Стража! Стража!

           Weshouldn’tgodisturbingher,"saidColon.HestretchedouthishandtoErrol’squiveringflanks."Iusedtohaveadogthat-arrgh!That’snothot,that’sboiling!"

           "I’veofferedhimlotsofwaterandhejustwon’ttouchit.Whatareyoudoingwiththatkettle,Nobby?"

           Nobbylookedinnocent."Well,Ithoughtwemightaswellmakeacupofteabeforewegoout.It’sashametowaste-"

           "Takeitoffhim!"

           Nooncame.Thefogdidn’tliftbutitdidthinabit,toallowapaleyellowhazewherethesunshouldhavebeen.

           AlthoughthepassageofyearshadturnedthepostofCaptainoftheWatchintosomethingrathershabby,itstillmeantthatVimeswasentitledtoaseatatofficialoccasions.Thepeckingorderhadmovedit,though,sothatnowhewasinthelowesttieronthericketybleachersbetweentheMasteroftheFellowshipofBeggarsandtheheadoftheTeachers’Guild.Hedidn’tmindthat.Anythingwasbetterthanthetoprow,amongtheAssassins,Thieves,Merchantsandalltheotherthingsthathadfloatedtothetopofsociety.Heneverknewwhattotalkabout.Anyway,theteacherwasrestfulcompanysincehedidn’tdomuchbutclenchandunclenchhishandsoccasionally,andwhimper.

           "Somethingwrongwithyourneck,Captain?"saidthechiefbeggarpolitely,astheywaitedforthecoaches.

           "What?"saidVimesdistractedly.

           "Youkeeponstaringupwards,"saidthebeggar.

           "Hmm?Oh.No.Nothingwrong,"saidVimes.

           Thebeggarwrappedhisvelvetcloakaroundhim.