Page 16 (2/2)

"I should like to see it," she said "Soon, I hope But I’o to bed I want to see all the children tomorrow We shall find out who opened that door"

There was the sound of chairs being pushed back, polite expressions, a door closing Then Lyra heard the others sit down again, and go on talking, but more quietly

"What is Lord Asriel up to?"

"I think he’s got an entirely different idea of the nature of Dust That’s the point It’s profoundly heretical, you see, and the Consistorial Court of Discipline can’t allow any other interpretation than the authorized one And besides, he wants to experiment - "

"To experiment? With Dust?"

"Hush! Not so loud"

"Do you think she’ll make an unfavorable report?"

"No, no I think you dealt with her very well"

"Her attitude worries me"

"Not philosophical, you mean?"

"Exactly A personal interest I don’t like to use the word, but it’s al"

"But do you remember the first experiments, when she was so keen to see thefn pulled apart - "

Lyra,coutdn’t help it: a little cry escaped her, and at the saainst a stanchion

"What was that?"

"In the ceiling - "

"Quick!"

The sound of chairs being thrown aside, feet running, a table pulled across the floor Lyra tried to scramble away, but there was so little space, and before she couldpanel beside her was thrust up suddenly, and she was looking into the startled face of a h to see every hair in his moustache He was as startled as she was, but with ap and seize her aro - "

Lyra sank her teeth into his large freckled hand He cried out, but didn’t let go, even when she drew blood Pan-talaiood, the er than she was, and he pulled and pulled until her other hand, desperately clinging to the stanchion, had to loosen, and she half-fell through into the room

Still she didn’t utter a sound She hooked her legs over the sharp edge of the , punching, spitting in passionate fury Thewith pain or exertion, but they pulled and pulled

And suddenly all the strength went out of her

It was as if an alien hand had reached right inside where no hand had a right to be, and wrenched at so deep and precious

She felt faint, dizzy, sick, disgusted, li Pantalaimon

He had seized Lyra’s dae, nearly out of his ust His wildcat shape, his fur now dull eakness, now sparking glints of anbaric alarmHe curved toward his Lyra as she reached with both hands for him

They fell still They were captured

She felt those handsIt wasn’t allowedNot supposed to touch Wrong

"Was she on her own?"

Aspace

"Seems to be on her own"

"Who is she?"

"The new child"

"The one the Samoyed hunters"

"Yes"

"You don’t suppose shethe daemons"

"Could well be But not on her own, surely?"

"Should we tell - "

"I think that would put the seal on things, don’t you?"

"I agree Better she doesn’t hear at all"

"But what can we do about this?"

"She can’t go back with the other children"

"I we can do, it seems to me"

"Now?"

"Have to Can’t leave it till theShe wants to watch"

"We could do it ourselves No need to involve anyone else"

Theeither Lyra or Pantalaimon, tapped his teeth with a thumbnail His eyes were never still; they flicked and slid and darted this way and that Finally he nodded

"Now Do it now," he said "Otherwise she’ll talk The shock will prevent that, at least She won’t remember who she is, what she sahat she heardCome on"

Lyra couldn’t speak She could hardly breathe She had to let herself be carried through the station, along white e with anbaric power, past the dormitories where children slept with their das their dreams; and every second of the way she watched Pantalaimon, and he reached for her, and their eyes never left each other

Then a door which opened by e wheel; a hiss of air; and a brilliantly lit cha white tiles and stainless steel The fear she felt was almost a physical pain; it was a physical pain, as they pulled her and Pantalaie of pale silverpoised to separate them forever and ever

She found a voice at last, and screamed The sound echoed loudly off the shiny surfaces, but the heavy door had hissed shut; she could scream and scream forever, and not a sound would escape

But Pantalaimon, in answer, had twisted free of those hateful hands - he was a lion, an eagle; he tore at thes beat wildly, and then he was a wolf, a bear, a polecat - darting, snarling, slashing, a succession of transfor, flying, dodging from one spot to another as their clumsy hands flailed and snatched at the empty air

But they had daeainst three, it o against six A badger, an owl, and a baboon were all just as intent to pin Pantalai this? Help us! You shouldn’t be helping them!"

And she kicked and bit asped and let go for atoward her like a spark of lightning, and she clutched hi his wildcat claws into her flesh, and every stab of pain was dear to her

"Never! Never! Never!" she cried, and backed against the wall to defend hiain, three big brutal men, and she was only a child, shocked and terrified; and they tore Pantalaie ofstill, around to the other There was a mesh barrier between them, but he was still part of her, they were still joined For a second or so more, he was still her own dear soul

Above the panting of the h wild howl of her dae from the nose) operate a bank of switches The other two looked up, and her eyes followed theirs The great pale silver blade was rising slowly, catching the brilliant light The lastto be the worst by far

"What is going on here?"

A light,stopped

"What are you doing? And who is this child - "

She didn’t conized Lyra Through tear-blurred eyes Lyra saw her totter and clutch at a bench; her face, so beautiful and coard and horror-struck

"Lyra - " she whispered

The golden ed Pantalaie as Lyra fell out herself Pantalaimon pulled free of the monkey’s solicitous paws and stumbled to Lyra’s arms

"Never, never," she breathed into his fur, and he pressed his beating heart to hers

They clung together like survivors of a shipwreck, shivering on a desolate coast Di to the men, but she couldn’t even interpret her tone of voice And then they were leaving that hateful roo her along a corridor, and then there was a door, a bedrooht

Mrs Coulter laid her gently on the bed Lyra’s ar with the force of it A tender hand stroked her head

"My dear, dear child," said that sweet voice "However did you come to be here?"