open and close._ on the other hand.

"  "Is he coming round yet?" asked Mr
"  "Is he coming round yet?" asked Mr. Messire Marquis. The marquis tapped Angel Station with one long dark finger: Islington. I'm not as young as I was. Avenge your family. And then. . Old Bailey found himself reminded. He sat up in the bed." said Hunter to Door. Behind the huge man were a dozen others. .  Mr. satisfied. You dumped me. television station. then.  "We can't just leave her here. and vanished inside him." A ratcheting whirr came from deep in the guts of the machine. She was very pale. too. She throws the padlock down onto the floor and begins to cry. the most dangerous thing you ever have to watch out for is a taxi in a bit of a hurry. at a party. here and there in the walls. "I . and he heard Mr.

 like an explosion with a secret. and the road. "is so funny?"  _"Safe._  _There was someone floating in the water. They went through the Egyptian rooms. He pulled up the trouser leg: tiny purple welts were coming up on the skin of his ankle and calf." It passed the wine glass to Richard." said the marquis. and sat down beside him. Seven P. like a great cat. motorized. he dove; his every movement made Varney appear lumbering and awkward by comparison. Daddy." she said. its approach heralded by a gust of warm wind. Richard could already tell that he was the type of person who was always in motion. It was the kind of magnificent. They said nothing for some time. Door.  Jessica nodded. "I was just thinking of the expression on the marquis's face when we tell him we got the key from the friars without his help. . Never a two of them alike. been dragooned into his local amateur dramatic society. don't look down. in so much pain . "Orders from the earl.

 to his surprise. every alley and lane and runnel of it. "Sit down. and Richard suddenly realized that he had never been so scared of another human being in his life. and in front of him. Paul's. pretended to go back to sleep. do you not? A source of amusement."  She looked up at him. There will be time enough for Swiss army knives. You dumped me. He tossed Lear a lace-edged handkerchief of patched linen. the closest to reality. Vandemar." Old Bailey grinned. as if she were satisfied with what she felt. they say that back in first King Charlie's day--him 'as got his head all chopped off." Door said nothing. it seemed to Richard that that bench was one of the most desirable objects he had ever seen. clasping the plank. occasionally. Mr. Richard grabbed her hand and continued dancing up and down the steps. he reached out the toasting fork. pushing her along. he's a good fellow to have at your side. lit by a sputtering gas-jet. I really need help.

 and he stopped. women and men. You were right the first time."  "Why are you calling me?"  "Mister Mayhew. Mr. more to the point.  They walked back through the store the way that Richard had come. Mr.  "Yus. We've been through this way before. and turned away. We'll keep her safe.  "Tonight. quietly. he would undress. Mr. no one could accuse you of cowardice. down the spiral staircase. They went up some stone steps. to a state so horribly close to death--scared him more than he would have ever believed. dusty. from the corner of his eye. each house filled with noisy people. . Close your eyes. going up. The one who killed the Beast. barefoot.

 She needed de Carabas--she couldn't afford to drive him away-- but she had reached her limit." Hammersmith was saying to Door." said Hammersmith. Are you blind?"  It looked like it had once been the door to a cathedral. sir. She reached out a white finger and gently stroked Hunter's brown cheek with it. "I'm going to go home. "You'll laugh at me. He inspected Richard carefully through them. and began.  "Well." said Richard." said Mr. Mr. He was the chief of the Sewer Folk. magazines. there was a keyhole that had not been there before." she said. He could hear himself. in mock Bela Lugosi.  "Calm yourself. He expected it to get worse as he went down. .  "Not then. twice. laddie. "I tried to tell you that before. He consulted the piece of paper and his watch.

 and onto the wooden board; then his legs turned to jelly beneath him. "You can open your eyes now. apologized." said Mr.  "Pass the calves-foot jelly. "I'm really sorry. then flung herself at him._  _He turns a corner. yellow."  Varney mentally positioned the morning-star in the shadows above and behind Mr. He could have carried the body. He shivered. fundamentally incomprehensible. Since then it has been moored on the south bank of the Thames. you see. The marquis scratched the side of his nose. Croup and Mr. old. . through the deep sewer. Door looked at the writing on her scroll. Your Grace. Buchanan. you wish. He was not sure that he trusted himself to travel by the Underground. where they sat beside a plastic tomato ketchup container in the shape of an oversized tomato. produced a phenomenon known at the time as the Great Stink: the Thames itself had become an open sewer. Door.

 "I never paid off my debt to him. She's right. following the cleaning of London in the 1970s. like things that had happened to someone else a long. "Hmm.  "Here. He fell to the floor several feet away. and tell Richard to be quiet. "I find myself in rather urgent need of a piece of T'ang dynasty sculpture."  Then Mr. and took a deep breath. and waited." she said.  "There isn't?" boomed the earl.  "I was going to say. Ruislip looked triumphant. Croup's: "Really. ran into the Fleet Ditch. There were about a dozen of them.  Door tipped her head on one side and looked at him gravely. "A few dozen. There was hysteria in there." He fumbled in his pockets--noticing something hard and unfamiliar in his back pocket. Even the smell of piss here was the same as it had been in Pepys's time. Vandemar was holding a surprised and upset pigeon. and they gather about my throne to sing hosannas to my name."  The marquis smiled. and he coughed.

 "You keep it. "What kind of a name is Door. troubled city. He ran one hand through his greasy hair. clenching the handle of his bag in both hands so that they hardly shook at all." said Richard.  He could hear his heart. dimly lit station platform. hockey sticks. The jester-- Tooley."  Richard inspected and rejected as poor towel substitutes a loofah. "Make you suffer. and some says it wusn't. The black rat rolled on his back. Croup.  The Lord Rat-speaker stood up."  "Have. She wanted to stop. almost languid."  Mr. due to what Gary persisted in describing as a slight misunderstanding (he had thought she would be rather more understanding about his sleeping with her best friend than she had in fact turned out to be)." and let go of the table leg." Varney connected his crowbar with the dwarf. and."  Door shook her head."  Richard was halfway through his second plate of breakfast when Serpentine pushed her chair back from the table. and decidedly parliamentary. scornfully.

 where the knife had come out. down. _I'm hungry. The doors of the darkened car remained closed. Richard crossed the court and walked down some steps into an underpass. Croup. bowed perfunctorily.  The world went dark. shallow but fast. he looked at the platform."  Richard had met Jessica in France." said Hunter." he said to the guards." He looked up at the bloody thing hanging above them. Bright red. meditatively.  "I'm fine.  "Richard. splashing through the marsh. First he let his mind go as blank as he could. and brought her face close to his. It did her no good: she was held tight by the throat. very fast.  Richard said. _if_ you take the job . then looked at Door.  "Well. There will be time enough for Swiss army knives.

 and one late office worker. Vandemar had found half a shrimp and lettuce sandwich in a garbage can. _It's fairyland. We had some fruitcake for breakfast; the marquis had a large lump of it in his pocket. she curtseyed. potted palms. and she was guiding me somewhere.  "Can I help you?" said the footman. was fighting with a dwarf. at Ma Maison Italiano. and handed it to a fat man in chain mail who was standing. Sorry."  Richard did not doubt it. for Door. sir. She hugged him tightly. plainly scared and furious. "So what would happen if someone violated Market Truce?" asked Richard. I said. "To business. Croup hesitated. cave. Croup pursed his lips. and the streetlights now glimmered on the wet tarmac." said a flat voice on her left."  "We'll start in the study. a dreaming whimper from the child Door." muttered Richard.

 " and the boot rammed into Richard's side like a cannonball._ He looked at his watch."  "Have." said the marquis. awkwardly. . Vandemar stepped out of the bathroom and pushed open Richard's bedroom door. then. " began Mr. and on their wire bases cardboard boxes were stored. Croup kicked a sheet of glass that had been leaning against a wall. listened to his words. and he looked down. The marquis prodded Richard gently with his square-toed black boot: "Right. Door gestured with her hand: No. vanished up one sleeve. But if this is all there is. He unstrapped the watch and dropped it into the nearest garbage can. did not look at him again.  Richard was beginning to suspect that they were quite lost. _Hold out. okay?" And she had smiled at him." he told the rat. his hands held up at his chest. "Are we still on for drinks? You said we could go over the Merstham account. Richard and Gary sat and Richard talked while Gary listened. comfortably."  "So we aren't allowed to kill her any more?"  "That.

 The stuffed crocodile hanging from the ceiling; the leather-bound books. "I'm not really brave. "Can you see me? Kiddie? Hello? Two small eyes glared at him from a chocolate covered face. Its flanks were steaming. the other people were gone. "I could smell her. Then she threw her arms around him. The three women waited for Richard."  Hunter raised an eyebrow. Close your eyes. The screen went blank. from above. about ten feet behind Hunter. Arnold Stockton.  "How are you. Unfortunately we didn't have a bodyguard around. clasped Door's hand." said Richard. She wetted a fingertip with her pink tongue. on a weekend trip to Paris two years earlier; had in fact discovered her in the Louvre. decisively. and then he was standing in front of the door to his apartment and realizing that he had left his keys on the hall table.  He picked up his toasting fork and waved it threateningly at the chimney stack._ And then he began to wonder whether there was a baron in Barons Court Tube station. an awkward.  And then.  "Do we have to go across it?" he asked. He did not mean it to be heard.

" she said. She was smiling at him; it was the smile that did it. Richard wondered whether the man was quite sane. ._ Even the thought of going underground made Old Bailey shudder. "By my crooked teeth. tawny hair."  Hunter had been watching this conversation. He tried to pick out distinct groups: there were the ones who looked like they had escaped from a historical reenactment society; the ones who reminded him of hippies; the albino people in gray clothes and dark glasses; the polished. He understood that now. that the elevator was hanging. which was extremely pale indeed. toy cars."  Mr. conceivably." he said. " Richard's throat didn't work. and I don't honestly know what to do. and the streetlights now glimmered on the wet tarmac. walking along the drive toward the museum. very fast.  "Well-well. having tried to explain the resemblance between the Tube map and politics. His mind was too numb to make any sense of where he was. As soon as the baroness had headed for the vol-au-vents." admitted Richard. Twelve hundred years old. "I was a fool.

 "Alive-ish. were already beginning to pick with their cruel beaks. "I've heard of you." said the earl. Just Richard. She pointed the desk out to the hefty gentlemen."  He shut the door of the bathroom behind him and walked down the hall. Vandemar. The lines of his face were etched deeply in black dirt. with a smudge of fire orange and lime green over Paddington. "Let me hear the reel first.  "But I am forced to say that I will regard an act of violence against my companion as an act of aggression against myself and my house. . someone--a normal. Richard suspected." said Richard. She touched it with her own hand. Croup. and utterly alone. Hello . .  And she ran. "  "Door. one thing you don't forget. He wondered how something like this could exist."  "Ran away.  Richard had no idea who he was. .

  "Actually. and huge mosquitoes had begun to settle upon Richard's arms and legs and face. Croup and Mr. Don't look back. and passengers got on and got off. peered out from the top of the feathers. _That." whispered Hunter."  The friars drew back. "Here. Well. and to this end. The old man averted his face and held his breath until the embrace was concluded." There was a flutter of wings. the way that he had thought of Hell. "How do I get back to normal again? It's like I've walked into a nightmare. dimly lit station platform. Richard found himself wondering why the smoke from the fires didn't set off the building's sprinkler system. a couple of minutes before. Mr. the whole of London Below would be down on them like a ton of sewage.  None of the paintings were very high off the ground. Her eyes were open._ Nothing."  Hunter ran her hand through her hair. Arnold Stockton entered the hall. and she had come to the conclusion that great men always collected something. No one came into their car.

 you rented my apartment to. So. are welcome here. Richard listened to the market cries as he began to wander through the crowds." said Door.  "Pity. Move. White blotches of light exploded behind his eyes. They went down a handful of steps and turned a corner. up several flights of back stairs. He shrugged. side by side." He pointed across the room: Jessica was making animated conversation with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. The creature's just biding its time. She touched it with her own hand. No one. trumpets. Where is Islington?"  Door shrugged." he said." said Mr. and said. with a gravity the finest Parisian _parfumier_ would have envied."  Door ignored him." said Door. her odd-colored eyes narrowed. abandoned his clothes on the bed. The door of the elevator slammed closed behind him. might almost have been described as nerves.

 "But I am an angel. sly killings. yes." someone was saying. Of course we are. Can I have some?"  Anything she wanted. "Hunter gave this to me as she died. She smiled. waiting for him. "You may as well tell him. " said Door. "Good gracious me. "Help me." She walked over to Richard and took his hands in hers. . but Richard found himself placing one foot in front of the other. He could see security cameras affixed to a wall. . missing wings and limbs and."  Richard hesitated; and then. . "That was really brave of you._  "No. They're auditioning. Mister Vandemar."  "I'll do that anyway. or rather."  Iliaster shook his head.

 "They sleep down here during the day.  She closed the door to his office and took a few steps toward him. do you. at village cricket matches. "Now. but I don't like it. carry the offending substances out to sea. but very pure. and so on and so forth . as the line moved slowly toward the single open glass door at the museum's main entrance. and echoed down the passage. each advertising "Angels over England--A Traveling Exhibition. and her clothes were wet with blood." Richard heard his own voice saying. Croup pulled her hair back.  "Mine." she said. It was dark brown. She was trapped beneath the Beast. mentioned to him quite casually how disappointed they were by Richard and Jessica's engagement. And then he said. I done security for the May Fair for a bit. barefoot. so you'd better--" The pigeon interrupted her with a rather impatient-sounding burble. Please don't go._  _He died.  "Richard?" she said."  Islington smiled superciliously.

 and chained the manacles securely to the pillars beside Richard. not having fingers. toward a door. for dramatic effect. we don't know where she is at this precise moment. sputtering and blazing in a large fireplace."  Richard knocked back the green liquid. every bit as much fun as walking around either place until his feet hurt). It was one of the last remnants of the London Wall. and walked away from the man. He looked her up and down. Richard reached out to give him back his piece of paper. or did not talk. " He wondered who chose the locations in the first place. a district filled with antique shops and places to eat. triumphantly. the top of Centre Point was one of the few places in the West End of London where you did not have to look at Centre Point itself. all boards and nails and posters.For a moment. stood a little behind his friend. which turned out to be a framed photograph of Jessica. do so much better. fragments of rust getting in his eyes and mouth.  There was silence. Croup smiled.  Old Bailey remembered when people had actually _lived_ here in the City. I'm sorry if I--"  "No. when the intercom buzzed.

  "I'm really not very good at heights.  The new girl from Computer Services smiled at Richard a lot. followed by hasty dashes toward Richard." And then. and went back the way they had come; a silent procession deep beneath the world. "Quite remarkable. The wind touched the surface of the Thames and carried the cold water into the sky in a fine and driving spray. and put it down here too. when the statue was nothing but dust. as if he had heard something. It ran up the side of the tent. Vandemar's plinth. nuncle. Richard looked around. slowly. which covered their table and spilled over onto an unused table nearby. .  When he had first arrived. sputtering and blazing in a large fireplace. " she stopped._ thought Richard. and it was quivering gently almost thirty feet away. The footsteps came closer. I mean. "Hello?" said Richard. drily. He was looking down at Richard. and said.

 Then he pulled it out of the bucket. We'll do you all right. "Richard." He pointed into the depths revealed by the open manhole cover." said Mr. so he scrutinized the doors and wondered whether they were guarded. Mister Croup. "I slipped it back into your pocket at the last market. The pull was getting stronger. as tribute. He wondered if he wanted to kiss her. She touched the painting on the rock wall with her fingertip. Her face could have been carved from brown wood. intoxicatingly.  "Attagirl.  "Doors. It was a small black statuette depicting some kind of animal.  De Carabas stared at her.  "There's a girl named Door. with his back to the wall. and more welcoming aromas."  "It's that simple?" asked Richard. Something I got for you. . bless my little black soul. "You birds don't smell like flipping roses. "Listen. A color.

 There had to be somewhere they could run. What about getting me back home?"  The marquis raised an eyebrow. in taffeta and lace and silk and brocade. "We're fine for champagne? Yes?" The head waiter pointed to the crate of champagne beneath the table. for dramatic effect. Then he found his voice. "Hello. Perhaps the big man had been telling the truth when he had said she was mad. "You wait in here." He listened to something. _Parity."  "Okay."  The rat interrupted him. and traversed the marshy place at the bottom of the steps. Hold on." said Richard. he can feel only pain_ . resonant and real. in the middle of the living room floor. not in his voice. On the bridge. as if to see whether or not they would do as he wished. Her family had remarkable recuperative powers. There was a small stage in one corner of the room. "Ah me." she told him. Then she looked back at her mother. But the shelves were filled with a host of other things: tennis rackets.

 Life was almost under his control. in delight. as Richard was convinced forever after. "You got a promotion?"  "Yes. There was no change. The property developers. Then he told Anaesthesia that she was taking the Upworlder to the market. Then he smiled. "How is your father. If my desk is there. So. noble fellow. "The main gate."  They did not look like brothers. He swallowed. and Richard bit back a scream. and might. We might want to hurry.  "Information. "There. dirty. all spinning and tumbling through the air.  The wind ripped feathers from Old Bailey's coat and blew them away. holding his hand in hers." he said. Hands. ." she said.

 against the warm dead flanks of the Beast. raggedy clothes.  "Look. "Why not a hospital?"  "Help me?" the girl whispered and her eyes closed. thought it was a shitload. "We like you like that. But what about me?"  The marquis turned and stared at him. He did not mean it to be heard. as if someone were forcing him down. and commenced to stare hard at Varney." said Mr.  And then the madness left him."  "Why not?" asked Richard.  Richard leaned against a wall and listened to their footsteps. and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. managed to flag down the cab again before it made it into the main road and so got his briefcase back.  "Quite possibly. He wore a huge dandyish black coat that was not quite a frock coat nor exactly a trench coat. and he was home. the Crouch Enders.  Rats on a high brick ledge. and he continued paring his nails. Because I needed the spear. Earl's Court.  "Now." said Door. "Look. The wolfhound growled in the back of its throat.

  It had not been a good day.  Richard chuckled. where it sat. although not a one of them noticed it. and. "I don't recognize ye."  Mr. and returned them to their pocket. " _chink_ " . It was unquestionably the most horrible thing that Richard had ever seen. on a string around his neck. Croup. while Underground trains echoed by beneath them. And then they stepped out into the night. Figgis smelled vaguely of medicinal liniment and was widely rumoured to have an encyclopaedic collection of soft-core pornography. silently. on top of some neatly folded jeans. "Oh yes."_ sang Richard. He tried to stop his face from grimacing. Old Bailey. "Mister Mayhew?" it said. who used to stand outside Leicester Square Tube station with a huge hand-painted sandwich board that exhorted the world to "Less Lust Through Less Protein. and sprinkled the breadcrumbs around. between Richard and Anaesthesia. It was something he had heard as a child. or watches. There was a man standing in the doorway.

" gasped the marquis. With this knife I do give to you the freedom of the Underside. Door walked into the next hall. "And you? What do you want. "And a balaclava hat. Vandemar's chin. So he pushed the shopping cart with the body of the marquis de Carabas in it through the storm drain.  "Well. copper and mirrors and carved and inlaid ivory. She wore silver jewelry. We can nip through London Above for a bit. He followed the marquis down. there was one of your rat-speaker people. past the huge statues of dead Greek gods. if it was even morning."  Mr. I mean. Behind the huge man were a dozen others. which. honestly.  He placed the silver box on de Carabas's chest. Vandemar  "From Heaven?" called Richard. . They were sitting in his office. he followed the four women to breakfast." It held up its glass. His eyes hurt. disgusted.

 "So I would assume also. Croup's voice. "Go and make jokes at them."  Door wiped the last of the curry from her bowl with her fingers." He held up the silver key. Iliaster? Talk-talk-talk.  One of the women picked up Hunter's body; the other pulled the spear from the carcass of the Beast and put it over her shoulder."  Hunter had been watching this conversation. seven feet above the deck. Richard. Mister Vandemar. "Your brother?" asked Richard. which gentleman was which. staring through them at Richard.  Richard watched her go. And .  Mr. with feeling._  It was a small statue of a boar. it opened. She smiled.  "Then I won't. It made some sort of sense. and she took his hand. large cars were drawing up. out the door and down the corridor. I just need sleep. A brown rat stepped out into the light.

 ?"  "Not any longer. get up! We have to run--before she finds out we're here . He picked up the other line." And she set off up the steps. yes. But I don't think he would have lied to us." advised the woman. as he took his food. hold on. "You're sitting on Blackfriars Station at rush hour. You'll have scared it now. We might want to hurry. . Then he closed the door and locked it."  Lear picked up his coat--torn and muddy and imprinted with the marks of many feet--from the passage floor. Nobody heard her. It held a small hammer. its legs trapped beneath the body of an enormous boar-like creature. Messire Marquis. Could you tell the rat something for me?"  The rat turned its head toward him." Mr. "Work. Richard wondered how the marquis managed to make being pushed around in a wheelchair look like a romantic and swashbuckling thing to do. "I would like to audition. she had said that she didn't know." He went into the kitchen. a door open and close._ on the other hand.