Стража! Стража!

           "Andnokickinghim,either,"Vimeswarned."Notevenwhereitdoesn’tshow.Carrot,youcomewithme."

           "DDddrrraa,"BrotherFingersvolunteered.

           "AndtakeErrol,"addedVimes."He’sdrivinghimselfmadhere.Gamelittledevil,I’llgivehimthat."

           "Marvellous,whenyoucometothinkaboutit,"saidColon.

           Errolwastrottingupanddowninfrontoftheravagedbuilding,whining.

           "Lookathim,"saidVimes."Can’twaittogettogrips."Hisgazefounditselfdrawn,asthoughbywires,uptotherollingcloudsoffog.

           It’sintheresomewhere,hethought.

           "Whatwegoingtodonow,sir?"saidCarrot,asthecarriagerattledoff.

           "Notnervous,areyou?"saidVimes.

           "No,sir."

           ThewayhesaiditjoggedsomethinginVimes’smind.

           "No,"hesaid,"you’renot,areyou?Isupposeit’sbeingbroughtupbythedwarfsthatdidit.You’vegotnoimagination."

           "I’msureItrytodomybest,sir,"saidCarrotfirmly.

           "Stillsendingallyourpayhometoyourmother?"

           "Yes,sir."

           "You’reagoodboy."

           "Yessir.Sowhatarewegoingtodo,CaptainVimes?"Carrotrepeated.

           Vimeslookedaroundhim.Hewalkedafewaimless,exasperatedsteps.Hespreadhisarmswideandthenfloppedthemdownbyhissides.

           "HowshouldIknow?"hesaid."Warnpeople,Iguess.We’dbettergetovertothePatrician’spalace.Andthen-"

           Therewerefootstepsinthefog.Vimesstiffened,puthisfingertohislipsandpulledCarrotintotheshelterofadoorway.

           Afigureloomedoutofthebillows.