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〃brother louis；〃 said the man； soothing his rabbit daemon； 〃convener of the secretariat of the consistorial court。 if you would be so kind。。。”
〃i havent e here to parley with a scrivener；〃 she told him。 〃take me to father macphail。 and do it now。〃
the man bowed helplessly and led her away。 the guard be hind her blew out his cheeks with relief。
brother louis； after trying two or three times to make conversation； gave up and led her in silence to the presidents rooms in the tower。 father macphail was at his devotions； and poor brother louiss hand shook violently as he knocked。 they heard a sigh and a groan； and then heavy footsteps crossed the floor。
the presidents eyes widened as he saw who it was； and he smiled wolfishly。
〃mrs。 coulter；〃 he said； offering his hand。 〃i am very glad to see you。 my study is cold； and our hospitality is plain； but e in； e in。〃
〃good evening；〃 she said； following him inside the bleak stone…walled room； allowing him to make a little fuss and show her to a chair。 〃thank you；〃 she said to brother louis； who was still hovering； 〃ill take a glass of chocolate。〃
nothing had been offered； and she knew how insulting it was to treat him like a servant； but his manner was so abject that he deserved it。 the president nodded； and brother louis had to leave and deal with it； to his great annoyance。
〃of course you are under arrest；〃 said the president； taking the other chair and turning up the lamp。
〃oh； why spoil our talk before weve even begun？〃 said mrs。 coulter。 〃i came here voluntarily； as soon as i could escape from asriels fortress。 the fact is； father president； i have a great deal of information about his forces； and about the child； and i came here to give it to you。〃
〃the child； then。 begin with the child。〃
〃my daughter is now twelve years old。 very soon she will approach the cusp of adolescence； and then it will be too late for any of us to prevent the catastrophe； nature and opportunity will e together like spark and tinder。 thanks to your intervention； that is now far more likely。 i hope youre satisfied。〃
〃it was your duty to bring her here into our care。 instead； you chose to skulk in a mountain cave； though how a woman of your intelligence hoped to remain hidden is a mystery to me。〃
〃theres probably a great deal thats mysterious to you； my lord president； starting with the relations between a mother and her child。 if you thought for one moment that i would release my daughter into the care； the care！ ； of a body of men with a feverish obsession with sexuality； men with dirty fingernails； reeking of ancient sweat； men whose furtive imaginations would crawl over her body like cockroaches； if you thought i would expose my child to that； my lord president； you are more stupid than you take me for。〃
there was a knock on the door before he could reply； and brother louis came in with two glasses of chocolate on a wooden tray。 he laid the tray on the table with a nervous bow； smiling at the president in hopes of being asked to stay； but father macphail nodded toward the door； and the young man left reluctantly。
〃so what were you going to do？〃 said the president。
〃i was going to keep her safe until the danger had passed。〃
〃what danger would that he？〃 he said； handing her a glass。
〃oh； i think you know what i mean。 somewhere there is a tempter； a serpent； so to speak； and i had to keep them from meeting。〃
〃there is a boy with her。〃
〃yes。 and if you hadnt interfered； they would both be under my control。 as it is； they could be anywhere。 at least theyre not with lord asriel。〃
〃i have no doubt he will be looking for them。 the boy has a knife of extraordinary power。 they would be worth pursuing for that alone。〃
〃im aware of that；〃 said mrs。 coulter。 〃i managed to break ？ it； and he managed to get it mended again。〃
the president wondered why she was smiling。 surely she didnt approve of this wretched boy？
〃we know；〃 he said shortly。
〃well； well；〃 she said。 〃fra pavel must be getting quicker。 when i knew him； it would have taken him a month at least to read all that。〃
she sipped her chocolate； which was thin and weak； how like these wretched priests； she thought； to take their self…righteous abstinence out on their visitors； too。
〃tell me about lord asriel；〃 said the president。 〃tell me everything。〃
mrs。 coulter settled back fortably and began to tell him； not everything； but he never thought for a moment that she would。 she told him about the fortress； about the allies； about the angels； about the mines and the foundries。
father macphail sat without moving a muscle； his lizard daemon absorbing and remembering every word。
〃and how did you get here？〃 he asked。
〃i stole a gyropter。 it ran out of fuel and i had to abandon it in the countryside not far from here。 the rest of the way i walked。〃
〃is lord asriel actively searching for the girl and the boy？〃
〃of course。〃
〃i assume hes after that knife。 you know it has a name？ the cliff…ghasts of the north call it the god…destroyer；〃 he went on； crossing to the window and looking down over the cloisters。 〃thats what asriel is aiming to do； isnt it？ destroy the authority？ there are some people who claim that god is dead already。 presumably； asriel is not one of those； if he retains the ambition to kill him。〃
〃well； where is god；〃 said mrs。 coulter； 〃if hes alive？ and why doesnt he speak anymore？ at the beginning of the world； god walked in the garden and spoke with adam and eve。 then he began to withdraw； and he forbade moses to look at his face。 later； in the time of daniel； he was aged； he was the ancient of days。 where is he now？ is he still alive； at some inconceivable age； decrepit and demented； unable to think or act or speak and unable to die； a rotten hulk？ and if that is his condition； wouldnt it be the most merciful thing； the truest proof of our love for god； to seek him out and give him the gift of death？〃
mrs。 coulter felt a calm exhilaration as she spoke。 she wondered if shed ever get out alive； but it was intoxicating； to speak like that to this man。
〃and dust？〃 he said。 〃from the depths of heresy； what is your view of dust？〃
〃i have no view of dust；〃 she said。 〃i dont know what it is。 no one does。〃
〃i see。 well； i began by reminding you that you are under arrest。 i think its time we found you somewhere to sleep。 youll be quite fortable； no one will hurt you； but youre not going to get away。 and we shall talk more tomorrow。〃
he rang a bell； and brother louis came in almost at once。 〃show mrs。 coulter to the best guest room；〃 said the president。 〃and lock her in。〃
the best guest room was shabby and the furniture was cheap； but at least it was clean。 after the lock had turned behind her； mrs。 coulter looked around at once for the microphone and found one in the elaborate light…fitting and another under the frame of the bed。 she disconnected them both； and then had a horrible surprise。
watching her from the top of the chest of drawers behind the door was lord roke。
she cried out and put a hand on the wall to steady herself。 the gallivespian was sitting cross…legged； entirely at his ease； and neither she nor the golden monkey had seen him