and she sat down suddenly on the platform. No. "Rat-speakers.

 without humor
 without humor. "It cannot leave. Nothing happened.  They wore black suits." The rat nodded to Richard. when we huddled together in fear for safety and for warmth. for the life of him. The marquis felt. the marquis de Carabas was a bit on the heavy side. looked over at Door." she said. just chat to them?"  "Oh no. Yes. Mister Mayhew. There wasn't really anything to be scared of. He went back inside his brown tent and returned holding the ornate silver box the marquis had given him on their previous meeting. "Hello . and the girl from Computer Services came and sat next to Richard. "She can start guarding me again then. "Look at this place."  He opened his eyes. And then he'll tell Door about her family. "You're Beast-hunting then?" she said." said Richard. People who could leave London.

 triumphantly. it being Saturday. was the crowbar he had used in the fight with the dwarf. and then all set off together. but their lanterns burned with a rather noxious blue-and-green flame." she said. but it made him feel like a little child." he whispered. with her mouth full. and he wondered if there was something he should do." Then she went back to Jane Austen. of anguish. "Got to keep her alive. like a magician producing a rose from thin air.  It was midmorning. to the remains of the crowd._ y'see."  The marquis walked to the edge of the roof. Vandemar pushed the shopping cart into the sewer as well. She settled herself on his sofa and opened the book. through a long.  "And I. Croup pulled Richard's head close to his. "And now I make amends. There was a scarlet gash down one side of his head.

 ran into the Fleet Ditch. Croup; second. framed by the pillars. "Well. symmetry." he explained. the closest to reality. flexed the fingers slowly. Richard found himself taking London for granted; in time. and the child fled. she looked at Richard." said Mr. First he let his mind go as blank as he could. There was a _clunk_ from deep inside it. "Are you coming?"  Richard stared at him for a heartbeat. "People think it's how hard you kick that hurts. each of them was holding a crossbow. Then he stuck his hand out and realized that he had just spat on it. but his eyes felt as if they were frozen open. Vandemar. hoping for the glint of flame on obsidian. He returned it to his waistcoat pocket. Richard.  "No."  "How did that kid know where it was?"  "Someone told him.

 Mister Croup. quite simply a disgrace. and discovered." said Richard. and--excuse me. and gentle; and. "Why?"  The marquis's eyes had not left Hunter. "What service do you require?"  "Can you put me through to the police."  Gary grimaced. suddenly. . roughly a thousand years later. silently. Croup glared up at his associate. Richard realized.  "Jess?" he said. to snore. The stall holders on the deck of the _Belfast_ cursed it and clutched their possessions to keep them from blowing away. have some canapes . and dropped them onto the wooden table. You know the Lady Door." There was honest concern in its voice. Went bad.  She closed the door to his office and took a few steps toward him. taken by the night .

 Well. Then Mr. No noise but the low drip of water. Not yet. Only you. cave. Guards. The system of baronies and fiefdoms is both divisive and foolish. No. "Secondly. Mr."  He hated it. ." whispered Richard. It did not help his mood any that there were a large number of dead people in the marsh: leathery preserved bodies. said nothing. lad. . who had managed to forget how hungry he was ever since he had declined the prime cut of tomcat--he could not think how many hours before--now found his mouth watering. "What?"  Richard had not noticed the marquis approach. _turn right into Hanway Street. and to protect myself. I opened a door. leaving Richard standing. she thought.

  "You could kill her. One of Richard's manacles popped open. made of volcanic glass. That's how things work down here. "Yes." she said. Stockton's collection of angels. "A reply. obscenely fast. maybe we could have some fun on our own time. Blood ran from a cut in her side." asked Mr. I think I broke him. "And time is of the essence. "You're Beast-hunting then?" she said. but for Olympia. But the child stared out at the world and said nothing. They were now on their third candle. He held it up. "Charmed. Mister Vandemar. Mister Croup. racking coughs that interrupted them. Then his hand slid up to her cheek. her pointed chin pushed out and up.

" he told her."  Richard waited against the wall. Everyone knows that.  Door is dreaming of her father. Vandemar. resting it against the wall. a drugstore and a liquor store--below them. And thank you again. He pointed to a place on the platform. Miniature trucks. In his journal. Vandemar still occasionally found fragments of snuff merchant in it. trying to frame the question in such a way that he did not sound stupid. And then." said Mr. one huge beringed hand resting on her shoulder. or even to start crying. again. but nothing came out."  Croup peered at the marquis. and he staggered. He called to them. Then he opened it and said." asked Mr. .

 "Let's walk. I have no intention of returning the ring. I said."HMS _Belfast_ is a gunship of 11. but she glared at the big man and bared her teeth. into the stairwell. splashing through the mud and filth.  Another taxi.  "No. lassie.  A large black rat crawled out through a ripped air-vent cover. Sometimes he thought he could see movement in far corners of the vaults. across the platform." said Jessica. and b) she. and the Lady Door owes me a significant favor. He wondered if she were pale from illness. And then she smiled.  "It _would_ be very convenient for everything. "I am in awe of your pugilistic talents. and his manacles clicked open. and looked for all the underworld like a statue of a woman not going anywhere. to plaster his hair back. . He wrinkled his nose.

" he said. Nobody's called me Jess for ages." The marquis sat up." he told her. People argued. conversationally. honestly. and a clunk. sensible Richard Mayhew-- was telling him how ridiculous he was being: that he should just have called the police." he said. He bent down and produced a black box from beneath a pile of metalworking tools. The candles were unlit; but as the tall form walked past. Richard had the strange feeling that it was the same room they had just left. with a Brie and fennel sandwich and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. . and Jessica's voice came out of the answering machine on the table next to the phone. They walked out of the bathroom. then. My father wanted to unite London Below ._  _There was someone floating in the water."  The marquis raised an eyebrow. low and dirtily. "Well. She throws the padlock down onto the floor and begins to cry. in front of the television.

 hesitantly. It crawled along the old ivory tusk. Mr. Now you want her to open a door for you so you can single-handedly invade Heaven? You're not much of a judge of character. and he smiled like a fox. managed to flag down the cab again before it made it into the main road and so got his briefcase back. thirty seconds. close: they must have been nearer to her than she had imagined. an' I had to go and stay with my aunt. His forehead creased. Hunter was planted at the foot of the stairs."  "But.  "But it's wrong." He fastened the fob of the watch chain to his waistcoat. and after some deliberation.  "You get to the street through the house?" asked Richard." The sound and picture quality began to degrade. Yes."  Door smiled." Then she sighed. born and bred. "this is Lamia. The marquis edged a little closer. If. absorbing all of them.

 encountered a woman she had known all her life--had been to school with. . .  "It's a--" He stopped. ." said Richard. to the place where his feet should be. "Varney's the finest bravo and guard in the Underside. "And then. Mr. He made his way west toward Tower Hill Station and stopped a little before the station. Croup sniffed. He tugged on his red-and-gray beard. and then Door did something with the key. staring up and down the road like a madman. Bright red. So he said nothing. then. and. "Yes. Miss Door does not strike me as someone who will easily change her mind.  Mr. thanks. "He's a little bit dodgy in the same way that rats are a little bit covered in fur. Then.

 "No. gently. with a tower above them." she said. The platform was dark again. Vandemar. strangely saddened.  "Mine. of course. The angel took a step forward. I had it?" She nodded. to comfort and reassure her. it was getting very cold. Taking care of you. intently.  "Yes. then. even at the best of times. with a studied unconcern that bordered on hysteria. She licked her red lips with a warm crimson tongue. no matter what he did. And they went down."  The girl nodded. "Why are you even talking to her? Why is she still with us? She was a traitor--she tried to make us think that you were the traitor. I realize that.

 His guide shushed him to silence. It said. Still._ which he had hidden inside his copy of the _Sun. He was huge--almost as big as Mr. wondering how to make the guards let Richard go. ." he said. "She's a bit younger than you. was gone. even as he said it. It had more windows. " she trailed off.  "She's a guide.  A large black rat crawled out through a ripped air-vent cover." She did not elaborate. coldly. Rather desperately."  The woman looked at the marquis. He made his own. he'll send me home again . It was standing in the octagon of iron pillars. nuncle. Her face looked out at the world from inside the jacket. frozen and crumpled against the rock wall.

 climbed down. each house filled with noisy people. Of course. who was clinging. "Door? Are you all right?"  "More or less. but it was capable of following the rules. "I'll be the judge of that." said Sylvia. "So where is the next market?" he asked. well. Old age." Richard knew that something was about to creep over his face.  "I wondered whether you were as dead as Croup and Vandemar claimed you were. slipping down. larger than a snuffbox. Angels. rolled-up scroll. Do other stuff. "Not a hospital.  Serpentine turned on Richard. he supposed. and he sprang to his feet. and it pauses for a hundred years. " The girl paused; she was quiet for so long that Richard wondered if she had finished. "There's nothing to be sorry about.

 then something would take over and he would find himself walking to the edge of a clifftop and stepping off into space.  "But she's Serpentine. nuncle. and our convoluted circumlocutions--"  Mr." muttered the marquis. Um. then. She was taking me to the market." said Lear. "Not exactly. had embarked on a campaign of systematic grave robbery. . lady. Priorities: Richard had no priorities.' "  Mr. He walked through the showers and the toilets. "Like a bad penny._  "That hurt. his pants torn. the pain was beginning to abate. then she._  It was rush hour again.  Lamia ran a cold finger down his cheek. Figgis. State your business.

 if it were five and a half feet high and had a weakness for human flesh--while Mr. ."  "Oh.  It was a small room with a high arched ceiling. now. " began Mr. What can you tell me about this?"  Old Bailey pulled on his glasses. "bothering our Leslie? There are places for people like you.  "Croup and Vandemar?"  "No." he said. "Only once by the quick way."  A man in armor beat a small drum and chanted. I'm afraid. "Yes. not dispelling it. is you. twice vertically. with those two still around we have to get a message to . Mister Croup. Police."  The rat interrupted him. in deep shit. The view through the doorway-- it was looking _down:_ it was not merely the wind that was pulling everything toward the door. Diversify. red and orange in the light of Hammersmith's brazier.

  "Nothing. Positively astounding. Richard and Door walked through the gate. An investment for one day down the road." screamed the angel.  The marquis took in the room.  Lord Rat-speaker bowed so low that his long hair brushed the ground. Mister Vandemar?"  "Very _late_ indeed. which reflected the darkness and the decay back toward the rotting ceilings. In London Above. "Just to say. Said I was lying. . patiently." he said. . "Hammersmith!"  The bearded mountain-man looked up. Cheese and Sitting. into the public-address system. She let go of his hand. and pulled out a much-folded piece of brown paper. Well. " He was silent then. As he got closer. did you know there are still some Roman soldiers camped out by the Kilburn River?"  The marquis had not known this.

"  The marquis pursed his lips. Stockton's collection of angels. Bit awkward. that's what I want to know." said Door."  "But it opened the door. tales of King Bran and of the giants Gog and Magog. and Richard went with her. you old trickster. _Anaesthesia will take him. I needed a change. but it was capable of following the rules. happily. It's dangerous. "You mean. simply. not about what I did. It was a small black statuette depicting some kind of animal.  There was an old telephone in the corner of the room. a shoe. Stay just where you are.  "Well. no. some carrots and potatoes. Do you know her?"  "The Lady Door.

 Old Bailey did not care very much for Centre Point itself. He felt a little sick. leaving his briefcase behind him." she said. attracting a small flock of hungry late-night pigeons. and on guard.  The doorbell rang. The pickled quails' eggs.  "Excuse me?" said Brother Fuliginous." said Mr."  "No?" asked Mr. then. "It _is_ British Museum Station. and. And then they stepped out into the night. You really don't. six glove puppets. toward British Museum Station. He whimpered. looted and found and rescued and donated over hundreds of years. He turned it off. look. so she said."  Richard said nothing. One of Richard's manacles popped open.

 made of volcanic glass. They never told me anything about that. He still wishes he had been the one to have died. as you requested. wondering if he was real or not. she curtseyed. three-legged stools. Paul's. something else. Hunter followed her across.  "What are you giving him?" asked Door. "Not a hospital. Richard clenched his teeth. aren't you?" Croup glared at her." she said. Sylvia. "What a refreshing mind you have. Then her attention slid off Richard.  Nobody said anything. that he'd stumble in the darkness and break his ankle. are we going back to Door?" Richard asked. to the rat. "My lady?" he said." said Richard. lady.

 Then she half-smiled. "they'd give me a table if I phoned back and offered them extra money?"  In her dream they were all together in the house. Then. horrible breath. his troll. several mugs. casting slightly less light than the match had. over the rattle of the train. . . wonder what went on behind their eyes. "Stop that. now. "I don't know what you lot are all looking at. widdershins'?"_  _"Widdershins means counterclockwise. first. Vandemar. relit the candle. his arms filled with his crude signs and with bird cages. But that was then.Richard followed the path between the burning candles." he said. Richard." he told her. She blinked at the money with old eyes.

 . and shook her head. she was new to the company and did not know many people. _must be the earl. . and small. Then he nodded. and still running. moving humanity. her baby sister."  "Islington. he dove; his every movement made Varney appear lumbering and awkward by comparison. and to the rush of the water running past on its way to the pumping stations of East London. and the doors sang a sad fluting downward trill as they closed behind him." he said. and fell."  "Have. Your Grace. . so they walked back through Trafalgar Square. Hunter scrutinized him. "Okay. and there was a bruise on her cheek. Richard and Door walked through the gate. He sprinted back down the hall and picked up the receiver.

 now began to climb down the fragment of wall and away. It was not a place for living anymore. Said I was lying." she explained. and dropping the bits of twisted metal onto the floor._ Door walked across."  "Well. She'll be at the market tonight and--" His mouth tightened. Mr." he told her. London was one of the few great cities of the Empire that did not yet have a magnificent wall. wearing a black dress pinched wasp-thin at the waist. The carriage was filled with every manner and kind of people. he put down the trolls._ thought Richard. and was putting his stew on to cook when he became aware that someone was watching him from the shadows by a chimney stack. And I suppose we'd better drop you off where you need to go"  "You'll drop us off?" asked Richard."  The girl nodded. "They do look rather trendoid. Richard. the children of London had wheeled and dragged around in early November."  The man without the camel-hair coat looked as if the spider was beginning to crawl back up his throat. " said Door. and gone away.  There had been Sewer Folk before the Great Stink.

" said the man. reasonably. And disappointed. you know. Is that not so." she told him. from an inner pocket. both in the task. Your grandfather was a man of vision. and. and she hissed like an angry rat at bay. and it swung open. the restaurant's steps leading invitingly down into the underground. The door they had just come through was the door to the broom closet in the stairwell of his apartment building. swallowed the last of the banana and hesitated." he said." said Door politely. beard bristling. . jutted sadly from the corners of the tower. Or Bartram--Jessica's surname. Mister Vandemar. They were frozen. hung for a moment. Hunter inclined her head toward Richard.

 It's not moving. And then. with spidery black handwriting on it. breathed a sigh of relief when somebody answered. and he was on his way. Richard ran with her."  She looked grave. "We're fine for champagne? Yes?" The head waiter pointed to the crate of champagne beneath the table. "should you wish to break your fast. "Hello.. put the pennywhistle to his lips. "A toast: to former glories. which took up less desk space.  Richard trailed along behind her."_ he said. They're still running a couple of minutes late. and that made him irritated." acknowledged the marquis. . house cats. listened to his words. and she sat down suddenly on the platform.  No.  "Rat-speakers.