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on。
〃and if you help everyone else in your worlds to do that； by helping them to learn and understand about themselves and each other and the way everything works； and by showing them how to be kind instead of cruel； and patient instead of hasty； and cheerful instead of surly； and above all how to keep their minds open and free and curious。。。 then they will renew enough to replace what is lost through one window。 so there could be one left open。〃
will trembled with excitement； and his mind leapt to a single point： to a new window in the air between his world and lyras。 and it would be their secret； and they could go through whenever they chose； and live for a while in each others worlds； not living fully in either； so their daemons would keep their health； and they could grow up together and maybe； much later on； they might have children； who would be secret citizens of two worlds； and they could bring all the learning of one world into the other； they could do all kinds of good。。。
but lyra was shaking her head。
〃no；〃 she said in a quiet wail； 〃we cant； will。。。”
and he suddenly knew her thought； and in the same anguished tone； he said； 〃no； the dead。。。”
〃we must leave it open for them！ we must！〃
〃yes； otherwise。。。〃
〃and we must make enough dust for them； will； and keep the window open。。。”
she was trembling。 she felt very young as he held her to his side。
〃and if we do；〃 he said shakily； 〃if we live our lives properly and think about them as we do； then therell be something to tell the harpies about as well。 weve got to tell people that； lyra。〃
〃the true stories； yes；〃 she said； 〃the true stories the harpies want to hear in exchange。 yes。 so if people live their whole lives and theyve got nothing to tell about it when theyve finished； then theyll never leave the world of the dead。 weve got to tell them that； will。〃
〃alone； though。。。〃
〃yes；〃 she said； 〃alone。〃
and at the word alone； will felt a great wave of rage and despair moving outward from a place deep within him； as if his mind were an ocean that some profound convulsion had disturbed。 all his life hed been alone； and now he must be alone again； and this infinitely precious blessing that had e to him must be taken away almost at once。 he felt the wave build higher and steeper to darken the sky； he felt the crest tremble and begin to spill； he felt the great mass crashing down with the whole weight of the ocean behind it against the iron…bound coast of what had to be。 and he found himself gasping and shaking and crying aloud with more anger and pain than he had ever felt in his life； and he found lyra just as helpless in his arms。 but as the wave expended its force and the waters withdrew； the bleak rocks remained； there was no arguing with fate； neither his despair nor lyras had moved them a single inch。
how long his rage lasted； he had no idea。 but eventually it had to subside； and the ocean was a little calmer after the convulsion。 the waters were still agitated； and perhaps they would never be truly calm again； but the great force had gone。
they turned to the angel and saw she had understood； and that she felt as sorrowful as they did。 but she could see farther than they could； and there was a calm hope in her expression； too。
will swallowed hard and said； 〃all right。 ill show you how to close a window。 but ill have to open one first； and make another specter。 i never knew about them； or else id have been more careful。〃
〃we shall take care of the specters；〃 said xaphania。 will took the knife and faced the sea。 to his surprise； his hands were quite steady。 he cut a window into his own world； and they found themselves looking at a great factory or chemical plant； where plicated pipe work ran between buildings and storage tanks； where lights glowed at every corner； where wisps of steam rose into the air。
〃its strange to think that angels dont know the way to do this；〃 will said。
〃the knife was a human invention。〃
〃and youre going to close them all except one；〃 will said。 〃all except the one from the world of the dead。〃
〃yes； that is a promise。 but it is conditional； and you know the condition。〃
〃yes； we do。 are there many windows to close？〃 〃thousands。 there is the terrible abyss made by the bomb； and there is the great opening lord asriel made out of his own world。 they must both be closed； and they will。 but there are many smaller openings； too； some deep under the earth； some high in the air； which came about in other ways。〃
〃baruch and balthamos told me that they used openings like that to travel between the worlds。 will angels no longer be able to do that？ will you be confined to one world as we are？〃 〃no； we have other ways of traveling。〃 〃the way you have；〃 lyra said； 〃is it possible for us to learn？〃 〃yes。 you could learn to do it； as wills father did。 it uses the faculty of what you call imagination。 but that does not mean making things up。 it is a form of seeing。〃
〃not real traveling； then；〃 said lyra。 〃just pretend。。。〃 〃no；〃 said xaphania； 〃nothing like pretend。 pretending is easy。 this way is hard； but much truer。〃
〃and is it like the alethiometer？〃 said will。 〃does it take a whole lifetime to learn？〃
〃it takes long practice； yes。 you have to work。 did you think you could snap your fingers； and have it as a gift？ what is worth having is worth working for。 but you have a friend who has already taken the first steps； and who could help you。〃
will had no idea who that could be； and at that moment he wasnt in the mood to ask。
〃i see；〃 he said； sighing。 〃and will we see you again？ will we ever speak to an angel once we go back to our own worlds？〃
〃i dont know；〃 said xaphania。 〃but you should not spend your time waiting。〃
〃and i should break the knife；〃 said will。
〃yes。〃
while they had been speaking； the window had been open beside them。 the lights were glowing in the factory； the work was going on； machines were turning； chemicals were bining； people were producing goods and earning their livings。 that was the world where will belonged。
〃well； ill show you what to do；〃 he said。
so he taught the angel how to feel for the edges of the window； just as giao paradisi had shown him； sensing them at his fingers ends and pinching them together。 little by little the window closed； and the factory disappeared。
〃the openings that werent made by the subtle knife；〃 will said； 〃is it really necessary to close them all？ because surely dust only escapes through the openings the knife made。 the other ones must have been there for thousands of years； and still dust exists。〃
the angel said； 〃we shall close them all； because if you thought that any still remained； you would spend your life searching for one； and that would be a waste of the time you have。 you have other work than that to do； much more important and valuable； in your own world。 there will be no travel outside it anymore。〃
“what work have i got to do； then？〃 said will； hut went on at once； 〃no； on second thought； dont tell me。 i shall decide what i do。 if you say my work is fighting； or healing； or exploring； or whatever you might say； ill always he thinking about it。 and if i do end up doing that； ill be resentful because itll feel as if i didnt have a choice； and if i dont do it； ill feel guilty because i should。 whatever i do； i will choose it； no one else。〃
〃then you have already taken the first steps toward wisdom；〃 said xaphania。
〃theres a light out at sea；〃 said lyra。
〃that is the ship bringing your friends to take you home。 they will be here tomorrow。〃
the word tomorrow fell like a heavy blow。 lyra had never thought she would be reluctant to see farder coram； and john faa； and serafina pekkala。
〃i shall go now；〃 said the angel。 〃i have learned what i needed to know。〃
she embraced each of them in her light； cool arms and kissed their foreheads。 then she bent to kiss the daemons； and they became birds and flew up with her as she spread her wings and rose swiftly into the air。 only a few seconds later she had vanished。
a few moments after she had gone； lyra gave a little gasp。
〃what is it？〃 said will。
〃i never asked her about my father and mother； and i cant ask the alethiometer；