le she looked through it。
he was opening the door of her house。 he was going inside it。 he vanished from sight； although there was a stir in the dust he left behind； like smoke when a hand is passed through it。 mary waited for an endless minute； and then he appeared again。
he stood in her doorway； looking around slowly from left to right； and his gaze swept past the tree。
then he stepped off the threshold and stood still； almost at a loss。 mary was suddenly conscious of how exposed she was on the bare hillside； an easy rifle shot away； but he was only interested in the village； and
when another minute or so had gone by； he turned and walked quietly away。
she watched every step he took down the river path； and saw quite clearly how he stepped onto the birds back and sat cross…legged as it turned to glide away。 five minutes later they were lost to sight。
。。
THIRTY…FIVE … OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
大＿
〃dr。 malone；〃 said lyra in the morning； 〃will and me have got to look for our daemons。 when weve found them； well know what to do。 but we cant be without them for much longer。 so we just want to go and look。〃
〃where will you go？〃 said mary； heavy…eyed and headachy after her disturbed night。 she and lyra were on the riverbank； lyra to wash； and mary to look； surreptitiously； for the mans footprints。 so far she hadnt found any。
〃dont know；〃 said lyra。 〃but theyre out there somewhere。 as soon as we came through from the battle； they ran away as if they didnt trust us anymore。 cant say i blame them； either。 but we know theyre in this world； and we thought we saw them a couple of times； so maybe we can find them。〃
〃listen；〃 mary said reluctantly； and told lyra about the man shed seen the night before。
as she spoke； will came to join them； and both he and lyra listened； wide…eyed and serious。
〃hes probably just a traveler and he found a window and wandered through from somewhere else；〃 lyra said when mary had finished。 〃like wills father did。 theres bound to be all kinds of openings now。 anyway； if he just turned around and left； he cant have meant to do anything bad； can he？〃
〃i dont know。 i didnt like it。 and im worried about you going off on your own； or i would be if i didnt know youd already done far more dangerous things than that。 oh； i dont know。 but please be careful。 please look all around。 at least out on the prairie you can see someone ing from a long way off。。。〃
〃if we do； we can escape straight away into another world； so he wont he able to hurt us；〃 will said。
they were determined to go； and mary was reluctant to argue。
〃at least；〃 she said； 〃promise that you wont go in among the trees。 if that man is still around； he might be hiding in a wood or a grove and you wouldnt see him in time to escape。〃
〃we promise；〃 said lyra。
〃well； ill pack you some food in case youre out all day。〃
mary took some flat bread and cheese and some sweet； thirst…quenching red fruits； wrapped them in a cloth； and tied a cord around it for one of them to carry over a shoulder。
〃good hunting；〃 she said as they left。 〃please take care。〃
she was still anxious。 she stood watching them all the way to the foot of the slope。
〃i wonder why shes so sad；〃 will said as he and lyra climbed the road up to the ridge。
〃shes probably wondering if shell ever go home again；〃 said lyra。 〃and if her laboratoryll still be hers when she does。 and maybe shes sad about the man she was in love with。〃
〃mmm；〃 said will。 〃dyou think well ever go home？〃
〃dunno。 i dont suppose ive got a home anyway。 they probably couldnt have me back at jordan college； and i cant live with the bears or the witches。 maybe i could live with the gyptians。 i wouldnt mind that； if theyd have me。〃
〃what about lord asriels world？ wouldnt you want to live there？〃
〃its going to fail； remember；〃 she said。
〃why？〃
〃because of what your fathers ghost said； just before we came out。 about daemons； and how they can only live for a long time if they stay in their own world。 but probably lord asriel； i mean my father；
couldnt have thought about that； because no one knew enough about other worlds when he started。。。 all that；〃 she said wonderingly； 〃all that bravery and skill。。。 all that； all wasted！ all for nothing！〃
they climbed on； finding the going easy on the rock road； and when they reached the top of the ridge； they stopped and looked back。
〃will；〃 she said； 〃supposing we dont find them？〃
〃im sure we will。 what im wondering is what my daemon will be like。〃
〃you saw her。 and i picked her up；〃 lyra said； blushing； because of course it was a gross violation of manners to touch something so private as someone elses daemon。 it was forbidden not only by politeness； but by something deeper than that； something like shame。 a quick glance at wills warm cheeks showed that he knew that just as well as she did。
they walked on side by side； suddenly shy with each other。 but will； not put off by being shy； said； 〃when does your daemon stop changing shape？〃
〃about。。。 i suppose about our age； or a bit older。 maybe more sometimes。 we used to talk about pan settling； him and me。 we used to wonder what hed be。。。”
〃dont people have any idea？〃
〃not when theyre young。 as you grow up you start thinking； well； they might be this or they might be that。。。 and usually they end up something that fits。 i mean something like your real nature。 like if your daemons a dog； that means you like doing what youre told； and knowing whos boss； and following orders； and pleasing people who are in charge。 a lot of servants are people whose daemons are dogs。 so it helps to know what youre like and to find what youd be good at。 how do people in your world know what theyre like？〃
〃i dont know。 i dont know much about my world。 all i know is keeping secret and quiet and hidden； so i dont know much about。。。 grownups； and friends。 or lovers。 i think itd be difficult having a daemon because everybody would know so much about you just by looking。 i like to keep secret and stay out of sight。〃
〃then maybe your daemond be an animal thats good at hiding。 or one of those animals that looks like another； a butterfly that looks like a wasp； for disguise。 they must have creatures like that in your world； because we have； and were so much alike。〃
they walked on together in a friendly silence。 all around them the wide； clear morning lay limpid in the hollows and pearly blue in the warm air above。 as far as the eye could see； the great savanna rolled； brown； gold； buff…green； shimmering toward the horizon； and empty。 they might have been the only people in the world。
〃but its not empty really；〃 lyra said。
〃you mean that man？〃
〃no。 you know what i mean。〃
〃yes； i do。 i can see shadows in the grass。。。 maybe birds；〃 will said。
he was following the little darting movements here and there。 he found it easier to see the shadows if he didnt look at them。 they were more willing to show themselves to the corners of his eye； and when he said so to lyra； she said； 〃its negative capability。〃
〃whats that？〃
〃the poet keats said it first。 dr。 malone knows。 its how i read the alethiometer。 its how you use the knife； isnt it？〃
〃yes； i suppose it is。 but i was just thinking that they might be the daemons。〃
〃so was i； but。。。〃
she put her finger to her lips。 he nodded。
〃look；〃 he said； 〃theres one of those fallen trees。〃
it was marys climbing tree。 they went up to it carefully； keeping an eye on the grove in case another one should fall。 in the calm morning； with only a faint breeze stirring the leaves； it seemed impossible that a mighty thing like this should ever topple； but here it was。
the vast trunk； supported in the grove by its torn…up roots and out on the grass by the mass of branches； was high above their heads。 some of those branches； crushed and broken； were themselves as big around as the biggest trees will had ever seen； the crown of the tree； tight…packed with boughs that still looked sturdy； leaves that were still green； towered like a ruined palace into the mild air。
suddenly lyra gripped wills arm。
〃shh；〃 she whispered。 〃dont look。 im sure theyre up there。 i saw something move and i swear it was pan。。。〃
her hand was warm。 he was more aware of that than of the great mass of leaves and branches above them。 pretending to gaze vacantly at the horizon； he let his attention wander upward into the confused mass of green； brown； and blue； and there； she was right！ ； there was a something that was not the tree。 and beside it； another。
〃walk away；〃 will said under his breath。 〃well go somewhere else and see if they follow us。〃
〃suppose they dont。。。 but yes； all right；〃 lyra whispered back。
they pretended to look all around； they set their hands on one of the branches resting on the ground； as if they were intending to climb； they pretended to change their minds； by shaking their heads and walking away。
〃i wish we could look behind；〃 lyra said when they were a few hundred yards away。
〃just go on walking。 they can see us； and they wont get lost。 theyll e to us when they want to。〃
they stepped off the black road and into the knee…high grass； swishing their legs through the stems； watching the inse