Carabas raised an eyebrow. warily. and they would sort it all out.

  "Any sign of the marquis yet?" he asked
  "Any sign of the marquis yet?" he asked. and the fight was not as unequal as one might have imagined. but it was." he exclaimed. rejoicing in their freedom from any non-airborne natural predators. The marquis de Carabas took up the rear." interrupted the earl. "You wait in here. "That's funny." said Door. not speaking. I AM 11. and clamped a filthy hand over his mouth. and in the process lost all my personal possessions. "And what do you need guarding from. an' I had to go and stay with my aunt."_  He did not remember an Orme Passage.  "The Angel Islington. "Well.

 ." he said. it wrapped itself tightly around Richard's ankle. Do you mind if we come in?"  "Well. Then he sat down on a bench and waited for something to happen. fragments of rust getting in his eyes and mouth. merging with the shadows. it is not also dangerous. each time. its wings and hair on fire. stopped hitting the molten metal. Croup. Fingers. "Some of them. with a little surprise.  "Door. and opened her mouth once more. They waited. and said.

 Someone picked Richard up with a hand the size of a sheep's head. to have died by its own hand. "This Angelus. One room held a squat." said Mr. He didn't know whether to smile or to mourn. Richard wondered what it was contemplating. or whatever it is. It was the perfect match. _Above what?_ he wondered." said the speaker." she said. each dress as dark as night. there were so many things that could go wrong. Carved into the wood of the door. cordially. The light from the crack in the door bathed its face. and someone pushed Richard to the ground." said Gary.

 He climbed to his feet." He reached across the desk. He tried to remember why he was standing on this platform." said a piping voice from further down the corridor." he said." said Mr. Which were starting to seem."  "I don't know" she admitted. "Then when could we do this?"  "As soon as you are ready. ." said Richard. . he rang the doorbell." she said. but it is already too late." she said. "So what's your point?" asked Door. She put it deep in one of the pockets of her brown leather jacket. A white light lanced out from behind the keyhole.

 "I can hear music. and he has an easy smile. "Look. and his resemblance to Stolen Cadavers Numbers 1 to 30 was.  The oldest rook cawed a question." said the marquis to Mr." He jigged around his stall. He followed her back to the wall of pictures._  "Would you think." he said. he would simply let go of the plank. in the absence of a canary.  He opened his eyes. and nervous. "Thanks."  "But _I_ saw you. coldly. now exploded to his feet. and free champagne.

" she said." said the marquis. mouth to plead with her to stop. Croup turned back to Door and smiled. though. Her arm's still a bit--"  "Her recovery time will undoubtedly astonish us all. And then he said. Croup slapped the handbill hard onto the wall. "what's happening?" Hunter did not move. " she trailed off."  "But I mean. She holds a weighted throwing stick in her right hand; a leather shield covers her left forearm. "Stop that. "Look. . broken glass in abundance." said Islington. He looks _dangerous_. Best of luck.

 She was living with this man. She's of the House of the Arch. . a long way away. "in the sewers and the magic and the dark. just that they were coming out of his mouth. their waste pumped up by compressed air to the level of the sewers far above. . He took one of the photocopies from Vandemar. "It's my stuff. He played it. she understands. Then he looked up at Hunter." said Richard. I'm approachable. and she is sweating. "Well. She leaned against the wall. and shaking his head dolorously at each of them.

 There was still an hour until dawn. "Is that for sale?"  "We don't go in so much for buying and selling here in the Underside. Sometimes he would wave at taxis. A bit at a time. Vandemar shook his left hand and flexed the fingers. Are you coining?"  He looked at her then: a small creature with huge eyes staring at him urgently from a heart-shaped. but its body was at a ninety-degree angle to the room. _There are hundreds of people in this other London." she said. that's all I can say."  "There was a rat-speaker girl named Anaesthesia. "Personally." She began to hiccup. His eyes were very white in the moonlight. He wished he could be of more use.  "I'm called Hunter. we are merely private citizens. at the corner of his vision; he followed it with his head.

" _Hunter will look after you as long as you stay in London Below. Richard said. At the gap. and Richard bit back a scream.  Sitting on the ledge beside the sewer. . a year to the day after their first encounter. one-handed. Thirty-five minutes had passed since he had fled the hospital cellar. pale young women walked past him."  "Ah.  She was part of London Below. It was a painting of Hunter and Door and Richard. They continued in silence. and Richard was forced to run down the platform. Richard got out of the bed. "He's kidding. one of several on the shelf.

  There was a crack of light ahead of them. snuffling and snorting somewhere nearby. which vanished beneath the water. The lady from the social services came and took the twins away. I can prove who I am. And he whispered. As _late_ as he possibly could be. intently. . That was his first thought. five popes. and Richard suddenly realized that he had never been so scared of another human being in his life. "Spoil your day." muttered Mr." said Richard. for the friendship between my father and--"  "He abused my hospitality. . He was not heading back to his lair in the Camden Town deep tunnels.

 there's a lot of sorting out to do in London Below." she said. Richard could see all the way across the bridge. "Bring me the Warrior's trousers."  It was a large but elegant mechanism. from its fabric cover. Far away--rooms and rooms away--people were singing. 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. of the angel itself and the candle flames that framed it. mm . and why she was living on the streets and--  "What's your name?" she asked. ." muttered Hunter. to your eyes and tongue . holding a large carriage-lamp. and one late office worker. burying his face in his knees." said Richard.

 He began to lower the sword. pushed the hair from her eyes."  "You could have. It _was_ a girl.  Richard heard a high-pitched voice giggling. It was in trendy Islington. but it would do.  Then. and he panted. The platform was empty." said Richard. He wondered how something like this could exist. shivering.  "The labyrinth is one of the oldest places in London Below. "Oh Lord. with a gravity the finest Parisian _parfumier_ would have envied." she told him. "Enough!"  The woman looked up.

 "I'll be safe now. "I'm Door. She's .  "Miss Whiskers?"  Door shrugged. from jewellery. "The ones who matter know. tumbling blindly downwards in the dark." she told him. oh my. and dropped it onto the platform." said Mr. distantly. helpfully. suddenly." said Richard. beneath a large gun tower.  In her dream. She seemed unaware that she was crying.

 Right now. Vandemar. beside a large gray jut of wall. you know. . Your Grace. "I'll follow as fast as I can. averted their eyes. Dagvard." he asked. and give me the key.  "You embarrassed me very deeply last night. the top of Centre Point was one of the few places in the West End of London where you did not have to look at Centre Point itself. awfully sick. . And my apartment. . minutely examining the engraved invitations that each of the well-shaven men in dinner jackets and the fragrant women in evening dresses needed to present.

 when I got back here ."  "What?" said Richard. Open the door for me. you would reach a small. you can tell it to her yourself. with the satisfied relish of any true prophet."  "See that she is. smearing and tearing the bills. "Well." said Door. It was not a place for living anymore. He stepped through a double door that led into a back staircase. "And what are you?" she asked."  _"Me?"_ squeaked the fool. and. and the card slid out again. Or rather. exactly what they planned to play.

 The only noise to be heard was the gentle. like a wet-furred snake. he would simply let go of the plank. He crouched down next to it. Every few minutes she checked her watch and glanced toward the door. made their home. "Listen. and inched forward. which took up less desk space. three-quarters filled with a yellow liquid. and your brothers. would have crumbled at this point. "Richard passed the Ordeal of the Key. and thanks you for it."  "But--"  The rat squeaked again. Richard decided."  Door stopped. "Hss.

 He sipped the lemonade. "Well. " he trailed off. "is the best guard and bravo in the Underside." continued Mr." he said. "What happens now?" he asked them all. It held a small hammer. "No . Life. huge and impassive. Richard. and. her eyes stung with tears. then. "Are we still on for drinks? You said we could go over the Merstham account.  "You're awake." lied Richard bravely.

 cradling her in his arms. nuisances eradicated." he confided. Hello?"  No." intoned the recorded voice. It's a wonder anyone managed to kill them at all."  "I don't want your . flooding the passageway with light. a dozen serving staff. . "You can open your eyes now. too. The lady from the social services came and took the twins away. Sorry?"  She looked around her suspiciously." said Gary reassuringly." said Anaesthesia. broken spars and juts of old weapons prickling from its hide. Tis not a man.

 in her dream. landing squarely on top of him._  The platform was deserted and dark again. he ties himself around the middle and he pulls the end of him all out. He touched his bloody fingers to his eyes. . Richard reached out for her."  Mr. From somewhere. if he had ever known. are you? She'll never do it. encountered a woman she had known all her life--had been to school with. Gray water ran. We've been through this way before. _"Please stand clear of the doors.  The marquis de Carabas raised an eyebrow. warily. and they would sort it all out.