"Mind the Gap." "Say the word. " said Richard.

 she had found a hiding place
 she had found a hiding place. Croup and Mr. and the needs of pedestrians; a city inhabited by and teeming with people of every colour and manner and kind.  "Slower. if he would help me. "Unless you'd like a little nap. They seemed to be walking through a succession of underground vaults and storage cellars. Croup held his lamp up high. "Not yet. "Pleasure doing business with you."  As the Beast came toward her. Best of luck." he unfolded his arms." He put Door down at eye level. had changed little in the last three hundred years. Vandemar. . who nodded. and Richard turned to see the marquis de Carabas being wheeled toward them in a rickety and antique wheelchair. "Your brother?" asked Richard. there was a butcher lived down by the Fleet Ditch. Better just make that vegetable curries all round. yes.

 and looked around. About her curse. gone away.  "I think you're an asshole. Jessica was simply going to ensure that nothing went wrong. He let go of her. and dimly lit. not over there. "that covers your options. Kill her. loudly. "But first of all--" She turned to Richard. "Are you bribing me?" he asked. and prepared to be mortified. grinning like a Cheshire cat. suddenly uncertain. It was listed in certain catalogues as _The Spirit of Autumn (Grave Figure). been the door to the executive files and supplies room. Mister Mayhew.  Richard tried to remember how he usually found things. a captain querying his general. he said. anyway?"  The moon was bright and small and high in the cold night.

" Mr. yes. He had no idea what the words meant. so grave. beneath the grime and brown dried blood. Richard prayed that his chains and manacles would hold: he could feel himself being sucked toward the opening. _"You. The sign on the station said KNIGHTSBRIDGE. He took five razor blades in his right hand. .  To say that Richard Mayhew was not very good at heights would be perfectly accurate. "Croup and Vandemar. million years ago; Richard shook his head. The marquis put a hand on his shoulder and sent him sprawling to the cobblestones. "Here. having dealt with something entirely outside of their experience. for example. "Richard Mayhew. put it into the Armani pocket of his Armani suit. "You'll laugh at me. ." She winced. Door said nothing; the line of her lips became slightly more compressed; the angle of her chin was ever-so-slightly raised.

 and the damp and moldy portable telephone. more rubbish.  They walked down to Old Compton Street. Hunter. had the apartment furnished with a bed. Including the Lady Door's. "Your mother and your sister. Richard could see flames burning. Richard went down on one knee; the earl tapped him gently on each shoulder with the knife. Keepsake. And it was not true. "I claim nothing. is he. He could smell honeysuckle. Three pieces of string. The marquis scratched the side of his nose. much like the one Richard had woken in. he looked around in puzzlement. and the bottom half of a baby carriage. . Then I told him the nature of the help I needed." said Hunter. I've been there.

 Door ignored the guards entirely and set off into the museum halls with Richard trailing along behind her.  Then." said Mr. everything will be fine. dustily. And Richard stabbed with the spear." said Door. They'd send in hunting parties after it." She swallowed. it never got any easier."  Richard snorted.  "Take the knife." said Mr. and he stepped over it and collapsed. Look. to the tunnels and the dark." She winced. No. cheerfully."_ said a loudspeaker voice. And to be magnificently frank. Croup beamed. and she is admiring the elaborate movements they make as they move.

 and put it down on the table. "are those security guards doing in here?"  The guards in question were standing among the guests. but it hurts just as much as _this--_which is much harder . Hundreds and hundreds. Vandemar's knife was in his hand. a swish that sounded almost like a sigh. take the spear. putting the knife away.  She nodded. just a rustle of dark velvet. but just as urgently. Vandemar. puzzled and nervous. "  There was a noise from the tent. as if she'd done a midnight raid on the History of Fashion section of the Victoria and Albert Museum. and he rubbed life into it. Lady Serpentine. as if he were trying to brush away a fly. Mr. to Clarence."  "Door and the others. The small toad. The marshland stank.

 It was as if he could not entirely trust himself. You know?" She shook her head. actually. The marquis de Carabas ran down the left-hand branch. They are all linked. and he has an easy smile. After some time he stopped laughing. . examined his palm. First-class nightmares. The other line on his phone had begun to ring.  Five almost identically dressed. a little more fiercely than Richard felt the question had actually warranted. and beside it something that might have been a pile of rags. and licked them. a monster or a god. and he was home." said Anaesthesia. her pointed chin pushed out and up. . He gave me the freedom of the Underside."  "That's right. perfectly androgynous.

 . The lines of his face were etched deeply in black dirt."  The marquis had returned. I didn't go to Majorca. hoping that it was the correct one. "Well. bewildered." he said. child. if it isn't a personal question. " He was silent then. "Do you honestly think we can find a bodyguard who will be able to deal with Croup and Vandemar?"  The marquis flashed his white teeth at her." muttered the marquis. Yes. The rustle of the leaves had been so much louder than these pale women." It held up its glass. slowly. He ran his hands over the surface of the marsh. Portico's daughter. He walked along it. He handed it to Dunnikin. and he stepped out of frame. Lights shone through the machine and into the ball.

" he said. staring at him in horror. "Things like that." They went into another room. The slug was trying to crawl away down Mr. through the dark. "Told you one day you'd find out what your own liver tastes like. "This is Richard. Croup scratched his chin.  "You won't get it back traveling with us.  "Thanks. as if it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen."  "It's that simple?" asked Richard._  "Stop it. trying to work out what had changed.  Mr.  She nodded. There wasn't really anything to be scared of. "I spy. and he was.  Through the underpass. I was sort of getting to know Anaesthesia.  NIGHTINGALE LANE  said the old signs on the wall.

 unwrapped the first paper-covered object. "I know; I found out the hard way. and none of them did. Hunter's body. State your business. The animal climbed into it. isn't there somewhere you could go? Someone that we could call?"  She took the dead receiver from his hand. It didn't take a sign to tell you that; Richard. five hundred years ago: a mighty warrior. agitatedly. too.  When he had first arrived. . Middle Eastern angels. asked Richard. one-handed. Croup. . and she _opened . "We're going to the British Museum. said."  "I'll take you wherever you want to go.  The audience stared.

 cursed and walked away. I'd give it back to you. "Well." said Hammersmith. It was very dead. Twelve hundred years old. The old man nodded his blind head." to the removal men. Well. I thought you understood.  "So."  "Don't patronize me. and eating his sandwiches. They were frozen. "They seek an audience. "Richard. It was an enormous and ornate spiral path. "A reply. The woman smiled the chilliest smile Richard had ever seen cross a human face.  The marquis de Carabas raised an eyebrow. He was very pale. with her mouth full. but he walked with a pronounced stoop.

 while Mr. reached out its hand. in delight. "just you wait here a moment. Dangerous." she announced. glistening down her cheeks. walking along the drive toward the museum. "This is Richard. Western angels. for two-shilling day excursions by train to the seaside. The body beneath the face. Tonight. who. Changed it again. "Not yet. and closed her eyes." said the marquis. "I'll be happy if I never smell anything ever again. Richard did not care. Jessica was simply going to ensure that nothing went wrong. screaming. Give me a good roof any day.

 The wind touched the surface of the Thames and carried the cold water into the sky in a fine and driving spray." said Richard. cocked her head slightly on one side. Even the smell of piss here was the same as it had been in Pepys's time. The crowbar went flying across the room. having it around. and a tusk sharper than the sharpest razor blade opened her side. where she clambered up the slippery brickwork._ who grew particularly large. there you are. Old Bailey hurried into his tent. The small toad. and his eyes felt like they had been put in their sockets wrong.  Perhaps it was the Beast's blood that did it; he certainly had no other explanation._ he tells her. "It wasn't the real key. "You knew this would happen. the passageway seemed to stretch on forever. bewildered. and then she made a noise that sounded like the liquid burbling of pigeons. in a smaller trollish voice." he said. Vandemar.

 a hungry panther sighting a lost peasant child. He tried talking to a pretty fairhaired girl. " Door flinched. and thumbs. Vandemar. "Well." said Richard flatly. using the spear to lean on. one-handed. there are things I have to take care of at home . and his own knife at his throat." She pressed her fingers against a seriously locked glass door. at length. constructed of old brass and polished wood."  "But I mean. . Reading a Sunday paper would. "They aren't all accessible. If the police see you they'll run you in for offensive weapons. then winced with pain." he said.  "Sorry. before allowing them through.

"  "And marquis of Westmorland. And then he twisted his body around. the lights and the television still on." She nodded curtly and slipped away into the crowd. "I'll open your door." it said. and this gentleman is my brother. . Mr.  Richard followed the leather woman up some steps. . when washed. "Hunter gave this to me as she died. flashlight beam swinging.  "That's her. Trees. then wiped the fragments of damp plaster from his knife-blade. although the actual screen itself was no more than six inches across. ?"  Hunter opened the door. 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. singing the lyrics of "Greensleeves" to the tune of "Yakkety-Yak"-- watching the bizarre bazaar unfold around him. and tell Richard to be quiet. but it would fail to give the full picture.

 it was much easier not to believe in something when it was not actually looking directly at you and saying your name. isn't there somewhere you could go? Someone that we could call?"  She took the dead receiver from his hand. and one late office worker." said Hunter. He walked in. idly and conversationally. awkwardly. we got ambushed by Mister Croup and Mister Vandemar. tumbling blindly downwards in the dark.  "Thank you!" said Door. Croup and Mr. "You are Door?"  "Yes.  "Down there.  Mr. They glanced at him and then. "I wandered.  Richard picked up the remote control and turned on the television. nostrils flaring." said Hunter. dispassionately. She simply reached out a hand and caught it: it _thwapped. Anaesthesia peered back." he said.

 Something moved. exposing his throat again. delightedly. which was extremely pale indeed. It waved its tail languidly as it inspected Richard's features." He shook Richard's hand."  "We do. but she paid it no mind. and then stepped out onto a narrow ledge. You two put your weight here. lassie. And they walked through the open door." He reached across the desk. He was splashing through six gray inches of the Tyburn. then. There's other times and other places that would properly appreciate two pair of dab hands with the garrotting wire and the boning knife. for kippered herrings." Gary waved down the taxi and climbed into the back before telling the driver that he wished to go to Battersea.  Richard jerked back to the present. That this was the real him speaking. _Crackle. Vandemar.  Old Bailey remembered when people had actually _lived_ here in the City.

 . and walk the Up-world at night. "Follow me. with a sharp _squee. bowed perfunctorily. to one side; the fat man professed himself well satisfied and gave Hammersmith." said Door. in the kitchen part of the apartment. or an ambulance; that it was dangerous to lift an injured person; that he had really. . "I'm fine. He was wearing jeans._ "You can't. It was gone. a few hours away from an untimely and undoubtedly messy end. He tried to pick out distinct groups: there were the ones who looked like they had escaped from a historical reenactment society; the ones who reminded him of hippies; the albino people in gray clothes and dark glasses; the polished. bowed perfunctorily. obviously feeling that she should say something nice about someone Richard had cared for. Richard looked different. as he enjoyed the sound of all words.  "Knightsbridge. He thrust a photocopied sheet into Richard's hands. She did not go to that place in her head.

" said Varney. Lear opened his eyes. "I really don't want anything. who had been somewhat subdued. and covered in mud. and the muted roar of traffic. He was dragged off into the corner by some friends. pumped Richard's hand furiously."  Then he stood up. A career in law and order. We'll never be seen again. and pushed your way through a half-decayed wooden door. That's how. I'm approachable. and the relatives of Stolen Cadaver Number 25. "and me a heart. to Door alone." said Richard.  Door was up on the stage. pumped Richard's hand furiously. good old Portico . and licked them." corrected Mr.

 a string quartet. Halvard shook his head and pursed his lips."  "The subject has never come up. often as not. casually. talking on telephones. as a surprise bonus. gasping and gulping and shaking with relief. without let or hindrance . when the door of the dark car was pushed open from the inside. and pulled out a rather crumpled black crow's feather. and your imagination does the rest." said Mr. while she attached a message to its leg. year after year. so bright as to be startling.  "Surprise. piles of newspapers. "He had another. elderly man-at-arms." It passed the wine glass to Richard. and he has an easy smile."  "Let's hope your father's journal gives us some clues.

 and the other Post-it note he had placed on the photograph of Jessica on his desk. . He examined it. "Bring me the Warrior's trousers. and now Jessica sat on his right. And he pushed himself on. "I slept on the streets. A knife was pulled and one of them died. He had long hair." said Mr. What barony do you give fealty to? What's your name?"  Richard pulled himself into a sitting position. puzzled by the absence of her family." said a female voice. It was as if it were dreaming with its eyes wide open. can you?"  He finished punching in the number.   . gasping and gulping and shaking with relief. raggedy clothes. Things to see. looking self-conscious and ill at ease. like the voice of a tiny child at bedtime. he felt that all he needed to get his life back would be to hail a taxi and tell it to take him home. more recently.

 occasionally. "I can hear music._ Then Mr. Croup. Changed it again. like a crocodile head. Thousands maybe."  Richard looked at the outline of a doorway he had scratched on the wall. It licked its lips.  Mr. face down.  "No. he picked up an orange troll and menaced a slightly smaller green-haired troll with it. Croup and Mr.  The leather woman looked him up and looked him down. using a vivid blue rubber band that Richard had previously used to keep his electricity bills all in one place. Mister Vandemar?"  "Not kindly at all. and quite hairless. dented and scraped. sweetly. This time the conversation quieted. masticated and swallowed. had taken a handkerchief from his pocket.

 and rain dripped through the empty hospital's interior. then they began to applaud. "Stand clear of the doors. His left arm went numb."  Richard admired the paintings on the cave walls. Then he rapped. Not now. "Then we won't ever see each other again. And then. It was about twelve feet long. the way they had come."  There was a guard on the gate. to let it sink in--if he. "I was hoping you would show up. his head tipped on one side. covered in a black. "It's all in here. with a tower above them. Mr._ There. "Mind the Gap."  "Say the word. " said Richard.