ed and the planks were green with slime； and there was nothing else； nothing beyond it； the path ended where the jetty began； and where the jetty ended； the mist began。 lyras death； having guided them there； bowed to her and stepped into the fog； vanishing before she could ask him what to do next。
〃listen；〃 said will。
there was a slow； repetitive sound out on the invisible water： a creak of wood and a quiet； regular splash。 will put his hand on the knife at his belt and moved forward carefully onto the rotting planks。 lyra followed close behind。 the dragonflies perched on the two weed…covered mooring posts； looking like heraldic guardians； and the children stood at the end of the jetty； pressing their open eyes against the mist； and having to brush their lashes free of the drops that settled on them。 the only sound was that slow creak and splash that was getting closer and closer。
〃dont lets go！〃 pantalaimon whispered。
〃got to；〃 lyra whispered back。
she looked at will。 his face was set hard and grim and eager： he wouldnt turn aside。 and the gallivespians； tialys on wills shoulder； salmakia on lyras； were calm and watchful。 the dragonflies wings were pearled with mist； like cobwebs； and from time to time theyd beat them quickly to clear them； because the drops must make them heavy； lyra thought。 she hoped there would be food for them in the land of the dead。
then suddenly there was the boat。
it was an ancient rowboat； battered； patched； rotting； and the figure rowing it was aged beyond age； huddled in a robe of sacking bound with string； crippled and bent； his bony hands crooked permanently around the oar handles； and his moist； pale eyes sunk deep among folds and wrinkles of gray skin。
he let go of an oar and reached his crooked hand up to the iron ring set in the post at the corner of the jetty。 with the other hand he moved the oar to bring the boat right up against the planks。
there was no need to speak。 will got in first； and then lyra came forward to step down； too。
but the boatman held up his hand。
〃not him；〃 he said in a harsh whisper。
〃not who？〃
〃not him。〃
he extended a yellow…gray ringer； pointing directly at pantalaimon； whose red…brown stoat form immediately became ermine white。
〃but he is me！〃 lyra said。
〃if you e； he must stay。〃
〃but we cant！ wed die！〃
〃isnt that what you want？〃
and then for the first time lyra truly realized what she was doing。 this was the real consequence。 she stood aghast； trembling； and clutched her dear daemon so tightly that he whimpered in pain。
〃they。。。〃 said lyra helplessly； then stopped： it wasnt fair to point out that the other three didnt have to give anything up。
will was watching her anxiously。 she looked all around； at the lake； at the jetty； at the rough path； the stagnant puddles； the dead and sodden bushes。。。 her pan； alone here： how could he live without her？ he was shaking inside her shirt； against her bare flesh； his fur needing her warmth。 impossible！ never！
〃he must stay here if you are to e；〃 the boatman said again。
the lady salmakia flicked the rein； and her dragonfly skimmed away from lyras shoulder to land on the gunwale of the boat； where tialys joined her。 they said something to the boatman。 lyra watched as a condemned prisoner watches the stir at the back of the courtroom that might be a messenger with a pardon。
the boatman bent to listen and then shook his head。
〃no；〃 he said。 〃if she es； he has to stay。〃
will said； 〃thats not right。 we dont have to leave part of ourselves behind。 why should lyra？〃
〃oh； but you do；〃 said the boatman。 〃its her misfortune that she can see and talk to the part she must leave。 you will not know until you are on the water； and then it will be too late。 but you all have to leave that part of yourselves here。 there is no passage to the land of the dead for such as him。〃
no； lyra thought； and pantalaimon thought with her： we didnt go through bolvangar for this； no； how will we ever find each other again？
and she looked back again at the foul and dismal shore； so bleak and blasted with disease and poison； and thought of her dear pan waiting there alone； her hearts panion； watching her disappear into the mist； and she fell into a storm of weeping。 her passionate sobs didnt echo； because the mist muffled them； but all along the shore in innumerable ponds and shallows； in wretched broken tree stumps； the damaged creatures that lurked there heard her full…hearted cry and drew themselves a little closer to the ground； afraid of such passion。
〃if he could e。。。” cried will； desperate to end her grief； but the boatman shook his head。
〃he can e in the boat； but if he does； the boat stays here；〃 he said。
〃but how will she find him again？〃
〃i dont know。〃
〃when we leave； will we e back this way？〃
〃leave？〃
〃were going to e back。 were going to the land of the dead and we are going to e back。〃
〃not this way。〃
〃then some other way； but we will！〃
〃i have taken millions； and none came back。〃
〃then we shall be the first。 well find our way out。 and since were going to do that； be kind； boatman； be passionate； let her take her daemon！〃
〃no；〃 he said； and shook his ancient head。 〃its not a rule you can break。 its a law like this one。。。〃 he leaned over the side and cupped a handful of water； and then tilted his hand so it ran out again。 〃the law that makes the water fall back into the lake； its a law like that。 i cant tilt my hand and make the water fly upward。 no more can i take her daemon to the land of the dead。 whether or not she es； he must stay。〃
lyra could see nothing： her face was buried in pantalaimons cat fur。 but will saw tialys dismount from his dragonfly and prepare to spring at the boatman； and he half…agreed with the spys intention； but the old man had seen him； and turned his ancient head to say：
〃how many ages do you think ive been ferrying people to the land of the dead？ dyou think if anything could hurt me； it wouldnt have happened already？ dyou think the people i take e with me gladly？ they struggle and cry； they try to bribe me； they threaten and fight； nothing works。 you cant hurt me； sting as you will。 better fort the child； shes ing； take no notice of me。〃
will could hardly watch。 lyra was doing the cruelest thing she had ever done； hating herself； hating the deed； suffering for pan and with pan and because of pan； trying to put him down on the cold path； disengaging his cat claws from her clothes； weeping； weeping。 will closed his ears： the sound was too unhappy to bear。 time after time she pushed her daemon away； and still he cried and tried to cling。
she could turn back。
she could say no； this is a bad idea； we mustnt do it。
she could be true to the heart…deep； life…deep bond linking her to pantalaimon； she could put that first； she could push the rest out of her mind…
but she couldnt。
〃pan； no ones done this before；〃 she whispered shiveringly； 〃but will says were ing back and i swear； pan； i love you； i swear were ing back； i will； take care； my dear； youll be safe； we will e back； and if i have to spend every minute of my life finding you again； i will； i wont stop； i wont rest； i wont； oh； pan； dear pan； ive got to； ive got to。。。〃
and she pushed him away； so that he crouched bitter and cold and frightened on the muddy ground。
what animal he was now； will could hardly tell。 he seemed to be so young； a cub； a puppy； something helpless and beaten； a creature so sunk in misery that it was more misery than creature。 his eyes never left lyras face； and will could see her making herself not look away； not avoid the guilt； and he admired her honesty and her courage at the same time as he was wrenched with the shock of their parting。 there were so many vivid currents of feeling between them that the very air felt electric to him。
and pantalaimon didnt ask why； because he knew； and he didnt ask whether lyra loved roger more than him； because he knew the true answer to that； too。 and he knew that if he spoke； she wouldnt be able to resist； so the daemon held himself quiet so as not to distress the human who was abandoning him； and now they were both pretending that it wouldnt hurt； it wouldnt be long before they were together again； it was all for the best。 but will knew that the little girl was tearing her heart out of her breast。
then she stepped down into the boat。 she was so light that it barely rocked at all。 she sat beside will； and her eyes never left pantalaimon； who stood trembling at the shore end of the jetty； but as the boatman let go of the iron ring and swung his oars out to pull the boat away； the little dog daemon trotted helplessly out to the very end； his claws clicking softly on the soft planks； and stood watching； just watching； as the boat drew away and the jetty faded and vanished in the mist。
then lyra gave a cry so passionate that even in that muffled； mist…hung world it raised an echo； but of course it wasnt an echo； it was the other part of her crying in turn from the land of the living as lyra moved away into the land of the dead。
〃my heart； will。。。〃 she groaned； and clung to him； her wet face contorted with pain。
and thus the prophecy that the master of jordan col