“I came in just to see what the room was like,”she said.“I know I shouldn't have.But I was going to go out before anyone came in,except ɪkˈsept只是 that I heard the Master coming and got trapped træpt被困. The wardrobe ˈwɔːdrəʊb衣柜;衣橱 was the only place to hide.And I saw him put the powder ˈpaʊdə(r)粉末 in the wine.If I hadn't—”
There was a knock on the door.
“That'll be the Porter ˈpɔːtə(r)搬运工,” said Lord Asriel. “Back in the wardrobe. If I hear the slightest ˈslaɪtɪst最轻微的 noise, I'll make you wish you were dead.”
She darted ˈdɑːtɪd飞奔 back there at once, and no sooner had she pulled the door shut ʃʌt 关闭;关上;合上 than Lord Asriel called, “Come in.”
As he'd said, it was the Porter. “In here, my lord?”Lyra saw the old man standing doubtfully ˈdaʊtflli怀疑地，迟疑地，犹豫不定地 in the doorway ˈdɔːweɪ门口;门道;出入口,and behind him,the corner ˈkɔːnə(r)角 of a large wooden ˈwʊdn木制的 box. “That's right,Shuter(人名),” said Lord Asriel. “Bring them both in and put them down by the table.”
Lyra relaxed a little, and allowed herself to feel the pain in her shoulder ˈʃəʊldə(r)肩膀 and wrist rɪst手腕;腕关节. It might have been enough to make her cry,if she was the sort of girl who cried.Instead she gritted ˈɡrɪtɪd咬紧牙关 her teeth and moved the arm gently ˈdʒentli温柔地，轻轻地 until it felt looser ˈluːsə更放松的.
Then came a crash kræʃ (倒下、破碎等突然的)碰撞声，破裂声，碎裂声 of glass and the glug ɡlʌɡ（尤指从瓶中）汩汩地倒出来 of spilled spɪld 洒出，泼出，溢出 liquid ˈlɪkwɪd液体.
“Damn you dæm ju 去你的;该死的东西,Shuter, you careless ˈkeələs不小心的;不仔细的;粗心的 old fool! Look what you've done!” Lyra could see, just. Her uncle had managed ˈmænɪdʒd设法做到;成功完成 to knock the decanter dɪˈkæntə(r)雕花玻璃酒瓶 of Tokay off the table,and made it look as if the Porter had done it.The old man put the box down carefully and began to apologize əˈpɒlədʒaɪz道歉.
“I'm truly ˈtruːli真诚地，诚恳地，衷心地 sorry, my lord—I must have been closer than I thought—” “Get something to clear this mess up mes ʌp混乱. Go on, before it soaks səʊks浸湿;浸透;湿透 into the carpet ˈkɑːpɪt地毯!” The Porter hurried out匆匆忙忙地走了. Lord Asriel moved closer to the wardrobe and spoke in an undertone ɪn ən ˈʌndətəʊn低声地，小声地.
“Since you're in there,you can make yourself useful.Watch the Master closely ˈkləʊsli紧密地；严密地；仔细地 when he comes in.If you tell me something interesting about him,I'll keep you from getting further into the trouble you're already in. Understand?” “Yes, Uncle.” “Make a noise in there and I won't help you. You're on your own.”
He moved away and stood with his back to the fire again as the Porter came back with a brush brʌʃ刷子;毛刷 and dustpan ˈdʌstpæn簸箕 for the glass and a bowl bəʊl盆 and cloth klɒθ抹布.
“I can only say once again wʌns əˈɡen又一次;再次,my lord,I do most earnestly ˈɜːnɪstli真诚地 beg your pardon beɡ jɔː(r) ˈpɑːdn对不起请原谅;I don't know what—” “Just clear up the mess klɪə(r) ʌp ðə mes把弄乱的东西整理好.”
As the Porter began to mop mɒp用布擦掉(表面)的液体 the wine from the carpet,the Butler knocked and came in with Lord Asriel's manservant ˈmænsɜːvənt男仆;家丁;(尤指)随身男侍从, a man called Thorold.They were carrying between them a heavy case of polished ˈpɒlɪʃt抛光的;磨光的;擦亮的 wood with brass brɑːs黄铜;黄铜制品 handles ˈhændlz把手;拉手;柄;把. They saw what the Porter was doing and stopped dead 站在那里不动了.
“Yes, it was the Tokay,” said Lord Asriel. “Too bad真可惜真遗憾. Is that the lantern? Set it up by the wardrobe, Thorold,if you would. I'll have the screen up at the other end.” Lyra realized that she would be able to see the screen and what ever was on it through the crack kræk裂缝;缝隙;狭缝 in the door, and wondered ˈwʌndəd 想知道;想弄明白;琢磨 whether her uncle had arranged it like that for the purpose fɔː(r) ðə ˈpɜːpəs为了这个目的. Under the noise 在嘈杂声中 the manservant made unrolling ʌnˈrəʊlɪŋ 展开，摊开，铺开 the stiff stɪf僵硬的 linen ˈlɪnɪn亚麻布;亚麻织品 and setting it up on its frame,she whispered:
“See? It was worth coming, wasn't it?” “It might be,”Pantalaimon said austerely ɔːˈstɪə.li以严厉和不友好的方式, in his tiny moth mɒθ蛾;飞蛾 voice. “And it might not.” Lord Asriel stood by the fire sipping ˈsɪpɪŋ小口喝;抿 the last of the coffee and watching darkly ˈdɑːkli (眼神或话语）阴险的，邪恶的，不祥的 as Thorold opened the case of the projecting lantern prəˈdʒektɪŋ ˈlæntən 幻灯机 and uncapped ʌnˈkæpt 打开盖 the lens lenz透镜;镜片;(眼球的)晶状体 before checking the oil tank ɔɪl tæŋk油箱.
“There's plenty of ˈplenti əv 很多的 oil, my lord,” he said. “Shall I send for a technician tekˈnɪʃn技术员 to operate ˈɒpəreɪt操作 it?” “No. I'll do it myself. Thank you, Thorold. Have they finished dinner yet, Wren?”
“Very nearly ˈveri ˈnɪəli差不多了，快了, I think, my lord,”replied the Butler. “If I understand Mr. Cawson aright əˈraɪt正确地, the Master and his guests won't be disposed dɪˈspəʊzd倾向于;有意于;乐意 to linger ˈlɪŋɡə(r)流连；逗留；徘徊；花很长时间做（某事）；磨蹭 once they know you're here.Shall I take the coffee tray treɪ 盘;托盘;碟?”
“Take it and go.” “Very good, my lord.”With a slight bow微微欠身鞠一个躬, the Butler took the tray and left, and Thorold went with him. As soon as the door closed,Lord Asriel looked across the room directly at the wardrobe,and Lyra felt the force fɔːs力;力量;强大效力;巨大影响 of his glance ɡlɑːns一瞥;扫视 almost as if it had physical form ˈfɪzɪkl fɔːm实物形态, as if it were an arrow ˈærəʊ箭 or a spear spɪə(r)矛.Then he looked away and spoke softly to his daemon.
She came to sit calmly ˈkɑːmli镇定自若地;镇静地 at his side,alert əˈlɜːt 警觉的;警惕的;戒备的 and elegant ˈelɪɡənt优雅的 and dangerous ˈdeɪndʒərəs危险的,her tawny ˈtɔːni黄褐色的;茶色的 eyes surveying səˈveɪɪŋ查看;审视;审察 the room before turning, like his black ones, to the door from the hall as the handle turned. Lyra couldn't see the door,but she heard an intake of breath ən ˈɪnteɪk əv breθ (通常因震惊而)倒吸的一口冷气 as the first man came in.“Master,” said Lord Asriel. “Yes, I'm back. Do bring in your guests; I've got something very interesting to show you.”
