pp.thegoldencompass-第17部分

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sten；　and　then　Mrs。　Coulter　might　meet　a　politician　or　a　cleric　for　lunch　in　a　smart　restaurant；　and　they　would　be　very　taken　with　Lyra　and　order　special　dishes　for　her；　and　she　would　learn　how　to　eat　asparagus　or　what　sweetbreads　tasted　like。　And　then　in　the　afternoon　there　might　be　more　shopping；　for　Mrs。　Coulter　was　preparing　her　expedition；　and　there　were　furs　and　oilskins　and　waterproof　boots　to　buy；　as　well　as　sleeping　bags　and　knives　and　drawing　instruments　that　delighted　Lyra's　heart。　After　that　they　might　go　to　tea　and　meet　some　ladies；　as　well　dressed　as　Mrs。　Coulter　if　not　so　beautiful　or　acplished：　women　so　unlike　female　Scholars　or　gyptian　boat　mothers　or　college　servants　as　almost　to　be　a　new　sex　altogether；　one　with　dangerous　powers　and　qualities　such　as　elegance；　charm；　and　grace。　Lyra　would　be　dressed　up　prettily　for　these　occasions；　and　the　ladies　would　pamper　her　and　include　her　in　their　graceful　delicate　talk；　which　was　all　about　people：　this　artist；　or　that　politician；　or　those　lovers。
　　And　when　the　evening　came；　Mrs。　Coulter　might　take　Lyra　to　the　theater；　and　again　there　would　be　lots　of　glamorous　people　to　talk　to　and　be　admired　by；　for　it　seemed　that　Mrs。　Coulter　knew　everyone　important　in　London。
　　In　the　intervals　between　all　these　other　activities　Mrs。　Coulter　would　teach　her　the　rudiments　of　geography　and　mathematics。　Lyra's　knowledge　had　great　gaps　in　it；　like　a　map　of　the　world　largely　eaten　by　mice；　for　at　Jordan　they　had　taught　her　in　a　piecemeal　and　disconnected　way：　a　junior　Scholar　would　be　detailed　to　catch　her　and　instruct　her　in　such…and…such；　and　the　lessons　would　continue　for　a　sullen　week　or　so　until　she　〃forgot〃　to　turn　up；　to　the　Scholar's　relief。　Or　else　a　Scholar　would　forget　what　he　was　supposed　to　teach　her；　and　drill　her　at　great　length　about　the　subject　of　his　current　research；　whatever　that　happened　to　be。　It　was　no　wonder　her　knowledge　was　patchy。　She　knew　about　atoms　and　elementary　particles；　and　anbaromagnetic　charges　and　the　four　fundamental　forces　and　other　bits　and　pieces　of　experimental　theology；　but　nothing　about　the　solar　system。　In　fact；　when　Mrs。　Coulter　realized　this　and　explained　how　the　earth　and　the　other　five　planets　revolved　around　the　sun；　Lyra　laughed　loudly　at　the　joke。
　　However；　she　was　keen　to　show　that　she　did　know　some　things；　and　when　Mrs。　Coulter　was　telling　her　about　electrons；　she　said　expertly；　〃Yes；　they're　negatively　charged　particles。　Sort　of　like　Dust；　except　that　Dust　isn't　charged。〃
　　As　soon　as　she　said　that；　Mrs。　Coulter's　daemon　snapped　his　head　up　to　look　at　her；　and　all　the　golden　fur　on　his　little　body　stood　up；　bristling；　as　if　it　were　charged　itself。　Mrs。　Coulter　laid　a　hand　on　his　back。
　　〃Dust？〃　she　said。
　　〃Yeah。　You　know；　from　space；　that　Dust。〃
　　〃What　do　you　know　about　Dust；　Lyra？〃
　　〃Oh；　that　it　es　out　of　space；　and　it　lights　people　up；　if　you　have　a　special　sort　of　camera　to　see　it　by。　Except　not　children。　It　doesn't　affect　children。〃
　　〃Where　did　you　learn　that　from？〃
　　By　now　Lyra　was　aware　that　there　was　a　powerful　tension　in　the　room；　because　Pantalaimon　had　crept　ermine…like　onto　her　lap　and　was　trembling　violently。
　　〃Just　someone　in　Jordan；〃　Lyra　said　vaguely。　〃I　forget　who。　I　think　it　was　one　of　the　Scholars。〃
　　〃Was　it　in　one　of　your　lessons？〃
　　〃Yes；　it　might　have　been。　Or　else　it　might've　been　just　in　passing。　Yes。　I　think　that　was　it。　This　Scholar；　I　think　he　was　from　New　Denmark；　he　was　talking　to　the　Chaplain　about　Dust　and　I　was　just　passing　and　it　sounded　interesting　so　I　couldn't　help　stopping　to　listen。　That's　what　it　was。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter。
　　〃Is　it　right；　what　he　told　me？　Did　I　get　it　wrong？〃
　　〃Well；　I　don't　know。　I'm　sure　you　know　much　more　than　I　do。　Let's　get　back　to　those　electrons　。　。　。　。〃
　　Later；　Pantalaimon　said；　〃You　know　when　all　the　fur　stood　up　on　her　daemon？　Well；　I　was　behind　him；　and　she　grabbed　his　fur　so　tight　her　knuckles　went　white。　You　couldn't　see。　It　was　a　long　time　till　his　fur　went　down。　I　thought　he　was　going　to　leap　at　you。〃
　　That　was　strange；　no　doubt；　but　neither　of　them　knew　what　to　make　of　it。
　　And　finally；　there　were　other　kinds　of　lessons　so　gently　and　subtly　given　that　they　didn't　feel　like　lessons　at　all。　How　to　wash　one's　own　hair；　how　to　judge　which　colors　suited　one；　how　to　say　no　in　such　a　charming　way　that　no　offense　was　given；　how　to　put　on　lipstick；　powder；　scent。　To　be　sure；　Mrs。　Coulter　didn't　teach　Lyra　the　latter　arts　directly；　but　she　knew　Lyra　was　watching　when　she　made　herself　up；　and　she　took　care　to　let　Lyra　see　where　she　kept　the　cosmetics；　and　to　allow　her　time　on　her　own　to　explore　and　try　them　out　for　herself。
　　
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　　Time　passed；　and　autumn　began　to　change　into　winter。　From　time　to　time　Lyra　thought　of　Jordan　College；　but　it　seemed　small　and　quiet　pared　to　the　busy　life　she　led　now。　Every　so　often　she　thought　of　Roger；　too；　and　felt　uneasy；　but　there　was　an　opera　to　go　to；　or　a　new　dress　to　wear；　or　the　Royal　Arctic　Institute　to　visit；　and　then　she　forgot　him　again。
　　When　Lyra　had　been　living　there　for　six　weeks　or　so；　Mrs。　Coulter　decided　to　hold　a　cocktail　party。　Lyra　had　the　impression　that　there　was　something　to　celebrate；　though　Mrs。　Coulter　never　said　what　it　was。　She　ordered　flowers；　she　discussed　canapes　and　drinks　with　the　caterer；　and　she　spent　a　whole　evening　with　Lyra　deciding　whom　to　invite。
　　〃We　must　have　the　archbishop。　I　couldn't　afford　to　leave　him　out；　though　he's　the　most　hateful　old　snob。　Lord　Boreal　is　in　town：　he'll　be　fun。　And　the　Princess　Postnikova。　Do　you　think　it　would　be　right　to　invite　Erik　Andersson？　I　wonder　if　it's　about　time　to　take　him　up　。　。　。　。〃
　　Erik　Andersson　was　the　latest　fashionable　dancer。　Lyra　had　no　idea　what　〃take　him　up〃　meant；　but　she　enjoyed　giving　her　opinion　nonetheless。　She　dutifully　wrote　down　all　the　names　Mrs。　Coulter　suggested；　spelling　them　atrociously　and　then　crossing　them　out　when　Mrs。　Coulter　decided　against　them　after　all。
　　When　Lyra　went　to　bed；　Pantalaimon　whispered　from　the　pillow：
　　〃She's　never　going　to　the　North！　She's　going　to　keep　us　here　forever。　When　are　we　going　to　run　away？〃
　　〃She　is；〃　Lyra　whispered　back。　〃You　just　don't　like　her。　Well；　that's　hard　luck。　I　like　her。　And　why　would　she　be　teaching　us　navigation　and　all　that　if　she　wasn't　going　to　take　us　north？〃
　　〃To　stop　you　getting　impatient；　that's　why。　You　don't　really　want　to　stand　around　at　the　cocktail　party　being　all　sweet　and　pretty。　She's　just　making　a　pet　out　of　you。〃
　　Lyra　turned　her　back　and　closed　her　eyes。　But　what　Pantalaimon　said　was　true。　She　had　been　feeling　confined　and　cramped　by　this　polite　life；　however　luxurious　it　was。　She　would　have　given　anything　for　a　day　with　Roger　and　her　Oxford　ragamuffin　friends；　with　a　battle　in　the　claybeds　and　a　race　along　the　canal。　The　one　thing　that　kept　her　polite　and　attentive　to　Mrs。　Coulter　was　that　tantalizing　hope　of　going　north。　Perhaps　they　would　meet　Lord　Asriel。　Perhaps　he　and　Mrs。　Coulter　would　fall　in　love；　and　they　would　get　married　and　adopt　Lyra；　and　go　and　rescue　Roger　from　the　Gobblers。
　　On　the　afternoon　of　the　cocktail　party；　Mrs。　Coulter　took　Lyra　to　a　fashionable　hairdresser's；　where　her　stiff　dark　blond　hair　was　softened　and　waved；　and　her　nails　were　filed　and　polished；　and　where　they　even　applied　a　little　makeup　to　her　eyes　and　lips　to　show　her　how　to　do　it。　Then　they　went　to　collect　the　new　dress　Mrs。　Coulter　had　ordered　for　her；　and　to　buy　some　patent…leather　shoes；　and　then　it　was　time　to　go　back　to　the　flat　and　check　the　flowers　and　get　dressed。
　　〃Not　the　shoulder　bag；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter　as　Lyra　came　out　of　her　bedroom；　glowing　with　a　sense　of　her　own　prettiness。
　　Lyra　had　taken　to　wearing　a　little　white　leather　shoulder　bag　everywhere；　so　as　to　keep　the　alethiometer　close　at　hand。　Mrs。　Coulter；　loosening　the　cramped　way　some　roses　had　been　bunched　into　a　vase；　saw　that　Lyra　wasn't　moving　and　glanced　pointedly　at　the　door。
　　〃Oh；　please；　Mrs。　Coulter；　I　do　love　this　bag！〃
　　〃Not　indoors；　Lyra。　It　looks　absurd　to　be　carrying　a　shoulder　bag　in　your　own　home。　Take　it　off　at　once；　and　e　and　help　check　these　glasses　。