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           "Ofcourseyoucanmove.Or,ifyoudon’tyoucanstayhere,hangingontothesideofthewalluntilyourhandsfreezeandyourlegsbuckleandyoutumbletoamessydeathathousandfeetbelow."Richardlookedupatthemarquis.HewaslookingdownatRichard,andstillsmiling;whenhesawthatRichardwaswatchinghim,heletgooftherungswithbothhishands,andwaggledhisfingersathim.

           Richardfeltawaveofsympatheticvertigorunthroughhim."Bastard,"hesaid,underhisbreath,andheletgooftherungwithhisrighthandandmoveditupeightinches,untilitfoundthenextrung.Thenhemovedhisrightleguponerung.Thenhediditagain,withhislefthand.Afterawhilehefoundhimselfattheedgeofaflatroof,andhesteppedoveritandcollapsed.

           Hewasawarethatthemarquiswasstridingalongtheroof,awayfromhim.Richardfelttherooftopwithhishands,andfeltthesolidstructurebeneathhim.Hisheartwaspoundinginhischest.

           Agruffvoicesomedistanceawayshouted,"You’renotwantedhere,deCarabas.Getaway.Clearoff."

           "OldBailey,"hehearddeCarabassay."You’relookingwonderfullyhealthy."

           Andthenfootsteps,shuffledtowardhim,andafingerproddedhimgentlyintheribs."Youallright,laddie?I’vegotsomestewcookin’backthere.Youwantsome?It’sstarling."

           Richardopenedhiseyes."Nothankyou,"hesaid.Hesawthefeathers,first.Hewasn’tsureifitwasacoat,oracape,orsomekindofstrangecoveringthathadnoname,butwhateverkindofoutergarmentitwas,itwascoveredthicklyandentirelyinfeathers.