black fingers twitched at the edge of the
sleeping bag。
a look from mrs。 coulter； and he let go and moved back a hands breadth。 the woman gently lifted her daughter so that her shoulders were off the ground and her head lolled； and then lyra caught her breath and her eyes half…opened； fluttering； heavy。
〃roger；〃 she murmured。 〃roger。。。 where are you。。。 i cant see。。。〃
〃shh；〃 her mother whispered； 〃shh； my darling； drink this。〃
holding the beaker in lyras mouth； she tilted it to let a drop moisten the girls lips。 lyras tongue sensed it and moved to lick them； and then mrs。 coulter let a little more of the liquid trickle into lyras mouth； very carefully； letting her swallow each sip before allowing her more。
it took several minutes； but eventually the beaker was empty； and mrs。 coulter laid her daughter down again。 as soon as lyras head lay on the ground； pantalaimon moved back around her throat。 his red…gold fur was as damp as her hair。 they were deeply asleep again。
the golden monkey picked his way lightly to the mouth of the cave and sat once more watching the path。 mrs。 coulter dipped a flannel in a basin of cold water and mopped lyras face； and then unfastened the sleeping bag and washed lyras arms and neck and shoulders； for lyra was hot。 then her mother took a b and gently teased out the tangles in lyras hair； smoothing it back from her forehead； parting it neatly。
she left the sleeping hag open so the girl could cool down； and unfolded the bundle that ama had brought： some flat loaves of bread； a cake of pressed tea； some sticky rice wrapped in a large leaf。 it was time to build the fire。 the chill of the mountains was fierce at night。 working methodically； she shaved some dry tinder； set the fire； and struck a match。 that was something else to think of： the matches were running out； and so was the naphtha for the stove； she must keep the fire alight day and night from now on。
her daemon was discontented。 he didnt like what she was doing here in the cave； and when he tried to express his concern； she brushed him away。 he turned his back； contempt in every line of his body as he flicked the scales from his pine cone out into the dark。 she took no notice； but worked steadily and skillfully to build up the fire and set the pan to heat some water for tea。
nevertheless； his skepticism affected her； and as she crumbled the dark gray tea brick into the water； she wondered what in the world she thought she was doing； and whether she had gone mad； and； over and over again； what would happen when the church found out。 the golden monkey was right。 she wasnt only hiding lyra： she was hiding her own eyes。
—
out of the dark the little boy came； hopeful and frightened； whispering over and over：
〃lyra； lyra； lyra。。。 〃
behind him there were other figures； even more shadowy than he was； even more silent。 they seemed to be of the same pany and of the same kind； but they had no faces that were visible and no voices that spoke； and his voice never rose above a whisper； and his face was shaded and blurred like something half…forgotten。
〃lyra。。。 lyra。。。〃
where were they？
on a great plain； where no light shone from the iron…dark sky； and where a mist obscured the horizon on every side。 the ground was bare earth； beaten flat by the pressure of millions of feet； even though those feet had less weight than feathers； so it must have been time that pressed it flat； even though time had been stilled in this place； so it must have been the way things were。 this was the end of all places and the last of all worlds。
〃lyra。。。〃
why were they there？
they were imprisoned。 someone had mitted a crime； though no one knew what it was； or who had done it； or what authority sat in judgment。
why did the little boy keep calling lyras name？
hope。
who were they？
ghosts。
and lyra couldnt touch them； no matter how she tried。 her baffled hands moved through and through； and still the little boy stood there pleading。
〃roger；〃 she said； but her voice came out in a whisper。 〃oh； roger； where are you？ what is this place？〃
he said； 〃its the world of the dead； lyra； i dunno what to do； i dunno if im here forever； and i dunno if i done bad things or what； because i tried to be good； but i hate it； im scared of it all； i hate it。。。”
and lyra said； 〃ill
〃be quiet；〃 said will； 〃just be quiet。 dont disturb me。〃
。。
TWO … BALTHAMOS AND BARUCH…1
小说
it was just after lyra had been taken； just after will had e down from the mountaintop； just after the witch had killed his father。 will lit the little tin lantern hed taken from his fathers pack； using the dry matches that hed found with it； and crouched in the lee of the rock to open lyras rucksack。
he felt inside with his good hand and found the heavy velvet…wrapped alethiometer。 it glittered in the lantern light； and he held it out to the two shapes that stood beside him； the shapes who called themselves angels。
〃can you read this？〃 he said。
〃no；〃 said a voice。 〃e with us。 you must e。 e now to lord asriel。〃
〃who made you follow my father？ you said he didnt know you were following him。 but he did；〃 will said fiercely。 〃he told me to expect you。 he knew more than you thought。 who sent you？〃
〃no one sent us。 ourselves only；〃 came the voice。 〃we want to serve lord asriel。 and the dead man； what did he want you to do with the knife？〃
will had to hesitate。
〃he said i should take it to lord asriel；〃 he said。
〃then e with us。〃
〃no。 not till ive found lyra。〃
he folded the velvet over the alethiometer and put it into his rucksack。 securing it； he swung his fathers heavy cloak around him against the rain and crouched where he was； looking steadily at the two shadows。
〃do you tell the truth？〃 he said。
〃yes。〃
〃then are you stronger than human beings； or weaker？〃
〃weaker。 you have true flesh； we have not。 still； you must e with us。〃
〃no。 if im stronger； you have to obey me。 besides； i have the knife。 so i can mand you： help me find lyra。 i dont care how long it takes； ill find her first and then ill go to lord asriel。〃
the two figures were silent for several seconds。 then they drifted away and spoke together； though
will could hear nothing of what they said。
finally they came close again； and he heard：
〃very well。 you are making a mistake； though you give us no choice。 we shall help you find this child。〃
will tried to pierce the darkness and see them more clearly； but the rain filled his eyes。
〃e closer so i can see you；〃 he said。
they approached； but seemed to bee even more obscure。
〃shall i see you better in daylight？〃
〃no； worse。 we are not of a high order among angels。〃
〃well； if i cant see you； no one else will； either； so you can stay hidden。 go and see if you can find where lyras gone。 she surely cant be far away。 there was a woman； shell be with her； the woman took her。 go and search； and e back and tell me what you see。〃
the angels rose up into the stormy air and vanished。 will felt a great sullen heaviness settle over him； hed had little strength left before the fight with his father； and now he was nearly finished。 all he wanted to do was close his eyes； which were so heavy and so sore with weeping。
he tugged the cloak over his head； clutched the rucksack to his breast； and fell asleep in a moment。
〃nowhere；〃 said a voice。
will heard it in the depths of sleep and struggled to wake。 eventually （and it took most of a minute； because he was so profoundly unconscious） he managed to open his eyes to the bright morning in front of him。
〃where are you？〃 he said。
〃beside you；〃 said the angel。 〃this way。〃
the sun was newly risen； and the rocks and the lichens and mosses on them shone crisp and brilliant in the morning light； but nowhere could he see a figure。
〃i said we would be harder to see in daylight；〃 the voice went on。 〃you will see us best at half…light； at dusk or dawn； next best in darkness； least of all in the sunshine。 my panion and i searched farther down the mountain； and found neither woman nor child。 but there is a lake of blue water where she must have camped。 there is a dead man there； and a witch eaten by a specter。〃
〃a dead man？ what does he look like？〃
〃he was in late middle age。 fleshy and smooth…skinned。 silver…gray hair。 dressed in expensive clothes； and with traces of a heavy scent around him。〃
〃sir charles；〃 said will。 〃thats who it is。 mrs。 coulter must have killed him。 well； thats something good； at least。〃
〃she left traces。 my panion has followed them； and he will return when hes found out where she went。 i shall stay with you。〃
will got to his feet and looked around。 the storm had cleared the air； and the morning was fresh and clean； which only made the scene around him more distressing； for nearby lay the bodies of several of the witches who had escorted him and lyra toward the meeting with his father。 already a brutal…beaked carrion crow was tearing at the face of one of them； and will could see a bigger bird circling above； as if choosing the richest feast。
will looked at each of the bodies in turn； but none of them was serafina pekkala； the queen of the witch clan； lyras particular friend。 then he remembered