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！
lyra felt mutinous； but the ladys glittering spurs were very clear in the sunlight； so she said nothing。
the ladys panion； the chevalier； was opening the case of the lodestone resonator； and； curiosity overing resentment； lyra watched to see what he did。 the instrument looked like a short length of pencil made of dull gray…black stone； resting on a stand of wood； and the chevalier swept a tiny bow like a violinists across the end while he pressed his fingers at various points along the surface。 the places werent marked； so he seemed to be touching it at random； but from the intensity of his expression and the certain fluency of his movements； lyra knew it was as skillful and demanding a process as her own reading of the alethiometer。
after several minutes the spy put the bow away and took up a pair of headphones； the earpieces no larger than lyras little fingernail； and wrapped one end of the wire tightly around a peg in the end of the
stone； leading the rest along to another peg at the other end and wrapping it around that。 by manipulating the two pegs and the tension on the wire between them； he could obviously hear a response to his own message。
〃how does that work？〃 she said when hed finished。
tialys looked at her as if to judge whether she was genuinely interested； and then said； 〃your scientists； what do you call them； experimental theologians； would know of something called quantum entanglement。 it means that two particles can exist that only have properties in mon； so that whatever happens to one happens to the other at the same moment； no matter how far apart they are。 well； in our world there is a way of taking a mon lodestone and entangling all its particles； and then splitting it in two so that both parts resonate together。 the counterpart to this is with lord roke； our mander。 when i play on this one with my bow； the other one reproduces the sounds exactly； and so we municate。〃
he put everything away and said something to the lady。 she joined him and they went a little apart； talking too quietly for lyra to hear； though pantalaimon became an owl and turned his great ears in their direction。
presently will came back and then they moved on； more slowly as the day went by and the track got steeper and the snow line nearer。 they rested once more at the head of a rocky valley； because even will could tell that lyra was nearly finished： she was limping badly and her face was gray。
〃let me see your feet；〃 he said to her； 〃because if theyre blistered； ill put some ointment on。〃
they were； badly； and she let him rub in the bloodmoss salve； closing her eyes and gritting her teeth。
meanwhile； the chevalier was busy； and after a few minutes he put his lodestone away and said； 〃i have told lord roke of our position； and they are sending a gyropter to bring us away as soon as you have spoken to your friend。〃
will nodded。 lyra took no notice。 presently she sat up wearily and pulled on her socks and shoes； and they set off once more。
another hour； and most of the valley was in shadow； and will was wondering whether they would find any shelter before night fell； but then lyra gave a cry of relief and joy。
〃iorek！ iorek！〃
she had seen him before will had。 the bear…king was some way off still； his white coat indistinct against a patch of snow； but when lyras voice echoed out he turned his head； raised it to sniff； and bounded down the mountainside toward them。
ignoring will； he let lyra clasp his neck and bury her face in his fur； growling so deep that will felt it through his feet； but lyra felt it as pleasure and forgot her blisters and her weariness in a moment。
〃oh； iorek； my dear； im so glad to see you！ i never thought id ever see you again； after that time on svalbard； and all the things thatve happened； is mr。 scoresby safe？ hows your kingdom？ are you all alone here？〃
the little spies had vanished； at all events； there seemed to be only the three of them now on the darkening mountainside； the boy and the girl and the great white bear。 as if she had never wanted to be anywhere else； lyra climbed up as iorek offered his back and rode proud and happy as her dear friend carried her up the last stretch of the way to his cave。
will； preoccupied； didnt listen as lyra talked to iorek； though he did hear a cry of dismay at one point； and heard her say：
〃mr。 scoresby； oh no！ oh； its too cruel！ really dead？ youre sure； iorek？〃
〃the witch told me he set out to find the man called grumman；〃 said the bear。
will listened more closely now； for baruch and balthamos had told him some of this。
〃what happened？ who killed him？〃 said lyra； her voice shaky。
〃he died fighting。 he kept a whole pany of muscovites at bay while the man escaped。 i found his body。 he died bravely。 i shall avenge him。〃
lyra was weeping freely； and will didnt know what to say； for it was his father whom this unknown man had died to save； and lyra and the bear had both known and loved lee scoresby； and he had not。
soon iorek turned aside and made for the entrance to a cave； very dark against the snow。 will didnt know where the spies were； but he was perfectly sure they were nearby。 he wanted to speak quietly to lyra； but not till he could see the gallivespians and know he wasnt being overheard。
he laid his rucksack in the cave mouth and sat down wearily。 behind him the bear was kindling a fire； and lyra watched； curious despite her sorrow。 iorek held a small rock of some sort of ironstone in his left forepaw and struck it no more than three or four times on a similar one on the floor。 each time a scatter of sparks burst out and went exactly where iorek directed them： into a heap of shredded twigs and dried grass。 very soon that was ablaze； and iorek calmly placed one log and then another and another until the fire was burning strongly。
the children weled it； because the air was very cold now； and then came something even better： a haunch of something that might have been goat。 iorek ate his meat raw； of course； but he spitted its joint on a sharp stick and laid it to roast across the fire for the two of them。
〃is it easy； hunting up in these mountains； iorek？〃 she said。
〃no。 my people ca