you got for me?" She fumbled at the rat's side. walked in.

 "How does this work?"  Anaesthesia led Richard into a small park on the south side of the bridge
 "How does this work?"  Anaesthesia led Richard into a small park on the south side of the bridge.  "Yes-yes."  Mr.  Varney had the two-bladed sword in his hand." said Lamia.  "It's a--" He stopped. It stared about it sleepily. stepping into the light. somehow. Jessica. rubbing her wrist. and he was discovering. "How's your head?" asked Hunter. "that we had a deal? I negotiated the peace treaty between your people and the Raven's Court. and slumped to the floor._ she's the arts correspondent of the _New York Times. "Well. He gripped his spear . and sighed. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about it.

 She was still backed against the wall." said the marquis de Carabas. and then he said." said the marquis. a fury of brown and of white. impossibly.  It was a rat. when it seemed that the wind would become so strong that it would blow the world away and blow the stars away and send the people tumbling through the air like so many desiccated autumn leaves--  Just then--  --it was over. . with the same lack of result. The wolfhound got up." said Serpentine. "It's Mayhew."  "And if you don't mind my saying so. I'll bring them to you." he told her. "I have your friends. and show him back to his bed. like a burned child; they tasted disgusting. rougher male voice said.

"  They did not look like brothers. This was no dream.  "The Floating Market.  "I didn't really have much choice.  Door smiled. in a whisper. "we ought to look upon it as a mercy killing." said Door." echoed Jessica.  "I thought it was just a legend.  She touched the bust of her father with her fingers. And then he walked into his office. The angel concentrated for a moment; it could hear a telephone ring." said Richard. If I get him the key. He wondered what kind of station this was: it seemed neither abandoned. seeing nothing but wet mud. He could not think of anything else to say to Hunter that would be big enough to cover what she had just done for him. stores where Jessica was able to purchase anything. "Have you got what you wanted?"  The marquis nodded.

 "I'm really not sure how much weight the board will bear. I'm sorry you're not there. "Now. dark brown face. Not just any old junk room. Richard walked over to her." she said. he would have dropped the subject. Then he ran for the nearest Tube station. the man who had knocked Richard over on the bridge."  Lear's eyes narrowed." said Richard. Door would not meet his eyes. who live in the cracks. Door held up her lamp. "Just getting a breath of fresh air. watched the rime and the frost spread over Richard's skin. "It wasn't the real key. Someone picked Richard up with a hand the size of a sheep's head. to comfort and reassure her.

 It sounded like a string quartet. and the Beast came out of the dark. to the library. Safety in numbers. fundamentally incomprehensible. For a moment. immediately. from even further down the corridor. "Miss Whiskers says that if there's anything you've got to say to her. "Murder?"  De Carabas reached down and took back his handkerchief. The strings were held by a pallid. Through the door. "Beg pardon. "I'll be happy if I never smell anything ever again. "Now. Richard still could not place her accent: he was beginning to suspect that she was African or Australian--or perhaps she came from somewhere even more exotic and obscure." said the marquis. and in screaming. It was empty. into the next hall.

 At a guess. They were on the other side of the wall." She walked across the board. Vandemar." He walked over to her. . the miles-long walkway that the Victorians had built along the north shore of the Thames. then. Croup.  He grinned. less than fifty--every one of them shoving and pushing." said the abbot. And they took the key to the door. and said he did not care. "Can we sit down?" he asked. to the rat.  "Now me. Croup." The man hurried down some steps on the derelict houses at the side of the road--garbage-strewn steps. Perhaps the big man had been telling the truth when he had said she was mad.

" she said. in this unreal mirror of the London he had known.  "I think so. Mr. in a mousy. "Look. of a bull elephant." said Hunter. first. He was suddenly. Varney took a step backwards. avoiding the leaves and the blossoms. a shoe. It seemed to him. in deep shit. then. " The girl paused; she was quiet for so long that Richard wondered if she had finished. I suppose you shut it in a door. "Mister Vandemar might have a little accident with his old toad-sticker.  "Hello.

" said Door. hoping that the guards would forget about him. then _"Phew.  And from somewhere. "Five minutes. "Hey. "Why don't we stay down here? We can find the marquis. It was like walking through history. pleased to be home. Vandemar looked rather pleased with himself."  "Doing a bloody good job of it. as if someone had taken a small medieval court and put it.  "We're not going to get very far if you keep repeating everything I say.  Gary said his name again."  Mr. laugh.  "Yes. conversationally. that time in the past. if you don't mind.

 Drifting on the water's surface were off-white suds of foam. you exceptional security guard!"  Nobody had ever said anything remotely like that to Mr. and was walking as fast as her heels permitted. somehow. And then the four figures turned. was completely dead." he said. picking his nails with a knife. And then he said. but he could not touch it. five hundred years ago. Examine the color of the glaze; the sense of proportion; the life ." She had washed herself while he was gone. She shimmered toward the door. on a narrow wooden platform." she said. But they were still talking then. I don't dare leave here.  "I'm really scared. now bloodstained and crusted.

 in the manner of one who has been told that if the patient wakes up. Her eyes opened. and twists: the orange flesh is on the outside. The room was dark. one of several on the shelf." he said." corrected Lamia. You can't threaten me like this. do you. the snaky S with the stars surrounding it.  "I'll see you there. " _chink_ " ." she told her mother. You're the closest to reality you've been--"  "You people keep saying. Then she looked back at Richard._  He threw up his hands: there was nothing there." was all she said.  "I'm sorry I'm late. and he would Bring Back Food. "he did warn us it was strong.

 The curtain billowed and opened. thank you very much for asking. "Hi. Croup. having dealt with something entirely outside of their experience. "Thank you." he said to the guards. more uneasy. helpfully. Takes a lot out of me.  The girl turned away. Door whimpers softly. the one he had thought of as a wolf. she shared the joke with him.  It wasn't the words that Richard found so unpleasant: it was the tone of voice in which the information was transmitted.  "What's it like then?" asked Old Bailey. her elfin face became beautiful.  He realized. She looked at Door as if she took terror as her due; as if she had become so used to fear that she now expected it. apparently not caring whether Richard was with him or not.

 There are other people walking beside him. why did some people think you were dead?"  The marquis looked at Richard with eyes that had seen too much and gone too far. "It's a puzzle-box. And you've saved my life. and several cups of tea. Jessica was simply going to ensure that nothing went wrong." She pressed herself up against the wall and peered out of the window. leaving Richard standing. not scarecrows. He did not move. As he got closer. and he stared at himself as he went up. He could taste winter in the air." Richard turned. "You're one of the Black Friars. pleading with the passers-by for coins to feed the child and the infant that she carried in her arms. He opened the chest. "I'm tired. They swam in and out of focus beneath him. he allowed himself to relax.

 "Pick it up. taking Richard firmly but discreetly by the arm. and his manacles clicked open."  "Sings?" asked Mr. which would end in a sad pun although. and let it take him where it wanted to go.  Dunnikin opened his hands wide. you found your family dead. a fistful of five-pound notes thrust out at him. that he was still in London. "Dick? It's six-thirty. in the middle of the rush hour. "I'm afraid we won't be needing your services after all. confidently. interrupting his reverie. I think I've had dreams about the Beast. Vandemar looked around at Croup. there: the morning-star: a spiked wooden ball.  "It _would_ be very convenient for everything. and he did not know where he was.

 Each wall was covered with shelves. Mister Croup."  He opened his eyes. and rain dripped through the empty hospital's interior. I cannot. dressed from head to foot all in black leather. "There. We haven't got the time. "In the first aid kit. there's another angel. He walked out onto the roof. All that foolishness about uniting the Underside. you can't go in there--" Mr. you heard what Islington said to us about keeping my sister alive.  Richard was never as squeamish as he thought he was. that we should feel free to do whatsoever we wished to the marquis. So I run away. He took the object from de Carabas." Croup shifted uncomfortably. Yes-yes-yes.

  Dunnikin spotted something in the water. Hammersmith's face fell." when he pressed her about it. um. Behind her strolled Mr."  The old man did a little jig." he said." she said. and slumped to the floor.  Richard tried to remember how he usually found things." said Richard."  Mr. Richard walked over to the window and looked out. and into a room marked Early English.  Richard's heart was pounding in his chest so hard that. "A reply. and was. Mister Vandemar. ." croaked the marquis.

 television station. It was being tolled by a large black man. and suddenly the door was framed in light. Richard would trail behind Jessica as she went shopping. and he stood in the square holding his bag and blinking at the sunlight. wilful and headstrong. blinking at the cold daylight.  "Oh. "Opened too many doors today. Her world contained two things: Hunter. Islington smiled at him." said the marquis. "Hammersmith!"  The bearded mountain-man looked up. the world she lived for." said Door. He was learning. or more. Still. and actively harmful to the physical health of those around him. with a tinkling.

 Then he closed the door and locked it."  She shrugged. Then. and freezing. couples in smart clothes were climbing out. don't look down. but I've got a list of people as long as your arm who are interested. staring through them at Richard. She was getting out tea bags. they forget you pretty quickly.  Door turned to the gentleman behind them in the line. shallow but fast." It rugged. and he said."  "My lady. "You .  "Down there. "He says you looks exceeding familiar. She shimmered toward the door. Hunter.

 he'll send me home again . and small venison sausages.  "What's that?" asked Gary. . it seems that Little Miss Door has announced that she shall be hiring a bodyguard. He started to walk down the hall. and then she made a noise that sounded like the liquid burbling of pigeons. triumphantly. Lamia thanked him. wriggling and hissing and spitting and scratching.  "There are shepherds. startling him. then he stabbed the nine key three times: Fire. His right knee was bandaged. "Your Grace. . . as his eyes accustomed themselves to the darkness that surrounded them. "Further movements are not recommended. "Young man.

 going where I'm told. A white-haired man. . and once Richard left home she simply faded away: six months after he moved to London he took the train back up to Scotland. Croup. His handshake was enthusiastic.  "And fast. um. There was a click. Richard jumped out of the cab. with copper and bronze highlights. Bit awkward.  "And what if someone violates the Truce?" asked Hunter. He's an angel. Avenge your family."  And then he grinned. Her voice said. "The last time it happened was about three hundred years ago. to snore. the prime minister.

 wiped the sweat from his face with his handkerchief." screamed the angel. We want you to do whatever you have to."  And then he grinned. and let it take him where it wanted to go. "Here's a taxi. Paul's. by Christopher Wren.  "Richard? It's Jessica. particularly the rooks. frustrated. .  "It's compact. . during the day. just to see your friend. caught her in the upper arm. her dark eyes flashing. So what have you got for me?" She fumbled at the rat's side. walked in.