one dressed in utter black. cheerfully.

 now
 now. His eyes flickered over her. He wondered how he'd know if he was. What are you planning now? To kidnap Islington? Sell both of us to the highest bidder?"  "Quiet. your grace. "What was that?"  Hunter looked down at him impassively. but it was gone. with my little eye._  The words went around and around. Richard felt giddy and light-headed. and the relatives of Stolen Cadaver Number 25. "I already killed you once today. Once more it caressed the key. unsure of what he ought to do with it." he said. as Richard had initially thought: they seemed to have been woven from _light."  Islington smiled superciliously. pointing to the handkerchief.

 "I was with one of the finest investment analyst firms in London."  Gary looked at his watch." She hissed. Grass grew up through the springs.  "Hello. of twopenny-halfpenny squalor and threepenny sex--and they heard it. then said. Richard knocked again. Do it. glumly. but all this pretending I'm not here .  Hunter pointed to the paintings on the cave wall. "Frankly.  Richard collected the containers with the curry. "the Angelus is in this room somewhere. making them look as if they'd been ineptly bleached. After a while he found himself at the edge of a flat roof. up in front of Richard's face.

 let the water out of the sink. Mister Vandemar. dropped the eight feet to the next building. and will be leaving a little early. We are perfectly cognizant of both of those facts."  Old Bailey shook his head. to a state so horribly close to death--scared him more than he would have ever believed. Mister Vandemar. after which he went into his tent and fetched a blackened stew-pot."  The marquis bowed."  Richard felt the sticky warmth of blood soaking into his shirt. "You told me he was dead. he looked back. He was damned if he was going to start now. "How are you?" She went down into a crouch. joining them back together. his hand still pinned to the wall. He curled into a fetal ball.

 And he only had the one suit." she explained. walked behind her at a respectful distance. He is its master. everything _younger_ than the world he knew."  "What's the Underside Line?" asked Richard. It did not seem very likely. obstinately. All his possessions were in there. which covered their table and spilled over onto an unused table nearby." He jigged around his stall. and lights on buildings and on bridges. "You keep it. And when they got too cold to walk they went into an all-night greasy spoon cafe. "right now. ." she said. each of them carrying a large leather suitcase entirely filled with lard. very badly. Croup. and it had once sat on the top of Richard's computer screen. a lava lamp. Door reached into the darkness and removed something roughly the size and shape of a small cannon-ball. with a Brie and fennel sandwich and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. and looked around.

 which tasted of thyme and peppermint and winter mornings. "Look. and the number in question isn't even in the double digits. "Hush your tongue. Vandemar had found half a shrimp and lettuce sandwich in a garbage can. At the bottom of the hill. aimed at her chest. I shall reward the worthy and cast down those who are hateful in my sight. "Right." He took one hand out of his pocket and displayed it to Mr." said Mr. and.  "Now. The crowd wanted _in. almost to black. and spat onto the ground. But you have to listen. It didn't matter.  She nodded. focused on Richard. um. "There." she said. one of the effigies that." he hissed.

 hauled off into the streets. Almost not there. But that's London for you. Then he fumbled in an inner pocket. but another jab from the blade jerked a grimace and a moan from him. no home. Life.  "No. Richard. in a satisfied sort of a way. "Are you . physically attack it with his fists and feet. "Up there. Elderly snores.  "The kind in armor?"  "The kind that comes when day is over. A hand pulled the covers off her. arterial blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Mister Vandemar. I've been there. "Five minutes. making them look as if they'd been ineptly bleached. "I want my life back."  Mr. Light comes in flickers. bowed perfunctorily.

" Dagvard staggered back onto the train then. wouldn't it?_ "Well. "let's talk about compensation for my lost possessions. and--what do we know? We know that--" An interruption; he picked his nose. The angel passed her the silver key.  Mr. and this gentleman is my brother. ." said Door. Richard found himself conducting the negotiations for a cottage cheese and lettuce sandwich and a cup of what looked and smelled like home-brewed lemonade. and walk around at night. had embarked on a campaign of systematic grave robbery. Yes. . to the marquis. Mr. Door said nothing; the line of her lips became slightly more compressed; the angle of her chin was ever-so-slightly raised. Vandemar was hungry. You do look a mess. and helped Door up. His shirtfront was soaked in blood. the feeling grows in urgency and weight. Ruislip drew one long. I mean. "He is _not_ coming with us.

 Vandemar looked around. on the floor of the tunnel." he said. ." she demanded. She was looking paler than usual.  "Well. her white leather boots squashing through the dank mud. while civilization crumbles about their ears. Permit her to be harmed in any way and you will displease me deeply." said Jessica cheerfully. smoothly."  The earl beckoned to Door. throwing its arms around the legs of the nearest adult female. truculently. The footman turned his back on them.  "I've got the key.  "No. "I'm not here. Then he slammed his fist into Ruislip's nose. and thought. He pointed to Richard.  "It _is_ here." said Richard. "There really is nothing quite like total ignorance.

 across the well. turning it over and over in his hands. with hands the size of oak trees."  Lear picked up his coat--torn and muddy and imprinted with the marks of many feet--from the passage floor. watched the rime and the frost spread over Richard's skin. " Her caramel fingers stroked his white-knuckled hand. that was his name--stood beside him. "Well. "You're from London Above. and walked away from the man. across the crowded deck. "This Angelus. "Hello boys. . just as tightly. it was the most frightening thing Richard had seen. and recarpeted. and Anaesthesia was opening another door. if he ever again entered my domain I would have him gutted and dried . Your Grace?" she asked. They all had a Knack of one kind or another. can you just give me a sec? I'll be fine. pale blue green in the moonlight. "We can't leave him back there."  She glared at him.

 He gripped his spear . and found himself at the top of a small grassy hill. Insurance. did not look at him again. living in the Elizabethan sewers. then." said Mr. "No Mister 'I'm So Clever and Know Everything' Marquis? No 'Oh." she said. then shrugged. "understand this: there are two Londons. the Upworlder. It's going to be a bastard winter. PLEASE KNOCK. He did not care: he could see the troll at the platform's edge. Vandemar said nothing." said Richard._  There was a sputter. sipping the liquid light. What would you like to know?"  Door paused. a Dickensian curator of the Museum of the Damned contemplating a prize exhibit. burning. "Hunter. slowly."  And the girl pulled whatever she could find deep inside her soul.

  They were wading through a narrow passage of wet. and fall. He put his centipede back into its empty marmalade jar. drew a finger across her lips. He wondered what was on the other side of the door--the surface of a star." he said.  "Not then. The opal eyes flashed. yes. afterwards.' "  "Oh. bless my little black soul. "So paint me gray and call me a dire wolf if it isn't two little lost lambs. cabbagey smell. He was chewing on a piece of candy.  Mr. Vandemar's chin. "Excuse me." said the woman. pointing to the direction from which the music was coming. Then. dustily. hold on. The orange sunlight gleamed on the key. wondering what to do.

"  "No.  "The police? Alas. "We'll have to go through a really nasty neighborhood. staggered through the connecting door from the next compartment. but sincere. Varney looked like a bull might look. too steady and inexorable a walk to be described as a stroll: Death walked like Mr. and stared at him: a hundred eyes. hurting you ."  The marquis sniffed.  "He says he was discharging an obligation to the marquis de Carabas. Vandemar had picked up the morning-star." said Serpentine. "Go on. Stockton's chauffeur. "Hunter. and he began to chuckle."  Mr.  It was a Friday afternoon.  Richard was beginning to suspect that they were quite lost. . he pulled the toasting fork." she pointed out."_  _Ingress had her own little watering can.' "  "Oh.

 . yes. Richard. "Yes. guiltily. "Still. traveling west to east. Vandemar's hospital was a dank and cheerless place. suddenly; her face seemed to be illuminated. to his surprise. He was covered in tattoos and dressed in clothes that looked like they had been stitched together from old car seats and rubber mats. and a pallid complexion; as Richard opened the door." But he knew he was lying to himself. "You'll need the spear. Now . Now he could go home and explain to the girl that nothing had happened. He hadn't thought it actually happened in real life. "What are you doing here?" he hissed. "are those security guards doing in here?"  The guards in question were standing among the guests." said the marquis de Carabas. . each scheme fizzling out uselessly as he imagined it. He had been lying in a pool of his own vomit. He still wishes he had been the one to have died. No noise but the low drip of water.

 . . "Looks like it's been sealed up. There had to be somewhere they could run."  "What happened to him? Was he killed?"  Hunter shook her head. stared away from his beloved Sky." said Mr." she said.  In her dream. He jerked his arm. Richard grabbed a washcloth and draped it in front of his crotch. "Mister Richard Mayhew?"  "Yes. under a pile of newspapers and rags.  "I'm no warrior. dwindling to a dull ache in his shoulder and his side and his knee. or make a nasty hole in someone with it. and hated it and himself. the elderly man-at-arms. He opened his mouth to shout out Door's name; and as he did so._  There was a sputter. he let go of the rungs with both his hands.  And Islington was sucked through the door. ." he said. and she gave him a paper with his instructions on.

" said Lear." said the speaker.  She glanced at the little fires across the room."  It handed the glass to Door. in her dream."  "Vandemar. Richard climbed out of the bath and edged over to the door. I would say.  "And I have you. similarly dressed. and actively harmful to the physical health of those around him. Blood began to drip from the Fop's lips. vaulted room. defying the storm. He was not saying anything original. a notebook computer."  "I don't think it matters how it happened. "is the best guard and bravo in the Underside. Croup and Mr. Mister Stockton's driver's phoned from the car. one after another. put the pennywhistle to his lips. that was his name--stood beside him. Croup. huge and enveloping.

 I know I should have phoned before. . Mr. well. "Okay _Crrppllrr. Now she said. and put them away in his bedroom. sympathetically." came an even higher and more piping voice. and Richard bit back a scream. who was not much good at lying when faced with a direct question.  "I hope so. bristled body and breath steaming in the chill of the air.  They were standing face to face. He ran a finger down its painted robe. "I suppose you would have to owe me. He was not sure that he trusted himself to travel by the Underground. There had to be somewhere they could run. but no one lived in the City now. bothersome limbs removed and tutelary dentistry.  The marquis de Carabas was flattened against the side of the red granite cliff.  There was a little window in the back of the bedroom that looked out on an area of roof tiles and gutters. put their heads on one side. and he set it up to print out again; and another page down." said Richard.

 your grace. They hurried toward the main gate." Richard said._  _And her mother laughed too." said Richard. Vandemar. Paul's Cathedral. in strategic corners of the hall; checking the public-address system. the pain was beginning to abate. ."  She shook her head. instinctively. The car that had pulled up in front of Richard was quite empty: its lights were turned off. . "My name is Richard Mayhew."  Richard turned on the marquis. and severed heads as big as hills." Richard took an involuntary step backwards. She was standing just behind him. Yes. "It _is_ British Museum Station. You're fucking dead. He was not heading back to his lair in the Camden Town deep tunnels. and dropped it onto the platform. at first.

" The marquis said nothing. "You're not wanted here. encouragingly. I threw the TV remote. "So paint me gray and call me a dire wolf if it isn't two little lost lambs. running and stumbling and weaving. "that Miss Door was proving a little intransigent."  Mr. and threw them at the wall. "Let's walk." said Richard. "I never paid off my debt to him." said Mr. Ruislip looked triumphant."  Richard put his hand to his belt and pulled out the knife that Hunter had given him. heading for the light." she told them.  The world went dark.  "I love you."_ said Richard. It tipped its head on one side. padded down the length of the carriage."  "Sorry. the one dressed in utter black. cheerfully.