Стража! Стража!

           "ThisisLadyRamkinyou’rereferringto?"saidVimescoldly.Hisribswereachingreallymagnificentlynow.

           "Yeah.Bigfatparty,"saidNobby,unmoved."Cor,shecan’thalfbosspeopleabout!’Oh,thepoordearman,youmustbringhimuptomyhousethisinstant.’Sowedid.Bestplace,too.Everyone’srunningarounddowninthecitylikechickenswiththeirheadscutoff."

           "Howmuchdamagediditdo?"

           "Well,afteryouwereoutofitthewizardshititwithfireballs.Itdidn’tlikethatatall.Justseemedtomakeitstrongerandangrier.TookouttheUniversity’sentireWiddershinswing."

           "And-?"

           "That’saboutit,really.Itflamedafewmorethings,andthenitmustofflownawayinallthesmoke."

           "No-onesawwhereitwent?"

           "Iftheydid,theyain’tsaying."Nobbysatbackandleered."Disgusting,really,herlivin’inaroomlikethis.She’sgotpotsofmoney,sargesays,she’sgotnocalllivin’inordinaryrooms.What’sthegoodofnotwantingtobepooriftherichareallowedtogoroundlivin’inordinaryrooms?Shouldbemarble."Hesniffed."Anyway,shesaidIwastofetchherwhenyouwokeup.She’sfeedingherdragonsnow.Oldlittlebuggers,aren’tthey.It’samazingshe’sallowedtokeep’em."

           "Whatdoyoumean?"

           "Youknow.Tarredwiththesamebrush,andthat."

           WhenNobbyhadshambledoutVimestookanotherlookaroundtheroom.Itdid,indeed,lackthegoldleafandmarblethatNobbyfeltwascompulsoryforpeopleofahighstationinlife.