HisDarkMaterials02TheSubtleKnife

CONTENTS Title Page ONE The Cat and the Hornbeam Trees TWO Among the Witches THREE A Children’s World FOUR Trepanning FIVE Airmail Paper SIX Lighted Fliers SEVEN The Rolls-Royce EIGHT The Tower of the Angels NINE Theft TEN The Shaman ELEVEN The Belvedere TWELVE Screen Language THIRTEEN Æsahættr FOURTEEN Alamo Gulch FIFTEEN Bloodmoss About the Author Also by Philip Pullman Copyright Page ONE THE CAT AND THE HORNBEAM TREES Will tugged at his mother’s hand and said, “Come on, come on . . . ” But his mother hung back. She was still afraid. Will looked up and down the narrow street in the evening light, along the little terrace of houses, each behind its tiny garden and its box hedge, with the sun glaring off the windows of one side and leaving the other in shadow. There wasn’t much time. People would be having their meal about now, and soon there would be other children around, to stare and comment and notice. It was dangerous to wait, but all he could do was persuade her, as usual. “Mum, let’s go in and see Mrs. Cooper,” he said. “Look, we’re nearly there.” “Mrs. Cooper?” she said doubtfully. But he was......