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ly had other cohorts in the vicinity。 The only safety was in lying doggo and hoping to God no one had been spying on him as he had spied on the European。
At length the digging stopped； and so； as if on an unspoken cue； did the nocturne。 It was bizarre。 The whole assembly； insect and animal alike； seemed to hold its breath； aghast。
Marty slid down the trunk into crawling position； his ears straining for every clue as to what was going on。 He chanced a look。 Mamoulian was moving off in what Marty guessed to be the direction of the house。 Undergrowth obscured his view： he could see nothing of the digger； or the other disciples who were acpanying the European。 He heard their passage； however； the brush of their dragging steps。 Let them go； he thought。 He was past protecting Whitehead。 That bargain was defunct。
He sat； knees hugged against his chest； and waited until Mamoulian had woven between the trees and disappeared。 Then he counted to twenty and stood up。 Pins and needles pricked at his lower legs； and he had to rub the circulation back into them。 Only then did he start toward the spot where Mamoulian had lingered。
Even as he approached he recognized the glade； though he had previously e to it from the direction of the house。 His late…evening walk had taken him in a semicircle。 He was standing now in the place he'd buried the dogs。
The grave was open and empty； the black plastic shrouds had been torn apart； their contents unceremoniously removed。 Marty stared into the hole not quite prehending the joke。 What use were dead dogs？
There was a movement in the grave； something shifted beneath the plastic sheets。 He stepped back from the edge； his gorge too susceptible for this。 A nest of maggots presumably； or perhaps a worm the size of his arm； grown fat on dogmeat； who knew what hid in the earth？
Turning his back on the hole； he walked toward the house； following the trail Mamoulian had taken； until the trees thinned and the starlight brightened。 There； on the borderland between wood and lawn； he stayed； until the sounds of the night reestablished themselves around him。
47
Stephanie excused herself from the table； and went out to the bathroom； leaving the hysteria behind her。 As she closed the door one of the men…Ottaway； she thought…suggested she e back in and piss in a bottle for him。 She didn't grace the remark with a reply。 However well they paid； she wasn't going to get involved in that kind of activity； it wasn't clean。
The hallway was in semidarkness； the sheen of vases； the richness of the carpet underfoot…all of it spoke wealth； and on previous visits she'd enjoyed the extravagance of the place。 But tonight they were so uneasy…Ottaway； Dwoskin； the old man himself…there was an air of desperation in their drinking and their innuendo； and it took any pleasure out of being here。 On the other nights they'd all got pleasantly drunk and then there'd been the usual performances； sometimes developing into something more serious with one or two of them。 Just as often they were content to watch。 And at the end of the night there'd been generous payment。 But tonight was different。 There was cruelty in it； which she disliked。 Money or no money； she wouldn't e here again。 It was time she retired anyway； leave it to younger girls； who at least looked less raddled than she did。
She bent close to the bathroom mirror and tried to reapply her eyeliner； but her hand was shaky with drink； and it slipped。 She cursed； and dug in her purse for a tissue to clean off the error。 As she did so there was a scuffling sound in the hallway。 Dwoskin； she guessed。 She didn't want the gargoyle touching her again； at least not until she was too paralytic with drink to care。 She tiptoed to the door and locked it。 The sounds outside had stopped。 She went back to the sink and turned on the tap； cold water； to splash on her tired face。
Dwoskin had gone out after Stephanie。 He intended to suggest something outrageous for her to perform on him； something gross for this night… of nights。
〃Where are you going？〃 somebody asked him； as he traipsed the hall； or did he just imagine the words？ He'd taken a few pills before the party…that always loosened him up…but it tended to put voices in his head； mostly his mother's。 Whether somebody had asked the question or not； he chose not to answer； he just wandered down the corridor； calling for Stephanie。 The woman was extraordinary； or so his drugged libido had decided。 She had superb buttocks。 He wanted to be smothered by those cheeks； to die under them。
〃Stephanie；〃 he demanded。 She didn't reappear。 〃e on；〃 he reassured her； 〃it's only me。〃 There was a smell in the corridor： just a hint of sewer。 He inhaled it。 〃Foul；〃 he announced； not unappreciatively。 The smell was getting stronger； as though its source was close by； and approaching。 〃Lights；〃 he told himself and peered along the wall looking for a switch。
A few yards down the corridor something started to move toward him。 The light was too dim to see properly by； but it was a man； and the man was not alone。 There were other shapes； knee…high； mustering in the darkness。 The smell was being overpowering。 Dwoskin's head had started to dance with color； disgraceful images flickered in the air to acpany the smell。 It took him a moment to grasp that this air graffiti was not his doing。 It was ing from the man ahead of him。 Dashes and dots of light flared and whirled away into the air。
〃Who are you？〃 Dwoskin demanded。 In answer； the graffiti ignited into a full…blown literature。 Not certain if any sound was ing out； the Troll…King began to screech。
Stephanie dropped the eyeliner into the sink as the scream reached her。 She didn't recognize the voice。 It was high enough to be a woman's； but it was neither Emily nor Oriana。
The shakes suddenly worsened。 She held on to the edge of the sink to steady herself as the noises multiplied： howls now； and running feet。 Somebody was shouting； all but incoherent orders。 It was Ottaway； she thought； but she wasn't going out to check。 Whatever was going on beyond the door…pursuit； capture； murder even…she needed none of it。 She turned off the light in the bathroom in case it spilled under the door。 Somebody ran by； calling on God： now there was desperation。 Feet thudded down the stairs； somebody fell。 Doors slammed： screams mounted。
She backed away from the door and sat on the edge of the bath。 There； in the darkness； she started to sing 〃Abide with Me〃…or what little she could remember of it…very quietly。
Marty heard the screams too； though he didn't want to。 Even at such a distance； they carried a freight of blind panic that made him clammy。
He knelt down in the dirt between the trees and stopped his ears。 The earth smelled ripe beneath him； and his mind seethed with unwele thoughts of lying faceup in the ground； dead perhaps； but anticipating resurrection。 Like a sleeper on the verge of waking； nervous of the day。
After a while the din became intermittent。 Soon； he told himself； he must open his eyes； stand up and go back to the house to see the hows and the whys of all this motion。 Soon； but not yet。
When the noise in the hallway and on the stairs had long stopped； Stephanie crept to the bathroom door； unlocked it and peered out。 The corridor was in plete darkness now。 The lamps had either been turned off or shattered。 But her eyes； accustomed to the blackness of the bathroom； soon pierced the feeble light from the stairwell。 The gallery was empty in both directions。 There was just a smell in the air like a bad butcher's shop on a hot day。
She slipped off her shoes； and started to the top of the stairs。 The contents of a handbag were scattered down the steps； and there was something wet underfoot。 She looked down： the carpet was stained： either wine or blood。 She hurried on down into the hallway。 It was chilly； both front and vestibule doors were wide open。 Again； there was no sign of life。 The cars had gone from the driveway； the downstairs rooms…library； reception rooms； kitchen…all were forsaken。 She rushed back upstairs to collect her belongings from the white room and leave。
As she retraced her steps along the gallery she heard a soft padding behind her。 She turned。 There was a dog at the top of the stairs； it had presumably followed her up。 She could scarcely make it out in the bad light； but she wasn't afraid。 〃Good boy；〃 she said； glad of its living presence in the abandoned house。
It didn't growl； nor did it wag its tail； it simply hobbled towards her。 Only then did she realize her error in weling it。 The butcher's shop was here； on all fours： she backed off。
〃No 。 。 。〃 she said； 〃I don't 。 。 。 oh； Christ 。 。 。 leave me alone。〃 Still it came； and with every step it took toward her she saw more of its condition。 The innards that looped from its underside。 The decayed face； all teeth and putrescence。 She headed toward the white room； but it covered the distance between them in three strides。 Her hands slid on its body as it leaped at her； and to her disgust fur and flesh separated； her grasp skinning the creature's flanks。 She fell back； it advanced； head rocking uneasily on its scrappy neck； its jaws closing around her throat and shaking her。 She couldn't scream…it was devouring her voice…but her arm thrust up into the cold body and found its spine。 Instinct made her grasp the column； muscle dividing in slimy threads； and the beast let her go； arching back as her grip snapped one vertabrae from the next。 It let out a prolonged hiss as she dragged her arm out。 Her other hand cupped her throat： blood was hitting the carpet with thudding sounds： she must get help or bleed to death。
She started to crawl back toward the top of the stairs。 Miles away from her； somebody opened a door。 Light fell across her。 Too numb to feel pain； she looked around。 Whitehead was silhouetted in a distant doorway。 Between them stood the dog。 Somehow； it had got up； or rather its front portion had； and it was dragging itself across the shining carpet toward her； most of its bulk useless now； its head barely raised from the ground。 But still moving； as it would move until its resurrector granted it rest。
She raised her arm to signal her presence to Whitehead。 If he saw her in the gloom he made no sign。
She had reached the top of the stairs。 She had no strength lift in her。 Death was ing quickly。 Enough； her body said； enough。 Her will conceded； and she slumped down； the blood； loosed from her wounded neck； flowing down the stairs as her darkening eyes watched。 One step； two steps。
Counting games were a perfect cure for insomnia。
Three steps； four。
She didn't see the fifth step； or any other in the creeping descent。
Marty was loath to go back into the house； but whatever had happened there was surely over； and he was getting chilly where he knelt。 His expense…account suit was dirtied beyond reclamation； his shirt was stained and torn； his immaculate shoes clay…caked。 He looked like a derelict。 The thought almost pleased him。
He meandered back across the lawn。 He could see the lights of the house somewhere ahead。 They burned reassuringly； though he knew such reassurance was delusion。 Not every house was a refuge。 Sometimes it was safer to be out in the world； under the sky； where no one could e knocking and looking for you； where no roof could fall on your trusting head。
Halfway between house and trees a jet growled overhead； high up； its lights twin stars。 He stood and watched it pass over him at his zenith。 Perhaps it was one of the monitoring planes that he'd read passed perpetually over Europe…one American； one Russian…their electric eyes scanning the sleeping cities； judgmental twins upon whose benevolence the lives of millions depended。 The sound of the jet diminished to a murmur； and then to silence。 Gone to spy on other heads。 The sins of England would not prove fatal tonight； it seemed。
He began to walk toward the house with fresh resolution； taking a route that would lead him around to the front and into the false day of the floodlights。 As he crossed the stage toward the front door the European stepped out of the house。
There was no way to avoid being s