r every time she moved。
will and lyra； both of them sick and full of pain； tried to stand upright and face her。
〃but you are alive！〃 the harpy said； her harsh voice mocking them。
will found himself hating and fearing her more than any human being he had ever known。
〃who are you？〃 said lyra； who was just as repelled as will。
for answer the harpy screamed。 she opened her mouth and directed a jet of noise right in their faces； so that their heads rang and they nearly fell backward。 will clutched at lyra and they both clung together as the scream turned into wild； mocking peals of laughter； which were answered by other harpy voices in the fog along the shore。 the jeering； hate…filled sound reminded will of the merciless cruelty of children in a playground； but there were no teachers here to regulate things； no one to appeal to； nowhere to hide。
he set his hand on the knife at his belt and looked her in the eyes； though his head was ringing and the sheer power of her scream had made him dizzy。
〃if youre trying to stop us；〃 he said； 〃then youd better be ready to fight as well as scream。 because were going through that door。〃
the harpys sickening red mouth moved again； but this time it was to purse her lips into a mock kiss。
then she said； 〃your mother is alone。 we shall send her nightmares。 we shall scream at her in her sleep！〃
will didnt move； because out of the corner of his eye； he could see the lady salmakia moving delicately along the branch where the harpy was perching。 her dragonfly； wings quivering； was being held by tialys on the ground； and then two things happened： the lady leapt at the harpy and spun around to dig her spur deep into the creatures scaly leg； and tialys launched the dragonfly upward。 in less than a second salmakia had spun away and leapt off the branch； directly onto the back of her electric blue steed and up into the air。
the effect on the harpy was immediate。 another scream shattered the silence； much louder than before； and she beat her dark wings so hard that will and lyra both felt the wind and staggered。 but she clung to the stone with her claws； and her face was suffused with dark red anger； and her hair stood out from her head like a crest of serpents。
will tugged at lyras hand； and they both tried to run toward the door； but the harpy launched herself at them in a fury and only pulled up from the dive when will turned； thrusting lyra behind him and holding up the knife。
the gallivespians were on her at once； darting close at her face and then darting away again； unable to get in a blow but distracting her so that she beat her wings clumsily and half…fell onto the ground。
lyra called out； 〃tialys！ salmakia！ stop； stop！〃
the spies reined back their dragonflies and skimmed high over the childrens heads。 other dark forms were clustering in the fog； and the jeering screams of a hundred more harpies sounded from farther along the shore。 the first one was shaking her wings； shaking her hair； stretching each leg in turn； and flexing her claws。 she was unhurt； and that was what lyra had noticed。
the gallivespians hovered and then dived back toward lyra； who was holding out both hands for them to land on。 salmakia realized what lyra had meant； and said to tialys： 〃shes right。 we cant hurt her； for some reason。〃
lyra said； 〃lady； whats your name？〃
the harpy shook her wings wide； and the travelers nearly fainted from the hideous smells of corruption and decay that wafted from her。
〃no…name！〃 she cried。
〃what do you want with us？〃 said lyra。
〃what can you give me？〃
〃we could tell you where weve been； and maybe youd be interested； i dont know。 we saw all kinds of strange things on the way here。〃
〃oh； and youre offering to tell me a story？〃
〃if youd like。〃
〃maybe i would。 and what then？〃
〃you might let us go in through that door and find the ghost weve e here to look for； i hope you would； anyway。 if youd be so kind。〃
〃try； then；〃 said no…name。
and even in her sickness and pain； lyra felt that shed just been dealt the ace of trumps。
〃oh； be careful；〃 whispered salmakia； but lyras mind was already racing ahead through the story shed told the night before； shaping and cutting and improving and adding： parents dead； family treasure； shipwreck； escape 。。。
〃well；〃 she said； settling into her storytelling frame of mind； 〃it began when i was a baby； really。 my father and mother were the duke and duchess of abingdon； you see； and they were as rich as anything。 my father was one of the kings advisers； and the king himself used to e and stay； oh； all the time。 theyd go hunting in our forest。 the house there； where i was born； it was the biggest house in the whole south of england。 it was called…〃
without even a cry of warning； the harpy launched herself at lyra； claws outstretched。 lyra just had time to duck； but still one of the claws caught her scalp and tore out a clump of hair。
〃liar！ liar！〃 the harpy was screaming。 〃liar！〃
she flew around again； aiming directly for lyras face； but will took out the knife and threw himself in the way。 no…name swerved out of reach just in time； and will hustled lyra over toward the door； because she was numb with shock and half…blinded by the blood running down her face。 where the gallivespians were； will had no idea； but the harpy was flying at them again and screaming and screaming in rage and hatred：
〃liar！ liar！ liar！〃
and it sounded as if her voice were ing from everywhere； and the word echoed back from the great wall in the fog； muffled and changed； so that she seemed to be screaming lyras name； so that lyra and liar were one and the same thing。
will had the girl pressed against his chest； with his shoulder curved over to protect her； and he felt her shaking and sobbing against him； but then he thrust the knife into the rotten wood of the door and cut out the lock with a quick slash of the blade。
then he and lyra； with the spies beside them on their darting dragonflies； tumbled through into the realm of the ghosts as the harpys cry was doubled and redoubled by others on the foggy shore behind them。
。d 。
TWENTY…TWO … THE WHISPERERS
^生。网！
the first thing will did was to make lyra sit down； and then he took out the little pot of bloodmoss ointment and looked at the wound on her head。 it was bleeding freely； as scalp wounds do； but it wasnt deep。 he tore a strip off the edge of his shirt and mopped it clean； and spread some of the ointment over the gash；
trying not to think of the filthy state of the claw that made it。
lyras eyes were glazed； and she was ash…pale。
〃lyra！ lyra！〃 he said； and shook her gently。 〃e on now； weve got to move。〃
she gave a shudder and took a long； shaky breath； and her eyes focused on him； full of a wild despair。
〃will； i cant do it anymore； i cant do it！ i cant tell lies！ i thought it was so easy； but it didnt work； its all i can do； and it doesnt work！〃
〃its not all you can do。 you can read the alethiometer； cant you？ e on； lets see where we are。 lets look for roger。〃
he helped her up； and for the first time they looked around at the land where the ghosts were。
they found themselves on a great plain that extended far ahead into the mist。 the light by which they saw was a dull self…luminescence that seemed to exist everywhere equally； so that there were no true shadows and no true light； and everything was the same dingy color。
standing on the floor of this huge space were adults and children； ghost people； so many that lyra couldnt guess their number。 at least； most of them were standing； though some were sitting and some lying down listless or asleep。 no one was moving about； or running or playing； though many of them turned to look at these new arrivals； with a fearful curiosity in their wide eyes。
〃ghosts；〃 she whispered。 〃this is where they all are； everyone thats ever died。。。〃
no doubt it was because she didnt have pantalaimon anymore； but she clung close to wills arm； and he was glad she did。 the gallivespians had flown ahead； and he could see their bright little forms darting and skimming over the heads of the ghosts； who looked up and followed them with wonder； but the silence was immense and oppressive； and the gray light filled him with fear； and lyras warm presence beside him was the only thing that felt like life。
behind them； outside the wall； the screams of the harpies were still echoing up and down the shore。 some of the ghost people were looking up apprehensively； but more of them were staring at will and lyra； and then they began to crowd forward。 lyra shrank back； she didnt have the strength just yet to face them as she would have liked to do； and it was will who had to speak first。
〃do you speak our language？〃 he said。 〃can you speak at all？〃
shivering and frightened and full of pain as he and lyra were； they had more authority than the whole mass of the dead put together。 these poor ghosts had little power of their own； and hearing wills voice； the first clear voice that had sounded there in all the memory of the dead； many of them came forward； eager to respond。
but they could only whisper。 a faint； pale sound； no more than a soft breath； was all they could utter。 and as they