Стража! Стража!

           "Idon’tthinkthatwouldwork,mylord.Anyproficientmonsterslayerknowstherateforthejob."

           "Ha!Halfthekingdom,"mutteredthePatrician.

           "Andyourdaughter’shandinmarriage,"saidWonse.

           "Isupposeanauntisn’tacceptable?"thePatriciansaidhopefully.

           "Traditiondemandsadaughter,mylord."

           ThePatriciannoddedgloomily.

           "Perhapswecanbuyitoff,"hesaidaloud."Aredragonsintelligent?"

           "Ibelievethewordtraditionallyis’cunning’,mylord,"saidWonse."Iunderstandtheyhavealikingforgold."

           "Really?Whatdotheyspenditon?"

           "Theysleeponit,mylord."

           "What,doyoumeaninamattress?"

           "No,mylord.Onit."

           ThePatricianturnedthisfactoverinhismind."Don’ttheyfinditratherknobbly?"hesaid.

           "SoIwouldimagine,sir.Idon’tsupposeanyonehaseverasked."

           "Hmm.Cantheytalk?"

           "They’reapparentlygoodatit,mylord."

           "Ah.Interesting."

           ThePatricianwasthinking:ifitcantalk,itcannegotiate.Ifitcannegotiate,thenIhaveitbytheshort-bythesmallscales,orwhateveritistheyhave.

           "Andtheyaresaidtobesilvertongued,"saidWonse.ThePatricianleanedbackinhischair.

           "Onlysilver?"hesaid.

           TherewasthesoundofmutedvoicesinthepassagewayoutsideandVimeswasusheredin.

           "Ah,Captain,"saidthePatrician,"whatprogress?"

           "I’msorry,mylord?"saidVimes,astheraindrippedoffhiscape.

           "Towardsapprehendingthisdragon,"saidthePatricianfirmly.

           "Thewadingbird?"saidVimes.