pp.thegoldencompass-第47部分

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　　Then　they　hurried　out。　In　the　wide　arena　in　front　of　the　main　group　of　buildings；　a　hundred　or　so　people；　adults　and　children；　were　milling　about：　some　in　excitement；　some　in　irritation；　many　just　bewildered。
　　〃See？〃　one　adult　was　saying。　〃It's　worth　doing　this　to　find　out　what　chaos　we'd　be　in　with　a　real　fire。〃
　　Someone　was　blowing　a　whistle　and　waving　his　arms；　but　no　one　was　taking　much　notice。　Lyra　saw　Roger　and　beckoned。　Roger　tugged　Billy　Costa's　arm　and　soon　all　three　of　them　were　together　in　a　maelstrom　of　running　children。
　　〃No　one'll　notice　if　we　take　a　look　around；〃　said　Lyra。　〃It'll　take　'em　ages　to　count　everyone；　and　we　can　say　we　just　followed　someone　else　and　got　lost。〃
　　They　waited　till　most　of　the　grownups　were　looking　the　other　way；　and　then　Lyra　scooped　up　some　snow　and　rammed　it　into　a　loose　powdery　snowball；　and　hurled　it　at　random　into　the　crowd。　In　a　moment　all　the　children　were　doing　it；　and　the　air　was　full　of　flying　snow。　Screams　of　laughter　covered　pletely　the　shouts　of　the　adults　trying　to　regain　control；　and　then　the　three　children　were　around　the　corner　and　out　of　sight。
　　The　snow　was　so　thick　that　they　couldn't　move　quickly；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　matter；　no　one　was　following。　Lyra　and　the　others　scrambled　over　the　curved　roof　of　one　of　the　tunnels；　and　found　themselves　in　a　strange　moonscape　of　regular　hummocks　and　hollows；　all　swathed　in　white　under　the　black　sky　and　lit　by　reflections　from　the　lights　around　the　arena。
　　〃What　we　looking　for？〃　said　Billy。
　　〃Dunno。　Just　looking；〃　said　Lyra；　and　led　the　way　to　a　squat；　square　building　a　little　apart　from　the　rest；　with　a　low…powered　anbaric　light　at　the　corner。
　　The　hubbub　from　behind　was　as　loud　as　ever；　but　more　distant。　Clearly　the　children　were　making　the　most　of　their　freedom；　and　Lyra　hoped　they'd　keep　it　up　for　as　long　as　they　could。　She　moved　around　the　edge　of　the　square　building；　looking　for　a　window。　The　roof　was　only　seven　feet　or　so　off　the　ground；　and　unlike　the　other　buildings；　it　had　no　roofed　tunnel　to　connect　it　with　the　rest　of　the　station。
　　There　was　no　window；　but　there　was　a　door。　A　notice　above　it　said　ENTRY　STRICTLY　FORBIDDEN　in　red　letters。
　　Lyra　set　her　hand　on　it　to　try；　but　before　she　could　turn　the　handle；　Roger　said：
　　〃Look！　A　bird！　Or…〃
　　His　or　was　an　exclamation　of　doubt；　because　the　creature　swooping　down　from　the　black　sky　was　no　bird　at　all：　it　was　someone　Lyra　had　seen　before。
　　〃The　witch's　daemon！〃
　　The　goose　beat　his　great　wings；　raising　a　flurry　of　snow　as　he　landed。
　　〃Greetings；　Lyra；〃　he　said。　〃I　followed　you　here；　though　you　didn't　see　me。　I　have　been　waiting　for　you　to　e　out　into　the　open。　What　is　happening？〃
　　She　told　him　quickly。

　　〃Where　are　the　gyptians？〃　she　said。　〃Is　John　Faa　safe？　Did　they　fight　off　the　Samoyeds？〃
　　〃Most　of　them　are　safe。　John　Faa　is　wounded；　though　not　severely。　The　men　who　took　you　were　hunters　and　raiders　who　often　prey　on　parties　of　travelers；　and　alone　they　can　travel　more　quickly　than　a　large　party。　The　gyptians　are　still　a　day's　journey　away。〃
　　The　two　boys　were　staring　in　fear　at　the　goose　daemon　and　at　Lyra's　familiar　manner　with　him；　because　of　course　they'd　never　seen　a　daemon　without　his　human　before；　and　they　knew　little　about　witches。
　　Lyra　said　to　them；　〃Listen；　you　better　go　and　keep　watch；　right。　Billy；　you　go　that　way；　and　Roger；　watch　out　the　way　we　just　e。　We　en't　got　long。〃
　　They　ran　off　to　do　as　she　said；　and　then　Lyra　turned　back　to　the　door。
　　〃Why　are　you　trying　to　get　in　there？〃　said　the　goose　daemon。
　　〃Because　of　what　they　do　here。　They　cut…〃　she　lowered　her　voice；　〃they　cut　people's　daemons　away。　Children's。　And　I　think　maybe　they　do　it　in　here。　At　least；　there's　something　here；　and　I　was　going　to　look。　But　it's　locked　。　。　。　。〃
　　〃I　can　open　it；〃　said　the　goose；　and　beat　his　wings　once　or　twice；　throwing　snow　up　against　the　door；　and　as　he　did；　Lyra　heard　something　turn　in　the　lock。
　　〃Go　in　carefully；〃　said　the　daemon。
　　Lyra　pulled　open　the　door　against　the　snow　and　slipped　inside。　The　goose　daemon　came　with　her。　Pantalaimon　was　agitated　and　fearful；　but　he　didn't　want　the　witch's　daemon　to　see　his　fear；　so　he　had　flown　to　Lyra's　breast　and　taken　sanctuary　inside　her　furs。
　　As　soon　as　her　eyes　had　adjusted　to　the　light；　Lyra　saw　why。
　　In　a　series　of　glass　cases　on　shelves　around　the　walls　were　all　the　daemons　of　the　severed　children：　ghostlike　forms　of　cats；　or　birds；　or　rats；　or　other　creatures；　each　bewildered　and　frightened　and　as　pale　as　smoke。
　　The　witch's　daemon　gave　a　cry　of　anger；　and　Lyra　clutched　Pantalaimon　to　her　and　said；　〃Don't　look！　Don't　look！〃
　　〃Where　are　the　children　of　these　daemons？〃　said　the　goose　daemon；　shaking　with　rage。
　　Lyra　explained　fearfully　about　her　encounter　with　little　Tony　Makarios；　and　looked　over　her　shoulder　at　the　poor　caged　daemons；　who　were　clustering　forward　pressing　their　pale　faces　to　the　glass。　Lyra　could　hear　faint　cries　of　pain　and　misery。　In　the　dim　light　from　a　low…powered　anbaric　bulb　she　could　see　a　name　on　a　card　at　the　front　of　each　case；　and　yes；　there　was　an　empty　one　with　Tony　Makarios　on　it。　There　were　four　or　five　other　empty　ones　with　names　on　them；　too。
　　〃I　want　to　let　these　poor　things　go！〃　she　said　fiercely。　〃I'm　going　to　smash　the　glass　and　let　'em　out…〃
　　And　she　looked　around　for　something　to　do　it　with；　but　the　place　was　bare。　The　goose　daemon　said；　〃Wait。〃
　　He　was　a　witch's　daemon；　and　much　older　than　she　was；　and　stronger。　She　had　to　do　as　he　said。
　　〃We　must　make　these　people　think　someone　forgot　to　lock　the　place　and　shut　the　cages；〃　he　explained。　〃If　they　see　broken　glass　and　footprints　in　the　snow；　how　long　do　you　think　your　disguise　will　last？　And　it　must　hold　out　till　the　gyptians　e。　Now　do　exactly　as　I　say：　take　a　handful　of　snow；　and　when　I　tell　you；　blow　a　little　of　it　against　each　cage　in　turn。〃
　　She　ran　outside。　Roger　and　Billy　were　still　on　guard；　and　there　was　still　a　noise　of　shrieking　and　laughter　from　the　arena；　because　only　a　minute　or　so　had　gone　by。
　　She　grabbed　a　big　double　handful　of　the　light　powdery　snow；　and　then　came　back　to　do　as　the　goose　daemon　said。　As　she　blew　a　little　snow　on　each　cage；　the　goose　made　a　clicking　sound　in　his　throat；　and　the　catch　at　the　front　of　the　cage　came　open。
　　When　she　had　unlocked　them　all；　she　lifted　the　front　of　the　first　one；　and　the　pale　form　of　a　sparrow　fluttered　out；　but　fell　to　the　ground　before　she　could　fly。　The　goose　tenderly　bent　and　nudged　her　upright　with　his　beak；　and　the　sparrow　became　a　mouse；　staggering　and　confused。　Pantalaimon　leaped　down　to　fort　her。
　　Lyra　worked　quickly；　and　within　a　few　minutes　every　daemon　was　free。　Some　were　trying　to　speak；　and　they　clustered　around　her　feet　and　even　tried　to　pluck　at　her　leggings；　though　the　taboo　held　them　back。　She　could　tell　why；　poor　things；　they　missed　the　heavy　solid　warmth　of　their　humans'　bodies；　just　as　Pantalaimon　would　have　done；　they　longed　to　press　themselves　against　a　heartbeat。
　　〃Now；　quick；〃　said　the　goose。　〃Lyra；　you　must　run　back　and　mingle　with　the　other　children。　Be　brave；　child。　The　gyptians　are　ing　as　fast　as　they　can。　I　must　help　these　poor　daemons　to　find　their　people　。　。　。　。〃　He　came　closer　and　said　quietly；　〃But　they'll　never　be　one　again。　They're　sundered　forever。　This　is　the　most　wicked　thing　I　have　ever　seen　。　。　。　。Leave　the　footprints　you've　made；　I'll　cover　them　up。　Hurry　now　。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Oh；　please！　Before　you　go！　Witches　。　。　。　They　do　fly；　don't　they？　I　wasn't　dreaming　when　I　saw　them　flying　the　other　night？〃
　　〃Yes；　child；　why？〃
　　〃Could　they　pull　a　balloon？〃
　　〃Undoubtedly；　but…〃
　　〃Will　Serafina　Pekkala　be　ing？〃
　　〃There　isn't　time　to　explain　the　politics　of　witch　nations。　There　are　vast　powers　involved　here；　and　Serafina　Pekkala　must　guard　the　interests　of　her　clan。　But　it　may　be　that　what's　happening　here　is　part　of　all　that's　happening　elsewhere。　Lyra；　you're　needed　inside。　Run；　run！〃
　　She　ran；　and　Roger；　who　was　watching　wide…eyed　as　the　pale　daemons　drifted　out　of　the　building；　waded　toward　her　through　the　thick　snow。
　　〃They're…it's　like　the　crypt　in　Jordan…they're　daemons！〃
　　〃Yes；　hush。　Don't　tell　Billy；　though。　Don't　tell　anyone　yet。　e　on　back。〃
　　Behind　them；　the　goose　was　beating　his　wings　powerfully；　throwing　snow　over　the　tracks　they'd　made；　and　near　him；　the　lost　daemons　were　clustering　or　drifting　away；　crying　little　bleak　cries　of　loss　and　longing。　When　the　footprints　were　covered；　the　goose　turned　to　herd　the　pale　daemons　together。　He　spoke；　and　one　by　one　they　changed；　though　you　could　see　the　effort　it　cost　them；　until　they　were　all　birds；　and　like　fledglings　they　followed　the　witch's　daemon；　fluttering　and　falling　and　running　through　the　snow　after　him；　and　finally；　with　great　difficulty；　taking　off。　They　rose　in　a　ragged　line；　pale　and　spectral　against　the　deep　black　sky；　and　slowly　gained　height；　feeble　and　erratic　though　some　of　them　were；　and　though　others　lost　their　will　and　fluttered　downward；　but　the　great　gray　goose　wheeled　round　and　nudged　them　back；　herding　them　gently　on　until　they　were　lost　against　the　profound　dark。
　　Roger　was