Стража! Стража!

           AndthenthegreylighthadfilteredevenintotheShades,andhewasstillaliveanduncooked,andhadlookedaroundhimwithanexpressionofidiotreliefandseen,notayardaway,thesefootprints.Thathadnotbeenagoodmomenttobesober.

           "Well,sir,"hesaid,"Iknowthatdragonshavebeenextinctforthousandsofyears,sir-"

           "Yes?"ThePatrician’seyesnarrowed.

           Vimesplungedon."But,sir,thethingis,dotheyknow?SergeantColonsaidheheardaleatherysoundjustbefore,justbefore,justbeforethe,er...offence."

           "Soyouthinkanextinct,andindeedapossiblyentirelymythical,dragonflewintothecity,landedinthisnarrowalley,incineratedagroupofcriminals,andthenflewaway?"saidthePatrician."Onemightsay,itwasaverypublic-spiritedcreature."

           "Well,whenyouputitlikethat-"

           "IfIrecall,thedragonsoflegendweresolitaryandruralcreatureswhoshunnedpeopleanddweltinforsaken,outofthewayplaces,"saidthePatrician."Theywerehardlyurbancreatures."

           "No,sir,"saidthecaptain,repressingacommentthatifyouwantedtofindareallyforsaken,outofthewayplacethentheShadeswouldfitthebillprettywell.