Стража! Стража!

           SomehowVimesimagineditwouldbesoup.Insteaditwasaplatestackedhighwithbacon,friedpotatoesandeggs.Hecouldhearhisarteriespanicjustbylookingatit.

           "I’vemadeabreadpudding,too,"saidLadyRamkin,slightlysheepishly."Idon’tnormallycookmuch,justformyself.Youknowhowitis,cateringforone."

           Vimesthoughtaboutthemealsathislodgings.Somehowthemeatwasalwaysgrey,withmysterioustubesinit.

           "Er,"hebegan,notusedtoaddressingladiesfromarecumbentpositionintheirownbeds."CorporalNobbstellsme-"

           "AndwhatacolourfullittlemanNobbyis!"saidLadyRamkin.

           Vimeswasn’tcertainhecouldcopewiththis.

           "Colourful?"hesaidweakly.

           "Arealcharacter.We’vebeengettingalongfamously."

           "Youhave?"

           "Oh,yes.Whatagreatfundofanecdoteshehas."

           "Oh,yes.He’sgotthatallright."ItalwaysamazedVimeshowNobbygotalongwithpracticallyeveryone.Itmust,he’ddecided,havesomethingtodowiththecommondenominator.IntheentireworldofmathematicstherecouldbenodenominatorascommonasNobby.

           "Er,"hesaid,andthenfoundhecouldn’tleavethisstrangenewbyway,"youdon’tfindhislanguageabit,er,ripe?"

           "Salty,"correctedLadyRamkincheerfully."Youshouldhaveheardmyfatherwhenhewasannoyed.Anyway,wefoundwe’vegotalotincommon.It’sanamazingcoincidence,butmygrandfatheroncehadhisgrandfatherwhippedformaliciouslingering."

           Thatmustmakethempracticallyfamily,Vimesthought.