Стража! Стража!

           "Andwhenitgetstoyourhead,it-"

           "Look,it’supthere!"shoutedVimes."Thegreatbigdragonthatcrunchesyouup!Nowgohome!"

           Thechildlookedupatthethingperchedonthecrippleddais.

           "Ihaven’tseenitcrunchanyoneyet,"itcomplained.

           "Pushofforyou’llfeelthebackofmyhand,"saidVimes.

           Thisseemedtofitthebill.Thechildnoddedunderstandingly.

           "Right.CanIshouthurrahagain?"

           "Ifyoulike,"saidVimes.

           "Hurrah."

           Somuchforcommunitypolicing,Vimesthought.Hepeeredoutfrombehindthefountainagain.

           Avoiceimmediatelyabovehimrumbled,"Saywhatyoulike,Istillswearit’samagnificentspecimen."

           Vimes’sgazetravelledupwardsuntilitcrestedtheedgeofthefountain’stopbowl.

           "Haveyounoticed,"saidSybilRamkin,haulingherselfuprightbyapieceoferodedstatuaryanddroppingdowninfrontofhim,"howeverytimewemeet,adragonturnsup?"Shegavehimanarchsmile."It’sabitlikehavingyourowntune.Orsomething."

           "It’sjustsittingthere,"saidVimeshurriedly."Justlookingaround.Asifit’swaitingforsomethingtohappen."

           ThedragonblinkedwithJurassicpatience.

           Theroadsoffthesquarewerepackedwithpeople.That’stheAnkh-Morporkinstinct,Vimesthought.Runaway,andthenstopandseeifanythinginterestingisgoingtohappentootherpeople.

           Therewasamovementinthewreckagenearthedragon’sfronttalon,andtheHighPriestofBlindIostaggeredtohisfeet,dustandsplinterscascadingfromhisrobes.