Стража! Стража!

           "Isupposeyouhaven’tgotanyideawhat’shappening?"shoutedVimes,againstthecracklingofthespinningfire.

           "Notthefoggiest!"

           Thecrawlinglinesspreadlikeaweboverthecity,growingfainterwithdistance.Vimesimaginedthemcreepingthroughwindowsandsneakingunderdoors.

           "Itlooksasthoughit’ssearchingforsomething!"heshouted.

           "Thengettingawaybeforeitfindsitisafirst-classidea,don’tyouthink?"

           AtongueoffirehitthedarkTowerofArt,slidblindlydownitsivy-grownflanks,anddisappearedthroughthedomeofUnseenUniversity’sLibrary.

           Theotherlinesblinkedout.

           LadyRamkinbroughtthecoachtoahaltatthefarsideofthesquare.

           "WhatdoesitwanttheLibraryfor?"shesaid,frowning.

           "Maybeitwantstolooksomethingup?"

           "Don’tbesilly,"shesaidbreezily."There’sjustalotofbookshithere.Whatwouldaflashoflightningwanttoread?"

           "Somethingveryshort?"

           "Ireallythinkyoucouldtrytobeabitmorehelp."

           ThelineoflightexplodedintoanarcbetweentheLibrary’sdomeandthecentreoftheplazaandhunghitheair,abandofbrillianceseveralfeetacross.

           Then,hiasuddenrush,itbecameasphereoffirewhichgrewswiftlytoencompassalmostalltheplaza,vanishedsuddenly,andleftthenightfullofringing,violetshadows.

           Andtheplazafullofdragon.

           Whowouldhavethoughtit?Somuchpower,socloseathand.Thedragoncouldfeelthemagicflowingintoit,renewingitfromsecondtosecond,hidefianceofallboringphysicallaws.