tians arrived on ternoon of to and Joain came asheir guide.

        Mary old time tians epping aso ting to greet ty about t Joy of courtesy and patien ermi tra of all people s grad friendsern gyptians.

        So ood in t sun for some time ranslated as best sings from terways of his homeland.

        o move up to t o    oo carry ed gratefully, and so it    to to meet them.

        Suce Lyra    spoken togeti to rescue t so sainly; but Jo ig igo .

        "S; ;Remember t little girl ook to t ongue of an angel, I couldnt tell you o set eyes on you again."

        But s, , sayed close to ill, and raigrayed far from her.

        ted fully, because Serafina Pekkala old t ill , empered by courtesy, and    t t o beer and a stre.

        "Dr. Malone," said Jo;o take on freser, and ing to do, and it ell t    to."

        "Lord Faa," said Mary, "to say t to s;

        "Itll be reat pleasure to accept," said John Faa.

        So t evening t dooget and fruit and ians preses s from all tapestries from turkestan, cups of silver from the mines of Sveden, enameled dishes from Corea.

        t, and iurn offered objects of their own workmanship: rare

        vessels of a knot    rope and cord, lacquered b and lig even tians he like.

        , tain ts ao supervise took on board tores a t to sail as soon as m came. , to s:

        "A great , y. e o s t;

        So Jo o ts , still in ting a grove around it, because it    forever; it was a source of joy.

        "ell, tery," said Farder , "and Im glad I lived long enougo see it. to go into t . But if t for t part of us t o go do makes my    lig;

        "Youre rig; said Jo;Ive seen a good many folk die; Ive sent more to t tle. to kno after a spell in t again to a s land like to be free of ts test promise anyone could wis;

        "e must talk to Lyra about t; said Farder , "and learn    came about and    means."

        Mary found it very o say good-bye to Atal and t: a lacquer paining some of tree oil, and most precious of all, a little bag of seeds.

        t not groal said, but if not, you    fet us, Mary.

        Never, Mary said. Never. If I live as long as tc everyt you and tal.

        So t, tter of t snoayed    every ogethe blink of an eyelid.

        Xapold Serafina Pekkala t o tions ransparent images on til truly touch.

        At t, , as far as Lyra o travel from o Cittagazze. ills Oxford    a er, te sun lay erracotta roofs, t elegant and crumbling erfront, and ill and Lyras little cafe. A long sears telescope soever, but Joo take    in case.

        t get in t they were needed.

        te a last meal togetco tain and o Joo be a very strong, and deeply stri.

        Finally ill and Lyra and t off ty city. And it y; tfalls and t ao to part, and tayed some ers.

        "Lyra s to e a little o my Oxford," Mary said. "S ser;

        " ;

        "Me, go o my flat, my onigomorro o    better. tions in my isfy ties and ansions; Ill , a rate    boy...But Ill    got a job anymore, and not muc be surprised if ter me... I    talk to about all t;

        t streets, past a square too darkness, past a little cafe ood on t, and out onto a broad boulevard rees in ter.

        "t; said Mary.

        t seen in t suburban road in Oxford opened    o letting    and move ly in the window vanished.

        "tll surprise t time t; she said.

        It ention to go into ill and Marys Oxford and surning o be careful    streets of Cittagazze. On t a o a great ico as brilliant as ig sugar uhe moon.

        "old me t; Mary said, "you said you could teaco see ime...I wis;

        "ell, ; Serafina said, "and    alking? Ive taugc yoing back to your oo, o ter, you o ate of mind, didnt you?"

        "Yes...just as Lyra did er. Do you mean if I try t?"

        "Not only t, but ordinary seeing at time. try it no;

        In Marys ure t looked at first like random dots of color but t,    in a certain o advao t of tree, or a face, or somet simply    there before.

        Serafina taugo do noo t. So o aneously slipping into trancelike open dreaming in rance, just as you o look in tions at oo see tures among ts.

        And just as it    pictures, s it.

        "A; so steady    a bird: glossy black,    as Serafina ,    or tcly cocked, for all though he was amused.

        But s ration slipped, and he vanished.

        "Youve do once, aime it ; Serafina said. "o see too, in t see yours or ills, teacaug;

        "Yes...Oraordinary. Yes!"

        Mary t: Lyra talked to    sicipation.

        Ating a o pass t    again.

        "Dyou know w; ill said.

        Mary looked around. t and tree-lined, orian houses in shrub-filled gardens.

        "Some;Not far from my flat, as a matter of fact, t knoly w;

        "I    to go to tanic Garden," Lyra said.

        "All rigs about fifteen minutes ;

        Mary tried t easier time, and t . to see o it    ation. S t led into place as if here all her life.

        ell, , and moved on.

        t mucraffi treet, and eps opposite Magdalen College toe of tanic Garden, tely aloe gateos i, and o tself. to the garden.

        "Its t; said Lyra, tugging at ills hand.

        S a pool ain under a ree, and truck off to t bets toone , and in t of trees ing less formal. Lyra led    to ttle bridge, to a    under a spreading, low-brancree.

        "Yes!" s;I    is, just to e    on t same beo be alone, just me and Pan.    I t    if you, maybe just once a year, if ime, just for an end     just here in my world...”

        "Yes," ;as long as I live, Ill e back. he world, Ill e back here...”

        "On Midsummer Day," s;At midday. As long as I live. As long as I live..."

        o see, but    t tears flo held her close.

        "And if er on, " s;if    someo    be good to t make parisons all time and    just keep up t for an    to be toget;

        tiges passed; a erbird on tirred and called; the occasional car moved dalen Bridge.

        Finally t.

        "ell," said Lyra softly.

        Everyt    moment , and t er on, ense grace made tender by tely soft. o t one of all.

        o te. Mary and Serafina ing.

        "Lyra...” ill said.

        And s;ill."

        a o Cittagazze. t    far from t. epped t time and looked do city, tiled roofs gleaming in t, toed sing out on till sea.

        uro Serafina and said as steadily as ;t to Lyra for as long as s;

        In ansary, and too, embraced, and first Mary and tepped t o trees of tanic Garden.

        Being carts no as    it rying to ing ill io cla ear out ; , and    no one could see t it cost him.

        And    Lyra    tigrain in .

        heless, she smiled.

        One last kiss, rus tear from ransferred to alaimon floo Lyras arms; and to close t he way was closed, Lyra was gone.

        "Noo sound matter-of-fact, but o turn a;Ive got to break t;

        il ried t to mind just o cut a    of ter ably reminded , it    last met somet couldnt cut, and t was his love for her.

        So ried it noed in Mrs. Coopers little hallway.

        But it didnt    easily to a artling t again quickly and stood puzzled for a moment.

        ;Lyra."

        Of course.     t ill lay on his cheek.

        And time, tered and to to glitter on to ill    her universe.

        ill ko pick t eyes o find them all.

        Mary was shouldering her rucksack.

        "ell," s;en ners, largely. But Serafina Pekkala and I made a promise to eaco Lyra just noo you about t if youll let me, Ill be your friend for t of our lives. ere bot sort of...    I mean to say is, t anyone else alk to about all t eac to get used to living oo...And rouble, and if t doesnt give us somet kno;

        "Youre in trouble?" said ill, looking at ly.

        "ell, I smasy in t, and I fed ay card, and...Its not deal rouble, , too. e    find your mot reatment. And if you need some mind living , t o go into, , into care. I mean, ory and stick to it, but , couldnt ;

        Mary rue.    of t.

        "Yes!" he said.

        "ell, lets do it. My flats about    Id like most of all in tea. e os go and put ttle on."

        ter t Lyra ced once more at t diable in Jordan College er.

        time it y: just er and Dame . Sop t first dioo, and if Lyra o see ed ely, and found t    fault: for teresting, and kindlier by far the dim and frumpy person she remembered.

        All kinds of to Jordan College, to England, to t seemed t tly, and t many brutal la t erium oppled ts and brougions into poion Board orial Court of Discipline was fused and leaderless.

        And ter a brief and turbulent interlude, tling bato tual. Some ters valuable colle of silver ed; some college servants ers manservant, Cousins, ill in plaeet ility e taken aback ion in his voice? ell, he had ged.

        During dier and Dame alked of ing room for coffee, ter said:

        "Noo tell us somet youve experienced?"

        "Yes," s;But not all at once. I dont uand some of it, and some makes me sill; but I ell you, I promise, as muco promise sometoo."

        ter looked at t daemon in    passed bethem.

        "s t?" said Dame hannah.

        "You o promise to believe me," Lyra said seriously. "I knoold trutelling lies and making up stories. So I knos , but my true storys too important for me to tell if youre only going to believe . So I promise to tell truto believe it."

        "ell, I promise," said Dame hannah.

        ter said, "And so do I."

        "But you kno; Lyra said, "almost, almost more t

        lost ter. e, Master,    came in t plad t left! One day I kne so ep from oo anotions, it ; S on, "ell, I rees, it    made sense; I couldnt even remember anyt just basic meanings, like t;

        "t go; said Dame ;till in Bodleys Library. to study t;

        Dame ting opposite ter in one of ters c t it s , and s s it meant ter.

        "ell, no; ter    on. "e must t your future, Lyra."

        up.

        "All time I ; Lyra said, "I    about t. All I t about    time I    t. ty of times    ure at all. And no a    no...but no idea o do , s like er but no idea o read it. I suppose Ill o    I dont kno s are probably ric I bet t of putting any money aside for me. And any , t be a. I dont knoer. I came back to Jordan because to be my    o go. I t me live on Svalbard, and I t me live c Im not a bear and Im not a c really fit in tians ake me in...But really I dont knoo do anymore. Im lost, really, no;

        t tering more t kno. S as , Dame , and admired ; and ter sa    iful adult she would be, so soon.

        ;You    . As for money, your fat to care for all your needs, and appointed me executor; so you     t."

        In fact, Lord Asriel , but Jordan College    upheavals.

        "No,"    on, "I    learning. Youre still very young, and your education until noed least,"    ;Its been    may turn out t in due course your talents ake you in a dire    foresee at all. But if you o make ter t of your lifes    out to learn sciously uition...”

        "Yes," said Lyra definitely.

        "…tter t yourself in t field is unmatc;

        "Let me make a suggestion," said t;and you    respond no it for a oo youo bee an undergraduate in any case, but a fe up a b school.

        Id like you to e aress and see     t Jordan    provide quite all of tress is a clever young ic, imaginative, kindly. ere lucky to alk to . Sopo begin studying ter systematically, you and I could meet for some private lessons. But time, my dear, ty of time. Dont ans until youre ready."

        "t; said Lyra, "t;

        ter o ter t nig as ter alaimon slipped out and made treets, .

        Oanic Garden, Pan ran ao it go and sprang up into tree nearby. It o be careful not to do it ay a secret. Once s off to all    ill augion.

        S on ted for Pan to e to o surprise    so see ended s seen    onto the bench.

        "I nearly did it," he said.

        "Youll o get better t. I e."

        on ting on her shoulder.

        " are o tell ; he said.

        "Yes," s;Its only to meet tress, anys not to go to t;

        "But    ;

        "Yes," s;probably."

        "It mig;

        Lyra    t be cleverer ticated, and to kno more t all t ant to girls of t be able to tell t so t.

        "Dyou ter?" said Pantalaimon.

        "it . Imagine o carry a pile of books everyw;

        "?"

        "ill you ever tell me ;

        "One day," ;And sell ill, one day. e agreed t    tell eitill t;

        "All rig; she said peaceably.

        Sold Pantalaimo it he way shed abandoned him.

        And it ing to t s t speak to him in her head,

        didnt relive every moment toget long for    it o love someone so muisures, t onis. S tenderness it left in        s forever.

        Pan slipped doo togets. Some ell o read ter again, and to teac than she did.

        S, t k, but to be my friends.

        Pantalaimon murmured, "t t ill said..."

        ";

        "On t before you tried ter.    any else t;

        "I remember.    t    mattered more t important place."

        "o build somet;

        "ts ;

        "Yes. Of course! And t...”

        "But t o build it. No one could if t t. e o be all t tient, and    to study and t ;

        ing on ile breeze toucirred t bells of ty e lo agreeing in all t voie    to it a little more slo otoo, and a nigtle breeze irring tanic Garden.

        "And t?" said ;Build ;

        "t; said Lyra.

        thE END
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