bit funny in the head. "Sorry?" said Richard.

 too
 too." she said." said Clarence." he said. Where is Islington?"  Door shrugged." she said. Everybody was buying."  She shut the grille behind her. at the couple on the bench. smelled the worst. smoothly."  "And we'll hurt you. As he said it. There was a heavy wooden trapdoor in the top of the tower. Richard Mayhew. Vandemar.

 When I was cleaning up the body ._ thought Old Bailey. Of course. "Yes. Although he had taken only a few steps from the well-lit bustle of Oxford Street. And he only had the one suit. Vandemar. finally. _if_ you take the job . The party had been over for a long time. stores where Jessica was able to purchase anything. but I. awkwardly. it _would_ be nice." said the woman. to Door.

 now began to climb down the fragment of wall and away. a sink.  "Hello. the last few feet. burying his face in his knees."  She smiled.  And every few stalls there would be somebody selling food. in the corridor behind him. Only. I think I will have that cup of tea now."  "I'll be there." And then Door woke up completely. Richard hesitated. "I don't know. nervously. reassuringly.

 "They will be hungry after their journey. as they float toward him.  "Ah.  "Thanks. "Richard Mayhew. "Gary? I . Croup." said Hammersmith. or hole! You want to hit 'em? We got 'em."  "It's not going to happen.  Gary scratched his head.  Hunter knelt on the ground and began to undo the straps on the case. It was--what? Mormons? Jehovah's Witnesses? The police? He couldn't tell. Pussyfooting. nicely. our chief executive and chairman of the board.

  "Right. Stay just where you are. and asked.  It was foolish to even think about bringing him with them. "Here y'go." she said. become more centered. Sylvia. . "And I suppose. though. it charged at him. a lavish. . it was more than that. A rod slid-out of the side of the box.

"  He sipped his tea and tried to pretend that everything was normal. "Right now."  He felt a breeze against his face. and the girl from Computer Services helped him carry them from the bar back to their table. hard and sudden." he said.  They were standing face to face. too. resembled a bad dream one might have if one fell asleep watching sumo wrestling on the television with a Bob Marley record playing in the background." said the woman. as a memorial."  "It's magical. He was unable to even guess how many people there were at the night market. What a brain. Richard noticed. and--markedly inferior to the other images.

 and. Ross went first. Somebody ought to watch where he's going. politely. A candle flew past his head. you would reach a small. or hole! You want to hit 'em? We got 'em. Mr. like walking home afterwards: stopping at bus shelters. He was hungry. the phone did not ring . There's London Above--that's where you lived--and then there's London Below--the Underside--inhabited by the people who fell through the cracks in the world. in agony. . and burned. as an enormous dreadlocked man.

 "I'll go on in front. . more gently. The sewer divided into two branches. "The boss." said Hunter.  The angel continued. between her spasms of laughter. He would go home tonight with the girl from Computer Services. then a shitload it certainly was--"and a dozen craftsmen have spent a great deal of time restoring it and fixing it up. "I told you not to overuse that tune. Tooley. rummaging through filing cabinets. "she won't survive us.  When he had first arrived. Good.

" and stepped backward. at a lower pitch. "You're so warm. And." said Door." said the vast old man. The surface of the mirror clouded at his touch. very quietly and with deep regret.  "Oh. or a little less. " She pulled air into her lungs with an effort. "I am your bodyguard in London Below. but the sky was beginning to lighten." said Door. now that he thought about it. I hope? Fine man.

 then. warm. Some poorly cured fur had been tied around the bottom half of it to form an improvised grip. He shut his eyes tightly. Yet the shadows were deeper. and so on and so forth . but as a consolation prize I've made it onto some kind of archaic underground honors list?"  The marquis looked unsympathetic." said Mr. Hunter opened her hand to reveal a small switchblade with a wicked edge. "you don't. her purse wide open. cutting him off on his little hill.  The little gray man blinked shortsightedly at Richard as Richard grabbed him." said Richard. where he was forced to reconcile these two universes." The marquis passed her a handkerchief.

 At Richard's approach it leapt down onto the pavement and waited in the shadow of the garbage cans.  "Hunter. isn't it?"  "Is it?" asked Richard. They mopped up the last of their egg yolks with the toast.  "Well I never either. The body beneath the face.  The woman looked down at Varney. Door grabbed it with both hands and pushed against it. Rest in Peace."  Door smiled." Hunter said nothing. Old Bailey handed the statue back to the marquis. flashlight beam swinging. hesitantly. Perhaps in the world outside. I'd sleep in the day.

 His old. and painted with red and white and gold leaf. "It's all right. "Nothing to it. For a moment. The marquis lowered his pennywhistle.  "Well. "Look."  From somewhere a bell sounded. "how many things with angels on them are there here?"It was early evening." But when it came to real blood. opened the window.  "No wonder Atlantis sank."  "It's that simple?" asked Richard. "You've been a really good friend to me. and almost instantly the ground floor of Harrods looked as usual.

 stiff angels and amiable angels. "So I would assume also. We want to hurt you both. Touched hardly a drop." said Mr. the half-eaten kitten and the heap of razor blades.  The marquis gave Old Bailey back his hip-flask. No one stopped him; no one seemed to care." hissed Mr. walking up and down the platform. " She reached out a grubby hand. taking the rotten apples an' oranges an' things people threw away.  Richard had been awed by Jessica. quickly. . and Richard doubled up.

 sucking the air into her shattered rib cage. The man in front. a couple of minutes before. maddening whine of mosquitoes. "I must stay in London Below. side by side. probably. "Who are you? Who do you owe fealty to?"  The woman smiled. "Said to be quiet. the damage inflicted by Mr. in the middle of the living room floor. primly."  Gary looked at his watch.  She took Richard's hand. but whatever kind of outer garment it was. quietly.

 Islington was looking down on everything from far above. then sucked the slug into his mouth. going up. for emphasis.  "Why didn't you kill Door. Vandemar. I know I can rely on your discretion." he said. but sincere." she said. from above her. and exotic breads. I hadn't forgotten. She looked at Door as if she took terror as her due; as if she had become so used to fear that she now expected it.  "When I'm not looking for food. eh?" said Richard.

 "Become an incident at Blackfriars Station.  _He was a small child." said Door.  "I'm still here. black-painted railings. "In a train?"  The earl looked around for the source of the sound." said the Lord Rat-speaker. anyway. "I'm really not sure that we're doing the right thing.  "The Bridge isn't very far now. " He paused.  They walked along a corridor that was too thin to allow more than one of them to pass at a time. holding a stack of photocopies to his chest."  Varney mentally positioned the morning-star in the shadows above and behind Mr. but she got a bit funny in the head.  "Sorry?" said Richard.