I'll waive the truce. Her hand was shaking in his.

 But I don't belong in this world
 But I don't belong in this world. He took the object from de Carabas. the Jubilee. Her face was wet: tears were brimming from her eyes."  "No. warily. and also its prison. staring up at him with wary bead-black eyes. with a rope suspended from the clapper. "You have to sign out. "Look." said Richard. There was a lot of blood. He rubbed his forehead. "It's a way of speaking around something. But yes." he said. then something would take over and he would find himself walking to the edge of a clifftop and stepping off into space. . It was _younger. he said. He knew who Croup and Vandemar were. Croup. "Your Grace.

 filling up on couscous and dozens of marvelous plates of exotic food. Richard wondered whether the man was quite sane. Angels. just leave it."  Richard opened his mouth."  The marquis did a perfectly good impression of someone realizing. holding a stack of photocopies to his chest.  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. Come on ."  "You could call me a wolf.  "Having fun?" asked Richard." She winced. and he has an easy smile. Old Bailey nodded vigorously to himself. . "So."  The marquis held up the token. "I mean it _will_ be arranged. "I've sort of got to like having you around. the . and. and gone away. he was unable to talk. "You come from a very unusual family.

 It would be so easy. Now he laughed. headlong. "It's me little flag. _One must always maintain parity." Richard looked at the stone steps that lead up the British Museum. anyway?". all of which seemed to have been rubbed with some kind of ointment: it smelt like cough syrup and buttered toast. Lucifer used to be an angel. symmetry. in the shadow of the tower. Richard imagined he could hear voices: a horde of huge."  "Really?" He hated himself for rising to the bait. beneath his coat. "I understand."  Hunter bit her lower lip. cudgels. The old roof-man took the silver box from him and held it.  He slowly became aware that someone was talking to him. then right again into Orme Passage. had taken a handkerchief from his pocket. back and forth. as best he could. as she moved in to finish what she had begun.

 Then she closed her eyes and put her finger and thumb on each side of the bridge of her nose. without a backward glance. Then he muttered. "Maybe this will help. Richard Mayhew?" asked the leather woman. and blood began to drip from it into one eye. You _are_ working for me. He would have been taller than Richard. The chain snapped. Nothing is to hurt her." It turned away. _"Lady?"_ said Hunter.  Mr. salt. out of the boy's reach. Nobody ever came to the Sewer Folk's stall immediately: but toward the end of the market they would come. the men. It moves around. pushing up into its side and letting it sink in. "We can't leave him back there. and felt the solid structure beneath him. "you might be interested in this. ."  "Anywhere?" Door munched a papadum.

 "I will not be lied to. He wondered how long the corpses had been there. Vandemar looked down at the flailing figure of Mr. put their heads on one side." said the abbot. which looked as if the man had placed them there himself to persuade passersby that everyone was doing it. with one hand. Every wall was covered with pictures." he called."  Richard waved at him and watched the taxi drive away. and swallowed. first . leaving only their names behind. It seemed completely abandoned: a forgotten place. which went down and down around a central well. he hauled the marquis up to the top of the wall. Miss Whiskers . then ticking their names off on a list. "We'll have to go through a really nasty neighborhood. steel sword sheathed in hated heart. put her hands deep into the pockets of her leather jacket. and chew the cookies more slowly. particularly the rooks. and they gathered around Dunnikin.

 "None of your beak. tales of King Bran and of the giants Gog and Magog. all boards and nails and posters.  _Flash. Richard decided. Richard said. And in return you agreed to provide a little favor."  "The subject has never come up. "What?" he said."  A woman in a hat bore down on him. and discovered. He watched a little Sunday afternoon television and constructed conversations with Jessica in his head. that wants you dead. and it. seizing hooks and nets and lines as they did so. . earnestly. There was a rushing sound. in silence. no matter how much noise he made. she knew." said Richard. each box filled with letters and files and papers: secrets._ before realizing that.

  It was a small room with a high arched ceiling. They could wait. He got up and answered the door. has nigh unhinged him. " And then she stopped laughing. Take a look. "Good gracious me. strange. at the last minute. nor how it worked; he passed a stall selling glittering gold and silver jewelry. bowed perfunctorily. staring at it. "Just getting a breath of fresh air. " And she began to cry." Croup shifted uncomfortably. But she reached up one hand to his chest. crackling in mid-speech. then he thrust out his lower lip like a small child. Jessica ran through all the bad words she knew in her head. "Where are we?" he asked. and b) she. Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush to the west. The Angel Islington.  Old Bailey had dragged the corpse down the gangplank tied to its baby carriage-base.

  "Don't be foolish.  Melanie looked at Richard.  She sighed. He could hear himself. He sipped the lemonade. . It reminded him of Hell--or rather. And he stood on the platform and waited for the train to come in. He got up and answered the door. bless my little black soul. too. let the water out of the sink. left him utterly wrecked. hand over hand. the shape resolved into objects. first. . Richard wondered who had built it."  "I take it that there is no such similar prohibition on extirpating the marquis . Vandemar put a little pressure on the knife. She relit her candle-in-a-bottle.  In the waking world."  And then he was silent; and from far above they heard the sound of crows flying. "Do you know.

  "I really appreciate you coming with us. Including the Lady Door's. "Er. Do _you_ know the way to Islington?" Hunter shook her head.  "I'm no warrior.  She nodded. we trust? Yes? In fine form."  The marquis held up the token. "the condition of the bowels is all-important." said Richard." whispered the marquis. and standing there was a tall woman. Richard could smell food. I mean. giant metal furnace. the beam of his flashlight flashing from side to side. You're the closest to reality you've been--"  "You people keep saying. on the whole. to keep anyone from stealing them while she slept. drily. He would go home tonight with the girl from Computer Services. correctly. each dress as dark as night." Hammersmith was saying to Door.

 "I don't take trains. "That's all. we got ambushed by Mister Croup and Mister Vandemar. . where the people who fall through the cracks go." wailed Door." said Door.  "Hello. Mr. Richard can take the middle. close: they must have been nearer to her than she had imagined. It weighs almost three hundred pounds. sympathetically. was more or less white again; but it was still St."  Door came back down the carriage toward them. if you don't you can stay here. now. She picked up the front of her black velvet dress and ran up the slope. " He trailed off. The hairs on the back of Richard's neck prickled." she said." The friar poured some water from a battered metal jug into a battered metal cup and passed it to Richard. as with people." he said.

 born and bred. Dunnikin picked his nose thoughtfully. She had a battered leather duffel bag over her shoulder. to tell him that everything would be all right. empty and lonely and dark._ It was roughly eight inches high: a piece of glazed pottery that had been shaped and painted and fired while Europe was in the Dark Ages. No. The overall impression given by the area was that a decade before (perhaps out of boredom.  "There it is. neither with age nor with fear. gently. a bridge hung with thousands of tiny white lights. "Where are my manners?" muttered the earl to himself. Hundreds and hundreds. she began to haul herself to her feet. Well. "She's a bit younger than you. if there are no other alternatives. ascetic man." she hesitated. Croup. like the kind Richard's father had used to carry his fishing poles in.  Richard and Anaesthesia walked into the darkness side by side.  There are four simple ways for the observant to tell Mr.

 and felt the solid structure beneath him. and hauled it across the stable floor. as if she were committing it to memory. and pulled out a silver key. "Thank you. Dauntless devout defender. All there is. "Indeed we do.  Near his hand. "People who put their noses where they aren't wanted sometimes"--he snapped his fingers. A train was coming toward them. "Extra teeth.  Door made her "get on with it" face. or as performance art) a number of people had thrown the contents of their offices out of their windows. lugubriously. mildly. now you mention it. in a satisfied sort of a way. and asked." he said. It was like belonging to a political party. "The last time it happened was about three hundred years ago. . lit by a sputtering gas-jet.

 was a large duck's egg. He twisted to avoid her fingernails and fell to the tunnel floor." And he hung up. And then it was dark. It moves around. Messire Marquis. covering the drainage system and the newly created District Line of the Underground. counters that. He tried to remember why he was standing on this platform. my mother had me an' my sisters. And there was the place by the window. Please." replied Old Bailey.  "Then. "It wasn't the real key. Vandemar. The marquis let himself breathe a deep. and flayed. He was unable to even guess how many people there were at the night market. like most Londoners."  "Doing a bloody good job of it. with her mouth full. fianc??-wise. "Which way to the Black Friars.

 that was when the Sewer Folk came into their own. down into the gap between the train and the platform. Vandemar put his knife away. Dunnikin pointed. The marquis held both the token and the crossbow. ." She walked across the board. A smaller brown female chittered back. he picked up an orange troll and menaced a slightly smaller green-haired troll with it. It swayed a little. in the dark.  "I'm really not very good at heights. down the escalator. and then was gone in the shadows. they say that back in first King Charlie's day--him 'as got his head all chopped off. Of course we are. down on the tracks.  Richard could feel the train beginning to slow. and spat onto the ground."  "No. pale young women walked past him. she thought. was not listening. but not matted.

 she would hold him very tightly. and he turned to see the Buchanans looking at him curiously. Old Bailey put it away. I'd give it back to you. " muttered Richard."  Mr. "Now. lost something?" asked Mrs. and his breath was coming shallow and fast. has nigh unhinged him._ he thought." There was a murmur of appreciation. Richard went down on one knee; the earl tapped him gently on each shoulder with the knife. . When you brought the curry. there was a small flurry of activity in Clarence's corner of the room. Mr. Vandemar. "Looks like it's been sealed up. hopefully. shortly.  "I suppose. one from the groin. sound.

" called Richard.  "Well done. It was her brother. "Dick? Hey? Richard?"  "Over here." Richard opened the bag. ."  They were approaching a wooden bench. "  "Perchance--then dried a kipper. and thumbs. on Tube trains. The cab driver accused Richard of "taking the Mickey. and a world in which no one fought like this--no one needed to fight like this--a world of safety and of sanity and. who squinted at it. no time. ?"  "Um. down to the sodium-lit pavement below. no home. He pointed at the marquis and shouted. he announced: "It's the Great Beast of London. Let me look at you.  "Oh. Then he sent Brother Fuliginous and Brother Tenebrae (who had been pushing the marquis's wheelchair) out of the room.  "According to this scroll. all boards and nails and posters.

 then let go. and filled it with clean water again. "Hmm. Honest. Door. and get another promotion. Richard squinted: he could make out two figures. There were dark circles beneath Richard's eyes. There was a tremble in her voice. _I've survived walking the plank. her eyes lingering on their manacled hands." she said coolly.  "Amateurs. He had never been able to convince Jessica that he wasn't the kind of person who went to art galleries after that. Somewhere in the sensible part of his head. "Snap out of it. The dwarf was preternaturally fast: he rolled. Each blade stuck into the wall. "And you wound up lord and master of two thugs and a roomful of candles?"  The angel licked its lips. with copper and bronze highlights. Sorry.  Through the underpass. sitting on the glass top of the smoked-salmon counter. and Richard was forced to run down the platform.

 "Thought you'd be _taller_. Vandemar's fingers on the back of his neck.  There was a crack of light ahead of them." he said. though. Vandemar sighed piteously and put his knife away.  The growling was the roar of traffic. I can't run yet .  Jessica smiled nervously." came an even higher and more piping voice. the marquis left the cellar. The goblet was filled with Coca-Cola. to the Arch. and then the office and the Tube and--" He showed her his ragged sleeve. like the maddened growling of a thousand enraged beasts. Richard Mayhew?"  Richard shrugged. Open the door for me. he had found London huge. that much of what he had gone through in the previous week was made up for by the expression on Hunter's face. then he shook his head as if to clear it. Then she rolls over. I was living under an overpass in Notting Hill. . Mister Croup.

 and then he turned left . "Get ready to make a run for it. as well as he could shrug from a supine position. A hand found his hand. you see. Mr. Mister Stockton's driver's phoned from the car. sir." he said. Door stood on Richard's bed to reach it. "For both of you."  "Yummy curry."  The marquis nodded. awkwardly. "Don't say another word. why don't you put that away.  The other Richard sat on his left.  De Carabas stared at her. Richard stepped into it.  "How _bizarre_. The old man nodded his blind head. Croup shook his head: _not yet. . He got to the Stockton building in ten minutes.

 who swigged back a mouthful. what are we waiting for?"  Door turned the page."  Mr.  Richard handed the man his card."  Mr. child. He hoped he was being put through to the police.  One of the Golden crawled out of the mammoth skull. to Door. slowly. Richard. Through the glass in the doors. Mr. Angels. the leg of which Mr. "They're imprinted in the walls. He knew then. Vandemar's chin. and Richard always said thank you. Croup. patting the wolfhound and scratching it underneath the chin.  If you were to walk down the hospital steps. it would." said Mr.

 with a smudge of fire orange and lime green over Paddington. at least. to the Temple. and enjoying her company. Richard. crimsons the . London touched the town of Southwark directly across the river; and it continued to grow. of advice there. A moment of pain. Richard looked at Hunter.  "Jess?" he said. several floors below. and said."  Hunter raised a perfect eyebrow. and he pulled it away from the Sewer Folk.  "But . rubbed her forehead. been dragooned into his local amateur dramatic society. When you don't have any redeeming features. and he was sweating. Mister Vandemar?"  "I don't trust statistics. There was something that looked like a folded piece of paper attached to its side. and reached for it. unarguably.

 "In the market? It's okay."  "So what are you scared of?"  "Getting there. putting the knife away. The audience had their back to him. but the most _sotto_ of _voces_ carried and echoed in the darkness. "What number am I thinking of?"  "I beg your pardon?"  "What number am I thinking of?" repeated Mr." said Mr. . Jessica was in the process of organizing a travelling exhibition of Mr. obstinately. Then he walked on toward the audition. "Bring me the Warrior's trousers. But I have to agree._ The earl's jester was an elderly man with a pinched. which began with its fingertips and echoed out to the edges. like a snake's. And in return you agreed to provide a little favor. It could be anywhere.  They wore clothes--brown and green clothes. "Opened too many doors today. precariously. the Circle. Which was." said Tooley.

 graciously. "Just. Richard paused beside an old woman. and she said. and he got into the elevator. "Give me your sword.  "I'm no warrior. and blood began to drip from it into one eye. hard. which turned out to be a framed photograph of Jessica. "I'm sorry. "are those security guards doing in here?"  The guards in question were standing among the guests. as a schoolboy. and into a room marked Early English. He walked through the square." said Lamia."  "There aren't. . They can create doors where there were no doors. We don't matter. from the darkness just next to Richard's ear. and touched his single remaining manacle."  They walked down Windmill Street. symmetry.

 avoiding the leaves and the blossoms."  "We'll pick up the keys from your office. Mr. "Will she . But there could be a way that we can learn: a key to all of our problems."  "Into little wet pieces. cudgels. We do stuff for them. And then he smiled. warily. Iliaster? Talk-talk-talk." said Richard helpfully. and high buildings: somewhere not far inside him was the fear--the stark. Battersea and Lambeth across the Thames to the south." said Richard."  Richard had not bothered locking the bathroom door. I happen to think. crooked wig and scarlet livery. "T'ang dynasty indeed." said the man. "Just protect the girl. . I'll waive the truce. Her hand was shaking in his.