THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第61部分

〃so　when　its　detonated；　the　child　will　be　destroyed；　wherever　she　is？〃

there　was　a　heavy　indrawn　breath　from　the　scientist；　and　then　a　reluctant　〃yes。〃　he　swallowed；　and　went　on；　〃the　power　needed　is　enormous。　the　anbaric　power；　just　as　an　atomic　bomb　needs　a　high

explosive　to　force　the　uranium　together　and　set　off　the　chain　reaction；　this　device　needs　a　colossal　current　to　release　the　much　greater　power　of　the　severance　process。　i　was　wondering。。。”

〃it　doesnt　matter　where　its　detonated；　does　it？〃

〃no。　that　is　the　point。　anywhere　will　do。〃

〃and　its　pletely　ready？〃

〃now　we　have　the　hair；　yes。　but　the　power；　you　see。。。”

〃i　have　seen　to　that。　the　hydro…anbaric　generating　station　at　saint…jean…les…eaux　has　been　requisitioned　for　our　use。　they　produce　enough　power　there；　wouldnt　you　say？〃

〃yes；〃　said　the　scientist。

〃then　we　shall　set　out　at　once。　please　go　and　see　to　the　apparatus；　dr。　cooper。　have　it　ready　for　transportation　as　soon　as　you　can。　the　weather　changes　quickly　in　the　mountains；　and　there　is　a　storm　on　the　way。〃

the　scientist　took　the　little　envelope　containing　lyras　hair　and　bowed　nervously　as　he　left。　lord　roke　left　with　him；　making　no　more　noise　than　a　shadow。

as　soon　as　they　were　out　of　earshot　of　the　presidents　room；　the　gallivespian　sprang。　dr。　cooper；　below　him　on　the　stairs；　felt　an　agonizing　stab　in　his　shoulder　and　grabbed　for　the　banister；　but　his　arm　was　strangely　weak；　and　he　slipped　and　tumbled　down　the　whole　flight；　to　land　semiconscious　at　the　bottom。

lord　roke　hauled　the　envelope　out　of　the　mans　twitching　hand　with　some　difficulty；　for　it　was　half　as　big　as　he　was；　and　set　off　in　the　shadows　toward　the　room　where　mrs。　coulter　was　asleep。

the　gap　at　the　foot　of　the　door　was　wide　enough　for　him　to　slip　through。　brother　louis　had　e　and　gone；　but　he　hadnt　dared　to　try　and　fasten　the　chain　around　mrs。　coulters　neck：　it　lay　beside　her　on　the　pillow。

lord　roke　pressed　her　hand　to　wake　her　up。　she　was　profoundly　exhausted；　but　she　focused　on　him　at　once　and　sat　up；　rubbing　her　eyes。

he　explained　what　had　happened　and　gave　her　the　envelope。

〃you　should　destroy　it　at　once；〃　he　told　her。　〃one　single　hair　would　be　enough；　the　man　said。〃

she　looked　at　the　little　curl　of　dark　blond　hair　and　shook　her　head。

〃too　late　for　that；〃　she　said。　〃this　is　only　half　the　lock　i　cut　from　lyra。　he　must　have　kept　back　some　of　it。〃

lord　roke　hissed　with　anger。

〃when　he　looked　around！〃　he　said。　〃ach…　i　moved　to　be　out　of　his　sight；　he　must　have　set　it　aside　then。。。〃

〃and　theres　no　way　of　knowing　where　hell　have　put　it；〃　said　mrs。　coulter。　〃still；　if　we　can　find　the　bomb。。。”

〃shh！〃

that　was　the　golden　monkey。　he　was　crouching　by　the　door；　listening；　and　then　they　heard　it；　too：　heavy　footsteps　hurrying　toward　the　room。

mrs。　coulter　thrust　the　envelope　and　the　lock　of　hair　at　lord　roke；　who　took　it　and　leapt　for　the　top　of　the　wardrobe。　then　she　lay　down　next　to　her　daemon　as　the　key　turned　noisily　in　the　door。

〃where　is　it？　what　have　you　done　with　it？　how　did　you　attack　dr。　cooper？〃　said　the　presidents　harsh　voice　as　the　light　fell　across　the　bed。

mrs。　coulter　threw　up　an　arm　to　shade　her　eyes　and　struggled　to　sit　up。

〃you　do　like　to　keep　your　guests　entertained；〃　she　said　drowsily。　〃is　this　a　new　game？　what　do　i　have　to　do？　and　who　is　dr。　cooper？〃

the　guard　from　the　gatehouse　had　e　in　with　father　macphail　and　was　shining　a　torch　into　the　corners　of　the　room　and　under　the　bed。　the　president　was　slightly　disconcerted：　mrs。　coulters　eyes　were　heavy　with　sleep；　and　she　could　hardly　see　in　the　glare　from　the　corridor　light。　it　was　obvious　that　she　hadnt　left　her　bed。

〃you　have　an　acplice；〃　he　said。　〃someone　has　attacked　a　guest　of　the　college。　who　is　it？　who　came　here　with　you？　where　is　he？〃

〃i　havent　the　faintest　idea　what　youre　talking　about。　and　whats　this。。。　？〃

her　hand；　which　shed　put　down　to　help　herself　sit　up；　had　found　the　locket　on　the　pillow。　she　stopped；　picked　it　up；　and　looked　at　the　president　with　wide…open　sleepy　eyes；　and　lord　roke　saw　a　superb　piece　of　acting　as　she　said；　puzzled；　〃but　this　is　my。。。　whats　it　doing　here？　father　macphail；　whos　been　in　here？　someone　has　taken　this　from　around　my　neck。　and；　where　is　lyras　hair？　there　was　a　lock　of　my　childs　hair　in　here。　whos　taken　it？　why？　whats　going　on？〃

and　now　she　was　standing；　her　hair　disordered；　passion　in　her　voice；　plainly　just　as　bewildered　as　the　president　himself。

father　macphail　took　a　step　backward　and　put　his　hand　to　his　head。

〃someone　else　must　have　e　with　you。　there　must　he　an　acplice；〃　he　said；　his　voice　rasping　at　the　air。　〃where　is　he　hiding？〃

〃i　have　no　acplice；〃　she　said　angrily。　〃if　theres　an　invisible　assassin　in　this　place；　i　can　only　imagine　its　the　devil　himself。　i　dare　say　he　feels　quite　at　home。〃

father　macphail　said　to　the　guard；　〃take　her　to　the　cellars。　put　her　in　chains。　i　know　just　what　we　can　do　with　this　woman；　i　should　have　thought　of　it　as　soon　as　she　appeared。〃

she　looked　wildly　around　and　met　lord　rokes　eyes　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　glittering　in　the　darkness　near　the　ceiling。　he　caught　her　expression　at　once　and　understood　exactly　what　she　meant　him　to　do。

？？



TWENTY…FIVE　…　SAINT…JEAN…LES…EAUX

　小说
the　cataract　of　saint…jean…les…eaux　plunged　between　pinnacles　of　rock　at　the　eastern　end　of　a　spur　of　the　alps；　and　the　generating　station　clung　to　the　side　of　the　mountain　above　it。　it　was　a　wild　region；　a　bleak　and　battered　wilderness；　and　no　one　would　have　built　anything　there　at　all　had　it　not　been　for　the　promise　of　driving　great　anbaric　generators　with　the　power　of　the　thousands　of　tons　of　water　that　roared　through　the　gorge。

it　was　the　night　following　mrs。　coulters　arrest；　and　the　weather　was　stormy。　near　the　sheer　stone　front　of　the　generating　station；　a　zeppelin　slowed　to　a　hover　in　the　buffeting　wind。　the　searchlights　below　the　craft　made　it　look　as　if　it　were　standing　on　several　legs　of　light　and　gradually　lowering　itself　to　lie　down。

but　the　pilot　wasnt　satisfied；　the　wind　was　swept　into　eddies　and　cross…gusts　by　the　edges　of　the　mountain。　besides；　the　cables；　the　pylons；　the　transformers　were　too　close：　to　be　swept　in　among　them；　with　a　zeppelin　full　of　inflammable　gas；　would　be　instantly　fatal。　sleet　drummed　slantwise　at　the　great　rigid　envelope　of　the　craft；　making　a　noise　that　almost　drowned　the　clatter　and　howl　of　the　straining　engines；　and　obscuring　the　view　of　the　ground。

〃not　here；〃　the　pilot　shouted　over　the　noise。　〃well　go　around　the　spur。〃

father　macphail　watched　fiercely　as　the　pilot　moved　the　throttle　forward　and　adjusted　the　trim　of　the　engines。　the　zeppelin　rose　with　a　lurch　and　moved　over　the　rim　of　the　mountain。　those　legs　of　light　suddenly　lengthened　and　seemed　to　feel　their　way　down　the　ridge；　their　lower　ends　lost　in　the　whirl　of　sleet　and　rain。

〃you　cant　get　closer　to　the　station　than　this？〃　said　the　president；　leaning　forward　to　let　his　voice　carry　to　the　pilot。

〃not　if　you　want　to　land；〃　the　pilot　said。

〃yes；　we　want　to　land。　very　well；　put　us　down　below　the　ridge。〃

the　pilot　gave　orders　for　the　crew　to　prepare　to　moor。　since　the　equipment　they　were　going　to　unload　was　heavy　as　well　as　delicate；　it　was　important　to　make　the　craft　secure。　the　president　settled　back；　tapping　his　fingers　on　the　arm　of　his　seat；　gnawing　his　lip；　but　saying　nothing　and　letting　the　pilot　work　unflustered。

from　his　hiding　place　in　the　transverse　bulkheads　at　the　rear　of　the　cabin；　lord　roke　watched。　several　times　during　the　flight　his　little　shadowy　form　had　passed　along　behind　the　metal　mesh；　clearly　visible　to　anyone　who　might　have　looked；　if　only　they　had　turned　their　heads；　but　in　order　to　hear　what　was　happening；　he　had　to　e　to　a　place　where　they　could　see　him。　the　risk　was　unavoidable。

he　edged　forward；　listening　hard　through　the　roar　of　the　engines；　the　thunder　of　the　hail　and　sleet；　the　high…pitched　singing　of　the　wind　in　the　wires；　and　the　clatter　of　booted　feet　on　metal　walkways。　the　flight　engineer　called　some　figures　to　the　pilot；　who　confirmed　them；　and　lord　roke　sank　back　into　the　shadows；　holding　tight　to　the　struts　and　beams　as　the　airship　plunged　and　tilted。

finally；　sensing　from　the　movement　that　the　craft　was　nearly　anchored；　he　made　his　way　back　through　the　skin　of　the　cabin　to　the　seats　on　the　starboard　side。

there　were　men　passing　through　in　both　directions：　crew　members；　technicians；　priests。　many　of　their　daemons　were　dogs；　brimming　with　curiosity。　on　the　other　side　of　the　aisle；　mrs。　coulter　sat　awake　and　silent；　her　golden　daemon　watching　everything　from　her　lap　and　exuding　malice。

lord　roke　waited　for　the　chance　and　then　darted　across　to　mrs。　coulters　seat；　and　was　up　in　the　shadow　of　her　shoulder　in　a　moment。

〃what　are　they　doing？〃　she　murmured。

〃landing。　were　near　the　generating　station。〃

〃are　you　going　to　stay　with　me；　or　work　on　your　own？〃　she　whispered。

〃ill　stay　with　you。　ill　have　to　hide　under　your　coat。〃

she　was　wearing　a　heavy　sheepskin　coat；　unfortably　hot　in　the　heated　cabin；　but　with　her　hands　manacled　she　couldnt　take　it　off。

〃go　on；　now；〃　she　said；　looking　around；　and　he　darted　inside　the　breast；　finding　a　fur…l