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u put together an instrument to do so。 beside us； you think and act with the speed of a bird。 that is how it seems； which is how we know that our rhythm seems slow to you。
but that fact is our hope。 you can see things that we cannot； you can see connections and possibilities and alternatives that are invisible to us； just as sraf was invisible to you。 and while we cannot see a way to survive； we hope that you may。 we hope that you will go swiftly to the cause of the trees sickness and find a cure； we hope you will invent a means of dealing with the tualapi； who are so numerous and so powerful。
and we hope you can do so soon； or we shall all die。
there was a murmur of agreement and approval from the crowd。 they were all looking at mary； and she felt more than ever like the new pupil at a school where they had high expectations of her。 she also felt a strange flattery： the idea of herself as swift and darting and birdlike was new and pleasant； because she had always thought of herself as dogged and plodding。 but along with that came the feeling that theyd got it terribly wrong； if they saw her like that； they didnt understand at all； she couldnt possibly fulfill this desperate hope of theirs。
but equally； she must。 they were waiting。
sattamax； she said； mulefa； you put your trust in me and i shall do my best。 you have been kind and your life is good and beautiful and i will try very hard to help you； and now i have seen sraf； i know what it is that i am doing。 thank you for trusting me。
they nodded and murmured and stroked her with their trunks as she stepped down。 she was daunted by what she had agreed to do。
at that very moment in the world of cittagazze； the assassin…priest father gomez was making his way up a rough track in the mountains between the twisted trunks of olive trees。 the evening light slanted through the silvery leaves and the air was full of the noise of crickets and cicadas。
ahead of him he could see a little farmhouse sheltered among vines； where a goat bleated and a spring trickled down through the gray rocks。 there was an old man attending to some task beside the house； and an old woman leading the goat toward a stool and a bucket。
in the village some way behind； they had told him that the woman he was following had passed this way； and that shed talked of going up into the mountains； perhaps this old couple had seen her。 at least there might be cheese and olives to buy； and springwater to drink。 father gomez was quite used to living frugally； and there was plenty of time。
。d xs
EIGHTEEN … THE SUBURBS OF THE DEAD
。小［说网｝
lyra was awake before dawn； with pantalaimon shivering at her breast； and she got up to walk about and warm herself up as the gray light seeped into the sky。 she had never known such silence； not even in the snow…blanketed arctic； there was not a stir of wind； and the sea was so still that not the tiniest ripple broke on the sand； the world seemed suspended between breathing in and breathing out。
will lay curled up fast asleep； with his head on the rucksack to protect the knife。 the cloak had fallen off his shoulder； and she tucked it around him； pretending that she was taking care to avoid his daemon； and that she had the form of a cat； curled up just as he was。 she must be here somewhere； lyra thought。
carrying the still sleepy pantalaimon； she walked away from will and sat down on the slope of a sand dune a little way off； so their voices wouldnt wake him。
〃those little people；〃 pantalaimon said。
〃i dont like em；〃 said lyra decisively。 〃i think we should get away from em as soon as we can。 i reckon if we trap 〃em in a net or something； will can cut through and close up and thats it； well be free。〃
〃we havent got a net；〃 he said； 〃or something。 anyway； i bet theyre cleverer than that。 hes watching us now。〃
pantalaimon was a hawk as he said that； and his eyes were keener than hers。 the darkness of the sky was turning minute by minute into the palest ethereal blue； and as she looked across the sand； the first edge of the sun just cleared the rim of the sea； dazzling her。 because she was on the slope of the dune； the light reached her a few seconds before it touched the beach； and she watched it flow around her and along toward will； and then she saw the hand…high figure of the chevalier tialys； standing by wills head； clear and wide awake and watching them。
〃the thing is；〃 said lyra； 〃they cant make us do what they want。 they got to follow us。 i bet theyre fed up。〃
〃if they got hold of us；〃 said pantalaimon； meaning him and lyra； 〃and got their stings ready to stick in us； will’d have to do what they said。〃
lyra thought about it。 she remembered vividly the horrible scream of pain from mrs。 coulter； the eye…rolling convulsions； the ghastly； lolling drool of the golden monkey as the poison entered her bloodstream。。。 and that was only a scratch； as her mother had recently been reminded elsewhere。 will would have to give in and do what they wanted。
〃suppose they thought he wouldnt； though；〃 she said； 〃suppose they thought he was so coldhearted hed just watch us die。 maybe he better make em think that； if he can。〃
she had brought the alethiometer with her； and now that it was light enough to see； she took the beloved instrument out and laid it on its black velvet cloth in her lap。 little by little； lyra drifted into that trance in which the many layers of meaning were clear to her； and where she could sense intricate webs of connectedness between them all。 as her fingers found the symbols； her mind found the words： how can we get rid of the spies？
then the needle began to dart this way and that； almost too fast to see； and some part of lyras awareness counted the swings and the stops and saw at once the meaning of what the movement said。
it told her： do not try； because your lives depend on them。
that was a surprise； and not a happy one。 but she went on and asked： how can we get to the land of the dead？
the answer came： go down。 follow the knife。 go onward。 follow the knife。
and finally she asked hesitantly； half…ashamed： is this the right thing to do？
yes； said the alethiometer instantly。 yes。
she sighed； ing out of her trance； and tucked the hair behind her ears； feeling the first warmth of the sun on her face and shoulders。 there were sounds in the world now； too： insects were stirring； and a very slight breeze was rustling the dry grass stems growing higher up the dune。
she put the alethiometer away and wandered back to will； with pantalaimon as large as he could make himself and lion…shaped； in the hope of daunting the gallivespians。
the man was using his lodestone apparatus； and when hed finished； lyra said：
〃you been talking to lord asriel？〃
〃to his representative；〃 said tialys。
〃we ent going。〃
〃thats what i told him。〃
〃what did he say？〃
〃that was for my ears； not yours。〃
〃suit yourself；〃 she said。 〃are you married to that lady？〃
〃no。 we are colleagues。〃
〃have you got any children？〃
〃no。〃
tialys continued to pack the lodestone resonator away； and as he did so； the lady salmakia woke up nearby； sitting up graceful and slow from the little hollow shed made in the soft sand。 the dragonflies were still asleep； tethered with cobweb…thin cord； their wings damp with dew。
〃are there big people on your world； or are they all small like you？〃 lyra said。
〃we know how to deal with big people；〃 tialys replied； not very helpfully； and went to talk quietly to the lady。 they spoke too softly for lyra to hear； but she enjoyed watching them sip dewdrops from the marram grass to refresh themselves。 water must be different for them； she thought to pantalaimon： imagine drops the size of your fist！ theyd be hard to get into； theyd have a sort of elastic rind； like a balloon。
by this time will was waking； too； wearily。 the first thing he did was to look for the gallivespians； who looked back at once； fully focused on him。
he looked away and found lyra。
〃i want to tell you something；〃 she said。 〃e over here； away from。。。”
〃if you go away from us；〃 said tialyss clear voice； 〃you must leave the knife。 if you wont leave the knife； you must talk to each other here。〃