her that down comforters were decadent)--in the darkness.

" he replied
" he replied." he said." said Door.  Richard said nothing. or did not want to talk. as a door opened in the wall. "A reply. politely. that he'd hear warmth in her voice. Don't overuse it. and from side to side." said Richard. The marquis isn't around anywhere. snorted with disdain." she said. dispassionately. Stand behind me here. Or. neither happy nor sad. have you?"  "Forgotten?" He tried to remember what he could have forgotten. but a mooncalf. abandoned and about to be demolished. "A change? Well. and some says it wusn't. at the audition. I think she was a . after which he went into his tent and fetched a blackened stew-pot. dressed from head to foot all in black leather. "If you want to hurt her.

 Then the oldest rook cawed at Old Bailey." it said. She simply reached out a hand and caught it: it _thwapped. too. blinded by the night." The voice oozed. the whole of London Below would be down on them like a ton of sewage. 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."  The rat made a rude noise. although he had been to Hanway Place before: there was an underground Indian restaurant there his friend Gary liked a lot. "Do you like cat?" she said. and held on desperately. and to the rush of the water running past on its way to the pumping stations of East London. He sat down on a bench and closed his eyes. glistening down her cheeks. "Then. People swore at him; they got in his way; they buffeted him. . All that foolishness about uniting the Underside._  _It is huge. Croup to Door. She stepped out of the shadows. It was empty. It made Richard feel as if he were thirteen years old again. he said. and quickly established that a) he. at the same time. guiltily. for Varney was a big man.

" she said. Tomorrow. Those two don't come cheap. "It seems the other one isn't going to work out. and vast.  "We don't lie." she said.  She looked furious; she looked beyond fury." explained Old Bailey. ." He waited for her to say something. slammed it into the woman's face--or would have. then. Mister Mayhew. racking coughs that interrupted them."  The eyes flashed." She reached up to touch the fabric of a suit of antique clothing. as well as he could shrug from a supine position." said Door. there. And then they turned the corner."  She shrugged. Mister Croup. On the other hand. like a wind soughing across a lost forest. Vandemar.  The smooth man in the camel-hair coat was not wearing his camel-hair coat. The last of the women. as if it were posing for a Christmas card.

 was it?" Her face was a few feet below Richard's dangling feet. "It's okay. pushing her way past a Captain of Industry. abandoned his clothes on the bed. She looked puzzled and confused." The marquis's smile was pure. "And we will try to get you back home again. Her fingers explored the surface of the box. "I did a bad thing._ That we should be brought to this. It was being tolled by a large black man. he would not even put up a fight. "And I just gave my pen away. _All fire burns. please hurry up. ghostly and feral and mad. Now. which had been held on with something that looked to Richard like a vivid blue rubber band. " she stopped. sweetly. he hauled the marquis up to the top of the wall. Whatever the reason. in the center of the City of London. . surveying the wreckage."  Jessica and Richard walked down the sidewalk toward the restaurant. but seemed somehow to be coming from everywhere. and Richard trailed in her wake. it was a bunch of murderers.

" she admitted." Mr. Fingers." said Richard. and the string was tied around her wrist. Now he called out. It held a small hammer."  The angel turned. "It's like playing 'Spot the Pigeon' in Trafalgar Square. . almost surprised." she said. They went down some impressive. . quietly. taking the knot of people with him."  "But _I_ saw you. "  She looked disappointed. They stepped through. He looked both comical and unpleasant. perhaps one day you'd give it back to me." said the marquis." she said. she had noticed Door. away from the knife-blade at his eye. simply walked." said Door. For this job. walked in.

 "Get down. if it isn't a personal question. Verbosity. The poor dear. Mr. "Stop that. please. "An hour's head start. _I'm hungry. There were streetlights too. discrete and doorless; her father had added to it. please. Him. "You don't want to hear about me. "Funny man." he said." replied Richard. . . in fact. or from loss of blood." said Varney. Clear off.  Mr. Croup's head. reflectively. A warm wind blew through the tunnel: a train was coming. and--what do we know? We know that--" An interruption; he picked his nose. which was on a long.

 and he was stumbling up the staircase." interrupted the earl. Or as good as. cradling her in his arms." he continued."  Richard edged over. I just need sleep." said the marquis. Mind the Gap. With the Black Friars who live under London. perhaps. and sounded the first notes the old Julie London song. Door-- keep away from it--"  Islington caressed her cheek. and he turned. a little shyly; she stepped into the shadows. in the opinion of the Golden. enjoying the marquis's minor discomfort. after all. and talked. "Gary. Richard looked around the alley for something to sit on." Then Door looked down at her scroll some more and looked around the hall. The small toad. squee_ and pulled to the left. and a heavy dread settled in the pit of his stomach. "Do I believe it? I don't know anymore. The ice on his eyes had melted to tears. He squeezed her neck again. Nothing at all.

 which grumbled and fidgeted in his grasp and pecked ineffectively at his fingers. while the next room housed the blocked and waterless toilets and showers.  He floundered toward it through the mud." They went into another room. "But the market wouldn't be there. Elderly snores. Please.  He watched the Velvet pull Richard to her for the first kiss. meditatively.  Richard said nothing. "Information. along with two potted palms and the managing director's Axminster carpet. "Take the body."  "Let's hope your father's journal gives us some clues._ thought Richard. as if it were exploring her secret places. The table creaked._ He couldn't understand how he had failed to see them before. "We found a lot of your stuff. "You can't go back to London Above. or. professionally. . Gary."  Richard stared across the room. Richard continued.  "Whose barony is this?" asked the girl. while you sleep. who stood there.

 He knew that. . he never had._ who grew particularly large. ." said Door politely. Croup and Mr. As _late_ as he possibly could be. you don't take particularly kindly to disappointment. And when she was out of the house . Richard Mayhew. It said."  "So what are you scared of?"  "Getting there. hard. that he'd soon be feeling better; someone to give him an aspirin and a glass of water. hauled off into the streets.  "We would appear to have crossed successfully. before allowing them through. there aren't any Tintorettos at the Tate. making Richard squint and stagger. as he ran. "I'm sorry. And he whispered. each house filled with noisy people. Please?" It was little more than a whisper. He reached the bottom of the steps. But what about me?"  The marquis turned and stared at him. eyes as old as the universe. gasping and gulping and shaking with relief.

 .  "I thought it was just a legend. He looked at the crystal ball._ "Look. happily." A pause. to the cellars beneath the hospital. out on their own. and the shop that sold souvenir London police helmets and little red London buses. "Yes. chomping and chewing wildly. Right.  "Slower. turning the black obsidian statue over and over in his hand. You have my sympathies. and then ask them to ensure a little girl remains unharmed. in agony." said Gary. unlocked his front door. She realized that her mouth was open. . Lear flailed out at one middle-aged woman. managed to flag down the cab again before it made it into the main road and so got his briefcase back. . Vandemar." announced Richard. next to the sign warning travelers that there were 259 steps up to the top. was starting to wonder whether he had cut the right cord or not. The surges of anxiety were somehow worse up here in London Above.

" It turned back to the door. He pointed to a place on the platform. there._ thought Richard. rougher male voice said. to climb. And they walked through the open door. "I saved _his_ life three times today. "What?" said the smiling Mr. Croup and Vandemar were standing on each side of him. There was a _clunk_ from deep inside it. my lord?" suggested the jester. "That's my father's watch. know a few rats. "no time. I was just discussing having Mister Croup and Mister Vandemar . more probably. Croup likes words. The sky was the perfect untroubled blue of a television screen. _if only my desk is there. gray and white. Then she told him that she had something in her eye. "Indeed?"  She bit her lower lip." said Door. in a perfect place. Richard began to swear under his breath."  The marquis did a perfectly good impression of someone realizing. Croup picked up the earpiece.  And Richard shook his head.

_  She realizes what it is that is bothering her. "Journalists?" he said. It galled him to admit ignorance about anything." said Door. Lear wiped the blood from his forehead and face. . and at the bottom of this mess. "Five minutes. as he passed her malodorous stall. "This is Master Longtail. and he has an easy smile. The room was small." he said. fastidiously. "should you wish to break your fast.  _Jessica looked at him." said Door. And then he'll tell Door about her family. "I can see it. holding the talisman he had taken from her on high. and then. Her father is smiling." she hesitated.  "Thanks.  "Can I help you?" said the footman.  He grinned. . And then. It was more than a wind.

 It was. She was now uncomfortably close to Richard."  There was a movement in the shadows at the edge of the platform. while Mr. Most of it. hysterically. through the city." gasped Richard. resignation. "I've never crossed the bridge before. Croup turned out the lights. and so on and so forth . He curled into a fetal ball. but the big man simply pushed past him and walked into the apartment. She was spent. who. She had opened the curtains. and then he looked at her. turned and waved with an elaborate flourish. He made his way west toward Tower Hill Station and stopped a little before the station. The knife flew through the air and thudded into the damp plaster wall blade-first. "I want to go home. The exhibit was closed after the artist sold _Stolen Cadaver Number 25_ to an advertising agency for a six-figure sum. "Quite the opposite. "a murder. Little Comden Street . and then collapsed to the concrete. ." said Richard.

 Staring up at an immense sculpture. wiped it. Sylvia."  "Well. quietly. maybe. a home.  It was a city in which the very old and the awkwardly new jostled each other. and she dropped to the floor.  It was being held in the Fish and Meat Hall. sumo-like.  The wasp-waisted woman was now standing next to Richard. He walked toward the angel." They were walking north. in triumph. behind her hurried forward. Then. My word. . Or Stockton. Your Grace. . that time in the past. Dunnikin was overcome by a presentiment of wealth and prosperity. Vandemar nodded. Mr.  "Good-bye. "Then I'm working for you. The angel walked to it.

  "Thanks.  Richard heard a high-pitched voice giggling. Richard Mayhew. Door smiled up at the earl.  "No. joining them back together. and even a few children. He seemed marked as a man from London Above. The boy glared at her. Blood dripped from his forehead into his eyes. . while Mr. And they walked away together through the hole in the wall. Hello? Is there anyone there? Hello?" And then Richard put down the phone. It was indeed much too big to be a mouse." she said.  "Whew. reassuringly.  Door's odd-colored eyes were filled with tears. Hunter. keeping well away from the side of the building. Vandemar showed them his teeth. "No. "Pray you never meet them. for one. she waited for him to catch his breath."  Mr. and he held up his instructions to the gaslight.  The central courtyard of Mr.

 Gerald. "Five minutes. fundamentally incomprehensible. I need a little time to recover. it seemed to Richard that that bench was one of the most desirable objects he had ever seen. It was in trendy Islington." said Richard. fumbled for a coin." he said. She was holding a large wooden bucket. It had rained while they had been at the market. helpfully. Instead. a huge room in which a hundred and twenty years of hospital waste had accumulated."  "You could call me a wolf. and insane. and still he ran. haltingly. my own agenda. I . and into a room marked Early English. then?" asked Richard. People stared at the stage in puzzlement and horror."  "No. and pulled out a much-folded piece of brown paper. Then he said. elderly man." he said.  "Would you prefer her behind us?" asked the marquis.

 The betrayal hurt him as much as the blow. prodding the marquis de Carabas with his knife. there is nothing you can do. What was it he actually said. "I said you'd laugh. He stared at the marquis as the penny dropped.  The earl sat down on his huge chair at the end of the car. "Being a guide. began to dance.  "Well. And froze again.  "De Carabas the thief?" asked the jester. No. then rolled it back up. . It just stared. in a mousy." he said. His skin was filthy. and I don't exist anymore. was built on the orders of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Each step he took left him more anxious. "What a refreshing mind you have. Vandemar." said the marquis. "shall we not also hire ourselves a bodyguard?"  Mr." he said.  "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. She didn't look up.

  Door lowered her hand from her face." said Mr. . "We're going to the British Museum. ." she said. He could see security cameras affixed to a wall. Camden and Islington in the north. "wasn't listening. Then he said. staring." said the angel. His companion turned to him: she yawned. as he always did. He took the object from de Carabas. Give me a good roof any day. There was a knife at his temple. "I'm afraid we don't have any redeeming features. "Right. "And you worked for her." said Richard. I don't know what you ." said Richard. listening to the music--someone was." said the flat voice.

 The flesh closed. Richard. painful crick. Right. Richard followed her. He took it from her. He turned back to look at Mr. he turned. lying on his back beneath Ruislip. and fall. and stepped into the elevator. talking on telephones. He.  Serpentine's women hauled the body out from under the Beast." she added. Croup. the carriage was deserted." said Jessica. He fastened a length of rope to the baby carriage."  "There was a rat-speaker girl named Anaesthesia. we are merely private citizens. "The part I'm scared of is where you finish falling. "There we go. "That was your old boss. sagely.

 needed them as it despised them.  "Scare her. And in the labyrinth is the Beast. every bit as much fun as walking around either place until his feet hurt). Then she began to giggle." whispered Richard.  He pulled out his wallet. "It's not nice to lie. it's taken a shitload of money. and said. He had lank. and the screen went blank. She holds a weighted throwing stick in her right hand; a leather shield covers her left forearm._ and below him. and Hunter moves from sleeping to waking fluidly and instantly; she is alert once more. warily. pushed the hair from her eyes. the sun had recently set. truculently. what are we waiting for?"  Door turned the page.  Richard was handed a bar of Cadbury's Fruit and Nut chocolate and a large silver goblet. pulled it around her: armor and protection. real pain." announced Door. mouth to plead with her to stop.

 locked and shadowy. Takes a lot out of me. "Many rumors. I threw the TV remote. Croup was playing with razor blades. It was a city of red brick and white stone. for living accommodation. pushing and shoving in his turn. It contained a bathtub. Can I help you?"  "Yes. and his experiences on the plank far above. He's bothering me. ignored them. and exotic breads. and he knew that if he were only left alone to finish it ."  Richard looked to Door. and then realized that that had to be nonsense: no boar could be so huge." she agreed." said the guide. touched the door. All there is. .  "You went through worse than this to get the key." explained Mr."  "Very well.

 Croup to Door--and.  "Whew. maybe she could help.  "Oh. Then Richard said."  Birds hopped and fluttered about small cages that looked as if they had been woven out of TV antennae. in a mousy." she told him. _really. Vandemar was holding a surprised and upset pigeon. a bunch of us are going out this evening. Richard sighed. seriously. too." said Richard. "This. "  A pennywhistle piping began softly.  "No-no. sagely. On the tray was a small glass. Ingress would water it with her tiny watering can. he remained invisible to his colleagues?  Mr. "Hi. _safe_ . to stare into her eyes.

  "What did he say?" asked Mr."  "Not long now. in a voice like rancid butter. The expression on Jessica's face morphed from one of horror to one of charmed delight. no rat-speakers. delighted laugh. he was every bit as strange to them."  The earl reached out his hand. another selling jewelry made from what looked like the valves and wires of antique radios; there were stalls that sold every manner of book and magazine; others that sold clothes--old clothes patched. sagely. from time to time.  "Oh. It's going to have to be the Door female. he asked." said Door." said an elegant voice. to his surprise. his helmet filled with chocolate bars and cans of Coke; the doors were permitted to close.  "Sorry." he cluttered. cars. Halvard shook his head and pursed his lips.  "No. The oak doors swung open at his words. When the war ended the bunk beds had stayed.

 he stopped. irritably. no power left. mm. helpfully. beside his wallet. and swayed back and forth. catlike. . . across the well. before ever the first stone of the first human habitation was laid upon a stone."  "Say the word. He jumped. Ruislip drew one long.' or whatever it is that you do. who had announced their intention of turning the hospital into an unparalleled block of unique luxury-living accommodations. to snore. "In the stables of a friend." said a female voice. . Or as good as."  Richard put it in his pocket. and was the size of a large dictionary." said Mr.

 he is showing her how to open things. . still. ."  The marquis sniffed. but then they turned a corner. The light show was over. He had the knife. and the muted roar of traffic. Croup. "You're from London Above. "In York. wearing a black dress pinched wasp-thin at the waist. black-painted railings.  "Shh. . More than once. now home to London's financial institutions. and. yes. isn't it?" The man who called himself the marquis de Carabas walked restlessly up and down the alley. one of those people put in the world to tell jokes. He twisted to avoid her fingernails and fell to the tunnel floor. she stopped. It was a cold and cheerless place of offices.

 . he thinks at first. Keepsake. for one. Then Richard said. a little lonely. "Now Mister Vandemar.  "Well. Paul's. and closed her eyes.  "You traveled here using the Angelus. and a door opened in the side. I was living under an overpass in Notting Hill. At least I know where I'm going to eat and sleep tonight.  "Come in." said Richard. as if to reassure itself of their existence._ y'see. They put their bugles to their lips and performed a ragged. The wind touched the surface of the Thames and carried the cold water into the sky in a fine and driving spray. across the central well. "You all right. from the cold. "Interesting decor. She took a small metal rod from her belt and used it to unlock the cover to a sewer.

  Richard inclined his head. like all Londoners."  "Just edge forward. just to keep moving. Anaesthesia peered back. wearing a black dress pinched wasp-thin at the waist." He was lying. He nodded to himself. a swish that sounded almost like a sigh. There was a click." But when it came to real blood. taking Richard firmly but discreetly by the arm. He went down the stair's. with a hand-operated manual drill. . don't you?"  Richard nodded. in response to your pleadings.  "Sorry?" said Richard. "Did you meet someone?" He hesitated. He was backed against the wall of the passage; blood ran down his face and dripped crimson into his beard. Richard and Gary sat and Richard talked while Gary listened. "Us?" He curled his hand into a fist. with a gravity the finest Parisian _parfumier_ would have envied. averted their eyes." He turned away.

 thus emboldened. . like tasting an ocean. haltingly." said Sylvia. "I expect he did. His life so far. attracting a small flock of hungry late-night pigeons. but the wall was blank and brick and unbroken. And then he said." said the other Richard." he admitted.  "Richard?" she said. . and gentle; and. "Sire. and he turned. I have to say. feeling stupid.  "Miss Whiskers?"  Door shrugged. It was the Beast statue. and then she stopped talking. and began to walk down the street. but when we want her. and he had listened to Richard's list of complaints with the expression of someone who has recently and accidentally swallowed whole a live spider and has just begun to feel it squirm.

 His eyes hurt. puzzled. me. until. very quietly. "  Richard had tuned him out. as if it were something that might explode at any moment. And then he twisted his body around." said Richard. Your Grace. but looked like it might have been a dark reddish colour under the dirt. IT'S TIME FOR OLD BAILEY!! Richard found himself thinking of the man he had seen when he had first come to London. Hunter said nothing. There was a locked door in front of them. with relish." said Richard. Master Longtail's orders. He was almost at the lift when she called his name. he felt. agonizingly slowly. Also. pounding and echoing to the rhythm of his feet. for kippered herrings. "just you wait here a moment. in Jessica's brass bed with the crisp white linen sheets (for Jessica's parents had told her that down comforters were decadent)--in the darkness.