pp.thegoldencompass-第58部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　the　basket；　and　then　everything　was　obscured；　all　at　once。　It　was　like　the　thickest　fog　Lyra　had　ever　known。　After　a　moment　or　two　there　came　another　cry　from　Serafina　Pekkala；　and　the　aeronaut　unlooped　the　rope　from　the　cleat　and　let　go。　It　sprang　upward　through　his　hands；　and　even　over　the　creak　and　the　buffeting　and　the　howl　of　wind　through　the　rigging　Lyra　heard　or　felt　a　mighty　thump　from　somewhere　far　above。
　　Lee　Scoresby　saw　her　wide　eyes。
　　〃That's　the　gas　valve！〃　he　shouted。　〃It　works　on　a　spring　to　hold　the　gas　in。　When　I　pull　it　down；　some　gas　escapes　outta　the　top；　and　we　lose　buoyancy　and　go　down。〃
　　〃Are　we　nearly…〃
　　She　didn't　finish；　because　something　hideous　happened。　A　creature　half　the　size　of　a　man；　with　leathery　wings　and　hooked　claws；　was　crawling　over　the　side　of　the　basket　toward　Lee　Scoresby。　It　had　a　flat　head；　with　bulging　eyes　and　a　wide　frog　mouth；　and　from　it　came　wafts　of　abominable　stink。　Lyra　had　no　time　to　scream；　even；　before　Iorek　Byrnison　reached　up　and　cuffed　it　away。　It　fell　out　of　the　basket　and　vanished　with　a　shriek。
　　〃Cliff…ghast；〃　said　Iorek　briefly。
　　The　next　moment　Serafina　Pekkala　appeared；　and　clung　to　the　side　of　the　basket；　speaking　urgently。
　　〃The　cliff…ghasts　are　attacking。　We'll　bring　the　balloon　to　the　ground；　and　then　we　must　defend　ourselves。　They're…〃
　　But　Lyra　didn't　hear　the　rest　of　what　she　said；　because　there　was　a　rending；　ripping　sound；　and　everything　tilted　sideways。　Then　a　terrific　blow　hurled　the　three　humans　against　the　side　of　the　balloon　where　Iorek　Byrnison's　armor　was　stacked；　Iorek　put　out　a　great　paw　to　hold　them　in；　because　the　basket　was　jolting　so　violently。　Serafina　Pekkala　had　vanished。　The　noise　was　appalling：　over　every　other　sound　there　came　the　shrieking　of　the　cliff…ghasts；　and　Lyra　saw　them　hurtling　past；　and　smelled　their　foul　stench。
　　Then　there　came　another　jerk；　so　sudden　that　it　threw　them　all　to　the　floor　again；　and　the　basket　began　to　sink　with　frightening　speed；　spinning　all　the　while。　It　felt　as　if　they　had　torn　loose　from　the　balloon；　and　were　dropping　unchecked　by　anything；　and　then　came　another　series　of　jerks　and　crashes；　the　basket　being　tossed　rapidly　from　side　to　side　as　if　they　were　bouncing　between　rock　walls。
　　The　last　thing　Lyra　saw　was　Lee　Scoresby　firing　his　long…barreled　pistol　directly　in　the　face　of　a　cliff…ghast；　and　then　she　shut　her　eyes　tight；　and　clung　to　Iorek　Byrnison's　fur　with　passionate　fear。　Howls；　shrieks；　the　lash　and　whistle　of　the　wind；　the　creak　of　the　basket　like　a　tormented　animal；　all　filled　the　wild　air　with　hideous　noise。
　　Then　came　the　biggest　jolt　of　all；　and　she　found　herself　hurled　out　altogether。　Her　grip　was　torn　loose；　and　all　the　breath　was　knocked　out　of　her　lungs　as　she　landed　in　such　a　tangle　that　she　couldn't　tell　which　way　was　up；　and　her　face　in　the　tight…pulled　hood　was　full　of　powder；　dry；　cold；　crystals…
　　It　was　snow；　she　had　landed　in　a　snowdrift。　She　was　so　battered　that　she　could　hardly　think。　She　lay　quite　still　for　several　seconds　before　feebly　spitting　out　the　snow　in　her　mouth；　and　then　she　blew　just　as　feebly　until　there　was　a　little　space　to　breathe　in。
　　Nothing　seemed　to　be　hurting　in　particular；　she　just　felt　utterly　breathless。　Cautiously　she　tried　to　move　hands；　feet；　arms；　legs；　and　to　raise　her　head。
　　She　could　see　very　little；　because　her　hood　was　still　filled　with　snow。　With　an　effort；　as　if　her　hands　weighed　a　ton　each；　she　brushed　it　off　and　peered　out。　She　saw　a　world　of　gray；　of　pale　grays　and　dark　grays　and　blacks；　where　fog　drifts　wandered　like　wraiths。
　　The　only　sounds　she　could　hear　were　the　distant　cries　of　the　cliff…ghasts；　high　above；　and　the　crash　of　waves　on　rocks；　some　way　off。
　　〃Iorek！〃　she　cried。　Her　voice　was　faint　and　shaky；　and　she　tried　again；　but　no　one　answered。　〃Roger！〃　she　called；　with　the　same　result。
　　She　might　have　been　alone　in　the　world；　but　of　course　she　never　was；　and　Pantalaimon　crept　out　of　her　anorak　as　a　mouse　to　keep　her　pany。
　　〃I've　checked　the　alethiometer；〃　he　said；　〃and　it's　all　right。　Nothing's　broken。〃
　　〃We're　lost；　Pan！〃　she　said。　〃Did　you　see　those　cliff…ghasts？　And　Mr。　Scoresby　shooting　'em？　God　help　us　if　they　e　down　here　。　。　。　。〃
　　〃We　better　try　and　find　the　basket；〃　he　said；　〃maybe。〃
　　〃We　better　not　call　out；〃　she　said。　〃I　did　just　now；　but　maybe　I　better　not　in　case　they　hear　us。　I　wish　I　knew　where　we　were。〃
　　〃We　might　not　like　it　if　we　did；〃　he　pointed　out。　〃We　might　be　at　the　bottom　of　a　cliff　with　no　way　up；　and　the　cliff…ghasts　at　the　top　to　see　us　when　the　fog　clears。〃
　　She　felt　around；　once　she　had　rested　a　few　more　minutes；　and　found　that　she　had　landed　in　a　gap　between　two　ice…covered　rocks。　Freezing　fog　covered　everything；　to　one　side　there　was　the　crash　of　waves　about　fifty　yards　off；　by　the　sound　of　it；　and　from　high　above　there　still　came　the　shrieking　of　the　cliff…ghasts；　though　that　seemed　to　be　abating　a　little。　She　could　see　no　more　than　two　or　three　yards　in　the　murk；　and　even　Pantalaimon's　owl　eyes　were　helpless。
　　She　made　her　way　painfully；　slipping　and　sliding　on　the　rough　rocks；　away　from　the　waves　and　up　the　beach　a　little；　and　found　nothing　but　rock　and　snow；　and　no　sign　of　the　balloon　or　any　of　the　occupants。
　　〃They　can't　have　all　just　vanished；〃　she　whispered。
　　Pantalaimon　prowled；　cat…formed；　a　little　farther　afield；　and　came　across　four　heavy　sandbags　broken　open；　with　the　scattered　sand　already　freezing　hard。
　　〃Ballast；〃　Lyra　said。　〃He　must've　slung　'em　off　to　fly　up　again　。　。　。　。〃
　　She　swallowed　hard　to　subdue　the　lump　in　her　throat；　or　the　fear　in　her　breast；　or　both。
　　〃Oh；　God；　I'm　frightened；〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　they're　safe。〃
　　He　came　to　her　arms　and　then；　mouse…formed；　crept　into　her　hood　where　he　couldn't　be　seen。　She　heard　a　noise；　something　scraping　on　rock；　and　turned　to　see　what　it　was。
　　〃Iorek！〃
　　But　she　choked　the　word　back　unfinished；　for　it　wasn't　Iorek　Byrnison　at　all。　It　was　a　strange　bear；　clad　in　polished　armor　with　the　dew　on　it　frozen　into　frost；　and　with　a　plume　in　his　helmet。
　　He　stood　still；　about　six　feet　away；　and　she　thought　she　really　was　finished。
　　The　bear　opened　his　mouth　and　roared。　An　echo　came　back　from　the　cliffs　and　stirred　more　shrieking　from　far　above。　Out　of　the　fog　came　another　bear；　and　another。　Lyra　stood　still；　clenching　her　little　human　fists。
　　The　bears　didn't　move　until　the　first　one　said；　〃Your　name？〃
　　〃Lyra。〃
　　〃Where　have　you　e　from？〃
　　〃The　sky。〃
　　〃In　a　balloon？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃e　with　us。　You　are　a　prisoner。　Move；　now。　Quickly。〃
　　Weary　and　scared；　Lyra　began　to　stumble　over　the　harsh　and　slippery　rocks；　following　the　bear；　wondering　how　she　could　talk　her　way　out　of　this。
　　
　　
　　NINETEEN　
　　CAPTIVITY
　　
　　The　bears　took　Lyra　up　a　gully　in　the　cliffs；　where　the　fog　lay　even　more　thickly　than　on　the　shore。　The　cries　of　the　cliff…ghasts　and　the　crash　of　the　waves　grew　fainter　as　they　climbed；　and　presently　the　only　sound　was　the　ceaseless　crying　of　seabirds。　They　clambered　in　silence　over　rocks　and　snowdrifts；　and　although　Lyra　peered　wide…eyed　into　the　enfolding　grayness；　and　strained　her　ears　for　the　sound　of　her　friends；　she　might　have　been　the　only　human　on　Svalbard；　and　Iorek　might　have　been　dead。
　　The　bear　sergeant　said　nothing　to　her　until　they　were　on　level　ground。　There　they　stopped。　From　the　sound　of　the　waves；　Lyra　judged　them　to　have　reached　the　top　of　the　cliffs；　and　she　dared　not　run　away　in　case　she　fell　over　the　edge。
　　〃Look　up；〃　said　the　bear；　as　a　waft　of　breeze　moved　aside　the　heavy　curtain　of　the　fog。
　　There　was　little　daylight　in　any　case；　but　Lyra　did　look；　and　found　herself　standing　in　front　of　a　vast　building　of　stone。　It　was　as　tall　at　least　as　the　highest　part　of　Jordan　College；　but　much　more　massive；　and　carved　all　over　with　representations　of　warfare；　showing　bears　victorious　and　Skraelings　surrendering；　showing　Tartars　chained　and　slaving　in　the　fire　mines；　showing　zeppelins　flying　from　all　parts　of　the　world　bearing　gifts　and　tributes　to　the　king　of　the　bears；　lofur　Raknison。
　　At　least；　that　was　what　the　bear　sergeant　told　her　the　carvings　showed。　She　had　to　take　his　word　for　it；　because　every　projection　and　ledge　on　the　deeply　sculpted　facade　was　occu…pied　by　gannets　and　skuas；　which　cawed　and　shrieked　and　wheeled　constantly　around　overhead；　and　whose　droppings　had　coated　every　part　of　the　building　with　thick　smears　of　dirty　white。
　　The　bears　seemed　not　to　see　the　mess；　however；　and　they　led　the　way　in　through　the　huge　arch；　over　the　icy　ground　that　was　filthy　with　the　spatter　of　the　birds。　There　was　a　courtyard；　and　high　steps；　and　gateways；　and　at　every　point　bears　in　armor　challenged　the　iners　and　were　given　a　password。　Their　armor　was　polished　and　gleaming；　and　they　all　wore　plumes　in　their　helmets。　Lyra　couldn't　help　paring　every　bear　she　saw　with　Iorek　Byrnison；　and　always　to　his　advantage；　he　was　more　powerful；　more　graceful；　and　his　armor　was　real　armor；　rust…colored；　bloodstained；　dented　with　bat；　not　elegant；　enameled；　and　decorative　like　most　of　what　she　saw　around　her　now。
　　As　they　went　further　in；　the　temperature