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Two
Themanholecovercameupeasily;themarquisputawaythemetalobjectandtooksomethingoutofanotherpocketthatremindedRichardalittleofalongfirework,oraflare.Hehelditinonehand,ranhisotherhandalongit,andthefarenderuptedintoscarletflame.
"CanIaskaquestion?"saidRichard.
"Certainlynot,"saidthemarquis."Youdon’taskanyquestions.Youdon’tgetanyanswers.Youdon’tstrayfromthepath.Youdon’teventhinkaboutwhat’shappeningtoyourightnow.Gotit?"
"But—"
"Mostimportantofall:nobuts,"saiddeCarabas."Andtimeisoftheessence.Move."Hepointedintothedepthsrevealedbytheopenmanholecover.Richardmoved,clamberingdownthemetalladdersetintothewallbeneaththemanhole,feelingsofaroutofhisdepththatitdidn’tevenoccurtohimtoquestionanyfurther.
Richardwonderedwheretheywere.Thisdidn’tseemtobeasewer.Perhapsitwasatunnelfortelephonecables,orforverysmalltrains.Orfor...somethingelse.HerealizedthathedidnotknowverymuchaboutwhatwentonbeneaththestreetsofLondon.Hewalkednervously,worriedthathe’dcatchhisfeetinsomething,thathe’dstumbleinthedarknessandbreakhisankle.DeCarabasstrodeonahead,nonchalantly,apparentlynotcaringwhetherRichardwaswithhimornot.Thecrimsonflamecasthugeshadowsonthetunnelwalls.
Richardrantocatchup."Let’ssee..."saiddeCarabas."I’llneedtogethertothemarket.Thenextone’sin,mm,twodays’time,ifIrecallcorrectly,asofcourseIunfailinglydo.Icanhideheruntilthen."
