lady. He went back to writing his mental diary. if he had ever known. Listen.

. in the darkness: absolute silence. A few individuals manage a kind of half-life--you've met Iliaster and Lear. black-painted railings. I'm phoning the police. unable to tell. "Richard!" shouted Door. "You . padded down the length of the carriage. Jessica turned to the string quartet and asked them. "We can't just leave her here. "I . after all this. or rather of how the Tower of Babel might have looked were it inside out. breathless and exhausted and giggling." said Door. A telephone is the least of your troubles. And my job. Should I meet you there?" "Jessica. Croup ran a grimy hand through his filthy orange hair. Don't forget to write. not so very long ago. your grace.

" said the marquis. deep tunnels hacked from the limestone that seemed almost prehistoric. attracting a small flock of hungry late-night pigeons. The marquis de Carabas went down on one knee to the girl and lowered his head. "Yes?" "Well. stumbling. held tight to his bag. It was ignored. "Actually. Vandemar was sitting on the steps. He did not care." he explained." And then he smiled. Vandemar looked around at Croup. No." "Have you ever tried to return to all this?" he asked. at which the marquis wasn't much good. bit her lower lip. The sky outside was beginning to lighten. a sensible Monday. Richard. Croup's head. distantly.

"Enough." said Richard. Old storm lanterns were hung about the tunnel. It was not a large bathroom. . magazines. Croup said. flashlights. back up toward Brewer Street." Mr. a pair of antlers (mounted). "Compact. as if it were caressing her. none of whom." she said. you know." "Oh. he was unable to talk. helpfully. "Five minutes. "I wondered. by others getting on. "Thanks.

Vanderbilt. pulling her out from under it. high on the wall. with a studied unconcern that bordered on hysteria. . and a bespectacled gentleman who looked suspiciously like a Saatchi. . eating food from garbage cans. Croup picked up his old coat. at the confluence of many of the churning foamy waters. Far away--rooms and rooms away--people were singing. Melanie. Richard did not care. Then he turned on Richard." Hammersmith enveloped Richard's hand in one several sizes up. "And now I make amends. making it last. a bar of soap. . The four of them stood packed in the elevator. "Torture her. while the next room housed the blocked and waterless toilets and showers. "this wouldn't be a good time to point out that I'm really bad at heights.

Halvard raised his crossbow and pointed it toward the marquis's back. Our families have been friends for a long time now--" "Yes." The fool blinked. And Richard stabbed with the spear. like sunlight on a swimming pool."_ He turned. It was an evil thing to think. then. knelt down on the pavement. Gary. "I . she hisses like a snake. Richard nodded." he said. Then he sent Brother Fuliginous and Brother Tenebrae (who had been pushing the marquis's wheelchair) out of the room. We've been through this way before. Mr." "But--" The rat squeaked again. slightly different every time: the de Carabas variations. It was not a place for living anymore. There are only three of us. The rat repeated itself. and his face was wet.

and still he ran. but the world slid and twisted and changed ._ Richard did not believe in angels. She fumbles at it with her fingers._ "This way. smooth channels its bare feet had worn. though. a boy and a girl. yes. and to concentrate on Hunter. the enormous cathedral door. "So our drink's off. stretching from Aldgate in the east to Fleet Street and the law courts of the Old Bailey in the west. vanished back into the darkness. Then he stood up. The little black statue went flying through the air and tumbled into the black marsh with the satisfied plop of a leaping fish returning to the water. "Somebody. then?" "I'm sorry. by way of introduction. _I've survived walking the plank." Richard waved at him and watched the taxi drive away. Croup sighed. "She's hurt.

" she said. "So I'll never find out what's in it. the steps up to the front door. "T'ang dynasty indeed. in the back of his head." said Richard." whispered Richard. He finished his tea." said Gary. went up on tiptoes. urgently. She was so proud of it." he said. Gary continued. he realized that he had no idea how anything he had just eaten had tasted; and he resolved to slow down. Somewhere in the sensible part of his head. but it sounded so young. He began to lower the sword. Vandemar. "Because Mister Vandemar has promised me that he's personally going to cut it out and stuff it into your mouth before he slits your sad little throat. was something that looked like a tent; an old brown tent." explained Mr. she said.

She looked. Fine. "Not this time. a remedy for the oddness of his situation. "Or it was the last time I was here. Yes-yes-yes. beneath the grime and brown dried blood. lugubriously. into the night. and as it lowered its head she stabbed up with the spear; but. A thin." "What kind of a reply?" Door shrugged. My father wanted to unite London Below . and nastier." He stuck out his hand. cheering up a little. toward Piccadilly. rubbed her forehead. There was a locked door in front of them. She looked. Sorry. He looked at the motley rabble on his doorstep with an expression that indicated that they had not been worth getting out of bed for. A cab stopped for him--it stopped!--for him!--and he climbed in.

" He felt a breeze against his face. hard. clutching a long strip of black material." He looked around. A rat cut across their path. where the knife had come out. before he led them down some steps into a long stone tunnel that had once run across the Fleet Marshes." "Look. Richard lay on the floor and watched them go. Door sighed. the rat who brought us the marquis's message--" "Master Longtail. It occurred to him that if he moved her." Old Bailey shook his head. They say I'm the best since Hunter's day. and. She seemed uncomfortable. "They would have killed me. I had a friend lost a head to one of them. chocolate-covered children and cab drivers could see him. much mended. Lord Rat-speaker bowed so low that his long hair brushed the ground. Yes-yes. or brown.

Croup put his left hand against a wall." It was the kind of "morning" that implied that the speaker really did not care if the recipient lived or died--nor indeed. "I can't move. you've actually met God and everything?" Islington smiled. "All right. on top of some neatly folded jeans. The walls flickered and oozed. "George and Adele Buchanan. "Thanks. Mr. Get used to it. Good. The ticket seller in the office was speaking to someone on the telephone when Richard went over to complain and to buy his ticket manually; and despite--or perhaps because of--Richard's cries of "Hey!" and "Excuse me!" and his desperate tapping on the plastic barrier with a coin." said Richard. "He's traveled so far beyond right and wrong he couldn't see them with a telescope on a nice clear night. Gary. As he entered the building. elfin face frowning. the kind that cooked everything in lard. One night in December the beast runned away. of parks and churches." The rat-girl preened." Richard said.

and ash. I am so far out of my depth that . up Mr. under the streetlights. my partner and I become restive and. she tried to open a door. Mr. "I said you'd laugh. "Thank you all. Thirty-five minutes had passed since he had fled the hospital cellar. there were more where those came from. satisfied." "Don't call me that. standing on a platform of a busy Underground station. "The police? Alas. And I wish there was something I could do to pay you back. The manhole cover came up easily; the marquis put away the metal object and took something out of another pocket that reminded Richard a little of a long firework. "Yes. We're very near. Richard found himself remembering a theatrical performance of _Robinson Crusoe_ he had been taken to as a child: this was what Robinson Crusoe might have looked like. muddy Richard stared into the face of the clean. Watch." said Richard.

Richard grabbed her hand and continued dancing up and down the steps. and some were female._ There was a sputter. in the silence. petting the enormous Irish wolfhound. And then he smiled. he can feel only pain_ . and Richard watched them with envy. She's a Velcro. The train pulled in at the station. "That's not going to be safe. Door. Your Grace. "Fried eggs poached eggs pickled eggs curried venison pickled onions pickled herrings smoked herrings salted herrings mushroom stew salted bacon stuffed cabbage calves-foot jelly--" Richard opened his. The warm blood dripped down Richard's neck and pooled and puddled in the hollow of his clavicle. who was admiring an extremely large and historically important diamond. _Anaesthesia will take him. somehow. and she looked at Richard as she said it." he said. When Mr." she said brightly. "Oh.

despite the "walk!" commands he was sending to his legs. "There. creakily." Mr. has turned his head. Richard tried to catch it; he reached out his hands. when we huddled together in fear for safety and for warmth. "we're under Market Truce. He shook his head. but . Through the glass in the doors. biting him painfully and raising huge. then he ran up the stairs and into his apartment. "It's me little flag. because this would have been our last conversation. "Hello. "They say that nothing can stand against it. Of the dark shape there was no sign. It crawled along the old ivory tusk. But events run in packs . . then. south to north) carrying garbage.

"No wonder Atlantis sank. You've got no friends--" "I've got you. It even made it seem that the wine inside was glowing." Hammersmith enveloped Richard's hand in one several sizes up. the children of London had wheeled and dragged around in early November._ He looked at his watch. "I was here. . and stepped toward the open door. It starts soon. pulsing noise. a notebook computer. and gave it back to her. Most accidents do occur in the home. He staggered. and he vaulted the barrier. get up! We have to run--before she finds out we're here . found a ten-pound note. I mean. had headed for it over the rooftops and through the shadows. They got up and walked away. reflectively. "You are in enough trouble already.

"Going back to the market. inhabited houses. And get me some papadums. Only my family could move around it. in the darkness and the cold. rips and holes through which other layers and styles could be seen." "What kind of a reply?" Door shrugged. he'll send me home again . If you were to walk down the hospital steps. you are. "Door? Are you all right?" "More or less. repeatedly. But what about me?" The marquis turned and stared at him." whispered his double." it was good that he was saying it. "They do look rather trendoid. Richard jumped out of the cab. still. which no longer held any mysteries for him. Portico turned his head to look offscreen." said Mr. "And who might you be?" he asked. He crawled toward her.

" he confided. She held her head up high. The old man covered the cages. untroubled. without looking at him as she talked." He lowered it down to her." she said. "Okay. on his last birthday. He put his coat on as well." he explained. "We'll have to go through a really nasty neighborhood. standing up. who had something to do with vintage cars. then. First-class nightmares. he could just proceed dreamlike. Richard. trailing twin clouds of blood behind him. and tossed her hair. and I never give freebies. "They call me Old Bailey. I don't have anywhere else to be right now.

fields and woods and marshland slowly vanishing beneath the flourishing town. "I wish I knew. Tiny. Last week everything made sense. Her disposition seemed to have improved remarkably." There was a movement in the shadows at the edge of the platform. enjoying the marquis's minor discomfort." The marquis sniffed. this isn't funny. It was very dead. " she stopped. Father and Uncle. in an underdecorated sort of way._ The platform was deserted and dark again. somewhere close to him. "I . . "Ah well. "You will tell us if you see her. of women and of men." There was a movement in the shadows at the edge of the platform. smoothly. symmetry.

"Now Mister Vandemar. "I shall wait here until she returns. Vandemar's predicament and said. and shook her head. Then he stood up. more reluctantly. "I have bigger game to kill. so bright as to be startling. indeed. "Can we sit down?" he asked. She looked very vulnerable; and then she turned away. and. the previous winter. Vandemar. Mr. If I get him the key. "Give me a break. cold and inert and heavy. At least below. Their footsteps echoed and reverberated down the metal stairs. And may I be the first to congratulate you?" The plaque on the door said: R. took careful aim. Mr.

"Are you ready?" He nodded." The rat nodded to Richard. She towered above them all: her shock of graying hair brushed the door lintel. to snore. Also. they used a kind of sign language. was coming up on the side of his nose; he was filthy. warm. briefly." Door kneed him." said Door. The Beast was waiting for him. rat-girl. They grumbled. and he had nowhere to go. The Beast had come out of the darkness. The man's face fell. and hit the ground with the sound of half a ton of wet liver being dropped into a bathtub." A man in armor beat a small drum and chanted. "Without the angel's token you could never find your way. How many?" She shrugged. a tiny stone burrow. too.

he looked around in puzzlement. cupped its hands. Croup and Mr. "I. Dunnikin was overcome by a presentiment of wealth and prosperity. you know. enjoying the sound of the words. covered in a black." said Serpentine. A big favour. and I'll break off both your arms and make you carry them home in your teeth. Lead it to the infirmary. Police." Mr. He took five razor blades in his right hand. . Could you tell the rat something for me?" The rat turned its head toward him. as if none of the events around them had occurred." "Ow." she whispered. if I did?" The marquis thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his coat. Door stopped. _Sounds.

none of whom. was Old Bailey. "You can't just go running off like that. "Great. . I mean. and useless piles of shit. "If it's the last door I open. and Richard slid out of her head." he said. "shall we not also hire ourselves a bodyguard?" Mr. The boy had the towering arrogance only seen in the greatest of artists and all nine-year-old boys. scared. you old rascal. and the skin was wrinkled and prunelike from its time in the water. . and felt wrung out. I've passed the people who fall through the cracks. in something a little like a handshake. in a querulous boom. Who are you working for?" "Oh. owned all the Sunday papers that Rupert Murdoch had failed to buy." Door said nothing.

"And I just gave my pen away. reassuringly. His face oozed like warm Silly Putty. It was just as well she didn't have a boyfriend. and Hunter. and the contents of chamber pots into the Thames. and the needs of pedestrians; a city inhabited by and teeming with people of every colour and manner and kind. Vandemar stepped out from behind a pillar. which was spattered with green and brown and black and had originally belonged to an overweight snuff dealer in the 1820s. "Looks like it's been sealed up. "My hound hath no nose. Jessica was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs." said Mr. "I'm surprised she still lets you play with these. "Where's the next Floating Market?" asked Door. Late-night cars. There was a rushing sound." said the marquis." said Door. in the corridor behind him. Richard would trail behind Jessica as she went shopping. raising her pointed chin. and then stepped out onto a narrow ledge.

She began to shout. "Third door along." said the abbot to himself. then curled up on his shoulder and went to sleep. It'll get you through the labyrinth. Vandemar threw his knife at the marquis. Croup simply chuckled; and Door knew then that the Angel Islington was not her friend. out of the boy's reach. "Who?" "Your mystery man. "You're talking to yourself. thus emboldened. "how many things with angels on them are there here?"She had been running for four days now. Her foxglove eyes flashed." "I don't want it. "I think the marquis probably did know. The little glassy beast was head-down in a puddle of dark water. forgotten; and it was here that Mr. He walked through the square. you heard what Islington said to us about keeping my sister alive. "My lady. He went back to writing his mental diary. if he had ever known. Listen.