'Yeah, right, I get very hairy every full moon,' said the dog dis-missively. 'Imagine how much that interferes with my social life. Now, look--'
'But surely dogs can't talk--' Sacharissa began.
'Oh dear oh dear oh dear,' said Gaspode. 'Did I say I was talking?'
'Well, not in so many words--'
'Right. Wonderful thing, phenomenology. Now, I just seen a hundred dollars walk out the door and I want to see it walk back, right? Lord de Worde is as nasty a piece of work as you'll find in this town.'
'You know nobility?' said Sacharissa.
'A cat can look at a king, right? That's legal.'
'I suppose so--'
'So it works for dogs, too. Got to work for dogs if it works for ratbag moggies. I know everyone, I do. Lord de Worde used to get his butler to put down poisoned meat for the street dogs.'
'But he wouldn't hurt William, would he?'
'I'm not a betting man,' said Gaspode. 'But if he does, right, we still get the hundred dollars, yes?'
'Ve cannot stand by and let him do zis,' said Otto. 'I like Villiam. He was not brought up nice but he tries to be a nice person, vithout even cocoa and a singsong to help him. It is hard to go against your nature. Ve must... help him.'
Death placed the final hourglass back on to the air, where it faded away. THERE, he said, WASN'T THAT INTERESTING? WHAT NEXT, MR TULIP? ARE
YOU READY TO GO?
The figure sat on the cold sand, staring at nothing. MR TULIP? Death repeated. The wind flapped his robe, so that it streamed out a long ribbon of darkness. 'I... got to be really sorry... ?' OH YES. IT is SUCH A SIMPLE WORD. BUT HERE... IT HAS MEANING. IT
HAS... SUBSTANCE.
'Yeah. I know.' Mr Tulip looked up, his eyes red-rimmed, his face puffy. 'I reckon... to be that sorry, you got to take a --ing good run at it.'
YES.
'So... how long have I got?'
Death looked up at the strange stars.
ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD.
'Yeah... well, maybe that'll --ing do it. Maybe there won't be no more world to go back to by then.'
I BELIEVE IT DOES NOT WORK LIKE THAT. I UNDERSTAND REINCARNATION CAN TAKE PLACE ANYWHEN. WHO SAYS LIVES ARE SERIAL?
'You savin'... I could be alive before I was born?' YES.
'Maybe I can find me and kill myself,' said Mr Tulip, staring at the sand.
NO, BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER KNOW. AND YOU MAY BE LEADING QUITE A DIFFERENT LIFE.
'Good...'
Death patted Mr Tulip on the shoulder, which flinched under his
touch.
I SHALL LEAVE YOU NOW----