Стража! Стража!

           "Whenastrangercomesintothecityunderthethrallofthedragonandchallengesitwithaglitterysword,weeell,there’sonlyoneoutcome,ain’tthere?It’sprobablydestiny."

           "Thrall?"shoutedVimes."Thrall?Youthievingbugger,Throat,youwerefloggingcuddlydragondollsyesterday!"

           "That’swasjustbusiness,Cap’n.Noneedtogetexcitedaboutit,"saidThroatpleasantly.

           Vimeswentbacktotherankinagloomyrage.SaywhatyoulikedaboutthepeopleofAnkh-Morpork,theyhadalwaysbeenstaunchlyindependent,yieldingtonomantheirrighttorob,defraud,embezzleandmurderonanequalbasis.Thisseemedabsolutelyright,toVimes’swayofthinking.Therewasnodifferenceatallbetweentherichestmanandthepoorestbeggar,apartfromthefactthattheformerhadlotsofmoney,food,power,fineclothes,andgoodhealth.Butatleasthewasn’tanybetter.Justricher,fatter,morepowerful,betterdressedandhealthier.Ithadbeenlikethatforhundredsofyears.

           "Andnowtheygetonesniffofanerminerobeandtheygoallgooey,"hemuttered.

           Thedragonwascirclingtheplazaslowlyandwarily.Vimescranedtoseeovertheheadsinfrontofhim.

           Inthesamewaythatvariouspredatorshavethesilhouetteoftheirpreyalmostprogrammedintotheirgenes,itwaspossiblethattheshapeofsomeoneonahorseholdingaswordclickedafewtumblersinadragon’sbrain.Itwasshowingkeenbutwaryinterest.

           Backinthecrowd,Vimesshrugged."Ididn’tevenknowwewereakingdom."