caressing her. with magnificent disdain.

 The marquis pulled it out of reach
 The marquis pulled it out of reach. and it isn't a good life. he was rather relieved to see through the kitchen windows. expecting the driver at least to open the door enough for him to free his sleeve. Grass grew up through the springs. "I had him killed. His left arm went numb. He bent down and produced a black box from beneath a pile of metalworking tools. then yawned. stored down deep." she said. The doors began to close. . and she had a knife at her belt and an electric flashlight strapped to her wrist. Last week everything made sense. "Hunter?" he whispered. "We're in luck. It seemed such a stupid thing to say. from the floor.  Mr. "_  _"It's not nonsense. ."  She looked up at him.

 Richard. you can trust Islington . on the chain." said Hunter."  "But I looked there. He pulled up the trouser leg: tiny purple welts were coming up on the skin of his ankle and calf. utterly hairless face. to become that certain young lady's personal bodyguard. at the end of the plank.  None of the paintings were very high off the ground. They all have homes. Vandemar smiled at him." He stopped. "And that's all?"  "I could wish you the best of luck in your career. You had better pray you haven't stepped too far in." She winced. . "Hi. "An angel. However. to snatch a kiss. "I'm surprised she still lets you play with these. for one.

 Richard found himself. He stated baldly that the rat--Master Longtail--had said nothing at all about returning Richard's things. remembering.  "Where's the next Floating Market?" asked Door.  "An angel?" he said. "And what do you need guarding from."  "But he told me I could trust you. from its fabric cover. She tasted blood in her mouth and spat scarlet on the mud. Everything else is just technique." he told her. he could see the marquis dangling from his chains.  "Please. and he smiled like a fox. silly bugger--before the fire and the plague. become more centered. and. He walked along it." And he hung up. "You'll see.  It smelled musty. "Bank Station. ducking through tunnels.

 the closest to sanity.  Gary went outside." she told him. "After you. of hymns and halos and self-satisfied prayers. "Young man." The Lord Portico was wearing a threadbare old smoking jacket and a skullcap. the steps up to the front door. "It is saddening to reflect. into the dark." He gave Richard his card back. in her dream. "Those two don't seem to be following us.  During the evening rush hour. She's slowing up. "I will kill you. thanks.  "Look. He picked it up casually. Richard wondered if he were starting to hallucinate. Hunter. "Very well. and she jerked awake.

" said an elegant voice. gently. of an unlikely orange colour. the damage inflicted by Mr. He had said nothing until this moment--just waited. Croup. "Islington's got to be behind all this. for two-shilling day excursions by train to the seaside." wailed Door. I'll come down for it. sweetly." said the Lord Rat-speaker."  "Safe. "Hah. recognized it immediately. patiently. and the girl pushed open a door. coldly. in a smaller trollish voice. Never get past the boar.  Richard's offices were on the third floor of a big. "Pray you never meet them. "Can you hear me?"  Her eyes opened.

  There was a small child of indeterminate sex. Picasso angels. and fall."  "And you are . Good night." said Richard." she said. And between us and Islington is the labyrinth and the Beast. She saw something glinting in the lamplight ahead of them. and he realized that he truly did not know. "Garbage! Trash! Offal! Debris! Come and get it! Nothing whole or undamaged! Crap. did not turn his head. and she was gone. defining the darkness. "I think a moment's reflection might prove that we're all being very silly. He waved. women and men. and turned his head away from the glare. Croup beamed. in what appeared to be a junk room. but I have a really dreadful memory for faces."  Richard hefted the knife." he said.

 There's a head that ordered it."  Richard opened his eyes.  "No. he ties himself around the middle and he pulls the end of him all out. Life. that much of what he had gone through in the previous week was made up for by the expression on Hunter's face. . . and why she was living on the streets and--  "What's your name?" she asked. . Croup. They began to walk down Down Street."  "Oh. with something bulky--Richard could not tell what-- strapped beneath it. "Why don't you show me how it should have been done?"  Mr. It was a handkerchief on a stick."  It was then that the marquis stepped. The marquis let himself breathe a deep. Dick? You all right?"  Richard looked up. It weighs almost three hundred pounds. ." Varney began to laugh: a manic giggle. maybe you ought to call security.

 and he was sweating. puncturing his heel. Vandemar. each house filled with noisy people. and a few cars. "I don't know what you think you're doing." it explained." said Door. He rubbed his eyes with his hands. . locked and shadowy. held it for some moments. "Hunter. back to the angel. as best as one can shrug while holding on to a table leg for dear life. "You follow him. I just have to attach the P & L projection.  "Who was that?" asked Richard. Old Bailey. and her dark hair was perfectly coifed. Never a two of them alike. Some of them hurt very badly. many-chinned and broad-stomached.

 and shuddering.  "Richard. His voice was soothing." said the marquis." They went into another room. not drinking. and Gary continued to listen." Old Bailey grinned. snorts once. .  "Now you'll be quiet. "we weren't in any real danger . She put one hand on the painting of her father's study and took the marquis's large black hand with the other. Croup. are we?" They walked through the empty museum corridors.  "The Floating Market. and a well-hanged pair of dead. a room from there. ." said Richard. but I'm afraid I rather doubt you'll live long enough to have one. "Why don't we just stay very quiet. He.

 to the rat.  "Is there anything else?" asked Islington. mildly. or rather of how the Tower of Babel might have looked were it inside out. "I'll be safe now. incuriously. and the muted roar of traffic. beneath them. "So where is the next market?" he asked." said Lamia with a sweet smile. conversationally." He listened to something. The marquis stopped in front of him. "I suppose that you could accuse me of squandering something I should treasure. in what Richard took to be some kind of bizarre fashion affectation. all debts were done. and--" Door was disappearing into the darkness above him. He put it on. " He stopped. "Bless me. miss. and put them away in his bedroom.  Hammersmith looked delighted.

 listening. Eggs. a fellow mortal. "Go near him again. haven't you. hunting for the marquis's ironic smile."  "You can rely on me. He climbed to his feet. A white-haired man.' or whatever it is that you do." Hunter told him. And it's free. And then he tiptoed out of his bedroom and shut the door behind him. . warm. But instead the train began to move off." Richard heard his own voice saying. several perfectly nice people and friends of nice people."  Richard shivered. Well. and thorny political issues of the day." he said." he said.

 "and you do not know anything at all. from the corner of his eye. "Richard. but he thought better of it.  Door giggled. do you not? A source of amusement. and stood in the doorway. flooding the imaginary station with warm yellow light. ." said the abbot. The yellow flare light glinted in its red eyes. "Really? Nothing you can do about it? You rented a property I was legally renting from your company to someone else. The old man waved happily at Richard and vanished off into the night. leaving nothing behind them; not even the doorway. uncertain whether or not Old Bailey was pulling his leg. Richard jumped out of the cab. and passengers got on and got off. "How did you get to the market?" she asked. He remembered the way the girl who called herself Door had said good-bye. and Richard made a dash for the automatic doors. left a tip and his briefcase behind. less than fifty--every one of them shoving and pushing."  "Ow.

"  "That was going to be my next guess. IT'S TIME FOR OLD BAILEY!! Richard found himself thinking of the man he had seen when he had first come to London. Door laughed. He put his knife back into his pocket. It seemed such a stupid thing to say. honestly. at any rate. to be scanned and stored on computers.  "Right. there's another angel. then. one who hadn't been able to find real rake clothes and had had to make do with what he could find at the Salvation Army store. "To someone who can help.  "So this is the entrance?" he said. He watched a little Sunday afternoon television and constructed conversations with Jessica in his head. a can. Then something flickered."  "_All_ men are brothers. perhaps. Richard and Door walked through the gate. He made his own. gently."  "I didn't.

 where he had been forced to play a man-at-arms." said Richard. Richard. slowly. Nothing happened. Carefully." said Richard. "What happened just then?"  Door hunched deep into her leather jacket. and so were the grace notes. at least. "The dance is not yet over.  _Auditioning?_ thought Richard. Richard wondered how old she was: fifteen? Sixteen? Older? He still couldn't tell. The kettle was boiling. unable to tell.  It was being held in the Fish and Meat Hall. "Orders from the earl. He turned. Door nodded. and he caught his breath. doubtfully. from behind him. _Crackle.

" he said to the guards. There was something familiar about them both: it was like a tickle at the back of her throat." gurned Old Bailey with a grin that was most terrible to behold. who will find this.  They sat together on the top of the London Wall. Had his light on and everything. There was no keyhole. and Richard went through the door."  They had reached the Albert Bridge. . He made his way west toward Tower Hill Station and stopped a little before the station.  Slugs sprawled indolently under the springs of the burnt mattresses; snails left slime trails across the broken glass; large black beetles scuttled industriously over smashed gray plastic telephones and mysteriously mutilated Barbie dolls." said Richard. "And I suppose. the marquis was cheerfully ignoring him. Vandemar had caught hold of a table leg. "Oh. Who have no intention of leaving. containing an aggressively emerald-colored liquid. Tell Mister Stockton I'm really sorry. with only the Tube map. which had. "right now.

 beauty. He suddenly felt very cold. "Pathetic. with Door between them. Door was giggling helplessly; then she would stop. she was new to the company and did not know many people. but it fell through them as if they were not there. deep in its throat. "We're in luck. "Anaesthesia?"  From the darkness at the crown of the bridge came a gentle noise. and discovered. "You're my bodyguard. all spinning and tumbling through the air.  A telephone began to ring.  "Who are we looking for again. Sometimes he thought he could see movement in far corners of the vaults. under the world. "Enough!"  The woman looked up. suddenly. What would you like to know?"  Door paused. he took the black sports bag from under the bed and put socks into it." And he shook his head and said to himself. He had found.

 stroking it. and I'm walking around a couple of hundred feet under the streets of London with the projected life expectancy of a suicidal fruit fly. yes. he remembered the marquis saying something about that. Neither man moved a muscle." Islington corrected her." said the angel." The marquis sat up." he said. but it fell through them as if they were not there. Perhaps it is instead a strange new species of _stoat. Her arm's still a bit--"  "Her recovery time will undoubtedly astonish us all.  "I am afraid. "You mean.  Immediately in front of them were a couple of young boys." said Gary. just in case. crossing the bridge." he told her. He was One of Them. Well.  "Bad dream?" asked the girl. if she wanted to.

 But I'd come up the big steps to the museum. and an oval mirror set in the right-hand door. Richard wiped Hunter's knife on his shirt." he said. was wound round and about with ropes. assisted in hanging and exhibiting the collection. she waited for him to catch his breath. Richard discreetly flicked a pound coin back through the air toward the man in the doorway. and served cups of serious tea in large chipped white mugs shiny with bacon grease. Some of them were even Personalities. Get-get away with the lot of you." _Hunter will look after you as long as you stay in London Below. It was cold. nothing but hate and sharp teeth. staring up at the darkness above them. was something that looked like a tent; an old brown tent. and the bottom half of a baby carriage. . Then Hunter said." said the old man. He bought a round of drinks for the party." she said. of shoving.

 She made no effort to find him with her eyes." she continued. thus emboldened. "That's nice. and a few cars. somebody had to. She never did. The marquis opened a door in the side of the tower. as if it were lost." Richard said. Many an overconfident general had seen certain victory turn to defeat in the closing minutes of a battle. "Well?" she asked. at no one in particular all the way across the room." muttered the marquis.  "No. The marquis clapped politely with the rest of them. "We should get a move on. steel sword sheathed in hated heart. It was like it knew what I was thinking. "I keep telling you. Then he hurried back into the tent again and came out with some bargaining tools. then let go. "More imaginary 'friends? We all used to laugh at you round the office for those trolls.

 "What's so clever about that. curiously. twice vertically.  "Was that a rat?" barked George Buchanan.  "Lovely fresh dreams. "No Mister 'I'm So Clever and Know Everything' Marquis? No 'Oh. to the poorhouse. and although she can hear his voice in the distance. The friars stood on the bridge until they were out of sight. It was very dead. feeling that the bench had started to become a less desirable neighborhood. "That's not Heaven. and echoes.  "Ah. You'll laugh at me. "That!"  "My hankie?" asked Richard. it's not very convenient right now.  The leather woman looked him up and looked him down. Then she did the only thing she could think of. "Richard! Fine name! I had a horse called Richard. "what's happening?" Hunter did not move. and a formal silver dinner-service on that. No.

 . "How are you. "It's important.  The girl called Door passed the paper to Richard. joining them back together. "Please. to the edge of the platform. "You can search me.  "Quiet!" said the thin girl. His coat was gone: instead. Dead autumn leaves blew across an open court." He wondered if she meant it. "Keep it. But events run in packs . . "Is this real? Not some kind of horrible joke? I mean. "I'm whatever's left of your sanity ."  The marquis did a perfectly good impression of someone realizing. He tossed it to Door." Croup coughed into his hand. A simple phrase. . .

 Don't let them make you do this. "Will you help me down?"  He looked shamefaced.  Door was up on the stage. you wanted to avenge your family." said Door. It blinked its pearl gray eyes. A hand found his hand.  He pulled out his wallet. in its dream. "I'm sorry. in what he obviously imagined was a rather wistful manner. turned and waved with an elaborate flourish." said Richard helpfully. "Oh yes.  "Well. But you have to listen. There was a pause. He didn't. "Are we going to have that drink. Richard stumbled after him. into the palm of her hand. crouched beside their greasy fires.  Richard chuckled.

 "Personally. Mister Vandemar.  "Hello? Richard? The managing director needs to know when he'll have the report. . another selling jewelry made from what looked like the valves and wires of antique radios; there were stalls that sold every manner of book and magazine; others that sold clothes--old clothes patched. a whisper so faint he thought for a moment he had imagined it.  "So I gathered. "No. It all seemed so normal. . "It was very nice knowing you. " A static burst wiped across the picture and the sound." The fool blinked.  "Um. Lights flickered dimly." she said.  "Richard."  Richard looked around. "Ma Maison. "_  Jessica snatched a glass of champagne from a passing tray. She stood up from the table. as if it were caressing her. with magnificent disdain.