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〃dyou know where we are？〃 will said。
mary looked around。 the road they were in now； in her world； was quiet and tree…lined； with big victorian houses in shrub…filled gardens。
〃somewhere in north oxford；〃 mary said。 〃not far from my flat； as a matter of fact； though i dont know exactly which road this is。〃
〃i want to go to the botanic garden；〃 lyra said。
〃all right。 i suppose thats about fifteen minutes walk。 this way。。。〃
mary tried the double…seeing again。 she found it easier this time； and there was the chough； with her in her own world； perching on a branch that hung low over the pavement。 to see what would happen； she held out her hand； and he stepped onto it without hesitation。 she felt the slight weight； the tight grip of the claws on her finger； and gently moved him onto her shoulder。 he settled into place as if hed been there all her life。
well； he has； she thought； and moved on。
there was not much traffic in the high street； and when they turned down the steps opposite magdalen college toward the gate of the botanic garden； they were pletely alone。 there was an ornate gateway； with stone seats inside it； and while mary and serafina sat there； will and lyra climbed over the iron fence into the garden itself。 their daemons slipped through the bars and flowed ahead of them into the garden。
〃its this way；〃 said lyra； tugging at wills hand。
she led him past a pool with a fountain under a wide…spreading tree； and then struck off to the left between beds of plants toward a huge many…trunked pine。 there was a massive stone wall with a doorway in it； and in the farther part of the garden； the trees were younger and the planting less formal。 lyra led him almost to the end of the garden； over a little bridge； to a wooden seat under a spreading； low…branched tree。
〃yes！〃 she said。 〃i hoped so much； and here it is； just the same。。 。will； i used to e here in my oxford and sit on this exact same bench whenever i wanted to be alone； just me and pan。 what i thought was that if you； maybe just once a year； if we could e here at the same time； just for an hour or something； then we could pretend we were close again； because we would be close； if you sat here and i sat just here in my world。。。”
〃yes；〃 he said； 〃as long as i live； ill e back。 wherever i am in the world； ill e back here。。。”
〃on midsummer day；〃 she said。 〃at midday。 as long as i live。 as long as i live。。。〃
he found himself unable to see； but he let the hot tears flow and just held her close。
〃and if we； later on； 〃 she was whispering shakily； 〃if we meet someone that we like； and if we marry them； then we must be good to them； and not make parisons all the time and wish we were married to each other instead。。。but just keep up this ing here once a year； just for an hour； just to be together。。。〃
they held each other tightly。 minutes passed； a waterbird on the river beside them stirred and called； the occasional car moved over magdalen bridge。
finally they drew apart。
〃well；〃 said lyra softly。
everything about her in that moment was soft； and that was one of his favorite memories later on； her tense grace made tender by the dimness； her eyes and hands and especially her lips； infinitely soft。 he kissed her again and again； and each kiss was nearer to the last one of all。
heavy and soft with love； they walked back to the gate。 mary and serafina were waiting。
〃lyra。。。” will said。
and she said； 〃will。〃
he cut a window into cittagazze。 they were deep in the parkland around the great house； not far from the edge of the forest。 he stepped through for the last time and looked down over the silent city； the tiled roofs gleaming in the moonlight； the tower above them； the lighted ship waiting out on the still sea。
he turned to serafina and said as steadily as he could； 〃thank you； serafina pekkala； for rescuing us at the belvedere； and for everything else。 please be kind to lyra for as long as she lives。 i love her more than anyone has ever been loved。〃
in answer the witch queen kissed him on both cheeks。 lyra had been whispering to mary； and then they； too； embraced； and first mary and then will stepped through the last window； back into their own world； in the shade of the trees of the botanic garden。
being cheerful starts now； will thought as hard as he could； but it was like trying to hold a fighting wolf still in his arms when it wanted to claw at his face and tear out his throat； nevertheless； he did it； and he thought no one could see the effort it cost him。
and he knew that lyra was doing the same； and that the tightness and strain in her smile were the signs of it。
nevertheless； she smiled。
one last kiss； rushed and clumsy so that they banged cheekbones； and a tear from her eye was transferred to his face； their two daemons kissed farewell； and pantalaimon flowed over the threshold and up into lyras arms； and then will began to close the window； and then it was done； the way was closed； lyra was gone。
〃now。。。” he said； trying to sound matter…of…fact； but having to turn away from mary all the same； 〃ive got to break the knife。〃
he searched the air in the familiar way until he found a gap； and tried to bring to mind just what had happened before。 he had been about to cut a way out of the cave； and mrs。 coulter had suddenly and unaccountably reminded him of his mother； and the knife had broken because； he thought； it had at last met something it couldnt cut； and that was his love for her。
so he tried it now； summoning an image of his mothers face as hed last seen her； fearful and distracted in mrs。 coopers little hallway。
but it didnt work。 the knife cut easily through the air and opened into a world where they were having a rainstorm： heavy drops hurtled through； startling them both。 he closed it again quickly and stood puzzled for a moment。
his daemon knew what he should do； and said simply； 〃lyra。〃
of course。 he nodded； and with the knife in his right hand； he pressed with his left the spot where her tear still lay on his cheek。
and this time； with a wrenching crack； the knife shattered and the blade fell in pieces to the ground； to glitter on the stones that were still wet with the rain of another universe。
will knelt to pick them up carefully； kirjava with her cat eyes helping to find them all。
mary was shouldering her rucksack。
〃well；〃 she said； 〃well； listen now； will。 weve hardly spoken； you and i。。。so were still strangers； largely。 but serafina pekkala and i made a promise to each other； and i made a promise to lyra just now； and even if i hadnt made any other promises； id make a promise to you about the same thing； which is that if youll let me； ill be your friend for the rest of our lives。 were both on our own； and i reckon we could both do with that sort of。。。 what i mean to say is； there isnt anyone else we can talk to about all this； except each other。。。and weve both got to get used to living with our daemons； too。。。and were both in trouble； and if that doesnt give us something in mon； i dont know what will。〃
〃youre in trouble？〃 said will； looking at her。 her open； friendly； clever face looked back directly。
〃well； i smashed up some property in the lab before i left； and i forged an identity card； and。。。its nothing we cant deal with。 and your trouble； we can deal with that； too。 we can find your mother and get her some proper treatment。 and if you need somewhere to live； well； if you wouldnt mind living with me； if we can arrange that； then you wont have to go into； whatever they call it； into care。 i mean； well have to decide on a story and stick to it； but we could do that； couldnt we？〃
mary was a friend。 he had a friend。 it was true。 hed never thought of that。
〃yes！〃 he said。
〃well； lets do it。 my flats about half a mile away； and you know what id like most of all in the world？ id like a cup of tea。 e on； lets go and put the kettle on。〃
three weeks after the moment lyra had watched wills hand closing his world away forever； she found herself seated once more at that dinner table in jordan college where she had first fallen under the spell of mrs。 coulter。
this time it was a smaller party： just herself and the master and dame hannah r