THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第27部分

in　his　adamant　tower；　lord　asriel　paced　up　and　down。　his　attention　was　fixed　on　the　little　figure　beside　the　lodestone　resonator；　and　every　other　report　had　been　diverted；　every　part　of　his　mind　was　directed　to　the　news　that　came　to　the　small　square　block　of　stone　under　the　lamplight。

king　ogunwe　sat　in　the　cabin　of　his　gyropter；　swiftly　working　out　a　plan　to　counter　the　intentions　of　the　consistorial　court；　which　hed　just　learned　about　from　the　gallivespian　in　his　own　aircraft。　the　navigator　was　scribbling　some　figures　on　a　scrap　of　paper；　which　he　handed　to　the　pilot。　the　essential　thing　was　speed：　getting　their　troops　on　the　ground　first　would　make　all　the　difference。　the　gyropters　were　faster　than　zeppelins；　but　they　were　still　some　way　behind。

in　the　zeppelins　of　the　consistorial　court；　the　swiss　guard　were　attending　to　their　kit。　their　crossbows　were　deadly　over　five　hundred　yards；　and　an　archer　could　load　and　fire　fifteen　bolts　a　minute。　the　spiral　fins；　made　of　horn；　gave　the　bolt　a　spin　and　made　the　weapon　as　accurate　as　a　rifle。　it　was　also；　of　course；　silent；　which　might　be　a　great　advantage。

mrs。　coulter　lay　awake　in　the　entrance　to　the　cave。　the　golden　monkey　was　restless；　and　frustrated：　the　bats　had　left　the　cave　with　the　ing　of　darkness；　and　there　was　nothing　to　torment。　he　prowled　about　by　mrs。　coulters　sleeping　bag；　scratching　with　a　little　horny　finger　at　the　occasional　glowflies　that　settled　in　the　cave　and　smearing　their　luminescence　over　the　rock。

lyra　lay　hot　and　almost　as　restless；　but　deep；　deep　asleep；　locked　into　oblivion　by　the　draught　her　mother　had　forced　down　her　only　an　hour　before。　there　was　a　dream　that　had　occupied　her　for　a　long　time；　and　now　it　had　returned；　and　little　whimpers　of　pity　and　rage　and　lyratic　resolution　shook　her　breast　and　her　throat；　making　pantalaimon　grind　his　polecat　teeth　in　sympathy。

not　far　away；　under　the　wind…tossed　pines　on　the　forest　path；　will　and　ama　were　making　their　way　toward　the　cave。　will　had　tried　to　explain　to　ama　what　he　was　going　to　do；　but　her　daemon　could　make　no　sense　of　it；　and　when　he　cut　a　window　and　showed　her；　she　was　so　terrified　that　she　nearly　fainted。　he　had　to　move　calmly　and　speak　quietly　in　order　to　keep　her　nearby；　because　she　refused　to　let　him　take　the　powder　from　her；　or　even　to　tell　him　how　it　was　to　be　used。　in　the　end　he　had　to　say　simply；　〃keep　very　quiet　and　follow　me；〃　and　hope　that　she　would。

iorek；　in　his　armor；　was　somewhere　close　by；　waiting　to　hold　off　the　soldiers　from　the　zeppelins　so　as　to　give　will　enough　time　to　work。　what　neither　of　them　knew　was　that　lord　asriels　force　was　also　closing　in：　the　wind　from　time　to　time　brought　a　far…distant　clatter　to　ioreks　ears；　but　whereas　he　knew　what　zeppelin　engines　sounded　like；　he　had　never　heard　a　gyropter；　and　he　could　make　nothing　of　it。

balthamos　might　have　been　able　to　tell　them；　but　will　was　troubled　about　him。　now　that　theyd　found　lyra；　the　angel　had　begun　to　withdraw　back　into　his　grief：　he　was　silent；　distracted；　and　sullen。　and　that；　in　turn；　made　it　harder　to　talk　to　ama。

as　they　paused　on　the　path；　will　said　to　the　air；　〃balthamos？　are　you　there？〃

〃yes；〃　said　the　angel　tunelessly。

〃balthamos；　please　stay　with　me。　stay　close　and　warn　me　of　any　danger。　i　need　you。〃

〃i　havent　abandoned　you　yet；〃　said　the　angel。

that　was　the　best　will　could　get　out　of　him。

far　above　in　the　buffeting　midair；　tialys　and　salmakia　soared　over　the　valley；　trying　to　see　down　to　the　cave。　the　dragonflies　would　do　exactly　as　they　were　told；　but　their　bodies　couldnt　easily　cope　with　cold；　and　besides；　they　were　tossed　about　dangerously　in　the　wild　wind。　their　riders　guided　them　low；　among　the　shelter　of　the　trees；　and　then　flew　from　branch　to　branch；　taking　their　bearings　in　the　gathering　dark。

will　and　ama　crept　up　in　the　windy　moonlight　to　the　closest　point　they　could　reach　that　was　still　out　of　sight　of　the　cave　mouth。　it　happened　to　be　behind　a　heavy…leaved　bush　just　off　the　path；　and　there　he　cut　a　window　in　the　air。

the　only　world　he　could　find　with　the　same　conformation　of　ground　was　a　bare；　rocky　place；　where　the　moon　glared　down　from　a　starry　sky　onto　a　bleached　bone…white　ground　where　little　insects　crawled　and　uttered　their　scraping；　chittering　sounds　over　a　wide　silence。

ama　followed　him　through；　fingers　and　thumbs　moving　furiously　to　protect　her　from　the　devils　that　must　be　haunting　this　ghastly　place；　and　her　daemon；　adapting　at　once；　became　a　lizard　and　scampered　over　the　rocks　with　quick　feet。

will　saw　a　problem。　it　was　simply　that　the　brilliant　moonlight　on　the　bone…colored　rocks　would　shine　like　a　lantern　once　he　opened　the　window　in　mrs。　coulters　cave。　hed　have　to　open　it　quickly；　pull　lyra　through；　and　close　it　again　at　once。　they　could　wake　her　up　in　this　world；　where　it　was　safer。

he　stopped　on　the　dazzling　slope　and　said　to　ama：　〃we　must　be　very　quick　and　pletely　silent。　no　noise；　not　even　a　whisper。〃

she　understood；　though　she　was　frightened。　the　little　packet　of　powder　was　in　her　breast　pocket：　shed　checked　it　a　dozen　times；　and　she　and　her　daemon　had　rehearsed　the　task　so　often　that　she　was　sure　they　could　do　it　in　total　darkness。

they　climbed　on　up　the　bone…white　rocks；　will　measuring　the　distance　carefully　until　he　estimated　that　they　would　be　well　inside　the　cave。

then　he　took　the　knife　and　cut　the　smallest　possible　window　he　could　see　through；　no　larger　than　the　circle　he　could　make　with　thumb　and　forefinger。

he　put　his　eye　to　it　quickly　to　keep　the　moonlight　out　and　looked　through。　there　it　all　was：　hed　calculated　well。　he　could　see　the　cave　mouth　ahead；　the　rocks　dark　against　the　night　sky；　he　could　see　the　shape　of　mrs。　coulter；　asleep；　with　her　golden　daemon　beside　her；　he　could　even　see　the　monkeys　tail；　trailing　negligently　over　the　sleeping　bag。

changing　his　angle　and　looking　closer；　he　saw　the　rock　behind　which　lyra　was　lying。　he　couldnt　see　her；　though。　was　he　too　close？　he　shut　that　window；　moved　back　a　step　or　two；　and　opened　again。

she　wasnt　there。

〃listen；〃　he　said　to　ama　and　her　daemon；　〃the　woman　has　moved　her　and　i　cant　see　where　she　is。　im　going　to　have　to　go　through　and　look　around　the　cave　to　find　her；　and　cut　through　as　soon　as　ive　done　that。　so　stand　back；　keep　out　of　the　way　so　i　dont　accidentally　cut　you　when　i　e　back。　if　i　get　stuck　there　for　any　reason；　go　back　and　wait　by　the　other　window；　where　we　came　in。〃

〃we　should　both　go　through；〃　ama　said；　〃because　i　know　how　to　wake　her；　and　you　dont；　and　i　know　the　cave　better　than　you　do；　too。〃

her　face　was　stubborn；　her　lips　pressed　together；　her　fists　clenched。　her　lizard　daemon　acquired　a　ruff　and　raised　it　slowly　around　his　neck。

will　said；　〃oh；　very　well。　but　we　go　through　quickly　and　in　plete　silence；　and　you　do　exactly　what　i　say；　at　once；　you　understand？〃

she　nodded　and　patted　her　pocket　yet　again　to　check　the　medicine。

will　made　a　small　opening；　low　down；　looked　through；　and　enlarged　it　swiftly；　getting　through　in　a　moment　on　hands　and　knees。　ama　was　right　behind　him；　and　altogether　the　window　was　open　for　less　than　ten　seconds。

they　crouched　on　the　cave　floor　behind　a　large　rock；　with　the　bird…formed　balthamos　beside　them；　their　eyes　taking　some　moments　to　adjust　from　the　moon…drenched　brilliance　of　the　other　world。　inside　the　cave　it　was　much　darker；　and　much　more　full　of　sound：　mostly　the　wind　in　the　trees；　but　below　that　was　another　sound；　too。　it　was　the　roar　of　a　zeppelins　engine；　and　it　wasnt　far　away。

with　the　knife　in　his　right　hand；　will　balanced　himself　carefully　and　looked　around。

ama　was　doing　the　same；　and　her　owl…eyed　daemon　was　peering　this　way　and　that；　but　lyra　was　not　at　this　end　of　the　cave。　there　was　no　doubt　about　it。

will　raised　his　head　over　the　rock　and　took　a　long；　steady　look　down　toward　the　entrance；　where　mrs。　coulter　and　her　daemon　lay　deep　in　sleep。

and　then　his　heart　sank。　there　lay　lyra；　stretched　out　in　the　depths　of　her　sleep；　right　next　to　mrs。　coulter。　their　outlines　had　merged　in　the　darkness；　no　wonder　he　hadnt　seen　her。

will　touched　annas　hand　and　pointed。

〃well　just　have　to　do　it　very　carefully；〃　he　whispered。

something　was　happening　outside。　the　roar　of　the　zeppelins　was　now　much　louder　than　the　wind　in　the　trees；　and　lights　were　moving　about；　too；　shining　down　through　the　branches　from　above。　the　quicker　they　got　lyra　out；　the　better；　and　that　meant　darting　down　there　now　before　mrs。　coulter　woke　up；　cutting　through；　pulling　her　to　safety；　and　closing　again。

he　whispered　that　to　ama。　she　nodded。

then；　as　he　was　about　to　move；　mrs。　coulter　woke　up。

she　stirred　and　said　something；　and　instantly　the　golden　monkey　sprang　to　his　feet。　will　could　see　his　silhouette　in　the　cave　mouth；　crouching；　attentive；　and　then　mrs。　coulter　herself　sat　up；　shading　her　eyes　against　the　light　outside。

wills　left　hand　was　tight　around　amas　wrist。　mrs。　coulter　got　up；　fully　dressed；　lithe；　alert；　not　at　all　as　if　shed　just　been　asleep。　perhaps　shed　been　awake　all　the　time。　she　and　the　golden　monkey　were　crouching　inside　the　cave　mouth；　watching　and　listening；　as　the　light　from　the　zeppelins　swung　from　side　to　side　above　the　treetops　and　the　engines　roared；　a