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.
'That's me! And I've got my potato, look, and I'm very sorry about everything!' Mr Pin was feeling quite calm now. The mountains of madness have many little plateaux of sanity.
Death stared into the madly smiling face. You ARE VERY SORRY?
'Oh, yes!'
ABOUT EVERYTHING?
'Yep!'
AT THIS TIME? IN THIS PLACE? YOU DECLARE YOU ARE SORRY?'
'That's right. You got it. You're bright. So if you'll just show me how to get back--'
YOU WOULD NOT LIKE TO RECONSIDER?
'No arguing, I want what's due,' said Mr Pin. 'I've got my potato. Look.'
AND I SEE. Death reached into his robe and pulled out what looked to Mr Pin, at first sight, like a miniature model of himself.
But there was a rat skull looking out from under the tiny cowl. Death grinned. SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND, he said. The Death of Rats reached out and snatched the string. 'Hey--'
DO NOT PUT ALL YOUR TRUST IN ROOT VEGETABLES. WHAT THINGS SEEM MAY NOT BE WHAT THEY ARE, Said Death. YET LET NO ONE SAY I DON'T
HONOUR THE LAW. He snapped his fingers. RETURN, THEN, TO WHERE YOU
SHOULD GO...
Blue light flickered for a moment around the astonished Pin, and then he vanished. Death sighed and shook his head.
THE OTHER ONE... HAD SOMETHING IN HIM THAT COULD BE BETTER, he
said. BUT THAT ONE... He sighed deeply. WHO KNOWS WHAT EVIL LURKS
IN THE HEART OF MEN?
The Death of Rats looked up from the feast of potato.
SQUEAK, he said.
Death waved a hand dismissively. WELL, YES, OBVIOUSLY ME, he
Said. I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE.