sts has a story； every single one that es down in the future will have true things to tell you about the world。 and youll have the right to hear them； and they will have to tell you。〃
lyra marveled at the nerve of the little spy。 how did he dare speak to these creatures as if he had the power to give them rights？ any one of them could have snapped him up in a moment； wrenched him apart in her claws or carried him high and then hurled him down to the ground to smash in pieces。 and yet there he stood； proud and fearless； making a bargain with them！ and they listened； and conferred； their faces turning to one another； their voices low。
all the ghosts watched； fearful and silent。
then no…name turned back。
〃thats not enough；〃 she said。 〃we want more than that。 we had a task under the old dispensation。 we had a place and a duty。 we fulfilled the authoritys mands diligently； and for that we were honored。 hated and feared； hut honored； too。 what will happen to our honor now？ why should the ghosts take any notice of us； if they can simply walk out into the world again？ we have our pride； and you should not let that be dispensed with。 we need an honorable place！ we need a duty and a task to do； one that will bring us the respect we deserve！〃
they shifted on the branches； muttering and raising their wings。 but a moment later salmakia leapt up to join the chevalier； and called out：
〃you are quite right。 everyone should have a task to do thats important； one that brings them honor； one they can perform with pride。 so here is your task； and its one that only you can do； because you are the guardians and the keepers of this place。 your task will be to guide the ghosts from the landing place by the lake all the way through the land of the dead to the new opening out into the world。 in exchange； they will
tell you their stories as a fair and just payment for this guidance。 does that seem right to you？〃
no…name looked at her sisters； and they nodded。 she said： 〃and we have the right to refuse to guide them if they lie； or if they hold anything back； or if they have nothing to tell us。 if they live in the world； they should see and touch and hear and learn things。 we shall make an exception for infants who have not had time to learn anything； but otherwise； if they e down here bringing nothing； we shall not guide them out。〃
〃that is fair；〃 said salmakia； and the other travelers agreed。
so they made a treaty。 and in exchange for the story of lyras that theyd already heard； the harpies offered to take the travelers and their knife to a part of the land of the dead where the upper world was close。 it was a long way off； through tunnels and caves； hut they would guide them faithfully； and all the ghosts could follow。
but before they could begin； a voice cried out； as loudly as a whisper could cry。 it was the ghost of a thin man with an angry； passionate face； and he cried：
〃what will happen？ when we leave the world of the dead； will we live again？ or will we vanish as our daemons did？ brothers； sisters； we shouldnt follow this child anywhere till we know whats going to happen to us！〃
others took up the question： 〃yes； tell us where were going！ tell us what to expect！ we wont go unless we know whatll happen to us！〃
lyra turned to will in despair； but he said； 〃tell them the truth。 ask the alethiometer； and tell them what it says。〃
〃all right；〃 she said。
she took out the golden instrument。 the answer came at once。 she put it away and stood up。
〃this is whatll happen；〃 she said； 〃and its true； perfectly true。 when you go out of here； all the particles that make you up will loosen and float apart； just like your daemons did。 if youve seen people dying； you know what that looks like。 but your daemons ent just nothing now； theyre part of everything。 all the atoms that were them； theyve gone into the air and the wind and the trees and the earth and all the living things。 theyll never vanish。 theyre just part of everything。 and thats exactly whatll happen to you； i swear to you； i promise on my honor。 youll drift apart； its true； but youll be out in the open； part of everything alive again。〃
no one spoke。 those who had seen how daemons dissolved were remembering it； and those who hadnt were imagining it； and no one spoke until a young woman came forward。 she had died as a martyr centuries before。 she looked around and said to the other ghosts：
〃when we were alive； they told us that when we died wed go to heaven。 and they said that heaven was a place of joy and glory and we would spend eternity in the pany of saints and angels praising the almighty； in a state of bliss。 thats what they said。 and thats what led some of us to give our lives； and others to spend years in solitary prayer； while all the joy of life was going to waste around us and we never knew。
〃because the land of the dead isnt a place of reward or a place of punishment。 its a place of nothing。 the good e here as well as the wicked； and all of us languish in this gloom forever； with no hope of freedom； or joy； or sleep； or rest； or peace。
〃but now this child has e offering us a way out and im going to follow her。 even if it means oblivion； friends； ill wele it； because it wont be nothing。 well be alive again in a thousand blades of grass； and a million leaves； well be falling in the raindrops and blowing in the fresh breeze； well be glittering in the dew under the stars and the moon out there in the physical world； which is our true home and always was。
〃so i urge you： e with the child out to the sky！〃
but her ghost was thrust aside by the ghost of a man who looked like a monk： thin and pale； with dark； zealous eyes even in his death。 he crossed himself and murmured a prayer； and then he said：
〃this is a bitter message； a sad and cruel joke。 cant you see the truth？ this is not a child。 this is an agent of the evil one himself！ the world we lived in was a vale of corruption and tears。 nothing there could satisfy us。 but the almighty has granted us this blessed place for all eternity； this paradise； which to the fallen soul seems bleak and barren； but which the eyes of faith see as it is； overflowing with milk and honey and resounding with the sweet hymns of the angels。 this is heaven； truly！ what this evil girl promises is nothing but lies。 she wants to lead you to hell！ go with her at your peril。 my panions and i of the true faith will remain here in our blessed paradise； and spend eternity singing the praises of the almighty； who has given us the judgment to tell the false from the true。〃
once again he crossed himself； and then he and his panions turned away in horror and loathing。
lyra felt bewildered。 was she wrong？ was she making some great mistake？ she looked around： gloom and desolation on every side。 but shed been wrong before about the appearance of things； trusting mrs。 coulter because of her beautiful smile and her sweet…scented glamour。 it was so easy to get things wrong； and without her daemon to guide her； maybe she was wrong about this； too。
but will was shaking her arm。 then he put his hands to her face and held it roughly。
〃you know thats not true；〃 he said； 〃just as well as you can feel this。 take no notice！ they can all see hes lying； too。 and theyre depending on us。 e on； lets make a start。〃
she nodded。 she had to trust her body and the truth of what her senses told her； she knew pan would have。
so they set off； and the numberless millions of ghosts began to follow them。 behind them； too far back for the children to see； other inhabitants of the world of the dead had heard what was happening and were ing to join the great march。 tialys and salmakia flew back to look and were overjoyed to see their own people there； and every other kind of conscious being who had ever been punished by the authority with exile and death。 among them were beings who didnt look human at all； beings like the mulefa； whom mary malone would have recognized； and stranger ghosts as well。
but will and lyra had no strength to look back； all they could do was move on after the harpies； and hope。
〃have we almost done it； will？〃 lyra whispered。 〃is it nearly over？〃
he couldnt tell。 but they were so weak and sick that he said； 〃yes； its nearly over； weve nearly done it。 well be out soon。〃
。。！
TWENTY…FOUR … MRS。 COULTER IN GENEVA
（／小｜说｜网）
mrs。 coulter waited till nightfall before she approached the college of st。 jerome。 after darkness had fallen； she brought the intention craft down through the cloud and moved slowly along the lakeshore at treetop height。 the college was a distinctive shape among the other ancient buildings of geneva； and she soon found the spire； the dark hollow of the cloisters； the square tower where the president of the consistorial court of discipline had his lodging。 she had visited the college three times before； she knew that the ridges and gables and chimneys of the roof concealed plenty of hiding places； even for something as large as the intention craft。
flying slowly above the tiles； which glistened with the recent rain； she edged the machine into a little gully between a steep tiled roof and the sheer wall of the tower。 the place was only visible from the belfry of th