pp.thegoldencompass-第61部分

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l　you；　and　I　think　I　ought　to　tell　you　in　private；　really。〃
　　〃Something　about　Iorek　Byrnison？〃
　　She　came　close　to　him；　stepping　carefully　over　the　bird…spattered　floor；　and　brushed　away　the　flies　buzzing　at　her　face。
　　〃Something　about　daemons；〃　she　said；　so　that　only　he　could　hear。
　　His　expression　changed。　She　couldn't　read　what　it　was　saying；　but　there　was　no　doubt　that　he　was　powerfully　interested。　Suddenly　he　lumbered　forward　off　the　throne；　making　her　skip　aside；　and　roared　an　order　to　the　other　bears。　They　all　bowed　their　heads　and　backed　out　toward　the　door。　The　birds；　which　had　risen　in　a　flurry　at　his　roar；　squawked　and　swooped　around　overhead　before　settling　again　on　their　nests。
　　When　the　throne　room　was　empty　but　for　lofur　Raknison　and　Lyra；　he　turned　to　her　eagerly。
　　〃Well？〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me　who　you　are。　What　is　this　about　daemons？〃
　　〃I　am　a　daemon；　Your　Majesty；〃　she　said。
　　He　stopped　still。
　　〃Whose？〃　he　said。
　　〃Iorek　Byrnison's；〃　was　her　answer。
　　It　was　the　most　dangerous　thing　she　had　ever　said。　She　could　see　quite　clearly　that　only　his　astonishment　prevented　him　from　killing　her　at　once。　She　went　on：
　　〃Please；　Your　Majesty；　let　me　tell　you　all　about　it　first　before　you　harm　me。　I've　e　here　at　my　own　risk；　as　you　can　see；　and　there's　nothing　I've　got　that　could　hurt　you。　In　fact；　I　want　to　help　you；　that's　why　I've　e。　Iorek　Byrnison　was　the　first　bear　to　get　a　daemon；　but　it　should　have　been　you。　I　would　much　rather　be　your　daemon　than　his；　that's　why　I　came。〃
　　〃How？〃　he　said；　breathlessly。　　〃How　has　a　bear　got　a　daemon？　And　why　him？　And　how　are　you　so　far　from　him？〃　The　flies　left　his　mouth　like　tiny　words。　〃That's　easy。　I　can　go　far　from　him　because　I'm　like　a　witch's　daemon。　You　know　how　they　can　go　hundreds　of　miles　from　their　humans？　It's　like　that。　And　as　for　how　he　got　me；　it　was　at　Bolvangar。　You've　heard　of　Bolvangar；　because　Mrs。　Coulter　must　have　told　you　about　it；　but　she　probably　didn't　tell　you　everything　they　were　doing　there。〃
　　〃Cutting　。　。　。　〃　he　said。
　　〃Yes；　cutting；　that's　part　of　it；　intercision。　But　they're　doing　all　kinds　of　other　things　too；　like　making　artificial　daemons。　And　experimenting　on　animals。　When　Iorek　Byrnison　heard　about　it；　he　offered　himself　for　an　experiment　to　see　if　they　could　make　a　daemon　for　him；　and　they　did。　It　was　me。　My　name　is　Lyra。　Just　like　when　people　have　daemons；　they're　animal…formed；　so　when　a　bear　has　a　daemon；　it'll　be　human。　And　I'm　his　daemon。　I　can　see　into　his　mind　and　know　exactly　what　he's　doing　and　where　he　is　and…〃
　　〃Where　is　he　now？〃
　　〃On　Svalbard。　He's　ing　this　way　as　fast　as　he　can。〃
　　〃Why？　What　does　he　want？　He　must　be　mad！　We'll　tear　him　to　pieces！〃
　　〃He　wants　me。　He's　ing　to　get　me　back。　But　I　don't　want　to　be　his　daemon；　lofur　Raknison；　I　want　to　be　yours。　Because　once　they　saw　how　powerful　a　bear　was　with　a　daemon；　the　people　at　Bolvangar　decided　not　to　do　that　experiment　ever　again。　Iorek　Byrnison　was　going　to　be　the　only　bear　who　ever　had　a　daemon。　And　with　me　helping　him；　he　could　lead　all　the　bears　against　you。　That's　what　he's　e　to　Svalbard　for。〃
　　The　bear…king　roared　his　anger。　He　roared　so　loudly　that　the　crystal　in　the　chandeliers　tinkled；　and　every　bird　in　the　great　room　shrieked；　and　Lyra's　ears　rang。
　　But　she　was　equal　to　it。
　　〃That's　why　I　love　you　best；〃　she　said　to　lofur　Raknison；　〃because　you're　passionate　and　strong　as　well　as　clever。　And　I　just　had　to　leave　him　and　e　and　tell　you；　because　I　don't　want　him　ruling　the　bears。　It　ought　to　be　you。　And　there　is　a　way　of　taking　me　away　from　him　and　making　me　your　daemon；　but　you　wouldn't　know　what　it　was　unless　I　told　you；　and　you　might　do　the　usual　thing　about　fighting　bears　like　him　that've　been　outcast；　I　mean；　not　fight　him　properly；　but　kill　him　with　fire　hurlers　or　something。　And　if　you　did　that；　I'd　just　go　out　like　a　light　and　die　with　him。〃
　　〃But　you…how　can…〃
　　〃I　can　bee　your　daemon；〃　she　said；　〃but　only　if　you　defeat　Iorek　Byrnison　in　single　bat。　Then　his　strength　will　flow　into　you；　and　my　mind　will　flow　into　yours；　and　we'll　be　like　one　person；　thinking　each　other's　thoughts；　and　you　can　send　me　miles　away　to　spy　for　you；　or　keep　me　here　by　your　side；　whichever　you　like。　And　I'd　help　you　lead　the　bears　to　capture　Bolvangar；　if　you　like；　and　make　them　create　more　daemons　for　your　favorite　bears；　or　if　you'd　rather　be　the　only　bear　with　a　daemon；　we　could　destroy　Bolvangar　forever。　We　could　do　anything；　lofur　Raknison；　you　and　me　together！〃
　　All　the　time　she　was　holding　Pantalaimon　in　her　pocket　with　a　trembling　hand；　and　he　was　keeping　as　still　as　he　could；　in　the　smallest　mouse　form　he　had　ever　assumed。
　　lofur　Raknison　was　pacing　up　and　down　with　an　air　of　explosive　excitement。
　　〃Single　bat？〃　he　was　saying。　〃Me？　I　must　fight　Iorek　Byrnison？　Impossible！　He　is　outcast！　How　can　that　be？　How　can　I　fight　him？　Is　that　the　only　way？〃
　　〃It's　the　only　way；〃　said　Lyra；　wishing　it　were　not；　because　lofur　Raknison　seemed　bigger　and　more　fierce　every　minute。　Dearly　as　she　loved　Iorek；　and　strong　as　her　faith　was　in　him；　she　couldn't　really　believe　that　he　would　ever　beat　this　giant　among　giant　bears。　But　it　was　the　only　hope　they　had。　Being　mown　down　from　a　distance　by　fire　hurlers　was　no　hope　at　all。　Suddenly　lofur　Raknison　turned。　〃Prove　it！〃　he　said。　〃Prove　that　you　are　a　daemon！〃
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　can　do　that；　easy。　I　can　find　out　anything　that　you　know　and　no　one　else　does；　something　that　only　a　daemon　would　be　able　to　find　out。〃
　　〃Then　tell　me　what　was　the　first　creature　I　killed。〃
　　〃I'll　have　to　go　into　a　room　by　myself　to　do　this；〃　she　said。　〃When　I'm　your　daemon；　you'll　be　able　to　see　how　I　do　it；　but　until　then　it's　got　to　be　private。〃
　　〃There　is　an　anteroom　behind　this　one。　Go　into　that；　and　e　out　when　you　know　the　answer。〃
　　Lyra　opened　the　door　and　found　herself　in　a　room　lit　by　one　torch；　and　empty　but　for　a　cabinet　of　mahogany　containing　some　tarnished　silver　ornaments。　She　took　out　the　alethiome…ter　and　asked：　〃Where　is　Iorek　now？〃
　　〃Four　hours　away；　and　hurrying　ever　faster。〃
　　〃How　can　I　tell　him　what　I've　done？〃
　　〃You　must　trust　him。〃
　　She　thought　anxiously　of　how　tired　he　would　be。　But　then　she　reflected　that　she　was　not　doing　what　the　alethiometer　had　just　told　her　to　do：　she　wasn't　trusting　him。
　　She　put　that　thought　aside　and　asked　the　question　lofur　Raknison　wanted。　What　was　the　first　creature　he　had　killed？　The　answer　came：　lofur's　own　father。
　　She　asked　further；　and　learned　that　lofur　had　been　alone　on　the　ice　as　a　young　bear；　on　his　first　hunting　expedition；　and　had　e　across　a　solitary　bear。　They　had　quarreled　and　fought；　and　lofur　had　killed　him。　This　in　itself　would　have　been　a　crime；　but　it　was　worse　than　simple　murder；　for　lofur　learned　later　that　the　other　bear　was　his　own　father。　Bears　were　brought　up　by　their　mothers；　and　seldom　saw　their　fathers。　Naturally　lofur　concealed　the　truth　of　what　he　had　done；　no　one　knew　about　it　but　lofur　himself；　and　now　Lyra　knew　as　well。
　　She　put　the　alethiometer　away；　and　wondered　how　to　tell　him　about　it。
　　〃Flatter　him！〃　whispered　Pantalaimon。　〃That's　all　he　wants。〃
　　So　Lyra　opened　the　door　and　found　lofur　Raknison　waiting　for　her；　with　an　expression　of　triumph；　slyness；　apprehension；　and　greed。
　　〃Well？〃
　　She　knelt　down　in　front　of　him　and　bowed　her　head　to　touch　his　left　forepaw；　the　stronger；　for　bears　were　left…handed。
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　lofur　Raknison！〃　she　said。　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　so　strong　and　great！〃
　　〃What's　this？　Answer　my　question！〃
　　〃The　first　creature　you　killed　was　your　own　father。　I　think　you're　a　new　god；　lofur　Raknison。　That's　what　you　must　be。　Only　a　god　would　have　the　strength　to　do　that。〃
　　〃You　know！　You　can　see！〃
　　〃Yes；　because　I　am　a　daemon；　like　I　said。〃
　　〃Tell　me　one　thing　more。　What　did　the　Lady　Coulter　promise　me　when　she　was　here？〃
　　Once　again　Lyra　went　into　the　empty　room　and　consulted　the　alethiometer　before　returning　with　the　answer。
　　〃She　promised　you　that　she'd　get　the　Magisterium　in　Geneva　to　agree　that　you　could　be　baptized　as　a　Christian；　even　though　you　hadn't　got　a　daemon　then。　Well；　I'm　afraid　that　she　hasn't　done　that；　lofur　Raknison；　and　quite　honestly　I　don't　think　they'd　ever　agree　to　that　if　you　didn't　have　a　daemon。　I　think　she　knew　that；　and　she　wasn't　telling　you　the　truth。　But　in　any　case　when　you've　got　me　as　your　daemon；　you　could　be　baptized　if　you　wanted　to；　because　no　one　could　argue　then。　You　could　demand　it　and　they　wouldn't　be　able　to　turn　you　down。〃
　　〃Yes　。　。　。　True。　That's　what　she　said。　True；　every　word。　And　she　has　deceived　me？　I　trusted　her；　and　she　deceived　me？〃
　　〃Yes；　she　did。　But　she　doesn't　matter　anymore。　Excuse　me；　lofur　Raknison；　I　hope　you　won't　mind　me　telling　you；　but　Iorek　Byrnison's　only　four　hours　away　now；　and　maybe　you　better　tell　your　guard　bears　not　to　attack　him　as　they　normally　would。　If　you're　going　to　fight　him　for　me；　he'll　have　to　be　allowed　to　e　to　the　palace。〃
　　〃Yes　。　。　。　〃
　　〃And　maybe　when　he　es　I　better　pretend　I　still　belong　to　him；　and　say　I　got　lost　or　something。　He　won't　know。　I'll　pretend。　Are　you　goi