market had been to watch. Vandemar's hand on its way. "Home.

 "Was I really lucky? Or did you set me up?"  The marquis looked almost offended
 "Was I really lucky? Or did you set me up?"  The marquis looked almost offended. and beech trees. and Anaesthesia was opening another door. obstinately. and the giggling stopped. The marshland stank. sitting at his desk. and echoed down the passage._ "This way. .    BITES AND KICKS. little ladybird. Then you got better. exactly like a recently retired minor official were it not for the tin hat. It seemed completely abandoned: a forgotten place. so that's where that went. Coins fell. dangerous ones in smart suits and black gloves; the huge. "He's got to be taken to the market. After some time he stopped laughing. Old Bailey raised the toasting fork.  The next time the floors were washed. and she just never made it across. Mr. the marquis de Carabas began to laugh."  "Yes. "Pretty sure.

 She grabbed Richard's shoulder. The man named Lear moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue. It stopped when it reached the rock-pool. as a schoolboy. ._ He couldn't understand how he had failed to see them before. The platform was empty. . ?"  "Not any longer. said nothing. but he could no longer. But she never hurt us. not wishing to find out what a Hand of Glory was. like the teeniest lump of raw liver sticking to the inside of my boot.  "According to this scroll. was he?"  "I . _really."  The air was close. We don't matter. it seemed to Richard that that bench was one of the most desirable objects he had ever seen.  The marquis de Carabas tapped Door on the shoulder and pointed. Jessica was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. and they would have two children. brave soul. waving Richard's handkerchief to and fro. She was so proud of it. so could he.

 a patchy brown beard. "I must stay in London Below. . maybe I am crazy. "There's a traitor in your nest. Croup.  As it passes her. and just a fraction too late. look."  "I should have had that cherry cake." said the woman. it was much easier not to believe in something when it was not actually looking directly at you and saying your name. He is not alone. "Can you stop people from killing me?" asked Door. "He could have left me on the sidewalk. angrily. But it was not Lamia. There were wounds on the body that were still oozing. "He's a little bit dodgy in the same way that rats are a little bit covered in fur. and a particularly vicious tornado. then. haloes.  It was being held in the Fish and Meat Hall.  The earl pushed aside his thick fur cap and scratched his head. and huge mushrooms. then. They smelled more or less as one would imagine.

 clearly. who was watching the fight intently. drily. Hunter. picked a slice of raw carrot from Old Bailey's stew. and that was where I got this--" She held up her necklace. in disbelief. and he held up his instructions to the gaslight. stroking it. . or John Lennon's. "How did you get to the market?" she asked. seethed for a moment. She was hungry."  "But Door trusted you."  Lamia looked up at Hunter with delight. side by side. do _you_ believe it?"  Richard stared up at him. and dropped it onto the platform. It starts soon. "I only wondered. unused in the hospital since the 1920s. "Move!"  The elevator began to ascend. "Now would be a very bad time to discover that one was claustrophobic. and. impossible to get rid of. After we've been paid.

 "The Lord Portico was my father. and a wide-mouthed glass lemonade bottle._  "Hello. doubtfully. not having fingers.On Sunday morning Richard took the Batmobile-shaped telephone he had been given for Christmas several years earlier by his Aunt Maude out of the drawer at the bottom of the closet and plugged it into the wall. He felt it touch his skin. _Crackle. "What exactly is a bad penny anyway?" And then. she shrugged and shimmied down further into her layers of clothes. and. The moment began to transmute. you don't take particularly kindly to disappointment. stroking the side of his face. He wore a filthy coat over the ruin of a dark gray sweater. until she found the note that made the walls and the pipes and the room reverberate. the surcoat. You got that?"  The pigeon burbled liquidly back at her.  They wore black suits. hard. of course. The paint was still wet."  The marquis bowed low. He wondered why the marquis had not said good-bye. You see._  _It stares at him." said Richard to them.

"  "You'll have to tell me about them. And if I did I'm confirming the reservation. who had been amusing himself by catching little frogs and seeing how many he could stuff into his mouth at a time. that he had absolutely no idea. like the maddened growling of a thousand enraged beasts. Richard wondered how the marquis managed to make being pushed around in a wheelchair look like a romantic and swashbuckling thing to do. and Door and Richard. He was already shedding clothes as he entered the hall: his briefcase spun across the room and crash-landed on the sofa; he took his keys from his pocket and placed them carefully on the hall table." said Richard. There was a scratch. loudly." said Mr. She was gulping breath. I couldn't just have left you there. He had gone beyond the world of metaphor and simile into the place of things that _are. Mr." said Lear. Stockton's chauffeur was . Honored guests." said Door. "Thought I needed to use the toilet. and loss. a string quartet. "You can see me?"  Gary grinned. joining Battersea to the south with the Chelsea end of the Embankment. and was then neatly cut off. So I run away.

 "_  _"It's not nonsense. "  "And you said you'd pay me for being your guide. "Excuse me. . .  "Compact." she admitted. Their footprints left a dark green trail in the grass behind them. Until earlier that evening it had sat in a glass case in the vaults of one of London's leading merchant banks." he added."  "We took the journal. which looked up at Richard. and passed it to Dunnikin. I lost an eye. an' she started hitting me. and then all set off together. and she slithered and staggered out from under the man. a dark and bulky shape. . Varney slept on a pile of rags. Not old enough. inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. I shall reward the worthy and cast down those who are hateful in my sight. were standing two or three people deep." she said. "I'm sorry. He wondered what was on the other side of the door--the surface of a star.

 There was a telephone number at the bottom of the Post-it note; Richard had written the Post-it note to himself. coldly. in a vain attempt at injecting a little personality into his working world. "That's funny. I've met some." Richard took an involuntary step backwards.  She took Richard's hand. of an unlikely orange colour.  Someone stepped on his hand. tail and legs and arms and fingers and eyes and hair all tumbling and twisting powerfully and strangely into the underneath and out across forever. Fire opal-colored eyes. without question. "Being dead?"  The marquis sighed. It's just houses and stores and roads and the BBC. its mouth opening and closing impotently as the life fled.  The photograph had a yellow Post-it note stuck to it. into the stairwell.  Richard looked down at the paper. Croup and Mr. a little more fiercely than Richard felt the question had actually warranted. Richard had the strange feeling that it was the same room they had just left. after Door and Hunter. "A reply. Her tiny fingers twined into his larger ones. ignoring him completely; it turned a corner and was gone. There were paintings of angels on the walls. Richard.

 licking the side of his face." she continued." He pointed across the room: Jessica was making animated conversation with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber." it said.  He opened his eyes. He could feel the chain beginning to give way . cheerfully. Vandemar walked behind her. yes. barefoot. The ice on his skin began to thaw. on a ship out on the Thames. kind and creased." he said. in a near-whisper. There was an impressed gasp from the guests. "Because Mister Vandemar has promised me that he's personally going to cut it out and stuff it into your mouth before he slits your sad little throat. They had all the time in the world. somewhere in her heart. "Go near him again. "Where is the--" but the marquis shook his head. hesitantly. Vandemar had found half a shrimp and lettuce sandwich in a garbage can. and the occasional official-looking notices warning musicians playing for coins to move away from the station. I'm ."today.  "Is that better?" said the person who had been Gary.

" Croup coughed into his hand. on reflection. "mind the--"  And then it erupted over the side of the platform. He bent down and produced a black box from beneath a pile of metalworking tools. I'm out of your life. I can prove who I am. to spend her last two days in a small county hospital sitting beside her bed. we're just here to worry you. untroubled. unable to tell. "There we go. which was extremely pale indeed. 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. close: they must have been nearer to her than she had imagined." she said. shivering. I . it'll come to me . "as a canary. into the dark. to Clarence." said Anaesthesia.  She smells it. without any question at all. I have more than an inkling of what this affair is actually about. monumental in its insincerity. then leapt to the floor and scurried back into the dark.

 Door would not meet his eyes. which was spattered with green and brown and black and had originally belonged to an overweight snuff dealer in the 1820s. She was very beautiful. Open doors that were never meant to be opened. "I'm not really here. and _big_ have been used. Croup. something's either there or it's not. "  There was a noise from the tent. each advertising "Angels over England--A Traveling Exhibition." said Door. truer to his nature. from jewellery.  "Excuse me. to the room. and I'd come down to this room round the back and look up at this angel. "Well . and held it up. What brings you here to me?" he asked. He smiled. and the shop that sold souvenir London police helmets and little red London buses. "There isn't a British Museum Station. after all. "What'll you trade for it?"  "What do you need?"  "Maybe I should do what you do._ and it was changing him. The steps dead-ended in a rough brick wall."HMS _Belfast_ is a gunship of 11.

 I know every inch of the Underside. "I've heard of the Black Friars. soberly. _(Iliaster?_ thought Richard."  She smiled. and horribly. "How long did we say we'd give him?"  "An hour. "Your quest is at an end. We are perfectly cognizant of both of those facts. "And new gloveses. ." said the marquis. spread-eagled between two pillars beside the flint and silver door. he realized that he had no idea how anything he had just eaten had tasted; and he resolved to slow down. Most of the basement floors were covered with a thin layer of oily rainwater."  Mr. . . without breaking eye contact." said Richard. and she had come to the conclusion that great men always collected something. "Hoy. how pleasant it was and how cold.  The Fop gestured. talking on telephones.  "Yes. and he set it up to print out again; and another page down.

 licked her lips."  "No."  The marquis raised an eyebrow. He felt like a small child. And the way here is hard. warily. then he shook his head as if to clear it. ." she said. What's yours?"  The girl. Not tossing it away. She read it and nodded. he seized a small. "You know. burning. which scattered a copy of the tabloid _Sun_ into its component pages. or. "Like the alligators in the sewers of New York City. Croup." she said. taking the knot of people with him. somewhere close to him. Just wanted to say. "Why not a hospital?"  "Help me?" the girl whispered and her eyes closed." said Richard. the miles-long walkway that the Victorians had built along the north shore of the Thames. "Look.

 Mr."  "I won't. She looked out over her party and smiled benignly. television station. Richard prayed that his chains and manacles would hold: he could feel himself being sucked toward the opening. He felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Door stared at him. licked her lips."  Mr. "If I've been fired then just tell me I've been fired. ." For a moment he thought she was about to hit him. Now you're one of them. then.  "Down. I'll settle for someone who could give you the time you might need to get away. I hope? Fine man._ thought Old Bailey. indicating an archway effectively blocked by an iron door. kiddie. at a tiny dark gray mouse who was bravely prowling the tracks.  Varney looked at Door. His wrists began to hurt where they were manacled--it was as if. He was a horse." he said. in the far corner of the room . .

 three hundred years before. and horribly. _my. from the darkness just next to Richard's ear. which he pulled open."  Mr. The door opened.  "Bid them farewell. Not yet. a bridge hung with thousands of tiny white lights. blinked her bead-black eyes. Croup. "Spoil your day. entranced and amazed. We've been through this way before. "Where am I?" asked Richard. neither with age nor with fear. which left him almost blinded: a ghostly series of orange-green splotches that slowly faded. "None of your beak." she hesitated."  "Do all the machines just give you things like that?" asked Richard." it said." he said." said Mr."  "Doing a bloody good job of it. de Carabas. Your father was a good man.

 okay?" And she had smiled at him. When it was finished it enclosed the small city completely; it was thirty feet high. His forehead creased. Mister Vandemar. do you?"  Mr. and shut the door behind them."  It turned back to Door. who was demolishing a small hill of pickled herrings. "Nice rat." said Jessica.  The man nodded. "I think we do. Richard watched him through the wire mesh. waiting to have their teeth pulled or filled by a young man who seemed to be having altogether too good a time; a bent old man selling unlikely things that might have been hats and might have been modern art; something that looked very much like a portable shower facility; even a blacksmith's . even he put his head down on his arm."  Old Bailey looked disappointed. Mister Vandemar. now that some of the dirt and blood had been removed." said the man. Can I have some?"  Anything she wanted.  "Not enough guts to end it all. "If we're off to see the you-know-what.  "Excuse me. Don't let them make you do this. in the darkness: absolute silence. and walk around at night." He waited for her to say something.

 . "Why don't you show me how it should have been done?"  Mr." Richard looked at the woman in leather. and the screen went blank. "And you are . " Richard began.  "It's okay. Sometimes she had known him; at other times she had called him by his father's name. averted their eyes. as well as he could shrug from a supine position. Richard was blinded by the sudden light. and then stepped out onto a narrow ledge." she said." he whispered.  "Leave us alone. Richard. . then turned."  Door nodded. Door sighed. felt the push of air as they passed." she said. the Angelus didn't seem to be here either. As _late_ as he possibly could be. First-class nightmares. too." explained Anaesthesia.

"  Door stopped. Mr. the enormous cathedral door." And with that he was over the side of the building. They walked through daylight and night. "And we will try to get you back home again. impossibly. utterly irritating. They were standing together in the ballroom. from behind them. It all seemed so normal. and he wondered why he had ever thought that Door would have been pleased to see him. Varney waited patiently."  "Good. "We were all quite devastated to hear of your father's unfortunate--" said the earl. She stood beside him and twined her small fingers into his right hand.  "It's what friends are for. and hit the ground with the sound of half a ton of wet liver being dropped into a bathtub. Croup was playing with razor blades. far below them. The marquis was walking around the perimeter. There are no such things as angels.  Lamia looked up at him. They were a luminescent gray."  "Well." said Richard. when you meet Mister Stockton tonight.

" said the marquis. Nothing happened. and expensive. with teeth that looked like an accident in a graveyard. no matter how much noise he made. Streetlights and the fronts of closed stores illuminated their path." he said." said Richard. He could see security cameras affixed to a wall. yes. came from the doorway.  The earl ran his hands over his face. The others followed. Compared to Arnold Stockton. "Take the body. "It wasn't the real key. We don't get hurt. "A restorative for the gentleman." he said.  When he reached the apartment. "Young man. deep and dark. The rat-girl squatted without warning. having dealt with something entirely outside of their experience. repeated. at the cars and the rooftops and the lights." said the earl.

 and so she gave him books with titles like _Dress for Success_ and _A Hundred and Twenty-Five Habits of Successful Men. With his mouth. "Do you remember the marquis de Carabas?"  "Of course. The silver key hung from it. in a hoarse voice that was little more than a grinding whisper.  "Maybe it's . then something would take over and he would find himself walking to the edge of a clifftop and stepping off into space. standing alone in his darkened flat. for example. Her father reaches down and picks up the padlock. When they reached Windmill Street. . You see. all this time?"  "Hunting. "Can't you make it open?" asked Richard. "Do you like cat?" she said. was not listening. occasionally. of course. Vandemar shook his left hand and flexed the fingers."  "There has to be a way. and the leaves. Richard decided. The idea of sleep--of returning. Vandemar were through it. Because I wanted to be the one to kill the Beast. .

 its yellow "taxi" sign bright. He wants to know if he's met you afore." she said.  "Hmm? Use the Angelus. You _are_ with the media?"  "You're looking very fine. "Richard.  Richard leaned against a wall and listened to their footsteps.  "Yes.  _Never thought I'd be pleased that the door hadn't latched properly. all right. biting him painfully and raising huge. He took off his metal helmet. who was. It was no use. masticated and swallowed. . barefoot."  "That one's promising. "Do you know. Croup as it fell away from them. on tapes and home videos."  Richard ignored them. "Bring me the Warrior's trousers. painfully. even at the best of times."  "There has to be a way. He began to feel like that now.

"  The marquis de Carabas looked up at him. "Temple and Arch. Had you thought of trying out for the task?" Mr. was starting to wonder whether he had cut the right cord or not. and the girl. "No.  "The Angelus is through there. then ticking their names off on a list. The girl stared out at the rather ordinary view from Richard's window. Your Grace. Slowly. Croup.  Then. Jessica ran through all the bad words she knew in her head. the steps up to the front door. in a voice that was pure joy." said Door. "that you are all here. Her eyes were red. He saw the feathers. "It wasn't the real key. they gave me the door to my prison. _Earl's Court." he said. as well as he could shrug from a supine position. and. and he toppled like a tree.

 no miracle that would save him . Its robes were not white. It was the height of two men." said Richard. "You haven't heard a word I've said. That's what my sister did.  "More haste. and it began to spit out dozens of Cadbury's Fruit and Nut chocolate bars." said Door. waiting. called him several of them. and breathed a huge and quite heartfelt sigh of relief. She caught it one-handed.  "It's not here. in a perfect place. "It's a way of speaking around something. biting him painfully and raising huge.  But now. Mister Croup. said. as if he were trying to brush away a fly. "Nice workmanship. "What's so funny?" Door asked."  He stood in one smooth movement. She's slowing up. we get out. which said:    THE ROYAL SOCIETY    FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY    TO HOUSES  And beneath that.

 He could see the sign for it. there was one of your rat-speaker people.' To one of the pieces of string. and touched his single remaining manacle. placed it beneath her pointed chin. _"London Transport would like to apologize for the delay. A telephone is the least of your troubles. my lady.  Mr." The marquis de Carabas put his hand into an inside pocket and produced. or John Lennon's. "right now. A hand pulled the covers off her.  After some hours. "Some kind of curse or something?" Hunter hesitated. "Are you ready?"  He nodded. no matter how much noise he made. the pain was beginning to abate. He took Richard's little finger between his huge fingers and bent it back until it broke. The noise of its passage went through Richard's head like a hot knife through brains. He pulled his head up off the ground.  Door lowered her hand from her face. "It's Lear. so could he. Croup.  Richard went inside. drily.

 painted bright green. Stealing bread an' milk off people's doorsteps to eat. and several cups of tea. so could he." she said. He did not look unhinged with grief. A white light lanced out from behind the keyhole. Color and light broke over Richard like a wave hitting the shore. bringing with her a swinging circle of warm light. "She's a little .  "Um. The Angel Islington stood up and returned to its inner chambers to await its eventual visitors. "Hello?" called Richard. and the streetlights now glimmered on the wet tarmac. several chairs. eh?" said Gary. Yes. "Look. Vandemar chewed.  The next would-be bodyguard was again thinner than Ruislip (being about the size of two and a half fops. child. thought Richard. now. The people in the dinner jackets they had lined up with.  The fog had begun to thin. It made him feel _happy. There was a chunking noise.

 He handed it to Dunnikin. found you on the pavement. from its fabric cover. and the women. and the marquis eyed it. "What does it take to teach some people?"  Richard was manacled and chained between a pair of iron pillars when Mr. I don't dare leave here. with magnificent disdain. puzzled. "  "What is it?"  Brother Fuliginous went down on one knee. which irritated him. And then he would sleep the night through in his own bed. it was implied. Bright red. That's what we look for. She walked back toward the door. Richard crossed the court and walked down some steps into an underpass. she can no longer make out what he is saying. "Not for me the smooth agonies of adulation. . Yes. "Okay. no. . stepped into the elevator. although she knew the woman had a husband in publishing named Eric and a golden retriever named Major. not dispelling it.

 It was an evil thing to think.  Mr. we'll be back soon enough." It passed the wine glass to Richard. and their hands did not tremble." said Lamia with a sweet smile."  "We can." said Hunter.  "You didn't have to do that. clasping the plank. maybe them." There was a beat before the marquis de Carabas said. There were about a dozen of them. and blood began to drip from it into one eye. He's an angel. too. spontaneously. which turned out to be a framed photograph of Jessica. The view through the door was blinding in its intensity: a swirling maelstrom of color and light. He rubbed his wrists. but he could no more fight with it than he could jump across the Thames. Croup said." said Door. and he was home.  Impressive as the market had been to watch. Vandemar's hand on its way.  "Home.