pp.thegoldencompass-第37部分

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　　The　bear　looked　up　and　growled　briefly；　before　ripping　the　seal　open　with　one　claw。　Lyra　watched　fascinated　as　he　laid　the　skin　out　flat　and　tore　off　strips　of　blubber；　which　he　then　rubbed　all　over　his　armor；　packing　it　carefully　into　the　places　where　the　plates　moved　over　one　another。
　　〃Are　you　with　these　people？〃　the　bear　said　to　Lee　Scoresby　as　he　worked。
　　〃Sure。　I　guess　we're　both　hired　hands；　Iorek。〃
　　〃Where's　your　balloon？〃　said　Lyra　to　the　Texan。
　　〃Packed　away　in　two　sledges；〃　he　said。　〃Here　es　the　boss。〃
　　John　Faa　and　Farder　Coram；　together　with　the　sysselman；　came　down　the　quay　with　four　armed　policemen。
　　〃Bear！〃　said　the　sysselman；　in　a　high；　harsh　voice。　〃For　now；　you　are　allowed　to　depart　in　the　pany　of　these　people。　But　let　me　tell　you　that　if　you　appear　within　the　town　limits　again；　you　will　be　treated　mercilessly。〃
　　Iorek　Byrnison　took　not　the　slightest　notice；　but　continued　to　rub　the　seal　blubber　all　over　his　armor；　the　care　and　attention　he　was　paying　the　task　reminding　Lyra　of　her　own　devotion　to　Pantalaimon。　Just　as　the　bear　had　said：　the　armor　was　his　soul。　The　sysselman　and　the　policemen　withdrew；　and　slowly　the　other　townspeople　turned　and　drifted　away；　though　a　few　remained　to　watch。
　　John　Faa　put　his　hands　to　his　mouth　and　called：　〃Gyptians！〃
　　They　were　all　ready　to　move。　They　had　been　itching　to　get　under　way　ever　since　they　had　disembarked；　the　sledges　were　packed；　the　dog　teams　were　in　their　traces。
　　John　Faa　said；　〃Time　to　move　out；　friends。　We're　all　assembled　now；　and　the　road　lies　open。　Mr。　Scoresby；　you　all　a　loaded？〃
　　〃Ready　to　go；　Lord　Faa。〃
　　〃And　you；　Iorek　Byrnison？〃
　　〃When　I　am　clad；〃　said　the　bear。
　　He　had　finished　oiling　the　armor。　Not　wanting　to　waste　the　seal　meat；　he　lifted　the　carcass　in　his　teeth　and　flipped　it　onto　the　back　of　Lee　Scoresby's　larger　sledge　before　donning　the　armor。　It　was　astonishing　to　see　how　lightly　he　dealt　with　it：　the　sheets　of　metal　were　almost　an　inch　thick　in　places；　and　yet　he　swung　them　round　and　into　place　as　if　they　were　silk　robes。　It　took　him　less　than　a　minute；　and　this　time　there　was　no　harsh　scream　of　rust。
　　So　in　less　than　half　an　hour；　the　expedition　was　on　its　way　northward。　Under　a　sky　peopled　with　millions　of　stars　and　a　glaring　moon；　the　sledges　bumped　and　clattered　over　the　ruts　and　stones　until　they　reached　clear　snow　at　the　edge　of　town。　Then　the　sound　changed　to　a　quiet　crunch　of　snow　and　creak　of　timber；　and　the　dogs　began　to　step　out　eagerly；　and　the　motion　became　swift　and　smooth。
　　Lyra；　wrapped　up　so　thickly　in　the　back　of　Farder　Coram's　sledge　that　only　her　eyes　were　exposed；　whispered　to　Pantalaimon：
　　〃Can　you　see　Iorek？〃
　　〃He's　padding　along　beside　Lee　Scoresby's　sledge；〃　the　daemon　replied；　looking　back　in　his　ermine　form　as　he　clung　to　her　wolverine…fur　hood。
　　Ahead　of　them；　over　the　mountains　to　the　north；　the　pale　arcs　and　loops　of　the　Northern　Lights　began　to　glow　and　tremble。　Lyra　saw　through　half…closed　eyes；　and　felt　a　sleepy　thrill　of　perfect　happiness；　to　be　speeding　north　under　the　Aurora。　Pantalaimon　struggled　against　her　sleepiness；　but　it　was　too　strong；　he　curled　up　as　a　mouse　inside　her　hood。　He　could　tell　her　when　they　woke；　and　it　was　probably　a　marten；　or　a　dream；　or　some　kind　of　harmless　local　spirit；　but　something　was　following　the　train　of　sledges；　swinging　lightly　from　branch　to　branch　of　the　close…clustering　pine　trees；　and　it　put　him　uneasily　in　mind　of　a　monkey。
　　
　　
　　TWELVE　
　　THE　LOST　BOY
　　
　　They　traveled　for　several　hours　and　then　stopped　to　eat。　While　the　men　were　lighting　fires　and　melting　snow　for　water；　with　Iorek　Byrnison　watching　Lee　Scoresby　roast　seal　meat　close　by；　John　Faa　spoke　to　Lyra。
　　〃Lyra；　can　you　see　that　instrument　to　read　it？〃　he　said。
　　The　moon　itself　had　long　set。　The　light　from　the　Aurora　was　brighter　than　moonlight；　but　it　was　inconstant。　However；　Lyra's　eyes　were　keen；　and　she　fumbled　inside　her　furs　and　tugged　out　the　black　velvet　bag。
　　〃Yes；　I　can　see　all　right；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　know　where　most　of　the　symbols　are　by　now　anyway。　What　shall　I　ask　it；　Lord　Faa？〃
　　〃I　want　to　know　more　about　how　they're　defending　this　place；　Bolvangar；〃　he　said。
　　Without　even　having　to　think　about　it；　she　found　her　fingers　moving　the　hands　to　point　to　the　helmet；　the　griffin；　and　the　crucible；　and　felt　her　mind　settle　into　the　right　meanings　like　a　plicated　diagram　in　three　dimensions。　At　once　the　needle　began　to　swing　round；　back；　round　and　on　further；　like　a　bee　dancing　its　message　to　the　hive。　She　watched　it　calmly；　content　not　to　know　at　first　but　to　know　that　a　meaning　was　ing；　and　then　it　began　to　clear。　She　let　it　dance　on　until　it　was　certain。
　　〃It's　just　like　the　witch's　daemon　said；　Lord　Faa。　There's　a　pany　of　Tartars　guarding　the　station；　and　they　got　wires　all　round　it。　They　don't　really　expect　to　be　attacked；　that's　what　the　symbol　reader　says。　But　Lord　Faa　。　。　。　〃
　　〃What；　child？〃
　　〃It's　a　telling　me　something　else。　In　the　next　valley　there's　a　village　by　a　lake　where　the　folk　are　troubled　by　a　ghost。〃
　　John　Faa　shook　his　head　impatiently；　and　said；　〃That　don't　matter　now。　There's　bound　to　be　spirits　of　all　kinds　among　these　forests。　Tell　me　again　about　them　Tartars。　How　many；　for　instance？　What　are　they　armed　with？〃
　　Lyra　dutifully　asked；　and　reported　the　answer：
　　〃There's　sixty　men　with　rifles；　and　they　got　a　couple　of　larger　guns；　sort　of　cannons。　They　got　fire　throwers　too。　And　。　。　。　　Their　daemons　are　all　wolves；　that's　what　it　says。〃
　　That　caused　a　stir　among　the　older　gyptians；　those　who'd　campaigned　before。
　　〃The　Sibirsk　regiments　have　wolf　daemons；〃　said　one。
　　John　Faa　said；　〃I　never　met　fiercer。　We　shall　have　to　fight　like　tigers。　And　consult　the　bear；　he's　a　shrewd　warrior；　that　one。〃
　　Lyra　was　impatient；　and　said；　〃But　Lord　Faa；　this　ghost…I　think　it's　the　ghost　of　one　of　the　kids！〃
　　〃Well；　even　if　it　is；　Lyra；　I　don't　know　what　anyone　could　do　about　it。　Sixty　Sibirsk　riflemen；　and　fire　throwers　。　。　。　Mr。　Scoresby；　step　over　here　if　you　would；　for　a　moment。〃
　　While　the　aeronaut　came　to　the　sledge；　Lyra　slipped　away　and　spoke　to　the　bear。
　　〃Iorek；　have　you　traveled　this　way　before？〃
　　〃Once；〃　he　said　in　that　deep　flat　voice。
　　〃There's　a　village　near；　en't　there？〃
　　〃Over　the　ridge；〃　he　said；　looking　up　through　the　sparse　trees。
　　〃Is　it　far？〃
　　〃For　you　or　for　me？〃
　　〃For　me；〃　she　said。
　　〃Too　far。　Not　at　all　far　for　me。〃
　　　〃How　long　would　it　take　you　to　get　there；　then？〃
　　〃I　could　be　there　and　back　three　times　by　next　moonrise。〃
　　〃Because；　Iorek；　listen：　I　got　this　symbol　reader　that　tells　me　things；　you　see；　and　it's　told　me　that　there's　something　important　I　got　to　do　over　in　that　village；　and　Lord　Faa　won't　let　me　go　there。　He　just　wants　to　get　on　quick；　and　1　know　that's　important　too。　But　unless　I　go　and　find　out　what　it　is；　we　might　not　know　what　the　Gobblers　are　really　doing。〃
　　The　bear　said　nothing。　He　was　sitting　up　like　a　human；　his　great　paws　folded　in　his　lap；　his　dark　eyes　looking　into　hers　down　the　length　of　his　muzzle。　He　knew　she　wanted　something。
　　Pantalaimon　spoke：　〃Can　you　take　us　there　and　catch　up　with　the　sledges　later　on？〃
　　〃I　could。　But　I　have　given　my　word　to　Lord　Faa　to　obey　him；　not　anyone　else。〃
　　〃If　I　got　his　permission？〃　said　Lyra。　〃Then　yes。〃
　　She　turned　and　ran　back　through　the　snow。　〃Lord　Faa！　If　Iorek　Byrnison　takes　me　over　the　ridge　to　the　village；　we　can　find　out　whatever　it　is；　and　then　catch　the　sledges　up　further　on。　He　knows　the　route；〃　she　urged。　〃And　I　wouldn't　ask；　except　it's　like　what　I　did　before；　Farder　Coram；　you　remember；　with　that　chameleon？　I　didn't　understand　it　then；　but　it　was　true；　and　we　found　out　soon　after。　I　got　the　same　feeling　now。　I　can't　understand　properly　what　it's　saying；　only　I　know　it's　important。　And　Iorek　Byrnison　knows　the　way；　he　says　he　could　get　there　and　back　three　times　by　next　moonrise；　and　I　couldn't　be　safer　than　I'd　be　with　him；　could　I？　But　he　won't　go　without　he　gets　Lord　Faa's　permission。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。　Farder　Coram　sighed。　John　Faa　was　frowning；　and　his　mouth　inside　the　fur　hood　was　set　grimly。
　　But　before　he　could　speak；　the　aeronaut　put　in：
　　〃Lord　Faa；　if　Iorek　Byrnison　takes　the　little　girl；　she'll　be　as　safe　as　if　she　was　here　with　us。　All　bears　are　true；　but　I've　known　Iorek　for　years；　and　nothing　under　the　sky　will　make　him　break　his　word。　Give　him　the　charge　to　take　care　of　her　and　he'll　do　it；　make　no　mistake。　As　for　speed；　he　can　lope　for　hours　without　tiring。〃
　　〃But　why　should　not　some　men　go？〃　said　John　Faa。
　　〃Well；　they'd　have　to　walk；〃　Lyra　pointed　out；　〃because　you　couldn't　run　a　sledge　over　that　ridge。　Iorek　Byrnison　can　go　faster　than　any　man　over　that　sort　of　country；　and　I'm　light　enough　so's　he　won't　be　slowed　down。　And　I　promise；　Lord　Faa；　I　promise　not　to　be　any　longer　than　I　need；　and　not　to　give　anything　away　about　us；　or　to　get　in　any　danger。〃
　　〃You're　sure　you　need　to　do　this？　That　symbol　reader　en't　playing　the　fool　with　you？〃
　　〃It　never　does；　Lord　Faa；　and　I　don't　think　it　could。〃
　　John　Faa　rubbed　his　chin。