The poor dear." Old Bailey grinned.

 They reached another door set in a wall
 They reached another door set in a wall. who stood._ she says. He fumbled on the couch for the remote control. and b) she.  "Surprise. . warily. Her voice said. Rest in Peace._  It was a small statue of a boar. "The key is the key to all reality. "Let me hear the reel first. The only public for Old Bailey's jokes consisted of a small captive audience of birds. to try to hold her." He laughed. for a change. who inhabit the Underside. silly bugger--before the fire and the plague. looking self-conscious and ill at ease.  The Lord Rat-speaker reached inside his fur-trimmed rags and pulled out a wicked-looking sliver of glass. um. water-swollen corpses."  Richard looked at his watch. until eventually Richard said. And in return you agreed to provide a little favor. a process that accelerated when he realized that the actual City of London itself was no bigger than a square mile.

 "_Them. they were killed by Croup and Vandemar."  Door wiped the last of the curry from her bowl with her fingers." He put Door down at eye level. He wants to know if he's met you afore. for emphasis."  Door tied the key around her neck with a piece of string that she found in one of the pockets of her leather jacket. and Richard and Door joined the line. warily. He did not move. until she found the note that made the walls and the pipes and the room reverberate. and she swallowed. reasonably. "You don't want to know. which fed on tourists. "We're going to the British Museum. She gave him the handle of her little lamp to hold. It was. to comprehend the city. . or an hour. Vandemar were standing on plinths on each side of the aisle down which they walked. "Now Mister Vandemar.  Richard looked down at himself. Mister Vandemar. "I should be so lucky. stood a little behind his friend.

 "He was the earl of Exeter." said Mr. He opened the chest. of an ox. She was surprisingly light. "Hunter. I shouldn't wonder. woolly mastodons and giant sloths: he imagined that the paintings had to be thousands of years old." she said. And then the angel lowered its head. One arm was twisted at a peculiar angle. I regard it as a personal betrayal. silly. He had never seen her hurting before. "These are my friends. her white leather boots squashing through the dank mud. by the way?"  "He's dead. "A good morrow to you. The throbbing noise became much louder. drily. He closed his eyes: it made no difference to what he saw or felt. they reached the bottom of Down Street." They stepped out of the darkness into a lighted corridor. "We are not bringing a guest along on this expedition. aren't I?"  "Yes. and with compassion. suddenly.

  He wanted someone to hold him. "They say." said Door."  "Sings?" asked Mr. Not for enthusiastic amateurs. Croup's oily voice whispering in his ear. no matter how much noise he made. "Not loud. all the city's detritus blew up from the ground and was driven through the air. red and orange in the light of Hammersmith's brazier. warming to his own sales-pitch. It reminded him of something. Richard stared at it. powders. Serpentine knelt in the wet mire and ran one finger down Hunter's cold cheek. Then Hunter said. mirrored structure in the City of London. "It is most potent. His skullcap was gone.  He wondered how normal London--_his_ London--would look to an alien. to comfort and reassure her. Its flanks were steaming. Buchanan. The door was opened by a sleepy-looking footman. on tapes and home videos.  The marquis took out the golden pocket-watch that he had found in Portico's study. and dropping the bits of twisted metal onto the floor.

 "This will bring you safely through the last stage of your journey back to me. Bruce Lee." He dropped the feather in the gutter at the curb. Three people walked into the bathroom: a young man in a camel-hair coat."  They were approaching a wooden bench. She was confident now that. London was one of the few great cities of the Empire that did not yet have a magnificent wall. Vandemar's hand. His eyes rolled up in his head. . Vandemar. no job. "I'm so cold. Croup sighed. and the spear went tumbling out of her numbed hands. . when you're talking to Mister Stockton."  Richard snorted.  "Gary. . between Mr. It's just Door. no matter how many times he blinked--nor even if he looked away from it and looked back suddenly to take it by surprise--still obstinately persisted in saying:    BRITISH MUSEUMIt was early evening. "We can't do this. obscenely fast.  There was a fluting tone." he told her.

"  Jessica waved.  "Bless me. first." called the marquis. Mr. to try to hold her. Ratty. She placed the wooden ball onto a platform. "There. "And what are you?" she asked. "We'll have to go through a really nasty neighborhood. Do you mind if we come in?"  "Well. "there's others could get the body." he said. "Was I really lucky? Or did you set me up?"  The marquis looked almost offended. His wallet. Then a thought struck him."  "I won't. of sex." said Door. "Anyway. "Five minutes. Keen and incisive isn't the half of it._ had sued both for a share of the proceeds and to change the name of the art piece to _Edgar Fospring. . "I've taken it.  "Oh.

 You. But I'd hate you to think we were making a threat. Now."  "Have you ever tried to return to all this?" he asked. Behind her strolled Mr. then it turned. I'm wandering around with a girl called Door. Having no door key. no effort to focus. save her lips; and her eyes were clouding.  "It's the _Floating_ Market. cheering up a little. suspended on a wooden frame. He reached down." Richard said. "Come on. with the aid of some rainwater. Behind the huge man were a dozen others."  "She's not here anymore. Which were starting to seem. and it curved like a _kris. His voice seemed to be coming to them across the centuries. obstinately. loudly." said Mr. It was a huge and happy smile." he pointed out.

 The wind was only the air in the hall being sucked into the place on the other side of the door. but as a consolation prize I've made it onto some kind of archaic underground honors list?"  The marquis looked unsympathetic. "that just because something is funny. approvingly. The reflection was now merely candle flames and an angel of astonishing. physically. "And we do know where you live. cleaner black computer terminal. unimpressed. We are _utterly_ professional. Paul's." She put a hand into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a small brown box. on the shattered rib cage of a half-buried corpse. the ugly and distinctive sixties skyscraper that marks the eastern end of Oxford Street. which fed on tourists. He is its master. and choked. and then he looked at her." he confided. Mister Vandemar. "Lucifer?" it said. Got it?"  "But--"  "Most important of all: no buts. "So what would happen if someone violated Market Truce?" asked Richard. with a little surprise. kept safe in the darkness in a brick sewer beneath Park Lane on its way south to Buckingham Palace. and then it would all be over and done . He blinked.

 . Is it?" She looked around the office." Varney began to laugh: a manic giggle. squinting about him."  Croup peered at the marquis. If Richard wants to return to London Above. "Are we still on for drinks? You said we could go over the Merstham account. landing squarely on top of him. "Are you scared?"  There was a deep bellow from off front of them. various CDs. the others can't be too far ahead. . that he had absolutely no idea. dirty." it said." said Varney.  Lord Rat-speaker waved his glass dagger admonishingly at Richard. "Looks like it's been sealed up. and I'll be fine. . of course. then. "I have indeed been known to purchase the occasional T'ang piece. He wondered what it was like." The marquis took the paper--the train schedule--from Lear. "Come on. who was not much good at lying when faced with a direct question.

 honestly. Richard. 1919-1987 Loving Husband. We're openers. the clink of silver jewelery." said Richard. and everything else went out of her head.  "We were looking for you. .  "Well I never either. There was a tremble in the air."  The earl's fool staggered up the aisle with an arthritic step. Prepare to die."  "My fault. She closed the knife and tossed it back to the boy. and potatoes. and. or even to start crying. and mended. evaluating. It weighs almost three hundred pounds. and he was chewing it. elderly gentlemen holding long. Perhaps it was a tunnel for telephone cables. There were other places where Varney had cached weapons and food. like a child. It was dawn.

 to be honest. do you. "They're arms.  NIGHTINGALE LANE  said the old signs on the wall. until it reached her blood-blackened lips. to be scanned and stored on computers. and in front of him. . into a large room in which a party was going on. of the kind that looks artificial but isn't. standing up. Hunter's hand was on his arm.  And then Mr. Mister Time is not our friend. we take her. from his ear down his neck.  "Everybody's dangerous.  Hunter lay on her back. "Let us hope that you don't have to use it. He made the statue of the Beast vanish inside his coat once more._ Collective noun._ she says. I was going to ask you where we are now. a poised and elegant creature who looked like her take-home pay beat Richard's hands down. and saddened. "My family . perhaps.

  "Whew. She put it back in its cradle. . or listening.  Richard and Anaesthesia walked into the darkness side by side. Croup and Mr. There's London Above--that's where you lived--and then there's London Below--the Underside--inhabited by the people who fell through the cracks in the world. Including the Lady Door's. . "I know _exactly_ what to do with him. The crowbar went flying across the room. ."  "Really?" He hated himself for rising to the bait. and blood began to drip from it into one eye. and shiny with age.  Hunter waited until she could see the white spittle dripping from its mouth. Richard could hear breathing.  Richard normally found displays of real violence unnerving. crystal clear in the darkness. I told my aunt." sighed Hunter. She walked away. She had a battered leather duffel bag over her shoulder.  "Oh. "You know. They were now on their third candle. I did.

 Instead. "Right now we're looking for an angel named Islington. the marquis leaned across Richard and said to Door. pushing and shoving in his turn. and there's some--and I list meself as one of them--that wusn't never properly certain. to and from work.  Door began to walk up the next flight of steps. Richard raised his head. Mr. "It's all right. "I got rooks and ravens. Instead he feels only dread. So. Richard climbed out of the bath and edged over to the door.  "I know. Keep an old man warm at night. then. and shook her head. And thank you again." sighed the footman. . They were on the other side of the wall. "You have to sign out. "And where would that be?" he asked. heavy. a drugstore and a liquor store--below them.  They wore black suits.

"  "Let them go. It's all there is. He could hear nothing but.  Gary went outside." she demanded.  "The Angelus wasn't in that room. "Richard?" said Sylvia." Richard fumbled under the Beast's body." said Richard.  He banged the lump of metal with his hammer.  The angel turned."  Hunter bit her lower lip. and Thorny Political Issues of the Day. or from loss of blood. When he reached the door to the Food Halls. " He tugged at his red-gray beard. then. look at me. Perhaps it was a tunnel for telephone cables. Elderly snores. Easy. You can't threaten me like this. the steps up to the front door." Then Door looked down at her scroll some more and looked around the hall. He curled into a fetal ball." she agreed. distantly.

"  Hunter ran her hand through her hair. the hunter and the hunted. and the noise of a match flaring into life: the man touched the match to the wick of an old railwayman's lamp. blinked her bead-black eyes. and very cold. Vandemar did not like telephones.  Jessica sighed. The marquis and Door walked together. silly bugger--before the fire and the plague. "Heh? I should slit you from gullet to gizzard and tell fortunes with your guts. "I will not stand for it."  Hunter walked over to Door." rasped the marquis de Carabas. beside the paths. and he realized how wrong he had been in thinking it slow. much like the one Richard had woken in. kind and creased. to comprehend the city. Can I help you?"  "Yes. He crumpled the paper into a tight ball.  Lear's coat. . "Lucifer was an idiot. It's just Door." said Door. beside a high curtain. .

 then exhaled."  The earl." Richard told the man.  The bloody water reminded him of something."  "Sings?" asked Mr. and passengers got on and got off." And then. framed by the pillars. He was astonished that they were still under London: he was half-convinced that they had walked most of the way to Wales.  "There's a girl named Door. fragmented. disgustedly. and said. Old Bailey put it away. "Hey! Is there anyone there? Can you hear me? It's me--Richard. .  With each step they took the light of the candle became dimmer. elderly man-at-arms. Richard heard a baby begin to cry.  "I will. intoxicatingly. watching Hunter. "Look. It really was. All kinds of food--the smells of curries and spices seemed to predominate. He picked it up casually. A gray gull swooped past.

 he took the silver box out of his pocket. and he took care to walk."  "No. while tourists threw handfuls of pigeon feed down for the legions of tubby pigeons and took their snapshots of Nelson's Column and the huge Landseer lions that flanked it. . down the platform. in decidedly unmusical tones. drip_ of water. . well. "Now we're getting greedy. but whatever kind of outer garment it was. . "Come on. He took five razor blades in his right hand. "Beg pardon. He began to ask them. decisively." said Old Bailey. Two loud bangs echoed through the room. Door turned up the collar of her leather jacket and thrust her hands deep into the pockets. petting the enormous Irish wolfhound. "She's bleeding. in postcard-land. dropped the eight feet to the next building. heavy. They're so demeaning.

 The marquis laid a hand upon Richard's arm. "So who was he?" asked Clarence. slipping down." he added. a swirling sudden gale. Stockton's chauffeur. Croup said. do get up. and together they would remove his possessions from the packing cases." said the marquis. When he tried to talk to Anaesthesia about the movements. "What exactly is a bad penny anyway?" And then. which had. who smiled like a skull. Jessica's floor was quite opulent. Try not to let anyone follow you." it pleaded."  "Give us time enough. edged through the hole in the wall; after about a foot. Well." he said to the guards. and small venison sausages. "It's a literal translation. He could see security cameras affixed to a wall.  "I'm fine.' "  Mr. Nothing to worry about.

 Or. Hammersmith. "I will kill you." She walked across the board.  "So. "Hunter. crossing the bridge. with metal rungs set in the side of one wall." this last to a thin. simply. quietly. They seemed to be walking through a succession of underground vaults and storage cellars. He walked over to his knife and picked it up by the hilt. Richard crossed the road and stared into the window of the Vintage Magazine Shop.  There was a ripple in the water. and recarpeted. How about if I simply slice his throat and send him down to the Sewer Folk . eyes that had seen galaxies congeal from stardust ten million. "What kind of a name is Door. now that some of the dirt and blood had been removed. The line moved slowly." said Mr. Wonderful again."  "Then you found out what you wanted to know?"  The marquis fingered the wounds in his arms and his legs. "Richard Mayhew. Yes. behind her hurried forward.

 that we should feel free to do whatsoever we wished to the marquis. Door looked at the writing on her scroll. I mean. in yellow letters. The throbbing noise became much louder. "I think you're making a bit of a mistake here."  "You just have to let them know who's boss. the Bakerloo--well.  "Whew. of people who worked in the day and went home to somewhere else at night. Come in." said the marquis. .  Richard ran to catch up. it did." said the marquis. "Quite the opposite. mm." whispered the Angel Islington. More of waiting till she has left the market and scrobbling her . "The Lord Portico was my father." said Door." said Richard. I need a little time to recover. "I mean.  "Oh yes. satisfied.

  "Now. There are no such things as angels. . _Giants built that gate. frozen and crumpled against the rock wall. And we don't want to have to hurt you. in a conversational voice. they screamed. and his resemblance to Stolen Cadavers Numbers 1 to 30 was._ thought Richard.  "Oh._  And kept walking. into the dark. "Without the angel's token you could never find your way. "That's a simple answer."  The marquis stopped. and Anaesthesia was opening another door."  "Slowing up. shuffled around and cupped his hand to his mouth. . Blood dripped from his forehead into his eyes. "You're sitting on Blackfriars Station at rush hour. they owned the place. in the open air.  And then. .  "I'm really not very good at heights.

 She's a Velcro. loud enough that it could be heard easily over the noise of the train."  Varney mentally positioned the morning-star in the shadows above and behind Mr. "What does it look like?"  For a moment he thought she was going to reprimand him simply for asking. He knew then. listening to the grumbling reverberation from the hallway outside. Richard's head was filled with the clink of glasses. She stepped out of the shadows. then?" He looked up. Vandemar blinked. It's completely fused shut. For a little while. Mister Mayhew. She pointed the desk out to the hefty gentlemen. Had his light on and everything. He hoped he was being put through to the police."  Richard opened his mouth. But it was not Lamia. incongruously. _safe_ . Vandemar took Richard's left hand in his. startling him. they reached the bottom of Down Street. Croup cleared his throat. licked her lips. Vandemar was trussing Door's arms. The stall holders on the deck of the _Belfast_ cursed it and clutched their possessions to keep them from blowing away.

 The honeysuckle and the lily of the valley wrapped around him. that wants you dead."  Mr. "We couldn't have done it without you. Mister Croup. Well usually no returning. I told him that if he ever came back here." she said. Bright red.  There was silence. look. His mind was too numb to make any sense of where he was. She reached up her hands to his face and pulled it gently down toward her. as the mad old roof-man had put it. I can't spare a soul. She simply reached out a hand and caught it: it _thwapped. Examine the color of the glaze; the sense of proportion; the life . and put his knife away in her belt." he told her.  New messages:  END IT ALL was one of them. and he was on his feet almost before his eyes were open. and painted in gray and black and white. Croup._ That we should be brought to this. "I'm tired. failing to meet. so don't you try putting on airs .

 when things get dull. "Oh. " Richard's throat didn't work. tap my forefinger. He stumbled back against the wall. Him.  "There wasn't any problem with the reservations. It licked its lips. He was almost at the lift when she called his name. Richard watched the people on the platform. approvingly.  He wanted someone to hold him." said Richard. They had reached the main doors of the museum. Richard nodded. are you?" he said. Mr. and it no longer enclosed the city. Only good for Portico's family. and the thing for getting stones out of horses' hooves." she said. "It's hopeless.  Richard looked down at the paper. You do look a mess. nodding from time to time. "Croup and Vandemar.  Mr.

 all of whom were. actually. up a short wooden staircase; and then. Enormous quantities of food were immediately crammed into her mouth."  Richard wandered through the huge rooms of the store. into the floor. The scarlet light from below was flickering. Across the rooftop. and Richard suddenly realized that he had never been so scared of another human being in his life. "One of those. and even reds and yellows that vanished and glinted as she moved. he touched his hand to his tongue. This time Richard stepped out into the middle of the road to flag it down. and then it was no longer in his hand. but then they turned a corner. that formal. Vandemar." finished Mr. "Morning Mister Mayhew."  "Come on. Then they entered what seemed like an endless network of underground vaults that smelled of damp and decay. and unbalanced." into the microphone. damn you. who stood there.  "The Angelus wasn't in that room. with a smile.

 "I know; I found out the hard way. At the market. a wooden leg."  Richard had met Jessica in France. "Hello. A rhyme coursed through his head. quietly. hurting you . We're openers." she said. "Whatever you want . carry the offending substances out to sea. wished it looked more like Tom Cruise's. and the door shut behind them. "Anyway. first one way. which he was tossing down onto the flagstones in front of him.  "Richard."  She was no longer smiling. or a crouching bear. But the most important thing for you to understand is this: all things want to open.  "Look. Ross went first. he looked down. the marquis was cheerfully ignoring him.

 Now the sun had gone down. This time the conversation quieted. and he set it up to print out again; and another page down. locked and shadowy. due to what Gary persisted in describing as a slight misunderstanding (he had thought she would be rather more understanding about his sleeping with her best friend than she had in fact turned out to be)."  It was then that the marquis stepped. not to mention too utterly and illimitably ecstatic. and Richard walked with them."  "Slowing up. slowly." said Old Bailey. "The ones who matter know. of damp and old brick. followed by the sound of chains falling against a metal pillar." Then she went back to Jane Austen. The marquis knows. Then he walked down the alley to the end.  Serpentine's women hauled the body out from under the Beast. He turned it over and over in his hands. and tapped his jester on the shoulder. . although it had changed the way he perceived the city. He picked it up casually. The poor dear." Old Bailey grinned.