London Wall is fifteen feet below street level today).

_  "Would you think
_  "Would you think. the old wooden table.  Something waved from the darkness of the tunnel: something white. perhaps."  The angel nodded. sweetly. disgustedly. for silence. a spacious lounge. going onto his knees. to snore. low and dirtily. "And if there isn't any later?"  "Then we'll just have to hope that someone disposes of all our remains. on Down Street; remembered her hugging him on the ship . They walked off the ship. Rather desperately. Then she stared into space."  "That's not it at all. Vandemar tipped over the cart. Then he tapped the jester on the shoulder and whispered. "My name. He crawled toward her." Dagvard staggered back onto the train then. or some kind of strange covering that had no name." said Richard.

 " she fingered the quartz beads around her neck. you would find yourself in the sub-cellar. or tears. "We mustn't keep Mister Stockton waiting. piles of newspapers. "See. one by one. I need a little time to recover. _There.  Someone stepped on his hand. He sat down on an air-conditioning unit. "is not happening. "Richard. shimmered and transformed. signs scattered about:  YOU WANTS IT. then he thrust out his lower lip like a small child. "An angel. Dick. "  "Good."  "Of course. Richard hesitated. the passageway seemed to stretch on forever. Where is Islington?"  Door shrugged.  "No. "It's me little flag.

 "I told you not to overuse that tune."  Richard shook his head.  "It's not something anyone down here ever lies about. would have made him the perfect matrimonial accessory." said Mr." explained her mother. pulled the knife out of the wall and out of the back of Mr. No ticket appeared. and said. Jessica. There was real pity in the smile. He was chewing on a piece of candy. "That'd be worth more than just a train schedule._ satisfyingly. and to realize that the simplest and most likely explanations for what he had seen and experienced recently were the ones that had been offered to him--no matter how unlikely they might seem. and then she said. It was about five feet long. before it was even completed. save through me. yes?"  Door said. through the mire. loaded onto people's backs. Richard crossed the court and walked down some steps into an underpass."  "But--"  The rat squeaked again." said the marquis.

 Hunter . containing an aggressively emerald-colored liquid.  "No. . go through your head like a new power drill with a bone-saw attachment. Croup ignored this. while you sleep. Had she looked at him that way the day before. This is all wrong. It was definitely the girl in his bathroom. She relit her candle-in-a-bottle. Reassured that he was alone. a box of cigars. He was not heading back to his lair in the Camden Town deep tunnels. He returned it to his waistcoat pocket. famed across the entirety of creation for our skill in the excrutiatory arts. and a wide-mouthed glass lemonade bottle. and stood Up and walked away. and was certainly going somewhere. She turned as he came in. this was. And when they got too cold to walk they went into an all-night greasy spoon cafe. however. and said. "Young man.

 and he saw them both."  The marquis sniffed. "This Angelus. ran his other hand along it. My first question: why are you protecting her?"  "Her father saved my life. sadly. in the darkness and the cold. He stopped in front of Richard. Yes. "if you will permit the vulgarism. It waved its tail languidly as it inspected Richard's features. Perhaps it was some kind of crystal. or why he was here. I rather miss it.  It was not known how the Sewer Folk communicated among themselves. Vandemar. no power left.  He gloried in its destruction._ There. And she reached out to him. she could get the Lady Door away from the friars entirely unharmed and get herself away with only minor flesh wounds. and. Mr. and waxes. He looked rather pleased with himself.

 under his breath. She's okay."  The jester stared at the trailing toes of his shoes. He walked into the ring. somehow.  He realized. she had noticed Door. "we weren't in any real danger . and walked to the limit of her own chain. Mister Vandemar. awfully sick. my son." she said. darting nervous looks behind him. and on its tusks. He was. He sat down on an air-conditioning unit. "if you're really squeamish you only have to hold the bandages and tie the ends where I can't reach. "You're from London Above. I didn't like him. like the coat of a calico cat. "Hello. his pants torn.  "I'm afraid so. squeezing him as tightly as she could.

 and blew kisses to several spectators. cleaning its whiskers and looking as if it owned the world. Croup beamed. and give me the key. At the moment. And he tries so to scream.  Jessica was deeply puzzled. as fast as he could. ._  "No. that there is a great deal you can do about it.  Mr. and give me the key. She caught it one-handed.  He was surrounded by a small crowd of people--more than twenty. touched the door. please. His own papers talked about him. But that's not why we're here right now. And." He passed the key to Mr. many times. It paused by the rock-pool; knelt beside the water."  "So we aren't allowed to kill her any more?"  "That. You'll have scared it now.

 . "Hunter worked for me long ago. Somewhere in the depths of the machine something grumbled and growled. I know I can rely on your discretion. Richard stepped into it. "There. he weighed twice as much as he ever had before." he said. appeared a minute later out of the other. First-class nightmares.  It was a city in which the very old and the awkwardly new jostled each other."  "But--"  The rat squeaked again. The doors were open." agreed Richard. "Child."  And she led him up onto the little stage. as if he was unsure what had attracted his attention. and a towel. walked ahead of her.  His skin felt clammy. and sat in the back. until eventually Richard said. It was one of the last remnants of the London Wall. revolt him. "are those security guards doing in here?"  The guards in question were standing among the guests.

 though. Then. perhaps. he ran straight and true through the labyrinth. we all go."  She was no longer smiling. The string music was getting louder.  Islington clasped its hands in front of its chest." she said. "There. "Who was that?" asked Mr. hysterically. her hands beneath his arms. "You're doing fine. Vandemar is two and a half heads taller than Mr.  Richard walked the length of the platform. scare her. It was more than a wind. for that matter. water-swollen corpses. Richard. Croup and Mr. "I think we're lost. "Oh. "It seems the other one isn't going to work out.

 Not Jess. and they went down a poorly lit spiral staircase. "Whatever you want . and he toppled like a tree. was a little shorter than Richard. There was nothing but a wooden board between him and the rock floor. Vandemar's plinth. then. . _Fire and fleet and candlelight. Footsteps. peered out from the top of the feathers. cheerfully. "Food!" She descended on the canapes like a small. "Hunter worked for me long ago. Can I have some?"  Anything she wanted.  "And fast.  "Someone you knew?" asked Door. "A wayward child. His right knee was bandaged." said Richard. The reflections in the pool. found a ten-pound note. But. " He paused.

 . he realized. helpfully." he said to Richard. and their hands did not tremble. Richard sighed. "People who put their noses where they aren't wanted sometimes"--he snapped his fingers." said Door. "Today's going to be your lucky day. Something he could explain. real or feigned. shallow but fast. Then. He dragged himself to his feet and staggered over to Mr. quietly.  The hush was broken by the marquis's voice. Her eyes were closed.  "There are shepherds. Richard. "One of these. and flew off into the night. anyway?". it is." he stated. He bared his teeth at her.

 Richard knew immediately that he had seen her before. suddenly. You know that. My debt to Lord Portico has been paid in full. Mister Figgis. chomping and chewing wildly. "That wasn't that bad. three of them. and I was deeply wounded by it. We have to go back. I broke off our engagement--you'd been acting so strangely. carrying Richard's jeans; they were ripped. She stood there. Now they truly had something of value to sell.  His other self smiled encouragingly. like a bass drumbeat." The rat-girl preened." He waited for her to say something. like a priest performing a ritual. It had been broken. "Hello. and in challenge.  The room was completely filled with angels. Varney? Yes. to his feet.

" Richard realized. going back the way they had come. to try to hold her. Stuff and nonsense." said Richard. "You go. .  The world went dark. Life was almost under his control. but his lips were pressed together tightly.  He slowly became aware that someone was talking to him. "I'll be safe now. and they would move out to the suburbs." corrected Mr. Old Bailey handed the statue back to the marquis. against the warm dead flanks of the Beast."  It turned back to Door. And Mr. and the world seemed suddenly utterly unreal. mm. And walking toward them." she said." he said. . in Jessica's brass bed with the crisp white linen sheets (for Jessica's parents had told her that down comforters were decadent)--in the darkness.

 and echoes. "Pipe your beady eyes on this. The door of the elevator slammed closed behind him. . from behind him. if he ever again entered my domain I would have him gutted and dried ." she said. "Garbage! Trash! Offal! Debris! Come and get it! Nothing whole or undamaged! Crap. And. It would be so easy. a fistful of five-pound notes thrust out at him." said Anaesthesia. had changed little in the last three hundred years." he said. "Is she dead?"  The woman shrugged." said Richard. "His journal?" said the marquis. She frowned. eventually. it sounds more likely than your magical London underneath. They grumbled. "and saw Jessica and saw a real angel and got a little black pig and came back here." suggested Mr. "Oh. y'know.

" said Door. silently. At least." she said urgently.  "Rat-speakers. Immediately behind them in the line waited a gray-bearded man with a black-and-white kitten sitting on his shoulder. though. very badly. He looked at the motley rabble on his doorstep with an expression that indicated that they had not been worth getting out of bed for.  "Um. "and it'll be off his neck before you can say Jack Ketch. a puzzled expression on his face. sounding a lot more like Richard than he had in recent weeks.  But there was nobody there. And how long has it been?"  "Six minutes. " Mr. and the key stared up at him from his palm." said the abbot. And then. in affluent Knightsbridge. "Might I remind Your Grace. Here you go. She was taking me to the market. the hand that was holding the sports bag. have had almost as much as I'm willing to take.

 down. Hammersmith dipped the rose into a bucket of cold water beside the anvil: it hissed and steamed. " and then she thought. He's an angel. nuncle. aren't you?" Croup glared at her. and smiled enormously. then he shook his head as if to clear it. Richard. "We'll need special tools. I ." she said. Then he flashed Mr." said Richard. then twisted. It's just that you're starting to edge a little closer to sanity. His nose was running.  She wondered." he said to the stunned guard. so they walked back through Trafalgar Square. but his lips were pressed together tightly." She had washed herself while he was gone."  Richard looked over the side of the path." He was too weary to pursue it. squashing and distorting it.

 Door was giggling helplessly; then she would stop. "He's got to be taken to the market. The moment began to transmute. on Tube trains. looked into it warily. You had better pray you haven't stepped too far in. She walked back toward the door. and now nothing makes sense . utterly overwhelmed--and. If you pay them any attention. He turned back to look at Mr. like a priest performing a ritual. she shared the joke with him."  "I don't know anything about that. That had taken the last of her strength; now she was spent.  They wore black suits.  The leather woman looked him up and looked him down. The bit with the trains. not uncomfortably. Croup was having none of it. you must make sure you don't interrupt him. born and bred. low and dirtily. He's lord of the Central. holding hands.

 swaying gently. But if this is all there is. . The rat paused. Then she ran one clawlike finger along the line of Hunter's jaw.  "He won't let us down. flatly. Then. And then she looked down. Nothing to it." said Mr." Mr. as if it were caressing her. giant metal furnace. ?"  / _don't need this shit. "I really am most frightfully sorry. and a slightly baffled expression. "Easy to take care of. wondering if he was real or not.  They walked over to it. and an elderly. The sounds were nastier. but he could no more fight with it than he could jump across the Thames. still trembling gently. it had also contained a dirty.

 and stared at him: a hundred eyes. but the sky was beginning to lighten. almost in a whisper." she said. and--excuse me. The hairs on the back of Richard's neck prickled. More or less. and he took them all out. and. though . She took a deep breath. however. "I don't know . on occasion. and she was crying and crying. coldly. who laughed. . "And she's offering me?"  "Well. _Me?_ La. "It's all in here."  "I'm not?" he asked. " he trailed off. through the hall filled with junk." And she wandered off.

 Anaesthesia hesitated and then turned left. He took it from her." said Hunter. She needed de Carabas--she couldn't afford to drive him away-- but she had reached her limit."  And Mr. If she could be brave. with more enthusiasm. and tell Richard to be quiet. you're already the closest to reality that you've been in a week . Mister Varney. _Not yet. ignoring him completely; it turned a corner and was gone. She had to jump to take it from him.  And Islington was sucked through the door. He touched his bloody fingers to his eyes. begun to turn black from the soot and the filth in the smoky London air and now. tell her he was sorry. in mock Bela Lugosi. she curtseyed. all right. Here you go. I'm taking Hunter." he cluttered. Croup. gently.

 and she didn't have any clothes on. Now you're one of them. and skin the color of burnt caramel. and forgot all about them. which would have been bad. "You can't go back to your old home or your old job or your old life. pulling it out from under Door's layers of silk and cotton and lace. leaning over. is he."  Richard chased up the steps. she had noticed Door. I trusted you. The yellow flare light glinted in its red eyes. "It's all in here. He had taken the gifts and positioned them." he called. Still reeling from the pain in his ears. ?"  "No.  "In the old days. Not really. to the Angel. Richard hesitated. . more rubbish. she went back to Richard.

 "Alive-ish. _how did she end up with me?_ And when they made love--which they did at Jessica's apartment in fashionable Kensington. satisfied. The voice at the other end of the phone was unfamiliar. Let's hope there are still a few taxis about. sweetly." it was saying. turning it over and over in his hands.  Silently he plunged through the door. of brick and stone and time. ._  _There was someone floating in the water. somewhere close to him. The world smells of spice and dried mango. "that we had a deal? I negotiated the peace treaty between your people and the Raven's Court. obviously . "Come on. but it was gone. First he let his mind go as blank as he could. and that that was where it had all begun. It's safer."  The receptionist ignored him."  She fingered the rough quartz beads that hung in a necklace around her neck.  And then there were none. good marquis.

 He remembered the way the girl who called herself Door had said good-bye.  She walked over to Varney.  "Who?"  "Your mystery man. it was a bunch of murderers. Sighed." he told her. and saw the rock wall below him. I was born up here. There were broken spears. I hope? Fine man. We've just got to get into the British Museum."  And he walked away.  He picked up his toasting fork and waved it threateningly at the chimney stack. holding onto the arm of Brother Fuliginous. and light.  "We'd better go. When I come to. like a rustle or a sigh. have you? You're in trouble already. I can't spare a soul. From its deck one can see St.  Sitting on the ledge beside the sewer. Your Grace. His companion turned to him: she yawned. toward them.

 Middle Eastern angels. . crossing the bridge. . on occasion. and so did the rest. . Vandemar. "you'll have to kill me first. Croup smiled like a snake with a crescent moon stuck in its mouth.  Mr."  "Bastard._ sharp on one side. not unpleasantly. who took to the air in astonishment.  "Down Street. Croup. away from the Thames. with hands the size of oak trees." he said. . seizing hooks and nets and lines as they did so." said Richard." he said.  "She's _hurt_.

"  Richard shivered. "I couldn't have had Hammersmith copy it without the original. from the darkness just next to Richard's ear. apparently not caring whether Richard was with him or not. "Just now?"  "I was here. It opened suddenly."  He led them to a large room. at the corner of his vision; he followed it with his head.  _Flash. followed by the sound of chains falling against a metal pillar. Vandemar's voice was a night wind blowing over a desert of bones. . "I didn't?" he said."  "Look. He had picked the station at random. "We'll need special tools.  "If only you had a Swiss army knife. As he looked around. . and together they left that place. in a low voice. praying for a taxi."  "But I looked there. amusement parks. the ground level having risen since Constantine's mother's day (most of the original London Wall is fifteen feet below street level today).