Chapter 5

Chapter five The next day, the inter-dorm crossnet tournament was planned for the afternoon, but first Ruby and Topaz dorms had a Geography and Culture lesson. Lyra's dreams had been full of treasure maps and mysterious clues and, while Ms Rivers talked about ecosystems, Lyra thought about the riddle on the back of the map. She recited the words in her head. Go to the woods for what you seek, Find Daybreak, move stone, follow river deep. Where spiders live and a cave answers your call, The piece lies behind a glittering wall. She frowned. What did it all mean? "Lyra?" Lyra jumped as she realised Ms Rivers and the whole class were staring at her. "S-sorry," she stuttered. "Can you repeat the question?" Sam sniggered but Ivy sent her a sympathetic smile. Ms Rivers sighed. "The ecosystem in the woods, can you give me an example of an animal that lives there?" Across the room, behind Ms Rivers, Evie flapped her arms. "Birds," said Lyra. Ms Rivers looked unimpressed. "Yes, Lyra, there are birds in the woods. I was hoping you might name one?"

第五章第二天，宿舍间的交叉网比赛计划在下午举行，但Ruby和Topaz宿舍首先要上地理文化课。 莱拉的梦里充满了藏宝图和神秘的线索，当里弗斯女士谈论生态系统时，莱拉想着地图背面的谜语。 她在脑子里背诵了这些单词。 到树林里去寻找你所寻找的，找到黎明，移开石头，沿着河流的深处走。 那里住着蜘蛛，有一个洞穴回应着你的呼唤，这幅画就在闪闪发光的墙后面。 她皱起了眉头。这一切意味着什么？ “莱拉?”当莱拉意识到里弗斯老师和全班同学都在盯着她看时，她跳了起来。 “对不起，”她结结巴巴地说。“你能重复一下问题吗？”山姆窃笑，但艾薇对她报以同情的微笑。 里弗斯女士叹了口气。“森林里的生态系统，你能给我举一个生活在那里的动物的例子吗？”房间的另一头，在里弗斯女士身后，伊维挥动着双臂。 “鸟。”莱拉说。里弗斯看起来无动于衷。 “是的，莱拉，树林里有鸟。 我希望你能说出一个？”

"Um…" Evie pulled at her nose and then waggled her fingers like spiders. "The stretchy-nosed spidery bird?" guessed Lyra. Ms Rivers' eyebrows almost hit her hairline as the rest of the class giggled. "Miss, I think Lyra is talking about the long-beaked spider crow," Sam called out smugly. "Thank you, Sam," said Ms Rivers. "You are quite correct. Long- beaked spider crows roost near the Echo Caves at the edge of the woods and feed on cave spiders." She glared at Lyra. "Please pay more attention, Lyra." Lyra blushed and sank down in her seat.

“嗯……”伊薇揪着鼻子，然后像蜘蛛一样摆动着手指。 “那只长鼻子的蜘蛛鸟？”莱拉猜想。 里弗斯的眉毛几乎碰到了发际线，全班同学都咯咯笑了起来。 “小姐，我想莱拉说的是长喙蜘蛛乌鸦。”萨姆得意地叫道。 “谢谢你，山姆，”里弗斯女士说。 “你说得很对。长喙蜘蛛鸦栖息在树林边缘的回声洞穴附近，以洞穴蜘蛛为食。” 她怒视着莱拉。“请多加注意，莱拉。” 莱拉脸红了，一屁股坐在座位上。

"Who can name any animals that live in the caves?" Ms Rivers asked. As she moved on, choosing people to answer, something in Lyra's brain clicked and she only just managed to stop herself from gasping out loud. Cave spiders! Echo Caves! The words of the riddle ran through her head again: Where spiders live and a cave answers your call… An echo was like a voice that sent your words back to you– you could say it answered your call– and there were spiders in the Echo Caves. Maybe the map was hidden in the Echo Caves! She glanced over at Ivy, Sienna and Evie, her secret swelling inside her and threatening to burst out. But as Ms Rivers' sharp eyes turned on her, she forced herself to pay attention and listen. At the end of the lesson, Lyra hurried everyone up to their dorm. Shutting the door firmly behind her, she faced her friends. "I've done it! I've solved the clue. We need to go to the Echo Caves!" She raced through her explanation. "I bet you're right," said Evie in excitement. "How about we go there this afternoon?" "But what about the crossnet tournament?" protested Sienna. Lyra bit her lip. She wanted to play in the tournament but following the clue was definitely more important. "We can miss it. The teachers said it wasn't compulsory." "But I want to take part," said Sienna, frowning. "More than you want to find treasure?" asked Lyra. Sienna hesitated. "OK, no, I guess I'd rather find another part of the map." Lyra grinned. "Great! So this afternoon let's go map hunting!" After lunch, they went to the stables and told the unicorns their plan. Lyra had a small rucksack with her– it was her explorer's bag. It had things that might come in useful like string, a penknife, a first-aid kit, torches, some snacks and a few spare clothes. Be adventure-ready. That was her motto.

“谁能说出任何生活在洞穴里的动物的名字？”里弗斯女士问道。 当她继续往前走，选择要回答的人时，莱拉脑子里的什么东西响了起来，她好不容易才忍住没大声喘气。 洞穴蜘蛛!回声洞穴!那个谜语的话又在她的脑海里闪过：蜘蛛住在那里，有一个洞穴响应你的呼唤……回声就像一个声音，把你的话发回给你——你可以说它回应了你的呼唤——回音洞里有蜘蛛。 也许地图藏在回音洞里！她扫了一眼艾薇、西耶娜和艾薇，她的秘密在她内心膨胀，眼看就要爆发出来。 但当里弗斯敏锐的目光转向她时，她强迫自己集中注意力倾听。 下课后，莱拉催促大家回到宿舍。 她紧紧地关上门，面对着她的朋友们。 “我做到了！”我解开了这个线索。 我们得去回声洞！”她飞快地解释着。 “我打赌你是对的，”伊薇兴奋地说。 “我们今天下午去怎么样？”“那网球赛怎么办？”西耶娜抗议道。 莱拉咬着嘴唇。她想参加比赛，但遵循线索绝对更重要。 “我们可能会错过它。老师们说这不是强制性的。” “可是我想参加，”西耶娜皱着眉头说。 “比你想找宝藏还想？”莱拉问。 黄土犹豫了。“好吧，不，我想我宁愿去找地图的另一部分。” 莱拉咧嘴一笑。“太好了!所以今天下午我们去找地图吧！”午饭后，他们去马厩告诉独角兽们他们的计划。 莱拉带着一个小帆布背包——那是她的探险包。 箱子里有一些可能有用的东西，比如绳子、小刀、急救箱、手电筒、一些零食和一些备用衣服。 adventure-ready。这是她的座右铭。

She had memorised a map of the school grounds and she and Misty led the way out through the meadow. They followed the stream for a while and then veered off to the left and headed up a steep hill. At the top, the unicorns stopped and they all looked down at the dark woods spread out on the slopes beneath them, the trees tall and forbidding like stern, watchful guards. "You know we're not allowed in those woods," said Misty uneasily. "We don't have to go properly in," said Lyra. "The caves are very near the edge." They rode down the hill, the unicorns' hooves slipping on loose rocks as they descended. Through the trees they could just make out the caves.

她记住了一张学校操场的地图，她和米斯蒂领着路穿过草地。 他们沿着小溪走了一会儿，然后转向左边，朝一座陡峭的小山走去。 到了山顶，独角兽们停了下来，他们都往下看，脚下山坡上一片漆黑的树林，树木高大，令人生畏，就像严加戒备的守卫。 “你知道我们是不允许进入树林的。”米斯蒂不安地说。 “我们不必直接进去。”莱拉说。 “洞穴离边缘很近。” 他们骑马下山，一路上独角兽的蹄子踩在松动的岩石上打滑。 透过树林，他们只能辨认出洞穴。

One was much larger than the rest and a thick curtain of vines hung down over its gaping mouth. Misty stopped suddenly. Lyra patted her neck, encouraging her to go on, but she didn't move. "What's up?" Lyra could barely hide her impatience. "I heard a noise." Nervously Misty looked around, then snorted and jumped backwards. "Up there! There's something watching from that tree!" Goosebumps shivered up Lyra's arms and she gripped Misty's mane tightly. Something with a sharp hooked nose peered down at them from between the branches. Lyra tried to tell the others but her mouth was too dry to speak. Sienna and Sparkle rode on, Sparkle's hooves crunching as he stepped on a stick. There was a startled squawk and a whoosh of air. A huge bird flew out of the tree, its blue-black wings flapping frantically as it soared away. Lyra burst out laughing. "It was only a bird, Misty! A long-beaked spider crow! That means we're definitely in the right place." By now Sienna and Sparkle had reached the curtain of vines. Sienna pulled it back. "Shall I lead the way?" she said, peering into the darkness. No! thought Lyra. She wanted to go first! But it was too late. Sienna and Sparkle were already entering the cave. The others followed. Only Misty remained outside. "What are you doing, Misty?" said Lyra impatiently. "We need to catch up with the others!" "I don't want to go in," said Misty. "It could be dangerous!" "What can you see?" Lyra called to her friends. "It's empty." Sienna's voice echoed back at her. "But there's a tunnel at the back." "The next piece of the map might be hidden in the tunnel," said Ivy, her voice echoing too. Lyra dismounted. She simply had to see this for herself. "Wait up! Don't go any further without me!" Misty stamped her hoof on the ground as Lyra started towards the cave. "Lyra, come back!" For a second Lyra caught sight of something sparkling in the air– but then it was gone. A smell wafted past, sweet like candyfloss. It reminded her of something but there wasn't time to think about it. She wanted to see

其中一个比其他的大得多，一层厚厚的藤蔓垂在它张开的嘴巴上。 米斯蒂突然停了下来。莱拉拍了拍她的脖子，鼓励她继续说下去，但她没有动。 “怎么了?”莱拉几乎无法掩饰她的不耐烦。 “我听到有声音。”米斯蒂紧张地环顾四周，哼了一声，向后跳了跳。 “那里!那棵树上有什么东西在盯着我！”莱拉的手臂上起了鸡皮疙瘩，她紧紧地抓着米斯蒂的鬃毛。 有个长着尖尖鹰钩鼻子的东西从树枝间往下窥视着他们。 莱拉想告诉其他人，但她的嘴干得说不出话来。 西耶娜和斯巴克骑着马，斯巴克踩到一根棍子，马蹄嘎吱作响。 一阵惊叫和空气的嗖嗖声。 一只大鸟从树上飞了出来，蓝黑色的翅膀疯狂地扇动着，飞走了。 莱拉突然大笑起来。“那只是一只鸟，米斯蒂！”一只长喙的蜘蛛乌鸦！这意味着我们肯定是在正确的地方。” 这时，西耶娜和斯巴克已经走到了藤蔓的帷幕前。 西耶娜把它拉了回来。“我来带路好吗？”她凝视着黑暗说。 不!认为莱拉。她想先走！但为时已晚。 西耶娜和斯巴克已经进了山洞。 其他人跟在后面。只有米斯蒂留在外面。 “你在干什么，米斯蒂？”莱拉不耐烦地问。 “我们得赶上其他人！”“我不想进去，”米斯蒂说。 “这可能很危险！”“你看到了什么？”莱拉叫她的朋友们。 “这是空的。”西耶娜的声音在她耳边回响。 “但是后面有一条隧道。” “下一块地图可能藏在隧道里。”艾薇说，她的声音也在回响。 莱拉下马。她只是想亲眼看看。 “等等!不要离开我再往前走！”莱拉朝山洞走去，米斯蒂用蹄子在地上跺了跺脚。 “莱拉，回来！”一刹那间，莱拉看见空气中有什么东西在闪闪发光——但很快就不见了。 一阵气味飘过，像棉花糖一样甜。 这使她想起了什么，但她没有时间去想它。 她想看看

the tunnel! "It'll be fine, Misty– please." "I don't want to," said Misty. Lyra gave up trying to persuade her. So instead she pulled her torch out and walked into the cave. The beam picked out the cobwebs hanging from the roof. Large friendly cave spiders with googly eyes and fluffy legs watched the girls curiously. Lyra headed for the tunnel where her friends were standing with their unicorns. There was a pile of dirt and stones at the entrance. "It looks like part of the roof's come down," said Evie. "We can still get through, though." Lyra scrambled over the heap of

隧道!“没事的，米斯蒂——求你了。” “我不想，”米斯蒂说。 莱拉不再试图说服她了。 于是她拿出手电筒，走进了山洞。 梁把屋顶上挂着的蜘蛛网挑了出来。 大而友好的洞穴蜘蛛长着大大的眼睛和毛茸茸的腿，好奇地看着女孩们。 莱拉朝隧道走去，她的朋友们站在那里，手里拿着独角兽。 入口处有一堆泥土和石头。 “看起来屋顶掉了一部分，”艾薇说。 “不过，我们还是能挺过去的。” 莱拉爬过一堆