Никогде
Four
HereiteratedthatRicharddidnotknowhowluckyhewas,and,ignoringRichard’srequeststhathereturnRichard’sstuff—oratleastthewallet—heledthemtoadoorandlockeditbehindthem.
RichardandAnaesthesiawalkedintothedarknesssidebyside.
Shecarriedanimprovisedlampmadeofacandle,acan,somewire,andawide-mouthedglasslemonadebottle.Richardwassurprisedathowquicklyhiseyesbecameusedtotheneardarkness.Theyseemedtobewalkingthroughasuccessionofundergroundvaultsandstoragecellars.Sometimeshethoughthecouldseemovementinfarcornersofthevaults,butwhetherhuman,orrat,orsomethingelsealtogether,itwasalwaysgonebythetimetheyreachedtheplaceithadbeen.WhenhetriedtotalktoAnaesthesiaaboutthemovements,shehissedhimtosilence.
Hefeltacolddraughtonhisface.Therat-girlsquattedwithoutwarning,putdownhercandle-lamp,andtuggedandpulledhardatametalgrillesetinthewall.Itopenedsuddenly,sendinghersprawling.ShemotionedRichardtocomethrough.Hecrouched,edgedthroughtheholeinthewall;afteraboutafoot,thefloorstoppedcompletely."Excuseme,"whisperedRichard."There’saholehere."
"It’snotabigdrop,"shetoldhim."Goon."
Sheshutthegrillebehindher.ShewasnowuncomfortablyclosetoRichard."Here,"shesaid.Shegavehimthehandleofherlittlelamptohold,andsheclambereddownintothedarkness."There,"shesaid."Thatwasn’tthatbad,wasit?"HerfacewasafewfeetbelowRichard’sdanglingfeet."Here.Passmethelamp."
