Chapter 24 24. Mrs. Coulter in Geneva

If there is a mother, there must be a daughter. ——"Ezekiel" (in the "Old Testament" of the Bible, it is the main one among the prophetic books. The priest Ezekiel is a prophet who lives in Jerusalem) Mrs. Coulter waited until dark to approach St. Jerome's.After dusk fell, she lowered her mind machine below the clouds, and moved slowly along the lakeshore at the height of the treetops.Compared with other ancient buildings in Geneva, the college had a clear and prominent shape; she soon recognized the steeple, and the deep, dark corridors of the college, and the square tower in which the president of the church court lived.Having been to the Academy three times before, she knew that those ridges on the roof, the gables at the ends, and the chimneys on the roof concealed plenty of hiding places, enough room even for something as big as a telekinetic.

She flew slowly on top of the tiles that were glistening with rain, and slowly moved her mind into a small gutter between a steep tile roof and a straight tower wall.Visible only from the bell tower of the nearby Church of the Holy Confessions, this place makes for an excellent hiding place. She deftly lowered the Telekinesis, allowing its six legs to find footings, self-adjusting to keep the cabin parallel.She began to like this machine: no matter how fast her thoughts turned, it could immediately act on her will, and it was so quiet that it could hover over other people's heads, so close that they could be touched, but the other party but don't know it's there.Mrs. Coulter mastered the controls in about a day after she got them, but she still didn't figure out what powered them, and that was her only concern: She had no way of knowing what the fuel or the batteries were. Time will run out.

Once she was sure it was stationary and the roof was strong enough to support it, she removed her helmet and climbed down. Her elf had lifted a heavy old brick, and she worked with him, quickly moving half a dozen tiles out of the way, and then she broke the sticks they used to hang from, and made one big enough to slip through. cracks. "Go in and have a look," she whispered, and the elf jumped down into the darkness. She could hear the sound of his claws moving cautiously across the attic floor, and then the gold-rimmed black face appeared in the slit, and she understood immediately, and followed him through, waiting for her eyes to adjust.In the dim light, she gradually saw a long attic filled with dark cabinets, tables, bookshelves, and assorted furniture.

The first thing she did was push a tall cupboard up to the crack where the tiles had come off, then she tiptoed to a door in the far end of the wall and tried the handle. , the door is locked, of course, but she has a hairpin, and the lock is simple.Three minutes later, she and her elf were standing at the end of a long corridor.By the light of a dusty skylight they could see a narrow flight of stairs leading down at the other end. Five minutes later they had opened a window in the pantry two floors down next to the kitchen and had climbed out into the alley.The concierge of the academy was just around the corner, and as she had told Golden Monkey, it was important to arrive in an orthodox manner, no matter how they planned to leave.

"Let me go," she said calmly to the doorman. "Be polite to me, or I'll have you skinned. Tell the presiding judge that Mrs. Coulter is coming, and that she wishes to see him at once." The guard backed away immediately, and his police dog elf, who had been grinning at the mild-mannered golden monkey, retreated immediately, and lowered the base of its tail as low as it could go. The doorman shook the cranked handle of the telephone, and within a minute a young priest with an unfamiliar face hurried into the porter's room, wiping his hands on his robes in case she wanted to shake them.She didn't hold it.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Friar Lewis," said the man, soothing his Rabbit Spirit, "clerk of the ecclesiastical court clerk's office. If you'll do me the favor—" "I didn't come here to talk with the clerk," she told him. "Take me to Father MacPhail, now." The man bowed helplessly and led her away. The guard behind her puffed his cheeks and let out a sigh of relief. Brother Louis wanted to talk to her, but after two or three attempts he gave up and led her silently to the President's room in the Tower.Father MacPhail was praying, and poor Brother Lewis was shaking violently as he knocked at the door.

They heard a sigh and a groan, and then heavy feet across the floor. As soon as he saw the person in front of him, the president's eyes widened, and he smiled greedily. "Mrs. Coulter," he said, holding out his hand. "Very glad to see you. My study is cold, and we are not well received, but come in, come in." "Good evening," she said, and followed him into the shady stone room; a little agitated, he pointed to a chair for her to sit in. "Thank you," she said to Friar Louis, who was still standing there. "I'd like a chocolate." She hadn't been asked what she wanted to drink, and she knew it was humiliating for him to think of him as a servant, but his attitude was so servile that he deserved it.The presiding judge nodded, and Brother Louis had to go out in great annoyance to deal with the matter.

"Of course, you are under arrest," said the President, taking another chair and turning on the light. "Oh, why interrupt our conversation before it begins?" said Mrs. Coulter. "I came here voluntarily as soon as I escaped from Lord Asriel's stronghold. The fact is, Father President, I There's a wealth of information about his army and about that kid, and I'm here to bring that information to you." "Then let's start, starting with the children." "My daughter is ten years old now and soon she will be a teenager and by then it will be too late for any of us to stop that disaster, nature and chance will go together like sparks and wood. Thanks to your intervention , now that event is more likely, I hope you are satisfied."

"It was your duty to bring her here into our care, and you chose to hide in a cave—but how a clever woman like you could wish to hide is a mystery to me." "Perhaps many things are a mystery to you, my lord, first of all the relationship between mother and child. If it ever occurred to you that I would place my daughter in that care--that care! —and let a bunch of men with crazy lust, dirty fingernails, sweat, and cunning thoughts crawl all over her body like cockroaches—if you think I will let my daughter suffer all this, my presiding judge Then, my lord, you are more stupid than you think me."

Before he could answer there was a knock at the door, and Brother Louis came in with two cups of chocolate on a wooden tray. He bowed nervously, put the tray on the table, and smiled at the presiding judge, hoping he would ask him to stay, but Father MacPhail nodded to the door, and the young man reluctantly left. "Then what were you going to do?" asked the President. "I intended to keep her safe until the danger passed." "What's the danger?" he said, handing her a cup of chocolate. "Oh, I think you know what I mean, there's a seducer somewhere, or a snake, and I've got to keep them from meeting."

"There was a boy with her." "Yes, both of them would be under my control if you hadn't interfered. They could be anywhere in the present circumstances, at least they weren't with Lord Asriel." "I'm sure he'll be after them, the boy has a really powerful knife, and that alone will be worth their while." "I know that," said Mrs. Coulter. "I managed to break it and he fixed it again." She's laughing, surely she doesn't appreciate this nasty boy? "We know," he said curtly. "Okay, okay," she said, "Fra Pavel must hurry. By the time I get to know him, he'll probably have spent at least a month figuring all this out." She took a sip of thin, pale chocolate, like these bland priests, she thought, imposing their presumptuous restraint on their guests too. "Tell me about Lord Asriel," said the President. "Tell me about everything." Sitting back comfortably in her chair, Mrs. Coulter began to tell him—not everything, and it never occurred to her to tell him everything.She told him about strongholds, allies, angels, mines, and foundries. Father MacPhail sat motionless, his lizard sprite absorbing and remembering every word. "How did you get here?" he asked. "I stole a gyroplane, ran out of fuel, and had to dump it in the countryside not far from here and walk up." "Is Lord Asriel actively looking for the girl and boy?" "certainly." "I think it's the knife he charged at, and you know it has a name? The cliff ghosts of the north call it the Destroyer of God." He went across the room to the window overlooking the corridors, and went on, "That's Asriel's goal, isn't it? To destroy the Authority? Some people claim that God is dead, and Asriel probably isn't one of them, if he retains the ambition to kill him." "Well, where's God?" said Mrs. Coulter, "if he's still alive. Why doesn't he talk anymore? At the beginning of the world, God walked in the garden and talked to Adam and Eve, and then he started withdrawing, Moses Only his voice can be heard. Later, in the time of Belteshazzar king of Babylon, he was old - he belonged to the ancient ages. Where is he now? Is he still alive? Aged, insane, unable to think of man, action, word, incapable even of death, but a rotten hulk? If this is his situation, then the kindest thing, the truest proof of our love for God, is to find him Come out and give him the gift of death?" Mrs. Coulter spoke with a quiet excitement that she didn't know if she'd make it out alive, but it was intoxicating to talk to this man. "What about dust?" he said. "From the depths of paganism, what do you think of dust?" "I don't have a problem with dust," she said. "I don't know what it is. Nobody knows." "I see. Well, I warned you at the beginning, you're under arrest, I think now we'll find you a place to sleep, you'll be comfortable, no one's going to hurt you, but you're not allowed to leave, We'll talk about it tomorrow." He rang the bell, and Brother Louis entered almost immediately. "Take Mrs. Coulter to the best chamber," said the president, "and lock her up." The best room was shabby and cheaply furnished, but at least it was clean.When the door was locked behind her, Mrs. Coulter immediately looked around for the microphones, finding one in an elaborate light dimmer and another under the bed frame.She disconnected both, when she was suddenly startled. Lord Locke was watching her from the top of the chest of drawers behind the door. She gave a cry and steadied herself with one hand on the wall, where the common Gallifers crossed his legs.Leisurely, neither she nor the golden monkey saw him.When her heart had slowed and her breathing slowed, she said, "When were you going to politely let me know you were here, my lord? Before or after I undressed?" "Before," said he, "quiet your elf, or I will destroy him." The golden monkey grinned and bristled, and his expression was filled with utter malice that would have terrified any ordinary human being, but Lord Locke just smiled, his boot spikes gleaming in the dim light. The little spy stood up and stretched. "I have just spoken to my agent in Lord Asriel's stronghold," he went on. "Lord Asriel greets you and asks you to inform him as soon as you understand the intentions of these people." She felt short of breath, as if Lord Asriel had thrown her hard in a gladiatorial fight.She opened her eyes wide and slowly sat down on the bed. "Are you here to spy on me or to help?" she asked. "Both, it's your luck that I'm here, as soon as you arrived, they turned on some electrical device down in the cellar, I don't know what it is, but there's a bunch of scientists working on it right now Now, it's as if you've connected an electric current to them." "I don't know whether to feel flattered or shocked. In fact, I'm tired and I'm going to bed. If you're here to help me, then stand guard and don't start." He bowed, facing the wall, until she washed her face in the chipped basin, dried herself on a thin towel, undressed and got into bed.Her elf surveyed the room, inspecting wardrobes, scrolls, curtains, and the dark corridor beyond the window.Lord Locke watched his every movement.Finally the golden monkey Yaogao returned to Mrs. Coulter, and they fell asleep immediately. Lord Locke did not tell her all that he had learned from Lord Asriel, that the Allies had been tracking all flying objects over the Republic front, and to the west they had noticed a large group of things, which could be angels, or could be entirely Something else, they've sent scouts to investigate, but so far haven't learned anything: They hang there, wrapping themselves in an impenetrable mist. The spy thought it best not to let Mrs. Coulter worry about it, she was tired and he decided to put her to sleep, and walked silently about the room, listening at the door and looking out the window, wide awake and alert. An hour after she had entered the room, he heard a small sound outside the door: a slight scratching and murmur, and at the same time a dim light shone on the door, reflecting the outline of the door, Lord Locke Move to the farthest corner and stand behind one leg of the chair where Mrs. Coulter put her clothes. A minute passed, and then the key turned quietly in the lock, and the door opened an inch, just that wide, and then the light went out. In the dim light, Lord Locke could see clearly through the thin curtains, but the intruder had to wait for his eyes to adjust.At last the door opened wider, very slowly, and the young priest, Friar Louis, stepped in. He made the sign of the cross on his chest and tiptoed to the bedside.Lord Locke was about to pounce, but the priest just listened to Mrs. Coulter's steady breathing, leaned in to see if she was asleep, and then turned to the bedside table. He covered the bulb of the flashlight with his hand, turned on the light, and let a narrow line of light leak out from between his fingers.He leaned so close to the table that his nose almost touched it, but whatever he was looking for, he couldn't find it.Mrs. Coulter had left some things there before she went to bed: a coin or two, a ring, her watch; but Friar Lewis took no interest in these things. He turned to her again, and then he saw what he was looking for; he hissed softly through his teeth, and Lord Locke could see his frustration: it was the gold chain around Mrs Coulter's neck that he was looking for on the locket. Lord Locke moved quietly along the baseboards towards the door. The priest crossed himself again because he had to touch her.He held his breath and leaned down—the golden monkey moved. The young man stretched out his hands and remained motionless.His bunny sprite was trembling at his feet, and it was useless: she could at least have been keeping watch for the poor man, Locke thought.The monkey turned over in its sleep and fell silent again. After maintaining the wax-like position for a minute, Brother Lewis' trembling hand fell on Mrs. Coulter's neck. He fumbled for so long that Lord Locke thought he would not be able to open the buckle before dawn, but He finally picked up the small box gently and stood up straight. Before the priest could turn back, Lord Locke was out the door quickly and quietly like a mouse, and he waited in the dark corridor, and when the young man crept out and turned the key, the Galliferspian began Follow him. Brother Lewis went up to the tower, and when the presiding judge opened the door, Lord Locke flew in, and flew to the prayer table in the corner of the room.There, he found a hidden ledge and knelt down to listen. Father MacPhail was not alone in the room: the alethirist Fra Pavel was busy flipping through his book, and another figure stood tensely at the window, Dr. Cooper, from Birvangar's experiment Theologians, they both looked up. "Excellent, Brother Louis," said the President, "bring it here, sit down, show me, show me. Excellent!" Fra Pavel moved some of his books, the young priest put the gold chain on the table, the others leaned over to watch Father MacPhail fiddle with the clasp, and Dr. Cooper handed him a folded The knife, followed by a soft click. "Ah!" the presiding judge sighed. Lord Locke climbed to the table to be able to see.In the naphtha lamp there was only a dark golden glow: it was a curl of hair.The President was rolling it up between his fingers, turning it this way and that. "Surely this belongs to the kid?" he said. "I'm sure." came Fra Pavel's weary voice. "Is that enough, Dr. Cooper?" The pale man leaned down, plucked the lock of hair from MacPhail's fingers, and held it up to the light. "Oh, enough," he said, "one hair is enough, that's enough." "I am delighted to hear that," said the President, "and now, Brother Louis, you must return this locket to that elegant lady's neck." The priest paused slightly: he had hoped his mission would be over, and the presiding officer put Lyra's curl in an envelope, closed the locket, and looking up as he looked about, Lord Locke had to Get out of his sight. "Father President," said Brother Louis, "I will of course follow your orders, but may I know why you need that child's hair?" "No, because that will upset you. Let's deal with these things. Go ahead." Suppressing his resentment, the young man picked up the locket and left.Lord Locke would have liked to go back with him, to wake Mrs Coulter and see what she would do when he tried to put the necklace back on; but it was more important to find out what these men were trying to do. As soon as the door closed, the Galliferspin stepped back into the shadows to listen. "How do you know she put it there?" asked the scientist. "Every time the child is mentioned," said the President, "her hand goes to the locket. Now, how long will it be ready?" "Several hours," said Dr. Cooper. "What about the hair? What do you do with it?" "We put it in the resonance chamber. You see, each person is unique, and the arrangement of the genetic particles is fairly obvious... Well, once it's analyzed, the information is in the form of a series of electrical pulses Encoded, forwarded to a locator, to find out where the owner of the hair is, wherever she might be. This process actually makes use of the Barnard-Stokes heresy, the many-worlds theory..." "Don't panic, Doctor. Fra Pavel told me that the child is in another world. Please go on. The power of the bomb is guided by that hair?" "Yes, leading to other hairs where these hairs were cut, that's all." "So, when it is detonated, the child will be destroyed wherever she is?" The scientist took a deep breath, then said a reluctant "yes".He swallowed, then continued: "The energy required is enormous, electrical energy. Just as the atomic bomb required a high explosive to force the uranium together to set off a chain reaction, this device required a huge gas flow to unleash the separation process." the greater energy in it. I keep thinking—” "It doesn't matter where it detonates, does it?" "It doesn't matter, that's the key. Anywhere." "Completely ready?" "Now we have hair, yes, but the energy, you see—" "I've already dealt with it. The hydroelectric power station at the Saint-Jean Falls has been requisitioned by us, and they produce enough energy there, don't you think?" "Yes." said the scientist. "Then we'll be off right away. Go and see the instrument, Dr. Cooper. Get it ready for transport as soon as possible. The weather in the mountains changes quickly, and there's going to be a storm." The scientist picked up the little envelope containing the curl of hair and bowed nervously as he left.Lord Locke left with him, silent as a shadow. As soon as he was out of sight of the people in the presiding judge's room, the Galliferspian rushed forward, and Dr. Cooper, who was thrown by him on the stairs, felt a painful blow on the shoulder and wanted to grab him. Catch the railing: But strangely his arm was weak and he slipped and rolled down the whole of the stairs, ending up lying half-conscious at the bottom of the stairs. With some difficulty Lord Locke wrenched the envelope, which was half his size, from the man's twitching hand, and walked in the dark towards the room where Mrs Coulter slept. The crack under the door was wide enough for him to slip through.Brother Louis came and went, but he dared not put the chain back around Mrs. Coulter's neck: it lay on the pillow beside her. Lord Locke pressed her hand to wake her, and she was very tired, but she concentrated on him at once, sat up, and rubbed her eyes. He explained what happened and handed her the envelope. "You should destroy it at once," he told her. "Just one is enough, the man said." She looked at the lock of dark blond hair and shook her head. "It's too late," she said. "It's only half of the curl I cut off Lyra's head. He must have left some." Lord Locke hissed angrily. "While he was looking about!" he said, "ah—I hid from him to see—he must have left it at that time..." "There's no way of knowing where he'll put it," said Mrs. Coulter, "but if we can find the bomb—" "Hush!" It was the golden monkey, and he was lying on the door, listening.Then they heard it too: heavy footsteps, hurrying towards the room. Mrs. Coulter shoved the envelope and the lock of hair at Lord Locke, who caught it, jumped on top of the wardrobe, and as the key turned noisily in the lock, she lay down beside her daemon. "Where is it? What did you do with it? How did you attack Dr. Cooper?" said the President hoarsely as the light fell on the bed. Mrs. Coulter raised her arms to shield her eyes and struggled to sit up. "You do like to amuse your guests," she said sleepily. "Is this a new game? What must I do?Who is Dr. Cooper? " The doorman came in with Father MacPhail and shone his torch in the corners of the room and under the bed.The President was slightly disturbed: Mrs. Coulter, sleepy-eyed and barely visible in the glare coming in from the corridor, had evidently never left her bed. "You have an accomplice," he said, "who has attacked a guest of the Academy. Who is he? Who came here with you? Where is he?" "I have no idea what you're talking about. What is this...?" She stopped when she found the locket on the pillow as she lowered her hand to help herself sit up.Picking it up and looking at the President with wide-open sleepy eyes, Lord Locke saw a wonderful performance, and she said with a look of bewilderment: "But it is mine . . . how is it?" Here? Father MacPhail, who came here? Somebody took this off my neck and—where's Lyra's hair? There's a lock of my child's hair in it, who took it? What? Why? What happened?" Now she was on her feet, her hair disheveled, her voice full of exasperation—clearly as bewildered as the President herself. Father MacPhail took a step back and put his hands on his head. "Someone else must have come with you, there must have been an accomplice," he said, his voice harsh. "Where is he hiding?" "I have no accomplice," she said angrily. "If there is an invisible assassin in this place, I can only imagine the devil himself, and I dare say he is quite at home here." Father MacPhail said to the guards: "Take her down to the cellar and put her in chains. I know what to do with this woman; I should have thought of that when she appeared." She looked around in a panic and met Lord Locke's eyes for a moment, his eyes were shining in the darkness near the ceiling, and he immediately caught her expression and understood exactly what she wanted him to do.