pp.thegoldencompass-第4部分

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　　Lyra　marveled　at　her　uncle's　skill。　The　old　Sub…Rector　was　nearly　blind；　so　it　was　courteous　to　make　room　for　him　nearer　the　screen；　and　his　moving　forward　meant　that　the　Master　would　be　sitting　next　to　the　Librarian；　only　a　matter　of　a　yard　or　so　from　where　Lyra　was　crouched　in　the　wardrobe。　As　the　Master　settled　in　the　armchair；　Lyra　heard　him　murmur：
　　〃The　devil！　He　knew　about　the　wine；　I'm　sure　of　it。〃
　　The　Librarian　murmured　back；　〃He's　going　to　ask　for　funds。　If　he　forces　a　vote…〃
　　〃If　he　does　that；　we　must　just　argue　against；　with　all　the　eloquence　we　have。〃
　　The　lantern　began　to　hiss　as　Lord　Asriel　pumped　it　hard。　Lyra　moved　slightly　so　that　she　could　see　the　screen；　where　a　brilliant　white　circle　had　begun　to　glow。　Lord　Asriel　called；　〃Could　someone　turn　the　lamp　down？〃
　　One　of　the　Scholars　got　up　to　do　that；　and　the　room　darkened。
　　Lord　Asriel　began：
　　〃As　some　of　you　know；　I　set　out　for　the　North　twelve　months　ago　on　a　diplomatic　mission　to　the　King　of　Lapland。　At　least；　that's　what　I　pretended　to　be　doing。　In　fact；　my　real　aim　was　to　go　further　north　still；　right　on　to　the　ice；　in　fact；　to　try　and　discover　what　had　happened　to　the　Grumman　expedition。　One　of　Grumman's　last　messages　to　the　academy　in　Berlin　spoke　of　a　certain　natural　phenomenon　only　seen　in　the　lands　of　the　North。　I　was　determined　to　investigate　that　as　well　as　find　out　what　I　could　about　Grumman。　But　the　first　picture　I'm　going　to　show　you　isn't　directly　about　either　of　those　things。〃
　　And　he　put　the　first　slide　into　the　frame　and　slid　it　behind　the　lens。　A　circular　photogram　in　sharp　black　and　white　appeared　on　the　screen。　It　had　been　taken　at　night　under　a　full　moon；　and　it　showed　a　wooden　hut　in　the　middle　distance；　its　walls　dark　against　the　snow　that　surrounded　it　and　lay　thickly　on　the　roof。　Beside　the　hut　stood　an　array　of　philosophical　instruments；　which　looked　to　Lyra's　eye　like　something　from　the　Anbaric　Park　on　the　road　to　Yarnton：　aerials；　wires；　porcelain　insulators；　all　glittering　in　the　moonlight　and　thickly　covered　in　frost。　A　man　in　furs；　his　face　hardly　visible　in　the　deep　hood　of　his　garment；　stood　in　the　foreground；　with　his　hand　raised　as　if　in　greeting。　To　one　side　of　him　stood　a　smaller　figure。　The　moonlight　bathed　everything　in　the　same　pallid　gleam。
　　〃That　photogram　was　taken　with　a　standard　silver　nitrate　emulsion；〃　Lord　Asriel　said。　〃I'd　like　you　to　look　at　another　one；　taken　from　the　same　spot　only　a　minute　later；　with　a　new　specially　prepared　emulsion。〃
　　He　lifted　out　the　first　slide　and　dropped　another　into　the　frame。　This　was　much　darker；　it　was　as　if　the　moonlight　had　been　filtered　out。　The　horizon　was　still　visible；　with　the　dark　shape　of　the　hut　and　its　light　snow…covered　roof　standing　out；　but　the　plexity　of　the　instruments　was　hidden　in　darkness。　But　the　man　had　altogether　changed：　he　was　bathed　in　light；　and　a　fountain　of　glowing　particles　seemed　to　be　streaming　from　his　upraised　hand。
　　〃That　light；〃　said　the　Chaplain；　〃is　it　going　up　or　ing　down？〃
　　〃It's　ing　down；〃　said　Lord　Asriel；　〃but　it　isn't　light。　It's　Dust。〃
　　Something　in　the　way　he　said　it　made　Lyra　imagine　dust　with　a　capital　letter；　as　if　this　wasn't　ordinary　dust。　The　reaction　of　the　Scholars　confirmed　her　feeling；　because　Lord　Asriel's　words　caused　a　sudden　collective　silence；　followed　by　gasps　of　incredulity。
　　〃But　how…〃
　　〃Surely…〃
　　〃It　can't…〃
　　〃Gentlemen！〃　came　the　voice　of　the　Chaplain。　〃Let　Lord　Asriel　explain。〃
　　〃It's　Dust；〃　Lord　Asriel　repeated。　〃It　registered　as　light　on　the　plate　because　particles　of　Dust　affect　this　emulsion　as　photons　affect　silver　nitrate　emulsion。　It　was　partly　to　test　it　that　my　expedition　went　north　in　the　first　place。　As　you　see；　the　figure　of　the　man　is　perfectly　visible。　Now　I'd　like　you　to　look　at　the　shape　to　his　left。〃
　　He　indicated　the　blurred　shape　of　the　smaller　figure。
　　〃I　thought　that　was　the　man's　daemon；〃　said　the　Enquirer。
　　〃No。　His　daemon　was　at　the　time　coiled　around　his　neck　in　the　form　of　a　snake。　That　shape　you　can　dimly　see　is　a　child。〃
　　〃A　severed　child？〃　said　someone；　and　the　way　he　stopped　showed　that　he　knew　this　was　something　that　shouldn't　have　been　voiced。
　　There　was　an　intense　silence。
　　Then　Lord　Asriel　said　calmly；　〃An　entire　child。　Which；　given　the　nature　of　Dust；　is　precisely　the　point；　is　it　not？〃
　　No　one　spoke　for　several　seconds。　Then　came　the　voice　of　the　Chaplain。
　　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　like　a　thirsty　man　who；　having　just　drunk　deeply；　puts　down　the　glass　to　let　out　the　breath　he　has　held　while　drinking。　〃And　the　streams　of　Dust　。　。　。　〃
　　〃…e　from　the　sky；　and　bathe　him　in　what　looks　like　light。　You　may　examine　this　picture　as　closely　as　you　wish：　I'll　leave　it　behind　when　I　go。　I'm　showing　it　to　you　now　to　demonstrate　the　effect　of　this　new　emulsion。　Now　I'd　like　to　show　you　another　picture。〃
　　He　changed　the　slide。　The　next　picture　was　also　taken　at　night；　but　this　time　without　moonlight。　It　showed　a　small　group　of　tents　in　the　foreground；　dimly　outlined　against　the　low　horizon；　and　beside　them　an　untidy　heap　of　wooden　boxes　and　a　sledge。　But　the　main　interest　of　the　picture　lay　in　the　sky。　Streams　and　veils　of　light　hung　like　curtains；　looped　and　festooned　on　invisible　hooks　hundreds　of　miles　high　or　blowing　out　sideways　in　the　stream　of　some　unimaginable　wind。
　　〃What　is　that？〃　said　the　voice　of　the　Sub…Rector。
　　〃It's　a　picture　of　the　Aurora。〃
　　〃It's　a　very　fine　photogram；〃　said　the　Palmerian　Professor。　〃One　of　the　best　I've　seen。〃
　　〃Forgive　my　ignorance；〃　said　the　shaky　voice　of　the　old　Precentor；　〃but　if　I　ever　knew　what　the　Aurora　was；　I　have　forgotten。　Is　it　what　they　call　the　Northern　Lights？〃
　　〃Yes。　It　has　many　names。　It's　posed　of　storms　of　charged　particles　and　solar　rays　of　intense　and　extraordinary　strength…invisible　in　themselves；　but　causing　this　luminous　radiation　when　they　interact　with　the　atmosphere。　If　there'd　been　time；　I　would　have　had　this　slide　tinted　to　show　you　the　colors；　pale　green　and　rose；　for　the　most　part；　with　a　tinge　of　crimson　along　the　lower　edge　of　that　curtain…like　formation。　This　is　taken　with　ordinary　emulsion。　Now　I'd　like　you　to　look　at　a　picture　taken　with　the　special　emulsion。〃
　　He　took　out　the　slide。　Lyra　heard　the　Master　say　quietly；　〃If　he　forces　a　vote；　we　could　try　to　invoke　the　residence　clause。　He　hasn't　been　resident　in　the　College　for　thirty　weeks　out　of　the　last　fifty…two。〃
　　〃He's　already　got　the　Chaplain　on　his　side　。　。　。　〃　the　Librarian　murmured　in　reply。
　　Lord　Asriel　put　a　new　slide　in　the　lantern　frame。　It　showed　the　same　scene。　As　with　the　previous　pair　of　pictures；　many　of　the　features　visible　by　ordinary　light　were　much　dimmer　in　this　one；　and　so　were　the　curtains　of　radiance　in　the　sky。
　　But　in　the　middle　of　the　Aurora；　high　above　the　bleak　landscape；　Lyra　could　see　something　solid。　She　pressed　her　face　to　the　crack　to　see　more　clearly；　and　she　could　see　the　Scholars　near　the　screen　leaning　forward　too。　As　she　gazed；　her　wonder　grew；　because　there　in　the　sky　was　the　unmistakable　outline　of　a　city：　towers；　domes；　walls　。　。　。　Buildings　and　streets；　suspended　in　the　air！　She　nearly　gasped　with　wonder。　The　Cassington　Scholar　said；　〃That　looks　like　。　。　。　a　city。〃
　　〃Exactly　so；〃　said　Lord　Asriel。
　　〃A　city　in　another　world；　no　doubt？〃　said　the　Dean；　with　contempt　in　his　voice。
　　Lord　Asriel　ignored　him。　There　was　a　stir　of　excitement　among　some　of　the　Scholars；　as　if；　having　written　treatises　on　the　existence　of　the　unicorn　without　ever　having　seen　one；　they'd　been　presented　with　a　living　example　newly　captured。　〃Is　this　the　Barnard…Stokes　business？〃　said　the　Palmerian　Professor。　〃It　is；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃That's　what　I　want　to　find　out；〃　said　Lord　Asriel。　He　stood　to　one　side　of　the　illuminated　screen。　Lyra　could　see　his　dark　eyes　searching　among　the　Scholars　as　they　peered　up　at　the　slide　of　the　Aurora；　and　the　green　glow　of　his　demon's　eyes　beside　him。　All　the　venerable　heads　were　craning　forward；　their　spectacles　glinting；　only　the　Master　and　the　Librarian　leaned　back　in　their　chairs；　with　their　heads　close　together。
　　The　Chaplain　was　saying；　〃You　said　you　were　searching　for　news　of　the　Grumman　expedition；　Lord　Asriel。
　　Was　Dr。　Grumman　investigating　this　phenomenon　too？〃
　　〃I　believe　he　was；　and　I　believe　he　had　a　good　deal　of　information　about　it。　But　he　won't　be　able　to　tell　us　what　it　was；　because　he's　dead。〃
　　〃No！〃　said　the　Chaplain。
　　〃I'm　afraid　so；　and　I　have　the　proof　here。〃
　　A　ripple　of　excited　apprehension　ran　round　the　Retiring　Room　as；　under　Lord　Asriel's　direction；　two　or　three　of　the　younger　Scholars　carried　the　wooden　box　to　the　front　of　the　room。　Lord　Asriel　took　out　the　last　slide　but　left　the　lantern　on；　and　in　the　dramatic　glare　of　the　circle　of　light　he　bent　to　lever　open　the　box。　Lyra　heard　the　screech　of　nails　ing　out　of　damp　wood。　The　Master　stood　up　to　look；　blocking　Lyra's　view。　Her　uncle　spoke　again：
　　〃If　you　remember；　Grumman's　expedition　vanished　eighteen　months　ago。　The　German　Academy　sent　him　up　there　to　go　as　far　north　as　the　magnetic　pole　and　make　various　celestial　observations。　It　was　in　the　course　of　that　journey　that　he　observed