pp.thegoldencompass-第38部分

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　　〃It　never　does；　Lord　Faa；　and　I　don't　think　it　could。〃
　　John　Faa　rubbed　his　chin。
　　〃Well；　if　all　es　out　right；　we'll　have　a　piece　more　knowledge　than　we　do　now。　Iorek　Byrnison；〃　he　called；　〃are　you　willing　to　do　as　this　child　bids？〃
　　〃I　do　your　bidding；　Lord　Faa。　Tell　me　to　take　the　child　there；　and　I　will。〃
　　〃Very　well。　You　are　to　take　her　where　she　wishes　to　go　and　do　as　she　bids。　Lyra；　I'm　a　manding　you　now；　you　understand？〃
　　〃Yes；　Lord　Faa。〃
　　〃You　go　and　search　for　whatever　it　is；　and　when　you've　found　it；　you　turn　right　round　and　e　back。　Iorek　Byrnison；　we'll　be　a　traveling　on　by　that　time；　so　you'll　have　to　catch　us　up。〃
　　The　bear　nodded　his　great　head。
　　〃Are　there　any　soldiers　in　the　village？〃　he　said　to　Lyra。
　　〃Will　I　need　my　armor？　We　shall　be　swifter　without　it。〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　certain　of　that；　Iorek。　Thank　you；　Lord　Faa；　and　I　promise　I'll　do　just　as　you　say。〃
　　Tony　Costa　gave　her　a　strip　of　dried　seal　meat　to　chew；　and　with　Pantalaimon　as　a　mouse　inside　her　hood；　Lyra　clambered　onto　the　great　bear's　back；　gripping　his　fur　with　her　mittens　and　his　narrow　muscular　back　between　her　knees。　His　fur　was　wondrously　thick；　and　the　sense　of　immense　power　she　felt　was　overwhelming。　As　if　she　weighed　nothing　at　all；　he　turned　and　loped　away　in　a　long　swinging　run　up　toward　the　ridge　and　into　the　low　trees。
　　It　took　some　time　before　she　was　used　to　the　movement；　and　then　she　felt　a　wild　exhilaration。　She　was　riding　a　bear！　And　the　Aurora　was　swaying　above　them　in　golden　arcs　and　loops；　and　all　around　was　the　bitter　arctic　cold　and　the　immense　silence　of　the　North。
　　Iorek　Byrnison's　paws　made　hardly　any　sound　as　they　padded　forward　through　the　snow。　The　trees　were　thin　and　stunted　here；　for　they　were　on　the　edge　of　the　tundra；　but　there　were　brambles　and　snagging　bushes　in　the　path。　The　bear　ripped　through　them　as　if　they　were　cobwebs。
　　They　climbed　the　low　ridge；　among　outcrops　of　black　rock；　and　were　soon　out　of　sight　of　the　party　behind　them。　Lyra　wanted　to　talk　to　the　bear；　and　if　he　had　been　human；　she　would　already　be　on　familiar　terms　with　him；　but　he　was　so　strange　and　wild　and　cold　that　she　was　shy；　almost　for　the　first　time　in　her　life。　So　as　he　loped　along；　his　great　legs　swinging　tirelessly；　she　sat　with　the　movement　and　said　nothing。　Perhaps　he　preferred　that　anyway；　she　thought；　she　must　seem　a　little　prattling　cub；　only　just　past　babyhood；　in　the　eyes　of　an　armored　bear。
　　She　had　seldom　considered　herself　before；　and　found　the　experience　interesting　but　unfortable；　very　like　riding　the　bear；　in　fact。　Iorek　Byrnison　was　pacing　swiftly；　moving　both　legs　on　one　side　of　his　body　at　the　same　time；　and　rocking　from　side　to　side　in　a　steady　powerful　rhythm。　She　found　she　couldn't　just　sit：　she　had　to　ride　actively。
　　They　had　been　traveling　for　an　hour　or　more；　and　Lyra　was　stiff　and　sore　but　deeply　happy；　when　Iorek　Byrnison　slowed　down　and　stopped。
　　〃Look　up；〃　he　said。
　　Lyra　raised　her　eyes　and　had　to　wipe　them　with　the　inside　of　her　wrist；　for　she　was　so　cold　that　tears　were　blurring　them。　When　she　could　see　clearly；　she　gasped　at　the　sight　of　the　sky。　The　Aurora　had　faded　to　a　pallid　trembling　glimmer；　but　the　stars　were　as　bright　as　diamonds；　and　across　the　great　dark　diamond…scattered　vault；　hundreds　upon　hundreds　of　tiny　black　shapes　were　flying　out　of　the　east　and　south　toward　the　north。
　　〃Are　they　birds？〃　she　said。
　　〃They　are　witches；〃　said　the　bear。
　　〃Witches！　What　are　they　doing？〃
　　〃Flying　to　war；　maybe。　I　have　never　seen　so　many　at　one　time。〃
　　〃Do　you　know　any　witches；　Iorek？〃
　　〃I　have　served　some。　And　fought　some；　too。　This　is　a　sight　to　frighten　Lord　Faa。　If　they　are　flying　to　the　aid　of　your　enemies；　you　should　all　be　afraid。〃
　　〃Lord　Faa　wouldn't　be　frightened。　You　en't　afraid；　are　you？〃
　　〃Not　yet。　When　I　am；　I　shall　master　the　fear。　But　we　had　better　tell　Lord　Faa　about　the　witches；　because　the　men　might　not　have　seen　them。〃
　　He　moved　on　more　slowly；　and　she　kept　watching　the　sky　until　her　eyes　splintered　again　with　tears　of　cold；　and　she　saw　no　end　to　the　numberless　witches　flying　north。
　　Finally　Iorek　Byrnison　stopped　and　said；　〃There　is　the　village。〃
　　They　were　looking　down　a　broken；　rugged　slope　toward　a　cluster　of　wooden　buildings　beside　a　wide　stretch　of　snow　as　flat　as　could　be；　which　Lyra　took　to　be　the　frozen　lake。　A　wooden　jetty　showed　her　she　was　right。　They　were　no　more　than　five　minutes　from　the　place。
　　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　the　bear　asked。　Lyra　slipped　off　his　back；　and　found　it　hard　to　stand。　Her　face　was　stiff　with　cold　and　her　legs　were　shaky；　but　she　clung　to　his　fur　and　stamped　until　she　felt　stronger。
　　〃There's　a　child　or　a　ghost　or　something　down　in　that　village；〃　she　said；　〃or　maybe　near　it；　I　don't　know　for　certain。　I　want　to　go　and　find　him　and　bring　him　back　to　Lord　Faa　and　the　others　if　I　can。　I　thought　he　was　a　ghost；　but　the　symbol　reader　might　be　telling　me　something　I　can't　understand。〃
　　〃If　he　is　outside；〃　said　the　bear；　〃he　had　better　have　some　shelter。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　he's　dead；〃　said　Lyra；　but　she　was　far　from　sure。　The　alethiometer　had　indicated　something　uncanny　and　unnatural；　which　was　alarming；　but　who　was　she？　Lord　Asriel's　daughter。　And　who　was　under　her　mand？　A　mighty　bear。　How　could　she　possibly　show　any　fear？　〃Let's　just　go　and　look；〃　she　said。
　　She　clambered　on　his　back　again；　and　he　set　off　down　the　broken　slope；　walking　steadily　and　not　pacing　any　more。　The　dogs　of　the　village　smelled　or　heard　or　sensed　them　ing；　and　began　to　howl　frightfully；　and　the　reindeer　in　their　enclosure　moved　about　nervously；　their　antlers　clashing　like　dry　sticks。　In　the　still　air　every　movement　could　be　heard　for　a　long　way。
　　As　they　reached　the　first　of　the　houses；　Lyra　looked　to　the　right　and　left；　peering　hard　into　the　dimness；　for　the　Aurora　was　fading　and　the　moon　still　far　from　rising。　Here　and　there　a　light　flickered　under　a　snow…thick　roof；　and　Lyra　thought　she　saw　pale　faces　behind　some　of　the　windowpanes；　and　imagined　their　astonishment　to　see　a　child　riding　a　great　white　bear。
　　At　the　center　of　the　little　village　there　was　an　open　space　next　to　the　jetty；　where　boats　had　been　drawn　up；　mounds　under　the　snow。　The　noise　of　the　dogs　was　deafening；　and　just　as　Lyra　thought　it　must　have　wakened　everyone；　a　door　opened　and　a　man　came　out　holding　a　rifle。　His　wolverine　daemon　leaped　onto　the　woodstack　beside　the　door；　scattering　snow。
　　Lyra　slipped　down　at　once　and　stood　between　him　and　Iorek　Byrnison；　conscious　that　she　had　told　the　bear　there　was　no　need　for　his　armor。
　　The　man　spoke　in　words　she　couldn't　understand。　Iorek　Byrnison　replied　in　the　same　language；　and　the　man　gave　a　little　moan　of　fear。
　　〃He　thinks　we　are　devils；〃　Iorek　told　Lyra。　〃What　shall　I　say？〃
　　〃Tell　him　we're　not　devils；　but　we've　got　friends　who　are。　And　we're　looking　for　。　。　。　Just　a　child。　A　strange　child。　Tell　him　that。〃
　　As　soon　as　the　bear　had　said　that；　the　man　pointed　to　the　right；　indicating　some　place　further　off；　and　spoke　quickly。
　　Iorek　Byrnison　said；　〃He　asks　if　we　have　e　to　take　the　child　away。　They　are　afraid　of　it。　They　have　tried　to　drive　it　away；　but　it　keeps　ing　back。〃
　　〃Tell　him　we'll　take　it　away　with　us；　but　they　were　very　bad　to　treat　it　like　that。　Where　is　it？〃
　　The　man　explained；　gesticulating　fearfully。　Lyra　was　afraid　he'd　fire　his　rifle　by　mistake；　but　as　soon　as　he'd　spoken　he　hastened　inside　his　house　and　shut　the　door。　Lyra　could　see　faces　at　every　window。
　　〃Where　is　the　child？〃　she　said。
　　〃In　the　fish　house；〃　the　bear　told　her；　and　turned　to　pad　down　toward　the　jetty。
　　Lyra　followed。　She　was　horribly　nervous。　The　bear　was　making　for　a　narrow　wooden　shed；　raising　his　head　to　sniff　this　way　and　that；　and　when　he　reached　the　door　he　stopped　and　said：　〃In　there。〃
　　Lyra's　heart　was　beating　so　fast　she　could　hardly　breathe。　She　raised　her　hand　to　knock　at　the　door　and　then；　feeling　that　that　was　ridiculous；　took　a　deep　breath　to　call　out；　but　realized　that　she　didn't　know　what　to　say。　Oh；　it　was　so　dark　now！　She　should　have　brought　a　lantern　。　。　。　。
　　There　was　no　choice；　and　anyway；　she　didn't　want　the　bear　to　see　her　being　afraid。　He　had　spoken　of　mastering　his　fear：　that　was　what　she'd　have　to　do。　She　lifted　the　strap　of　reindeer　hide　holding　the　latch　in　place；　and　tugged　hard　against　the　frost　binding　the　door　shut。　It　opened　with　a　snap。　She　had　to　kick　aside　the　snow　piled　against　the　foot　of　the　door　before　she　could　pull　it　open；　and　Pantalaimon　was　no　help；　running　back　and　forth　in　his　ermine　shape；　a　white　shadow　over　the　white　ground；　uttering　little　frightened　sounds。
　　〃Pan；　for　God's　sake！〃　she　said。　〃Be　a　bat。　Go　and　look　for　me　。　。　。　。〃
　　But　he　wouldn't；　and　he　wouldn't　speak　either。　She　had　never　seen　him　like　this　except　once；　when　she　and　Roger　in　the　crypt　at　Jordan　had　moved　the　d^mon…coins　into　the　wrong　skulls。　He　was　even　more　frightened　than　she　was。　As　for　Iorek　Byrnison；　he　was　lying　in　the　snow　nearby；　watching　in　silence。
　　〃e　out；〃　Lyra　said　as　loud　as　she　dared。　〃e　out！〃
　　Not　a　sound　came　in　answer。　She　pulled　the　door　a　little　wider；　an