pp.thegoldencompass-第48部分

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em　gently　on　until　they　were　lost　against　the　profound　dark。
　　Roger　was　tugging　at　Lyra's　arm。
　　〃Quick；〃　he　said；　〃they're　nearly　ready。〃
　　They　stumbled　away　to　join　Billy；　who　was　beckoning　from　the　corner　of　the　main　building。　The　children　were　tired　now；　or　else　the　adults　had　regained　some　authority；　because　people　were　lining　up　raggedly　by　the　main　door；　with　much　jostling　and　pushing。　Lyra　and　the　other　two　slipped　out　from　the　corner　and　mingled　with　them；　but　before　they　did；　Lyra　said：
　　〃Pass　the　word　around　among　all　the　kids…they　got　to　be　ready　to　escape。　They　got　to　know　where　the　outdoor　clothes　are　and　be　ready　to　get　them　and　run　out　as　soon　as　we　give　the　signal。　And　they　got　to　keep　this　a　deadly　secret；　understand？〃
　　Billy　nodded；　and　Roger　said；　〃What's　the　signal？〃
　　〃The　fire　bell；〃　said　Lyra。　〃When　the　time　es；　I'll　set　it　off。〃
　　They　waited　to　be　counted　off。　If　anyone　in　the　Oblation　Board　had　had　anything　to　do　with　a　school；　they　would　have　arranged　this　better；　because　they　had　no　regular　group　to　go　to；　each　child　had　to　be　ticked　off　against　the　plete　list；
　　and　of　course　they　weren't　in　alphabetical　order；　and　none　of　the　adults　was　used　to　keeping　control。　So　there　was　a　good　deal　of　confusion；　despite　the　fact　that　no　one　was　running　around　anymore。
　　Lyra　watched　and　noticed。　They　weren't　very　good　at　this　at　all。　They　were　slack　in　a　lot　of　ways；　these　people；　they　grumbled　about　fire　drills；　they　didn't　know　where　the　outdoor　clothes　should　be　kept；　they　couldn't　get　children　to　stand　in　line　properly；　and　their　slackness　might　be　to　her　advantage。
　　They　had　almost　finished　when　there　came　another　distraction；　though；　and　from　Lyra's　point　of　view；　it　was　the　worst　possible。
　　She　heard　the　sound　as　everyone　else　did。　Heads　began　to　turn　and　scan　the　dark　sky　for　the　zeppelin；　whose　gas　engine　was　throbbing　clearly　in　the　still　air。
　　The　one　lucky　thing　was　that　it　was　ing　from　the　direction　opposite　to　the　one　in　which　the　gray　goose　had　flown。　But　that　was　the　only　fort。　Very　soon　it　was　visible；　and　a　murmur　of　excitement　went　around　the　crowd。　Its　fat　sleek　silver　form　drifted　over　the　avenue　of　lights；　and　its　own　lights　blazed　downward　from　the　nose　and　the　cabin　slung　beneath　the　body。
　　The　pilot　cut　the　speed　and　began　the　plex　business　of　adjusting　the　height。　Lyra　realized　what　the　stout　mast　was　for：　of　course；　it　was　a　mooring　mast。　As　the　adults　ushered　the　children　inside；　with　everyone　staring　back　and　pointing；　the　ground　crew　clambered　up　the　ladders　in　the　mast　and　prepared　to　attach　the　mooring　cables。　The　engines　were　roaring；　and　snow　was　swirling　up　from　the　ground；　and　the　faces　of　passengers　showed　in　the　cabin　windows。
　　Lyra　looked；　　and　there　was　no　mistake。　　Pantalaimon　clutched　at　her；　became　a　wildcat；　hissed　in　hatred；　because　looking　out　with　curiosity　was　the　beautiful　dark…haired　head　of　Mrs。　Coulter；　with　her　golden　daemon　in　her　lap。
　　
　　
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　　Lyra　ducked　her　head　at　once　under　the　shelter　of　her　wolverine　hood；　and　shuffled　in　through　the　double　doors　with　the　other　children。　Time　enough　later　to　worry　about　what　she'd　say　when　they　came　face　to　face：　she　had　another　problem　to　deal　with　first；　and　that　was　how　to　hide　her　furs　where　she　could　get　at　them　without　asking　permission。
　　But　luckily；　there　was　such　disorder　inside；　with　the　adults　trying　to　hurry　the　children　through　so　as　to　clear　the　way　for　the　passengers　from　the　zeppelin；　that　no　one　was　watching　very　carefully。　Lyra　slipped　out　of　the　anorak；　the　leggings；　and　the　boots　and　bundled　them　up　as　small　as　she　could　before　shoving　through　the　crowded　corridors　to　her　dormitory。
　　Quickly　she　dragged　a　locker　to　the　corner；　stood　on　it；　and　pushed　at　the　ceiling。　The　panel　lifted；　just　as　Roger　had　said；　and　into　the　space　beyond　she　thrust　the　boots　and　leggings。　As　an　afterthought；　she　took　the　alethiometer　from　her　pouch　and　hid　it　in　the　inmost　pocket　of　the　anorak　before　shoving　that　through　too。
　　She　jumped　down；　pushed　back　the　locker；　and　whispered　to　Pantalaimon；　〃We　must　just　pretend　to　be　stupid　till　she　sees　us；　and　then　say　we　were　kidnapped。　And　nothing　about　the　gyptians　or　Iorek　Byrnison　especially。〃
　　Because　Lyra　now　realized；　if　she　hadn't　done　so　before；　that　all　the　fear　in　her　nature　was　drawn　to　Mrs。　Coulter　as　a　pass　needle　is　drawn　to　the　Pole。　All　the　other　things
　　she'd　seen；　and　even　the　hideous　cruelty　of　the　intercision；　she　could　cope　with；　she　was　strong　enough；　but　the　thought　of　that　sweet　face　and　gentle　voice；　the　image　of　that　golden　playful　monkey；　was　enough　to　melt　her　stomach　and　make　her　pale　and　nauseated。
　　But　the　gyptians　were　ing。　Think　of　that。　Think　of　Iorek　Byrnison。　And　don't　give　yourself　away；　she　said；　and　drifted　back　toward　the　canteen；　from　where　a　lot　of　noise　was　ing。
　　Children　were　lining　up　to　get　hot　drinks；　some　of　them　still　in　their　coal…silk　anoraks。　Their　talk　was　all　of　the　zep…pelin　and　its　passenger。
　　〃It　was　her…with　the　monkey　daemon…〃
　　〃Did　she　get　you；　too？〃
　　〃She　said　she'd　write　to　my　mum　and　dad　and　I　bet　she　never　。　。　。　。〃
　　〃She　never　told　us　about　kids　getting　killed。　She　never　said　nothing　about　that。〃
　　〃That　monkey；　he's　the　worst…he　caught　my　Karossa　and　nearly　killed　her…I　could　feel　all　weak　。　。　。　。〃
　　They　were　as　frightened　as　Lyra　was。　She　found　Annie　and　the　others；　and　sat　down。
　　〃Listen；〃　she　said；　〃can　you　keep　a　secret？〃
　　〃Yeah！〃
　　The　three　faces　turned　to　her；　vivid　with　expectation。
　　〃There's　a　plan　to　escape；〃　Lyra　said　quietly。　〃There's　some　people　ing　to　take　us　away；　right；　and　they'll　be　here　in　about　a　day。　Maybe　sooner。　What　we　all　got　to　do　is　be　ready　as　soon　as　the　signal　goes　and　get　our　cold…weather　clothes　at　once　and　run　out。　No　waiting　about。　You　just　got　to　run。　Only　if　you　don't　get　your　anoraks　and　boots　and　stuff；　you'll　die　of　cold。〃
　　〃What　signal？〃　Annie　demanded。
　　〃The　fire　bell；　like　this　afternoon。　It's　all　organized。　All　the　kids're　going　to　know　and　none　of　the　grownups。　Especially　not　her。〃
　　Their　eyes　were　gleaming　with　hope　and　excitement。　And　all　through　the　canteen　the　message　was　being　passed　around。　Lyra　could　tell　that　the　atmosphere　had　changed。　Outside；　the　children　had　been　energetic　and　eager　for　play；　then　when　they　had　seen　Mrs。　Coulter　they　were　bubbling　with　a　suppressed　hysterical　fear；　but　now　there　was　a　control　and　purpose　to　their　talkativeness。　Lyra　marveled　at　the　effect　hope　could　have。
　　She　watched　through　the　open　doorway；　but　carefully；　ready　to　duck　her　head；　because　there　were　adult　voices　ing；　and　then　Mrs。　Coulter　herself　was　briefly　visible；　looking　in　and　smiling　at　the　happy　children；　with　their　hot　drinks　and　their　cake；　so　warm　and　well　fed。　A　little　shiver　ran　almost　instantaneously　through　the　whole　canteen；　and　every　child　was　still　and　silent；　staring　at　her。
　　Mrs。　Coulter　smiled　and　passed　on　without　a　word。　Little　by　little　the　talk　started　again。
　　Lyra　said；　〃Where　do　they　go　to　talk？〃
　　〃Probably　the　conference　room；〃　said　Annie。　〃They　took　us　there　once；〃　she　added；　meaning　her　and　her　dasmon。　〃There　was　about　twenty　grownups　there　and　one　of　'em　was　giving　a　lecture　and　I　had　to　stand　there　and　do　what　he　told　me；　like　seeing　how　far　my　Kyrillion　could　go　away　from　me；　and　then　he　hypnotized　me　and　did　some　other　things　。　。　。　。It's　a　big　room　with　a　lot　of　chairs　and　tables　and　a　little　platform。　It's　behind　the　front　office。　Hey；　I　bet　they're　going　to　pretend　the　fire　drill　went　off　all　right。　I　bet　they're　scared　of　her；　same　as　we　are　。　。　。　。〃
　　For　the　rest　of　the　day；　Lyra　stayed　close　to　the　other　girls；　watching；　saying　little；　remaining　inconspicuous。　There　was　exercise；　there　was　sewing；　there　was　supper；　there　was　playtime　in　the　lounge：　a　big　shabby　room　with　board　games　and　a　few　tattered　books　and　a　table…tennis　table。　At　some　point　Lyra　and　the　others　became　aware　that　there　was　some　kind　of　subdued　emergency　going　on；　because　the　adults　were　hurrying　to　and　fro　or　standing　in　anxious　groups　talking　urgently。　Lyra　guessed　they'd　discovered　the　daemons'　escape；　and　were　wondering　how　it　had　happened。
　　But　she　didn't　see　Mrs。　Coulter；　which　was　a　relief。　When　it　was　time　for　bed；　she　knew　she　had　to　let　the　other　girls　into　her　confidence。
　　〃Listen；〃　she　said；　〃do　they　ever　e　round　and　see　if　we're　asleep？〃
　　〃They　just　look　in　once；〃　said　Bella。　〃They　just　flash　a　lantern　round；　they　don't　really　look。〃
　　〃Good。　'Cause　I'm　going　to　go　and　look　round。　There's　a　way　through　the　ceiling　that　this　boy　showed　me　。　。　。　。〃
　　She　explained；　and　before　she'd　even　finished；　Annie　said；　〃I'll　e　with　you！〃
　　〃No；　you　better　not；　'cause　it'll　be　easier　if　there's　just　one　person　missing。　You　can　all　say　you　fell　asleep　and　you　don't　know　where　I've　gone。〃
　　〃But　if　I　came　with　you…〃
　　〃More　likely　to　get　caught；〃　said　Lyra。
　　Their　two　daemons　were　staring　at　each　other；　Pantalaimon　as　a　wildcat；　Annie's　Kyrillion　as　a　fox。　They　were　quivering。　Pantalaimon　uttered　the　lowest；　softest　hiss　and　bared　his　teeth；　and　Kyr