pp.thegoldencompass-第35部分

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sted　in　you；　Lyra。　Our　consul　told　us　about　your　visit　this　morning。　I　believe　it　was　Dr。　Lanselius　who　told　you　about　the　bear。〃
　　〃Yes；　it　was；〃　said　John　Faa。　〃And　she　and　Farder　Coram　went　theirselves　and　talked　to　him。　I　daresay　what　Lyra　says　is　true；　but　if　we　go　breaking　the　law　of　these　people　we'll　only　get　involved　in　a　quarrel　with　them；　and　what　we　ought　to　be　doing　is　pushing　on　towards　this　Bolvangar；　bear　or　no　bear。〃
　　〃Ah；　but　you　en't　seen　him；　John；〃　said　Farder　Coram。　〃And　I　do　believe　Lyra。　We　could　promise　on　his　behalf；　maybe。　He　might　make　all　the　difference。〃
　　〃What　do　you　think；　sir？〃　said　John　Faa　to　the　witch's　daemon。
　　〃We　have　few　dealings　with　bears。　Their　desires　are　as　strange　to　us　as　ours　are　to　them。　If　this　bear　is　an　outcast；　he　might　be　less　reliable　than　they　are　said　to　be。　You　must　decide　for　yourselves。〃
　　〃We　will；〃　said　John　Faa　firmly。　〃But　now；　sir；　can　you　tell　us　how　to　get　to　Bolvangar　from　here？〃
　　The　goose　daemon　began　to　explain。　He　spoke　of　valleys　and　hills；　of　the　tree　line　and　the　tundra；　of　star　sightings。　Lyra　listened　awhile；　and　then　lay　back　in　the　deck　chair　with　Pantalaimon　curled　around　her　neck；　and　thought　of　the　grand　vision　the　goose　daemon　had　brought　with　him。　A　bridge　between　two　worlds　。　。　。　This　was　far　more　splendid　than　anything　she　could　have　hoped　for！　And　only　her　great　father　could　have　conceived　it。　As　soon　as　they　had　rescued　the　children；　she　would　go　to　Svalbard　with　the　bear　and　take　Lord　Asriel　the　alethiometer；　and　use　it　to　help　set　him　free；　and　they'd　build　the　bridge　together；　and　be　the　first　across　。　。　。　。
　　
　　Sometime　in　the　night　John　Faa　must　have　carried　Lyra　to　her　bunk；　because　that　was　where　she　awoke。　The　dim　sun　was　as　high　in　the　sky　as　it　was　going　to　get；　only　a　hand's　breadth　above　the　horizon；　so　it　must　be　nearly　noon；　she　thought。　Soon；　when　they　moved　further　north；　there　would　be　no　sun　at　all。
　　She　dressed　quickly　and　ran　on　deck　to　find　nothing　very　much　happening。　All　the　stores　had　been　unloaded；　sledges　and　dog　teams　had　been　hired　and　were　waiting　to　go；　everything　was　ready　and　nothing　was　moving。　Most　of　the　gyp…tians　were　sitting　in　a　smoke…filled　cafe　facing　the　water；　eating　spice　cakes　and　drinking　strong　sweet　coffee　at　the　long　wooden　tables　under　the　fizz　and　crackle　of　some　ancient　anbaric　lights。
　　〃Where's　Lord　Faa？〃　she　said；　sitting　down　with　Tony　Costa　and　his　friends。　〃And　Farder　Coram？　Are　they　getting　the　bear's　armor　for　him？〃
　　〃They're　a　talking　to　the　sysselman。　That's　their　word　for　governor。　You　seen　this　bear；　then；　Lyra？〃
　　〃Yeah！〃　she　said；　and　explained　all　about　him。　As　she　talked；　someone　else　pulled　a　chair　up　and　joined　the　group　at　the　table。
　　〃So　you've　spoken　to　old　Iorek？〃　he　said。
　　She　looked　at　the　newer　with　surprise。　He　was　a　tall；　lean　man　with　a　thin　black　moustache　and　narrow　blue　eyes；　and　a　perpetual　expression　of　distant　and　sardonic　amusement。　She　felt　strongly　about　him　at　once；　but　she　wasn't　sure　whether　it　was　liking　she　felt；　or　dislike。　His　daemon　was　a　shabby　hare　as　thin　and　tough…looking　as　he　was。
　　He　held　out　his　hand　and　she　shook　it　warily。
　　〃Lee　Scoresby；〃　he　said。
　　〃The　aeronaut！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Where's　your　balloon？　Can　I　go　up　in　it？〃
　　〃It's　packed　away　right　now；　miss。　You　must　be　the　famous　Lyra。　How　did　you　get　on　with　Iorek　Byrnison？〃
　　〃You　know　him？〃
　　〃I　fought　beside　him　in　the　Tunguska　campaign。　Hell；　I've　known　Iorek　for　years。　Bears　are　difficult　critters　no　matter　what；　but　he's　a　problem；　and　no　mistake。　Say；　are　any　of　you　gentlemen　in　the　mood　for　a　game　of　hazard？〃
　　A　pack　of　cards　had　appeared　from　nowhere　in　his　hand。　He　riffled　them　with　a　snapping　noise。
　　〃Now　I've　heard　of　the　card　power　of　your　people；〃　Lee　Scoresby　was　saying；　cutting　and　folding　the　cards　over　and　over　with　one　hand　and　fishing　a　cigar　out　of　his　breast　pocket　with　the　other；　〃and　I　thought　you　wouldn't　object　to　giving　a　simple　Texan　traveler　the　chance　to　joust　with　your　skill　and　daring　on　the　field　of　pasteboard　bat。　What　do　you　say；　gentlemen？〃
　　Gyptians　prided　themselves　on　their　ability　with　cards；　and　several　of　the　men　looked　interested　and　pulled　their　chairs　up。　While　they　were　agreeing　with　Lee　Scoresby　what　to　play　and　for　what　stakes；　his　daemon　flicked　her　ears　at　Pantalaimon；　who　understood　and　leaped　to　her　side　lightly　as　a　squirrel。
　　She　was　speaking　for　Lyra's　ears　too；　of　course；　and　Lyra　heard　her　say　quietly；　〃Go　straight　to　the　bear　and　tell　him　direct。　As　soon　as　they　know　what's　going　on；　they'll　move　his　armor　somewhere　else。〃
　　Lyra　got　up；　taking　her　spice　cake　with　her；　and　no　one　noticed；　Lee　Scoresby　was　already　dealing　the　cards；　and　every　suspicious　eye　was　on　his　hands。
　　In　the　dull　light；　fading　through　an　endless　afternoon；　she　found　her　way　to　the　sledge　depot。　It　was　something　she　knew　she　had　to　do；　but　she　felt　uneasy　about　it；　and　afraid；　too。
　　Outside　the　largest　of　the　concrete　sheds　the　great　bear　was　working；　and　Lyra　stood　by　the　open　gate　to　watch。　Iorek　Byrnison　was　dismantling　a　gas…engined　tractor　that　had　crashed；　the　metal　covering　of　the　engine　was　twisted　and　buckled　and　one　runner　bent　upward。　The　bear　lifted　the　metal　off　as　if　it　were　cardboard；　and　turned　it　this　way　and　that　in　his　great　hands；　seeming　to　test　it　for　some　quality　or　other；　before　setting　a　rear　paw　on　one　corner　and　then　bending　the　whole　sheet　in　such　a　way　that　the　dents　sprang　out　and　the　shape　was　restored。　Leaning　it　against　the　wall；　he　lifted　the　massive　weight　of　the　tractor　with　one　paw　and　laid　it　on　its　side　before　bending　to　examine　the　crumpled　runner。
　　As　he　did　so；　he　caught　sight　of　Lyra。　She　felt　a　bolt　of　cold　fear　strike　at　her；　because　he　was　so　massive　and　so　alien。　She　was　gazing　through　the　chain…link　fence　about　forty　yards　from　him；　and　she　thought　how　he　could　clear　the　distance　in　a　bound　or　two　and　sweep　the　wire　aside　like　a　cobweb；　and　she　almost　turned　and　ran　away；　but　Pantalaimon　said；　〃Stop！　Let　me　go　and　talk　to　him。〃
　　He　was　a　tern；　and　before　she　could　answer　he'd　flown　off　the　fence　and　down　to　the　icy　ground　beyond　it。　There　was　an　open　gate　a　little　way　along；　and　Lyra　could　have　followed　him；　but　she　hung　back　uneasily。　Pantalaimon　looked　at　her；　and　then　became　a　badger。
　　She　knew　what　he　was　doing。　Daemons　could　move　no　more　than　a　few　yards　from　their　humans；　and　if　she　stood　by　the　fence　and　he　remained　a　bird；　he　wouldn't　get　near　the　bear；　so　he　was　going　to　pull。
　　She　felt　angry　and　miserable。　His　badger　claws　dug　into　the　earth　and　he　walked　forward。　It　was　such　a　strange　tormenting　feeling　when　your　daemon　was　pulling　at　the　link　between　you；　part　physical　pain　deep　in　the　chest；　part　intense　sadness　and　love。　And　she　knew　it　was　the　same　for　him。　Everyone　tested　it　when　they　were　growing　up：　seeing　how　far　they　could　pull　apart；　ing　back　with　intense　relief。
　　He　tugged　a　little　harder。
　　〃Don't；　Pan！〃
　　But　he　didn't　stop。　The　bear　watched；　motionless。　The　pain　in　Lyra's　heart　grew　more　and　more　unbearable；　and　a　sob　of　longing　rose　in　her　throat。
　　〃Pan…〃
　　Then　she　was　through　the　gate；　scrambling　over　the　icy　mud　toward　him；　and　he　turned　into　a　wildcat　and　sprang　up　into　her　arms；　and　they　were　clinging　together　tightly　with　little　shaky　sounds　of　unhappiness　ing　from　them　both。
　　〃I　thought　you　really　would…〃
　　〃No…〃
　　〃I　couldn't　believe　how　much　it　hurt…〃
　　And　then　she　brushed　the　tears　away　angrily　and　sniffed　hard。　He　nestled　in　her　arms；　and　she　knew　she　would　rather　die　than　let　them　be　parted　and　face　that　sadness　again；　it　would　send　her　mad　with　grief　and　terror。　If　she　died；　they'd　still　be　together；　like　the　Scholars　in　the　crypt　at　Jordan。
　　Then　girl　and　daemon　looked　up　at　the　solitary　bear。　He　had　no　daemon。　He　was　alone；　always　alone。　She　felt　such　a　stir　of　pity　and　gentleness　for　him　that　she　almost　reached　out　to　touch　his　matted　pelt；　and　only　a　sense　of　courtesy　toward　those　cold　ferocious　eyes　prevented　her。
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison；〃　she　said。
　　〃Well？〃
　　〃Lord　Faa　and　Farder　Coram　have　gone　to　try　and　get　your　armor　for　you。〃
　　He　didn't　move　or　speak。　It　was　clear　what　he　thought　of　their　chances。
　　〃I　know　where　it　is；　though；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　I　told　you；　maybe　you　could　get　it　by　yourself；　I　don't　know。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　where　it　is？〃
　　〃I　got　a　symbol　reader。　I　think　I　ought　to　tell　you；　Iorek　Byrnison；　seeing　as　they　tricked　you　out　of　it　in　the　first　place。　I　don't　think　that's　right。　They　shouldn't've　done　that。　Lord　Faa's　going　to　argue　with　the　sysselman；　but　probably　they　won't　let　you　have　it　whatever　he　says。　So　if　I　tell　you；　will　you　e　with　us　and　help　rescue　the　kids　from　Bolvangar？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃I　。　。　。　〃　She　didn't　mean　to　be　nosy；　but　she　couldn't　help　being　curious。　She　said；　〃Why　don't　you　just　make　some　more　armor　out　of　this　metal　here；　Iorek　Byrnison？〃
　　〃Because　it's　worthless。　Look；〃　he　said；　and；　lifting　the　engine　cover　with　one　paw；　he　extended　a　claw　on　the　other　hand　and　ripped　right　through　it　like　a　can　opener。　〃My　armor　is　made　of　sky　iron；　made　for　me。　A　bear's　a