er, and ter into ttle co t of a great groaning and he pipes.

    “times you been told about going out t you! Just look at your skirt—its filtake it off at once and  ent torn.  keep yourself clean and tidy...”

    Lyra oo sulky even to ask o olid retriever, trying in vain to annoy him.

    “Look at tate of t  this—”

    Look at t t...Lyra didnt  to look. S  owel.

    “Youll just o  as it is. t time to take an iron to it.

    God bless me, girl, your knees—look at tate of them....”

    “Dont  to look at nottered.

    Mrs. Lonsdale smacked  all t dirt off.”

    “ last. “I never  my knees. ve I got to do all t care about Roger neit—” Another leg.

    “None of t nonsense. Im a Parslo you didnt kno, cause I bet you never asked, Miss Lyra. I bet it never occurred to you. Dont you c caring about the boy.

    God kno you, and you give me little enoughanks.”

    S t pink and sore, but clean.

    “to er and s. I o God you beo, be quiet and polite, smile nicely and dont you ever say Dunno wion.”

    S dress onto Lyras skinny frame, tugged it straig of red ribbon out of tangle in a drawer, and brush a coarse brush.

    “If t me knooo bad. As long as t look too close...tand up straig patent-leather shoes?”

    Five minutes later Lyra ers lodging, tly gloomy  opened into to talaimon, an ermine noeness, rubbed  ers manservant Cousins, an old enemy of Lyras; but bot tate of truce.

    “Mrs. Lonsdale said I o come,” said Lyra.

    “Yes,” sa