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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； either； now。。。 i wonder if ill ever know？〃
she sat down slowly； and he sat down beside her。
〃oh； will；〃 she said； 〃what can we do？ whatever can we do？ i want to live with you forever。 i want to kiss you and lie down with you and wake up with you every day of my life till i die； years and years and years away。 i dont want a memory； just a memory。。。 〃
〃no；〃 he said； 〃memorys a poor thing to have。 its your own real hair and mouth and arms and eyes and hands i want。 i didnt know i could ever love anything so much。 oh； lyra； i wish this night would never end！ if only we could stay here like this； and the world could stop turning； and everyone else could fall into a sleep。。。〃
〃everyone except us！ and you and i could live here forever and just love each other。〃
〃i will love you forever； whatever happens。 till i die and after i die； and when i find my way out of the land of the dead； ill drift about forever； all my atoms； till i find you again。。。〃
〃ill be looking for you； will； every moment； every single moment。 and when we do find each other again； well cling together so tight that nothing and no onell ever tear us apart。 every atom of me and every atom of you。。 。well live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams。。。 and when they use our atoms to make new lives； they wont just be able to take one； theyll have to take two； one of you and one of me； well be joined so tight。。。〃
they lay side by side； hand in hand； looking at the sky。
〃do you remember；〃 she whispered； 〃when you first came into that cafe in cittagazze； and youd never seen a daemon？〃
〃i couldnt understand what he was。 but when i saw you； i liked you straightaway because you were brave。〃
〃no； i liked you first。〃
〃you didnt！ you fought me！〃
〃well；〃 she said； 〃yes。 but you attacked me。〃
〃i did not！ you came charging out and attacked me。〃
〃yes； but i soon stopped。〃
〃yes； but；〃 he mocked softly。
he felt her tremble； and then under his hands the delicate bones of her back began to rise and fall； and he heard her sob quietly。 he stroked her warm hair； her tender shoulders； and then he kissed her face again and again； and presently she gave a deep； shuddering sigh and fell still。
the daemons flew back down now； and changed again； and came toward them over the soft sand。 lyra sat up to greet them； and will marveled at the way he could instantly tell which daemon was which； never mind what form they had。 pantalaimon was now an animal whose name he couldnt quite find： like a large and powerful ferret； red…gold in color； lithe and sinuous and full of grace。 kirjava was a cat again。 but she was a cat of no ordinary size； and her fur was lustrous and rich； with a thousand different glints and shades of ink black； shadow gray； the blue of a deep lake under a noon sky； mist…lavender…moonlight…fog。。。 to see the meaning of the word subtlety； you had only to look at her fur。
〃a marten；〃 he said； finding the name for pantalaimon； 〃a pine marten。〃
〃pan；〃 lyra said as he flowed up onto her lap； 〃youre not going to change a lot anymore； are you？〃
〃no；〃 he said。
〃its funny；〃 she said； 〃you remember when we were younger and i didnt want you to stop changing at all。。。well； i wouldnt mind so much now。 not if you stay like this。〃
will put his hand on hers。 a new mood had taken hold of him； and he felt resolute and peaceful。 knowing exactly what he was doing and exactly what it would mean； he moved his hand from lyras wrist and stroked the red…gold fur of her daemon。
lyra gasped。 but her surprise was mixed with a pleasure so like the joy that flooded through her when she had put the fruit to his lips that she couldnt protest； because she was breathless。 with a racing heart she responded in the same way： she put her hand on the silky warmth of wills daemon； and as her fingers tightened in the fur； she knew that will was feeling exactly what she was。
and she knew； too； that neither daemon would change now； having felt a lovers hands on them。 these were their shapes for life： they would want no other。
so； wondering whether any lovers before them had made this blissful discovery； they lay together as the earth turned slowly and the moon and stars blazed above them。
。d 。
THIRTY…EIGHT … THE BOTANIC GARDEN
！小＄说＾网＆
the gyptians arrived on the afternoon of the following day。 there was no harbor； of course； so they had to anchor the ship some way out； and john faa； farder coram； and the captain came ashore in a launch with serafina pekkala as their guide。
mary had told the mulefa everything she knew； and by the time the gyptians were stepping ashore onto the wide beach； there was a curious crowd waiting to greet them。 each side； of course； was on fire with curiosity about the other； but john faa had learned plenty of courtesy and patience in his long life； and he was determined that these strangest of all people should receive nothing but grace and friendship from the lord of the western gyptians。
so he stood in the hot sun for some time while sattamax； the old zalif； made a speech of wele； which mary translated as best she could； and john faa replied； bringing them greetings from the fens and the waterways of his homeland。
when they began to move up through the marshes to the village； the mulefa saw how hard it was for farder coram to walk； and at once they offered to carry him。 he accepted gratefully； and so it was that they came to the gathering ground； where will and lyra came to meet them。
such an age had gone past since lyra had seen these dear men！ theyd last spoken together in the snows of the arctic； on their way to rescue the children from the gobblers。 she was almost shy； and she offered her hand to shake； uncertainly； but john faa caught her up in a tight embrace and kissed both her cheeks； and farder coram did the same； gazing at her before folding her tight to his chest。
〃shes growed up； john；〃 he said。 〃remember that little girl we took to the north lands？ look at her now； eh！ lyra； my dear； if i had the tongue of an angel； i couldnt tell you how glad i am to set eyes on you again。〃
but she looks so hurt； he thought； she looks so frail and weary。 and neither he nor john faa could miss the way she stayed close to will； and how the boy with the straight black eyebrows was aware every second of where she was； and made sure he never strayed far from her。
the old men greeted him respectfully； because serafina pekkala had told them something of what will had done。 for wills part； he admired the massive power of lord faas presence； power tempered by courtesy； and he thought that that would be a good way to behave when he himself was old； john faa was a shelter and a strong refuge。
〃dr。 malone；〃 said john faa； 〃we need to take on fresh water； and whatever in the way of food your friends can sell us。 besides； our men have been on board ship for a fair while； and weve had some fighting to do； and it would be a blessing if they could all have a run ashore so they can breathe the air of this land and tell their families at home about the world they voyaged to。〃
〃lord faa；〃 said mary； 〃the mulefa have asked me to say they will supply everything you need； and that they would be honored if you could all join them this evening to share their meal。〃
〃itll be our great pleasure to accept；〃 said john faa。
so that evening the people of three worlds sat down together and shared bread and meat and fruit and wine。 the gyptians presented their hosts with gifts from all the corners of their world： with crocks of genniver； carvings of walrus ivory； silken tapestries from turkestan； cups of silver from the mines of sveden； enameled dishes from corea。
the mulefa received them with delight； and in return offered objects of their own workmanship： rare
vessels of ancient knot wood； lengths of the finest rope and cord； lacquered bowls； and fishing nets so strong and light that even the fen…dwelling gyptians had never seen the like。
having sha