Стража! Стража!

           "Butyoucangohome,ifyoulike.Oranywhereyourfanciestakeyou.Givemeyourbadge."

           "Huh?"

           Wonseheldouthishand.

           "Yourbadge,"herepeated.

           "Mybadge?"

           "That’swhatIsaid.Iwanttokeepyououtoftrouble."

           Vimeslookedathiminastonishment."Butit’smybadge!"

           "Andyou’regoingtogiveittome,"saidWonsegrimly."Byorderoftheking."

           "Whatd’youmean?Hedoesn’tevenknow!"Vimesheardthewailinginhisownvoice.

           Wonsescowled."Buthewill,"hesaid."AndIdon’texpecthe’llevenbothertoappointasuccessor."

           Vimesslowlyundippedtheverdigriseddiscofcopper,weigheditinhishand,andthentossedittoWonsewithoutaword.

           Foramomentheconsideredpleading,butsomethingrebelled.Heturned,andstalkedoffthroughthecrowd.

           Sothatwasit.

           Assimpleasthat.Afterhalfalifetimeofservice.NomoreCityWatch.Huh.Vimeskickedatthepavement.It’dbesomesortofRoyalGuardnow.

           Withplumesintheirdamnhelmets.

           Well,he’dhadenough.Itwasn’taproperlifeanyway,intheWatch.Youdidn’tmeetpeopleinthebestofcircumstances.Theremustbehundredsofotherthingshecoulddo,andifhethoughtforlongenoughhecouldprobablyrememberwhatsomeofthemwere.

           PseudopolisYardwasofftherouteoftheprocession,andashestumbledintotheWatchHousehecouldhearthedistantcheeringbeyondtherooftops.Acrossthecitythetemplegongswerebeingsounded.