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outbuildings。
will followed the chevalier。 he found himself in a big square kitchen； an old…fashioned place with white china on a wooden dresser； and a scrubbed pine table； and a hearth where a black kettle stood cold。 next door there was a pantry； with two shelves full of apples that filled the whole room with fragrance。 the silence was oppressive。
lyra said quietly； 〃will； is this the world of the dead？〃
the same thought had occurred to him。 but he said； 〃no； i dont think so。 its one we havent been in before。 look； well load up with as much as we can carry。 theres sort of rye bread； thatll be good； its light； and heres some cheese。。。〃
when they had taken what they could carry； will dropped a gold coin into the drawer in the big pine table。
〃well？〃 said lyra； seeing tialys raise his eyebrows。 〃you should always pay for what you take。〃
at that moment salmakia came in through the back door； landing her dragonfly on the table in a shimmer of electric blue。
〃there are men ing；〃 she said； 〃on foot； with weapons。 theyre only a few minutes walk away。 and there is a village burning beyond the fields。〃
and as she spoke； they could hear the sound of boots on gravel； and a voice issuing orders； and the jingle of metal。
〃then we should go；〃 said will。
he felt in the air with the knifepoint。 and at once he was aware of a new kind of sensation。 the blade seemed to be sliding along a very smooth surface； like a mirror； and then it sank through slowly until he was able to cut。 but it was resistant； like heavy cloth； and when he made an opening； he blinked with surprise and alarm： because the world he was opening into was the same in every detail as the one they were already standing in。
〃whats happening？〃 said lyra。
the spies were looking through； puzzled。 but it was more than puzzlement they felt。 just as the air had resisted the knife； so something in this opening resisted their going through。 will had to push against something invisible and then pull lyra after him； and the gallivespians could hardly make any headway at all。 they had to perch the dragonflies on the childrens hands； and even then it was like pulling them against a pressure in the air； their filmy wings bent and twisted； and the little riders had to stroke their mounts heads and whisper to calm their fears。
but after a few seconds of struggle； they were all through； and will found the edge of the window （though it was impossible to see） and closed it； shutting the sound of the soldiers away in their own world。
〃will；〃 said lyra； and he turned to see that there was another figure in the kitchen with them。
his heart jolted。 it was the man hed seen not ten minutes before； stark dead in the bushes with his throat cut。
he was middle…aged； lean； with the look of a man who spent most of the time in the open air。 but now he was looking almost crazed； or paralyzed； with shock。 his eyes were so wide that the white showed all around the iris； and he was clutching the edge of the table with a trembling hand。 his throat； will was glad to see； was intact。
he opened his mouth to speak； but no words came out。 all he could do was point at will and lyra。
lyra said； 〃excuse us for being in your house； but we had to escape from the men who were ing。 im sorry if we startled you。 im lyra； and this is will； and these are our friends； the chevalier tialys and the lady salmakia。 could you tell us your name and where we are？〃
this normal…sounding request seemed to bring the man to his senses； and a shudder passed over him； as if he were waking from a dream。
〃im dead；〃 he said。 〃im lying out there； dead。 i know i am。 you aint dead。 whats happening？ god help me； they cut my throat。 whats happening？〃
lyra stepped closer to will when the man said im dead； and pantalaimon fled to her breast as a mouse。 as for the gallivespians； they were trying to control their dragonflies； because the great insects seemed to
have an aversion for the man and darted here and there in the kitchen； looking for a way out。
but the man didnt notice them。 he was still trying to understand what had happened。
〃are you a ghost？〃 will said cautiously。
the man reached out his hand； and will tried to take it； but his fingers closed on the air。 a tingle of cold was all he felt。
when he saw it happen； the man looked at his own hand； appalled。 the numbness was beginning to wear off； and he could feel the pity of his state。
〃truly；〃 he said； 〃i am dead。。。 im dead； and im going to hell。。。〃
〃hush；〃 said lyra； 〃well go together。 whats your name？〃
〃dirk jansen i was；〃 he said； 〃but already i。。。 i dont know what to do。。。 dont know where to go。。。〃
will opened the door。 the barnyard looked the same； the kitchen garden was unchanged； the same hazy sun shone down。 and there was the mans body； untouched。
a little groan broke from dirk jansens throat； as if there were no denying it anymore。 the dragonflies darted out of the door and skimmed over the ground and then shot up high； faster than birds。 the man was looking around helplessly； raising his hands； lowering them again； uttering little cries。
〃i cant stay here。。。 cant stay；〃 he was saying。 〃but this aint the farm i knew。 this is wrong。 i got to go。。。〃
〃where are you going； mr。 jansen？〃 said lyra。
〃down the road。 dunno。 got to go。 cant stay here。。。〃
salmakia flew down to perch on lyras hand。 the dragonflys little claws pricked as the lady said； 〃there are people walking from the village； people like this man； all walking in the same direction。〃
〃then well go with them；〃 said will； and swung his rucksack over his shoulder。
dirk jansen was already passing his own body； averting his t eyes。 he looked almost as if he were drunk； stopping； moving on； wandering to left and right； stumbling over little ruts and stones on the path his living feet had known so well。
lyra came after will； and pantalaimon became a kestrel and flew up as high as he could； making lyra gasp。
〃theyre right；〃 he said when he came down。 〃theres lines of people all ing from the village。 dead people。。。〃
and soon they saw them； too： twenty or so men； women； and children； all moving as dirk jansen had done； uncertain and shocked。 the village was half a mile away； and the people were ing toward them； close together in the middle of the road。 when dirk jansen saw the other ghosts； he broke into a stumbling run； and they held out their hands to greet him。
〃even if they dont know where theyre going； theyre all going there together；〃 lyra said。 〃we better just go with them。〃
〃dyou think they had daemons in this world？〃 said will。
〃cant tell。 if you saw one of em in your world； would you know he was a ghost？〃
〃its hard to say。 they dont look normal； exactly。。。there was a man i used to see in my town； and he used to walk about outside the shops always holding the same old plastic bag； and he never spoke to anyone or went inside。 and no one ever looked at him。 i used to pretend he was a ghost。 they look a bit like him。 maybe my worlds full of ghosts and i never knew。〃
〃i dont think mine is；〃 said lyra doubtfully。
〃anyway； this must be the world of the dead。 these people have just been killed； those soldiers mustve done it； and here they are； and its just like the world they were alive in。 i thought itd be a lot different。。。〃
〃will； its fading；〃 she said。 〃look！〃
she was clutching his arm。 he stopped and looked around； and she was right。 not long before he had found the window in oxford and stepped through into the other world of cittagazze； there had been an eclipse of the sun； and like millions of others will had stood outside at midday and watched as the bright daylight faded and dimmed until a sort of eerie twilight covered the houses； the trees； the park。 everything was just as clear as in full daylight； but there was less light to see it by； as if all the strength were draining out of a dying sun。
what was happening now was like that； but odder； because the edges of things were losing their definition as well and being blurred。
〃its not like going blind； even；〃 said lyra； frightened； 〃because its not that we cant see things； its like the things themselves are fading。。。〃
the color was slowly