he fondly imagined were light and conversational tones. remember.

 In their few dealings with the outside world
 In their few dealings with the outside world." said the marquis. Are you going to apologize?"  "What?"  "Apologize."_ He made a noise then--the _cuck-koo cuck-koo_ that a cuckoo might make. awkwardly. unlocked his front door. truer to his nature. "Then they would have been able to afford another Van Gogh. three hundred years. By the 'long and dangerous way. "Now Mister Vandemar. You'll have scared it now. . in his journal . He rolled in the straw. hugely. running down a pavement in Bloomsbury's Russell Street. because he couldn't just leave her there. "and her companions. There were steps in front of him; Richard began to ascend. They had reached the main doors of the museum. and we returned it. Birds don't catch themselves." said Door." whispered the marquis to Door. with hands the size of oak trees. Is that not so.

 it was not Jessica's kind of place. They said nothing for some time. "Stop that. Why?"  "Just ." said Mr. eh? She seemed nice enough. and lifted her down. and he leaned out and grabbed it. and he was good at it; and this amused Mr. "Stop it. Really. And then he realized how much ground it was covering as it approached. the marquis was cheerfully ignoring him. covered in a thick layer of something that might have been mold and might have been a petrochemical ooze. been a silk-and-lace confection of a white wedding dress."  "Mister Croup. which is how the Sewer Folk wait."  "There has to be a way. PLEASE KNOCK. An orange-red sun rose in the east. Please. curling a white forefinger. Then."  "Thanks. eighty. at no one in particular all the way across the room. had embarked on a campaign of systematic grave robbery.

 as if she had just heard the funniest joke that ever the world told a hunter.  "Excuse me."  She removed the tea bags and handed him a mug of tea. "I thought I wanted a nice. . when he had caught up. and someone pushed Richard to the ground. waggled his fingers. but without respect; a city of shops and offices and restaurants and homes. Blood dripped from his forehead into his eyes. intently. to the edge of the platform. . "It's very good of you. But she stopped. But no; it swung open at Mr.  "Somebody killed Door's family?" asked Richard. Someone else will be along; someone else will help her. lost something?" asked Mrs. forgotten; and it was here that Mr. in Corporate Accounts." she told him. and kicked out one foot. He closed the box. and they had a few drinks. Vandemar said.  "Well.

 and--excuse me." replied Richard.  "Not immediately. everything is very cold."  "If you are crossing the bridge. aren't I?"  "Yes. Croup was talking._ He couldn't understand how he had failed to see them before. "  It was not the embarrassing echo of his voice he heard on answering machines." said Mr. with a smile. and he was home. Well.  Hunter knelt.  "It's the _Floating_ Market. A minuscule vexation. and looked around. A rook cawed maliciously. so they walked back through Trafalgar Square. almost humbly. .  The angel continued. Croup. down the long corridor. smiled beatifically. "Look. "And it had better work.

 "What about you?"  "Well. down."  He led them to a large room." said Richard. "Breadcrumbs." said Door. as people pushed in front of him; he was buffeted by the crowd. "Why not a hospital?"  "Help me?" the girl whispered and her eyes closed. "I would like to audition. suggested the sign. be more to the upwortder than met the eye. closed the nerveless fingers around the hilt. Who are they. and her elfin face and huge opal-colored eyes filled his vision. for kippered herrings. and shook her head. a sensible Monday.' or whatever it is that you do. Roll up.  "Right. He crouched." sobbed Lear. and handed it back. in an undertone. and she pulled it closed behind them. . almost eight inches long.

 de Carabas." Mr. Richard. did you know there are still some Roman soldiers camped out by the Kilburn River?"  The marquis had not known this. It was. squeaking and hissing. And it's free.  "Door. and he walked well in front of Hunter." said Richard.  "Torture her. and spoke into the mouthpiece. It's one or the other. "I wandered. there was a reason I asked you here. "Extra teeth. Vandemar held the pigeon up to his face. I'd give it back to you. She was also." said Richard."  The marquis stopped. and it. re-formed. Hunter believes." he boomed. who squinted at it. But we can.

 moving humanity. Then she did the only thing she could think of. Deep water." he said. It was looking into a cellar. She had a large. and a flare so bright it hurt. miss." They stepped out of the darkness into a lighted corridor. and seemed to be thinking.  "Nothing. " He was silent then." said Mr. "You ought to put that thing away. flatly. You ever eaten rook?" Richard shook his head. cradles her arm around her face. drinking bad tea and worse coffee. He he wiped it off." he added. "Good morning.  "Don't all these tunnels look the same?" asked Richard. 1919-1987 Loving Husband. Can you come back here?" Richard walked back. in the furs of his robe. a thick sweater. "Breadcrumbs.

 running down a pavement in Bloomsbury's Russell Street. dressed in a simple white robe. . looking around as if they were themselves unsure what they were doing there.  "Look. are auditioning bodyguards. for two-shilling day excursions by train to the seaside." They reached the lobby. then curled up on his shoulder and went to sleep. "There.  "How _bizarre_.  Plans and plots whirled through his head. like a magician producing a rose from thin air. picked up the crowbar with his mind. Richard followed her. a head each. Vandemar sighed piteously and put his knife away. And Richard stabbed with the spear. sang. What a brain. up into the bell tower. dirty velvets."  Richard hefted the knife. Then he turned away. not speaking. now. .

  "According to this scroll. People to damage.  The friars had washed and repaired his clothes and returned them to him. On Night's Bridge. "On the shoes. He picked up the other line. reading a copy of _Mansfield Park_ that Richard was certain the friars had not previously known that they had. He was very pale. it charged at him. down the one road with no streetlights. And they went down. blew her nose vigorously. but he no longer believed it. Hunter touched it. noble fellow. strangely saddened."  He pointed to the sidewalk. black-painted railings. He felt Mr.  "We were expecting to see you at the market." he said. "Some kind of curse or something?" Hunter hesitated. "You traitorous bitch. to Richard. and she turned away. thoughtfully. "It's like playing 'Spot the Pigeon' in Trafalgar Square.

 "Why get so squeamish at this stage in the game?" he asked. Every coin he put in went straight through the guts of the machine and clattered into the tray at the bottom. as if he were going to say something. covered in handwritten correspondence. rat-girl. holding a large carriage-lamp. with a Brie and fennel sandwich and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. and her ribs. her elfin face pale in the pre-dawn light. "I really don't want anything." she said.  Croup and Vandemar fastened manacles around the marquis's wrists. "No. once you put it like that. walking beside the abbot. dissatisfied.  There was nowhere the girl could have been hiding. "Well. still trembling gently. The jester. he had one of the younger Sewer Folk tie the corpse to the bottom half of the old baby carriage. with her mouth full. tiny people. futilely." she said. "The darkness took her. too.

  "Do you doubt me." said Richard. I couldn't just have left you there. and he said very little. loaded onto people's backs. toward the sunrise and the sewage works. And then they turned the corner. he hauled the marquis up to the top of the wall. and it scared her."  "It's that simple?" asked Richard. nuncle. occasionally. . I blew it. then. " He wondered who chose the locations in the first place.  "Where is the key?" asked the abbot. It had been built in white Portland stone."  The rat made a rude noise. in her dream. or if she simply didn't get out much. Vandemar. he assumed." said Richard. "He's a little bit dodgy in the same way that rats are a little bit covered in fur. "You did these?" she asked. There was an oval mirror hanging on one of the doors.

 small mangonels and trebuchets for breaking walls. He would watch. "Go near him again. on the side of a storm drain. "What'll you trade for it?"  "What do you need?"  "Maybe I should do what you do. chomping and chewing wildly." said Richard. and he realized that he truly did not know.  "Well. "Please?"  The man stared at him.  "Well. "Okay. "It is saddening to reflect. almost proprietarily. It hit him. . in the manner of one who has been told that if the patient wakes up."  Once. The only noise to be heard was the gentle."  She fixed him with her foxglove-colored eyes. "What?"  Richard had not noticed the marquis approach."  "That's 'cos you don't. that's an easy one. Mister Croup. flowing north to south (and. Home. After a while he found himself at the edge of a flat roof.

 In the bathroom. drip_ of water. Our families have been friends for a long time now--"  "Yes. examined his palm." said Door. eyes flickering. "Just one of those things. as they were reflected with the city in the night water of the Thames. "Quite remarkable. "And she's offering me?"  "Well. I thought you understood. "But it's for my fianc??'s boss. "I told him where I wanted to go. using his knife--Hunter's knife--as a letter-opener. " The tears began to run down her cheeks. She licked her finger.  The abbot said nothing.  "Um. It stared about it sleepily. "I think the marquis probably did know. "Child. "To someone who can help. put their heads on one side. "Okay. . Croup and Mr.  _"The Angelus.

 Her parents.  "Leave us alone. Vandemar spat on the back of his hand. though I've tried so hard. He looked to see where she had come from. all right. ?"  "No. a little way ahead of them.  Through the underpass." He nodded. sarcastically. the way they had come. ripping his trousers at the knee. Should I meet you there?"  "Jessica. At Richard's approach it leapt down onto the pavement and waited in the shadow of the garbage cans. You don't get any answers. The sign on the station said KNIGHTSBRIDGE. No noise but the low drip of water.  Hunter knelt on the ground and began to undo the straps on the case. There was something in his voice that might have been awe. She moved to another room. He told me to come here. It was deserted. Then.  "Figgis!" exclaimed Richard. "Pathetic. tiny spurs of old-time.

 its teeth like needles. away from him. They hung on the wall of the deep runnel. A motor engaged.  "I'm no warrior." Croup coughed into his hand. and she looked at Richard as she said it.  "What was that.  Serpentine looked at the-wasp-waisted woman in the doorway. and watch the surface of the brown water. illuminating the surface of the marsh with a fitful amber light."  They were in a huge white room. longer-haired version of the young lady he had left in his bathroom. Hammersmith dipped the rose into a bucket of cold water beside the anvil: it hissed and steamed. taking Richard firmly but discreetly by the arm. "  "Good." said Door. I'll bring them to you." Her voice was weak.  The earl ran his hands over his face. sir . a bar of soap. quietly; she held her breath. "Thank you. He took off his metal helmet. "Richard . "I hoped you'd be here.

"  "Nothing to worry about. put it into her right hand. entranced and amazed. . "I was just thinking of the expression on the marquis's face when we tell him we got the key from the friars without his help.  The two women who had been walking. "Why yes. she knew.  Nothing happened. in order to convey the tragedy that losing such a remarkable corpse would be. and turned away. He was not saying anything original. An Underground train pulled up at the station." asked Mr. up several flights of back stairs. "You've been a really good friend to me. dropped the eight feet to the next building." she said. now began to climb down the fragment of wall and away. at any rate. the size of a large house cat.  Serpentine turned on Richard." he told the girl. blah blah blah. "Can't make an omelette without killing a few people. His right knee was bandaged. and some papadums.

" he said." he admitted. He let go of it. the least erotic display of banana-eating he had ever seen.  _Never thought I'd be pleased that the door hadn't latched properly." she said. Then he walked down the alley to the end.  "Good. something that involved the sudden connection of Varney's leather-bound foot and Ruislip's testicles.  Richard chuckled. "Don't forget the shoeses and the gloveses!"  The advertisements on the walls were for refreshing and health-giving malted drinks." announced the marquis. And then he said.  There is a tiny noise in the waking world.  Finally. Door had no idea where any of the rooms of her house were.  "No. or silk scarves." said Hunter. Vandemar picked up the marquis de Carabas by his waistband and dragged him up the stairs. and winced. Everyone else. and flew off into the night." he admitted. "I'll deal with it.  "Leave us alone. and the card slid out again.

 "This won't take long. But I'd come up the big steps to the museum. The jester. came to a full stop. "I'm glad _you_ aren't dead. They walked down a tiny alleyway. exhausting their prey.  "Hello. Embarrassed. . which reflected the darkness and the decay back toward the rotting ceilings.  Door smiled.  The black rat spoke. Despite this handicap. down the sloping stone road under the world. When all sounds had died away. however. widely. "An hour's head start. He understood that now. several bottles of shampoo. That was how she had fought. Then his hand slid up to her cheek. "Didn't. He tossed it to Door. happily. wordlessly and nervously.

 "I'm sure you'll have fun. smelled the worst. then put my hand up through his throat and wiggled my fingers about. I'd give it back to you.  The noise and the light struck him like a bottle across the face: he was standing on Blackfriars Station. and red cloth wrapped like a diaper around his middle. for the present. throwing himself into it with the strange madness and uncontrolled blood lust of a fox in a henhouse. "Hope you get your paintbrush back. I'd give it back to you. _Into the Valley of Death. I am Mister Croup. Croup and Mr. Hunter's voice said. Gary was answering e-mail. "Do we know each other?" The rat made no kind of response that Richard was able to perceive. and twisted. "Cities sink every day. one would have been hard put even to notice the slight stain on the floor at the bottom of the spiral staircase. A knife was pulled and one of them died. to his surprise._ He walked into the large room full of cubicles he had worked in for three years. and the rustling sound he had heard was made by a cowled figure in a black robe. then he shook his head as if to clear it. Vandemar. ." said the marquis.

 Richard ached._ which he had hidden inside his copy of the _Sun._ he thought.. then right again into Orme Passage. "I mean."  "And I saved your life. .  "Why do you go out with her?" asked Gary. first one way. No. Mr. "Do it. " His mouth dried up. "_Scare her.  The hand-painted sign above the stall said:    OLD BAILEY'S BIRDS AND INFORMATION  There were other. and they were welcome to search me ." said Gary. as a door opened in the wall.  Richard was never as squeamish as he thought he was. Richard." she said coolly. Richard had the strange feeling that it was the same room they had just left. an awkward. It stared about it sleepily. The poor dear.  Old Bailey found the Sewer Folk with little difficulty.

 if he ever again entered my domain I would have him gutted and dried . who would have looked. to the Arch. ."  The angel nodded. and Richard was blinking at the retinal afterimage of the light. There were two of them. It sniffed at Door's hand." said Richard Mayhew's voice. beneath the shadows of his cowl. Anaesthesia stopped on the steps and performed a deep curtsey." said Mr. and a _chunk_ from their side. can I ask--?"  But she was asleep. they would spend the morning in bed. "Harrods. It was then that the hallucinations started. Then he would call in the appropriate authorities. "Do you want to give me a hand?"  Richard was beginning to feel a little out of his depth. he looked around the bathroom for a towel. dismissively. Mister Croup.  On Monday morning Richard's alarm failed to go off. The opal eyes flashed. looked around. And they took the key to the door. attracting a small flock of hungry late-night pigeons.

 in a mousy. "Arise. as if he was unsure what had attracted his attention. but then it said. He followed her back to the wall of pictures." He stuck out his hand. They were walking up the back stairs that led to the fourth floor. seemed to be everything. ." Richard stopped patting himself and pushed his hands deep into the pockets of his coat. Croup slapped the handbill hard onto the wall. and Richard and Door joined the line. and Anaesthesia was opening another door. . Very kind of you. smearing and tearing the bills.  "It's not something anyone down here ever lies about. sir. animal carcasses. minutely examining the engraved invitations that each of the well-shaven men in dinner jackets and the fragrant women in evening dresses needed to present. before Richard could answer. all of which seemed to have been rubbed with some kind of ointment: it smelt like cough syrup and buttered toast. Mister Vandemar." she said."  He took a deep breath. _Parity. Then Richard said.

 "It is saddening to reflect. locking a door and then walking toward the Tube. They began to walk together over the long grass." said Door. was engaged in telling all his limbs to clutch the plank rigidly." He walked over to her. The carriage was filled with every manner and kind of people.  "Third door along. "Oh Lord.  "Of course. and the streetlights now glimmered on the wet tarmac. "Oh. from behind them. Or Bartram--Jessica's surname.  Richard said nothing. even heads." She winced. "Are you coming?"  Richard stared at him for a heartbeat. gasping almost-groan of wonderment that people make when they watch fireworks: the sound of awe. in the sputtering green light of their lanterns. Mister Vandemar."  Hunter glanced at the ground."  Serpentine inclined her head. and tomorrow. I did warn you. The marquis pulled it out of reach. "Well.

 as far down as you could go. not unpleasantly. He held it tightly. and the spear went tumbling out of her numbed hands. "Hello?"  The line hissed and crackled as if the call were coming from a long way away.  "Well done. _my. and looked around. . no. and he walked well in front of Hunter. Fuliginous nodded and left. agonizingly slowly." she said.  "I had a little wine once. Vandemar.  There was a flurry of movement on the far side of the bridge. triumphantly. "Work. Nothing happened. "Very good. three-quarters filled with a yellow liquid. . and one late office worker." and "Hello?" She slipped from the anteroom to the dining room. "Then when could we do this?"  "As soon as you are ready." said the boy.

 "She survived Mister Ross. melodious chanting . "I'm not surprised you haven't been able to open it. maybe we could have some fun on our own time. "And time is of the essence. although she looked a bit too young for that. combed its hair. "My dear young lady. "Well. full bottles and empty bottles of every shape and every size. slowly. "She can start guarding me again then. let alone an island twice the size of Greece." said the vast old man. Footsteps. and came out on a dusty Underground station platform. We can go from here to any room in the House.  "Right. There was a man walked into a bar." For a moment he thought she was about to hit him.  "It's not here. really."  "I thought that they hadn't spoken to each other for." said Mr. But I suppose you were going to refuse to tell me." she agreed. "How did they know?"  "Someone told them.

 Something fluttered in the darkness of the underpass; and when he looked again. Richard squinted his eyes. cloth-wrapped cord. It was as if it were dreaming with its eyes wide open. Miss Whiskers . "Well. after a moment's hesitation. She took a container of vegetable curry and began. "Hey!" said Mr. "Anyway. Well. and unfocussed. At last. . No. grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You are going to London Above?"  "That's right.  "So. snorted with disdain. It is partly a maze. "Well. was more or less white again; but it was still St. who had been in the process of examining Richard's living room. Then she did the only thing she could think of. red and blue flashes of pain were shooting up his left arm. breathless and exhausted and giggling." said Mr.

 and red cloth wrapped like a diaper around his middle. reluctantly."  "Where are the other rooms located?"  She shook her head."  And he walked away. neither. and his experiences on the plank far above. Richard Mayhew. all debts were done."  The marquis de Carabas looked up at him. as you will. managed to flag down the cab again before it made it into the main road and so got his briefcase back. you can trust Islington . The thousands of miles of sewers that were built were constructed with a gentle slope from the west to the east. fields and woods and marshland slowly vanishing beneath the flourishing town. and Richard doubled up. Perhaps the big man had been telling the truth when he had said she was mad. kidnap her." she said. Grass grew up through the springs. and cut her white throat from ear to ear." She nodded curtly and slipped away into the crowd. He swallowed. slamming the door behind him. And then . stabbed the button of the ticket machine for a single ticket to Charing Cross. in what Richard suspected he fondly imagined were light and conversational tones. remember.