t giving her up。〃
Lyra felt a blush from the roots of her hair to the soles of her feet； Pantalaimon became a brown moth to hide。 Eyes all around were turning to them； and she could only look up at Ma Costa for reassurance。
But John Faa was speaking again：
〃Talk all we may； we won't change owt。 We must act if we want to change things。 Here's another fact for you： the Gobblers； these child thieves； are a taking their prisoners to a town in the far North； way up in the land of dark。 I don't know what they do with 'em there。 Some folk say they kill 'em； other folk say different。 We don't know。
〃What we do know is that they do it with the help of the landloper police and the clergy。 Every power on land is helping 'em。 Remember that。 They know what's going on and they'll help it whenever they can。
〃So what I'm proposing en't easy。 And I need your agreement。 I'm proposing that we send a band of fighters up north to rescue them kids and bring 'em back alive。 I'm proposing that we put our gold into this； and all the craft and courage we can muster。 Yes； Raymond van Gerrit？〃
A man in the audience had raised his hand； and John Faa sat down to let him speak。
〃Beg pardon； Lord Faa。 There's landloper kids as well as gyptians been taken captive。 Are you saying we should rescue them as well？〃
John Faa stood up to answer。
〃Raymond； are you saying we should fight our way through every kind of danger to a little group of frightened children； and then say to some of them that they can e home； and to the rest that they have to stay？ No； you're a better man than that。 Well； do I have your approval； my friends？〃
The question caught them by surprise； for there was a moment's hesitation； but then a full…throated roar filled the hall； and hands were clapped in the air； fists shaken； voices raised in excited clamor。 The rafters of the Zaal shook； and from their perches up in the dark a score of sleeping birds woke up in fear and flapped their wings； and little showers of dust drifted down。
John Faa let the noise continue for a minute； and then raised his hand for silence again。
〃This'll take a while to organize。 I want the heads of the families to raise a tax and muster a levy。 We'll meet again here in three days' time。 In between now and then I'm a going to talk with the child I mentioned before； and with Farder Coram； and form a plan to put before you when we meet。 Goodnight to ye all。〃
His massive； plain； blunt presence was enough to calm them。 As the audience began to move out of the great doors into the chilly evening； to go to their boats or to the crowded bars of the little settlement； Lyra said to Ma Costa：
〃Who are the other men on the platform？〃
〃The heads of the six families； and the other man is Farder Coram。〃
It was easy to see who she meant by the other man； because he was the oldest one there。 He walked with a stick； and all the time he'd been sitting behind John Faa he'd been trembling as if with an ague。
〃e on；〃 said Tony。 〃I'd best take you up to pay your respects to John Faa。 You call him Lord Faa。 I don't know what you'll be asked； but mind you tell the truth。〃
Pantalaimon was a sparrow now； and sat curiously on Lyra's shoulder； his claws deep in the wolfskin coat； as she followed Tony through the crowd up to the platform。
He lifted her up。 Knowing that everyone still in the hall was staring at her； and conscious of those thousand sovereigns she was suddenly worth； she blushed and hesitated。 Pantalaimon darted to her breast and became a wildcat； sitting up in her arms and hissing softly as he looked around。
Lyra felt a push； and stepped forward to John Faa。 He was stern and massive and expressionless； more like a pillar of rock than a man； but he stooped and held out his hand to shake。 When she put hers in； it nearly vanished。
〃Wele； Lyra；〃 he said。
Close to； she felt his voice rumbling like the earth itself。 She would have been nervous but for Pantalaimon； and the fact that John Faa's stony expression had warmed a little。 He was treating her very gently。
〃Thank you； Lord Faa；〃 she said。
〃Now you e in the parley room and we'll have a talk；〃 said John Faa。 〃Have they been feeding you proper； the Costas？〃
〃Oh； yes。 We had eels for supper。〃
〃Proper fen eels； I expect。〃
The parley room was a fortable place with a big fire； sideboards laden with silver and porcelain； and a heavy table darkly polished by the years； at which twelve chairs were drawn up。
The other men from the platform had gone elsewhere； but the old shaking man was still with them。 John Faa helped him to a seat at the table。
〃Now； you sit here on my right；〃 John Faa said to Lyra； and took the chair at the head of the table himself。 Lyra found herself opposite Farder Coram。 She was a little frightened by his skull…like face and his continual trembling。 His daemon was a beautiful autumn…colored cat； massive in size； who stalked along the table with upraised tail and elegantly inspected Pantalaimon； touching noses briefly before settling on Farder Coram's lap； half…closing her eyes and purring softly。
A woman whom Lyra hadn't noticed came out of the shadows with a tray of glasses； set it down by John Faa； curtsied； and left。 John Faa poured little glasses of jenniver from a stone crock for himself and Farder Coram； and wine for Lyra。
〃So；〃 John Faa said。 〃You run away； Lyra。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And who was the lady you run away from？〃
〃She was called Mrs。 Coulter。 And I thought she was nice； but I found out she was one of the Gobblers。 I heard someone say what the Gobblers were； they were called the General Oblation Board； and she was in charge of it； it was all her idea。 And they was all working on some plan； I dunno what it was； only they was going to make me help her get kids for 'em。 But they never knew 。 。 。 〃
〃They never knew what？〃
〃Well； first they never knew that I knew some kids what had been took。 My friend Roger the kitchen boy from Jordan College； and Billy Costa； and a girl out the covered market in Oxford。 And another thing 。 。 。 My uncle； right； Lord Asriel。 1 heard them talking about his journeys to the North； and I don't reckon he's got anything to do with the Gobblers。 Because I spied on the Master and the Scholars of Jordan； right； I hid in the Retiring Room where no one's supposed to go except them； and I heard him tell them all about his expedition up north； and the Dust he saw； and he brought back the head of Stanislaus Grumman； what the Tartars had made a hole in。 And now the Gobblers've got him locked up somewhere。 The armored bears are guarding him。 And I want to rescue him。〃
She looked fierce and stubborn as she sat there； small against the high carved back of the chair。 The two old men couldn't help smiling； but whereas Farder Coram's smile was a hesitant； rich； plicated expression that trembled across his face like sunlight chasing shadows on a windy March day； John Faa's smile was slow； warm； plain； and kindly。
〃You better tell us what you did hear your uncle say that evening；〃 said John Faa。 〃Don't leave anything out； mind。 Tell us everything。〃
Lyra did； more slowly than she'd told the Costas but more honestly； too。 She was afraid of John Faa； and what she was most afraid of was his kindness。 When she'd finished； Farder Coram spoke for the first time。 His voice was rich and musical； with as many tones in it as there were colors in his daemon's fur。
〃This Dust；〃 he said。 〃Did they ever call it anything else； Lyra？〃
〃No。 Just Dust。 Mrs。 Coulter told me what it was； elementary particles； but that's all she called it。〃
〃And they think that by doing something to children； they can find out more about it？〃
〃Yes。 But I don't know what。 Except my uncle 。 。 。 There's something I forgot to tell you。 When he was showing them lantern slides； there was another one he had。 It was the Roarer…〃
〃The what？〃 said John Faa。
〃The Aurora；〃 said Farder Coram。 〃Is that right； Lyra？〃
〃Yeah； that's it。 And in the lights of the Roarer there was like a city。 All towers and churches and domes and that。 It was a bit like Oxford； that's what I thought； anyway。 And U