THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第11章

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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　his　fire；　that　had　the　effect　of　defining　the　angels　body　so　he　could　see　it　more　clearly。

〃well；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃what　have　you　e　to　tell　me？〃

〃three　things。　please　let　me　say　them　all　before　you　speak。　my　name　is　baruch。　my　panion　balthamos　and　i　are　of　the　rebels　party；　and　so　we　were　drawn　to　your　standard　as　soon　as　you　raised　it。　but　we　wanted　to　bring　you　something　valuable；　because　our　power　is　small；　and　not　long　ago　we　managed　to　find　our　way　to　the　heart　of　the　clouded　mountain；　the　authoritys　citadel　in　the　kingdom。　and　there　we　learned。。。〃

he　had　to　stop　for　a　moment　to　breathe　in　the　smoke　of　the　herbs；　which　seemed　to　steady　him。　he　continued：

〃we　learned　the　truth　about　the　authority。　we　learned　that　he　has　retired　to　a　chamber　of　crystal　deep　within　the　clouded　mountain；　and　that　he　no　longer　runs　the　daily　affairs　of　the　kingdom。　instead；　he　contemplates　deeper　mysteries。　in　his　place；　ruling　on　his　behalf；　there　is　an　angel　called　metatron。　i　have　reason　to　know　that　angel　well；　though　when　i　knew　him。。。〃

baruchs　voice　faded。　lord　asriels　eyes　were　blazing；　but　he　held　his　tongue　and　waited　for　baruch　to　continue。

〃metatron　is　proud；〃　baruch　went　on　when　he　had　recovered　a　little　strength；　〃and　his　ambition　is　limitless。　the　authority　chose　him　four　thousand　years　ago　to　be　his　regent；　and　they　laid　their　plans　together。　they　have　a　new　plan；　which　my　panion　and　i　were　able　to　discover。　the　authority　considers　that　conscious　beings　of　every　kind　have　bee　dangerously　independent；　so　metatron　is　going　to　intervene　much　more　actively　in　human　affairs。　they　intend　to　move　the　authority　secretly　away　from　the　clouded　mountain；　to　a　permanent　citadel　somewhere　else；　and　turn　the　mountain　into　an　engine　of　war。　the　churches　in　every　world　are　corrupt　and　weak；　he　thinks；　they　promise　too　readily。。。　he　wants　to　set　up　a　permanent　inquisition　in　every　world；　run　directly　from　the　kingdom。　and　his　first　campaign　will　be　to　destroy　your　republic。。。〃

they　were　both　trembling；　the　angel　and　the　man；　but　one　from　weakness　and　the　other　from　excitement。

baruch　gathered　his　remaining　strength；　and　went　on：

〃the　second　thing　is　this。　there　is　a　knife　that　can　cut　openings　between　the　worlds；　as　well　as　anything　in　them。　its　power　is　unlimited；　but　only　in　the　hands　of　the　one　who　knows　how　to　use　it。　and　that　person　is　a　boy。。。〃

once　again　the　angel　had　to　stop　and　recover。　he　was　frightened；　he　could　feel　himself　drifting　apart。　lord　asriel　could　see　the　effort　he　made　to　hold　himself　together；　and　sat　tensely　gripping　the　arms　of　his　chair　until　baruch　found　the　strength　to　go　on。

〃my　panion　is　with　him　now。　we　wanted　to　bring　him　directly　to　you；　but　he　refused；　because。。。　this　is　the　third　thing　i　must　tell　you：　he　and　your　daughter　are　friends。　and　he　will　not　agree　to　e　to　you　until　he　has　found　her。　she　is。。。”　〃who　is　this　boy？〃

〃he　is　the　son　of　the　shaman。　of　stanislaus　grumman。〃　lord　asriel　was　so　surprised　he　stood　up

involuntarily；　sending　billows　of　smoke　swirling　around　the　angel。

〃grumman　had　a　son？〃　he　said。

〃grumman　was　not　born　in　your　world。　nor　was　his　real　name　grumman。　my　panion　and　i　were　led　to　him　by　his　own　desire　to　find　the　knife。　we　followed　him；　knowing　he　would　lead　us　to　it　and　its　bearer；　intending　to　bring　the　bearer　to　you。　but　the　boy　refused　to。。。〃

〃　once　again　baruch　had　to　stop。　lord　asriel　sat　down　again；　cursing　his　own　impatience；　and　sprinkled　some　more　herbs　on　the　fire。　his　daemon　lay　nearby；　her　tail　sweeping　slowly　across　the　oaken　floor；　her　golden　eyes　never　leaving　the　angels　pain…filled　face。　baruch　took　several　slow　breaths；　and　lord　asriel　held　his　silence。　the　slap　of　the　rope　on　the　flagpole　above　was　the　only　sound。

〃take　your　time；　sir；〃　lord　asriel　said　gently。　〃do　you　know　where　my　daughter　is？〃

〃himalaya。。。　in　her　own　world；〃　whispered　baruch。　〃great　mountains。　a　cave　near　a　valley　full　of　rainbows。。。〃

〃a　long　way　from　here　in　both　worlds。　you　flew　quickly。〃

〃it　is　the　only　gift　i　have；〃　said　baruch；　〃except　the　love　of　balthamos；　whom　i　shall　never　see　again。〃

〃and　if　you　found　her　so　easily。。。”

〃then　any　other　angel　may；　too。〃

lord　asriel　seized　a　great　atlas　from　the　map　chest　and　flung　it　open；　looking　for　the　pages　that　showed　the　himalaya。

〃can　you　be　precise？〃　he　said。　〃can　you　show　me　exactly　where？〃

〃with　the　knife。。。〃　baruch　tried　to　say；　and　lord　asriel　realized　his　mind　was　wandering。　〃with　the　knife　he　can　enter　and　leave　any　world　at　will。。。　will　is　his　name。　but　they　are　in　danger；　he　and　balthamos。。。　metatron　knows　we　have　his　secret。　they　pursued　us。。。　they　caught　me　alone　on　the　borders　of　your　world。。。　i　was　his　brother。。。　that　was　how　we　found　our　way　to　him　in　the　clouded　mountain。　metatron　was　once　enoch；　the　son　of　jared；　the　son　of　mahalalel。。。　enoch　had　many　wives。　he　was　a　lover　of　the　flesh。。。　my　brother　enoch　cast　me　out；　because　i。。。　oh；　my　dear　balthamos。。。〃　〃where　is　the　girl？〃

〃yes。　yes。　a　cave。。。　her　mother。。。　valley　full　of　winds　and　rainbows。。。　tattered　flags　on　the　shrine。。。〃　he　raised　himself　to　look　at　the　atlas。

then　the　snow…leopard　daemon　got　to　her　feet　in　one　swift　movement　and　leapt　to　the　door；　but　it　was　too　late：　the　orderly　who　had　knocked　had　opened　without　waiting。　that　was　the　way　things　were　done；　it　was　no　ones　fault；　but　seeing　the　expression　on　the　soldiers　face　as　he　looked　past　him；　lord　asriel　turned　back　to　see　baruch　straining　and　quivering　to　hold　his　wounded　form　together。　the　effort　was　too　much。　a　draft　from　the　open　door　sent　an　eddy　of　air　across　the　bed；　and　the　particles　of　the　angels　form；　loosened　by　the　waning　of　his　strength；　swirled　upward　into　randomness　and　vanished。　〃balthamos！〃　came　a　whisper　from　the　air。　lord　asriel　put　his　hand　on　his　daemons　neck；　she　felt　him　tremble；　and　stilled　him。　he　turned　to　the　orderly。　〃my　lord；　i　beg　your。。。”

〃not　your　fault。　take　my　pliments　to　king　ogunwe。　i　would　be　glad　if　he　and　my　other　manders　could　step　here　at　once。　i　would　also　like　mr。　basilides　to　attend；　with　the　alethiometer。　finally　i　want　no。　2　squadron　of　gyropters　armed　and　fueled；　and　a　tanker　zeppelin　to　take　off　at　once　and　head　southwest。　i　shall　send　further　orders　in　the　air。〃

the　orderly　saluted　and；　with　one　more　swift　uneasy　glance　at　the　empty　bed；　went　out　and　shut　the　door。

lord　asriel　tapped　the　desk　with　a　pair　of　brass　dividers；　and　crossed　to　open　the　southern　window。　far　below；　the　deathless　fires　put　out　their　glow　and　smoke　on　the　darkling　air；　and　even　at　this　great　height　the　clang　of　hammers　could　be　heard　in　the　snapping　wind。

〃well；　weve　learned　a　lot；　stelmaria；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃but　not　enough；〃　she　replied。

there　came　another　knock　at　the　door；　and　the　alethiometrist　came　in。　he　was　a　pale；　thin　man　in　early　middle　age；　his　name　was　teukros　basilides；　and　his　daemon　was　a　nightingale。

〃mr。　basilides；　good　evening　to　you；〃　said　lord　asriel。　〃this　is　our　problem；　and　i　would　like　you　to　put　everything　else　aside　while　you　deal　with　it。。。〃

he　told　the　man　what　baruch　had　said；　and　showed　him　the　atlas。

〃pinpoint　that　cave；〃　he　said。　〃get　me　the　coordinates　as　precisely　as　you　can。　this　is　the　most　important　task　you　have　ever　undertaken。　begin　at　once；　if　you　please；〃

—

stamped　her　foot　so　hard　it　even　hurt　her　in　the　dream。　〃you　dont　believe　id　do　that；　roger；　so　dont　say　it。　i　will　wake　up　and　i　wont　forget；　so　there。〃

she　looked　around；　but　all　she　could　see　were　wide　eyes　and　hopeless　faces；　pale　faces；　dark　faces；　old　faces；　young　faces；　all　the　dead　cramming　and　crowding；　close　and　silent　and　sorrowful。

rogers　face　was　different。　his　expression　was　the　only　one　that　contained　hope。

she　said；　〃why　dyou　look　like　that？　why　ent　you　miserable；　like　them？　why　ent　you　at　the　end　of　your　hope？〃

and　he　said；　〃

．co



SIX　…　PREEMPTIVE　ABSOLUTION

，小，说，网
〃now；　fra　pavel；〃　said　the　inquirer　of　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline；　〃i　want　you　to　recall　exactly；　if　you　can；　the　words　you　heard　the　witch　speak　on　the　ship。〃

the　twelve　members　of　the　court　looked　through　the　dim　afternoon　light　at　the　cleric　on　the　stand；　their　last　witness。　he　was　a　scholarly…looking　priest　whose　daemon　had　the　form　of　a　frog。　the　court　had　been　hearing　evidence　in　this　case　for　eight　days　already；　in　the　ancient　high…towered　college　of　st。　jerome。

〃i　cannot　call　the　witchs　words　exactly　to　mind；〃　said　fra　pavel　wearily。　〃i　had　not　seen　torture　before；　as　i　said　to　the　court　yesterday；　and　i　found　it　made　me　feel　faint　and　sick。　so　exactly　what　she　said　i　cannot　tell　you；　but　i　remember　the　meaning　of　it。　the　witch　said　that　the　child　lyra　had　been　recognized　by　the　clans　of　the　north　as　the　subject　of　a　prophecy　they　had　long　known。　she　was　to　have　the　power　to　make　a　fateful　choice；　on　which　the　future　of　all　the　worlds　depended。　and　furthermore；　there　was　a　name　that　would　bring　to　mind　a　parallel　case；　and　which　would　make　the　church　hate　and　fear　her。〃

〃and　did　the　witch　reveal　that　name？〃

〃no。　before　she　could　utter　it；　a