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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 tens of thousands； until half that part of the sky was darkened； the minute figures flew and flew and kept on ing。 lord asriel had seen the billion…strong flocks of blue starlings that wheeled at sunset around the palace of the emperor kang…po； but he had never seen so vast a multitude in all his life。 the flying beings gathered themselves and then streamed away slowly； slowly； to the north and the south。
〃ah！ and whats that？〃 said lord asriel； pointing。 〃thats not the wind。〃
the cloud was swirling on the southern flank of the mountain； and long tattered banners of vapor streamed out in the powerful winds。 but lord asriel was right： the movement was ing from within； not from the air outside。 the cloud roiled and tumbled； and then it parted for a second。
there was more than a mountain there； but they only saw it for a moment； and then the cloud swirled back； as if drawn across by an unseen hand； to conceal it again。
king ogunwe put down his field glasses。
〃thats not a mountain；〃 he said。 〃i saw gun emplacements 。。。〃
〃so did i。 a whole plexity of things。 can he see out through the cloud； i wonder？ in some worlds； they have machines to do that。 but as for his army； if those angels are all theyve got。。。”
the king gave a brief exclamation； half of astonishment； half of despair。 lord asriel turned and gripped his arm with fingers that all but bruised him to the bone。
〃they havent got this！〃 he said； and shook ogunwes arm violently。 〃they havent got zesh！〃
he laid his hand against his friends rough cheek。
〃few as we are；〃 he went on； 〃and short…lived as we are； and weak…sighted as we are； in parison with them； were still stronger。 they envy us； ogunwe！ thats what fuels their hatred； im sure of it。 they long to have our precious bodies； so solid and powerful； so well…adapted to the good earth！ and if we drive at them with force and determination； we can sweep aside those infinite numbers as you can sweep your hand through mist。 they have no more power than that！〃
〃asriel； they have allies from a thousand worlds； living beings like us。〃
〃we shall win。〃
〃and suppose hes sent those angels to look for your daughter？〃
〃my daughter！〃 cried lord asriel； exulting。 〃isnt it something to bring a child like that into the world？ youd think it was enough to go alone to the king of the armored bears and trick his kingdom out of his paws； but to go down into the world of the dead and calmly let them all out！ and that boy； i want to meet that boy； i want to shake his hand。 did we know what we were taking on when we started this rebellion？ no。 but did they know； the authority and his regent； this metatron； did they know what they were taking on when my daughter got involved？〃
〃lord asriel；〃 said the king； 〃do you understand her importance for the future？〃
〃frankly； no。 thats why i want to see basilides。 where did he go？〃
〃to the lady coulter。 but the man is worn out； he can do no more until hes rested。〃