THE AMBER SPYGLASS- 第37部分

〃i　will　guarantee　mrs。　coulters　behavior；〃　he　said。　〃she　knows　what　will　happen　if　she　betrays　us；　though　she　will　not　have　the　chance。　however；　if　any　of　you　has　a　doubt；　express　it　now；　fearlessly。〃

〃i　do；〃　said　king　ogunwe；　〃but　i　doubt　you；　not　her。〃

〃why？〃　said　lord　asriel。

〃if　she　tempted　you；　you　would　not　resist。　it　was　right　to　capture　her；　but　wrong　to　invite　her　to　this　council。　treat　her　with　every　courtesy；　give　her　the　greatest　fort；　but　place　her　somewhere　else；　and　stay　away　from　her。〃

〃well；　i　invited　you　to　speak；〃　said　lord　asriel；　〃and　i　must　accept　your　rebuke。　i　value　your　presence　more　than　hers；　king。　ill　have　her　taken　away。〃

he　reached　for　the　bell；　but　before　he　could　ring；　mrs。　coulter　spoke。

〃please；〃　she　said　urgently；　〃listen　to　me　first。　i　can　help。　ive　been　closer　to　the　heart　of　the　magisterium　than　anyone　youre　likely　to　find　again。　i　know　how　they　think；　i　can　guess　what　theyll　do。

you　wonder　why　you　should　trust　me；　whats　made　me　leave　them？　its　simple：　theyre　going　to　kill　my　daughter。　they　darent　let　her　live。　the　moment　i　found　out　who　she　is；　what　she　is；　what　the　witches　prophesy　about　her；　i　knew　i　had　to　leave　the　church；　i　knew　i　was　their　enemy；　and　they　were　mine。　i　didnt　know　what　you　all　were；　or　what　i　was　to　you；　that　was　a　mystery；　but　i　knew　that　i　had　to　set　myself　against　the　church；　against　everything　they　believed　in；　and　if　need　be；　against　the　authority　himself。　i。。。〃

she　stopped。　all　the　manders　were　listening　intently。　now　she　looked　lord　asriel　full　in　the　face　and　seemed　to　speak　to　him　alone；　her　voice　low　and　passionate；　her　brilliant　eyes　glittering。

〃i　have　been　the　worst　mother　in　the　world。　i　let　my　only　child　be　taken　away　from　me　when　she　was　a　tiny　infant；　because　i　didnt　care　about　her；　i　was　concerned　only　with　my　own　advancement。　i　didnt　think　of　her　for　years；　and　if　i　did；　it　was　only　to　regret　the　embarrassment　of　her　birth。

〃but　then　the　church　began　to　take　an　interest　in　dust　and　in　children；　and　something　stirred　in　my　heart；　and　i　remembered　that　i　was　a　mother　and　lyra　was。。。　my　child。

〃and　because　there　was　a　threat；　i　saved　her　from　it。　three　times　now　ive　stepped　in　to　pluck　her　out　of　danger。　first；　when　the　oblation　board　began　its　work：　i　went　to　jordan　college　and　i　took　her　to　live　with　me；　in　london；　where　i　could　keep　her　safe　from　the　board。。。　or　so　i　hoped。　but　she　ran　away。

〃the　second　time　was　at　bolvangar；　when　i　found　her　just　in　time；　under　the。。。　under　the　blade　of　the。。。　my　heart　nearly　stopped。。。　it　was　what　they；　we；　what　i　had　done　to　other　children；　but　when　it　was　mine。。。　oh；　you　cant　conceive　the　horror　of　that　moment；　i　hope　you　never　suffer　as　i　did　then。。。　but　i　got　her　free；　i　took　her　out；　i　saved　her　a　second　time。

〃but　even　as　i　did　that；　i　still　felt　myself　part　of　the　church；　a　servant；　a　loyal　and　faithful　and　devoted　servant；　because　i　was　doing　the　authoritys　work。

〃and　then　i　learned　the　witches　prophecy。　lyra　will　somehow；　sometime　soon；　be　tempted；　as　eve　was；　thats　what　they　say。　what　form　this　temptation　will　take；　i　dont　know；　but　shes　growing　up；　after　all。　its　not　hard　to　imagine。　and　now　that　the　church　knows　that；　too；　theyll　kill　her。　if　it　all　depends　on　her；　could　they　risk　letting　her　live？　would　they　dare　take　the　chance　that　shed　refuse　this　temptation；　whatever　it　will　be？

〃no；　theyre　bound　to　kill　her。　if　they　could；　theyd　go　back　to　the　garden　of　eden　and　kill　eve　before　she　was　tempted。　killing　is　not　difficult　for　them；　calvin　himself　ordered　the　deaths　of　children；　theyd　kill　her　with　pomp　and　ceremony　and　prayers　and　lamentations　and　psalms　and　hymns；　but　they　would　kill　her。　if　she　falls　into　their　hands；　shes　dead　already。

〃so　when　i　heard　what　the　witch　said；　i　saved　my　daughter　for　the　third　time。　i　took　her　to　a　place　where　i　kept　her　safe；　and　there　i　was　going　to　stay。〃

〃you　drugged　her；〃　said　king　ogunwe。　〃you　kept　her　unconscious。〃

〃i　had　to；〃　said　mrs。　coulter；　〃because　she　hated　me；〃　and　here　her　voice；　which　had　been　full　of　emotion　but　under　control；　spilled　over　into　a　sob；　and　it　trembled　as　she　went　on：　〃she　feared　me　and　hated　me；　and　she　would　have　fled　from　my　presence　like　a　bird　from　a　cat　if　i　hadnt　drugged　her　into　oblivion。　do　you　know　what　that　means　to　a　mother？　but　it　was　the　only　way　to　keep　her　safe！　all　that　time　in　the　cave。。。　asleep；　her　eyes　closed；　her　body　helpless；　her　daemon　curled　up　at　her　throat。。。　oh；　i　felt　such　a　love；　such　a　tenderness；　such　a　deep；　deep。。。　my　own　child；　the　first　time　i　had　ever　been　able　to　do　these　things　for　her；　my　little。。。！　washed　her　and　fed　her　and　kept　her　safe　and　warm；　i　made　sure　her　body　was　nourished　as　she　slept。。。　i　lay　beside　her　at　night；　i　cradled　her　in　my　arms；　i　wept　into　her　hair；　i　kissed　her　sleeping　eyes；　my　little　one。。。〃

she　was　shameless。　she　spoke　quietly；　she　didnt　declaim　or　raise　her　voice；　and　when　a　sob　shook　her；　it　was　muffled　almost　into　a　hiccup；　as　if　she　were　stifling　her　emotions　for　the　sake　of　courtesy。　which　made　her　barefaced　lies　all　the　more　effective；　lord　asriel　thought　with　disgust；　she　lied　in　the　very　marrow　of　her　bones。

she　directed　her　words　mainly　at　king　ogunwe；　without　seeming　to；　and　lord　asriel　saw　that；　too。　not

only　was　the　king　her　chief　accuser；　he　was　also　human；　unlike　the　angel　or　lord　roke；　and　she　knew　how　to　play　on　him。

in　fact；　though；　it　was　on　the　gallivespian　that　she　made　the　greatest　impression。　lord　roke　sensed　in　her　a　nature　as　close　to　that　of　a　scorpion　as　he　had　ever　encountered；　and　he　was　well　aware　of　the　power　in　the　sting　he　could　detect　under　her　gentle　tone。　better　to　keep　scorpions　where　you　could　see　them；　he　thought。

so　he　supported　king　ogunwe　when　the　latter　changed　his　mind　and　argued　that　she　should　stay；　and　lord　asriel　found　himself　outflanked：　for　he　now　wanted　her　elsewhere；　but　he　had　already　agreed　to　abide　by　his　manders　wishes。

mrs。　coulter　looked　at　him　with　an　expression　of　mild　and　virtuous　concern。　he　was　certain　that　no　one　else　could　see　the　glitter　of　sly　triumph　in　the　depths　of　her　beautiful　eyes。

〃stay；　then；〃　he　said。　〃but　youve　spoken　enough。　stay　quiet　now。　i　want　to　consider　this　proposal　for　a　garrison　on　the　southern　border。　youve　all　seen　the　report：　is　it　workable？　is　it　desirable？　next　i　want　to　look　at　the　armory。　and　then　i　want　to　hear　from　xaphania　about　the　dispositions　of　the　angelic　forces。　first；　the　garrison。　king　ogunwe？〃

the　african　leader　began。　they　spoke　for　some　time；　and　mrs。　coulter　was　impressed　by　their　accurate　knowledge　of　the　churchs　defenses；　and　their　clear　assessment　of　its　leaders　strengths。

but　now　that　tialys　and　salmakia　were　with　the　children；　and　lord　asriel　no　longer　had　a　spy　in　the　magisterium；　their　knowledge　would　soon　be　dangerously　out　of　date。　an　idea　came　to　mrs。　coulters　mind；　and　she　and　the　monkey　daemon　exchanged　a　glance　that　felt　like　a　powerful　anbaric　spark；　but　she　said　nothing；　and　stroked　his　golden　fur　as　she　listened　to　the　manders。

then　lord　asriel　said；　〃enough。　that　is　a　problem　well　deal　with　later。　now　for　the　armory。　i　understand　theyre　ready　to　test　the　intention　craft。　well　go　and　look　at　it。〃

he　took　a　silver　key　from　his　pocket　and　unlocked　the　chain　around　the　golden　monkeys　feet　and　hands；　and　carefully　avoided　touching　even　the　tip　of　one　golden　hair。

lord　roke　mounted　his　hawk　and　followed　with　the　others　as　lord　asriel　set　off　down　the　stairs　of　the　tower　and　out　onto　the　battlements。

a　cold　wind　was　blowing；　snapping　at　their　eyelids；　and　the　dark　blue　hawk　soared　up　in　a　mighty　draft；　wheeling　and　screaming　in　the　wild　air。　king　ogunwe　drew　his　coat　around　him　and　rested　his　hand　on　his　cheetah　daemons　head。

mrs。　coulter　said　humbly　to　the　angel：

〃excuse　me；　my　lady：　your　name　is　xaphania？〃

〃yes；〃　said　the　angel。

her　appearance　impressed　mrs。　coulter；　just　as　her　fellows　had　impressed　the　witch　ruta　skadi　when　she　found　them　in　the　sky：　she　was　not　shining；　but　shone　on；　though　there　was　no　source　of　light。　she　was　tall；　naked；　winged；　and　her　lined　face　was　older　than　that　of　any　living　creature　mrs。　coulter　had　ever　seen。

〃are　you　one　of　the　angels　who　rebelled　so　long　ago？〃

〃yes。　and　since　then　i　have　been　wandering　between　many　worlds。　now　i　have　pledged　my　allegiance　to　lord　asriel；　because　i　see　in　his　great　enterprise　the　best　hope　of　destroying　the　tyranny　at　last。〃

〃but　if　you　fail？〃

〃then　we　shall　all　be　destroyed；　and　cruelty　will　reign　forever。〃

as　they　spoke；　they　followed　lord　asriels　rapid　strides　along　the　wind…beaten　battlements　toward　a　mighty　staircase　going　down　so　deep　that　even　the　flaring　lights　on　sconces　down　the　walls　could　not　disclose　the　bottom。　past　them　swooped　the　blue　hawk；　gliding　down　and　down　into　the　gloom；　with　each　flaring　light　making　his　feathers　flicker　as　he　passed　it；　until　he　was　merely　a　tiny　spark；　and　then　nothing。

the　angel　had　moved　on　to　lord　asriels　side；　and　mrs。　coulter　found　herself　descending　next　to　the　african　king。

〃excuse　my　ignorance；　sir；〃　she　said；　〃but　i　had　never　seen　or　heard　of　a　being　like　the　man　on　the　blue　hawk　until　the　fight　in　the　cave　yesterday。。