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〃good；〃 said will。 〃then lets eat together。 do you eat our food？〃
〃thank you； yes；〃 said the lady。
will took out his last few dried peaches and the stale flat loaf of rye bread； which was all he had left； and shared it among them； though of course the spies did not take much。
〃as for water； there doesnt seem to be any around here on this world；〃 will said。 〃well have to wait till we go back through before we can have a drink。〃
〃then we better do that soon；〃 said lyra。
first； though； she took out the alethiometer and asked if there was still any danger in the valley。 no； came the answer； all the soldiers have gone； and the villagers are in their homes； so they prepared to leave。
the window looked strange in the dazzling air of the desert； giving onto the deep…shaded bush； a square of thick green vegetation hanging in the air like a painting。 the gallivespians wanted to look at it； and were astounded to see how it was just not there from the back； and how it only sprang into being when you came round from the side。
〃ill have to close it once were through；〃 will said。
lyra tried to pinch the edges together after they went through； but her fingers couldnt find it at all； nor could the spies； despite the fineness of their hands。 only will could feel exactly where the edges were； and he did it cleanly and quickly。
〃how many worlds can you enter with the knife？〃 said tialys。
〃as many as there are；〃 said will。 〃no one would ever have time to find out。〃
he swung his rucksack up and led the way along the forest path。 the dragonflies relished the fresh； moist air and darted like needles through the shafts of sunlight。 the movement of the trees above was less violent； and the air was cool and tranquil； so it was all the more shocking to see the twisted wreckage of a gyropter suspended among the branches； with the body of its african pilot； tangled in his seat belt； half out of the door； and to find the charred remains of the zeppelin a little farther up； soot…black strips of cloth； blackened struts and pipe work； broken glass； and then the bodies： three men burned to cinders； their limbs contorted and drawn up as if they were still threatening to fight。
and they were only the ones who had fallen near the path。 there were other bodies and more wreckage on the cliff above and among the trees farther down。 shocked and silenced； the two children moved through the carnage； while the spies on their dragonflies looked around more coolly； accustomed to battle； noting how it had gone and who had lost most。
when they reached the top of the valley； where the trees thinned out and the rainbow…waterfalls began； they stopped to drink deeply of the ice…cold water。
〃i hope that little girls all right；〃 said will。 〃wed never have got you away if she hadnt woken you up。 she went to a holy man to get that powder specially。〃
〃she is all right；〃 said lyra； 〃 cause i asked the alethiometer； last night。 she thinks were devils； though。 shes afraid of us。 she probably wishes shed never got mixed up in it； but shes safe all right。〃
they climbed up beside the waterfalls and refilled wills canteen before striking off across the plateau toward the ridge where the alethiometer told lyra that iorek had gone。
and then there came a day of long； hard walking： no trouble for will； but a torment to lyra； whose limbs were weakened and softened after her long sleep。 but she would sooner have her tongue torn out than confess how bad she felt； limping； tight…lipped； trembling； she kept pace with will and said nothing。 only when they sat down at noon did she allow herself so much as a whimper； and then only when will had gone apart to relieve himself。
the lady salmakia said； 〃rest。 there is no disgrace in being weary。〃
〃but i dont want to let will down！ i dont want him to think im weak and holding him back。〃
〃thats the last thing he thinks。〃
〃you dont know；〃 said lyra rudely。 〃you dont know him any more than you know me。〃
〃i know impertinence when i hear it；〃 said the lady calmly。 〃do as i tell you now and rest。 save your energy for the walking。〃
lyra felt mutinous； but the ladys glittering spurs were very clear in the sunlight； so she said nothing。
the ladys panion； the chevalier； was opening the case of the lodestone resonator； and； curiosity overing resentment； lyra watched to see what he did。 the instrument looked like a short length of pencil made of dull gray…black stone； resting on a stand of wood； and the chevalier swept a tiny bow like a violinists across the end while he pressed his fingers at various points along the surface。 the places werent marked； so he seemed to be touching it at random； but from the intensity of his expression and the certain fluency of his movements； lyra knew it was as skillful and demanding a process as her own reading of the alethiometer。
after several minutes the spy put the bow away and took up a pair of headphones； the earpieces no larger than lyras little fingernail； and wrapped one end of the wire tightly around a peg in the end of the
stone； leading the rest along to another peg at the other end and wrapping it around that。 by manipulating the two pegs and the tension on the wire between them； he could obviously hear a response to his own message。
〃how does that work？〃 she said when hed finished。
tialys looked at her as if to judge whether she was genuinely interested； and then said； 〃your scientists； what do you call them； experimental theologians； would know of something called quantum entanglement。 it means that two particles can exist that only have properties in mon； so that whatever happens to one happens to the other at the same moment； no matter how far apart they are。 well； in our world there is a way of taking a mon lodestone and entangling all its particles； and then splitting it in two so that both parts resonate together。 the counterpart to this is with lord roke； our mander。 when i play on this one with my bow； the other one reproduces the sounds exactly； and so we municate。〃
he put everything away and said something to the lady。 she joined him and they went a little apart； talking too quietly for lyra to hear； though pantalaimon became an owl and turned his great ears in their direction。
presently will came back and then they moved on； more slowly as the day went by and the track got steeper and the snow line nearer。 they rested once more at the head of a rocky valley； because even will could tell that lyra was nearly finished： she was limping badly and her face was gray。
〃let me see your feet；〃 he said to her； 〃because if theyre blistered； ill put some ointment on。〃
they were； badly； and she let him rub in the bloodmoss salve； closing her eyes and gritting her teeth。
meanwhile； the chevalier was busy； and after a few minutes he put his lodestone away and said； 〃i have told lord roke of our position； and they are sending a gyropter to bring us away as soon as you have spoken to your friend。〃
will nodded。 lyra took no notice。 presently she sat up wearily and pulled on her socks and shoes； and they set off once more。
another hour； and most of the valley was in shadow； and will was wondering whether they would find any shelter before night fell； but then lyra gave a cry of relief and joy。
〃iorek！ iorek！〃
she had seen him before will had。 the bear…king was some way off still； his white coat indistinct against a patch of snow； but when lyras voice echoed out he turned his head； raised it to sniff； and bounded down the mountainside toward them。
ignoring will； he let lyra clasp his neck and bury her face in his fur； growling so deep that will felt it through his feet； but lyra felt it as pleasure and forgot her blisters and her weariness in a moment。
〃oh； iorek； my dear； im so glad to see you！ i never thought id ever see you again； after that time on svalbard； and all the things thatve happened； is mr。 scoresby safe？ hows your kingdom？ are you all alone here？〃
the little spies had vanished； at all events； there seemed to be only the three of them now on the darkening mountainside； the boy and the girl and the great white bear。 as if she had never wanted to be anywhere else； lyra climbed up as iorek offered his back