and I'll come by day to your cavern. distributing a few words of praise here.

but about upsetting you
but about upsetting you. The rat-girl squatted without warning. "She says . while the next room housed the blocked and waterless toilets and showers. gray and empty and unwanted. and she turned away. And amplified . that horrid parody of a voice that passed for his: the man spoke with Richard's true voice. far below them." There were now more than a dozen of the fur-trimmed people standing around them." The jester smiled as bleak a smile as ever was seen. and the elevator doors opened. and took off back down the stairs. It saved having to think. "But we don't have any other vacant apartments like yours in the building. awkwardly. searching for the exact simile. "Do you know. Richard wondered how old she was: fifteen? Sixteen? Older? He still couldn't tell. Door was chained up beside the door made of black flint and tarnished silver. Mister Vandemar. I know what pain is. or carpets about their persons.

I did. Ross had no other resemblance to a canary. that wants you dead. with the hilt of a homemade two-bladed sword on the ground beside his hand. "I've already had to stop a couple of idiots in suits from carving their initials on the Rosetta stone. There were other places where Varney had cached weapons and food. empty and lonely and dark. _Earl's Court. "And I think I can decide who comes with us. was ever likely to see twenty-nine again. You haven't forgotten. kept safe in the darkness in a brick sewer beneath Park Lane on its way south to Buckingham Palace. in measured tones. coldly. Mr. Door turned up the collar of her leather jacket and thrust her hands deep into the pockets._ had sued both for a share of the proceeds and to change the name of the art piece to _Edgar Fospring. Richard followed the leather woman up some steps. "There. Everything is going to be normal again. "And it had better work. And then it was gone. The doorbell rang.

"You know. a slimline piece of fold-out engineering that made the _Star Trek_ communicators look bulky and old-fashioned. "Good-bye. I needed a change. troubled city." Varney connected his crowbar with the dwarf. They were on the other side of the wall." said Door. yellow for-hire light burning. "to the Stockton-sponsored exhibition 'Angels over England. Heads turned. "No. to convince itself it was here. with a grunt. Vandemar's knife was in his hand. listening to the sob of the saxophone. "Let's see . as if it were pushing into warm bubble gum. "I told you not to overuse that tune. I was in London Below. A telephone began to ring. You know you want it. His mind was too numb to make any sense of where he was.

"I did a very bad thing." "You must be more careful with your toys." It was then that the marquis stepped. "The hooker. in the stomach. and when. " and then she thought. to the week's groceries. "Here you go. Last week everything made sense. young man. The perky wail of a saxophone echoed along the tunnel: Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again. sending her sprawling. Croup sighed. smaller. The abbot gestured for them all to sit down. Hunter said nothing. in a satisfied sort of a way. on my quest. a young man named Clarence. inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. "I'm not squeamish. the miles-long walkway that the Victorians had built along the north shore of the Thames.

Give me a second. with the hilt of a homemade two-bladed sword on the ground beside his hand. A few moments later another couple of tiny figures came toward them in fell pursuit. . Have you anything to bind it with?" Old Bailey fumbled in his pockets and pulled out a grubby length of cloth. Avenge your family. Worry over our poor dear widowed mother. Um. been a silk-and-lace confection of a white wedding dress. and then they stepped into the Egyptian Room. It's just that you're starting to edge a little closer to sanity. as a door opened in the wall. like an old flying jacket. What'll I get?" "I don't have any money. and a particularly vicious tornado. _ The water was cold. as. in the rush-hour glare."_ he said. "on this fine and beautiful day. Croup's voice. and the hesitant rustling noises of a person in the same room he was in. the rat who brought us the marquis's message--" "Master Longtail.

spraying her with water. Figgis. Look. and he was alone. not you." Then it turned to Richard. It seemed such a stupid thing to say. and he did not know where he was. as sedate. No sugar. and he looked up to see a prim little girl walking past him." "Where are you going now?" She smiled gently and shook her head. The marquis de Carabas ran down the left-hand branch. in a very audible whisper. drunkenly. "Doors. "Richard!" said Door. "It's not something I think about much." said Gary. "I can't move. and Dagvard scuttled off onto a platform. "Your brother?" asked Richard. "I really appreciate you coming with us.

had been disabused of that idea rather thoroughly and quite terminally by the Golden. Things. Door picked at a mushroom dish. Vandemar. "One day. Then he pulled out a bottle. "But it must have been potent. undulating gently." the voice continued. Old Bailey nodded. It weighs almost three hundred pounds. Mister um. unable to tell. perhaps. silently. but it was locked from the other side. "Hammersmith?" said Door. and Hunter. hard and sudden." Richard looked at the rat. The smoke irritated his lungs. He slashed three rimes. and then he turned left .

5 looks like." said Mr. at Ma Maison Italiano. He could smell honeysuckle." "Doing a bloody good job of it. and a slightly baffled expression. The sky was starting to lighten. of people who worked in the day and went home to somewhere else at night. touching things. "What do you do?" he asked. "But she's Serpentine. which began to spurt blood. begun to turn black from the soot and the filth in the smoky London air and now. should use the elevator. the man who had knocked Richard over on the bridge." She let go of his sleeve. Someone picked Richard up with a hand the size of a sheep's head. something's either there or it's not. He scratched at his beard and stared at her. glanced over the spidery handwriting. If was as if the whole room were being sucked through the door. using drainpipes and ledges as handholds._ _And then the beast charges.

"that you could enter Serpentine's house without Serpentine knowing. London grew into something huge and contradictory. and he. It even made it seem that the wine inside was glowing. sleeps without dreaming. walked behind her at a respectful distance." said Gary. Vandemar fashioned the rings he wears on his right hand out of the skulls of four ravens." said Hunter. and added. . He let go of it. from Old Bailey's perspective anyway. Hammersmith. "Do you know where the Angel Islington is?" Lamia blinked. I'm sorry. from Old Bailey's perspective anyway. and he found himself on all fours on the plank. Then he made a point of noticing the marquis's body. The old man covered the cages. "I suppose it's possible. He picked it up casually. ears back.

Through the door." interrupted the earl. and autumn constellations speckled the blue-black sky like the dust of crushed diamonds. He walked into the ring." said Richard. When Richard tried to talk to her. Vandemar picked up the marquis de Carabas by his waistband and dragged him up the stairs. intent upon examining her nails. so the birds could get their beauty sleep." he said. Asked me about them."_ "To do that. He stood there until he was certain that Richard had seen him. "Not her best side. over the roar of the wind. As he looked around. "Do you believe him?" They turned back down the stairs. The rat repeated itself. "I have . and the number in question isn't even in the double digits. "Follow me. but then they turned a corner." "You haven't forgotten your keys again.

idly. "The Bridge isn't very far now. Make him come forward. and put them away in his bedroom. and unfocussed." The marquis was checking the time on a large gold pocket-watch. he had stopped laughing. . And then. that was going to be my breakfast. up in front of Richard's face. in measured tones. There wasn't really anything to be scared of. came catapulting through the crowd. oh God. Until now he had thought that that was simply a figure of speech. and a well-hanged pair of dead. The light caught the polished glass and glinted from the brass and copper fittings. simply walked. You had better pray you haven't stepped too far in. something whispered and shivered and changed . "What does it look like?" For a moment he thought she was going to reprimand him simply for asking. "I did it.

" said Richard. "So is it short for Doreen?" he asked. "Sorry. When all sounds had died away. chocolate-covered children and cab drivers could see him. lollygagging. and _big_ have been used. At Door's touch. The marquis stepped onto the platform. A telephone began to ring. Sometimes there is nothing you can do. "Hello?" she called. " He stopped. "Jessica. back in the cold times when the great hairy beasts walked across the snowy tundra of the south of England as if. miracle of miracles. And. "All right. for a change. when the statue was nothing but dust. approvingly." "Anywhere?" Door munched a papadum." Mr.

" said Gary. Mr. to and from work. He was fond of St." For a moment he thought she was about to hit him." The woman smiled thinly and glided away. a swish that sounded almost like a sigh. for all the world like an enormous rat himself. Another whiff of cooking food wafted across the floor." But the train was coming to a stop. I mean. really. Everybody was buying." said Richard. It was as if the market had never existed. with a grunt. "Yes." said Richard. . Serpentine sniffed. "Out of postcards. "Richard?" He didn't look up. blurted.

"That's her. The doors were open. to the poorhouse. Mister Mayhew--and I'm sure you want me to be frank. Taking care of you. Mister Vandemar. on the heavy chains that bound them to the black iron pillars. Am I dead?" "No." said Door. a real angel. or if she simply didn't get out much. Lamia pressed the bottom-most button." she said. Then. He clapped his hands. "We can't do this. or an hour._ on the other hand. "let's talk about compensation for my lost possessions. He heard Door gasp. Our families have been friends for a long time now--" "Yes. and then she stopped talking. "So?" said Door.

Wet. you know. that Hunter had pulled out her staff and was smacking the tentacle of smoke with it. I thought you understood. I needed a change. "I'm tired. or from loss of blood." "Anywhere?" Door munched a papadum. even without the huge sign. Mr._ y'see. It stung." he told the rat. boy. gently puzzled. and began to apologize in English. and it said. "Now." said Lamia with a sweet smile. away from him. Vandemar spat on the back of his hand. and he took them all out. Richard picked up the papers he would need.

desperately. now that she had the scroll. simply. Close your eyes. Richard lay on the floor and watched them go. and expensive junk one would only expect to see somewhere like . and continued to smile sympathetically. The ripped lace train of Serpentine's dress dragged in the mire behind her. and her ribs. "Not at all. Shut up. Then Old Bailey put the rat in his pocket and climbed over the side of the building. Yes. me bucko. he ran through Trafalgar Square." said the woman. "And what are you?" she asked. . and was the size of a large dictionary. magazines. twice vertically. and . without humor.

during the week. There _is_ a walkway onto the ship from the shore. "Now." she said. Richard picked up the remote control and turned on the television. "Well." it was saying. and the relatives of Stolen Cadaver Number 25. and he would tell her he loved her and always wanted to be with her. "the earl might not be _entirely_ pleased to see me. strange." Richard edged over. drafty building." she said. as well. . and said. "And what if someone violates the Truce?" asked Hunter. "You keep it. The man-without-a-camel-hair-coat had. Then Door spoke. There are no such things as angels. and sprinkled the breadcrumbs around.

three-quarters of the way into his best suit. Richard squinted: he could make out two figures. "Executive decision. with Door beside her. in front of the door. redoubling his mental assault. Sometimes she had known him; at other times she had called him by his father's name. But there was no sky above it. with more enthusiasm. It was very beautiful." "Thanks." "Look. looked over at Door. puzzled and amused. A motor engaged. . crudely tattooed. "But the market wouldn't be there." said Richard. A candle flew past his head. once we've made it homey." he said. .

I thought that. yellow. Richard realized that he could smell each of the women in the elevator with him: Door smelled mostly of curry; Hunter smelled. "Okay. but for Olympia. They'd send in hunting parties after it." said Richard. I blew it. He wasn't sure if it was a coat. She knew that was true. Hunter. his grey and black hair cut bristle-short. was a tall figure. Please. He opened the front door. She was covered with a ripped old blanket." "You could have. You'll have scared it now." Old Bailey grinned. "Richard . to snatch a kiss. One of Richard's manacles popped open. and efficient.

"What do we do now?" asked Richard." She pressed herself up against the wall and peered out of the window. Croup clambered down from his plinth. Right. in an undertone. Underpants. came catapulting through the crowd." "Why didn't you warn us about him?" asked Richard." "Very well." There was a guard on the gate. He picked it up casually." Richard wondered if he should kiss her. and she just never made it across. Door grabbed it with both hands and pushed against it. "Still." They had plenty of plain mineral water. "I was a fool. Croup waggled a finger at Mr. ." Richard talked as they walked up and down the warren of tiny Soho back streets between Regent Street and the Charing Cross Road. The carriage was filled with every manner and kind of people. "What's that--that stink?" "Sewer Folk. He put his dagger away.

stabbed the button of the ticket machine for a single ticket to Charing Cross. pulling it out from under Door's layers of silk and cotton and lace. Across the street. The old man had pitched his tent for the night on a roof opposite St. I was given a dozen bottles by one of your ancestors. Then he confided. The sky was the perfect untroubled blue of a television screen. Richard grabbed a washcloth and draped it in front of his crotch. the beam of his flashlight flashing from side to side. and in the process lost all my personal possessions. Mister Figgis. ' Are you sure this is right?"_ _"Yes. But they were still talking then. They stopped in front of the door." said Mr. and then all set off together. Richard reached the place where the talisman had been and pushed his arms deep into the mud. The others followed." echoed Jessica. Varney ignored it; and instead appeared to be concentrating on his right arm. toward the food stalls. "Just for a minute. he smiled.

then nodded. He still wishes he had been the one to have died." Richard picked up the fallen spear. then he rubbed his eyes. Mr. He wants to know if he's met you afore. then hurrying on to catch up with your friends . close at hand. delightedly. It was _younger. "Mind your head. that it was the one farthest from the platform. No one stopped him; no one seemed to care." said the abbot. . "Fooled again. in his ear." The courtiers sniggered. Quite remarkable._ And then she thought. dehorned. Old Bailey put it away. and took a deep breath.

"I knew that part. Peepers and tarriwags. fumbled for a coin. all this nonsense . "Bring it to me. who had been staring at the marquis de Carabas with eyes like a slow-burning fuse. No. We'll have all of this rubbish cleaned out of here tomorrow. Vandemar. his grey and black hair cut bristle-short. nodding from time to time. He looked at the other version of himself. Richard said. Avenge your family. Croup walked over to Door and unlocked the right-hand manacle. He wondered what was on the other side of the door--the surface of a star." The earl's fool staggered up the aisle with an arthritic step. And when he reached the junction he. Its feet were bare on the cold rock floor of the Great Hall. There were commuters wandering through the tunnels. On the rooftops. and I'll come by day to your cavern. distributing a few words of praise here.