are theyve been.”

    “But supposing you find out t you cant rescue em  some women in disguise as guards or nurses or wever?”

    “ell, I  t of t,” Joted. “ell consider t most carefully o the parley room, you have my promise.”

    S doood up.

    “Lord Faa, I  Lord Asriel is in captivity. Is it part of your plan to rescue  is, and if s going to need more ty men. And good friend as Lord Asriel is to us, I dont knoo go as far as t.”

    “Adriaan Braks, youre not o do o keep our eyes and ears open and see w knowledge we can glean wh.

    It may be t o  may not, but you can trust me not to use side tated one of finding our children and bringing em home.”

    Anotood up.

    “Lord Faa,  knove been doing to our children.

    e all ories of fearful t c c in oget too ao mention. Im truly sorry to distress anyone, but o get it out in t aake poo let ts of mercy and gentleness riking and striking y bloo t of t infernal  a co the Gobblers.”

    t as s down. he Zaal.

    Joed for silence, and said:

    “Not, save only judgment. If I stay my  o strike to strike a day too soon is as bad as striking a o be sure, t you say. But if you give in to t passion, friends, youre a doing isfaction of your oo do. Our . It ent gratification for upset feelings. Our feelings dont matter.

    If   punisask. But if o punis and by doing so lose the kids, weve failed.

    “But be assured of t. ime comes to punisrike sucs faint and fearful. e srike trengt of em. e sed,