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in the confusion lord roke leapt at the big mans leg as it swung past him； seized the camouflage cotton of the trousers； heavy and sodden with rain already； and kicked a spur into the flesh just above the boot。
the sergeant gave a grunting cry and fell clumsily； grasping his leg； trying to breathe； trying to call out。 lord roke let go and sprang away from the falling body。
no one had noticed： the noise of the wind and the engines and the pounding hail covered the mans cry； and in the darkness his body couldnt be seen。 but there were others close by； and lord roke had to work quickly。 he leapt to the fallen mans side； where the bunch of keys lay in a pool of icy water； and hauled aside the great shafts of steel； as big around as his arm and half as long as he was； till he found the one with the black tape。 and then there was the clasp of the key ring to wrestle with； and the perpetual risk of the hail； which for a gallivespian was deadly： blocks of ice as big as his two fists。
and then a voice above him said； 〃you all right； sergeant？〃
the soldiers daemon was growling and nuzzling at the sergeants； who had fallen into a semi…stupor。 lord roke couldnt wait： a spring and a kick； and the other man fell beside the sergeant。
hauling； wrestling； heaving； lord roke finally snapped open the key ring； and then he had to lift six other keys out of the way before the black…taped one was free。 any second now theyd get the light back on； but even in the half…dark they could hardly miss two men lying unconscious 。。。
and as he hoisted the key out； a shout went up。 he hauled up the massive shaft with all the strength he had； tugging； heaving； lifting； crawling； dragging； and hid beside a small boulder just as pounding feet arrived and voices called for light。 〃shot？〃
〃didnt hear a thing。。。” 〃are they breathing？〃
then the floodlight； secure again； snapped on once more。 lord roke was caught in the open； as clear as a fox in the headlights of a car。 he stood stock…still； his eyes moving left and right； and once he was sure that everyones attention was on the two men who had fallen so mysteriously； he hauled the key to his shoulder and ran around the puddles and the boulders until he reached mrs。 coulter。
a second later she had unlocked the handcuffs and lowered them silently to the ground。 lord roke leapt for the hem of her coat and ran up to her shoulder。
〃wheres the bomb？〃 he said； close to her ear。 〃theyve just begun to unload it。 its the big crate on the ground over there。 i cant do anything till they take it out； and even then。。。”
〃all right；〃 he said； 〃run。 hide yourself。 ill stay here and watch。 run！〃
he leapt down to her sleeve and sprang away。 without a sound she moved away from the light； slowly at first so as not to catch the eye of the guard； and then she crouched and ran into the rain…lashed darkness farther up the slope； the golden monkey darting ahead to see the way。
behind her she heard the continuing roar of the engines； the confused shouts； the powerful voice of the president trying to impose some order on the scene。 she remembered the long； horrible pain and hallucination that shed suffered at the spur of the chevalier tialys； and didnt envy the two men their waking up。
but soon she was higher up； clambering over the wet rocks； and all she could see behind her was the wavering glow of the floodlight reflected back from the great curved belly of the zeppelin； and presently that went out again； and all she could hear was the engine roar； straining vainly against the wind and the thunder of the cataract below。
the engineers from the hydro…anbaric station were struggling over the edge of the gorge to bring a power cable to the bomb。
the problem for mrs。 coulter was not how to get out of this situation alive： that was a secondary matter。 the problem was how to get lyras hair out of the bomb before they set it off。 lord roke had burned the hair from the envelope after her arrest； letting the wind take the ashes away into the night sky； and then hed found his way to the laboratory and watched as they placed the rest of the little dark golden curl in the resonating chamber in preparation。 he knew exactly where it was； and how to open the chamber； but the brilliant light and the glittering surfaces in the laboratory； not to mention the constant ing and going of technicians； made it impossible for him to do anything about it there。
so theyd have to remove the lock of hair after the bomb was set up。
and that was going to be even harder； because of what the president intended to do with mrs。 coulter。 the energy of the bomb came from cutting the link between human and daemon； and that meant the hideous process of intercision： the cages of mesh； the silver guillotine。 he was going to sever the lifelong connection between her and the golden monkey and use the power released by that to destroy her daughter。 she and lyra would perish by the means she herself had invented。 it was neat； at least； she thought。
her only hope was lord roke。 but in their whispered exchanges in the zeppelin； hed explained about the power of his poison spurs： he couldnt go on using them continually； because with each sting； the venom weakened。 it took a day for the full potency to build up again。 before long his main weapon would lose its force； and then theyd only have their wits。
she found an overhanging rock next to the roots of a spruce tree that clung to the side of the gorge； and settled herself beneath it to look around。
behind her and above； over the lip of the ravine and in the full force of the wind； stood the generating station。 the engineers were rigging a series of lights to help them bring the cable to the bomb： she could hear their voices not far away； shouting mands； and see the lights wavering through the trees。 the cable itself； as thick as a mans arm； was being hauled from a gigantic reel on a truck at the top of the slope； and at the rate they were edging their way down over the rocks； theyd reach the bomb in five minutes or less。
at the zeppelin father macphail had rallied the soldiers。 several men stood guard； looking out into the sleet…filled dark with rifles at the ready； whil