Стража! Стража!

           Shedidn’tbothertochangeoutoftheballgownbutslippedtheheavyapronoverthetop,donnedtheglovesandhelmet,pulledthevisordownoverherfaceandran,clutchingthefeedbuckets,throughthedrivingraintotheshed.

           Sheknewitassoonassheopenedthedoor.Normallythearrivaloffoodwouldbegreetedwithhootsandwhistlesandbriefburstsofflame.

           Thedragons,eachinitspen,weresittingupinattentivesilenceandstaringupthroughtheroof.

           Itwassomehowscary.Sheclangedthebucketstogether.

           "Noneedtobeafraid,nastybigdragonallgone!"shesaidbrightly."Getstuckintothis,youpeople!"

           Oneortwoofthemgaveherabriefglance,andthenwentbacktotheir-

           What?Theydidn’tseemtobefrightened.Justvery,veryattentive.Itwaslikeavigil.Theywerewaitingforsomethingtohappen.

           Thethundermutteredagain.

           Acoupleofminuteslatershewasonherwaydownintothedampcity.

           Therearesomesongswhichareneversungsober."NellieDean"isone.Soisanysongbeginning"AsIwasawalking..."IntheareaaroundAnkh-Morpork,thefavouredairis"AWizard’sStaffHasAKnobOnTheEnd".

           Therankweredrunk.Atleast,twooutofthreeoftherankweredrunk.Carrothadbeenpersuadedtotryashandyandhadn’tlikeditmuch.Hedidn’tknowallthewords,either,andmanyoftheoneshedidknowhedidn’tunderstand.

           "Oh,Isee,"hesaideventually.