pp.thegoldencompass-第69部分

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　with　tears　and　her　lips　trembling。　While　Pantalaimon　paced　the　floor　lashing　his　tail；　his　fur　almost　sparking；　Thorold　hastened　to　bring　her　stiff；　reeking　furs　and　help　her　into　them。　As　soon　as　all　the　buttons　were　done　up　and　all　the　flaps　secured；　she　made　for　the　door；　and　felt　the　cold　strike　her　throat　like　a　sword　and　freeze　the　tears　at　once　on　her　cheeks。
　　〃Iorek！〃　she　called。　〃Iorek　Byrnison！　e；　because　I　need　you！〃
　　There　was　a　shake　of　snow；　a　clank　of　metal；　and　the　bear　was　there。　He　had　been　sleeping　calmly　under　the　falling　snow。　In　the　light　spilling　from　the　lamp　Thorold　was　holding　at　the　window；　Lyra　saw　the　long　faceless　head；　the　narrow　eye　slits；　the　gleam　of　white　fur　below　red…black　metal；　and　wanted　to　embrace　him　and　seek　some　fort　from　his　iron　helmet；　his　ice…tipped　fur。
　　〃Well？〃　he　said。
　　〃We　got　to　catch　Lord　Asriel。　He's　taken　Roger　and　he's　a　going　to…I　daren't　think…oh；　Iorek；　I　beg　you；　go　quick；　my　dear！〃
　　〃e　then；〃　he　said；　and　she　leaped　on　his　back。
　　There　was　no　need　to　ask　which　way　to　go：　the　tracks　of　the　sledge　led　straight　out　from　the　courtyard　and　over　the　plain；　and　Iorek　leaped　forward　to　follow　them。　His　motion　was　now　so　much　a　part　of　Lyra's　being　that　to　sit　balanced　was　entirely　automatic。　He　ran　over　the　thick　snowy　mantle　on　the　rocky　ground　faster　than　he'd　ever　done；　and　the　armor　plates　shifted　under　her　in　a　regular　swinging　rhythm。
　　Behind　them；　the　other　bears　paced　easily；　pulling　the　fire　hurler　with　them。　The　way　was　clear；　for　the　moon　was　high　and　the　light　it　cast　over　the　snowbound　world　was　as　bright　as　it　had　been　in　the　balloon：　a　world　of　bright　silver　and　profound　black。　The　tracks　of　Lord　Asriel's　sledge　ran　straight　toward　a　range　of　jagged　hills；　strange　stark　pointed　shapes　jutting　up　into　a　sky　as　black　as　the　alethiometer's　velvet　cloth。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　sledge　itself…or　was　there　a　feather　touch　of　movement　on　the　flank　of　the　highest　peak？　Lyra　peered　ahead；　straining　her　eyes；　and　Pantalaimon　flew　as　high　as　he　could　and　looked　with　an　owl's　clear　vision。
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　on　her　wrist　a　moment　later；　〃it's　Lord　Asriel；　and　he's　lashing　his　dogs　on　furiously；　and　there's　a　boy　in　the　back　。　。　。　。〃
　　Lyra　felt　Iorek　Byrnison　change　pace。　Something　had　caught　his　attention。　He　was　slowing　and　lifting　his　head　to　cast　left　and　right。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　Lyra　said。
　　He　didn't　say。　He　was　listening　intently；　but　she　could　hear　nothing。　Then　she　did　hear　something：　a　mysterious；　vastly　distant　rustling　and　crackling。　It　was　a　sound　she　had　heard　before：　the　sound　of　the　Aurora。　Out　of　nowhere　a　veil　of　radiance　had　fallen　to　hang　shimmering　in　the　northern　sky。　All　those　unseen　billions　and　trillions　of　charged　particles；　and　possibly；　she　thought；　of　Dust；　conjured　a　radiating　glow　out　of　the　upper　atmosphere。　This　was　going　to　be　a　display　more　brilliant　and　extraordinary　than　any　Lyra　had　yet　seen；　as　if　the　Aurora　knew　the　drama　that　was　taking　place　below；　and　wanted　to　light　it　with　the　most　awe…inspiring　effects。
　　But　none　of　the　bears　were　looking　up：　their　attention　was　all　on　the　earth。　It　wasn't　the　Aurora；　after　all；　that　had　caught　Iorek's　attention。　He　was　standing　stock…still　now；　and　Lyra　slipped　off　his　back；　knowing　that　his　senses　needed　to　cast　around　freely。　Something　was　troubling　him。
　　Lyra　looked　around；　back　across　the　vast　open　plain　leading　to　Lord　Asriel's　house；　back　toward　the　tumbled　mountains　they'd　crossed　earlier；　and　saw　nothing。　The　Aurora　grew　more　intense。　The　first　veils　trembled　and　raced　to　one　side；　and　jagged　curtains　folded　and　unfolded　above；　increasing　in　size　and　brilliance　every　minute；　arcs　and　loops　swirled　across　from　horizon　to　horizon；　and　touched　the　very　zenith　with　bows　of　radiance。　She　could　hear　more　clearly　than　ever　the　immense　singing　hiss　and　swish　of　vast　intangible　forces。
　　〃Witches！〃　came　a　cry　in　a　bear　voice；　and　Lyra　turned　in　joy　and　relief。
　　But　a　heavy　muzzle　knocked　her　forward；　and　with　no　breath　left　to　gasp　she　could　only　pant　and　shudder；　for　there　in　the　place　where　she　had　been　standing　was　the　plume　of　a　green…feathered　arrow。　The　head　and　the　shaft　were　buried　in　the　snow。
　　Impossible。！　she　thought　weakly；　but　it　was　true；　for　another　arrow　clattered　off　the　armor　of　Iorek；　standing　above　her。　These　were　not　Serafina　Pekkala's　witches；　they　were　from　another　clan。　They　circled　above；　a　dozen　of　them　or　more；　swooping　down　to　shoot　and　soaring　up　again；　and　Lyra　swore　with　every　word　she　knew。
　　Iorek　Byrnison　gave　swift　orders。　It　was　clear　that　the　bears　were　practiced　at　witch　fighting；　for　they　had　moved　at　once　into　a　defensive　formation；　and　the　witches　moved　just　as　smoothly　into　attack。　They　could　only　shoot　accurately　from　close　range；　and　in　order　not　to　waste　arrows　they　would　swoop　down；　fire　at　the　lowest　part　of　their　dive；　and　turn　upward　at　once。　But　when　they　reached　the　lowest　point；　and　their　hands　were　busy　with　bow　and　arrow；　they　were　vulnerable；　and　the　bears　would　explode　upward　with　raking　paws　to　drag　them　down。　More　than　one　fell；　and　was　quickly　dispatched。
　　Lyra　crouched　low　beside　a　rock；　watching　for　a　witch　dive。　A　few　shot　at　her；　but　the　arrows　fell　wide；　and　then　Lyra；　looking　up　at　the　sky；　saw　the　greater　part　of　the　witch　flight　peel　off　and　turn　back。
　　If　she　was　relieved　by　that；　her　relief　didn't　last　more　than　a　few　moments。　Because　from　the　direction　in　which　they'd　flown；　she　saw　many　others　ing　to　join　them；　and　in　midair　with　them　there　was　a　group　of　gleaming　lights；　and　across　the　broad　expanse　of　the　Svalbard　plain；　under　the　radiance　of　the　Aurora；　she　heard　a　sound　she　dreaded。　It　was　the　harsh　throb　of　a　gas　engine。　The　zeppelin；　with　Mrs。　Coulter　and　her　troops　on　board；　was　catching　up。
　　Iorek　growled　an　order　and　the　bears　moved　at　once　into　another　formation。　In　the　lurid　flicker　from　the　sky　Lyra　watched　as　they　swiftly　unloaded　their　fire　hurler。　The　advance　guard　of　the　witch　flight　had　seen　them　too；　and　began　to　swoop　downward　and　rain　arrows　on　them；　but　for　the　most　part　the　bears　trusted　to　their　armor　and　worked　swiftly　to　erect　the　apparatus：　a　long　arm　extending　upward　at　an　angle；　a　cup　or　bowl　a　yard　across；　and　a　great　iron　tank　wreathed　in　smoke　and　steam。
　　As　she　watched；　a　bright　flame　gushed　out；　and　a　team　of　bears　swung　into　practiced　action。　Two　of　them　hauled　the　long　arm　of　the　fire　thrower　down；　another　scooped　shovelfuls　of　fire　into　the　bowl；　and　at　an　order　they　released　it；　to　hurl　the　flaming　sulfur　high　into　the　dark　sky。
　　The　witches　were　swooping　so　thickly　above　them　that　three　fell　in　flames　at　the　first　shot　alone；　but　it　was　soon　clear　that　the　real　target　was　the　zeppelin。　The　pilot　either　had　never　seen　a　fire　hurler　before；　or　was　underestimating　its　power；　for　he　flew　straight　on　toward　the　bears　without　climbing　or　turning　a　fraction　to　either　side。
　　Then　it　became　clear　that　they　had　a　powerful　weapon　in　the　zeppelin　too：　a　machine　rifle　mounted　on　the　nose　of　the　gondola。　Lyra　saw　sparks　flying　up　from　some　of　the　bears'　armor；　and　saw　them　huddle　over　beneath　its　protection；　before　she　heard　the　rattle　of　the　bullets。　She　cried　out　in　fear。
　　〃They're　safe；〃　said　Iorek　Byrnison。　〃Can't　pierce　armor　with　little　bullets。〃
　　The　fire　thrower　worked　again：　this　time　a　mass　of　blazing　sulfur　hurtled　directly　upward　to　strike　the　gondola　and　burst　in　a　cascade　of　flaming　fragments　on　all　sides。　The　zeppelin　banked　to　the　left；　and　roared　away　in　a　wide　arc　before　making　again　for　the　group　of　bears　working　swiftly　beside　the　apparatus。　As　it　neared；　the　arm　of　the　fire　thrower　creaked　downward；　the　machine　rifle　coughed　and　spat；　and　two　bears　fell；　to　a　low　growl　from　Iorek　Byrnison；　and　when　the　aircraft　was　nearly　overhead；　a　bear　shouted　an　order；　and　the　spring…loaded　arm　shot　upward　again。
　　This　time　the　sulfur　hurtled　against　the　envelope　of　the　zeppelin's　gas　bag。　The　rigid　frame　held　a　skin　of　oiled　silk　in　place　to　contain　the　hydrogen；　and　although　this　was　tough　enough　to　withstand　minor　scratches；　a　hundredweight　of　blazing　rock　was　too　much　for　it。　The　silk　ripped　straight　through；　and　sulfur　and　hydrogen　leaped　to　meet　each　other　in　a　catastrophe　of　flame。
　　At　once　the　silk　became　transparent；　the　entire　skeleton　of　the　zeppelin　was　visible；　dark　against　an　inferno　of　orange　and　red　and　yellow；　hanging　in　the　air　for　what　seemed　like　an　impossibly　long　time　before　drifting　to　the　ground　almost　reluctantly。　Little　figures　black　against　the　snow　and　the　fire　came　tottering　or　running　from　it；　and　witches　flew　down　to　help　drag　them　away　from　the　flames。　Within　a　minute　of　the　zeppelin's　hitting　the　ground　it　was　a　mass　of　twisted　metal；　a　pall　of　smoke；　and　a　few　scraps　of　fluttering　fire。
　　But　the　soldiers　on　board；　and　the　others　too　（though　Lyra　was　too　far　away　by　now　to　spot　Mrs。　Coulter；　she　knew　she　was　there）；　wasted　no　time。　With　the　help　of　the　witches　they　dragged　the　machine　gun　out　and　set　it　up；　and　began　to　fight　in　earnest　on　the　ground。
　　〃On；〃　said　Iorek。　〃They　will　hold　out　for　a　long　time。〃
　　He　roared；　and　a　group　of　bears　peeled　away　from　the