Стража! Стража!

           Youhadtoadmirethewaydragonsknewhowtoputthebiteon.Itwaspracticallyhuman.

           "Oh,"hesaid.

           "Ofcourse,therewillprobablybeotheracquisitionsinthewayofland,propertyandsoforth,andthekingwishesittobefullyunderstoodthatloyalPrivyCouncillorswillberichlyrewarded."

           "And,er,"saidtheheadassassin,whowasbeginningtofeelthathehadgotafirmgriponthenatureoftheking’smentalprocesses,"nodoubtthe,er-"

           "PrivyCouncillors,"saidWonse.

           "Nodoubttheywillrespondwithevengreatergenerosityinthematterof,forexample,treasure?"

           "Iamsuresuchconsiderationshaven’tcrossedtheking’smind,"saidWonse,"butthepointisverywellmade."

           "Ithoughtitwouldbe."

           Thenextcoursewasfatpork,beansandflourypotatoes.More,astheycouldn’thelpnoticing,fatteningfood.

           Wonsehadaglassofwater.

           "WhichbringsusontoafurthermatterofsomedelicacywhichIamsurethatwell-travelled,broad-mindedgentlemensuchasyourselveswillhavenodifficultyinaccepting,"hesaid.Thehandholdingtheglasswasbeginningtoshake.

           "Ihopeitwillalsobeunderstoodbythepopulationatlarge,especiallysincethekingwillundoubtedlybeabletocontributeinsomanywaystothewell-beinganddefenceofthecity.Forexample,Iamsurethatthepeoplewillrestmorecontentedlyintheirbedsknowingthatthedr-thekingistirelesslyprotectingthemfromharm.Therecan,however,beridiculousancient...prejudices...whichwillonlybeeradicatedbyceaselesswork...