THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第10章

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　the　way　of　the　solitary　winged　figure　who　stood　at　its　edge。

if　he　took　to　the　sky；　the　enemy　scouts　who　had　spotted　him；　and　lost　him；　would　find　him　again　at　once；　but　if　he　stayed　on　the　ground；　it　would　take　so　long　to　get　past　this　noxious　pit　that　his　message　might　arrive　too　late。

he　would　have　to　take　the　greater　risk。　he　waited　until　a　cloud　of　stinking　smoke　billowed　off　the　yellow　surface；　and　darted　upward　into　the　thick　of　it。

four　pairs　of　eyes　in　different　parts　of　the　sky　all　saw　the　brief　movement；　and　at　once　four　pairs　of　wings　beat　hard　against　the　smoke…fouled　air；　hurling　the　watchers　forward　to　the　cloud。

then　began　a　hunt　in　which　the　pursuers　couldnt　see　the　quarry　and　the　quarry　could　see　nothing　at　all。　the　first　to　break　out　of　the　cloud　on　the　far　side　of　the　lake　would　have　the　advantage；　and　that　might　mean　survival；　or　it　might　mean　a　successful　kill。

and　unluckily　for　the　single　flier；　he　found　the　clear　air　a　few　seconds　after　one　of　his　pursuers。　at　once　they　closed　with　each　other；　trailing　streams　of　vapor；　and　dizzy；　both　of　them；　from　the　sickening　fumes。　the　quarry　had　the　best　of　it　at　first；　but　then　another　hunter　flew　free　of　the　cloud。　in　a　swift　and　furious　struggle；　all　three　of　them；　twisting　in　the　air　like　scraps　of　flame；　rose　and　fell　and　rose　again；　only　to　fall；　finally；　among　the　rocks　on　the　far　side。　the　other　two　hunters　never　emerged　from　the　cloud。

at　the　western　end　of　a　range　of　saw…toothed　mountains；　on　a　peak　that　manded　wide　views　of　the　plain　below　and　the　valleys　behind；　a　fortress　of　basalt　seemed　to　grow　out　of　the　mountain　as　if　some　volcano　had　thrust　it　up　a　million　years　ago。

in　vast　caverns　beneath　the　rearing　walls；　provisions　of　every　sort　were　stored　and　labeled；　in　the　arsenals　and　magazines；　engines　of　war　were　being　calibrated；　armed；　and　tested；　in　the　mills　below　the　mountain；　volcanic　fires　fed　mighty　forges　where　phosphor　and　titanium　were　being　melted　and　bined　in　alloys　never　known　or　used　before。

on　the　most　exposed　side　of　the　fortress；　at　a　point　deep　in　the　shadow　of　a　buttress　where　the　mighty　walls　rose　sheer　out　of　the　ancient　lava…flows；　there　was　a　small　gate；　a　postern　where　a　sentry　watched　day　and　night　and　challenged　all　who　sought　to　enter。

while　the　watch　was　being　changed　on　the　ramparts　above；　i　the　sentry　stamped　once　or　twice　and　slapped　his　gloved　hands　on　his　upper　arms　for　warmth；　for　it　was　the　coldest　hour　of　the　night；　and　the　little　naphtha　flare　in　the　bracket　beside　him　gave　no　heat。　his　relief　would　e　in　another　ten　minutes；　and　he　was　looking　forward　to　the　mug　of　chocolate；　the　smokeleaf；　and　most　of　all　his　bed。

to　hear　a　hammering　at　the　little　door　was　the　last　thing　he　expected。　however；　he　was　alert；　and　he　snapped　open　the　spy　hole；　at　the　same　time　opening　the　tap　that　allowed　a　flow　of　naphtha　past　the　pilot　light　in　the　buttress　outside。　in　the　glare　it　threw；　he　saw　three　hooded　figures　carrying　between　them　a　fourth；　whose　shape　was　indistinct；　and　who　seemed　ill；　or　wounded。

the　figure　in　front　threw　hack　his　hood。　he　had　a　face　the　sentry　knew；　but　he　gave　the　password　anyway　and　said；　〃we　found　him　at　the　sulphur　lake。　says　his　name　is　baruch。　hes　got　an　urgent　message　for　lord　asriel。〃

the　sentry　unbarred　the　door；　and　his　terrier　daemon　quivered　as　the　three　figures　maneuvered　their　burden　with　difficulty　through　the　narrow　entrance。　then　the　daemon　gave　a　soft　involuntary　howl；　quickly　cut　off；　as　the　sentry　saw　that　the　figure　being　carried　was　an　angel；　wounded：　an　angel　of　low　rank　and　little　power；　but　an　angel；　nevertheless。

〃lay　him　in　the　guardroom；〃　the　sentry　told　them；　and　as　they　did　so；　he　turned　the　crank　of　the　telephone　bell　and　reported　what　was　happening　to　the　officer　of　the　watch。

on　the　highest　rampart　of　the　fortress　was　a　tower　of　adamant：　just　one　flight　of　steps　up　to　a　set　of　rooms　whose　windows　looked　out　north；　south；　east；　and　west。　the　largest　room　was　furnished　with　a　table　and　chairs　and　a　map　chest；　another　with　a　camp　bed。　a　small　bathroom　pleted　the　set。

lord　asriel　sat　in　the　adamant　tower　facing　his　spy　captain　across　a　mass　of　scattered　papers。　a　naphtha　lamp　hung　over　the　table；　and　a　brazier　held　burning　coals　against　the　bitter　chill　of　the　night。　inside　the　door；

a　small　blue　hawk　was　perching　on　a　bracket。

the　spy　captain　was　called　lord　roke。　he　was　striking　to　look　at：　he　was　no　taller　than　lord　asriels　hand　span；　and　as　slender　as　a　dragonfly；　but　the　rest　of　lord　asriels　captains　treated　him　with　profound　respect；　for　he　was　armed　with　a　poisonous　sting　in　the　spurs　on　his　heels。

it　was　his　custom　to　sit　on　the　table；　and　his　manner　to　repel　anything　but　the　greatest　courtesy　with　a　haughty　and　malevolent　tongue。　he　and　his　kind；　the　gallivespians；　had　few　of　the　qualities　of　good　spies　except；　of　course；　their　exceptional　smallness：　they　were　so　proud　and　touchy　that　they　would　never　have　remained　inconspicuous　if　they　had　been　of　lord　asriels　size。

〃yes；〃　he　said；　his　voice　clear　and　sharp；　his　eyes　glittering　like　droplets　of　ink；　〃your　child；　my　lord　asriel：　i　know　about　her。　evidently　i　know　more　than　you　do。〃

lord　asriel　looked　at　him　directly；　and　the　little　man　knew　at　once　that　hed　taken　advantage　of　his　manders　courtesy：　the　force　of　lord　asriels　glance　flicked　him　like　a　finger；　so　that　he　lost　his　balance　and　had　to　put　out　a　hand　to　steady　himself　on　lord　asriels　wineglass。　a　moment　later　lord　asriels　expression　was　bland　and　virtuous；　just　as　his　daughters　could　be；　and　from　then　on　lord　roke　was　more　careful。

〃no　doubt；　lord　roke；〃　said　lord　asriel。　〃but　for　reasons　i　dont　understand；　the　girl　is　the　focus　of　the　churchs　attention；　and　i　need　to　know　why。　what　are　they　saying　about　her？〃

〃the　magisterium　is　alive　with　speculation；　one　branch　says　one　thing；　another　is　investigating　something　else；　and　each　of　them　is　trying　to　keep　its　discoveries　secret　from　the　rest。　the　most　active　branches　are　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline　and　the　society　of　the　work　of　the　holy　spirit；　and；〃　said　lord　roke；　〃i　have　spies　in　both　of　them。〃

〃have　you　turned　a　member　of　the　society；　then？〃　said　lord　asriel。　〃i　congratulate　you。　they　used　to　be　impregnable。〃

〃my　spy　in　the　society　is　the　lady　salmakia；〃　said　lord　roke；　〃a　very　skillful　agent。　there　is　a　priest　whose　daemon；　al　mouse；　she　approached　in　their　sleep。　my　agent　suggested　that　the　man　perform　a　forbidden　ritual　designed　to　invoke　the　presence　of　wisdom。　at　the　critical　moment；　the　lady　salmakia　appeared　in　front　of　him。　the　priest　now　thinks　he　can　municate　with　wisdom　whenever　he　pleases；　and　that　she　has　the　form　of　a　gallivespian　and　lives　in　his　bookcase。〃

lord　asriel　smiled　and　said；　〃and　what　has　she　learned？〃　〃the　society　thinks　that　your　daughter　is　the　most　important　child　who　has　ever　lived。　they　think　that　a　great　crisis　will　e　before　very　long；　and　that　the　fate　of　everything　will　depend　on　how　she　behaves　at　that　point。　as　for　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline；　its　holding　an　inquiry　at　the　moment；　with　witnesses　from　bolvangar　and　elsewhere。　my　spy　in　the　court；　the　chevalier　tialys；　is　in　touch　with　me　every　day　by　means　of　the　lodestone　resonator；　and　he　is　letting　me　know　what　they　discover。　in　short；　i　would　say　that　the　society　of　the　work　of　the　holy　spirit　will　find　out　very　soon　where　the　child　is；　but　they　will　do　nothing　about　it。　it　will　take　the　consistorial　court　a　little　longer；　but　when　they　do；　they　will　act　decisively；　and　at　once。〃

〃let　me　know　the　moment　you　hear　any　more。〃　lord　roke　bowed　and　snapped　his　fingers；　and　the　small　blue　hawk　perching　on　the　bracket　beside　the　door　spread　her　wings　and　glided　to　the　table。　she　had　a　bridle；　a　saddle；　and　stirrups。　lord　roke　sprang　on　her　back　in　a　second；　and　they　flew　out　of　the　window；　which　lord　asriel　held　wide　for　them。　he　left　it　open　for　a　minute；　in　spite　of　the　bitter　air；　and　leaned　on　the　window　seat；　playing　with　the　ears　of　his　snow…leopard　daemon。

〃she　came　to　me　on　svalbard　and　i　ignored　her；〃　he　said。　〃you　remember　the　shock。。。　i　needed　a　sacrifice；　and　the　first　child　to　arrive　was　my　own　daughter。。。　but　when　i　realized　that　there　was　another　child　with　her；　so　she　was　safe；　i　relaxed。　was　that　a　fatal　mistake？　i　didnt　consider　her　after　that；　not　for　a　moment；　but　she　is　important；　stelmaria！〃

〃lets　think　clearly；〃　his　daemon　replied。　〃what　can　she　do？〃

〃do；　not　much。　does　she　know　something？〃

〃she　can　read　the　alethiometer；　she　has　access　to　knowledge。〃

〃thats　nothing　special。　so　have　others。　and　where　in　hells　name　can　she　be？〃

there　was　a　knock　at　the　door　behind　him；　and　he　turned　at　once。

〃my　lord；〃　said　the　officer　who　came　in；　〃an　angel　has　just　arrived　at　the　western　gate；　wounded；　he　insists　on　speaking　to　you。〃

and　a　minute　later；　baruch　was　lying　on　the　camp　bed；　which　had　been　brought　through　to　the　main　room。　a　medical　orderly　had　been　summoned；　but　it　was　clear　that　there　was　little　hope　for　the　angel：　he　was　wounded　sorely；　his　wings　torn　and　his　eyes　dimmed。

lord　asriel　sat　close　by　and　threw　a　handful　of　herbs　onto　the　coals　in　the　brazier。　as　will　had　found　with　the　smoke　of