Стража! Стража!

           onthepartofallmenofgoodwill."

           Hepaused,andlookedatthem.Theheadassassinsaidlaterthathehadlookedintotheeyesofmanymenwho,obviously,wereveryneardeath,buthehadneverlookedintoeyesthatweresoclearlyandunmistakablylookingbackathimfromtheslopesofHell.

           Hehopedhewouldnever,hesaid,everhavetolookintoeyeslikethatagain.

           "Iamreferring,"saidWonse,eachwordcomingslowlytothesurfacelikebubblesinsomequicksand,"tothematterof...theking’s...diet."

           Therewasaterriblesilence.Theyheardthefaintrustleofwingsbehindthem,andtheshadowsinthecornersofthehallgrewdarkerandseemedtoclosein.

           "Diet,"saidtheheadthief,inahollowvoice.

           "Yes,"saidWonse.Hisvoicewasalmostasqueak.Sweatwasdrippingdownhisface.Theheadassassinhadonceheardtheword"rictus"andwonderedwhenyoushoulduseitcorrectlytodescribesomeone’sexpression,andnowheknew.ThatwaswhatWonse’sfacehadbecome;itwastheghastlyrictusofsomeonetryingnottohearthewordshisownmouthwassaying.

           "We,er,wethought,"saidtheheadassassin,verycarefully,"thatthedr-theking,well,musthavebeenarrangingmattersforhimself,overtheweeks."

           "Ah,butpoorstuff,youknow.Poorstuff.Strayanimalsandsoforth,"saidWonse,staringhardatthetabletop."Obviously,asking,suchmakeshiftsarenolongerappropriate."

           Thesilencegrewandtookonatexture.Thecouncillorsthoughthard,especiallyaboutthemealtheyhadjusteaten.