets　and　blue　spotted　neckerchiefs；　loaded　their　fingers　with　silver　rings；　and　went　to　greet　some　old　friends　in　the　neighboring　boats　and　drink　a　glass　or　two　in　the　nearest　bar。　They　came　back　with　important　news。
　　〃We　got　here　just　in　time。　The　Roping's　this　very　night。　And　they're　a　saying　in　the　town…what　d'you　think　of　this？…　they're　saying　that　the　missing　child's　on　a　gyptian　boat；　and　she's　a　going　to　appear　tonight　at　the　Roping！〃
　　He　laughed　loudly　and　ruffled　Lyra's　hair。　Ever　since　they'd　entered　the　fens　he　had　been　more　and　more　good　tempered；　as　if　the　savage　gloom　his　face　showed　outside　were　only　a　disguise。　And　Lyra　felt　an　excitement　growing　in　her　breast　as　she　ate　quickly　and　washed　the　dishes　before　bing　her　hair；　tucking　the　alethiometer　into　the　wolfskin　coat　pocket；　and　jumping　ashore　with　all　the　other　families　making　their　way　up　the　slope　to　the　Zaal。
　　She　had　thought　Tony　was　joking。　She　soon　found　that　he　wasn't；　or　else　that　she　looked　less　like　a　gyptian　than　she'd　thought；　for　many　people　stared；　and　children　pointed；　and　by　the　time　they　reached　the　great　doors　of　the　Zaal　they　were　walking　alone　between　a　crowd　on　either　side；　who　had　fallen　back　to　stare　and　give　them　room。
　　And　then　Lyra　began　to　feel　truly　nervous。　She　kept　close　to　Ma　Costa；　and　Pantalaimon　became　as　big　as　he　could　and　took　his　panther　shape　to　reassure　her。　Ma　Costa　trudged　up　the　steps　as　if　nothing　in　the　world　could　possibly　either　stop　her　or　make　her　go　more　quickly；　and　Tony　and　Kerim　walked　proudly　on　either　side　like　princes。
　　The　hall　was　lit　by　naphtha　lamps；　which　shone　brightly　enough　on　the　faces　and　bodies　of　the　audience；　but　left　the　lofty　rafters　hidden　in　darkness。　The　people　ing　in　had　to　struggle　to　find　room　on　the　floor；　where　the　benches　were　already　crowded；　but　families　squeezed　up　to　make　space；　children　occupying　laps　and　daemons　curling　up　underfoot　or　perching　out　of　the　way　on　the　rough　wooden　walls。
　　At　the　front　of　the　Zaal　there　was　a　platform　with　eight　carved　wooden　chairs　set　out。　As　Lyra　and　the　Costas　found　space　to　stand　along　the　edge　of　the　hall；　eight　men　appeared　from　the　shadows　at　the　rear　of　the　platform　and　stood　in　front　of　the　chairs。　A　ripple　of　excitement　swept　over　the　audience　as　they　hushed　one　another　and　shoved　themselves　into　spaces　on　the　nearest　bench。　Finally　there　was　silence　and　seven　of　the　men　on　the　platform　sat　down。
　　The　one　who　remained　was　in　his　seventies；　but　tall　and　bull　necked　and　powerful。　He　wore　a　plain　canvas　jacket　and　a　checked　shirt；　like　many　gyptian　men；　there　was　nothing　to　mark　him　out　but　the　air　of　strength　and　authority　he　had。　Lyra　recognized　it：　Uncle　Asriel　had　it；　and　so　did　the　Master　of　Jordan。　This　man's　daemon　was　a　crow；　very　like　the　Master's　raven。
　　〃That's　John　Faa；　the　lord　of　the　western　gyptians；〃　Tony　whispered。
　　John　Faa　began　to　speak；　in　a　deep　slow　voice。　〃Gyptians！　Wele　to　the　Roping。　We've　e　to　listen　and　e　to　decide。　You　all　know　why。　There　are　many　families　here　who've　lost　a　child。　Some　have　lost　two。　Someone　is　taking　them。　To　be　sure；　landlopers　are　losing　children　too。　We　have　no　quarrel　with　landlopers　over　this。
　　〃Now　there's　been　talk　about　a　child　and　a　reward。　Here's　the　truth　to　stop　all　gossip。　The　child's　name　is　Lyra　Belacqua；　and　she's　being　sought　by　the　landloper　police。　There　is　a　reward　of　one　thousand　sovereigns　for　giving　her　up　to　them。　She's　a　landloper　child；　and　she's　in　our　care；　and　there　she's　going　to　stay。　Anyone　tempted　by　those　thousand　sovereigns　had　better　find　a　place　neither　on　land　nor　on　water。　We　en't　giving　her　up。〃
　　Lyra　felt　a　blush　from　the　roots　of　her　hair　to　the　soles　of　her　feet；　Pantalaimon　became　a　brown　moth　to　hide。　Eyes　all　around　were　turning　to　them；　and　she　could　only　look　up　at　Ma　Costa　for　reassurance。
　　But　John　Faa　was　speaking　again：
　　〃Talk　all　we　may；　we　won't　change　owt。　We　must　act　if　we　want　to　change　things。　Here's　another　fact　for　you：　the　Gobblers；　these　child　thieves；　are　a　taking　their　prisoners　to　a　town　in　the　far　North；　way　up　in　the　land　of　dark。　I　don't　know　what　they　do　with　'em　there。　Some　folk　say　they　kill　'em；　other　folk　say　different。　We　don't　know。
　　〃What　we　do　know　is　that　they　do　it　with　the　help　of　the　landloper　police　and　the　clergy。　Every　power　on　land　is　helping　'em。　Remember　that。　They　know　what's　going　on　and　they'll　help　it　whenever　they　can。
　　〃So　what　I'm　proposing　en't　easy。　And　I　need　your　agreement。　I'm　proposing　that　we　send　a　band　of　fighters　up　north　to　rescue　them　kids　and　bring　'em　back　alive。　I'm　proposing　that　we　put　our　gold　into　this；　and　all　the　craft　and　courage　we　can　muster。　Yes；　Raymond　van　Gerrit？〃
　　A　man　in　the　audience　had　raised　his　hand；　and　John　Faa　sat　down　to　let　him　speak。
　　〃Beg　pardon；　Lord　Faa。　There's　landloper　kids　as　well　as　gyptians　been　taken　captive。　Are　you　saying　we　should　rescue　them　as　well？〃
　　John　Faa　stood　up　to　answer。
　　〃Raymond；　are　you　saying　we　should　fight　our　way　through　every　kind　of　danger　to　a　little　group　of　frightened　children；　and　then　say　to　some　of　them　that　they　can　e　home；　and　to　the　rest　that　they　have　to　stay？　No；　you're　a　better　man　than　that。　Well；　do　I　have　your　approval；　my　friends？〃
　　The　question　caught　them　by　surprise；　for　there　was　a　moment's　hesitation；　but　then　a　full…throated　roar　filled　the　hall；　and　hands　were　clapped　in　the　air；　fists　shaken；　voices　raised　in　excited　clamor。　The　rafters　of　the　Zaal　shook；　and　from　their　perches　up　in　the　dark　a　score　of　sleeping　birds　woke　up　in　fear　and　flapped　their　wings；　and　little　showers　of　dust　drifted　down。
　　John　Faa　let　the　noise　continue　for　a　minute；　and　then　raised　his　hand　for　silence　again。
　　〃This'll　take　a　while　to　organize。　I　want　the　heads　of　the　families　to　raise　a　tax　and　muster　a　levy。　We'll　meet　again　here　in　three　days'　time。　In　between　now　and　then　I'm　a　going　to　talk　with　the　child　I　mentioned　before；　and　with　Farder　Coram；　and　form　a　plan　to　put　before　you　when　we　meet。　Goodnight　to　ye　all。〃
　　His　massive；　plain；　blunt　presence　was　enough　to　calm　them。　As　the　audience　began　to　move　out　of　the　great　doors　into　the　chilly　evening；　to　go　to　their　boats　or　to　the　crowded　bars　of　the　little　settlement；　Lyra　said　to　Ma　Costa：
　　〃Who　are　the　other　men　on　the　platform？〃
　　〃The　heads　of　the　six　families；　and　the　other　man　is　Farder　Coram。〃
　　It　was　easy　to　see　who　she　meant　by　the　other　man；　because　he　was　the　oldest　one　there。　He　walked　with　a　stick；　and　all　the　time　he'd　been　sitting　behind　John　Faa　he'd　been　trembling　as　if　with　an　ague。
　　〃e　on；〃　said　Tony。　〃I'd　best　take　you　up　to　pay　your　respects　to　John　Faa。　You　call　him　Lord　Faa。　I　don't　know　what　you'll　be　asked；　but　mind　you　tell　the　truth。〃
　　Pantalaimon　was　a　sparrow　now；　and　sat　curiously　on　Lyra's　shoulder；　his　claws　deep　in　the　wolfskin　coat；　as　she　followed　Tony　through　the　crowd　up　to　the　platform。
　　He　lifted　her　up。　Knowing　that　everyone　still　in　the　hall　was　staring　at　her；　and　conscious　of　those　thousand　sovereigns　she　was　suddenly　worth；　she　blushed　and　hesitated。　Pantalaimon　darted　to　her　breast　and　became　a　wildcat；　sitting　up　in　her　arms　and　hissing　softly　as　he　looked　around。
　　Lyra　felt　a　push；　and　stepped　forward　to　John　Faa。　He　was　stern　and　massive　and　expressionless；　more　like　a　pillar　of　rock　than　a　man；　but　he　stooped　and　held　out　his　hand　to　shake。　When　she　put　hers　in；　it　nearly　vanished。
　　〃Wele；　Lyra；〃　he　said。
　　Close　to；　she　felt　his　voice　rumbling　like　the　earth　itself。　She　would　have　been　nervous　but　for　Pantalaimon；　and　the　fact　that　John　Faa's　stony　expression　had　warmed　a　little。　He　was　treating　her　very　gently。
　　〃Thank　you；　Lord　Faa；〃　she　said。
　　〃Now　you　e　in　the　parley　room　and　we'll　have　a　talk；〃　said　John　Faa。　〃Have　they　been　feeding　you　proper；　the　Costas？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes。　We　had　eels　for　supper。〃
　　〃Proper　fen　eels；　I　expect。〃
　　The　parley　room　was　a　fortable　place　with　a　big　fire；　sideboards　laden　with　silver　and　porcelain；　and　a　heavy　table　darkly　polished　by　the　years；　at　which　twelve　chairs　were　drawn　up。
　　The　other　men　from　the　platform　had　gone　elsewhere；　but　the　old　shaking　man　was　still　with　them。　John　Faa　helped　him　to　a　seat　at　the　table。
　　〃Now；　you　sit　here　on　my　right；〃　John　Faa　said　to　Lyra；　and　took　the　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table　himself。　Lyra　found　herself　opposite　Farder　Coram。　She　was　a　little　frightened　by　his　skull…like　face　and　his　continual　trembling。　His　daemon　was　a　beautiful　autumn…colored　cat；　massive　in　size；　who　stalked　along　the　table　with　upraised　tail　and　elegantly　inspected　Pantalaimon；　touching　noses　briefly　before　settling　on　Farder　Coram's　lap；　half…closing　her　eyes　and　purring　softly。
　　A　woman　whom　Lyra　hadn'