THE AMBER SPYGLASS-第68章

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is　because　she　overheard　a　prophecy　that　there　would　e　an　end　to　death；　and　she　thought　that　this　was　a　task　for　her　to　acplish。　as　a　result；　there　is　now　a　way　out　of　the　world　of　the　dead。〃

mrs。　coulter　couldnt　speak。　she　had　to　turn　away　and　go　to　the　window　to　conceal　the　emotion　on　her　face。　finally　she　said：

〃and　will　she　e　out　alive？；　but　no；　i　know　you　cant　predict。　is　she；　how　is　she；　has　she。。。〃

〃she　is　suffering；　she　is　in　pain；　she　is　afraid。　but　she　has　the　panionship　of　the　boy；　and　of　the　two　gallivespian　spies；　and　they　are　still　all　together。〃

〃and　the　bomb？〃

〃the　bomb　did　not　hurt　her。〃

mrs。　coulter　felt　suddenly　exhausted。　she　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　lie　down　and　sleep　for　months；　for　years。　outside；　the　flag　rope　snapped　and　clattered　in　the　wind；　and　the　rooks　cawed　as　they　wheeled　around　the　ramparts。

〃thank　you；　sir；〃　she　said；　turning　back　to　the　reader。　〃im　very　grateful。　please　would　you　let　me　know　if　you　discover　anything　more　about　her；　or　where　she　is；　or　what　shes　doing？〃

the　man　bowed　and　left。　mrs。　coulter　went　to　lie　down　on　the　camp　bed；　but　try　as　she　would；　she　couldnt　keep　her　eyes　closed。

〃what　do　you　make　of　that；　king？〃　said　lord　asriel。

he　was　looking　through　the　watchtower　telescope　at　something　in　the　western　sky。　it　had　the　appearance　of　a　mountain　hanging　in　the　sky　a　hands　breadth　above　the　horizon；　and　covered　in　cloud。　it　was　a　very　long　way　off；　so　far；　in　fact；　that　it　was　no　bigger　than　a　thumbnail　held　out　at　arms　length。　but　it　had　not　been　there　for　long；　and　it　hung　there　absolutely　still。

the　telescope　brought　it　closer；　but　there　was　no　more　detail：　cloud　still　looks　like　cloud　however　much　its　magnified。

〃the　clouded　mountain；〃　said　ogunwe。　〃or；　what　do　they　call　it？　the　chariot？〃

〃with　the　regent　at　the　reins。　hes　concealed　himself　well；　this　metatron。　they　speak　of　him　in　the　apocryphal　scriptures：　he　was　a　man　once；　a　man　called　enoch；　the　son　of　jared；　six　generations　away　from　adam。　and　now　he　rules　the　kingdom。　and　hes　intending　to　do　more　than　that；　if　that　angel　they　found　by　the　sulphur　lake　was　correct；　the　one　who　entered　the　clouded　mountain　to　spy。　if　he　wins　this　battle；　he　intends　to　intervene　directly　in　human　life。　imagine　that；　ogunwe；　a　permanent　inquisition；　worse　than　anything　the　consistorial　court　of　discipline　could　dream　up；　staffed　by　spies　and　traitors　in　every　world　and　directed　personally　by　the　intelligence　thats　keeping　that　mountain　aloft。。。the　old　authority　at　least　had　the　grace　to　withdraw；　the　dirty　work　of　burning　heretics　and　hanging　witches　was　left　to　his　priests。　this　new　one　will　be　far；　far　worse。〃

〃well；　hes　begun　by　invading　the　republic；〃　said　ogunwe。　〃look；　is　that　smoke？〃

a　drift　of　gray　was　leaving　the　clouded　mountain；　a　slowly　spreading　smudge　against　the　blue　sky。　but　it　couldnt　have　been　smoke：　it　was　drifting　against　the　wind　that　tore　at　the　clouds。

the　king　put　his　field　glasses　to　his　eyes　and　saw　what　it　was。　〃angels；〃　he　said。

lord　asriel　came　away　from　the　telescope　and　stood　up；　hand　shading　his　eyes。　in　hundreds；　and　then　thousands；　and　tens　of　thousands；　until　half　that　part　of　the　sky　was　darkened；　the　minute　figures　flew　and　flew　and　kept　on　ing。　lord　asriel　had　seen　the　billion…strong　flocks　of　blue　starlings　that　wheeled　at　sunset　around　the　palace　of　the　emperor　kang…po；　but　he　had　never　seen　so　vast　a　multitude　in　all　his　life。　the　flying　beings　gathered　themselves　and　then　streamed　away　slowly；　slowly；　to　the　north　and　the　south。

〃ah！　and　whats　that？〃　said　lord　asriel；　pointing。　〃thats　not　the　wind。〃

the　cloud　was　swirling　on　the　southern　flank　of　the　mountain；　and　long　tattered　banners　of　vapor　streamed　out　in　the　powerful　winds。　but　lord　asriel　was　right：　the　movement　was　ing　from　within；　not　from　the　air　outside。　the　cloud　roiled　and　tumbled；　and　then　it　parted　for　a　second。

there　was　more　than　a　mountain　there；　but　they　only　saw　it　for　a　moment；　and　then　the　cloud　swirled　back；　as　if　drawn　across　by　an　unseen　hand；　to　conceal　it　again。

king　ogunwe　put　down　his　field　glasses。

〃thats　not　a　mountain；〃　he　said。　〃i　saw　gun　emplacements　。。。〃

〃so　did　i。　a　whole　plexity　of　things。　can　he　see　out　through　the　cloud；　i　wonder？　in　some　worlds；　they　have　machines　to　do　that。　but　as　for　his　army；　if　those　angels　are　all　theyve　got。。。”

the　king　gave　a　brief　exclamation；　half　of　astonishment；　half　of　despair。　lord　asriel　turned　and　gripped　his　arm　with　fingers　that　all　but　bruised　him　to　the　bone。

〃they　havent　got　this！〃　he　said；　and　shook　ogunwes　arm　violently。　〃they　havent　got　zesh！〃

he　laid　his　hand　against　his　friends　rough　cheek。

〃few　as　we　are；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　short…lived　as　we　are；　and　weak…sighted　as　we　are；　in　parison　with　them；　were　still　stronger。　they　envy　us；　ogunwe！　thats　what　fuels　their　hatred；　im　sure　of　it。　they　long　to　have　our　precious　bodies；　so　solid　and　powerful；　so　well…adapted　to　the　good　earth！　and　if　we　drive　at　them　with　force　and　determination；　we　can　sweep　aside　those　infinite　numbers　as　you　can　sweep　your　hand　through　mist。　they　have　no　more　power　than　that！〃

〃asriel；　they　have　allies　from　a　thousand　worlds；　living　beings　like　us。〃

〃we　shall　win。〃

〃and　suppose　hes　sent　those　angels　to　look　for　your　daughter？〃

〃my　daughter！〃　cried　lord　asriel；　exulting。　〃isnt　it　something　to　bring　a　child　like　that　into　the　world？　youd　think　it　was　enough　to　go　alone　to　the　king　of　the　armored　bears　and　trick　his　kingdom　out　of　his　paws；　but　to　go　down　into　the　world　of　the　dead　and　calmly　let　them　all　out！　and　that　boy；　i　want　to　meet　that　boy；　i　want　to　shake　his　hand。　did　we　know　what　we　were　taking　on　when　we　started　this　rebellion？　no。　but　did　they　know；　the　authority　and　his　regent；　this　metatron；　did　they　know　what　they　were　taking　on　when　my　daughter　got　involved？〃

〃lord　asriel；〃　said　the　king；　〃do　you　understand　her　importance　for　the　future？〃

〃frankly；　no。　thats　why　i　want　to　see　basilides。　where　did　he　go？〃

〃to　the　lady　coulter。　but　the　man　is　worn　out；　he　can　do　no　more　until　hes　rested。〃

〃he　should　have　rested　before。　send　for　him；　would　you？　oh；　one　more　thing：　please　ask　madame　oxentiel　to　e　to　the　tower　as　soon　as　its　convenient。　i　must　give　her　my　condolences。〃

madame　oxentiel　had　been　the　gallivespians　second…in…mand。　now　she　would　have　to　take　over　lord　rokes　responsibilities。　king　ogunwe　bowed　and　left　his　mander　scanning　the　gray　horizon。

all　through　that　day　the　army　assembled。　angels　of　lord　asriels　force　flew　high　over　the　clouded　mountain；　looking　for　an　opening；　but　without　success。　nothing　changed；　no　more　angels　flew　out　or　inward；　the　high　winds　tore　at　the　clouds；　and　the　clouds　endlessly　renewed　themselves；　not　parting　even　for　a　second。　the　sun　crossed　the　cold　blue　sky　and　then　moved　down　to　the　southwest；　gilding　the　clouds　and　tinting　the　vapor　around　the　mountain　every　shade　of　cream　and　scarlet；　of　apricot　and　orange。　when　the　sun　sank；　the　clouds　glowed　faintly　from　within。

warriors　were　now　in　place　from　every　world　where　lord　asriels　rebellion　had　supporters；　mechanics　and　artificers　were　fueling　aircraft；　loading　weapons；　and　calibrating　sights　and　measures。　as　the　darkness　came；　some　wele　reinforcements　arrived。　padding　silently　over　the　cold　ground　from　the　north；　separately；　singly；　came　a　number　of　armored　hears；　a　large　number；　and　among　them　was　their　king。　not　long　afterward；　there　arrived　the　first　of　several　witch　clans；　the　sound　of　the　air　through　their　pine　branches　whispering　in　the　dark　sky　for　a　long　time。

along　the　plain　to　the　south　of　the　fortress　glimmered　thousands　of　lights；　marking　the　camps　of　those　who　had　arrived　from　far　off。　farther　away；　in　all　four　corners　of　the　pass；　flights　of　spy…angels　cruised　tirelessly；　keeping　watch。

at　midnight　in　the　adamant　tower；　lord　asriel　sat　in　discussion　with　king　ogunwe；　the　angel　xaphania；　madame　oxentiel　the　gallivespian；　and　teukros　basilides。　the　alethiometrist　had　just　finished　speaking；　and　lord　asriel　stood　up；　crossed　to　the　window；　and　looked　out　at　the　distant　glow　of　the　clouded　mountain　hanging　in　the　western　sky。　the　others　were　silent；　they　had　just　heard　something　that　had　made　lord　asriel　turn　pale　and　tremble；　and　none　of　them　quite　knew　how　to　respond。

finally　lord　asriel　spoke。

〃mr。　basilides；〃　he　said；　〃you　must　be　very　fatigued。　i　am　grateful　for　all　your　efforts。　please　take　some　wine　with　us。〃

〃thank　you；　my　lord；〃　said　the　reader。

his　hands　were　shaking。　king　ogunwe　poured　the　golden　tokay　and　handed　him　the　glass。

〃what　will　this　mean；　lord　asriel？〃　said　the　clear　voice　of　madame　oxentiel。

lord　asriel　came　back　to　the　table。

〃well；〃　he　said；　〃it　will　mean　that　when　we　join　battle；　we　shall　have　a　new　objective。　my　daughter　and　this　boy　have　bee　separated　from　their　daemons；　somehow；　and　managed　to　survive；　and　their　daemons　are　somewhere　in　this　world；　correct　me　if　im　summarizing　wrongly；　mr。　basilides；　their　daemons　are　in　this　world；　and　metatron　is　intent　on　capturing　them。　if　he　captures　their　daemons；　the　children　will　have　to

follow；　and　if　he　can　control　those　two　children；　the　future　is　his；　forever。　our　task　is　clear：　we　have