Стража! Стража!

           "Youdon’tthinkafriezeofghastlyshadowswillcausecommentandspeculation?"saidthePatriciansourly.

           "NotasmuchasfreshpaintintheShades,"saidWonseevenly.

           ThePatricianhesitatedamoment."Goodpoint,"hesnapped."Havesomemendemolishit."

           Hereachedtheendoftheroom,spunonhisheel,andstalkedupitagain.Dragons!Asiftherewerenotenoughimportant,enoughrealthingstotakeuphistime.

           "Doyoubelieveindragons?"hesaid.

           Wonseshookhishead."They’reimpossible,sir."

           "SoI’veheard,"saidLordVetinari.Hereachedtheoppositewall,turned.

           "Wouldyoulikemetoinvestigatefurther?"saidWonse.

           "Yes.Doso."

           "AndIshallensuretheWatchtakegreatcare,"saidWonse.

           ThePatricianstoppedhispacing."TheWatch?TheWatch?Mydearchap,theWatchareabunchofincompetentscommandedbyadrunkard.It’stakenmeyearstoachieveit.ThelastthingweneedtoconcernourselveswithistheWatch."

           Hethoughtforamoment."Everseenadragon,Wonse?Oneofthebigones,Imean?Oh,they’reimpossible.Yousaid."

           "They’rejustlegend,really.Superstition,"saidWonse.

           "Hmm,"saidthePatrician."Andthethingaboutlegends,ofcourse,isthattheyarelegendary."

           "Exactly,sir."

           "Evenso-"ThePatricianpaused,andstaredatWonseforsometime."Oh,well,"hesaid."Sortitout.I’mnothavinganyofthisdragonbusiness.It’sthetypeofthingthatmakespeoplerestless.Putastoptoit."