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ome were one…headed； some had two； or none； or four。 There were blobs which lay while features chased themselves across their surfaces； some attached to mechanisms which made the Fatwagon seem a model of simplicity。 There were howlers； moaners； silent ones whose thoughts beat at me in a tide of agony。 The place stank of refuse； and excrement； and blood。 Some things； dead and half eaten； lay against the walls of the place。 Instinctively Mavin and I moved to the wall and put our backs against it。 I looked up to see the hooded heads of the Tallmen peering down at us。 I had never seen a Tallman's face； and I wondered in that instant if they had faces。 Some of the creatures around us did not。 Something crawled across my feet and lay there； rippling at me。 Deep within； I heard Didir recoil。 〃Wrongness； Peter。 Wrongness。 Beware； beware。〃
The walls of the pit were pierced with black arches； screens behind which we could discern faint shadows； black on black。 A bell rang somewhere； and the creatures began to edge toward these arches。 There were troughs beneath them which began to flow with half liquid soup。 The creatures fed。 I watched； feeling the place with my skin。 It was like being in a waking dream； a dream from which one knows one should be able to waken。 The cage rattled upward； then down once more。 Inside it was a Tallman and great bundles of solid food； stinking sides of meat； sacks of beaten grain。 The Tallman came from the cage before it tipped to spill the food upon the floor。 When the cage rattled upward again； the monsters broke from the arches； howling； to descend upon the scattered food。 The Tallman kept away from them； turning； turning until glittering eyes from beneath the concealing hood met mine。
〃Fatman；〃 he breathed。 〃I will kill you He moved toward me。 I let him e close； close enough that he could not be seen from above。 Then Wafnor reached out and held him； bound him about with aims of steel； held him fast while I looked under that hood at his eyes。 Tallmen had faces； of a sort。 At least； this one did。 The face burned hatred at me and at Dupey behind me。 〃Who are you？〃 it asked at last。 〃You are not Fatman。〃
〃No；〃 I admitted。 〃I am not Fatman。 I am one who will hear you talk； Tallman。 Tell me of this place； of these magicians； of these pits。 He was not willing to do so； but it did not matter。 Didir Read him； Wafnor shook words out of him； Trandilar entranced him。 The bell rang again。 The creatures assembled before the arches once again； and I looked with a Shifter's eyes through that dark glass to the shadows beyond。 Pale； moon faces were there under their square hats； younglings were there； dressed in black but with soft caps covering their heads； eyes wide and fingers busy as they wrote on little pads of paper； wrote and peered； wrote and peered。
〃What are they doing？〃 I demanded。
〃Monster watching；〃 Tallman gasped。 〃It is what they do。 It is why they say they are here。〃
I thought this a lie； and yet Didir said Tallman believed it to be true。 Since they were watching us； we behaved as monsters should； howled； bubbled； rocked and capered； all the while holding Tallman fast so that he could not move。 Those watching would have only seen him stand； head down； face obscured。 After a time the bell rang once more； the monsters left the arches to resume their endless movement in the pit。
We questioned。 At last； we knew all the Tallman knew and let him go。 He backed away from us to the center of the pit； staring about him with wild； glittering eyes； maddened by shadows。 They were not shadows who came after him； however； but things of the pit which seemed to bear Tallmen some malice。 He had a weapon of some kind； and he did some damage to them before he was buried beneath their bodies。 Mavin and I did not watch。 We were intent upon those other Tallmen who hovered at the edge of the pit； far above。
〃He did not harm his hitch；〃 said one。 〃I would have killed mine had they disobeyed me。 Why did he not kill his hitch？〃
〃Mad；〃 said the other。 〃He was mad。 Sometimes we go mad； you know。 They say so。〃
〃I would have killed them；〃 replied the first。 〃Mad or not。〃 They moved away from the pit and were gone。 I caught a Dupey eye upon me with Mavin's keen intelligence behind it。
〃We have spent time enough here；〃 she hissed。
There was the matter of the Fatwagon； which should be left in a place it would not attract attention。 There was the matter of the arches behind which the watchers lurked。 She knew this as well as I； and we sought a solution to the dilemma。 We found it at the base of the metal cage； a slight declivity in the pit wall； a space large enough to hide us as we Shifted。 When next the moveable cage fell and rose； we rose with it； hidden beneath it like a false bottom to the thing。 Once the space around the pit was empty； two Tallmen came into being and moved away to the fringing corridors。 When we had found a secluded place； we stopped to set some plan of action。 Tallman had believed what he had told us。 He had not known the name 〃Himaggery〃 or 〃Windlow。〃 He knew only that a certain cargo was ordered for them； that it would go behind the inner doors to them； to be used in certain ceremonies which were to happen soon。 He knew only that the monsters were created by them； in order that the monsters could be watched by them。
They made things； things which were sent out into the world to be sold or given away by the Gifters。 They needed pawns to serve them； so pawns were brought in through the mumble mouths。 Tallmen were created by them to maintain the corridors； to maintain the portals； to repair things which broke。 〃But we cannot；〃 he had said pitiably。 〃No one knows how to fix them。 They did not talk to Tallmen； except to give instructions。 This Tallman had not been through the inner doors； he did not know what happened there。 We asked what friends he had？ None。 What acquaintances？ None。 Surely he slept somewhere； in some pany？ No。 At most； they could gather in pairs。 Why sleep in pany？ Why eat in pany？ One slept wherever one was。 。
We had asked him how he had learned to speak？ Surely he remembered a childhood？
At that his eyes had rolled back in his head and he had trembled like a drumhead。 Mavin had said sadly； 〃Let it go； Peter。 I do not know whether it was born of human kind； but it has been changed beyond recognition。 This is only an empty vessel； drained of all but limited speech and directed action and fear of pain。 Let it go。〃
That was when we had let him go。
Now we leaned against a wall and considered。 Somewhere in this tangled； underground labyrinth were the inner doors the Tallman had spoken of。 Somewhere in this web of a place we would find some answers； but we would not find them standing against a wall。 We would have to follow some of them。 〃I will not do this；〃 Mavin said with asperity； 〃mock that unfortunate creature by saying them。 They are magicians； and so I will say。
〃Say away；〃 I mented。 〃Particularly if it will help some。〃
Easier conceived of than acplished。 There were none of the magicians about。 Perhaps it was not a time they moved about。 Perhaps the earlier occurrence had been a random happening with little chance of repetition。 We wandered； baffled and frustrated。 Bells rang。 Machines wheezed and gulped。 Tallmen moved quietly past。 Silence came。
〃Perhaps it is night outside；〃 said Mavin。 〃These beings must once have lived beneath the sun。 Perhaps they keep its time still。〃
〃If that is so； they maybe sleeping rather than watching what goes on around them。 And if that is so； then we might risk other bodies than these。〃 We hesitated； wondering whether it was wise to take the risk。
At last she said； 〃If it finds us anything； it is worth it。 I will go left； you right； as fast and as far as possible。 Meet here when they begin to move about again。〃
So we agreed； and I set out as furred…Peter once more； on legs as swift as I could Shift them。 I had no luck； none； and returned to the place heavy with anger and disappointment。 Mavin was there already； curled against the wall half asleep； and I knew at once she had been luckier than I。
〃I found them；〃 she said。 〃Found the inner doors。 Sleep now； and when we have rested； we will find a way through them。〃 We were well hidden。 I gave up anger in favor of sleep and dreamed long； too well； of Izia。
9。 The Inner Doors
The place of the magicians was full of niches and corners； almost as though they provided space for invisible beings； Tallmen and servants whom they did not see。 We found such a niche； a place from which we could see the doors Mavin had found without being seen ourselves。 The doors were quite ordinary； a wide pair of time…blotched panels without handles or knobs； and beside them a little booth of glass； though I suspected it wits of a material more durable than that。 We had not long to wait before one of the magicians came into the booth； an old one； jowls jiggling and pouches beneath his eyes； a nose which； had I seen it in a tavern in Betand； I would have considered evidence of much wine toping。 He hawked and mumbled to himself for a time； his voice carried out to us through some contrivance or other which made it echo and boom。
〃Huskpaw here；〃 he mumbled。 〃On duty； Huskp