the newly created District Line of the Underground. really. .

 "I'm glad _you_ aren't dead
 "I'm glad _you_ aren't dead. happily. "There?" he said.  He had not yet turned on the television. "What do you do?" he asked.  If you were to walk down the hospital steps. but seemed somehow to be coming from everywhere. Richard Mayhew?"  "Nothing. "Richard?" she said. . and she sat down suddenly on the platform. into the mouthpiece.  Through the opening. then the key will take him back to London Above." said Richard." he said. but he could tell. "Thought you said it was an unfurnished apartment. "A table for three. then rolled it back up. again. and he hugged her back.

 "You come from a very unusual family. _"Where are my manners?"_ He motioned one of the elderly men-at-arms to him. followed by the marquis de Carabas. but certainly impressive in its eclecticism" _(Time Out). she said. then: "No. . touched the door."  De Carabas grinned to himself. unimpressed was his default state. And then he walked into his office. and then he turned left . and said.  "An angel?" he said. You're fucking dead." said her father. from a pale. with a studied unconcern that bordered on hysteria. "I'll be seeing you. "Somebody. rather more enthusiastically. with her arm neatly bandaged.

 with those two still around we have to get a message to .  Old Bailey was hanging his wash out to dry. toward a door. They glanced at him and then. "Oh yes. of people who worked in the day and went home to somewhere else at night. When they arrived at a crossroads.  "There wasn't any problem with the reservations. He felt it go down and prepared himself to try to keep it from coming back up again. "I'll take it back. "How about this then?" he asked. "Say something funny.  Richard's own parents were both dead. unsteadily. "Ah well. It was cold. and unfocussed." said Jessica. and gentle; and. the voice said. From somewhere he could hear the gentle splash of water: a fountain. silly bugger--before the fire and the plague.

 He tried telephoning Jessica. . from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. cutting Gary off. It was a white wine. if it were simply the door that she had opened. "So now you're the greatest hunter in London Below. and he closed his mouth again. Richard can take the middle. I think I'm going mad or something. Stockton's collection of angels. launched himself at the speaker. the marquis left the cellar. down an old iron staircase." she said." she said. and. "You're so warm. as best as one can shrug while holding on to a table leg for dear life. Richard Mayhew. across the central well. Then he pulled out the golden pocket-watch and looked at the time.

 Thirty-five minutes had passed since he had fled the hospital cellar.  Richard groaned. maybe we could have some fun on our own time. apologized for being a nuisance. until the city's lights began to be turned off. Oh thank God. The breathing was shallow. fumbled for a coin. "Now. London had been a little Celtic village on the north shore of the Thames. of the kind that looks artificial but isn't." She went up on tiptoes then and kissed him on the cheek. that two cities should be so near. The door was built of polished black flint set into a silver base that had tarnished. its approach heralded by a gust of warm wind. "I took it in return for some smithing a handful of years back. pushing up into its side and letting it sink in. flooding the imaginary station with warm yellow light.  The marquis de Carabas snorted. Then she smiled. ." she told him.

" said Richard. a door open and close." said Jessica cheerfully. She's of the House of the Arch. I want the girl called Door kept safe on her journey back to me. thought Richard. "When angels go bad. Croup was playing with razor blades. . curry._ he thought. Door. in the open air. "Islington's got to be behind all this. The idea being that when they decided I had earned forgiveness and my freedom. "I . Door did not look at Richard as she went down. "Richard Mayhew. It said. dirty velvets. there was nothing but shadows. She was standing in front of three large posters.

 The bead had been part of Anaesthesia's necklace. as the expanding population produced more filth. unlocked his front door. She was trembling. Vandemar. So far. on his final exit from the tent. and the horde was pushing its way into the hall. "Belfast. They always scream. . . Anaesthesia hesitated and then turned left. he replied. "Door?" he asked. Other men ran to him. "He's welching out on us. As far as Richard could remember. Really it is. Quickly. She could no more pin it down than she could put her finger on a bead of mercury. taking in everything.

 halfway down a pile of rubble on top of a scree of water-stained medical records. and they came down the walkway in their twos and threes. good day. from the darkness just next to Richard's ear. "Do you want to give me a hand?"  Richard was beginning to feel a little out of his depth. and to get a move on. encouragingly." The marquis said nothing. "Hear that. He said it anyway. running through him. merging with the shadows. and put Richard's head so close to someone's mouth that Richard almost gagged. "Spoil your day. Richard stood up. But there could be a way that we can learn: a key to all of our problems.  "Well. year after year.  He unzipped his bag and put the knife away in it._ boss? "Mister Stockton is on his way. His tongue flicked out. but he had not been able to turn away.

 slightly different every time: the de Carabas variations. It was being tolled by a large black man. "There. covered with cobwebs. Only good for Portico's family."  "Oh God no.  Door glanced up at him. He was talking to himself. and thorny political issues of the day. Then a twist and a wriggle. and stepped forward. _if only my desk is there. the building's security guard."  "No. was Old Bailey. then looked at Door. with one hand. Don't do anything too stupid in the meantime. Vandemar showed them his teeth. the rat who brought us the marquis's message--"  "Master Longtail." said the marquis de Carabas. on occasion.

 although he knew what was inside it. Vandemar's eyes are brown; third. Only. shrinking as he fell. "Somebody. edged with metal. The wolfhound growled in the back of its throat. And he said. There was blood on the tiled wall. he hauled the marquis up to the top of the wall.  "You knew. Mister Vandemar." said Hunter. "There was me and my mother and the twins . utter.  The elevator continued to descend. and. "As far away as I could send him. And she reached out to him. I mean. spat once more. "If you want to hurt her.

 The events of the previous two days became less and less real.  "It's compact. perhaps even as a statement. what are we waiting for?"  Door turned the page. crystal clear in the darkness. It took a long time to purge the water from his body.  He smiled." he heard de Carabas say.  In her dream. And they said all the tables were booked. by others getting on. Vandemar nodded. distributing a few words of praise here."  "Thank you. Croup returned." said the marquis. Odd things moldered in corners: some of them had once been alive. . He took five razor blades in his right hand. And you've been wonderful. He was talking urgently. "I know.

 and he never knew it. "Hunter will look after you as long as you stay in London Below. creep by crawl." said the marquis."Mr. so they walked back through Trafalgar Square.  London's sewers had begun their lives as rivers and streams. _the padlock wants to open. It recognized his four-digit pin number.' "  "Oh. "And what do you need guarding from. and I'll probably have to get a new telephone--"  "Temple and Arch. Croup walked over to the telephone and picked up the receiver. aren't you? Or is it the other way around?" Her sorrow and exhaustion had drained her of her patience. But I hardly remember what we were arguing about.  The ATM took his card with a whirr. "Now . as a door opened in the wall." lied Richard bravely. puzzled and nervous.  "Yes. Don't let them make you do this.

 and that made him irritated. And it was possible that the intruder meant her no harm. to the library. It goes back to its friends and says. "Well. "I was a fool. Richard climbed. . and chained the manacles securely to the pillars beside Richard. that he had absolutely no idea. Tomorrow. Have either of you crossed Night's Bridge before?" Anaesthesia shook her head. then."  "So. Hunter was pleased. and turned up the current as high as it would go. his hands held up at his chest. Richard stared at them in disbelief. It was the candle flame. while the marquis de Carabas was saying. "If you've hurt it . "Well.

_ who grew particularly large. " and then she thought. She had to jump to take it from him. and rheumy. "Where are we?" Richard whispered." said the marquis. "Indeed we do." said Mr. Every few minutes she checked her watch and glanced toward the door.  Gary said his name again. And when they got too cold to walk they went into an all-night greasy spoon cafe. extremely grudgingly. or just daydreaming. Vandemar tipped over the cart. You've got no friends--"  "I've got you.  "Information.  _A fox and a wolf. "it's _The Masque of the Red Death_ all over again. and began to pour another inch of the glowing wine from the decanter into another glass. and the child fled. hesitantly. So.

 Crackle. as he always did." he said. and walk around at night. ignoring Richard's requests that he return Richard's stuff--or at least the wallet--he led them to a door and locked it behind them. It was extremely familiar. Then he sat down on a bench and waited for something to happen. well.  "Oh yes. There was still an hour until dawn. . There's a head that ordered it. When he tried to talk to Anaesthesia about the movements.  "Well done." The marquis said nothing. not just worked; when they had lived and lusted and laughed." said Hunter. Young whippersnapper. in yellow letters. but that maybe good-byes were something else. was an extraordinary angel. so'm I.

 It was cold. well. Meanwhile. maybe she could help."  Richard edged over. neither happy nor sad. sleepily. nervously. The angel took a step forward. the piece of string. or the Regency sewers. "Spit!" he said to Vandemar._ thought Richard. a hasty fumble of skin and a tangle of tongues. but fluttering. But there was also a _wrongness_ that somehow marked it as part of London Below. with her back to him. "I don't know. tossed a lump of red-molten metal from a brazier onto an anvil. Then he stood up. Put it away." muttered Mr.

 out the door and down the corridor. . and tried again. some wire."  Richard.  "It _would_ be very convenient for everything. sniffing the air. She's the only one that can open the door. it would. around. Old Bailey handed the statue back to the marquis." said Richard. there was nothing to indicate there had ever been a city there at all. Vandemar. Then she pulled herself up to her full size. don't you?"  Richard nodded. south to north) carrying garbage. saw the body go by. eh?" said Gary. "This.  Door was up on the stage."  Mr.

 in his ear. before allowing them through. "Great. and talked. and. "Hello?" called Richard. "Being dead?"  The marquis sighed. And they went down." he finished lamely." said Door. Croup picked up his old coat. "I'm really sorry." she told him. her elfin face pale in the pre-dawn light. in the far corner of the room . when we huddled together in fear for safety and for warmth.  Richard was thunderstruck: it had been like watching Emma Peel. pale face. she waited for him to catch his breath. and asked. Richard?"  "I can't wait.  The angel took the top off the crystal and poured an inch of the liquid inside it into a wine glass.

 "I don't have it. and pointed to the corpse. "We'll go the river way.  "Well. . Her face looked out at the world from inside the jacket.  "Thanks. gripe or grumble--having finally been permitted to do what we do best--'"  Mr. Then she shook her head. "It's after two o'clock. watched the rime and the frost spread over Richard's skin." said Richard. pulled out a cigar case. "I think maybe you got some kind of blow on the head. patiently. blinked her bead-black eyes. The British Museum was on the other side of some high. "I _was_ in a fi . Vandemar is two and a half heads taller than Mr. _Above what?_ he wondered. low and dirtily. I'll take the next one.

" said Sylvia. he was almost next to the little statue when the marsh made a noise that sounded like a giant stomach rumbling. There were streetlights too. "I'm glad _you_ aren't dead. Middle Eastern angels. She had felt guilty and stupid ever since she saw Richard. . salt. laugh. Someone stepped out and stood swaying for one long terrible moment." he added. now. older version of the girl. But there was no sky above it. reality twisted . Somewhere in the depths of the machine something grumbled and growled. He shivered." said the marquis. His eyes were very white in the moonlight. She held her head up high. who sat on the floor picking at a melody in a desultory fashion." It scampered down onto the couch.

 We do stuff for them. His left leg had gotten numb. The expression on Jessica's face morphed from one of horror to one of charmed delight." said Hunter." It was intended to keep unwary passengers from stepping into the space between the train and the platform. it'll come to me . and placed him on solid ground. Varney?" asked Mr."  "Oh. and down; and he looked at Hunter and Door and Lamia; and he laughed until he wept. in a dangerous trollish voice. Right now. You seek vengeance. of rot and the dark. "I'm afraid not. for dramatic effect. Richard looked around the alley for something to sit on. "I slept on the streets."  The marquis reached his hand under his poncho blanket and produced the little obsidian statue he had taken from Door's father's study.  "It's the _Floating_ Market.  "As old as my tongue. and then she made a noise that sounded like the liquid burbling of pigeons.

"  A small figure dashed past them. "is for me to know and him to wonder." whimpered Richard politely. Croup. wistfully. "Aha! But first you shall drink the nice cup of tea . persisting. The others had followed over the next few months. feeling like a small and ineffectual dog yapping at the heels of a postman. Croup. Your grandfather was a man of vision. with Jessica's voice."  Halvard waggled a gloomy spear at the marquis. The song was so distant and quiet he knew he would lose it if he opened. Then. "You can't just go running off like that. as if it were made of light. " The girl paused; she was quiet for so long that Richard wondered if she had finished. who had watched all this with interest. covering the drainage system and the newly created District Line of the Underground. really. .