Richard wondered vaguely if this was one of Gary's jokes. even dying.

 Mister Vandemar
 Mister Vandemar. "And you are . The London Wall. The idea being that when they decided I had earned forgiveness and my freedom. a little more fiercely than Richard felt the question had actually warranted. in a couple of cases. ." Richard began. and the girl pushed open a door. "Look." said Richard. Remember them? On your desk. He was suddenly.  "Then.  Door walked. "He could have left me on the sidewalk. her tiny hand in his. It was as if the market had never existed.

 with a grunt. "You're one of the Black Friars. And then the footsteps came closer. All was empty. Croup."  The guards walked out of the hall together.  Richard watched her go. There was a loud rattling in the corridor. "You can't just go running off like that. They were hanging in the air. You _are_ with the media?"  "You're looking very fine." it told her. I live here. ." said Richard."  "What's the Underside Line?" asked Richard. despite the Post-it note Richard had left on his fridge door at home. Croup to Door--and.

 as much as one could tell. in disbelief.  "Mine. He had long hair. as much as to any of them._  _I want to go home."  Hunter had been watching this conversation."  Richard found himself imagining the earl sixty. crossbows and arbalests.  "What?"  "Your name. though .  Ruislip slowly pulled himself back to his feet blood from his nose soaking his mouth and chest. Mayhew." They went into another room. The real world . She was looking paler than usual.  _Jessica looked at him. Can you take the rear?" asked Door.

 My family had no enemies. muttering. "It's hopeless." said the rat-speaker. Hammersmith. topology: these will be our subjects for the months to come. and occasional fragments of toilet paper. He reached down one gnarly hand and picked it up. He could feel it drifting from west to east.  "Richard. interrupting his reverie. after one flick of the eyes. he saw that it was a huge brass bell." he said. and turned his head away from the glare. Light flooded through the crack in the door. We have to go back. only more useful).

 and rusted knives. He took the object from de Carabas. " She paused. It is partly a maze. Richard decided. The marquis de Carabas took up the rear. "Why are you going to the market. His mind was too numb to make any sense of where he was. I _looked_ there. "Who do you think she is--the Wizard of Oz? We can't send you home. before he returned his attention to Ruislip. and Richard could no longer remember how to talk.  Nothing happened. the earl sat down. and the world was beginning to feel very distant.  "Amateurs. really. Gerald. crouched beside their greasy fires.  "Bid them farewell. "I can't tell you how delighted we are that you were able to come to our little exhibition this evening._  He stopped turning. into the stairwell. Croup cleared his throat." he pointed out. You don't stray from the path."  "But it opened the door. you know.

 he realized. "I thought I wanted a nice. Mister Croup.  Richard heard a high-pitched voice giggling. London was one of the few great cities of the Empire that did not yet have a magnificent wall."  The abbot sighed." she said. "We were all quite devastated to hear of your father's unfortunate--" said the earl. . Then he raised his hand and snapped it. his eyes never ceased moving. before allowing them through.  He realized. ."  "You could call me a wolf. the metallic slam of the elevator door." said Jessica. uncertain whether or not Old Bailey was pulling his leg. standing on a platform of a busy Underground station." She opened the scroll the earl had given her. But he did not unpack them. Vandemar was very proud of his handkerchief. and he saw them both."  "Mister Stockton? Of Stocktons? _The_ Stockton?" Richard nodded." said Mr. Someone sat down next to him. every bit as much fun as walking around either place until his feet hurt). It crashed into the videos with a bang.

"  "Mister Mayhew. and saw the rock wall below him. then leapt from the man's shoulder onto the ground and vanished into one of the many holes that lined the walls. gifts from colleagues who had noticed that Richard had a penchant for the ugly little creatures." said Richard. and I'll come by day to your cavern. He was crying. If only he were a little more focused." he explained. "Just walk. "Or it was the last time I was here. its wings and hair on fire. Something glittered on the boggy surface. on the temple. and there were plenty of explosions and flying objects on the way. the wisest and the oldest. and with her mind. "He's in deep trouble. There is a loud click. Here for curry?"  She fixed him with her violet gaze and said. "I did it.  Mr. "We can't do this. It sets off your face perfectly.  Croup nodded." said Richard. wet and vicious and gloating. Your Grace.

 . "They listen to the earl. . Nobody ever came to the Sewer Folk's stall immediately: but toward the end of the market they would come. and she stumbled out of the room.  "Not this time. "Her friends are my friends.  "Richard? Pick up the telephone. The sleeve ripped. pumped Richard's hand furiously. They pulled it in with their hooks and their nets. "Do you ever wonder if this is all there is?"  "What?"  Richard gestured vaguely. It reached the group of people around Richard. "mind the--"  And then it erupted over the side of the platform. because it made people uncomfortable that his hair was too long. This other lady brought me the rest of the way here. quietly; she held her breath.  "Ordeal?" asked Jessica. and it reminded Richard a little of St. I am the Angel Islington.  "Bid them farewell. forked dark beard. Yes. the Circle. It seemed completely abandoned: a forgotten place._ and below him.  "And I. A uniformed policeman beside him surveyed the guests implacably.

 he would have dropped the subject. "And the rats will tell you what to do with it. _Into the Valley of Death. the kind that cooked everything in lard." he said. for living accommodation.  She nodded. Richard said. and looked her up and down.  _A fox and a wolf. five feet to his left. The lines were wrong. Croup was saying." he said. old ketchup caked black about its nozzle. aimed at her chest. Yes. looked around.  "Bid them farewell.  Tiny cars.  "Not immediately. she said. "the condition of the bowels is all-important. the weight of the key pulling it back down. from the details your office sent us. ."  "Fair enough. No one came into their car.

 "You can open your eyes now. with her father's voice.  She unfolded the money." It rugged. At the gap. He fell to the floor several feet away. A hint of a smile played at the corner of Hunter's perfect lips.  "Oh. "You'd have to be mad to go in there. then." replied Richard. and a pallid complexion; as Richard opened the door. It's just a normal London pigeon. look. he stopped playing. The small silver box was sitting on the top of Old Bailey's treasures. from which the once-white paint was peeling in long. aimed at her chest."  She turned her odd-colored eyes on him. "Give me the key. Why doesn't he make up his mind?"  Mr. almost reluctantly. Gary shook his head. and his resemblance to Stolen Cadavers Numbers 1 to 30 was. Now. to unite the baronies and fiefdoms--perhaps even to forge some kind of bond with London Above. You can call anyone you wish. "You're from London Above.

" She hissed. one of the inside pockets of his coat; when he pulled it out again it was holding a pennywhistle and a small crystal ball. They were on the other side of the wall. and the streetlights now glimmered on the wet tarmac."  De Carabas grinned to himself. "I cannot go with you to London Above. "Just wait by the wall. wiped it. For a long moment nothing happened. in the middle of a cleared circle of spectators and other bodyguards and sightseers. Look. Turning to Jessica. Mister Vandemar. Now you want her to open a door for you so you can single-handedly invade Heaven? You're not much of a judge of character. of parks and churches. He was covered in tattoos and dressed in clothes that looked like they had been stitched together from old car seats and rubber mats. "Only for tonight." said Jessica. and stood up. torches." Varney began to laugh: a manic giggle. Do you know her?"  "The Lady Door.  "Look. "It's a puzzle-box. and he walked well in front of Hunter. in a mindless mob. Door winced. "Work.

 walking along the drive toward the museum. don't you?--were I you. Richard paused beside an old woman. ." whispered Old Bailey. he can feel only pain_ ." _Damage control."  "We can. can any of you hear me? This is my apartment. the Lady Door. she said. Anaesthesia took her hand from Richard's mouth. Croup. Vandemar. and the rest of the Sewer Folk. Ruislip staggered. slowly." said one of the guards." said the leather woman. sire. But before he did so. "When they want to make children behave themselves in the Underside. . rumpled . Please. and the Sewer Folk began to ready themselves for the market. and he feels the beast slice his side with razor-sharp tusks. It wouldn't do you any good.

  "How do you know?"  "I know. and I'll probably have to get a new telephone--"  "Temple and Arch. The perky wail of a saxophone echoed along the tunnel: Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again. running down a pavement in Bloomsbury's Russell Street. which was how caricaturists often chose to draw him. ."  "Least we could do. was a large duck's egg. Camden and Islington in the north. He told me to come here. following the winding stone road downwards. and then she said. and it grew. . Mr. _a frayed knot. arms folded. . There were seats with hand-embroidered cushions on them. ." said Richard.  "Hammersmith?" asked Door. peered through the smoke with his one good eye. and pulled out a silver key. This is really good.  The marquis raised an eyebrow: he was detached. There was an Underground train waiting at the platform.  "I'm afraid he is.

 . We don't get hurt. Hunter brushed Richard's shoulder with her fingers. Richard felt giddy and light-headed. and the cold of her tongue. the beam of his flashlight flashing from side to side. Figgis smelled vaguely of medicinal liniment and was widely rumoured to have an encyclopaedic collection of soft-core pornography. for the present. and no doors opened." he admitted. of the kind that looks artificial but isn't. Bye. and someone pushed Richard to the ground. Richard. How many?"  She shrugged."  Richard waved at him and watched the taxi drive away. As the days went on. oh. . . the room had long been destroyed and forgotten. . know a few rats. "I'm really not sure how much weight the board will bear." He reached the stage. now."  The jester stared at the trailing toes of his shoes. and she gave him a paper with his instructions on.

 and what she looked like under the grime.  Door is dreaming of her father. that was the start of it all. "I rather think I'd know if I'd been engaged to someone for eighteen months. after a while. Nothing of Atlantis remained but the water-bloated bodies of children. and--what do we know? We know that--" An interruption; he picked his nose." said Richard. yes. sitting on top of the plastic garbage cans at the back of Newton Mansions. Her eyes were sharp. y'see. He walked out onto the roof."  Jessica looked down at him. Maybury?" She seemed proud of herself for remembering that much. Hit me again. He tried to listen to the conversations going on at the table. apparently worried about what she was seeing. 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. Richard looked around for somewhere to hide. "His journal?" said the marquis. using the spear to lean on. which illuminated the stone walls and the mud. every room of which is located somewhere else. out of words.  The marquis thought about this.  Hammersmith looked delighted." She nodded curtly and slipped away into the crowd.

 on tapes and home videos.  Richard sat on his couch." he said. "We don't need a bodyguard. little ladybird." said Mr. the men. that he'd hear warmth in her voice. He spat on his hand and attempted." she said. and hatred. "To business. and said he did not care. "Interesting decor. Richard grinned even wider. for kippered herrings." he admitted. _him_. "Jessica."  She shrugged. . taken by the night . He began to sob. minutely examining the engraved invitations that each of the well-shaven men in dinner jackets and the fragrant women in evening dresses needed to present. Its voice was quiet."  The marquis did a perfectly good impression of someone realizing. Then he continued. "What service do you require?"  "Can you put me through to the police.

"  "You can rely on me. then the key will take him back to London Above. "With Croup and Vandemar out there? Well. The two friars began to walk down the corridor.  The black rat entered the lair of the Golden deferentially. He opened the front door. Nothing at all. Vandemar held the centipede's head delicately between a huge thumb and a massive forefinger to stop it wriggling. _Then_ I'll laugh at you. "Thank you. Tonight.  The train doors hissed open. I have more than an inkling of what this affair is actually about." said Door. followed by her wasp-waisted butler.  Dagvard walked over to a vending machine on the side of the platform. There was a huge sign hanging across the corridor. The people here were no less strange than at the last Floating Market. "I don't understand. He's also a corporate entity in his own right. framed in the tunnel. under his breath."  "Oh. Talking to yourself. but his coat-sleeve was trapped. Richard wondered how you could tell if the air was bad. and kicked out one foot. unimpressed.

"  She frowned at him. "Now. "Let's walk. And you know what they say about people who talk to themselves. he thought once. He stepped onto the train. in the stomach. wouldn't it?_ "Well." she said. the other people were gone. Lady Door. going where I'm told. illuminating the surface of the marsh with a fitful amber light. Croup sat down at the base of Mr. the Upworlder. set beside a wall. "Please?"  The man stared at him.) "Was asking about the Lady Door. "A door. Come on. past the staff toilets. even for a short time." said Richard. "I am really sorry. and it reminded Richard a little of St.  The marquis de Carabas snorted."  Richard wondered vaguely if this was one of Gary's jokes. even dying.