pp.thegoldencompass-第4章
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gh he was careful to be courteous to the Master in the Master's own territory； it was clear where the power lay。
The Scholars greeted the visitor and moved into the room； some sitting around the table； some in the armchairs； and soon a buzz of conversation filled the air。 Lyra could see that they were powerfully intrigued by the wooden case； the screen； and the lantern。 She knew the Scholars well： the Librarian； the Sub…Rector； the Enquirer； and the rest； they were men who had been around her all her life； taught her； chastised her； consoled her； given her little presents； chased her away from the fruit trees in the garden； they were all she had for a family。 They might even have felt like a family if she knew what a family was； though if she did； she'd have been more likely to feel that about the College servants。 The Scholars had more important things to do than attend to the affections of a half…wild； half…civilized girl； left among them by chance。
The Master lit the spirit lamp under the little silver chafing dish and heated some butter before cutting half a dozen poppy heads open and tossing them in。 Poppy was always served after a feast： it clarified the mind and stimulated the tongue； and made for rich conversation。 It was traditional for the Master to cook it himself。
Under the sizzle of the frying butter and the hum of talk； Lyra shifted around to find a more fortable position for herself。 With enormous care she took one of the robes…a full…length fur…off its hanger and laid it on the floor of the wardrobe。
〃You should have used a scratchy old one；〃 whispered Pantalaimon。 〃If you get too fortable； you'll go to sleep。〃
〃If I do； it's your job to wake me up；〃 she replied。
She sat and listened to the talk。 Mighty dull talk it was； too； almost all of it politics； and London politics at that； nothing exciting about Tartars。 The smells of frying poppy and smoke…leaf drifted pleasantly in through the wardrobe door； and more than once Lyra found herself nodding。 But finally she heard someone rap on the table。 The voices fell silent； and then the Master spoke。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said。 〃I feel sure I speak for all of us when I bid Lord Asriel wele。 His visits are rare but always immensely valuable； and I understand he has something of particular interest to show us tonight。 This is a time of high political tension； as we are all aware； Lord Asriel's presence is required early tomorrow morning in White Hall； and a train is waiting with steam up ready to carry him to London as soon as we have finished our conversation here； so we must use our time wisely。 When he has finished speaking to us； I imagine there will be some questions。 Please keep them brief and to the point。 Lord Asriel； would you like to begin？〃
〃Thank you； Master；〃 said Lord Asriel。 〃To start with； I have a few slides to show you。 Sub…Rector； you can see best from here； I think。 Perhaps the Master would like to take the chair near the wardrobe？〃
Lyra marveled at her uncle's skill。 The old Sub…Rector was nearly blind； so it was courteous to make room for him nearer the screen； and his moving forward meant that the Master would be sitting next to the Librarian； only a matter of a yard or so from where Lyra was crouched in the wardrobe。 As the Master settled in the armchair； Lyra heard him murmur：
〃The devil！ He knew about the wine； I'm sure of it。〃
The Librarian murmured back； 〃He's going to ask for funds。 If he forces a vote…〃
〃If he does that； we must just argue against； with all the eloquence we have。〃
The lantern began to hiss as Lord Asriel pumped it hard。 Lyra moved slightly so that she could see the screen； where a brilliant white circle had begun to glow。 Lord Asriel called； 〃Could someone turn the lamp down？〃
One of the Scholars got up to do that； and the room darkened。
Lord Asriel began：
〃As some of you know； I set out for the North twelve months ago on a diplomatic mission to the King of Lapland。 At least； that's what I pretended to be doing。 In fact； my real aim was to go further north still； right on to the ice； in fact； to try and discover what had happened to the Grumman expedition。 One of Grumman's last messages to the academy in Berlin spoke of a certain natural phenomenon only seen in the lands of the North。 I was determined to investigate that as well as find out what I could about Grumman。 But the first picture I'm going to show you isn't directly about either of those things。〃
And he put the first slide into the frame and slid it behind the lens。 A circular photogram in sharp black and white appeared on the screen。 It had been taken at night under a full moon； and it showed a wooden hut in the middle distance； its walls dark against the snow that surrounded it and lay thickly on the roof。 Beside the hut stood an array of philosophical instruments； which looked to Lyra's eye like something from the Anbaric Park on the road to Yarnton： aerials； wires； porcelain insulators； all glittering in the moonlight and thickly covered in frost。 A man in furs； his face hardly visible in the deep hood of his garment； stood in the foreground； with his hand raised as if in greeting。 To one side of him stood a smaller figure。 The moonlight bathed everything in the same pallid gleam。
〃That photogram was taken with a standard silver nitrate emulsion；〃 Lord Asriel said。 〃I'd like you to look at another one； taken from the same spot only a minute later； with a new specially prepared emulsion。〃
He lifted out the first slide and dropped another into the frame。 This was much darker； it was as if the moonlight had been filtered out。 The horizon was still visible； with the dark shape of the hut and its light snow…covered roof standing out； but the plexity of the instruments was hidden in darkness。 But the man had altogether changed： he was bathed in light； and a fountain of glowing particles seemed to be streaming from his upraised hand。
〃That light；〃 said the Chaplain； 〃is it going up or ing down？〃
〃It's ing down；〃 said Lord Asriel； 〃but it isn't light。 It's Dust。〃
Something in the way he said it made Lyra imagine dust with a capital letter； as if this wasn't ordinary dust。 The reaction of the Scholars confirmed her feeling； because Lord Asriel's words caused a sudden collective silence； followed by gasps of incredulity。
〃But how…〃
〃Surely…〃
〃It can't…〃
〃Gentlemen！〃 came the voice of the Chaplain。 〃Let Lord Asriel explain。〃
〃It's Dust；〃 Lord Asriel repeated。 〃It registered as light on the plate because particles of Dust affect this emulsion as photons affect silver nitrate emulsion。 It was partly to test it that my expedition went north in the first place。 As you see； the figure of the man is perfectly visible。 Now I'd like you to look at the shape to his left。〃
He indicated the blurred shape of the smaller figure。
〃I thought that was the man's daemon；〃 said the Enquirer。
〃No。 His daemon was at the time coiled around his neck in the form of a snake。 That shape you can dimly see is a child。〃
〃A severed child？〃 said someone； and the way he stopped showed that he knew this was something that shouldn't have been voiced。
There was an intense silence。
Then Lord Asriel said calmly； 〃An entire child。 Which； given the nature of Dust； is precisely the point； is it not？〃
No one spoke for several seconds。 Then came the voice of the Chaplain。
〃Ah；〃 he said； like a thirsty man who； having just drunk deeply； puts down the glass to let out the breath he has held while drinking。 〃And the streams of Dust 。 。 。 〃
〃…e from the sky； and bathe him in what looks like light。 You may examine this picture as closely as you wish： I'll leave it behind when I go。 I'm showing it to you now to demonstrate the effect of this new emulsion。 Now I'd like to show you another picture。〃
He changed the slide。 The next picture was also taken at night； but this time without moonlight。 It showed a small group of tents in the foreground； dimly outlined against the low horizon； and beside them an untidy heap of wooden boxes and a sledge。 But the main interest of the picture lay in the sky。 Streams and veils of light hung like curtains； looped a
