Стража! Стража!

           Vimesthoughtaboutthisforawhileandthenthoughtofthethingshecoulddowithfiftythousanddollars.Thereweresomanymoreofthem,forastart.

           Healmostwalkedintoagroupofmenclusteredaroundaposternailedtothewall.Itdeclared,indeed,thattheheadofthedragonthathadterrorisedthecitywouldbeworthA$50,000tothebraveherothatdeliveredittothepalace.

           Oneofthecluster,whofromhissize,weaponryandthatwayhewasslowlytracingtheletteringwithhisfingerVimesdecidedwasaleadinghero,wasdoingthereadingfortheothers.

           "-toter-herpal-ack-ee,"heconcluded.

           "Fiftythousand,"saidoneofthemreflectively,rubbinghischin.

           "Cheapjob,"saidtheintellectual."Wellbelowtherate.Shouldbehalfthekingdomandhisdaughter’shandinmarriage."

           "Yes,butheain’taking.He’saPatrician."

           "Well,halfhisPatrimonyorwhatever.What’shisdaughterlike?"

           Theassembledhuntersdidn’tknow.

           "He’snotmarried,"Vimesvolunteered."Andhehasn’tgotadaughter."

           Theyturnedandlookedhimupanddown.Hecouldseethedisdainintheireyes.Theyprobablygotthroughdozenslikehimeveryday."Notgotadaughter?"saidoneofthem."Wantspeopletokilldragonsandhehasn’tgotadaughter?"

           Vimesfelt,inanoddway,thatheoughttosupportthelordofthecity."He’sgotalittledogthathe’sveryfondof,"hesaidhelpfully.

           "Bleedingdisgusting,notevenhavingadaughter,"saidoneofthehunters.