Стража! Стража!

           HelookedatthebulkoftheUnseenUniversityLibraryofmagicbooks,thegreatestaccumulationofdistilledmagicalpowerontheDiscworld.

           Andnowthedragonhadlearnedhowtofeeditself.

           HebecameterriblyawarethatLadyRamkinhadmoved,andsawtohishorrorthatshewasstridingtowardsthedragon,chinstuckoutlikeananvil.

           "Whatthehellareyoudoing?"hewhisperedloudly.

           "Ifit’sdescendedfromtheswampdragonsthenIcanprobablycontrolit,"shecalledback."Youhavetolookthemintheeyeanduseano-nonsensetoneofvoice.Theycan’tresistasternhumanvoice.Theydon’thavethewillpower,youknow.They’rejustbigsofties."

           Tohisshame,Vimesrealisedthathislegsweregoingtohavenothingtodowithanymaddashtodragherback.

           Hispridedidn’tlikethat,buthisbodypointedoutthatitwasn’thispridethatstoodaveryreasonablechanceofbeingthinlylaminatedtothenearestbuilding.Throughearsburningwithembarrassmentheheardhersay:"Badboy!"

           Theechoesofthatsterninjunctionrangoutacrosstheplaza.

           Ohgods,hethought,isthathowyoutrainadragon?Pointthematthemeltedpatchonthefloorandthreatentorubtheirnoseinit?

           Heriskedapeepoverthehorsetrough.

           Thedragon’sheadwasswingingaroundslowly,likeacranejib.Ithadsomedifficultyfocusingonher,rightbelowit.Vimescouldseethegreatredeyesnarrowasthecreaturetriedtosquintdownthelengthofitsownnose.Itlookedpuzzled.Hewasn’tsurprised.