formation is not reaching you through me。〃
〃Quite so。〃
〃Well； in this very town there is a branch of an organization called the Northern Progress Exploration pany； which pretends to be searching for minerals； but which is really controlled by something called the General Oblation Board of London。 This organization； I happen to know； imports children。 This is not generally known in the town； the Norroway government is not officially aware of it。 The children don't remain here long。 They are taken some distance inland。〃
〃Do you know where； Dr。 Lanselius？〃
〃No。 I would tell you if I did。〃
〃And do you know what happens to them there？〃
For the first time； Dr。 Lanselius glanced at Lyra。 She looked stolidly back。 The little green serpent daemon raised her head from the consul's collar and whispered tongue…flickeringly in his ear。
The consul said； 〃I have heard the phrase the M。aystadt process in connection with this matter。 I think they use that in order to avoid calling what they do by its proper name。 I have also heard the word intercision； but what it refers to I could not say。〃
〃And are there any children in the town at the moment？〃 said Farder Coram。
He was stroking his daemon's fur as she sat alert in his lap。 Lyra noticed that she had stopped purring。
〃No； I think not；〃 said Dr。 Lanselius。 〃A group of about twelve arrived a week ago and moved out the day before yesterday。〃
〃Ah！ As recent as that？ Then that gives us a bit of hope。 How did they travel； Dr。 Lanselius？〃
〃By sledge。〃
〃And you have no idea where they went？〃
〃Very little。 It is not a subject we are interested in。〃
〃Quite so。 Now； you've answered all my questions very fairly； sir； and here's just one more。 If you were me； what question would you ask of the Consul of the Witches？〃
For the first time Dr。 Lanselius smiled。
〃I would ask where I could obtain the services of an armored bear；〃 he said。
Lyra sat up； and felt Pantalaimon's heart leap in her hands。
〃I understood the armored bears to be in the service of the Oblation Board；〃 said Farder Coram in surprise。 〃I mean； the Northern Progress pany； or whatever they're calling themselves。〃
〃There is at least one who is not。 You will find him at the sledge depot at the end of Langlokur Street。 He earns a living there at the moment； but such is his temper and the fear he engenders in the dogs； his employment might not last for long。〃
〃Is he a renegade； then？〃
〃It seems so。 His name is Iorek Byrnison。 You asked what I would ask； and I told you。 Now here is what I would do： I would seize the chance to employ an armored bear； even if it were far more remote than this。〃
Lyra could hardly sit still。 Farder Coram； however； knew the etiquette for meetings such as this； and took another spiced honey cake from the plate。 While he ate it； Dr。 Lanselius turned to Lyra。
〃I understand that you are in possession of an alethiome…ter；〃 he said； to her great surprise； for how could he have known that？
〃Yes；〃 she said； and then； prompted by a nip from Pantalaimon； added； 〃Would you like to look at it？〃
〃I should like that very much。〃
She fished inelegantly in the oilskin pouch and handed him the velvet package。 He unfolded it and held it up with great care； gazing at the face like a Scholar gazing at a rare manuscript。
〃How exquisite！〃 he said。 〃I have seen one other example； but it was not so fine as this。 And do you possess the books of readings？〃
〃No；〃 Lyra began； but before she could say any more； Farder Coram was speaking。
〃No； the great pity is that although Lyra possesses the alethiometer itself； there's no means of reading it whatsoever；〃 he said。 〃It's just as much of a mystery as the pools of ink the Hindus use for reading the future。 And the nearest book of readings I know of is in the Abbey of St。 Johann at Heidelberg。〃
Lyra could see why he was saying this： he didn't want Dr。 Lanselius to know of Lyra's power。 But she could also see something Farder Coram couldn't； which was the agitation of Dr。 Lanselius's daemon； and she knew at once that it was no good to pretend。
So she said； 〃Actually； I can read it；〃 speaking half to Dr。 Lanselius and half to Farder Coram； and it was the consul who responded。
〃That is wise of you；〃 he said。 〃Where did you obtain this one？〃
〃The Master of Jordan College in Oxford gave it to me；〃 she said。 〃Dr。 Lanselius； do you know who made them？〃
〃They are said to originate in the city of Prague；〃 said the consul。 〃The Scholar who invented the first alethiometer was apparently trying to discover a way of measuring the influences of the planets； according to the ideas of astrology。 He intended to make a device that would respond to the idea of Mars or Venus as a pass responds to the idea of North。 In that he failed； but the mechanism he invented was clearly responding to something； even if no one knew what it was。〃
〃And where did they get the symbols from？〃
〃Oh； this was in the seventeenth century。 Symbols and emblems were everywhere。 Buildings and pictures were designed to be read like books。 Everything stood for something else； if you had the right dictionary； you could read Nature itself。 It was hardly surprising to find philosophers using the symbolism of their time to interpret knowledge that came from a mysterious source。 But； you know； they haven't been used seriously for two centuries or so。〃
He handed the instrument back to Lyra； and added：
〃May I ask a question？ Without the books of symbols； how do you read it？〃
〃I just make my mind go clear and then it's sort of like looking down into water。 You got to let your eyes find the right level； because that's the only one that's in focus。 Something like that；〃 she said。
〃I wonder if I might ask to see you do it？〃 he said。
Lyra looked at Farder Coram； wanting to say yes but waiting for his approval。 The old man nodded。
〃What shall I ask？〃 said Lyra。
〃What are the intentions of the Tartars with regard to Kamchatka？〃
That wasn't hard。 Lyra turned the hands to the camel； which meant Asia； which meant Tartars； to the cornucopia； for Kamchatka； where there were gold mines； and to the ant； which meant activity； which meant purpose and intention。 Then she sat still； letting her mind hold the three levels of meaning together in focus； and relaxed for the answer； which came almost at once。 The long needle trembled on the dolphin； the helmet； the baby； and the anchor； dancing between them and onto the crucible in a plicated pattern that Lyra's eyes followed without hesitation； but which was inprehensible to the two men。
When it had pleted the movements several times； Lyra looked up。 She blinked once or twice as if she were ing out of a trance。
〃They're going to pretend to attack it； but they're not really going to； because it's too far away and they'd be too stretched out；〃 she said。
〃Would you tell me how you read that？〃
〃The dolphin； one of its deep…down meanings is playing； sort of like being playful；〃 she explained。 〃I know it's the fifteenth because it stopped fifteen times and it just got clear at that level but nowhere else。 And the helmet means war； and both together they mean pretend to go to war but not be serious。 And the baby means…it means difficult…it'd be too hard for them to attack it； and the anchor says why； because they'd be stretched out as tight as an anchor rope。 I just see it all like that； you see。〃
Dr。 Lanselius nodded。
〃Remarkable；〃 he said。 〃I am very grateful。 I shall not forget that。〃
Then he looked strangely at Farder Coram； and back at Lyra。
〃Could I ask you for one more demonstration？〃 he said。 〃If you look out of this window； you'll see a shed with forty or more sprays of cloud…pine hanging on the wall。 One of them has been used by Serafina Pekkala； and the others have not。 Could you tell which is hers？〃
〃Yeah！〃 said Lyra； always ready to show off； and she took the alethiometer and hurried out。 She was eager to see cloud…pine； because the witches used it for flying； and she'd never seen any before。
The two men stood by the window and watched as she kicked her way t