Francisco de Zurbaran The Immaculate Conception

Francisco de Zurbaran The Immaculate ConceptionArthur Hughes La Belle Dame Sans MerciArthur Hughes Ophelia
much harder going down than it had been climbing up; but he didn't falter.
And as he turned down the last little gully before the place where he'd left Lyra sleeping, he stopped suddenly. He could see two figures simply standing there, in the dark, waiting. Will put his hand on the knife.
Then one of the figures spoke.
"You're the boy with the knife?" he said, and his voice had the strange quality of those wingbeats. Whoever he was, he wasn't a"He had no idea."
"Why didn't you stop the witch, then? Why did you let her kill him?"
"We would have done, earlier. But his task was over once he'd led us human being."Who are you?" Will said. "Are you men, or—""Not men, no. We are Watchers. Bene elim. In your language, angels."Will was silent. The speaker went on: "Other angels have other functions, and other powers. Our task is simple: We need you. We have been following the shaman every inch of his way, hoping he would lead us to you, and so he has. And now we have come to guide you in turn to Lord Asriel.""You were with my father all the time?""Every moment.""Did he know?"