〃and dust？〃 he said。 〃from the depths of heresy； what is your view of dust？〃
〃i have no view of dust；〃 she said。 〃i dont know what it is。 no one does。〃
〃i see。 well； i began by reminding you that you are under arrest。 i think its time we found you somewhere to sleep。 youll be quite fortable； no one will hurt you； but youre not going to get away。 and we shall talk more tomorrow。〃
he rang a bell； and brother louis came in almost at once。 〃show mrs。 coulter to the best guest room；〃 said the president。 〃and lock her in。〃
the best guest room was shabby and the furniture was cheap； but at least it was clean。 after the lock had turned behind her； mrs。 coulter looked around at once for the microphone and found one in the elaborate light…fitting and another under the frame of the bed。 she disconnected them both； and then had a horrible surprise。
watching her from the top of the chest of drawers behind the door was lord roke。
she cried out and put a hand on the wall to steady herself。 the gallivespian was sitting cross…legged； entirely at his ease； and neither she nor the golden monkey had seen him。 once the pounding of her heart had subsided； and her breathing had slowed； she said； 〃and when would you have done me the courtesy of letting me know you were here； my lord？ before i undressed； or afterwards？〃
〃before；〃 he said。 〃tell your daemon to calm down； or ill disable him。〃
the golden monkeys teeth were bared； and all his fur was standing on end。 the scorching malice of his expression was enough to make any normal person quail； but lord roke merely smiled。 his spurs glittered in the dim light。
the little spy stood up and stretched。
〃ive just spoken to my agent in lord asriels fortress；〃 he went on。 〃lord asriel presents his pliments and asks you to let him know as soon as you find out what these peoples intentions are。〃
she felt winded； as if lord asriel had thrown her hard in wrestling。 her eyes widened； and she sat down slowly on the bed。
〃did you e here to spy on me； or to help？〃 she said。
〃both； and its lucky for you im here。 as soon as you arrived； they set some anbaric work in motion down in the cellars。 i dont know what it is； but theres a team of scientists working on it right now。 you seem to have galvanized them。〃
〃i dont know whether to be flattered or alarmed。 as a matter of fact； im exhausted； and im going to sleep。 if youre here to help me； you can keep watch。 you can begin by looking the other way。〃
he bowed and faced the wall until she had washed in the chipped basin； dried herself on the thin towel； and undressed and got into bed。 her daemon patrolled the room； checking the wardrobe； the picture rail； the curtains； the view of the dark cloisters out of the window。 lord roke watched him every inch of the way。 finally the golden monkey joined mrs。 coulter； and they fell asleep at once。
lord roke hadnt told her everything that hed learned from lord asriel。 the allies had been tracking the flight of all kinds of beings in the air above the frontiers of the republic； and had noticed a concentration of what might have been angels； and might have been something else entirely； in the west。 they had sent patrols out to investigate； but so far they had learned nothing： whatever it was that hung there had wrapped itself in impenetrable fog。
the spy thought it best not to trouble mrs。 coulter with that； though； she was exhausted。 let her sleep； he decided； and he moved silently about the room； listening at the door； watching out of the window； awake and alert。
an hour after she had first e into the room； he heard a quiet noise outside the door： a faint scratch and a whisper。 at the same moment a dim light outlined the door。 lord roke moved to the farthest corner and stood behind one of the legs of the chair on which mrs。 coulter had thrown her clothes。
a minute went by； and then the key turned very quietly in the lock。 the door opened an inch； no more； and then the light went out。
lord roke could see well enough in the dim glow through the thin curtains； but the intruder was having to wait for his eyes to adjust。 finally the door opened farther； very slowly； and the young priest brother louis stepped in。
he crossed himself and tiptoed to the bed。 lord roke prepared to spring； but the priest merely listened to mrs。 coulters steady breathing； looked closely to see whether she was asleep； and then turned to the bedside table。
he covered the bulb of the battery light with his hand and switched it on； letting a thin gleam escape through his fingers。 he peered at the table so closely that his nose nearly touched the surface； but whatever he was looking for； he didnt find it。 mrs。 coulter had put a few things there before she got into bed； a couple of coins； a ring； her watch； but brother louis wasnt interested in those。
he turned to her again； and then he saw what he was looking for； uttering a soft hiss between his teeth。 lord roke could see his dismay： the object of his search was the locket on the gold chain around mrs。 coulters neck。
lord roke moved silently along the skirting board toward the door。
the priest crossed himself again； for he was going to have to touch her。 holding his breath； he bent over the bed； and the golden monkey stirred。
the young man froze； hands outstretched。 his rabbit daemon trembled at his feet； no use at all： she could at least have kept watch for the poor man； lord roke thought。 the monkey turned over in his sleep and fell still again。
after a minute poised like a waxwork； brother louis lowered his shaking hands to mrs。 coulters neck。 he fumbled for so long that lord roke thought the dawn would break before he got the catch undone； but finally he lifted the locket gently away and stood up。
lord roke； as quick and as quiet as a mouse； was out of the door before the priest had turned around。 he waited in the dark corridor； and when the young man tiptoed out and turned the key； the gallivespian began to follow him。
brother louis made for the tower； and when the president opened his door； lord roke darted through and made for the priedieu in the corner of the room。 there he found a shadowy ledge where he crouched and listened。
father macphail was not alone： fra pavel； the alethiometrist； was busy with his books； and another
figure stood nervously by the window。 this was dr。 cooper； the experimental theologian from bolvangar。 they both looked up。
〃well done； brother louis；〃 said the president。 〃bring it here； sit down； show me； show me。 well done！〃
fra pavel moved some of his books； and the young priest laid the gold chain on the table。 the others bent over to look as father macphail fiddled with the catch。 dr。 cooper offered him a pocketknife； and then there was a soft click。
〃ah！〃 sighed the president。
lord roke climbed to the top of the desk so that he could see。 in the naphtha lamplight there was a gleam of dark gold： it was a lock of hair； and the president was twisting it between his fingers； turning it this way and that。
〃are we certain this is the childs？〃 he said。
〃i am certain；〃 came the weary voice of fra pavel。
〃and is there enough of it； dr。 cooper？〃
the pale…faced man bent low and took the lock from father macphails fingers。 he held it up to the light。
〃oh yes；〃 he said。 〃one single hair would he enough。 this is ample。〃
〃im very pleased to hear it；〃 said the president。 〃now； brother louis； you must return the locket to the good ladys neck。〃
the priest sagged faintly： he had hoped his task was over。 the president placed the curl of lyras hair in an envelope and shut the locket； looking up and around as he did so； and lord roke had to drop out of sight。
〃father president；〃 said brother louis； 〃i shall of course do as you mand； hut may i know why you need the childs hair？〃
〃no； brother louis； because it would disturb you。 leave these matters to us。 off you go。〃
the young man took the locket and left； smothering his resentment。 lord roke thought of going back with him and waking mrs。 coulter just as he was trying to replace the chain； in order to see what shed do； but it was more important to find out what these people were up to。
as the door closed； the gallivespian went back into the shadows and listened。
〃how did you know where she had it？〃 said the scientist。
〃every time she mentioned the child；〃 the president said； 〃her hand went to the locket。 now then； how soon can it be ready？〃
〃a matter of hours；〃 said dr。 cooper。
〃and the hair？ what do you do with that？〃
〃we place the hair in the resonating chamber。 you understand； each individual is unique； and the arrangement of genetic particles quite distinct。。。 well； as soon as its analyzed； the information is coded in a series of anbaric pulses and transferred to the aiming device。 that locates the origin of the material； the hair； wherever she may be。 its a process that actually makes use of the barnard…stokes heresy； the many…worlds idea。。。〃
〃dont alarm yourself； doctor。 fra pavel has told me that the child is in another world。 please go on。 the force of the bomb is directed by means of the hair？〃
〃yes。 to each of the hairs from which these ones were cut。 thats right。〃
〃so when its detonated； the ch