pp.thegoldencompass-第28章

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o　volunteer。　Lyra　noticed　his　hawk　daemon　shifting　from　foot　to　foot　and　spreading　her　wings　as　the　Stefanski　money　and　the　promise　of　twenty…three　men　were　laid　before　John　Faa。
　　When　the　six　family　heads　had　all　e　up；　Farder　Coram　showed　his　piece　of　paper　to　John　Faa；　who　stood　up　to　address　the　audience　again。
　　〃Friends；　that's　a　muster　of　one　hundred　and　seventy　men。　I　thank　you　proudly。　As　for　the　gold；　I　make　no　doubt　from　the　weight　of　it　that　you've　all　dug　deep　in　your　coffers；　and　my　warm　thanks　go　out　for　that　as　well。
　　〃What　we're　a　going　to　do　next　is　this。　We're　a　going　to　charter　a　ship　and　sail　north；　and　find　them　kids　and　set　'em　free。　From　what　we　know；　there　might　be　some　fighting　to　do。　It　won't　be　the　first　time；　nor　it　won't　be　the　last；　but　we　never　had　to　fight　yet　with　people　who　kidnap　children；　and　we　shall　have　to　be　unmon　cunning。　But　we　en't　going　to　e　back　without　our　kids。　Yes；　Dirk　Vries？〃
　　A　man　stood　up　and　said；　〃Lord　Faa；　do　you　know　why　they　captured　them　kids？〃
　　〃We　heard　it's　a　theological　matter。　They're　making　an　experiment；　but　what　nature　it　is　we　don't　know。　To　tell　you　all　the　truth；　we　don't　even　know　whether　any　harm　is　a　ing　to　'em。　But　whatever　it　is；　good　or　bad；　they　got　no　right　to　reach　out　by　night　and　pluck　little　children　out　the　hearts　of　their　families。　Yes；　Raymond　van　Gerrit？〃
　　The　man　who'd　spoken　at　the　first　meeting　stood　up　and　said；　〃That　child；　Lord　Faa；　the　one　you　spoke　of　as　being　sought；　the　one　as　is　sitting　in　the　front　row　now。　I　heard　as　all　the　folk　living　around　the　edge　of　the　fens　is　having　their
　　houses　turned　upside　down　on　her　account。　I　heard　there's　a　move　in　Parliament　this　very　day　to　rescind　our　ancient　privileges　on　account　of　this　child。　Yes；　friends；〃　he　said；　over　the　babble　of　shocked　whispers；　〃they're　a　going　to　pass　a　law　doing　away　with　our　right　to　free　movement　in　and　out　the　fens。　Now；　Lord　Faa；　what　we　want　to　know　is　this：　who　is　this　child　on　account　of　which　we　might　e　to　such　a　pass？　She　en't　a　gyptian　child；　not　as　I　heard。　How　es　it　that　a　landloper　child　can　put　us　all　in　danger？〃
　　Lyra　looked　up　at　John　Faa's　massive　frame。　Her　heart　was　thumping　so　much　she　could　hardly　hear　the　first　words　of　his　reply。
　　〃Now　spell　it　out；　Raymond；　don't　be　shy；〃　he　said。　〃You　want　us　to　give　this　child　up　to　them　she's　a　fleeing　from；　is　that　right？〃
　　The　man　stood　obstinately　frowning；　but　said　nothing。
　　〃Well；　perhaps　you　would；　and　perhaps　you　wouldn't；〃　John　Faa　continued。　〃But　if　any　man　or　woman　needs　a　reason　for　doing　good；　ponder　on　this。　That　little　girl　is　the　daughter　of　Lord　Asriel；　no　less。　For　them　as　has　forgotten；　it　were　Lord　Asriel　who　interceded　with　the　Turk　for　the　life　of　Sam　Broekman。　It　were　Lord　Asriel　who　allowed　gyptian　boats　free　passage　on　the　canals　through　his　property。　It　were　Lord　Asriel　who　defeated　the　Watercourse　Bill　in　Parliament；　to　our　great　and　lasting　benefit。　And　it　were　Lord　Asriel　who　fought　day　and　night　in　the　floods　of　'53；　and　plunged　headlong　in　the　water　twice　to　pull　out　young　Ruud　and　Nellie　Koopman。　You　forgotten　that？　Shame；　shame　on　you；　shame。
　　〃And　now　that　same　Lord　Asriel　is　held　in　the　farthest　coldest　darkest　regions　of　the　wild；　captive；　in　the　fortress　of　Svalbard。　Do　I　need　to　tell　you　the　kind　of　creatures　a　guarding　him　there？　And　this　is　his　little　daughter　in　our　care；　and　Raymond　van　Gerrit　would　hand　her　over　to　the　authorities　for　a　bit　of　peace　and　quiet。　Is　that　right；　Raymond？　Stand　up　and　answer；　man。〃
　　But　Raymond　van　Gerrit　had　sunk　to　his　seat；　and　nothing　would　make　him　stand。　A　low　hiss　of　disapproval　sounded　through　the　great　hall；　and　Lyra　felt　the　shame　he　must　be　feeling；　as　well　as　a　deep　glow　of　pride　in　her　brave　father。
　　John　Faa　turned　away；　and　looked　at　the　other　men　on　the　platform。
　　〃Nicholas　Rokeby；　I'm　a　putting　you　in　charge　of　finding　a　vessel；　and　manding　her　once　we　sail。　Adam　Stefanski；　I　want　you　to　take　charge　of　the　arms　and　munitions；　and　mand　the　fighting。　Roger　van　Poppel；　you　look　to　all　the　other　stores；　from　food　to　cold…weather　clothing。　Simon　Hartmann；　you　be　treasurer；　and　account　to　us　all　for　a　proper　apportionment　of　our　gold。　Benjamin　de　Ruyter；　I　want　you　to　take　charge　of　spying。　There's　a　great　deal　we　ought　to　find　out；　and　I'm　a　giving　you　the　charge　of　that；　and　you'll　report　to　Farder　Coram。　Michael　Canzona；　you're　going　to　be　responsible　for　coordinating　the　first　four　leaders'　work；　and　you'll　report　to　me；　and　if　I　die；　you're　my　second　in　mand　and　you'll　take　over。
　　〃Now　I've　made　my　dispositions　according　to　custom；　and　if　any　man　or　woman　seeks　to　disagree；　they　may　do　so　freely。〃
　　After　a　moment　a　woman　stood　up。
　　〃Lord　Faa；　en't　you　a　taking　any　women　on　this　expedition　to　look　after　them　kids　once　you　found　'em？〃
　　〃No；　Nell。　We　shall　have　little　space　as　it　is。　Any　kids　we　free　will　be　better　off　in　our　care　than　where　they've　been。〃
　　〃But　supposing　you　find　out　that　you　can't　rescue　'em　without　some　women　in　disguise　as　guards　or　nurses　or　whatever？〃
　　〃Well；　I　hadn't　thought　of　that；〃　John　Faa　admitted。　〃We'll　consider　that　most　carefully　when　we　retire　into　the　parley　room；　you　have　my　promise。〃
　　She　sat　down　and　a　man　stood　up。
　　〃Lord　Faa；　I　heard　you　say　that　Lord　Asriel　is　in　captivity。　Is　it　part　of　your　plan　to　rescue　him？　Because　if　it　is；　and　if　he's　in　the　power　of　them　bears　as　I　think　you　said；　that's　going　to　need　more　than　a　hundred　and　seventy　men。　And　good　friend　as　Lord　Asriel　is　to　us；　I　don't　know　as　there's　any　call　on　us　to　go　as　far　as　that。〃
　　〃Adriaan　Braks；　you're　not　wrong。　What　I　had　it　in　my　mind　to　do　was　to　keep　our　eyes　and　ears　open　and　see　what　knowledge　we　can　glean　while　we're　in　the　North。　It　may　be　that　we　can　do　something　to　help　him；　and　it　may　not；　but　you　can　trust　me　not　to　use　what　you've　provided；　man　and　gold；　for　any　purpose　outside　the　stated　one　of　finding　our　children　and　bringing　'em　home。〃
　　Another　woman　stood　up。
　　〃Lord　Faa；　we　don't　know　what　them　Gobblers　might've　been　doing　to　our　children。　We　all　heard　rumors　and　stories　of　fearful　things。　We　hear　about　children　with　no　heads；　or　about　children　cut　in　half　and　sewn　together；　or　about　things　too　awful　to　mention。　I'm　truly　sorry　to　distress　anyone；　but　we　all　heard　this　kind　of　thing；　and　I　want　to　get　it　out　in　the　open。　Now　in　case　you　find　anything　of　that　awful　kind；　Lord　Faa；　I　hope　you're　a　going　to　take　powerful　revenge。　I　hope　you　en't　going　to　let　thoughts　of　mercy　and　gentleness　hold　your　hand　back　from　striking　and　striking　hard；　and　delivering　a　mighty　blow　to　the　heart　of　that　infernal　wickedness。　And　I'm　sure　I　speak　for　any　mother　as　has　lost　a　child　to　the　Gobblers。〃
　　There　was　a　loud　murmur　of　agreement　as　she　sat　down。　Heads　were　nodding　all　over　the　Zaal。
　　John　Faa　waited　for　silence；　and　said：
　　〃Nothing　will　hold　my　hand；　Margaret；　save　only　judgment。　If　I　stay　my　hand　in　the　North；　it　will　only　be　to　strike　the　harder　in　the　South。　To　strike　a　day　too　soon　is　as　bad　as　striking　a　hundred　miles　off。　To　be　sure；　there's　a　warm　passion　behind　what　you　say。　But　if　you　give　in　to　that　passion；　friends；　you're　a　doing　what　I　always　warned　you　agin：　you're　a　placing　the　satisfaction　of　your　own　feelings　above　the　work　you　have　to　do。　Our　work　here　is　first　rescue；　then　punishment。　It　en't　gratification　for　upset　feelings。　Our　feelings　don't　matter。　If　we　rescue　the　kids　but　we　can't　punish　the　Gobblers；　we've　done　the　main　task。　But　if　we　aim　to　punish　the　Gobblers　first　and　by　doing　so　lose　the　chance　of　rescuing　the　kids；　we've　failed。
　　〃But　be　assured　of　this；　Margaret。　When　the　time　es　to　punish；　we　shall　strike　such　a　blow　as'll　make　their　hearts　faint　and　fearful。　We　shall　strike　the　strength　out　of　'em。　We　shall　leave　them　ruined　and　wasted；　broken　and　shattered；　torn　in　a　thousand　pieces　and　scattered　to　the　four　winds。　Don't　you　worry　that　John　Faa's　heart　is　too　soft　to　strike　a　blow　when　the　time　es。　And　the　time　will　e　under　judgment。　Not　under　passion。
　　〃Is　there　anyone　else　who　wants　to　speak？　Speak　if　you　will。〃
　　But　no　one　did；　and　presently　John　Faa