THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第62章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃go　on；　now；〃　she　said；　looking　around；　and　he　darted　inside　the　breast；　finding　a　fur…lined　pocket　where　he　could　sit　securely。　the　golden　monkey　tucked　mrs。　coulters　silk　collar　inside　solicitously；　for　all　the　world　like　a　fastidious　couturier　attending　to　his　favorite　model；　while　all　the　time　making　sure　that　lord　roke　was　pletely　hidden　in　the　folds　of　the　coat。

he　was　just　in　time。　not　a　minute　later　a　soldier　armed　with　a　rifle　came　to　order　mrs。　coulter　out　of　the　airship。

〃must　i　have　these　handcuffs　on？〃　she　said。

〃i　havent　been　told　to　remove　them；〃　he　replied。　〃on　your　feet；　please。〃

〃but　its　hard　to　move　if　i　cant　hold　on　to　things。　im　stiff；　ive　been　sitting　here　for　the　best　part　of　a　day　without　moving；　and　you　know　i　havent　got　any　weapons；　because　you　searched　me。　go　and　ask　the　president　if　its　really　necessary　to　manacle　me。　am　i　going　to　try　and　run　away　in　this　wilderness？〃

lord　roke　was　impervious　to　her　charm；　but　interested　in　its　effect　on　others。　the　guard　was　a　young　man；　they　should　have　sent　a　grizzled　old　warrior。

〃well；〃　said　the　guard；　〃im　sure　you　wont；　maam；　but　i　cant　do　what　i　ent　been　ordered　to　do。　you　see　that；　im　sure。　please　stand　up；　maam；　and　if　you　stumble；　ill　catch　hold　of　your　arm。〃

she　stood　up；　and　lord　roke　felt　her　move　clumsily　forward。　she　was　the　most　graceful　human　the　gallivespian　had　ever　seen；　this　clumsiness　was　feigned。　as　they　reached　the　head　of　the　gangway；　lord　roke　felt　her　stumble　and　cry　out　in　alarm；　and　felt　the　jar　as　the　guards　arm　caught　her。　he　heard　the　change　in　the　sounds　around　them；　too；　the　howl　of　the　wind；　the　engines　turning　over　steadily　to　generate　power　for　the　lights；　voices　from　somewhere　nearby　giving　orders。

they　moved　down　the　gangway；　mrs。　coulter　leaning　heavily　on　the　guard。　she　was　speaking　softly；　and　lord　roke　could　just　make　out　his　reply。

〃the　sergeant；　maam；　over　there　by　the　large　crate；　hes　got　the　keys。　but　i　darent　ask　him；　maam；　im　sorry。〃

〃oh　well；〃　she　said　with　a　pretty　sigh　of　regret。　〃thank　you　anyway。〃

lord　roke　heard　booted　feet　moving　away　over　rock；　and　then　she　whispered：　〃you　heard　about　the　keys？〃

〃tell　me　where　the　sergeant　is。　i　need　to　know　where　and　how　far。〃

〃about　ten　of　my　paces　away。　to　the　right。　a　big　man。　i　can　see　the　keys　in　a　bunch　at　his　waist。〃

〃no　good　unless　i　know　which　one。　did　you　see　them　lock　the　manacles？〃

〃yes。　a　short；　stubby　key　with　black　tape　wound　around　it。〃

lord　roke　climbed　down　hand　over　hand　in　the　thick　fleece　of　her　coat；　until　he　reached　the　hem　at　the　level　of　her　knees。　there　he　clung　and　looked　around。

they　had　rigged　a　floodlight；　which　made　the　wet　rocks　glisten　brilliantly。　but　as　he　looked　down；　casting　around　for　shadows；　he　saw　the　glare　begin　to　swing　sideways　in　a　gust　of　wind。　he　heard　a　shout；　and　the　light　went　out　abruptly。

he　dropped　to　the　ground　at　once　and　sprang　through　the　dashing　sleet　toward　the　sergeant；　who　had　lurched　forward　to　try　and　catch　the　falling　floodlight。

in　the　confusion　lord　roke　leapt　at　the　big　mans　leg　as　it　swung　past　him；　seized　the　camouflage　cotton　of　the　trousers；　heavy　and　sodden　with　rain　already；　and　kicked　a　spur　into　the　flesh　just　above　the　boot。

the　sergeant　gave　a　grunting　cry　and　fell　clumsily；　grasping　his　leg；　trying　to　breathe；　trying　to　call　out。　lord　roke　let　go　and　sprang　away　from　the　falling　body。

no　one　had　noticed：　the　noise　of　the　wind　and　the　engines　and　the　pounding　hail　covered　the　mans　cry；　and　in　the　darkness　his　body　couldnt　be　seen。　but　there　were　others　close　by；　and　lord　roke　had　to　work　quickly。　he　leapt　to　the　fallen　mans　side；　where　the　bunch　of　keys　lay　in　a　pool　of　icy　water；　and　hauled　aside　the　great　shafts　of　steel；　as　big　around　as　his　arm　and　half　as　long　as　he　was；　till　he　found　the　one　with　the　black　tape。　and　then　there　was　the　clasp　of　the　key　ring　to　wrestle　with；　and　the　perpetual　risk　of　the　hail；　which　for　a　gallivespian　was　deadly：　blocks　of　ice　as　big　as　his　two　fists。

and　then　a　voice　above　him　said；　〃you　all　right；　sergeant？〃

the　soldiers　daemon　was　growling　and　nuzzling　at　the　sergeants；　who　had　fallen　into　a　semi…stupor。　lord　roke　couldnt　wait：　a　spring　and　a　kick；　and　the　other　man　fell　beside　the　sergeant。

hauling；　wrestling；　heaving；　lord　roke　finally　snapped　open　the　key　ring；　and　then　he　had　to　lift　six　other　keys　out　of　the　way　before　the　black…taped　one　was　free。　any　second　now　theyd　get　the　light　back　on；　but　even　in　the　half…dark　they　could　hardly　miss　two　men　lying　unconscious　。。。

and　as　he　hoisted　the　key　out；　a　shout　went　up。　he　hauled　up　the　massive　shaft　with　all　the　strength　he　had；　tugging；　heaving；　lifting；　crawling；　dragging；　and　hid　beside　a　small　boulder　just　as　pounding　feet　arrived　and　voices　called　for　light。　〃shot？〃

〃didnt　hear　a　thing。。。”　〃are　they　breathing？〃

then　the　floodlight；　secure　again；　snapped　on　once　more。　lord　roke　was　caught　in　the　open；　as　clear　as　a　fox　in　the　headlights　of　a　car。　he　stood　stock…still；　his　eyes　moving　left　and　right；　and　once　he　was　sure　that　everyones　attention　was　on　the　two　men　who　had　fallen　so　mysteriously；　he　hauled　the　key　to　his　shoulder　and　ran　around　the　puddles　and　the　boulders　until　he　reached　mrs。　coulter。

a　second　later　she　had　unlocked　the　handcuffs　and　lowered　them　silently　to　the　ground。　lord　roke　leapt　for　the　hem　of　her　coat　and　ran　up　to　her　shoulder。

〃wheres　the　bomb？〃　he　said；　close　to　her　ear。　〃theyve　just　begun　to　unload　it。　its　the　big　crate　on　the　ground　over　there。　i　cant　do　anything　till　they　take　it　out；　and　even　then。。。”

〃all　right；〃　he　said；　〃run。　hide　yourself。　ill　stay　here　and　watch。　run！〃

he　leapt　down　to　her　sleeve　and　sprang　away。　without　a　sound　she　moved　away　from　the　light；　slowly　at　first　so　as　not　to　catch　the　eye　of　the　guard；　and　then　she　crouched　and　ran　into　the　rain…lashed　darkness　farther　up　the　slope；　the　golden　monkey　darting　ahead　to　see　the　way。

behind　her　she　heard　the　continuing　roar　of　the　engines；　the　confused　shouts；　the　powerful　voice　of　the　president　trying　to　impose　some　order　on　the　scene。　she　remembered　the　long；　horrible　pain　and　hallucination　that　shed　suffered　at　the　spur　of　the　chevalier　tialys；　and　didnt　envy　the　two　men　their　waking　up。

but　soon　she　was　higher　up；　clambering　over　the　wet　rocks；　and　all　she　could　see　behind　her　was　the　wavering　glow　of　the　floodlight　reflected　back　from　the　great　curved　belly　of　the　zeppelin；　and　presently　that　went　out　again；　and　all　she　could　hear　was　the　engine　roar；　straining　vainly　against　the　wind　and　the　thunder　of　the　cataract　below。

the　engineers　from　the　hydro…anbaric　station　were　struggling　over　the　edge　of　the　gorge　to　bring　a　power　cable　to　the　bomb。

the　problem　for　mrs。　coulter　was　not　how　to　get　out　of　this　situation　alive：　that　was　a　secondary　matter。　the　problem　was　how　to　get　lyras　hair　out　of　the　bomb　before　they　set　it　off。　lord　roke　had　burned　the　hair　from　the　envelope　after　her　arrest；　letting　the　wind　take　the　ashes　away　into　the　night　sky；　and　then　hed　found　his　way　to　the　laboratory　and　watched　as　they　placed　the　rest　of　the　little　dark　golden　curl　in　the　resonating　chamber　in　preparation。　he　knew　exactly　where　it　was；　and　how　to　open　the　chamber；　but　the　brilliant　light　and　the　glittering　surfaces　in　the　laboratory；　not　to　mention　the　constant　ing　and　going　of　technicians；　made　it　impossible　for　him　to　do　anything　about　it　there。

so　theyd　have　to　remove　the　lock　of　hair　after　the　bomb　was　set　up。

and　that　was　going　to　be　even　harder；　because　of　what　the　president　intended　to　do　with　mrs。　coulter。　the　energy　of　the　bomb　came　from　cutting　the　link　between　human　and　daemon；　and　that　meant　the　hideous　process　of　intercision：　the　cages　of　mesh；　the　silver　guillotine。　he　was　going　to　sever　the　lifelong　connection　between　her　and　the　golden　monkey　and　use　the　power　released　by　that　to　destroy　her　daughter。　she　and　lyra　would　perish　by　the　means　she　herself　had　invented。　it　was　neat；　at　least；　she　thought。

her　only　hope　was　lord　roke。　but　in　their　whispered　exchanges　in　the　zeppelin；　hed　explained　about　the　power　of　his　poison　spurs：　he　couldnt　go　on　using　them　continually；　because　with　each　sting；　the　venom　weakened。　it　took　a　day　for　the　full　potency　to　build　up　again。　before　long　his　main　weapon　would　lose　its　force；　and　then　theyd　only　have　their　wits。

she　found　an　overhanging　rock　next　to　the　roots　of　a　spruce　tree　that　clung　to　the　side　of　the　gorge；　and　settled　herself　beneath　it　to　look　around。

behind　her　and　above；　over　the　lip　of　the　ravine　and　in　the　full　force　of　the　wind；　stood　the　generating　station。　the　engineers　were　rigging　a　series　of　lights　to　help　them　bring　the　cable　to　the　bomb：　she　could　hear　their　voices　not　far　away；　shouting　mands；　and　see　the　lights　wavering　through　the　trees。　the　cable　itself；　as　thick　as　a　mans　arm；　was　being　hauled　from　a　gigantic　reel　on　a　truck　at　the　top　of　the　slope；　and　at　the　rate　they　were　edging　their　way　down　over　the　rocks；　theyd　reach　the　bomb　in　five　minutes　or　less。

at　the　zeppelin　father　macphail　had　rallied　the　soldiers。　several　men　stood　guard；　looking　out　into　the　sleet…filled　dark　with　rifles　at　the　ready；　while　others　opened