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the moonlight was brilliant enough to show every leaf。 will snapped off a twig； and the piney resinous smell stayed strongly on his fingers。
〃and we ent going to say anything to those little spies；〃 she added。
they gathered armfuls of the bush and carried them back up toward the cave。
m。
FIFTEEN … THE FORGE
小说
at that moment the gallivespians； too； were talking about the knife。 having made a suspicious peace with iorek byrnison； they climbed back to their ledge to be out of the way； and as the crackle of flames rose and the snapping and roaring of the fire filled the air； tialys said； 〃we must never leave his side。 as soon as the knife is mended； we must keep closer than a shadow。〃
〃he is too alert。 he watches everywhere for us；〃 said salmakia。 〃the girl is more trusting。 i think we could win her around。 shes innocent； and she loves easily。 we could work on her。 i think we should do that； tialys。〃
〃but he has the knife。 he is the one who can use it。〃
〃he wont go anywhere without her。〃
〃but she has to follow him； if he has the knife。 and i think that as soon as the knifes intact again； theyll use it to slip into another world； so as to get away from us。 did you see how he stopped her from speaking when she was going to say something more？ they have some secret purpose； and its very different from what we want them to do。〃
〃well see。 but youre right； tialys； i think。 we must stay close to the boy at all costs。〃
they both watched with some skepticism as iorek byrnison laid out the tools in his improvised workshop。 the mighty workers in the ordnance factories under lord asriels fortress； with their blast furnaces and rolling mills； their anbaric forges and hydraulic presses； would have laughed at the open fire； the stone hammer； the anvil consisting of a piece of ioreks armor。 nevertheless； the bear had taken the measure of the task； and in the certainty of his movements the little spies began to see some quality that muffled their scorn。
when lyra and will came in with the bushes； iorek directed them in placing branches carefully on the fire。 he looked at each branch； turning it from side to side； and then told will or lyra to place it at such…and…such an angle； or to break off part and place it separately at the edge。 the result was a fire of extraordinary ferocity； with all its energy concentrated at one side。
by this time the heat in the cave was intense。 iorek continued to build the fire； and made the children take two more trips down the path to ensure that there was enough fuel for the whole operation。
then the bear turned over a small stone on the floor and told lyra to find some more stones of the same kind。 he said that those stones； when heated； gave off a gas that would surround the blade and keep the air from it； for if the hot metal came in contact with the air； it would absorb some and be weakened by it。
lyra set about searching； and with owl…eyed pantalaimons help soon had a dozen or more stones to hand。 iorek told her how to place them； and where； and showed her exactly the kind of draft she should get moving； with a leafy branch； to make sure the gas flowed evenly over the work piece。
will was placed in charge of the fire； and iorek spent several minutes directing him and making sure he understood the principles he was to use。 so much depended on exact placement； and iorek could not stop and correct each one； will had to understand； and then hed do it properly。
furthermore； he mustnt expect the knife to look exactly the same when it was mended。 it would be shorter； because each section of the blade would have to overlap the next by a little way so they could be forged together； and the surface would have oxidized a little； despite the stone…gas； so some of the play of color would be lost； and no doubt the handle would be charred。 but the blade would be just as sharp； and it would work。
so will watched as the flames roared along the resinous twigs； and with streaming eyes and scorched hands he adjusted each fresh branch till the heat was focused as iorek wanted it。
meanwhile； iorek himself was grinding and hammering a fist…sized stone； having rejected several until he found one of the right weight。 with massive blows he shaped it and smoothed it； the cordite smell of smashed rocks joining the smoke in the nostrils of the two spies； watching from high up。 even pantalaimon was active； changing to a crow so he could flap his wings and make the fire burn faster。
eventually the hammer was formed to ioreks satisfaction； and he set the first two pieces of the blade of the subtle knife among the fierce…burning wood at the heart of the fire； and told lyra to begin wafting the stone…gas over them。 the bear watched； his long white face lurid in the glare； and will saw the surface of the metal begin to glow red and then yellow and then white。
iorek was watching closely； his paw held ready to snatch the pieces out。 after a few moments the metal changed again； and the surface became shiny and glistening； and sparks just like those from a firework sprayed up from it。
then iorek moved。 his right paw darted in and seized first one piece and then the other； holding them between the tips of his massive claws and placing them on the slab of iron that was the backplate of his
armor。 will could smell the claws burning； but iorek took no notice of that； and moving with extraordinary speed he adjusted the angle at which the pieces overlapped and then raised his left paw high and struck a blow with the rock hammer。
the knife tip leapt on the rock under the massive blow。 will was thinking that the whole of the rest of his life depended on what happened in that tiny triangle of metal； that point that searched out the gaps inside the atoms； and all his nerves trembled； sensing every flicker of every flame and the loosening of every atom in the lattice of the metal。 before this began； he had supposed that only a full…scale furnace； with the finest tools and equipment； could work on that blade； but now he saw that these were the finest tools； and that ioreks artistry had constructed the best furnace there could be。
iorek roared above the clangor； 〃hold it sti