Стража! Стража!

           "Andthat’sillegal,thatis!"saidCarrothappily."ReleasingFeralCreaturesupontheStreets,contrarytotheWildAnimals(Public-"

           Vimesgroaned.Thatmeantwizards.Yougotnothingbuttroublewithwizards.

           "Isuppose,"hesaid,"therewouldn’tbeanothercopyofthisbookaround,wouldthere?"

           "Oook."TheLibrarianshookhishead.

           "Andyouwouldn’thappentoknowwhat’sinit?"Vimessighed.

           "What?Oh.Fourwords,"hesaidwearily."Firstword.Soundslike.Bend.Bough?Sow,cow,how...How.Secondword.Smallword.The,a,to...To.Yes,understood,butImeantinanykindofdetail?No.Isee."

           "What’rewegoingtodonow,sir?"saidCarrotanxiously.

           "It’soutthere,"intonedNobby."Gonetoground,like,duringthehoursofdaylight.Coiledupinitssecretlair,ontopofagreathoardofgold,dreamin’ancientreptiliandreamsfrommadawnatime,waitin’forthesecretcurtainsofthenight,whenoncemoreitwillsallyforth-"Hehesitatedandaddedsullenly,"What’reyoualllookingatmelikethatfor?"

           "Verypoetic,"saidCarrot.

           "Well,everyoneknowstherealolddragonsusedtogotosleeponahoardofgold,"saidNobby."Wellknownfolkmyth."

           Vimeslookedblanklyintotheimmediatefuture.VilethoughNobbywas,hewasalsoagoodindicationofwhatwasgoingthroughthemindoftheaveragecitizen.Youcouldusehimasasortoflaboratoryrattoforecastwhatwasgoingtohappennext.