THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第13章

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might　never　be　called　on　to　mit　the　sin。　it　was　sometimes　necessary　to　kill　people；　for　example；　and　it　was　so　much　less　troubling　for　the　assassin　if　he　could　do　so　in　a　state　of　grace。　〃i　had　you　in　mind；〃　said　father　macphail　kindly。　〃i　have　the　agreement　of　the　court？　yes。　when　father　gomez　leaves；　with　our　blessing；　he　will　be　on　his　own；　unable　to　be　reached　or　recalled。　whatever　happens　to　anyone　else；　he　will　make　his　way　like　the　arrow　of　god；　straight　to　the　child；　and　strike　her　down。　he　will　be　invisible；　he　will　e　in　the　night；　like　the　angel　that　blasted　the　assyrians；　he　will　be　silent。　how　much　better　for　us　all　if　there　had　been　a　father　gomez　in　the　garden　of　eden！　we　would　never　have　left　paradise。〃

the　young　priest　was　nearly　weeping　with　pride。　the　court　gave　its　blessing。

and　in　the　darkest　corner　of　the　ceiling；　hidden　among　the　dark　oak　beams；　sat　a　man　no　larger　than　a　hand　span。　his　heels　were　armed　with　spurs；　and　he　heard　every　word　they　said。

in　the　cellars　the　man　from　bolvangar；　dressed　only　in　a　dirty　white　shirt　and　loose　trousers　with　no　belt；　stood　under　the　bare　light　bulb　clutching　the　trousers　with　one　hand　and　his　rabbit　daemon　with　the　other。　in　front　of　him；　in　the　only　chair；　sat　father　macphail。

〃dr。　cooper；〃　the　president　began；　〃do　sit　down。〃　there　was　no　furniture　except　the　chair；　the　wooden　bunk；　and　a　bucket。　the　presidents　voice　echoed　unpleasantly　off；　the　white　tiles　that　lined　the　wall　and　ceiling。

dr。　cooper　sat　on　the　bunk。　he　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　gaunt　and　gray…haired　president。　he　licked　his　dry　lips　and　waited　to　see　what　new　disfort　was　ing。

〃so　you　nearly　succeeded　in　severing　the　child　from　her　daemon？〃　said　father　macphail。

dr。　cooper　said　shakily；　〃we　considered　that　it　would　serve　no　purpose　to　wait；　since　the　experiment　was　due　to　take　place　anyway；　and　we　put　the　child　in　the　experimental　chamber；　but　then　mrs。　coulter　herself　intervened　and　took　the　child　to　her　own　quarters。〃

the　rabbit　daemon　opened　her　round　eyes　and　gazed　fearfully　at　the　president；　and　then　shut　them　again　and　hid　her　face。

〃that　must　have　been　distressing；〃　said　father　macphail。

〃the　whole　program　was　intensely　difficult；〃　said　dr。　cooper；　hastening　to　agree。

〃i　am　surprised　you　did　not　seek　the　aid　of　the　consistorial　court；　where　we　have　strong　nerves。〃

〃we；　i；　we　understood　that　the　program　was　licensed　by。。。　it　was　an　oblation　board　matter；　but　we　were　told　it　had　the　approval　of　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline。　we　would　never　have　taken　part　otherwise。　never！〃

〃no；　of　course　not。　and　now　for　another　matter。　did　you　have　any　idea；〃　said　father　macphail；　turning　to　the　real　subject　of　his　visit　to　the　cellars；　〃of　the　subject　of　lord　asriels　researches？　of　what　might　have　been　the　source　of　the　colossal　energy　he　managed　to　release　on　svalbard？〃

dr。　cooper　swallowed。　in　the　intense　silence　a　drop　of　sweat　fell　from　his　chin　to　the　concrete　floor；　and　both　men　heard　it　distinctly。

〃well。。。〃　he　began；　〃there　was　one　of　our　team　who　observed　that　in　the　process　of　severance　there　was　a　release　of　energy。　controlling　it　would　involve　enormous　forces；　but　just　as　an　atomic　explosion　is　detonated　by　conventional　explosives；　this　could　be　done　by　focusing　a　powerful　anbaric　current。。。　however；

he　wasnt　taken　seriously。　i　paid　no　attention　to　his　ideas；〃　he　added　earnestly；　〃knowing　that　without　authority　they　might　well　be　heretical。〃

〃very　wise。　and　that　colleague　now？　where　is　he？〃　〃he　was　one　of　those　who　died　in　the　attack。〃　the　president　smiled。　it　was　so　kindly　an　expression　that　dr。　coopers　daemon　shivered　and　swooned　against　his　breast。　〃courage；　dr。　cooper；〃　said　father　macphail。　〃we　need　you　to　be　strong　and　brave！　there　is　great　work　to　be　done；　a　great　battle　to　be　fought。　you　must　earn　the　forgiveness　of　the　authority　by　cooperating　fully　with　us；　by　holding　nothing　back；　not　even　wild　speculation；　not　even　gossip。　now　i　want　you　to　devote　all　your　attention　to　what　you　remember　your　colleague　saying。　did　he　make　any　experiments？　did　he　leave　any　notes？　did　he　take　anyone　else　into　his　confidence？　what　equipment　was　he　using？　think　of　everything；　dr。　cooper。　youll　have　pen　and　paper　and　all　the　time　you　need。

〃and　this　room　is　not　very　fortable。　well　have　you　moved　to　somewhere　more　suitable。　is　there　anything　you　need　in　the　way　of　furnishing；　for　example？　do　you　prefer　to　write　at　a　table　or　a　desk？　would　you　like　a　typewriting　machine？　perhaps　you　would　rather　dictate　to　a　stenographer？　〃let　the　guards　know；　and　you　shall　have　everything　you　need。　but　every　moment；　dr。　cooper；　i　want　you　to　think　back　i　to　your　colleague　and　his　theory。　your　great　task　is　to　recall；　and　if　necessary　to　rediscover；　what　he　knew。　once　you　know　what　instruments　you　require；　you　shall　have　those　as　well。　it　is　a　great　task；　dr。　cooper！　you　are　blessed　to　be　entrusted　with　it！　give　thanks　to　the　authority。〃

〃i　do；　father　president！　i　do！〃　grasping　the　loose　waistband　of　his　trousers；　the　philosopher　stood　up　and　bowed　almost　without　realizing　it；　again　and　again；　as　the　president　of　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline　left　his　cell。

that　evening　the　chevalier　tialys；　the　gallivespian　spy；　made　his　way　through　the　lanes　and　alleys　of　geneva　to　meet　his　colleague；　the　lady　salmakia。　it　was　a　dangerous　journey　for　both　of　them：　dangerous　for　anyone　or　anything　that　challenged　them；　too；　but　certainly　full　of　peril　for　the　small　gallivespians。　more　than　one　prowling　cat　had　met　its　death　at　their　spurs；　but　only　the　week　before；　the　chevalier　had　nearly　lost　an　arm　to　the　teeth　of　a　mangy　dog；　only　the　ladys　swift　action　had　saved　him。

they　met　at　the　seventh　of　their　appointed　meeting　places；　among　the　roots　of　a　plane　tree　in　a　shabby　little　square；　and　exchanged　their　news。　the　lady　salmakias　contact　in　the　society　had　told　her　that　earlier　that　evening　they　had　received　a　friendly　invitation　from　the　president　of　the　consistorial　court　to　e　and　discuss　matters　of　mutual　interest。

〃quick　work；〃　said　the　chevalier。　〃a　hundred　to　one　he　doesnt　tell　them　about　his　assassin；　though。〃

he　told　her　about　the　plan　to　kill　lyra。　she　was　not　surprised。

〃its　the　logical　thing　to　do；〃　she　said。　〃very　logical　people。　tialys；　do　you　think　we　shall　ever　see　this　child？〃

〃i　dont　know；　but　i　should　like　to。　go　well；　salmakia。　tomorrow　at　the　fountain。〃

unsaid　behind　that　brief　exchange　was　the　one　thing　they　never　spoke　of：　the　shortness　of　their　lives　pared　with　those　of　humans。　gallivespians　lived　to　nine　years　or　ten；　rarely　more；　and　tialys　and　salmakia　were　both　in　their　eighth　year。　they　didnt　fear　old　age；　their　people　died　in　the　full　strength　and　vigor　of　their　prime；　suddenly；　and　their　childhoods　were　very　brief；　but　pared　with　their　lives；　the　life　of　a　child　like　lyra　would　extend　as　far　into　the　future　as　the　lives　of　the　witches　extended　past　lyras　own。

the　chevalier　returned　to　the　college　of　st。　jerome　and　began　to　pose　the　message　he　would　send　to　lord　roke　on　the　lodestone　resonator。

but　while　tialys　was　at　the　rendezvous　talking　to　salmakia；　the　president　sent　for　father　gomez。　in　his　study　they　prayed　together　for　an　hour；　and　then　father　macphail　granted　the　young　priest　the　preemptive　absolution　that　would　make　his　murder　of　lyra　no　murder　at　all。　father　gomez　seemed　transfigured；　the　certainty　that　ran　through　his　veins　seemed　to　make　his　very　eyes　incandescent。

they　discussed　practical　arrangements；　money；　and　so　forth；　and　then　the　president　said；　〃once　you　leave　here；　father　gomez；　you　will　be　pletely　cut　off；　forever；　from　any　help　we　can　give。　you　can

never　e　back；　you　will　never　hear　from　us。　i　cant　offer　you　any　better　advice　than　this：　dont　look　for　the　child。　that　would　give　you　away。　instead；　look　for　the　tempter。　follow　the　tempter；　and　she　will　lead　you　to　the　child。〃

〃she？〃　said　father　gomez；　shocked。

〃yes；　she；〃　said　father　macphail。　〃we　have　learned　that　much　from　the　alethiometer。　the　world　the　tempter　es　from　is　a　strange　one。　you　will　see　many　things　that　will　shock　and　startle　you；　father　gomez。　dont　let　yourself　be　distracted　by　their　oddness　from　the　sacred　task　you　have　to　do。　i　have　faith；〃　he　added　kindly；　〃in　the　power　of　your　faith。　this　woman　is　traveling；　guided　by　the　powers　of　evil；　to　a　place　where　she　may；　eventually；　meet　the　child　in　time　to　tempt　her。　that　is；　of　course；　if　we　do　not　succeed　in　removing　the　girl　from　her　present　location。　that　remains　our　first　plan。　you；　father　gomez；　are　our　ultimate　guarantee　that　if　that　falls　through；　the　infernal　powers　will　still　not　prevail。〃

father　gomez　nodded。　his　daemon；　a　large　and　iridescent　green…backed　beetle；　clicked　her　wing　cases。

the　president　opened　a　drawer　and　handed　the　young　priest　a　folded　packet　of　papers。

〃here　is　all　we　know　about　the　woman；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　world　she　es　from；　and　the　place　she　was　last　seen。　read　it　well；　my　dear　luis；　and　go　with　my　blessing。〃

he　had　never　used　the　priests　given　name　before。　father　gomez　felt　tears　of　joy　prick　his　eyes　as　he　kissed　the　president　farewell。

—

youre　lyra。〃

then　she　realized　what　that　meant。　she　felt　dizzy；　even　in　her　dream