Стража! Стража!

           "Youcouldn’tbyanychancespare-"hepaused,calculatingasuminaccordancewithhisstation-"aboutthreehundreddollarsforatwelve-coursecivicbanquet,couldyou?"

           "No."

           "Fairenough.Fairenough,"saidthechiefbeggaramiably.Hesighed.Itwasn’tarewardingjob,beingchiefbeggar.Itwasthedifferentialsthatdidforyou.Low-gradebeggarsmadeareasonableenoughlivingonpennies,butpeopletendedtolooktheotherwaywhenyouaskedthemforasixteen-bedroommansionforthenight.

           Vimesresumedhisstudyofthesky.

           UponthedaistheHighPriestofBlindIo,wholastnightbydintofelaborateecumenicalargumentandeventuallybyaclubwithnailsinithadwontherighttocrowntheking,fussedoverhispreparations.Bythesmallportablesacrificialaltaratetheredbillygoatwaspeacefullychewingthecudandpossiblythinking,inGoat:WhataluckybillygoatIam,tobegivensuchagoodviewoftheproceedings.Thisisgoingtobesomethingtotellthekids.

           Vimesscannedthediffusedoutlinesofthenearestbuildings.

           Adistantcheeringsuggestedthattheceremonialprocessionwasonitsway.

           TherewasascuffleofactivityaroundthedaisasLupineWonsechivviedascrambleofservantswhorolledapurplecarpetdownthesteps.

           Acrossthesquare,amongsttheranksofAnkh-Morpork’sfadedaristocracy,LadyRamkin’sfacetiltedupwards.

           Aroundthethrone,whichhadbeenhastilycreatedoutofwoodandgoldfoil,anumberoflesserpriests,someofthemwithslightheadwounds,shuffledintoposition.