pp.thegoldencompass-第59部分

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　decorative　like　most　of　what　she　saw　around　her　now。
　　As　they　went　further　in；　the　temperature　rose；　and　so　did　something　else。　The　smell　in　lofur's　palace　was　repulsive：　rancid　seal　fat；　dung；　blood；　refuse　of　every　sort。　Lyra　pushed　back　her　hood　to　be　cooler；　but　she　couldn't　help　wrinkling　her　nose。　She　hoped　bears　couldn't　read　human　expressions。　There　were　iron　brackets　every　few　yards；　holding　blubber　lamps；　and　in　their　flaring　shadows　it　wasn't　always　easy　to　see　where　she　was　treading；　either。
　　Finally　they　stopped　outside　a　heavy　door　of　iron。　A　guard　bear　pulled　back　a　massive　bolt；　and　the　sergeant　suddenly　swung　his　paw　at　Lyra；　knocking　her　head　over　heels　through　the　doorway。　Before　she　could　scramble　up；　she　heard　the　door　being　bolted　behind　her。
　　It　was　profoundly　dark；　but　Pantalaimon　became　a　firefly；　and　shed　a　tiny　glow　around　them。　They　were　in　a　narrow　cell　where　the　walls　dripped　with　damp；　and　there　was　one　stone　bench　for　furniture。　In　the　farthest　corner　there　was　a　heap　of　rags　she　took　for　bedding；　and　that　was　all　she　could　see。
　　Lyra　sat　down；　with　Pantalaimon　on　her　shoulder；　and　felt　in　her　clothes　for　the　alethiometer。
　　〃It's　certainly　had　a　lot　of　banging　about；　Pan；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　hope　it　still　works。〃
　　Pantalaimon　flew　down　to　her　wrist；　and　sat　there　glowing　while　Lyra　posed　her　mind。　With　a　part　of　her；　she　found　it　remarkable　that　she　could　sit　here　in　terrible　danger　and　yet　sink　into　the　calm　she　needed　to　read　the　alethiometer；　and　yet　it　was　so　much　a　part　of　her　now　that　the　most　plicated　questions　sorted　themselves　out　into　their　constituent　symbols　as　naturally　as　her　muscles　moved　her　limbs：　she　hardly　had　to　think　about　them。
　　She　turned　the　hands　and　thought　the　question：　〃Where　is　Iorek？〃
　　The　answer　came　at　once：　〃A　day's　journey　away；　carried　there　by　the　balloon　after　your　crash；　but　hurrying　this　way。〃
　　〃And　Roger？〃
　　〃With　Iorek。〃
　　〃What　will　Iorek　do？〃
　　〃He　intends　to　break　into　the　palace　and　rescue　you；　in　the　face　of　all　the　difficulties。〃
　　She　put　the　alethiometer　away；　even　more　anxious　than　before。
　　〃They　won't　let　him；　will　they？〃　she　said　to　Pantalaimon。　〃There's　too　many　of　'em。　I　wish　I　was　a　witch；　Pan；　then　you　could　go　off　and　find　him　and　take　messages　and　all；　and　we　could　make　a　proper　plan　。　。　。　。〃
　　Then　she　had　the　fright　of　her　life。
　　A　man's　voice　spoke　in　the　darkness　a　few　feet　away；　and　said；　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　She　leaped　up　with　a　cry　of　alarm。　Pantalaimon　became　a　bat　at　once；　shrieking；　and　flew　around　her　head　as　she　backed　against　the　wall。
　　〃Eh？　Eh？〃　said　the　man　again。　〃Who　is　that？　Speak　up！　Speak　up！〃
　　〃Be　a　firefly　again；　Pan；〃　she　said　shakily。　〃But　don't　go　too　close。〃

　　The　little　wavering　point　of　light　danced　through　the　air　and　fluttered　around　the　head　of　the　speaker。　And　it　hadn't　been　a　heap　of　rags　after　all；　it　was　a　gray…bearded　man；　chained　to　the　wall；　whose　eyes　glittered　in　Pantalaimon's　luminance；　and　whose　tattered　hair　hung　over　his　shoulders。　His　daemon；　a　weary…looking　serpent；　lay　in　his　lap；　flicking　out　her　tongue　occasionally　as　Pantalaimon　flew　near。
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　she　said。
　　〃Jotham　Santelia；〃　he　replied。　〃I　am　the　Regius　Professor　of　Cosmology　at　the　University　of　Gloucester。　Who　are　you？〃
　　〃Lyra　Belacqua。　What　have　they　locked　you　up　for？〃
　　〃Malice　and　jealousy　。　。　。　Where　do　you　e　from？　Eh？〃
　　〃From　Jordan　College；〃　she　said。
　　〃What？　Oxford？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Is　that　scoundrel　Trelawney　still　there？　Eh？〃
　　〃The　Palmerian　Professor？　Yes；〃　she　said。
　　〃Is　he；　by　God！　Eh？　They　should　have　forced　his　resignation　long　ago。　Duplicitous　plagiarist！　Coxb！〃
　　Lyra　made　a　neutral　sound。
　　〃Has　he　published　his　paper　on　gamma…ray　photons　yet？〃　the　Professor　said；　thrusting　his　face　up　toward　Lyra's。
　　She　moved　back。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said；　and　then；　making　it　up　out　of　pure　habit；　〃no；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　remember　now。　He　said　he　still　needed　to　check　some　figures。　And　。　。　。　He　said　he　was　going　to　write　about　Dust　as　well。　That's　it。〃
　　〃Scoundrel！　Thief！　Blackguard！　Rogue！〃　shouted　the　old　man；　and　he　shook　so　violently　that　Lyra　was　afraid　he'd　have　a　fit。　His　daemon　slithered　lethargically　off　his　lap　as　the　Professor　beat　his　fists　against　his　shanks。　Drops　of　saliva　flew　out　of　his　mouth。
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Lyra；　〃I　always　thought　he　was　a　thief。　And　a　rogue　and　all　that。〃
　　If　it　was　unlikely　for　a　scruffy　little　girl　to　turn　up　in　his　cell　knowing　the　very　man　who　figured　in　his　obsessions；　the　Regius　Professor　didn't　notice。　He　was　mad；　and　no　wonder；　poor　old　man；　but　he　might　have　some　scraps　of　information　that　Lyra　could　use。
　　She　sat　carefully　near　him；　not　near　enough　for　him　to　touch；　but　near　enough　for　Pantalaimon's　tiny　light　to　show　him　clearly。
　　〃One　thing　Professor　Trelawney　used　to　boast　about；〃　she　said；　〃was　how　well　he　knew　the　king　of　the　bears…〃
　　〃Boast！　Eh？　Eh？　I　should　say　he　boasts！　He's　nothing　but　a　popinjay！　And　a　pirate！　Not　a　scrap　of　original　research　to　his　name！　Everything　filched　from　better　men！〃
　　〃Yeah；　that's　right；〃　said　Lyra　earnestly。　〃And　when　he　does　do　something　of　his　own；　he　gets　it　wrong。〃
　　〃Yes！　Yes！　Absolutely！　No　talent；　no　imagination；　a　fraud　from　top　to　bottom！〃
　　〃I　mean；　for　example；〃　said　Lyra；　〃I　bet　you　know　more　about　the　bears　than　he　does；　for　a　start。〃
　　〃Bears；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃ha！　I　could　write　a　treatise　on　them！　That's　why　they　shut　me　away；　you　know。〃
　　〃Why's　that？〃
　　〃I　know　too　much　about　them；　and　they　daren't　kill　me。　They　daren't　do　it；　much　as　they'd　like　to。　I　know；　you　see。　I　have　friends。　Yes！　Powerful　friends。〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Lyra。　〃And　I　bet　you'd　be　a　wonderful　teacher；〃　she　went　on。　〃Being　as　you　got　so　much　knowledge　and　experience。〃
　　Even　in　the　depths　of　his　madness　a　little　mon　sense　still　flickered；　and　he　looked　at　her　sharply；　almost　as　if　he　suspected　her　of　sarcasm。　But　she　had　been　dealing　with　suspicious　and　cranky　Scholars　all　her　life；　and　she　gazed　back　with　such　bland　admiration　that　he　was　soothed。
　　〃Teacher；〃　he　said；　〃teacher　。　。　。　Yes；　I　could　teach。　Give　me　the　right　pupil；　and　I　will　light　a　fire　in　his　mind！〃
　　〃Because　your　knowledge　ought　not　to　just　vanish；〃　Lyra　said　encouragingly。　〃It　ought　to　be　passed　on　so　people　remember　you。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　nodding　seriously。　〃That's　very　perceptive　of　you；　child。　What　is　your　name？〃
　　〃Lyra；〃　she　told　him　again。　〃Could　you　teach　me　about　the　bears？〃
　　〃The　bears　。　。　。　〃　he　said　doubtfully。
　　〃I'd　really　like　to　know　about　cosmology　and　Dust　and　all；　but　I'm　not　clever　enough　for　that。　You　need　really　clever　students　for　that。　But　I　could　learn　about　the　bears。　You　could　teach　me　about　them　all　right。　And　we　could　sort　of　practice　on　that　and　work　up　to　Dust；　maybe。〃
　　He　nodded　again。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃yes；　I　believe　you're　right。　There　is　a　correspondence　between　the　microcosm　and　the　macrocosm！　The　stars　are　alive；　child。　Did　you　know　that？　Everything　out　there　is　alive；　and　there　are　grand　purposes　abroad！　The　universe　is　full　of　intentions；　you　know。　Everything　happens　for　a　purpose。　Your　purpose　is　to　remind　me　of　that。　Good；　good…in　my　despair　I　had　forgotten。　Good！　Excellent；　my　child！〃
　　〃So；　have　you　seen　the　king？　lofur　Raknison？〃
　　〃Yes。　Oh；　yes。　I　came　here　at　his　invitation；　you　know。　He　intended　to　set　up　a　university。　He　was　going　to　make　me　Vice…Chancellor。　That　would　be　one　in　the　eye　for　the　Royal　Arctic　Institute；　eh！　Eh？　And　that　scoundrel　Trelawney！　Ha！〃
　　〃What　happened？〃
　　〃I　was　betrayed　by　lesser　men。　Trelawney　among　them；　of　course。　He　was　here；　you　know。　On　Svalbard。　Spread　lies　and　calumny　about　my　qualifications。　Calumny！　Slander！　Who　was　it　discovered　the　final　proof　of　the　Barnard…Stokes　hypothesis；　eh？　Eh？　Yes；　Santelia；　that's　who。　Trelawney　couldn't　take　it。　Lied　through　his　teeth。　lofur　Raknison　had　me　thrown　in　here。　I'll　be　out　one　day；　you'll　see。　I'll　be　Vice…Chancellor；　oh　yes。　Let　Trelawney　e　to　me　then　begging　for　mercy！　Let　the　Publications　mittee　of　the　Royal　Arctic　Institute　spurn　my　contributions　then！　Ha！　I'll　expose　them　all！　〃
　　〃I　expect　Iorek　Byrnison　will　believe　you；　when　he　es　back；〃　Lyra　said。
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison？　No　good　waiting　for　that。　He'll　never　e　back。〃
　　〃He's　on　his　way　now。〃
　　〃Then　they'll　kill　him。　He's　not　a　bear；　you　see。　He's　an　outcast。　Like　me。　Degraded；　you　see。　Not　entitled　to　any　of　the　privileges　of　a　bear。〃
　　〃Supposing　Iorek　Byrnison　did　e　back；　though；〃　Lyra　said。　〃Supposing　he　challenged　lofur　Raknison　to　a　fight　。　。　。　〃
　　〃Oh；　they　wouldn't　allow　it；〃　said　the　Professor　decisively；　〃lofur　would　never　lower　himself　to　acknowledge　Iorek　Byrnison's　right　to　fight　him。　Hasn't　got　a　right。　Iorek　might　as　well　be　a　seal　now；　or　a　walrus；　not　a　bear。　Or　worse：　Tartar　or　Skraeling。　They　wouldn't　fight　him　honorably　like　a　bear；　they'd　kill　him　with　fire　hurlers　before　he　got　near。　Not　a　hope。　No　mercy。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Lyra；　with　a　heavy　despair　in　her　breast。　〃And　what　about　the　bears'　other　prisoners？　Do　you　know　where　they　keep　them？〃
　　〃Other　prisoners？〃
　　〃Like。…。Lo