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e the stained…glass windows gradually beginning to glow as a servant moved up the tables lighting the naphtha lamps。 The Steward's bell began to toll； announcing half an hour before dinner。
This was her world。 She wanted it to stay the same forever and ever； but it was changing around her； for someone out there was stealing children。 She sat on the roof ridge； chin in hands。
〃We better rescue him； Pantalaimon；〃 she said。 He answered in his rook voice from the chimney。 〃It'll be dangerous；〃 he said。 '〃Course！ I know that。〃
〃Remember what they said in the Retiring Room。〃
〃What？〃
〃Something about a child up in the Arctic。 The one that wasn't attracting the Dust。〃
〃They said it was an entire child 。 。 。 。What about it？〃
〃That might be what they're going to do to Roger and the gyptians and the other kids。〃
〃What？〃
〃Well； what does entire mean？〃
〃Dunno。 They cut 'em in half； probably。 I reckon they make slaves out of 'em。 That'd be more use。 They probably got mines up there。 Uranium mines for atomcraft。 I bet that's what it is。 And if they sent grownups down the mine； they'd be dead； so they use kids instead because they cost less。 That's what they've done with him。〃
〃I think…〃
But what Pantalaimon thought had to wait； because someone began to shout from below。
〃Lyra！ Lyra！ You e in this instant！〃
There was a banging on the window frame。 Lyra knew the voice and the impatience： it was Mrs。 Lonsdale； the Housekeeper。 There was no hiding from her。
Tight…faced； Lyra slid down the roof and into the gutter； and then climbed in through the window again。 Mrs。 Lonsdale was running some water into the little chipped basin； to the acpaniment of a great groaning and hammering from the pipes。
〃The number of times you been told about going out there…Look at you！ Just look at your skirt…it's filthy！ Take it off at once and wash yourself while I look for something decent that en't torn。 Why you can't keep yourself clean and tidy 。 。 。 〃
Lyra was too sulky even to ask why she was having to wash and dress； and no grownup ever gave reasons of their own accord。 She dragged the dress over her head and dropped it on the narrow bed； and began to wash desultorily while Pantalaimon； a canary now； hopped closer and closer to Mrs。 Lonsdale's daemon； a stolid retriever； trying in vain to annoy him。
〃Look at the state of this wardrobe！ You en't hung nothing up for weeks！ Look at the creases in this…〃
Look at this； look at that 。 。 。 Lyra didn't want to look。 She shut her eyes as she rubbed at her face with the thin towel。
〃You'll just have to wear it as it is。 There en't time to take an iron to it。 God bless me； girl； your knees…look at the state of them 。 。 。 。〃
〃Don't want to look at nothing；〃 Lyra muttered。
Mrs。 Lonsdale smacked her leg。 〃Wash；〃 she said ferociously。 〃You get all that dirt off。〃
〃Why？〃 Lyra said at last。 〃I never wash my knees usually。 No one's going to look at my knees。 What've I got to do all this for？ You don't care about Roger neither； any more than Chef does。 I'm the only one that…〃 Another smack； on the other leg。
〃None of that nonsense。 I'm a Parslow； same as Roger's father。 He's my second cousin。 I bet you didn't know that； 'cause I bet you never asked； Miss Lyra。 I bet it never occurred to you。 Don't you chide me with not caring about the boy。 God knows； I even care about you； and you give me little enough reason and no thanks。〃
She seized the flannel and rubbed Lyra's knees so hard she left the skin bright pink and sore； but clean。
〃The reason for this is you're going to have dinner with the Master and his guests。 I hope to God you behave。 Speak when you're spoken to； be quiet and polite； smile nicely and don't you ever say Dunno when someone asks you a question。〃
She dragged the best dress onto Lyra's skinny frame； tugged it straight； fished a bit of red ribbon out of the tangle in a drawer； and brushed Lyra's hair with a coarse brush。
〃If they'd let me know earlier； I could've given your hair a proper wash。 Well； that's too bad。 As long as they don't look too close 。 。 。 There。 Now stand up straight。 Where's those best patent…leather shoes？〃
Five minutes later Lyra was knocking on the door of the Master's lodging； the grand and slightly gloomy house that opened into the Yaxley Quadrangle and backed onto the Library Garden。 Pantalaimon； an ermine now for politeness； rubbed himself against her leg。 The door was opened by the Master's manservant Cousins； an old enemy of Lyra's； but both knew that this was a state of truce。
〃Mrs。 Lonsdale said I was to e；〃 said Lyra。
〃Yes；〃 said Cousins； stepping aside。 〃The Master's in the drawing room。〃
He showed her into the large room that overlooked the Library Garden。 The last of the sun shone into it； through the gap between the library and Palmer's Tower； and lit up the heavy pictures and the glum silver the Master collected。 It also lit up the guests； and Lyra realized why they weren't going to dine in Hall： three of the guests were women。
〃Ah； Lyra；〃 said the Master。 〃I'm so glad you could e。 Cousins； could you find some sort of soft drink？ Dame Hannah； I don't think you've met Lyra 。 。 。 Lord Asriel's niece； you know。〃
Dame Hannah Relf was the head of one of the women's colleges； an elderly gray…haired lady whose daemon was a marmoset。 Lyra shook hands as politely as she could； and was then introduced to the other guests； who were； like Dame Hannah； Scholars from other colleges and quite uninteresting。 Then the Master came to the final guest。
〃Mrs。 Coulter；〃 he said； 〃this is our Lyra。 Lyra； e and say hello to Mrs。 Coulter。〃
〃Hello； Lyra；〃 said Mrs。 Coulter。
She was beautiful and young。 Her sleek black hair framed her cheeks； and her daemon was a golden monkey。
FOUR
THE ALETHIOMETER
〃I hope you'll sit next to me at dinner；〃 said Mrs。 Coulter； making room for Lyra on the sofa。 〃I'm not used to the grandeur of a Master's lodging。 You'll have to show me which knife and fork to use。〃
〃Are you a female Scholar？〃 said Lyra。 She regarded female Scholars with a proper Jordan disdain： there were such people； but； poor things； they could never be taken more seriously than animals dressed up and acting a play。 Mrs。 Coulter； on the other hand； was not like any female Scholar Lyra had seen； and certainly not like the two serious elderly ladies who were the other female guests。 Lyra had asked the question expecting the answer No； in fact； for Mrs。 Coulter had such an air of glamour that Lyra was entranced。 She could hardly take her eyes off her。
〃Not really；〃 Mrs。 Coulter said。 〃I'm a member of Dame Hannah's college； but most of my work takes place outside Oxford 。 。 。 。Tell me about yourself； Lyra。 Have you always lived at Jordan College？〃
Within five minutes Lyra had told her everything about her half…wild life： her favorite routes over the rooftops； the battle of the claybeds； the time she and Roger had caught and roasted a rook； her intention to capture a narrowboat from the gyptians and sail it to Abingdon； and so on。 She even （looking around and lowering her voice） told he