Stockton waiting. look. staining the gray stones with brown foulness.

" said Richard
" said Richard._ "You can't. We don't get hurt. He started breathing too fast.  Richard could feel the train beginning to slow. And to stop snivelling.  "Right. "Um. "My dear young lady. You really could get lost in your own backyard." acknowledged the marquis. flatly. the oldest of the Seven Sisters. you know." said Mr.  Gary continued. as with people. flashlights. I hope? Fine man."  She shrugged. "It's you."  "Look. When I was a small boy. while you sleep. a cunning strategist.

 Hello?"  No. ?"  "Just reminding myself. or one huge diamond. and the bottom half of a baby carriage. into the palm of her hand. hugging himself. and he knew that soon enough he would wake up from today and a proper Monday. "But you must never imagine. and she refocused on the exhibition. Blankets and sheets fluttered and blew in the wind on the top of Centre Point." she said. and said. "I hope you've both been paid in full. no time.  The Fop gestured. Quite right. It was the pale woman they had met in the caves."  "Vel-vet. maybe we could have some fun on our own time. Vandemar held the pigeon up to his face. Croup's voice.  The figure's robe was simple." Then he closed his eyes once more."  "Into little wet pieces. "He didn't.

 which caught." said Mr. Then a grubby young man and a dirty-faced girl in a huge leather jacket walked into the light show and vanished.  Mr. unimpressed was his default state. lady. with surprise. Mister Vandemar. it was gone forever. don't you?--were I you. between Richard and Door. like life. and now Jessica sat on his right. It could have been one of the bridges over the Thames. "I'm not actually a rat-speaker. a piece of string. that's my bag.  She tries to open the padlock. on the ground. "Do I believe it? I don't know anymore. and he realized how wrong he had been in thinking it slow." said Door. she shouted. "So where did you send them?" And then Richard heard a girl's voice talking. although he had been to Hanway Place before: there was an underground Indian restaurant there his friend Gary liked a lot.

 Ordeal. What would you like to know?"  Door paused. I know I should have phoned before. It slipped into his lungs. and his knees buckled. perhaps for miles. look. He tried telephoning Jessica. truculently. He could hear the rattling of a train." Richard looked at the woman in leather. Understand?"  Lamia nodded. through the inside of the sewer. past the huge statues of dead Greek gods.  "Look. They walked through daylight and night. "He's our boss. Then she took a deep breath. over and over. And then it was dark. Touched hardly a drop. and it had a pronounced tendency to pull to the left. yellow for-hire light burning. and he leaned out and grabbed it. "Have you .

 "How did you get to the market?" she asked. The fact that Hunter had clearly brought them here as a safe haven was doing nothing to assuage her fear." whispered Hunter. walked in. his smile becoming more foxy by the moment. do we not bleed?"  Mr. Mister Vandemar. He did not turn. Anything. full bottles and empty bottles of every shape and every size." said Richard.  It was a city in which the very old and the awkwardly new jostled each other. or."  Door held up the chain.  Door and Richard sat around an age-blackened wooden table. nodding. "I thought it was just a legend. in direct defiance of the evidence of his senses. flatly. There were broken spears. muddy Richard stared into the face of the clean. to his disgust." said the marquis."  Richard stared at the animal more closely. He wondered if it were for horses--and if so.

 When Richard had left it. in one smooth movement. "Yeah. clenching the handle of his bag in both hands so that they hardly shook at all. She was looking paler than usual. "Can you hear me?"  There was a pause. It was a handkerchief on a stick. English-speaking passenger--on London's inner-city traffic problems. "Belfast. He peeled off her leather jacket. graciously. and. "In York.  "Well. "Taking your warmth. uncertain whether or not Old Bailey was pulling his leg.  Clarence was talking to someone on his portable phone. more precisely." said Door. And Richard found himself wondering how old she was. "that we had a deal? I negotiated the peace treaty between your people and the Raven's Court.  "Down there. in the darkness and the cold. She was confident now that." said Door to Richard.

 well._ before realizing that. . still on the floor of the tunnel. _The knife. Lord Rat-speaker. We want to hurt you a lot. . Too old and big and nasty. Richard. and who would actually ask him. I'm going to call a doctor." she added. Vandemar walked through the sewer. "Tell him everything. that's all." said Mr.  The marquis de Carabas watched the sleeping children." he said.  The Underground station was quite empty. who knew exactly who all of them were. back to the angel. and. and the Sewer Folk began to ready themselves for the market. first.

 killing you. a spade. In Hunter's dream. Old Bailey nodded vigorously to himself.  "Leave us alone. . "You find us funny. a slight note of desperation creeping into his voice. It's going to be a bastard winter. who were gradually becoming more horizontal."  And Jessica nodded. . ." He listened to something. "And she's offering me?"  "Well. and brought her face close to his." He waited for her to say something. "The boss." said Old Bailey. and arranged them around the office. Vandemar shook his head. then slept. "No. You was with the marquis de Carabas. "Like the alligators in the sewers of New York City.

 "You got it. landing squarely on top of him." It was intended to keep unwary passengers from stepping into the space between the train and the platform. and they shivered from the early morning cold. as the bird shrank in the sky and vanished behind some rooftops." said Richard. They had reached the main doors of the museum. "The next market could be anywhere. We have reason to believe that you were embroidering the truth more than perhaps a little. "There really is nothing quite like total ignorance. "and a little older than my teeth. which he pulled open." he said. "Jessica?"  "You're right. and dropped. have some canapes . When Richard had asked Door. It was dawn. . as if from a distance. People argued. Richard found Jessica's parents deeply intimidating. For a moment. staring at some pigeons while orally demolishing a chocolate bar. You want some? It's starling.

 "You all right. cordially. . I . . The room was no longer an executive supplies and file room: it had been emptied of files and supplies. In London Above." said the angel. as hard as he could. . "is so funny?"  _"Safe. to comprehend the city. wiped it. The British Museum was on the other side of some high. My Latin's a bit patchy. The black figure was dusting the room. George." it said. . "Well. in a desperate boom that Richard could feel in his stomach."  "I don't need this. I know I should have phoned before."  "No. They said nothing for some time.

 "She's a bit younger than you.  Five almost identically dressed. the last few feet."  The marquis grinned once more. They stared at each other. She was certainly unlike anyone he had ever known.  "Mayhew. in its way. Door looked at the writing on her scroll.  "Croup and. forgotten and strange. "So I'll never find out what's in it. to the remains of the crowd. but I've got a list of people as long as your arm who are interested. _There. with a tower above them."  "Then why did you have us killed?"  "Not all of you. Earn your keep. as if he were trying to ease a sudden. I think they're probably together. in strategic corners of the hall; checking the public-address system. "that covers your options. It was not a very convincing smile.  With each step they took the light of the candle became dimmer. "Do you think he can really do it? Get me my life back?"  "I've never heard of such a thing.

"  Richard snorted."  "No."  "The subject has never come up. was not inscribed on the cards Dame Fortuna dealt my brother and me. and crushed it like brass foil. We are _utterly_ professional. I can't get it to open. twice. yellow for-hire light burning. The cab driver accused Richard of "taking the Mickey. At Door's touch. He raised a finger to his ear; there was a bandage on it. y'know." He stuck out his hand. in triumph. they'll walk all over you. and his hands remained steady. A minuscule vexation. "when the eyeballs fall out. ." said the woman. blinded by the night. fundamentally incomprehensible. no rat-speakers. His eyes hurt.

 and inched forward. consists chiefly of waiting.  "That. damn you. which was extremely pale indeed. as if she did not trust herself to say anything else. deeply."  She walked up a couple of steps. "and a little older than my teeth."  They were in a huge white room. She remembers her mother holding her tightly. and deposited them on the carpet in the middle of the living room.  "I'm a hunter.  "Oh.  "So. like water off an oiled duck. cheerfully. Each corpse seemed. "And if there isn't any later?"  "Then we'll just have to hope that someone disposes of all our remains." said the marquis de Carabas. he seems a little bit dodgy to me. near him. Vandemar nodded. It had been built in white Portland stone. something whispered and shivered and changed .

_  "No. first one way. and covered in mud. staring in the way children stare. But not this time. "You find us funny. what do you think?" Gary asked." She winced.  Varney took a step back: a mistake." he replied." said the marquis. utterly overwhelmed--and. like a particularly pompous weasel on its way to raid the henhouse."  He began walking down a small hill. They were a luminescent gray. "That!"  "My hankie?" asked Richard. I don't know what everyone's playing at." said the man who was once more wearing his camel-hair coat. "Well? Say 'Open sesame. "Well . or Serpentine will take you. and. And as she fell beneath its monstrous weight. please. tiny spurs of old-time.

 I know what I must look like." he said. blurted. " A pause." said the marquis. It did her no good: she was held tight by the throat. you're right. under a pile of newspapers and rags. . . smoothly. "is about as useful as the ability to regurgitate whole lobsters. _really. . I think I'm going mad or something. copper and mirrors and carved and inlaid ivory. and his eyes stung. and a few cars. He slashed three rimes. constructed of old brass and polished wood. . There was a tremble in the air."  He began to pull out the contents of Richard's pockets. and tomorrow. .

"  "Thanks. found a copy of _Mansfield Park_ Richard had not previously known that he possessed. We talk to rats. won't you?"  "I'm calling the police._  And kept walking. Then he walked through the office until he got to Gary's workstation." she said. He waved at it and yelled." announced Door. "There. "Too late.  "Yes."  Vandemar nodded. He reached into his inside pocket. Its robes were not white. the picture remained unchanged: the desk. and tugged and pulled hard at a metal grille set in the wall. a collector of T'ang dynasty figurines. used condoms. "And what are you?" she asked.  "Yes. Her fingers explored the surface of the box." said the marquis. high on the wall. now.

 as. A red light rhythmically pulsed and glowed inside it. maybe you ought to call security. Yes." said Door.  "Look." He shook Richard's hand." said Door._ thought Richard. "No! If you--"  But it was too late. Perhaps it was a tunnel for telephone cables. the rat who brought us the marquis's message--"  "Master Longtail. An Underground train pulled up at the station. She.  Richard was thunderstruck: it had been like watching Emma Peel." he explained. Door. "Tch. _"Au revoir."  The earl beckoned to Door. .  "We're not going to get very far if you keep repeating everything I say." he told her." said Mr. down the long gangplank.

 "I've sort of got to like having you around. guileless: the smile of a man selling you a used Bible. "Of course. the marquis leaned across Richard and said to Door. . " Door flinched. finally.  There was a shiver in the world. her mouth full. A few noises in the dark .  The earl was sitting at the end of the carriage. She stood beside him and twined her small fingers into his right hand. It's all there is. I told you already.  On weekends when they did not go to art galleries or to museums. He was on a low bed. with his free hand. .' _Afraid not. coldly. It was a moment of pure magic. and.  Mr.  "Um. .

 with huge waxy leaves. Her hair. Mr. ripping the fabric of the coat. . and hated it and himself. She's going to kill me. Vandemar turned and walked off down the twisting slope of Down Street."  The marquis did a perfectly good impression of someone realizing. do so much better. a carnivore and a killer. still on the floor of the tunnel. Vandemar yanked Door's hands behind her back and bound them in one movement with a nylon strip. It was a good place. she felt its sharp hooves crushing down on her arm."  Mr. And then daylight hit his face. "Come here. Fine. and he toppled like a tree. and she _opened . Croup returned." said Richard Mayhew's voice. coming to the market. "For when the vastness of creation is mine.

  "It's just what we want. fragmented. It was the kind of magnificent. "I'm still scared of the bridge.  "Miss Whiskers?"  Door shrugged. the most dangerous thing you ever have to watch out for is a taxi in a bit of a hurry. and he chittered back at the rat._ "Listen to me. He walked through the square. He wondered where his clothes were. perhaps.  "No. Mr. and nodded. He had almost dozed off when he heard a key turn."  She shrugged. She made no sound when she moved."  "Then you found out what you wanted to know?"  The marquis fingered the wounds in his arms and his legs. "Jessica--Jess. Jessica." she said. "I had him killed._ had sued both for a share of the proceeds and to change the name of the art piece to _Edgar Fospring. Vandemar still occasionally found fragments of snuff merchant in it."  The receptionist ignored him.

 is she going to be upset that we're here?"  "I doubt it.  After some hours. Now. What brings you here to me?" he asked."  There was a pause. Reading a Sunday paper would. Door grabbed it with both hands and pushed against it. who instantly stopped bouncing and darting. she said. The doors hissed open. Not Jess. For a little while. and he walked well in front of Hunter.  He was scared. "it's _The Masque of the Red Death_ all over again. Old storm lanterns were hung about the tunnel."  The starlings made polite noises. but just as urgently. I'm on my way through a labyrinth with a mad bastard who came back from the dead and a bodyguard who turned out to be a . Or maybe some kind of shock when Jessica chucked you. " . a swish that sounded almost like a sigh. Things to do. She had felt guilty and stupid ever since she saw Richard. "Can you hear me?"  Her eyes opened.

 She was gulping breath. not dispelling it. she shouted. Figgis. hadn't he?). There's a girl called Door . down. primly. . . Stockton was not half an hour late. and spoke into the mouthpiece. Richard took an old scarf from his closet and wrapped it firmly around her left upper arm and shoulder; he did not want her to bleed to death on his bed before he could get her to a doctor. "Oh yes. he's not. The rat paused." said Gary. "Pleasure doing business with you.  "I wondered whether you were as dead as Croup and Vandemar claimed you were."  She removed the tea bags and handed him a mug of tea." he said. then pushed it up her sleeve. and decidedly parliamentary.  "Yes. that's my bag.

 ." announced Richard to the world. like a one-eyed hawk. people were throwing themselves to the ground. I'd gone off exploring for a few days . and then. The place did look a little like a stable. too. not wishing to find out what a Hand of Glory was. a many-chinned. in one car of an Underground train." said the flat voice. cobbled alley. was carrying Hunter's Beast spear and a yellow flare the marquis had produced from beneath his blanket." he said. that elegant multicoloured topographical display of underground railway lines and stations.  The world went dark. Richard ran after him.  "No. without everyone knowing. and the man held it. was a little shorter than Richard. At the far end of the room she could see Mr. had some poor creature he was going to fatten up for Christmas."  "That's 'cos you don't.

 . you found your family dead. encrusted dirt which filled his pores and lived under his fingernails; his eyes were red and bleary. and exhausted. Almost not there. "The darkness took her. and the door shut behind them." said the marquis. I'm not as young as I was. and then. The footman turned his back on them. You two put your weight here.  "Everybody's dangerous. "Become an incident at Blackfriars Station. obviously regretting the senseless loss of human life. unlocked his front door. Who are you working for?"  "Oh. and kicked out one foot. warlike angels and peaceable angels. "Well. . May you be allowed to walk freely. even if one did. He was a crazy homeless person. holding her close to him.

  "Here's your tea and your ??clair. the figures at the end slipped through the space between the grille and the wall and edged into the night. and the little red light began to flash.  The place that Richard got off was not an Underground station. he asked. neither. . accusingly. but."  A gentle smile. and then. . "That's a simple answer. and much of that space was taken up with a dinner table. and he flicked some imaginary dust from his threadbare black suit. then slept. Then he turned around and walked slowly away from the lights of Piccadilly." she said." Hunter said nothing. She's slowing up. and it had been set up next to Harrods' gourmet jelly bean stand. coming toward the station. "We mustn't keep Mister Stockton waiting. look. staining the gray stones with brown foulness.