pp.thegoldencompass-第53部分

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　　Lyra　stopped　and　turned　to　see　a　man　lying　on　the　snow；　with　a　gray…feathered　arrow　in　his　back。　He　was　writhing　and　twitching　and　coughing　out　blood；　and　the　other　soldiers　were　looking　around　to　left　and　right　for　whoever　had　fired　it；　but　the　archer　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　　And　then　an　arrow　came　flying　straight　down　from　the　sky；　and　struck　another　man　behind　the　head。　He　fell　at　once。　A　shout　from　the　officer；　and　everyone　looked　up　at　the　dark　sky。
　　〃Witches！〃　said　Pantalaimon。
　　And　so　they　were：　ragged　elegant　black　shapes　sweeping　past　high　above；　with　a　hiss　and　swish　of　air　through　the　needles　of　the　cloud…pine　branches　they　flew　on。　As　Lyra　watched；　one　swooped　low　and　loosed　an　arrow：　another　man　fell。
　　And　then　all　the　Tartars　turned　their　rifles　up　and　blazed　into　the　dark；　firing　at　nothing；　at　shadows；　at　clouds；　and　more　and　more　arrows　rained　down　on　them。
　　But　the　officer　in　charge；　seeing　the　children　almost　away；　ordered　a　squad　to　race　after　them。　Some　children　screamed。　And　then　more　screamed；　and　they　weren't　moving　forward　anymore；　they　were　turning　back　in　confusion；　terrified　by　the　monstrous　shape　hurtling　toward　them　from　the　dark　beyond　the　avenue　of　lights。
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison！〃　cried　Lyra；　her　chest　nearly　bursting　with　joy。
　　The　armored　bear　at　the　charge　seemed　to　be　conscious　of　no　weight　except　what　gave　him　momentum。　He　bounded　past　Lyra　almost　in　a　blur　and　crashed　into　the　Tartars；　scattering　soldiers；　daemons；　rifles　to　all　sides。　Then　he　stopped　and　whirled　round；　with　a　lithe　athletic　power；　and　struck　two　massive　blows；　one　to　each　side；　at　the　guards　closest　to　him。
　　A　wolf　daemon　leaped　at　him：　he　slashed　at　her　in　midair；　and　bright　fire　spilled　out　of　her　as　she　fell　to　the　snow；　where　she　hissed　and　howled　before　vanishing。　Her　human　died　at　once。
　　The　Tartar　officer；　faced　with　this　double　attack；　didn't　hesitate。　A　long　high　scream　of　orders；　and　the　force　divided　itself　into　two：　one　to　keep　off　the　witches；　the　bigger　part　to　overe　the　bear。　His　troops　were　magnificently　brave。　They　dropped　to　one　knee　in　groups　of　four　and　fired　their　rifles　as　if　they　were　on　the　practice　range；　not　budging　an　inch　as　Iorek's　mighty　bulk　hurtled　toward　them。　A　moment　later　they　were　dead。
　　Iorek　struck　again；　twisting　to　one　side；　slashing；　snarling；　crushing；　while　bullets　flew　about　him　like　wasps　or　flies；　doing　no　harm　at　all。　Lyra　urged　the　children　on　and　out　into　the　darkness　beyond　the　lights。　They　must　get　away；　because　dangerous　as　the　Tartars　were；　far　more　dangerous　were　the　adults　of　Bolvangar。
　　So　she　called　and　beckoned　and　pushed　to　get　the　children　moving。　As　the　lights　behind　them　threw　long　shadows　on　the　snow；　Lyra　found　her　heart　moving　out　toward　the　deep　dark　of　the　arctic　night　and　the　clean　coldness；　leaping　forward　to　love　it　as　Pantalaimon　was　doing；　a　hare　now　delighting　in　his　own　propulsion。
　　〃Where　we　going？〃　someone　said。
　　〃There's　nothing　out　here　but　snow！〃
　　〃There's　a　rescue　party　ing；〃　Lyra　told　them。　〃There's　fifty　gyptians　or　more。　I　bet　there's　some　relations　of　yours；　too。　All　the　gyptian　families　that　lost　a　kid；　they　all　sent　someone。〃
　　〃I　en't　a　gyptian；〃　a　boy　said。
　　〃Don't　matter。　They'll　take　you　anyway。〃
　　〃Where？〃　someone　said　querulously。
　　〃Home；〃　said　Lyra。　〃That's　what　I　e　here　for；　to　rescue　you；　and　I　brung　the　gyptians　here　to　take　you　home　again。　We　just　got　to　go　on　a　bit　further　and　then　we'll　find　'em。　The　bear　was　with　'em；　so　they　can't　be　far　off。〃
　　〃D'you　see　that　bear！〃　one　boy　was　saying。　〃When　he　slashed　open　that　daemon…the　man　died　as　if　someone　whipped　his　heart　out；　just　like　that！〃
　　〃I　never　knew　daemons　could　be　killed；〃　someone　else　said。
　　They　were　all　talking　now；　the　excitement　and　relief　had　loosened　everyone's　tongue。　As　long　as　they　kept　moving；　it　didn't　matter　if　they　talked。
　　〃Is　that　true；〃　said　a　girl；　〃about　what　they　do　back　there？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　Lyra　said。　〃I　never　thought　I'd　ever　see　anyone　without　their　daemon。　But　on　the　way　here；　we　found　this　boy　on　his　own　without　any　daemon。　He　kept　asking　for　her；　where　she　was；　would　she　ever　find　him。　He　was　called　Tony　Makarios。〃
　　〃I　know　him！〃　said　someone；　and　others　joined　in：　〃Yeah；　they　took　him　away　about　a　week　back　。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Well；　they　cut　his　daemon　away；〃　said　Lyra；　knowing　how　it　would　affect　them。　〃And　a　little　bit　after　we　found　him；　he　died。　And　all　the　daemons　they　cut　away；　they　kept　them　in　cages　in　a　square　building　back　there。〃
　　〃It's　true；〃　said　Roger。　〃And　Lyra　let　'em　out　during　the　fire　drill。〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　seen　〃em！〃　said　Billy　Costa。　〃I　didn't　know　what　they　was　at　first；　but　I　seen　'em　fly　away　with　that　goose。〃
　　〃But　why　do　they　do　it？〃　demanded　one　boy。　〃Why　do　they　cut　people's　daemons　away？　That's　torture！　Why　do　they　do　it？〃
　　〃Dust；〃　suggested　someone　doubtfully。
　　But　the　boy　laughed　in　scorn。　〃Dust！〃　he　said。　〃There　en't　no　such　thing！　They　just　made　that　up！　I　don't　believe　in　it。〃
　　〃Here；〃　said　someone　else；　〃look　what's　happening　to　the　zeppelin！〃
　　They　all　looked　back。　Beyond　the　dazzle　of　lights；　where　the　fight　was　still　continuing；　the　great　length　of　the　airship　was　not　floating　freely　at　the　mooring　mast　any　longer；　the　free　end　was　drooping　downward；　and　beyond　it　was　rising　a　globe　of…
　　〃Lee　Scoresby's　balloon！〃　Lyra　cried；　and　clapped　her　mit…tened　hands　with　delight。
　　The　other　children　were　baffled。　Lyra　herded　them　onward；　wondering　how　the　aeronaut　had　got　his　balloon　that　far。　It　was　clear　what　he　was　doing；　and　what　a　good　idea；　to　fill　his　balloon　with　the　gas　out　of　theirs；　to　escape　by　the　same　means　that　crippled　their　pursuit！
　　〃e　on；　keep　moving；　else　you'll　freeze；〃　she　said；　for　some　of　the　children　were　shivering　and　moaning　from　the　cold；　and　their　daemons　were　crying　too　in　high　thin　voices。　Pantalaimon　found　this　irritating；　and　as　a　wolverine　he　snapped　at　one　girl's　squirrel　daemon　who　was　just　lying　across　her　shoulder　whimpering　faintly。
　　〃Get　in　her　coat！　Make　yourself　big　and　warm　her　up！〃　he　snarled；　and　the　girl's　daemon；　frightened；　crept　inside　her　coal…silk　anorak　at　once。
　　The　trouble　was　that　coal　silk　wasn't　as　warm　as　proper　fur；　no　matter　how　much　it　was　padded　out　with　hollow　coal…silk　fibers。　Some　of　the　children　looked　like　walking　puffballs；　they　were　so　bulky；　but　their　gear　had　been　made　in　factories　and　laboratories　far　away　from　the　cold；　and　it　couldn't　really　cope。　Lyra's　furs　looked　ragged　and　they　stank；　but　they　kept　the　warmth　in。
　　〃If　we　don't　find　the　gyptians　soon；　they　en't　going　to　last；〃　she　whispered　to　Pantalaimon。
　　〃Keep　'em　moving　then；〃　he　whispered　back。　〃If　they　lie　down；　they're　finished。　You　know　what　Farder　Coram　said　。　。　。　。〃
　　Farder　Coram　had　told　her　many　tales　of　his　own　journeys　in　the　North；　and　so　had　Mrs。　Coulter…always　supposing　that　hers　were　true。　But　they　were　both　quite　clear　about　one　point；　which　was　that　you　must　keep　going。
　　〃How　far　we　gotta　go？〃　said　a　little　boy。
　　〃She's　just　making　us　walk　out　here　to　kill　us；〃　said　a　girl。
　　〃Rather　be　out　here　than　back　there；〃　someone　said。
　　〃I　wouldn't！　It's　warm　back　in　the　station。　There's　food　and　hot　drinks　and　everything。〃
　　〃But　it's　all　on　fire！〃
　　〃What　we　going　to　do　out　here？　I　bet　we　starve　to　death　。　。　。　。〃
　　Lyra's　mind　was　full　of　dark　questions　that　flew　around　like　witches；　swift　and　untouchable；　and　somewhere；　just　beyond　where　she　could　reach；　there　was　a　glory　and　a　thrill　which　she　didn't　understand　at　all。
　　But　it　gave　her　a　surge　of　strength；　and　she　hauled　one　girl　up　out　of　a　snowdrift；　and　shoved　at　a　boy　who　was　dawdling；　and　called　to　them　all：　〃Keep　going！　Follow　the　bear's　tracks！　He　e　up　with　the　gyptians；　so　the　tracks'll　lead　us　to　where　they　are！　Just　keep　walking！〃
　　Big　flakes　of　snow　were　beginning　to　fall。　Soon　it　would　have　covered　Iorek　Byrnison's　tracks　altogether。　Now　that　they　were　out　of　sight　of　the　lights　of　Bolvangar；　and　the　blaze　of　the　fire　was　only　a　faint　glow；　the　only　light　came　from　the　faint　radiance　of　the　snow…covered　ground。　Thick　clouds　obscured　the　sky；　so　there　was　neither　moon　nor　Northern　Lights；　but　by　peering　closely；　the　children　could　make　out　the　deep　trail　Iorek　Byrnison　had　plowed　in　the　snow。　Lyra　encouraged；　bullied；　hit；　half…carried；　swore　at；　pushed；　dragged；　lifted　tenderly；　wherever　it　was　needed；　and　Pantalaimon　（by　the　state　of　each　child's　daemon）　told　her　what　was　needed　in　each　case。
　　I'll　get　them　there；　she　kept　saying　to　herself。　I　e　here　to　get　'em　and　I'll　bloody　get　'em。
　　Roger　was　following　her　example；　and　Billy　Costa　was　leading　the　way；　being　sharper…eyed　than　most。　Soon　the　snow　was　falling　so　thickly　that　they　had　to　cling　on　to　one　another　to　keep　from　getting　lost；　and　Lyra　thought；　perhaps　if　we　all　lie　close　and　keep　warm　like　that　。　。　。　Dig　holes　in　the　snow　。　。　。　
　　She　was　hearing　things。　There　was　the　snarl　of　an　engine　somewhere；　not　the　heavy　thump　of　a　zeppelin　but　something　higher　like　the　drone　of　a　hornet。　It　drifted　in　and　out　of　hearing。
　　And　howling　。　。　。　Dogs？　Sledge　dogs？　That　too　was　distant　and　hard