'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----
Th't's a good scythe you got there,' said Mr Tulip, slowly and laboriously. That silverwork's craftsmanship if ever I saw it.'
THANK YOU, said Death. AND NOW, I REALLY MUST BE GOING. BUT I WILL PASS THROUGH' HERE SOMETIMES. MY DOOR, he added, is ALWAYS OPEN.
He strode off. The hunched figure fell behind into the darkness, but a new one appeared, running madly across the not-exactly-sand.
It was waving a potato on a string. It stopped when it saw Death and then, to Death's amazement, turned to look behind it. This had never happened before. Most people, upon coming face to face with Death, ceased worrying about anything behind them.
Is there anyone after me? Can you see anyone?'
ER... NO. WERE YOU EXPECTING ANYONE?
'Oh, right. No one, eh? Right!' said Mr Pin, squaring his shoulders. 'Yeah! Hah! Hey, look, I've got my potato!'
Death blinked and then took an hourglass out of his robe...MR PIN? AH. THE OTHER ONE. I HAVE BEEN EXPECTING YOU.