Стража! Стража!

           Anotherstabofpainfromhisstrickensidemadehimwince.

           "You’vegotsomeverybadbruisingandprobablyacrackedribortwo,"shesaid."IfyourolloverI’llputsomemoreofthison."LadyRamkinflourishedajarofyellowointment.

           PaniccrossedVimes’sface.Instinctively,heraisedthesheetsuparoundhisneck.

           "Don’tplaysillybuggers,man,"shesaid."Ishan’tseeanythingIhaven’tseenbefore.Onebacksideisprettymuchlikeanother.It’sjustthattheonesIseegenerallyhavetailson.Nowrolloverandupwiththenightshirt.Itbelongedtomygrandfather,youknow."

           Therewasnoresistingthattoneofvoice.VimesthoughtaboutdemandingthatNobbybebroughtinasachaperon,andthendecidedthatwouldbeevenworse.

           Thecreamburnedlikeice.

           "Whatisit?"

           "Allkindsofstuff.It’llreducethebruisingandpromotethegrowthofhealthyscale."

           "What?"

           "Sorry.Probablynotscale.Don’tlooksoworried.I’malmostpositiveaboutthat.Okay,alldone."Shegavehimaslapontherump.

           "Madam,IamCaptainoftheNightWatch,"saidVimes,knowingitwasabloodydaftthingtosayevenashesaidit.

           "Halfnakedinalady’sbed,too,"saidLadyRamkin,unmoved."Nowsitupandeatyourtea.We’vegottogetyougoodandstrong."

           Vimes’seyesfilledwithpanic.

           "Why?"hesaid.

           LadyRamkinreachedintothepocketofhergrubbyjacket.

           "Imadesomenoteslastnight,"shesaid."Aboutthedragon."

           "Oh,thedragon."Vimesrelaxedabit.