Стража! Стража!

           Wheneverhefeltthathewasslowingdown,orthathewaslosinginterest,herememberedthoseshadows,anditwaslikehavingdullfirepoureddownhisbackbone.Thingslikethatshouldn’tbeallowedtohappen.Notinmycity.

           InfacttheShadeswerenotaproblem.Manyofitsdenizenswereouthoard-huntinganyway,andthosethatremainedwerefarlessinclinedthanhithertotolurkindarkalleys.Besides,themoresensibleofthemrecognisedthatLadyRamkin,ifwaylaid,wouldprobablytellthemtopulluptheirsocksandnotbesilly,inavoicesousedtocommandthattheywouldprobablyfindthemselvesdoingit.

           Thewallhadn’tbeenknockeddownyetandstillboreitsgrislyfresco.Errolsniffedaroundit,trottedupthealleyonceortwice,andwenttosleep.

           "Dintwork,"saidSergeantColon.

           "Goodidea,though,"saidNobbyloyally.

           "Itcouldbealltherainandpeoplewalkingabout,Isuppose,"saidLadyRamkin.

           Vimesscoopedupthedragon.Ithadbeenavainhopeanyway.Itwasjustbettertobedoingsomethingthannothing.

           "We’dbettergetback,"hesaid."Thesun’sgonedown."

           Theywalkedbackinsilence.Thedragon’seventamedtheShades,Vimesthought.It’stakenoverthewholecity,evenwhenitisn’there.People’11starttyingvirginstorocksanydaynow.

           It’sametaphorofhumanbloodyexistence,adragon.Andifthatwasn’tbadenough,it’salsoabloodygreathotflyingthing.

           Hepulledoutthekeytothenewheadquarters.Whilehewasfumblinginthelock,Errolwokeupandstartedtoyammer.