Стража! Стража!

           "BrilliantideaaboutusingErrol,ma’am,ifImaymakesobold,"saidNobby,whilethesergeantblushedunderhisbandage.

           VimeswasnotcertainhowlonghewouldbeabletoputupwithNobbythesocialmountaineer.

           Carrotsaidnothing.Hewasgraduallycomingtotermswiththefactthatheprobablywasn’tadwarf,butdwarfbloodflowedinhisveinsinaccordancewiththefamousprincipleofmorphicresonance,andhisborrowedgenesweretellinghimthatnothingwasgoingtobethatsimple.Findingahoardevenwhenthedragonwasn’tathomewasprettyrisky.Anyway,hewascertainhe’dknowiftherewasonearound.Thepresenceoflargeamountsofgoldalwaysmadeadwarf’spalmsitch,andhisweren’titching.

           "We’llstartbythatwallintheShades,"saidthecaptain.

           SergeantColonglancedsidewaysatLadyRamkin,andfounditimpossibletoshowcowardiceinthefaceofthesupportive.Hecontentedhimselfwith,"Isthatwise,Captain?"

           "Ofcourseitisn’t.Ifwewerewise,wewouldn’tbeintheWatch."

           "Isay!Allthisistremendouslyexciting,"saidLadyRamkin.

           "Oh,Idon’tthinkyoushouldcome,m’lady-"Vimesbegan.

           "-Sybil,please!-"

           "-it’saverydisreputablearea,yousee."

           "ButI’msureIshallbeperfectlysafewithyourmen,"shesaid."I’msurevagabondsjustmeltawaywhentheyseeyou."

           That’sdragons,thoughtVimes.Theymeltawaywhentheyseedragons,andjustleavetheirshadowsonthewall.