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！
frolicking in the Isis or the Cherwell with other children； but this was different。
〃I'm afraid of your uncle；〃 said Roger through the open door。 〃I mean your father。〃
〃Better keep calling him my uncle。 I'm afraid of him too； sometimes。〃
〃When we first e in； he never saw me at all。 He only saw you。 And he was horrified； till he saw me。 Then he calmed down all at once。〃
〃He was just shocked；〃 said Lyra。 〃Anyone would be； to see someone they didn't expect。 He last saw me after that time in the Retiring Room。 It's bound to be a shock。〃
〃No；〃 said Roger； 〃it's more than that。 He was looking at me like a wolf； or summing。〃
〃You're imagining it。〃
〃I en't。 I'm more scared of him than I was of Mrs。 Coulter； and that's the truth。〃
He splashed himself。 Lyra took out the alethiometer。
〃D'you want me to ask the symbol reader about it？〃 Lyra said。
〃Well； I dunno。 There's things I'd rather not know。 Seems to me everything I heard of since the Gobblers e to Oxford； everything's been bad。 There en't been nothing good more than about five minutes ahead。 Like I can see now； this bath's nice； and there's a nice warm towel there； about five minutes away。 And once I'm dry； maybe I'll think of summing nice to eat； but no further ahead than that。 And when I've eaten； maybe I'll look forward to a kip in a fortable bed。 But after that； I dunno； Lyra。 There's been terrible things we seen； en't there？ And more a ing； more'n likely。 So I think I'd rather not know what's in the future。 I'll stick to the present。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Lyra wearily。 〃There's times I feel like that too。〃
So although she held the alethiometer in her hands for a little longer； it was only for fort； she didn't turn the wheels； and the swinging of the needle passed her by。 Pantalaimon watched it in silence。
After they'd both washed； and eaten some bread and cheese and drunk some wine and hot water； the servant Thorold said； 〃The boy is to go to bed。 I'll show him where to go。 His Lordship asks if you'd join him in the library； Miss Lyra。〃
Lyra found Lord Asriel in a room whose wide windows overlooked the frozen sea far below。 There was a coal fire under a wide chimneypiece； and a naphtha lamp turned down low； so there was little in the way of distracting reflections between the occupants of the room and the bleak starlit panorama outside。 Lord Asriel； reclining in a large armchair on one side of the fire； beckoned her to e and sit in the other chair facing him。
〃Your friend Iorek Byrnison is resting outside；〃 he said。 〃He prefers the cold。〃
〃Did he tell you about his fight with lofur Raknison？〃
〃Not in detail。 But I understand that he is now the king of Svalbard。 Is that true？〃
〃Of course it's true。 Iorek never lies。〃
〃He seems to have appointed himself your guardian。〃
〃No。 John Faa told him to look after me； and he's doing it because of that。 He's following John Faa's orders。〃
〃How does John Faa e into this？〃
〃I'll tell you if you tell me something；〃 she said。 〃You're my father； en't you？〃
〃Yes。 So what？〃
〃So you should have told me before； that's what。 You shouldn't hide things like that from people； because they feel stupid when they find out； and that's cruel。 What difference would it make if I knew I was your daughter？ You could have said it years ago。 You could've told me and asked me to keep it secret； and I would； no matter how young I was； I'd have done that if you asked me。 I'd have been so proud nothing would've torn it out of me； if you asked me to keep it secret。 But you never。 You let other people know； but you never told me。〃
〃Who did tell you？〃
〃John Faa。〃
〃Did he tell you about your mother？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then there's not much left for me to tell。 I don't think I want to be interrogated and condemned by an insolent child。 I want to hear what you've seen and done on the way here。〃
〃I brought you the bloody alethiometer； didn't I？〃 Lyra burst out。 She was very near to tears。 〃I looked after it all the way from Jordan； I hid it and I treasured it； all through what's happened to us； and I learned about using it； and I carried it all this bloody way when I could've just given up and been safe； and you en't even said thank you； nor showed any sign that you're glad to see me。 I don't know why I ever done it。 But I did； and I kept on going； even in lofur Raknison's stinking palace with all them bears around me I kept on going； all on me own； and I tricked him into fighting with Iorek so's I could e on here for your sake 。 。 。 。And when you did see me； you like to fainted； as if I was some horrible thing you never wanted to see again。 You en't human； Lord Asriel。 You en't my father。 My father wouldn't treat me like that。 Fathers are supposed to love their daughters； en't they？ You don't love me； and I don't love you； and that's a fact。 I love Farder Coram； and I love Iorek Byrnison； I love an armored bear more'n I love my father。 And I bet Iorek Byrnison loves me more'n you do。〃
〃You told me yourself he's only following John Faa's orders。
If you're going to be sentimental； I shan't waste time talking to you。〃
〃Take your bloody alethiometer； then； and I'm going back with Iorek。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Back to the palace。 He can fight with Mrs。 Coulter and the Oblation Board； when they turn up。 If he loses； then I'll die too； I don't care。 If he wins； we'll send for Lee Scoresby and I'll sail away in his balloon and…〃
〃Who's Lee Scoresby？〃
〃An aeronaut。 He brought us here and then we crashed。 Here you are； here's the alethiometer。 It's all in good order。〃
He made no move to take it； and she laid it on the brass fender around the hearth。
〃And I suppose I ought to tell you that Mrs。 Coulter's on her way to Svalbard； and as soon as she hears what's happened to lofur Raknison； she'll be on her way here。 In a zeppelin； with a whole lot of soldiers； and they're going to kill us all； by order of the Magisterium。〃
〃They'll never reach us；〃 he said calmly。
He was so quiet and relaxed that some of her ferocity dwindled。
〃You don't know；〃 she said uncertainly。
〃Yes I do。〃
〃Have you got another alethiometer； then？〃
〃I don't need an alethiometer for that。 Now I want to hear about your journey here； Lyra。 Start from the beginning。 Tell me everything。〃
So she did。 She began with her hiding in the Retiring Room； and went on to the Gobblers' taking Roger； and her time with Mrs。 Coulter； and everything else that had happened。
It was a long tale； and when she finished it she said； 〃So there's one thing I want to know； and I reckon I've got the right to know it； like I had the right to know who I really was。 And if you didn't tell me that； you've got to tell me this； in repense。 So： what's Dust？ And why's everyone so afraid of it？〃
He looked at her as if trying to guess whether she would understand what he was about to say。 He had never looked at her seriously before； she thought； until now he had always been like an adult indulging a child in a pretty trick。 But he seemed to think she was ready。
〃Dust is what makes the alethiometer work；〃 he said。 〃Ah 。 。 。 I thought it might！ But