Стража! Стража!

           "YouknowverywellwhatImean,"saidVetinarisharply.

           "Investigationsareinhand,"saidVimesautomatically.

           ThePatriciansnorted."Allyouhavetodoisfinditslair,"hesaid."Onceyouhavethelair,youhavethedragon.That’sobvious.Halfthecityseemstobelookingforit."

           "Ifthereisalair,"saidVimes.

           Wonselookedupsharply.

           "Whydoyousaythat?"

           "Weareconsideringanumberofpossibilities,"saidVimeswoodenly.

           "Ifithasnolair,wheredoesitspenditsdays?"saidthePatrician.

           "Inquiriesarebeingpursued,"saidVimes.

           "Thenpursuethemwithalacrity.Andfindthelair,"saidthePatriciansourly.

           "Yes,sir.Permissiontoleave,sir?"

           "Verywell.ButIshallexpectprogressbytonight,doyouunderstand?"

           NowwhydidIwonderifithasalair?Vimesthought,ashesteppedoutintothedaylightandthecrowdedsquare.Becauseitdidn’tlookreal,that’swhy.Ifitisn’treal,itdoesn’tneedtodoanythingweexpect.Howcanitwalkoutofanalleyitdidn’tgointo?

           Onceyou’veruledouttheimpossiblethenwhateverisleft,howeverimprobable,mustbethetruth.Theproblemlayinworkingoutwhatwasimpossible,ofcourse.Thatwasthetrick,allright.

           Therewasalsothecuriousincidentoftheorangutaninthenight-time...

           BydaytheLibrarybuzzedwithactivity.Vimesmovedthroughitdiffidently.