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he raised the rifle to his shoulder again and saw them react； shifting backward clumsily； crowding together。 they understood。
they were fine； strong creatures； large and broad…backed； like living boats； in fact。 if they knew what death was； thought father gomez； and if they could see the connection between death and himself； then there was the basis of a fruitful understanding between them。 once they had truly learned to fear him； they would do exactly as he said。
％％。
TWENTY…EIGHT … MIDNIGHT
gxiaoshuowang
lord asriel said； 〃marisa； wake up。 were about to land。〃
a blustery dawn was breaking over the basalt fortress as the intention craft flew in from the south。 mrs。 coulter； sore and heartsick； opened her eyes； she had not been asleep。 she could see the angel xaphania gliding above the landing ground； and then rising and wheeling up to the tower as the craft made for the ramparts。
as soon as the craft had landed； lord asriel leapt out and ran to join king ogunwe on the western watchtower； ignoring mrs。 coulter entirely。 the technicians who came at once to attend to the flying machine took no notice of her； either； no one questioned her about the loss of the aircraft shed stolen； it was as if shed bee invisible。 she made her way sadly up to the room in the adamant tower； where the orderly offered to bring her some food and coffee。
〃whatever you have；〃 she said。 〃and thank you。 oh； by the way；〃 she went on as the man turned to go： 〃lord asriels alethiometrist； mr。 。。。〃
〃mr。 basilides？〃
〃yes。 is he free to e here for a moment？〃
〃hes working with his books at the moment； maam。 ill ask him to step up here when he can。〃
she washed and changed into the one clean shirt she had left。 the cold wind that shook the windows and the gray morning light made her shiver。 she put some more coals on the iron stove； hoping it would stop her trembling； but the cold was in her bones； not just her flesh。
ten minutes later there was a knock on the door。 the pale； dark…eyed alethiometrist； with his nightingale daemon on his shoulder； came in and bowed slightly。 a moment later the orderly arrived with a tray of bread； cheese； and coffee； and mrs。 coulter said：
〃thank you for ing； mr。 basilides。 may i offer you some refreshment？〃
〃i will take some coffee； thank you。〃
〃please tell me；〃 she said as soon as shed poured the drink； 〃because im sure youve been following whats happened： is my daughter alive？〃
he hesitated。 the golden monkey clutched her arm；
〃she is alive；〃 said basilides carefully； 〃but also。。。〃
〃yes？ oh； please； what do you mean？〃
〃she is in the world of the dead。 for some time i could not interpret what the instrument was telling me： it seemed impossible。 but there is no doubt。 she and the boy have gone into the world of the dead； and they have opened a way for the ghosts to e out。 as soon as the dead reach the open； they dissolve as their daemons did； and it seems that this is the most sweet and desirable end for them。 and the alethiometer tells me that the girl did this because she overheard a prophecy that there would e an end to death； and she thought that this was a task for her to acplish。 as a result； there is now a way out of the world of the dead。〃
mrs。 coulter couldnt speak。 she had to turn away and go to the window to conceal the emotion on her face。 finally she said：
〃and will she e out alive？； but no； i know you cant predict。 is she； how is she； has she。。。〃
〃she is suffering； she is in pain； she is afraid。 but she has the panionship of the boy； and of the two gallivespian spies； and they are still all together。〃
〃and the bomb？〃
〃the bomb did not hurt her。〃
mrs。 coulter felt suddenly exhausted。 she wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for months； for years。 outside； the flag rope snapped and clattered in the wind； and the rooks cawed as they wheeled around the ramparts。
〃thank you； sir；〃 she said； turning back to the reader。 〃im very grateful。 please would you let me know if you discover anything more about her； or where she is； or what shes doing？〃
the man bowed and left。 mrs。 coulter went to lie down on the camp bed； but try as she would； she couldnt keep her eyes closed。
〃what do you make of that； king？〃 said lord asriel。
he was looking through the watchtower telescope at something in the western sky。 it had the appearance of a mountain hanging in the sky a hands breadth above the horizon； and covered in cloud。 it was a very long way off； so far； in fact； that it was no bigger than a thumbnail held out at arms length。 but it had not been there for long； and it hung there absolutely still。
the telescope brought it closer； but there was no more detail： cloud still looks like cloud however much its magnified。
〃the clouded mountain；〃 said ogunwe。 〃or； what do they call it？ the chariot？〃
〃with the regent at the reins。 hes concealed himself well； this metatron。 they speak of him in the apocryphal scriptures： he was a man once； a man called enoch； the son of jared； six generations away from adam。 and now he rules the kingdom。 and hes intending to do more than that； if that angel they found by the sulphur lake was correct； the one who entered the clouded mountain to spy。 if he wins this battle； he intends to intervene directly in human life。 imagine that； ogunwe； a permanent inquisition； worse than anything the consistorial court of discipline could dream up； staffed by spies and traitors in every world and directed personally by the intelligence thats keeping that mountain aloft。。。the old authority at least had the grace to withdraw； the dirty work of burning heretics and hanging witches was left to his priests。 this new one will be far； far worse。〃
〃well； hes begun by invading the republic；〃 said ogunwe。 〃look； is that smoke？〃
a drift of gray was leaving the clouded mountain； a slowly spreading smudge against the blue sky。 but it couldnt have been smoke： it was drifting against the wind that tore at the clouds。
the king put his field glasses to his eyes and saw what it was。 〃angels；〃 he said。
lord asriel came away from the telescope and stood up； hand shading his eyes。 in hundreds； and then thousands； and ten