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' 'M okay,' said Mort, walking heavily up the steps and into the scratching shadows of the library

'You're not You could do with a good night's sleep, my lad'

'M't,' murmured Mort

He felt Ysabell slip his arently, even the sound of his own voice was co way off, and he dimly felt how nice it would be to stretch out on a nice stone slab and sleep forever

Death'd be back soon, he told hi the corridors There was nothing for it, he'd have to tell Death He wasn't such a bad old stick Death would help; all he needed to do was explain things And then he could stop all this worrying and go to slee

'And as your previous position?'

I BEG YOUR PARDON?

'What did you do for a living?' said the thin young ure opposite him shifted uneasily

I USHERED SOULS INTO THE NEXT WORLD I WAS THE GRAVE OF ALL HOPE I WAS THE ULTIMATE REALITY I WAS THE ASSASSIN AGAINST WHOM NO LOCK WOULD HOLD

'Yes, point taken, but do you have any particular skills?'

Death thought about it

I SUPPOSE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EXPERTISE WITH AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS? he ventured after a while

The young man shook his head firlanced down, and once again felt a faint unease that he couldn't quite put his finger on – 'Mr – Mr – Mr, and we're a bit short of fields'

He laid down his pen and gave the kind of sested he'd learned it froh to possess an ee People took jobs because their fathers made roo, or by word-of-mouth But there was a call for servants and menial workers, and with the co man – a Mr Liona Keeble – had invented the profession of job broker and was, right at this lanced down – 'Mr, we getinto the city from outside because, alas, they believe life is richer here Excuse entleht you would have preferred soain, and frowned – ' "so with cats or flowers"'

I'M SORRY I FELT IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE

'Can you play a musical instrument ?'

NO

'Can you do carpentry?'

I DO NOT KNOW, I HAVE NEVER TRIED Death tared at his feet He was beginning to feel deeply embarrassed

Keeble shuffled the paper on his desk, and sighed

I CAN WALK THROUGH WALLS, Death volunteered, aware that the conversation had reached an ihtly 'I'd like to see that,' he said 'That could be quite a qualification'

RIGHT

Death pushed his chair back and stalked confidently towards the nearest wall

OUCH

Keeble watched expectantly 'Go on, then,' he said

UM THIS IS AN ORDINARY WALL, IS IT?

'I assume so I'm not an expert'

IT SEEMS TO BE PRESENTING ME WITH SOME DIFFICULTY

'So it would appear'

WHAT DO YOU CALL THE FEELING OF BEING VERY SMALL AND HOT?

Keeble twiddled his pencil

'Pyg?'

'Yes,' said Death, I MEAN YES

'It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever,' he said 'Have you thought of going into teaching?'

Death's face was a mask of terror Well, it was always a mask of terror, but this time he meant it to be

'You see,' said Keeble kindly, putting down his pen and steepling his hands together, 'it's very seldom I ever have to find a new career for an – as it again?'

ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION

'Oh, yes What is that, exactly?'

Death had had enough

THIS, he said

For a moment, just for a moment, Mr Keeble saw him clearly His face went nearly as pale as Death's own His hands jerked convulsively His heart gave a stutter

Death watched hilass froht and examined it critically

SETTLE DOWN, he said, YOU'VE GOT A GOOD FEW YEARS YET

'Bbbbbbb --'

I COULD TELL YOU HOW MANY IF YOU LIKE

Keeble, fighting to breathe, ed to shake his head

DO YOU WANT ME TO GET YOU A GLASS OF WATER, THEN?

'nnN – nnN'

The shop bell jangled Keeble's eyes rolled Death decided that he owed theHe shouldn't be allowed to lose custo humans valued dearly

He pushed aside the bead curtain and stalked into the outer shop, where a se loaf, was ha on the counter with a haddock

'It's about that cook's job up at the University,' she said 'You told race up there, the tricks them students play, and I demand – I want you to – I'm not

Her voice trailed off

' 'Ere,' she said, but you could tell her heart wasn't in it, 'you're not Keeble, are you?'

Death stared at her He'd never before experienced an unsatisfied custoave up

BEGONE, YOU BLACK AND MIDNIGHT HAG, he said

The cook's sht bag?' she said accusingly, and hit the counter with the fish again 'Look at this,' she said 'Last night it wasit's a fish I ask you'