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pp.thegoldencompass-第55部分

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r brow was a simple chain of little red flowers。 She sat on her cloud…pine branch as if it were a steed; and seemed to rein it in a yard from Lyra's wondering gaze。
  〃Lyra?〃
  〃Yes! And are you Serafina Pekkala?〃
  〃I am。〃
  Lyra could see why Farder Coram loved her; and why it was breaking his heart; though she had known neither of those things a moment before。 He was growing old; he was an old broken man; and she would be young for generations。
  〃Have you got the symbol reader?〃 said the witch; in a voice so like the high wild singing of the Aurora itself that Lyra could hardly hear the sense for the sweet sound of it。
  〃Yes。 I got it in my pocket; safe。〃
  Great wingbeats told of another arrival; and then he was gliding beside her: the gray goose daemon。 He spoke briefly and then wheeled away to glide in a wide circle around the balloon as it continued to rise。
  〃The gyptians have laid waste to Bolvangar;〃 said Serafina Pekkala。 〃They have killed twenty…two guards and nine of the staff; and they've set light to every part of the buildings that still stood。 They are going to destroy it pletely。〃
  〃What about Mrs。 Coulter?〃
  〃No sign of her。〃
  〃And the kids? They got all the kids safely?〃
  〃Every one。 They are all safe。〃
  Serafina Pekkala cried out in a wild yell; and other witches circled and flew in toward the balloon。
  〃Mr。 Scoresby;〃 she said。 〃The rope; if you please。〃
  〃Ma'am; I'm very grateful。 We're still rising。 I guess we'll go on up awhile yet。 How many of you will it take to pull us north?〃
  〃We are strong〃 was all she said。
  Lee Scoresby was attaching a coil of stout rope to the leather…covered iron ring that gathered the ropes running over the gas bag; and from which the basket itself was suspended。 When it was securely fixed; he threw the free end out; and at once six witches darted toward it; caught hold; and began to pull; urging the cloud…pine branches toward the Polar Star。
  As the balloon began to move in that direction; Pan…talaimon came to perch on the edge of the basket as a tern。 Roger's daemon came out to look; but crept back again soon; for Roger was fast asleep; as was Iorek Byrnison。 Only Lee Scoresby was awake; calmly chewing a thin cigar and watching his instruments。
  〃So; Lyra;〃 said Serafina Pekkala。 〃Do you know why you're going to Lord Asriel?〃
  Lyra was astonished。 〃To take him the alethiometer; of course!〃 she said。
  She had never considered the question; it was obvious。 Then she recalled her first motive; from so long ago that she'd almost forgotten it。
  〃Or 。 。 。  To help him escape。 That's it。 We're going to help him get away。〃
  But as she said that; it sounded absurd。 Escape from Svalbard? Impossible!
  〃Try; anyway;〃 she added stoutly。 〃Why?〃
  〃I think there are things I need to tell you;〃 said Serafina Pekkala。
  〃About Dust?〃
  It was the first thing Lyra wanted to know。
  〃Yes; among other things。 But you are tired now; and it will be a long flight。 We'll talk when you wake up。〃
  Lyra yawned。 It was a jaw…cracking; lung…bursting yawn that lasted almost a minute; or felt like it; and for all that Lyra struggled; she couldn't resist the onrush of sleep。 Serafina Pekkala reached a hand over the rim of the basket and touched her eyes; and as Lyra sank to the floor; Pantalaimon fluttered down; changed to an ermine; and crawled to his sleeping place by her neck。
  The witch settled her branch into a steady speed beside the basket as they moved north toward Svalbard。
  
  
  
  PART  THREE
  SVALBARD
  
  
  EIGHTEEN 
  FOG AND ICE
  
  Lee Scoresby arranged some furs over Lyra。 She curled up close to Roger and they lay together asleep as the balloon swept on toward the Pole。 The aeronaut checked his instruments from time to time; chewed on the cigar he would never light with the inflammable hydrogen so close; and huddled deeper into his own furs。
  〃This little girl's pretty important; huh?〃 he said after several minutes。
  〃More than she will know;〃 Serafina Pekkala said。
  〃Does that mean there's gonna be much in the way of armed pursuit? You understand; I'm speaking as a practical man with a living to earn。 I can't afford to get busted up or shot to pieces without some kind of pensation agreed to in advance。 I ain't trying to lower the tone of this expedition; believe me; ma'am。 But John Faa and the gyptians paid me a fee that's enough to cover my time and skill and the normal wear and tear on the balloon; and that's all。 It didn't include acts…of…war insurance。 And let me tell you; ma'am; when we land Iorek Byrnison on Svalbard; that will count as an act of war。〃
  He spat a piece of smokeleaf delicately overboard。
  〃So I'd like to know what we can expect in the way of mayhem and ructions;〃 he finished。
  〃There may be fighting;〃 said Serafina Pekkala。 〃But you have fought before。〃
  〃Sure; when I'm paid。 But the fact is; I thought this was a straightforward transportation contract; and I charged according。 And I'm a wondering now; after that little dust…up down there; I'm a wondering how far my transportation responsibility extends。 Whether I'm bound to risk my life and my equipment in a war among the bears; for example。 Or whether this little child has enemies on Svalbard as hot…tempered as the ones back at Bolvangar。 I merely mention all this by way of making conversation。〃
  〃Mr。 Scoresby;〃 said the witch; 〃I wish I could answer your question。 All I can say is that all of us; humans; witches; bears; are engaged in a war already; although not all of us know it。 Whether you find danger on Svalbard or whether you fly off unharmed; you are a recruit; under arms; a soldier。〃
  〃Well; that seems kinda precipitate。 Seems to me a man should have a choice whether to take up arms or not。〃
  〃We have no more choice in that than in whether or not to be born。〃
  〃Oh; I like choice; though;〃 he said。 〃I like choosing the jobs I take and the places I go and the food I eat and the panions I sit and yarn with。 Don't you wish for a choice once in a while ?〃
  Serafina Pekkala considered; and then said; 〃Perhaps we don't mean the same thing by choice; Mr。 Scoresby。 Witches own nothing; so we're not interested in preserving value or making profits; and as for the choice between one thing and another; when you live for many hundreds of years; you know that every opportunity will e again。 We have different needs。 You have to repair your balloon and keep it in good condition; and that takes time and trouble; I see that; but for us to fly; all we have to do is tear off a branch of cloud…pine; any will do; and there are plenty more。 We don't feel cold; so we need no warm clothes。 We have no means of exchange apart from mutual aid。 If a witch needs something; another witch will give it to her。 If there is a war to be fought; we don't consider cost one of the factors in deciding whether or not it is right to fight。 Nor do we have any notion of honor; as bears do; for instance。 An insult to a bear is a deadly thing。 To us 。 。 。  inconceivable。 How could you insult a witch? What would it matter if you did?〃
  〃Well; I'm kinda with you on that。 Sticks and stones; I'll break yer bones; but names ain't worth a quarrel。 But ma'am; you see my dilemma; I hope。 I'm a simple aeronaut; and I'd like to end my days in fort。 Buy a little farm; a few head of cattle; some horses 。 。 。 Nothing grand; you notice。 No palace or slaves or heaps of gold。 Just the evening wind over the sage; and a ceegar; and a glass of bourbon whiskey。 Now the trouble is; that costs money。 So I do my flying in exchange for cash; and after every job I send some gold back to the Wells Fargo Bank; and when I've got enough; ma'am; I'm gonna sell this balloon and book me a passage on a steamer to Port Galveston; and I'll never leave the ground again。〃
  〃There's another difference between us; Mr。 Scoresby。 A witch would no sooner give up flying than give up breathing。 To fly is to be perfectly ourselves。〃
  〃I see that; ma'am; and I envy you; but I ain't got your sources of satisfaction。 Flying is just a job to me; and I'm just a technician。 I might as well be adjusting valves in a gas engine or wiring up anbaric circuits。 But I chose it; you see。 It was my own free choice。 Which is why I find this notion of a war I ain't been told nothing about kinda troubling。〃
  〃Iorek Byrnison's quarrel with his king is part of it too;〃 said the witch。 〃This child is destined to play a part in that。〃
  〃You speak of destiny;〃 he said; 〃as if it was fixed。 And I ain't sure I like that any more than a war I'm enlisted in without knowing about it。 Where's my free will; if you please? And this child seems to me to have more free will than anyone I ever met。 Are you telling me that she's just some kind of clockwork toy wound up and set going on a course she can't change?〃
  〃We are all subject to the fates。 But we must all act as if we are not;〃 said the witch; 〃or die of despair。 There is a curious prophecy about this child: she is destined to bring about the end of destiny。 But she must do so without knowing what she is doing; as if it were her nature and not her destiny to do it。 I
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