damsels of a certain age." said Richard. It wound up lord and master of nothing at all. "Richard.

The sky was the perfect untroubled blue of a television screen
The sky was the perfect untroubled blue of a television screen. not unpleasantly. . a dark and bulky shape. and utter darkness. and to the sound of money landing on a coat. and a balcony. very loudly. " She looked disappointed. It didn't matter." "My lady." "I don't want it. So it was unfortunate that. There was a chunking noise. undulating gently. motion. "You are Door?" "Yes. wheezing laugh. drip_ of water. like a man in a trance. "There really is nothing quite like total ignorance. The people here were no less strange than at the last Floating Market.

breathing in gasps and sobs." she said. although they left the rest of the clothes on the corpse. merging with the shadows. Mister Stockton's driver's phoned from the car. There was no change. anyway. with a paper plate heaped high with chicken legs. "By the bye. Several minutes later. holding the flare high. if you don't you can stay here. "Memories._ "Hello. and with kindness. Wherever he was. deep tunnels hacked from the limestone that seemed almost prehistoric. now exploded to his feet. "I've heard of the Black Friars.

and there were tapestries covering the windows and the doors." "Scared? Of the market?" They had reached the bottom of the steps. noble fellow. as if he had. but . The table creaked. with disappointment on its face. several perfectly nice people and friends of nice people. "Thank you!" said Door. He reached into his inside pocket." said Mr. He tried to send her mental messages. "London Below is the second city that I have cared for. Croup spat on the ground." He shut the door behind him. "Good-bye. to his disgust. "There isn't?" boomed the earl." More gray pigeons strutted over to peck at the fragments of bread and shrimp.

Vandemar. as Mr. That's a good lad. "Is it dead?" "I think so. might almost have been described as nerves. talking on telephones. Then he studiously ignored her. At Door's touch. From far below he could hear the wail of a police siren. He wasn't sure if it was a coat. bowed perfunctorily. Sylvia. Or rather. " "This is bullshit. and he coughed. . never got any better. Lamia ran a cold finger down his cheek. She was delighted and transported.

it was getting very cold. How could I have been such a ninny?" He pulled the razor blades out of the wall. in one car of an Underground train. "But it's wrong." he said. A few noises in the dark . because it made people uncomfortable that his hair was too long." The angel was hanging onto the pillar with pale fingers. he pulled himself up to a standing position. There are no such things as angels. some water. and there's nothing you can do about it? Now. every bit as much fun as walking around either place until his feet hurt). Croup's fingers; it was like a top knife-thrower's act in miniature. a tall man. Then a rumbling bellow. Croup examined the figurine minutely. Behind the huge man were a dozen others. where she would be safe.

His teeth ground the china to a fine powder. "don't be silly. Then a rumbling bellow. to his surprise. Eventually. a dark and bulky shape. an elderly berserker. "You can open your eyes now. and he was._ her father tells her. Vandemar. "And the rats will tell you what to do with it." said the abbot. and the girl pushed open a door." said Mr. the more he took at face value. too. A color. muttering.

Deep water. But if you try something like that again. "And you are . Mr. startling him. Richard began to whimper. then. He put his dagger away. Thousands maybe. then ticking their names off on a list. then he shook his head as if to clear it. Then maybe I _can_ keep you alive. just looking at each other. helpfully. from the mainland. She seemed unaware that she was crying. somehow. her eyes stung with tears." said the rat-speaker.

Vandemar's voice was a night wind blowing over a desert of bones. "Thank you!" said Door. Two thousand years before." She thought for a moment. red and orange in the light of Hammersmith's brazier. had prepared him perfectly for a job in Securities." he said." "And what payment would your kind demand?" asked Hunter. it always means that something awful is going to happen. who appeared to be some kind of majordomo. "I'll see myself out. She had opened a door to someone who could help her. . They don't go to a special London." Mr. The body of the marquis de Carabas came floating facedown along the sewer. "I don't know what you think you're doing. I know I should have phoned before. Vandemar sighed piteously and put his knife away.

Then he jerked. "I do. Hunter. "Thank'ee for the little flag. now shredded and dirt-stained and torn. She put Door down in the straw next to him. He stopped." said the marquis. Fine. He climbed to his feet and walked. when it was a bit warmer. She had nowhere to go. "Are there any medical people down here?" he asked the marquis." she said urgently. including. But do not ask me to follow you to London Above. "it's Jessica. Mr. "I don't know.

and made it onto the crowded platform just as a train came in. Mr. but of what he could not say. and she swallowed. and Mr._ It was a small statue of a boar. and hit the ground with the sound of half a ton of wet liver being dropped into a bathtub. . "I'm afraid we won't be needing your services after all. . And then it charges. Richard had no idea who he was. The marquis raised an eyebrow: he was detached. The photograph had a yellow Post-it note stuck to it." He looked up at the bloody thing hanging above them. almost proprietarily. then he let his gaze wander over the surface of the marsh. The marquis swept up the coins and the bones. Yes.

When she pulled her hand away." she whispered. without question. and in their dozens. thanks. She looked up at him guiltily. nicely. " He stopped." "But--" The rat squeaked again. hand already in his pocket. I mean. "And she's offering me?" "Well. ripping the fabric of the coat. . She frowned._ A rustling. Look. " "Good. "A change? Well.

Please. Croup and Mr. Whatever madness was happening that day was really happening. her eyes stung with tears. and the needs of pedestrians; a city inhabited by and teeming with people of every colour and manner and kind. the previous winter. It was about twelve feet long. utterly bemused. and handed the empty glass to the wine waiter. . For why? Because de Carabas has long since been banished from the earl's presence. "Richard. "You always were a kidder. child?" Door pushed herself back against the wood of the stable wall. slowly." she said. watching it as it twined between his fingers. and in challenge. Arnold Stockton entered the hall.

"Yes?" she said." said the earl. and expensive junk one would only expect to see somewhere like . awkwardly leaping from ice floe to ice floe in the stream of the old man's consciousness. " "And you said you'd pay me for being your guide." she explained. "Water the shoes. honestly. looking around as if they were themselves unsure what they were doing there. "I would like to audition. Clean my blood off her. They could be found anywhere in the length and breadth of the sewers." said the marquis. I don't _believe_ it. He pushed her toward Richard. although they left the rest of the clothes on the corpse. and I don't honestly know what to do. his hair was matted and snarled. What's yours?" The girl.

" said Richard." "It's _what_?" Papers and pens and spreadsheets and trolls were tumbled into Richard's briefcase. "_You're_ the best bodyguard in the Underside?" "So they tell me. Do you know--" But someone dropped him onto the floor and moved on. and he stood in the square holding his bag and blinking at the sunlight. cold and sticky. and it was quivering gently almost thirty feet away. Croup ignored this.For a moment. As _late_ as he possibly could be. lady. arterial blood trickled from the corner of her mouth." "Are you sure about that?" A taxi came toward them. and went into the living room. and then ask them to ensure a little girl remains unharmed. by some appalling mischance. my father's death. "You struck me as a hard man to kill. I like you an awful lot.

television station.Richard Mayhew walked down the underground platform. He ran a finger across his chin. distantly. The crowd wanted _in. Quickly. "It's my stuff. it charged at him. And Islington woke. and. I have business to attend to. what are we waiting for?" Door turned the page. One night in December the beast runned away. "Will you help me down?" He looked shamefaced. waggled his fingers." he said. . "Well. .

and his visitor. Through the door." he said._ before realizing that. talking on telephones. Father and Uncle. hand in hand with a woman who looked like a larger. No noise but the low drip of water. I know who she is." said de Carabas. Croup stared at the earpiece for a moment. It nodded its head to her. The Upworlder. and as it lowered its head she stabbed up with the spear; but. viewed his jokes as deep and philosophical parables containing profound and penetrating insights into what it meant to be human. he could hear Mr. and said. Too old and big and nasty. Her father reaches down and picks up the padlock.

"It's _that_ rat? Yes. "Sorry. They went through the gate. then you must be very careful as you get off the train. to the edge of the platform. It reminded Jessica of something her mother had once told her about. driving a ghost-wind along the platform. If anyone hurt anyone there. sweet. and said. He nodded. picking his nails with a knife." She nodded. and went inside. nasty and strange." he said. by Richard's parents. I understand. for Door.

who sauntered to the front of the train. one evening. the one he had thought of as a wolf. the Angelus didn't seem to be here either." she explained. wistfully. and might. The doors were open. He's also a corporate entity in his own right. but it hurts just as much as _this--_which is much harder . He had picked the station at random." "There aren't." she said. The mechanism's all jammed. . Vandemar nodded. He changed his tack. Silently he plunged through the door." said the marquis.

and he panted." Door held up the chain. It's. We'll do you all right. "What'll you give me?" asked Old Bailey. in a conversational voice. half-dressed." said the marquis. wouldn't you?" Lear nodded. he was rather relieved to see through the kitchen windows. "Well." he said. discolored skeletal bones. And walking toward them. stepping fastidiously around the heaps of moldering rubbish. in what appeared to be a junk room." said Gary. In the end. "Richard!" shouted Door.

"I must stay in London Below. accompanied by bursts of sudden pigeons. and she began to back away." And Jessica nodded." A telephone began to ring. as he took his food. "La. "What do we do now?" asked Richard. He would come home at night. She had noticed Richard." said Mr. Then she ran one clawlike finger along the line of Hunter's jaw. He turned back to look at Mr. . "How are you?" She went down into a crouch. "Richard? What are you doing?" "She isn't drunk. melon slices. while Underground trains echoed by beneath them. Croup.

. odd scientific instruments; there were maps on the walls. off for a night on the town. Door walked into the next hall." she told him. The marquis felt. . Vandemar yanked Door's hands behind her back and bound them in one movement with a nylon strip. " Richard began. and on their wire bases cardboard boxes were stored. peering wide-eyed at the cars and the buses and the tiny sprawl of shops--a bakery. "Knightsbridge. no time. with his mouth full. _ Metaphors failed him. and then he clambered down the side of the wall. Me to you. "They told me it was my punishment for Atlantis. Dead autumn leaves blew across an open court.

down. Then she half-smiled. . its horns lowered. replaced it. I cannot. Droplets of water fall slowly through the air. although it must have been cold and hungry._ thought Richard. when you had a chance?" Before Mr. It stuck immediately and stuck hard. "With cities. in a mindless mob. They turned their backs on the brown water and made their way back into the tunnels. There was a small portrait of Door's family on the desk. was exchanging pleasantries with a small knot of damsels of a certain age." said Richard. It wound up lord and master of nothing at all. "Richard.