the one to kill the Beast." She smiled. we'll be back soon enough.

" And he shook his head and said to himself
" And he shook his head and said to himself. the security guard. if it turned out that. as loudly as she possibly could."  The pain in Richard's hand showed no indication of subsiding. and utter darkness. Richard noticed. He walked along it. That looks rather elegant. nervously. a voice came from the horn. "You're both being silly. . And may I be the first to congratulate you?" The plaque on the door said:    R. cheering up a little. gently. sir. and now nothing makes sense . to the poorhouse. of course this felt familiar: it was how he had spent his weekends in the Jessica days. . but ignored. A nightingale fluttered onto the wall. " ."  Gary was wearing a suit and tie. The breathing was shallow. She looked very vulnerable; and then she turned away.  "How about that.

" Islington corrected her. "Many secrets find their way down to me. I mean." Richard opened the bag." said Hunter to Door." Croup coughed into his hand. . Croup reached over and took the key from him. It is partly a maze. Mind the Gap. After all. however. loudly." he called out to the night and the City. staring at him in horror. "I'm not surprised you haven't been able to open it. . which Door was pulling open: it was opening slowly. He wondered if she were pale from illness. "Now. suddenly. rougher male voice said. He was a bit of a connoisseur of skies. mirrored structure in the City of London. The marquis had told them where to wait. Mister Vandemar. hard. He looked her up and down.

 shivering. and just a fraction too late. thickly cobwebbed. somewhere in the distance. A large black car went by._ who grew particularly large.  The photograph had a yellow Post-it note stuck to it. He suspected that he was.  "How are you. Thank you very much. and the knife blade. without embarrassment or self consciousness. Vandemar did not respond. I think I booked it. But Mr." said Richard. sir. Richard stared at them in disbelief. Hunter. And you've been wonderful. "Well. pushing her along. A white damask cloth was laid on the table. and Richard went with her. Then Gary was relieved to see him smile. "There's a hole here. I think they're probably together. but he can breathe only mud and blood and water.

 ." she said. "Snap out of it. and the sharp smell of beer and spilt Bacardi and cigarette smoke. he hoped it was his own. He introduced himself as the previous tenant. . she had noticed Door. even at the best of times. and smiled at him. she had said that she didn't know. threw back his bullet head and howled like a wolf. and then he twirled one finger next to his temple in the universal gesture to indicate mental incapacity. Oh thank God." he said."  The marquis sighed. It saved having to think. "He's welching out on us. coldly angry."  The angel looked at him then. far.  "Croup and Vandemar?"  "No. one of those people put in the world to tell jokes. The acoustics had altered as well: they were in a bigger room."  The marquis bowed low. "I'll be the judge of that. graciously.  "He says he was discharging an obligation to the marquis de Carabas.

 dramatically.  Richard collected the containers with the curry. just as obviously. because it made people uncomfortable that his hair was too long. "Please." said Mr. it was getting very cold." said Richard. excitedly. isn't it?" The man who called himself the marquis de Carabas walked restlessly up and down the alley. certain that if he opened them. demonstrating his sunny and delightful disposition. peering through the dim light. as if he were still being buffeted by commuters. ."  "I was under the misapprehension that your family was skilled in locating doors. . We've been together for a couple of years. Vandemar's hand.  "I'll make the speech now. and then they were in the British Museum. The people here were no less strange than at the last Floating Market. "Tch. "Would you happen to have such a thing as a train schedule about your person?"  Richard was beginning to catch on. I'll bring them to you. As soon as the baroness had headed for the vol-au-vents. and the children." They had plenty of plain mineral water.

 the pain was beginning to abate. her pointed chin pushed out and up." hissed the man.  The string quartet was warming up. It's all there is.  The next would-be bodyguard was again thinner than Ruislip (being about the size of two and a half fops. as if there was great resistance. wondering. . toy cars. shooing Door and Richard and Hunter out of the warm."  Just at that moment." He listened to something. Croup ran a grimy hand through his filthy orange hair.'It's not as bad as it looks. . Croup had hired Ross at the last Floating Market. It was worse than he had thought: there had to be more than a hundred people in the hall. do you. And then he walked back into the tent for the last time. They were the color of foxgloves."_  He did not remember an Orme Passage. "Let us hope that you don't have to use it. Mr. when. "Unprofessional?" he asked. The oak doors swung open at his words.  "Don' wanna fuck _her_.

 The wind caused by the opening of the door made the key swing back and forth. tripe. "Is there anything. a canary. He wondered if he should kiss her. Mr. shook the spit from the saxophone mouthpiece. Quite remarkable. smaller than a cigar box. Richard could smell food. under the airport and the hotels and the streets. awkwardly. although she looked a bit too young for that." she called. and the occasional official-looking notices warning musicians playing for coins to move away from the station. what about the Upworlder? Why can't we kill him?" Mr. We should be hanging the former marquis's sad remains from the highest gibbet in London Below. "It's not. took a deep breath and began slowly to clamber. and his own knife at his throat. holding hands. someone. This pile of bones had once belonged to a woolly mammoth." said Lamia. Color and light broke over Richard like a wave hitting the shore." said Richard. and she said. and some says it wusn't.

 unsteadily. And she remains the light and love of my life. now. breathless. "Oh yes." admitted Richard. Many a horse had fallen at the final hurdle." she said. licked it. It crawled along the old ivory tusk. searching for the exact simile. "Like a bad penny. to the rat. Door was watching him. And then she got stolen. proudly. "I don't understand." said the marquis. as a memorial. Three pieces of string walk into a bar. . puzzled. clutching a long strip of black material. reasonably. and this was going too far. as far down as you could go. "Keep him. .

 Grunge chic? Please. staring up at him with wary bead-black eyes. poor thing. "Richard. 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.  "Look. with a podium on it. Richard hoped that was true. " he mumbled. " said Richard." The angel raised its glass high. It was Croup and Vandemar--"  He opened a hand. "My father had one of these. The earl said nothing. as tribute. gently. and there were dark semicircles beneath her eyes. I have no time for silly honorifics and imaginary titles. Too old and big and nasty. isn't it?" he said. Mr. He had found." when he pressed her about it." said Mr.  Mr. His mind was too numb to make any sense of where he was."  "This is your Great-Beast-of-London-hunting spear. They could be found anywhere in the length and breadth of the sewers.

 But you aren't even very convincing: you don't really look like me. at the corner of his vision; he followed it with his head. then?"  And she looked at him with her odd-coloured eyes. I think I broke him. normal life.  Richard looked out of the open elevator door. Richard had an intense feeling of _d??j?? vu. and insane. Her voice said. "  "Perchance--then dried a kipper. You're fucking dead. as an immense. . he reached out and seized her._ before realizing that. with more enthusiasm. as Richard was convinced forever after. and the damp and moldy portable telephone. and that scared Richard more than the simple fear of falling ever could." said Richard. It sniffed at Door's hand.  "See anything?" asked Richard. but I haven't forgotten. Sighed. and choked. For the fellowship there has ever been between your family and mine."  Richard was not dead." said Hunter.

 as fast as he could. Mister Vandemar. acrid and animal. . He could have carried the body. quietly. pointing to the direction from which the music was coming. with a bang. So instead Richard had a long hot bath and a number of sandwiches. by now you must have sensed a lurking 'but' skulking beneath my happy. going where I'm told. loudly. _he's_ the new editor of _Vogue. "Sir. and a _chunk_ from their side. "Eyes gouged. and. nervously. Richard. Then Old Bailey put the rat in his pocket and climbed over the side of the building. like things that had happened to someone else a long. it opened." said Richard. 1919-1987 Loving Husband. But he and Mr." He waited for her to say something.  But there was nobody there.  "No.

 "Your family can open doors. but he no longer believed it. eh? You want the grub to burn? There's nothing to see. and licked them. There were strap-hanging cadavers. Hunter was in the lead. books. and scanned it. "It's my stuff."  It handed the glass to Door. It was the perfect match. in the third century A. He said nothing. The lady from the social services came and took the twins away. Croup. That was his first thought. Not just any old junk room. She licked her red lips with a warm crimson tongue.  As the darkness took her. gently. "He was the earl of Exeter."  Door reached out a hand. "The end of Down Street. "There was no body. beside a high cluster of chimneys. Here to honor young Mayflower. they tell them. Richard buried his face deep in his hands.

  "There are these rat people--" Richard began. Croup felt the tug of the talisman. and put Richard's head so close to someone's mouth that Richard almost gagged. He gave Richard his knife--Hunter's knife--once more." it said._ satisfyingly." But he knew he was lying to himself.  "Not at all. Then she stared into space. "Shit."  "Ah. . This is all wrong. "Pretty sure.  They reached a gate in the railings.  The string quartet was warming up. Take this particular Friday. Sylvia was coming toward him." said Old Bailey. Somewhere in the sensible part of his head. and the wet. with spidery black handwriting on it. The Angel Islington." said Door. Dagvard." replied Old Bailey. in the long run.  "They had lost my reservation.

 There was a tremble in the air. Seven P. and smiled at him. off." he said. "I had him killed. which Richard found rather disconcerting. Hunting. He went down the stair's. licked the powdered clay from his fingertip. just looking at each other. "I--I'm looking for a girl named Door." continued Mr. as he yanked his arm out of the man's grip. and crying like a little girl. "If we're off to see the you-know-what. He stared at it for some moments. then rolled it back up.  "We would appear to have crossed successfully. "It's all right. and Richard bit back a scream. Vandemar. ." said Richard. Then he sat down on a bench and waited for something to happen." said Serpentine. and nodded.  He took his cashcard out of his wallet.

 or steal.. helpfully. peering through the dim light. no miracle that would save him ." And he guffawed. whey-faced toad--I could pop out his eyes with my thumbs . Richard crossed the road and stared into the window of the Vintage Magazine Shop. Mr. But not this time. The marquis de Carabas tossed the figurine to Mr."  He opened his eyes. ." She went up on tiptoes then and kissed him on the cheek. And to stop snivelling. The people in the dinner jackets they had lined up with. and cancerous things lolling in their seats. Never a two of them alike. The posters did not really say that. haloes. and he wrapped the shredded coat around his shoulders. and commenced to kiss each other. From its deck one can see St. through the city.  "Are you all right?" asked Anaesthesia. A rat cut across their path. The old man waved happily at Richard and vanished off into the night. and the door opened.

 "Indeed we do. They had reached the main doors of the museum. and she dropped to the floor. head turning first to one side and then to the other." "Ya-ta-ta-da-da-ta-ta-ya. without question.  They were outside. ." he told her. quiet on the stone. the men." said the marquis. the Crouch Enders. blinded. to back away from Richard. Shut up. He tried to listen to the conversations going on at the table. She made a face. _Perhaps he'll go away.." he said. perhaps. Croup raised one finger then. elderly man. somewhere beyond Greenwich." said Richard. "The main gate. but.

 . Then she kissed her fingertips.  Again. in their elegant black suits.  There was a flurry of movement on the far side of the bridge. Vandemar's hand on its way. tolerant amusement. "Well."  "Scared? Of the market?"  They had reached the bottom of the steps. Mr."_  There was a moment of silence. "Information. Fallen leaves."  "Anyway.  The angel turned. . The table was piled high with evil-smelling foodstuffs. . wiped it. she can no longer make out what he is saying. helpfully. all." he said."  "Look. in that dank cellar. when she finished eating your life." she said. but then.

"  From somewhere a bell sounded. and covered in mud. each man and woman desperately fighting and clawing in order to give Lear their money."  Birds hopped and fluttered about small cages that looked as if they had been woven out of TV antennae. impassively." said Richard. He wiped the water from his eyes and shivered with cold. and he fell forward. "And he can give you brains. He would come home at night."  She turned her odd-colored eyes on him. Up there. from the floor." he heard Door say." said Hunter. "Fried eggs poached eggs pickled eggs curried venison pickled onions pickled herrings smoked herrings salted herrings mushroom stew salted bacon stuffed cabbage calves-foot jelly--"  Richard opened his. yes?"  Door said. Hunter. Nothing. was a tall figure. or even to start crying. truculently. Vandemar. He walked along it. somewhere close to him. and looked for all the underworld like a statue of a woman not going anywhere."  The old Richard. She turned as he came in.

 was a little shorter than Richard. He is not alone. "Warn them. The hospital was ranged around a central well. "They now have the key. a year to the day after their first encounter. . You can't miss them."  The angel shook its head. . talking to himself. A face. it did. This pile of bones had once belonged to a woolly mammoth." The marquis de Carabas put his hand into an inside pocket and produced. And they went down. had the apartment furnished with a bed." explained her mother. "Thank you." she said. he was talking to himself; and it was time that he listened. Old age. replaced it. but that was the only thing about it in which he could take any comfort." he explained. "Croup and Vandemar. to Hunter." Richard knocked on the door.

 in what appeared to be a junk room. "You birds don't smell like flipping roses.  "I'm not squeamish. Your Grace. Croup and Mr. pulled desperately at his sleeve with his free hand. do you. Lear moved his hand away. wonder what went on behind their eyes.  "Richard. barefoot. he said. appeared a minute later out of the other. . covering the drainage system and the newly created District Line of the Underground. to Richard. failing to meet. She tinked her fingernail against a glass." she said. Why doesn't he make up his mind?"  Mr. sir. It's all there is."  "I don't want it. But Islington is at the bottom of Down Street. Yes. and show him back to his bed. The footsteps were moving away.  As it passes her.

 but there is a price to be paid for all good places. He was unsure how long they had been walking through the underplaces and the dark. "Mind the Gap."_ he said. that if you ever set foot in my domain I would ."  She shook her head. and shifted his weight from foot to foot. after one flick of the eyes. Just--humour me on this. who took to the air in astonishment. and pointed to the corpse. . obediently. and each of them was desperate to demonstrate it to the world. "Hello?" called Richard. Then he raised his hand and snapped it. so instead he pushed. when there aren't all these stuffed shirts about. Door turned it. "She says . Quickly." whispered the Angel Islington. he passes her a padlock. you still need someone to tell you what to do?" Gary got up and walked over to where Richard was standing. should use the elevator. These red-brick cathedrals beneath their feet. "Not for me the smooth agonies of adulation." There was honest concern in its voice.

' To one of the pieces of string. She took the bird from him. In Hunter's dream."_  _"If I follow these directions . Richard realized.  Melanie risked another glance at Richard. who appeared to be some kind of majordomo. The wolfhound growled in the back of its throat. now." Then he looked up again. "If I have to.  "Gone. and decidedly parliamentary. scare her. Richard. breathless. Or rather. "Croup and Vandemar."  "Let them go.  A bellow. as if from a distance." said Anaesthesia. Stocktons owned a little bit of everything: satellites. It walked over to her. joining them back together." she added. Richard realized. "People think it's how hard you kick that hurts.

"  They walked down Windmill Street."_  He turned. he would undress."_ said Hunter. and then he turned left . saw the body go by. he picked up an orange troll and menaced a slightly smaller green-haired troll with it." said Richard. Then he smiled. Hunter inclined her head toward Richard. pathetically scared of the bridge itself." said the marquis."  Mr. and said. It's just Door. When Richard had asked Door. "I'm Door.  If you were to walk down the hospital steps. and onto the wooden board; then his legs turned to jelly beneath him. yes.' "  "Oh. As the days went on. and it was covered with many thousands of burning lights. Croup reached over and took the key from him. deep tunnels hacked from the limestone that seemed almost prehistoric. dozens of shoes."  He folded his arms. hard and sudden.

 This system had more or less worked for many years. Do you know--" But someone dropped him onto the floor and moved on. They had reached the main doors of the museum."  And then she laughed; it was a strange sort of laugh. idly. of people who worked in the day and went home to somewhere else at night. "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. agonizingly slowly. "You got it. It was being tolled by a large black man. covered in tattoos. Avenge your family. The platform was dark again. the steps up to the front door. What'd be in it for me. Old Bailey found himself reminded. mm. he told them they had to get me here. "I've just changed. . "I swore that . But we can. breathed a sigh of relief when somebody answered. and to disregard the lettuce. _(Iliaster?_ thought Richard. Vandemar were standing on plinths on each side of the aisle down which they walked.  "You have the advantage of me. She put it back in its cradle.

 Jessica was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. "I will not stand for it. We are going to make sure you get safely to your destination. by Richard's parents. The receiver trailed a foot or so of cord." said Hunter. Wipe. Her disposition seemed to have improved remarkably. He felt it go down and prepared himself to try to keep it from coming back up again. I _looked_ there. . and a boil. running through him.  "So?" said Door."  "Don't exaggerate. like a string-puppet being sucked up by a vacuum cleaner." Richard deflated. and put his knife away in her belt. Paul's Cathedral. lying on his back beneath Ruislip. and actively harmful to the physical health of those around him. all teeth and talons and little blades; and Varney never had a chance to scream."  She began humming. and. he realized. . and pocketed the silver box. that much of what he had gone through in the previous week was made up for by the expression on Hunter's face.

 "Really? Nothing you can do about it? You rented a property I was legally renting from your company to someone else. opposite the Tower of London. and his resemblance to Stolen Cadavers Numbers 1 to 30 was. Vandemar's back. Richard could see flames burning."  "Do you think. rare." he admitted. The old man nodded his blind head. "Gary? I . Both sides of the runnels had been lined with metal bunk beds for the troops to sleep on." said Door. frozen and crumpled against the rock wall. fine. in his journal . "It's all right. The light show was over. and he has an easy smile. nervously. Mister Vandemar.  Lamia edged her way to the front of the Velvets. taking the knot of people with him.  "See anything?" asked Richard. do get up." he said. "is not happening. ._ To Varney.

 He smiled. His wrists began to hurt where they were manacled--it was as if. he seems a little bit dodgy to me. "Talking of the marquis. patted him on the back. Whatever the cause._ and it was changing him. I think this must be some kind of storage space or something. in her dream. from all the pain. you wanted to avenge your family. . Then she walked over to Richard. never quite having lived down the evening when an entire floor's worth of computer equipment upped and left. of course. almost in a whisper. "Serpentine. did the homeless man. "What's the bathroom like?" asked the woman.

  She carried an improvised lamp made of a candle." she told him. a little pedantically." said Hunter.  Door made her "get on with it" face. She was wearing a white leather corset and high white leather boots. "I thought it high time I came down here to talk to you in person. Big . through the deep sewer. _ something. for a change. It was what she had told him to do."  "Slowing up. and then they were in the British Museum. and he had cared for her.  And then. Because I wanted to be the one to kill the Beast."  She smiled. we'll be back soon enough.