THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第32章

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another　hour；　and　most　of　the　valley　was　in　shadow；　and　will　was　wondering　whether　they　would　find　any　shelter　before　night　fell；　but　then　lyra　gave　a　cry　of　relief　and　joy。

〃iorek！　iorek！〃

she　had　seen　him　before　will　had。　the　bear…king　was　some　way　off　still；　his　white　coat　indistinct　against　a　patch　of　snow；　but　when　lyras　voice　echoed　out　he　turned　his　head；　raised　it　to　sniff；　and　bounded　down　the　mountainside　toward　them。

ignoring　will；　he　let　lyra　clasp　his　neck　and　bury　her　face　in　his　fur；　growling　so　deep　that　will　felt　it　through　his　feet；　but　lyra　felt　it　as　pleasure　and　forgot　her　blisters　and　her　weariness　in　a　moment。

〃oh；　iorek；　my　dear；　im　so　glad　to　see　you！　i　never　thought　id　ever　see　you　again；　after　that　time　on　svalbard；　and　all　the　things　thatve　happened；　is　mr。　scoresby　safe？　hows　your　kingdom？　are　you　all　alone　here？〃

the　little　spies　had　vanished；　at　all　events；　there　seemed　to　be　only　the　three　of　them　now　on　the　darkening　mountainside；　the　boy　and　the　girl　and　the　great　white　bear。　as　if　she　had　never　wanted　to　be　anywhere　else；　lyra　climbed　up　as　iorek　offered　his　back　and　rode　proud　and　happy　as　her　dear　friend　carried　her　up　the　last　stretch　of　the　way　to　his　cave。

will；　preoccupied；　didnt　listen　as　lyra　talked　to　iorek；　though　he　did　hear　a　cry　of　dismay　at　one　point；　and　heard　her　say：

〃mr。　scoresby；　oh　no！　oh；　its　too　cruel！　really　dead？　youre　sure；　iorek？〃

〃the　witch　told　me　he　set　out　to　find　the　man　called　grumman；〃　said　the　bear。

will　listened　more　closely　now；　for　baruch　and　balthamos　had　told　him　some　of　this。

〃what　happened？　who　killed　him？〃　said　lyra；　her　voice　shaky。

〃he　died　fighting。　he　kept　a　whole　pany　of　muscovites　at　bay　while　the　man　escaped。　i　found　his　body。　he　died　bravely。　i　shall　avenge　him。〃

lyra　was　weeping　freely；　and　will　didnt　know　what　to　say；　for　it　was　his　father　whom　this　unknown　man　had　died　to　save；　and　lyra　and　the　bear　had　both　known　and　loved　lee　scoresby；　and　he　had　not。

soon　iorek　turned　aside　and　made　for　the　entrance　to　a　cave；　very　dark　against　the　snow。　will　didnt　know　where　the　spies　were；　but　he　was　perfectly　sure　they　were　nearby。　he　wanted　to　speak　quietly　to　lyra；　but　not　till　he　could　see　the　gallivespians　and　know　he　wasnt　being　overheard。

he　laid　his　rucksack　in　the　cave　mouth　and　sat　down　wearily。　behind　him　the　bear　was　kindling　a　fire；　and　lyra　watched；　curious　despite　her　sorrow。　iorek　held　a　small　rock　of　some　sort　of　ironstone　in　his　left　forepaw　and　struck　it　no　more　than　three　or　four　times　on　a　similar　one　on　the　floor。　each　time　a　scatter　of　sparks　burst　out　and　went　exactly　where　iorek　directed　them：　into　a　heap　of　shredded　twigs　and　dried　grass。　very　soon　that　was　ablaze；　and　iorek　calmly　placed　one　log　and　then　another　and　another　until　the　fire　was　burning　strongly。

the　children　weled　it；　because　the　air　was　very　cold　now；　and　then　came　something　even　better：　a　haunch　of　something　that　might　have　been　goat。　iorek　ate　his　meat　raw；　of　course；　but　he　spitted　its　joint　on　a　sharp　stick　and　laid　it　to　roast　across　the　fire　for　the　two　of　them。

〃is　it　easy；　hunting　up　in　these　mountains；　iorek？〃　she　said。

〃no。　my　people　cant　live　here。　i　was　wrong；　but　luckily　so；　since　i　found　you。　what　are　your　plans　now？〃

will　looked　around　the　cave。　they　were　sitting　close　to　the　fire；　and　the　firelight　threw　warm　yellows　and　oranges　on　the　bear…kings　fur。　will　could　see　no　sign　of　the　spies；　but　there　was　nothing　for　it：　he　had　to　ask。

〃king　iorek；〃　he　began；　〃my　knife　is　broken。。。”　then　he　looked　past　the　bear　and　said；　〃no；　wait。〃　he　was　pointing　at　the　wall。　〃if　youre　listening；〃　he　went　on　more　loudly；　〃e　out　and　do　it　honestly。　dont　spy　on　us。〃

lyra　and　iorek　byrnison　turned　to　see　who　he　was　talking　to。　the　little　man　came　out　of　the　shadow　and　stood　calmly　in　the　light；　on　a　ledge　higher　than　the　childrens　heads；　iorek　growled。

〃you　havent　asked　iorek　byrnison　for　permission　to　enter　his　cave；〃　will　said。　〃and　he　is　a　king；　and　youre　just　a　spy。　you　should　show　more　respect。〃

lyra　loved　hearing　that。　she　looked　at　will　with　pleasure；　and　saw　him　fierce　and　contemptuous。

but　the　chevaliers　expression；　as　he　looked　at　will；　was　displeased。

〃we　have　been　truthful　with　you；〃　he　said。　〃it　was　dishonorable　to　deceive　us。〃

will　stood　up。　his　daemon；　lyra　thought；　would　have　the　form　of　a　tigress；　and　she　shrank　back　from　the　anger　she　imagined　the　great　animal　to　show。

〃if　we　deceived　you；　it　was　necessary；〃　he　said。　〃would　you　have　agreed　to　e　here　if　you　knew　the　knife　was　broken？　of　course　you　wouldnt。　youd　have　used　your　venom　to　make　us　unconscious；　and　then　youd　have　called　for　help　and　had　us　kidnapped　and　taken　to　lord　asriel。　so　we　had　to　trick　you；　tialys；　and　youll　just　have　to　put　up　with　it。〃

iorek　byrnison　said；　〃who　is　this？〃

〃spies；〃　said　will。　〃sent　by　lord　asriel。　they　helped　us　escape　yesterday；　but　if　theyre　on　our　side；　they　shouldnt　hide　and　eavesdrop　on　us。　and　if　they　do；　theyre　the　last　people　who　should　talk　about　dishonor。〃

the　spys　glare　was　so　ferocious　that　he　looked　ready　to　take　on　iorek　himself；　never　mind　the　unarmed　will；　but　tialys　was　in　the　wrong；　and　he　knew　it。　all　he　could　do　was　bow　and　apologize。

〃your　majesty；〃　he　said　to　iorek；　who　growled　at　once。

the　chevaliers　eyes　flashed　hatred　at　will；　and　defiance　and　warning　at　lyra；　and　a　cold　and　wary　respect　at　iorek。　the　clarity　of　his　features　made　all　these　expressions　vivid　and　bright；　as　if　a　light　shone　on　him。　beside　him　the　lady　salmakia　was　emerging　from　the　shadow；　and；　ignoring　the　children　pletely；　she　made　a　curtsy　to　the　bear。

〃forgive　us；〃　she　said　to　iorek。　〃the　habit　of　concealment　is　hard　to　break；　and　my　panion；　the　chevalier　tialys；　and　i；　the　lady　salmakia；　have　been　among　our　enemies　for　so　long　that　out　of　pure　habit　we　neglected　to　pay　you　the　proper　courtesy。　were　acpanying　this　boy　and　girl　to　make　sure　they　arrive　safely　in　the　care　of　lord　asriel。　we　have　no　other　aim；　and　certainly　no　harmful　intention　toward　you；　king　iorek　byrnison。〃

if　iorek　wondered　how　any　such　tiny　beings　could　cause　him　harm；　he　didnt　show　it；　not　only　was　his　expression　naturally　hard　to　read；　but　he　had　his　courtesy；　too；　and　the　lady　had　spoken　graciously　enough。

〃e　down　by　the　fire；〃　he　said。　〃there　is　food　enough　and　plenty　if　you　are　hungry。　will；　you　began　to　speak　about　the　knife。〃

〃yes；〃　said　will；　〃and　i　thought　it　could　never　happen；　but　its　broken。　and　the　alethiometer　told　lyra　that　youd　be　able　to　mend　it。　i　was　going　to　ask　more　politely；　but　there　it　is：　can　you　mend　it；　iorek？〃

〃show　me。〃

will　shook　all　the　pieces　out　of　the　sheath　and　laid　them　on　the　rocky　floor；　pushing　them　about　carefully　until　they　were　in　their　right　places　and　he　could　see　that　they　were　all　there。　lyra　held　a　burning　branch　up；　and　in　its　light　iorek　bent　low　to　look　closely　at　each　piece；　touching　it　delicately　with　his　massive　claws　and　lifting　it　up　to　turn　it　this　way　and　that　and　examine　the　break。　will　marveled　at　the　deftness　in　those　huge　black　hooks。

then　iorek　sat　up　again；　his　head　rearing　high　into　the　shadow。

〃yes；〃　he　said；　answering　exactly　the　question　and　no　more。

lyra　said；　knowing　what　he　meant；　〃ah；　but　will　you；　iorek？　you　couldnt　believe　how　important　this　is；　if　we　cant　get　it　mended　then　were　in　desperate　trouble；　and　not　only　us。。。”

〃i　dont　like　that　knife；〃　iorek　said。　〃i　fear　what　it　can　do。　i　have　never　known　anything　so　dangerous。　the　most　deadly　fighting　machines　are　little　toys　pared　to　that　knife；　the　harm　it　can　do　is　unlimited。　it　would　have　been　infinitely　better　if　it　had　never　been　made。〃

〃but　with　it。。。”　began　will。

iorek　didnt　let　him　finish；　but　went　on；　〃with　it　you　can　do　strange　things。　what　you　dont　know　is　what　the　knife　does　on　its　own。　your　intentions　may　be　good。　the　knife　has　intentions；　too。〃

〃how　can　that　be？〃　said　will。

〃the　intentions　of　a　tool　are　what　it　does。　a　hammer　intends　to　strike；　a　vise　intends　to　hold　fast；　a　lever　intends　to　lift。　they　are　what　it　is　made　for。　but　sometimes　a　tool　may　have　other　uses　that　you　dont　know。　sometimes　in　doing　what　you　intend；　you　also　do　what　the　knife　intends；　without　knowing。　can　you　see　the　sharpest　edge　of　that　knife？〃

〃no；〃　said　will；　for　it　was　true：　the　edge　diminished　to　a　thinness　so　fine　that　the　eye　could　not　reach　it。

〃then　how　can　you　know　everything　it　does？〃

〃i　cant。　but　i　must　still　use　it；　and　do　what　i　can　to　help　good　things　e　about。　if　i　did　nothing；　id　be　worse　than　useless。　id　be　guilty。〃

lyra　was　following　this　closely；　and　seeing　iorek　still　unwilling；　she　said：

〃iorek；　you　know　how　wicked　those　bolvangar　people　were。　if　we　cant　win；　then　theyre　going　to　be　able　to　carry　on　doing　those　kind　of　things　forever。　and　besides；　if　we　dont　have　the　knife；　then　they　might　get　hold　of　it　themselves。　we　never　knew　about　it　when　i　first　met　you；　iorek；　and　nor　did　anyone；　but　now　that　we　do；　we　got　to　use　it　ourselves；　we　cant　just　not。　thatd　be　feeble；　and　itd　be　wrong；　too；　itd　be　just

like　handing　it　over　to　em　and　saying；　go　on；　use　it；　we　wont　stop　you。　all　right；　we　dont　know　what　it　does；　but　i　can　ask　the　ale