pp.thegoldencompass-第26部分

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　about　with　her　new　panions；　dangling　lanterns　on　strings　over　the　black　water　to　attract　the　goggle…eyed　fishes　who　swam　slowly　up　to　be　lunged　at　with　sharp　sticks　and　missed。
　　But　her　mind　was　on　John　Faa　and　the　parley　room；　and　before　long　she　slipped　away　up　the　cobbles　again　to　the　Zaal。　There　was　a　light　in　the　parley　room　window。　It　was　too　high　to　look　through；　but　she　could　hear　a　low　rumble　of　voices　inside。
　　So　she　walked　up　to　the　door　and　knocked　on　it　firmly　five　times。　The　voices　stopped；　a　chair　scraped　across　the　floor；　and　the　door　opened；　spilling　warm　naphtha　light　out　on　the　damp　step。
　　〃Yes？〃　said　the　man　who'd　opened　it。
　　Beyond　him　Lyra　could　see　the　other　men　around　the　table；　with　bags　of　gold　stacked　neatly；　and　papers　and　pens；　and　glasses　and　a　crock　of　jenniver。
　　〃I　want　to　e　north；〃　Lyra　said　so　they　could　all　hear　it。　〃I　want　to　e　and　help　rescue　the　kids。　That's　what　I　set　out　to　do　when　I　run　away　from　Mrs。　Coulter。　And　before　that；　even；　I　meant　to　rescue　my　friend　Roger　the　kitchen　boy　from　Jordan　who　was　took。　I　want　to　e　and　help。　I　can　do　navigation　and　I　can　take　anbaromagnetic　readings　off　the　Aurora；　and　I　know　what　parts　of　a　bear　you　can　eat；　and　all　kind　of　useful　things。　You'd　be　sorry　if　you　got　up　there　and　then　found　you　needed　me　and　found　you'd　left　me　behind。　And　like　that　woman　said；　you　might　need　women　to　play　a　part…well；　you　might　need　kids　too。　You　don't　know。　So　you　oughter　take　me；　Lord　Faa；　excuse　me　for　interrupting　your　talk。〃
　　She　was　inside　the　room　now；　and　all　the　men　and　their　daemons　were　watching　her；　some　with　amusement　and　some　with　irritation；　but　she　had　eyes　only　for　John　Faa。　Pantalaimon　sat　up　in　her　arms；　his　wildcat　eyes　blazing　green。
　　John　Faa　said；　〃Lyra；　there　en't　no　question　of　taking　you　into　danger；　so　don't　delude　yourself；　child。　Stay　here　and　help　Ma　Costa　and　keep　safe。　That's　what　you　got　to　do。〃
　　〃But　I'm　learning　how　to　read　the　alethiometer；　too。　It's　ing　clearer　every　day！　You're　bound　to　need　that…bound　to！〃
　　He　shook　his　head。
　　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　your　heart　was　set　on　going　north；　but　it's　my　belief　not　even　Mrs。　Coulter　was　going　to　take　you。　If　you　want　to　see　the　North；　you'll　have　to　wait　till　all　this　trouble's　over。　Now　off　you　go。〃
　　Pantalaimon　hissed　quietly；　but　John　Faa's　daemon　took　off　from　the　back　of　his　chair　and　flew　at　them　with　black　wings；　not　threateningly；　but　like　a　reminder　of　good　manners；　and　Lyra　turned　on　her　heel　as　the　crow　glided　over　her　head　and　wheeled　back　to　John　Faa。　The　door　shut　behind　her　with　a　decisive　click。
　　〃We　will　go；〃　she　said　to　Pantalaimon。　〃Let　'em　try　to　stop　us。　We　will！〃
　　
　　
　　NINE　
　　THE　SPIES
　　
　　Over　the　next　few　days；　Lyra　concocted　a　dozen　plans　and　dismissed　them　impatiently；　for　they　all　boiled　down　to　stowing　away；　and　how　could　you　stow　away　on　a　narrowboat？　To　be　sure；　the　real　voyage　would　involve　a　proper　ship；　and　she　knew　enough　stories　to　expect　all　kinds　of　hiding　places　on　a　full…sized　vessel：　the　lifeboats；　the　hold；　the　bilges；　whatever　they　were；　but　she'd　have　to　get　to　the　ship　first；　and　leaving　the　fens　meant　traveling　the　gyptian　way。
　　And　even　if　she　got　to　the　coast　on　her　own；　she　might　stow　away　on　the　wrong　ship。　It　would　be　a　fine　thing　to　hide　in　a　lifeboat　and　wake　up　on　the　way　to　High　Brazil。
　　Meanwhile；　all　around　her　the　tantalizing　work　of　assembling　the　expedition　was　going　on　day　and　night。　She　hung　around　Adam　Stefanski；　watching　as　he　made　his　choice　of　the　volunteers　for　the　fighting　force。　She　pestered　Roger　van　Poppel　with　suggestions　about　the　stores　they　needed　to　take：　Had　he　remembered　snow　goggles？　Did　he　know　the　best　place　to　get　arctic　maps？
　　The　man　she　most　wanted　to　help　was　Benjamin　de　Ruyter；　the　spy。　But　he　had　slipped　away　in　the　early　hours　of　the　morning　after　the　second　roping；　and　naturally　no　one　could　say　where　he'd　gone　or　when　he'd　return。　So　in　default；　Lyra　attached　herself　to　Farder　Coram。
　　〃I　think　it'd　be　best　if　I　helped　you；　Farder　Coram；〃　she　said；　〃because　I　probably　know　more　about　the　Gobblers　than　anyone　else；　being　as　I　was　nearly　one　of　them。　Probably　you'll　need　me　to　help　you　understand　Mr。　de　Ruyter's　messages。〃
　　He　took　pity　on　the　fierce；　desperate　little　girl　and　didn't　send　her　away。　Instead　he　talked　to　her；　and　listened　to　her　memories　of　Oxford　and　of　Mrs。　Coulter；　and　watched　as　she　read　the　alethiometer。
　　〃Where's　that　book　with　all　the　symbols　in？〃　she　asked　him　one　day。
　　〃In　Heidelberg；〃　he　said。
　　〃And　is　there　just　the　one？〃
　　〃There　may　be　others；　but　that's　the　one　I've　seen。〃
　　〃I　bet　there's　one　in　Bodley's　Library　in　Oxford；〃　she　said。
　　She　could　hardly　take　her　eyes　off　Farder　Coram's　daemon；　who　was　the　most　beautiful　daemon　she'd　ever　seen。　When　Pantalaimon　was　a　cat；　he　was　lean　and　ragged　and　harsh；　but　Sophonax；　for　that　was　her　name；　was　golden…eyed　and　elegant　beyond　measure；　fully　twice　as　large　as　a　real　cat　and　richly　furred。　When　the　sunlight　touched　her；　it　lit　up　more　shades　of　tawny…brown…leaf…hazel…corn…gold…autumn…mahogany　than　Lyra　could　name。　She　longed　to　touch　that　fur；　to　rub　her　cheeks　against　it；　but　of　course　she　never　did；　for　it　was　the　grossest　breach　of　etiquette　imaginable　to　touch　another　person's　daemon。　Daemons　might　touch　each　other；　of　course；　or　fight；　but　the　prohibition　against　human…daemon　contact　went　so　deep　that　even　in　battle　no　warrior　would　touch　an　enemy's　daemon。　It　was　utterly　forbidden。　Lyra　couldn't　remember　having　to　be　told　that：　she　just　knew　it；　as　instinctively　as　she　felt　that　nausea　was　bad　and　fort　good。　So　although　she　admired　the　fur　of　Sophonax　and　even　speculated　on　what　it　might　feel　like；　she　never　made　the　slightest　move　to　touch　her；　and　never　would。
　　Sophonax　was　as　sleek　and　healthy　and　beautiful　as　Farder　Coram　was　ravaged　and　weak。　He　might　have　been　ill；　or　he　might　have　suffered　a　crippling　blow；　but　the　result　was　that
　　he　could　not　walk　without　leaning　on　two　sticks；　and　he　trembled　constantly　like　an　aspen　leaf。　His　mind　was　sharp　and　clear　and　powerful；　though；　and　soon　Lyra　came　to　love　him　for　his　knowledge　and　for　the　firm　way　he　directed　her。
　　〃What's　that　hourglass　mean；　Farder　Coram？〃　she　asked；　over　the　alethiometer；　one　sunny　morning　in　his　boat。　〃It　keeps　ing　back　to　that。〃
　　〃There's　often　a　clue　there　if　you　look　more　close。　What's　that　little　old　thing　on　top　of　it？〃
　　She　screwed　up　her　eyes　and　peered。
　　〃That's　a　skull！〃
　　〃So　what　d'you　think　that　might　mean？〃
　　〃Death　。　。　。　Is　that　death？〃
　　〃That's　right。　So　in　the　hourglass　range　of　meanings　you　get　death。　In　fact；　after　time；　which　is　the　first　one；　death　is　the　second　one。〃
　　〃D'you　know　what　I　noticed；　Farder　Coram？　The　needle　stops　there　on　the　second　go…round！　On　the　first　round　it　kind　of　twitches；　and　on　the　second　it　stops。　Is　that　saying　it's　the　second　meaning；　then？〃
　　〃Probably。　What　are　you　asking　it；　Lyra？〃
　　〃I'm　a　thinking…〃　she　stopped；　surprised　to　find　that　she'd　actually　been　asking　a　question　without　realizing　it。　〃I　just　put　three　pictures　together　because　。　。　。　！　was　thinking　about　Mr。　de　Ruyter；　see　。　。　。　。And　I　put　together　the　serpent　and　the　crucible　and　the　beehive；　to　ask　how　he's　a　getting　on　with　his　spying；　and…〃
　　〃Why　them　three　symbols？〃
　　〃Because　I　thought　the　serpent　was　cunning；　like　a　spy　ought　to　be；　and　the　crucible　could　mean　like　knowledge；　what　you　kind　of　distill；　and　the　beehive　was　hard　work；　like　bees　are　always　working　hard；　so　out　of　the　hard　work　and　the　cunning　es　the　knowledge；　see；　and　that's　the　spy's　job；　and　I　pointed　to　them　and　I　thought　the　question　in　my　mind；　and　the　needle　stopped　at　death　。　。　。　。D'you　think　that　could　be　really　working；　Farder　Coram？〃
　　〃It's　working　all　right；　Lyra。　What　we　don't　know　is　whether　we're　reading　it　right。　That's　a　subtle　art。　I　wonder　if…〃
　　Before　he　could　finish　his　sentence；　there　was　an　urgent　knock　at　the　door；　and　a　young　gyptian　man　came　in。
　　〃Beg　pardon；　Farder　Coram；　there's　Jacob　Huismans　just　e　back；　and　he's　sore　wounded。〃
　　〃He　was　with　Benjamin　de　Ruyter；〃　said　Farder　Coram。　〃What's　happened？〃
　　〃He　won't　speak；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃You　better　e；　Farder　Coram；　'cause　he　won't　last　long；　he's　a　bleeding　inside。〃
　　Farder　Coram　and　Lyra　exchanged　a　look　of　alarm　and　wonderment；　but　only　for　a　second；　and　then　Farder　Coram　was　hobbling　out　on　his　sticks　as　fast　as　he　could　manage；　with　his　daemon　padding　ahead　of　him。　Lyra　came　too；　hopping　with　impatience。
　　The　young　man　led　them　to　a　boat　tied　up　at　the　sugar…beet　jetty；　where　a　woman　in　a　red　flannel　apron　held　open　the　door　for　them。　Seeing　her　suspicious　glance　at　Lyra；　Farder　Coram　said；　〃It's　important　the　girl　hears　what　Jacob's　got　to　say；　mistress。〃
　　So　the　woman　let　them　in　and　stood　back；　with　her　squirrel　daemon　perched　silent　on　the　wooden　clock。　On　a　bunk　under　a　patchwork　coverlet　lay　a　man　whose　white　face　was　damp　with　sweat　and　whose　eyes　were　glazed。
　　〃I've　sent　for　the　physician；　Farder　Coram；〃　said　the　woman　shakily。　〃Please　don't　agitate　him。　He's　in　an　agony　of　pain。　He　e　in　of