pp.thegoldencompass-第58部分

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！　You　see；　your　daemon's　a　wonderful　friend　and　　panion　when　you're　young；　but　at　the　age　we　call　puberty；　the　age　you're　ing　to　very　soon；　darling；　daemons　bring　all　sort　of　troublesome　thoughts　and　feelings；　and　that's　what　lets　Dust　in。　A　quick　little　operation　before　that；　and　you're　never　troubled　again。　And　your　daemon　stays　with　you；　only　。　。　。　just　not　connected。　Like　a　。　。　。　like　a　wonderful　pet；　if　you　like。　The　best　pet　in　the　world！　Wouldn't　you　like　that？〃
　　Oh；　the　wicked　liar；　oh；　the　shameless　untruths　she　was　telling！　And　even　if　Lyra　hadn't　known　them　to　be　lies　（Tony　Makarios；　those　caged　daemons）　she　would　have　hated　it　with　a　furious　passion。　Her　dear　soul；　the　daring　panion　of　her　heart；　to　be　cut　away　and　reduced　to　a　little　trotting　pet？　Lyra　nearly　blazed　with　hatred；　and　Pantalaimon　in　her　arms　became　a　polecat；　the　most　ugly　and　vicious　of　all　his　forms；　and　snarled。
　　But　they　said　nothing。　Lyra　held　Pantalaimon　tight　and　let　Mrs。　Coulter　stroke　her　hair。
　　〃Drink　up　your　chamomile；〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter　softly。　〃We'll　have　them　make　up　a　bed　for　you　in　here。　There's　no　need　to　go　back　and　share　a　dormitory　with　other　girls；　not　now　I've　got　my　little　assistant　back。　My　favorite！　The　best　assistant　in　the　world。　D'you　know；　we　searched　all　over　London　for　you；　darling？　We　had　the　police　searching　every　town　in　the　land。　Oh；　I　missed　you　so　much！　I　can't　tell　you　how　happy　I　am　to　find　you　again　。　。　。　。〃
　　All　the　time；　the　golden　monkey　was　prowling　about　restlessly；　one　minute　perching　on　the　table　swinging　his　tail；　the　next　clinging　to　Mrs。　Coulter　and　chittering　softly　in　her　ear；　the　next　pacing　the　floor　with　tail　erect。　He　was　betraying　Mrs。　Coulter's　impatience；　of　course；　and　finally　she　couldn't　hold　it　in。
　　〃Lyra；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　that　the　Master　of　Jordan　gave　you　something　before　you　left。　Isn't　that　right？　He　gave　you　an　alethiometer。　The　trouble　is；　it　wasn't　his　to　give。　It　was　left　in　his　care。　It's　really　too　valuable　to　be　carried　about…d'you　know；　it's　one　of　only　two　or　three　in　the　world！　I　think　the　Master　gave　it　to　you　in　the　hope　that　it　would　fall　into　Lord　Asriel's　hands。　He　told　you　not　to　tell　me　about　it；　didn't　he？〃
　　Lyra　twisted　her　mouth。
　　〃Yes；　I　can　see。　Well；　never　mind；　darling；　because　you　didn't　tell　me；　did　you？　So　you　haven't　broken　any　promises。　But　listen；　dear；　it　really　ought　to　be　properly　looked　after。　I'm　afraid　it's　so　rare　and　delicate　that　we　can't　let　it　be　at　risk　any　longer。〃
　　〃Why　shouldn't　Lord　Asriel　have　it？〃　Lyra　said；　not　moving。
　　〃Because　of　what　he's　doing。　You　know　he's　been　sent　away　to　exile；　because　he's　got　something　dangerous　and　wicked　in　mind。　He　needs　the　alethiometer　to　finish　his　plan；　but　believe　me；　dear；　the　last　thing　anyone　should　do　is　let　him　have　it。　The　Master　of　Jordan　was　sadly　mistaken。　But　now　that　you　know；　it　really　would　be　better　to　let　me　have　it；　wouldn't　it？　It　would　save　you　the　trouble　of　carrying　it　around；　and　all　the　worry　of　looking　after　it…and　really　it　must　have　been　such　a　puzzle；　wondering　what　a　silly　old　thing　like　that　was　any　good　for　。　。　。　。〃
　　Lyra　wondered　how　she　had　ever；　ever；　ever　found　this　woman　to　be　so　fascinating　and　clever。
　　〃So　if　you've　got　it　now；　dear；　you'd　really　better　let　me　have　it　to　look　after。　It's　in　that　belt　around　your　waist；　isn't　it？　Yes；　that　was　a　clever　thing　to　do；　putting　it　away　like　this　。　。　。　。〃
　　Her　hands　were　at　Lyra's　skirt；　and　then　she　was　unfastening　the　stiff　oilcloth。　Lyra　tensed　herself。　The　golden　monkey　was　crouching　at　the　end　of　the　bed；　trembling　with　anticipation；　little　black　hands　to　his　mouth。　Mrs。　Coulter　pulled　the　belt　away　from　Lyra's　waist　and　unbuttoned　the　pouch。　She　was　breathing　fast。　She　took　out　the　black　velvet　cloth　and　unfolded　it；　finding　the　tin　box　Iorek　Byrnison　had　made。
　　Pantalaimon　was　a　cat　again；　tensed　to　spring。　Lyra　drew　her　legs　up　away　from　Mrs。　Coulter；　and　swung　them　down　to　the　floor　so　that　she　too　could　run　when　the　time　came。
　　〃What's　this？〃　said　Mrs。　Coulter；　as　if　amused。　〃What　a　funny　old　tin！　Did　you　put　it　in　here　to　keep　it　safe；　dear？　All　this　moss　。　。　。　You　have　been　careful；　haven't　you？　Another　tin；　inside　the　first　one！　And　soldered！　Who　did　this；　dear？〃
　　She　was　too　intent　on　opening　it　to　wait　for　an　answer。　She　had　a　knife　in　her　handbag　with　a　lot　of　different　attachments；　and　she　pulled　out　a　blade　and　dug　it　under　the　lid。
　　At　once　a　furious　buzzing　filled　the　room。
　　Lyra　and　Pantalaimon　held　themselves　still。　Mrs。　Coulter；　puzzled；　curious；　pulled　at　the　lid；　and　the　golden　monkey　bent　close　to　look。
　　Then　in　a　dazzling　moment　the　black　form　of　the　spy…fly　hurtled　out　of　the　tin　and　crashed　hard　into　the　monkey's　face。
　　He　screamed　and　flung　himself　backward；　and　of　course　it　was　hurting　Mrs。　Coulter　too；　and　she　cried　out　in　pain　and　fright　with　the　monkey；　and　then　the　little　clockwork　devil　swarmed　upward　at　her；　up　her　breast　and　throat　toward　her　face。
　　Lyra　didn't　hesitate。　Pantalaimon　sprang　for　the　door　and　she　was　after　him　at　once；　and　she　tore　it　open　and　raced　away　faster　than　she　had　ever　run　in　her　life。
　　〃Fire　alarm！〃　Pantalaimon　shrieked；　as　he　flew　ahead　of　her。
　　She　saw　a　button　on　the　next　corner；　and　smashed　the　glass　with　her　desperate　fist。　She　ran　on；　heading　toward　the　dormitories；　smashed　another　alarm　and　another；　and　then　people　began　to　e　out　into　the　corridor；　looking　up　and　down　for　the　fire。
　　By　this　time　she　was　near　the　kitchen；　and　Pantalaimon　flashed　a　thought　into　her　mind；　and　she　darted　in。　A　moment　later　she　had　turned　on　all　the　gas　taps　and　flung　a　match　at　the　nearest　burner。　Then　she　dragged　a　bag　of　flour　from　a　shelf　and　hurled　it　at　the　edge　of　a　table　so　it　burst　and　filled　the　air　with　white；　because　she　had　heard　that　flour　will　explode　if　it's　treated　like　that　near　a　flame。
　　Then　she　ran　out　and　on　as　fast　as　she　could　toward　her　own　dormitory。　The　corridors　were　full　now：　children　running　this　way　and　that；　vivid　with　excitement；　for　the　word　escape　had　got　around。　The　oldest　were　making　for　the　storerooms　where　the　clothing　was　kept；　and　herding　the　younger　ones　with　them。　Adults　were　trying　to　control　it　all；　and　none　of　them　knew　what　was　happening。　Shouting；　pushing；　crying；　jostling　people　were　everywhere。
　　Through　it　all　Lyra　and　Pantalaimon　darted　like　fish；　making　always　for　the　dormitory；　and　just　as　they　reached　it；　there　was　a　dull　explosion　from　behind　that　shook　the　building。
　　The　other　girls　had　fled：　the　room　was　empty。　Lyra　dragged　the　locker　to　the　corner；　jumped　up；　hauled　the　furs　out　of　the　ceiling；　felt　for　the　alethiometer。　It　was　still　there。　She　tugged　the　furs　on　quickly；　pulling　the　hood　forward；　and　then　Pantalaimon；　a　sparrow　at　the　door；　called：
　　〃Now！〃
　　She　ran　out。　By　luck　a　group　of　children　who'd　already　found　some　cold…weather　clothing　were　racing　down　the　corridor　toward　the　main　entrance；　and　she　joined　them；　sweating；　her　heart　thumping；　knowing　that　she　had　to　escape　or　die。
　　The　way　was　blocked。　The　fire　in　the　kitchen　had　taken　quickly；　and　whether　it　was　the　flour　or　the　gas；　something　had　brought　down　part　of　the　roof。　People　were　clambering　over　twisted　struts　and　girders　to　get　up　to　the　bitter　cold　air。　The　smell　of　gas　was　strong。　Then　came　another　explosion；　louder　than　the　first　and　closer。　The　blast　knocked　several　people　over；　and　cries　of　fear　and　pain　filled　the　air。
　　Lyra　struggled　up；　and　with　Pantalaimon　calling；　〃This　way！　This　way！〃　among　the　other　daemon…cries　and　flutter…ings；　she　hauled　herself　over　the　rubble。　The　air　she　was　breathing　was　frozen；　and　she　hoped　that　the　children　had　managed　to　find　their　outdoor　clothing；　it　would　be　a　fine　thing　to　escape　from　the　station　only　to　die　of　cold。
　　There　really　was　a　blaze　now。　When　she　got　out　onto　the　roof　under　the　night　sky；　she　could　see　flames　licking　at　the　edges　of　a　great　hole　in　the　side　of　the　building。　There　was　a　throng　of　children　and　adults　by　the　main　entrance；　but　this　time　the　adults　were　more　agitated　and　the　children　more　fearful：　much　more　fearful。
　　〃Roger！　Roger！〃　Lyra　called；　and　Pantala