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ing swiftly to the table astride his blue hawk。
lord asriel greeted them warmly and offered wine。 the bird let his rider step off； and then flew to the bracket by the door as the orderly announced the third of lord asriels high manders； an angel by the name of xaphania。 she was of a much higher rank than baruch or balthamos； and visible by a shimmering； disconcerting light that seemed to e from somewhere else。
by this time mrs。 coulter had emerged； much tidied； and all three manders bowed to her； and if she was surprised at their appearance； she gave no sign； but inclined her head and sat down peaceably； holding the pinioned monkey in her arms。
without wasting time； lord asriel said； 〃tell me what happened； king ogunwe。〃
the african； powerful and deep…voiced； said； 〃we killed seventeen swiss guards and destroyed two zeppelins。 we lost five men and one gyropter。 the girl and the boy escaped。 we captured the lady coulter； despite her courageous defense； and brought her here。 i hope she feels we treated her courteously。〃
〃i am quite content with the way you treated me； sir；〃 she said； with the faintest possible stress on the you。
〃any damage to the other gyropters？ any wounded？〃 said lord asriel。
〃some damage and some wounds； but all minor。〃
〃good。 thank you； king； your force did well。 my lord roke； what have you heard？〃
the gallivespian said； 〃my spies are with the boy and girl in another world。 both children are safe and well； though the girl has been kept in a drugged sleep for many days。 the boy lost the use of his knife during the events in the cave： by some accident； it broke in pieces。 but it is now whole again； thanks to a creature from the north of your world； lord asriel； a giant bear； very skilled at smithwork。 as soon as the knife was mended； the boy cut through into another world； where they are now。 my spies are with them； of course； but there is a difficulty： while the boy has the knife； he cannot be pelled to do anything； and yet if they were to kill him in his sleep； the knife would be useless to us。 for the time being； the chevalier tialys and the lady salmakia will go with them wherever they go； so at least we can keep track of them。 they seem to have a plan in mind； they are refusing to e here； at any rate。 my two will not lose them。〃
〃are they safe in this other world theyre in now？〃 said lord asriel。
〃theyre on a beach near a forest of large tree…ferns。 there is no sign of animal life nearby。 as we speak； both boy and girl are asleep； i spoke to the chevalier tialys not five minutes ago。〃
〃thank you；〃 said lord asriel。 〃now that your two agents are following the children； of course； we have no eyes in the magisterium anymore。 we shall have to rely on the alethiometer。 at least。。。”
then mrs。 coulter spoke； to their surprise。
〃i dont know about the other branches；〃 she said； 〃but as far as the consistorial court is concerned； the reader they rely on is fra pavel rasek。 and hes thorough； but slow。 they wont know where lyra is for another few hours。〃
lord asriel said； 〃thank you； marisa。 do you have any idea what lyra and this boy intend to do next？〃
〃no；〃 she said； 〃none。 ive spoken to the boy； and he seemed ；。：； to be a stubborn child； and one well used to keeping secrets。 i cant guess what he would do。 as for lyra； she is quite impossible to read。〃
〃my lord；〃 said king ogunwe； 〃may we know whether the lady is now part of this manding council？ if so； what is her function？ if not； should she not be taken elsewhere？〃
〃she is our captive and my guest； and as a distinguished former agent of the church； she may have information that would be useful。〃
〃will she reveal anything willingly？ or will she need to be tortured？〃 said lord roke； watching her directly as he spoke。
mrs。 coulter laughed。
〃i would have thought lord asriels manders would know better than to expect truth to e out of torture；〃 she said。
lord asriel couldnt help enjoying her barefaced insincerity。
〃i will guarantee mrs。 coulters behavior；〃 he said。 〃she knows what will happen if she betrays us； though she will not have the chance。 however； if any of you has a doubt； express it now； fearlessly。〃
〃i do；〃 said king ogunwe； 〃but i doubt you； not her。〃
〃why？〃 said lord asriel。
〃if she tempted you； you would not resist。 it was right to capture her； but wrong to invite her to this council。 treat her with every courtesy； give her the greatest fort； but place her somewhere else； and stay away from her。〃
〃well； i invited you to speak；〃 said lord asriel； 〃and i must accept your rebuke。 i value your presence more than hers； king。 ill have her taken away。〃
he reached for the bell； but before he could ring； mrs。 coulter spoke。
〃please；〃 she said urgently； 〃listen to me first。 i can help。 ive been closer to the heart of the magisterium than anyone youre likely to find again。 i know how they think； i can guess what theyll do。
you wonder why you should trust me； whats made me leave them？ its simple： theyre going to kill my daughter。 they darent let her live。 the moment i found out who she is； what she is； what the witches prophesy about her； i knew i had to leave the church； i knew i was their enemy； and they were mine。 i didnt know what you all were； or what i was to you； that was a mystery； but i knew that i had to set myself against the church； against everything they believed in； and if need be； against the authority himself。 i。。。〃
she stopped。 all the manders were listening intently。 now she looked lord asriel full in the face and seemed to speak to him alone； her voice low and passionate； her brilliant eyes glittering。
〃i have been the worst mother in the world。 i let my only child be taken away from me when she was a tiny infant； because i didnt care about her； i was concerned only with my own advancement。 i didnt think of her for years； and if i did； it was only to regret the embarrassment of her birth。
〃but then the church began to take an interest in dust and in children； and something stirred in my heart； and i remembered that i was a mother and lyra was。。。 my child。
〃and because there was a threat； i saved her from it。 three times now ive stepped in to pluck her out of danger。 first； when the oblation board began its work： i went to jordan college and i took her to live with me； in london； where i could keep her safe from the board。。。 or so i hoped。 but she ran away。
〃the second time was at bolvangar； when i found her just in time； under the。。。 under the blade of the。。。 my heart nearly stopped。。。 it was what they； we； what i had done to other children； but when it was mine。。。 oh； you cant conceive the horror of that moment； i hope you never suffer as i did then。。。 but i got her free； i took her out； i saved her a second time。
〃but even as i did that； i still felt myself part of the church； a servant； a loyal and faithful and devoted servant； because i was doing the authoritys work。
〃and then i learned the witches prophecy。 lyra will somehow； sometime soon； be tempted； as eve was； thats what they say。 what form this temptation will take； i dont know； but shes growing up； after all。 its not hard to imagine。 and now that the church knows that； too； theyll kill her。 if it all depends on her； could they risk letting her live？ would they dare take the chance that shed refuse this temptation； whatever it will be？
〃no； theyre bound to kill her。 if they could； theyd go back to the garden of eden and kill eve before she was tempted。 killing is not difficult for them； calvin himself ordered the deaths of children； theyd kill her with pomp and ceremony and prayers and lamentations and psalms and hymns； but they would kill her。 if she falls into their hands； shes dead already。
〃so when i heard what the witch said； i saved my daughter for the third time。 i took her to a place where i kept her safe； and there i was going to stay。〃
〃you drugged her；〃 said king ogunwe。 〃you kept her unconscious。〃
〃i had to；〃 said mrs。 coulter； 〃because she hated me；〃 and here her voice； which had been full of emotion but under control； spilled over into a sob； and it trembled as she went on： 〃she feared me and hated me； and she would have fled from my presence like a bird f