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〃is it easy； hunting up in these mountains； iorek？〃 she said。
〃no。 my people cant live here。 i was wrong； but luckily so； since i found you。 what are your plans now？〃
will looked around the cave。 they were sitting close to the fire； and the firelight threw warm yellows and oranges on the bear…kings fur。 will could see no sign of the spies； but there was nothing for it： he had to ask。
〃king iorek；〃 he began； 〃my knife is broken。。。” then he looked past the bear and said； 〃no； wait。〃 he was pointing at the wall。 〃if youre listening；〃 he went on more loudly； 〃e out and do it honestly。 dont spy on us。〃
lyra and iorek byrnison turned to see who he was talking to。 the little man came out of the shadow and stood calmly in the light； on a ledge higher than the childrens heads； iorek growled。
〃you havent asked iorek byrnison for permission to enter his cave；〃 will said。 〃and he is a king； and youre just a spy。 you should show more respect。〃
lyra loved hearing that。 she looked at will with pleasure； and saw him fierce and contemptuous。
but the chevaliers expression； as he looked at will； was displeased。
〃we have been truthful with you；〃 he said。 〃it was dishonorable to deceive us。〃
will stood up。 his daemon； lyra thought； would have the form of a tigress； and she shrank back from the anger she imagined the great animal to show。
〃if we deceived you； it was necessary；〃 he said。 〃would you have agreed to e here if you knew the knife was broken？ of course you wouldnt。 youd have used your venom to make us unconscious； and then youd have called for help and had us kidnapped and taken to lord asriel。 so we had to trick you； tialys； and youll just have to put up with it。〃
iorek byrnison said； 〃who is this？〃
〃spies；〃 said will。 〃sent by lord asriel。 they helped us escape yesterday； but if theyre on our side； they shouldnt hide and eavesdrop on us。 and if they do； theyre the last people who should talk about dishonor。〃
the spys glare was so ferocious that he looked ready to take on iorek himself； never mind the unarmed will； but tialys was in the wrong； and he knew it。 all he could do was bow and apologize。
〃your majesty；〃 he said to iorek； who growled at once。
the chevaliers eyes flashed hatred at will； and defiance and warning at lyra； and a cold and wary respect at iorek。 the clarity of his features made all these expressions vivid and bright； as if a light shone on him。 beside him the lady salmakia was emerging from the shadow； and； ignoring the children pletely； she made a curtsy to the bear。
〃forgive us；〃 she said to iorek。 〃the habit of concealment is hard to break； and my panion； the chevalier tialys； and i； the lady salmakia； have been among our enemies for so long that out of pure habit we neglected to pay you the proper courtesy。 were acpanying this boy and girl to make sure they arrive safely in the care of lord asriel。 we have no other aim； and certainly no harmful intention toward you； king iorek byrnison。〃
if iorek wondered how any such tiny beings could cause him harm； he didnt show it； not only was his expression naturally hard to read； but he had his courtesy； too； and the lady had spoken graciously enough。
〃e down by the fire；〃 he said。 〃there is food enough and plenty if you are hungry。 will； you began to speak about the knife。〃
〃yes；〃 said will； 〃and i thought it could never happen； but its broken。 and the alethiometer told lyra that youd be able to mend it。 i was going to ask more politely； but there it is： can you mend it； iorek？〃
〃show me。〃
will shook all the pieces out of the sheath and laid them on the rocky floor； pushing them about carefully until they were in their right places and he could see that they were all there。 lyra held a burning branch up； and in its light iorek bent low to look closely at each piece； touching it delicately with his massive claws and lifting it up to turn it this way and that and examine the break。 will marveled at the deftness in those huge black hooks。
then iorek sat up again； his head rearing high into the shadow。
〃yes；〃 he said； answering exactly the question and no more。
lyra said； knowing what he meant； 〃ah； but will you； iorek？ you couldnt believe how important this is； if we cant get it mended then were in desperate trouble； and not only us。。。”
〃i dont like that knife；〃 iorek said。 〃i fear what it can do。 i have never known anything so dangerous。 the most deadly fighting machines are little toys pared to that knife； the harm it can do is unlimited。 it would have been infinitely better if it had never been made。〃
〃but with it。。。” began will。
iorek didnt let him finish； but went on； 〃with it you can do strange things。 what you dont know is what the knife does on its own。 your intentions may be good。 the knife has intentions； too。〃
〃how can that be？〃 said will。
〃the intentions of a tool are what it does。 a hammer intends to strike； a vise intends to hold fast； a lever intends to lift。 they are what it is made for。 but sometimes a tool may have other uses that you dont know。 sometimes in doing what you intend； you also do what the knife intends； without knowing。 can you see the sharpest edge of that knife？〃
〃no；〃 said will； for it was true： the edge diminished to a thinness so fine that the eye could not reach it。
〃then how can you know everything it does？〃
〃i cant。 but i must still use it； and do what i can to help good things e about。 if i did nothing； id be worse than useless。 id be guilty。〃
lyra was following this closely； and seeing iorek still unwilling； she said：
〃iorek； you know how wicked those bolvangar people were。 if we cant win； then theyre going to be able to carry on doing those kind of things forever。 and besides； if we dont have the knife； then they might get hold of it themselves。 we never knew about it when i first met you； iorek； and nor did anyone； but now that we do； we got to use it ourselves； we cant just not。 thatd be feeble； and itd be wrong； too； itd be just
like handing it over to em and saying； go on； use it； we wont stop you。 all right； we dont know what it does； but i can ask the alethiometer； cant i？ then wed know。 and we could think about it pr